With the state of the US economy so prevalent on the public’s mind, Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama is picking the brains of some of the most successful business leaders in the United States. Media reports indicate that Senator Obama will participate in an economic roundtable discussion with stock mogul billionaire Warren Buffet, and other powerful movers and shakers from the business world.
Obama to Discuss the Economy with Billionaire Warren Buffet
Virtual Meetings Gain Popularity as Travel Costs Increase
Has the humble business trip become a thing of the past? With travel expenses rising, more and more companies are turning to virtual meetings and video teleconferencing as a way to initiate sales, close deals, train new employees and a variety of other business tasks.
High Gas Prices Driving Increased Online Sales
With the price of gasoline currently between four and five dollars a gallon, many aspects of the economy are being affected. But interestingly, high gas prices have led to an increase in retail sales online at a time when off-line retailers are struggling to stay afloat.
Apple Profits Way Up — But Stock Remains Flat
Sales of Apple computers, iPods and the uber-popular iPhone helped push Apple Inc.’s third-quarter profits up a whopping 31%. The news isn’t all good for the Cupertino California-based company, however. Even though Apple’s third-quarter earnings significantly topped Wall Street analyst’s predictions, investors were skeptical, and the companies stock continues to underperform.
New Study: High Gas Prices Result in Safer Roads
With gas prices soaring as high as five dollars per gallon in some parts of the United States, Americans are feeling the crunch, especially those who face long commutes to and from work every day. But a new study shows that higher gas prices may actually have the effect of saving lives on the American highways.
Cell Phone Companies Complain About Phone Trafficking
Cell phones are getting cheaper all the time. Many companies are offering pay-as-you-go cell phones, preloaded with minutes for as little as $10 or $15. The idea is to sell the phone at a loss, and then make up for it when the user returns to buy extra minutes again and again. Sounds like a profitable idea, and it can be; but clever entrepreneurs have also figured out how to “beat the system” by unlocking the phones software and reselling it abroad.
Zero Emissions: New Car Runs on Compressed Air
How cool would it be if you could fill up your car for about two dollars, and drive as much as you want, secure in the knowledge that you are not contributing to global warming or polluting the environment in any way? This pipe dream may soon be a reality: French engineer Guy Negre has developed a new vehicle which runs entirely off of compressed air. Even better, the only byproduct emitted from the vehicle is clean, breathable oxygen.
New Research: “Noisy” Brain Activity is Healthy
All of us experience random brain “white noise” from time to time — the type of buzzing, non-focused mental activity that most of us associate with anxiety or stress. A new research study from Canada suggests that random brain “noise” is actually a sign of healthy brain activity.
Christian License Plates Spark Controversy in South Carolina
The South Carolina State Legislature has unanimously approved a bill to create a so-called Christian license plate. The plate will feature a gold Christian cross over a stained-glass window, with the words “I Believe” underneath. A similar bill was considered by Florida’s legislature last year, but was eventually rejected as violating separation of church and state.
NBC Purchases the Weather Channel for Cool $3.5 Billion
NBC Universal, a division of the GE group, has agreed in principle to buy the Weather Channel for $3.5 billion. While that may seem like a great deal of money, it is important to keep in mind that the Weather Channel was originally asking a brisk $5 billion for their network.
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