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Reagan-Bush and Obama on immigrants- A Reality Check
09/29/2011
A Better Way. The question of who was more humane in their response is one for the public in a nation of immigrants. Bush and Reagan stood up for the state paying for illegal immigrant children getting schooling in the straightforward honest way to a difficult question in the primary debates years ago. There is no empty rhetoric when Bush says he does not want 6-8 year old children to live in fear and deprived of an education thinking they were living outside the law. And Reagan points out that rather than talk of putting up a fence lets work out our mutual problems with Mexico. The elder Bush goes further and stands up for immigrants in a way that the country has not seen for a long, long time. "They are good, strong people," he says, and "part of my family is Mexican."
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2011
More Deportations Follow Minor Crimes, Records ShowNew York Times 04/06/2014
John Bogle of Vanguard Funds, a persistent voice against speculative behaviours in financial markets
09/03/2011
Linked Articles
John Bogle, Vanguard's Founder, Is Too Worried to Rest
New York Times 08/11/2012
How the Index Fund Was BornWall Street Journal 09/03/2011
Bill Gross and Mohammed El-Erian of PIMCO bond funds
06/09/2011
Linked Articles
Mohamed El-Erian Is the Bond Market's New Leading Man
New York Times 07/28/2012
Pimco's Bill Gross on Scoping Out SubprimeBusinessWeek 06/09/2011
Basic misunderstanding- (1) one point in the Israel- U.S. relationship on May 20, 2011, with president Obama's call for a return to pre-1967 borders
05/20/2011
When Ambassador Oren says Obama abandoned Israel, he refers to the "surprises" and "no daylight" or open disagreements that marked the relationship during the two terms of the Obama administration. One such point was on May 20, 2011, with Obama's call for pre-1967 borders.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 06/16/2015
Netanyahu Rejects Obama Compromises on TalksNew York Times 05/20/2011
Rapid structural shift in job openings, mismatch of skills, and the lack of a strong jobs training effort in the U.S. to reduce unemployment
03/15/2011
The lack of adequate funding and focus on jobs training in the U.S. to fill job vacancies and lower unemployment. This is becoming increasingly important with the large number of people unemployed for long periods.
Linked Articles
U.S. Faces Uphill Battle in Retraining the Jobless
Wall Street Journal 07/31/2012
Many Workers Seen Lacking Skills for New JobsWall Street Journal 03/15/2011
Bill Gates and U.S. Fed chairman Bernanke call for investment in education
03/02/2011
The message to lawmakers at a time of spending cuts: don't shortchange education, because it is critical to America's future.
Linked Articles
Bill Gates Seeks Formula for Better Teachers
Wall Street Journal 03/22/2011
Bernanke to budget-cutting state and local governments: Don't shortchange educationWashington Post 03/02/2011
Muni-Bond Default Estimates of $100 Billion
02/09/2011
Estimates on muni-bonds default range from the high side presented by Meredith Whitney to the more moderate estimate of $100 billion over several years by Roubini.
Linked Articles
Muni Default Estimate: $100 Billion
Wall Street Journal 03/02/2011
In Muni-Bond Ills, Danger and HopeWall Street Journal 02/09/2011
Dim outlook for Rebalancing the World Economy
01/20/2011
The widening U.S. trade deficit with China in 2011 and no evidence of a shift to domestic consumption in the Chinese economy make it increasingly unlikely that there will be a rebalancing in the world economy.
Linked Articles
No Appreciation for the Rising Yuan
Wall Street Journal 06/21/2011
Don't Bank on China 'Rebalancing'Wall Street Journal 01/20/2011
Selling in smaller towns and rural areas of emerging markets
08/30/2010
Suzuki in India, Adidas and Philips NV in China maintain sales momentum by moving to smaller towns and rual areas in emerging markets.
Linked Articles
Philips's CEO Urges Local Strategies for Emerging Markets
Wall Street Journal 08/30/2010
Maruti Suzuki Bets Big on BackwatersWall Street Journal 12/24/2013
Who is the sucker in this war? Mohamed Hanif and Thomas Friedman offer two perspectives on the Afghan war.
