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princessjas
08-18-2010, 11:37 AM
What part of Obama's Porkulus Package is subsidizing your education and non -working lifestyle ? How long do you think we can afford this sort of largesse ? You went from a high six figure income to welfare ? Just like that ? What happened to your house ? Your car ? Your investments ? What is your husband doing ? Most importantly, how is any of this anyone else's responsibility other than YOURS ! ?
What is wrong with your WORKING your way through school ? Or taking out a student loan ? These programs were in effect when Bush was President. Most of them are state and local programs anyway. It's amazing, if true, that you are spending more on food now with Food Stamps than when you weren't a public charge.

According to the college Finacial Aid supervisor, Bush put in place a law that makes it impossible for me to get aid. NC law says I must be living in a seperate residence for a grand total of one year before I can obtain a divorce and Bush's law says until the divorce is final, I can't have financial aid (regardless of the fact that I have a 4.0 and am obviously going to graduate and make 70k or so at the local hospital which pays better than average.) It'll also be another 3-4 months before I even get a court date to set an award for child support....so should me and my children go hungry till then? Should I continue to dance till I'm to old then have us ride the system? I'm doing the best with what I've got. Yes it was stupid to drop out of college and move with my ex, but honestly, had he not changed as a person, we would have lived a long and happy life together. Even HE admits that it's him who has changed, but he still refuses to see a psychiatrist....should I just let him support us (although he barely can support himself at this point) till he totally breaks and kills us all? I'm pretty sure that is coming with the guns and such that he's bought recently.

I agree that it is MY responsibility and mine only, but I've paid from 40-150k a year in taxes for the last 10 yrs so I think I've put more than enough in the system for what they are paying me out so I can get my RN license and support myself and put more in the system. Thanks for pointing out what an EVIL person you were with your post though! Like that. Enforces why I left the Repubs. Ya'll can be pure evil all ya want and not care about your fellow man and all while expecting the same person you wouldn't piss on if they were on fire to kiss your feet and pay part for your Social Security. Go ahead with your bad self, I'm fucking stepping away from this shit. After expressing how ashamed I was of having to accept aid, getting ragged by your dumb ass was the last thing I needed.

Oh and btw, our income didn't tank because of the economy. M had offers for 6 figure positions including a couple of CFO roles in startups but he turned them down and refuses to work now. He gets waaaaay more resume orders than he did a few years ago also, he just turns most down.

ETA - Forgot to add why I can't work my way through RN school. Firstly, it's an intense program and I'd likely flunk out if I even attempted to work enough hours to support not only myself and my two kids, secondly, they kick you out of the program if you are caught working. It's considered to be unethical behavior because with classes and clinicals (and this is a condensed 2-yr program) you would be so strung out that they are afraid you'll endanger someone during clinicals.

As for the house, the payments are HUUUGE and it hasn't sold, M barely makes the payment each month, my car? I sold my Beemer over a year ago to avoid taking aid, but the cash was in our joint acct and M went on another huuuge shopping spree and blew through the cash (which is why I'm on aid now). Every year or so he finds a new hobby and blows through an massive amount of money. This time it was like 30k on hunting/fishing equipment, which is weird since he's never been an outdoor person, but whateves, it's a huge part of why I left him, blowing through money like it's going out of style, then telling me WE need to cut our spending, which translates to "I've spent too much money, so now everyone else has to tighten up and can't spend a dime, till the next time I go on another huge shopping spree."

Eric Stoner
08-18-2010, 12:19 PM
According to the college Finacial Aid supervisor, Bush put in place a law that makes it impossible for me to get aid. NC law says I must be living in a seperate residence for a grand total of one year before I can obtain a divorce and Bush's law says until the divorce is final, I can't have financial aid (regardless of the fact that I have a 4.0 and am obviously going to graduate and make 70k or so at the local hospital which pays better than average.) It'll also be another 3-4 months before I even get a court date to set an award for child support....so should me and my children go hungry till then? Should I continue to dance till I'm to old then have us ride the system? I'm doing the best with what I've got. Yes it was stupid to drop out of college and move with my ex, but honestly, had he not changed as a person, we would have lived a long and happy life together. Even HE admits that it's him who has changed, but he still refuses to see a psychiatrist....should I just let him support us (although he barely can support himself at this point) till he totally breaks and kills us all? I'm pretty sure that is coming with the guns and such that he's bought recently.

