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$1 Million baby sitter.


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#11 diogenes227

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Posted 15 February 2010 - 08:37 PM

Maybe I didn't quite ask that right. In this babysitter's case, how much did she get for each pre-school child she cared for? How much does she get for each child her program has now?

"If you've heard this story before, don't stop me because I'd like to hear it again," Groucho Marx (on market history?).

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#12 Rogerdodger

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Posted 15 February 2010 - 10:17 PM

As I said, I'm not going into the details to protect the "innocent".
As far is I know everything is "legal".
There are countless government programs available for special groups.
Huge rivers of cash are functioning as a slush fund and I suspect that much of it gets back to the political groups who authorize such.

We saw a bit of that on the news a few months back.

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#13 diogenes227

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 02:25 AM

Okay, since I don't have any details, and indeed, we can only assume this is all legal and honest since no one getting busted for it, you know what this sounds like to me? The government created a program probably to aid disadvantaged pre-school children that has not only created at least 18 jobs, but has also grown and expanded like any thriving business should. There is no telling how many of those children will now be able to succeed in life as a result of the attention they are receiving and the long-term opportunities that are being opened for them, but one can only assume it will all be for good of both the children involved and the communities in which they live. There's no telling how many children are being helped here, but hopefully many, and hopefully the help they have received will be help them become better sons and daughters as they grow older, better students, eventually better parents to their own children, and better citizens in society. In the short term, there is no telling just how far-reaching the immediate economic effects of those 18 jobs on will be in helping to lift this area out of recession and no telling how strong the compounding effects will be going forward but one assumes it will be as substantial as any 18 family incomes can be. As they say the devil is in the details, but, for a change, this sounds like a successful government program on all fronts, and a a worthwhile civic investment that may pay life-long dividends. And it appears it has also created a true entrepreneur (a dropout, no less, who was facing a limited future, and yet one who must have gotten this chance to succeed on the merits of the hard honest work she performed and the recommendations she received from those parents she sat for), one who seized the day to not only provide a valuable service in her community but to also make herself a lot of money as the founder and administrator of a substantial social service business. That kind of initiative should be celebrated anytime we see it. And it is often celebrated by investors when it's seen in the markets. So, let's celebrated it here too. A big bravo for the babysitter! A true American success story! Thanks for calling this to everyone's attention to this inspiring American story. As an American I've always thought we can always do better as a people and this looks like it might be a time that we did. :)

"If you've heard this story before, don't stop me because I'd like to hear it again," Groucho Marx (on market history?).

“I've learned in options trading simple is best and the obvious is often the most elusive to recognize.”

 

"The god of trading rewards persistence, experience and discipline, and absolutely nothing else."


#14 OEXCHAOS

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 07:53 AM

Okay, since I don't have any details, and indeed, we can only assume this is all legal and honest since no one getting busted for it, you know what this sounds like to me?

The government created a program probably to aid disadvantaged pre-school children that has not only created at least 18 jobs, but has also grown and expanded like any thriving business should. There is no telling how many of those children will now be able to succeed in life as a result of the attention they are receiving and the long-term opportunities that are being opened for them, but one can only assume it will all be for good of both the children involved and the communities in which they live. There's no telling how many children are being helped here, but hopefully many, and hopefully the help they have received will be help them become better sons and daughters as they grow older, better students, eventually better parents to their own children, and better citizens in society.

In the short term, there is no telling just how far-reaching the immediate economic effects of those 18 jobs on will be in helping to lift this area out of recession and no telling how strong the compounding effects will be going forward but one assumes it will be as substantial as any 18 family incomes can be.

As they say the devil is in the details, but, for a change, this sounds like a successful government program on all fronts, and a a worthwhile civic investment that may pay life-long dividends.

And it appears it has also created a true entrepreneur (a dropout, no less, who was facing a limited future, and yet one who must have gotten this chance to succeed on the merits of the hard honest work she performed and the recommendations she received from those parents she sat for), one who seized the day to not only provide a valuable service in her community but to also make herself a lot of money as the founder and administrator of a substantial social service business. That kind of initiative should be celebrated anytime we see it. And it is often celebrated by investors when it's seen in the markets.

So, let's celebrated it here too. A big bravo for the babysitter! A true American success story!

Thanks for calling this to everyone's attention to this inspiring American story. As an American I've always thought we can always do better as a people and this looks like it might be a time that we did. :)


I know that there's tongue in cheek here, but you do ignore a few realities. One is that in free market child care, the going rate for the very best administrators doesn't get much over $150,000/yr, net. So, somehow we've got an excess return of at least $850,000/year. That can only exist because the money is being forcibly taken from you and me and given to her. The cost is that there are at LEAST ten more top flight childcare admins who aren't working to better the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged children. OR, perhaps there are 30 fewer small time child childcare workers getting paid to look after and nurture perhaps a hundred needy children. That's also dozens of parents who cannot work, growing our economy and bettering themselves and the lives of their children.

All because the government is stealing $1,000,000 of our money and giving it to a drop out who the market says is being paid $850,000 too much.

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#15 Rogerdodger

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 10:52 AM

How many nests were feathered, and how many political operatives were "paid back" with this:

Census Bureau spent $133 million on its advertising campaign, saying it was appropriate to boost public awareness. The spending included a $2.5 million Super Bowl spot which was widely panned as weak and ineffective.

