Teenager, an Aspiring Detective, Returns $135,000 He Found

Teenager, an Aspiring Detective, Returns $135,000 He Found

The New York Times   Mariel Padilla  May 10, 2020

Jose Nuñez Romaniz was headed to the bank to deposit money so he could buy socks online for his grandfather when he came upon a large clear plastic bag filled with cash next to an ATM in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“When I first saw it, I kind of stared at it for a few seconds, not knowing what to do,” Nuñez said of his discovery May 3. “I was very shocked. I’ve never seen so much money.”

Nuñez, 19, a criminal justice student at Central New Mexico Community College, said that after the initial shock had worn off, he took a picture of the bag. He said he noticed a tag on the outside of the bag that said it contained $60,000 in $20 bills. The police later counted an additional $75,000 in $50 bills. “It never passed through my mind to keep any of it,” Nuñez said Saturday.

Nuñez first thought about calling the toll-free number on the Wells Fargo ATM but instead dialed 911 because he didn’t want it to seem as if he had been stealing, he said.

After calling the police, he put the bag in his car and moved it so someone else could use the machine. He then called his mother to tell her he was going to be a little late coming home. Two police officers arrived within minutes, took the bag and took Nuñez’s statement and information. He said his parents expressed amazement and disbelief when he recounted what had happened, even after he showed them the picture.

“I’ve seen a lot of stuff in 21 years, but this was unique and refreshing for the department and city,” Officer Simon Drobik, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said Saturday. “I think this is the biggest amount of money found in Albuquerque and returned.”

Gilbert Gallegos Jr., another spokesman, said it appeared that a Wells Fargo contractor had intended to put the money in the ATM but had mistakenly left it on the sidewalk.

On Tuesday morning, Nuñez was in Phoenix buying materials for his parents’ mattress business when Drobik called.  “He asked me how was it to be a hero in the town, and at first I didn’t know what he was referring to,” Nuñez said. “But then he started telling me about a ceremony to honor me. He wanted me to take my family there and meet the mayor and the chief of police.”

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://news.yahoo.com/teenager-aspiring-detective-returns-135-163432794.html

Don’t Count on Me

 Don’t Count on Me

Dennis Friedman  |  April 28, 2020

I DON’T THINK I can do it. I know it’s the patriotic thing to do—support our local businesses. But I don’t see myself visiting local restaurants, movie theaters or department stores for a quite a while.

After they lift the stay-at-home order, I’m not rushing out to my favorite restaurant and ordering a grilled chicken avocado wrap with a kale salad.

I don’t care if the waiter is wearing a protective mask and gloves, and if I’m sitting six feet away from the next table. It’s going to take some time before I feel comfortable being around strangers in a social setting.

I know some people think the economy is going to take off when the current safety measures are lifted, but I have my doubts about a V-shaped recovery.

I believe there are too many people like me who will err on the side of caution—and simply aren’t ready to visit the gym, book a flight or sit down at their favorite bar.

A recent Associated Press poll found an overwhelming majority of Americans favor stay-at-home orders as an important way to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Moreover, many individuals will be reluctant to spend money because of the economic hardship they’ve endured during the shutdown—and especially so when U.S. household debt is at a record $14 trillion.

With Americans reluctant to spend, the economy may have a hard time bouncing back. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, consumer spending accounts for almost  70% of economic growth.

The key to an economic rebound is getting consumers to a place where they feel comfortable spending again. If businesses focus on the health and safety of their customers, that’ll help somewhat. Having a vaccine to combat the virus would, of course, do the trick, but the earliest that’ll happen is next year.

In the meantime, everybody has an opinion about how and when we should proceed in reopening the economy. But they fail to realize that the ultimate decision is going to be made by the consumer—you and me. Right now, I’m not ready to visit any nonessential businesses.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://humbledollar.com/2020/04/dont-count-on-me/

California County Launches Snatch-And-Grab Program

California County Launches Snatch-And-Grab Program

Notes From The Field By Simon Black   May 8, 2020  Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico

Are you ready for this week’s absurdity? Here’s our Friday roll-up of the most ridiculous stories from around the world that are threats to your liberty, your finances, and your prosperity… and on occasion, poetic justice.

Ventura County, CA to hire dozens of Covid spies

19 residents of Ventura County, California have died so far from Covid. That’s 0.002% of the population.

