OK... the title above says....

[HsiaoChu]

The title above says Early Retirement Org.

I wonder if the forum as a whole could stick to issues that involve retirement or early retirement, and that threads in forums complaining about people who get early retirement or retirement pensions could be eliminated.

These include constant complaining about people who got pensions from the public sector and how other people don't want to pay these governmental obligations because they didn't get one too from their private source, or complaints about people who saved too much money.

I just wish that these kinds of sometimes nasty complaining could not be a part of this forum. Its not my choice, and after awhile one just learns to ignore certain threads or certain people who complain all the time, but still....... Its my thought.

This is not a complaint about complaining. Its a suggestion about management in regards to certain non-retirement preparation related threads.

Zarathu

 

[REWahoo]

Slippery slope. Once the mods start policing complaints about pensions they may feel compelled to quell photos of kittens - or even of bacon!

 

[Martha]

Put the threads that bug you on ignore. That might help.

 

[ziggy29]

IMO -- and speaking only for myself -- if we selectively "banned" discussion of every financial subject (and this *is* a subject that involves and impacts early retirement, whether you are receiving one or paying for them) that someone found disturbing, offensive or troublesome, we'd have nothing left to talk about.

I would simply second Martha's suggestion about the use of the "ignore thread" feature.

And to REW - kittens maybe, but banning threads and pictures of bacon? Heresy.

 

[HsiaoChu]

Slippery slope. Once the mods start policing complaints about pensions they may feel compelled to quell photos of kittens - or even of bacon!

Yeah. Photos of kittens would be OK if its related to how a kitten augments or detracts from retirement, but not about how some people shouldn't be allowed to have kittens because people don't want to have to pay for the taxes to pick up stray cats . And I think discussions about bacon as to how it augments or detracts from retirement is ok; but arguments about how bacon should not be sold because other people don't like bacon is not ok, or don't want to pay for the regulatory agency in their taxes to keep bacon safe is not ok.

It has to be about augmenting or detracting from early or regular retirement. it should not be about why we should deny certain people retirement because we don't like what it costs society.

Or maybe these posts on the pension part should be moved to the political discussion areas, where people can be free to argue stuff that nobody can change and nobody is planning on changing their opinion about it.

I'm sure I've not been here long enough to do more than make suggestions, maybe not even that.

I'm writing from a concern of one of those who is getting one of these public pensions, and I just find it disagreeable to have to put up with people saying strongly, ON A FORUM ABOUT EARLY RETIREMENT, that because they have to pay taxes, I shouldn't get my pension. I see it on other forums about taxes and stuff. But discussions on this forum which is about retirement and making it in retirement, that talks openly about denying certain people their obligated retirement is not a slippery slope.

Anything that causes such rancor should not be included in a slippery slope concern, IMO. What you are saying then is that there is not a specific subject area for this website, even though it says that at the top..... again in my opinion, only.

z

 

[HsiaoChu]

IMO -- and speaking only for myself -- if we selectively "banned" discussion of every financial subject (and this *is* a subject that involves and impacts early retirement, whether you are receiving one or paying for them) that someone found disturbing, offensive or troublesome, we'd have nothing left to talk about.

I would simply second Martha's suggestion about the use of the "ignore thread" feature.

And to REW - kittens maybe, but banning threads and pictures of bacon? Heresy.

I'm not specifically asking for a ban. I'm asking that it be moved to political discussions. Discussions about why I shouldn't get my pension because of taxes for others has nothing to do with learning about ways to deal with the finances of retirement. This is not a financial subject. its a political discussion about why some people should not be allowed to get early retirement. Or, why its too expensive to give some people retirement.

These are in fact political discussions, not financial discussions.

 

[FIREd]

If you guys start banning photos of kittens posted gratuitously, that's it, I'm walking...

It has been proven that kitten purr and probably kitten pictures lower people's blood pressure which means a longer life expectancy, which means a lower SWR and, for those of us with cats, some kind of estate planning might even be involved (do my cats get a step up in cost basis upon my death?)... So kittens are indeed totally relevant to the ER discussion...

 

[donheff]

As a public pensioner I disagree. It is an appropriate subject. You should stay out of the conversation (particularly those in the politics forum) if you are uncomfortable.

 

[RonBoyd]

And don't even think about messing with this Winning formula:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/boobies-and-kittens-49201.html

 

[CuppaJoe]

May I point out that the forum can be self-moderated, that is by members; perhaps you could be more specific by reporting posts which you think go too far. My cat is reading the case law on this as we speak.

 

[HsiaoChu]

Well.... I have the right to ignore posters and ignore threads that I think aren't part of the topic.

I don't have the right to control the majority. If there are a large number of people who want to argue about whether I have the right as an educator for 40 years to have a pension because they don't feel like paying for it now, even though as a group, they had no problem with putting it in the law 40 years ago, THAT'S A DECISION BY THIS GROUP.

