This just in. Hundreds of LA homeless are murdered over their new designer sneakers.

In a related story, the homeless are still looking for the tops of their donated muffins.

Excellent. Now to sue the homeless. SUMMON THE LAWYERS

Wanted for questioning.

Merry Christmas politics tab!

Merry Christmas lurkers!

Merry Christmas you wonderful old TotalFark Discussion thread!

And a Happy New Year to Drew! IN JAIL!

Great. Tomorrow I'm going to have to fend off an army of homeless selling shoes on my way to Syrup Desserts. I remember the last time some well-meaning "ministry" handed out "hygiene kits" to the homeless. They were plastic bags with wipes and soap and a toothbrush and, to top it all off, a pair of tighty-whities. I know this because I got followed around by homeless guys shouting "toothbrush and underwear, man! I never even wore the motherfarkers! Just gimme two bucks white honkey man!"

(I actually like living here, believe it or not.)

thatguyfred: nailPuppy: TFA: a new law permits donation of counterfeit items on behalf of homeless people with authorization from trademark owners..

So either give the homeless the brand you've worked hard to maintain a certain image for, or get horrible publicity at Christmas time when the county has to destroy the shoes instead. Win/Win?

Homeless people aren't likely to buy new designer things so they probably figure they aren't missing out on revenue and get free advertising.



Nike could always say no, but donate a few thousand pairs of cheap sneakers. Doesn't have to be the 300 dollar ones but just a sturdy pair.

They still get good press, they get the counterfeit sneakers off the streets(huurrr), and homeless can be balling.

Grouchy as I am about the LAPD, they really have been working hard on skid row in the past few years. Skid Row had been pretty much ignored by previous administrations, but when Bratton became Chief, he put a lot of resources into the area (he famously referred to it as "the worst social disaster in the country.") He added 50 patrol officers to Central Division and gave Skid Row their own Senior Lead Officer, a guy named Deon Joseph who sincerely gives a fark (and writes some great rants on the LAPD blog.)

The problem LAPD has had with Skid Row is not that they are "doing surgery with a sledgehammer", but more like surgery with a lockpick and a shaving brush. There's very little city-run assistance for skid row, and the NGO's present, while often good, are also spotty and inconsistent. This left Bratton and the LAPD to try to do something on their own. Problem is, the police have no power to do anything in the absence of a crime. So ad-hock solutions were created like the "safer cities" Initiative, where the homeless are ticketed for sleeping on the sidewalk or jaywalking or whatever, and then steered into diversion programs or mental health services in lue of paying the fine. It's really not the way things should be done, but with no interest from the rest of city government, it's about the best we can get.

DrRatchet: Grouchy as I am about the LAPD, they really have been working hard on skid row in the past few years. Skid Row had been pretty much ignored by previous administrations, but when Bratton became Chief, he put a lot of resources into the area (he famously referred to it as "the worst social disaster in the country.") He added 50 patrol officers to Central Division and gave Skid Row their own Senior Lead Officer, a guy named Deon Joseph who sincerely gives a fark (and writes some great rants on the LAPD blog.)

The problem LAPD has had with Skid Row is not that they are "doing surgery with a sledgehammer", but more like surgery with a lockpick and a shaving brush. There's very little city-run assistance for skid row, and the NGO's present, while often good, are also spotty and inconsistent. This left Bratton and the LAPD to try to do something on their own. Problem is, the police have no power to do anything in the absence of a crime. So ad-hock solutions were created like the "safer cities" Initiative, where the homeless are ticketed for sleeping on the sidewalk or jaywalking or whatever, and then steered into diversion programs or mental health services in lue of paying the fine. It's really not the way things should be done, but with no interest from the rest of city government, it's about the best we can get.

The following isn't meant to be snarky or unsympathetic:
that story would make 90% of an awesome pitch for a tv reality show.

May be the exposure would even help contribute to the cure.

That act of decency AND common sense has made my day. Thanks for posting, Subby.

DrRatchet: Grouchy as I am about the LAPD, they really have been working hard on skid row in the past few years. Skid Row had been pretty much ignored by previous administrations, but when Bratton became Chief, he put a lot of resources into the area (he famously referred to it as "the worst social disaster in the country.") He added 50 patrol officers to Central Division and gave Skid Row their own Senior Lead Officer, a guy named Deon Joseph who sincerely gives a fark (and writes some great rants on the LAPD blog.)

The problem LAPD has had with Skid Row is not that they are "doing surgery with a sledgehammer", but more like surgery with a lockpick and a shaving brush. There's very little city-run assistance for skid row, and the NGO's present, while often good, are also spotty and inconsistent. This left Bratton and the LAPD to try to do something on their own. Problem is, the police have no power to do anything in the absence of a crime. So ad-hock solutions were created like the "safer cities" Initiative, where the homeless are ticketed for sleeping on the sidewalk or jaywalking or whatever, and then steered into diversion programs or mental health services in lue of paying the fine. It's really not the way things should be done, but with no interest from the rest of city government, it's about the best we can get.

And to complicate matters - Bratton's gone now - and nobody really knows who or what Beck is, yet - so things will probably continue to be in flux.

Nice story, but why do city cops have jurisdiction over trademark violations?