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The U.S. economy added an average of 284,000 jobs each month for October, November and December 2015. In December 292,000 new jobs were added. The monthly rate for the first 9 months was an average of 200,000 jobs. This shows the pace accelerated by Dec. 2015. In all 2.65 million jobs were added in 2015. The unemployment rate is now at 5%. Yet the wage gains are modest, at 2.5% for 2015. The average hourly wage is at $25.24. The labor force participation rate has declined for many years and stands at 62.6%, as many people are too discouraged to look for work- this is the share of Americans having jobs or looking for work. Experts say this is like a huge shadow work force existing on the side that could explain the lack of wage gains, as the official figure of unemployment is not reflecting the discouraged workers who have dropped out of the labor market.

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The 525 seat Airbus A380 launched in 2007 is expected to reach the breakeven point in 2015. Higher deliveries of the A380 led to a 41% decline in net profit for the 3rd quarter 2014. Production improvements on the A380 increased operating income by 14%. This will enable Airbus to benefit from the fuel efficient long range A350, which completed a maiden flight in the 3rd quarter 2014, with the first deliveries by the end of the year. The A320 neo also will add to profitability, as it is sold out to 2020, according to UBS. The A380 will be profitable by 2020, with more investment needed to upgrade the engine's fuel efficiency to compete with Boeing's competing version, the 777X. The uncertainty is reflected in Airbus share price, declining 8% in 2014 and trading at 5.7 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, compared to Boeing's 8.7, according to FactSet.

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Women executives at a panel discussion sponsored by Columbia Universiy in New York, in Dec. 2014, provide ideas for getting more women in Tech fields. Ideas include, mentoring, with early education exposure to technology careers- as early as middle school. One executive says she takes in 150 female high school students to Washington D.C. for leadership training. Other ideas are to turn maternity leave into a positive feature of women's lives by letting women who do well keep their duties by delegating them to others while they are away, and making a smooth pathway back to work full time. The suggestion is to allow a gradual transition to ramp back up to full time work, and allow flexible hours, working from home. In daily work women are encouraged to look for partnerships with other areas of the organization for getting results, and being sensitive to which areas of the organization they need to build support in.

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Stress test performed by the consulting firms of Oliver Wyman and Roland Berger used data as of Dec 31, 2011, and a scenario of a 6.5% decline in GDP and a 26.4% fall in housing prices by 2014. An international panel of experts from the Bank of Spain, the Spanish government, the ECB, the IMF, the European Banking Authority and the EC was formed to oversee the consultancies report. A separate more detailed audit of 14 individual banks will be made by Deloitte Touche, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG International with results by the end of July. The four banks that need capital injections are Bankia, CatalunyaCaixa, NovaCaixaGalicia and Banco de Valencia. The consultancies estimate was for 51-62 billion euros needed according to Oliver Wyman, and 51.8 billion euros needed according to Roland Berger, for recapitalization of Spanish banks by 2014. The issue now is about any remaining questions about additional losses, and whether rescue funds from the EU fund the EFSF should go directly to the banks as favored by the IMF and the government of Spain. This is because of the stress on yields of Spain's 10 year bonds with rescue money going to the Spanish government at the insistence of German chancellor Merkel....

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Pemex's new CEO, Emilio Lozoya, and his plans for improving the oil company's operations. He sees the opportunity to create efficiency and savings for Pemex as large because of the way the company has been run upto now. In this interview by Jose De Cordoba and Laurence Iliff, the new CEO cites as one example that only one airport in Mexico receives jet fuel by pipeline, the airport of Mexico City, the rest receive it by trucks. Lozoya is the son of a former energy minister. He is 38, has a Masters degree in economic development from Harvard and worked as an investment banker in New York. Lozoya says he will draw from the experience of other countries, including Brazil and Colombia which have sharply increased oil production after making their oil companies more competitive and transparent. In this interview he announced plans to setup a separate company to explore and produce shale gas and deep water oil in the U.S.

