Delicious LiveJournal Links for 5-21-2009

[andrewducker]

• Being Poor
  Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.
  
  Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV.
  
  Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they're what you can afford, and then having the cars break down on you, because there's not an $800 car in America that's worth a damn.
  
  Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.
  (tags: poverty money culture economics)
• The High Cost of Poverty: Why the Poor Pay More
  Because they don't have access to the options that the rich have.
  (tags: economics poverty money economy finance)
• £64.30 a week. That's Dave's reward for 20 years of work
  How the UK's unemployment benefits system screws over people who have been working for years.
  (tags: UK law society benefits)
• Recycling old hard drives
  With your leet metalsmithing abilities...
  (tags: art technology)
• Mad != Scientist
  Amusing one-panel webcomic
  (tags: science funny engineering comic)
• China loses low-cost position
  CHINA has lost its position as the world's lowest-cost components manufacturer to India and Mexico, a study indicated on Wednesday, in a blow for the Asian giant as it fights the financial crisis.
  (tags: economics india china mexico)
• Healthy eating would alter the landscape
  Of course, the chances of a mass change over to healthier eating is pretty slim...
  (tags: diet health environment UK)

Comments

[aliiis.livejournal.com]

'...getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV'? I think we can all do that - I know I would if I had them. Crap is crap, and TV is TV, however much you earn.

I also couldn't help thinking much the same as the British dude who'd left a comment on that original post - 'being poor'/'your car'? In the same sentence? Dude. It would be very weird to live somewhere where poor people felt they needed to, or indeed could afford to, drive.

Very good read about money:
http://www.ruskin.org.uk/content/view/18/18/
I've got copies of both 'Unto This Last' and the (much quicker to read) comic book version which I'm happy to lend folk!

[andrewducker]

Poor people in rural areas need cars. There is no other way to get to anywhere where there are jobs, shops, etc.

[aliiis.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have heard this. That's why I said 'would be very weird' - I have always lived in largeish cities (& places with decent public transport infrastructures).

edit

[aliiis.livejournal.com]

(cos I can't edit comments): ...so I meant, would be weird for me, plus worrying, from an environmental/efficiency perspective.
Also, needs moar googling - this is a more informative link to an article about that comic, and also points to where where you can buy copies for £1.75.

Re: edit

[andrewducker]

Looks fascinating. They should set up an amazon shop (or similar) to allow automated ordering - as it looks like I'd have to buy in bulk directly.

[cybik.livejournal.com]

Oh, you can survive in the countryside without a car, as long as your job is 9-5 and you never have to work on Sundays. Or go in early. Or stay late. Or, y'know, have a social life.


I so need to learn to drive..

[marrog.livejournal.com]

In fairness, no they don't. Not in the UK. There are plenty of people on Arran who don't own cars. They just have to rely on the shitty bus system and on lifts.

[andrewducker]

There is no bus system in the area around my parents. None for about 10 miles in any direction. Heck, there aren't even any pavements from the little bit they're in for about two miles.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

Are there many poor people living in your parents' area?

[andrewducker]

In the villages nearby, yes, almost certainly. Farming not being the industry it once was.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

Ten to one any there are get by without cars.

[andrewducker]

They probably _can_, but it makes life vastly harder. They can probably get by by walking uphill to t'mines both ways. If they have to. The point being that it cripples you, time and money-wise.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I wasn't suggesting that it was easy. Just that if you can afford a car, there's further to go. I think it's pretty hard to have a car if you're actually poor in the UK.

[andrewducker]

My brother got at least one of his cars for £100. It's do-able, and sometimes necessary, if you're going to have a job and earn more money.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you haven't seen the "poor is" list before. It always irritated me because the comments just descend into a real life unfunny version of the Yorkshire men sketch. "You think that's poor? This is poor..."