Overheard on Facebook

[ender]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

[RWD]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

My coworkers are the same. Yet they love CUVs/SUVs, which are not much different than a raised wagon. I don't get it...

[Rubyist]

From a coworker, accompanied by photos of a new car: "By the grace of God I was approved for a new car!" Comments are things like, "You deserve it!" and "God is blessing you!"

Reminds me of my cousin, who felt it was a "blessing" when she got a 0% credit card in time to pay her taxes, after getting an extension because she owed more than expected.

[Drifterrider]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

My mother has a Passat wagon.  They are not made any longer.  I told her I have dibs.  I'm a man.

[infogoon]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

[RWD]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

Unfortunately it also means not many people are buying new so there aren't as many used ones to go around. For example, my wife's car is a 2005 Legacy GT wagon with the manual transmission. That was the only year of that body style they offered the manual and turbo together on the wagon. I just checked Autotrader and there are zero for sale right now nationwide.

0.09% of new vehicles are manual transmission wagons (doesn't include hatchbacks like the Honda Fit):
http://jalopnik.com/only-0-09-percent-of-new-cars-are-manual-wagons-and-tha-1454259605

[GuitarStv]

If God cared about starving children, why would He need to hear your prayers to help them?

Why are all the atheists so mad at God?

Did that come across as angry to you?  It was just a question about something that didn't make sense to me.

FWIW, I'm not an atheist.  I don't believe in a caring God though, too much experience with the natural world.

[Pooperman]

If God cared about starving children, why would He need to hear your prayers to help them?

Why are all the atheists so mad at God?

Did that come across as angry to you?  It was just a question about something that didn't make sense to me.

FWIW, I'm not an atheist.  I don't believe in a caring God though, too much experience with the natural world.

I prefer the term 'apatheist' over 'atheist'. I only have so many fucks to give, and god doesn't get one.

[zolotiyeruki]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

My coworkers are the same. Yet they love CUVs/SUVs, which are not much different than a raised wagon. I don't get it...

That's what really gets me.  My minivan seats as many people (8) as a full-sized SUV, and has, I would argue, similar cargo capacity.  My 4-door Corolla seats as many people (and as comfortably) as a crossover, and has just as much trunk space.

[RunHappy]

If God cared about starving children, why would He need to hear your prayers to help them?

Why are all the atheists so mad at God?

Did that come across as angry to you?  It was just a question about something that didn't make sense to me.

FWIW, I'm not an atheist.  I don't believe in a caring God though, too much experience with the natural world.

I prefer the term 'apatheist' over 'atheist'. I only have so many fucks to give, and god doesn't get one.

please don't let this thread descend into a religious one.  can we just be united in poking fun at overspenders?

[Pooperman]

If God cared about starving children, why would He need to hear your prayers to help them?

Why are all the atheists so mad at God?

Did that come across as angry to you?  It was just a question about something that didn't make sense to me.

FWIW, I'm not an atheist.  I don't believe in a caring God though, too much experience with the natural world.

I prefer the term 'apatheist' over 'atheist'. I only have so many fucks to give, and god doesn't get one.

please don't let this thread descend into a religious one.  can we just be united in poking fun at overspenders?

Bah humbug.

[dragoncar]

Can we go back to worshipping at the altar of the mustache?

[frugalnacho]

I've never seen any evidence of this so called mustache.

[tarheeldan]

I've never seen any evidence of this so called mustache.

LOL! good one!

[CheapskateWife]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

We love our Dodge Grand Caravan, but I am almost to the point of having to paint it up like the A-Team Van to make it acceptable to the DH

[PencilThinStash]

I've never seen any evidence of this so called mustache.

Have you ever seen anything to prove that this mustache doesn't exist? I've never seen anything that fully disproves flying spaghetti monsters...

[Hedge_87]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

We love our Dodge Grand Caravan, but I am almost to the point of having to paint it up like the A-Team Van to make it acceptable to the DH

Oh hell Yea!  Practical and bad ass! I love it when a plan comes together (lights cigar).

