Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
VA Home Loans a success
WASHINGTON – Despite problems in the nation’s housing market, mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the industry, as of the end of the last fiscal year.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program. The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a downpayment. Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types—lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent downpayment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance. Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702. Information can also be obtained at http://www.homeloans.va.gov.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program. The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a downpayment. Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types—lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent downpayment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance. Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702. Information can also be obtained at http://www.homeloans.va.gov.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Top Two Worst CEO's
AT&T's David Dorman
Lets start with David W. Dorman of AT&T (T, news, msgs). This one is almost too pathetic to make fun of. Though its true he inherited a junkyard dog of a company from the overrated prior chief executive, C. Michael Armstrong, he hasnt done a thing to improve Ma Bell in the past two years. With such an immensely well-known brand name and legendary research and development team, you would think that Dorman could make his company synonymous with the global growth of networking as a way of life.
Yet he appears to be pushing the company ever deeper into the background, outsourcing its wireless business in an expensive deal with Sprint, losing the price wars on bundling home wire line and broadband services to the more aggressive Baby Bells and the formerly bankrupt MCI, making its long-distance plans more ridiculously complex than ever, experimenting with a high-quality-but-high-cost enterprise strategy, pursuing Internet-based telephony too slowly and timidly -- and now, through no fault of its own, losing its local phone service connection in the recent court battle over FCC unbundling rules.
Since Dorman, who was once a Bell system wunderkind, has taken the reins, the value of AT&T shares have sunk about 60% -- which has been kind of a cool feat, since they had fallen about 60% in value in the three years prior to his installment. The stocks 5.8% dividend is a nice start on a return, but Dorman needs to find a way to grow the business -- not just cut expenses -- to keep capital losses from making the yield immaterial. Revenues have been down every year since 2000, and earnings-growth trends are negative.
Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina
Its fashionable these days to suggest that Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, news, msgs) CEO Carly Fiorina is a genius for improving results slightly in the past couple of quarters, but lets be frank: Shes not. Not even close. Under her egotistical direction, a company that was once a paradigm of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship has simply failed to make any progress at enhancing shareholder value. It is now trading at the same value as it did in 1995. Almost 10 years of marking time.
Fiorinas reign at Hewlett -- combined with that of the CEO just before her -- makes a great case study of exactly what not to do. They took a company that was fantastic at doing one thing (printers), and made it a company that is increasingly marginalized at that one thing, and truly lousy at everything else. Her stubborn, ill-conceived purchase of fading, unprofitable computer giant Compaq has utterly failed to deliver on its promise of making shareholders richer with a soup-to-nuts strategy. The printer business still brings in the majority of the earnings of the entire entity.
And yet because Fiorina decided to pick a fight with Dell (DELL, news, msgs) in the personal computer business, Dell has turned the tables and made a strategic decision to return the favor. Dell has steadily released a very nice suite of new low-cost devices made by
Lets start with David W. Dorman of AT&T (T, news, msgs). This one is almost too pathetic to make fun of. Though its true he inherited a junkyard dog of a company from the overrated prior chief executive, C. Michael Armstrong, he hasnt done a thing to improve Ma Bell in the past two years. With such an immensely well-known brand name and legendary research and development team, you would think that Dorman could make his company synonymous with the global growth of networking as a way of life.
Yet he appears to be pushing the company ever deeper into the background, outsourcing its wireless business in an expensive deal with Sprint, losing the price wars on bundling home wire line and broadband services to the more aggressive Baby Bells and the formerly bankrupt MCI, making its long-distance plans more ridiculously complex than ever, experimenting with a high-quality-but-high-cost enterprise strategy, pursuing Internet-based telephony too slowly and timidly -- and now, through no fault of its own, losing its local phone service connection in the recent court battle over FCC unbundling rules.
Since Dorman, who was once a Bell system wunderkind, has taken the reins, the value of AT&T shares have sunk about 60% -- which has been kind of a cool feat, since they had fallen about 60% in value in the three years prior to his installment. The stocks 5.8% dividend is a nice start on a return, but Dorman needs to find a way to grow the business -- not just cut expenses -- to keep capital losses from making the yield immaterial. Revenues have been down every year since 2000, and earnings-growth trends are negative.
Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina
Its fashionable these days to suggest that Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, news, msgs) CEO Carly Fiorina is a genius for improving results slightly in the past couple of quarters, but lets be frank: Shes not. Not even close. Under her egotistical direction, a company that was once a paradigm of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship has simply failed to make any progress at enhancing shareholder value. It is now trading at the same value as it did in 1995. Almost 10 years of marking time.
Fiorinas reign at Hewlett -- combined with that of the CEO just before her -- makes a great case study of exactly what not to do. They took a company that was fantastic at doing one thing (printers), and made it a company that is increasingly marginalized at that one thing, and truly lousy at everything else. Her stubborn, ill-conceived purchase of fading, unprofitable computer giant Compaq has utterly failed to deliver on its promise of making shareholders richer with a soup-to-nuts strategy. The printer business still brings in the majority of the earnings of the entire entity.
And yet because Fiorina decided to pick a fight with Dell (DELL, news, msgs) in the personal computer business, Dell has turned the tables and made a strategic decision to return the favor. Dell has steadily released a very nice suite of new low-cost devices made by
Lake Worth Day Labor Center
The Lake Worth Resource Center, a day-labor center established last fall in the city shuffleboard building to get workers off the streets, will celebrate its first anniversary Friday .
City Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill is scheduled to speak along with laborers and employers who have used the center during the ceremony, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center at 1121 Lucerne Ave.
Director Lisa Wilson said the center has made 722 job matches, registered 240 employers and logged more than 3,700 volunteer hours.
A graduation ceremony is planned Friday for workers who have completed classes in computing, customer service, carpentry, cake decorating and other skills.
City Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill is scheduled to speak along with laborers and employers who have used the center during the ceremony, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center at 1121 Lucerne Ave.
Director Lisa Wilson said the center has made 722 job matches, registered 240 employers and logged more than 3,700 volunteer hours.
A graduation ceremony is planned Friday for workers who have completed classes in computing, customer service, carpentry, cake decorating and other skills.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
VA Losses at Ft Hood
WASHINGTON - - In the midst of providing mental health services and other support to the Ft. Hood community following the recent shooting, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned about its own losses from the violence. Two VA employees, both serving on active duty with their Army Reserve units, were among the slain. A third VA health care worker on reserve duty was seriously wounded.
“Speaking for the entire VA family, I offer heart-felt condolences to the families of these dedicated VA employees,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “They devoted their working lives to care for our Veterans, and they died in uniform, preparing to safeguard our Nation’s freedom.”
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the reserves. In his VA duties, he led a mental health team treating a wide variety of Veteran patients, from the youngest combat Veterans just back from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, to World War II Veterans dealing with depression.
“Speaking for the entire VA family, I offer heart-felt condolences to the families of these dedicated VA employees,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “They devoted their working lives to care for our Veterans, and they died in uniform, preparing to safeguard our Nation’s freedom.”
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the reserves. In his VA duties, he led a mental health team treating a wide variety of Veteran patients, from the youngest combat Veterans just back from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, to World War II Veterans dealing with depression.
No Child Left Behind Act:Data for Recruiters!
Mother Jones reports on the Pentagon's frightening and underhanded methods to mount a "virtual invasion into the lives of young Americans" in order to recruit them to the US Army. Even when kids don't give recruiters their phone number, when a recruiter calls, he's got information about ethnicity, shopping habits, college plans and sometimes an idea of which video-games they play.
It's not all so underhanded, but it does gets worse. David Vitter (R-La.) is to blame for slipping a provision into the No Child Left Behind Act to give recruiters high school kids' contact details. Schools that don't agree lose funding. David Goodman explains in the Mother Jones piece that "this little-known regulation effectively transformed President George W. Bush's signature education bill into the most aggressive military recruitment tool since the draft." Scary stuff.
It's not all so underhanded, but it does gets worse. David Vitter (R-La.) is to blame for slipping a provision into the No Child Left Behind Act to give recruiters high school kids' contact details. Schools that don't agree lose funding. David Goodman explains in the Mother Jones piece that "this little-known regulation effectively transformed President George W. Bush's signature education bill into the most aggressive military recruitment tool since the draft." Scary stuff.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
VA's Effort to end Vet Homelessness
Today, at the “VA National Summit Ending Homelessness among Veterans,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the department’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector.
“President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,” said Shinseki. “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”
Shinseki’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness includes preventive measures like discharge planning for incarcerated Veterans re-entering society, supportive services for low-income Veterans and their families and a national referral center to link Veterans to local service providers. Additionally, the plan calls for expanded efforts for education, jobs, health care and housing.
“Our plan enlarges the scope of VA’s efforts to combat homelessness,” said Shinseki. “In the past, VA focused largely on getting homeless Veterans off the streets. Our five-year plan aims also at preventing them from ever ending up homeless.”
Other features of the plan outlined by Shinseki include:
· The new Post-9/11 GI Bill provides a powerful option for qualified Veterans to pursue a fully funded degree program at a state college or university. It is a major component of the fight against Veteran homelessness.
· VA is collaborating with the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration to certify Veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses for listing on the Federal Supply Register, which enhances their visibility and competitiveness – creating jobs for Veterans.
· VA will spend $3.2 billion next year to prevent and reduce homelessness among Veterans. That includes $2.7 billion on medical services and more than $500 million on specific homeless programs.
· VA aggressively diagnoses and treats the unseen wounds of war that often lead to homelessness – severe isolation, dysfunctional behaviors, depression and substance abuse. Last week, VA and the Defense Department cosponsored a national summit on mental health that will help both agencies better coordinate mental health efforts.
· VA partners with more than 600 community organizations to provide transitional housing to 20,000 Veterans. It also works with 240 public housing authorities to provide permanent housing to homeless Veterans and their families under a partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The VA/HUD partnership will provide permanent housing to more than 20,000 Veterans and their families.
Over the duration of the conference it is expected that over 1,200 homeless service providers from federal and state agencies, the business community, and faith-based and community providers will attend and participate in the summit.
“This is not a summit on homelessness among Veterans,” added Shinseki “It’s a summit on ending homelessness among Veterans.”
“President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,” said Shinseki. “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”
Shinseki’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness includes preventive measures like discharge planning for incarcerated Veterans re-entering society, supportive services for low-income Veterans and their families and a national referral center to link Veterans to local service providers. Additionally, the plan calls for expanded efforts for education, jobs, health care and housing.
“Our plan enlarges the scope of VA’s efforts to combat homelessness,” said Shinseki. “In the past, VA focused largely on getting homeless Veterans off the streets. Our five-year plan aims also at preventing them from ever ending up homeless.”
