Public universities

Many public universities across the nation are dealing with rising tuition costs and higher applications for admissions. Stastically, it shows that public schools have raised tuition prices over the course of the last ten years. What schools may find in times of economic trouble are more cuts in programs and faculty. Private schools offer a name, just as many prestigous public schools do. But what attracts students to private schools? There are students who may not be able to afford the private school they attended, but is it really for the name? Or do private schools offer some sort of experience that is more appealing than a public school. I know after having the option of going to a boarding school for high school instead of going to my towns public school that there is a difference. There is a sort of community and legacy bond that happens when students attend private schools. Later and later generations are seen as assets so the school will admitt the best of the best (in some cases). I think that there is a difference in which school you attend. Many people who could easily afford a 43,000$ a year education opt to go to state schools. It isn't about paying the most, it is about experience. If apublic school experience is what you are looking for, go there, just like a private experience.

Future of the Republican Party

Many believe that Palin will not be the leader of the Republican party in the next elections. Because of the "talented" individuals in the party, many may start to focus on other potential candidates for the ticket. I personally don't think Palin will be on the next ticket, but I believe a woman will be for the next election. America works on a cycle, first blacks were given rights, then women. Black people were allowed to vote, then women. We elected a black president (a man), we will then elect a woman (democratic or Republican) to the next presidential election. I think President Obama will only serve one term and a woman will take control next. I think it is time for a woman to become president. Americans tend to focus on diversity for then gender diversity. The fight between men and women is found in all ethnic groups across the globe. If Queen Elizabeth I could rule the way she did and defend Britain against the Spanish Armada, then I think Gov. Palin could very well possibly become a ticket candidate or another well respected woman.

Right Brainers Rule

OPRAH on CNN: Your left brain is logical, linear, by-the-numbers; the right side is creative, artistic, empathetic. Oprah Winfrey talks with Daniel Pink about his groundbreaking book, "A Whole New Mind", and explores how right-brain thinkers are wired for 21st-century success. As the economy and products will change over the next century, those who can create and develope new products will become the successfull marketers of the future. As people graduate college, more and more people are finding that the marketing sector is a great career. The ability to design a product or way of selling a product is just as important as creating ther product. What more and more businesses may fine are that those who are more creative are an asset.

Homeless find homeless

Families are finding themselves homeless as the recession continues. The article states that a 2007 survey by the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority estimated there were more than 73,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County. LA is a place where most of the middle class spends beyond its mean. A good friend of mine if from LA, she was brought up luckily in an evironment where she never had to worry about money. Some of her friends tho, have parents who leased really expensive lifestyle. LA is the place where you are judged by what you own and wear. I am not suprised that LA is experiencing such inclines in homeless people. This is a problem that has been happening since capitalism and trade first took place. "The ingredients for this growing problem are a troubling mix: double-digit employment, in the 20 percent or higher range in poorer African-American and Latino communities, high foreclosure rates and budget cuts to social service programs including homeless assistance,"states the article. Those who live in poorer areas and even middle class areas are suffering. What we are seeing are a minimizing job market where the very best will survive and the lest talented will suffer.

If your wife spends too much money on clothes... slap her, it's ok!

A saudi judge ruled that men whose wives spend too much money are allowed to slap them. It was reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment." This is bad for the economy because this means less spending. But I guess this is one more right men have over women. The US could adopt some of these policies, especially men who experience women who have urges to spend spend spend. I think that this is called shopaholic. So next time you see a women spending to much, after she says she can't help it and she needs to see a therapist, a good old whack across the face may be helpful (entirely sarcastic). This is another attempt for a middle eastern coutnern to lower women's rights inside the strict guidlines they have there. There have been many domestic issues made public about men abusing women in recent years. This is absolutely astonishing and I could never imagine this type of court ruling happening in modern day America.

Nitendo

Nitendo has seen a rise in profits by 8.4% this past quarter. According to BBC; it made just under 279.1bn yen (£1.85bn) for the financial year ending 21 March 2009, up from 257.3bn yen the previous year. Nitendo saw profits of a 47.7% rise in the last financial year. This is a huge success and good information for us. Even though we are in a recession, people are still buying technology driven products. Consumers need to keep spendign as this is one way we will slowly retreat from the recession into a growth period again. Sony and Microsoft announced they will be making job cuts. In tough times, the strongest survive. Nitendo has been around for generations. I am glad to see that they will see growth hopefully for the future quarters to come during 2009.

Higher Altitude

After the scare of New Yorkers over the low flying plane around downtown Manhatten, Louis Caldera has decided to step down from his position after many people, including Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama were upset that they were not informed. I think that this is a good thing because as New Yorker myself, I understand how angry and furious the citizen living and working in NYC were after they found out that the plane was flying low for a photo shoot. They should have informed the mayor and other public service positions to warn the citizens working near where the plane flew so that a massive panic would be prevented. It was very unthoughful of him and I am glad to see him go.

South Africa

South Africa has a new Finance Minister.

BBC says that South African President Jacob Zuma has named Pravin Gordhan as his new finance minister. The article says that Mr Zuma has pledged to address the economic crisis, widespread poverty, and rising crime in South Africa. Other new posts include: Deputy President: Kgalema Motlanthe
National Planning Commission: Trevor Manuel
Monitoring and Evaluation: Collins Chabane
Finance: Pravin Gordhan
Justice: Jeff Radebe
Defence: Lindiwe Sisulu
Health: Aaron Motsoaledi
International relations: Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
Minister of Human Settlements: Tokyo Sexwale
"Jobs are being lost in every economy across the world," he said. "We will not be spared the negative impact, and are beginning to feel the pinch," says Gordhan. They praised Mr Manuel's handling of the economy during his 13 years as finance minister, saying he had largely kept state expenditure within limits the country can afford states the article. This is good news for the country because of the rivalries and fighting between the different economic and social classes in South Africa.

Slowing Down

US economy slowing down.

