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| Source: EconomicModeling via Carpe Diem |
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
ATTN TEACHERS: This one is for you! Here is a list of "High Paying Jobs that GREW in number during the recession"...I am just the messenger...
7th one down....the graph below this one shows the change in teaching jobs since 2006. How can the number of administrators INCREASE and the number of teachers DECREASE? Who are those Administrators administratin' to???
I am living in the Chicago area now...I need survival tips...And a job!
Due to a job promotion and transfer (from Dallas/Ft Worth area) for my wife (@Verizonwireless), I am living in the Chicago area (Deer Park) now. This is quite an adjustment. I grew up in Northern New England so I know cold, but as a young person. I have resided in Texas since getting out of the Marine Corps in 1984-85. I may need some cold weather survival tips from some of you Northerners or other cold weather countries (who I know visit this blog).
I will continue to post things of general/specific interest to me, my collegues (economic teachers and otherwise) and for the high school students (and former students in college as well) I teach or have taught. My goal is just to keep some basic economic(s) knowledge alive and relevant in your lives. Nothing heavy duty or in-over-my-head analysis...
I hope to secure a job in the next school year teaching Advanced Placement Economics somewhere close to home here in the "Northwest Suburbs" Chicago , as it is known. Through the grace of God, I have secured a long-term sub position for an AP Econ teacher going out on maternity leave in Feb/March, but I need to look long term.
It is the longest of long-shots, but if anyone knows of anything permanent for the next school year for an AP Econ teacher, I would appreciate the lead.
I will continue to post stuff to keep busy and to stay up on current economic news, events and analysis. I hope this blog helps you in some small (or big!) way... :)
I will continue to post things of general/specific interest to me, my collegues (economic teachers and otherwise) and for the high school students (and former students in college as well) I teach or have taught. My goal is just to keep some basic economic(s) knowledge alive and relevant in your lives. Nothing heavy duty or in-over-my-head analysis...
I hope to secure a job in the next school year teaching Advanced Placement Economics somewhere close to home here in the "Northwest Suburbs" Chicago , as it is known. Through the grace of God, I have secured a long-term sub position for an AP Econ teacher going out on maternity leave in Feb/March, but I need to look long term.
It is the longest of long-shots, but if anyone knows of anything permanent for the next school year for an AP Econ teacher, I would appreciate the lead.
I will continue to post stuff to keep busy and to stay up on current economic news, events and analysis. I hope this blog helps you in some small (or big!) way... :)
Monday, December 19, 2011
Attention Students: You are short-changing yourself if you don't look off-shore for career potential---this graph shows you all you need to know...
A stunning reversal of fortunes...Since the year 1999 the change in trade flows to "Emerging Economies, mainly Brazil, Russia, India, China has been dramatic. This graph shows imports into Developed and Emerging Markets. One countries imports is another countries exports. If you are pondering a career with growth potential, look outwardly. Incomes around the world are rising and businesses/entrepreneurs with foresight will find a way to sell to these countries/customers. Are YOU on board?
From The Economist: ""In 2012, an important new milestone will be reached when emerging-markets import more goods and services than the rich economies combined. That is a dramatic change since 2000, when they imported barely half as much as rich countries did. Policymakers will hope that the rapid growth in developing countries’ buying power will boost the profits of companies in rich economies over the coming years.""
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| Source: The Economist |
From The Economist: ""In 2012, an important new milestone will be reached when emerging-markets import more goods and services than the rich economies combined. That is a dramatic change since 2000, when they imported barely half as much as rich countries did. Policymakers will hope that the rapid growth in developing countries’ buying power will boost the profits of companies in rich economies over the coming years.""
Nice Venn diagrams showing the hazards of the relationship between the Federally Regulated and the Federal Regulators who Regulate Them...I thought this was supposed to STOP???
Nice Venn diagrams showing the revolving door of regulator to regulated and vice versa. You will see people from industry appointed to Federal agencies responsible for regulating the industry that person came from, AND you will find former elected officials who now lobby for the same companies they were responsible for regulating when they were in office. Can you say "Conflict of Interest?" or at the minimun it creates moral hazards for the people involved.
A positive aspect of this arrangement is you have industry insiders who are familiar with the inner workings of the industries they regulate and can be more effective in setting/creating policies that can have the desired effect on the regulated.
A negative of this arrangement is the same as above, but the outcome toward the tail-end is the opposite--the industry gets protection by way of the politically appointed regulator who is/was "one of them".
