25 Most Dangerous Cities

Every year we see surveys pop up that rank cities around the country. We see which are the safest, most dangerous, most expensive and many others. These surveys can have an impact on the economy of these cities because if they are influence enough people then investing in these cities will drop. For example when couples are shopping for a new house with the thought in mind that they want to start a family they want to shop in a city that is safe, reasonable priced and make them want to invest in local economies. If you are branded the most dangerous city then the likelihood that they will even look your way is slim to none. It is important for citizens to know about aspects of certain cities but lets play both sides of coin....the good and the bad.

Top 10 Most Expensive Colleges

CNN just recently listed the Top 10 Most Expensive Colleges in the nation. A college education gets pricier every year. Here is a list of 10 of the most expensive colleges and universities this year, based on the latest data from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

1. George Washington University, Washington D.C.
2006-07 tuition: $37,820
Increase from last year: 3.9%

2. University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia
2006-07 tuition: $36,550
Increase from last year: 4.9%

3. Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York
2006-07 tuition: $36,088
Increase from last year: 6.0%

4. Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
2006-07 tuition: $36,050
Increase from last year: 6.2%

5. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York
2006-07 tuition: $36,030
Increase from last year: 6.6%

6. Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
2006-07 tuition: $36,002
Increase from last year: 9.8%

7. Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont
2006-07 tuition: $35,250
Increase from last year: 5.0%

8. Columbia University, New York, New York
2006-07 tuition: $35,166
Increase from last year: 5.8%

9. Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut
2006-07 tuition: $35,144
Increase from last year: 5.9%

10. Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut
2006-07 tuition: $35,130
Increase from last year: 4.5%

The average cost of a four-year private college jumped to $30,367 this school year, the first time the average has broken the $30,000 mark. By being a school whose tuition averages around the $30,000 mark, how would you rate your educational experience? Do you think colleges are charging too much for school given tight government budgets that have been cutting off non-tuition revenue from colleges?

Meet The Lunch Lady's New Best Friend

Do you remember grade school when you were allowed very little time to eat and most of that time was spent waiting in line to buy food? Well, according to this CNN article, there is a new device out to speed up the lines in cafeterias from elementary school all the way to colleges.
The device works as a finger scanner, where the child puts his/her finger on the device which reads the finger and knows who the person is by the fingerprint. Parents were not so happy about this device because they were skeptical about having their child's fingerprint being saved and able to be accessed by the internet and elsewhere. Administrators sent out letters explaining that the device doesn't store the fingerprints and it only reads certain parts on the finger. Once the finger is read, the student's prepaid account is charged and the student is on their way.
The device is also used for attendance, medicine dispensing, and checking out books in school libraries. Colleges and high schools also use it to keep non-students from entering.
Doylene Burns, the cafeteria manager of a local school in Rome, Georgia said "They're moving through the lines faster and getting more time to eat. That's what we're all aiming for -- more time for them to eat." West End Elementary school's wait for lunch was cut in half by this device. Although schools are using this device, there are still lunch ladies around to make sure the students receive full lunches or took one too many deserts.
Do you think that this device is a positive addition to lunchrooms, libraries, etc.? Should all schools from elementary to colleges and universities make this addition? Is it really safe to allow school's to take a students fingerprint like this?

Slabs Are Joining Scoops in Ice Cream Retailing

When we think of ice cream we think Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen, maybe even a few small local stores. However, when we think of coffee we automatically think of Starbucks. There are a few ice cream companies like Marble Slab Creamery, Cold Stone Creamer, and MaggieMoo’s International who are hoping to be the next Starbucks of ice cream. These companies are known for the unique way of making ice cream. Employees blend ingredients such as crumbled cookies in the ice cream on a marble slab and then pack it into a freshly baked waffle cone. The companies are quickly locating stores around the world. Last year America spent about 21 billion dollars in ice cream. However, in order for new stores like Marble Slab they have to beat out the old competition of Dairy Queen and other popular chains. Currently, demand is very high for the Marble Sap. although, some people feel that “People will just go back to the regular ice cream that they grew up with because of personal or psychological associations with ice cream”. Right now Cold Stone’s sales are down by seven percent, but they still expect to bring in 465 million dollars in total revenue, which would be up 46% from last year.

What do think? Will these new ice cream companies be short lived and people go back to the original plain vanilla and chocolate or are this new style of ice cream here to stay?

The Price of a 'New York Minute'

The Associated Press reports that the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission voted on raising the price of a cab ride by $1 and double the time a taxi sits still in traffic to 40 cents per minute as opposed to 20 cents. The logic behind the vote blames the increase in gas prices and more traffic. According the TCL commissioner, Matthew Daus, the drivers must be “adequately compensated.” For example, a cab stuck in traffic for one hour will cost the rider a wait fee of $14 instead of the previous rate of $12. Also, the board agreed unanimously that a flat fee of $45 per taxi trip will be enforced on rides from Manhattan to the Kennedy Airport.

A New Yorker may throw-some-fists at this price increase, but what other substitutes, as opposed to taxis, are there for a person always on the move. The subway is an effective means of transportation, but its general routes do not take people to the door of their destination or contain the privacy of a cab ride. Personal cars are just as unreasonable due to the lack of space to park the car and, if need be, the $800 per month parking passes. Often referred to as the “New York Minute,” a New Yorker’s life is one based on tight schedules, obligations, and all-night social affairs. Time is a valuable asset to these people, so the increase in taxi fares may not be enough to have them strap on the ol’ tennis shoes and leave two hours early to get to work. The market for taxis is an inelastic one, but I wonder at one point (or price) would it cause a visible decrease in rides and what other means of transportation would best fit the lives of these New Yorkers?

-Nicolette Kynkor

minimum wage?

In today’s class, we did a little quiz on the issue whether the state should raise the minimum wage. The result was 55 percent against the proposal, for which I feel so surprised. As we know, if the price floor is higher than the equivalence point, there will be a surplus of supply. But the question is that where is the right position of $5.15, and how about $6.85.

I think we have mentioned the following information in class before. "If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation, it would be more like $9 right now. We've let the floor sink so low, it's historically less than we were paying back in the 1960s," said Jen Kern, director of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), an advocacy group that has led the "living-wage" movement.

Another fact is that, under present condition, the unemployment rate in Ohio is still 5.7 percent and the lowest rate around the US is 2.8 percent in Hawaii. I think in real society, even though the minimum wage is under the equivalence point, which means there should be a shortage of supply, the employment will exist forever. It is truly a complicated issue to decide the minimum wage. But I just want to know more specifically why so many people choose to against the proposal, just because of afraid of more unemployment?

Top-Earning Dead Celebrities

The 13 icons on Forbes' sixth annual Top-Earning Dead Celebrities list collectively earned $247 million in the past 12 months. Now how weird is that? We're saying that 13 dead people have made $247 MILLION in the past year!!!

Artists such as Kurt Cobain and Elvis are still appealing America today. Artists estates continue to make money by accepting deals involving both their work and the rights to use their name on merchandise and marketing campaigns. However, it is not easy making this list. In order to secure a spot on this years list, the artist needed to make at least $7 million.
But how can a deceased legend make a profit? A successful film release or an estate sale, for example will at least get you started. However, staying power comes from a body of work or simply an iconic image with long-lasting appeal. For example, last year, 85% of Elvis Presley's estate sold for $100 million. These types of transactions are what have kept the King at the top of the list nearly every year.

Other stars' fortunes fluctuate depending on how active their handlers have been in the past year. This year, two albums have been released by Johnny Cash and John Lennon could be awaiting a significant increase in income due to two lawsuits for unpaid royalties filed by his widow. In the future, late-night legend Johnny Carson, whose personal library of 4,000-plus "Tonight Show" hours could make millions in today's television era.
Of course with emerging technology, the public will likely get an opportunity to hear and see many more deceased stars. Already, voice modeling and computer-generated imaging can bring stars back to provide authentic performances for video games, films and advertisements.


Here are the top 5 on the list:

No. 1, Kurt Cobain Earnings: $50 million
Occupation: musician
Died: April 5, 1994
Age: 27
Cause of death: suicide

No. 2, Elvis Presley Earnings: $42 million
Occupation: musician
Died: Aug. 16, 1977
Age: 42
Cause of death: heart attack

No. 3, Charles M. Schulz Earnings: $35 million
Occupation: cartoonist
Died: Feb. 12, 2000
Age: 77
Cause of death: cancer

No. 4, John Lennon Earnings: $24 million
Occupation: musician
Died: Dec. 8, 1980
Age: 40
Cause of death: murder

No. 5, Albert Einstein Earnings: $20 million
Occupation: scientist
Died: April 18, 1955
Age: 76
Cause of death: natural causes

The full list can be found at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Forbes/TopEarningDeadCelebrities.aspx?page=1

Is Pornography a Substitute for Rape?