According to an article by BBC, the US economy lost 539,000 jobs in April, which is a sign that the US jobs market might be beginning to improve. The Labor Department said that the unemployment rate rose to 8.9%, its highest level since 1983 and up from 8.5% in March. The article says that since December 2008, there have been a loss of 5.7 million jobs in all sectors. This is just the start of the gradual incline in the job market and economy overall. Many economists predict that the job market will take a little bit longer to get stronger as the economy will take time to get better.

Spain's Unemployment Rises

Spain has seen unemployment rise to almost 18%. This is a doubling of unemployment over the past 12 months. The Bank of Spain predicts the unemployment to reach n early 20% by 2010 (at the end of thsi year). Mr Granado also said that 2009 was expected to be the worst part of the economic downturn. The National Statistics Institute said Spain's unemployment rate at the end of the first quarter of 2009 was up 3.45 % (percentage points) from the end of the fourth quarter in 2008. This is a huge rise, and rather scary situation that Spain is in. Spain has implimented a 70 billion dollar stimulus package to help the rise of jobs and create new job markets. Spain's unemployment rate is almost double that of the entire United Nations average. I think that Spain will be the first of many countries who will see unemployment and the job market decline as the months roll by. If the United States were to see these kinds of numbers, many people who probably be asking questions. The stimulus package President Obama has set forth will nto see results until months to come. Though it may be a temporary solution to a long term issues, we will have to wait and see what becomes of our economy. The best thing for us to do right now is to save and spend accordingly. I doubt we will see a rate of unemployment as high as Spain's I do not think this recession will become the depression of the 21st century. When we start seeing tents appear in Central Park again, then we should worry on a macro level. But that's not to say that on the micro level, families should be wondering of their fate in the job market.

Egypt is being over dramatic

The Egyptian government wants to kill all of the countries pigs, some 350,000; which has caused an uproar between its citizens and the government. The United Nations says that this action is not neccessary and will not prevent the swine flu from infecting its citizens. Scientists have found that you can not catch the flu from foods. If the Egyptian government proceeds to do this, this will cost their economy millions of potential profits from exporting and trading its meats. I personally doubt the Egpytian government has thought of the economic reprocussions of this action. The process will take months, and the process has started yesterday morning. I think as the weeks pass, they will stop slaughtering the pigs. Six countries have reported person to person flu contact.

Zimbabwe has seen enough loss as it is...

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has recently stated that no state worker is earning more than $100 a month. The Prime Minister who lost his wife and grandchild in the past two months has been through a lot of rough times. Mr Tsvangirai said "the union demands must be realistic and take into account the government's financial situation and the underperformance of Zimbabwean industry" according to a BBC article. Zimbabwe has asked for billions of dollars to help rebuild its economy, but Western countries have demanded broad reforms before restoring aid. Poorer countries are seeing very very tough times, as are rich countries. What wealthier countries are seeing are losses in profits and GDP as poorer countries are seeing losses in money overall and struggle much more than world leaders. Unions in Zimbabwe are asking for $450 and are threatening to strike if their demands are not met. The Prime Minister is urging unions to give his new government time. The process of restoring economy propserity across the country will take many months, even longer for those countries in very extreme bankruptcy positions. In order for them to succeed, larger wealthier nations must take care of their own problems. This way they can help out later.

Swiss Bank, Stands up for itself

The UBS Bank, largest in Switzerland, has refused the United States courts permission to see some 52,000 US clients account information as it violates their terms of privacy. If the US were to do this, this would make any government above an instituion and breatching liberty in the highest form. When Americans invest money in banks of other countries, the currency ratio switched. American dollars become the money of the country a person switches. The US has no right to track down accounts in foreign markets. The ability for individuals to do this is a free will. Money can not be tracked down and re confiscated into tax if it is based in another countries market. This action will disrupt currencies. What the US should focus on is not the money and wealth of people who place it elsewhere, but their own spending habits. This is a move to get more money back out of the money supply. It is unconstitutional in my eyes and goes against capitalism.

Republicans anxious to see Obama's pick

Many Republicans are stressing that Obama will pick a liberal, pro abortion candidate for the supreme court seast recently announced by Supreme Court Justice Souter who will step down in June of this year. Sen. Lindsay Graham, a South Carolina Republican who also serves on the Judiciary Committee, said the White House must be careful picking a replacement for Justice Souter. Sen. Graham expects a "left-leaning pick," given that Mr. Obama will be replacing Justice Souter, but said a liberal ideologue would not only inflame Republicans but likely create problems with "red-state" Democrats. I am optimistic that Obama will choose a person who both parties have some sort of confidence in. With many other factors surrounding Obama in his early days as President, another upsetting issue like picking a candidate that cause a stir and uproar between the two parties, will lower his political approval rating.

May seen as optimistic for wall street and other markets

Since the end of March, the stock market has been rising on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 44.29 points, or 0.5%, to 8212.42. For this past week, the Dow industrials gained 1.7%. "We've got a light-volume market in crude right now, and in that kind of environment, the short-term money can really move prices around," said Ray Carbone president of Paramount Options. "The big question now is what the market will do next week especially in light of a closely anticipated employment report due on May 8," said Hank Camp who is president of the firm H.L. Camp & Co. The Dow Jones World Indexrose 12% which was its largest monthly jump since beginning in 1991. The Dow industrials rose7.4% in April, matching the best two-month percentage rise in seven years. I think over the next few months the markets will continue to rise back, but not exactly, to the level the volume was at last year before the economy starting dwindeling in market terms. Consumer confidence has been rising over the past few weeks, despite the decling job market. (From WSJ).

New York, New York

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City announced his plan to cut 13,000 city jobs and raise the city's sales tax. New York City predicts that revenue will fall 11.5% from 2008. Bloomberg stated that "under the plan, the city's portion of the sales tax would jump half a percentage point, bringing the total tax to 8.875%. The increase would provide more than $1 billion over the next two years." The higher sales tax would have to win the approval of the state legislature (from WSJ). The plan calls also for nearly 4,000 of the city's 311,000 employees to be fired the majority of those who work in libraries, with the homeless and in civilian jobs at the police department. Nearly 10,000 jobs would go unfilled. The plan doesn't call for cutting teachers or uniformed police or firefighters (from WJS). If this is approved, this will upset many people in the short and long run. On a capital standpoint, this is a positive step toward securing NYC's economy. Compared to the legislation that may be passed by other cities in other states, this may be a mild forecast on what is occuring around the nation.

