1. The Economist Intelligence Unit has released its annual cost-of-living index which uses the weighted average of prices for 160 products and services to compare global cities.

    No surprise that Tokyo leads the list, but New York jumping 19 places since 2012? Alarming.

  2. The Economist compared changes across eight economic indicators to analyze the performance of second presidential terms since 1901. Findings? Only three of the eleven presidents had better second terms and in every term, seven out of eight economic indicators deteriorated. Even with those odds, we’re still hopeful for the next four years. 

    The Economist compared changes across eight economic indicators to analyze the performance of second presidential terms since 1901. Findings? Only three of the eleven presidents had better second terms and in every term, seven out of eight economic indicators deteriorated.

    Even with those odds, we’re still hopeful for the next four years. 

  3. “If I were thinking of starting a new retail brand right now, I would unquestionably start it online. (Online brands) design and source their own goods. They historically would have started in the mall but they now are starting online, a trend that will undoubtedly continue. There clearly will be fewer new offline retailers to take the space vacated by the disappearing brick-and-mortar chains, further pressuring malls.” —Jeff Jordan in The Death of the American Shopping Mall

    “If I were thinking of starting a new retail brand right now, I would unquestionably start it online. (Online brands) design and source their own goods. They historically would have started in the mall but they now are starting online, a trend that will undoubtedly continue. There clearly will be fewer new offline retailers to take the space vacated by the disappearing brick-and-mortar chains, further pressuring malls.”

    —Jeff Jordan in The Death of the American Shopping Mall

  4. An interesting look at 2013’s fastest growing/shrinking economies from The Economist.

    An interesting look at 2013’s fastest growing/shrinking economies from The Economist.

  5. From GeekWire: How much Americans are spending online this holiday season.

    From GeekWire: How much Americans are spending online this holiday season.

  6. Where the purchases came from yesterday for our one year launch. Are you there Montana, South and North Dakota? It’s us, Everlane.

    Where the purchases came from yesterday for our one year launch.

    Are you there Montana, South and North Dakota? It’s us, Everlane.

  7. In 2011, Klaus Jacob of Columbia University released a report (with the image above) detailing the effects of a 100-year storm on the NYC transit system as part of a larger study on climate change.  Today, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota called the effects of Hurricane Sandy the “worse than the worst case scenario.” According to Klaus’ report, a storm like Sandy could effect the subway system so much that it may take up to 21 days to get it working at 90 percent functionality. However, “if all potential damage is considered, Jacob and colleagues warn that timeline could increase to several months, and that permanent restoration of the system to the full revenue service that was previously available could take more than two years.” A scary prospect to say the least. 

    In 2011, Klaus Jacob of Columbia University released a report (with the image above) detailing the effects of a 100-year storm on the NYC transit system as part of a larger study on climate change. 

    Today, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota called the effects of Hurricane Sandy the “worse than the worst case scenario.”

    According to Klaus’ report, a storm like Sandy could effect the subway system so much that it may take up to 21 days to get it working at 90 percent functionality. However, “if all potential damage is considered, Jacob and colleagues warn that timeline could increase to several months, and that permanent restoration of the system to the full revenue service that was previously available could take more than two years.”

    A scary prospect to say the least. 

  8. And now, a break from our countdown to November 1 (Oxford, Silk and Cashmere launch) for the second most important date on our minds: November 6. (Especially with the foreign policy debate tonight). The New York Times recently released this interactive infographic showing how the states have shifted votes over the years and Ohio, we’re looking at you. The entire telling 1952-2012 history here.

    And now, a break from our countdown to November 1 (Oxford, Silk and Cashmere launch) for the second most important date on our minds: November 6. (Especially with the foreign policy debate tonight).

    The New York Times recently released this interactive infographic showing how the states have shifted votes over the years and Ohio, we’re looking at you.

    The entire telling 1952-2012 history here.

  9. After XKCD produced a survey asking people to name various colors, designer Stephen Von Worley took an answer sample size of 5,000,000, and mapped the 2,000 most common responses in an interactive infographic split by gender. 

    It turns out, while women see the world in shades of paynes gray, ecru, and aubergine, men define hues with such specific names as odd green, piss yellow, and off pink. 

    From Fast Company. 

  10. A look at the average American workday from NPR’s Planet Money. 

    A look at the average American workday from NPR’s Planet Money. 

  11. “Everyone devotes a huge chunk of their budget to housing, for example. Poor, middle class and rich families spend similar shares of their budgets on clothing and shoes, and on food outside the home.” An insightful look at the spending habits of American households, from NPR. 

    “Everyone devotes a huge chunk of their budget to housing, for example. Poor, middle class and rich families spend similar shares of their budgets on clothing and shoes, and on food outside the home.”

    An insightful look at the spending habits of American households, from NPR. 

  12. An alarming visualization of when the Earth’s non-renewable resources will run out from the BBC. 

    An alarming visualization of when the Earth’s non-renewable resources will run out from the BBC. 

  13. The potential for social technologies to improve productivity in the workplace.  From The McKinsey Global Institute. 

    The potential for social technologies to improve productivity in the workplace. 

    From The McKinsey Global Institute. 

  14. What colors mean across 10 cultures via Fast Company. 

    What colors mean across 10 cultures via Fast Company. 

  15. “The United States’ long-hour culture permeates both our day-to-day family choices and our national laws, creating an up-and-down feedback loop of industriousness.” Why the U.S. is the only nation without a National Vacation Policy from The Atlantic.  Now go enjoy the weekend. 

    “The United States’ long-hour culture permeates both our day-to-day family choices and our national laws, creating an up-and-down feedback loop of industriousness.”

    Why the U.S. is the only nation without a National Vacation Policy from The Atlantic. 

    Now go enjoy the weekend.