In the midst of a recession, American business leaders are attempting to expand into the global economy. The agricultural sector in the U.S. would benefit from sending beef to Asia, but since the mad cow disease scares, domestic beef has not seen high export rates.  This treaty would potentially create more jobs for Americans in the auto industry, a sector heavily affected by the economy’s hard times. South Korean officials are vowing to enforce even more stringent fuel efficiency qualifications than those in the U.S. on any American-made automobiles. This did not sit well with American auto manufacturers.

Obama’s trip to Asia was supposed to be a positive step toward improving the U.S. economy by boosting our position in the global marketplace. One of the major goals of the current administration is to double exports during the next five years. Many believe that our economy cannot thrive without significant increases in exports.

India and China are the major players in the world economy today. When the U.S. and other global economies were in a deep recession in 2009, China was still enjoying strong economic growth.  Americans desperately want to be optimistic about the future. The Obama administration contends that the deal with the South Koreans has potential.

The Ford Motor Company is the largest voice of opposition. Ford has backed trade agreements from Washington for 45 years, but drew the line here. They argue it will likely create more jobs in South Korea than in the U.S.  They claim that the agreement in its current form does not do enough to open up markets for U.S. manufacturers and will eventually lead to job losses.

This treaty may be finalized soon, but a Republican Congress majority may make this difficult.

This trip to the Far East did not help further Obama’s recent mission to improve his relationship with big business.

Surely, there is not enough time to get your fuel for the day and make it to class in time. No bagel or coffee for you today. Yet again, you’ll have to settle for a Diet Pepsi and Snickers from the vending machine. How often does this occur? More often than one might expect.

In a non-scientific study, I spent a few hours outside of Einstein’s during the morning rush to find out just how many half-awake students were left without a bagel.  The result was frightening, and even more alarming is the amount of sales Einstein’s losses.  

While lost-sales varied by day, mostly due to the breakup of class schedules, I found that an average of 25 students each day decided to skip the wait and head to class instead. While it was uncommon to see someone already waiting in line exit due to an upcoming class, I regularly witnessed numerous students stop and turn around after seeing a long-line protruding from Einstein’s.  

Some expressed their frustration vocally, while others quietly turned away in dismay. 

So a few kids walk away hungry – their loss. But what does Einstein’s have to lose? Plenty, if my assumption is correct. Twenty five hungry students each day is 125 hungry students a week, 1875 hungry students a semester, and 3750 hungry students during a school year. Obviously, each of those students’ orders would differ dramatically, but for the sake of the assessment we’ll presume a single homogenous order. 

I normally order a large coffee (it’s usually a $1 refill in my paisley Einstein Bros. coffee mug, but let’s ignore that for now) and an everything bagel with cream cheese; total cost: $4.28.  Assuming all 3750 hungry students have the same appetite as me, that’s $16,050 in sales Einstein’s left on the table. Yes, $16,050 a year in lost sales – enough to put a student through one semester of classes or buy them 162 kegs of Bud Light.

So, why the bottleneck?  

I’m not a logistics major, but I presume the general layout of Einstein’s itself causes the backups. I hope this article opens a broader discussion as to why so many students are left without a bagel and coffee each morning.

With the national unemployment rate at 10.2 percent, retailers are trying to buoy sales as consumers cut back on discretionary spending. Most retailers have been responsive to the new found frugality of consumers and Walmart’s CEO recently announced the firm would be cutting prices weekly on top-selling items and holding those price cuts through the holidays.

The deals being touted this year have started far earlier than in previous years with many retailers offering Black Friday-esque deals weeks in advance. Walmart has practically been giving products away – last week, shoppers who bought either a Blackberry or Xbox 360, were given a $100 Walmart gift card.  The company also dropped prices on other electronic devices.

In regards to pricing, Walmart has indeed been on the offensive.  Most notably, the company has started a highly publicized all-out price war with Target and online-retailer Amazon.com. When Walmart offered numerous pre-release DVDs like “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” at $10, Amazon.com quickly dropped their prices on the same DVDs to $9.99. Walmart responded instantly by dropping prices to $9.98. Just last month the three companies engaged in a similar price war on popular books, including Sarah Palin’s new book “Going Rouge.”

Many have even taken their advertising blitz to social media Web sites like Twitter and Facebook.  Staples, an office supply retailer, used Twitter to announce price cuts upwards of 50 percent on products ranging from laptops to computer monitors.

