The Duggalos: Jinger and the Holy Goalie

[Jeeves]

I don't snark about Jeremy getting whatever religious books he wants or needs, for his courses or his own reading. But his SM preening about his new toys is somewhat snarkable IMO. 

As mentioned, Derick has no doubt acquired some hefty tomes in the course of law school, and maybe a few of them aren't even as undistinguished-looking as I recall my law school books to have been. But I don't recall Derick preening with his law books on social media. I think the most we've seen was Jill posting a photo of the room that they set up as his home office/study when they moved into that house. IIRC it wasn't anything over-the-top, just a nice room for him, which I'm sure was a godsend during lockdown. 

[DangerousMinds]

2 hours ago, leighdear said:

So Jeremy, who's studying to become a preacher, can't have religious books.  But Derrick, who's studying to become a lawyer, is allowed to have legal books. 

Interesting.  

No one said he couldn’t have them 🤷‍♀️.

[iwantcookies]

Jeremy posted a few pics of food /shoes

If you care to look 🤣

[iwantcookies]

[emmawoodhouse]

When does this dude matriculate or work? These were posted about 2pm CA time. 

[iwantcookies]

18 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

When does this dude matriculate or work? These were posted about 2pm CA time. 

I don’t think he works 

[ginger90]

[madpsych78]

12 hours ago, leighdear said:

So Jeremy, who's studying to become a preacher, can't have religious books.  But Derrick, who's studying to become a lawyer, is allowed to have legal books. 

Interesting.  

Derick doesn't pose excessively with his books and post on IG.

Jeremy just poses excessively because he is a poser. And, it isn't even about religious books. He's just posting random shit.

[BetyBee]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

"Can't explore too much, Lissy. Daddy doesn't want to get his shoes dirty."

[GeeGolly]

Comparing Derick's and Jeremy's posts are like comparing apples and oranges. Derick typically posts hate and Jeremy typically posts shiny things.

[laurakaye]

13 hours ago, leighdear said:

So Jeremy, who's studying to become a preacher, can't have religious books.  But Derrick, who's studying to become a lawyer, is allowed to have legal books. 

Interesting.  

I commented on the books because I never actually see him reading or studying.  What I do see is lots and lots of selfies, pictures of coffee, cheeseburgers, shoes, his LA hat and the ocean.  Plus he's a seminary student living rent-free for reasons that I still don't understand.  If he's actually a student, we'd never know it from what he posts.  Books are only good if they're opened and read, not just displayed.  I find it weird that rather than try to come across as an influencer, he isn't posting pictures of himself studying and making sure that whoever gave him a place to live sees that he's taking his studies seriously.  Instead he comes across as a guy who thinks doors are going to open to him just because he eats fancy tacos and believes that he has charisma to spare.  Most adult students with a wife and two kids aren't living the high life in LA with all the free time in the world.

As dorky as Jill's "look at Derrick study!" photos are, at least we see that he's actually doing the work.  I really don't know what Jeremy does all day other than eat.

Edited March 23, 2021 by laurakaye

[emma675]

19 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

I really don't know what Jeremy does all day other than eat.

Let's be fair, he also walks copious miles daily looking for the perfect spot for his next selfie.

[ginger90]

I don’t care how many books he has, or how educated he is on paper. There are educated idiots everywhere.

[leighdear]

2 hours ago, madpsych78 said:

Derick doesn't pose excessively with his books and post on IG.

My mistake.  It's Jill that poses excessively with all the free swag the leghumpers send to her PO box, and the clothing she obviously gets free from somebody, while asking her stupid, rhetorical questions.  

Since Jinger is tarred with the same brush used on Jeremy, I figure Deertick was fair game as well, even when Jill is the one actually doing the begging.  

[emma675]

1 hour ago, leighdear said:

My mistake.  It's Jill that poses excessively with all the free swag the leghumpers send to her PO box, and the clothing she obviously gets free from somebody, while asking her stupid, rhetorical questions.  

Since Jinger is tarred with the same brush used on Jeremy, I figure Deertick was fair game as well, even when Jill is the one actually doing the begging.  

