to the people that dont want their money to take care of the less fortunate just dont pay your taxes and then maybe you'll end up like them and only then would you understand how they feel and would bappreciate the tax payers

Someone asked where do they charge their cell phone. The homeless person I know uses any outlet he can find, including sneaking up to people's homes at night to use an outdoor outlet. Seems odd they can afford one, but it's their only connection to friends, relatives and occasional employment.

I love all the responses that say something to the effect of "Duh, its a PrePaid phone". That may very well be, the heart of the matter is this: somewhere at some point in time, the man in this photo had a choice; a phone, food, or (insert life's necessity here); and he or someone else chose a phone. Something that does nothing but send your voice to another phone. Perhaps the new "network" is like Verizon's, only staffed with taxpayers.

Amazing to read all of the defendents of the "poor", with every one of the posts saying the same thing (on the LA site). BUT THAT'S A WELFARE STATE ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY.

We got the message that there are pre-paid cell phones. But if the "poor" are able to purchase a phone and the pre-paid minutes, then that person could have fed him or herself for an entire month.

What could they live on? Top Ramen and peanut butter sandwiches, casseroles that cost $3.00 to make and feed you 4 meals, canned soup & crackers, rice and beans, baked potato. You know, the stuff that the rest of us working stiffs use to get us by so we can pay our rent or mortgage, while still paying our taxes that pay to support the lowlifes in our communities. Anyone with 1/2 a brain could feed themselves for $1.50/meal.

How could a homeless person get contacted for a job without a cell phone? They could have messages taken by that nice "family member" that you say paid for the cell phone. Then use your 2 little feet to check with whoever would be taking messages for you, at least twice a day, go to a phone booth and return the potential employer's call. Do you all believe that cell phones have always existed? The homeless have always been around. How in the world do you think they got jobs in the pre-cell phone era?

To you guys who say that the ones who find something very disturbing about this picture are "out of touch with the homeless", I say you are the ones out of touch. You have no idea of how to estabish a budget, one where you put earnings into a savings account BEFORE you blow money on cable, movies, eating out, buying that 5th pair of shoes you don't need, spending on customizing your car, buying beer and cigarettes, having your nails done. Once you have saved enough money to cover your rent and utilities for 6 months, THEN and ONLY THEN are you free to blow money on wants. Get it? Your savings would PREVENT homelessness. Cuz if you can't find a new job in 6 months, then you are the problem.

Clearly, most of those supporting this guy don't know the difference betweeen WANTS and NEEDS. If you did, you would not be able to support all of the "possibilities" that allow this person to own a cell phone, while asking the rest of us to feed him.

Sometime in the near future you should visit a Salvation Army or local church food distribution and count the number of receipients that have a cell phone. It's absolutely unbelievable.

I'm really not sure how to feel about this. I can see how they might need one to get a job, however without a permanent address, a phone number won't do you much good.


@Frank

"Just curious... How does he keep a charge on the phone?"

I would guess the shelter, but you make a good point I thought the very same thing.

Also, I don't think the phone is that expensive, I think most crackberry's are wider than that.

Anyway I think that the picture looks bad, but I really don't know what the situation is.

The fact that someone is taking a picture of someone taking a picture tells me that they may know something we don't, and not in a positive light.

Hate to inform y'all, but there is a government program that provides free cell phones to those who are "financially disadvantaged". Surely everyone knew it was only a matter of time before cell phones made it to the great government give away list.

Homeless with a cell phone?!! What about the thousands upon thousands that are "insurance-less" with a cell phone??? This has always bothered me...there are people like me who will do without mobile phones, cable, going to the movies, etc JUST so I can buy things like insurance and FOOD. Are people like this guy a-holes for expecting the government to take care of him (while he has a cellphone), or am I the a-hole for doing it myself and denying myself of the joy of owning one? What should stop people like me from giving in???

You wrote: "Probably using it as a contact number for potential employers."

Yeah, he probably dashed in for a quick bite to eat before his interview.

Newsflash Hugo: he's a loser just like the liberal trolls who frequent this board. And if you want to pay for more of that, then you be my guest.

We won't.

