OT: Richest 2% own more than half the world

[Richard L]

R Shek,

I did not say that the financial and educational barriers were impassable to get around, but never the less, they are barriers that many minorities cannot easily overcome.



If you are a young black living in an inner city, you were probably never taught that education is necessary to a financially sound future. If you don't have a god given talent or don't have an entrepeneurs mindset, you aren't thinking about getting an education. You see pimps and drug dealers driving flashy cars, wearing fine clothes and flashing around a big wad of cash and think that's how you want to be, so they immulate them as their heros.



Most find it a whole lot easier to get welfare than a student loan.



...Rich

 

[Jose Santana]

Guys I often wonder why they do not have a required course in high school to help kids get into college. I see these young minorities that have not the slightest notion on being sure they

take SAT's or when to take them, they have no idea how to prepare for them, they have no idea about the college application processes and dealines and how to prepare. I think these things would better help these young kids today if they were somehow aware and informed...

This is not opinion this is a fact from a majority of kids I deal with. And personally I think all the financial aid and scholarship applications is very confusing, I was being luck my brother went on to higher ed and lead the way, as my parents were not too informed on the process. i consider myself fortunate....



Joseymack

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Josey, don't they have "guidance counselors" anymore? PSATs, etc?



Something has to break the cycle. Kids aren't prepared for college because parents aren't involved and/or motivating their kids to go to college.



There's not week that goes by that we don't talk with our 8th grader about why good grades are important, why AP courses are needed, and what it takes to get into a good school. Neither of my parents went to college, heck, neither of them even graduated highschool, yet I have a master's degree.



My wife, was the same way with her family. She and her oldest brother went to college (out of six kids) and that was a first for her side. She filled out and GAVE her mom the financial aid forms fall of her senior year in high school. Her folks were poor, dirt poor, so she even gave her the money for submitting the forms; she just needed her mom to sign it and send it in.



Several months later she found out her mom never sent them in. The paperwork was between the mattresses of her mom and dad's bet, minus the cash for the registration fee.



Parents are to blame, not the kids, and typically their parents before them. It is generational, but ultimately it takes ONLY ONE kid to break the cycle.



How about mandatory sterilization for 2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients? Seems like that might solve the problem! Give me SOME OTHER solution, and I will listen.



TJR

 

[Fred]

How about mandatory sterilization for 2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients? Seems like that might solve the problem! Give me SOME OTHER solution, and I will listen.

I'd be more than happy to see my tax dollars paying for that!

 

[Gavin Allan]

Why go to college? Military and Vocational Schools offer HUGE opportunities without the expense of college. Associate degree programs (2-yr) at community colleges are cheap and easy to obtain.



Lots of good jobs in many categories that pay nearly $100,000 a year after a few years of demonstrated performance AND NO BACCALAURIATE COLLEGE DEGREE:



Automotive Techs

Diesel Techs

Heavy Equipment Techs

Computer Networking

Construction

Nursing (LPN)

Allied Health occupations

Aviation Maintenance

Machine Tool

HVAC

Engineering Technicians

etc.

 

[Gavin Allan]

I'd be in favor of mandatory public service (picking up trash along roadways, mowing and painting at parks, etc.) for all abled-bodied welfare recipients.



A cash incentive for voluntary sterilization also sounds like a very good idea.



Something needs to be done to motivate abled-bodied folks to get off welfare.



Something needs to be done to stop the reproduction of children into welfare families.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

True Gavin. For that matter, a landscaper can easily make $100K a year and only work 8 months...if he really wants to hump it.

 

[Tom Schindler]

How about mandatory sterilization for 2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients? Seems like that might solve the problem!

I disagree.

Give me SOME OTHER solution, and I will listen.

Mandatory birth control while on welfare! You live on the government because you are on "hard times", you live by "my" rules!



You get yourself off welfare, you can go about your life. Everyone falls on hard times. Welfare is there to help you get back on your feet. There is no shame in falling, the only shame is not getting back up.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Caymen, note the part where I said "2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients".



I'm all for a system that gives a "hand up" to those on hard times. But hard times should be temporary. Seems to me that by the 2nd or 3rd GENERATION that lives off welfare and uses at as their means to survive, we clearly have to BREAK the cycle. The best way I can think of is NOT to let these chronic abusers of the system procreate.



Like I said, for these types of people, do you have a BETTER SOLUTION for breaking that cycle? They CAN'T help themselves...they have proven that by the 2nd or 3rd generation.



TJR

 

[Tom Schindler]

Caymen, note the part where I said "2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients".

I can't speak about other states, but in Ohio, you have a maximum ammount of time you can be on welfare. Once you ate up that time, you lose your benefits. 20 kids, oh well.



Anyoneone that is a 2nd or 3rd generation welfare recipient, it is the governments fault.





Tom

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

When I lived in Kommiefornia, there was a news story that the reporter was interviewing a lady in line at the Welfare office. She was there signing up her 18 year old son as it was his birthday. He was out with friends and was too busy to do it himself.... sad.

If you are a young black living in an inner city, you were probably never taught that education is necessary to a financially sound future.

And there is the biggest solution to the problem.

I'd be in favor of mandatory public service (picking up trash along roadways, mowing and painting at parks, etc.) for all abled-bodied welfare recipients.

