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Non-Tech : Kirk's Market Thoughts -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jerome who wrote (873)	3/14/2014 11:08:40 AM
From: robert b furman	1 Recommendation Recommended By Blasher Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26612

It is not the place of our government to tell McDonalds to raise the price of a burger or fries or coke by 40 cents and then raise the minimum wage. Surely you see that not to be the governments role? It is a sick politicians ploy to gain favor to a constituency and over reach the power of his position. This is America !!! Bob

To: Jerome who wrote (873)	3/14/2014 11:15:53 AM
From: Blasher	1 Recommendation Recommended By Kirk © Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26612

since several people here, including Kirk, have brought this OT up, I wanted to add my nickle's worth: 1 - in 1914 Ford raised wages to save himself money (training, etc) because workers kept leaving for higher-paying jobs 2 - in 1935-39 WPA did good because it made people work .. it did not just give people cash 3 - if minimum wage is raised to $12 (+65%) for burger-flippers and janitors, what about the people who spent a lot of money going to college/tech-school to become electricians, plumbers, graphic-designers that are now making $15 ?? . . . (or anyone who would love a 65% raise) 4 - how quickly does $12 become "not a living wage" ?? 5 - whatever happened to burger-flipping and bussing tables being a way for school-kids to earn a little extra money and a little extra work experience and business sense ??

To: Jerome who wrote (873)	3/20/2014 10:47:43 AM
From: Kirk ©	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26612

300 GW of new solar PV to be installed in the next five years, says Solarbuzz Press release; Alex Wolfgram, DIGITIMES [Thursday 20 March 2014] The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is set for rapid growth over the next five years, with up to 100GW annual deployment being targeted in 2018, according to Solarbuzz. This end-market growth is projected to increase annual PV module revenues, which are forecast to reach US$50 billion in 2018. Despite being severely hampered by overcapacity and declining operating margins during 2012 and 2013, the PV industry still grew 34% over this two-year period. Having grown to more than 37GW of end-market demand in 2013, the global solar PV industry is now set to hit a new milestone in 2018, reaching a cumulative installed capacity level of 500MW. This strong demand will also further stimulate revenues for the industry's manufacturers, with PV module revenues of more than US$200 billion available over the five-year period from 2014-2018. "Solar PV module prices declined faster than the end-market grew in 2012, leading to a dramatic decline in revenues," said Michael Barker, senior analyst at Solarbuzz. "This imbalance was corrected during 2013. Over the next five years, end-market growth will exceed forecasted price declines, resulting in a strong rebound in module revenues." From a technology standpoint, crystalline silicon (c-Si) based modules are forecast to increase market share over the competing thin-film variants. Between 2014-2018, 91% of solar PV modules produced are forecast to be c-Si types, the firm said. PV module average selling prices (ASPs) are expected to decline moderately over the next few years and are forecast to reach US$0.51 per watt in 2018. In addition, system prices will decline each year, driven mainly by cost reductions in balance-of-systems components and economies-of-scale improvements enabled by project developers and installers, added Solarbuzz. "Solar PV suppliers are benefiting from a less volatile pricing environment, compared to previous years," said Finlay Colville, VP of Solarbuzz. "The industry will soon transition to a phase of profitable growth, with solar PV competing directly with traditional forms of energy." digitimes.com