OK so today I got a taste of how the upper 1% lives.

[Initech]

My company designed and built what is essentially a private air terminal. It's been completed, open, and ready for business. So what's it like inside?

The place is virtually a palace. The lobby has a grand piano. A grand fucking piano.

Private meeting rooms, a bedroom, and bathrooms so clean you could do neurosurgery in them, and avoid certain leg-stretching Congressmen.

Catered food. No fast-food restaurants.

Personalized service. The women who work the counters know your name. No $15 bag check fee bullshit.

No TSA security lines. No six-ounce rule. No liquid rule. You just walk right in and get on the plane, if you want.

This is how the upper 1% lives. And this is just one of 1,000 reasons why our wages will never, ever increase.

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. What company? initech?

[kentauros]

39. This is Initech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND7tU8JME_g

:D

[Initech]

47. No they moved my desk and i asked to pick up my paycheck

and payroll told me to talk to Mr Lumbergh and then Mr Lumbergh to talk to payroll, and then they still moved my desk to the sub basement and i dont like the sub basement...

[dflprincess]

49. But did they let you keep your red stapler? n/t

[Initech]

50. OK thats the last straw!

[baldguy]

94. Only one thing left to do.

[jberryhill]

105. Oh boy... now you've done it....

[TahitiNut]

52. Here's your employee photo.

[PassingFair]

80. Hey!!!

Good to see you posting!

:hug:

[TahitiNut]

107. Hi, luv!

:hug:

[kentauros]

53. So, did you ever get that hotel in Mexico

shut down because of the roaches and big grains of salt in the piña coladas? }(

[sweetloukillbot]

59. But can you see the squirrels?

And are they married?

[me b zola]

57. It doesn't really matter which company

...what matters is that this is how the exclusively rich live, versus the rest of us. Just let that sink in, with all of its implications.

[SharonAnn]

68. And be aware that your FAA is paying for handling all the air traffice.

Your tax dollars are going to support ALL the infrastructure that lets a place like this exist.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

73. +1

[defendandprotect]

90. +1 --

[mdmc]

2. I really don't want it

It sounds nice, but I will stand with the masses..
Although it does sound nice..

[Initech]

7. Yeah, I'll put up with Southwest and American too.

[aquart]

3. Your company is insufficiently taxed.

[Initech]

5. I work for a smal family-owned business.

[aquart]

12. Ah. You worked for a company that is insufficiently taxed.

Or, perhaps, even an individual who is stupendously insufficently taxed.

I'm not asking the name, but can you tell me what kind of business or person needed such a terminal? Do they have many or just the one?

[Initech]

21. This company has facilities all over the country. Mostly commuter airports.

[wtmusic]

4. I did a website for one of those companies

and I don't fault anyone except our own politicians for not making them pay taxes.

Hell, I'd love to fly that way.

[Lasher]

18. I fault many but not all of these rich people.

Stop to think about what they are doing to ensure politicians don't make them pay taxes.

[blueamy66]

67. Not me.

I've had great conversations in "regular" airport terminal bars with strangers.

I'll take the TSA and standing in line over a private terminal....although the AA Admiral's Club was kinda cool. :-)

[Scuba]

6. Yeah, my job took me next to some wealthy people a couple times....

...I made sure nothing rubbed off because everything had slime all over it.

The opulence, the decadence, is beyond imagination. And these folks weren't even upper 1%. Multi-millionaires, way, way short of being billionaires.

[Initech]

13. I like when Lewis Black did his segment on Donald Trump the other day..

"Can you guess which palace is Saddam Hussein's, and which one is Donald Trump's? Hint: They're both Trump's!!!!"

:rofl:

[jtuck004]

61. That was great. eom

[femrap]

77. I laughed until

I cried....love Lewis Black!!!

RIP Joe Bageant....he hated the Rich. And I gotta agree. 99.9% of them are wastes of human flesh.

END WORLD HUNGER. EAT THE RICH.

[Evoman]

88. Joe Bageant is dead?!!!

I knew he had cancer, but i had no idea he passed away...

[femrap]

122. Yes....he died just four

months after being diagnosed. It was within the past 10 days and was on DU.

I will miss him very much. He answered one of my emails....told me how much he hated rich people.

I still have the email.

His new book is out....available through Amazon.

I had just gotten "Deer Hunting w/ Jesus" from the library for my uncle the day he died.

Why can't Cheney die?

[louslobbs]

33. The pigs I work for are still at it, the overly rich in my industry Republicon of course, could care

less about those suffering in our country. Here's what the wealthy pigs who I work for, do to one up one another while others struggle and suffer for the bare necessities due to unrelenting Republicon slashing of anything that doesn't help their rich friends who have bought their votes and therefore, our government. Just one example I'll give is of the recent round of car purchasing wars. One of these pigs (my dirtbag boss) purchased a new Mercedes SL550 roadster decked out to the tune of $120,000 even though he had 5 other cars in his 8 car garage up in the Hollywood Hills. This other pig in our industry, purchased a Mercedes SL63 AMG to the tune of $147,000 even though he has several vehicles as well. My pathetic boss (who I have worked for 20yrs) so I know him well and knew this was coming, went back to Mercedes Benz of Beverly Hills and purchased a Mercedes SL65 AMG, a very rare V-12 roadster at a whopping $212,000. This one example of the way the very very rich spend their tax break bonuses while the rest of the country and the world for that matter, struggles to feed their families. There was also, the purchase of an Ebel Brasilia solid 18kt gold, 24 diamond bezel "timepiece" for his witch of a wife valued at $18,000. She also has a Cartier and a Platinum Rolex. This my friends, is what the very very rich can do, thanks to their Republicon forced, tax cut bonuses. Pretty pathetic huh? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against having nice things, my salary affords me a very secure life, but the tax cut bonus I got, but didn't want, went to a food bank in Palm Springs who's donations were off substantially for the year with the need up substantially as well. Wouldn't it have been nice for my pig boss, who knew I was doing this, to offer something to donate? Not a penny. $322,000 in car purchases within three weeks, not a dime for those who don't have food. By the way, my donation to the food bank was $2,000 more than the new watch on his wifes wrist that she doesn't need or deserve in my opinion. Imagine the bellies, that go to bed empty each night, That could be filled, just for the price of this pathetic golden trinket. One more thing, I found the same watch that he paid $18,000 for from a Beverly Hills Jewler, for $11,000 online, what an idiot. I keep telling myself, only ten more years, just ten more years.......be thankful you have a job and can help others, only ten more years.
Lou

[Scuba]

34. You know, I don't really care if they're so wealthy they don't know what to buy next.....

...but I really care that ONE IN FOUR American children are growing up in poverty while these guys are THAT rich.

[louslobbs]

40. I'm with you Scuba, but beyond the wealth, there's this attitude of entitlement that makes me

want to vomit. To these people, those are not their children, they are the "surplus" population.
Lou

[axollot]

82. You bring up a very, very valid point often missed -

Sense of ENTITLEMENT. Let that sink in for a second. The right wing pigs go on and on about so called "entitlement" programs, demonizing all Americans. Yet, really it's about the Entitlement they feel, they have and deserve to have the opulent wealth, life style and power that goes with it.

Thanks for doing the donation. Seriously! You put serious thought into it and did a very good thing. Funny you'll even get a "tax break" on your "tax break" ;)

Cheers
Sandy

[liberation]

108. Projection and conservatives go together like peas and carrots.

When they define those programs as "entitlement," even though we paid for them so we're simply expecting to get our money back, they are simply projecting their "entitlement" to our money. See we're not worthy of our own money, that is the level of disdain they have for the common folk.

Same thing when they were harping about how socialized medicine would lead to "death panels." Yet who are the ones who support the very companies which ration health care? the same system that lets tens of thousands of people each year to die? the same ones who are now cutting public assistance for the weakest among us: the disabled? So yes, when they talk about "death panels" they do so because in the back of their minds they know that is exactly what they would do if they had the chance.

In other words, whenever a conservative accuses someone of something... chances are that is done purely out of projection.

[axollot]

182. Agree 100% Been calling it projection for a while now! Thanks! n/t

[louslobbs]

124. That's the sickness of this system, I will get a "tax break" on my "tax break" how sick is that?

Not you though, not those in the majority, I have an accountant who takes care of my financial needs and a great bank City National Bank Beverly Hills which protects my investments. Not you though, not those in the majority, the rich and very "overly" rich don't want you to have what they have, what I thankfully have. But there's one difference, I live in a state of reality, these people live in little bubbles of ENTITLEMENT disdain for the rest of us, oh, by the way, I'm included, don't be fooled, I'm not "one of them" either, but I'm a better person, I treat people with respect (all people). If someone carries my bag, or opens a door, or valets my car, I respect that and it humbles me and I tip accordingly. You have no idea how I want to scream when I see one of these "big wig pigs" talk down to people who they automatically feel are inferior to them. That includes me by the way, but talk is one thing violence is another, one day my pig boss got so infuriated (a normal state for him) by my not being, where he thought I should be while at the Shrine Auditorium, it's a big place, but that doesn't matter. He lashed out verbally, attacked me with words as usual, but then he made a big mistake, he threw a pack of batteries at me. Let's just say, it has never happened again. He never apologizes to anyone, but I got one that day and in front of the crew. I have held on to that day like a golden moment. Thank you Sandy.
Lou

[axollot]

183. Thank you too Lou! Oh I know you may well be doing better

than the rest of us but arent "one of them". Then there are those that are doing better than even your evil little man of a boss who "isn't one of them" either - because they were raised better. (I've known both extreme wealth and poverty in my lifetime and have seen all kinds).

Just keep being you, Lou!

Cheers
Sandy

[louslobbs]

188. You can count on that Sandy, I'm very proud of the man I've become and the way in which I was

taught to treat "all" people equally. My mom used to always tell me, if you treat all people with respect and dignity that you will have a peaceful and fulfilling life, and most of the time, the respect will be returned. She also believed that when we were doing well financially, and we knew that others weren't, it was our duty to help out in whatever way we could. She was wonderful and gave me a great foundation from which I used to build a decent human being. She used to tell me that I was just like her, and believe me, that was the greatest complement she could pay me since she was one of the most kind and generous people I have ever known. I'm glad she was my mom, because her love and guidance helped to shape the adult that I am today. I miss her terribly, but I only keep the good thoughts about her and have left in the past, the tragic memories of the breast cancer that took her life at the age of 54. I am a decent human being, and as philanthropic as I can be, because of her. When I finally told her I was gay, she looked at me, asked me if I was happy and then simply kissed me on the forehead and said "I love you, just be safe". All the best out to you Sandy.
Lou

[axollot]

191. Your mother was clearly a wonderful woman!

Funny you should mention you were gay - I kind of guessed it during this post. To be fair I am raising an out bi teenager myself. My son has been open since age 12-13 (I knew when he was 3!) with family-extended family then friends by 9th grade. Not easy considering we live in a very conservative-Fox viewing district in NE FL!

I tell my children the same thing about respect and understanding. My kids know to also consider others not doing as well as we are (which is better than many but no where near stratospheric - heh) and we try to do what we can. Sometimes that is just time. I am working on a leaflet for homeless people in my district/county on their basic rights. Although our police are fairly reasonable in this county, the homeless are often brought to the county line because we have no homeless shelters.

The situation in FL is bad. The only good coming from the war on working people "class war" is they are taking out a multitude of folks that identified as conservatives. Many of my neighbors were Republican voters in 2008 but have started to become Democrat voters when THEIR job was on the line.

But I digress...
I am so sorry you lost your mother so young, but I am glad she is remembered in such a lovely person and in such a beautiful way!

Cheers
Sandy

[louslobbs]

192. Sandy, your children are as fortunate as I was, to have the mom that they have.

I was a little hesitant to express myself that openly, but a feeling I got about you, allowed me to open up and share with you and after this last post, I feel even more secure. I can tell that you are a special person, it comes through in your writing. I'm glad we share space on this planet together, and that we are battling the same enemies of Democracy to take back "our" country from an extreme, authoritarian, Republicon rule. They know nothing about governing, but everything about propaganda, lies, hypocrisy and stoking fear. They have been on the wrong side of everything good that has happened in this country, and as of late, they seem even more psychotic and destructive then ever before. I'm glad we're on the same side of what is right for all of our people, rather than on the side of what is clearly a Koch sponsored class war and Republicons who believe in corporate Koch type rule and tax cuts for the rich rather than representing the will of the people. I will now consider you a friend. By the way, I've been in the same loving relationship for 17 years without the sanction of any government, person, or piece of paper. We contribute good things to our community, we pay very high taxes both in Los Angeles and Palm Springs and are proud to do so without complaint and we both share the same will, to share what we have, with those who are suffering at the hands of one of the most evil people we have ever known, the Republicons. And thank you for your thoughts on my mom, it was an unbelievably tragic moment in my life, that once the painful, heart aching grief subsided, made me a stronger person.

With Love and respect,
Lou

[axollot]

194. And you do the same for me!

:hug:

Thank you so much.

Cheers
Sandy

[robinlynne]

74. One in four are in poverty BECAUSE these guys are so rich. It takes one to create the other.

Actually I phrased it backwards. but you know what I mean.

[Initech]

168. And how do they make money? By laying off workers and outsourcing jobs.

[Initech]

36. Wow, WTF. These people only care about their next bonus.

[louslobbs]

42. It's all about looking good and making others feel inferior. These people have little regard

for humanity, just the next dividend on their investments and the next election that buys them the next tax cut bonus courtesy of the Thugs who found it perfectly ok recently to hold the unemployment extensions hostage for suffering people, to force the tax cut bonuses for millionaires and billionaires.....which includes themselves of course, and tacked on to the deficit for others to pay. I thought they wanted to bring down the deficit? Oh, that's right, they'll do it by cutting everything that helps 98% of us to survive. They make me sick.
Lou

[arikara]

55. Sweet Jesus, I lost my $29 watch 2 months ago

and haven't replaced it. I have other things I need to splurge on like food and gas for the car.

