Homeless Family's Blog

Mailboxes.com

2012-02-09T15:56:00.000-05:00

About a month ago I came across a notice that there was an upcoming site still yet under construction, Mailboxpoint.com. Then there wasn’t anything to look at, save if you did a ‘WhoIs’ search to find out who it was registered to. Looking it up just today I was glad they finally came online.

The cool thing about today’s marketing portals is…well, they don’t look like yesterday’s pre-made script installs that was so popular ten years ago. Checking out the site it’s got a decent color scheme, layout’s appropriate, and the variety of mailboxes on their entry portal fits pretty much anything a person would want if they were looking for residential mailboxes. Unfortunately with me living in an apartment, I myself don’t have any need for a mailbox…but when it should come time to put up my white picket fence somewhere, this would be a place I’d want to check. For one reason.

Options. Enough for variety, but not too much for me to get lost in. The one benefit I saw when viewing this site? There weren’t any big pink kitten mail boxes for me to get lost on and lose my attention span to what I was originally wanting to do there.

I wonder if they’ll start marketing big kitten mailboxes now that they know there’s potential?

They're not getting any better

2012-02-09T10:40:00.001-05:00

Why badmouth and provide linkage/traffic to a site?

Because it's part of the Karpman Triangle Games that people play.

There are two types of people that will react to drama: those that react to it while continuing to play and those that walk away.

This morning I had to choose the latter, only because I'm one of the third and fourth types of people that play games. The drama winners, of which there's two types. Type A will change the rules and win, having found loopholes in drama game systems others failed to exploit before.

The will play another persons house and manage every time to make gazebos for sale without paying subleases or other fees to the owner...because they are God's gift to man's stupidity. You can quote me on that if you reuse it.

Type B will rhetorically rip someone's head off their shoulders and crap down their exposed necks...because everyone knows he who's still standing wins.

I'm a winner. I just like using my mind and having to wash my hands less often nowadays.

In essence, anyone falling back on illustrating their beliefs through outdated and unrevamped explanations half a century old...is themselves controlled by the system they themselves try to control others with.

"Clinicians can be SO symptomatic." ~ JohnC, 2011

Bathroomvesselsinks.com

2012-02-06T18:28:00.000-05:00

I was asked to take a look at Bathroomvesselsinks.com the other day, the links provided me were vessel sink, vessel faucet, and vessel sink faucets. Overall a nice selection and appropriate for the anchor link. After checking the pages I headed back to the portal page of what looks like could be an AWESOME site graphically and navigationally, but didn't seem 'just right' at first glance.

Heading to it's front portal page top section, it's filling the browser looks great. The graphic for the Glass Vessel Sinks REALLY draws attention to the other items due to the site's color schemes.

Oh, but then there's the "Cons":
Use of the BBB and McASfee SECURE graphics in the top header takes away from the site's feel. Better placed at the footer, site owners often feel they provide validation; and to some consumers they 'do'; to the online purchasers long in the tooth it's known there's tons of less honest sites waving these banners as flags.

FYI for the site's theme developer: BBB graphics are actually used TWICE in the header. I'm just sayin. Feel the love!

The site was viewed originally on an 800x600 screen and was noted to take up 3.5 screen rolls of space. While informative, the portal page goes from a visually graphic taste to a multi-paragraph section of long winded rhetoric. Stephen King said it best when he related to 'killing your babies'. Well written, this section would be best served ripped into bits, and the bits dispersed into the individual areas applying to the appropriate product pages they describe.

The footer looked pretty good in it's present state, and by moving the two mentioned header graphics there they'd would go nicely in a space nestled on the right, just to the left of their branded graphic for 'eden'.

All in all this site appears to have been designed by someone with extremely good skills in communication. By making a few adjustments, it can easily go from being an 'ok' representation for it's company online to something 'all that'. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this site a "7". Adjusting the above mentioned would get it to a "9", and ultimately getting a really hot female representative graphically on the site would push things on the 'sex sells' meter to a "10"!

What can I say...I'm a consumer! Happy trails, y'all!

Counting when there's nobody around

2012-02-06T18:22:00.001-05:00

Last week many communities around the United States conducted Homeless Census and Surveys throughout parts of the homeless community. Some doing the count at shelters prior to dawn, others accepting counts at family shelters during meal times, and yet others the task of venturing into the many homeless camps. I had the fortune of volunteering with one agency in our county who was doing the latter.

Having lived through various phases of the cycle myself I was surprised at the lack of people living outside as in the past. While there was evidence of established camps in most places we went, it was apparent they hadn't been used in some cases weeks. One camp in particular was the first we visited, a tent situated along a property line with refuse strewn about and the tent laying on the ground damaged.

The signs though made it apparent this wasn't a typical homeless camp. Multiple brands of more expensive cigarette brands were the majority of the wrappers and butts around, as well as a glass ashtray that looked like it was purchased in the last year. The other matter was the pornography first seen by one of the nurses. As we left something didn't make sense to me, so while the group walked away I returned to confirm what I thought...and I was right.

The magazine wasn't dog eared and had obviously been outside in the rain from the water accumulating on it for at least a week and the known regular rains, but it was the date of publication that was remarkable: March 1972. Chances are the camp was from local teens setting up a 'fort' from the nearby neighborhood, and the porn obviously from a collection of an older adult.

Another location where we were responded to by neighbors using an air horn when seeing us venture into a field was interesting. Finding an instruction manual for a small electronic scale on the ground in the open near a ditch caused me to be more watchful. When I voiced to the team leader I found what looked to be drug paraphernalia instructions, he admitted the location was known for being a hot spot for drugs: amongst the residents, not the homeless.

Which leads me to wonder...if a homeless person were to break wind around a cable raceway and there was nobody else to smell it, would it stink? The wind...not the homeless person.

One thing that half the camp locations had in common was the strong scent of urine odor, but feline rather than human, and in about half of those feral cats were found in our wake when coming up pathways. One camp in particular known for a man caring for ten or more in the past...we found the expected cats but he hadn't been in the area for days if not more.

In all our team found and engaged only one man the entire night. More probable and likely is the fact that regulars of the areas we searched through were located in other area camps, sheltering closer to downtown resources, or possibly were actually there but had relocated their camps away from known visible pathways to prevent detection. Two individuals known to frequent areas were discussed with one local, himself having provided one a tent who he had come to know over time behind his business. He related how local law enforcement had cleared the camp out, using what he voiced as Juvenile Detention Inmates to literally rake and level off any sign any camp had existed originally in it's place.

Are they there? Depends on who you talk to. Some people experiencing homelessness and hard sleeping keep their wits about them, and you'd never know they were there...and in many parts of communities walk freely among the 'homed' looking no different than others, contrary to the vagabond, hobo, and other stereotypical images people have.
I simply think they found out where the decent food is and aren’t letting on to their stash. Kudos if that’s the case.

Old and new

2012-02-01T08:05:00.003-05:00

The other day I picked up on a link to moebius models, which I thought would be a cool place to pick up on those twisty thingies my math teacher used to use in class. It was cool what I found were actually Science Fiction models from both new and old series and movies.

Over the last year I've been collecting different forms of science fiction films from the past that my children haven't experienced, trying to get them a taste of 'how' today's media was formed. I've also been working more at creating more meals from the 'Old Country', original dishes that were later changed and altered to become 'Americanized' based on what was available to immigrants.

In America it's extremely difficult to find decent Hunter's Sauce. I wonder how long it's going to take before I start making little German dumplings.

IN THE KITCHEN

2012-01-27T12:16:00.001-05:00

Guest post from: Kent Lara

I made an appointment for satellite television to be put in our home by logging onto satellitetvfamily.com. I had them add some places where you wouldn’t traditionally have television, but I think that we are going to really enjoy it. I had them put a hook up on the covered porch. I know that my husband is going to absolutely love being able to cook out in the fall, stand near the fire pit, and watch his favorite college games.

I think that people that we have over will enjoy it too. The other place that I really wanted television and had to have it put in was in the kitchen. I have been cooking a lot lately. Sometimes I get bored while I’m standing there and waiting for things to cook. Having a television in the kitchen will keep me busy and hopefully make me want to be there cooking more than I want to now.

Sometimes I get so sick of cooking. I guess when you have cooked every night for the last ten years, you need some kind of little incentive to spend time in the kitchen! Watching tv is going to be just what I need!

One person's faith...

2012-01-17T15:30:00.003-05:00

Once in a while I come across something as pretty as a handful of steel rings when walking down sidewalks, but for the most part not. The same goes for when I use public facilities where people experiencing homelessness get access to the internet freely.

On one hand many communities work to preserve the rights of digital access to all of it's community members, but like any good thing it can get abused...and it doesn't matter the level, status, or caste of the perpetrator.

The other day I overheard someone bringing attention to a computer lab the issue of music being played by others through speakers. How or why any agency feels it necessary to include speakers in any public access point, have 'quiet' rules posted, and then fail to enforce them is beyond me.

Chances are it's out of guilt or not wanting to cause a scene. Playing faith based songs you can get away with, more so than if you were playing Judas Priest or some form of Death Metal. But when you get down to it, one person's treasure is another man's disdain.

When it gets this bad

2012-01-02T05:47:00.001-05:00

Depending on where you go in America there’s a certain quality to outdoor signs you get in some areas as opposed to others.

This one sums it up across the masses more than the usual ones sitting against walls. Why? Because funny gets money, and the term ‘invisible homeless’ still has weight after it was coined…well, makes me think ‘when’ was it coined if the homeless were invisible all those years before someone realized they were there!

A way to keep them occupied

2012-01-02T05:33:00.001-05:00

Tons of people have answers to how they believe the homeless can either be helped or they themselves can be helped from further bother of people experiencing homelessness.

Two years ago I sat at a table in which a Mayoral candidate professed making it’s business’s location home to an upcoming drop in center for street people.

The rub?

When I asked the impact of the already numerous families with children there and the risks imposed I was rebuttled, “They won’t be housed there”.

Needless to say, she didn’t win the race, the families are still there, and I haven’t heard word of the drop in center further…but I’m sure some spin doctor will eventually open their yap when they want to take credit.

I imagine the numbers will be forward looking…something in the area of 5 people a day served.

Not all mats are created equally

2012-01-02T05:25:00.001-05:00

Decades ago it was the rhetorical cardboard box. As time went by new materials and the information available via the internet brought changes to what people experiencing homelessness could work with.

While some still use age old techniques of crumbled newspapers stuffed in their jackets and pants, others are finding uses for things such as a yoga mat to keep losing precious body heat to the ground.

Years ago I remember seeing first hand the uses of heat grates in metropolitan cities. The only problem with this “they’ll be ok” imagery is that it’s not common throughout all of America, heat exhaust and steam grates are a fact of more Northern cities.

