The ideas and legacy of Paul A. Volcker loom as large in contemporary economic debates as his 6’7″ frame. From the merits of the most recent Federal Reserve actions to boost the economy to how to regulate Wall Street, many of the challenges of today have echoes of those that the former Fed chief grappled with in a five-decade career. William L. Silber has written a rich and detailed new biography of a man who has left as deep an imprint on the world economy as anyone of his generation. Silber, a professor at New York University and author of a bestselling textbook on money and banking, discussed the lessons for the present from his new book, “Volcker: The Triumph of Persistenc e.”

After a controversial call by a replacement referee led to a Green Bay Packers loss on Monday night, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) called for the return of the NFL’s regular unionized officials, who have been locked out by the league’s owners.

It’s not just that London-based BAE has a significant presence in the United States, providing many of the armored vehicles for the Army and electronics for many of the Air Force’s most advanced fighters, but also in the Washington region, where it provides software and other services for the Pentagon and a variety of intelligence agencies.