The Real Problem With Health Care - The Answer No One Wants to Hear!

As we all know, the reforms in health care as of late have been a hot topic. And in many ways it is splitting the population in half. We have those on one side of the field who say it's a government takeover, we're losing our freedoms, we can't afford it and it will worsen the quality of care. Then there are those in favor of it who argue we can't afford not to reform it, the insurance companies are not concerned about the individual and are raising premiums regardless and as a nation everyone should be entitled to better health either as preventive maintenance or even for those with preexisting conditions.

Either position has very strong arguments but what is really at the core of the problem? Some will say that there simply isn't enough competition that will lower costs. Others say there isn't enough regulation. My suggestion here is that the root of the problem runs much, much deeper than any of these surface issues. The root cause is the same factor that impacted the real estate market crash with the sub-prime mortgage issue, the financial meltdown, the foreign wars, the change in political administrations, the weak value of the dollar, the out of control unemployment numbers and the poor economy. All of these are merely symptoms of a system which in and of itself is flawed and broken. We can argue all day about what is the way to fix individual problems but the truth is they are all connected and this problem is proven generation after generation. This is why the gap between the rich and poor is the farthest ever and is still widening. This is why inflation continually increases while wages do not comparatively. This is why the middle-class is dwindling to the point where it one day may no longer exist.

Before I share with you the true culprit behind the health care issue let me ask you a few questions. Do you feel as though you have to work harder and harder for less and less just to get by? Are you concerned with protecting your assets and getting further ahead? Would you like to pass your accumulated wealth on to your children when you die? Do you feel anxiety about protecting your retirement and whether or not it will be enough for you to live comfortably? Do you feel your quality of life is threatened by competition or the government politics? Well if you answered "yes" to the majority of these questions then take a deep breath... look in the mirror... and realize that YOU are the true culprit!

Now before you get defensive and start justifying your actions let me elaborate on what I mean. Each of us who plays the "game of survival" may not individually be the sole source of the economics issue but collectively it is this attitude compounded that causes the social ills of the world. Let's be honest with ourselves. We've all bought into the notion that the costs of living go up year after year. A loaf of bread that used to cost 15 cents 30 to 40 years ago now costs $3.00! And we all accept this fallacy that somehow it takes more money to grow the same wheat to make the bread! Last I checked sunlight still shines on the Earth for free. The price of air hasn't gone up any from zero. And rainwater still falls upon the land at no cost. The seasons are still the same length and the dirt hasn't become any scarcer than before. And if anything, due to technology, the process of actually making bread hasn't gotten any more tedious rather it has probably gotten easier and quicker to accomplish. Why the increase in price then? Why do we accept inflation as if the same everyday processes are now somehow harder or more costly?

The real problem is that we as a society have simply gotten greedier! This notion started many thousands of years ago and we still operate off the same antiquated ideas with very little change or growth in our perspectives. Thousands of years ago as civilizations evolved and grew, the concepts of scarcity and "might makes right" become the social norm. The same practices of animal instinct still exist within the human culture. The strong simply take from the weak! Tribes would invade neighboring tribes and take their resources. And those that had the resources had to protect their accumulations. This idea of ownership & property are the driving forces behind chaos. There were those few cultures such as the Native Americans that recognized that nothing truly belonged to any one individual. They realized that what was good for the whole community was ultimately best for the individual. After all, every single one of us are born into this world with nothing but our naked bodies. However, based upon the accumulations of the parents, one child may enter the world as a wealthy person while another may enter the world in extreme poverty unable to even receive necessary milk for survival. Thus, we are forced from day one, even before we have any understanding of our environments, to accept the evil reality of the "haves" and "have-nots!"

This is the true battle being waged in congress, in political parties, between communities and between nations! Those that have want to protect it and those that don't want to get it. The unfortunate reality is that the "haves" are the ones who generally have the power and the "have-nots" lack it and therefore are the weak. The difference is money, which in this world represents power! Let's remind ourselves that money was created supposedly as a convenient tool to make bartering a simpler process. After all, it is sort of difficult to carry around a pig to trade for some eggs or milk. The problem today is because those who have money hoard it to the point that they don't really need your pig, eggs or milk. Through generations of accumulation and the advancement of technology, the wealthy don't need much that the average working person has to offer. Hence, through desperation and so-called competition the "have-nots" have to accept less and less and are forced to give their only remaining asset left - themselves! And since computers, machines and robots can generally do the same amount of work without getting tired or expecting a paycheck, even your labor has little to no value anymore.

Now I know many will argue that there are opportunities out there for those who "work hard." And based upon our current systems this is true to a degree. But understand a few facts. Ninety percent of the world's wealth is held amongst one percent of the population. Another ten percent controls the majority of the rest. And finally ninety percent of the population lives either in poverty or a couple paychecks away from losing the little they may have. Now if you're in the top 10 percent then surely you probably don't want to change a thing. And if you're comfortable with your lifestyle even though you may never become one of the top 10 percent, you probably want to protect what you do have so you don't become one of those in poverty. But let's remind ourselves that the vast majority of the wealth held within certain families and institutions wasn't earned through honest hard work and invention but rather through violent, barbaric and atrocious means. Through slave trades, invasions, genocides and good old-fashioned pillaging, the "strongest" of those, centuries ago, were able to hoard their acquisitions and then pass them down through their families generation after generation.

Why should I be able to "own" hundreds of thousands of acres of land that I will never be able to personally use? Who says that I should be able to control oil sources that belong to the earth and should benefit everyone? Why is one life more important than another? Why should the few monopoly corporations be able to buy out every new idea or invention that comes along? The only thing guaranteed in life is death and you will leave it the same way you entered it - naked and by yourself! It is foolish to thing that whatever you accumulate in life will somehow be able to be taken with you. In fact, this war between the "haves" and the "have-nots" is not really about big government versus small government or right versus left. It is really about ignorance versus wisdom; love versus greed; compassion versus selfishness! This isn't meant to sound idealistic. I don't expect a utopia overnight but the reality is that we are our own worst enemies. Everyone that buys into the ridiculous notions that life somehow gets more expensive every year is part of the problem. The birds still fly in the air for free. Animals still live off the land without taxes. And the sun still rises everyday in spite of man's attempts to end our ability to witness it.

