The $3.8 trillion dollar federal budget unveiled yesterday includes a whopping $1.6 trillion dollar deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

Younger Americans should be particularly outraged at the massive size of both this deficit and the national debt, which has now surpassed $12.3 trillion.

In order to fund this deficit spending, the Senate voted last week to raise the nation’s debt ceiling—the maximum amount of federal debt allowed by law—by $1.9 trillion. This will allow the national debt to climb to around $14.3 trillion.

Whatever happened to the good old days, when we could count our debts and deficits in billions?

Both national parties blame each other for the out-of-control spending that put us in this mess, and both parties are right; it took decades of substantial deficit spending dating back to the Reagan and Carter administrations to dig a fiscal hole this deep.

Democrats want massive social spending while Republicans want massive tax cuts. We can’t have both, yet that’s exactly what our two major parties have given us, both indulging themselves like petulant children unaware of the consequences of their actions.

The Bush administration managed to do both—it spent at an unprecedented rate while at the same time deeply cutting taxes. And now the Obama administration seems intent on outspending the Bush administration…a situation that many are now (belatedly) calling a serious threat to our national security.

If we keep digging at this rate, we’ll end up, as every schoolboy knows, in China.

How convenient. We can just drop our tax dollars right in that hole and send it straight to our largest creditor.

Newsprism

In any community you find a similar mix.

You’ll find people who are quick, and people who are slow.  You’ll find people who like to laugh, and those who are serious in the extreme.   You’ll find people who are nice or grumpy, a few leaders and a lot of followers.

In a writing community you also have:

People who have a great talent, and people who WANT to have talent.  People who can write, and people who struggle with writing.  People who are POSITIVE that their work sings, and people who are looking for tips, suggestions and ideas.  We also have people who ARE writers, and people who want to LOOK like writers.

What it IS about is PRACTICE.  Practice and paying attention.

Anyone can learn the mechanics of writing.  Just about anyone can get to the point where they can make themselves understood on paper…

But it takes PRACTICE to get to a place where you can capture the mind, entertain, teach…  and practice means writing.  Writing.  Writing.  Every day.

It also means listening to criticism, considering the words of others, and it may also mean accepting their help, and taking their suggestions.

Yeah, it’s true, I want everything I write  instantly and universally loved.  I’d also like a Billion dollars, please, half in gold, and half in cash.

AVATAR HITS A BILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE
JAMES CAMERON MAKES HIS 2ND BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE
MAKES IT THE 5TH MOVIE EVER TO HIT BILLION WORLDWIDE
TO OWN 2 0F 5 BILLION DOLLAR MOVIES IS CRAZY
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AVATAR & IT HITTING A BILLION WORLWIDE?

By Patrick Tyrrell

A million here, a million there, and pretty soon we’ve got real money. So said Illinois’s Sen. Everett Dirksen, the long-time Minority Leader during the 1960s. who often reminded his colleagues about how quickly a million here and there added up to enormous sums of public spending.

Today, of course, its billions, and Members of Congress spend that denomination with the ease they used to spend millions. However, do Members or most of the general public have a solid grasp of how large a number a billion actually is?

To put a billion in perspective, we’ve placed nine zeros after the number 1 and (taking our inspiration from a popular email circulating around Internet space this year) have calculated several, hopefully useful ways to grasp the magnitude of “one billion dollars.” Consider the following facts:

• One billion seconds ago it was 1978
• One billion minutes ago was 107 A.D.
• One billion hours ago our ancestors lived in the Stone Age.
• One billion days ago no-one walked on two feet
• One billion dollars ago was only 2 hours and 30 minutes at the rate the U.S. government has been spending it.

Imagine, every 2 and a half hours, Congress spends another one billion dollars of taxpayer’s money.

Or, think of how much Louisiana Senators David Vitter and Mary Landrieu asked the Federal Government (i.e. taxpayers) for to rebuild New Orleans in 2005. Their legislation requested $250 billion for this modest project. That means:

• Every man, woman, or child residing in New Orleans could be given $549,616 for $250 billion.
• Every homeowner in New Orleans could be given $1,162,299 for $250 billion.
• Every four people could be given $2,198,464.

Even when adjusted for inflation, $250 billion dollars is more than the state of Louisiana cost when purchased during the Jefferson administration. It is one fourth of a trillion dollars.

Of course, a billion here and a billion there pretty soon adds up to trillions of real money. If Members of Congress who spend our hard earned tax dollars have little understanding of how large a billion is, imagine how little they grasp the enormous sum of just one trillion dollars. That’s 1,000 times more than a billion, and Congress this last year authorized trillions of debt-financed outlays for the next several years.

That spinning sound you hear is Everett Dirksen in his grave.

