'Bumvertising' stirs debate. Idea by young entrepreneur draws worldwide attention.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER ^ | Tuesday, September 13, 2005 | By CLAUDIA ROWE

[sourcery]

But Doug McKeehen, 46, who spent two years living on the streets, is appalled by the younger man's entrepreneurial zeal.

Perhaps Mr. McKeehen should reflect on how both his attitude and his net worth differ from that of Mr. Rogovy, and ask himself if there just might be a correlation of some kind.

[cyclotic]

I like it. Anything you can do to stand out with unusual advertising is worth a look.

I had a little "counseling sesion" with a college administrator once for taping flyers for student activities on the back of the stall doors in the bathrooms.

I figured that it was where people did most of their recreational reading anywiay, so why shouldn't it be my flyers.

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

Are they not always holding up signs - Will work for money? Well here is that chance. No?

[Sergio]

Reminds me of the passage from "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", where a rope was tied to a hermit who would spend the day bowing at the waist all day. The up and down movement was harnessed by the rope and used to spin a IIRC a sewing machine.

Best Regards

Sergio

[Killborn]

This is no different from sandwich board guys and all parties involved will make money. The ums wouldn't be poor anymore. I'm game. Capitalism at work again. Adam Smith is a genius.

[Emmett McCarthy]

Does this mean I should throw away my "Will Work For Food" sign and get a "Will Hold Your Sign For Cash" sign? A smart bum would set a schedule on good corners. You know, agree to hold different signs for different customers for so much time each day. Charge extra for prime time like rush hour. Radio and TV stations do the same thing.

Exploitation, my butt. All business is the means by which one person makes money by helping other people make money and, the the process, some want or need is met. All I want is for more customers to come along and "exploit my need" to make money by remodelling their kitchen, while I'm "exploiting his need" to make his wife happy by having me remodel the kitchen.

[Larry Lucido]

I thought they were talking about something else.

[Keith in Iowa]

"bumvertising"...

Here I thought we'd see pics of ad slogans printed on the tushies of some attractive young women...

[oust the louse]

"Now several times a week the Mercer Island native steps into his four-door Mercedes, dressed in a button-down shirt, and goes hunting, as he puts it, for "good, consistent beggars." "

How long before this vehicle gets hijacked OR how long before the 1$-$5 price goes waaaaaay up into the 100-500 price range?.....

[cmsgop]

Ohhh Yeah!!!!!

[cmsgop]

Nothing Bad ever happens on Mercer Island........,Ever

[Emmett McCarthy]

I wouldn't want the distraction of having anything written on there, pal. Well, maybe if it was real small print and I had to get real close...Nah, I've been slapped enough to last a lifetime already.

[LS]

Bwa-hahahahah. This is too much. And making bums actually work???? Doesn't that defeat their purpose?

[MarkeyD]

[hookman]

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Are they not always holding up signs - Will work for money?

Well, no...I live on the more affluent side of Seattle, and (thanks to Seattle liberals), the homeless/panhandling problem has been making its way to our side of the lake. One guy I encountered - and I actually appreciated his honesty - held a sign that read, "Why lie? Need money for beer."

I didn't give him any cash, but he seemed to enjoy the fact that his sign made me laugh.

[Larry Lucido]

Here ya go:

[hookman]

[hookman]