Straight Teeth Have Always Been In Style

Braces have become a necessity rather than a luxury these days. And despite the down-turning economy, parents are dipping into their savings to make sure their kids will have perfect teeth. Money in the bank is earning practically nothing. Investing in their children proves to provide the best return these days. Braces can cost anywhere from $4500 to $7000 with little or no help from dental insurance. Even with the staggering economy offering job losses and salary deductions instead of promotions and raises a perfect smile remains a priority. Most families are struggling, but they are willing to make the sacrifice.

The number of patients getting braces have declined since the signs of recession reared their ugly heads. Some orthodontists realize what a hardship it is allowing braces into a budget so they have dropped fees and/or have let families stretch out payments. Families often face three choices when paying for braces: payment in full and upfront; third party financing with interest; or in-office financing with a down payment.

Society places an enormous amount of value on appearances. The celebrities we often look to have the perfect toned and tanned body and perfect teeth. Parents know the value placed on appearance so the investment in braces gives them security in their kids' future. Kids are now used to the idea of braces because they have become so commonplace. Now they are just one more stage of life to be expected.

Original Article from NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/fashion/16SKIN.html?ref=fashion

A New Career Opportunity...

The world's most famous community organizer has inspired many to follow in his footsteps. Many students are starting to realize that money isn't the most important thing in life. They desire to impact lives in a positive way. However, this job hasn't always been that alluring to recent college graduates. It was once thought of as a job for lefty radicals committed to living lives of low pay, frustration and bitter burnout. But today's youth is viewing the career opportunity in a new light. They even consider it exciting. Those interested in this new path envision helping communities address urgent issues like economics, the environment, education and/or social justice.

President Obama helped ignite the burning passion of community organization through his presidential campaign and memior by glamorizing the unheard of position. He also explained what exactly it meant to be a communiy organizer. In his memior, he wrote about meeting with people in their homes and churches and listening to their stories of failure and of small victories. Community-based organizations have not done a good job of marketing their work. However, sometimes all it takes is one person. In this case it just so happens to be the President of the United States. His campaign was full of free advertising and they used the publicity to fully capitalize on it. This is inspiration to many knowing that their president went from a community organizer to a world leader.

President Obama claimed that working as a community organizer was the best education he had ever had. The job offers certain intangible skills that may not be found elsewhere. Students can see a direct result of the skills a person can learn by looking to President Obama. His concern and the way he relates with everyday people is a direct result of his role in community organizing. However, the main concern with the recent rise in popularity is the lack of guarantee that they will stick with it. It is highly possible that they could eventually become frustrated about the lack of progress.

Original article from NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/fashion/12organizer.html?ref=fashion

...and Netflix is still standing...

Dinner and a movie has taken on a whole new twist. With the economy in recession, Americans are cutting back in every way possible. The new and growing trend... Netflix. Netflix has thrived in the struggling economy because so many are refusing to spend over $40 at the movies for tickets and snacks. Americans have even resorted to cancelling their cable to ease the struggle. Netflix offers an escape from reality for hardly any money and without even leaving the house. Subscribers pick the movies they want to see and a dvd is promptly mailed to their house. Once they are finished they simply mail it back and receive another movie on their list. In February, the company had established over 10 million customers and counting.

Plans are offered at a variety of levels, ranging from $4.99 to $16.99 per month. However, despite the low-cost entertainment, couples have found this to be a new source of arguements. The battle over who chooses the next dvd has escalated into sometimes a full blown out war. Because of this reoccuring problem, a new tool has been added to the site that allows members of the same household to add a profile. They are given an allotment of discs and movies from each list are sent so that each member gets what they want, in an equal amount. The tool acts as a third party and randomly selects from each list, hopefully resulting in less arguing and more movie watching. There is also a problem of unwatched discs. Members often continue to pay the membership fee each month and forego sending back the unwatched disc for another.

Original Article from nytimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/fashion/29netflix.html?pagewanted=1&ref=fashion

Not Just a Trend...

The fashion industry isn't the only one going organic. Advocates and owners of agribusinesses have been waiting for this day for decades. The trend in the food industry is focused on eating healthier and organic. Fair-trade chocolate and organic wine are all the rage. They offer the consumer the indulgence but with a healthier twist. Although organic sales were higher last year, businesses are not getting discouraged. Organic food tends to be more expensive than most, but they have confidence things will start to turn around, especially now that they have the White House on their side. The first lady, Michelle Obama, has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply, which has advocates ecstatic. Michelle Obama has stressed the need for fresh, unprocessed, locally grown food. The goal here is to change the world. The hope is that changes will be made in the way the federal government oversees our food supply and farms. These changes could significantly increase the demand for fresh, local and organic products.

The US has become efficient at producing cheap, abdunant food that is great for corporations, but not so healthy for its consumers and the environment. The hope is that farmers will be encouraged to grow more diverse crops and use less fossil fuels for things like fertilizer and transportation.

Advocates face many obstacles and disputes, but they are confident that they will see progress made in the industry. They continue to gain support from big names like Oprah Winfrey and Gweneth Paltrow. Obesity and food safety concerns also promote the use of organic foods. This growing trend is creeping its way into the mainstream and hopefully, for the sake of our fastfood eating country, will dominate the industry.

