On 2010-10-01 10:15:58 -0400, Jonathan Cook said:

On Sep 30, 5:57*pm, D. LaCourse wrote:

*So, I started from scratch

Care to share in what industries you made your money?

I'd bet if we unwrapped it you'd find that much of what you made and
how much you made came fairly directly from government spending, which
in turn came from debt accumulation. In other words, how much you made
is a direct factor of what our government was willing to borrow and
spend, not some magical intrinsic value of your work ethic and
capabilities. Lot's of people work very hard around the globe and
don't accumulate anything, and it's not their fault.

Take care,

Jon.

No, it certainly isn't their fault. I see it every day I work at the
food pantry. Most are cronic poor - they haven't worked in many years.
Many are working poor - they have no skills and work for minimum wage.
And then we have the newly poor - the ones who have recently lost
their jobs. They are the most pitiful, the most angry.

I made my money by investing starting with $50/month in 1960. My
paychecks for 20 years were from the government (U.S. Navy), and when I
retired I receive 50% of my base pay. Still do. Along with SS. And,
of course, my investments and pension from GTE.

I have been in many poor countries, Jon, especially in Central and
South America. While stationed in the Azores, my wife and I had a maid
and we paid her $20/week (4/day). *That* was the going wage for maids.
We upped her pay by 25% to $25/week, and I was called into the
Captain's office to explain this increase. It seems that *all* maids
were paid $20/week, and that I was inflating the salary structure,
i.e., paying her the salary that a laborer would make. So, we went
back to $20/week and let her choose something each month out of the
Sears catalog (up to $20). She was the best dressed maid in the
Azores. d;o)

BTW, we went to her house one night for dinner. She lived with her
aunt and they lived fairly well on their their maid salaries. I know,
I know, it seems like exploitation, but it really wasn't. It was what
the market would bear.

Be well, Jon.

Dave