Monthly Archives: September 2013

Annual Medicare Subsidy Per Enrolled Member, 2011: $12,000

"Few voters know what the average Medicare beneficiary receives each year. This rises every year. It was about $11,000 in 2008. In 2011, it was $12,000. Americans become eligible at age 65. Beginning in the year 2010, the baby boomers began to reach age 65. They were born in 1946, the year after World War II ended. The birth rate soared. It did not reverse until 1958. There is no question what is going to happen to Medicare. It is today the #1 government expense: 23%. This percentage will be over 50% before the boomers depart, unless Medicare is abandoned by younger voters in a great default." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnnual Medicare Subsidy Per Enrolled Member, 2011: $12,000

Man tries to float from Mexico to U.S. on duffel bag filled with pot

"Border Patrol agents arrested a man who they said tried to float from Mexico to the U.S. on a duffel bag filled with marijuana. Agents said Monday the man was stopped about a mile north of the border near San Diego after they heard reports Sept. 19 of someone swimming late at night in the Pacific Ocean. The agents said the 55-year-old man was floating about 600 yards from shore. The man told agents he was from Mexico, and he was taken into custody. Agents said they found a little more than 52 pounds of pot inside the bag. The marijuana was worth more than $23,000, agents said." Continue reading →

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The Deadly Origins of the Next Disruptive Technology

"So what does the e-cig market look like? It’s certainly changed in the past year. In April 2012, one of the big cigarette companies threw its hat in the ring. This was Lorillard, maker of Newport and other cigarette brands. They spent $135 million on the purchase of blu e-cigarettes. They’ve seen a lot of success with the brand. Sales have grown from $8 million in in the second quarter of 2012 to $57 million in the second quarter 2013. This is a gain of more than 600%. Lorillard claims they hold around 40% of the total e-cig market share. With big players acquiring companies, it is clear to me that e-cigs are not a fad. They are the real deal. And as they say, a rising tide lifts all boats." Continue reading →

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Second California county joins push to form state of ‘Jefferson’

"A second county in rural northern California voted on Tuesday to explore the possibility of seceding and joining a new state. Modoc County’s board of supervisors voted 4-0 for the move, which was supported by the majority of the 40 attendees at the meeting, including a spokesperson for the Jefferson Declaration Committee, the group hoping to compel at least six counties in the area to sign on before asking state lawmakers for approval. If the state assembly approves Jefferson’s formation, it would then go to Congress for consideration. The board’s vote came 21 days after officials in neighboring Siskiyou County signaled their intention to break away in a 4-1 vote." Continue reading →

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McCain’s Moderates Join Al-Qaeda

"Now this week the final strategic pillar of McCain and the neocons has come crashing to the ground. Critical elements of the ever-shrinking 'moderate' Free Syrian Army have this week pledged their loyalty to the local al-Qaeda franchise in Syria, which happens to be on the US terror list. How can President Obama, McCain, Lindsay Graham, Samantha Power, John Kerry, and the rest of the neoconservatives and humanitarian interventionists continue to justify sending weapons of war to such people? How is it possible that a 'global war on terror' has morphed into a 'global effort to arm terrorists'? Does it not seem rather insane?" Continue reading →

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Gun registry ‘scheme’ among concerns over US signing of UN arms treaty

"The treaty would regulate the $70 billion global trade in conventional arms. The U.S. is the largest arms exporter in the world, and Kerry's signature was seen as a significant step in pushing it forward. Supporters say the treaty sends a bold global message advocating the first-ever moral standards on the cross-border trade linked to human rights violations around the world. But to some on U.S. soil, the treaty treads into dangerous territory and could step on the constitutional rights of Americans. They point in part to language, at the very beginning of the document, that includes 'small arms and light weapons' and worry this could cover firearms owned by Americans." Continue reading →

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Long Shot: Inside the Scope of Smart Weapons

"The company made headlines in early 2013 when it unveiled the precision guided firearm(PGF). Think of it as a long-range, laser-guided robo rifle—as much Linux-based computer as traditional firearm. The PGF's closed-loop system comprises not just the gun itself, a custom Surgeon rifle, but also custom ammunition and, notably, a proprietary (and WiFi-enabled) scope. The technology packed into TrackingPoint's initial PGF package is so advanced that we'd heard it could have an inexperienced shooter, maybe even someone who hasn't ever fired a gun, putting lead on targets at over 1,000 away in mere minutes. Not lifetimes. Not years. Minutes." Continue reading →

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First Open Source Airplane Could Cost Just $15,000

"There’s an open source airplane being developed in Canada, and now its designers are turning to crowdsourced funding to finish the project. The goal of Maker Plane is to develop a small, two-seat airplane that qualifies as a light sport aircraft and is affordable, safe, and easy to fly. But unlike other home-built aircraft, where companies or individuals charge for their plans or kits, Maker Plane will give its design away for free. The group behind the project consists of pilots and engineers who are designing the airplane, allowing it to be built using the kind of personal manufacturing equipment somebody in the maker community might already have at home or can easily purchase." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFirst Open Source Airplane Could Cost Just $15,000

James Altucher: How To Break All The Rules And Get Everything You Want

"The key is that we were simply nice to everyone and didn't argue and were very thankful at everything we got to do. Don't break the laws. Don't kill people. Don't steal. But most other rules can be bent. If you act like the river, you ultimately flow past all the rocks along the way." Continue reading →

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