JimH wrote:
If there is a will there is a way. It depends on how motivated the
person is to succeed in life.

Excuses are easy.

If that were REALLY the case, then why aren't you as rich as Bill
Gates? And don't even try to give me the horse**** excuse that you've
got all the money you need and want.

"basskisser" wrote in message
ups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
NOYB wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
A handful of boats arent representative of a nation of people.


It's nothing more than an indicator. But when paired with all of
the
other indicators, its lends credibility to the notion that our
economy
is
firing on all cylinders.




For the wealthy. That's it. By this time next year, you'll be
bartering
dental services for boat gasoline.

I'm already doing that. One crown no longer equals a tank of of
gas.
Now
it takes one crown, plus one build-up beneath the crown, plus a
two-surface
anterior resin. If it's a posterior tooth, $25 goes into my
pocket.
Of
course, I could always take an extra radiograph to cover bait costs
too.
;-)

Ah, the used car saleman of the medical field.


*New* car salesmen. All of our crowns are new...and the full mouth
rehabilitations cost more than *used* cars.

You just aren't quite swift enough to get it, are you?

Au contraire. I "get it" just fine. But your statement was neither witty
nor accurate...and deserved a stupid post in response.

http://tinyurl.com/qxsvl


I agree with #1, 2, and 4. The rest don't apply to me.

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"JimH" wrote in message
ups.com...
First show me folks who work 90 hours/week for only an annual income of
$25,000.

Even Micky D's pays more than the minimum wage. My son will be making
$10.50/hour plus painting houses this summer, plus another $1.50 for
every hour he worked if he does not miss work (except for vacations).


Never mind. You are unaware of how some people exist.

I certainly do. Do not even go there.

I just do not know of anyone working 90 hours/week at minimum wage. I
seriously doubt that you do.


Sadly, I think you are right.

Let's see.....

90 hours/week x 52 weeks = 4,680 hours
$25,000/4,680 hours = $5.34/hour or just above minimum wage.

My son in high school paints houses during the summer full time for
$10.50/hour
My daughter in college go to school full time and hostess's part time for
$11.50/hour
Mickey D's here and most places pays at least $7.50/hour starting.
Immigrants are earning up to $11/hour on fields owned by reputable farmers.

No pity party here for folks willing to *settle for* minimum wage. They
most likely never even got a high school diploma or worked towards their
GED. My fault? Nope. Lack of motivation? Yep.

And we, the tax payers, pay the price for their general welfare and
healthcare.

But even those settling for minimum wage and working 90 hours/week can go to
school on full grants from the government by taking weekend classes. A
tough life? Yep. But one that will pay off in a few years.

It is all about motivation. It is all about trying to make your life
better. No one else does it for you nor should they have to.

If you are an adult having to work 90 hours/week at minimum
wage.........shame on you.......and don't blame me or anyone else. You
chose it.

Doug,

I have always thought of myself as a fiscal conservative, and a social
liberal. Since the Republicans have given up on the concept of being
fiscally conservative, I may have to look more closely at the Democratic
candidates this year.

Damn the Republicans have gone to hell in a handbasket. They must think
they are LBJ the way they are spending money they don't have.


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"JimH" wrote in message
oups.com...
If there is a will there is a way. It depends on how motivated the
person is to succeed in life.

Excuses are easy.


Person A works a 40 hour week and makes 50k a year.
Person B works a 90 hour week and makes 25k a year.

Would you theorize that it's easier, or harder for person B to go to
college?

NOYB,
Fess up, you know you hit the gas every night after work.

"NOYB" wrote in message
nk.net...

"basskisser" wrote in message
ups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...

NOYB wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
NOYB wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
A handful of boats arent representative of a nation of people.


It's nothing more than an indicator. But when paired with all
of
the
other indicators, its lends credibility to the notion that our
economy
is
firing on all cylinders.




For the wealthy. That's it. By this time next year, you'll be
bartering
dental services for boat gasoline.

I'm already doing that. One crown no longer equals a tank of of
gas.
Now
it takes one crown, plus one build-up beneath the crown, plus a
two-surface
anterior resin. If it's a posterior tooth, $25 goes into my
pocket.
Of
course, I could always take an extra radiograph to cover bait
costs
too.
;-)

Ah, the used car saleman of the medical field.


*New* car salesmen. All of our crowns are new...and the full mouth
rehabilitations cost more than *used* cars.

You just aren't quite swift enough to get it, are you?

Au contraire. I "get it" just fine. But your statement was neither
witty
nor accurate...and deserved a stupid post in response.

http://tinyurl.com/qxsvl


I agree with #1, 2, and 4. The rest don't apply to me.

JimH wrote:
First show me folks who work 90 hours/week for only an annual income of
$25,000.

Even Micky D's pays more than the minimum wage. My son will be making
$10.50/hour plus painting houses this summer, plus another $1.50 for
every hour he worked if he does not miss work (except for vacations).

Your son lives at home and eats out of the family fridge. Big
difference. Even if you charge him a token amount for room and board,
that doesn't compare to trying to make it on his own with a $420/week
gross income and paying the actual expenses. Your son is lucky he has
his family to fall back on, and lucky that he doesn't have to work for
$8-9 an hour like many others do in this WalMart economic model.

Steering back toward the main topic of this thread; your son is a
perfect example of a hard working person who will never be able to
afford a boat (unless he makes more money in the future). Still, more
people than ever before do have *big money* to spend on boats, as well
as other luxuries. My point is that for those at the top things are
great and getting better, but for those at the bottom things are not so
great and prospects aren't very bright, either.
The number of folks in the "middle" is not increasing as fast as the
numbers on the extreme ends.

wrote in message
oups.com...

