dcmetrocrab
Familiar Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 19:50:51 GMT -5
Posts: 527
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Post by dcmetrocrab on Dec 9, 2013 0:42:43 GMT -5
Here in Seattle there are some panhandlers that are clearly not well mentally nor physically and are not "scamming" in that - they really do need the money for their next beer/hit/sandwich. Then there are the dudes that hang around at the I-5 exits with their ipods and earphones on dancing with a sign. There are a TON of homeless/panhandlers in the downtown Seattle area. A shocking amount, actually, given the wealth, education, and low unemployment numbers in this area. I've been there on business multiple times, the office is in downtown. I was shocked at the number of homeless that I saw and also how many of them were mentally disabled, walking around shouting profanities, angrily hitting themselves and clearly not well. It was especially jarring because so many of them are on the same blocks as Barney's and other high end retail. It gave the area a Twilight Zone feeling. A colleague in that office said there's a mental health institution nearby? The further I walked out though, I also began running into people on the streets that appeared to be homeless by choice. They were in their 20s, semi dressed like hippies, had dogs, looked relatively well fed and had cell phones, but were sitting on cardboard and panhandling. Another friend noticed that in Seattle as well as Oregon. TONS of homeless there apparently. I think the mild weather on the West Coast also has something to do with it.
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zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 7:55:04 GMT -5
Mild weather? Well, I don't think that's the reason but it seems to be more prevalent in areas that have more liberal leanings. Funny enough, one of our more liberal areas has a NIMBY attitude. It's OKAY if it's everywhere else but not in their lovely community. But they're the area with Obama posters still in their front yard! It's pretty funny how hypocritical they are and when you call them on it, it gets even funnier.
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HoneyBBQ
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 27, 2010 10:36:09 GMT -5
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Dec 9, 2013 11:04:15 GMT -5
It's not mild right now! Below freezing.... Ugh.
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Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
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Post by Phoenix84 on Dec 9, 2013 13:30:40 GMT -5
I saw a fair amount of homeless/panhandlers in San Fransisco. Most seemed fairly healthy, at least as far as I could tell just walking by. But a few did seem to have serious physical or mental disabilities.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 9, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -5
It's not mild right now! Below freezing.... Ugh. LOL! We were at 26 and snowing this morning. I've noticed that the panhandlers on the I5 exit ramp have been scarce. Fair weather panhandlers
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cronewitch
Junior Associate
I identify as a post-menopausal childless cat lady and I vote.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 21:44:20 GMT -5
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Post by cronewitch on Dec 9, 2013 14:36:38 GMT -5
Seattle likes to have lots of beggars so we import them. We have an organization named Share that sets up tent cities and churches let them stay a couple of months at a time. So people in other states who are homeless want to come here. The churches let them use restrooms or set up porta potties and the church goers donate food and clothing so it is a pretty good deal for the homeless who have all day then to beg for drug money.
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zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2013 16:01:18 GMT -5
Super. Better them than us. Glad I don't live there.
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tskeeter
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Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
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Post by tskeeter on Dec 10, 2013 12:00:37 GMT -5
Mild weather? Well, I don't think that's the reason but it seems to be more prevalent in areas that have more liberal leanings. Funny enough, one of our more liberal areas has a NIMBY attitude. It's OKAY if it's everywhere else but not in their lovely community. But they're the area with Obama posters still in their front yard! It's pretty funny how hypocritical they are and when you call them on it, it gets even funnier. I think weather has a lot to do with the number of homeless people in a given community. I live in a town with great services for the homeless. The homeless population is quite large in the summer time, when the weather is nice. Come this time of year, the homeless camps are vacant because people have moved to warmer places (maybe Portland and Seattle) for the winter. Haven't seen the operator of the local "will work for food" franchise for about a month and a half.
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