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I've heard that and that's the main reason I haven't been on a cruise. Also, I HATE any sort of touring group. Any sort. I want to go somewhere and wander aimlessly and a cruise sounds like the antithesis of this.
I agree. I have been on a cruise, and my favorite place was the balcony outside our cabin. There I could enjoy the blue ocean, the company of my wife and the offerings of the "beer card". The cattle herding did not appeal, and when we got to St Thomas, there were 4 other cruise ships at the port, and streets and beaches were PACKED full of people.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I am not in favor of legislating whether or not people are financially responsible enough to have kids - or pets - or even a phone. From a personal perspective, I'm entitled to my own opinion as to whether or not a person is financially responsible (if I even care and I usually don't). I'm entitled to my opinion, which I usually keep to myself, regarding their treatment of their finances, children, pets, cell phones, vacations, etc.
Just don't come ask me for money to subsidize a lifestyle when you're clearly not managing your own money well - why should I give you mine? That's a simplistic way of putting it but that's why I am not generally opposed to some government assistance (based on established criteria), but I AM opposed to the abuse of any subsidized lifestyle.
I used to sell real estate. For about a minute, I got caught up in some referrals for people who clearly couldn't afford the houses they thought they could. I say "for about a minute," because as soon as I started laying out the financial picture to some of these people, I quit getting their referrals (no skin off my nose - I didn't generally like dealing with them anyway). Several instances come to my mind. Several couples wanted to buy a house with zero down, the other people paying the closing costs, etc. Listen - if you have no money, how are you going to pay the plumber? You can't call a landlord! Several younger couples were shopping for their first homes with their parents in tow. Most of them were trying to buy houses that were nicer than their parents' houses - with zero down, all that jive. One couple in particular - their preapproval amount was based on both their incomes. When the wife and I were not around the husband, she told me "I can't wait to quit work - my husband doesn't know this yet but as soon as I get pregnant, I'm quitting my job. And my bio clock is ticking so I want to get pregnant right away!" POOR GUY!
No, I don't want to subsidize those people. Maybe I won't have to, who knows.
Another true story: I had an Achilles tendon injury and had to have it surgically repaired. I had a $2500 deductible at the time. Of course I had to pay all of that up front, plus 20 percent of any other charges. The total out of pocket, not including what insurance paid, was well over $6000. This I had to pay before the surgery.
A few weeks later, a guy I knew tore his Achilles tendon. He went to the same doctor because I was so pleased with the results. He had no insurance. He had the same surgery, the same protocol, everything - for $2500 total.
Things that make you go "Hmmmm...."
Oh and I am not sure how he scraped that up because he told me he didn't have any money. I think he used his tax return to pay for it. I haven't gotten a tax refund in I don't know how long.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I am not in favor of legislating whether or not people are financially responsible enough to have kids - or pets - or even a phone. From a personal perspective, I'm entitled to my own opinion as to whether or not a person is financially responsible (if I even care and I usually don't). I'm entitled to my opinion, which I usually keep to myself, regarding their treatment of their finances, children, pets, cell phones, vacations, etc.
Just don't come ask me for money to subsidize a lifestyle when you're clearly not managing your own money well - why should I give you mine? That's a simplistic way of putting it but that's why I am not generally opposed to some government assistance (based on established criteria), but I AM opposed to the abuse of any subsidized lifestyle.
I used to sell real estate. For about a minute, I got caught up in some referrals for people who clearly couldn't afford the houses they thought they could. I say "for about a minute," because as soon as I started laying out the financial picture to some of these people, I quit getting their referrals (no skin off my nose - I didn't generally like dealing with them anyway). Several instances come to my mind. Several couples wanted to buy a house with zero down, the other people paying the closing costs, etc. Listen - if you have no money, how are you going to pay the plumber? You can't call a landlord! Several younger couples were shopping for their first homes with their parents in tow. Most of them were trying to buy houses that were nicer than their parents' houses - with zero down, all that jive. One couple in particular - their preapproval amount was based on both their incomes. When the wife and I were not around the husband, she told me "I can't wait to quit work - my husband doesn't know this yet but as soon as I get pregnant, I'm quitting my job. And my bio clock is ticking so I want to get pregnant right away!" POOR GUY!
No, I don't want to subsidize those people. Maybe I won't have to, who knows.
Another true story: I had an Achilles tendon injury and had to have it surgically repaired. I had a $2500 deductible at the time. Of course I had to pay all of that up front, plus 20 percent of any other charges. The total out of pocket, not including what insurance paid, was well over $6000. This I had to pay before the surgery.
A few weeks later, a guy I knew tore his Achilles tendon. He went to the same doctor because I was so pleased with the results. He had no insurance. He had the same surgery, the same protocol, everything - for $2500 total.
Things that make you go "Hmmmm...."
Oh and I am not sure how he scraped that up because he told me he didn't have any money. I think he used his tax return to pay for it. I haven't gotten a tax refund in I don't know how long.
There is a sizable difference between legislating what someone can and cannot do, such as limiting if someone can have children vs asking people to take responsibility for their own decisions.
None of us is advocating dictating who can have kids, but it is common sense that if there mechanism is there to encourage unsavory behavior, then unsavory behavior will result.
The problem is that those people who spend all their money irresponsibility say the government needs to take money from those conservatives and give it to them.
They don't just "say" it, they've been doing it since 1895, and as time passes, it's been worsening.
Today, 46% of Americans pay no net federal income taxes (just payroll taxes). This % is expected to increase 2%/yr.. In just 3 years, the takers will outnumber the makers.
Most of the top 1% are able to structure their income as unearned income (dividends), so avoid the higher earned income tax rates the rest pay. Even so, the top 1% still pays 37% of overall income taxes, and the top 1% pays more than the bottom 90% combined.
These are not static circumstances, but continuing trends. Eventually, the top 1% flee, & the U.S. financial system collapses. The culprits will be private & public debt.
The 54% who do pay federal income taxes are fleeing high tax states (when they can) so they can avoid paying state income taxes, & reduce local taxes. This is just the 1st step though. Next, the top 1% leave the U.S., & take their wealth with them. See France...this is our future too.
The feds have lost all control of spending. They're playing a game of Chicken where both party's are driving us off a cliff, & neither has the will to stop spending.
It's underway, but we don't care to deal with it. We'd rather debate Red vs. Blue. Besides, nobody's willing to give up entitlements, & stuff, so we too, are playing Chicken.
I'm debt free, pay fed taxes, & vote for those who say they'll spend less (most lie), or the next best one. I'm doing all I can. Are you? Are you part of the solution, or part of the problem?
I've heard that and that's the main reason I haven't been on a cruise. Also, I HATE any sort of touring group. Any sort. I want to go somewhere and wander aimlessly and a cruise sounds like the antithesis of this.
Most cruise people are the kind of people I`m trying to get away from.
Most cruise people are the kind of people I`m trying to get away from.
I wouldn't recommend a cruise for a vacation for anyone. There is a lot of bad behavior by the cruise members (workers) on board who sexually harass and pester the women (and probably even men, too) for sex, make blatant sexual advances, and there is a lot of exploitation of passengers in general. Do you want the musician asking you to buy him drinks? Hard to get away from them when you're on the same boat in the water. So for whoever said you don't want to go on a cruise, you've made a very wise decision.
It was bad in the 80s, looks like it's getting worse now:
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,570 posts, read 81,147,605 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla
I wouldn't recommend a cruise for a vacation for anyone. There is a lot of bad behavior by the cruise members (workers) on board who sexually harass and pester the women (and probably even men, too) for sex, make blatant sexual advances, and there is a lot of exploitation of passengers in general. Do you want the musician asking you to buy him drinks? Hard to get away from them when you're on the same boat in the water. So for whoever said you don't want to go on a cruise, you've made a very wise decision.
It was bad in the 80s, looks like it's getting worse now:
Yet the cruise industry continues to grow every year. Here in Seattle for example, the Alaska cruise ships carried over 1.2 million passengers in 2019, and another (3rd) terminal is planned to handle the upcoming growth.
Another elitist liberal speaks. (And knows nothing about various cruise options.)
I actually know people on both fronts. Some of my liberal friends like cruises, some of my conservative friends hate them. I understand it's also a different issue for women, whereas for a man, it's easier to strike out independently, so I think it just depends on the individual.
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