[louslobbs]

117. Really think about what you just told us, your $29.00 watch lost and can't be replaced because you

must choose food and gas over being able to look at you own wrist to verify the time. You lost a watch, Miss Piggy, if she lost her "timepiece" would simply call her insurance company and have a check in the mail within a week for $18,000. The rich don't miss a trick. Thank you for commenting.
Lou

[arikara]

185. I never thought of it that way either

everything is so totally screwn.

[grahamhgreen]

58. Thank you, and bless you!

[louslobbs]

116. You are welcome and thank you for the blessing, I'm a good person because that's who I want to be

and everyday I awake I am thankful for what I have and unlike Republicons, I want to share my good fortune, with those who have been forced into poverty and unemployment. I know where my next meal is coming from, I don't worry about house payments, it actually causes me pain, knowing what I know about the top earners and their lack of concern for the masses, We the People. They are not one of "us" they are better than, more than, entitled and deserving, while we are the surplus population.
Lou

[ctwayne]

81. Why one private chef is not enough.

I have a client who is a private chef for a wealthy family in Greenwich, Ct. His job (for which he earns a six figure salary) is to travel with the family to their various homes and cook them meals. But here is the interesting part. This one family has two private chefs. I asked my client why? He explained that different members of the family like different types of food. So two different private chefs cook two different meals for this one family's supper.

[GKirk]

96. At least you're getting

trickled on. :)

[Gin]

123. good one....:)

:rofl:

[louslobbs]

125. Yes, I'm fortunate to be pissed on by those who feel I'm at least worthy to be employed. That's why

when you see my posts, they seem so in your face and angry, I am. I'm appalled at what I am witnessing in this country, but I'm always doing covert things to undermine their game. If I ever get caught, so be it, I've got enough now to retire, but that's not my goal, my goal is to earn earn earn while I can to help others to at least eat, have a Christmas, Thanksgiving Dinner, an Easter Basket. So, piss me all you want, I have a mission, and until I die, I'm going to work to complete it.
Lou

[louslobbs]

120. Of course, in their world this makes perfect sense, why not have several more since their a so many

types of cuisine, one chef couldn't possibly prepare them all "correctly". When I work a production, there are days I don't eat I'm so busy, literally, constantly on the move directing from my headset to make things happen and prevent potential problems. Even though we have catering trucks and all the food we could eat, I sometimes just can't make the time, a Red Bull and a Bagel to keep me going. But not the big wigs, they have special catering "servants" like me to make sure they get theirs. I really do despise these people, but I know what my goals are and I do what I have to do, and then become LouSlobbs to let out the anger and disdain I have for the pigs of the world.
Lou

[GKirk]

129. Why do you despise

the people who provide you your livelyhood?

I sense something in your message that would make me not want to have you preparing food for me.

[louslobbs]

145. That's a good story, you keep telling yourself that, the meaning you put into something definitely

infects your view of good people. These people use me, my expertise because they "need" it to enrich themselves. You seem to be a pretty resigned and cynical person and that's ok, but once a person pulls their head out of their asses and stops creating stories, they can live in reality without all of the "made up shit in their heads" that causes them to express their view about preparing food. I'm very well respected by those who know me, because I treat people fairly. I chose this livelihood 20yrs ago, got so good at what I do, that I have worked on the same productions for all of these years, putting up with all kinds of shit to get a great salary and benefits to help myself in life to be able to help those less fortunate. What have you done lately for your fellow man Mr. not wanting me to prepare food for you? Check yourself, you sound a bit jealous of someone who you probably want to be like (me), but could never get here because you are so blinded by the stories in your head. Wake up sir, reality is a nice place, have I ever lied to you before?
Lou

[GKirk]

157. Why in the world would I be jealous of you!?

I have no idea who you are and I place no value on how great a person someone says they are on the internet.

But when you say this " but I'm always doing covert things to undermine their game. If I ever get caught, so be it, I've got enough now to retire," indicates to me you are doing something that you know is wrong. And wrong is wrong, even if you are working for people you don't like.

[louslobbs]

159. No, the created story in your head tells you about whether something is right or wrong. It's ok

to create stories and live into them like they're real, but living in reality is far better I have found, than living in the chatter in my mind that isn't true. I don't know you either, but you don't sound like a transformed human being, you seem like a person who is pushing around a shopping cart filled with garbage from the past and that's how some people live, in stories about others they don't know, and doing the same things over and over again and getting the same ugly result, but I don't that. It's a waste of time and brings you only what you deserve and not the possibility of a future, better than what you might be living into now. So onward with your stories about others that have no truth in fact, but are simply made up in your head and lived into like they are real. I'll take the reality road every time. Good Luck in your journey into a future of your past.
Lou

[GKirk]

170. I have no idea what that ramble was about

:shrug:

[louslobbs]

171. Of course you don't, most simple minded people just stay in the stories created in their minds

did you understand that? Too bad reality is so far from your reach. I actually feel sad for

you, but let me make it simple for anyone who might have a simple mind and call things a "ramble" which they

clearly cannot understand.

Like I tried to explain earlier, stories in ones head (voices) yes the one that just said you don't hear any

voices, cannot be relied upon as

real, they are only stories until they are proven fact. I might

even share your opinion about "believing" what "most" people say on

the internet to be suspect, but living a resigned and cynical existence

can only bring you, and those who know you, down and hold you down

in a state of stagnant thinking and existence. You ok so far? I live a life where I want everyone to

be treated as equally as possible, I want to share a world where

people have hope and fight "the good" fight for all of us to be

included rather than to be excluded based on wealth, ethnicity, or

some other ridiculous man made excuse to deny all an equal stand in

our world. Was that difficult to get?

So, be resigned and cynical, and continue to live the

life you live and share your cynical views with all of those you

know (who probably are sick of you) but just won't be truthful with

you so as not to hurt your feelings. I wish you all the best, I

wish you a good life and hope for a peaceful future, a "transformation"

in life that will make you a better human being. I know it's hard to understand things when one has closed

their mind to what others have to say, and spews out garbage instead of fact in order to be right and make

others wrong. And I get it, to a simple mind, my writings probably sound like a ramble. Good Luck.
Lou

[GKirk]

175. WOW!

Blah blah blah.

[louslobbs]

177. lol, ok kirk, you win, I'm wrong and you're right, there feel better now?

you are obviously a great debtor and man of few words, how can I compete with "blah, blah, blah"? lol

Lou

[GKirk]

180. I'm glad to see you have

a sense of humor. :)

BTW- I assume you meant 'great debater' not 'debtor'
but really you should have referred to me as
a 'master debater':D

[louslobbs]

181. did I say debtor lol and master debater lol, you're ok kirk we can always agree to disagree, unlike

the other side who always walks in lock step. I'm not a rigid as I seem sometimes lol master debater/rigid? lol
Lou

[MedicalAdmin]

160. Covert doesn't mean illegal

He could be referring to treating people with dignity. Slipping a little food to the grunt.

But Noooooooooooo. You jump to illegal.

[louslobbs]

Medical Admin, every time I see one of your posts I cheer, especially now because this one

stands up for me lol. You my friend are spot on, Covert has nothing based in fact, to do with "illegal" and "potentially poisoning someone's food lol. It's all in the mind of the op and I really feel kind of sorry for them. You on the other hand, seem to think things out and come from a position of reality. Thank you so much, I know you didn't post this to protect me, but none the less, I felt very protected. Thank you again.
Lou

[Name removed]

173. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MedicalAdmin]

176. Careful Lou, you are doing what was done to you.

You don't know his motivations. Speculation, as you noted, is speculative.