Most places would consider this a rounding error. But in Ventura County, it’s 19 too many.

So the county government has now launched a ‘contact tracing’ initiative to hire 50 investigators, and perhaps more later, to track down people who might have Covid, “immediately isolate them,” and then “find every one of their contacts” to isolate those people as well.

They also state that, if someone has Covid and is living in a home with other family members, “we’re not going to be able to keep the person in that home. . .”

This is a mass surveillance apparatus that effectively amounts to a snatch-and-grab. You get a knock at the door and are forcibly removed from your home and taken away from your family because some county bureaucrat traced you to someone who might have the virus.

It’s like “pre-crime”, but even more ridiculous… I mean, look at the words they’re using-- it’s up to the government now to decide who gets to stay in their own private property with their families.

Click here to watch it yourself.

Seattle City Councilmember calls for nationalizing Amazon

Kshama Sawant is a member of the City Council of Seattle, and a proud Socialist.

She recently took to Twitter to criticize Amazon, one of the most popular whipping boys of the Bolsheviks:

“The super-rich are out of touch with the reality they inflict on the majority of humanity. They will ruthlessly extract the price of this pandemic recession from workers, unless we fight back. #TaxAmazon.”

When a Twitter follower under the handle @KarlMarxJunior suggested, “How about #NationalizeAmazon?” Sawant responded:

“Yes, corporations like Amazon need to be taken into democratic public ownership, to be run by workers for social good. We will need militant mass movements, strike actions at workplaces, to begin to fight to win this. Because it will be a political strike against billionaires.”

Click here to see the Twitter thread.

Undercover cops arrest women for working from home

Recently we told you how police departments in many cities across the Land of the Free were adopting new policies to NOT arrest people for petty or victimless crimes.

The idea was to keep jails from being overcrowded petri-dishes which would spread Covid-19.

And some Texas cities were among those easing up.

But not Laredo, Texas.

Officers received an anonymous tip that two women were committing a heinous crime: doing nails and eyelashes from their homes.

In an undercover sting operation, police officers caught the two women attempting to market and sell their services.

Police charged the women for a violation of the lockdown order, and held them in jail on $500 bond each.

This is the new criminality in 2020: women painting nails in their own homes.

Cities with strained budgets are wondering how they are going to get through the economic devastation caused by the lockdowns. Revenue is drying up.

And THIS is how cities use their scarce resources-- to stake-out and arrest women for giving pedicures.

Click here to read the full story.

Nashville Mayor wants to hike property taxes 32% in “crisis budget”

The “crisis budget” plan of the mayor of Nashville is to cut spending, and raise taxes.

Now that the hard times have hit, governments will take more, and give you less.

Nashville was overspending and racking up debt in the best of times. And now that the economy is locked down, the city expects to miss out on $470 million of tax revenue over the next year or so.

For homeowners, that means a property tax increase of about $625 per year on a $250,000 house.

“In the end, hard, hard decisions have to be made," the Mayor said. “Everybody is sacrificing in this budget.”

But it’s hard to see where the city is making sacrifices.

The new budget doesn’t lay-off any city employees, and in fact increases spending from last year by $115 million.   Click here to read the full story.

To your freedom & prosperity, Simon Black, Founder, SovereignMan.com

https://www.sovereignman.com/trends/california-county-launches-snatch-and-grab-program-27746/ 

The Psychology of Money

The Psychology of Money

Jun 1, 2018 by Morgan Housel

Let me tell you the story of two investors, neither of whom knew each other, but whose paths crossed in an interesting way.

Grace Groner was orphaned at age 12. She never married. She never had kids. She never drove a car. She lived most of her life alone in a one-bedroom house and worked her whole career as a secretary. She was, by all accounts, a lovely lady. But she lived a humble and quiet life. That made the $7 million she left to charity after her death in 2010 at age 100 all the more confusing. People who knew her asked: Where did Grace get all that money?

But there was no secret. There was no inheritance. Grace took humble savings from a meager salary and enjoyed eighty years of hands-off compounding in the stock market. That was it.

Weeks after Grace died, an unrelated investing story hit the news.

Richard Fuscone, former vice chairman of Merrill Lynch’s Latin America division, declared personal bankruptcy, fighting off foreclosure on two homes, one of which was nearly 20,000 square feet and had a $66,000 a month mortgage.

