RICH PEOPLE

[Half-Note]

46 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Throughout history...

Ukraine was established a very very long time ago in 600 AD, at which point it was called Kievan Rus. Russia didn't even exist for about 300 years since, being just swampy territory with wild Finnish tribes. 300 years after its founding one of the disliked relatives of Ukraine's ruling family broke off and went to form his own country which he called Moskoviche. He even tried invading Ukraine and sacking Kiev, but got his ass handed to him. Eventually, Kievan Rus (Ukraine) became one of the bigger, more powerful European countries. Then the Ottoman Empire started to invade from the west, with a simple condition: You join us and subjugate yourselves to us, or we kill you. When they invaded Moskoviche, the ruling Tzar joined them and became their lackey, so that country was spared. When the ottomans got to Ukraine, they were told to fuck off, and after some major fighting, Kiev was sacked and destroyed, along with Kievan Rus.

For the next few centuries, Kievan Rus, now Ukraine, was struggling to keep its nation status, while being constantly invaded by Poland from the west, Russia (Ottomans) from the east, and Tatars from the south. In part to raid villages for their resources, and in larger part to capture slaves (yep, lots of whites had slave roots too).

Eventually people there had enough, so they formed a decentralized, democratic, voluntary military force, the Cossacks, which would defend nearby villages from invading. That cut down on Polish and Russian invasions a lot, but not much. Also, eventually, around 1700's, the Ottoman Empire came into family issues, fell back, and collapsed, leaving Moskoviche all to itself. But that point, Moskoviche had its own slew of royals and nobles, being all hoity toity and trying to be European. But they had a big problem: for the last many centuries, they were basically huns, related to Atilla. It was considered an embarrassment, for whatever reason. So Moskoviche decided to change things, imported a half dozen professional historians from Europe, swore them to secrecy, and had them write a whole new original history for Moskoviche, "old" books and all. Now, Moskoviche and Kievan Rus was one and the same. Moskoviche was just Kievan Rus itself, but after it expanded into their territory. They even renamed their country from Moskoviche to Rus or Rosiya (which you now know as Russia), basically stealing ALL of Ukraine's history and appropriating it for themselves. And ever since, two different countries with two different languages, cultures, and histories, have taught their children two completely different histories:

One about how their country has a deep rich history, but has been invaded constantly and has a history of struggle and eventual interdependence,

And the other about how their country has a deep rich history (that actually belonged to the first country), has always been strong except for a few invasions here and there, and how eventually some people in some part of the country decided to break off to do their own thing.

This is why Ukraine has a strong dislike for Russia, resents the history of being invaded by Russia constantly and occupied by it for 70+ years as USSR (including that Holodomor incident), and has a strong nationalist pride thing after finally gaining independence (again, after centuries). While Russians think Ukraine is a part of them, and want to take them "back" under their control.

So, now you know the history and the source of the centuries old conflict. Source: I'm Ukrainian, went to Ukrainian school in USSR, went to Ukrainian Saturday school up to and including highschool here in the states where I had to study its history, and continued to study its history since. I can probably provide some links, but you really would need to read history books about this stuff, since it's not readily available.

 

I thought they meant throughout modern times. My mistake. I can understand why they'd be nationalistic, but why and how would the ideology of Ukrainian supremacy help Ukrainians?

[Rassah]

43 minutes ago, Lucyfish said:

Being a CEO isn't "easy" persay, but is it millions of dollars worth of difficult? Personally, I don't think so.

People don't earn money based on how difficult their work is. Nothing is priced based on difficulty. That's Marx's "labor theory of value," and it's bunk. Everything in life, and I mean everything, is based on supply and demand. The lower the supply and the higher the demand, the higher the price. Regardless of if its a rare gem vs a common piece of metal, or a person who can flip burgers vs someone who can steer a company. People with CEO skills are in very low supply, but in some businesses they are mandatory, and thus have a huge demand. Some specific individuals who have proven themselves to be excellent at their job in prior companies (such as by saving companies from brink of failure) are at an even higher demand. And that's the only reason they get paid so much more.

Want to earn a lot at a job (trading labor hours for money)? Find a job that's in high demand that has a low supply of workers, and learn that skill.

[Therapy Sergal]

52 minutes ago, Rassah said:

I'm Ukrainian, went to Ukrainian school in USSR, went to Ukrainian Saturday school up to and including highschool here in the states where I had to study its history, and continued to study its history since. I can probably provide some links, but you really would need to read history books about this stuff, since it's not readily available.