Other features of the plan outlined by Shinseki include:
· The new Post-9/11 GI Bill provides a powerful option for qualified Veterans to pursue a fully funded degree program at a state college or university. It is a major component of the fight against Veteran homelessness.
· VA is collaborating with the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration to certify Veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses for listing on the Federal Supply Register, which enhances their visibility and competitiveness – creating jobs for Veterans.
· VA will spend $3.2 billion next year to prevent and reduce homelessness among Veterans. That includes $2.7 billion on medical services and more than $500 million on specific homeless programs.
· VA aggressively diagnoses and treats the unseen wounds of war that often lead to homelessness – severe isolation, dysfunctional behaviors, depression and substance abuse. Last week, VA and the Defense Department cosponsored a national summit on mental health that will help both agencies better coordinate mental health efforts.
· VA partners with more than 600 community organizations to provide transitional housing to 20,000 Veterans. It also works with 240 public housing authorities to provide permanent housing to homeless Veterans and their families under a partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The VA/HUD partnership will provide permanent housing to more than 20,000 Veterans and their families.
Over the duration of the conference it is expected that over 1,200 homeless service providers from federal and state agencies, the business community, and faith-based and community providers will attend and participate in the summit.
“This is not a summit on homelessness among Veterans,” added Shinseki “It’s a summit on ending homelessness among Veterans.”
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
VA's Latest take on Agent Orange
Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.
The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.
Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.
In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.
The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”
Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:
· Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
· Chloracne
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
· Hodgkin’s Disease
· Multiple Myeloma
· Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
· Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
· Prostate Cancer
· Respiratory Cancers, and
· Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
# # #
The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.
Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.
In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.
The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”
Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:
· Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
· Chloracne
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
· Hodgkin’s Disease
· Multiple Myeloma
· Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
· Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
· Prostate Cancer
· Respiratory Cancers, and
· Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
# # #
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Is US Becoming a Third World Country
But there's a much more direct measure of the actual level of development of a country: the human development index. The HDI combines measures of various social indicators, including life expectancy, literacy, education, and per capita GDP, to measure overall human development, which "refers to the process of widening the options of persons, giving them greater opportunities for education, health care, income, employment, etc." By this measure, the United States ranks rather high - 15th out of all countries, with an HDI of .950, according to this table, which is based on 2006 data. But the HDI of individual states varies quite a bit. Here is a map from Wikipedia of states by their human development index score:
This map is based on numbers from this table, which come from the American Human Development Report. It gives a good sense of regional patterns of human development in the US and the comparative relationship of states to each other. But the numbers in the abstract don't tell us much; to see what these numbers mean, we need to compare them to other countries. And when we do that, we see that the HDI of many states are comparable to some of the most developed countries in the world. However, other states have HDI scores well outside the range of the developed economies of Europe and Asia.
To illustrate the point, I am now going to make a long list. These are the 76 top countries ranked by human development index score, with the 50 states interposed to show their relative level of development, based on the two tables linked above:
1. Iceland - .968
2. Norway - .968
3. Canada - .967
4. Australia - .965
5. Ireland - .962
Connecticut - .962
Massachusetts - .961
New Jersey - .961
District of Columbia - .960
Maryland - .960
Hawaii - .959
New York - .959
6. Netherlands - .958
7. Sweden - .958
New Hampshire - .958
Minnesota - .958
Rhode Island - .958
California - .958
Colorado - .958
Virginia - .957
Illinois - .957
8. Japan - .956
9. Luxembourg - .956
10. Switzerland - .955
11. France - .955
Vermont - .955
Washington - .955
Alaska - .955
12. Finland - .954
Delaware - .953
13. Denmark - .952
Wisconsin - .952
14. Austria - .951
Michigan - .951
15. United States - .950
Iowa - .950
Pennsylvania - .950
16. Spain - .949
17. Belgium - .948
18. Greece - .947
Nebraska - .946
19. Italy - .945
20. New Zealand - .944
21. United Kingdom - .942
22. Hong Kong - .942
Kansas - .941
23. Germany - .940
Arizona - .939
North Dakota - .936
Oregon - .935
Maine - .932
Utah - .932
Ohio - .932
24. Israel - .930
Georgia - .928
Indiana - .928
25. South Korea - .927
North Carolina - .925
26. Slovenia - .923
27. Brunei - .919
28. Singapore - .918
Texas - .914
29. Kuwait - .912
30. Cyprus - .912
Missouri - .912
Nevada - .911
31. United Arab Emirates - .903
32. Bahrain - .902
South Dakota - .902
33. Portugal - .900
34. Qatar - .899
Florida - .898
35. Czech Republic - .897
Wyoming - .897
New Mexico - .895
36. Malta - .894
Idaho - .890
37. Barbados - .889
Montana - .885
38. Hungary - .877
39. Poland - .875
40. Chile - .874
41. Slovakia - .872
42. Estonia - .871
South Carolina - .871
43. Lithuania - .869
44. Latvia - .863
45. Croatia - .862
46. Argentina - .860
47. Uruguay - .859
48. Cuba - .855
49. Bahamas - .854
50. Costa Rica - .847
51. Mexico - .842
52. Libya - .840
53. Oman - .839
54. Seychelles - .836
55. Saudi Arabia - .835
56. Bulgaria - .834
57. Trinidad and Tobago - .833
58. Panama - .832
59. Antigua and Barbuda - .830
60. Saint Kitts and Nevis - .830
61. Venezuela - .826
62. Romania - .825
63. Malaysia - .823
64. Montenegro - .822
65. Serbia - .821
66. Saint Lucia - .821
Kentucky - .820
67. Belarus - .817
Tennessee - .816
Oklahoma - .815
Alabama - .809
68. Macedonia - .808
69. Albania - .807
70. Brazil - .807
71. Kazakhstan - .807
72. Ecuador - .807
73. Russia - .806
Arkansas - .803
74. Mauritius - .802
75. Bosnia and Herzegovina - .802
Louisiana - .801
West Virginia - .800
Mississippi - .799
76. Turkey - .798
As you can see, there's a number of states, mostly in the Northeast but some in the Midwest and West, that are as highly developed as just about anywhere in the world. Other states are more similar to the Asian Tiger countries or the more marginal areas of Western Europe. Still others are most comparable to some of the emerging economies of Eastern Europe or the Petrostates of the Middle East.
