According to Bezerkfury, everyone in the United States saves at least 20k a year

[Dos Equis]

Main Entry: 1ac·a·dem·ic 
Pronunciation: \ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik\
Function: noun
Date: 1587
1: a member of an institution of learning
2: a person who is academic in background, outlook, or methods
3plural : academic subjects <has no interest in academics>

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academic

That should actually be institution of "higher" learning.  Here is how the term is generally used:

An academic is a person who works as a researcher (and usually teacher) at a university or similar institution in post-secondary (or tertiary) education. He or she is nearly always an advanced degree holder who does research. In the United States, the term academic is approximately synonymous with that of the job title professor although in recent decades a growing number of institutions are also including academic or professional librarians in the category of "academic staff." In the United Kingdom, various titles are used, typically fellow, lecturer, reader, and professor (see also academic rank), though the loose term don is often popularly substituted. The term scholar is sometimes used with equivalent meaning to that of "academic" and describes in general those who attain mastery in a research discipline. It has wider application, with it also being used to describe those whose occupation was research prior to mass organized higher education.

. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academia 

With that in mind, if you are using the term to describe yourself because you are "bookish" that is one thing, but if you teach ESL to elementary school kids in Korea and on that basis consider yourself an academic, you are way off base. 

[Deicide]

That should actually be institution of "higher" learning.  Here is how the term is generally used:

An academic is a person who works as a researcher (and usually teacher) at a university or similar institution in post-secondary (or tertiary) education. He or she is nearly always an advanced degree holder who does research. In the United States, the term academic is approximately synonymous with that of the job title professor although in recent decades a growing number of institutions are also including academic or professional librarians in the category of "academic staff." In the United Kingdom, various titles are used, typically fellow, lecturer, reader, and professor (see also academic rank), though the loose term don is often popularly substituted. The term scholar is sometimes used with equivalent meaning to that of "academic" and describes in general those who attain mastery in a research discipline. It has wider application, with it also being used to describe those whose occupation was research prior to mass organized higher education.

. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academia 

With that in mind, if you are using the term to describe yourself because you are "bookish" that is one thing, but if you teach ESL to elementary school kids in Korea and on that basis consider yourself an academic, you are way off base. 

In Germany I taught linguistics courses to university students as well as advanced grammar and reading comprehension; I was an 'academic' then and I am doing something else now and my methodology and approach remain academic as is my background. Look at the dictionary definition.

[Dos Equis]

In Germany I taught linguistics courses to university students as well as advanced grammar and reading comprehension; I was an 'academic' then and I am doing something else now and my methodology and approach remain academic as is my background. Look at the dictionary definition.

Dude.  You're teaching ESL to elementary school kids.  I'm not trying to diss your work, because it is important, but you misused the term. 

I doubt that when people use the term "academic" they are referring to elementary school teachers.  Look at the excerpt I posted.   

[Deicide]

Dude.  You're teaching ESL to elementary school kids.  I'm not trying to diss your work, because it is important, but you misused the term. 

I doubt that when people use the term "academic" they are referring to elementary school teachers.  Look at the excerpt I posted.   

Right...ok...as soon as I get back to university from my temporary leave I will have the entitlement to call myself an 'academic' again...

[Dos Equis]

Right...ok...as soon as I get back to university from my temporary leave I will have the entitlement to call myself an 'academic' again...

O.K.    

[240 is Back]

20K in 2000 is now only worth $11,800 against the Euro today.

How mindboggling is that?

If you had put that 20K into Euros in 2000, it'd be worth 30k today LOL... sad sad sad.

[Deicide]

20K in 2000 is now only worth $11,800 against the Euro today.

How mindboggling is that?

If you had put that 20K into Euros in 2000, it'd be worth 30k today LOL... sad sad sad.

Not many people seem too worried about the dollar...

[CQ]

Not many people seem too worried about the dollar...

The dollar falling killed me, just killed me

Most Americans seem not to travel internationally that much, I think if they did and had the "fun" of the exchange rates at present they would be far more concerned.

[Deicide]

The dollar falling killed me, just killed me

Most Americans seem not to travel internationally that much, I think if they did and had the "fun" of the exchange rates at present they would be far more concerned.

Very, very true...

[Benny B]

New York is worst city to build wealth - survey
Monday June 30

If you'd like to build a nest egg with your paycheck, it may be time to give up New York and head for Plano, Texas.

A survey by pay experts at Salary.com evaluated 69 cities with more than 250,000 people and ranked the Big Apple last. Plano came in first among American cities in which to build personal wealth.

The survey, based on census data and Salary.com analysis, focused on local salaries, the cost of living and unemployment. Secondary factors, such as diversity of the local economy, residents' education, percentage of population below poverty level and commute time were also measured.

According to the survey, the top five cities are home to some of the nation's largest companies and have recorded strong periods of growth. Following first-place Plano came Aurora, Colo., Omaha, Neb., Minneapolis and Albuquerque N.M.

New York's diverse economy and highly-educated residents couldn't save it from sinking to the bottom due to its high cost of living and paychecks that just aren't "inflated" enough to make up the difference, the report stated.

Following last-ranked New York were Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Francisco.

[Deicide]

New York is worst city to build wealth - survey
Monday June 30

If you'd like to build a nest egg with your paycheck, it may be time to give up New York and head for Plano, Texas.

A survey by pay experts at Salary.com evaluated 69 cities with more than 250,000 people and ranked the Big Apple last. Plano came in first among American cities in which to build personal wealth.

The survey, based on census data and Salary.com analysis, focused on local salaries, the cost of living and unemployment. Secondary factors, such as diversity of the local economy, residents' education, percentage of population below poverty level and commute time were also measured.

According to the survey, the top five cities are home to some of the nation's largest companies and have recorded strong periods of growth. Following first-place Plano came Aurora, Colo., Omaha, Neb., Minneapolis and Albuquerque N.M.

New York's diverse economy and highly-educated residents couldn't save it from sinking to the bottom due to its high cost of living and paychecks that just aren't "inflated" enough to make up the difference, the report stated.

Following last-ranked New York were Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Francisco.

One of the reasons I left NYC...