Detroit becomes largest US city to file for bankruptcy

[LongBlade]

actually its GIYFS.... not sure what yours means    ;)

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=6861.msg167055#msg167055 ;)

[LongBlade]

After years working in welfare, I can tell you that it is human nature not to want to be poor.  The trick is to motivate the poor to understand that they don't have to be poor, and then show them a way to be less poor and to cease being reliant on a hand-out.

It's a serious trick.

Yup. Once you give someone money there is a zone around the cutoff area where they actually have a disincentive to work as taking an honest job may actually yield less income. At least in the short run. It gets even more vexing if you include benefits (like healthcare) in such an "anti-poverty" system.

I agree most folks don't want to be poor. In the States we have generational poverty. One mom passes the skills of living on welfare to the daughter. That's certainly not helping anyone.

It's worse when there's no father at home to work while the mom watches the kids. It's then worse when the kids are illiterate and start running with a bad crowd.

One thing is certain: what we have doesn't work.

[Windigo]

actually its GIYFS.... not sure what yours means    ;)

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=6861.msg167055#msg167055 ;)

Get It Your Frakkin' Self... akin to 'go google it yourself pussy!'

[GDS_Starfury]

just the idea of Windy defining virtue is funny.

[Windigo]

just the idea of Windy defining virtue is funny.

wikipedia did it for me.... just for me

[LongBlade]

actually its GIYFS.... not sure what yours means    ;)

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=6861.msg167055#msg167055 ;)

Get It Your Frakkin' Self... akin to 'go google it yourself pussy!'

The typo, boyo. It's yours :

Interesting.

This line stood out to me:

Communist leaders are trying to reduce reliance on investment and trade.

Why reduce their reliance on trade? Perhaps to reduce their reliance on the US. In which case they will more freely be able to move against our wishes if we aren't so intertwined economically.

My guess is they're going to lose that bet. They're trying to use command economy thought processes to create a free market. But the free market is already working there. Ergo they're breaking something that is working.

BTW, got a link to the original article?

GIYF

if I understand the background they are over producing/have large stockpiles and prices are getting too low for these commodities... ergo like a typical command economy, they unilaterally cut back ... they are acting like a cartel IMO

smh

[LongBlade]

As if Detroit didn't have enough problems...

Two Detroit-area police officers were arrested this weekend in connection with a July 21 gas station robbery. The veteran cops, who have 37 years of experience between them, are suspected of robbing two 20-year-old men at a Detroit Citgo gas station.

The officers were off-duty at the time of the robbery, allegedly approaching the scene in a private vehicle and wearing their police badges. They are said to have stolen cash, a wallet and a cell phone.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/29/two-detroit-area-cops-suspects-in-gas-station-robbery/#ixzz2aThJqZ3t

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I believe it is possible when they are charged. Police in plain clothes wearing their badge when doing a robbery... yeah right.

[Gusington]

Poverty aint what it used to be either when those getting benefits have flat screen TVs and the newest Nike sneakers. Seeing crap like that really gets my goat.

[Centurion40]

Stealing from the State is the same as stealing from Walmart, to a criminal.

[Steelgrave]

Poverty aint what it used to be either when those getting benefits have flat screen TVs and the newest Nike sneakers. Seeing crap like that really gets my goat.

Working at a church food bank this last weekend, taking boxes of food out to the cars....maybe a third of the folks were driving newer, more expensive cars than I own. It could be that misfortune hit and they are stuck with more car than they can afford, maybe they are one step ahead of the repo man. Hell, I don't know. But those folks left me feeling discouraged, while the folks who obviously needed the food, the folks who had a couple of kids in tow, the kids who were excited to see cookies go in the box, it was humbling and gratifying to just be a little help. I try hard not to judge either group, the folks with expensive cars who maybe fell on hard times, or the folks who had to catch a ride from a neighbor to come get food, because I don't know anyone's circumstances. But damn, it's hard not to wonder.

I do know that these last few years have seen the worst economy of my lifetime, something I never thought I would say after the Carter years. All the political preaching about expanding the middle class? Yeah, well come work a food bank, Mr. Politician, and not just for the photo op....you'll see how well that's working out.

[Windigo]

Back when my oldest son was a self entitled teenager, I dragged his butt to a street church volunteer event. Putting together and filling small backpacks for use by street people. Just the basic hygiene stuff, socks, underwear, water bottle, some nutrition bars. When we started handing them out at the BBQ event for street people.... And they were talking to him....  DING DING DING.  I saw some clue run accross his face and then grab him in the ass. One of my finer parenting moments.

[Steelgrave]

^Indeed. Good job, Windy.

The other thing I'm seeing more and more of....at many intersections and highway exits, there will be a guy holding a sign asking for help. This isn't anything new, I sometimes saw the same thing in Houston 30 years ago. But there is more of it, and the "guys" are getting younger. And more often than before, you see the occasional woman as well. The guy with the artificial leg, I gave a few bucks to as I did the woman at the entrance to Walmart today who had a kid with her. I suspect a helluva lot of these people are scamming or can't find work because of substance abuse problems. But the guy with an artificial leg? Go blow it on wine or beer or blow, buddy, I don't care.

[Boggit]

Poverty aint what it used to be either when those getting benefits have flat screen TVs and the newest Nike sneakers. Seeing crap like that really gets my goat.

In a time of high unemployment would you rather people on benefits had better lifestyles than before through the benefit system, or acquired such through the proceeds of crime as a lack of opportunity to improve lifestyle and the politics of envy kick in?

Not saying that I think it's good, but look at the alternative of not providing decent welfare in the face of serious unemployment.

[W8taminute]

So are you saying that the majority of people who are unemployed would resort to crime in order to live if they had no welfare benefits?