Communism / Socialism in Action

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with a cashier who was appalled to hear that the US was and is a socialist nation. Whether you want to believe it or not, the United States is headed more and more toward a socialist utopia. Many people think this is a good thing, but every step towards socialism is a step away from freedom.

Probably the biggest leap toward socialist recently is Obamacare (ie Afordable Care Act) though it doesn't deal with healthcare as much as health insurance. There is a difference between insurance and access to care.

Canadian Healthcare Wait Limits

Although life-threatening cases are dealt with immediately, some services needed are non-urgent and patients are seen at the next-available appointment in their local chosen facility.

The median wait time in Canada to see a special physician is a little over four weeks with 89.5% waiting fewer than 90 days.^[52]

The median wait time for diagnostic services such as MRI and CAT scans ^[53] is two weeks with 86.4% waiting fewer than 90 days.^[52]

The median wait time for surgery is four weeks with 82.2% waiting fewer than 90 days.^[52]

Another study by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 30 days (4 weeks) or more to see a specialist, broadly in line with the current official statistics. A quarter (24%) of all Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room.^[54]

Dr. Brian Day was once quoted as saying "This is a country in which dogs can get a hip replacement in under a week and in which humans can wait two-to-three years."

(wikipedia)

Other Examples of Socialism in Action

Chinese Ghost Malls
Stillborn Baby Found Alive in Morgue
Preventable Blindness in North Korea

What About Obama's American Health Scare Stories?
Obama has spoken many times about his mother who struggled with insurance companies and cancer at the same time. However, she was fully insured. In fact her struggle was to get the deductible paid by the insurance company as well. All of her medical bills and living expenses were covered by insurance and she was left with only a few hundred dollars a month for deductibles.

If Obama opens his mouth it's a lie! In fact yesterday he lied saying, "The truth is on our side." So he even lies about lying. Then again, that is what liars do. I remember the stories that he toured with while promoting Obamacare were lies too, though I cannot find them.

Competition = Improvement
Personal Reward motivates people to take risk and compete. Competition creates better prices and product improvements. Socialism destroys personal reward and competition. It creates a stagnant product base with decreasing quality. It doesn't matter what the industry is, substandard is the result of socialism.

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World Wide Web Wednesday! Sun Oven

World Wide Web Wednesday!

Sun Oven

Power outage, natural disaster, or socialistic expensive energy, you need to be able to cook your food. Not only is the sunoven a great way to bake, boil, or steam food using the energy from the sun, but they help people in third world countries cook their food. They have improved the efficiency of century old technology with amazing results. Check out their website below.

http://www.sunoven.com/

Other Solar Oven Options
http://solarcooking.org/plans/

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I'm Heading For the Hills

My Thoughts Thursday

I'm Heading For The Hills!

I believe that within my lifetime I will head for the hills. I am not some crazy fringe right wing coo-coo. I am a 3.97 GPA, BS Business Finance Magna Cum Laude Graduate. I love economics, finance, history and politics. I also love freedom.

Some people believe that we can tell the future by looking at the past. It is also said that history repeats itself. It's simple cause and affect. Do one thing and get a specific result. Specific government/economic/monetary action causes specific results. Therefore, by analyzing political and economic policies we can determine the future of our political and economic state.

The world is heading toward a "New World Order." There are evil forces in this world, and they are hard at work while the common freedom loving man is sleeping. Freedom is in jeopardy. If you say that they call you crazy, because they know you're right.

There are two types of socialist/liberals/progressives; 1. useful idiots, 2. evil power hungry idiots. The useful idiots are ignorant of and submissive to the manipulation and control imposed by the evil power hungry idiots. Nevertheless, both categories destroy the freedom loving way of life.

"If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth" (President Ronald Reagan). If you think otherwise you yourself are ignorant. Study history. Study finance. Not what someone tells you, but what you can read and find yourself. Go to the source! You will see what I see and know what I know. You will also have joined the minority of well informed individuals. You will know that within my life time, and perhaps your's, I will head for the hills.