And then there is a group of Southern States that is a good jag farther down the list. These eight states - Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Mississippi - form a core region where human development index scores are well below the HDIs of any other country that would clearly be considered "highly developed." Among the nations that have a higher HDI than each of these states are Cuba, Mexico, Libya, Bulgaria, Panama, Malaysia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Four of these states rank below Albania, which has a per capita GDP of $6,000. In terms of human development, this clutch of states in the Upland and Deep South is well outside of the mainstream of developed economies.
This map is based on numbers from this table, which come from the American Human Development Report. It gives a good sense of regional patterns of human development in the US and the comparative relationship of states to each other. But the numbers in the abstract don't tell us much; to see what these numbers mean, we need to compare them to other countries. And when we do that, we see that the HDI of many states are comparable to some of the most developed countries in the world. However, other states have HDI scores well outside the range of the developed economies of Europe and Asia.
To illustrate the point, I am now going to make a long list. These are the 76 top countries ranked by human development index score, with the 50 states interposed to show their relative level of development, based on the two tables linked above:
1. Iceland - .968
2. Norway - .968
3. Canada - .967
4. Australia - .965
5. Ireland - .962
Connecticut - .962
Massachusetts - .961
New Jersey - .961
District of Columbia - .960
Maryland - .960
Hawaii - .959
New York - .959
6. Netherlands - .958
7. Sweden - .958
New Hampshire - .958
Minnesota - .958
Rhode Island - .958
California - .958
Colorado - .958
Virginia - .957
Illinois - .957
8. Japan - .956
9. Luxembourg - .956
10. Switzerland - .955
11. France - .955
Vermont - .955
Washington - .955
Alaska - .955
12. Finland - .954
Delaware - .953
13. Denmark - .952
Wisconsin - .952
14. Austria - .951
Michigan - .951
15. United States - .950
Iowa - .950
Pennsylvania - .950
16. Spain - .949
17. Belgium - .948
18. Greece - .947
Nebraska - .946
19. Italy - .945
20. New Zealand - .944
21. United Kingdom - .942
22. Hong Kong - .942
Kansas - .941
23. Germany - .940
Arizona - .939
North Dakota - .936
Oregon - .935
Maine - .932
Utah - .932
Ohio - .932
24. Israel - .930
Georgia - .928
Indiana - .928
25. South Korea - .927
North Carolina - .925
26. Slovenia - .923
27. Brunei - .919
28. Singapore - .918
Texas - .914
29. Kuwait - .912
30. Cyprus - .912
Missouri - .912
Nevada - .911
31. United Arab Emirates - .903
32. Bahrain - .902
South Dakota - .902
33. Portugal - .900
34. Qatar - .899
Florida - .898
35. Czech Republic - .897
Wyoming - .897
New Mexico - .895
36. Malta - .894
Idaho - .890
37. Barbados - .889
Montana - .885
38. Hungary - .877
39. Poland - .875
40. Chile - .874
41. Slovakia - .872
42. Estonia - .871
South Carolina - .871
43. Lithuania - .869
44. Latvia - .863
45. Croatia - .862
46. Argentina - .860
47. Uruguay - .859
48. Cuba - .855
49. Bahamas - .854
50. Costa Rica - .847
51. Mexico - .842
52. Libya - .840
53. Oman - .839
54. Seychelles - .836
55. Saudi Arabia - .835
56. Bulgaria - .834
57. Trinidad and Tobago - .833
58. Panama - .832
59. Antigua and Barbuda - .830
60. Saint Kitts and Nevis - .830
61. Venezuela - .826
62. Romania - .825
63. Malaysia - .823
64. Montenegro - .822
65. Serbia - .821
66. Saint Lucia - .821
Kentucky - .820
67. Belarus - .817
Tennessee - .816
Oklahoma - .815
Alabama - .809
68. Macedonia - .808
69. Albania - .807
70. Brazil - .807
71. Kazakhstan - .807
72. Ecuador - .807
73. Russia - .806
Arkansas - .803
74. Mauritius - .802
75. Bosnia and Herzegovina - .802
Louisiana - .801
West Virginia - .800
Mississippi - .799
76. Turkey - .798
As you can see, there's a number of states, mostly in the Northeast but some in the Midwest and West, that are as highly developed as just about anywhere in the world. Other states are more similar to the Asian Tiger countries or the more marginal areas of Western Europe. Still others are most comparable to some of the emerging economies of Eastern Europe or the Petrostates of the Middle East.
