Thinking about Memorial Day also got me thinking about the important role that everyday people like you and I can have by buying government bonds, especially during times of national struggle. That said, I logged into my TreasuryDirect account and noticed that as of May 1, 2009, all Series I savings bonds are earning zero interest.
It doesn't matter when the bond was purchased--if you own a Series I savings bond (I'm currently holding $8, 041.54 worth of them myself), it is not earning any interest right now. This is because the negative semiannual inflation rate (currently -2.78%) wipes out the fixed rate completely.
By the way, while I haven't been updating the blog as frequently as I used to, I have been posting videos on my YouTube channel, in case anyone is interested in watching and/or subscribing. In today's video, I mention that taxes would need to be raised by 80% (a scary thought!) to cover the magnitude of deficit spending for fiscal year 2009, and discuss how a nonchalant attitude towards the future financeability of our national debt compromises our financial freedom.
Sources:
U.S. Office of Management and Budget - Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Budget (PDF)
(Page 119, FY09: $2.186 trillion total receipts versus $1.752 trillion deficit)
Source: blog.pactamerica.com
ClickBank Squeeze Videos- CBSqueezeVideo Infomercial
CBSqueeze Video Infomercials are all about
I am sure that you have heard the viral buzz about Jay Douglas's new product called CBSqueeze marketing videos. If not then you are in for a real treat.
I was looking around the Internet to find a way to create nice looking videos. I was tired or creating those tired old, same old, YouTube grainy, poor quality videos. I found Jay and I have not looked back.
Jay has released professional marketing videos for the most popular Clickbank products. Essentially, once a month he goes over to Clickbank, sees what's the most popular products and services selling, picks ten (10) of them and then creates 90 second professional video infomercials for all ten products.
Why is that such a big deal?
To be able to take advantage of this you must be one of the first 500 people who get over to his website and register. You will get a shot at getting these videos - for free!
These videos are perfect for affiliates looking to promote the hottest Clickbank products.
Jay Douglas is considered one of the best, if not THE best at Internet video infomercial
production. Most likely you've seen his work if you've been around the Internet for any length of time.
He's been doing it for years and he normally charges $1275 for each video he produces for his clients. That's not a hyped up figure, that's exactly what he charges his clients because his videos get results!
Over the past few years he's produced video infomercials for the biggest names in Internet marketing. And now, he's literally making these videos available for free.
But that's not all...
Jay also provides ten matching affiliate squeeze pages each month, along with each video.
The squeeze page includes a headline, the video and an optin form to collect visitor details.
And it gets even better...
Each video is encoded with your Clickbank affiliate link so when the video stops playing
it automatically redirects the viewer through your affiliate link to the Clickbank merchant's
page. This way you automatically get credit for the sale when a purchase is made.
There's lots more to tell. But the important thing is for you get your buns over to Jay's
web site right now before all 500 spaces are gone.
Source: mid-life-wealth-crisis.blogspot.com
Robert Kiyosaki’s “How to Predict the Future” Seminar
HOW TO PREDICT THE FUTURE 3-Day Seminar with Robert Kiyosaki
October 24th, 25th & 26th, 2008 • Scottsdale, ArizonaDuring the 3-day seminar, Robert will focus on topics that include:
1. How to predict the future
By studying Dr. R. Buckminster Fuller’s work on prognostication, you will learn how the future is not traveling in a straight line. You will learn how to change your life by changing your future.
2. How to create your future
Robert and Rich Dad’s Advisor Blair Singer will teach PERT (Planning Evaluation Review Technique). Through this you will gain the ability to go into the future and create backwards. PERT was the planning technique used to put the first humans on the moon.
3. How to print your own money (and change your financial future)
One of the most powerful books Robert has read is Dr. Fuller’s Grunch of Giants, GRUNCH stands for Gross Universal Cash Heist. The book is about how the rich print their own money and why they’re rich. You will learn to do the same. More importantly, you will learn how to prosper from the future of money…not be a victim of it.
