Money and more money

According to The New York Times , in 2004, the top 10% of executives earned at least 350 times the average worker's pay, up from 122 times in 1990 and 74 times in 1950.

Initial public offerings

In 1999, there were about 520 companies in the US going public and listing their shares on a stock exchange. In 2001, 2002, and 2003, each year there were less than 100 companies going public. In 2004 and 2005, a few more than 200 companies each year went public, about the number expected to go public this year.

Jobs and jobless

The US jobless rate in March was 4.7%, matching a low not seen is almost five years. Also in March, 211,000 new jobs were created. In SC, the jobless rate in February was 6.4%.

Reservations about your Delta reservations

Delta pilots were told by their union to remove flight gear and personal belongings from their lockers. In the event of a labor walkout by the pilots, Delta may block access to the lockers.

Affordable cities for start-ups

Tampa and Atlanta are among the least costly cities in the US to do business. The two most expensive are New York and San Jos.

"I don't want a pickle. All I want is my

motorcickle." - Arlo Guthrie

In 1970, about the time Guthrie recorded those words, motorcycle sales in the US hit 1.13 million. In 1992, they were just 278,000. Last year, sales were 1.06 million. The estimate for motorcycle sales in 2005 was 1.2 million, surpassing the 1970 record.

Made in South Carolina

Production began recently in Greer on the new BMW Z4 coupe, 255 horsepower, and the more powerful M coupe, 370 horsepower. The Z4 will be on display at the New York Auto Show the third week of April. BMW car sales worldwide in the first quarter of 2006 rose almost 14%.

Easley loses

Alice Manufacturing is closing an Easley plant and laying off 260 textile workers, effective June 9. Alice Manufacturing, 96 years old, hasn't built a new plant since 1966.

Gold

For the first time since 1981, the price of gold topped $600 last week for a short while, finishing the week a little less than $600.

Exchanges exchange

The TSE is looking for an association in the West to help cope with 24-hour trading worldwide. Nasdaq appears to be interested in the TSE. The New York Stock Exchange is still showing interest in buying the London Stock Exchange, where the Nasdaq dropped its tentative offer to take over the LSE a few weeks ago. 

More for research

In the academic year 2004-05, USC pulled in $166.2 million for research, outreach, and training programs.

Moore for business

First Citizens Bank recently gave $250,000 to USC's Moore School of Business for a classroom renovation. Darla Moore matched the $250,000. The classroom will be named for the bank.

Cigarette tax

SC's cigarette tax, the lowest in the US, is $0.07 per pack. Nationally, the average tax per pack of cigarettes is $0.92.

Lights over the Congaree River

The restored lights on the Gervais Street bridge and the concurrent cosmetic upgrade cost about $800,000 and took five years.

State budget in the past 10 years

The SC state budget 10 years ago was $3.8 billion. This year's budget is a proposed $6.3 billion.

The Turner wing of London's Tate Gallery

Painter J. M. W. Turner's "Giudecca, La Donna Delta Salute and San Giorgio" sold to a mystery bidder on the telephone last week for $35.8 million, a record for the artist and more than twice the pre-bid estimate of $15 million. First exhibited at London's Royal Academy in 1841, the artwork depicts a scene of the Giudecca Canal in Venice, to include the Doge's Palace in the background. Within hours after the sale, the mystery telephone bidder turned out to be Stephen A. Wynn, the Las Vegas casino owner and art collector. Wynn's Bellagio Gallery in Las Vegas, which was sold as part of Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand in 2000, used to hang his personal collection. In October, Wynn sold two paintings, a van Gogh and a Gauguin, from the former Bellagio Gallery for a total of $100 million.