Seth Arndt is a Tool

[lilith]

I consider a phone to be a necessity, not a luxury, and I really see not much of a difference in having a cell phone rather than a phone that is tethered to my wall. :roll:

Maybe someone should hook this guy up with Miss Raquel. They can sit around having vapid conversations and pat each other on the back for their seriously insular worldviews. Or would that just be a crime against humanity?

Miss Raquel has given pieces if her heart to her (3!!) sexting buddies and is a Scarlet Woman. No good fundie boy's mother is going to let a harlot like that anywhere near her precious boy.

[patsymae]

Where I live, there are no phone booths--actually, I'm trying to remember if I've seen any phone booths in years. I think not.

In order to get a landline phone, you would need to have 1) a permanent residence, and 2) a credit rating.

News flash! Even for the crappiest minimum wage job, you're expected to have 1) a phone at which you can be reached instantly--not a week from now after some friend or social service worker with a landline can get in touch with you, and 2) Internet access and and email address.

I'm so sick of these douches. According to them, if you aren't huddled with your children in a packing box under a bridge, scavenging for edible plants by the side of the road, you aren't poor.

And even if you are, or maybe are like one of the 100,000 people living under the subways in NYC and eating out of dumpsters, it's your own damn fault. Get those bakeries to stop putting their old goods out on the curb for a couple of days and watch those slackers decide to get one of the millions of jobs just waiting for them.

[JenniferJuniper]

Where I live, there are no phone booths--actually, I'm trying to remember if I've seen any phone booths in years. I think not.

In order to get a landline phone, you would need to have 1) a permanent residence, and 2) a credit rating.

News flash! Even for the crappiest minimum wage job, you're expected to have 1) a phone at which you can be reached instantly--not a week from now after some friend or social service worker with a landline can get in touch with you, and 2) Internet access and and email address.

I'm so sick of these douches. According to them, if you aren't huddled with your children in a packing box under a bridge, scavenging for edible plants by the side of the road, you aren't poor.

And even if you are, or maybe are like one of the 100,000 people living under the subways in NYC and eating out of dumpsters, it's your own damn fault. Get those bakeries to stop putting their old goods out on the curb for a couple of days and watch those slackers decide to get one of the millions of jobs just waiting for them.

Pay phones are pretty much a thing of the past in most places these days. Even if you do find one, there's a good chance it's out of order because the major phone companies sold them off years ago.

And you are right. Landlines are much more difficult and expensive to get than basic cell phones with prepaid minutes.

To the Manboys who may lurk out here: Phones are a necessity in our society for all the reasons mentioned above and more. I know you think they are just for playing games, texting your brothers, and taking cool videos when you go parasailing, but you don't live in the real world so you really have no perspective on the issue.

Maybe instead of playing old video games and whiffle ball during your 22 hours of downtime every day you could get out and volunteer someplace where the poor could use some assistance and then you can see what their lives are really like. Daddy quotes the Bible endlessly but I don't ever see any of you ever acting on any of the things Jesus said you should do.

[TMS]

The problem is he is stuck in the past - we're no longer in the 90's or even the 2000s. This day and age in America, a cell phone is a necessity, not a luxury.

[miffy]

His argument might hold some weight in countries with very socialised welfare systems. But even then, there are aboriginal communities here which are in a very different kind of poverty to the suburban poor of the big cities & towns.

[ILoveJellybeans]

The problem is he is stuck in the past - we're no longer in the 90's or even the 2000s.

I think that sums up the Ardnts in every way. For them, time stopped in the 90s.

[Nothing2CHere]

Maybe instead of playing old video games and whiffle ball during your 22 hours of downtime every day you could get out and volunteer someplace where the poor could use some assistance and then you can see what their lives are really like. Daddy quotes the Bible endlessly but I don't ever see any of you ever acting on any of the things Jesus said you should do.

THIS! Use your lives to actually help the people you are looking down upon. It will give you a world of perspective rather than the shallow assumptions you now hold. :penguin-no:

[nokidsmom]

More "wisdom" from the frightfully sheltered. This sounds like something a young child would think. How far will these parents allow their arrows to progress in terms of maturity? Seems like around 4th grade?

This was the sort of thing I thought when I was like 10. By the time I hit 21, I knew a lot better.

It's pretty pathetic to see what has been done to the Arndt boys and how their childhood has been extended to an extreme level.

[formergothardite]

Miss Raquel has given pieces if her heart to her (3!!) sexting buddies and is a Scarlet Woman. No good fundie boy's mother is going to let a harlot like that anywhere near her precious boy.

Miss Raquel would surely corrupt their innocent little minds. :lol: Plus, Raquel hates sports and expects that any future husband will snuggle, hold hands and make out while watching any sort of sports events. No penguins will involved. :wink-penguin:

[RosyDaisy]

Seth Arndt wouldn't know poverty if it bit him on the ass. He's been sheltered his whole life, and knows little, if anything, about the real world.

