Technology has hurt social parasites and beggars

[Overmind One]

Things that have changed because of technology. Good for working people, bad for bums.

Cigarettes that cannot be bummed.

I just experienced one of now dozens of encounters with smokers who smoke other people's cigarettes. They see the "smoke" coming from my mouth and Im standing in the smoker's area, but Im vaping not smoking. That "cigarette" I am smoking is actually an e-cigarette which is a device and not a pack of bummable smokes. . It's mouthpiece is a personal as a toothbrush and it is not to be shared. So, you see them from a distance, staring at you from afar, and they make their way towards you with that classic "gimme a smoke please?" gesture of a cigarette to the mouth. I proudly show them my vape and they literally make a 90 degree turn elsewhere.

No more "spare change" for beggars.

More than 50% of people no longer carry cash AT ALL. Most of us like to keep $10.00 or $20 in our wallets for emergencies where you cannot use a card, but almost half of Americans and an even larger percentage of Europeans no longer carry ANY cash at all. I have become one of the 2% or so Americans who no longer carry any cash at all. If an establishment does not take my debit or credit cards, then it is no longer worth my patronage. It means that the management or ownership are way way behind the times and/or are hiding their income. It means that street beggars can no longer get my "spare change" as if it were spare in the first place? It also means that pickpockets are shit out of luck as are muggers who want cash.

Anybody want to add more to this list?

 

[Tripler]

Hmmm . Not sure what else they could not bum from you . I guess you could give them one of those cards that are prepaid like a tims card or donalds card instead of cash . But that would be a kind jesture and not something they would come out and ask someone to give them .
We have quite a few here in TO at light intersections with a cup held out . Sad .

 

[Jim of WVa]

Technology has helped social parasites via the EBT card.

 

[Overmind One]

Technology has helped social parasites via the EBT card.

I agree.

 

[Jim of WVa]

One time I was at a convenience store and had nothing but credit and debit cards on me. The electricity was out, and I had to go away empty.

One time the brother of a friend asked a panhandler how much he was making a day. The brother said that the panhandler was making more money a day than he was working at a supermarket.

I have never seen prepaid McDonald's cards. I might keep one on me for emergencies.

 

[Overmind One]

One time I was at a convenience store and had nothing but credit and debit cards on me. The electricity was out, and I had to go away empty.

One time the brother of a friend asked a panhandler how much he was making a day. The brother said that the panhandler was making more money a day than he was working at a supermarket.

I have never seen prepaid McDonald's cards. I might keep one on me for emergencies.

I do keep a bit of cash stashed in my vehicle for emergencies, but like you, I only carry debit and credit cards now. I do not shop at places who don’t take them, mostly because they are run by illegal aliens here in CA. You can even see them sometimes GIVING their food or produce away to some fellow illegals whilst charging everyone else. Also like you mentioned, some panhandlers here in CA are at the same spots every day and make a living off drivers in turn slots or freeway onramps which have meters on them (guaranteed queue of cars).

Im not really hating on panhandlers or beggars, but when I do the calculations of how much money I give to them annually and then measure the return, Im not seeing it. They are not reforming or shrinking in number, they are multiplying and coming up with new ways to play on my emotions. I deal with them on a case by case basis when I can see the situation fully.

 

[Overmind One]

Hmmm . Not sure what else they could not bum from you . I guess you could give them one of those cards that are prepaid like a tims card or donalds card instead of cash . But that would be a kind jesture and not something they would come out and ask someone to give them .
We have quite a few here in TO at light intersections with a cup held out . Sad .

They will simply sell them or try and get cash for them so they can buy what they REALLY want.

 

[Jim of WVa]

They will simply sell them or try and get cash for them so they can buy what they REALLY want.

I have an idea. A savings card for your local liquor store. Have the state agency that oversees the liquor stores issue a savings card for beer, wine, and distilled beverages. Purchase one gallon of liquor (8 pints, 4 quarts, or 5 fifths), get a fifth for free.

Or gift cards. Give them for Christmas to the alcoholic in the family.

