Oddly Relevant Nov-6-2012

Oddly Relevant Nov-6-2012

Land of the corporate giants: In the past 15 years, the assets of the top 50 American companies have risen from around 70% of American GDP to around 130%. For some firms, they are at a point of maximum scale where it is too big to manage efficiently. Conjectures as to why? (1) empire-building mentality, (2) size improves pricing power, or (3) achieving a status of too big to fail. [Note: Or maybe they are just the most competitive firms in an increasingly global economy.]…Source: http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21565609-economies-scale-run-out-certain-point-largest-firms-america-may-be

American Suzuki Filing Chapter 11, Leaving U.S. Car Market: No surprise to many in the car industry, this exit is part of a restructuring plan to focus on promoting its motorcycle, all-terrain-vehicle and marine engine businesses. Under the reorganization, the company will continue to honor its warranties and maintain a network of authorized parts and service outlets. [Note: Never knew they made cars]…Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/11/05/american-suzuki-filing-chapter-11-leaving-u-s-car-market/?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LatestHeadlines

Proposed merger of Penguin and Random House might be too late: While the 2 publishing conglomerates huddle for warmth and sing praises for synergy amidst Amazon, Google, and Apple’s icy blast, the power-law is simply not in their favor, and this once dominant industry is quickly becoming marginalized. [Note: A well-deserved shadow of its former self, I for one still prefer paper copies]…Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/04/john-naughton-amazon-penguin-publishing

Opinion: Presidents are powerless to save the US economy: The structure of US government and America’s changing place in the world prevents the next president from changing the nation’s economic direction. For the tide to turn, then, we must rely on labor force growth (unlikely due to low birth rate and falling immigration) and growth in productivity—the latter of which, similar to business cycles, are hardly under the government’s direct control. In short, the economy will be the same regardless of who is elected. [Note:  The government steers economy via changing constraints, whether it be law or policies]…Source: http://blogs.ft.com/the-a-list/2012/11/05/presidents-are-powerless-to-save-us-economy/?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fworld%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct#axzz2BOWmn1li

Why are great sign language interpreters so animated? Because in American sign language, certain mouth and eye movements serve as adjectival or adverbial modifiers. During Bloomber’s Sandy address, for instance, his signer Lydia Callis used quite a few: tight mouth and squinting eyes mean “by a little”, a “th” sound producing mouth gesture signals the adverb “sloppily”, and body orientation symbolizes a hypothetical question. [Note: A respectable job and endeavor]…Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/why-great-sign-language-interpreters-are-so-animated/264459/