Elizabeth Warren explains the underlying social contract we owe to each other. There's no one who got rich on there own.
Showing posts with label reality and the truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reality and the truth. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Friday, December 3, 2010
McDonald's Healthcare
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal (I would post the link, but it's not free) about McDonald's executives having to defend their healthcare options for their hourly chain workers.
Rundown:
Assumes $8/Hour @v40 hours/Week
Employee Cost
$710 ($27.31/Check)
Annual Benefit Cap
$2000
Pre Tax % of Income (Cap as % of Income)
4.3% (12%)
After Federal Tax % of Income (Cap as % of Income)
4.9% (13.7%)
How does McDonald's justify having employees pay $710 annually for just $2000 of medical coverage? That's 1 trip to the emergency room. I just had an appendectomy and I know $2000 doesn't cover it. The cheapest corporate healthcare plans McDonald's offers cost $682 & $920 and have no annual cap. Only 10% of hourly workers hit the annual limit and the insurance company keeps the rest of the premiums. The insurance company gets away this cap thanks to McDonald's. This is not health insurance, this is effectively payment $710 to go to the doctor and get some medication. If anyone is really sick they are screwed. Under the new healthcare law the annual cap should be $750K but that was waived for McDonald's because the company said they would drop insurance for their hourly workers. Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas defended McDonald's.
I ran some numbers:
If 250K workers participate
$178M in Revenue
10% hit the cap + 2% to account for other coverage
$60M in expenses
$118M Rough Gross Margin, 66%
If 100K workers participate
$71M in Revenue
10% hit the cap + 2% to account for other coverage
$20M in expenses
$51M Rough Gross Margin, 72%
This is what's wrong with this country. McDonald's is large enough that they could push on a health insurance company to get a more favorable deal, however the corporation doesn't want to incur anymore costs for people they could really care less about because they know they can easily replace them as this country moves towards producing more and more uneducated children.
This is why a public option or healthcare co-ops would work. If the working poor, which is what you are when you have a healthcare limit of $2000, could at least pool their money then it could be used to provide healthcare to those who need it rather than go to corporate profits. I'm not against corporate profits, except when it comes to health insurance companies.
Rundown:
Assumes $8/Hour @v40 hours/Week
Employee Cost
$710 ($27.31/Check)
Annual Benefit Cap
$2000
Pre Tax % of Income (Cap as % of Income)
4.3% (12%)
After Federal Tax % of Income (Cap as % of Income)
4.9% (13.7%)
How does McDonald's justify having employees pay $710 annually for just $2000 of medical coverage? That's 1 trip to the emergency room. I just had an appendectomy and I know $2000 doesn't cover it. The cheapest corporate healthcare plans McDonald's offers cost $682 & $920 and have no annual cap. Only 10% of hourly workers hit the annual limit and the insurance company keeps the rest of the premiums. The insurance company gets away this cap thanks to McDonald's. This is not health insurance, this is effectively payment $710 to go to the doctor and get some medication. If anyone is really sick they are screwed. Under the new healthcare law the annual cap should be $750K but that was waived for McDonald's because the company said they would drop insurance for their hourly workers. Sen Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas defended McDonald's.
I ran some numbers:
If 250K workers participate
$178M in Revenue
10% hit the cap + 2% to account for other coverage
$60M in expenses
$118M Rough Gross Margin, 66%
If 100K workers participate
$71M in Revenue
10% hit the cap + 2% to account for other coverage
$20M in expenses
$51M Rough Gross Margin, 72%
This is what's wrong with this country. McDonald's is large enough that they could push on a health insurance company to get a more favorable deal, however the corporation doesn't want to incur anymore costs for people they could really care less about because they know they can easily replace them as this country moves towards producing more and more uneducated children.
This is why a public option or healthcare co-ops would work. If the working poor, which is what you are when you have a healthcare limit of $2000, could at least pool their money then it could be used to provide healthcare to those who need it rather than go to corporate profits. I'm not against corporate profits, except when it comes to health insurance companies.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
My Thoughts on Mexico & Drug Cartel's
Is Mexico a failed state? No, but it's not a sovereign nation. President Felipe Calderon is not in charge.
