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This begs for the question: how are you getting online now, then?

Okay, I'm glad that you're able to live free and all, but you're at least earning your living by providing some sort of entertainment. From what you've said here, you're not going out and approaching people and asking them for money- you're accepting what they give you as you busk. That's a big difference- I usually toss money to street musicians.

As for the rest, though- look, dude, I work pretty fucking hard for the money I get. I have to follow someone else's schedule, I have to pay bills and a mortgage to support my three kids, and I don't have the free time that you do. So why should I also burden myself by giving the money I've busted my ass for to someone who can't be arsed to support themselves? It's not as if I go to work because I love sitting at a desk, you know. I do it because that's the only way to make enough money to feed myself and my kids and give us all a safe shelter to live in. If beggars can't be bothered to do the same, fuck 'em. That's their choice. But I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for it.

Note here that I'm specifying beggars, not the ones who should be institutionalized and are on the street because they're too sick to work. I'm happy to have my taxes go to running shelters for them. It's the ones who are every bit as able as I am who can't bring themselves to do the minimum wage jobs to get by that really piss me off. I've painted houses, groomed horses at a racetrack, washed dishes, waited tables, split firewood, done rough carpentry, worked in a lumberyard and a lot of other menial type jobs to feed myself without ever having to resort to begging.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 24 Oct 2007, 13:51, Reply)