Dec 2, 2011

Been Busy

Been Busy

      Well,it has been a while since I've written an update. Sorry about that . Here it is Dec 1st 2011 already. Where does the time go?  I've been driving bus now for awhile.On Dec. 13th it will be 6 months and that is when my probation period ends. So far so good. I look smart in my uniform with black patent leather shoes. very professional.
        I had to get out of the tent , I don't think I could of handled the heat and misery one more day .I say that but you do what you gotta do whether you like it or not.
         Ah but here's the good news. I moved into a place called value place .it is a motel only it is a studio instead of just a room. kitchen and bathroom ,tv. very nice and new. very expensive though. $250 a week . no lease $100 deposit. A bus ride into work then bike it home ( 40 min ride ) because I get off at 3am. I bring the last bus in. I need 2 hrs to get to work but at least I have a job, clean clothes .and a beautiful shower. My cooking is kind of bland but nutricious. I pack sandwiches for lunch. Quite an improvement right there. I left an it's yours note on the tent when I left, I haven't even been by it out of curiosity , I would really prefere not see it .Who needs that.
       I had tacos homemade for thanksgiving, not bad if I say so myself. I'm thankful for the stability I now enjoy . saving is still difficult. the price of everything seems to have gone up and I know people think bus drivers make alot of money,not true after benefit costs taxes etc I bring in $750  bi-weekly on 41 hrs a week. but I'm not broke and I'm able to help out other folks here and there.
      A brighter day did come and the future looks good. I just go to work stay out of trouble and develop interests. so as I said been busy.

                                     TILL NEXT TIME......................................

                                               
                                                      

Jul 18, 2011

Last Week Of Training

Last week of Training

I started my 5th week of training today. We are tying up last details and bus hopping to kill time, My Trainer says he is recommending full status for Fri. Last test is driving with the Safety Person and once He declares that I am Safe , that's it. It has been a fun and difficult. Fun driving the bus. Difficult ,getting to work and cleaning up while sweating in the hated tent. I can't wait for a cooked meal and my own bathroom. To sleep in the cooled room with a comfortable bed but it will be a bit yet. Coming up with the $1500 needed to secure an apartment , This figure includes deposit and application fee , plus I'll need the deposit to get the electricity turned on. This is bare bones without housewares ,toiletries , or food or furnishings but I'll take it over the tent any day . these things will be aquired in time. getting indoors is my first priority. I've come this far and I'm almost there. So you see , A brighter day did come. Chin up my struggling friends , you to will have a brighter day. keep a stout heart and find faith where you can.
                                                       
Animais
                                                 TILL NEXT TIME..................

Jul 5, 2011

On The Steady

On  The  Steady

Started my 4th week at RTS. I got a partial pay of 1 week. It wasn't enough to get indoors but It does cover food , laundry , personal care items etc. I fulfilled one of my small wishes by getting a hotel room for the night on 7/4. It was so great to relax in the A/C and eat and watch TV. I took two showers just because it felt so nice and civilized. I went to the barber shop and had a fine haircut. I got up at 6:00am and got ready for work , Had coffee and caught the bus. I've been driving routes and next week will be on assignment. I drive while a seasoned driver critiques me and gives me feedback on a working scheduled route. I did one day of this already ,working the fare box , setting trip times and header. I was told I did an excellent job and he is recommending that I am ready to drive solo on my own route. However training is complete when my instuctor says so.

                                                     TILL NEXT TIME......................

Jun 29, 2011

Homeless Blog Writers

Homeless  Blog  Writers

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Blogging and tweeting might be among the last hobbies you'd list for a homeless person, but some down-and-out people have embraced social media in such a way that it's actually garnered them needed assistance -- everything from food and diapers for children to counseling and housing.
"I did not believe in social networking before I ended up on the streets," says Rd Plasschaert, who became homeless last year. "It's the way people are finding housing. It's the way people are finding food banks."
Plasschaert, who had lost her job and was on welfare, joined the social networking sphere one month before she knew she was losing the bedroom she rented. She started a blog called "Lost Awareness" in desperation when nonprofit agencies told her they couldn't help her out until she had actually lost her home, she said.
A homeless blogger from England recommended Plasschaert sign up for Twitter and search for homelessness-related hashtags, or topics, on that site.
Days before landing on the street, Plasschaert contacted a man who went by the handle @hardlynormal for advice on available services. That connection ultimately led to Plasschaert getting into her own subsidized studio apartment this year.
"It was purely social media that placed me. Absolutely and totally," she says.
But the incident did more than simply house Plasschaert, it helped inspire a website called WeAreVisible.com with tutorials to teach homeless people how to use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
"I saw how technology could improve people's lives," says the website's creator, Mark Horvath, the man who was @hardlynormal. "I was creating WeAreVisible to empower homeless people to have a voice, a voice that we all have, but the homeless population doesn't."
Horvath knows about being homeless -- he lived on the streets of Hollywood more than a decade ago, and, fours years ago, when he lost his job and his house in foreclosure, he essentially embarked on a career of recording homeless people's stories and posting them online.
He knew that many homeless people had the tools to connect online.
"If you were going to be homeless tomorrow, what are the two things you'd take? Your laptop and your cell phone," Horvath says.
With the growth of free wireless services at coffee shops, stores and libraries, people don't need their own Internet connection or cell phone calling plan to use their devices. And those without personal communications devices can access computers at shelters and libraries.
Homeless people are embracing social media for various reasons.
AnnMarie Walsh, who was living in an empty lot in Chicago, says tweeting as @padschicago gave her a sense of peace.
"I used (Twitter) as an outlet to vent my feelings and to share information about homelessness and things I was going through," Walsh says, adding that she was driven to the streets in 2004 after emotional trouble linked to an abusive past. She didn't join Twitter's ranks until two years ago.
"Just knowing that somebody was out there, that someone was reading my tweet, it was an awesome feeling."
She says her tweets caught the eye of a case worker last summer, which led to transitional housing and a permanent room in April. Others use social media to critique and praise homeless shelters, case managers and city agencies.
"It's changing how shelters and cities do business," says Neil Donovan, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, especially because of what he calls the "lightning-fast communications."
Horvath says his ultimate goal for WeAreVisible.com would be to connect homeless agencies directly with the people seeking services, what he calls "virtual case management."
"Homeless services need to step up and listen to people online, because they're there. They're there searching for us," says Horvath, who until recently was working at a shelter before heading out on another tour of recording homeless people's stories.
Horvath says the unintended impact of WeAreVisible.com has been the creation of a virtual community for homeless people and those who have been there. He has more than 12,000 Twitter followers alone.
"We encourage each other," says Plasschaert, who volunteers to train homeless people to use computers. "It's important to have that sense of community."
"I encourage homeless people to do whatever it takes to get out of their situation," Horvath says, "and if that's social media -- jump on!"
                                                       

