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	<title>Comments for Ron A Smith.com</title>
	<atom:link href="http://ronasmith.com/comments/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://ronasmith.com</link>
	<description>Thoughts of a Simpleton</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:13:27 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Comment on Talent Show with Guinness!!! by Amber Chudy</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/08/talent-show-with-guinness/comment-page-1/#comment-12726</link>
		<dc:creator>Amber Chudy</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:13:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=590#comment-12726</guid>
		<description>Oh Guinness... Such a sweet girl, regardless of her intelligence level. Very funny Ron. And Finni wins. haha</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Oh Guinness&#8230; Such a sweet girl, regardless of her intelligence level. Very funny Ron. And Finni wins. haha</p>
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		<title>Comment on Poor Paris by Taylor Brient</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2007/05/poor-paris/comment-page-1/#comment-12725</link>
		<dc:creator>Taylor Brient</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:57:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=226#comment-12725</guid>
		<description>I think Paris is so pretty girl beautiful eyes but also so very wild</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think Paris is so pretty girl beautiful eyes but also so very wild</p>
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		<title>Comment on Last Poems by A. E. Housman by Dave Love</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/07/last-poems-by-a-e-housman/comment-page-1/#comment-12718</link>
		<dc:creator>Dave Love</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:51:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=586#comment-12718</guid>
		<description>Beautiful poem.

Also, R-E-C-I-T-E-D.  I&#039;m a dick, I know.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Beautiful poem.</p>
<p>Also, R-E-C-I-T-E-D.  I&#8217;m a dick, I know.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Proud To Be White by Cynthia</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2007/06/proud-to-be-white/comment-page-1/#comment-12717</link>
		<dc:creator>Cynthia</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:29:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=254#comment-12717</guid>
		<description>Though I am not an racist and have fought against racism my whole life. I am real concerned that the Democrats are going from state to state and changing the law (yes it has been changed already in the Northern states) that throw out the electoral vote. This means that the only votes that will count are the city and inner city votes. So guess who are going to run the Country. The Democrats have become the &#039;anti white&#039; party. I have fought against prejudice against blacks, I guess now I have to fight against prejudice against the whites. I wonder how many blacks will be willing to fight with me? This has already been enacted in Mass. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Though I am not an racist and have fought against racism my whole life. I am real concerned that the Democrats are going from state to state and changing the law (yes it has been changed already in the Northern states) that throw out the electoral vote. This means that the only votes that will count are the city and inner city votes. So guess who are going to run the Country. The Democrats have become the &#8216;anti white&#8217; party. I have fought against prejudice against blacks, I guess now I have to fight against prejudice against the whites. I wonder how many blacks will be willing to fight with me? This has already been enacted in Mass. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Europe Trip: Day 09 &#8211; Relaxing in Lake Garda by Dave Love</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/europe-trip-day-09-relaxing-in-lake-garda/comment-page-1/#comment-12703</link>
		<dc:creator>Dave Love</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=580#comment-12703</guid>
		<description>(response to picture #1 at the top) 

&quot;Hey Ron, you like silk do you?&quot; ;-)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>(response to picture #1 at the top) </p>
<p>&#8220;Hey Ron, you like silk do you?&#8221; <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Comment on Europe Day 5: Arrived in Geneva, Switzerland by RYAN CHAPMAn</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/europe-day-5-arrived-in-geneva-switzerlnad/comment-page-1/#comment-12688</link>
		<dc:creator>RYAN CHAPMAn</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:28:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=565#comment-12688</guid>
		<description>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJYYWYbB4eI</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJYYWYbB4eI" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJYYWYbB4eI</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on Europe Trip Day 6: Leaving Geneva to Wattwil by Karen</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/europe-trip-day-6-leaving-geneva-to-wattwil/comment-page-1/#comment-12687</link>
		<dc:creator>Karen</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:28:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=568#comment-12687</guid>
		<description>I am so glad you are having such a great trip. It sounds wonderful. Sorry to hear about the tree...travel safe.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I am so glad you are having such a great trip. It sounds wonderful. Sorry to hear about the tree&#8230;travel safe.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Europe Trip Day 6: Leaving Geneva to Wattwil by Natalie</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/europe-trip-day-6-leaving-geneva-to-wattwil/comment-page-1/#comment-12686</link>
		<dc:creator>Natalie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:22:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=568#comment-12686</guid>
		<description>I can&#039;t believe that tree has been cut down.  I am so thankful that I had a chance to visit it with Grandad :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I can&#8217;t believe that tree has been cut down.  I am so thankful that I had a chance to visit it with Grandad <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris &#8211; Last Day :( by mum</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-last-day/comment-page-1/#comment-12680</link>
		<dc:creator>mum</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:31:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=563#comment-12680</guid>
		<description>Ron, don&#039;t you already have a few pairs of this type of shoe already????</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ron, don&#8217;t you already have a few pairs of this type of shoe already????</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris &#8211; Day 3 by nathan colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12677</link>
		<dc:creator>nathan colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:35:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=561#comment-12677</guid>
		<description>awesome write-ups, keep it up and keep eating well then make it all for me when you get home.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>awesome write-ups, keep it up and keep eating well then make it all for me when you get home.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris &#8211; Day 3 by Grandmaman</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12676</link>
		<dc:creator>Grandmaman</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:52:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=561#comment-12676</guid>
		<description>I am so happy for you two.  also very envious.  enjoy and have a crepe and beer for me.  love you</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I am so happy for you two.  also very envious.  enjoy and have a crepe and beer for me.  love you</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris &#8211; Day 3 by Natalie</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12675</link>
		<dc:creator>Natalie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:36:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=561#comment-12675</guid>
		<description>Hey guys... I can&#039;t believe I missed your phone call... pissin me off... haha.  I LOVE your pics, they are awesome.  So happy that you are having a great time, I just know Grandad is perma smile right now.  I&#039;m liking the his/her blog, keep them coming.  Stay safe.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hey guys&#8230; I can&#8217;t believe I missed your phone call&#8230; pissin me off&#8230; haha.  I LOVE your pics, they are awesome.  So happy that you are having a great time, I just know Grandad is perma smile right now.  I&#8217;m liking the his/her blog, keep them coming.  Stay safe.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris: Day 2 by Lori</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-12674</link>
		<dc:creator>Lori</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:18:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=557#comment-12674</guid>
		<description>All of these pictures look like postcards!!

There are hardly any other people in your pics...what did you do?  Rent out all of Paris for yourselves???</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>All of these pictures look like postcards!!</p>
<p>There are hardly any other people in your pics&#8230;what did you do?  Rent out all of Paris for yourselves???</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris: Day 1 by Rachel</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-1/comment-page-1/#comment-12673</link>
		<dc:creator>Rachel</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:18:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=551#comment-12673</guid>
		<description>I love that you are ruined for life too.
Let&#039;s run away together and be Parisian.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I love that you are ruined for life too.<br />
Let&#8217;s run away together and be Parisian.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris: Day 1 by Meg</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-1/comment-page-1/#comment-12672</link>
		<dc:creator>Meg</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:28:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=551#comment-12672</guid>
		<description>Love the PICS!!!  The girls keep saying they look like screen savers!!!! Awesome, keep on having fun!!!!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Love the PICS!!!  The girls keep saying they look like screen savers!!!! Awesome, keep on having fun!!!!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris: Day 1 by joe</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-1/comment-page-1/#comment-12671</link>
		<dc:creator>joe</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:16:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=551#comment-12671</guid>
		<description>the vw was an automatic, wasn&#039;t it....</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>the vw was an automatic, wasn&#8217;t it&#8230;.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Paris: Day 1 by Lori</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/06/paris-day-1/comment-page-1/#comment-12670</link>
		<dc:creator>Lori</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:16:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=551#comment-12670</guid>
		<description>WOW....looks amazing.  Happy to see that you have adjusted to the european ways already...food, culture and ...driving!!!  

Pictures are awesome!  Keep them coming!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>WOW&#8230;.looks amazing.  Happy to see that you have adjusted to the european ways already&#8230;food, culture and &#8230;driving!!!  </p>
<p>Pictures are awesome!  Keep them coming!</p>
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		<title>Comment on For Kate by Amy</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/05/for-kate/comment-page-1/#comment-12669</link>
		<dc:creator>Amy</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 May 2010 20:21:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=441#comment-12669</guid>
		<description>Crazy sad. I met Craig in 6th grade and will never forget the years of him making me laugh. He was a great guy.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Crazy sad. I met Craig in 6th grade and will never forget the years of him making me laugh. He was a great guy.</p>
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		<title>Comment on There are issues in this world I know but I gotta take care of the issues in the world I know by Sandra Gladwish</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/there-are-issues-in-this-world-i-know-but-i-gotta-take-care-of-the-issues-in-the-world-i-know/comment-page-1/#comment-12668</link>
		<dc:creator>Sandra Gladwish</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:22:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=546#comment-12668</guid>
		<description>There is no &quot;third world&quot; - there is only one world ....when 1 persons considers this issues on a grand scale from only their perspective they have to remember this -- that 1 person no matter how small the act can create a massive movement for change.. that no problem in the beginning is solved with only one person but it starts with one... there are billions of people on this earth that can and do become the movement for change that is fueled by one voice... “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” ... a ripple that creates a wave.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There is no &#8220;third world&#8221; &#8211; there is only one world &#8230;.when 1 persons considers this issues on a grand scale from only their perspective they have to remember this &#8212; that 1 person no matter how small the act can create a massive movement for change.. that no problem in the beginning is solved with only one person but it starts with one&#8230; there are billions of people on this earth that can and do become the movement for change that is fueled by one voice&#8230; “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” &#8230; a ripple that creates a wave.</p>
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		<title>Comment on There are issues in this world I know but I gotta take care of the issues in the world I know by nathan colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/there-are-issues-in-this-world-i-know-but-i-gotta-take-care-of-the-issues-in-the-world-i-know/comment-page-1/#comment-12662</link>
		<dc:creator>nathan colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:23:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=546#comment-12662</guid>
		<description>This post was the smarted thing you&#039;ve said this year.
Good post, seriously, well done.

However, one flaw.  If you are seriously writing to that 80% i can almost guarantee that none of them read past the first paragraph; not enough pictures.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This post was the smarted thing you&#8217;ve said this year.<br />
Good post, seriously, well done.</p>
<p>However, one flaw.  If you are seriously writing to that 80% i can almost guarantee that none of them read past the first paragraph; not enough pictures.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Theft by Elizabeth Pede</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/theft/comment-page-1/#comment-12661</link>
		<dc:creator>Elizabeth Pede</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:44:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=544#comment-12661</guid>
		<description>Loved your blog. Happy Monday!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Loved your blog. Happy Monday!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Theft by Stacey hamilton</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/theft/comment-page-1/#comment-12660</link>
		<dc:creator>Stacey hamilton</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:44:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=544#comment-12660</guid>
		<description>It sucks that all that stuff was stolen and you&#039;re stuck with the cost. Obviously, no one should be breaking into your car, especially when it&#039;s in your own driveway. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that, if someone sees or believes there is something valuable in your car, it will be broken into, and unless there is a witness, there&#039;s pretty much nothing the police can do after the fact. They file a report with your information in case the culprit is eventually caught in connection with other crimes, but that&#039;s about it. While it isn&#039;t your fault that someone broke in, and you ideally wouldn&#039;t be stuck facing the consequences of it, realistically, you have to err on the side of caution if you want to avoid situations like this.

