Do we need "solar chargers for the homeless" programs or would it have to be "mechanical hand crank chargers for the poor" to get passed with GOP support ?

http://www.amazon.com/American-Cross-CLI…

Smartphones would be a solution to homelessness if:

1) The State put $2000 a month into its Facebook wallet
2) you could get a studio apartment for $400/mo in Seattle.

Terry Miller is cute!

JBITDMFOTP

The Newsweek article seemed to mostly be about "hobos", who are closer to "travellers" than, say, your average person experiencing homelessness on the streets of Seattle. While some homeless people travel to other cities, most stay put and try to stabilize their situation as best they can. Many homeless and low-income people are getting free phones and service through the federal Lifeline program (Assurance Wireless is one of the carriers), but the phones are low-end ones suitable mainly for making calls and texting.

Good Afternoon Charles,
I agree with your assessment of smartphones and the homeless & poor not Newsweek's. Similarly like @2, I find the idea of the homeless & poor possessing smartphones strange, very strange. If one is rational yet unfortunately homeless and/or poor then it stands to reason that food, shelter and warm clothing should be the priorities. The homeless and poor should have some accountability. A smartphone isn't necessary for human existence. Food, shelter and clothing are.

I recall someone saying it is better to be poor in the USA (and other developed countries for that matter) than the developing world. True. The issuance of smartphones in some quarters in this country is an example of just how much better it is here than there.

@7, it may be somewhat easy to access food, (emergency/short-term) shelter and warm clothing without a phone as there are a lot of services around these things and you can find out about them. Try getting a job, securing an apartment, staying in touch with doctors or any of the other hundred things you need after the bare bones necessities if you don't have a phone. If you only want to subsist, by all means, don't access basic communications technology. If you want to do what society appears to want you to do, you need all the tools to do so.

@2, 15 years ago people said the same thing about cell phones. You know what? Cell phones became a vital tool in our society, especially those on the losing end of our society. The same is happening with smart phones. They are almost a necessity for anyone working to get their lives in order.

Ken, I think people like you are what's wrong with our society.

@2 (again), so, if someone who already owns a smart phone winds up homeless, should they throw away the smart phone in order to fit your vision of how a homeless person should be? If someone gives it to them as a gift should they decline?
What else do you think the homeless owe you?