What should be done?
Legalize marijuana, it provides a lot of money to the cartels. Consider how many people smoke weed compared to users of cocaine, crack, heroin or meth. Not only would legalizing marijuana weaken the cartels, it would raise tax revenue, employ Americans and reduce the trade deficit. I know our first Black president shouldn't be the one to legalize marijuana, but it might be for the greater good. California is an interesting test case.
Let the military and CIA loose. The Bush Doctrine is almost a decade old, according to it we, The United States of America, have the right to invade a country which harbors terrorists and/or intend to do us harm. Mexico may not harbor terrorists the way Saudi Arabia and Iran do, (yes the Saudi's harbor and support terrorists) however because the level of corruption has not been reduced to an "acceptable" level, say that of the United States government, Mexico is allowing this to happen. Obviously getting Mexico's permission would be a better approach, but what are they really going to do? I would turn northern Mexico into a war zone, who am I kidding, it is a war zone. I would authorized drones to carry weapons and kill drug smugglers. The heads of cartels would come up missing or dead. They may disappear or there house may be flattened while they are sleeping. Do these people have families? Yes. Unfortunately sometimes one must pay for the sins of their father. No one wants to see a child killed because of their parent, but what's worse the child of a cartel member killed or a drug addict's child killed or better yet a random child killed due to drug violence?
Shut the border down. All the way. I want a demilitarized zone just like N Korea and S Korea have. 10 miles, no one is allowed in or out. Enter at your own risk, troops have orders to shoot first. This would be expensive, but cheaper than fighting the "War on Drugs" which clearly isn't working. I understand a legal system in which you are innocent until proven guilty, but when it comes to drug dealers I say screw em, don't waste time trying to build a case and let them buy judges and juries. Just get rid of them, the world would be a better place. Who should be allowed to make that decision? Not the President, he can't directly have blood on his hands. The head of the CIA or a military commander will do.
What happens after you shut down the border? Smugglers go to air and sea. Fine, any boat not registered in the US must be searched before it can come within 20 miles of the US. We have the largest navy and the 2 largest air forces in the world. 1 US Air Force, 2 US Navy. Forget putting ships off N Korea, they can operate on both sides of Mexico, in the Pacific and in the Gulf.
It's time to stop treating Mexico as if they are a sovereign nation or our ally. They're neither. Let's be real Mexico is the next Israel. They annually receive large amounts of aid and bitch and moan when we do something they don't like. The reason "Pres" Calderon criticized SB 1070 is because he wants to make sure the billions of dollars illegal immigrants pump into Mexico's economy keep coming. He can go to hell for all I care. Next thing you know Mexico will have a PAC telling the President what to do if he wants any shot at reelection.
After the flow of drugs is reduced we can focus on our own drug dealers. Give those fools 10K sq miles in Montana and let them kill each other. I really don't care whether they are street dealers or kingpins, life in Hard Knocks Federal Pen, location middle of nowhere Montana. No more controlling your drug territory from inside or ordering hits on people. You go for life, no contact with the outside world. Don't worry about the cost, all I need is a gun line and some rednecks, you know they'll shoot anybody trying to escape, I guess we need someone to shoot the incarcerated Rednecks too. I don't really care if they shoot people just thinking about escaping. Don't provide anything, drop em off and leave.
Ok I digress the last paragraph is unconstitutional. But I would like to turn the CIA on American drug dealers and take them out. Now that the President must sign off on. Drug dealers and gang members need to methodically disappear. Who will ask questions, their family members? They go to the news, "we've noticed that a lot of our family members have disappeared with no explanation." News, "what did they all have in common?" Fam, "we don't know." News, "well we've discovered they are all drug dealers." Fam, "what difference does that make." News, "the American public doesn't care." Drug dealers are American Terrorists making this constitutional.