[formergothardite]

Throw Seth out in the real world and let him support himself for six months without mom, dad or penguins. Then he can give us a talk about poverty.

[jlbturtle]

I don't know my mother and MIL are teachers in the inner city and it drives them nuts to see parents spend money on tattoo's but can't afford to buy their children crayons, paper, pencils, and make sure they get to school on time.

[JenniferJuniper]

Throw Seth out in the real world and let him support himself for six months without mom, dad or penguins. Then he can give us a talk about poverty.

Most almost 22 year olds would be able to find their way in those 6 months. Seth wouldn't last six days without his parents. If his family was suddenly gone from his life, he'd end up living on the streets, lucky to find a bed in a St. Louis homeless shelter at night.

That's what irritates me the most about young fundies like Seth. They have absolutely nothing of their own and don't contribute a thing to society, but still feel smug enough to look down on people who aren't being subsidized by personal benefactors like they are.

Kathy and Rick are in their mid to late 50's. Unless they have a ton of money socked aside and have done very careful estate planning (doubtful. The Lord will provide) once they are gone or otherwise unable to run things, all hell is going to break loose and it wouldn't shock me a bit if some of the younger or less capable manboys end up on public assistance some day.

Karma, Seth. It can be one bitchy penguin.

[acheronbeach]

I don't consider a cell phone a necessity. A phone, I could see - but how would a cell phone ever be a necessity? To me, a necessity is clean water, shelter, food, the sort of things required to live.

I don't have a cell phone. I decided I can't afford it with my student debts, so I use a land line. It's cheaper.

[gustava]

Most almost 22 year olds would be able to find their way in those 6 months. Seth wouldn't last six days without his parents. If his family was suddenly gone from his life, he'd end up living on the streets, lucky to find a bed in a St. Louis homeless shelter at night.

That's what irritates me the most about young fundies like Seth. They have absolutely nothing of their own and don't contribute a thing to society, but still feel smug enough to look down on people who aren't being subsidized by personal benefactors like they are.

Kathy and Rick are in their mid to late 50's. Unless they have a ton of money socked aside and have done very careful estate planning (doubtful. The Lord will provide) once they are gone or otherwise unable to run things, all hell is going to break loose and it wouldn't shock me a bit if some of the younger or less capable manboys end up on public assistance some day.

Karma, Seth. It can be one bitchy penguin.

Mama K and Daddy R don't strike me as leaving anything to chance. Given that Mama appears to come from $$$, I think the real issue is trust funds.

[JenniferJuniper]

I don't consider a cell phone a necessity. A phone, I could see - but how would a cell phone ever be a necessity? To me, a necessity is clean water, shelter, food, the sort of things required to live.

I don't have a cell phone. I decided I can't afford it with my student debts, so I use a land line. It's cheaper.

Landlines aren't nearly as easy to get as no-contract cell phones. You have to have a permanent residence for starters. And unlike the old days, most landline phone companies will turn off your service as soon as you miss two payments and then report you to a credit agency. You won't get your service back unless you pony up the cash and pay reconnection fees.

It's great that you can get by with just a landline, but when a landline is not a viable option a cell phone with limited or pre-paid minutes is a necessity for people to stay in touch with family, have a call-back number for prospective employers to reach them, or to call 911 in an emergency.

Given that pay phones are long gone and hard to find in most places now, how well would you function and how comfortable would you feel with no telephone access at all?

[J'ean Skirt]

I don't consider a cell phone a necessity. A phone, I could see - but how would a cell phone ever be a necessity? To me, a necessity is clean water, shelter, food, the sort of things required to live.

I don't have a cell phone. I decided I can't afford it with my student debts, so I use a land line. It's cheaper.

Some poor people don't have homes. Also, in many parts of the country a pre-paid cell is cheaper than a land line. Haven't you seen any of the discussions online about how "kids these days" are abandoning land lines and going just with cell phones? One of the arguments is cost, another is convenience. They don't need both, so they're choosing cell phones.

We have a land line, but only because a) we have to call overseas and international cell calling is EXPENSIVE and b) I need to be able to send faxes because we run the business out of the house.

Not having phone service is a major issue for people on the streets. A few years ago (pre cheap and ubiquitous cell phones) local homeless groups were providing free voice mail services to people who were trying to get off the streets. That way they had a number they could give to potential employers.

Giving poor people cheap cells phones is, to me, a good public investment.

I'll also point out that many, many rural communities only have land line phone service because the government mandated it and made people who already have phone service pay for it.

[acheronbeach]

I have no problem with people getting cell phones if that's cheaper or the only reasonable alternative. I just don't see how saying cell phones themselves are a necessity. Where I live, cell phone plans are prohibitively expensive (or have been until recently, until low cost carriers had assistance from the government in opening up). Pay phones are relatively common where I live (again, because cell phone plans are quite pricey).

