Jose Pinera’s take on America’s unfunded liabilities, think $100 trillion!

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The below video is a disussion with Jose Pinera regarding future debt obligations.  Jose was a key figure in privatizing Chile’s social security program, saving it upon collapse of the public system.  Check it out!! Can we do the same and privatize social security?

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Constitution now reads: “We the Government…”

Well, with a 16% approval rating, Congress definitely is representing the people(?).  The president’s 46% approval isn’t much better, the lowest of his presidency, and on the decline…  We may as well change the constitution since the will of the people is now an after thought…

Thanks again Ramirez…

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Exploring Risk

Photographer Chase Jarvis recently worked on a campaign for Russell Investments that I find interesting, both artistically and conceptually.  It is about risk taking.  As an entrepreneur, risk is a common topic that must be well understood.  He explores areas where individuals take risks, we as viewers are expected to make the connection between their risk management and finance… I dig em’!  They really play to the idea of following your passions in spite of the risks and learning to manage those risks as we go. Also, the last vid is a sort of behind the scenes deal of their shoots.  They’ve got some wicked sweet gear for sure!!

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Horrible Health Care Realities

Well, with the passing of the healthcare bill, John Stossel posted on his blog simply mentioning 3 issues to wait for with the new bill.  I decided to quote most of the his post as it is good.  Also, be sure to check out the links within his words as they open up more of the reality and disparity of this decision…

HERE’S JOHNNY:

The 3 Worst Obamacare Ingredients

Now that the deed is done, we know which of the politicians’ brilliant ideas will become law. Here are three of the most harmful:

1) The ban on “discriminating” against anyone with a pre-existing condition. This is popular, and yet one of the most damaging part of the bill. It forbids insurance companies to charge sick people more for insurance. The result: I will wait until I get sick to get insurance. The bill supposedly has a $750 fine for not buying insurance [Page 323.] But that won’t even be enforced [page 336.] Even if I did have to pay a $750 fine, so what? That’s much less than the $20,000 plus that it would cost me to buy insurance for my family. I’d be a fool to buy insurance now.

Soon only sick people will buy insurance, so premiums will skyrocket. One study found that it would increase premiums by 50%. Will our politicians see their mistake and fix it? No, they’ll bash “evil” insurance companies. The insurance market is competitive today. Obamacare will reduce competition.

2) The cost. Supposedly $568 billion just for the years 2015 to 2019 (it doesn’t really kick in until 2015.) This comes at a time when the debt is already so high that the federal government is in danger of losing its AAA credit rating. And get this — Warren Buffet’s company can now borrow money at a lower rate than the US government–apparently investors believe his company is more likely to pay them back.

What got the bill through were the dubious promises given to the CBO, ie: the promise to cut Medicare. But we all know Congress won’t actually cut Medicare — it has voted to ignore automatic, scheduled Medicare cuts every year since 2002 (once they even overrode a veto to do it).

debt1

This graph represents the future of our debt payments, before the health care bill passed. The area in red shows how much the federal government will have to pay in the coming years simply in interest on the debt.

Now, Congress adds a nearly $1 Trillion health care bill. And of course, government programs always cost more than promised.

3) Mandates will raise costs. The bill forces all insurance plans to cover “at least… maternity and newborn care… Mental health and substance disorder services… behavioral health treatment… preventative and wellness services and chronic disease management… pediatric services, including oral and vision care.” In the real world, some people want these and some don’t. By requiring insurance companies to pay for all, we guarantee vast increases in wasteful spending. Also, the future offers endless new mandates — the bill gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the power to create them. [Page 105.]

With problems like those, the disgusting earmarks in the bill — like the $100 million “Cornhusker Kickback” and the $300 million “Louisiana Purchase” — seem barely worth a footnote.

The New York Times editorial board says that the bill “has some imperfections but is worthy of support.”

Give me a break.

Read more: http://stossel.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2010/03/22/the-3-worst-obamacare-ingredients/#ixzz0jA3k5U26

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Business acumen of the Government, an oxymoron

This is one of my favorite discussions on Health Care…. Since when has the government been an efficient OR effective “business person”? Nothing can ever pay for itself or work like a business, that just wouldn’t be politically correct… Luckily, when you have a “money machine” it will keep going!

Thanks again Mr. Ramirez. see more of him here

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The True Costs of public school per pupil

Well, education spending is a hot topic, especially where I come from.  Here in my area, the Jordan School District is struggling due to poor policy management over the last while and the separation of the budget between districts.  I still don’t know the real numbers or what is needed but this video brings to light something we all need to understand about costs in education…

You will also want to see this, a pdf article by Adam Schaeffer (the guy in the vid) discussing this lack of transparency in public education. How can we ever fix a system we don’t even understand? …when the issues are clouded or hidden?

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Family Tunes: my cousin’s band

Nothin’ like a family plug… This song was written and played by my Cousin Jake Bush and his band. He’s in high school and just jams from time to time. My brother, Jordan, produced and mixed it.  I’m a fan! This one was just finished in the past week. Check out “The Summer Flood”…

The Summer Flood

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Ramirez Cartoons: The Big Labor Puppet & Money We Don’t Have

Welcome back Ramirez, its been a while…

Catch more here

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Old Spice god says: you could smell like me…

Old Spice nailed there latest campaign, thanks to Craig and Eric over at Weiden + Kennedy (ad agency). Leo Laporte had them over on Twit TV giving a breakdown of the commercial and how they shot it. What a trip! Its amazing the work they go to in order to get this stuff. IT makes you appreciate it that much more. I’m with Leo on this one, its a winner! You gotta love creatives like these guys, make great commercials that not only entertain but sell! I wanna smell like this Old Spice god!

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A pool of water powers the world!

MIT Professor Dan Nocera shares his vision for solving the world energy “crisis.” Now, if the world ever stops innovating, we’re screwed anyway. It has always been that way and always will be. Innovation is a key aspect and energy is a current worry of advanced civilizations, ere go innovation in energy makes us happy! Check it out:

Dan Nocera: Personalized Energy from PopTech on Vimeo.

One point I find interesting is the convergence of Professor Nocera’s line of thinking with that of Chris Anderson in his works on “free.” The idea is the decrease in cost and price as volume expands, approaching zero. Regarding energy, the idea is that the more we produce, we increase efficiency and decrease cost leading to more than adequate volumes at dirt cheap prices, powering the world. I dig it and there are plenty of pools too!

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