3M Co., which you probably know best as the maker of Post-it notes, reported a drop in first quarter earning of 48%. In a conference call, 3M CEO George Buckley indicated that the economic slowdown may bottom out sooner than expected.
“The economy will bottom somewhere between the end of the second and the end of the third quarter,” Buckley said.
The net income of the company dropped from $988 million ($1.38 per share) to begin the year to $518 million ($0.74 per share). Revenue also slipped 21% to $5.1 billion. The company makes a variety of goods from household appliances to …read more

Chris pointed out last week that May is World Trade Month.
As an American ex-pat in Germany, I have schlepped so many things back and forth between two continents that it sometimes feels like I am running my own private import/export business. Sure, I take advantage of exchange rates wherever I can (why buy an iPod for 129 Euros when you can get it for 129 USD?) but there are also a lot of products I like which are only available in one market. Here are some of my current faves:
SmartWool Socks
Mostly available at US camping stores, these are the best/most …read more