Comments on: It’s Time for the Taste Test

By: navyvet48

navyvet48 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:34:48 +0000

Comment by Ferd berfle | 2009-01-19 12:49:04

Why can’t people on welfare be required to at least donate their time in return for the taxpayer benefits they receive?

That should be made a requirement for receiving support. No one should receive any payments if no contribution of some sort is made to society.

There is a completely free no day care required volunteer program for people on welfare. It will require access to a computer which they can do at the local library…it is called CoCoRahs…we collect weather date for NOAA. The program is in almost all the states now. My husband and I have been involved with the program for three years. Our data helps determine flooding and drought areas across the country.

One day while watching the weather channel they discussed a hail report from our city. As we were the only ones to make such a report that day, we knew it was ours. (There is a map on the site showing weather reports for your area.

Here is the website:

http://www.cocorahs.org/
Check it out it is a very worthwhile volunteer opportunity. I just hope you don’t mind getting wet or cold once in a while…lol

By: Make Them Accountable / Media & Politics

Make Them Accountable / Media & Politics — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:36:48 +0000

[...] It’s Time for the Taste Test (by Pat Racimora at No Quarter) No doubt in anyone’s mind. Barack Obama is the best known brand name on the planet. He was marketed masterfully, from the almost-Pepsi logo to imposing the best persuasion techniques known to social scientists… But now it is time to open the can and see what’s really inside. [...]

By: Snickers

Snickers — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:31:49 +0000

I agree, Ferd, if you can’t afford to support your children, don’t have them. I’m female and when my biological clock kicked in, I agonized about whether or not to have a child, and realized that my lifestyle would not permit it. I couldn’t afford a child and still have my nifty car, etc. Also, there was the independent thing. I watched my sisters as they raised their kids and helped by babysitting as much as possible and taking their kids to the movies, etc., but decided it was not for me. And now, with our planet in peril, I think it is absolutely vital we start addressing the over population crisis.

By: GBS

GBS — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:41:43 +0000

Politics and marketing – 2 peas in a pod. Nice cartoon to illustrate the point.

By: C.S.

C.S. — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:36:55 +0000

Don’t leave out the Paris Hiltons of the world. Those jail sentences of just two convicted celebrities were fewer hours in jail than most criminals spend getting processed.

By: obamastolemyboyfriend

obamastolemyboyfriend — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:34:02 +0000

Hmmmm. So far that soup is missing something! Right now I taste nothing, but later I am hoping it doesn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth!

I hate it when they change chefs!

P.S. Oowawa and Linda, thanks for sticking up for this stupid commenter (and it’s my last comment about that…moving on)

By: obamastolemyboyfriend

obamastolemyboyfriend — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:29:45 +0000

Hey ferd,

I was a bad girl the other night and know how you feel. It is hard to hold back sometimes and hard to fight for freedom of speech and not go too far! I’m back to behaving and I won’t drink rum whilst blogging anymore! This is a great group of folks here though.

My apologies to anyone I may have offended. No excuse for bad behavior, but I was having a bad weekend to start with and got a little stupid. I never want to hurt the NQ family here!

I’m trying to lay off too many comments for a while anyway!

By: JulieD

JulieD — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:20:39 +0000

Jean –

SCAMELOT!!! I love it!

I’ll be using it and your “Hail to the Thief”!!

It won’t be soup – it will be gruel. For all of the poor people who will find themselves in Credit Card Joe Biden’s new debtor’s prisons.

