Sallie, Fannie, and Freddie
Sallie Mae: Student Loan Debt is at $1,000,000,000,000 ($1 trillion)---exceeding credit card debt!
Like with the mortgage market, the gigantous influx of government money/guarantee into this market has caused a meteoric rise in prices: as schools see more money flooding in and available, tuition and costs skyrocket. Fannie and Freddie has similar effects in their respective markets, driving real property prices through the roof based on no real increase in market value.
Boy, the banks are making an awful lot of money off of us. Well, now, its the Dept of Education that is acting as the student loan bank and making the government a lot of money. Its making so much money, that the federal politicians are using it to pay down the federal debt. Imagine that, our big senators and representatives are transferring all this money to their pet projects, their favorite lobbyists and campaign supporters, and paying for their purchases off of our backs, whether its from our tax dollars or from our student loan payments. How ethical is that, to squeeze us through our need for an education. And, to protect their cash cow--us, they have successfully lobbied congress to remove every fundamental consumer protection for student loans: bankruptcy, statute of limitations,...
Relief in sight? Well, its not debt relief. And, why is it that there are all these articles about Obama's changes, accomplished via executive authority, don't include the name of this move or a link that provides the executive order in its entirety? Well maybe its because they don't really want us to know that we may be able to get our debt forgiven after 20 years.
Even if you go the the Dept of Education website, you still can't find the Obama 10/25/2011 changes-well, you can't find this change from 25 years to 20 years.
I did find this, however:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/discharges.jsp?tab=repaying
Note that it says that, on a rare occassion, you can get the debt cancelled via bankruptcy if undue hardship is found. I don't know what you need to prove to get Undue Hardship...if you have any case law, let me know in a comment.
United States Aid Fund vs. Espinosa
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/25/fact-sheet-help-americans-manage-student-loan-debt
Still no mention of the reduction to 20 years, though.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Obamacare...Abominable?
Let's not forget that the "health care reform" legislation successfully made into law by Obama is anything but. Its a health insurance business law.
This law is really only guaranteed to accomplish one thing: the fattening of insurance companies at the expense of the citizenry.
Insurers revenues will more than double by 2014--to a wopping $1,200,000,000,000. Yep, thats $1.2 trillion.
Pay attention to the details of the new laws: they have more to do with running of the insurance industry than with the delivery of quality health care to all americans.
This law is really only guaranteed to accomplish one thing: the fattening of insurance companies at the expense of the citizenry.
Insurers revenues will more than double by 2014--to a wopping $1,200,000,000,000. Yep, thats $1.2 trillion.
Pay attention to the details of the new laws: they have more to do with running of the insurance industry than with the delivery of quality health care to all americans.
Mavericks
World Changers: 25 Entrepeneurs Who Changed Business As We Knew It
John Byrne
3 Common Characteristics:
--sees opportunites (vs. problems)
--can live with risk and failure
--determination to run own life
John Byrne
3 Common Characteristics:
--sees opportunites (vs. problems)
--can live with risk and failure
--determination to run own life
The advantage of knowing local systems
All Business is Local:Why Place Matters More Than Ever in a Global Virtual World
John Quelch and Katherine Jocz
...place matters most...need lots of local knowledge to succeed--its about understanding the local systems, like the local distribution system.
For professional services providers at airports, this probably means visiting potential clients frequently and affectionately.
John Quelch and Katherine Jocz
...place matters most...need lots of local knowledge to succeed--its about understanding the local systems, like the local distribution system.
For professional services providers at airports, this probably means visiting potential clients frequently and affectionately.
Basketball
Recently, I had the "pleasure" of staying with some NBA allstars at Orlando's JWMarriot/Ritz-Carlton. No, I wasn't a part of any of their entourages, but I was living in such close quarters with the all-stars and their associates that my suspicions about the degradation of the sport were birthed.
Let's just sumamarize it this way: I stay at places like the Ritz to get away from the "uncivilized" experience of the "outside" world. If I wanted to spend four days around hookers, domestic fights, knife fights, and wildly increased police presence, I'd have camped out in my car in the seedier parts of town.
Is it any wonder that now, whenever I tune in to watch even the college games, all I see are "gang" leaders "in training"--NBA style.
So, for me now, watching basketball today is like watching cleaned-up gangs all dressed in the same clothes-the team uniform. I can't help but ask myself things like "How many is he gonna have in his entourage?, and "How many fights or other salacious or violent activities will he or his associates be involved in?"
These males are simply not so important that we, as a society, need to condone their bubbled-off world of illegal activity. Perhaps, salaries need to be dropped...a lot, the associates "registered" or made to get--and maintain, a business-license in any state in which they appear, or prosecutions and convictions made. Is the IRS making any of these guys pay gift tax or income tax on any of the benefits these associates are receiving? I hope so.
Let's just sumamarize it this way: I stay at places like the Ritz to get away from the "uncivilized" experience of the "outside" world. If I wanted to spend four days around hookers, domestic fights, knife fights, and wildly increased police presence, I'd have camped out in my car in the seedier parts of town.
Is it any wonder that now, whenever I tune in to watch even the college games, all I see are "gang" leaders "in training"--NBA style.
So, for me now, watching basketball today is like watching cleaned-up gangs all dressed in the same clothes-the team uniform. I can't help but ask myself things like "How many is he gonna have in his entourage?, and "How many fights or other salacious or violent activities will he or his associates be involved in?"
These males are simply not so important that we, as a society, need to condone their bubbled-off world of illegal activity. Perhaps, salaries need to be dropped...a lot, the associates "registered" or made to get--and maintain, a business-license in any state in which they appear, or prosecutions and convictions made. Is the IRS making any of these guys pay gift tax or income tax on any of the benefits these associates are receiving? I hope so.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Gardening
Stella Otto
The Backyard Berry Book
The Backyard Orchardist
Southern grape: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn. Univ. of Arkansas
Remove old wood in late winter.
Can pinch vine tips in season to keep in bounds.
Kiwi, and Hardy Kiwi
Hops
Akebias
Seeds
Abundant Life Seeds
Baker Creek (rareseeds.com)
BestCoolSeeds
Botanical Interests
Gourmet Seed
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Raintree Nursery
Seed Savers Exchange
Territorial Seed
Underwoodgardens.com
White Harvest Seed
Willhite Seed
One Green World
(From Hobby Farm Home, March/April 2012)
rareseeds.com
ComstockFerre.com
Seed Savers Exchange
National Heirloom Exposition
Renee's Garden Seeds
Select Seeds
The Backyard Berry Book
The Backyard Orchardist
Southern grape: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn. Univ. of Arkansas
Remove old wood in late winter.
Can pinch vine tips in season to keep in bounds.
Kiwi, and Hardy Kiwi
Hops
Akebias
Seeds
Abundant Life Seeds
Baker Creek (rareseeds.com)
BestCoolSeeds
Botanical Interests
Gourmet Seed
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Raintree Nursery
Seed Savers Exchange
Territorial Seed
Underwoodgardens.com
White Harvest Seed
Willhite Seed
One Green World
(From Hobby Farm Home, March/April 2012)
rareseeds.com
ComstockFerre.com
Seed Savers Exchange
National Heirloom Exposition
Renee's Garden Seeds
Select Seeds
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