Original article obtained from NYTimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/business/22food.html?em

Help for Small Businesses

In the retail industry, many businesses are small businesses. Not all retailers are massive companies with billions of dollars in income. These small companies are facing many challenges as they endure the current economic conditions. President Obama has noticed the severity of the situation and plans to ease their pain as much as he can. He has created a $15 million package to help small businesses. The plan is supposed to reduce lending fees, ease the tax burden and increase bank liquidity to get credit rolling. Small businesses are the heart of the American economy and, according to President Obama, have created 70% of new jobs in the last decade. When small businesses prosper, the entire country prospers. The new plan encourages banks to lend more to small businesses and requires them to report monthly on how much they do lend to them. The White House feels as though making billions in federal loans available to small businesses is one way to address the misgivings over the widely unpopular bailout program. This package directed towards helping small businesses includes $730 million from the stimulus plan to immediately reduce small business lending fees and to increase the government guarantee on some Small Business Administration loans up to 90%. Steps are also being taken to boost bank liquidity with up to $15 billion aimed at unfreezing the secondary credit market. The IRS was also order to issue a series of new rules for temporary, but significant tax breaks. This means that small businesses earning up to $15 million will be allowed to claim losses for the past 5 years in the current tax year, may write off up to $250,000 in investments this year, can reduced estimated tax payments to 90% of the previous year's filing, are allowed to take larger depreciation deductions within the first year of property purchases, and will see a 75% of capital gains excluded for those who invest in small businesses. 

Small businesses are everywhere. They are owned by people you know - your mom, dad, best friend, and classmate. If they suffer, we as a nation suffer as well. The survival of small businesses affect every single industry in the United States, especially retail. Retail thrives off of small business. Luckily, our President hears the cries for help from small businesses across the nation and is more than willing to help. 

Original article from NYTimes.com:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/business/smallbusiness/17sbiz.html?ref=business

Electric cars... $25 billion to promote, yet none on the street...

Electric powered cars are so close within our grasp. The Energy Department has $25 billion to make loans for the manufacturing of these cars, but no money has been allocated yet, despite the 75 companies who applied. President Obama's campaign promise of having one million electric cars on the roads by 2015 has yet to start. These loans are supposed to fulfill this promise. Congress is starting to wonder WHY these loans are not being made. The Energy Department will also be receiving another $2 million for the $787 billion stimulus package. This money is supposed to focus on developing advanced battery technology needed to power electrical cars. These batteries will be more durable, safer and cheaper than anything offered today. The Department finally set deadlines for issuing money. The first loans will be made by late April or early May.

This sounds promising for all the automakers out there, however, there is fine print. Money can only be given to companies and projects that are deemed financially viable. This could possibly exclude GM and Chrysler who have applied for a combined $13 billion from the Energy Department. GM is requesting $8.3 billion using a portion of the money towards the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid. Ford is asking for $5 billion for a variety of electric car retooling. Chrysler is asking for $5 billion. Nissan has also applied for a loan. Other applications also include battery developers.

This new innovation and trend is rising rapidly. People are interested in more economical ways of living. "Green" products are all the rage, as well as high gas mileage with the skyrocketing gas prices. Together the combination is lethal. Today people are more conscious of what they are doing to the earth and how they affect it. We have to get around in a timely manner. There is no way around that. This gives people a way to feel better about themselves and what they are doing to the environment, all while saving money in the long run.

Original article from nytimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/business/energy-environment/27green.html?hp

Cutting Back... A Lesson from Japan

As we adapt to the struggling economy, we are forced to do something some of us never thought we would do... be frugal. Japan struggled in the 1990's to early 2000's and learned how to cope with lower wages and low stock prices. In the aftermath of their economic disaster even well-off Japanese households are resorting to conservation. For example, using old bath water to do laundry is not uncommon these days. They are also not buying cars, causing sales to fall by half since 1990. They are constantly living in fear of a repeat and focus on saving versus spending now. Japan was able to pull itself out of its slump by exporting to the US and China, but its consumers were left feeling less than confident. Per-capita consumer spending only rose 0.2% between 2001 and 2007. Japan relies on its exports, so our economy effects them as well. When we reduce our spending, and therefore imports, they are losing money. They also have to compete with other economies, like South Korea and Taiwan, where the labor costs are low. So maybe the consumer in Japan have good reason to be cautious.

Japanese consumers are now giving up the luxurious and trading it in for a more simple life. The demand for cars by men in their 20's is down 48% from 2000. Women are also trading in their Louis Vuitton for more economical purchases. The baby boomers who were expected to splurge their savings are also holding back.

The same fear that resides in the US is also occupying Japan. And that is DEFLATION. Stimulus packages may seem like a good idea in theory, but when consumers are living in fear of losing everything they have extra money isn't going to go into buying a new car, Manolo Blahniks, or a new Chloe bag. Consumers will more than likely save the extra money in hopes that it will be more valuable in the future.

