Lastest Stories by Alexander E.M. Hess

In each of the 50 states, income growth among the top 1% of earners rapidly outpaced that of the bottom 99%, according to a recent study. These are the 10 states where income inequality has soared.
ThinkstockCustomer satisfaction with retailers in the U.S. is at an all-time high, up for the third year in a row. While the industry improved overall, not all retailers received accolades, according...
Central Connecticut State University examined how well Americans used their literacy skills in the nation's largest cities. Based on their findings, these are America's most and least literate cities.
ThinkstockThe well-being of Americans hasn’t improved in the past six years, and it even declined slightly in 2013, according to a recent Gallup study. While national figures remained flat overall,...
ThinkstockAlthough a little late this year, due largely to the federal government’s 17-day shutdown in 2013, tax season is here. And, according to a new report, what you owe in taxes could be...
ThinkstockAccording to data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the United States is becoming safer nearly every year. In the 20 years through 2012, the U.S. violent crime rate has been...
ThinkstockAccording to a recent report, children’s reading performances have improved in the past decade. While 70% of fourth graders had weak reading skills in 2003, that rate dropped to 66% in...
ThinkstockFor many Americans, there’s no escaping the stressful rush hour drive — but not for everybody. Many choose not to own a car. In fact, according to a recent report, more than 9% of U.S....
As gold prices have fallen, many investors have begun to actively seek alternatives from among the many possible choices available today. These are five unusual alternatives investments to gold.
ThinkstockIt’s been a slow recovery, but according to a recent report, U.S. economic growth is expected to pick up in the coming years. The nation’s economy grew by 1.9% in 2013. This year, the...
ThinkstockIs America really the land of opportunity? According to data just released by Gallup, 80% of Americans believe children in the country have the opportunities to learn and grow. While 80%...
thinkstockPoliticians Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan recently introduced a plan to fight poverty by transferring more responsibility to the states. While the federal government offers various assistance...
ThinkstockLast December, 16.2% of all home sales involved distressed properties, according to a recent report. These homes were sold at an average discount of nearly 40% when compared to...
Daimler AGU.S. vehicle sales reached a six-year high in 2013, with 15.6 million units sold, up from 14.5 million in 2012. Demand for some of the top-selling cars was so high that dealers had trouble...
ThinkstockThe vast majority of working Americans spend their time at one job, but that isn’t the case for everyone. In 2012, roughly 5% of the U.S. working population held more than one job at the...