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

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Your point is?

That that list was kind of stupid and pointless.
Because most of those things are requirements before someone receiving HUD or subsidized assistance can even rent a place.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

That that list was kind of stupid and pointless.
Because most of those things are requirements before someone receiving HUD or subsidized assistance can even rent a place.

Just because you don't get the point does not mean there isn't a point.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Responding to this items in order.

Well if a person receives HUD or rents a subsidized apartment those things are required except for cable and or satellite. Cable and satellite TV being included is a way for landlords to get people to choose thier facility over others.

If you don't have a kitchen how are you going to ever make any food or keep anything to eat in your home. Having a operable kitchen saves money and is healthier than eating out every meal.

Of course they had adequate food they get food stamps. People on SS or disability don't pay for healthcare. The others just don't pay for the bills so sure they get adequate medical care.

OK so being poor isn't so bad then, right?

[Iowanian]

a big pair of hairy balls that woman has.....

Gilbert Grapes' mama, as listed above just called me as soon as I walked in the door from work(in tow of 3 kids). She proceeded to introduce herself, told me that since the other guy who was there saturday unloaded their stuff and carried it upstairs, wondered if I'd just run over and carry a tv downstairs(it's one of the big heavy 42" older flatscreens)....

"No, I'm busy"....
"doing what"......
"my own stuff, working 22hrs the first 2 days of the week, watching my kids, making dinner, work, repairing my own home, community involvement, mowing our yards....."
"well..when can you..who would come and do it"
"don't know"
"you're not going to tell me who could do it? Our daughter and my husband can't do it"
"It's an old TV,and it's not my problem"
"hrmffffffffff"



Gilbert Grape's mother didn't either know, or acknowledge that I'd spent 2hrs in 100 degree heat unloading an F'ing Uhaul van truck and packing that shit upstairs.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

a big pair of hairy balls that woman has.....

Gilbert Grapes' mama, as listed above just called me as soon as I walked in the door from work(in tow of 3 kids). She proceeded to introduce herself, told me that since the other guy who was there saturday unloaded their stuff and carried it upstairs, wondered if I'd just run over and carry a tv downstairs(it's one of the big heavy 42" older flatscreens)....

"No, I'm busy"....
"doing what"......
"my own stuff, watching my kids, making dinner, work, repairing my own home, community involvement, mowing our yards....."
"well....who would come and do it"
"don't know"
"you're not going to tell me who could do it? Our daughter and my husband can't do it"
"It's an old TV,and it's not my problem"
"hrmffffffffff"



Gilbert Grape's mother didn't either know, or acknowledge that I'd spent 2hrs in 100 degree heat unloading an F'ing Uhaul van truck and packing that shit upstairs.

Seriously, I can't believe the gall. Bitch should be baking you a pie every day of the week.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Brock

Seriously, I can't believe the gall. Bitch should be baking you a pie every day of the week.

She might make them, they just never make it past her table.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

a big pair of hairy balls that woman has.....

Gilbert Grapes' mama, as listed above just called me as soon as I walked in the door from work(in tow of 3 kids). She proceeded to introduce herself, told me that since the other guy who was there saturday unloaded their stuff and carried it upstairs, wondered if I'd just run over and carry a tv downstairs(it's one of the big heavy 42" older flatscreens)....

"No, I'm busy"....
"doing what"......
"my own stuff, working 22hrs the first 2 days of the week, watching my kids, making dinner, work, repairing my own home, community involvement, mowing our yards....."
"well..when can you..who would come and do it"
"don't know"
"you're not going to tell me who could do it? Our daughter and my husband can't do it"
"It's an old TV,and it's not my problem"
"hrmffffffffff"



Gilbert Grape's mother didn't either know, or acknowledge that I'd spent 2hrs in 100 degree heat unloading an F'ing Uhaul van truck and packing that shit upstairs.

Wow. That's the point where I'd tell her that her and her sow offspring should lose some weight so they can take care of their own shit.

[SLAG]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

a big pair of hairy balls that woman has.....

Gilbert Grapes' mama, as listed above just called me as soon as I walked in the door from work(in tow of 3 kids). She proceeded to introduce herself, told me that since the other guy who was there saturday unloaded their stuff and carried it upstairs, wondered if I'd just run over and carry a tv downstairs(it's one of the big heavy 42" older flatscreens)....

"No, I'm busy"....
"doing what"......
"my own stuff, working 22hrs the first 2 days of the week, watching my kids, making dinner, work, repairing my own home, community involvement, mowing our yards....."
"well..when can you..who would come and do it"
"don't know"
"you're not going to tell me who could do it? Our daughter and my husband can't do it"
"It's an old TV,and it's not my problem"
"hrmffffffffff"



Gilbert Grape's mother didn't either know, or acknowledge that I'd spent 2hrs in 100 degree heat unloading an F'ing Uhaul van truck and packing that shit upstairs.

An experience from the last two days is on my mind that brought to mind Iowaians tale here of helping out his neighbor....

2 Nights ago my wife and I are sitting together... kids in bed... Watching True grit (the new one) for the first time.

Its about 11pm and my doorbell rings - I walk to the door that my nice big scary looking black dog is already barking at... and I see who it is... and its this African American man in his 40's i would guess asking to use my phone to call 911 for his wife - he is my next door neighbor and this is the first time I have met him, now grant you I just moved to the Chicago area less than 30 days ago I felt compelled to come outside and let him use my phone -

He did just like he said called 911 and the EMTs took her away
He then told me his 4 yr old grand daughter was with him and asked if I could give them a ride to the Hospital.. So i did... He asked I had change for a 50 and I didnt take his money even thought I was low on gas...

