Nokia, Cisco, Google, Bosch, Microsoft, Boeing, and Intel are all popular companies here in the United States have signed onto be a part of Russias biggest infrastructure upgrade. Skolkovo Innovation Center, is said to be in comparison in some aspects with Americas Silicon Valley, has already begun construction and is slated to complete its first building in November as Russia takes a huge step forward in their chase to becoming a world power in innovation. The new center will promote and explore biomedical, nuclear, informational, energy, and aerospace technologies with the guidance of top companies such as those mentioned above. Skolkovo has also established partnerships with American universities such as Stanford and MIT to enhance and promote research in their core areas.

With the economy edging its way out of the recession, many consumers are hitting the streets to buy a new ride. But to their surprise, the car dealerships are lacking in one department: used cars! Since last year, small used car values have increased almost 30%—cars such as the Ford Focus and Honda Civic. There is a lot of economics behind this odd jump in car values over the past year, dating back to 2009.

We live in a diverse and ever-changing world where products are unique in many different ways. Free markets allow us to exchange goods from far geographic locations without the burden of barriers. Within these markets, consumers can obtain exotic food, jewelry, and even medicine. The unfortunate matter is that there is no such thing as a truly free market. The battle of politics and other factors erases the potential to have this “free” reign on whatever products we want to purchase at whatever quantities we prefer. Explaining why countries have such a difficult time with free markets is no easy task, but by looking into various economies, we can uncover how and why free markets are rarely created. Looking into the trade relationship between Jamaica and the United States will allow us to understand the complexity of markets and how the lack of a free market shapes the economy within these nations.

From fueling our cars to sweetening our beverages and foods, corn plays a vital role in everyone’s lives. So it’s not shocking when firms start to get restless when there is speculation about higher prices of this essential agricultural product. Since this time last year, the price per bushel (the units that corn and other produce are sold in) has spiked more than 127%. In 2008, corn prices reached its record high at $8 per bushel but analysts say that this year’s prices could reach outwards of $9 per bushel. What is the cause? Simply put, it’s nothing more than Mother Nature.

Has anyone ever heard of a grapefruit and ice cream diet? Well years ago many people foolishly fell for this yummy alternative to losing weight; this idea has always interested me for the most obvious reasons. Why would anyone think that grapefruit and ice cream would somehow sculpt your body into a god or goddess? As an economics major many people feel free to talk about investment and opening share their personal strategies, hoping that I can shed light in some form. Most people feel that they have found the Holy Grail in predicting how stocks fluctuate, varying from “playing the earnings report” to “researching what top stock brokers suggest.” In doing so almost every person feels that their return will be fairly quick and profitable. What most people forget is the basic and essential rule to investing, patience and patience. No that is not a typo, in reality people need to understand that patience through long term investing is the only rational way to win in financial markets. But the thought of giving up consumption now forces us to embrace quick and dirty methods to investing, and are shocked when they do not pan out, just like magical grapefruit and ice cream diet.