It's Good to Be the King

When it comes to socialized medicine, President Teleprompter will be using private doctors, thank you very much.

Although I didn't watch the Obamacare infomercial on ABC, I did read some incredibly elitist statements by the Dear Leader on abc.com. Great fares to India on Air France!

Here is the relevant quotation:

"Devinsky asked the president pointedly if he would be willing to promise not to seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the public plan he's proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get. The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if "it's my family member, if it's my wife, if it's my children, if it's my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care. "

OK, so the rest of us would suffer under Peasant Care, while the elites enjoy the best treatment. Boy, that sounds strangely similar to dictatorships of yore, or the IRS special treatment of Charlie Rangel and Timothy Geithnerof! Compare Long Term Care Insurance Quotes and Save!

Here is the proof that President Teleprompter has absolutely no clue how government competing with private business will destroy private business.

"The president rebuffed that, arguing that "we can set up a public option where they're collecting premiums just like any private insurer and doctors can collect rates," but because the public plan will have lower administrative costs "we can keep them [private insurance companies] honest."

Isn't it nice that he believes private insurance is dishonest? Funny how he also thinks a government-run program will have lower administrative costs. That is hilarious! Perhaps my tin foil hat is on just a little too tight, but perhaps his plan is to have socialized medicine, and this is just the first step to run out private insurance. Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

Dear readers, if you wish to stop this free fall into socialized medicine, you better call your elected representatives today and register your complaints. You should also consider voicing your opposition to this cap and trade nonsense.

Driving Fun with Homer Simpson

I admit it, I love The Simpsons. They have made me laugh for many years. When I found out today that Homer's voice will be available in TomTom's Navigation unit, I jumped up and said "Woo Hoo!"

Sure, its silly, it doesn't have anything to do with today's economic issues, but hey, its fun.

TomTom has two audio samples. They are hilarious.

Hat tip to gizmag.com.

Barney Frank Strikes Again!

Barney Frank is more dangerous to the housing economy than Ted Kennedy and an Oldsmobile (RIP Mary Joe Kopechne)! In the Opinion section of the Wall Street Journal (June 24, 2009), it is reported that Barney Frank and Andy Weiner (D-FL) "...sent a letter to the heads of Fannie and Freddie exhorting them to lower lending standards for condo buyers."

Lower lending standards? Are you kidding? Is his memory so short that he can't remember what happens when you lower lending standards? Here is a hint, about $1 trillion of taxpayer money flies out the window. Oh, and its foreclosures galore! Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

Also, when did Representative Frank become a loan officer or underwriter? Maybe, he is just in bed with condo developers or other high power lobbies. In short, he has been shown to be incompetent in dealing with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because of his regular protestations that the Titanic wasn't sinking.

Risk management is best practiced by those whose money is on the line. Borrowers can shop around for mortgages and the best terms. If there credit is not so good, they can expect to pay more for the mortgage than somebody with better credit. Its all about risk. This is why most in Congress don't "get it." They enjoy a steady stream of taxpayer dollars whether they screw things up or not. They don't worry about going out of business, because the government can just print more money, or so their thinking goes. People who switched to Allstate saved an average of $396 per year. Quote Now!

Consider how your personal economic situation has changed since September of 2008. Do you believe the Congress, President, and government agencies have had a positive impact on you, and the economy at large? Do you believe that Congress should be pressuring others to take dangerous financial risks? If you think government is the answer, things are only going to get worse. If you think government should stay out of the mortgage business, then consider who you vote for in 2010.

See previous posts about this topic: here, here, here, and here.

Support Liberty and Peace in Iran!

***WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES***



As there has been no meaningful statement of support from President Obama, I am making the one on behalf of freedom-loving Americans.

People of Iran,

May God's peace be upon you in your struggle for liberty and peace!

America and Americans support you! Stay strong and courageous!

Liberty is the right of all people, as well as peace. Sadly, your ancient nation has suffered at the hands of tyrants and radicals in recent years. As you struggle to assert your dignity and God given rights, know that America and all Americans support you! May peace and liberty come to your land. May you be safe in your homes and places of worship, free from terror and oppression.

In the final words of one of our beloved, patriot songs:

From every mountain side, LET FREEDOM RING!

