BruceVC

What a cheery thought. Yeah, I thought a bit of context and levity is in order...this thread was depressing me

I don't mean to sound aggressive, but you are CLEARLY on some sort pf prescription drugs. I only mention this in case you didn't realise you were, and that woman with the twitch who cleans your house isn't making oddly metallic tasting soup by mistake. No I didn't realize I was.,..,.but now I know I am

Yes corruption cannot be condoned Sarex...if bribes were indeed paid by certain people to ensure that the World Cup is held in there countries then the vote needs to be help again in those countries to see if they are the best candidates Mother Russia will survive Sarex, no need to worry. They just may lose the 2018 World Cup

http://www.fourthofficial.com/football/south-africa-slammed-bribery-allegations/ So South Africa has also been implicated in this scandal, we apparently paid a $ 10 million bribe to host the 2010 World Cup This really needs to investigated and I'm am looking forward to the findings

People, especially young people, think intelligence means being an ****. I can't believe somebody went back and actually replied to that. I guess my point was that...speaking for myself, I am fairly cynical and chronically depressed (though I do go through bouts of not so bad periods, such as now). It's not like I desire to be how I am, or think it's smart or something - I just am. I would happily be...uh...happy all the time if I could be. Similarly, I think other people are the same way...and sometimes, they may come up with rationalizations for how they are - such as it being the "intelligent" thing to be, because...maybe they don't want to believe that there is something wrong with them? I would think that sort of thing comes as a result of the depression and cynicism, not as a reason for actually being that way - even if it's sometimes presented the latter way. But that's just my own personal experience. Sometimes - at the worst of times - I feel as though bothering trying to be happy is stupid, or...worse, that I don't deserve it. But...I don't think that's clear and reasonable thinking, and I would definitely not argue such right now. I think the same might be able to be said for the "presenting it as though it's the only reasonable thing" problem. (e): rewriting as I think about it more Barti my darling, don't be cynical Remember what the great WW1 poet Wilfred Owen said " Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" (it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country) He was right, poets are normally right

No I don't think this is on GG radar, but thanks for bringing this important development to the attention of the GG members on this forum I'm sure you will find them raising this issue

Nice photos, I have always wanted to visit these little towns like Golden City. You see them in the movies, they always look so picturesque I have always wanted to walk into a shop like Cooky's and order Apple Pie ( or at least ask the waitress " what pie do you have " )

Heh, yes, that is a huge leg up. I worked my way through college and I'm still paying off one of my loans for tuition (10 years into my career.) I'm extremely thankful that my parents were able to help out with part of it. I would be struggling under even more debt without that. I worked my way through college (part of why it took me a decade to do). What they did though, was allow me to live at home while taking classes until such time as I could afford to move out. Which meant that not having to immediately deal with paying for housing, combined with starting out at a low cost two year college, getting part-time jobs and getting a scholarship, I was able to begin saving money towards being able to support myself when I did move out while also advancing towards my degree all the while not taking any loans out at all. Sounds like you also had a privileged background...you could stay at home much longer than others and hence could save more money which meant you weren't burdened and crippled by these excessive educational loans that the rest of us are inflicted with. Nice privilege there young grasshopper

Oh no...are you saying you have been retrenched? Sorry to hear

It seems to be a combination of charges but the Americans want them on the 2018 and 2022 world cup corruption charges http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/27/football/fifa-corruption-charges-justice-department/?section=money_news_international No Bruce, that's incorrect. The US charges are related to awarding of the 2010 world cup, the 2011 FIFA presidential election and the TV and marketing rights for 2014 (and other specific charges) The 2018 or 2022 world cups are not mentioned in the charges. The CNN article and several others state that the Swiss are conducting a separate investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 world cups. Here's the summary from the US Justice Department http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nine-fifa-officials-and-five-corporate-executives-indicted-racketeering-conspiracy-and Looks like the folks below have already submitted guilty pleas (as part of a plea deals) - Charles Blazer, the long-serving former general secretary of CONCACAF and former U.S. representative on the FIFA executive committee waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a 10-count information charging him with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, income tax evasion and failure to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Jose Hawilla, the owner and founder of the Traffic Group, a multinational sports marketing conglomerate headquartered in Brazil, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a four-count information charging him with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and obstruction of justice Daryll Warner, son of defendant Jack Warner and a former FIFA development officer son of defendant Jack Warner and a former FIFA development officer, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with wire fraud and the structuring of financial transactions. Daryn Warner waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a three-count information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and the structuring of financial transactions. Traffic Sports USA Inc. and Traffic Sports International Inc. (pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy) Okay I'm wrong, so its the Swiss doing the 2018 and 2022 corruption charges. Thanks for clarifying

It seems to be a combination of charges but the Americans want them on the 2018 and 2022 world cup corruption charges http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/27/football/fifa-corruption-charges-justice-department/?section=money_news_international

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2015/05/27/fifa-officials-arrested-corruption-charges-extradition-united-states/27997783/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/27/fifa-officials-arrested-o_n_7447838.html So up to 14 FIFA officials have been arrested in Zurich and will face extradition to the USA to face real charges of corruption around the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 world cup games What do you guys think, do you think they see real jail time in the USA? Do you think FIFA is fundamentally corrupt ?

Yeah I have to say some of the complaints do seem rather petulant and unreasonable..its like you guys have become lazy?