Fuscone was the opposite of Grace Groner; educated at Harvard and University of Chicago, he became so successful in the investment industry that he retired in his 40s to “pursue personal and charitable interests.” But heavy borrowing and illiquid investments did him in.

The same year Grace Goner left a veritable fortune to charity, Richard stood before a bankruptcy judge and declared: “I have been devastated by the financial crisis … The only source of liquidity is whatever my wife is able to sell in terms of personal furnishings.”

The purpose of these stories is not to say you should be like Grace and avoid being like Richard. It’s to point out that there is no other field where these stories are even possible.

In what other field does someone with no education, no relevant experience, no resources, and no connections vastly outperform someone with the best education, the most relevant experiences, the best resources and the best connections? There will never be a story of a Grace Groner performing heart surgery better than a Harvard-trained cardiologist. Or building a faster chip than Apple’s engineers. Unthinkable.

But these stories happen in investing.

That’s because investing is not the study of finance. It’s the study of how people behave with money. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people. You can’t sum up behavior with formulas to memorize or spreadsheet models to follow. Behavior is inborn, varies by person, is hard to measure, changes over time, and people are prone to deny its existence, especially when describing themselves.

Grace and Richard show that managing money isn’t necessarily about what you know; it’s how you behave. But that’s not how finance is typically taught or discussed. The finance industry talks too much about what to do, and not enough about what happens in your head when you try to do it.

This report describes 20 flaws, biases, and causes of bad behavior I’ve seen pop up often when people deal with money.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/the-psychology-of-money/

Origins of Greed and Fear

Origins of Greed and Fear

Jan 31, 2019 by Morgan Housel

Greed and fear control everything in investing.

There is no amount of growth that can’t be destroyed by an investor’s temptation to grab too much of it. And there is no opportunity so appealing that it will catch the eye of someone who refuses to look.

But greed and fear aren’t always character flaws. People with the best intentions and ethics fall for their temptation. The two traits evolve from something innocent: the amount of confidence we have that our actions influence our outcomes. Figuring out how much of what you do influences what you get requires calculating odds in situations where accurately knowing the odds is impossible.

The problem happens when convenience masquerades as a calculation, and you cling to the most comfortable odds by thinking opportunities are more, or less, in your control than they really are. This form of greed – which has nothing to do with bad ethics – is pervasive. And this form of fear is innate. But they are powerful. They apply to investments, businesses, industries, and countries. Confronting them just once can make or break a career. And while greed and fear are typically seen as opposites, they share an origin.

There is a natural cycle where innocent analysis evolves into greed, turns into denial, then confusion, then fear. It often drops you off where you began, with the lesson you think you learned from experiencing fear setting up your next meeting with greed.

Here’s how it happens.

Part 1: Greed

Greed begins with the most innocent idea: You deserve to be right.

The decisions you’ve made. The decisions you’ll make. The worldview you hold. The strategy you use. It’s hard to wake up in the morning and look in the mirror without telling yourself that you can make good decisions. Nothing would get done if people doubted themselves all day. This is especially true if you’ve had past success in education and work.

And you deserve to be right because you’ve put so much effort into developing your views and decisions. You went to school for years. Passed hard tests. Did hard thinking.

Put in long hours. No one wants to hear they went through that grind and still don’t deserve to be right. And deserving to be right means you should be rewarded for being right. Effort equals reward. That’s how the world works, isn’t it?

Escaping this thinking is not easy.

It’s hard to make it through the day admitting you don’t know how the world works. So no one does it. The humblest of people use simplified stories that guide their belief in cause and effect. And it’s agonizing to rewrite your worldview, or your investment strategy, or your business model, from scratch after years of effort. So people become good at clinging to views even when they’re built on flimsy evidence.

Views that we insist are right and deserve to be rewarded are often tied to the random chance of our past experience. The investor who happened to be born in the 1930s was ravaged by high inflation in the 1970s.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/origins-of-greed-and-fear/

19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You

19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You

By Len Penzo

That’s right. Although having a million bucks isn’t as impressive as it once was, it’s still nothing to sneeze at.

In fact, Kiplinger reports that in 2019 there were 7,698,765 millionaire households in the United States alone.

That’s a lot of people, people. And the odds are one or two of them are living near you.

Heck, one of them might even be your neighbor. In fact, the odds are very good that it is your neighbor.

But, Len, you don’t know my neighbor. That guy doesn’t look anything like a millionaire.

