Budget Cutbacks Leave Family Without Power/Heating

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SamurAchzar

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2006
2,422
3
76
Yeah I don't get the outrage. It seems the system worked.

The system - not just the welfare services but the society as a whole - has conditioned these people to have an entitlement mentality. The one thing welfare poster boys like you don't seem to grasp is that ultimately, the amount of money in the system is finite (never mind Bernanke's helicopters) and ever dime that goes to her, is a dime spared from someone who is disabled or otherwise disadvantaged. That's what disgusts me the most: some genuinely poor guy who has to stand in line with her for 4 hours just so that the clerk could sort the leeches from the rest.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,329
126
I agree, if she has cable TV and/or internet, she should kill those services and go to OTA HD instead. I'm sure Atlanta has a good selection of OTA HD stations and an antenna would be dirt cheap by comparison.

Selling the television and the Xbox would do little to resolve the central issue at this point. As I suggested earlier, a second job should not be ruled out, even if its waiting tables. I cannot believe there aren't ANY jobs that she could do to resolve her situation.

http://atlantarecruiter.com/job_browse.php?category_alpha=0

You have obviously never been that cold/hungry before because if you had been you would know exactly what selling the television and the xbox would do. It would cause you, in the short term which is the only thing that matters when you are cold/hungry, to not be cold/hungry anymore. It doesn't matter if its for a week or a few months it sure beats the hell out of being hungry.

The headlines make the woman out to be in "dire need" and "desperate", that ain't desperation bud. Desperation is a house with nothing in it because you sold all of that shit for last weeks food and/or heat and now you are out of shit to sell. If you aren't desperate enough to downsize your big screen flat panel TV and (oh my god) sell your Xbox then I don't really give a shit. Get back to me when your desperate enough to sell most of that shit for a little more heat or food and I would be happy to help in any way I can.
 

Brigandier

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2008
4,394
2
81
Wait, you can have a big TV, XBox 360 and whatever else and still be considered poor? I don't have any of those, can I r be poor too?
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
Seriously. Sell TV, pay bills. If you can afford a 55" television and an Xbox 360 (I see the controller on the lower shelf of the TV stand), you don't need my tax dollars. Hope she freezes.

yep, first thing that came to mind :) hell, she's got better TV than me!
:colbert:
 

Tristicus

Diamond Member
Feb 2, 2008
8,107
5
61
www.wallpapereuphoria.com
My sister and brother-in-law are the SAME fucking way as this lady appears to be.

My sister didn't work...my brother-in-law works as a welder...

They live at my dad's second home rent free and have to pay for basic necessities (heat, electric, food, car).

They don't save their money and what little they do have they piss away on stupid shit.

They have a big LCD tv, PS3, Wii, a shit ton of movies, games, dvd's, Blu-Rays...

When my niece was born they were on every assistance program that you could imagine... (Heat, Childcare, food assistance, insurance).

They knew how to work the system in order to be under what ever limits they needed to be under to get the money and they didn't feel one bit bad about it. The part that pissed me of the most is they would commonly ask my dad for money when shit went sideways for them.

They would orchestrate scenarios for x-mas and birthday presents for themselves and their kids where they would get each member of their side of the family to 'chip-in' on big ticket items so they wouldn't have to pay for them.

The best part is they would PISS and MOAN when things were not getting done fast enough for them (fixes to the house...or other demands) as if they were 'entitled' to them vs. just getting off there asses and doing it themselves.


People like my sister and brother-in-law don't take responsibility for things and that is what I personally think is the biggest problem.

Recently my sister FINALLY started to go to school for something...they got some assistance for that...go figure. Instead of using the money to pay for the schooling or to bills or to something worthwhile...they bought a pimped out laptop even though they have a desktop that is totally fine for their needs. Why? Because they could...

My brother-in-law will drop 50 dollars plus on PS3 games (because he makes the money in the house) but will piss and moan when something needs to be fixed on the 'free' house they are living in and demand my dad fixes it because it is 'his house'.

My dad is on dial up and lives about 200 feet from the other house...my sister has high speed DSL. I said it would be nice to run a CAT 5 cable over to the old man's house and split the cost of the high speed internet with him so he can actually do something on the internet vs. shitty dial up that he is on (a 'win - win' situation). They WOULD NOT do it. The reason you might ask? My brother-in-law said it would affect his PS3 gaming and give him lag...

So when I read stories like this I fail to have any sympathy for them. If they are TRULY hard up then yes they should bridge a gap with assistance but don't make it a live long fucking goal to depend on it for your way of life.

Oh don't worry it is a FUCKED up scenario....

