Asinine News Thread

[sparky]

Yes, all food stampers are irresponsible and ridiculous.

And that was exactly my argument

[Eddie]

Yes, all food stampers are irresponsible and ridiculous.

I think there is a general disconnect between reality and perceived reality with many folks who need financial assistance. And I think that their misconception of what "real life" is like sometimes contributes to their problems.

I think it is common for folks to believe in what they see on TV. It wouldn't surprise me to believe that folks using food stamps see all of these July 4th ads that include people grilling up steaks, lobster, etc. and think that if everyone lives that way, they should be able to as well.

I think they sometimes convince themselves that everyone has steaks when they grill, a 40"+ flatscreen HDTV, new clothes from some fancy store every month, etc. Heck, maybe they see those dumb TV ads about someone buying a new car for someone for Christmas and think that people really do that with any kind of frequency. I think they see those TV ads or even TV shows and believe a lot of people live that way.

I don't think they realize that most of us save up to eventually get those things. They don't get that for many of us we might have a nice steak now and then, but not every weekend. Many of us saved up for a LONG time before getting a new TV. Many of us spend less money on new clothing each year than they do even.

And I think that gets them in a position of believing that if "everyone else" has those things, they deserve them too. What they don't understand is that everyone else DOESN'T have those things. Most of us have to demonstrate some level of fiscal restraint and the ability to postpone gratification (as an actual choice).

Tim - I'm not necessarily pointing these comments at you. Your post just made me think of it. Many folks who are on foodstamps make choices that keep them there. But I tend to believe that it is often due to a lack of financial wisdom/education. Which makes it tough to get them to break out of the cycle.

[Indy Coug]

And that was exactly my argument

That reminds me of a family taking the discussion that we were fellowshipping. They kept trying to give us steak and seafood because they would buy too much with their foodstamps.

[Tim]

Many folks who are on foodstamps make choices that keep them there. But I tend to believe that it is often due to a lack of financial wisdom/education. Which makes it tough to get them to break out of the cycle.

I agree that many people who are on that type of assistance unfortunately make choices that keep them there. It's an unfortunate side of public assistance -- those who genuinely need and use the system for what it's intended to be are often unfairly assumed to be in the minority of people who abuse the system. If the majority of people were abusing the system it would go away real fast, that much is common sense. Most people don't abuse it, and there are many, many checks in place that keep people from doing so. Some people find ways to abuse these systems, though.

I would simply add, though, that people without financial wisdom and education tend to not have the most cultivated of tasting palettes. A story about people on food stamps buying lobster and fancy steaks doesn't pass the sniff test, at least not if attempting to suggest that they're somehow ALL like that. I would imagine that the vast majority of people on food assistance lean toward the least nutritious items the government allows them to use their food stamps on. Macaroni and cheese? Yes. Frozen prepared food? Yes. Lobster, truffles, and filet mignon? I doubt it.

In the end, though, sparky's implication that "they're all eating lobster while we're stuck eating hot dogs" isn't likely to be accurate or fair. It just builds walls between people of different socioeconomic statuses rather than breaking them down. There's no reason to think that people on food stamps are all lining up to buy fancy foods when common sense observations and a simple thought process would suggest otherwise. I think sparky was just attempting to make a political commentary out of something that's not political.

[sparky]

In the end, though, sparky's implication that "they're all eating lobster while we're stuck eating hot dogs" isn't likely to be accurate or fair...I think sparky was just attempting to make a political commentary out of something that's not political.

Sorry for implying ALL, I meant MANY. I've been there. I was pretty thankful to have government assistance to help feed the kids when money was tight. I don't fault those who need help.

My beef is that as it is, the food stamp system is wasteful and counter productive, and MANY abuse it because they can. The program we were on (WIC) allowed us to get items that are nutritionally vital and CHEAP. Why not follow the same line of reasoning with food stamps? I realize that due to permanent disability some people will always be on food stamps, and don't mind allowing a broader menu than WIC. But gov providing/allowing lobster seems excessive. My own SIL is one of the dipshits who abuses the system because "it's so awesome" and she can. I just didn't know it was such a common thing.

[Eddie]

I don't mind people on food stamps having nice things now and then.

I was with someone at a store once when we watched a woman purchasing a big fancy birthday cake from the bakery with food stamps. Now I'm cheap - most birthdays my kids get a $2 cake mix and home-made frosting. I would rarely (if ever) spend that much on a fancy cake from the bakery. But I'm not upset she did.

Even families needing assistance should get to have something nice now and then. Celebrating a birthday seems like as good a time as any.

What I get more frustrated at is when I see that folks on assistance are eating better than I do on a regular basis.

Personally - I like the church's mentality of sustaining life but not lifestyle. Particularly for folks who are in a tough bind and need some help but are ultimately capable of supporting themselves.

I'm not sure what I think a minimal lifestyle should be for folks on disability who are unable to support themselves. But part of me thinks that it shouldn't be nice enough that folks would be content to be there and have incentive to game the system. On the other hand, I wouldn't have a problem with the truly disabled were able to be comfortable.

[Tim]

Sorry for implying ALL, I meant MANY. I've been there. I was pretty thankful to have government assistance to help feed the kids when money was tight. I don't fault those who need help.

My beef is that as it is, the food stamp system is wasteful and counter productive, and MANY abuse it because they can. The program we were on (WIC) allowed us to get items that are nutritionally vital and CHEAP. Why not follow the same line of reasoning with food stamps? I realize that due to permanent disability some people will always be on food stamps, and don't mind allowing a broader menu than WIC. But gov providing/allowing lobster seems excessive. My own SIL is one of the dipshits who abuses the system because "it's so awesome" and she can. I just didn't know it was such a common thing.

It's not that they're allowing lobster in specific, it's that they're allowing (and encouraging) seafood in general, which is one of the healthiest proteins available. Do you want the government to articulate every single type of fish and delineate which of them are allowed and which aren't? Should tilapia be allowed? What about scallops? Not diver scallops, but bay scallops (the cheaper ones). No lobster, but yes crawfish? It's just too complicated... the best approach is to tell stores they'll pay $x per pound max for seafood (or $x max per egg, etc.). If the store wants to seek reimbursement at the max seafood rate even though it's lower than the market price of the lobster, why do you care? Shouldn't you be angry that the store is willing to take a loss on the lobster? Why blame the government when they're paying the store the same amount for tilapia and for lobster? Why blame the customer if the store is willing to take a loss on lobster?

[sparky]

It's not that they're allowing lobster in specific, it's that they're allowing (and encouraging) seafood in general, which is one of the healthiest proteins available. Do you want the government to articulate every single type of fish and delineate which of them are allowed and which aren't? Should tilapia be allowed? What about scallops? Not diver scallops, but bay scallops (the cheaper ones). No lobster, but yes crawfish? It's just too complicated... the best approach is to tell stores they'll pay $x per pound max for seafood (or $x max per egg, etc.). If the store wants to seek reimbursement at the max seafood rate even though it's lower than the market price of the lobster, why do you care? Shouldn't you be angry that the store is willing to take a loss on the lobster? Why blame the government when they're paying the store the same amount for tilapia and for lobster? Why blame the customer if the store is willing to take a loss on lobster?

I have no problem with seafood, it's wonderful and should be accessible to everyone. But lobster and crablegs to fulfill a required nutritional supplement? Aren't there other options that would result in a lowered seafood allowance and give the same nutritional benefit? Also, isn't the retail price debited from the EBT card, meaning the retailer gets full price? Educate me. Or not, I really don't care that much.

BTW, I have a brother named Tim. Great guy.

[TripletDaddy]

Utah mom helps 13 year old daughter send naked cell phone pics to daughter's adult boyfriend

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54...olice.html.csp

A Roosevelt mother is facing criminal charges after police say she helped her 13-year-old daughter take nude photos to send to an Oregon man because the teen did not know how to work her new iPhone.

According to documents filed in 8th District Court, the 35-year-old woman took three photos of her daughter in the bathroom knowing they would be sent to 30-year-old Daniel Dean Divine.
...
The girl’s mother told police Divine was a "very good friend of the family" and that he and her daughter "were going to wait until she was 18 years old before they had a sexual relationship," court documents state.

[Sullyute]

Utah mom helps 13 year old daughter send naked cell phone pics to daughter's adult boyfriend

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54...olice.html.csp

According to documents filed in 8th District Court, the 35-year-old woman took three photos of her daughter in the bathroom knowing they would be sent to 30-year-old Daniel Dean Divine.

Triple D posting an article about Triple D. Trippy.

PS I hope that they prosecute the boyfriend too.

[TripletDaddy]

Triple D posting an article about Triple D. Trippy.

PS I hope that they prosecute the boyfriend too.

That guy is giving the rest of us law-abiding DDDs a bad name!

[Scorcho]

Noooooooo!

Willard is rumored to be involved with an upcoming comedy called "The Yank."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/169...-theater.jhtml

[Omaha 680]

SF to Ban All Outdoor Smoking - Except Pot

Smoking anything other than medically-prescribed marijuana at San Francisco street fairs, festivals and other outdoor events held on city property would be banned under new legislation before the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Eric Mar said introduced the proposal because of the health impacts of secondhand smoke when people are light up in public.

“It’s widely known that secondhand smoke is responsible for as many as 73,000 deaths among non-smokers each year in the United States, and there is no safe level of exposure,” he said.

[dabrockster]

Seriously!??!?!!!??

This summer, 13-year-old Nathan Duszynski wanted to make some money to help out his disabled parents—his mom has epilepsy and his dad has multiple sclerosis. So he decided to open a hot dog stand. He saved $1,200, mostly money made by mowing lawns and shoveling snow. He checked with the city to make sure he didn't need any licenses or permits, even going to city hall in person with his mom. And then he bought a cart. (Yep, that's hot dog's from Nathan's, for those who are keeping score at home.)

He arrived to set up shop on his first day and 10 minutes later, a zoning official arrived to shut him down. The problem: The cart, which is in the parking lot of a sporting goods store, is on the edge of official downtown commercial district of Holland, Michigan. The city bans food carts in that area in order to minimize competition for the eight tax-paying restaurants a couple of blocks away.

http://reason.com/blog/2012/07/26/ci...og-stand-befor

[TripletDaddy]

Obese woman loses weight through marathon sex


http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.1116995

The heaviest woman in the world is using an unusual method to shed serious pounds - sex.
“I sweat off loads of calories,” 600-pound Pauline Potter revealed in an interview with UK magazine Closer this month. “I call it ‘sexercise.’”

“I hadn’t had sex in three years, but we did it six times!” she told the magazine, adding they now make love between two and seven times per day. “He took charge as I couldn’t move much, but he was so attentive.”

“I can’t move much in bed, but I burn 500 calories a session. It’s great exercise just jiggling around,” she told the magazine. “My bed is strengthened and, although I can’t buy sexy lingerie, I drape a nice sheet over me.”

“It’s hard to position her and find her pleasure spots as she has a lot of fat in the pelvic area,” he told the magazine. “But it turns me on knowing she’s satisfied. Although once, when she got on top, I couldn’t breathe.”