Japan does have Poverty.

Since the rise of unemployment and rise in the number of people in poverty in Japan, Japanese citizens have changed their views on the lower class. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Japan's jobless rate rose by 0.4 percentage point to 4.8% in March, marking the fastest increase since 1967. Many Japanese had little sympathy for those who were unemployed and homeless, assuming they choose the lifestyle from laziness. This was seen as an embarrassment to the country's profile as an industrial power on the global trading and markets sector. Many Japanese citizens are seeing that their own jobs are not secure anymore and that possibly, unemployment is not a choice. What does this relate to in other countries viewpoints? Even though Japan's level of unemployment is lower than that of the United States and Spain, they are far more worried it seems than many other countries as their reality check sets in. Lifestyles of Americans may see a shift from a materialistic standpoint, to a wow maybe I can not afford that lifestyle. It will be hard to undo decades of middle class materialism. But I am very optimistic for the world.

Buffett knows Best

The brilliant invester Warren Buffett has said that the United States government is taking the right steps toward a stablized economy out of the recession. Buffett told a BBC reporter in an interview that..."it may be much harder to tame inflation a few years down the road because of the things we're doing now to combat the present severe recession so it'll look different but overall it will look better down the road." Buffet also said that he made dumb investment choices compared to the "financial Pearl Harbor". Buffett spoke to some 35,000 shareholders of the Berkshire Hathaway company. Many people who asked questions were not the typical investor, but journalists and news reporters. This shows how effective Warren Buffett's views and opinions on the economy are. The value of Berkshire Hathaway's investments fell by nearly 10% in last year and Mr Buffett's personal wealth shrank by $25 billion (from BBC). Despite his large loss, the percentage of average income family losses have been much greater, some up to 75%. But with a large amount of money to his name, the actual loss of his wealth is far less significant on a micro level. Despite the numbers, he is remaining very optimistic towards the future of the markets saying that the government has taken the correct steps in securing the financial future of America.

Off the topic

A research study in Japan has found that water containing Lithium may decrease the chances of suicide in a depressed person. The experiment was done in a city with a population of about one million and the research showed a decline in the number of suicides for this area. Lithium is used in medications to treat mild depression in patients. There was research done in 1980 which had a similar result shown in the correlation between lithium in tap water and suicide rates.

From the Globe

The BBC website Global Recession has some interesting data. The website has graphs that depicts the "bigger" issue numbers pertaining to the USA Bailouts and other countries attempt to lessen the recession.

This particular graph shows the different economic GDP growth among the most powerful markets. World GDP growth has only risen .5 percent total from 2008's 3.4%. The map shows that in 2008, the US had a 1.1% growth compared the 2009's already -1.6%. China's economy is shrinking, as well as India. Russia saw the greatest different in GDP from 6.2% to -.7%. This graph really puts the effect the global recession has on leading countries in trade and markets. It is rather scary to actually see the numbers in this tpe of perspective.

This graph shows the rescue plan total for the United Kingdom. Despite the large impact the Bank of England scheme had on cosnumers, it is not recieving the largest amount of bailout money.

Frech Unemployment is no Marie Antoinette

When it comes to the great country of France, there always seems to be a negative depiction on the French economy and people. Recently, figures show that French Unemployment is up to 8.2% which happens to be one of the top highest unemployment rates in Europe. Despite the almost 80,000 people who lost their jobs around the month of March, the 60,000 to 70,000 figure, even though it is lower, is still no joke. France passed a 34 billion dollar stimulus plan back in february, and this rise in unemployment seems to be unaffected by the stimulus plan, despite the declining total amount. Those aged between 25 and 19 have been hit the hardest with a 21.2% of unemployment just in this age category alone. Compared to the rest of the world, other countries are seeing similar trends. Only 18% of graduating seniors from universities in the United States have secure jobs. This includes both Ivy League schools all the way down to community colleges, which is a very scary reality. Many seniors are continuing their education to avoid the terrible job market. This may have both positive and negative effects in later years when the job market increases and there is a large amount of people with higher degrees and limited number of job opportunities. There have been many union riots and campaigns in France as French citizens are becoming more aware of their economic status' as they uphold their "take to the streets" attitudes. Go French!

BBC starts new Website aimed for Global Recession reports

The news caster BBC based out of the United Kingdom, has started a new website that fills in the public on the global recession, what attributes to it on a day to day basis, and market reports. When I discovered this website, I was very excited, which may sound weird. But, this means that people who may not be familiar with terms, how markets work, what is going on in other countries, how foreign policies and trade markets affect them, and etc... will be informed and able to make opinions more accurately than what they may find on an American CNN network or FOX News. The website has many accurate and detailed graphs that allow consumers and commoners to look at data and analyze what is happening around the globe. I think CNN should have a website like this for Americans. There are many Americans which may not know what BBC even is. Those who have Digital cable have the fortunate advantage of watching BBC America, which is much more reliable than CNN. BBC offers a non biased, government operated news cast. I think at times, many people focus on easy access news. To really get a full picture of what is occuring around the globe, you should def!!! check out the website in the link at the beginning of this review. There is information on terms, big picture numbers and a simplified quality of definitions, different ways of approaching successfull output and GDP, summary analysis, reviews of European and other economies, and much much more.

Oscar De laBankrupt

There have been a record number of bankruptcies across England over the past 6 months. According to an article published by BBC, there have been a record 19,062 bankruptcies and 10,713 individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) over the past three months of 2009.

The following graph was taken from BBC.

The graph shows that there have been rises in orders of bankruptcies, insolvencies, and voluntary agreements. From this graph you can see that this trend has gone back becore the global economic downturn was showing up in actual markets.

For an FYI, these are terms BBC have explained from the article.

