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March 17, 2026 

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FED PYRAMID: A simple little diagram that depicts the structure of the Federal Reserve System, which is in the shape of triangle (hence the not totally accurate term "pyramid"), with a large base that comes to a peak. The base of the pyramid contains thousands of commercial banks, which rests on a foundation of the millions of people who make up the nonbank public. The middle of the pyramid includes 37 Federal Reserve Banks, including 12 District Banks and 25 Branch Banks. Resting at the top of the pyramid is the Board of Governors, with the Chairman at the very, very top. The top also has two notable offshoots -- the Federal Open Market Committee and the Federal Advisory Council.

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State of the ECONOMY
Production/Income
Real average weekly earnings November 2016 $367.50 Bureau of Labor Statistics Constant 1982-84 dollars
Median weekly earnings Third Quarter 2016 $827 / week Up $24 from 3rd Qtr. 2015
GDP: Real Third Quarter 2016 $18,675.3 Billion (Annual Rate) Source: BEA Up 5.0%
U.S. Exports November 2016 $185.8 billion Down 0.2% from Oct. 2016: Econ. Stat. Admin.
e-commerce sales 3rd Quarter 2016 $101.3 billion Up 4.0% from 2nd Quarter 2016 US Census Bureau
Personal Income November 2016 $16,233.8 billion Up 0.1% from Oct. 2016
U.S. Imports November 2016 $231.1 billion Up 1.1% from Oct. 2016: Econ. & Stat. Admin.
Private Employer Cost for Employee Compensation September 2016 $32.27 per hour Benefits are $10.73 / hour Source: BLS
Sales of New Single-Family Homes November 2016 592,000 (seasonal adjusted annual rate) Up % from October 2016 Source: Econ Stats Adm.
Productivity 3rd Quarter 2016 Unchanged from a year ago Source: BLS
Real Average Hourly Earnings November 2016 $10.68 Up $.07 from November 2015
Employment
U 3 Unemployment December 2016 4.7% Up from November Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Job Openings October 2016 5.5 million Steady Bureau of Labor Statistics
U 6 Unemployment November 2016 9.3% Down a little Includes those who have given up looking. BLS
Prices
Consumer Price Index W November 2016 235.215 Down slightly from Oct. 2016 Source: B L S
Money/Interest
U.S. National Debt January 3, 2017 $19,951,017,689,395.11 Up over $1 trillion in 2016: U.S. Debt Clock
Federal Discount Rate January 3, 2017 1.25% Up 0.25%
Prime Rate January 3, 2017 3.75% Up .25% from a year ago
Federal Funds Rate January 3, 2017 .75% Up 0.25% from a year ago
Cyclical Indicators
Consumer Price Index Urban November 2016 241.353 Up 0.2% from Oct. 2016 Source: BLS
New Orders for Manufactured Goods November 2016 $458.3 billion Down 2.4% from Nov. 2016 Econ & Statistics Adm
New Orders for Manufactured Durable Goods November 2016 $228.2 billion U.S. Commerce Dept. Down 4.6% from Oct. 2016
Business Inventories October 2016 $1,814.5 billion Up 2% from Oct. 2015: Econ. Stat. Admin.
Retail Sales November 2016 $468.05 billion U.S Census Bureau
Producer Price Index Final Demand November 2016 110.8 Up 0.4% from Oct. 2016 Soure: BLS.gov
Wholesale Inventories November 2016 $594.5 billion U.S. Dept. of Commerce
Housing Starts November 2016 1,090,000 Down 18.7% from Oct. 2016: U.S. Census Bureau
Construction Spending October 2016 $1,172.6.4 billion Up 0.5% from Sept. 2016 Source: Econ Stats Adm.
Building Permits November 2016 1,201,000 Do 4.7% from October 2016: U.S. Census Bureau
Other
World Population January 3, 2017 7,362,851,059 Higher: U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Population January 3, 2017 324,321,654 Up again...U.S. Census Bureau
CARTEL

A formal agreement between businesses in the same industry, usually on an international scale, to gain market control, raise the market price, and otherwise act like a monopoly. The most famous international cartel is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which seeks to exert control over the world oil market. Other cartels have existed, or still exist, in the global markets for uranium, diamonds, long distance telephone services, and airlines.

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My Sales Pitch On ADVERTISING

Our extended sojourn through the winding complexities of the economy has worn the soles from my jogging shoes. For the best bargain on a new pair, let's consult those annoying flyers stuffed into the Sunday newspaper. We're in luck. The Mega-Mart Discount Warehouse Super Center is having their monthly "once in a lifetime" sale on jogging shoes. Without this Mega-Mart Discount Warehouse Super Center advertising supplement, I might have unknowingly paid a higher price for my brand new Fleet Feet Footwear jogging shoes. Isn't advertising wonderful?
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APLS

YELLOW CHIPPEROON
[What's This?]

Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time flipping through the yellow pages wanting to buy either a velvet painting of Elvis Presley or a wall poster commemorating yesterday. Be on the lookout for bottles of barbeque sauce that act TOO innocent.
Your Complete Scope

This isn't me! What am I?

The portion of aggregate output U.S. citizens pay in taxes (30%) is less than the other six leading industrialized nations -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, or Japan.
"If football taught me anything about business, it is that you win the game one play at a time."

-- Fran Tarkenton, Football Player

JIE
Journal of Industrial Economics
A PEDestrian's Guide
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