And then there is a group of Southern States that is a good jag farther down the list. These eight states - Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Mississippi - form a core region where human development index scores are well below the HDIs of any other country that would clearly be considered "highly developed." Among the nations that have a higher HDI than each of these states are Cuba, Mexico, Libya, Bulgaria, Panama, Malaysia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Four of these states rank below Albania, which has a per capita GDP of $6,000. In terms of human development, this clutch of states in the Upland and Deep South is well outside of the mainstream of developed economies.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Military Survival Rules
"Aim towards the enemy." - Instruction printed on U.S. Army rocket launcher
· "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - U.S. Army training notice
· "Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. From 30,000 feet, every single bomb always hits the ground." - U.S. Air Force ammunition memo.
· "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal
· "A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army preventive maintenance publication
· "Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
· "Tracers work both ways." - U.S. Army Ordnance Corps memo.
· "Five-second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal
· "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - U.S. Army training notice
· "Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. From 30,000 feet, every single bomb always hits the ground." - U.S. Air Force ammunition memo.
· "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal
· "A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army preventive maintenance publication
· "Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
· "Tracers work both ways." - U.S. Army Ordnance Corps memo.
· "Five-second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal
Friday, October 9, 2009
No Dakota Dog Record Size from Palm Beach Post
CASSELTON, N.D. (AP) -- Boomer may be a buster: Measuring 3 feet tall at the shoulders and 7 feet long from nose to destructive wagging tail, he might be the world's tallest living dog. Owner Caryn Weber says her 3-year-old Landseer Newfoundland keeps all four paws on the floor when he drinks from the kitchen faucet in her family's eastern North Dakota farm house.
Boomer stares into car windows eye to eye with drivers. A 20-pound bag of dry dog food lasts the 180-pound canine a couple of weeks.
Weber says her furry black and white dog "comes into the house and his tail is so high everything gets knocked around."
Weber plans to send Boomer's measurements to Guinness World Records. The previous record holder was a nearly 4-foot-tall Great Dane that died this summer.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
Boomer stares into car windows eye to eye with drivers. A 20-pound bag of dry dog food lasts the 180-pound canine a couple of weeks.
Weber says her furry black and white dog "comes into the house and his tail is so high everything gets knocked around."
Weber plans to send Boomer's measurements to Guinness World Records. The previous record holder was a nearly 4-foot-tall Great Dane that died this summer.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tom Wolfe On The Rich & Feelings Vanity Fair
Do the rich have feelings too? In the latest issue of Vanity Fair, Tom Wolfe, who famously chronicled the buyout kings of the 1980s in The Bonfire Of The Vanities, seems to suggest the rich do, in fact feel emotions -- but only after they've been forced to fly coach.
Wolfe assumes the voice of a commodities trader who laments the loss of his company's prized private jets. Rhapsodizing about pre-Bailout era, the narrator salutes his CEO Robert J. McCorkle ("Corky"), who led offsites that were, well, memorable:
"One of the sweetest sounds in the world was Corky making the rounds up here on the executive floor, saying in his laid-back voice, "I feel like boffing some bimbos in the Caribbean. Anybody like to come along?"
In typical Wolfeian fashion, the narrator's prone to wide-ranging references. Nietzsche's "tarantulas" make an appearance, as do the former CEOs of the Big Three automakers. Here's more from Wolfe:
"At the risk of sounding condescending, we should point out that ordinary people haven't the faintest conception of the strain we had to endure daily. How many ordinary people have ever done anything remotely like betting $7.4 billion--bango!--just so!--that the price of energy will rise sharply 14 months from a certain date?"
It almost tugs on your heart strings. But not quite...Read the entire piece at Vanity Fair.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/tom-wolfe-the-rich-have-f_n_271649.html
Wolfe assumes the voice of a commodities trader who laments the loss of his company's prized private jets. Rhapsodizing about pre-Bailout era, the narrator salutes his CEO Robert J. McCorkle ("Corky"), who led offsites that were, well, memorable:
"One of the sweetest sounds in the world was Corky making the rounds up here on the executive floor, saying in his laid-back voice, "I feel like boffing some bimbos in the Caribbean. Anybody like to come along?"
In typical Wolfeian fashion, the narrator's prone to wide-ranging references. Nietzsche's "tarantulas" make an appearance, as do the former CEOs of the Big Three automakers. Here's more from Wolfe:
"At the risk of sounding condescending, we should point out that ordinary people haven't the faintest conception of the strain we had to endure daily. How many ordinary people have ever done anything remotely like betting $7.4 billion--bango!--just so!--that the price of energy will rise sharply 14 months from a certain date?"
It almost tugs on your heart strings. But not quite...Read the entire piece at Vanity Fair.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/tom-wolfe-the-rich-have-f_n_271649.html
Monday, October 5, 2009
VA to study Vietnam Service Health Issues
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today plans to begin additional research by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better understand the health consequences of service in Vietnam.
“The National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study (NVVLS) will allow VA to pursue another valuable research tool,” Secretary Shinseki said. “The insight we gain from this study will help give us an understanding of how to better serve America’s Veterans.”
NVVLS will study the Vietnam generation’s physical and psychological health. The new study will supplement research already underway at VA, including studies on PTSD and on the health of women Vietnam Veterans. This is a follow-up study to a previous one that concluded in 1988.
VA has begun work to solicit bids to conduct the study, which is expected to run from 2011 through 2013.
VA is responsible for providing federal benefits to Veterans and their families. VA is the second largest of the 15 cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs for health care, financial assistance and burial benefits. The VA health care system operates more than 1,400 sites of care. Nearly 5.5 million people received care in VA health care facilities in 2008.
“The National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study (NVVLS) will allow VA to pursue another valuable research tool,” Secretary Shinseki said. “The insight we gain from this study will help give us an understanding of how to better serve America’s Veterans.”
