EBT food stamp outage shocks New Jersey residents

NBC-NJ ^ | October 12, 2013 | By Marquis Lupton

[PowderMonkey]

"Food growing takes years of work and development. From seed selection to pest control, it takes years of experience and adaption to our local environment."

So true. Back during the Y2K scare, a neighbor and I were discussing that, as we gazed upon our wretched little backyard hobby gardens, ravaged by neglect, poor soil preparation, disease and pestilence. When life depends upon bringing in a successful harvest, life can turn short and grim. Very grim. And, not much different than when life depends upon a functioning EBT system.

To expand upon my observations of affluent young urban professionals, they lack two basic skills in common with their urban poor counter parts. Absent those skills, survival is impossible: making fire, and finding water. In the aftermath of NOLA - Katrina, I was struck by all the huddled masses begging for water, in the pouring rain. Sitting helpless and terrified by the surrounding darkness every night, because they didn't know how to make a fire. And, throughout it all, as they sat on their haunches, the unending refrain, "Gummint' gotta' come do sumtin'!"

[PowderMonkey]

Like flies on the window sill. I watched each morning as they hurried from their high rise rookeries to grab bagel and coffee from a corner vendor, and each evening as they returned home with nothing but a cell phone in their hands. Most didn't even bother to wear appropriate clothing in the dead of winter, because the only time exposed to the weather was the one or two blocks between the front door and the subway. Long distance commuters in the comfort of their little Prius or rail car were no different. I got the biggest kick from the “endless summer” kids still attired in shorts, sandals, and hooded sweatshirt, in January. I'm not saying people should become Bear Gryls - eat rotting lion kill - survivalists. A little common sense, however, would go a long way towards preventing an untimely demise; at the very least towards making a truly unpleasant and grim time more survivable.

[crazycatlady]

Lets face it, the culture doesn’t encourage people to be well-rounded and self-sufficient. Not really . We’re a culture that specializes and outsources. I’m not saying that’s inherently wrong, just stating facts. When we stopped being a heavily rural society, I think about 70 or 80 years ago, people became very detached from where their food comes from. And now the global economy relies heavily on long distance communication and transportation of goods from far away. How many can do even a few of the things on Robert Heinleins famous list. I know I can only do about a half. “Comfort the dying”? We have hospices and nursing homes for that. And so on.

[roadcat]

I’ve got a next-door neighbor gal, on welfare with two kids from black fathers. Every day she and her friend sit out front on the porch drinking huge bottles of beer and chain-smoking cigarettes. In the morning. Never worked, except for somehow being able to get beer and drugs. Social worker comes by once in a while to check the kids, that’s the only time the neighbor isn’t drinking. The sterotype of welfare bums lives next door to me.

[old and tired]

The really amazing thing about this story to me is how skewed the original comments are. Are these commenters from Jersey? If so, it does not bode well for the folks on food stamps. If folks from Jersey have had it with folks leeching off the system, we’re in for a revolution.

[kcvl]

“”Its going to make a lot of people very angry, so you guys better get on the ball,” says the Atlantic City man.”

While I go home have a beer and put my feet up.

[kcvl]

“The cost doesn’t matter when someone else’s hard earned money is being spent.”

Exactly!

They don’t like to wait in the doctor’s office either. They had rather go to the emergency room for faster service!

[kcvl]

” I guess they were too busy all day on ther obamaphone.”

Laying around all day making more mouths to feed!