The answer is Yes, if you listen to Todd Kendall, an economist at Clemson University. According to Kendall, the growth of the internet has lowered the price of accessing pornography, thereby increasing the consumption of porn--apparently at the expense of rape. Using data from 1998-2003, he found that "arrival of the internet was associated with a reduction in rape incidence." Read the paper to learn more about his methods and for an interesting history of pornography in the United States.

Thanks to David Friedman (via Greg Mankiw) for the hat tip.

PS3 Shortage

On November 17th, Sony plans to release its newest gaming system, the Playstation 3. Sony is going to ship 400,000 units to North America, with each selling for $499 (20GB hard drive) or $599 (60 GB).
Although the price is steep, Sony expects that all 400,000 will sell out almost instantly, with severe shortages during the holiday season. What is so special about this game system that makes it so expensive, or better yet, who is willing to pay so much for it?

Last Ford Taurus to roll off the line next week

By the end of this week, Ford Motor Company decided to say goodbye to Ford Taurus, which was once the best selling in the country and that for a time helped revitalize the struggling automaker. As we know, Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures and distributes automobiles in more than 200 markets across six continents. In 1985, the mid-sized sedan was introduced to the market and quickly became a sensation as Americans embraced its design, safety features and fuel-efficiency. Taurus was the “Car of the Year” in 1986 and was the best-selling car in the nation for the following five years. According to Jam Cain, Ford spokesman, “it was fuel efficient but powerful with a V6 power engine and it was a very modern and forward looking, innovative car design.” However, two cars which are considered better targeting the marketplace, Ford Fusion and Ford 500 will replace the Taurus. Even though many employees have regrets about the end of the Taurus, Ford believes that they have to go where the customers want to go.

"Marriage Delay"

In today's society one would suspect that marriage is the way to go and that if one does not get married then it's considered a sin. In a recent article, it states that less than 50% of households are married. This shows that 83 % of people choose to live with eachother, while remaining friends. Some people wait around for years, going through many relationships and moving on, as they hope to find "the one." Eventually one will find their companion in life, usually 90% of people get married, but is it for the right reason? What do you think you should take into consideration before you get married? How much income do you both bring in? How long have you been together? Do you know everything you need to know about your partner? So many factors play into marriage, and there have been and undocumented amount of divorces in this country. Do you want your children to suffer for your mistakes? If you wait to long, would you have a chance of missing out on having kids, or even finding that soulmate? But, if you get married to fast, will it have repercussions?

What do you think one should consider before getting married and/or what are some alternative methods of being together "forever." Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz chose to be life long partners, rather than marry!

Who benefits from celebrity adoptions?

Last Friday, infamous pop star Madonna, flew out of Malawi with her 13-month old adopted son. Malawian law, which prohibits adoption by non-residents, was even wavered in Madonna's case, and allowed her finalize the procedure. Even though Madonna’s adoption might save the life of a child otherwise trapped in a society ravaged by AIDS and malnutrition, there have been concerns that celebrity adoption is not in the child’s best interest. If it weren’t for the adoption agency, Madonna’s son, Banda, would have probably died after his mother passed away. Even though adoption is seen as a positive situation, there are negative effects that the child could possibly suffer from.

Adoption by celebrities is simply another example of the powers of uncontrolled celebrity egos in an age in which rock stars are considered authorities on global poverty and Hollywood actors are invited to address the United Nations on humanitarian crises. Regardless of the motives of their adoptive parents, a child picked up from a developing country and dropped straight into the inevitable media spotlight becomes an unwitting poster child for poverty. Celebrities are not ordinary people, who do not live ordinary lives, thus effecting the child’s upbringing and morality.

Celebrities somehow see adoption as selling property. Celebrities are industry individuals driven by profit and see they are doing a good thing rather than the interests of the children involved. Analysts have claimed that the best place for a child is in their home country, where they are not exposed to an extraordinary lifestyle.

Do you think celebrities should be allowed to adopt from foreign countries? Is it in the child’s best interest?

Trade Gap Record

The trade deficit was about $70 billion in the month of August. That's the second record high in as many months. This is important because the trade deficit is a number that subtracts from our nations GDP. The GDP is a number that is supposed to be a guide as to our countries economic activity. The blame for the record deficit is being pushed toward the higher cost of oil imports for those months. The good thing is those oil futures have been decreasing so the trade deficit is likely to decrease in the next couple of months. Is our countries trade deficit a major concern? Should the government be in debt? On a personal level, could we live and be comfortable (no less be capitalistic) on a debt free diet? What do you think?

http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/12/news/economy/trade/index.htm?postversion=2006101212

Who should get flu shots when there is a shortage of vaccines?

A recent Wall Street Journal article examines the ethics of flu vaccine rationing.

"You have 100 doses of a vaccine against a deadly strain of influenza that is sweeping the country, with no prospect of obtaining more. Standing in line are 100 schoolchildren and 100 elderly people.... Whom do you vaccinate?"

Both the value of life and efficacy should be involved in the answer. With regard to the value of life, "a 60-year-old has invested a lot (measured in education and experience) in his life, but has also reaped most of the return. A child has minimal investment. A 20-year-old has great investment but has reaped almost none of the returns. Conclusion: To maximize investment in a life plus years of life left, 13- to 40-year-olds should have first claim on rationed vaccine, explains NIH's Ezekiel Emanuel."

A second ethical criterion, however, calls on us to protect those who are most vulnerable. Applying this criterion, if the elderly are most likely to die from a flu pandemic, then they should be vaccinated. Considering efficacy, if school-aged children are more likely to spread influenza, then possibly we could save more elderly by vaccinating children.

If you were in charge of allocating flu vaccinations, on what basis would you make your decisions?

[Thanks to James Dearden at Lehigh University for the bulk of this post.]

U.S. government predicts low Florida orange harvest

According to the federal government Florida will see its worst orange crop since 1990 due to Hurricane Wilma last year and the cold stretch that gripped Florida in February. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting thirteen million fewer boxes of oranges will be picked this year as compared to last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted 135 million boxes of oranges will be picked in the 2006-07. This estimate is down from the average about 220 million boxes of oranges Florida usually produces during an average harvest. Due to the decrease in the supply of oranges, orange juice prices have already increased about 9 percent over last year and are expected to make further jumps. This decrease in the supply of oranges is bad for consumers, but is great for the growers who could see their best returns in 10 or 15 years due to the smaller crop. Will the decrease in the supply of oranges affect the prices of substitutes and complements of oranges and orange juice? Will the increase in the price for oranges and orange juice dissuade consumers from purchasing these goods? How wide will the effects of this small harvest be? We can only wait and see.

And the winner is...

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2006 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel to Edmund S. Phelps, Columbia University, NY, USA, “for his analysis of intertemporal tradeoffs in macroeconomic policy”.

Phelps becomes the fourth member of Columbia University's economics department to win the Nobel, putting Columbia in a tie for second place with Harvard, Cal-Berkeley, and Cambridge. The University of Chicago is alone at the top with 9 Nobel laureates to its credit. For his efforts, Phelps will collect $1.4 million in prize money.

Why do gasoline prices differ according to regions?

The prices for gasoline have caught people’s attention for a long time. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average retail gasoline prices tend to typically be higher in certain states or regions than others. As we know, the gasoline prices in west coast are much higher than those in gulf coast. Why do gasoline prices differ according to regions? The attached article points out four major factors that contribute to the differences in gasoline prices in distinct areas. Those four primary causes are proximity of supply, supply disruption, competition in the local market, and environmental program. For example, areas farther from the Gulf Coast where nearly half of the gasoline are produced in the US tend to have higher prices. Secondly, any event which slows or stops production of gasoline for a short time, such as planned or unplanned refinery maintenance can prompt bidding for available supplies. In addition, competitive differences can be substantial between localities with only one or a few gasoline suppliers versus one with a large number of competitors in close proximity. Last but not least, some areas of the country are required to use special gasoline. Areas that have environmental programs aiming at reducing carbon monoxide, smog and air toxics tend to have higher gasoline prices. Reformulated gasoline required in some urban areas and in California cost more to produce than conventional gasoline served elsewhere, increasing the price paid at the pump.

Trump's vodka 'over-the-top-luxury'

Many are familiar with Donald Trump, the tough-love business mogul who coined the phrase "You're fired." However, most are not familiar with the versatility of Trump's empire. In addition to real estate, "The Donald" produces a television show, a line of men's suits, watches, colognes, and bottled water and will soon release a top-self brand of vodka, Trump Super Premium Vodka.

Trump had stated that "Trump vodka be a major player in the vodka arena. We expect it to be a contender in the highest level." Once in the market, Trump Super Premium Vodka will compete against other top-self brands such as Grey Goose and Ketel One. The price for a one-liter bottle will be $30-$40 depending on each state.

The entrance of Trump into the spirits market comes when sales for top-self liquer has been been steadily rising due to America's shift from beer to cocktails. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, sales by volume of super-premium vodka grew 13.7 percent in 2005. No doubt that Trump sought an oppurtunity and is taking advantage of this change in the market. If only I had millions. I would definitly want a stake in the spirit market.