TonyfromOz adds …..

For a pictorial representation of what the different sized packages of money look like, go to this link. One Billion Dollars is the second image from the bottom, and these are in stacks of Hundred Dollar Bills.

Patrick Tyrrell contributes posts at The Foundry, and he is a Research Coordinator, Center for Data Analysis at The Heritage Foundation.

Read more informative articles at Heritage – The Foundry

Just Kidding…………But I am sure it has crossed his Mind…………..

I can’t believe we are going to have 4 more years of this Asshole.

This guy’s going to be King for 12 Fucking Years. That is Preposterous. But hey, that’s what $$100 Million Dollars can Buy you in The Big Apple!!!!  His Bloomberg Businesses will increase in Value just by the virtue of  bloomberg being King for another 4 Years. His Businesses increased in value from 6 or so Billion Dollars 8 years ago, to $16 Billion Dollars recently. That fact is directly Correlated to  being the King of NYC. That is the foremost reason he spent $$100 Million Dollars on the Campaign.  That was just an Investment, as he will gain it back 100’s of times over.

Think about it. During the previous campaign, the Schmuck spent $$85 million Dollars and $$74 Million Dollars on the campaign  before that one. That is a total of $$159 Million Dollars. His businesses increased in Value from $$6 Billion Dollars to $$16 Billion Dollars. For an Investment of $$160 Million Dollars, the Schmuck gained $$10 Billion Dollars. Do the Math. Bloomberg may be a SCHMUCK, BUT he’s NOT a Stupid Schmuck!!

His latest Investment of over $$100 Million Dollars will no doubt Yield him a Return of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS over the Course of the Next 4 Years. 

The US national debt has now surpassed $12 trillion (that’s $12,000,000,000,000.00.)

To watch our debt (along with dozens of related metrics) mount in real time, go to the non-partisan USDebtClock.org.

As if the raw numbers weren’t bad enough, we also have to deal with a wave of debt payments coming due, as well as the looming entitlement payments owed to soon-to-be-retiring baby boomers, in addition to the cost of funding two ongoing wars, on top of declining revenues, over and above massive interest payments approaching half a trillion dollars a year…well, you get the picture.

Paul Krugman may not be worried, but more and more Americans are asking the question: is the debt clock documenting our moral and economic decline?

Newsprism

Never mind the Terminator franchise – the entire MGM studio and back catalog is up for sale, meaning that anyone with a few billion dollars can finally make that Capricorn One remake they’ve been dreaming of.

Source:
http://io9.com/5404671/mgm-is-up-for-sale-but-whos-buying

The Office of Management and Budget released the latest federal deficit figures. For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, which ended in September, the federal deficit was $1.42 trillion.

FY2009 includes the last four months or so of the Bush administration in addition to the first eight months or so of the Obama administration. Both Bush’s TARP program and the initial spending under Obama’s economic stimulus plan were included in the figure.

The ongoing federal spending spree (part of which was surely justified by economic circumstances) raised the national debt to $11.9 trillion.

Just over a year ago, Newsprism noted that the national debt had surpassed $10 trillion.

Just over six months ago, Newsprism noted that the national debt had risen another $1 trillion dollars in the previous six months. Now the national debt has once again risen nearly $1 trillion dollars more in just over six months.

President Bush inhereted a national debt of around $5 trillion along with a federal budget surplus when he took office in 2001. Since 2000, here’s how the federal deficit has grown:

Both parties are responsible for overspending without adequate revenue to pay for that spending. While the TEA Party movement is right on in decrying this, the blame must be spread evenly between Democrats and Republicans, and between Bush, Obama, and presidents dating back to Ronald Reagan, all of whom have failed to keep federal spending in check.

We’re stealing from future generations—”we” because we continue to vote for politicians who refuse to confront our fiscal problems.

Shame on us. Shame on all of us.

Newsprism

 EHealth scandal a $1B waste:   

  

McCarter’s probe, which went back to 2000, criticized unnamed consulting companies for driving up each other’s fees to artificially create a higher rate for their services and putting too much power in too few hands in awarding of contracts.

The auditor general also slammed unnamed senior health bureaucrats for thwarting his efforts to get investigators into eHealth for a routine audit in the summer of 2008, which didn’t happen until February 2009.

EHealth expenses

• Some of the consulting costs incurred at eHealth:
• $2,700-a-day consultant, charging $3.26 for a muffin and tea.
• $300-an-hour consultant, charging for reading an article on electronic health records given to her by her husband, another consultant.
• Two consultants serving as vice-presidents and flown regularly from homes in Alberta.
• $1,700-a-day executive assistant.
• Consultants charging to watch an eHealth episode on TVO’s The Agenda and “debriefing” on the Toronto subway.