Jun 23, 2011

Pass Or Fail

Pass  Or  Fail

The answer is YES I passed my pre-trip inspection , skills test and road test. I am the proud owner of a CDL ( commercial drivers license ). My trainer is buying donuts for breakfast because if everyone passes that tests in a class that is what He does. The main stress is history , now it is all about driving , learning the fare box and other Bus stuff. Probation period is for a whopping 6 months , so there is still lots of room to mess up . However I cannot fail with so many of you drawing inspiration from little old me. I won't let you down .If I can do it you can do it. Maybe not the same way . It just shows if you keep plugging on , then some progress will be made. suffer a little extra now for the payoff down the road. Good friends help, and I found all of mine on the internet. Strange . Tell it and someone will care. Never lie. tell the good and the bad and people will recognize the truth.
                                                
My Photo

                                                TILL NEXT TIME......................

Jun 21, 2011

Training Week 2

Training  Week  2

We are going through a super heat wave with high humidity since the weekend. It has been 100 degrees + and will drop down to low 90's by next weekend. I started week 2 of training 6/20/11 . I have been practicing my pre-trip inspection and driving through the "cones" - straight backing , offset backing , parallel parking. Then comes the road course with train tracks , Turns , stops etc. I will pass my exam on Thurs. I have no doubt. I have been getting wheel time and even picked up riders while learning routes. I like this job and hope nothing goes wrong , I only say that because every time I let myself get happy I end up disappointed. Last night I felt like I was sleeping in a puddle. I get up at 6:30am to be at the terminal by 8:00am. I have to go s**t , shave ,and wash my hair. I also have to wear dress clothes with shinable shoes. khaki and navy blue are the Co. colors. I have to get there at least 15 min early to let the a/c dry my sweat from the walk in and the shoes gave me blisters. I eat once a day and drink water that I fill in a plastic bottle. Mostly peanut butter sandwiches . I 'm hoping to be indoors in two months but I wish it was two days. Oh well , I just do alot with very little. It's extreamly trying  and difficult mentaly and physically . I get off at 5:00 then I come to the library to escape the heat.There is no way I can sit in the tent until the sun goes down around 9:oopm , even then it is hot and sweaty until 4 or 5am. O.K. I'm done groaning. I'm smiling

                        
                 
                             TILL NEXT TIME...................

Jun 17, 2011

1 Down - 5 To 7 To Go

1 Down 5-7 To Go

I just completed my first week of R.T.S. bus training. I may finish early or not until 7 weeks from now It depends on how fast they move us. I got my certificates for E.E.O. and also NIMS training. Orientation is Mon. and  my road test is on Thurs. I am not nervous and have full confidence in myself. I will be a city bus driver. All the employees are friendly and wish me well. No , they don't have a clue I'm homeless. I guess that's it for now , I'll keep you all posted.

                                                   


                                                    TILL NEXT TIME..............

Jun 13, 2011

Training In Progress

Training  In  Progress

Started Bus training at 8:00am this morning. Today was mostly orientation.My class has a total of three people including me.We are very lucky because next week twelve more start then the week after that fifteen more . The bus Co. wants thirty drivers in all to be ready for the fall . A new contract was signed by the Governor for Santa Fe college , meaning the creation of more bus routes. Hence all the new drivers. My class will have seniority over the other drivers. My trainer is putting us in buses right away as he wants us fully licenced by the end of next week , then we will concentrate on all the book study . There is much to learn and be tested for per regulations. I'll be very busy for the next  6-8 weeks. I came to the library after class to write this update. my schedule  is  Mon-Fri  8-5 . I still could use some help with food and bus fare.

                                 

                                                       TILL NEXT TIME..........

Jun 11, 2011

Here Nor There

Here  Nor  There

Perhaps I'm transitioning from the hollow man to citizen . Being one of the invisible people takes it's toll . I find it hard to put into words . one minute your not , then you are. I do believe it will take some time before I feel that I matter to anyone. I know there are people of the opinion " That I should just die and decrease the surplus population " - Scrooge . I refused to cry or give up. I know there is always a brighter day coming. I don't rely on anyone. I can only trust myself ( I do not lie to me ). This is not to say I haven't been caught completely by surprise at the generosity  of some kind souls ,  because if anything could make me cry that would be it. Still living with trepidation .
your friend ,
Peter                                                        

                TILL NEXT TIME..................



Jun 9, 2011

Give Me A Break

Give Me A Break

Today I went to check on my mail at the P.O. I was surprised when the clerk came out with a letter , I wasn't expecting anything but you never know. It was from the I.R.S. It said according to them I owed back taxes from 2001 -$800+ add penalties and interest = get this $4,364.37 . They have been messing up my refunds and statements since the 80's . I called immediately to find out why they put a levy on my debit card which had a whopping $26 until they took it. I explained I was indigent and homeless and how they have been taking the same $400 for an old army debt every year for twenty years . and every time I thought it was resolved , they took it again .He said that's water over the dam.they are only going back as far as 2005. He said the good news was that they are lifting the levy. So when I do get paid I'll  be able to spend my own money. he also said I'm entitled to a couple of refunds ( which they will be keeping ) He is sending me a ( forest ) of paperwork and forms. But the penalties etc. will keep accruing. I told him I just want this monkey off my back. So I don't care but by the end of the year I'm going to be settled up with the Gov. Today's headache courtesy of the I.R.S. - every time I get over a mountain there  is a bigger one in my way . Oh well at least I don't have a shortage of challenges. After this little problem is cleared I'll be free from all debt. That is a wonderful thought .I seem to be able to hold money in my hand for 5 minutes tops before I get to place into somebody else's hand . but I don't owe anyone ( except this,they say ) so I'm better off than most U.S. citizens.



