Handout Nation

[Sean K]

And while we're all concerned about waiting in line for a knee reconstruction, central Africa is still in turmoil.

Leave them be, or be part of the globe?



Village attacks displace 12000
From correspondents in Khartoum
October 26, 2008 04:00am

ARAB militia attacks on Sudanese villages near a south Darfur flashpoint displaced up to 12000 people and killed more than 40 civilians, an aid worker and a rights watchdog said today.

Clear-cut details on who was behind the fighting, the full extent of damage and casualties remain elusive because of minimal humanitarian access to the area around Muhagiriya, east of the South Darfur state capital, Nyala.

"At least 15 villages were attacked and burnt, and about 12,000 people displaced,'' one international aid worker told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The US-based organisation, Human Rights Watch, said more than 40 civilians were killed between October 5 and 17, and thousands fled their homes.


Oh, and by the way, I had to sacrifice an Argentianean Malbec for a Chilean Cab Sav tonight.

Just like you back home are embarrassed about eating a three course meal tonight while Africa starves.

Hmmm, maybe they should be.

 

[noirua]

And while we're all concerned about waiting in line for a knee reconstruction, central Africa is still in turmoil.

Leave them be, or be part of the globe?



Village attacks displace 12000
From correspondents in Khartoum
October 26, 2008 04:00am

ARAB militia attacks on Sudanese villages near a south Darfur flashpoint displaced up to 12000 people and killed more than 40 civilians, an aid worker and a rights watchdog said today.

Clear-cut details on who was behind the fighting, the full extent of damage and casualties remain elusive because of minimal humanitarian access to the area around Muhagiriya, east of the South Darfur state capital, Nyala.

"At least 15 villages were attacked and burnt, and about 12,000 people displaced,'' one international aid worker told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The US-based organisation, Human Rights Watch, said more than 40 civilians were killed between October 5 and 17, and thousands fled their homes.


Oh, and by the way, I had to sacrifice an Argentianean Malbec for a Chilean Cab Sav tonight.

Just like you back home are embarrassed about eating a three course meal tonight while Africa starves.

Hmmm, maybe they should be.

A very good point all this as near everyone is worrying about themselves. I notice companies are starting to pull away from the White Nile as small companies shares collapse towards zero, as the oil price collapses.

China may also move out from their Blue Nile base and curtail agreements with the Sudan.

Looks black indeed.

 

[Sean K]

Cripes, maybe we're not a handout nation at all..




Aussies in world's list of poorest
October 23, 2008 12:00am

AUSTRALIA'S retirees are the fourth poorest in the developed world, a report card on poverty has found.

And we have the poorest unemployed people of any developed nation.

The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development has found that half our single retirees are living in poverty, defined as less than 50 per cent of average earnings. And 27 per cent of all our retirees are living in poverty.

 

[Spaghetti]

No the handouts are for the rich to buy babies and buy houses. We only handout to those that have, not those that have not.

This one is interesting. The government is spending big on infrastructure to stimulate the economy and sub contracts work out like road/bridge construction. The contractor hire staff casual basis only and hires far too many to ensure full staff when required. So they end up with a large poorly paid part time payroll. Soon as it rains or a delay the casual staff are not paid so they maintain records with centrelink so they recieve the difference in benefits. So the taxpayer pays twice for this labour and the contractor is the only one making decent money. So the economy is not better off overall, the casual lose their houses to contractor family members who get paid $15,000 to buy their house off them.

This is how Australia works now.

 

[DJZ]

From another angle --- there is absolutely no reason why anyone should help someone that they don`t know.The individual or group going through a negative (for want of another word) experience is completely something for them to go through.For instance, I did not give money to the tidal wave hitting land.A natural occurence!

So what about a little thing called empathy???

A wave has no feelings, it is nothing but a single wave of energy, A Creature that has a will of its own, a survival instinct, can feel and understand what pain is, why would you NOT want to help someone you don't know if you see them in pain and suffering???

I know I couldn't just walk past or over someone who is really suffering, and If I really couldn't help them, I would feel dreadful that I was not in a better position to do so.

Its called Empathy and it is a natural occurance within nearly all animals, our brains are literally hard wired to help those in need.

 

[Nashezz]

yeh cept some Liberal voters who are literally hard-wired to help themselves.

 

[Glen48]

Heard today the smart one are going to Harvey Norman and buying items on the nothing to pay for 50 mths then taking them to the Pawn brokers... that's free enterprise.
Other are paying 35% a month to keep items locked up ( Grand Mothers wedding ring etc. ) and not to be sold until they come good with the loot one bloke has paid for his Bike twice.

 

[Julia]

yeh cept some Liberal voters who are literally hard-wired to help themselves.

