Berkley RV homeless

Homelessness, street people, beggars etc in the US are just more symptoms of much greater problems in are culture. I fined it interesting that there are other countries not as wealthy as the US who seem to have this symptoms under control. It's a lot to unwrap and at some point along that journey it may even become personal, but there all just symptoms.

Just food for thought.

Tom

As already stated, the problem exists in every state. We are hosting at a county park in MN while doing our doctoring at the Mayo Clinic. In the short time we have been here, we have had five families living out of a tent or two. In three families one or both adults were working although not making a lot of money. One family had two autistic children that they had to leave alone while they worked, age 14 and 18. As said, there are hundreds of stories no two the same.

Becks said:

As already stated, the problem exists in every state. We are hosting at a county park in MN while doing our doctoring at the Mayo Clinic. In the short time we have been here, we have had five families living out of a tent or two. In three families one or both adults were working although not making a lot of money. One family had two autistic children that they had to leave alone while they worked, age 14 and 18. As said, there are hundreds of stories no two the same.

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We love the Mayo Clinic. I had my surgery there and follow up for chondro sarcoma. Best hospital and staff in the world.

Lou Schneider said:

Or four, food outlets will figure out how to produce the same product using fewer workers preserving their price point while leading to the loss of more minimum wage jobs.  This is already happening, in areas that have raised the minimum wage McDonald's is installing touchscreen kiosks in their restaurants instead of paying people to run the cash registers and at least one company has demonstrated an automated hamburger fryer and assembler. Now running in a San Francisco hamburger joint, it produces customized hamburgers from bun and patty to finished product untouched by human hands.

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One way to raise wages is to eliminate low paying jobs.

Oldgator73 said:

It says cheese on the box so it must be cheese. How would you make cheese dip and nachos w/o Velveeta?

The best TP is the one in your hand. Nothing worse than finishing your job and finding there is no paperwork to turn in.

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should have been two thumbs up -stoopid iphone

garyb1st said:

Inflation is one element.  But there are other considerations.  The cost of education, health care and home ownership.  When I went to the University of Minnesota, 1961, tuition was $67.00 a quarter.

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THose costs are factors in inflation.  as is housing cost.

The fact is minimum wage has not gone up in most of the country since the 1970's but Maximum wave (the income of the Corporate big wigs) is now many times what it was back then. Even as far back as the 1980's no less than Isaac Asimov, who was in fact a doctor of practically everything (Takes less time to list what he was NOT a doctor of) wrote on how managers were a whole lot better off and labor was struggling. and it has continued to get worse.

Way worse.

John From Detroit said:

Maximum wave (the income of the Corporate big wigs) is now many times what it was back then.

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It's not only Corporate executives, it's athletes, entertainers and and in many cases news casters whose incomes have reached unbelievable heights.  Is LeBron really worth $33+ million a year?  Is Hannity's OPINION worth $36 million a year?  Is Robert Downy Jr. worth $50 million for one movie?  What about two at $50 million per?  Where does the money come from?  And what about the guys who support these celebrities?  Are they making millions?  Certainly the key executives, the owners, the money men.  But the regular guys.  Guys like you and me.  Guys that make it happen.  What do they make?  One of my neighbors makes maybe $10 - 12.00 an hour as an extra.  Another probably makes nothing as a stand up comic.  I guess they're hoping for that big break.  But honestly, the overwhelming number of actors need to work as bar tenders or tour guides or whatever to make ends meet.  And I'm sure most of those guys serving hot dogs and beer at those big events are driving Lexus and Mercedes automobiles. 

Why don't we have an issue with these distorted numbers?  We complain about those that don't work and pay their way.  But we don't seem to have a problem supporting the few who have more than anyone ever dreamed of.  Honestly I don't get it. 

garyb1st said:

Is LeBron really worth $33+ million a year?  Is Hannity's OPINION worth $36 million a year? (Wouldn't give 2 cents) Is Robert Downy Jr. worth $50 million for one movie?  What about two at $50 million per?  Where does the money come from? 

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Comes from us Gary, every time we watch or go to a game or movie. If no one listened to Hannity he wouldn't have two nickles to rub together. (I don't BTW, nor any other 'talking head' - I could care less what their opinion is about anything, in fact I find the whole high-pitched banter format very irritating).

Here in western NewYork I'd bet 9 out of 10 contractors are looking for people. All the unions have problems finding apprentices.
Pretty good weather 7 months out of the year. Housing costs are reasonable. Taxes are high but wages are decent.

John From Detroit said:

THose costs are factors in inflation.  as is housing cost.

The fact is minimum wage has not gone up in most of the country since the 1970's

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The Federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25/hr in 2009. Most states and some cities have a much higher minimum wage.

Robert K said:

Here in western NewYork I'd bet 9 out of 10 contractors are looking for people. All the unions have problems finding apprentices.
Pretty good weather 7 months out of the year. Housing costs are reasonable. Taxes are high but wages are decent.

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Pay the money, and they will come.

I know there is not a 'one size' fits all answer. 

Quick story (well, maybe not).  :

A guy that worked for me at my home was responsible for outside maintenance and starting my cars when I was out of town.  He worked great for 7-8 yrs.  Very reliable, he had a nice clientele and stayed busy.

