Newspapers down, Web up

It appears circulation of newspapers has been steadily declining over the past few years. At the same time web-readership of those papers has increased. No real surprise given an increase presence of news on the web including that of newspapers themselves. With web-readership replacing for the most part regular readership, it's a clear example of products replacing one another to fullfill an overall demand. Based on this article readership as a whole isn't down as much as circulation is. Rather folks are finding their news from different sources. Will hard copy newspapers become extinct in the next 20-30 years? Maybe. But just like the "paperless society" which was once coming, my hunch is there are enough people who need to hold the paper rather than just stare at a computer screen. That being said, there is phenomenon happening how Americans get their news. There is now an excludable, non-rival good of newspapers (excludable, rival good) and it a can all be found right at your fingertips.

Toyota sales shake up Big Three

In the car industry the Big Three has always consisted of GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler but that's all about to change. For the first time in history Toyota has surpassed DaimlerChrysler in U.S. sales for an individual month. Although analysts do not believe that Toyota will rank higher for the whole year of 2006, they believe that not far down the road the Big Three may have a different look. "Toyota seems to have the product available when people want them" says vice president of the auto sales tracking firm, Autodata, Dave Lucas. If the Japanese automobile company continues its success in the U.S. it seems unlikely that other companies will be able to keep up and that they may someday soon reach the top. Are Toyota's executives excited? Not as much as you might think. They are tending to look at the global picture in which there are more than three major contenders. This is Toyota's goal for the future.

With fuel-efficient cars on their line of product right now, I don't see why Toyota will not be the most successful company in the Big Three within the next for years. As for the global economy it may take a little longer, but if the company continues to offer what consumers are looking for and are able to keep up with competitors I believe they have a strong shot at being the most successful company out there.

Northwest Pilots ratify labor contract

Last November, pilots had to sign a labor contract cutting their pay by 23.9% which is a pretty significant amount of money. The airports are making more money off of this at an annual 358 million. The pilots are trying to fight to get their rates back up to make more money. If the airports want to keep their pilots, I think they know the smart thing to do, is to pay them more so they do not leave, however, because of the labor contract that the pilots signed last year may be an issue. In reading this article, it makes me wonder if the demand for a pilot job will increase or decrease. What are your thoughts?

Anxious Oil Investors

This article showed me a side of the gasoline pricing that I had never thought about. There are actually investors who become anxious as crude oil prices fall below $70 per barrel. I had no idea that this side even existed, call me naive, but I had more faith in people. These people need to realize that just because they are benefitting from high crude oil prices does not mean that it should continue to happen. Investors are costing the average person way more than whatever the price is to fill up his/her individual car. Along with that cost comes the fact that many people around the world have decided to only drive when necessary and are carpooling more often now than ever before. "Investors have scrambled for oil exposure on hopes that strong demand, years of underinvestment and mounting political risks will keep the market's three-year rally running strong." Can this be serious? The average person would most definitely not call the ever increasing gasoline prices a three-year rally. In all honesty, how do investors who are forcing prices to continually rise think this is productive for anyone but themself?

New Soda Ban

There has been a debate about soda in schools currently in the news. Many people want to ban soda in schools claiming it is bad for kids health. But it may be going to far. According to the Washinton Post most schools will be forced to eliminate most juices and sports drinks. Leaving only water and milk.cA reduction in sizes are also being enforced. Many public schools today are not recieving the financial support they need to function properly. Now one major source of income for these schools is being taken away. Health is important but so is a good education.

$500000 Grants for libraries

Laura Bush was the spokeswoman telling that the government is giving seven private and public schools in Louisiana and Mississippi to recover their libraries after Katrina hit. With this money the libraries will be rebuilt/fixed up and new books will be brought in as well as magazines. I think this is good what they are doing to get the kids back in school, but at the same time, what are we giving up for this to happen? That could be $500000 for college grants and such from the government.

Phoneline added to AOL

AOL is in the process of putting a phoneline on the internet so that it is as easy as clicking a button on the i/m box to physically talk to another person. This service will be free. People can make calls both close and long distance and also into 30 countries. I think that by doing this that AOL may be more profitable in the dating service area, so instead of getting to know somebody talking online by typing, it is just as easy to actually talk to them on the phone for free. I do not think that it will be used as much by teens because there is no need with a cell phone, however, if it is free, they may, just to cut back on cell phone costs. I think that in doing this, AOL may be going against cell phone companies because they are giving this service away for free...but there is no such thing as a free lunch, so what is the catch?

Poetic Justice for Apple Hackers

This article discusses Apple Computer's tactics on how it's trying to stop hackers from cracking into their new OS X operation system. Their method-a poem embedded deep in the software imploring hackers not to steal because it's wrong and it's bad karma.
I thought that this was a very interesting idea, albeit a very ineffective one. Guilt won't work because these people know that what they're doing is stealing and that it's illegal. They obviously have little incentive to not steal. It seems that they aren't easy to catch or Apple wouldn't be trying to appeal to their better nature. The marginal benefit outweighs the marginal cost by a lot. If these hackers can successfully break into Apple's software and produce a functional knock-off, then they could make a very nice profit. The only cost I see here is the opportunity, or implicit, cost the hacker has, in which he or she could have been doing something else, perhaps something more productive and legal, with their time and energy.
One thing I was wondering about is if there is a more effective way that computer companies like Apple could stop hackers. I think that, instead of a poem, Apple should try embedding a nasty virus into his or her software that is activated when someone tries to hack into the software. Now, wouldn't that be a much more effective way to stop hackers from cracking into the software? Of course, it would have to be pretty sophisticated, since there are only an elite few who could actually hack into Apple's software. I think that it would work pretty well. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Cars that can save the planet

Ian Wright has invented a care called the Bugatti, it gets 8mpg and runs of electric battery. This car is tested to be faster and better than a "Ferrari 360 Spider and a Porsche Carrera GT in drag races". The car does not look like a normal car in the article but I am sure in time it will be converted. If the car is better than our top notch cars and it is going to help save the planet with pollution, why not see where it goes.

Hall of Famer dies

Kirby Puckett died and was cremated last month. In this article it tells of how his ashes were supposed to be split up between his two children. However, he was dating a woman on the side and said they were to be Wed in June. She wants some of the ashes too. I thought this was an interesting article because it made me think of the Coasian approach. I wonder if the girlfriend would try to pay the children for a part of Pucketts' ashes, I don't know that the children would accept something or even settle for that, the jury is still out. What are your thoughts?

