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Congrats Penelope! Keep it coming - I love hearing what you have to say! :smile:

Awesome thread guys! This is really, really interesting reading. Great way to get the brain working on a chilly, dark, Monday morning! :smile:

Thanks, Cato - you too! :smile:

Sorry to see you go steve! I always enjoyed reading what you had to say. Best of luck to you wherever you end up. :smile:

Hey Notch, thanks for sharing - great post! Again, I'll preface - I don't know really know much about anything, but here's my opinion anyhow... I think that somewhere in between "Occupy Whatever" and this guy is the right idea.

Admittedly, I don't really know much about politics or economy or finance, but I still have my opinion - lol - don't we all?!? I think I remember once reading something from some famous person - Malthus or Adams or someone like that - basically, a kind of prediction that the "system" would fail at a certain point - population or some other reason. Anyhow, ignorant as I may be, I'm of that same opinion. Things will change eventually - because they have to. I'm not impressed with the "occupy" movement at all (for many reasons), but I do believe their fight is a good one - and a fight that most of us will end up joining sooner or later. Eventually we're all going to have to face the reality that we can't have everything we want (not even close!) and go back to being happy with getting what we NEED (when we can)... I don't think we'll have any choice really - big business, the rich, the middle-class - ALL of us. It started at the bottom but it's working it's way up... In the meanwhile, I guess all of us zombified consumers can try to shake ourselves out if it and affect change sooner than later - stop buying stuff we don't need, don't accept poor service and ridiculous prices, quit being so lazy, don't be such a sucker for the marketing schemes... Couple of quick examples... Blockbuster - we all slid right in to video on demand - at a HIGHER price - we put the video rental places out of business - now we're complaining about cost again. E-books that cost YOU as much as the printed version but make the seller a WHOLE LOT MORE profit - how much longer for the book store? Cell phones - they're expensive, the rates are ridiculous, they gouge us at every corner... but we all still have cell phones (myself included). Don't give them your postal code or phone number at the retail stores - that's for their marketing - you're not getting a discount because you're giving them free information enabling them to market themselves better. If they tell you they need it for you to be able to make a return or exchange - don't believe them. Give up on the Facebook craziness - do you have any idea how much money is being made off of you via Facebook and Twitter. Everyone's monitoring the data collected from social media - yes, we're making them even better at taking our money! Okay, so most will think the last two are total paranoia (they're not, I assure you) but anyone with a little common sense can see the reality of the first few. We're all to blame, and whether we like it or not, we're all going to have to change. That's my 2 cents (well, okay 3 or 4... maybe 5... lol)

Congrats Tiffany! :smile:

Congrats Bethany! :smile:

Happy birthday Pete! :smile:

Congrats meg! :smile:

Sad to hear you're leaving... I really enjoyed reading your posts. All the best dummpy! :smile:

Happy birthday Dorinda! I hope it's your most wonderful birthday yet! :smile:

Nice, Roamingguy! Congrats! :smile:

Congrats Isabella! :smile:

Congrats Mia! :smile:

Congrats Ava! :smile:

Awesome, Malika! Congrats! :smile:

Oh man! I hear that LeeRichards! I feel for ya. You reminded of another one like that though - It really sucks when you stop for a Tim's on the way to work, order your coffee with milk (only milk, no sugar even mentioned), get to work and realize they've given you somebody else's double-double... Nooooooo! :icon_cry:

Congrats SNMD! :smile:

Holy smokes, 5000?!? Nice, Angela! I always love reading what you have to say. Thanks for sharing so much of wonderful yourself! :smile: