The Vent and Rant Thread

[Katsunami]

Hm; doesn't sound too good, to be honest.

In the Netherlands, you receive a certain amount as soon as you hit retirement age, regardless if you have ever worked or not. It's enough to get around, although hardly a gold mine. On top of that, you'll receive the pension you built up, which depends on how many years, and how much you've paid (which, of course, depends on your salary during that time).

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

So... if you end up without a job for whatever reason, even if it's not your own fault (such as a bankrupt company), the government is just going to let you end up homeless? And if you didn't 'pay in all your adult life'; off to the streets again, at 62 or 67.5?

In that case, I'm glad I don't live in America. Taxes in the Netherlands are high (up to 52% at this time, but it has been 60%), but I'd rather have that, than having to live in constant fear of losing my job.

Pretty much yes. If you lose your job, you can wind up homeless and the government doesn't give a darn. Remember my hubby lost everything in 1988
Home, cars anything of value. He had to completely change fields.
I was saying you can't get social security unless you are disabled until you are 62 (reduced benefits) or 67.5 (full benefits).
Luckily this house is paid for.

Now I knew a guy that had been declared an alcoholic. He had to appoint someone to get his check. That person was to give him $5 a day. The guy was actually homeless. I felt sorry for him until he was offered a place to live free. The only thing the guy would have to do was shower and shave every day. He turned it down. (Before you ask, yes the guy reeked. )

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by issybird

Oh, what a relief, Blossom! Enjoy your evening with a full heart.

Thank you. It has been very relaxing! Full belly and now some much needed rest shortly.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

So... if you end up without a job for whatever reason, even if it's not your own fault (such as a bankrupt company), the government is just going to let you end up homeless? And if you didn't 'pay in all your adult life'; off to the streets again, at 62 or 67.5?

In that case, I'm glad I don't live in America. Taxes in the Netherlands are high (up to 52% at this time, but it has been 60%), but I'd rather have that, than having to live in constant fear of losing my job.

As hubby and I both have voulenteered working at homeless shelter in our younger days. Yes it's really easy to become homeless. Some have addiction problems but not all. We have always supported shelters in the past that provides a place for people to eat, shower and get a hand up. Not all shelters are equal though. You have to do your homework.

The welfare system is broken in this country. It has been for a long time. It probably will stay that way. It has nothing to do with politics. There is just is no easy solution unless non government orgazations step in to help and the red tape on them can be quite disheartening.

Alot of charities you see collecting to help those in need pocket most of the money and very few get helped.

Unless you have children or disabled you only qualify for welfare programs If you are working. There is a three month emergency benefit for Food Stamps that you can use once every three years after that You must work 80 hours a month to qualify both husband and wife. You are considered Able-bodied. You must not have a job paying more than a certain amount or you get cut off. They do take into account your living expenses so the amount varies.

I can tell you many fall through the cracks and they are usually the hard working who have fallen on rough times while others and I know a few in real life game the system.

Oops Forget to say hubby put in application at a local pizzeria. It sounds promising. They haven't seen his size yet though. Papa John's was going to give him a trial run till they asked his t-shirt size. Then it was "we'll get back to you" when before it was "sure come in and make a few pizzas." He tried calling but the manager hasn't returned his calls. This was last month.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Oops Forget to say hubby put in application at a local pizzeria. It sounds promising. They haven't seen his size yet though. Papa John's was going to give him a trial run till they asked his t-shirt size. Then it was "we'll get back to you" when before it was "sure come in and make a few pizzas." He tried calling but the manager hasn't returned his calls. This was last month.

Keep your fingers crossed. And remember, never trust a skinny chef.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

Keep your fingers crossed. And remember, never trust a skinny chef.

He's a big guy even when was in the military he wore 1X especially after Korea and all the PT training he did there. Now he is 2X.

People look at my hubby and think "He's a big dude. I'll bet he will be good at lifting and moving stuff." The truth is he has had four hernia operations in his life. He can't lift too much without his back protesting. Now he's in his 40s he has slowed down and can't keep up with the younger guys.

The last job was horrible. They made fun of him and had him doing all the grunt work. Up and down ladders all day as a HVAC helper while smaller faster guys just handed him stuff and played on their phones. They worked him so hard he lost 15 pounds in one month. Sometimes he'd come home and couldn't move. He couldn't even take his shoes off. 13 hours shifts. One night they made him do clean up while they all sat around and this was after 12 hours of grueling work so he left to get food as he hadn't eaten since 11AM and it was now 7PM. He called his supervisor told him he left because he was hurting and hungry. This is why they "officially" fired him. He got home he was so dehydrated and sick. I was ticked at the way he was treated with that job.

