By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting, This recession has shaken people up, but what will be the lasting effects on consumer behavior?  That’s one of the key questions as we look forward at the nature of the recovery.  I’ve been arguing for a “return to normalcy,” in which people will […]

The latest consumer products that are being caught up in the regulatory spotlight are flat screen TVs, rum, and raw oysters. Flat screen TVs In California, the California Energy Commission (CEC) is considering new efficiency standards for television screens smaller than 58 inches.  If adopted, TVs sold in the state […]

Washington Domestic Partnership Law Impacts Employee Benefits and Family Leave by Dennis Westlind Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law Washington voters recently approved Referendum 71, giving registered domestic partners all of the rights and responsibilities of married couples under Washington state law. Prior domestic partnership laws gave registered domestic partners […]

By Kylene Fickenscher Oregon Entrepreneurs Network Stephanie Stano, founder of Recycle Your Mat, and Zenana Rose of Zenana Spa are developing successful businesses within a specific niche market. By delivering innovative ideas to an untapped market, and supplementing their products with strong connections to the community, these women have developed […]

Barran Liebman LLP Oregon Law Firm, On Wednesday, November 18, 2009, the Senate released its take on health care reform through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. While in some ways similar to the recent House bill, the Senate bill reflects some key differences of significance to employers. A […]

From Regional Multiple Listing Service Sales activity continued to outpace levels from the same month last year in the latest RMLS™ Market Action report. Inventory was also down in several areas, including Lane County, Portland and Clark County. Both pending and closed sales increased in 9 out of 10 of […]

José Pinomesa, Chairman Oregon Independent Auto Dealers Association It is now November and the sale of vehicles has slowed down quite a bit.  I have always said that those with money will always buy what they want when they want.  The problem we have now is not so much with […]

Dr. Eric Fruits, Econinternational Oregon’s legislators are quick to complain that they had to find $2 billion in state budget cuts in the last legislative session. These  complaints are a bit disingenuous when, in fact, as the figure above shows, the legislatively approved budget has increased by $7.6 billion since […]

New Oregon law has ramifications for employers By Matt Lowe, Odonnell and Clark and Crew, Portland law firm Do you have, or do you know of, an employee who always seems to complain about company policies and how those policies violate the employee’s “right” of free speech, or her “right” […]

By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting I’ve updated my economic forecast for 2010.  Here’s a chart showing quarterly growth rates: