Middle Class Dismissed

Bank of Cyprus savers could lose up to 60%

"Big savers in Cyprus’s largest bank face losses of up to 60 percent, far greater than originally feared under the island’s controversial EU-led bailout plan, officials said on Saturday. Cyprus meanwhile launched an investigation into a list published in Greek newspapers of Cypriot politicians who allegedly had loans written off by two banks at the heart of the financial meltdown. Officials said Bank of Cyprus savers will see at least 37.5 percent of funds over 100,000 euros ($128,000) turned into shares, but a further 22.5 percent will be held until authorities know they can satisfy the terms of the bailout." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBank of Cyprus savers could lose up to 60%

Jeffrey Tucker: Bitcoin’s Moment

"The Cyprus disaster sets in place an incredible precedent: Bank deposits will hereafter be treated as government property first and belong to the depositors only at the discretion of the masters of the money. It’s no wonder that Bitcoins are being brought from locales all over Europe, including Spain, Greece, Italy, and beyond. This also accounts for why mainstream news outlets are starting to write about Bitcoin as if it were the real thing, something serious, something that really matters on the world stage. Meanwhile, Bitcoin applications are flourishing all over the Web." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJeffrey Tucker: Bitcoin’s Moment

Iran: One question fifty answers (English Captions)

"Iranian graphic artist Ali Molavi asked 50 people in Tehran: 'What's your wish for today?' At first timid, they answered candidly, reflecting the passions, problems and politics in Iran today. Their wishes ranged from buying a motorcycle, being reborn, to finding a good job. One man wanted 'all the inflation and high prices to go away.' Another wished for Iran to 'move towards peace and understanding with other countries. One woman did not have any wishes. 'They have not left any room for us to dream anymore,' she said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIran: One question fifty answers (English Captions)

EPA Forces Man to Spend $200K to Expand Lake, Then Doesn’t Grant Permit To Do It

"Shortly after Mr. Lathrop built his lake, the Army Corps of Engineers determined that the dump he had put the lake on was a 'wetland' according to the Clean Water Act and referred him to the EPA for prosecution. When Mr. Lathrop met with the EPA to talk about his lake, they determined that he must expand a lake on an adjacent farm. In order to do so Mr. Lathrop had to apply for a permit from the Corp. That cost him another $200,000 and, despite the Corp lifting their order against him, he has still never received the permit. It's been 15 years. This decades-long fight has cost Mr. Lathrop $300,000. It has left him and his family on the brink of bankruptcy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEPA Forces Man to Spend $200K to Expand Lake, Then Doesn’t Grant Permit To Do It

Wisconsin Education Officials Want Students to Wear ‘White Privilege’ Wristbands

"The program’s approach becomes a bit suspect when one reads the Gloria Steinem quote on the top of its webpage: 'The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.' The webpage also offers a series of suggestions for high schools students to become more racially sensitive. They include: Wear a white wristband as a reminder about your privilege, and as a personal commitment to explain why you wear the wristband. Set aside sections of the day to critically examine how privilege is working. Put a note on your mirror or computer screen as a reminder to think about privilege." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWisconsin Education Officials Want Students to Wear ‘White Privilege’ Wristbands

Obamacare will hurt young people most

"Younger, healthier people, many of whom voted for Mr. Obama in droves, will see their insurance premiums climb sharply as Obamacare demands that insurers provide them with more medical coverage than they want or need. Older Americans and retirees already are seeing a steep rise in their insurance bills, too. Businesses great and small are either curtailing their employee health care plans or dropping them entirely in anticipation of rising costs. Many seniors who have supplemental policy plans — which cover 20 percent of the medical bills that Medicare does not — have seen their premiums rise this year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObamacare will hurt young people most

50 Signs That The U.S. Health Care System Is A Gigantic Money Making Scam That Is About To Collapse

"In the United States today, the health care industry is completely dominated by government bureaucrats, health insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations. The pharmaceutical corporations spend billions of dollars to convince all of us to become dependent on their legal drugs, the health insurance companies make billions of dollars by providing as little health care as possible, and they both spend millions of dollars to make sure that our politicians in Washington D.C. keep the gravy train rolling. Meanwhile, large numbers of doctors are going broke and patients are not getting the care that they need." Continue reading →

Continue Reading50 Signs That The U.S. Health Care System Is A Gigantic Money Making Scam That Is About To Collapse

Another Warning About Switching Your Healthcare Plan

"Those that have money will be paying not only for their own coverage, but will be paying for those with lower-than-average incomes, as well as for the new new automatically included coverages (e.g. maternity) that must be covered in the new mandated plans, all relating to younger folks (which is why income, rather than age, will now be the deciding factor in the cost of health plans) . Worse, those without health plans will be charged a percentage of income (going up each year) for NOT having a qualified plan! Speak with professionals before considering making any changes if you have been on a continuous plan since 3/2010." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnother Warning About Switching Your Healthcare Plan

Health Insurance Under Obamacare: “The More You Make The More You’ll Pay”

"A friend familiar with the industry emails and points me to a summary at the NOLO legal encyclopedia that explains how healthcare insurance premiums are going to become income based. My friend concludes: This is the provision that I was told about by somebody who works at Blue Cross, but the government and even the media has been keeping very mum about it…. One provision not mentioned in this article is about the grandfathering of current plans back to sometime in 2010, where if you have had the same policy since then you won’t be charged based on income." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHealth Insurance Under Obamacare: “The More You Make The More You’ll Pay”

Commentator Donna Brazile Gets Obamanized (Note: Very Painful)

"Donna Brazile, apologist for everything Obama, syndicated columnist, television political commentator on CNN and ABC, is bitching about her soaring healthcare insurance premium. She doesn't know why it is going up. I've covered some of the why here and here, but the short and long answer is Obamacare. Below is her 'health care works' cheering on of ACA via a tweet last year, underneath that is a tweet from her today where she is bitching about her healthcare premium climbing and not getting a good answer as to why it is going up. She still doesn't seem to get that she has been Obamanized." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCommentator Donna Brazile Gets Obamanized (Note: Very Painful)