I especially like the piece of advice about hiring people that are smarter than you are. It takes a secure, and smart, person to understand the value of that. Thanks so much for sharing this information with the rest of us. As a business owner, I am always trying to educate myself on the best ways to remain successful.
In South Korea, they have what they call flush bells in some of the public toilets. I encountered them in the international airport. They look like a smoke detector in size and shape and are mounted above the toilet paper dispenser.
In one department store I visited, the "toilet" was simply a trough in the floor--- squat and pee was not for me! Thankfully they had a very civilized toilet in one of the stalls.
If you are a man, get a messanger bag and carry a can of Lysol or Oust. If you are a woman, well, you probably have a handbag large enough to haul around that, the feminine hygiene products, spare tissue and a makeup bag.
For God sakes, everyone flush upon leaving, make sure you wrap up your used feminine items and dispose of them, clean up after yourself and WASH YOUR HANDS! My husband says the men's rooms are all filthy and nasty. I vouch the same for the women's. I've gotten where I don't shake hands with anyone because most people just won't wash their hands with soap and water. I don't want your germs.
When you do wash your hands, take your paper towel and wipe up your water drips too. Do you really live like a pig at home? If so, make sure you do not invite me over.
When you come to my house, you'll find sprays, wipes, cleaner, plunger and anything else you need. PLEASE do not leave your mess for me to clean up. There is a fan for you to turn on and if you need to flush more than once, do that too.
I'd rather turn off the water while brushing my teeth or shorten my shower time than give up my courtsey flushing!!!!!
"Get over it. Greed is not a human trait, it's programmed in all living creatures. When things are abundant, all living creatures take advantage. When things are scarce, creatures show their fangs and claws. In other words, greed serves an important purpose. Greed is also known by "taking advantage of an opportunity"."
I don't think you know the definition of greed, so I'll help you out. Greed- An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.
Greed isn't "taking advantage", greedy people and opportunists aren't the same.
I also don't see how you can compare an animal in the wild to a human. We have completely different mindsets and amounts of knowledge. I highly doubt an animal can live in excess when all it is worried about is food, territory, and reproducing. I guess I'll go into to detail giving Lions as an example, and show you that nothing they do involves greed.
When a pack of lions see another animal, they look at it as food and that they might not see more food for a while. Whether it be an Elephant or Gazelle, they aren't thinking about how much they need to survive, only that they need food to survive. Once the animal is killed, the largest male eats first, if any other lion try's to eat he bears his teeth and roars. Why?? Not because he is greedy, but because they live in a despotic hierarchy, he eats first and then the others come next. After they have eaten they'll probably layout under some bushes, and relax with a full stomach. You then see several animals pass by without care, because they know that the lions aren't greedy. They don't take what they don't need.
Thus animals are not greedy, they are survivalists.
Humans?? I believe they are the only animal on this planet that exhibits greed.
"Certainly modern man is overly materialistic, but this is so only because we can. Our ancestors were not so different. Think of some of the Indian tribes of the American Plains before the horse, before the white man. They would start the entire plain on fire to kill animals to eat. Or, would intentionally stampede herds of buffalo over cliffs killing hundreds of animals. The notion of the noble savage as being environmentally correct is a myth."
American Indians were survivalists as well. They killed for food, not for pleasure or fun. If they killed an animal they used every part they could, whereas if we killed in animal, it would probably be just for it's pearly white tusks or teeth. They used the hides for shelter and to keep warm, the bones for weapons and tools, then they dried the meat for later consumption. If they drove several buffalo off a cliff, it was probably because they hadn't seen food in a while and wanted to get all the meat they could for a later date.
"I own two dogs and a cat. Every watch animals protect food they have no intention of eating? A dog will gorge itself on food it does not want, just because it doesn't want another dog to get it. You can do funny things with animals involving pure greed."
They protect that food because to them, it is their property. Perhaps they are saving it for later because they aren't hungry at the time?? Perhaps they don't know when their next meal will be, so they over eat to offset their hunger later. You're turning basic animal instincts into something they aren't just to benefit your ideas. It isn't greed, it's something completely different, the need/want to survive.
