Inflation is out of control

I can't say I'm super successful but just 6-7 years ago or so, I was choosing between electricity or water and looking for something I can sell to make food money. Bad choices as a young adult led to nights of drinking old ketchup for sustenance and filling up my bathtub before the landlord could shut the water off so I could at least do dishes. Every day was a fight to keep a roof over my head.

I guess the point is, I've taken a trip to the bottom and survived it. Now I'm older, armed with more knowledge, a network of peers, a host of certifications, a cache of weapons with the skill to use them, and the bottom no longer scares me. Bring on this great reset or whatever it is. It won't be a fun time for me, won't be spending it drinking martinis on the beach, but I will endure like I always have.

On another note, my mother in law bought a condo on O'ahu that should be complete in the next year or so, so maybe I'll be dropping by for drinks at some point Endo. Got room to land a chopper?

At one point in my life I was homeless.

Sleeping in a Walmart parking lot in a 79 Trans Am with bad plates and no blower motor. The heat didn't work when you were stopped and we're talking November, December and January circa 1996.

My first apartment after was split with three dudes. We'd buy a bag of potatoes because I could nuke one and with a little salt and pepper "donated" from the local Denny's. It made a passable meal.

As a non-practicing Roman Catholic/former runner, I know how to suffer in silence. What I learned is that I needed a skill or something similar to make me valuable. You need a skill or a trade or something to make you marketable and in demand.

MaverickiB said:

I can't say I'm super successful but just 6-7 years ago or so, I was choosing between electricity or water and looking for something I can sell to make food money. Bad choices as a young adult led to nights of drinking old ketchup for sustenance and filling up my bathtub before the landlord could shut the water off so I could at least do dishes. Every day was a fight to keep a roof over my head.

I guess the point is, I've taken a trip to the bottom and survived it. Now I'm older, armed with more knowledge, a network of peers, a host of certifications, a cache of weapons with the skill to use them, and the bottom no longer scares me. Bring on this great reset or whatever it is. It won't be a fun time for me, won't be spending it drinking martinis on the beach, but I will endure like I always have.

On another note, my mother in law bought a condo on O'ahu that should be complete in the next year or so, so maybe I'll be dropping by for drinks at some point Endo. Got room to land a chopper?

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Always welcome sir. Funny you say that. When we we’re looking at property on the big island we stopped in at a small land development office in Hawi which is about an hour north of Kona. Somewhat Jokingly, I asked about a helipad. The lady looked at me like it was an alien and went into a long winded dissertation about sacred land, noise etc. it was actually kind of scary. That’s when I haphazardly discovered the little airport on the water. I’m hoping they put up some sort of hanger space there. That would be ideal.

Oahu is great man, you’ll like it. We just got back from there. Hadn’t been to Oahu in a while. We play tourist for a week. Good times.

bp_SFV4 said:

What I learned is that I needed a skill or something similar to make me valuable. You need a skill or a trade or something to make you marketable and in demand.

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Here in Australia we are big on trades that are licensed they pay reasonable $40-50 p hour, if it wasn't for my electrical license I would be homeless too after a medical episode being out of work for 6months.

Mining here and trades, the pay skyrockets to $70/$80 p hour 12hr days on wages not a contractor.

Don't know how anyone can survive on the minimum wage in USA.

endodoc said:

Well and why is that? I didn’t know any better and put my hand on a hot stove. Once. How many repetitive glaring examples do people need before they cease to do what hasn’t yielded the results they wanted in life. None of this is new, with some planning and the willingness to get off their ass and make some changes, the ones that end up in the not so fortunate category would have faired a lot better.

Entertainment, is probably the most destructive. Do you really have your .... tight enough that you can devote time to mindless entertainment? For most of this country, the answer is a definitive, no. If your not where you want to be financially and you’re spending time and money on entertainment, then I’m sorry, but you just don’t care to make changes. We have a house full of TVs, I’m pretty sure I don’t know how to turn them on. Every spare moment is spent learning something that I can apply to further my interest, on physical fitness or helping others who show the initiative but just need a push. Other than that, I’m sleeping, eating or banging the wife.