Source: mid-life-wealth-crisis.blogspot.com
A Smile for a Suit
I never imagined that a set of clothes could put a smile on my face, but that was before I tried on my new suit.
Last Tuesday after work, I walked down to the Brook Brothers store located on LaSalle and Adams near the Chicago Board of Trade.
Almost every wall had wooden shelf cases with shirts stacked practically to the ceiling. And upstairs, it seemed like there were enough suits to clothe an entire town. After first trying on a dark navy jacket, I chose a two-buttoned grey, and a trim, white-haired man made small chalk markings on the fabric while he took measurements.
This expert tailor finished my suit today, and I picked it up this evening.
And as I was walking back, I realized that most of what I was wearing happened to be made right here in America. The suit I was carrying. The shirt I was wearing. My belt. And even my underwear. All had a “Made in the USA” label.
At that moment, in the light of the setting sun, I took satisfaction in completing a long day of hard work. Because I had given thought to my purchases, other Americans could also share in the pride of a job well done. And I smiled.
Source: blog.pactamerica.com
Loral Langemeier on Recession-Proof Income
Listen closely to this candid, no-nonsense conversation between Harrison Klein and “Millionaire Maker” Loral Langemeier. She weighs in on the economy, shows us how we can create new money during the Recession and even reveals some incredible high-profit business models and markets that absolutely anyone can do.
This one is not to be missed!
Source: mid-life-wealth-crisis.blogspot.com
Fool Me Once...
"Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me." - Ancient Proverb
I recently started reading the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2008 OASDI Trustees Report. It pretty much goes without saying that this is not the most interesting reading material in the world, as the report is neither a suspenseful page-turner nor a runaway bestseller. Released to no apparent fanfare on March 28th, so far the report has done a better job of gathering dust than garnering attention.
Short-Range Results
"The OASI Trust Fund and the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds are adequately financed over the next 10 years under the intermediate assumptions. The DI Trust Fund is expected to remain solvent over the next 10 years, but does not satisfy the short-range test of financial adequacy because assets are estimated to fall below 100 percent of annual expenditures before the end of 2017. The combined assets of the OASI and DI Trust Funds are projected to increase from $2, 238 billion at the beginning of 2008, or 359 percent of annual expenditures, to $4, 273 billion at the beginning of 2017, or 385 percent of annual expenditures in that year..."
Long-Range Results
"...Annual cost will exceed tax income starting in 2017, at which time the annual gap will be covered with cash from redemptions of special obligations of the Treasury that make up the trust fund assets until these assets are exhausted in 2041."
To most of us, OASDI (which stands for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) is better known as Social Security. Unfortunately, because the mere mention of Social Security has the ability to illicit spontaneous yawning, we as Americans have been sleeping rather than standing guard. Consequently, our eyes have been closed to a deceit that is robbing us of our future financial security.
With total incoming revenue expected to top $800 billion for the year, Social Security is the largest program in the history of our government. And for the past twenty years, OASDI has been cash flow positive, with surpluses totaling over $190 billion last year alone.
However, over the years, Congress has been continually borrowing these annual surpluses, and has now spent more than $2 trillion of Social Security’s trust fund assets. While referring to this practice as "borrowing" is far too kind, these monies have been taken legally due to the accounting principles (or lack thereof) that now govern the distribution of funds within our federal budget. Under a unified budget, surpluses from one program, such as Social Security, automatically flow into general revenue calculations, where they may then be used to mask deficit spending for any number of other programs or initiatives.
The whole point of starting a trust fund was to set aside money for the future. Because projected program costs were expected to exceed revenue in coming years, tax rates were increased prior to need, and these tax increases were scheduled as prescribed by the 1983 amendments. In other words, if the government were to wait to increase taxes until 2017 when the money will actually be needed to fund retirement benefits for the baby boom generation, it would already be too late. At that point, the program would begin to need cash at a rate far in excess of the ability to raise it through fair and balanced taxation.