                                           Till Next Time...............

Jun 8, 2011

All Set To Work

All Set To Work

Finally everything is in place . I passed all my exams and now have my Class  B drivers permit the last piece of paper I needed. I start training on  6/13 Mon. at 8:00am . Now I 'm hoping for a miracle because I have no money for food or transportation to see me through until I get that first pay check , which will most likely be mid or end July . I know I keep asking for support in this matter but I have to because people tend to forget and assume every things alright but this time It's not. I'm trying and doing the best I possibly can and I really need your help to see me through for a little while . I know times are tough and that you care . however nothing is coming in and I am very worried that all my efforts will be for nothing . I will not be able to get  to the soup kitchen let alone eat lunch . that's it , that's the truth . praying and hoping
Your Friend Peter

TILL NEXT TIME.....................

Jun 4, 2011

Illness

Illness

getting sick when you have no air conditioned bedroom to go lay down in sucks lead darts. I have a touch of food poisoning , disentary , gas and bloating with a headache .I'm  dehydrating due to loss of body fluids ( running for a bathroom  ) which isn't readily available. I'm cooking in this  heat and feel as though I'm going  to throw up. I'm dizzy. I have to raid my  $40 apartment fund and it's killing me to do it ,  but I need some amodium and aspirin , also a couple of jugs of Gatoraid . I'm getting hot and cold flashes and a little bit of shaking in my hands. I eat what I can and there is no way of knowing if it was prepared sanitarily or had bacteria on it. I need the medicine because I have to be at the newspaper at 12:00am . I can't afford to miss sick or not. Yes I wash my hands more than most humans , almost all the time. Could have been from this very keyboard at the library , I don't know. something got me.

                                                       

                                   TILL NEXT TIME...................

Jun 3, 2011

Taking The Bad With The Good

Taking  The  Bad  With  The  Good

I have seen concern and caring from kind people. I even had a few donations , which have helped through tough times. I have nice days of weather and blistering heat. I have been hungry and I have been stuffed. I have been happy and I have been sad. In other words , I take the good and the bad , that's all. Life on the streets is probably a bit harder than not. I don't have expectations . Disappointment comes with the territory. The laptop I was so excited about receiving finally arrived. It was damaged in transit , The left corner was smashed , the hinge was broken . It is useless . The good? I still have the library. I thank the sender for trying . Knowing there are compassionate people makes all the difference .
                                                       


                                         TILL NEXT TIME.....................

May 28, 2011

That's The Spirit !

That's  The  Spirit !

I just received my first donation on my apartment fund ! I knew if I asked , you would start to respond . It was for $ 40.  A great start ,  but I really need to keep the momentum going. So dig deep it's for a worthy cause  -  Me  -   Thankyou to everyone who is putting the word out . I can almost smell food cooking and the shower running.

                                                                       



                                    TILL NEXT TIME...........

May 27, 2011

Robbed Again

Robbed  Again

For the second time in two weeks My tent was robbed. This time the thief even took my dirty clothes !I had a $40 bottle of cologne I was saving for when I got into a place , you know , to feel good you have to smell good , why bother?  That's it . I have to get into an apartment now ,  I don't know how ,  but my tent is no longer semi-safe. I just sat staring at the trees , holding my chin in my hand until It got numb. Here's the idea. I'm passing the hat. then you pass it , tell everyone you can to give a little something. I'm trying to raise $1500- I know that's a lot . but here's why I give that figure. The cheapest place I can find ( studio or room ) $500 a month + $500 deposit . I'll need two months rent because that is when I expect to finally see a pay check. bus training starts 6/13 . pay is bi-weekly. I'll be able to afford rent from then on. I was going to try to ride it out in the tent till I got paid but now I'm worried my work uniforms will be stolen . The S.O.B. ripped the netting on my entrance flap. and I don't have a sewing kit. Hello  Mosquitoes . There's nowhere to move my camp to. I 'm  just going to leave it to the next guy that comes  along after me. I'll pin a note saying " This is your tent now. " Let's fundraise ,  donate right here at my blog .   Thank you to the good people



                             TILL NEXT TIME..............

May 24, 2011

Veteran Status

Veteran  Status

I wasn't going to reveal my veteran status , but on mulling it over I decided it is important information . It may be that it could help a fellow vet. I am honorably  discharged from the U.S. Army. I was a tank gunner. The greatest accomplishment of my life was to come in second at level one gunnery. This is the superbowl of tank gunnery. Live fire with pop up targets on a drive through course. I had all first round hits , only one other tank crew out of the whole European theatre matched my feat. I was two seconds slower on the stabalization target than the other crew. On this engagement the turret is supposed to stay trained on the target no matter where the tank itself is pointing . ( gyro ) however it bounces , wobbles etc. extreamly difficult shot while the tank is moving. I got it. TARGET , TARGET came over the radio from the observation tower. excitment beyond belief. That's all I want to say  about the military. I did go to the Veterans Adminisration and speak with a councellor. I wanted a primary Doctor's appointment to see if I could get some vitamins and a new pair of glasses. No problem how does September sound ( 6 months away ) . Then I asked about the domicillary ( a sort of respite for vets that helps with addiction and training supposedly ) Sure no problem just get to Orlando FL. and apply in person , bring your dd214 ( discharge papers ) which I acually have , but most vets don't. Then we can likely get you in . The waiting list is only  4 months at present. I realized the only logical thing for me to do is pound pavement and get a job , stand on my own two feet and keep my freedom . Fellow Vets can look into these programs for themselves , they have dom's all over the U.S. Hint: It is better if you tell them you have substance abuse issues even if you don't , that will get you indoors much faster. Do it before winter arrves or you will not get a bed . 6  months comitment is a requirement , rules out the wazoo. three hots and a cot and some sort of recreation therapy is offered ( movies , bowling , arts and crafts , or whatever ) You will have to take many classes and submit to random drug and alcohol checks. Give it a try if you don't mind a big boot on your neck. Veterans services is totally hyped up and painted rosy.

                               TILL NEXT TIME.........

