Comments on: Night and day

By: robert

robert — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:18:56 +0000

In Prague, you will also find homeless people, stretched on in front of hotels, metros, public benches and elsewhere. It’s a fact of life – sad but sometimes, can’t be helped. By the way, how did you come to know about the two men in China?

By: Johnny the Clown « Cheeky Dribble

Johnny the Clown « Cheeky Dribble — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:47:29 +0000

[...] Johnny the Clown February 28, 2008 I have to thank Jeffrey Zeldman for his post “Night and Day” to stir up memories of Johnny the Clown. I first met Johnny the Clown at a child’s [...]

By: coolermaster

coolermaster — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:32:15 +0000

Hi..there.. Drug and addiction can be devastating to family members and individuals.Drug addiction treatment can include medications, behavioral therapy (such as cognitive therapy, psychotherapy, counseling, etc. ). A Research Based Guide released from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) said that treatment must be specific to each individual and assessed and modified continually to match the person’s changing needs.

By: Ninth

Ninth — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:21:05 +0000

I am from Cincinnati, and they did one of those news projects there also. It was awhile ago, but they found that something like 70% of the panhandlers were not actually homeless. One guy even had a really nice house in the suburbs. I don’t remember what the average person got, but it was well over minimum wage.

Homeless people are a different story than panhandlers, even though they are sometimes the same. People are usually homeless because of addictions or mental illness.

By: Mona Mayfair

Mona Mayfair — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:28:07 +0000

I have an unlimited capacity for compassion. Whenever I cross paths with the homeless, it discourages me and makes me wish I could simply do more to help than I am able to. When I see one on the corner, holding up a sign asking for money, I have many times gladly given them my last few dollars, as long as I have gas in the car and can get to where I am going. The way they react when I do this is beautiful. I can’t describe it. I have been staying at an extended stay motel, which used to be an apartment building. It’s right off interstate 205, and not exactly in the highest quality of neighborhoods. A few weeks ago, I went out to the parking lot to get something from my car and I noticed a man with some sort of cart filled with mostly pieces of cardboard and other scraps of nothing, and he was going through the dumpster. Looking for cans and bottles to recycle, of course. He wasn’t finding many in that particular dumpster. I am always a little bit unsure of how to handle a situation of that sort, when the person in question is not actually asking for help or money. I want to offer something, but I almost feel rude approaching them and just trying to hand them cash. It seems…like it could be taken as insulting, or in poor taste. I wouldn’t want that. Everyone has the right to pride and dignity, regardless of their residence (or lack thereof). I wouldn’t ever dream of damaging someone’s pride or dignity, and ESPECIALLY someone who is going through a rough period of time in their life. Or, in some cases, a rough period of time that IS their life. So I usually approach them in a very humble way, trying my best to not offend in any way, and make it very clear that I only want to help them, but only if they want to be helped. So far, that has worked for me. I walked up to him and said something to get his attention, probably ’sir?’ or ‘hey’ I don’t remember which for certain, and he turned around with a sort of expectant expression on his face. It was a little bitter looking, almost like he was sneering at me a little. I think he had expected me to tell him to go away, or not go through that dumpster. I am not good with words when in a situation like that, where I am not sure of myself and a little awkward. So I just reached out to him, holding a $20 bill and just said ‘here’. His expression transformed so totally it was like the first flight of a brand new butterfly. He asked me if I was sure, and I said yes. He was so hesitant to take it from me, asking me probably five or six times before I went back inside. He thanked me several times, and just kept saying “wow” after I insisted he take it. It was only twenty dollars. If it had been a thousand, I would have given it to someone who needed it just as quickly, as long as I had what I needed and would be fine without it. I feel like I owe it to those people out there trying to survive without a home, or other things we take for granted. I guess I am just lucky. If it weren’t for getting away with my less-than-legal ways of generating an income to live on, I could very well be in a tough spot myself. But I make sure not to hurt anyone in the process of doing what I do, and my luckiness should not be only my own. It should be shared and distributed as evenly as possible throughout the world around me that I can reach.

Just my thoughts.

By: Homeless man's sidewalk TV on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Homeless man's sidewalk TV on Flickr - Photo Sharing! — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:45:28 +0000

[...] Homeless man’s sidewalk TV To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. F.decorate(_ge(‘button_bar’), F._photo_button_bar).bar_go_go_go(2300376397, 0); F.decorate(_ge(‘photo_notes’), F._photo_notes).notes_go_go_go(2300376397, ‘http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2239/2300376397_74e8289a20_t.jpg’, ‘3.1444′); View Jeffrey’s map Taken in a place with no name (See more photos or videos here) More info [...]