A good friend of his was killed in a head-on car wreck.  He left my maintenance guy (we'll call him 'T') his house ($450,000 value with a $180,000 loan) and $250,000 cash in the bank.  That was an excellent windfall for someone like 'T'.  He could certainly afford the house payment and at the age of 49-50, this was a perfect nest egg for his future.  Before this, 'T' rented a room from friends which was perfect since he was single and could save money.

Well, 'T' had this big idea that he could retire.  I wanted so bad to give my opinion but he didn't ask for it.  I saw the train coming down the tracks.  Friends of his told him to keep a couple of jobs just to off-set expenses.  He didn't.  'T was going through the dough faster than you could eat a Krispy Creme donut.

Eventually, he lost the house and went through all the money.  A year or so later, I saw him pushing a basket down the street.  I made a U-turn and parked along the curb to make sure that it was 'T' and it was.  He saw me and we said hello, etc., and he told me that he was homeless.  At this point, he looked OK so I gave him $100 and wished him the best.  Never saw him again.

M.

Sun2Retire said:

Comes from us Gary, every time we watch or go to a game or movie. If no one listened to Hannity he wouldn't have two nickles to rub together. (I don't BTW, nor any other 'talking head' - I could care less what their opinion is about anything, in fact I find the whole high-pitched banter format very irritating).

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Agree on the sports stuff.  Don't understand why and wish their was a way to organize the viewers.  The Hannity thing is beyond my comprehension.  I used to enjoy listening once in a while because I found the discussions pretty amusing.  But apparently a significant portion of the population think they're actually listening to the news. 

I do not want to come off as preaching but I do have to say something that is relevant to this discussion.

When you help someone or give something to someone to help them out you are really helping yourself.

There will be some that will take advantage of the situation. but that is on them.

Just do what you think is the right thing to do.

HueyPilotVN said:

I do not want to come off as preaching but I do have to say something that is relevant to this discussion.

When you help someone or give something to someone to help them out you are really helping yourself.

There will be some that will take advantage of the situation. but that is on them.

Just do what you think is the right thing to do.

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) ) )

Well said Bill.

HueyPilotVN said:

I do not want to come off as preaching but I do have to say something that is relevant to this discussion.

When you help someone or give something to someone to help them out you are really helping yourself.

There will be some that will take advantage of the situation. but that is on them.

Just do what you think is the right thing to do.

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Thank you...

    It seems everyone has an opinion on this, mine has been influenced by of all people, my ex-wife. She had a well paying job as manager of a local credit union, then something snapped in her head and shortly she was having anxiety attacks, lost her job, home and was living on the streets. She was sleeping behind the bus stop bench across from a 7-11 that would give her handouts.It's illegal to sleep ON the bench therefore she slept behind it.
    Someone donated a tent but the local popo removed the camp she was staying in so back on the street. Her sister and one son tried to help, they got her a job and housing but she never showed up for the job and because of that she lost the housing. They took her in but if she is not on her meds she is totally unpredictable and soon ran away to sleep outside again.
  Last attempt was recently when she found out her previous breast cancer had occurred and was attaching itself to her spine. Her sister was setup to take her in but that fell thru also...
  NO drugs of any kind, she wont even take cannabis which would help her, NO alcohol, she never did drink and still doesn't. She is just having anxiety attack severe enough to mess up her life and alter her thinking. Her meds help but apparently the side effects and cost are a factor. 
  So...consider her plight along with the PTSD of others when making you determination of how "lazy" they are, I would hate to live in her head.

catblaster said:

    It seems everyone has an opinion on this, mine has been influenced by of all people, my ex-wife. She had a well paying job as manager of a local credit union, then something snapped in her head and shortly she was having anxiety attacks, lost her job, home and was living on the streets. She was sleeping behind the bus stop bench across from a 7-11 that would give her handouts.It's illegal to sleep ON the bench therefore she slept behind it.
    Someone donated a tent but the local popo removed the camp she was staying in so back on the street. Her sister and one son tried to help, they got her a job and housing but she never showed up for the job and because of that she lost the housing. They took her in but if she is not on her meds she is totally unpredictable and soon ran away to sleep outside again.
  Last attempt was recently when she found out her previous breast cancer had occurred and was attaching itself to her spine. Her sister was setup to take her in but that fell thru also...
  NO drugs of any kind, she wont even take cannabis which would help her, NO alcohol, she never did drink and still doesn't. She is just having anxiety attack severe enough to mess up her life and alter her thinking. Her meds help but apparently the side effects and cost are a factor. 
  So...consider her plight along with the PTSD of others when making you determination of how "lazy" they are, I would hate to live in her head.

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This story you shared is a perfect example why jumping to conclusions is misguided and simply not fair and is not an isolated situation. 

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

On another note, how many children (or parents raising them!) see being a pro athlete as the solution.  ?If I can play ball good enough, I can make a gazillion dollars.?  No plan B.

And yes, teachers and those in the trenches are totally underpaid while professionals are totally overpaid.

winona said:

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

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Let?s hope fishing pays enough he won?t have to live in an old RV parked on the street.

People value hard work...until they have to pay for it.