I guarantee you that if you fed your dog consistently that it wouldn't growl at other dogs over food, growling over territory is a whole other story though.
disappointed that you didn't name the establishment. Since you claim it was recently, maybe it was the lamb tacos at cha cha cha's? they also have $1 beef tacos. now that compadres is gone, they are the only cheap tacos i'm aware of in honolulu. glad to see you visited. hope you enjoyed your trip.
Haven't read the paper yet (love those links direct to the source) but I wonder if the deliberate practise element isn't a necessary condition to success but isn't sufficient in and of itself. Are most activities not self-selecting in that people who try hard but do not make enough progress eventually get no pleasure and give up? Sports are a good example since it is easier to distinguish success. It doesn't take long to spot the student who will become the best. They outperform from an early age and just keep getting better faster than everyone else. The others never catch up no matter how hard they try and eventually they realize they cannot and give up or settle for pretty good instead of excellence. Try as I might my improvement in playing the recorder came along so slowly after years of diligent deliberate efforts to play scales etc, I have little doubt I would ever play as well as my professional music teacher who only taught it as sideline to her main instrument the oboe.
"Of course greed is good. Greed is what separates mankind from animals. I'm not talking just about greed for material possessions, but knowledge, success, love, whatever. Greed is just wanting something a lot.
I don't think I need brand name clothes to be happy (and they don't), nor do I "need" a nice car to be happy (but it does). These things are the incentive for me to work harder, earn more money, be more successful. As long as what I'm doing isn't illegal then this would mean that I would become more and more useful to society, I would contribute more and more to the quality of life of OTHER people, by providing services, producing goods, etc.
What separates brand name clothes from medicine, or the internet, or TV, etc. I think we'd all agree that without medicine, mathematics, the internet, engineering, that life would be a lot worse than without. One may argue that brand name clothes don't accomplish the same thing, but all these things exist and will continue to exist because someone somewhere thinks that a Hugo Boss suit is worth $4000 or that Prada handbag $XXXXX (evidently I'm not one of them).
Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't make it wrong. The beauty of the free market is that it will weed out what is unnecessary on its own." -Guest, Greed is Good.
You're an idiot. Think about what you just said..
How many people do you know that actually have to work harder to make more money?? Most people that can afford "high end" objects are on a salary, they don't have to work harder because they are making the same amount of money regardless. In our society you make more money based on the time you spend working, not on how hard you work.
Stop and think about how anyone actually contributes to an increase in quality of life. How does emitting large amounts of pollution to produce a product that ends up owning the buyer increase quality of life?? How does holding on to technology that is available today to profit from it in the future help benefit society?? Companies aren't out to help society, they are out to help themselves. ISP's throttle your speed based on the money you give them, even though the cost of running their business is the same either way. Computer companies sell you old technology that just can't perform for the same price that it was 1-2 years ago, when they can give you more ram, better graphics cards, motherboards, etc.. for the same exact cost.
Companies and workers aren't out to better peoples lives, and they don't.
You're comparing TV, the internet, and designer clothing to subjects that have been around for hundreds of years such as Mathematics, Engineering, and Medicine? How does watching TV and wearing designer clothing benefit us?? And how does what the internet has become benefit us?? If we were to throw away all consumerism, revert to necessities, and focus on knowledge, our world would be much better off. Add in the internet(What the internet was meant to be, for the exchange of knowledge. Not for countless ads and the selling of products.) and we would have been 100+ years ahead of where we are today. The quality of life would be MUCH better.
And since when does the amount of money you have equivilate to your success in life?? You're saying that you like the idea of working for the rest of your life just to buy objects that you don't need?? Working a job that you hate because the pay is good, so that you can try and buy happiness in your off time, instead of working a job that you like.
"Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't make it wrong. The beauty of the free market is that it will weed out what is unnecessary on its own."
Again, I will state that you are an idiot.
How does a market where 90% of what is being pushed is unnecessary, eliminate the unnecessary?? It never will when there are so many mindless consumers.
"If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France
I posted earlier, but for those of you who were voices of true charity - thank you.