Bankruptcy : The traditional way of escaping overwhelming debt. Ends after one year, but you are likely to lose all your assets including your house to pay something to the creditors
Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) : A deal between you and your creditors, overseen by an insolvency practitioner. Less stigma, less chance of losing your home, but involves paying some of your debts in one go or over a number of years
Debt Relief Orders : Introduced in in April 2009, these allow consumers with debts of less than £15,000 and minimal assets or surplus income to write off debts without a full-blown bankruptcy

In the first quarter (first three months) of 2009 there were 29,774 personal insolvencies in total, 1.6% up on the previous quarter and 19% up on a year ago throughout England and Wales.

There were 1,783 corporate insolvencies such as receiverships and administrations in the first three months of the year, 27% fewer than in the last quarter of 2008. There were 4,941 compulsory liquidations and creditors' voluntary liquidations.
That was 7.1% more than in the previous three months, and 56% more than a year ago (from BBC). This is scary for many people living in England, but the same thing is happening all around the globe. From 1999, the amount of bankruptcies in England were steady, most of which as the same rate for several years. Then around 2003, the rise started. Even though the recession was not really felt until last year, the large number of bankruptcies in 2006 show that the downward fall could have started much earlier than the job markets and stock markets felt the recession hit. Numbers shown for the UK would be interesting to see the relationship of bankruptcies in the US markets.

Don't invest in Swine Flu.

The recent swine flu health scare that is sweeping the globe is showing signs of reprocusions in several markets around the world. Almost 20 nations, including China and Russia, have imposed bans on the importation of pigs and pork products from Canada, the US and Mexico says an article by BBC. "The outbreak in Mexico and its rapid spread to other countries could interrupt trade and investment, exacerbating the worldwide recession for an uncertain period," says an analysis from Moody's. Countries with a fair share of amount of tourism and food trade are being and will be hit hard by this virus. Several countries have already put restrictions on importing and exporting food. Scientists have found no evidence in the virus being transmitted through food ingestion. Many people believe these bans could hurt the global markets. But it is urged that the flu not be used as an excuse for declining in trading. Unnecessary trade restrictions will hurt coutries that are effected by their exporting of foods. Egypt has already slaughtered 350,000 pigs as a result of the scare which has left Egypt citizens in rather a "rioty" mood. What makes this virus so worrisome is that the media is portraying it as such. Many people die from the flue each year, we won't really be able to tell how deadly this particular strain is until winter comes around. Countries in the southern hemisphere are already worried as it is winter there. Mexico, a failed state as it is, has had a few "crappy" past few months. From drug battles, to high crime rates such as murder, and now it's citizens are catching the flu. Japan has contained almost 400 people in a hotel as a Mexican citizen who is traveling to Japan has been found to have the flu. As long as people play it safe, and not have long contact with someone sneezing, wash your hands, we will be ok. Trade restrictions should not be the first action.

Real Estate

There has been a decline in the sale of new homes, but the decline is much weaker than what was expected because of the economy. In an article by BBC, it says that there was a .6% decline in new home sales after a jump in February. The annual rate of new homes built and sold in March was 356,000. A year prior, this number was near almost 1.1 million. Numbers released reccently show that there has been a large decline in the number of homes being built in March, which may be the second lowest on record. For a middle income family, the average price of new homes in the United States is roughly $250,000. This seems like an accurate depiction of the price of both middle class homes, as well as those homes built and sold at prices lower and higher than this price. The number of new homes also shrunk from 328,000 to 311,000 which is roughly 6%. These numbers are giving analyzers of the real estate market hope that the rela estate market is beginning to stabalize. Over the next few months, people may begin to invest back in the real estate markets. Homes of prices have fallen from the average of $328,000 to $250,000; which means investors (those who have money left) will begin to buy homes and possibly rent to those who can not afford to buy a home. Along with the job market, the real estate market will also be determined by consumer spending.

US Economic Growth

This graph was taken from an article by BBC.

There was a large decline in GDP and unemployment at the end of the third quarter in 2008 and as of now into thw first quarter of 2009. The delcine in January to March was the largest since 1975. Analysist's believe that global trade will contract by 11% in 2009. Many countries are seeing falling numbers in GDP and unemployment just like the Unites States.

"In addition to the big fall in exports, the continuing decline in economic output was also caused by reduced inventory investment by firms, and lower public spending" (from BBC).

"There won't be positive growth until the second half of the year probably, but the fall in the second quarter, if it's negative at all, will be far smaller." Businesses say a 37% decline in investments as the construction markets were hit hard with a 38% decrease in investment. Consumer spending has seen a rise of 2.2% after a fall in the last two quarters of 2008. Wall Street has also been seeing signs of growth and rise in volume as federal interest rates were released. Many people need to understand that there is a line between job markets and stock markets. Usually people believe that these two markets go hand in hand, which can be the case. Currently though, there is a decreased job market and an inclining money market between the US and foreign investors. I think that we will continue to see the employment sector be hit hard by the recession, as consumer confidence rises over the next year.

The Economist viewpoint.

President Barack Obama has long said that we are only in the midst of the beginning of a long recession that has our economy really, "messed up". A news article from BBC, says now that the President see's signs of recovery. A few leading economists were asked by BBC to explain what they feel where the global economy will land. Some of the responses were the following...
"I think we are at an inflexion point, where output is still falling, but the rate of decline is slowing. This should put us halfway through the recession, which means that we should be in recovery by the spring of next year.
I think there are signs of things stabilising everywhere you look, from house prices to the stock market to commodity prices, which is one of the best predictors of global recovery.
Fairly soon, we should be seeing the green shoots. One reason I am confident of recovery, compared with the 1930s, is the size of the global stimulus being applied the world economy.
And if a recovery does begin, the UK will be one of the best placed to take advantage of it, because of the fall in the value of Sterling."

