Question:

I am from Horseheads

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congradulations on 38 years. We live in california

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"charlie and grace" <bill> wrote in message news:10tc6hmnjfccm93@corp.supernews.com… > congradulations on 38 years. We live in california

Well in California 33 years might be an exceptional record. We are east coasters.

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I am from new york

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"charlie and grace" <bill> wrote in message news:10tg3d0mfu84g23@corp.supernews.com… >I am from new york

two of my sons live in NY area – Brooklyn and Hoboken

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urf wrote: > charlie and grace wrote: >> I am from new york > two of my sons live in NY area – Brooklyn and Hoboken

(crosses index fingers from both hands together) Back off!  I’m from Staten Island! All right, I admit it, my father is from Brooklyn… but he moved to SI before "the bridge" was built. Which makes me a native Staten Islander (well, at least by the "liberal" definition:  "Born on SI and whose family moved to the island before the bridge was built"). OK, so "liberal" and "Staten Islander" don’t go together.                               (Admittedly the VZ bridge makes a 5 borough marathon more possible so the runners don’t get a rest on the Ferry…) — Jack C Lipton | cupasoup at pele dot cx | http://www.asstr.org/~CupaSoup/  Leadership is about maximizing gains, Management about minimizing losses.  This explains why managers like to hire accountants and keep them busy. -me  "There _is_ a reason ideology rhymes with idiocy, you know." – me

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"Jack C Lipton" <cupas…@peElMe.cx> wrote in message news:slrnctgdq7.gli.cupasoup@soup2nets.net.dhis.org… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> urf wrote: >> charlie and grace wrote: >>> I am from new york >> two of my sons live in NY area – Brooklyn and Hoboken > (crosses index fingers from both hands together) > Back off!  I’m from Staten Island! > All right, I admit it, my father is from Brooklyn… > but he moved to SI before "the bridge" was built. > Which makes me a native Staten Islander (well, at > least by the "liberal" definition:  "Born on SI and > whose family moved to the island before the bridge > was built"). > OK, so "liberal" and "Staten Islander" don’t go > together. > (Admittedly the VZ bridge makes a 5 borough marathon > more possible so the runners don’t get a rest on the > Ferry…)

I am sad to say that for me SI is a hiway from one bridge to another. Hopefully I won’t get stuck in traffic on that hiway that runs past this enormus landfill. I mean really, what kind of a place could harbor names like Aurthurkill Rd? The potholes on that hiway have cost me more than one tire already. I did see a movie once that was based in SI. I was amazed to see that it was really a place that had neigborhoods and parks. A place that is amazingly close to the Big Apple with some fantastic vistas. I never really liked NYC but since my kids moved there I have fallen head over heels for it. It is really the center of the universe.

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Question:

