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Describes the brain drain problem experienced in North Dakota in 2003. Action taken by voters in the state to retain college graduates; Concerns of state policy makers regarding the education of college students; Statistics the migration of college graduates in North Dakota.

Focuses on the performance of the U.S. dollar in 2002. Economic indicators which affect the currency; Implications of the dollar's long-term strength and short-term volatility; Types of exchange rate regimes.

Analyzes the economic benefits of natural amenities to rural counties in the U.S. Link between population growth and the presence or absence of natural amenities; Advantage of amenity-rich counties in attracting people and importing economic activity; Problem of low-paying retail and service sectors.

Describes the economic conditions in rural counties in the U.S. based on the rural census of 2000. Trends in the population in the areas; Comparison of top-performing and bottom-performing counties in terms of percent change in population and per capita income; Reason rural counties tended to fare better in the rankings.

Examines the gross domestic product (GDP) of the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2001 determined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Sources of the GDP revision; Factors considered in measuring the GDP; Reason preliminary and final estimates of quarterly GDP can differ; Implication of a moving GDP for policy- and other decision-makers.

Reports on the farm bill proposed by the U.S. Congress in 2002 to replace the 1996 Freedom to Farm law. Details of the proposed farm bill; Details of a survey conducted by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the net income of farmers; Significance of a farm policy in solving various problems experienced by farmers.

Discusses issues on defining high-technology in the economic context in the United States (U.S.). Difficulties cited in assessing the methodologies of high-technology; High-technology categories created by the organization AeA, through its `Cyberstates' report; Importance of the measurement models for high-technology to the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Deals with the efforts of Bruce Davis, head of the public planning agency Northwest Regional Planning Commission, to spark entrepreneurial development in rural areas in the United States. Considerations for entrepreneurial measures to enhance economic development in Wisconsin; Benefit of the venture capital fund Wisconsin Enterprise Fund to entrepreneurs; Government programs for several states to increase entrepreneurial capital.

Discusses the failure of economic forecasters to measure labor productivity in the public sector in the United States. Details on the government spending as of June 2001; Importance of measuring government liability; Problems in the measurement of government productivity; Importance of measuring labor productivity.

Deals with the issue of how the media could handle stories that involve basic economics in the United States. Mistake committed by the media in covering the World Trade Organization protests in 1999; Why informed coverage of economic matters that dominate civic and political affairs remains unfilled by the media as of December 2000.

Deals with the issue on the disparity of income and the system of economic rewards in the United States as of December 2000. Factors behind the income disparity; Why income disparity between top and bottom income earners widened significantly over the decades; Example of a misleading case concerning a direct comparison of income.

Focuses on issues governing the fringe banking services or alternative financial services in the United States. Perception of the public on fringe banking services; Number of check cashing stores in Minnesota; Growth of licensed payday lenders in Wisconsin; Characteristic of the title and payday loan services; Result of a study made in Illinois about title loans. INSET: ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR ALTERNATIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES.

Focuses on the penetration of banking services on reservations or the use of banking services by Native Americans. Number of banks either wholly owned or controlled by Native American tribes; Rationale behind the interest in banking on reservations; Issues facing tribal banks; Strategy for tribes taking the more traditional path of banking; Obstacles facing tribes in bringing financial services to Indian Country.

Offers a look at the concept of the term `new economy' for the productivity growth in the United States from 1995 to 1999. Role of knowledge in productivity gains; Sources of productivity; Critiques of the `new economy'; Objective of the Federal Reserve regarding monetary policy.

Deal with issues concerning the proposal of United States (US) President Bill Clinton to place permanent development restrictions in national forests. Total acres of land in the US national forest; Views of environmentalists and the timber industry on the proposal; Reasons for the decline in timber production in national forests; Objectives assigned by the US Forest Service to timber-related costs. INSET: Roadless initiative is rounding first phase and headed for....

Focuses on the increasing trend in local economic development of small communities in the United States. Number of cities which created their own economic development authority (EDA); Growth in the use of revolving loan programs and other business incentive agreements; Expenditure of Minnesota on economic development from 1995 to 1998.

Examines changes in the financial service institutions in the United States (US) following the passage of the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999. Benefit of the law to banks and banking in the US; Management of securities by banks; Privacy measures in the law.

