Been thinking lately

[shiny]

I TOTALLY understand how you feel azanon. Whenever I go back south to visit (where I grew up) I just have to keep my mouth shut about how I feel about religion. My grandmothers would probably just die on the spot if I didn't agree that everything in the bible was an undeniable fact. Its not that I'm a total non-believer, but I have more doubts than are acceptable (to most people, not all obviously ~ but you can't find them because they won't say it out loud!)

People ask me about why I don't move back and I just say its too hot.

 

[youbet]

The same type of "undesirable" living circumstances that make certain locals within the good ole US of A less expensive are also found in low cost of living international locations. You get what you pay for, domestically or internationally. It costs less in Arkansas, there's a reason. It costs less in Panama or Thailand, there's a reason!

youbet

 

[sgeeeee]

But I could not realistically be open about me being personally agnostic where i live, to my workmates and to most of my immediate and extended family (i have told my wife). I am confident i would be both excommuniated in various ways, and discriminated against in the workplace. This is to say nothing of the prayer groups that would probably start so that my soul might be saved.

Any of you folks considering cashing out an overpriced house in San Francisco or Greenwich, or maybe a condo in SoHo, and moving to a cheaper area in the "Sunbelt"? If so, maybe you should frame this post of Azanon, and hang it on the wall in your bathroom where you will see it every day.

A lot of people who left places like Arkansas wouldn't go back even at gunpoint. Wait till you high falutin' Yankee atheist commies get there. The only thing blue you will encounter is your wife, when it hits her what you have done to her life.

And I bet y’all thought Deliverance was just a movie!

ha

I noticed this statement and had a similar reaction. I grew up in Southern Illinois. While a lot of people don't think of Illinois in this way, the town I grew up in is further South than most of Kentucky. There are no major cities within 100 miles of my old home town. It is Bible Belt rural all the way. The cost of living -- especially housing -- is so low many of you would not believe it. But I would much rather go back to work than have to live my life pretending to be a Christian fundamentalist in order to avoid becoming a social outcast.

 

[haha]

The same type of "undesirable" living circumstances that make certain locals within the good ole US of A less expensive are also found in low cost of living international locations.  You get what you pay for, domestically or internationally.  It costs less in Arkansas, there's a reason.  It costs less in Panama or Thailand, there's a reason!

youbet

For sure. There is guy named Howells who for years put out books on retirement locations. He pretty much covered the world looking for inexpensive places.

I was interested to see that he recently retired in Great Neck, NY.

Ha

 

[OldAgePensioner]

That whole religion thing is one reason why chose a large city, no one knows whether or not I attend church or any other gossip that small town Americans thrive on.

After 20 years overseas, watching 400lb individuals with huge grocery bag sized fat food lunches, driving Hummers (hundreds here in Chicago), every 10th car is a stretch limo hauling some self important wannabee thru town, it just sickens me.

Watching the election and that sea of red counties tells a story, fundamentalists are all over this country, not just the South.

My grandmother used to start 75% of her sentences with "You remember that family or gal or guy........ who used to .....? I would say "No, can't say as I do". Notice my response could never be untruthful.

 

[Nords]

That is disconcerting.  6 billion people, and Nords & I are having problems finding a good reliable small contractor.  

You make an important point about career choices.

The service industry may have a lot of profit potential, but we can't bring those Indian call-center employees to America to hang drywall...

 

[haha]

You make an important point about career choices. 

The service industry may have a lot of profit potential, but we can't bring those Indian call-center employees to America to hang drywall...

Maybe doesn't fit in Hawaii, but over here you just go to your local Home Depot and look around the parking lot for a Mexican with a truck.

Soon, the second law of demography will see to it that the USA is just as miserable as any third world country that hasn't been quarantined.

Second Law of Demography: At equilibrium, given porous borders, misery will flow from areas of high misery to areas of low misery, until everyplace is equally miserable

Ha

 

[wabmester]

The service industry may have a lot of profit potential, but we can't bring those Indian call-center employees to America to hang drywall...

Given the cost of construction, how long can it be before we see imported modular homes? (Hmm, a business plan begins to take form....)

 

[OldAgePensioner]

HaHa,
In Los Angeles,  there are literally many, many thousands of Mexican day workers on street corners.  Stop your car and they underbid each other to get the job.  I actually have lots of respect for these guys.

They moved my apartment contents in their truck form Redondo Beach to Torrance for $9/hr.  It took three hours for 3 of them and they supplied the truck.  I gave each of me $10 extra so now  $121 total.  I bought them lunch a La Penida for about $20. Total $151

They were happy, on to next job.

Allied quoted me $580 or so.  And couldn't gaurantee a time.

 

[haha]

HaHa,
In Los Angeles,  there are literally many, many thousands of Mexican day workers on street corners.  Stop your car and they underbid each other to get the job.  I actually have lots of respect for these guys.

Please don't confuse my opposition to illegal and otherwise uncontrolled immigration to lack of respect for the workers. I also respect them.

They moved my apartment contents in their truck form Redondo Beach to Torrance for $9/hr.

OAP, good price, but I think you moved the wrong direction. 

Ha

 

[OldAgePensioner]

HaHa,
Tell me about it, a drug dealer go shot right next to my condo in Torrance.

If you're familiar, it was Torrance Blvd/Vermont Ave, right in the LA strip near Carson. 700 lb Somoans in Luckies with shopping cart tied together like a mule train.

Them were the days. Just makin the little lady happy. No logic at all.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Maybe doesn't fit in Hawaii, but over here you just go to your local Home Depot and look around the parking lot for a Mexican with a truck.

Soon, the second law of demography will see to it that the USA is just as miserable as any third world country that hasn't been quarantined.

