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Monique T

Language Line Plans a Roll-Up as Translation Demand Soars | Bloomberg - 0 views

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    Due to the increase in different nationalities in the population of the US, there has been a huge increase in demand for translation services, especially in the medical field. Because of this non-price determinant of demand changing, the demand curve for translating services shifted to the right. As the curve shifted to the right, this means that the equilibrium price and quantity both increased. Since a market always moves toward equilibrium, in this case it meant supply had to increase as well. It is for these reasons that the company discussed in this article is looking to expand its services and acquire new companies - so the market will be back at equilibrium and the demand for translating services is met by the same supply.
Katie Edwards

For the public good, or industry's? - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News - 1 views

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    This article outlines the consistent debate over nutrition, especially in schools. The beneficial externalities are obvious in an increase in health for the student, as well as the encouraged development of healthy eating. However, if junk-foods are so much easier to obtain and the number of un-educated consumers in terms of nutrition are so low, the public will be more inclined to just keep eating in their old habits. How on earth can the government effectively change this situation for the betterment of society?
Olachi Nwabuikwu

BBC News - Somalia famine: UN warns of 750,000 deaths - 2 views

  • "In total, 4 million people are in crisis in Somalia, with 750,000 people at risk of death in the coming four months in the absence of adequate response,"
  • 'Not short-term'
  • "Even if we are able to get food and supplies to the main ports of Somalia, I think there is a real challenge in being able to deliver that assistance - what I call the 'last-mile' problem.
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    Now for Somalian citizens who are faced with a compulsory pattern of living with famine, scarcity can be thought as not invited but already a citizen, despite the environmental constraints of hydro climatically-induced water scarcity and the considerable fluctuations which characterize the natural freshwater supply supposed to exist; a water-stress routine is now an impact on the responsibility of improved water supply for self-sufficient crop production (resulting in lack of food and crop production) as well as the number of these Somalian individuals desperately depending on any flow unit of water available to them from the water cycle. Sadly as stated it is not of a short term crisis but if seen in a medium-term-perspective, water may not be readily available to support improved life quality for this growing African population, so the economy therefore is faced with a great deal of scarcity without knowing what to do about it.
Monique T

Silver has sweet appeal in India | Montreal Gazette - 0 views

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    In India, silver is in high demand during the festive season of Diwali. This article discusses how in the case, the demand for silver is relatively inelastic, because the demand has stayed relatively the same while the price has increased around 30%. Since silver in sweets is a tradition, most people will continue to purchase edible silver leafs for Diwali even when the price increases, and so the demand for silver leafs is inelastic at this time of year, but when the festival is over, the demand will once again go down and become more elastic.
Monique T

Ontario says it won't block teacher strike | The Globe and Mail - 0 views

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    One topic we have discussed a lot in supply-side policy is the funding of education, and how increased funding can lead to more efficiency in the economy. However, after the Ontario budget, the government decided to freeze teacher wages to try to reduce funding in this education sector; which has created many problems in our province as teacher unions are now taking action, with the threat of a strike still being possible. Supply-side policy gone wrong.
Katie Edwards

Business Line : Industry & Economy News : High gold imports hurting balance of payments... - 0 views

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    A lot of movement in the reserve assets component of the financial account in India is causing stress for the balance fo payments. Demand for gold is increasing, and because of great returns on investment and the affinity for gold in India, demand is increasing. The determinants of demand are highly responsible for maintaining this instability in current account deficit and "stress on the system" for the Reserve Bank of India.
Katie Edwards

Industry protests power tariff hike - Indian Express - 1 views

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    Many industrial associations in India are displeased with an increase in the power tariff, because "It would not only prevent new industries from coming to the state but may also lead to closure of the existing ones." Power is a service high in demand among large industries, and making it more expensive to use external producers will harm businesses and firms in India.
Katie Edwards

Indian economic slowdown to continue in next financial year: World Bank - The Economic ... - 0 views

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    This is a report on the World Bank's economic predictions for the financial situation of India in 2012-13. Economic growth will be low, and aggregate demand in mentioned in the context of fiscal consolidation and higher interest rates. These factors will decrease the AD, and we are especially aware that higher interest rates decrease investment and firm spending. Both of those activities will undoubtedly hinder India's national economic growth.
Monique T

Outlook for U.S. Consumer Spending Brightens on Employment Gains | Bloomberg Businessweek - 1 views

