Is it really? I am talking about the nightmare scenario in Pakistan with the Islamic radicals getting hold of nuclear weapons. Since I keep on tracking what is going in the alternate universe called Pakistan, I get disgusted everyday to read the news about how they keep on blaming all their problems on the Indian/Israeli/American operatives trying to destroy Pakistan. On one talk show host, I heard a long bearded guy telling the host that after the Devil, the Paki People hates America and the Taliban are their number one Friend now turned into enemy due to their alliance with the United States. I just felt like throwing up hearing that. After all the killings that they endure each day trying to reach the elusive heaven, they can’t get to accept that they are the ones who are their own worst enemy.
It is like the autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your body. The Taliban have become like that but even when there is a plethora of evidence suggesting that the Taliban have sworn to avenge the death of their comrades, all the Pakis can do is to put their head in the sand like an ostrich and blame others. Lets us for a moment create a hypothetical situation. If the U.S. is to be blamed for their economic, political ills, how come their army works with the U.S. If we are the most hated nation there, why do they gladly accept all the aid and visas they can get their hands on.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Can promises be rescinded?
I am talking not about individual promises made to each other but the ones which have been made from the state to the public. The States have made so many promises and IOUs to the public that it will be hardly surprising if they will ever keep it. So why give promises in the first place. Obviously to get votes what else and roll the hard decisions to the next generation of politicians who will come and blame the previous generation for the unrealistic promises made in terms of social security, pension and health care. Right now with every politician finding it hard to either raise taxes or reduce spending, these promises will just remain promises since they are unfunded.
Unfunded means that the promises have not been replenished with real money. Right now only the Social Security is being funded fully but in about 25 years that will just be a dream unless we reduce our promises, raise taxes or reduce drastically our expenditure. But who will be the one to take on this. It has to be a collective effort. But by the looks of the polls and surveys taken recently, the people are not as ready to have more taxes or reduce expenditure. There are too many entrenched interests to let this happen until it comes to a brick wall or a fiscal emergency. So again to my question can promises be rescinded and the answer is unfortunately it will have to be because there is no way the promises can be fulfilled with the current states of financial affairs.
Unfunded means that the promises have not been replenished with real money. Right now only the Social Security is being funded fully but in about 25 years that will just be a dream unless we reduce our promises, raise taxes or reduce drastically our expenditure. But who will be the one to take on this. It has to be a collective effort. But by the looks of the polls and surveys taken recently, the people are not as ready to have more taxes or reduce expenditure. There are too many entrenched interests to let this happen until it comes to a brick wall or a fiscal emergency. So again to my question can promises be rescinded and the answer is unfortunately it will have to be because there is no way the promises can be fulfilled with the current states of financial affairs.
Employment vs. Business-2
The biggest downside of the having your own business is the uncertainty of the income. For employment, if you are doing an okay job, you will get paid month in and month out and you are mentally satisfied. You bills are getting paid and so is your health insurance, but when you have job, you have to be constantly worried about from where your next bill is going to get paid. If you lose time or waste time, you lose money. There are obviously more risk in running your own business but rewards are greater if you succeed. You are your own boss with your own working hours and the more you work, the more money you can make. There are no excuses to be given to your bosses since you are the boss, but there are no sick days or vacation or personnel days to be availed off.
You have to pay twice the amount of social security (your side and the business side) and the health insurance is also up to you to pay in full. That is why unless you are wealthy or rich; you should not plunge whole heartedly in a business when you don’t know if and when it will succeed. You should rather keep your day job and work on the weekends or on the side and maybe finance your side business with your day job income. Until your side business earns enough so that you can run the business and also pay yourself enough salary to replace the current one on the day job, you should keep your regular job to pay for your bills and other family expenses.
You have to pay twice the amount of social security (your side and the business side) and the health insurance is also up to you to pay in full. That is why unless you are wealthy or rich; you should not plunge whole heartedly in a business when you don’t know if and when it will succeed. You should rather keep your day job and work on the weekends or on the side and maybe finance your side business with your day job income. Until your side business earns enough so that you can run the business and also pay yourself enough salary to replace the current one on the day job, you should keep your regular job to pay for your bills and other family expenses.
Employment vs. Business
Which one is more fulfilling is a matter of taste and on individual preferences. In employment, you just have to show up, do your work and go home. All the stuff is provided to you in order for you to work. You don’t have to worry about running out of stationery or software or computer breaking down, since there will always be a spare one or will be provided to you within a short period of time so that it does not affect your work. There are set hours of work and also of lunch time that you can take and wind down. Plus you may be bosses but the number may be limited to one or two or maybe three. You work is checked by your immediate boss and if something is wrong, you have ample amount of time to fix that problem.
Lets us now compare this with having a business. The reverse is true for having your own business plus more. You have to have ample stationery on hand to deal with emergencies or a surge of orders for your business. You are constantly thinking about your business and ways of improving your bottom line. You may be the only one checking your own work and lunch time is also the time you eat and work. There is no down time until you say it is. Plus every customer is your boss and you are constantly trying to make your boss happy and satisfied and also looking for more bosses. There is more uncertainty regarding your bottom line and if you take off one day, you loose that day’s business.
Lets us now compare this with having a business. The reverse is true for having your own business plus more. You have to have ample stationery on hand to deal with emergencies or a surge of orders for your business. You are constantly thinking about your business and ways of improving your bottom line. You may be the only one checking your own work and lunch time is also the time you eat and work. There is no down time until you say it is. Plus every customer is your boss and you are constantly trying to make your boss happy and satisfied and also looking for more bosses. There is more uncertainty regarding your bottom line and if you take off one day, you loose that day’s business.
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