Can you come up with $ 400 in an emergency?

[T.O.M.]

I am yet again grateful for the school system I live in

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You and me both!  High school my son attends is too busy teaching CAD, digital design, and other STEM thngs to teach advance commie theory.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Kids a freshman with a 4.33. She's 22 outa 2000 kids. And of the kids above her 15 are in rotc with her including a senior with a 4.99 gpa

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[T.O.M.]

Kids a freshman with a 4.33. She's 22 outa 2000 kids. And of the kids above her 15 are in rotc with her including a senior with a 4.99 gpa

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Awesome.  My older brat is finishing sophomore year, just over 4.0, just got his Honor Society invite and (my personal favorite) is finishing the year with 10 college credits.  Dual enrollment classes means less college expenses.

[Northwoods]

When we moved to WA it took me weeks of looking to grasp the concept that there are no liveable houses within commuting distance of Seattle for less than $200k. It was total culture shock.

This is what $150k buys in Everett.  Which is a shithole compared to Seattle.  Pictures 10 and 11 are my personal favorites. 

[RoadKingLarry]

This is what $150k buys in Everett.  Which is a shithole compared to Seattle.  Pictures 10 and 11 are my personal favorites. 

That's a joke, isn't it.....
Around here that would probably be bulldozed and new built and still have change left from the $150K.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Awesome.  My older brat is finishing sophomore year, just over 4.0, just got his Honor Society invite and (my personal favorite) is finishing the year with 10 college credits.  Dual enrollment classes means less college expenses.

Yea. It's a whole new world for me with dual enrollment Etc. Thankfully  my neighbor has 5 kids and is coaching me.
This kid has declared her intent to get into the airforce academy and might pull it off. I am starting to call around to hunt down a congress critter that might hook her up

[RoadKingLarry]

I am starting to call around to hunt down a congress critter

Hunting congress critters being illegal is another one of those crazy, obsolete laws that should be stricken from the books.

[RevDisk]

I've been seeing this a lot, and I'm curious if you actually believe it if it's more of a snappy slogan? I know I've generally seen it from my anarchist friends but I didn't put you into that category.

I roll my eyes at it as well. It has an ounce of truth. Someone is demanding you turn over part of your income or assets against your will. It's overly simplified, but the older I get the less I respect the "social contract" justification and the more I see the situation as "Ultima Ratio Regum". No taxes means no government, and that's anarchism not libertarianism.

On the other hand, let's be honest. We haven't had a government accountable to the people in a long time. That's not going to change either. You can still vote, but it rarely makes a difference. Voting districts are rigged to ensure that you end up in a party majority area. Only if a substantial number of people move or shift parties does any significant change occur. Majority of the time, you get exactly one choice for any office per party. The system is entirely rigged against third parties.

Of course, if folks get too upset over something, the Establishment follows along because they're not suicidal. Short of extremist behavior (confiscating all guns, disenfranchising women, extreme taxes), people will go along because there's no alternative. Maybe moving out of the country, but there's not a huge number of better countries and there's no new frontier anymore. 

Social contract is a pretty way of saying "what people born before you enforce upon you". Inertia matters, a lot. Short of violent revolution, our current system won't and can't change. The game is essentially rigged a certain way, and it's not realistically possible to change that. You don't really get more than a symbolic say in how much money is taken from you (backed by threat of force and violence) or how it is spent. If a person did that to you, it'd be theft. Since it's a government, it's taxes. The question is, is there anything where it is moral/ethical/whatever for a government to do where it is not moral/ethical/whatever for an individual to do? Obviously, most people say "yes".

[Balog]

This is what $150k buys in Everett.  Which is a shithole compared to Seattle.  Pictures 10 and 11 are my personal favorites. 

My wife was pregnant when we were house shopping. We pulled up to a place that was at the upper end of our price range ($250k) and were told that we had to sign a liability release because of the toxic mold problem. PASS! We also saw a house where the second floor sewage line broke and flooded the kitchen. They didn't clean it up, just pushed the sht soaked drywall from the ceiling into a big pile that hardened like a stinky rock. They were asking $275k and got more than that the first weekend.

Seattle real estate is nuts.

[Balog]

I roll my eyes at it as well. It has an ounce of truth. Someone is demanding you turn over part of your income or assets against your will. It's overly simplified, but the older I get the less I respect the "social contract" justification and the more I see the situation as "Ultima Ratio Regum". No taxes means no government, and that's anarchism not libertarianism.

On the other hand, let's be honest. We haven't had a government accountable to the people in a long time. That's not going to change either. You can still vote, but it rarely makes a difference. Voting districts are rigged to ensure that you end up in a party majority area. Only if a substantial number of people move or shift parties does any significant change occur. Majority of the time, you get exactly one choice for any office per party. The system is entirely rigged against third parties.

Of course, if folks get too upset over something, the Establishment follows along because they're not suicidal. Short of extremist behavior (confiscating all guns, disenfranchising women, extreme taxes), people will go along because there's no alternative. Maybe moving out of the country, but there's not a huge number of better countries and there's no new frontier anymore. 

