Frugal Living: 16 new messages in 11 topics

Friday, August 17, 2007

16 new messages in 11 topics - digest

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Just a $5 investment brings fast returns
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7ba6c7371f27f2d3?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 7:03 pm
From: c6vega

Make $$$ With $5 and Paypal Acct. 2 Easy Steps

Get Your PAYPAL CASH Gift Today! This is a fantastic opportunity, try
it for yourself! EVERYTHING DONE ONLINE! With just $5 and a Paypal
PREMIER or BUSINESS account, you could make $$Thousands$$ in 2 SIMPLE
STEPS! Go here if you do not have a paypal account. Its free to sign
up!
https://www.paypal.com/us/mrb/pal=DKXKW69WQ5D4A

READ THIS VERY CAREFULLY THEN READ IT AGAIN. THIS IS FAST. THIS IS NOT
THE ONE YOU WILL BE WAITING TO WORK GUARANTEED-you will have $10,000
in two weeks. Only $5, a Paypal PREMIER or BUSINESS account and 30 min
are all to get this going. GIFTING MADE EASY ,PLEASE READ ON TO FIND
OUT HOW...If you want to make a few thousand dollars real quick, then
please take a moment to read and understand this program I'm sharing
with you. NO IT'S NOT what you think. YOU DON'T have to send $5 to
five or six people to buy a report, receipt or get on their mailing
list. Nor will you need to invest more money later to get things
going. THIS IS THE FASTEST, EASIEST PROGRAM EVER, you will be able to
complete it in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES and you will never forget the day
you first viewed this online.

This is the FASTEST and EASIEST way to earn serious money online that
you've ever seen so far in the history of the Internet! This program
works no matter what country you are in, or what currency you use. It
doesn't matter how old or how young you are. And you certainly won't
need any special knowledge or talent. You won't need to run a website,
or make phone calls, or make photocopies, or send out letters through
the mail, or pay for advertising, etc. The only things you will need
are:
* An email address * A Premier or Business PayPal account with at
least $5 deposited in it * 30 minutes of your time
ONLY 2 SIMPLE AND EASY STEPS!

If you are doing other programs, by all means stay with them. The more
the merrier, BUT PLEASE READ ON!! First of all, there are only TWO
POSITIONS, not four, five or six like many other programs. This
program is more realistic and much, MUCH FASTER. Because it is so
easy, the response rate for this program is VERY HIGH and VERY FAST,
and you will receive your reward in FOURTEEN DAYS. That's only TWO
WEEKS - not one or two months. Just in time for next months BILLS.
TRUE STORY --> June Alscar tells how she ran this gifting summation
four times last year. The first time, she received $6,000+ in cash in
two weeks and then $14,000+ in cash the next three times. When this
program is continued, as it should be, EVERYONE PROFITS!! DON'T BE
AFRAID to send gifts to strangers. It will come back to you ten folds.
A person can gift you up to $10,000 per year and you don't have to
report it to the IRS.
THIS CAN AND WILL WORK FOR YOU! HERE ARE THE DETAILS: Post this letter
in 50 message boards, chat rooms, or newsgroups. You don't need to
post 200 like others programs or email 40 people just to get started.

Even if you are already in a program like the send six dollars to six
people. CONTINUE IT and stay with it, THOSE DO PAY OUT, but do
yourself a favor, DO THIS ONE TODAY as well, RIGHT NOW!!! It is simple
and takes a very small investment, only $5 and a Paypal PREMIER or
BUSINESS account. IT WORKS AND IS DONE IN 2 SIMPLE AND EASY STEPS!

This program WILL PAY FASTER before the other programs you are working
on even trickle in! Just give one person $5. THAT'S IT! Follow the
simple instructions and in two weeks, you should have $10,000 because
most PEOPLE WILL RESPOND due to the LOW ONE TIME INVESTMENT, SPEED AND
HIGH PROFIT POTENTIAL.

PLUS, since it's done all ONLINE, there is no time wasted mailing out
letters and such ! ! We are not even figuring a 10% response! So let's
all keep it going and help each other in these tough times. We all owe
money to bill collectors, and creditors. But, with this, if people
take the time to help each other, the good fortune will follow. SO,
Take the measly minutes this SIMPLE and REWARDING program offers and
give the gift that gives back TODAY!.

Simply send a $5 gift to the person at POSITION #1, if your birthday
is BETWEEN JAN 1 THRU JUNE 30, OR, if your birthday is BETWEEN JULY 1
THRU DEC 31, send the gift to the person at POSITION # 2. HERE'S WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO. . .

STEP 1 Ok, if you're not already a PayPal user, the very first thing
you need to do is use the PayPal link below and SIGN UP. It takes just
two minutes! Here's the URL: http://www.paypal.com Be sure to use this
link so you can sign up for a free PREMIER or BUSINESS account. You'll
need to have a PREMIER or BUSINESS account (and not a PERSONAL
account) otherwise you won't be able to receive credit card payments
from other people.

STEP 2 It is an undeniable law of the universe that we must first give
in order to receive. So the first thing to do when you have your
Premier/Business PayPal account is to IMMEDIATELY send a $5 payment
from your PayPal account to the email address in the position (1 or 2
- depending on your birthday in the timeline), along with a note
saying: "HERE IS A $5 GIFT FOR YOU." Be certain to add this note, as
this is what KEEPS THIS PROGRAM LEGAL. Instructions on how to send a
payment are under "SEND MONEY" at the Paypal Site. It's so Easy!!

When you send your $5 payment to either address in the list, do it
with a great big smile on your face because "as you sow, so shall you
reap!" After you have transferred a $5 payment to the email address,
something very eerie happens. It gives you an indescribable,
overwhelming sense of certainty, belief and conviction in the system.
You've just proved to yourself that, because you have done it, there
must be a great number of other people ready to do exactly the same.
Thus you have now seen for yourself, first hand, that this business
actually works!

REMOVE the email address you are replacing (the one you sent $5 to),
and REPLACE it with your own email address. REMEMBER: Use the same
EMAIL ADDRESS that is used with YOUR Paypal account ! !
Paste your newly typed email address over the old one and then post to
50 Message Boards, Chat Rooms, or Newsgroups. DON'T MULL OVER IT, JUST
30 MIN OF YOUR TIME, THAT'S IT THERE IS NO MORE TO DO!! ACT FAST AND
GET THE GIFT. HONESTY AND INTEGRITY MAKE THIS PLAN WORK!! DO UNTO
OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU!
POSITION#1 --- penny_1@insightbb.com
POSITION#2 --- globalpride1@yahoo.com

YOUR NAME COULD CYCLE FOR A LONG TIME! THIS MAKES IT THE GIFT THAT
KEEPS ON GIVING. This is excellent seed money to start or expand a
business, buy your dream home, car and pay off whatever bills you may
have. Good luck and God Bless.Play fairly and good fortune will
follow. WHY THIS PROGRAM WORKS: Straight to the point, the reason this
program is SO SUCCESSFUL is because this in 50 different message
boards, there are only TWO outcomes (1) A person's birthday will fall
on the same half as yours YOU GET $5.00..OR (2) A person's birthday
will fall on the other half of the timeline, therefore, YOU STAY IN
YOUR POSITION posted in 50 other MESSAGE BOARDS, etc.

BOTTOMLINE: Either you get the $5 or your name gets passed on for
other people to give YOU $5 or pass YOUR name on to other people that
will. It makes you think though, the more you post YOUR OWN POSTS, the
BETTER the results! 4 FACTORS THAT MAKE THIS PROGRAM SO
SUCCESSFUL. . .
* EXTREMELY FAST RESPONSE * EXTREMELY HIGH RESPONSE RATE * UNLIMITED
PROFIT POTENTIAL * QUICK, SIMPLE AND CHEAP TO GET STARTED

So there it is. You now have the knowledge that will enable you to
make over $10,000 within the next few weeks. The only thing that can
hold you back now is a lack of faith or a lack of self-belief.
However, any doubts you may currently have will disappear within a few
days of putting this plan into practice. Trust me on this! You
certainly won't regret it.

Best Regards,

P.S. Does this sound too good? Well maybe to some skeptics it is. But
it actually works, and is worth the 30 minutes of your time now. So,
just make a nice cup of tea and get started on it now. After all, you
can't lose, and you stand to gain more in the next few weeks than many
people earn in a year!

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Woman is content living in 84-sq. ft. tiny dream home.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/911886124117ed11?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 7:13 pm
From: "Paul Thomas"

"CanopyCo" <Junk74020@aol.com> wrote
> Red neck is a sociological choice.

Boy? What parts are you from?

Down here, you're redneck by Birth.

--
Paul A. Thomas, CPA
Athens, Georgia

== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 7:14 pm
From: "Paul Thomas"

"CanopyCo" <Junk74020@aol.com> wrote
> It does require her to either have a car or a
> friend with a car or truck though.

Like I said, redneck.

--
Paul A. Thomas, CPA
Athens, Georgia

== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 7:15 pm
From: "Bob Brock"

"Paul Thomas" <paulthomascpa@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:nu7xi.3665$Lu.3418@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>
> "CanopyCo" <Junk74020@aol.com> wrote
>> Red neck is a sociological choice.
>
>
>
> Boy? What parts are you from?
>
> Down here, you're redneck by Birth.

He ain't from the South, that's for sure.

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 10:01 pm
From: knews4u2chew@yahoo.com

On Jul 17, 6:23 am, "Paul Thomas, CPA" <paulthomascp...@bellsouth.net>
wrote:
> "Paul Maffia" <pmaf...@centurytel.net> wrote
>
> > Paul, that is true on modern Tridents. But in the old pig boats of WWII,
> > each sailor had a lot less than that. Even the Capt, made do with less.
>
> Bed space is different than total available living space.
>
> In any event, not a place to bring a date home to.
>
Like you need to worry about that...

> --
> Paul A. Thomas, CPA
> Athens, Georgia

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 11:26 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

Paul Thomas, CPA <paulthomascpapc@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> "Paul Maffia" <pmaffia@centurytel.net> wrote
>> Paul, that is true on modern Tridents. But in the old pig boats of
>> WWII, each sailor had a lot less than that. Even the Capt, made do
>> with less.
>
>
>
> Bed space is different than total available living space.
>
>
> In any event, not a place to bring a date home to.

Better than fucking them in the car tho.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: How often do you take the family out to dinner?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/3a8c926d1dcbd777?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 8:05 pm
From: "Lee K"

<skarkada@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1187291497.704134.188340@g12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>
> Let us just estimate the cost of eating out every day. Let us say it
> costs about $25 (including the tip) to eat out every night for a
> family of four.

!!! $25 for a family of four? Do you eat at McDonald's ALL the time?

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Work at Home - Get Paid Every Week
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/3a5d8f04303e0bdc?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 8:57 pm
From: maithili

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http://www.typeinternational.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=11532

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Nesessities Versus Luxuries...
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/087b5c644b866e74?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 9:19 pm
From: Rick

ranck@vt.edu wrote:
>
> In misc.consumers.frugal-living Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> > rick++ <rick303@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > Isnt it a luxury f it costs a noticeable amount of money?
>
> > Nope.
>
> > > You can get a serviceable color TV for less than $100,
> > > a microwave for $30.
>
> > Doesnt mean that either is a necessity.
>
> It's a false dichotomy. Some things might be neither
> a necessity nor a luxury. A radio or TV is hardly a
> necessity, but they really aren't luxuries if you buy
> the inexpensive sort. That is not to imply expensive
> is the defining character of luxury, though it's easy to
> make that mistake.
>
> Bill Ranck
> Blacksburg, Va.

I disagree. We live in a market driven by a false sense of necessity.
Saying that something is inexpensive is hardly the line to be drawn as
to whether it constitutes a luxury or a necessity. A TV is nice, but not
a necessity. But it can't be just a TV. It has to be a BIG TV. No, now
it has to be a BIG STEREO TV. No that's not good enough - it has to be a
BIG STEREO WIDE SCREEN TV. Crap - now you have to buy a BIG STEREO 5.1
WIDE SCREEN HIGH DEFINITION TV.

A radio or a TV are absolutely not necessities. Neither are new clothes
every 90 days, iPods, new computers and software every year, game
consoles, 10 pair of shoes per person, one car per person per household,
cell phones, Blu ray DVD's to replace regular DVD's to replace VHS
recorders, hi-def television to watch the ever decreasing quality of
content, satellite radio, microwave popcorn, "concentrated" detergents,
refrigerators with built in televisions, bottled water, thermal cooler
packs to put your bottle of bottled water in, espresso machines,
microwave burritos, salad spinners, label makers, light up toilet seats,
ovens that refrigerate food until it begins the cooking cycle...

The USA is the piggiest nation in the world, spending more money on
useless non necessities because of the marketing driven gullibility of
the consumer. If you don't by "that" you are less of a person. You have
a hole in your life. And the marketing firms play you like a fiddle.

Rick

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 9:28 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

Rick <rickajho@rcn.com> wrote:
> ranck@vt.edu wrote:
>>
>> In misc.consumers.frugal-living Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> rick++ <rick303@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>> Isnt it a luxury f it costs a noticeable amount of money?
>>
>>> Nope.
>>
>>>> You can get a serviceable color TV for less than $100,
>>>> a microwave for $30.
>>
>>> Doesnt mean that either is a necessity.
>>
>> It's a false dichotomy. Some things might be neither
>> a necessity nor a luxury. A radio or TV is hardly a
>> necessity, but they really aren't luxuries if you buy
>> the inexpensive sort. That is not to imply expensive
>> is the defining character of luxury, though it's easy to
>> make that mistake.
>>
>> Bill Ranck
>> Blacksburg, Va.
>
> I disagree. We live in a market driven by a false sense of necessity.
> Saying that something is inexpensive is hardly the line to be drawn as
> to whether it constitutes a luxury or a necessity. A TV is nice, but
> not a necessity. But it can't be just a TV. It has to be a BIG TV.
> No, now it has to be a BIG STEREO TV. No that's not good enough - it
> has to be a BIG STEREO WIDE SCREEN TV. Crap - now you have to buy a
> BIG STEREO 5.1 WIDE SCREEN HIGH DEFINITION TV.
>
> A radio or a TV are absolutely not necessities. Neither are new
> clothes every 90 days, iPods, new computers and software every year,
> game consoles, 10 pair of shoes per person, one car per person per
> household, cell phones, Blu ray DVD's to replace regular DVD's to
> replace VHS recorders, hi-def television to watch the ever decreasing
> quality of content, satellite radio, microwave popcorn,
> "concentrated" detergents, refrigerators with built in televisions,
> bottled water, thermal cooler packs to put your bottle of bottled
> water in, espresso machines, microwave burritos, salad spinners,
> label makers, light up toilet seats, ovens that refrigerate food
> until it begins the cooking cycle...
>
> The USA is the piggiest nation in the world, spending more money on
> useless non necessities because of the marketing driven gullibility of
> the consumer. If you don't by "that" you are less of a person. You
> have a hole in your life. And the marketing firms play you like a fiddle.

Or decent modern products are dirt cheap now that so many of them are
made in china and only a fool wouldnt buy what makes things convenient.

Only a fool only buys necessitys when they can comfortably afford what
makes things convenient, and that last clearly applys to most of us.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Keeping dust down on a dusty road.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/393453a87e8cc967?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 9:22 pm
From: A Veteran

In article
<georgek-535286.11040216082007@sn-ip.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net>,
A Veteran <georgek@humboldt1.com> wrote:

> Our neighbor used to just get out a sprayer and apply old motor oil.
> Sure keeps the dust down in the summer.

and when the neighbor's trees shaded his rooster raisin' coop, he
poisoned the trees, they died.
I heard he shot another neighbor's cat.
Nice guy./

--
when you believe the only tool you have is a hammer.
All problems look like nails.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: how often do you turn on your basement dehumdifier?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/0be86dbe647ce6b7?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 9:48 pm
From: Gene S. Berkowitz

In article <kNGdnf71_qmUFl_bnZ2dnUVZ_uSgnZ2d@comcast.com>,
bobnospam@gmail.com says...
>
> "Joe" <joe5345@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1186798598.719365.270570@b79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> > On Aug 10, 10:07 pm, Logan Shaw <lshaw-use...@austin.rr.com> wrote:
> >> Joe wrote:
> >> > I have a humid basement - hovers around 80 degrees on it's own - but
> >> > it's not damp. I keep a fan running 24/7 and that keeps any musty
> >> > smells at bay. If I run my dehumdifier for an hour it gets the
> >> > humidity down to around 60. Am I ok running it about 4 times a day for
> >> > an hour each time or should I keep it running continuously? It uses
> >> > about as much energy as an air conditioner so I don't want to run it
> >> > all day unless it's absolutely necessary to keep the moisture at bay.
> >>
> >> Hmm, isn't that what a humidistat is for -- running a dehumidifier
> >> (or humidifier) only as much as is necessary to keep a desired
> >> moisture level?
> >>
> >> - Logan
> >
> > Yeah well I'm just wondering if it would make a difference if the
> > dehumidifier sucked all the moisture out of the air at once instead of
> > constantly cycling on and off all day wasting power. The humidity and
> > moisture in the basement are not noticeable at all but everything I
> > read online tells me that if you don't keep your humidity under 60
> > degrees mold will grow.
> >
>
> People survived with basements for hundreds and more years before dehumidifiers.
> And they didn't all have mold problems. I am constantly amased at the paranoia
> about mold.

People lived for hundreds of years in houses with no insulation and
leaky windows. There was so much natural ventilation that a house was
hardly more conducive to mold growth than the outdoors.

Today, more people live in tightly sealed boxes that may not get five
total air changes in a day, constructed with paper-backed wallboard,
multiple warm water vapor sources, and carpeting, e.g. a mold incubator.

--Gene

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Bump on the road to a free iPod
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/f6318a0edcf1e715?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 10:53 pm
From: Gordon

Logan Shaw <lshaw-usenet@austin.rr.com> wrote in news:46c3dde8$0$3828
$4c368faf@roadrunner.com:

> Gordon wrote:
>> That's what's going to happen.
>> I have a few "starter checks" that Key gave me when I
>> set up the account. That will take care of the withdrawal.
>> I'll leave enough in the Key bank account to cover a $100.00
>> automatic payment.
>>
>> But finding a payment of over $100 is
>> going to be an issue. Let's see: Electric? no. Gas? no.
>> Phone, internet, cable TV? No, no and no. Cell phone? no.
>>
>> Hmm...
>> I'm starting to see some drawbacks to this frugal lifestyle.
>
> Just pick the largest bill and make a payment of $100. You'll
> have a credit on the account, but you'll eventually use that up.
>
> - Logan
>

It has to be an automatic payment. On-line banking doesn't count.
It has to be a situation where I tell the power company (say)
to directly debit the account. I'm thinking that I'll let a
payment slip, then set up auto bill pay. The first draw will
be over $100.00

==============================================================================
TOPIC: FREE High End Designer Handbag, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Hermes,
Balenciaga, Chanel, Coach, Dior Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, Tods
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/8a246f03c2dd8272?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 11:11 pm
From: tomma

FREE High End Designer Handbag, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Hermes,
Balenciaga, Chanel, Coach, Dior Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade,
Tods

www.bagdesigns.net

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Motivating high-school students to join college
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/d0a99ec5ae726fd3?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 11:13 pm
From: Logan Shaw

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Aug 15, 2:56 pm, m...@privacy.net wrote:

>> Id much rather have ONLY a calculus class every day say
>> for three or four hrs daily for several weeks... rather
>> than intermixed with other classes (history) for 16
>> weeks

> Ah. And learning that you can't always have what you want is a
> valuable lesson, too.

That's a good point. I do a job that requires a fair amount of
concentration and sometimes deep thought, and I don't always have
the luxury of setting aside uninterrupted hour upon hour to do it,
because I have other things to do. It's good to have the ability
to do stuff like that without needing the big block of time.

On the other hand, I do still prefer having the big block of
time to concentrate on one thing and one thing only, at least a
lot of the time.

> Frankly, I wouldn't even want to do something enjoyable for three or
> four hours. An hour or so is plenty.