This certainly does not have to mean that the Social Security program is destined for insolvency, and the passing of the baby boom generation should be seen as an extended hurdle rather than an insurmountable barrier. Referring to these looming demographic issues as an “extended hurdle” may be a slight understatement given the current lack of foresight and financial discipline exhibited by our government, but with proper planning, we can assuredly meet these challenges with confidence--and success. That said, Social Security will need to draw upon its cash reserves during the effectual time period, and we must ensure that these resources will be ready and available as needed.
As it pertains to the current state of the OASDI trust funds, the money has already been spent and the damage is done. However, Social Security is projected to generate continued operational surpluses between now and 2017, and the total value of the OASDI trust funds is scheduled to grow from last year's assets of $2.238 trillion to a total of $4.486 trillion in assets by the end of 2017.
This means that the Social Security trust fund is projected to double in value over the next 10 years. We as citizens have little hope of recovering the $2 trillion in trust monies that have already been spent, and politicians are largely to blame for this gross negligence. However, if we as citizens allow politicians to continue to spend these incoming surpluses and "borrow" an additional $2 trillion from our trust fund, we will have only ourselves to blame. We must act now to protect and preserve the future of our financial security--for our parents, for ourselves, and for our children.
Looking ahead, the OASDI surplus is expected to total $192 billion for 2008. To put this number in perspective, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 has an estimated price tag of $152 billion, with the majority going towards sending stimulus checks to eligible taxpayers. It pretty much goes without saying that a significant percentage of this money will ultimately leave our economy through the purchase of foreign oil and other consumer goods manufactured outside these United States. So if Congress can find a way to spend $152 billion to facilitate consumer spending, then surely it can also find a way to start saving comparable amounts, such as the ongoing Social Security trust fund surpluses.
An important first step will be to stop including Social Security revenue in the unified budget. That way, politicians will no longer be able to devise new ways to spend this money as part of general revenue, and we can start using OASDI surpluses for their intended purpose--saving for the future.
Furthermore, to best protect this money and the people who actually earned it, the government should start allocating trust resources to individual accounts for each taxpayer instead of lumping it together in a collective lockbox. Creating a sense of individual ownership will allow taxpayers to act as their own trustees, as individuals with a stake in the future success of the program. And managing such a responsibility will help reinforce the fact that we have a truly vested interest in financial sustainability of Social Security, so that we will never again allow its trust fund resources to be squandered away as carelessly as they have been in the past. We the people created this great nation, and we the people are its rightful trustees--for this generation and the next.
Sources:
U.S. Social Security Administration - 2008 OASDI Trustees Report
(Section II.A, Highlights; Short-Range Results, Long-Range Results)
U.S. Social Security Administration - Office of the Chief Actuary
(Time Series: Both Funds; Income, Outgo, and Assets; Calendar Year; All Years)
U.S. Social Security Administration - 2008 OASDI Trustees Report
(Section IV.A, Short-Range Estimates; Table IV.A3, Intermediate Projections)
White House - Press Release, February 13, 2008
(Fact Sheet: Economic Stimulus Act of 2008)
Source: blog.pactamerica.com
During This Financial Crisis Consider These Work At Home Ideas
by Rebecca Holman
I find that working at home is wonderful option at any time. During this current financial crisis, I can safely say that it is a God Send. If you seriously take a gander at the current world situation you have to admit that the economy is in a sorry state. The financial and economic crisis of the past few months have sent shivers down many spines. Many people that currently have regular jobs, like your self, may find them selves with out employment before the year is over. Of course if you are working at home and are sel employed you really would not have to worry about that problem.
You may not be sure of at home employment or perhaps you have tried it before and found only scams, but you should know that you can most certainly work from home and make a living, even if only for a meantime.