I wouldn't necessarily say Jill is asking stupid, rhetorical questions. She's trying, in her very clueless, naive way, to get engagement on her posts. Which is a critical function to create overall awareness of their brand, get more exposure and clicks, and ultimately end up with more revenue from their social channels. She sucks at it, but she tries and it feels like she tries to relate to her followers. In my eyes, Jinger and RFP suck just as much and don't even attempt to try half the time. RFP's posts seem like they are trying to be aspirational and high brow, but I feel like his audience is not. He is not good with thinking about his followers and what content would feel relatable to them (or his advisors aren't). There is so much they could be doing or doing better, especially leading up to a book launch, but they aren't. 

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, emma675 said:

There is so much they could be doing or doing better, especially leading up to a book launch, but they aren't. 

Like even just wearing their own hats with their own brand on it in pictures! I mean, it's Marketing 101, the most basic thing they could do, and they still can't do that. 

[rue721]

I feel like whatever is going on with Jeremy is more than just a marketing failure. Maybe Jeremy has been told he doesn't have the chops to be a preacher after all, or something else happened at the Seminary that's eating at him and making him rethink his plans. And I really don't know why, but quarantine seems to have been really hard on them, especially on him. He seems to have gone into a mental health tailspin that gets worse the longer the pandemic goes on. Maybe the truth is that he's just not that emotionally resilient.

[Zella]

11 minutes ago, rue721 said:

quarantine seems to have been really hard on them, especially on him. He seems to have gone into a mental health tailspin that gets worse the longer the pandemic goes on. Maybe the truth is that he's just not that emotionally resilient.

I think Jeremy is happiest when he is going to hipster places to eat things and try on clothing, and the lockdown preventing this--and reopening becoming a heated issue--was hard for him to handle. He couldn't do the things he likes to do, and even once he was doing that, he was having to choose between not following the rules and getting called out for it or following the rules and getting called out for it. I don't think he can handle conflict very well, and I've always gotten the vibe that he very much wants to be liked. For him, then, being able to do the things he likes to do in a limited capacity but with the knowledge that it was going to lead to conflict one way or another wasn't very beneficial for him, either. 

Oh and throw in a new baby, so the logistics of dragging Jinger along for eating things and trying on clothing also becomes more complicated and potentially fraught with tension if the baby is fussy or Jinger doesn't want to go because she's exhausted. 

If someone at the seminary has actually told him he is not preacher material, that bit of honesty is probably the greatest gift he could have received. He is very ill-suited to that career, for many reasons. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Zella

[Churchhoney]

30 minutes ago, rue721 said:

I feel like whatever is going on with Jeremy is more than just a marketing failure. Maybe Jeremy has been told he doesn't have the chops to be a preacher after all, or something else happened at the Seminary that's eating at him and making him rethink his plans. And I really don't know why, but quarantine seems to have been really hard on them, especially on him. He seems to have gone into a mental health tailspin that gets worse the longer the pandemic goes on. Maybe the truth is that he's just not that emotionally resilient.

Interesting thought. He's said in the past that when he was cut from the New York Bulls, he went into a bit of a tailspin. Always hard to know how seriously to take anybody when they describe that kind of thing, since one person's tailspin may look like somebody else's minor upset, but still...

I think Jer described just hanging around his parents' house sleeping all the time after he left the Bulls. As I recall, Chuck kind of took the lead and found some opportunities for him in Texas, on the minor-league soccer team and with Tim Conway's San Antonio Grace Church,. And then I think maybe Chuck actually drove Jer to Texas to get him started? 

So -- while I may be misremembering or his story may overstate the case, it's possible resiliency is an issue for him....He is the baby of his family and I think has been pretty cherished on that account. Largely homeschooled. Possible he's just never had much experience with struggling and recovering....

Edited March 23, 2021 by Churchhoney

[Zella]

3 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Interesting thought. He's said in the past that when he was cut from the New York Bulls, he went into a bit of tailspin. Always hard to know how seriously to take anybody when they describe that kind of thing, since once person's tailspin may look like somebody else's minor upset.

I think Jer described just hanging around his parents' house sleeping all the time after that. As I recall, Chuck kind of took the lead and found some opportunities for him in Texas, on the minor-league soccer team and with Tim Conway's San Antonio Grace Church, and then maybe actually drove Jer to Texas to get him started. 

