http://www.flickr.com/photos/acebal

Since the original HTML was invented with the web over 20 years ago, it has gone through many updates, but its been more than a decade since the last one, and in web terms that’s pretty much forever.

HTML has been a few steps behind changes on the web for quite some time. For example, when video came along, there was no way to integrate it naturally into HTML, so different companies developed their own video players to work around it.

These worked OK, but they were all external plugins, meaning that you had to download them, and this was, well, annoying and potentially risky.

HTML5 is adding capabilities to deal with this stuff – like video – right into its code, so that plugins hopefully won’t be necessary. And there’s plans to add a bunch more cool stuff that previously was tricky or even impossible to implement with HTML alone.

The overall hope is that some day it will create a standard, consistent web experience across all devices and browsers.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedconference

From something as small and complex as a chromosome to something as seemingly simple as the weather, sex determination systems vary significantly across the animal kingdom.

Biologist and teacher Aaron Reedy show us the amazing differences between species when it comes to determination of gender.

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http://www.hbs.edu/research/

Thales Teixeira, Harvard Business School professor, explains what makes us want to watch — and share — certain commercials.

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Exploring the Currency debate in Europe

Written by Exequiel Octavio Bertaina, Vice-Managing Editor

If Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain or Ireland were to abandon the Euro, their structural problems would not disappear overnight; they could actually become worse. For simplicity’s sake, Greece will be used as an example.

If Greece were to leave the Euro behind, we would initially expect the new Drachma currency to devalue such as was the case in Argentina in 2001. For investors outside of Greece paying in euros or other currencies, suddenly Greek assets would look relatively inexpensive and foreign investment would be expected to increase in the short-run. There would be a real depreciation of currency, which would cause an increase in its competitiveness and make selling goods abroad cheaper.

Initially, exports would increase due to the competitive advantage caused by the cheaper currency and capital would rush into the country. The issue is if the risks (such as excess domestic currency volatility) are too great with the new Drachma currency, investors might not be willing to invest! This could lead to panic-attacks, capital flight, the shooting up of interest rates, price inflation and larger deficits!

Well, let’s assume investors have confidence in the New Drachma, what’s next?

Devaluating a country’s currency always has a temporary effect. The market prices of goods and services will catch up to devaluation, and national average wage will catch up to prices. Then, as prices continue to increase, we can expect an increase in the exchange rate of the new Drachma, which makes it less and less competitive in the foreign markets.

Hence, competitive gains will disappear unless new stimulus policies are imposed. The GDP booster will have disappeared and in the meantime, the prices of goods and services will have increased. We can now expect a loss of competitiveness against the world markets!

The issue is that having a lower currency does not automatically mean a country will move out of recession. The point of a country having their own currency, in these kinds of situations, is to be able to print money in order to pay off debts, absorb foreign price shocks, etc. Stimulating exports should be considered as a secondary effect through the devaluation of their currency.


Also, Greece has other problems which have accumulated with time, such as their low workforce productivity and structural deficits. Leaving the Euro would not be the right solution since, for example, Greece has made several bad policies in the past and the economy should be reformed. The country has many deficiencies, such as a high tax-evasion rate and questionable budget balance ethics from the past.

Greece and other countries have their reasons for being part of the so-called (G.I.P.S.I.) club. If any of them leave the Euro, then the European currency is doomed.

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Planning is key to a Successful Future

Written by Megan Harris

Kelly Hubert, President of Murphy Canada

Selling a business is not an easy task. Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age, and many of them are now looking to sell their businesses. The transition into retirement from entrepreneurship is not an easy one, but with the right preparation, it can be successful.

Arbitrage Magazine recently spoke to Kelly Hubert, President of Murphy Business Canada, one of North America’s largest business brokerage firms,
about the importance of Baby Boomers having an exit strategy when planning their retirement.

Hubert says that in his experience, he’s found that many entrepreneurs become comfortable in their business, and focus on the day-to-day running and performance of the business, rather than on its future. However, looking ahead is key, according to Hubert. As he explains:

“[The business owner] won’t be around forever, and they need either a succession plan, one where it stays within the family [...] and management runs it for them, or absolute exit, which is liquidity.”