"I think President Obama's comments were wishful thinking. It is too early to see any green shoots of recovery in the world economy, and we may not see any signs of growth until 2010.
Until then, we expect rising unemployment and falling output, but the falls may not be as sharp as the declines we have seen in the last two quarters. It all hinges on the attitude of the markets to risk, and how much they are prepared to start lending again to businesses and individuals. "

"I think this is the earliest point at which politicians think they can start talking up the economy without being ridiculed. They are trying to rebuild confidence but it is really a self-fulfilling prophecy. But in many ways the recession is just beginning to work its way through the economy - we haven't yet seen the full effect of rising unemployment.
In fact we may be facing a new form of a recession, that could dance on the edge of depression, if resource constraints - food and oil shortages - are combined with the bursting of the credit bubble."

"Neither Britain or the US has really fixed the problems in their financial sector, and it is hard to see really robust growth returning in the next few years. The huge government spending is providing a temporary boost to the economy, but it will have to be paid for in higher taxes or higher inflation which could reduce economic output in the future."

There are mixed feelings as to how the economy will play out. These quotes (from which you can see from the article, come from very prestigous professors and economists from many respectable institutions) show that overall, many people believe that we will not really see growth until 2010. I agree with these people. What we need to do is take a step back from a micro standpoint, and look at the data from a macro perspective. We are in an era where there is global trade. One country has an immediate effect on the other now. I think that recessions will we see as a result of the large global market will be very large global recessions. In order for one country to really start seeing growth, there must be a confidence and level of employment that will level off all of the other factors pertaining to economic growth. I believe that after we start seeing a rise again, we will be hit with the burden of high taxes which will prolong the growth period at a slow pace.

Asia Aisa

Asia is focusing on ways to address the downturn in the economy of Asain economies.
Asian governments are looking to look at ways to cut down on exports to focus on decreasing poverty in their countries. Demand for Asain products have been hit hard by the global economic downturn which has consumers buyign less products from particular parts of the world, especially Asia. Tens of Millions (about 60 million) are expected to be kept in poverty over teh next two years as jobs are cuts to keep profits up for companies. "Asia's main export markets had experienced a massive contraction in demand since the implosion of the US mortgage market triggered the global banking crisis last year", says ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. The US economic recession as they call it, has had a ripple effect in many of the worlds largest economies. With global trade, comes the high price of global recession. We are seeing now that a recession that is involved with one large global market will inevitably effect the markets of everyone involved in the trade. Since the markets have seen a decrease in volume as a result of a fall of consumer and invester confidence, this has triggered a fall in the price of currencies of many nations. GDP of Asia was 9% in 2007 and the past year it has been a merely 3.7%. A very sharp decline. Asia focused on education and infrastructure over the past two years.

Model UN

The Model UN simulation was very interesting. At first, I was skeptical as to why the length of the session was so long and also what we were actually in for. As the day went on, I feel as if everyone in our group kind of slowly got the idea. From the start, we did not speak from an American perspective. We really talked and thought as if we were from Kuwait. What I enjoyed most about the seminar was how close our group got to know each other. We were all very comfortable with one another from the start, but throughout the day we all seemed to know what our intensions and motives were. Relatively speaking, we all had very good ideas and imput for the debates. For the domestic issues, some of us had different approaches, but we were very democratic in a Kuwaitian way. We listened to one anothers imput and then discussed how to address the issues and make policies accordingly. A few of the domestic issues in the beginning were very obvious to me that they were "busy" issues. I felt like they could have been avoided far before we started talking about them. Our international issues were really fun. I enjoyed going down and meeting students that represented other countries. A few students were really sketchy, especially China. We had a few misunderstandings but overall, it was really enjoyable.
I do not think I was prepared overall, but I do feel as if what we did know was plenty enough. To really be successfull all we really had to do was just know what Kuwait is like politically and economically. Real research and articles I felt, were not neccessary to do well or voice an opinion in the seminar. I do feel as if you knew what your country was about and the mindset of the country, then that's all you needed to know, along side a few maybe historical events that would help determine policies. I did feel as if I was prepapared for many of the domestic issues. Especially that of the economic issues pertaining to minimum wage and foreign workers and immigration issues. On the international level, I felt it was a win win and if we were passionate about it, we would discuss but other than that, the issues were blague.
What I am most proud of it two things. The first thing is that we had a successfull assasination attempt on the Chinese prime minister. That was a lot of fun. We had a dispute between Iraq and Saudi Arabia over an oil drill in the ocean. That was also entertaining. Another thign was one domestic issue pertainign to minimum wage, I had the opportunity to use my economic knowledge to develop a successful plan to raise minimum wage without increasing inflation.
One thign I wish we did was have more issues. We only had a couple and I felt that most of the time it was us just waiting to see what the news said. But we should have been making the news. I felt also that some of the issues could have been more realistic. Nothing is so easily cut and dry. Most politics have very serious issues that take time to fix. Whoever thought of our issues is a good writer.

Flaunters, you have the biggest debt.

In a recent article published by BBC, one auther sees that "flaunters" are not seeming so "flaunty" over the past few months. It could be that their expensive and out of means way are finally catching up with them. "People are now understanding they are going to have to depend on each other - employees are deciding to take a day off work without pay, or even a pay cut, to avoid their colleagues losing their jobs - that's kind of a new phenomenon," says Mr Jim Wallis. "A growing number of people are concerned with excess in terms of what they need to live, along with how and why products need to be produced the way they are," Mr Raymond says.
Figures show people are buying less, and also buying products which have a certain integrity.
"Look at sales of local produce in North America, and the revival of interest in corner stores which are now beginning to do better than supermarkets, people not just shopping in terms of value, they are also asking questions about the origin of their foods," he says.
Spending has been slacking in some of households of America's middle class and upper class. People are not spending money on "anything" anymore. More people are going to the library to get books, renting movies (which is good for the soon to be bankrupt Blockbuster),

Obama finally getting it Right

President Obama has said the ression of the economy of the United States is "easing". He also said 2009 would be a hard year for the economy. "There will be more job losses, more repossessions and more pain before it ends", he says. He also talks about how credit firms are seeing a rough time as it is hard for borrowers. This is a good things. Before, many people got themselves into large sums of debt because as Americans, we like to spend what we have and buy materials we do not need. A great example is in LA. When I was visiting a friend there, our other friend made a comment in the car about LA. She asked "why do so many people here have such fancy cars?" My friend from LA replied, "they take out loans, you have to drive a nice car here, LA is all about image". This is a very true statement, now we are seeing these people with expensive amentities they couldn't afford to begin with, in financial trouble. But, as well as the small business owners, who will see tax hikes increase over the course of the Obama administration, will also be affected. I think as Americans we need to stop, look at ourselves, and follow what people of other countries are doing. As for the BMW drivers, BMW's are probably the worst car you can have in Europe because everyone has them, and they are not that well made. So Americans, lets move past this recession with some dignity, return the cars and expensive homes. Just start over, in a more realistic way.