Flu Pandemic

Yesterday the government spent 1 billion dollars in contracts to 5 pharmaceutical companies to produce influenza vaccine. The government spent this money to replace the current, slow, and unpredictable way of making the vaccine. The reason for this government intervention is because the Bush administration is to prepare us for an influenza pandemic. If government spending and the partnership with companies like Medimmune Inc. there should be enough vaccine to immunize the entire nation in about 5 years. Which would be five years earlier than the influenza pandemic is expected to sweep the nation. This money was well spent and will help eliminate a supply and demand problem in the future.

Microsoft Buys Ad Firm

Everyone has heard of Microsoft. They easily have a monopoly in the computer business thanks to their windows packages. As a monopoly they are capable of making huge profits because of a lack of competition. Yesterday Microsoft bought Massive Inc. which is a seller of videogame advertisements. Microsoft made this purchase to raise revenue. It seems that the worlds largest software maker and monopoly would not need to increase profits. Will Microsoft soon monopolize every market?

Forever Stamps

It seems that the Postal Service raises the price of stamps to send first class mail every year. According to the Washington Post the Postal Service has raised the price of stamps 13 times in the past 32 years. In January of this year the price of stamps increased two cents from 37 to 39 cents. Now officials want to raise the price once again. Are you sick of these increasing stamp prices? Well Postal Service offcials have been discussing a 'forever stamp'. A forever stamp is one that would lock in a stamp at one price and allow citizens to avoid paying for pesky two or three cent stamps when the price increases. Is this a good idea for the Postal Service? How many 'forever stamps' should be sold or printed? Why buy a regular stamp ever again?

The Cost of the Death Penalty

With the recent sentencing of Zacarias Moussaoui a self confessed Al-Qaeda operative who knew about and alledgely helped plan the attacks of September 11, 2001, I began looking at the cost of the death penalty. I was always under the impression that one of the “benefits” to the death penalty was that it was cheaper than keeping these people in prison for the rest of their life. Over the years my opinion of the death penalty has waviered and I still am not sure about the moral side of the debate, however after stumbling across this wesbite (linked above) I am more frustrated with the judicial system. The death penalty is costing our country and it is costing us (as a country and on a local level) a lot of money, that could be used for far more beneficial purposes. The article that I have found said, “For the states which employ the death penalty, this luxury comes at a high price. In Texas, a death penalty case costs taxpayers an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years. In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million. In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment. The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.” Does this make anybody else a little upset? We are spending more money on a punishment that is suspossed to be, at least partly, to avoid the costs of putting these criminals in jail for the rest of their lives. It just dosen’t make sense. In this situation the costs are huge, but when you look at the opportunity costs it is even more overwhelming, and frustrating. Should we really spend the time or money to execute someone or like Moussaoui should we just put them in a very tiny cell with only a bed and a toilet for 23 hours out of a day. Think of how many other things in America we could spend millions of dollars on!

Stealin' Tools & Chilis

May has already been a big month for music. A release of a new album from Tool; their first release in five years, as well as a new Pearl Jam record, has already marked May as an eventful month.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers also have an album coming up (also their first in five years) which was recently leaked onto the internet (surprise!), much to the band's dismay. Illegal downloading has been a big subject ever since it first began. The Chili Peppers are highly upset at this, because of all the work they've put into the album.

Tool's new album, 10,000 Days, was also recently leaked a few weeks before it was officially released. But they didn't have anything to say about the leaked songs.

Are some music artists too dependent on the dollar? Are some simply in it for the music? What are the benefits of these two views (from the artist's and consumer's perspectives)? Is illegal downloading as big a problem as they say? I know from experience that people have downloaded an album before it was released just to sample it, and still ended up buying it.

Gas Prices...let's get educated.

I really think that with all of the talk about gas prices in America right now we should all begin to look at what makes up all that money we are paying at the pump each time we put gas into our tanks. I have said this several times on my radio program. I do not like gas prices where they are anymore than the next person in line to fill up their tank. I drive an SUV and it is not uncommon to put $45, $55, or even $65 in gas in my tank just to go home for the weekend. I too am outraged when at 10AM I pass the gas station and gas prices are whatever, and then later that day the price jumps 15 cents. It doesn’t seem fair, and it may not be, but I think before America goes and starts placing blame we should all try to understand what is actually making up this high price of fuel. I have received close to 100 e-mails in the past two weeks, from listeners of my radio show, discussing high fuel prices. These are either the people who want to complain to anybody who will listen, or those who want to become educated on what the actual problem is. I have done some research and have been enlightened on a lot of what is working to create the blow to my wallet when I pull up to the BP or Exxon station for a fill up. First of all it’s important to realize that we all pay an exorbitant amount of taxes on every gallon of gasoline we purchase. Here in the great state of Ohio we pay 26 cents, to the state, for every gallon of gas and that does not include the 18.4 cpg we pay to the federal government (in my home state of PA, we pay 31 cpg to the state). The media seems to forget about these taxes and instead blames “big oil” for their profits. The press complained when the largest U.S. oil company, Exxon Mobil Corp, announced profits of $36 billion last year. However according to the Tax Foundation, the biggest price gouger was the U.S. government, cashing in $54 billion in oil and gas taxes. Let’s also keep in mind that the US government did nothing to earn that money. One of the guests on my radio show informed me that if the “big oil” companies were to completely decide to give gas away without making any kind of profit the price of gas would go down by 9 cpg. Would 9 cpg make anyone happen at this point? Not me. I think that we should all use this example of gas prices to become a little more informed and recognize that our dependence on a foreign energy source is not good for the economy, or my wallet. So what do we do? We have oil here in America but many economists won’t let us touch it, because there are fears that we may damage the environment around the oil. Gas prices are only going to go up as supply isn’t meeting demand, and demand for gasoline is increasing…fast…not only in America but all over the world. So we have options work hard and buy gas, or convert our need for oil to a need for something that we have a lot more of like corn…which makes ethanol, that can serve the same purpose. All of this and I haven’t even touched the fact that Iran, the country that is trying to make nuclear weapons, produces 2 million barrels of oil a day, the second most out of any OPEC country. Do we let them make their nuclear weapons or do we go through the UN and impose sanctions on them and they pull their 2 million barrels a day out of the market? My opinion? Buy a farm and start planting corn…it may be worth a lot in the next couple of years.

An April Easter Helps Retailers Post Best Sales Gain in 2 Years

This year, Easter fell later on our calendar than years previous - 21 days later than last year. The resulting April sales bump stretched across the industry, from discounters to department stores. According to the article, results for stores open at least a year rose an unusually high 6.7 percent compared with the period a year ago. Some retailers posted sales gains nearly twice their monthly average for the year. Retail analysts cautioned that April's buyers might not deliver with the same vigor in May. Within the article, a comparison to the rising gas prices seemed to contradict the rise of sales in the month of April this year. Are the American people spending more money or is this trend a one-time deal due to the Easter holiday? Many schools and businesses recieve at least 2 or 3 days off, perhaps allowing those work-aholics a chance to get out and do some Spring shopping? I am confused by the gas issue -- shopping most often requires transportation and both, transportation and shopping, require money. Where is everyone getting this money from? How will these same stores fair in May?