This is an arguement that I have been making for years. At least make the recipients EARN their "paycheck" like the rest of us.



I also have an additional recommendation:

If able-bodied, you can only receive a welfare check for 2.5 of every 5 years, and no more than 1 year at a time.



That means if you want a welfare check, you need to earn a real paycheck ~50% of the time.



Food stamps? Only good for bread, milk, eggs, hamburger, chicken, etc. Basic staples. No steak, no lobster, no alcohol or soda, no candy, no junk food, etc. It's supposed to be survival food, not luxury.

Anyoneone that is a 2nd or 3rd generation welfare recipient, it is the governments fault

Duh. Thank your local democrat.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Duh. Thank your local democrat.

Wasn't it a democrat that worked towards welfare reform in 1996?



The republicans destroy our country in many other ways, some of us are "too blind" to see.





Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

Food stamps? Only good for bread, milk, eggs, hamburger, chicken, etc. Basic staples. No steak, no lobster, no alcohol or soda, no candy, no junk food, etc. It's supposed to be survival food, not luxury.

And the recipient must not smoke or drink during the time of recieving food stamps or welfare. No cable TV. No movies. No eating out.

 

[Tom Schindler]

I am answering that question just like you answer my questions after you spew nothing but ignorance.





Tom

 

[John Draper]

There are jobs out there, a 4.5% unemployment says so.

Really don't think that number means that there are a lot of jobs out there, what it does mean is that 4.5% are collecting unemployment. Which is where they usually get this figure. And which does not include; 1, those that have exhausted their unemployment benefits, 2, people on welfare and 3, people living under bridges.



I thought a good indication of high employment was during the later Clinton years. Where you actually seen signs on small business windows begging for help. Or even better and in that same time period, where one of the local college young republicans complained about low unemployment. His complaint was in the college newpaper and it was about the local fast food establishments having to hire people that had difficulty counting change.:lol:



Not that Clinton had anything to do with it. He was just in the White House during a technology and internet boom. Which I think would better explain the surplus then the supposed mad rush on Gov. bonds that no one else has ever heard of.



The latter sounds like something from either Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, the male republicans answer to the National Inquirer (or one of those other supermarket rags).:lol:

However, to do it you need hard work and most of the time now you need an education.

Maybe true 100 years ago, but now I thing it is more who you know and/or being in the right place and at the right time. Oh, and a whole bunch of luck wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

jj there is near record low unemployment now and I see "Help Wanted" signs all over the place. The big difference between now and the Clinton years, is right now there is no tech/Internet bubble. But IT jobs have rebounded and it's again an employee market for IT, or so it seems in the regions I keep current on.



As far "who you know" and "right place at right time", that's just the kind of pessimistic rationalization that I won't subscribe to.



TJR

 

[Gavin Allan]

As far "who you know" and "right place at right time", that's just the kind of pessimistic rationalization that I won't subscribe to.

AMEN! There are virtually unlimited opportunities in the United States for anyone who wants to work hard, seek the knowlege, and accept personal responsibility.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

OKC must be doing well. I have seen a bunch of businesses looking for people this week.



I may buy another portion of the World next month. I'm told that buying my home in Poland is a good investment, since property values are increasing in the city I will be living at 20% per year (I am staying at least two years), due to immigration from other EU countries into the city. Additionally, the government is paying me a housing allowance which will be paying the mortgage. Afterwards, I can either rent the property to my replacement or sell and take the profit. Sounds like a good idea to me.



I have already found a person to rent my other home in OKC for the 2 or 3 years I am gone...lucky me.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

I see help wanted signs all over. The company I work for is hiring. We need assembly techs, welders, fitters, machine operators and service/installation people.



If you don't want to work for someone, you could of course do as the top 2% in US have done and start your own business.

 

[John Draper]

I see help wanted signs all over.

But of course, now that the Democrats will be controlling congress! :lol: Just kidding



Guess some of you missed my point. I did not say that the employment situation was bleak. What I did say was that the 4.5% figure simply means that 4.5% of us are collecting unemployment, and that is all that figure means. The rest of what I stated was just examples of better indicators.



Maybe I didn't understand what you mean by "working hard". Could one of you please define what you mean by "working hard". Even better if you could please give me a few examples of someone who made it to the top 2% just by just working hard. Or even "just working hard and getting an education". And I thank you in advance for doing so.



Would be nice if one of these persons you mention were a coal miner or something like that.



Of course, these persons cannot fall into the "pessimistic rationalization" I mentioned (and I do agree that it does sound pessimistic). Nor can it fall into the following:



Found your nitch and work hard at it - such as Bill Gates...(but he would also fall into the "who you know" catagory. As it was his mother who was on a corporate board with the CEO of IBM that got the ball rolling),



Worked hard and invested - Warren Buffet...But it wasn't the working hard part of it that did it, it was the investing part, and I think even he would admit that some luck was involved,



Certainly can't be born into it - George W.



Opps, forgot one - Can't marry into it - John Kerry? (and really, I don't think that constitues "working hard".



There is a person I work with, we're about equal in job level, but he has an MBA and I think he works hard enough.



Just wondered, is the reason he is not in the top 1% because he is not working hard enough or is it because he needs more education?