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NATO members except Spain agree to spend 5% on defense, 3.5% on military and 1.5% on defense industry. Germany makes purchase of 35 F-35 fighter aircraft from the US for $8.2 billion in 2025 to be fitted with cruise missiles from Norway. Defense minister Pistorius says Germany has moved with "supersonic speed" on defense capabilities. This a big change from Scholz. New CDU chancellor in coalition with the SPD is Friedrich Merz who with a popular former defense minister Pistorius from the Scholz coalition and the new SPD finance minister in the Merz coalition Lars Kingbeil, is changing the way Germany looks at investing for the future. It has embraced defense of Europe and modernization of German infrastructure. German federal elections gives the coalition of Merz the 28.6 votes percentage of CDU/CSU in addition the SPD's 16.4% for governing with 45% of the vote, and additional 11.6% of SPD's ally the Green Party which supports it outside the coalition for total 57%. For this reason it is a coalition government with real clout to get things done for Germany's modernization. Much of the media focus is on AfD's far right 20.8% but this has been offset by the Left Parties gaining 14% of the vote in the formerly communist East (GDR) where the AfD is based. Thus about 60% of German voters support Merz/Lingbeil/Pistorius for some far reaching action by Merz well into 2030, for the first time since reunification in 1990. To add to this most of Europe including Germany under Merz has embraced a tough line on illegal migration similar to DJT in US so that far right AfD gains from discontent have reached their high point at 20.8%.   ...

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Unemployment hits 9.5% in June, with a loss of 467,000 jobs, according to the Labor Department. The labor underemployment rate which shows not only the unemployed but also those working part time because their hours are cut or they cannot find afulltime job is up to 16.5%. The average length of official unemployment increased to 24.5 weeks, the largest its reached since 1948. Economists say that as other sources of spending power have been lost, employment remains a very significant source of spending power. And employed consumers are also watching their spending as unemployment goes up, and a new frugality sets in.

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Japan's governing LDP party wins over two thirds of the seats in parliament in a snap election called one year before the end of the term in office. Prime minister Abe's popularity by summer 2017 dropped to about 30%, and yet with a divided opposition he managed to win the election with a large majority. The opposition led by the Democratic Party and Tokyo Governor Mrs Koike fragmented with the formation of new parties, Yuriko Koike's Party of Hope, and the Consitutional Democratic Party. Mrs. Koike failed to keep the opposition united with some missteps including asking for a loyalty pledge from candidates. This election win makes it possible for Abe to get a third term as leader of the LDP and eventually becoming the prime minister with the longest term in office. Abe had a poor start during his first effort as prime minister when he resigned in less than a year. This is a comeback for Shinzo Abe from that difficult period. Yet the constitutional changes to support Japan's Self Defense Forces with the growing threat from North Korea are not getting the same level of support. Opinion remains divided on that issue.  One aspect of this election is that very few women candidates are running for parliament. In contrast to the election in Britain with more women running for office and getting elected, in Japan's 2017 snap election less than 10% of candidates elected are women. ...

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As auto sales decline in Spain, France, Italy and other parts of Europe auto companies are looking at improving efficiency and closing inefficient plants. Italy is tackling labor laws that prevented a revamping of the auto industry to improve productivity. New laws make it possible for companies like Fiat to hire or fire workers rather than having to place them on a state backed temporary layoff program that pays workers two thirds of their salaries while not working. Chrysler-Fiat CEO Marchionne sees sales dropping below 10 million units from the 13.1 million in 2011 if the euro were to disintegrate. With the higher efficiency of Fiat's plants in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, Marchionne is not willing to make any exceptions for the Italian system any longer. In 2009 Fiat's plant in Tychy, Poland, making the Fiat 500, made 600,000 cars with 6,100 workers, whereas the five largest Italian plants made 650,000 cars with 22,000 workers. Marchionne put forward his 5 year revamp of Italian operations in April 2010 with an investment of 16 billion euros. Unions were asked to agree to new work rules in exchange- shorter breaks, reduced absenteeism, doubling of overtime hours if needed, and pay tied to performance in addition to seniority. In the fall of 2010 Fiat shifted the production of the Fiat 500L to Serbia. Following this unions agreed to the new rules. One of the plants revamped was the Pomigliano plant which would turn out lower cost Pandas instead of the Alfa Romeos at a cost of 800 million euros to redesign the plant for efficient manufacturing. The new plant requires fewer workers and only 3000 of the 5000 workers at the plant have been hired. Priority was given to younger workers. Marchionne sees the revival of the manufacturing plants in Italy closely linked with his plan to import Italian cars to the American market because of the declining sales in Europe. The transformation of the auto industry and Chrysler was achieved by changing work rules and reducing labor costs. A similiar process is now underway in Italy....