My roommate&#039;s car was also broken into because she had the GPS arm attached to her windshield. Her car was actually two stories underground in a secure parking garage; but she knew that things get stolen from cars, that there were warnings from management not to leave valuables in sight because of break-ins in the area, and she took the risk, anyway. Now she&#039;s out one GPS and a window.

You might want to monitor kijiji and craig&#039;s list to see if your stuff starts appearing on there. There was a man who got his stolen stroller back that way: http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/780873... See More</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It sucks that all that stuff was stolen and you&#8217;re stuck with the cost. Obviously, no one should be breaking into your car, especially when it&#8217;s in your own driveway. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that, if someone sees or believes there is something valuable in your car, it will be broken into, and unless there is a witness, there&#8217;s pretty much nothing the police can do after the fact. They file a report with your information in case the culprit is eventually caught in connection with other crimes, but that&#8217;s about it. While it isn&#8217;t your fault that someone broke in, and you ideally wouldn&#8217;t be stuck facing the consequences of it, realistically, you have to err on the side of caution if you want to avoid situations like this.</p>
<p>My roommate&#8217;s car was also broken into because she had the GPS arm attached to her windshield. Her car was actually two stories underground in a secure parking garage; but she knew that things get stolen from cars, that there were warnings from management not to leave valuables in sight because of break-ins in the area, and she took the risk, anyway. Now she&#8217;s out one GPS and a window.</p>
<p>You might want to monitor kijiji and craig&#8217;s list to see if your stuff starts appearing on there. There was a man who got his stolen stroller back that way: <a href="http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/780873.." rel="nofollow">http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/780873..</a>. See More</p>
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		<title>Comment on Theft by Kyle</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/theft/comment-page-1/#comment-12657</link>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:48:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=544#comment-12657</guid>
		<description>Getting robbed does suck. 
About 2 years ago, 2 days before my birthday even, my apartment was robbed. Both my laptops, brand new hdtv, 360, all games and movies were stolen. Thankfully, my desktop had so many wires tangled up everywhere and wasn&#039;t taken. The robbers came in through my bedroom window since i was on the main floor. Being in British Colombia and January, the ground is just mud, which was tracked through the bedroom and all over the clothes i had just pulled from the dryer before i left for work.
i was on an afternoon shift, 2-11pm, getting home around 12:30am. I opened the door and noticed my bedroom door was wide open. First thought was, &quot;Damn cats, broke into my room again. Better not have pissed on the bed!&quot;. Took a few steps inside and noticed the house was a lot colder than it should&#039;ve been, stepped into the living room and flipped on the light and after probably 10 seconds it registered what had happened. I called the police, they sent an RCMP officer who go there about 20 minutes later. In that time i inspected the 2 boot tracks through the bedroom and the logs on the desktop indicating it lost network connection at about 7:30ish, from when they unplugged the power bar the router and modem were hooked up to. 
The cop was pretty cool about everything, didn&#039;t give any bullshit or false hope, straight up told me that the stuff is gone and it would be the first time he&#039;s ever seen anyone get their stuff back. He did recognize i was running Linux, he ran Suse at home, so we had a good chat about that which made me feel better.
It took a few months before i felt safe coming home after that. It wasn&#039;t even the stuff i had lost from it that upset me, though most of it hadn&#039;t been paid off yet so i was still paying for things i didn&#039;t have. It was the realization that i had no control over this, and any future occurrences. 
You might take solace if you have a password on your laptops, the crook probably isn&#039;t smart enough to get around it so he&#039;s not going through your personal stuff. What&#039;s lost is more than likely a few towns away in a pawn shop, and the robber is OD&#039;ing off whatever drugs he got from hawking it.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Getting robbed does suck.<br />
About 2 years ago, 2 days before my birthday even, my apartment was robbed. Both my laptops, brand new hdtv, 360, all games and movies were stolen. Thankfully, my desktop had so many wires tangled up everywhere and wasn&#8217;t taken. The robbers came in through my bedroom window since i was on the main floor. Being in British Colombia and January, the ground is just mud, which was tracked through the bedroom and all over the clothes i had just pulled from the dryer before i left for work.<br />
i was on an afternoon shift, 2-11pm, getting home around 12:30am. I opened the door and noticed my bedroom door was wide open. First thought was, &#8220;Damn cats, broke into my room again. Better not have pissed on the bed!&#8221;. Took a few steps inside and noticed the house was a lot colder than it should&#8217;ve been, stepped into the living room and flipped on the light and after probably 10 seconds it registered what had happened. I called the police, they sent an RCMP officer who go there about 20 minutes later. In that time i inspected the 2 boot tracks through the bedroom and the logs on the desktop indicating it lost network connection at about 7:30ish, from when they unplugged the power bar the router and modem were hooked up to.<br />
The cop was pretty cool about everything, didn&#8217;t give any bullshit or false hope, straight up told me that the stuff is gone and it would be the first time he&#8217;s ever seen anyone get their stuff back. He did recognize i was running Linux, he ran Suse at home, so we had a good chat about that which made me feel better.<br />
It took a few months before i felt safe coming home after that. It wasn&#8217;t even the stuff i had lost from it that upset me, though most of it hadn&#8217;t been paid off yet so i was still paying for things i didn&#8217;t have. It was the realization that i had no control over this, and any future occurrences.<br />
You might take solace if you have a password on your laptops, the crook probably isn&#8217;t smart enough to get around it so he&#8217;s not going through your personal stuff. What&#8217;s lost is more than likely a few towns away in a pawn shop, and the robber is OD&#8217;ing off whatever drugs he got from hawking it.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Theft by Doug</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/04/theft/comment-page-1/#comment-12649</link>
		<dc:creator>Doug</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:51:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=544#comment-12649</guid>
		<description>For the record, I&#039;m a staunch believer that the victim is always the victim.  Sure we all need to take reasonable precautions, but even if we don&#039;t, the person committing the crime is still 100% to blame.  It truly disgusts me when people try to put fault on the victim of a crime, no matter what the circumstances.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For the record, I&#8217;m a staunch believer that the victim is always the victim.  Sure we all need to take reasonable precautions, but even if we don&#8217;t, the person committing the crime is still 100% to blame.  It truly disgusts me when people try to put fault on the victim of a crime, no matter what the circumstances.</p>
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		<title>Comment on My Mom follows me on Facebook by aunt val</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/my-mom-follows-me-on-facebook/comment-page-1/#comment-12648</link>
		<dc:creator>aunt val</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:31:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=510#comment-12648</guid>
		<description>sorry ron cant look at this one as my work pc will not allow it will try when i am at homw hope all is ok?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>sorry ron cant look at this one as my work pc will not allow it will try when i am at homw hope all is ok?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Is That All There Is? by Dave Love</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/01/is-that-all-there-is/comment-page-1/#comment-12647</link>
		<dc:creator>Dave Love</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:19:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=541#comment-12647</guid>
		<description>This is by far my favourite blog post of yours.  Honest, well-written, and well thought out.  Just wanted to tell you that.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is by far my favourite blog post of yours.  Honest, well-written, and well thought out.  Just wanted to tell you that.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Is That All There Is? by Linking Life for the Week of January 28th &#171; Linking Life</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/01/is-that-all-there-is/comment-page-1/#comment-12646</link>
		<dc:creator>Linking Life for the Week of January 28th &#171; Linking Life</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:19:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=541#comment-12646</guid>
		<description>[...] Ron Smith posted Is That All There Is?. [...]</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] Ron Smith posted Is That All There Is?. [...]</p>
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		<title>Comment on Is That All There Is? by nathan colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2010/01/is-that-all-there-is/comment-page-1/#comment-12644</link>
		<dc:creator>nathan colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:23:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=541#comment-12644</guid>
		<description>You are not alone in your struggle, though you feel alone.  It sucks thought because we are all wondering the same questions, so the company is made up of people who are just like you or people who are in denial.

My hope...is that what you stated is not all there is.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You are not alone in your struggle, though you feel alone.  It sucks thought because we are all wondering the same questions, so the company is made up of people who are just like you or people who are in denial.</p>
<p>My hope&#8230;is that what you stated is not all there is.</p>
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		<title>Comment on This American Life – My new home for News by Chazzle Dazzle</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/12/this-american-life-%e2%80%93-my-new-home-for-news/comment-page-1/#comment-12642</link>
		<dc:creator>Chazzle Dazzle</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:02:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=539#comment-12642</guid>
		<description>When&#039;s the next post, we are waiting for the next Ron Anthony Smith blog posting !</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When&#8217;s the next post, we are waiting for the next Ron Anthony Smith blog posting !</p>
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		<title>Comment on Home Ownership: Over Rated!!! by natalie</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/home-ownership-over-rated/comment-page-1/#comment-12641</link>
		<dc:creator>natalie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:07:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=537#comment-12641</guid>
		<description>haha I love you Ron.  you are hilarious!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>haha I love you Ron.  you are hilarious!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Home Ownership: Over Rated!!! by Alexandra Cox</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/home-ownership-over-rated/comment-page-1/#comment-12640</link>
		<dc:creator>Alexandra Cox</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:02:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=537#comment-12640</guid>
		<description>We just bought an older home too, and being as it&#039;s our first home and we have such grand ambitions for it - we&#039;re so house poor!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We just bought an older home too, and being as it&#8217;s our first home and we have such grand ambitions for it &#8211; we&#8217;re so house poor!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Home Ownership: Over Rated!!! by Chazzle Dazzle</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/home-ownership-over-rated/comment-page-1/#comment-12639</link>
		<dc:creator>Chazzle Dazzle</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:58:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=537#comment-12639</guid>
		<description>Investments pay for themselves over time. 

I like the garage &amp; the top nerd loft.

In your own house you can listen to music, really fucking loud. 

