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[quote=CA renter][quote=KIBU]This is interesting from a study done by researchers at Harvard medical school:

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130529/LIFESTYLES03/305290035/Study-Immigrants-provide-115B-subsidy-Medicare

Study: Immigrants provide $115B subsidy to Medicare
They use fewer services than Americans do

WASHINGTON — Immigrants contributed about $115 billion more from their paychecks to the Medicare Trust Fund than they took out over a seven-year period in the past decade, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School.

As the Senate debates a new immigration bill and House Republicans work toward a bill that restricts access to government services for unauthorized immigrants who become legal citizens, the researchers concluded in a study released Wednesday that restricting immigration could deplete the fund.

Researchers looked at data from 2002 to 2009.

“The assumption that immigrants are just a drain has been a part of the argument that people should be denied services,” said Leah Zallman, lead researcher and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. “Immigration policy has been closely linked to Medicare’s finances.”

Immigrant subsidy
Studies had shown that immigrants use less health care than U.S.-born people, including in government programs, but no one had looked at their contributions to those programs.

In 2009, the researchers found, immigrants contributed $13.9 billion more to the Medicare Trust Fund than they used, while U.S.-born people spent $31 billion more than they contributed. Immigrants, Zallman said, essentially subsidize U.S. health care.[/quote]

The immigrants who pay into Medicare would likely be the legal ones who tend to be more highly-skilled (they admitted in the paper that they couldn’t track Medicare contributions by illegal immigrants who use fake SSNs). They are also often here on work visas of some sort, so would be less likely to use Medicare benefits, naturally.

This study doesn’t show the total public costs vs. benefits of **illegal** immigration, or legal immigration of low-skilled workers. Of course, it would be difficult to quantify since the PTB have made it difficult to document the costs of illegal immigration (you’re not allowed to ask about resident status, for instance, when enrolling students for school, etc.).[/quote]

The authors speculate that illegals are underrepresented in both the census and the medicare data.

I am surprised that something like this study can be published under Harvard’s brand – there is no definition of terms, the data is limited, the discussion and conclusions are emotional, speculative and go well beyond what’s captured in data.

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AN & FLU left the building few months ago.

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[quote=CA renter]
FWIW, many homes in our area are being listed at **above-peak** prices, and many are selling for those amounts. This is a bubble as far as I’m concerned.[/quote]

Above-peak prices, but not above-peak payments. The rates were ~6% in 2007 vs 3.5% today. I paid the bottom price in 2009, but my monthly payment in 2009 was higher than what the today’s bubble price payment would be.

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[quote=bearishgurl]
Isn’t the CIA part of the Justice Dept??
[/quote]
No.
It does disseminate justice, but it is not a part of the Department of Justice.

[quote=bearishgurl]
If not, which Department is it under…
[/quote]
CIA is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence.

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is the United States government official – subject to the authority, direction, and control of the President.

[quote=bearishgurl]
… and does the US Atty General work for them?
[/quote]
AG does not report to the Director of National Intelligence, no.

[quote=bearishgurl]
Did you think the CIA had subpoena powers on their own?
[/quote]
I don’t know. Maybe it does, maybe it does not. In this particular case it was not the CIA.

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[quote=bearishgurl] But we don’t have to to know what the (gubment-controlled) media tells their public (“measured,” of course) in those regimes.
[/quote]

So all you know about the said (communist or Communist?) countries comes from the domestic media, which is naturally free of any commercial and government control?

[quote=all]Don’t be. The CIA did not subpoena AP journalists’ phone records, so it’s all good. ….[/quote]

[quote=bearishgurl]
craptcha, that’s not what it says here, posted a little over an hour ago:

http://news.yahoo.com/associated-press-says-u-government-seized-journalists-phone-001433899.html
[/quote]

And the article says CIA issued the subpoena?

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[quote=bearishgurl]

I just believe that a law-abiding American citzen has a right to privacy.
[/quote]

Right. But how do we know you are a law-abiding citizen without investigating you?

[quote=bearishgurl]
I’m particularly disturbed about the journalists’ phone records being subpeonaed by the CIA in the absence of any arrests.
[/quote]

Don’t be. The CIA did not subpoena AP journalists’ phone records, so it’s all good. And it’s never too late for an arrest.

[quote=bearishgurl]
We would have access only to the “propaganda” shown to the public in Communist countries or those countries with otherwise corrupt regimes.[/quote]

Of course, you know the people in Communist countries have access to nothing but “propaganda” because you spent so much time there. Oh, wait, no, it’s because you read it in the last year’s edition of CIA world factbook.

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[quote=bearishgurl]
I don’t have any Big Brothers, don’t need any and don’t want any … for good reason.[/quote]

That sound suspicious. You got something to hide?

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[quote=bearishgurl]
Oh, and btw, I’ve slept in my vehicle at numerous rest stops in my life (sometimes alone, sometimes not) and have never had a “predator or crazy person” or anyone, for that matter, so much as knock on my window.[/quote]

That’s because you are not as cute and defenseless as paramount.

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Giant wave kills American tourist in Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas, injures another

A 65-year old woman was killed when a giant wave struck two American tourists strolling on the beach near the famous stone arch in the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas.

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A friend of mine just bought a house in north county, primary residence, all cash. He plans to refinance with 50-60% LTV loan.

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[quote=paramount]
We’re still waiting for your in-depth posts…[/quote]

Did I ever promise one?
I am too shallow to do an in-depth post.

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[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=all]It’s good to see a post by Allan again, regardless of the content.[/quote]

Thanks.

I think.[/quote]

It was a compliment 🙂

I did not have time to read through the recent posts. I was just happy to see your handle on the page. I might not agree with you on some issues, but I always like the style and depth of your posts and how you engage some other smart people on this board.

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[quote=paramount]Is there anyone on this forum reading or writing from Boston? Or know someone in Boston during the seige?

It would be interesting to get a 1st hand account of what it’s like to be living under hardcore martial law.[/quote]

A friend of mine complained that he’s stuck at home with two kids and no beer.

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It’s good to see a post by Allan again, regardless of the content.

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[quote=Essbee]
Ooh, I hadn’t noticed the missing sink fixtures until you pointed that out. Anything else missing / other damage other than some dirt on one of the rugs? I thought the pictures made it look pretty nice, although that bright orange used for some of the accent walls is a little odd.[/quote]

I did not see the inside in person. The Redfin agent’s comment says oven/range/dishwasher/door handles are missing. You can see plumbing fixtures missing in at least one of the showers. The handles on faucets seem to be missing as well.

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