I have a theory about people who "don't trust the govt."

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I don't know any truly rich. The nicest spread I have been to is a doctor's, for a work conference. He actually has a guest house, tennis court, mini-soccer field, swimming pool, and conference center and running track on his property, which is the central of rich-dom here in Dallas. He is in the stratosphere as far as doctors, especially academic doctors. I think I looked up the property value on Zillow and it was something like 6 or 7 million. He's not truly rich, I don't think, but he's not hurting either.

The other well-off people I know are more like in FMCoug's league. Not rich by any stretch, but do very well and have lots of toys.

Given that as a guideline, I know some of the truly rich and I am well off.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I don't know any truly rich. The nicest spread I have been to is a doctor's, for a work conference. He actually has a guest house, tennis court, mini-soccer field, swimming pool, and conference center and running track on his property, which is the central of rich-dom here in Dallas. He is in the stratosphere as far as doctors, especially academic doctors. I think I looked up the property value on Zillow and it was something like 6 or 7 million. He's not truly rich, I don't think, but he's not hurting either.

The other well-off people I know are more like in FMCoug's league. Not rich by any stretch, but do very well and have lots of toys.

As a "high paid" lawyer you meet a lot of truly rich people. One thing that frustrates many lawyers is how much more learned and refined they regard themselves than the really rich to whom they are handmaidens and who pay them hundreds or even over $1,000 an hour.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by K-dog

Given that as a guideline, I know some of the truly rich and I am well off.

I have a friend who makes 500k a year. I say he is well-off. 500k doesn't go as far as it used to. 100k feels like relative poverty compared to 500k.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by K-dog

I think most people know someone who is truly rich. A few in the lower classes are related to them.

I have some clients who are truly rich. I bet most of lawyers around here do too. I would say that helicopter or jet ownership is a decent, if not infallible, indicator.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

As a "high paid" lawyer you meet a lot of truly rich people. One thing that frustrates many lawyers is how much more learned and refined they regard themselves than the really rich to whom they are handmaidens and who pay them hundreds or even over $1,000 an hour.

I'm not arrogant enough or stupid enough to be bothered by that. Both of the richest men I know failed to get four year degrees in college. One sold auto parts the other herbs.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I have a friend who makes 500k a year. I say he is well-off. 500k doesn't go as far as it used to. 100k feels like relative poverty compared to 500k.

I think that is a fair assessment of well off.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

As a "high paid" lawyer you meet a lot of truly rich people. One thing that frustrates many lawyers is how much more learned and refined they regard themselves than the really rich to whom they are handmaidens and who pay them hundreds or even over $1,000 an hour.

I laughed because of how true this is.

You sit there with your lofty billing rate, advising some guy who because he stuck to something, and find how simple his life has become but he's sitting there with a gazillion dollars.

One of the very wealthy people I know, when asked about complex problems, has some practical answers but he doesn't know details. He knows rich people with access to money and that has made him rich.

He might complain about a big bill as he takes a thousand times more from the transaction.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I have a friend who makes 500k a year. I say he is well-off. 500k doesn't go as far as it used to. 100k feels like relative poverty compared to 500k.

It really depends on lifestyle.

We had a physician earning that, but his wife gambled a lot and spent tons, so that amount kept him in debt. He had been earning about half a million a year for fifteen years, yet had nothing to show for it. They lived in our ward until they divorced.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Those statistics re what percentage of response costs went to lawyers and consultants are staggering. Something like 90%, most of it paid for by hapless insurance companies who issued policies when there was no such thing as RCRA or CERCLA. I miss the RCRA and CERCLA golden years.

When people tell me that big corporations can be trusted to act in the good of the public, I simply point to the pre-RCRA/CERCLA years. The long-term damage done to the environment in the interest of saving a few bucks on waste disposal is staggering. Yes, it's a pity that enforcement of the laws has to involve so many damn attorneys, but when you take a drink from the tap tonight without fear of major damage to your health or to your family's health, you can thank this legislation.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

When people tell me that big corporations can be trusted to act in the good of the public, I simply point to the pre-RCRA/CERCLA years. The long-term damage done to the environment in the interest of saving a few bucks on waste disposal is staggering. Yes, it's a pity that enforcement of the laws has to involve so many damn attorneys, but when you take a drink from the tap tonight without fear of major damage to your health or to your family's health, you can thank this legislation.

It's not the reasonable legislation that people oppose but the labyrinth of approvals, the types of extensive clean up and changes to smokestacks, which aren't just "a few bucks" that matter.

How clean is clean? These are the things that cost more than they should, thanks to government.