So while you’re rummaging through your garages and looking for ways to greenly dispose of things, remember…one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Playing with the band

2011-12-28T22:57:00.002-05:00

Even though my next door neighbor is in his seventies and has been and out of the homeless cycle a few times, he still pursues his musical vocation through local churches in the community. The biggest hurdle for him was the last bout, he had to replace his amp, guitar, and a handful of guitar pedals.

Each night when he played in New York with his fellow musicians he'd known from Miami, he'd set up his spot on stage based on both sound as well as visual pressence. A great performer, and as I listened to him being long winded I began to connect to what he was getting at.

To some it's not something of merit, but when you're confronted with rebuilding a life from bare bones it can be humiliating. Many people used to minimize myself when I aspired to rebuild my own equipment...I was constantly reminded I should be grateful for whatever I was able to get.

But again, that's minimizing someone aspiring to what they believe in.

Writing no more

2011-12-27T16:04:00.000-05:00

Contributed by Vickie Tyson

Writing has always been a passion of mine but sometime last year I got really burned out. I never even had a TV so I would focus and write all the time but you know, I think I just need a break. I went to http://www.cannonsatellite.com/ not too long ago to get some channels and I’ve actually been watching the most absurd reality shows.

I never would have pegged myself one of the kinds of people who watch Jersey Shore or The Real World but hey, I guess you like what you like. I can’t believe these kinds of shows appeal to me but you know, reality is one of the neatest genres I think that’s been created in the last decade.

It reminds me a lot of the stuff I have written in the past and I honestly feel like I’m getting inspired to write something new just by letting my “brain cells die” and I’m going to be ready to get up and running sometime soon!

Making the transition

2011-12-22T01:02:00.001-05:00

With the amount of people I see experiencing chronic cycling in and out of homelessness one thing always makes me think twice: where does it all go for some people.

About a week ago I was helping someone pack their items and furniture for storage, due to income changes they were required to vacate their home they couldn’t afford further. Knicknack shelves, a roll top desk, entertainment stand...all the usual trappings that make a home. But it was when we got to the photographs on the wall that they became emotional.

Graphic cues from things we connect with are often the first thing to be taken for granted. Things part of our lives we don’t think twice about, yet whose presence are creature comforts making life more…lively.

Last Summer Trip

2011-09-26T14:48:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the article from Jermaine Haynes

School is starting in a few weeks. My house is become chaos central with my kids asking for the latest book bags and lunchboxes. I know the teacher’s list will be arriving soon and I am going to have my game face on for bedtime. Before all of that begins, we have decided to surprise the kids with one last summer trip. We are going to the beach for a week. We would love to take them to Disneyworld or somewhere exotic, but we are a little strapped for cash. I am sure they will not care. They will just be happy to be near the water. As usual I will have to plan the trip. I will have to make the hotel reservation, plan the route that is most fuel efficient and figure out what time we should leave. I will also have to pack everyone’s bags and I will have to go online to HOME-ALARM-SYSTEMS.comto see if there is anything I need to do to the alarm system. I hope they enjoy this late summer getaway.

Is airbag fraud costing the auto insurance industry?

2011-09-22T13:49:00.001-04:00

You pay more than you should for auto insurance premiums increase because of insurance fraud. When fraudsters swindle insurance companies, they then pass the cost on to individuals. It’s unfortunate, but scammers cost all of us, not just those they are directly stealing from.

One type of insurance fraud that’s difficult to detect is airbag fraud.

Typically, air bag fraud takes place at a body shop, after you’ve been in a collision. An unscrupulous mechanic can pull out an airbag to make it look like it was deployed in the accident; get money from an insurer to replace it, and then replace it with a far cheaper version, or worse, with whatever will fill the space.

The worst thing about these scams is that victims’ lives are at risk.

It’s impossible to know if your airbag has been replaced, so how can you avoid airbag fraud? If buying a used car, do a VIN number check to find out more about the history of the car. If the report shows that the car has been involved in an accident and you’re concerned about the airbags, you can have an airbag technician inspect it.

Also, check the airbag indicator light on the dashboard. The light should appear as soon as you start the car, then go out. If this doesn’t happen, your airbag system may not be working properly.

It’s in the interests of all drivers to do what we can to reduce insurance fraud and prevent your Athens insurance costs from rising.

Troy Davis gone and the attacks start

2011-09-22T13:46:00.001-04:00

Only an hour after Troy Davis was executed numerous individuals Tweeted callouts to begin Denial of Service attacks against both Georgia State websites involved as well as the healthcare site providing care to the facility he was at and online communities where medical professionals are graded by patients.

The backlash came through more clearly when people began quoting Martin Luther King online…of how what Hitler did in Germany was legal, because he and his followers got the laws written that way to do it.

The stories were pushed how the requirements for Troy Davis were put at a higher level to prove his innocence than the bar for prosecution to maintain his guilt amidst conflicting reported testimony and circumstantial evidence.

Whether or not Troy Davis killed another human being is not the issue. The fact our system of justice has constantly done a cute “Ooopsie” after the fact when a man or woman’s life is taken…and later proven WRONG…but done legally according to law…THAT is the issue.

While others choose to play armchair quarterback, sling their crap, and berate others involved in this…please…remember it was ‘Ok’ for him then when they come for you later.

Finding what you want online

2011-09-19T08:52:00.002-04:00

If you want cheap life insurance, just click it’s link here. But if you need something more specific…read on.

When a person uses a search engine and types in a few keywords, the search engine doesn’t necessarily give a result like people think. If you type in “red skies” you’ll get pages that have the word ‘red’ as well as ‘skies’ and even pages with both ‘red’ and ‘skies’ in them.

To make sure you get a page that has both every time simply put a ‘+’ sign in front of every word. I make a habit of typing ‘+’, the word I want, a space, another ‘+’, etc…to make sure I narrow the results.

Otherwise I’d be sifting through pages including Rudolph and Nazis in space needlessly, when I may want a picture or story about “red skies”.

Things you see on the streets

2011-09-19T08:47:00.001-04:00

The other day I saw a three wheeled motorcycle, but instead of the axel in the back it was in the front. I've also seen stuff like scorpion helmets, even the fad of hooligans wearing not only hockey masks but what looks like facial body armor or ski masks has been going on for a few years here.

Being safe on a bike I can understand, but worrying about windburn with a face of a demon comes too close to violating local laws about masks worn in public. Much of this having to do with participants either robbing stores or participating in hate group demonstrations or illegal activity.

The odd thing...I don't see any white people doing it in the Southeast.

Maybe it's just me.

Stuff for the older couples on the streets

2011-09-06T03:08:00.003-04:00

The ratio of couples versus individuals experiencing homelessness is a gap the size of the Grand Canyon. Yet each year some guy on the streets looks at his mate with the intent to sweep her off her feet...somehow, someway.

While many service providers give extra attention to single women or children, it's not often the older couples with over a decade of togetherness get pampered. Besides a one night visit to a restaurant via gift card, online gift purchasing is a cheaper way for charitable giving. It's greener, cheaper, and items can be delivered directly.

Just don't try and get UPS to deliver to a street corner. It doesn't always work out.

When things don't link up

2011-09-06T03:03:00.001-04:00

Originally I was asked to give my opinion last month regarding buckle coupons, at Dropdowndeals.com. Unfortunately for weeks I've been getting nothing but "Invalid Publisher Code, Offer, or Publisher - Advertiser Partnership Status" every time I've clicked on a link on that page.

I'd thought this was a temporary issue, but with it continuing for weeks it's not positive to say anything regarding either the Dropdowndeals.com site or Buckle.com. Obviously something is going on regarding a business or technical issue, but in the end Dropdowndeals.com is losing potential customers due non-working links and Buckle.com isn't getting what it intended.

If this is an issue of a promotion ended, Buckle.com would be better served to create a "Sorry, sold out...but look at other shiny things we got" page. In the end, they're losing customers...regardless who's responsible for the issue of dead links.

Shopping carts are getting smarter

2011-08-05T23:46:00.002-04:00

I remember when I first saw one of the shopping carts that use sensors and embedded strips in parking lots to lock the wheels. I'm not sure whether their magnetic or radio based, but it made me wonder how a person could exploit it's vulnerabilities. If it's a machine, simple or not, it can be modded.

Eventually someone on the streets is bound to find an older model from a reduced price store and modify it to the point of being close to a poc cart, with every gadget to monitor themselves as well as helping stabilize their comrades falling out from the heat here in Florida.

It's only a matter of time.

Sheena is Awesome

2011-07-28T02:04:00.003-04:00

Author: Joseph Sandoval

Having a babysitter here over the summer has been great for me and the kids. They like having someone else to play with other than their mom and it’s been nice for me to have some time to run errands and do other things that would be much harder if I had the kids in tow! Sheena is wonderful, too, and she’s a great cook to boot so I let her buy whatever she wants and the store and make us a big lunch whenever she’s in the mood. She is always complaining about how hot it is inside our house though, and the truth is that my husband is a real miser when it comes to the utilities. I went to Http://www.texaselectricityproviders.com/stream-energy-texas/Texas/ the other day and saved us some money on our electric bill so now she’s free to turn the air down to her little heart’s content. I love being able to watch my kids and play with them when I’ve got the time but it’s also nice to be able to leave them!

Oakland, CA: Man shot while feeding former homeless person

2011-07-27T22:19:00.002-04:00

Man shot while feeding former homeless person, story via Bostonherald.com from the Oakland Tribune, July 27th, 2011.

Gifts that work for graduation on the streets

2011-07-25T08:17:00.003-04:00

Someone asked me what were some ideas I had for great graduation gifts for teens experiencing homelessness or transitioning out. Depending on the age and the interests, here's a few tips:

Netbooks: Their cheaper than a laptop, provide access to the internet with built in WiFi through free hotspots, and they'll serve both academic and recreational interests.

MP3 Players: Can't say this enough, kids love music. Don't ask 'where' they'll get their music...trust me, they will.

Walmart PREPAID Debit Cards: While I used to advocate Walmart Gift Cards, their Debit Cards only cost $4.95. Hand it to a teen and they've got the ability to use it anywhere Visa is accepted as well as get their part time job's payroll Direct Deposited on it. It can save them the hassle of dealing with banks or check cashing locations that overcharge as it is.

It's TOO BIG, Ethyl!

2011-07-23T21:17:00.003-04:00

The other day a discussion came up about people living in their car, but not the typical 'invisible homeless' scenario. There was a guy that was contemplating installation of a trailer hitch and taking to the roads vagabond style with the intent of camping in the trailer.

The problem was he wanted to put a class three hitch on a Gremlin. He obviously didn't know anything about the weight issues let alone the strain too much on a vehicle can do to other components. I never touched on the problem of him trying to stop a one ton loaded trailer that didn't have it's own braking system.

Kind of gives new meaning to 'up in your face' when you think about it.