A positive aspect of this arrangement is you have industry insiders who are familiar with the inner workings of the industries they regulate and can be more effective in setting/creating policies that can have the desired effect on the regulated.
A negative of this arrangement is the same as above, but the outcome toward the tail-end is the opposite--the industry gets protection by way of the politically appointed regulator who is/was "one of them".
Source: KPC
Here is an "Inconvenient Truth" about Kim Jong Il---One of the World's Greatest Environmentalists..
If you are scraping the bottom of the barrel to find something positive to say about Kim Jong Il's legacy, then this might be it. He could be the most "Green" Dictator in history. I think one can win a Nobel Prize for that now-a-days...One Great Thing About North Korea's Stagnant Economy
While it continues to be one of the poorest countries in the world, North Korea has at least one good thing going for it.
"Grim communist stereotypes soon give way to unspoiled natural beauty, one of the few upsides of having stagnant economic growth," said Allen.
"The sea here is so clean," said a Chinese tourist. "It's pollution free and it's so pristine. This is definitely something you can't easily see in China."
China is the anti-North Korea in that it has experienced rapid economic growth, which has led to massive pollution.""
Kind of reminds me of this cartoon:
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Here is an objective view of our persistent Unemployment problem that people don't want to face because it is too difficult to address BUT is the primary problem in the Long Run...
While politicians and partisans of all stripes, literally and figuratively, howl at the moon in terms of blame for our economic woes, I prefer students block that out and look at root causes.
Below is an excellent commentary on a significant part (I believe) of our labor employment problem in the US. Much of it is self induced. By that I mean through the collective actions of individuals, government and industry, we have put ourselves "in between a rock and a hard place" because of choice and policy.
The over-arching theme of the article is we don't have enough skilled workers for the manufacturing we do have in the US, and too many college graduates underemployed because they have degrees in either (1) fields that are ALREADY declining or (2) in subjects that have little "market value".
Here are some excerpts, but I encourage you to read the whole thing (short and informative). Instead of joining in political shouting matches that have no end (which is easy to do intellectually), please learn about this important issue and shout instead for solutions to the ACTUAL problems, which is harder to do but is the only way out of our doldrums LONG TERM....
Wanted: Blue-Collar Workers
Below is an excellent commentary on a significant part (I believe) of our labor employment problem in the US. Much of it is self induced. By that I mean through the collective actions of individuals, government and industry, we have put ourselves "in between a rock and a hard place" because of choice and policy.
The over-arching theme of the article is we don't have enough skilled workers for the manufacturing we do have in the US, and too many college graduates underemployed because they have degrees in either (1) fields that are ALREADY declining or (2) in subjects that have little "market value".
Here are some excerpts, but I encourage you to read the whole thing (short and informative). Instead of joining in political shouting matches that have no end (which is easy to do intellectually), please learn about this important issue and shout instead for solutions to the ACTUAL problems, which is harder to do but is the only way out of our doldrums LONG TERM....
Wanted: Blue-Collar Workers
“There are very few unskilled jobs any more,” says Wright. “You can’t make it any more just pushing a button. These jobs require thinking and ability to act autonomously. But such people are not very thick on the ground.” Among the affected industries will be the auto companies, which lost some 230,000 jobs in the recession. David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, predicts that as the industry tries to hire more than 100,000 workers by 2013, it will start running out of people with the proper skills as early as next year. “The ability to make things in America is at risk,” says Jeannine Kunz, director of professional development for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in Dearborn, Michigan. If the skilled-labor shortage persists, she fears, “hundreds of thousands of jobs will go unfilled by 2021.”
Some of Gibson’s fellow manufacturers blame the shortage of skilled workers on the decline of vocational education, which has been taking place for two decades now. Such training is unpopular for several reasons. For one thing, many working-class and minority children were once steered into vocational programs even if they had aptitude for other things, an unfair practice that many people haven’t forgotten. Today’s young people, moreover, tend to regard craft work—plumbing, masonry, and carpentry, for instance—as unfashionable and dead-end, no doubt because they’ve been instructed to aspire to college. “People go to college not because they want to but because their parents tell them that’s the thing to do,” says Jeff Kirk, manager of human relations at Kaiser Aluminum’s plant in Heath, Ohio. “Kids need to become aware of the reality that much of what they learn in school is not really needed in the workplace. They don’t realize a pipe fitter makes three times as much as a social worker.”