May 23, 2011

Trudging Along

Trudging  Along

Do you have those times where nothing happens , you know you feel like your just waiting for time to march on so you will get where your trying to go. I hate waiting . I seem to always be waiting on someone or something. That doesn't mean I waste my time , because I keep busy . I just don't see the results of my labors. It's like blowing up baloons and forgeting to tie them . Frustration is a part of everyone's life . It is compounded with lonliness and homelessness and no livelyhood . Some days I'm only waiting on the day to end so the next day can get here . Whatever plans I put in motion always have at least a two week fermenting period. Why is that ?  I'm not into the instant gratification thing but treading water , watching paint dry , can really drag me down at times. I find myself counting things , which really iritates me. On the bright side I have time to notice stuff that I normally wouldn't. ( I can always find a cheerful thought if I try ).







                                    TILL NEXT TIME.............

May 19, 2011

Gift Received

Gift  Received

Fran from www.MitzvahCircle.org sent me a  $20 Wal-Mart gift card
I am a real person in a real situation. I just want to say how wonderful Fran was to show concern for me . I am deeply grateful. More so for the kindness and love shown me than the actual gift itself . That  $20 will go toward food I needed badly.  Thanks again Fran and Mitzvah Circle.






                                 TILL NEXT TIME..........

May 17, 2011

Optimistic

Optimistic

Well things seem to be going my way for a change. So far , no negative reactions about the bus driving job , that's good. We had some vicious rain downpours last Sun. but no storms are on the horizon for a couple of days anyway. I'm hoping my laptop arrives this week! That will make my life so much easier. I know I can always walk but I'm believing for a bicycle or bus pass. I just can't see that God would let me get this far and pull the rug out from under me again. The air is clean and fresh , the birds are singing , the stars are familiar friends. I'm not gaining any weight but I don't think I'm losing anymore either. I wouldn't say my spirits are high , just good. So I'm smiling and enjoying the sun on my face. pleasant thoughts and warm wishes to all my friends

                                       TILL NEXT TIME.........

May 13, 2011

Got Me

Last night when I got back to camp , I found out My camp had been discovered. It was only a matter of time. The thief went through all my belongings and took the cream of the crop. I can't believe I was left anything at all . Probably couldn't carry it away .
My best shorts  , shirts , flashlight , batteries , Knife , new personal hygene items , and I just did my laundry !
I can't tell you how I feel right now. I am controlling my anger because what am I to do? If I find the thief or see him on the street carrying my blue backpack with my stuff . Do I attack him , go to jail, lose everything else and my new job as well. Tell the cops , They will ask where I live-not a good idea either.
I'll look on the bright side - The thief that steals from a homeless man's tent is pretty low. I sure hope he really needs my stuff , I know I did. I will tell him to give it back if I run into him , I know my stuff when I see it .I just hope it doesn't get out of hand if that happens.

Mac Attack....    ( JUST KIDDING AROUND )


                             TILL NEXT TIME..............

May 11, 2011

Where I Live

Fifth meanest city, Gainesville, Florida

  • October 27th, 2009 8:12 pm ET

10 worst cities for treatment of the homeless
James Martin
Gainesville Florida has a history of abuse of homeless persons; so much so that it is a wonder their ranking is only #5 in mistreatment instead of number 2 or 3. They have torn up “tent cities” and made it next to impossible for people to solicit aid, even if they do it peacefully. In September 2007, against the wishes of homeless advocates and even city officials, the city commission closed down a major tent city by force, using uniformed and armed officers to clean out the tent area. It was part of a 10 year plan to end homelessness. Why they think it will take 10 years is anyone’s guess, but that guess is wrong. They decided it was more important to pay $75k on a fence around the property and only $20k on shelter beds to house those displaced in the tent city raid. Eventually the city increased that to $67k but still failed to solve any problems. After the closure, even more homeless moved in and doubled the numbers by April 2009.
Panhandling is also another issue that earns Gainesville a bad reputation for helping the homeless. In July 2007 the enacted an ordinance that not only punishes the person soliciting funds, be it peacefully or not, but also targets the giver as well. They specifically “ban all transactions between a motorist and a pedestrian on streets, in bike lanes and on bike paths within the city limits.” Both the panhandler and motorist can be charged with a “municipal ordinance violation, a crime that carries a potential penalty of $500 [or] six months in jail [or both] per offense” if they donate money from their car on a public roadway.
Southern Legal Counsel, a non-profit public interest law firm, challenged the ordinance
as a violation of a settlement agreement it had reached with the city in 2006. That lawsuit
had challenged two state statutes and an ordinance that prohibited homeless individuals
from standing on public sidewalks while holding signs soliciting donations. The
resulting settlement from that lawsuit enjoined the city from amending or enacting “any
ordinances which prohibit plaintiffs or other persons from engaging in protected First
Amendment activity of standing on a public sidewalk, peacefully holding a sign soliciting
charitable donations on behalf of or for their own personal benefit and not otherwise
violating any lawful statute, ordinance, or order.” Ultimately, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida found that the city had not violated the terms of 2006 agreement regarding freedom of speech and panhandling.
St. Francis House, one of two downtown shelters and soup kitchens has seen a surge in meal needs grow from the legal limit of 130 meals per day to 250. In March 2009 the commission decided to start enforcing the limit and turning Lynch Park (across the street) into a dog park that can also handle the 120+ over flow of homeless needing meals. So now we have the homeless being treated no better than dogs. Two hearty thumbs down for Gainesville and its 10 yr plan and for its treating the homeless like animals.

MY Comment---This may be  2 yrs  old but not much has changed----except there is one not two shelters



May 10, 2011

I Am Grateful

I  Am  Gratful

Eunice Graham  tweeted me she is going to send me a used laptop ( 3 keys missing and I'll need a power cord  ) but to me that is like  hearing Christmas morning has arrived .
I grew up ,  raised by my Mom  who worked two jobs , nursing home ,and something else I don't remember. My Dad left us when She became pregnant with my little brother. She raised four kids on her own and never went on welfare. Although I do recollect eating Gov. cheese and such I think there were times when she used the food pantry.
When us kids would go to the fridge , it was first come first served. Mom always made sure we were in by dark and had dinner for us.
I never had a Birthday party and Christmas was sporadic at best. We wore hand me downs and were not allowed to talk to strangers and for sure could not accept gifts from them.
We were taught to have good manners. This is why I am blown away by the generosity of Eunice . All I can say is Thankyou.

Eunice  can be found at http://www.wishesandangels.com a true people loving website.

                        TILL NEXT TIME..........