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Passive Solar Greenhouse Aquaponics

Passive Solar Greenhouse Aquaponics

A Passive Solar Greenhouse is a greenhouse specially designed to take in solar energy and use it to heat the house. There is no additional heating.

Aquaponics is a mix of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (water growing systems). Surprisingly I have found few sources online referring to the use of aquaponics in a passive solar greenhouse.

A key component of a passive solar greenhouse is a "water wall." This is a wall of water containers that absorbes heat durring the day and releases it durring the night. My biggest question is, can I replace a water wall with a solar water heater? 

A solar water heater envolves a long expanse of winding water tubes in a box that captures solar energy as heat (basically a passive solar greenhouse). As you see in my sketch above, instead of a water wall I have a coil of tubes or a solar water heater. Obviously this sketch is a brainstorm so don't be too harsh. Also, the right side is turned 90 degrees so you can see the right wall. Inside the heart is my wife. She wanted to be included.

I'm looking for anybody that has tried this. Success or failure? Before I invest thousands into this greenhouse I want to know if it will work. I can't find anyone online that has tried something like this. The closest thing is someone that used a similar design for a solar water heater for a shower with great success. However, this was with an extremely smaller greenhouse and there wasn't a lot of detail of winter performance.

Is it water wall or bust? Can I warm my fish water sufficiently for warm water fish? Can I grow year round with this design? Please comment.

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"Nobody Should be Forced To Do Things They Don't Want To Do"

Saturday

While on our date last night, my wife convinced me to watch Ella Enchanted. I know. I know. It's a chick flick. Have you ever been "Notebooked?" It's a 'One Tree Hill' Reference. I know. She convinced me to watch that too. When you love her, you can only object so much.

In the movie Ella Enchanted, Ella is given a curse to obey everything she is told. No matter who tells her, when she is told to do something she must do it. In the story, Ogres and Giants are forced to live in exile. Their lands taken by the king. Elves are only allowed to sing and dance as an occupation.

I know it's a fairy tale, but that's not the point. The point is that "nobody should be forced to do things they don't want to do." Of coarse, we as Americans don't need to worry about being forced to do something we don't want to do. Or do we?

The current administration is requiring certain restaurants to take french fries off the menu, salt to be removed from the table, and schools to replace lunches provided by parents because the "proper" protein is not provided. The government is definitely not the person or thing that should require another person or thing to do something that they or it do not want to do.

There is a specific and definitive evil working against the freedom of man. Call it what you will. I call it ignorance. A financial survivalist is always expanding his or her reserve of knowledge. Ignorance is a universal desease that we must continually strive to cure. We are on the path that will require others to act against their will. We much stop it before it progresses beyond our control, which I fear it already has.

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Non-Fiction Friday: The Millionaire Next Door

Non-Fiction Friday

The Millionaire Next Door

There may just be a Millionaire Next Door. This book is about how not every millionaire drives a BMW or Jag. With chapter tittles like "Frugal Frugal Frugal," and "You Aren't What You Drive," you know this isn't your average "get rich quick" book.

The first time I read this book my favorite part was how the first people to buy the toys are the last ones to get rich. Now my favorite part is the chapter "You Aren't What You Drive." I drive a 1990 Ford Festiva. I paid $500 for it. I've put almost 20,000 miles on it in the last year. I've taken it on a road trips and it gets 40mpg freeway. It's not that I can't afford more. In fact, Dave Ramsey would say I can. It's that I don't want to spend the money on a second car.

Most people get "rich" by trying to increase their income. Most people forget that decreasing your expenses is also an option. Like I mentioned in Cheapskate Next Door, the idea is not about decreasing your lifestyle. It's about being happy with a simpler lifestyle. Millionaire Next Door helps you realize that when it's not all about the money (spending it any way), money is all about you.

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I Am George Zimmerman

My Thought Thursday

I Am George Zimmerman

This has been a very volatile topic on the news lately. I may be a little late commenting on it, but I decided to do so anyway. No matter what the circumstances, the death of Trevon is tragic and sad. However, the liberal fringe in this country, that want you to think they are the majority, are using this story to their advantage. There are several misconceptions about the story and lets straighten out the facts.