Leo Tolstoy, the author most popularly known for 'War and Peace,' went as far as to say, "Property is thievery!" Tolstoy, who was influenced by the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, went on to write journals that influenced Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Noble sentiments such as John F. Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country" perhaps should have restated that as "Ask not what mankind can do for you but ask what you can do for mankind" for we in truth created our businesses, institutions and governments to serve us and not the other way around. We allow national pride, culture, languages, religions, gender and personal desires to separate us. Yet it is only through love, unity and the desire to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" that is the true strength of society.

The vast majority of mankind will continue to live in despair because we've bought into lies, become lazy and only seek to benefit ourselves. We must look in the mirror and change ourselves first. Gandhi stated "Be the change in the world that you seek!" We would all benefit to approach our personal decisions, family decisions, outlooks on life and our politics with greater compassion and love for the benefit of all. Never allow fear to drive your choices for fear will only consume you and produce loss for everyone involved. There is a cause known as the Zeitgeist Movement. It is a noble idea on how mankind can improve the world we live in not just for our nation or ourselves but also for the entire world. While I think it is still a little too idealistic based upon man's current understanding and capacity, I do think it is a worthwhile idea towards the possibilities we could enjoy if we just had a little greater trust in one another. We, unfortunately, are still a long ways away from that day. I invite you to search for the video and/ or website. We don't have to accept the evils of the world or that some people lives are not worth saving but we must develop courage and stand up against fear, selfishness and greed.

I'm not a huge Star Trek fan but in one of the earlier movies there was a scene in which the Star Trek crew had traveled from the future back in time to the current present day. A person asked Captain Kirk how much it cost to build the Starship Enterprise and his answer was that "... in the future mankind doesn't do things in terms of dollars or profit but rather for the benefit of society!" We can only put one foot in front of the other but perhaps the day may come in time, somewhere in the distant future, where this sentiment may become reality. We are One.

http://www.the1soulwithin.com

Lateef Terrell Warnick, author of "Journey of the Soul: Day One" Book & Movie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNbWgdYa6Ss.

Also, founder of 1 S.O.U.L. Social Network & Movement, expresses teachings founded in universal love and the esoteric approach similar to that of the yogi or mystic which declares that the "kingdom of God is within."

1 S.O.U.L. is an acronym for "One Source Of Universal Love" and consists of spiritual writings, social network, blog and non-profit organization. Teachings in harmony with those of "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda, "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch, "The Power of Now" & "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" by Deepak Chopra, "A Course In Miracles" by Marianne Williamson, "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran, "Beyond Belief: The Secret Book of Thomas" by Elaine Pagel, Swami Vivekananda, Babaji & the lives of Jesus the Christ, Buddha, Krishna who've shown us the way towards enlightenment & Self-Realization!

Bad Credit? No Credit? No Money? No Problem!

Have you ever walked into a bank or mortgage brokers' office to apply for a mortgage loan and was told, "Your credit doesn't meet our guidelines?" Or even better, "you don't have enough money for the down payment." How about, "You don't have a long enough credit history for us to tell if you are a viable risk or not. Come back in a few years after you have established your credit." Yes? It's not surprising. A staggering 25% of mortgage loan applicants in seven different cities were denied loans due to "credit issues." In another seven cities, collateral and down payments were 10% of the problem. In fact, approximately 70% of the population has or has had credit related "issues" in their past that have negatively affected their credit scores. That's right, 70 percent! If that's not a trend or niche staring you right in the eye, we aren't sure what is.

No one wins when a loan applicant is turned down. The bank loses prospective interest income, the borrower gets a bad taste in their mouth from the institution and potential note buyers don't get the opportunity to purchase income producing loans.

From these statistics and revelations, a whole new kind of real estate lending has evolved and is becoming increasingly popular with individuals or companies who need the flexibility and speed of the private lender. Hard, or private money, lenders are private individuals, or sometimes small companies or partnerships, with monies available for investment. Based upon their personal criteria and guidelines, they tend to lend primarily on a short-term basis, to real estate investors who use it for a variety of profitable purposes, but most commonly, buying and repairing distressed property. What does that mean to you as a potential Buyer? Most hard money lenders are most concerned with the value of the property, placing less emphasis, if any, on the credit of the Buyer.

In essence, they want to be assured that if the Buyer defaults on the loan, they will possess an asset that can be foreclosed on to recover their original investment and still turn a profit. Hard money lenders do not want your property via foreclosure, they just need to feel secure in lending their money on an asset that may be easily liquidated in the event of default by the Buyer. This all may sound too good to be true, but don't be fooled. Hard money lenders are somewhat difficult to find and come at a steep price. Terms for these types of loans will vary from lender to lender and will depend upon the experience level of an investor, the property itself and the length of an investor's relationship with a particular hard money lender. Generally, a private lender will provide a loan for 50-70% of the after-repaired value (ARV) of a property at an interest rate of 12-18% for a period of 6 months to five years. In addition, they will also charge between 2-10 points as an upfront financing fee to the Buyer. The terms will vary from interest only to fully amortized loans. Some will incorporate rehab money into their loans while others will not. Some will place the repair money in escrow to taken in draws as work is completed, while others will let you leave the table with the full amount in your pocket. Ultimately you will need to complete your due diligence and determine what the exact programs and/or guidelines are for a particular lender and determine how they fit into your investment plan. Coupled with terms and equally as important, lending guidelines will also vary among lenders. Each will have their own preferences with regard to geographic area in which they will lend and types of investors to whom they will lend. Other varying guidelines that you will find are credit checks, appraisals, inspection fees for construction draws, and most importantly common sense. Some hard money lenders are strictly numbers type lenders, while others go with their gut feelings about you and the deal. Keep in mind that most hard money/private lenders are individuals just like you. They are not institutional investors who have standards and guidelines dictated by the federal reserves. They can be as flexible or as inflexible as they desire. They can be your neighbor, your doctor, your attorney, or your accountant. They usually don't advertise that they lend money, but instead value referrals and keep their heads low.

