Throwing Money At A Problem

[Occhidiangela]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article....RTICLE_ID=46361

Please follow this link to get a giggle. There is no question that when you give people money, you can't force them to spend in the way you want them to spend it.

Food Stamps, as a program, was a way to ensure money intended to help people feed themselves, allocated by a State or Federal body, was used for just that: Food (OK, I realize there are some weird loopholes there . . .)

So, when the 2K debit cards were announced as being issued, I laughed out loud.

"Let's see what people buy with it."

Here in Corpus Christi, at one of the shelters, one man sure enough showed up with a brand new 25" tv he had bought on his card. Necessities are in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

The above story was, to my way of thinking, money better spent.

Occhi

[Lady Vashj]

If you track the statistics, I daresay you would find that simply throwing money at a problem is about the worst way of solving it. Any problem. I say, spend the money on supplies and hand out $2K worth of necessities to everyone.

EDIT: And when I say necessities, I mean stuff like food and clothing and potable water. 25" TVs have never quite fit under the "Necessities" heading in my files.

Strip clubs I could understand - damned if I'd approve of it or consider it a necessity, but I understand. After all, males will be males. But LOUIS VUITTON HAND BAGS?!? Now that is my new operative definition of screwed-up priorities.

[TaMeOlta]

:lol: That kills me .... lets see : I've lost my house and job , the first chance I get I need to get a few beers and check out some hooters ! :lol: Yeeesh -- I'd get court marshalled if I misused a government issued credit card .

That didn't take long to come up with an easily abused system .

EDIT : Oh before I forget ... from Westover AFB we shipped about 180 thousand pounds of MRE's (and many other needed supplies) by plane , I suppose the only thing needed while chowin' down on those would be a TV :whistling:

[Occhidiangela]

rom Westover AFB we shipped about 180 thousand pounds of MRE's (and many other needed supplies) by plane , I suppose the only thing needed while chowin' down on those would be a TV  :whistling:
[right][snapback]89474[/snapback][/right]

Westover: Is that in MA?

And some Metamucil™. Have you read the email called "Chez Ranger" about a guy who made his GF an MRE banquet?

If not, I'll get it to you.

PS, them's a heap of vittles you guys shipped, you guys rock! Well done.

Occhi

[Occhidiangela]

If you track the statistics, I daresay you would find that simply throwing money at a problem is about the worst way of solving it.  Any problem. [right][snapback]89472[/snapback][/right]

The intent of the "right" was to embed sarcasm in the title. It apparently failed. No matter, I am glad you agree on the necessity of morale boosting via mammarial visual stimulation, and carb loading via beer, as suitable emergency fund usages. :) You can expect many offers of marriage in the near future. :D

Occhi

[Lady Vashj]

The intent of the "right" was to embed sarcasm in the title.  It apparently failed.  No matter, I am glad you agree on the necessity of morale boosting via mammarial visual stimulation, and carb loading via beer, as suitable emergency fund usages.  :)  You can expect many offers of marriage in the near future.    :D

Occhi
[right][snapback]89497[/snapback][/right]

Also, I disapprove of buying $800 handbags. I can hear the stampede of men already.

[Minionman]

Also, I disapprove of buying $800 handbags.  I can hear the stampede of men already.
[right][snapback]89499[/snapback][/right]

To take seriously something that isn't serious, how is a strip club a better buy than a T.V.? A T.v. lasts a few years, a strip club visit lasts maybe a few minutes/hous, and the money's gone.

[Occhidiangela]

To take seriously something that isn't serious, how is a strip club a better buy than a T.V.?  A T.v. lasts a few years, a strip club visit lasts maybe a few minutes/hous, and the money's gone.
[right][snapback]89509[/snapback][/right]

Differing context. How is going to a Cubs game live at Wrigley Field a good use of money, since each seat could pay for a month of Cable TV?

It's a different entertainment experience, a different value for the money.

Watching the boob tube is a completely different experience from having real live boobs swirled in front of your face. Trying to equate everything via a dollars and sense comparison is way too corporate a way to look at your own life, leave that crap at the office. :angry: Why? It puts you in the position of knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

There is even a school of thought that strip clubs are a complete waste of time and money. Fancy that! :blink:

Occhi

[Minionman]

Differing context.  How is going to a Cubs game live at Wrigley Field a good use of money, since each seat could pay for a month of Cable TV?

It's a different entertainment experience, a different value for the money.

Watching the boob tube is a completely different experience from having real live boobs swirled in front of your face.  Trying to equate everything via a dollars and sense comparison is way too corporate a way to look at your own life, leave that crap at the office.  :angry:  Why?  It puts you in the position of knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

There is even a school of thought that strip clubs are a complete waste of time and money.  Fancy that!  :blink:

Occhi
[right][snapback]89518[/snapback][/right]

well, with the cubs game, people going probably have the money to take care of longer term things, so have some left over for the cubs. with no house and such, it seems those 2000 dollars would be spent as effeciently as possible. Plus it's fun to stick logic into places like this where it isn't wanted. :)

(Of course, I have no idea how these different people's minds work, so it doesn't really matter. the last sentence of the previous paragraph explains it.)

[Archon_Wing]

A TV? Strip clubs? Well, I guess things "necessary for survival" have changed throughout the years. :) :angry:

I guess throwing money at the problem didn't work. Or maybe we're not throwing it hard enough. Try throwing coins instead of dollar bills. They're harder and we're bound to hit something!*

*Do not try at home

[Occhidiangela]

well, with the cubs game, people going probably have the money to take care of longer term things, so have some left over for the cubs.  with no house and such, it seems those 2000 dollars would be spent as effeciently as possible.  Plus it's fun to stick logic into places like this where it isn't wanted.  :)

(Of course, I have no idea how these different people's minds work, so it doesn't really  matter.  the last sentence of the previous paragraph explains it.)
[right][snapback]89519[/snapback][/right]

I am playing.

I truly think that relying on the judgment of people who did not know enough to live in a hurricane and flood zone, and not have a plan, is like relying on a giraffe to understand partical physics. :P

That said, if you start to add up burdened hourly costs of providing support and paternalistic assistance to the inept and the foolish, as well as the truly unlucky, of which there were many in Katrina's wake, the 2000 bucks probably comes off as pretty cheap. Now, does it become an entitlement? If so, why? If not, why not?

The expensive bit is $200 billion.

To do what?

That question will require a no nonsense Congressional oversight effort. Wait a minute, who the hell am I kidding? There is neither the will nor the integrity available in Congress to do that.

I'll sign up. I can be a real sonofabitch at need, and this situation needs one.

Occhi

[cheezz]

You sir, are disqualified from that list.

No one with any common sense can be appointed to an oversight committee that is in charge of rebuilding a city IN A SWAMP. Save that futile task for more qualified personnel, such as politicians or Pythons---- "...and it sank into the swamp. So I built another castle, and it sank into the swamp too........"

[Count Duckula]

No one with any common sense can be appointed to an oversight committee that is in charge of rebuilding a city IN A SWAMP.
[right][snapback]89537[/snapback][/right]

But...Dubya's drinking city! We must rebuild Dubya's drinking city!

Anne Rice's vampires need a place to live too.

[DeeBye]

Please follow this link to get a giggle.  There is no question that when you give people money, you can't force them to spend in the way you want them to spend it.
[right][snapback]89442[/snapback][/right]

Without clicking on the link.

They bought strippers and beer right?

edit: yeah, I can't say I blame them.

[Occhidiangela]

But...Dubya's drinking city! We must rebuild Dubya's drinking city!

Anne Rice's vampires need a place to live too.
[right][snapback]89540[/snapback][/right]

Laura made him stop drinking. No city is his drinking city, anymore. Sucks to be him.

Occhi