amonkie

Living in a big metropolitan city, there are many intersections frequented by vets/homeless with carboard signs asking for work, food, money, or just saying God Bless.

As I was driving to work today, a gentleman had a sign that said "Why Lie? Need Beer". At first, I didn't know whether to be outraged at the thought of someone expecting other people to pick up his alcohol tab, tell him kudos for being honest, or just drive away in semi shock.

Seeing that sign was such a break from the norm that it really got my attention. Which then brought my attention to the rifts in standards of living that have brought these people to be standing outside in the easily 110 degree heat in the summer.

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maleficent

When I worked in midtown Manhattan, there was a homeless guy who I saw all the time, his schtick, he carried one of two signs to solicit donations. The United Negro Beer Fund, or the United Negro Pizza Fund. On the way back into the office one night, a colleague and I chatted briefly with him, was just real curious as to how he did. He told us, we were regulars so he wasn't getting sympathy from us, that he cleared about 200 bucks a day with his comic approach.

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Latch

There's been photos of that message (or similar) going around on the Internet for a while.

I think the guy who originally did it was clever, but I assume the signs are fairly common now... still, it has to be a hard life. Whatever works should be used.

maleficent

Call me a heartless bitch, but working at a real job works even better, rather than begging on the street.

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NotMinus

Remeber, these people don't have the internet, that can't follow the in trends like us. Maybe they all think they are the cleverst s.o.b. on the block with their sign.

Latch

Agreed, although if they choose that way to live.. it's there choice (some people don't choose it, I believe). If it works for them, then good on 'em.

This could end up being one big threadjack on homelessness I'll stop here, though.

Latch

True. Alot of these guys all of a sudden became clever at once though hehe.

I have watched homeless people come into Internet Cafe's, put their $2 down for an hour, and check their email/other stuff. Surprised me when I first saw it.... now I'm kind of used to it.

skinnymofo

My parents knew a guy who used to dress up in surplus clothes buy cans of the wet dog food, dump/clean them out and then put beef stew into the can. Hed sit at corners and eat it, and according to him he was making more doing that than in a day job, but this was 10+ years ago im pretty sure

sexymama

I drive through one intersection about 2 - 3 times a week at the same time. Every day at that time, two people are "changing shifts." It's like they have a deal worked out re: how many hours one can stand on each corner.

Personally, I'd like to have the means to give more; but I also think that it is better to earn an honest days living than to beg, imo.

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phredgreen

i don't give them jack diddly poop.

i didn't even give the guy in san francisco a dime so he could "make a down payment on a cheeseburger" (true story). i have real issues with someone who dosen't even try to make an honest day's living anymore... and i've been down and out enough to know that begging is a bullshit way to get by.

i understand how much this phenomenon has grown, especially in major metros where these bastards literally beat eachother up for the best begging spots. every onramp and offramp, another lowlife trying to pull a dishonest day's pay. personally, i think there should be criminal charges and police action to stem this growth, but that's just me.

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bermuDa

I've got a picture of one with a very similar sign from when i went to san francisco.

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Randerolf

In my town, the homeless pretty much live in the main public library with its free email, books, and bathrooms.

Sugar&Spice

One of my instructors used to teach at the University of Utah. She said a study was done on the homeless in Salt Lake City and a few of them ended up bringing in close to $60,000 a year begging. They knew who would give them money and who wouldn't. For example she said they wouldn't approach anyone blonde or in a business suit. They usually went for darker haired people and women with children. They wouldn't want to get a job because they'd most likely be making more on the street then at a job.

I have never given the beggars any money. I guess because I have bills to pay and I'm out their earning my wages. Why can't they go get a job flipping burgers at least.

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ratbastid

Sorta answered your own question there, Sport. Even if they're not ALL pulling down $60k, the few that do keep the rest interested.

yabobo

A Baltimore Maryland news reporter (female) did an undercover
story on the cities homeless. She parked her BMW.,on a side road
got into her homeless outfit and proceeded to beg for the day.
After the story was aired on tv13 she quit her job as a reporter and now begs three days a week. She cleared well over three hundred a day with no taxes paid. True story!
Now I feel really bad for the true homeless and want to help
but how do you know? I was told to invite them into a resturant
and offer to by them a meal. If they accepted they most likley needed the help. But who really knows? I no three hundred is more than I make in a day and I bust my ass for my money and I have 4 people to care for! And I don't ask for public assistance.
God Bless America!
.

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emmdubbs

i'm approached, by i don't want to say homeless, b/c who are we to know if they are, but more or less...needy people. here's my thing, if i got change in my pocket, no biggie here you go, especially if it's at the end of the night. and if i'm goin home from a place and i got left overs or whatnot, and someone is hungry, chances are i'm just gonna forget about it in my fridge, so there you go. free food, if they're too "good" for that, then you know what...oh i dunno.
what goes around comes around i guess...i could be in that exact same situation, for whatever reason. so i help when i can

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rockzilla

So there was a guy begging for change "for coffee" right inside the coffee shop my girlfriend and I were shopping at last night. He approached us and asked for change. I told him I didn't have any (I had lots), and then she gave the guy 2 bucks. She didn't get so much as a thank you from him, he just wandered off to ask more customers for change for coffee.
On our way out, we overheard him asking more people for change for coffee and she said to him, loudly enough for folks to hear "I gave you enough for a coffee, if you wanted booze money, why didn't you just say so?"

la petite moi

My uncle saw a hobo like this once and thought it was hilarious. He ended up giving the guy 5$. Heh.

However, I think begging is ridiculous. Go spend that time you're wasting on the corner looking for a job!

HeyAgain

For those of you that live in the urban areas with subway system, have you seen homeless people paying subway fare ($2.25 here in T.O.) and just beg on subway cars.

The one that I have seen would constantly yell "I need money! I'm hungry" and then would stick your hand in front of you for a couple of seconds. She was able to make at least $10 per stop (mind you, the time between stops were at least 3-4 minutes). Once she reached a certain station, she would head back downtown and begin her routine again.

Munku

I work at a photo lab in an eckerd, and these 2 little skateboarder kids were in there, begging the customers for their change so they could get these silly 50 cent "homie" dolls from the machines.. Told them to get out and they never came back. :P

Fearless_Hyena

Last time in NYC the only kid I gave a buck to was the one who was honest.

You see there's these kids that go around the streets and trains of Manhattan with huge boxes to M&M's to "raise money" for whatever charity they make up. Truth is, they buy the boxes of candy themselves and make many multiples of what they paid for it off of people who think they're donating to a fundraiser.

Well this one kid got on the A train and started his normal speech like they always do, but instead of the normal church/soccerteam/unicef speech he said listen, I aint got no soccer team and I'm not raising money for no church. I'm selling these candy bars for ME so I can have money in my pocket and give some to my mom.

I thought that was pretty cool, sure it was a minor thing but at least he's being real and not lying to make a buck freeloading. I gave him a buck got some warm M&M's. I had to toss them coz they were melted tho

PDOUBLEOP

I love it when they bitch cause you didn't give them enough. I had someone at a gas station ask me for gas money cause they were broke. I said "where's your car, I'll put a few bucks in it for you". No car obviously.

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User Name

Hah, "Mom". The best way not to be caught in a lie is to tell some truth along with it.