True irony in the Globe & Mail today -- photo stolen for use in story about copyright

TheHoff wrote in post #9186141
Thing is, we're already the warmest and most street-friendly place in Canada and we have quite a large supply of shelter beds already. I don't want to generalize but many of our homeless here have mental issues, nevermind drug issues, and aren't always interested in cooperating or going to a shelter. Maybe like the Democratic Convention in Denver they will get tickets to the zoo?

And some just want to live off the toils of others... Pretty soon, the number of the "unproductive" will surpass the number of the "productive". Heck, I'd venture to say that we're close to the tipping point now.

argyle wrote in post #9187927
And some just want to live off the toils of others... Pretty soon, the number of the "unproductive" will surpass the number of the "productive". Heck, I'd venture to say that we're close to the tipping point now.

Are you suggesting homelessness is a lifestyle choice?

theblackbird wrote in post #9186946
I have pitched what I believe is a reasonable settlement to this problem. I hope CTVglobemedia will appreciate where I'm coming from and agree to the terms I've proposed. Cheers to all who offered supportive comments and thanks, TheHoff, for telling your friends.

Your settlement proposal is eminently reasonable... which essentially guarantees it will be ignored.

TheHoff wrote in post #9186373
Someday I dream of being a mod myself and forcing people to respect my authoritay.

You already have an oversized avatar, what else do you want?

As for respecting your "authoritay," what on earth makes you think that will happen? Hell, most of the mods get less respect than Rodney Dangerfield as it is!

I wouldn't want to be a mod for any reason (not that there's much chance of that—Pekka's not that crazy). If I were a mod, I'd have to behave myself, and I'm not sure that I could.

JeffreyG wrote in post #9187997
Are you suggesting homelessness is a lifestyle choice?

In a small percentage of cases, yes. In some other cases, other "lifestyle choices" freely made by the individual have contributed to the situation. I'm pretty much a realist, and not naive enough to think that not a single person is gaming the system. Definitely not all, but definitely some.

argyle wrote in post #9188869
In a small percentage of cases, yes. In some other cases, other "lifestyle choices" freely made by the individual have contributed to the situation. I'm pretty much a realist, and not naive enough to think that not a single person is gaming the system. Definitely not all, but definitely some.

"Gaming the system" seems a baffling term to use. What exactly is their reward? Life on the street?

"I used to be a lawyer, but this free soup down at the shelter is so tasty I gave it all up to sleep on a sewer grating in the freezing outdoors."

JeffreyG wrote in post #9189052
"I used to be a lawyer, but this free soup down at the shelter is so tasty I gave it all up to sleep on a sewer grating in the freezing outdoors."

Sadly a large portion of the population here was forced on the street after the closure of the largest mental health hospital in BC. Those that couldn't recover mostly end up self-medicating and turning to either prostitution or petty theft.

And I certainly believe that some out there would choose the street over a shelter or assisted living but that sort of decision isn't one made by a rational person in a sane state of mind.