Got a Second? G.E. Has a Quick Message

G.E. and counterpart BBDO have created a 30 minute television show as another venue to reach its consumers. This new efforts of marketing is a non-conventional way for G.E. and BBDO to air television shows to online websites where videos can be seen, such as MySpace. The companies recognize that they are taking a risk and are okay with it, stating that they realize that with new ideas comes risk and possibility for failure.

AOl to Add Free Phone to Instant Messaging Feature

AOL wants to add a free phone line to its instant messaging service that will allow users to call other users from computer to computer for free. What will be charged though is the calls that are from computer to telephone or telephone to computer. These charges could be the hidden source of income for the company that the free telephone line provides. AOL hopes to also add flexibility to its webpages by allowing users to design them personally, much more like MySpace.

Penny's new shine good for everyone?

The penny is now shining brighter than ever as recent increases in the cost of copper and zinc continue to push up its actual value, but that's not necessarily good news for the United States Mint. With the value of copper at $3.07 per pound and the price of zinc three times what they were in 2003 at $3,200 a ton, the government is spending more money to produce the copper coin adorned with Abraham Lincoln's image than it is actually worth. Right now, the market value of the zinc and copper within a single penny is valued at nearly 0.9 cents. And since it costs an additional 0.6 cents to manufacture a penny, according to the paper, the Mint is paying roughly 1.5 cents for every penny it makes. Historically, the United States government has used other metals to mint pennies in the past, as it did in World War II when they government ordered a switch from copper to steel to help with the war effort.

Use of Contraception Drops, Slowing Decline of Abortion Rate

In the article I read, I realized that there is a very similar correlation between the use of condoms and abortion rates as there is to the general rules of economics. When the demand for condoms decreases, the demand for abortions increases. Just as when the demand for the condoms had increased, the demand for abortions decreased because they were less necessary. Although the subject of the article is very different from economics, it is important to realize that the article demonstrates the basic principle that says that if "no babies" are the ultimate goal, then when condoms are not used, another substitute is abortion, which will also produce the same effect. Same with the reverse effect of abortion on condoms. This article is a great example of economic principles.

Microsoft may aim for Yahoo! acquisition

Microsoft has been in talks with Yahoo about potentially acquiring a major portion of the company. Microsoft has tried to compete in the burgeoning online search and Web advertising categories on its own but made little progress as Google has made massive gains as the industry leader. Microsoft executives hope that Yahoo's strength in search and advertising categories would give the company a stronger foothold on the web market.

Boxing PAYDAY

Oscar De La Hoya is scheduled to return to the boxing ring after almost a 2 year break. He will be facing the defending champion, Mayorga. Mayorga is threatening to drop the fight due to the fact he feels the contract amount is not high enough. Mayorga claims he "wants what he is worth." Boxers have no set amount per fight and amounts are determined by weight class, publicity, and whether or not it is a title fight. If this pay structure (per competition) was instituted in other sports, there would be a different strike every week. Mayorga believes he is worth more money than what the market is currently offering him. Today's media is not promoting boxing like it has in years past. Accusations of fixed fights and poor judges have brought the sport to an all-time low. Should boxers expect lower pay due to lower demand? Is there anyway a per competition pay scale could be brought to any other major sport successfully?

Gambling

Jon Daly has went on record saying he has lost close to 60 million dollars due to gambling. Charles Barkley has claimed to lose close to 10 million dollars. Daly admits he has a problem, while Barkley says he can do whatever he wants with his own money. Professional players often gamble due to their competitive nature. Pete Rose for example, was banished from MLB for betting on baseball. At what point does these players conduct hurt the integrity or popularity of the game? Do you feel that it proves the point that contracts are way too high? If a player can lose 10-60 million dollars and still be financially stable, what does this say about many other important professions in society that struggle to pay the bills?

Clinical Testing

New drugs are developed every year thanks to the research efforts of pharmaceutical companies. These drugs often make the lives of people easier and more tolerable to live. But before a drug can reach this level, it must be tested. It is tested on animals and then on people.
But what happens when pharmaceutical companies begin hiring others to both run and review their studies? These “middle men” have an incentive to get people to sign up quickly, compensate them, and get the results to the pharmaceutical company faster. But they do not necessarily put the subject welfare first. In the article “Risky business: Human testing for a profit”, two recent studies have led to severe consequences. Two American companies hired research companies to conduct medical studies in London and Montreal. In London, where they were testing a drug for Leukemia, the individuals participating in the study ended up in the hospital suffering from acute organ failure. The study in Montreal - where one of the volunteers had TB - left 11 people in the hospital with tuberculosis.
Who should be held responsible for these mishaps? Is it the research company's responsibility to conduct better studies? Is it the pharmaceutical company's responsibility to make sure that no harm is done while testing their product? Or do you think that people understand the risk that they are succumbing to when they begin the study? If they are willing to accept the risks involved for the amount of compensation provided, is it a problem at all?

Gas prices up. So are scams.

With the price of gas skyrocketing for months now, and the demand for gas not decreasing enough to make any kind of a difference, companies are trying hard to earn revenue from products that you add to your car to increase fuel economy. Companies claim that it can help by almost 30 percent. Don't believe everything you hear. With the knowledge and technology that car companies have developed over the years, you would think that they would be able to figure out if a little fan in the hose of the car would increase gas mileage. They would do so if they were a profit maximizing company, and under today's circumstances I sure hope that they would be. If anything researchers have found these devices to hurt engine quality in the long run. So as gas prices rise, we will see more and more of these sales pitches along with more and more suckers willing to buy them for far more than they are worth. Trust the market on this one, car and gasoline companies are trying all that they can technology wise to expand their demand curves, so when "brand new" technology is being marketed, don't but it, literally and figuratively.

Lerner Buys Washtington Nationals

The recent purchase of the Washington Nationals by Ted Lerner and his associate Kasten will bring a new beginning for the team and the city. With the price reportedly $450 million and an upcoming $611 million project in March, does the investment seem extravagent? The plans of the project include building a new state-of-the-art stadium for the team to be completed in March of 2007. As we learn in class, building projects time-after-time are underestimated, do you think this will be the situation with the Nationals? We've also had a lot of discussion about the effects of bringing new buisness and contrustion into major cities; do you think building the new stadium will positvely affect the city of Washington? What kinds of opportunities and benefits can this bring to the city? What are some possible negative effects it could have on the economy? Do you think that city morale outweighs city profit?