NVVLS will study the Vietnam generation’s physical and psychological health. The new study will supplement research already underway at VA, including studies on PTSD and on the health of women Vietnam Veterans. This is a follow-up study to a previous one that concluded in 1988.
VA has begun work to solicit bids to conduct the study, which is expected to run from 2011 through 2013.
VA is responsible for providing federal benefits to Veterans and their families. VA is the second largest of the 15 cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs for health care, financial assistance and burial benefits. The VA health care system operates more than 1,400 sites of care. Nearly 5.5 million people received care in VA health care facilities in 2008.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Burglers use postings on Twitter & Facebook for info
Using Twitter and Facebook to alert everyone of everything you are doing is not only annoying but dangerous. Those who tend to constantly write what they are up to are easier to track, therefore, letting burglars know when you’ll be out or away. Duh right? Except some folks don’t get it.
A survey conducted by British-based Legal & General on 2,092 social media users showed that almost four in ten (38%) of people using social networking sites post details on holiday plans and 33 percent put details about a weekend away from home. It was also found that a lot of social network users don’t really know their “friends”. Some do this to compete with a friend to see who has the longest list of contacts. This is how fun and stupid competitions can becomes dangerous. This should be common sense for all the idiots posting their vacation plans on Facebook and Twitter.
(Via New Launches)
A survey conducted by British-based Legal & General on 2,092 social media users showed that almost four in ten (38%) of people using social networking sites post details on holiday plans and 33 percent put details about a weekend away from home. It was also found that a lot of social network users don’t really know their “friends”. Some do this to compete with a friend to see who has the longest list of contacts. This is how fun and stupid competitions can becomes dangerous. This should be common sense for all the idiots posting their vacation plans on Facebook and Twitter.
(Via New Launches)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Greenspan "keep your eye on men's underwear "
The stock market is up, foreclosure filings are leveling off, but men’s underwear are down. That has more implications than you might think. Major news outlets like Newsweek magazine may have declared the recession over, but it ain’t really over until men’s underwear says it’s over.
Yes, according to none other than dean of the financial markets Alan Greenspan, the sale of men’s briefs is one of the most accurate predictors of economic conditions. If sales are too tight, the economy is likely in a pinch.
Men’s Briefs Tell the Tale
In a 2008, National Public Radio (NPR) report it was revealed that Greenspan believed that men’s briefs were among the most accurate predictors of an economic crisis. “If you look at sales of male underpants, it’s just pretty much a flat line, it hardly ever changes” reported Robert Krulwich. “But on those few occasions where it dips that means that men are so pinched that they are deciding not to replace underpants.” And so Greenspan says “that is almost always a prescient, forward impression that here comes trouble.”
According to Matt Hall, a spokesman for Hanes brand, “They (sale of men’s underwear) tend to be later going into a recession and earlier coming back.” Once men feel more comfortable with their finances, they will spend money on the inexpensive things that no one sees.
Yes, according to none other than dean of the financial markets Alan Greenspan, the sale of men’s briefs is one of the most accurate predictors of economic conditions. If sales are too tight, the economy is likely in a pinch.
Men’s Briefs Tell the Tale
In a 2008, National Public Radio (NPR) report it was revealed that Greenspan believed that men’s briefs were among the most accurate predictors of an economic crisis. “If you look at sales of male underpants, it’s just pretty much a flat line, it hardly ever changes” reported Robert Krulwich. “But on those few occasions where it dips that means that men are so pinched that they are deciding not to replace underpants.” And so Greenspan says “that is almost always a prescient, forward impression that here comes trouble.”
According to Matt Hall, a spokesman for Hanes brand, “They (sale of men’s underwear) tend to be later going into a recession and earlier coming back.” Once men feel more comfortable with their finances, they will spend money on the inexpensive things that no one sees.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
PB Post Historical Facts
Al Capone tried to settle in Boca
John Dillinger Gang Shot Machine Guns into the air in Palm Beach
Al Capone Jr was arrested in Miami for shoplifting
Hoagy Carmichael was a law clerk in West Palm
Gershwin while in Palm Beach wrote Porgy & Bess
Thomas Sperry owned a mobile home park in Jupiter before creating S&H green stamps
John Dillinger Gang Shot Machine Guns into the air in Palm Beach
Al Capone Jr was arrested in Miami for shoplifting
Hoagy Carmichael was a law clerk in West Palm
Gershwin while in Palm Beach wrote Porgy & Bess
Thomas Sperry owned a mobile home park in Jupiter before creating S&H green stamps
Friday, September 25, 2009
Garage Sale Depot West Palm Beach
Welcome to the up-and-coming site of The Garage Sale Depot, where you'll find for the first time ever
thousands of garage sales under one roof and more than 16,000 square feet of shopping heaven.
Our doors will officially open on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 with a fun-filled family day of
activities and savings on a huge selection of merchandise from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Until then, we are
working diligently on this website to make sure your experience here is as great as it is in the store.
In the meantime, we are accepting consigned items as well as donations to help fight cancer through
our partnership with The Cancer Federation. Plus we'll pick up your items for FREE! If you would like to
know more or schedule a free pickup please give us a call.
(561) 667-0345
2231 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33409 • (1 mile west of I-95)
thousands of garage sales under one roof and more than 16,000 square feet of shopping heaven.
Our doors will officially open on Saturday, September 26th, 2009 with a fun-filled family day of
activities and savings on a huge selection of merchandise from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Until then, we are
working diligently on this website to make sure your experience here is as great as it is in the store.
