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Joined: 02 Nov 2010, 14:07 Posts: 4163
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mrping wrote:
Now, despite the realatively "large" population of incel members on this site, almost all that I am aware of have had some sort of opportunity.
What about that tiny minority who haven't, including myself? Same thing can apply to jobs...
Quote:
I mean shit they can't even pick out the right cereal at the grocery store for their WIC checks, how can we expect them to finance a home correctly? We can't help them with one hand and hurt them with the other. Cut their taxes, slap some rules on the banks (like explaining things in plain english), and outlaw the industry specifically designed to fuck people over, payday loans. 500% interest on a cash advance is criminal. They wouldn't do it if they didn't need it, i'm not saying ban the industry but ban exorbitant interest rates.
In Canada's federal election last year, there was a party that was advocating a cap on credit card interest rates. Guess which party won? The one with the exact opposite platform (in general, but including this).
Joined: 11 Sep 2009, 20:15 Posts: 4214
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fork wrote:
Many immigrants labeled "illegals" work their asses of, more than your parents, I'm more than sure.
Certainly the Hispanic immigrants that I see are working very hard, much harder than the average white guys. They also seem to live at a reduced standard of living compared to average, especially in terms of housing.
They do always seem to have a cell phone attached to their ears, but compared to housing costs that expense is "small potatoes," and for cabbies, truck drivers, and construction workers, it's a requirement for business nowadays. I remember the days when drivers used "mobile radio" taking passengers to the airport for example, and it was klunky and unreliable for them. Things have improved.
I often see commentators on the internet complaining about "kids" etc. spending money on cell phone technology, but all in all this is probably saving them money overall. Gasoline sales and mileage driven statistics are down, and high tech probably has reduced the need for random driving around in cars.
Joined: 11 Sep 2009, 20:15 Posts: 4214
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mrping wrote:
Most homeless people I meet are 1 of 2 things. 1, they have some sort of mental disability/instability. Or 2, they're a few strings short of a guitar.
Most homeless people have drug/alcohol addiction problems, often severe such as heroin addiction. Viewing it as an economic policy problem is not a good perspective.
Joined: 26 Oct 2010, 05:33 Posts: 4361 Location: samsara
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well what am I supposed to feel sorry for them and give out hugs? It's another thing they brought on themselves. My overall point is it's not the systems fault people fail. A series of bad decisions must be made in order to reach such a position of failure. There are improvements that could be made, but all in all it does what it's supposed to. A troubled economy doesn't automatically translate to homelessness.
Getting them help is another thing entirely. Given the option between prison and rehab, I'd rather pay for the rehab. Unfortunately the system doesn't operate in such a way.
Joined: 11 Sep 2009, 20:15 Posts: 4214
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My view of the cause of current economic problems in the U.S. is probably different from most other peoples' view. I attribute it to massive and rapid technological obsolescence, which has devalued much of the existing plant and equipment of our society.
In my own field of telecommunications, there have been 2 massive revolutions in technology, fiber optics and cell phones, which have caused most of the previously existing wireline communications equipment to become completely outdated. At this point no one really needs a land line into their home, yet the whole society in the U.S. is set up for this. Landlines are useful for large businesses, internet hubs, and financial transactions, but the real cost is stringing wires to each and every individual home. (And if the value of copper rises too much, it will be cheaper to just take down the wires, sell the copper, and hand out cell phones for free. I read commentators throwing a fit concerning "welfare mothers getting cell phones for free from the government," but when a crappy cell phone costs $5, who really cares?)
Other supposedly lesser developed countries now have an advantage in this area. In the past they did not have the infrastructure to support telecomm as it is done in the U.S., but now they can go for the much more efficient cell phone structure, and "leapfrog technology," as we used to say. They aren't burdened by paying for the older obsolete tech.
This problem of being stuck in the technological past is probably repeated in many other industries, which creates a tremendous distortion on the entire economy and financial valuation. The net worth of corporations ends up being much lower than what is claimed on the books, and the corp's bonds are based on these valuations, so the result is corporate debt is really worth much less than current accounting claims it to be. Until all that debt is swept away and written off as being worthless, there will continue to be economic and financial problems.
Joined: 26 Oct 2010, 05:33 Posts: 4361 Location: samsara
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One of the things Obama's been pushing for years now is a revamping of our internet systems and light rail travel. Unfortunately because he's the one who suggested it, it is automatically a bad idea. No we need to cling to a dying energy source and suck our own reserves dry at the expense of the land.