Euro Econ

The economy of the United Kingdom is expected to see 12 to 18 more months of a shrunker economy, down 3.5 % and then expecting another .1% decrease in 2010. 900,000 jobs will be lost this year and another half a million in 2010 says Pete Spencer, who is the cheif economic advisor for the Item Club. He also predicts housing and real estate will continue to suffer over the next few months. Global trade will also decline by nine percent at the end of 2009 he speculates. What does this mean for the world? Well, the United Kingdom, though small, still contributes to the global trade system and network. Americans and other Europeans may find it challenging to work abroad or buy a home in Europe. As the United Kingdoms economy shrinks, so is the United States and other major countries. I think that the our (United States) economy will decline, but, we will see this ression phase out over the next months. Many people do not understand the difference between job losses and economic ressions. They do not necessarily go hand in hand. The job marker may see even longer signs of strengthening, possibly well into 2011.

8,000 POINTS! THANK YOU G-20

THANK YOU G-20
Global world markets have risen after Prime Minster Gordon Brown reveal the new global economic plan conjured at the G-20 summit yesterday and today. The Dow Jones Is up over 8,000 points, the first time since the recession became prominant. London's FTSE 100 index rose about 4% while Germany's Dax index gained 6% and France's Cac 40 rose 5%. US light, sweet crude was up $2.79 to $51.18 a barrel, while London Brent crude rose $2.60 to $51.04 a barrel. "The stock markets are strong and the dollar is weaker. That is also helping the market", says Tony Machacek, an oil broker at Bache Commodities in London. What does this mean for next week and the future? The markets have seen gains the past two weeks. The Dow Jones jumped about 1,000 points in just a months time.

FTSE 100
4124.97up
169.36
4.28%
Dax
4381.92up
250.85
6.07%
Cac 40
2992.06up
152.45
5.37%
Dow Jones
8065.70up
304.10
3.92%
Nasdaq
1615.22up
63.62
4.10%
BBC Global 30
4682.82up
86.91
1.89%
Taken from BBC Business.

Clinton

Taliban

Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton "backed" Afgan talks to hold reconcile talks with Taliban members. She said "We must support efforts by the government of Afghanistan to separate the extremists of al Qaeda and the Taliban from those who joined their ranks, not out of conviction but out of desperation...they should be offered an honorable form of reconciliation and reintegration into a peaceful society if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al Qaeda and support the constitution." Just last week, Obama stated his plan to send 4,000 troops to Afghanistan to help the training of military troops and police.

Global Deal!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/02/g20/index.html
The world leaders at the G20 summit in London, have put together a 1 trillion dollar economic plan to help the global economy. President Sarkozy of France said the agreement represented "great progress on reform of financial institutions" and "a page had been turned." The plan includes reform of the international banking system and the investment of 1 trillion dollars into the world's financial systems to restore credit, growth and jobs. Also included were measures to decrease tax havens and a commitment to build and develop a greener and more sustainable economy. There are 6 points to the plan. The include the following; restore confidence, growth, and jobs, repair the financial system to restore lending, strengthen financial regulation to rebuild trust, fund and reform our international financial institutions to overcome this crisis and prevent future ones, promote global trade and investment and reject protectionism, to underpin prosperity, and to build an inclusive, green, and sustainable recovery. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain said, "We want to encourage corporate responsibility in every part of the world."

Kuwait

Kuwait is a rather interesting, small but significant country. Kuwait is located in the Middle East. It borders the Persian Gulf and is the middle between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The total land measurements are the following; it is 17,820 square kilometers of land and 0 square kilometers of water. It has a coastline of 500 kilometers and has a land boundary of 642 kilometers. The climate of Kuwait is mostly hot, with extremely hot summers and mild cool winters.
The population of Kuwait is just over 2.5 million people. This includes the 1.3 million residents who are not citizens. The largest age group is 16-64 at 70.6%. There are a larger number of men than women in this category. Between the age group 0-14 there is almost an even amount of men and women. The life expectancy is 76 male and 78 female years of age respectfully. 45% of the people of Kuwait are Kuwaiti. 85% are Muslim and English and Arabic are the most spoken languages.
The government type of Kuwait is a constitutional emirate. Kuwait became independent from Great Britain in 1961. Great Britain was in control of Kuwait’s foreign relations from the end of the nineteenth century up until this point. On 2 August 1990, Kuwait was attacked by Iraq. Kuwait had to spend more than six billion dollars repairing infrastructure because of Iraq. The civil law of Kuwait is significant with Islam.
The judicial branch of Kuwait’s government is the High Court of Appeal. The crown prince of Kuwait is Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah. He is the Chief of State since 2006. The Head of government is the prime minister is Nasir Al- Muhammad. There are no elections in Kuwait’s executive branch. The chief of state appoints the positions. The Council of Ministers are also appointed by the chief of state. Political groups include Islamists, merchants, political groups, secular liberals, pro-governmental deputies, Shia activists and other tribal groups. The legislative branch is a unicameral National Assembly. Political parties are illegal by law in Kuwait. Those in the military are not allowed to participate in elections by law.
Kuwait is small and very rich. Its economy relies on its exportation of oil. Eight percent of the world’s reserve of oil is in Kuwait. It produces 104 billion barrels annually. Kuwait’s GDP for 2008 was 8.1% with industry making up 52%. Of those employed, about 80% are non Kuwaiti. Kuwait has a large surplus. It has revenue of about 113 billion American dollars and expenditures of 63.5 billion dollars. Industries include petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, and construction materials. Kuwait is also very wealthy with many investments and natural products. Only a quarter of the population has land line telephones and almost all of the population has a mobile phone. There are seven airports in Kuwait

Wealthy Americans... pay up for once...?

