Obamacare Cost Me Full-Time Work

"I work in television production as a freelance worker. While freelance, I do work for one major media company that uses me quite a lot and accounts for probably 85% of my work. I regularly work 3-4 days per week with them and often more depending on the time of year.Today we were told that freelancers would soon have to work under 30 hours per week. Since shifts are 8 hours, this means nobody will be able to work here as a freelancer for more than 3 days per week (24 hours total). I've calculated that the maximum I can make in a year with them is now about 30% less than I have made with this company in each of the past 2 years." Continue reading

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Feds Offering $48/hr To Obamacare ‘Navigators’ Who Can Actually Explain Obamacare

"As part of new regulations to assist Americans choose the right Obamacare options for their families and needs, officials are scouring the country for what they call 'navigators.' In some cases, these navigators can earn up to $48 an hour – a far cry from the standard minimum wage of $7.25 — all to assist consumers in getting a better understanding of the benefits they are signing up for. From translating in their preferred language to breaking down jargon, navigators will basically navigate you through the so-called ‘Obamacare experience.’" Continue reading

Continue ReadingFeds Offering $48/hr To Obamacare ‘Navigators’ Who Can Actually Explain Obamacare

McDonald’s want ad demands bachelor’s degree, two years experience for cashier

"With colleges producing more graduates, and youth unemployment at a sky-high 11.5 percent, even landing a job selling Big Macs is getting competitive. Consider: A job opening at a Massachusetts McDonald's restaurant for a full-time cashier requires one to two years experience and a bachelor's degree. 'Get a weekly paycheck with a side order of food, folks and fun,' offered McDonalds. It is not clear if the fast-food restaurant really wants that kind of experience or is fishing for the highest-qualified applicants. The website for the Winchedon, Mass., McDonald's also lists jobs in Spanish." Continue reading

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Fastest-Growing Jobs Pay Under $10/Hour

"This weekend, I had a discussion with a businessman, who sits on the board of a publicly traded staffing firm. He tells me that the middle class is disappearing. The country is being split into those savvy enough to survive in the overly regulated economy and everyone else. The crony capitalists have built a moat around their businesses, eliminating the kind of competition that would hire high skilled labor. Obamacare, simply adds to the difficulties in hiring anything but very cheap labor. Outside of a tiny sliver of opportunity for software engineers and lawyers in Silicon Valley, you either launch something on your own or you will end up part a low paid tool for the crony machine." Continue reading

Continue ReadingFastest-Growing Jobs Pay Under $10/Hour

State-Wrecked: The Corruption of Capitalism in America – David Stockman

"As the federal government and its central-bank sidekick, the Fed, have groped for one goal after another — smoothing out the business cycle, minimizing inflation and unemployment at the same time, rolling out a giant social insurance blanket, promoting homeownership, subsidizing medical care, propping up old industries (agriculture, automobiles) and fostering new ones ('clean' energy, biotechnology) and, above all, bailing out Wall Street — they have now succumbed to overload, overreach and outside capture by powerful interests. The modern Keynesian state is broke, paralyzed and mired in empty ritual incantations about stimulating 'demand.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingState-Wrecked: The Corruption of Capitalism in America – David Stockman

Isaac Newton’s Nightmare — Charted By Marc Faber

"The parabolic move in Bitcoin prices has us thinking about some of the most notorious asset bubbles in history. We were thumbing through some of Jeremy Grantham's old research and saw this great chart from Marc Faber. 'I can calculate the movement of stars, but not the madness of men,' Newton apparently said after he lost his fortune." Continue reading

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Jim Rogers Is Buying Gold Coins From North Korea

"Mr. Rogers, who started the Quantum Fund with George Soros in the 1970s, had said in a previous interview: 'Coins and stamps are the only way I can invest in North Korea.' By invest in, Mr. Rogers means he wants to wager against the long-term prospects for the isolated, economically struggling country. He views his purchase as a bet on the collapse of North Korea. 'At some point down the line, North Korea will cease existing as a country. Then the value of the coins will go up,' Mr. Rogers said. The Journal reports that a total of 13 one-ounce coins were purchased by an assistant of Mr. Rogers at a coin fair in Singapore. The price was around $2,014 a piece." Continue reading

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David Stockman: There are Bubbles All Over, Hide in Cash

"Stocks seem like a pretty good place to be? 'That’s what they told me in late 2007 and early 2008,' Stockman says in response. 'About seven months later people had lost 45% to 70% of their net worth. If you were in the Russell 2000, which is where Bernanke wants you, you were crushed – it dropped by 60% within 15 trading days.' As for his advice to hide in cash he says, 'I would rather have capital preservation, be safe. I don’t think another two, four, 10 percent is worth losing 50, 60, 70 percent when the crash comes.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingDavid Stockman: There are Bubbles All Over, Hide in Cash

Economists Suggest The Federal Reserve Pump Money Directly Into Americans’ Bank Accounts

"Ben Bernanke himself famously argued years ago that a central bank should never run out of tools for fighting deflation and depression because, as a last resort, it could always drop cash out of helicopters. That would be fun to watch, obviously, but mailing checks would be a lot simpler. And even though it sounds a little insane, it becomes a more and more compelling idea the more you think about it." Continue reading

Continue ReadingEconomists Suggest The Federal Reserve Pump Money Directly Into Americans’ Bank Accounts

Risks Across All Markets Necessitate Careful Asset Allocation

"It’s obvious to everyone by now that the global rally has been primarily driven by central bank money printing, creating an artificial financial environment. The world’s biggest central banks have added an astounding $8.7 trillion of liquidity since 2008, while slashing interest rates well below the rate of inflation. This massive amount of liquidity has found its way into the markets. At some point, all this quantitative easing will end. The resulting worldwide deleveraging will create massive problems for the equity markets. There’s no telling when this sea change will happen, so it’s imperative that you develop an exit strategy now." Continue reading

Continue ReadingRisks Across All Markets Necessitate Careful Asset Allocation