Gave an ugly woman $2.00

[poorboy]

Knocked on my apartment door saying her mother died in hospital and needed cab fare to get there.

I had a feeling it was a sham, so told her I only have small change and she said she'll take what she could get.

I thought it was pretty good acting with the watery eyes and nervousness, so I gave her $2.00 for the act, enough to take the subway.

So far, I've given about $4.00 away to beggars in the past 5 years. What would you have done?

 

[poorboy]

I'm sure it was a sham though. I gave it to her was for the effort she put into the acting.

 

[cnmb]

is she your neighbour?how could she get into your appartment building?

 

[poorboy]

is she your neighbour?how could she get into your appartment building?

I live in a not so good neighbourhood. People just walk in behind when an apathetic tennant opens the door.

 

[jwmorrice]

Hey! Are there no workhouses?

So far, I've given about $4.00 away to beggars in the past 5 years. What would you have done?

That's four bucks more than I've given away in thirty years! I'd have given her.....nothing.

jwm

 

[poorboy]

Re: Hey! Are there no workhouses?

That's four bucks more than I've given away in thirty years! I'd have given her.....nothing.

jwm

What can I say, I have a big heart.

 

[poorboy]

What if she were good looking? How much would you have given her?

Sara

The same amount. The money was for the acting job, not her looks.

 

[champ]

I would have asked her if she wanted to make enough for a limo ride to the hospital!

If she was into it great ... if not I'd give her a fiver.

 

[shinyam]

I usually give away about ten dollars a month to beggars. They could use it more than me.

 

[james t kirk]

It seems to be the latest scam technique these days for pan handlers to scam money.

I have been approached many times with one sob story or another.

"Excuse me sir, but my car broke down and I need to get 25 dollars together for bus fare back to Barry, I was wondering if you could help. I've never done anything like this before and I am really embarrassed"

or,

"Excuse me sir, but my motor cycle ran out of gas around the corner and I am out of money and I need to maybe get about 10 bucks worth of gas ......"

or,

"Excuse me sir, but me and my girlfriend need cab far to get back to her place and she lost her wallet, and ......"

I am not joking if I say that I have had 10 people come up to me in the last couple of years with one BS sob story or another. Always looking for big cash, not like a quarter or spare change, but 10 or 20 bucks or more.

Fuck right off.

I was in Canadian Tire parking lot about 2 weeks ago and this guy comes up to me and starts a sob story and I knew where this was going.

I cut him off in mid first sentence with "Whatever you want, I don't want - get the fuck away from me"

I know it sounds heartless, but I am sick and tired of pan handlers, bums, mooches, squeegee bums, etc. on every block. Every time I come down the Gardiner, I know they will be there with their Tim Horton's cup.

3 words

Get a job.

I used to throw cash at bums far more than the average guy, but the bum population of Toronto has exploded in the last few years. You can't walk 20 metres down a main street without getting approached for cash.

I could go broke supporting all the bums I run into.

Now - never, ever do I give cash to any pan handlers. There's no need in this society to be mooching money. Giving money just encourages them to sit on their asses. If no-one ever gave a dime, the pan handlers who dry up.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[Annessa]

Knocked on my apartment door saying her mother died in hospital and needed cab fare to get there.

I had a feeling it was a sham, so told her I only have small change and she said she'll take what she could get.

I thought it was pretty good acting with the watery eyes and nervousness, so I gave her $2.00 for the act, enough to take the subway.

So far, I've given about $4.00 away to beggars in the past 5 years. What would you have done?

I'm rather disgusted as to why you have this big happy face about making someone else feel like a piece of shit (whether it was a sham or not) and feeling proud about giving away $4.00 in the past 4 years?!?

In the past 4 years I've lost count of how much money or how many charities I have given to, but I do know that this year in the last 3 months I have donated to 16 different charities such as 'Make A Wish Foundation, Sick Kids Hospital, Canadian Cancer Research, Canadian AIDS Research Foundation, Canadian Wildlife Foundation, World Wildlife Foundation, Toronto Humaine Society, United Nations Health Care For Refugees, World Vision, Ramese Shrines Fantasy (for sick kids), Toronto Police Association Children's Christmas Fund, United Way, and I don't know how much to the homeless I see on the streets' That's all I can remember ATM until I get the tax deductable receipts in the mail.

You know... it doesn't matter whether you donate to 1 charity or 16 charities, whether you donate $10.00 or $100.00. The bottom line is other people, places, animals, etc. have it worse then you. Remember that next time you feel good about yourself because you tossed a homeless person some spare change sometime within the next 2 years.




Annessa
xoxo

 

[jwmorrice]

Beggars are a cancer on society. I'm disgusted when people reinforce such behaviour just so they can feel good about themselves.

jwm

 

[The Bandit]

But Annessa, you gave it to reputable organizations...not to some faker on the street. And yes there are fakers out there...

 

[poorboy]

I donate my time to the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. Over 200 hours a year for over 10 years. There is also the almost manadatory United Way donations at the office. I only give to legitimate causes.

I almost always offer alternatives to these people and they don't take it. One time a begger said he needed money when I was returning empties, so I offered him $2.40 worth of bottles. All he had to do was walk a block to the beer store to get it. He didn't want to do it.

I get approached at the gas station for money. I offer them a ride to Seaton house. They don't take it.

That woman was lucky I was in a good mood and didn't call the police on her.

 

[Annessa]

It seems to be the latest scam technique these days for pan handlers to scam money.

I have been approached many times with one sob story or another.

