Sharper Image's Dull Financial Prospects

American Voices

February 25, 2008 | ISSUE 44•09

High-end gadget retailer The Sharper Image filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. What do you think?

Thankfully, if any company can weather this kind of storm, it's the one that sells $200 umbrellas.

Karl Ryssdal
Back Hoe Operator
What am I supposed to spend my economic stimulus check on if not a vibrating recliner with cup holders?

Jenny Babbin
Cashier
Never in a million years did I think the American consumer would lose its hunger for expensive, useless products

Jack Dimsdale
Systems Analyst

Spanking Doesn't Work

02.09.12 | ISSUE 48•06

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal analyzed two decades of research and found that children who were punished physically became more aggressive over time, while those who weren't became less aggressive.
Smoking Speeds Mental Decline

02.08.12 | ISSUE 48•06

A study published in Archives Of General Psychiatry found that middle-aged men who smoked had diminished cognitive skills, the equivalent of having aged an additional 10 years.
Migrating Whooping Cranes Stall In Alabama

02.07.12 | ISSUE 48•06

Nine whooping cranes that had been following an ultralight aircraft as it guided them on their migratory route stopped when they reached Alabama, 500 miles short of the intended destination.
Florida Millionaire Adopts 42-Year-Old Girlfriend

02.06.12 | ISSUE 48•06

A 48-year-old West Palm Beach millionaire and polo club founder has adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend in an apparent bid to avoid paying out a wrongful death lawsuit.
Should Sugar Be Regulated?

02.03.12 | ISSUE 48•05

In a recent editorial in the journal Nature, researchers from the University of California–San Francisco suggested that as a toxic substance, sugar should be taxed and regulated like alcohol or tobacco.