[louslobbs]

178. That is true, thanks for the checks and balances.

Lou

[Plucketeer]

89. Car Crazy

35 years ago I was working on antique autos. My partner bosses were both well to do, but one was much more for "appearance" than the other. In fact, the one that was a slob, was truly a miserable slob. The other one lived in one of THE FINEST mansions in the Atlanta area. I'll never forget the time I went to his home to assist in getting one of his collectibles running. The winding driveway led up to the front parking apron and a 6-car garage. Said garage was only for the daily driver vehicles. There was also a driveway that led around to the backside of the house. Behind the house was a 30BAY garage that housed all the Bugattis, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Hispano-Suizas and the like. Every bay door revealed another glimmering classic pre-WWII masterpiece!
Everything in the house that required manual operation was gold. There was an olympic-sized pool enclosed in it's own building with a glass roof and huge fireplaces at each end. I had never even imagined such opulence and wealth prior to the first time I went to his home. It was pretty cool in that I got to drive any and all of the cars he'd collected. He even encouraged me to take them for a spin if I desired. Nothing worse for an old car than to just set. I got to drive cars that most people only DREAM of experiencing or maybe get to see in museums.

The one thing I did come to realize over time was that his moola really couldn't buy happiness or peace of mind. Not that I couldn't stand just a LITTLE extra cash now and then, but I'm not so sure I'd want to live like he did.

[louslobbs]

115. Exactly, I know your story well, these types of individuals are miserable and have no sense of peace

and quite frankly, don't want it from my view. They want to dominate, show off, make others fearful of them, look down on the rest of us because they are so insecure and fearful themselves. All they really have is the illusion of being happy, their words mean nothing to me, I just watch their actions on a daily basis and that's what I base my conclusions on. Even though I'm in the top 5 of earners, I'm top in my field, and they hire me for each production over the last 20yrs because I'm one of the best, they think of me as a less than, beneath them. It's like going into some alternate universe every time I am forced to go to one of their Mansions in the hills. I'll keep going to work, sucking it up, keeping my mouth shut and using my earnings for good..they will not like however, the book I am writing about my experiences, that will be published once I retire from my chosen "Hell". Maybe my boss will explode due to his Red Bull addiction (he's connected to an IV drip)lol and the world will immediately become a better place.
Lou

[blueamy66]

179. I've got a boss like that too Lou

He yaps daily in our lunchroom about his first class flights, his tours of Greece, the North Pole, Egypt and Africa, his new Lexus, which he had to ORDER cause his wife NEEDED a certain color that wasn't on the lot and his daughter's 4 weddings....yes, she had to have 2 in AZ and 2 in KS, where she lives. And then he talks to ME about MY President Obama who is taxing him or some shit. I refuse to eat in the lunchroom anymore.

If you don't like America, go back to where you were born. And take your 5 step kids who don't know how to work....but love to live off of your income.

God, I hate rich people who whine!!!

Yes, I'm done now.

[louslobbs]

189. Their sense of entitlement and skewed world view is something I find repugnant and since you

have had the experiences first hand as well, I know that you know what I am talking about. I would try to avoid him like the plague that he is. Also, I can't stand when they whine and go on tirades about what everyone else is trying to take from them. Project much you dirt bag rich pigs? I love the word "yaps" lol And yes, now I'm done. All the best to you,
Lou

[blueamy66]

190. You too Lou....

I would be doing very well if my fiance didn't have to pay child support....but the kid is awesome and the money is well spent.

Just make the rich shut up and don't make me feel entitled to the job you gave me. I do a great job and help put the $ into your pocket dude.

The best to you as well.....Amy

[louslobbs]

193. Back at ya!

Lou

[pnwmom]

66. Billionaires are a tiny fraction of the top 1 percent. Most of the

top 1 percent are people in the low millions. The higher the net assets, the tinier the number of people.

[louslobbs]

126. True, but that doesn't stop the multi millionaires from gaming the system they have purchased by

buying our State and Federal Governments. Call me what you want, I want to see the Koch brothers stopped and I don't care how that happens.
Lou

[white_wolf]

8. "No TSA security lines."

Isn't that a major security risk?

[wtmusic]

9. Private aviation = exempt. nt

[Tesha]

31. 'Cause terraists would never think of *LEASING* a Lear Jet!

(A Cessna Citation, maybe.)

Tesha

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

54. why bother?

The terrorists can sneak whatever they wish on an ordinary flight while the TSA is finger banging your family and confiscating pepsi.

[eppur_se_muova]

63. Wow, lucky thing there are no really rich terrorists! nt

:sarcasm:

[louslobbs]

128. Right, I fly on corporate leased jets all the time and I never stand in a line or get molested, of

course I try not to be on the same flights as my boss because I'm always praying his plane goes down and I don't want to be on it with him. Of course, I want him on the Lear or Citation with all of his rich buddies and not with me on the plane going to a venue lol. Hey, but if it rids the world of a few of these pigs, were all going to die anyway, so I'd be willing to make the sacrifice. And I really mean that.
Lou

[Mojeoux]

10. Tut Tut! We don't question our betters!!!!! nt

[Initech]

11. When you have 5 - 10 people on a jet it doesn't matter.

But customs is a different story, you cant escape customs no matter where you come from.

[wtmusic]

14. Believe me, they escape customs all the time.

They get a hand wave.

[catenary]

26. I'm curious why you think that...because I was the chief pilot for a company

that made very efficient use of their planes to get troubleshooters to the 'right place' very quickly all over the world and I never managed to find any of those 'hand wave' customs agents. Sure wish I had known about them years ago.

[riderinthestorm]

44. One of my clients' is related to a major hedge fund manager

She just took a trip to Cabo San Lucas spa with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson on their private jet. The customs agents came in and checked their passports and did nothing else. Nothing else. Didn't even ask them a single question about their trip, check their baggage, check the plane for contraband. Nothing.

Thats about as "hand-wave" as it gets imho. They're out there but you have to think stratospherically. 5 - 10 people on a private jet isn't in the same league as "your own private jet to a Cabo San Lucas resort?"

[catenary]

112. And that is a very close approximation of what the 'average' airline passenger

deals with at customs pretty much everywhere in the world...I have no idea what "thinking stratospherically" means.
:shrug:

[louslobbs]

150. I don't believe I expressed any opinion about you personally sir, sorry if that's your story

Lou

[catenary]

152. I'm confused because I was responding to 'wtmusic'.

:shrug:

[louslobbs]

154. My apologies to you sir

Lou

[louslobbs]

130. It's true, I can confirm that and it scares me to be honest with you, all it takes is one rogue

private pilot or a psycho wearing a plastic bomb vest. Most of the time, we don't walk through detectors either. Sometimes, but mostly not. Every time I fly out of Palm Spings International (a very small) "international" airport. The whole entourage goes to a private area and just boards the jet. Also, you guys would freak, every time theres an event, mostly golf, Palm Springs Film Festival and the recent secret Koch Klan Korp meetings, the PS airport fills to the brim with every type of privately owned jet you can think of, some costing up wards of $100,000.000. One Hundred Million Dollars! Most are only in the $5......$6.........$25 million dollar range. We live in a really sick world where some live like this, and others can't get food, medicine, housing, clean water.......I could go on all day. It's all very sick.
Lou

[catenary]

146. Do you have any idea how many laborers it takes to build one of those machines you hate so much?

Or the labor force to maintain, fly, repair, service and support it? Tangentially, do you ever buy a lottery ticket?