Beach scenery

2011-07-05T09:49:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I could have used a pair of hunting binoculars at the beach, there were tons of local wildlife in their more naturally attractive state. The pier was great being able to sit on the sand underneath while others had to deal with tents and umbrellas getting whipped by the wind.

About an hour after getting there we build a sand castle that managed to thrive until we departed. Music was overheard from the local dives nearby amidst the sounds of sirens of lifeguards responding to jelly fish stings.

Unfortunately we couldn't stay at the beach to see the fireworks due to the last departing bus to town leaving an hour before dark, and the bus being late meant we missed being able to watch the downtown ones going off.

But all in all it was a great day. The cool thing about holidays on the beach is you really can't tell the homed from homeless unless their acting it out.

What you get is what you put into things

2011-06-25T17:33:00.002-04:00

If you had your choice, would you want a pair of yellow box shoes? Last week I decided to go 'cheap' and pick up a pair of flip flops at a nearby dollar store. They worked out for about two days, until some rain came in from the North.

After that I was fighting suction cup action that resulted in the toe thong piece ripping through the foam bottom while it gripped the wet ground.

Since then I've been stopping every few hours and having to put them back together, causing me to walk gingerly...but hopefully not too much like Ginger. You get what you pay for, I guess.

I've seen

2011-06-15T15:48:00.003-04:00

I've seen people in boxes and I've seen people living out of anrv towing cans behind it even.

I've seen kids in squallor and around a holler, enough to give me a pallor!

And it makes me cry.

Until they get out of it and get their own home.

Then I don't, cause that frown be turned upside down.

Different people think differently about the same thing

2011-05-28T14:05:00.003-04:00

Tons of people in hundreds of shelters all have the same similiar problem, weight. When you're on the street, it's impossible to gauge 'how' much is appropriate to eat, when you can't get consecutive healthy meals.

People turn to different things, including finding better oxyelite pro results...but chances are not if they're on the street. When you're homeless, you don't care much more than the next few hours...because a lot can change in just two that can influence the decisions a person makes for survival.

My daughter the introvert

2011-05-26T08:28:00.001-04:00

Thanks for the post from Nora Mccoy

My daughter was going off to college soon and her mother and I were really nervous. Would she make friends or be lonely? Was she going to get into the sorority she wanted to or would she end up disappointed? Would her track practice interfere with her school work? There were so many unanswered questions but we knew our girl would be okay. She had a good head on her shoulders and was definitely very mature so we were not worried about sending her off to the wolves, just worried about her social life. She’s always been quiet, but we hoped college would really bring out the best in her. My wife and I went to www.Getclearwirelessinternet.comand ordered her a mobile internet connection so we could keep in touch via email and video chat. That goodness we did, because now our daughter’s so busy with her friends we can hardly catch her on the phone! She’s really blossomed and it’s all thanks to her school. I couldn’t be happier for her or her new life!

Public consumption doesn't equal 'bad'

2011-05-21T07:50:00.004-04:00

In my sabbatical travels in Germany this last two months I have yet to find any actual Cuban imported cigars. In the States I'd have to settle for dominican cohiba cigars due to the embargos. But the neater thing about Germany is being able to drink outdoors, something everyone knows people that are experiencing homelessness often get arrested for in the United States.

While in Germany I have seen countless people who are homeless drinking, and none of them became problematic. If it weren't for the fact of me doing my sabbatical in and around them, chances are I couldn't tell that they were even homeless.

It's things like this that make me wonder how we can improve service delivery, not just the small things but the bigger impacts of 'why' we do the things we do.

It's still hard all over

2011-05-19T08:52:00.002-04:00

Whether looking abroad or more local for columbus jobs, I don't see the sign that things are changing as politicians claimed they would months ago.

In Europe millions of Germans are even unemployed, which means that individuals from the United States can forget it seeking employment there. Word has it the same is going on all over the European Community, not to mention South Africa.

My only question is if there are any openings for penguin inspectors in the Antarctic. And if there are, do they provide air fare or require you to travel by boat...let alone how far you have to go to get the job done doing that kind of work.

There are only so many ways I'll go about getting or doing a job.

How to make money through blogging while homeless?

2011-05-06T05:07:00.002-04:00

I get this question a lot, from both people with homes and not that think it's easy...which it isn't. Blogging itself is only the start, for a person to 'make' anything really depends on the goals and skills of the individual.

When I started this blog, it was originally just an expression. If anything I wanted to 'do' something at a time I felt unheard. As I stabilized in my personal life, I continued in it as a hobby. It wouldn't be three years until I made one cent towards it...and that went to just prior upgrades to having my own self hosted site and web address.

There's a difference between really 'blogging' and outright making money, and varying levels between the two. Some people get involved with doing reviews of either products or sites, but the recent issues involving the FTC towards blogging put a damper on some online content writers. This was due to their own choices, going in the direction of seeming to be a paid advertiser rather than actual personal expression of experience.

Let's say a site wants me to link to and review oxyelite pro reviews. As long as I'm honest, don't overstep my boundaries, and don't mislead people...there's no issues. But if I were to say I'd personally used their service when I hadn't...that'd by what's considered a violation of ethics and morals. Most bloggers I know personally "don't" go there, although there's thousands more who do.

Will blogging 'get' you out of homelessness or 'make' your business? No, but it's a great communication tool to be heard while 'you' do the legwork and mind your business...because your business is only as good as you make it.

Getting what you want online

2011-05-02T05:38:00.002-04:00

Different people use the internet in different ways. Some searching for the perfect date while others something from www.sensareviews.com. It's a big internet and sometimes finding what a person wants isn't all that easy.

When using search engines like Google or Yahoo, typing in a handful of keywords doesn't mean the returned list will include those on each provided link. Using a plus sign (+) before each word will do this. Also using a minus sign (-) will tell the search engine 'not' to provide results with that specific keyword.

In all the years I've been using search engines I haven't found one that doesn't support this

Clothes make the homeless

2011-04-20T10:22:00.003-04:00

A few years ago I stopped to think about the clothes I'd seen many youth and young adults wearing daily while experiencing homelessness. Whether it's hip hop clothing, Goth/Punk, to Grunge, the younger a person the more prone to maintaining at least two outfits of their style.

But the same people often overlook the basic necessities, such as toothbrushes, razors, or soap in a travel bag. What they're exhibiting is the "what would you collect if you had a fire and 1 minute to escape?" syndrome.

...including underwear, and let's face it...everyone needs underwear. Which is what Dignity You Wear does, and has been doing for years in Jacksonville. There's only one problem...I've never seen them have anything that could be color coordinated with black Goth clothes.

Keeping clean on the streets

2011-03-30T10:18:00.003-04:00

A young adult male the other day related his issues of personal hygiene while hardsleeping. Looking at the size of his backpack I reasoned he was overburdened with items amounting to personal mementos rather than survival needs.

What I recommended to him was

Towel with tight weave to dry quick.
Liquid Gel, rather than soap bars.
Dental products kept in a ziploc baggie.
Deodorant or antiperspirants.
Essential haircare products. Clippers possibly since they can be used for bartering services or use.

These are the basic essentials. Once sheltered, additional items such as acne pills or other daily regimen health care products can be brought in 'then' once additional storage space is found.

The difference can amount to an unnecessary burden on the back when you're homeless.

Still studying homelessness in Germany

2011-03-30T07:55:00.002-04:00

So far after twelve days I'm seeing more signs of homeless in Germany, not from the local residents, but from the military dependent children whose parents are stationed in the nearby facilities.

Couch surfing and doubling up with friends, stories of adult teens eating out of garbage cans are making it to my ears even.

Sad.

Mobile computing going home

2011-03-30T07:51:00.003-04:00

The years that I used laptops and PDAs out of necessity are over, but I still regularly use an Acer Aspire One netbook regularly for my mobile computing. I haven't looked into acer desktops, but my experience using Ubuntu/Linux on their netbooks has been promising. Chances are their desktop systems should be as easily a setup as well.

The main thing about breaking the homeless cycle is cutting cost barriers, trying to find newer and cheaper ways of doing the same things required in day to day living...in my area, computing. While Mac and Win based systems 'are' easier for consumers, they also come with a higher pricetag.

Air, moisture, and heat

2011-03-24T14:32:00.002-04:00

Years ago I always wondered why our neighbors regularly used a dehumidifier, then the family ended up in Florida...and I learned the value of one.

Being in Germany now we don't have as much a need. At best we simply open the windows three hours once a week to make sure the apartment gets aired out, not doing so can cause a tenant to be charged damages on move out.

Are you homeless?

2011-03-24T14:23:00.003-04:00

Or do you have an experience with the homeless you'd like to post a guest entry? From direct interaction to inspired art work, anything goes here.

Currently I'm on sabbatical which provides a great chance for anyone wanting to do some posts here. You can contact me by providing a comment below with your name and email address, and don't worry...only I'll be able to see it.

DIY small notepads

2011-03-24T14:18:00.002-04:00

Guest post written by Ronnie Harris

I'm a big fan of moleskins and small notebooks like that. They're great for to-do lists, directions to places and all kinds of great little things that you jot down at the last minute. But the best part is that they're small and I can take them with me anywhere. I just don't like that they're so expensive and at the rate that I go through them, I need to come up with a less expensive answer. I had all this scrap paper in my recycling bin so I thought that I could put some of that to use and make some of my own small notebooks out of it.
But I'd never made anything like small notebooks before, so I went online to find some directions to help me out. While I was doing that I randomly found some wireless internet pricing that I thought sounded so good that I signed up for one of the internet packages associated with it.
I found the easiest directions for a DIY small notepad and got to work. I thought it would be easier to go ahead and make several of them at once, so that's what I did.

SSDI benefit answers from an agency that does just that

2011-01-26T06:48:00.002-05:00

A few years ago locally the buzz word regarding getting a person on SSDI quicker was "SOAR". But while it was being touted as having a 93% rate of success, nobody in Northeast Florida using this spin term was admitting those findings were based on results in Southern Florida after working closely with the court systems THERE.

I got word on another option for people to pursue their social security benefits on their own, without local agencies. Seems this agency is claiming an even higher percentage. The difference is that unlike agencies that aren't getting reimbursed for results, they are.

In the end when a person gets denied and takes matters to an attorney, the majority of times what I've seen occur related by peers is that the tasks are an administrative paper pushing cottage industry long overdue. An attorney's office 'divesting' in this area from it's original practice doesn't constitute proficiency to me.

An agency that markets itself specifically for it...that's another story. Check 'em out.

Homelessness: the smell of it

2011-01-26T06:28:00.002-05:00

Most people living on the streets and sleeping hard are more prone to come up with ideas to develop green cleaning supplies compared to their housed peers. Back in 2006, when I myself was living out of a van for a month, developed and honed skill sets I'd only prior thought of. Between the dishes and cleaning a grill, breaking down 'camp' became easier over a matter of days.

