Effing L.A.

[balactm]

so, i posted about my dad being in L.A. and acting like a 12 year old with all the expensive cars. Since i've been here today i've lost count of the bentleys, aston martins, slr mclarens, m5s, AMGs, Range Rovers, and Rolls Royces. It's freaking ridiculous. What are these people doing that they can afford to park a 150k+ car on the side of a busy street. And what the hell do they have these powerful cars for anyways, the speed limit around the city is like 35 tops. In harrisonburg, if you have something other than a pickup or a honda civic, you're pretty much a baller. If you have a mercedes here and it's not an AMG you're basically trailer trash. WTF is our world coming to???? The plethora of money is obnoxious. I'm tired of seeing bentley after rolls after SLR...They're nice cars, but seriously. If i had that amount of money i would not spend it that frugally on a car.

[BLINGMW]

word

[HAULN-SS]

commie

[WRXtranceformed]

I would!!

[Mike]

i'm hoping you were drunk when you wrote this.

[.paul]

instead you would spend it on what? I am sure their investor is investing properly, their real estate is in line, kids are taken care of, and retirement is set aside. They got their for a reason, otherwise they are just in debt up to the moon.

[Feersty]

Yup, Bentley Continential GT is so common there, you get tired of seeing them.

[Ginger]

And what the hell do they have these powerful cars for anyways, the speed limit around the city is like 35 tops.

Perhaps you're in the wrong club.

WTF is our world coming to???? The plethora of money is obnoxious.

And you would rather what? God forbid people are rewarded for their lives works.

[Sijray21]

two words: home equity

the jobs in the market there pay well and if you bought your home in the mid 90s or before, you're probably sitting nicely

the entertainment industry there is obviously flourishing and it's a world-wide accepted one that brings in serious $$

let us not forget those who are living beyond their means to keep up with those around them. It's LA :wink:

[Feersty]

the entertainment industry there is obviously flourishing and it's a world-wide accepted one that brings in serious $$

Another idea that I have finally got my mind around, you figure you have all of these wealthy actors and actresses, but with them comes many more people that are just riding their coattails. Imagine what Brad Pitt's assistant makes, probably enough to afford whatever car he/she wants. You have those kind of people all throughout the industry, thus making more and more people well off, and besides the fact that the idea and general mindset in LA is to flaunt if you got it.

[DavidL]

pics for the poor guys

[Sijray21]

pics for the poor guys

lol, like you've never seen them before - pics of the unique and rare cars (read: one in 12 built or something) would be cool, but most of what's driving around in LA are just expensive cars

[navin]

the entertainment industry there is obviously flourishing and it's a world-wide accepted one that brings in serious $$

Another idea that I have finally got my mind around, you figure you have all of these wealthy actors and actresses, but with them comes many more people that are just riding their coattails. Imagine what Brad Pitt's assistant makes, probably enough to afford whatever car he/she wants. You have those kind of people all throughout the industry, thus making more and more people well off, and besides the fact that the idea and general mindset in LA is to flaunt if you got it.

I'm sure an assistant to someone as high-profile as Brad Pitt isn't riding "coat tails."

Although I'm some people out in the LA area might be living beyond their means, and leasing high end cars to make impressions - but who am I to judge. I took out a credit card for a Burberry suit, well because I damn well wanted to.

[Feersty]

pics for the poor guys

On Rodeo Drive:

[DavidL]

pics for the poor guys

On Rodeo Drive:

ahahah yes!! that is what Im talking about!!

[Mike]

I took out a credit card for a Burberry suit

I didn't have any respect for you before this, but if I had... all gone.

[Ginger]

As much as I'd like to jump on the bandwagon, it really just sounds a lot like envy fueled conjecture. Who cares if an A-list actor can afford to pay somebody a ton of money to do whatever it is that needs to get done? Who cares if that same actor makes a six zero paycheck each year, or more? You're footing the bill, so if you don't like it then stop feeding the machine.

The grown-up version of this attitude is the big-business-hater-socialist-hippie with more spite than personality, and more ignorant banter than educated discourse. Is there any particular reason that you, or the metaphorical 'we', can't just be happy for somebody successful?

[WRXtranceformed]

I think you guys are reading way too far into it. It's ok every once in a while to spread some hate onto some rich pricks who buy a fast car simply because it's a status symbol. It doesn't have to just be LA, I see them all the time in Charlotte. Yeah there are some people that work hard and get to enjoy nice toys, but imo when you're getting to that level of wealth there are just as many of those people that are trust fund faggots and those who got their way there by exploiting others and generally being dicks.

[Apoc]

Yeah there are some people that work hard and get to enjoy nice toys, but imo when you're getting to that level of wealth there are just as many of those people that are trust fund faggots and those who got their way there by exploiting others and generally being dicks.

...and we should hate them because they all park in the same area! I'm with Ginger, who cares how people spend their money... as long as they didn't steal from my grandmother to get it. (I'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they didn't.)

[.RJ]

Is there any particular reason that you, or the metaphorical 'we', can't just be happy for somebody successful?

Andrew, dont you know, we are spreading the wealth around now.

Things like taxes and wealth redistribution are great as long as you're on the receiving end :wink: