The Goat Pen

``I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. ``Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''

``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''

``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides -- excuse me -- I don't know that.''

``But you might know it,'' observed the gentleman.

``It's not my business,'' Scrooge returned. ``It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!''

guess I wont get any sleep tonight

hedge wrote:Somehow I doubt you are going to be as sanguine about this issue when your turn to die comes up. Which will be soon, hopefully...

I can assure you hedge that my affairs... they are in order.

If God calls me home (at any moment) because it is my time, I will go to Him. The only people who are truly terrified of death, are the unbelievers. Because when they are dead and gone, it is the end of the entire fucking universe.

hedge wrote:``I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. ``Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''

``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''

``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides -- excuse me -- I don't know that.''

``But you might know it,'' observed the gentleman.

``It's not my business,'' Scrooge returned. ``It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!''

And thus we have proven the true difference between you and I.

You choose to live in a world of Dickens' fiction, selectively believing in God and Christ only when it suits your argument. And when it doesn't, the believers are fools.

I choose to live in a world of reality, facts, math, civics, and an understanding human nature. It is that human nature that I do not fear, that has you trembling in your boots (trembling so much you strive to use useless rhetoric to put entire conversations OUT OF BOUNDS.)

crashcourse wrote:"I don't know if they should feel guilty about it - they paid into Social Security and Medicaid just like everyone else"

social security is sustainable

medicare is not. we need somebody with big enough balls to pull the plug when it needs to be pulled.

the rest of the worlsd can many times dso that because techknowledgy and availablility lacks.

here we can keep grandma and grandpa alive well into the 80's with the youngsters footing the bill eventually drivng the system broke

is that fair? btw I dont think there is any guilt felt--they breally dont understand. alot ofre starting to wise up though of just what we are leaving them

The problem is not when they end, but when they begin. Retirement age for SS and Medicare should be 72 by now and increasing in the following years.

sardis wrote:

crashcourse wrote:"I don't know if they should feel guilty about it - they paid into Social Security and Medicaid just like everyone else"

social security is sustainable

medicare is not. we need somebody with big enough balls to pull the plug when it needs to be pulled.

the rest of the worlsd can many times dso that because techknowledgy and availablility lacks.

here we can keep grandma and grandpa alive well into the 80's with the youngsters footing the bill eventually drivng the system broke

is that fair? btw I dont think there is any guilt felt--they breally dont understand. alot ofre starting to wise up though of just what we are leaving them

The problem is not when they end, but when they begin. Retirement age for SS and Medicare should be 72 by now and increasing in the following years.

Yup.

RAISE. THE. AGE.

far too often the conversation isn't whether or not they are doing grammy's wishes. It is instead, does "the family" think they can afford to live the lifestyle they are accustomed to without grammy's monthly social security check.

No one fucking believes you.

Owlman wrote:

far too often the conversation isn't whether or not they are doing grammy's wishes. It is instead, does "the family" think they can afford to live the lifestyle they are accustomed to without grammy's monthly social security check.

I [strike]No one[/strike] dont fucking believes you.

FYP

1st this:

"far too often the conversation isn't whether or not they are doing grammy's wishes. It is instead, does "the family" think they can afford to live the lifestyle they are accustomed to without grammy's monthly social security check."

Then this:

"It appears the costs involved have only become an issue the moment we stopped shaming our unmarried kids from doing what they should NOT be doing in the first place."

IB: you are liar and a hypocrite

IB is a parody account.

Spacer, I can't chide you, b/c I have fallen into IB's unintentional trap quite a few times myself, but do yourself a favor and don't let that fool rile you up. And do me a favor and remind me of the same thing when you see me getting riled up by him. It's just not worth it. Unless, of course, you just enjoy getting riled up by an idiot. Which I do, sometimes...

Will do. Truthfully, normally, I just like the fun of catching him because he's so holier-than-thou. But the E.R. comment pissed me off. It suggests that poor people don't care about their sick love ones. Having spent a lot more time in ER's, I know first-hand what a falsehood that is.

On another subject, did you get the info on running your insurance through your business? I talked to 3 different small business owners (all with only themselves or with their spouse). Each is having their business pay for their insurance. The only real risk is if it is a sole proprietorship and they rule it really isn't a business. If you run your business out of your home (if you own it and not the MUF), you should be able to create a business expense for part of the home as well.

You guys smell that?

I haven't looked into anything yet, I'm going to give it another month or so to (hopefully) settle down and get some of the kinks worked out. I have kinda felt like I've been flying under the radar, anyway. Seems like everybody is talking about $600-700/month (or more) premiums and I've been paying about $170. Not that I'm not pissed about having to pay more, but I didn't pay anything until about 5 years ago. I can guarantee you I will take advantage of every "expanded" benefit they claim is the source of the price increase. I'm getting to the age where I need to be going to the doctor for some yearly maintenance. My accountant's firm is a combined accounting/law firm, so I'm sure he'll get me straightened out...

On another note, my right wing (but great guy) uncle sent me this:

Translations of Common Euphemisms

DEMOCRAT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - REPUBLICAN

Arsenal of Weapons - - - - - - - - - -Gun Collection
Delicate Wetlands - - - - - - - - - - - - Swamp
Undocumented Worker - - - - - - - - Illegal Alien
Cruelty-Free Materials - - - - - - - - - Synthetic Fiber
Assault and Battery - - - - - - - - - - - Attitude Adjustment
Heavily Armed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Well-protected
Narrow-minded - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Righteous
Taxes or Your Fair Share - - - - - - - - Coerced Theft
Commonsense Gun Control - - - - - - - Gun Confiscation Plot
Illegal Hazardous Explosives - - - - - - - - -Fireworks or Stump Removal
Non-viable Tissue Mass - - - - - - - - - - - Unborn Baby
Equal Access to Opportunity - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Multicultural Community - - - - - - - - - - - - -High Crime Area
Fairness or Social Progress - - - - - - - - - - Marxism
Upper Class or "The Rich " - - - - - - - - - - - Self-Employed
Progressive, Change - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Big Government Scheme
Homeless or Disadvantaged - - - - - - - - - - - Bums or Welfare Leeches
Sniper Rifle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Scoped Deer Rifle
Investment For the Future - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Higher Taxes
Healthcare Reform - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialized Medicine
Extremist, Judgmental, or Hater - - - - - - - - - - - - Conservative
Truants - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Homeschoolers
Victim or Oppressed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Criminal or Lazy Good-For-Nothing
High Capacity Magazine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Standard Capacity Magazine
Religious Zealot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Church-going
Reintroduced Wolves - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sheep and Elk Killers
Fair Trade Coffee - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Overpriced Yuppie Coffee
Exploiters or "The Rich " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Employed or Land Owner
The Gun Lobby - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -NRA Members
Assault Weapon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Semi-Auto (Grandpa's M1 Carbine)
Fiscal Stimulus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New Taxes and Higher Taxes
Same Sex Marriage - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Legalized Perversion
Mandated Eco-Friendly Lighting - - - - - - - Chinese Mercury-Laden Light Bulbs
Accepted Facts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Horse Shit

DEMOCRAT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - REPUBLICAN

Arsenal of Weapons - - - - - - - - - -Gun Collection
Delicate Wetlands - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Undocumented Worker - - - - - - - - Illegal Alien
Cruelty-Free Materials - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Assault and Battery - - - - - - - - - - - Attitude Adjustment
Heavily Armed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Well-protected
Narrow-minded - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Righteous
Taxes or Your Fair Share - - - - - - - - Socialism
Commonsense Gun Control - - - - - - - Socialism
Illegal Hazardous Explosives - - - - - - - - -Socialism
Non-viable Tissue Mass - - - - - - - - - - - Unborn Baby
Equal Access to Opportunity - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Multicultural Community - - - - - - - - - - - - -Socialism
Fairness or Social Progress - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Upper Class or "The Rich " - - - - - - - - - - - Self-Employed
Progressive, Change - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Socialism
Homeless or Disadvantaged - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Sniper Rifle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Scoped Deer Rifle
Investment For the Future - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Healthcare Reform - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Extremist, Judgmental, or Hater - - - - - - - - - - - - Conservative
Truants - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Victim or Oppressed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Criminal or Lazy Good-For-Nothing
High Capacity Magazine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Standard Capacity Magazine
Religious Zealot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Church-going
Reintroduced Wolves - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Fair Trade Coffee - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Overpriced Yuppie Coffee
Exploiters or "The Rich " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Employed or Land Owner
The Gun Lobby - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -NRA Members
Assault Weapon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Semi-Auto (Grandpa's M1 Carbine)
Fiscal Stimulus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Same Sex Marriage - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Socialism
Mandated Eco-Friendly Lighting - - - - - - - Socialism
Accepted Facts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Horse Shit

Who spiked this water?

Owlman wrote:Will do. Truthfully, normally, I just like the fun of catching him because he's so holier-than-thou. But the E.R. comment pissed me off.

It shouldn't. It's reality. The only reason why you are pissed off is because I said something that you know is true, you just want to put this discussion out of bounds. That's all...

Owlman wrote:It suggests that poor people don't care about their sick love ones. Having spent a lot more time in ER's

Where? What city? How many immigrants in your hospital ER Owl? How many? When was the last time you were in an ER? You know the last time my brother in law worked the ER?

Owlman wrote:I know first-hand what a falsehood that is.

Then I suggest you go back to the ER or you need to work an ER in inner city Phoenix when an immigrant family is talking in Spanish to each other (about grammy's check they will no longer be getting if they "let her go") in the hopes that my brother-in-law can't speak the language.

He can. He lets on that he doesn't, but he can. And he's disgusted every single time he hears this conversation. And it happens more often than it doesn't.

I don't care if this pisses you off, this is reality. This is what happens in our ER rooms when my medical doctor brother-in-law talks to the family about grammy maybe leaving this earth. They are (more often than not) concerned MORE about her check that would be leaving them than they are about grammy.

So your BIL is a moron too?

It's just a story, rat.

[quote="innocentbystander"]

Oh stop it you lying idiot. So your argument is that the poor are different than they were 15 years ago? People are more interested in mother's welfare check than whether she lives or dies? As with most of your post, you make statements of your biases as opposed to reality. This is why very little about you appears to be real. You are weak!