Oil Prices Rise on the Fighting in Nigeria

Oil prices returned to normal after a seven-month low because the violence in Nigeria has stocked supply concerns. Crude prospects fell after comments from Saudi Arabia’s ambassador aimed to relax the market. The government of the U.S. then showed rising inventories of gasoline and heating oil. After this, buyers came back to the market in the midst of reports that armed men had attacked a convoy in Nigeria’s southeastern delta. These recent attacks have oil facility’s concerns elevated. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Oil-Prices.html
Although, the oil rising is effecting Nigeria, it also effects the international world economically. Economic interdependence promotes peace as countries become more and more familiar with one another and need each other for their mutual success. In order for Nigeria to speed up their economic growth, they need to establish interdependence with other countries to their economy. Making ties with other countries will make them able to trade their oil supplies and make a profit. It will also help other countries by giving them more supply of oil and gasoline.

Alcohol Inhalers

Several states have banned the use of alcohol inhalers. Currently Kentucky is trying to ban the use of them as well. They believe these will create loopholes for teenagers and "under age drinking." The total consumption of alcohol in the state of kentucky is $1 billion a year in sales. the inhalers for the alcohol sell at $299 a piece for a single user or $2,500 for a multi-user inhalor. You will not see an advertisement for one those inhalors, which enables those who want to get drunk by skipping the physical drinking part, anywhere. The sales of these said inhalors continue to increase by state and federal governments attempting to ban them. Kevin Morse, the Kevin Morse, president of Spirit Partners Inc. in Greensboro, North Carolina, which markets the Alcohol Without Liquid, or AWOL, devices saids that its the ban on this product which sky rockets the sales. He states they, AWOL, have not spent the first dime on advertising.

What will these bans do for the economy? Will they continue to cause a rise in demand for the AWOLs and eventually cause liquor sales to increase? Or will they simply stay as they are, and once the government has banned them all together will they disappear off the market? I believe most economist will say they bands will cause these inhalors to become a high seller on the black market.

Go on a Road trip before it's too late!

Road trips are so exciting when gas prices are at a low price of $ 1.98, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to stay this way for too long. On an article published on CNNMONEY.com on October 3rd 2006, the article mentions the struggle member countries of OPEC are facing concerning oil prices. It it is mentioned in the homepage of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) the organizations mission is to “coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of Member Countries & ensure the stabilization of oil prices…". Two of the member countries, Venezuela and Nigeria are facing severe surplus in within the country for oil. (Article) The problem is severe to the point where it is effecting commodities such as gold and copper. Since both Venezuela and Nigeria are severely dependent on the income from petroleum exports, gold, and copper; they filed a request to OPEC for an output cut in hope to increase oil prices to better its economy. This effects consumers of oil in general, including us in the United States (it is mentioned in the article that United States is the biggest energy burner and demander in the world). The oil analysts are making a prediction OPEC will eventually cut exports of oil barrels by 1 million barrels. This will surely effect the price of gas and oil in the United States.
As a consumer of oil in the United States, the cheaper price the better. Though if we shine a positive light into the situation, some businesses within the United States may profit from higher gas prices. For example, placing the situation locally, Giant Eagle usually seems to benefit from higher gas prices. Giant Eagle has its own gas station close by, and it provides discounts for the customers. If customers buy $50 worth of product from Giant Eagle, the consumers get certain points which can be used for gas.
Do you think it is safe to say that some companies and businesses are going to actually profit from higher gas prices? Even when low oil prices are always appreciated, do you think it actually hurts an economy when the prices are too low?

Delta reaches Agreement with Retirees, no word on if in-flight refreshments will return !

Delta airlines reached an agreement or settlement on the benefits owed to its non-pilots retirees. Estimated to save the airline, which is still in chapter 11 bankruptcy, some 50 million annually. This may and hopefully will have a positve effect on consumers. Since Delta is know, at least for the moment, out of court and saving money, perhaps ticket prices will fall and /or the nice in-flight snacks and refreshements will return. I know this is somewhat exagerrated, however air-travel has become quite expensive, as various airliners (headlined by Delta) have been losing money for many years and coupled with the high cost of oil/ fuel, consumers have felt a steady hike in ticket prices. This is especially true when flying home for holidays, average roundtrip flights from say, Akron to Pensacola will cost about 200 + dollars. The cost of flying being the main reason I for one will be staying here at MC for Fall break and possibly Thanksgiving. As 100 dollars to fly home to spend maybe three days then another 100 dollars to fly back to Marietta does not always outwiegh the benefits of eating turkey and overdosing on tryptophan.

Should NCAA remain tax exempt?

Congress has recently asked the NCAA to justify its tax exempt status. Questions about the organizations television contract with CBS, the high salaries of coaches, and athletic facilities were brought up. Congress is questioning the NCAA's commitment to higher education.
The NCAA expects $563 million in revenue in 2006-07 with about $500 million coming from its contract with CBS. Almost two-thirds of the revenue is given to schools and conferences. Of this portion, 60% is spent on student welfare and academic enhancement, with the remainder paid out to the winning teams in the NCAA men's basketball tourneyment.
With the NCAA generating so much money, should it still be kept exempt from taxes?

More Toy Suppliers, Good News for Consumers!

Toysrus.com and Amazon.com are no longer partners in the online toy world. The two broke ties this past March due to a ruling from a New Jersey superior court judge who found that Amazon.com breached a deal to give Toy R Us rights to supply toy products as a third party vendor. Not only due these two vendors need to worry about each other this holiday season but from other stiff competition: target.com, walmart.com, and eBay; all of which are expected to be aggressive with discounting. As consumers the supply will increase, therefore dropping prices. We will also have a more assortments and services at our disposal. Would it be smart for Toys R Us and Amazon to team back up, or stay independent?

Business is Booming

According to cnn.com 3 out 4 retail businesses reported better than expected September sales. However, if you look at the job loss in the business you would see that about 50% more of jobs are being cut than General Motors and Ford Motor combined.
This is not a good sign for the economy because if business is making more money when they are cutting jobs then it's going to be a downward spiral. Employees that lost there jobs are now without income and aren't reinvesting their salaries back into the economy causing the economy to become weaker. Some of this is still due to Katrina because even though business is opening back up there is still the need for customers as well as employees. Finally another reason for the loss of jobs is possibly there was an over hiring in the retail business and now they are just getting back to normal.

Do Teacher's With Guns Make School's Safer?

Lately school shootings have been occuring more frequently resulting in innocent children's deaths such as in Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania. Now a Wisconsin lawmaker feels he needs to make a stand for the safety of the faculty and children in the schools by introducing legislation that would allow school personel to carry concealed weapons. This may come as a shock to many American citizens, however it is a common instance in places such as Israel and Thailand where the teachers already carry weapons to protect children. It would also be required of the teachers to be strictly trained with these arms, but then the question occurs of who will pay for these guns and their training? More than likely the people will pay for it with their taxes.

Starbucks on Every Corner

Doesn't it seem that in every major city; or almost anyplace you look nowadays there is a Starbucks on every corner? Well, lately this may become possible even in little cities, towns...etc. Starbuck has now made plans to change the number of coffee shops they hope to open from 30,000 to 40,000. Just this year Starbucks' revenue was $7.8 billion from the current fiscal year from their current 12,421 locations. Their founder and current chairman, Howard Schultz was quoted as saying"We don't believe that we are even 50 percent through to the unique opportunity we have in North America." With a broadening of customer base it could be possible to see a Starbucks on every corner within a few years.

College too much?

I’m paying way too much to attend college in the state of Ohio and not to my surprise Ohio is “below the curve” for providing secondary education. Tuition is increasing faster then salaries and its hurting the middle class students who don’t receive help from the state on a need base but still can’t afford to dish out $30,000 a year.

http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/below_the_curve_exec_summ.pdf#search=%22ohio%20below%20average%20at%20College%20tuition%20aid%22

The website above shows the many ways that Ohio is coming up short when it comes to affording college. More money should be provided, especially merit based scholarships, because right now “need” is most important thing when it comes to giving funds to students. It is understandable why, but the same opportunities should be given to those who earned them.

Europe to Put Shoe Tariffs on Vietnam and China

On Wednesday the European Union agreed to impose low-cost tariffs on the flow of cheap Asian shoes. This has sparked an enormous debate throughout the continent. Many advocates of free trade are eager to take part in the growing Asian economies, and fear alienating those markets. However, manufacturers have complained that the lower-paid Asian workers can make the shoes for a fraction of the cost.
The tariffs created a rift between Northern and Southern Europe. England, Germany, and the Nordic countries opposed the tariffs, while Italy, Portugal, Spain and France lobbied for them.
After numerous negotiations, the 25 countries of the EU reached a compromise- they would install tariffs for 2 years, as opposed to the 5 years that the European Commission recommended. The tariffs go into effect this Saturday. There will be a 16.5 percent tariff against China and 10 percent against Vietnam.
On another note, the European Trade Commissioner, Paul Mandelson, has decided to investigate their defensive trade tools, like anti-dumping tariffs; a victory for European retailers who have been lobbying for free trade. “We cannot argue for openness from others,” Mandelson said, “while sheltering behind barriers of our own.”
Do you agree with the EU’s decision to set tariffs? We learned in Chapter 1 that there are gains from trade, and that specialization leads to greater efficiency. However, some say that the low prices of Asian goods are unfair to European manufacturers. Is equity or efficiency more important here? The international community and the United States have recently placed pressure on China to increase the value of their currency, the yuan. Would this be more effective than the barriers to free trade?

