Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, Mollywolly555 said:

Yes, in her book,   Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich documents how the working poor ... those working 2 or 3 poorly paid/no benefits jobs are staying poor.

She even tried it herself, working as a wait staff (waitress) and realized how rigged the system is against the poor succeeding. She was afraid for her life as well in unsafe conditions as a woman.  

More tecently, Sarah Smarsh documents generations of her poor, white working class  family in the midwest, in Heartland. 

It's criminal not to tax the billion- and million-aires, and then have the nervev to complain about the poor needing help. 

The other insidious thing when it comes to the working poor in America is the fact that the system is designed to keep them poor. There is zero wiggle room when it comes to the formulas and tables used to determine eligibility for programs and how much money people receive. This means that people will turn down raises because something as low as a $0.10/hour increase will kick them out of their benefits. And that extra $8.00 a paycheck is not going to pay for health insurance. The worst part is we can determine how much a single person needs to make in order to afford to live in any given zip code without needing government assistance, but we cannot make companies like WalMart or McDonalds pay their employees that amount. And I am including a fast food place because those jobs are for adults when the are busy when students are in school.

[Browncoat]

7 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

It's actually the reverse since a whole chicken costs less than a cooked/prepared chicken. It's just that these folks are too damn lazy to cook them!

 

6 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

a bag of frozen veggies and a pot of boiling water for pasta takes what? 15 minutes?!? If mom or dad can't find 15 minutes to prepare a decent meal,

You are making a big assumption that everyone has a stove and/or electricity or gas.  People in my area are having to make choices between paying their electric bill and buying food, because electricity is expensive.

And for my own self, I am not "too damn lazy" to cook a chicken.  I am tired.  Exhausted, even.  And it takes quite a lot longer than 15 minutes to cook a whole chicken.  I'll take the already cooked one, thanks.

[bluegirl147]

It's hard for me to feel sorry for Trump voters who now regret it.  This man was not an unknown.  He had a trial run from 2017-2020 and failed. People died because of his incompetence and indifference.  This time around even though he disavowed Project 2025 we knew that was going to be his agenda. He made promises that were unrealistic hopes at best and lies at worst. And the things he was crystal clear about such as mass deportations and "being a dictator on day one" I guess these voters either agreed with or were willing to overlook as long as they got what they wanted. 

14 minutes ago, nokat said:

The realization that when the ship sinks, we all go down.

So many of them still think a rescue ship will come save them. They will never understand even as they are drowning.  

Edited 12 hours ago by bluegirl147

[JustHereForFood]

On 2/27/2025 at 5:40 AM, andromeda331 said:

Poor Ukraine. Their going to end up screwed with the "deal" they give up millions of their stuff to the US and get nothing in return. No protection, no security, no NATO.

 

And it's not just that. Showing dictators that they can get away with invading other countries and committing genocides and then get rewarded for it is just gonna result in more wars all over the world which means more mass migration and destabilisation of economy (which might bother even those who don't care for things like human rights and freedom).

When it is a "those who have weapons take all they want with no consequences" world, we will all suffer.

On 2/26/2025 at 10:30 AM, Soapy Goddess said:

Ok, here's a funny meme that I think we ALL can agree on (LOL)

 

Nope, some of us are not finding the new wave of colonialism funny.

[bluegirl147]

7 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

And for my own self, I am not "too damn lazy" to cook a chicken.  I am tired.  Exhausted, even.  And it takes quite a lot longer than 15 minutes to cook a whole chicken.  I'll take the already cooked one, thanks.

Cooking a whole meal from scratch takes longer. So if you are working till 5 or 6 once you get home, depending on your commute, you might not be eating till after 7.  If you have kids in school are we expected to make them wait till that late to eat? And as others have mentioned not everyone is a good cook. Being poor is bad enough but being judged for the choices you make just makes it worse. Compassion and empathy are sorely lacking in a lot of people.

[nokat]

16 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Compassion and empathy are sorely lacking in a lot of people.

So much this ^^^. I want socialism, when those who can, do for others. If I can help those who need it, I'll let the slackers ride too. I've never felt overburdened by social programs.

[lookeyloo]

7 minutes ago, nokat said:

So much this ^^^. I want socialism, when those who can, do for others. If I can help those who need it, I'll let the slackers ride too. I've never felt overburdened by social programs.