The republicans incredible death grip on the past is one of their most frustrating attributes. I would think they would agree we need to stop shelling our money out to arab countries, and invest in future methods of energy, solar, wind, nuclear, etc. Updating our woefully inadequate internet systems would create thousands of jobs. As would the construction of railway systems. Which would cut down on our dependency on oil...
It's quite clear to me that their "patriotic values" are a facade. It's corporate value they're interested in.
Joined: 25 Dec 2010, 20:05 Posts: 7372 Location: Back in the USSA
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mrping wrote:
One of the things Obama's been pushing for years now is a revamping of our internet systems and light rail travel. Unfortunately because he's the one who suggested it, it is automatically a bad idea. No we need to cling to a dying energy source and suck our own reserves dry at the expense of the land.
The republicans incredible death grip on the past is one of their most frustrating attributes. I would think they would agree we need to stop shelling our money out to arab countries, and invest in future methods of energy, solar, wind, nuclear, etc. Updating our woefully inadequate internet systems would create thousands of jobs. As would the construction of railway systems. Which would cut down on our dependency on oil...
It's quite clear to me that their "patriotic values" are a facade. It's corporate value they're interested in.
Yeah, they are owned by the corporations, not working for the people anymore,, the bastards.
_________________ "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"
"A Star on Earth; an Angel in Heaven" -Karen Anne Carpenter (1950-1983) _______________________________________________________________________________________ “There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” – Ayn Rand
Joined: 28 Aug 2011, 17:55 Posts: 2359
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Poverty in America is easily hidden. Put decent clothes on someone from a thrift store, out of sight, out of mind. Give everyone credit cards and it too hides the problem. There is more stigma to being poor in America than to be poor in India. It looks like everyone around you has so much, you don't want anyone to know. The poor stay hidden. I see them. I am afraid that will be me soon. I see the old women pushing the little cart, the guy walking around with trash bags, the 16 layers of sweaters tied to the back in summer, walking listlessly. Sleeping bags on O street. Guy laying in ditch. Sometimes I talk to them. That may be weird/dangerous thing to do. Shrug.
Joined: 22 Feb 2012, 16:29 Posts: 661
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A resident of Poland, attempting to "enlighten" Americans as to whats going on in their own country, via a British documentary. As if we don't know whats happening in our own back yards.
You can't make that up. Srsly.
_________________ But I adore her this will never happen but I adore HER this will NEVER happen over my DEAD body of course I think ABOUT it burn my path if it does
Joined: 28 Aug 2011, 17:55 Posts: 2359
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Because we don't know what's going on in our own backyards. The media likes to portray America as a RICH nation, just like they like to portray China as a POOR nation, and India as a POOR nation. And Saudia Arabia as a POOR nation.
Joined: 25 Dec 2010, 20:05 Posts: 7372 Location: Back in the USSA
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Erebus wrote:
You might not want to read this article if you have a weak stomach. Most Americans have absolutely no idea what is going on in the dark corners of America, and when people find out the truth it can come as quite a shock. Many of you will not believe some of the things Americans are doing just to survive. Some families are living in sewers and drain tunnels, some families are living in tents, some families are living in their cars, some families will make ketchup soup for dinner tonight and some families are even eating rats. Some homeless shelters in America are so overloaded that they are actually sending people out to live in the woods. As you read this, there are close to 50 million Americans that are living below the poverty line, and that number rises a little bit more every single day. America was once known as the greatest nation on earth, but now there is decay and economic despair almost everywhere you look. Yes, money certainly cannot buy happiness, but the lack of it sure can bring a lot of pain. As the economy continues to decline, the suffering that we see all around us is going to get a lot worse, and that is a very frightening thing to think about.
The following is a half hour documentary produced by the BBC entitled "Poor America". Trust me, this is a must watch. Your heart will break as you hear some American children talk about what they have to do for food....
Those of us that still live comfortably are often completely unaware of what life is like out on the streets of America at this point.
There are millions upon millions of Americans that have lost all hope and that are living on the very edge of life and death.
And more join the ranks of the hopeless with each passing day. This upcoming weekend approximately 80,000 people in the state of Michigan will lose their unemployment benefits.
So what are those people going to do after that?
They have already been unable to find work month after month. Their savings are most certainly gone. Now the only money they had coming in is going to be eliminated.
Yes, I have written many times about how the U.S. government is absolutely drowning in debt and cannot afford to be giving out so much money. My point here is to show the other side of the equation. There are millions upon millions of Americans that are barely hanging on and there are no jobs for them. The suffering that those families are going through is very real.