 $1 billion spent but little to show in Ont.’s push for electronic health records  TORONTO – Ontario taxpayers have poured $1 billion into an electronic health-record system that’s years away from completion, a mismanaged effort the provincial auditor general said allowed consultants to run amok with little oversight while millions of dollars in untendered contracts went out the door.

  

Ont. gov’t ’should have known’ about scandal at eHealth, McGuinty says  TORONTO – Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says his government should have known about the eHealth debacle before the scandal surfaced.

 

also http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/corupted/

 

Cancer Care Ontario broke rules: audit. An internal audit of Cancer Care Ontario shows the provincial agency handed out consultant contracts in some of the same questionable ways as eHealth. It gave a consulting firm $18.7 million in deals over two years, some in the form of so-called “follow-on” agreements, a practice that allowed them to be added on to current contracts without being opened to bids. The audit found the number of follow-ons “excessive” — with at least 26 recorded. “The findings of this audit clearly indicate that the procurement processes, file organization and consistency of documentation require substantial improvement,” the audit says. “It is also apparent that required competitive tendering rules have not been consistently applied for all contracts of significant value.”

Other revelations in the documents included:

• Details of some contracts were ironed out after the deal was done.
• Contracts without tender accounted for 49 per cent of examined contracts for non-capital goods and non-consulting expenses, such as computer equipment, software and equipment rental.
• About $1.6-million worth was paid out over 14 invoices to a company with no written contract.  
• Several employees recruited were offered between $17,000-23,000 over the maximum salary range.
• CCO employee files were kept in an unlocked cabinet accessible to unauthorized employees.
• Even though policy forbade paying for parties, Cancer Care paid for two staff picnics, a farewell function and gifts for staff, one holiday party and a baby shower.

I want my money back! Can’t trust the government to be good stewards over the funds they tax from hard working folks, Every dollar to fight cancer is badly needed. To waste a penny is criminal.   this was only the tip of the iceberg and that every department in this government needs to be audited.  It is only common sense, that the rot permeates this government in many departments.. look at filing criminal charges against those in office that are responsible if criminal activity took place. Their personal bank accounts should be frozen and an investigation into whether they have off shore accounts. We are talking billions of dollars here, with no proper accountability. The same should apply to the people who were, and or are, in charge of companies such as eHealth, and Cancer Care Ontario. This list is going to grow. This is more than disturbing. I’m absolutely blown away. A minister resigns? What about the premier? Today’s revelations involve hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. I’d lose my job for mismanaging 5 grand.   http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/10/07/cancer-care-ontario.html

 

More than a third of Ontario hospitals didn’t balance their books, figures show The Canadian Press -  hospitals couldn’t balance their books last year, amounting to a $154-million shortfall, newly released figures show. Sixty-one of the province’s 159 public hospitals, or 38 per cent, were in deficit in the last year…  Ontario is behind every other province except British Columbia and Quebec when it comes to hospital funding, according to statistics collected by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. In 2008, Ontario’s funding of hospitals was $1,209 per person, lower than the national average of $1,290.

 

 see  more

http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/?s=consumer+affairs

Sophisticated computer systems, sensor networks, next-gen batteries and electric grid development are among the hot research projects that U.S. lawmakers are backing with more than a half billion dollars a year in taxpayer dollars.

Source:
http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2009/092309-layer8-car-tech.html?ts

Sophisticated computer systems, sensor networks, next-gen batteries and electric grid development are among the hot research projects that U.S. lawmakers are backing with more than a half billion dollars a year in taxpayer dollars.

Source:
http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2009/092309-layer8-car-tech.html?ts

Health care is an area of demanding and controversial health care programs, insurance and spending.  

Medicaid and Medicare are government run programs that account for a large portion of health care cost.

Insurance overall is a funny business – there is insurance for almost anything including pets, fire, medical, vehicle, and others. Insurance has become so essential that many either overspend for insurance or work in terrible jobs, just to get insurance.

But then there is the large portion of individuals, for whatever reason, are unable to get insurance at all.

Private insurance is even more difficult to understand. These programs are allowed by employers or private individuals and vary from company to company and policy to policy. It is believed that over the last 7-10 years, employee-sponsored health insurance premiums have increase over 100%. This is almost 5 times the amount of inflation over the same period of time.

This is markedly more difficult for individuals and employers. Less and less companies are able to afford these important programs. And this will continue to get worse and worse.

It is believed that by 2020 or so – it will cost a family of 4 more than $25,000 per year to cover health insurance. Currently it is almost $13,000 per year for health care.

