I manage a large grocery store in Scottsdale, and I've seen people pay with food stamps and roll out in a Hummer H2 on dubs. Report it to who? The Government is to busy cutting education funds and what not to give a shit.

 

I wouldn't really say they got "PWNED".

more justice: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/01/2...thain_resi.html

[QUOTE]The CEO of Merrill Lynch was abruptly ousted Thursday after it emerged that he had spent $1 million to decorate his office - including buying a $1,405 trash can

 

Too bad they can't buy it, would have brought 50million to a European company

 

People with foodstamps AND Hummer on dubs in Scottsdale?...why am I NOT surprised?

 

How much does a janitor make at Merrill Lynch?

 

By the sound of things, more than me.

 

30K Millionaires dude, scottsdale breeds them!

 

[quote name='rahvis' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:16 PM']I'm not saying we need to be 100% socialist.

 

We're going nowhere fast with all this back and forth; not to mention we seem to be wildly off topic. But I'll bite...

I guess I can see what you mean here, but no government sends us back to Mad Max, don't you think? Personally, I'll take this over that.

Hippies are still out there. You don't need to live in a cave with a stick, but I'm sure there is something less extreme one could do while still being a contributing member of society. For starters, you could go off the grid with your home.

You're right. Instead of working within our means here, the wiser course of action is to plunder Mars. I'm as cynical as you regarding a number of things, but this is a bit of a stretch, no?

Your entire statement included the ability to travel further in less time. If you were simply talking about the result of a digital world, my condolences, you're not a communist after all. I'm with you on providing free or very inexpensive access to under-privileged people/areas; and you're right about how it should be used for education and society's betterment. But in today's capitalistic world, it's silly to think that entire industries will shift due to social responsibility. Would it be nice? Sure... Would it be sustainable in the long term? Doubt it.

In the long run, aren't they slowly picked off from the herd though? After all, society has reached a point where ingenuity and innovative thinking can net a positive lifestyle. If those intelligent/innovative people reproduce and raise their children correctly, shouldn't the next generation have a better chance of raising the IQ bar again? And if those people grew up with a healthy lifestyle to boot, shouldn't we eventually find our way to a more well rounded human being? Of course their numbers are small at the moment. The likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears certainly don't contribute to the good side of the gene pool either, but losing hope isn't really the answer.

Be against it. That's your prerogative. Fight to change it if you'd like. But if you're upset about cash flow supplanting physical strength's place in running the show AND you're upset with any form of government AND government intervening in a poorly run company's decision making process... It seems to me you're impossible to please.

Look. You wish the rest of the free world would live to a certain standard which includes easily accessible tools for education. When I critique you for not maintaining that standard in or outside of a classroom, you get your panties in a knot. Typing isn't hard and neither is spelling. You're obviously a relatively intelligent guy. So why do you clown me because you can't spell or refuse to skim over what you just typed?

Glad to hear it. But if you're dissatisfied with a white guy with a sub par IQ, a black guy with an above average IQ, any form of government and you're not crazy about capitalism or socialism... Jesus Christ man, spend a little time, think of a better idea and push it to the masses. If you've got no better ideas, sit down, STFU and accept what is.

You're right. So you continue skimming the surface of acceptable performance while barking that everyone else should raise their standards.

 

Who's to dictate what is unnecessary? Like I said, if you make NO PROVISIONS to how the lent money is spent, you keep your nose out of it. Plain and simple.

Government and business is like oil and water.

FYI the only TARP restrictions of note are that the money can not be used to provide a golden parachute to existing executives.