[louslobbs]

147. Tell me, when did I say, other than in your mind, that I hate these machines?

I love the fact that people can be employed to service private jets. I don't need a lottery ticket, I hit lifes lottery by being hardworking, a good person, a fair executive and making smart investments, so to answer your question no. Perhaps, you should still do so to try to get where the rich are, and we'll see who you really are, but I think we already know, being rich just makes you more of what you are.
Lou

[lpbk2713]

16. Just ask OxyRush Limbaugh.

:rofl:

[Initech]

20. Touche!

:rofl:

[Moostache]

76. Is that the pig's actual address?

Going to have to make mental note of that...

Can you publish the addresses of the following Emmy-award winners too?:

Dick Fuld
Hank Paulson
Jamie Dimon
Lloyd C. Blankfein
John Thain

It would be nice to have a complete bucket list of places to visit or die trying once civilization is truly defunct.

[WinkyDink]

19. Because no one would predict a private jet's being used as.......

[Initech]

22. What about that crazy guy who tried to fly into the IRS building in Dallas?

[catenary]

28. That airplane was about 1/10th the weight of Timothy McVeigh's truck.

with a payload to match...

[liberation]

62. And a meteorite 1/10th the size of that plane could take out a whole neighborhood.

I take you skip the day in intro physics when they discussed energy, mass and acceleration and how they all come crash down together.

[moonbatmax]

99. If you can get a private plane moving as fast as a small meteorite...

NASA might want to hear from you.

Just sayin'.

[liberation]

109. Technically, the speed needs to be substantially lower, the plane being 10 times heavier and all...

So basically, a lot of people did not pay attention to intro physics is what you're trying to say ;-)

[catenary]

110. I have an engineering degree and I understand kinetic energy quite well, thank you.

You seem to have zero grasp of the concept.

[liberation]

121. An argument to authority in an anonymous forum to support an ad hominem?

Impressive.

Anyhow, if the concept wasn't clear: You could demolish a house using a boatload of TNT right next to it, or having a big rig crashing against it at a few miles an hour, or a tiny artillery shell traveling real fast... If this seems like a mystery to you, then I recommend a refresher course on basic physics (assuming that indeed you're an engineer, which would be a tad disconcerting).

[catenary]

127. An ad hominem? Can I buy a little of whatever you're smoking?

:eyes:

[louslobbs]

131. Of course not, who would think of flying a private jet into a building, let alone a large 767

passenger jet.............ahhhhh, skip that.
Lou

[n2doc]

25. So a private jet couldn't do any damage if someone flew it into a building?

Even a small prop plane can- look at the Austin- IRS building incident. A gulfstream 650 is almost as big as a regional jet and flies at close to the speed of sound.

[louslobbs]

132. Some of them are not very small, this one producer has a Boeing Business Jet 2 costing around $60 ml

$60 million......its huge and it's one of the most costly private jets, if this thing ripped into a building, it's a mini 9/11 all over again.
Lou

[WinkyDink]

17. You still think the TSA is for "security"?!

[DFW]

86. Wait for the last verse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LNxvG1qQM

"They say it's all for our security,
Their motives have the utmost purity,
But next time, if I'm free to choose,
Well, someone tell United the news,
'Cause I'm walkin', and that's the TSA BLues!"

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

30. most of the employees of the TSA are a greater security risk than the flying public

No TSA at FBO's - yet...

[Raine]

15. Sounds something like an underground parking lot I accidently wandered into

in Beverly Hills. I had some business and saw a sign for underground parking. I turned in and a guy in a uniform came running (not that unusual) but when I glanced around the place was all marble and potted palms all over the place. There was glass door with gold trim around the edges that lead to some fancy store up above. Well I quickly said all I wanted to do was turn around and got out of there as quick as I could. I can't help but think the average guy can no way imagine the riches that the super rich enjoy. When you see that you know they have no intention of ever letting a crumb fall to the masses.

[snagglepuss]

41. I thought I heard it all. Your right people can't imagine their lifestyle. nt

[louslobbs]

133. Right, it's one thing to be rich and decent (very rare), than to be rich, super rich and a complete

an utter waste of flesh......I call them "meat and goo".......just total wastes of space.
Lou

[Starry Messenger]

23. "Shared sacrifices"

[louslobbs]

134. No such thing yet unfortunately, just a slogan to keep the masses from storming the Bastille.

I'm not saying it can't ever get there, but, I don't know if I'll see it in my lifetime. I'm going to try like hell covertly, to make it happen, because it's the right thing to do.
Lou

[CoffeeCat]

24. The problem in this country is...

...that the everyone--from the lower 1 percent up to the upper 1 percent--realizes that this country is
in a frickin crisis.

We know that jobs are eroding by the thousands and are being replace by McJobs that don't pay. People
are working for less, and taking paycuts and accepting pay freezes--just hoping like hell to hold onto
what they've got.

Food prices have gone up 30 percent and gas prices are soaring. We have less disposable income and
we're up to our eyeballs in debt--student loans, credit cards, mortgages, second mortgages--you name it.

We ALL understand VERY WELL that our government lies to us and will not protect us. The corporations
are king now--at the expense of our health and safety. BP showed us that. The Japan disaster is
showing us more.

We are all on our own with a government that won't protect us--and in many ways is working against us.

Everyone is scrambling to get to safety. Everyone is worried that they'll be left behind or lose
everything. We're all trying to survive and somehow claw our way to some sort of security, despite the
turmoil. There has always been an upper one percent. The problem is--there is so much fear out there, so
when you become part of the top 1 percent, or 5 percent or 10 percent--you're so damn relieved when you
finally claw your way out. To look back at everyone else clawing their way up--causes
more pain, more grief and more fear. It reminds you of your own trauma. So you look away.

This is what is causing the disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots". It's survival of the
fittest at this point, and the only way to make yourself impervious to this situation--is with money.
It's the only way to keep yourself safe, fed, clothed and out of a deep pit. When everything seems
to be working against us--all you can do is swim against the tide and hope you can work hard and make
it.

Everyone--is scared and those one per-centers in the private terminal are too--they're just afraid to look back.

[thanks_imjustlurking]

72. My hope is that they're afraid to look back because something might be gaining on them.

http://www.satchelpaige.com/quote2.html

[toddaa]

84. Some great quotes in there

Possibly the greatest pitcher ever.

[louslobbs]

135. It is, it's the new Union movement brought about by Walker/ Koch / Fitzgerald / Kasick /Scott et al.

I've been privy to some private conversations and "they" are concerned. By the way, I'm union and most of the people I work with are Union, so these are my brothers and sisters and I'm so proud of them. Keep going everyone, we can win this. With you out there fighting in the light and lots of people like me covertly undermining them every way we can, we will win this.........we really have to.
Lou

[marions ghost]

184. Corporations are kings

doling out McJobs...