Auditors knew Enron was in trouble THE WASHINGTON TIMES http://www.washtimes.com/national      Senior auditors at Arthur Andersen & Co., one of whom later ordered the destruction of Enron Corp. accounting documents, were told in August at a hastily called "emergency meeting" that Enron was in imminent danger of collapsing, congressional investigators said yesterday.      The Andersen auditors, including David B. Duncan, fired over his Oct. 23 order to destroy thousands of Enron e-mails and paper documents, were advised of the firm’s shaky financial condition at the Aug. 21 meeting at the accounting firm’s offices in Houston.      Mr. Duncan learned of Enron’s deteriorating financial condition from James A. Hecker, an Andersen auditor who had been contacted a day earlier by Enron Vice President Sherron Watkins, investigators said.      Mr. Hecker and Mrs. Watkins are friends and former co-workers.      Mrs. Watkins already had tried to warn Enron Chairman Kenneth L. Lay that the firm could "implode" because of its accounting practices.      "I realize that we have had a lot of smart people looking at this and a lot of accountants including AA&Co. [Arthur Andersen & Co.] have blessed the accounting treatment. None of that will protect Enron if these transactions are ever disclosed in the bright light of day," Mrs. Watkins wrote in an Aug. 15 memo.      At the Aug. 21 Houston meeting, called by Mr. Hecker, the Andersen officials decided to consult with the accounting firm’s legal department on what actions to take, investigators said.      Mr. Duncan was grilled about Andersen’s destruction of the Enron records yesterday for more than four hours by a bipartisan group of eight House Energy and Commerce Committee investigators.      He was not under oath, although he was warned against giving false testimony. There was no discussion of immunity.      "It’s now clear to us that key players at Andersen as well as Enron knew of the growing financial problems months before the company imploded," said Ken Johnson, spokesman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "We are satisfied that Mr. Duncan answered our questions and gave us valuable information that will help solve this growing controversy.      "He cooperated fully with our investigators," Mr. Johnson said, adding that committee investigators will be in Houston today and tomorrow interviewing Enron officials and securing additional documents.      Mr. Hecker, following his conversation with Mrs. Watkins, wrote a memo to an Andersen in-house file indicating that "based on our discussion, she appeared to have some good questions," investigators said. The memo listed as "bullets" several specific concerns Mrs. Watkins had over Enron’s ongoing accounting problems.      Despite the warnings issued by Mrs. Watkins and the Aug. 21 meeting, it is not known what the 89-year-old accounting firm did, if anything, to correct the situation or to inform federal investigators.      "This document raises additional concerns about Andersen’s knowledge of potential accounting irregularities and the subsequent destruction of Enron-related documents," said Rep. James C. Greenwood, Pennsylvania Republican and chairman of the House panel’s oversight and investigations subcommittee.      "We intend to request additional information from Andersen about this memorandum and the discussions that were held among its senior management team at that time," he said.      Mrs. Watkins, in warning Mr. Lay about accounting problems, urged him to seek an independent law firm and accounting company to investigate her concerns.      Instead, Mr. Lay gave the job to Enron’s outside counsel, Vinson & Elkins, which said the Enron accounting methods were "creative and aggressive," but that "no one has reason to believe it is inappropriate from a technical standpoint." The law firm concluded that the facts it found during "an intensive review" did not support an outside investigation.      The Enron document destruction began Oct. 23 and continued through Nov. 9, when Mr. Duncan’s assistant e-mailed secretaries to "stop the shredding." That message came after Andersen had received a federal subpoena for Enron documents.      In addition to his questioning by House committee investigators, Mr. Duncan also has talked with Justice Department lawyers and officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission.      "Mr. Duncan is cooperating with all investigations of this matter. He properly followed the instructions of an Andersen in-house lawyer in handling documents," said a statement by Sullivan and Cromwell, the law firm representing Mr. Duncan. The statement did not elaborate.      Three other Andersen partners were placed on administrative leave and four other managers were demoted after the shredding incident in what the accounting firm said was a "message" to its employees that it was "not going to tolerate anything less than the highest standards."      Thousands of Enron documents concerning the company’s financial situation are believed to have been destroyed, although Andersen has not explained what specific records were lost.      Last week, the Justice Department began a criminal investigation of Enron to determine whether company executives &#8212; including Mr. Lay &#8212; illegally blocked employees from selling billions of dollars in plummeting shares from their retirement accounts. The probe also has focused on accusations that executives cashed out their stock while hiding massive losses.      The firm filed for bankruptcy protection Dec. 2, less than four months after Mrs. Watkins’ warnings. It was the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history. In addition to the SEC probe, the company also is being investigated by the Labor Department and at least eight congressional committees.      Enron has admitted overstating its annual profits by nearly $600 million and improperly keeping more than $1 billion in debt off its books since 1997. The Andersen firm endorsed Enron’s financial statements.      In related matters:      &#8226;The former chief of staff for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, which also is investigating Enron, tried unsuccessfully last year to arrange a meeting between the Connecticut Democrat and Mr. Lay. Mr. Lieberman’s spokesman, Dan Gerstein, said he did not know what Mr. Lay wanted, but did not believe the matter would have any impact on the committee’s pending investigation.      &#8226;Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Andersen’s work on reorganizations at the Justice Department and FBI. In a letter to Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, Mr. Leahy urged caution to prevent conflicts of interest between Andersen’s work at the department and the agency’s investigation of Enron.      Mr. Leahy said he was concerned the department was taking "appropriate steps" to guarantee the $700,000 reorganization efforts and the Enron investigation "do not taint each other."      Mr. Thompson said the Andersen officials helping in the review are from the firm’s management consulting division, which is separate from its accounting section. He said the department would "do everything possible to avoid any kind of appearance of impropriety or inappropriateness."      &#8226;Several congressional Democrats and Common Cause called for SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt &#8212; a securities lawyer who used to represent Andersen &#8212; to remove himself from the probe. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President Bush "has full faith and confidence" Mr. Pitt "will do the right things for the right reasons and will comply with all ethics provisions."

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Reply-To: THE Internet Accounting List/Forum for CPAs Sender: THE Internet Accounting List/Forum for CPAs               ous August 2001 Letter Did FAS 133 Contribute to the Scandal:  The Now-Famous August 2001 Memo Following is the text of an unsigned letter written in August to Kenneth L. Lay, the chairman of the Enron Corporation (news/quote), after Jeffrey K. Skilling resigned unexpectedly as chief executive on Aug. 14. Its author was later identified as Sherron S. Watkins, a vice president for corporate development at Enron. The House Energy and Commerce Committee released excerpts of the letter on January 14, 2002 and the full letter on January 15.  I am only quoting three paragraphs from the full letter reported in The New York Times on January 16, 2002: — <http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/16/business/16TEXT.html?pagewanted=1         We have recognized over $550 million of fair value gains on stocks via our swaps with Raptor. Much of that stock has declined significantly – Avici by 98 percent from $178 million, to $5 million; the New Power Company by 80 percent from $40 a share, to $6 a share. The value in the swaps won’t be there for Raptor, so once again Enron will issue stock to offset these losses. Raptor is an LJM entity. It sure looks to the layman on the street that we are hiding losses in a related company and will compensate that company with Enron stock in the future.         I am incredibly nervous that we will implode in a wave of accounting scandals. My eight years of Enron work history will be worth nothing on my r

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Only $500 for a lifetimes time of background work, auditioning, training and preparing to be a good actor is indeed a bargain at any market rate. Thats what you are paying for.  All the time, work, and the intangible…talent. Exactly. They tell a story about a manager that hired an engineer to fix some enormously complicated set of equipment. Forgive me if I tell it badly. The engineer came in, looked around a little, pushed a button, and fixed the thing. He charged the manager $10,000. The manager complained: "$10,000 to push one lousy button?" The engineer told him it was $1 to push the button, and $9,999 for knowing which button to push. Before you buy.

that’s a wonderful, albeit inaccurate, analogy to acting.  if you include the 100,000 engineers willing to accept less money to push the same button, how much would the engineer make?

