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Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

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  • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

    Originally posted by unofan View Post
    Ah yes, bootstrap conservatism in a nutshell.

    You remind me of my Godfather, who tells me constantly I just need to take risks and everything will go great. No, that's why they call it a risk. Because for some people, it doesn't.
    I didn't take risks. I just put in the work. No matter how crappy the job, if I needed to do that to make a living, I did it. Working in a food court (24+ hours on the weekends) in your mid-20's is not glamorous, nor is it fun, but I needed it if I wanted any sort of spending money. My main job barely covered my bills. I worked 70 hour weeks back then between two jobs, so I wouldn't have to now.
    Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
    Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

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    • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

      Originally posted by Old Pio View Post
      I could have sworn that we'd spent trillions of dollars over the past 50 years or so in a "war on poverty." Must have been misinformed. As to giving poor kids an "even shot," send 'em all to Cornell, to major in agriculture (like the hockey players). Problem solved. One of our most pernicious iron triangles consists of beneficiaries of various programs, the congressmen who represent them (the raison d'etre for the Congressional Black Caucus) and the heavily unionized employees and bureaucrats who administer them. Zero motivation to look for more effective solutions. Years ago the National Alliance of Businessmen had a devastating print ad that showed 4 generations of black females from the same family, all of whom were on assistance, none of whom had any realistic prospect of getting off. For the money we're spending, we should get better results.
      Well said.

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      • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

        Originally posted by Brenthoven View Post
        I won't pretend to know true poverty. What I can attest to, is that I moved out with $100 to my name, and with some hard work and a little luck, I made a nice living and situation for myself. Am I well off? Not even close. Do I make enough to have a little fun here and there? Yes. I went without a few things for years, to get where I am. Others can do the same, if they are determined enough.
        I had my first job outside the home for pay when I was 12. Still have a copy of my first paycheck. It wasn't that unusual either, many of my friends were in similar situations: the idea that people need to work as a routine part of life was deeply ingrained and quite widespread at that time.

        and so was the concept of "saving." No matter how little one made, one always set aside a part of it, no matter how tiny, because you never knew when you'd need quick access to ready cash in the future.




        The first time I read about a lawsuit maintaining that people had a "right" not to work.... w. t. f. is that? It was really hard to comprehend exactly what point they were trying to prove.
        Last edited by FreshFish; 01-03-2015, 10:14 AM.
        "Hope is a good thing; maybe the best of things."

        "Beer is a sign that God loves us and wants us to be happy." -- Benjamin Franklin

        "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." -- W. B. Yeats

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        • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

          Originally posted by FreshFish View Post
          The step-up in cost basis at death is primarily to avoid an accounting nightmare.

          Mom and Dad (say) buy a house together in 1969. Dad dies in 1999. Due to unlimited marital deduction, no estate tax on half of house left to Mom. What is basis at this point?? Mom dies in 2019, say. You are the executor: you have to pay capital gains tax. Good luck funding out (a) what Mom and Dad paid for the house in 1969, and (b) what the "fair market value" of the house was in 1999.

          Or Uncle Mookie (say) dabbled in stocks, with a Dividend ReInvestment Program. You are the executor of his estate. What is the cost basis in his stock portfolio?

          Imagine you are the IRS auditor assigned to audit the estate tax return. Good luck!

          At the very least, give everyone a step-up in cost basis at death to fair market value at date of death, lower the estate tax exemption, and tax most estates at capital gains tax rates (except the ones over the current level, keep that level and those rates as they are).
          No thanks. If you can't afford to pay the taxes, then perhaps you should liquidate the estate.

          The step up in basis is how the mega rich have hoarded their money from generation to generation. Time for that to change.

