Archive for the ‘TILE Translations’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Don’t Just Buy Local – Buy Personal

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

“Recently I saw a small business shut its doors. I feel terrible because I am partly to blame.

I never stopped by this store. While I can tell myself it was more convenient to shop at a large retailer, the truth is I didn’t stop in because I never saw any cars in the parking lot. I was uncomfortable with how both of us would feel if I browsed and didn’t make a purchase: He disappointed, me guilty.”

What do you think?

Have you ever avoided going into a store or restaurant because you felt awkward about interacting with the owner or salesperson?

Americans Suddenly Remember They Have Savings Accounts

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

“The recession that just rocked the U.S. economy happened in part because Americans were borrowing and spending more than they could afford. Now, three years after the downturn began, families are moving faster than many analysts had expected to put their finances in order by paying down debt and boosting their savings.”

What do you think?

Are you saving more? Spending less? Do you think saving is good for the economy?

And I Would Have Gotten Away With It, Too, If It Weren’t For That Rascally Ecuadorean Judge…

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

“CARACAS, Venezuela — A judge in a tiny courtroom in the Ecuadorean Amazon ruled Monday that the oil giant Chevron was responsible for polluting remote tracts of Ecuadorean jungle and ordered the company to pay more than $9 billion in damages, one of the largest environmental awards ever.”

What do you think?

Is $9 billion enough to cover large-scale destruction of the environment and irreparable damage to human health? Is it too much?

And would knowing that BP has already pledged $20 billion to pay for damages related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill change your mind?

Midwest Workers To Governors: We’re Not Paying For Your Deficit

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

wisconsin-union-protest.jpg
(photo credit: marctasman)

State governments around the country are facing serious budget deficits, and something needs to be done. But unionized workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana are pretty sure that that something shouldn’t include eliminating their right to organize.

  • Republican-sponsored bills in the three states propose to chip away at budget deficits by limiting or eliminating the power of private and public-sector workers to unionize.
  • Most of the bills would curtail the right to collective bargaining. This is the process by which a group of employees in a particular company or industry can negotiate with business owners for better pay, improved working conditions, or greater job security (among other things).
  • Collective bargaining was critical to reform in an era when children worked in factories and most workers were glorified indentured servants. Today, opponents say it’s unnecessary and costly. Supporters argue that without it, they are at risk of the same historical abuses that led to the union movement in the first place.

Facts & Figures

  • The Wisconsin bill would save the state an estimated $300 million over two years
  • The state’s budget deficit for that period is approximately $3.6 billion
  • Tens of thousands of protesters have packed the capitals of the three affected states in recent weeks
  • In Wisconsin, Democratic legislators actually fled the state to prevent the budget bill from being passed

Best Quote

“Governor Kasich decided he wants to squash unions and found a creative way to do it, but he has to realize that we’ve fought this battle before and he will not stop us because we will fight to the very end.” – JoAnn Johntony, President of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees

What do you think?

Are unions still necessary? Do you know anyone who is a member of a union?

Is limiting the right to collective bargaining a good long-term solution for these states, or a quick fix?

Get to it!

Union disagreements aren’t limited to factory workers, firefighters, and public school teachers. Check out Amy’s explanation of a potential strike of NFL players here.

The NYSE Is Worth Less (and More) Than You Think…

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

nyse-1909.jpg
(credit: jarapet)

How a marriage of two stock exchanges illustrates the modern revolution in stock trading.

  • The New York Stock Exchange – famed hall of capitalist drama – has just been acquired by a German company called Deutsche Boerse. The result will be a giant international company with stock exchanges in Lisbon, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, New York and Frankfurt.
  • The way people trade stocks has totally transformed as technology has changed. Most trades these days are executed by computers with almost no human involvement. Since computers are smaller and cheaper than human traders, it’s possible for more small exchanges to exist, and that means more competition for giants like the NYSE.
  • The NYSE still operates a real trading floor with real people, making it ancient by today’s standards. Fewer companies are bothering to even get listed on the NYSE. This merger is an attempt by the exchange to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded industry.
  • Still, the trading floor, the opening bell, and that building on Wall Street are worth something. In fact, according to the latest valuation, they’re worth about $10 billion.

Facts & Figures

  • The NYSE has been on Wall Street since 1792, when 24 merchants traded stocks under a buttonwood tree (you know, back when there were trees on Wall St.)
  • The new company formed by the merger will be 60% owned by Deutsche Boerse
  • High-frequency trading (a.k.a. computer trading) accounts for about 70% of all daily trades

Best Quote

“The exchange business is really a computer business these days.” – Charles Jones, Professor at Columbia Business School, former visiting economist at the NYSE

What do you think?

Did you know that stock exchanges like the NYSE are themselves publicly-traded, for-profit companies?

How much does a name brand influence your decision to buy (or invest)?

Get to it!

Thinking about investing in stocks? Take our Risk Assessment Quiz to see how much equity you can handle.

