The poor get poorer and deserve to

[Captain Oates 911]

My husband had the right woman with him, as he'll still say to anyone, and he still ruined everything. It was not enough for me to have the will for him to succeed; he needed to have it too.

He should be waterboarded and labotamised and tazered

oh dear I am becoming an American....I used to be so gentle.

[BishopM 114]

My husband had the right woman with him, as he'll still say to anyone, and he still ruined everything. It was not enough for me to have the will for him to succeed; he needed to have it too.

Granted

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

He should be waterboarded and labotamised and tazered

oh dear I am becoming an American....I used to be so gentle.

You'd do that to another Yorkshireman? Jeez, you ARE an American now.

He's another who threw away a bright future. Cambridge, decent journeyman acting career, PhD... Now he just complains about how he's staring down 40 with nothing to show for it. Every time I suggest something constructive, like getting an agent or going to classes, he acts like I'm just rubbing it in that he's a failure. Finally, I've given up feeling responsible for his happiness. It's really rather liberating. He was born with a big brain and a lot of talent, but ultimately he is more content to complain than take risks in order to succeed.

[Captain Oates 911]

You'd do that to another Yorkshireman? Jeez, you ARE an American now.

He's another who threw away a bright future. Cambridge, decent journeyman acting career, PhD... Now he just complains about how he's staring down 40 with nothing to show for it. Every time I suggest something constructive, like getting an agent or going to classes, he acts like I'm just rubbing it in that he's a failure. Finally, I've given up feeling responsible for his happiness. It's really rather liberating. He was born with a big brain and a lot of talent, but ultimately he is more content to complain than take risks in order to succeed.

I remember you saying he wasn't actually BORN in Yorkshire and therefore he is untermench and such things are to be expected.

'Just a boy - giving it all away'

I am not religious as you know, but it's amazing how the bible is full of all these people who did it all wrong in exactly the same way they do now.

It tells me that the variety within human nature will never change and there will always be losers and thieves and paedophiles and gamblers and boozers and drug addicts and get rich quick artists etc etc and the development of society through the years doesn't affect the percentages of these in the community at all.

I reckon it's pretty much pre ordained and nurture is only a small part of it.

I knew the Yorkshire ripper's family and they were lovely people apart from Peter who liked to kill people. He wasn't crazy - he used to drink at my pub - it was just the way he was.

[Gemmie 142]

My husband had aspects like that, Maven. He didn't complain about things, but he did settle for anything because he inherited this awful habit from his parents. He's the most knowledgeable person I've ever met, was the top of his classes at school, and has the potential to do anything. My family are constantly telling him that he should be a doctor or something.

Fortunately, he's admitted that he learned from his parents that minimum standards were OK, and if you dislike something, to stick your head in the sand rather than improve it. And since then he's made a genuine effort to better himself by looking for jobs that could make him happier, been open to travel to new places, wants to make new friends, and is suddenly dumbstruck by some of his current situations - which is actually a very good thing. He needed to see that HE was in control of his own life, negative things were a result of negative decision-making, and that he needed to stop settling for anything just because he's afraid to get out there.

Ultimately, it's down to the individual to see aspects they dislike and then work to change them.

[BishopM 114]

You'd do that to another Yorkshireman? Jeez, you ARE an American now.

He's another who threw away a bright future. Cambridge, decent journeyman acting career, PhD... Now he just complains about how he's staring down 40 with nothing to show for it. Every time I suggest something constructive, like getting an agent or going to classes, he acts like I'm just rubbing it in that he's a failure. Finally, I've given up feeling responsible for his happiness. It's really rather liberating. He was born with a big brain and a lot of talent, but ultimately he is more content to complain than take risks in order to succeed.

"Intoxicated...with the madness...I'm in love with, my sadness." - Great lyrics by the Smashing Pumpkins.

I've had friends like your friend, EM. It seems that the lackluster life slowly becomes comfortable to them, and then they no longer seek healing or freedom from the 'grayness', but rather only look for words of commiseration or never ending empathy, which never bring about any positive impact, sadly. I also almost fail to reach people who are at this stage of futility...unfortunately

[PhiLandShiR 18]

ah but jesus and Barny Frank didn't have a right woman with them...

John Edwards did and look at him.

Bill Clinton ?

Well... maybe... The Holy Grail may not be a simple cup you know...