And I bought 2 Ipods for the giving tree. I'm well aware that they might not go where I might hope, for all the reasons above. But I get the gift of thinking they might go to the young equivalent of some of the posters above and be a special moment in a young life.
And that's an awfully big return for me, so thanks posters on both sides of this issue for prodding me to know what I wanted to do.
I don't think anyone here is suggesting that charity should be ignored during the holidays - I certainly give, and give generously, but I give to organizations that do work that I see as essential. I honestly don't care if it's judgmental of me to wonder if people who are asking for charity should get whatever it is they ask for. Also, I'm pretty sure that I'm permitted to feel put off by such requests (and yes, permitted to post a rant to that effect on a web site).
And yes, Tracy, I've read each of your comments but simply don't have the free time to respond to such a detailed analysis of the original post, dozens of other comments, and opinions about the acceptability of Margaret sounding off on this topic. Thanks, though, for urging me to learn the meaning of 'paternalistic'. I now have a new trait that I can add to my online dating profile.
And, yes, im alsol playing runescape, for 2 years now, but I wouldn't claim that im addicted in any way. Good game in my opinion, graphics doesn't make a game, and i feel it's more suported and updated then wow.. Which btw doen't have epic graphics either..
Above someone suggested putting money into gold. Gold prices have fluctuated up to 30% in the past 12 months alone and today gold is 15% below its peak for 2008. Gold has not been a good long term investment over the past 3 decades. In 1980 the price of gold hit $850. Today gold is at $820. I had the impression that the point of this article was more to list SAFE investments that you can depend on in todays chaotic financial state.
When I was in Europe, I stayed at hostels that had kitchens so I could cook instead of eating out. That didn't mean I wasn't still eating out a couple of times when I went out with people, but when I did I tried to order sides or appetizers that were cheaper.
At this one place in Dublin, I ordered some soup and a side of roasted potatoes, figuring the two would fill me up and give me "walking around" energy. Well, they both ended up being huge portions, and the soup was more than enough by itself. I asked for a takeout box and got the requisite stare with the response, "we don't do that". Well, that took me aback a little because I was thinking the potatoes could be dinner later on. I ended up convincing the waitress to get a styrofoam cup and some saran wrap so I could take it back to the hostel.
Between getting creative with taking leftovers out of the restaurants, and buying bags of mixed nuts/fruit to eat while I was walking around, I probably saved myself a couple hundred dollars on my trip!
Can't say I didn't splurge on the beer and wine though ;)
There is definitely an attitude out there of "if I don't get the bill, there is no bill." But we all know different. If the roads are damaged, we all pay. We may not pay directly, but we pay. Kane's attitude seemed somewhat aloof, or cavalier as you so rightly said. We all share the world, or our part of it at least, and we all put money into the pot to keep things like street lights bruning brightly and sewerage systems from backing up. Flushing more costs us all more, whether in your own home with a water bill, or increased taxes due to more public consumption.
I also love capers. However, shallots are expensive where I live (NC). I didn't know what a shallot was until 2 weeks ago when I needed them for a recipe. One little bag of 2 shallots was $3 I believe, and that was at Super Target!
For spices, find your local international market (for me, it's an Indian market). You will find the CHEAPEST spices there, and you will get a TON!!! The selection may vary, but my local Indian market has sesame seeds for $0.18/oz (compared to $0.42/oz at the local warehouse club).
I was turned off on the gifts for the needy thing when I was a teenager. I have a sister a few years older than me that had kids really young. By her choice she was emancipated (legally disowned) when she was 15 to move out on her; already had a 2 yr old son and didn't want to follow our parent’s rules…obviously. She dropped out of school and was on welfare, so technically she qualified as 'needy'. However our parents were upper middle class; and trust me, her and her kids got STACKS of gifts from the family. She still chose to sign up and get on every 'free' gift/tree program she could...and then she would complain about the gifts! She would also get free blocks of cheese from somewhere then sell them to mom so she could have some cash. The scams were endless and really upset me. This was back in the late 70's but if we had iPods then she would have requested one.