So jokes about crazy hohols and globe of Ukraine are actually true.

[Lucyfish]

10 minutes ago, Rassah said:

People with CEO skills are in very low supply

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

good one dude

[Pignog]

3 hours ago, Rassah said:

By the way, bit off topic, but kind of disappointing that when I would talk about or suggest investing in bitcoin, people here would just ridicule it and make fun of me, to the point that I barely brought it up. It's up 25% this week alone (I've made a return in the high six figures), 50% in the last month, and 100% in the last three. Would just have needed some patience while it didn't do anything for the prior few months, but anyone who listened could have doubled your money already. Alas, it's a topic that I know much about and can give inside info on, but one that is not welcome here.

i will listen to your bitcoin advice, post away

[PastryOfApathy]

You never answered my question Rassh.

Why are you spending all your time on your vacation arguing with people you allegedly don't care about? I'm pretty sure Aruba has plenty of bars and other nice places that are open. Unless of course, you're just like super tsundere to us or something in which case, I feel sorry for you more than I usually do.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Lucyfish said:

Being a CEO isn't "easy" persay, but is it millions of dollars worth of difficult? Personally, I don't think so.

Their money isn't based on difficulty. Its based on a lot of factors. The worth of the company to people, the people THEY pay, etc etc. 

29 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Healthcare and education doesn't come free. Either the doctors and teachers have to provide it out of their own time, or someone else has to give up their labor to pay for it (through taxes). Funny how some buggers feel entitled to your labor like you're their slave or something

 

Well of course, nothing's free. I'd be happy to pay a flat tax on my income if it meant kids wouldn't have to take out loans or if a guy could get a root canal without dropping a ton of dough to get it. A flat tax would be fair, wouldn't it? 

A system where everyone helps each other out in a way that's fair and is for the greater human purpose. That'd be neat. 

[Lucyfish]

3 minutes ago, Lemon said:

Their money isn't based on difficulty. Its based on a lot of factors. The worth of the company to people, the people THEY pay, etc etc. 

But the pay of their employees doesn't come from their own pocket, it comes from the company funds. Of which they more often than not tend to walk away with huge percentages. Percentages that I personally feel are more owed to the people who work harder and think more than they do. I've worked managerial positions before, and I'm sorry to say that it really does not take the time and effort that "lower" jobs require. I've been a boss, I've gotten a boss's pay, and I didn't feel I deserved to get paid more than the people I was managing. My job was not more demanding nor was I the only one qualified to do it.

Managing and executive jobs DO NOT deserve the high rate of pay they often get. The job is not in high demand nor is it low on qualified individuals to work said job. Most of the time people don't even earn executive positions, they are given them by friends or family. Connections get you those positions, not skills.

[Half-Note]

25 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Except there was nothing Democratic about it. "Little green men" showed up without any military insignia, annexed Crimea, and then had an election after the fact, complete with armed intimidating thugs at the ballot boxes to make sure you voted right, and with the vote being between two choices:

1) Become independent under Russia's control

2) Become part of Russia

The choice to remain part of Ukraine, or become an independent country, wasn't even on the ballot (you can look that up too). And this AFTER Ukraine elected the most moderate, centrist, liberal, and inclusive guy for persistent.

I have no valid counter-argument here so I'll just say that the Jew is behind all of it.

26 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Actually it was because Ukraine discovered vast shake gas reserves in the East, and had companies like Chevron and Shell building fracking wells and refineries there, which would have threatened Russia's monopoly on gas to Europe, and Europe really doesn't like Russia, what with them being so crazy. Again, easily verifiable.

From what I learned it had to do with the Ukrainian gov't becoming more open for trade with the West as well as NATO, and Mr. Putin pursuing Ukraine to trade with them (which would directly involve them with the SCO, which Ukraine has applied for an Observer status at, though I doubt that will happen now). My source might be less than honest though, and so I'll agree that it had to do with trade in the region.

31 minutes ago, Rassah said:

I'm pretty sure instead of antidiscrimination laws, things will move in the opposite direction. Russia is becoming more conservative and right wing. And more fascist. Since oil prices crashed, and Russian government and GDP depends on it for more than half of its income, Russian economy has been in the toilet. Their propaganda about Nazis on the border in Ukraine, and USA getting ready to invade them any minute now, has reached Hitlerian proportions with its scapegoating and trying to distract from problems and shift blame.