07/31/2010
Mohamed Hanif of the BBC's Urdu Service gives the view of ordinary Pakistanis outside of the small military and civilian elite that runs Pakistan. They are just looking in and are more interested in the electricity that can illuminate a village, than with an obsession for India. Pakistan has lagged in economic development and has no emerging middle class like India. Friedman of the New York times sees America a the sucker in this game, but is oblivious to the feeling of ordinary Pakistanis who were never part of this.
Linked Articles
In Pakistan, Echoes of American Betrayal
New York Times 07/31/2010
The Great (Double) GameNew York Times 07/31/2010
Greece's referendum and the 3 year bailout of July 12, 2015- military spending, shipowners taxes, and cuts to pensions
07/10/2010
Greece's left Syriza government almost pulled the country out of the eurozone over pension cuts, even as military spending in Greece remained at 2.4% of GNP compared to close 1.4% for the EU average. Greece did not propose further cuts to military spending to bring the Greece ratio closer to that of Germany and other countries in Europe, raising questions about prudent spending. Which is why Greece sometimes has aspects of the surreal to people not just in Germany and Holland, but other parts of Europe, and outsiders. Under the reform proposal and bailout of July 12, 2015 following the "no" referendum, Greece's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the similiar cuts in pensions from an earlier EU proposal, with cuts of $300 million to the military spending by 2016. Greek shipowners will also pay taxes under the new bailout, negotiated by Greece with France's help when the referendum had damaged relations with the rest of the EU, particularly Germany with only 10% in polls willing to support any further concessions.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/11/2015
The Submarine Deals That Helped Sink GreeceWall Street Journal 07/10/2010
BP's failure in the Gulf Oil Spill and the Justice Department settlement in Nov. 2012
06/15/2010
The Justice Department filed criminal charges against engineers and managers at BP citing wanton and negligent conduct.
Linked Articles
In BP Indictments, U.S. Shifts to Hold Individuals Accountable
New York Times 11/15/2012
Oil Executives Try to Explain Differences From BPNew York Times 06/15/2010
The inaction at GM 2009-2013 for the defective ignition switch recall and the inaction at Toyota for unintended acceleration recall
02/10/2010
GM's management lost track of quality issues that were buried at lower levels during the bankruptcy period. Toyota's management in the U.S. referred the NHTSA to quality managers in Japan who did not make the necessary effort to look into and address the problem. This shows that quality is not just a technical issue for the engineers and requires management atention at the highest levels, direct reporting to top managers. It also shows that quality problems never go away, will always be present, no matter how good you think you get. Small mistakes can be very costly as BP, TEPCO in the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Toyota, have shown in the recent past.
Linked Articles
General Motors Misled Grieving Families on a Lethal Flaw
New York Times 03/24/2014
Safety Agency Scrutinized as Toyota Recall GrowsNew York Times 02/10/2010
Harvard labor economist Lawrence Katz's solutions to the job crises and high unemployment in the U.S.
09/06/2011
Katz suggest a number of steps including a subsidy for companies creating new jobs. A form of this subsidy is used in Germany with the "kurzarbeit" program which preserves jobs in a downturn. Katz reminds us that there are three job crises facing America- long term unemployed not reflected in government unemployment figures, effects of foreclosures and debt, and the impact of automation with lower job creation in manufacturing. A sustained andmultipronged approach over a number of years is needed and no single panacea or misguided optimism will work.
Linked Articles
The Next First (and Only) 100 Days
New York Times 12/10/2011
Help Displaced WorkersNew York Times 09/06/2011
The politicizing of the 2011 budget process- Obama, Cantor and McConnell (1)
07/14/2011
The negotiations taking place for the U.S. budget behind closed doors is against the spirit of the Budget Act of 1974, says a former CBO assistant general counsel and Stanford professor of constitutional law. The law requires transparency and accountability and sets forth a process for public scrutiny of the budget in Congressional hearings. This has not happened and in its place both political parties are seeing this as a start to the 2012 presidential election, with the public sorely left out of the process.