When you're 'on the asphalt' you tend to simplify things as much as possible.

When I look at people on the streets I usually don't get 'grossed out'. Many unsheltered residents while looking disheveled and needing a bath often 'do' maintain hygiene 'where it counts'. Without it, they'd be in hospitals for various infections. You'd see it in their gates more when they walk if there were sores on their feet, armpits, or crotch.

The main thing people associate with the homeless is the odor of repeated sweat from the same clothes worn for days. While agencies continuously increase other services, they often also increase staff which takes away from improving delivery of more basic and vital needs.

What every community needs amounts to safe sleeping areas, meals, showers, and laundry facilities. In the end there will always be homelessness, but how much of a stink people have to put up with can amount to what they actually invest to begin with...why...and where.

It's not easy losing weight when your homeless

2011-01-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

Someone asked me once what options I knew of regarding good fat burners. Honestly I can't say other than what I've heard through rumor control.

There's drinking water with some lemon juice added for flavor. There's not eating, which isn't good. There's also eating nothing but vegetables with some nuts for protein, as long as a person makes sure their getting other nutrients naturally.

The thing is no matter how hard someone tries while homeless, they are faced with the issue of having to ingest what's at hand...when it's on hand. There are many times a person has to make the choice of overindulging one meal; or many in a row; out of pure survival knowledge they may not have the same option the next day.

I'm just sayin'.

Choices based on information

2011-01-20T05:32:00.003-05:00

About five years ago when my children were seeing specialists for their ADD/ADHD we had a situation where we were caught in the cracks regarding their medication management. Originally they were prescribed a hypertension medication to help them get to sleep at night.

It was only until I started questioning the 'need' for such that I found out my son was originally prescribed it due to it being able to be charged off to Medicaid as an Rx as opposed to an over the counter medication, such as melatonin.

What nobody had considered was the fact that one of the 'Healthy Benefits' Florida residents on Medicaid get is accumulating and accruing dollar amounts monthly towards over the counter purchases, from medications to bandaids.

Had we known about this earlier we wouldn't have accepted the option of a prescribed unnecessary medication. While the best of intentions this in my opinion this was an example of unnecessary over-medication by professionals who knew better.

Or should have.

Covering up or treating a problem

2011-01-20T03:37:00.003-05:00

One of the things I often mention here is the issue teens have regarding their 'coming of age years'. The simple jar of Noxzema often gets passed around before lights out, and the kids have a tendency of listening closer to adults when offered advice on acne treatments. I've even seen the regular use of toothpaste rubbed on cheeks in an attempt to control blemishes.

The sad thing is while there are hundreds of kids in shelters any given time in most cities, there are thousands more living outdoors, cars, and even abandoned buildings. That's a blemish most cities are looking at covering up than being able to successfully deal with.

Wishful thinking

2011-01-20T03:03:00.002-05:00

Each year people get hit up by a service provider printing postcards, often done by kids that are living in shelters. It's not a bad thing, but the fact 'is' cards done by kids living in a shelter have higher resale value than something pawned by a vagrant on a streetcorner.

The funny thing is I've never 'known' a homeless person to be pawning things on sidewalks. The majority of times I've seen people locally trying to hawk items...it was the same people, in the same location, selling the same thing. Often times they'd be hanging out and around the actual homeless until their work was done, only to head off to their own homes.

Most often I've seen people 'buy' their way into homeless circles on the street. Buy a few cans of beer and chips for two people on the streets, and you've got loyal bodyguards for at least the day, if not retaining them for future 'possible' days. Sometimes it's not hard to spot them.

Generally the social engineers can be found in any group outdoors, they're usually the most animated, charismatic, and loud...and they're the ones that really don't care if one of their peers ends up in jail if scuffles start up with others regarding their behavior.

Jump starting my weight loss resolution

2011-01-16T20:42:00.001-05:00

Guest post written by Keith Wylde

I'm probably going to really regret it and all the torture that I'm about to put myself into, but I've decided to set a weight loss goal for myself. I've made resolutions like this before, but I've done some more planning this time around to guarantee the success of my 2011 New Year's resolution.

I went online with my Clear internet bundle to try and find some ideas about ways to really kick off my weight loss adventure. I found lots of classes, but I decided that I should try out a boot camp class. Sometimes it just takes someone else yelling at you to do something to get it done. It worked to get me to clean my room when my mom would yell.

I also involved my girlfriend in my weight loss resolution and she said that she would go with me to the boot camp. She's in really great shape though so I'm sure she's going to put me to shame in it like she does every time we go running together.

What we had and didn't

2011-01-15T21:19:00.003-05:00

Years ago we didn't have an iPod, htc desire android, or other nifty toys we do now when we were on the streets. Back then we did it the old fashioned way at best with a Pentium2 type laptop. WiFi was ridiculous to find free.

But over time things improved online for many people experiencing homelessness, much like how the businesses delivering service to them directly did. The problem isn't people getting 'out' of homelessness, it's stopping the cycle of the chronic and cyclic homeless.

Regardless how portable or interconnected any of the new gadgets are to bridge the digital divide to the masses, the stuff will fail every time when it's caught in the rain on a dark night no matter how much awareness is brought to it.

The Count Is Starting Soon

2011-01-12T19:47:00.003-05:00

While the lights may or not be on for many people after the holidays, tomorrow's meeting of the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition in Jacksonville is trying to get a glimmer for the upcoming year.

Immediately after their General Membership meeting they'll be holding training for the annual Count In Time to help determine how many people are experiencing homelessness in Jacksonville for future requests of assistance from Federal funding.

A few years ago I brought up the issue that our Government has two very different definitions when it comes to homelessness, something that started getting addressed just this last year. School children under one description and subsidized housing a separate set of rules.

In America...there are rules if you 'can' be homeless or not it seems.

Site Review: Repairpal.com

2011-01-12T19:16:00.004-05:00

Last week I was asked to take a look and give my opinion regarding Repairpal.com. Links provided to specifically check out were Houston auto repair, ford expedition, timing belt, and water pump.

This wasn't actually the first time I'd seen the site, I'd actually used it a few years ago when my own minivan began having coolant problems and I didn't want to get ripped off by shady mechanics. This time around I found the site improved compared to years ago. Navigation by Year, Make, Model, and issue was pretty easy...I actually used a scenario my son's having with his BMW in Germany at the moment, to get a price range and see what the system would provide.

I was expecting less of a response and amount of information and was surprised when it provided me with input of both what was needed for proper initial diagnoses as well as confirming implied repairs actually cured the issue implied.

Pageload time for the site was moderate, it didn't 'lag' but it also didn't come up as fast as expected. A check on their URL registration points to "Domains by Proxy" and connected to Godaddy.com...people usually get involved with Godaddy/DbP not realizing the inability to later migrate to better/faster servers due to DbP's issues many site owners have regarding site transfer.

Overall for consumers the site's a great free asset instead of relying on the guy next door. It's straight to the point, doesn't require disclosure of personal information issues, and in my case didn't cost anything to get a second opinion.

My only concern is that if this business begins to have further growth needs; which in my opinion they will; the site owners face issue with "Domains by Proxy" when transferring/migrating. While at their present level this isn't an issue, it could be when future capital investors look to it due to portability.

Juggling it All

2011-01-06T12:50:00.003-05:00

Guest post written by Ted Darling

Being a father isnÕt always the easiest thing in the world. I remember when I was 22 and didnÕt have a care in the world. Now that I have two boys and my life revolves around them 24/7, things are pleasantly different. I have to balance work, house work, and family duties on any given day of the week. I often find that I get around to doing most of the things I have to do around the house during the weekends. I also get a chance to spend more quality time with my boys over the weekends.

Several weekends ago while playing basketball out in the cold weather, my wife told me that the windows were drafty. so after playing wi th the boys I had to call someone from Homeproimprovement to help us. Afterwards, I had to help the wife clean the house, and I had to make dinner for the kids while my wife did something things for her work. Being a dad, a worker, and a homeowner make daily life challenging, but it is always worth it and I wouldnÕt change a thing.

Our Furry Family Friends

2010-12-13T10:48:00.001-05:00

Guest post written by Glenda Burgess

With the weather getting colder and colder, my husband Ken and I have been trying to figure out what do around the house. Since we've retired, we've gotten a lot of time to ourselves, but having every day to ourselves has left us wondering just what we should do with our newfound time. Living in New England in the winter doesn't make getting out easy. The adverse weather conditions and cold climate gives people our age incentive to stay inside. Sure, our grandkids love the snow, but Ken and I aren't so enchanted with it these days.

To keep entertained, Ken and I have done things like subscribe to Netflix, order additionally cable channels, and spend more time reading books of interest that we order in from amazon.com. We've actually enjoyed all the additional entertainment. Just yesterday, I convinced Ken to let us get a cat. I think having a new little friend to look after would really give us something fun to do. Tomorrow after I do some HearingAidsREviews, I am going to purchase a new pair of hearing aids, and Ken and I are going to adopt a few new furry additions to keep us busy this winter.

Site Review: Earthwhile.com

2010-12-13T09:34:00.005-05:00

Couple of days ago I was asked to take a look at another site, Earthwhile.com. Included was the below request:

We are a UK based online shop that specialises in eco friendly products.
At this time of year we are focusing our energies on energy saving products for the winter season including home insulation (items such as loft insulation, garage insulation and pipe lagging) and outdoor lighting (items such as solar powered lights).
As it is leading up to christmas, we also have a good range of eco friendly toys and gifts in our Toy and Gifts Category including: wooden toys, flip flap, slate coaster and placemat set, and our new range of designer reusable shopping bags
by Envirosax.

Visually the site's rather good, and the majority of selections facing a visitor to their site doesn't cause readers to 'get lost'. Specific areas of interest are easily found through their graphic user interface. What really caught my eye was a prominent link for 'toys', something I wasn't expecting from such a website.

Looking through that page, it gave me the impression the company's marketing section knows what they're doing. Toy placement within company portals isn't usually undertaken, and it reminded me of older company's years ago such as Hess. Children originally receiving their toy trucks at Christmas decades later feel a familiarity to both seeing 'their' children receive such joy, which creates additional value towards the main product line.

If you want to sell something, the kids are always great to target. As long as both toys and original products are of the best quality, return shoppers are almost a guarantee.

This site, I give a five out five for pushing my heart strings.

New Find: Forsaken Generation

2010-12-13T09:20:00.005-05:00

Somehow Jacksonville always gets picked up as a homeless mecca, both for individuals trying to start a new life on the streets to the varying national chapters claiming to be making a difference.

One such is Forsaken Generation. One line states "With so many children in our community in need this is unacceptable", yet the closing paragraph includes, "Our time in Jacksonville was incredible". Given they claim umbrella 501c status and identify being based out of New York, what's up with 'that'?

