Lifestyle

Mississippi Fails to Learn From History Ted Frank 02/16/2007

The state’s malarial litigation climate may deprive its citizens of homeowner’s insurance.

Grapes in Chains Amy Cortese 02/12/2007

A Supreme Court decision in May 2005 was supposed to liberate sales from vineyards to wine lovers. It didn’t. But even now, if you live in certain states, you can bypass the middlemen and get some great wine by mail. Amy Cortese explains.

A Non-Random Walk down Wall Street Adam Wolfe 02/02/2007

From Philippe Starck to Sarbanes-Oxley, real estate and regulations are transforming New York’s financial landscape.

Fly Europe Craig Winneker 02/01/2007

Even cheaper than American counterparts, airlines like W!ZZAir are changing the way people fly and forcing the ossified likes of Alitalia and Aer Lingus to get with the cheap program.

Stumbling on Psychology Laura Vanderkam 12/08/2006

A new book about what makes us happy is fun to read, if not particularly substantial. That's the way readers like it.

Trans Fats: Anatomy of a Scare Elizabeth M. Whelan 12/06/2006

NEW YORK—Yesterday morning, I watched as the New York City Health Department voted unanimously to ban the use of trans-fatty acids (trans fats) in all New York City restaurants. The ban will be phased in gradually, but ultimately New York City's eateries will be trans-fat-free. This regulatory move appears to mark the first time a health agency has taken action against safe, legal foods—in this case, certain margarines and cooking oils—instead of disease-causing organisms. The regulatory demonization of trans fats and the underlying "trans-fat-phobia" reveal a good deal about how the media and consumers react to a health scare, how scientists respond (or do not), and what lies ahead for other food ingredients.

The Ties that Bind Evan Sparks 11/27/2006

Neckties are worthwhile precisely because they are superfluous.

The Young Economist Lizbeth Scordo 11/17/2006

Economics often presumes that people act rationally. Ulrike Malmendier knows better.