I personally know of a number of people, my self included that work from home and are making more than many with regular 9 to 5 jobs. So I hope that you can see that this is most likely something that you might think about and research more. Of course if this concept of working at home is something that sounds remotely interesting to you and like it might be a good idea for you, then I have outlined 3 ideas that you may want to try.
Researching: I love doing research. So for me Researching has been a great home employment opportunity for me and my family. You just need access to a the internet via a computer. This method means that you will have a low overhead each month, yet it can pay great dividends and bring in as much if not more than you would get from working from someone else. You just need to find a good resource company to go through.
One of the most important things if you do decide to go this route for at home employment is keep track of your hours. You will want to take things into your own hands and make sure that you are getting paid properly for all the work you are doing, and it is more in your hands than if you were working at a regular job.
Blogging: Is another great option. It has become a really popular work at home opportunity for folks that have internet. Since you can do this from home any time of the day or night it seems almost everyone is blogging about something. As blogger, you will be writing out text box structures for easy entry of content to publish quickly. The great thing is that there is no end to the types of blogs you can do.
Start Your Own Business: The third easy tip is for the really ambitious entrepreneur. Many will want to start up their own business. Now a days, thank goodness, this does not require you to even have a lot of finances, and this can be a great idea for work at home moms and work at home dads that are considering at home employment. There are so many types of businesses, from eBay to online franchises that it is worth it to do your research here. Just be sure to find something that YOU really enjoy. After all that is why you left your job isn't it? I highly recommend that you read the best seller "Cash Flow Quadrant" by Robert Kiyosaki to understand the road ahead.
Rebecca Holman trains with serious entrepreneurs that want to embrace new network marketing resources at MLM Lead Marketing Online Your MLM Training Resource
Source: mid-life-wealth-crisis.blogspot.com
PPC Domination Update on 65% Launch Discount
This just out. PPC Domination opens on Monday Jan. 19, 2009. If you are lucky enough to read this during launch week, then I can tell you about the pricing.
They are basically going to give "PPC Domination" away during the launch.
Normally, the course will be available for $497.00, but for the next 5 days - Until January 23, 2009- during the launch week, you will be able to grab a copy for only $177.00, or two payments of just $97.00!
It's an absolute steal for such a detailed video series, but this price will only be available until Friday.
Click For Your PPC Domination 65% Discount when doors open
Source: mid-life-wealth-crisis.blogspot.com
Online Gambling Issue Ready To Heat Up After Poker Debacle
The online gambling issue can no longer be thrown under the carpet by US lawmakers. After seizing over $30 million in online poker player winnings, the Internet gambling issue once again has caught the attention of the nation.
For most people outside of the online gambling industry, the Internet gambling issue is way down on the list of priorities. Many of these people, however, play poker online, and are now furious that their winnings have been withheld by the US government.
"What they (government) are doing is ridiculous, " said Jack Helmer, "I play online poker for entertainment and thought I was doing nothing wrong. Now I find out the government thinks online poker is illegal, but I have since looked up the laws, and nowhere do I see that poker playing online is against any laws."
Helmer's frustration is shared by millions of people in the US. For years, the online gambling industry has asked the US government to define what is, or is not legal, and for years, they have received vague responses from lawmakers.
Now, however, the government has interfered with many people's money at a time when economically every dollar is needed to survive. Already protest groups have been formed and are planning to have their voices heard in Washington.
The anger also brings Representative Barney Frank's Bills to legalize online gambling to the forefront. Frank picked up four new co-sponsors for his Bill on Friday, and many more are sure to follow after the poker debacle.
The European Union is also hot on the US' trail. They have informed the US government that their either need to change their Internet gambling laws, or risk legal action with the EU taking their complaints to the World Trade Organization.
The coming weeks and months will be filled with debates over the online gambling issue. Check back with NOC frequently for the latest on this important issue. source>>>
Source: feedproxy.google.com
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