Why the Rich Pay More in Taxes

[BigSkyBears]

You were kidding with the little ditty about missing the point, weren't you?

You, a Harvard grad who posted a pic from his flight in Alaska, are sitting on a computer in what...a hut ...typing rubbish that people should live a non-consumer lifestyle?

Too funny!

No I'm not kidding
I live in 600 sq. feet - far smaller than the garage of the Average American home
I ride my bike just about everywhere I go
I don't really own anything of great consumer value
My truck has "roll up windows" nothing in it is "automatic" (Ursus can confirm this)
I know too many people that have so much stuff they can't even fit it all in their garage and their house is 2500 sq. feet... just their clothes would fill up my entire living space

Where do you keep your books? Serious question.

[AZGrizFan]

No I'm not kidding
I live in 600 sq. feet - far smaller than the garage of the Average American home
I ride my bike just about everywhere I go
I don't really own anything of great consumer value
My truck has "roll up windows" nothing in it is "automatic" (Ursus can confirm this)
I know too many people that have so much stuff they can't even fit it all in their garage and their house is 2500 sq. feet... just their clothes would fill up my entire living space

Where do you keep your books? Serious question.

He keeps those in his heated, 3500 square foot, 8 stall garage with a penthouse apartment on top.

[death dealer]

I guess I have the best of both worlds. I have a great job, a profession actually, that I am passionate about and keeps me constantly stimulated because it requires me to study and learn continuously in order to keep up to par. I don't hate going to work or feel some drive to reach some "goal" or finsh line. I do feel a drive to be excellent at what I do, but it isn't a sense of reaching a finish line, because everyday brings new chanllenges and new opportunities to learn and grow in my profession. I love it.

I am also handsomely rewarded for my efforts. I can't believe that they actually pay me what they do to show up and have so much fun everyday. So, basically, if I wanted to, I could accumulate all kinds of shit too. But to be honest, I don't want lots of crap I have to take care of, so I don't want to do that. I actually live in a fairly modest home, and drive a pretty simple truck ('04 tundra). Thought about getting a new one a couple of months ago, but the seat in this one fits my butt so well I just don't want to break in a new one. I pay someone else to take care of my grounds. I hate yard work. Granted, I have a lakehouse and a nice boat, but that is more a funtion of swapping around some property that I fell ass backwards into one time so that I could not just own it, but enjoy it (I had a piece of land on a lake that is too far away to enjoy, so I never got around to building a house on it. I bought it a long time ago way before that area was popular. Back then it was in the sticks and nobody had even really heard of it. I was poor back then and couldn't afford a lake spot on a popular expensive lake. I'd go up and camp out on it, and fish the lake, but otherwise, it just sat there. Well, after years of sitting on it, the value had gone crazy, and so had the taxes. Well, we have a lake very close by that is quite nice, and one of my wifes close friends kept inviting us out to their place. We really had lots of fun, and loved how close and accessible it was. So I sold the other place and with the money I made, I bought a house on the lake closer to me, and had enough left over to buy a boat. Just got lucky I guess.)

I think the key to true happiness is find something you feel passionate about, pursue it with fervor, and be excellent at it. Don't make your goal in life just about getting more money than someone else. That usually leads to misery from my experience. If you are really lucky, the thing you are passionate about will also be financially rewarding.

[OL FU]

I am passionate about beer. Drinking it just doesn't pay very well

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I am passionate about beer. Drinking it just doesn't pay very well

yet...

There will come a day when some dumb fucking reality show makes it a career though OL...look at owning a pawn shop for instance.

[death dealer]

I am passionate about beer. Drinking it just doesn't pay very well

This guy would disagree with you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson_(writer)

[OL FU]

I am passionate about beer. Drinking it just doesn't pay very well

This guy would disagree with you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson_(writer)

OK I will change it. I am not smart enough to figure out how to make money from it. I also am a horrible writer without drinking beer. You should see me write when I have had a few

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

This guy would disagree with you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson_(writer)

OK I will change it. I am not smart enough to figure out how to make money from it. I also am a horrible writer without drinking beer. You should see me write when I have had a few

You're right. That's terrible!

