NY Times article on Maine made me mad

[DanBev]

We want to move back to CT to spend our last days with family but as we look at situation we can pay cash for a small home,900-1200 sq ft., but CT's many taxes give us second thoughts.It would amount to $4-5,000 per year down the drain, let alone sky high utilities.Our fixed income is more thean double the $1200.

[beltrams]

Originally Posted by moonshdw

Seems we are all wondering why the couple chose to live in Maine and considering their limited income chose a house heated with oil. Unless people are employed or have liquid assets I can't understand how people could pay for oil heat. Do you suppose they thought they would receive state funds to pay the fuel bill? I don't know. My guess is they don't have enough money to move to a warmer climate. We also don't know how they are used to living. I listened to a young woman being interviewed on a program examining how people are struggling. She said she is receiving food stamps but never had to rely on assistance before. She said she buys canned stew and canned soups and tries to make them last. I wonder why she doesn't buy a bag of potatoes and carrots and beans plus chicken. She could make soups and stews that would go further than canned food and it's healthier. Apparently she just doesn't understand how.

Also, I think I recall reading that the US consumes 25% of the world's resources. We are great consumers. Rather than looking for a greater supply of oil perhaps we need to learn how to live on less. Can't we be just as happy sharing a meal at home with friends as going out to a restaurant, add a sweater, turn down the thermostat, walk more, drive less, etc.

Lots of people don't really know how to cook anymore. We are reaping what we sowed when we became a nation of premade, prepackaged food in the supermarkets after the Second World War. In fact, decades of relative prosperity have allowed many frugal skills to more or less die out.

I think Mainers are still a little better than much of the rest of the US in this respect, but compared to people a generation or two ago, a lot has been lost.

[namder1]

Just another reason I NEVER read the liberal rag, the Old York Times.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by beltrams

Lots of people don't really know how to cook anymore. We are reaping what we sowed when we became a nation of premade, prepackaged food in the supermarkets after the Second World War. In fact, decades of relative prosperity have allowed many frugal skills to more or less die out.

I think Mainers are still a little better than much of the rest of the US in this respect, but compared to people a generation or two ago, a lot has been lost.

I agree. I'm waiting for the app for breathing.

We allow marketing to direct our lives. This is the 'job of tomorrow' - legal stalking using statistics. IMHO, it's what drives the current ridiculousness that is public education now.

This is not exclusive to Target by the way. It's literally everywhere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/ma...nted=1&_r=2&hp