Class Warfare at the Wall Street Journal

Good grief, the Wall Street Journal is now printing class warfare stories on the front page. In the 19 June 2009 daily edition, below the fold, there is a story titled, "CEOs of Bailed-Out Banks Flew to Resorts on Firms' Jets."

My first response is "who cares?" I sure don't. Corporate jets are whipping boys in the current game of nationalizing industries and taking the country down the road to socialism. There I said it. The current administration and Congress are turning this country into Venezuela! Special Sign Up Bonus: FREE rollover minutes. Order Today!

From the article:

"Disclosure of the flights comes at a t time when the Obama administration is setting limits on how banks that receive federal money may compensate their executives... Aid recipients' use of corporate jets, even for business, has been a sensitive matter since last fall."

Did you get all of that? The Executive Branch is setting limits on the compensation of publicly-traded companies. What? Who is "sensitive" to the matter? President Teleprompter who takes a $27,000 dollar flight to go one a date with his wife? But wait, you say, he is the President, he has to be protected. I agree, he does. But what about the President of a company that employs 250,000 people and generates over $97 billion in revenue? 
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That person would be Ivan G. Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon Communications. According to their most recent proxy statement:

"The Company provides certain aircraft and ground transportation benefits to enhance the safety and security of certain of the named executive officers."

For Bank of America's Ken Lewis, he too is entitled to use the corporate jet for "...primarily for business travel." If you read the proxy statement of any major corporation, they will say roughly the same thing, as well as noting it as an element of compensation. If you were paying an executive $1500 an hour, would you want them standing in the security line at JFK for 45 minutes? I sure wouldn't! Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

The fact of the matter is that most people won't ever fly in a corporate jet or earn what a CEO earns. While it is nice to dream those dreams and work hard to try to fulfill them, it probably won't happen. If you begrudge them, then don't invest in their companies. If you feel locked in because your tax dollars went in the form of a bailout, then vote the bums out! Frankly, I am sick of the whining.

Is Wind Worth It?

No one can deny the seriousness of interest in alternative energy. This dedication is leading to advances in technologies to make alternative energy economically efficient.

Most recently, Gizmag.com reported on a new wind turbine for the home. Weighing in at just 95 lbs (43 kg), it can be mounted on a pole, or a roof. The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine from EarthTronics is six feet across (1.8 m) and is able to generate power in wind speeds as low as 2 mph (3.2 kph).

These statistics are significant as most of the continental U.S. is in low wind areas making traditional wind turbines futile. The unit will go on sale with an MSRP of $4500, which is said to be a third of traditional wind turbines. Additional costs include the need for an automotive battery and a licensed electrician to hook the turbine into the house distribution panel. Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

Do the numbers work? Will I put one up? Not yet. The turbine is said produce "...to up to 2000 kilowatt hours (kW) of power per year, which is about 15 percent of an average household’s energy needs." These numbers assume an average annual consumption of 13,333.33 kW hours. The average price per residential kW in the U.S. is $0.1138, thus making the annual average electric bill $1517.33. The wind turbine could reduce that amount by as much as $227.60 annually. Assuming only the cost of the turbine, it would take at least 19.77 years to get your money back. Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

The only thing that is making this turbine interesting is the prospect of a federal tax subsidy. The subsidy itself varies between 0-100% for the cost of the turbine alone, depending upon location. CNN reports the subsidy is 30%. Let's run the numbers again. With the 30% subsidy, the turbine now costs $3150 and would take 13.84 years to recoup the cost of the turbine alone. TGC Get 4 books for $1 each

In my personal opinion, this would not be on my list of capital expenditures. It would be close, as my new HVAC system is going to take 12 years for total payback. If you have $4500 and money for an electrician, you may want to do this. Of course, the elephant in the room is whether President Teleprompter and his Congressional sycophants are going to impose a "cap and trade" energy mega-tax. If that tax brings up the price of electricity, which it surely will, this wind turbine may be just the ticket.

For now, I am sticking with coal, natural gas and nuclear, as they provide the most consistent and least expensive power. If the economics of wind improves, I will certainly think about it.

Some Good News for a Change

After months of bad economic news, I want to share some good news.

The Toronto Star reports somebody dropped off two paintings by a Venetian master, Federico Del Campo, at Goodwill Industries.