Obama will increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

Obama has asked the wealthiest Americans to "deal" with an increase in taxes as a reserve fund is set aside for health care reformation. Those senior citizens earning $170,000 or more will see this affect their pockets. Those middle aged Americans earning $250,000 a year will see their taxes rise. Obama has inherited a 1.3 billion dollar deficit. This amount of money will take more than one generation to pay off. One way America could change its health care system would be to look at what countries in Europe and other parts of the world have done and take ideas from each. Japan and Switzerland are good examples of health care systems, however some of the ideal systems are facing bankrupcty, we are just the other way around.

A dream is a dream, not a reality

Obama's plans...

Many skeptics of Obama are now focusing their days on President Obama's speeches and are analyzing what he has "planned" the next four years, to what he may be able to actually occomplish in reality. Some of President Obama's reform will change the economy, education, energy, health care, and military. Last night, President Obama stated that our health care system needed reformation. President Bush has tried to change these big political issues but was unseccessful in doing so. I think that the government will sit back and give credit to President Obama if a major change does occur within either of these categories, even tho he may or may not deserve the credit. His speech was too informal, many people clapped when he stated some facts about problems and the problems are the result of those who clapped.

McCain was right from the beginning...

McCain.

McCain agreed with President Obama's decision to send 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, as additional allied military and civilian surge would be necessary to prevent it from again becoming an al Qaeda safe haven territory."With our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda and combat extremism," Obama said. "Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens halfway around the world. We will not allow it." The number of insurgent attacks has increased since 2008 and violence has increased more than 500 percent within the past four years. McCain says that the "U.S. needs to boost the country's nonmilitary assistance to help strengthen its civilian institutions, the rule of law, and the economy in order to provide a sustainable alternative to the drug trade." Southern Afghanistan provides about two thirds of the world's opium and heroin. Over the years, those two drugs have served as a major source of revenue for the insurgency, including the Taliban. (CNN).

N Korea and Clinton meet happily....?

Clinton. SOS.

Secretary of State, Clinton says that the US would offer aide to North Korea if it got rid of it's nuclear weapons plan. Long range tests are due to happen across the Pacific Ocean. "I have said on several occasions that if North Korea abides by the obligations it has already entered into and verifiably and completely eliminates its nuclear programme, then there will be a reciprocal response, certainly from the United States," she said. Mrs Clinton said she's "absolutely confident" the two countries could navigate through the economic difficulties over the following months. I believe that Cliton will prove to be a very influential Secretary of State during Obama's presidency. She has the charisma and characterists of an influential leader. She has already represented America's priorities well over seas and even in the US.

Civilians

Civilians hit hard...

The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan rose 39% last year, the United Nations says. Militants were to blame for 55% of the 2,118 civilian deaths, while US, Nato and Afghan forces were responsible for 39%, according to the UN report. Despite US pledges and promisis to decrease the number of civilians killed, the numbers are not matching up. This is a very sensative issue. Kabul and Washington relations have been negative more and more over the past few weeks since Obama took office in January. 2/3 of those killed died as the result of air ride strikes in cities. Also suicide bombers have caused the numbers to rise. Crossfire is also another issue.

Russia hit hard....

Russia has seen half of it's billionaire's vanish over the past few months.

From 101 to 49, Russia billionaires have started to dwindle as the result of the shrinking world economy and crisis. Mikhail Prokhorov is a mining and technology tycoon from Russia, Russia's richest mand and most eligible bachelor. He has an estimated net worth of 14.1 billion American dollars. It is not safe to say that Americ'as wealthy will also start to see the list shrink along with the economy. This is just seeing what is happening on top of the mountain, when we examine the middle of the mountain, if the top is crumbling, the entire thing must be too. These shrinking numbers are only the aftermath of what is really going on throughout world economies. A lot of America's rich won't want to say what their assests are over the next few months because of the poor economy.

Jobs vanshing

California may see the loss of 20,000 jobs this year.

State workers of California will see the loss of 20,000 jobs next year because of a $40 billion budget that did not pass. California holds the world's 8th largest economy and has been hit because of the housing crisis, unemployment, and falling consumer spending. The loss of jobs will began in July next year, but payroll cuts will begin this June. California is said to run out of money by the end of February if a budget isnt helped. This will be present throughout many other US states. California, whish has a large population and economy, will not be the only state to see a rise of unemployment and debt over the next few months. For state to declare bankruptcy will be a very scary thing to see over the next few weeks.

Fraud Tycoons

Tycoon arrest over fraud allegations.

Sir Allen Stanford, a billionaire from Texas, has been charged with fraud by the Security and Exchange commission; a total of $8 billion. A US judge has frozen his assets, as well as arresting top board members of the Stanford Financial Group. His fraud is said to reach out into worldwide funds. Standford supposidly falsified its historical data, historical returns, and data to investors. The company was first investigated last year, and only because of the Madoff scam, were the allegations thoroughly investigated. What this means is a large low confidence in consumers and investors across the globe will began to question where they put their wealth. This, and the Madoff scam will have a ripple effect on smaller financial firms across the world. Many people may take their money out of the market resulting in a downfall of markets around the globe. Many people may looose their a large amount of wealth because of this scam.

What's really going on here...?

President Obama signs the Stimulus Bill into law today.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law today by President Obama. What we now must do is wait to see what happens to our economy in the following months. This bill will not change everything over night, rather it be a slow process to recovery. Our economy will be put into a sustained growth era, and increase levels of employment. Job losses should be down from 500,000 to 200,000 by this fall if the bill proves effective. The plan will not work soley by itself. It will take financial stability and forecloser mitigation to be implemented along with this bill. Creating and sustaining jobs depends on the confidence of businesses. We also do not know how the economy will perform without this stimulus. A total of 90% of new or sustained jobs will be developed over the next two years if everything goes according to plan.

