Greg_W

quote: Originally posted by thelawgoddess: maybe the administrators need a nurse betty ... Hmmm...thelawgoddess is wanting to play doctor. Are you diversifying into themedicalgoddess?

Thanks Mike, but take my advice and leave Dr. Flash Amazing off your list. He is a vile stain upon society that feeds off the bile of humanity. Imagine, if you will, a combination of the Emperor from Return of the Jedi, Jabba the Hut, Janet Reno, and Roseanne Barr, and you will see 1/10 of the sickness that is Dr. Flash Amazing. Happy Thanksgiving back at ya, Mike. Greg W

quote: Originally posted by Muffy The Wanker Sprayer: learn to hunt something yummy Is stalking considered hunting?

Tanya Harding is probably the only person Tyson IS afraid of.

quote: Originally posted by Muffy The Wanker Sprayer: as it will be turkey day on the morrow, shant we all eat from the turkey bird? Except iain What's Iain eating? A TOF-URKEY?

Looking to do some cragging or whatever on Friday. Index maybe? Drop me a PM, yo. Greg W

Q: How do you know if a blonde has been using your computer? A: There's whiteout on your monitor screen.

Hey, I was a SprayLord yesterday (just got fitted for my crown). Now I'm a "corporate cash waster". Anybody else have a new title? Will Trask become a "Turkey F'er" for the holiday season? Greg W P.S. DFA's a tool. I hope your drunken uncle vomits on your new Dave Graham action figure

quote: Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: Sweet! Power to the peeps all the way! Nice. Glad you haven't changed you dick.

quote: Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: "Collective bargaining, in my opinion, is a legal form of extortion and an attempt at mob rule." Mob rule? Like, where a bunch of people pull together to get the person in charge to run things how the group wants them run? Like one of those democracy things where people pull together to get the person in charge to ... hey, wait a minute! No, like when a bunch of people pull together and make it clear to a business owner that there could be bad "accidents" or low "productivity" if said business owner doesn't do what the group wants. Like when a large group of people get together go to a business owner and say, "we won't allow your products to reach their destination unless you give us XXX amount of dollars."

Look, dude. My head is starting to hurt. It works with cash, too. If more goods are created and sold, more cash enters the marketplace, right? But more goods have entered the marketplace as well, so there isn't an imbalance...head is really hurting now. My thinking here (could be wrong) is that as long as there isn't an imbalance of cash to goods, the dollar won't devalue. It's when one or the other is in greater supply than the other is when there is a devaluation. Someone help, head pounding...I'm going home. Greg W

quote: Originally posted by Mr. Natural: thanks for the sure fire second from page top formula there trask. spanked your ass, ho

SC - supply and demand, 'nough said. You are right that goods are devalued when there is a glut, but if more goods enter the marketplace to satisfy growing demand then there is balance.

quote: Originally posted by Jim: Sometimes bad things happen to good, hard-working people. They get seriously hurt, have a mental illness, get sick. They loose their job. It could happen to you or your family. What then? Tough luck? The supports to help some people are being tossed aside in favor of increasing supports to the upper class. I personally know a logger who had his back crushed by a bad tree felling. His family is struggling, medical bills, physical therapy, drugs. He's the least person to expect a handout. I would argue we need to give him a helping hand, and let him live a dignified life with proper medical treatment. And guess what? His social security disability and medicare doesn't cut it. When I see him over the holiday I'll convey your message of "Don't like where you are - change it". Do you know what used to happen to people who had such pitfalls? Their families and their churches used to take care of them. Where are those institutions now? I personally buy more beef than I need so that I can help my mother-in-law (and some of you dirtbag climbers) with some good red meat. Not much, but it helps supplement her small income (and JayB will keep climbing with me ) Greg W

quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: BTW, your family isn't free-loading off you, are they? Hmmmm.... Put 'em to work! No, my wife has a job and pays half the bills. Plus, I receive other benefits from my wife . My daughter is 3 and is my responsibility until she can go out on her own; I invest in her by teaching her to be self-reliant and make smart choices in her life. See, it's a vicious circle. Greg W

quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: But I also think that you are overlooking all the benefits you have received in your lifetime; the benefits of family, the benefits of education, the benefits of being in this country. If you can see these as being benefits, I wonder why you wouldn't be more inclined to want to share these benefits with others? Don't you think that others want education, stability, a decent income? My fear is that in a capitalist society, everyone is made into an enemy of each other, because capitalism necessarily commodifies resources, creating the appearance that there isn't enough to go around. Then we need to fight for a little slice of the pie, and when we get it, we become protective, and angry if anyone tries to take it away. Think about the insecurity in the US today. Recession; millions unemployed, with the ones lucky enough to have unemployment benefits fearing the end of them very soon; millions homeless; 50 million without health insurance? Almost a fifth of our population? And while this happens, the richest are enjoying tax-cuts? I don't think life needs to be a fight. But I'm afraid that's exactly what capitalism promotes. I have received help from my family to get my education and took out a student loan. I intend to help my children acheive their educational goals. Regardless of this help, I had to CHOOSE to take the path I took. If I decided to be a construction worker (no shame in it), my parents would have taken the money they would have used for my education and spent it elsewhere. Bottom line is, it was my CHOICE. Maybe others want an education and those other things; if so, they should work for them. Poor people go to college all the time - student loans, grants, work programs. It can be done. My fear is that in a capitalist society, everyone is made into an enemy of each other, because capitalism necessarily commodifies resources, creating the appearance that there isn't enough to go around. This, actually, isn't a tenet of capitalist theory. The beauty of a free capitalist society is the realization that one can freely associate with others to mutual benefit. I see business relationships as a commodity; I guess you could call it networking. I foster many relationships/associations with people in my industry and others. The goal is that at some point any one of these associations will bear profitable fruit for both parties, or a third party. Say I have a friend/acquaintance who sells welding equipment. Say I meet someone else who's company buys welding machines and is looking for new equipment. I hook these two up and hopefully we all three can benefit. The theory that "there isn't enough to go around" is something created by those who wish to foment the 'class-warfare' debate to their benefit. There is no limit to wealth creation, there is no set amount of U.S. dollars that exists. Greg W

quote: Originally posted by trask: ...please daddy, don't cut off my allowance now! Who's your daddy, bitch?

Well, Jim, here's my take: I am only responsible for myself and my family. I was brought up to be self-reliant and work hard for what I want; if I wanted something I had to work for it. No one will give me the wealth that I want unless I work for it. It's not selfishness or greed, it's self-determination. I have a plan for my pursuit of happiness and I am carrying it out. Your "social contract" argument is bullshit. Contracts are only valid if they are freely entered; I never agreed to support shiftless people. My opinion on why we appear to be becoming a more cruel, selfish, greedy society (as you put it) is that many people are sick of the "gimme gimme" people who feel they are "entitled" to shit they didn't earn. There's nothing cruel or selfish or greedy about expecting people to work for what they get. Oh, and wanting to amass wealth isn't BAD either. Greg W [ 11-26-2002, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Greg W ]

quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: Do you think your income is indicative of general trends in the marketplace? 1 (one) does not a fair sized sample make. Maybe not. I'm the only sample size I'm interested in. My goals are to make money and enjoy life; I have positioned myself and made choices in my professional life to meet those ends. It's as simple as that. Don't like where you are or what you're doing? Only you can change it.

Oh, sure Jay. I'm sick of your strongarm tactics, this is 'Spray'. Just kidding. Haven't read the article, but the synopsis seems to bear some weight.

quote: Originally posted by Jim: Interesting though how worker productivity has been steadily increasing for the past 20 years while worker pay (AFI) has been flat, or negative. Someone is seeing the benefit. I don't know where you're getting your data, or if this is personal experience, but my personal income has been moving up quite well. As far as current worker protection legislation, that depends. I don't agree with the WISHA Ergonomics Guidelines that Gary Locke (Satan) is pushing. If you are unfairly fired, unions aren't your only recourse - if you have a good case, you can get a lawyer. And don't whine about not being able to afford it, there are plenty of advocacy groups who do pro bono work. Greg W

Not completely because when a union strongarms a business owner; the business owner is no longer acting freely, he is being coerced. Also, with current worker protections legislation I don't think the same abuses that gave rise to the birth of the unions could occur. I know I will probably get slammed for that, but it's my opinion (and experience). I think that a capitalist society can exist and thrive without union organization and/or collective bargaining. Employers have to pay competitive wages or suffer from lack of labor, merchants will have to price their wares competitively or lose business. Supply and demand works.

quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: Do you see collective bargaining and unionization as integral within a capitalist society? Sorry, profile got corrupted, just as Caveman said. No, I do not see collective bargaining and unionization as "integral" within a capitalist society; taking the definition of "integral" as "...essential for completeness..." per Webster. I do believe that individuals have a right to organize, just as I believe that employers have a right to prohibit organization in their companies. Collective bargaining, in my opinion, is a legal form of extortion and an attempt at mob rule. The revived Greg W

quote: Originally posted by rbw1966: quote:Originally posted by Greg W: quote:Originally posted by sexual chocolate: Hitler disarmed the German population, let's not forget. So did Stalin...fuckin' commie. How did Stalin disarm the German population?Sorry, for those who lack the ability to extrapolate thought...Stalin disarmed the Soviet people. He's still a fuckin' commie.

quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: Hitler disarmed the German population, let's not forget. So did Stalin...fuckin' commie.