ATTENTION: Liquid Crack Lovers!

Large Corporations are a big part of our economy; Starbucks is planning on becoming and even bigger part. Starbucks is planning on 40,000 new stores worldwide, expanding to China, Egypt, and Brazil by 2007. As of now in the United States there is 1 Starbucks to every 11,000 people in Washington. Despite investors concerns, Starbucks has been doing well in the stock market; shares rose $2.73, or 7.6 percent, to close at $38.69 on Thursday. It was the stock’s highest closing price since May. Obviously the shareholders are happy with these numbers, and excited about the rise in income that Starbucks will be seeing in the future. But, can something ever be too big or too great? Could adding 40,000 more stores have a negative affect on the company, such as over saturation throughout the United States? Could there be too much supply and not enough demand?

Running with a Cause

50 marathons in 50 consecutive days, sounds impossible doesn't it? Sam Thompson, a Mississippi native, proved that it is possible, also, by having an effort to improve the disastrous area while accomplishing this feat. Thompson has ran a marathon (26.2 miles) every day in a a different state since July 1, 2006 to August 29. Sam had this motive two years ago, but when Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he put his "50 in 50 in 50" into action. His purpose is to raise awareness of the devastation that remains, and funds to continue the work of rebuilding homes and lives in the area, which will help restore the economic setback the the hurricane created.

When Sam Thompson was 17 he encountered a major setback. He suffered a shattered leg and pelvis and a broken jaw and collarbone. He had a titanium rod placed in his left tibia and was told when the leg healed that it would be shorter than his right leg. Doctors told him that his running days were over then. But Thompson has shown that it clearly isn't and this "Run for Hope" has made him a national icon and has been a great cause for the entire nation after Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. He is giving hope and an optimistic view for those residents. In my mind he is a hero. For what he has done, has proved what more people in the U.S. need to reflect on his actions and help our nation in the time of need.

With the money donated by people who are inspired what Thompson did and his meaning behind it, will rebuild numerous houses and rebuild numerous lives. The money won't restore the economy in Mississippi by any means but it will contribute and get the economic situation back on its feet. Will those places ever be restored completely as they were before Katrina hit? There is no doubt that what Sam Thompson has done will help that area, but are these actions by a single person make a difference in a state? In the country? Or will they just be forgotten and of no importance?

Jobless Claims at Lowest Level Since July

At the end of September 30 jobless claims dropped 17,000. The drop was bigger than expected. The United States was expected to add 125,000 jobs last month and also in August. Michigan reported the biggest increase in jobless claims with layoffs in the automotive industry. Kentucky had the biggest decline without giving a reason why. What do you think about the jobless claim situation?

Bad News for Pumpkin Lovers

According to an Associated Press article, a combination of high temperatures and record August rains has led to a fungus outbreak in pumpkin crops in New England and the Midwest. The two types of fungus afflicting the pumpkin crops cause the pumpkins to become moldy in some spots and then rot from the inside out. One pumpkin grower lost about 85% of one variety of pumpkins to the fungus, and another claimed he would likely be able to sell just 40% of his pumpkins because the remainder will be rotten.
This shortage of healthy pumpkins is bad news for those who sell pumpkins, like to eat pumpkin pie, enjoy carving jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, or just like pumpkins in general. And, because the pumpkin supply will shift to the left, we should all be able to recognize that the quantity of pumpkins supplied will decrease, causing the price of pumpkins to increase. So, if you need a pumpkin or two for this Halloween, you should check for moldy spots ("especially on the bottom of the pumpkins") and be willing to pay more for your festive and tasty orange gourds.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15138843/?GT1=8618

Drinking in a freshman dorm/hall

Is it worth it to drink in a freshman dorm?
I myself like the taste of alcohol. I only drink with my parents and in my house. That way I am legal. If I wanted to bring a couple of beers into my room, it would be easy. I could get someone to buy the beer for me, I could put it into my book bag, and put it into my frig. If I only drank them by myself, I would be able to keep it quite and never worry about being caught. Whenever I had empties, I could put them in a trash bag and take them to a dumpster outside and no one would ever know. Say I was caught, how bad would the penalty be? I had a couple of my friends get into trouble with this same problem, and all they received for punishment was a $100 fine split-up between the three of them, a warning, and a ten our work penalty. Your parents are not even notified until the second offence. You can find the alcohol policies at www.marietta.edu/student/alcohol/policies.html. There is the factor of only having three strikes though. Would the chance of getting your first strike during your first year make you not want to do it? Another factor is if the person is on a sports team. You are not taken off the team until the second penalty. The punishment from your coach would be worse than the punishment from the school. So, would it be worth it? If you are smart with how you do it, you can enjoy your favorite alcoholic beverage whenever you want, and there is a very small chance of being caught. I think that the chances are in the favor of the freshman that wants to get a little buzz on every now and then.

Poppy Plants

This year was a very good year for poppy seed season in Afghanistan. The small province of Nangarhar, in the southeast corner of the country along the Pakistani boarder, suffered a tough season last year as poppy seed production decreased by 96%. Fortunately, this year the production increased by 350%. This is good for the drug officials of Afghanistan, but it worries many of the political powers in Afghanistan who are trying to turn the nation around. The governor of Nangarhar, Deen Muhammad, is trying to get farmers to quit growing poppy, and threatens them by governmental punishment. The problem is the substitution crop for poppy is wheat, and the demand for wheat equals out to selling for ten times less than poppy does. So, most people end up illegally growing and selling poppy anyways.

Market Forces Acting Against the Consumer

Recently, many may have noticed the sudden decline in gas prices. Most people think that this is awesome; prices could be back down to what they were when I personally started driving. Many would love to go to the pump and see $1.20 up on the board. In reality though, this isn't going to happen. Two countries, Venezuela and Egypt have just raised the price per barrel of oil they are going to export. Also, they are cutting back on how much oil they export because of the surplus. OPEC has also decided to raise the standard price of oil to 18 dollars a barrel by the end of the month. This is a case where the surplus is going to hurt the consumers. Market forces are driving the price of oil up and the quantity suplied down.

Rebuliding Agriculture in Iraq

Last month, the USDA proposed to revitilized the agriculture of Iraq. This would mean spending money on trianing from US and Iraqi agricultural universities.They will be apllying scienctific research and new knowledge applied to the farmers education. During a September meeting on the issue, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said, ""Because much of Iraq's population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, the country's stability partially depends upon the agricultural sector's performance."
It seems that this proposal is crucial in the rebuilding of Iraq since most of its economy is based of the the growing agriculture. The basic goal of this is to help the Iraqis develope good strategies and revitalize the agricultural business in Iraq.

Heroin Deaths expected to rise

It looks like this is going to be a good year for the black market of heroin. The UN has reported an increase in the opuim production in Afganistan. Opuim is the raw material to make heroin and the production has increased in Afganistan by almost 50%. The UN warns that the death total from heroin will be higher this year because of the increase in production. The increase in deaths can be attributed to the lower price of heroin. On a typical supply and demand graph: as the supply of heroin goes up the supply curve will shift making it cheaper so people who couldn't aford it before or who wouldn't try it at the higher price will now join in. The UN has found that is not the case. What ends up happening is that the purity level of the heroin goes up the price does not go down. In this case it makes it more deadly for those who are used to a certain level, they over does do to the purity.
I think that more money will now be needed to fight the war on drugs in this country. This could mean higher taxes or sacrifices to other humanitarian needs. However it is delt with there will be an increase in deaths this year to do heroin.

Mayors come together to stop illegal gun use

Gun violence has been a daily headline for newspapers and newsrooms for to long. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino stated that mayors of approximately 100 cities have come together to put an end to illegal gun use. Everyday I look at the newspaper or CNN is on the T.V. there is always a story about murder that involved guns. This needs to stop because to many innocent lives are being lost. If there were more stick penalties for owning or selling an illegal gun many lives could be saved every year.

