Tuesday, July 14, 2009
BIG NEWS FOR EDUCATION IN US
I was going through my daily dose of news when I saw this news and this is a biggie.President Obama announced a $12 billion plan for community colleges in an effort to aid the United States towards its goal of highest proportion of graduates by 2020. Now that is what we call ambitious.For the complete story,visit http://http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090714/pl_nm/us_usa_education_obama.Yes I have given up the practice of copying the whole story to my blog as it is time consuming and did not go well with a visitor to the blog.So I will only post links.Whoa!I wish our government did something similar as ourhigher education system is mourning its downfall.But then again we are not America,we are Pakistan. Wish I had that kind of power,then I would make the educational system my first priority.Listen everyone! Pakistan can not flourish until we get good education.Is not the vision to see pakistani people getting good education reason enough to live, to strive,to put forward one's life. For me it is!
Monday, July 13, 2009
TOP UNIVERSITIES
I am about to apply to universities for undergraduate study.So,I have been doing some research about the universitites.Now,for the uninitiated (as I was some while ago),a good place to start is at the Times Higher Education rankings.Not only will it give you information about the top universitites of the world but it also serves as a good index for universities (I admit I didnt know at least 90% of the universities listed) so it helps you to explore new options for your higher education.The link ishttp://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/results/2008/overall_rankings/fullrankings/
Remember all of the universities in the website are the world's best and you would get good education in them. Instead,try to focus on a university that fits your personality so you would be happy there.
Remember all of the universities in the website are the world's best and you would get good education in them. Instead,try to focus on a university that fits your personality so you would be happy there.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
DONT UNDERSTAND THIS,CAN SOMEBODY HELP
Today I watched FAREED ZAKARIA at CNN and the talk was about the financial crisis of the states and the treasury secretary of States,Mr.Geithner asserted that to help the situation,Americans should spend less and somehow make chinese consume more.I do not know whether it was due to my imperfect knowledge of the subject or the fact that since I came to my home just in time to catch the last five minutes of the show,I did not understand the statement.How can the chinese help the States?Please can somebody explain me because this question comes back to hauntme from time to time!!!
APPLYING ECONOMICS TO OBSERVATIONS
I had gone to Murree which infact is a tourist haven in Pakistan with extremely pleasant weather and there are many things I observed which caused me to use economic theories to understand situations.here are a few examples:
- I know it has become cliched now that we have a major oppurtunity cost in making housing schemes in deforestation.Never has this idea struck me with such a great force than went I went to murree.Man ,it is such a beautiful place due to its plantation growth but recent rapid housing developments most inevitably is leading to a great deal of deforestation.In fact,I learned from an acquaintance that he sold 'diar' ,the best wood,for roughly Rs.25 a kilo obtained from a tree in shamilat or government area.This example goes on to show ,in a very unscientific way,not only the relative abundance of plantations in the area but also the local indifference to such a major issue.Also,the ubiquitous accession of land by land mafia of government is what I would also like to write about but not now.
- As the tourist season is in full swing these days,Murree was full to its brim.If you dont see lines of upto 60 cars long along roads in murree now,then,I would suggest you should get your eyes checked.When I was part of these onerous traffic rushes,I started thinking about ways of regulating this traffic.Maybe some taxes or something should be introduced.there are some measures in place e.g. one way traffic system,no entry of cars during peak times but still more needs to be done
- It is always a great pleasure to actually see what you have studied or study what you have observed.As we were invited by some our friends over there.so it was more of a visit than an actual holiday and it is presumable that we had to buy very little from there for sustenance as our friends played such great hosts.but what stuff we bought had one thing,it was heavily overpriced;a coke cost Rs.110,300% overpriced.It all reminded about everything I had studied about monopoly and its effects.In fact,it was interesting to note ways to coerce monopoly on consumers.Many places do not allow outside stuff such as eatables inside,thereby forcing consumers to buy goods from them at sometimes upto three times the market price .
- I also observed that although Murree is carrying out its job as a tourist attraction due to its natural beauty but it requires more advertising to attract foreign tourists.Yes,I saw some foreigners but the more,the better :)My observation says that if money on advertising Murre as tourist haven is done properly,it might help to counter some of our long-running trade deficit.We have halted at making a tourist ministry and making scandals of the tourism minister.Next to nothing is done on advertisement
Friday, July 10, 2009
Oil below $60 as traders eye company results
VIENNA – Oil prices slid well below $60 a barrel Friday as investors braced for company earnings reports next week that will provide clues on the strength of crude demand.
While global appetite for crude over the next few months remains unclear, expectations are that it will increase by next year, with the International Energy agency predicting a 1.7 percent rebound in demand by next year.
Benchmark crude for August delivery was down $1.58 at $58.83 a barrel by afternoon European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday, the contract rose 27 cents to settle at $60.41.