Finding true hard money lenders really isn't difficult if you really think about it. Who closes the loans? Who draws up the loan paperwork? Who disperses the funds? Who insures the properties? Who sells the properties? Settlement agents, attorneys, accountants, insurance agents and real estate agents are some of the greatest sources for hard money lender referrals. In fact, some of the professionals you talk to may even be private lenders themselves. Insurance agents who sell hazard insurance policies always place what is called a mortgagee clause in all of their policies when a lender is involved. The mortgagee clause will list the lender. An active agent could become a very good supply of private money lender names for you. Mortgage brokers can also be a good source for locating hard money lenders, particularly those that work with investors on a routine basis and specialize in investor loans. You may have to pay the mortgage broker a fee for the referral because he is giving up his commission with you going directly to the source, but it is well worth the money if it means getting your deal funded.

A slightly more involved method of finding hard money lenders is to drive the neighborhoods and write down the addresses of the homes undergoing renovation. Take the addresses to the courthouse and pull the deed and note for the each property. At least one out of ten properties will be funded by a private lender and not a Bank or institution. Contact the lenders that you discover and explain that you are beginning to invest in the area and would like the opportunity to run some of your deals by them. More times than not, they will be more than willing to take a look at any deal you may have.

Hard money lenders are great resources for real estate investors, particularly a beginner with limited resources. Having a hard money lender on your team enables you to confidently make offers on properties, knowing that the funding is there when you find the right property. The single biggest obstacle that keeps most beginning investors from taking the leap and making offers is cash. By having a private lender already willing to give you the cash, finding a great property becomes your only focus and propels you forward. In addition to securing the funds to purchase property, another extremely important reason to find and befriend hard money lenders is that hard money lenders will be your best and most reliable resource in ensuring that your deals close when you sell homes to other investors. Your ultimate goal is to become the bank. Many prospective buyers for your properties are not all cash buyers. In reality, most cannot simply write a check from their bank account, but rather must borrow their money from other sources. If an investor doesn't have a legitimate source of funds when they bring you an offer, then it is your job to screen them a little further to determine if they qualify for one of your private money lenders programs. Many are capable of making mortgage payments and completing a rehab and would love to buy your properties if they could come up with the cash. In this case, it is your job to take control of the deal and lead them to the money. Become the bank as well as the provider of the property, but be careful. Maintain control of the transaction and use some discretion in deciding whom you take to your lenders. You don't want to burn bridges with your lenders by introducing them to deadbeat buyers who default regularly. Ultimately, you want to be able to take anyone who wants to buy a property from you to one of your lenders. You can quickly develop a list of investors who buy from you on a regular basis when you can provide the property and the financing.

To wrap it all up, let's run through a quick scenario of buying a property with a hard money loan. We won't go into the details of the paperwork and submitting the deal itself as this all varies from lender to lender. We will stick to finding and analyzing the deal. Okay, let's get started. Through your various methods of prospecting, you find a house that is offered at $60,000 in a neighborhood that you feel, and confirmed through your investing team of Real Estate Agents, could sell repaired, painted and in move in condition for $100,000. Keep in mind that we are pulling the numbers out of the air. Your area may be less expensive or quite a bit more expensive, but the formula works the same. You found a hard money lender that you have begun a relationship with, prior to finding a property, that will lend you up to 70% of the ARV (After Repaired Value). You have your contractors' give you rough estimates of approximately $10,000 in repairs to bring the property up to move in condition. Your settlement attorney or closing agent gives you an estimate of $3000 in closing costs. Let's see what we come up with. $100,000 purchase price x 70% (the most the lender will lend on the ARV) = $70,000. $70,000 - $10,000 in repairs - $3,000 in closing costs = $ 57,000 (your maximum purchase price). Anything negotiated over this figure is going to have to come out of your pocket.

There are a few real good investment analyzing tools that are used by some of the most active investors out there. You can get one of them for free by visiting http://www.virtualprestige.com/conant. The others that are used are also linked from the website. The website also has an e-Book entitled "Top Secret: America's Most Liberal Lenders," that may be purchased. The e-Book has already sifted through the masses and has put together some of the top hard money lenders in the nation for you, saving you large amounts of time. As always, I am always happy to answer any questions via email at kgoodnight@mris.com. Happy investing!

Kevin Goodnight is Broker/Owner of Prestige Properties LLC, a real estate brokerage in Maryland. He is an active investor and works primarily with real estate investors, showing them how to create wealth with real estate while minimizing their exposure. His two websites http://www.buyahomewithus.com and http://www.owneroccupiedsales.com are huge hits with the investment community. Kevin's methods of investing and creating wealth for his clients are exceptional and should be sought out if you are considering investing in real estate. You can also contact Kevin through his real estate brokerage at http://www.virtualprestige.com.

Harsh Decisions Must Be Made to Solve The Illegal Immigration Problem In America

The key to the illegal immigration problem in the United States requires a skilled locksmith to case harden the vault stopping all social welfare to Illegal Immigrants saving about 118 billion per year. No free medical, schools, food stamps, welfare, disability, and in particular, jobs if they have no work visa, green card, or other acceptable document as outlined in the Real ID Act of 2005. Sanctuary Cities refusing to report illegals are in violation of federal law. If they do not want to comply and enforce the law, allow states to deport illegals to those cities, let them shoulder the responsibility and pay the exorbitant cost associated with a greatly increased illegal population. Actually, when illegals discover Sanctuary Cities will continue to ignore the law, they would flock there in droves saving non-Sanctuary Cities thousands in transportation costs.

Those groups and advocates of illegal immigration, who want to apply pressure to the President and Congress to allow illegals to stay in the US and receive back-door amnesty, can pay them to stay. If they pay the 118 billion out of pocket instead of wasting US taxpayer monies to pay the illegal immigration bill there would be considerably less objection to amnesty.