Enjoy Baldwin</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Investments pay for themselves over time. </p>
<p>I like the garage &amp; the top nerd loft.</p>
<p>In your own house you can listen to music, really fucking loud. </p>
<p>Enjoy Baldwin</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by Danielle R.</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12638</link>
		<dc:creator>Danielle R.</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:19:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12638</guid>
		<description>I would like to add that Im sorry to hear about your grandpa and I pray that this added stress from Bell would end quickly to at least give you peace of mind in that area. Prayers stranger.
d</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I would like to add that Im sorry to hear about your grandpa and I pray that this added stress from Bell would end quickly to at least give you peace of mind in that area. Prayers stranger.<br />
d</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by Danielle R.</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12637</link>
		<dc:creator>Danielle R.</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:16:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12637</guid>
		<description>I have had TERRIBLE experiences with Bell, Rogers, OSAP and Hydro 1. Rogers, Bell and Hydro 1 ALL let someone else register things in MY name and ALL of them have messed up my formerly PERFECT credit because of their own costumer service inadequacy.  IT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE how TERRIBLE they are and how few options there are for you when you are screwed over by them! I too would like to kick those particular costumer service people in the vagina (or nuts)... but I will more likely just write letters... or i guess i will be more likely to THINK about writing letters and instead do nothing... i am part of the problem....</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have had TERRIBLE experiences with Bell, Rogers, OSAP and Hydro 1. Rogers, Bell and Hydro 1 ALL let someone else register things in MY name and ALL of them have messed up my formerly PERFECT credit because of their own costumer service inadequacy.  IT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE how TERRIBLE they are and how few options there are for you when you are screwed over by them! I too would like to kick those particular costumer service people in the vagina (or nuts)&#8230; but I will more likely just write letters&#8230; or i guess i will be more likely to THINK about writing letters and instead do nothing&#8230; i am part of the problem&#8230;.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by Roger Strong</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12636</link>
		<dc:creator>Roger Strong</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:21:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12636</guid>
		<description>I&#039;d advise you to not pay the $400, but they&#039;ll hurt your credit rating.  The next time you want a mortgage or car, it&#039;ll cost you far more than $400.  Keep phoning them, and at different hours to get different people.  Where one rep won&#039;t help you, often another will.

Beyond that, word-of mouth won&#039;t hurt them one bit, because the competition is just as enthusiastically sleazy.

I&#039;m on Telus in Steinbach, Manitoba.  I spent a fortune on a three-year PDA phone and data plan, because I needed web access and email while travelling around the province.

Less than a month later, Telus&#039;s data access disappeared across Manitoba, except for Winnipeg.  They made me keep paying - &quot;the service is subject to change&quot;, and &quot;disappearing altogether&quot; is one such change.  It turns out I can&#039;t get a usable signal at home either, so I can&#039;t give my number out.  That also counts for nothing.  The phone is essentially a brick with a massive payment plan.

As for the honesty of Telus dealers, I&#039;m convinced that Telus does a criminal background check on any would-be dealer - and rejects those without one.

On MTS, my wife paid an extra $100 for an extended warranty where if it had a problem, they&#039;d replace it on the spot rather than make her wait 3-4 weeks while it got shipped east for service.  It had a problem.  They made her wait.

I know people on Rogers, and what they say about the company is unprintable.

For every disgusted Bell customer that moves to Telus or Rogers, there&#039;s another disgusted Telus or Rogers customer moving to Bell.  The cell phone companies know this, and so they feel no obligation - none at all - to be even remotely honorable.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;d advise you to not pay the $400, but they&#8217;ll hurt your credit rating.  The next time you want a mortgage or car, it&#8217;ll cost you far more than $400.  Keep phoning them, and at different hours to get different people.  Where one rep won&#8217;t help you, often another will.</p>
<p>Beyond that, word-of mouth won&#8217;t hurt them one bit, because the competition is just as enthusiastically sleazy.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m on Telus in Steinbach, Manitoba.  I spent a fortune on a three-year PDA phone and data plan, because I needed web access and email while travelling around the province.</p>
<p>Less than a month later, Telus&#8217;s data access disappeared across Manitoba, except for Winnipeg.  They made me keep paying &#8211; &#8220;the service is subject to change&#8221;, and &#8220;disappearing altogether&#8221; is one such change.  It turns out I can&#8217;t get a usable signal at home either, so I can&#8217;t give my number out.  That also counts for nothing.  The phone is essentially a brick with a massive payment plan.</p>
<p>As for the honesty of Telus dealers, I&#8217;m convinced that Telus does a criminal background check on any would-be dealer &#8211; and rejects those without one.</p>
<p>On MTS, my wife paid an extra $100 for an extended warranty where if it had a problem, they&#8217;d replace it on the spot rather than make her wait 3-4 weeks while it got shipped east for service.  It had a problem.  They made her wait.</p>
<p>I know people on Rogers, and what they say about the company is unprintable.</p>
<p>For every disgusted Bell customer that moves to Telus or Rogers, there&#8217;s another disgusted Telus or Rogers customer moving to Bell.  The cell phone companies know this, and so they feel no obligation &#8211; none at all &#8211; to be even remotely honorable.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by JT</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12635</link>
		<dc:creator>JT</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:48:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12635</guid>
		<description>I too desire to kick every member of Bells customer service staff in the nuts (or vagina).</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I too desire to kick every member of Bells customer service staff in the nuts (or vagina).</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by Nathan Colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12634</link>
		<dc:creator>Nathan Colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:29:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12634</guid>
		<description>I hate bell, so much, only problems with their customer services</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I hate bell, so much, only problems with their customer services</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Bell Canada doesn’t respect my dead Grandfather by Crystal</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/11/why-bell-canada-doesn%e2%80%99t-respect-my-dead-grandfather/comment-page-1/#comment-12633</link>
		<dc:creator>Crystal</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:32:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=535#comment-12633</guid>
		<description>I feel for ya Ron!  

Bell is such a bad company!  They gave me nothing but bullshit last year... over a bill that was LONG paid online.. that they LOST and stalked me over for a period of about 4 months.. no apoligies.. nuthin when they finally realized their mistake.

Just seems like a bunch of incompetent people working there for sure!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I feel for ya Ron!  </p>
<p>Bell is such a bad company!  They gave me nothing but bullshit last year&#8230; over a bill that was LONG paid online.. that they LOST and stalked me over for a period of about 4 months.. no apoligies.. nuthin when they finally realized their mistake.</p>
<p>Just seems like a bunch of incompetent people working there for sure!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: A Celebration of Life! by Alexander Constantine Tsotos</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-a-celebration-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-12627</link>
		<dc:creator>Alexander Constantine Tsotos</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:21:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=532#comment-12627</guid>
		<description>Lookiing forward to your speech tonight Ronnie, and excited for when you are ready to start celebrating the life of a great man!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Lookiing forward to your speech tonight Ronnie, and excited for when you are ready to start celebrating the life of a great man!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: A Celebration of Life! by Brian Snyder</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-a-celebration-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-12626</link>
		<dc:creator>Brian Snyder</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:20:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=532#comment-12626</guid>
		<description>watched the slideshow and read the eulogy .... extremely touching ...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>watched the slideshow and read the eulogy &#8230;. extremely touching &#8230;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: A Celebration of Life! by Elizabeth Pede</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-a-celebration-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-12625</link>
		<dc:creator>Elizabeth Pede</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:20:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=532#comment-12625</guid>
		<description>Both are a beautiful testimony of the relationship you and your granddad shared Ron. Praying for you and your family.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Both are a beautiful testimony of the relationship you and your granddad shared Ron. Praying for you and your family.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: A Celebration of Life! by Bonnie Millar</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-a-celebration-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-12624</link>
		<dc:creator>Bonnie Millar</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:19:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=532#comment-12624</guid>
		<description>nice job Ron.. a real tribute to your Granddad .</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>nice job Ron.. a real tribute to your Granddad .</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: A Celebration of Life! by Janet Sibbal</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-a-celebration-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-12623</link>
		<dc:creator>Janet Sibbal</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:19:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=532#comment-12623</guid>
		<description>dNice Ron!!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>dNice Ron!!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by mary cox</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12622</link>
		<dc:creator>mary cox</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:40:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12622</guid>
		<description>Beautifull words of Jeff we really enjoyed his company at valrose he was always full of fun. He was also great friends with John Eagar with whom he drank the odd glass or two I will show this to all his friends here at Valrose. I hope that you will visit us one day</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Beautifull words of Jeff we really enjoyed his company at valrose he was always full of fun. He was also great friends with John Eagar with whom he drank the odd glass or two I will show this to all his friends here at Valrose. I hope that you will visit us one day</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by joe</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12621</link>
		<dc:creator>joe</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:11:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12621</guid>
		<description>wow. i&#039;m choked. well written piece, ron. and thanks for introducing me to your grandad. i&#039;m glad to have known him.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>wow. i&#8217;m choked. well written piece, ron. and thanks for introducing me to your grandad. i&#8217;m glad to have known him.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Arley</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12620</link>
		<dc:creator>Arley</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:43:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12620</guid>
		<description>Beautifully written, your Granddad would be so proud.
I&#039;m grateful I had the chance to get to know such an amazing man throughout the years...He will be missed by many.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Beautifully written, your Granddad would be so proud.<br />
I&#8217;m grateful I had the chance to get to know such an amazing man throughout the years&#8230;He will be missed by many.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Corrie Colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12619</link>
		<dc:creator>Corrie Colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:28:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12619</guid>
		<description>Ron...........I&#039;ve shed a few tears for you over the loss of Granddad.  He was a terrific man and I have enjoyed meeting him over the past few years.    A lot of times, we hear that people have regrets over the lack of time they spent with their loved ones.  You, however, have been one of the most devoted grandchildren I have ever witnessed.  And it was so obviously not from duty but by a pure love towards this man.  Your friendship with your granddad is an inspiration to me.   You&#039;re a good guy Ron......love you...........Corrie</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ron&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..I&#8217;ve shed a few tears for you over the loss of Granddad.  He was a terrific man and I have enjoyed meeting him over the past few years.    A lot of times, we hear that people have regrets over the lack of time they spent with their loved ones.  You, however, have been one of the most devoted grandchildren I have ever witnessed.  And it was so obviously not from duty but by a pure love towards this man.  Your friendship with your granddad is an inspiration to me.   You&#8217;re a good guy Ron&#8230;&#8230;love you&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..Corrie</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Melissa</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12618</link>
		<dc:creator>Melissa</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12618</guid>
		<description>I am sorry for your loss. Very touching piece you wrote. You have a way with words, he will be missed.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I am sorry for your loss. Very touching piece you wrote. You have a way with words, he will be missed.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Martin and Barbra Wright</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12617</link>
		<dc:creator>Martin and Barbra Wright</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12617</guid>
		<description>We met Geoff and Dilys nearly 20 years ago at Val Rose, watched Grand Prixs with Geoff and drank his beer and scotch (they were the only ones with a TV that we knew) Shared many a UK motor trade story about Liverpool and had many laughs together. Walked each other home from time to time after too long at the bar.
Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time, Geoff will be missed by those who had the good fortune to know him. We will raise a large glass to his memory as we are sure that would be his wish.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We met Geoff and Dilys nearly 20 years ago at Val Rose, watched Grand Prixs with Geoff and drank his beer and scotch (they were the only ones with a TV that we knew) Shared many a UK motor trade story about Liverpool and had many laughs together. Walked each other home from time to time after too long at the bar.<br />
Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time, Geoff will be missed by those who had the good fortune to know him. We will raise a large glass to his memory as we are sure that would be his wish.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Tim Bayne</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12616</link>
		<dc:creator>Tim Bayne</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:36:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12616</guid>
		<description>I may have never met your Granddad, but the way you express your relationship I can definitely appreciate your relationship with him. I&#039;m envious.  Unfortunately, I&#039;ve never had the opportunity to share the same time with my grandparents. Consider yourself lucky for the time you shared!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I may have never met your Granddad, but the way you express your relationship I can definitely appreciate your relationship with him. I&#8217;m envious.  Unfortunately, I&#8217;ve never had the opportunity to share the same time with my grandparents. Consider yourself lucky for the time you shared!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Melissa Fisher</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12615</link>
		<dc:creator>Melissa Fisher</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:43:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12615</guid>
		<description>Wow Ron im so sorry to hear about granddad u two were very close thoughts are with u and your family xo</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow Ron im so sorry to hear about granddad u two were very close thoughts are with u and your family xo</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Michelle Ewart</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12614</link>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Ewart</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:38:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12614</guid>
		<description>Ron, I read about your grandfather and I wanted to send my condolences to you and your family. I met your grandfather once back in the day and remember what a kind man he was. Your thoughts and tribute regarding your granddad were beautifully written and brought tears to my eyes. Altho this is a hard time for you and your family, hold those memories close to your heart. Be sure to give Nat a hug for me. Again, I&#039;m sorry for your loss! All the best...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ron, I read about your grandfather and I wanted to send my condolences to you and your family. I met your grandfather once back in the day and remember what a kind man he was. Your thoughts and tribute regarding your granddad were beautifully written and brought tears to my eyes. Altho this is a hard time for you and your family, hold those memories close to your heart. Be sure to give Nat a hug for me. Again, I&#8217;m sorry for your loss! All the best&#8230;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by David Irvine</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12613</link>
		<dc:creator>David Irvine</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:38:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12613</guid>
		<description>Hi Ron. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandfather. My sympathies and thoughts with you, your family and everyone who knew and loved your grandfather.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Ron. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandfather. My sympathies and thoughts with you, your family and everyone who knew and loved your grandfather.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Melissa DeBrum Armstrong</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12612</link>
		<dc:creator>Melissa DeBrum Armstrong</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:38:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12612</guid>
		<description>Ron - that is a beautiful tribute to your Grandad. I am so sorry for your loss.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ron &#8211; that is a beautiful tribute to your Grandad. I am so sorry for your loss.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Geoff Shepherd: 1925-2009 by Chris Richmond</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/10/geoff-shepherd-1925-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12611</link>
		<dc:creator>Chris Richmond</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:22:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=526#comment-12611</guid>
		<description>Consider yourself blessed Ron, to have experienced a close, meaningful relationship like this in your life. You will miss your grandad, but you have had more with him than many will have in a lifetime.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Consider yourself blessed Ron, to have experienced a close, meaningful relationship like this in your life. You will miss your grandad, but you have had more with him than many will have in a lifetime.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Dealing with Death by Chris Richmond</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/dealing-with-death/comment-page-1/#comment-12602</link>
		<dc:creator>Chris Richmond</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:59:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=519#comment-12602</guid>
		<description>Good for the two of you to be prepared for the outcome - so many people never say the words or make the eye contact, until it is too late. Doesn&#039;t make it any easier, but you&#039;ll have no regrets...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Good for the two of you to be prepared for the outcome &#8211; so many people never say the words or make the eye contact, until it is too late. Doesn&#8217;t make it any easier, but you&#8217;ll have no regrets&#8230;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Dealing with Death by Sandra Gladwish</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/dealing-with-death/comment-page-1/#comment-12601</link>
		<dc:creator>Sandra Gladwish</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:59:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=519#comment-12601</guid>
		<description>this moved me greatly Ron .. I didn&#039;t even know your Grandfather other than the things you have shared and htis left me in tears... and I know it must have been very difficult for you to write. Death no matter what the age is so hard for us to accept when it means losing someone who means so much to us and us to them.. I don&#039;t need to tell you ... Read Morethat your Grandfather and your wonderful relationship and experiences and closeness with him have been a huge blessing in your life - you are richer for it and so is he ( like you said it trumps what so many of us are lacking with our own family members ) I admire you for that. Hold on to this blessing and think of those times and it will help keep you strong. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and I wish you well.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>this moved me greatly Ron .. I didn&#8217;t even know your Grandfather other than the things you have shared and htis left me in tears&#8230; and I know it must have been very difficult for you to write. Death no matter what the age is so hard for us to accept when it means losing someone who means so much to us and us to them.. I don&#8217;t need to tell you &#8230; Read Morethat your Grandfather and your wonderful relationship and experiences and closeness with him have been a huge blessing in your life &#8211; you are richer for it and so is he ( like you said it trumps what so many of us are lacking with our own family members ) I admire you for that. Hold on to this blessing and think of those times and it will help keep you strong. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and I wish you well.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Dealing with Death by Bill Logan</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/dealing-with-death/comment-page-1/#comment-12600</link>
		<dc:creator>Bill Logan</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:59:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=519#comment-12600</guid>
		<description>thats touching ron. Your conveyance of emotion really comes through. I wish you some form of peace through this difficult time.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>thats touching ron. Your conveyance of emotion really comes through. I wish you some form of peace through this difficult time.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Nathan Colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12597</link>
		<dc:creator>Nathan Colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:49:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12597</guid>
		<description>This post doesn&#039;t make a whole lot of sense.  I feel like you made 10 different statements all saying different things, or am I just reading this wrong?  The way you write it is if that &quot;settling&quot; is something to be dreaded and only exists for people who are trying to escape being single.  There is room to be complete whether in marriage, or being single.  The separation you are describing between the two types of people has very little to do with the relationships they find themselves in and a lot more to do with who they are as people.

