Sunday, June 30, 2013

The modern "global middle class”

The modern "global middle class”, status defined by education or simply in monetary terms, is engaging in political activism to save  its economic self-interest as in the past the French, Bolshevik and Chinese Revolutions did .


The modern "global middle class” knows that the only way to save its status is being the “new part” of the “new big government”, an ineffective, unresponsive  and corrupt "system".

Saturday, June 29, 2013

How Lobbying Spenders Make a Law

U.S. Senate passed a giant, 1,200 page immigration bill.

The Senate bill provides $50 billion for border security measures.

Boeing and a team of companies including L-3 Communications and
L-3 Government Services, Washington D.C.; Unisys, Reston, Va.;
Perot Systems, Plano, Texas; Kollsman Inc., Merrimack, N.H.; and
DRS Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Palm Bay, Fla.,
have formally placed a bid.


Boeing Is Top Lobbying Spenders In Washington.
Boeing spokeswoman Susan Bradley says the company recently decided to re-engage with the Washington legislature on issues of what she calls “business competitiveness.”


Total Lobbying Expenditures
    for Parent L-3 Communications in 2010: $4,930,000

Total Lobbying Expenditures
    for Parent Unisys Corp: $906,349

Total Lobbying Expenditures
    for Parent Perot Systems in 2006: $247,713

DRS Technologies announced on September 25 that it has been selected to be a member of the Boeing Company SBInet team.
The work will be performed by DRS Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group of Palm Bay, Fla.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

The new enemy of the Government

Bitcoin is the new enemy of the Government.

Banking regulators in California, New York and Virginia in recent weeks have issued warnings to virtual-currency exchanges and other companies that deal with bitcoin that they could be closed down if their activities run afoul of state money-transmission laws.

The US Treasury will insist that virtual currencies comply with anti-money-laundering laws.

US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issues guidance on virtual currencies, suggesting Bitcoin
exchanges are in for greater scrutiny.

FinCEN’s reg ulations define currency (also referred to as “real” currency) as “the coin and paper money of the United States or of any other country that [i] is designated as legal tender and that [ii] circulates and [iii] is customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in the
country of issuance.” 

In contrast to real currency, “virtual” currency is a medium of exchange that operates like a currency in some environments, but does not have all the attributes of real currency. In particular, virtual currency does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction.

This guidance addresses “convertible” virtual currency. This type of virtual currency either has an equivalent value in real currency, or acts as a substitute for real currency.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Why every quarter U.S. GDP Growth Is Revised Down?

Why every quarter U.S. GDP Growth Is Revised Down?

Because downward revisions are more common than upward revisions. 

Because consumer spending is  more than two-thirds of the U.S. economy  and government controls about 40 percent of consumer spending.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Why entitlements will not fail?

Why entitlements will not fail?

Because everybody feels that we have a right or a claim to something.

Because they are payments made directly to individuals.

Because the federal government wants to be legally obligated to make payments.

Because they make up the major part of the federal budget.

Because the government assistance to individuals is mandated by law and by need.

Because everybody wants the right to a particular privilege.

Because an individual qualifies simply by virtue of his or her circumstances.

Because the mayority of the people does not believe the idea that everything  should be obtained through effort.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Why America is not Europe?

Why America is not Europe?

Because America has CME Group Inc. (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), the world's largest futures exchange company; the world's leading and most diverse  derivatives marketplace; the place  where the world comes to manage risk.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Why central banks cannot stabilize financial markets?

Overburdened central banks cannot stabilize financial markets without governments reforming economies and banking systems.

Central banks are out of control, they have persistent policy problems; they do not have the independence to determine the best way of achieving its policy goals; they cannot solve economic problems; they are unable and unwilling of dealing with a bubble economy.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Why Mt.Gox, the world's largest bitcoin trading exchange, has halted withdrawals of customer funds in U.S. dollars?

Why Mt.Gox, the world's largest bitcoin trading exchange,  has halted withdrawals of customer  funds in U.S. dollars?

Because the Tokyo-based exchange is the only FED concern nowadays.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Life's greatest pleasure?

 Life's greatest pleasure?

Rowing (sport)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

What makes you average American ?

What makes you average American ?

To land in the middle quintile – where you are richer  than 2 out of 5 households but poorer than 2 out 5 households – requires  an income of between $34,738 and $55,330. 

That – and that only – is the average American family. 

You are only “average” if you have pre-tax income of between  $2,894.83 and $4,335.75 per month.

Anything below this and you are below average. 

Anything above this and you are above average.