But that shouldn't worry you, you're a capitalist!

As for fear-mongering about war, doesn't this happen on both sides? I've read quite a lot of US-American news stories on Vladimir Putin planning invasions, planning this, planning that. To me it seems like Russia is painted as the world's boogeyman, coming to eat our children and rape our wives. It's more of a cliché than anything at this point.

35 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Yes. I think think the addresses are Russian. There's a wiki article on neonasizm in Russia that talks about this and provides links.

Including those, yes. Aryan Brotherhood are still Nazis.

Largely Russian, most likely, ALL Russian, doubtedly.

And ze Aryan brozerhood was an example of ze Übermenschen in ze states, ja? Like ze KKK und ze skinheads.

Question for you zough, Herr Rassah. Was ist worse, ein National Socialist or ein National Capitalist?

43 minutes ago, Rassah said:

I don't support the current insurance structure, since it doesn't even work in a free capitalist market. There is no competition on insurance, with most insurance being provided to you by your employer, with the employer covering 1/2 to 2/3rd of the cost without employees even knowing about it, and hospitals and doctors never publishing, discussing, or negotiating prices for their services. No competition in the health market at all. That's why it's so stupid expensive.

But that's a much too complicated topic. What about things like roads, water, police?

Happy to see that you realize the flaws in the current insurance model.  Perhaps we can get the commie in you out yet.

Public roads could be privatized too, but it depends on HOW it's done. The way I see it, you could...

a) Use tax money to have a government infrastructural company handle it.

or b) Use tax money to pay a private company to do it.

I personally believe that letting a private company take care of it using tax money is the best option. It saves the government the load of managing the project, and also allows a private company to prosper and profit from the contract. Because the roads are public,  it will not have any negative effects on the citizens, as far as I know.

Water? Handled in water plants. Surely, covered by taxes that too. Both maintenance and the running of water plants is handled by the public sector, however the private sector handles electricity, so we do get electricity bills here.

When it comes to police, this is a bit of a hard issue. Could we potentially have security companies working alongside the public police here? Maybe, but what would their limits be? Would they be imposed restrictions or would you have the opportunity to call in a helicopter with a manned side-mounted minigun firing down on whatever it is you wanted them to? Would bounty hunters be given restrictions?

Speaking on the topic of a private security force, this should in my opinion, in it's current state, NOT be handled by a privatized company, but rather the public police forced because they uphold the public law, meaning they act on behalf of the government. Could the gov't hire a private security company to replace the police? Maybe, but corruption and excessive force would no doubt be more rampant. Surely, since the company is private, they'd most likely provide their own equipment, which would allow the gov't to save money on police equipment, but when it comes to a security force, I believe it is better if that is handled by a public law enforcement agency.

1 hour ago, Rassah said:

I will never ditch my bitcoins! And why would you want them? They're just magic internet monopoly tulip moneys.

Not them, whomever you're married to so that you can marry me!
Or transfer like... A million USD in funds so that I can enter the world of investment with you as my guide. <3

24 minutes ago, Lemon said:

Their money isn't based on difficulty. Its based on a lot of factors. The worth of the company to people, the people THEY pay, etc etc. 

Well of course, nothing's free. I'd be happy to pay a flat tax on my income if it meant kids wouldn't have to take out loans or if a guy could get a root canal without dropping a ton of dough to get it. A flat tax would be fair, wouldn't it? 

A system where everyone helps each other out in a way that's fair and is for the greater human purpose. That'd be neat. 

A FELLOW SOCIALIST!  FOR THE MOTHERLAND!

[Brass]

Rassh I have $100 how do I invest it?

[PastryOfApathy]

29 minutes ago, Brass said:

Rassh I have $100 how do I invest it?

Cyber Shekels

[AshleyAshes]

9 hours ago, evan said:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/can-money-buy-happiness-heres-what-science-has-to-say-1415569538

 

@AshleyAshes, I was arguing on your side, but some of these statistics are suggesting otherwise. Doing more research.

Er, no it doesn't.  Despite the misleading title, it primarily focuses on how money can best be spent on happiness, namely on experiences rather than 'stuff' while most people will focus on getting stuff, erroneously thinking it will being them more happiness.  The only real comparisons it makes between financial classes is strictly 'rich' and 'poor'.  I don't think anyone will dispute that being poor makes you unhappy, where you have to struggle for everything, even basic needs.