Oil had bobbed near $60 a barrel the last two days after dropping from an eight-month intraday high of $73.38 on June 30 on investor concern that a rally since Masaid global oil demand will increase by 1.4 million barrels a day in 2010 to 85.2 million barrels a day — a "strong rebound" that would be led by growth in developing countries.
The IEA left its forecast for 2009 oil demand unchanged, and still expects it to drop 2.9 percent.
Still the direction of the oil market remained unclear in the short run, with prices poised to rise substantially above — or fall precipitously below — the $60 mark., Brent prices fell $1.24 to $59.86 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange(SOURCE:YAHOO NEWS)
WELL,THIS IS WHAT SHOULD I SAY,FAIRLY GRAVE NEWS:)
While global appetite for crude over the next few months remains unclear, expectations are that it will increase by next year, with the International Energy agency predicting a 1.7 percent rebound in demand by next year.
Benchmark crude for August delivery was down $1.58 at $58.83 a barrel by afternoon European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday, the contract rose 27 cents to settle at $60.41.
Oil had bobbed near $60 a barrel the last two days after dropping from an eight-month intraday high of $73.38 on June 30 on investor concern that a rally since Masaid global oil demand will increase by 1.4 million barrels a day in 2010 to 85.2 million barrels a day — a "strong rebound" that would be led by growth in developing countries.
The IEA left its forecast for 2009 oil demand unchanged, and still expects it to drop 2.9 percent.
Still the direction of the oil market remained unclear in the short run, with prices poised to rise substantially above — or fall precipitously below — the $60 mark., Brent prices fell $1.24 to $59.86 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange(SOURCE:YAHOO NEWS)
WELL,THIS IS WHAT SHOULD I SAY,FAIRLY GRAVE NEWS:)
World has avoided economic disaster, Obama says
L'AQUILA, Italy – Lasting worldwide recovery "is still a ways off," President Barack Obama declared Friday, but he also said at the concluReckless actions by a few have fueled a recession that spans the globe," Obama said of the meltdown that began in the United States with a tumble in housing prices and drastic slowing of business lending. The downturn now threatens superpowers and emerging nations alike.
Obama urged national leaders to unite behind a global recovery plan that includes stricter financial regulation and sustained stimulus spending.
"The only way forward is through shared and persistent effort to combat threats to our peace, our peace, our prosperity and our common humanity wherever they may exist. None of this will be easy," Obama told a news conference at the end of the Group of Eight summit of major economic powers.sion of a global summit that a disastrous economic collapse apparently has been averted........................................................On the world economy, Obama said that rising food prices mean millions more are falling into desperate poverty "and right now, at this defining moment, we face a choice. We can either shape our future or let events shape it for us."..............................."While our markets are improving and we appear to have averted global collapse, we know that too many people are still struggling. So we agree that full recovery is still a ways off." He said the world leaders felt "it would be premature to begin winding down our stimulus plans."
Earlier in the week, the 186-nation International Monetary Fund released an updated economic forecast, predicting that the global economy will shrink 1.4 percent this year, the worst performance in the post-World War II period. That forecast was slightly worse than the 1.3 percent decline the IMF predicted in April.
The international lending agency did see prospects improving for next year with global growth forecast to climb to 2.5 percent, up from an April projection of 1.9 percent.
Leaders at Friday's meetings also committed themselves to a $20 billion initiative to help farmers in poor countries boost production. (SOURCE:YAHOO NEWS)
Here goes Mr.president with something really happy and cheerfull to say in times where bad news have become the norm,I reaally thin theat specially in these hard times ,we all must work hand in hand with each other to get stability
Obama urged national leaders to unite behind a global recovery plan that includes stricter financial regulation and sustained stimulus spending.
"The only way forward is through shared and persistent effort to combat threats to our peace, our peace, our prosperity and our common humanity wherever they may exist. None of this will be easy," Obama told a news conference at the end of the Group of Eight summit of major economic powers.sion of a global summit that a disastrous economic collapse apparently has been averted........................................................On the world economy, Obama said that rising food prices mean millions more are falling into desperate poverty "and right now, at this defining moment, we face a choice. We can either shape our future or let events shape it for us."..............................."While our markets are improving and we appear to have averted global collapse, we know that too many people are still struggling. So we agree that full recovery is still a ways off." He said the world leaders felt "it would be premature to begin winding down our stimulus plans."
Earlier in the week, the 186-nation International Monetary Fund released an updated economic forecast, predicting that the global economy will shrink 1.4 percent this year, the worst performance in the post-World War II period. That forecast was slightly worse than the 1.3 percent decline the IMF predicted in April.
The international lending agency did see prospects improving for next year with global growth forecast to climb to 2.5 percent, up from an April projection of 1.9 percent.
Leaders at Friday's meetings also committed themselves to a $20 billion initiative to help farmers in poor countries boost production. (SOURCE:YAHOO NEWS)
Here goes Mr.president with something really happy and cheerfull to say in times where bad news have become the norm,I reaally thin theat specially in these hard times ,we all must work hand in hand with each other to get stability
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