I agree that it is MY responsibility and mine only, but I've paid from 40-150k a year in taxes for the last 10 yrs so I think I've put more than enough in the system for what they are paying me out so I can get my RN license and support myself and put more in the system. Thanks for pointing out what an EVIL person you were with your post though! Like that. Enforces why I left the Repubs. Ya'll can be pure evil all ya want and not care about your fellow man and all while expecting the same person you wouldn't piss on if they were on fire to kiss your feet and pay part for your Social Security. Go ahead with your bad self, I'm fucking stepping away from this shit. After expressing how ashamed I was of having to accept aid, getting ragged by your dumb ass was the last thing I needed. Fuckhead

Die in a motherfucking fire and I hope you get a nice sack punch from Viola first

Who are you to call anyone else names ? It is SUPPOSED to be against the rules.

I'm sorry but what you are posting makes ZERO sense. You are mixing and matching STATE and FEDERAL law. Generally STATES determine things like welfare eligibility so Bush or even Obama have NOTHING to do with it. Likewise, most Federal student loan programs make your marital status totally irrelevant. Eligibility is determined primarily by your FINANCIAL status with some grants and loans based on your academic standing. Again, neither Bush nor Obama have anything to do with it. As far as child support, in most states that I know of, there are temporary and permanent awards based on the FATHER's income. You should be able to get a temporary award and it's usually a matter of weeks; not months.

However it's possible there is some sort of Catch 22 at play where your eligibility is affected by your husband's income BUT according to YOUR postings that apparently hasn't been an issue : Re - read YOUR postings about all the aid you ARE eligible for. It should NOT be an issue as far as financial aid is concerned vis a vis college or in your case, nursing school. Not unless you are making it all up as you go along.


Who said I wasn't sympathetic to your situation ? Or that I don't support your becoming an RN ? Or that I'm against your being helped ? I NEVER said that, so please stop putting words in my mouth. YOU said you were getting MORE food now with Food Stamps than when you had a high income. I'd like to know HOW you are doing that. It's far from a typical experience for a Food Stamp recipient.
You apparently have children. I am in favor of their father supporting them. Is there something wrong with that ?

princessjas
08-18-2010, 01:26 PM
Who are you to call anyone else names ? It is SUPPOSED to be against the rules.



This right here shows your superior attitude. I'm no one to call names, that is why I deleted it. I realized I only used insulting language because I was ashamed of taking aid and you of course, being the person you are, niggled that sore spot. I apologize for losing my cool.




I'm sorry but what you are posting makes ZERO sense. You are mixing and matching STATE and FEDERAL law. Generally STATES determine things like welfare eligibility so Bush or even Obama have NOTHING to do with it. Likewise, most Federal student loan programs make your marital status totally irrelevant. Eligibility is determined primarily by your FINANCIAL status with some grants and loans based on your academic standing. Again, neither Bush nor Obama have anything to do with it. As far as child support, in most states that I know of, there are temporary and permanent awards based on the FATHER's income. You should be able to get a temporary award and it's usually a matter of weeks; not months.



This is completely incorrect. I am in the system and therefore have up to date info. Obama's stimulus program gave funds for the states to give out. I have no idea what the stipulations were and won't claim to, but I've been told most of my benefits are due to the Stimulus package (furnishing voucher of 2k, clothing vouchers for 200 and gas money, plus next month they are gonna pay more than average, plus pay for my uniforms and books due to this stimulus). Some I had to apply for before Sept and they emphasized this because it runs out then. So, yes, Obama's stimulus helps me a LOT, since I'm in an RN program. I am sueing my ex and can tell you I got an apointment with the state in a matter of like 3ish weeks, but when I pressed the case worker on approximately how long a wait for our court date she finally, after saying I dunno forever, said it's usually 3-4 months. My eligibility is determined by his and my income till the divorce goes through. Oh and because of the stimulus package, I get an extra 140% next month. Yayy!! Finally see all that I paid out going to use.




Who said I wasn't sympathetic to your situation ? Or that I don't support your becoming an RN ? Or that I'm against your being helped ? I NEVER said that, so please stop putting words in my mouth. YOU said you were getting MORE food now with Food Stamps than when you had a high income. I'd like to know HOW you are doing that. It's far from a typical experience for a Food Stamp recipient.

You apparently have children. I am in favor of their father supporting them. Is there something wrong with that ?



You seem real super duper sympathetic. Really. K, not at all. You seem to be a massive dickhead who only looks out for his own....same as every conservative I've ever met. Not that it is a bad thing, just it's not who I am. You NEED to have self interest, I just thing it's taken a little to far ins some cases.

I fully support their father paying for them, but as I thought I had previously mentioned, he's had some sort of breakdown or something and can now barely support himself. Oh, and I get more aid than average (as I've already said) because I'm doing everything in my power to become self-sufficient once again. Maybe I get more in foodstamps than I EVER spent on food before because the ex and I are both budgeters and I always plan out my shopping list to make specific meals each week so I waste nearly nothing. I even make my meal plans so I can use leftovers in my next meal if they aren't all eaten. Like if I make spaghetti one day, then it'll be veggie chili the next so if there is any sauce left over it goes in the chili. I still shop this way on the states dime too and I'll just let them take back what's left over on my card (which I think the guy told me happens if it isn't used within 6 months).

Eric Stoner
08-19-2010, 06:51 AM
This right here shows your superior attitude. I'm no one to call names, that is why I deleted it. I realized I only used insulting language because I was ashamed of taking aid and you of course, being the person you are, niggled that sore spot. I apologize for losing my cool.







This is completely incorrect. I am in the system and therefore have up to date info. Obama's stimulus program gave funds for the states to give out. I have no idea what the stipulations were and won't claim to, but I've been told most of my benefits are due to the Stimulus package (furnishing voucher of 2k, clothing vouchers for 200 and gas money, plus next month they are gonna pay more than average, plus pay for my uniforms and books due to this stimulus). Some I had to apply for before Sept and they emphasized this because it runs out then. So, yes, Obama's stimulus helps me a LOT, since I'm in an RN program. I am sueing my ex and can tell you I got an apointment with the state in a matter of like 3ish weeks, but when I pressed the case worker on approximately how long a wait for our court date she finally, after saying I dunno forever, said it's usually 3-4 months. My eligibility is determined by his and my income till the divorce goes through. Oh and because of the stimulus package, I get an extra 140% next month. Yayy!! Finally see all that I paid out going to use.







You seem real super duper sympathetic. Really. K, not at all. You seem to be a massive dickhead who only looks out for his own....same as every conservative I've ever met. Not that it is a bad thing, just it's not who I am. You NEED to have self interest, I just thing it's taken a little to far ins some cases.

I fully support their father paying for them, but as I thought I had previously mentioned, he's had some sort of breakdown or something and can now barely support himself. Oh, and I get more aid than average (as I've already said) because I'm doing everything in my power to become self-sufficient once again. Maybe I get more in foodstamps than I EVER spent on food before because the ex and I are both budgeters and I always plan out my shopping list to make specific meals each week so I waste nearly nothing. I even make my meal plans so I can use leftovers in my next meal if they aren't all eaten. Like if I make spaghetti one day, then it'll be veggie chili the next so if there is any sauce left over it goes in the chili. I still shop this way on the states dime too and I'll just let them take back what's left over on my card (which I think the guy told me happens if it isn't used within 6 months).

Thanks for apologizing and deleting the name-calling. For my part, I should have been more sympathetic to someone who is struggling to provide for herself and her kids.

You are right that the Porkulus Package provided funds to the states so they could maintain benefit levels. For now. After this year, N.C. and the other 49 are on their own. You note yourself that the benefits run out in September.

You are also correct about the tremendous backlog in support proceedings. It is a painful irony that in many states where the Christers hold sway that their rate of divorce is HIGHER than in many "blue" states. Probably has something to do with more gay couples and more cohabitation in blue than in red states.