JimH wrote:
First show me folks who work 90 hours/week for only an annual income of
$25,000.

Even Micky D's pays more than the minimum wage. My son will be making
$10.50/hour plus painting houses this summer, plus another $1.50 for
every hour he worked if he does not miss work (except for vacations).

Your son lives at home and eats out of the family fridge. Big
difference.

Actually no. The point I made is that is that even a high school student
can find a job making far more than minimum wage.

Even if you charge him a token amount for room and board,
that doesn't compare to trying to make it on his own with a $420/week
gross income and paying the actual expenses.

I never brought up anything about trying to make a living on minimum wage
Chuck. I agree, it has to be tough. But that was a decision those folks
living at those wages made at some point in their teenage years.

Skipping out of school. Not being dependable at work. Showing up late or
not showing up at all. Settling for jobs that require no commitment.
Going from minimum wage job to job to job because of all that.

*Our* fault?

The minimum wage was established for entry level jobs......no skills
needed....no education needed. Just show up and work and over time you get
raises. Perhaps you are motivated enough to work hard towards the job of
supervisor, then store manager.

It is *your* choice which path *you* choose to take.


Your son is lucky he has
his family to fall back on, and lucky that he doesn't have to work for
$8-9 an hour like many others do in this WalMart economic model.

My son found this job on his own, as did my daughter. Both are making over
$10/hour and neither has yet been out fending for themselves.

The point being is that no one *has to* work for minimum wage other than the
folks who have no education and/or cannot hold a job because they are lazy.
And even if they did they can still work to better themselves with continued
education......hard work and discipline required though. ;-)

It is all about choice and taking responsibility for the directions in life
you choose. And it is possible to recover from the bad
choices...........but that requires commitment and hard work. We are now
back to my original point. ;-)

On 2 May 2006 11:21:16 -0700, "
wrote:


JohnH wrote:


Could the poor be getting poorer because they don't want to work? Hell,
we've got 10-15 million (depending on who is talking) illegal aliens who
came here and found jobs. If they *are* the poor you refer to, then it's
their own damn fault, and their poverty is certainly skewing the statistic.
--
'Til next time,

John H
******************************************

Did you know that most poor people do work? In some cases, much longer
and harder everyday than people who are well off. There is no direct
correlation between the amount of work one is willing to do and the
amount of money they can expect to make. Motel maids,
landscape laborers, food service workers, agricultural laborers, and
(increasingly) construction laborers are very hard working people who
cannot earn a living wage in a typical 8-9 hour shift.

Yes, they are competing with a lot of illegal immigrants. It's sad to
see how the politicos of both parties want to deal with that problem:
Catch the illegals after they've done some work and then deport them
back to Mexico. Where is the will to deport the darned employers who
pay less than minimum wage, and who pay under the table to avoid
contributing to the tax base that supports the social services people
not earning enough to buy food and shelter are going to need? The
employers who are given phony documents and don't find out from Social
Security for 5-6 months that Jose Rodriguez is not legally entitled to
work in this country may have some defense, but the guy who hands out 3
ten-dollar bills to a day laborer at the end of a shift and keeps no
other records has no excuse whatsoever.

Well, you made my point. If most of the folks you mention above are
immigrants (legal or not), then surely the *illegal* ones are increasing
supply and, therefore, the price goes down.

You seem to understand the consequences of the illegal immigrant problem.
You also seem to be one of the few liberals who does.

Given the enormous influx of illegal immigrants, and their addition to the
rolls of 'the poor', how can Bush be blamed for the 'poor getting poorer'?

This seems to be another reason to get rid of political arguments.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

On Tue, 02 May 2006 19:17:35 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"JimH" wrote in message
roups.com...
If there is a will there is a way. It depends on how motivated the
person is to succeed in life.

Excuses are easy.


Person A works a 40 hour week and makes 50k a year.
Person B works a 90 hour week and makes 25k a year.

Would you theorize that it's easier, or harder for person B to go to
college?


If person B is an illegal immigrant, then he shouldn't be whining. If he is
a legal immigrant, then he should be whining about all the cheap labor
coming over the border, not marching in the streets under a Mexican flag.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

On 2 May 2006 15:23:22 -0700, "
wrote:


JimH wrote:
First show me folks who work 90 hours/week for only an annual income of
$25,000.

Even Micky D's pays more than the minimum wage. My son will be making
$10.50/hour plus painting houses this summer, plus another $1.50 for
every hour he worked if he does not miss work (except for vacations).

Your son lives at home and eats out of the family fridge. Big
difference. Even if you charge him a token amount for room and board,
that doesn't compare to trying to make it on his own with a $420/week
gross income and paying the actual expenses. Your son is lucky he has
his family to fall back on, and lucky that he doesn't have to work for
$8-9 an hour like many others do in this WalMart economic model.

Steering back toward the main topic of this thread; your son is a
perfect example of a hard working person who will never be able to
afford a boat (unless he makes more money in the future). Still, more
people than ever before do have *big money* to spend on boats, as well
as other luxuries. My point is that for those at the top things are
great and getting better, but for those at the bottom things are not so
great and prospects aren't very bright, either.
The number of folks in the "middle" is not increasing as fast as the
numbers on the extreme ends.

And they never will get bright with a million folks a year coming across
the fence willing to work for next to nothing. I can't understand why these
folks are supporting the illegal immigrants when it is costing the *legal*
immigrants.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************