The Welfare of a Nation.

There are many who live their comfortable lives with no grasp of the problems that are still actually out there. For example, I have lived my entire life living in a relatively small city that always seemed clean, quiet and safe. I had no idea that there were so many mentally unstable and homeless in the downtown area until recently. The system is set up in a way to keep them there. They aren't given any incentive to try to make changes for themselves and depressingly enough, a lot of them are using their monthly welfare cheques, paid for by our tax dollars to buy drugs. In that respect the government is funding addiction and homelessness with our tax dollars. Wouldn't that money be better spent on some sort of home care service to try and put these people back on track? I know this could be done as it's a similar idea to how our system helps the disabled. I would even go as far as to argue that many of these people are disabled people who fell through the cracks.

My real issue here is not with the people who can't help themselves, as they really need something in place to keep them on the straight and narrow, so much as the people who don't want to help themselves. I personally know a few people who are more or less living off the system as a free ride. They sleep in shelters for only a small portion of their welfare cheque and try to convince others to buy them drugs and other things when they are low on funds.

This is why I feel to clean up the streets we need some form of social care system to help those who want to be helped, as I know they exist, and let those who don't want to be helped sleep in the bed they've made. I can't justify giving 30% of my paycheck to a government who helps people buy drugs and Listerine. We are taxed hard here in Canada and we smile and brag about our badass healthcare system, but maybe it's time to reexamine how that money is being spent. I'm cool with being taxed if it's in the name of making this beautiful country a better place.

I need to clarify though, obviously we can't just leave those who don't want to be helped out in the cold, as much as I believe in a certain degree of tough love. I just feel, that if you want free money, maybe you should be showing that you actually want to do well with it.

This system does not and is never gonna work as long as the policy makers have their heads up in the clouds. Unfortunately, I'm just some naive lower mid-class person who doesn't like what he sees, and maybe I'm bitter because I haven't given up and won a prize as so many do.

I'm frustrated, and maybe it's time for something new. I bet I get some hate for this one, but I'm standing by it.

Odd-job Jon.

In this day and age we have to work an awful lot to make a living, but I figured it may be fun to discuss a few jobs I've had that are a little too stupid or strange for words. I'm hoping that if you have any funny or just weird job experiences you could share them in the comments section.

As I'm typing this I'm actually doing one of my odd jobs. At the moment I'm a confined spaces attendant. Basically what that means is that I watch a hole in the ground for 10 hours and sign people in and out of it, while lowering an air quality tester into it every hour. Confused? Let me explain it better. I sit in my car for 10 hours and play with my iPhone. Honestly, this one isn't that weird compared to others, but that's my Monday to Thursday life at the moment.

The best of my not so normal jobs was at a particular site. I was told by the employer that I could have people visit on site, sleep or do whatever I wanted really, so often times it consisted of playing PSP and ordering pizza. While I never did sleep, it was always a great job for being well rested!

A past job experience that is somewhat noteworthy is working in any call center. This is something I highly don't recommend, unless you really hate yourself, then it's the perfect job! The most interesting thing however that I was ever able to do was talk down to a certain Backstreet Boy's little brother. I won't say the company I was working for, but I will say that by the end of the call, this poor bugger was almost begging for my approval. I wasn't exactly rude per sey, but I stand by the ideal that if you are gonna throw around your star power, you probably should make sure you have some star power.

Honestly, for all of the many jobs I've had there was one that stood out above the rest. I did some work for a construction company as a basic sweeper. How do you mess that up? Well, one of the guys who sorta was a supervisor to me, must have been an Aaron Carter fan, cause I'm pretty sure he lived his days to make me miserable. When sweeping sawdust off of floors becomes sweeping puddles around on the roof WHILE IT'S BLOODY WELL RAINING, it may be time to quit your job. I mean it, I was supposed to just move them around basically. In hindsight, I should have just said no, but, then again, I wouldn't have this story to tell. In the end when I finally did quit, I'd love to say I went out in a blaze of glory, but I didn't. I did however stand up to that jerk and storm off, awesomely being offered a better job where I wouldn't have to work near him. I can live with that.

The moral of this of course, is when things don't go your way, flip out, and get offered a better job! If that isn't a life lesson I don't know what is. Also, in my case I find that having a friend in close proximity with a boom box, set to play a badass theme song really helps. For me, Blizzards, Buzzards and Bastards by scissorfight works great!

Anyway, that's my pointless post of the day! Post your terrible job experiences below, and tell me how you quit them, or how you plan to quit them! Life is too short for bullshit!