The recurring thing about online advocacy is there's tons of people trying to personalize experiences, when in all fairness someone got paid to go somewhere else...talk to a few people...and go home to make 'their' website look good regarding content.

I actually found out about this agency's claims not through any of the service providers or mention of our local homeless coalition, a guy I know involved with developing a mental health advocacy site was checking 'my' stats and came across them.

He: "they've got a good site, they know Web2.0!"
Me: "look at the rhetoric. It's conflicting, comes across as anything someone in Istanbul could have done from their desk, even China."
He: "you don't think they're 'real'?"
Me: "didn't say that. Never heard of them and know of nothing 'done' by them here."

I'm curious if months from now no further mention of "Team Jacksonville" comes about. Maybe they're using invisible magic ninja skills to get their mission done locally.

Site Review: Coffee.org

2010-12-13T08:27:00.002-05:00

Last week I was asked to review Coffee.org. My first thought was someone got lucky being able to nab a one word URL specific to both a general product and niche. Site links included for me to check them out included Gift Baskets, K-Cups, Office Coffee, and Coffee Pods.

Checking the "Gift Baskets" link, I noticed the site used a subdirectory with the name including a space. Visually for readers it's a nice touch, most web admin don't include spaces in their URL multi word named directories. Looking back however to the past, it was typical 'not' to use spaces in names. In the future versions of HTML and other internet languages/protocols I wonder if the these directories will need to be renamed, as well if the site's pages were created using relational assignment of pages to directories.

Graphically the site's pleasing to the eye. Color use is appropriate for both normal and color-blind individuals. Images used for buttons don't waste bandwidth with additional 'mouse-over' imagery.

One thing that stands out is the use of internal store banner placement on the left. They're about the best I've seen of any merchant, they highlight areas of interest to consumers without distracting from the page entirely with 'busyness'.

Overall a great site that both the administrator and content writer behind should be proud of. I give it 5 out of 5 points.

What homeless kids played with in my day

2010-12-08T09:19:00.004-05:00

I remember my time in a shelter with my family. Some families were able to salvage and keep televisions, DVD players, PS3 or Xbox systems. My entertainment system amounted to the tower PC that doubled as a DVD player from the selections we'd find at the local library.

There was also the need for rechargeable batteries, one of the common items were Nintendo Gameboys with the majority of kids having one or the other of the Pokemon series. I remember the times parents had filled out forms for agencies that had adopted the shelter kids, and kids finding various items they realistically knew they wouldn't be getting that holiday.

The homeless world is a microcosm, full of good times and bad times. People are born, live, and die through it. On December 21st, many cities will participate in homeless memorial services...reading off the names and remembering those that died while experiencing homeless that year.

For each one lost we shouldn't forget those successfully living through it daily throughout the year.

To do lists that don't often come about

2010-12-08T09:06:00.003-05:00

With many people experiencing homelessness opting for living in vans, most can't maintain regular payments towards maintenance, rv insurance, or impending issue funds.

Years ago I'd befriended a family in such a situation. They'd migrated from Wisconsin in a full size conversion van. Living out of it they'd made the couple had made their children and selves as comfortable as possible. The rear compartment set up as a mobile kitchen when the rear doors were opened.

Many people didn't 'get it', they armchair quarterbacked this family's RV use as wasting money towards a more conventional home lifestyle. They never considered the amount of things required let alone the price tags for each thing requiring other underlying things being in place.

Even when looking smack dab in the faces of happy children and proud parents, somebody had an issue how this family was living wrong...when all they were trying to do was live.

You get the house, then what?

2010-12-04T10:39:00.004-05:00

Getting into a home requires a lot of legwork beyond the conventional running around town between service providers to pull it off. Relying on local transit options; when they're available; only narrows down a person's options. It's not just about the infrastructure of work, there's children's accessibility to schools, medical providers, and the never ending need for hitting the grocery store.

Fuel, car payments, car insurance, let alone upkeep keep many people from getting the implied freedom many take for granted. Two years ago my own cost of keeping a vehicle running amounted to as much as an apartment itself, 'when' I could afford everything!

Communities pursuing implied 'ten year plans' need to address the realities of both location as well as long term opportunities. Not just in ten year increments but in lifespan options.

Today's homed can too easily become tomorrow's homeless with lack of planning on short term advocates.

Making my own holiday village

2010-12-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

Guest post written by Penny Sanderson

I remember growing up that my aunt always had a little village of holiday houses that she would put out on this huge table that she had in her den around Christmas time. Even though my mom would tell me to never touch any of it, when she wasn't looking my aunt would let me play around with the figurines as long as I was really careful about it.

I've considered buying the pieces and putting together my own village for quite a while, but decided that this year I would actually try and do it. I went on the internet to try and find some pieces that I could buy, when I found some internet deals and decided to get some MORE INFO about them.

After looking through a whole bunch of stuff though, I decided to make my own DIY holiday village because I could make it look exactly how I wanted it. I'm getting my husband to build them with wood and I'm going to paint them how I want once he's done with that part. It's turning into a pretty fun project!

I can't talk sometimes

2010-12-02T23:52:00.003-05:00

A dab of one or the other of eye wrinkle creams and a woman's vanity is protected in her mind for the moment. But what if she didn't have that luxury?

What if she had to leave behind many things that defined her in a matter of minutes. Having to choose what she could carry, knowing she wouldn't return to a place ever.

That's what homelessness is like for the majority of millions experiencing it initially, and it sticks through the rest of one's life.

Many minimize this including those experiencing it, but deep down inside...it's what we all know and don't admit because nobody wants to hear about it.

Most of the time neither do we from ourselves, let alone others.

Where do they go when it hurts?

2010-12-02T23:47:00.004-05:00

A child menstruating the first time while living with her mother and younger brother in a parked minivan. A woman not able to get treatment for migraines resorting to substance abuse in an abandoned building. A man found dead with a syringe in his arm to defend against the demons each night from the war he fought for his country.

They go where they can physically and mentally.

Different people see them they way they want to. It's a perception of reality people experience with homelessness.

Garland's easier than a tree

2010-12-02T16:22:00.000-05:00

Guest post written by Kelly Long

Okay, maybe I'm just too lazy. But I really hate having to store, put up and then take down a Christmas tree and all of those decorations! It's just so much work, especially if you're like me and you're single, live alone and am lazy.

But that doesn't mean that I don't hate Christmas decorations all together. I just like ones that take up less space than a tree. I went online to try and find some ideas for a really festive kind of decoration to replace a tree and when I was doing that I came across some info about satellite internet packages. I weighed my options and decided to CLICK and order the package that I wanted.

I settled on making some Christmas garland that I could hang up on my wall and around my front door frame. I can even hang some Christmas ornaments into it! It really is the perfect holiday decorating solution for people who are too lazy and/or have too little space to put up a whole Christmas tree.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

2010-12-02T07:02:00.003-05:00

I remember during the end of 2004 at the start of the holiday season when many hotels were donating toiletries to some of the non-profit agencies locally that serve the homeless. Not too much wrinkle cream, more in line with small soap bars, shampoo, and conditioner. There was an issue though: most of the lotions were coagulating.

While donating large parcels or lots of such items is seen as charitable giving, there are those that look at this as using the homeless. In most cases businesses expect; and often times get; receipts for their 'donations' which would have otherwise been discarded. I've often seen many people receiving bad products approach staff giving such items out for replacements. The majority of time I've also seen them told "be thankful you got that".

I've also seen donated items too often go out the back door with staff when this occurs.

For every spin you hear of how much someone does for the homeless, think again more in terms of consumerism. Not every picture painted can be beautifully made and the colors are beyond just black and white.

Lame Duck Benefits

2010-12-02T06:22:00.002-05:00

With new HEARTH changes to the definition of what is and isn't homeless added to the issue of Congress extending Emergency Benefits for Unemployment, Jacksonville and other metropolitan cities are facing unprecedented numbers within months regarding people experiencing homelessness.

And it only compounds the need for adult acne treatment. Weather changes, dietary intake, and the biggie: stress!

Doing a search online found the majority of states reeling in the face of Tuesday's attempt by politicians to use Emergency Benefits as a token bargaining chit for their own agendas. The rich keep getting richer and some pundits have regarded the potential for this country's future one similar to what's occurred in third world countries, such as Albania's experience in what's best described as a Ponzi scheme.

Justin Beiber pawned for pawning homeless

2010-11-27T22:45:00.002-05:00

This last month for singer Justin Beiber was a mix of social mishaps online. Locally another man with the same name had his Facebook page removed with no reasonable explanation given, it's believed by many Facebook believed HE was masquerading online as the young entertainer.

But recently Beiber; the singer, not the local; posted material on Youtube.com that THEY pulled for copyright infringement, video material of his "Pray" which includes spotlights of some of his charitable work with the homeless.

It's reported that Beiber vented towards Youtube.com on Twitter.com he'd be taking his material to Facebook...obviously THEY know who he is. According to varying sources money made from the album "Pray" will be on are going towards the Children's Miracle Network hospital system.

Granted, while many discount his depiction and portrayal of the homeless as using them...I tend to see the light where he's trying to build awareness. Individual acts of charity are easily camouflaged by quick dollar attempts, so it's fair to say that if Beiber 'were' exploiting the homeless it would show rather quickly in his work ethic and delivery in short time.

Old style catalogs in a new age way

2010-11-27T22:16:00.003-05:00

Decades ago as a child I remember my family receiving different catalogs by mail or local representatives. It was such a rural area that sometimes they were collected or requested by other family members as outhouse reading, then recycled when the going got tough at times.

Items varied by vendor. Some such as Sears went in mainstream marketing while others seemed to target female clothing such as pedal pushers. I remember some having pages of what others would consider 'house clutter' that would be picked over by little old ladies in search of bric-brac items. My stepfather was inclined to auto-parts and gun catalogs...you have to remember this was a different time and place.

The biggest difference between now and then? Chances are if a person's online they're not going to be recycling the catalogs as my aunt did decades ago. I also never saw anyone experiencing homelessness flipping through their pages as I had seen family and friends years ago, then again these were items usually found on coffee or dining room tables.

Having them available no different than copies of donated Cosmopolitan or other typically donated periodicals, I wonder 'which' a person experiencing homelessness would choose to pick up and lose themselves in...a larger magazine for being 'all that' or a smaller one with things a person could realistically want and hope for when getting off the streets.

While one man's trash is often another man's treasure it makes me wonder if service providers would see the therapeutic impact of accepting mail order catalogs be placed in their common areas of people served. Let's face it, homeless women need all the help they can get looking good when getting out of being 'out'. If you have mail order catalogs from Blair or other nationally known vendors, consider asking your church to collect and recycle them by donating them to a local service provider.

Beats having to ask someone if they want a year's supply for their outhouse, doesn't it?

Out of homeless, now what?