Dave is sort of on the right track, in that you can&#039;t reduce relationships down to &quot;waiting for the right one&quot; lie.  The only way to find out if the person is truely the right one is to date them anyway, therefore no longer being single and therefore making the whole idea of being single until the right one comes along a bad idea.  Unless of course you actually believe that when you see her you will just know, but I know you don&#039;t.

Settling is making a decision to commit your like to someone.  Someone who doesn&#039;t want to commit to someone will want to be single.  Someone who does will eventually commit.  Suggestion: Do a bunch of posts on this topic, try to come to some conclusions (for now) on what you are saying?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This post doesn&#8217;t make a whole lot of sense.  I feel like you made 10 different statements all saying different things, or am I just reading this wrong?  The way you write it is if that &#8220;settling&#8221; is something to be dreaded and only exists for people who are trying to escape being single.  There is room to be complete whether in marriage, or being single.  The separation you are describing between the two types of people has very little to do with the relationships they find themselves in and a lot more to do with who they are as people.</p>
<p>Dave is sort of on the right track, in that you can&#8217;t reduce relationships down to &#8220;waiting for the right one&#8221; lie.  The only way to find out if the person is truely the right one is to date them anyway, therefore no longer being single and therefore making the whole idea of being single until the right one comes along a bad idea.  Unless of course you actually believe that when you see her you will just know, but I know you don&#8217;t.</p>
<p>Settling is making a decision to commit your like to someone.  Someone who doesn&#8217;t want to commit to someone will want to be single.  Someone who does will eventually commit.  Suggestion: Do a bunch of posts on this topic, try to come to some conclusions (for now) on what you are saying?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Dave</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12596</link>
		<dc:creator>Dave</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:32:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12596</guid>
		<description>So to break down everything you said into a grossly exaggerated sound byte; There is no value to any relationship that you ever have (no matter if you &quot;settle&quot; or &quot;one night&quot; them) unless it is with that ONE person that is destined to be your true love for all eternity.  Well, what happens if you one day miss out on the only opportunity to start a relationship with that ONE person and then they are gone, never to be seen by you again?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So to break down everything you said into a grossly exaggerated sound byte; There is no value to any relationship that you ever have (no matter if you &#8220;settle&#8221; or &#8220;one night&#8221; them) unless it is with that ONE person that is destined to be your true love for all eternity.  Well, what happens if you one day miss out on the only opportunity to start a relationship with that ONE person and then they are gone, never to be seen by you again?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Amanda Griffith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12595</link>
		<dc:creator>Amanda Griffith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:26:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12595</guid>
		<description>I wish I could write my thoughts like you do, Ron... You have no idea..</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wish I could write my thoughts like you do, Ron&#8230; You have no idea..</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Sandra Gladwich</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12594</link>
		<dc:creator>Sandra Gladwich</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:25:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12594</guid>
		<description>Great points Ron .. I think the key first and foremost is figuring out what makes you feel fulfilled just yourself - nothing else external to yourself - just you .. because if you can&#039;t achieve completeness on your own you won&#039;t be happy in any setting whether it&#039;s single or in a relationship .. In my observations, sometimes it&#039;s not so much about... Read More &quot;escaping&quot; from the single life but rather all to often people think the answer is external to themselves (&quot;if I only had this&quot;.. or &quot;if I only had someone to make me happy or give me what I need&quot;)... you can&#039;t place that kind of expectation on things or other people... and yes society has these compartmental timeline expectations of us all - closed thinking that says if you fall outside of that, that there is something wrong ?? haha think again.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Great points Ron .. I think the key first and foremost is figuring out what makes you feel fulfilled just yourself &#8211; nothing else external to yourself &#8211; just you .. because if you can&#8217;t achieve completeness on your own you won&#8217;t be happy in any setting whether it&#8217;s single or in a relationship .. In my observations, sometimes it&#8217;s not so much about&#8230; Read More &#8220;escaping&#8221; from the single life but rather all to often people think the answer is external to themselves (&#8221;if I only had this&#8221;.. or &#8220;if I only had someone to make me happy or give me what I need&#8221;)&#8230; you can&#8217;t place that kind of expectation on things or other people&#8230; and yes society has these compartmental timeline expectations of us all &#8211; closed thinking that says if you fall outside of that, that there is something wrong ?? haha think again.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Nicole Clark</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12593</link>
		<dc:creator>Nicole Clark</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:07:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12593</guid>
		<description>Comming from somone who knows about settling....It&#039;s always a bad idea. You will never be truly happy.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Comming from somone who knows about settling&#8230;.It&#8217;s always a bad idea. You will never be truly happy.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Are you Settling? by Denise Esser</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/09/are-you-settling/comment-page-1/#comment-12592</link>
		<dc:creator>Denise Esser</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:06:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=514#comment-12592</guid>
		<description>Hear! Hear! I like being single for the most part. What I don&#039;t like is when I feel like people are like, &quot;Why are you still single after so many years?&quot;