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Sony's new Xperia Ion Android 4G smartphones and the Xperia Ion ad campaign.

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Geriatrician Bill Thomas is trying to change attitudes and perceptions in America about aging. He sees this as a special period in life offering many opportunities to be creative, to find new meaning and joy in different activites, and to contribute to society in many ways. He is supported in these efforts by the AARP. With modern medicine baby boomers are expected to live much longer. To make these lives productive and useful society in all countries needs to change its perceptions about aging. Jimmy Carter, a former president, showed this in his attitude to aging, doing many activities he enjoyed and contributing to society in many ways. This has a lot to do with healthy habits, and healthy attitudes to life, which should be cultivated when still young, so that one becomes more resilient as one ages and looks for new things to do.

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This report in the WSJ points to Democrats having won consistently 18 states plus District of Columbia adding upto 242 Electoral College votes in every election since 1992. Democrats need 28 more to cross the needed 270 votes. Republicans consistently having 13 states with 102 electoral College votes. Demographic changes in recent years have shifted to where Hillary Clinton may not need to devote resources to Colorado and Virginia because of a more favorable position there.  Carrying Pennsylvania with these 2 states would put Clinton over the 270 required. Vice Presidential candidate for Clinton, Senator Keane is from Virginia and is popular in the state.  Pennsylvania has a long history favoring Democrats. North Carolina has also seen demographic changes favoring Democrats. The Clinton campaign is focussing ads on these states as well as the swing states of Nevada, Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as Georgia, Arizona and Utah which are becoming competitive for Democrats. By keeping up the effort in Georgia, Arizona and Utah, Clinton hopes to make Trump divert resources there. Other two swing states are Ohio and Florida, but this WSJ report says Clinton has to win only one of the four swing states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina to go over 270 and Trump needs all four. Of the 20 media markets Clinton or her super PACs have focussed their ads on 16 are in these 4 states. The Clinton campaign is looking at several alternative routes to 270 Electoral College votes, which gives it more flexibility to plan the campaign.  ...

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While automakers are trying to stall legislation on higher fuel economy in Congress they are already planning large investments in engine systems that will raise fuel economy. Nardelli states Chrysler's three goals as boosting quality, improving fuel economy, and overseas presence. A $3 billion investment in engine systems is planned by Chrysler with the goal of improving fuel economy. Note that similiar investments are planned by the German companies and some of the new products are to be shown at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. There the pressures for reducing auto emissions are building up with a strong environmental consciousness in Europe. Phil Murtaugh who headed GM's China operations before becoming Executive VP at Shanghai Automotive Industry recently will join Chrysler's team as head of Asian operations. He will stay in China and report to Michael Manley Executive VP of International Sales. Chrysler plans to export Chery cars made by Chery Automobile Company in China under its Dodge brand. Note that LaSorda and Press will both share the titles of President and vice chairman and split duties which will be a new arrangement being trued out by Cerberus....

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The political situation is evolving in France as the En Marche movement that Mr. Macron founded loses its majority in parliament. Seven members earlier left to join a centre right party Agir. Seven members last week started a new centre left party called Ecology.

The pandemic has resulted in a new political environment with a shift back to popularity of France's traditional state directed model with careful attention to infrastructure, health and public services to improve the quality of life. En Marche is shifting in this direction. Recent political shift to the centre right Republicans in Lyon has left En Marche without a significant presence in France's second largest city where it was founded.

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Eighth grades civics and history national test scores in the US hit new lows of 13% for history and 20% for civics meeting proficiency standards. The Test used was the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Reading scores are also low. About three decades of progress appear to be wiped out during the pandemic. A message for president Biden- the fight for the soul of America starts right here and this site Lyrarc.com has a knowledge role for this to happen.

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Young people in Turkey are troubled by many things says this DW video report. DW.com talks with young people on the streets of Istanbul. Young people are troubled by the cost of living with inflation out of control, with not being able to speak their mind, with the waning prospects with many unemployed. Kilicdaroglu, a civil servant who leads the Republican party founded by Ataturk in 1923, offers Turkey a new path with the western alliance and the nations of Europe and the US.

