ot halloween candy haul

[flyer]

[quote=zk][quote=flyer]
I know you’re not looking for sympathy, flu, but few people could walk in your shoes and still be standing. You’re definitely dealing very well.[/quote]

Well, flu, if the chemo wasn’t making you sick…[/quote]

Having friends and family who have been through this treatment, my intentions in making this remark were sincere, flu. I forgot that doesn’t fly on this board.

[flyer]

[quote=6packscaredy]Ok now getting back on topic:

Kids today; they think society OWES them free candy.[/quote]

Agree, 6pack. We’ve seen this with some of the kids our kids grew up with in RSF–who are now in their 20’s and early 30’s. In fact, there are those who have even become suicidal because their lives didn’t go as their parents promised.

Our kids were raised with completely different attitudes. They never took anything for granted–and no promises were made. We let them know very early on that the fields they had chosen (medicine, the movie business, etc.) would not be a slam dunk, even with our connections. Things have worked out for them, but I don’t think you can ever really know if it was the way we raised them, their abilities, luck–or all of the above.

IMO, kids can believe they are “owed” whatever they want to believe they are “owed,” but, hopefully, they are also prepared to face the fact that life may or may not work out their way.

[SD Realtor]

The fact lost on everyone is the randomness of nature. Life is a crapshoot and for the vast percentage of humans, animals, insects, amoebas, etc… life will be a struggle. In nature nothing is provided for. For a precious few (% wise) it is good because they happened to be born into a opportunistic situation. There is and never has been a situation where life is made easy because organisms are provided for. The issue at hand is resources are finite and at some point the number of organisms competing for them results in a typical order within societies.

It has always been that way and will always be that way. Automation and expansion of technology will benefit those who are in the higher orders more.

You can paint me as heartless or racist or whatever you want but I know that I am not. There is no “solution”. Solutions offered on this board are not going to happen. Furthermore they are not universal, they are applied to one country. Thus they are hypocritical in nature because they ignore 100’s of millions of others on the planet. That is because there is not any way to make it work given the sheer numbers of humans on the planet. Other countries that have more socialized systems also have substantially smaller populations, as well as rich natural resources as a ratio of that population.

[njtosd]

[quote=flyer][quote=6packscaredy]Ok now getting back on topic:

Kids today; they think society OWES them free candy.[/quote]

Agree, 6pack. We’ve seen this with some of the kids our kids grew up with in RSF–who are now in their 20’s and early 30’s. In fact, there are those who have even become suicidal because their lives didn’t go as their parents promised. [/quote]

Go back and look at my earlier post in this thread with the quote from Socrates. Kids are no different today than they’ve ever been.

[scaredyclassic]

My point was kids kind of are owed free candy …at least on 10-31.

[SD Realtor]

I would agree 110% scaredy. Definitely on 10/31

[SD Realtor]

Also there is a solution with is to control the population. Less people, less strain on the system. People without the means to support kids really shouldn’t be having kids. Those with the means to support them, should have a limit on the number they can have.

Honesty sucks I know that.

[scaredyclassic]

Does the fact that they are owed candy potentially make it taxable?

[Hobie]

No tax. Just the honor system. Laissez-faire economy.

Think about it. When you were a kid, you received the free candy. Then you grow up and return the favor. Great tradition.

What about when kids from outside of your neighborhood get dropped off to hit up the better homes? Tax them or charge them a ‘participation fee’?

Tax or not, best part are the great costumes. Especially the female nurses, cats, ahem.:)

[scaredyclassic]

My kids think of it as a form of work. It’s not really “free”.

Taxable

[CA renter]

[quote=njtosd][quote=CA renter][quote=SD Realtor]Not just candy. Society owes them health care, education, and a 6 figure job.[/quote]

And capitalists think their employees, customers, etc. owe them a profit…often, a very sizable one that is in no way correlated to the amount of “work” done or the risk taken on the part of the capitalist.[/quote]

CA Renter – I have to disagree. But I have to ask you a question – do you disagree with capitalism as an overall economic structure , or do you just not like parts of it?

