In Brief

By Alain L. Sanders

OUT OF BOUNDS When trouble breaks out at kids' sporting events, who are the likely culprits? More often than not, it's the parents--an embarrassment that has prompted the National Alliance for Youth Sports www.nays.org to develop a parental-sportsmanship course that includes a handbook, a video and an ethical code. It instructs parents to respect players, coaches and officials and to "place the emotional and physical well-being" of the child "ahead of a personal desire to win." Thirty leagues are already using the materials. Florida's Jupiter-Tequesta Athletic Association is making the course mandatory.

THE PRICE OF HAPPINESS What's a good marriage worth? Economists David Blanchflower of Dartmouth and Andrew Oswald at England's University of Warwick calculate that a lasting marriage adds happiness equivalent to an extra $100,000 a year. They also say that yes, higher income equals greater happiness; that to make up for the sadness of losing a job would require an extra $60,000 a year; and that while the gap has diminished over the years, whites are happier than blacks--about $30,000 happier.

WHAT, US WORRY? Despite a year full of news of natural disasters, from storms to fires to earthquakes, emergency preparedness is not a high family-agenda item. Half of Americans believe a disaster is not likely to strike their home (including 30% of those already hit), and 55% haven't even discussed disaster planning with their families (including 37% of those already victimized). An Independent Insurance Agents of America poll found that such planning is most neglected (69%) in the Northeast and least neglected (45%) in the West.

--By Alain L. Sanders