By: Katmoon

Katmoon — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:32:18 +0000

There should be some way to volunteer and give back, when you receiving funds as a single parent. I was a single parent in the 80′, never received any form of government help, nor child support for that matter; and not because of a deadbeat father, it was my choice. If my son needed something his father was more than happy to help get it for him. We have a good relationship to this day, so try to understand I didn’t want to put either of us in a food line. We got by, and it wasn’t easy. Once and only once I attempted to get welfare. I happened to have been wearing a watch that was above average expense that had been a gift to me some years earlier; the social worker advised me to sell the watch or to hide it. I got up and walked out. My son had everything he needed and some things he wanted, his pre-school care was paid for by his father, I was fortunate. His after school care as he got older, came in the form of me adjusting my schedule to get home to him, or he belonged to an activity where I had made arrangements and paid for transportation for him to go. He was always clean, had clothing that was new and he was not ashamed of. I wore most of my clothing from goodwill, as I got a good eye for decent things. I made quilts, had my shoes repaired, and have only owned one new car in my 53 years. For a period of time 3 of us in the same situation shared a house. I managed to feed my son and myself on 25-30 dollars a week. I did not get him into a lunch program at school I made his lunch, and a treat was buying lunch once a week, as fast food was also a treat saved for the $1.00 baseball games we could go to. Museums were free, as were libraries, and some zoos, nature, as state parks were always free. I managed over the years to save enough to buy a small camper I kept parked at Russian river, where we “vacationed” every spring break, the rent for the space was 7.00 a month. We went to Santa Cruz every Labor Day weekend, with some of his friends every year before school started, and camped. I volunteered as a CASA, a coach and Red Cross. My son came first every time every day, he is my heart. I recall one shady moment way back when, I modeled lingerie at a lunchtime sports bar, so I could buy him an upscale 49ers jacket, and he never knew I did it. My point is, we managed and our only expectation was one of equal treatment, which did not happen. His father also provided heath care, bought the new baseball bat, paid half his flight fare for visits, and even bought me a decent used car when mine was stolen. We have never been arrested, had wages attached or had to compromise our morals to survive. My son went to The University of Michigan before being accepted at West Point(and refusing it), he enlisted and started out as a private, he wanted to work his way up like General Omar Bradley. We had an incentive you cannot find today, a mother and father who love him enough not to fight with each other, move past our differences and work together to be kind to each other, thus be kind to him. We both have a work ethic. I did all of the above on anywhere from 400-500 dollars a week. We had to sacrifice, which is what you do is a parent, and that is why now I am finishing my college education. Would I change anything? Not one thing. I was so proud to give birth to that baby boy, I have always been so proud to meet the challenges I face as a parent, and I am proud now to have enough determination to finish my education (Which is either as a political science/paralegal B.S., or go onto law school should I end up with a benefactor; it may happen, being Summa Cum Laude. My son is serving his second tour in Iraq, he is a Staff Sgt./MP; whose first tour served to protect Paul Bremmer and company. He and his wife are expecting their second child. We have worked together on their ability to survive on his pay, and my daughter-in-law and son also carry that frugal, adventurous gene, looking to make their own good times for their family, even though it may be under a very tight belt. Christmas 2009 for our family is going to be a “recycled Christmas”, where gifts can only be made or purchased from used goods. It is all about perspective, and self respect, and it can be done. IT will not ever be easy, but it sure feels good knowing I did this standing on my own two feet, by the work of my two, never manicured hands.

By: Don X

Don X — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:04:51 +0000

Another captivating cartoon, Pat I wouldn’t rush to judgement on the soup. I would pour the soup in a baggie, refrigerate it for several months, and then decide whether to taste it. In the meantime, if you’re in the mood for soup, you might try a can of Progreso.

By: Katmoon

Katmoon — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:55:21 +0000

My son went to THe University of MIchigan before being accepted at West Point(and refusing it), he enlisted and started out as a private, he wanted to work his way up like General Omar Bradley.

We had an incentive you cannot find today, A mother and father who love him enough not to fight with each other, move past our differences and work together to be kind to each other, thus be kind to him. We both have a work ethic. I did all of the above on anywhere from 400-500 dollars a week. We had to sacrifice, which is what you do is a parent, and that is why now I am finishing my college education. Would I change anything? Not one thing. I was so proud to give birth to that baby boy, I have always been so proud to meet the challenges I face as a parent, and I am proud now to have enough determination to finish my education( Which is either as a political science/paralegal B.S., or go onto law school should I end up with a benefactor; it may happen, being Summa Cum Laude.
My son is serving his second tour in Iraq, he is a Staff Sgt./MP; whose first tour served to protect Paul Bremmer and company. He and his wife are expecting their second child. We have worked together on their ability to survive on his pay, and my daughter-in-law and son also carry that frugal, adventurous gene, looking to make their own good times for their family, even though it may be under a very tight belt. Christmas 2009 for our family is going to be a “recycled Christmas”, where gifts can only be made or purchased from used goods.
It is all about perspective, and self respect, and it can be done. IT will not ever be easy, but it sure feels good knowing I did this standing on my own two feet, by the work of my two, never manicured hands.

By: Ferd berfle

Ferd berfle — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:39:20 +0000

If the economy gets any worse, it’ll be Lisa Douglas’ Hooterville Hot Water soup all around, with no seconds.

By: Ferd berfle

Ferd berfle — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:36:15 +0000

Kool-Aide and hogwash. Mmm-mmm-bad.

By: Ferd berfle

Ferd berfle — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:33:46 +0000

I was watching a clip from 2007 where Shrub said the jury had made its decision and he shouldn’t get involved with the border patrol agents’ cases.

Oh…I see. But it *was* OK to get involved with the Libby case, where a real scumbag was convicted by a jury of his peers, and issue a full pardon. Wow, why does this sort of rationalization and moral relativism sound *so* familiar? Any guesses?

By: basil

basil — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:21:10 +0000

KUDOS, Pat!

Ironically, I’m doing an article on ‘branding’ for an agricultural group and came across these definitions;

‘Defined as “a combination of attributes, communicated through a name, or a symbol, that influences a thought-process in the mind of an audience and creates value,” everyone agreed it’s an essential part of developing the business plan.’

‘The ideal ‘brand’ name will have broad market appeal and encourage people to buy products.’

Looks like BO studied up on that.