honesty

[Redneck in training]

I used to live in Rome (Italy) for about a year about 30 years ago. There was a show about family of "professional" beggers. The TV station followed them and found that they lived in a castle near Rome and had several Rolls Royces.

 

[dave1949]

a couple of years ago in Lexington, KY they arrested a guy that used a wheelchair (he was physically OK) to roll around the shopping malls and beg for money. He told them that he usually made about $80K a year, but had gotten as much as 100K, just from begging.
They checked his record and found that a few years prior, he'd been locked up over an insurance scam.

From all the records I could see, this guy hadn't held a real job for over 20 years.

$80K per year. If he "worked" an 8 hour begging day, 350 days a year (2 week vacation :laughing, that comes to $28.50 per hour in donations.

Is that is possible in a good location? I have no idea.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I've come to the conclusion that some people can't think their way off the dole. They would rather spend the effort to get something for "free" than to get twice as much with a little extra work.

They get stuck in the poverty ruts and can't get out. Meanwhile they are constantly bombarded by commercials that show "the good life".

After I graduated from college in '73 I couldn't find a job in my profession (Biology) that would allow me to go "up the ladder". I had paid my way thru college and had a couple of grand

The unemployment rate was starting to climb and I was constantly being turned down for "beginning" jobs (like lab assistant) that were being sucked up (and rightfully so) by medics returning from 'Nam. So the summer of '73 I hitchhiked across America to look for jobs in California.

During that time I met a lot of people that didn't have the benefits of a decent education and great parents and were a lot poorer than I was. I worked a few odd jobs while applying all over California for jobs. Most of the people I met that begged for subsistence were "honest" and "trustworthy" to people in their group or gang.

For strangers they were as honest as the day is long, in Prudhoe Bay in late December that is. And trustworthy as in I could trust them to take advantage of me if they thought they could.

It's one thing to see people in homeless shelters or youth hostels while your watching TV in your lounge chair, it's quite another to be in the shelter. And I imagine quite another thing if you think you can't get out.

I got out.

I'm much more concerned about corporate welfare and lies. What's worse $1.7 BILLION for GM or $1.7 Billion for welfare?
Which is more dishonest begging and pretending your handicapped? or telling things like cigarettes are good for you or you can eat a spoonful of DDT?

Interesting parallel. I graduated in 1964 with a degree in Biology, and couldn't find a job either. I checked groceries and painted houses to make a living; being newly married with a baby on the way, there was no other choice. I eventually took a job in a research lab at about $140 per month less than what I was making otherwise. Great experience; it prompted me to go back to night school. Best decision I ever made.

 

[phiferpharm]

Having worked in downtown Miami my last decade of employment, I was confronted literally every day with what I believe may be the second oldest profession. If it wasn't asking for money, it was getting cigarettes or selling stuff that was either stolen or some sort of scam. We got to where we tried to never go very far on foot from our offices. Lots of laws, but no enforcement for the most part.

When I retired up in North Florida, I occasionally see someone with a sign, but it seems as though the Police shut it down when they see it.

 

[Glocker]

My co worker had a similar experience He didn't have any money so he offered the man the contents of his lunch box. He was told" l only take cash .". UOTE=Mud Mechanik;3684666]Sure makes it difficult to help the ones that actually need help. I took an exit off of the interstate last summer to get fuel and noticed a "homeless" man standing near the on-ramp holding a sign that said "hungry, need food, or will work for food", so I purchased an extra 3 piece chicken lunch combo. When I stopped and offered it to him, he said get that s$#@ out of my face. I now have a hard time being sympathetic to people begging on the side of the road.[/QUOTE]

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't give any of the beggars any money, just pass them by. If they truly need help, our government is more than willing to help them with money, food and free shelter which my taxes pay for. Many of them make more money than I do, so if folks are willing to part with a hard earned dollar to a scam artist, that is their prerogative. That is one reason there seems to be more and more of them appearing all the time.
I forgot, free medical also. All the things I have to pay for plus taxed for so the non-working can lounge about and breed more freeloaders. As someone said, we are in trouble when the folks who vote for a living outnumber those who work for a living.