"There is a general move in the United States toward more government involvement in the economy. Seeing the U.S. Census spot gives us little confidence that this is going to solve our issues," said marketing professors at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
Audit finds US census preparations wasted millions...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Census Bureau wasted millions of dollars in preparation for its 2010 population count, including thousands of temporary employees who picked up $300 checks without performing work and others who overbilled for travel costs.

Federal investigators caution the excessive charges could multiply once the $15 billion headcount begins in earnest next month unless the agency imposes tighter spending controls, according to excerpts of a forthcoming audit obtained by The Associated Press.

While the project finished ahead of schedule, Census director Robert Groves in October acknowledged the costs had ballooned $88 million higher than the original estimate of $356 million, an overrun of 25 percent. He cited faulty assumptions in the bureau's cost estimates.

Among the waste found by investigators:

--More than 10,000 census employees were paid over $300 apiece to attend training for the massive address-canvassing effort, but they quit or were otherwise let go before they could perform any work. Cost: $3 million.

--Another 5,000 employees collected $300 for the same training, and then worked a single day or less. Cost $1.5 million.

--Twenty-three temporary census employees were paid for car mileage costs at 55 cents a mile, even though the number of miles they reported driving per hour exceeded the total number of hours they actually worked.

--Another 581 employees who spent the majority of their time driving instead of conducting field work also received full mileage reimbursements, which investigators called questionable.

Census regional offices that had mileage costs exceeding their planned budgets included Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Kansas City and Seattle.



Edited by Rogerdodger, 16 February 2010 - 10:58 AM.


#16 Rogerdodger

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 12:03 PM

That can only exist because the money is being forcibly taken from you and me and given to her. The cost is that there are at LEAST ten more top flight childcare admins who aren't working to better the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged children. OR, perhaps there are 30 fewer small time child childcare workers getting paid to look after and nurture perhaps a hundred needy children.

Excellent points!

The intended benefit is overshadowed by the waste.

I was wondering how many mothers don't take care of their own pre-school children because of the government tax burden.

When I was a kid...most mothers didn't need to work.
Maybe here's one reason why:
Increased Tax Burden (paying for wasteful programs?)

"The money collected by the federal government,(at gunpoint I might add) via direct and indirect taxes, from an average household has increased 61% faster than the CPI adjusted inflation rate. In equal terms, our national debt has more than doubled from 1960 to today."
2008 study LINK

Add to this the "Great Society" programs which in effect encouraged poor women to have children out of wedlock to get increased "free" government benefits and you have the massive
societal problems seen today as the discipline providing, bread-winning fathers were deemed unnecessary for a family..
The mothers who benefit from these programs do so at the expense of other mothers who are forced to work by the heavy tax burden.

"A government powerful enough to give you everything you need is powerful enough to take everything you have."

Edited by Rogerdodger, 16 February 2010 - 12:11 PM.


#17 Rogerdodger

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Posted 20 February 2010 - 02:28 AM

My wife and her sister had dinner last night with the million dollar baby sitter. The baby sitter insisted on paying as she said, "I haven't always been able to do this but I'll get my $40,000 check tomorrow. I think it'll cover dinner." I could deal with $40K a month after taxes...but not the kids. :lol:

Edited by Rogerdodger, 20 February 2010 - 02:34 AM.


#18 Rogerdodger

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Posted 20 February 2010 - 12:35 PM

Soon we will all work for the government or be on government programs and we will all be wealthy.
Whether it's a million dollar baby sitting job, a $150,000 bus driving job, or just a $3954 an hour consulting job.

Former CEO Fritz Henderson now consults GM at $2954 an hour

"The new CEO of GM, Ed whitacre, is receiving a pay package worth about $9 million.
The package is almost twice the amount that Henderson was paid before he was forced out."

#19 Rogerdodger

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Posted 03 April 2010 - 01:14 PM

I knew I smelled a rat. In recent correspondence with the Million Dollar baby sitter, she said: "You would not believe all of the politics involved" in government program baby sitting. She had just visited with a politician who can "authorize" who gets what money. Do you wanna bet this politician can be "influenced" in who gets this additional government contract? The Million Dollar baby sitter has become very politically involved as of late. Her son was even an intern for a Washington congressman. This is what happens when money is taken to Washington from taxpayers and then "redistributed." If a baby sitter can rake in a million dollars annually, imagine what highway contractors can do. And imagine the "appreciation" shown to the politician who "redistributed" it. They go to Washington to do good... and they do very well. Now they will get to "redistribute" health care. Bend over. ;)

#20 Rogerdodger

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Posted 20 April 2010 - 01:58 PM

So you wonder why I am cynical of big government programs?
It all started as a kid when I went door to door collecting dimes for the March of Dimes.
My beautiful cousin had just died from polio after spending a year of her young life in an iron lung.
So spending a few hours on a Saturday morning collecting money for a cure was no sacrifice.
But then I found out that 90% of all of that money went to supporting management's high life style.
And I have seen it repeated over and over again by many agencies, claiming to help the poor.

So try this one:

U.N.'s Massive $732 Million Haiti Budget Goes Mostly to Its Own Staff...

U.N.'s Ballooning $732 Million Haiti Peacekeeping Budget Goes Mostly to Its Own Personnel


The United Nations has quietly upped this year's peacekeeping budget for earthquake-shattered Haiti to $732.4 million, with two-thirds of that amount going for the salary, perks and upkeep of its own personnel, not residents of the devastated island.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 20 April 2010 - 02:03 PM.