They Probably Make More Than You Do

Atlanta's Homeless Epidemic is getting into the news again. They tried to pass a law against 'aggressive panhandling' but they knuckled under to the ACLU and homeless 'activists' faster than you can say John Steinbeck. The law that was supposed to help, actually made things worse because it codified that the cops had to give two warnings, it limited illegality to the vaguely defined "aggressive panhandling", it made enforcement effectively toothless.

As Michael S. Scott, the director of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, says in his online article "Panhandling":

Estimates vary from a couple of dollars (U.S.) a day on the low end, to $20 to $50 a day in the mid-range, to about $300 a day on the high end.

In a study of Toronto panhandlers conducted by Robit Bose and Stephen Hwang,

a journalist who briefly lived on the street in Toronto working as a panhandler . . . reported that panhandlers can earn more than $200 per day

Louise Stark published a detailed analysis of homeless panhandlers in Phoenix, Arizona in "From Lemons to Lemonade: An Ethnographic Sketch of Late Twentieth-Century Panhandling" (1992). In that article she writes that "the modern panhandler often considers begging a job, in many ways an entrepreneurial enterprise.

A recent news story tells of Jason Pancoast and Elizabeth Johnson, self-described "affluent beggars" from Ashland, Oregon. The couple estimates they can make $30-40,000 per year from panhandling. They boast earnings as high as $300 per day, and assert they once made $800 in one day. Similarly, a former Denver City Council president claimed to know panhandlers who made hundreds of dollars per week, or even per day. City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth said, "I know some people are making $150 to $300 or $400 a day.

COOS BAY, Ore. - A police survey says panhandlers outside Wal-Mart in Coos Bay can make $300 a day. Inside, it takes a clerk a week to make that much.

I think the only solution is an advertising campaign, telling people not to give anything ever. Since the city would never fund such a thing it would have to come from a private donor; someone not afraid to be labeled as evil by the 'activists'.

ZOOM!

I don't know what the rush was this morning, but there were no less than five cars driving like they were in a video game; going about 100 mph in traffic, weaving between lanes to get through the cars, no time for a signal.
Even more surprising when you consider that Atlanta just had a highly reported wreck where an idiot was driving like that, causing a six car wreck that killed a four people. He's being prosecuted for manslaughter.

Kids today.

The Mortgage Crisis

John Stossel sheds a little reality on the hysteria.

Here are some good points:

The Mortgage Bankers Association's 2007 fourth-quarter survey reports that foreclosures came to 2.04 percent of all mortgages. Many of those were speculators seeking flip profits rather than homeowners losing a dream house.
During the quarter, only 0.83 percent of homes entered the foreclosure process.

Politicians love a "crisis."
Why? Because "crisis" justifies making big government bigger.

It's why we now have a global warming "crisis" and in previous years we had "crises" over avian flu, the Y2K threat to computers, imaginary cancer spikes caused by pesticides, killer bees flying up from Mexico, and uncontrolled population growth leading to a "Population Bomb" that will bring "riots and mass starvation" by the year 2000.

It's just Hay!

I've purchased a few bails of wheat straw (what the rest of the world calls hay) from both Home Depot and Lowe's. I always hate doing it , because both stores have it set up in the same idiotic way.
Around the side of the store, are the "Straw Trailers", one for wheat straw and one for pine straw. You can find them by walking past the $70,000 worth of plants that are left out in the open. For some reason, the stores feel the need to lock up the straw, which is $4-$4.50/bundle, fairly heavy, cumbersome, and just about impossible to hide.
They don't just 'secure' it. These trailers are locked with three GIANT padlocks and a tow chain. God knows why.
So you have to go into the store, to a register, and purchase the straw. Then you go outside and wait. And wait. And Wait. Ya see, the register jockey called someone on the intercom to say that there's a customer waiting by the straw vault, but there's no guarantee any of the stoners sleeping in lumber are going to pay any attention to that. Don't even bother if you happen to be there when the store is busy. You'd be better off buying wheat seed and waiting.

There has got to be a better way. Where else can I buy wheat straw?

No More Doctors

I feel like I'm getting back to my old self. On Friday, I saw my surgeon for the last time. He took out my stitches. This morning, I saw my physical therapist for the last time.

Over the weekend, I was finally able to do some yard work!

This evening, I'll be going back to aikido.

FINALLY!!!

Taxes

We spent Sunday finishing up the taxes. I just want to take this moment to say that everybody in government sucks. I hate you all.

Carry on.

Just like West Side Story

Police: Couple Feuds Over Toddler's Gang

A couple arguing about which gang their 4-year-old toddler should join caused a public disturbance that resulted in the father's arrest.

On Saturday, Joseph Manzanares stormed into a video rental store where his girlfriend worked, threatened to kill her and knocked over several video displays and even a computer, Commerce City police Sgt. Joe Sandoval said.

After he ran out of the store, police were called and the 19-year-old was arrested at his home.
His girlfriend told police that they had been arguing about the upbringing of their son and which gang he should belong to. The teen mother, who is black, told authorities she is a member of the Crips, police said. Manzanares is Hispanic and belongs to the Westside Ballers gang, the woman told police.

"They have different ideas on how the baby should be raised. Basically, she said they cannot agree on which gang the baby would 'claim,'" Sandoval said.

If only they'd had a dance-off. MAMBO!

Minus One Pin

They let me keep the pin they took out of my hand. That extra piece below it is the cap that came loose and was floating around in my hand.

We Deserve Our Government

Trailer for ZOMBIE STRIPPERS!

Somethin' for the Ladies

I found this website for the Virtual Shoe Museum. There's something for any gal in your life.

I'm curious what people think of this.

The AJC has this story.

This judge has a history of lecturing defendants. He gives them a piece of his mind about eventually getting a degree and getting a job before sending them to prison for years.
Well, last Thursday, he had about 50 black defendants in the room before him. He asked all the white people to leave the room, then lectured the remaining black folks. "He delivered a harsh indictment that bad behavior in poorer black neighborhoods was an albatross on black advancement."

"I wanted to have a fireside chat," he said of his decision. "And my grandmother said years ago that if you're going to fuss at black people, you don't need to do it in front of white people."

Arrington said the defendants and their families gave him a standing ovation after his 10-minute talk.

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na, only in reverse

I'll soon be less bionic. I saw my surgeon today. I waited for an hour in order to see him for five minutes. I'm going in next Wednesday to get the pin out of my hand. I have to go in for stupid pre-op on Tuesday. What a scam. I'm not even getting a general anesthesia. I didn't go for pre-op to get the pin put in, but I got bitched at by all the nurses then, so I guess I should go.
I stopped by the aikido dojo last night and said hi to everybody. Doc says I can move however I want immediately after getting the pin out, so I should go back to aikido by the end of next week.

Rebellion