May 6, 2011

Will Work

Will Work for Homelessness

By Joel John Roberts | Jun 6, 2011
I glided my car off the 10 Freeway, a California Interstate that crosses Los Angeles from west to east, to find a scraggly old man wearing a filthy coat and clutching a tattered cardboard sign that read “Will Work for Housing”. The man stood at the freeway exit about three cars ahead of me.
When the signal light turned green, a guy in a BMW SUV in front of me stuck his head out and screeched at the top of his lungs toward the homeless man, “Get a job you lazy SOB!” The SUV tires practically burned rubber before the homeless man could fully understand what happened.
For those of us living in the Los Angeles region, what many refer to as the Homeless Capital of America, such outbursts of anger are not infrequent.

After a few decades of the escalation of homelessness in this country, some hardworking people feel resentful at people who take advantage of our nation’s social welfare system, especially, when the roots of this country are founded on a Puritan culture that embraces the mantra “There is no such thing as a free ride.”
But to simply scream at a person entrenched in extreme poverty to get a job will not end homelessness.
Cost of Living
In Los Angeles, the average rent for a one bedroom apartment, as of May 2011, is $1,315 per month. Many housing experts believe that in order for a person to be able to pay for housed-living (such as food, utilities, transportation, and clothing), a person should not pay more than one-third of his or her monthly income toward rent. That means in Los Angeles, the homeless man standing near the freeway needs to earn $22.76 per hour to afford the average rent for a one bedroom apartment.
Minimum wage in Los Angeles, however, is only $8 per hour. A person earning this rate could barely pay his rent, but have nothing for food, utilities, or anything else. In other words, he would be sitting in an empty apartment, darkened because of no electricity, and hungry because of not enough income to buy food.
Even if a person paid half of her monthly income toward rent, she would have to find a job that pays $15.17 per hour to afford a Los Angeles apartment.
It doesn’t take a mathematician to conclude that this social math just doesn’t work.
So like passionate activists in Northern Africa, the voices from American homeless advocates are rising, calling for a mandatory wage rate that would allow a person to earn enough money to pay for rent. People like Richard R. Troxell, the author of the book, Looking Up at the Bottom Line, are promoting a “Universal Living Wage.”
Their message actually reflects a Puritan perspective: full-time work should be rewarded with access to permanent housing. If people work 40 hours per week, they should have the ability to afford housing.
Critics, however, don’t believe in an artificial employment market. Pay rates should be decided by supply-and-demand, otherwise businesses will move away from communities that instill mandatory living-wage rates.
But if businesses move to regions where the minimum wage is so low that its low-paid workers have no chance of finding a home affordable enough to rent, then businesses will have a very small talent pool of people.
It used to be that one full-time wage earner in America could support a family of four in a home that the worker actually owns. Today, America’s families need at least two wage earners just to be able to rent a one or two bedroom apartment.
The odds of that homeless man standing at the freeway off-ramp finding a job at $22.76 per hour (or $47,340 per year) are nearly impossible. Screaming at him to find a job that pays enough to rent an apartment is futile.
Ending homelessness in this country means raising the rate of pay for hard-working people, or lowering the rate of rents, or building enough apartments that are affordable to everyone.
My vote is to get that homeless man near the freeway into an affordable apartment first, then help him find a job.
Maybe that man’s cardboard sign should read “Will be Housed for Work"

I'll Get You My Pretty

Default New Police Weapon Against Homeless

I wanted to let you know what happened to me this week. After police harassment by the Middletown CT police department for sleeping in my car, legally parked on a city street, with one officer admitting I could legally park there, the police had Sal Nesci, the City of Middletown Health Department Director, declare my car "Unfit for Occupancy" and had it towed. The previous night, Middletown sergeant Davis merely asked me to park somewhere else and sleep. I did not have the money to recover the car and Personal Autocare, the towing company said I could only retreive essential items (eyeglasses, medication) from the car. I asked if a toothbrush, razor, change of underwear, wallet, hat for sun protection, warm clothes, or documents to defend myself in court were not essential items for a homeless person. Someone called on my behalf and was told they were not. To read more of my story and arrest, please google "Historic cover-up of FBI and police crimes currently taking place" and read the thread on the Urban 75 nessage board. Bill Anderson soxin8@hotmail.com

originally posted on homeless forums

My Comment - This is a story I found on the web-not me-I just wanted to share it

Where's The Work ?


Disaster Not Averted

The latest jobs numbers and the very real chance of another Great Depression

When the financial system was on the edge of melting down back in the fall of 2008, there was much talk in the punditocracy of a second Great Depression. The story was that we risked repeating the mistake at the onset of the first Great Depression: allowing a cascade of bank failures that both destroyed much of the country’s wealth and left the financial system badly crippled. Instead, however, we acted, and these days the accepted wisdom is that the TARP and other special lending facilities created by the Federal Reserve Board prevented a similar collapse that saved us from a second Great Depression. But this view badly misunderstands the nature of the first Great Depression—and may, in fact, result in the country suffering the second Great Depression that the pundits claim we have averted.
Allowing the cascade of financial collapses at the start of the first Great Depression was a mistake. However, there was nothing about this initial collapse that necessitated the decade of double-digit unemployment that was the central tragedy of the Great Depression. This was the result of the failure of the federal government to respond with sufficient vigor to mass unemployment. Indeed, the economy only broke out of the Depression when the federal government undertook massive deficit spending to fight World War II. Deficits peaked at more than 25 percent of GDP. This would be the equivalent, in today’s economy, of running annual deficits of $4 trillion.
There was no economic reason that the government could not have spent on this scale in 1931, as opposed to 1941; the obstacles were political. Then, as now, politicians in Washington were obsessed with the budget deficit. They never would have countenanced such spending, apart from the threat to the nation posed by Hitler and the Axis powers. The New Deal deficit spending helped boost the economy and bring the unemployment rate down to single-digit levels, but fear of deficits limited the scale of New Deal programs and caused Roosevelt to reverse course and cut back on spending in 1937, just as the economy was gaining momentum.
Unfortunately, the country seems destined to follow the same course in the current slump as it did in the 30s. The May jobs report should have provided the sort of stiff kick that is needed to revive discussion of additional stimulus. Instead, it seems to have barely shaken Washington’s ongoing obsession with deficits.