1. Trevon was NOT an innocent boy. He was suspended from school for having "Marijuana dust" and in trouble for graphity. He may not have been a "gangster," but this cry that innocent blood has been shed is pathetic.

2. Zimmerman is not white and this is NOT racial. Zimmerman is Mexican American with African American blood in his family. The only racial hint is when the dispatcher asked the race of Trevon. The majority of violent crime involving "black" victims also involves "black" perpetrators.

3. Zimmerman did NOT "hunt" Trevon down. As soon as the dispatcher told him not to follow Trevon, he returned to his car.

4. Zimmerman may have acted in selfdefense. There are witnesses that testify seeing Trevon attacking Zimmerman. That Trevon was on top of him beating him.

Obviously we are only hearing one side of the story. However, in this country you are innocent until proven guilty. There is a lot of evidence in Zimmerman's defense. I'm not saying he is innocent, but to convict him by the selective editing of the liberal media is evil. To take advantage of the African American community by inciting racial conflict is even more evil. To use this as an argument to eliminate or limit our right to bare arms is treason. This story would make me ashamed to call myself liberal, democrat, Obama supporter, or minority. We SHOULD and MUST do better.

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World Wide Web Wednesday! Aquaponics

World Wide Web Wednesday

Aquaponics

One of the most important principles of Financial Survival is self sufficiency. A great way to accomplish this is with aquaponics. I'm still in the learning phase of aquaponics as I plan on moving with in a year. While doing my research I have come across several great websites.

HD Aquaponics

A video series of about 30 videos. This is essentially a video diary of a man named Dan learning to build and use a couple different types of aquaponics systems. It's very interesting to see this journey from the beginning.

Urban Aquaponics

A Aquaponics Forum. I really enjoyed finding people in my area and seeing their struggles and accomplishments as they learned to build and grow with their aquaponics systems. Create a user ID and get your own questions answered.

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How to do a Home Inventory for Insurance

Whether it's a fire or a burglary, stuff happens. However, if your belongings are not properly documented they may not be covered by your insurance. I have a friend who was burglarized and he soon found out that most of his things were not covered.

It is extremely important that you have a home inventory. It is the only way to be fully insured and to quantify your loss in the event of a disaster. Do it today. Even if it's a bad attempt, it is better than nothing and you can improve as you go along. Ask your agent if he needs a copy of your inventory and if he has any specific instructions for you. All Insurance companies are different.

So how do you do an inventory of your stuff? There are 3 main ways: Video, Photos, and Documents.

Video

A video inventory basically involves you walking around your house with a video camera taking video of everything you own. You also need to note serial numbers etc. I find this is probably the easiest method, but make sure it is a good video. Also, I found it difficult to get everything into one cut, so it may take a few tries and or some editing.

Photos

Same thing as a video, but still shot. I like this method because you can take pictures of things like serial numbers and certificates of authenticity. I'm also not very good at video editing.

Documents

All of your important documents, receipts for electronics and jewelry, ownership tittles etc. Scan them and save them together.

Appraisals

Some extremely rare or valuable items are not covered by normal insurance. Sometimes you need to get a certificate of authenticity and appraisal, and specific insurance coverage.

How to Store Inventory

Store your inventory online. I keep mine as a series of emails to myself.

Free Inventory Software

http://www.knowyourstuff.org

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Do I Need Insurance? Insurance Amounts and Types

Money Monday

Types of Insurance

Types of Insurance

Home Owners Insurance (HOI) - insures a property against fire, wind, theft, vandalism etc.
Flood/Hurricane Insurance - insurance home and property agains flood/hurricane damage.
Health Insurance - insures against health care cost
Renters Insurance - insures renter's belongings against fire, theft, damage etc.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment - life insurance if death is unnatural
Disability Insurance - insures against lost income due to disability
Long Term Care Insurance - insures against assisted living and nursing home costs
Auto Insurance - insures you against auto damage or theft and liability for property and injury
Life Insurance - insures you against death
Dental - insures agains dental care costs.
Optical - insures against optical care costs.

Do I Need It?

HOI - if you own a home. I recommend a high deductible to save money on insurance.
Flood/Hurricane Insurance - if you need it then it is probably prohibitively expensive. You would be better off storing your equity in a different place than your home. See "To Pay Extra or Not..." Another option is moving.
Health Insurance - If you are alive. I have a friend who was diagnosed with Lymphoma at 24. If your employer doesn't provide it then get a high deductible plan and supplement it with an accidental policy. See How to Save Money on Insurance.
Renters Insurance - If you rent. It's super cheap and many policies cover accidental damage and loss of electronics (ie phone, iPad, laptop, camera etc). I would probably get a small deductible on this one. Make sure to document all your valuables properly or they will not be covered.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment - Worthless. The conditions upon which you must die for this to pay out are ridiculous. If you really want this coverage, add it to your normal Life Insurance Policy.
Disability Insurance - If you are an income provider and your income is dependent upon you working. According to DisabilityCanHappen.org, just over 1/4 of people will experience a long-term (> 3 months) disability before they retire. Make sure you get Long-Term insurance. Short-Term should be covered by your emergency fund.
Long Term Care Insurance - If you are 55 or older. The sad part is many of us are no longer insurable by that age. You can get it a early as 45, but that's pushing it considering most of these costs would be covered by proper health and disability insurance.
Auto Insurance - If you have or drive a car.
Life Insurance - If you have a spouse, I recommend you have life insurance. If you have children, your children demand you have life insurance. It is your responsibility.
Dental - if it's provided by your employer. It usually doesn't cover more than good price comparisons can save.
Optical - Same as dental.

How Much Do I Need?

Home Owners Insurance (HOI) - enough to rebuild your home.
Flood/Hurricane Insurance - none
Health Insurance - $2 million or unlimited life maximum.
Renters Insurance - enough to repurchase all your stuff.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment - none
Disability Insurance - up to 75% of current monthly income
Long Term Care Insurance - get a policy that covers an acceptable amount of services
Auto Insurance - at least liability coverage of 250/500/250. Glass and comprehensive depends. See "How to Save Money on Insurance."
Life Insurance - 10-15 times annual income or total assets.
Dental - minimal. Two cleanings per year should be covered. Good hygiene prevents most tooth decay.
Optical - minimal. Glasses and contacts prices vary greatly. Just shop around. Your check ups should be covered though.

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Dave Ramsey Epic Fail: Whole Life VS Term Life Insurance

Dave Ramsey Epic Fail

Anyone that listens or follows Dave Ramsey knows that Whole Life Salesman are the "scum of the earth." Pretty harsh words coming from a self described God fearing man. WL salesman are just as likely to be scum as any Financial Planner or Advisor. In fact, they are no more likely to be scum than a loan officer or real estate agent or RADIO HOST at that matter. WL salesmen simply have a different point of view of investing.

So what do you do when the WL salesmen say Dave is ignorant and Dave says they are scum? Simple. Educate yourself and make your own decisions. The #1 thing I don't like about Dave is that he has a "one size fits all" strategy. In reality every person's financial situation is different, and there is no "one size fits all" answer.

Term Life Insurance

• inexpensive
• no cash value
• limited coverage time frame

Whole Life

• tax deferred growth
• tax free withdrawals (if done correctly)
• lenders count CV (cash value) as an asset
• IRS does not count CV as an asset
• CV is protected against law suits and bankruptcy
• expensive at first
• death benefit for life
• CV can be used to pay premiums temporarily or indefinitely
• additional contributions are required to maximize CV growth
• CV can be used as collateral for a loan

You might be wondering if I am a WL salesman? I am not. I simply have done my research. Term and WL insurance have their uses. In order for Whole Life to be used correctly it must be designed correctly. I have to admit that most agents don't understand how to properly design a policy. If interested I can provide some references.

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