General Music Chat

It's that time of year again.

This is one of the few charities that I support, and try to always drop at least a few coins if not a few dollars into their buckets. They, unlike many others, go out into the neighborhoods and help the most needy, something I've been a time or two in my life.

So anyways, I've noticed something...

They are in front of the grocery store, the wal-mart, the k-mart, and several other places where the least-fortunate of us shop... but why aren't they in front of Sachs 5th avenue, the King of Prussia Mall, jewlers row, and other places the rich tend to shop? Are they unwelcome, or do the rich just not give enough to support placing someone there to collect?

It occurred to me that we the poor and middle class are pretty much solely supporting the poor, and it irritates me when rich people bitch about paying a fair tax.

Just sayin...

This thread started out nice and then went downhill FAST! Kramer its not so much the rich. The owners of Sachs and other such stores don't want them there in fear it will drive their customers away.
One thing that happens here often is they find a gold coin dropped anoynimaslly in the kettles with a note like "a child was born in Bethlehem". These gold coins are worth $1600.00 and I don't believe that is a poor person. Your blanket statement of its all the poor supporting the poor seems like more of the old liberal class warfare. Do you have proof a study or something to support your theory? Just remember Mr. Kramer you probably work for a rich person!

I couldn't find any specific information on the salvation army with rich vs. poor, but I did find that there's statistical data that shows while the rich give more overall $$, that the poor and middle classes easily give more in the sense of total percent of overall or disposable income. Here's a couple of links-

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/20/158947667 ... ble-giving

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rich-less ... 05573.html

I actually find your accusations of class warfare to be humorous, as it's been obvious that the rich in this country have gutted the poor for 3 decades, with no regard or apathy for the suffering they directly cause because they don't want to pay a real tax on dividends, and refuse to pay any taxes on most financial transactions. Face it, they bought the IRS, congress, the SEC, and just about everyone else who makes or influences policy. Why wouldn't I think it's war? It is. I wish people would wake up and realize it.

And no, I work for a small company- nobody here is RICH. By rich- I'm referring to anyone making $500k or more. They should pay the same 30%+ that *WE* pay, but they don't. They haven't in years, and it's killing the economy, and people via poverty. Yes, it's war. I didn't start it, but don't expect me to lie down and not defend myself. I'd be perfectly happy with a stable life and the means to support myself and my family. They can have their ivory towers, but that's not good enough for them. You know it too.

You really sound like you are blaming the big bad rich man for your problems Kramer? Life sucks sometimes whether you are rich or not! I am 54 years old and as a younger man I suffered bad trying to make a living as a carpenter. during all those hard times I never once blamed anyone else for my problems!

Support who you choose, but be aware that the Salvation Army is anti-gay and treats their workers like crap.

Yeah, I'm a little conflicted about the Salvation Army.
They've got both a positive and negative side to them.
But, at least they used to help us with the food banks, before they changed their policies.
That's one of the problems with "faith-based" charities.
The "help" they offer has strings attached, sometimes.

Strings applies with everyone, not just faith based charities. The bias is insurmountable with some agencies. I bet Acorn would toss me on the curb before they give me a handout, just cause I'm white (To them that translates to "I'm rich" )

Should beggars be choosers?...

Support who you choose, but be aware that the Salvation Army is anti-gay and treats their workers like crap.

So? Most employers treat their workers like crap. What else is new?

Salvation Army is anti-gay? lol Big surprise there..

And I blame the rich, we have a slew of them 'round here and if you don't watch where they are driving, they will run you down like a dog in the road.

My vote is to go back to "might makes right"..faq the rich, cause they'll gladly faq you if they get the chance.

It's that time of year again.

This is one of the few charities that I support, and try to always drop at least a few coins if not a few dollars into their buckets. They, unlike many others, go out into the neighborhoods and help the most needy, something I've been a time or two in my life.

So anyways, I've noticed something...

They are in front of the grocery store, the wal-mart, the k-mart, and several other places where the least-fortunate of us shop... but why aren't they in front of Sachs 5th avenue, the King of Prussia Mall, jewlers row, and other places the rich tend to shop? Are they unwelcome, or do the rich just not give enough?

It occurred to me that we the poor and middle class are pretty much solely supporting the poor, and it irritates me when rich people bitch about paying a fair tax.

Just sayin...

The man who just woke up and noticed.

Yes, rich f*ckers are usually miserly and don't want any poor people around asking for a "handout".

The people with the least to offer are usually the most generous.

Bring back progressive taxation.
Bring back the 90% tax on the greediest hoarders.

I have dealt with, made friends with many wealthy people. They are my friends because I never ask them for anything. Consequently, some of them will give the shirt off their back. I guess it helps to be friendly and not contemptuous.

I never knew a poor person to be generous with me if i were to call him a greedy asshole. I';m guessing rich folk behave the same way.

"I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the head before you
find out who's hitting you? It's about time that the people of America
realized what the Republicans have been doing to them."
- Harry Truman
Address at Dexter, Iowa, on the Occasion of the National Plowing
Match.
September 18, 1948
source: Truman Library


George W Bush - The Elite My Base
http://youtu.be/mn4daYJzyls

lol I wondering why my head always hurts..

How does McDonald's fit into this thread? Ray Crock, the founder of McDonald's passed away, maybe 15 years ago. Leaving his wife (of course), with all he had. This was much, much more than his wife felt she needed to fulfill her days. She donated the single most largest donation in recorded history to... you guessed it- The Salvation Army. Over $7 Billion dollars. In the recent years after, I could not see any difference in the aging building in the local Salvation Army store that was in disrepair. There was no improvement to the wares in the store- clothes that still had that hand washed/run through a ringer appearance, furniture that was no better than you could find at the curb on any trash day. Goodwill Industries however, seemed to have come into the mother load and reinvested into new buildings, better locations and what seems to be better staffed. They moved from one site on the main drag in Lancaster, Ohio to perhaps a better one that snared more of the buyers. It was connected to a mini strip mall, just doors away from a newly relocated store- Signature Music. Signature music has been an outlet of musical instruments by a very knowledgeable owner for decades. Goodwill purchased the whole line of stores and vacated S.M. from his seat, which put him into another much smaller store- on the main drag. When I give to charity it is to those that directly help those in need, my church. You don't have to look up an 800 number, or find a web address. You don't even have to ask, they will help above and beyond, without judgement or expectation for return. No papers to fill out. If I were to have won the Powerball, I would have tithed 10% to that church (The Well). Weather or not that church would have expanded or not, I would have been comfortable knowing my money went to a great cause.

lol The church?

I have faith but not in the church per se.

If I was to donate 7 billion dollars, I'd attempt to reduce the national debt.

It wouldn't pay us completely off, but it would be a nice start.

You really sound like you are blaming the big bad rich man for your problems Kramer? Life sucks sometimes whether you are rich or not! I am 54 years old and as a younger man I suffered bad trying to make a living as a carpenter. during all those hard times I never once blamed anyone else for my problems!

You can't blame him for buying into the class warfare crap. Always better to blame someone else rather than take responsibility on your own. After all, isn't that "fearless leaders" method of dealing with the problems that he creates?

By the way, Gun running in Mexico, the murder of our ambassador..... on and on What happened to those stories in the news? It is as if they never happened. In fact, it is as if everything is just rosy under this regime. We know that nothing is their fault, but shouldn't the stories continue until a satisfactory scape goat is appointed?

I could not verify this but I suspect that it is true.

Rumor is that Bush was responsible for both the embassy fiasco and the gun running. It's true. Bush is still running segments of this regime from his bedroom computer. This isn't a conspiracy theory either. The facts will bear it out. Just ask any lib.

lol The church?

I have faith but not in the church per se.

If I was to donate 7 billion dollars, I'd attempt to reduce the national debt.

It wouldn't pay us completely off, but it would be a nice start.

It may have made a better statement than donating to the Salvation Army. I don't hate the Salvation Army, just questionable. Would you really feel comfortable knowing you gave that kinda' money to our government,knowing you just bought $7Billion of rope?