 

[MossRoad]

Saw 1 standing at an exit off the interstate Friday with a sign "will work for food" just off the exit is a Mickey D's with a sign '' now hiring'' .I have no idea why this man with his will work for food sign just didn't go put in an application at Mickey D's

Get serious. McDonalds won't hire him.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ You are 100% correct.

I know several that work for McDonalds and can say around here... McDonalds is very selective.

Personally, I think it's a great work experience... the young adults I know learn much.

 

[cqaigy2]

^^^ You are 100% correct.

I know several that work for McDonalds and can say around here... McDonalds is very selective.

Personally, I think it's a great work experience... the young adults I know learn much.

With out a doubt. When young people get and have a job, they typically have more self esteem and experience for the next job.

 

[LJH]

With out a doubt. When young people get and have a job, they typically have more self esteem and experience for the next job.

Truth. I'm too old, and grew up too far out in the boonies, to have worked fast food but did my share of mucking out stalls, pulling weeds, etc. Another benefit is you quickly learn it's not something you want to make a career of. I imagine a job at Mickey D's would be equally motivating.

 

[MoKelly]

I know this foolishness happens. But, what I don't know, is how much money folks who stand on corners begging actually get. I see folks here in all kinds of weather standing with signs asking for money. I see few, if any, peopl egiving them money.

I assume if its fraud they are getting pretty good cash since it is misreable (at least in my opinion) work.

MoKelly

 

[Woody65]

My dad, who has been totally deaf since he was 4 yrs old ( contracted spinal meningitis) tells a story of riding the train to NYC at which time a man came around begging for money and handing out sign language cards informing everyone on the train that he was deaf. My dad started to speak to the man in sign language asking him why he can't work and quickly discovered that the man was not deaf. He was making believe to gain sympathy and collect money from train riders. This was a hearing person who was , in my dad's eyes, embarrassing deaf people. This infuriated my dad and he told all he could see that this man was a liar and was not deaf. Now, my dad, who worked for 35 yrs as a printer, always went to work and provided for his family. Never asking for a handout. It wasn't easy, but he managed.

 

[ovrszd]

My dad, who has been totally deaf since he was 4 yrs old ( contracted spinal meningitis) tells a story of riding the train to NYC at which time a man came around begging for money and handing out sign language cards informing everyone on the train that he was deaf. My dad started to speak to the man in sign language asking him why he can't work and quickly discovered that the man was not deaf. He was making believe to gain sympathy and collect money from train riders. This was a hearing person who was , in my dad's eyes, embarrassing deaf people. This infuriated my dad and he told all he could see that this man was a liar and was not deaf. Now, my dad, who worked for 35 yrs as a printer, always went to work and provided for his family. Never asking for a handout. It wasn't easy, but he managed.

I got a guy that lives not far from me that was in the Army, stationed in Germany. Playing football with his buddy one day and broke his leg and had a laceration. Didn't take care of the laceration, too busy drinking German Beer, got infection and ultimately lost his leg. Gets military disability. Okay, I'll let that slide. Couple years ago he applied for and got a "Disabled Veteran" license plate on his car. Sooooooo,,,, Soldier gets blowed up by an IED in Afghanistan, loses a leg, comes home and applies for "Disabled Veteran" plate. Both guys run the same plate???? Not right!!!! I fully understand your Dad's frustration on the train that day!!!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I didn't read the posts beteen the OP and the last.

Too bad we can't or don't extend this level of scrutiny to the people that run our world. We care more about how white their teeth are or how tall they are!

MOST people don't have their integrity in order in one way or another.

 

[ovrszd]

MOST people don't have their integrity in order in one way or another.

My definition of Integrity is "what you do when you think no one is watching".

 

[grsthegreat]

there was a 60 minutes piece i say years ago that had a hidden camera on some beggers. the ones that mad the tv were one guy that left at the end of the day to get into his BMW. the other was a person that was followed home to their nice HUGE custom home.

i guess even rich can hit hard times, but i think their just rip off artist. if your that hard up...move and sell the BMW