Aug 15 In Defense of Flogging: Controversial Conversation on Prisons and Punishment By Paul Solman We were curious: is flogging -- beating someone solidly on the behind with a wooden cane -- a reasonable, effective alternative to sending that person to jail for two, five, 10 years? That's exactly what Peter Moskos, a police… Continue reading
Aug 12 Wealth Quiz: How Does the U.S. Slice the Pie? By Paul Solman Update: Watch Land of the Free, Home of the Poor and Americans Facing More Inequality, More Debt and Now More Trouble? to see the first two parts of Paul Solman's ongoing series of reports on U.S. economic inequality. Continue reading
Aug 10 Another Take on a Volatile Market By Paul Solman Financial professionals work the phones on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images. Sorry I didn't post Tuesday, amidst all the turmoil. I was giving a speech at Chautauqua,… Continue reading
Aug 05 With 117,00 New Jobs in July, a Slight Improvement in the Solman Unemployment Scale By Paul Solman "Employment Report Damned with Faint Praise: It Could Have Been Worse." Thus does Nigel Gault, Chief U.S. Economist of IHS Global Insight, sum up the consensus view of Friday's unemployment numbers. Jobs added in July; upward revision for June. Even… Continue reading
Aug 04 On Dow's Worst Day Since 2008, Running for Cover By Paul Solman A trader bows his head on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange after the closing bell Thursday; photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images. Just back from lunch, at which Brandeis classicists Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow and Cheryl Walker schooled me… Continue reading
Aug 03 With Debt Deal Done, Markets See Little to Rally About By Paul Solman Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during afternoon trading on August 3, 2011 in New York City. The Dow closed 29 points up after a late afternoon rally, recovering from an eight day slump. Photo… Continue reading
Aug 01 Default by Debt Ceiling? 'Complete Nonsense' By Paul Solman // Editor's Note: On Monday's NewsHour Paul Solman reports from the trading floor of Natixis CIB Americas to see how the stock market was reacting to news of the debt-ceiling deal. Turns out the market is reacting… Continue reading
Jul 29 How the U.S. Racked Up $14 Trillion in Debt By Paul Solman A fascinating set of graphic debt data, courtesy of the New York Times. Meanwhile, amidst all the scare talk of a bond rate crisis, has anyone noticed that the bond market is rallying mightily… Continue reading
Jul 29 Fancy a Pint? Brew Throughout the World By Paul Solman Photo by Flickr user hakaider. Has all the talk about the debt ceiling left you wanting to reach for a cold one? Or several? How likely are they to be drowning their sorrows elsewhere in the world? You might… Continue reading
Jul 29 Fancy a Pint? Brew Throughout the World Photo by Flickr user hakaider. Has all the talk about the debt ceiling left you wanting to reach for a cold one? Or several? How are they likely to be drowning their sorrows elsewhere in the world?… Continue reading