3 stars, right out of the UK.

Dutch PM gets the boot.

Dutch Prime Minister Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party has been sent back to the Netherlands after his controversial film. His film portrays the connected between terrorism and Islam within the Qur’an. Many Muslims were angered by his film when it appeared on the internet. He now sees democracy as not present in his world. He believes in freedom of speech, and that he has lost it based on everything that has happened to him. He says that the actions of the UK government are making it clear that the United Kingdom is cowardly towards Muslims. He believes that the only way the film is offensive is if you are “a violent Islam extremist.” The government backed their decision by stating that there is no freedom of speech when one yells fire in a movie theatre or to stir up religious hate towards other groups. This however, can be argued. One does have the freedom to do so, only with consequences. There are no laws which say one cannot scream fire in a movie theater; therefore there are no laws in which say one cannot create a movie which reflect their views. In reality, a director’s view is what makes the film. When a speech is used negatively towards a specific group, then the person should be taken looked at. But it is a film. A person should not be moved out of a country because of a film.

Global Terrorism

The slow global economy may be hiding alternative motives.

Global terrorism is the product of our new and faster world. America’s reputation, since the 2000’s began, has been on the verge of disarray across many parts of the world. We have such a huge influence on the way people act and perceive the economy. Some people believe that because we are in a state of vulnerability, our weakened economy as well as the worlds, may lead to another terrorist attack on a large scale. Many governments across the globe have seen a decline in political change because of the economic downturn and its negative effects of markets and governments. We, are far too use to having things change and adjust rapidly; the idea of a slowdown is terrifying for most who have not lived through the great depression. Intelligence chief, Mr. Blair, says that the attack in Kabul was a result of the American backed President Hamid Karzai. The government also believes that North Korea is ready to use its long range missiles to use as a threat against cities on the west coast. He also says that they believe that Iran is “closer to using advanced missile technology. The downturn in the economy may be playing a role is allowing parties undercover to use the economic focus to distract attention away from motives that may already be in play.

789

The 789.

The 789 dollar stimulus plan has been settled between the Republican and Democratic parties. Now the question is, will this plan suit the agenda of President Obama. The stimulus is supposed to help the United States crumbling economy, but what about the long run? Sure, the plan may help out in the short run, but at the cost of a added massive debt that will take generations to pay off. The issues on President Obama’s agenda will have to be put off as the public awaits to see what will happen to our economy. The health care reform, the environment, education; may all have to wait until after the media and public moves focus away from the economic situation. President Obama has played a major role in the reasons why the stock markets have fluctuated significantly day to day after his speeches. I think that before anyone glorifies President Obama about the “success” (potential) of the plan, we won’t see the effects of it until the 2010’s. Aside from twenty years down the line when we are paying it all off with fiat money, and not the money in our wallets as many people assume has any real significance at all.

Stock-lett takes a tumble

Stocks, the scary and most thrilling roller coaster.

Stocks have been a mess since late August. It is very disappointing to me, at this time in my life, to see how powerful the role of money is many people’s lives. Even though I have lost my fair share of stock investments over the past few months, I cannot even begin to imagine how much of an impact the decline of stock values and the general markets have had on some of the most powerful people on this planet. This article in particular shows how the markets fluctuate based on politics and business. The markets did not do so well on Tuesday, but after reading this article one may feel hopeful for the future. The article quotes “It's going to be a challenging period … the stock volatility and economic uncertainty are going to continue throughout the year.” Stocks have always been volatile. The article also discusses that unemployment has decreased from its previous high of 625,000 to 610,000. Maybe those 15,000 are part of the new stimulus plan. There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully stocks will rise after this plan is approved.

Homeless, Focus

Homeless have always acquired the streets.

This particular article talks about a homeless woman, Henrietta Hughes and the how people are now donating money to her so she has a place to sleep at night. While this sounds like a wonderful plan, I believe that signaling out one person that represents an increasing number of people in the United States is dangerous for the long run. The article discusses Fort Myers area in Florida, which is deems a Republican area, and how the economy has affected the middle class in the area. The article says that houses that use to go for over $300,000 now go for less than $107,000. One Republican even offered the woman and her family to stay at one of his vacation homes rent free. I don’t think that this article is accurately addressing the issue of the poor economy and unemployment rates. This is one example on how people who are in distress rely too heavily on the government for complete support. Aside from my particular political stance, what the government needs to do is not focus on giving, but offering assistance. The article also questions how a homeless woman who lives in a car with her family just happened to get to the front of the pack to talk to Obama. I think that this is irrelevant.

Stimulus Passilus

The stimulus plan has been approved.

The economic stimulus bill has finally been accepted by the democrats and republicans, says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. A major problem that caused the bill to be postponed to approval was the education stimulus section of the bill. The final bill will consist of the following:
The homeowner tax credit has been kept but significantly reduced. The Senate version proposed a $15,000 credit; double that of the House bill.
A tax credit for people who buy a car in 2009 has been reduced significantly.
The Alternative Minimum Tax has been extended to include tax breaks for the wealthy as well as many middle class families.
$90 million to Medicaid
$150 billion for infrastructure $49.6 billion will be used for transportation infrastructure.
Tax breaks for workers that had been set at $1,000 per family/$500 per individual would be scaled back to $800 per family and $400 per individual.
Democrats have also said that 35% of the bill is for tax cuts while the other 65% is for spending.
President Obama seems very adamant that this bill will guarantee the creation of 3.5 million jobs. What I would like to see where exactly these jobs will be located. One major concern I have is who is qualified for these 3.5 million jobs? Are the already employed or the unemployed recently laid off lower middle class thirty-five year old guaranteed a part of these new jobs? The article also states that out of the 219 Republicans in Congress, only three backed the bill. I find that this article is very biased, probably written by a Democrat. In most news articles since the elections, Republicans have been seen as a negative group. This article is no exception, except that the bill is on its way to approval.