Darn! you beat me to it ... I was just about to post the same article here, but from CBS

Do you watch mainly American TV?

When I visited Cozumel, I would rent a motor scooter and ride through the island. Lots of poor people there. The had cider block homes with corrugated tins roofs. I think my garden shed was larger and there was a whole family living in those places (bathroom was outside). On top of all of those roofs was a TV antenna . They only got something like one station but it made them hapy.

 

Do you watch mainly American TV?

When I visited Cozumel, I would rent a motor scooter and ride through the island. Lots of poor people there. The had cider block homes with corrugated tins roofs. I think my garden shed was larger and there was a whole family living in those places (bathroom was outside). On top of all of those roofs was a TV antenna . They only got something like one station but it made them hapy.

I like to watch news from all around the world. And yes, there are many poor places like the one you've described down here. But most people are friendly, and have family-oriented lives. The other side of the coin is the place where I live, some areas have real estate prices that can easily equate to Manhattan. Inequality is a big issue here, and unfortunately it's not just of the economic type, but educational as well.

I just came back from Nashville a few weeks ago, and was surprised at the amount of beggars and homeless people roaming the streets. Extreme poverty is an equal opportunity disease that discriminates no nationality.

 

I like to watch news from all around the world. And yes, there are many poor places like the one you've described down here. But most people are friendly, and have family-oriented lives. The other side of the coin is the place where I live, some areas have real estate prices that can easily equate to Manhattan. Inequality is a big issue here, and unfortunately it's not just of the economic type, but educational as well.

I just came back from Nashville a few weeks ago, and was surprised at the amount of beggars and homeless people roaming the streets. Extreme poverty is an equal opportunity disease that discriminates no nationality.

May have mentioned it before. The two things that most impressed me with the poor in Mexico. First how friendly and generous they were. They did not have much but they were still willing to share. Mainly how much pride they took in their appearance. The woman wore simple cotton dresses. The men a work shirt and jeans. But clothes were always clean and mended. The people themselves were always clean. No small feat considering they had no laundry in their homes and likely no shower either. People in the states could learn a lot from them when it comes to caring for their appearance.

 

I like to watch news from all around the world. And yes, there are many poor places like the one you've described down here. But most people are friendly, and have family-oriented lives. The other side of the coin is the place where I live, some areas have real estate prices that can easily equate to Manhattan. Inequality is a big issue here, and unfortunately it's not just of the economic type, but educational as well.

I just came back from Nashville a few weeks ago, and was surprised at the amount of beggars and homeless people roaming the streets. Extreme poverty is an equal opportunity disease that discriminates no nationality.

Do you have something like Direct TV? Or do the local cable stations cover TV from other parts of the world?

 

People in the states could learn a lot from them when it comes to caring for their appearance.

What's wrong with $200 sneakers, gold chains, and the latest iPhone?

 

Personally, I shop at no where else but Tarje'

 

I just came back from Nashville a few weeks ago, and was surprised at the amount of beggars and homeless people roaming the streets. Extreme poverty is an equal opportunity disease that discriminates no nationality.

I wish extreme poverty was the cause for beggars and homeless people roaming the streets in the US. It's a life choice for many. Many are straight-up hustlers/fraudsters, seriously mentally ill and/or have drug and alcohol addictions with a small percentage who recently became homeless and are trying to get back out of the street as soon as possible.

 

I wish extreme poverty was the cause for beggars and homeless people roaming the streets in the US. It's a life choice for many. Many are straight-up hustlers/fraudsters, seriously mentally ill and/or have drug and alcohol addictions with a small percentage who recently became homeless and are trying to get back out of the street as soon as possible.

That's more or less the same impression that I had ... I mean, here I am visiting one of the most prosperous countries on earth, and with plenty of social programs offering opportunities for people to study, improve, get a job and/or start a venture, and these people simply don't want to be a part of that ... real sad ...

 

Do you have something like Direct TV? Or do the local cable stations cover TV from other parts of the world?

yeah, we have Direct TV, and other TV cable sources where we can watch U.S. channels if we want to. Mexico has no censorship over news sources nor does it restrict internet access, unlike some other more unfortunate countries.

 

I wish extreme poverty was the cause for beggars and homeless people roaming the streets in the US. It's a life choice for many. Many are straight-up hustlers/fraudsters, seriously mentally ill and/or have drug and alcohol addictions with a small percentage who recently became homeless and are trying to get back out of the street as soon as possible.

A lot of homeless and drug addicts are in fact mentally ill. Manic depression and schizophrenia are at the top for those groups. How do you figure mental illness is a lifechoice?

