Karen Astrid Larson

Karen Astrid Larson, editor of Bottom Line/Personal.

The Best of Times

The Best of Times

Karen Astrid Larson | April 26, 2017

A colleague recently mentioned something unusual—when she checks the time, it often seems to be exactly 7:11. That struck a…

Not at Thanksgiving!
Family

Not at Thanksgiving!

Karen Astrid Larson | November 19, 2015

One of my colleagues is dreading his family’s Thanksgiving gathering—he knows politics will come up and discord will follow. Families…

Hotel Rooms That Kill

Hotel Rooms That Kill

Karen Astrid Larson | February 14, 2013

Carbon monoxide leaking from a swimming pool heater exhaust pipe hospitalized 16 guests—and killed one—at a West Virginia Holiday Inn…

Toxic Sofas and Beds

Toxic Sofas and Beds

Karen Astrid Larson | January 9, 2013

A new study by researchers at Duke and North Carolina State universities found that Firemaster 550—a flame-retardant chemical mixture added…

How I Foiled a Pickpocket

How I Foiled a Pickpocket

Karen Astrid Larson | December 4, 2012

My husband and I landed in Rome, jetlagged and luggage-laden, and rushed to catch the high-speed train to Florence. On…

Trick to Reduce Your Phone Bill

Trick to Reduce Your Phone Bill

Karen Astrid Larson | November 20, 2012

My colleague recently called his local phone company to cancel one of his two residential phone lines. The customer service…