60% of Uni Students live below the Poverty Line (2 Viewers)

[ohne]

Won't be happening, Justin. This is Putin's last term... unless he changes the constitution, which he thankfully hasn't indicated any intent of doing.

Unfortunately, of course, the person who replaces him will probably just be a friend of his.

What is wrong with Putin? I quite like him.

How many of you folks could live on $20-40 a week... remembering that includes all groceries, phone bills, transport, uni costs? Fun hey?

I could live on $20-$40 per week if I was within walking distance of uni and did not have to pay union fees. I wouldn't have a phone though, I don't purchase any textbooks or stuff like that now. I don't spend anything on clothes or much going out. Closer towards the $20 end would get a bit hard in terms of food though.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

If you don't go out, or pay a phone bill i think $20-40 is a fair ammount... and if u didn't have to pay union fee's u could afford ur text books.

If you want a degree plus work and are finding it THAT hard u have a few options.

- get a job, save up money first.
- don't go to uni.
- if you worked harder, you could get a scholarship.
- join the military.

 

[Slidey]

What is wrong with Putin? I quite like him.

1) He's undemocratic
2) He has WAY too much power
3) He controls almost the entirety of the Russian media.

There's more, but I'm not going to knock the guy too much. Russia's GPD grows at a rate of 6% per year because of him, though obviously that's no measure of his success as a leader.

 

[leetom]

does anyone secretly want to see a Soviet revival? Just to contemplate defection?

 

[withoutaface]

1) He's undemocratic
2) He has WAY too much power
3) He controls almost the entirety of the Russian media.

There's more, but I'm not going to knock the guy too much. Russia's GPD grows at a rate of 6% per year because of him, though obviously that's no measure of his success as a leader.

The next guy will be no different methinks.

 

[Slidey]

does anyone secretly want to see a Soviet revival? Just to contemplate defection?

I don't know much about Soviet Russia, but what I've heard is not good.

 

[withoutaface]

does anyone secretly want to see a Soviet revival? Just to contemplate defection?

I'm sure you do, leetom ya Red

 

[leetom]

- join the military.

Yeah! I want to become an Officer just for the sabre!

Slide Rule, how much is it to fly to Russia? Do you have it all planned? I imagine the politics courses are very one-sided.

 

[leetom]

I don't know much about Soviet Russia, but what I've heard is not good.

It can't be that bad. I personally have a great affection for the Red Army Choir and communist paraphernalia such as the big coats emblazoned with either the H&S or the Red Star.

That, and adressing each other as 'Comrade'.

 

[ohne]

I agree with Putin when he says the collapse of the Soviet Union was the biggest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century. I would like to see the Soviet Union still in existance, although following a more capitalistic path rather than a communist one.

 

[iambored]

If you don't go out, or pay a phone bill i think $20-40 is a fair ammount... and if u didn't have to pay union fee's u could afford ur text books.


- if you worked harder, you could get a scholarship.

i don't think so, food costs quite a bit, i think it would be hard to stick to $20 every week for food if you want a balanced diet

the scholarship isn't an option really

Thanks that reminds me.
Those ppl that are comlaining I have a question. How often do you buy food at uni? Where do you buy your clothes? How often do you go out partying or clubbing? What else do you waste your money on?

i don't understand how students have the money to smoke and drink a lot, it's a waste of money, they must make too much

 

[Korn]

i don't think so, food costs quite a bit, i think it would be hard to stick to $20 every week for food if you want a balanced diet

the scholarship isn't an option really


i don't understand how students have the money to smoke and drink a lot, it's a waste of money, they must make too much

lol. Thats what I was getting at

 

[iambored]

yes and i was backing you up because i agree totally

there are younger students who get a lot of money from parents but want a job, they will get a shock when they realise how much they -won't- make every week compared to what they are used to

so what was the poverty line calculated as? also how was it calculated? if someone lives at home and spends less than the poverty-line amount on other things, are they considered as living below the poverty line?

the poverty line was calculated as $145, is this to be spent on food, clothes, entertainment, travel, internet (everything besides housing - are bills considered housing)?


i think it is much worse for adults to be in such a situation and would call that living below the poverty line, but for students i would not.

 

[Comrade nathan]

I would like to see the Soviet Union still in existance, although following a more capitalistic path rather than a communist one.

It wasnt the political breakup of the USSR that was the problem. It was the tranisition of Capitalism that was.

 

[Slidey]

Yeah! I want to become an Officer just for the sabre!

Slide Rule, how much is it to fly to Russia? Do you have it all planned? I imagine the politics courses are very one-sided.

IIRC, $800 to $1300. Planned? No. Do I have it all planned how I am going to plan it? Yes.

They probably are. I was looking at covering literature and such rather than politics, though.

It can't be that bad. I personally have a great affection for the Red Army Choir and communist paraphernalia such as the big coats emblazoned with either the H&S or the Red Star.

That, and adressing each other as 'Comrade'.

Half of that stuff has been brought back by Putin, hasn't it? He changed the lyrics to the anthem, though. Might just see Russia become Soviet again after all.

Comrade... reminds me of Animal Farm.

 

[walrusbear]

Hang on, I know the answer to this one...

*thinks really hard

*thinks some more

OMG I have it! We could stop charging compulsory union fees! Seems Felix is shitting in his own grave before he's thrown in it

what a cynical place to take money from
the government has you focussed on hating unions, whilst they rise the prices of degrees by ridiculous amounts.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

MUAHAHHAHAHAH HECS DEBT!!!
MUHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

These people who are 'below the powerty line' aren't even paying any part of their hecs debt.

 

[withoutaface]

HECS would be lower if so many people didn't skip the country to evade their debt.

 

[walrusbear]

MUAHAHHAHAHAH HECS DEBT!!!
MUHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

These people who are 'below the powerty line' aren't even paying any part of their hecs debt.

that's true, i guess the hecs is irrelevant to the living standards discussion.

anyways, not that it's necessarily incorrect, but its interesting that pretty much everyone here has blamed students for finding living conditions hard and not questioned the government, university role.

 

[aaaman]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National...ow-poverty-line/2005/05/14/1116024407236.html

Tell me something I don't know....

The current situation with universities is screwed. The expense is going to turn people off coming here as internationals, which will mean either the rest of us will have to pay more (or the government, but there is little chance of that) or watch our unis turn to shit.

Just out of curiosity, who here has worked more than 35 hours per week during semester while doing full time study for any extended period of time? *Raises hand*.... it really does impact upon your study, and it ain't much fun. Plus you can't get involved in campus life, do work experience etc. It turns uni in to a chore and you don't learn as much as you would if you had more free time to study.

I think I might move to Sweden....

But out of curiosity I'd like the see where Felix got that stat from... it was a bit slack of the SMH to run that as a headline without any backup of where the stat was from, they just took it as hearsay from Felix (who, you know, has a bit of an agenda!).... not entirely responsible reporting.

So yes, what do you all think the solution could be? Or do you deny that our universities are going down shit creek without a paddle or even a boat?

Biggest disaapointment ever seen, we all can blame the Howard Governement since he wants us to go and quit school, wat a tosser