 

[Overmind One]

Add to this list:

Door to Door Salesmen

I cant remember the last time I encountered a door to door salesman of goods. I think the last one was a magazine salesman trying to sell me magazine subscriptions. Even the Girl Scouts cant pull it off anymore.

Mall shopping

Online retailers such as Amazon have destroyed the brick and mortar Indoor Shopping Mall. Apps which can compare prices at several retailers at several locations simultaneously have removed the fake from "sales".

Junk Foods

The internet is slowly killing mega-junk food giants such as McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, Coke and Pepsi in the US and the UK, and growth in emerging international markets is already rough. People can look up nutrition labels and ingredients lists, and choose more wisely before going to the store. And they might even find a better, smaller store they did not know about.

 

[Jim of WVa]

Add to this list:

Door to Door Salesmen

I cant remember the last time I encountered a door to door salesman of goods. I think the last one was a magazine salesman trying to sell me magazine subscriptions. Even the Girl Scouts cant pull it off anymore.

Mall shopping

Online retailers such as Amazon have destroyed the brick and mortar Indoor Shopping Mall. Apps which can compare prices at several retailers at several locations simultaneously have removed the fake from "sales".

Junk Foods

The internet is slowly killing mega-junk food giants such as McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, Coke and Pepsi in the US and the UK, and growth in emerging international markets is already rough. People can look up nutrition labels and ingredients lists, and choose more wisely before going to the store. And they might even find a better, smaller store they did not know about.

Major chain fast food restaurants are not going anywhere. Their growth may drop below zero, but they satisfy a need.

 

[Tripler]

We have sales people once a week at my door trying to sell me an Instant Hot Water Heater or a better hydro contract , better Natural Gas contract . I just let my dog bark at them and tell them I am deaf which I am slightly and walk away from the screen door while my dog drools with red eyes and tries to slam her face through the door to get to there throats . They leave . Besides . I do all my gas and electrical work as I have my licence to do that work .

 

[Joelist]

McDonalds has rechargeable payment cards/apps and have had them for a while now. Ditto most other chains.

Some of them (like Dunkin Donuts) even use them to drive rewards programs, where when you spend "x" dollars or shop "x" times they either put a free item coupon on the card/app or put dollars on it gratis. When you have a place like that it pays to use the card (or smartphone app) every time you shop there.

 

[Overmind One]

McDonalds has rechargeable payment cards/apps and have had them for a while now. Ditto most other chains.

Some of them (like Dunkin Donuts) even use them to drive rewards programs, where when you spend "x" dollars or shop "x" times they either put a free item coupon on the card/app or put dollars on it gratis. When you have a place like that it pays to use the card (or smartphone app) every time you shop there.

The elimination of cash is the goal. It is easier for the infrastructure of retail and government to manage the movement (and security) of money digitally rather than using hard currency. Europe is a decade ahead of the US in this respect, and it works very well for them. But the net effect on the beggars and bummers is that they no longer can ask for untraceable cash and get it without their target needing to go to an ATM and withdraw it.

Im for charities, but not by giving cash to those who have needs. Give them what they need, not the cash. Bumming smokes from me is not charity, it is just bumming to support a habit that they cannot afford to have. Same with alcoholics who sit outside of liquor stores or elsewhere reeking of alcohol and wanting to bum money for more.

 

[Tripler]

I just realized giving them the loaded card won't work unless they use it for its intention . They could sell blank cards and eventually get there asses kicked for scammin people so it would not work . It's cash, grass or ass like the old days and that ain't gonna change none ...

Hey buddy ,,, gotta smoke ? ,,,... Spare some change buddy ? ,,,...

 

[YJ02]

Technology has helped social parasites via the EBT card.

ppl fail to even imagine how many ways these things are misused

like the scam usually done at neighborhood small grocers

the ebt user goes in and buys their limit of food stamp stuff

the store owner, or whoever is running the scam, 'buys' the food from the purchaser for the price plus $100 (or whatever)
then the food goes back on the shelves for resale = double profit less the $100 they gave out.

or, if the store gets credit for damaged goods BUT ONLY if it is done on trust (no actual return to warehouse needed for credit issued to store) and THEN the store owner/employee, will even take those same items to a local swap meet or flea market and sell the stuff there = a double profit

there are other scams as well

 

