At the opposite end of the spectrum, Alabama is luring global firms to feed its manufacturing base.

ECONOMIST: Foreign investment

Which is going to produce a large and long term customer base which can feed profits for years, decades?

FORBES: Amazon Makes No Hardware Margins On The Kindle

Her latest objective for the feed, besides building a solid follower base, is an endorsement of sorts.

FORBES: Magazine Article

But every year, a lucky few get the chance to feed, bathe and exercise the endangered animals at the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, China.

BBC: Play one-on-one with a giant panda

From the old school (home runs, batting average, runs batted in, wins, earned run average) to the money ball school (on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wins over replacement player), there's more to feed the stat geek's appetite than ever.

FORBES