Homeless hotspots?

by 17 replies
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Homeless People Are Wi-Fi Hot Spots at SXSW : Discovery News



It's a charity campaign but hmmmm......

-Chris
#off topic forum
  • You just changed your last line while I was quoting it... I understand the criticisms mentioned in the article, but at least it's something, even if temporary.

    The article's writer doesn't like the "privileged scenesters" exploiting the homeless folks, but then he does basically the same thing by deciding what's best for the homeless folks. Wonder if anyone asked them how they feel about the whole thing?
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    • I suppose your right, better than doing nothing, not to mention it's their decision.

      -Chris
  • GIVE ME A BREAK! This is a neat idea! People gather, it gets attention, and funds a charity. The homeless person may even get more money. If they want "respect" they can dress up in clean clothes, stay in a mcdonalds all day, and not ask for ANYTHING!

    It is a simple shirt, so it is NOT like a sandwich board. It is lighter and gives more freedom. The homeless person has to do practically NOTHING!

    Steve
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    • I would imagine it also is such a boost for a homeless person to have an honest job, even if for a little while.

      I see nothing wrong with it at all and commend the people who offered the job to them!

      Terra
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    • Where exactly does a homeless person get clean clothes? Don't you think if they had clean clothes, they'd put them on? And since many homeless only have the clothes on their back, can you suggest a nude laundry? That's assuming they want to spend that money on washing clothes instead of food.

      And staying in a McD's all day is a crime called "loitering".
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  • The argument I keep hearing is that it makes these folks out to be things, rather than people; subhuman. I see it the complete opposite way. It won't pull them out of poverty, but it's something, and is probably great for their moral. Plus, it's not like these people were forced to become hotspots. They chose to.

    Both sides can think whatever they want. It really comes down to what they think, and as far as I can tell, they are happy to do it.
  • Anyone ever paid attention to the things people say about (and even to) homeless people? They are considered the slime mold of the earth......even when they work but don't make enough money for a place to live. It's not easy being housed on minimum wage.

    My question is why anyone would ever do anything that would advertise their homeless situation? Once people know someone is homeless, they very often won't consider them for a job even if they have one the person can do and do well. After all - nobody is homeless unless they are lazy, stupid, and totally unwilling to work....right?

    I feel sorry for anyone who is so hungry that they have to advertise they are homeless just to get enough money to eat for a day. It binds their future pretty hard.
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    • Minimum wage was NEVER intended to be a "living" wage. SO many are on a minimum wage that if it were raised, inflation would occur, and just make the better off POORER! If the poor all got say $50/hour they STILL couldn't afford a home, and many that currently can couldn't either.

      And SO many bums(I mean BUMS, not homeless. In fact, most AREN'T homeless) have gone for jobs, that employers now often have tests that make it near impossible for the homeless to get work. Things like credit scores, drug tests, etc... What kind of credit score is a homeless person likely to have?

      Steve
  • You never know what tragedy a person has endured that causes them to become homeless and unable to assimilate life anymore. Some people are truly "broken", even if that leads to alcohol... Sometimes people are broken really hard to get to that low place.

    We all think we have a choice, and can look down and say "its their own fault"... until something breaks us that hard, so hard that it knocks us senseless, even beyond being able to process our own common sense. Like the country song...try watching your children die in a car accident and losing your reasons to want to live..., and see if that doesnt break your mind...Who knows what these people have been through.

    I wouldnt judge a homeless person without walking a mile in their shoes.
  • Steve, um......just because someone lost a home it doesn't mean that they can't pass a drug test. Frankly - they don't give the upper level employees drug tests and I can name a hella bunch of people making good wages in high positions that couldn't pass a drug test to save their lives. The idea that homelessness is about drugs and alcohol is a pretty outdated perception. Homelessness is a matter of not being able to afford the astronomical rents during a period of stagflation. When pay only goes up a few bucks an hour during a twenty year period in which the price of rent goes up 3-500% people don't need drugs to lose homes.
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    • Yeah, I know, but it DOES add another thing. The only TEST I could think of that would really filter them was the credit check. Of course, the need for an address, or phone number ALSO cause problems. Drug tests don't happen quickly, and may delay things to cause other things to be a problem.

      *I* am an "upper level employee", and employed for over 11 years by the SAME company, and had to take a drug test LAST YEAR! WHY? Because companies ARE checking! My credit was checked TWICE for that! BTW on my first job after that test, I replaced a guy FIRED because he was found to have used drugs and used to be a drug dealer! They probably see this as a trust. and publicity, issue, more than anything else.

      Sorry if I seemed to imply something different.

      Steve
  • I think both drug tests and checking someones credit report for the purpose of hiring them should be illegal. If I do drugs in the privacy of my own home but I can do the job I was hired for without any impairment,then that is a law enforcement issue,not an employers.

    In this economy a credit report doesn't mean jack sheet. Many many people that at one time had excellent credit now fall into a bad rating through no fault of their own. Just like you can't tell why somone is homeless by looking at them,you can't tell why someones credit is bad by looking at a report the person has no real input in.
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    • You are certainly right. MY credit report went DOWN at a point where it SHOULD have gone UP! Just yesterday I found that a new car rental duo has been admitted to my loacl airport. I have done business with:

      enterprise
      advantage
      hertz
      budget
      avis
      alamo
      national
      dollar
      thrifty

      I'm ok wth ANY of them except dollar and thrifty, who were recently admitted to my airport.
      Dollar and Thifty are owned by the same corporation, and BOTH run a credit report on EVERYONE unabashedly, and thus HURT PEOPLE'S CREDIT. Of course they CLAIM that it is because I SUPPOSEDLY used a debit card. ONE PROBLEM! I did NOT!

      You have to try to think like those morons to try to attempt to make a meaningless change, or you risk hurting your credit. I have several cards I don't use, but I CAN'T get rid of them as it could hurt my credit!

      And YEAH, you could take poppy seeds and fail a drug test. I had to take a company laptop through the airport yesterday. If it had sulfer on it, I could have been put in jail.

      But employers ARE doing these things.

      Steve
  • True Steve,they are.

    Funny about the car rental thing. Its been a long time since I did a rental,but their claim that you used a debit card sounds real fishy to me because in the past when I did travel and used car rentals they would only accept credit cards,not debits.
  • They accept debit cards. They EARLIER might not have. Supposedly *****ALL*****, except enterprise, run your credit if you use a debit card. Dollar and Thrifty ALWAYS run a credit report, but claim they do it only for debit cards.

    Steve
  • It also give homeless people a regular supply of neat clothing...
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