Alexandra Penney: Skid row

**Flubster** · 23 December 2008, 07:58

Reading that has really cheered me up. Keep 'em coming....

**ace00** · 23 December 2008, 08:17

Originally posted by Flubster View Post

Reading that has really cheered me up. Keep 'em coming....

You read it all ?
I got about as far as "Waterford Crystal..." , whatever. She should sell 'em (the crystal stuff) - then she could rent somewhere, better than being on the street, no?

**Flubster** · 23 December 2008, 08:22

Originally posted by ace00 View Post

You read it all ?
I got about as far as "Waterford Crystal..." , whatever. She should sell 'em (the crystal stuff) - then she could rent somewhere, better than being on the street, no?

It was gripping stuff. Really insightful. Try it - unputdownable....

**Purple Dalek** · 23 December 2008, 08:36

Luckily she has a skill that people want, like writing these articles, and so has an income again.

How many of you jumped up typists would be able to get back into this game after a few years out?

**BrilloPad** · 23 December 2008, 08:45

Originally posted by ace00 View Post

You read it all ?
I got about as far as "Waterford Crystal..." , whatever. She should sell 'em (the crystal stuff) - then she could rent somewhere, better than being on the street, no?

Try reading the comments towards the end then.....

**BrilloPad** · 23 December 2008, 08:46

Originally posted by BrilloPad View Post

Try reading the comments towards the end then.....

Alexandra Penney’s blog brought a deluge of opposing e-mails, both condemning and praising her

- Hey, you’re worried about clean white shirts. So you’re going to have to learn how to iron and stand there until your back hurts, like most people. That’s life. Get off your ass, and get to work. And stop feeling sorry for yourself

- This is satire, right? Nobody could be this clueless

- Go get in line with the rest of us at Wal-Mart

- I’m sorry to say, but this didn’t make me feel anything approaching sympathy. I’m glad you lost your money. I’m glad it was stolen. Ultimately, I think this will be a good thing for you. You’ve lost your way. You’ve lost anything resembling a real life. You took everything you had for granted. You took your luxury for granted. You took your comfort for granted. You took anything resembling real responsibility for granted. You put your life savings in one pot and you got burned. Not Madoff’s fault. He is not to blame. You are

- I'll give you $50 for the Hermès bag

- Take a subway — most of us do. Get back to work — most of us do. Thank your God for what you have — most of us do. Shake your fists at the man who did this to you, then dust off and remember yourself

- I can’t believe these comments. This is a story of a single mom who worked hard to achieve her dreams and goals. And she did! She achieved what we all are working hard to achieve, the American Dream, legally too. Then some scum, low-life, thief came along and stole her life’s work away from her. And you small and mean-spirited people dare to criticise Ms Penney’s life. The poor and uneducated do not have a corner on sincerity, generosity and the human condition

- You dumb bunch of buffoons who think Alexandra is acting entitled or that an elitist just got her comeuppance. What part of: worked her whole life to get what she had and it is taken from her in an instant by a psychopath crook do you heartless bastards not get?

- Boo hoo. I’ll cry all night. The rich who invested with Madoff felt they deserved information available to only their privileged elite club. For those of us who have taken subways for years and iron our own shirts, your story reads like comeuppance

- Do us all a favour and take the pill. People are starving and living in their cars and you want to whine because if you sell your apartment, cottage and studio and wind up with probably close to a couple of million you will consider yourself poor? Karma hon, it’s a bitch

- You have got to be kidding me! You make me sick. I know you have worked hard for what you have, but sell some of that fine china, fancy purses and diamond earrings on eBay and get over yourself. You have lived life in a bubble. I am so sorry you had to see people up close and personal on the metro. Not! Maybe you should ride the train a lot more. Then you can see what most people are going through. Already small pay cheques are even smaller. Having to figure out how to feed my daughter a healthy dinner on $5 and going days myself without eating. Wake up, lady!

- Dear Ms Penney, I hope you take some comfort in the bitter and angry posts here — that you can see that, even with this horrific loss, yours is still a life that makes all too many people sick with envy. So sick as to completely forget — well, we hope they forgot and not simply never knew — their decency, humanity and, frankly, dignity

- Please do us all a favour and take the hemlock! I am sure Yolanda will find the jewellery, so you need not worry about her

- I am very surprised that so many of the comments have been so mean-spirited. A person who has been victimised, whether they are rich or poor, is often stunned, and often traumatised. Alexandra worked hard for a long period of time to set up a comfortable existence, yes. She earned it. It was not handed to her. She’s been the victim of a major-league mugging that will force her to replan her entire life and lifestyle. She should be allowed to vent a bit without so many wisecracks from the peanut gallery

**Spacecadet** · 23 December 2008, 09:05

That was such a tedious read I got 1/3 through and was so bored I was glad it happened to her

Reads like a crappy daytime TV movie and will probably be made into one

**Mich the Tester** · 23 December 2008, 09:12

Maybe she could sue the SEC for negligence?
For that matter, I wonder how many British savers are planning to sue the FSA for negligence.

Alexandra Penney: Skid row