It's like Orn says, anybody that plays the lotto and actually thinks they have a snowballs chance are really bad at math. But I confess when our 'power ball" was over 350 million a few months ago I bought a ticket. Even at 15 million to one odds I got a little thrill and had a good half hour discussion with my partner at work on what we'd do with all that smack if we won. Well worth the buck I'd say.
You are right of course. I know I don't know what it's like to be desperate and poor. I have never experienced it. I have ALWAYS had the option to move in with Mom and Dad or stay with my brother or even crash at a friends house when times were dicey. Even then I had savings I could have burned to tide me over for a few months to find a new job. It's how I was taught; Be prepared. I've never been fired but was laid off after the IRS shut down the store I was managing. I moved in with Mom and Dad for a few months. Trust me; that was harrowing enough I never wanted to do it again. Now, 22 years later they are moving in with me. It frustrates me that we have organizations like Acorn that are set up to teach people to rob the system. I wish we could motivate people to start their own business and hire people and do community service rather then promote fraud. The Chamber of Commerce is a good start but something tells me the slums don't have a very effective branch. The over all sense of entitlement in these communities is mind boggling. I would love to give them a hand up but too often it seems this is not what they are looking for. At least that's the way it appears to me. Granted, options for the poor are limited. But in this country there are a lot more then in many others. Just removing the temptations of easy money provided by thievery or drug sales would vastly improve these communities. I have found that those that live in these type communities tend to enable this behavior by not reporting crimes. The police become the bad guys. Lee, tell me if I'm wrong. dj On Tue, Oct 6, 2009 at 7:08 AM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > It is a lot more complex that what you are presenting Don. There is a > deeper psychological aspect to be concerned with. Poor people who > lose their lotto winnings don't have financial backgrounds, they don't > come from a family of bankers, have friends who are wall street > tycoons or have top notch advisers. Instead they go out thinking they > are rich to no end and spend their way into the ditch as well as much > of the time getting 'ripped off' by shady investors. Of course you > must know that the majority of winners retain most of their new found > wealth. The mental condition of a person receiving assistance has a > great deal to do with their own success in life, chances are if you > gave a bag lady 10 G's, all you would have is a bag lady with 10 G's, > obviously she has issues that have sustained her bag lady lifestyle. > But let 's look at the ghetto problem and growing up in such > deplorable conditions. That has to have an impact on a child growing > up, the security factor alone, living in fear, health issues from > living amongst the filth and vermin. The totality of the environment > becomes a microcosm of perpetuated detriment. They are well aware of > their plight and can see the world about with all it's grandeur but > only see themselves in it in the form of a dream. So what little they > have becomes the only thing that is left to fight for, as there really > isn't much left of personal dignity. I'm sure the kids in your > neighborhood are not living under the same conditions and as a result > have a different outlook on life, they see a future and have security, > parents who can nurture them in ways that can lead them upwards. From > the time they are born they are on the road to a successful future and > even sometimes the affluent can have their share of failures. It's > the same anywhere else. What are the chances of attaining wealth when > you are a 'slum dog'? If I won lotto I would never go poor, it's all > about common sense, self control and good math. > > On Oct 5, 9:53 pm, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: >> You can't spend your way out poverty Slip. Statistics show a >> surprising number of poor people that win the lottery and take the >> cash option(generally the smarter move) are broke 10 years later. We >> can build all the tenements and projects we want and those places will >> invariably return to trash in the near future because some people just >> won't help themselves. When apathy is rewarded it makes it difficult >> for some to see the benefits in working themselves into a better way >> of life when all they need is provided gratis. I personally feel it's >> morally wrong. >> >> By the way. Violence IS a solution. Very often it is the most >> economical and effective solution. This is why it will continue to be >> implemented by individuals and governments until the end of time. It >> just so happens it makes me sick to my stomach. >> >> dj >> >> On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 7:14 PM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > Cynical? >> >> > Woestehoff says this investigation is long overdue. She complains that >> > wealthy and well-connected parents have long-been throwing around >> > their clout on behalf of their children. The rules ought to be the >> > same for everybody. But, you know, this is Chicago. And we know that >> > in Chicago there’s an expectation that a certain group of people who >> > have power will be able to get their children into any school. >> > Unqualified students who have parents with clout aren’t just attending >> > public high schools. The issue has also plagued top officials at the >> > University of Illinois in recent months. They’re accused of admitting >> > hundreds of unqualified students. The scandal involves the president >> > of the university along with many high-ranking elected officials. >> > A state panel investigating the admissions process recently >> > recommended every trustee on the board resign and yesterday, the >> > chairman of the board did just that. >> >> >http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=35938 >> >> > Absurd? >> >> > Admissions clout clearly thrived in places where families were >> > politically savvy and well-positioned to tap into connections with >> > elected officials and university trustees, said educators and other >> > observers. >> > Just how skewed was the campus clout list? Half of the 616 Illinois >> > students who received preferential treatment from 2005 to 2009 >> > graduated from just 22 high schools, all but one in the metro area. >> > Meanwhile, at least 668 Illinois high schools had no clouted >> > applicants at all. >> >> >http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-clout-schools-17-jul17,0... >> >> > There's more as you must know. I didn't apply anything to the world >> > at large, clearly the elite school comment was pertinent to Chicago >> > but I will admit that I think it does go on in other parts of the >> > country and the world. Besides, you should understand that I'm >> > addressing the fact that poverty, while there are exceptions, is a >> > nurtured aspect of the world. It's Marx distinction between the >> > powerful and the powerless, the