Moncton Forum

Bench-Warmers Sought to Block Homeless
(AP) SAN DIEGO - A community activist thinks a few couch potatoes, strategically placed on sidewalk benches in an upscale shopping district, will keep transients on their feet and on the move.
Esther Viti, who oversees the donation of public benches for a merchants’ association in La Jolla, sent an e-mail to 45 other activists last week asking them to sit in three-hour shifts, no bathroom breaks allowed.
"After all, you MUST OCCUPY THAT BENCH continually for three hours to prevent that homeless person from sitting on that bench," the e-mail said.
Donors weren’t happy that transients were sleeping on benches they had provided for the public, Viti said.
The group previously tried installing benches with metal dividers that split the seats. Transients simply began sleeping upright, said Deborah Marengo, president of Promote La Jolla.
No one has offered to sit a shift yet, Viti said. Some potential recruits expressed concern that the bench brigade could provoke retaliation from displaced transients.
In 2006, the Regional Task Force on Homeless estimated the homeless population at 9,600 countywide, which included 4,400 people within the city of San Diego.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Found somewhere on the internet.

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Remember yesterday, respect tomorrow, live for today.

All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.

willie c wuddle wrote:

Bench-Warmers Sought to Block Homeless
(AP) SAN DIEGO - A community activist thinks a few couch potatoes, strategically placed on sidewalk benches in an upscale shopping district, will keep transients on their feet and on the move.
Esther Viti, who oversees the donation of public benches for a merchants’ association in La Jolla, sent an e-mail to 45 other activists last week asking them to sit in three-hour shifts, no bathroom breaks allowed.
"After all, you MUST OCCUPY THAT BENCH continually for three hours to prevent that homeless person from sitting on that bench," the e-mail said.
Donors weren’t happy that transients were sleeping on benches they had provided for the public, Viti said.
The group previously tried installing benches with metal dividers that split the seats. Transients simply began sleeping upright, said Deborah Marengo, president of Promote La Jolla.
No one has offered to sit a shift yet, Viti said. Some potential recruits expressed concern that the bench brigade could provoke retaliation from displaced transients.
In 2006, the Regional Task Force on Homeless estimated the homeless population at 9,600 countywide, which included 4,400 people within the city of San Diego.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Found somewhere on the internet.

 

I went to San Diego about 4 years ago and the homeless population is extensive.. I guess if you are homeless its probably the best place to be.

The weather is the same everyday..just beautiful....and it hardly ever rains and when it does it is just for a few mins at a time.

The homeless put up a lot of tents and make shift lean-twos on the beaches.

I had one brief moment there when I felt threatened by them..but got out of that area quickly.

I found it a bit awkward when walking and shopping on the main areas to step over them on the sidewalks where they were sleeping.

The police there ask you not to give them handouts and to watch for odd behaviours..as some of them are wanted in other states.

San Diego is a very beautiful place...the ocean is magnificent and the parks the most glorious  and beautiful that I have ever seen..and the shopping and eating etc. its all wonderful.....but I wouldn't want to live there with the homeless population....the numbers are real..I have seen it.

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't know how to properly address a homeless person if I ever met one.

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Remember yesterday, respect tomorrow, live for today.

All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.