Well, guess what? Your suburban millionaire neighbor called (oh yeah, we go way back) and the two of us had a nice little chat.

Here’s a few things he shared with me but apparently doesn’t want to tell you. (No offense, I’m sure.)

1. He always spends less than he earns. In fact his mantra is, over the long run, you’re better off if you strive to be anonymously rich rather than deceptively poor.

2. He knows that patience is a virtue; the odds are you won’t become a millionaire overnight. If you’re like him, your wealth will be accumulated gradually by diligently saving your money over multiple decades.

3. When you go to his modest three-bed two-bath house, you’re going to be drinking Folgers instead of Starbucks. And if you need a lift, well, you’re going to get a ride in his ten-year-old economy sedan. And if you think that makes him cheap, ask him if he cares. (He doesn’t.)

4. He pays off his credit cards in full every month. He’s smart enough to understand that if he can’t afford to pay cash for something, then he can’t afford it.

5. He realized early on that money does not buy happiness. If you’re looking for nirvana, you need to focus on attaining financial freedom.

6. He never forgets that financial freedom is a state of mind that comes from being debt free. Best of all, it can be attained regardless of your income level.

7. He knows that getting a second job not only increases the size of your bank account quicker but it also keeps you busy — and being busy makes it difficult to spend what you already have.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1151-19-things-the-millionaire-next-door-wont-tell-you-2.html 

68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice  

By Kevin Kelly

It’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing advice to the young ‘uns. Here are 68 pithy bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you.

• Learn how to learn from those you disagree with, or even offend you. See if you can find the truth in what they believe.

• Being enthusiastic is worth 25 IQ points.

• Always demand a deadline. A deadline weeds out the extraneous and the ordinary. It prevents you from trying to make it perfect, so you have to make it different. Different is better.

• Don’t be afraid to ask a question that may sound stupid because 99% of the time everyone else is thinking of the same question and is too embarrassed to ask it.

• Being able to listen well is a superpower. While listening to someone you love keep asking them “Is there more?”, until there is no more.

• A worthy goal for a year is to learn enough about a subject so that you can’t believe how ignorant you were a year earlier.

• Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at.

• Treating a person to a meal never fails, and is so easy to do. It’s powerful with old friends and a great way to make new friends.

• Don’t trust all-purpose glue.

• Reading to your children regularly will bond you together and kickstart their imaginations.

• Never use a credit card for credit. The only kind of credit, or debt, that is acceptable is debt to acquire something whose exchange value is extremely likely to increase, like in a home. The exchange value of most things diminishes or vanishes the moment you purchase them. Don’t be in debt to losers.

• Pros are just amateurs who know how to gracefully recover from their mistakes.

• Extraordinary claims should require extraordinary evidence to be believed.

• Don’t be the smartest person in the room. Hangout with, and learn from, people smarter than yourself. Even better, find smart people who will disagree with you.

• Rule of 3 in conversation. To get to the real reason, ask a person to go deeper than what they just said. Then again, and once more. The third time’s answer is close to the truth.

• Don’t be the best. Be the only.

• Everyone is shy. Other people are waiting for you to introduce yourself to them, they are waiting for you to send them an email, they are waiting for you to ask them on a date. Go ahead.

• Don’t take it personally when someone turns you down. Assume they are like you: busy, occupied, distracted. Try again later. It’s amazing how often a second try works.

• The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing.

• Promptness is a sign of respect.

• When you are young spend at least 6 months to one year living as poor as you can, owning as little as you possibly can, eating beans and rice in a tiny room or tent, to experience what your “worst” lifestyle might be. That way any time you have to risk something in the future you won’t be afraid of the worst case scenario.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://kk.org/thetechnium/

The Old Guard Are Never Off Watch Keeping the Real Empire Afloat

The Old Guard Are Never Off Watch Keeping the Real Empire Afloat

MAY 6, 2020  Information Briefing #151   by whitehatsauxiliaries.

Note: The following article was first published in March, 2015 in another venue. The author has authorized a re-publishing and hopes you understand the implications for us all as the mission and goals outlined below continue to advance on many fronts. – WHA

It’s amusing to see so much unfounded rhetoric across the media and Blogs. Even more so the wild speculations of some comments. Currency projections, wealth disbeliefs, and political negativity. At best, most are naive. Quietly, out of Public view, so much is unfolding and forces of good ARE at work for all of you.