I agree with the comments that a lot of the smaller kids don’t understand the cost of items. The older kids may feel that folks that stop and get starbucks everyday can afford to get them an iPod. The ones that ask for an iPod for a baby/toddler, yep, those are probably scamming parents like my sister was. Just buy something else for the child…a child that young really will like what you get them.
As I grew up I realized what they do with it or what they ask for is not the point of giving. The point of giving is to show unconditional support of another.
There are countless agencies and services you can support. Don’t like the tree, fine, find one that matches your budget and a group that touches your heart…and then go with them to deliver the gifts. You may be surprised by the true gratitude the recipient shows, even when they don’t get the iPod.
"Second, my point of courtesy flushes being largely an action done in public restrooms and therefore doesn't save the bathroom goer any money is still valid. Hence, I argue that this isn't really saving the reader any money."
I am astounded at this mentality. You believe that because the bill does not immediately come out of your own pocket, you are not paying for it and therefore need not concern yourself with cutting down on wastefulness?
'Public' water costs all of us through higher taxes and/or increased overhead costs passed on to the consumer. One way or another, at some point in time, perhaps after many hidden costs, you will be paying for it, and so will many other people.
Maybe this kind of cavalier attitude towards consumption - 'If I'm not paying for it, why should I care?' - and the extraordinary wastefulness it engenders should be the topic of an entirely new post. Paul, Philip, anyone?
Patience and pity were the greatest lessons I learned. My favorite trick for making it through stressful days at work? Realize that there's something wrong with the person who's freaking out and/or being mean to you. Maybe they recently received bad news about something, maybe they're about to be in trouble for some mistake they made, maybe they're in pain, maybe they have a legitimate mental problem, maybe they were just treated rudely by someone else, and maybe they got in line before realizing that they really have to pee.
Phobias are also common in grocery stores. I've met customers who were made nervous by florescent lighting, customers who would freak out if they had to try sliding their card more than once (you're trying to charge me twice!), and customers who would almost hyperventilate if an item didn't ring up correctly (saying, "ma'am, it's ok, I'll go check the price of it and be right back, ok?" never seemed to help those people with an actual fear of being overcharged).
People are strange creatures, and it all comes out at the grocery store. How can this help you in every day life? Realize that those thoughts work just the same way for retail and food workers as they do for customers. Yelling at someone who's making your day harder isn't really going to make you feel better, nor will it make them treat you better. Just remember: everyone's got issues.
caliworkforc if I were you I would consider, Euros, Pounds, or Swiss Francs. The Euro is already gaining value, about a week ago it used to buy 1.26 Dollars, and now it buys about 1.34 Dollars. I wouldn't consider the Peso or the Canadian Dollar, their value depends on the value of the Dollar. If dollar devalues, so do the Peso and the Canadian Dollar. I think this is why they want to introduce the Amero. Also if they introduce the Amero, what are they going to do with countries that use Dollars as their currency like Ecuador and Panama?
I will sat that any action we take as a nation to cut down waste will ultimately affect us all. When gas prices were high, people started using less, and prices started coming down. Supply and demand. Of course, the bottom fell out of the stock market after that and people are now consuming at the old levels, but still, less use meant less demand, and that meant less cost. If you can't see how, as a collective, using less will also affect your bottom line, then I'm not sure what else to say.
If you don't think the article has depth, that's fine. I was saying it had more depth than a regular coupon or deal post. Did it make anyone think, even a little? I would say so, looking at all of the replies.
And if you'd like an immature comparison, try your own Dunkin' Donuts reference. It clearly isn't the same as how we waste water on this plant. But at the end of the day, no-one is forcing you to read anything Kane. If you don't like an article, you don't have to keep reading. Just because you don't like it, there's no reason not to post it. I'm sure many people think you're fabulously witty and a great person, but I guarantee not everyone you meet does. By all means, stop reading my posts, but continue to subscribe to WB for the other writers.
I especially like the piece of advice about hiring people that are smarter than you are. It takes a secure, and smart, person to understand the value of that. Thanks so much for sharing this information with the rest of us. As a business owner, I am always trying to educate myself on the best ways to remain successful.
www.datexmedia.wordpress.com
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Those ideas for old jeans are really good.
f your dada before playing runescape its lots of fun now lits have fun girls i got lot of girls 16 runescape is boring!!!!!!!!!!!!
