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Questioning the reliability of ADP job numbers

Apr 3, 2014
Economists have been riled up over differences between job numbers from the payroll processor ADP and federal figures.

Largest prime number: Still just a slice of pi

Feb 6, 2013
A discovery of a lifetime (at least for the math geeks among us): the largest prime number in the world.

The problem with statistical models and forecasting

Sep 27, 2012
Author Nate Silver discusses why he believes that numbers are part of the challenge in painting a clear picture of the American economy.

The job challenge in a picture

Jun 23, 2011
Three years after the recession officially ended in June 2009 some 24.6 million people are unemployed, underemployed, and marginally employed....

Hopefully, compromise prevails

Jun 20, 2011
The current negotiation over the debt limit is critical for the economy. Here's one way of measuring the stakes....

Insider games

May 31, 2011
There's a vote tonight (Tuesday evening) on raising the federal government's debt limit ceiling. House Republicans are bringing up the vote even...

To TIP or not to TIP

May 9, 2011
The Marketwatch headline grabbed my attention: Holding TIPS will make you poorer. It's by columnist Brett Arends....

For public good, not for profit.

Paradigm shift

Apr 29, 2011
Is the ghost of Thomas Malthus stalking the global economy? It sure seems like it....

The Big Squeeze

Apr 27, 2011
The housing market is struggling to climb out of a depression, hobbled by falling prices, foreclosures, short sales, and negative equity....

The misleading 70% rule of thumb

Apr 22, 2011
Financial rules of thumb are often useful. You have to start somewhere. Rule of thumb also evolve. For instance, it used to be standard advice to...