Apple CEO Apologizes For Stock Practices

If you have been following the news lately, you may have heard that Apple has conducted an internal investigation over its stock-option practices as well as some concerns about the accounting of the company. An article published in The New York Times today, October 5, 2006 stated that the chief finance officer has resigned his position on the board of directors in 2004. It seems as though, despite these problems, Steve Jobs’s position is not in question and he apologized for the problems that had occurred, “on my watch.” The problem that Steve Jobs was mainly referring to was a “back-dating” of stock options which can occur when insiders decide to enhance rewards by retroactively pinning the option's exercise price to a low point in the stock's value. Apple states in its investigation that it found irregularities in the recording of these stock option grants. From the article it doesn’t seem as though these problems will be a serious threat to Apple or Steve Jobs. What do you think, could problems like these affect Apple’s image at all?
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Apple-Stock-Options.html?ref=business

Does Physical Appearance Affect Your Salary?

Does your physical appearance affect your salary? Many today believe it does. Do you ever go into a store and ask for help from an attractive employee opposed to an unattractive one? I know I have. In an article in Newsweek, Steve Landsburg wrote, “As beauty is rewarded, so ugliness is penalized.” Studies by many shows that this statement is true in many different ways: if you’re a female you have a greater chance of getting the job over the male, a prettier female/male will have a higher earning, and overweight causes a lower salary.

So your looks affect your salary? Yes, it is said that women earn about 5% less and men earn about 10% less when they are ugly. Ugliness affects the males job offers, starting salary, and raises; while for females it only affects their raises. You are going to tip a good looking waitress better and you are more likely to buy something from a hot salesperson all because you are attracted to them more. These situations are why employers base a portion of the decision of employment on physical appearance.

Not only does your looks affect your salary and job, but also your size tends to have an effect. “Professor John Cawley’s study found that an extra 65 pounds typically cost a white woman 7% of her wages.” (www.slate.com/toolbar.aspx?action=print&id=111445) Weight is mainly only a problem for white females; it has no effect on males or black women.

They are not sure the exact reasoning to these problems; it still remains a mystery. Should our salary or job offer be decided by our physical appearance? We decide!

Why Is Gas So Cheap?

Why is gasoline so cheap? Is it because elections are right around the corner or is it because of economics with supply and demand. According to Energy Industry Today the reason that gas prices are so low is because Repulicans want help in the polls this upcoming November. Others think that it is because the demand is down and more people are focusing on ethanol instead of gasoline. Something seems fishy to me.

Oil Prices?

People thought that due to the decrease in gasoline that this would mean that heating your home in the winter will become cheaper. Many people heat their homes by using heating oil, and due to the decrease in gas think that prices are going to be down. Well that is not the case. In this case the laws of supply and demand are not right. If oil prices drop for gas then why not for heating oil. The reason why is that companies are trying to profit more off the higher prices. This is not fair to consumers in anyway, but thats the economy and how it works. Its all about money.

Cheaper Transatlantic Flights on Horizon

Ryanair one of Europe’s leading low cost carriers announced on Thursday October 5, 2006 that they have made a bid for Aer Lingus the Irish flag-carrier airline. The bid announced to day was stated at being worth 1.88 billion dollars. If the bid is accepted with little inference from the Irish regulators travelers can expect to see cheap transatlantic airfare. Ryanair an airline none for its low-cost approach to air travel has in recent years dominated the European market with the likes of British Airways and Lufthansa. If the acquisition of Aer Lingus is successful Americans will have the opportunity to travel transatlantic at lower cost than any other carrier. This model has already been proven successful by Hong Kong’s Oasis who will soon offer one-way travel to London from its base of operations for 141 dollars. The addition of Aer Lingus to Ryanair may allow Americans for the first time travel the highly priced and controlled airways of the Atlantic at a reasonable cost. There is some opposition to this merger from both governments and airlines but fear not Ryanair is none for its perseverance. Should Americans expect the other airlines to match this rate? If this merger occurs in order to compete other airlines will have to cut cost, those cuts may fall on employees. Is it right for an airline to cut jobs in order to achieve the same cost as a smaller airline?

Immigration Into The US

The United States of America has been a popular county for immigration for centuries. According to an article on immigration, the main reason why everybody wants to go to US is because if they would go somewhere like France or Japan although they would get higher wages, there is a much greater chance of getting harassed, arrested or deported in those countries as opposed to US.
People from just about every country have tried to immigrate into the US. Cuban immigration has been a recent common occurance. Asian Americans find it easiest to travel in overcrowded boats, but some came on planes. In 1962, commercial air-flights from Cuba to the U.S. were suspended due to the steady increase of immigration. Cubans mostly travel on boats as well. The most popular city in the US for Cubans is Miami, due to it being a ocean bordering city in Flordia. Like all the other cultures Chinese Americans settled in all parts of the country. However most of them settled in China Town and other similar places in the big towns.
Most of the Chinese immigrants in the US are illegal. The reason for this is because China doesn't let too many people leave and the US also placed it's quotas on the amount of people that are allowed to come in. Legal immigrants have the same opportunities as normal Americans providing that they know English. If they dont know English than they have to work in seperate communties, where there is a great demand for jobs and replacing workers is easy to come by. A question that one might ask themselfs while reviewing this subject is, do immigrants have a negative affect on our economy?

More music?

Today CNN.com reported that there will be yet another site to download music legally. In the wake of the trials of illegal downloaders many websites have created online downloading programs. Best Buy is the most recent to launch a this service. Others include Itunes and Wal-Mart plus many more. The services they offer are very similar, 99 cents per a song, and there are limitations on how many times this song can be transfered to other devices or burnt onto CD.
This shift in supply of legal music is offering more options for online music users. Hopefully this increase in legal supply will decrease the illegal downloading off the internet. As more suppliers enter the market they will have to make the market competitive by offering better services and lower prices. Hopefuly this will make the online music downloading market move in right/legal direction.

Counterfeit Medicine

When someone goes to pick up their medicine from the pharmacy they don’t think or worry about if they’re getting the right medicine they bought or if they just received bogus medicine. Now a day there is always a product that is being counterfeited. One of those products being pharmaceutical medicines. This problem has increased ever since drugs have been sold on the Internet. I think that this is a big problem that is often overlooked greatly, because people even the pharmacist cannot tell and are being fooled by the counterfeit medicine. I think that if this problem doesn’t seize then sooner or later people are going to start dying, then it will be a huge problem.

It's your own body, do what you want.

Prostitution is a widely growing problem in the United States. People are always looking for money, and for women this is an easy way to get it. Most women are not going to go around, and illegally make dvd's or sell crack, they decide on prostitution. What exactly is prostitution, and why is it illegal? For one it is the selling of sex for money, which can pass along std's and many other nasty things. The illegality of it comes within the problems that occur while having sex. Pregnancy, and std's are very large problems and who wants spreading these diseases around the world. Pregnancy between two people that do not love each other, will put the kid up for adoption, and or have an abortion. I have to agree with all the rules of prostitution and think maybe they should be a little more harsh.

The Battle of the Toys

MSNBC.com reports in a recent article that this Christmas really will be a battle of the toys between once partner companies, Amazon and Toys 'R' Us. The two companies will be fighting for consumer's dollars this holiday season, and focusing mainly on the toys section. Amazon has apparently expanded their toy variety to about 120,000 different traditional toys, five times the amount before their partnership with Toys 'R' Us ended. But the companies don't only have each other to worry about, but other consumer favorite online stores such as target.com, walmart.com, and the online auction site, eBay.com. Although this holiday season may be a struggle for these companies, the benefits are definitely reigning on consumers. As the companies battle, consumers should receive larger discounts and deals as opposed to previous holiday seasons. Do you think Amazon and Toys 'R' Us will each profit more now that they are no longer partners, or will they both loose business battling and to other similar online stores?

Should anyone be allowed to buy a gun?

18 and 21 are the ages to be able to buy a gun, and some think it is too young and others too old. I do believe that we should have a legal age limit for guns, but I really do not know which age would be the best. For a rifle you have to be 18 to buy, and 21 for a handgun. Guns are very dangerous, and some people at these ages are not mentally ready to handle a gun. Age is not the only stipulation that should be put on guns, I think that everyone should have to pass a test of some sort. Guns have ended many lives and should not be passed around so easily, I just hope later on down the road, some higher stipulations will be put on what and when you can buy rifles, and other firearms.

Teenage Steroids

Teenagers that play sports try to push them self to the limit to get stronger. They start as early as 8th grade up to their senior year of high school. The steroid not only sets the teenagers for heavier drug taking but it also mess with there behavior and mood swings , hallucinations and paranoia; liver damage; high blood pressure. Steroids bring depression to the user, brings you down and also trends to mess with your brain. The current study tried to inject the steroid into hamster’s to see how they would react with each other, the hamper’s "still defend their turf, learning aggression during puberty by play-fighting, much like humans". Steroids are not for everyone, if the body doesn’t take it in right it may cause you to die.

This is where i got it from
http://www.dentalplans.com/articles/Anabolic%20Steroids%20Flip%20The/

Illegal Gambling is here to stay

The amount of illegal gambling in America is amazing there are endless possibilities and bookies just waited for you to make there day and make a stupid bet so that they can cash in without having to pay any taxes. Sounds pretty great but the facts are that it is really not as glamorous as one would tend to think. Although in some way the black market way of gambling on games is better than the legal was because there are more options and the possibilities are endless and much as you can afford to pay if you lose is as much as you bet. There are no limits just straight up win of lose. This to me seems like a great way to get your ass kicked by some huge dude who is coming to collect what you lost and if you do not have it you may lose something else also. Illegal gambling will continue to prosper and I'm not sure if there is anything that we can do to stop it. Do you have any suggestions?

