valerie wrote:
Yep, it is rather weird over here to say the least.
Often there is someone sitting on a corner of the parking area at Walmart, holding a sign wanting money. Legally, people are allowed to do that in America. I don't give money to people that do that. I do see at times others driving over to that person and handed money.
It's legal in most countries - as long as you are not disturbing the peace or trespassing in a private area.
I saw documentaries reporting how some of these pan handlers are earning hundreds of $ daily, unfortunately, people who are in this situation often turn to drugs and alcohol - so whatever money you give them, they know that little money cannot pay for their expenses, but enough for them to buy a bottle of alcohol, cigs or weed, or all 3

Nobody can be in their shoes - when shit hits the fan, people escape through addiction, and they need major help to get out. BUT THE PROBLEM remains - some people ask for money and are honest and really need it and they use it to eat, it's sad that the good ones have to pay the price for the scammers like anything else in life.
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Walmart is usually hiring. All the fast food joints down the strip from Walmart, generally have a sign HIRING. The Goodwill has had a sign in their window HIRING for at least a month.
Yeah but they won't hire bums, alcoholics and drug addicts - and usually to get hired you need a physical address. Often people who were homeless for too long and develop mental issues. Also employers play a role in this bullshit, some companies have ridiculous interviewing practices, nowadays to get a job it's not whoever is the best fit, it is whoever answers the way the interviewer wants them - in other words the best bullshitter gets the F'n job. So people in need stand little chances when there is so much competition and people not in those situations will be hired first - these companies are just as much responsible for discrimination and profiling than any other, they are part of the problem.
THEN of course, you have people who don't want to life a bloody finger and work - let's do the math here - it's far more work spending your entire day standing up in the middle of roads bumming for cash, more stressful, BUT in that documentary, some of these pan handlers admitted that they made more money this way than any money they can make working in a fast food at minimum wage. So that alone is quite disturbing ! Once upon a time major cities in Canada were safe - today try going downtown many major cities in Canada, it is a complete shit hole - since the pandemic, these cities have become garbage dumps, infested with homeless people, drug addicts, drug lords, prostitutes, street gangs and shootings at every hour of the day and night, there used to be good neighbourhoods and bad ones, now, it's everywhere - God help you if you want to go down town or take the subway - and here the police are ridden in corruption - I hear it's no different in America though
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I had a leak in my shop for months and I finally located a roofer that sealed it for a $100 bucks on his day off from his regular roofing job.
WOW that is a bargain - hopefully he did a good job - what was the cause of the leak ? A damaged shingle ? Damaged caulking ? That's quit ea bargain - here there i no way you can find that - Roofing, cement, fence, the whole works, landscaping, etc, most companies here are run by mobsters and organised crime - most of these companies will never come over for "small jobs", they want BIG jobs, $25k...... Try getting a small repair to roof here, $1k MINIMUM, that $100 is just to come over and diagnose the problem, then $130-$200 an hour for labour + material which they charge you 10 times the cost.
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It's very difficult where I live to get good help. At my age, there are things I cannot do and things I should not do. I shouldn't be getting on roofs and I shouldn't be getting on ladders.
There are people your age still working construction - your age = the new mid 40's
It depends if you have health conditions, back problems, that does not help besides, you are never supposed to go on your roof, no matter your age, unless you are qualified to do so - it is extremely dangerous, and stupid too, if you mess up or get injured, your insurance company won't pay!
Yes it is hard to find help - unless you are willing to cough up big $$$$$ and even so a lot of companies do shitty jobs in the end - I've seen homes in town redo their steps, driveway, landscaping, and paid in excess of $30k, and the jobs were poorly done, crooked, not levelled, cracks, poor quality material, etc. if you own a home and are not a DIY kind of person, you are screwed
So no, you should not climb on a roof, climbing on ladders, well it depends how high, maybe a few steps to reach for that can of beans on the top shelf

and definitely not lift heavy things if you have back problems unless you fancy a few herniated discs !
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My point is, there is a lot of help for people in America. Social Security. Medicare. Disability. Food Stamps. Food Banks. Churches of all kinds. People in America are very generous in regards to helping people with food and care. We have a lot of programs to help people in need that want it. We just don't want to be fooled and give money to people that don't really need it, that won't get up off their butt to get a job and work. I don't know what those people think they are going to do in the not so distant future. Our present programs in this country could cease to exist at any time and there is not a dam thing anyone can do about it when it happens. These resources are certainly not going to exist forever. No doubt about that.
The only formula for that to happen is for Democrats to keep winning elections and to fully control both House and Senate

now that thought alone is enough to give Bernie Sanders a couple of orgasms
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All the while, gas prices increase, food prices increase, housing prices increase, shortage of food on the shelves, shortage of housing available, high rent prices, expensive maintenance fees, vehicle prices skyrocketing, and the 'General Dollar Stores' in America is in need to changing their name because their slogan 'a dollar is still a dollar at the dollar general store' is now bullshit.
Yeah I mentioned that in another topic or maybe this one

The Dollar Store where everything was $1....... Yeah it's easy all they need is an added s. Dollars store, so technically if something is $100, it still qualifies as dollars
It's more like $3-$5 but apparently some people are getting a good deal on some items. Some people are buying their meat at the dollar stores.