News Investigations
By: Kendra Peterson
Efficiency
Summary/Analysis
Smart trash cans will cut the number of pick ups necessary. It will inform when they are full and when a pickup is needed. It will cut on wasted pick up trips. There are sensors and wifi that tells when the trash needs to be picked up. This relates to efficiency because there is less waste and is more efficient. It's definitely more profitable also. Efficiency means an accomplishment or ability to accomplish a job with a minimal expense, so this article definitely fits this topic.
Summary/Analysis
They are trying to create demand for their stuff by offering discounts off of gift cards and discounts off of everything. They have a pretty good supply of stuff so they can afford to give the discounts. They've had a slow down because of the internet security breach and they are trying to create demand. They are trying to get more people in the door to by things. Supply and demand work together. They are the amount of goods available to meet the people's demand (what they want).
Supply and Demand
Summary/Analysis
There is an oversupply of oil in the economy. It's giving the oil producers trouble to figure out whether they need to drill as much or start making cutbacks on the drilling. Some oil companies are profitable and some aren't due to the logistics, location, and geography. Some companies can still make money in tough times. The state revenues are hurt the worst from the low oil prices. It's supply and demand because there is an oversupply in oil and gas and the demand must not be quite as good and is low. Low prices are good for the consumers but not for the companies producing oil and gas. Supply and demand are the amount of goods available to meet the people's demand. So this article I think also fits the supply and demand side of things.
Government Regulations
Summary/Analysis
It's about unemployment mostly. Also, lack of inflation and low interest rates, and whether monetary policies should stay the same. That means whether the federal reserve should raise rates slowly or quickly. It's government regulations because they control how much interest the money can earn and they print the money. They are in control of basically everything. Government regulations are used to try and control the economy by the government.
Monopoly
Summary/Analysis
During the recent election, the republicans took over the majority in the US senate. There were seven new seats elected. Joni Ernst was one of them from Iowa, which is a very important spot to be in. This I think gives the US senate a republican majority vote. It will be hard for democrats to force anything through like bills, because the republicans have the majority. The republicans are taking over. A monopoly means control over services. Which in this case, the republicans are controlling.
Opportunity Cost
Summary/Analysis
It was about daylights savings time and the need for it. It's about the wasted hour where people could be out being productive instead of sleeping. I think that's an opportunity cost because there was a lost opportunity in the hour when you could've been working and being productive. My definition of an opportunity cost is that it's a choice that you're deciding on. It's our choice to have daylight savings time and we could have an extra hour of production time. This is especially true for farmers, construction workers, or anybody who works outdoors because it darks early.
Profit
Summary/Analysis
During the holidays, the prices of airfare are going up and the companies are making more profit. So many people want airlines over the holidays, so they are need of more planes. The fuel prices are down, so the profit is up. Because of all this, the prices to get an airfare are going up because the planes are packed full. Profit means a financial gain. In this case, the airfare companies are gaining more money.
Scarcity
Summary/Analysis
Scarcity means being short of supply. In this article, the water is having the low supply. People need to be using their water efficiently. During dry periods, the wastewater is expected to grow because the demand for water is going up. All of the water flushed down the toilet or down the sink all goes to waste water. Even when taking a bath or shower, it uses up a lot of water and then turns into wastewater. We need to be good about using our water so there is not a shortage in water. We need water so use it efficiently.