Author: Dee Shore

Dec 13, 2010

Money creation

There has been a lot of talk recently about money, and specifically the money the Federal Reserve is planning to create to stimulate the economy. How is this done? Does the Federal Reserve really have the power to flip a switch and generate money? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden answers. 

Dec 10, 2010

Sticky wages

Changes to workers' salaries, or wages, are important. Workers count on increases in their pay over time to make progress in their standard of living. Of course, those same workers don’t look forward to a possible decrease in pay during recessions. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden explains just how frequently workers' wages and salaries move up or down. 

Dec 9, 2010

Infrastructure needs

There is talk of another government stimulus package, which would focus on areas like road, bridges, reservoirs and water treatment plants. These types of projects are generally lumped together and called infrastructure. But didn’t the first stimulus plan address these items? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden answers. 

Dec 8, 2010

Good job gains

A recent national job report was upbeat: Over 150,000 jobs were added, with all of them being privately created positions. N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden describes which job sectors were especially hot. 

Dec 7, 2010

What’s holding down inflation?

People seem to be confused about inflation. The government tells us the overall rate is very low -- between 1 and 2 percent -- yet we are seeing significant increases in food and energy prices. How can higher food and energy prices be compatible with moderate inflation? N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden explains. 

Dec 6, 2010

What’s the real unemployment rate?

We had some good news on the national job market in October with a 151,000 jobs being added and the unemployment rate holding steady at 9.6 percent. But N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden says that the rate doesn't tell us the whole unemployment picture. 

Dec 3, 2010

Debt ideas

President Obama set up a commission to look at ways to reduce the size of the national debt, and the two commission co-chairs released ideas for accomplishing this goal. N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden reviews the highlights. 

Dec 2, 2010

Job crash

We now have enough information available to reach some conclusions about how bad the recession has been, says N.C. State University economist Mike Walden. And compared to other recent recessions, the latest has been brutal in terms of job losses. 

Dec 1, 2010

New blood

There was new blood in the latest World Series: The Texas Rangers had never been in the series, and the San Francisco Giants hadn’t been there in almost a decade. And, says N.C. State University economist (and baseball fan) Mike Walden, there's also new blood in business. 

Nov 30, 2010

Wilson wins teaching award

Dr. Elizabeth B. Wilson, associate professor of agricultural and extension education in N.C. State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, received a 2010 Regional Teaching Award at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities 123rd Annual Meeting in Dallas.