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that’s a wonderful, albeit inaccurate, analogy to acting.  if you include the 100,000 engineers willing to accept less money to push the same button, how much would the engineer make?

That’s a wonderful, if ignorant, corollary. You, as always, presume this is a free market. A better corollary would be, what if the person who called in the engineer had to choose from a limited number of the 100,000 who fit the criteria of his employer, yet that contractor had to have the talent and training to fix the damned machine, no matter how badly it was directed, uhhhh, manufactured? What if the employer of that supervisor was not in competition with any other employer, because he had non-compete agreements with them across the board? What if that employer was making gobs of money, a monopoly profit, in the first place, and would stand to make more, yet the engineer was a member of the organized union which, as Ayn Rand says, is the only defense against an unlawful agglomeration of organized humans? Then the engineer would deserve the $10,000 anyway. You read right, "deserve". In an oligopolic market, increased costs of production are acceptable and expected, precisely because the producer can pass them along to his customer base. GOD YOU ARE A FUCKING IDIOT! GO BACK TO UC-DAVIS DIRECTING SCHOOL WHERE YOU CAN BARELY SCRUB THE FLOORS! And as always, you show why you’ve earned the name "Ignoranus". Carl — If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be  vague. Before you buy.

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Holy smoke, Carl!  You really impressed me there!  You remind me of a friend I have (and miss terribly) back in CA.  His name is Chuck.  You guys seem to think alike.  And that’s a compliment. — Janice If all the world’s a stage why can’t I get any press?

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Holy smoke, Carl!  You really impressed me there!  You remind me of a friend I have (and miss terribly) back in CA.  His name is Chuck.  You guys seem to think alike.  And that’s a compliment.

Um OK, but what the hell was I talking about? Damn, picked the wrong lift to give up drugs… Carl — If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be  vague. Before you buy.

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Only $500 for a lifetimes time of background work, auditioning, training and preparing to be a good actor is indeed a bargain at any market rate. Thats what you are paying for.  All the time, work, and the intangible…talent.

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Only $500 for a lifetimes time of background work, auditioning, training and preparing to be a good actor is indeed a bargain at any market rate. Thats what you are paying for.  All the time, work, and the intangible…talent.

Exactly. They tell a story about a manager that hired an engineer to fix some enormously complicated set of equipment. Forgive me if I tell it badly. The engineer came in, looked around a little, pushed a button, and fixed the thing. He charged the manager $10,000. The manager complained: "$10,000 to push one lousy button?" The engineer told him it was $1 to push the button, and $9,999 for knowing which button to push. Before you buy.

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Rational advertisers are happy for the talent pool to continue to take classes, maintain their appearance and capabilities, distribute their headshots and resumes and otherwise advertise themselves, travel to auditions, accept rejection, pay fees for various services and support, etc., on an ongoing basis…

TENTHSFGA responded: Advertisers don’t give a DAMN about what an actor MIGHT or MIGHT NOT have done to prepare himself for a hoped-for acting career or any acting job in particular …. nor for what it cost him in time/money/effort to do so.  They have no reason whatever to care about those things.  They’re ALL the actor’s problems, not the advertisers’. Advertisers are "happy" when they pay no more than the market requires for the level of acting services they desire for their spots.

TTBMANDA CHIMES BACK IN: I agree with you that too many performers are tossing around the notion of what’s "fair" without citing much foundation. And I must say I’m impressed that you zeroed in on it. But that wasn’t the focus of my statements. Of COURSE advertisers care about performers’ preparation — implicitly, if not explicitly. It is evident that they "care," because they already pay far above "market rates" for a day’s work. (You and I have discussed this before, that’s why I regurgitated your use of the word "regurgitate.") We all know that minimum wage would be sufficient to draw some living bodies to TV auditions. But you said it yourself… the "market requires" more than that for "the level of acting services they desire." Those services include the ones I listed above: marketing, travel, training, etc. In addition, the market frequently "requires" a number of other attributes — good looks, nice voice, sincere countenance, etc. — that have landed many people in the union to begin with. Advertisers also pay a premium for these attributes(for better or worse). Similarly, consumers pay far above variable manufacturing costs for prescription drugs. The premium over such costs is necessary; otherwise, there would be no incentive for pharmaceutical manufacturers to engage in drug development that nine times out of ten fails to result in a marketable product. Once again, I reiterate (regurgitate) the notion that there is no dispute over whether the services I’ve listed are of value. The dispute is over the incremental amounts (positive or negative) and the system by which such services are to be compensated. By the way, I don’t think that arguing the question of what’s "fair" is completely without merit. I believe that it’s more difficult to argue that rollbacks are "fair" in these economic boom times than it is to argue that increases are "fair." I hope you don’t mind that I cleaned up some of your spelling and punctuation mistakes. Before you buy.

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manda:  Tenth, you also continue to be "in regurgitation mode."

