Shopsmith Forums

anmius wrote:Dusty:

I think the following link will help in your search for a definition of "Middle Class" but I don't think it will give you the definitive answer for which you are searching:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_middle_class

I seldom take anything found on wikipedia real seriously unless there are other collaborating sources.

Note the [edit] notation on the right hand side. You and I can put stuff on wikipedia. All we have to do is register and login .

But research has shown that Wikipedia is just as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Or maybe it's that the Encyclopedia Britannica is just as inaccurate as Wikipedia...

fredsheldon wrote:All I know is there was an earthquake south of Dallas on 12/12/12 where there has never been an earthquake. We have more important issues to face than taxes. Fracking is going to cause the entire nation to split in half, creating two new contintents, East America and West America.

Fred, being from Texas, I would think you would know the difference between Dallas and Fort Worth. The quake epicenter was in Burleson. Just south of Fort Worth on I35. That would put it almost due west of Dallas.:D

heathicus wrote:But research has shown that Wikipedia is just as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Or maybe it's that the Encyclopedia Britannica is just as inaccurate as Wikipedia...

Did you read that in wikipedia or maybe on the internet.

After all, they can't put anything on the internet unless it is true.

I have complete confidence in the veracity of everything I read on the internet.
Don't you?:rolleyes:

I have family who makes more than $250,000 per year working for banking, insurance and computer systems. Then most others in the family are making minimum wage. On minimum wage, it's hard to cook, heat and keep cool with those wages. As a government worker, never made near $100,000 per year as politicized. My last 10 years was the station database developer and maintainer. Made about 1/2 of what a civilian in private industry.

Also, know doctors and lawyers who make more than $250,000 per year. Also, know a surgeon who is being investigated for Medicare fraud. This surgeon has been recommending surgery to folks who don't need it but he has airplane payments to make. Or, he needs to make a golfing trip.

Taking the thread in another direction, look up Rep. Tom Coburns bill to stop those who make a million or more per year who can and do draw unemployment benefits.

If Representative Coburn knows of individuals who make millions while still drawing unemployment, he should be introducing a bill to stop that. But maybe a bill isn't even necessary. There is probably already a provision that makes that illegal - just enforce it.

Furthermore, the bad guys are not and should not be limited to millionaires. There are many, many abusers of unemployment benefits and food stamp benefits and educational benefits to keep a work force of "enforcers" real busy.

Entitlement programs are not this countries biggest problem. Abuse of and mismanagement of entitlement programs are.

Yes, we are becoming a nation of takers.

Dusty, not sure you understood my statement or I didn't make it clear. Here is a link to his site and you'll see many areas that need to be trimmed.

http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/ind ... c970fbee1f

dusty wrote:There has been much discussion in the near past amount taxes for those who earn over $250K per year. All during the campaign, I wobdered just who are they talking about. It must be the really elite few in the top 2% bracket.

This article makes me continue to wonder. It seems to indicate that it is certainly not the average working folks that are in this category. They must be talking to and about only those who live off their capital gains and corporate profits. It is certainly not the salaried and hourly workers that I worked with.

Furthermore, there have been some big changes since I was out there in the "working force". I worked the last few years of my working career as a Systems Engineering Manager but I did not bank the kind of money reported here. Even then, these folks are not making over $250K per year.

My problem is I find it hard to believe that anybody is worth $250,000 to a company, unless they are actually producing something that brings the company enough profit they can pay him and still have a reasonable profit. Then I have to question any company that sells something that one person can produce for enough that they can pay the person producing it $250,000 and still make a profit.

The value of things have been so artificially inflated to the point that society has lost sight of actual value.

World Care for Children claim they can feed a child for a $1 a day.

Now think about the person making over $250,000 or $684 dollars a day.

But it gets worst think about the person making $25 million or $100 million a year that works out to $68,400 a day or $273,972 a day.

Now think back to the child living on a $1 a day. How can anyone doing anything be worth that much more than someone else?

This society has gone crazy accepting these insane values placed on people.

Well-put Ed. Our world has gone completely bonkers over the almighty dollar, and seems to want nothing else but to make more of it, at (seemingly) any cost. It's a frightening illness, leading us further and further in the wrong direction...