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If the answer to this is "yes," and you think you're done, you might be settling too soon.
The right question is, "Is this the best your team can do?" And if you need a better team, it's never been easier to get one. Especially if you're a soloist, a freelancer or a small company--if your upside is limited by the people you're working with, get new people.
Any time you do work yourself, you've chosen not to use the services of someone who's probably better at it than you are. There might be really good reasons for that choice, but inertia isn't one of them.
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Graph Shows Who Is And Who Isn't Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes Posted: 21 Apr 2013 10:39 PM PDT In response to 55% of Americans Say Their Income Taxes are Fair; 46.6% Paid No Income Tax in 2011 one seriously misguided soul responded "your hate for low income people disturbing". The above response was humorous because the math shows a large number of people are unhappy even though thy pay no income taxes at all. Nowhere did I state or imply any hatred of anyone. On a far more credible note, I received an email from Ironman at the Political Calculations blog who posted this chart on "Who Really Isn't Paying Their Fair Share of Income Taxes?" click on chart for sharper image I asked Ironman to explain the chart. Here is his reply. We used U.S. Census data to model the total aggregate income earned by individual Americans for each $100 increment of income in 2009 to create the "blue" income distribution bell curve using regression analysis, which we originally did as part of another project, where we modeled the total money income distribution of Americans. What If? In a followup email, I asked Ironman what the result would have been, if a 100% tax on all income above $1 million been in place. To that question he replied ... "By our calculation, the U.S. government would have taken in $800 billion more in tax revenue if it had taxed people making more than $1 million at 100 percent, according to IRS data from 2008, the year Ryan used as his base point." Thus, even taxing people making over $1 million at a rate of 100% would not have balanced the budget. Of course, if you tax anything at 100%, you are not going to get anywhere near the amount theoretically expected. Some might point out interest income, but others would point out disability and food stamps. Specifically, I would like to point out Unwilling to Work; 25% in Hale County AL Collect Disability, 14 Million Nationwide; A Simple Solution. Simply put, if you pay people enough to do nothing at all, you are going to encourage a lot of fraud by people willing to do nothing. Regardless of what you think about top income earners, the system is setup to encourage fraud and avoidance at both ends of the scale. Who suffers? Those in the middle. Perhaps it's time for a consumption tax, excluding food, medicine, and essential clothes. Perhaps some combination of flat income tax in conjunction with a consumption tax excluding food, medicine, and essential clothes. My only fear in suggesting such a thing is government nearly always screws things up by implementing things in a matter that will make matters worse. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Netherlands on Edge of Economic Crisis; Unemployment Surges as Home Prices Collapse Posted: 21 Apr 2013 12:05 PM PDT Netherlands is underwater in more ways than one. Der Spiegel reports Underwater: The Netherlands Falls Prey to Economic Crisis More than a decade ago, the Dutch central bank recognized the dangers of [the housing] euphoria, but its warnings went unheeded. Only last year did the new government, under conservative-liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte, amend the generous tax loopholes, which gradually began to expire in January. But now it's almost too late. No nation in the euro zone is as deeply in debt as the Netherlands, where banks have a total of about €650 billion in mortgage loans on their books.Dijsselbloem's Hypocrisy Note how Dijsselbloem is ready and willing to stick austerity measures of any kind on every other eurozone economy but his own. Unemployment Surges as Home Prices Collapse The Australia Macro Business blog picks up the story in Dutch unemployment surges as house prices fall. Earlier this month, I posted on how the Netherlands was facing a potential economic crisis on the back a severe housing correction, whereby house prices fell by -8% in the year to December 2012 to be down -18% since prices peaked in 2008, pulling many Dutch households into negative equity (see next chart).Best is Yet to Come As noted, the hypocrites want austerity for everyone but themselves. Regardless, the Netherlands economy is headed for a much sharper contraction as is France. Simply put, the entire eurozone is in deep trouble even as the nannycrats insist the worst is behind. Ironically, the best is indeed ahead, and the best is a breakup of the eurozone. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 21 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT The Minister of Public Works and Housing of the Government of Andalusia, Elena Cortes Jimenez, advocates a Reduction in Mortgage Debt for All Spanish Families. Here is a Mish-modified synopsis. Elena Cortes Jimenez, Minister of Public Works, claims eviction proceedings lead to further drying of mortgage lending, making it harder for young people to access home ownership. Jimenez proposes a "haircut" on private debt, in particular, mortgages. The minister stressed that "Spain has carried out 440,000 illegal evictions due to a mortgage scam, and it is absolutely necessary to have truth, justice and reparation for these families who have been in that situation." Jimenez once again defends the need for a restructuring of private debt. In his view, Congress of Deputies, and specifically the PP, have the "golden opportunity" to approve the initiatives on evictions and retroactive payments. End Mish-Translated Synopsis Good Grief! Exactly who is supposed to pay for this "golden opportunity" to forgive debt? Oh wait, I forgot. Spain's insolvent banks are supposed to provide the loan forgiveness. Or was it the generous nannycrats in Brussels? Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
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Is there any better way to start a business partnership? Any partnership?
If you're unable to have substantial conversations with your boss and co-workers, go get some professional help. It's not personal, it's business.
The inability to say the thing that will make everything better (because of fear of shifting the status quo) is a project killer.
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Italy Stalemate Broken, Napolitano, 87, Elected for Another 7-Year Term Posted: 20 Apr 2013 06:45 PM PDT In a move that cannot possibly solve anything Italian Lawmakers, Re-elect President to Second Term. In a bid to quiet growing political chaos, Italian lawmakers on Saturday elected President Giorgio Napolitano to a second term, turning to him as the last best hope to break a profound deadlock.Pier Luigi Bersani Announces Resignation In case you missed it late Friday Italy centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani announced resignation Mr Bersani's move came after backers in his party voted down two candidates that he had proposed for the role of president. Late on Friday night, he accused fellow party members of betraying him, adding that there was a "tendency in some towards permanent destruction."As I said, Bersani's days were numbered. Little did I know they would be this numbered. Now what? Napolitano could not form a grand coalition before so why can he do so now? The only thing that has changed is Bersani is gone and the supporters of Grillo are madder than ever. Given that both Berlusconi and Grillo have a chance at winning the next election outright, both have a reason to want new elections. Berlusconi has another objective, however, and that is coming up with any deal that avoids prosecution. With that in mind, an unstable "grand coalition" of sorts may be temporarily possibile. If so, expect the coalition to dissolve as soon as Berlusconi gets the immunity he seeks. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 20 Apr 2013 10:04 AM PDT Inquiring minds in the US note the upcoming German election and may be wondering about the platforms of the major political parties. Reader Bernd from Germany explains. Die Linke (The Left): Die Linke is made up of the former SED/PDS (The East German Communist Ruling Party), some former West German Communist and Socialist Parties and a "rebel group" of the SPD. They all have merged and are now called "Die Linke". By and large they have a communist/socialist platform, albeit not Stalinist. Their main requests are: dissolve NATO and replace it with a new organization to include Russia in it, end all wars, control or nationalize all relevant banks and some crucial industries, increase support for the poor, raise taxes for the rich (above income of 60k Euros gradually go to 75%), introduce a stiff wealth and inheritance tax. They are pro Euro and want the introduction of Eurobonds immediately. To alleviate the economic crisis in Europe they advocate some serious deficit spending for social and work programs. They have voted against ESM; EFSF and Cyprus deal in Parliament. SPD (Social Democrats): SPD is the grand old Social Democratic Party, with a wonderful and long tradition. SPD originated from the worker's movement. Its first party program is from 1869. It the only party that tried to stop Hitler's power grab by opposing the emergency laws in 1933. Many went to concentration camps for opposing Hitler. In post-World War II Germany SPD provided three Chancellors, Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schröder. All three Chancellors were major reformers in Germany for one or the other topic. SPD lost its original power base in the wake of Schröder's reforms in the early 2000s. SPD is a staunch pro Euro party. They also want Eurobonds immediately, as well as a common fiscal policy, a bank union and a quick unification of Europe. Die Grünen (The Green Party): Die Grünen started as a mix of 1968 communists/socialists and anti-nuclear energy activists in West Germany. The second part is made up of some left over former East German anti SED "rebels" who helped to bring down East Germany. Today this is the party for so the so-called "politically correct". In Germany we call them the Latte Macchiato Moms/Dads. The typical party member is a well-paid Government official or teacher with a work week of 36 hours. They believe firmly in manmade climate change and want to tax and spend their way to eliminate the CO-2 footprint. No amount of money is too much for preventing climate change. They are staunch pro Euro advocates similar to the SPD. Freie Demokratische Partei FDP (Free Democratic Party): originated from a mix of former liberal parties during the Weimar Republic with an originally clear idea on liberalism. The FDP once strongly supported human rights, civil liberties, and international openness, but has shifted from the center to the center-right over time. Today's main goal is to get at least 5% of the popular vote, otherwise they will have no representation in parliament. They are a coalition partner to Merkel's CDU party but most of them would be hard pressed to state why. FDP may not pass the 5% threshold in the next election. FDP states that they wish Europe to return to the "No-Bail out Clause" and the Maastricht Agreement, however, in Parliament they voted for a massive breach of both agreements, following Merkel's position. CDU (Christian Democratic Union): CDU is a center-right, typically Catholic, typically pragmatic popular party. It is the party of most Chancellors now including Angela Merkel. I call it the "yes Chancellor Club". Merkel calls herself pragmatic, some German people call her "Mutti". Mutti in German means a cunning, but one minded pragmatist, who will reprimand/control her husband for coming home late from a bar. CDU is pro-euro but against Eurobonds. Under Merkel CDU has lost its profile and has made some erratic shifts in position, which is a major turnoff for many supporters. Notably Merkel's agreement to the breach of all EU-Agreements and her shift to a so called "green energy" has alienated many voters. CSU (Christian Social Union): CSU is the Bavarian sister to the CDU. Whereas CDU operates in 15 States, CSU is in Bavaria only, where it traditionally gets 50 plus percent of popular votes, thus catapulting it above 5% on federal level. Voter participation in Bavaria is traditionally above 75%. CSU follows Merkel, but tensions are rising. Many CSU members are far from convinced that Merkel is right. Most of legal obstacles against Merkel's Euro policies in front of the Federal Constitution Court come from members of the CSU. Due to its high degree of organization and its firm foundation in the center of Bavarian populace, CSU is rather influential in German Federal Politics. Alternative für Deutschland) AfD (Alternative for Germany): AfD is a liberal-conservative party supported by many German economists. More than two-thirds of its initial supporters hold doctorates. Its main position is a return of the EU to the original meaning of the Maastricht agreement, alternatively a return to national currencies. The second major topic is the strengthening of German Democracy, advocating a Swiss – like model. In April 2013, the party held its first convention in Berlin, which was attended by about 1500 supporters. The convention elected the party leadership and adopted the party platform. The three elected speakers are economist Bernd Lucke, the entrepreneur Frauke Petry, and the publicist Konrad Adam. The key demand of AfD is to provide a mechanism for countries to exit the Eurozone. In old Germany, "liberal" was in regards to Civil Rights, not free-flowing money or other policies those in the US may associate with the word. Liberal for AfD is a bit different than for the current FDP Mish Note: Reader Bernd is not (not Bernd Lucke, the economist and AfD elected speaker). I will have election predictions next week from Reader Bernd. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
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