Oh, poor me...poor me !!!

[YesDeere]

Bottom line is that people that work everyday and pay taxes resent the folks that can and don't. I know people that brag about their free government phone and check. They are not disabled. They can certainly climb in a deer stand and hunt all the time. But my taxes go up. No thanks. Make them take a physical or piss in a cup. The rest of us have to to work so why not??

 

[EE_Bota]

Bottom line is that people that work everyday and pay taxes resent the folks that can and don't. I know people that brag about their free government phone and check. They are not disabled. They can certainly climb in a deer stand and hunt all the time. But my taxes go up. No thanks. Make them take a physical or piss in a cup. The rest of us have to to work so why not??

So many jobs require a drug test, drug use can deter a potential worker from becoming gainfully employed. So I think folks receiving certain benefits should be drug tested at the onset of benefits, and randomly tested thereafter.

 

[texasjohn]

Well, yep, if cig taxes were lower, more would smoke and we'd have more cancer to fix and bury. Kinda like removing seat belts. Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?? Always more than meets the eye, particularly when faced with decisions that do not result in immediate death and a perceived immediate benefit.

 

[EE_Bota]

Well, yep, if cig taxes were lower, more would smoke and we'd have more cancer to fix and bury. Kinda like removing seat belts. Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?? Always more than meets the eye, particularly when faced with decisions that do not result in immediate death and a perceived immediate benefit.

Well now that we've reached into his pocket for his own good, we have made it the state's interest both what is for his own good and what is in his pocket. I'd say normally he is best served by having the most possible in his pocket. Are there studies that show the increase in cancer vs disposable income? There had better be if we are such good stewards of what is good for him.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Here are some specific real world examples for you to ponder...
Decades ago the furniture industry here in NC was a major employer...
Many of those jobs have now been outsourced...
Mostly to China...
About 5 years ago or so a major Chinese manufacturer of upholstered furniture purchased a US manufacturer of upholstered goods right here in Hiddenite...
I read an article today that another Chinese manufacturer is purchasing a plant in the Danville Va area and expected to employ over 300 people...
In another example, a local carving company in Taylorsville just purchased a Bocci 5 axis router to manufacture carved upholstered frames...
Those frames were previously purchased from an Italian company...
Previously, those frames would have been hand carved from someone in the Philippines or Indonesia...
The point of this rambling...
The need for labor will continue to decrease as technology improves efficiencies...
Some of those lost manufacturing jobs are coming back...
I certainly do not have all of the answers, but I do know one thing...
Change is constant...
You must adapt or perish...

 

[wyeguy]

People are just human and unfortunately don't need to act like they have some self respect. Can we really blame those shamelessly taking handouts when that's what they've been conditioned to expect? Be it farm programs or welfare, can we blame them for taking part in these programs if they "qualify"? "Unprecedented unemployment"?!!? REALLY? I was born in the 60's and still know unemployment rates in the 30's was in the neighborhood of 25%. I'm weary of paying for the entitled socialist types who "occupy" or support them. "Bad bad Big business bad" they say, but they gotta have that I-Phone, made by the mist profitable company in the country.

 

[tractchores]

Wow, the solution is to work 100 hours per week while going to night school. Impressive. 100 hours over (say) 6 days is 16-2/3 hrs per day, plus (let's say) 1 hour work commute, plus (say) 2-1/3 hours of classes, plus (say) 1-1/2 hour of homework per day, plus 1 hour school commute, plus (say) a generous 1 hour/day to "live" (eat, shower, do wash, pay bills, buy groceries, etc..) = 23-1/2 hours/day. -Wow you did get little sleep! Wait, what's this detector over here I hear beeping? (Perhaps my number estimates are wrong?)

I'm not saying the solution is the same for everyone, what I'm saying is that where there is a will there's a way. Let me clear up my schedule during that time for you, it was in fact quite challenging, so much so that I had to schedule every minute of a 24 hour day 7 days per week and yes I barely slept. I took 2 - 3 classes per week, each class was 3 hours long from 6:30 - 9:30. I did this year round (summer classes to). My commute to work was 15 minutes and to class it was the same. I worked 7 days per week (internet startup, so this wasn't hard labor, just mental labor). I typically would work from 8 - 6, go to class, be working again by around 10, work until midnight or sometimes 1 or 2, sleep for a few hours and then do it again. I did that 3 - 4 days a week. On the other days I would typically work a little more, sleep a little more or do homework. Usually i was able to set it up so I would have several hours each sunday to do my homework, luckily since my course of study was the same as my job I was able to do the homework relatively quickly. I would also have a very narrow time to go grocery shopping, pay bills etc, luckily i was young and life was simple so I could have groceries delivered and frankly I didn't eat much during that time (lost a huge amount of weight actually).

I wouldn't advocate the same for virtually anyone, but my point was if you work hard you can find a way to be successful. I still work hard to this day... just not that hard anymore. My hope is that through my hard work my kids and family won't ever have to know what its like to put in those kind of days and hours.

 

[murphy1244]

Well, yep, if cig taxes were lower, more would smoke and we'd have more cancer to fix and bury. Kinda like removing seat belts. Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?? Always more than meets the eye, particularly when faced with decisions that do not result in immediate death and a perceived immediate benefit.

Then ban them... Don't tell me smokes are sooo bad then keep them on the market just to tax the crap out of them'

 

[EE_Bota]

I'm not saying the solution is the same for everyone, what I'm saying is that where there is a will there's a way. Let me clear up my schedule during that time for you, it was in fact quite challenging, so much so that I had to schedule every minute of a 24 hour day 7 days per week and yes I barely slept.

No need. I too worked like a dog, and if I recounted the things I did, it would be hard to believe, and maybe even look foolish. I was burning my youth as fuel is the best way to account for my actions then. I knew it at the time, but I figured it would pay off, and fortunately it did.

I try to be fair to young folks by assessing whether I could do it all over again in this day and time. It MAY be possible, but I am not overly confident about it. I may be able to achieve success again, but I think it could be harder now...I think the increases in education costs are the prime challenge. They have grown faster than inflation for many years now, and that'll kill you.

 

[jmurray01]

I can't fathom why he thought smoking in the picture would make his case look good?

 

[JDgreen227]

I can't fathom why he thought smoking in the picture would make his case look good?

As Mossflower Woods pointed out in an earlier post, the man portrayed in the story should have been careful to determine if and what photos of him would be featured in the article. Perhaps the writer chose the picture for the identical reason I decried the fellow...or perhaps it was the only one. Who knows?

BTW, I want to thank everyone here who has contributed an opinion to this thread, and I thank you also for being civil enough that the moderators here have chosen not to remove the thread because it smacks of politics. Perhaps 3 weeks ago I started a thread about a welfare client in Michigan who became a Megabuck lottery winner and was recently found dead, and for some reason that thread was removed after perhaps ten posts. When I inquired of a moderator, he told me the thread was removed for political reasons...although I made no reference to politics at all.

 

[jmurray01]

As Mossflower Woods pointed out in an earlier post, the man portrayed in the story should have been careful to determine if and what photos of him would be featured in the article. Perhaps the writer chose the picture for the identical reason I decried the fellow...or perhaps it was the only one. Who knows?

BTW, I want to thank everyone here who has contributed an opinion to this thread, and I thank you also for being civil enough that the moderators here have chosen not to remove the thread because it smacks of politics. Perhaps 3 weeks ago I started a thread about a welfare client in Michigan who became a Megabuck lottery winner and was recently found dead, and for some reason that thread was removed after perhaps ten posts. When I inquired of a moderator, he told me the thread was removed for political reasons...although I made no reference to politics at all.

 

[EE_Bota]

I can't fathom why he thought smoking in the picture would make his case look good?

He might have been under the misapprehension that he could just be himself in a free country. Someone asked him questions and he answered them, and someone asked to take a picture, and he said "sure." That's my guess.

 

[jmurray01]

He might have been under the misapprehension that he could just be himself in a free country. Someone asked him questions and he answered them, and someone asked to take a picture, and he said "sure." That's my guess.

Oh yes it's a free country and I'm not anti-smoking, but the fact is if you are in such dire financial straits as he apparently is in, spending money on cigarettes really isn't going to help, is it?

 

[EE_Bota]

Oh yes it's a free country and I'm not anti-smoking, but the fact is if you are in such dire financial straits as he apparently is in, spending money on cigarettes really isn't going to help, is it?

Smoking is an addiction, albeit to a legal drug. I bet the fellow wishes he had never taken it up, and he may have wished he could quit a thousand times. I know plenty of folks that feel that way. But I'd have to ask him to know. I think the reporter should have covered that question in the interview if he/she intended to use that photo. But maybe it was wished that the reader would be unsympathetic to the fellow.

 

[jmurray01]

Smoking is an addiction, albeit to a legal drug. I bet the fellow wishes he had never taken it up, and he may have wished he could quit a thousand times. I know plenty of folks that feel that way. But I'd have to ask him to know. I think the reporter should have covered that question in the interview if he/she intended to use that photo. But maybe it was wished that the reader would be unsympathetic to the fellow.

Fact is, if he knew he was doing an interview with somebody about not having enough money to live off, he shouldn't have given them an opportunity to show him smoking as it was obvious that it would cause many people to see him as asinine because of it.

 

[JDgreen227]

Fact is, if he knew he was doing an interview with somebody about not having enough money to live off, he shouldn't have given them an opportunity to show him smoking as it was obvious that it would cause many people to see him as asinine because of it.

"Asinine...." I cannot recall the last time I read that word in print...stop trying to impress us with fancy language....

 

[Combustix]

How many has he prevented from being laid off? How many companies would have gone bankrupt if they hadn't stepped in (hint: start with Staples and Dominoes)? Look at both sides of the equation you must.

Aaron Z

I would like the see the ratio of jobs created to jobs lost by Romney that would be a telling statistic.

For all those that say dominoes and staples are jobs created. Yes entry level minimum wage jobs. How long will you be able to hold onto your house and feed your family on $8 an hour Thanks mitt for the wonderful job. As he offshored the family waged jobs.

 

[EE_Bota]

Fact is, if he knew he was doing an interview with somebody about not having enough money to live off, he shouldn't have given them an opportunity to show him smoking as it was obvious that it would cause many people to see him as asinine because of it.

"Fact is, if" doesn't sound like the start of an exposition of actual facts at all.
Perhaps the man thinks enjoying something is part of living.

 

[JDgreen227]

"Fact is, if" doesn't sound like the start of an exposition of actual facts at all.
Perhaps the man thinks enjoying something is part of living.

Sucking down hot acrid smoke laden with cancer producing chemicals and paying megabux for that dubious "enjoyment" is part of living? SPARE ME !!!