Discusses the impact of the decrease in commodity prices to the food processing industry in the United States. Factors affecting its farming industry; Implications of consolidation in agribusiness. INSETS: Merger mania;Defining concentration.

The article provides information on regional economic development taking place in Mankato region of Minnesota. Economic activity in the region has been found to be better compared to the state as a whole on many measures which were evaluated by the federal government. Since the year 2005, regional unemployment rate has been much less than the same rate in the state.

Focuses on the press accessibility to any news about the United States Federal Reserve Board. List of newspapers that cover board-related news; Requirements in order for a reporter to get access to information about the board; Reason for the shortage of reporters on the full-time media of the board.

Focuses on various issues concerning the 32nd annual awarding of the Nobel Prize in economics in 1999. Information on the five original Nobel awards; Ratification of the award on economic; Guidelines in the final selections for the Prize in Economics; Role played by the Economics Prize Selection Committee; Profiles of previous awardees.

Evaluates the college level introductory courses in economics in the United States. Advantages and disadvantages of the lack of economics coursework in high school; Lack of economics coursework among high school teachers; Expectations of first-year college students when they enter economics courses; Reason some employers prefer economics majors; Discussion on the basic economics college textbook.

The article discusses the economic history of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana from 1965 to 2011. It compares the net earnings of the three states from the national net earnings in terms of equal wages, salaries, and proprietor income. It also states that the growth in several sectors like farming, mining, and energy contributed to the economic growth of each state.

The article examines the trust-friendly law and regulation in South Dakota. It states that South Dakota's openness to trusts has attracted 65 trusted companies to be chartered in the state at the end of 2012. It notes that the rise and transfer of wealth through generation, estate and gift taxation, asset protection, and privacy encouraged wealthy individuals to invest in trusts. Also noted are some of the factors associated with South Dakota's growth in this high-finance sector.

The article details how tight budget constraints have forced local governments to reduce public services across the U.S. It discusses some of the strategies employed by local governments to cope with tight budgets, including cooperative agreements, compensation freezes, deferred maintenance and productivity improvements. The adverse implications of cutbacks on roads and other infrastructure are considered.

The article focuses on the increasing student default rates in the U.S. Some factors that influence student loan defaults in the short and long term are the rapid increase in student debt and a tough job market for graduates. Data from the U.S. Department of Education show biggest increases in default rates at public two-year and for-profit schools of any program length. An analysis of the connection between default rates and the job market is provided.

An interview with former Minnesota Rural Partners' Jane Leonard, Minnesota Association of Small Cities' Dave Engstrom, and Center for Small Towns' Bart Finzel, is presented. Engstrom believes that strong commodity prices for farmers helped small towns and rural areas perform better during the first year of the recession, compared to urban and exurban areas. Finzel shares that farm integration and reduced variety of farm output can impact the survival of a small town. They explain whether population size affect the survivability of small towns.

This article discusses the municipal bond market and the role that the U.S. Federal Government is doing to help local and state governments borrow money for their capital projects. It states that the secure nature of municipal bonds is one of the reasons that it is getting a warm reception from investors when both state and local governments seek to borrow money for a variety of public uses.

The article discusses the credit conditions in the ninth district of the U.S. According to a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, credit conditions do not appear dramatically changed. It further shows that generally, credit volume to businesses and consumers remain weak as borrowers become more conservative in their credit transactions.

The article explains the consumption trends that suggest the status of the middle class in the U.S. It offers a comparison of standard of living since 1979, household improvement and reconstruction, and growth in consumer expenditures. According to the article, people are spending more on healthcare, housing, and entertainment for convenience, pleasure, and productivity showing a proof that middle class life is in progress.

The author reflects on employee ownership in the U.S. He says that the center of the employee ownership movement is the U.S., which is also the biggest promoter of capitalism. He points out that employee ownership growth in the country is spurred by the entrepreneurial bent of U.S. capitalism and unique support across ideological and political boundaries.

The article focuses on alternative livestock markets in the U.S. Alternative livestock were included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2002 agricultural census. Producers of ostrich, llama and bison have all suffered through major depressions in the price of breeding stock and product markets. It discusses the market for angora goats.