2010-11-25T22:07:00.004-05:00

Some of the biggest hurdles people breaking the cycle of homeless have to overcome are transportation issues. While many cities 'do' have local bus transit, in most cases they're not as suited to the needs of the majority of residents as local municipalities would like people to think.

I was contacted by one of my third party agents to take a look at "The Car Connection", specifically their Audi S4, GMC Acadia, and Toyota 4Runner pages, as well as more info regarding vehicles.

The site itself is colorful and impressive, but I quickly got lost in the amount of information overload...I didn't know where to go...what was internal content or what was advertising as well. The Audi page loaded with advertising for Ford vehicles on the right and Mazda banners on the left.

Don't get me wrong, I think this site IS of merit for consumers, and by all means I DO recommend any of my readers to use such sites before making purchases for the sake of saving money. However, the site 'does' have a few things it could do to improve delivery:

1. Redesign the site layout. We all know free sites are kept running by advertising. Moving the advertising to one side or the other will allow visitors to consider such as well as allow them to maintain focus on the reason they came their...the content.

2. Rework the graphics. While the picture of the Audi 'is' beautiful, it's 80K in size. I maintain a standard rule to keep my page loads on any site to 30K, total. This page's 'weight' is over 667K inclusive of all the content.

Good information for prospective viewers, but service delivery online...the site potentially can lose repeat visitors due to page load as well as those that have set limits on data plans.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T21:51:00.004-05:00

This year being one that my children spent with their mother I chose this holiday to spend looking at things I'm thankful for. Holidays are a wonderful time for family and friends, but having done so for decades I wanted to take the time of self reflection alone and look afar for a better view of things. The occasional overshoe alone on the sidewalk path without it's mate too often the subject of my thoughts this last year regarding people experiencing homelessness.

This month's prior session of Congress in which Extended Unemployment Benefits was declined moving forward and upcoming potential for arguments prior to them running out for millions isn't something the locals are talking about. I haven't heard anyone bring it up in discussion oddly, rather choosing to see how and when the service providers locally will begin reacting. They're in a festive mood soliciting the help from locals and preparing what they can to those they serve...who am I to rain on their parade.

But there's always the day after. The time from Black Friday until Christmas Eve, at some point the next drive occurring. The winter festival months are the bonanza period for providers to market. And yet I still look at the numbers of people not served as happily the rest of the year.

This year I am thankful for what I have, present...past...and to come.

Reader writes

2010-11-19T23:37:00.002-05:00

I get tons of emails both here at this site and my other site with questions shot from the hips of readers. While I don't believe any question genuinely asked isn't ignorant, I 'do' get a chuckle sometimes when I'm asked to answer something that a person could have come to know if they'd looked to their own self wisdom.

I got this one email that amounted to asking about how to reduce belly fat while experiencing homelessness. It was well written and I thought it deserved mention.

Dear Reader,

I can't answer your question as asked.

If your friend has issue, my best recommendation would be to direct her to the closest available service provider she can get access to readily.

But if 'she' had asked me...I would have said the same thing as well as added relating my own experiences to her, since there'd be a chance of similar backgrounds between us. I think you asking with the interest of helping your friend regarding available resources is admirable, but in the end you are living in a home while she is not.

You're not doing her any good by doing the legwork of looking for help for her.

She needs to do this.

And let's face it...if you 'were' to get a job as a case manager for a homeless service provider, there is no way they would allow you to provide service delivery to any friend...it's called a conflict of interest.

By your words your choice of action to 'do anything to help her' and relating she's sitting on a park bench while you're fielding phone calls 5 hours a day...she needs to get off that bench and go sit in line until she gets seen for services.

On a bench in the park for days, weeks, and then years...or in a chair in a waiting room until she is eventually seen. I have known hundreds of people who have walked away from those waiting rooms to go back to the park...and never broke homelessness.

The ones that stay in the waiting room are the ones that get out of the cycle.

In short you need to let her do what she can for herself rather than talking for her. All she needs to do is open her mouth.

You wonder where the money went

2010-11-12T11:45:00.005-05:00

With the upcoming 'lame duck' sessions getting ramped up for Congress, many people are wondering if they're Unemployment Benefits will be extended by Congress. Millions have been out of work since the Summer of 2009 having a hard time with maintaining homes.

The cost of rent, utilities, food...and in many cases people are gleaning over these bills and attempting to negotiate with creditors, get a better insurance quote...things that many hadn't done regularly in the past.

In the Summer of 2010, Congress took some time. After this recent midterm election it's not known if the decision to extend Emergency Benefits or create additional Tiers will be accepted, let alone 'when'. This translates into additional potential for already strained service delivery in the next upcoming month for homeless service providers.

Jacksonville Salvation Needing Help This Holiday

2010-11-12T11:22:00.000-05:00

The Salvation Army has been ramped up for Northeast Florida to start preparing for this year's Thanksgiving Food Boxes and Thanksgiving Homeless Meal held on November 25th. Their main needs are local purchased turkeys and cash donations.

You can take your birds and money to their Salvation Army Towers Memorial Social Services Center, located at 900 W. Adams St. Their mailing address for checks to Salvation Army of Northeast Florida, P.O Box 52508 Jacksonville, Florida 32201.

A new couch

2010-11-11T21:53:00.001-05:00

Written by Shannon Tillman

After 9 great years, I finally decided to spring for a brand new couch. My old couch is one of those really old ones that springs out into a bed if you pull off the cushions. While it was convenient for when my family or friends stopped over, I can't imagine that it was comfortable and the brown upholstery had seen better days. The thing about that couch is that it is fairly soft and comfortable - plus it isn't that heavy so it is easy to move if the situation called for it to do so.

I usually prefer to get my furniture at Levitz, but since the one in my city appeared to have closed down, I decided to check out the couches over at Ikea and Bed, Bath & Beyond. I was looking for one of those pleather couches that have the ability to recline, but if it was comfortable I would overlook those things.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find something to my liking so I headed over to the mall where I checked out the couches from both Macy's and JC Penney's. I finally found a brown leather couch that was perfect and ordered it then and there. They said that it would be shipped from their warehouse the following day. After getting home I sat down on my couch one final time to watch some satellite TV from BestChoiceTV.com.

Where are the clothes in your neighborhood?

2010-11-03T11:24:00.005-04:00

Cold weather is coming and I sometimes look back on the varying time periods service delivery was positive and negative on the part of service providers over the years of people experiencing homelessness.

I've seen points where companies were proactive finding solutions to storing items donated. I've seen at times them arrange for third parties with thrift stores to accept them in trade for sending clients of the original with clothing vouchers.

I've also seen employees walk out the back door with armloads of items claimed to be going to people moved out...when it wasn't so and for their own consumption.

This year with the cold coming up, by all means DO consider Hats and Caps for people less fortunate. But at the same time don't be intimidated or fall into feeling guilty when asking what people do to get things into the hands of others intended on your part.

Will these items be given directly to people staying at your agency?

One misconception many have regarding 'third party' agreements where one agency pushes off items to another in trade for the first agency's clients to receive clothes at the second's thrift store...oh, it happens...but not the way you think.

The good donated items are BOUGHT by people for the thrift store to make money.

What's usually left for the homeless to select from...it usually looks like it was worn by someone homeless to begin with.

Think about it. Worse case, you can always drive up to a shelter of your choice and hand out items directly to passers by.

At least you'll know where your things are really going. And trust me...I 'have' seen thrift stores that resell their unsold items for overseas sales. When that happens, you can bet someone made some money...sending bales of clothes overseas doesn't come cheap!

Everyone wants me to vote for them

2010-11-03T08:07:00.005-04:00

And it gets ridiculous sometimes when elections come around. Walking up to my local voting place, I took a moment to note that one candidate's sidewalk sign sat directly between the roadway the 'Vote Here' sign in front of where I was to cast my ballot.

Along the way I spotted tons of one candidates placards plastering the roadway in front of my library. Like...you really just put a reason 'not' to vote for you in my community, sir.

Going through the choices was simple enough, the technical wording in some of what people are trying to get passed was enough for me to say 'no'. While I'm no 'naysayer', I do feel some of the wording allows things other voters don't take the time to think about and let pass.

That's why there's such a thing as 'Technical Writers'. I did vote on pushing the Federal Government to not raise taxes without having a balanced budget...for what it's worth. I also did a 'write in' vote this year.

Only problem is I didn't register as a write in candidate prior. There's always next year. It'll give me time to practice my Nixon peace sign displays and kissing babies.

I don't 'get' our elected officials sometimes

2010-10-27T23:37:00.003-04:00

With kids dressed up in masks from movies and jewelry like tanzanite rings, this holiday we have the shift from being told to celebrate it out of convenience to soccer mom's and local churches.

Two days ago I got wind of a member of City Council trying to 'officially' change Halloween from observed on Sunday to Saturday, in what came across as political convenience. While the requesting person 'did' put a stop to it, it's another example of bills pushed without decent thought.

What's funny is there's also rhetoric being pushed regarding sex predators and offenders to protect kids this year that specifically gives wording to 'shelters'. I'm curious what's next: will oversized Snoopy costumes be checked for age appropriate wearers?

Clean is hard to do on the streets

2010-10-26T04:31:00.004-04:00

Different people have different reasons for being on the streets, but when they get there they all have the same issue: cleanliness. Young people; and older as well; face severe acne. Women have to deal with feminine hygiene. Then at the end of the day when there's tons of people in a shelter there's always foot hygiene.

I've heard the arguments from both sides regarding access to potable water for basic hygiene. Businesses don't want to be magnets and the service providers don't plan effectively for the masses they do attract. Local governments don't entertain basic public bathroom installation. In fact over the years of cell phone technology advancement, it's almost impossible to find a public pay phone anywhere outdoors in downtown Jacksonville.

When different people are asked what they believe the common factor is, 'the homeless' usually are thrown in as a reason by the armchair quarterbacks. Yet in what amounts to years the same people claiming to be confronting local government downtown haven't accomplished anything positive.

What's sad is there are initiatives in underdeveloped countries to create what's called 'toilet pits', thousands of people die daily due to having nowhere to 'go'. Face it, if a homeless person can't wash their hands and their 'going' outside...doesn't that hit close to home?

Appearances keeping time

2010-10-22T23:04:00.003-04:00

Some weight loss drinks don't taste good. Either too thick and chalky or thin and icky. When looking at immediate options and paths to take, people experiencing homeless have sometimes the same feeling.

Then it wears down a tad after a day or two. And pretty soon a week goes by, and they're still looking like they're adjusting, but they're not greet. It's usually after 30 days that a person begins to transition and their body starts physically accepting what's going on.

And the longer they continue, the less likely they are of positively wanting to make change and ever return from whence they came.

When they originally felt and were.

Because they don't want to go through it all again.

Sometimes when you're homeless, it feels safer to be stable that way than the instability of becoming homeless.