What should be done?
Legalize marijuana, it provides a lot of money to the cartels. Consider how many people smoke weed compared to users of cocaine, crack, heroin or meth. Not only would legalizing marijuana weaken the cartels, it would raise tax revenue, employ Americans and reduce the trade deficit. I know our first Black president shouldn't be the one to legalize marijuana, but it might be for the greater good. California is an interesting test case.
Let the military and CIA loose. The Bush Doctrine is almost a decade old, according to it we, The United States of America, have the right to invade a country which harbors terrorists and/or intend to do us harm. Mexico may not harbor terrorists the way Saudi Arabia and Iran do, (yes the Saudi's harbor and support terrorists) however because the level of corruption has not been reduced to an "acceptable" level, say that of the United States government, Mexico is allowing this to happen. Obviously getting Mexico's permission would be a better approach, but what are they really going to do? I would turn northern Mexico into a war zone, who am I kidding, it is a war zone. I would authorized drones to carry weapons and kill drug smugglers. The heads of cartels would come up missing or dead. They may disappear or there house may be flattened while they are sleeping. Do these people have families? Yes. Unfortunately sometimes one must pay for the sins of their father. No one wants to see a child killed because of their parent, but what's worse the child of a cartel member killed or a drug addict's child killed or better yet a random child killed due to drug violence?
Shut the border down. All the way. I want a demilitarized zone just like N Korea and S Korea have. 10 miles, no one is allowed in or out. Enter at your own risk, troops have orders to shoot first. This would be expensive, but cheaper than fighting the "War on Drugs" which clearly isn't working. I understand a legal system in which you are innocent until proven guilty, but when it comes to drug dealers I say screw em, don't waste time trying to build a case and let them buy judges and juries. Just get rid of them, the world would be a better place. Who should be allowed to make that decision? Not the President, he can't directly have blood on his hands. The head of the CIA or a military commander will do.
What happens after you shut down the border? Smugglers go to air and sea. Fine, any boat not registered in the US must be searched before it can come within 20 miles of the US. We have the largest navy and the 2 largest air forces in the world. 1 US Air Force, 2 US Navy. Forget putting ships off N Korea, they can operate on both sides of Mexico, in the Pacific and in the Gulf.
It's time to stop treating Mexico as if they are a sovereign nation or our ally. They're neither. Let's be real Mexico is the next Israel. They annually receive large amounts of aid and bitch and moan when we do something they don't like. The reason "Pres" Calderon criticized SB 1070 is because he wants to make sure the billions of dollars illegal immigrants pump into Mexico's economy keep coming. He can go to hell for all I care. Next thing you know Mexico will have a PAC telling the President what to do if he wants any shot at reelection.
After the flow of drugs is reduced we can focus on our own drug dealers. Give those fools 10K sq miles in Montana and let them kill each other. I really don't care whether they are street dealers or kingpins, life in Hard Knocks Federal Pen, location middle of nowhere Montana. No more controlling your drug territory from inside or ordering hits on people. You go for life, no contact with the outside world. Don't worry about the cost, all I need is a gun line and some rednecks, you know they'll shoot anybody trying to escape, I guess we need someone to shoot the incarcerated Rednecks too. I don't really care if they shoot people just thinking about escaping. Don't provide anything, drop em off and leave.
Ok I digress the last paragraph is unconstitutional. But I would like to turn the CIA on American drug dealers and take them out. Now that the President must sign off on. Drug dealers and gang members need to methodically disappear. Who will ask questions, their family members? They go to the news, "we've noticed that a lot of our family members have disappeared with no explanation." News, "what did they all have in common?" Fam, "we don't know." News, "well we've discovered they are all drug dealers." Fam, "what difference does that make." News, "the American public doesn't care." Drug dealers are American Terrorists making this constitutional.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
We'ren't We Talking About This....... Continuation
When did Kim Kardashian become an iconic figure? I don't hear Ray J. in any of this... This Kardashian project was marketed and executed too perfect. Put out a sex tape, pretend you knew nothing about it, play victim, and use buzz to create your own show.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Why the Kardashian? and where did the Kardashian's money come from?
