POZ Community Forums
Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: OneTampa on March 13, 2012, 08:36:09 pm
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Using homeless people as hot spots for wireless connections:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/sxsw-homeless-hotspots_n_1342972.html
Words...fail...me
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I saw that on the news today and I don't see where its a problem . The people are doing an honest days work for much needed cash and 100% of the money generated goes directly into the pockets of the of those who choose to participate .
Am I missing something here that I may have overlooked that is exploitation ?
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Hmm, the potential radiation ?
A really useful hotspot device probably shouldn't be in your pocket.
I think it's a big conspiracy to make them infertile.
I don't think this is the way to stop the homeless from reproducing. :-)
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I thought this story was a whole lot of nothing. I didn't see anyone being forced into it -- it's a job. Maybe there is more to the story than I saw, but what I did see looked like a sensationalistic piece looking to cause controversary and increase viewership.
Mike
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At first I was like what's the big deal. Then, I heard some "smart" folks on TV saying it took away their humanity--what if we chained bikes to them, used them to block the sun like an umbrella, and so on. They got me feeling like it was bad.
On the news, they said they were paid just $20/day. But, I never heard how many hours they had to work for that. About the radiation issues I've heard on the news, I've used my phone as a hot spot. I think that is basically what they were doing, right? Using phones as hot spots, no?
On the other hand, it can be a good way for homeless people to make money--if they are paid fairly. A homeless person is going to have a hard time getting a "regular" job without an address or current work history. So, I don't know. If they don't feel used or made to feel less worthy, then it should be left to them?
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So offering a job where people are paid at least $70 for 6 hours of standing around carrying a sign and a cell phone hot spot takes away people's humanity? If these were high school students people would not blink.
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Sounds like an experiment and as such, since they got paid, where's the problem. Might be a bad idea to put this into permanent place in some city, however. It does have an odd wealth/poverty and power/powerlessness vibe and I might see it construed as a bit insensitive.
One town were i went to college didn't have recycling but did have deposits and some homeless made it their full-time job to collect cans around town and return them, no college students would ever spend the time to do so.
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Why stop at Wi-Fi? I propose that they strap solar panels to the backs of the homeless so that users can recharge their smart phones in an enviromentally sensitive manner. Sigh! Makes me feel as warm as a Bum awash in the glow of a dozen iPhones.
GROWLER
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I'm betting the best source of opinion are homeless people doing the hot spot gig.
This writer/article offers insight as well.http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/03/14/don-t-be-so-quick-to-condemn-the-homeless-hot-spots-idea-writes-lee-stringer.html
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This be good wi-fi 20 dollars for the bum gets kill over this hot spot .what a way to get them out of your city lol. Got to love the people that come up with these lol
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It would never work here on the Russian River. The city limit sign at Guerneville reads 1925 population and the county estimates an additional 250 people who are homeless. That is 19% of the population would be hot spots while the rest, like me live next to vacation rentals which give free wi fi. I like where I live...if only the neighbors would stop hanging themselves in their trees. ;D Have the best day
Michael
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It would never work here on the Russian River. The city limit sign at Guerneville reads 1925 population and the county estimates an additional 250 people who are homeless. That is 19% of the population would be hot spots while the rest, like me live next to vacation rentals which give free wi fi. I like where I live...if only the neighbors would stop hanging themselves in their trees. ;D Have the best day
Michael
Micheal, do they still have the "Lazy Bear Weekends" up there in Guerneville, hubby bob & I were invited to a few of them back in the late 90s we just pitched a tent and it was a lotta fun from what I recall :P
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Hey Dennis, I think so... Last year my neighbor complimented my hair and thought I did it to attract bears. He was sending his lover out to trap himself a bear in those trees because, he said his lover thought bears were cute. They cut my neighbor out of the tree two weeks ago, just after after he hanged himself.
8) Have the best day
Michael