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Slightly OT(but slightly not)...Why are people so dumb?
invite response
2011 Jun 11, 4:34am 22,060 views 174 comments
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haha! dude, when i’m sitting on the toilet
Yeah, well you sure do a lot of talking out of your ass, so it makes sense that you'd talk about your toilet habits.
It's funny, I gave plenty of practical considerations, and you gave plenty of theoretical considerations that don't pan out in practice, and yet you're accusing me of the Good Will Hunting textbook crap.
You tried to school people in accounting and failed, and yet you keep talking. The analyst crap is just a smokescreen for the initial failing. Yes, everyone who knows finance knows about how you can take things off-balance sheet, but accounting is accounting and something completely different.
great, you broke your lease with no repercussions. guess what- i can name a few people who’ve stopped paying their mortgage a really really long time ago and they’re still living in the residence and doing alright. you’re a deadbeat and they’re deadbeats and you both haven’t suffered. great. doesn’t make it a good idea to walk away from a liability, regardless of it’s classification.
Perhaps, but I was prepared to deal with the contractual liability from breaking my lease. The landlord knew that it wasn't worth pursuing, and I had claims against the landlord for inhabitability issues, so he knew that he could face something, so we both walked away. Knowing when to litigate and when to exercise your contractual rights and how to interpret and use contractual remedies to your advantage is a good thing.
touche. you've shown to have a very sound understanding of the topics you've beached.
we def have some fundamental disagreements. however, i think we agree on more than we disagree.
our disagreements are akin to arguing over the best slice of pizza- it makes the other person talk about the 2nd greatest slice like its dog food.
let's move on to something else. how about we talk about investment opportunities (ex-physical real estate) that can make everyone some money.
how about we talk about investment opportunities (ex-physical real estate) that can make everyone some money.
Wouldn't that be a topic for another thread? Please link me. You have piqued my curiosity.
we def have some fundamental disagreements. however, i think we agree on more than we disagree.
Most likely that's true, although I'm still waiting for some libertarian-type to complain about people with guns taking their money. You seem pretty knowledgeable yourself.
let’s move on to something else. how about we talk about investment opportunities (ex-physical real estate) that can make everyone some money.
Amen. I don't read the investing forum here that much because it seems a little quiet. Maybe I should post my long post about variable universal life insurance there.
our disagreements are akin to arguing over the best slice of pizza- it makes the other person talk about the 2nd greatest slice like its dog food.
I prefer the "hole in the wall" joints back in the Bronx myself....but that's just me. Again, a topic for another thread.
"Maybe I should post my long post about variable universal life insurance there."
alright. now we're making progress. i could def write some commentary in support of that effort.
in fact, i saw you comment on the thread about the "150k inc looking for inv. ideas" thread.
that guy would be perfect for vul, should he be in the market for ins.
HOUSELESS BUT NOT HOMELESS:
i'm game to start a thread and begin exchanging ideas- IF people are serious and can bring something to the table.
I prefer the “hole in the wall†joints back in the Bronx myself….but that’s just me. Again, a topic for another thread.
ha. can't speak for the bronx but can def recommend a few places in the city, should you be here in the late-night hours.
i’m game to start a thread and begin exchanging ideas- IF people are serious and can bring something to the table.
I've got nothing to bring to the table except my ears (or eyes, depending how you "look" at it.)
Your call.
i’m game to start a thread and begin exchanging ideas- IF people are serious and can bring something to the table.
I'm game.
Waste not want not! Eat the dead and try not to envy them.
This, btw, is the only way to eat a 'complete' protein from one food source. Just one of the things I learned reading 'The China Study.'
his, btw, is the only way to eat a ‘complete’ protein from one food source.
Soylent Green is made of used house salesmen!
That is the point. A good place for everyday life beats the hell out of a Cool and Hip Place. The Cool and Hip place is cool and it is hip, but that’s about it.
Yeah, but doesn't seeing the Magna Carta set a helpful context for having the experiences in your first list? I would say some experiences you're calling "Cool and Hip" are being undersold, because they do go beyond just hipness and help inform the thoughts you have about family.