For a guy who doesn't care what we think, Rassah sure is posting a lot of words in this thread.

[evan]

3 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Er, no it doesn't.  Despite the misleading title, it primarily focuses on how money can best be spent on happiness, namely on experiences rather than 'stuff' while most people will focus on getting stuff, erroneously thinking it will being them more happiness.  The only real comparisons it makes between financial classes is strictly 'rich' and 'poor'.  I don't think anyone will dispute that being poor makes you unhappy, where you have to struggle for everything, even basic needs.

For a guy who doesn't care what we think, Rassah sure is posting a lot of words in this thread.

I'm more referring to the two graphics that state that satisfaction goes up by wage, and how 500k+ supposedly has a rounded 100% happiness value, as opposed to any other.

Again it might be materialistic as the numbers go up, it's a thin statistic. But it does exist.

[AshleyAshes]

5 minutes ago, evan said:

I'm more referring to the two graphics that state that satisfaction goes up by wage, and how 500k+ supposedly has a rounded 100% happiness value, as opposed to any other.

Again it might be materialistic as the numbers go up, it's a thin statistic. But it does exist.

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2013/04/subjective-well-being-income/subjective-well-being-income.pdf

You can actually find the complete paper here.  This is where more information is available, including the source of the data; A three day Gallup poll in 2007, and the number of individuals counted; A whopping 8 people are the sole members of the 100%/$500k metric.  While the numbers are interesting, there's obviously huge issues with the sample sizes and the methodology is strictly self reporting in over the phone interviews.

[Brass]

RASSAH HOW DO INVEST $100

[AshleyAshes]

1 minute ago, Brass said:

RASSAH HOW DO INVEST $100

Not bullshitting: There is totally such a thing as the 'Lego Speculation Market'.

[Rassah]

1 hour ago, Half-Note said:

I thought they meant throughout modern times. My mistake. I can understand why they'd be nationalistic, but why and how would the ideology of Ukrainian supremacy help Ukrainians?

It's not supremacy, it's nationalism, belief in national pride and independence. They don't think they're better than Russians, they think they're not Russia.

 

1 hour ago, Lucyfish said:

"People with CEO skills are in low supply"

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

good one dude

You didn't even know what types of tasks being a CEO entails... Seriously, think about it, if CEO level skills were common, why would companies shop around and offer million dollar salaries to these people? They could just offer whatever low pay they want, and have tons of CEOs apply, like what happens with minimum wage jobs (and why those jobs pay minimum wage).

Again I ask, if CEO jobs are so easy, and don't require much besides a college education (though even that's in dispute), why isn't everyone working CEO jobs and making tons of money? And why do businesses pay CEOs so much, if they can hire then at a dime a dozen, so to speak?

1 hour ago, Pignog said:

i will listen to your bitcoin advice, post away

Buy it, hold it, don't cash out because you can just spend it directly, including with huge discounts, like 10% off anything from Amazon. Or, rather, should have bought it when it was $230 instead of $450 as it is now. Or better yet, back when I started urging people on FAF to buy it when it was $7. People here could've bought $1,000 worth back then, and had $64,000 now, three years later. But they decided it was stupid, instead, because they didn't understand it or know anything about it.

1 hour ago, PastryOfApathy said:

You never answered my question Rassh.

 

1 hour ago, Lucyfish said:

But the pay of their employees doesn't come from their own pocket, it comes from the company funds. Of which they more often than not tend to walk away with huge percentages.

But that's not how pay is calculated. A company doesn't earn X amount and then decide how to split it up among employees with who gets what percent of the revenues. Each individual employee and skill type has its own wholly separate demand by the company, and supply in the market, which leads to each employee negotiating their own price with the company, with higher demand and lower supply employees getting a higher pay. No different than anything else, like for instance how produce makers negotiate prices with Walmart, where they want to sell their stuff for the highest price, Walmart wants to buy it for the lowest price, and produce that has a lot of competition or isn't popular is offered a lower price.

So, the company revenue, or what someone else makes, has zero effect on each employee's salary. It's why if the company earns too low of a profit it has to lay off people instead of reduce everyone's pay, or of some jobs become too expensive it has to get rid of them, or innovate to replace them. Managers simply cost more on the market. Not always though.