The Obama Administration has yet to keep one promise made, has lied about every controversy, places blame on everyone except themselves, and is only concerned about the Latino vote. They know the Latino vote is critical to the President's re-election. This Administration will ignore constitutional law to allow as many illegals to vote as possible in this quest. The evidence is indisputable indicating, both legal and illegal, are registering and voting in federal, state, and local elections. Most estimates indicate there may be hundreds of thousands of illegals voting in elections. Although the primary requirement for voting in National and all individual States is US Citizenship, there is minimal to no enforcement. Since the Latino community rarely votes Republican, there is no doubt the benefit derived by the Democratic Party.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (1) provides data of voter registration and polling requirements nationally and by state. Interestingly, requirements are so lax in most states they might as well be non-existent in preventing voter fraud. In defense of the states, they are attempting to strengthen their laws; again most who tried failed, were shelved until 2012, or will not go into effect until after the 2012 election. Most would consider this as padding the vote. The more the Administration appeases Latino groups and supporters in favor of an amnesty program, the more these influences will solicit Latino's, both legal and illegal to register, vote, and sadly, they will be successful.

The House passed the Real ID Act in 2005. This act set specific guidelines for states to implement Homeland Security documentation requirements for driver's license issuance and renewal. The purpose is to prevent illegals from obtaining a license within a state or acceptable license for federal identification and establish a national data base to identify illegals that fraudulently acquire driver's licenses, SS Numbers, and keep them from obtaining work.

Again, US citizens have to produce a certified birth certificate with seal, original or duplicate social security card, and multiple documents that prove where they live to obtain or renew a driver's license.

The downfall, illegals will not apply for a driver's license or liability insurance. Instead, they will get friends who are licensed to buy them cars and obtain license plates. Unless they kill someone, if caught they will simply face deportation, sent back at our expense to their native country, and within a few days be back; this time they will be wiser and move to a Sanctuary City.

Illegal Immigration has a significant impact on state and local economies. Social Security fraud, Identity theft, voter fraud, tax evasion, and over 300,000 Anchor Babies per year, all increasing annually. We are no longer a country of milk and honey; we are a struggling economy that cannot afford handouts to an invasion force of illegal immigrants'.

Of course, most of what is written will never become fruition. It would be impossible to send back 13 million illegals. America will require some type of program that may take years to obtain citizenship, but it will happen. The crisis that exists today will not go away. Costs of illegal immigration will continue to escalate as more cross our borders.

We cannot begin to address the problem until the borders are secure or we make it impossible for illegals to want to remain. Cutting off benefits may seem harsh, but we are not the rich country of our past. We cannot pay our debt and too many resources are being consumed by those who have no right to the services, therefore denying those who do have that right. Illegal Immigration is the single largest threat to National Security. The question which most America is demanding an answer; the one blatantly ignored by our President and Representatives...Why?

(1) "The National Conference of State Legislatures"
http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16602#State_Reqs

"No matter what you write, someone will love it."

Population Explosion - An Epic Human Problem in the Making

In the mist of each human life I believe there are key turning points which go on to determine, not only personal success achieved, but as well the quality of life for each individual and that individual's family; and that it is how this quality of life affects ones community which determines, in a large part, how successful communities are in fact built.

Applying this same individual reckoning to nations I would suggest our planet has come to a critical cross-road, a key turning point, if you will, whereby the future quality of life upon our planet is in question. Individual nations now have the opportunity to address or ignore the issues of population control. If nations choose to address this urgent human issue then I have little doubt quality of life in the future will be positively impacted. On the other hand, if nations continue to ignore population statistics, they will do so at their own peril.

Our planet is in fact entering an era of unprecedented population growth and will, in less than century, be faced with human numbers which will be impossible to sustain. Our planet's atmosphere is already in serious question, global warming is harming food production, fresh water supplies are rapidly disappearing and our planet's mineral resources are slowing being depleted.

I am sure to many people this all sounds like science fiction but to those people, who understand the numbers, exponential population growth is an epic human problem in the making.

Population Numbers

Year - Human Population in Billions

2011 - 7.000000000
2020 - 8.146791776
2030 - 9.642644274
2040 - 11.41315393
2050 - 13.50875123
2060 - 15.98912631
2070 - 18.92492916
2080 - 22.39978200
2090 - 26.51266113
2100 - 31.38071612

The above numbers are computed using an average population growth rate of 1.7 percent per year. This has been the average historical population growth rate on our planet since population record keeping began. As can be expected human population increases vary by year. For example, in 1962 the world population rose by 2.2 percent per annum while in 2009 the estimated growth rate was below 1.5 percent per annum.

The point I am making is, no matter what benchmark you care to use, human population growth is explosive, particularly in the Third World where population estimates are inexact but normally in excess of the industrialized world. Human population estimates in the Third World can range well over 2 percent per annum in the coming years.

So what do these population numbers mean? Surely they mean different things to different people because these population numbers can be interpreted in so many ways. If you want to argue accuracy, for example, nobody can produce a perfect set of population numbers; all that can be done is project what history has shown us and go from there. The only thing for sure, as I already said, human population growth is explosive.

In attempting to take the broadest view possible of overpopulation it is worth looking at such things as carbon footprints, food consumption and water usage on an individual basis. In this way we have some means to measure the impact human population has on our planet.

Carbon Footprint

For definition purposes the "carbon footprint" is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person. In terms of human beings the "carbon footprint" can be considered as the measure of carbon dioxide created by one individual over the period of a lifetime; and this measure, particularly in the Western World, can reach into thousands of tons of carbon pollution per individual.

Here is a list of the top 5 CO2 (carbon dioxide) producers on our planet. The emission figures are in millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted into our planet's atmosphere in 2008.

China - 6534
United States - 5833
Russia - 1729
India - 1495
Japan - 1214

As you might guess the United States leads the world in per capita CO2 emissions (19.18 metric tons) for this one year span. Given these CO2 (carbon dioxide) figures continue to rise as world population numbers increase one has to wonder if, somewhere in our future, there is indeed a saturation point? That is a point where we have done irrevocable damage to our planet's atmosphere.