Funny enough, Mr lookeyloo and I always say "I never met a tax I wouldn't vote for".  Probably just mostly true, but, we think in terms of the common good and maybe some of the $$ is "wasted" but mostly goes where it should to help people.  Sometimes even us.

[Ohiopirate02]

23 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Cooking a whole meal from scratch takes longer. So if you are working till 5 or 6 once you get home, depending on your commute, you might not be eating till after 7.  If you have kids in school are we expected to make them wait till that late to eat? And as others have mentioned not everyone is a good cook. Being poor is bad enough but being judged for the choices you make just makes it worse. Compassion and empathy are sorely lacking in a lot of people.

And then you have to add the cost of equipping a kitchen. I know someone on here yesterday talked about not having a microwave, but there's also pots, pans, slow cooker, colanders, knives, spoons, etc. which can cost a couple hundred dollars in total. People who can barely afford the electric bill don't have a spare $20 to buy a crock pot nor do they have the money to drive around to thrift stores and yard sales to find these things.

[bluegirl147]

7 minutes ago, nokat said:

. I've never felt overburdened by social programs.

This is just my opinion but I think there are two types of people who complain about social programs. Those that want to benefit from them but don't qualify (I have a former friend who was like that) and those that think only people who are lazy are benefitting from them.  Even now after the ACA has been around for over 10 years there are still people who think those that use the ACA exchange are people who don't want to work.  I work full time (40 hrs a week) and make quite a bit more than minimum wage but my small business (currently 4 employees) doesn't offer health insurance.  If I changed jobs and did have insurance I would still want those that need it to use the ACA.   There is too much of once you climb up the ladder you pull it up so nobody can climb up after you going on. 

[Browncoat]

6 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

nor do they have the money to drive around to thrift stores and yard sales

And possibly not a car to drive around to thrift stores and yard sales.

[bluegirl147]

7 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

And then you have to add the cost of equipping a kitchen. I know someone on here yesterday talked about not having a microwave, but there's also pots, pans, slow cooker, colanders, knives, spoons, etc. which can cost a couple hundred dollars in total. People who can barely afford the electric bill don't have a spare $20 to buy a crock pot nor do they have the money to drive around to thrift stores and yard sales to find these things.

Each year I buy my son's family something for their kitchen. Last year it was the Drew Barrymore crock pot (which is really nice).  One year it was silverware set. One year it was dish set.  When you have all those things you take them for granted and lose sight of the fact not everyone does.

Edited 11 hours ago by bluegirl147

[nokat]

2 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

This is just my opinion but I think there are two types of people who complain about social programs. Those that want to benefit from them but don't qualify (I have a former friend who was like that) and those that think only people who are lazy are benefitting from them.  Even now after the ACA has been around for over 10 years there are still people who think those that use the ACA exchange are people who don't want to work.  I work full time (40 hrs a week) and make quite a bit more than minimum wage but my small business (currently 4 employees) doesn't offer health insurance.  If I changed jobs and did have insurance I would still want those that need it to use the ACA.   There is too much of once you climb up the ladder you pull it up so nobody can climb up after you going on. 

I use ACA. It's interesting that people have different opinions because they think it is Obamacare. I paid a lot for insurance the past year, and hope I can keep my affordable rate this year.

[Kemper]

I have a family member who votes Democratic; and has always been (now retired) a "blue-collar" worker. Factories, plants, etc. 

We were discussing the layoffs/firing of federal employees. He said that while he sympathizes, no one ever fought for him (or his co-workers) when they were fired/laid off. And I realized this is true. Then I thought about it and called him back. I told him that half the country was not cheering on his layoffs. Half the country was not cheering to see workers being left high and dry. They are thrilled. And this, to me, is the symbol of what we have become. 

[tres bien]

1 hour ago, krankydoodle said:

I saw that article yesterday (Washington Post gift link: She hoped Trump’s victory would change her life, but not like this). I've been reading the increasing number of posts in the leopards ate my face subreddit with a bit of grim satisfaction, but this story hit different--maybe because I'm also from Michigan or because some of the details are just so tragic: one of the poorest areas of the state being so pro-Trump, her family crowing about the federal job cuts, that she was sexually assaulted but held her nose and voted for him anyway because she was so desperate for the possibility of free IVF, etc. I don't know that I feel sorry for her, but I at least give her credit for agreeing to the article since she must be getting it from both sides now.

