Stop the madness...

[The Lizard King]

I don't want to sound like an asshole or anything but why the fuck does everybody go around with their hand out.

First story I see on the news is this Surrey apartment fire and people are asking for donations to help them start over. Excuse me but did you ever think about getting fucking INSURANCE? As sad as the situation is, I really struggle to sympathize with people who don't even bother to spend a couple hundred bucks a year to insure their own shit.

Second story up is on this guy who has some rare disease and needs financial help to travel back and forth to Toronto to get a transplant of some kind.

On top of that, I bet I've received at least 20 mailings or calls from various organizations as they go through their holiday season charity drives in addition to the usual assortment of folks looking for hand outs in the malls, on the streets, and outside department stores.

And that's not to mention the workplace clothes and food drives organized by people in the office who coincidently wouldn't give a rat's ass about doing anything of that nature any other time during the course of the fucking year.

ALRIGHT ALREADY....LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!

I don't mind helping folks out and actually do donate a substantial amount to charity ALL YEAR LONG but this is getting ridiculous. It's bad enough I'll pay roughly $90,000 - $100,000 this year in payroll taxes alone, not including property taxes and taxes on purchases, I don't need people bugging the shit out of me. FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!


Whew...there...I feel better already.

 

[stryker]

That post actually made me smile,,right on Liz!!!!

 

[Saraphina]

Lizard King, I am sorry you are feeling burdened by other peoples disparity. The building that burnt down is in my neighborhood. And in that particular case, you spoke before you knew the situation. So I will say, that to me, you do sound like an asshole. That building was kind of what was deemed as an eyesore in the economically evolving community. But it was low income housing that sheltered people struggling to get by. That particular low income housing was not one of the nicest places that someone could pick (it's nickname was "the zoo"). Chances are that most the people who lived there were folks who chose it as a last resort. That means that not 1 of those people had enough money for any luxuries, which in this case home insurance would be. But rant away if it makes you feel better. After all it is the holidays, and everybody (including grumpy ole scrooges) deserves to feel good.

 

[stryker]

k,,and that one made me feel sad,,,,fuck!!
ARRRRGGGG,,torn now between being an insensitive prick and someone who gives a damed!!!

I'll have to get back on that one after we have a talk to ourselves

 

[Saraphina]

awwwwe styker....Give me a hollar and I will help bring some sensitivity into that prick. It is afterall the season of joy and giving. I am sure we could work something out.

k,,and that one made me feel sad,,,,fuck!!
ARRRRGGGG,,torn now between being an insensitive prick and someone who gives a damed!!!

I'll have to get back on that one after we have a talk to ourselves

 

[Smother]

Sorry guys....I'm with Sara on this one.....
Shit happens and we should feel bad for the unfortunate....to some that is all they have....

 

[FuZzYknUckLeS]

Someone's in for some pretty fuckin' nasty-ass karma.
If you believe in that shit.

 

[gravitas]

I don`t want to sound like an asshole or anything but why the fuck does everybody go around with their hand out

Why? Because since the 60`s we`ve raised generations of people who have the "I`m entitled to my entitlements" attitude and that somehow society is beholden to them for their every want.

First story I see on the news is this Surrey apartment fire and people are asking for donations to help them start over. Excuse me but did you ever think about getting fucking INSURANCE? As sad as the situation is, I really struggle to sympathize with people who don`t even bother to spend a couple hundred bucks a year to insure their own shit.

My thoughts on a similar situation in Calgary

Yes its sad that a bunch of people lost their shit but insurance IS NOT A LUXURY. If your budget allows you to spend $500/month for housing then part of that should be going to your insurance. Chances are these people didn`t have the proverbial pot to piss in so without sounding callous there insurance premiums are going to be low. As an example I just ran a quote for a low-rise apartment building in Marlborough (Calgary`s answer to Surrey), 35 year old with $50,000 worth of contents. It worked out to $18/month. Hardly what I`d consider excessive.

Again, insurance is not a luxury. Its one of those onerous bills that all responsible adults have to face. Do I like writing a cheque (actually cheques) every year for something I hope to never use? Hell no and of course not! But I suck it up and pay.

Second story up is on this guy who has some rare disease and needs financial help to travel back and forth to Toronto to get a transplant of some kind.

Again, tragic but I hate to say it but at times life sucks. I`ve experienced loss and never held out my hand looking for charity. I`ve had serious illness that has left me permanently disabled (although I don`t view myself that way) but have never held a pity party in hopes of a handout. Sorry but god, mother nature, the great pumpkin, whatever is a bitch.

ALRIGHT ALREADY....LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!

There`s a term that when I first heard it thought was sort of foolish and didn`t resonate. However, after this recent christmas season I`m actually suffering from "donor fatigue". I have a number of charities I support with both my time and money and refuse to be guilted into supporting something else I haven`t had the time to properly research. It really pisses me off when I get called or have someone at my door. I know some of these are highly worthwhile causes and that their respective charities need to market themselves but when I say "I`ve given at the office" I`ve likely done just that.

It sounds like you`re pretty hard done by.

