Slog Comments
What Do You Think of Homeless Hotspots at SXSW?
1
I love the rage-on you get for commenters sometimes. Moments like that remind me Andy Rooney is dead but the worst of him lives on.
3
The smug and wealthy would be neither without the ability to exploit the poor in one way or another. This might seem like Shoeshine 2.0, but if there's a transaction at work versus just a handout, it sounds like a step in the right direction.
4
The part that annoys me is that there's a tech conference called "SXSW". It's supposed to be a music thing.
"Celebrities and tech innovators mingle at SXSW, from actor Leonardo DiCaprio to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone." Remember the neutron bomb!
"Celebrities and tech innovators mingle at SXSW, from actor Leonardo DiCaprio to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone." Remember the neutron bomb!
5
How is this any worse than Red Bull hiring 18 year old girls to walk around and hand out free cans at every major sporting event? Do the homeless people get a cut of this every time someone uses them as a hotspot? Because it sure as hell beats those stupid Real Change newspapers they usually peddle for cash.
Only downside? Having to listen to a crazy person rant while you check Facebook.
Only downside? Having to listen to a crazy person rant while you check Facebook.
6
Are they getting paid in addition to what the random people give them? If so, I'm okay with it. It's a job. Better than sign spinning.
8
I went with the last choice...not because I agree with it (I have no problem with doing this) It's just that response seemed to be the most creative of the group. And since this isn't really a vote that counts I am going to go with creativity. Even if it's evil creativity.
9
If these people are just degraded human billboards, I guess people who work for McDonald's are just degraded human spatulas then?
Get a clue haters, a job is a job, and there is nothing wrong with a job as long as it is willingly worked.
Get a clue haters, a job is a job, and there is nothing wrong with a job as long as it is willingly worked.
10
Saw one of these guys a few months ago standing outside the starbucks at 3rd and pike. I was wondering what the hell his sign meant. Now I know. is this a Seattle company?
11
@7: But we would prefer them to be paid for a real job, which would solve the long term problem, so it's easy to say they shouldn't be doing this now because it's not us out there on the street.
12
Sounds like a slightly different company but it looks like bumvertising.com has been making seattle proud since 2005. yikes.
13
it's better than real change. i get annoyed trying to walk around those people without making eye contact.
14
@6 My thoughts exactly. Getting paid to stand around selling internet access is hardly exploitative.
Now if they are paid unfairly or forced to do things that are dangerous or whatever that would be something different.
@11 How is this not a real job? They are selling a product to customers.
Now if they are paid unfairly or forced to do things that are dangerous or whatever that would be something different.
@11 How is this not a real job? They are selling a product to customers.
15
One other thing, it sure beats having the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes so we could provide real services for the homeless, like shelter, job training etc. I mean this is really American when it comes right down to it.
Wonder how much money they are making off from the homeless hotspots or are they using the profits to provide additional services?
Wonder how much money they are making off from the homeless hotspots or are they using the profits to provide additional services?
17
I get the feeling that the SXSW hipsters are not worried about "exploitation of the poor" as much as homeless people infringing upon their social bubble and liberal self-image.
18
I suspect Leslie would have been cool with it, so I don't really have any objections.
And Fnarf @4, South by has been more than just music almost from the beginning, since they added the film and multimedia components in 1994.
And Fnarf @4, South by has been more than just music almost from the beginning, since they added the film and multimedia components in 1994.
19
Oh my god, how awful! Someone just went out and gave a homeless dude a job! How will we ever justify the salaries of "homeless service organizations" if people engage in this kind of irresponsible behavior?!
Seriously, the only thing wrong with this is that it's effectively temporary: once SXSW is over, the demand is going to fall through the floor.
Seriously, the only thing wrong with this is that it's effectively temporary: once SXSW is over, the demand is going to fall through the floor.
22
@15 - There's a homeless shelter four blocks from the Austin Convention Center, and various job training facilities around town, including things called "schools". We've got the services thing covered, thank you.
And just last week, Apple announced they're adding 3,600 jobs (97% local hires, so put your resume away) because this isn't a high-tax socialist paradise like those other states in which they're NOT adding 3,600 jobs.
Taxes don't solve problems, solutions solve problems.
And just last week, Apple announced they're adding 3,600 jobs (97% local hires, so put your resume away) because this isn't a high-tax socialist paradise like those other states in which they're NOT adding 3,600 jobs.
Taxes don't solve problems, solutions solve problems.
23
@2, the schtick about Texas being a corporate tax paradise compared to other states (California is frequently mentioned as a high-tax villain) is a load of crap. Yes, CA has a high corporate and personal income tax, but that's not counting everything, like credits. When you look at the complete picture, Texas actually takes more than the national average from businesses, and more than California: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/24/…
Those 3,600 jobs, by the way, come at the cost of $21 million in tax giveaways, which makes those services a lot harder to supply.
Those 3,600 jobs, by the way, come at the cost of $21 million in tax giveaways, which makes those services a lot harder to supply.
24
They weren't getting paid minimum wage. According to the NY Times, they get $20 a day plus whatever donations they can scrounge up. Unless it's a very very short day, $20 is not minimum wage. I'm sure for some it seemed like a very good deal, but it's extremely unethical (and also illegal) for a company to hire people for $20 a day just because they will agree to it. To the person who mentioned 18 year old girls selling Red Bull -- I'm guessing they make a lot more than $20 a day.
25
Just checked the Craigslist classifieds for Austin. Street team workers are being hired at $15 an hour for the same job these guys were doing for $20 a day.
26
@23 (and I think you meant @22) I'm not surprised that the Los Angeles Times would try to make California look good by cherry-picking their statistics since when California closes-up shop for good the LAT won't be selling much advertising space. But businesses ARE leaving California for lower-tax venues; I read about them frequently in my Texas newspapers, but for some strange reason the California press isn't so eager to report those stories.
The $21 million is pure repuglican pork, but it's only $5,833 per job (which will be quickly repaid via 3,600 employed people paying taxes when they buy stuff) and that's before whatever multiplier you care to figure-in for the jobs created by those 3,600 well-employed people spending money. The resulting sales tax, business property tax, and franchise taxes pay for .... wait for it ... services.
The $21 million is pure repuglican pork, but it's only $5,833 per job (which will be quickly repaid via 3,600 employed people paying taxes when they buy stuff) and that's before whatever multiplier you care to figure-in for the jobs created by those 3,600 well-employed people spending money. The resulting sales tax, business property tax, and franchise taxes pay for .... wait for it ... services.
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