[Canuckistanian]

27. I call dibs when the revolution comes

I want some marble for MY house. The piano would be nice, too.

[SpiralHawk]

29. "I wonder what the proles are doing tonight?" - Republicon 'Eeeleetches"

eom

[Celebration]

32. I think you mean the upper .10%, seriously!

The upper 1% generally just flies first class.

[Initech]

35. My boss was telling me it coats $10K/hr to fly LA - New York

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

38. on what? An Airbus?

A large corporate jet costs about $3500 - $4500 an hour to charter. Small jets cost about $1500 - $2750 an hour.

I work for a company that uses private aircraft extensively and when you fly them full you save a ton of money over flying the same number of people commercially.

We mostly use Piper Malibu's, Pilatus PC-12's and a Bombardier Challenger. Although none are terribly luxurious and the Challenger has the interior of a regional jet.

Not this:


This:


It is always funny to see the first timers show up at the FBO dressed like their going to the Oscars just to board a plane that looks like it should say American Eagle on the side.

[Initech]

46. We're talking 737s and 757s.

I don't know even of any Saudi princes who own private A380s yet.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

71. that is pretty unusual

Outside of sports franchisees the market for private charters of mainline aircraft is extremely small.

[Initech]

93. It is, the terminal was near-empty when I was in it.

[onager]

97. A story I heard about that in Saudi Arabia...

Involving two princes from the "Sultan line." i.e., related to Prince Sultan, who runs the Ministry of Defense and especially the Royal Saudi Air Force - which is sort of his personal toy.

Anyway, the story goes that these 2 princes both loved luxury private aircraft and were constantly trying to one-up each other.

One prince finally decided to retire the trophy. He bought his own 747, had the interior stripped and completely redecorated according to his personal taste. He was reported to be especially proud of the lavish new lavatories, and the custom-built Prayer Room off the bedroom suite.

Rumor says that even most of the knobs in the cockpit were 24k-gold plated. (As an aerospace worker myself, I have to doubt that one. And wonder what it did to the spares situation...would you have to suffer with grubby old black-and-silver knobs while waiting for maintenance?)

So when everything was done, the proud owner invited his brother to tour the aircraft - sure that he would be just eaten up with jealousy, knowing he could never top this.

But while looking around one of the new lavatories, Prince #2 simply smirked and announced to his brother: "You know, it's a shame so many infidels have pissed in this bathroom."

The story says Prince #1 never used the plane after hearing that, and sold it at a huge loss shortly thereafter.

I don't know if that story is true. But from some of the things I personally saw/heard in Saudi Arabia, it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[liberation]

111. It's probably an apocryphal story

Those Saudi princes don't really give two shits about religion at a personal level, given their notorious taste for alcohol and whoring, so probably it would not bother him the amount of infidels had pissed in that bathroom.

[moonbatmax]

102. Would you LOOK at the expressions on those chairs?

The upper ones just look a little derpy, but that lower set... they just KNOW they could do better than seating the likes of YOU.

"OOoooooh, but such is our lot in life, and if a human really MUST set his backside on someone's lap, it might as wall be MINE."

(sniff!)

[axollot]

85. Yep, sounds about right. Funny thing is..

Some of the wealthiest folk I know are rather progressive and not like the nasty rich we envision so often when one thinks of them. Many of them didnt even want the tax cuts the GOP were offering.

Cheers
Sandy

[louslobbs]

137. That's about right, lol, how sick is that? Oh, and they have fuel stored for themselves, or fuel

options at low prices so they always have an edge on the masses, not to mention all the right offs for leased jets and personnel........I've said it before and I'll say it again, they make me sick. And for all of us real people, imagine no wars and $10,000hr multiplied to feed people, provide health care.........I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this helps me to endure the next 4 mo. production schedule.
Lou

[bvar22]

37. Yes, Virginia, there ARE "Two Americas."

And I will be forever grateful that at least ONE "Democrat" (warts & all) wasn't afraid to STAND UP and point that out in 2008.



Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
Lofty Rhetoric, Empty Promises, and Excuses mean NOTHING now.

"By their WORKS you will know them,"
and by their WORKS they will be judged.

[Urban Prairie]

43. My sister married into the top 10% of wealth in '85

However, since the turn of the century, her OB/GYN husband (whose practice specialized in performing in-vitro fertilization and sex selection) became semi-retired, and due to the Bush the Lesser era, she and her husband may "only" be in the top 25% now.

Although I was VERY often unemployed and almost penniless for most of the Reagan era 80s, and buried deeply into the bottom 5% when she first married, I managed to find a good job just about a year before Clinton became POTUS, and by his second term, had married and became members of the once large and coveted conspicuous consumer DINKs (dual income no kids) rising into the middle 25%..BUT..during the "lameing" years of Bush the Lesser's second term, we, like millions of others, had plunged into the recession head first, assisted by outsourced job loss, foreclosure, vehicle repossessions, and crucified credit, now we rely solely upon my meager disability income and have become conservative-loathed, tax-sucking, government-supported SSTINKs (Social Security Total Income no kids) and are now in likely what is the lowest 10% of income, so the gargantuan yawning income gap between my sister's lifestyle and mine has greatly widened yet again, and permanently to boot.

[louslobbs]

138. Did she ever offer to assist you?

[OwnedByFerrets]

45. They have butlers. We make do. That is the difference in the Haves

and have nots

[provis99]

48. you know what the real difference is?

Even their butlers are rich and over-payed.

[spanone]

51. i fly private a lot. love it.

[louslobbs]

139. Me too, it's just the guilt I can't get rid of knowing how "privileged" I am when children are going

hungry and families are being torn apart by the constant Republicon/GOP FOX/ Koch type structure that forces these two worlds farther apart. Would I rather fly commercial?.......no, but if you told me I could fly commercial and for the cost of my fat ass being on the private jet plane, I could feed some families, I'll put my fat ass on a commercial flight......by the way, I'm not fat, just my ass is.
Lou

[varkam]

56. +1

[grahamhgreen]

60. So, bin Laden could buy a guy a charter plane to fly into a building next time?

[louslobbs]

140. An angry rich American, an angry rich Saudi etc, sure, with almost no problem at all, it's what

comes after the deed that worries them. They can kiss their asses goodbye, and in my experience, the rich enjoy their money too much, not life, but money and power to potentially have an entire government looking for who committed the act.
Lou

[Catherina]

64. The excesses make you ill when you see them first hand, day after day

I worked for a company that had 4 private chefs + 3 times as much kitchen staff on the premises. Grand pianos, private jets, fresh florals every day, Tiffany's jewelry for normal corporate gifts, Beluga caviar in the meeting rooms and the entire while cutting more little jobs and replacing them with no-benefits *temp* labor. The rich just kept getting richer there while telling all the lowly ones to tighten their belts. It was an eye-opening and disgusting experience. Rec'd

[formercia]

69. Maintaining loyalty

The employees receiving the benefits can look out their office window and see where they will be if they wind up on the 'Outside.'

Everyone has a price.

[Initech]

92. It is pretty disgusting.

I mean it's nice if you have the money but the excesses are really getting under my skin, and I hate having to tighten my belt. I'd love it if I could tighten my belt around the necks of some of these Wall St. executives. I'd feel much better about making that sacrifice!

[louslobbs]

141. They do, like I said, it really troubles me and I guess it does for people who have a conscience and

in my experience rich pig sociopath, narcissists and psychotics don't.
Lou

[catenary]

156. What company? If you're no longer affiliated, you shouldn't have any compunctions

about naming it...so?

[pnwmom]

65. Sounds more like the upper 1/10 %. n/t

[tavalon]

70. Why didn't you bring one of them home as a souvenir?

I could've helped you stuff it. Or we could just mount the head.

[Initech]

143. ?

[tavalon]

165. Attempt at a joke while trying not to say it straight out

Some of my least favorite people right now are the rich. Not all rich people, just most of them.

[louslobbs]

167. Gee, I wonder why you would feel that way? Let me see. What is it that could cause people to have

strong adverse feelings about most of the rich, not only in this country, but on our entire planet? What could the reason be? There has to be one, or no one would feel this way about certain rich types, who exhibit certain types of behavior, which leaves most of the masses, unemployed, without health care, without food, without homes, without food stamps (which they shouldn't need in the first place), without hope and with drastic draconian cuts in needed social programs which keep some of them alive. I don't know, I guess it's just that we are all jealous that they are "rich". Yep, that explains it, simple jealously. NOT! lol
Lou

[tavalon]

172. Yeah, jealousy, That's it.

Of course, I couldn't be trusted with their precious money because I would try to spread the wealth. They don't like that sort of thing.

[louslobbs]

174. lol, that's the ticket lol, thank you tavalon

Lou

[JEB]

75. I've been wishing

I had the money to buy a ticket, not work for a week , brave TSA and escape to Mexico....never dreamed of neurosurgery in the bathroom.

[tabasco]

78. People who live like this become weak

They never serve in the military. They never work hard for years on end. They never have to think to survive.

[louslobbs]

142. And they're more afraid then they let on, in my "positions" I am confided in and get to see things

most don't. I know the reality of these little babies and their fears. They hide it all behind a persona of power, wealth and entitlement. There are stories I could tell you, but that will have to wait till I'm retired or fired.
Lou

[russspeakeasy]

79. Have you by chance seen any pictures of the new capital

building in Tallahassee? Talk about flaunting  power and
wealth....

[OwnedByFerrets]

169. However, that asshole can use "executive powers" to cut funding for

the disabled. I dont hate often, but I hate his fucking ass for this.

[LibDemAlways]

83. Back in the early 80s I took a job in the human

resources dept. of a privately owned insurance company. The two guys at the top lived like kings. Their private offices occupied the entire top floor of a highrise on the west side of LA, and they had a helipad on the roof so they could get to Santa Monica airport in a jiffy where their private jet awaited. Each morning separate limos brought them to and from the office from their palatial homes in Malibu. Each quarter they rewarded themselves with million dollar plus bonuses. Their salaries were $800k per month.

I don't have to go into any detail about the working conditions of the average employee in that place. Lousy wages. Practically non-existent benefits. The people who did the grunt work that allowed those two to live so high on the hog were treated like shit. One guy was disciplined for taking too much time off when his infant son was hospitalized and subsequently died. Another co-worker was told that if she took an extra day off at Christmas she would be fired because she had no more "personal" days coming. It was awful.

I lasted a year and moved on, but what I saw in that time convinced me that great wealth breeds a huge sense of entitlement as well as a generous helping of arrogance and contempt. Thirty years later things have only gotten worse as the disparity between the ruling class and the worker bees has grown even greater.

[louslobbs]

153. Sadly, this is not an isolated story, it should be, but it's not. We are supposed to be thankful

that we have jobs, this is the state of mind they want to create. Imagine 8 people for each job, the things that most would put up with just to feed their families and keep a roof over their head. It's the "be lucky you have a job" syndrome. We are not them, the more benefits they steal from us, the more gas for the Enzo or Bentley and we should just be thankful for what crumbs we can get.
Lou

[DFW]

87. There must be a difference between private and GAT

On the very few occasions I had to charter a private plane in emergency situations, it was in Germany, France, Belgium
or the Netherlands.

The terminals for these private planes were more like the waiting room at a Romanian country medical clinic, but without
the running water (not that I recommend drinking the water at Romanian country medical clinics).

I have never seen anything like the private terminal described, although there certainly are enough ultra-wealthy to
build such places with their petty cash. Maybe not here in Europe, but in L.A., Brunei, or Wichita maybe.

[Octafish]

91. One Chicago feller wants to use an airport in Northern Michigan to save the rich, post-collapse.

While We the Plebes are left to fight for whatever cans of dog food we can scavange, the well-to-do will manage to find safety. Details:

Is Survival Only for the Rich?

[Dave From Canada]

95. I don't see anything wrong with it. Construction companies had to build that terminal.

Electricans did the wiring. The place had to be completely furnished. Again, more spin off business for others. Not to mention the property taxes they'll be paying every year, as well as the permenent jobs resulting from the day-to-day operation of the facility. I don't understand what's wrong with some of you people. Do you want to tax people in such a way that buildings like these can't or aren't being built? It makes absolutely no sense. You're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[sulphurdunn]

101. Hey Dave.

I'd absolutely love to tax these fuckers so that buildings like that can't be built. Our municipal airports are falling apart, roads are full of potholes, bridges falling down, public schools becoming hazardous to student's health due to age and neglect. Most Americans would prefer to create jobs building public infrastructure with out taxes, not designer facilities for kleptocrats.

[Dave From Canada]

106. You're missing the point. Building such as these broaden the federal tax base. Because of this

facility, dozens of people will be paying federal and state income tax. This facility will be paying a yearly property tax. They'll also be paying yearly sales taxes on the goods needed to run the facility. Those are new streams of tax revenue that didn't use to exist. If you're idea is to tax businesses so that they don't have the money to build new buildings, then that's a pretty retarded idea. Not to mention that in this case, this businesses is probably borrowing some or all of the money to do so. I doubt that they paid with cash or a cheque. And I wasn't aware income taxes went to infastructure anyways. I thought gasoline taxes, tolls, and property taxes went to road maintence, etc.

Just end the war in Afghanistan, and you'll find you'll have all the money you need for roads, bridges and schools. Isn't it like 2 billion dollars a month or something?

[sulphurdunn]

166. Actually,

projects like this are usually financed with municipal bonds combined with federal loans and grants. All taxes are public money Dave. The investors in these projects aren't debtors. They're owners. Essentially, the public borrows the money and pays down the debt to the same people who, in this case, will prohibit the public from using the facility it's paying to be excluded from. The only retarded idea here is your attempt to peddle trickle down economics. Furthermore, if you think that ending the Afghan War tomorrow would result in the transfer of money from the Pentagon to the public then it would seem that besides trickle down you also believe in peace dividends.

[Initech]

118. Actually this was built at a municipal airport because of their huge redevelopment plan.

[jwirr]

98. You know it just dawned on me that I do not care how well they live

as long as I can have the old "middle class" level of life back unthreatened.