Until ya finally learn, manda. 10th:  Hired hands don’t determine what’s "fair."  They either take it or

leave it. manda:  Organized hands negotiate with employers in determination of what’s

acceptable to both sides. Very good, manda.  I’m pleased to note the absence of the "fairness" ploy in your description of the bargaining process. 10th:  [$500 session fee]  Well that’s all he’s really earned.  And not bad,

either, for just a  day’s "work." manda:  The only people who would consider $500 not bad for a day’s work are

those that only work one day to get it. Rational advertisers are happy for the talent pool to continue to take classes, maintain their appearance and capabilities, distribute their headshots and resumes and otherwise advertise themselves, travel to auditions, accept rejection, pay fees for various services and support, etc., on an ongoing basis Advertisers don’t give a DAMN about what an actor MIGHT or MIGHT NOT have done to prepare himself for a hoped-for acting career or for any acting job in particular …. nor for what it cost him in time/money/effort to do so.  They have no reason whatever to care about those things.  They’re ALL the actor’s problems, not the advertisers’. Advertisers are "happy" when they pay no more than the market requires for the level of acting services they desire for their spots.

Response:

Tenth, you also continue to be "in regurgitation mode." Hired hands don’t determine what’s "fair."  They either take it or leave it.

Organized hands negotiate with employers in determination of what’s acceptable to both sides. konk:  an actor is only guaranteed $500, the amount paid to perform in a commercial. Well that’s all he’s really earned.  And not bad, either, for just a day’s "work."

The only people who would consider $500 not bad for a day’s work are those that only work one day to get it. Rational advertisers are happy for the talent pool to continue to take classes, maintain their appearance and capabilities, distribute their headshots and resumes and otherwise advertise themselves, travel to auditions, accept rejection, pay fees for various services and support, etc., on an ongoing basis. That’s why they have paid — and continue to offer to pay — a premium over what’s "not bad for a day’s work." Before you buy.

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The Facts S.A.G./A.F.T.R.A. wants actors to receive "Pay-Per-Play" for broadcast network and cable network commercial usage. Pay-Per-Play means an advertiser pays an actor each time a commercial airs. Pay-Per-Play is the only system that fairly compensates actors in accordance to their actual exposure. When an advertiser chooses to use a commercial many times, the actor in the commercial becomes over-exposed, her image indelibly linked with the product being sold. Given the actor’s strong association with the product, other advertisers refuse to cast her. The greater the over-exposure, the longer the unemployment. Pay-Per-Play means advertisers only pay for actual usage of a commercial. Flat fees force smaller advertisers to pay a premium when a commercial only airs a few times. $4,200 for "one day’s work" is a lie. Under the advertisers’ last offer, an actor is only guaranteed $500, the amount paid to perform in a commercial. If the commercial does not play or is "held"-a common occurrence-the actor receives no additional money in the first cycle. The actor is also contractually barred from appearing in any other commercial selling a competing product. If the commercial does play on broadcast network television, the $500 already paid to the actor is applied to the $2,575 flat fee. This means the actor really only receives a $2,075 payment for unlimited use. If the commercial plays on a cable network, the maximum the actor can earn is $1,627. If commercial airs on a limited number of major cable networks, the actor would receive far less. The only people earning a guaranteed $4,202 a day are the attorneys negotiating on behalf of advertisers. Based upon data just released by McCann-Erickson Worldwide, Actor payments now make up less than 1 % of the total cost to produce and air commercials. Currently actors earn a maximum of $11 a day for unlimited use of a commercial on cable television. Advertisers claim the S.A.G./A.F.T.R.A. cable proposal amounts to a 350% increase. Even if the advertisers’ unproven allegation were true, an actor would earn $38.50 a day for unlimited cable usage of a commercial– Less than the minimum wage. Advertisers say they are offering a 60% increase in cable residual rates. Their latest offer is only an 11% increase. $29 million dollars of the "60% cable increase" comes from a $29 million decrease in broadcast network payments. S.A.G./A.F.T.R.A. wants Internet usage included in the commercial contract. Advertisers say they don’t have the authority to include Internet usage in the commercial contract even though they’ve already spent millions buying and creating Internet-only advertising agencies. Advertisers refuse to provide accurate monitoring records of commercial usage. They demand we trust them. A S.A.G. monitoring study of 38 commercials uncovered over $110,000 in unpaid wages. The study reveals actors can’t afford to trust advertisers. Advertisers say the pay-per-play system is flawed because networks are capturing only 50% of all television viewers as compared to 90% in 1970. They fail to mention that the number of total television viewers has grown by 66% in the last thirty years Network is just as valuable today as it ever was. And, since cable now delivers nearly the same share as the big six networks, it deserves the same payment system. Despite the notion that actors earn millions – 80% of S.A.G. members earn less than $5000 a year. Advertising revenues are up dramatically. According to Advertising Age, total gross income for the top 500 U.S. based ad agencies increased by over 22% in 1999. Additionally, an accounting by the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau revealed a 33% gain in cable ad billings to over $10,000,000,000 ($10 billion.)

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Konk/Wap is now in regurgitation mode, soooo…..: konk:  Pay-Per-Play is the only system that fairly compensates actors

Hired hands don’t determine what’s "fair."  They either take it or leave it. Plenty of commercial actors have determined the advertisers offer to be in line with the over-supply of actors and the relative shortage of commercial acting jobs.  Deal with it. konk:  the actor’s strong association with the product,

In yer dreams, konk.  You’re no Mr. Whipple. konk:  Flat fees force smaller advertisers to pay a premium when a commercial

only airs a few times. Awww … now yer feelin’ sorry for the poor advertisers, konk?  (I don’t think they need your sympathy.  They don’t need your services, at your inflated price, either.) konk:  an actor is only guaranteed $500, the amount paid to perform in a

commercial. Well that’s all he’s really earned.  And not bad, either, for just a day’s "work." konk:  The actor is also contractually barred from appearing in any other

commercial selling a competing product. But given how FEW actors get commercial work OF ANY SORT in a typical year …. this alleged problem affects HARDLY ANY of the sheep you’re begging to support SAG’s silly, little strike. konk:  The only people earning a guaranteed $4,202 a day are the attorneys

On the outside chance that this might be accurate ….. SO FUCKIN’ WHAT, KONK/WAP? konk:  Actor payments now make up less than 1 % of the total cost to produce

and air commercials. Absolutely irrelevent to the competitive, free market VALUE of a commercial actor’s service. konk:  Currently actors earn a maximum of $11 a day for unlimited use of a

commercial on cable television. A double-talking, damnable LIE, konk.  (But, btw …. if the use is "unlimited," how do you arrive at $11 PER DAY?  How many days do you ASSUME to be the proper denominator … and upon what foundation do you support your assumption?) konk:  an actor would earn $38.50 a day for unlimited cable usage of a

commercial- And he does WHAT with the remaining $461.50 of the session fee, konk? (Mindful, as I’m sure you are, that he "worked" only ONE day.) konk:  Advertisers refuse to provide accurate monitoring records of commercial

usage  <<snip  actors can’t afford to trust advertisers You hams get ALL the benefit of such monitoring …. YOU pay for it.  SAG/AFTRA dues would be the perfect mechanism. konk:  80% of S.A.G. members earn less than $5000 a year.

Ending, forever, the question among reasonable people as to how much the services of an actor are WORTH. konk:  Advertising revenues are up dramatically.

Demonstrating that advertising agencies have done a superior job of analyzing the risk/reward ratio of their industry than actors have done with theirs. Good for them.

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Question:

What a sweet reply.  I mean the part about the "greatest kid in the world". – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My ex pays$275.00 each for my daughters. He must work in a car wash. I pay $800 for ONE daughter. The way I look at it, it only costs me $800 to have the greatest kid in the world. Pretty good deal. songoman

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Get a spine.  Make those people respect you and treat you with R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Show them that you, too, can upset their lives.  It’s time to start flexing your muscles instead of acting like a spineless slug.  If they can dish it out to you, you can dish it right back.  No more nice lady crap.  This is the real world.  Take what you deserve because no-one is going to get it for you.  In fact, take more than you deserve because you are way over-due.  Don’t stand for their nonsense, start flexing your muscles.  Give them as hard a time as they are giving you.  And, no more sobbing in the bedroom.  You have one life to lead.  Embrace it and start stomping.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hi all, I have been divorced for about a year. My ex and I did our own divorce, with joint residential custody for our 10 year old son, to alternate each week. Our divorce was final 2/98. In October ‘98, he and his fiance asked if Matthew (son) could stay there full time,with my visitation once a week on Wednesdays, and every other weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea, Matthew was having lots of problems at school, he’s ADD., and the stability seemed to be needed of sleeping in the same place every night. I agreed to pay $100.00 a month toward my son’s expenses at his Dad’s and we pretty much settled everything peacefully between the two of us, didn’t have the parenting plan amended–just an informal agreement. Now I am having problems with my ex and his soon to be wife. They don’t answer the phone,refuse to use an answering machine, don’t advise me of upcoming school functions, and now they have blocked my emails from being received. It’s basically hit or miss getting ahold of them to talk to my son or communicate between the two households. To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house). Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me. This really isn’t so much a money issue as it is that I think he’s really screwing me over with this "friendly agreement." Has anyone else been thru this–if so, any advise. Thanks much, Suzzanne

Response:

Suzzanne, your story is so typical of an NCP dad.  All the issues and feelings and isolation are the same.  The advice for you is the same for them; you’ve got to move on with your *own* life and focus on the new life more than your past one.  Yea, you can do some court games and muddle things for a while, but the judge won’t change things too much "in the best interests of the child" and you’ll probably find yourself having to pay much more CS, too, if you cause trouble.  Your core issue is lacking a life right now that fulfills the voids your old life did.  Your job is to build than new life.   – John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I have been divorced for about a year. My ex and I did our own divorce, with joint residential custody for our 10 year old son, to alternate each week. Our divorce was final 2/98. In October ‘98, he and his fiance asked if Matthew (son) could stay there full time,with my visitation once a week on Wednesdays, and every other weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea, Matthew was having lots of problems at school, he’s ADD., and the stability seemed to be needed of sleeping in the same place every night. I agreed to pay $100.00 a month toward my son’s expenses at his Dad’s and we pretty much settled everything peacefully between the two of us, didn’t have the parenting plan amended–just an informal agreement. Now I am having problems with my ex and his soon to be wife. They don’t answer the phone,refuse to use an answering machine, don’t advise me of upcoming school functions, and now they have blocked my emails from being received. It’s basically hit or miss getting ahold of them to talk to my son or communicate between the two households. To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house). Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me. This really isn’t so much a money issue as it is that I think he’s really screwing me over with this "friendly agreement." Has anyone else been thru this–if so, any advise. Thanks much, Suzzanne

Response:

My ex pays$275.00 each for my daughters. He must work in a car wash. I pay $800 for ONE daughter. The way I look at it, it only costs me $800 to have the greatest kid in the world. Pretty good deal. songoman

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To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house).

