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I care and quite frankly it pisses me off. It is my problem because "supposedly" portions of my paycheck help support their habits, whatever they may be.
YES. Screw them.
But then they have to go all the way to a library?? , in El Paso all they have to do is walk outside! They really have no excuse there. Wait, no laptop?
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=28499
El Paso, Texas Launches Digital-Inclusion Initiative with Cisco Wireless Mesh
NetworkWEBWIRE – Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Cisco® today announced that the city of El Paso, Texas is deploying Cisco’s wireless mesh solution for an outdoor wireless network that will help improve government efficiencies and provide Internet access and application delivery to citizens and businesses.
The new wireless mesh network is part of the Digital El Paso Project, a strategic collaboration between the city, county, El Paso Independent School District and the city Housing Authority, which seeks to revitalize El Paso’s downtown area and bring universal Internet access and services to underserved citizens, school children, public housing residents and small businesses.
With its proximity to the U.S./Mexican border, El Paso is a diverse city that serves a largely Mexican-American population of 700,000 in its 1,013 square miles. The new outdoor wireless mesh network will help level the playing field for underserved citizens and businesses in El Paso by providing digital inclusion, spurring economic development and bridging the educational gap that exists for many of the El Paso Independent School District’s students.
"The City is excited to be a partner in the Digital El Paso initiative" said Joyce Wilson, City Manager for the City of El Paso. "This is an important ingredient to our downtown redevelopment efforts, as well as a vehicle to engage an underserved residential community by providing Internet access and connectivity and thus reducing the digital divide that now exists in our lower income neighborhoods"
"The Digital El Paso project has the potential to significantly improve the lives of our citizens" said El Paso County Judge, Anthony Cobos. "Our ultimate goal is to make El Paso the most connected county on the U.S./Mexican border and the digital El Paso wireless network is a critical step in achieving this goal"
To deliver El Paso’s new outdoor wireless mesh network, Cisco engaged partners Intel, Accela and Panasonic, as part of the Digital Communities Initiatives. Intel provided funding for the digital inclusion and wireless site surveys. Panasonic is providing laptops for the City’s field applications and Accela is providing its popular land management software for city inspection, permit and code compliance applications. The integrated, standards-based wireless mesh network will support voice, video and data services and will be managed from the County Courthouse as an extension of their existing wireless network. Coverage will include public areas, as well as parks, buildings and residences.
In addition to Internet access for City residents, school children and businesses, the City of El Paso will evaluate a wide range of applications for municipal and emergency services, infrastructure support and homeland security - all of which can streamline operations, reduce costs and further El Paso’s goal of becoming a truly, digital city.
"El Paso is part of the vanguard of cities discovering how outdoor wireless networks can both improve municipal operations and enhance the lives of its citizens" said Alan Cohen, vice president, mobility solutions for Cisco. "Cisco’s outdoor wireless solutions are the platform of choice for a wide range of cities and municipalities across the nation and around the world"
I care and quite frankly it pisses me off. It is my problem because "supposedly" portions of my paycheck help support their habits, whatever they may be.
YES. Screw them.
and ES I generalize because nearly all of them have the ability and resources to get out of that lifestyle. When the large majority suffer from the same "general" shortcomings a generalization is in fair order.
I won't argue that most of those folks could find some job- McDonalds and the like.
But all those people, as it has been pointed out, have no residence.
The job market is compe ive enough. People without homes are simply not going to be on the top of the consideration list.
And while working at McDonalds etc generates some income, it is not enough for those people to get back on their feet.
Those people need help. I feel compassion for them.
I don't believe anyone in the core of their being truly wants to be homeless- even those who are so due to addictions.
No one starts off with the intention of making a mess of their lives.
There are places that hire the homeless. They can also get a PO Box to avoid being disqualified (which is illegal, no?) for the job.
A small job at McDonalds would still allow them to qualify for assistance for food, housing and health.
I would bet that there are many single moms providing food and shelter on a MacDonald's salary.
PO boxes aren't free.
Easier to solve situations you yourself are not stuck in, isn't it?
This is a subject close to my heart because my sister was homeless for sometime.
Her situation was due to her addiction and her own choice, she refused to come home.
But I will never forget how I felt knowing my sister was on the street and was at the mercy of strangers.
All those people living in tents are someone's child, sibling, and someone's friend.
I don't know what you base that on. I base my arguments on actually going down where the homeless people are, talking to them, singing with them, having meals with them, etc.