In the meantime, we are accepting consigned items as well as donations to help fight cancer through
our partnership with The Cancer Federation. Plus we'll pick up your items for FREE! If you would like to
know more or schedule a free pickup please give us a call.
(561) 667-0345
2231 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33409 • (1 mile west of I-95)
PB Post Food Stamps Requests Soar
By JOHN LANTIGUA
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 25, 2009
As the unemployment rate soared in the past year, the number of people signing up for food stamps in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast also skyrocketed, by nearly 50 percent.
The figures were released this week by the Department of Children and Families, which administers the federal program in Florida.
"The increase in Palm Beach County was 49 percent, but we have seen other counties in Florida that have gone up 75, 80, 90 percent," said Perry Borman, DCF regional director for Southeast Florida. "I would guess that the state has never seen such a dramatic increase in the past."
As of August, 48,236 households in Palm Beach County were receiving food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. That compares with 32,299 households last year.
The dollar amount distributed in stamps increased even more sharply, in part because federal stimulus funds were used to augment benefits. In July 2008, food stamp aid distributed in the county was $6.7 million per month. It climbed to $12.98 million this past August.
Borman said the food stamp program's traditional clientele — people mired in long-term poverty, including the homeless — have been joined by people who never asked for assistance before.
"We're seeing an increase in a different kind of people applying — the working poor," Borman said. "People have lost their jobs, they own a house, money has dried up and they turn to public assistance."
In Martin County, the number of households receiving food stamps increased from 3,077 in August 2008 to 4,937 in 2009, a rise of 60.4 percent. Benefits totaled $1.25 million.
In St. Lucie County, assistance was distributed in August to 17,337 households, up from 12,151 in 2008, an increase of 42.7 percent. The total distributed was $4.66 million.
"This is pretty unprecedented," said Cheri Sheffer, DCF spokeswoman in the two counties. "But here on the Treasure Coast we have some pretty tremendous unemployment statistics."
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 25, 2009
As the unemployment rate soared in the past year, the number of people signing up for food stamps in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast also skyrocketed, by nearly 50 percent.
The figures were released this week by the Department of Children and Families, which administers the federal program in Florida.
"The increase in Palm Beach County was 49 percent, but we have seen other counties in Florida that have gone up 75, 80, 90 percent," said Perry Borman, DCF regional director for Southeast Florida. "I would guess that the state has never seen such a dramatic increase in the past."
As of August, 48,236 households in Palm Beach County were receiving food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. That compares with 32,299 households last year.
The dollar amount distributed in stamps increased even more sharply, in part because federal stimulus funds were used to augment benefits. In July 2008, food stamp aid distributed in the county was $6.7 million per month. It climbed to $12.98 million this past August.
Borman said the food stamp program's traditional clientele — people mired in long-term poverty, including the homeless — have been joined by people who never asked for assistance before.
"We're seeing an increase in a different kind of people applying — the working poor," Borman said. "People have lost their jobs, they own a house, money has dried up and they turn to public assistance."
In Martin County, the number of households receiving food stamps increased from 3,077 in August 2008 to 4,937 in 2009, a rise of 60.4 percent. Benefits totaled $1.25 million.
In St. Lucie County, assistance was distributed in August to 17,337 households, up from 12,151 in 2008, an increase of 42.7 percent. The total distributed was $4.66 million.
"This is pretty unprecedented," said Cheri Sheffer, DCF spokeswoman in the two counties. "But here on the Treasure Coast we have some pretty tremendous unemployment statistics."
Thursday, September 24, 2009
VA behind in making GI Bill Payments
Thousands of veterans attending college on the new G.I. Bill are having to take out loans, put off buying textbooks or dig into savings because of delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs in issuing benefit checks, veterans groups and college officials say.
The bill, which took effect Aug. 1, provides money to cover much, and often all, of the costs of attending college — including tuition, housing and books — for veterans who served in the military after Sept. 10, 2001.
As was anticipated, the new benefit enticed more than 277,000 veterans and their eligible relatives to apply for assistance. But the veterans department, with its antiquated technology, has struggled to keep up with the flood of claims.
This week, the department reported that it had made tuition payments to colleges on just 20,000 of those applications, and had made another 13,000 payments directly to veterans for various expenses. The department said that it was taking an average of 35 days to process claims, but that the wait could stretch to eight weeks and possibly longer.
“Taking into account the complexity of this bill, we’ve done about as well as could have been done,” said Keith Wilson, the department’s education service director. “That doesn’t alleviate our concern that we’re not meeting everybody’s expectations.”
So far, colleges around the country appear to be allowing veterans to enroll in classes even though they have not received tuition payments.
But many veterans who had expected to begin receiving assistance for housing, books and other expenses by Sept. 1 are having to pay out of their own pockets. The department now says it never intended to send checks for housing until October, though many veterans say they were not aware of that.
“We’re discouraged by what we’ve seen and how it’s affecting veterans in the field,” said Ryan Gallucci, spokesman for AmVets, a veterans’ service organization. “It is national in scope.”
Christen DeNicholas, 23, said the benefit persuaded her to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design. But after putting down a deposit for an apartment and enrolling in classes, Ms. DeNicholas was notified at orientation that the college had not received her $8,000 tuition payment.
The bill, which took effect Aug. 1, provides money to cover much, and often all, of the costs of attending college — including tuition, housing and books — for veterans who served in the military after Sept. 10, 2001.
