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Sarah Leeson

Latest Stories (123)

My Economy

Like Willy Wonka, this Memphis chocolatier wants his sweets to tell stories

by Sarah Leeson
Sep 5, 2022
With flavors like barbecue, cornbread and banana pudding, Phillip Ashley Rix found an unfilled niche in the luxury chocolate world.
A box of luxury chocolates from Phillip Ashley Rix.
(Courtesy Rix)
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Shining a light on our broken power grids, and the risks they pose

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 30, 2022
"California Burning" tells how the struggle to manage aging infrastructure, climate change and the bottom line can lead to disaster.
The Camp Fire destroys a home in Northern California in 2018. Author Katherine Blunt discusses the disaster's consequences for the region's residents and for the Pacific Gas and Electric utility in her book "California Burning."
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Why is modern interior design so gray?

by Reema Khrais and Sarah Leeson
Aug 29, 2022
Amid the rise of HGTV after the real estate meltdown of 2008, investors have remodeled a vast swath of properties to look alike.
The drive to make money from housing, rather than live in it, has entrenched a handful of design tropes that include gray floors and mosaic tiles, observes Amanda Mull of The Atlantic.
kobzev3179/Getty Images
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As streaming subscriptions fall, media giants turn to theme parks, live events for lost revenue

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 25, 2022
Pent up demand for in-person experiences may make up for slipping subscriber numbers.
The interest in live events and theme park tickets has skyrocketed as the industry receives pent up demand from the pandemic.
(Photo Walt Disney World Resorts via Getty Images)
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For this firm, the 4-day workweek just didn't work

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 24, 2022
After a 10-week trial, an employee survey revealed stress tied to the altered schedules. But the CEO is still working on solutions.
Some companies have experimented with schedules to boost satisfaction and reduce stress. At Alter Agents, though, an employee survey showed that "a lot of the numbers that we expected to go up, went down," said CEO Rebecca Brooks.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
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My Economy

The origins of a glass recycling empire

by Sarah Leeson
Aug 19, 2022
The sand Glass Half Full creates from processed bottles is repurposed for flood disaster relief and mitigating coastal erosion, among other things.
Glass Half Full turns the glass it collects into a sand product that can be used in anything from art to disaster relief.
Courtesy Glass Half Full
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Frustrating user-experience tactics can have real harm, "dark pattern" expert says

by Kimberly Adams and Sarah Leeson
Aug 10, 2022
Website and app design strategies that trick users can cost consumers time and money, Harry Brignull says.
From hidden fees when booking a rental property, to a subscription that seems impossible to cancel, dark patterns are annoyances that can cost you time and money.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
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My Economy

Business school felt like a better bet than art, but an adviser encouraged her to take the plunge

by Reema Khrais and Sarah Leeson
Aug 5, 2022
"I know that art is something that I'm very interested in, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make money doing it," says Devin Tormey.
Devin Tormey paints wedding scenes live.
Casey Durgin Photo
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A 60-year-old program for workers hurt by globalization comes to a close

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 3, 2022
The Trade Adjustment Assistance program aids workers laid off due to trade competition. It stopped taking applications in July.
Towns with one main industry have been particularly hurt by globalization. Above, Steubenville, Ohio, sits near the Ohio River.
Rick Gershon/Getty Images
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Hollywood can't keep up with TV screen tech

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson
Aug 1, 2022
As the TV in your living room gets better, the special effects in big-budget Hollywood films are starting to look worse. Lane Brown of New York magazine discusses.
Lots of films were designed to appear on theater screens or high-definition television. On 4K TVs, some special effects may look fuzzy.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
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