Category: Economics

A Mistake Reveals an Economic Reality

A slew of new federal taxes related to the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) took effect January 1, 2013.  Like most taxes, the tax imposers will try to mask the impact by aggregating them with other taxes.  Because consumers are used to paying some type of tax on practically everything, they are less likely …

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The decline in California’s exodus fizzles out

The good news for California is that not as many of its residents are leaving the state now as they were six or seven years ago. The bad news is that the exodus continues to march onward, together with its domestic migration gap, which has remained steady over the past several years. 2006 saw the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/12/the-decline-in-californias-exodus-fizzles-out/

Fed reports a significant decline in net worth under two measures, but in different amounts

Last week, the media quickly dispersed the jaw dropping statistic just released by the Federal Reserve in its Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF):  household median net worth fell by almost 40% from 2007 to 2010, the mean fell almost 15%.   According to SCF, the median inflation adjusted net family worth (i.e.,  the value of its home(s), bank account(s) and retirement …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/06/fed-reports-a-significant-decline-in-net-worth-under-two-measures-but-in-different-amounts/

A “New” Method of Financing University Education that isn’t New

FixUC, a student-based organization, claims to have found the solution to rising student debt and education costs. The proposal: instead of paying tuition to attend university, students should pay the university a 5% share of their future income for twenty years after graduation. FixUC’s founder and President, Chris LoCascio, explains the logic underlying the initiative, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/06/a-new-method-of-financing-university-education-that-isnt-new/

Between the Numbers of Salesforce.com

Salesforce.com.com (NYSE: CRM) reported its yearly earnings in February. As a publicly traded company, Salesforce.com is required to issue annual financial reports in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or “GAAP”. While Salesforce.com presents GAAP-based earnings in its SEC filings, its management touts a different metric as the preferred method of measuring the company’s performance.  …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/05/between-the-numbers-of-salesforce-com/

The Quiet Surge in Bond Prices

Just recently, long term bond yields have been on the rise. Specifically, ten year Treasury bond yields just hit a five month high on Monday, March 19, 2012. (Late October 2011 was the last time it was higher.) Despite this recent yield hike, almost no one is talking about it. However, if this rising trend …

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Can the Price of Transporting Goods Predict Future Economic Output?

The Baltic Dry Freight Index (BDI) is considered a leading economic indicator by economists and investors. The Index measures the daily shipping rates for commodities like iron ore, coal, building materials, and grains, and therefore acts as a proxy for the supply and demand of raw materials. As the demand for raw material increases, the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/03/can-the-price-of-transporting-goods-predict-future-economic-output/

Is the NBA More Competitive After the Lockout?

The lockout shortened the NBA season by nearly two months while the number games was not proportionately reduced, resulting in a more compacted game schedule and shorter resting periods between games. Is it possible that the lack of rest equalizes the playing field (or court in this case) by rewarding young athleticism at the expense …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/02/is-the-nba-more-competitive-after-the-lockout/

Government employees are compensated 16% more richly than their private sector counterparts

In a study released in January, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) concluded that, on average, civilian federal employee compensation (including both wages and benefits spending) trumps that of the private sector. Except for individuals with a professional degree or doctorate, the imbalance held true at each education level, including (i) high school diploma or less, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/02/government-employees-are-compensated-16-more-richly-than-their-private-sector-counterparts/

Super Advertising: $3.5 Million for 30 Seconds

The National Football League’s annual championship game is consistently the most watched American broadcast on television.  The 2011 Super Bowl had an average audience of 111 million viewers, which surpassed the record-setting 106.5 million viewers drawn by the 2010 game.  It would not be at all surprising if this year’s game surpasses the 111 million …

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