Two of the options business owners have when preparing for retirement is to transfer ownership to either employees or family members. ESOP, or Employee Stock Option, gives certain employees the right to buy certain company shares at a predetermined price. A business owner can also transfer ownership to family members, though Hubert says it’s important to work with a third party, especially in this case, because often with family, there is more than one person involved, as in families with multiple siblings, and there needs to be equitable sharing.

For this reason, one of the most important steps an owner can take is to hire a broker. A broker is able to work from an objective point of view and break things down to a science, lessening the potential for disputes.

A broker keeps the deal on track, and is able to deal with any issues that arise in the process, keeping focused on the deal and selling the business. They are able to rationally explain why a business is worth what it is, and why a certain price is being asked. They have not been emotionally invested in the business from the beginning, as the owner has been, and so they are more able to see the situation from a purely business and financial point of view – and the finances are usually a top priority for owners who are selling.

It’s also crucial to go over options of how the deal will proceed. Important considerations include how much time the business owner will invest in helping their new buyer become acquainted with the company, the customers, and other elements, and how much the seller is willing to help the buyer finance. The process can become complicated, and getting help from a broker will ensure a smoother transition with fewer risks and surprises.

Hubert says that a lot of business owners do not have formal succession plans written down – but that it’s important to consider making one. To start out, he says owners should look for guidance from various people.

“They [business owners] have the professionals they work with- they typically have an accountant. They need guidance from them,” Hubert explains. “But also ask a broker, because they can help them think what their steps may be. They need to discuss it with their family, even if they’re not part of the business structure.”

Business owners should also ensure all books are in order – namely, that inventory is up to date – what Hubert refers to as “the window dressing”. This is not something a business owner may worry about from day-to-day, but organized and accurate bookkeeping are important sellabillity factors in marketing a business.


Owners should also think about what they’re going to do after the transition from entrepreneur to retiree is complete, when they no longer have work to go to every day. Thinking this transition will prevent rash decisions from being made and will ensure that all options are explored.

Herbert emphasizes that it is often difficult for business owners to envision relinquishing the business they so enjoy and walking away; however, leaving their “baby” in trustworthy hands will only ensure their legacy of hard work and passion will live on.

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By Zack Larmand, Online Staff Writer

It has only been six years, but in that time span YouTube has made a significant impact on our world. By providing a way for people to share videos, YouTube has introduced viral videos and made them a part of our global culture. These videos can touch us, make us laugh, inform us and even market to us. This ability to go viral extends from culture, directly into the business world as companies take advantage of YouTube for this very quality.

The qualities that make a video viral are far from an exact science. Humor is a very big part of many of the famous viral videos of the past. Most YouTube humor however is usually at the expense of the person in the video. In this YouTube clip, a DNA test result shows that Adolph Hitler was actually Jewish and partially black … here’s his reaction:

The type of fame found in that video is unlikely to be the same kind a business is searching for. Businesses have traditionally been more cautious with the extremity of humor used in their advertisements. Nevertheless, YouTube has provided businesses with an avenue to press the boundaries of humor a little further then they may have previously on television. This video for Axe Shower gel has received over 30 million views for this funny ad:

Vodafone uses an even creepier style of humor in this very funny French ad, which has over 19 million views:

These culturally popular ads manage to take full advantage of a very new and very racy style of humor that is the truest form of pure nonsense; a style which has managed to make YouTube very popular. For example, the “Bed Intruder Guy” started out as a simple interview on the news, and a few video edits later, Antoine Dodson has become a YouTube auto-tune singing legend with almost 70 million views:

The Gregory Brothers (composers of the Bed Intruder song) were kind enough to split the proceeds of the song with Antoine, making him enough money to move out of the projects–all from one iTunes song. This instant fame snowballed into television appearances like this on in BET:

Antoine now even has his own iPhone add!

The pleasure and growing popularity of suspending disbelief

Via virginsuicide photography, flickr

By Shruti Desai, Staff Writer

Kickin’ it in our imagination has hardly been more possible. Nor has it felt more real, accepted, and quite possibly, fundamental to daily life. In the thump of a heartbeat, you can be a vegetarian vampire, a pure-blood wizard, a hopelessly shirtless werewolf, a curly-haired hobbit, a meddlesome elf, or even – though consider it carefully – a human.