Linked Articles
Budget Shell Games Are Contrary to Law
Wall Street Journal 07/14/2011
Top Democrats laud GOP debt-ceiling move - The Washington PostWashington Post 07/14/2011
OPEC disagreement on setting production quotas in June 2011
06/08/2011
Saudis argued in favor of increasing production to meet rising demand. Iran, Venezuela and other countries were opposed. The result was that no agreement was reached. The spare capacity of Iran and other countries opposed to increasing production is small. Analysts expect the Saudis to increase production unilaterally.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 06/09/2011
OPEC Keeps Lid on Oil Production TargetsNew York Times 06/08/2011
The remarkable composition and growth of the largest immigrant filled city in the world- New York City
03/25/2011
With 47% of the employed population being immigrants, the presence of immigrants has shaped the city and contributed to its economic vitality. Without immigrants the population would be declining as happened in a prior decade, and economic vitality would be affected. Many of the immigrants are from Mexico, China, India and the Caribbean.
Linked Articles
Immigration Remakes and Sustains New York, Report Finds
New York Times 12/18/2013
Blacks Leave City as Asians Propel GrowthWall Street Journal 03/25/2011
Iran, N. Korea, and the dangers of nuclear weapons proliferation
03/07/2011
Linked Articles
New York Times 03/06/2012
Deterrence in the Age of Nuclear ProliferationWall Street Journal 03/07/2011
Bill Gates calls for targeted investment in education
02/28/2011
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will invest $290 million in a program to be launched at selected school districts. The programs are designed around improving teacher effectiveness and new personnel systems.
Linked Articles
Bill Gates Seeks Formula for Better Teachers
Wall Street Journal 03/22/2011
Bill Gates - How teacher development could revolutionize our schoolsWashington Post 02/28/2011
Meredith Whitney's forecast of hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. muni-bond defaults
02/07/2011
A more moderate estimate by Roubini of $100 billion. The serious problems in state and local governmet finances in the U.S.
Linked Articles
Muni Default Estimate: $100 Billion
Wall Street Journal 03/02/2011
Meredith Whitneyâs Muni Bond Prediction Draws ScrutinyNew York Times 02/07/2011
The slow shift to healthy choices at grocery chains and restaurants in the U.S. even as the healthcare costs reach alarming proportions
01/20/2011
U.S. companies, workers, and the U.S. economy is squeezed between the growth in obesity related diabetes and other obesity related diseases and the growth in health care costs to treat these diseases. Yet no coordinated action plan exists to tackle the problem between companies, government, universities, public interest groups, and other groups. And the progress charted out by grocery chains, restaurants and other organizations in the food business to provide and encourage healthy choices is incredibly slow.
Linked Articles
Wal-Mart Plans to Make Its House Brand Healthier
New York Times 01/20/2011
Low-Cal Items Fuel Restaurant SalesWall Street Journal 02/07/2013
The 61 million children of migrant workers left behind in China- 75% visited only once a year and 70% under the age of 11
08/27/2010
The price of rapid industrialization in China being paid by children of migrant workers and their parents- about 200 million people or close to 20% of the population. Government policy requires migrant workers leaving rural areas to work in factories to leave behind their children.
Linked Articles
Left-Behind Children of China's Migrant Workers Bear Grown-Up Burdens
Wall Street Journal 01/17/2014
Lixin Fan, Trailing Chinese Migrant WorkersNew York Times 08/27/2010
Expert opinion on the Financial Reform Bill of 2010.
07/16/2010
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/16/2010
Experts Grade the Financial LegislationWall Street Journal 07/16/2010
Paul Volcker and Economists in the Squam Lake Group share concerns about the U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Council
06/15/2010
Volcker voiced his concern that a lot depends on how tough and vigilant a new council is with banks in the US on a day to day basis. The 10 member Financial Oversight Council was set up in the US financial reform bill of 2010. Some of the economists in the Squam Lake Group, 15 highly reputed economists in the U.S., also share this concern.
Linked Articles
Paul Volcker Pushes for Reform, and Regrets His Past Silence
New York Times 07/09/2010
15 Economists Issue Crisis-Prevention ManualNew York Times 06/15/2010
Cost cutting and cost reduction strategies at Toyota and BP that misfired.
02/22/2010
It costs about $6 millon a day for BP to fix the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in May 2010. It cost Toyota much more to make the larger recall and in lost sales and the damage to its image than the $100 million estimated saving by efforts to limit the recall.
Linked Articles
Drilling Down: A Troubled Legacy in Oil
Wall Street Journal 05/01/2010
Toyota Cited $100 Million Savings After Limiting RecallNew York Times 02/22/2010
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