Lastest Stories by Alexander E.M. Hess

courtesy of BlackBerryWhen Research In Motion unveiled its long-delayed BlackBerry 10, it also announced it was changing its name to BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY). CEO Thorsten Heins argued that the new...
ThinkstockFor the third year in a row, Washington, D.C., was rated the most literate city in the United States, with Seattle and Minneapolis close behind. That is according to a study conducted by...
courtesy of DellFor every Sergey Brin, there is a Michael Dell. While the Google co-founder and CEO has made his company one of the most valuable in the world with its shares reaching an all-time...
ThinkstockEarlier this week , it was announced that Toyota officially surpassed General Motors as the world’s leading auto manufacturer, reclaiming a title it lost to the American company in 2011...
ThinkstockOn February 3, New Orleans will host Super Bowl XLVII in one of the biggest television and tourism events of the year. Cities across the nation hope to host the game, which brings...
ThinkstockIt is the time of year again, when America’s largest retailers release those critical holiday season figures and disclose their annual sales. A review of these numbers tells us a great...
There are movie stars, and then there are actors whose involvement appears more important than the movie itself. Some are so critical to success that studios will pay them tens of millions of...
ThinkstockThe Federal Trade Commission recently ruled that advertisements from juice maker POM Wonderful contained health claims that were misleading and unsubstantiated. This was not the first...
courtesy Ford Motor Co.Car insurance rates should be simple to calculate. Inexpensive cars are cheap to insure because they cost less to fix. But the math is much more complex than that. An...
ThinkstockForeclosures in the U.S. are falling, data released today by foreclosure tracking firm RealtyTrac shows. Last year, 1.8 million properties were foreclosed, down 2.7% from 2011, and down...
ThinkstockThe population of the United States living in urban areas is growing faster than the national rate. At last count, more than four in five Americans lived in a metropolitan area, an increase...
ThinkstockTen states ushered in the New Year with an increase to their minimum wages. The federal minimum wage has not increased since it was raised to $7.25 an hour in July 2009. At the same time,...
ThinkstockIn the U.S.-centric world most Americans live in, all the greatest and most valuable brands were created here. Several studies by brand valuation experts show that to be true. But some of...
The cost of Thanksgiving dinner has gone up over the years. It averaged $34.56 in 2002 and now is nearly $50. But depending on where you live and where you shop, your family could spend less than $35...
ThinkstockAfter taking a hit during the financial crisis, 401(k) balances have come roaring back. Nationwide, the median 401(k) balance rose by 25% between 2008 and 2011, according to a study...