[sulphurdunn]

103. Wish in one hand...

You can live in an oligarchy or a republic, not both. The uber rich have made their choice. How about you?

[jwirr]

104. I'll stick to the republic.

[louslobbs]

149. I'm with you, nothing like a fair, Democratic Republic where We the People come before the desires

of the corporations.
Lou

[felix_numinous]

100. The point is not the freedom to accumulate wealth,

it is is that these people are not investing in America but in foreign investments that use foreign employees, foreign products, and foreign bank accounts. This is killing our economy, they need to pay their dues.

Taxation prevents money and wealth from leaving the country, and with adequate government programs in place this money is circulated back into maintaining our infrastructure and welfare.

[totodeinhere]

113. I don't begrudge those who can afford an opulent lifestyle. And lets face it,

in the history of the world there have always been rich people and there have always been poor people and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

What I would like to see however is a decent dignified lifestyle for all Americans. We don't all have to be super rich, but we should all have a right to get the medical care we need, feed our families, have a decent roof over our heads, get a good education, and have good well paying employment that allows us to spend adequate time with our families rather than having to work two or three jobs at once just trying to make ends meet. And I think that most Americans would be satisfied if they have that.

On edit - And one more thing. We should all have the right to have access to a free unbiased press that does not kowtow to corporate interests or tell lies along the lines of Fox News.

[Initech]

119. See the reason I'm pissed at rich people is this:

The gap between the rich and the poor is the highest it's been in world history - yes even exceeding the period before the great depression. I read something here yesterday that said CEO pay increased 27% while us workers get a measely 2% increase. It's fucking disgusting. And the wealthy elite are to the point where they don't get held accountable for ANYTHING - even the death and destruction in these massive wars they've caused.

[louslobbs]

144. It's really not about "being rich", it's about who are you being with all of that wealth, how are

treating your fellow man, what are you giving back? I have nothing against money.....it's the money/power thing that causes my upset. The problem is, your vision of an America where all have a "decent, dignified lifestyle", can't happen while the rich rig our government for their own needs and desires. I didn't need that Republicon tax cut bonus forced through by the party of right wing domestic terrorist Thugs holding the country hostage at the time to push them through. But a country where the government caters to corporations rather than We the People, doesn't really care about decent lifestyle for the rest of us. They want more for themselves, that's why they've rigged the system, and now is the time for us to un rig it. Power to the Unions and my brothers and sisters fighting in the trenches, people like me will support you with funding and we, together will beat them back to their gutters.
Lou

[Grinchie]

114. They need to entice the kids to work there you know...

What better way to put the idea that the workers are discardable out of the mionds of those that work there. While you may think it's only the upper 1% that use these services, I beg to differ.

In my day, I was treated to the private air terminals, charter flights, opulent charter bus rides to the airport from the Corporate campus. The stuff was so fancy, they even had seat belts in the bus, which had 110v outlets, dinner trays, and was very quiet.

To be honest, I was very impressed, and I actually enjoyed working there until the DotCon bubble burst.

While I look back to those days with fondness, I compare the work I do today as a farmer to what I did back then and I will never succumb to that so called "Easy Life" ever again.

The fact is that every day of my life, I am able to produce healthy food, protect the environment, breathe pristine unpolluted air, listen to swarms of songbirds as they enjoy my chemical free tract of land.

I compare these service to those of databases, vendor lists, software code, neverending updates and computer languages du jour, and I see a wasteland that only thrives by people that receive the perks, which are a writeoff for these Corporations anyway - the cost of keeping willing sheeple employees. Don't rebel or have any thought of individuality, because we can take it all away and another cog will fit right into the void left by your departure.

Before long, the kids are old men and women, searching for the experiences and travel they set aside to be "Successful", only at a point in their lives where they don't really learn from travel and real world experiences anymore, as they are "Set" in the mindset of a Corporate worker.

One thing that is for certain in my case, and that is the fact that regressing back to a lifestyle that is dictated by the availability of sunlight, or the fact that it is raining or sunny has changed the way I age. I actually feel younger and stronger every year I work on the land, whereas in the high tech world, I could barely wake up in the morning, and when I did, the pain was always a reminder of the unhealthy environment I worked in.

This is what the Corporation tries very hard to paper over with their perks and bonuses. If more people found out how pleasurable it is to live a simple life, the Corporations would be having a hard time. This is why they have to prey upon the rising third world with Promises of an American lifestyle using Hollywood propaganda to entice even more naive sheeple to donate their lives to someone else for a few scraps of paper called money.

Just remember, it's all a facade. None of it works unless you have hordes of willing sheeple to operate the infrastructure. All of it can cease in a heartbeat.

[midnight]

136. A few years ago on D.U. I read that there were private roads for the upper crust...

Now this... No wonder there is no money for public schools, health care, or food...... It is being used to create a better world for the have mores....

[GKirk]

158. Private roads?

Huh? Where?

[Zax2me]

187. Now, if we could just find those secret roads!

Maybe they are underground?!

[Mosaic]

148. "our wages will never, ever increase."

They love it when whimpy liberals say things like this. It inspires them even more to keep being corrupt. Revolution is the solution.

[Initech]

151. If they want it, I say bring it.

[louslobbs]

155. I'm with you Initech, thanks for this post.

Lou

[Initech]

161. No problem, I'm done playing nice with the uber-elite.

[louslobbs]

162. It happened to me after President Obama was elected and that's when I created LouSlobbs

At that point, with the craziness in the country perpetrated by the GOP/Koch/FOX Repubicon fraudcasting programs and right wing wacko radio, I was done playing and came out fighting. And after the Union busting attempts, that was the last straw and now, it has become a battle to me, in a war that We the real People must win and will win if I have any hand in it. This post really hit home for me, because I see the reality of these people close up and personal. I want my job, because it affords me the money to help others who have far less than I. My real identity is not as important as what I am doing help fight this war. Those I work for, and with, have no idea about my political views or my personnel life because I keep them well protected and separated and they are so full of themselves, they wouldn't care anyway. What harm could a "pion" do after all, they are the "little" people with no real "power"? That's what they think. lol
Lou

[Initech]

163. Good point.

For me I was done after Bush was "elected" by a 5 - 4 Supreme Court decision. But what really sent me over the edge was that whole Terry Schaivo thing, where the republicans went out of their way to save one woman from dying because of that stupid "pro-life" mob mentality that we've developed in this country, and now they're screaming about support for universal health care, calling it "Obamacare" and all that shit. It's disgusting what the uber-elite do to this country, and then keep us fighting with each other.

[louslobbs]

164. You know what, that was my actual path to this place. My comment was way too condensed, everything

mentioned in your post, pushed me, forced me toward this direction. Thank you for this comment. The path was longer than I wanted to remember, but you made me remember the whole road that I traveled and now I know just how right we are to be fighting the Authoritarian Rule of a lunatic Repulicon representation and it's equally psycho constituency.
Lou

[Zax2me]

186. Our airport has two grand pianos in public areas

It also has clean restroom facilities and meeting rooms.
Very good resturants with polite service personnel.
We still have to go through security but other than that I'm not too jealous of anything in your post other than yea, I guess everyone would like to have more money.