N.GREGORY MANKIW, the delightfully nerdy chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, has experienced a noteworthy public lashing in recent weeks. First he was caught up in the outsourcing spectacle, then a furor ignited when Paul Krugman of the New York Times began a crusade against…

SUPPOSE YOU'RE THE HARD-WORKING HEAD of a household of four. Should you put more energy into earning? The decision will hinge partly on how much of any new income you will keep after paying taxes.