The reason for the low rewards is that many of the skills learned in college are now in oversupply. A recent study by the economic forecasting firm EMSI found that fewer computer programmers have jobs now than in 2008. Through 2016, EMSI estimates, the number of new graduates in the information field will be three times the number of job openings.""Source: New Geography
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Nice Graphic...Jobs/Careers projected to need the most workers in the next decade...Are YOU on the right path?
What is not debatable is the fact that continued education is needed to make sure you have the necessary skills to be an employable worker in the future. Do not stagnate and think you have enough knowledge to perform a job. Always look to the next step within your chosen career field and be ready/prepared to move in any career direction.
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| Source: Jared Bernstein |
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Pop Quiz: "Are there more or fewer Federal Government employees today as compared to 1970?". The answer WILL surprise you...
In my last post, I showed a graph of the trend in government employment since 1970. That graph showed employment at ALL levels of government---Federal, State and Local. Got me to thinking...
Has employment at the Federal level increased dramatically, as many would assume? Even if it has in the short run, what has Federal employment been historically?
The graph below shows on the Left scale: the BLUE line (ALL Government employment) and the GOLD line (ONLY Federal employment/employees. The difference between these two lines will be the number of State and Local government employees. Add 3 zeroes to the numbers you see there, indicating millions of employees.
On the Right scale, the RED line is population growth since 1970. Add 3 zeroes to the number you see there, indicating millions of people.
When you look at the GOLD line, factor out the jumps you see at the beginning of every decade---that is when significant part-time employment increases to do the Constitutionally required census.
Are you surprised that the Federal employment line is virtually flat over 30 years?
Let's look at the same graph, but now in an index form so we can see percentage-wise how these three measurements have changed relative to each other.
Using 1970 as a base year (Index = 100), we can see that Federal employment is about the same after 40 years! If you take the difference between the RED line and the BLUE line you can see State and Local employment has increased significantly as a proportion of government employment overall. In other words, there does not appear to be a major shift in employment at the Federal level but certainly lots of growth at the State and Local level.
US population has increased approx 53%, Federal employment has remained about the same, and State and Local government employment has increased approx 77%.
The sheer number of Federal "bureaucrats" has not varied much over time. However, this says nothing about the power of EACH (on average) of those Federal employees.
I think people mix up the two---IF in peoples minds the Federal govt has become more powerful it is because of reasons OTHER than the sheer number of employees wielding influence.
Has employment at the Federal level increased dramatically, as many would assume? Even if it has in the short run, what has Federal employment been historically?
The graph below shows on the Left scale: the BLUE line (ALL Government employment) and the GOLD line (ONLY Federal employment/employees. The difference between these two lines will be the number of State and Local government employees. Add 3 zeroes to the numbers you see there, indicating millions of employees.
On the Right scale, the RED line is population growth since 1970. Add 3 zeroes to the number you see there, indicating millions of people.
When you look at the GOLD line, factor out the jumps you see at the beginning of every decade---that is when significant part-time employment increases to do the Constitutionally required census.
Are you surprised that the Federal employment line is virtually flat over 30 years?
Let's look at the same graph, but now in an index form so we can see percentage-wise how these three measurements have changed relative to each other.
Using 1970 as a base year (Index = 100), we can see that Federal employment is about the same after 40 years! If you take the difference between the RED line and the BLUE line you can see State and Local employment has increased significantly as a proportion of government employment overall. In other words, there does not appear to be a major shift in employment at the Federal level but certainly lots of growth at the State and Local level.
US population has increased approx 53%, Federal employment has remained about the same, and State and Local government employment has increased approx 77%.
The sheer number of Federal "bureaucrats" has not varied much over time. However, this says nothing about the power of EACH (on average) of those Federal employees.
I think people mix up the two---IF in peoples minds the Federal govt has become more powerful it is because of reasons OTHER than the sheer number of employees wielding influence.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Which President in the last 40 years can claim the title of "Small Government" President, in terms of the Federal Workforce? Better look at this before you answer...
Can you identify the US President(s) since 1970 who have decreased the Federal Workforce significantly during their time in office?...Regardless of your political affiliation, are you feeling a little conflicted right now?? Kinda looks like there is only ONE "small government" President, doesn't it??
Snapshot of where jobs were gained and lost in the lastest Employment Report...Read it and weep...