[Tallgirl1204]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

We love our Dodge Grand Caravan, but I am almost to the point of having to paint it up like the A-Team Van to make it acceptable to the DH

Oh hell Yea!  Practical and bad ass! I love it when a plan comes together (lights cigar).

I know this is making the OT worse, but I have to mention the van we recently saw at Zion National Park in a campground.  It had been painted with black chalkboard paint, and the lovely sorta hippie college students to which it belonged invited passerby to graffiti it with the chalk they had brought.  I have to say I thought this was super fun.   Art cars!

[frugalnacho]

I've never seen any evidence of this so called mustache.

Have you ever seen anything to prove that this mustache doesn't exist? I've never seen anything that fully disproves flying spaghetti monsters...

Good point.  I hadn't thought of that.  I've never seen evidence disproving it, so it must be real.

[wild wendella]

Overheard on the internet: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/signs-you-re-too-cheap-194415354.html

This article is good entertainment.  Apparently if you clean your own house, do your own laundry or don't pop for an occasional massage or pedicure, you're cheap!  Who knew?

[I'm a red panda]

The housekeeper thing is especially ridiculous.

[zolotiyeruki]

Overheard on the internet: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/signs-you-re-too-cheap-194415354.html

This article is good entertainment.  Apparently if you clean your own house, do your own laundry or don't pop for an occasional massage or pedicure, you're cheap!  Who knew?

Holy smokes.  Ok, the pill thing I *kinda* understand, since your doctor is presumably prescribing you the correct dosage.  But this:

When you spend money on a housekeeper, a laundry service, or a REAL plumber to fix that leaky faucet, you’re buying yourself something valuable in return — time.

I don't know whether to laugh or smack my head.  I suppose you're buying yourself time now, at the cost of a whole lot more time later, when you have to work an extra week to pay for each house cleaning.  There's also the whole "teach your kids to do hard work" aspect being totally ignored here.

I think they got *one* right: "You choose cost over quality."  That one I agree with. BIFL, buy once cry once, etc.  Of course, that doesn't necessitate buying something brand new, nor does it mean buying the most expensive.
/looks at my 50-year-old table saw with cast iron top that I bought for $125.

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

[grantmeaname]

Holy smokes.  Ok, the pill thing I *kinda* understand, since your doctor is presumably prescribing you the correct dosage. 

The point of a pill cutter is that you ask your doctor to prescribe you double the dosage so that you can cut it in half and only pay half the copay for your medicine. Taking half your prescribed dosage? That's not smart. Not only is pill cutting just smart and not a cheapskate thing to do, it's an established practice and it's the whole reason that pills come scored in the middle.

[ender]

Holy smokes.  Ok, the pill thing I *kinda* understand, since your doctor is presumably prescribing you the correct dosage. 

The point of a pill cutter is that you ask your doctor to prescribe you double the dosage so that you can cut it in half and only pay half the copay for your medicine. Taking half your prescribed dosage? That's not smart. Not only is pill cutting just smart and not a cheapskate thing to do, it's an established practice and it's the whole reason that pills come scored in the middle.

... or to allow someone who has trouble swallowing pills to make absurdly large pills/vitamins smaller.

[grantmeaname]

Good news, it's a suppository.

[bzzzt]

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

Here's the scariest part: The vast majority of the population is unwilling of learning how to fix even small problems.

[grantmeaname]

Mhm. Perhaps my favorite show.

[SwordGuy]

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

Here's the scariest part: The vast majority of the population is unwilling of learning how to fix even small problems.

Damn, that sure is true!   I mention what house rehab work I'm doing to people I know and some will make the comment that they wish they knew how to do that.  My reply is a friendly, "Well, come on over and you'll learn!".   

Talk about panic attacks!   They can't change the subject fast enough.

[Hedge_87]

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

Here's the scariest part: The vast majority of the population is unwilling of learning how to fix even small problems.

Damn, that sure is true!   I mention what house rehab work I'm doing to people I know and some will make the comment that they wish they knew how to do that.  My reply is a friendly, "Well, come on over and you'll learn!".   

Talk about panic attacks!   They can't change the subject fast enough.

Lol this day and age don't you just fire up the youtube machine and figure out how to do shit? I often think about how much harder it was to solve problems before the internet. It just seems exhausting.

[zephyr911]

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

Here's the scariest part: The vast majority of the population is unwilling of learning how to fix even small problems.

Damn, that sure is true!   I mention what house rehab work I'm doing to people I know and some will make the comment that they wish they knew how to do that.  My reply is a friendly, "Well, come on over and you'll learn!".   

Talk about panic attacks!   They can't change the subject fast enough.

Funny innit?
I'm 36 and just starting to get good at a lot of those things. A mostly-DIY rehab, spanning the last 4 months, of one half of a duplex we bought in December, has been one of the hardest, and most rewarding, experiences of my adult life.
I can understand not knowing. I was taught nearly nothing growing up, and only after my house in Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina (just under a decade ago) did a neighbor take pity and teach me a few things - roofing and fence repair, among others. I'm still playing catch-up and there is a lot I don't know - no shame in that.
I cannot understand not wanting to know. I always wanted to know. The more property I acquire the more I need to know. Contractors are fucking expensive!

And all that aside, buying fixer-uppers - anything from a small tool to a building - is one of the most tried-and-true ways to pay less than something is worth. Even if you have to pay someone else to fix it, it can be incredibly lucrative for investors.

I wonder if they've ever heard of a guy named Warren Buffett....

[ms]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

[Hedge_87]

"You buy fixer-uppers" - talk about a culture of helplessness!  There's the assumption that the vast majority of the population is incapable of learning how to fix things.

Here's the scariest part: The vast majority of the population is unwilling of learning how to fix even small problems.

Damn, that sure is true!   I mention what house rehab work I'm doing to people I know and some will make the comment that they wish they knew how to do that.  My reply is a friendly, "Well, come on over and you'll learn!".   

Are you free on Saturday? ;)

We bought our first house about 6 months ago, and we're slowly doing the work ourselves.  It's been a slow process, but we enjoy our weekend projects.  Next weekend is landscaping--tearing down two trees.

Lol in my circle of friends all you have to do is offer some food and beer for a Saturday of work. Of course it is implied that when someone else needs help you return the favor.

[zolotiyeruki]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

That's hilarious!  But then I think about how much I'm paying for my garage to hold my car that's only worth $1k...

[rocksinmyhead]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

That's hilarious!  But then I think about how much I'm paying for my garage to hold my car that's only worth $1k...

you know, as someone who wears a hair tie on my wrist anytime I'm not sleeping and don't have one in my hair, I didn't realize I looked unsophisticated (LOL)... but I will say it is annoying/uncomfortable sometimes when the hair tie is a little too small. $45 is nuts though, I'd try one of these if I could find it at Goodwill for $5 or something.

[Kris]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

That's hilarious!  But then I think about how much I'm paying for my garage to hold my car that's only worth $1k...

you know, as someone who wears a hair tie on my wrist anytime I'm not sleeping and don't have one in my hair, I didn't realize I looked unsophisticated (LOL)... but I will say it is annoying/uncomfortable sometimes when the hair tie is a little too small. $45 is nuts though, I'd try one of these if I could find it at Goodwill for $5 or something.

Yeah, the only thing sadder than the fact that this thing costs $45 is how completely off-the-chain excited the author of the article is about it. 

[Vertical Mode]

Saw this on my FB feed this AM:

[CheapskateWife]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

We love our Dodge Grand Caravan, but I am almost to the point of having to paint it up like the A-Team Van to make it acceptable to the DH

Oh hell Yea!  Practical and bad ass! I love it when a plan comes together (lights cigar).

I know this is making the OT worse, but I have to mention the van we recently saw at Zion National Park in a campground.  It had been painted with black chalkboard paint, and the lovely sorta hippie college students to which it belonged invited passerby to graffiti it with the chalk they had brought.  I have to say I thought this was super fun.   Art cars!

OT continued...I saw an art car parade in Houston years ago and havent quite given up on the idea that I should go nuts with my mini-van and have fun with it....60's VW love-bus is my favorite theme for the Grand Caravan, but then DH will really never drive it.

DS wants us to paint it up like the Mystery Machine :)

[greenmimama]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

That is an excellent invention and she will probably make a lot of money on it. Good for her. I won't be buying one, because I can already put it in my pocket/purse/or hair for free :)

[dragoncar]

Apparently men aren't allowed to like station wagons.

Learned this at work today :)

Station wagons and minivans -- eminently practical, completely unhip vehicles. Which is fine with me, makes 'em cheaper to buy used.

We love our Dodge Grand Caravan, but I am almost to the point of having to paint it up like the A-Team Van to make it acceptable to the DH

Oh hell Yea!  Practical and bad ass! I love it when a plan comes together (lights cigar).

I know this is making the OT worse, but I have to mention the van we recently saw at Zion National Park in a campground.  It had been painted with black chalkboard paint, and the lovely sorta hippie college students to which it belonged invited passerby to graffiti it with the chalk they had brought.  I have to say I thought this was super fun.   Art cars!

OT continued...I saw an art car parade in Houston years ago and havent quite given up on the idea that I should go nuts with my mini-van and have fun with it....60's VW love-bus is my favorite theme for the Grand Caravan, but then DH will really never drive it.

DS wants us to paint it up like the Mystery Machine :)

Oh yeah? You ever see one of these babies?

[frugalnacho]

Is that a selfie?

[Megma]

Several people talking about this bracelet because wearing a hair elastic on your wrist is unsophisticated. But paying $45 to $85 for a bracelet to hold your hair elastic is genius!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7088992?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

That's hilarious!  But then I think about how much I'm paying for my garage to hold my car that's only worth $1k...

you know, as someone who wears a hair tie on my wrist anytime I'm not sleeping and don't have one in my hair, I didn't realize I looked unsophisticated (LOL)... but I will say it is annoying/uncomfortable sometimes when the hair tie is a little too small. $45 is nuts though, I'd try one of these if I could find it at Goodwill for $5 or something.

Yeah, the only thing sadder than the fact that this thing costs $45 is how completely off-the-chain excited the author of the article is about it.

That bracelet thingy isn't going to look nearly as cute when your hair tie doesn't match your outfit like it does in all those photos. I would be the person with the fancy bracelet and bight orange hair tie in a teal outfit or something because that was the only hair tie I could find that morning. Ruins the effect I would expect.

[Travis]

There is serious discussion of revamping the military retirement system.  I'm ambivalent at this point because I'm so far into my career if I make it to 20 years I'll get the current 50% pension.  I also max out my TSP contributions.  The basic jist of the reform plan is to more heavily rely on the TSP and give service members a match and give them a smaller pension at 20 years.  It's something like a 5% match and 40% pension at 20 years.  One of the military-themed Facebook groups I subscribe to posted the latest reports from WaPo to start the discusssion.  Half the comments were internet rage screaming "they're stealing from us!" and "the stock market is too dangerous to use!"  It hurts my head when I correct some of these people with easily researchable facts about the stock market.  They either don't know how the TSP works "It's government run so they can just take your money when they want!" or "There aren't enough variety of funds, they're shortchanging us!" or think using the TSP means just sticking with low-yield bonds.  Another popular comment was "you're taking money out of their pockets by making them fund their own retirement!"

[ms]

One of my FB friends said she's way over on her data plan and so she'll be back later. Apparently last month's bill was 1400. I really hope that was a typo!

[zephyr911]

There is serious discussion of revamping the military retirement system.  I'm ambivalent at this point because I'm so far into my career if I make it to 20 years I'll get the current 50% pension.  I also max out my TSP contributions.  The basic jist of the reform plan is to more heavily rely on the TSP and give service members a match and give them a smaller pension at 20 years.  It's something like a 5% match and 40% pension at 20 years.  One of the military-themed Facebook groups I subscribe to posted the latest reports from WaPo to start the discusssion.  Half the comments were internet rage screaming "they're stealing from us!" and "the stock market is too dangerous to use!"  It hurts my head when I correct some of these people with easily researchable facts about the stock market.  They either don't know how the TSP works "It's government run so they can just take your money when they want!" or "There aren't enough variety of funds, they're shortchanging us!" or think using the TSP means just sticking with low-yield bonds.  Another popular comment was "you're taking money out of their pockets by making them fund their own retirement!"

That kind of shit is one of the most irritating aspects of military culture to me. The DoD is full of people who are politically/fiscally conservative and rage on and on about the advance of socialism in 'Murica, but expect their finite term of service to translate to essentially infinite benefits (and feel it's the government's job to lower the price of gas). Most don't know a got-dam thing about personal finance, economics or fiscal policy beyond some partisan talking points they heard on TV, but feel qualified (and constantly compelled) to offer incessant commentary on all of the above. Many have never lived outside small towns in the South but glibly prescribe socioeconomic policy solutions for urban areas because it worked in their village of 25,000. Or even worse, they actually went to some of those places and still think their perspective and life strategy is the only valid one.
I should stop ranting... I could go all day tho :P

[Giro]

Many have never lived outside small towns in the South

I've worked in DoD as a contractor for many years and my DH is a retired officer.  I can't think of ANY military member that has only lived in small towns in the South.  They usually get deployed at least a few times in the career and it's seldom to small towns in the South. 

Working in software development certainly doesn't give me the "average" military member but the ones I work with are usually very educated with foreign and domestic military policies.  I'll agree that they are usually VERY conservative in a fiscal sense.  My husband is SOOOOOO conservative.  He's already FI and could FIRE right now.  But, he wants to work another X years to get his second govt pension.  I would FIRE today if I had the money!  Like right now....walk straight out the damn door and never look back.

but I digress.

It appears my quoting skills need work.  sorry. 

[MgoSam]

There is serious discussion of revamping the military retirement system.  I'm ambivalent at this point because I'm so far into my career if I make it to 20 years I'll get the current 50% pension.  I also max out my TSP contributions.  The basic jist of the reform plan is to more heavily rely on the TSP and give service members a match and give them a smaller pension at 20 years.  It's something like a 5% match and 40% pension at 20 years.  One of the military-themed Facebook groups I subscribe to posted the latest reports from WaPo to start the discusssion.  Half the comments were internet rage screaming "they're stealing from us!" and "the stock market is too dangerous to use!"  It hurts my head when I correct some of these people with easily researchable facts about the stock market.  They either don't know how the TSP works "It's government run so they can just take your money when they want!" or "There aren't enough variety of funds, they're shortchanging us!" or think using the TSP means just sticking with low-yield bonds.  Another popular comment was "you're taking money out of their pockets by making them fund their own retirement!"

That kind of shit is one of the most irritating aspects of military culture to me. The DoD is full of people who are politically/fiscally conservative and rage on and on about the advance of socialism in 'Murica, but expect their finite term of service to translate to essentially infinite benefits (and feel it's the government's job to lower the price of gas). Most don't know a got-dam thing about personal finance, economics or fiscal policy beyond some partisan talking points they heard on TV, but feel qualified (and constantly compelled) to offer incessant commentary on all of the above. Many have never lived outside small towns in the South but glibly prescribe socioeconomic policy solutions for urban areas because it worked in their village of 25,000. Or even worse, they actually went to some of those places and still think their perspective and life strategy is the only valid one.
I should stop ranting... I could go all day tho :P

So military personal don't trust anything government run? Last time I checked, the DoD is funded and run by the government.

[zephyr911]

I've worked in DoD as a contractor for many years and my DH is a retired officer.  I can't think of ANY military member that has only lived in small towns in the South.  They usually get deployed at least a few times in the career and it's seldom to small towns in the South. 

Working in software development certainly doesn't give me the "average" military member but the ones I work with are usually very educated with foreign and domestic military policies.  I'll agree that they are usually VERY conservative in a fiscal sense.  My husband is SOOOOOO conservative.  He's already FI and could FIRE right now.  But, he wants to work another X years to get his second govt pension.  I would FIRE today if I had the money!  Like right now....walk straight out the damn door and never look back.

but I digress.

It appears my quoting skills need work.  sorry.

It happens less with officers, and it happens less with anyone who's highly educated, but it still happens.
A couple of clarifications:
Living somewhere and being deployed there are often quite different. You can deploy for years and be exposed to very little culture other than US military culture. I'm talking about people who want to generalize federal laws affecting NYC and San Fran based on their life lessons from growing up in a small town and getting stationed at Fort Bragg or Fort Benning.
Fiscal conservatism specifically refers to government policy, not personal finance. Questions of tax code structure and federal funding allocations, etc. (this relates to the above)

So military personal don't trust anything government run? Last time I checked, the DoD is funded and run by the government.

That is the central irony of it all. People railing against Obamacare who want free TriCare for life. People who can un-ironically pontificate about the universal inability of government to do anything good for anyone, ever, while in a uniform provided by the government, doing important work for the people of the USA and being paid by the government to do so.
In my case, being ANG, many of these people have TWO government jobs. Teachers, cops, DoD civilians who are also servicemembers. But government is evil and the private sector is the source of all that is beautiful and holy.
It boggles the fucking mind.
Yes, these are extreme examples and I'm not saying everyone in uniform is like that. But I have been exposed to it on a large scale and it is far from an isolated occurrence.

[wenchsenior]

So military personal don't trust anything government run? Last time I checked, the DoD is funded and run by the government.

That is the central irony of it all. People railing against Obamacare who want free TriCare for life. People who can un-ironically pontificate about the universal inability of government to do anything good for anyone, ever, while in a uniform provided by the government, doing important work for the people of the USA and being paid by the government to do so.
In my case, being ANG, many of these people have TWO government jobs. Teachers, cops, DoD civilians who are also servicemembers. But government is evil and the private sector is the source of all that is beautiful and holy.
It boggles the fucking mind.
Yes, these are extreme examples and I'm not saying everyone in uniform is like that. But I have been exposed to it on a large scale and it is far from an isolated occurrence.

Totally agree with this. You want to see some serious psychological disconnect, just hang out on the Federal Soup discussion forum or the Federal News forum for awhile. You'll get plenty of government employees, usually military, going apeshit on their civilian fed co-workers members for being evul librul murica-hating socialists. It is CRAZY.

[zephyr911]

The last thing I need in my life is more crazy, let alone the exact type I deal with at work. Why do you think I'm on a FIRE forum? Bahahaha

[mm1970]

There is serious discussion of revamping the military retirement system.  I'm ambivalent at this point because I'm so far into my career if I make it to 20 years I'll get the current 50% pension.  I also max out my TSP contributions.  The basic jist of the reform plan is to more heavily rely on the TSP and give service members a match and give them a smaller pension at 20 years.  It's something like a 5% match and 40% pension at 20 years.  One of the military-themed Facebook groups I subscribe to posted the latest reports from WaPo to start the discusssion.  Half the comments were internet rage screaming "they're stealing from us!" and "the stock market is too dangerous to use!"  It hurts my head when I correct some of these people with easily researchable facts about the stock market.  They either don't know how the TSP works "It's government run so they can just take your money when they want!" or "There aren't enough variety of funds, they're shortchanging us!" or think using the TSP means just sticking with low-yield bonds.  Another popular comment was "you're taking money out of their pockets by making them fund their own retirement!"

Hm, that's interesting. I  got in in 1992, and I swear they already changed the retirement to 40% at 20 years by then.  But maybe not?  (I got out in 1997, so it wasn't part of my long term planning.)