Despite the attempts to boost sales during the recession, however, analysts are mixed as to how holiday sales will pan out. According to Bloomberg Analysts’ holiday sales estimates vary from a one percent decline to a nearly three percent gain over last year. The retail sector has posted negative year-over-year sales every month for more than a year, according to Thomson Reuters.

Those looking to search for the best deals have numerous resources available to them on the Internet.  Shoppers can head to bfads.net, dealnews.com, blackfriday.fm, black-friday.net, blackfriday.info or dealtaker.com for a roundup of some of the best deals available online and in stores.

The abundance of deals is sure to spur demand for numerous products.  So, if you’re looking for a new laptop, TV, shoes or anything else, be sure to act quickly as these outstanding deals aren’t here to stay.

Issue 3 will also produce tens of thousands of jobs, and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state of Ohio. Billions of dollars leave the state every year as Ohioans leave to gamble in surrounding states, which have already legalized gambling. The overlying plan of Issue 3 is to keep “Ohio’s money in Ohio,” yet there are formidable parties and strong arguments that are both for and against. 

The “Official Argument and Explanation For Issue 3,” from the state of Ohio’s Web site, outlines all the reasons Issue 3 is a good deal. According to the official argument, by voting “yes” on Issue 3, you will:

• Create first-class casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

• Create 34,000 new Ohio jobs.

• Produce $11 billion in economic impact over 5 years.

• Generate $651 million a year in tax revenue.

• Provide $200 million for state job training programs.

• Mandate at least $1 billion in new private investment to be spent on casino new casino facilities.

The “Official Argument and Explanation Against Issue 3” states that Issue 3 is a bad deal for Ohioans because:

• Casinos pay only a 33 percent tax rate, keeping 67 percent for themselves.

• Bans other casino gambling, such as “casino nights” at churches or other organizations.

• It imposes a hidden tax by failing to limit how much taxpayers must spend to upgrade infrastructure if a casino is built.

• Allows casinos to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is not as simple as reading these facts and formulating an opinion. According to Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, an independent study supports that 34,000 jobs will be created state-wide. Of the 34,000 jobs, 19,000 will be created through construction projects and 15,000 will be permanent positions. Those against Issue 3 argue that many of the jobs will not be given to those in Ohio, but rather licensed employees from other states.

This seems like a radical idea but, even if it were true, these employees would have to relocate to Ohio permanently in order to work. I do not picture people from Las Vegas or other states flying in on a daily basis to work their shift. Worst case scenario, if out of state employees were hired they would be moving here, paying income taxes here, and spending their income in Ohio. 

Secondly, people argue that the tax rate is much too low. Casinos in New York and Pennsylvania have tax rates over 50 percent and feel a rate of only 33 percent puts too much money back in the hands of the operators and not the state. The money from tax revenues ($651 million annually) is dedicated to all 88 counties. The majority of revenues will benefit the struggling public school systems of Ohio, more specifically city schools where these casinos will be located. So take your pick–should we be greedy and expect more from the casinos, or be willing to accept the current infusion of $651 million?

The official argument for Issue 3 and Gilbert insist the casinos will spark revitalization in the downtown centers of Ohio’s four largest cities. Gilbert projects that an entire casino complex located in downtown Cleveland will bring an additional 8 million people annually. The casino complex will include new retail shops and restaurants, which according to Gilbert “is a catalyst for growth.” 

But there are several large parties who oppose economic growth in Ohio. There are rumors floating around that the majority of the sponsorship against Issue 3 is coming from parties which operate casinos out of state. The Mountaineer, a casino in West Virginia, has been said to be heavily contributing to the fight against Issue 3. It is conveniently located in the panhandle of WV, just minutes from the Ohio border. Clearly, out of state operators have their own interests in mind as they would lose millions of dollars in revenue from the development of casinos in Ohio.

At a time when Ohio’s economy is still struggling and unemployment is around ten percent, nontraditional ideas to aid in the recovery must be considered. Issue 3 could be an enormous lift for the state. There are definitely some detractors to this amendment and, while it is not perfect, it appears the state of Ohio would almost certainly benefit from the passing of Issue 3.

On Nov. 3, find your way to the polls if you want a say in Ohio’s constitution!

A recent study released by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that U.S. employers plan to hire seven percent fewer 2010 college graduates than they did from the previous year’s graduating class. NACE executive director, Marilyn Mackes, suggested that “Traditionally, employers tend to be conservative about their college hiring when the economy is in flux.”