Many scientists, for many years, have suggested this is a likely possibility and I have yet to hear of any of these scientist changing their mind.

Water Conservation

In many ways the depletion of fresh water supplies around our planet are beginning to become as problematic as are CO2 emission. I kid you not, water cost and water usage around our world are entering an era of unprecedented and escalating change.

China is already losing once fertile crop and pasture land at the rate of 20,000 acres per year. This desertification is being created because China's water tables are being depleted by over usage and the same is true in the United States. Although America has yet to experience desertification matching that of China, you can be sure desertification of crop land will become a major American problem in decades to come.

The best example of water usage problems in America can be seen in the Ogallala Aquifer, which covers 174,000 square miles, over eight states, in the American Midwest. By best estimates this aquifer, which took many centuries to fill, will be nearly unusable in less than two decades. This means millions of acres of fertile crop land and hundreds of American cities will be left without water.

If you think hard about this single aquifer, which feeds so many American people, you have to wonder where the American political mind is coming from. Consider this-I see only two ways to replace this vital water supply. The first way is to produce a miracle whereby the American Midwest is saturated with enough rain to replace the centuries it took to fill the Ogallala Aquifer in the first place.

The second way is to build new and costly infrastructure which pipes water from either the Columbia Basin in the Northwest and/or the Great Lakes in the Northeast. Granted building such infrastructure may sound a bit extreme but in reality, that is unless you believe a miracle is forthcoming, there is no other way to support the people and economic viability of America's Midwest.

I could make the same point about the American Southwest where water usage is becoming just as critical. Many cities such as Los Angles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson could face extreme water shortages within the next few decades. Likewise Southwestern agriculture and industrial plants will be facing the same water shortage problems.

The short and long for water conservation in America is, as aquifers and rivers go dry, water will have to transported, sometimes thousands of miles, in a network of pipes. This new and expensive water infrastructure will not be optional. It will be required to support the economic health and vitality of our American Nation.

Food Consumption

Unfortunately we humans require a list of basic resources to survive and, in essence, it is these basic resources which this brief article is about. We humans require, in no particular order, oxygen, water, food and a little heat to insure our survival; and with the exception of heat, which comes primarily from the Sun, we have jeopardized, by over population, all of these basic resources we depend on most.

One outstanding fact I know about food is that it takes a walloping 1000 tons of water to raise only one ton of grain. I am not sure how much water it takes to raise a bushel of beans or potatoes but it is probably a lot. When I read this fact I nearly did a back flip because my mind instantly did a few a few calculations and concluded the cost of raising grain will become too costly in decades to come; that is, when the Ogallala Aquifer runs dry the party is over, not only for America's Breadbasket, but for the rest of America as well.

"This article is becoming over-the-hill," you say. "We have to have grain to make the bread we eat," and you are right. What I did not say was how many America's would be eating bread at $25 per loaf or Big Macs at $15 each; and I forgot to mention the cost of dairy products like milk, cheese, ice cream and a host of other dairy related entrees we all enjoy on a regular basis.

What I am really driving at is the costs of commodities, namely agricultural products, are on the threshold of a real price explosion. When you consider higher food demand (increased population), the cost of piping water (yet to be acknowledged) and the rising cost of energy (an absolute certainty), it can only mean one thing and that thing is much higher food prices.

Granted we all have a few years before the impact of food prices become really serious but rest assured the future cost of water and energy will insure a good portion of your income will be required to buy even the most basic of family food requirements.

Conclusion

The design and cost of providing basic infrastructure for a planet with over 30 billion inhabitants will be immense in the 21 Century. In fact our planet is presently ill prepared to take on such a gigantic task but then we are talking about another day.

Today the condition of America's infrastructure is a mess. Not long ago I was traveling down some secondary roads in California and made the comment to my wife we were traveling on little more than what amounted to "cow trails". I am not sure but I would guess there were 25 to 40 good size potholes per mile. I cannot blame the State of California for their poor system of secondary roads, or any other state for that matter, as I realize all of the states of our United States are strapped for cash.

This means, to me, the repair of secondary roads are way down on a long list of other financial priorities states are now forced to deal with. So where is all of this money going to come from to repair American Infrastructure? Is our Federal Government willing, or even able, to give away billions again, like they gave to Wall Street Bankers to save the day? It seems as though states are really now on their own, except for the Interstate Highway Systems and maybe airports, to find the necessary money for infrastructure repair.

If what I said here is anywhere near the truth then America is in for a long, drawn-out siege. That is until America can find the innovation to adjust to a new world, economic order and our banking system can find the integrity to support such new innovation, rather than run with all the profit, then we American's will have to wait. If America's economic recovery takes a decade or more, then so be it and if recovery happens within a decade or less, then we Americans can consider ourselves extremely lucky.

Jim Osborne is a retired programmer and Veteran living in New Mexico. Jim's interest include writing, computers, investing and billiards.

Jim's favorite quote is by Jon Stewart...

Living in the limelight, the universal dream for those who wish to seem. Those who wish to be must put aside the alienation, get on with the fascination, the real relation, the underlying theme -- RUSH, "Limelight; And now, here it is, your moment of Zen.

Another Problem For LTC Insurance: Earlier Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Long term care (LTC) insurance is already on shaky ground. New diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease will likely make the problem even worse.

Scientists and doctors have lately developed ways of detecting the disease at earlier stages than previously possible. A recent study of a new imaging technique, known as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) or diffusion MRI, revealed that this method holds even more promise than traditional MRIs for detecting Alzheimer's. Using brain imaging, doctors may someday be able to identify the disease before symptoms begin to manifest themselves. Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) spokesman and geriatric psychiatrist Richard E. Powers told WebMD Health News, "I believe that five to 10 years down the road we will be able to tell someone we are 99% certain that they will develop dementia within 10 years."(1)

In light of these advances, working groups formed by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association recently recommended a new diagnostic category be created for "preclinical Alzheimer's disease." The working groups also suggested that biomarkers, such as those revealed by brain imaging, ought to play a greater role in diagnosis. Although the diagnosis of "preclinical Alzheimer's disease" would initially be used only in research, not medical practice, it is likely that it would quickly seep out into the general medical community. Together with the new focus on brain imaging, this could lead to more people without apparent memory impairment being diagnosed.

