LyrArc Article Gist
Eduardo Porter compares Italy's propensity to collect and invest tax dollars in healthcare and public services to a much greater degree than the U.S. In 2007 he points out Italy spent 25% of its output on social programs such as health, food and housing, compared to 16% in the U.S. He reflects on the possible reasons for this based on research. Italians see the tax dollars at work in a health care system that works for them and their children, as in this example of Eduardo and his child at a health clinic in Liguria, Italy. In the U.S. there is less evidence of this and the sense that government is likely to waste tax dollars, that the individual is better able to make choices. The less homogenous society in the U.S. also means there is less support for public services that might benefit other lingusitic and cultural groups.There is also the feeling that in American society there is greater oportunity for the less well off to join the upper class given the open capitalist framework, as compared to Italy where connections and traditional advantages matter. Some experts attribute this to smaller taxes leading to economic growth, but Porter says the examples of Sweden, Norway, and Japan showed growth was higher or similiar to that in the U.S. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Israel's missile defense system shot down 88% of the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. For Israel this was a test of the missile defense system in the event there is a conflict with Iran. The Hamas government in Gaza was supplied with rockets by Iran.

LyrArc Article Gist
GDP growth in the second quarter of 2010 was at 6.2% annual rate. GDP growth in 2009 was 4.5%. Foreign Direct Investment was $3.7 billion in the second quarter of 2010, according to the Investment Coordinating Board in Indonesia. This year foreign direct investment is expected to exceed the $14.87 billion of 2008. Indonesia still faces problems ranging from the lack of infrastructure building, a weak university system and corruption. The government of President Yudhoyono was reelected to a second five year term in 2009. Yudhoyono has made changes with more power going to local governments and efforts to reduce corruption. Indonesia has a large consumer market which is about two thirds of GDP. With a young population of 240 million, government policies for stimulus and popular cash transfer programs for the poor, the consumer market continues to grow.

LyrArc Article Gist
The remarkable recovery in Iceland after devaluation of the currency and a whole range of steps taken by the government to support those affected hardest by the recession. A recovery in exports and letting banks fail- not letting the burden fall on the government and taxpayers as in Ireland- also helped ease the path to recovery. Iceland is making repayments to the IMF ahead of schedule and is able to borrow on international markets.

LyrArc Article Gist
Years of frugal living and careful patient investing helped Ronald Read of Brattleboro, Vermont, achieve significant savings accumulation. He worked at a local J.C. Penneys store and at his brother's gas station. At the time he passed away in 2015 he had $8 million in his stock portfolio. He preferred dividend paying stocks and reinvested the dividends in more shares. His largest holdings were in Wells Fargo bank, and in consumer stocks P&G and Colgate Palmolive. He owned 92 stocks in his portfolio.

LyrArc Article Gist
How returns in the U.S. stock markets of over 30% in 2013 change the picture of five year returns to the end of 2013 compared to the end of 2012. Long run has to be much more than 5 years and even longer for decent returns.

LyrArc Article Gist
Sheila Dewan provides analysis of the figures on household debt for the fourth quarter of 2013 put out by the U.S. Federal Reserve. U.S. households added $241 billion in debt in the 4th quarter 2014, increasing by 2.1%. It shows says Dewan, that American households were beginning to spend on homes and consumer purchases such as autos. Certain groups such as students and young people were restrained in spending by high levels of student debt. Debt increases were $152 billion for new morgages, $18 billion for car loans, and $53 billion for student loans up by 5.3%. Total household debt to income ratio went up to 130% by 2007, and has since declined to above 100% at the end of the 3rd quarter of 2013, going up again in the 4th quarter of 2013. Credit card debt showed only a small increase of 1.6% as households focussed in cutting credit card debt with high interest rates. Increases in credit card debt and in mortgage debt were shown to be for people with very high credit scores of above 720 in the Federal Reserve analysis, a sign of the caution exercized by households and banks following the overleveraging in 2008....

LyrArc Article Gist
Ahmari points out that with Iran's right to enrich uranium accepted by the Obama administration the goals of the Iranian government have been achieved.

LyrArc Article Gist
Environmental groups in Vermont face the difficult choice between opposint the state's nuclear plant and opting for importing more fossil fuel based electricity from outside the state thus actually increasing the state's carbon footprint. Meanwhile renewable energy remains at 6% only a small factor in the overall equation and unlikely to bridge the gap.

LyrArc Article Gist
DJT asks Putin to not attack Kviv during bitter cold week of Jan 29 2026 with -30 C. Putin has agreed to this says DJT. Much of Kviv is without heat and electricity after Russian drone and missile attacks on Kviv in the worst winter of the 4 year war.

LyrArc Article Gist
Mexican president Sheinbaum in a conversation with Trump says all caravans have already been stopped inside Mexico. The two presidents discussed the flow of drugs, migration and closing the border. DJT called the conversation "wonderful" and "very productive."

LyrArc Article Gist
Listen America-the dire story of rural America with loss of people, losing schools, grocery stores, and then the last music place where people congregate. The US government must actively assist Rural America.