While summer break may be too short for many students, the end of summer is a welcome change for retailers eager to learn whether students “hitting the books” will result in more parents hitting the store aisles. In line with a general slowdown that occurs during the restful summer months, economic activity also feels a “summer pause,” a “quiet” that can be as loud and jarring as fingers on a chalkboard for many retailers. Fortunately for them, the early back-to-school predictions could mean good marks in their future sales logs.

As we speak, the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay is in progress. The famed torch is making its way to Olympic Stadium in London to mark the start of the international games in July. The Olympic flame, dating back to the ancient Olympic games in Greece, is not only a token of the games, but also a symbol of countries coming together, united in pride, sportsmanship and healthy competition. The Olympics may be the one of the best examples of global collaboration.

When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2016 Summer games to Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, it left many here in America looking for reasons why.  When viewed through an objective lens, it’s easy to see why Rio would be a wonderful host city, with its beautiful beaches and colorful culture.  In addition, Forbes magazine named Rio the world’s happiest city for 2009.