Anyone that knows me knows I fully reject the concept of social class. I maintain it only matters to those at the top to put others in their place, or those who wish they were on the top. Your average joe blow is only going to care when it’s put into the context of severe social inequality, i.e. insisting that someone is fundamentally bad and lazy for being poorly off. That’s why I’m happy to see things like this popping up:

Judge Orders Injunction On Florida’s Welfare Drug Testing Law
tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/judge_orders_injunction_on_floridas_welfare_drug_t.php

This has been one of my ‘You have GOT to be shitting me’ things to rage on since I first heard about it. That a judge can rule that it’s a ridiculous thing pleases me, because it is. Drug use is NOT endemic amongst the poor. Mental health issues are, but as we ‘know’ in the West, it’s the fault of those suffering for not being able to shake it off and move on. As someone who has completely whacked-out brain chemistry that survives on sheer stubbornness alone, I celebrate anything that prevents a further hateful assault on people, period. I know, I know – many Americans will and do argue that most jobs insist on drug-testing applicants. To this I ask – why do you stand for being presumed guilty? Think about that, and don’t put up with it. 😉

Of course, shit rolls downhill, and that above is merely the so-called middle class swiping downwards to try to make themselves feel better about also being screwed. Here’s another set of awesome charts:

The Shocking, Graphic Data That Shows Exactly What Motivates the Occupy Movement
www.alternet.org/occupywallst/152811/the_shocking,_graphic_data_that_shows_exactly_what_motivates_the_occupy_movement_/

Not that clearly present facts will sway some people from assuming everyone under them is lazy rather than unlucky. It is a rather cute habit of the human brain to be pie-in-the-sky and pretend that bad things can’t happen to us, rather than accepting and preparing for the likelihood of the bottom dropping out of our lives. The American Dream, and truly, the dream of most people, is to be able to live a comfortable life without destroying oneself for it – it’s pretty obvious that’s not happening for most, so…

Whatever the case, make sure to take control of your money. I’ve harped on about Bank Transfer Day, and I’m going to keep with it; I think that it’s a capital idea, especially in a country where it’s deemed acceptable to charge people to get near their own money. With that in mind, here’s a useful list of tips to keep in mind:

Bye-Bye, Banks: 9 Tips Before You Switch to a Credit Union
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/ConsumerFinance/helpful-tips-switching-banks-credit-unions/story?id=14804344

While there are those who claim the whole thing is silly, I think they miss the point. Sure, not everyone is going to jump through the hoops to change where their money is kept; banks make it notoriously difficult, which is enough of a deterrent for many. But if you deem it worthwhile to prevent banks from gambling with your money, it’s worth considering. ;D