[Captain Oates 911]

My husband had aspects like that, Maven. He didn't complain about things, but he did settle for anything because he inherited this awful habit from his parents. He's the most knowledgeable person I've ever met, was the top of his classes at school, and has the potential to do anything. My family are constantly telling him that he should be a doctor or something.

Fortunately, he's admitted that he learned from his parents that minimum standards were OK, and if you dislike something, to stick your head in the sand rather than improve it. And since then he's made a genuine effort to better himself by looking for jobs that could make him happier, been open to travel to new places, wants to make new friends, and is suddenly dumbstruck by some of his current situations - which is actually a very good thing. He needed to see that HE was in control of his own life, negative things were a result of negative decision-making, and that he needed to stop settling for anything just because he's afraid to get out there.

Ultimately, it's down to the individual to see aspects they dislike and then work to change them.

ah but then comes the dilemma - if the things that are holding us back are people - do we discard them to improve our own lives ?

I have done that and it's not nice. Oh sure it works on a practical level, but it doesn't make us attractive as individuals.

It makes us ruthless to succeeed for ourselves. There is the dilemma.

All these women's mags advocate dumping men that are 'holding women back', but they don't advocate disposing of disabled children or incontinent dogs or other inconvenient aspects that come into our lives.

If the guy loses his legs in Iraq then the women stick with em. If they discover he is not as bright as they thought he was - they dump him. Neither of these conditions are his fault but the outcome is much different.

Women who read these magazines should be careful of not being convinced by this advice of perfecting one's life by trampling on and abandoning everyone around them who isn't perfect or an aid to their magnificent self development into the fully developed 65 year old live alone divorcée with a Shitzu and a cat for company...

[Captain Oates 911]

Well... maybe... The Holy Grail may not be a simple cup you know...

But the people who tithe and put money into it are ...

This is bang on topic - what kind of 'personality' gives these people their money ?

Send him 10k and god will send you a million back. Make sure to write your account number so god sends it to the right account. He knows all but he isn't an accountant you know.

PS Jesus takes VISA

http://cogp.blogspot.com/

[BishopM 114]

Women who read these magazines should be careful of not being convinced by this advice of perfecting one's life by trampling on and abandoning everyone around them who isn't perfect or an aid to their magnificent self development into the fully developed 65 year old live alone divorcée with a Shitzu and a 104 cats for company...

Fixxored

[Captain Oates 911]

"Intoxicated...with the madness...I'm in love with, my sadness." - Great lyrics by the Smashing Pumpkins.

I've had friends like your friend, EM. It seems that the lackluster life slowly becomes comfortable to them, and then they no longer seek healing or freedom from the 'grayness', but rather only look for words of commiseration or never ending empathy, which never bring about any positive impact, sadly. I also almost fail to reach people who are at this stage of futility...unfortunately

and then they become saved and their teeth become white and on show at all times and a look of amazement and wonder comes over their face and they start tithing and live on carrot juice and become radiant and fulfilled with the meaning of life. They can levitate small birds by just walking towards them and concentrating on doves in heaven.

My doorstep is infested with this nuttery so I know how it goes.. they usually have very pale faces as the religious mania seems to constrict vessels in their brains.

It's as weird as paying for a car wash when you are broke and fat and unemployed. Weirder actually

[BishopM 114]

and then they become saved and their teeth become white and on show at all times and a look of amazement and wonder comes over their face and they start tithing and live on carrot juice and become radiant and fulfilled with the meaning of life. They can levitate small birds by just walking towards them and concentrating on doves in heaven.

My doorstep is infested with this nuttery so I know how it goes.. they usually have very pale faces as the religious mania seems to constrict vessels in their brains.

It's as weird as paying for a car wash when you are broke and fat and unemployed. Weirder actually

I get your point, brother. Its hard not to doubt the sincerity of such folks. In fact, I personally don't place much faith (pun intended) in a 'flash moment' of being 'saved'..but I suppose it can happen to some people. I doubt it though because it always seems to be over in a equally quick 'flash'. But, for those who come to belief through a deep observation of their life and all that it encompasses there is a slow continuous change in their life which comes about naturally, not in an instant. It doesn't show up in falsities though, such as white teeth and throwing bolts of lightning though . It shows in their love and is easily recognizable by most people....