Education and Salary

Education is a service that benefits society. Educated people have better jobs, make more money and live in better neighborhoods. They are productive individuals whose higher paying jobs lead to increased tax revenue and already having much of what they need, educated people tend to commit less crime. Based on this, why are teachers' salaries so low in the United States?
The Associated Press recently reported that 1500 teachers in Detroit - who were forced to give up 5 days of pay to help balance the city budget - called in sick. This forced 53 schools in the area to close. These teachers couldn't understand why they are giving up some of their salaries to balance the budget, but at the same time principals are getting raises. The school board justified this action by comparing the salaries of principals that had recently been hired and those that had been in the system for a long period of time. Those that were just hired were earning more, and they felt that was a problem that needed to be corrected.
Is a teacher's salary equal to the benefits that education brings? Should they earn more money? Or do you think that the market for education is already in equilibrium therefore no change is needed?

Global warming

Global warming is an issue that is widely discussed by countries and environmental groups around the world. When greenhouse gases trap in the heat of the sun and warm the earth, there are consequences; one of which is the melting of glaciers.

In the article “Melted Ice Threatens Sea Level Rise”, the issue of melting glaciers is discussed. Scientists are predicting that by the end of the century the earth will be about 4 degrees warmer, with the sea level being 1-3 feet higher. But these long run implications are not the only thing to be concerned about. As the glaciers melt, they have the potential to move at about 10 meters per minute. This movement has caused an increase in earthquakes in Greenland; especially during July and August.

There are many negative consequences of global warming. Earthquakes and rising sea levels are simply two examples discussed in this article. But global warming can also lead to changes in weather patterns. This past year, global warming was discussed when the hurricanes hit the United States. By changing the seasonal patterns, weather changes could also hurt food production (farmers).

Damage caused by weather can hurt everyone economically. Weather conditions can destroy companies, the can destroy homes, they can wipe out cities. What can be done to correct this problem? Whose responsibility is it to correct it? It is obviously in everyone’s best interest to try and reduce global warming, but who should bear the costs?

The Battle of "The Da Vinci Code"

To Christian scholars and historians, the fight against The Da Vinci Code is not a new one. They have been battling the influence of this piece of literature since it was published. However, the battle has been up-scaled. A few weeks from now, May 19, "Da Vinci" will be released in theaters around the world. Although the story questions aspects of the Christian faith, I do not believe that this will stop Christians from seeing the film. Before Mel's "The Passion" was released, there was much speculation about what percentage of the population would run out to see it. The fact that the movie was about Christ didn't seem to stop viewers that were Christian, Jewish, or of any other faith (including no faith) from seeing the film. I believe that the film may actually draw in more viewers than your regular-ole-blockbuster. The publicity that the film is getting for its "slanderous offenses against Christianity" may be helping its case. People are curious. Those that have read the book will want to see how they did making a movie out of it. Those that have not read the book will want to know what the big deal's about. "Da Vinci" will do better than fine at the box office when it is released.

cars

General Motors and Ford have been watching their sales plummet over the years. The auto mobile industries as a whole have been declining but GM and Ford have been watching their sales fall more then the rest of the industry. Korean and Japanese car sales have increased, taking away the sales of GM and Ford.

Ford’s first solution was to sell less but make more on each sale. Ford’s share and sales fell too much for this solution to work. The second solution seems to be working because with the gas prices rising they are trying to push the sales of the smaller cars (the new Fusion) then promoting the SUVs. While in the past Ford was pushing the sales of the SUVs and the bigger cars.

GM had a different approach on their situation. After 9/11 GM tried to sell all their cars and trucks as they could because they knew 9/11 would affect their sales and the economy. GM lost $10 dollars that year making them try another solution. This time GM is trying to let their sales fall at a more “natural”/controlled level.

Even though both car companies numbers are falling but they are still above Chrysler. Which means they are not doomed yet but more as a warning. GM and Ford both have to find a way to operate at their new low level because that is the first step, not to loss anymore money. This effects on the labor and the capital because they are both are going to be reduced because of the lower volume. If GM and Ford do not do this then they might have to shut down because they will keep on losing sales and not make enough revenue to stay open. As I said before they are along way off from being shut down but they are on their way if they do not do something about it.

Sewer rates up in county

Washington County is raising its sewer fees $10.00 a month, from $28 to $38. They are also increasing their tap fees by $1000, from $1500 t0 $2500. Their reason for this increase is because of increases in maintenance and utility costs. The County Commission said they tried to cut costs in other areas, but the increase was still needed. This increase is not popular with the people in Washington County, but they have no choice but to pay the increase. There is no other option for them when it comes to sewer service. Customers are forced to pay whatever price the County Commission sets.

Should NCAA Academic Standards Increase?

We all know that sports at the college level can provide us with a sense of pride for our almamater and even cause increases in enrollment, however do the Academic standards in place really benefit society as a whole? I pose this question because according to NCAA.com, students must have completed 24 semester hours or 36 quarterly hours with a 1.8 GPA going into their sophomore year of college. The students must achieve benchmarks of 40, 60, and 80 percent of their degree requirements before the starts of their third, fourth, and fifth years respectfully. David Knight a member of the Academic Consultants states, "The current rules emphasize eligibility more than they do academic achievement". It seems as though other pushes by the NCAA are in the direction opposite that of academic standards. Are academics in college necessary for college athletes? When putting the question in those terms it almost seems obscene that anyone would argue the standards are right. Would you want an ex-football player who never made it to the NFL with a degree in lets say teaching, teaching your kid? Keep in mind that this player statistically will be close to the 1.8 GPA. It seems to be that the benefits to society come up very short in this deal. What do you think? What are society's benefits from graduating C- average students, and allowing them into the work world? does this benefit your personal sports obsession or society? Lets be honest.

Maybe we don't have it so bad...

In the United States, gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places. The average car takes about 20 to 30 dollars to fill up. Some people are beginning to take a chance with off-brand gas, which has been cheaper, but unfortunately, you get what you pay for most of the time. But no matter how bad the gas prices get, we're not so bad off when compared to other places in the world. For example, gas in Paris, France, is $5.54 per gallon in US dollars, and gas in Milan, Italy, is $5.96 per gallon. But even they aren't the worst off. If you go to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, gas is $6.48 per gallon, in US dollars. The article I read from CNNmoney.com stated that "in a few Latin America and Middle-East nations, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, oil is produced by a government-owned company and local gasoline prices are kept low as a benefit to the nation's citizens." Gas in Venezuela is $0.12 per gallon (in US dollars). Gasoline is generally heavily taxed in a majority of European nations- these taxes actually make up and three-fourths of the actual per gallon price. So maybe we get off a little easier than some, especially with the imposed taxes.

