Extreme Home Make over...

[SparkleHugs]

I never watch this show because it is the absolute epiotome of depressing. but tonight i watched.

this really poor family, single dad 5 boys got their new house. they mentioned many times the type of neighborhood they live in etc and i cant help but think, this tv show has now made them prime suspect in a home invasion robbery. Do you think that has ever happened to any of these people?

Also, if these poor poor poor people cant afford to make their house nice, how will they afford the inflated property taxes once the fancy house is complete? I have heard the show pay a lifetime of tax for one family, but since i stopped watching im not sure how common that is now.

I like the concept of this show and dont want it to go off the air, because coming from poverty myself, it really helps those in need. but hell, its horrible to watch.

[lost_n_justin's_smile]

I wouldn't be surprised if the home is broken into at some point. They showed part of the story on 20/20 Friday because they were doing a story on poor families in Camden, NJ...where the house was built. I'm not sure what part of Camden the house was built in but based on the story, and stories I've heard since the headquarters of the company my mom works for is there, it sounds like crime in some areas of the city is very very high.

And the whole astronomical taxes thing is one of the reasons my Mom stopped watching the show. The houses are gorgeous but you know that some of those families aren't going to be able to afford the taxes and other expenses. It's sad

[pinky]

ALL of Camden is crime-ridden. It's a very sad city. A long time ago, it had a solid economy, and lots of safe neighborhoods. But that was before my memory. Riding the train into Philadelphia, you pass row after row of abandoned houses, burnt out shells, and very little that would make you want to be there.

[SparkleHugs]

in tonights episode (i watched the 2020 also and its the only reason i watched tonight) i didnt hear anything about them paying for the taxes. and i believe he said they were moving around the block (it was a rental place that couldnt be knocked down, so land was donated) but around the block sounded like another city. i dont recall specially, but either way it isnt far from camden and people are shady. it sounded like a truly horrible horrible city. the 20/20 made me sad. simply because there were so many hopefully little children, and i just know reality will set in one day. its depressing.

hopefully they will be able pay those taxes somehow, or they were already paid.

what i loved about tonights though, was this family was sleeping on floors with roaches etc, and got everything they dreamed of, but what really got the dad to react and completely break down was the year supply of chicken because they never had any food before, it was always a struggle, and never much. his reaction was touching.

[SparkleHugs]

ALL of Camden is crime-ridden. It's a very sad city. A long time ago, it had a solid economy, and lots of safe neighborhoods. But that was before my memory. Riding the train into Philadelphia, you pass row after row of abandoned houses, burnt out shells, and very little that would make you want to be there.

Pinks, what caused it to be this way? it looks like one of the most horrible places that i always heard about, but didnt really believe could be as awful as they are.

Kinda like Santa, but the opposite.

[lost_n_justin's_smile]

That 20/20 episode was heartwrenching. The little girl who took the camera crew to the park and talked about all the needles and drugs. Ugh:bluesad:.

I meant to watch Extreme Makeover but I forgot

[SparkleHugs]

that little girl broke my heart because just the time that she was being interviewed, you could see her over eager spirit and ambition diminish.

I really liked the story about Ivan, the little boy who was homeless and people donated money so he could have a home, and gave him clothes and stuff. i thought it was a really good story. he seemed like a good boy.

[pinky]

Pinks, what caused it to be this way? it looks like one of the most horrible places that i always heard about, but didnt really believe could be as awful as they are.

Kinda like Santa, but the opposite.
During World War II Camden was a MAJOR shipbuilding location. The economy was humming, lots of homes were built, and times were good.

After the war, there was less need for new ships, and so the major part of the economy went away. RCA had its corporate headquarters there, and actually maintained one building in the city, but moved most of its operations to a town outside the city. So that took another major chunk out of the economy. Campbell Soups is still there, I think. And there's an excellent hospital with a renewing area around it.

Politics in New Jersey is about as corrupt as it gets, and the major cities in the state, like Camden, were bled by the crooked politicians until there was nothing left to take.

So, if you combine a shrinking economy, suburban development, and being raped by the crooks, you get a city in which the schools are failing, so the kids aren't qualified for jobs that aren't there anyway; no real sources of income for the population; and no corporate tax base to speak of. In other words, a welfare economy with almost no way out for most people.

Then, the downward spiral that makes everything worse. They've tried to build up the waterfront with a major venue for concerts and other events, a pretty good aquarium, and the Battleship New Jersey as tourist attractions, but it hasn't spread beyond that immediate area yet.

[SparkleHugs]

Pinks, I like your usage of the semi colon.

I dont get how things like that can happen. i get the economy thing, but the continual political corruption baffles me. But then again when youre not educated enough to know the rights you have or how things work then you wouldnt know that you can change it. so i guess maybe i do get it. I remember hearing on 20/20 that 3 of the last four mayors have been indicted. That's never good.

I always thought that New Orleans was the most corrupt city in the country, how do you think that Camden compares? worse? better?

[pinky]

I don't know that much about the general corruption in NO, but Camden is pretty bad. All of New Jersey, actually. We have politicians who hold more than one elected office, and some of those also hold appointed positions. Each of those jobs comes with a state pension, too. I can't even count the number of politicians that have been indicted or are currently under investigation (and I really don't know much about the northern part of the state).

The problem is that it's the politicians who have to change the rules of the game, and they have no motivation to do that, because they're all benefitting from the current system.

Here's just one example: the mayor of my town is also a state assemblyman. He recently voted in the assembly to end dual office-holding, but just ran for assembly again, and will probably run for mayor again next year. When he first became mayor, he rehired a former public works director who had been fired by the previous mayor, then sued the township and won, to the tune of about $600K. Part of that settlement stated that he "permanently and irrevocably" terminated his employment with the township. Yet, he's back, and not only that, he has multiple responsibilities that get him additional stipends. He's currently making close to, if not over, $100,000 per year. Not bad for someone who agreed never to work here again. :greyno: (For the record, he does a pretty fair job in Public Works. I taught his son when I was working at a school here in town. The kid's a real jerk who thinks the rules don't apply to him. I wonder where he gets that idea? :rolleyes:

[pinky]

Oh, and I didn't watch the show, but there was an article in today's paper about the family. Their new house is in Pennsauken, a town that borders Camden on the north. It's a pretty rough town, but at least it's better than Camden.