Sent from my XT1528

[Blossom]

What a day! First we got two certified letters from the IRS and then the landlady's husband shows up unexpectedly to check the toilet. Their water bill was high last month so they are trying to find the source. He's decided to replace the inside of the tank.

So while he went to get parts. We scrambled to clean the bathroom. It was very dusty especially the tank top. Plus there was three weeks of dirty laundry in the corner.

The IRS has decided in favor of the scammers. So I guess we will have to pay it. It will come out of our tax return. One day all that bad karma those scammers are sowing will come back on them. At least it will be over and done with though.

Sent from my XT1528

[issybird]

I hate Goodreads these days. I still use it, as it's the easiest way to track my reading, but it's been an irritant ever since it materially altered the main page. It's partially because they've increased the space devoted to my own reading and lessened that for my friends, so I have to dig to keep up on them. But it's also the constant affronts; just now a significant portion of front page real estate was taken by the thumbnailed image below.

By all that's rational, just what algorithm suggests I might want to read that? I would have to try hard to think of something I'd be less likely to read. It's not as if Goodreads doesn't have a boatload of data on my reading preferences, which are overwhelmingly history and literature. And not a single cowboy romance, I might add.

[issybird]

Follow-on rant: I also resent the gender profiling on display here. My Goodreads friend whose reading dovetails closest to mine is a man. I bet they're not suggesting cowboy romances to him.

[Katsunami]

Most websites I visit nowadays are crap.

They have sticky branding on top, often with an ad below that. The actual website only begins a third down the page, and then you're left scrolling in the lower two-thirds of the screen. Images are often huge, and fonts are thin, small, and grey. Sometimes it's like trying to read text through a mailbox.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by issybird

Follow-on rant: I also resent the gender profiling on display here. My Goodreads friend whose reading dovetails closest to mine is a man. I bet they're not suggesting cowboy romances to him.

My first thought is GR sees it as a historical fiction book because it's been shelved that way. I'm sorry Issy I had to chuckle at this because GR has recommended to me serious science fiction before. I have never been interested it. I read Urban Fantasy "big difference" GR!

Sent from my XT1528

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I hate Goodreads these days. I still use it, as it's the easiest way to track my reading, but it's been an irritant ever since it materially altered the main page. It's partially because they've increased the space devoted to my own reading and lessened that for my friends, so I have to dig to keep up on them. But it's also the constant affronts; just now a significant portion of front page real estate was taken by the thumbnailed image below.

By all that's rational, just what algorithm suggests I might want to read that? I would have to try hard to think of something I'd be less likely to read. It's not as if Goodreads doesn't have a boatload of data on my reading preferences, which are overwhelmingly history and literature. And not a single cowboy romance, I might add.

That's pretty funny, actually! I can think of few genres LESS likely to be of interest to you.

I never really got GoodReads. I could see how it could be useful, but the interface didn't ever work for me, and, frankly, I want something with more actual community, and there's nothing in the GoodReads way of doing things that really supports that. So I'm here, but not really there.

[Katsunami]

It's probably because for many sites, it's the same category: science fiction/fantasy. As if they're interchangeable. I don't read a lot of science fiction, to be honest. If I read it, it's mostly fantasy with science fiction elements (such as the later Shannara books, for example), or science fiction with strong fantasy elements.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Blossom

My first thought is GR sees it as a historical fiction book because it's been shelved that way. I'm sorry Issy I had to chuckle at this because GR has recommended to me serious science fiction before. I have never been interested it. I read Urban Fantasy "big difference" GR!

Sent from my XT1528

Originally Posted by CRussel

That's pretty funny, actually! I can think of few genres LESS likely to be of interest to you.

I do see the funny side to this! It's annoying mostly because in the redesigned front page, between the increased space given to my own reading (which I don't need to see on the front page) and the additional ad space (and I understand there's no free lunch), very little room is left for friends' status updates, where I might actually see something I'd like to read!

What I don't understand is why they can't market to me books I might actually read. They've got the data. At least, it's a blown opportunity; at most, it's minor-league fraud. These are sponsored ads, but where's the payoff to the sponsor if Goodreads doesn't target likely readers? The response, "Not so long as there's a cereal box back left in the world!" is hardly the reaction they want to get.

[CRussel]

"Not so long as there's a cereal box back left in the world!"

ROFLU!!!

Wouldn't be the first time I've been reduced to that, but thankfully, not since ereaders came along.