Thank you for the comments, everybody! I adore the crossbow suggestion.
@Gwen - None of the recycling companies will accept synthetic corks, however there's nothing precluding you from adopting any of the home projects with synthetic corks...go for it!
I think that I would take the money and keep half for me and my husband, take $50,000 and give to my family, and the last $50,000 I would give it to charity. I think what goes around comes around and I am a firm believer in karma, so if I were to recieve such a great gift I would want to pay the great gift forward!!
It was a bit after my 21st birthday, and I had blown a LOT of money on booze for me and my friends. I looked at my bank account - almost 0 - and decided I needed to make a change.
The part about $59 Nike shoes is called externalized cost. Basically there is more to the cost of the shoe than the $59 you're about to play for it at the sporting goods store. It is called externalized cost. It's abundant everywhere. There is no way to stop it, or at least not easily. Definitely not without government intervention. I recommend reading the The Undercover Economist for more on this subject.
I started saving when I was 5. I know this because one of my first, most vivid memories was finding my old Donald Duck wallet when I was 6 in my parents' couch cushions with $100 I had saved inside. I couldn't find it for months and it royally bothered me to have lost all my savings. I remember weeks later talking to my friends near a two story house for sale down the street, telling them I could probably buy that house now that I had found my wallet and had over $100. I have been a serious saver my whole life, from writing essays about saving and investing in middle school, to my first job at 14, to opening my IRA at 18 and watching my retirement accounts religiously ever since. Saving has been and will continue to be one of the great passions of my life.
I'd take the money. At this point, however the money was made, the damage has been done. Now, where it came from matters much less than where it is going. I can take it and use it to further good in the world-- donating to good causes, etc.
We can't change the past, but we can change the future. Use the money to change the future for good.
Was this article written with any awareness that said episode is actually about to come out as a movie later this year starring Cameron Diaz and directed by Richard Kelly, writer/director of Donnie Darko?
The twilight zone scenario seems pretty different from the one you offered. In the first example the $200,000 is coming from a result of her pushing that button, which was basically murdering a person for 200 grand.
But taking $200,000, not knowing anything? Ignorance is bliss, so yes, I would take it.
Given your scenario, I don't think anybody stands to benefit from you turning down the offer. It's not like they are going to return the money to its rightful owners (assuming it is dirty) if you decline. At that point, might as well take it, especially since there's an equal chance that the money is clean.
As a side note on "slave labor" that is rampant in some developing parts of the world, instead of getting on my high horse and give morality lectures, I just ask myself: would I rather see them work in a Nike factory for $1 a day or see them sit on the street and starve to death? Just because a dollar can't buy you jack in the USA, doesn't mean it can't feed a family in Vietnam. I'm by no means advocating child labor or any such thing, but when your alternatives don't exist, people have the right to find ways to make a living.
I had a piggy bank when I was about 5 and a savings account when I was about 7. Neither of them really worked since as soon as I got up to a decent amount, my sibling would raid the piggy bank or my parents would empty out the savings account. After a while, I would keep little amounts in my dirty laundry or my closet since I was the only one that washed the household's clothes. I got a credit card at 14/15, but didn't really use it because it was mostly to use the ticketing kiosks at the airport and if I bought anything, I had to pay my father back right away. Any paychecks I had got cashed at the bank and spent because I never knew if I would have it later.
As soon as I was 18 and graduated from high school though, I got my first checking account, another savings account, my first checkbook, my first atm card, another student credit card, funded my first Roth IRA, and really started to save. It was fun watching it grow, but after year 2 of college, I lost my scholarship and have been diverting all of my pay and tapping into the savings for tuition and room and board. Maybe in a few years when I'm out of college, I'll be able to save like I was.
I started saving probably around 5th grade. I had $12 and my mom took me to Wells Fargo and opened up a savings account for me. We put the $12 in there, and I would deposit money in the years ahead.
i started saving at about age 5. i loved pennies, id do all sort of chores or sings songs for pennies, dig through the cushions and such. my parents have pictures of me with gallon size zip locks full of pennies before my first trip to the bank to open my account. i still have that account and i still pick up pennies (heads up or not! a pennys a penny!) actually i picked on up this morning.
I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's a pre-pay debit card. If you doint want it don't use it. They most likely got your address from one of thoes marketing things. Since you are filling complants are you sending them in on all the "pre approved" credit you recive. Please give me a break you have too much time on your hands.
Do you want to know what Wall Street does not tell you? If so, join Phil Grande and his gang weekdays 3-4 PM EST on chataboutit.com and find out all the latest secrets from Wall Street. Phil has been an entrepreneur all his life and has been calling the shots in the market and enlightening his listeners for years. Tune in, call in, and enjoy hearing how to be one step ahead!
Do you want to know what Wall Street does not tell you? If so, join Phil Grande and his gang weekdays 3-4 PM EST on chataboutit.com and find out all the latest secrets from Wall Street. Phil has been an entrepreneur all his life and has been calling the shots in the market and enlightening his listeners for years. Tune in, call in, and enjoy hearing how to be one step ahead!
I have lost almost everything because of what these bankers have done. I am retiring this year and will have almost nothing to live on for the rest on my life.
I think it was Micheal Moore who did the math, calculating that if Obama had just used the money that he gave to the banks to help the homeowner's, he would have been able to help every one of the distressed homeowners with plenty of money left over. All the money went to the banks and Obama's housing plan has helped only 1000 homeowners!
But like you said, I guess I am more disappointed with the American people for just letting Obama and the bankers continue to screw us.
We could take some instruction from the Iranians who at least stood up by the millions to protest the corruption in their country. What are we doing?
It is truly time for a revolution!
I have always saved my change. One of my earliest memories is raiding my piggybank, not to spend any of the money, just to count it. Then I would put it all back. I wish I kept that skill. At 36 i have no savings, all my money is going to payoff debt. Hopefully I will be debt free in two years and start to save again. I am definately teaching my children how to save, something that was lacking in my education.
Thank you for the comments, everybody! I adore the crossbow suggestion.
@Gwen - None of the recycling companies will accept synthetic corks, however there's nothing precluding you from adopting any of the home projects with synthetic corks...go for it!
I think that I would take the money and keep half for me and my husband, take $50,000 and give to my family, and the last $50,000 I would give it to charity. I think what goes around comes around and I am a firm believer in karma, so if I were to recieve such a great gift I would want to pay the great gift forward!!
It was a bit after my 21st birthday, and I had blown a LOT of money on booze for me and my friends. I looked at my bank account - almost 0 - and decided I needed to make a change.
The part about $59 Nike shoes is called externalized cost. Basically there is more to the cost of the shoe than the $59 you're about to play for it at the sporting goods store. It is called externalized cost. It's abundant everywhere. There is no way to stop it, or at least not easily. Definitely not without government intervention. I recommend reading the The Undercover Economist for more on this subject.
I would take it and do evil things
with it just so my mind could be at ease.
I started saving when I was 5. I know this because one of my first, most vivid memories was finding my old Donald Duck wallet when I was 6 in my parents' couch cushions with $100 I had saved inside. I couldn't find it for months and it royally bothered me to have lost all my savings. I remember weeks later talking to my friends near a two story house for sale down the street, telling them I could probably buy that house now that I had found my wallet and had over $100. I have been a serious saver my whole life, from writing essays about saving and investing in middle school, to my first job at 14, to opening my IRA at 18 and watching my retirement accounts religiously ever since. Saving has been and will continue to be one of the great passions of my life.
Can synthetic corks be reused and recycled in the same manner as real cork?
I'd take the money. At this point, however the money was made, the damage has been done. Now, where it came from matters much less than where it is going. I can take it and use it to further good in the world-- donating to good causes, etc.
We can't change the past, but we can change the future. Use the money to change the future for good.
Yeah, except for the everyone is going to die anyways if noone pushes the button part.
Was this article written with any awareness that said episode is actually about to come out as a movie later this year starring Cameron Diaz and directed by Richard Kelly, writer/director of Donnie Darko?
That reminds me of my favorite scene from the last Batman movie. =)
The twilight zone scenario seems pretty different from the one you offered. In the first example the $200,000 is coming from a result of her pushing that button, which was basically murdering a person for 200 grand.
But taking $200,000, not knowing anything? Ignorance is bliss, so yes, I would take it.