Millions of other families are trying to get by on the incomes they pull in from part-time jobs. According to Gallup, the percentage of Americans that are working part-time jobs but that would like full-time jobs is now higher than it has been at any other time in the last two years. The number of the "working poor" just continues to increase, but most Americans don't have much sympathy for them because they "have jobs".
Well, when you are making 8 bucks an hour it can be incredibly tough to make it from month to month.
Just look at how much it costs to buy the basic things that we need.
Without gasoline, most of us would not even be able to get to our jobs. The price of gasoline has increased 83 percent since Barack Obama first took office, and it is poised to soar even higher. Right now, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States is $3.51. Never before has the average price of gas gone above $3.50 so early in the year. Many believe that we could set a new all-time record this summer.
But last year was bad enough. In 2011, the average American family spent over $4,000 on gasoline.
So when you are making just a few hundred dollars per week, it can be a massive struggle just to put gas in your car and food on the table.
The article that I wrote the other day about the decline of Detroit really struck a nerve. All over America, people can see similar things happening to their own neighborhoods. People are scared and they want some answers.
Well, the truth is that we should have never allowed tens of thousands of businesses, millions of jobs and trillions of dollars of our national wealth to be shipped out of the country.
Just check out this stunning photo which compares the decline of Detroit to the rise of Shanghai, China.
Do you think that it is just a coincidence that Detroit is falling apart and that cities in China look sparkly and new?
No, the truth is that it is a natural consequence of our foolish economic policies.
There are hundreds of communities all over the country where third world conditions are setting in. For example, the following is how one blogger describes what life is like in a decaying suburb of Phoenix called Maryvale....
Crime and gangs are widespread. Most houses have either fallen into disrepair, or been remade with outside walls sporting spikes and ironwork. Many of the front lawns are now just dirt (or worse, gravel), the pools green and lethal.
Now we stand on the precipice of another major global financial crisis. Economic conditions in America are going to become significantly worse. The politicians in Washington D.C. may make sure that the boys and girls on Wall Street are always taken care of, but there will be no bailouts for the large numbers of Americans that are about to lose their jobs and their homes.
If you want an idea of what is coming, just look at what is happening in Greece. 25 percent of the businesses have shut down, one-third of all money has been pulled out of Greek bank accounts and unemployment and poverty are absolutely rampant.
For years, a lot of prominent voices out there were screaming and yelling about the dangers posed by our soaring trade deficits and our soaring budget deficits.
But the American people did not listen. They just kept sending the same politicians back to Washington D.C. over and over.
As a result, soon millions of those same Americans will find themselves doing things that they never dreamed that they would do just to survive.
"A Star on Earth; an Angel in Heaven" -Karen Anne Carpenter (1950-1983) _______________________________________________________________________________________ “There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” – Ayn Rand
Joined: 22 Feb 2012, 16:29 Posts: 661
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Odalis wrote:
Because we don't know what's going on in our own backyards. The media likes to portray America as a RICH nation, just like they like to portray China as a POOR nation, and India as a POOR nation. And Saudia Arabia as a POOR nation.
America is a Rich nation, most of the wealthiest people on the planet are Americans... Wealth distribution in America... well thats a different story.
_________________ But I adore her this will never happen but I adore HER this will NEVER happen over my DEAD body of course I think ABOUT it burn my path if it does
Joined: 25 Dec 2010, 20:05 Posts: 7372 Location: Back in the USSA
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Stranger1983 wrote:
Odalis wrote:
Because we don't know what's going on in our own backyards. The media likes to portray America as a RICH nation, just like they like to portray China as a POOR nation, and India as a POOR nation. And Saudia Arabia as a POOR nation.
America is a Rich nation, most of the wealthiest people on the planet are Americans... Wealth distribution in America... well thats a different story.
How about we let us all keep more of our money ? Wealth distribution is a communist idea.
_________________ "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"
"A Star on Earth; an Angel in Heaven" -Karen Anne Carpenter (1950-1983) _______________________________________________________________________________________ “There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.” – Ayn Rand
Joined: 02 Nov 2010, 14:07 Posts: 4163
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oncebitten55 wrote:
Stranger1983 wrote:
Odalis wrote:
Because we don't know what's going on in our own backyards. The media likes to portray America as a RICH nation, just like they like to portray China as a POOR nation, and India as a POOR nation. And Saudia Arabia as a POOR nation.
America is a Rich nation, most of the wealthiest people on the planet are Americans... Wealth distribution in America... well thats a different story.
How about we let us all keep more of our money ? Wealth distribution is a communist idea.
Face it, people are born unequal, so it's civilization's job to take away from those who are born with more and give to those who are born with less.
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