United Nations Officials Accused of Abusing Women

According to a confidential United Nations report, officials of the U.N. have raped women in the Congo. They also engaged in prostitution with women, promising them jobs, food, and money for sex. Hearing of this story just boggles my mind. How in the world can someone be an official U.N. peacekeeper, but at the same time engage in such horrible acts. This would seem to do the exact opposite of keeping the peace between countries. Some sort of action should be taken towards these officials to set an example for everyone to see.

Teenage Drinking

Today's world all teenagers want to try drinking. Teenagers don’t understand the affects that can happen to them while they are boozing it up. The main danger or drinking knows when your body has had too much to control your body; one of the most common ways that teenagers die from alcohol is by choking on their own vomit.The deaths also occur by the way the teenager behaves when they are under the influence of the alcohol. The alcohol goes right to your nerves system; this is where you get the buzz or alcohol poison that you’re addicted to. The Alcohol "kills more young man than any other drug taken to affect your mood or behavior".

This is where I got it from http://menshealth.about.com/cs/teenhealth/a/teen_drinking.htm

Meth Usage is on the incline

Meth Usage is on the incline
The number of people in the country and all over the world using methamphetamines is increasing steadily and must be put to a stop. Not only is the drug highly addictive and also deadly but it is very dirty because there is a correlation of meth users to HIV-AIDS. This drug is a stimulant and may be one of the most addictive, and although there are rehab programs very few are getting help with their problem. Also in the addition to the effects on the brain meth gives an increased sexually risky behavior amplifies the risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Meth users need to be contained and to do that there needs to be more law enforcement on the issue and an early response program for addicted users. This only takes one thing and that is the willingness of the addicted people to want to get help. What do you think should or could be done to stop this increase?

Drug Market Shifts Away From Hard Drugs

A recent washington post article shows statistics that the war on drugs has moved from hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin to marijuana. Marijuana arrests have accounted for nearly half the total drug arrests in the entire nation. What I do not understand is why are dealers switching from hard drugs to marijuana when marijuana is so much cheaper. Of course, marijuana is the most widely used street drug in the nation, but there are still enough people out there that will still buy the hard drugs. It seems like dealers run the risk sometimes of getting caught when they sell marijuana because they have to sell so much of it to make any money.

Seatbelts Make Drivers Less Cautious

I believe in the statement "seatbelts make drivers less cautious" because they provide a false sense of security. When the economist Steven Landsberg suggests we should all drive around with a spear pointing straight into our chest, he is making the point that if we are scared enough, we will take extreme measures to save our lives. Yes, it would be frustrating and less productive to have to drive around at 5 miles per hour everywhere we go, however, how many lives would this save in the long run? Seatbelts are a good form of saving lives, but should we be more worried about saving lives or preventing crashes?

Terrell Owens stupid act

All over Espn and all over the news were reports that Terrell Owens tried to commit suicide. It was reported that he said he was depressed and wanted to hurt himself. The pills he had were for his hand he hurt and reports say he had a prescription for 40 pain pills but only had taken 5 so far. What I don’t really get is why someone so famous and making so much money would be depressed and want to try and kill themselves. I know if I were making that much money for playing football I wouldn’t be trying to kill myself or reporting it as if I tried to kill myself, I wouldn’t want people to think that about me.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0927061owens1.html
This is a website to read more about Terrell Owens and his stupid act

Why use a Condom?

Condoms are a very common thing in the world today. Many peope use them when they are in a relationship with the opposite sex. Why are they used to lower the risk of having children and passing STD's. Condoms are usually made with latex or polyurethane. It is said that if possible you should use latex as they are proven to be more reliable. The reason behind this is because polyurethane is not as thick as latex. You can basically get condoms anywhere you go. There are many types of condoms such as trojans, lifestyles, durax, magnams, and many others to choose from. Condoms are an essential part of keeping std's to yourself. Never use two condoms at a time because this will cause friction, and maybe break them. Just remember the golden rule to rap your tool.

International Relations

An interesting article appeared while I was surfing the net. It proved to me that even the ideas and topics we are learning about here in Marietta, in Microeconomics class, are relevant to what is actually happening in other countries of the world, not just the US.

The government of Kedah, a state of Malaysia, imposed a price ceiling on chicken. A price ceiling, as you know, is the maximum price sellers are allowed to charge for a good. The price ceiling was imposed by the government in hopes to benefit the consumers of chicken, but in doing so, it impacted the sellers in an extremely negative way. Now, over 300 chicken sellers may have to call it quits after many of them have been selling chicken for decades.

The government decided to reduce the price ceiling from 3.50RM* per kilogram to 2.80RM per kilogram and because of this, according to Mat Rashid Hanapi, people like him have been losing about 300RM per day, which is roughly equivalent to 80 dollars in America. Although it doesn't seem much, $80 dollars adds up, and in a less developed economy, this may have a large impact on many of the people who sell chicken as a means to survive.

Now, going back to opportunity costs, many find that there are better things to do than waste their time and energy on raising chickens to sell. Hanapi says "the more chickens they sell, the greater their loss," meaning that they could be making a bigger profit by doing other kinds of work.

What do you think? Did the government of Kedah make a good decision by introducing a price ceiling? Or should the government keep its "hands off" by letting the market be the most efficient by finding its equilibrium price?

*Note: RM stands for Ringgit Malaysia, which is the currency in Kedah, Malaysia.

Prostitution: World's Oldest Profession

Prostitution is often been called the “world’s oldest profession”, because it has been around for a long time. The earliest documented type of sex work was sacred prostitution; which is having sex with someone other than a spouse for a religious purpose. Prostitution is usually defined as people who engage in sexual acts for the return of money or goods. Most prostitutes are called “hooker,” “whore,” “monger” and “john.” There are many people who migrate to places where they are either tricked or sold into “sex work”; most of the people are young women that are often school-age girls. Sex work is not just prostitution, but it also includes porn videos, phone sex operators, lap dancers and strippers. There are many people who participate in sex work to pay for education, bills, or even just to get spending money. I think that if there is someone in need of money that bad that they have to sell their body to prostitution than there is something wrong with our society. There are numerous associations that help people get a job and get money, and find a home, instead of selling themselves or even selling other products such as drugs. If there is someone in need, and we turn our back to them, then we are horrible people. I think that if someone is caught participating in sex work, they should be arrested and then have to go through a rehab to get back on their feet and off the streets. What do you think about prostitution?

Mexico Legalizes Drugs

Recently Mexico just passed a bill in Congress legalizing possession of a small amount of marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, and heroine. The government hopes that this will help law enforcement be able to focus on find drug smugglers instead of casual users. The law actually stiffens the penalties for trafficking, possession near schools, or government officials with possessions of small amounts.

I think it is interesting that Mexico is legalizing small amounts of possession of all of those drugs, and the U.S. wont even legalizes small amounts of marijuana. I don’t think that all of those drugs should be allowed, but I think that marijuana should because it is not that dangerous, at least no better than cigarettes.

Terrell Owens' Suicide

Last week all over ESPN and the news, was the story about Terrell Owens being sent to the hospital for an attempted suicide. It is said that he could have taken anywhere from 30-35 pills of an unknown pain killer. He was seen putting two pills in his mouth after being told not to. The article reports as well that he told friends and police that he was in fact depressed. He was given the medication for a recent football injury in his hand. Early reports intially said that he had, had an allergic reaction to the medication, but the empty bottle was later found.
What I don't understand is why someone making so much money, and looked up at by so many kids would do something like this. I have heard that it is a publicity stunt, but why would that be the kind of publicity anyone would want. Also people attempt suicide with prescription drugs all the time, but the only time it ever has attention drawn to it is when a famous football player tries it.

Canada and Drugs

The U.S. Customs department is relaxing its enforcement on the importation of drugs from Canada for personal use. Many pharamaceutical companies are worried that this will cause more problems with fake and illegal drugs. I agree because when you relax the restrictions dealers are more likley to sell illegal drugs from foreign countries and also to sell fake drugs which will not only not help you but could also kill you. Ken Johnson, senior vice president for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, made a good point "If you buy drugs over the Internet or from Canada, and it makes you sick and kills you, who do you sue?" Who will the American citizens blame when someone dies from these drugs, who is liable?

America's Fastest-Growing Small Public Companies: Ohio

Small businesses are constantly growing. Ohio currently has four companies that are ranked in America's fastest-growing small public companies. These companies keep expanding because of the successes that they have had. The four ranked companies that are in Ohio are: 1. LCA-Vision, 32. Core Molding Technologies, 3. Meridian Bioscience, and 89. Multi-Color.