Anyone can settle. Not just anyone can be happily single!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hear! Hear! I like being single for the most part. What I don&#8217;t like is when I feel like people are like, &#8220;Why are you still single after so many years?&#8221;</p>
<p>Anyone can settle. Not just anyone can be happily single!</p>
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		<title>Comment on What’s mine is yours! by Links for April 07, 2007 &#124; Based on a True Story</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2007/04/what%e2%80%99s-mine-is-yours/comment-page-1/#comment-12591</link>
		<dc:creator>Links for April 07, 2007 &#124; Based on a True Story</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:22:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=212#comment-12591</guid>
		<description>[...] wanted to borrow a truck, and his friend said &#8220;what&#8217;s mine is yours&#8221; and what he thinks about that. &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; The French are doing an advertising [...]</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] wanted to borrow a truck, and his friend said &#8220;what&#8217;s mine is yours&#8221; and what he thinks about that. &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; The French are doing an advertising [...]</p>
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		<title>Comment on Living for Yourself is Self Destructive by nathan colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/living-for-yourself-is-self-destructive/comment-page-1/#comment-12590</link>
		<dc:creator>nathan colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:13:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=506#comment-12590</guid>
		<description>awesome.
interesting thoughts, and yet...for some reason, its so hard to convince even ourselves sometimes that living for others is where its at....it&#039;s like we are straddling two worlds of hapiness and we are constantly trying to decide between, because living for myself still make me happy, but its very unfulfilling.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>awesome.<br />
interesting thoughts, and yet&#8230;for some reason, its so hard to convince even ourselves sometimes that living for others is where its at&#8230;.it&#8217;s like we are straddling two worlds of hapiness and we are constantly trying to decide between, because living for myself still make me happy, but its very unfulfilling.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by nathan</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12589</link>
		<dc:creator>nathan</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:05:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12589</guid>
		<description>test</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>test</p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Sandra Gladwish</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12588</link>
		<dc:creator>Sandra Gladwish</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:32:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12588</guid>
		<description>I think fundamentally there has been a shift to some of the reasons from your granddad&#039;s era til now .. that discussion would&#039;ve been real interesting

I&#039;ve been on both sides of the coin (married/single) .. in some aspects there is a real sense of security in a committed (healthy of course) relationship ... the dating world these days is a complete nightmare compared to when I was first in college. I think a lot of people&#039;s convictions about the sanctity of marriage have changed too -- people ... Read Morechange partners like their underwear and all too often partnerships are like bandaid fixes rather than deep emotional commitment. Funny you should mention this as I am planning my parent&#039;s 50th wedding anniversary this Oct -- I will never accomplish what they have unless I meet and get hitched to my soulmate tomorrow and live to be 94 LOL .. I am so jealous :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think fundamentally there has been a shift to some of the reasons from your granddad&#8217;s era til now .. that discussion would&#8217;ve been real interesting</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been on both sides of the coin (married/single) .. in some aspects there is a real sense of security in a committed (healthy of course) relationship &#8230; the dating world these days is a complete nightmare compared to when I was first in college. I think a lot of people&#8217;s convictions about the sanctity of marriage have changed too &#8212; people &#8230; Read Morechange partners like their underwear and all too often partnerships are like bandaid fixes rather than deep emotional commitment. Funny you should mention this as I am planning my parent&#8217;s 50th wedding anniversary this Oct &#8212; I will never accomplish what they have unless I meet and get hitched to my soulmate tomorrow and live to be 94 LOL .. I am so jealous <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Valerie Clever</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12587</link>
		<dc:creator>Valerie Clever</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:31:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12587</guid>
		<description>I&#039;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &quot;why am I here?&quot; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are ... Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#039;t.
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#039;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.

Isn&#039;t it funny that only women have commented so far?alerie Clever
I&#039;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &quot;why am I here?&quot; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are ... Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#039;t.
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#039;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.

Isn&#039;t it funny that only women have commented so far?alerie Clever
I&#039;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &quot;why am I here?&quot; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are ... Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#039;t.
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#039;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.

Isn&#039;t it funny that only women have commented so far?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &#8220;why am I here?&#8221; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are &#8230; Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.<br />
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#8217;t.<br />
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#8217;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t it funny that only women have commented so far?alerie Clever<br />
I&#8217;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &#8220;why am I here?&#8221; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are &#8230; Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.<br />
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#8217;t.<br />
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#8217;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t it funny that only women have commented so far?alerie Clever<br />
I&#8217;m not so sure it is about a dream or success. I think it IS just that people have a basic, fundamental need to feel loved and needed. We have to have a place, an answer to the question &#8220;why am I here?&#8221; I think maybe people find their fulfillment in companionship (or at least try to). Sometimes friends are not enough, especially if friends are &#8230; Read Morealready occupied with their own marriage/family.<br />
Paul is an advocate in his letters for staying single if you can, but even he acknowledges that most people can&#8217;t.<br />
Speaking as someone who has only ever been single, I&#8217;m not exactly an authority on relationships. I might be idealistic too.</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t it funny that only women have commented so far?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Nattasha Clements</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12586</link>
		<dc:creator>Nattasha Clements</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12586</guid>
		<description>You are absolutely not expecting too much - your standards &amp; expectations are high, as they should be!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You are absolutely not expecting too much &#8211; your standards &amp; expectations are high, as they should be!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Stephanie PrevosHeather Fletcher</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12585</link>
		<dc:creator>Stephanie PrevosHeather Fletcher</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:30:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12585</guid>
		<description>Interesting debate, Ron. I&#039;ve often wondered what the entire point of partnership is. Right now I&#039;m reading Revolutionary Road &amp; for those who have seen the Leo D / Kate W trailers, it&#039;s all about the slow &amp; suffocating demise of an unhealthy relationship [set in the 1950&#039;s]... great read &amp; brutally realistic.
I guess it&#039;s important to check your motives before you get in too deep? I don&#039;t know. I&#039;m from the &quot;what&#039;s the point?&quot; camp. :)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Interesting debate, Ron. I&#8217;ve often wondered what the entire point of partnership is. Right now I&#8217;m reading Revolutionary Road &amp; for those who have seen the Leo D / Kate W trailers, it&#8217;s all about the slow &amp; suffocating demise of an unhealthy relationship [set in the 1950's]&#8230; great read &amp; brutally realistic.<br />
I guess it&#8217;s important to check your motives before you get in too deep? I don&#8217;t know. I&#8217;m from the &#8220;what&#8217;s the point?&#8221; camp. <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Stephanie Prevost</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12584</link>
		<dc:creator>Stephanie Prevost</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:30:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12584</guid>
		<description>your notes are always so interresting to read Ron... u definetly bring up some good points !</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>your notes are always so interresting to read Ron&#8230; u definetly bring up some good points !</p>
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		<title>Comment on Relationships of the New Generation by Jolene Emberlin</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/08/relationships-of-the-new-generation/comment-page-1/#comment-12583</link>
		<dc:creator>Jolene Emberlin</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:29:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=503#comment-12583</guid>
		<description>I always love readin the thoughts you share on here</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I always love readin the thoughts you share on here</p>
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		<title>Comment on Christian White People Love Africa by lovecreatornotcreation</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2008/05/christian-white-people-love-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-12580</link>
		<dc:creator>lovecreatornotcreation</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:45:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=334#comment-12580</guid>
		<description>to loveearthnotgod: 
It is a strange thing that someone so seemingly enlightened would accuse the entire mission movement in mass of being western/white/christian. Research the topic and consider using logic rather than blanket emotional statements and strawman arguments. You make yourself look foolish and naive. 

First step you might try is to consider/research the house church movement and their outreach missionary involvement throughout the world- specifically brother yun. Research the purpose of &quot;true missionaries&quot; who live and work in Africa sacrificing their entire lives to this &quot;cause&quot; and the reality that many of them are far from being white or American or even close to being western. Then consider worldwide missions in genera and also research the roots of Christianity/missions/concept of white supremacy etc. 

Before you have an adequate understanding of the history of a subject matter and the objective big picture it is very easy for you, the commentator, to be guilty of all the crimes you have presented as reasons to end the missionary cause. If you reread your post and honestly reflect on your comment you will see the many flaws in your argument. After you do this research please refine your statements of &quot;...100% not acceptable&quot; etc. to reflect a truly enlightened view point rather than a true statement based off of facts that you seem to be quite convinced and certain of... In other words please follow the rules of logical reasoning and unbiased scientific research if you are going to present an argument like this. It is far to serious to ignore. In the mean time no one will ever respect your comment. peace</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>to loveearthnotgod:<br />
It is a strange thing that someone so seemingly enlightened would accuse the entire mission movement in mass of being western/white/christian. Research the topic and consider using logic rather than blanket emotional statements and strawman arguments. You make yourself look foolish and naive. </p>
<p>First step you might try is to consider/research the house church movement and their outreach missionary involvement throughout the world- specifically brother yun. Research the purpose of &#8220;true missionaries&#8221; who live and work in Africa sacrificing their entire lives to this &#8220;cause&#8221; and the reality that many of them are far from being white or American or even close to being western. Then consider worldwide missions in genera and also research the roots of Christianity/missions/concept of white supremacy etc. </p>
<p>Before you have an adequate understanding of the history of a subject matter and the objective big picture it is very easy for you, the commentator, to be guilty of all the crimes you have presented as reasons to end the missionary cause. If you reread your post and honestly reflect on your comment you will see the many flaws in your argument. After you do this research please refine your statements of &#8220;&#8230;100% not acceptable&#8221; etc. to reflect a truly enlightened view point rather than a true statement based off of facts that you seem to be quite convinced and certain of&#8230; In other words please follow the rules of logical reasoning and unbiased scientific research if you are going to present an argument like this. It is far to serious to ignore. In the mean time no one will ever respect your comment. peace</p>
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		<title>Comment on Christian White People Love Africa by loveearthnotgod</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2008/05/christian-white-people-love-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-12568</link>
		<dc:creator>loveearthnotgod</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:20:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=334#comment-12568</guid>
		<description>I agree entirely on what Ron posted, but I would like it add one thing. Recently a co-worker of mine got back from a missions trip in South Africa. (personally i think missions trips are horrible, patronizing to the people &quot;getting help&quot; and are a way for racist, ignorant people to feel better about themselves) So anyways, she gets back from Africa and everyone is asking her how it went, and from what I got from her she had an absolute blast. There was only several problems. 
First off, she started saying how scared she was initially to go to Africa. If it were me, yes I would be scared because Johannesburg is an extremely high crime area, and I remember at one point they were dealing with over 15 murders a day. But that is not why she was &quot;afraid&quot; to go to Africa. Her reasoning was because there were too many black people, and she sincerely was scared that she would be sleeping in a mud hut. WTF. So she gets there, is given a cell phone, a car, and stays in a 5 star hotel in the safest possible area in Johannesburg. And guess what she said. She claimed she was shocked there was such a city in Africa; she had no idea there were so many white people in Africa, and that people actually didn&#039;t live in a mud hut.

So i thought, oh maybe it&#039;s just her thinking these outrageous things. No, turns out her whole squad of missionaries had the same thoughts. But not only them, but some of my other co-workers (about 90% are diehard Christians). So that alone, quite offended me.

The second part of the whole missionary trip that shocked me, aside from the whole idea of it, was that my co-worker got to meet a lot of people suffering from HIV/AIDS. In my opinion, it is great to help people suffering from those viruses as much as possible, but the approach that was brought on to the situation by the church she went to, and the missionaries is down right racist and offensive. - She said that her church had told them that all black people in Africa had AIDS. That not only did they have it, but they all must wear face masks, and not come into any physical contact with these people. Also, that there is no help for HIV/AIDS, that if you have it you&#039;re dead.
I didn&#039;t even know where to begin. First the church is preaching racism saying all black people in africa have AIDS, even when it is widely known that India has the highest AIDS to population ratio out of any nation in the entire world. Second, the church is saying that if you touch an AIDS victim you&#039;ll get AIDS. Do they not know it is spread by contact of 2 mucous membranes? I guess not. And last is that these missionaries were going up to HIV/AIDS victims and saying &quot;oh how long do you have left to live?&quot; because their church told them there is no medical help, EVENTHOUGH, millions of HIV/AIDS victims around the world have to take pills to suppress the immunodeficiency effects.