Thanks for the great ideas and the hat tip!
Given your scenario, I don't think anybody stands to benefit from you turning down the offer. It's not like they are going to return the money to its rightful owners (assuming it is dirty) if you decline. At that point, might as well take it, especially since there's an equal chance that the money is clean.
As a side note on "slave labor" that is rampant in some developing parts of the world, instead of getting on my high horse and give morality lectures, I just ask myself: would I rather see them work in a Nike factory for $1 a day or see them sit on the street and starve to death? Just because a dollar can't buy you jack in the USA, doesn't mean it can't feed a family in Vietnam. I'm by no means advocating child labor or any such thing, but when your alternatives don't exist, people have the right to find ways to make a living.
I had a piggy bank when I was about 5 and a savings account when I was about 7. Neither of them really worked since as soon as I got up to a decent amount, my sibling would raid the piggy bank or my parents would empty out the savings account. After a while, I would keep little amounts in my dirty laundry or my closet since I was the only one that washed the household's clothes. I got a credit card at 14/15, but didn't really use it because it was mostly to use the ticketing kiosks at the airport and if I bought anything, I had to pay my father back right away. Any paychecks I had got cashed at the bank and spent because I never knew if I would have it later.
As soon as I was 18 and graduated from high school though, I got my first checking account, another savings account, my first checkbook, my first atm card, another student credit card, funded my first Roth IRA, and really started to save. It was fun watching it grow, but after year 2 of college, I lost my scholarship and have been diverting all of my pay and tapping into the savings for tuition and room and board. Maybe in a few years when I'm out of college, I'll be able to save like I was.
I started saving probably around 5th grade. I had $12 and my mom took me to Wells Fargo and opened up a savings account for me. We put the $12 in there, and I would deposit money in the years ahead.
You can't even retire with $200K... why bother...
I am 42. No savings yet.
Love it and have one too!!!!!!!!!
i started saving at about age 5. i loved pennies, id do all sort of chores or sings songs for pennies, dig through the cushions and such. my parents have pictures of me with gallon size zip locks full of pennies before my first trip to the bank to open my account. i still have that account and i still pick up pennies (heads up or not! a pennys a penny!) actually i picked on up this morning.
I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's a pre-pay debit card. If you doint want it don't use it. They most likely got your address from one of thoes marketing things. Since you are filling complants are you sending them in on all the "pre approved" credit you recive. Please give me a break you have too much time on your hands.
Do you want to know what Wall Street does not tell you? If so, join Phil Grande and his gang weekdays 3-4 PM EST on chataboutit.com and find out all the latest secrets from Wall Street. Phil has been an entrepreneur all his life and has been calling the shots in the market and enlightening his listeners for years. Tune in, call in, and enjoy hearing how to be one step ahead!
Weekdays @ 3-4 PM EST
Call 877-Chat-212
Do you want to know what Wall Street does not tell you? If so, join Phil Grande and his gang weekdays 3-4 PM EST on chataboutit.com and find out all the latest secrets from Wall Street. Phil has been an entrepreneur all his life and has been calling the shots in the market and enlightening his listeners for years. Tune in, call in, and enjoy hearing how to be one step ahead!
Weekdays @ 3-4 PM EST
Call 877-Chat-212
I have lost almost everything because of what these bankers have done. I am retiring this year and will have almost nothing to live on for the rest on my life.
I think it was Micheal Moore who did the math, calculating that if Obama had just used the money that he gave to the banks to help the homeowner's, he would have been able to help every one of the distressed homeowners with plenty of money left over. All the money went to the banks and Obama's housing plan has helped only 1000 homeowners!
But like you said, I guess I am more disappointed with the American people for just letting Obama and the bankers continue to screw us.
We could take some instruction from the Iranians who at least stood up by the millions to protest the corruption in their country. What are we doing?
It is truly time for a revolution!
I have always saved my change. One of my earliest memories is raiding my piggybank, not to spend any of the money, just to count it. Then I would put it all back. I wish I kept that skill. At 36 i have no savings, all my money is going to payoff debt. Hopefully I will be debt free in two years and start to save again. I am definately teaching my children how to save, something that was lacking in my education.