As was anticipated, the new benefit enticed more than 277,000 veterans and their eligible relatives to apply for assistance. But the veterans department, with its antiquated technology, has struggled to keep up with the flood of claims.
This week, the department reported that it had made tuition payments to colleges on just 20,000 of those applications, and had made another 13,000 payments directly to veterans for various expenses. The department said that it was taking an average of 35 days to process claims, but that the wait could stretch to eight weeks and possibly longer.
“Taking into account the complexity of this bill, we’ve done about as well as could have been done,” said Keith Wilson, the department’s education service director. “That doesn’t alleviate our concern that we’re not meeting everybody’s expectations.”
So far, colleges around the country appear to be allowing veterans to enroll in classes even though they have not received tuition payments.
But many veterans who had expected to begin receiving assistance for housing, books and other expenses by Sept. 1 are having to pay out of their own pockets. The department now says it never intended to send checks for housing until October, though many veterans say they were not aware of that.
“We’re discouraged by what we’ve seen and how it’s affecting veterans in the field,” said Ryan Gallucci, spokesman for AmVets, a veterans’ service organization. “It is national in scope.”
Christen DeNicholas, 23, said the benefit persuaded her to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design. But after putting down a deposit for an apartment and enrolling in classes, Ms. DeNicholas was notified at orientation that the college had not received her $8,000 tuition payment.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
PB Post on Florida Income Levels
Florida incomes take biggest hit in nation, and they’re nearer to Mississippi’s than Maryland’s
by Jeff Ostrowski
Florida incomes lagged the national average in 2008 and fell well below those of other large states, the Census Bureau says.
A sampling of median family income from the Census’ American Communities Survey:
* 1. Maryland: $70,545
* 9. California: $61,021
* 17. Illinois: $56,235
* 18. New York: $56,033
* United States: $52,029
* 25. Pennsylvania: $50,713
* 28. Texas: $50,043
* 34. Florida: $47,778
* 51. Mississippi: $37,790
In more grim news, Florida had the biggest decline in income of any state:
State 2007 income Inflation-adjusted 2007 income 2008 income Change
Florida $47,804 $49,641 $47,778 -3.9%
Indiana $47,448 $49,271 $47,966 -2.7%
Michigan $47,950 $49,792 $48,591 -2.5%
California $59,948 $62,251 $61,021 -2.0%
Arizona $49,889 $51,806 $50,958 -1.7%
Tags: Census Bureau, Florida income
by Jeff Ostrowski
Florida incomes lagged the national average in 2008 and fell well below those of other large states, the Census Bureau says.
A sampling of median family income from the Census’ American Communities Survey:
* 1. Maryland: $70,545
* 9. California: $61,021
* 17. Illinois: $56,235
* 18. New York: $56,033
* United States: $52,029
* 25. Pennsylvania: $50,713
* 28. Texas: $50,043
* 34. Florida: $47,778
* 51. Mississippi: $37,790
In more grim news, Florida had the biggest decline in income of any state:
State 2007 income Inflation-adjusted 2007 income 2008 income Change
Florida $47,804 $49,641 $47,778 -3.9%
Indiana $47,448 $49,271 $47,966 -2.7%
Michigan $47,950 $49,792 $48,591 -2.5%
California $59,948 $62,251 $61,021 -2.0%
Arizona $49,889 $51,806 $50,958 -1.7%
Tags: Census Bureau, Florida income
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
5 richest 5 poorest neighborhoods
The 5 Richest Neighborhoods in the US
1. Los Angeles, California 90067 (Century City, to be exact)
2. West Atherton, California 94027 (in the San Francisco Bay Area)
3. Palm Beach, Florida 33480
4. Greenwich, Connecticut 06831
5. Weston, Massachusetts 02493 (near Boston)
The 5 Poorest Neighborhoods in the US
1. El Paso, Texas 79901 (Chihuahita area)
2. Cincinnati, Ohio (English Woods area)
3. Anapra, New Mexico 88063
4. St. Louis, Missouri 63106 (St. Louis Place area)
5. San Antonio, Texas 78202 (Harvard Place / Eastlawn area)
One interesting difference between the rich and the poor listed here: the poor's mortgage balances are generally 2-4 times their annual income, while the mortgage balances of the rich barely exceed their annual income. Also, most of the rich neighborhoods have higher average credit scores than the poor, but not by much. No one on this list comes close to an 800 credit rating. Just goes to show that good planning and discipline (not the amount of money you have) is what's needed for a stellar score.
1. Los Angeles, California 90067 (Century City, to be exact)
2. West Atherton, California 94027 (in the San Francisco Bay Area)
3. Palm Beach, Florida 33480
4. Greenwich, Connecticut 06831
5. Weston, Massachusetts 02493 (near Boston)
The 5 Poorest Neighborhoods in the US
1. El Paso, Texas 79901 (Chihuahita area)
2. Cincinnati, Ohio (English Woods area)
3. Anapra, New Mexico 88063
4. St. Louis, Missouri 63106 (St. Louis Place area)
5. San Antonio, Texas 78202 (Harvard Place / Eastlawn area)
One interesting difference between the rich and the poor listed here: the poor's mortgage balances are generally 2-4 times their annual income, while the mortgage balances of the rich barely exceed their annual income. Also, most of the rich neighborhoods have higher average credit scores than the poor, but not by much. No one on this list comes close to an 800 credit rating. Just goes to show that good planning and discipline (not the amount of money you have) is what's needed for a stellar score.
Monday, September 21, 2009
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