Commentary
We Happy Few
Mindful of the recent collapse of favored investments insubprime real estate and credit default swaps, and in light of the fact thatthe traditional markets remain turbulent in the wake of escalating implosionsand regulation, we focus this months advice on safer harbors for ourwell-gained billions. 1. The rate at which artistic masterpieces are damaged orstolen has…
Plan Ahead
Companies that provide health insurance to employees willsoon face the financial impact of the sweeping new health care reform laws.While small businesses may benefit from new tax credits and exemptions frompenalties if they dont provide sufficient coverage, many midsize and largebusinesses likely will see health care cost increases. There are still some gray areas in…
Same Ol Song and Dance
About a nanosecond into any heated discussion ofWashingtons business climate, one of the participants will mention,approvingly or derisively, the instantly infamous comment by Alan Mulally, thatI think we suck. Whats been lost in the legend is that Mulally, then head ofBoeing Commercial Airplanes, was referring not only to the states businessclimate generally but also to…
In Times of Uncertainty, Family Businesses Help Anchor the Economy
Our region is great at starting companies–unfortunately, a lot of them end up getting sold off. Wouldn’t it be nice if more of the companies stuck around? John Cook had an interesting blog yesterday on the tendency of entrepreneurs in our region to start companies and then turn around and sell them. And it’s true,…
Journalism Excellence Awards for Seattle Business Magazine
It’s nice to see hard work go rewarded, but only rarely do we in the journalism field like to call attention to ourselves, preferring instead to let our stories speak for themselves. Saturday night was one such occasion, however, as the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists gave out its Excellence in Journalism…
The Brazilian Connection: Supplier, Customer, Competitor and Teacher
Remember Brazil? Not that long ago it was the worlds basket case with hyper-inflation, bloated deficits , political instability and an economy stifled by bureaucracy. Today, Brazil has foreign reserves of $240 billion, which exceeds the combined debts of the nation’s government and corporations. Once a recipient of IMF bailout money, this time, Sergeo Rezende,…
Moving Learning Online
I will admit, the title of this blog is a little misleading. New education sites like Udemy, Edufire and Myngle that are popping up are not attempting to move education from the classroom. Instead, they are attempting to expand the ability of willing learners to connect with willing teachers. Video instruction is not a new…
Its Time to Make Our Taxes Smarter
Sometimes, politics obscures the most obvious solutions tomany problems. Replacing some of Washington states most unpopular taxes with acarbon tax is one such solution. With oil prices down and huge reserves of cheap natural gasincreasingly available, we have the opportunity today to make a relativelypainless transition toward an economy less dependent on risky,pollution-generating oil and…
Washington Business Alliance, A New “Centrist” Business Organization in Olympia?
A new business organization is out looking for members. The organization argues that it will do a better job representing the values of Washington businesses in Olympia. The organization is chaired by David Giuliani, CEO of Pacific Bioscience Laboratories. Here is the pitch they are sending out to businesses across the state: Bringing a business…
The Four Horsemen of Washington’s Economy are Riding Again
Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon. When three of these four iconic companies were in trouble two years ago, they signalled broader pain for our economy. That’s because these companies had long been solidly profitable, reliable generators of job growth. Their spending supported an entire ecosystem of companies around them. When they laid off employees they…
If Goldman Sachs’s Clients Were Careless, So Was Goldman
One of the key tenets of Goldman Sachs’s defense against the recent charges of foul play by the Securities Exchange Commission is that its clients are big financial institutions that have the resources to do research on the financial instruments they buy from Goldman. It’s not up to Goldman to reveal every last detail about…
Washington’s Economy Adds Jobs for Second Straight Month
Washingtons economy gained an estimated 1,600 jobs in March, compared to the month before according to the state’s Employment Security Department. In spite of the added jobs, the unemployment rate edged up to 9.5 percent in March from Februarys revised rate of 9.4 percent as more unemployed residents started to look for work again. The…