[YJ02]

So now when I hear "spare change sir", " money for a hostel sir" or a woman in the rain with a baby holding eye contact and pleading "we're starving" I feel like telling them to fuck off.

these are the ones who F it up for anyone who actually needs help and may be on the streets for a bit because they have not yet found how to get help.

another homeless situation at least here in the US, is the issue of the 'working homeless'

these are ppl, usually with kids, who work a steady job with med insurance ,etc, get more then min wage, but due to a connection of bills and a high cost of living area, they cannot afford to do much more then continue payments on their cars and live in them, or maybe be able to rent a motel room by the week

and it really burns me.. i see documentaries of ppl in this situation in cities or in high COLA states where the amount they are paying to rent a motel for a week and their car payment together, they could be renting a 3 bedroom house here-or many other rural areas

but of course there are a myriad of reasons ppl dont move. much is due to ignorance and some strange 'fear' of the countryside

 

[YJ02]

the move to cashless is getting a lot of pushback

Philadelphia recently banned the ability for any business to NOT accept cash. if they want to operate in the city, then they must accept cash

New Jersey has banned cashless only and DC and NYC have legislation in the pipe

San Francisco as well

the whole idea of having a store or restaurant where you cant buy anything with govt issued money is the same as a business telling someone they cant be served/sold to because of the ethnicity or because they are homosexual

oh, and using cash doesn't have a fee every time you use it! if cash is banned then the fees need to be banned as well





Germany and Japan are also very anti cashless as well



and the whole use of cards only is just a pain in the ass. there are constant issues, even with major chains

so many times either the POS or network is down and all they can process are cash sales. The same network also rendering the in store atm offline as well

its just not practical. its bad enough they took gold and silver away from backing paper money, now they want digital money to be backed by something in the ether

i have found myself using cash more and more often as so many business are having more and more 'technical difficulties'

 

[YJ02]

and....

how did the whole cashless thing work in Calif recently with all of the blackouts across the state?

i suppose commerce just stopped?

that is a big neg for anything so tech based and dependent--- its connection to the electric grid. no electric then what will you sue to get what you need?


another thing- since so many banks have overdraft protection or that 'courtesy' budge room. you know where the bank or credit company will allow to overspend a bit so you are not embarrassed by being declined? yeah..the 'benefit' where you need to read small print and actively opt out to not have it

and you get charge a fee for the convenience

using cash s the best way to maintain spending discipline

 

[Overmind One]

and....

how did the whole cashless thing work in Calif recently with all of the blackouts across the state?

i suppose commerce just stopped?

that is a big neg for anything so tech based and dependent--- its connection to the electric grid. no electric then what will you sue to get what you need?


another thing- since so many banks have overdraft protection or that 'courtesy' budge room. you know where the bank or credit company will allow to overspend a bit so you are not embarrassed by being declined? yeah..the 'benefit' where you need to read small print and actively opt out to not have it

and you get charge a fee for the convenience

using cash s the best way to maintain spending discipline

Good question! But I think the northern part of the state which is mostly rural is not so cashless. California itself is not cashless, and lots of people still use cash for everything. It's just the working people who have to commute and use online services who prefer to be cashless, like myself. For me, my spending discipline is better without cash because every little thing is recorded and I can analyze my spending habits and adjust them. I still use my personal mantra JEP (Justify Every Purchase) to keep things manageable, and it works very well.

 

[YJ02]

Good question! But I think the northern part of the state which is mostly rural is not so cashless. California itself is not cashless, and lots of people still use cash for everything. It's just the working people who have to commute and use online services who prefer to be cashless, like myself. For me, my spending discipline is better without cash because every little thing is recorded and I can analyze my spending habits and adjust them. I still use my personal mantra JEP (Justify Every Purchase) to keep things manageable, and it works very well.

but with many things 'overmind one' that is you, the majority of ppl are not like you

i think the only thing i like that Elizabeth Warren has done while she was the head of the consumer credit protection agency was when they put an end to the en masse issuance of credit cards to college freshman.

that had to put a dent in the plans of banks and others who used that program as a first step in indoctrinating ppl into just swipe and forget mentality.