It depends on the person maybe, and also probably on the activity.
At one point many years ago, there was a period of maybe 3 or 4
months where I played the piano sometimes 6 or more hours straight
almost every day. It was a lot of fun, although after a while your
back starts to hurt...

- Logan

==============================================================================
TOPIC: "Ask Amy" on hosts who try to shake you down
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/bda94bb107c98041?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Aug 16 2007 11:43 pm
From: "Winston Smith, American Patriot"

"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in
misc.consumers.frugal-living:

> freeisbest <demeter547opine@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Aug 16, 4:18 pm, "Winston Smith, American Patriot"
>> <FranzKa...@Oceania.WhiteHouse.GOV> wrote:
>>> lenona...@yahoo.com wrote in misc.consumers.frugal-living:
>>>
>>>> Enjoy - for what it's worth.
>>>> Lenona.
>>>
>>>> http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/chi-0816askamyaug16,0,1353428
>>>> .co lumn
>>>
>>>> Dear Amy: Yesterday we went to the home of a friend for dinner.
>>>> There were 25 guests.
>>>
>>>> My wife and I brought a moderately priced bottle of wine.
>>>
>>>> Following dinner and before dessert, an announcement was made by
>>>> the host that a collection of money was being made to defray the
>>>> costs. My wife and I were appalled by this as the host is by no
>>>> means in need of money.
>>>
>>>> We have invited this person to our home several times in the past
>>>> and would never think of assessing our guests for anything. Should
>>>> we have contributed? How would one politely refuse? We have decided
>>>> never to attend any future functions by this host. Your thoughts?
>>>
>>>> -- Stunned by the Host
>>>
>>>> Dear Stunned: I would have thought this unbelievable, but a similar
>>>> thing happened to me recently. Now I wonder if this is an
>>>> unfortunate trend.
>>>
>>>> I don't think that there is a polite way to refuse to contribute in
>>>> this situation, though one could say, "I'm so sorry, I didn't bring
>>>> any cash with me; do you take Visa?"
>>>
>>> It would have been acceptable if an announcement had been made in
>>> the invitation that contributions to defray costs would be
>>> requested.
>>>
>>> But to spring it on the guests like that is completely beyond the
>>> bounds of even bad etiquette.
>>>
>>> I just returned to the United States after more than a dozen years
>>> abroad, living in a place where there are still Old World manners.
>>> Absolutely NO person in his right mind would have asked for a dime
>>> from me.
>>>
>>> In fact, I even invited people to lunch, and when it was time for me
>>> to pay, they insisted on paying for the both of us, saying that I
>>> was a "guest" because I was a foreigner. I finally convinced them
>>> that it was right for me to pay, and largely on the reason that I
>>> was no longer a "guest" there after several years of living there,
>>> but the generosity of these people are astounding.
>>>
>>> Now that I am back in the U.S., I am singularly unimpressed with the
>>> changes I have seen here. Aside from the complete decline in the
>>> quality of products and of customer service of many businesses, I
>>> see a kind of rude self-centeredness in this Generation X---or is it
>>> Generation W?---- that is certainly appalling. People you thought
>>> you knew well turn out to disappoint you deeply. There is a total
>>> indifference to personal or professional responsibility, and I
>>> wonder if it doesn't reflect a person's decision that if the people
>>> who lead this government can be completely unaccountable for their
>>> actions and indifferent to their own responsibilities, then why
>>> should the common man?
>
>> I'm sorry to have to agree with you. Even a couple of weeks in
>> any of the European nations is enough to shows that this country has
>> been Walmartized.
>
> You wanna try one of the slums in one of those countrys.
>
>> The mannerless arrogance that is starting to be our most
>> noticeable national trait, does suggest that young people think our
>> Nuculer president is a strong argument against real work, sobriety,
>> willingness to defend this country in time of war, willingness to
>> defend the Constitution, and mental effort.
>
> Hasnt got a damned thing to do with the prez.

I think President Dick Cheney is rather proud of how this nation has
turned out. Not to mention the up-yours foreign policy that has been
implemented.

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Frugal Living

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Friday, August 17, 2007

16 new messages in 11 topics - digest

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