Real world moves are being achieved by highly placed Political accords and Private meetings between Empowered parties. The Publicly invisible Diplomatic and economic private meetings, so dependent upon the standards of culture which founded the truly great Empire epicenters, with the skill, and often speed of intellect, of those out of Public view on the front line. Empires thrive, survive, or fail because of them. People make it happen, or not.

So much is propounded by the Blogmeisters. Daily claims of Chinese Elders imminent moves. Yet, in London, quietly away from Public view, potentially the most important steps of all were not only progressing with articulate skill, but Elder’s extended stays a further week to encompass longer term aspirations in a whole new spirit of ethical Trust and mutual goodwill achieved.

Be in no doubt, had the wealth of the Elders been utilized ethically as intended by US Presidents and the Cabal, our world would have been a wealthier, more stable and peaceful civilization.

Co-existence is a state of mind. Elders in London were enthused at the charisma, dynamism and truly humble personal manner and depth of understandings of those so highly placed.

 It also gave them hope and understanding that remaining vast Elders funds, if used correctly this time with such Enlightened men of standing as they met, offers that candle of light in the dark night all seek. A Beacon of hope. We know the duties of office needed.

Although telling that to a disenfranchised American Public today, whose very survival as economic units is precarious, is a step beyond current mental reach. First the need to change their mind set.

For a nation who had it all, to now, where has it all gone?

The future for Americans, as it stands, left to the Cabal or Zionists, is now just that- Precarious. Truly. Yet the vacuous and mendacious Mongrels from the Political spectrum to the Military and Wall Street roll on taking from all at will.

Petraeus cops a Plea for his sordid affair and dereliction of duty. Another over hyped, Pencil Pushing Wonder Brat who had presumptions of power. Now he wiggles in ignominy. A sordid little man consigned to history as a train wreck of vanity.

How sadly the presumptuous mighty fall. What a miserable Wimp he turned out to be. How dumb is a Spymaster too stupid to swerve a Honey Trap?  Well, at least he was born with the ears for the Dumbo role! John Wayne we miss you. Or his type.

The Bush / Clinton Crime Cabal goes on, with no standards of decency or morality. The Cabal beats its drum, as the American economy just ever more retreats. A hundred million, good, distressed and confused economically burdened Americans wait in blind hope of new Leadership, as yet another election will be rigged. Leadership? But, from where? Have you assessed those Skip Rats in Washington?

The Sleaze machine capital of the world. Pigs at the trough. Chaos rules. As Mad Benny Nutter Yahoo propounds his Kazakh States determination to invoke Nuclear hell on his neighbors, and with the support of his enriched Stateside Zionist Backers, seeks to Mug the US Political apparatus ever more. The Jewish lobby was hard at work. They flatter to deceive. When will those bribed to support Israel be removed from Office?

Who cares who we Shackle if it makes us a Shekel they whine?

Yet in London the real battles are being won. Hearts and Minds. Culture thrives. Concepts of good citizenship are expanded and agreements reached. Wealth is power. Wealth empowers.

But, as the Empire knows, real Wealth is the hands across the oceans. Meetings of minds. Relationships build Empires. Yet between the sites of WHR and WHA are so many green shoots of hope. New life.

The basic goodness of communities ever there. Hope is not lost. Both sites are enriched by their quality of supporters. Each a credit to their nations. Look at ever growing worldwide support. Nations are co-enjoining. Meetings of minds.

 In the greatest hall of power, serious dialogue is progressing. Economic debate covering this century is playing out. As regards the true wealth of the real Elders, respectfully, nations have no idea. Taiwan houses the majority of the vast ancestral wealth of the old Chinese Dynasties.

When the key families moved to escape oncoming Communism, their many centuries of wealth went with them. Gold, Cash, Bonds, Artifacts etc. Vast treasure troves remain to this day, hidden from Public or State view. Controlled in total by the key 40 Elder families.

The main power beneficiaries are fully aware of the encroaching risks of Chinese expansion across Asia and Eurasia. Is it coincidence that in London, in the most private meetings of all, consummate diplomacy was hard at work with intense negotiations, achieving clearly what has made London the most influential Financial base in the world, and the true corporate infrastructure base of capitalism.

