i see i missed a good one.not everyone get assistance need it but some do.alot of man and woman sit at home and get it and don't need it.some man and woman do like me.yes i have a computer and cable tv but i don't pay for it my mom does.my huband works 10 hour days 5 days a week and we still cann't make it and we get assistance.i cann't work i have 4 kids and 2 of them not in school. if i did go to work all the money wood go to a babysitter and to buy me a car to get to work.so some of woman and man need it.

Absolutely we have better things to do and discuss. Rudeness and/or lack of manners seems to keep people from starting and maintaining intelligent conversations. We don't all have to agree on everything, we just need to remember that anything can be discussed passionately provided the content, not the person is attacked.

We must get to the talking stage to be able to move towards the action stage, and I have to wonder if rude attitudes and lack of manners are preventing true communication. Portage County, in 2008, is in a position to have the best of everything, but we don't.

Sounds to me like everyone here just needs to let it go and move on. It seems the postings from that thread jumped over here. Everyone has their crosses to bear and set of issues to deal with. Who gives you the right to judge them? It is true she asked for what she got, but don't we have more constructive things to do?

"It's just hard to listen to people complain when they have to take some of the responsibility for how they got in the situation they are in.

Shanon too, found it hard to listen to the comments of a person who did not know her situation. In her frustration she posted an opinion that has made it into the most read articles. She posted additional information on this article and after being demeaned and verbally acosted by a number of people.

What I found more interesting were the comments offering her encouragement.

I agree if food, clothing and shelter are at the top of your priority list daily the rest of life gets a little more difficult. The person who is complaining about the stares and owns a computer is choosing to be voluntarily unemployed, living with family, and the spouse is employed. There is no better time for them to figure this all out as they have family, and the gov't services helping them. It's just hard to listen to people complain when they have to take some of the responsibility for how they got in the situation they are in. I'm all about helping out my fellow man but it's nice to see them make every attempt to help themselves out first instead of just a hand out. Many people face struggles and tough economic times and it's the lessons they learn during those times that will pave the road for their future and the future of their children. I often get jaded in my thinking because I have seen blatant abuses of the system, I've also seen many people benefit from the hand up they received as they didn't treat it as a hand out.

It's much easier to be "proactive for your own destiny" when food, shelter and clothing are not at the top of the priority list daily.

Oh yes DP I get that job searches are done through the Internet as well. Although I don't believe that some of the posts were talking about the poster wanting a job. The poster was wanting empathy because she was looked down upon. I don't agree with that but let's be a little proactive for your own destiny. Heck with a computer and an online connection one can be creative and work from home part time while being there for the children and avoid the rude people looking down there nose. I agree job searches, networking etc. But to be voluntarily underemployed and then complaining about it I guess just irks me. I myself spend time online but it's in lieu of other recreational activities not gainful employment. Lots of posts based in emotion and not action.

I'm glad you understand. I'm sure you also understand that job searches are being done online now; opportunities to further skills and knowledge are available; among other networking possibilities.

Oh, and I've followed all of the posts. Have heard about the abuses as well as the difficulty obtaining assistance and think many of the posts made were based more on emotion than fact.

I understand it's a communication tool. If you were following the other posts the issue is if your willingly choosing not to work while your pregnant and because you have decided it's always been your dream to have two children if your going to take the free assistance than maybe the luxuries in life should be thought about differently. A cell phone, cable tv with the movie channels and even a bluetooth can be argued as necessary but if you are depending on the government to help you out in your time of need than maybe one should reexamine what is a want and what is a need. This person was complaining about not having money to buy formula for a baby, so in that situation Internet isn't a necessity. I think what irks many people about the system is that people run to the system without first doing an inventory of their own life and situation. We've all heard and many have seen the people on the dole, driving the fancy cars, wearing expensive footwear and a designer handbag slung over their shoulder. I'm all for people getting help when they need it and we need to take care of the children but I think we have made it too easy and people aren't as resourceful as they could be, my opinion of course. Life is about choices if your going to choose to sit back and be the victim and live on the dole than don't complain and hey if you want to collect it than maybe some people feel that it should be your last resort. It's just to easy people have needed it and become better for it when they use it as a safety net for unplanned life situations but they also need to dig in their own heels and be responsible for their own destiny and the example they set for the next generation.

An internet connection is a communication tool in the year 2008. A computer is how many personal and company records are maintained.