It's all about priorities. This man can find free government food everyday so he chooses to spend what money he has on luxury items instead. Then he probably complains that the government isn't providing the cell phone (with camera) for free...

Just curious... How does he keep a charge on the phone?
LOL. Good question!


Seriously, do we even know that this guy is homeless or is everyone assuming it? He may be homeless; he may be a volunteer; he may be a fan who caught wind of the event and went down to check it out.

Enough with the excuse making of "pre-paids are cheap blah blah"

That parasite in the photo is using a very nice and expensive cell phone. It looks like a Blackberry! Prepaids are basic phones, not state of the art Blackberries, you naive gullible libtards. I have a Blackberry through work but have also thought of getting one as my personal phone, but just haven't really felt like I wanted to shell that much money for it. So, I have just a regular cell phone as my personal phone. Yet, this leech, this tick on a dog, has a nicer phone than me!!!

Finally, you are missing the point. I don't care whether this is a prepaid or whether it cost only 50 cents to purchase it. The bottom line is that it would be 50 cents that is going to luxuries while the rest of us have to pay for this worthless piece of crap's health care, food, and shelter, not to mention the biggest price we have to pay - having losers like this pick our President.

Hugo, you can get a prepaid cell phone for $20, but they don't come with a camera. I own my home and a car, and I don't have a camera on my phone. I made the decision NOT to spend the money on it, even though I COULD AFFORD IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the point of this story. Many people are homeless because of the decisions they make. (And, by the way, I have been homeless before. Didn't care for it, so I decided to do things differently. Guess what, it worked!! I didn't take a penny from anyone.)

Just curious... How does he keep a charge on the phone?

Back in the ancient days (Roosevelt) the homeless(hobos) would sit around the fire by the train tracks and inform each other where one could get a free meal, friendly towns, etc. Now they have cellphones to accomplish this. Technology is a wonderful thing

Neil,since you are of the age that can remember cell phones that were the size of a shoe box and cost a $1000 just for a deposit on the service(I can also remember). Its sometime a little hard to accept the fact that this device has become indespensable and no longer considered a luxury.Places like wallmart sell phones with time for as little a $15 which make it cheap to stay in touch. If you have ever tired to find a public pay phone you would relize that the almost do not exist anymore except in places like airports and jail cells.Homeless people are homeless, not broke.Keeping in touch with the world is vital to bettering your situation in life. If you don't do that then you may as well just give up.

Look at the venom spewed by the liberal bedwetters commenting on that article from the LA Times. To them, the greatest sin is being judgmental of anyone and anything. Sure enough, I read the comments below and Hugo's Ghost, the local lib dolt troll, regurgitates the same excuses!

My favorite excuse is that he needs the phone because of possible calls by employers!! LMFAO!!!!!! Yeah, those headhunters are just trying to get a holf of this guy! Seriously, do you libs try this hard to be stupid or is it just a mental disease?

You do not have to have service for the camera function to work. I canceled a contract with my camera phone, but am still able to use it for a camera. I have a wire to zap pics from it into the computer too.

There is a government funded program in Tennessee providing "free" cell phones and airtime to those already enrolled in any other "entitlement" program.
Maybe he got in on one of those good deals.

Did You Know, That Your Taxpayers Money are Subsidising Free Wireless Plans?

http://thecynicaleconomist.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=2781

Neal, please go to this page: http://tete-tete-tete.com/1227/park-bench-queens/
and read.

Then go find yourself a dirty sock.

a homeless guy w/ a c-phone makes more sense than you might think. 1) c-phones can be had for a Lot less $$ than food, shelter, etc. 2) the ability to Be contacted is one of the most important for pulling one self out of the gutter. to get a job, one needs a reliable contact method. to be contacted by one's defense atty or parol officer can be the difference in staying out of jail.

no contract plans can be had for $10-$15. a few people can share a phone w/o having a home for it to go in.

i hate phones, but if i were confronted w/ severe belt tightening, it'd be one of the last things to go.

What is amazing is the number of people commenting on the original article, who seem to be angry at the idea that anyone would question a "homeless" person with a cellphone. Instead, many seem very intent on finding excuses with which to justify it.

Of, course he needs a camera phone. He has to have immediate access when the job offers come calling and he needs the camera to record his career up through the ranks of management.