In any event, no one holds a gun to anyone’s head and says you must work at this company or you must buy from this vendor (except, now that I think about it, the ACA). If you dont want to be cheated as an employee – start a business that doesn’t extract “sizable” profits (I’m including small businesses here). And in terms of being a gouged customer – there is always the DIY route. People did it for centuries. One could strive to be Amish (without the religion). I’m being a little flip here, but everything in life is a choice. And we should take care of those who are incapable of helping themselves, but not those who are unwilling.[/quote]

I have a problem with the monopolization of resources (and access to resources) and oligarchies. Both are the end result of capitalism.

IMHO, creating a structure that provides the most for the greatest number of people is ideal. I think that capitalism works exceedingly well in areas where resources are not relatively scarce or finite, and where wants are provided for. Where finite resources and basic needs are concerned, I favor a very strong, transparent, and accountable socialized system.

It’s important to note that when I refer to capitalism, I’m not talking about mom and pop opening their own businesses, etc. Unfortunately, the real capitalists have brainwashed people into thinking that mom and pop are representative of what capitalism is all about. The real capitalists are the ones who might loan mom and pop the money to start or expand their business (something the government could do), not the ones who work. Even more damaging are the capitalists who control corrupt politicians who grant these capitalists rights to public resources (or resources that *should* be public).

When I refer to capitalism, I’m talking about the control of resources, with capitalists being those who earn income from “investments” (hoarding and speculation), and workers having to pay the capitalists for access to everything they need to live — specifically, rentier capitalism where the capitalists don’t work and don’t provide any tangible benefits to our society and economy.

Edited to add: We do NOT have choices in many cases. Try buying products and services only from companies that have a low CEO/worker compensation ratio. For some things, like fruits and vegetables, it can be done; but for things like energy, healthcare, cars, etc.? Good luck. Sure, we could all try to live like the Amish, but I don’t think that’s a reasonable proposition. An egalitarian, more open system does not mean that we have to live in the Dark Ages.

[scaredyclassic]

A costume is like a uniform for trick or treating and should be deductible if the candy is taxable.

[njtosd]

[quote=6packscaredy]A costume is like a uniform for trick or treating and should be deductible if the candy is taxable.[/quote]

Your persistence is very funny. I would have to ask, however, whether the costume or elements thereof can reasonably used outside of “work.” Having watched my kids wearing the costume in many non-work activities, I am left with the impression that they are not deductible.

[scaredyclassic]

ay, there’s the rub … in my day, costumes were a one day affair. now, the costume pops up throught the year. I had dinner with batman for years. back in my day, the costume was tucked away or sometimes even thrown away. My dad sold currugated boxes for a living, and occasionally we would integrate corrugated into the design process. i once went as a vagrant in a corrugated “barrel”.

on it, was written “oh we aintgot a barrel of money”….

but it was discarded that night. now, costumes remain. we had a basket of dress up items. the middle child was “nightwing” pretty much fulltime from age 3 to 4

thank you for appreciating my efforts though to keep things on or maybe off track here.. my wife finds my efforts to create running jokes extremely tiresome and irritating. althought he chidlren appreciate it. perhaps anything funny about me wear expires afters 4 to 5 years.

but that’s probably true of even the most amusing people. it would be funny to interview spouses and exspousesof funny, purportedly interesting and amazing people of all fields. theya re probably perceived as tiresome and dull at home…

[flyer]

[quote=njtosd][quote=flyer][quote=6packscaredy]Ok now getting back on topic:

Kids today; they think society OWES them free candy.[/quote]

Agree, 6pack. We’ve seen this with some of the kids our kids grew up with in RSF–who are now in their 20’s and early 30’s. In fact, there are those who have even become suicidal because their lives didn’t go as their parents promised. [/quote]

Go back and look at my earlier post in this thread with the quote from Socrates. Kids are no different today than they’ve ever been.[/quote]

NJ, I can agree to a certain extent that kids today may be no different than they’ve ever been, but I do believe the game they are being forced to play in life has changed since the time of Socrates.

With our global economy, there are far more people vying for fewer and fewer resources than ever in history, creating extreme competition, and resulting in “survival of the fittest,” thus limiting many young people’s options in life.

It just seems to me that things have changed drastically when over 50% of college grads can’t get their dream jobs or buy homes (at least in most of CA.)

In “my day,” (I’m 55) acquiring those, and other of life’s benchmarks was pretty much a “slam dunk.” We all know that is no longer true, and, from that basis, I would have to believe the game of life has changed in a big way for future generations.

Of course, all of this is JMO.

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