[AZGrizFan]

I am passionate about beer. Drinking it just doesn't pay very well

yet...

There will come a day when some dumb fucking reality show makes it a career though OL...look at owning a pawn shop for instance.

Already done.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/brew-masters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

yet...

There will come a day when some dumb fucking reality show makes it a career though OL...look at owning a pawn shop for instance.

Already done.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/brew-masters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No shit.

Watched the clip and I guess that's good for some but I love how all these fucking shows where they are building or making something they have to have some fake drama where there is a conflict between the characters.

It always follows the script of the that chopper show. One guy is over aggressive and hovering about when the other guy is doing his job and some tension breaks out. All of these unimaginative shows should just cut to the usual clip of the son in that Orange County Choppers show after a fight where he would say "You see, what my father doesn't understand is....".

FWIW though AZ I was referring more to the drinking of the beer and not the making of it. There will be a show that comes along that is just about the patrons of some local tavern somewhere and that is how the drunks will suddenly become rich.

[YoUDeeMan]

So, 54%, a majority, dont spend more than they earn each year...and you consider yourself an "oddity"?

As you noted, your stats are old...and deceptive. Care to guess what percentage pay off their balance each month? Care to guess whether that number is going up or down? How many people have credit cards? How many actually use their cards? How many use debit cards? Lots of information out there...not all of it gloom and doom "consumerism". In fact, you'll find a majority of people are not the bloated "keep up with the Jones" types...but don't let that spoil your rant.

Now, back to "consumerism". Lots of definitions, and you can always find some hoitie-toitie- person who likes to think they are above the fray. You might not collect many things...although we've already discovered that you and your girlfriend have a bit more things than most (and you never did answer whether she has a few collectibles or not), but you sure enjoy consuming things. How many times do you fly per year? Where? For what? Hmmmm...kinda' makes that bike comment seem a bit silly. Do you cook at home or do you eat out often?

Yup, all sorts of ways to be into consumerism.

I must have hit pretty close to a nerve there...

Nope. I make very good money and spend it wisely...and invest enough that I don't have to worry about my son's future. And I am more aware than most about people's spending habits...but feel free to skew reality in your own mind.

What I do find funny (hey, maybe you hit the "yuck, yuck" nerve) is when people try to tell the world that they are different...in an Al Gore kind of way.

Too funny, Cleets.

[YoUDeeMan]

Already done.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/brew-masters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No ****.

Watched the clip and I guess that's good for some but I love how all these **** shows where they are building or making something they have to have some fake drama where there is a conflict between the characters.

It always follows the script of the that chopper show. One guy is over aggressive and hovering about when the other guy is doing his job and some tension breaks out. All of these unimaginative shows should just cut to the usual clip of the son in that Orange County Choppers show after a fight where he would say "You see, what my father doesn't understand is....".

FWIW though AZ I was referring more to the drinking of the beer and not the making of it. There will be a show that comes along that is just about the patrons of some local tavern somewhere and that is how the drunks will suddenly become rich.

Screw the tavern idea...let's start a reality TV show about the characters on an internet site.

[AZGrizFan]

No ****.

Watched the clip and I guess that's good for some but I love how all these **** shows where they are building or making something they have to have some fake drama where there is a conflict between the characters.

It always follows the script of the that chopper show. One guy is over aggressive and hovering about when the other guy is doing his job and some tension breaks out. All of these unimaginative shows should just cut to the usual clip of the son in that Orange County Choppers show after a fight where he would say "You see, what my father doesn't understand is....".

FWIW though AZ I was referring more to the drinking of the beer and not the making of it. There will be a show that comes along that is just about the patrons of some local tavern somewhere and that is how the drunks will suddenly become rich.

Screw the tavern idea...let's start a reality TV show about the characters on an internet site.

That just might work. You can't make this shit up.