As America ever founders, London ever grows. The City is awash with touring foreign schoolchildren, mainly now Chinese, all the key building blocks of the future. Shaping opinions, shaping the future economies, appreciating each others cultures.

We are ever at the forefront, winning hearts and minds. Evermore you are read across the planet. Your points are heard and comments read. The Elders reverberated from this new concept. One World of All Nations? Asking, why was this not envisaged 60 year ago when we wished to help nations co-exist?

Yet, when all hope was foundering, quietly, in the greatest Hall of Power on Earth, confidence grew as minds attuned and new deep relationships were forged.

There IS hope and a new found concept of true Global awareness is on its way back now – back to Asia. Awareness of a better way. Behind it ever greater wealth and power will transfer to London. As will the emigration of the great families. As their vast wealth moves, so will they.

You all have a voice and a point. Now, evermore a Global one. We are a growing Global force of each and all of you. It is YOU. The voice of nations, of values and truth. To help evolve humanities consciousness. No other such media reaches where you go.

From Transhumanism, to pseudo religious ideologies, and Political chicanery. We give no mercy, and push the boundaries of truth and hope. It is the voice of all of you, striving for a better world, a consensus of minds and standards of decency.

Nation rebuilding to leave our children a future worth having. Helping each Elder understand the very concept of our Book of Life, forged ideologies which may change nations. Reason is founded on Trust. Societies need a base of values.

So many of you make ever enlightening contributions. For all of us, you are our candles in the wind of change. Twelve men helped change a world. What can twelve thousand of you do? Post the GCR and RVs we will see. Behind it all, in the great hall of power, real progress is building.

Elders met English key Elders, and deals are forged. Empires are evolving but now based on Global progression, and removing those sleazy Runts between the Banking, Political and Cabal infrastructures who are the root cause of rot today. We tell it, as it is.

New relationships take time to evolve, but it’s happening, and progressive understanding is in play with a Global vision. There are no nations, just one people who need to learn to co-exist, establish communal values and share our planet in harmony and culture for all.

It starts with building and valuing Trust. It starts with believing in and striving together for better. Expanding consciousness. Evolving as a Soul Nation for all.

If one group can do that, why not all? Our whole world is now changing so rapidly. Politicians are so dreadfully out of touch with the emerging Global reality.

Unfortunately, in the MSM rigged media circus of America, so are the people. How do we help our Brother men bar with truth? The Information highway.

Exported back now to China is a whole new word of expression for the Cabal and US Political deviants. Ah – Souls! They loved it.

From such camaraderie new Empires are built. Laughter is priceless. As is the love of our children, so, lets give them a world fit to grow in safety. You are all the candles in this dark world of confusion created by such Political mediocrities. Our shining stars, and YOU are the future. Already you are conscious and evolving. As will all you embrace.

In just 3 weeks we have built a whole new concept of Nation’s needs.  Yes – We – Did!

GCR RV DINAR DONG

https://whitehatauxiliaries.com/2020/05/06/information-briefing-151/

Mapped: The Wealthiest Person in Every U.S. State in 2020

Mapped: The Wealthiest Person in Every U.S. State in 2020

Published on March 31, 2020   By Jeff Desjardins

The Wealthiest Person in Every U.S. State in 2020

There are different degrees of wealth that exist, even among the richest in America.

For example, a heavy-hitting millionaire might have the most impressive fortune in his or her home state — but venture a few miles across the state border, and suddenly they become a small fish in a much bigger pond.

Today’s map comes to us from HowMuch.net, and it shows the incredible variance in the biggest fortunes on a state-by-state basis.

The Rich List, by State

Below is the full list containing the wealthiest person in every U.S. state, based on calculations by Forbes in early March 2020.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tops the list with a net worth of $117.1 billion in the state of Washington — meanwhile, the smallest fortune on the list is located in Alaska at just $0.3 billion. 

