Wed 2008/08/27 10:40
This is a photo of a single room at a net cafe where thousands of homeless folks are spending their nights. These net cafes dont need any contract or key money ( a lump sum you need to pay to a landlord ) and you can stay at one for a just over 1,000 yen per night at some places. Unfortunately this is becoming a bit of a social problem which is why the government plans to help these folks by giving them 150,000 yen per month to help them get off their feet. Folks who earn less than 1,500,000 yen per annum don't have to pay back the sum. Are there internet cafes in your region where you can stay at all night in your region? In case you are wondering - many homeless here actually try to support themselves by doing small part time jobs here n there. Even without a permanent place to stay at, they wash their clothes in the park and take showers at public baths. This is another reason why you hardly see folks going around begging for money in Tokyo. There are also so many homeless to riches stories to be seen on the TV here. Do you have a load of homeless folks in your region? Do they go around begging (is that the politically correct term?) for money? If they ask you, do you give or ignore and how much do you give? Once back in the UK I gave a girl about 50 pence. She saw that I also had a pound and said something like "I'll swap this 50 pence for your pound." All I could say was... "...................................." News via Black Tokyo.
Posted on Wed 2008/08/27 10:40 by
None around here personally. Didn't you ask these questions before Danny?
(ID #280053) Posted on 2008/08/27 10:55
Director/代表取締役
I remembering mentioning the 50 pence girl but don't remember the rest ^^;
(ID #280055) Posted on 2008/08/27 10:58
Full time nerd
Well, yeah here they beg and if they give them anything, a whole bunch of them will then come begging from you. So its better not to give them since they will continue on begging for everything. The worse ones are the fake "cripples" who pretend to be cripple to gain sympathy.
(ID #280054) Posted on 2008/08/27 10:58
Lol yeah, I've seen that, in Indonesia they carry babies with them to make them look more sad, so we're supposed to sympathize with them or so, but I heard that they had baby rentals or something, which makes it more messed up...
(ID #280276) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:18
Full time nerd
well that sounds even more messed up
(ID #280687) Posted on 2008/08/27 22:25
Yeah, there are a lot here. I live in San Diego which is right at the border to Mexico, and not to be racist or anything, but a lot of the not rich Mexican's come here, and I often see them 'begging' with their signs, but when I try to give them money, my parents get mad. >__>
(ID #280056) Posted on 2008/08/27 10:59
figma Collector
I used to live and visit frequently the north end of SD County and have been seeing a lot of homeless beggars sitting at freeway off ramps with signs. It's so bad that at times I wonder whether I should feel sorry for them or disgusted that they're not trying to find some kind of vocation somewhere. A lot of the people I mention are even Caucasian!
(ID #280113) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:09
Close-protection officer/Martial artist
I know what you mean, and it doesn't really stop if you go all the way up north to Pasadena either. However I'd say there are less bums there than San Diego (probably). The ones I feel sorry for are the people selling bags of oranges or flowers by the freeway... I mean, I like that they're trying, but I'm sure it doesn't support them as well as working a decent job. :/
(ID #280196) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:40
lol in Los Angeles is where the main homeless are, huge streets with a large amount of tents... they always ask for money, but you know what its for; booze etc, SoupKitchens provide food and water, but the money they ask for is used for crack ! outrageous!
(ID #281284) Posted on 2008/08/28 08:32
"Even" caucasian ? LOL, probably the most racist post i've read in months...
(ID #282121) Posted on 2008/08/28 22:17
Na, it’s not racist. We use the word to much!
(ID #282422) Posted on 2008/08/29 03:11
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
ooh that looks comfy. Nope, I never give money to panhandlers and beggars. There are places here that to you can go if you are in need of charity. Last time I someone asked me for some change, I ignored them (easy since I had earphones on, I love how technology makes us inhuman bastards). Then I saw the beggar walk away and get inside the passenger seat of a Nissan Maxima with an old lady and drive off. I literally facepalmed
(ID #280057) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:01
There are a number of homeless people near where I work. Most of them do ask for money when people walk by. Sometimes I will give money, but if I do its just small change... so not too much. But what partially makes me decide to give or not is whether I see them on an ongoing basis.