LCA-Vision is a company out of Cincinnati, OH which provides laser correction using the LasikPlus brand. Core Molding Technologies, from Columbus, OH, molds reinforced plastics into vehicle parts. Meridian Bioscience is another company out of Cincinnati, OH that makes rapid tests for infectious bacteria and viruses. Multi-Color, also out of Cincinnati, makes labels for 330 of the world's most prominent brands such as Coca-Cola, Miller beer, and Tide detergents.

These companies are obviously creating more jobs for Ohio citizens. But why do you think these companies are so successful?

Cleveland Under the Microscope!

http://clevelandhomeless.blogspot.com/2006/08/poorest-city-in-united-states-again.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6080044/

Cleveland Ohio is ranked the #1 poorest big city in the United States. Despite many efforts from the year 2004, it somehow managed to regain its poor city status. Back during the 90’s, Cleveland was known for its vibrancy in the steel industry as well as in other manufacturing companies. Over about a decade, Cleveland’s economic standing started to decline; it seemed to be losing both business and tourism. It had been in economic recession since 2000.

The Ford Motor Company and LTV Steele were both contributing factors to the digression of Cleveland’s economy. Both companies employed a large amount of people. Many of these people completely lost their jobs or were bought out. These actions resulted in families being forced to rely on the government to provide for their entire families. Even then, numerous families struggled with bills because the services rendered by government did not completely satisfy every families needs.

In addition, hundreds of teachers and some city workers were laid off. There were times when parents protested against having teachers laid off. They complained about classes being over-sized and their students not being able to receive adequate attention in the classroom. During this time, fire and police personnel were also being laid off. People feared for their safety. They began to question the accountability of the emergency personnel.

As a Cleveland native, I can say that there have been efforts to improve the economy. Many new construction projects are being made with hopes of hiring those who are currently unemployed. This past summer I saw a program designed that hired people to go around and keep the city clean, picking up debris and to maintain property. I believe this program was created to minimize unemployment. The new installation of Mayor, Frank Jackson has promised many new jobs and opportunities. He plans to bring tourism back to Cleveland.

"Instant Rush. No Crash!"

In the market for energy drinks, the aim is to advertise more caffine and more buzz. Now there is one energy drink that has surpassed all the rest and is creating quite a stir.

Not too long ago, a Las Vegas beverage maker came out with his version of an energy drink that promises the euphoria of drugs. While the buzzing drink contains no narcotics, its claim is "Instant Rush. No Crash!" The new drink is called Cocaine, a very good description of of it's promise. This, as you can imagine, has outraged lawmakers even though the "high" is only from high amounts of sugar and caffeine. The Cocaine Energy Drink 280 mg of caffeine, that's 200 mg more than the average cup of coffee! Experts in drugs and nutrition are very concerned about this new drink frenzy. Besides the health issues with this drink, that are obvious by the amounts of caffeine and sugar that are poured into the making of this "drug," people are worried that it's provocative name and luring effects will confuse kids and teenagers. I think I may have to agree. Who's to say that a kid who drinks "cocaine," will find a harm in smoking or snorting it? This drink almost disrupts the nations efforts in the war on drugs. Kids won't understand the difference when they see the heavily advertised drink on every interent page with a catchy, alluring name. Who doesn't want to feel good? These drinks can do that for you. (Subliminal message: So can drugs and alcohol. If this drink named after the popular drug is ok, maybe the drug is too.) But the maker of this drink feels that the name of it will enable parents and kids to talk about what is really out there and the dangerous effects those drugs have. I feel this is almost contradictory. He's promoting the feeling of drugs, but not the drugs themselves when he's named his new found drink after it?

Optical disc by Hitachi Maxell Ltd

It seems every time we turn around, some new piece of technology is coming out. Hitachi Maxell Ltd has developed an optical disc thinner then current storage devices such as CDs and DVDs. If this device is successful, it will allow more data to be stored in even smaller amounts of space. The whole technology market to change itself around something like this as the very nature of technology is an attempt to have the best and newest product on the market. Companies which currently make and sell other storage devices may need to look into shifting their product lines or developing an even better storage device themselves. With a shift in technology which essentially makes the difference in millimeters of space, jobs could be lost, created, or changed.

How much do you think this device could change the market?

An article about the new disc can be found at: http://storage.itworld.com/4653/061004hitachimaxell/page_1.html

It's their job

Prostitution over the years has steadily become a popular form of work. While it is not moral in the eyes of most, it is how some women put food on the table. Women often fall into a job like this because they were not able to finish school to get a better job, no one will hire them because they were never taught certain skills, or they've had a bad history. And who's to blame them? If they can't get hired somewhere else, the next best option is prostitution. It's easy, they don't have to clock in, and they make more in one night than they would at the local diner. It seems like a positive option to get them and their possible family away from the firing line of poverty. All these women have to do is sell themselves. It shouldn't be that hard. But obviously there are hazards to this job. It's not safe and the women become caught in the world of prostitution, it could be mentally and physically damamging, and it is illegal in every state in the US but Nevada. But these women who fall in the hands of prostitution are determined to provide for their family and have a life, so they boldly accept those facts. I feel it takes strong woman to become a prostitute, freely giving to every man that pulls along the side of the road, holding back all the regrets and emotions. So this is their job. It's how they survive. Should putting these women in repeatedly be the right thing to do? Is there not another way to combat the immoral conduct of selling oneself? Surely, the United States could come up with a better alternative. They could open clinics to help these women finish school and get better jobs, teaching them acceptable social skills and conduct, teaching them how to pay their taxes, and making sure that their income is reported. Of course in my mind I think the nation should reach out to these women instead of punishing them. All they want is to be loved and accepted. But the world is not perfect.

Human Trafficking

There is little knowledge about the issue of Human Trafficking. I became interested in this issue when I was watching Oprah last year. This topic was brought up again when Natalie Halloway, the senior who was kidnapped while on her senior trip last year, was in the news and was suspected to have entered the traffcking system. In relation to economics, those who are in charge of the traffcking can be compared to gang leaders; they earn the money and boss around those who are lower than them. To define human trafficking, it is the transporting and selling both willing and unwilling human beings to become slaves either sexually or to do work around the house. Money drives every aspect of the trafficking industry from the brokers to the buyers. Most of the traffcking goes on in lower income countries but is beginning to spread into more prosperous countries because there is more money involved. I find this whole thing disgusting and a crime against human nature. Is there a difference if the human is willing as compared to being an unwilling slave?

I (definately) (defiantly) (defantly) (definatly) think spell checker is underutilized.

Too many people are throwing away good points by not proofreading their posts/comments and doing a simple spell check. While I am most interested in the substance of your posts/comments, it is a turn-off to your readers if your writing is chock full of misspellings and grammatical errors. Readers may not trust your argument if they can't trust your spelling.

For a quick spelling test, click here. How many did you get correct out of the 25 words? Did you see the correct spelling for the word misspelled in the title above?

[Responses to this post do not count toward your blog grade.]

Experts call for eco-conservation mechanism

Experts in China are trying to establish a system to ensure compensation for damage to the environment. The aim is to use economic mechanisms to encourage sustainable use of the environment.

"The absence of this type of mechanism is the fundamental economic reason for eco-system destruction in China," said Ye Rutang, vice-chairman of the Environmental and Resources Protection Committee of the National People's Congress.

The country has set up a relatively complete policy system for pollution prevention and control, but policies for conservation are still missing. The lack of a mechanism leads to unequal distribution of environmental benefits and related economic benefits, according to Li Wenhua, co-chair of the Task Force on Eco-compensation Mechanism and Policies of the China Council for International Co-operation on Environment and Development.

Li's group will work out strategic guidelines and policy recommendations for the eco-compensation mechanism, first in the fields of water, mining, forestry and nature reserves. The task will not be easy, according to Li. For example, it will be hard to implement the study's recommendations on the ground, it will be difficult to calculate the standard for compensation and there is insufficient legislation.

Experts at international conference in Beijing in late August called for the acceleration of conservation legislation.

Border Security, Job Market Leave Farms Short of Workers

The United States efforts to increase border patrol are having harmful effects on many California fruit and other specialty farms. Many farms are running below capacity due to a lack or workers. They workers had typically come from immigrant labor. Washington lobbyists are pushing for a bill to allow immigrants already in the States that are working on farms to become permanent legal residents. This would help the farms be able to run at full capacity and increase supply. Because of the increased patrol many immigrants already here have taken other jobs. Many of the farm working immigrants worked season in the United States and returned to Mexico after the busy season; however, they are now staying in the U.S. and taking year round jobs. Due to other conditions, such as weather, farms in California are going to have a hard time keeping up with the demand this year running below capacity. With the new passing of the bill to build a 700 mile fence, how much more will the California farms be hurt?

