Oscars!

Every year on a Sunday in February the Academy Awards are on. This night is a yearly tradition and millions of Americans watch the show. The academy gives out Oscars for best picture, director, screenplay, best actor and actress in both a leading and supporting role, as well as many others. Held at the Kodak Theater, stars walk down the red carpet and through the doors for an awesome night. This year the nominees for the best picture are: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Frost Nixon, Milk, The Reader and Slumdog Millionaire. Which movie do you think will win? Which movie do you think will win the most awards?

Social Darwinism in 2009?

I was thinking a lot this weekend about the economy and the markets for 2009 after I heard on the news about Microsoft and their inability to produce and sell new smart phone software in the markets. Microsoft has been upgrading their computer software continuously for the past couple of years however the software for their smart phones has not been as successful. They are having a lot of trouble constantly producing and managing the new smart phone technologies especially when competitors like the Apple iPhone and other BlackBerry palm pilots are continuously creating new and improved software for their phones. What will happen if Microsoft cannot compete with these companies anymore? If Microsoft ends up not continuing with their line of smart phone software, then the possibility of Social Darwinism will apply. Having a monopoly in this industry would be extremely bad for the economy and the consumers in the market this year. Consolidation of companies in the same industry leads to monopolies, which can create one mega store in an industry where the company can sell products with no diversity, a single view point and increase prices. With the economic crisis continuing in 2009, what do you think will happen with Microsoft? Do you think the ideas of Social Darwinism could play a role in all this?

Crisis Continues

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both fell this last week, which makes it the fourth straight week in January that the markets have decreased. The global financial crisis looks to be continuing. The January markets have decreased so much that it seems like this year is going to be just like the last. What do you think? Will February bring a new economy? With our new president, Barrack Obama, many think and hope that the economic crisis will start to clear up. Obama is currently working on an economic stimulus plan as well as many bailout plans. Do you think that this new plan will help our economy?