Re: [CR]Being Poor

(Example: History:Ted Ernst)

Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:54:26 -0500
From: "Phil Sieg" <triodelover@comcast.net>
To: "John T.Pergolizzi" <jtperry1@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Being Poor
References: <001101c62060$6000c410$2f01a8c0@Perry>
In-Reply-To: <001101c62060$6000c410$2f01a8c0@Perry>
cc: loudeeter@aol.com
cc: loudeeter@aol.com

Guys, please. If you had money to spend on bike parts - used or otherwise - after putting a roof over your head, taking care of your health needs and putting food on the table, you weren't poor. (Well ,except by the rules of the North Carolina Republican who thought the middle class began at around $300k or so. But that was a few years ago. ;-) )

Poor is standing in line to buy food for your family under the condescending stares of strangers because you were paying for that food with food stamps. Poor is not getting that toothache seen to because your job was structured to avoid the need of providing "benefits" and you needed the money for your child's clothes and medicine. Poor is...but you get the idea.

My wife is a social worker and sees and hears poor every day. Oh, and many years ago I was that young father buying his son food with food stamps.

This is, after all, a silly little chat forum - and I mean that in the best of ways. We are fortunate to be able to spend our time discussing and our money pursuing what, at the end of the day, is a frivolity among life's real burdens. Let's be careful how we toss words with real impact around.

Thanks.

Phil Sieg Knoxville, Tennessee

John T.Pergolizzi wrote:
> Lou,
> Seeing how this po' stuff could quickly degenerate in this
>group, I will give this as my one po boy story: desperate for tires as
>I was at 16, and not knowing the secrets yet of changing a tube in a
>tubular, I spent the better part of three nights in front of the TV
>stitching up the liberated carcass of some el cheapo junko tubularo;
>probably a Hutchinson SuperSprint. Second ride, the side wall blew out.
> I felt really bummed till some old timer told me of how they
>would use garden hose for tires during the Second World War.
>
>John T.Pergolizzi
>Brooklyn, New York
>Oh, the good ole days.
>I need a beer
>
>
>John Pergolizzi said: When I started racing on the track in 1976, I
>had NO money and
>used used stuff across the board
>
>
>I've been poor too and scrounged what I could. I rarely throw anything
>away. I've got boxes of old
>cables, housing, nuts, bolts, broken parts, and used tubular tires.
>Back in my poor days, I used the
>flatted tubulars that I had repaired as either my spares (as most of us
>probably did) or I used them
>on my indoor trainer, until the tread literally came off. I also
>started my notes that became the Used
>Bike Buyers Guide. I no longer have to be so frugal, but I've
>not totally abandoned my being cheap practices, other than not using the
>trainer at all anymore!
>Saves wear and tear on my old body, although that isn't the reason.
>Lou Deeter, Orlando FL
>"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of
>your life,"--Brooke Shields, during an interview to become Spokesperson
>for federal anti-smoking campaign.