Overpopulation?? A great talk with Data Visualization

Watch this video, answer the questions raised by the speaker and see how knowledgeable you are about the global society.

The speaker has used many interesting data visualizations in this speech.

(Not Just A) U.S. problem: I work three part-time jobs

(5/19/2016) This is a common problem in the U.S. and in Taiwan (the country I came from). The low level of labor force is struggling to make their ends meet ( a news from CNN Money). "Part-time work has become a huge worry for experts who watch the U.S. economy. There are 6 million part-time workers who want full-time jobs. It's well above its pre-recession average of about 4 million workers."
      Definitely part of the problem is the greed of capitalists, but part of the problem is that the labor cannot catch up the change of business environments and technology. The speed of changes of technology and business environments is speeding up, like the phenomenon of global warming.
      The integration of computer, information technology, robots has replaced many jobs that are done by labors before. Decades ago, business needed many secretaries, typists, telephone operators, couriers (delivery documents in organizations, please watch the classic movie "Miracle on 34th Street"). Their jobs are way all gone. Now, even the jobs of white collar jobs, machine operators, skilled automobile workers, and delivery men (think about Amazon Drone), or maybe even professional photographer (watch this video) are at risk. The productivity growth from computer, IT and robots outpaces many labors of low ranks. People who have $$$ can invest on firms that provides solutions through computer, IT and robots and enjoy continuous good returns on investment (ROI); but labors who are ignorant of these changes are lagging further and further behind. This is a main cause of current income gap in many countries.
     Before the government can take any effective actions, what we (labors) can do is at least to update our skills and knowledges with technology. However, technology skills and knowledges is not enough. The integration of computer, IT and robots can do a much better, accurate, and faster job and our human brains. We have to be able to be independent thinkers, capable to make good judgements based on our skills and knowledges. At least, in a near future (say, 20 years???), the robots are still not capable to make judgement and think like human beings.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/17/news/economy/job-multiple-part-time/

Will automated selfie stick replace some professional photographer's jobs?

Western Australia Mining Cities Go Busted with Iron Ores and Coals

(3/8/2015) It's really like a dream (黃粱一夢) for several mining cities in Western Australia. Just several years ago, these cities are booming like crazy when China had a huge appetite for importing raw materials (iron ores and coals) from commodity-rich Australia. How crazy was that booming you may ask?  "Truck driving and cooking jobs offering $100,000 a year." It was that crazy. Now, many office spaces are up for lease and temporary workers are forced to return back to their countries since the jobs are gone. As far as we can see the economic outlooks of China, there is no recovery in a near future. The iron ore's price has dropped below $60 per tonne, which is never seen for 11 years in the global market. That is why several mining companies have to mothball their mines.

For city like Perth Australia, I feel that maybe it's better this had never happened. Now the mining bubbles left the city unemployed workers (native or foreign), empty buildings, and dwindling tax incomes. A big hangover from the booming party.

Buildings in Perth Australia are almost ready, but the business is gone.

Many companies probably regret they had won mining permission or jumped in the bandwagon.

Germany's Austerity Obsession Could Take Down The Global Economy?

(10/13/2014) This is a news about Germany's recent recession. Did Germany dig into this current problem by pushing austerity in other debt-laden countries in Europe?

Let me try to derive the causal relationship:
EU pushed austerity in countries with huge national debt to stabilize EURO and european's economy --> Countries like Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal cut spendings --> Those debt-laden countries above don't buy equipments or other imports from Germany (since Germany is the behemoth of exporting) --> Germany economy fell into recession.

But will other options to cope with European debt issue work better?

The Contribution of A Black Market

(8/30/2013) I came cross with this interesting article about black market and global economy. It reminds me of some business activities in Asia and how it ran and operated when I grew up. When a market has a demand for something but it is inconvenient for consumers to get it (cigarettes, alcohols, drugs, prostitutions, or even some luxury goods in some developing countries), the black market fills this gap. It bypasses the regulation and intervention of the government. In a black market, the consumers know where to find the supply and the suppliers will rush in when there is a business opportunity to profit from it. I wonder if a more open and free economy has a relative small black market? Is it better off to the whole society?

Money, Money, Money

(10/17/2012) Money is always a game changer in business. To be more exact, what I mean is that the currency exchange is a game change in international business. Is Chinese RMB (Renminbi) still manipulated at a very low level? That is one of crossfire topic last night in the presidential debate between Romney and Obama. This article provides you some evidence that RMB has been relatively appreciate its value in the last several year.

I often hear that American accuses Chinese government currency manipulation that causes their trade imbalance and job loss issue in the U.S. Then the Chinese accuses American (people and government) spending too much money and own a lot of debt to foreigners. In Chinese, it says "一個銅板不會響", which means that you cannot make noise with just one quarter and both sides should be blamed. I agree with that. However, who will eventually win? Well, I think American, RELATIVELY.