Quote

I've worked managerial positions before, and I'm sorry to say that it really does not take the time and effort that "lower" jobs require. I've been a boss, I've gotten a boss's pay, and I didn't feel I deserved to get paid more than the people I was managing.

So why did you take the higher salary?

By the way, a manager/boss is a completely different job from CEO. For one, manager positions are almost always salaried, while CEO positions often pay little to nothing, while requiring much more skills, enormous risks, and assumption of future pay instead of a steady paycheck.

Quote

Most of the time people don't even earn executive positions, they are given them by friends or family. Connections get you those positions, not skills.

That's a completely different issue, is really rare, and those jobs don't pay millions. They're usually just having someone continue to run the family store/restaurant, and still require a ton of skills and education that is taught by the parents.

51 minutes ago, Brass said:

Rassh I have $100 how do I invest it?

Seriously? Get an account at Circle, buy bitcoin, and sit on it. "Professional advice?" Just $100 won't get you far or much. You want to get to a point where you have $100 to invest every month. First buy SPDR ETFs through something like robin hood  brokerage (it's free trades, supposedly). I recommend Vanguard ETFs and funds, since all diversified funds have the same average performance after they include more than 30 different stocks, so the fees are the only things that make a difference. Vanguard has the lowest fees by far. Once your ETF portfolio gets to $3,000 or more, convert it to a straight up mutual fund. Vanguard index fund, like Total Stock Market Index is best. Then keep that up, every month, for about 30 years, putting more in if you can, and you'll be able to retire in luxury, probably a millionaire.

Oh, one problem to watch out for, though, there's an issue with fractional reserve banking in stock brokerages. Basically, stock shares have been oversold with an average of each share being owned by four different people. Unlike banks with their FDIC, there is nothing to insure or protect investors from a bank run on stocks. If there is ever a run on the stock market, stocks will crash to 1/4th just from that, plus more from the resulting fallout. THAT is what the actual worry was from the big bankers and world leaders. If it should every happen, the entire global investment system will collapse, and everyone who is stock rich or depends on retirement income or pension will find themselves broke without money. It will be a global disaster, and after exhausting all options after 2008, there's nothing left for governments to stop it when the next recession happens. So... Buy bitcoins or other real assets instead.

[evan]

11 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2013/04/subjective-well-being-income/subjective-well-being-income.pdf

You can actually find the complete paper here.  This is where more information is available, including the source of the data; A three day Gallup poll in 2007, and the number of individuals counted; A whopping 8 people are the sole members of the 100%/$500k metric.  While the numbers are interesting, there's obviously huge issues with the sample sizes and the methodology is strictly self reporting in over the phone interviews.

thanks! that's useful information.

[Rassah]

26 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

For a guy who doesn't care what we think, Rassah sure is posting a lot of words in this thread.

I only don't care what you specifically, and two others, think. I still enjoy discussions with people. It's called being social (as opposed to what you do, which is antisocial).

[Rassah]

Lucy, I think it would be easier for you to understand why executives earn millions if you first understood how money is earned by businesses in the first place. It's part of/similar to the whole "assets earning money to buy more assets" thing. Learning about where prices come from would help too. There are probably some economics videos you can search for. It makes much more sense when you understand how that whole system functions.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Rassah

[AshleyAshes]

5 minutes ago, Rassah said:

I only don't care what you specifically, and two others, think. I still enjoy discussions with people. It's called being social (as opposed to what you do, which is antisocial).

...This is an internet forum where everyone is engaging with faceless strangers hiding behind cartoon animal icons...  Nothing about this is called 'Being Social'.

[Rassah]

11 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

...This is an internet forum where everyone is engaging with faceless strangers hiding behind cartoon animal icons...  Nothing about this is called 'Being Social'.

Ashley claims furries, with their hugs and cuddle piles and conventions and such, are antisocial. Gasp.

Anyway, off to bed. Flying home tomorrow. Hopefully I can smuggle some local liquor on a plane for a friend at home. He doesn't get to travel due to not having many vacation days, and whatever he gets spending at furry cons, so I bring him alcohol from all the exotic places I go to. NEFT Vodka from siberia was the neatest looking, and some other neat ones were milk and white chocolate liquors from Austria, blackcurrant berry liquor from Riga, weird super strong root and grass thing from Reykjavik, and from here it's some sort of creamy rum eggnog thing... I have an alcoholic friend that I may be indulging too much

Edited December 12, 2015 by Rassah

[AshleyAshes]

5 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Ashley claims furries, with their hugs and cuddle piles and conventions and such, are antisocial. Gasp

I didn't realize that this was a furry convention. I thought I was on my couch with my laptop while watching Saturday Night Live.