In policy circles, there seems to be an absurd faith that demand in the economy will arise out of nowhere if we are just virtuous enough in reducing the deficit. That is not the way the economy works. Demand must come from some discrete source and it is very difficult to see where that might be if the country continues on a path of deficit reduction.
To see why this is the case, first note that nearly 70 percent of demand in our economy is from consumption, but consumption has been growing slowly for two reasons. The first is that the economy has been creating few jobs. Furthermore, in a weak labor market workers do not have the bargaining power to push up their wages. The slow growth in jobs and stagnant wages mean that most families, who get nearly all their income from working, are seeing little growth in income. Slow growth in income means slow growth in consumption.
The second factor depressing consumption has been the continuing deflation of the housing bubble. To date, the decline in house prices has destroyed nearly $7 trillion in housing equity. And prices are still falling. Homeowners are likely to see another $1 trillion in equity disappear over the next year. The loss of this wealth will lead homeowners to cut back their consumption further in order to rebuild their savings.
Beyond the decline in consumption, the overbuilding in both residential and non-residential real estate during the bubble years ensures that construction will also remain weak at least through 2012. Firms could invest more in equipment and software, but this component of the economy is already surprisingly strong. This type of investment is close to its pre-recession level, in spite of the fact that most industries have large amounts of excess capacity.
Trade could also provide a boost, but this would require either extraordinarily rapid growth in demand from our trading partners or a sharp decline in the dollar that would make our goods more competitive. With most of our major trading partners also mired in stagnation, a rescue by fast-growing trading partners can be ruled out. Similarly, a lower-valued dollar is providing some benefits, but not of the magnitude needed to restore the economy to anything close to full employment.
With these other sectors accounted for, this leaves the government as the only remaining candidate for boosting the economy. But additional stimulus is not even on the agenda in Washington. Instead, we are seeing cutbacks at all levels of government. These cutbacks led to a loss of 29,000 jobs in May. The pace of job loss is only likely to increase when states impose another round of cuts on July 1, the beginning of a new fiscal year for most of them.

All of this suggests a bleak picture for the unemployed. The economy must create 90,000 jobs a month just to keep even with the growth of the labor force. To be sure, the dismal 54,000 job performance for May was partly an issue of timing, with jobs showing up in April instead of May. But even taking the last three months together yields an average growth rate of just 160,000. At this pace, it would take more than a decade to get back to normal levels of unemployment.
Moreover, there are more factors pointing to slower growth than faster growth going forward. In addition to the state and local cuts kicking in next month, the new fiscal year for the federal government begins October 1. This is also likely to involve further cuts in spending. And the payroll tax cut is scheduled to end 3 months later, as is the extension of unemployment benefits. At some point, the pain of high unemployment across the country may lead to some new thinking in Washington, but until that time, welcome to the second Great Depression.

Florida Homeless Hunger

OFFICIAL: Compassion is illegal in the USA.. Lets do something NOW

Yup you read that right…..

It is now illegal to show human compassion in the USA… It is now illegal to give hungry people food… it is now illegal to give thirsty people water!!!!
But we can do something about it.. and we need your help urgently…..
Washington Post:
Feeding the homeless is usually seen as a charitable act beyond reproach. But three members of national activist group Food Not Bombs found themselves on the other side of the law in Orlando, Fla. Wednesday for doing just that in a public park, an act that violates a city ordinance.
The three were arrested for, according to spokesperson for the Orlando police, “intentionally violat[ing] the statute,” which bans feeding groups larger than 25 people in the park without a permit. Groups can apply for a permit for each location twice a year.
Douglas Coleman, a spokesman for the group, sees the issue differently: “They basically carted them off to jail for feeding hungry people.For them to regulate a time and place for free speech and to share food, that is unacceptable,”
so what can we do now?
Sign the petition: If you try to feed him in Orlando, they will put you behind bars



PLEASE PRINT OUT THE WRITE A LETTER FLYER FOR YOUR LITERATURE TABLE AND SHARE  WITH FRIEND…..
Use this link to get all the info to help our hungry and thirsty friends
This is a major travesty, though with your help we can attempt to change these obscene laws….

Our streets need your help.. Food not Bombs need your help… We need your help
Poverty like rust never sleeps
Latest News from across the globe on FNB campaigns keep checking
Solidarity from WHAM!

May 5, 2011

Feeding Illegal

Outrageous: Three People Arrested for Feeding the Homeless

This headline could be a question in the "Real or Onion?" quiz. It is also heartbreaking and maddening.
Three arrested, accused of illegally feeding homeless
Members of Orlando Food Not Bombs were arrested Wednesday when police said they violated a city ordinance by feeding the homeless in Lake Eola Park....
The group lost a court battle in April, clearing the way for the city to enforce the ordinance. It requires groups to obtain a permit and limits each group to two permits per year for each park within a 2-mile radius of City Hall.
Arrest papers state that Cross, Markeson and McHenry helped feed 40 people Wednesday night. The ordinance applies to feedings of more than 25 people.
They were arrested for providing much-needed food to too many people, too often.
Did your head just explode, like mine did? As Orlando Food Not Bombs spokesperson Douglas Coleman told the Orlando Sentinel, "They basically carted them off to jail for feeding hungry people. For them to regulate a time and place for free speech and to share food, that is unacceptable."
The group "has been feeding the homeless breakfast on Mondays for several years and dinner on Wednesdays for five years." Local police did not enforce the ordinance while the group fought the absurd law in court. Now that the city has prevailed, the three Food Not Bombs staffers who were arrested -- Jessica Cross, Benjamin Markeson, and Jonathan "Keith" McHenry -- face 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
You'd think a city would welcome help in feeding its homeless population, what with states across the country facing massive budget cuts and compromised safety-net services. But in Orlando, sense does not prevail.
By Lauren Kelley | Sourced from AlterNet

Posted at June 3, 2011, 9:15 am

My comment - Careful If you become homeless in the sunshine state

May 4, 2011

Olivia's Story



Location: Wellington


Default Olivia - My story     ( Homeless  Forums  Post )

Hi everyone, I'd like to share my story.

I was homeless for about two years.
It started when me and two of my friends got kicked out of our flat. We were working minimum wage jobs and had no savings so we couldn't pay for bond on a new place. We moved into our car. It was cramped with three of us in there but we were all good friends so it was sort of fun too. We used to take turns on who got to sleep in the back seat and have the most room. It was luxury!