Original article from NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/business/worldbusiness/22japan.html?_r=1&ref=business

Online Dating... Increasing Our Love Lives?

It's that time of year again... Valentines Day is right around the corner. Dating has proved to be a very expensive form of entertainment and companionship. It doesn't help that the last 5 months have been a time of turbulence in our wallets. Nearly 600,000 jobs were lost in January alone. We have accumulated a national debt of $10.7 trillion and counting. The Dow is down more than 2,200 points from only 5 months ago. But despite the economic crisis, romance has been flourishing. Both online and offline matchmakers are reporting that their business is up. Match.com reports its strongest fourth quarter in the last 7 years. Many brick-and-mortar companies are reporting an increase in business, some up to 40%.

There are a few reasons for this increase in the search for love through third parties. Unemployed and underemployed people have more time for things like searching the web. Online dating is a relatively inexpensive way to meet people. It allows you to get to know a person without wasting an entire dinner just to find out you have no interest in them whatsoever. Organized dating events are also cheaper than original dating. It allows you to meet multiple potential partners all at once, cutting down ten dates into one. Dating has become so expensive that people cannot afford it anymore. The old fashioned way of just going out to a bar at night has become impossible for those who are monetarily strapped. Alcohol is expensive and not a guaranteed tool to work. Speeddate.com,a free online dating site, reported an average of about 80,000 virtual encounters a day in October. Today that has been bumped up to 130,000, a 60% increase. Match.com has seen their membership grow 17% in December, despite the $34.99-a-month charge. Perfectmatch.com had a 30% increase in January. Love-seekers were not turned off by their $50-a-month fee. Duane Dahl, chief executive of Perfectmatch.com, noted that the situation is quite similar to the last economic downturn in 2001.

An increase in traffic at the beginning of the new year is no surprise. This is pretty typical behavior in this industry. Finding someone to spend your life with is a common New Year's resolution. But this year seems to be different. The economy has put a lot of people out of work leaving them with plenty of time on their hands and not a lot of money to burn. Online dating seems to be the perfect activity to fill the void while hopefully fulfilling their resolution.

Original Article from nytimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/fashion/12dating.html?_r=1&ref=fashion

Crafty Marketing Tool Wins Market Share for Hyundai

Despite the recent plunder of big name auto companies, Hyundai is forking over $3 million during the Super Bowl just to teach Americans how to say their name correctly. Every other auto maker has felt the slump in the economy, with sales falling 37% last month. But Hyundai developed a new marketing strategy... no more rebates or low APRs. They cleverly came up with a plan called "Hyundai Assurance." This program allows buyers to return their vehicles, at no cost in most cases and with no penalty, if they lose their job or income within a year. With this program they are able to soothe most buyers fears of fear and uncertainty. With the economy the way it is, one day you have a job and the next day you might not. Hyundai gives the buyer assurance, which gives them confidence to buy. This also broadens Hyundai's target market. People who never thought of owning a Hyundai are now lining up to purchase a new car.

The program covers buyers who leases or finances a vehicle. If they involuntarily lose their job, become physically disabled, lose their license for medical reasons, transferred to another country , self-employed and file for bankruptcy or die in an accident Hyundai covers the difference between the value of the car and the amount the buyer owes, or negative equity, up to a max of $7,500.

Hyundai now has 7% of the market in the US. In 2008, it became the world's 5th largest automaker, sliding ahead of Honda, Nissan and Chrysler.

Original Article from nytimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/business/media/05auto.html?_r=1&ref=business&pagewanted=print

Coca-Cola Deleting "Classic" from Coke Label

In 1985, Coca-Cola introduced one of it's worst marketing mistakes... New Coke. This concoction was a much sweeter version of the original. To the company's dismay, the new product was not a success. However, it left a lasting impact that has reverberated to the present. When New Coke was introduced, the original formula's packaging was changed to "Coca-Cola Classic." Hysteria arose once it was announced that the original version would no longer be sold. They had spent years testing the new product, however, they failed to ask their consumers how they would feel about losing the original formula. Once they realized that New Coke essentially REPLACED the original Coca-Cola the public freaked. The company was receiving an average of 1,500 calls a day on its complaint hotlines. People began hoarding containers of classic Coke. The company was boycotted by some and groups were formed like the Old Cola Drinkers of America. This lasted ten weeks and at this point Coke had no choice but to bring back the original formula. "Classic" was added to the packaging to distinguish it from New Coke. New Coke's lifespan was cut short after the re-introduction of Classic Coke.

More than two decades later the wording on the packaging remains the same, until now. Coke has finally decided to drop the "Classic." Once New Coke dissipated, the "Classic" designation was essentially unnecessary and the font has been shrinking more and more within the last decade. There is only one Coke. When you think of Coke the classic formula is the only one that comes to mind. Of course they offer a variety of flavors like cherry and lime, but there is only one COKE. If consumers need the "Classic" on the label, then they are obviously not a Coke drinker, which essentially cancels out their vote on Coke's product labeling. North America is the only place where the original formula is labeled as such. It's time to join the rest of the world...

Original article from nytimes.com:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/business/media/31coke.html?ref=business