By: Fran

Fran — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:47:39 +0000

@minimal design, great idea. Anything that could smack people in the face with the problem is good. As far as not knowing how someone might become homeless, I thought all weekend. Just picture living from pay check to pay check, you become ill and cannot work, the company your working for goes bust whatever….No family, maybe friends are no better off than you, next step homeless. How hard would it be to find employment without a phone or address. Can you imagine showing up for an interview smelling, dirty and un shaven. If your from my area where you need a vehicle to get you where your going? It’s such a sad mess. What can we really do. Okay so you give a guy a buck or a twenty, what about the next day and the next. That is putting a band aid on the problem. Hats off to you for wanting to try something. And hats off to Jeffery. I have never commented on anything before but this story really has me thinking.

By: Jeff Sasseville

Jeff Sasseville — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:11:11 +0000

16 years old and looking at 50 to 60 years of work might make
panhandling look glamorous and exciting.

By: Tim Shortt

Tim Shortt — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:54:47 +0000

Would you sleep outdoors on cold cement by choice?

No, I wouldn’t. But that’s not to say that some wouldn’t endure what seems to me to be a tragically harsh existence by choice. Homelessness and panhanding are complex issues. I struggle with whether or not I’m actually helping a homeless person when I give them some change. I say to myself: “he’s just going to get some whiskey”, and I refuse to give. On other days, I might run into a homeless woman holding a wet, emaciated cat with barely any fur, and I just think: “what the fuck?”. (I’ve seen her at Suburban Station in Center City, Philly)

I’ve read “Another Bullshit Night In Suck City” by Nick Flynn. What a moving memoir. I wonder if you or any readers can suggest additional reading? (fiction or non-fiction)

By: Jake

Jake — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:22:47 +0000

Zeldman: Sure is nice of you to refer to African Americans as such, since Brian Fling over there at Fling-Flavor uses another term:

http://flinglog.com/post/27665113

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:20:10 +0000

@Brian This is the first post I’ve ever responded to on this blog, and I’ve been a reader for well over a year

@minimal design, I love the idea. I think what most people, including me, do not have a good grasp of is *why* people are homeless, how they got that way, and how little control they actually had over the situation. One project I’ve wanted to do for a while is to go into a city, walk around, and talk for an hour or so with the homeless people I found, listen to their stories, and write them.

By: Jeffrey Zeldman

Jeffrey Zeldman — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:59:49 +0000

@David O, you are right—it is the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. @minimal design, creating a website to document the plight of homeless people does not sound like a bad idea at all. Much depends on the purpose you hope to achieve; much also depends on the quality of the concept and execution. Housing Works is a New York City-based organization that does a phenomenal job advocating on behalf of, and truly helping, homeless people with AIDS. When I encounter truly desperate people, like the homeless man watching TV on the corner (I just saw him again while walking my dog), the knowledge that I can contribute to an organization like Housing Works relieves the helplessness I feel. Maybe I can't help this particular individual, but I can help eliminate the condition from which he suffers. There are many ways to help Housing Works, from doing grassworks community stuff, to contributing to or shopping at their amazing thrift stores and auctions. (At Happy Cog, we are honored to have been granted the privilege of working with this amazing organization on the redesign of their website.)

By: minimal design

minimal design — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:48:13 +0000

I like how my post was just plain ignored… “You’re idea is stupid” or “I’m too busy” would have been good enough.

By: Jeffrey Zeldman

Jeffrey Zeldman — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:24:46 +0000

I took some photos while the man was away, so as not to intrude on his privacy. He left the TV on while he was gone.

By: bellalace

bellalace — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:18:02 +0000

It is a sad state of affairs when the UN has clear view of who they were developed to take care of. It would be nice to know the Secretariat brought them coffee every morning.

I applaud Jeffrey for his keen observations (a true artist’s trait) and I commend these homeless men whose efforts to stay alive have unwittingly created a topic we can all think about.

I would imagine there will be a few more comments, but echoing Brian, beautiful writing as this about homeless men and our perception of them causes us to ponder a very uncomfortable subject.

It’ll never be easy.