In South Korea, they have what they call flush bells in some of the public toilets. I encountered them in the international airport. They look like a smoke detector in size and shape and are mounted above the toilet paper dispenser.
In one department store I visited, the "toilet" was simply a trough in the floor--- squat and pee was not for me! Thankfully they had a very civilized toilet in one of the stalls.
If you are a man, get a messanger bag and carry a can of Lysol or Oust. If you are a woman, well, you probably have a handbag large enough to haul around that, the feminine hygiene products, spare tissue and a makeup bag.
For God sakes, everyone flush upon leaving, make sure you wrap up your used feminine items and dispose of them, clean up after yourself and WASH YOUR HANDS! My husband says the men's rooms are all filthy and nasty. I vouch the same for the women's. I've gotten where I don't shake hands with anyone because most people just won't wash their hands with soap and water. I don't want your germs.
When you do wash your hands, take your paper towel and wipe up your water drips too. Do you really live like a pig at home? If so, make sure you do not invite me over.
When you come to my house, you'll find sprays, wipes, cleaner, plunger and anything else you need. PLEASE do not leave your mess for me to clean up. There is a fan for you to turn on and if you need to flush more than once, do that too.
I'd rather turn off the water while brushing my teeth or shorten my shower time than give up my courtsey flushing!!!!!
"Get over it. Greed is not a human trait, it's programmed in all living creatures. When things are abundant, all living creatures take advantage. When things are scarce, creatures show their fangs and claws. In other words, greed serves an important purpose. Greed is also known by "taking advantage of an opportunity"."
I don't think you know the definition of greed, so I'll help you out.
Greed- An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.
Greed isn't "taking advantage", greedy people and opportunists aren't the same.
I also don't see how you can compare an animal in the wild to a human. We have completely different mindsets and amounts of knowledge. I highly doubt an animal can live in excess when all it is worried about is food, territory, and reproducing. I guess I'll go into to detail giving Lions as an example, and show you that nothing they do involves greed.
When a pack of lions see another animal, they look at it as food and that they might not see more food for a while. Whether it be an Elephant or Gazelle, they aren't thinking about how much they need to survive, only that they need food to survive. Once the animal is killed, the largest male eats first, if any other lion try's to eat he bears his teeth and roars. Why?? Not because he is greedy, but because they live in a despotic hierarchy, he eats first and then the others come next. After they have eaten they'll probably layout under some bushes, and relax with a full stomach. You then see several animals pass by without care, because they know that the lions aren't greedy. They don't take what they don't need.
Thus animals are not greedy, they are survivalists.
Humans?? I believe they are the only animal on this planet that exhibits greed.
"Certainly modern man is overly materialistic, but this is so only because we can. Our ancestors were not so different. Think of some of the Indian tribes of the American Plains before the horse, before the white man. They would start the entire plain on fire to kill animals to eat. Or, would intentionally stampede herds of buffalo over cliffs killing hundreds of animals. The notion of the noble savage as being environmentally correct is a myth."
American Indians were survivalists as well. They killed for food, not for pleasure or fun. If they killed an animal they used every part they could, whereas if we killed in animal, it would probably be just for it's pearly white tusks or teeth. They used the hides for shelter and to keep warm, the bones for weapons and tools, then they dried the meat for later consumption. If they drove several buffalo off a cliff, it was probably because they hadn't seen food in a while and wanted to get all the meat they could for a later date.
"I own two dogs and a cat. Every watch animals protect food they have no intention of eating? A dog will gorge itself on food it does not want, just because it doesn't want another dog to get it. You can do funny things with animals involving pure greed."
They protect that food because to them, it is their property. Perhaps they are saving it for later because they aren't hungry at the time?? Perhaps they don't know when their next meal will be, so they over eat to offset their hunger later. You're turning basic animal instincts into something they aren't just to benefit your ideas. It isn't greed, it's something completely different, the need/want to survive.
I guarantee you that if you fed your dog consistently that it wouldn't growl at other dogs over food, growling over territory is a whole other story though.