My friend Sheena had some health problems and had to give up work, and then Tim left his job so we tried to live off my earnings. It was hard. So was finding places to wash and safe places to park the car at night.

Eventually it got so hard that we turned to prostitution for some extra money. We met a girl called Mariah who was being pimped so we told her to leave them and come with us. Next thing, her old pimps are threatening to kill us so the four of us skip town.

It gets kind of complicated after we got to Wellington, so to cut a long story short, we all split up. It was horrible because not only was I on the streets in a strange place, I had lost my three best friends. I thought about killing myself a lot. Especially on really cold nights when I was trying to sleep on cold concrete with only my clothes for warmth.

I was working the streets as a prostitute so at least I had money for food and smokes. Sometimes I got to stay in backpackers but it was hard because I didn't have ID so most places wouldn't let me stay.

At the local youth centre I met up with lots of teenagers who became my friends. Some of them were homeless too. After a while I was able to buy a van to stay in. Some nights I had up to 7 teenagers sleeping in my van because they had no where else to go. If I had a good night at work I'd buy everyone McDonalds for breakfast or dinner.

Then I got into drinking. I drunk every day for 3 months. I lost my van, along with most of my belongings, and ended up back on the streets with nothing but a bag of clothes. I didn't care though - I just got drunk. It was easier to stand the cold if I was drunk. I slept in an abandoned petrol station sometimes. Sometimes in the stairways of parking buildings where at least there was no wind.

Then I met this guy named Sean. About a week after I met him I got really sick. I was living in an abandoned car at the time. I was so sick I didn't move for 3 days, not even to go to the bathroom. I didn't eat and could only take tiny sips of water. When I was well enough to move Sean took me back to his place to stay, and basically I've been with him since. I quit drinking and fell in love with Sean fast. I remember saying to him not long after we met "You know, I could spend the rest of my life with you, and just be happy." It was a big thing for me because I hadn't been truly happy in a long time.

We now have our own flat and I'm nearly 4 months pregnant.I'm on the benefit. I worry about the future but right now, I'm doing ok.

My Comment - You never know what you will do to survive

Assumptions


Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire

Default You're Crazy, You Smell, You Must Be Homeless                          ( Homeless  Forums Post )

The following is an article taken from my own website, Homeless Tales, which I was asked to share with you all. It will be interesting to see what you all think.


I pass people in the street every day and not one of them would know that I became homeless over seven months ago and am still legally registered as such. They wouldn’t know because I do not appear to fit the homeless stereotype.

I have been using twitter to study the public perception of homeless people. The following are all comments from twitter’s public time-line posted during October. They may be positive or negative reflections but all have one thing in common. See if you can spot what that factor is.

"Some homeless guy is screaming “Enter Sandman” at the top of his lungs right outside my apartment."

"I just saw a homeless guy skateboarding. I love this city."

"Creepy homeless woman chanting something in Latin in front of a defunct protestant church. What?"

"Just saw a homeless crack ho with a bloody nose on the train."

"A homeless man chased me and tried to steal my bike."

"There is some homeless black dude in a huge wedding dress on north ave. Wtf."

"Just walked past a homeless guy talking on a cell phone near wall street."

"Just saw a homeless man getting beat up by a Chinese gang….welcome to san fran."

"Saw the sweetest thing: Older homeless couple acting like newly weds. Lady sitting on the man’s lap just enjoying one another’s company. wow."

"A band is playing outside Starbucks. There is a drunken, bearded homeless man dancing animatedly, much to the delight of patrons."

"This morning on the bus, a homeless guy who smelled like dead fish sat down next to me."

"I locked the bathroom door, apparently the lock was broken. On venice beach. Homeless man walked in on me."

"Some crazy homeless dude at the bar keeps flicking my arm. Wicked crazy Wicked rude."

"Chased by a homeless man yesterday. Scares me that I understood his insane ranting.. Strange that he showed no interest in the pizza I held."

"The homeless man on roller-blades outside the venue made my night."

"I just watched a homeless guy try and hurtle a barricade. I love orlando."

"Creepy hooded homeless man on tram rubbed up against me. Aaaa."

All these relate to something which someone has witnessed and none give any indication that any actual conversation took place. So the question is, how can they know that the person they saw was homeless? Of course it is possible that they also witnessed this individual sleeping in an alley on a previous occasion but I doubt it. In most cases they have made an assumption based on the individual’s appearance, odor or behavior.

I did come across some statements where terms such as potentially homeless, possibly homeless or homeless-looking were used but it was a small minority. It comes as no surprise but it seems there is a general consensus that if someone in the street appears to be a combination of either drunk, dirty, smelly or behaving erratically they are often assumed to be homeless people.

There is of course a possibility that these individuals were indeed homeless but none of the factors used to make this determination are relevant. Most people will know of alcoholics who are housed. Many will know people who are often dirty or smelly but are housed. Many will also know people who are eccentric or mentally imbalanced but are housed or in care. The only real factor that determines if someone should be classed as homeless is whether or not they have a home to go to.

The problem lies in that the average person has little awareness of what constitutes homelessness and the issues homeless people face. These myth-busting homeless statistics demonstrate that the common held homeless stereotype is clearly flawed and as a result assumptions that someone must be homeless based on their appearance or behavior are regularly misplaced.

In case you still don’t think a housed person could be mistaken for homeless here are some twitter comments which demonstrate it can and does happen.

"This cute little old lady thought my brother was homeless..gave him $10."

"Went to Jewel in my pajamas to buy a tomato and some bitch thought I was homeless and tried to give me change. Wtf?"