 With post-graduate job-searching proving to be a full-time and often fruitless ordeal, I rather enjoy this on-demand flexibility and  guaranteed exemption from meticulously dry-cleaned, starched, and ironed prerequisites. All I need is a novel, a film, a TV serial, or a videogame to pass hours in what literary theorists call ‘the subjunctive mood’ – that is, what could be. And if the last several years’ surge in sci-fi and fantasy programming is indicative, I’m not alone – nor does it appear I will be for some time. 

Steal even a half-hearted glance (if you are, as I shamelessly am, detained by laziness) at the weekly television line-up, and you’ll notice signs that the sci-fi and fantasy genres seem to be breeding like rabbits. For many of us, shows like “Supernatural”, “Game of Thrones”, “Grimm”, “Being Human”, and “Teen Wolf” – all predicated to some extent on the suspension of disbelief – are welcomed complements to the sitcoms, reality shows, sports broadcasts, and newscasts that once dominated TV viewership. 

Yet, if you can believe it, global fantasy fandom has benefitted from more than TV slots that maximise broadcast ratings and ad sales revenue. In its first two weeks at the box office, the vampire romance Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 reigned, generating $489.3 million in global ticket sales. The latest sequel adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s four-part story about werewolves and vampires also snagged the record for all-time 2^nd best midnight debut and 5^th all-time largest movie opening in the U.S. Taken with its three companion instalments, the phenom’s amassed just shy of $700 million worldwide. 

Yawn. This release is merely the latest in a fast-growing lineage of fantasy and sci-fi blockbusters. According to The Telegraph, global market research firm Mintel reported that sales of sci-fi and fantasy books rose roughly 20% from 2005 to 2010. Think about how many box office kings – Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, War of the Worlds, Coraline, Twilight, and Harry Potter, to name a few – owe their inception to a single novelist animating pages and screens. 

And diehard fantasy fans would swiftly remind us here that, while most of us moviegoers were stunned by just how long (amazing, really) our bladders safeguarded the large Sprite we downed during the three-hour The Lord of the Rings movies, author J.R.R. Tolkien published the trilogy nearly a half-century – in the mid-1950s – before we invited it to our cinemas, Happy Meal toys, Halloween costumes, and print-screened birthday cakes. 

What happened? 

Maybe we aspire to escape or spice up our own realities. With economic turmoil nesting worldwide, that one could fly, heck, even soar – for awhile, too. But surely we are capable of personalising the hope for magical powers and alternate worlds for other reasons as well. 

If ‘cult’ audiences themselves are becoming more mainstream, how have we in turn revised ourselves or conversely, the stories we tell? 

Consider how portrayals of other-worldly endeavours, realms, and creatures have changed since the would-be ancient, though no less celebrated, runs of Back to the Future, Star Trek, “Knight Rider”, and “Dark Shadows”. 

Stereotypical appearances, for one, seem to be dashing for media exits. From style-challenged, absent-minded scientist Dr. Emmett Brown, we leaped – in a cinematic blink – to Professor Albus Dumbledore, a poised wizard, even if eccentric in his phrasings and habits, who eventually graduated to elegant, flowing robes and John Frieda-infused frizz-free silk for hair. Who knew? Turns out that geeks, dorks, and nerds, once members of fashion’s lowest class, are redeemable. 

The plight of non-human beings, too, has become less alien. We can empathise, for example, with Edward Cullen’s inability to control becoming a vampire, to choose his lot in life. Perhaps this is the reason we deem his triumphs – his unwavering commitment to Bella, his textbook morality, his uncompromising resolve to suppress his animalistic instincts – as more so noble, extraordinary, rare. And feverishly human in their intensity and sentiment.

We appreciate such character that trumps evil with not so evil. Dobby, a well-meaning but accident-prone elf, unconditionally saves Harry, time and again. Samwise Gamgee wields mere simplicity and loyalty to ward off lust for the ring and, more touching still, mortal dangers to Frodo.