So -- while I may be misremembering or his story may overstate the case, it's possible resiliency is an issue for him....

I didn't realize this. That was probably the first time in life that he'd ever failed, and it doesn't sound like he is well equipped to handle failure or things not panning out how he expects.

I wonder if his dad is already plotting a backup plan for him again or if he's told him that he's a family of four now and needs to learn to sink or swim. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Zella

[Churchhoney]

28 minutes ago, Zella said:

I didn't realize this. That was probably the first time in life that he'd ever failed, and it doesn't sound like he is well equipped to handle failure or things not panning out how he expects.

I wonder if his dad is already plotting a backup plan for him again or if he's told him that he's a family of four now and needs to learn to sink or swim. 

I think it's hard to escape seeing Jer as somebody with very high hopes, aspirations for himself, expectations in life. But big aspirations and expectations can be especially crushing when they're not met, I think. 

 He might be better off changing to my lifelong motto: Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall never be disappointed. 😁

Edited March 23, 2021 by Churchhoney

[Zella]

11 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

I think it's hard to escape seeing Jer as somebody with very high hopes, aspirations for himself, expectations in life. But big aspirations and expectations can be especially crushing when they're not met, I think. 

 He might be better off changing to my lifelong motto: Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall never be disappointed. 😁

"Blessed are the meek, who do not show off their sneakers."

[DangerousMinds]

7 hours ago, leighdear said:

My mistake.  It's Jill that poses excessively with all the free swag the leghumpers send to her PO box, and the clothing she obviously gets free from somebody, while asking her stupid, rhetorical questions.  

Since Jinger is tarred with the same brush used on Jeremy, I figure Deertick was fair game as well, even when Jill is the one actually doing the begging.  

Jill also gets a lot of criticism here.

[DangerousMinds]

I don’t think the pandemic changed Jeremy’s life in a huge way. 🤷‍♀️

[GeeGolly]

I think its fair to say none of the Duggars will be winning any prizes for their SM content.

Jeremy is bougie and so is Jinger, Jill is awkward and bland, Derick is mean, Jessa is fake, Ben hardly posts, but was arrogant, Jana does feminine product print ads, Joy is, is trying, Austin is redneck, Anna is Fundy, and Joe and Kendra do obligatory stay relevant posts.

Really not much to see, but plenty to snark about.

[DangerousMinds]

Jill also seems to somewhat care about the responses she gets from her SM posts. She seems authentic. I doubt Jinger even reads the responses on hers 🤷‍♀️. Jill also actually cooks and posts awkward pictures of It. Jinger poses and only pretends to cook, so IMO is a big liar.

Edited March 23, 2021 by DangerousMinds

[iwantcookies]

Thanks now I want waffles 🧇🤣

[BigBingerBro]

[GeeGolly]

10 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

Big hard no on this one. I have never, in all our years of marriage, offered to make my husband a meal when I was going out. Grow up Matt. Grow up Jeremy. And stop being so sexist, you assholes.

[ginger90]

[Churchhoney]

This gang is not just sexist but still adamant about not giving any quarter to acceptance of homosexuality. 

Jer's social-media friend Matt Moore, a pastor (apparently Calvinist) in Minnesota, polled pastors on whether they'd baptize or accept as church members someone who believed in all the basic tenets of Calvinism but also believed that God approves of same sex relationships and that the Bible interpretations by those who say he hates those relationships are wrong. 

By and large, the pastors crapped all over the idea that someone should be baptized or allowed in their churches who believes that God accepts homosexuality as okay. In other words, if you believe God may think homosexuality is okay,  then you're fit only for hell. Nice. 

Matt Moore

@onemoorematt

Pastors, would you baptize and/or accept into membership a person who believes:

•salvation is by grace through faith in the resurrected Son of God

•the Bible is true

•God approves of same sex relationships (and that traditional interpretations of certain texts are wrong)

Yes      7%     (272 people were polled, so this translates to      19 YESes, okay to baptize and accept as members)  

No      36%    (   98 NOs, would not baptize or accept as members  )

"I'm not a pastor but I want to see the results" -- 57%, or 155, of those responding, weren't pastors but tire kickers and so could state no opinion. 