This poor girl who went on this missionary trip has been brainwashed and will never get out of that nasty Christian cycle. Thinking people in developing nations need the help of us White North Americans, and if you&#039;re a Christian then God loves you and you can spread that love.

At the end of her rant about her &quot;awesome&quot; trip to South Africa, I tore her apart, just reamed through her ideas about her ideal Western supremacy thoughts, and in the end, she just told me she would pray for me. Because god loves everyone.

I&#039;m leaving this rant because I think it is 100% not acceptable for missions trips to continue, because they promote s sense of Western/White/Christian supremacy beliefs, and an underlying tone of racism that is blanketed but the good will of god, and the excuse of them helping those in need.

My sister recently was converted to Christianity, and she went on a missions trip to mexico, and there was a reason why the mexicans threw rocks at them when they were on and off their bus. And there is a reason why the Mexicans trashed the missions house they built and used it as a crack/whore house a month later when they went back to check up on them. Like these people need to be checked up on, they are humans, not dogs.

Thanks</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I agree entirely on what Ron posted, but I would like it add one thing. Recently a co-worker of mine got back from a missions trip in South Africa. (personally i think missions trips are horrible, patronizing to the people &#8220;getting help&#8221; and are a way for racist, ignorant people to feel better about themselves) So anyways, she gets back from Africa and everyone is asking her how it went, and from what I got from her she had an absolute blast. There was only several problems.<br />
First off, she started saying how scared she was initially to go to Africa. If it were me, yes I would be scared because Johannesburg is an extremely high crime area, and I remember at one point they were dealing with over 15 murders a day. But that is not why she was &#8220;afraid&#8221; to go to Africa. Her reasoning was because there were too many black people, and she sincerely was scared that she would be sleeping in a mud hut. WTF. So she gets there, is given a cell phone, a car, and stays in a 5 star hotel in the safest possible area in Johannesburg. And guess what she said. She claimed she was shocked there was such a city in Africa; she had no idea there were so many white people in Africa, and that people actually didn&#8217;t live in a mud hut.</p>
<p>So i thought, oh maybe it&#8217;s just her thinking these outrageous things. No, turns out her whole squad of missionaries had the same thoughts. But not only them, but some of my other co-workers (about 90% are diehard Christians). So that alone, quite offended me.</p>
<p>The second part of the whole missionary trip that shocked me, aside from the whole idea of it, was that my co-worker got to meet a lot of people suffering from HIV/AIDS. In my opinion, it is great to help people suffering from those viruses as much as possible, but the approach that was brought on to the situation by the church she went to, and the missionaries is down right racist and offensive. &#8211; She said that her church had told them that all black people in Africa had AIDS. That not only did they have it, but they all must wear face masks, and not come into any physical contact with these people. Also, that there is no help for HIV/AIDS, that if you have it you&#8217;re dead.<br />
I didn&#8217;t even know where to begin. First the church is preaching racism saying all black people in africa have AIDS, even when it is widely known that India has the highest AIDS to population ratio out of any nation in the entire world. Second, the church is saying that if you touch an AIDS victim you&#8217;ll get AIDS. Do they not know it is spread by contact of 2 mucous membranes? I guess not. And last is that these missionaries were going up to HIV/AIDS victims and saying &#8220;oh how long do you have left to live?&#8221; because their church told them there is no medical help, EVENTHOUGH, millions of HIV/AIDS victims around the world have to take pills to suppress the immunodeficiency effects.</p>
<p>This poor girl who went on this missionary trip has been brainwashed and will never get out of that nasty Christian cycle. Thinking people in developing nations need the help of us White North Americans, and if you&#8217;re a Christian then God loves you and you can spread that love.</p>
<p>At the end of her rant about her &#8220;awesome&#8221; trip to South Africa, I tore her apart, just reamed through her ideas about her ideal Western supremacy thoughts, and in the end, she just told me she would pray for me. Because god loves everyone.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m leaving this rant because I think it is 100% not acceptable for missions trips to continue, because they promote s sense of Western/White/Christian supremacy beliefs, and an underlying tone of racism that is blanketed but the good will of god, and the excuse of them helping those in need.</p>
<p>My sister recently was converted to Christianity, and she went on a missions trip to mexico, and there was a reason why the mexicans threw rocks at them when they were on and off their bus. And there is a reason why the Mexicans trashed the missions house they built and used it as a crack/whore house a month later when they went back to check up on them. Like these people need to be checked up on, they are humans, not dogs.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
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		<title>Comment on Come to Cleveland by Joe Reid</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/come-to-cleavland/comment-page-1/#comment-12567</link>
		<dc:creator>Joe Reid</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:34:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=485#comment-12567</guid>
		<description>‘Come down to Cleveland town everyone!’ Love these videos. Another fun fact about Cleveland for you, at Jacob’s field whatever you do ‘DON’T TOUCH THE GRASS’. When Ron and I went to Cleveland back in the day we were constantly reminded of this from beak of our moderately irritated tour guide while she stared at us with her disapproving empty Cleveland eyes. When I visited the old Yankees stadium I could have done a headstand on first base let alone touch a sacred blade of grass. Did Ron and I ever get to touch the grass you ask? Damn right we did, because we’re not from Cleveland mmm… or Detroit :D</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>‘Come down to Cleveland town everyone!’ Love these videos. Another fun fact about Cleveland for you, at Jacob’s field whatever you do ‘DON’T TOUCH THE GRASS’. When Ron and I went to Cleveland back in the day we were constantly reminded of this from beak of our moderately irritated tour guide while she stared at us with her disapproving empty Cleveland eyes. When I visited the old Yankees stadium I could have done a headstand on first base let alone touch a sacred blade of grass. Did Ron and I ever get to touch the grass you ask? Damn right we did, because we’re not from Cleveland mmm… or Detroit <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Comment on Updates for July 12, 2009 by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/07/updates-for-july-12-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12566</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:01:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=493#comment-12566</guid>
		<description>comment</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>comment</p>
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		<title>Comment on Updates for July 12, 2009 by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/07/updates-for-july-12-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12565</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:36:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=493#comment-12565</guid>
		<description>comment.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>comment.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Updates for July 12, 2009 by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/07/updates-for-july-12-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-12564</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:27:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=493#comment-12564</guid>
		<description>test</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>test</p>
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		<title>Comment on Credit Card Crunch!!!! by Nathan Colquhoun</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/credit-card-crunch/comment-page-1/#comment-12559</link>
		<dc:creator>Nathan Colquhoun</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:25:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=474#comment-12559</guid>
		<description>isn&#039;t it only in the states?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>isn&#8217;t it only in the states?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12556</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:47:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12556</guid>
		<description>Anita,
You said a few things that stuck out to me 
1 - &quot;I know that providing for my child, at any cost; is. That is something that any person who has children aquires when that child is born&quot; and people on welfare do - it just looks entirely different to what the middle class would do to &quot;provide&quot;

2 - &quot;It is society that has brought us to this point&quot; I agree totally. We live in a world of inequality because our society has deemed it so. The way we view others is the way our society is formed. ... Read More

3 - Your last part about everyone being equal and burning all the money is communism......... thats a whole other discussion unto itself (but I would fall into the &quot;pro communism&quot; camp...........)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anita,<br />
You said a few things that stuck out to me<br />
1 &#8211; &#8220;I know that providing for my child, at any cost; is. That is something that any person who has children aquires when that child is born&#8221; and people on welfare do &#8211; it just looks entirely different to what the middle class would do to &#8220;provide&#8221;</p>
<p>2 &#8211; &#8220;It is society that has brought us to this point&#8221; I agree totally. We live in a world of inequality because our society has deemed it so. The way we view others is the way our society is formed. &#8230; Read More</p>
<p>3 &#8211; Your last part about everyone being equal and burning all the money is communism&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; thats a whole other discussion unto itself (but I would fall into the &#8220;pro communism&#8221; camp&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..)</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Anita VanEkeren</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12555</link>
		<dc:creator>Anita VanEkeren</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:47:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12555</guid>
		<description>I know I&#039;m a little behind here but, &quot;having a job and &quot;contributing&quot; in life&quot; may not be a born characteristic, but as a struggling parent myself, I know that providing for my child, at any cost; is. That is something that any person who has children aquires when that child is born, its pure animal instinct. Sure there are those men and women out ... Read Morethere who abandon children and leave them behind, I truely believe that is because they give up, on themselves. As situations differ, there are &quot;exceptions&quot; (for lack of a better word) but I agree with Tina, if that cheque weren&#039;t there, those people born poor or not, would fight for survival as the human race has done for centuries. It is society that has brought us to this point. The reason we can&#039;t afford things is they are too expensive for us, and the government is too caught up in making money rather than providing for us as a country, as a whole. Why aren&#039;t we all treated equally is my question. If those people doing nothing had to do mandtiory community service, that would probably be tricking them into a job. In my eyes, we should all be paid the same, as long as we are doing our duties as our community needs us to, we are all entitled to what we need to live. Better yet, lets burn all the money and go back to trading goods and services, so the lazies can get up and plant some... Read More corn, I&#039;ll cut their hippy hair and everyone will eat. If these people were raised in such a society, we wouldn&#039;t have these problems in the first place. Maybe I should be amish?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I know I&#8217;m a little behind here but, &#8220;having a job and &#8220;contributing&#8221; in life&#8221; may not be a born characteristic, but as a struggling parent myself, I know that providing for my child, at any cost; is. That is something that any person who has children aquires when that child is born, its pure animal instinct. Sure there are those men and women out &#8230; Read Morethere who abandon children and leave them behind, I truely believe that is because they give up, on themselves. As situations differ, there are &#8220;exceptions&#8221; (for lack of a better word) but I agree with Tina, if that cheque weren&#8217;t there, those people born poor or not, would fight for survival as the human race has done for centuries. It is society that has brought us to this point. The reason we can&#8217;t afford things is they are too expensive for us, and the government is too caught up in making money rather than providing for us as a country, as a whole. Why aren&#8217;t we all treated equally is my question. If those people doing nothing had to do mandtiory community service, that would probably be tricking them into a job. In my eyes, we should all be paid the same, as long as we are doing our duties as our community needs us to, we are all entitled to what we need to live. Better yet, lets burn all the money and go back to trading goods and services, so the lazies can get up and plant some&#8230; Read More corn, I&#8217;ll cut their hippy hair and everyone will eat. If these people were raised in such a society, we wouldn&#8217;t have these problems in the first place. Maybe I should be amish?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12553</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:43:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12553</guid>
		<description>Oh yes, a good nick-name indeed...

