Comments on: Water toys of the wealthy http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:50:51 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413913 Cheryl D. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:16:30 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413913 BTW, Sam, many poor people are also hard working and intelligent! And I would never, never argue in confiscating rich people's money. (I've argued on this blog against inheritance taxes and against taxing rich people a higher percentage of their earnings.) But it is clearly true that a person who "earns" a million dollars a day isn't really <i>worth</i> that percentage of difference above a ditch digger who makes a hundred dollars a day. BTW, Sam, many poor people are also hard working and intelligent! And I would never, never argue in confiscating rich people’s money. (I’ve argued on this blog against inheritance taxes and against taxing rich people a higher percentage of their earnings.) But it is clearly true that a person who “earns” a million dollars a day isn’t really worth that percentage of difference above a ditch digger who makes a hundred dollars a day.

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]]> By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413755 Cheryl D. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:11:42 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413755 Samthewill, I didn't read it that way; I read it as one person who isn't wealthy visiting what was to him a whole new world, feeling out of his element, and being amazed at some people who took such wealth for granted. I personally don't think there's anything wrong with having nice things. I do think that very few people can make good use of a multi-million-dollar boat, and I personally can't even imagine owning one. Nor can I imagine owning a huge house--they don't look "homey" to me. Samthewill, I didn’t read it that way; I read it as one person who isn’t wealthy visiting what was to him a whole new world, feeling out of his element, and being amazed at some people who took such wealth for granted.

I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with having nice things. I do think that very few people can make good use of a multi-million-dollar boat, and I personally can’t even imagine owning one. Nor can I imagine owning a huge house–they don’t look “homey” to me.

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]]> By: Scroop Moth http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413658 Scroop Moth Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:18:39 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413658 <i> we should be able to spend the money to buy it without feeling like the world is judging us</i> Boo hoo. If you can't spend your money without feeling like you want to feel, that's on you, player. Money doesn't necessarily buy that, of course. On the other hand, send me some of it and I'll write some posts praising you for your hard work and intelligence, and excellent taste in boats, or whatever you want. we should be able to spend the money to buy it without feeling like the world is judging us

Boo hoo. If you can’t spend your money without feeling like you want to feel, that’s on you, player. Money doesn’t necessarily buy that, of course. On the other hand, send me some of it and I’ll write some posts praising you for your hard work and intelligence, and excellent taste in boats, or whatever you want.

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]]> By: samthewill http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413643 samthewill Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:36:34 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413643 That article made every rich person sound like a brat. Most wealthy people are extremely hard working and intelligent. I have worked my ass off my whole life to gain my wealth- it is the same story with many of my contacts www.affluence.org Money does not make us brats- and if we want a big boat then we should be able to spend the money to buy it without feeling like the world is judging us That article made every rich person sound like a brat. Most wealthy people are extremely hard working and intelligent. I have worked my ass off my whole life to gain my wealth- it is the same story with many of my contacts http://www.affluence.org
Money does not make us brats- and if we want a big boat then we should be able to spend the money to buy it without feeling like the world is judging us

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]]> By: Scroop Moth http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413624 Scroop Moth Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:39:50 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413624 <i> “Could you just sit down and write me a check for $100,000? You won’t miss it, and it will help me a lot!”</i> Good idea, CHERYL D., but don't ask them. Tell them. All we've got to do is change the "Multiplication amount" in column (b) of the computation worksheet on p. 80 of the 1040 instruction book. They won't miss it, it will help you a lot, and they'll respect you. “Could you just sit down and write me a check for $100,000? You won’t miss it, and it will help me a lot!”

Good idea, CHERYL D., but don’t ask them. Tell them. All we’ve got to do is change the “Multiplication amount” in column (b) of the computation worksheet on p. 80 of the 1040 instruction book. They won’t miss it, it will help you a lot, and they’ll respect you.

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]]> By: Scroop Moth http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413618 Scroop Moth Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:15:13 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413618 Let me guess, Bob. You were having too much fun to remember to check the oil. Let me guess, Bob. You were having too much fun to remember to check the oil.

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]]> By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413606 Cheryl D. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:42:22 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413606 This kind of lifestyle holds no appeal for me. I have friends who lived in a home that's about 2700 square feet. Granted, they had four kids, but one was about to head off for college, and the house just seemed unnecessarily large, even "redundant." (Two of each of several rooms, like two dining rooms.) When they said they were selling, I rather assumed they were saying they didn't really need that much space, but instead they were going for a house with a similar floor plan that was quite a bit larger. I felt as though we were speaking different languages; I simply have no desire to care for, heat, and pay for that much space! I know that isn't "luxury" by today's standards, but in my mind, a ten-year-old simply doesn't need a 200-square-foot bedroom with her own private bath, and it will make it harder for her in the future to live within her means (since most recent graduates can't afford much luxury). So I don't envy people with such toys. My own hint of greed comes in when I think, "Could you just sit down and write me a check for $100,000? You won't miss it, and it will help me a lot!" This kind of lifestyle holds no appeal for me. I have friends who lived in a home that’s about 2700 square feet. Granted, they had four kids, but one was about to head off for college, and the house just seemed unnecessarily large, even “redundant.” (Two of each of several rooms, like two dining rooms.) When they said they were selling, I rather assumed they were saying they didn’t really need that much space, but instead they were going for a house with a similar floor plan that was quite a bit larger. I felt as though we were speaking different languages; I simply have no desire to care for, heat, and pay for that much space! I know that isn’t “luxury” by today’s standards, but in my mind, a ten-year-old simply doesn’t need a 200-square-foot bedroom with her own private bath, and it will make it harder for her in the future to live within her means (since most recent graduates can’t afford much luxury).

So I don’t envy people with such toys. My own hint of greed comes in when I think, “Could you just sit down and write me a check for $100,000? You won’t miss it, and it will help me a lot!”

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]]> By: Bob Buckles http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413591 Bob Buckles Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:43:46 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413591 I had a Porsche once. A 1968 Ossie Blau 912. I really liked that car. I had a Porsche once. A 1968 Ossie Blau 912. I really liked that car.

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]]> By: Harris http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413571 Harris Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:06:45 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413571 Michael Martin: not to mention Portia (see <i>Fish Called Wanda</i>) Michael Martin:

not to mention Portia (see Fish Called Wanda)

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]]> By: Michael Martin http://online.worldmag.com/2009/04/08/water-toys-of-the-wealthy/comment-page-1/#comment-413495 Michael Martin Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:37:17 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19285#comment-413495 Anthony, before you can pass the test for official membership in this crowd, you must know the difference between a "Porche" and a Porsche. Anthony, before you can pass the test for official membership in this crowd, you must know the difference between a “Porche” and a Porsche.

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