Oh ya, and faith often manifests itself in charitable acts...so, call that tithing if you will...

Blessings!

Edited July 9, 2010 by BishopM

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

"Intoxicated...with the madness...I'm in love with, my sadness." - Great lyrics by the Smashing Pumpkins.

I've had friends like your friend, EM. It seems that the lackluster life slowly becomes comfortable to them, and then they no longer seek healing or freedom from the 'grayness', but rather only look for words of commiseration or never ending empathy, which never bring about any positive impact, sadly. I also almost fail to reach people who are at this stage of futility...unfortunately

I wish he were only my friend. Reader, I married him.

[Captain Oates 911]

I get your point, brother. Its hard not to doubt the sincerity of such folks. In fact, I personally don't place much faith (pun intended) in a 'flash moment' of being 'saved'..but I suppose it can happen to some people. I doubt it though because it always seems to be over in a equally quick 'flash'. But, for those who come to belief through a deep observation of their life and all that it encompasses there is a slow continuous change in their life which comes about naturally, not in an instant. It doesn't show up in falsities though, such as white teeth and throwing bolts of lightning though . It shows in their love and is easily recognizable by most people....

Oh ya, and faith often manifests itself in charitable acts...so, call that tithing if you will...

Blessings!

I only have to look at Crespo Dollar to know about tithing and what the deal is...

How people can be fooled so easily is amazing. He has his flashy suits and private jets and fleets of Rolls Royces.

Then the camera pans round to the believers and guess what - they all look poor and uneducated and credulous.

It's the worst aspect of the USA and it really is cruelty to the poor.

The poor get poorer and Crespo gets a new plane or three. It's a crying shame and it's religion that's making it so.

You might say that this is the perversion of religion, but where are the righteous, lining up to shoot these people like they do abortion doctors ? Nowhere, because the shooter nuts are the credulous inside the tent.

I deplore the poor staying poor because of their own idiocy in giving it away according to their own daft ideas, but when this band of religious robbers are stealing from the stupid it really makes me angry

Add that to kiddy fiddler priests and I wonder how any religious people dare show their faces in public

[Nikita2Charles 32]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/08/income-gap-between-rich-a_n_639984.html?page=66&show_comment_id=53020613#comment_53020613

The Huffington Post July 9, 2010

Income Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Highest in Decades, Data Show

First Posted: 07- 8-10 05:33 PM | Updated: 07- 8-10 05:33 PM

The gap between the wealthiest Americans and middle- and working-class Americans has more than tripled in the past three decades, according to a June 25 report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

New data show that the gaps in after-tax income between the richest 1 percent of Americans and the middle and poorest parts of the population in 2007 was the highest it's been in 80 years, while the share of income going to the middle one-fifth of Americans shrank to its lowest level ever.

The CBPP report attributes the widening of this gap partly to Bush Administration tax cuts, which primarily benefited the wealthy. Of the $1.7 trillion in tax cuts taxpayers received through 2008, high-income households received by far the largest -- not only in amount but also as a percentage of income -- which shifted the concentration of after-tax income toward the top of the spectrum.

The average household in the top 1 percent earned $1.3 million after taxes in 2007, up $88,800 just from the prior year, while the income of the average middle-income household hovered around $55,300. While the nation's total income has grown sharply since 1979, according to the CBPP report, the wealthiest households have claimed an increasingly large share of the pie.

Arloc Sherman, a researcher for CBPP, said the income gap is expanding not because the middle class is losing income, but because the wealthiest incomes are skyrocketing.

"If income growth had been shared equally among all income groups, the families at the bottom would have $6,000 per year more than they do now, and the middle would have $13,000 more," he said.

Sherman said one key to closing the gap is a responsible tax policy.

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"It would be a big step in the wrong direction to enact proposals like a big rollback in the taxes on the wealthiest estates," Sherman said. "It would probably help to enact some of the middle class tax extender proposals advanced by the President and the Democrats, including things like the extension of the expanded child tax credit."

The CBPP data do not show the effect of the recession that began in December 2007, but economists say that the recession has probably reduced the income gap only temporarily due to the severe drop in the stock market.

"Everyone, rich and poor, has been hammered in this recession," Sherman said. "But in the past, the wealthy have rebounded more easily than the middle."

Edited July 9, 2010 by Nikita2Charles