 

A lot of homeless and drug addicts are in fact mentally ill. Manic depression and schizophrenia are at the top for those groups. How do you figure mental illness is a lifechoice?

Most of the beggars that approached me seemed articulate and even acceptably dressed. They did not show any symptoms of mental illness nor dependency. It's hard for me not to think that their lifestyles were indeed a choice.

 

A lot of homeless and drug addicts are in fact mentally ill. Manic depression and schizophrenia are at the top for those groups. How do you figure mental illness is a lifechoice?

I said for many, not all. The ones with organic non drug and alcohol-related mental illness have always been on the streets. There is no way the massive increase in homeless is due to mental illness as the catalyst. There is also little doubt that many eventually become mentally ill (psychiatric illness.) because of long term drug dependency.

 

I wish extreme poverty was the cause for beggars and homeless people roaming the streets in the US. It's a life choice for many. Many are straight-up hustlers/fraudsters, seriously mentally ill and/or have drug and alcohol addictions with a small percentage who recently became homeless and are trying to get back out of the street as soon as possible.

Humm Not so sure about that. You of anyone here should be abundantly aware of the cost of housing in major metro cities like Portland. While I don't argue it is a choice for some, for others there is no choice. They work, they just simply don't earn enough to afford housing.


I thought the river front parks were bad in Portland with the homeless encampments until I went to Sacramento. It would make the homeless population in Portland barely noticeable.


BTW the new politically correct term is houseless not homeless.

 

Most of the beggars that approached me seemed articulate and even acceptably dressed. They did not show any symptoms of mental illness nor dependency. It's hard for me not to think that their lifestyles were indeed a choice.

You will not see immediate signs in a person who is bipolar. That is one of most challenging illnesses to adress and the one that most often leads to people to self medicate.

I do not know what the situation is like in the states, I was shocked when I saw the income divide in Florida while driving through communities. In Canada right now in certain areas the housing issues are so bad that no one is safe and being working poor is a norm for many people.

 

Humm Not so sure about that. You of anyone here should be abundantly aware of the cost of housing in major metro cities like Portland.

I know exactly what I'm talking about after yearly watching the mass of 'homeless' leave the city and head south when the weather starts to suck locally.
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/first-read-minute-646329923656

The city of Portland, Oregon, will help homeless residents buy a bus ticket out of town if they can prove they’re heading for a better situation.

The percentage that are priced out of housing is small compared to the 3/4 are drug addicted/mental and couldn't pay rent for housing at normal prices.

 

Humm Not so sure about that. You of anyone here should be abundantly aware of the cost of housing in major metro cities like Portland. While I don't argue it is a choice for some, for others there is no choice. They work, they just simply don't earn enough to afford housing.


I thought the river front parks were bad in Portland with the homeless encampments until I went to Sacramento. It would make the homeless population in Portland barely noticeable.


BTW the new politically correct term is houseless not homeless.

Well, if these people have a home, they are luckier than I am. I dont know where mine is

 

I know exactly what I'm talking about after yearly watching the mass of 'homeless' leave the city and head south when the weather starts to suck locally.
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/first-read-minute-646329923656


The percentage that are priced out of housing is small compared to the 3/4 are drug addicted/mental and couldn't pay rent for housing at normal prices.

This goes back to the question of how is being mentally ill a lifestyle? Drug addicts face the same issue... How many drug addicts are former war vets or pain medication patients? How many drug addicts are functional addicts?

Disclaimer: I worked for 3 years in a mentorship program with people in these situations, just so that it makes my perspective more clear

 

I dont know where mine is

mind elaborating?

 

This goes back to the question of how is being mentally ill a lifestyle? Drug addicts face the same issue... How many drug addicts are former war vets or pain medication patients? How many drug addicts are functional addicts?

Disclaimer: I worked for 3 years in a mentorship program with people in these situations, just so that it makes my perspective more clear

In many cases mental illness is the product of a life style not the organic cause. Can we both agree that most on the streets are NOT former war vets or pain medication patients?
Disclaimer: I've had close family relatives fall into the pit of drug addiction and seen up-close/personal the resulting brain damage that presents as mental illness.

 

In many cases mental illness is the product of a life style not the organic cause. Can we both agree that most on the streets are NOT former war vets or pain medication patients?
Disclaimer: I've had close family relatives fall into the pit of drug addiction and seen up-close/personal the resulting brain damage that presents as mental illness.

Yet another discussion entailing the chicken and the egg...