But they can. It happens every day. I take the broader view. For me, it isn't about getting rich, it is about making better choices with what I do have, and that is the value the book has for me. Stefanie

Not always accurate. Most self-mades surveyed in The Millionaire Next Door attended state schools and made Cs and Ds, if they even finished or attended college in the first place. Stefanie

Okay. I'm honestly not in the mood to argue with you. Stefanie

Okay, judge a book without reading it. It is simply a statistical analysis of surveys from self-made millionaires as determined by net worth that covers as much social and cultural data as possible. Nothing more, nothing less. It's commentary of social and cultural philosophy is contained to what is reported in those self-surveys. As much as you may not like it, wealth accumulation is in part due to being educated about attitude towards money and work. Part of the phenomena addressed in the book (or maybe it's the sequel) is the idea that "wealth" rarely survives past the third generation because the values associated with what it takes to accumulate the wealth is not taught to the following generations. It is not a book designed to be a guide to becoming a millionaire and it doesn't claim to be. A lot of the habits and values in this book are things that many of the self-reported non-millionaires in this thread claim they do. Many of these habits are *not* expressed in large segments of the poor population for whatever reason. Stefanie

Just wanted to add, those social and cultural beliefs tend to be missing in large segments of the poor population. Stefanie

In my opinion, the book isn't about being frugal and saving money little by little to become a millionaire. It is about the attitudes behind money. It also goes beyond money into social and cultural aspects and beliefs that support wealth generation. Stefanie

You might be interested in the book The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko. Its about the habits and qualities of self-made millionaires. Stefanie

If you are in TX, do you qualify for Hazlewood Act? Stefanie

Yes and no.....a lot of it has to do with the style of the abuser and the vulnerability and inexperience of the target. I was in two different abusive relationships (I know, slow learner) and each one used the same tactics for different results. The first was my first relationship when I was 18 and he was a pedophile. He skirted the edge of legality by only dating 18 year olds, but he was definitely a predator seeking out young (specifically young looking) vulnerable just turned 18 girls while he was older. He gave away other clues and comments too and I found a very horrible image that I wish I could burn out of my brain on the computer once. He was very subtle, until the very end and his game was designed to drive people away when he was done with them. The other guy, well, I admit I wasn't in my best place mentally, but looking back, he was very overt and I think the reason for being so overt was to keep me off kilter. Stefanie

Good list.....but I'd also add overly flattering as a red flag too (personal experience with that one....) Stefanie

We started a 529 when dd was born. Because she was an extreme premie she was eligible for a one time SSI disability check, so we took it and used it to start her fund and added in a significant Christmas check from one of her great-grandmothers. We consider it to be all her money, we haven't contributed to it at all. Stefanie

This was an infested pond. I don't know what they were eating, I guess frogs, but on a warm day you could see 30 *big* turtles ringing this pond. And it wasn't big at all since the whole property was only 2 1/2 acres. Stefanie

Well, one of my other dogs would then attempt to kill and eat the turtles that were brought to shore. So, poor turtles... Stefanie

I'm certainly no bible expert, but my understanding is that homosexuality is a sin kind of like divorce is a sin. They are both sins that affect families and the raising of children. Not to start an argument but look at the filter of the times back then. Marriage was not about love then either, but strengthening family or political alliances through the production of children. I can easily see why homosexuality is presented the way it is in the bible. Stefanie

Hmm.... One of my cats' favorite game is to play fetch. He will literally bring you the mouse when he wants to play. We've always called him cat-dog. One of my cats refuses to eat anything but dry cat food. She can't be tempted by canned tuna or chicken. I know, just crazy (or stupid; take your pick). One of my dogs has been know to fetch turtles out of a pond. She just swims out, grabs them, and brings them back to shore. Poor turtles. Stefanie

My boy cats cuddle daily.....and it is very cute. But as soon as I'm involved, they drop each other like hot rocks and start competing for the prime spot on the mommy couch. One is so bold as to give my husband dirty looks as he's running his claws through my hair. Stefanie

For the people that attend those kinds of functions, it isn't about the charity. It is about the political and business connections you form or reaffirm while you are at the event. It is the good ole boy network in action. Stefanie

I wasn't suggesting that. The inference I was responding to was that someone didn't know anyone who was 'straight' who had put forth effort into being gay. Honestly, no matter which way you want to go....I wouldn't consider years of engaging or seeking relationships of one sexual orientation or the other as "no effort" or dismiss it so lightly as "lying to themselves", but I would also not argue that someone who eventually decided an orientation "wasn't working out" was really the orientation they were claiming to be either. It actually takes *a lot* of effort, and a bit of something else, for a person to go so far against what is being argued as *immutable nature*, and for whatever reason, it is actually quite common. Stefanie

I have. For a few years I had frequent contact I knew someone who was "lesbian", NOT BI, lesbian. I lost contact for a while and when I last saw her was informed that "women just were not working out" so she was now married to a man and expecting. She still does not self-id as bi-sexual. Stefanie

It was a candy necklace string. So far this morning he is his usual lover boy self and it's been almost 12 hours.

So, with it being the weekend, we are on cat watch. I hope he either didn't eat it, or it passes uneventfully because this is my daughter's cat. The only cat we have that will give her the time of day....and she's recently been talking about missing our cat that died 2 years ago around this time. Crap. Stefanie

I also use a veggie peeler, but it still takes a while. We are going to be eating a lot of butternut squash this week since that is what it on sale this week. Stefanie

Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but it would be one more tool. A licensing and renewal process would at least ensure some standardization of education, require at least the exposure of officers to continuing education, provide an external review for hiring outside of references. Even if the police officers are cleared, an officer with a long list of recorded complaints of the same type might be more thoroughly investigated before hire....and other departments could see if they were being currently investigated with another department before hire, even if they are in another state because the status of their license would be an open record. It would also provide a way for an officers actions to be declared as wrong, even if the actions don't meet the legal requirements of a crime, which would, I think, go a long way. Stefanie

I personally think a licensing and review board, like you have in nursing, would be a great addition for law enforcement. Stefanie

While you are suspended you go work for a different police force in order to have a clean reference to leap frog into a different force. That is how these things happen. http://www.thewire.com/national/2014/05/texas-cop-who-killed-two-people-in-two-years-has-actually-been-fired/362048/ The officer involved in these two incidences was already under investigation for major violations on a different force where he basically barged in on a crime scene where he was not supposed to be and drew his weapon on unarmed bystanders with other cops in the line of fire. In the grandmother case, it isn't published, but he was in the company of another cop that was ordering him not to fire.... Stefanie