The Nearly Free University

With millions of third party payers artificially boosting demand for higher education it's very difficult to estimate the real cost of a college degree.

In this clip from the Tom Woods Show, author Charles Hugh Smith speculates about the cost of "higher education" in a free market.  Do you think it's closer to $120,000 or $5,000?

To learn more about the declining costs of education be sure to check out Charles Hugh Smith's new book "The Nearly Free University"...

The Booming Brazilian Riot Gear Market

Supporters of a native community living at the Indian Museum
are hit with pepper spray. (Rio de Janeiro, March 2013, Reuters/Ricardo Moraes)

Two weeks ahead of the month-long World Cup the people calling themselves "Brazil" have stocked up on non-lethal weapons.  Why?

Reuters reports that the state is expecting small "anti-government protests" during the Cup.

The people of Brazil are not so pleased with the government spending nearly $4 billion (US) of taxpayer funds on a dozen soccer stadiums.  Not to mention the state paving over an Indian museum in Rio de Janeiro and arresting the native residents who have lived there for eight years. This to make room for a parking lot outside the stadium.      

Police, military and politicians are confiscating another $850 million for World Cup security.

But no need to worry concerned taxpayer of Brazil.  The Defense Minister said:

"If troops have to use weapons, they will first use non-lethal arms"

"First".  

Police Arresting Indians at an Indian Museum in Rio.
(March 2013, AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Happy Tax Freedom Day!

Workers in the U.S. can now spend the next eight months working for themselves.  Up until today all their previous income for 2014 will be used to pay taxes for the full year.    

Thanks to the Tax Foundation for calculating the people's total tax bill.  In these United States nearly one-third of total income is siphoned by the state.

U.S. Taxpayers Bailing Out Canadian Ruling Class

Did you feel a little lighter in the pockets after filing your 1040 this month?  U.S. taxpayers are another $37 million in debt thanks to the Canadian ruling class.  Back in December of 2012 the U.S. Pentagon announced a new contract for Canadian millionaires to perform work in Afghanistan for the Air Force.

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND

            Canadian Commercial Corp., / Canadian Helicopters Ltd., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, is being awarded a $37,103,792 option year modification for rotary wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger and cargo air transportation services.  Work will be performed in Afghanistan, and the option will start Dec. 1, 2012, to be completed by Nov. 30, 2013. 

Contract here

So who is the Canadian Commercial Corp.?  Their website describes their duties pretty clearly:

A Crown corporation of the Government of Canada, the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) acts as Canada’s international contracting and procurement agency.   

CCC helps Canada live up to its responsibilities as an active partner in North America’s integrated defence industrial base. 

Every year, CCC manages an average of $1 billion in contracts for goods and services to be delivered by Canadian companies to the U.S. DoD and NASA. 
Over the past 55 years, Canada’s DPSA contracts have totalled more than $30 billion.

Did you vote to spend that $30 billion?