I still think stuff like that belongs in political discussion since it has nothing to do with preparing for retirement in a financial way.

But whatever the group decides, its no big deal for me. Just thought it was worth bringing up.

Z

 

[CuppaJoe]

=Zarathu;925497...

I still think stuff like that belongs in political discussion since it has nothing to do with preparing for retirement in a financial way.
...

It's up to you to hit the "report post" triangle and request that a particular post be moved to another section.

 

[HsiaoChu]

It's up to you to hit the "report post" triangle and request that a particular post be moved to another section.

If the administrators and moderators as a group or whoever makes such decisions decide that that particular topic is more of a political discussion than a way to handle finance, then I will do that. Otherwise, moderators have enough to do without dealing with idiotic requests to move threads. I used to be a moderator on another forum(the only one actually). I know what a fine edge job it is without a lot of thankyou's for doing it.

Z

 

[CuppaJoe]

.... moderators have enough to do without dealing with idiotic requests to move threads. ....

I see nothing idiotic about using the resources available to every member.

 

[ziggy29]

I still think stuff like that belongs in political discussion since it has nothing to do with preparing for retirement in a financial way.

If people may have to have their taxes raised in order to make good on current and future pension promises, that does impact their ability to save for retirement, does it not?

In reality, almost anything financial has some bearing on the issue of retirement. Now if it gets uncivil or abusive or over-the-top political, then it would be time to re-evaluate the thread and either move it or close it as necessary.

 

[Bestwifeever]

The title above says Early Retirement Org.

I wonder if the forum as a whole could stick to issues that involve retirement or early retirement, and that threads in forums complaining about people who get early retirement or retirement pensions could be eliminated.

These include constant complaining about people who got pensions from the public sector and how other people don't want to pay these governmental obligations because they didn't get one too from their private source, or complaints about people who saved too much money.

I just wish that these kinds of sometimes nasty complaining could not be a part of this forum. Its not my choice, and after awhile one just learns to ignore certain threads or certain people who complain all the time, but still....... Its my thought.

This is not a complaint about complaining. Its a suggestion about management in regards to certain non-retirement preparation related threads.

Zarathu

You mean like this one: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/corporate-retirements-and-healthcare-49517.html? Really I thought you enjoyed these threads since you have posted to them so many times, besides starting that one. Let us know any other topics that you are not longer interested in so we can take care of them too (just having a little fun here )

Meanwhile:

Bacon candy
Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings

Adapted from a recipe by Kat Kinsman, an AOL Food editor, who guarantees it'll be the first thing snatched up at any party.

8 strips bacon (not thick-cut)

1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bacon strips crosswise in half. Sprinkle bacon with brown sugar on one side; pat down so sugar adheres. Place on a wire rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool and harden before serving.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 120 calories, 39% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 296 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

 

[ziggy29]

If the administrators and moderators as a group or whoever makes such decisions decide that that particular topic is more of a political discussion than a way to handle finance, then I will do that. Otherwise, moderators have enough to do without dealing with idiotic requests to move threads.

I don't see why it's idiotic. And keep in mind that we're human and don't always see everything -- it really does help us when people bring something they find questionable to our immediate attention. When posts are reported we will discuss it and we may or may not agree with the objection and we may or may not take action on it. But everything reported to us is discussed.

 

[ziggy29]

Nutrition information: Per serving: 120 calories, 39% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 296 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

I call BS if they claim one slice is a "serving."

 

[haha]

I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)

Wow, this makes it crystal clear for me. I want to use it arguing on ER.org!

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

Wow, this makes it crystal clear for me. I want to use it arguing on ER.org!

Ha

So it would appear...

 

[HsiaoChu]

You mean like this one: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/corporate-retirements-and-healthcare-49517.html? Really I thought you enjoyed these threads since you have posted to them so many times, besides starting that one. r

I do.... to a point. OK, you can have your fun.

 

[Rustic23]

I get two public pensions and I don't mind the conversation. How else are you going to find out what others are thinking if you don't let them express themselves. I don't see where a conversation on public pensions would fit into Politics unless the discussion was something like 'Why is the Obama administration trying to cut public pensions?' However, a discussion as to weather teachers and other public employees pensions are in trouble or too fat, or are out of line and effecting others ability to retire seems within bounds.

 

[haha]

So it would appear...

+1 on that!

 

[donheff]

I do.... to a point. OK, you can have your fun. I guess its worthless to try to get my point across anymore.

Forget I brought it up.

Actually, it is probably valuable that you hear things like this (me too as a public pensioner). If federal, state and local debt situations continue to deteriorate all bets could be off - including those set in current laws. It is worth our while to see what our fellow citizens are thinking the new order should be

 

[travelover]

I just want to go on the record as opposing tax payer funded pensions for kittens, though an exception may be made for heroic actions by cats, especially in the defense of bacon.