Well, you have two issues here, it would seem. (Disclaimer: I AIN’T a lawyer, and obviously not an English major/teacher either!) Financial/ child support and visitation/access to your son. First, the financial. $100/month/child seems to be a pretty low amount for CS. To be asked to pay for half of the extra tutoring your son seems to need doesn’t seem like too much to ask for. I DO want to mention your accounting of the finances involved though. Why is it that you seem to think that your ex’s income should matter in this? Both of your son’s parents’ have an income and, IMO, that should be the only thing that matters. Any other income in the house really shouldn’t be a matter to be considered when it comes to income. Would you like it too much if you got married or a man moved in with you and your ex said ‘Well, now you can give us $400/month’? IMO, it’s the parents’ responsibility to support their children, not the stepparents’. As far as the visitation and access goes, you already have an ‘official’ parenting plan/visitation/custody schedule in place. Just because there has been a mutual agreement to change it really makes little difference. You could probably present it to your ex in this manner: ‘I thought that changing the living arrangements would be better for all of us, but now that I’m being left out of our son’s life, we need to discuss the custody again. You can either make sure that I’m kept informed with what’s going on at school and I can talk to our son and see him when I’m supposed to, or we can go back to the official plan or, if I have to take it to court, I’ll see about getting full custody.’ You should probably talk to a lawyer and find out where you stand on this. Good luck

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I would contact a lawyer and see where you stand.  We can offer opinions but as far as legal advice, the lawyer is who you need right now.  Good Luck to you and to your son! Daisy Visit the ASD "Who’s Who" Web page at: http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Cape/6475/ To include yourself send picture and brief biography to:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hi all, I have been divorced for about a year. My ex and I did our own divorce, with joint residential custody for our 10 year old son, to alternate each week. Our divorce was final 2/98. In October ‘98, he and his fiance asked if Matthew (son) could stay there full time,with my visitation once a week on Wednesdays, and every other weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea, Matthew was having lots of problems at school, he’s ADD., and the stability seemed to be needed of sleeping in the same place every night. I agreed to pay $100.00 a month toward my son’s expenses at his Dad’s and we pretty much settled everything peacefully between the two of us, didn’t have the parenting plan amended–just an informal agreement. Now I am having problems with my ex and his soon to be wife. They don’t answer the phone,refuse to use an answering machine, don’t advise me of upcoming school functions, and now they have blocked my emails from being received. It’s basically hit or miss getting ahold of them to talk to my son or communicate between the two households. To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house). Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me. This really isn’t so much a money issue as it is that I think he’s really screwing me over with this "friendly agreement." Has anyone else been thru this–if so, any advise. Thanks much, Suzzanne

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I do not want to seem uncaring to your situation….BUT $100.00 a month is very good for YOU, My ex pays$275.00 each for my daughters. I realize that  this informal agreement seemed like a good idea at the time, BUT the issue is NOT about the MONEY, it is about rights. If you want more, then either Stick to your Legal agreement and go back to the schedule that you both got originally OR get a lawyer and amend your agreement to something that is suitable to what you would like. I suspect though he will try to fight this. Do you want more visitation? What is the most important issue here? Visitation? Money? If you want to be more involved in your childs school activities then I suggest YOU do something about it and not expect to be told from you ex when they are scheduled. Call the teacher and ask. BE an ACTIVE parent in the classroom……. There are alternatives. Make it clear with your ex that YOU are being flexible, and unless he would like to go to court to amend the agreement, then please respect you as a parent, return your phone calls and maybe set up a schedule as to when you will call, on a daily basis or every other day. Don’t play the victim and you are less likely to be one. DO something about the things YOU have control over…..

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I have been divorced for about a year. My ex and I did our own divorce, with joint residential custody for our 10 year old son, to alternate each week. Our divorce was final 2/98. In October ‘98, he and his fiance asked if Matthew (son) could stay there full time,with my visitation once a week on Wednesdays, and every other weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea, Matthew was having lots of problems at school, he’s ADD., and the stability seemed to be needed of sleeping in the same place every night. I agreed to pay $100.00 a month toward my son’s expenses at his Dad’s and we pretty much settled everything peacefully between the two of us, didn’t have the parenting plan amended–just an informal agreement. Now I am having problems with my ex and his soon to be wife. They don’t answer the phone,refuse to use an answering machine, don’t advise me of upcoming school functions, and now they have blocked my emails from being received. It’s basically hit or miss getting ahold of them to talk to my son or communicate between the two households. To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house). Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me. This really isn’t so much a money issue as it is that I think he’s really screwing me over with this "friendly agreement." Has anyone else been thru this–if so, any advise. Thanks much, Suzzanne

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I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house).

hmmmm.. interesting….  Disability AND day care?   I wonder what kind of disability would enable a person to collect worker’s comp and ALSO to do daycare (which is essentially conducting a home business)?   Where ARE those hidden cameras?? I wonder how she got licensed for daycare in the first place, being disabled and collecting compensation…  hmmmm… Just some thoughts i want to throw out there…. Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me.