One of Matt's pastor buddies notes (in effect) that the current Calvinist pastors and theologians in this crew are always right in their interpretation of scripture, including the "God hates homosexuality and also hates anybody who accepts it as okay!" interpretation.

And thus the real reason you shouldn't baptize the people described is that they REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE PASTORS' AUTHORITY AND MONOPOLY ON WHAT IS CORRECT!!!  NICE.        Matt responds that he agrees with Pastor Tim here. (Likely that these are all Master's Seminary grads, since Jer's buddying up and sucking up to one of them.)

Pastor Tim

@perplexedeva

Replying to @onemoorematt

The question could be worded, “Would you baptize and/or accept into membership someone who affirms the first two points, but persists in embracing a stance/practice contrary to Christ even when lovingly shown the Scripture’s teaching?” The issue isn’t whether or not people get things wrong, but whether, when the Spirit reveals something, you embrace it or reject it. So, someone could be a Christian and not really know anything about the doctrine of the Trinity. But if, when taught, denies and rejects Jesus or the Spirit as God, we’ve got a problem.

They could not be more arrogant and condescending (and we can remember, also, that no women are allowed to be pastors, so part of this is being arrogant and condescending toward the entire sex that they aren't.)

These guys REALLY love that MacArthur teaching about how the actual true total meaning of God and Jesus channels right through their mouths and spills out on the world -- who therefore must accept it as truth. Since they're pastors through whom God speaks directly. Geez. 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Churchhoney

[Tikichick]

On 3/22/2021 at 11:56 AM, Zella said:

If Jeremy were smart, instead of alienating his current classmates by constantly rubbing in how he is a favorite of Mac Daddy and TPTB, he would spend more time networking with his peers or at least trying to make an effort to build a relationship with them. Because if his relationship with Mac Daddy inevitably sours and he is cut off from the good old boys club, I doubt his classmates he has ignored for years at this point are going to rush to his aid either. 

It's really interesting when you step back and consider Jeremy's past and career as a soccer player, a team sport.   Generally a background like that does manage to impart the lessons of the importance of working and cooperating with those around you. 

[Zella]

I don't believe for a minute that Jinger actually has friends she goes out with that ever necessitates leaving Babe behind to fend for himself. 

[Snow Fairy]

Instead of "dinner with a friend" Jinger probably has "putting kids to  bed/doing something with the kids"

[Zella]

10 minutes ago, Snow Fairy said:

Instead of "dinner with a friend" Jinger probably has "putting kids to  bed/doing something with the kids"

That's what I was thinking. "While my woman wrestles our offspring single-handedly, this is how I forage when I'm not up to treating myself to some gourmet eats in L.A. Did you guys all catch that I live in L.A.?" 

[BitterApple]

One, I don't believe Jinger goes out with friends. Two, I don't believe she does much, if any, cooking. They're always in restaurants or ordering takeout. 

[Zella]

35 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

One, I don't believe Jinger goes out with friends. Two, I don't believe she does much, if any, cooking. They're always in restaurants or ordering takeout. 

Agreed. And when she does "cook," she doesn't come across like she knows what she is doing, and it looks very staged. I still am baffled by those sleeves she wore to cook/bake.

If anything, it is psychologically interesting to me that he felt the need to jump in and act like this is his lived experience when everything suggests it isn't. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Zella

[Tikichick]

32 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

One, I don't believe Jinger goes out with friends. Two, I don't believe she does much, if any, cooking. They're always in restaurants or ordering takeout. 

Which in a certain sense I would want to be supportive of, so that the sum total of her existence doesn't in fact boil down to being bare foot (or fancy sneaker clad) in the kitchen while tending babies.

On the other hand I worry that it might not be the best way to demonstrate healthy eating for their children, and I cannot imagine the finances necessary to sustain the lifestyle.   

[Zella]

1 minute ago, Tikichick said:

Which in a certain sense I would want to be supportive of, so that the sum total of her existence doesn't in fact boil down to being bare foot (or fancy sneaker clad) in the kitchen while tending babies.

On the other hand I worry that it might not be the best way to demonstrate healthy eating for their children, and I cannot imagine the finances necessary to sustain the lifestyle.   

I get the impression it embarrasses them that she is bad at it more than a conscious empowerment decision, and that's why they stopped taking fake pictures of Jinger "cooking." I can't fathom how they afford eating out as much as they do, and it doesn't look like they're ordering the healthiest stuff on the menu, either. 