For instance....my dad runs a wood boiler for heat...he has done so for about 10 years...prior to that he did a wood furnace in home.

I used to cut wood with him for YEARS (since I was under 10)...stack wood...all that bullshit.

Did I mention my dad has polio in one of his legs...making him handicap? (I know i didn't but it makes the story that much better).

So my dad decided it was a good idea to run a second line off this Boiler to their home to basically heat it for free (minus the double use of the boiler).

They piss and moan when they have to get wood for the heat...even though they don't have a heat bill basically.

I constantly make comments (over the past 5 years) about their 'effort' on things and how they are 'raping the system' in place. They get to go to office visits for 1 fucking dollar since they are on medical assistance even though my brother-in-law could get insurance through his work ('it is too expensive'). While normal people have to pay through the nose for medical bills.

It DOES NOT PHASE them in the least...which is why I am convinced that they feel entitled unlike the rest of us who have to work...pay insurance...pay bills...make sure shit is wired tight vs. buying the new tv that was on clearance....or the box set blu-ray that was on sale.


For instance...their car broke (brakes)...they got my dad to pull favors so a mechanic would fix it for 'friend prices'...basically free minus parts....because it was his friend.

Fucking hell dude. Now, your dad obviously did good raising you as you seem to recognize your sister's families pathetic leeching, but dude, that is the kind of shit that makes me hate people like this. And not to offend you, but your dad enabling it seems to be no better. He has two houses, obviously done well for himself from what you've described, and he gets repaid by having to pay for your sister's every move? Ridiculous.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,071
744
126
I'm OK with government assistance programs in general. I see them as the government making an investment in citizens to improve themselves. When I was laid off from my Gateway Tech Support job 7 years ago I then qualified for government assistance to help me get an Associate's degree. While I was going to school, my wife worked full time to support us. We had a baby son at that point and were on WIC and daycare assistance while living in low income housing. When times were tough we sold personal items to help bridge the gap.

I eventually graduated from school with my degree and now sit in the 28% tax bracket. The government has already recouped the costs of helping me complete school during that two year period and more. We used the assistance to better ourselves and now I'm able to support our entire family on my income alone while my wife goes to college full time.

So, in our case, the government made an investment in us that has been and will continue to be repaid manyfold as we pay far more in taxes than we would have had we never had the help.

The woman in this article, however, is jobbing the system and taking advantage of it.

The government doesn't have any money. That's my money.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Yes. Processed junk food is alot cheaper than fresh food. Soda costs much less than milk or juice.

Umm, even non-diet soda has less fat than milk and fewer calories than juice, so that's not the best way to make your point.

Starchy, sugary, fatty, and processed foods are cheap and less rounded nutrition (less healthy over all, less active and less able to metabolize even the same amount of calories). Here are a few better examples: White rice vs wild rice. Potatoes vs. fresh vegetables. Ramen noodles with sauce packet vs. real pasta w/vegies ground beef) ground beef (they grind in the fat trimmings) vs. cuts of beef. Potted meat product/SPAM/Bologna/Vienna sausages vs. ham/ribs/steaks/poultry.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
...
For the lady in the picture, she probably bought those luxury articles(Huge tv and xbox360) on a down payment system when she still had a job. I expect those items to be taken away sooner or later if she still has to pay for them but is unable to. One thing i do not understand, why are the poor people in the USA always so fat ? Are the cheapest foods full of fat and tons of sugar ? ...

And giving her assistance before reaching that point only prolongs the need for assistance and increases the cost of everything.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Can they not grow their own vegetables ?
Most people have large yards in the USA. A 6 feet by 6 feet square can provide more then enough food for 1 person if they eat a normal amount. I mean, if i was without a job, i would start to find out how i can farm my own vegetables. It would be impossible to keep livestock afcourse. But at least i would feel productive and positive. I would go back to the basics again and be proud of it too.

6ftx6ft? R U SRS? If you were somehow able to take in a full harvest EVERY SINGLE DAY, perhaps. Also, poor people and people living in cities usually don't have "yards" at all and local government usually prohibits any serious farming without being in an area zoned for agriculture. You can have a typical garden with some flowers, herbs, and maybe a row of tomatoes and corn.
 

bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
6ftx6ft? R U SRS? If you were somehow able to take in a full harvest EVERY SINGLE DAY, perhaps. Also, poor people and people living in cities usually don't have "yards" at all and local government usually prohibits any serious farming without being in an area zoned for agriculture. You can have a typical garden with some flowers, herbs, and maybe a row of tomatoes and corn.

l2 hydroponics in your closet, it ain't just for marijuana
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
My sister and brother-in-law are the SAME fucking way as this lady appears to be.

