Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Update:

I ran home at lunch for a minute, 3 missed calls, 1 message on machine.
"hi, this is your neighbor, Husbandofgilbertgrape'smama, and we thought our daughters were going to be able to mow the yard and they can't, so you've been doing it a lot of times over the past few years and it's getting a little tall and we're still going to need you to do that, mow our yard. Thanks"




How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

Honestly, I think you just say no. "I've been glad to help you out, but in the long term you need to figure out how to get this stuff done on your own."

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Update:

I ran home at lunch for a minute, 3 missed calls, 1 message on machine.
"hi, this is your neighbor, Husbandofgilbertgrape'smama, and we thought our daughters were going to be able to mow the yard and they can't, so you've been doing it a lot of times over the past few years and it's getting a little tall and we're still going to need you to do that, mow our yard. Thanks"




How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

Tell him you won't be mowing anymore, instead you need him to set his wife to grazing.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Update:

I ran home at lunch for a minute, 3 missed calls, 1 message on machine.
"hi, this is your neighbor, Husbandofgilbertgrape'smama, and we thought our daughters were going to be able to mow the yard and they can't, so you've been doing it a lot of times over the past few years and it's getting a little tall and we're still going to need you to do that, mow our yard. Thanks"




How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

Iowanian,

I've created a ticket for your request. Your ticket # is CZ508214, and will be responded to by a technician within 24 hours.

Thank you for using Saulbadguy's Sales Genious Helpdesk.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Update:

I ran home at lunch for a minute, 3 missed calls, 1 message on machine.
"hi, this is your neighbor, Husbandofgilbertgrape'smama, and we thought our daughters were going to be able to mow the yard and they can't, so you've been doing it a lot of times over the past few years and it's getting a little tall and we're still going to need you to do that, mow our yard. Thanks"




How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

It doesn't deserve a response. This isn't your problem.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Update:

I ran home at lunch for a minute, 3 missed calls, 1 message on machine.
"hi, this is your neighbor, Husbandofgilbertgrape'smama, and we thought our daughters were going to be able to mow the yard and they can't, so you've been doing it a lot of times over the past few years and it's getting a little tall and we're still going to need you to do that, mow our yard. Thanks"




How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

I would say no. In fact, I would say HELL NO...mainly because of the entitled way in which they are asking you to do it.

You should probably just tell them the absolute truth of why you don't want to do it anymore.

[Groves]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

Thank them for the call, 'cause you almost forgot to tell them that you had to stop mowing for all of the rattlesnakes that kept clogging up your mower.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

How in the hell does one respond to that without being the biggest prick on earth?

I would and it would be the last time I got asked...

[MOhillbilly]

you had a gout attack. cant help em.

[Iowanian]

I was thinking about telling them you had some money under the seat of your truck.]


It would be much easier to be a prick about it if he weren't 200 years old, and being ridden to his deathbed by the 3 meanest, ugliest wenches in the county.

[Ultra Peanut]

How about access to employment or basic medical oversight (much less procedures), you ****in' dilznick?

I would be really, really ****ing curious to know how the National ****ing Review describes "adequate medical care." Prediction: access to an ER, which only treats immediately life-threatening issues and doesn't really cut it when you need, I dunno, CHEMOTHERAPY or a LUNG TRANSPLANT any other procedure that requires up-front payment.

but oh man, CELL PHONES. COLOR TVs. A REFRIGERATOR. In a consumer-based society that's been awash in those things for decades. What a glorious life those not-really-so-poor folks like my mother (at least she has her healt--oh) lead.

[Ultra Peanut]

I just adore the logic that says the costs of minor luxuries like TVs or phones or video game systems compare in any way to the constant sucking hole that is food and housing and medical care, not to mention how tiny a percentage of a poor person's budget buying an Xbox would be compared to the insane expenses people in the middle class rack up when buying a home or going on a trip or going out to eat nightly or, in a lot of cases, commuting to work.

But it's easier to blame those lazy, good-for-nothing poors for your own ever-increasing problems as the world turns more and more to shit, I guess, instead of acknowledging the system is slanted against and squeezing the poors and yourself and, if you're reading ChiefsPlanet, most likely everyone else you know. Keep on truckin'.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

I just adore the logic that says minor luxuries like TVs or phones or video game systems compare in any way to the constant sucking hole that is food and housing and medical care, not to mention how tiny a percentage of a poor person's budget an buying an Xbox would be compared to the expenses the middle class rack up when buying a home or going on a trip or commuting to work.

But it's easier to blame those lazy, good-for-nothing poors for your own ever-increasing problems as the world turns more and more to shit, I guess, instead of acknowledging the system is slanted against the poors and yourself and, if you're reading ChiefsPlanet, most likely everyone else you know. Keep on truckin'.

I think it's due to the fact that our poverty has nothing on 3rd world poverty. Hell our poverty doesn't compare to the "haves" of some 3rd world countries.

I know most of it is TIC, but I wouldn't want to trade a job, education and 40 hours a week for staying at home watching The Price is Right every day and living off the government, even if I do get creature comforts like an X-Box. It's still not living and I agree, it is a tough hole to climb out of, especially when many of them were raised to think that is the normal way of living. It as cut and dry as "GIT A JOB", but the system certainly has room for improvement.

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

I think it's due to the fact that our poverty has nothing on 3rd world poverty.

But that's the thing. On one hand we're saying "hoorah, best in the world at everything ever," and on the other, when it comes to the most vulnerable portion of our citizenry living in squalor and being denied basic human rights, it's, "We're not as bad as THE WORST places."

And even then it's this hilariously skewed view that ignores our crumbling infrastructure and a completely gutted safety net that leaves huge swaths of this country disconnected and helpless with zero chance to advance or even have the hope of holding a job anymore. Economic mobility in America is worse than any other "developed" nation except the UK, which -- hello, underclass being ignored and mistreated for a long time. How's that working out?

Corporations are happy to starve us as other countries pick up the purchasing slack. It's cheaper for them, really. But that's REALLY DEPRESSING, and you might be labeled a socialist loon for admitting it, so? **** those poors and their GRIPIN'. You don't see me complaining!

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

But that's the thing. On one hand we're saying "hoorah, best in the world at everything ever," and on the other, when it comes to the most vulnerable portion of our citizenry living in squalor and being denied basic human rights, it's, "We're not as bad as THE WORST places."

And even then it's this hilariously skewed view that ignores our crumbling infrastructure and a completely gutted safety net that leaves huge swaths of this country disconnected and helpless with zero chance to advance or even have the hope of holding a job anymore. Economic mobility in America is worse than any other "developed" nation except the UK, which -- hello, underclass being ignored and mistreated for a long time. How's that working out?

Corporations are happy to starve us as other countries pick up the purchasing slack. It's cheaper for them, really. But that's REALLY DEPRESSING, and you might be labeled a socialist loon for admitting it, so? **** those poors and their GRIPIN'. You don't see me complaining!

I'm with ya, i'm just more in the middle. I feel we have a much broader social and economic spectrum to deal with than the countries you previously mentioned in your table. I know for a fact our economy is much, much larger than those countries you listed. That makes it that much more of a difficult problem.

[Iowanian]

Someone is taking too many estrogen pills.



Get back to me with the survival rates in other countries....and why so many people from nations with free healthcare, come here for treatment.


Cancer is a muther****er and it kills rich and poor, tall and short, young and old.