I can relate to your pain there… The "empty nest syndrome" hitting just too darned early..  i especially miss mine at their bedtime when i would be kissing them goodnight or telling a story…  and before/after school time, when they are running around excited and busy with so much to say… Picking them up on certain days and going somewhere just isn’t the same as "hanging out" with them during everyday usual activities…   I hope things can work out for you to spend more time with your child…

Response:

Hi all, I have been divorced for about a year. My ex and I did our own divorce, with joint residential custody for our 10 year old son, to alternate each week. Our divorce was final 2/98. In October ‘98, he and his fiance asked if Matthew (son) could stay there full time,with my visitation once a week on Wednesdays, and every other weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea, Matthew was having lots of problems at school, he’s ADD., and the stability seemed to be needed of sleeping in the same place every night. I agreed to pay $100.00 a month toward my son’s expenses at his Dad’s and we pretty much settled everything peacefully between the two of us, didn’t have the parenting plan amended–just an informal agreement. Now I am having problems with my ex and his soon to be wife. They don’t answer the phone,refuse to use an answering machine, don’t advise me of upcoming school functions, and now they have blocked my emails from being received. It’s basically hit or miss getting ahold of them to talk to my son or communicate between the two households. To make matters more complicated, now my son’s counselor and teacher have both advised sending him to a program such as Sylvan Learning Center, and my ex wants me to pay half when I already pay "unofficial" child support. I have just my income, they have his, plus her worker’s comp disability, and her babysitting money (daycare that she does out of their house). Don’t get me wrong. I love my son more than anything. It reduces me to a sobbing mess when I can’t get ahold of him, when he’s too "busy" with the neighborhood kids to come over and be with me. This really isn’t so much a money issue as it is that I think he’s really screwing me over with this "friendly agreement." Has anyone else been thru this–if so, any advise. Thanks much, Suzzanne

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Question:

I have a small California based construction company with gross receipts of approximately $5,000,000.00.  I am considering converting to Timberline Gold, Job Cost and Accounting from our current system, BIS "Builder Information System".  If anyone has had any experience with this product I would appreciate their input whether pro or con.

Response:

 I am considering converting to Timberline Gold, Job Cost and Accounting from our current system

I use Timberline (now Axium) A&E. It is a good program – however: I find that the system is built to be more for the engineer/architecht’s ease of use and ease of reporting over the ease of use for the accountant. I often can’t get the information out of it in a simple way (which journal entry/check/deposit etc did what), with out buying the RII add in. I would recommend that if Gold has the need. It is excellent for job costing and billing – that is the main reason we use it. Krumm Bookkeeping Service Confidential, professional, affordable bookkeeping for Boulder City, Henderson, & Las Vegas http://members.aol.com/krummbook/index.html

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I traveled to Beaverton, Or for training on the Timberline
Cost Accounting Software package and actually implemented
the new package for a construction company.  It is the
best program I have ever used in being able to track
job costs.  Once everything has been set up and all beginning
balances have been entered, it is a wonderful package. Once
all beginning balances have been entered, it is a breeze from
from that point on.  I highly recommend this package.
   -**** Posted from Supernews, Discussions Start Here(tm) ****- http://www.supernews.com/ – Host to the the World’s Discussions & Usenet

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Question:

ON-LINE HELP FOR BUSINESS OWNERS Life can be lonely for the small business owner.

And the ripoff artist too.

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ON-LINE HELP FOR BUSINESS OWNERS Life can be lonely for the small business owner. From start-up to day-to-day operations, there are questions and situations that exceed the expertise & experience of the average businessperson. From Accounting through Zoning, there are times when the small business owner needs a room full of sales managers, marketing pro

Question:

This kind of language does NOT belong on alt.accounting….Please direct your filthy language to the thousands of other internet sites where it is appreciated. I’m not a prude, but it is inappropriate here, and I’m sure I speak for most of us on this newsgroup…..

Response:

yeah!  you go!! you told me!!!  FAKE MOTHERFUCKER!!! EAT MY DOGS SHIT ASSHOLE! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This kind of language does NOT belong on alt.accounting….Please direct your filthy language to the thousands of other internet sites where it is appreciated. I’m not a prude, but it is inappropriate here, and I’m sure I speak for most of us on this newsgroup…..

Response:

Listen Dickbrain! Are you stupid or what? #$%^&*())_+-=;:’"/?.,< Did you understand that? There are enough arseholes in the world without having them on a decent NG. Once more, and your ISP will be asked to act. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – yeah!  you go!! you told me!!!  FAKE MOTHERFUCKER!!! EAT MY DOGS SHIT ASSHOLE! This kind of language does NOT belong on alt.accounting….Please direct your filthy language to the thousands of other internet sites where it is appreciated. I’m not a prude, but it is inappropriate here, and I’m sure I speak for most of us on this newsgroup…..

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Hear, hear!! Simon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This kind of language does NOT belong on alt.accounting….Please direct your filthy language to the thousands of other internet sites where it is appreciated. I’m not a prude, but it is inappropriate here, and I’m sure I speak for most of us on this newsgroup…..

Response:

I second the motion — M Thoeni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hear, hear!! Simon This kind of language does NOT belong on alt.accounting….Please direct your filthy language to the thousands of other internet sites where it is appreciated. I’m not a prude, but it is inappropriate here, and I’m sure I speak for most of us on this newsgroup…..

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Where the hell did you grow up? On a garbage dump? Your mama sure did a lousy job bringing you up.

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Question:

Debbie, The name of the stuff that Ronnie uses in the septic tank is called Septic Care. It’s a powder that we flush through the toilet once a month. He said the company is out of New Jersey, U.S.A. the phone number is 1-800-505-8800. They also have a pretty neat site at http://www.septiccare.com We started using the stuff back in 1989 when we had odors in the system and have used it ever since because the odors hav’nt come back. We also hav’nt had the tank pumped since then so I guess it’s doing what it suppose to. I think we paid $154.00 U.S. in 1989 and when we ordered again in 1995 we still paid $154, although the price increased to $169.00 but they sold it to us at the original price we paid since we were reorder customers. That was for a full 6 year supply, and they even let us pay it off over three months. Best thing about it and I know you’ll love this, is that it’s 100% natural. NO CHEMICALS. Anyway let me know how you make out with the system, and say hello to everyone.                                                                        Tammy

OH, I’M SORRY, I THOUGHT I WAS IN AN ACCOUNTING NEWS GROUP!