Social contract is a pretty way of saying "what people born before you enforce upon you". Inertia matters, a lot. Short of violent revolution, our current system won't and can't change. The game is essentially rigged a certain way, and it's not realistically possible to change that. You don't really get more than a symbolic say in how much money is taken from you (backed by threat of force and violence) or how it is spent. If a person did that to you, it'd be theft. Since it's a government, it's taxes. The question is, is there anything where it is moral/ethical/whatever for a government to do where it is not moral/ethical/whatever for an individual to do? Obviously, most people say "yes".

I get all that, don't really disagree. I'd say "social contract" is a poor term, more like "cost and reality of human civilization." As long as Voice and Exit are not legally blocked I don't really have a problem with it. Anarchism is a masturbatory fever dream that is a reverse image of communism: it'd work great if it wasn't for those darn icky humans.

[Perd Hapley]

I've been seeing this a lot, and I'm curious if you actually believe it if it's more of a snappy slogan? I know I've generally seen it from my anarchist friends but I didn't put you into that category.

It's become a standard conservative talking point. And, no, it doesn't make much sense unless you're an anarchist.

[Balog]

It's become a standard conservative talking point.

Ugh, really? I figured it was one of those things that's really popular among a small sub-set of people who generate a lot of internet content but never made it mainstream.

And, no, it doesn't make much sense unless you're an anarchist.

Unless you're also calling for the total abolition of all .gov, then it's just saying that you are ok with theft as long as it's not too much. Which seems weird.

[Perd Hapley]

Ugh, really? I figured it was one of those things that's really popular among a small sub-set of people who generate a lot of internet content but never made it mainstream.

Unless you're also calling for the total abolition of all .gov, then it's just saying that you are ok with theft as long as it's not too much. Which seems weird.

I've heard Walter Williams say it, while guest-hosting for Rush Limbaugh. I think he may have written it in his columns as well. I also hear it from my local morning talk show "Common Sense Conservatism" guy. And everybody else. I don't understand it. I guess it's something that gets people so angry, that they just don't think about what they're saying.

[KD5NRH]

It's become a standard conservative talking point. And, no, it doesn't make much sense unless you're an anarchist.

Ok, how about "Excessive taxation necessitated by spending beyond the Constitutionally legitimate functions of government is theft?"

Still leaves the original statement about 95% true.

[Perd Hapley]

Ok, how about "Excessive taxation necessitated by spending beyond the Constitutionally legitimate functions of government is theft?"

Still leaves the original statement about 95% true.

I don't understand all those big words, but I'm pretty sure you were attacking Donald Trump, you commie.

[MechAg94]

Ok, how about "Excessive taxation necessitated by spending beyond the Constitutionally legitimate functions of government is theft?"

Still leaves the original statement about 95% true.

That is largely what I thought people like Walter Williams were referring to.  The taxing of productive people to then turn around and gift that money to others after the govt gets it's cut.  This is separate from taxes used to fund the necessary government functions and infrastructure. 

[Perd Hapley]

That is largely what I thought people like Walter Williams were referring to.  The taxing of productive people to then turn around and gift that money to others after the govt gets it's cut.  This is separate from taxes used to fund the necessary government functions and infrastructure. 

Williams, et al, don't make that distinction.

Also, it's "its," not "it's."

[T.O.M.]

Yea. It's a whole new world for me with dual enrollment Etc. Thankfully  my neighbor has 5 kids and is coaching me.
This kid has declared her intent to get into the airforce academy and might pull it off. I am starting to call around to hunt down a congress critter that might hook her up

It's not as difficult as you might think, if she's got the qualifications.  The Academy wants her, they'll find her a nomination.  I managed one, with no political connections but the right qualifications (grades, test scores, varsity athlete, Eagle Scout).  Older brat has expressed interest in the Naval Academy, because of the engineering programs they offer.  That, and the idea that you get paid a salary as a student.

[MechAg94]

Williams, et al, don't make that distinction.

Also, it's "its," not "it's."

It's what I have heard in the past.   

[Angel Eyes]

This is what $150k buys in Everett. 

A $700K fixer-upper in San Francisco.

[KD5NRH]

A $700K fixer-upper in San Francisco.

An "electrical fire" that wouldn't even be investigated here.

Even if the power was off and had been for months.

[MechAg94]

My house is 20 years old and the county just jumped the tax assessment up to $150,000.  (I need to file a protest)  It looks absolutely fantastic compared to that.  That looks like a crack house.

What would the land value be on that house?

[MillCreek]

My house is 20 years old and the county just jumped the tax assessment up to $150,000.  (I need to file a protest)  It looks absolutely fantastic compared to that.  That looks like a crack house.

What would the land value be on that house?

I am familiar with that area, and I estimate the cost of the lot to be around $ 110,000 or so.  I believe it was actually an abandoned house that squatters took over and trashed.

[MechAg94]

That would be the difference.  The land value at my house is under 20K.  There are prime neighborhoods in the middle of Houston where the value is high similar to that.  They don't look like that.

[Northwoods]

I am familiar with that area, and I estimate the cost of the lot to be around $ 110,000 or so.  I believe it was actually an abandoned house that squatters took over and trashed.

And that house is now a pending sale.  Took 1 day on the market.