World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist
Search, personalize, or simply browse. Follow the world around you from gist and context to insights.
Who we are | Our Credo | Ways of using Lyrarc | FAQ | Send Feedback | First Letter From the Editor
Sign up. It's free and easy to use
Create an account
to personalize your feed of articles and topics.
Browse Articles or use Lyrarc's US patented "Groups" and "Links" for new insights. A Lyrarc Group of Articles on a topic gives insights into particular angles shown in the Group Title. A Lyrarc Link shows more specific insights for 2 articles.
All Topics Links
Apple products at manufacturing plants in China and at retail stores in the U.S.- low worker pay and lack of future prospects
05/29/2010
The high margins for Apple achieved through a combination of keeping costs low- even at the risk of providing poor wage and working conditions for the majority of employees employed in the retail stores in the U.S. and in supplier Foxconn plants in China- and by a grasp for innovation and technology. The paradox of a well deserved image for pioneering in technological innovation and the indifference to working conditions and prospects for employees who add value in manufacturing and customer interface. This model of growth is a recent development, put in place after 1997. In 1995-1997 Apple was nearing collapse under Michael Spindler and Gil Amelio, as documented by WSJ technology reporter Jim Carlton in his book- "Apple- The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania, and Business Blunders." Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997 and set the future course and this model in place emphasizing design, his ability to grasp technologies that would appeal to customers, and hired Tim Cook to set up the manufacturing which had high rate of defects and higher costs. The model was as full of paradoxes, of genius combined with mediocre behavioursas the man Steve Jobs. Tim Cook has responded to criticism in 2012 by having the Fair Labor association audit Foxconn plants in China. Foxconn increased wages in 2012, shifted plants to the interior of China, and increased use of robotics.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/29/2010
Apple Stores Army, Long on Loyalty but Short on PayNew York Times 06/23/2012
Long standing reputations for quality and safety damaged by failures in quality systems at J&J McNeil and Toyota.
02/02/2010
Both Toyota and J&J Mcneil unit responded poorly and with long time lags to federal agencies that supervise safety for their products. Both companies took along time to investigate the consumer complaints, one for faulty brake pedal and the other for musty odor from Tylenol Arthritis caplet bottles.
Linked Articles
Maker of Tylenol Explains Actions Taken to Alleviate Musty Smell of Pills
New York Times 03/17/2010
Obama Administration Says It Is 'Not Finished With Toyota'Wall Street Journal 02/02/2010
Shift to Social Democrats as German chancellor loses public support in Germany.
09/28/2009
The main reason the Social Democrats did poorly in the 2009 elections in Germany says an expert is because they driftd aay from their working class base with their economic reforms. Now there is a shift back to the Social Democrats and Greens under the Christian Democratic government of chancellor Merkel.
Linked Articles
Merkel Looks to Recharge Her Ratings
New York Times 07/21/2010
Germany's Long Road to ReformWall Street Journal 09/28/2009
Discussion between Goolsbee who favored lettting Chrysler go out of business and Summers who was concerned about the loss of jobs.
06/08/2009
Efforts by Jim Press and Chrysler to gain credibility with the government about its viability, by pushing slaes allottments to dealers. Jim Press did this even as inventory remained unsold on dealer lots. In the White House the debate between advisors was about a decision on Chrysler's future.
Linked Articles
Dealers Say They Were Led Astray in Chrysler's Final Days
Washington Post 06/16/2009
Obama’s Economic Circle Keeps Tensions SimmeringNew York Times 06/08/2009
Even when the recovery occurs and inventories get replaced gorwth will be slow, as deleveraging process takes many years.
05/28/2009
Mr. Mecksworth, chief economist at MAPI says even when arecovery happens it will mean slow growth as companies will be saving money and paying off debt for many years to come.
Linked Articles
Once a Key to Recovery, Detroit Adds to Pain
New York Times 06/01/2009
Sharper Drop Is Forecast for Factory ProductionWall Street Journal 05/28/2009
Fighting for Main Street against an Ersatz Capitalism and Bankers
04/01/2009
Stiglitz uses the term "ersatz" to refer to something not genuine, a false substitute for real capitalism, in describing the Obama adminsitration's handling of highly overleveraged and badly managed banks in the 2008 global financial crisis.
Linked Articles
New York Times 04/01/2009
Ex-Regulators Has Harsh Words for Geithner and BankersNew York Times 09/24/2012
How Pearson compares with New York Times Company.
01/20/2009
Pearson has shifted out of dependence on adspending for revenues by reducing ads as apercentage of revenues at Financial Times to 30% from 50%. Its textbook and Penguin books cushions it further from big declines in ad spending. The New York TImes has no such businesses and ad spending dominates. Its burdened by overborrowing and debt coming due and not enough controls on spending.