We expand, just as well, to trace the contours of more shifty individuals. As much as we may loathe (or not) Lord Voldemort, we recognise the potential scars of childhood neglect, and equally, the whip of just making do (that the Weasleys endearingly and symbolically transcend). Even Smeagol and the Malfoys toe likeability. 

By making the stories more about virtues like friendship, bravery, trust, and perseverance and less about the supernatural and magic that surround it – though these are central and defining features, the popularisation of these genres across media outlets has become as ‘human’ as it is ‘fantastic’. 

Sci-fi and fantasy, to be sure, have always invented realities different from our own. But now they are beginning to sound, look, feel, and read as if they are more our own than they could ever be another’s.

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Our need for celebrity fluff keeps us cut off from what really matters.

By: Ellen Steven, staff writer

Gossip culture didn’t just ruin high school, it’s ruining our generation.

The media hooks us with reality TV shows at an early age, feeding us success stories about average Joes. Ellis Cashmore, Culture Media & Sports, Staffordshire University says “Britain’s Got Talent and other young children reality shows are a global business. There is a huge market for kid shows. The more the media supplies the more the target wants it.” All these things make sure we keep chasing the fame dream. The constant attempt to obtain the unattainable is a clear characteristic of addiction.  Professor Mark Griffiths, of Addiction & Gambling Studies at Nottingham Trent University, says “The earlier you start, the earlier you’re prone to more serious addiction.”

We also must contend with our hard-wired urges. We want to be close to idols, we want to copy them. We have a hard-wired need to gather social information about those whom we idolize. Professor Robin Dunbar, of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, explains, “Our brains are hardwired to make us social.  Very few people can lean to litigate social isolation for varied periods of time.” People begin to believe that there is a two-way connection between them and the stars they are watching. And this becomes profitable.

While we crave social information about our idols, we tend to mostly seek negative information. “Gossip is useful in helping you figure out your own social situations through other people’s experiences.  The demand for negative news is higher because one is more interested in how to avoid danger to become more successful than we already are,” says Charlotte De Backer, of Media and Communication at University de Leices.

Flickr by Joe Wolf

Our addiction to fame and our constant need to know what’s going on with celebrities creates a very intense and profitable market; the gossip industry. In fact, our demand for news is far greater than the actual supply. Nick Davies, author of Flat Earth News, explains how everything must be done quickly, and that a reporter’s most important asset is time. Because of this, most reporters won’t check facts. And voila! A profitable industry based on anything but fact is born.

Today, journalists accept information from citizens and press releases as valid data for their stories. There are also companies which specialize in working with celebs to create fake news. Neon Management, and its owner Dave Reed, is a key players in the fake news industry.

The Dumbest Generation, a book about the loss of intelligence within our culture, says it all. “It isn’t enough to say that these young people are uninterested in world realities. They are actively cut off from them.” We are so consumed with gossip that we can’t focus on the things that impact us the most.

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“I highly recommend linking or attaching your personal (or professional) blog to your website. Not only does this provide your contacts with a more descriptive side of you, it gives them one more reason to check back in to your website”

By William Shaub, Online Editor

Socially connecting with colleagues, management, clients and employees is an essential component in finding success in the business world in the 21^st century. Fortunately, establishing a connection among these various groups isn’t difficult, but requires a certain mentality, focus and strategy.

To organize some important aspects of networking for the young entrepreneur, I compiled a list. Not only will following these steps make your networking strategy more effective and balanced, but provide you with an important sense of feeling ‘always connected’ to those who matter most.

1. Communicate by email, not instant messaging, as your primary method of communication. By choosing email when in a conversation with an important contact, such as a dissatisfied employee or frustrated boss, you’re giving yourself a chance to gather your thoughts and work out issues.

There’s no reason to put yourself under the time constraints of SMS or IM in professional situations. As a young entrepreneur, you often need to tread carefully and makes sure you don’t lose anyone from your contact base. With email, you can take the time to prepare professional responses that convey clarity in message and tone.

2. Treat LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter as individual social networks, as opposed to posting the same message on each. Many people don’t have identical friends (followers) for all of their separate social networking platforms, which means you need to cater to each separate audience.

