Home, shop, home
Who isn't delighted to have catalogs arrive in the mail? Steve Deller, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics and a community development specialist who studies trends in retailing, says catalogs please both consumers and businesses. "Catalogs offer a real service to dual wage-earners and single parents," he says. "A lot of people simply don't have time to go to the store nowadays, and most mail-order companies have excellent return policies, so shopping through the mail is both easy and convenient." For businesses, especially those in rural areas, mail order offers an expedi-ent, attractive marketing option. "Some businesses have one simple product that they offer through the mail. I remember one family out East that made gourmet jellies and marketed them through a catalog," he says. Meanwhile, both shoppers and businesses are discovering retailing opportunities on the Internet, particularly through the World Wide Web. Deller's studies suggest that electronic shopping will grow even more rapidly than mail order. "Mailing costs are going up, and it's relatively easy to look at a catalog on computer and place your order online," he says.

Building strong bones
Women lose an average of 1/2 to 1 percent of their bone density each year after about age 35, leading many to serious problems with osteoporosis in later life. But in an ongoing study involving 120 women, Everett Smith, UW professor of preventive medicine, found that a diet and exercise program could help most women between 35 and 60 improve their overall fitness and muscle tone and maintain bone mass. Now Smith is examining the genetic controls that direct bone growth. One element of the research includes testing whether certain drugs effectively promote bone growth. The result could well be drug therapy for healthier bones as we age.

Wisconsin culture: A road trip
Wisconsin, we know, has abundant cultural and historical heritage. But now, with the help of a new map constructed by UW-Madison geographers, we can find that heritage at a glance. The map, three years in the making, will roll off the presses this fall at the University of Wisconsin Press and will provide a rich resource for anyone interested in locating the Badger State's trove of important cultural sites. The map identifies not only culturally diverse regions like southwestern Wisconsin's "driftless area," but also serves as a convenient chart for finding sites of historic, ethnic, archeological, architectural, literary, musical and artistic importance, says David Woodward, the UW-Madison professor of geography who initiated and guides the project. In addition, a light-shaded relief background will help display the variation of Wisconsin's land forms. In short, the map promises an in-depth tour of Wisconsin's heritage and the land-scape that helped define it.