Pro Gamer Salaries on the Rise

Recently I was playing video games with my roomates and I sat there wondering why I couldn't get paid for my skills in Madden. At that time I didn't realize that people actually got paid to play video games. And even more shocking was the fact that some players exceed 70k per year. Some players have even been documented as to have won over 100k in one tournament. That is more than either of my parents make and they both have 4 year degrees. This fact does not even seem fair, uneducated teenagers can make more than the average college graduate. Players specialize in popular games like Halo and Super Smash Bros. Even though these games sometime cause certain students to flunk out of school because of the addiction they have to the games. Is it ridiculous that video game players make these salaries? Or is it the same as professional athletes making more money than doctors and lawyers?

If Preppies Took Over Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart had been known for the blue vests with the words “How may I help you?” on the back, which was to convey the working-class image. However, now Wal-Mart is testing a new look to attract more upscale shoppers by having employees where a polo shirt and khakis. Also, they plan to sell items that are more expensive, like flat screen TV’s and 300-thread-count sheets. Wal-Mart now advertises in more upscale magazine like Vogue. They have also opened an office in Manhattan to watch for the new trends and created an urban line to improve the individual store sales.

The new idea for the uniform was said to be “very classy” by Stan Herman, who designs dozens of corporate uniforms. With the new uniforms it will raise the status of all the Americans who work for the chain. The working-class image will be now more like a business casual image for the store. Taraynn Lloyd, the director of marketing at Edwards Garment, says Wal-Mart’s uniform improvement is happening too late, now businesses are moving away from the polo shirts and going for button-down shirts.

The employees are also complaining about having to buy khakis themselves because the company is struggling enough to supply each of the 1 million plus employees with two polo shirts. Some employees don’t want to spend fifteen dollars on pants they will only wear for work

I think the change would be good for the image of the store, but I have always thought of Wal-Mart as a place where I could go when I don't want to spend that much money. Places like Target were always more expensive, so if I wanted something cheap I would go to Wal-Mart. With this change, I don't know if that will still be true. Do you think the upscale change of Wal-Mart will hurt the company or will it make the store more appealing and higher class so that more people shop there?


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/business/03uniform.html?ref=business

Elmo ruins WalMart's rep!

Remember the Tickle me Elmo that came out nearly 10 years ago? How about all the fuss caused by the shoppers in hopes to get one of their own? Just last month, Fisher Price announced the development of a new toy, the T.M.X. Elmo. This toy laughes uncontrollably, bends at the waist and slaps it's knee when tickled. The date to set on shelves was September 19, however, the item is already scarce. As people lined the doors waiting for opening at a Walmart in Chicago, they bacame disappointed upon the discovery that this particular Walmart hadn't even been supplied the product. It is believed that the shortage was on purpose, to keep the demand on a rise, however, Fisher Price completely denies that is the case. The biggest problem comes from angry customers towards the retailers. Although Walmart isn't to blame for the shortage, it is most common that people "see them" as the bad guy in the case. Fisher Price is only dealing with the retailers, the retailers, however, are dealing with the mean people. Although this is a problem now, it is assured that Fisher Price will increase production of the new hit toy in order to meet demands for the upcoming holiday season.
Do you think it was Fisher Price's intention to produce a shortage? Other than maintaining demand up, are there any other reasons that this would be the case? I can't believe that it would be a logical raeson to limit production, unless it is a marketing tactic used to get the name of the product out there and more well-known before the big shopping season. Maybe with all the fuss, people will show even more of an interest when the product is more readily available for purchase.

The Economics of Prostitution

Today in class we talked about the selling of illegal items and one such item was the human body. Economists Lena Edlund and Evelyn Korn considered wives and whores as economic "goods" that can be substituted for each other. Men buy, women sell.

Economists have been trying to find out how money and marriage relate to each other ever since Nobel Prize-winning economist Gary Becker published his seminal paper "A Theory of Marriage". Becker used market analysis to answer, or at least try to answer the question of whom, when and why we marry. He believes that our spousal selection is a market, and marriages occur only if there is a profit for both parties involved.

Edlund and Korn admit that spouses and streetwalkers aren't alike. Wives are superior to whores in the economist's sense of being a good whose consumption increases as income rises. This could be a possible explanation prostitution is less common in wealthier countries. But the implication remains that wives and whores are the same sort of thing.
Why do hookers make so much money? Prostitution seems to be a low-skill profession, but high-pay profession with few upfront costs, super-miniskirts and stiletto heels. Yet data gathered from different times and places found that prostitutes make more money than a woman that works for a living. This is found to be true in places where prostitution is legal and relatively safe. In short, streetwalkers aren't necessarily being paid more for their increased risk of going to jail or the hospital.


Another zinger: "This begs the question of why married men go to prostitutes (rather than buying from their wives, who presumably will be low-cost providers, considering that they can sell non-reproductive sex without compromising their marriage)." Guys, nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" more than "low-cost provider."


http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2006/02/11/economics-prostitution-marriage_cx_mn_money06_0214prostitution.html

Gas Prices Are Finally Falling

Over the summer we were all experiencing gas prices near $3 a gallon. Well in the past eight weeks gas prices have fallen an average of about 73 cents, which I am sure has all drivers breathing a sigh of relief. However it gets even better, it is expected gas to continue falling, getting close to only $2 a gallon. Currently the cheapest gas prices are in cleveland with the cost being $2.08 a gallon, and the most expensive being in Las Angeles at $2.69 a gallon. The gas prices are falling all over the country anywhere from about 5 cents to 12 cents a week. Deisel is dropping also with an average of about $2.60 throughout the country.
I know I am personally very excited to hear that gas prices are falling, and look as if they will continue to fall for a while. I am just hoping the prices can stay low throughout the summer. And maybe never go up again, but that may just be wishful thinking.

Looking for a Job?

MariettaEcon
Are you one of the many Americans looking for a job but are unsuccessful at finding one? This problem lies with the loss of 2.4 million jobs, the greatest sustained job loss since the Great Depression, according to EPI and anemic jobs creation. So where are all these jobs going? In 2004, nearly 29% of the US companies moved their production and jobs to China. Meanwhile, the proportion of jobs at unionized facilities that moved jobs to Mexico rose from 26 percent three years ago to 44 percent that year.
As a total 39 percent of the jobs sent overseas in 2004 have been union jobs. It was estimated that nearly 406,000 employers would have sent their business overseas in 2004. The fact that some of these jobs are being sent overseas is to keep other countries happy and to help America get out of debt. The loss of jobs overseas affects the economy of the US by means of lowering wages which results in unemployment.
What do you think?

http://www.usw.org/usw/program/content/1673.php

New Law Effects Internet Gambling

In class today we discussed markets that are prohibited by the government, one of these was gambling. In some states glambling is illegal. In others there are restrictions placed on gambling. But what about internet gambling? I discovered this phenomenon was my cousin started playing Poker online. I asked how he paid for it, and he replied, "my credit card." Now, this is completely understandable to me. I mean we can shop online with credit, so why can't we gamble online with credit.

The government, however, has decided to interfere with online gambling. A law was passed that "prohibits the use of credit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers for online gambling transactions." The impact of this decision has had several adverse effects for may companies which run online gambling sites, and even may cause several to shut down. I wonder whether or not the government should have interfered in this sector. What do you think?

Cinema Prices Out of Control!

A night at the movies isn't cheap. It is expensive enough for a couple out on a date to attend a movie without the popcorn, candy, or a drink. Therefore, taking ones whole family out for the night is completely out of the question unless you're one that makes the big bucks.

The movie theater in Marietta charges $8.00 per ticket for adults and $5.75 for senior citizens and children. Isn't that a bit much? Two people going to watch a movie would be better off if they waited a little while and just bought the movie. This way they would be paying $16.00 for a lifetime rather than for a couple hours.

Ticket prices are high all over the world. In New York City tickets have reached a record high for the city at $10.25 a ticket. Denmark also has high rates for a night of fun. It leads the world with an average ticket price of $12.42 per ticket.

Not only are the ticket prices outrageous, so are the concession prices. At some theaters the cheapest drink is $4.00 with no free refills.

Movie prices are way out of control all over the world. If companies don't start lowering their prices, the movie business will drop significantly, because people won't be able to afford to go.

Baseball has been fighting the impossible battle...

Baseball is America’s pastime, yet over the past decade it name and history is being threatened by asterixes. In 1998 Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa battled for their places in history. They were heroes for that year, with Americans all over being inspired by their stories. However, in the years since both of those superstars names have been associated with the one word which has darkened the name of baseball for years, STEROIDS. The past two years "steroids" and "Balco" have been huge news stories. Barry Bonds relation to Balco and their scandals have been well documented, and on April 20 Jason Grimsley's was caught with HGH the most common and undetectable steroid on the market today. This drug single handedly has put baseball in a pickle. HGH is undetectable, and while they have made huge strides with testing of other banned substances, it seems that every month a new former superstar comes out and says steroids are a problem. It is sad to know that America's pastime is starting to become more of a circus of testosterone, rather than stories of heroes such Roberto Clemente and Cal Ripken Jr.