Panorama: Poor America [BBC - 12/2/2012]

[Cebu_4_2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73UBl68icjw&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73UBl68icjw&feature=youtu.be

[Carbon]

Not one mention of the off-shoring of jobs over the last 20 years. Not one mention of the Fed, failed fiscal policy or bailouts to the corporations and the uber-rich. Not one mention of the bought-and-paid-for politicians or the blatant and pervasive corruption of the corptocracy.

They showed hollow shells of public buildings that could be used as shelters, but instead cried about tent cities. They showed fat people living in hotels fretting over their losses of McMansions. They interviewed that POS Nadler, who bemoaned Obama's struggle to enforce more socialism on Americans who for generations were raised to reject it. And, as usual, they used children and poor, culturally and socially ignorant people to render an emotional response to their 'journalism'.

This video, while perhaps informative of the symptoms, never addressed ANY of the real causes of the disease.

More MSM bubble gum.

[Cebu_4_2]

Very true Carbon but this is the crap that most people just fail to see. You have to start somewhere.. kinda like having RP jump into the 911 conspiracy or that the Satanists of Israel run the US... have to start somewhere. Most working people have absolutely NO CLUE that this is happening in the US.

We may know why and what has transpired but until more people realize it we can not even start a change. Remember Obama was for change and spoke like John Kennedy? Some must remember that because Obama got in illegally by a landslide.

Relax and teach the dumb a bit slower than the knowledged.

[learn2swim]

One thing they fail to mention, America is one of the best places on earth to be poor.

[Cebu_4_2]

Streets are paved with gold. My wife wanted here no matter what I said. Now she is here... wants out LOL. Told her to save her trinkets so we can move. MSM brainwashing goes a very long ways.

[mightymanx]

That was hopelessly slanted but I will share my story on the subject.

I was in the military for 20 years and retired last August right in the middle of a rather bloody divorce.

I lived rather well while in the military I had cool toys (race car) and nice things because I worked hard (often had a second job), invested pretty well, and minimized credit.

Well the divorce and retiring from the military I got a bit of an eye opener,

Career jobs are VERY hard to come by.
The "Free" health care costs me about 200 a month
No free dental
House was got foreclosed on (see bellow)
I still have not found a job any where near where I was I work 2 part time jobs at $10 an hour.
The divorce and splitting households racked up 25,000 in debt (part of this was she went wild on credit right before legal separation and I had to burn credit to try and save the house)

My pension which is 1922/month net she gets 968 of that in child support The Legal system "Imputed" my income at 3600 a month because that is what my skill base should pay me. So child support was based off of the "Imputed" value and the judge said that "I am willingly underemployed and this should be incentive to get a better job"

Bottom line by Christmas I was about 1/2 step from being one of those people in the video.

So now that I am on the way back up, what are some "Lessons Learned"?

Long term Food Storage!!!!!!!!! I would have been real hungry with out it and I would have lost my ability to pay rent and utilities in order to eat. It also allowed me to save the little money I had for fuel for job search and getting to my part time job once I got it.

Gold and silver this saved me by allowing me to sell them delay my collapse to regroup.

A network of trusted friends It is said a buddy will help you move but a friend will help you move a body. My network is strong bonds formed under imminent danger are the strongest ones there after the bond of parent to child.

My friend network did the following;

- Gave me a part time job. So I could have a fighting chance.

-Air travel and room and board to Florida for 3 weeks to look in the defense contractor heavy area down there for work and a sanity break to "take the load off for a while" Tim paid for me to go SCUBA diving. I got to meet the South Florida GSUS gang as well. (No jobs though)

-Places to do laundry and shower

-A home to visit my 4 year old daughter on the weekends

-Provided fresh food and "doggie bags" and often a really good hot meal.

-FRN's ($6000) to pay for an Attorney so I had a chance in the "justice" system

- A computer and all the things to go with it so I can look for work and do Skype interviews (all real career stiff is internet based now without it you are screwed) and it aids in keeping connected to the outside world and entertainment like you guys.

-Help moving and saving the my possessions with out them I would have had to abandon and sell lots of them

- Moral support It is amazing when your spirit gets kicked in the nuts how rapidly "siege mentality" kicks in and the downward spiral becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.

Additional things to consider:

You need the internet to find real jobs and housing I used my daily free hour at the library wisely.
Defense contractors do not hire in an election year they "clean up their books" to look good for the new guy.



I am on the upswing this was not told by me to gain neither sympathy nor charity and I am not proud to admit how far I have fallen. This is to hopefully let someone learn from my mistakes and that people still don't get the real safety net. (Notice I did not mention all the cool government handouts.)



I live with in my new means in 188 square foot "living quarters" attached to a Quonset hut, I shower at the base gym on the way to work which I have access to being retired military.

I traded a gun for a motorcycle I ride to work most days and my truck was paid off long ago for the bad days and when I got my daughter but it is painful to fill up at $4/gallon. I got the internet to keep in touch with the network and it's my main source for non-active entertainment.

If it had progressed the other 1/2 step and I became homeless I think I would faired better than most of those people due to my bug out bag and LTS and a big ass truck to live in.


It is closer than most think and I have leaned much and to take pleasure in little things. And that I have learned the truth of real wealth.


I truly hope that helps someone reading this I know that it is tough out there and for those that are saying "shit glad that can’t happen to me" focus on the bold and underlined wealth items above, you are just 1 step away from where I was.

[Cebu_4_2]

Mightymax, I thank goodeness you have a network of help. I wish I did. Same boat but a latter period, my first gold digger dug deep, and now gave up 'her' kid to me since she gets no more money. I am glad my son is here and he sees the whole picture but I am in a boatload of shit right now.

anyways blah blah. Glad you are Okay!.

[mightymanx]

Mightymax, I thank goodeness you have a network of help. I wish I did. Same boat but a latter period, my first gold digger dug deep, and now gave up 'her' kid to me since she gets no more money. I am glad my son is here and he sees the whole picture but I am in a boatload of shit right now.

anyways blah blah. Glad you are Okay!.

Stay strong the siege mentality is killer to mind body and spirit not to mention it flushes you personal interaction (like job interviews) right down the crapper.

I do not have many friends but the ones I do have I will kill for, they are my largest source of wealth.

I bet you have felt like this a time or ten http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_mentality

Better deffinition here:
http://www.beyondintractability.org/node/2461

[Cebu_4_2]

Mightymax may I pm?

[mightymanx]

please do

[Twisted Titan]

I am in the Trenches myself and survive on a wing and a prayer.........LITERALLY

To make a long story short I'm a living in a house that should have went to sherrif sale april of last year but something happen everytime the sale is about to take place: glichtes in the system, lost paper work ,attorney foul up , extensions granted without me doing anything the list goes on and on...I learned to stop trying to figured out what happened and just accept the blessing that I have shelter, utilites and privacy for my family for the day


Im seeking additional employment as i graduated from trade school but that is slow going at a competative pay scale plus me and the wife are the only one who mind my baby as bad as I need the work I was able to be home and witness all of my childs milestones with my own eyes......that is a gift so priceless words will forever fail to quantify it.

I m trying to be A good steward of this bounty I have recived but reading some of tales above really is going to motivate me to be even more greatful and better utilize this window of time I have been afforded. more food preps before inflation takes over


To all who are in the meatgrinder.......Do your best to Stand Strong.....better days are coming.......you didn't make it this far just to fail.

[MNeagle]

My heart & prayers go out for all you guys, and those too, 'invisible' in similiar circumstances.

My complaints pale. I'm sorry.

[MNeagle]

Your stories have been weighing on my heart all morning, and I know there are many others HERE who also struggle; whether it's financially, emotionally, spiritually, physically.

Please, just know & remember:

You are not alone.
You are loved.