From The Gulf Of Mexico To The Arctic Ocean: Offshore Oil Drilling Continues

Friday, February 18th, 2011

oil-rig.jpg
(photo credit: Stig Nygaard)

Russia needs more oil, and BP (remember them?) wants to help them get it… in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.

  • Despite growing recognition that oil isn’t a long-term energy solution, worldwide demand for petroleum has been rising. At the same time, the world’s largest oil producer is running out of that black gold. On land, anyway.
  • Drilling for oil in the Arctic carries significant dangers, both to the environment and to workers. The waters are freezing, there is little sunlight, and rescue missions will be difficult or impossible in the thick ice.
  • The U.S. and Canada also have access to the oil-rich Arctic, but they both have regulations in place that limit exploration and drilling. Still, many Western oil companies like BP are eagerly piling on to the Russian project because of the opportunity for profit.

Facts & Figures

  • The Arctic probably contains a fifth of the world’s natural gas and oil
  • By 2035, the Siberian oil fields will produce 1 million fewer barrels of oil per day
  • Drilling will begin in the Kara Sea – a former dumping ground for nuclear waste

Best Quote

“One beaten man is worth two unbeaten men.” – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, on why working with BP is a good idea even after the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill

What do you think?

What should Russia do now that its biggest national export is running out? Does it make more sense to spend money on a short-term solution or a long-term one?

This Fall, Look Forward To High, High Prices!

Friday, February 18th, 2011


(photo credit: Thing Three)

“Most” consumer goods are about to get a lot pricier - food, clothing, appliances, you name it. Why? Commodities, demand, and labor! Here’s what that actually means for you…

  • The cost of raw materials, like cotton, wheat, and metal, has increased wildly in recent years. These raw materials are traded on exchanges kind of like stocks, but they’re called commodities. Just like stocks, the prices of commodities changes frequently.
  • When commodity prices shoot up, it’s more expensive for companies to make their products, and that cost gets passed on to you, the consumer.
  • Besides the price of materials, there’s the cost of people. Workers overseas now demand higher wages than they used to, and with more money to spend, there’s an increased demand for certain goods (like cars and meat). That all adds up to more expensive products.
  • Retailers have been holding off on raising prices to keep customers during the recession, but they say they can’t hold out anymore.
  • Will rising prices lead to inflation? Stay tuned.

Facts & Figures

  • Unemployment in the U.S. is still at 9%, and wages have risen less than 2% in the past year
  • Some brands planning to raise prices include: Nine West, Anne Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Polo Ralph Lauren, Whirlpool, Kraft, Starbucks, Sara Lee, Brooks Brothers, and Hanes
  • Inflation has been low – about 1.4%, but economists expect the rate to rise to 2.5% 2011

Best Quotes

“Consumers are not exactly in the frame of mind or economic circumstances to say ‘Oh, pay whatever they ask.’ There’s going to be pushback.” – Joshua Shapiro, Chief U.S. Economist at MFR Inc.

“These companies are constantly walking a tightrope on how far do I go. Do I offset with price or other cost cuts, or do I just take it and have it eat into my profit margins?” – Jack Russo, Consumer Goods Analyst at Edward Jones

What do you think?

Do you know what goes into the price of the products you buy? Did you ever imagine that the price of popcorn at the movie theater could be connected to weather in the Midwest and a commodites trading floor in Chicago?

A Painless Way To Cut Carbon Emissions

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

“The energy lab’s Research Support Facility building is more like a mirror, or perhaps a sponge, to its surroundings. From the light-bending window louvers that cast rays up into the interior office spaces, to the giant concrete maze in the sub-basement for holding and storing radiant heat, every day is completely different.

This is the story of one randomly selected day in the still-new building’s life: Jan. 28, 2011.”

What do you think?

Assuming it will take a while for your house to become completely carbon-neutral, what can you do today to easily shrink your carbon footprint?

Brazil’s Carnival Burns Up… Literally

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

“(Reuters) – A large fire swept through Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival center on Monday, destroying thousands of costumes and floats and throwing preparations for Brazil’s annual festival of hedonism into chaos.”

Best Quote

“The only thing that didn’t burn was our desire to parade.” – Helinho de Oliveira

What do you think?

Can you imagine how much money this cost the people of Brazil? There’s the cost of costumes and floats, plus the time and labor it took to make them, there’s the destruction of people’s property and belongings (including wallets full of cash and credit cards), and then there’s the big event… Will there be as many tourists and money-spending revelers this year?

Shopping The Runway

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

“Fashion weeks in New York, Paris and Milan generate a tremendous amount of press and buzz for some of the world’s most expensive clothes. But many of the runway styles are actually purchased by a small group of customers, not all of them from the isle of Manhattan. And unlike celebrities and socialites, who often get designer clothes at no charge in exchange for publicity, these customers pay full price.”

What do you think?

What do you pay full price for… and when do you wait for a sale?

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »