Among my extended family and close friends I know a carpenter, a stonemason, a coppersmith, two house painters, a locksmith and a roofer. None of them are intellectually challenged, though a couple are pretty standard blue collar types, a couple are a lot smarter than you'd think from looking at them or even after the first couple of conversations. None of them are killing it financially though - the house painters do the best because they co-own the business.

Well, I didn't say that any of them are killing it.

But they make between $80 and $100k CAD. That's certainly respectable.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Yah, that's sounds about right for my crew as well (except the painters), and it's certainly respectable. I admit my worldview on compensation is warped by the high cost of living city I live in, and the high compensation field I work in.

Almost everyone I know who got ahead early in life did it with a trade.

Yes, I do the corporate taxes for 2 brothers in law, both in the trades. They were working for years as I was getting my CPA and it has taken me a long time to catch up. They will also retire long before me and have done very well. One had an electrical business and now also owns an auto repair shop and the other started in furnaces and now has his 2 sons (one a plumber and the other in sheet metal and furnaces). The sons will be taking over and they can't keep up with the work.

The barrier to entry for most trades jobs is rising and weeding out the unmotivated, unintelligent etc. Almost every employer requires you to either be certified or be in an apprenticeship program. The school work can actually be quite challenging. I found trade school to be on par with 1st/2nd year university courses. The work load and pace was very high. Most of the dumb-dumbs were weeded out in 1st Year. By third year our classes were full of motivated, reasonably intelligent people.

Contrast that with 20 years ago, almost nobody went to trade school, it was seen as a waste of time and lost hours for the employer. If you helped your grandpa build a shed one weekend, you could call yourself a carpenter. Dug ditches as a summer job? Hello plumber! None of the Carpenters I trained under had their certification. The industry has really changed for the better.

A few trades are still lagging behind, like painting and drywalling, and those tend to attract the rougher elements of society (but you can still make good money doing it, if you're savvy.)

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Long Chile was a silly place.

That's probably because you can't afford to hire the good handymen. "

Mostly jobbers and hackers in our area. We live in a rural area where any guy who owns a pickup truck, hammer and ladder calls himself a tradesman irregardless of previous training or experience. Its a lot different in Victoria.

I felt skeezy and like I needed a shower after reading that piece. ;-)

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

People who see me at work, all dirty with a wrench in my hand, usually assume I'm a low income dirt bag.

There was an exchange with a guy not long ago...

I was doing a repair at a gas station and Rush Limbaugh was playing on my radio. Just 10 minutes prior the same radio station was playing Stephanie Miller (super liberal) who I also listen to (recently dropped from the station).

A guy filling up his Prius said, "it amazes me the people like you would listen to that guy."

So I asked him, "what do mean people like me?"

He said, "you know, hard working, blue collar, low income."

I asked him where he lived and whether he rented or owned his home.

Lompoc, rents.

I said, "and you are calling me low income?"

My father-in-law's next door neighbor is a plumber. He's making money hand over fist.

He's a dirt bag too.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

People who see me at work, all dirty with a wrench in my hand, usually assume I'm a low income dirt bag.


People see me - dressed nicely, and I am guessing, they are saying, "This guy makes a lot of money".

I know the people on my street think that - always jetting off to some place for work. Last week Vancouver. Next week, Las Vegas. Two weeks after that Kona, Hawaii!

But I work on the Endurance Sports Race/Events business with some side work in the Bike/Tri business - two businesses that you work in ONLY if you have a huge passion for them and, a knowledge that you are going to NOT make a whole lot of money!

Looks can be deceiving!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

That still doesn't explain why it's the jerk that is appealing and not the nice guy.

I'm not rich (despite what windywave thinks) but I'm almost certain that I make more money than a Prius driving liberal who rents an apartment in Lompoc.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

In that situation, the jerk is appealing because he is able to have a primarily physical, low commitment 'fun' relationship because he doesn't really care about her or her feelings. To put it in very crass terms, sometimes the womens just wants to get fucked, not made love to. Nice guys tend to way over think that sort of stuff, or at least, are perceived that way.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

That is hilarious.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

That's kinda why I retired from SportFucking

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

There is a missing critical fact: The jerk has to be good looking. The rotund ugly jerk is not hooking up. Neither is the ugly metro. Remember the first rule of dating --- be good looking. The second rule --- don't be ugly.

Remember the first rule of dating --- be good looking. The second rule --- don't be ugly.

But no one will admit that. The default line is they are looking for a good "personality" (*wink*)

Have you seen her photo? If not, she's on Twitter. My guess is whether it was a Trump supporter or Clinton supporter she is going to take what she can get. The article is embarrassing. I actually feel bad for her. Just another Millennial with MAJOR issues.

https://twitter.com/...s/906679284798033922

Korey Raye Lane‏ @KoreyRaye
I'd be proud of this, but now even more gross men have found me, so.

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I never have, and never will, fuck an ugly chick.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb