Four questions for the freeway exit-ramp beggars

City Pages ^ | 2-1-06 | Jim Walsh

[Rakkasan1]

1. What's the best job you've had? 2. What's the worst job you've had? 3. What's the last job you had? 4. What's your dream job?

[LittleSpotBlog]

There was a feature article in the WaPo a few years ago about a local panhandler. He lived in the exurbs and drove to the Metro every day to park and commute into downtown. He made over 20K a year, owned a car, and paid rent on a decent apartment. Of course he did not pay taxes. This was his full-time job, and he admitted that he was pretty successful doing it.

[TalonDJ]

I just want to ask why they have a bag of McDonalds next to their backpack, nicer sneakers than mine, and are only out there are nice weather days...

[cyclotic]

We were just sharing Mick from the high mountains of New Mexico stories last night at church. He called about the homeless scourge once and quoted "old Saint Paul in his letter to them Thessalonicans. He wrote 'If a man doesn't work, then neither shall he eat'." Rush, playing the liberal asked what to do with the homeless?

"Ya bury 'em, Rush."

I sure miss Mick. Sadly he dies a few years ago.

[cyclotic]

dies=died. Big dummy

[Tijeras_Slim]

Saw a guy at an I-40 ramp the other day holding a "Katrina Victim" sign. I rolled down the window and yelled, "Weren't you a Vietnam Vet last week?" Boy was he steamed.

[LYSandra]

I'm in Montana and a local rancher offered some pan handler a job haying and the guy laughed at him and said he made tons of money outside the grocery store!

[AzNASCARfan]

one of our local tv news stations did a little test to see about how much the beggars make here awhile back, set a couple reporters out on different street corners for an 8 hour day and they both averaged over $15 an hour, then they donated that money to charity. not bad for tax free money tho...

[Incorrigible]

http://www.bumvertising.com/

[Snardius]

We have a Penny Drive annually for a local school that provides treatment to infants birth to three with developmental disabilities.
We have 15 sites around town and from 7:00am to 3:00pm we collect coin from the public. Each year, we average 13,000 to 14,000 lbs. of coin. And we get a substantial amount of cash as well.

It sure makes the beggars mad because for that one day we take all their sites...

[Hegemony Cricket]

I remember that guy, and that call - it was a classic! Mick had a great speaking style - he quoted the beggar as saying, "Sexual penetration be unto you, and unto Paul, also". LOL

[Rakkasan1]

I'm still shocked City Pages would let the author refer to them as "beggars" and not "homeless"

[Iscool]

It is a con, most make more than the average citizen and pay no taxes.

Free enterprise...I love it...Wonder if it requires training...I could use a part time job...

[lawgirl]

LOL-- I'd like to laugh harder but I am currently out of work and looking for a job- ;)

[RichInOC]

:-D )))

"...and the horse you rode in on", if I recall correctly.

You know, I'd forgotten that part. Thanks for the reminder.

[wallcrawlr]

Thanks for posting that.

It was always a classic Rush moment when he called.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Dream job: "I dunno. I really don't. I'm on veterans' disability. I was in Vietnam."

He should run for office - he's exactly as qualified as the junior Senator from Massachusetts. ;)