This is, of course, good news in the long term. Alzheimer's cannot be stopped or reversed today. But when effective therapies are available, early diagnosis will likely be critical.

In the short term, however, the ability to spot, but not stop, Alzheimer's is liable to cause some serious problems for the already troubled LTC insurance industry and its customers.

Those who discover that they are developing Alzheimer's will rush to buy LTC insurance before they begin to have serious symptoms. Almost all of these people will then go on to have expensive claims. Meanwhile, those who discover through early testing that their risk of developing Alzheimer's is low will be less likely to buy the insurance. This adverse selection will drive premiums higher in an unsustainable spiral, because with each premium increase, fewer healthy people will be willing to pay.

Insurance companies will be forced to respond. Some may decide, as MetLife recently did, to simply stop selling LTC insurance. Others may try to require pre-issuance medical testing for coverage and exclude those with incipient Alzheimer's. Alternatively, companies might continue to issue LTC insurance without testing but stop covering costs related to Alzheimer's, which would eliminate one of the main reasons people buy the insurance.

Earlier diagnosis will also have potential short-term costs on a personal level. There is still no cure for Alzheimer's, and the most commonly used drug treatments work in less than half of people tested, according to the Mayo Clinic. Even when the drugs do work, the improvements are moderate and short-lived. Early diagnosis, then, has the potential to lead to fear and depression while offering only minimal advantages in treatment, as HIV diagnosis did before effective treatment options became available.

Some people, however, may be glad to know what lies ahead, even if there is little they can do about it. Pat Sneller, a Texas man who was diagnosed early as part of a research study, told the Dallas Morning News, "Yes, you have longer to know about it, but if there are things undone in your life that you want to do, you can do them."(2) Since his diagnosis, Sneller has devoted himself to advocating for Alzheimer's awareness.

We can hope that earlier diagnosis will eventually lead to better treatment and prevention. If this happens, it will be worth far more than emphasizing the pointlessness of selling LTC insurance, which cannot be both affordable and broadly useful.

In the meantime, those who get the sad news that they have preclinical Alzheimer's will need to do what all of us should be doing anyway: Save money, build equity and arrange our affairs to provide for ourselves and our families as best we can, no matter what life throws at us.

Insurance companies have no magic printing presses to care for all of us in our old age, and, while medical science can produce wonderful results, it usually does not do so overnight. Until the medical marvels come, we will have to stick to the old-fashioned approach of saving prudently and accumulating as few regrets as possible.

Sources:

(1) MedicineNet.com: New Brain Scan May Predict Alzheimer's

(2) Dallas News: After Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis, Flower Mound Couple Face Their Fears, Embrace Activism

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Population Problem

There is no denying fact that Bangladesh is an overpopulated country for which its economic as well as financial stringency always remains in shortage stage. Since, the country which is over populated can face lots of problems. These problems are food, shelter, and clothing and even in all levels of development over population cannot be treated as a good symptom. In Asia, Europe Latin America and even in some parts of Australia, there is a tremendous pressure on their national growth. In China, there are lots of problems emanating from heavy rush of population phenomena. Per Capita income of china is 25 dollar but the market prices are higher, so being an over populated country, the resources are always sparse. The birth control system of China is not restricted. The people who are educated and honest can adopt such policy, as compared to China and India, the growth rate of population census in Bangladesh is at satisfactory standard. The land is vastly dominated where the no. of population is at minimum level.

In Great Britain, per capita income of the people is $30 dollar, and as such it is possible for them to survive with the resources what they have. The problems of United Kingdom are as follows:

1)Due to discrimination of castes, and creeds, regional populations are over populated and vast.

2)The people lived by farming cannot take birth control system.

3)Some people in some parts of Great Britain are very conservative and being such clamorous, they are not found so much interested in doing so.

4)Some business men in Wales and Bristol are wealthy and highly influential in respect of family tradition, birth and tribe. They always give their verdict in keeping more children.

5)In London, most of the people are well educated and ambitious and as a result, they are very much hopeful to adopt such birth control system. In 1980, the number of population was 20 million, but presently this population has augmented to 21.5 million.

According to Thomas Malthus and L. Robinson, the power of population is undoubtedly greater than the power in the earth to produce valuables materials for humans. Presently, there are not enough amenities for every man on earth because in order to strike back famine, food is not strewn extensively. The reasons are mainly bedded on political, economic and social factors. In this connection, that the earth's population is augmenting each year, the forecasting measurement could be realistic to face challenges in near future. In this respect, his prediction has in the meantime become real to some specific issues.

In order to strengthen the population control programme a better awareness among literate and illiterate need to be created so that the over burden of population can be checked. It is evident that the uses of practices of such abortion need to be externalized. Abortion is a useful tool for population control. If it was not practiced, the population would be unjust aim able for the planet. Over population is one of the major problem connected with regions where birth control system are low, although over population is primarily a problem in a developing countries. There are lots of complications that arise when over population occurs. In most developing countries that are over populated, they contain lots of economic problems. There are often high employment rates because there are no jobs in the economy for everyone. As unemployment rates rise, poverty rises as well without adequate supply of food, unemployment rises. This is not lobe alder. As far an example- in crowded regions, where population density is high, there is a higher rustic of handling money, far which curse starts against them.

In view of the above, it is obvious that over population is a great threadbare of economics. It creates unemployment for which the social economic condition of the people situates at low level. Birth control system is highly appreciated nowadays for which the poorer countries are adopting these policies. Abortion is helpful in controlling over population by way of preventing a whole range of other problems. The problems are sequentially great in Africa; these problems are vast and intricate. In South Africa, the people are mostly ignorant and not much educated for which they always suffer from various problems and scarcity of wealth. In one family, it has been found out on a statistics that they possess 10 children each family. As compared to Bangladesh, the birth rate is 21.6% whereas this percentage amounts 40% in South Africa.

