Monday, April 23
Environmentalists and economics groups are coming together in New York City to save energy and money. Perhaps the dirty East River has something to offer New Yorkers. The state is "teaming up with a Virginia company to use the East River for a unique experiment in renewable energy: Six giant turbines are being placed underwater in a $7 million project to harness the energy of the tides and produce electricity." These windmill turbines are 16 feet in diameter, and the one that is placed in the river currently is providing power a grocery store and a garage. Environmentalists are looking for a way to use moving water as a source of power. This is cost effective, as hydroelectric and wind power can be costly, since they required other equipment. The only other equipment these turbines are using are sonar equipment to monitor the fish and their actions around the turbine to make sure they are not being harmed. This project is going to take place over the course of 8 months. The downside of these turbines is that since the river sometimes changes pace and moves slowly, so the turbine only rotates enough to generate power about 77% of the time. If this works, people could save money on paying for gas and oil, and rely on the turbine some of the time to cut down on cost. Environmentalists are thinking even bigger- if this is successful, people in countries who are not fortunate enough to have electricity do have running water, and this may be an option for them. Perhaps this will go as planned, and it will catch on around the world. Not only will it cut down on greenhouse gases, but it will be very cost effective as well.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/business/ci_5666056
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friday, April 20 India (Other)
Friday, April 20
Sunday, April 15, the Hindu posted an article entitled "AT&T Starts Business in India." The worldwide telecommunication company is expanding their horizon even further into India. This is going to help drive AT&T's business growth, as well as benefit India by attracting further worldwide telecommunications companies to the country. The minister of India stated that the country will continue to be an investor friendly destination for telecommunication companies. India's economy is surely rising, especially with all of the additions hospitaliity world. India is going to be a major place for travellers, and good prices in telecommunication will help as much as nice hotels to attract them.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/15/stories/2007041502091300.htm
Sunday, April 15, the Hindu posted an article entitled "AT&T Starts Business in India." The worldwide telecommunication company is expanding their horizon even further into India. This is going to help drive AT&T's business growth, as well as benefit India by attracting further worldwide telecommunications companies to the country. The minister of India stated that the country will continue to be an investor friendly destination for telecommunication companies. India's economy is surely rising, especially with all of the additions hospitaliity world. India is going to be a major place for travellers, and good prices in telecommunication will help as much as nice hotels to attract them.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/15/stories/2007041502091300.htm
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 18- European Union
Wednesday, April 18
On April 12 the EuObserver published an article entitled "MEPs Set to Cut International Mobile Call Charges." Mobile phone operators in Europe will soon have to follow a new law: inter-European international mobile phone calls will be slashed in price by up to 70%, but decisions are still being made on how this should take place. A vote was going to take place later that day on whether or not the proposal of reducing the roaming charges to 0.40 euro a minute for outgoing calls, and 0.15 euro for incoming calls would take place. Disagreements are still going on, whether this proposal will go into effect at once as it passes, or if it will begin with customer the next time they renew their plan or get a new contract. If I was a customer I would want this to go into effect right away. If I'm a paying customer, I don't want to pay more just to talk where the company does not have a cell phone tower.
http://euobserver.com/19/23857
On April 12 the EuObserver published an article entitled "MEPs Set to Cut International Mobile Call Charges." Mobile phone operators in Europe will soon have to follow a new law: inter-European international mobile phone calls will be slashed in price by up to 70%, but decisions are still being made on how this should take place. A vote was going to take place later that day on whether or not the proposal of reducing the roaming charges to 0.40 euro a minute for outgoing calls, and 0.15 euro for incoming calls would take place. Disagreements are still going on, whether this proposal will go into effect at once as it passes, or if it will begin with customer the next time they renew their plan or get a new contract. If I was a customer I would want this to go into effect right away. If I'm a paying customer, I don't want to pay more just to talk where the company does not have a cell phone tower.