(ID #280059) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:03
a web connection AND a mattress? Now that's just asking for trouble. may as well supply box of tissue while they're at it.
(ID #280070) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:14
I always brought my own ^-^
(ID #280102) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:47
Otaku/Computer tech/Student
There are many homeless people in California. Very few, if any of them actually put out any effort to make their way in life and get on their feet. There are some homeless shelters and such all over the place, but you still see many of them sleeping out on the streets with shopping carts holding all of their personal belongings. I sometimes give money when I see a beggar, but not always. I usually give them all the change in my pockets when I do. Honestly though, sometimes I feel like I would rather buy them a sandwich than give them money, because many of them will use the money to buy drugs.
(ID #280076) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:17
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
either drugs or a bottle of Mad dog 20-20
(ID #280085) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:22
Close-protection officer/Martial artist
Wouldn't it be great if we could buy vouchers for food and give them to beggers? I imagine that would just insult the people looking for booze! XD However, I imagine them reselling those vouchers and buying booze anyway... :/ Wishful thinking I guess.
(ID #280200) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:44
student, webmaster
I had one bum be honest with me and saying "I need cash for booze." I walked away. Also, begging is not a un-pc term, I began to hear the term of "panhandling" when used about the homeless. I also the homeless go through the trash cans, collect anything recyclable and trade it in for cash.
(ID #280257) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:06
Professional Tennis Court Cleaner/Haruhiist
We have alot homeless but mostly there drug users and don't want to support themselves, u usually have to ignore them cuz they want money for their next fix, but the honest ones collect cans and recycle them for money. i donate to the honest ones. i could take a pic of a small percentage of homeless that hang out in one area and it would contain maybe 30 people just in a public park not including the Allys or liquor stores around it.
(ID #280082) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:21
i never give it to them, my parents never let me. when i went to hong kong this summer, i saw a lot of people injure themselves just to look like cripples to get tourists to give them money, it wasn't nearly this bad 4 years ago.
(ID #280083) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:21
hurting themselve's just to gain moneyey, that's OMG, how about killing themselve's...for sure they can gain a lot
(ID #281694) Posted on 2008/08/28 14:27
Wow that's like a little over ten bucks if I'm converting right...and for all that it's a bargain...wish they have stuff like that here...as for the homeless, yea there's quite a few here, but I hear stories like people buying food for them, but when they turn around they hear the homeless guy say something like rather getting money for some drugs...
(ID #280086) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:25
OH ,they're around here and there, begging for money. Worst one I ran into was a black women trying to get money for gas for *another family. Sounds too fishy when a family grabs a stranger to go around and ask for money so they can get gas.
(ID #280090) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:33
Student & Authorized Chicken Slapper
Wow i did not know net cafes let u spend the night. Definitely nothing like that in America as far as I know.
(ID #280091) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:34
resident caffeine junkie
Streets here in Manila are riddled with the homeless. Although some do try to make a living by sell flower garlands or candies and cigarettes, some just outright beg. Now I have nothing against the homeless, but the lest they could do here is make an effort rather than rely on what would be handed to them.
(ID #280095) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:38
yup, lots of homeless people here who have turned begging in to a full time business. I never give out any money to beggars since they just keep asking for more even if you gave them some a few minutes back. Greedy people. Also there are some begging syndicates where the majority of the money collected thru begging is taken by the group leader and such. so if any of you people come to India, just ignore these beggars, and never give any money to them. No internet cafe here that are open all night along with bed.
