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STRATEGIC ISSUES...ONLINE
For week of December
4, 2006, Issue #286
Featured Articles:
1. 22nd
Annual PNC Christmas Price Index
2. Tech Tip Weekly: Checking
Out Tutorials
3. Compliance Calendar
If you would like to
have further information on any of these articles, let
us know. We would appreciate receiving your comments
and/or suggestions, anytime!
acarroll@pmcpa.com
acarroll@pmcpa.com
1. 22nd Annual
PNC Christmas Price Index Up 3 Percent
Dancers,
Drummers and Pipers Earn More in Tight Labor Market
- Cost of "12 Days of Christmas" Reflect
Consumer Pricing Trends -
Historically low unemployment is making it more
expensive to give the gift of live entertainment this
year, according to the PNC Christmas Price Index.
According to the 22nd annual survey, the cost of "The
Twelve Days of Christmas" is $18,920 in 2006, a 3.1
percent increase over last year. Gift prices mirrored
the U.S. government's Consumer Price Index - a widely
used measure of inflation calculated by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
"After years of stagnation, wages for skilled workers,
including the song's dancers and musicians, have
increased as the labor market has tightened. Also, a
decline in the housing market has dampened demand for
luxury goods, such as gold rings."
The largest dollar increase this year resulted from
rising labor costs - exceeding the rate of inflation for
the first time in years. According to Philadanco, the
Philadelphia Dance Company, nine Ladies Dancing earned
$4,759, 4 percent more than in 2006, compared to a raise
of 3 percent for Lords-a-Leaping. The musicians,
Drummers Drumming and Pipers Piping, earned 3.4 percent
more compared with 2005.
Maids-a-Milking, who are paid the minimum wage, were the
only service providers no to see an increase this year.
The federal minimum wage has been set at $5.15 per hour
since 1997. Inflation since 1996 has steadily eroded
the purchasing power of the hourly minimum, which would
be worth $4.04 in 1996 dollars.
The Partridge's home saw the greatest increase of all
the items in the index, as Pear Tree prices increased 44
percent from last year. "Robust commercial construction
is sparking landscapers' demand for ornamental trees,
such as the species of pear used in the survey."
True Loves will find no increase in the cost of
Partridges and most other birds this year as the cost of
fuel to ship them leveled off, according to The
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. The exception
were birds purchased at retail stores. Calling Birds,
which are purchased at a national pet store chain,
increased 20 percent. Like many of the birds, the price
for Gold Rings was flat compared to last year, even
though the price of the raw material - gold - rose
significantly. "A slowing residential real estate
market is making people feel less wealthy this year and
is dulling demand for luxury items, like Gold Rings.
Investors have been buying gold as an inflation hedge
and prices per ounce remain much higher than last year.
This may put pressure on profit margins at retail
jewelers, who have not been able to pass along the
increased cost to consumers."
As part of its annual tradition, PNC also tabulates the
"True Cost of Christmas," which is the total cost of
items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the
song's verses. This holiday season, very generous True
Loves will pay more than ever before - $75,122 - for all
364 items, up from $72,608 in 2005. This 3.5 percent
increase is substantially less than last year's 9.5
percent increase.
|
|
TRADITIONAL |
||
| % Change | |||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2006/05 | |
| One Partridge in a Pear Tree | $104.99 | $144.99 | 38.1% |
| Partridge | $15.00 | $15.00 | 0.0% |
| Pear Tree | $89.99 | $129.99 | 44.4% |
| Two Turtle Doves | $40.00 | $40.00 | 0.0% |
| Three French Hens | $45.00 | $45.00 | 0.0% |
| Four Calling Birds | $399.96 | $479.96 | 20.0% |
| Five Gold Rings | $325.00 | $325.00 | 0.0% |
| Six Geese-a-Laying | $300.00 | $300.00 | 0.0% |
| Seven Swans-a-Swimming | $4,200.00 | $4,200.00 | 0.0% |
| Eight Maids-a-Milking | $41.20 | $41.20 | 0.0% |
| Nine Ladies Dancing | $4,576.14 | $4,759.19 | 4.0% |
| 10 Lords-a-Leaping | $4,039.08 | $4,160.25 | 3.0% |
| 11 Pipers Piping | $2,053.20 | $2,124.00 | 3.4% |
| 12 Drummers Drumming | $2,224.30 | $2,301.00 | 3.4% |
| Total Christmas Price Index | $18,348.87 | $18,920.59 | 3.1% |
| True Cost of Christmas in song | $72,608.02 | $75,122.03 | 3.5% |
| "Core" index, excluding swans | $14,148.87 | $14,720.59 | 4 |
2. Tech Tip
Weekly: Checking Out Tutorials
Confused by something in MS Windows? Ever wish you could watch a demonstration or follow a wizard to solve your problem step by step? Wait, you can!
- Choose Start, Help and Support Center. From here, you can locate tutorials here in a couple ways:
Enter the word tutorial in the Search text box and click the arrow button. Links to the first 15 tutorials appear. (Fifteen is the default number of search results.) Click a link to run a tutorial. When you run a search, the Suggested Topics section of the results typically divides into two sections: Pick a Task; and Overviews, Articles and Tutorials. Any item in the second area that begins with the word Practice is a tutorial.
- Click a tutorial link to run it. It runs, opening a window that plays images along with an audio narration and a toolbar. Do one of the following:
When you're instructed to by the narration, perform an action, such as clicking a link in the tutorial window. Use the tutorial toolbar to navigate through the tutorial. For example, use the Previous Topic, Jump Back, Jump Ahead, or Next Topic buttons to move through the tutorial content, and use the Pause and Stop buttons to take a break from the tutorial or stop it from running. Use the tutorial toolbar to get more help with the More Information, Glossary, Tip, and Help buttons. Close a tutorial by clicking the Close button in the tutorial window.
Tutorials are played by using the Macromedia Flash Player. To modify the way the player works, when a tutorial first begins, right click the tutorial screen and choose Settings. These settings control privacy, microphone recording volume, camera settings, and how much storage space is used on your hard drive to play the tutorials. To adjust playback volume, click the volume control on the MS Windows taskbar and move the sliders up and down to make the sound louder or softer.
3. Compliance
Calendar
December 6
-Employers deposit Social
Security, Medicare and withheld income tax for November
29, 30 and December 1.
December 8
-Employers deposit Social
Security, Medicare and withheld income tax for December
2, 3, 4, and 5.
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