[Brass]

2 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

I didn't realize that this was a furry convention. I thought I was on my couch with my laptop while watching Saturday Night Live.

hey bby u wana mur i got some dank memes

[AshleyAshes]

2 minutes ago, Brass said:

hey bby u wana mur i got some dank memes

Get your furry convention out of my living room, I have work in the morning and have to go to bed soon.  Who even authorized this!?  Am I getting paid for hosting this event? D:

[PastryOfApathy]

I ask again because you can't stop dodging questions for some reason.

Why are you spending all your time on your vacation arguing with people you allegedly don't care about? I'm pretty sure Aruba has plenty of bars and other nice places that are open right now, yet you're arguing with people you "don't give a shit about".

I've said this a bunch of times before but you don't need to lie to us, our opinion of you literally cannot go any lower.

[Pignog]

31 minutes ago, Brass said:

RASSAH HOW DO INVEST $100

whats up fellow hundredaire.

rassah on my next paycheck i will buy the smallest amount of bitcoin possible and get in on this. i have seen socialism for the false and evil system it is and am going whole hog in the free market baby

 

[evan]

16 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Ashley claims furries, with their hugs and cuddle piles and conventions and such, are antisocial. Gasp.

Never has an argument of two people making excessive statements at each other lasted so long.

[Brass]

2 minutes ago, Pignog said:

whats up fellow hundredaire.

rassah on my next paycheck i will buy the smallest amount of bitcoin possible and get in on this. i have seen socialism for the false and evil system it is and am going whole hog in the free market baby

 

tbh I should just pay the app market fee and come up with shitty ideas for phone apps. I'd probs make more money fulfilling a niche than sinking my money

[Rassah]

12 minutes ago, PastryOfApathy said:

I ask again because you can't stop dodging questions for some reason.

Why are you spending all your time on your vacation arguing with people you allegedly don't care about? I'm pretty sure Aruba has plenty of bars and other nice places that are open right now, yet you're arguing with people you "don't give a shit about".

*snooooore*

Incidentally, everything in Aruba closes at 8, and restaurants close at 11. No night life here. Going to bed for reals this time. Not surprised my serious advice about where to invest was wasted.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Rassah

[Pignog]

i keep expecting the app market to implode but here we are with yo and whatever canadas idiot darling, hootsuite, does

[Brass]

23 minutes ago, Pignog said:

i keep expecting the app market to implode but here we are with yo and whatever canadas idiot darling, hootsuite, does

App dev is a bloated dysfunctional mess. It's so saturated. BUT you can start an app dev business on a shoestring, which is great if you're an independent developer. For google play it's like $25 dollars, so if you have some talent you should be able to make the initial cost back.

 

TFW Rassah isn't proud of me for learning any of his lessons in his study group. In the end I actually made back my money above the initial $5 in bitcoins, cut my living costs, and constantly think on "what can I do to afford that". 

Edited December 12, 2015 by Brass

[PastryOfApathy]

55 minutes ago, Rassah said:

*snooooore*

Incidentally, everything in Aruba closes at 8, and restaurants close at 11. No night life here. Going to bed for reals this time. Not surprised my serious advice about where to invest was wasted.

See ya tomorrow, since I'm sure you'll still be here since you care about our opinions that much apparently.

[Revates]

Credit goes to @Zaraphayx

[Pignog]

5 hours ago, Brass said:

App dev is a bloated dysfunctional mess. It's so saturated. BUT you can start an app dev business on a shoestring, which is great if you're an independent developer. For google play it's like $25 dollars, so if you have some talent you should be able to make the initial cost back.

 

TFW Rassah isn't proud of me for learning any of his lessons in his study group. In the end I actually made back my money above the initial $5 in bitcoins, cut my living costs, and constantly think on "what can I do to afford that". 

you should make some drink related app where people type in ingredients on hand and it barfs out what drinks they can make (this probably exists already?)