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disappointed that you didn't name the establishment. Since you claim it was recently, maybe it was the lamb tacos at cha cha cha's? they also have $1 beef tacos. now that compadres is gone, they are the only cheap tacos i'm aware of in honolulu. glad to see you visited. hope you enjoyed your trip.
i read this through twice and may have missed it, but it appears that you neither ate nor drank?
Haven't read the paper yet (love those links direct to the source) but I wonder if the deliberate practise element isn't a necessary condition to success but isn't sufficient in and of itself. Are most activities not self-selecting in that people who try hard but do not make enough progress eventually get no pleasure and give up? Sports are a good example since it is easier to distinguish success. It doesn't take long to spot the student who will become the best. They outperform from an early age and just keep getting better faster than everyone else. The others never catch up no matter how hard they try and eventually they realize they cannot and give up or settle for pretty good instead of excellence. Try as I might my improvement in playing the recorder came along so slowly after years of diligent deliberate efforts to play scales etc, I have little doubt I would ever play as well as my professional music teacher who only taught it as sideline to her main instrument the oboe.
"Of course greed is good. Greed is what separates mankind from animals. I'm not talking just about greed for material possessions, but knowledge, success, love, whatever. Greed is just wanting something a lot.
I don't think I need brand name clothes to be happy (and they don't), nor do I "need" a nice car to be happy (but it does). These things are the incentive for me to work harder, earn more money, be more successful. As long as what I'm doing isn't illegal then this would mean that I would become more and more useful to society, I would contribute more and more to the quality of life of OTHER people, by providing services, producing goods, etc.
What separates brand name clothes from medicine, or the internet, or TV, etc. I think we'd all agree that without medicine, mathematics, the internet, engineering, that life would be a lot worse than without. One may argue that brand name clothes don't accomplish the same thing, but all these things exist and will continue to exist because someone somewhere thinks that a Hugo Boss suit is worth $4000 or that Prada handbag $XXXXX (evidently I'm not one of them).
Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't make it wrong. The beauty of the free market is that it will weed out what is unnecessary on its own." -Guest, Greed is Good.
You're an idiot. Think about what you just said..
How many people do you know that actually have to work harder to make more money?? Most people that can afford "high end" objects are on a salary, they don't have to work harder because they are making the same amount of money regardless. In our society you make more money based on the time you spend working, not on how hard you work.
Stop and think about how anyone actually contributes to an increase in quality of life. How does emitting large amounts of pollution to produce a product that ends up owning the buyer increase quality of life?? How does holding on to technology that is available today to profit from it in the future help benefit society?? Companies aren't out to help society, they are out to help themselves. ISP's throttle your speed based on the money you give them, even though the cost of running their business is the same either way. Computer companies sell you old technology that just can't perform for the same price that it was 1-2 years ago, when they can give you more ram, better graphics cards, motherboards, etc.. for the same exact cost.
Companies and workers aren't out to better peoples lives, and they don't.
You're comparing TV, the internet, and designer clothing to subjects that have been around for hundreds of years such as Mathematics, Engineering, and Medicine? How does watching TV and wearing designer clothing benefit us?? And how does what the internet has become benefit us?? If we were to throw away all consumerism, revert to necessities, and focus on knowledge, our world would be much better off. Add in the internet(What the internet was meant to be, for the exchange of knowledge. Not for countless ads and the selling of products.) and we would have been 100+ years ahead of where we are today. The quality of life would be MUCH better.
And since when does the amount of money you have equivilate to your success in life?? You're saying that you like the idea of working for the rest of your life just to buy objects that you don't need?? Working a job that you hate because the pay is good, so that you can try and buy happiness in your off time, instead of working a job that you like.
"Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't make it wrong. The beauty of the free market is that it will weed out what is unnecessary on its own."
Again, I will state that you are an idiot.
How does a market where 90% of what is being pushed is unnecessary, eliminate the unnecessary?? It never will when there are so many mindless consumers.
"If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France
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I posted earlier, but for those of you who were voices of true charity - thank you.