Monday, June 17, 2013

The war between government and technology.

The war between government and technology.

The Texas state government has banned drones for most private use.

The state of North Carolina is considering a ban on  direct sales of Tesla vehicles.

The state of New York considers Airbnb illegal

Ride-sharing startups like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar  face constant threats and hurdles as they  expand outside of the Bay Area.

 Bitcoin,  suffered a recent Fed crackdown as the most active exchange  for the popular crypto-currency.

The ways things are going, 3-D printers will be  banned because some fanatic will hack software that lets him print a 3-D gun.

Friday, June 14, 2013

There is no bigger menace for a human being than when government goes to work.

There is no bigger menace for a human being than when government goes to work.

Oversight and accountability are unknown words  for goverment.

Government is extreme.

The U.S. government is really spying on American  citizens.

Bad guys and terrorism were always the excuses of totalitarians to harm, harass or invade the liberties of individuals.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

How many spies the U.S. Government has?

How many spies the U.S.  Government has?

3 million.

The official intelligence agencies in the U.S are:

Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Independent agencies
o Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
United States Department of Defense
o Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
o National Security Agency (NSA)
o National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
o National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
o Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA)
o Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM)
o Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA)
o Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
United States Department of Energy
o Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI)
United States Department of Homeland Security
o Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)
o Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI)
United States Department of Justice
o Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
o Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of National Security Intelligence (DEA/ONSI)
United States Department of State
o Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)
United States Department of the Treasury
o Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI)[7]


The three biggest employers are

CIA = 135,000e employees

FBI = 30,485 employees

NSA= 30,000 employees

The rest of the intelligence agencies have around 500,000 employees.

Total amount of official spies in the US is around: 700,000

This number is three time bigger if we account spies outside the U.S. and independent contractors spies.

Total number spies the U.S.  Government has:  it is around 3 million.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Freedom literacy


Freedom literacy is a new skill we need to live in this new world of individual  responsibility and Government's collection of  electronic data

 Very few countries have taken the initiative  to improve freedom literacy and capability.

If you don’t do that, this is not something  that grows with you or that people acquire by  their daily lives.

Recording everything you do, forces you to be aware of where your go and what  you do.

The more we focus on our freedom and are conscious  of it, the more likely we will not take it  for granted.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

How to limit inefficient government bureaucracy, tax rates and tax regulations?



How to limit inefficient government bureaucracy, tax rates and tax regulations?



Place a civil servant a congressman and a senator in a dreary office rented by them and tell them to run a business for a year.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

What is the main difference between Europe and America?

What is the main difference between Europe and America?

The location of the financial assets.

Banks dominate finance in Europe, especially in the struggling south.

Some 85% of financial assets  in Italy, 87% in Spain and 96% in Greece are held by banks and other credit institutions, compared with less than 30% in the U.S. So when the banks don't lend, European economies can't grow.

Even if U.S. banks are struggling, U.S. companies can raise funds from the markets.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

When fiscal and monetary policies do not work.

When fiscal and monetary policies do not work.


No matter how many quantitative easing programs  you can use.

In 2006, 63.4% of the American working-age population was employed. That percentage declined to a
low of 58.2% in July 2011 and now stands at 58.6%.

Freedom and security never matched

Freedom and security never matched

According to the US Government:

Every time  Americans makes a call, the US Government  gets a record of the location, the number called, the  time of the call and the length of the conversation.

Every time  Americans send and email or visit a website the US Government gets a record of it.

Every time  Americans pay with a credit card the US Government  gets a record of it.

Every time  Americans create information the US Government "maps" individuals connected  with that information.

The US Government surveillance of people is breathtaking.

 Is the US Government out of control?

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Why poverty in America is concentrated most heavily in the mid-western states and old industrial north east?

Why poverty in America is concentrated most heavily in the  mid-western states and old industrial north east?

Because few rural areas are experiencing population growth

According to the Department of Agriculture 15 per cent of the US population spread across 72 per cent of its land area and those aged 65 and over account for 15 per cent of  the rural population but 12 per cent of population  nationally.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Economics is not a highly sophisticated field of thought.

Economics is not a highly sophisticated field  of thought.

You don't need to be an economist to know  what was wrong in the past.

And about the future, careful economic analysis  and data are unable to kill personal interest and ideology at time of making tough choices.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Another victim of Fed exporting inflation overseas:

Another victim of Fed  exporting inflation overseas:

Turkey

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.1% (2012 est.)

SOURCE: 2013 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Another typical effect:

Antigovernment protests spread as more than  100,000 people took to the streets across Turkey.