While your followers on Twitter may be particularly receptive to links and mentions, your MySpace and Facebook friends may not be, and respond more to a certain tone or character. Treating your networks as separate platforms from which to proclaim a message is essential in communication effectively.

3. Quality blogging means frequent quality posting. As a student entrepreneur, I highly recommend linking or attaching your personal (or professional) blog to your website. Not only does this provide your contacts with a more descriptive side of you, it gives them one more reason to check back in to your website. Of course, this implies that your blogging is high quality and informative, so blog as frequently as possible and have a friend proofread your work from time to time.

4. Don’t be afraid to build relationships and partnerships with those you come across online. A crucial part of networking is establishing contacts and maintaining those contacts. Your most recent follower on LinkedIn might just have a high-viewership website, and may allow you to guest blog, consequently providing your website with more traffic. As the saying goes: you have to be a friend to have a friend. This could not be more true than in the field of entrepreneurial networking.

By William Shaub, Online Editor

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“The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator.”

And the Lessons that Led Generations of Investors

By Kevin Kang, Managing Editor

What is the difference between a good investor and a great one? Whether it’s market knowledge, large returns, or the uncanny ability to see opportunities, these five financial gurus have separated themselves from the crowd. You cannot live in the world of finance without hearing their names, so take the time now to memorize the stories of the five greatest investors of all time.

Benjamin Graham

via www.jgb.org

Benjamin Graham was a professor at Columbia Business School as well as a professional investor. His 1934 books, Securities Analysis and The Intelligent Investor, are two of the most influential texts on investments and are used as a guide for new and experienced investors alike.

Graham passed away in 1976, but continued to be a huge influence in the world of finance. During his time as a professor, he taught his theories of “value investments” to his students. Two of his brightest pupils, Warren Buffett and Irving Khan, still use his style to amass fortunes of billions.

John Templeton

via BusinessInsider.com

The four most dangerous words in investing are ‘This time it’s different.’

According to Money magazine, Sir John Templeton was “arguably the greatest global stock picker of the century.” As a British citizen, Templeton started his investing career in 1937. His investment strategy was an extreme version of “buy low, sell high”: he purchased shares in companies during times of war and extreme pessimism.

Templeton also created some of the world’s largest investment funds, focusing on the international market. Templeton was also an avid philanthropist, donating millions to science, religion, and education.

Peter Lynch

via israelinvestor.com

Go for a business that any idiot can run – because sooner or later, any idiot is probably going to run it.

Peter Lynch is known for popularizing the strategy of “invest in what you know.” He believed that laymen can identify a good stock if they understand the business. Lynch claimed that he found many of his good investments when out shopping with his family.

While earning his MBA from the Wharton School of Business, Lynch caddied for the president of Fidelity Investments. In 1996, he was hired as an intern, and quickly rose through the ranks to become Director of Research in 1974. Currently, he continues to work at Fidelity Investments as a research consultant.

Irving Kahn

via gurufocus.com

Investors have no reason to feel bearish. True value investors are glad the markets are down.

At age 104, Irving Kahn is currently the oldest financial analyst on Wall Street. Khan was a Teaching Assistant to the investor Benjamin Graham, and adapted Graham’s style of value investing.

Throughout his career, Kahn has built an impressive resume, including director of six different companies, president of the New York City Job and Career Centre, one of the first round of Certified Financial Analysts, and chairman and founder of Kahn Brothers Group. He continues to play an active role in researching stocks with his sons for his company.

 

Warren Buffett

via allnewsmac.com

Rule No.1 is never lose money. Rule No.2 is never forget rule number one.

Known as the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett has amassed a fortune of billions through his investments and is widely known as the greatest investor in the world. In 2008, Buffett beat out Bill Gates to become the richest person in the world according to Forbes Magazine.

In 1965, Buffett acquired the failing Berkshire Hathaway textile company and transformed it into a holding company. He used it to purchase other companies at low prices during the market collapse of 1973-74, and by 2006, these holdings had grown to 240 billion dollars. His style of “value investing” was influenced by his professor and mentor, Benjamin Graham. He claims that this strategy laid the foundation for his success and wealth.

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