[I Did It For The Cat Girls]

16 hours ago, Rassah said:

But... That's the Democratic, pro-socialism guy! He's the "good guy" rich who keeps saying we should have higher taxes and more free stuff.

What's your beef with democratic socialism?

[Rassah]

10 hours ago, Brass said:

TFW Rassah isn't proud of me for learning any of his lessons in his study group. In the end I actually made back my money above the initial $5 in bitcoins, cut my living costs, and constantly think on "what can I do to afford that". 

Nah, it was that time I wrote about what to do with a $100 investment, and it was ignored. And fuck. I knew your name sounded familiar, but you used a different one on Skype, so I totally forgot you were in my group. Sorry. Sucks you jumped on the " pick on Rassah" bandwagon. But yes, if that's what you're doing, I'm proud of you. Hell, if you listened to the first audio book lesson, you're further ahead than 95% of everyone else in the world.

BTW, saw this today, and made me think of some of the guys on this forum (and my father-in-law):

"There's a natural law of karma that vindictive people, who go out of their way to hurt others, will end up broke and alone." - Sylvester Stallone

I hinted at it often in that thread and lessons, but we didn't really get to the next one, with "Think and Grow Rich" audio book, where one of the core lessons is that you can't get rich without being a very good, sociable, and generous person, like all the big names in history were (and how my rich friends personally are), since it's impossible to get there completely on your own.

It's unfortunate that the only people who get in the news are assholes, and they end up painting the idea in people's minds that all rich are assholes and the only way to become a millionaire in this world is to be a complete heartless and ruthless asshole.

1 hour ago, I Did It For The Cat Girls said:

What's your beef with democratic socialism?

Socialism is an idea so great and loved by so many, that it requires hundreds of thousands of armed thugs, and billions of dollars a year, to force everyone to follow.

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

And before you come back with "Democracy is the worst form of government, expect all the others," I support a system that doesn't have any. To me that statement is like saying "Christianity is the worst religion, except all the others." It's still delusional junk that hurts others.

[AshleyAshes]

Dude..  Did you just quote Sylvester Stallone as if he was a great mind of history???

[Pignog]

4 hours ago, I Did It For The Cat Girls said:

What's your beef with democratic socialism?

no sociolist nobama

3 hours ago, Rassah said:

"There's a natural law of karma that vindictive people, who go out of their way to hurt others, will end up broke and alone." - Sylvester Stallone

this just sounds like the just world fallacy tbh, lots of good people end up broke and alone and lots of dicks end up rich and surrounded by sycophants

[Lucyfish]

Karma is bullshit. Bad people get away with living long prosperous lives all the time, while good people suffer. Look at Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, or Donald Trump.

[Rassah]

 

2 hours ago, Pignog said:

this just sounds like the just world fallacy tbh, lots of dicks end up rich and surrounded by sycophants

Name some names. None of this "lots of" hearsay.

4 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

Dude..  Did you just quote Sylvester Stallone as if he was a great mind of history???

His statement jives with my personal experience among people I've met.

[I Did It For The Cat Girls]

5 hours ago, Rassah said:

Socialism is an idea so great and loved by so many, that it requires hundreds of thousands of armed thugs, and billions of dollars a year, to force everyone to follow.

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

And before you come back with "Democracy is the worst form of government, expect all the others," I support a system that doesn't have any. To me that statement is like saying "Christianity is the worst religion, except all the others." It's still delusional junk that hurts others.

I don't think democracy is the worst form of government imaginable, but I wholeheartedly believe that it isn't an ideal administrative system fit for all peoples and cultures. The contemporary political situation in the Middle East is an excellent case study that outlines this truism with exceptional accuracy (with exceptions of course). Some people like their theocratic authoritative regimes; others enjoy their democratic welfare states. Some people thrive under Sharia Law while others flounder helplessly (and sometimes violently) when placed into societies with incredibly weak social checks.

As I've said previously, capitalism isn't terrible. Me personally, I'd have no problem with it so long as the sick are cared for, the working class is tended to, folks are supported in the unfortunate event that they are unable to procure or maintain gainful employment, and people are accorded a free education by the state (up until community college). 

Some people claim that none of this is impossible because it relies on spending someone else's money, but I'm sure if the US can afford to keep afloat 19 aircraft carriers, its illustrious oligarchs can at least afford to give all Americans free basic healthcare. 

 

 

[Rassah]

Why do we want free education provided by the *state?* I'd prefer free education provided by capitalism. State education has been sucking more and more every year.