You right, I don't see all cases of privilege as a bad thing as long as people are aware of it And yes I get the whole monopoly metaphor. Its valid in some cases, I just want to avoid generalizations about how or why people became successful because in my own country there is this constant vitriol and admonishment , from some people, towards anyone who has a certain perceived level of wealth...and it gets frustrating because those same people just don't understand basic economics and how people can uplift themselves...you cant do it by taking illegally from people who have achieved it through hard work and diligence

Okay my bad Since the cartoon is the making the same point you are making which is basically " people seem to ignore the fact the fact they have had help from parents or other means and this is reason they have succeeded " ..this is the same thing as the monopoly point which is " people ignore the fact they started the game with extra money and claim it is all skill that is the reason they won " Its the same principle so I assumed you were referring to the cartoon And yes I did get "extra money" in my life....if your parents paying for your education is considered " extra money" but everything I did around my career is what I did on my own

Well you read the cartoon I'm sure The basic message is Richard had supportive parents who had some money and Paula didn't. The result being at the end Richard implies that he had no handouts and his success is all his own work...well Paula suffers I'm saying financial success is a combination of things and just because your parents help you it doesn't mean you will necessarily succeed. And conversely just because your parents are unable to support you it doesn't mean you will end up as Paula The method and process of economic success is more nuanced than that

Read something in the comments there that I thought was interesting: "A study was done where some people started with more money than others in Monopoly, and upon winning they claimed it was because of skill." But TN we don't want this discussion to get to the point where its now a bad thing to have supportive parents who happen to have money to help there kids A person still needs to work hard to achieve a certain quality of life, your parents can generally only help you so far?

Which one are you ? Richard or Paula...maybe a combinatation, most of us are a combination

I agree....why do people derail threads Bring out the pitchforks....lets tar and feather them !!! Derailing threads is like an institution here. Except when people request that threads be derailed and everyone ignores that call and studiously posts on-topic. Very true

I agree....why do people derail threads Bring out the pitchforks....lets tar and feather them !!!

Its weird but there is something about your post I find inordinately depressing

In all the seminars and serious discussions about the importance of gay rights I have read or seen I can't ever recall people supporting the LGBT community ever saying " homosexuality is a mutation " It comes across as negative so yes in this case the word " mutation" could and would offend people who don't understand the valid scientific relevance. So this is a good time to practice the old " politically correct " principles

Ants have proven to be quite successful with the upbringing of offspring, despite not being raised by their biological parents On a more serious note, I simply regard homosexuality as one of many mutations (like red hair, white skin, a 6th toe, high IQ, whatever) that evolution applies to test new approaches to life. If it turns out to provide advantages, the gene will become dominant over time, if the disadvantages are greater than the advantages, it will not become a successful branch and will either become extinct or reduced to insignificance. We just need to be a little concerned about the words we use, to describe homosexuality as a "mutation " , even if it true, isn't very sensitive ?

I have to say the ads seem much less vitriolic and personal than the USA ones during elections. I really like both of them but I prefer the Liberal one because it seems really sincere Or does this change and get more malicious the closer to the election?

Y'think? And what is needed to change one's situation from unsuccessful to successful? Have you met many people that freely, consciously made the choice to be poor, unhappy, unsuccessful or otherwise miserable? Is this a strength of character thing or it depends on acquired or innate insights? And are those inheritable or environmentally influenced traits? Actually yes. I knew a lady when I lived in South Florida. She worked two jobs making near minimum wage and was so deep in credit card debt she had almost no hope of getting out. But she smoked 2 cartons of cigarettes a week and blew $200 a week in the Seminole Indian Casino. I told her to stop smoking and stop gambling and her financial situation would improve immediately. She wouldn't do either. Sometimes she won a few hundred bucks but spent thousands to do it. If you ever find yourself in a hole the first thing you need to do is stop digging. When I lost my business and my home I was not buying booze or steak dinners or stuff like that. With limited resources I bought only what was needed to turn one day into the next. When I couldn't find work in Ft. Lauderdale I moved to West Palm Beach. When I couldn't afford a better place to live in town I moved out to the sticks. There are no end to the possibilities available to folks in the US today. If your education is what is holding you back there is low cost and even no cost alternatives. Community colleges, trade schools, adult education... free in many cases. All you have to do is show up. Don't buy unnecessary things if you can't afford them. If you need work and there is none to be had nearby, then go where the work is. Start your own business. Do work on the side for cash. It's everyone's first responsibility to take care of themselves and their families. To tell the truth I don't know who I resent more. The ones who get on public assistance and stay there forever because it is always easier to do nothing than do something or the folks who tell me it's people like me who are responsible they are in the predicament they are in and demand I pay their way from my hard work. Good post GD, you make some excellent points I live in a country where there is real sense of entitlement from some people who were previously disenfranchised under Apartheid and now expect the government to give them everything for free....housing ...electricity, you name it. Many of them don't work and this bill is expected to be carried by taxpayers like me, its a massive drain on our economy and very annoying. It basically boils down to people expecting things without having to work for them and I reject this idea vociferously I just have to say I find you saying these things so very, very ironic considering how you present yourself as constantly pointing out to others how privileged they are as white males... So very, very ironic. How am I privileged again ? Because I work hard at my job and can afford to purchase a house and pay for services like electricity Also I very seldom play the " white privileged male " card, that's more other people who support SJ causes. We don't all agree on everything