You don't know anything about me. The fact is I support my girlfriend and her two sons. I give those kids MORE than their own father does. I have nothing against programs that help people help themselves as you are obviously doing.

princessjas
08-19-2010, 07:13 AM
Thanks for apologizing and deleting the name-calling. For my part, I should have been more sympathetic to someone who is struggling to provide for herself and her kids.

You are right that the Porkulus Package provided funds to the states so they could maintain benefit levels. For now. After this year, N.C. and the other 49 are on their own. You note yourself that the benefits run out in September.

You are also correct about the tremendous backlog in support proceedings. It is a painful irony that in many states where the Christers hold sway that their rate of divorce is HIGHER than in many "blue" states. Probably has something to do with more gay couples and more cohabitation in blue than in red states.

You don't know anything about me. The fact is I support my girlfriend and her two sons. I give those kids MORE than their own father does. I have nothing against programs that help people help themselves as you are obviously doing.

^^Well we agree on one thing. I always hated the fact that people go and have kids they KNOW they can't support and then the state pays for them. I firmly believe the system should be designed in a way that only people that are working to become self-sufficient and just are in circumstances where they need a little help for a short time can get benefits. My case worker actually told me though that there is not one single other person he is overseeing at this time that is in college and that having a case like me made him feel like the system was finally being used as it was meant to be. I was flabbergasted that there is NO ONE ELSE IN SCHOOL!! WTF? How can you take a handout and not be ashamed? I don't get it.

Eric Stoner
08-19-2010, 08:24 AM
^^Well we agree on one thing. I always hated the fact that people go and have kids they KNOW they can't support and then the state pays for them. I firmly believe the system should be designed in a way that only people that are working to become self-sufficient and just are in circumstances where they need a little help for a short time can get benefits. My case worker actually told me though that there is not one single other person he is overseeing at this time that is in college and that having a case like me made him feel like the system was finally being used as it was meant to be. I was flabbergasted that there is NO ONE ELSE IN SCHOOL!! WTF? How can you take a handout and not be ashamed? I don't get it.

I believe you but I too find it surprising. I THOUGHT that Clinton's Welfare Reform meant that to get benefits ( for a limited time btw ) that you had to be in school,working or at least looking for work.

Melonie
08-20-2010, 10:33 AM
OK here is an official confirmation ... from

(snip)"Grocery prices at Wal-Mart rose 5.8% in July from June, according to a J.P. Morgan study of 31 items at U.S. Wal-Mart supercenters and at several grocery competitors. The study was conducted at stores in Northern Virginia.

The study also showed that while Wal-Mart still had the lowest prices, that gap had shrunk to 10.4% on average versus 16% in June."(snip)

(snip)"Its pricing last month also plays into a wider economic debate about whether high unemployment will prod the United States into a deflationary environment, or whether rising material and labour costs will force retailers to push prices higher. "(snip)

(snip)"Ratcheting down rollbacks could be another part of trying to right the U.S. ship, analysts said.

According to the J.P. Morgan report, items with higher prices included a 36-ounce bottle of Windex glass cleaner at USD 2.97, up from USD 1.97 and a 12-ounce box of Quaker Oats, up 66% to USD 3.66, Grom said.

If Wal-Mart eases up, even a little, on discounts, that could be a relief to grocers like Safeway and Supervalu that have been vulnerable to discounting by competitors.

"Most people key in on Wal-Mart pricing, so I think that you can see generally that (retailers) will gravitate (to higher prices) if Wal-Mart is doing that" said Ken Harris, chief executive of consultancy Kantar Retail Americas, which works with Wal-Mart and other retailers and manufacturers.

"The manufacturers will applaud it," Harris said of Wal-Mart raising prices. "The retailers want it, too."

Rising prices for commodities like wheat and hogs and news coverage talking about rising commodity costs could also give retailers and manufacturers the cover to raise.

"Any time a retailer or a manufacturer can use conventional wisdom to support an increase, they do and they should," Harris said.

Traditional grocers believe that pricing has stabilized compared with a year ago when most supermarkets were cutting prices, said Morningstar analyst Michele Chang.

"Now it's sort of a steady state. It's not getting materially better, but not getting worse," Chang said.