So no, I can't agree that universally, cell phones are a necessity. I don't think it's necessary or even a particularly wise investment to have government provide cell phones to low income people with government funding. Having a means of calling other people 24/7 is not something that is required to live, and it's not required to get a job. It's very useful and convenient, but I still cannot understand how it would be considered a necessity.

That said, is Seth Arndt doing transcript writing? He may be somewhat biased from his work.

[JenniferJuniper]

I'll also point out that many, many rural communities only have land line phone service because the government mandated it and made people who already have phone service pay for it.

And in some places, landlines that are gone are never coming back.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/22/technol ... index.html

It's just a matter of time before landlines go the way of the Betamax. And it will be in years, not decades.

[JenniferJuniper]

I have no problem with people getting cell phones if that's cheaper or the only reasonable alternative. I just don't see how saying cell phones themselves are a necessity. Where I live, cell phone plans are prohibitively expensive (or have been until recently, until low cost carriers had assistance from the government in opening up). Pay phones are relatively common where I live (again, because cell phone plans are quite pricey).

So no, I can't agree that universally, cell phones are a necessity. I don't think it's necessary or even a particularly wise investment to have government provide cell phones to low income people with government funding. Having a means of calling other people 24/7 is not something that is required to live, and it's not required to get a job. It's very useful and convenient, but I still cannot understand how it would be considered a necessity.

That said, is Seth Arndt doing transcript writing? He may be somewhat biased from his work.

No, I don't think Seth is doing any court reporting. He's one of the younger ones. He may be practicing typing, but that's it. I think his bias comes from the right wing websites his Daddy is always linking to.

Where Seth lives payphones are hard to find and there are many cell phone options that are cheaper than landlines. Landlines often only make financial sense for people when they are packaged with internet and Cable TV. And again, if you aren't living somewhere on a permanent basis, a landline is not usually a viable option. Hence the snark.

You didn't answer the question as to whether you would be able to function or live comfortably without any phone access at all.

[rural juror]

Cell phones don't have to be expensive. I have a non-smart phone with a pay-as-you-go plan. You have control over how much you talk and pay, so it's quite cheap for those who only use it for emergencies or to give out contact information to employees. I can see how some may get annoyed at seeing a poor person with a smartphone.

[acheronbeach]

You didn't answer the question as to whether you would be able to function or live comfortably without any phone access at all.

I actually wouldn't have a problem going phone-free, other than no 911 access, but I know I'm the exception. I avoid using the phone and I do not give out my phone number. I dislike the fact that there's no paper trail, I get annoyed when the phone interrupts what I'm doing, and even when I was looking for a job, I found that nearly all potential employers contacted me by email. There was about half a year where I lived alone where I didn't have a phone (I had internet). And no, I didn't use any Skype-type things, either. I just don't like it.

Edit: That said, I've made it clear my issue is with the idea that a cell phone in particular is somehow a necessity. It's wonderful that in some places a cell phone is cheaper. It's sad that in some places, it's the only available phone. But again, that doesn't make it a necessity across the board.

[LadyBlue]

I think part of the cell phone/land line issue is because here in Canada, we have one of, if not the most, expensive cell phone service in the world, thanks to the big 3 companies owning all the infrastructure. We get royally screwed here and land lines really are a lot cheaper for most people. I have a grandfathered in service that is cheaper than anything I could get now that's $16/mth for 50 minutes total & 50 texts. No data. Obviously I do not have a smart phone. The same plan now would be $20/mth. If you pay by the minute it's 35 cents.

I can't remember exactly how much our land line is, probably around $20/mth or less after the discount for bundling. And obviously that has unlimited incoming & outgoing. We did have 2 pay as you go cells for a long time, but then we had to use Skype for long distance/my mother's incessant need to talk to me every freaking day.

[J'ean Skirt]

Edit: That said, I've made it clear my issue is with the idea that a cell phone in particular is somehow a necessity. It's wonderful that in some places a cell phone is cheaper. It's sad that in some places, it's the only available phone. But again, that doesn't make it a necessity across the board.

A cell phone isn't a necessity. But in many cases (you being an exception) a telephone is. And a cell phone is a logical and rational decision for many people.

[lilith]

Cell phones don't have to be expensive. I have a non-smart phone with a pay-as-you-go plan. You have control over how much you talk and pay, so it's quite cheap for those who only use it for emergencies or to give out contact information to employees. I can see how some may get annoyed at seeing a poor person with a smartphone.

Why would someone get annoyed seeing a poor person with a smart phone?

I was a poor single mother, and I in no way believe that that obliged me to not have nice things. I and my kids still had nice clothes, toys, electronics from when I was married and had a very comfortable income, and my mother bought me an iPhone when they first came out cause she knew I would enjoy it a lot.

Why on earth were my possessions anyone else's business? Was it particularly cause I was poor that other people get to feel personally effected by what I own? What about now I'm comfortably middle class again? Will my phone and iPad piss people off for some reason?

I just find it bizarre that people are so invested in other people's lives that they think they have the right to dictate what people in different socio economic groups should own.