Response:

Debbie, The name of the stuff that Ronnie uses in the septic tank is called Septic Care. It’s a powder that we flush through the toilet once a month. He said the company is out of New Jersey, U.S.A. the phone number is 1-800-505-8800. They also have a pretty neat site at http://www.septiccare.com We started using the stuff back in 1989 when we had odors in the system and have used it ever since because the odors hav’nt come back. We also hav’nt had the tank pumped since then so I guess it’s doing what it suppose to. I think we paid $154.00 U.S. in 1989 and when we ordered again in 1995 we still paid $154, although the price increased to $169.00 but they sold it to us at the original price we paid since we were reorder customers. That was for a full 6 year supply, and they even let us pay it off over three months. Best thing about it and I know you’ll love this, is that it’s 100% natural. NO CHEMICALS. Anyway let me know how you make out with the system, and say hello to everyone.                                                                        Tammy

Response:

Question:

Hello, I am looking for a basic General Ledger database template or a set of accounting tables that includes G/L, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payment History, etc. I am trying to find out the layout of each table, what to name each table, what fields are in each table, and which fields interrelate to each other. It would be nice to find this already created in an Access .MDB file. I would like to even find this laid out on paper somewhere, and I could create them from scratch. Can anyone recommend a book that would detail this? Any help is appreciated… Thanks in advance

Response:

Although it sounds to me that you want to get all of the work that someoneelse has done in developing an integrated modular system for free, I suggest you get a hold of the SBT system documentation, which lays out the entire file structure of the system, which is in dbf format.  Yes I have it no don’t asl. Without getting my permissioon first, "JD West" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I am looking for a basic General Ledger database template or a set of accounting tables that includes G/L, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payment History, etc. I am trying to find out the layout of each table, what to name each table, what fields are in each table, and which fields interrelate to each other. It would be nice to find this already created in an Access .MDB file. I would like to even find this laid out on paper somewhere, and I could create them from scratch. Can anyone recommend a book that would detail this? Any help is appreciated… Thanks in advance

Adam M. Charney, CPA             Office:                                 160 Pearl Street   2nd Floor             New York, NY 10005                               Phone:  212-269-6126                     Fax: 212-721-7213 Financial Information Systems, Management Consulting, Control Systems, Employee Benefits, Insurance

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Question:

I am interested in finding a source for marine security devices.  ie. an alarm system that uses IR or radar type sensors in the cockpit so that the alarm and strobe light goes off before someone smashes the companionway lock and hatch.  I know that I could probably alter a car alarm to do the job but first I would like to see what is availiable on the marine market.  Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.  Frank

I used to have an add on unit to my truck alarm that was installed in the shell covered bed.  If anyone stuck their nose up to the window it would trigger the system alarm.  And it was a mini radar.  You might check with a local auto alarm company and see if it is still available. —                                 Sacramento Ca                "here we go again.  change lightbulb….rebuild boat"                            SV Hind Sight Doc# 691808

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I am interested in finding a source for marine security devices.  ie. an alarm system that uses IR or radar type sensors in the cockpit so that the alarm and strobe light goes off before someone smashes the companionway lock and hatch.  I know that I could probably alter a car alarm to do the job but first I would like to see what is availiable on the marine market.  Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.  Frank

Response:

-I am interested in finding a source for marine security devices. ie. an -alarm system that uses IR or radar type sensors in the cockpit so that -the alarm and strobe light goes off before someone smashes the -companionway lock and hatch.  I know that I could probably alter a car -alarm to do the job but first I would like to see what is availiable on -the marine market.  Any help pointing me in the right direction would be -greatly appreciated.  Frank Most security systems on the larger vessels here in the Ft. Lauderdale area use pressure sensors in the deck. They seem to be more reliable in a marine environment than  IR or radar sensors. Terry in Ft. Lauderdale

Response:

I am interested in finding a source for marine security devices.  ie. an alarm system that uses IR or radar type sensors in the cockpit so that the alarm and strobe light goes off before someone smashes the companionway lock and hatch.  I know that I could probably alter a car alarm to do the job but first I would like to see what is availiable on the marine market.  Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.  Frank

I had an engineer friend about 5 years ago that was starting a small company to make alarm systems specifically for boats.  The unit monitored the waterline level (obviously accounting for hysteresis) and could sense something like a 20 lb difference in displacement. I’m not sure where they are now but they were starting up in Charlotte, NC. I realize now that I am supplying less and less information as I write this……. Sorry. R.

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I am interested in finding a source for marine security devices.  ie. an alarm system that uses IR or radar type sensors in the cockpit so that the alarm and strobe light goes off before someone smashes the companionway lock and hatch.  I know that I could probably alter a car alarm to do the job but first I would like to see what is availiable on the marine market.  Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.  Frank

You should check http://www.minatronics.com for information on the Fiber Optic  security devices that can be added to any 12 volt alarm system.  The plastic Fiber cable is not hurt by salt water and can be used to protect navigation gear as well as out drives, outboards, etc.

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