B.A.C.A.H.
2011 Jun 15, 1:47pm
doesn’t seeing the Magna Carta set a helpful context for having the experiences in your first list?
Yes it does, and so does the reality of it that I didn't have to see the thing to appreciate it.
Kind of like other important documents, the Real Magna Carta, the one that matters, is not the animal hide it was written on; the Real Magna Carta is the ideas expressed on it.
But it's really Cool and Hip to boast and flaunt that it came to be displayed in our region and not some place in flyover land.
B.A.C.A.H.
2011 Jun 15, 1:52pm
People who only focus on their credit report are taking a pretty narrow and naive focus on finance
No kidding!
The Over The Top obsession with credit scores is just an incessant attempt to Gin Us Up to keep borrowing and paying them interest.
God forbid we go on borrowing strike, it'll force down the interest payments they get as the compete with each other to lend to us.
The rentiers need us to borrow a whole lot more than we need to do the borrowing.
bubblesitter
2011 Jun 16, 4:48am
The Over The Top obsession with credit scores
Biggest scam on this planet, run by the US banks. Screw it, CASH ONLY!
FortWayne
2011 Jun 16, 7:01am
The Over The Top obsession with credit scores
Biggest scam on this planet, run by the US banks. Screw it, CASH ONLY!
much, much agreed. So despicable and disgusting how people like sheep line up to be good consumers to bow down before the banks and their credit score system.
Oh how things have changed. We have an entire generation of sheep. What happened to good old America where you could tell the bank to shove it and they would come chasing after you begging you to take their money because we were all allergic to debt. Today it's the other way around, there is even a tollbooth between houses and people. You want to buy a house, pay your toll to the bank first.
There are area’s in CA where you can buy a newly build 3000sqft home for $175k. That’s more than half of what it would actually cost to build (permits+labor+material)…its common sense that those area’s won’t go much further. They may stay at these levels but sinking significantly lower? How do you reason your claims?
LOL, very simple.
These houses should never be built. People do not need to live in these areas. These houses have no value at all but may be the price of firewood you can make from them minus what you will pay to illegal mexicans to cut and chop the wood.
What I mean to say is, I want to die with nothing in my pockets after having a great life enjoying the limited time afforded me. So many on these forums write about how much they have in the bank or in investments. They wake up looking at the balances and pinch every penny. I rent a small apartment, drive a beater, and save 1000 bucks for any emergency. I blow all the rest enjoying myself and on others. By the way I make a six figure salary and have zip in 401k or stocks or banks. They are all setup to take from us.
How old are you? At what age you want to die with nothing in your pockets?
43. And I have been all over the world. I started in the marine corps at 17 fought in the gulf war. Got out in 1991 and worked odd jobs. Traveled some more, went to university when I turned 30, now I am a IT director fOr the Feds. I do not have cable tv or and debts what so ever. I rent and when most people spend money on stuff or feed it to the stock market in 401k's that the guberment will take later on, I enjoy my money today. I own a iPhone a beater car and got all my furniture on craigslist fOr free. I bring my lunch to work and live I. Jeans an tee shirts. I also make a six figure income with a pension. So life is very good. People even if you dO not make a lot of money if you realize that life is short and enjoy it now then you win.
What I mean to say is, I want to die with nothing in my pockets after having a great life enjoying the limited time afforded me. So many on these forums write about how much they have in the bank or in investments. They wake up looking at the balances and pinch every penny. I rent a small apartment, drive a beater, and save 1000 bucks for any emergency. I blow all the rest enjoying myself and on others. By the way I make a six figure salary and have zip in 401k or stocks or banks. They are all setup to take from us.
What the hell do you spend your money on? Prostitues and blow? haha.
Actually yes, I travel all over the world and have a great time. I enjoy my money and think retirement is a bullshit idea. Also I have no credit as it is a fucking scam.
It sure is. I used to have a high fico score which only put me into debt. I learned this game very young and now no credit or debt. Just take me paycheck and travel and go out a lot. Retirement is a scam as well. After a year or so retired I would be so fucking bored. I am at the beach typing this.