Interesting. The interview that I saw was  on CNN with Laura Coates

[bluegirl147]

30 minutes ago, Kemper said:

We were discussing the layoffs/firing of federal employees. He said that while he sympathizes, no one ever fought for him (or his co-workers) when they were fired/laid off. And I realized this is true. Then I thought about it and called him back. I told him that half the country was not cheering on his layoffs. Half the country was not cheering to see workers being left high and dry. They are thrilled. And this, to me, is the symbol of what we have become. 

I live in coal and steel country and I hear it all the time.  A lot of people lost their jobs over the past 30 years due to a changing market.  And while I did feel bad for them the arrogance a lot of them showed was very off putting.  They were offered continuing education to learn something that would enable them to find new employment but a lot of them refused. If I lose my job nobody is going to offer me free education to find another job. I think most people are outraged about federal workers losing their jobs because of how and why it happened and rightly so.

Edited 11 hours ago by bluegirl147

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, JustHereForFood said:

Nope, some of us are not finding the new wave of colonialism funny.

 I am sure that Hitler and the boys were yukking it up as they goosestepped through Europe.  The idea that the children and grandchildren of the men and women who fought to free Europe are now sitting back and laughing at the way Trump and his band of billionaires are talking about taking over sovereign nations is just appalling.

[Mollywolly555]

It seems that those who are critical of how the poor choose to use $, live their lives,  raise their children,  etc., are viewing them through the lens of their own abundance- filled environments, where common objects/provisions like microwaves and electricity and energy/ time between jobs and children's health needs are taken for granted, and thus out of their purview. They just don't get it. 

I wish that they cd live that life for 1 day to experience the stress, the lack, the exhaustion and physical aches, the fear and hopefully, then the awareness that comes with really being there.  

I taught in homeless shelters,  social justice centers, low income housing projects, public schools, youth detention centers, and WIC offices.

Poverty is a whole other world. Adding shame to the mix does not help. 

I don't understand how the so-called religious right are not more compassionate. Or those with more $. Or how corporations make extraordinary profits, yet only pay minimum wage and no benefits. 

[nokat]

8 minutes ago, Dimity said:

 I am sure that Hitler and the boys were yukking it up as they goosestepped through Europe.  The idea that the children and grandchildren of the men and women who fought to free Europe are now sitting back and laughing at the way Trump and his band of billionaires are talking about taking over sovereign nations is just appalling.

The whole "forget trade agreements" and then "Canada is the 51st state" is so appalling. I like that it was corrected from "Canadians are so nice" to "Canadians are civil and polite." A big difference there. I had to remind myself how big Canada is and looked at a map. 

 

[PRgal]

3 hours ago, Cementhead said:

Yes, he anointed himself "the father of IVF." You can't make this shit up.

Huh?  "Father of IVF" means the first person who made IVF possible, producing a live birth.  That happened in the UK, in the late 70s (first baby was born in 1978).  There's a Netflix movie about it, called Joy (the baby's name is Louise Joy Brown).  Plus, does Orange Man even know what IVF really is?  And those who believe that life begins at conception, well, does that mean all those embryos produced can't be frozen (my little guy was in the deep freeze for ~8-10 years before thawing.  The first baby born from that batch is in high school while the last one (that we know of) is a toddler). 

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

You are making a big assumption that everyone has a stove and/or electricity or gas. 

Also a big assumption about the price of chicken.  At least in my local grocery store a cooked rotisserie chicken is cheaper than a whole chicken.  And a whole lot cheaper than the healthier boneless, skinless chicken breasts I prefer to buy (when on sale).

Edited 10 hours ago by Dimity

[Cementhead]

16 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Huh?  "Father of IVF" means the first person who made IVF possible, producing a live birth. 

He said it, I didn't. 🤷‍♀️

https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-father-of-ivf-republican-party-abortion-rights-rcna175719

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/16/politics/ivf-donald-trump-abortion/index.html

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/10/16/2024-elections-live-coverage-updates-analysis/trump-father-of-ivf-enemy-within-00183982

ETA:  He also couldn't even say In vitro fertilization properly the few times I heard him try but I can't seem to find any links about that and I am trying.  He kept calling it something completely wrong.

Edited 10 hours ago by Cementhead

[nokat]

2 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Plus, does Orange Man even know what IVF really is?  And those who believe that life begins at conception, well, does that mean all those embryos produced can't be frozen (my little guy was in the deep freeze for ~8-10 years before thawing. 

I doubt he knows anything about women and their struggles with fertility. Or their right to choose what happens with their own body (birth control, etc.).

[bluegirl147]

3 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Huh?  "Father of IVF" means the first person who made IVF possible, producing a live birth.  That happened in the UK, in the late 70s (first baby was born in 1978).  There's a Netflix movie about it, called Joy (the baby's name is Louise Joy Brown).  Plus, does Orange Man even know what IVF really is?  And those who believe that life begins at conception, well, does that mean all those embryos produced can't be frozen (my little guy was in the deep freeze for ~8-10 years before thawing.  The first baby born from that batch is in high school while the last one (that we know of) is a toddler). 

Trump was pandering for votes. It was around the time an Alabama court ruled embryos were people and the fear was fertility treatments would stop IVF out of fear of being prosecuted for murder if something happened to an embryo.  Trump of course had to exploit the situation. 

2 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Also a big assumption about the price of chicken.  At least in my local grocery store a cooked rotisserie chicken is cheaper than a whole chicken.  And a whole lot cheaper than the healthier boneless, skinless chicken breasts I prefer to buy (when on sale).

It's true.  A coworker and I were just talking the other day about how it's cheaper to go out for a steak dinner than to make it at home.

[nokat]

2 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Also a big assumption about the price of chicken.  At least in my local grocery store a cooked rotisserie chicken is cheaper than a whole chicken.  And a whole lot cheaper than the healthier boneless, skinless chicken breasts I prefer to buy! 

I prefer the thighs, and get them on sale when I can. I have two packs in the freezer now. One will be butter chicken, the other may be fried. I've found pork to be the lowest cost lately. I also have blackberries imported from Mexico. I'll enjoy them while I can.

[Dimity]

12 minutes ago, nokat said:

I also have blackberries imported from Mexico. I'll enjoy them while I can.

Like a lot of Canadians I'm limiting as much as I possibly can making any purchases from US sources.  It's been a lot easier than I expected it to be at the grocery store.  I know the US economy isn't going to suffer because I buy my fruit from Mexico or South America but it's sure making me feel better!

[Bookish Jen]

15 hours ago, Browncoat said:

We have a food pantry on campus for our students, many of whom work full-time, and are parents in addition to taking classes.  The opposite of lazy.

This is a wonderful idea. There were a lot of older, non-traditional students at my school working full-time at my alma mater (I was one of them) and a lot of them were parents. A food pantry would have been an excellent addition to the campus. However, I do recall food drives.

Most students, both traditional and non-traditional, work while attending college. There was a time I was going to school full-time, working full-time, and working part-time as a tutor. Later, I became editor-in-chief of my college newspaper and was on the board of a prominent school organization while keeping up excellent grades and working. So, yes, there were times I was too busy and too damn tired to make a decent meal. But I dare anybody to call me lazy.

The lack of compassion towards people who are struggling makes me sick. During the first Trump administration, I was laid off of a job, and I had so much difficulty finding a new job. I could barely get an interview. Plus, I was dealing with undiagnosed health issues. I was relaying my struggles on another message board and was accused by some other posters of being a high school dropout and having a bunch of out-of-wedlock kids. The hell? 

I'm doing much better today. I have a good job. But I still have PTSD from that bout of unemployment. And having Trump back in the White House doesn't help things.

Anyway, there are things we can do in these trying times.

Practical Advice to Survive Trump's Second Term.

[bluegirl147]

20 minutes ago, Bookish Jen said:

I was relaying my struggles on another message board and was accused by some other posters of being a high school dropout and having a bunch of out-of-wedlock kids. The hell? 

For a lot of people the assumption is if someone is struggling it's because of something they did.  That they are responsible for their own misfortune.  How many times do we hear you have to pull  yourself up by your bootstraps? Kinda hard to do when you don't have boots.

Also when Republicans blame people using the safety net as the reason why our country is in massive debt and has a huge deficit they are doing that to deflect off one of the main reasons things are the way they are.  The massive income inequality that exists in this country and it is only getting worse. But they don't want to talk about that because it's their donors that are the driving force behind the income inequality.