Rank      Person                                      State                 Net Worth ($B)

#1           Jeff Bezos                                Washington          $117.1

#2           Warren Buffett                        Nebraska               $89.6

#3           Mark Zuckerberg                   California                 $81.9

#4           Michael Bloomberg              New York                  $58.4

#5           Jim Walton                             Arkansas                  $51.9

#6           Alice Walton                           Texas                        $51.7

#7           Charles Koch             Kansas                    $42.8

#8           Sheldon Adelson                    Nevada                    $41.4

#9           Phil Knight and family           Oregon                     $40.0

#10        Jacqueline Mars                     Virginia                    $30.2

#11        John Mars                             Wyoming                  $30.2

#12        Ray Dalio                               Connecticut             $18.7

#13        Thomas Peterffy                     Florida                     $17.6

#14        Abigail Johnson                      Massachusetts       $16.0

#15        Pierre Omidyar                       Hawaii                     $13.2

#16        Ken Griffin                             Illinois                   $13.1

#17        Thomas Frist Jr & family        Tennessee              $13.0

#18        John Menard Jr                     Wisconsin              $11.7

#19        Philip Anschutz                      Colorado                 $11.5

#20        Carl Cook                              Indiana                     $10.4 

Showing 1 to 20 of 50 entries            Next     

While all of the names above are considered extraordinarily wealthy in their home states, there is still a magnitude of difference involved. The low end of the list ($0.3 billion) would need to multiply their fortune by 390 times to get up to the $117.1 billion Bezos level.

To put this another way, the same degree of difference exists between the median household wealth in the U.S. (~$100,000) and a multi-millionaire with $39 million to their name.

Rising and Falling Fortunes

The above figures were obtained prior to the COVID-19 market crash,, which will surely impact the size of some of the fortunes listed here.

Who will be most and least impacted by the recent stock market turmoil?

Even though Jeff Bezos has most of his wealth tied up in Amazon stock, so far it has been relatively unaffected by the volatility. With more people staying home because of social distancing, orders on online platforms such as Amazon have exploded.

Similarly to Amazon, the heirs of the Walmart fortune in the Walton family — including Jim Walton, Alice Walton, and Rob Walton — are also seeing Walmart’s stock price hold relatively steady in the face of volatility. In fact, some analysts consider Walmart to be the ultimate “recession-proof” stock, as consumers flock to discount goods in poor economic times.

Warren Buffett is also an interesting case. Though the stock market has certainly disrupted the real-time value of his fortune, that’s not the game that Warren Buffett plays. In fact, he is known for waiting for times of crisis to deploy his cash, and has a significant stockpile of money ready for just this kind of situation.

Billionaires like Sheldon Adelson in Nevada or Philip Anschutz of Colorado might be singing a different tune than some of the other above magnates. Adelson, for example, owns a good chunk of the Las Vegas Strip, as well as casinos and hotels in Singapore and Macao. Unfortunately, tourism-related businesses are some of the hardest hit in the COVID-19 crash.

Meanwhile, Anschutz owns the Coachella Music Festival and stakes in many professional sports teams (LA Lakers, LA Kings, and multiple MLS teams), which have all been impacted by the cancellation of big events and gatherings throughout the country. Like many others, Anschutz is probably itching for things to get back to normal.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wealthiest-person-in-every-u-s-state-2020/ 

The Anatomy of the $2 Trillion COVID-19 Stimulus Bill

The Anatomy of the $2 Trillion COVID-19 Stimulus Bill

Published March 30, 2020   By Nick Routley

Anatomy of CARES Act covid-19 Stimulus Package

The Anatomy of the $2 Trillion COVID-19 Stimulus Bill

The unprecedented response to the COVID-19 pandemic has prioritized keeping people apart to slow the spread of the virus. While measures such as business closures and travel restrictions are effective at fighting a pandemic, they also have a dramatic impact on the economy.

To help right the ship, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act — also known as the CARES Act — was passed by U.S. lawmakers last week with little fanfare. The act became the largest economic stimulus bill in modern history, more than doubling the stimulus act passed in 2009 during the Financial Crisis.

Today’s Sankey diagram is a visual representation of where the $2 trillion will be spent. Broadly speaking, there are five components to the COVID-19 stimulus bill:

 Category                                         Total Amount          Share of the Package

Individuals / Families                     $603.7 billion              30%

Big Business                                    $500.0 billion               25%

Small Business                                 $377.0 billion              19%

State and Local Government        $340.0 billion             17%

Public Services                                $179.5 billion                 9%

 Although the COVID-19 stimulus bill is incredibly complex, here are some of the most important parts to be aware of.

Funds for Individuals   Amount: $603.7 billion – 30% of total CARES Act

In order to stimulate the sputtering economy quickly, the U.S. government will deploy “helicopter money” — direct cash payments to individuals and families.