I don&#039;t think a person in poverty would get &quot;their ass in gear&quot; as you suggest. I think a person in poverty would do what they have always been taught to do &quot;learn to adapt and deal with less.&quot;</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Oh yes, a good nick-name indeed&#8230;</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t think a person in poverty would get &#8220;their ass in gear&#8221; as you suggest. I think a person in poverty would do what they have always been taught to do &#8220;learn to adapt and deal with less.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Kristina Hamilton</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12552</link>
		<dc:creator>Kristina Hamilton</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12552</guid>
		<description>Well I&#039;m sure they&#039;d get their asses in gear pretty quick when that check never came. Haha.

And I understand you&#039;re reponsible for the &quot;Beef Welly&quot; nickname. It was fun to explain to our 60 year old female real estate agent when she said &quot;that&#039;s an odd e-mail address, what does it mean?&quot; lol.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well I&#8217;m sure they&#8217;d get their asses in gear pretty quick when that check never came. Haha.</p>
<p>And I understand you&#8217;re reponsible for the &#8220;Beef Welly&#8221; nickname. It was fun to explain to our 60 year old female real estate agent when she said &#8220;that&#8217;s an odd e-mail address, what does it mean?&#8221; lol.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12551</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:40:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12551</guid>
		<description>If you ask Andy who is best friend in early high school was you will know that I witnessed his life quite often from a very close lens. I get where he is coming from and he is an amazing example of someone who broke the &quot;generational poverty&quot; standard. 

Functioning in society, having a job and &quot;contributing&quot; in life isn&#039;t a natural born inclination. It is learned. 

Just because we all live in this society doesn&#039;t mean we know how to function in it. ... Read More

If you have poor financial behaviors; I would suspect your parents also did. If you are wise with your money I would imagine your parents ingrained into the value of a dollar. 

I suspect the same goes for those who live in and out of middle class society. If all you know is to focus on today &quot;find food, find shelter, find clothes&quot; and this was your life style as a child; chances are this will continue be your life style as an adult. 

People in poverty don&#039;t have access to the same things we do as the middle class.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you ask Andy who is best friend in early high school was you will know that I witnessed his life quite often from a very close lens. I get where he is coming from and he is an amazing example of someone who broke the &#8220;generational poverty&#8221; standard. </p>
<p>Functioning in society, having a job and &#8220;contributing&#8221; in life isn&#8217;t a natural born inclination. It is learned. </p>
<p>Just because we all live in this society doesn&#8217;t mean we know how to function in it. &#8230; Read More</p>
<p>If you have poor financial behaviors; I would suspect your parents also did. If you are wise with your money I would imagine your parents ingrained into the value of a dollar. </p>
<p>I suspect the same goes for those who live in and out of middle class society. If all you know is to focus on today &#8220;find food, find shelter, find clothes&#8221; and this was your life style as a child; chances are this will continue be your life style as an adult. </p>
<p>People in poverty don&#8217;t have access to the same things we do as the middle class.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Kristina Hamilton</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12550</link>
		<dc:creator>Kristina Hamilton</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:40:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12550</guid>
		<description>As adults they should no longer require their parents, or be able to blame their parents&#039; mistakes for their own lack of contributions to the world, it is time to grow up and accept responsibilities for their own actions. Andy grew up in poverty and I did not, he used to sympathize more with &quot;the other side&quot; until we moved in together and had the ... Read Moretwins (I had lived on my own with Lily, working, Andy had never left home). Now that he watches where his paycheck is going to he&#039;s on the same side as I am, why do working class families need to be punished for working honest jobs to support their families, when it seems easier to sit on your ass and let the government pay your way through life. One of his neighbours growing up kept having more kids to collect the child tax benefit ( we don&#039;t even qualify for one based on our income prior to having the twins). I agree with you that the help should be there, but there should be a time limit.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As adults they should no longer require their parents, or be able to blame their parents&#8217; mistakes for their own lack of contributions to the world, it is time to grow up and accept responsibilities for their own actions. Andy grew up in poverty and I did not, he used to sympathize more with &#8220;the other side&#8221; until we moved in together and had the &#8230; Read Moretwins (I had lived on my own with Lily, working, Andy had never left home). Now that he watches where his paycheck is going to he&#8217;s on the same side as I am, why do working class families need to be punished for working honest jobs to support their families, when it seems easier to sit on your ass and let the government pay your way through life. One of his neighbours growing up kept having more kids to collect the child tax benefit ( we don&#8217;t even qualify for one based on our income prior to having the twins). I agree with you that the help should be there, but there should be a time limit.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12549</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:40:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12549</guid>
		<description>I understand fully that there are those who abuse the system. And why not? There is nothing to stop them from doing so. So the question I ask is, &quot;instead of complaining about those who abuse, what should we be doing as individuals to assist those in need? To assure they aren&#039;t taking advantage and to also assist these people with life; the day to day operations of a home and just plan old &quot;being there for someone.&quot; 

I think the biggest crime of the middle class is to say &quot;its not my problem my neighbor is a lazy pile of shit, i pay taxes for programs to exist so that these people can live off the system.&quot; I ask you then &quot;if you feel like its your own hard cash that pays for these people, shouldn&#039;t you then also feel inclined to help these people on an individual basis?&quot;

Maybe if communities pitched in and helped out those around them we wouldn&#039;t have to pay such high taxes because the government is less burdened? ... Read More

Thoughts?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I understand fully that there are those who abuse the system. And why not? There is nothing to stop them from doing so. So the question I ask is, &#8220;instead of complaining about those who abuse, what should we be doing as individuals to assist those in need? To assure they aren&#8217;t taking advantage and to also assist these people with life; the day to day operations of a home and just plan old &#8220;being there for someone.&#8221; </p>
<p>I think the biggest crime of the middle class is to say &#8220;its not my problem my neighbor is a lazy pile of shit, i pay taxes for programs to exist so that these people can live off the system.&#8221; I ask you then &#8220;if you feel like its your own hard cash that pays for these people, shouldn&#8217;t you then also feel inclined to help these people on an individual basis?&#8221;</p>
<p>Maybe if communities pitched in and helped out those around them we wouldn&#8217;t have to pay such high taxes because the government is less burdened? &#8230; Read More</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12548</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:40:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12548</guid>
		<description>Kristina,
I understand your discourse but would you rather a child starve because her parents are lacking?
Why is it children are always the victim? Did they ask to have a mother on welfare; no, they were born into the situation. 

I think the better we as &quot;the middle class&quot; try to understand those in poverty and instead of stereotype (because its so easy to do so) how can we as a community come along side these people and help them live a life that serves one with meaning, hope, challenge and responsibility?... Read More

It appears you were raised by parents that drummed into you responsibility, character and work ethic. 
Why are people in poverty penalized because they didn&#039;t learn those same virtues?

What is the crime of a person in adult poverty other than them having shitty role models when they were kids? What I am saying is there needs to be something done to assist these people in the present so that in the future they will have a good work ethic like the one you display.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kristina,<br />
I understand your discourse but would you rather a child starve because her parents are lacking?<br />
Why is it children are always the victim? Did they ask to have a mother on welfare; no, they were born into the situation. </p>
<p>I think the better we as &#8220;the middle class&#8221; try to understand those in poverty and instead of stereotype (because its so easy to do so) how can we as a community come along side these people and help them live a life that serves one with meaning, hope, challenge and responsibility?&#8230; Read More</p>
<p>It appears you were raised by parents that drummed into you responsibility, character and work ethic.<br />
Why are people in poverty penalized because they didn&#8217;t learn those same virtues?</p>
<p>What is the crime of a person in adult poverty other than them having shitty role models when they were kids? What I am saying is there needs to be something done to assist these people in the present so that in the future they will have a good work ethic like the one you display.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Kristina Hamilton</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12547</link>
		<dc:creator>Kristina Hamilton</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:39:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12547</guid>
		<description>Thanks Anita, that&#039;s exactly my point, those of us who are struggling on close to the same income in comparison (we have greater living expenses so even if work brings in more money than welfare does, really we&#039;re living the same struggle) some of us are paying off studen loans, have mortgages, vehicle payments, insurance, children to feed, bills ... Read Moreto pay, and our meager wages are being garnished for people to sit on their asses, for example, a friend of mine&#039;s girlfriend, has three kids, all in daycare, and she doesn&#039;t work. Daycare is paid for by *drumroll* welfare, and she is only getting it because she intends to go back to school, and needed to secure a spot 2 months ahead. Her income is, welfare, and while her kids are in daycare, she is hitting the beach, shopping, going boating etc. Oh, and guess who will be paying for her school, who&#039;s paying her bills, paying for the childcare so she can be out having a great time?

That is what is disgusting about it. Why should we have to tell our children &quot;no&quot; when they want something as simple as french fries under the bridge, or wear clothing that is practically rags so that we can put nice clothing on our children, eat Kraft Dinner and hot dogs some nights for dinner because our grocery budget is tight, and be expected ... Read Moreto lose portions of our hard-earned money to pay for some people&#039;s drug habits, others to sit on their ass an abuse the system, for moms to be out having a great time while we pay for her childcare. That is what is disgusting about it.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks Anita, that&#8217;s exactly my point, those of us who are struggling on close to the same income in comparison (we have greater living expenses so even if work brings in more money than welfare does, really we&#8217;re living the same struggle) some of us are paying off studen loans, have mortgages, vehicle payments, insurance, children to feed, bills &#8230; Read Moreto pay, and our meager wages are being garnished for people to sit on their asses, for example, a friend of mine&#8217;s girlfriend, has three kids, all in daycare, and she doesn&#8217;t work. Daycare is paid for by *drumroll* welfare, and she is only getting it because she intends to go back to school, and needed to secure a spot 2 months ahead. Her income is, welfare, and while her kids are in daycare, she is hitting the beach, shopping, going boating etc. Oh, and guess who will be paying for her school, who&#8217;s paying her bills, paying for the childcare so she can be out having a great time?</p>
<p>That is what is disgusting about it. Why should we have to tell our children &#8220;no&#8221; when they want something as simple as french fries under the bridge, or wear clothing that is practically rags so that we can put nice clothing on our children, eat Kraft Dinner and hot dogs some nights for dinner because our grocery budget is tight, and be expected &#8230; Read Moreto lose portions of our hard-earned money to pay for some people&#8217;s drug habits, others to sit on their ass an abuse the system, for moms to be out having a great time while we pay for her childcare. That is what is disgusting about it.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Jen McKechnie</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12546</link>
		<dc:creator>Jen McKechnie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:39:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12546</guid>
		<description>YAYA!
I&#039;ve attended Bridges out of Poverty...amazing eye opener! You&#039;ll love it! Hopefully they mention the Circles Campagin too...!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>YAYA!<br />
I&#8217;ve attended Bridges out of Poverty&#8230;amazing eye opener! You&#8217;ll love it! Hopefully they mention the Circles Campagin too&#8230;!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12545</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:54:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12545</guid>
		<description>Anita, thank you for your comments...
I will for sure come and see you when I need a cut.