I was just feeling some empathy with your previous post, Nashezz, and then you have to ruin it by the above. Just can't resist poking the political stick, can you! The topic was surely worthy of apolitical discussion.

 

[Julia]

Heard today the smart one are going to Harvey Norman and buying items on the nothing to pay for 50 mths then taking them to the Pawn brokers..

How silly is that. They are still going to have to come up with the cash in 50 months and probably then won't be able to so will be lumped with massive interest on the payment.

 

[nunthewiser]

How silly is that. They are still going to have to come up with the cash in 50 months and probably then won't be able to so will be lumped with massive interest on the payment.

no they will shift assets , claim banktrupcy and join the list of other entrepeneurs that used the sytem to its fullest extent.

sad

but true

 

[sinner]

How silly is that. They are still going to have to come up with the cash in 50 months and probably then won't be able to so will be lumped with massive interest on the payment.

Yeah I'm Joe Avg my kids are hungry today and I have no money do you think I care about the debt collectors in 50 months? They can join the queue!

 

[Glen48]

I winder how much of HN and others sales are the 50 Mths nothing to pay or should that be pay nothing?
Just another debt to be sorted out with more unemployment and high Interest rates.
If we are to spend $x billion on ABC and then in 6 mths time unemployment rises how many parents will need child care when they will be sitting at Home, also sounds like ABC are not profitable to start with hence their demise.?

 

[Julia]

no they will shift assets , claim banktrupcy and join the list of other entrepeneurs that used the sytem to its fullest extent.

sad

but true

Yeah I'm Joe Avg my kids are hungry today and I have no money do you think I care about the debt collectors in 50 months? They can join the queue!

Terrific! I don't doubt that you're both right and that many people do have this attitude. Then I guess the stores handing out this level of credit have only themselves to blame. I hope our tax dollars don't start bailing out Harvey Norman et al the way they are now doing with ABC Learning.

 

[nunthewiser]

Terrific! I don't doubt that you're both right and that many people do have this attitude. Then I guess the stores handing out this level of credit have only themselves to blame. I hope our tax dollars don't start bailing out Harvey Norman et al the way they are now doing with ABC Learning.

cant say im too impressed with my dollars bailing these people out but also i am a realist and this game is played by joe bloggs up to the bondys out there

the system is there to let them do it

ps harvey norman uses a credit provider so its not actually HN that wears the bill

 

[jeflin]

No the handouts are for the rich to buy babies and buy houses. We only handout to those that have, not those that have not.

This one is interesting. The government is spending big on infrastructure to stimulate the economy and sub contracts work out like road/bridge construction. The contractor hire staff casual basis only and hires far too many to ensure full staff when required. So they end up with a large poorly paid part time payroll. Soon as it rains or a delay the casual staff are not paid so they maintain records with centrelink so they recieve the difference in benefits. So the taxpayer pays twice for this labour and the contractor is the only one making decent money. So the economy is not better off overall, the casual lose their houses to contractor family members who get paid $15,000 to buy their house off them.

This is how Australia works now.

The problem of handouts will get worse as the population ages.

 

[Nashezz]

I was just feeling some empathy with your previous post, Nashezz, and then you have to ruin it by the above. Just can't resist poking the political stick, can you! The topic was surely worthy of apolitical discussion.

You are right Julia - couldn't help myself - should have...

 

[Sean K]

How silly is that. They are still going to have to come up with the cash in 50 months and probably then won't be able to so will be lumped with massive interest on the payment.

Yep, IMO this is a clear case where some government regulation into credit is justified to save the idiots from themselves.

HVN is also culpable in causing alot of the pain some may be experiencing through this easy credit debacle. FFS, with all that's happening how can we still be allowing this?

 

[Nashezz]

cant say im too impressed with my dollars bailing these people out but also i am a realist and this game is played by joe bloggs up to the bondys out there

the system is there to let them do it

ps harvey norman uses a credit provider so its not actually HN that wears the bill

Yeh I don't see it happening that much. You would need to satisfy a few criteria not easily all met

- person must be of disreputable character and/or desperate
- person must not have been a bankrupt before
- and person must satisfy other parts of a credit check

and even then, pawn shops don't exactly pay top dollar...

 

[xoa]

Listening to ABC radio's coverage of Parliament today, and a minister is explaining a new education tax rebate...

...it took her about 15 minutes to explain it in all its nuisances: parents of primary school students are treated differently to parents of secondary school students. If the parents are separated, there's a formula that determines who gets what. She explains that parents should start keeping receipts now for everything from internet connection fees to underwear. Parents who pay net tax have one form to fill out and send to the ATO, parents who don't pay net tax will have a different form to send away. If the parents are separated, there's another procedure to follow. "Working families" this, "battlers" that...

The administration costs must be obscene. The gum mint needs to stop micromanaging our lives.