Gambling Problem

Charles Barkley and John Daly have recently admitted the losses that they have built up while gambling for fun. Barkley says he has lost around $10 million and Daly says he has lost between $50 and $60 million. This raises some serious questions for athletes and gambling. First, how many pro athletes gamble and if they do, how many gamble on their own sport and are getting away with it? Also, how much are pro athletes wasting of their salary on gambling? Barkley admits that he has enough money to be gambling and losing this kind of money. Barkley also said that he gambles just for the competition of trying to beat the casino. Are athletes having a hard time defining when competition should end?

More Efficient Cars = Inefficient Market?

President Bush recently announced that he would like to raise the fuel economy standards. He wants to raise the standard by 1.9 miles per gallon for vans, trucks, and sports utility cars. He is hoping to implement this plan by 2008. On the surface this sounds like a win-win situation. The bill will not only save money but also help the environment. Real economists see problems. President Bush is not taking the additional cost to the manufacturer into consideration. This cost will make the manufacturers cut back production and raise prices in order to cover the new cost. This will create inefficiency in the market because old buyers may not buy with the new cost creating dead-weight loss. President Bush needs to take a second look at his bill and see if he is really saving consumers money or adding a higher bill.

Roger Clemens Bidding War

With Roger Clemens still pondering his upcoming season, he has started a bidding war between the Astros, Red Sox, Yankees, and Rangers. As of now, the Astros have offered up a high offer. If you are Roger Clemens, this bidding war means one thing, PAYDAY. For these four teams, it means a couple of things, big spending and a great pitcher which could equal a successful season. However, for these teams is it really worth it? Obviously their goals are winning first, and turning a profit second. For these teams, is this really the way to go about their seasons and managing their teams. This would drive his payrolls through the roofs, and possibly also drive attendance and other revenues throught he roof as well. So, with one player not promising a title, is it really worth it to pay all this money for an old pitcher?

Pop taken out of public schools?

This article tells about how they are trying to take all of the pop out of public schools. They are trying to cut the calories to slim down the obesity rates in the US. In doing this, they will replace the pop machines with juice, milk, lowfat items and diet pops. I can agree with this to a degree. I like how we are taking the iniciative to cut down the obesity rates, I do not think that just by pop is going to decrease it so much. There are kids who get meals and with their meals comes milk. The kids are paying extra for pop. Also, if they are going to take pop out, they need to take it out completely. Diet pop may have less calories, but does have higher health problems than regular pop as far as heart and blood problems. I believe that the kids who are obese is caused by how they are fed at home and if their parents do not care, then they will not care and might just pack their lunch more often with pop to drink. I think that in doing this, it may shift the obesity curve down, however, I do not think it will be as significant.

Should Bonzi go Bonzai??

Bonzi Wells, generally considered a fringe type of player on an NBA team, has exploded for a huge postseason for the Sacremento Kings. Interestingly enough, he will be a free agent next year. Wells is probably going to be way overpaid, just as Dexter Jackson was after he won Super Bowl MVP for the Buccaneers. So my question is, do these regular players who explode in the spotlight receive money that they don't quite deserve from their season long body of work?

News in Washington

It might be hard to believe, but things are starting to look bright for the 9 and 18 Washington Nationals. Major League Baseball picked a small group led by real estate developer Theodore Lerner to purchase the Washington Nationals. Another partner in this small group is former Atlanta Braves executive Stan Kasten. Bud Selig announced this $450 million agreement Wednesday. Lerner's group was selected over many owners who have worked to bring baseball back to the capital. Selig seems enthusiastic because he has no question that they are going to spend the money to become a competitive powerhouse. They don't want no relapses from Montreal, where attendance was low along with low revenue. Kasten said that they were going to focus on pitching, player development, and they were going to spend some money on their minor league teams. The organization also gets to look forward to a new ballpark that is projected to cost around $610 million, which will be ready for the 2008 season. I believe that with new ownership that is willing to spend money the Washington Nationals will quickly jump back in the postseason hunt and stay there till the end of the regular season. Economically, this is big for the city of Washington and the Major League. With a new owner there is the possibility that the money they bring into the organization will create a larger salary cap and a larger salary cap will allow managementt to bring in top players, which then will increase attendance. Do you think that Major League Baseball made a wise choice to allow a small group to buy the Washington Nationals?

Toyota in the Big 3?

Ever since I can remember the biggest three automobile manufacturers in the Unites States have been GM(Chevy, Pontiac, GMC,...), Ford, and Chrysler(Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,...). However, now somebody else has crept their way onto the scene. Some expect Toyota to pass GM within the year to be the number one manufacturer world wide. They are also saying that it is not a question of if Toyota will pass Chrysler, but when Toyota will pass Chrysler as the third largest manufacturer in the United States. So what could be causing this change? Could it be the continuing rises in gas prices that shifts the market to a much less gasoline using brand of cars, could it be that Toyota is making a better automobile than the others, or is it that the other automobile manufacturers are slacking off and not making as good of vehicles as they used to?

NASA hopes moon is made of money

According to this article, NASA in hoping to benefit from the prospect of space travel--most specifically to the moon. Tourism is a major hope, and space tourism has the potential to become a massive industry. NASA already has plans in the works for new spacecrafts, as they plan to retire the shuttle fleet in 2010.

Though these possibilities may seem far off, it seems like we're getting closer to the futuristic images that the Jetsons presented us so long ago. And it looks like there will be a lot of benefits in this. The moon sits as unexplored, undeveloped land, and, should we ever manage to isolate sections of it for inhabitation by humans, there will be so many possibilities in a new market. And I'm sure that the last of people's concerns will be what side of the road they should drive on on the moon.

Cars that drive themselves?

Ever wonder what it would be like just to sit in your car and not have to drive? Well it is estimated that within the next 20 years, this will be possible. We are getting close in technology where all you will have to do is put your key in the ignition and press the address of where you want to go, and the car will drive there on its own. This brings up the concern if it is safe, they would have to install wires in the roads in order for this to happen, what if something goes wrong with the one of the wires in the middle of driving? What happens as far as shifting lanes and the people who do not get these cars, yet drive on their own still? This article says that with this new technology, accident rates will go down, I am not so sure if I agree. What are your thoughts?

Gas prices up. So are Scams

This is an interesting article. Because the gas prices are climbing to a wonderful $3 a gallon, many people are looking into other ways to save on gas. There are a lot of products out there such as fans and magnetic materials that say they have been EPA approved when all that could really mean is that they have paperwork from the manufacturer and tested saying that it is not anymore harmful to the environment. That does not necessarily mean that it works. There is a site posted in this article which tells what products HAVE been tested and approved by the EPA showing they do work. So while you are running around with your head cut off trying to find other ways to save money with gas prices so high, be smart about it and have logic, products may "sound" good but that's all it is. Think twice this summer.