The centerpiece of this plan is a $1,200 direct payment for those earning up to $75,000 per year. For higher earners, payment amounts will phase out, ending altogether at the $99,000 income level. Families will also receive $500 per child.

There are three other key things to know about this portion of the stimulus funds:

There will be a temporary suspension for any student loan held by the federal government. This means no payments required and no interest accrued until the end of September, 2020.

Borrowers with federally backed loans can request forbearance on mortgage payments for up to six months.

There will be an expansion of unemployment benefits, including a four-month enhancement of benefits. This plan includes freelancers, workers in the gig economy, and furloughed employees.

Big Business    Amount: $500.0 billion – 25% of total CARES Act

This component of the package is aimed at stabilizing big businesses in hard-hit sectors.

The most obvious industry to receive support will be the airlines. About $58 billion has been earmarked for commercial and cargo airlines, as well as airline contractors. Perhaps in response to recent criticism of the industry, companies receiving stimulus money will be barred from engaging in stock buybacks for the term of the loan plus one year.

One interesting pathway highlighted by today’s Sankey diagram is the $17 billion allocated to “maintaining national security”. While this provision doesn’t mention any specific company by name, the primary recipient is believed to be Boeing.

The bill also indicates that an inspector general will oversee the recovery process, along with a special committee.

Small Business    Amount: $377.0 billion – 19% of total CARES Act

To ease the strain on businesses around the country, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will be given $350 billion to provide loans of up to $10 million to qualifying organizations. These funds can be used for mission critical activities, such as paying rent or keeping employees on the payroll during COVID-19 closures.

As well, the bill sets aside $10 billion in grants for small businesses that need help covering short-term operating costs.

State and Local Governments    Amount: $340.0 billion – 17% of total CARES Act

The biggest portion of funds going to local and state governments is the $274 billion allocated towards direct COVID-19 response. The rest of the funds in this component will go to schools and child care services.

Public and Health Services    Amount: $179.5 billion – 9% of total CARES Act

The biggest slice of this pie goes to healthcare providers, who will receive $100 billion in grants to help fight COVID-19. This was a major ask from groups representing the healthcare industry, as they look to make up the lost revenue caused by focusing on the outbreak — as opposed to performing elective surgeries and other procedures. There will also be a 20% increase in Medicare payments for treating patients with the virus.

Money is also set aside for initiatives such as increasing the availability of ventilators and masks for the Strategic National Stockpile, as well as providing additional funding for the Center for Disease Control and expanding  the reach of virtual doctors.

Finally, beyond the healthcare-related funding, the CARES Act also addresses food security programs and a long list of educational and arts initiatives. 

Hat tip to Reddit user SevenandForty for inspiring this graphic. 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-anatomy-of-the-2-trillion-covid-19-stimulus-bill/

25 Quotes That Are Guaranteed to Put a Smile on Your Face ​

25 Quotes That Are Guaranteed to Put a Smile on Your Face ​

Country Living   April 8, 2020

Just keep smiling  From Country Living

A smile with love behind it has so many positive effects on us: It stimulates the brain, makes you come across as friendly, and brings joy to the people around you.

Whether you say hello to a stranger you pass in the grocery store or wave to your neighbor while you’re on a run, adding a smile to these simple acts of kindness can make someone’s day go from drab to fab.

We’ve rounded up some cute, famous sayings to remind you that a smile goes a long way. Also, keep the good vibes going with these quotes about sunshine, best Disney quotes, and blessed quotes that will warm your heart! 

Marilyn Monroe

 “Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.”

Rashida Jones 

 “Smiling is definitely one of the best beauty remedies. If you have a good sense of humor and a good approach to life, that’s beautiful.”

Maya Angelou 

 “If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.”

Unknown 

 “Smile while you still have teeth.”

Tom Wilson

 “A smile is a facelift that’s in everyone’s price range!”

Yoko Ono

 “Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning, and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.”

"Smile," John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons

“When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by if you smile through your fear and sorrow.”

Evan Esar

  “You are not fully dressed until you wear a smile.”

Dalai Lama  

"A simple smile. That's the start of opening your heart and being compassionate to others

William Shakespeare 

 "When I saw you I fell in love and you smiled because you knew."

Nelson Mandela 

 "Remember to smile."

George Eliot 

  "Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles."

Anthony J. D'Angelo

  "Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody’s heart."

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/25-quotes-guaranteed-put-smile-223900581.html