Edited 10 hours ago by bluegirl147

[PRgal]

47 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Also a big assumption about the price of chicken.  At least in my local grocery store a cooked rotisserie chicken is cheaper than a whole chicken.  And a whole lot cheaper than the healthier boneless, skinless chicken breasts I prefer to buy (when on sale).

This is why I buy a 1 kg bag of frozen, boneless, skinless (and unseasoned) chicken!  Well, I mostly buy it in strip form, but I'll occasionally get larger ones.  The fully cooked chicken one finds at supermarkets tend to have a lot more sodium than I like.  And as you know, I do most of my groceries online.  One of the stores I use that does direct delivery (i.e. not through Instacart/Uber/DoorDash) will note the province a product is from for some items (e.g. produce).  With those greenhouses, I'm more or less able to get everything I want.  And I don't make rice at home (I know, shock and horror, not just from people here, but my ancestors), so no need to worry about rice from the US.

Edited 10 hours ago by PRgal

[Dimity]

4 minutes ago, PRgal said:

This is why I buy a 1 kg bag of frozen, boneless, skinless (and unseasoned) chicken! 

And this is a good point here.  Many ways to save are by making bulk purchases that end up being cheaper per serving in the long run.  But when you are struggling financially you just can't do this (and that's even assuming you have the freezer space to accommodate it!)

I remember watching a news item where someone was sneering at the way you can buy two rolls of TP or the really small containers of dish detergent and the like at places such as Dollarama and saying "see this is why poor people stay poor, they make stupid choices".  Another panelist had to point out that mostly if someone is buying these items at Dollarama for financial reasons then it's because they do not have the money to pay any more than that at the time.  

Buying in bulk or buying multiple items when they are on sale is smart but it also requires you to have the money in hand to do it.

[Makai]

12 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

Didn't Trump say he would make infertility treatments free? I mean obviously he was never going to do that but his voters tend to take whatever he says as gospel.

Hey, now. He did sign an executive order saying they are going to look into expanding access and reducing the cost of IVF. There is a plan to form the concept of a plan. 🤨😏 

10 hours ago, Browncoat said:

 

You are making a big assumption that everyone has a stove and/or electricity or gas.  People in my area are having to make choices between paying their electric bill and buying food, because electricity is expensive.

And for my own self, I am not "too damn lazy" to cook a chicken.  I am tired.  Exhausted, even.  And it takes quite a lot longer than 15 minutes to cook a whole chicken.  I'll take the already cooked one, thanks.

Yes! I can get the cooked whole chicken for $6 or $7 ($5 if I feel like going to Costco). Even when I can buy a raw one for less, when you add in the time spent cooking and the energy costs, I’m not saving anything. 

The summers where I am have long stretches of 100+ degree days. Easy meals that don’t require the oven have nothing to do with laziness. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Makai

[fastiller]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

 I am sure that Hitler and the boys were yukking it up as they goosestepped through Europe.  The idea that the children and grandchildren of the men and women who fought to free Europe are now sitting back and laughing at the way Trump and his band of billionaires are talking about taking over sovereign nations is just appalling.

Another fan of Maria Popova and the Marginalian!!!   I've found my people!

[kittykat]

Grocery prices have become so crazy that even the budget options have become too expensive.  When I was little and my mom was on a budget she'd buy whole fryers for .39 cents a lb (early/mid 90s) then fabricate them on the weekend and have bags of quarters, breasts, wings and make soup out of the carcasses.  But that takes time especially if people work on weekends. Plus whole chickens aren't nearly the deal they used to be. We had plenty of packaged foods on nights she worked late.  Top ramen, pasta/rice a Roni etc because it was ten for a dollar for the ramen and .99 for the others. When I was a teen she'd take out a package of chicken or beef and say "have at it" and that's pretty much how I learned to cook. But not everyone has the time especially if they're working multiple jobs.  Sure I can sit back and say "I did it so I expect everyone else to" because the problems of poverty are not one size fits all.  Everyone struggles differently.

The problem is that most of the so called cheap meals aren't even cheap anymore.  Cuts of meat like oxtail and short ribs are expensive now because of culinary fads that popularized them. Most packaged run 3/4$.  Whole chickens are maybe 2/3$ a pound and that's the sale price.

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, kittykat said:

The problem is that most of the so called cheap meals aren't even cheap anymore.  Cuts of meat like oxtail and short ribs are expensive now because of culinary fads that popularized them.

Remember the days when stewing beef was the cheap way to go?  At least around here, not anymore!  It's actually cheaper to wait for a sale on the cheaper cuts of steak and use that instead.

 

[PRgal]

Can we please not compare current prices to the 90s without factoring in the inflation?  Just a thought. 

[bluegirl147]

50 minutes ago, Makai said:

The summers where I am have long stretches of 100+ degree days. Easy meals that don’t require the oven have nothing to do with laziness. 

In the winter my electric bills is more than my car payment so I think twice about using my oven.

35 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Remember the days when stewing beef was the cheap way to go?  At least around here, not anymore!  It's actually cheaper to wait for a sale on the cheaper cuts of steak and use that instead.

 

I make beef vegetable soup and there is no way I'm buying stew meat. It's an outrageous price. I do what you do. Buy cheap steak and cut it up myself.

21 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Can we please not compare current prices to the 90s without factoring in the inflation?  Just a thought. 

It's not just inflation that is the problem. People's wages haven't kept pace with increased prices over the last 30 years.

[Lugal]

9 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Poverty isn't expensive. I've been there. You just have to learn how to put a chicken in the oven along with a few baked potatoes. But as I've already posted, these people are lazy. They want things ready-made handed to them on a silver platter. If they'd only learn to boil water, they could make a delicious and nutritious pasta primavera, which can be made with frozen veggies if they can't afford fresh. However, I've always found fresh veggies cheaper.

EVERYONE deserves to have pleasure in their life. They just need to STRIVE for it by learning how to cook and making healthy choices. It's not that difficult.

I'm so glad your experience with poverty worked out for you.  It doesn't for everyone.  Everyone's life is different.  Poverty is expensive when people have to pay over half their income in rent.  Falling back on the old standard of calling poor people lazy (and implying they're stupid as well), that's disappointing, but not surprising.  Poor people do work hard in hard jobs that do not sustain them.  Some even have to fight for their right to sit down.

And for the record, I know how to cook, and I cook most of my meals.  It takes time and energy.  A quick google search finds a pasta primavera recipe that takes about 30 minutes including prep and cook time (but doesn't factor in cleanup time).  A lot of people don't have that kind of time whether they're between shifts or just tired from standing for 8 or more hours.

As for teaching people nutrition and how to cook, considering Trump and Linda McMahon want to abolish the Dept. of Education, that would fly counter to that objective.

[Anela]

I was going to say something about food, health, supplements, prices, etc, but I need to do something else. I'm just going to mention that https://www.thenutritiontea.com/ is one of my favourite follows.

 

[Dimity]

28 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

It's not just inflation that is the problem. People's wages haven't kept pace with increased prices over the last 30 years.

A few years ago in my province they raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour.  The cries of outrage were heard all over.  How dare we give people at the bottom of the wage scale this kind of money.   People pretended to believe that most minimum wage earners were high school students who didn't need to make an actual living as they were just saving up for a bike or a nintendo game.   Well I don't know about anyone else but most of the retail workers I see are not high school age - and a disturbing number are like the woman I referenced earlier, someone in her late 70s who is working retail - no doubt socking away her earnings to pay for a cruise 🙄.

[Anela]

"We all have the same twenty-four hours":

https://www.instagram.com/thenutritiontea/p/DGilx2WRCML/?hl=en&img_index=3

[kittykat]

And as far as keeping up with inflation it's been proven time and time that wages have not kept up with prices.  Lower/middle classes had a lot more purchasing power then those do today.  Same with houses.  A house that cost 150k in 1995 is likely worth around 700-750 depending on where one lives but wages have not increased 5x for many. And I am in no way saying that people weren't struggling back then I know there's always been income inequality but the dividends much more extreme today.

There is also the loss of many lower priced third places. Video arcades, bargain movie theaters where one could still enjoy a little leisure on a budget are either disappearing or becoming too expensive.