(ID #280096) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:43
Ah, I spent many a night in manga (net) cafes in Tokyo. Was really quite affordable, and even though I did have a (tiny) room rented, I did occasionally think about how it would be quite feasible to just sleep at net cafes every night. The ones I went tended to have reduced fees for 6hrs stay at night, and they the cubicles did have large recliners, TV, CPU and net access. Quite comfortable, really
(ID #280101) Posted on 2008/08/27 11:46
I totally forgot this part, somehow: My apartment was in Minami-senjuu, near Ueno, and was a pretty quiet/run down sort of area. There was some sort of homeless shelter/relief building/place where homeless tended to congregate about 2 blocks away. They would start barrel fires for warmth at night, and I remember passing by (around 1-3am) and sharing the fire once (my hands were cold), and people didn't think their presence was a big enough threat to not leave dozens of unlocked bikes lying by nearby bicycle stands/building walls. Would not feel the same way in Manhattan :p
(ID #280180) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:19
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
you reminded me of something which happened to me when I was back in Singapore, I recall once getting approached by a woman who asked me for some money to take the train home cos she lost her wallet, I wanted to take her to the help desk at the mall and even ask if she wanted to go to the police station, she kinda left me alone after I said that :P (suspicious neh?) and a few months later (maybe cos I changed my hair style and glasses I musta look quite different) I was approached by the same woman with same story even and I said HEY I recognise you... She froze, turned the other way and walked away from me :P LOL
(ID #280116) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:11
such professional "beggers" are quite common in Singapore eh? heard quite a number of them are forigners, and some of them disguise as monks or nuns..
(ID #280467) Posted on 2008/08/27 19:18
yup i recall there was this debacle about some monks who beg as a profession... the nerve of them...
(ID #280470) Posted on 2008/08/27 19:25
In Estonia we have such "beggars" here too. They usually are in locations where most of the people are not from this town and are easier to convince to help a "fellow traveler" in trouble:P Of course funny situations arise when you see the "troubled soul" next day on the same spot:P
(ID #281073) Posted on 2008/08/28 03:47
We have homeless folk (supposidly homeless) who beg on street corners. They aren't nearly as hardworking at the ones in Japan. If I ever give them anything it will be food, not money. And no, we don't have any stay night net cafes, heck we barely have net cafes.
(ID #280125) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:21
i do agree with yah, give em food not money
(ID #281697) Posted on 2008/08/28 14:29
anime/cosplay events organizer
We have some 24/7 Net shops here but none of which like that in Japan where it has a bed and everything. Yeah, we have some people "requesting for some free money" and even street children doing that. There are some news that criminal syndicates uses beggars and street children as a way to fund their syndicate. There are even times that beggars will ask for money for food but in reality they'll use it to buy some drugs to satisfy their addiction. I'd rather give money to legal charitable institutions rather than give it directly to beggars and street children.
(ID #280132) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:31
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
thats so true, but did you know it's illegal to give to beggars, I got pulled over once for giving a begging blind person in the street some money. ironically that 5 peso charity cost me another 300 pesos. ^^;
(ID #280177) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:16
student, webmaster
And people who feed the homeless here in California has been forced to stop by the cops due to laws dealing with food preparation, but it was coded words for feeding the homeless en mass.
(ID #280258) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:09
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
wow I didn't know there were regulations for cooking food. ^^
(ID #280835) Posted on 2008/08/28 00:14
student, webmaster
Yeah, and they used that to prevent the groups from passing food out to the homeless. That doesn't affect groups established by the state, such as Meals on Wheels.
(ID #321901) Posted on 2008/10/03 17:21
lol. that was a bit sad. but i usually dont give anything especially to kids with those little bags...they're part of the syndicate. oh and blind people? you shouldve brought a flashlight. if they deny seeing anything...chances are, thery aren'y blind after all...blind people are aware of light (just aware)
(ID #281383) Posted on 2008/08/28 10:26
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
I know he/she is blind, because I had the rear window open for my dog and he/she asked for money from the dog. ^^ what I couldn't tell was is the person was male of female, looked like a guy but screamed like a girl when my dog gave her the wet nose.
(ID #281737) Posted on 2008/08/28 15:06
Any net cafe here shuts down pretty quickly. No point now that most people have High Speed internet and ventrillo is common.