establishment of a social strata which >> > is prevalent in many parts of the world, fact is I don't know of any >> > off hand that function without it, some are worst than others. Truth >> > is if the world sincerely wanted to rid itself of poverty it would >> > end. Bulldozers would raze the ghettos and decent affordable housing >> > would be built, bankrupt farms would be financially rescued, revived >> > and enabled to productive feed the world acreage, the same goes for >> > much of the failed small business's that translate into jobs. But of >> > course that wouldn't be all too profitable to the stock market, >> > investment capitalists and bankers. Better the not so 'well to do' >> > bail them out when they need help, no? Isn't it all so obvious, or is >> > is just me? >> >> > On Oct 5, 6:11 pm, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Chicago's elite public schools, the ones that parents are bedding with >> >> aristocracy in exchange for their kids enrollment. >> >> >> very cynical, Slip. Inner city schools have additional problems that >> >> come with poverty, there is not doubt about that. But to state that >> >> other schools in any state provide more services because parents are >> >> bedding with aristocracy is, well, absurd. You seem to take the worst >> >> case scenario and apply it to the world at large. >> >> >> On Oct 5, 6:26 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > Well Molly, your examples merely confirm my comment that "little" >> >> > effort is made. I wouldn't say that the examples reflect a great deal >> >> > of effort. Sure there are organizations that combat numerous problems >> >> > but overall results are insignificant. Things haven't really changed >> >> > all that much, have they? >> >> >> > I'm not assuming that "all" children are experiencing the same thing >> >> > and I would think you should know better than that. Of course there >> >> > are better schools, better standards and better students. I'm simply >> >> > addressing the obvious problems. It wouldn't make sense to talk about >> >> > Chicago's elite public schools, the ones that parents are bedding with >> >> > aristocracy in exchange for their kids enrollment. It's about inner >> >> > city mentality and the mentality of those who contribute to the >> >> > development of inner cities across the country and around the world. >> >> >> > On Oct 5, 1:15 pm, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > > "I feel that little sincere effort is made towards nurturing peace", >> >> > > SD >> >> >> > > I disagree, and offer some of the following organizations that are >> >> > > active in nurturing peace in >> >> > > societies:http://www.cnvc.org/http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children... >> >> >> > > "We don't actually try to instill attitudes of peace but relay the >> >> > > idea that violence is a solution." SD >> >> >> > > You may be encouraged to know that most Middle and High Schools in the >> >> > > US have made diversity and non violence a big part of their >> >> > > curriculum, mission and code of conduct. Often their state funding >> >> > > depends on it. There are certainly messages out there that our >> >> > > children receive, that give the idea that violence is a solution. But >> >> > > we do, as a society, in the public school system, give alternative >> >> > > ideas. It would be nice to think that kids get that at home also. We >> >> > > all know this is not always the case. >> >> >> > > It would be a mistake to watch the video of the gang fight in Chicago >> >> > > and assume that all of our children experience this or that our >> >> > > schools do nothing to instill attitudes of non violence. >> >> >> > > "It's all about self preservation and greed." That may be part of it, >> >> > > but is not all of it. There is a great big green movement out there >> >> > > trying to save the world, and the angry, mean green meme are willing >> >> > > to fight anyone they have to to do it. This is a developmental stage >> >> > > of the individual's ability to work in a group, and not, I think, a >> >> > > reflection of our ability as a whole to progress. People fight. They >> >> > > fight for, they fight against, they just fight to fight. Why is the >> >> > > question. I think that those of us who have not learned that peace >> >> > > makes life more livable, meaning, improves the quality of life and our >> >> > > relations exponentially, just keep fighting until they do learn it. >> >> >> > > On Oct 5, 10:56 am, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > > > Leave it to Cleaver! lol >> >> >> > > > To address the whole of it I would say the same as in another >> >> > > > thread, >> >> > > > peoples minds are up for grabs. I can't say that it is all about >> >> > > > identity issues but there seems to be a degree of self >> >> > > > representation >> >> > > > in what people absorb from the external. The advertising industry >> >> > > > knows this very well and promotes products in a way that bolsters >> >> > > > the >> >> > > > human ego. From the big truck to the elitist mustard the sell is >> >> > > > based on that simple appeal. >> >> > > > As far as television and movies I do believe that they have an >> >> > > > affect >> >> > > > on society. The presentations on the tube or screen are no better >> >> > > > than the people in control of the industry, which as we all know >> >> > > > doesn't run high in the ethics and morals department. Either way >> >> > > > the >> >> > > > offerings of non violent role model presentations are next to none. >> >> > > > There have been many studies that show how young children act out >> >> > > > violently after watching a movie containing violence. >> >> >> > > > Excerpt: >> >> > > > Societal influences help foment violent behavior. The images that >> >> > > > populate mass media actually have the longest-lasting impact of all >> >> > > > contributors to violence. Prolonged exposure to violent images >> >> > > > increases the fear of becoming a victim, desensitizes violence, and >> >> > > > heightens the viewer's appetite for similarly engaging in >> >> > > > violence.http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199403/violence-has-home-address >> >> >> > > > Violent and other antisocial behaviors involving children and >> >> > > > adolescents are being >> >> > > > blamed on the media. In the United States, controversy over the >> >> > > > influence of >> >> > > > the media on children remains intense. Yet more violent acts are >> >> > > > depicted on tele- >> >> > > > vision, sales of video games depicting death and destruction are >> >> > > > skyrocketing, and >> >> > > > many rock videos show violence as a viable means of conflict >> >> > > > resolution. Efforts >> >> > > > to limit the acts of violence shown in the media are met with the >> >> > > > industry's consid- >> >> > > > erable financial resources to resist responsible programming. >> >> > > > Although >> >> > > > media vio- >> >> > > > lence is not the leading cause of real-life violence, it is a >> >> > > > significant cause, and one >> >> > > > that is easily remediable. The major components of >> >> ... >> >> read more » > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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