And I bought 2 Ipods for the giving tree. I'm well aware that they might not go where I might hope, for all the reasons above. But I get the gift of thinking they might go to the young equivalent of some of the posters above and be a special moment in a young life.
And that's an awfully big return for me, so thanks posters on both sides of this issue for prodding me to know what I wanted to do.
Cori, I like what you are saying about giving. It's an ideal (unconditional giving) that is really quite beautiful. I'm just not there yet.
I don't think anyone here is suggesting that charity should be ignored during the holidays - I certainly give, and give generously, but I give to organizations that do work that I see as essential. I honestly don't care if it's judgmental of me to wonder if people who are asking for charity should get whatever it is they ask for. Also, I'm pretty sure that I'm permitted to feel put off by such requests (and yes, permitted to post a rant to that effect on a web site).
And yes, Tracy, I've read each of your comments but simply don't have the free time to respond to such a detailed analysis of the original post, dozens of other comments, and opinions about the acceptability of Margaret sounding off on this topic. Thanks, though, for urging me to learn the meaning of 'paternalistic'. I now have a new trait that I can add to my online dating profile.
I just bought a new 1.2 gallon flush toilet. Flushes better than any other 1.6 gallon toilet I've ever had.
She's playing runescape, on a mac computer..
And, yes, im alsol playing runescape, for 2 years now, but I wouldn't claim that im addicted in any way. Good game in my opinion, graphics doesn't make a game, and i feel it's more suported and updated then wow.. Which btw doen't have epic graphics either..
Above someone suggested putting money into gold. Gold prices have fluctuated up to 30% in the past 12 months alone and today gold is 15% below its peak for 2008. Gold has not been a good long term investment over the past 3 decades. In 1980 the price of gold hit $850. Today gold is at $820. I had the impression that the point of this article was more to list SAFE investments that you can depend on in todays chaotic financial state.
When I was in Europe, I stayed at hostels that had kitchens so I could cook instead of eating out. That didn't mean I wasn't still eating out a couple of times when I went out with people, but when I did I tried to order sides or appetizers that were cheaper.
At this one place in Dublin, I ordered some soup and a side of roasted potatoes, figuring the two would fill me up and give me "walking around" energy. Well, they both ended up being huge portions, and the soup was more than enough by itself. I asked for a takeout box and got the requisite stare with the response, "we don't do that". Well, that took me aback a little because I was thinking the potatoes could be dinner later on. I ended up convincing the waitress to get a styrofoam cup and some saran wrap so I could take it back to the hostel.
Between getting creative with taking leftovers out of the restaurants, and buying bags of mixed nuts/fruit to eat while I was walking around, I probably saved myself a couple hundred dollars on my trip!
Can't say I didn't splurge on the beer and wine though ;)
There is definitely an attitude out there of "if I don't get the bill, there is no bill." But we all know different. If the roads are damaged, we all pay. We may not pay directly, but we pay. Kane's attitude seemed somewhat aloof, or cavalier as you so rightly said. We all share the world, or our part of it at least, and we all put money into the pot to keep things like street lights bruning brightly and sewerage systems from backing up. Flushing more costs us all more, whether in your own home with a water bill, or increased taxes due to more public consumption.
I also love capers. However, shallots are expensive where I live (NC). I didn't know what a shallot was until 2 weeks ago when I needed them for a recipe. One little bag of 2 shallots was $3 I believe, and that was at Super Target!
For spices, find your local international market (for me, it's an Indian market). You will find the CHEAPEST spices there, and you will get a TON!!! The selection may vary, but my local Indian market has sesame seeds for $0.18/oz (compared to $0.42/oz at the local warehouse club).
I was turned off on the gifts for the needy thing when I was a teenager. I have a sister a few years older than me that had kids really young. By her choice she was emancipated (legally disowned) when she was 15 to move out on her; already had a 2 yr old son and didn't want to follow our parent’s rules…obviously. She dropped out of school and was on welfare, so technically she qualified as 'needy'. However our parents were upper middle class; and trust me, her and her kids got STACKS of gifts from the family. She still chose to sign up and get on every 'free' gift/tree program she could...and then she would complain about the gifts! She would also get free blocks of cheese from somewhere then sell them to mom so she could have some cash. The scams were endless and really upset me. This was back in the late 70's but if we had iPods then she would have requested one.