Kh. Atiar Rahman is a distinguished author and a poet. He has many publication in national and international media.

Iran Will Be the Number One Problem for the United States of America in 2012

Iran will be the number one problem for the USA in 2012. If Obama can handle this situation with soft gloves, then he'll show he is unbeatable in the 2012 elections when it comes to foreign policy. Iran can influence the progress in Iraq, cut the world's oil supplies and they have two powerful allies in Russia and China.

Iraq is a situation that could evaporate at the snap of a finger. After 10 years of fighting in Iraq, the US military has finally left the country and Iraq is in charge of protection themselves. Although this is the case, the US still have private contractors to protect the largest US Embassy in the world along with the CIA, FBI and other intelligence operations. The US Embassy is in the perfect locations, close the Iran border. The number of people participating in these operations are around 16,000.

Iraq's Sunni and Shiite are divided about the direction of the country, this could soon cause a civil war in Iraq. Iran is a majority Shi'a, this is the same for northern Iraq. In a civil war, foreign policy experts think Iran could easily influence the Shiite of Iraq to join Iran to over-through the government and combine Iran with northern Iraq. This could be devastating considered over 1 million soldiers from the USA served in Iraq with over 4000+ dead and 35,000+ injured. These death and injuries could all be for nothing, but who would people blame. Some would blame George W. Bush for deploying our military into Iraq, some will blame Obama for ending the war too soon, but I think ending our longest war is better than staying another 10 years. If Iran plays their cards correctly, they could really have a major influence on northern Iraq.

Iran and their influence on the world oil supplies could be disastrous for the world economy. The US threatened to imposes new sanctions targeting Tehran's oil exports. Of course Iran is not a big fan of these new sanctions, so they threatened to close the strait, which is the only sea outlet for the crucial oil fields in and around the Persian Gulf.

In responds to the threat, the US deployed the 5th fleet into the region. The good news is the Gulf Arab nations has promised to make up the difference so the oil supplies are on par.

Iran is the world's fourth-largest oil producer, with an output of about 4 million barrels of oil a day. It relies on oil exports for about 80 percent of its public revenues. So, if Iran follow through with their plan then you can see the impact the could have on the world's supply. Also, Iran in more aggressive b/c they're close to having a nuclear weapon if they don't already have one.

Iran can push the envelope b/c they have powerful allies in China and Russia. Some experts say that either Russia or China has helped them develop nuclear weapons. Russia has had a huge stock pile of nuclear warheads since the end of the USSR. The past 23 years, people think Russia has sold nuclear weapons to terrorist or rogue nations. Russia continues to find oil partners around the world and they don't care about the direction of the government. This is strange b/c Russia is very strong in the petroleum industry according to the EIA (US Energy Information Administration):

The petroleum industry in Russia is one of the largest in the world. Russia has the largest reserves, and is the largest exporter, of natural gas. It has the second largest coal reserves, the eighth largest oil reserves, and is the largest exporter of oil. It is the third largest energy user.

Russia is the largest oil producer in the world, producing an average of 9.93 million barrels (1,579,000 m3) of oil per day in 2009 for a total of 494.2 million tons. It produces 12% of the world's oil and has a same share in global oil exports. The Russian oil industry is in need of huge investment. Strong growth in the Russian economy means that local demand for energy of all types (oil, gas, nuclear, coal, hydro, electricity) is continuing to grow.

China is a different case, China has over three billion people. China is growing at a 9% GDP pace, so they need energy and land. China continues to ignore the sanction put into place by the western nations. China believe in their own survival, so dealing with Iran is in their best interest. This is a major problem for the USA. If the USA needed to attack Iran then which side would Russia and China be on...Iran or the western nations. China has the number one growing middle class, economy and growing influence in the world. A clash of the titans is inevitable.

2012 is very important in shaping the future in Iran. As long as they produce a nuclear weapon and they have powerful allies then Iran will continue to be a thorn in the side of the USA. Iran will challenge everything Obama does b/c they know if Obama is out of the White House and a new president is elected then they'll have an extra year plus to spread their agenda. No president would be crazy enough to send troop into Iran unless they want a regional civil war (Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, etc.). This is why soft gloves are the key to controlling Iran, the use of force only embolden Iran causing a black hole of destruction in the region.

The Number One Problem Managers Face in Hiring a Workplace Violence Consultant For Employee Training

In today's increasingly violent world, workplace violence has come to the forefront for human resources managers, as-well-as risk management and crisis management directors. More and more companies are realizing that their plans for dealing with violence in the workplace are missing the necessary training to help employees avoid, escape from, or survive an actual workplace violence attack. This article not only sheds light on the number one problem that these concerned managers and executives face in their attempt to provide this critical and life-saving training, but also the best way to guarantee you get what you need.

Current statistics paint a grim picture of the state of today's workplaces. While many people believe that workplace violence is a uniquely "American-thing," the fact is that violence in the workplace knows no cultural, ethnic, or national boundaries. I've personally spoken with executives, managers, administrators, and business owners from all over the world and have found that workplace violence is an international problem.

While there are still many myths circulating about workplace violence, their is a problem faced by those directors, managers, and administrators who "are" looking for solid, dependable, and workable training solutions for their employees. Regardless of whether they "Google-it," ask for referrals, or conduct other research, the problem only seems to increase with every contact, call, or click of a mouse.

What is this problem?

How difficult could it be for corporate managers and leaders - people who have access to literally a world of knowledge - to find the kind of training that will protect property, save lives, and reduce, rather than increase, liability issues during a violent, physical attack in their business?

What could be their biggest problem? What could be the primary factor which prevents them from taking action, and thereby allowing the clock tick down to the increased possibility of an incident occurring by, or to, one or more of their employees?

If you happen to be one of these leaders, you already know what I'm going to say. If you're not, or you haven't given the problem of workplace violence much thought in your business, perhaps this will give you something to think about when you decide to make this area of risk and crisis management and liability-control a priority for you and the people that you're responsible for.

So, what is this problem?