Free Riding with satellite

This article talks about a man sentanced to jail for three months for stealing satelite t.v., as well as helping others do the same. I thought this was a good article to show and example of free-riding. There are honest people out there paying for their satellite t.v. and channels, however there is a way around that. To my understanding, you have to have somebody come out, to make sure everything is hooked up and check every few months to make sure everything is ok. If you do not have them come out, that is considering stealing their satellite t.v. because you are free-riding on other people paying for it. This has been an issue in the past years with stealing cable t.v. as well and an issue that I think will never stop.

Sick of being rich? --Doubtful

In this article, Bill Gates talks about being sick of being the riches man alive for the past 8 years. Saying that he does not like the publicity. Personally I think he is full of it. How can anybody be so sick of being the richest man alive considering what he did with Microsoft...he knew what he was doing and knew the profit of it all. If he did not want to be the richest person in the world, he would not try to come out with all new software and programs already installed. To me, this sounds like he is trying to have people pitty him, or he is trying to make it sound like he does not want the business, when in all actuality, he knows he will get the business. Personally, I think he looks like a fool saying something like that.

Social Benefit of Chicago's Bird Hospital

The next step up from the Lights Out program set up by the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors is the Chicago Bird Hospital. Apparently steps are being taken to reduce the number of dead migratory birds that occur from the swarms colliding with skyscrapers will now include a rehabilitation center with its own flight test room to see if the birds are ready to be released back into the wild.

Or at least it may if the ornithologist favoring organizations receive enough donations. This raises an interesting point regarding the social benefit received for donating money to save birds. Such as, what is the social benefit for donating money to save birds?

In all likelihood, the answer to this question is that it prevents the declining population of migratory species. This in turn leads to a more vibrant and healthy ecosystem as well as a continued hobby for bird watchers, ornithologists, and bird enthusiasts of all sorts. Still, considering the relatively small number of birds that they believe they can save, as well as the fact that some of those that are rescued will require permanent care; a bird hospital might not be the best solution.

Sewer rates up in county

Washington County is raising its sewer fees $10.00 a month, from $28 to $38. They are also increasing their tap fees by $1000, from $1500 t0 $2500. Their reason for this increase is because of increases in maintenance and utility costs. The County Commission said they tried to cut costs in other areas, but the increase was still needed. This increase is not popular with the people in Washington County, but they have no choice but to pay the increase. There is no other option for them when it comes to sewer service. Customers are forced to pay whatever price the County Commission sets.

Reggie Bush's Marketability After the NFL Draft

Sometimes, a sure thing is not always certain. Such a case occured in the 2006 NFL Draft, in which the consensus favorite to be the #1 selection - Reggie Bush, tailback from the University of Southern California - ended up not being the sure thing, as he was not selected by the Houston Texans, the team with the first selection, but rather the New Orleans Saints, a franchise that has the task of rebuilding along with the city that it calls home.

Houston was seen to be a better fit for a talent like Bush, not necessarily in terms of the playing or coaching style of the team, but rather as a large enough market to allow a player of his caliber to reach the exposure and marketability that Bush potentially has over the course of career. Houston is the United States' 11th largest television market, as compared to New Orleans, whose rank of 43rd is the lowest, meaning New Orleans is the smallest NFL media market in terms of size.

Even before the draft, Bush agreed to endorsement deals that totalled over 1 million dollars, as he signed with Adidas sportswear; Subway restaurants; Icelink, a jewelery consortium; and Hummer, the General Motors SUV brand. However, despite these deals, Bush has a number of hurdles to leap in order to reach the potential marketability that he has as an explosive, high talent player.

Typically, quarterbacks are the players who are the highest paid endorsers among NFL players. The league's highest paid endorser, for instance, is Peyton Manning, who earns nearly 6 million dollars a year. Yet, of the players who earn over a million dollars per year in endorsements, there are no tailbacks - at least, there have bee no tailbacks before Bush to reach that plateau.

Given that New Orleans' economy is weakened due to the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the small size of the market in terms of media exposure, and the limited league marketing of the Saints themselves (the team only has 2 Monday Night or Sunday Night national telecasts in 2006), the money that Bush could attain in a larger market and with more exposure nationally may not exist where he is now.

Some people in the marketing world believe that Bush can transcend the market he is in and become a large media presence, mainly due to his talent and his personality. Others, however, believe that his reaching a mass audience will be a tougher road, likely causing him to have to take many more local and regional deals before he can break into mainstream national marketing.

Do you believe that being in New Orleans, as opposed to some of the markets of other teams in the NFL such as Houston, will affect Bush's earning ability as a product endorser? Or, will his presence in New Orleans help create a larger market there, both for himself and the Saints franchise?

South Korea warns exports may slow on won, oil

South Korean exports could slow due to higher oil prices and the won's strength. Won is South Korean the name of currency. Although South Korean companies expect exports to continue expanding, higher oil price and stronger won's strength brings less amount of products exported. South Korean companies must export more and more products to survive because of scarce natural resources. However, higher oil prices and the won's strength also result in less foreign investment. These are why the fact that higher oil price and stronger won's strength is a hot issue in South Korean economy now. So, many poeple are worrying about that the economic and financial difficulties of 1997 may be happend again.

Hybrids - The Cars of the Future?

Major car companies such as Ford and Toyota recently announced the increased sales of hybrid cars. The sales of the Mercury Mariner and Ford Escape doubled in the past month. Americans have even shown an interest in the subcompact cars. These include the tiny Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris. On the other hand, sales of large sport utility vehicles and trucks have fallen sharply. Dodge reported that sales of the Ram were down 15%, while Fords sales of the F series were down 9%. The car companies are blaming the high gasoline prices for the increase in hybrid sales. This indicates that large trucks and SUVs are a complement to gasoline. Since the price of gasoline increased, fewer gas-guzzling trucks are going to be purchased. On the other hand, if gas prices were to fall, there would be an increase in the sale of the larger vehicles.
This issue leads me to wonder how safe these smaller cars are. On an average day, the large majority of vehicles I see are trucks and SUV’s. In an accident, I do not see the Honda Fit faring well against a large SUV like the Cadillac Escalade. It appears that consumers are more concerned with saving money than their safety. If the sales of hybrid cars continue to increase, there is a good chance the number of traffic related fatalities would also increase.

$3-a-gallon gas: Blame Washington, not Big Oil

Everyone has been blaming the increasing oil prices on other countries never once thinking that maybe the U.S. is to blame for the predicament we are in. Well, now it seems that the U.S. has had a hand in the jump in oil prices. While crude oil has something to do with the price increase, it also comes back to an energy bill passed by Congress last summer. The bill consists of regulating what additives are to go into the gasoline and how it is to be refined but, instead of waiting until fall for it to go into effect, when gas prices typically decrease, they chose now at the peak of gas prices. The end result is an extra strain and unfortunately, it looks like the prices could go even higher.