          I guess I'd be OK with a primary residence being exempted and allowed to step up in cost basis. But stocks? No. And just because you can't find that information doesn't exempt you from the law. Up until recently you were required to keep track of your costs bases.
          Code:
          As of 9/21/10:         As of 9/13/10:
          College Hockey 6       College Football 0
          BTHC 4                 WCHA FC:  1
          Originally posted by SanTropez
          May your paint thinner run dry and the fleas of a thousand camels infest your dead deer.
          Originally posted by bigblue_dl
          I don't even know how to classify magic vagina smoke babies..
          Originally posted by Kepler
          When the giraffes start building radio telescopes they can join too.
          He's probably going to be a superstar but that man has more baggage than North West

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          • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

            Originally posted by Brenthoven View Post
            I didn't take risks. I just put in the work. No matter how crappy the job, if I needed to do that to make a living, I did it. Working in a food court (24+ hours on the weekends) in your mid-20's is not glamorous, nor is it fun, but I needed it if I wanted any sort of spending money. My main job barely covered my bills. I worked 70 hour weeks back then between two jobs, so I wouldn't have to now.
            That's great, and admirable. I've been there too. What's sad to me is that "My main job barely covered my bills" is becoming more and more common in full-time jobs that require a lot of education and training, while the top earners get an increasingly larger share of the pie. In my company this division is growing with things like this: our health plan was closed a couple years ago, and "replaced by" a 3% raise across the board and the availability of a HSA to put it in. But the health plan was worth 15% or more of some employees' incomes, and perhaps 1% of others. But the 3% raise for all was considered equitable. Not cool, it just increased the chasm in earnings without being tied to real production value.
            Huskies are very intelligent and trainable. Huskies make an excellent jogging companion, as long as it is not too hot. Grooming is minimal; bathing is normally unnecessary.
            USCHO Fantasy Baseball Champion 2011 2013 2015

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            • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

              Which is why I tell everyone to pay attention in math and science and forget the artsy fartsy classes. If you aren't going into the physical sciences nowadays, you're setting yourself up for failure. Unless of course you can weld.
              Code:
              As of 9/21/10:         As of 9/13/10:
              College Hockey 6       College Football 0
              BTHC 4                 WCHA FC:  1
              Originally posted by SanTropez
              May your paint thinner run dry and the fleas of a thousand camels infest your dead deer.
              Originally posted by bigblue_dl
              I don't even know how to classify magic vagina smoke babies..
              Originally posted by Kepler
              When the giraffes start building radio telescopes they can join too.
              He's probably going to be a superstar but that man has more baggage than North West

              Comment


              • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                And all of those things are all well and good except if you have dependents. Start throwing in things like extra food and daycare and suddenly you're working two jobs just to keep up, something that is either not an option or basically leaves a kid without their parents.
                U-A-A!!!Go!Go!GreenandGold!
                Applejack Tells You How UAA Is Doing...
                I spell Failure with UAF

                Originally posted by UAFIceAngel
                But let's be real...There are 40 some other teams and only two alaskan teams...the day one of us wins something big will be the day I transfer to UAA
                Originally posted by Doyle Woody
                Best sign by a visting Seawolf fan Friday went to a young man who held up a piece of white poster board that read: "YOU CAN'T SPELL FAILURE WITHOUT UAF."

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                • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                  Originally posted by dxmnkd316 View Post
                  Which is why I tell everyone to pay attention in math and science and forget the artsy fartsy classes. If you aren't going into the physical sciences nowadays, you're setting yourself up for failure. Unless of course you can weld.
                  BS, there are many trades besides welding a guy can make a good living doing.
                  I swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell.

                  Maine Hockey Love it or Leave it

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                  • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                    Well, yeah. But welding is a skill that will last a lifetime. I can't think of one that is more in demand and only poised to be that way for a while.
                    Code:
                    As of 9/21/10:         As of 9/13/10:
                    College Hockey 6       College Football 0
                    BTHC 4                 WCHA FC:  1
                    Originally posted by SanTropez
                    May your paint thinner run dry and the fleas of a thousand camels infest your dead deer.
                    Originally posted by bigblue_dl
                    I don't even know how to classify magic vagina smoke babies..
                    Originally posted by Kepler
                    When the giraffes start building radio telescopes they can join too.
                    He's probably going to be a superstar but that man has more baggage than North West

