The Little Things that P*** You Off

[eyeresist]

Well, the thing I forgot to mention is that they had to pay child support. Without that, with a basic full time job (maybe a dollar an hour more than minimum wage) you'll be able to afford to rent a room and stay with someone, if you can find someone cheap enough.

Just out of curiosity, is it like this in Australia? When I read about the causes of homelessness in Australia, it ranked the leading causes being:

While in the US:


I don't know much about socialism. Is it just mainly middle class instead of a high class-low class system? I don't care about getting rich- just being comfortable financially would be good enough for me. If Australia is that way, I think I'd prefer that type of system.

I don't know anything about homeless stats in Australia, and I don't know what compulsory child support payments are like either, sorry. I don't see how the system could be crazier than the US.

Re Socialism, the conservatives in the US have really confused the issue, by saying "Whenever the government helps people, THAT'S SOCIALISM!"  (with the automatic connotation that it involves worshipping the devil, molesting children and undermining small business).

Australia is a capitalist economy, but the government provides support in terms of education, health, infrastructure, and welfare for unemployment, disability, sole parents, aged. This is pretty standard for modern Western countries.  Note that the US government also does all this, but thanks to ideologues on both sides of politics the result is either pitifully under-resourced or made unworkable by red tape.

[Sandra]

Assuming public hospital, you show them your medicare card and get treated. There may be a few hundred dollars to pay on top of the basic coverage. (Medicare covers essential treatments. Elective things (e.g. facelifts) you pay for yourself.)

To me this makes perfect economic sense. The prime asset of a nation is the health of its citizens, after all.

Thank you. This sounds like it's something from Mars to me. I really hope they'll fix our system soon.

[ibanezmonster]

I don't know anything about homeless stats in Australia, and I don't know what compulsory child support payments are like either, sorry. I don't see how the system could be crazier than the US.

Re Socialism, the conservatives in the US have really confused the issue, by saying "Whenever the government helps people, THAT'S SOCIALISM!"  (with the automatic connotation that it involves worshipping the devil, molesting children and undermining small business).

Australia is a capitalist economy, but the government provides support in terms of education, health, infrastructure, and welfare for unemployment, disability, sole parents, aged. This is pretty standard for modern Western countries.  Note that the US government also does all this, but thanks to ideologues on both sides of politics the result is either pitifully under-resourced or made unworkable by red tape.

Cool... yeah, I agree with Sandra. There just needs to be a few things worked out.

[Philoctetes]

When a book is listed as available in the library's database, but when you go to the shelfing location it's not.

[drogulus]

     I'm pissed off by the horrid viewing angles on laptop screens. Antiglare screens are the worst, much worse than glossy screens.

[Philoctetes]

     I'm pissed off by the horrid viewing angles on laptop screens. Antiglare screens are the worst, much worse than glossy screens.

So true. I have to angle mine between 45 and 65.

[drogulus]

     I told Lenovo I wanted the ANTIGLARE SCREEN!!

     It's too bad because Lenovo made me a custom machine for $700. It's a 14"-er and looks and feels wonderful. Toshibas and Acers and HPs are like toys next to it. It's a Thinkpad, dammit!

     I'm going to get the screen replaced. I'll take to the local shop and have an "antireflective" (glossy) screen installed.