So he makes a healthy living, whats wrong with that? Why should he feel guilty about it? Why should the government take a disproportionally large chunk out of his ass?

Shit happens and we should feel bad for the unfortunate....to some that is all they have....

Its not about feeling bad. Its about people taking the responsibility to look after their own affairs. With the situation in Surrey the media clearly can`t go into the details of everyone who`s been displaced by the fire but if past history is any indication of their situation everyone could have made minor lifestyle changes (i.e. smoking less) to cover the cost of their insurance. If some of the residents are suffering from severe mental illness or otherwise not of sound enough mind to have that responsibility then maybe they shouldn`t be living on their own.

 

[gravitas]

Make no mistake. These social systems that are in place benefit the wealthy FAR MORE than they do the poor. If you ask yourself the question - "who has far more to lose if these systems all of a sudden disappeared?", who do you think would suffer the greatest losses?

Bull cookies!

How do social assistance (aka welfare) programs help the wealthy?

 

[Cock Throppled]

I think things will work out for everyone, we just have to believe. Warm thoughts to all our brothers and sisters.

 

[Smother]

Its not about feeling bad. Its about people taking the responsibility to look after their own affairs. With the situation in Surrey the media clearly can't go into the details of everyone who's been displaced by the fire but if past history is any indication of their situation everyone could have made minor lifestyle changes (i.e. smoking less) to cover the cost of their insurance. If some of the residents are suffering from severe mental illness or otherwise not of sound enough mind to have that responsibility then maybe they shouldn't be living on their own.

Yes Grav...I agree with you 100% on these issues. But hey....Accidents do happen.
And if mental issues are involved....again....agree with you on your comments....but that's a personal issue that might have nothing to do to with another person in the building.
IE...there's quite a few people living in my apartment building....and I don't know most of them let alone their personal lives. There's alot of issues that we can't control.....EXCEPT ...helping out the less fortunate ..within reason..

Just my opinion,,

 

[expedition]

Lizard made an error in the specifics of the apartment fire, but I do sympathize with his charity fatigue.

Too many organizations have jumped on the Christmas band wagon... and when everyone is at your door begging it gets hard to tell who needs it the most. It's a only slightly more civil form of getting swamped by street kids when in the third world.

To a lot of the charities ... and especially the for profit leeches that fund raise on their behalf, I would like to say you have all frikken year to raise money. If your charity isn't about christmas or something urgent then piss off.

And then I have charities asking for money fro school books and supplies for poor kids. Okay, good cause and all .... but why the @%^%$@ are my tax dollars not providing this when that is what they are collected for? Maybe, just maybe, all the radio stations and celebrities and politicians ( especially them, since they mis-spent the money in the first place ) could instead of asking me for money get after the government to actually spend the money collected for education on education?

It's not that charity is bad, it's notthat people don't need help... but it seems like, and I think this is what Lizzard was getting at, everyone thinks the solution to every problem is, to put it bluntly, beg. And you know, that really sucks as a long term solution to anything.

 

[ms.belair]

Okay brothers and sisters, if we try together we can make it all better, think love and goodness. Okay here we go...

 

[Saraphina]

Why? Because since the 60`s we`ve raised generations of people who have the "I`m entitled to my entitlements" attitude and that somehow society is beholden to them for their every want.



My thoughts on a similar situation in Calgary

Yes its sad that a bunch of people lost their shit but insurance IS NOT A LUXURY. If your budget allows you to spend $500/month for housing then part of that should be going to your insurance. Chances are these people didn`t have the proverbial pot to piss in so without sounding callous there insurance premiums are going to be low. As an example I just ran a quote for a low-rise apartment building in Marlborough (Calgary`s answer to Surrey), 35 year old with $50,000 worth of contents. It worked out to $18/month. Hardly what I`d consider excessive.

Again, insurance is not a luxury. Its one of those onerous bills that all responsible adults have to face. Do I like writing a cheque (actually cheques) every year for something I hope to never use? Hell no and of course not! But I suck it up and pay.



Again, tragic but I hate to say it but at times life sucks. I`ve experienced loss and never held out my hand looking for charity. I`ve had serious illness that has left me permanently disabled (although I don`t view myself that way) but have never held a pity party in hopes of a handout. Sorry but god, mother nature, the great pumpkin, whatever is a bitch.



There`s a term that when I first heard it thought was sort of foolish and didn`t resonate. However, after this recent christmas season I`m actually suffering from "donor fatigue". I have a number of charities I support with both my time and money and refuse to be guilted into supporting something else I haven`t had the time to properly research. It really pisses me off when I get called or have someone at my door. I know some of these are highly worthwhile causes and that their respective charities need to market themselves but when I say "I`ve given at the office" I`ve likely done just that.



So he makes a healthy living, whats wrong with that? Why should he feel guilty about it? Why should the government take a disproportionally large chunk out of his ass?



Its not about feeling bad. Its about people taking the responsibility to look after their own affairs. With the situation in Surrey the media clearly can`t go into the details of everyone who`s been displaced by the fire but if past history is any indication of their situation everyone could have made minor lifestyle changes (i.e. smoking less) to cover the cost of their insurance. If some of the residents are suffering from severe mental illness or otherwise not of sound enough mind to have that responsibility then maybe they shouldn`t be living on their own.