But it’s really Cool and Hip to boast and flaunt that it came to be displayed in our region and not some place in flyover land.
Oh, I understand better. Thanks. You were addressing the exclusivity of the availability as the hipness part.
I agree with your thoughts about getting the concepts without having to see the actual place they were written down, but I also know that my brain sometimes doesn't get these concepts until they're staring me right in the face. Sometimes the abstraction of words obscures a deeper meaning and a connection with the writer.
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I am not talking about IQ or intelligence level.
I'm talking about uncaring and unthinking. The people who walk or drive around in a daze....they have the intellectual capacity, but choose not to use it.
The people who buy houses in CA at the moment.
This is actually sort of a serious question. And for it I go back to my grandparents. Immigrated here from Germany in the early 1920's. Both their parents had fought in WWI for the Germans, and they came here because Germany was @^%$^ up. Seriously, my grandfather was starving to death in Berlin. Came here, learned english real quick, finished school up through 8th grade and thats it. Went to work. No advanced education. Not even a serious worker. My grandfather played semi pro baseball and was drafted by the Yankees, but broke his leg on the last game before reporting to the Yankees minor league team. My grandmothers life was unremarkable as well. I'm not even sure when they met.
But they did, saved, went to work really hard jobs during the depression, saved more, bought a house. In 1941 at age 37, my grandfather, with baby on the way, was drafted into WWII. He was a medic under Gen. Stillwell in southeast asia, assigned to assist a Chinese Army unit. At some point along the way, things were a real bloodbath there. I only know that from history, he would never talk about it except to complain about marching over the Burma road a couple times, and saying that they had to stand watch at night more due to the tigers than the japanese.
When he got back, they stayed in the same 2 bed/1ba house, even with a kid. He got a job at a nearby tire factory. They were happy and even though they never had a TON of money to spend, they enjoyed life pretty well. honestly, California seems to have been almost a magical place in the 50's. The picture perfect land of milk and honey.
After years at the tire factory, he became very involved with the union, eventually retiring and going to work for the union full time. At some point in the early 70's, he felt the union was pushing pay too much. He warned that the tire company would move if the union kept trying to negotiate higher salaries. He retired in 1975 in part because of the unions insistence on negotiating higher salaries. The tire factory closed in 1979, and I can't remember if they moved to another state, or overseas, but nearly all their production is now overseas. The location is now the Citadel shopping center in Commerce.
So he retired at 65, enjoyed the last 10 years of his life retired. Never spent a lot...def did not buy stuff he did not need. He did collect stamps, coins, and model trains. He started buying me baseball cards in 1979 when he would pick me up from school once a week. We would go and get an ice cream at Thrifty's and a $0.15 pack of Topps baseball cards. He drove the same car for 10 years before replacing it, took a vacation once a year, spent when it was justified, was frugal most of the rest of the time.
My grandmother was a clerk with the county part time for 30 years.
Despite no real education, they managed all this(with six figures in the bank as well). They used what was known as "common sense". Things they could not figure out for themselves...they took the advice of someone who was brighter. They did things the "tried and true" way. And they never needed, wanted, or pursued extravagance, even when they had actually worked hard and earned it. A night out once a week was an ice cream cone and movie in a more upscale area like Whittier or Downey. Vacation was a tent in Yosemite. A car was a means to transport them somewhere. Pleasure was a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice on the backyard patio.
So whats the point of all this? It's to question how people currently live their lives. Still after all the economic problems of the past 6-7 years, people still INSIST entitlement to material goods. People still stretch to buy the most house they can possibly get a loan for. And people still run around without any regard for common sense.
And so onto my question...Where is the disconnect? How did we go from immigrants who could not speak the language comming here and building a hard scrabble life into the quintissential American Dream....to what we have now days. People who are seemingly incapable of exercising common sense. People who spend nonsensical high 6 and low seven figure amounts on homes and land that in no way shape or form will ultimately sustain a value that high. People who make the largest(by far) purchase of their life on whimsy and emotion USING SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY(EFF U SUZANNE).