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Larger investments are needed in science and technology development, and in research and development, secondary and higher education, says Naushad Forbes, for India to reach its potential. He says industry has been too timid when it comes to setting goals for design, innovation, and research and development. He calls for a listening society and culture that is open to to outside ideas, continuously makes connections with the outside world, and is keen to apply new ideas learned in the interactions.

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Marion Rouse, Director of the Women's Tour de France is interviewed by FR24. The Women's cycling event is from July 24 to July 31. Here she talks about the resumption of this event after it stopped in 1989 and what it will mean to a new generation of young women cyclists. These girls on the side of the road cheering will now have women as role models, says Rouse who remembers herself as a little cyclist at age six years.

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After only 6 months in office as CEO, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger is making large chip investments in the US. He has committed to $20.5 billion chip investment in Arizona and $2.5 billion in New Mexico in the first 3 months on the job, to be followed by additional investments in 2021 and 2022. Intel under Gelsinger has made plans for $50 billion in chip making investments, including plans to become a chip maker for others. Intel also plans to acquire Global Foundries.

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Cost of living action on oil and food prices, and wage gains by workers, the overall economic expansion and jobs, will play a role in Northampton County, Saginaw County and Hillsborough County, in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire. Other counties in Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin affected by the same issues and hurt by the demanufacturing in the US from the Reagan era, the sense of falling behind in places like Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will determine the direction of the US in 2024.

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The largest fire in Texas history burnt over 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle. In the area around Amarillo where the fire started temperatures in March are 54 degrees, the temperature hit 82 degrees, the winds and dry grass caused the fire says this report in NYT. Most fires are in the summer. All this is a part of the change in climate and climate change. After wildfires in Canada, new ones in Canada's Quebec region, this fire in Texas.

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The SUNY public university system is giving each student $2000 in aid to reduce college dropout. It is using simple approaches that include transportation money, and other aid to keep students from dropping out. It is called Accelerated Study in Associate Programs that has doubled graduation rates at the City University of New York since 2007. it provides textbook fees, transportation stipends, academic advisement, free tutoring, tution funds. In return the students commit to full time study and meet with their advisors regularly.

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Amazon's efforts to expand into fields outside its logistics, Prime, online retail, Amazon Web Sevices (AWS), search Advertising, which make up 90% of revenues. This includes the forays into devices with Kindle, healthcare, grocery retail stores Amazon Fresh. Amazon has less success with these ventures. Most of the success is in retail, online, Prime and AWS with 40% growth in 2019-2021. Amazon is struggling in new business  outside core online retail, logistics and AWS.

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Maps of U.S. coronavirus by state as of April 1, 2020, that reached 189,000. How coronavirus is surging worldwide with 75,000 added on March 31 to reach 874,000 coronavirus cases detected worldwide. China's numbers have not included coronavirus cases that are asymptomatic. 

China continues to see coronavirus cases with 166 new cases on March 31, showing that it public health authorites have to be vigilant about a restart of the epidemic once it comes under control.

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Mark Gilbert, a visiting associate professsor of European History at the John Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies in Bologna, describes the crisis of the political culture in Italy that goes deeper than the economic crisis and has lasted for most of the post war period. Gilbert says the political parties have avoided implementing financial discipline and opening up the economy for most of the last two decades, except for brief periods, and did not take the opportunity of joining the eurozone to make serious changes. Italy has many parties with the Democratic Party having 25-30% support in the polls and Berluconi's People of Liberty (PdL) having the support of 20-25% of voters. There is also the Northern League, the Third Pole of centrist Catholic parties, the Italy of Values party, and the Ecology Freedom party. Italy lacks a national consensus on making the changes. The risk is that Monti will not have enough time to make the changes, as new elections may be held by April 2013. His government was formed as a government of technocrats led by former EU commissioner Mario Monti, after President Napolitano forced the PdL, the PD, and the Third Pole to work together to support the new government. Changes are needed in the legal system, local government, the health sector, and in the university system. One factor favoring Monti is that 90% of Italians voters are dissatisfied with the political parties, according to Italian think tank ISPI. For Italy the EU crisis has in this sense a positive aspect as it has forced Italy to come to grips with economic and cultural changes under a leadership from outside the political system....