Cost for employers will continue to rise as well. Currently the cost to employers for insurance is just over $300 billion dollars. Within 10 years that number may jump to the mid $800 billion dollar range.

Don’t be fooled either – the coverage will not improve as time continues. Increasing costs, number of sick, and rising average age will continue to worsen the actual coverage by each individual.

Increasing Health Concerns

1.) Health Care Spending

- United States is leading all countries in the percent of GDP that is spent on Health Care.

- United States currently spends 16.2% as of 2007 and was around 15% in 2006

- Switzerland and France follow at around 11%

- Other countries above 10% are: Canada, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Austria

- most of these values are from 2006

2.) Cost

- as the cost per person rises – the burden increases for employers and individuals to get enough coverage and the correct coverage

- $2.2 trillion dollars were spent in the United States in 2007 on health care costs

- $700 billion in 1990

- $250 billion in 1980

3.) Bankruptcy and Foreclosures

- Over 50% of bankruptcy are linked to lingering health or medical expenses

- 1.3 plus million people loose their homes because they also have medical expenses that can’t be meet

- Many families with the above mentioned health care costs do have insurance – over 75% on average

4.) Aging

- It is believed in the United States that by 2030 the number of individuals over the age 65 will double

- Over 70 million Americans will be over 65 at that point

- This will comprise around 20% of the population

- The cost of an older individual is 5 times greater for someone over 65 than under 65 [on average]

- The overall projected spending is believed to increase by 25%

“The aging of the U.S. population is one of the major public health challenges we face in the 21st century. One of CDC’s highest priorities as the nation’s protection agency is to increase the number of older adults who liver longer, high-quality, productive, and independent lives.” Julie Louise Gerberding, Md, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – 2007

5.) Smoking, Poor diet, and physical inactivity

- It is believed that these 3 items result in 35-35% of deaths each year

- These are preventable conditions

- Are quite costly to individuals, companies, governments, and tax payers

- Are risk factors for serious medical conditions of: Diabetes, Stroke, Cancers, and Heart Disease among others

6.) The Uninsured

- Some do not qualify for government-provided health insurance

- Some do not qualify for private health insurance

- Not provided insurance by employer

- Some are unable to afford health insurance

- Some choose not to have health insurance

- As of 2007 – 15% of population or 45 million individuals were without health insurance

- 2008 numbers are expected to be statistically similar to 2007 despite the recession, but a rise to 46 million is anticipated

According to the US Census Bureau, in 2007:

Of the 45 million uninsured:

. 37 million between ages 18 and 65
. 27 million worked at least part time
. 38% had household income of greater than $50,000
. 36 million are legal U.S. Citizens
. 10 million are non-citizens (This may or may not include illegal immigrants)
. 20% could afford insurance
. 25% are eligible for public coverage
. 55% need financial assistance to cover health insurance

7.) Fraud

- It occurs daily and helps “almost” no one

- Occurs on many levels and by many individuals

- Health Care is often about profit

- The most visible areas are Medicaid and Medicaid

- However, fraud occurs in all health care areas

- It is believed to occur on 5-10% of all health care expenditures

- Your increased health cost is, at least in part, to health care fraud

8.) Disparities

Defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration as …”population-specific differences in the presence of disease, health outcomes, or access to health care.“

Goldberg, J., Hayes, W., and Huntly, J. “Understanding Health Disparities.” Health Policy Institute of Ohio (Nov 2004) page 3

- Medicare and Medicaid spending is often quite different from state to state

- Sometimes the spending amount is double in one state when compared to another
. Example [Medicare in Miami in 2006 - $16,351 and in San Francisco $8,331]

- Access to health care and insurance is often a cause point, but not always

- The cost for such disparities may directly impact social and economic status

- Race, ethnicity, socioeconomic, sex, age, medical conditions, sexual orientation, and more are all linked to disparity

All is not loss

We are doing several things well – probably not perfectly but well

1.) Improved overall medical quality and treatment allow for a larger number of patients to live longer

2.) Improved Mammogram screening

3.) Improved Cholesterol screening

4.) Overall awareness for preventative care increasing, it still must increase in importance to not only improve care, quality of life, and overall balance health care costs.

5.) Disparities have begun to be looked at more closely and continue monitoring and goal setting to manage specifically targeted areas have been put in place.

Post originally seen at InterActive Health: Health Care Spending

For further information take a look at the following

- http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml

- http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/saha_exec_summary_2007.pdf

- http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5813a5.htm

- Goldberg, J., Hayes, W., and Huntly, J. “Understanding Health Disparities.” Health Policy Institute of Ohio (Nov 2004) page 3

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Merck Company Foundation. The State of Aging and Health in America 2007. Whitehouse Station, NJ: The Merck Company Foundation; 2007.