Not In MY City

St. Pete cracking down on homeless


Jail or shelter.
Those soon will be the sleeping options for homeless people in St. Petersburg.
City officials are banning sleeping, reclining or storing personal items on public sidewalks in their latest attempt to sweep the homeless out of downtown.
The city had been blocked previously because the ordinance authorizing the ban first required space to be available at local shelters.
But Mayor Bill Foster said those beds will become available by the middle of the month.
"If they choose sleeping on a street corner as a lifestyle, they'll need to pick a different community," he said.
The city long has sought to rid its public areas of the homeless, drawing national attention in January 2007 when police were recorded on video slashing the tents of homeless people. At the urging of downtown merchants and residents, the city continued adopting stricter laws in addition to offering homeless people a one-way bus ticket out of town.
The tactics drew a lawsuit from homeless advocates in 2009.
Jack McPherson, who has been on the streets for almost five years, said he would prefer a jail cell ahead of a shelter bed.
"It's not like we're robbing people, but OK, take me to jail," he said. "We're not hurting nothing. What we're doing is finding a place just to lay our head down; maybe we drink a little beer."
The extra shelter space is available, Foster said, because the county shelter Safe Harbor, which opened in January at 14400 49th St. N. in an old bus depot, is opening a courtyard.
Bob Gualtieri, chief deputy with Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, said it will add another 100 outside beds to the 370 inside.
Gualtieri said it is a more humane and economical option. "It costs $126 a day to house someone in the county jail; it costs $20 a day to house someone here," he said.
Foster said the goal is to provide a better option for the homeless, adding that they make downtown sidewalks more dangerous and impede visitors and business customers.
"We as a society can do better than a cardboard box," he said.
McPherson doubts enforcement will work.
"You're going to travel us way out there. We're going to come back. We'll be here tomorrow," he said. "We're just sleeping, leave us alone. This is a short-term solution to a long-term problem."

May 3, 2011

Homeless in Florida

Homeless can't stay on St. Pete streets

Updated: Friday, 03 Jun 2011, 5:12 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 03 Jun 2011, 5:12 AM EDT
ST. PETERSBURG - The images of that day in 2007 are hard to forget: tents of the homeless were ripped down by St. Petersburg Police because fire officials declared their tent city a traffic and safety hazard.
In the years since, things have changed, but Thursday the city signaled another milestone in an effort to stem the homeless problem in St. Petersburg.
"They will not be allowed to stay on the streets," said city councilman Bill Dudley.
The city will start to enforce ordinances that ban sleeping, reclining and keeping personal belongings on public property.
People will have the option of going to Safe Harbor, a Pinellas County facility opened in January that provides shelter for the homeless.
"We're going to be able to steer them in the direction where they can get the help so that's really great news," Dudley said.
But some of the homeless don't see it that way.
"Safe Harbor to me is another jail," said one homeless man in downtown St. Petersburg.
The man, who asked not to be identified, calls the laws hypocritical.
"I think it's really garbage because people with houses and families get to recline in the parks," he said.
Dudley says there's a difference.
"If you're sitting down and just enjoying the day that's totally different from laying down and taking all your stuff and stacking it up and sleeping," Dudley said.
This isn't welcome news for those who end their days sleeping either outside of City Hall, in Williams Park or at Mirror Lake in St. Pete. That said, another homeless man who also asked the be unidentified says this action by the city is long overdue.
"Boot 'em (the homeless) right in the butt," he said. "When you get stuck in a rut, it's hard to get out of the rut. But once you get out, boy you can take off running."
With enforcement coming in just a few days, some of the homeless confirm they're ready to run.
"I'm going to have to hide from the law," said another homeless man.

May 2, 2011

Heat Is as bad as the Cold

by Heather Graf
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The near-record temperatures forecasted for this week are an inconvenience for most people.  For Nashville's homeless population, they can be dangerous.
"We've seen a trend for the last couple of years, it's getting hotter and staying hotter actually longer than it normally does," said Edward Grimes, with the Nashville Rescue Mission.  "And when that happens, we really get concerned about things like heat stroke and dehydration."
On Tuesday, the Nashville Rescue Mission turned its dayroom into a day shelter, to give men and women a chance to get into the air conditioned building and find some relief from the heat.
"It's a blessing to have a place like this," said Roger Eddings, who is homeless.  "If you didn't have a place like this, the heat would be deadly."
On Wednesday morning, the organization will activate its "Hot Patrol," a program that hands out water to anyone who needs it.
"We'll be going to the downtown areas where the homeless populate and just offer them a cool glass of water," said Grimes.
The people on the receiving end of that charity said it makes a big difference.
"Being out in the heat with no water and no place to cool out is dangerous," said Anna Cruz.
MDHA's most recent homeless count found more than 2,000 homeless people living in Metro Nashville.
Grimes says about 800 men and women are currently staying in their shelters.  He said when the temperature goes up, the need goes up as well.

My Comment - It's going to be a hot summer high 90's already 6/4/11

Apr 27, 2011

Opinions

Canada Speaks: Report reveals public perceptions about the nation's homeless



Canada Speaks: Report reveals public perceptions about the nation's homeless
Canadians have spoken and they have something to say about homelessness in Canada. 
A report released Wednesday provides a unique look into how Canadians feel about the more than 150,000 homeless living on the streets in cities across the country.
The report, Canada Speaks, is a part of The Salvation Army's ongoing Dignity Project — a national effort to educate and engage Canadians about the reality of poverty in the 21st Century.
The survey of more than 1,000 Canadians, conducted in April by Angus Reid Public Opinion, revealed that a surprising number of Canadians have had first-hand experience with homelessness and related issues.
As well, nearly one-quarter of Canadians have received or are currently receiving assistance from a food bank or charitable group, while seven per cent reported that they have had to sleep on the street or in a shelter due to lack of housing at some point in their lives.
Additional key findings include:
  • Approximately 40 percent of Canadians believe that most homeless people want to live on the street and in shelters.
  • Almost 30 percent of Canadians believe that a good work ethic is all you need to escape homelessness.
  • Nearly one-fifth of Canadians believe that individuals experiencing homelessness are always to blame for the situation they are in.
  • 43 percent of Canadians never give money to a homeless person on the street.
  • 40 percent believe that most homeless people are mentally ill.
  • More than one-third of Canadians are scared of homeless people.
  • Also:
  • Nearly all of the respondents believe that individuals experiencing homelessness deserve a sense of dignity.
  • 93 percent agree that no one in Canada should be homeless.
  • 86 percent of Canadians believe that housing is fundamental right for all Canadians.
  • 75 percent acknowledge that once you become homeless it is exceptionally difficult to get into housing
"The people of Canada have spoken and revealed much about their attitudes and perceptions about the nation's homeless," said Commissioner William Francis, leader of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. "We hope that through this report and the Dignity Project, we can continue to educate and inspire the public and work towards a Canada without homelessness."