I love interviewing people who have figured things out. I’m a sponge for exemplary individual who never had an envelope in the first place. I don’t know everyone here but there are a few real ass kickers right here on this forum. People who are offended at the notion of a person with a title telling them what to do, people who do what they want, when they want without boundaries. They all got their by doing the same thing, not accepting what was given, and working smart to achieve what they wanted. Not too late to make some changes but you’re going to have to give up some worthless luxuries and get to work.

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HAHaaa! Parts of this should be put to music. Epic manifesto. Right on.

.... me, I need to get out my violin..

Halo2 said:

Don't know how anyone can survive on the minimum wage in USA.

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This is a common misconception. The minimum wage is not intended to permanently support a skilled adult worker. It’s an entry vehicle intended to offer unskilled workers (generally adolescents) an entry level wage and an opportunity to enter the workforce while learning a skill or finishing their education.

Halo2 said:

Don't know how anyone can survive on the minimum wage in USA.

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Electricians and miners aren’t paid minimum wage in the US. I don’t even think fast food workers are anymore either. If someone is trying to support themselves with a full time minimum wage job…if full time minimum wage jobs even exist…they have epically failed.

Paul G said:

.... me, I need to get out my violin..

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What? No Cello??

"The weekly median earnings for full-time wage or salary workers in the United States in the second quarter of 2021 amounted to $990. It translates to a yearly income of approximately $51,480. Any amount above that should theoretically be considered a good salary; however, it is not as easy as that. What is considered a good salary in one city may not be so in another. Other factors that determine a good salary are the type of job, level of education, and sadly, even gender and race."

You guys need to step back and think about what average means, and stop shitting on working people who drive your buses, clean your toilets and serve you groceries. On thing that Covid showed the world is the essential workers are not CEO's. Most of where you end up in life is down to luck, don't kid yourself its the hard work that you did all by yourself. I'm just glad everyday that I can play with my toys and look at a beautiful view and not have to work every again if I dont want too. I just got lucky and I know it.

Paul G said:

”… Most of where you end up in life is down to luck, don't kid yourself its the hard work that you did all by yourself…”

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Do you have data supporting the assertion that luck is the main determinant of success?

I ask because while it’s irrefutable that luck is a factor, I’m not sure it’s the main factor. Unless, of course, you’re referencing birth luck specifically (i.e. the good fortune to be born free of severe disability or illness to parents who are of similar health and reasonable interpersonal and occupational stability, and who impart to you a value system that isn’t overtly antisocial).

I’m no subject matter expert but my understanding of the evidence on the subject is that several factors intrinsic to the individual correlate more strongly to success than luck; they include conscientiousness, intelligence, the ability to forestall instant gratification, and the proportion of time a person spends being proactive (instead of reactive).

Additionally, there’s a durability to the intrinsic qualities above that is missing from luck - a person who develops those intrinsic qualities can often overcome relatively poor luck, but luck will almost never overcome a relative deficit of those intrinsic qualities.

Yea Paul, you’ve lost your damn mind on that one. Luck, no such thing. Every outcome has traceability. Additionally, I don’t recall anyone shitting on anyone regardless of their job or financial status. You want to be a slave, ....... be one but don’t expect the rest to sit there and circle the drain with you and at some point the individuals who have chosen not to be are going to out and out quit subsidizing.

The simple problem is this, you have exponential growth in the “non producer” sector of the human element. The producers are subsidizing the non producers. The “ONLY SOLUTION” is to come up with a plan for segregation based on ability to contribute and afford or on a more blunt note, figure out how you’re going to eliminate a .... load of people so they don’t drag everyone down.

Everyday of the week, I give away 20 bucks to someone. Could be a homeless person, could be a student, I base my decision on what I perceive that individuals position is.

Two weeks ago, I accompanied my lovely wife to Costco (painful). While we were in Costco, there was an elderly couple in the med services section. I was sitting in a chair following up on an email and heard the conversation. The lady was tearful. She badly wanted to hear but their income could not afford hearing aids. I paid for her hearing aids. This is a situation where I cheerfully opened my wallet and hopefully made a difference in someone’s life so it’s not about not helping or subsidizing it’s about the dynamics of the situation.

Unfortunately the vast majorly are able bodied freeloaders not paying their share because the wealthy will pick it up and don’t give me that crap about the middle classes paying, they don’t have any money. Like Hilary said, “we’re going to get it from the rich, they have all the money.