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    The aggregate demand in an economy is made up of the total spending on goods and services in a country, and one of the components of aggregate demand is consumption (consumer spending). This article outlines some reasons as to why consumer spending - consumption - is expected to increase in the US in the coming months.
Katie Edwards

Cyprus - Address by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade . . . - 0 views

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    This article shows the real-life application to the new ideas we've been discussing in terms of the Republic of Cyprus. "Cyprus has so far been an energy island -an isolated energy system- and has till recently been almost totally dependent on imports of oil which burden the current account balance. A bright horizon of peace, cooperation and economic growth will then open up for the area of the Eastern Mediterranean, to the benefit not only of the countries and peoples of the area but also of our wider European family." I have included the conclusion to the article as well, which wraps up this sustainability-conscious article."In shaping the world of today and tomorrow through their decisions on energy issues, visionary leaders will aim at improving the prospects of both the current and future generations in terms of economic and social development and of sustainability, and certainly in terms of establishing and strengthening peaceful and hence productive international relations."
Tim O

GE shares fall on lower revenues - 0 views

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    Hello, In this article it talks about how the shares for GE fell in response to a lower revenue than expected. The fall in revenue of General Electric was caused by a slower than expected growth in the European credit crisis. It says even though GE was making a profit, the slower European market causes them to have a decrease in revenue. They say that because if the credit crisis sales in Europe are not as high and even though people are still purchasing products, the growth at which sales in Europe should have increased are increasing less than what GE wants them to. GE claimed that they are going to change their market footprint through new products and technology in order to increase their revenue and thus increase their shares. From Tim
Monique T

Greek yogurt on a marathon-like growth spurt | Lake County News-Sun - 1 views

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    This article describes the recent growth in a number of firms producing Greek Yogurt in the United States. As a result of this growth, the firms are experiencing economies of scale and they are all expanding their factories to increase their output. As the article states: "The Chobani plant today bustles with 14 production lines mechanically squirting yogurt into plastic cups that zip down conveyor belts." - this shows a technological improvement that is an economy of scale: due to the increase in size in the firm, it can employ more efficient, lower cost methods of production.
Lola Z

Off With Their Heads! The Fantasy Google Monopoly - Forbes - 2 views

    • Lola Z
       
      Here it deals with the concept of menacing monopoly. Google isn't doing anything "evil", but it is just so comprehensive that everyone can't help to use it.
  • . Microsoft’s impressive growth of Bing in a mere two or so years shows that new competition in search can come at any time.
    • Lola Z
       
      There is actually competitor of Google. It is Microsoft's Bing.
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  • They rest on their laurels and do not innovate.
    • Lola Z
       
      If there is a monopoly in industry, consumers can be end up in disadvantage as the monopolist refuses to innovate and discourages other firms which can potentially innovate from entering the industry.
  • Google continues to innovate in many spheres of Internet and e-commerce activity, from mobile operating systems to books to social media.
    • Lola Z
       
      However, we can see that Google is innovating and giving consumers advantages. It is a benign monopoly.
  • Google search is a free product, supported by advertising. And that advertising is not priced by Google itself, rather through an auction among advertisers bidding on the use of search keywords. Google doesn’t control price, let alone raise prices.
    • Lola Z
       
      Here again, Google is shown to be a benign monopoly. Monopolists usually control the price freely, and raise the price as high as they can to earn profits. However, Google is free. Even if advertisers post commercials on it, the price is not set by Google.
  • Monopolists also have no incentive to reduce costs and increase efficiency, because the absence of competition assures them of selling products very profitably.
  • Google doesn’t act like a monopolist and shares none of the characteristics sheltering classic monopolists from competition. Its astounding success in Internet search is universally regarded as a consequence of better design, superior code, better products and plain old hard work.
  • an “evil” monopolist
  • Of course, it’s unlawful to monopolize a market, not to become a monopolist as a result of superior business acumen or execution.
Katie Edwards

White House Sidelines Christmas Tree 'Tax' | Fox News - 0 views

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    A tad early, but Christmas music will be coming on the radio next week! At least here in DC.. The article outlines a government plan to make a little extra revenue, and how that plan was so fiercely opposed. The tax would be imposed on the producers, given that they produce more than 500 trees a year, and in turn the producers would probably have to increase their prices. Since it is a specific tax with a fixed amount of $0.15 (not dependent on the price of the trees) it will shift the supply curve up. Even though the article states that the program "wouldn't have any impact on the final price consumers pay for their Christmas tree" - there would be an inevitable small impact at least in one retail area of the trees. Since there are so many consumers that will want Christmas trees, a tax would bring in a fair amount of money, as there are no substitutes for Christmas trees.
Monique T

