homeless camp

[Simon of the Playa]

ok, in all seriousness, today it's a fucking blizzard outside, and there are laws that punish those who leave their animals out in such inclement weather.

here in rochester, approx. 1000 people will sleep outside, or without heat in a makeshift shelter.

there are no laws against this.


apok is right, we are doomed, for our domesticated animals have better health care, as a whole, than their owners, as well...

[Toolmaker]

Perfect time to empty out Salvation Army and Goodwill of their blankets and hand them out to folks. Good warm jackets and pants are good too, try to buy extremely oversized for them so they can add insulation for added warmth. Newspapers work good for this if you can't find anything more suitable.

[BAS]

mostly the frustration at the fact that as hard as i work for my own livelihood and as much as i want to help the truly helpless, i feel completely helpless myself.

One of the things I've learned with examining corporate culture from both the inside and within academia is that there's a deliberate push towards this sense of helplessness. The more helpless you are, the more you depend on corporations to help you.

You have to decide what's important to you and stick with it, but once you do wholeheartedly, you can make a difference. Unfortunately, because of the corporate pressure, society usually considers these sorts of folks as "a nut" or wasting their time/effort/energy. It's that weight of normalicy you have to resist most.

I'm glad I decided to try to catch up on this thread!

Valkyrie, you are correct! Maybe this is why I have tended to be more happy at the lower income jobs than the higher paying ones I have had. The lower income (and lower prestige) jobs tend to be more tolerant of difference-- and also seem to put less pressure on their employees to feel dependent upon the employer. Or at least that has been my experience. At both the hospital and the DMV there seemed to be more pressure to do things the Company's way (and more effort expended to keep the Union helpless-- although both unions' didn't seem to help matters any. Too much crony-ism). The supermarket and my current job as a custodian are much more tolerant and seem less inclined to try to foster the feeling of dependence.

Er, does this mean that "Dependence" is the American Dream?!!?

[C187]

Toolmarker. What I was getting at with the "Park public restrooms" was what I'm used to. A small (no more then 15' x 8') building made of brick, or cedar block. Holes at the top and bottom for ventilation, and normal do not have stall doors. During the time I didn't have a place the park restroom was the only place in the small city I was in, that I wasn't fond by a cop. You have to keep in mind that at the time no one "locked-up" the restroom.

The building it's self saved me from the rain, and high winds. And was the only structure in the area that could do this. Since there are no bridges in the area, and the only overpass' are out of the way and connected to high traffic interstates.

I just think something that looks like that would be nice. But that's just me.

[mdmf007]

Homelessness sucks. I see a homeless fella simply wrap up everything he owns in a tarp every night and folds it so the rain drains off of him so he can sleep and stay dry.

sickening - if you ask me. More shelters that help get people on their feet are needed.

[Diesis]

I apologize for not reading everything in this thread up to my post, my internet time is limited.

I would personally like to say that this idea is the best one I've heard yet. Its a touchy subject for some and many of us need to be educated in some way about life on the street, what its like and how hard it is. I think it would certainly help some of us understand and maybe even help those we encounter that are homeless, as well as help those of us who qualify as homeless live life alitte better with new survival knowledge.

On a more personal level, Burning man is a kick off to my world travel escapades where I will be living out of a car, on the street, and in other countries. It would be good for me to learn as much as I can about living essentially homeless up until it actually happens.

[the fire elf]

one might say the gregorian calendar is ticking off numbers as some semblance of reform unfolds...

the shift between sense of cleansing benefaction transitioning from slaughter house ethos to give a little more (quoth the mutayted)

structures of survival safety nets doth spring about

though the wheedling and social debasing that might occur if you prop against such structures without inclination to take your matters into your own hands if able may bear down on occasion, there is sufficient support for survival

body temple and homelessness are cross-purpose nomenclature

get it right in your mind before being right in the middle

each star does it's own thing, so be it

some get so shell shocked from lack of hearing storytelling their mind overcompensates

[the fire elf]

that said, they work for prestige clout ways and means...

and they would feel quite the fool to look over and see those on strike being cared for comparable to themselves...

plus they know enough psychology to induce negative reinforcement

(they, them, quoth gibson's conspiracy theory)

[Toolmaker]

I will be unable to attend BM this year. I will still be available to answer anyones questions on their cardboard dome. This idea is up for grabs and I would love to see someone do it. Themecamp registration last year went until May so I imagine this year will be similar. I really wanted to do this but I cannot afford to swing my transportation and fuel from FL. I hope if someone does this camp that they have the best time of it. Maybe in 2009 or 2010 I will be able to come back to the playa.