Linked Articles
Pearson Expects Strong 2008 Earnings
Wall Street Journal 01/20/2009
Billionaire Reaches Deal On Funding For Times Co.Wall Street Journal 01/20/2009
Krugman adds his voice to that of many experts who like Gordon Brown's plan and leadership in the global financial crisis.
10/11/2008
Gordon Brown is winning the support of many experts and governments in the remarkable leadership he has shown in this global financial crisis and his plan and execution.
Linked Articles
New York Times 10/13/2008
Rescue Plan Comes Around to Views of the AcademicsWall Street Journal 10/11/2008
Hyundai's big gains and leadership in in fuel efficiency
09/03/2008
Linked Articles
Hyundai says its cars will average 50 mpg by 2025.
New York Times 08/08/2010
Hyundai Aims for Efficiency LeadWall Street Journal 09/03/2008
Afghanistan opium farming in the south adding another twist to the Afghan war.
07/27/2008
Schweich's and Rory's story and articles on the Afghan war and the new twists and the anitforeign Afghan sentiment. Friedman's points about the dangers of not carefully understanding what is going on in the field and finding the best way to handle it without getting caught up in popular rhetoric and mindless slogans.
Linked Articles
New York Times 07/30/2008
Is Afghanistan a Narco-State?New York Times 07/27/2008
The Class of 1977 in China -with the first competitive university entrance exams in 12 years- and Li Keqiang
01/06/2008
China's new prime minister in 2013 is from the Class of 1977, when there was a huge burst of energy as students looked with great excitement to gaining knowledge after a decade when learning and books were suppressed.
Linked Articles
1977 Exam Opened Escape Route Into China’s Elite
New York Times 01/06/2008
Next Premier Came of Age in Era of OpennessWall Street Journal 11/16/2012
Southwest Airlines success at hedging against a rise in oil prices.
11/16/2006
Southwest hedged against rising oil prices which helped it cap fare prices and gain market share. Its competitors missed the boatcompletely on where oil prices were going and failed to hedge.
Linked Articles
Economist 11/16/2006
An Airline Shrugs at Oil PricesNew York Times 11/29/2007
Campbell Soup's acquisition of Bolthouse Farms as it diversifies away from canned soup
02/22/2010
The high end juice maker provides Campbell with products in a growing market. Store brands have eroded sales of Campbell brand canned soups. Campbell also hopes to tackle a younger demographic.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/10/2012
Headwinds Threaten Campbell's ChargeWall Street Journal 02/22/2010
Why the Obama health care law gets an "F" grade from the Dean of Harvard Medical School
11/18/2009
The failure to replace the "fee-for-service" system in favor of capitated payments is cited as one of the main reasons. The other reasons are it does not resolve the issues of introducing competition in quality of care and cost, and continues the practices that disguise the true cost of care with a highly fragmented system of care. In a op-ed, Jeffrey Flier, Dean of the Harvard Medical School, gives a detailed account for the reason for his grading. A poorly drafted or incomplete law says Flier can make things worse, citing the example of the health care law in Massachusetts which is driving up costs, as it does not change the old dysfunctional system's key features such as "fee-for service," and instead tries to build a new system on broken foundations. Pearlstein in the Washington Post says the Obama health care law has addressed the "fee-for-service" problem, but this is really not the case, and Flier's reasoning may be the clue to the deeper problem for the Obama health care law.
Linked Articles
Steven Pearlstein: Eat your broccoli, Justice Scalia - The Washington Post
Washington Post 04/01/2012
Health 'Debate' Deserves a Failing GradeWall Street Journal 11/18/2009
Aspects of the Reform proposal that were influenced by the work of Prof Sunstein and Prof Thaler at the University of Chicago.
06/17/2009
Sunstein and Thaler's book "Nudge" talks about the role psychology plays, and behavoural aspects play in human behaviour. The President is a friend of Sunstein from their days at the University of Chicago law school. The onsumer Financial Protection Agency and its role, says Zweig, takes some ideas from Prof. Sunstein's work to protect consumers.
Linked Articles
Obama’s Financial Reform Plan: The Condensed Version
Wall Street Journal 06/17/2009
About Time: Regulation Based On Human NatureWall Street Journal 06/20/2009
As the government sells $5 trillion in new debt by one estimate, the problem of an estimated $ 1 trillion in troubled assets on the banks books is being put off for another day.
06/04/2009
The FDIC's Legacy Loans Program's $1 billion pilot program attracts no interest. The Public Private Partnership Program of Secretary Geithner, like Secretary Paulson's TARP program before Geithner, is also unlikely to attract much interest as banks are not willing to take the prices that would require them to show large losses on their books. But this means that these problems are postponed for another day.
