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Middle East Beast



Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree

PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
Well, I think there are more important goals in life than the accummulation of Filthy Lucre


How I long for the 23rd century (circa Star Trek The Next Generation).

To quote Captain Jean-Luc Picard to Lilly from First Contact:

"The accumulation of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives."

Of course then I suppose there would be few if any western teachers in the Gulf.

MEB Cool
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Middle East Beast,


Sure - when you've got a replicator:

"A replicator can create any inanimate matter, as long as the desired molecular structure is on file, but it cannot create antimatter, dilithium, latinum, or a living organism of any kind; in the case of living organisms, non-canon works such as the Star Trek: the Next Generation Technical Manual state that, though the replicators use a form of transporter technology, it's at such a low resolution that creating living tissue is a physical impossibility."

you can make enough gold, diamonds, etc. to fill the Grand Canyon
Very Happy

Regards,
John (Make it so)
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Middle East Beast



Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree

PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AYE, John, you make a valid point...in theory.

In "reality," however, I don't see them doin' that. As you probably know, the context of Picard's comment above was (perhaps I should use the future tense) a discussion with Lilly about the cost of the Enterprise. He told her there is no money, to which she responded, "You mean you don't get paid?"

So, I don't see them using the replicator to make gold and that other junk.

Ah, for the 23rd century. No more chasing those damned dollars, dirhams, riyals, rials, dinars, yen, won...arghh!!!!!!

MEB Very Happy
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder how many of us face an end like Stephen Jones. He worked for most of his life in EFL, including 25 (?) years in the KofSA. He died penniless in Sri Lanka, haunted to the end by the thought that the banks he owed money to would find him
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Middle East Beast,

Exactly - when you can actually MAKE money (or just about anything that money can buy) well, the whole financial house of cards comes tumbling down. If everyone could fill the Grand Canyon with gold, diamonds, money, etc., they'd all be as "worthless" as, say, dirt.

Gotta get me one one them there replicators Very Happy

Regards,

John
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
I wonder how many of us face an end like Stephen Jones. He worked for most of his life in EFL, including 25 (?) years in the KofSA. He died penniless in Sri Lanka, haunted to the end by the thought that the banks he owed money to would find him

Sadly, I suspect that more TEFLers end up like SJ than become millionaires.

VS
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Middle East Beast



Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
scot47 wrote:
I wonder how many of us face an end like Stephen Jones. He worked for most of his life in EFL, including 25 (?) years in the KofSA. He died penniless in Sri Lanka, haunted to the end by the thought that the banks he owed money to would find him

Sadly, I suspect that more TEFLers end up like SJ than become millionaires.

VS


Agreed.

I didn't know about Stephen Jones' fate. I'm very sorry to hear about it. My condolences to his family and friends.

MEB
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caliph



Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 218
Location: Iceland

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:19 pm    Post subject: It can be done. Reply with quote

I spent nearly 3 decades in the ME, had a fine lifestyle, saved and invested wisely,(bought an ounce of gold every month starting in 1975 until it reached $850 an ounce, nearly 400 ounces,), now own my house valued at $250,000, three vehicles valued at $100,000, a houseful of fine art and antiques valued at $100,000, have no debts, and substantial savings and equity investment.

So, yes it can be done if you don't eat out every night, go pubbing every night, don't take extravagant trips at every opportunity.

I ate out occasionally, (few restaurants could cook as well as I), took my tourist trips on the way to and from summer vacations, I preferred to stay in country(SA,UAE), during the winter breaks as that was the nicest time to be there weather wise, and traffic wise.

Pre TEFL career I did financial planning. You need to "pay yourself first", meaning have a savings plan and goals and stick to it. Avoid high interest credit card buying, what happened to the old idea of saving for what you want? Avoid dodgy "investments" in real estate, and get rich quick scams. If it seems too good to be true, it is!

"Keep your mouth shut and put your money in the bank!"
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celticbutterfly



Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 41

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
Well, I think there are more important goals in life than the accummulation of Filthy Lucre


I very much doubt the majority of teachers are here for anything OTHER than the accumulation of filthy lucre (and the lifestyle that our remuneration allows). Would YOU stay here if they suddenly started paying us the same as all the other migrant workers? I'm certainly not here for the love of this place or its people; I've not worked in as morally rotten and venal a place as this in my entire career, but I stay here precisely for the filthy lucre until some other country can pay us as much as here.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Money is a tool. Once you treat it as something else you end up in the trap of the 300 Club.
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Kally Wally



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 49

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keep your mouth shut and put your money in the bank!

Precisely
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me remind you of a fellow-Scot, Andrew Carnegie, who said, "He who dies rich dies dishonored."
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear scot47,

Happily, almost all we TEFLers are then guaranteed an honorable death (unlike the dishonorably dead Mr. Carnegie)

Regards,
John
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posh



Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Posts: 430

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
Well, I think there are more important goals in life than the accummulation of Filthy Lucre


Yeah! Like spending it in Bahrain.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not guilty ! Most of mine went to wives, ex-wives, children, grandchildren.

And of course to the Church of Scientology !
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