Edited 7 hours ago by kittykat

[bluegirl147]

4 minutes ago, Dimity said:

A few years ago in my province they raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour.  The cries of outrage were heard all over.  How dare we give people at the bottom of the wage scale this kind of money.   People pretended to believe that most minimum wage earners were high school students who didn't need to make an actual living as they were just saving up for a bike or a nintendo game.   Well I don't know about anyone else but most of the retail workers I see are not high school age - and a disturbing number are like the woman I referenced earlier, someone in her late 70s who is working retail - no doubt socking away her earnings to pay for a cruise 🙄.

They think that in this country too.  That it's high school students working minimum wage jobs. Who do they think is doing those jobs when the kids are in school? We also hear if you raise the minimum wage it will force companies out of business.  I work for a small business and it's a company that provides a service people need and not everyone can afford it. So if people were making more money they probably would be able to afford it.  That's the thing with paying people more money.  They put it into the economy.  Usually their local economy. And that is good for everyone.

[suomi]

Trump and Vance Loudly Rebuke Zelensky in Oval Office

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance loudly berated President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Friday in an explosive televised shouting match unlike any seen in the Oval Office between an American president and foreign leader in modern times.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance castigated Mr. Zelensky for not being grateful enough for U.S. support in its war with Russia and sought to strong-arm him into making a peace deal on whatever terms the Americans dictate. With voices raised and tempers flaring, Mr. Trump threatened to abandon Ukraine altogether if Mr. Zelensky did not go along.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/28/us/trump-news

Zelenskyy 'disrespected the US' and 'not ready for peace,' Trump says

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/feb/28/volodymyr-zelenskyy-donald-trump-us-minerals-deal-russia-ukraine-live-news

 

Edited 7 hours ago by suomi

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, suomi said:

Trump and Vance Loudly Rebuke Zelensky in Oval Office

And just when I thought he couldn't be any more hateful...and "disrespected"?  Mob boss much?

[nokat]

Just now, Dimity said:

And just when I thought he couldn't be any more hateful...and "disrespected"?  Mob boss much?

They are pouring on the hatred for Zelenskyy. Anyone who isn't polishing their knobs is hateful/s. Anything out of their mouths is projection. If they accuse someone, they are doing it.

[bluegirl147]

1 minute ago, nokat said:

They are pouring on the hatred for Zelenskyy. Anyone who isn't polishing their knobs is hateful/s. Anything out of their mouths is projection. If they accuse someone, they are doing it.

He is going to alienate us from everyone but Russia. And make no mistake Russia is not our friend. He is such a fucking idiot and anyone who thinks this going to turn out well for anyone but Putin is an idiot too. 

[peacheslatour]

Dear god, I have never seen anything like this.

 

“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post after the clash.

“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump wrote.

The White House confirmed after the post that a bilateral press conference with Trump and Zelenskyy, scheduled for Friday afternoon, had been cancelled.

Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Trump and sign a deal to grant the United States access to some of Ukraine’s supply of critical minerals, a demand that has become central to Trump’s continuing support for Ukraine.

But the conversation took a sharp turn when Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful.

As the back-and-forth grew more heated, Trump, raising his voice to a near-shout, told Zelenskyy, “You’re gambling with World War III.”

The stunning press event went off the rails after Trump was asked about his posture toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Ukraine’s supporters criticize as being too friendly, versus Zelenskyy, whom he recently called a “dictator.”

After Trump said he was aligning himself with “both of them” in order to seek peace, Vance added that former President Joe Biden’s attacks against Putin only resulted in more fighting and destruction.

“The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance said.

Zelenskyy asked to respond to Vance, noting that Putin previously broke ceasefire agreements.

“What kind of diplomacy? JD, you are speaking about?” Zelenskyy said.

Vance shot back, “I’m talking diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country.” He then added, “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

Zelenskyy said, “During the war, everybody has problems, even you, but you have a nice ocean and don’t feel it now, but you will feel it in the future.”

Trump then interrupted him: “Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel, we’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel.”

“I’m not telling you ...” said the Ukrainian president.

“You’re in no position to dictate that. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re gonna feel,” Trump said.

Raising his voice, the president said, “You don’t have the cards right now ... you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country.”

[tres bien]

They have embarrassed America 

[JustHereForFood]

There are no words.

 

[PRgal]

Just now, tres bien said:

They have embarrassed America 

And I don't even think they realized that.

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, JustHereForFood said:

There are no words.

 

It is a faint hope but Congress and the Senate should be making it clear that Trump does not speak for America.