"We Know This Is New For You..."

You know times are bad when the L.A. Times publishes a guide to being poor.

Today's edition includes an outline of services for those in need of food, shelter or healthcare. It explains how to find food pantries, cautions that public housing may be scarce, and outlines options for those without medical insurance.

I gotta admit, dialing 211 is new to me. But the fact that a newspaper has to explain what Section 8 is, to me at least, a little amusing... but more so sad.

Maybe it's the reality I grew up in. My family, thankfully, was relatively stable, but we had plenty of friends that relied on public assistance. They had to figure out the system long before any newspaper would publish a guide to help them.

So you may understand why I read the article with a little bit of a smirk and lot of cynicism. Now it's important to explain how people can get help. Now it's necessary because that magic demographic known as "newspaper readers" suddenly needs to figure out how to survive.

I'm not making light of anyone's misfortune, but sometimes, you just can't help what you think.