brigid_fitch: /I watched Guiliani "deal" with NYC's homeless problem
//His policy consisted of bulldozing shantytowns, arresting anyone sleeping in a doorway, requiring them to find work before qualifying for city-sponsored shelters, and giving out one-way PATH tickets to Hoboken.

Hot meal, a shower and a warm place to sleep. I wonder how many homeless in NYC went out of their way to get picked up.

/Miss you on Caturday

rattchett: Probably. I know I was. Were you?

spentmiles: We're all one paycheck away from being homeless.

No, we're not. Some of us have something called a savings account.

buckler: Fano: bullwrinkle: I don't think this law is aimed at discouraging the average Joe from giving half his sandwich to a homeless person but someone with no training in food safety from preparing a bunch of meals and taking it to a park and giving them out. I think if a church group or an organization or even someone that wants to help those less fortunate is serious about feeding the homeless they need to understand some basic rules about food safety (wash hands often, keep raw meats separate for ready to eat foods, keep cold food cold and hot food hot). Insuring that the meals are safe to eat and cleaning up the aftermath in part of the responsibility.

So bums can get McDLT's? fark that noise. They can take their chances with scraps.

I ran into a woman recently who asked me for two dollars to get a burger from McDonalds. I pointed out that there was a free kitchen three blocks up that would feed anyone who walks in the door. She said that she "didn't want that", and I pointed out that she didn't appear to be in a position to be picky about what she ate. She walked off offended and in a huff. Screw that. I understand wanting what you want, but I also understand survival and just being grateful for sustenance. Some people never seem to learn that appreciation.

Sounds like she really wanted some two-buck chuck. A mickey D's burger is closer to a dollar.

prohibit unauthorized people and groups from feeding the homeless downtown, an ordinance proponents say will cut down on litter and ensure the safety of the food the homeless do eat. 

Uh-huh. So, they'll dive into the garbage to dig up 'safer' food, since those dumpsters are kept so clean.

"The business owners and residents in the area are complaining that there's just an incredible mess in the area once the group leaves," Karsh said. "It really is an immense mess that's left behind."

Ah-Ha!! There's the real reason! We can't have any do-gooders providing anything nourishing to the homeless because they're slobs. Better they should starve and die off and hopefully they'll die somewhere else so their rotting corpses won't affect business.

Now where's my check book? I need to donate money to folks who REALLY need help in Haiti and Chili, not American bums.

(Sarcasm.)

In roughly the 35 years since the homeless crisis began, not all that much has been accomplished to clear up the problem, originally created by the economic crash which the Saudi's and OPEC started by increasing the cost of oil. Then, greedy idiots crashed the stock market, making things worse. Ronald Reagan helped by closing most major Mental Institutions and releasing hundreds of thousands of the mentally ill onto the streets to save costs.

That little move, in the long run, has cost us far more than keeping the institutions open in the first place.

As the amount of billionaires gradually climbed from about 4 in the US to 1000 and house flipping became the new 'get rich fast' scheme for upper middle class folks, the homeless got pushed further and further away.

Of course the artificially created Housing Boom pushed the cost of homes and rentals so high that minimum wage workers started joining the Homeless and the inevitable crash of the bubble made things even harder for them.

No worries, though. We're still adding to the roles of the mega-rich. Besides, we've started dumping the homeless mentally ill into prisons. As they say, out of sight and out of mind -- at least until they get released with $100 and two days worth of medication.

Some homeless people are mentally ill and can't function very well in society.

Some homeless have lost their jobs and can't afford a home.

Many homeless are too lazy to work and would rather live off others.

How do you weed out the ones that really need help from the lazy ass scammers?



A group in our town was having an event for kids in a small park. They had some muffins for the adults who were helping out with the event. A homeless guy approaches the table and asks if he could have a muffin. The coordinator tried to explain that they had just gotten enough for the group. The homeless guy stood there repeatedly asking, begging, whining, complaining, etc. until... just to get rid of him... they gave him a muffin. He left with it. Came back 5 minutes later with about a dozen other guys... telling them "They're got free stuff". Approached again wanting another muffin and complaining when they said no. The other guys began yelling about "if you gave him one, you have to give us each one". The coordinator finally had to call the police.

I do NOT give money, food, ANYTHING to beggars. It's a bad idea and potentially dangerous. If you want to give, then donate to the local shelter, food bank, or other organization rather than contributing to someone's booze fund or encouraging them to continue begging instead of looking for work. Many beggars use scare tactics and pressure to get what they want. They feel they are entitled to handouts. This is wrong to encourage.

Our area has services to help those who need it. They can stay at a shelter while applying for low-income housing, they can sign up at the job service center (usually start off with temp jobs to get them job experience/skills), there are several food pantries for free groceries.....

The reason these services aren't used? Most refuse to help if you're drunk/drugged. I can't feel sorry for someone who's denied a warm place to sleep for the night when they know they have to be sober to get in. You have to want help enough to get help.

Show me you want help and can put forth the effort and I will help you. Put out your hand and tell me I have to give you something and I will call the police.

tukatz: I do NOT give money, food, ANYTHING to beggars. It's a bad idea and potentially dangerous.

That sounds like a logical personal prerogative.

More_Like_A_Stain: This wouldn't be a problem if the homeless were too big to fail.

Gah! Ah-hah-GAH!

Cataholic: It's good to see some of you folks finally paying attention to how ridiculous and asinine government regulations can be.

Floridian Hubris is probably not the most effective tactic, at this point.

RobotSpider: To be fair, the place DOES have 'hobo' in the name. You don't see anyone shipping bums to Disposable-Income, MO, do ya?

No matter how I try, GoogleEarth just gives me a giant gray space when I type that in.

Rik01: n roughly the 35 years since the homeless crisis began, not all that much has been accomplished to clear up the problem, originally created by the economic crash which the Saudi's and OPEC started by increasing the cost of oil. Then, greedy idiots crashed the stock market, making things worse. Ronald Reagan helped by closing most major Mental Institutions and releasing hundreds of thousands of the mentally ill onto the streets to save costs.

That little move, in the long run, has cost us far more than k...

Did Linux_Yes finally get the ban hammer or something?

LittleSmitty: Feed the homeless...... to the poor.

Two birds, one stone

And it will make CBS a little more entertaining.

Mija: lajimi: Back in the mid '80s I lived in an area where a church group came by every night with food for the homeless. Since the group featured a kid about 13 or so it got all sorts of good press. None of the press people were around to see the aftermath, nobody asked the kid who cleans up the trash after they leave. I don't usually agree with government regulation....ESPECIALLY when it's Florida or Texas but sometimes they come up with a good idea. Broken clock analogy works here.

You are more concerned with trash than with suffering, hungry homeless people. Dude, you are messed up.

More_Like_A_Stain: Mija: You are more concerned with trash than with suffering, hungry homeless people. Dude, you are messed up.

Some people sing "Kumbaya", others chant "Property Values".

Whatever, let's feed them on YOUR front steps and see how your attitude changes.

Fano

Did Linux_Yes finally get the ban hammer or something?

Explain, please.

Cataholic: thamike: Cataholic: It's good to see some of you folks finally paying attention to how ridiculous and asinine government regulations can be.

Floridian Hubris is probably not the most effective tactic, at this point.

Oohh...I must've hit close to home with that one, having to pull the geography card.

I was agreeing with you.