For those who aren't familiar with Goodwill, here is who they are and what they do:

"We are North America’s leading nonprofit provider of education, training, and career services for people with disadvantages, such as welfare dependency, homelessness, and lack of education or work experience, as well as those with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Last year, local Goodwills collectively provided employment and training services to more than 1.1 million individuals. We believe that work has the power to transform lives by building self-confidence, independence, creativity, trust and friendships. Everyone deserves a chance to have these."

People who want to help Goodwill donate items that are sold in their thrift stores. All of the work to collect, sort, and sell the items is done by those Goodwill is helping. In this particular case, the manager, Helen Zhuang, recognized the paintings were not your everyday donation. Stop Looking for a Job! Let RiseSmart help you find your $100k dream job! www.risesmart.com

Ms. Zhuang notified management and the paintings were sent to a local auction house to determine their value. When the unique nature of the works was determined, the were put up for sale. The paintings fetched CDN$80,700 and CDN$78,400, respectively. The paintings were bought by an anonymous buyer, somewhere in Europe. Protect your Medical Identity with TrustedID. $1,000,000 Warranty & Great Customer Service

As each of us struggles with the bombardment of bad economic news, as well as the suffering of those around us, it is important to have hope. Hope reminds us that despite appearances, evil will never triumph over good. Despite the gravity of our situation and the suffering we encounter, good is coming from it. Maybe not for us, or in our time, but good will always emerge from suffering. Take heart and have hope! If you can, consider donating time or money to charity. If you can't, pray for those who suffer and provide spiritual relief where you can.

The Truth about Chrysler's Nationalization Comes Out

If it weren't already clear that President Teleprompter wanted to run Chrysler into the arms of the UAW and Fiat, the "Wall Street Journal" ran a front page piece on June 6, 2009 that clearly spells it all out.

The article, titled "U.S. Pushed Fiat Deal on Chrysler" discusses emails that show Chrysler and its advisers were very concerned about off-balance sheet joint ventures Fiat was involved with, as well as a lack of financial disclosure on the part of Fiat. Cheap? No. 100% Free. Trade stocks for free on Zecco.com. The Free Trading Community. www.zecco.com

The emails, which you can read for yourself, demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt the level of personal involvement of President Teleprompter. Here is just a taste:

"Its over. The President doesn't negotiate second rounds."

Absolutely breathtaking. These emails came to light in discovery as the Indiana pension funds sought to stop the nationalization plan. As of June 8, 2009, the federal Appeals Court has allowed the nationalization to continue, though it is delayed to allow Indiana's lawyer, Tom Lauria, who Treasury refers to as a "terrorist," to file with the Supreme Court. Gift Cards - Jeep Parts & Accessories

In the end, the issue is whether bankruptcy law in the United States will be followed or if the President to exercise extra-constitutional duties. As is clearly the case, the rule of absolute priority is not being followed in Chrysler's case. The failure to abide by the rule of law is destroying trust in the economic system of the United States.

Solar Saves Lives

Although this blog is focused on value and money, there is nothing more valuable than human life. That's why I am pleased to write about a nifty gadget that uses solar energy and plastic to bring clean drinking water to the poorest of the world.

Both Gizmag.com and ecofriend.org have articles about the Solaqua, an inexpensive device that uses the sun to purify water. Water Barrels and Storage

It was designed by "...Jason Lam, a student at the University of New South Wales in Australia. It was runner-up in the student division of the 2009 Australian Design Award - James Dyson Award announced on May 29."

Simply, the device has a central funnel with a filter, that then distributes the water to 5, two liter bottles. The bottles have black bottoms to concentrate the rays of the sun, and the plastic is designed to reflect the UV rays of the sun. This method is known as SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) and is recommended by the World Health Organization. Discover Top Rated Mighty Leaf Herbal Tea. Tea lovers love our delicious herbal tea blends. You will too. Save 25% on your first order!

As an American, I am used to clean drinking water from the tap. However, having traveled to China, Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries without clean drinking water, I know just how blessed we American's are. Water borne pathogens kill millions of people each year, with children and the elderly hardest hit. A simple system such as Solaqua can help prevent many of these deaths, cheaply and easily.

The true value of any innovation is how much it helps promote human life. To Jason Lam and SODIS.ch, I salute you and encourage you in your work! I also encourage my readers to take active steps to promote clean drinking water to the poorest among us.