This week, the death of one high-profile grocery chain, and the ascendancy of another, tells us a lot about what Americans …
Arizona
Golf Carts: Hardly Just for the Golf Course Anymore
A new vehicle costs around $5,000, and a used model runs much less. They get decent gas mileage, and sometimes require no gas at all, with electric models good for around 20 miles per charge. They’re also increasingly OK to …
From Underwater to ‘Equity Poor’: Why the Housing Market Isn’t Recovering Faster
Rates are at historic lows of 3.53% for 30-year mortgages. Rents are at record levels all over the country, hitting highs in 74 markets tracked by real-estate-data provider Reis Inc. And housing prices appear to have finally …
The $40 Million Counterfeit Coupon Caper
Where Are College Costs Going Up? 14 Public Universities with the Fastest-Growing Tuition
Why Undocumented Workers Are Good for the Economy
Tough immigration laws in Arizona and Alabama are costing the states billions of dollars. Business and agricultural leaders have had enough.
It’s Not Your Imagination: Rent Prices Really Have Been Rising
Thanks to cheap home prices and mortgage rates at historic lows, it’s easy to argue that now is the ideal time to buy a home. But many would-be buyers are worried the market hasn’t yet reached bottom, and years of plunging home …
Gambling for Good? 8 Ways Lotteries Could (in Theory) Make the World a Better Place
Few people would make the case that we should encourage gambling. But what if gambling could be used as a ploy to improve road safety, recycling, school attendance, the financial well-being of citizens, and society as a whole?
The Marijuana-Themed Chain Restaurant on a Smoking-Hot Roll
A fast-food chain that’s named after a song about marijuana by “Wild Thing” rapper Tone Loc? That sells “blunt” sized sandwiches, each of them named for a different strain of ganja? And hemp brownies listed on the menu under …
Imagine No Electricity Bills: The Rise of ‘Net-Zero’ Homes
If done properly, a smartly built green home featuring solar power, energy-efficient appliances, and proper insulation can result in the owner facing monthly electricity bills amounting to $0, or thereabouts. Now, one homebuilder …
Gas Prices: More Predictions of $5 Per Gallon by Memorial Day
Most states haven’t hit the $4 mark for a gallon of regular. Nonetheless, gas prices around the country have soared for four weeks in a row, at a pace that would mean $5 per gallon in many states by the start of summer.
Struggling to Stay Afloat: Number of Underwater Homeowners Keeps on Rising
Despite signs that some housing markets are improving, the overall trend is for home prices (and values) to keep dropping—and dropping. As values shrink, more and more homeowners find themselves underwater, the unfortunate …
