The_Metatron wrote:One of the local panhandlers that frequented the entrance to a grocery store near my house in Belgium offered to watch my bike for me while I was shopping. He's known to the store's staff, I wasn't too worried. I didn't lock my bike, taking him up on his offer.

In payment, I got him a nice cold bottle of beer. I never had to lock my bike there if he was around. Good arrangement. His attention was better than any lock I wanted to carry.

Yeah it's funny met - because the beggars are actually some of my favourite people round my ends....but then again this one beggar chap nicked my phone the other day....but then again I think I offended him because I dissed him for wanting to get the crack in....anyway he might get touched for that if I pass him.

There are so many in London, mostly scroungers for drugs though, IMHO. Then there's the students hiding under blankets, scoping for night club cash.
Roma have moved into Harrow big time, they do this duck feet walk, shaking knees while bent double and waving a coffee cup at passers by, the middle aged one prostrate while clutching a rosary and wailing prayers. They do this in Italy. They may need money but it's known that gangs put whole families out on the street for the day and fleece them later.
Well dressed guys do the rounds of the pubs too, begging. It's a joke. I challenged one and he said, "do you think I'd do this if I wasn't homeless". I replied, "yes, you want easy money, are from another part of the city and won't be recognise, and have a few hours to kill". He walked.
I give to a hospice charity by direct debit, it's all I can afford. Beggars are too random, dunno which one is real.

Keep It Real wrote:What - insert it up topcat's arse? lol also badger rimes with gaver (five 0). Safe jamest...topcat's about right actually imo and I wasn't offended...like my m8 who's on the soc he's skint because he spends £10 a day on weed.

Yeah... and why does he spend £10 per day on weed? Because he's fucking deeply unhappy with his lot, is why.

I don't know the cunt. He might not even be a cunt. However, spending your limited funds upon weed isn't necessarily the earmark of being a cunt.

One earmark of being a cunt is to condemn someone when you've never experienced what they've lived through and have taken zero time to understand. That really gets on my tits. So, that frozen badger is in the post. Use it well. Sharpen the badger's claws, for instance.

hahaha you're fucking hilarious jamest! And BTW he's definitely not a cunt - both his parents worked for gchq - he's a soldier.

I don't mind who they worked for, as long as their intention was merely to pay the bills. But that seems unlikely as government = power/politics/bullshit. So, they're cunts, and he's merely the poor victim of parental cuntishness. Give him my blessings.

I don't give money to street beggars. There are plenty round by me for whom it's a career, and you can tell that because they are literally there during working hours. When I was in London over the summer, when I saw people living on the streets, they were literally living on the streets. They had a sleeping bag and all of their shit with them, and wouldn't suddenly disappear as soon as the shops shut. Here, beggars are only around when there's money to be made. I'm sure there are plenty of homeless people in this country, but they're certainly not the people you see begging in the streets around where I live. I did give money to homeless people in London though.

jamest wrote:I don't mind who they worked for, as long as their intention was merely to pay the bills. But that seems unlikely as government = power/politics/bullshit. So, they're cunts, and he's merely the poor victim of parental cuntishness. Give him my blessings.

What you don't think Britain leads/knows best??? I do. I'm with our military all the way,

And also our weapon friends in america

Oi but digest this word yankees....socialism/communism

Oi jamest i replied to your pm I think but this fucking user interface is lame and retarded just like ebay hjhuwsjones@yahoo.co.uk

The_Metatron wrote:Ottawa has the best beggars on the planet.

"Hey Buddy, can you spare a dollar?"

If you refuse, you hear: "Ok, then. Have a nice day!" And, they meant it.

I hear that in Boston...and NYC iirc.

LAst year there was a young man who asked me if I had spare change, and I said no, then he asked me if I had an ATM card. I told him to leave me alone. That really pissed me off for some reason.

But then again it's not about the money.....it's about the 1 alpha

jamest wrote:Some of us recognize that 'there but for the grace of God go I'. That you think you can simply come in here and condemn this man when you know nothing about his problems and desperation, in the mere light of your own petty experiences and expectations, proves to me that you should be shown the exit to this forum with a frozen badger protruding from your arsehole.

Assuming this is addressed at me, this is a prime example of how easy it is to read something, imagine you've understood it, and then proceed to make up complete shit, that you then go on to believe. This is supposedly a rationalist forum so I look forward to hearing how you infer all this tosh from what I posted above.

jamest wrote:KIR obviously has problems, but having taken much time (Have you? I don't remember, if so) trying to get to understand him, I know that fundamentally he's a good person.

I don't pretend to understand him. However, I've seen no evidence that anyone else does either, and it's clear that nothing anyone has done here in responding to the shite he types has been of much practical help. My tentative conclusion from what I've read is that he doesn't want to fix his life enough to actually do something about it, and uses this forum for entertainment and a bit of social in the meantime. Therefore I get quite annoyed, mostly with myself for wasting my time reading them, with the constant drivelly threads.

The latest "trick" is to have an animal with them.
I've hitched around Canada and lived rough for a couple of months. Never panhandled but the local convenience store had a few items "liberated". People treated me very well on that trip so I will on occasion pass it on.

A couple clearly hitching I've dropped $50 on to give them a real treat. I don't give to the staked out professionals that litter San Francisco streets and are really aggressive.
Homeless vets are a total disgrace to the US government as are food banks on military bases. Using up good people for little pay in often stressful circumstances then not supporting then in hard times is just unacceptable in the first world.

I do give to buskers....

The_Piper wrote:LAst year there was a young man who asked me if I had spare change, and I said no, then he asked me if I had an ATM card. I told him to leave me alone. That really pissed me off for some reason.

That reason is because they were being a pushy d-bag. Best response is "Yes", then walk away Well, those are the kinds of beggars I run into in NY. Other day I was buying a falafel sandwich at a truck, and as soon as I pulled out my money some beggar walking by says in their best attempted sad voice, "Can you spare a dollar?"

Fuck that shit. I've got a cold heart when it comes to beggars, I give to charities only. At least then there's a chance someone will get something they actually need.

Also, fuck those assholes that play music and dance on the subway trains. I'm glad they're at least trying to do something for the money, but being forced to endure "entertainment" is so obnoxious. If you've got enough money to get on the train, you certainly don't need anything from me.

Your holiday sig....ho ho ho





Some buskers are incredibly good ....street music is terrific .....use earplugs ...

SafeAsMilk wrote:

The_Piper wrote:LAst year there was a young man who asked me if I had spare change, and I said no, then he asked me if I had an ATM card. I told him to leave me alone. That really pissed me off for some reason.

That reason is because they were being a pushy d-bag. Best response is "Yes", then walk away Well, those are the kinds of beggars I run into in NY. Other day I was buying a falafel sandwich at a truck, and as soon as I pulled out my money some beggar walking by says in their best attempted sad voice, "Can you spare a dollar?"

Fuck that shit. I've got a cold heart when it comes to beggars, I give to charities only. At least then there's a chance someone will get something they actually need.

Also, fuck those assholes that play music and dance on the subway trains. I'm glad they're at least trying to do something for the money, but being forced to endure "entertainment" is so obnoxious. If you've got enough money to get on the train, you certainly don't need anything from me.

I was walking with a coworker when an old lady asked him for a nickel. "No, I only have a quarter".
That's funny about the entertainment.

Macdoc wrote:Your holiday sig....ho ho ho





Some buskers are incredibly good ....street music is terrific .....use earplugs ...

Streets, fine. But on the train? Give me a break. I pay to ride the train, I shouldn't have to wear fucking earplugs so some assholes can illegally annoy people.

edit: Bah humbug!