Linked Articles
Plan to Help Banks Clear Their Books Is Halted
New York Times 06/04/2009
Rising Interest on Nations’ Debts May Sap World GrowthNew York Times 06/04/2009
Steven Rattner of Quadrangle, private equity firm, heads the team that is advising Obama on GM and Chrysler.
04/06/2009
So far Rattner is getting good points for his advice and his work for the President. His bacground at Brown University, the NYTimes, Lehman, Morgan Stanley, Lazard and Quadrangle.
Linked Articles
Rattner Rises as Obama's Mr. Fix-It
Wall Street Journal 04/06/2009
Obama’s Top Auto Industry TroubleshooterNew York Times 04/06/2009
The efforts of banks in better shape but still weak to wish the crisis away.
03/06/2009
Chase and Goldman's efforts to rewrite history, and act as though they did not benefit from government help is wrong and dangerous says the Economist. Its dangerous because it sends the message that any resoultion of toxic assets on banks books is unnecessary, and these banks should be treated differently when it comes to setting new prudent bank regulations, including setting regulation for incentives that do not support excessive risk taking and leveraging. A change in the economic climate for the worse could make this a dangerous complaceny.
Linked Articles
New York Times 03/06/2009
Thanks, for nothingEconomist 06/11/2009
Are the old faces that got the USA and Europe into this financial crisis, now the new faces trying to fix it?
01/15/2009
Schapiro and Khuzami, the new faces at the SEC as chief and enforcement director, are the old faces at FINRA which took ahands off view of self regulation of the financial industry and the old faces at Deuteche BAnk as inhouse lawyer. Sir James Crosby, the head of HBOS bank in the UK which needed $17 billion f government money in 2008, was made Deputy chairman of the Financial Services Authority in 2006, Britain's main regulator. He reisgned hours before a stormy session in the House of Commons which embarrassed Prime Minister Brown after some revelations about Crosby,s role in the mess.
Linked Articles
Obama's Pick to Head SEC Has Record Of Being a Regulator With a Light Touch
Wall Street Journal 01/15/2009
British Regulator Quits as Accusations Mount in Banking CrisisNew York Times 02/12/2009
Petraeus describes his information gathering efforts and Bret Stephens talks with Zardari
10/01/2008
The war in Afghanistan is beginning to take a new turn as Petraeus looks for ways to reverse gains by Taliban and Zardari commits Pakistan to work alongside the US.
Linked Articles
The Most Difficult Job in the World
Wall Street Journal 10/04/2008
Insurgents in Afghanistan Are Gaining, Petraeus SaysNew York Times 10/01/2008
Did Putin overreact in Georgia 2008 and Ukraine 2014? Russia and the dangers to the Russian economy of not maintaining good relations with the West
08/13/2008
Russia tones down its overreaction as 66% of Russians polled in June say Russian forces should not enter Ukrainian terrritory. Putin and Russians in the administration policy making may have underestimated the reaction in the U.S. as reflected in this WSH editorial saying Americans should remember the words of Gen. Lucius Clay during the Berlin Blockade and the subsequent airlift. This could be why analysts in Russia now maintain that good relations with the West must be maintained, and entry of Russian forces into Ukraine would have disastrous consequences for Russia in terms of western sentiment and foreign investor sentiment. In such a situation Germany would be likely to support the stronger U.S. position seeing this in terms of the language used in theBerlin Airlift of 1948. For Germany and Russia this would be reversing the hard won gains of building relations from the time of Brandtand Kohl till today, fifty years of effort to build better relations and economic relationships- just too much for sober heads in Moscow Paris, and Berlin to accept, and closing another chapter in Russia's interactions with the West.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 08/13/2008
Seeing Cost of Saber Rattling in Ukraine, Putin Alters CourseNew York Times 07/11/2014
IBM's aggressive internationalization.
01/15/2008
The aggressive internationalization plan of IBM. How its being executed and the financial results that show this in 4th quarter 2008 with 10% gain in revenues and 24% in profits.
Linked Articles
Foreign Sales Help I.B.M. to a Strong Quarter
New York Times 01/15/2008
IBM Sales, Profit Give Tech a Healthier LookWall Street Journal 01/15/2008
The internet and aggressive pricing by airlines.
11/16/2006
The efforts of airline passengers to get internet bargain prices and of the airlines using systems that help it decide when to raise fares or on what seats to sell at what prices to lose less on internet bargains.
Linked Articles
Economist 11/16/2006
Armed With Internet Bargains, Travelers Battle High AirfaresNew York Times 11/23/2006
We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.
Support Lyrarc from as small as $1
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us