What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning. Werner Heisenberg, Physics and Philosophy
Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.
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By davidpetraitis, on October 28th, 2010 The U.S. government taxes expatriate citizens on their worldwide income regardless of where it is earned or where they live, making them the only people in the developed world who are taxed in both their country of citizenship and country of residence…these rules are getting tougher and the penalties more draconian by the year… experts see a declining foreign investment in America. . . . → Read More: Toxic Citizens
By davidpetraitis, on October 28th, 2010 It seems that we, in the US have now a new class war. There are now two classes of people – corporations and people. People get to vote with their votes once every two years, and corporations get to vote with their dollars all the time.
People get kicked out of their house when they are unemployed and bankrupt, and corporations get bailed . . . → Read More: New class of people: corporations
By davidpetraitis, on October 27th, 2010 Stimulating the Dead – stimulus checks of $250 were mailed to dead and jailed people – about $22million worth. Over half the payments to dead people were returned. Grave error. . . . → Read More: Stimulating the Dead
By davidpetraitis, on October 27th, 2010 The US actually ranks today, sixth in global innovation-based competitiveness; 11th among industrialized nations in the fraction of 25- to 34-year-olds who have graduated from high school; 16th in college completion rate; 22nd in broadband Internet access; 24th in life expectancy at birth; 27th among developed nations in the proportion of college students receiving degrees in science or engineering; 48th in quality of K-12 math and science education; and 29th in the number of mobile phones per 100 people. These are clear areas where we should positively WANT our government to get involved, and to spend money, but if the current climate of political divisiveness endures for the next 2 years in a hung Congress, or even for the next 6 years of a potential Obama second term, the consequences for America’s future will be dire. . . . → Read More: I thought we’re number 1! Nope, how about 20-something?
By davidpetraitis, on October 26th, 2010 In an article today on a Bond Frenzy the NY Times notes that the bond market snapped up inflation linked 5 year Treasuries with a negative yield. “Investors paid $105.50 for every $100 of bonds the government sold — agreeing to pay the government for the privilege of lending it money,” the NYT said. Why would investors snap these up? They have a . . . → Read More: Topsy turvy world for bond market and Fed
By davidpetraitis, on October 25th, 2010 Scary new wage data by David Cay Johnston is worth a read. . . . → Read More: Income redistribution to the top continues
By davidpetraitis, on October 25th, 2010 Hard-pressed homeowners are asking why lenders often balk at short sales, which allow owners to sell deeply devalued homes for less than what remains on their mortgage. But servicers can reap high fees from foreclosures. And lenders may collect on private mortgage insurance in a foreclosure. . . . → Read More: Are banks declining loan mods and short sales because they make more fees on foreclosures?
By davidpetraitis, on October 25th, 2010 Congress has rightly been concerned with wholesale tax evasion by fat cats, but the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) provisions are designed – as a largely unintended consequence – to chill US exports and our international competitiveness. . . . → Read More: FATCA: US Export destruction act
By davidpetraitis, on October 24th, 2010 It seems to me that foreclosure-gate as the foreclosure mess is being called has the hallmarks of a classic, large scale, operational risk failure. . . . → Read More: Op Risk: Foreclosure-gate firing on all four cylinders
By davidpetraitis, on October 24th, 2010 The US has (to mix a few metaphors) shot itself in the foot by building large speed bumps to exports. These things are by no means fore-ordained. The US could, with an adjustment of its tax policies change to more export growth. But the current administration has decided, contrary to its stated campaign promises, instead to carp at others, whine, and continue increase its anti-export tax treatment of overseas Americans and foreign investors. . . . → Read More: Geithner’s chiding of others should lead to export friendly tax reform here
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