Hunger in North Korea: Let them eat maize husks | The Economist - 4 views

  • exaggerating its troubles for political gain
  • North Korea’s food needs has long been a politicised business
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    This article demonstrates the scarcity facing the food supply of people in North Korea. Although we would normally expect food scarcity because of, for example, a natural disaster, the food scarcity experienced by the people in North Korea is not only because of a lack of food being made... It is scarce because the government is preventing the supply of food from getting to the people, creating a greater demand than supply. Food is a limited resource, but the problem of scarcity in this part of the world is because of political reasons in addition to natural.
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    It's really disturbing to read this. When we're working towards satisfying as many wants as we have, some people don't even get what they need.
Sebastian van Winkel

Water scarcity 'now bigger threat than financial crisis' - 0 views

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    By 2030, more than half the world's population will live in high-risk areas By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor Humanity is facing "water bankruptcy" as a result of a crisis even greater than the financial meltdown now destabilising the global economy, two authoritative new reports show.
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    This seems like a big issue that will unfold during our generation. In Canada, we have one of the world's largest fresh water supplies, and that will be an important resource for our country moving into the future. But even with such a large supply, it is still a very scarce resource. Last year I visited a museum exhibit on the world's water supply, and it demonstrated the amount of water usage per capita in places around the world... In North America, we were using around ten times more water per day than people in Africa. This demonstrated the availability around the world affecting people's usage, but even in places where water is abundant, if we use too much it can still run out, so we need to be careful in everything we do.
Robert A

Crowded out - 0 views

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    This article talks about the rising prices of commodities due to the aggressive and proactive economic policy of China. With the surge in Chinese purchases of commodities such as iron ore and oil, a huge demand has been created in the commodity markets, which were previously unprecedented. The sluggish reactions to the commodity demand,due to archaic infrastructure and depleted resources, have lead to a substantial spike in the prices of commodities. I personally believe that the massive purchases of resources by China is leading to a bubble in the commodity markets. As said in the article Iron ore was once 13$ a tonne in 2001, and now is 178$ a tonne. Although some might say that the rise in prices are a corollary to the rise of China as a economic power, I do not believe the mass consumption of commodities can be sustained over time.
Lola Z

BBC News - House prices lacking direction, says the Halifax - 0 views

  • House prices are "lacking genuine direction
  • It said there had been a mixed pattern of monthly changes in prices, but broad stability overall.
  • Greater uncertainty about economic and personal financial circumstances, together with pressure on householders' finances from weak earnings growth, higher inflation and increases in taxes, are likely to be constraining housing demand,"
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Prices in the three months to September were 0.1% higher than the previous three months. The report of static house prices from the Halifax's lending data chimes with the latest figures from the Nationwide. The building society said last week that prices were "treading water". The change in house prices have varied across the country However, the latest statistics on mortgage approvals from the Bank of England may suggest that sales funded by mortgage borrowing could pick up this autumn. It said the number of new mortgages approved, but not yet lent, for home buyers rose to 52,410 in August - its highest monthly level since December 2009.
  • Despite these pressures, low interest rates and a rise in employment over the past year, have been supporting the market."
    • Lola Z
       
      The stability of house prices increase the level of optimism of people in the housing industry. Therefore, people are increasing their demand for houses.
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    What really could be constraining the housing demand? is it really the different circumstances covering a householders finances due to weak earnings or higher inflation as suggested or the PRICE?!
Monique T

Local Manufacturing Critical To Economic Growth | The Guardian Nigera - 0 views

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    This article describes a perspective on economic growth and development in Nigeria. Particularly, it focuses on the development of the manufacturing sector in this country in an attempt to fuel economic growth and therefore contribute to development.
Nadiya Safonova

UK inflation among highest in Europe | News | Money Marketing - 1 views

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    The UK has the highest level of inflation in Western Europe and only three countries in the EU have a higher rate, according to the office of statistics the EU, Eurostat. Yesterday, the Office for National Statistics announced the CPI annual inflation rate in the UK rose to 4.4 per cent in February, its highest level since 2008.
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