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by dxmnkd316 View Post
                      Well, yeah. But welding is a skill that will last a lifetime. I can't think of one that is more in demand and only poised to be that way for a while.
                      Which not many do because they take away classes in school that teach that stuff. And then steer kids away from learning those skills because when a kid is 13 it's "but you need to go to college!"
                      U-A-A!!!Go!Go!GreenandGold!
                      Applejack Tells You How UAA Is Doing...
                      I spell Failure with UAF

                      Originally posted by UAFIceAngel
                      But let's be real...There are 40 some other teams and only two alaskan teams...the day one of us wins something big will be the day I transfer to UAA
                      Originally posted by Doyle Woody
                      Best sign by a visting Seawolf fan Friday went to a young man who held up a piece of white poster board that read: "YOU CAN'T SPELL FAILURE WITHOUT UAF."

                      Comment


                      • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                        Originally posted by walrus View Post
                        BS, there are many trades besides welding a guy can make a good living doing.
                        I'm in warehousing. No college degree (by choice). I started off wanting to be a CPA. Ask Hammer how that job is. I'd want to kill myself if I continued that route.
                        Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
                        Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

                        Comment


                        • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                          Originally posted by geezer View Post
                          That's great, and admirable. I've been there too. What's sad to me is that "My main job barely covered my bills" is becoming more and more common in full-time jobs that require a lot of education and training, while the top earners get an increasingly larger share of the pie. In my company this division is growing with things like this: our health plan was closed a couple years ago, and "replaced by" a 3% raise across the board and the availability of a HSA to put it in. But the health plan was worth 15% or more of some employees' incomes, and perhaps 1% of others. But the 3% raise for all was considered equitable. Not cool, it just increased the chasm in earnings without being tied to real production value.
                          Bingo! The cost of living is rising faster than wages are. 10 years ago I could have lived off my current salary but now?
                          "It's as if the Drumpf Administration is made up of the worst and unfunny parts of the Cleveland Browns, Washington Generals, and the alien Mon-Stars from Space Jam."
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                          • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                            If everyone studied engineering that wouldn't exactly be ideal either.

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                            • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                              Originally posted by trixR4kids View Post
                              If everyone studied engineering that wouldn't exactly be ideal either.
                              I'll take a break from ignoring you:

                              The world needs ditch-diggers too, to borrow from Caddyshack. HVAC, warehousing, plumbing, etc...there's money there. No pretty jobs, but that's why they pay so well. Hell, garbagemen make some decent dough. Why? Who the heck wants to do it? If one can't get a decent paying white-collar job, then swallow your pride (for lack of a better term) and take up blue-collar. It's still an honorable profession. I take great pride in my work, and to any hater who wants to look down their nose, F you.
                              Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
                              Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

                              Comment


                              • Re: Riots and Racists and Looting...OH MY!!!

                                Originally posted by trixR4kids View Post
                                If everyone studied engineering that wouldn't exactly be ideal either.
                                Right. College isn't for everyone. People whine about plumbers and auto mechanics charging too much, but if it was too much you wouldn't be giving them your business. What I'd like to see is for people in the "production" areas of larger businesses earning nearer what private contractors are able to command. Of course the trouble with relying on government to simply hike the minimum wage is that you end up with the flip side problem: earnings still aren't tied to actual value produced. And the trouble with organizing is that unions, as they grow, tend to become more controlling and overbearing (see: confiscation of paychecks for kickbacks to political candidates) than the company was as an independent employer. Not to mention the prevalence of free riders in powerful unions. I don't have a good solution other than shopping your services around... but I'm not opposed to hiking taxes on upper earners. IMO it's just silly for anyone to say the work they've personally done the past year is worth millions of dollars. It's an illusion.
                                Last edited by geezer; 01-03-2015, 06:11 PM.
                                Huskies are very intelligent and trainable. Huskies make an excellent jogging companion, as long as it is not too hot. Grooming is minimal; bathing is normally unnecessary.
                                USCHO Fantasy Baseball Champion 2011 2013 2015

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