Salvation is NOT anti-gay. They are anti the gay extemist nonsense. There is a difference.

Talbot

lol The church?

I have faith but not in the church per se.

If I was to donate 7 billion dollars, I'd attempt to reduce the national debt.

It wouldn't pay us completely off, but it would be a nice start.

It may have made a better statement than donating to the Salvation Army. I don't hate the Salvation Army, just questionable. Would you really feel comfortable knowing you gave that kinda' money to our government,knowing you just bought $7Billion of rope?

I think the govt MIGHT do better as long as you had someone to oversee what they did with the $.

The salvation army would be just like the banks, 2% get rich and then they close their doors and claim indigence and the need for a govt bail out.

Ewww, I can see where both options might just be lining someone else's pockets.

Yeah.. blame the rich.. blah blah blah..

It's class war, but who really started it?

Middle class? HAH. Not many jobs pay middle class wages anymore.

Minimum wage is poverty.

Go get a 4 year computer degree, you will make 3-4 dollars more than minimum wage.. barely out of poverty- enough to live a very meager life, by yourself. Good luck raising a family. And if you don't believe me, go look it up- Entry level pays crap, and NOBODY gives decent wages, even on promotions. You will get 1%-2% every year for the rest of your life, while the cost of living goes up anywhere from 3%-7% per year.

The rich have openly and brutally conspired against the working men and women. It's not even a matter of debate, but a matter of public record. Deregulations, union busting, bailouts, and mostly outright law-breaking with no consequences. And you defend them? You are good servants. You break your asz creating for them lavish meals, beautiful homes and cars, and of course- more wealth, and are happy with getting table scraps in return. Good boy..

for F's sake, their pets get treated better than you, and most likely own more valuable property. Wake the hell up- really. If you can't see how bad the whole system is gamed against you, then you are simply just another part of the problem.

Yeah.. blame the rich.. blah blah blah..

It's class war, but who really started it?

Middle class? HAH. Not many jobs pay middle class wages anymore.

Minimum wage is poverty.

Go get a 4 year computer degree, you will make 3-4 dollars more than minimum wage.. barely out of poverty- enough to live a very meager life, by yourself. Good luck raising a family. And if you don't believe me, go look it up- Entry level pays crap, and NOBODY gives decent wages, even on promotions. You will get 1%-2% every year for the rest of your life, while the cost of living goes up anywhere from 3%-7% per year.

The rich have openly and brutally conspired against the working men and women. It's not even a matter of debate, but a matter of public record. Deregulations, union busting, bailouts, and mostly outright law-breaking with no consequences. And you defend them? You are good servants. You break your asz creating for them lavish meals, beautiful homes and cars, and of course- more wealth, and are happy with getting table scraps in return. Good boy..

for F's sake, their pets get treated better than you, and most likely own more valuable property. Wake the hell up- really. If you can't see how bad the whole system is gamed against you, then you are simply just another part of the problem.

I'm Guessing you're on a rant cause its been a bad day...
Kramer, there was a time I would have agreed with all you say here, cause i felt exactly the same way you are feeling about it. It seemed that everyone I knew, including myself, couldn't get a leg-up on anything, thanks to so many gatekeepers and barriers to entry...to the american dream-pie...

Here is the million dollar question: What extraordinary thing do most rich people have , that us po folk dont have, What makes them so special that they are financially successful?

A: The flexibility and open mind to cheat a little. (The Bad guys cheat a lot)

You seem like a pretty ethical guy... You will hold down a job, stay responsible, etc... But how many times have you tooted your horn to draw attention away from the snoz-meister, who's kissing some boss'e ass for recognition? How far will you stretch a truth about your own skills...(You should leave them with an impression that you can damn near walk on water...even if you feel it would be a lie.)

Nobody hands the accolades to the performer... They gotta take their bow to cue in the numbnuts...

What remains is how far you will go to become rich. Being rich is a priviliage only for people who can visualize them selves being rich.. and who follow through with hard work. Once you figure it out, damned be anybody who tries to take your rewards away from you, (i.e This Govt redistribution plan)