The problem faced by most managers who are actually looking for self-defense training that they can add to their employee training package is this:

Finding a qualified, professional trainer who has the real-world experience in both handling real-world dangers, "and" the sensitivities of the business world with regards to liability and legal responsibility.

The typical question, aside from, "who's qualified," being asked by concerned human resources and other managers responsible for this type of training is:

With all of the web sites, all of the companies, and all of the consultants who say they specialize in workplace violence prevention and solutions, "Who Do You Trust?"

They know that hiring a trainer or consultant who specializes in physical self-defense programs is not the same as hiring say, a sales trainer. They know that if they hire any other trainer or consultant, and down the road they find that the information offered doesn't meet expectations or doesn't work at all, that they can simply hire another one.

But, what happens if you hire a workplace violence defensive tactics consultant to train your employees or produce your training program and then, you find out that the material was ineffective? When will you learn about your mistake in judgment?

You'll find out the only time you can - during an actual attack situation - after it's too late to make changes.

So, how do you find the right expert or company to meet your needs? You do what you always do: you look for experience.

But, the experience you're looking for isn't in how many companies they've worked for, how big their consultancy is, or even if they're a karate black belt of whatever degree. No. The experience you're looking for is the same experience that should be sought, even when hiring the sales trainer, and that is in how successful this person has been using "their own" information.

If you want to make sure that you and your people are learning from the best choice, thereby giving you the best chance of survival, then you want to hire a consultant who has actual, real-world experience in dealing with, and surviving, attacks from the same types of threats that you are exposed to. Period.

Regardless of research, college degrees, corporate work experience, or even martial arts training, your best choice for surviving a workplace violence attack, is hiring a consultant who understands both the threat and the solution.

If you're a manager, executive, administrator or business owner in the medical, education, or business world who's looking for solid, reliable, and proven workplace violence prevention and survival training, get my workplace violence prevention and survival report, "Attack-Proof Your Facility".

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and CEO of Warrior Concepts International, and specializes in providing real-world self-protection and personal development training to individuals, companies, and organizations world-wide. He is the producer of the "Danger Prevention Tactics" corporate video training course and a former federal police officer, private investigator and bodyguard. His background includes undercover drug and black market suppression, personal protection, and physical security activities. He has been involved in the study, practice and teaching of self-protection and personal development for three decades. He may be also be reached for corporate, speaking, and media inquiries at (570)988-2228 Subscribe to his corporate workplace violence training newsletter at http://www.wcinternational.com

Negativity - The Number One Productivity Problem

Backstabbing, gossip, power struggles, worry and stress are signs that negativity has invaded your workplace. The end result is turnover, absenteeism, and low morale.

Now before you roll your eyes and say that all this attitude stuff is just touchy feely, let me present the facts.

The Facts

Fact #1. It may not be healthy to be negative but it's natural. Human beings think over 60,000 thoughts per day and 85% of those thoughts are negative. Think about the little voice in your head cursing traffic or saying things like, "I dread going to work," or "I can't stand my co-workers."

Fact #2. What you focus on expands. Cognitive scientists and neuron-psychologists know that the brain actually changes as a result of where a person focuses his thinking. Negative habits create more negativity and positive thoughts create happier feelings which lead to health.

Fact #3. Feeling good is good for your health. The American Heart Association reports that feelings of appreciation increases circulation and smooth cardiovascular rhythms. Also, recalling an angry experience can negatively affect the immune system for as much as six hours? Illness due to headaches cost $50 billion annually in medical expenses and absenteeism according to the National Health Foundation. Employees have a difficult time producing when there is negativity and ill will in the workplace.

Fact #4. Relationships are either a source of renewal or a source of drama. It's a fact, the number one reason an employee leaves a company is due to poor relationships with his direct supervisors. It is a fact that over 90 percent of workplace problems are people related. The Gallup organization found that no single factor more clearly predicts the productivity of an employee than the relationship with his direct supervisor.

Drama in the workplace hampers productivity and the number one problem in most workplaces is negativity and stress.

Marlene Chism is the author of Stop Workplace Drama. She helps managers and business leaders resolve relationship conflict and reduce negativity in the workplace. Visit Stop Workplace Drama to learn the eight principles help leaders gain clarity and reduce workplace drama.

Can Small Business Development Solve the Problem in All Nations?

Although, small business development cannot solve all the economic woes of all nations, it sure has the potential to really help just about every nation, including our own. Consider if you will the number of people employed by smaller companies. In the US it's a staggering number, something like 60-70% depending on which survey you read, and what they consider to be a small business. Okay so, let's discuss this.

A few months ago, someone told me that the small business model in the US is not the answer to the challenges in all nations. Further, such a foreign concept wouldn't work and be completely worthless in a good number of nations, as it doesn't fit with their culture. Well, I'd say I disagree, but I suppose that would also have to do with the exact definition of a small establishment model here in the US.

You see, I believe a Lemon Aid stand to be a small business, and that could work anywhere in the world, where someone is producing and selling what other people need, want or desire. That's how the free-market works and the little companies are the foundation, thus, do help the economy, and provide jobs too. While I ran my franchising company, I noted that no matter where I took my "franchise model" - regional variation and tweaking was needed.

And, in that regard those who participate in small enterprises will adjust as need be to fit the realities there, they always do. Detractors of free-market capitalism would be wise to concede that point as to not look like a fool to those of us who know that reality. Can 100s of 1000s of small enterprises fix our employment problem? Yes, but will that solve all of our economic issues?

Of course not, it won't solve all the economic banking challenges, it will just will get people back to work, which is ONE aspect of the problem, and the "most important" challenge as purported by our government here in the US, just as it would do all nations good to be thinking here, heck, even Fidel Castro, a communist, agrees with that one, albeit because he wants to tax them to death to pay for his exploits and promises to hold the peace.

Small business at the grass roots economic level is a known reality, and yet, whoever said it had to be a one-concept fits all. If one denies the value of small businesses in economic development, they deny freedom, the right to free contract, and basic liberties of bartering. So, please consider all this.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net