I saw him touch my wifes rosary in the car and I saw him praying / having a connection with it so I said **** it and told him he could have it.

Instead of dropping him off he asks me to come in and he thinks its going to be real quick and I know its not but I come in say hi to his wife in the ER room and have a cup of coffee with him - by that time i tell him I gotta go and He finally realized it was not going to be a fast thing.

So I drive home low on Gas.

FF to yesterday about 7:30pm - his wife is at the door saying thank you and asking for one last favor - to drive them "about 15min away" to go get a car so they can stop asking for help.

That sounds awesome to me.

but only it didn't go quite so simple
We went to the 'hood of Chicago - not the REAL bad hood of Chicago, I've been there before too (thats a story for another time) - but the part that any white kid from JoCo would roll up their windows lock their doors and avoid eye contact.

any way i digress

we bounce from house to house - street corner to street corner - looking for his cousin - we find his uncle and they go all around and guess what - she left and there aint no car.

I tell them we really need some gas - cuz ya know the $6 you put in just aint cutting it no more.

He puts $2 more in and we head home.. he said he has $20 that he can give me once we get back to the house.. UGH!!! Fine!! i'm thinking...

I dont get home until 10/10:30 that night and I almost ran out of gas, I wait for him to come back out and he doesn't...

Lesson learned.. really... my wife was laughing at me cuz i was taken for the proverbial ride...

TODAY!!!!

Wife is home alone with the kids and guess what - she hears a knock on the door...

She doesn't answer it - I love her - shes so much smarter than me LOL

Nothing else from him this evening

anyway..
I just had to vent and it seemed to go along with the other stories here.

Now back to whatever the hell else was in this trehad

[Iowanian]

I wouldn't eat it.


This past summer I've been "Switching weeks" mowing with one of the other neighbors, but I'm thinking very hard right now about being done.

Charity is a good thing, but holy shit the nerve of some people. They are definitely testing every last fiber in my ability to not "go Iowanian" on them.

I think the wrinkled old husband doesn't even know what he's like but deep down is getting by....maybe beaten down by that jabbathehutt, ungreatful bag of bacon grease.

Sonna bitch.

[WV]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I wouldn't eat it.


This past summer I've been "Switching weeks" mowing with one of the other neighbors, but I'm thinking very hard right now about being done.

Charity is a good thing, but holy shit the nerve of some people. They are definitely testing every last fiber in my ability to not "go Iowanian" on them.

I think the wrinkled old husband doesn't even know what he's like but deep down is getting by....maybe beaten down by that jabbathehutt, ungreatful bag of bacon grease.

Sonna bitch.

There's absolutely no f'ing way I'd still be mowing their yard. I don't enjoy mowing my own, I'll be damned if I'm going to do it for complete lazy strangers that are impaired simply out of sheer laziness and gluttony.

You've done your good deed for far too long....your best recourse now is to stop or chuck a molotav cocktail on the front porch.

Originally Posted by WVChiefFan

There's absolutely no f'ing way I'd still be mowing their yard. I don't enjoy mowing my own, I'll be damned if I'm going to do it for complete lazy strangers that are impaired simply out of sheer laziness and gluttony.

You've done your good deed for far too long....your best recourse now is to stop or chuck a molotav cocktail on the front porch.

I wouldn't mow a lawn for anybody but a widow or a disabled (legitimately) neighbor. I have several around me but they pay a service which is a-ok with me. I have a single mother across the street that seems to think I'll do plumbing or anything else for her for free simply because we live near each other. Every time she calls me over the first thing I tell her is the price I charge for those services. I'm all about being charitable and neighborly but I do this stuff 60 hours a week for a living...

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I'm all about being charitable and neighborly but I do this stuff 60 hours a week for a living...

My wife gets that all the time. People are constantly wanting her to do graphic design/art/layout work for charities and shit. She loves to volunteer and help out, but after doing it for 10 hours in a day, the last thing she wants to do is start another project of the same type for free. She prefers to actually go work with people and do stuff that lies outside the normal realm of her career.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I have a single mother across the street that seems to think I'll do plumbing or anything else for her for free simply because we live near each other. Every time she calls me over the first thing I tell her is the price I charge for those services. I'm all about being charitable and neighborly but I do this stuff 60 hours a week for a living...

If people are going to do that and expect it for free, the least they could do is give something in return every once in awhile.....a gift card, some beer, pay for your lunch, etc...

[Iowanian]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

If people are going to do that and expect it for free, the least they could do is give something in return every once in awhile.....a gift card, some beer, pay for your lunch, etc...

Acknowedging that you'd even helped them 3 days earlier would be a nice start. A Thank you once in a while wouldn't hurt either. When I help young people with things like internships, or introducing them to people who can help them, or writing a letter of support when they're in trouble....I ask them to do one thing....Remember where you came from, and some day when you have the chance, reach back and help on a local project, or a local kid become somebody. Pay it back when you can. That's it.


In general, I help people because it's the right thing to do, not because I'm looking for something, but it's so easy once you become known as someone who will show up and work on a community project, volunteer, contribute and do things for people to get to the point where it's about all you do, and you don't have time for your own projects or your own family.

I'm there now, and have been making a conscious effort to draw that down to reasonable......it just gets hard to say no, when you're so used to saying yes. For some reason the more you do, the more people expect.

Many people sincerely appreciate it.....but it's amazing how often you end up treated like a hwy flagman for your time and effort.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

If people are going to do that and expect it for free, the least they could do is give something in return every once in awhile.....a gift card, some beer, pay for your lunch, etc...

Since it's a single mother, perhaps a pole dance...