[DangerousMinds]

6 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Big hard no on this one. I have never, in all our years of marriage, offered to make my husband a meal when I was going out. Grow up Matt. Grow up Jeremy. And stop being so sexist, you assholes.

Also, I don’t think Jinger cooks for him every night when she is home. And when does she EVER go out in the evening without him?

[laurakaye]

3 hours ago, BitterApple said:

One, I don't believe Jinger goes out with friends. Two, I don't believe she does much, if any, cooking. They're always in restaurants or ordering takeout. 

WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FOR THIS?!???/#^$*

Sorry for raising my computer voice....but I am married with two grown kids.  My husband and I both work full time and we eat out maybe twice a month because it's expensive.  How are they paying for this?  Did Johnny Mac also give Jeremy a gold-plated VISA card along with a free house?  What services is Jeremy rendering for his benefactor in exchange?  This is all so weird and infuriating.

And are we to believe, from Jeremy's bag of take-out, that Jinger somehow left him to his own devices and rather than make a grilled cheese he ordered $68 worth of "Salt and Straw," including what looks to be a container of dessert?  I just can't wrap my mind around their no-job having extravagant LA lifestyle.

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by laurakaye

[iwantcookies]

I think Jinger cooks but her food probably looks like slop.

[ginger90]

4 hours ago, Tikichick said:

It's really interesting when you step back and consider Jeremy's past and career as a soccer player, a team sport.   Generally a background like that does manage to impart the lessons of the importance of working and cooperating with those around you. 

 

Not to diss goalies, my daughter was one.......The ball had to get by everyone before Jeremy had to play it. Last line of defense, and all that. He would have directed players, not really been in the mix until it was almost, or totally too late. 
 

Makes me think about many of his endeavors.

[Churchhoney]

24 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FOR THIS?!???/#^$*

Sorry for raising my computer voice....but I am married with two grown kids.  My husband and I both work full time and we eat out maybe twice a month because it's expensive.  How are they paying for this?  Did Johnny Mac also give Jeremy a gold-plated VISA card along with a free house?  What services is Jeremy rendering for his benefactor in exchange?  This is all so weird and infuriating.

And are we to believe, from Jeremy's bag of take-out, that Jinger somehow left him to his own devices and rather than make a grilled cheese he ordered $68 worth of "Salt and Straw," including what looks to be a container of dessert?  I just can't wrap my mind around their no-job having extravagant LA lifestyle.

 

I second your bafflement. 

His particular bag there is all ice cream,.

I expect it's an "influencer" freebie for spreading the word to his hundreds of thousands (and Jingle's million-plus) followers. Salt & Straw started in Portland, Oregon, and they seem to be very gradually expanding nationally, so I expect they find borrowing the many social-media followers of just about anyone to be a good deal to help with that effort.  Much cheaper than advertising a lot in major-media markets. (So far,  their only non-West-coast location is Miami, though)

Their ice cream is pricey as heck. You can get a sack with five pints, your choice of flavors, for $65. Yep -- 13 bucks a pint.....There's a slight discount on a 7-pack sack, which you can get for $75. They obviously want only a  pretty well-off clientele.  But if you've got more than half a million followers there are probably some people in there who'll buy these people's ice cream and possibly get hooked on it. 

They're big on unique and/or trendy flavors. So that explains why Jer and Jingle are so attracted to them, I think.  Stuff like Honey Lavender and Pear & Blue Cheese. Corn-Flake Cookies with Marionberry Jam (Oregon!). Etc. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Churchhoney

[rue721]

Jeremy is living on debt. Student loans alone could be putting $40-50K into his bank account every year, and what do you bet that when loan money arrives in his account at the beginning of the semester, he spends it like it's going out of style? And that's on top of his credit cards, of which I'm sure he has many.

There is also cash from the house sale and possibly from his job at the Seminary, but I think that's going to pay monthly minimums and other bills that can't go on credit cards. This doesn't look like a family living off savings, to me.

It also doesn't shock me that he has the ability to access enough debt to live like a king as a student, although it does somewhat shock me how irresponsible this spending is.

