Spelled Out 2017-02-22

[AnotherFairportfan]

The teacher is playing with fire here.

First off, if any teacher had done any such thing to me while I was in high school, the VERY best response to expect would have been a snarky "Very good, that will be all, miss Potts." and watch as it backfires completely. Sure, it'd burn the rest of my life away, but who cares about that when you've got a teacher blatantly trying to manipulate me? I was an arrogant snot back then, most teens are.

I'm betting this is a conspiracy between Mom and Alger. It sounds too much like what i discovered, some years later, that my parents and the school tried to pull on me in junior high.

Second off, mommy is a wealthy and influential person, a high school teacher is... neither of these things. Does she really want to get into a pissing match over Nadette's future? Because that's not gonna end well if she gets the teacher blackballed.

See previous assertion

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days. Unless she's got like a good chunk of city and state contracts sewn up, the industry is pretty notoriously unstable.

May i call to your attention Charles E Daniel - founder of Daniel Construction in semi-rural South Carolina?

At one time (the Sixties, anyway) the largest construction company in the world. (My mother handled their advertising and PR for a while)

Pretty sure he died pretty damned rich.

Pretty sure that Nadette's mother is likely rather similarly placed.

[FreeFlier]

The teacher is playing with fire here.

As regards Nadette, sure, though after several years dealing with Nadette, Ms Alger should have a fairly good idea how Nadette will react, which should mean that she can push Nadette in the desired direction.

First off, if any teacher had done any such thing to me while I was in high school, the VERY best response to expect would have been a snarky "Very good, that will be all, miss Potts." and watch as it backfires completely. Sure, it'd burn the rest of my life away, but who cares about that when you've got a teacher blatantly trying to manipulate me? I was an arrogant snot back then, most teens are.

See above.

Do you know how to lead a pig?

You grasp the pig firmly by the ear and pull firmly in the direction opposite the direction you want the pig to go . . . and let the pig win.

Also works pretty well on teenagers.

Second off, mommy is a wealthy and influential person, a high school teacher is... neither of these things. Does she really want to get into a pissing match over Nadette's future? Because that's not gonna end well if she gets the teacher blackballed.

I don't see that . . . I see Ms. Alger and Mrs. Starr working together to push Nadette into some effort.

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days. Unless she's got like a good chunk of city and state contracts sewn up, the industry is pretty notoriously unstable.

I know better . . . As I said here, things can happen that are beyond your control.

Where I grew up, the only one of the ten top companies in town that is still in business twenty years later is now in a different business . . . a corporate acquisition had an asset the purchasing firm hadn't known about that allowed them to laterally redeploy their assets into another line of work.

But if Nadette is expecting to keep on in the same line of work . . .

--FreeFlier

[Opus the Poet]

I wonder what momma's first name is?

--FreeFlier

Brenda of course.

[Armorlord]

Already blushing on the way in, wonder if Nadette has a polite crush on Ms. Alger, or if she was already embarrassed about her answer on the form. Admittedly, who wouldn't have a crush on her and she can likely be scary enough to ensure it is a polite one.

[scantrontb]

The teacher is playing with fire here.

First off, if any teacher had done any such thing to me while I was in high school, the VERY best response to expect would have been a snarky "Very good, that will be all, miss Potts." and watch as it backfires completely. Sure, it'd burn the rest of my life away, but who cares about that when you've got a teacher blatantly trying to manipulate me? I was an arrogant snot back then, most teens are.

and if that counselor was any GOOD at their job, then they would have known NOT to use that tactic with you, and try something else. even if it may have very well worked on other students just fine.

Second off, mommy is a wealthy and influential person, a high school teacher is... neither of these things. Does she really want to get into a pissing match over Nadette's future? Because that's not gonna end well if she gets the teacher blackballed.

while we don't know the exact distribution of wealth in the Starr family, it's DAD that is from "old Money", MOM is the construction company owner... yes, i'm sure that she makes more than the teacher as her salary, etc, etc. but it doesn't mean that she's all that "influential" enough in the school system, such that she can get a teacher "blackballed". especially as their two kids were new students here only two or three years ago (not sure of timeline here) if they had gone there as their high school and maybe even their parents as well, i could see that possibility, but right now?? not enough evidence, i say...

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days. Unless she's got like a good chunk of city and state contracts sewn up, the industry is pretty notoriously unstable.

i think you missed the adjective in the description of her mom's "GIANT" construction company... i think that she's gone past the "paycheck-to-paycheck" company you're implying by this point... as well as the fact that Nadette specifically points out that her dad "comes from old money"... that is not a term used lightly by rich people, so if he's "Old Money" then it's practically by definition that he's a one-percenter...

I dunno, that teacher just really rubs me the wrong way.

your opinion, no problem. in my opinion, she seems to be a pretty laid-back kinda teacher/counselor that from what little we've seen of her so far (2 strips? 3 maybe?) is relatively popular with the kids, rather than one to be avoided because of her being a strict or grumpy teacher... remember how she handled Abbie running in the halls?

[FreeFlier]

. . .