Since grocers operate at extremely thin profit margins, even slightly higher prices will help."(snip)


Besides the direct statements that WalMart food prices increased by an average of 5.8% in a single month, the article also strongly suggests that the previous 'failure' to raise retail food prices in light of rising commodity ingredient costs was done at the expense of reduced food retailer profit margin as profits were squeezed by rising wholesale costs to the food retailer. This is the same phenomenon pointed out in other threads about other types of US products / businesses. Ultimately, unsustainably small profit margins must resolve themselves into either higher retail prices or bankruptcy.

princessjas
08-20-2010, 06:34 PM
I believe you but I too find it surprising. I THOUGHT that Clinton's Welfare Reform meant that to get benefits ( for a limited time btw ) that you had to be in school,working or at least looking for work.

This is one of Clinton's biggest successes imo. You only have a total of like 4-5 yrs lifetime you can get, and you have to be "working", although school counts too and even gets more bennies, cause you are gonna get off the sytem and make more money to pay into the system. Working and still needing aid without doing anything to improve yourself doesn't impress the system the same way.

ETA - I don't think looking for work cuts it even. It is the standard for getting unemployment but that is a short term thing(and requires that you have worked for a certain percentage of the last two years or so, like you must have been employeed 22 out of the last 24 months or some crappola). Looking for work without being in a training program or college does NOT qualify you for state assistance, at least not where I'm at.

Melonie
08-21-2010, 04:49 AM
I was tempted to split off your ( off-topic ) discussion regarding eligibility for gov't benefits vs being a college student. However, it is an extremely intriguing observation that, over the course of the past few years, gov't grants and loans to college students plus extremely low 'entrance' requirements at community colleges ( and increasingly at state colleges as well ) have in fact become a surrogate social welfare program for unemployed ( and arguably unemployable ) high school graduates ( as well as dropouts with GED's !).

Arguably, most employers now look with skepticism at community colleges and increasingly so at state colleges regarding the 'quality' or 'productivity' of the educations they provide to potential new employees. Thus obtaining a community college or state college degree no longer significantly improves the chances of a graduate being hired versus another applicant. And certainly not versus another applicant who has a degree from a private college with arguably far higher educational standards.

What it does do, however, is keep the community college or state college student from joining the 'labor force' ( and thus out of official unemployment statistics ) for the next 2-4 years. What it also does is maintain job security for a large number of highly paid gov't employee professors, teachers, clerical workers etc.

... now back to our regularly scheduled program ...

princessjas
08-21-2010, 05:33 AM
I was tempted to split off your ( off-topic ) discussion regarding eligibility for gov't benefits vs being a college student. However, it is an extremely intriguing observation that, over the course of the past few years, gov't grants and loans to college students plus extremely low 'entrance' requirements at community colleges ( and increasingly at state colleges as well ) have in fact become a surrogate social welfare program for unemployed ( and arguably unemployable ) high school graduates ( as well as dropouts with GED's !).

Arguably, most employers now look with skepticism at community colleges and increasingly so at state colleges regarding the 'quality' or 'productivity' of the educations they provide to potential new employees. Thus obtaining a community college or state college degree no longer significantly improves the chances of a graduate being hired versus another applicant. And certainly not versus another applicant who has a degree from a private college with arguably far higher educational standards.

What it does do, however, is keep the community college or state college student from joining the 'labor force' ( and thus out of official unemployment statistics ) for the next 2-4 years. What it also does is maintain job security for a large number of highly paid gov't employee professors, teachers, clerical workers etc.

... now back to our regularly scheduled program ...

Actually Melonie, the community college I'm attending has many thousands of applications each year and it's graduates get paid a premium salary because of two factors, one, you must score in the 99th percentile in the national nursing exam thingamabob to even have a chance at being accepted, two, their graduates have one of the highest rates of passing their RN exam in the nation. So although we are in bumfuck egypt, my school gets thousands of applications each year and only takes about 60. I COULD have went through another local college/training center and gotten my LPN liscense but that is barely worth the paper it's printed on and I'd make as much as a CNA at best (which was my day job in addition to stripping to put myself through college the first time, lol). Weird though, that the program I'm in is at a community college, but is still the best in the state, within the whole region acutally, according to the hospitals I've contacted (about scholarships obviously).

I've already looked into salaries obviously and there is an option to provide my own healthcare and make 70 an hour and work my own hours (they call it the weekend warrior program, since many peeps do this and also work full time elsewhere, but it's almost 2 hrs away.) There is also another local hospital that will pay me 60 starting out and it ups pretty quickly, depending on your skill level. One girl I know makes around 90k and is in her late 20's so that's not too shabby. Basically, I'm saying, once again, you've worst case sceneriod it. It could go awful and I could get offered a CNA's salary upon graduation.....but why would anyone expect that? To date I have straight A's and am in a good program. It doesn't make sense. If I was in the lpn program at the local training center then, yeah, I'd get your point, but I'd also get a helluva lot less benefits.

ETA - I am groggy atm (sorry, got a BAAAD diagnosis for E yesterday) but yeah, I should make about 60k once I graduate. I in no way think that can support my kiddos and I so I plan on going into a Nurse Anesthetist program, which is one reason I try to keep my 4.0 (need a B average to even get accepeted), and NA's bank an easy 6 figs. Hell I think there is only like 2k of them practicing nationwide atm.

Melonie
08-21-2010, 05:49 AM
^^^ agreed that you, and your particular community college, are a huge exception to the rule ! Congrats and I hope that everything pans out as you envision !

However, using your own figures, unlike yourself and the 59 other applicants accepted at this very special community college, thousands of those rejected applicants will wind up attending more typical community colleges. In turn they will collect grant money and other potential social welfare benefits for the next 2 years ... as well as potentially running up student loan debt. Then after they graduate, they'll be lucky to find a job that allows them to survive without ongoing social welfare benefits, to say nothing of any student loan debt that their probable income level will be incapable of repaying !

hockeybobby
08-21-2010, 06:42 AM
I stocked up my pantry some more: they had the Stouffer's turkey, stuffing, gravy and mashed potatos entrees on for 2 bucks. TWO BUCKS !! That's a no brainer. My freezer is full. Omg they are sooo yummy.

Melonie
08-21-2010, 07:19 AM
^^^ yes but those are two CANADIAN bucks not American bucks !!!


Or some bargains may be related to a 'going out of business' sales ...

(snip)"Southern California lost nearly a thousand more restaurants than it gained during the 12 months that ended in March, representing a net 2% drop that was twice the national average, according to the New York research firm NPD Group.

Nearly all the closings were among independently owned restaurants: small, family businesses that just couldn't hold on as customers held back.(snip)

(snip)"Customers began spending less when the economic crisis hit in late 2007, he said. Business started to stabilize this year but diners are still spending about 25% less than they did during the economic boom, Keagle said.

Overall, customers spent about 7% less in 2009 than the previous year, and business is still slow, said Darren Tristano, analyst with the food industry research firm Technomic Inc. The company expects consumers to spend just 0.5 percentage point more on restaurant food this year than last year.

California, with its high unemployment, has been disproportionately affected.

"Most restaurateurs are just living on the edge," said Jot Condie, president of the California Restaurant Assn. Despite an uptick in business this year, prolonged unemployment and a rise in food prices could hamper any recovery, he said.

Matt DeMasi, who co-owns Zach's Cafe in Studio City, figures he can make it through another 18 months of hard times before he has to shut the place down.

"We're in survival mode — have been for a while," said DeMasi, who is burning through savings trying to keep Zach's afloat. "My employees are on bare minimum hours. It's been really difficult."

If hard times persist — or if the price of food goes up — the restaurant's 20-year run may come to an end, he said."(snip)

from


Again, the same principle arguably applies with this restaurant article as was mentioned in the previous grocery store article ... that rising wholesale costs of food have been absorbed by grocery stores, restaurants, food processors etc. without those increasing 'costs' being able to be passed on in the form of higher prices. The resulting squeeze on profitability can basically only be resolved in one of two ways ... increase retail prices or go out of business !


To specifically address your comment about Stouffer's prepared dinners being available for 2 bucks ... check the 'expiration date' ! It's very possible that Stouffer's over-estimated their potential 'production' requirement as hard pressed consumers opted to stop purchasing prepared frozen dinners in favor of bulk ingredient purchases and cooking their own dinners ! As such, there would be too many prepared frozen dinners sitting on supermarket shelves to be sold before the 'clock' runs out. Stouffer's may have opted to sacrifice their profit margin and allow retailers to 'blow out' their merchandise before the 'expiration date' expires rather than allowing the 'expiration date' to pass - thus they would have been forced to take them back from food retailers and forced eat an outright loss versus 'breaking even'.

~

hockeybobby
08-21-2010, 08:41 AM
March of 2012 ? I'm thinking they'll be in my belly long before then Mel.

princessjas
08-21-2010, 10:35 AM
^^^ agreed that you, and your particular community college, are a huge exception to the rule ! Congrats and I hope that everything pans out as you envision !

However, using your own figures, unlike yourself and the 59 other applicants accepted at this very special community college, thousands of those rejected applicants will wind up attending more typical community colleges. In turn they will collect grant money and other potential social welfare benefits for the next 2 years ... as well as potentially running up student loan debt. Then after they graduate, they'll be lucky to find a job that allows them to survive without ongoing social welfare benefits, to say nothing of any student loan debt that their probable income level will be incapable of repaying !

Ok, cut the sarcasm. If I wanted to stay here, I could sign a contract agreeing to work for the local hospital for 2 yrs at 58k a year and they would pay for my schooling. There is a shortage of RN's here, yet an abundance of LPN's, so those obviously make almost nothing. Also, 10 years ago this particular community college didn't amount to shit, but they have worked like hell to up their reputation and I'm incredibly greatful for that. Likewise, many people in the LPN program at the similarly run community college are not elligible for half the bennies I get. Is it fair? Maybe not, but I'm going to take it to avoid fluncking out of school.

Melonie
08-29-2010, 05:27 PM
circling back on topic, check out this extremely interesting BBC discussion re the future outlook towards the Canadian and Russian 'monopoly' on Potash fertilizer and the food shortage that would definitely result without it !

threlayer
08-31-2010, 11:49 AM
I stocked up on cookies!

I tried that a couple of years ago, but she said it isn't for sale and anyway she'd want $10,000 per month for rights to it. ;)

j/k

Melonie
09-02-2010, 10:20 AM
another update on food price inflation ...

(snip)"Global meat prices have hit a 20-year high as robust demand from emerging countries has coincided with a drop in production by exporters such as the US and Australia, fueling concerns about rising food inflation.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s index of meat prices rose in August to its highest level since 1990, up 16 per cent over the past year, after lamb prices hit a 37-year high, beef prices climbed to a two-year high and the cost of pork and poultry prices rose.

“There has been sustained demand from Asia and from the Middle East for both beef and lamb,” said Pedro Arias, a livestock economist at the FAO in Rome, echoing a widely held view in the industry. “But the traders have not been able to satisfy that demand because herds have been curtailed.” (snip)




or put simply, earlier increases in feed grain and fertilizer prices ( circa last March ) provided a dis-incentive for US and Australian livestock operations to maintain the size of their herds ... because their higher costs to feed those livestock herds could not be adequately 'recovered' with an acceptable profit margin given earlier prices for commodity meat. In fact, they opted to cull their herds ( to cut down on overall livestock feed costs ) which created a temporary excess of meat being thrown on the market ( which also temporarily sent meat prices even lower circa last June).

But here we are months later, with the meat from the culled herds already having been sold, and with US and Australian livestock operations now maintaining smaller herd sizes. This has now created a market situation where the available 'supply' of meat is now constrained versus worldwide 'demand' remaining constant or even rebounding due to increased Asian appetites. As a result, after the expected several months of time delay, we're now looking at a 16% 'inflation' in today's price of commodity meat. After a couple of additional months of time delay, those 16% 'inflated' commodity meat prices will work their way to supermarket coolers and restaurant plates ! So it would appear that the 'new normal' will quickly involve significantly higher priced grain products, meat products etc. as well as significantly higher prices for all downstream food / food service products which use grains and meats as raw material !