Second Law of Demography: At equilibrium, given porous borders, misery will flow from areas of high misery to areas of low misery, until everyplace is equally miserable

Ha

I'm impressed. Not easy to do.

JG

 

[JPatrick]

Maybe doesn't fit in Hawaii, but over here you just go to your local Home Depot and look around the parking lot for a Mexican with a truck.

Soon, the second law of demography will see to it that the USA is just as miserable as any third world country that hasn't been quarantined.

Second Law of Demography: At equilibrium, given porous borders, misery will flow from areas of high misery to areas of low misery, until everyplace is equally miserable

Ha

One word Ha----Brilliant!

 

[haha]

Thank you, that is very kind.

Ha

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm

Club of Rome? Now that I'm here - lets shut the gate

Happens every generation - duh - I think it's biologically driven.

Heh, heh, heh, heh.

 

[wabmester]

Now that I'm here - lets shut the gate

Heh, heh. HaHa is right. Things have gone downhill with our open borders. Ask any Native American.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Heh, heh.   HaHa is right.   Things have gone downhill with our open borders.   Ask any Native American.

Perhaps, but the Native Americans also have a saying in this day and age of growing reservation casinos -- "They took our land, but now we take their money".

 

[haha]

Heh, heh.   HaHa is right.   Things have gone downhill with our open borders.   Ask any Native American.

Very funny, but beside the point. If you think SOTB immigration will produce anything like what the Euro-USA has produced, OK, but I guess I know how to evaluate your posts.

The only beneficiaries of uncontrolled immigration are the immigrants, to whom we owe nothing, and the business-political cabal that will happily screw citizens for their own ends.

After all, they can just repair to the ranch at Crawford if the old family neighborhood gets a little rough.

Oh, BTW, Wab, have you noticed that the London bombers were "law abiding Muslims", with no prior police run-ins?

I don't suppose that could happen here? Nah, impossible.

Ha

 

[Nords]

Perhaps, but the Native Americans also have a saying in this day and age of growing reservation casinos -- "They took our land, but now we take their money".

Hey, they've been doing that since they sold us Manhattan Island...

 

[unclemick]

Nope - we don't need no foreigners - the good old boys do just fine - Oklahoma City, Columbine and others in history.

The natives will get better with practice.

 

[wabmester]

Oh, BTW, Wab, have you noticed that the London bombers were "law abiding Muslims", with no prior police run-ins?

I don't suppose that could happen here? Nah, impossible.

HaHa, you like directional bets, right? Put all of your money on nationalism and xenophobia futures. Just a hunch.

 

[laurence]

They were citizens of the country, too. So a wall around the country (well, they have a moat already) wouldn't have helped. But I'm with y'all on this one, I wouldn't want to be a Muslim in the U.K. right now.

I read three of them attended the same mosque, and it was known for a pretty rabid anti-western message. Freedom of speech is one thing, advocating violence is antother.

 

[wabmester]

I wouldn't want to be a Muslim in the U.K. right now.

It's really the xenophobia that bugs me more than all of the "dangers" associated with immigration. Without getting too mushy, we are all human. That means that the stuff that motivates us in life is far more similar than different. But part of being human is noticing the differences and quickly categorizing them in simple terms like good and bad. It'll never change. We'll always have a herding instict. We'll always distrust people we don't know and things we don't understand. And we'll blow stuff up when we think others are the root of all evil.

Back to the original topic, saving the world is tough work. Hell, even attempting to understand it is a full-time job. I think you should stick with bond trading, Brewer.

 

[Honkie]

They were citizens of the country, too.  So a wall around the country (well, they have a moat already) wouldn't have helped.  But I'm with y'all on this one, I wouldn't want to be a Muslim in the U.K. right now. (emphasis added)
I read three of them attended the same mosque, and it was known for a pretty rabid anti-western message.  Freedom of speech is one thing, advocating violence is antother. 

I disagree. The UK is (and Europe generaly) is far more prepared to live and deal with a level of war and terrorism. Remember, the "War on Terror" is a misnomer. It should be the "War on Terror of the type and by people that the US Government has suddenly decided it now doesn't like, after standing idly by for decades whilst it sponsored the terrorists it did like, and turned a blind eye to the fund raising and support of terrorists by it's own government members for the commission of bombings and atrocities abroad"

The notable difference in the UK, from my experience, is that the population is generally more level headed and pragmatic. As a group, they do not react in a knee jerk fashion. There will be no "Patriot Act" or the like. There will be no large scale rounding up of "Suspects" for shipment to the Isle of Wight for 3 years. The British, as a people would not stand for it. It goes against their basic views of individualism, freedom and tolerance and generosity.

You may note, that whilst the individual bombers will be vilified (and rightly so) the larger ethnic group to which they belong will not be. CAVAET: I do not deny that small fringe groups will no doubt target a few Muslim owned businesses, shops or Mosques, but these people wll always do it and the bombing is an excuse rather than the prime reason for their actions.

What I am talking about is the ovewhelming majority of the population are not blaming or targetting Muslims per se. Indeed, I think you will find if you read the British or international media, that more of the resentment, blame and vitriol is being targetted at Blair and particularly the US Administration and Bush. They are felt to be to blame for bringing these unnecessary events back to the streets of the UK and I think you will notice a strong groundswell of unity in the people against these politicians and any and all legislation they try to introduce that curtials, impinges or affects induvidual freedoms etc.

 

[haha]

I disagree. The UK is (and Europe generaly) is far more prepared to live and deal with a level of war and terrorism. .

Oh, absolutely. Especially in regard to "Europe in general". That is why the Holocaust happened in Massachusetts, and not Germany. And why soccer fans in England are so gentlemanly toward foreign teams.

If, as you assert, the English are stupid enough to think that Bush caused these bombings, there has been a terrible devolution since WW2.

Ha