[Catwoman69y2k]

Not trying to threadjack here, but what about something to do with the outsourcing. Many people on this thread believe that we are only making the homeless problem worse because of the outsourcing going on. It has gotten so bad that someone like me who lost their job to the affects of outsourcing has now become outsourced to Norway for a job! Aint that some sh*t.

Maybe we could get some Tshirts for people to wear that unify all of us here who have lost jobs due to outsourcing. A camp might be overkill and too late in this stage.

[lonestoner916]

[quote="dedqgirl"]and they make more than minimum wage sitting on the corner)quote]

http://rockass.net/panhandling/

That's a myth, unless you're a young pretty girl you're going to average about two bucks and hour on a good day. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but if you're one of those "oh, he probably makes more money than me, he probably drives a Mercedes..." people then shame on you!

[RedheadBarbie]

In Texas they also stand in the median and panhandle. It is only considered illegal if they are agressive, then good luck getting a cop to show up before the guy is gone. So after running errands one day, and getting hit up by the 6th guy, I was a bit tired of it. This particular guy wasn't taking no. He held up his cup and I shook my head no. He made little hand movements to rub his tummy and show me that he was hungry. I shook my head no. He held out his finger and made a tisk-tisk naughty motion. I used my finger to show him I still wasn't giving him anything. I gave him the bird. He started laughing his butt off and gave me the bird back, followed by both of us givin the peace sign. But generally they are very agressive here and with little to no services they don't have a hope of getting out. We're too busy supporting professional basketball with $40 t-shirts and $200 tickets to worry about shelters.

[normaleigh]

SERIOUS Educational camp with lots of community interaction and some hijinx. Panhandling on the playa. Sleeping where rangers or LEO will run you out of. Plenty of cardboard signage to hold. No community food or drink service. Cardboard camp burned at the end of week. More details to be drafted if there is interest.

Drop a line here if interested.

Looking for a couple more folks to help start project and as many participants as we can handle.

Did that a few years ago:
http://people.tribe.net/normalone/photo ... e21547e45e

My big thing is that you still MUST be self-sufficient. Otherwise, you're just being douchebags. As it turns out, people were pretty willing to give me meals and stuff, but I still had enough water, food, and beer for the week. What I didn't have was the ability to heat my soup (cold soup's ok with me) or chill my beer (warm beer's ok with me).

And I gotta tell you, even as helpful and cheerful as I am, people were pretty sketchy on why I was doing this. Many camps aren't all that cool with someone just crashing out around them. Early in the week, there were a lot of open places where camps hadn't set up yet. Later in the week, I had to count on friends.

Also, it was physically pretty tough, since you're just out there even in the dust storms and everything. Don't expect Club Med. Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not a delicate flower and it was almost physically too much for me.

I wasn't making a statement about homelessness, though. I was just doing it to see what it was like to not be tied to any one camp. I felt like I'd seen many sides of Burning Man and it was time to see them all, all the time, in one year. And I was really big on the self-sufficiency thing. I didn't beg or ask for hand-outs.

The nobby tires made all the difference in the world, just from a practicality standpoint. Oh, and it also helps if you have a "safe camp" where you can go if you're freaking out (i.e. "OH MY GOD, THE DUST IS MOTHERFUCKING KILLING ME!") and perhaps stash your water if you're not going to carry it all. I stored about 10 gallons at a friend's camp in Gigsville.

I'm not going to speak to there being space in Gigsville... We're running tight on space this year, but someone may let you camp on their personal plot.

- Normal

[Blooo]

I'm bringing some cardboard to set up a shanty of sorts. If i had enough time i'd try to spange enough cash to bring all my bum buddies throughout the city.

The american dream can be a nightmare when you dont play along.