http://euobserver.com/19/23857
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Friday, April 13- Australia (Other)
Friday, April 13
"Kinara to Set Up Hotels in India" reads the title of an article posted in the Hindu on Tuesday, April 10. The Kinara group, the group who is proposing this deal, is based out of Singapore and believes that India has "a huge potential in the hospitality industry with growing global tourism and business opportunities." This project is estimated to cost $100 million. Each hotel would have a capacity of about 200 rooms, and the group plans to build these in 8-10 cities. This is good news for people who travel to India, whos hotels right now are nowhere near luxurious. This is good news for India as well, because more people may travel there now that they know they will have a nice place to stay.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/10/stories/2007041005581600.htm
"Kinara to Set Up Hotels in India" reads the title of an article posted in the Hindu on Tuesday, April 10. The Kinara group, the group who is proposing this deal, is based out of Singapore and believes that India has "a huge potential in the hospitality industry with growing global tourism and business opportunities." This project is estimated to cost $100 million. Each hotel would have a capacity of about 200 rooms, and the group plans to build these in 8-10 cities. This is good news for people who travel to India, whos hotels right now are nowhere near luxurious. This is good news for India as well, because more people may travel there now that they know they will have a nice place to stay.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/10/stories/2007041005581600.htm
Wednesday, April 11- European Union
Wednesday, April 11
"The European Commission has started a legal battle with consumer icon Apple and major record companies, saying their agreements on how to sell online music in Europe violates the freedom of consumers," begins an article entitled "EU targets Apple and Record Firms in Downloading Probe" published by the EU Observer on April 3. The article states that consumers can only purchase songs from the iTunes online store in their country. Prices are expensive in the EU, and Apple currently controls 70% of the global music download. This is unfair to consumers, for they are forced to buy their songs from iTunes, since Apple makes all of the record products they own, such as the iPod.
http://euobserver.com/19/23833
"The European Commission has started a legal battle with consumer icon Apple and major record companies, saying their agreements on how to sell online music in Europe violates the freedom of consumers," begins an article entitled "EU targets Apple and Record Firms in Downloading Probe" published by the EU Observer on April 3. The article states that consumers can only purchase songs from the iTunes online store in their country. Prices are expensive in the EU, and Apple currently controls 70% of the global music download. This is unfair to consumers, for they are forced to buy their songs from iTunes, since Apple makes all of the record products they own, such as the iPod.
http://euobserver.com/19/23833
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Monday, April 9- Local/State/National Affairs
Monday, April 9
Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered that "high-deductible health insurance plans favored by many employers often wind up beind an unfair burden to women.. largely because women need many routine medical exams that quickly add up." The study's lead author claims that women spend roughly $1,000 more than men on medical costs annually, and this is just like the employer cutting the paycuts of all of the females that are employed by $1,000. It's true that women do need more check-ups than men on average, because of pregancy and related medical issues that men do not experience. However, it will be difficult to come to an agreement with both employers and medical insurance agencies. If this ever were to be made into a largely controversial issue, it would be up to the government to resolve the issue and decide who would be made responsible for taking care of the difference in cost.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/women/articles/2007/04/06/study_health_accounts_cost_more_for_women/
Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered that "high-deductible health insurance plans favored by many employers often wind up beind an unfair burden to women.. largely because women need many routine medical exams that quickly add up." The study's lead author claims that women spend roughly $1,000 more than men on medical costs annually, and this is just like the employer cutting the paycuts of all of the females that are employed by $1,000. It's true that women do need more check-ups than men on average, because of pregancy and related medical issues that men do not experience. However, it will be difficult to come to an agreement with both employers and medical insurance agencies. If this ever were to be made into a largely controversial issue, it would be up to the government to resolve the issue and decide who would be made responsible for taking care of the difference in cost.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/women/articles/2007/04/06/study_health_accounts_cost_more_for_women/
Monday, April 2, 2007
Friday, April 6- Australia (Other)
Friday, April 6
The Reserve Bank of Australia may have to start a new round of interest rate rise because the rate of inflation pickled up speed last month on climbing petrol and transport prices fueling expectation for an interest rise rate. This may have to happen as early as this week as it struggles to contain wage and price pressures from an economy running at nearly full capacity. In March alone, headline inflation rose 0.5%. The Australian published an article entitled "Inflation Spike Fuels Rate Hike Fears" on April 2. If I lived in Australia at this point, I would be nervous that interest rates would rise too. TD Securities Global Strategist Stephen Koukoulas stated "'The strength in the domestic economy and unambiguous price pressure should cement the case for an interest rise rate.'"
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21488762-20142,00.html
The Reserve Bank of Australia may have to start a new round of interest rate rise because the rate of inflation pickled up speed last month on climbing petrol and transport prices fueling expectation for an interest rise rate. This may have to happen as early as this week as it struggles to contain wage and price pressures from an economy running at nearly full capacity. In March alone, headline inflation rose 0.5%. The Australian published an article entitled "Inflation Spike Fuels Rate Hike Fears" on April 2. If I lived in Australia at this point, I would be nervous that interest rates would rise too. TD Securities Global Strategist Stephen Koukoulas stated "'The strength in the domestic economy and unambiguous price pressure should cement the case for an interest rise rate.'"
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21488762-20142,00.html
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