February 8, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for health

Note to Washington: You Cannot Separate Human Psychology from Economics

September 23, 2010 By 2 Comments
Predictably Irrational Book

The Huffington Post is talking about Obama's handling of the economy and the world view of his economic advisers now that Larry Summers is resigning. Those policies -- the bailout of Detroit automakers, an $814 billion stimulus package, subsequent programs under TARP, Cash for Clunkers and the administration's unlimited backstop of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- arguably saved an economy that many considered to be on the verge of collapse. But while the recession officially ended last year, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Escaping the Credit Card Debt Prison

September 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Paying Off Credit Card Debt to Escape Financial Prison

When you find yourself in credit card debt it can feel like a financial prison.  Suddenly, you can't go out to eat, pick up a new shirt, or even go to a movie without worrying about the fact that you are increasing your debt or using cash that could have gone to paying down your credit card balances. Before you can figure out how to get out of credit card debt, you have to understand the reason you are in your current position.  As most financial articles and planners can tell you, there … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Credit Card Debt Tagged With: , , , , ,

What the Hell Is Up with the National Poverty Figures?!

September 20, 2010 By 1 Comment

Last week, the Census Bureau reported that an estimated 1 out of 7 Americans is now living in poverty, which is the same level we had in 1994.  I started digging around the figures and found that the government definition of poverty for a two-adult, two child household (4 people) is $22,050 in annual income. How the hell can two working adults - or even one working adult - earn less than that in a year?! I mean, I have one relative who was pulling down roughly $20,000 to $30,000 a year in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics Tagged With: , , , ,

The Price of Happiness? Science Confirms It Is $75,000 Per Year

September 11, 2010 By 2 Comments
Money Can Buy Happiness - It Costs $75,000 Per Year

In a major peer-reviewed study from Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton from the Center for Health and Well-being at Princeton University, the great debate of psychology - can money buy happiness? - has finally been answered.  It turns out, it can up to a point.  This isn't some quick news poll either, it is a serious scientific finding resulting from analysis of 450,000 responses, providing a significant sample size. Defining the Two Types of Happiness The study begins by defining two types of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Psychology Tagged With: , , ,

Are You an Average American Worker?

September 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
Household Income in the United States

A Word on the "Average" Worker The universal law of mathematics is that half of all citizens must be above average and half must be below average.  (Our job is to try and increase that average over time so that someone who is "average" today is richer than someone who was "average" 100 years ago). In the United States, average is defined as $50,000 per household income annually. To adjust for folks like Bill Gates on the high end and the homeless guy on the low end skewing the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics, Making Money Tagged With: , , , , ,

American Manufacturing Profits Are the Same After Inflation As In 1960

September 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Profit by Industry in the United States of America

The manufacturing sector in the United States generates the same inflation-adjusted profits it did in 1960.  Surprised?  Consider this: In 1960, the United States manufacturing sector generated total profits of $23.8 billion. In 2008, the United States manufacturing sector generated total profits of $175.5 billion. If we adjust for inflation, 2008 profits from manufacturing should have been $171.17 billion, so we are actually ahead of the game a bit.  The problem is, at the same … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Case Studies & Profiles, Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How to Solve the Trade Deficit – Part III

August 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Knowledge Worker

This is Part III of my special on How to Solve the Trade Deficit.  If you missed the earlier parts, you can read Part I or Part II first. How to Solve the Trade Deficit - Knowledge Workers vs. Manual Workers In many ways, your question about the trade deficit has very little to do with global trade policies and everything to do with the rise of the "knowledge worker" class that Peter Drucker predicted in 1959. Drucker, the management guru who is to executives what Warren Buffett is to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Solve the Trade Deficit – Part II

August 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Supporting our manufacturing base is important to stop the trade deficit

This is the second part of my essay on How to Solve the Trade Deficit. You should start with Part I if you haven't already read it. How to Solve the Trade Deficit - The Medium Answer My personal preference for solving the remaining minority of the trade deficit after solving the imported petroleum and oil problem includes rebuilding the manufacturing base.  Part of this is a national security consideration.  By ensuring we have enough production capability within our borders, we would be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Five Business Lessons I Learned from My Mom, Tammy Kennon, and Her Company, Chenille Appeal

August 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Five Business Lessons Learned

This is my mom.  You've probably read about her but never seen a picture.  She's the same one that would slip notes into my lunches in elementary school telling me how wonderful, intelligent and loved I was. Back in the early days when she and my dad started their company in a two hundred square foot garage, she would work during the day (my sister, Kelsey, and I would help run the machinery) and my dad would come home from his day-job and work the night shift. Today, she and my dad are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, My Businesses, My Life Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Random Completely Unexpected Fact of the Day from the Centers for Disease Control

August 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Update: Mystery solved: One of my relatives, a nurse, pointed out that health insurance changes were behind the new paradigm.  It turns out, the AMA decided that circumcision is entirely cosmetic and unnecessary so health insurers no longer cover the procedure.  Without insurance coverage, new parents would have to pay roughly $1,750 out of pocket for a circumcision procedure.  Most new parents who would otherwise say, "sure Doc" won't write a check that large ... they'd rather have a new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Random Facts Tagged With:
« Older Posts