We all pay for National defense. I pay for a way larger % of a tank than the next guy. Do I get better protection from the Chinese? .... no. We all pay for roads, I pay way more for the same stretch of road as the next guy. Any benefits for me? .... no. This nonsense needs to stop.

Education, ....... disaster. I don’t have kids but I’m paying for dick heads kids education, WTF? If your going to have kids, you need to pay for their ..... Bigger insult, my COOs kids go to Sage, a nice pricy private school in Newport. He pays for his kids education, but his taxes also pay for other peoples kids going to public school. Those parents aren’t paying for his kids but he’s paying for his kids and everyone else’s kids going to that .... show of a public school system. Ah I digress. What a ....... drain on society. Pay your fair share or find somewhere else to live.

Paul G said:

"The weekly median earnings for full-time wage or salary workers in the United States in the second quarter of 2021 amounted to $990. It translates to a yearly income of approximately $51,480. Any amount above that should theoretically be considered a good salary; however, it is not as easy as that. What is considered a good salary in one city may not be so in another. Other factors that determine a good salary are the type of job, level of education, and sadly, even gender and race."

You guys need to step back and think about what average means, and stop shitting on working people who drive your buses, clean your toilets and serve you groceries. On thing that Covid showed the world is the essential workers are not CEO's. Most of where you end up in life is down to luck, don't kid yourself its the hard work that you did all by yourself. I'm just glad everyday that I can play with my toys and look at a beautiful view and not have to work every again if I dont want too. I just got lucky and I know it.

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Please post another chart that directly refutes your point.

endodoc said:

Pay your fair share or find somewhere else to live.

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The irony is that Paul doesn't live here but like to be a Google expert on topics related to the US.

There is a simple solution here folks. Its called pay or don't play. Did you ever stop to thing thsaat this country might just be too expensive to live in for some? Check this out. The tax rates and brackets are the only thing that works like this. The more you make, the more you pay. Does that seem even remotely plausible? I go into burger king for a meal, Warren Buffet goes into Burger king for a meal, he make way more money than I do but we pay the same for a whopper in fact Warren pays the same for a whopper as the dishwasher down the street. How is that possible? Shouldn't he be paying way more for that whopper? He makes way more money. Bill Gates pays the same for a gallon of gas as the guy who works in the hardware store, how is that possible? shouldn't Bill be paying way more?

Taxes are the only scenario where different groups pay more or less money for the same services. You ave people paying 10, 20, 30 times more for the same roads, public departments etc than others with nothing in the way of better services. ....... garbage. This .... needs to end. Mr Bush walks into his health club and is astounded to see additional charges on his monthly dues. When he inquires, he is told "well yes, those charges are to subsidize a few new members who dont have enough for the membership fees. How well do you think that's going to go over. Its ....... not but that is the exact .... they are pulling with this tax BS.

So solutions. With a proper budget in place, figure out how much the government needs to run this .... show. Whatever that number is, every citizen in the US over the age of 18 needs to cut a check for their share of that amount. Lets say its 20K. Great, 20K flat fee for living in the US. No taxes. If you can't pay, and you can't get a sponsor to pay, you're packing your .... same as it would be in any other situation where payment for services rendered is standard. You can't pay the country club fee, you don't join. You can't pay for a meal, your don't eat there, you can't pay for a car, you take the bus but for ..... sake don't expect others that can to subsidize. This .... is not sustainable with the exponential growth of non earners.

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

- Gerald LK Smith

craig bush said:

Do you have data supporting the assertion that luck is the main determinant of success?

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Craig, I am not denigrating hard work, higher ed and all the planning that Endo refers to, the luck I am talking about is being born into certain circumstances, having the genetics to overcome adversity and so on. Some people are never ever going to have it as good as you as you or I purely due to the hand they got dealt in life. Whether it's your country, health, your race, your sex, your parents, your college or whatever. Meritocracy in the 2020's is mostly is a myth promulgated by the lucky few and by those who's purposes it serves to keep telling low wage workers that you can make it. Look at the Fed right now- its committed to ....... working class people over by forcing austerity to lower wages , the American dream huh?

What the exactly do you know about America? Would you take such lectures from a non-resident about your country?

Lol its not about America, that .... is everywhere. You just don't know how fortunate you are

This has gotten very deep. I will never complain about the price of Lattes again. I swear, well maybe not that far...
So who's going to Laguna?