Speaking of panhandlers, I'm really torn on the issue. I don't believe that given a choice most people want to be on a corner shaking a cup. I was arguing with a friend of mine who was complaining about the shanty town that some guys had set up in Horner Park (I'm sure shakes can confirm its existence). I certainly don't want to declare war on the homeless, but I don't really want them sleeping on my front lawn either. You know most of these people aren't right in the head. I want to help, but I'm not sure what can really be done. It doesn't help that Rahm shut down some of their support network. He can still build an arena for DePaul though.

Just the other day I was going into a Clark Street taqueria and an old guy spare changed me in front of the door. I was kind of annoyed and just brushed by him. Then he came in the restaurant and sat down at a table next to me. He was pitifully counting out pennies and he asked the mesera how much the chips cost which kind of confused her. I looked over at her and told her to let the guy have what he wanted and to bring me his check. The guy must have "god blessed" me twenty times. He kept striking up conversations but I really just wanted to eat my fucking carne asada and read the board on my phone. I came very close to telling the guy that conversation was not included in the deal, but I'm not inhuman.

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

You live in the People's Republic of Oak Park, so you're all good.

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

Where do non-bigots live?

_________________

Wicker Park

_________________

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I'm not a city person and could never live there. Too expensive, too many people, things that I like or appreciate aren't there, etc. I live on the south side of DG which is the poor side so I'm good.

This is where living in New York changed me. I ignore everyone in public now unless I want to buy something from them. I had way too many stories of what happens when you even make eye contact. Screw everybody.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Kenilworth

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

I know a guy who went to a Little Caesar's in Mexico and they wrote "Gringo" on his receipt.

_________________
God is the uncaused cause of the universe. He had no beginning and has no end. He is not bound by the laws of the universe he created.

It sure was.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

I feel like they are doing that every time they bring me flour tortillas.

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

If that was true good on you. I am too cynical when it comes to this. My latest evidence that makes me that way is a surprising story, to me anyway. I take the bus to work. It is very convenient and as a benefit of Pitt employees all city buses are free to ride. So anyway, this guy always gets on a few stops after I do. He looks a little haggard but the neighborhood he boards in is a upper middle class one. He carries supplies and all and then he sets up shop on the corner near my work. It is a good begging spot and he seemingly does ok. I am left to think when we take the bus home what his story is. Either way this is this dudes job. I see him every day like I see any other Joe.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

Here's the way I think of it. If I could make $100,000 a year by standing on a corner six days a week and shaking a cup, would it be worth it? And my answer is always no.

But there are certain types of panhandling I cannot abide. The train announcement is one that infuriates me. You are a captive audience and the guy is attempting to shame you. One time I was on the Red Line and this little white kid, early twenties waits until the train is rolling and stands up and tells a sob story about how he needs $15 to get to Rockford to see his father. A few people gave him some money. I did not because, as I said, this method makes me very angry. About a month later I was on the Brown Line and I saw the same guy working the same shtick. When he got done with his spiel I could not help myself. I said, "I saw you a month ago, you still haven't raised the fifteen bucks?" He got all bashful and got off at the next stop. Probably just went to spin his yarn in another car.

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

Regular Reader knows Chief Keef?

_________________

You'd be surprised...

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

See, this is what makes you one of the "good ones"

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

#whitePeople
#whycan'tpeopleBmorelikeMe

_________________
Obama's Legacy is Trump.
And dead cops.

"One guy lays the pipe, the other guy smokes it"--Clint Eastwood

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gO7uemm6Yo

#safety
#phattires

_________________
Obama's Legacy is Trump.
And dead cops.

"One guy lays the pipe, the other guy smokes it"--Clint Eastwood

I wondered how many others felt that same way

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

We should rename this the Trump Supporter Guilt Thread.

_________________

_________________
Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I've lived in the city sine 1995 and I've made more money panhandling than I've dished out to panhandlers. True story.

In law school I used to do an "ironic beggar" bit where I would embarrass my friends by begging for change in lincoln park. Always the same line, "spare some change, help the homeless, feed the needy". While looking like a normal college kid. Got a lot of odd looks, some chuckles and overall I think I cleared $3 and half a Charleston Chew.

My favorite current beggars are the guys at Armitage and the Kennedy. Guy on one corner has as sign, in very nice block print telling a heartwarming tale about how he's out of work and his 7 year old son has kidney disease and they live under a bridge. If you happen to come back through the other side of the intersection there's another guy with the exact same sign.


I have a philosophy when it comes to homeless people who come up to me on the street trying to talk to me. You know the type, "excuse me sir can I just talk to you for a second". As long as I've lived in the city Ive probably experienced that a couple hundred times. So I ask myself, of those 200+ times a homeless has flagged me down for a conversation have I ever exited one of those conversations in a better place than I was before I stopped to talk to the homeless guy? And not surprisingly the answer is a resounding NOT EVEN ONCE!

So for basically the past 20 years whenever that a homeless person tries to ask me something I alway interrupt them with my best Spike Lee Do the Right Thing Impersonation and yell out "HELL NO" before they even finish the sentence. I guess there aren't a lot of movie buffs in the homeless population cause I've yet to have one respond with a warranted, "dude, that was a pretty sweet and apt movie reference."



But back on topic, screw you JORR for shitting on Northbrook! There's lots of minorities there, just come check out the waiting room at my office.

_________________

Did. Not. Happen.

_________________

Is the old guy in the wheelchair still stationed at the north end of the Michigan Ave bridge?

I was behind that guy in line at the bank a few times as he was depositing HUGE jars of change.

_________________

As a white person, am I allowed to say occasionally white people annoy me without being labeled some sort of SJW? I'm so lost in this alt-right America.

_________________

No

Don't worry about being labeled as an SJW; consider it a sort of alt-right of passage ...

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

One check of the test scores tells you the schools in areas like Northbrook, Winnetka and Lake Forest are "better". Look at real estate sites like Zillow and it tells you how the schools in the homes location are rated. Suburban (particularly North Shore) schools tend to perform better, giving the children who attend those schools a better opportunity for a brighter future. the fact they don't have to go to school where violence is a problem is a nice plus too. You can hold onto your liberal ideals, while I prefer a life that is relatively free of the problems your mixed population areas tend to have more of.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I'd expect nothing less from a North Shore social climber.

_________________
Freedom is our Strength.