shortformblog:

Reminder, all: Fact-check your finds when it comes to amazing photos from Irene and elsewhere. A few weeks ago, a Baltimore-based meteorologist named Justin Berk posted this amazing photo from a Pensacola storm. Tonight, it’s making the rounds thanks to Lansing-based TV station WILX — except this time, it’s being claimed that the photo was taken over the Outer Banks, just before Irene hit. The photo seems just a little too perfect to be believable for a storm of that size, so it’s drawing questions. (They’ve since taken the photo down.) This, friends, is why you double-check these things. The thing that set off alarm bells for us? The fact that a TV station in Lansing, Michigan, broke this photo. Because, clearly, they would’ve gotten it first.

wearethe99percent:

33, Single mother. Can’t afford daycare. Monthly income: $1000. Monthly Bills: $600-$1000 a month (depending on what I want to actually pay that month) $285 for student loans alone… my sister, eight years older then I am, pays $50…. I’m forced to live with my parents, which is an unhealthy environment for me and my son.

MAXIMUM amount of monthly income to qualify for state health insurance: $399. Last time I had health insurance, I was in highschool.

I work at home for rich clients who refuse to pay their bills, even though we’ve given them a 30% discount on what I call the “dollar store of web development companies”, and think they have the right to treat you like their slave.

I get no credit, nor do I get paid for, my time spent software engineering, improving client’s businesses with MY ideas, troubleshooting, solving business issues or consulting. I make almost $15,000/year for a job I should be getting twice as much for.

I have an IQ of 140. I graduated with a 3.95 GPA in computer science, the only reason it was this low was because I had an issue with a teacher that gave me a bad grade. He was later fired, I wasn’t the only one with an issue with him….. How well I did in school, or how smart I am on technical tasks… means nothing.

I struggle with social anxiety and depression. I can’t make eye contact and do not do well in social situations with strangers, especially job interviews. Cheap medications, that aren’t working, is a necessary monthly bill.

I am over 100 lbs overweight and have pre-diabetes and heart disease with no health insurance or care. I have no energy to diet or exercise and have an overly rambunctious three year old to keep track of and make sure he’s not trying to jump out the second story window again today while I attempt to work.

I’ve had surgery on my right hand twice, once for carpal tunnel release, the second, to fix the first surgery, which was botched by an inexperienced doctor, whom I still owe. I have about 20% use of my hands. I was denied workman’s comp for life, they offered $500 to pay for the lawyer, which he waived, I had to sign the papers, 6 months later, because I had been unemployed for over 3 years already and needed the money.

I feel I have maybe 3-5 more years before I cannot use my hands anymore and am forced to file disability. The idea of this disgusts me. Physcial therapy could extend that to at least 20 years… there is no assistance available to do this.

I am $60,000 in student loan debt. $225 out of the $285 monthly bill is purely for interest. $20,000 of those loans, that aren’t federal, haven’t been paid on for 8 years, I am hoping no one notices. If you’re in default, you are not eligible for the income based repayment plan which could make them below $100 a month… According to the calculator, mine would be $15/month… you need to be in recovery for a year, I paid $315 a month for a year in order to be eligible for this. This does not make sense to me. If I could have afforded to pay for the loans in the first place… I wouldn’t be needing the IBR!!!!!!!!!!!! Fun fact: after delaying them for 6 years, I was only 2 months late on payment to get into default.

I have been trying for the last 4 years to save $2000 to file bankruptcy for $5000-$10000 medical debt. It still hasn’t happened.

I’m about to add thousands of dollars in medical debt for dental work for my son, who needs to see a specialist due to his age (3)…. It may be his christmas present this year. I hope he’ll appreciate it when he’s older, that is, if I pay for it, I doubt I will.

Two months ago my bank account was emptied of $1400 by court order (that i was served for 4 years ago on the day I was in labor and delivery), it took me a year to save that much, to pay for an eleven year old medical bill that was $200 to begin with. The money in my bank was mostly child support… It’s illegal for a creditor to take child support from you. I had no time or any money left to dispute it. I could not get away from work or my son, in order to file the claim that I had all of 7 days to dispute, and I was not notified it had happened until 3 days after the fact. I was lucky I was able to pay that student loan bill that month. I had only a few dollars left in my account.

I have been trying for the last 4 years to save $2000 to file bankruptcy for $5000-$10000 medical debt. It still hasn’t happened.

I had to photoshop the text on my picture because it’s difficult to use a pen/pencil.

I don’t see myself alive 5 years from now, I fear for my son, who has no other parent.

I have a roof over my head, I have an income, I’m not full of bitterness.. most of the time. I’m one of the lucky ones.

I am the 99%

occupywallst.org