There's the guy with the heart of gold, who, when you talk to him, drifts in and out of lucidity. He keeps a job for a couple of months while his mind is together, then loses it.
There's the guy with the weird ticks who can't control his hands and gets his face all contorted.
There's the elderly lady in a wheelchair who believes she is the queen of Sweden.
(I don't think those last two are quite going to make it to the public library.)
There's the people who come out of the shadows, take the food, don't say a word to anyone, and disappear. They probably will never change their ways.
There's the couple with a baby who recently lost their home, who are there because the shelters are full. They'll be gone in a couple of weeks because somebody helps them find work and an apartment.
This last couple is the one you want to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. You think everyone is Ayn freaking Rand or something. Some people aren't that bright. Sometimes people are overwhelmed by their cir stances and just need a hand to help them get out of the mud. You would tell them about a job in Fargo freaking North Dakota, call them lazy freeloaders, and spit on them. Great.
I still say we put a fence around Kansas and put all the undesirables there.
We could make them wear pinstripe attire as well.
Some of my closest friends are single moms.
Even the ones with college degrees and office type jobs, still struggle financially, and they are by no means irresponsible.
It is a challenge to provide for oneself financially in today's economy- all the more so a family.
I am not saying people should not try to help themselves, just that there seems to be a serious lack of compassion and understanding in this thread.
Case in point.
I see you understand sarcasm very well.
Oh I'm not implying they aren't struggling. The majority of single moms struggle a lot no matter their job or education level. But they manage to survive and provide their kids a decent life.
If you are in Cali and can't find work yet you stay there anyways...
Starve and die off or get the out. It's not that hard of a concept.
Although that kind fits perfectly into The United Nanny States. I'm sure you'll get some nice tax money that was stolen from other states to help you out ol' fella.
Look, I think B2B has some plausible points, but it's also hard to argue against Stout.
But, I just think that we really need to be careful how and where we spend our resources right now. Okay, let's help some people. I'm fine with that. But, let's not help them perpetually.
I've always said that we should have a welfare program that lasts no more than two years. After the two years, we should just let them know that they can no longer be helped.
If they can't find a job in two years, while receiving benefits, then they just can't be helped.
Many people get stuck on receiving benefits and hand outs that they have no motivation to look for something better.
As for these tent people, B2B has a point. They didn't get this way overnight. This was gradual. They knew their situation was getting bad and that it would probably get real bad, real soon.
So, why didn't they pool their money and travel to another city in search for a job? There are other cities than Sacramento. There are other states other than California.
, there are people that travel from deep southern Mexico on nothing but the clothes on their backs and make it to the U.S. to make a living working on the fields.
Why can't these people do the same?
The answer, I think, is that they think that these menial jobs are below them. And, if that's how they think, why the should we care?
I agree with welfare being a temporary aid, although I am undecided as to how long the assistance should last.
I almost feel like it needs to be a case by case decision, but that would require at least some basic guidelines as well as the man power to oversee all the caseloads.
But then again, that could potentially create more good jobs.
Some of those people you mentioned shouldn't be on the streets. They should be under a doctors care in a special facility for the mentally insane/challenged/unstable. I don't hold those people accountable but they aren't the norm.
I base my opinions or generalizations on family members that drift in and out of homelessness and by the few that we've hired. Then a large majority that my brother in laws church helps. I've been around quite a few homeless people.
If somebody is presented with an actual opportunity, and turns it down because it is somehow "beneath" them, then my sympathy disappears. I mean, look, you're living under a bridge. Could you try on a little humility?
case by case would be too tough the general public can't deal with having to rationally assess each individual situation. They need black and white to function.
Do you have any idea all the red tape that would create?
A case by case scenario would be disatrous for our already bloated and inept government.
I agree.
Still it is unfortunate because cases do vary and sometimes exceptions ought to be made.
While I agree with you, the only problem I have with this post is that you started off with "if somebody is presented with an actual opportunity" . . .
Why should we have to present these people with an opportunity? Why can't they search for an opportunity?
I'm getting pretty sick and tired of the sense of en lement that most American have these days. Nothing is owed to you. Not a god damn thing.
And, it's hard for me to feel sorry for people who waste away expecting a hand out to be given to them.
I'm sorry, but I come from a background where we went out and worked for what we needed. As a kid we traveled through most of the United States looking for work and getting our money.
These people, excluding the mental cases and junkies (which is a whole other conversation), are just being extremely lazy or too proud to do the work that's actually available for them.
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