My sister didn't work...my brother-in-law works as a welder...

They live at my dad's second home rent free and have to pay for basic necessities (heat, electric, food, car).

They don't save their money and what little they do have they piss away on stupid shit.

They have a big LCD tv, PS3, Wii, a shit ton of movies, games, dvd's, Blu-Rays...

When my niece was born they were on every assistance program that you could imagine... (Heat, Childcare, food assistance, insurance).

They knew how to work the system in order to be under what ever limits they needed to be under to get the money and they didn't feel one bit bad about it. The part that pissed me of the most is they would commonly ask my dad for money when shit went sideways for them.

They would orchestrate scenarios for x-mas and birthday presents for themselves and their kids where they would get each member of their side of the family to 'chip-in' on big ticket items so they wouldn't have to pay for them.

The best part is they would PISS and MOAN when things were not getting done fast enough for them (fixes to the house...or other demands) as if they were 'entitled' to them vs. just getting off there asses and doing it themselves.


People like my sister and brother-in-law don't take responsibility for things and that is what I personally think is the biggest problem.

Recently my sister FINALLY started to go to school for something...they got some assistance for that...go figure. Instead of using the money to pay for the schooling or to bills or to something worthwhile...they bought a pimped out laptop even though they have a desktop that is totally fine for their needs. Why? Because they could...

My brother-in-law will drop 50 dollars plus on PS3 games (because he makes the money in the house) but will piss and moan when something needs to be fixed on the 'free' house they are living in and demand my dad fixes it because it is 'his house'.

My dad is on dial up and lives about 200 feet from the other house...my sister has high speed DSL. I said it would be nice to run a CAT 5 cable over to the old man's house and split the cost of the high speed internet with him so he can actually do something on the internet vs. shitty dial up that he is on (a 'win - win' situation). They WOULD NOT do it. The reason you might ask? My brother-in-law said it would affect his PS3 gaming and give him lag...

So when I read stories like this I fail to have any sympathy for them. If they are TRULY hard up then yes they should bridge a gap with assistance but don't make it a live long fucking goal to depend on it for your way of life.
This is the thing I just don't understand. There used to be a stigma surrounding welfare programs, it was actually an embarrassment if other people knew you couldn't even provide for your family and had to get assistance. These days it seems like it's become so commonplace that people not only don't care, but some even take pride in how much they can game the system. Just boggles the mind.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Umm, even non-diet soda has less fat than milk and fewer calories than juice, so that's not the best way to make your point.

you can only drink so much milk before you puke.
soda..not so much.
milk has some nutrition as well, soda has bupkis.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,960
8,204
126
Crap is definitely cheaper than real food. You can get a TV dinner for $1. It's full of salt, fat, and little nutrition. It's hard to make real food for $1.
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,553
834
126
I know enough ghetto people to know they don't own that TV, they're paying $10 a week from Rent To Own. And I'm pretty sure if you sell shit from R.T.O. you're going to jail lol.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
10
81
A 6 feet by 6 feet square can provide more then enough food for 1 person if they eat a normal amount.
Even the crops with the highest yields would not be able to do this (and especially not everywhere in the States), unfortunately. But where did you get this information?
 

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
60,801
10
0
I know enough ghetto people to know they don't own that TV, they're paying $10 a week from Rent To Own. And I'm pretty sure if you sell shit from R.T.O. you're going to jail lol.

Fine, still $520/yr savings, plus the cable cost.
 
Nov 7, 2000
16,403
3
81
when you decide to rely on other people for your basic needs, this will always be a possibility. need to take care of yourself, or stfu
 

QueBert

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
22,553
834
126
Fine, still $520/yr savings, plus the cable cost.

So you're saying poor people shouldn't have entertainment? There's no indication they have cable, or even that the TV is in working order. I'm not sure where you got the $520 figure from. But for the sake the arguing lets say the do have cable, many apartments include it in the monthly rent. So it's very possible that cutting off the cable won't save them a dime. Also, selling the TV & Xbox would result in what a few months of gas & electricity?

That's not going to do anything about solving their problem of not being able to afford to pay the bills. Somehow ATOT's acting like selling a shitty DLP that's probably only worth about $250 will magically fix their problems. It would be like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. The TV and Xbox could be old, so it's not like they're living beyond their means with a ton of of brand new shit. I see 2 items that's all.

I can't judge them one way or another simply because I see a TV and an Xbox controller. But I'm smart enough to know selling the TV will leave them without a TV and won't "help" them.
 
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