(ID #280138) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:39
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
Brazil.. we have lots of them... too many of them... some streets are almost taken over by them. It's a real problem. Lots of beggars, and lots of kids on traffic lights doing stuff to get money. They sell candy, they try to clean your windshield (usually making it dirtier), they'll do some acrobatics. They ask if you will let them take care of your car for some money (if you say no, they scratch your car or do worse)... and so on. About Internet Cafes... I think it's now forbidden. Some Internet cafes will still make frag nights sometimes, but usually you don't have beds or a place to spend the night sleeping. This would be a big problem, since there are too many homeless people, and they are not as clean as those in Japan. Also, lots of "educated" people in Brazil behave like pigs regarding their personal hygiene... beggars can be even worse around here. It wouldn't be possible to make profit with something like that...
(ID #280139) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:40
That net cafe looks very comfy.. There aren't many homeless here in Richmond BC, but maybe the will soon appear after the new Sky train is built for the winter Olympics..
(ID #280141) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:42
I'm an ass cause I rather donate to SPCA D:
(ID #280151) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:53
Sorry for double posting but I forgot to add: I'd rather help a cause for mistakes for men than help men of mistakes.
(ID #280155) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:54
Photographer/Night Auditor
hell no I don't give any beggers money. We have enough Social services in the area to help those people out that if they're to damn lazy to get help that's their own fault.
(ID #280154) Posted on 2008/08/27 12:54
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
in Manila you'd find beggars just about anywhere, social services suck. Vancouver on the other hand seem quite the opposite. at least one would easily see where their taxes go. btw Danny, did you notice that homeless folks in England tend to have a dog with them, apparently they get government subsidies for taking care of a dog. ^^; btw I had the same money swapping experience in India once. and the same reaction as well. but the stranges experience in India was when I saw a guy waving a monkey in the streets, I took a picture of it. after which he wanted me to pay him for taking the picture.
(ID #280193) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:37
Mechanical Engineering student
I'm guessing you've been to a lot of places O_o
(ID #280548) Posted on 2008/08/27 20:53
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
^^;;
(ID #280837) Posted on 2008/08/28 00:14
Student & Part time worker in a Day Care
yup, in New York there are quite a number of beggars begging in the streets and especially the subways. They get pretty mean when no one in the car gives 'em anything.
(ID #280195) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:39
Geek Liaison
I think the PC term is panhandling. Most of the ones that are panhandling are doing it for booze or drugs. There were a lot of them in the downtown area where I went to college I never gave them any money but a buddy of mine use to carry McDonald's gift cards to give to them. He had more then a couple get mad at him because he wouldn't give them cash.
(ID #280199) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:43
Close-protection officer/Martial artist
Panhandling is the term used for people performing/soliciting in order to get money or attention in a public place. I sorta differentiate between those and bums. I don't think the term panhandling is PC either, that's an old one... I have no idea what the PC term would be though "cashflow impaired"?
(ID #280203) Posted on 2008/08/27 13:48
Studio owner
Yes we do. And I was also told that I was not allowed to build a homeless shelter, since it was too similar to my retirement home/meat packing plant idea. *shifty eyes*
(ID #280217) Posted on 2008/08/27 14:13
Student Engineer
Yes there are homeless in the region- depending on where you g they are either nice (victim of circumstance) or some will attack to get what they want (don't be stupid by carying around the blackberry!). I generally do not give money to the homeless because in Baltimore some would use it for booze money (alcohol). Instead I insist that I buy them a sandwich and if they really are hungry then they will take me up on the deal. Otherwise I am thinking about engaging in philantrhopy in donating to shelters. There are no internet cafes around here with this type of service.
(ID #280224) Posted on 2008/08/27 14:27
Otaku/Student of University of Western Ontario
"Are there internet cafes in your region where you can stay at all night in your region?" Yes, most folks who do that tend to not sleep for more than 48 hours though. "Do you have a load of homeless folks in your region? Do they go around begging (is that the politically correct term?) for money?" I think panhandling is the correct term here. There are quite a lot in downtown Toronto. I saw someone doing that today when I went downtown, a girl gave him 5 bucks and he asked her if she could spare more, that disgusts me. "If they ask you, do you give or ignore and how much do you give?" I ignore, because many of those folks actually live in luxury.