I have been struggling to understand the new pop-culture celebrity worship and its monetization . I would say in previous eras of celebrity worship people would give their adoration to someone because of exceptional skill (aka talent) and at the same time they admired someone because he\she gave a perception of talent, all celebrities probably used a little of both but exceptional skill seems easier to monetize than perception.
As an example James Dean had a really short career but really wasn't a great actor ( others seems to think the same thing) but the population brought into the idea that this guy was a great actor etc. after he died and apparently the perception is valuable.
However, this new era of celebrity worship seems to frequently give adoration to folks that uses the perception of exceptional skill alone.
With all that said, there is the Kardashian family, maybe Kim's tape is an exceptional talent, or is it Ray J that showed its exceptional talent (nod to RayJ).
The money: Now maybe it is my own limited understanding of the role of money and its ability to point to the truth but I think most would agree or have heard of the term "follow the money" and there are biblical references on the true intention of a man can be identified by where he places his money.
Not a perfect science but if I were to work this money = truth idea then I should be able to find the true exceptional talent of the Kardashaian family because people would be will to pay for exceptional talent.
Where are these people getting money, I am guessing that the TV channel pays them but I cannot see them getting the kind of money they seemly have or at least it cannot be the original source.
Google told me Daddy Kardashian AKA OJ's boy, was a lawyer but probably made real money when he started Movie Tunes Inc., Movie Tunes Inc. sells, the time you spend waiting for movie previews to start, to vendors to run more commercials or play music. Apparently we spend 20 minutes on average waiting on a movie to start and that time is valuable because folks are paying for that time. Movie Tunes Inc may have been purchased by Sony Music.
Google told me Kim divorced some black dude (yeah i get the madd rapper award because I am not getting out of $300k car)
anyway Kim's ex started Underdog entertainment now Underdog Entertainment bread must be long because these dudes are involved in crazy hits.
So now my nosey self knows where mom kardashian and kim got the cash, and all this celebrity tv show stuff may just be noise, but its not cause Kim pulling in $75000 per episode.
As an example James Dean had a really short career but really wasn't a great actor ( others seems to think the same thing) but the population brought into the idea that this guy was a great actor etc. after he died and apparently the perception is valuable.
However, this new era of celebrity worship seems to frequently give adoration to folks that uses the perception of exceptional skill alone.
With all that said, there is the Kardashian family, maybe Kim's tape is an exceptional talent, or is it Ray J that showed its exceptional talent (nod to RayJ).
The money: Now maybe it is my own limited understanding of the role of money and its ability to point to the truth but I think most would agree or have heard of the term "follow the money" and there are biblical references on the true intention of a man can be identified by where he places his money.
Not a perfect science but if I were to work this money = truth idea then I should be able to find the true exceptional talent of the Kardashaian family because people would be will to pay for exceptional talent.
Where are these people getting money, I am guessing that the TV channel pays them but I cannot see them getting the kind of money they seemly have or at least it cannot be the original source.
Google told me Daddy Kardashian AKA OJ's boy, was a lawyer but probably made real money when he started Movie Tunes Inc., Movie Tunes Inc. sells, the time you spend waiting for movie previews to start, to vendors to run more commercials or play music. Apparently we spend 20 minutes on average waiting on a movie to start and that time is valuable because folks are paying for that time. Movie Tunes Inc may have been purchased by Sony Music.
Google told me Kim divorced some black dude (yeah i get the madd rapper award because I am not getting out of $300k car)
anyway Kim's ex started Underdog entertainment now Underdog Entertainment bread must be long because these dudes are involved in crazy hits.
So now my nosey self knows where mom kardashian and kim got the cash, and all this celebrity tv show stuff may just be noise, but its not cause Kim pulling in $75000 per episode.
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