Maids, gardeners, & masseusses are people, who need employment like anyone else

rocinante721: Maids, gardeners, & masseusses are people, who need employment like anyone else

You know who else has an overdeveloped sense of entitlement? People who believe they have a right to work.

I guess they can keep them around for leads for when the owners have to get similar jobs.

If you are financially secure, you should be buying stuff, and hiring people.

/Duh

Had a 50 minute massage last weekend, so I am getting a kick outta this.

/really
//Only turn 26 once

This article speaks the truth, but in the same way that a garbage man describes himself as a waste management technician.

Melanie Ulle and her husband are scrimping these days, and she feels guilty about the exotic foods -- the hummus, the naan, the chai crushed chickpeas w/ olive oil, flatbread, and tea -- that she stocks in her already-full kitchen each week.

FTFAuthor. Since when did these things become exotic?

I believe the PC term is "Massage Therapist", subby.

So does this mean I should fire the woman who cleans my house once a week, or the guy who cleans the gutters and trims the trees?

People who won't give up their maids, gardeners, masseusses, and other luxuries they can no longer afford aren't douchebags with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement - they're philanthropists supporting the "guilt economy"

They are also from another planet and have corrosive acid for blood.

If people are saying "We can't afford this" and then keep spending money on it, they can still afford it. Right now all I see is a bunch of rich people saying "We feel your pain poor people, look I didn't get whipped cream for my double-chai-mocha-latte so I could afford that extra lobster in the pot"

I see this as more of loyalty that guilt in the example of the Denver ethnic market.

I couldn't give a crap about Mal*Wart but the guy who owns the market 5 blocks over has kids to feed; my money is going there. He lives locally and spends locally. He will buy from local distributors and buy from local markets as well. My dollar multiples locally. The Mal*Wart worker spends at Mal*Wart and the money heads off to other places.

Elfich: If people are saying "We can't afford this" and then keep spending money on it, they can still afford it

Uh, yah.. I don't think some people understand what it means to say that you can't afford something.

I can afford all kinds of things, it would just be retarded to buy them.

I'll fire my housekeeper when you rip her from my cold dead hands.

Nightjars: I can afford all kinds of things, it would just be retarded to buy them.

Yeah, this...

I'd fire the woman who cleans my house, but then I would have to give her half my stuff and start paying child support. It's probably cheaper to keep her around.

There's entitlement feelings all around. Middle class people feel entitled to things because they've earned it. Poor people feel entitled because their lives suck ass. Rich people feel entitled because their better than you and you can't stop them.

James F. Campbell: rocinante721: Maids, gardeners, & masseusses are people, who need employment like anyone else

You know who else has an overdeveloped sense of entitlement? People who believe they have a right to work.

Erm, there is a difference between needing to work (to get money for things like, you know... food and shelter, treatment for cancer) and feeling that one has the right to work.

i wouldn't say people have a right to work, but maybe to some dignity and not being farked in the ass by people who have more than one home and collect sports cars.

Sir Roderick Ponce von Fontlebottom: If you are financially secure, you should be buying stuff, and hiring people.

/Duh

My GF and i are in this position, well, mostly she is. We're going to resume having fortnightly house keeping, remodeling the bathroom, having work done on the living room and so on. We haven't been hit by the recession.

i figure doing these things benefits others as much as donating to charity, if not more. It's also a matter of buying back our time. Instead of spending X hours a week cleaning we can do things we, whatsitcalled... enjoy. We'll hire a local, small business housekeeper, and later someone local to mow the lawn. Each of these things generates work for people. Spending the same amount on stuff prolly wouldn't do as much for the local economy. But i'm no economist.

We're doing this all well within our budget and saving for retirement and all that. We're pretty damn careful with our money. It takes us weeks to make an major purchase.

Elfich: If people are saying "We can't afford this" and then keep spending money on it, they can still afford it. Right now all I see is a bunch of rich people saying "We feel your pain poor people, look I didn't get whipped cream for my double-chai-mocha-latte so I could afford that extra lobster in the pot"

2/10

BtW, someone can say "We can't afford this" and keep spending money on it and NOT be able to afford it. Just because i can get the money for it, doesn't mean i can afford it.

If i have 200$ to live on for two weeks after i've payed all my bills, i can't afford a 150$ pair of shoes. i can buy the shoes... but then i have 50$ for the two weeks. Affording, imo, means more than "can I pay for this now?". Which might be why i can afford to shop at Whole Paycheck from time to time.

James F. Campbell: rocinante721: Maids, gardeners, & masseusses are people, who need employment like anyone else

You know who else has an overdeveloped sense of entitlement? People who believe they have a right to work.

somebody got a pink slip this year.

Rapmaster2000: Melanie Ulle and her husband are scrimping these days, and she feels guilty about the exotic foods -- the hummus, the naan, the chai crushed chickpeas w/ olive oil, flatbread, and tea -- that she stocks in her already-full kitchen each week.

FTFAuthor. Since when did these things become exotic?

I must be living the high life if this is considered exotic

SomethingInYourTeeth: I couldn't give a crap about Mal*Wart but the guy who owns the market 5 blocks over has kids to feed; my money is going there. He lives locally and spends locally. He will buy from local distributors and buy from local markets as well. My dollar multiples locally. The Mal*Wart worker spends at Mal*Wart and the money heads off to other places.

The WM employee still lives locally and spends locally (not just at their own store). And they will be subject to layoffs/cut hours that will hurt your neighbors.

p the boiler: Rapmaster2000: Melanie Ulle and her husband are scrimping these days, and she feels guilty about the exotic foods -- the hummus, the naan, the chai crushed chickpeas w/ olive oil, flatbread, and tea -- that she stocks in her already-full kitchen each week.

FTFAuthor. Since when did these things become exotic?

I must be living the high life if this is considered exotic

The more I think about it, I believe that this author has been in Manhattan too long, and is unaware that trucks are capable of shipping products all over the country.

It reminds me of a Newsweek article I read last year in which the author was shocked to see Astroglide in a Rite-Aid in Manhattan. The gist of the article was if it's in Manhattan then eventually it might make it to Pennsylvania. It even included the quote "only in Manhattan." I've lived in the bible belt for 10 years and I've been buying my Astroglide at Publix.

These writers need to get out of the city more often.

AnubisMan: Had a 50 minute massage last weekend, so I am getting a kick outta this.

/really
//Only turn 26 once

Did you finish?

ACEllis: AnubisMan: Had a 50 minute massage last weekend, so I am getting a kick outta this.

/really
//Only turn 26 once

Did you finish?

Couples massage, wife was right there... So it made it more diffcult to sneak the ole finish. Had to wait until they were doing her back so she was face down. Only turn 26 once right? Right?

/didn't finish

Rapmaster2000: I've been buying my Astroglide at Publix.


How YOU doin'?

ScottMpls: So does this mean I should fire the woman who cleans my house once a week, or the guy who cleans the gutters and trims the trees?

Depends, which one are you farking?