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days. Unless she's got like a good chunk of city and state contracts sewn up, the industry is pretty notoriously unstable.

i think you missed the adjective in the description of her mom's "GIANT" construction company... i think that she's gone past the "paycheck-to-paycheck" company you're implying by this point... . . .

It doesn't take that much to break a construction company . . . or many other companies, really. One bad contract in a tight spot can be enough. And size can simply mean that the running costs are bigger.

And old money can be papering over the cracks too . . . in fact, if they're in trouble, they pretty much have to, or their debts will be called and they can't possibly pay those debts.

Do I think it's likely? No, but that can also change really fast, especially if a court gets involved.

I dunno, that teacher just really rubs me the wrong way.

your opinion, no problem. in my opinion, she seems to be a pretty laid-back kinda teacher/counselor that from what little we've seen of her so far (2 strips? 3 maybe?) is relatively popular with the kids, rather than one to be avoided because of her being a strict or grumpy teacher... remember how she handled Abbie running in the halls?

Seems like the good kind of teacher to me . . . the ones the kids like and respect.

--FreeFlier

[Dave]

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days.

True enough... especially in an era when at least some one-percenters decide to increase their percentage by not paying their bills to the construction companies.

it's tough for the construction workers, as well. They can do fine during construction booms, but as soon as the construction market slumps they'd really better have an alternate source of income to tide them over through the dry spell.

[jwhouk]

I wonder what momma's first name is?

--FreeFlier

Pardon me, but I can't recall--have we ever actually seen Mama Starr? Was she the one sitting in a chair that was too soft and eating from a medium-sized bowl that was too cold?

After the little incident with the media cart, where all three moms were waiting outside the ER.

[jwhouk]

And I thought Gadenuyva was a perfectly serviceable name...

Also, our Miss Alger seems to be using reverse psychology on our young Ursamorph...

...?... I thought Gadenuyva was a result of a conversation with Paul himself...? was that one of us that came up with it?

Guilty as charged. No, wasn't after talking to Paul.

[AnotherFairportfan]

Third off, there's some kind of disconnect here. She owns a construction company, yet people are assuming 'one percenter', and in my experience, that's simply not the case for most construction companies. They barely stay afloat, particularly these days.

True enough... especially in an era when at least some one-percenters decide to increase their percentage by not paying their bills to the construction companies.

it's tough for the construction workers, as well. They can do fine during construction booms, but as soon as the construction market slumps they'd really better have an alternate source of income to tide them over through the dry spell.

My dad wound up studying accounting instead of going into the building trades (like his dad and his uncle and his {then future} brothers-in-law) because HIS dad (who had been within something like three numbers of being laid off at Chicago Ed during the Depression) told him "There hasn't been a run of more than twenty years when the building trades didn't slump."

[Catawampus]

Holy smuckers! She finally has a last name!

Indeed. We can only hope that she and Atsali don't get too tied up in questing for a black orchid.

If Atsali innocently and obliviously says the wrong thing and gets Mr. and Mrs. Starr opposed to their youngest daughter's relationship, would that qualify Atsali and Nadette as a pair of Starr-cross'd lovers?

[jwhouk]

Indeed. We can only hope that she and Atsali don't get too tied up in questing for a black orchid.

If Atsali innocently and obliviously says the wrong thing and gets Mr. and Mrs. Starr opposed to their youngest daughter's relationship, would that qualify Atsali and Nadette as a pair of Starr-cross'd lovers?

HSSSSSsssss for the bad R&J reference...

[Dave]

Indeed. We can only hope that she and Atsali don't get too tied up in questing for a black orchid.

If Atsali innocently and obliviously says the wrong thing and gets Mr. and Mrs. Starr opposed to their youngest daughter's relationship, would that qualify Atsali and Nadette as a pair of Starr-cross'd lovers?

HSSSSSsssss for the bad R&J reference...

My brain is trying to make me mention Kier Dullea and Gay Rowan, Nadette's parents disowning her, a quest to find a place she and Atsali can set up an independent business breeding endangered wading birds, and somehow end up with "The Starr-lost Plovers". Unfortunately this would require a shaggy dog that's larger than a water buffalo, and AFF would probably send hit men after me for referencing That Dreadful Show, so I'm not going to say anything at all about it.

[FreeFlier]

. . . Unfortunately this would require a shaggy dog that's larger than a water buffalo . . . .

"Good 'eavens! Not that shaggy!"

/flrrd/

--FreeFlier

[Opus the Poet]

I wonder what momma's first name is?

--FreeFlier

Brenda of course.

What? Nobody caught that one? No media savvy at all.

[Dave]

What? Nobody caught that one? No media savvy at all.

I thought it was so apparent that it didn't really require a comment...

[FreeFlier]

What? Nobody caught that one? No media savvy at all.

I thought it was so apparent that it didn't really require a comment...

I wouldn't have thought of it, but once someone else did I understood the reference instantly.

Of course, I grew up reading it done by Messick.

--FreeFlier

[GlytchMeister]

... Huh?

[FreeFlier]

Brenda Starr, Reporter

[GlytchMeister]

...ok...

I fail to see the connection between a reporter and someone who is apparently a construction mogul.