You know I totally love ya gravitas in spite of our differences in opinions. If you had ever seen this place. Most people with a few extra bucks would have probably chosen to have live in a closet. My guess of what these people had to live on was probably between $200 -$500 / month (most on the lower end of that scale). I know for me if I had to live off that, I would be sinking myself farther and farther into debt living off of Mr. Noodle and wiping my ass with recycled newspaper. An extra $18 / month on that budget like that is an impossibility. A flippen phone would be a luxury to those people. A quite frankly if I had to chose between a phone and insurance, I would pick the phone as it provides opportunity to get the hell out of that shitty situation faster than insurance ever would. I am not sure what "past history" you are talking about in regards to, that would suggest that `minor life style changes such as smoking` were in order. I can`t tell you how many of these people are smokers, I really have no clue. I doubt many can afford it. I am sure these people probably made some poor choices in their lives, as does everybody. I am sure anyone who has been piss ass poor like that has reflected back and said why didn`t I make this choice or that. But most people will make the best choices they can they can think of, with what their circumstances offer. And trust me I am not denying that some people are wreckless. However, choices become fewer and fewer when you are down. For every corner you have to cut to simply get by, much less advance, there is a negative reprecussion; Powers out cause you didn`t pay your hydro, or you can`t get to whatever training program or job interviews because you had to scrimp and buy bus tickets instead of a bus pass, or you are more prone to getting sick because of a shitty diet and crazy stress, or your hygiene is poor because you can`t afford to launder your clothes regularly ect ect ect. It is no easy feat to get out of that level of poverty. Most people who do, often have struggled through more cutting of corners and hid it very well. Because there is always someone ready to tell them how irresponsible are for cutting corners.

I can understand the notion of donor fatigue, especially around christmas. It can seem overwhelming to deal with all the problems of the world all coming at you, right when you have blown a load on christmas. It can give a sense of helplessness. Cause you know that it`s hard to make a significant dent. Which doesn`t really doesn`t give much of that warm fuzzy reward feeling that comes from helping out. But drops in the bucket do accumulate and it collectively does make an impact. If the anger and frustration of not making a big enough dent with money and time is eating you, I would suggest finding additional ways of making of difference.

I also can understand the frustration with the level of taxes. I know that we, as canadians, are one of the most taxed nations in the world. I do believe that less taxes would truly be a benefit to all. I don`t so much believe in the notion of slashing health, education or social programming to support the "trickle down effect" would work. I just believe that the internal spending of goverment could be streamlined much much more effectively, to show better spending power for our tax dollars. It would be fantastic if social programming was ultimately eliminated, but only in the context the problems where fixed. I don`t believe that I will see this in my life time. But I have witness some miraculous things in my lifetime to inspire me not to give up hope.

 

[Saraphina]

Okay brothers and sisters, if we try together we can make it all better, think love and goodness. Okay here we go...

I definately like your thinking

 

[DDawGG]

We need to get rid of the welfare system all together.

Replace it with pensions for the physically and mentally challenged, add a daycare component for anyone below a pre-determined income level and the rest can flip burgers.

 

[ms.belair]

I definately like your thinking

ditto to you babe.

 

[shapeshifter]

With the situation in Surrey the media clearly can't go into the details of everyone who's been displaced by the fire but if past history is any indication of their situation everyone could have made minor lifestyle changes (i.e. smoking less) to cover the cost of their insurance

I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that they're smokers and always have the money for another pack of fags to suck on,,,,,,hell will freeze over before they'll give up their cancer sticks for insurance.

 

[gravitas]

helping out the less fortunate

I'm all for helping the less fortunate. It usually works out that I spend one evening a month at the mustard seed cooking and serving meals to some of Calgary's poorest most destitute buggers you'd ever have the fortune to meet. Its an incredibly grounding experience to help feed someone who spent the previous night sleeping in/near a dumpster, stairwell, parking lot, etc.

You know I totally love ya gravitas in spite of our differences in opinions. If you had ever seen this place. Most people with a few extra bucks would have probably chosen to have live in a closet. My guess of what these people had to live on was probably between $200 -$500 / month (most on the lower end of that scale).

Likewise babe and all very valid points. Its not that I'm unsympathetic to the situation, frankly I think one of our most shameful legacies is the lack of affordable housing and the number of "working poor" we've created in the past dozen or so years. Calgary is a perfect example of an economy that is absolutely booming but we have a skyrocketing homeless problem. I realize that coming from a self professed libertarian this is a contradiction but I believe that its the state's responsibility to provide income based subsidized housing. It makes far more sense to address these problems on the front end instead of scrambling to raise money ad hoc because their homes burnt down.

We need to get rid of the welfare system all together.

Welfare bad, workfare good

fags to suck on

hey....don't be dragging fiddy into this argument!

 

[Saraphina]

Gravitas you are like a Bon Bon...... Hard chocolate layer on the outside but filled with sweet yummy gooeyness inside. I miss you. We need to go for a beer.