One person's green is another's waste

2010-10-17T07:55:00.003-04:00

A number of local and international sites I follow are big into green shopping. People selling things from food, carrying bags, and even a rickshaw in London touting a "I'm green, hire me" theme.

What many don't consider is how 'green' homeless people can be. Some call it 'frugality' the systems they come up with to reduce cost and recycle things others would throw out. One system in particular of mine is how I cooked six years ago that I still do today: I try not to use the oven.

When we were a family of six living in a cramped hotel room, I'd invested in a large toaster oven. A few months ago after seeing increases in electricity I began looking at ways to cut down costs and realized I was using the range oven...when I still had the toaster oven.

I also changed out every lightbulb in the house from 40/60 watt bulbs to energy efficient ones that use around 13 watts. I began setting my iPod's alarm to remind me to turn off the air conditioning at certain times as well as checking weather forecasts in advance...if it's not necessary and planned, it doesn't come on.

Add to this closing every bedroom door when not in use to avoid larger air pockets having to be cooled that affect the thermostat reading when it's in use.

All of these green systems contribute to immediate monthly savings. For some, homelessness occurs due to immediate financial distress due to lack of planning...my aim: never being homeless because I had to choose between which bill to pay for something I didn't need to use in the first place.

In the end, being green can prevent homelessness.

Homeless schooling

2010-10-12T17:01:00.003-04:00

I picked up on someone following the blog that's involved with home schooling her children as well as homeless theater in her community. It reminded me of the differences kids face when parents make the choice from children in rooms with slide shows to more direct 1:1 education.

On the flip side I don't blow off standard education as a Big Brother thing to fear. The majority of cases of home schooling I've had direct contact with reflect less social skill building through age appropriate interaction.

You get the kids away from the juvenile delinquents, but the loss of interactivity of positive influences rests solely on the parent. There's stories of homeschooling parents that are heavy into networking to the point of creating ad hoc classroom environments, but the majority of kids home schooled don't have this benefit.

I've had the chance to see families experiencing homelessness in Jacksonville, Florida continue home schooling. Doing so can create situations where these parents are targeted to discontinue and place their children in local schools. One situation comes to mind of a mother of two children informed she would lose Food Stamp benefits unless her children attended school, another time the threat of a report to state Child Protective authorities she was feigning home schooling.

One person's rights are another person's administrative nightmares. While we have laws, rules, and regulations in each of our communities it's up to managers of service providers to teach their staff to not only support their clients but to educate themselves rather than make hasty, ignorant, and sometimes unlawful decisions.

On the other side of the argument, Federal Acts were put in place decades ago to ensure that children experiencing homelessness are able to both be provided an education as well as be in a safe location the majority of weekdays as well as eat two times a day.

I don't discount a parent's right to 'home school'. But I will say that any parent choosing to do so needs to invest time and support to see it through. Too often I've seen single parents in homeless shelters get the home school 'bug' with intent on pulling children out of existing support that's protected.

Simply put...a parent needs to either let their child be educated by professionals or do it themselves. If they can't, for whatever reasons, apply themselves to things that they CAN get a bigger bang for their buck...for themselves and their children.

Who the heck is Hank?

2010-10-10T02:22:00.002-04:00

A different perspective and example of homelessness through blogging I caught on through Theresa's site sidebar.

It was interesting I found this due to recent developments regarding the conflicting standards and definitions that our Federal Government has towards people experiencing homelessness. It was just in 2008 I confronted the business I was directing to be more proactive and asking a mere additional twelve questions during 'homeless counts' to discern if people locally were actually 'hard sleeping' or couch surfing...typical annual counts are only interested in providing input/support regarding the Housing and Urban Development Agency's definition and criteria.

When they had the chance to collect the data for conclusive disclosure for present and future needs, they weren't interested...until they could get their own slice of someone's pie. To me that wasn't serving the needs of the community, it was serving the needs of the business.

I encourage everyone to read this account and perspective, and thanks again, Theresa.

For want of a nail...

2010-10-09T04:58:00.003-04:00

The old story goes that because of initial events causality was the reason a kingdom was lost. The same can be said of many circumstances families face prior to entering into homelessness of the varying degrees.

Even with higher education, people gearing for science jobs can't get them without stable shelter, communication, and the available infrastructures in cities such as mass transit. While education 'is' necessary for better jobs, without support in place people are required to expend unnecessary finances on vehicles, upkeep, and other living costs just to get by.

When people face urban sprawl and massive impending strikes by bus drivers, they face the reality of whether or not those higher paying jobs are worthwhile in the long run.

Same words, different meanings

2010-10-09T04:46:00.003-04:00

Sometimes communication between different people is hard. You get one group that 'should' have enough sense after years of 'being there' to know what their audience is talking about. Too often though I find people in positions of authority like to talk 'at' people...and the only times they talk 'with' people below their position is usually when they want something.

Usually that 'something' is for their job to be easier in some fashion.

Some people are natural abrasives. They wittle and wear people down bit by bit over time, and no matter the stature or integrity of someone the longer something files against them...they'll eventually break.

It took me decades to learn this. I used to be somewhat of a person that believed they could take it. But seeing the game played and the spin both given and accepted by many, I'd rather sit to the side and watch it as a side better.

You can't stop homelessness. It'll always be around. You can watch someone decide and use systems to get out of the cycle, but in the end you can't make a horse drink if it doesn't want to.

Kids looking cool

2010-10-09T04:39:00.003-04:00

I remember the families with both young and older children that were living within the walls of a prominent shelter in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. They say kids adapt well, but the longer a family took having to wait for an open room while sitting on a curbside...you could tell the effects as passing them day by day.

Different kids have different tastes. Some get in to parish clothing, others Izod, still others get caught up in what sometimes looks like online role play gaming costume wear. All working out who they want to be in a place they can't escape.

And while there are many people doing great things supporting families, there are still those that target them for their own purposes. The older men hanging around the eighteen year old girl with a daughter in tow. The jitterbugs slumming to sell a handful of rocks to the guys standing in meal lines after a long day of menial day labor.

I still sometimes hear the voice of a friend as he described the gunshot that rang out, just before his friend lied face down bleeding on the floor from his head...he only wanted to finish his meal he came in late for.

Too much, not enough?

2010-10-06T20:32:00.002-04:00

When a person lives through homelessness, their immediate concerns in some ways are both similar as well as different to residing in homes.

Some worry on how to keep up car payments while others with children think as much on life insurance when looking into the faces if their children.

They have hopes, dreams, and aspirations no different than the homed...if not more some times. Although barriers need to be assisted with sometimes, sometimes a person becomes more stable the less they are enabled.

Just food for thought.

Varying degrees of sleeping hard

2010-10-05T06:21:00.002-04:00

With changes in the thermometer taking temperatures to the fifties this week, people experiencing homelessness outside of regular shelter usage are prepping for Fall. Already those that have caches and storage locations are talking about jackets, hats, and gloves.

It shouldn't be rocket science, but without safe locations to store basic survival equipment many people are prone to ditching items. Being on the streets means being mobile, and large bundles of possessions can be cause for targeting...whether other envious homeless or the hating homed.

These coming months aren't any different than prior years. Kids still want to know how to get rid of acne, they want to spend their own money, and they want to succeed. If you're interested in providing gifts of giving, consider prepaid chain store cards for local supercenters.

Giving someone something is nice. Giving the gift of choice, empowering.

Site Review: Myrtle Beach Golf Packages and Vacations

2010-10-02T18:26:00.002-04:00

The other day I was asked to look over and review a site, http://www.myrtlebeachgolf.net, and I was actually impressed from the start. Not too busy, and being colorblind the contrasting colors were definately opposing without conflicting to the point of making me dizzy.

People come across sites usually through search engines. This one in particular serves the interests of golfers intending to head to Myrtle Beach. Now most sites being made these days are STILL being done by amateurs overkilling the KEYWORD meta tag. Not this one, in fact looking at the page source it's apparent the writer's been doing this beyond other 'claimed' webmasters.

The key information and selling points the site pushes include Myrtle Beach golf packages. While there's a handful of links in the right banner, the majority of the site stays internal and keeps the viewer in 'their' portal. The only one I found external to the site was for Tee Times...and chances are if I'm right, the webmaster will eventually find a way of partnering to include that data to be displayed within his or her site's wrapper.

Besides the packages, they also have a link; Myrtle Beach golf courses; that provides direct information regarding such.

No overkill, good sales tool, and a nice layout.

Getting around on a dime

2010-10-02T13:00:00.002-04:00

A few months ago Jacksonville residents both homed and not were facing a potential crisis within their urban sprawl they live in, imminent threat of a strike by Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) contracted drivers.

Like many cities, Jacksonville doesn't offer many travel deals outside it's infrastructure that are affordable if even existent. While ordinary employees grapple with the powers that be, thousands of residents faced job security issues. Some had to make life changing choices.

For some the facts of urban cross county urban community came to an end. Some individuals chose to look for work that would be guaranteed accessible through JTA's system of Community Shuttles, which are operated by a separate contracted entity. Others continued to sit on the fence and going along with whatever was offered to them.

This is a good example of causality, of how a horseshoe nail being lost can cause a kingdom to be lost if all systems relying on one simple matter fail. The funny thing, the alternative many 'professionals' have to offer people: "then it's time to plan for a car".

When they can't even afford a home to live in? That doesn't sound like case management to me.

Sounds like denial and passing the buck.

Pretty home on the beach

2010-09-28T08:19:00.003-04:00

When I was a kid growing up in Virginia Beach, we sometimes took trips to nearby Kill Devil Hills which is a stone's throw from some Nags Head vacation rentals that Carolina Designs is fronting a weekend getaway for some chosen online content writers in a contest.

Times and places can diminish in a person's mind, becoming grayed out past the memorable incidents affecting the senses. The scent of salt spray lingering in a child's nostrils, the feel of fine sand between toes after running behind a kite turning circles, things that stay with a person for ages in flashback vignettes.

In an era that we live filled with technology and marvels unrealized just decades past, there are still places available that families can go for themselves to get away from it all. While Disney, Epcot, and Universal venues are closer...there are times I yearn for the touch of morning sun on my face at the peak of day's break.

With a cup of coffee and my kids still snoring inside, bliss.

Opinion: online versus real world shopping

2010-09-28T08:09:00.002-04:00

Doing the daily schedule of survival whether sheltered or streeted, I get questions from both sections of how and where I get the stuff I use for my blogging and online content writing. Fact is, I get it wherever I can the cheapest.

On some occasions I've been known to dumpster dive when seeing a computer carcass sticking it's backend out of a box. On other occasions I've come across finds dirt cheap while window shopping. And on one occasion I've gotten things online like with tiger direct coupons.