Here are the major categories of industries and the change in jobs in each of those industries. Under "Nov 2011" are the number of jobs created (or if a negatice, jobs lost) in those industries in the month of November (add 3 zeroes to the number you see to get the correct number in thousands). It also shows a comparison to Oct and Sept 2011 AND compares to a year ago (Nov 2010).
The biggest number to jump out is "Retail Trade"---a net increase of 49,000 jobs. This would in large part be seasonal hiring for the holidays. One would have to assume most of these jobs will go away in a month. This will show up in the January report, which would come out in Feb 2012.
Read it and weep...
The biggest number to jump out is "Retail Trade"---a net increase of 49,000 jobs. This would in large part be seasonal hiring for the holidays. One would have to assume most of these jobs will go away in a month. This will show up in the January report, which would come out in Feb 2012.
Read it and weep...
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| Source: BLS.gov |
US becomes a Net Exporter of Petroleum products for the first time in 62 years!! Is this a good thing? Nice new graphic showing the cause...
The following graph may help explain some of the reason. It shows a leveling-off of gasoline supplied in the US starting in about 2005 and then declined in 2007-08 (recession started).
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| Source: EIA However, this does not mean that the production of gasoline has decreased. While demand is soft in the US, many other economys in the world are growing and have an increased demand for gasoline. This graph shows the production of gasoline.  Notice how production varies in the short term, but if I am reading the trend line correctly, it has increased in the past year. Use your imagination and put these three graphics together---A declining supply of gasoline in the US market, an increasing supply of gasoline produced in the US = export of the difference---its gotta go somewhere... From the WSJ: ""U.S. customers have been pulling back in part because an anemic economic recovery has left millions still looking for work. In August, U.S. drivers burned 7.7% less gasoline than four years earlier, when gasoline usage peaked... But U.S. drivers aren't seeing much benefit in the form of lower prices because refineries on the Gulf Coast are shipping much of their output to places where demand is strong, keeping prices high.... Mexico and Brazil were major consumers of U.S. exports, according to the September data, while the Netherlands—home to key European ports —and Singapore also were significant net importers. Argentina and Peru are now net importers from the U.S. For the next year or two, "the economies in Latin America will be growing faster than in the U.S. and the trend of increasing exports should continue," says Daniel Vizel, U.S. head of oil trading for Macquarie Group Ltd. Singapore's net imports from the U.S. roughly quadrupled in the past five years, while Mexico's rose by about two-thirds. Mexico, in particular, is having trouble keeping pace with gasoline demand and buys about 60% of gasoline exports from the U.S...;"" |
Thursday, December 1, 2011
"Green Energy is People!!"**
I did not make this up, but wish I did. To get it, you will have to be familiar with the theme of the movie "Soylent Green"...
Crematorium May Generate Electricity
""A CREMATORIUM wants to install turbines in two of its burners to generate electricity.
The burners at Durham Crematorium would use the heat generated during the cremation process to provide the same amount of electricity as would power 1,500 TVs.
A third burner is to be used to provide heating for the site's chapel and its offices.
The scheme would be the first of its kind in the UK but industry experts say that it could be followed by other similar projects.
Many crematoria are currently replacing their furnaces, to meet government targets on preventing mercury emissions from escaping into the atmosphere.
The substance accumulates in the air and water and is harmful to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and unborn children. It also has an impact on the food chain, particularly when it is deposited in water and ingested by fish.
Crematoria are required to halve such emissions by next year and eliminate them altogether by the end of the decade.
Some have already fitted systems which use the heat from the burners to provide heating for their buildings, nearby offices and, in one case, a swimming pool. ""
Crematorium May Generate Electricity
""A CREMATORIUM wants to install turbines in two of its burners to generate electricity.
The burners at Durham Crematorium would use the heat generated during the cremation process to provide the same amount of electricity as would power 1,500 TVs.
A third burner is to be used to provide heating for the site's chapel and its offices.
The scheme would be the first of its kind in the UK but industry experts say that it could be followed by other similar projects.
Many crematoria are currently replacing their furnaces, to meet government targets on preventing mercury emissions from escaping into the atmosphere.
The substance accumulates in the air and water and is harmful to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and unborn children. It also has an impact on the food chain, particularly when it is deposited in water and ingested by fish.
Crematoria are required to halve such emissions by next year and eliminate them altogether by the end of the decade.
Some have already fitted systems which use the heat from the burners to provide heating for their buildings, nearby offices and, in one case, a swimming pool. ""
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