I agree with the comments that a lot of the smaller kids don’t understand the cost of items. The older kids may feel that folks that stop and get starbucks everyday can afford to get them an iPod. The ones that ask for an iPod for a baby/toddler, yep, those are probably scamming parents like my sister was. Just buy something else for the child…a child that young really will like what you get them.
As I grew up I realized what they do with it or what they ask for is not the point of giving. The point of giving is to show unconditional support of another.
There are countless agencies and services you can support. Don’t like the tree, fine, find one that matches your budget and a group that touches your heart…and then go with them to deliver the gifts. You may be surprised by the true gratitude the recipient shows, even when they don’t get the iPod.
"Second, my point of courtesy flushes being largely an action done in public restrooms and therefore doesn't save the bathroom goer any money is still valid. Hence, I argue that this isn't really saving the reader any money."
I am astounded at this mentality. You believe that because the bill does not immediately come out of your own pocket, you are not paying for it and therefore need not concern yourself with cutting down on wastefulness?
'Public' water costs all of us through higher taxes and/or increased overhead costs passed on to the consumer. One way or another, at some point in time, perhaps after many hidden costs, you will be paying for it, and so will many other people.
Maybe this kind of cavalier attitude towards consumption - 'If I'm not paying for it, why should I care?' - and the extraordinary wastefulness it engenders should be the topic of an entirely new post. Paul, Philip, anyone?
My thoughts exactly!
Patience and pity were the greatest lessons I learned. My favorite trick for making it through stressful days at work? Realize that there's something wrong with the person who's freaking out and/or being mean to you. Maybe they recently received bad news about something, maybe they're about to be in trouble for some mistake they made, maybe they're in pain, maybe they have a legitimate mental problem, maybe they were just treated rudely by someone else, and maybe they got in line before realizing that they really have to pee.
Phobias are also common in grocery stores. I've met customers who were made nervous by florescent lighting, customers who would freak out if they had to try sliding their card more than once (you're trying to charge me twice!), and customers who would almost hyperventilate if an item didn't ring up correctly (saying, "ma'am, it's ok, I'll go check the price of it and be right back, ok?" never seemed to help those people with an actual fear of being overcharged).
People are strange creatures, and it all comes out at the grocery store. How can this help you in every day life? Realize that those thoughts work just the same way for retail and food workers as they do for customers. Yelling at someone who's making your day harder isn't really going to make you feel better, nor will it make them treat you better. Just remember: everyone's got issues.
caliworkforc if I were you I would consider, Euros, Pounds, or Swiss Francs. The Euro is already gaining value, about a week ago it used to buy 1.26 Dollars, and now it buys about 1.34 Dollars. I wouldn't consider the Peso or the Canadian Dollar, their value depends on the value of the Dollar. If dollar devalues, so do the Peso and the Canadian Dollar. I think this is why they want to introduce the Amero. Also if they introduce the Amero, what are they going to do with countries that use Dollars as their currency like Ecuador and Panama?
I will sat that any action we take as a nation to cut down waste will ultimately affect us all. When gas prices were high, people started using less, and prices started coming down. Supply and demand. Of course, the bottom fell out of the stock market after that and people are now consuming at the old levels, but still, less use meant less demand, and that meant less cost. If you can't see how, as a collective, using less will also affect your bottom line, then I'm not sure what else to say.
If you don't think the article has depth, that's fine. I was saying it had more depth than a regular coupon or deal post. Did it make anyone think, even a little? I would say so, looking at all of the replies.
And if you'd like an immature comparison, try your own Dunkin' Donuts reference. It clearly isn't the same as how we waste water on this plant. But at the end of the day, no-one is forcing you to read anything Kane. If you don't like an article, you don't have to keep reading. Just because you don't like it, there's no reason not to post it. I'm sure many people think you're fabulously witty and a great person, but I guarantee not everyone you meet does. By all means, stop reading my posts, but continue to subscribe to WB for the other writers.