(ID #280238) Posted on 2008/08/27 14:45
Otaku/Student of University of Western Ontario
dammit, should have read the comments first, sorry. About the netcafes here. What I meant is that most folks who do stay overnight plays overnight at all (there's a discount from 8pm to 8am). I may sound like an ass for my last statement, but honestly...These guys make way more than the minimum wage that I get, on top of that I very rarely spend money on non-otaku goods, so why should I give them anything. When I do go out for lunch I always tip and/or make donations if they got a box for those stuff.
(ID #280241) Posted on 2008/08/27 14:51
Otaku/Student of University of Western Ontario
Sorry for triple post, my grammar gets ridiculously bad when I'm tired. "About the netcafes here. What I meant is that most folks who do stay overnight plays overnight *and don't sleep* at all." There are no beds or anything, only computers and chairs. I'm pretty sure the ones in China are like that too, how else does someone die from playing WoW?
(ID #280245) Posted on 2008/08/27 14:53
Secretary
There are some here who don't really beg, but they fish around in dumpsters and talk to themselves and are fairly creepy.
(ID #280274) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:18
In my place, net cafe is actually opens 24 hours for 5days, theres sofas where maybe people could sleep or jusy take breaks. 2 dollor per hour...
(ID #280280) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:22
Yup I definitely remember the 50pence girl. Not many homeless people here since I don't live close to the city. Homeless people tend to walk the city streets begging money, sleeping on park benches, the usual things.
(ID #280284) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:25
doesnt look that bad, at least most homeless people actually try to support themselves unlike some places here, people just lie around waiting for something to happen
(ID #280285) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:25
Begging in SA is terrible - you stop a car at any busy intersection and someone will be at your window asking for money, often just little kids that have obviously been asked by their parents to try get money.
(ID #280298) Posted on 2008/08/27 15:41
Receptionist/ Accountant/ Junior Designer/ Illustrator
I'm glad a fellow South African is responding to this,begging really is bad here ... :(
(ID #280544) Posted on 2008/08/27 20:50
There are many homeless/beggars in Montreal... They're usually drunk and/or stoned and/or with many disturbing mental problems. And also with pack of dogs. One puked right in front of me once... not the kind of thing you want to see at 9AM on your way to work. Sometimes they follow you around yelling stuff and looking as they might attack any moment. The police department is right the next corner, but they don't do anything... too busy trying out their new T3s I guess.
(ID #280320) Posted on 2008/08/27 16:15
I used to be homeless. It was a fairly easy lifestyle, seeing as how you really only worry about the basic necessities (food, shelter, etc.). I saw a lot of people get used to that, and end up staying homeless rather than worrying about bills, deadlines, etc. However, I worked my rear off because I wanted more out of life. Now I'm doing pretty well...^_^
(ID #280386) Posted on 2008/08/27 17:15
I was homeless during Otakon 2008 a few weeks back =D. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to afford the trip, but decided to go at the last moment, and since I wasn't able to find a hotel not booked, I had to sleep on concrete steps outdoors in the street in downtown Baltimore. Not quite the same, but hey~
(ID #280397) Posted on 2008/08/27 17:28
Part human, part student, 100% loser
Wow, 1000yen per night?! That's cheap right?!
(ID #280420) Posted on 2008/08/27 17:49
website designer (currently assist. graphic designer)
That's very cheap, in comparison capsule hotels charge around 4000yen for an overnight stay xD; (1000yen is around $9.20us at the moment)
(ID #280906) Posted on 2008/08/28 01:15
1,000 Yen = £5 = $9.5 US
(ID #281131) Posted on 2008/08/28 04:49
suneo (Registered on 2007/12/17 20:30)
I see homeless people here all the time on the corners of streets with those signs up waiting for cars to come by. I gave some cents to a homeless guy before but I don't really do that often. That was just kind of a spur of the moment thing... Great that some homeless in Japan find some way to support themselves though. Those net cafes would be a great place to stay if you're down on your luck, but if you're just stopping for the night....I'd be kinda scared of the cleanliness of the quarters lol
(ID #280446) Posted on 2008/08/27 18:38