Why gas is 3$ a gallon

To be said in its simplest form high gasoline prices are a direct reflection of the choices made by human beings in the past. Always knowing the reserves of crude oil would eventually expire evidently wasn't bold enough to make people realize what was going to happen. Which is the high prices that we all experience today. This is simple economics as supply decreases and demand increases then prices have to increase. Along with diminishing supply as a reason of high gas prices is the unstable oil business itself. The gas pump displays the unstable price, because any interruption in the process of refinement or retail dramatically effects market price. Although prices are high now, in the near future prices are expected to drop due to the decrease in demand from the high prices we pay now. So we have some idea of the future events, but will we continue on the same path or find an alternate route to the new energy source. My question is what do you think the next big energy source will be?? And will the government set restrictions on this new energy source early or just let the market stabilize itself??

Oil Producers, Consumers Say Prices Will Stay High for Years

In the next few years, people related with oil thought oil prices will constantly stay high until crude output is added or capacity is refined.

According to OPEC president Edmund Daukoru, crude oil prices will be between $60 to $65 a barrel. He announced this, when he participated in a meeting of ministers and company executives, including producer and consumer nations, in Doha, Qatar.

Today, Andris Piebalgs, who has a position as European Union Energy Commissioner, said oil prices will fluctuate even though there are some extra plans for capacity. He additionally said this situation will keep going until 2010.

Oil prices have increased to $75 as 23%more than previous because of the U.S.’s political relationship with Iran, and Nigeria’s decreasing supplies.

Saudi Arabia, which is the biggest oil producing country in the world, has a meeting with China, India, and the U.S. as consumers in Qatar this weekend.

The U.S. and Iranian governments are participating in an International Energy Forum as Energy ministers for three days in Doha

Exxon's Fight for Energy Resources

Rex Tillerson, Exxon's chief executive, commented yesterday that, "There is little lawmakers can do to bring down gas prices, we must work on supply and demand!" There is no way to get consumers to limit or highly decrease their usage of energy in the United States. Instead, there are alternate routes that are being investigated to develop new sources of energy. Exxon is investing over $20 billion over the course of the next 5 years for this particular cause.

Rex also commented that this is a situation that cannot be changed overnight. As the largest American oil company they are fighting to help their customers and the American economy. Suppy and demand fundamentals are of utmost importance in this situation. Oil and other energy sources are high on the demand and it is their job to supply the people with what they need. Although, how easy will it be for them to come up with effective energy sources? Is this a possibility or merely a false hope to quell the worries of Americans for the time being?

The Most Fuel for Your Money Part II

Aside from pumping up your tires, there are other ways to get the most fuel for your money. First, let's identify what things aren't as effective in saving fuel as you may think. Rolling down your windows is not anyless fuel efficient than riding with the air conditioner. There just simply is not enough drag to make a big difference in fuel economy.

Next, emptying out your car doesn't decrease fuel consumption. Back in the day it was thought that the less weight you had in your car, the farther your fuel will get you. This isn't the case, so carry your golf clubs with you in your trunk. You never know when your friend will call you in the middle of the day when you're a half an hour from home and ask you if you want to go golfing later in town. It happened to me once already, lucky I had those clubs.

Now let's see what is effective in saving fuel. SLOW DOWN. The article says that going 75 mph instead of 65 mph will increase your fuel consumption by 11%. Also, try to stay at a consistent speed. Slowing down abruptly and accelerating quickly burns a lot more fuel than gradually accelerating and slowing down. This inpatience can result in up to 37% more fuel consumption.

My theory is that if people were to be more patient when driving, fuel efficiency would rise and the amount of accidents would decrease. So have a nice summer and drive safely.

Guest workers welcome in US?

This article explains the Guest worker policy that is taking place in the United states. Especially in California, this is very popular. Many employers can hire workers from Mexico who are egar to work. Many believe that these forgian workers are paid significantly less than American workers but the example giving in the article lists wages for guest workers to be between $7.50 snf $8.50 an hour. Guest worker visas also allow these workers to remain in the US for a little under a year, mostly doing seasonal work for farms. The question this rises is--will the guest worker policy will weaken the American job market in the long run? Under this policy do you believe that the number of persons entering the US to find work will increase, or it will just happen in the open and there will be less illegal employment? The article explains that many of the guest workers are employed in jobs that are not popular with American in the area. Is it a better plan for the US to move more business' south of the boarder or to allow more guest workers in the US? Would moving business' south weaken the pull that these companies have on the Economic world?

Apple wins iTunes pricing battle

In this article, the music companies that deal with Apple were forced to comply with the 99 cent song price on Itunes, because of the success of Itunes.

Basically the music companies had to comply because they get revenue from Itunes and if they don't comply their songs will no longer be available.

This is a 1st degree type of price discrimination, because Itunes knows if they raise the price that buyers will not be willing to pay it.

Itunes wins this battle, because it doesn't do any damage to Apple not having those songs available, considering the Ipod's success and popularity and the fact that this program is compatable with it. Also, the music companies have more value still working with Apple then not using them at all.

Do you agree?

Jobs Galore in the Sunshine State

For the second consecutive year in a row, the beautiful Sunshine State of Flordia has done it again! Done what, you may be asking? It's metropolitan areas dominated the Best Performing Cities Index showing where more and more jobs are being created in America. The three area's listed in 2005's index are Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville areas. Thanks to the Kennedy Space Center's convenient location, it has tremendously diversified the economy in the area. From aerospace, defense-related industries, to a vast number of retirees, Florida's population and job openings are at a continuous rise. The United States bases the rankings on ability to not only create jobs, but sustain them as well and go by measurements of wages and salaries and technological growth. So the question here is, for better jobs should we move to Florida, or should that give other states in America the incentive to up their standards and better the economy job-wise?

The Most Fuel for Your Money

As the article explains, with the gas prices on the rise, there are some things that you can do to make your car more fuel efficient. One way you can do this is by regularly maintaining the air pressure in your tires. If you do this, you will be able “get the best wear, fuel economy and performance out of your tires”

Most drivers do not take proper care of the tires and therefore has an effect on their vehicle safety as well as gas inefficiency. “Properly inflated tires promote safety, help tires last longer, and maximize fuel efficiency.”

Over the summer, gas prices are expected to rise, so increasing the fuel efficiency of your vehicle might just be enough motivation for you to regularly check your tires. In the article it explains that your gas mileage can improve by 3.3% if you keep your tires at the appropriate levels. Another statistic to consider is that 3.56 MILLION gallons of gas are wasted every day because of incorrectly-inflated tires. That is a lot of extra money out of your pocket that is being wasted.

