America - The Official Thread

[TexRex]

...

Yeah, this case is a little different because it's eight families suing him, instead of one. So hopefully any penalties handed out should be greater.

So it's also different because of venue.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread when the Texas trial wrapped, tort reform laws in Texas (they're not unique to Texas and they're generally a good thing) throttled the damages sums awarded by the jury way back. As I recall, the total awarded, economic and punitive, was something like $50 million, but the law limits economic compensatory damages (relating to financial hardship caused by the alleged wrongdoing in a suit) to twice the amount sought by the plaintiff and it limits punitive damages (intended to punish the defendant for their alleged wrongdoing) to $750,000. There were two damages figures determined by the jury in Texas: the economic damages were less than $5 million, but the amount claimed by plaintiffs was considerably less than that figure (something like $100,000) and the punitive damages were something like $45 million. The total was still throttled down to under $1 million as I recall.

Connecticut, where the current trial is being held, has also enacted tort reform (again, lots of states have)--it's actually among the most strict in the country. I'm not aware that there's a cap on economic compensatory damages, but that's rooted in how plaintiffs can reasonably have been financially impacted. Punitive damages, however, are capped at attorneys' fees and overall cost of having the suit adjudicated.

Also at play in Connecticut is an unfair and deceptive business practices law that plaintiffs argue applies to their case because Jones' business relevant to the suit is speech itself by virtue of him having benefitted financially by his deceptive, defamatory speech. Tort reform explicitly doesn't apply to suits brought under this law.

The case as it's playing out is very different from the one in Texas, being that it's not nearly so farcical with Jones' counsel sending opposing counsel vast swaths of information not limited to what was required of them pursuant to discovery. Of course Jones is trying to make the whole thing a farce, attacking the judge on his show and, most recently, addressing the jury and telling them to "do their own research" on the facts of the case (literally counter to actual jury instructions, which the judge reiterated).

Doubt though that any punishment will be heavy enough to truly see that POS disappear completely. He'll always have morons who are more than willing to give him money.

Eeyup.

 

[Populuxe]

 

[Dennisch]

Just get a better job! You're not working hard enough! Don't waste your money on a cup of coffee!

 

[Danoff]

I wanted to post a quick Paris Hilton "stop being poor" meme only to discover that there is controversy around its legitimacy.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I was thinking we can kill the dining room too. Use it for an office room or a home gym.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Gaming room FTW.

 

[Blitz24]

I was thinking we can kill the dining room too. Use it for an office room or a home gym.

I mean who really needs a kitchen, or a living room?

 

[Adamgp]

I have the space for a guest room, but that would result in me having guests.

What is supposed to be my dining room is more a giant pantry and kitchen extension.

 

[UKMikey]

My guest room is my gaming room. They can put up or shut up, although I'm the one putting them up.

I wanted to post a quick Paris Hilton "stop being poor" meme only to discover that there is controversy around its legitimacy.

Would you settle for Milo Yiannopoulos from before he stopped being rich, instead?

 

[Yard_Sale]

Just get a better job! You're not working hard enough! Don't waste your money on a cup of coffee!

Besides the first one, which is waaaay easier said than done, this is actually sage advice. At least…this is more or less how I did it

 

[TexRex]

 

[Darla Starch]

Keep Our Country Gape?

 

[UKMikey]

Just get a better job! You're not working hard enough! Don't waste your money on a cup of coffee!

Besides the first one, which is waaaay easier said than done, this is actually sage advice. At least…this is more or less how I did it

By not buying coffee?

 

[Yard_Sale]

By not buying coffee?

It was more or less a philosophy I lived by for 10 years; from 17-27.

A large part of my childhood my family was just above the poverty line. After that, I knew I wasn't college bound (for a variety of reasons), but decided to graduate from high school a semester early in order to start working full time ASAP. I sacrificed my late teens and early-mid 20's in order to get established. It worked.

As fate would have it, I met my future wife at 27, who had also followed a similar path.... except waaaaay harder. We were too peas in a pod. Growing up poor inevitably teaches you a lot of lessons that stick with you for life. Of course there is a lot more nuance to it than that, but that's the gist of it.

 

[Scaff]

It was more or less a philosophy I lived by for 10 years; from 17-27.

A large part of my childhood my family was just above the poverty line. After that, I knew I wasn't college bound (for a variety of reasons), but decided to graduate from high school a semester early in order to start working full time ASAP. I sacrificed my late teens and early-mid 20's in order to get established. It worked.

As fate would have it, I met my future wife at 27, who had also followed a similar path.... except waaaaay harder. We were too peas in a pod. Growing up poor inevitably teaches you a lot of lessons that stick with you for life. Of course there is a lot more nuance to it than that, but that's the gist of it.

So it is the kids buying coffee that's screwed the economy...


Do you ever actually think before you post?

 

[UKMikey]

So it is the kids buying coffee that's screwed the economy...


Do you ever actually think before you post?

Your reply brings to mind this coffee related meme...



Lots of people have hard lives. They don't want their kids to suffer similar hardships which is why they work hard so their kids don't have to work as hard. Why should those people then not want the same fate for everyone else? A rising tide lifts all boats.

Kids also work hard but things are tougher now. That's not their fault.

 

[Liquid]

Besides the first one, which is waaaay easier said than done, this is actually sage advice. At least…this is more or less how I did it

Strong 70s boomer energy from this.

 

[TexRex]

Do you ever actually think before you post?

 

[Yard_Sale]

So it is the kids buying coffee that's screwed the economy...


Do you ever actually think before you post?

Negative. Like stated, it was a philosophy I lived by. I took advice from others who had done it before. Went to trade school, got a “starter” job in the field at 19. lived frugally (even when I started making money), because I wanted to buy a house by the time I was 25. Still lived frugally my first couple years after that while I sank every dime I had into the house. I’m 39 now. Seriously don’t know what your deal is against me.

My wife grew up in the Philippines without running water for a good portion of her childhood. You can make fun of her too if you want.

 

[UKMikey]

Seriously don’t know what your deal is against me.

My wife grew up in the Philippines without running water for a good portion of her childhood. You can make fun of her too if you want.

The builders converting my mum's bathroom for wheelchair access are also Filipino. They bought coffee at a local baristas before starting work today. Guess they'll never get rich.

They did turn off the water for 15 minutes while capping off the sink pipe so I guess we have something in common.

 

[Scaff]

Negative. Like stated, it was a philosophy I lived by. I took advice from others who had done it before. Went to trade school, got a “starter” job in the field at 19. lived frugally (even when I started making money), because I wanted to buy a house by the time I was 25. Still lived frugally my first couple years after that while I sank every dime I had into the house. I’m 39 now.

And where did you live while saving to buy your house, and do you actually think it's possible to rent, live frugally and save enough to buy a house now (I've two adult children who would say otherwise).

Seriously don’t know what your deal is against me.

Because you constantly posts poorly thought out nonsense and defend those who wouldn't support you in a heartbeat

My wife grew up in the Philippines without running water for a good portion of her childhood. You can make fun of her too if you want.

I've not said a single thing in regard to your wife, so quit the straw man.

 

[Yard_Sale]

And where did you live while saving to buy your house, and do you actually think it's possible to rent, live frugally and save enough to buy a house now (I've two adult children who would say otherwise).


Because you constantly posts poorly thought out nonsense and defend those who wouldn't support you in a heartbeat


I've not said a single thing in regard to your wife, so quit the straw man.

Poorly thought out nonsense in your opinion.

Fair point about the wife.


Between that time I both lived with roommates and sometimes at home. Really it depended on if someone needed a roommate or not. Didn’t much matter because in those days I was working 120 hours a week minimum and pretty much lived there and was never home.

All my point of this was, that I realized what I was, and what I wasn’t pretty young by taking this be of those aptitude tests. Granted…. It just told me what I already knew. Hard work didn’t bother me. I mean, I literally worked next to inmates swinging a hand tool from 19-21.

Not saying it’s easier or harder then or now to succeed. Depends on what kind of career path you want. But it’s honestly not that hard if you’re willing to have a bit of a “boomer” mentality. If I could have done it all over again, I would have gone to lineman school. But still, any job in the trades is relatively easy to get into, and pays very well. At least here in the states

 

[Northstar]

Besides the first one, which is waaaay easier said than done, this is actually sage advice. At least…this is more or less how I did it

It's not really that simple though, I have a decent paying job (HVAC) and average about 5-8 hours of overtime every week. Even with that the only way I can realistically buy a house is if I pretty much doubled my daily travel time and moved to the middle of nowhere.

Between that time I both lived with roommates and sometimes at home.

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to move back home, hell some people are like me where they end up supporting their parents right out of high school for various reasons. Roommates also aren't always an option, especially if you're new somewhere.

Didn’t much matter because in those days I was working 120 hours a week minimum and pretty much lived there and was never home.

If you're going to make 🤬 up, at least make it somewhat believable.

 

[Yard_Sale]

It's not really that simple though, I have a decent paying job and average about 5-8 hours of overtime every week. Even with that the only way I can realistically buy a house is if I pretty much doubled my daily travel time and moved to the middle of nowhere.



Not everyone has the luxury of being able to move back home, hell some people are like me where they end up supporting their parents right out of high school for various reasons. Roommates also aren't always an option, especially if you're new somewhere.

If you're going to make 🤬 up, at least make it somewhat believable.

When I decided I was going blue collar, I started researching jobs that fit my personality. Wasn’t much of an entrepreneur so I didn’t want to go into business for myself. Once my dad eventually made it in pyrotechnics in the movie industry, I didn’t want to be gone 9 months a year either. Originally went to welding school to be an underwater welder and work on the docks in Los Angeles. Became a fireman instead. We work 24 hour shifts. When I was younger I signed up to go get on every big campaign fire or FEMA deployment I could. I still work 96-120 hours a week. But those 120’s are less frequent these days.

Being a Lineman is in my estimation the best blue collar job out there. Usually you can work close to home, and there’s as much overtime as you want. They also typically have one of the strongest unions too. Them, the teamsters and the Dock workers. But I had no clue what a lineman was when I was in high school.

The housing market is definitely tougher, no doubt about that. Houses are still there, but they are probably not close to white collar jobs. Lots of foreign hands in that pot influencing the supply and demand.

Like I said, I decided to parlay 10 years of my life because I had goals I wanted to meet. Admittedly, I didn’t have to go as hard as I did…..but, what the hell.

 

[Northstar]

We work 24 hour shifts. When I was younger I signed up to go get on every big campaign fire or FEMA deployment I could. I still work 96-120 hours a week. But those 120’s are less frequent these days.

Being on call for 24 hours isn't the same thing as working 24 hours...

 

[Scaff]

Poorly thought out nonsense in your opinion.

Nope.

Fair point about the wife.

Indeed

Between that time I both lived with roommates and sometimes at home. Really it depended on if someone needed a roommate or not. Didn’t much matter because in those days I was working 120 hours a week minimum and pretty much lived there and was never home.

So you had to rely on the goodwill of others, while working an absurd amount, and that was over 15 years ago, in the years since it's got harder, not easier.

So, no, just being frugal doesn't cut it.

All my point of this was, that I realized what I was, and what I wasn’t pretty young by taking this be of those aptitude tests. Granted…. It just told me what I already knew. Hard work didn’t bother me. I mean, I literally worked next to inmates swinging a hand tool from 19-21.

Not saying it’s easier or harder then or now to succeed. Depends on what kind of career path you want. But it’s honestly not that hard if you’re willing to have a bit of a “boomer” mentality. If I could have done it all over again, I would have gone to lineman school. But still, any job in the trades is relatively easy to get into, and pays very well. At least here in the states

It's harder now and having a boomer mentality doesn't fix that.

 

[McLaren]

“Bit of a boomer mentality”.

The world doesn’t afford any generation after boomers that luxury; the days of single-parent income, dirt cheap homes, and everything else boomer “mentality” afforded them is long gone for most Americans.

 

[TexRex]

if I...moved to the middle of nowhere

...



[Just some playful ribbing.]

 

[Yard_Sale]

Being on call for 24 hours isn't the same thing as working 24 hours...

It is when you work in South Central Los Angeles or in and around downtown. Plus we also do things like train, work on the station eat. etc. But 24 hours away from home, is 24 hours away from home any way you slice it

Nope.

Indeed

So you had to rely on the goodwill of others, while working an absurd amount, and that was over 15 years ago, in the years since it's got harder, not easier.

So, no, just being frugal doesn't cut it.

It's harder now and having a boomer mentality doesn't fix that.

I would agree that things are harder now. Still obtainable though if you make good, well thought out decisions. You might not get a house exactly where you want it or close to work though.

I still paid rent wherever I was. Even at my parents house. I didn't have to work as much as I did. But I didn't want a house in Riverside, California either. I wanted to be able to ride my bike to the beach to go surf, which took additional sacrifice to come up with the $$ to buy a house that was practically delapitated. When I was 20, an old-timer said to me "hey kid, you think that what you did or didn't do in high school matters now? If I were you, I'd keep it up for a few more years....your early 20's don't really matter either. What you do now, will affect the rest of your life". Or something like that. My parents said the same thing, so I listened. Not saying the way I went about stuff is "THE WAY". But it is a way. Which is why originally commented that it was sage advice.

“Bit of a boomer mentality”.

The world doesn’t afford any generation after boomers that luxury; the days of single-parent income, dirt cheap homes, and everything else boomer “mentality” afforded them is long gone for most Americans.

While I agree, everything is relative. My parents first house was at an 18.5% interest rate. My first house was at 6.7%. The 50 year historical interest rate values are ~7%. I have a feeling we'll start seeing market adjustments in the usual areas to reflect that in the next 18-24 months. Building materials and labor though? Nope. Right now is the new benchmark moving forward.

And a "boomer mentality" is just that.... a mentality. Not in any way trying to link the two time periods together from a financial POV

 

[DG_Silva]

I'm surprised no one has posted this yet.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Spoiler

State trooper leaves suspect in car as it gets hit by train

A high-speed locomotive plowed into a parked police car with a handcuffed suspect in the back seat as at least one arresting officer ran for his life, a disturbing video released by Colorado police on Friday shows.

Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, 20, was locked in the cruiser, which was parked on tracks north of Platteville, Colorado, the evening of Sept. 16. She could see and hear the freight train coming and "tried frantically to get the officers' attention," personal injury lawyer Paul Wilkinson said. Rios-Gonzalez tried to escape from the car, but the doors were locked, Wilkinson said.

"She saw the whole thing coming and believed it to be the end," he said.

She sustained a head injury, broken arm, fractured sternum, nine broken ribs, broken teeth and injuries to her back and legs, Wilkinson said. She is conscious, able to speak and has been able to stand briefly. Her recovery will be long, Wilkinson said, but medical staff is hopeful she can leave the hospital sometime next week when she regains more mobility.