July92011
The following table is from the results of the “Social and Governmental Issues and Participation Study of 2008”. It seems around 50% of Americans who participate in one or more government social programs report that “they have not used a government social program.” Given the public’s broad lack of support for social programs, I would speculate that many of these people are those who regard program beneficiaries as “parasites”, conveniently excluding themselves from the group.
It’s also interesting to see which program beneficiaries are most convinced that they are not using a government program. Beneficiaries of programs that assist people who are middle and upper class (529/Coverdell, Mortgage Interest Deduction, and subsidized student loans) are much more likely to believe they are self-sufficient individualists compared to the most vulnerable (Medicaid, Subsidized Housing, SSI, Head Start etc.) Even 43% of unemployment insurance beneficiaries don’t feel they are using a government social program. Nearly everyone I know has received unemployment at one point or another in their life.
Source:
November232010
noblasters:
He starts to defer responsibility to the officers. They emphasize that no – they have no issue with me and they are only acting on his behalf. It is his jurisdiction. It is policy. They won’t detain me unless he tells them to.
So I emphasize the iPhone again, and ask,” So, if I were to get up, walk through the metal detector, and not have it go off, would you still have them arrest me?”
The Supervisor answers, “I can’t answer that question. That is no longer an option because you were selected for the Backscatter.”
People like these are my heroes, because they can calmly assert their rights (and therefore my rights) in the face of tyranny authority.
BoingBoing.net received word that the TSA plans to announce a new policy that will deny entrance to the airport for anyone who refuses a pat-down.
Source:
noblasters
November102010
“It is almost universally said that HIV and other STIs are acquired from sex. It is inherently antisexual in tone; in this manner of speaking, the diseases are linguistically blamed on sex. In a parallel context, we do not refer to colds or tuberculosis as BTIs, or breathing transmitted infections!”
Sex And Sensibility: The Thinking Parents Guide To Talking Sense About Sex - By Deborah M. Roffman
September52010
A few years ago, I read an article saying that “my generation” will be among the first to do less well than their parents’ generation. I wish I still had a link to that article, because things certainly look like they’re going in that direction. They also predicted that home ownership would be out of reach for many in my generation, but they clearly had not foreseen the current housing market crash. Zack Gilbert had an interesting post in this vein about the growing ranks of the underemployed dependent twenty-somethings, in reference to a NY Times article.
brain-food:
zackgilbert:
Something I’ve been thinking about lately.
“One-third of people in their 20s move to a new residence every year. Forty percent move back home with their parents at least once. They go through an average of seven jobs in their 20s, more job changes than in any other stretch. Two-thirds spend at least some time living with a romantic partner without being married.”
That hits close to home, but also with reading that article they didn’t take in account for the 20-something year olds that actually have a degree and can’t find a job because they’re now competing with 40+ year olds whose job was terminated from the economic fall out and no longer have the luxury of a set salary with a retirement plan. Adults who are much older are now taking the summer jobs that we, the “20-something” would normally go after. Even down to the pizza delivery guy.
We’re not incredibly ecstatic about moving in with our parents and not reaching the extent of adulthood, but its kind of hard to become a homeowner, support a family, and raise a child (since thats the criteria of being an adult) when you’re fighting with more people over a mediocre 30,000 a year job even with a degree.
I can’t afford to be an adult.
Source:
zackgilbert
June222010
“
They have an unspoken, but deeply rooted identity as “law-abiding citizens.” I ask them, “Haven’t you ever committed a crime?” Oddly, people often seem perplexed by this question. What do you mean? they say. I mean, haven’t you ever smoked pot, didn’t you ever drink underage, don’t you sometimes speed on the freeway, haven’t you gotten behind the wheel after having a couple of drinks? Haven’t you broken the law?
Well, yeah, they say, but I’m not a criminal. Oh, really? What are you, then? As I see it, you’re just somebody who hasn’t been caught. You’re still a criminal, no better than many of those who’ve been branded felons for life.
”
In the news by Karen Franklin PhD: “I’m a criminal and so are you”
Source:
forensicpsychologist.blogspot.com