Another sobering statistic from the study: “Less than 20 percent of 2009 grads who have applied for a job actually have one in hand.” In comparison, 50 percent of graduates from the class of 2007 had jobs by the time of graduation. Surprisingly, in a time when soon-to-be graduates should be searching more diligently for a job, the data suggests that only 59 percent of this year’s graduating class have started looking for work, compared to the class of 2007, where two-thirds were looking for a job at this time.

Searching for jobs using Craigslist, monster.com, and yes, even the career center, simply won’t cut it anymore. It will take more initiative on the student’s part and possibly some trade down. With fewer jobs available, more students have opted for heading straight into graduate school, while others are looking for internships after graduation, rather than a full-time position. The latter, though unpaid at times, can be a good way for recent graduates to get their foot in the door at a company. Students might even consider public service positions, such as the Peace Corps, to further boost their resumes.

Indeed, many students have the right to be frustrated and scared about what the future may hold in the near future, especially at such a turning point in our lives. Advisers can do little more than offer support and hope. Some, like Trina Thompson from New York’s Monroe College, have taken matters into their own hands – she is suing her college for $72,000, the full cost of her tuition, because she cannot find a job. While certainly ambitious, I don’t offer that as advice. Rather, focus on networking and being aggressive when it comes to the job search.

But many people are not aware that this may be the last year the National Football League has a landscape similar to what the fans have become accustomed to. What many of us forget is that the NFL is a business where owners’ and players’ financial interests will take precedent over the fans “need” for entertainment.

The NFL states that there will be football played for two more seasons guaranteed. The 2010 season may be the first year since 1993 that the NFL has seen uncapped player salaries. The 2011 season may not even occur, as many NFL officials and the NFL Players Association have acknowledged there is a very real chance of a lockout. So now you might be asking yourself, how is all of this possible?

In 2006 the owners of the NFL came to an agreement with the players union to increase the player’s potential salaries from 55.5 percent to 60 percent of NFL revenues, according to ESPN.com. It is apparent that the owners of the NFL organizations did not conduct their due diligence. The owners have seen their profits fall every year since 2006 due to rising costs.

Last year, in an attempt to restore profits from their own lapse in judgment, the owners opted out of the contract agreed to in 2006. Owners feel the players are taking too much of the pie and want to reclaim some of it. The players are, of course, reluctant to take a reduction in pay because they feel they were guaranteed these wages. This leaves the NFL owners and players union at a standstill and effective negotiations have yet to occur. This is the reason there will almost certainly be a 2010 NFL season without a salary cap, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell.

If an agreement has not taken place before the 2011 season, the owners will lockout the players. It would be the first work stoppage of the NFL in 23 years. This is a very similar situation to what took place in the NHL during 2005-2006 season, when not one professional hockey game was played the entire season.

So to the fans of the Carroll community that root tirelessly for your respective NFL team, relish the 2009 regular season and playoffs (if you are so fortunate). Lastly, remember that the NFL is a business and is not “too big to fail.”

The average debt taken on by students to pay for higher education is now $23,186, up from $13,172 during the same time period. Meanwhile, tuition has grown at about twice the rate of inflation in recent years.

Many students, however, owe far more than the average, especially those who take more than four years to graduate or go on for graduate degrees. 

The amount borrowed by students grew by about 25 percent over the past year, the highest year-over-year since records were first kept, according to the department of education.  This rising cost of tuition and loose lending standards may be fueling the fire.

Given the current job market and the growing levels of debt, many graduates find themselves in a difficult environment upon graduation. In a 2006 survey of college graduates by Alliance Bernstein LP, 39 percent of college graduates expect it will take 10 years to pay off education-related debt.  

This has repercussions after graduation, with 44 percent of surveyed graduates suggesting they delayed buying a house and 28 percent delayed having children because of education-related debts.

For those seniors worried about entering the job market and underclassmen worried about the exponentially growing cost of attending a university, what options are there? 

According to Sallie Mae, the United States’ largest college student loan company, graduates can request deferral or forbearance, which can temporally suspend payments during a period of financial hardship – keep in mind, interest will continue to accrue during this period.  Graduates can also request an extended-payment option, which reduces monthly payments and extends the loan term. 

Furthermore, graduates might consider living with their parents after graduation, delaying the purchase of that new car they’ve been waiting for, continuing a diet of ramen noodles instead of shopping at Whole Foods, or postponing the cliché tour of Europe with friends upon graduation. 

