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June 2011

Jun 23, 2011

Agriculture agents receive communications awards

A North Carolina Cooperative Extension agriculture agent and an agent team have received communications awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. Shawn Banks of Johnston County won first place in the feature story category. A team of agents in the Successful Gardener program won in the fact sheet category. 

Jun 23, 2011

Top North Carolina companies

Recently Fortune Magazine published its annual list of top 500 companies in the country, and as N.C. State University economist Mike Walden points out, several North Carolina companies made the list. 

Jun 22, 2011

Good or bad?

In April the unemployment rate in many states dropped, but not so here in North Carolina. The jobless rate remained at 9.7 percent. Does this mean our labor market is struggling more? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden says “not necessarily.” 

Jun 21, 2011

Book takes a look at the "wild life" of our bodies

N.C. State University biologist and writer Rob Dunn has a new book available in bookstores and online. In The Wild Life of Our Bodies, Dunn tells the stories of our changing relationships with other species, be they worms, bacteria or tigers. 

Jun 21, 2011

Can two live cheaper than one?

Besides friendship and maybe love, one reason typically given for two people to share living expenses is that it’s cheaper on a per person basis. But, says N.C. State University economist Mike Walden, the data don’t necessarily support this assumption. 

Jun 20, 2011

New car prices

Consumers have complained about gas and food prices for a while. But now there may be something else we can add to the list -- car prices. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden explains why. 

Jun 17, 2011

Which –ism should we use?

When it comes to choosing ways to pick up the economy, policy makers can choose from several competing economic philosophies. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden discusses the three main approaches. 

Jun 16, 2011

Marybeth Brey: Fishing for answers

Ph.D. student Marybeth Brey is finding new ways to analyze how introduced species change food webs in Lake Norman. Her research won first prize in the natural resources category for N.C. State University's Graduate Student Research Symposium. 

Jun 16, 2011

Consumers reacting

Although many may not realize it, consumers have a lot of power in our economy. In many ways consumers are in the driver’s seat in their decisions about buying. Can consumer’s behavior really have an impact on the economy, for example, on gas prices? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden answers. 

Jun 15, 2011

Money and prices

There’s an old saying in economics that inflation results from too much money chasing too few goods and services. With the Federal Reserve having printed almost $2.5 trillion of currency in the last three years, is this the reason we’re starting to see the inflation rate jump? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden says there's been a lot of debate about this.