Cab Thoughts 12/17/11

Life lesson: If you have a "tweety bird" speech defect, do not wear a sweat shirt with a picture of tweety bird on it. In the words of the prophetess (Claudia Black), sometimes "Irony is overrated."

Taxation on corporations started in 1909 and was 1%. It is now 39% and, since it is passed on to consumers, amounts to about a 2400 dollar consumer tax. 75 countries, most of our competitors, have a corporation tax 1/2 of ours.

Health care: 21% of national payroll, 27% of physicians earned degrees outside the country, medicare population was 8% of population in 1990 and is 11% now.

This year the Americans will be net exporters of energy. The Institute for Energy Research predicts that by tapping shale and other sources, the U.S. should be the world's top oil and gas producer by 2020, outpacing Russia and Saudi Arabia. Imagine that. How many jobs that can not be outsourced, how much money flowing back here.

Corzine, whom Biden once called "the smartest guy in the room", does not know where 1.2 billion of his customers' investments are. One thing that is known is that his company bought a lot of Mediterranean euro debt, essentially investing (betting) on government.

There is international debate, especially in Arab countries, about the legality of the U.S. hunting, killing and detaining its enemies all over the globe. The Bush and Obama administrations both claim that terrorism is world wide and essentially endless therefore all of their actions are justifiable. Even El Jazeera is upset at this. But isn't this what they wanted?

The job estimates from Marcellus shale is now 870 thousand jobs.

There have been a number of studies on happiness and money and most recently point to certain conclusions. While money doesn't bring happiness, having an income of greater than $75,000 does take some discomfort out of life; more does not seem to matter. However achievement to get to an increased salary seems to be a real source of happiness.

British joke: "Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?"

India is outsourcing call-centers to the Philippines.

A recent speech I heard on the targets for Angel Investors had three main topics. First, The Third World. This market is growing because its income is growing.American companies with relationships there should do well. Second, Health Care, not in its delivery but in its efficiency. Sooner or later the delivery will decline because we just can not afford it but anything that improves efficiency will sell. Third, energy, particularly in distribution lines or in the exploitation of existing lines. (e.g., there are companies that try to generate power out of the existing valves in water lines.)