In Washington, the education committee approved an Obama initiative in July, which seeks to shut down the 55 billion dollar Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP).  The bill would give the Education Department oversight over student lending. The plan would increase the government share in loan origination from the current level of 20 percent to 80 percent on July 1, 2010, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

The remaining 20 percent would be left private. If the plan passes, taxpayers will put up approximately $100 billion per year to lend to students.

 According to Reuters political analysts, the bill should easily pass in the House, but may face headwinds in the divided Senate.

Students with outstanding loans after graduation should talk to their respective loan providers and discuss payment options upon graduation.

According to Chief Economist David Rosenberg of Gluskin-Sheff, “The historical record shows that equities go down in September or October by 10 percent or more fully 15 percent of the time.” 

Optimism among investors has been growing in recent months on the back of less-bad economic data. 

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rose more than 50 percent from the 666.67 bottom forged on Mar. 6, 2009. Foreign markets are down, as well, with the Shanghai Composite in Asia down more than 20 percent from its August high.  

Private-sector jobs in the U.S. fell by 298,000 in August, greater than the 213,000 drop projected by economists. The jobless rate jumped higher than expected to 9.7 percent, up from 9.4 percent in July, according to Labor Department data released on Sept. 4, which is the highest level since June of 1983. The all-inclusive U-6 jobless rate rose to an all-time high of 16.8 percent in August, from 16.3 percent in July.  

It seems as though cash-strapped consumers continue to tighten their belts given the weak employment market, with Redbook reporting that chain store sales were down 0.6 percent in August and down 5.1 percent year-over-year. Retailers are now offering deep discounts to lure customers after a lackluster back-to-school shopping season, with Retail Metrics estimating that teen retailers feared the worst in August.

Those consumers still able to afford luxuries are benefiting from a weak retail market, with many retailers offering large discounts and price roll-backs.  

Many remain optimistic that the U.S. economy is improving. According to the Wall Street Journal,  J.P. Morgan economist Bruce Kasman suggesting that, “We had been looking for improvement, but the speed at which it’s come and the magnitude with which it has come is surprising.”  

According to the L.A. Times, President Obama suggested that the recent uptick in manufacturing data in the U.S. and abroad is proof that “the steps we’ve taken to bring our economy back from the brink are working.”  

The increase is partly due to the recently expired “Cash-for-Clunkers” program, which led to 690,114 new sales at a cost of $2.88 billion to the taxpayer.  Consumers were given credits of up to $4,500 for select models.

The safety of your deposits stems from Great Depression Era legislation that insures bank accounts. The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 set up a government agency called the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation. This is an insurance fund that guarantees the deposits in any bank account up to $250,000.

For individuals with accounts in excess of $250,000 other special insurance is available through select banks. The FDIC was set up to prevent “bank runs” – where many depositors fear the banks will not be able to satisfy their demand deposits and simultaneously cash out their accounts. This would cause banks to go under as they only keep a portion of the value of their demand deposits on location.

What this means to you is that the money in your bank account is definitely safe. Even if your bank fails–say from taking incredible losses on bad mortgage loans they have made–you are still entitled to all the cash in your bank account.

For example, if you have $5000 in the Bank of Bob and the Bank of Bob fails, the FDIC will step in and send you a check for $5000 to satisfy your demand deposit, at which point you can take your money to another bank.

With the current banking crisis in full force, many banks across the country have failed. Critics have brought up the idea that the FDIC will be satisfying so many demand deposits from failed banks that the pool of insurance money will dry up. This has caused some fear that money actually is not safe in banks under today’s unique economic environment.

The government, however, has already begun taking actions to refill the FDIC pool. This has come in the form of requests for cash from good banks. Is it fair for the good banks to have to pay for all the bad banks failures? Unfortunately, someone has to and the government is trying to avoid passing that bill onto the taxpayers. Also, the continuing support of FDIC insurance is essential to the ongoing operations of the good banks; so they aren’t exactly paying for nothing.

Also, remember that the government has the ability to simply print cash. Though this can have a devastating long-term effect on the value of a dollar bill, the government will satisfy all depositors in FDIC insured bank accounts.

The money in your bank account is absolutely safe. You should have no fear of losing your money even if your bank is rumored to be on the verge of failure. You should not consider pulling your money out of the bank in exchange for holding it in cash. This is considerably more risky as you could have the money stolen or lost.

The last thing banks need today is depositors pulling cash out of their accounts. You can rest assure that the money in your bank account is perfectly secure, even if the health of your bank is not.