Now in the grand scheme of things, getting items online CAN be the cheapest and easiest...IF...a person isn't hungry for something. The main factor in all of this is I make a list of things I 'need' as well as 'want' for any time I'm in a position of rummaging anywhere. Grocery shopping is a matter of weekly need, but computer and system upgrading is a matter of 'wants'.

And no, I haven't practiced this much of my life. I found when I 'did' start managing my purchases this way, I was less prone to hoarding unnecessarily. There was a time I kept computer components in a closet, much like the rhetorical example of the bag lady or man/woman pushing an overloaded shopping cart of items they'd never use.

McDonald's: Homeless Protest End of Dollar Menu

2010-09-07T02:55:00.002-04:00

San Francisco franchise of the popular chain is starting to get harassment and publicity regarding changes to what many Americans have come to take for granted, or so the press at that Fox affiliate would have people believe. I picked up on this from a Twitterfeed coming from Mark Horvath who's the writer behind Hardly Normal.

While the reporter and writer of the story 'may' have spoken to disgruntled people affected by this, it's implied that people 'need' this location. No mention was made regarding distance or location of chain grocers, no mention of the income threshold or Food Stamp assistance dollars received by any of these people, or what time periods they were frequenting the location and the impact on their lives whether as ad hoc day center or nighttime shelter.

The story itself only gives merit to further questions be asked. Sloppy 'blog entry' reporting on major affiliate websites constantly abounds, but when it paints a one side picture that's biased…that's not transparency, disclosure, or ethical writing.

Mentioning something having to do with people experiencing homelessness has been a recurring trend, but it's increased exponentially over the last decade with the amount of news aggregating by media using Google. What's worse is when a news agency takes the viewpoints of a select microcosm and places a generalised label on it.

I doubt just the people experiencing homelessness affected by this price increase had issue. I'm sure there's a number of people served by this location that budgetted their finances and will feel the pinch as well.

If homeless people had money to afford a dollar and tax for an item at McDonalds, you can bet they can go to their local grocer and with some time walking the aisle buy something just as filling if not more nutritious.

It just won't be fast food convenience.

Homeless go militant

2010-08-27T12:03:00.001-04:00

It's not often, but when it does it's a beautiful thing to see someone seeing change is possible.

Kevin's been blogging since before I was. Recently he made a decision some homeless bloggers fear doing.

Going militant isn't an easy choice, usually it comes about when a person doesn't accept what was acceptable for years. While there's a phase of knowing and seeing something's wrong…it's a different thing to actually do something about it to effect change.

Pretty is as pretty does

2010-08-24T23:48:00.003-04:00

On October 31st, 2005 I took my children for a stroll just around sunset. Not a place was found for them to knock on a door. For kids experiencing homelessness and like mothers putting their Dapper Dans into baby halloween costumes, it requires a bus journey...unless you know the neighborhoods in the suburbs, hang it up.

The homeless lifestyle lived by thousands may have varying levels and directions, but there's also the the underground accepted community. Things disappear in the homeless community and businesses, just like any other business for profit or not. People will take advantage of situations if given the chance. The stereotypical example of grifting employees walking donations out a back door...course it never happens.

And of course agencies have policies regarding how someone can report such wrongdoing, and of course the agency will treat each and every lead confidentially.

That's all well and good 'if' the links in the chain at such agencies doesn't enable inappropriate activity, not necessarily by choice but by default of their own inaction or ignorance.

When an employee steals something, it's theft. When coworkers witness it, even without directly supporting or profitting from such, and do nothing...they've enabled. When clients see this they don't just lose trust in the thief...they lose trust in the coworkers and the system totally.

When a client becomes pregnant during her stay...and years later the child is brought proudly to the work site by the father who's been a staff member all it's life...ya gotta ask...which is worse?

The person doing wrong...the people blatantly letting it continue...or maybe it's the homeless person's fault for creating the situation.

End justifying the means?

2010-08-21T07:39:00.003-04:00

Link picked up off of Twitter a few hours ago. The guy did 13 of a 25 year sentence for attempting to break in and steal food from a church geared for food/meal delivery services.

His two prior noted ones were stealing a purse from a lady with $10 in it and trying to rob a man in public. Both times without a gun.

On one hand, yes I think the sentence did NOT fit the crime. But on the other...sorry...homeless on homeless violence is something that doesn't get talked about.

He may be changed after 13 years in prison, but he had the same choices we all did of standing patiently in line for a plate of food...or causing harm to someone by robbing them.

I'm all for rehabilitation, I'm all for mental health, but at the same time I'm 'for' the safety of myself, my children, and my community.

Been there, done that, got lots of t-shirts.

Where to put it all

2010-08-21T06:53:00.001-04:00

When I served on the Board of Directors for two separate non-profits there was discussion and forward looking statements regarding design and delivery of a location that would provide Lockers for individuals experiencing homelessness in Jacksonville. Unfortunately that never came to pass, but recently I was contacted by a third party regarding a possible option that hadn't been brainstormed.

The original problem and issue I had was in recycling older school gym lockers, which would result in costs for initial or later maintenance. I was more interested in a 'pay and go' model while my peers were looking at what amounted to job security for maintenance people to fix something…that regularly has a pattern of 'not' getting things done. It's a commonly accepted issue, non-profits constantly get into models in a 'rob Peter/pay Paul' scenario.

My concept was to purchase new School Lockers or Gym Lockers that would be under warranty brand new. Doing so would ensure consumers wouldn't come up against damage to clothing or personal effects by common rust. Another brainstormed concept was to use a model that was a treated Wood Locker.

Unfortunately, things didn't come to pass. To date I haven't heard further of it since leaving, let alone the Drop In Center that was later discussed…that of course at a time that one of the CEOs was announcing her running for Mayor. But maybe…just maybe…if they read this entry, they 'might' get the message and have the opportunity of clicking a link and getting the information.

Whether at their office or in their underwear at home, I don't care…it's getting the word out that matters. Having a safe place to stow items allows a person dignity to be able to feel some form of freedom of the burden they carry constantly that can be seen.

Maybe just a little hand can let them lift the burdens they can do otherwise on their own, such as day to day existance or appearing for a job interview…without carrying their possessions with them. Ask yourself this…would you want to go to a job interview with a dufflebag having to lean against an interviewers desk?

Ask yourself that before saying "get a job" next time.

Link: No ID on the streets

2010-08-16T06:55:00.004-04:00

Mark Horvath interviews Jacquie Dowd at Huffington Post at a site providing assistance for Florida residents unable to get proper papers needed for State Identification. Question is how do you get this going in Jacksonville?

Jacqueline Dowd has been involved with homeless advocacy and rights since before we originally became homeless here. Check her blog at this link.

Covering the homeless isn't happening

2010-08-15T00:12:00.003-04:00

If you get sick in Jacksonville without health, medical, or disability insurance you've got narrow choices...more so if you've got mental health needs for maintenance medication.

Top choice and most accessable for many people is to go with what's known locally as a "Shands Card", which provides access to medical services through a local learning hospital. For many single consumers, this is the quickest means.

Although there are a number of medical clinics throughout Jacksonville, most have limited resources requiring individuals either meet certain income levels, work schedules, and either require prior appointments or standing in line beginning at dawn at times.

Most people I've talked to over the years don't see President Obama's dream coming true of medical reform...at least the ones that need it most. Maybe in two decades it'll happen, but until all people receive medical care when necessary for both physical and mental needs will I be convinced.

If it makes me happy...

2010-08-08T01:11:00.000-04:00

...I like it.

Are you cheap?

Chances are if you're reading this you are...or should be. I was asked by someone to take a gander at a site and give my opinion. People do that sometimes, since I've a reputation of being right...no matter if it's raining or shinging.

They've got GREAT WESTERN FORUM TICKETS, HOLLYWOOD BOWL TICKETS, and even Lambeau Field Tickets for those individuals needing to get their tickets for that specific venue with it's wide array of interests. Interesting, no?

All fun aside, I found the site visually pleasing. A rotating banner greeted me and after a few twirls I was graced with Sheryl Crow on my screen, the type that guys dig that has nothing to do with 'we-she musician' shows. Had it been the only static image, I'd have been pleased and just stayed on that one page...but since it did, I didn't stay. But if it had, I'd have stayed for at least another sixty seconds. It's a guy thing.

Visually, the site was checked in Opera. One thing I've been noticing is the amount of websites that AREN'T Opera friendly lately. I'm not talking Opera on USB or iPod, I'm talking fully installed on Win7 Opera. The site had no problems operationally, all things worked where they needed to.

Except Sheryl. Every time I asked her for her phone number, she just ignored me.

Maybe...they've got more work to do over there at aCheapSeat.com.

Virtual Frugality

2010-07-29T11:13:00.002-04:00

Years ago we didn't have the internet, let alone connected freely in libraries. It's ironic that while in India there is a proposed laptop computer that will sell for under $30USD, we still have arguments regarding unhindered public library access to the homeless.

They're not just playing games online. I've found many pursuing jobs, searching for homes, doing comparative shopping, much like what anyone else can do using vitacost coupons.

I was asked what my opinion was on this site. The best thing I can say is that anything that offers discounts to consumers is a big plus, especially when they can search and find or use such in their own environment rather than 'push' sales tactics in stores. Sites like this provide consumers a way to educate themselves to save for things that they need and want in the future.

And that puts the field level for everyone, whether homed or homeless.

Homes in North Carolina

2010-07-29T10:10:00.001-04:00

With the long term effects on Florida's Coasts and the income flowing in from oil recovery on the ground level trickling down to the homeless finding new jobs, the savings have to eventually be put somewhere else. While the oil may be presently slowed/halted, there's a definate apprehension of formerly homeless now employed regarding investing in their home futures.

Thousands of Floridians; why do they always seem to be connected to government; will push "Come to our beaches" hearing this...to the point that the President is planning a visit in support of it. Myself, while I've been renting since leaving homelessness I have to look at long term effects...and it's why I've been looking outside the state.

One place that caught my eye was relatively close, some of the locations coming from Wilmington NC real estate. The opening page itself having some of what I've already been accustomed to...water...skylines...both city and urban residences, and like Florida there's no sign of mention about oil problems.

But the fact is Florida DOES have oil problems. The spill being the most significant in history claimed by some sites. North Carolina doesn't have that to my knowledge, and if they ever did there's more than enough inner area to migrate to with fresh water sources that would be unaffected.

Overall the Wilmington NC real estate is laid out decently for people interested in finding out more of what's available, the site's structure includes links from both recreational to government sites as well as educational point of contacts for each county they provide service in. The site is also iPod friendly, while they don't have a mobile version, it loads up decently in a standard Safari app on iPods.

So, like many other individuals who started out with nothing in their pockets in this country...if you're looking for a fresh start you might want to consider checking out sites like Wilmington NC real estate while you've got money in your pocket. The other option is to continue paying someone else for their property...that eventually may succomb to local variants out of your control, leaving you with nothing to show for your long term efforts.