So what are you going to do this summer? Check the air pressure in your tires to increase fuel and safety efficiency OR let the gas prices take an even bigger toll on your budget?

Student loans - a life sentence

Quite a few of us have student loans and it may be a blessing in disguise. Sure it makes it possible for us to go to school without paying a full $120,000 up front, but it will be quite a bit more down the road. With high interest rates and other expenses involved with starting out in life, paying off the loads becomes a tough task. Students may be paying for student loans well into their careers preventing them from starting a family or buying a house. There are of course, debt consolidators popping up all over the place, but that seems like a small solution for an ever growing problem. What other possible solutions could there be in the future as more students go to college and federal loans are even more common?

Flu pandemic coming soon?

Until recently when I went and heard a seminar at McDonough about a possible Flu Pandemic coming soon, I never really even thought about one ever occurring. Furthermore, even after hearing about the strong possibility of one occurring I never thought of the economic effects until now. Surprisingly enough the article I reviewed didn't talk about the death toll and sickness as the main losses to our economy. Instead, this article focused on those who are not and never would be affected by the virus. For example, this article states how in a time of emergency people act in ways that are sometimes unnecessary and in the long run cause even more problems for our economy. An example was given about how after 9/11 people were taking rental cars and simply driving away without ever returning them in fear that they were being followed and had to "escape" to safety. Another example of a major crisis affecting the economy was shown in the airline industry after 9/11. Sure, in all honestly I would predict that near all if not 100% of the flights following 9/11 would be safe, but nobody (including I) was willing to take that risk and fly right away. The incident caused major airline companies to shut down having a huge effect on our economy. The economic effects on a flu pandemic would have a major effect on our society.

Baby Boomers!!

This article discusses the possible outcomes of the baby boomer generation on our economy as time progresses. The persons above the age of 64 is expected to double by the year 2050 (rising from about 20% now to about 41% in 2050). What does this mean for our economy? Well for starters, it means that unemployment should be extremely low because of the great demand of workers in the workforce with so many retired. It also means that high wages could be expected as a result of the demand for workers. At the same time however, this means that taxes will be relatively high for those in the workforce. As was mentioned in class, one of the main ways elderly will survive in the years to come will be through taxes that the younger generations are paying when they enter the workforce. This impact on the workforce can be viewed as a good or bad thing depending on where you plan on standing in the economy. If you have a job that is already in high demand and do not look forward to helping those "old people" out when you get in the workforce, then you would probably view this as a bad thing. One other thing to consider is the smaller changes this move will have on our economy. For example, the demand for assisted living and nursing homes will rise as the demand for the large suburban homes will be likely to fall. The baby boomers reaching retirement will have an impact on us all.

'Day Without Immigrants' picks up steam

A day without an immigrant is upon us and many business and school are feeling the impact. Thousands of illegal immigrants have gathered at Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, and Homestead (FL) to protest the new the bill that is about to be passed. Jeff Salsbery is one business own that is not happy about the protests going on. He lost thousands of dollars today because 25 Latino workers didn’t show up for their jobs today, during their busiest month. Salsbery is not the only business owner feeling today protests in his pocket, Tyson Foods shut down 5 of 9 beef plants and 4 or 6 pork plants. Perdue farms also shut down 8 of its 14 plants. Retuters a business owner in Salinas, California, said that if the companies ask for immigration papers no one is going to be able to work. Illegal immigrants make up 4.9 percent of the labor force in America (7.2 million). Schools all over the country were noticing an abnormally high absentee rate today. Even people in Mexico City were supporting the protest by boycotting American goods.

Illegal immigrants think they have a bigger impact on American then what they actually have. As today proves some American business were affect by the protest, but a vast majority were not. We need to look at the jobs that these people held. No where in the article did it state that they held high positions that could not be easily replaced. If you don’t pay taxes then you shouldn’t be in this country and the government should not have your interest in mind. We are paying for their kids (most don’t speak English) to go to our schools with our children, ultimately holding our kids back because of language issues. Over the weekend my family had barns come out and fertilize our lawn. A man come up to the door and said that he was lost. He then proceed to ask questions that I couldn’t understand. I stood there for 20 minutes before looking at his paper to figure out which house should be fertilized (we own two). When I said the house across the street he didn’t understand me until I pointed it to him. When I told my dad about what happened he said next time not to answer to down because they always do our house (we don’t have Barn’s fertilize our own home). I know a vast majority of immigrants come here to seek better opportunities for their families but at what cost is it to our society? The government is responsible for people who pay their taxes. I think we should sign the bill into law, making it tougher for illegal immigrants to stay in and enter our county.

Microsoft vs. Google:Round 1

Microsoft and anti-trust laws are once again being mentioned in the same sentence. Microsoft’s new browser, Internet Explorer 7, was recently released as a test download. Google is claiming that the new browser creates an unfair advantage for Microsoft. In the new browser, there is a search box in the upper-right corner that is typically set up to send users to Microsoft’s MSN search site. The search sites are important because of the increasing market for advertisements that appear next to search results. Microsoft has been accused by Google of creating an unfair advantage. Microsoft will release the final version of IE 7 this summer, packaged together with the new Windows Vista.

In determining an end in this case, I believe that it is important for officials to attempt to calculate the implicit costs and revenues that Microsoft will make as a result of the new search window. How many advertisements will MSN now receive? Will the new browser create an overwhelming advantage for Microsoft in the search engine sector?

Personal spending, inflation jump

Consumers in the United States have been spending more, 0.6 percent, but inflation is on the rise. Personal income also rose . So what does all of this mean? Well in my opinion it seems that as people get more money they are more inclined to spend it regardless of inflated prices (e.g. gasoline). I'm not sure how far this theory would go but in the short term it seems to be what has happened. I'm not sure if this is a sign of an economic rebound or not, but if personal consumer spending is up, there may be more of a demand for workers over the summer. So some of us might have a better chance at a summer job!

Day labor -- not a niche market anymore

I noticed there was a post on immigration and I decided to expannd upon it. This article shows that the biggest employers of illegal immigrants is the general American public. People seeking day labor to move furniture, contruction, or landscaping simply drive down to the local Home Depot and pick up some of these guys. So what's the problem? Cheap skilled labor at a fraction of the cost and the consumer wins right? Well not in every case, some business owners are saying they're losing customers because they can't compete with the prices of illegal immigrants willing to work for so little. So the problem we face is, this: Should they crack down on day labor (restricting the market) or let the other companies compete? The day laborers are definately cheaper but lack things like insurance and guarantees. On the other hand, people still get shady deals from contractors while still paying much more.