"Excuse me sir, but my car broke down and I need to get 25 dollars together for bus fare back to Barry, I was wondering if you could help. I've never done anything like this before and I am really embarrassed"

or,

"Excuse me sir, but my motor cycle ran out of gas around the corner and I am out of money and I need to maybe get about 10 bucks worth of gas ......"

or,

"Excuse me sir, but me and my girlfriend need cab far to get back to her place and she lost her wallet, and ......"

I am not joking if I say that I have had 10 people come up to me in the last couple of years with one BS sob story or another. Always looking for big cash, not like a quarter or spare change, but 10 or 20 bucks or more.

Fuck right off.

I was in Canadian Tire parking lot about 2 weeks ago and this guy comes up to me and starts a sob story and I knew where this was going.

I cut him off in mid first sentence with "Whatever you want, I don't want - get the fuck away from me"

I know it sounds heartless, but I am sick and tired of pan handlers, bums, mooches, squeegee bums, etc. on every block. Every time I come down the Gardiner, I know they will be there with their Tim Horton's cup.

3 words

Get a job.

I used to throw cash at bums far more than the average guy, but the bum population of Toronto has exploded in the last few years. You can't walk 20 metres down a main street without getting approached for cash.

I could go broke supporting all the bums I run into.

Now - never, ever do I give cash to any pan handlers. There's no need in this society to be mooching money. Giving money just encourages them to sit on their asses. If no-one ever gave a dime, the pan handlers who dry up.

Sorry for the rant.

First off, 80% of the homeless population are people that are mentally ill and need treatment. (and there are NOT enough treatment centers in Toronto to help them, plus... they can't afford the price of medication they need) I'm glad that you might have a job that has health coverage but for people that don't (like myself) my medication costs me $250.00 per month!

Secondly, how are these people that have no home, no address, no phone, no clean clothes, no computer to do a resume and on top of that are sick are suppose to get a job?

What makes you think or feel you have the right to make people feel like a piece of shit because they have less then you? No matter how many times or people approach you. Have some f*rking manners at least when you are going to tell these people 'No' so they can walk away with whatever dignity they have left.


And I'm not sorry for this rant because it isn't a rant, I'm educating you Mr. Scrouge.




Annessa

 

[Annessa]

Beggars are a cancer on society.
jwm

WOW! I'm just going to leave it at that because what you just said speaks for itself on the type of human being you are.




Annessa

 

[Ref]

Fuck right off.

I cut him off in mid first sentence with "Whatever you want, I don't want - get the fuck away from me"

I know it sounds heartless, but I am sick and tired of pan handlers, bums, mooches, squeegee bums, etc. on every block. Every time I come down the Gardiner, I know they will be there with their Tim Horton's cup.

3 words

Get a job.

Put this on a billboard.

If one needs help there are lot's of services/agencies to assist them.

The Captain calls it as it is - Great post

 

[Annessa]

The Captain Needs To Retire

Put this on a billboard.

If one needs help there are lot's of services/agencies to assist them.

The Captain calls it as it is - Great post

Did you know that the waiting list to get into a treatment center is anywhere from 7 days to 1/2 months and the waiting list to see a social worker/therapist is 1 year? (unless you are paying for your appointments then you can get in as soon as 3-5 months)

Do some stats searching first because useless knowledge is just that, useless.




Annessa

 

[Ref]

First off, 80% of the homeless population are people that are mentally ill and need treatment.

You are confusing the mentally incapacitated with the “I don't give a shit" lazy crowd. Big difference there.

If they are mentally ill, chances are they are not weaving in and out of traffic trying to collect a few coins...

 

[jwmorrice]

80% of the homeless are mentally ill??

80% of the homeless are mentally ill? Where did that figure come from? See the following article from the Toronto Sun which bears on that issue. http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSFeatures0204/10_homeless1-sun.html


jwm

Wednesday, April 10, 2002
Mental challenge
By Jason Botchford

...City officials and homeless advocates estimate more than a third of the people on the street suffer from mental illness.

But a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health study shows that only 6% of the homeless had spent any time in a psychiatric hospital in the year preceding their homelessness.

"There is this perception that hospitals just opened up the doors and let these people out," says Barbara Everett, chief executive officer of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario division. "But the issue has almost nothing to do with a need for more hospital beds."

The study researching "Pathways into Homelessness" interviewed 300 people who rely heavily on the shelter system and found about 67% of them suffer from some type of mental health issue. But the majority (61.7%) have what researchers refer to as non-severe mental health problems, including stress and mood disorders that range from feeling blue to clinical depression. That's about double the rate of the general population.

The findings have drawn the ire of many shelter workers who claim the mental health issue among the homeless is far more prevalent, says Dr. George Tolomiczenko, one of the study's authors.

"We got a lot of flak. People kept saying the number should have been much higher," Tolomiczenko says. "We can understand that because the people they see who suffer from psychosis are going to be more obvious and they will be in your shelter longer and in your sight more often."

Tolomiczenko says the belief that the growth in the homeless is attributable to "deinstitutionalization" is largely influenced by sensational, misinformed accounts.

Although homelessness in Toronto has grown in the past decade, the percentage that are mentally ill has been static, Everett says. "It's not people with mental issues that are driving the problems."

Everett says advances in treatment have meant far fewer people need to be hospitalized.

By their own account, less than 4% of the homeless felt that their housing loss was directly attributable to symptoms of mental illness, according to the study.

Many more felt that their housing loss was due to job loss or inadequate income (36%), conflict with others (21%), divorce (11%) or as a direct result of eviction (17%)....