Explains the challenges faced by U.S. universities regarding the decline of foreign student enrollees and visa requirements for foreign students. Decrease in the number of enrollments of international undergraduate students at public universities; Competitions faced by U.S. universities from universities worldwide; Actions that should be taken by universities to compete for best international students.

Discusses the growth of third-party system in the U.S. where private companies, nonprofit firms and government programs pay for prescription drug coverage on behalf of employees and other beneficiaries. Role of a prescription benefit manager hired by plan sponsors; Impact of the increase in demand for prescription drugs on retail pharmacies; Disadvantage of independent pharmacies; Dilemma faced by the pharmacy industry with third-party coverage.

Discusses the dissociation between affordable housing and manufactured housing in the U.S. Role of manufactured housing in low-income households; Rationale behind the opposition of neighborhoods and towns to manufactured housing; Law on zoning for manufactured housing; Difficulties in dealing with affordable housing advocates.

Reports on the shortage in skilled trades in the U.S. as of January 2005. Shortage of workers in manufacturing firms; Occupational categories for apprenticeships monitored by the Wisconsin Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards; Obstacles preventing both employers and workers from making training investment in skilled trade; Problems facing skilled trades.

Provides information on employment and unemployment rate in the U.S. as of January 2005. States that experienced job growth in their area; Comparison of the unemployment rate in several areas in North and South Dakota; Factors affecting the labor market.

Discusses the impact of budget shortfalls on government spending and state and local budgets. Factors the contribute to the shortfall; Impact of deficits on public services; Services that were exempted from budget cuts.

Provides information on the results of public opinion polls which revealed the response of taxpayers to government services. Percentage of respondents that believed their income taxes are too high; Government services preferred by respondents to be maintained; Factors that influence the attitude of taxpayers toward increased spending and government services. INSET: Vote 'yes' for more taxes.

Provides information on the economic condition of the railroad industry in the U. S. in 2003. Challenges facing the industry; Coverage of the Staggers Act relating to railroad industry; Discussion on traffic congestion problem in the country; Reaction of the Association of American Railroads to railroad challenges; Information on railroad shipping rates.

Discusses the competitiveness of the U.S. manufacturing industry. Status of the country in the international manufacturing industry; Economic condition and challenge pose by the Chinese manufacturing industry to the U.S.; Discussion on the effort of the administration of U. S. President George W. Bush to impose a floating currency exchange rate to China; Information on the plan of China to control both currency value and money supply of the U. S.

Focuses on reporting of export statistics in the U.S. Reasons behind non-exact reporting of data for agriculture exports; Counting errors of reporting; Important factors to consider regarding the underreporting of exports; Statistics of service exports.

Focuses on exporting in the U.S. Importance of exporting; Economic benefits; Obstacles to exporting.

Examines the reported labor shortage in the U.S. using data on underemployment and skill mismatches. Impact of the recession on labor shortage; Approaches used by employers to track available workforce; Use of formal laborshed or labor availability studies by economic development groups.

Discusses the impact of the economic recession in 2001 on labor shortages in the U.S. Information on the employment efforts of furniture manufacturer TMI Systems Design; Details on the unemployment rate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Industries in the U.S. affected by the recession.

Criticizes the fair-price programs and fair-income support programs of the U.S. government for farmers. Significance of fair pricing; Remarks from Jeffrey Hopkins, an economist with the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Implications of the programs for farms that produce food and fibers; Advantages and disadvantages of fair-price programs.

Presents information on the income-support program of the U.S. government for improving environmental outcomes on farmland as of March 2002. Benefits of conservation and environmental payments to farmers; Impact of low prices on farmers; Information on the Conservation Reserve Program and other enviro-farm programs proposed by the U.S. Congress.

Discusses the impact of venture capital to regional and state economies in the United States. Effect of absence of a measure of capital supply and demand on entrepreneurs; Factors behind the growth of venture capital; Phases of venture capital investments.

Presents an overview of the call center business in the United States. Comparison between the call center business and telemarketing; Annual growth of the call center industry; Factors which contributed to the growth of call centers.

Discusses the economic disadvantages of stadiums and convention centers in the United States. Economic impact of sports teams and facilities; Substitution effects of sports facilities; Difficulties of measuring public welfare.