Kung Fu Girl on October 27, 2005, at 12:31PM – #1

I love homeless people with a sense of humor. The best signs I've seen were around in SF & Berkeley. I think it's not necessarily people "falling for" their ruse - seems as though if signs like this work, it's because people like humor and are willing to throw in a quarter of appreciation.

David Kennedy on October 27, 2005, at 01:16PM – #2

Who cares? These signs exhibit the calculating cynicism of the "homeless" as they troll for their next enabling fool. Any assistance given directly to the homeless is just another wasted dollar allowing them to continue their wretched lifestyle. Why the city encourages this behavior, particularly when it can't be defended after a generation of abject failure, is truly puzzling.

Maxximoo on October 28, 2005, at 10:51AM – #4

The best I know of was in portland. A guy wearing a dinosaur costume with a sign that said "going extinct." I'm sure there's a picture of that online just as there was of the ninjas one.

and maybe a nice homeless person keeps up to date on this blog and soon we'll get to see that locally! yay!

Dana Gabbard on October 31, 2005, at 10:53AM – #5

I agree with David Kennedy, based on 25 years living in L.A., the last 18 adjacent to MacArthur Park, and dependent on public transportation. I have had a lot of up-close and personal experience with panhandlers, which is why I never give.

About 10 years ago the Downtown News carried the admission of skid row social workers that most panhandlers are professionals, not homeless. And a local news station during sweeps followed one guy who had a sign claiming to be homeless back to the house at lived at. When confronted he stated he lived with his parents and since they owned the house it was true that he was homeless.

A friend once overheard two panhandlers on the westside trading trade talk about what they were clearing at the various intersections they had worked. This may be how strategies like signs saying "I just want beer" get carried from area to area.

An acquantince who lived on Wilshire near Normandie used to every day give $1 or so to two panhandlers who were fixtures of the neighborhood - lets' call them Panhandler #1 and Panhandler #2. Once day he gave Panhandler #1 his last dollar and then had to tell Panhandler #2 that #1 has cleaned him out. #2 immediately ran over to #1 and said "Hey, you stole my dollar".

One day on the bus someone I used to know who lived on a fixed income sat near a gentleman who was carrying a bag full of food and a soda. The man nodded toward the Thrifty's they were passing and said "You know, some ice cream would really be nice about now".

On another day a passerby gave a dollar to a pandhandler down the street from where I live. While taking the money the panhandler launched into a monologue about how a mere dollar was insufficent for the various things the panhandler needed and stated at least $3 was the minimum donation worth taking.

danny on July 27, 2006, at 07:07AM – #6

I've been homeless for the better part of 35 years. My first panhandling sign said, "Homeless - Need Money To Buy A Home". I have never done drugs. I rarely drink. I have never been a smoker. I've seen the rich do it all. Most of the panhandlers I've seen are alcoholics and drug addicts. The reason that I'm poor is because of police crime, but nobody cares because in a world of diminishing resources it all works to others' benefit. My next panhandling sign will include - "Homeless - Please Help - Need 512M Memory Upgrade For iBook"... or "Homeless - Please Help - Police Seized My Baseball Glove"...

Spray N Go on February 27, 2007, at 03:31PM – #7

panhandling is a job like any other job where you have to sell yourself or your slogan. looks, signs, clues, are all tweaks to get someone to open up enough to pass a bill or coin.

Like Danny said, not all the guys or gals you see standing around on a street corner are bums waiting for another fix, and for all any of us know, could have been someone that fought in a war, or did something heroic once in their own community, and find their self simply down and out and without any means whatsoever to rise back up.

I guess a person has to cultivate enough instinct to 'feel insides' what person is right or wrong, and give if that is what they can spare. Albeit, criminal conmen are experts at circumventing one's instinct, in order to make a kill. Nevertheless, there are those that are really in need. Most of us Americans are so close to the line, shoestring budgets and lack of jobs with any sort of future, or bills way over our heads, that for a hairline difference, we too aren't standing around with a ninja sign or out to get a buck to get back at some sonny b that jacked us around.

One has to understand as well, that many homeless are there by their own choosing. Many got there because they rebelled at learning or getting a good education when they had the chance; while others are there because they didn't want to make any sort of effort in life other than beating somebody around for a handout. Perhaps the number one fault in any educational system, public schools especially, is there are no courses on how to handle finances and use money to make money. The second one is that anyone can make a baby, the hard part is accepting the responsibility to raise it and be a responsible parent, thick or thin.

What's the answer? throwing money after bad isn't going to fix anything, it's just going to prolong the suffering.

I find that it is odd that someone doesn't have anything, but still has enough to buy cigarettes.

s.voshall on August 17, 2007, at 01:18PM – #8

I'm homeless and might as well be creative about it.Here's my sign "I'm not Homeless i"m an urban pioneer"

work for your money, right. on February 09, 2010, at 06:00AM – #10

for everyone who complains bitterly about panhandlers not making an effort to work for their money, i want you all to know that i'm a street musician, i play really beautiful eastern european music on accordion, and i never make as much money as panhandlers do. i don't know any busker who makes as much as panhandlers. if you've got such a problem with "freeloaders", then support people who are actually trying to do something to make a living!

(this isn't a rant against panhandlers, for the record.. i know lots of folks who get stuck doing that and not all of them are the lazy freeloaders that people love to think they are) (in fact, this month i'm horribly short on cash and will probably end up panning myself because it's too cold to busk)

Guest on March 29, 2010, at 06:21AM – #11

hi myself am homeless and your saying that every penny is wasted when i spend the money on gas for my car so i can keep warm when its freezing at night i take care of my dog and im going through interviews multiple times a week and am signing up for college and i couldnt have gotten back on my feet from my divorce if it werent from the kindness of the people that did give a helping hand. it just seems you guys look down on homeless like their lower than animals when really they just needed faith from you............... //JDG\