[Temperance]

On 3/22/2021 at 11:56 AM, Zella said:

If Jeremy were smart, instead of alienating his current classmates by constantly rubbing in how he is a favorite of Mac Daddy and TPTB, he would spend more time networking with his peers or at least trying to make an effort to build a relationship with them. Because if his relationship with Mac Daddy inevitably sours and he is cut off from the good old boys club, I doubt his classmates he has ignored for years at this point are going to rush to his aid either. 

Okay I have to say that I think MacArthur runs The Masters Seminary (bad name for a school) like a combination of Survivor and Lord of the Flies.  It wouldn't surprise me if the seminarians are pitted against each other. It's based on the articles of all the turnover and people coming and leaving. In terms of networking, that makes networking dangerous, but one day that person is in favor and the next day that person is persona non grata and never coming back.  (We had enough crazy administration issues when I was in college and that was at secular university with no MacArthur at the head of the school.)

While in general, I think Jeremy is somewhat of a slacker, I wouldn't totally blame him if the Seminary doesn't work out.  MacArthur seems like a flake, four years seems like a long time for Masters where you aren't taking a class or two at a time, etc. 

I think possibly the Vuolos are having more drama from the school than we know. I also think Evangeline Jo may be a fussier baby than Felicity and having two kids is more work than they thought. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Temperance

[Churchhoney]

2 hours ago, rue721 said:

Jeremy is living on debt. Student loans alone could be putting $40-50K into his bank account every year, and what do you bet that when loan money arrives in his account at the beginning of the semester, he spends it like it's going out of style? And that's on top of his credit cards, of which I'm sure he has many.

There is also cash from the house sale and possibly from his job at the Seminary, but I think that's going to pay monthly minimums and other bills that can't go on credit cards. This doesn't look like a family living off savings, to me.

It also doesn't shock me that he has the ability to access enough debt to live like a king as a student, although it does somewhat shock me how irresponsible this spending is.

I'm  sure he does spend everything he gets pretty instantly. 

I think he probably is getting a free ride on his tuition, though, so he may not have much or any borrowing to do for that. A big donor, Richard Mahue, who retired from being an administrator at the seminary a few years ago and who's held various significant jobs in the Master's-Sem-Brand-Calvinism world, gives a full scholarship to about 10 percent of each class in Jer's program.....

So I'm sure Jer sycophanted his way into that. (leaving a large number of more effective students -- and potentially better future pastors -- to go into debt without even being profligate spenders, of course...) 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Churchhoney

[Temperance]

On 3/23/2021 at 8:54 AM, GeeGolly said:

Comparing Derick's and Jeremy's posts are like comparing apples and oranges. Derick typically posts hate and Jeremy typically posts shiny things.

Derick hasn't posted "hate" in a long time. All of these people are hateful towards the LGBTQ community including the sweet ones like Joy and Austin or Joe and Kendra or even JB and Michelle. 

[MargeGunderson]

38 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

WHERE DO THEY GET THE MONEY FOR THIS?!???/#^$*

Sorry for raising my computer voice....but I am married with two grown kids.  My husband and I both work full time and we eat out maybe twice a month because it's expensive.  How are they paying for this?  Did Johnny Mac also give Jeremy a gold-plated VISA card along with a free house?  What services is Jeremy rendering for his benefactor in exchange?  This is all so weird and infuriating.

And are we to believe, from Jeremy's bag of take-out, that Jinger somehow left him to his own devices and rather than make a grilled cheese he ordered $68 worth of "Salt and Straw," including what looks to be a container of dessert?  I just can't wrap my mind around their no-job having extravagant LA lifestyle.

 

Housing costs are usually the biggest item in a couples budget, so their free housing means that there is extra money. I doubt they are paying much in taxes, or are saving/putting money away for retirement. I bet they are spending about every penny that they get.

[BitterApple]

6 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

Housing costs are usually the biggest item in a couples budget, so their free housing means that there is extra money. I doubt they are paying much in taxes, or are saving/putting money away for retirement. I bet they are spending about every penny that they get.

That's what I tend to think as well. I'm assuming they got the stimulus money and are blowing every penny. 

Interesting that Salt and Straw originated in Portland. Isn't that area known for leaning very Liberal? If so, the Vuolos are an interesting choice to donate free product.