Anita, your argument is totally valid and I applaud you for you staying diligent. This is exactly the frustration I find myself having. I feel as though people with motivation are being penalized in rough times.
While the system is far from perfect and lop-sided I dont feel the answer is to cancel it all together. I do believe heavily there needs to be some type of reform. ... Read More

In a week after I am done my course on poverty I am going to site and really ponder about this. I&#039;ll post a blog which I am sure will have people up in arms.....</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anita, thank you for your comments&#8230;<br />
I will for sure come and see you when I need a cut.</p>
<p>Anita, your argument is totally valid and I applaud you for you staying diligent. This is exactly the frustration I find myself having. I feel as though people with motivation are being penalized in rough times.<br />
While the system is far from perfect and lop-sided I dont feel the answer is to cancel it all together. I do believe heavily there needs to be some type of reform. &#8230; Read More</p>
<p>In a week after I am done my course on poverty I am going to site and really ponder about this. I&#8217;ll post a blog which I am sure will have people up in arms&#8230;..</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Anita</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12544</link>
		<dc:creator>Anita</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:53:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12544</guid>
		<description>We struggle day to day to get our bills paid, but I for one do not let it get that far gone. I just think it is sad that the government would rather give to those who do nothing then those who help themselves but just don&#039;t make enough. WITH THAT BEING SAID... anyone who needs a hair cut, come see me at Regis in the Lambton Mall. (Advertising is expensive... help a sister out.)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We struggle day to day to get our bills paid, but I for one do not let it get that far gone. I just think it is sad that the government would rather give to those who do nothing then those who help themselves but just don&#8217;t make enough. WITH THAT BEING SAID&#8230; anyone who needs a hair cut, come see me at Regis in the Lambton Mall. (Advertising is expensive&#8230; help a sister out.)</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Anita VanEkeren</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12543</link>
		<dc:creator>Anita VanEkeren</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:53:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12543</guid>
		<description>I agree that these people should be doing something toward making themselves better, whether it be comunity service or otherwise. Not sitting around doing nothing, and as I have seen many of those collecting welfare, they can afford to go out to the bar or do whatever, they clearly need to get their priorities straight. What frustraites me is, at ... Read Morethe moment, my fiance is out of work, looking daily and coming up with nothing. We own our house, and I work 25-30 hrs a week (which is all my boss can give me) and we don&#039;t qualify for assistance. I would consider this &quot;incidental poverty&quot;. Wouldn&#039;t you? I don&#039;t understand how $900 a month is enough to live on in the government&#039;s eyes when you have a mortgage and a family of 3 to feed. As easy as it is to judge those who sit around and do nothing, they still get help, and those of us who work our asses of to support their families however they can are left until they need &quot;emergency assistance&quot; when they are facing forclosure or cutoffs.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I agree that these people should be doing something toward making themselves better, whether it be comunity service or otherwise. Not sitting around doing nothing, and as I have seen many of those collecting welfare, they can afford to go out to the bar or do whatever, they clearly need to get their priorities straight. What frustraites me is, at &#8230; Read Morethe moment, my fiance is out of work, looking daily and coming up with nothing. We own our house, and I work 25-30 hrs a week (which is all my boss can give me) and we don&#8217;t qualify for assistance. I would consider this &#8220;incidental poverty&#8221;. Wouldn&#8217;t you? I don&#8217;t understand how $900 a month is enough to live on in the government&#8217;s eyes when you have a mortgage and a family of 3 to feed. As easy as it is to judge those who sit around and do nothing, they still get help, and those of us who work our asses of to support their families however they can are left until they need &#8220;emergency assistance&#8221; when they are facing forclosure or cutoffs.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12542</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:53:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12542</guid>
		<description>Kristina I have to disagree.
I think Welfare is amazing and if anything I would suggest we as the working class should insist on providing more.

Kristina, knowing your financial situation (living paycheck to paycheck) implies that you are 1 paycheck away from being in poverty (no money). Welfare, while it has been and continues to be abused is still an amazing tool for people to use while they transition from job to job. You losing your job is called &quot;incidental poverty&quot; and can happen to anyone. While other poverty known as &quot;generational poverty&quot; is something that middle class dont understand yet is easy to judge.
... Read More
Vanessa, lambton counties stance on poverty is any person who lives on less that 15,000 a year.
The most welfare dishes out is $22,000 to a family of four.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kristina I have to disagree.<br />
I think Welfare is amazing and if anything I would suggest we as the working class should insist on providing more.</p>
<p>Kristina, knowing your financial situation (living paycheck to paycheck) implies that you are 1 paycheck away from being in poverty (no money). Welfare, while it has been and continues to be abused is still an amazing tool for people to use while they transition from job to job. You losing your job is called &#8220;incidental poverty&#8221; and can happen to anyone. While other poverty known as &#8220;generational poverty&#8221; is something that middle class dont understand yet is easy to judge.<br />
&#8230; Read More<br />
Vanessa, lambton counties stance on poverty is any person who lives on less that 15,000 a year.<br />
The most welfare dishes out is $22,000 to a family of four.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Kristina Hamilton</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12541</link>
		<dc:creator>Kristina Hamilton</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:52:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12541</guid>
		<description>I completely agree with you, I think at the very least community service should be manditory for those bums so they&#039;re at least contributing something, I know (and am one of) several young families who work hard to own their house and have food put on the table and live paycheck to paycheck, and love that a big chunk of it goes to support fucks on welfare. I think it&#039;s disgusting.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I completely agree with you, I think at the very least community service should be manditory for those bums so they&#8217;re at least contributing something, I know (and am one of) several young families who work hard to own their house and have food put on the table and live paycheck to paycheck, and love that a big chunk of it goes to support fucks on welfare. I think it&#8217;s disgusting.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Vanessa Ward</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12540</link>
		<dc:creator>Vanessa Ward</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:52:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12540</guid>
		<description>What is considered poverty? Making under 30? 40? 50? Thousand a year?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What is considered poverty? Making under 30? 40? 50? Thousand a year?</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Ron Smith</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12539</link>
		<dc:creator>Ron Smith</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:51:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12539</guid>
		<description>Firstly to answer Craig - thanks for the dismal comment and you will be happy to know I come from poverty. I am fortunate enough to have parents that worked very hard to make sure my life was made better.

For a single person $600 is easy to live off of with all of the assistance that is provided from the city.
The issue is access to things when events happen in life &quot;medication, dental, doctors, etc&quot; which lacks. If you are willing to live a life that aspires to nothing and deals with only today then its doable - difficult but doable.
... Read More
I am attending a class right now discussing poverty in our in city. Its called &quot;bridges out of poverty&quot; and its put on by social assistance of Lambton County. If you hear of it going on do your self a favor and attend.

Alot of it had to do with our middle class understanding of the poor and how we, in a sense are a huge part of the problem in &quot;damning the poor&quot;

Anyway, I will be writing a huge blog about it once its over.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Firstly to answer Craig &#8211; thanks for the dismal comment and you will be happy to know I come from poverty. I am fortunate enough to have parents that worked very hard to make sure my life was made better.</p>
<p>For a single person $600 is easy to live off of with all of the assistance that is provided from the city.<br />
The issue is access to things when events happen in life &#8220;medication, dental, doctors, etc&#8221; which lacks. If you are willing to live a life that aspires to nothing and deals with only today then its doable &#8211; difficult but doable.<br />
&#8230; Read More<br />
I am attending a class right now discussing poverty in our in city. Its called &#8220;bridges out of poverty&#8221; and its put on by social assistance of Lambton County. If you hear of it going on do your self a favor and attend.</p>
<p>Alot of it had to do with our middle class understanding of the poor and how we, in a sense are a huge part of the problem in &#8220;damning the poor&#8221;</p>
<p>Anyway, I will be writing a huge blog about it once its over.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Nicole Steve Paquette Callahan</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12538</link>
		<dc:creator>Nicole Steve Paquette Callahan</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:51:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12538</guid>
		<description>I agree Ron, not all people are abusing the system...but there is no reason why some of these people can&#039;t mop a floor or stock a shelf!! I know a few and they do nothing but sit around, hang out with their buddies....and say poor me, I have nothing, I have all these problems in life, blah blah they will never get ahead with that mentality...They ... Read Moreneed to change their way of thinking for a more fulfilled life...I work darn hard for my money and I am proud of it! If someone needs a little help...I can understand but they should be focusing on the big picture! Be careful what you teach our kids, our future!!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I agree Ron, not all people are abusing the system&#8230;but there is no reason why some of these people can&#8217;t mop a floor or stock a shelf!! I know a few and they do nothing but sit around, hang out with their buddies&#8230;.and say poor me, I have nothing, I have all these problems in life, blah blah they will never get ahead with that mentality&#8230;They &#8230; Read Moreneed to change their way of thinking for a more fulfilled life&#8230;I work darn hard for my money and I am proud of it! If someone needs a little help&#8230;I can understand but they should be focusing on the big picture! Be careful what you teach our kids, our future!!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by JJ keck</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12537</link>
		<dc:creator>JJ keck</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:51:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12537</guid>
		<description>The only people that should receive welfare are the ones that are using ALL of the other resources welfare has to offer...it&#039;s the ones that have no desire to do anything except collect that cheque at the end of the month that make welfare such a joke, and unfortunately that population is pretty staggering itself. $600 is more than enough to live ... Read Moreoff of if you choose to sit on your ass and do nothing to help yourself or your community. If you can&#039;t find a job than look at what you&#039;re doing wrong. Are you aiming for a job that you will never atain? Are you handing out 5 resumes a week and saying &quot;fuck, no one will call me back.&quot; You get what you put out and if you don&#039;t put anything out then you get to sit on welfare and collect free money for being a lazy pile. I have assisted numerous people at the Halfway House that I work at receive welfare and then myself, along with my co-workers make sure that they are doing everything possible to find meaningful employment.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The only people that should receive welfare are the ones that are using ALL of the other resources welfare has to offer&#8230;it&#8217;s the ones that have no desire to do anything except collect that cheque at the end of the month that make welfare such a joke, and unfortunately that population is pretty staggering itself. $600 is more than enough to live &#8230; Read Moreoff of if you choose to sit on your ass and do nothing to help yourself or your community. If you can&#8217;t find a job than look at what you&#8217;re doing wrong. Are you aiming for a job that you will never atain? Are you handing out 5 resumes a week and saying &#8220;fuck, no one will call me back.&#8221; You get what you put out and if you don&#8217;t put anything out then you get to sit on welfare and collect free money for being a lazy pile. I have assisted numerous people at the Halfway House that I work at receive welfare and then myself, along with my co-workers make sure that they are doing everything possible to find meaningful employment.</p>
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		<title>Comment on Why Welfare Doesn’t Work by Amanda Grant</title>
		<link>http://ronasmith.com/2009/06/why-welfare-doesn%e2%80%99t-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12536</link>
		<dc:creator>Amanda Grant</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:50:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ronasmith.com/?p=472#comment-12536</guid>
		<description>hahahha ohhhh man you started some shit now hahaha we are from such a grubby city just filled with welfare bums.
im excited for whats to come from this :) haha i agree with you btw.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>hahahha ohhhh man you started some shit now hahaha we are from such a grubby city just filled with welfare bums.<br />
im excited for whats to come from this <img src='http://ronasmith.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  haha i agree with you btw.</p>
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