[Jerry]

23 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Why do we want free education provided by the *state?* I'd prefer free education provided by capitalism. State education has been sucking more and more every year.

Couldn't agree more on this one! They keep cutting the budget for education here. And I won't talk about the madness of reforms...

Edited December 13, 2015 by Jerry

[Bloodshot_Eyes]

I'm literally only posting in this thread because of my current avatar. 

[AshleyAshes]

55 minutes ago, Rassah said:

Why do we want free education provided by the *state?* I'd prefer free education provided by capitalism. State education has been sucking more and more every year.

Yeah, this is more of an AMERICAN problem rather than a capitalism or socialist problem.  Also probably why the publicly funded education systems of far more socialist nations mop the floor with the United States.

I think it's more about an uncomfortably large portion of the American public wanting 'Or more likely, Jesus makes this happen.' at the end of every page of the science text books.

[MalletFace]

33 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Yeah, this is more of an AMERICAN problem rather than a capitalism or socialist problem.  Also probably why the publicly funded education systems of far more socialist nations mop the floor with the United States.

I think it's more about an uncomfortably large portion of the American public wanting 'Or more likely, Jesus makes this happen.' at the end of every page of the science text books.

It seems it really does have more to do with how we think than with what economic system we use. Those old socialist republics did that by weeding out those that were not suited for academia.

For example, from a text I know was used in at least Nizhegorod Oblast during the '50s, a child at the age of ten to twelve - 5th and 6th grade in the U.S. at the time - might be required to understand

• the factorial operation,
• exponential growth and decay,
• sets and set notation, and
• linear equations and inequalities.

Good on you if you can find a good number of adults from the U.S. that studied during that time that know what the factorial operation is despite how useful it is.

[Rassah]

I suspect education has been going to shit in every country. And with the rapid advance in technology and scientific knowledge, no slow, bureaucratic, government controlled system can keep up. I would much prefer if classes weren't separated by age, where students could pick what they wanted to learn when (some kids pick software design early, others pick 3D design or robotics, others pick literature or history, and age isn't a factor), the classes were focused on modern skills, and education was done with real world examples, where, say, you learn about trigonometry by building a robot arm, say out of legos or 3D software, and have to calculate the angles and distances to make the parts fit, instead of first having to study diagrams of triangles. Start from the big picture and dig deeper into details as you examine whatever it is you're studying. I think that's sort of how Elon Musk's school teaches to. And have schools actually compete by trying to give the best education for the best price. Even if rich area schools end up teaching much better than poor area schools... that won't be any different from how things are now. But at least the poor area schools will be able to benefit from whatever ideas rich schools come up with.

[evan]

20 minutes ago, Rassah said:

But at least the poor area schools will be able to benefit from whatever ideas rich schools come up with.

This is supposedly how marching band/general music education COULD work right now and I can tell you in a heartbeat that that is patently false. Competitive schooling inherently doesn't work and eventually the schools with enough money can succeed with half the amount of work. Equipment, instruction, it has nothing to do with ideas at all unfortunately. There are plenty of ideas that will never be executed at a high enough level because of the amount of money necessary to idealize it.

Do they benefit from ideas of rich schools? Sure, but that's not going to make them necessarily overcome the massive issues and educational gaps they'll have as a result of not having a higher capital.

Perhaps I'm interpreting your idea incorrectly, perhaps my hands-on experience with people from a wide variety of backgrounds of marching and concert bands in the country is limited enough that I can't speak for the state of schools. But what I do know is that encouraging competition in spite of a financial rift only tends to create a hierarchy of students doomed to not receive the same level of information, and those who can afford to receive it always benefiting at a higher level. This is where a problem of class-based potential can start.

 

Bands of America is active proof of this.

Edited December 13, 2015 by evan

[Rassah]

That's a problem that is already present even with schools not competing and supposedly receiving similar funding. I'm actually suggesting letting poor performing schools fail and close up completely, just like we allow crappy businesses fail and close up, to be replaced with better businesses. I would also love to see much more recognition of non-traditional online education. Right now it seems colleges and jobs only care if you went to a 8am to 2pm standard school. I would like to see them, and other schools, honor credits from online education sites too, be it things like Khan Academy, Ted Talks, or some educational games. Judge students based on skills and knowledge, not on whether they completed grade X, whatever that entails.