The FREAKest Links: Luck Be A Hot Dog Edition

We’ve written about the power of “lucky 8s” to influence stock decisions. Now, with 7/7/07 approaching, LiveScience takes a look at the many people planning major life events for that signal day.

In a dose of bad luck, the Japanese man who holds the world record for hot dog eating has severely injured his jaw during a training session for the famed July 4 Coney Island eating contest. A rival thinks he may be bluffing.

This week’s New Yorker profiles economist and former banking executive Harry Kat, who has spent the past few years developing a program that replicates hedge fund performance — arguably providing a low-cost alternative to the methods (and high fees) of high-return funds.