March 25, 2016

Gasoline prices are lower than they’ve been in decades, but this is far from unique. Throughout oil’s volatile history the commodity has experienced several surges and sharp declines in value. This short but informative video tracks some of the biggest petroleum price jumps over the last century.

Questions:

  1. Why does the price of oil change so frequently? 
  1. Should world governments invest more money into alternative energy sources in order to decrease their dependence on the unpredictable oil industry?
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January 19, 2016

Although vinyl records sales are higher than they have been in decades, companies are having trouble meeting demand due to their reliance on old, antiquated machinery.

https://youtu.be/mHJQJbrvOd0

Questions:

  1. Will demand for vinyl records drop if companies fail to maintain a steady supply?
  2. With music and movie streaming sites now commonplace, do vinyl records and other forms of physical media have a long term future?

 

From The New York Times

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January 14, 2016

This short video shows what happens to a person’s money in the very, very unlikely event that they win the lottery.

 

Questions:

  1. As the video says, you’re more likely to be struck by lightning than win the lottery, so why do people play it?
  2. Which option ensures that a lotto winner gets the most money from their prize: the cash payout or the annuity jackpot?

 

From CNN Money

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April 15, 2015

From The New York Times

Growers and sellers in Colorado’s legal marijuana industry may only deal in cash, leading to major problems with banking and security.

https://nyti.ms/1zchdUI

 Questions:

  1. With cannabis legal in Colorado, why can’t banks deal with merchants?
  1. Is there a double standard merchants face in the cannabis industry?

From The New York Times

 

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