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Got a topic for our next Whiteboard video? Submit your ideas!

Help us break down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand analogies. Post a comment below with an idea for the topic of our next Whiteboard video and you could win a signed copy of Paddy Hirsch's new book "Man vs. Markets"

People who know me know I love two things: Explaining stuff to people and getting stuff for free. So it gives me great pleasure to combine these two loves by explaining to you how you how you can get something from me for free.

And that free thing is... a copy of my new book, Man vs. Markets. It explains all the basics and some of the not-so-basics about the financial system. Think of it as one of my Whiteboard videos on paper – with a fancy cover.

Post a comment and you could get free stuff
All you have to do is post a comment on this page suggesting an idea for an upcoming episode of the Whiteboard. Each week starting Friday Sept. 1 and continuing for the next few months, I’ll pick one person at random who left a comment and send them a signed copy of my book. And I’ll use your best ideas for future Whiteboard videos.

So post your comments with ideas – we need them, because without ideas, there’ll be no Whiteboards, and that could leave us all very badly needing a drink!

About the author

Paddy Hirsch is the Senior Producer, Personal Finance at Marketplace and the creator and host of the Marketplace Whiteboard. Follow Paddy on Twitter @paddyhirsch and on facebook at www.facebook.com/paddyhirsch101

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bhayse's picture
bhayse - Aug 29, 2012

Whiteboard topic suggestions:

1. Opportunity Cost
2. Cost-Benefit Analysis
3. Time value of money

jmcgarry2011's picture
jmcgarry2011 - Aug 29, 2012

I'd like to see a whiteboard on the effects of changing tax rates on business decisions. People assume that when tax rates are changed, people and businesses continue to do what they've been doing. This is not true. When tax rates change, behavior changes.

clubbedinthehead's picture
clubbedinthehead - Aug 29, 2012

As a scientist, I make use of the whiteboard to explain complex topics in chemistry and biology to my students. Yet, one thing I have not been able to do is explain certain financial issues to my wife, thus my suggestion below. Some time ago, Paddy had a great explanation on kinds of assets. One aspect about assets that I have had difficulty explaining to my better half is how taxation of assets works in the US. This has quite a bearing on current events given discussions in the media about the tax rates paid by politicians vis a vis the general public. I trust that Paddy will succeed where I have failed.

susieqz100's picture
susieqz100 - Aug 29, 2012

I'd like to understands how baseball players (and maybe it's any professional team sport/franchise) get paid. Honestly, do they get a check every other week? With taxes taken out and a chance to pay into a retirement account and health insurance? When they get traded do they get buyout money from their old team? Do the tv networks pay the franchise? Who pays to keep up the park? Who benefits financially if, say, concessions sell really well? Does any of that flow back to the organization? And do teams/stadiums pay taxes to cities or states or does that $ come back to the municipalities some other way? Could ya put that on a whiteboard for me? (I did see Moneyball by the way.) Thanks!

tanman's picture
tanman - Aug 29, 2012

Thanks for your videos, Paddy, you have certainly helped me through my course :).

What would be the consequences of Germany leaving the euro area?

Mimethic's picture
Mimethic - Aug 29, 2012

Hello.
Poland here.

Paddy we need to be clear about some stuff. Situation in Europe is, well. This is reality, you reap what you sow. What im most interresed about it's future. Please telll us about not... only market, but how to make money because of this knowledge. Tell us what does it mean when NASDAQ falls, when Oil goes down what other things are affected. Teach us to see whats going on the world, and how to undersand those complex phrases on CNBC. Also if you would be so kind, take possition about China, how do you think, in next 10 years what influence will have China? What about Japan 3rd GDP on the world. Tell us how to life and be conscious :))

Best Regards, Adrian.

kenji4861's picture
kenji4861 - Aug 29, 2012

Greece, Italy, Spain are/were having problems paying off their debts. Why is it that the euro can't print money like the US? The US did it and our buying power went down, but it was easier to gulp than seeing the actual wealth go down.

Mimethic's picture
Mimethic - Aug 29, 2012

Of course because of inflation, flooding the market by extreme amount of money is the worst idea because you do not solve the problem but just put aside for later. Greece has this situation because Government gave money for everything, health care, public transport, allowence for employees etc. Also there is a little tiny difference between America and Greece,Spain, Italy. A network of links between countires in Europe is to tight. You cannot just print more money without destabilization of whole system. Except that, Greece and Spain have enormous debts to pay... In my opinion ( and trully forgive me that student like me dare to has his own opinion ) We need some really good strategy, maybe one of mr. john B. Taylor... who knows. Or... maybe the best way its to pay for mistakes... It's terrible... to force people to suffer because of government... but we need to remember that those people lived at really high level of life for loooong time, and noone reacted. Reap what you sow.

Bani's picture
Bani - Aug 28, 2012

Hello, what about à whiteboard about CFD (contract for differnce)?
What are they, and how do à Cfd broker works.
I enjoy those video s. Greetings from Belgium

chrissis1111's picture
chrissis1111 - Aug 28, 2012

Hi, Paddy:
I love your videos and would love to read your book. I would love to see a whiteboard explanation about the following:

1. If getting rid of the glass steagall act gave rise to the economic disaster of 2008, why have we not seen the return of the glass steagall act? Who was it who got it repealed and who is blocking its return? It seems to me that reinstating this act should have been the first order of business after the dust of the 2008 implosion settled. But no one even mentions it anymore.

2. Why do companies purchase their own stock? Can they use this "technique" for fudging their books and their earnings results?

3. What is high-frequency trading and what effect does it have on the market in general? How has the market changed since the introduction of this high-frequency trading?

Thanks for all of your white boards.

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