Am i gonna get to meet any bum buddies out there?

[Toolmaker]

Am i gonna get to meet any bum buddies out there?

If I make it I will be broke, dusty, dirty, smelly, and with little to no resources. I just gotta make it past PG&E.

[gyre]

Just read this thread.

Very impressive, Mojo.
A great thing you are doing.

We had someone homeless ride with us to burning man.
I think he joined a camp and worked his way through.
The first morning, I found him sleeping in the lee of my tent, after a very windy night.
I asked him why he didn't knock and he said he was just looking for a windbreak.
I think it was about as dusty inside the tent really, anyway.
He had been homeless a long time.
I hope he found a home with the dpw or somewhere.

One of the neighborhood groups was giving out bread to people in the neighborhood that was near out of date, made by Orowheat.
Orowheat threated to sue the neighborhood group if they didn't stop what they were doing.
Funny thing is many people had started buying Orowheat after trying it.
They not only lost the promotional value, they have made many people angry with them.
When I get more detail, I may issue some press releases around Christmas.
The press always needs Grinch stories.
I was picking up any that was left and giving it to some churches and other groups in the area.
It felt very nice to be running around giving out food, very burney.

[Toolmaker]

BTDT

After reading Normals post I went sans shopping cart. I had an offer to be smuggled in and got in. I lived out of the camelbak and pooped like a rabbit all week since I was living off of lara bars, 2k calorie mil-spec crap, and electrolytes. I had NO SHELTER, NO SHADE, NO RESOURCES. Boy was it rough.. since I was on acid most of the time things were a bit of a blur from time to time. It seemd wayy more dusty this year but I loved that part of it. I got my minimalist list from a thread Badger made many moons ago and managed to do BM with CARRY ON luggage ONLY! I didn't bother to line up a freakout camp or backup since I knew I had a ride out. Basically if I have the ride to and fro lined up I can handle ANYTHING. I would not suggest this for anyone.. PERIOD. This was the roughest experience by far for me. There were some downright meanies out there, I was spit on trying to panhandle so I gave up on that. I got run off of anywhere I tried to squat so I wound up spending most of the time deep playa. I'm pretty sure I got to check out alot more art this year having no place in the city to be. I'm pretty fuckin dry since I didn't bother with the saline and skin lotion AGAIN. This really doesn't bother me too much.. I kinda prefer to embrace the dust. The bandanna worked famously AGAIN for the dust, my regular glasses sufficed for the eyes AGAIN. I honestly don't understand why folks need to be get up like they do with ski goggles and respirators and whatnot. My bandanna is kinda fucked tho.. It seems to be 50 percent playa dust now. I think this is normal and I may have to use a new one sometime next year, but I will try to keep the same unwashed one for as long as I can. Freeballing made a world of difference when it came to dealing with the heat, so I doubt I will have underwear ever again out there. I went Jesus shoed so my feet are totally fuxored up but I think that will work itself out in the coming weeks. At least I didn't get so dried and cracked to the point of bleeding. I did get robbed while I was passed out later in the week which only solidifies my belief that the gates should be closed Wednesday morning. I think if I woulda went straight edge the robbery would have been avoided since I would have likely woken up. I got ALOT of shit for tryin to poop on newsprint and toss it in the burn barrel.. so I did the deed behind a vehicle or structure like a ninja and delivered it afterword. I can't figure why anyone would get bent about pooping on newsprint in public at BM since my ass isn't all that huge tho it is a lil hairy. This incidentally is a lil harder than it looks.. I almost fell over a couple times. I put my pee in bottles and gifted em to a few folks.. this was probably totally wrong but enormously funny. I made sure only to gift folks I deemed yahoo touristy types. I think Normal was on point with the shopping cart.. If I do it again I am going to have a much better time being able to keep supplies handy, there were a few close calls when it came to obtaining water for my camelbak. Oh yeah, I also had an extra 3 litre bladder.. I don't think I would have made it all without it. I will try to post more later.. but I wouldn't have traded the experience for the world. Next time I want to be back in a themecamp though.. things were so friggin rough. Now I will likely sleep for a few days.

[gyre]

BTDT

Can you provide a translation list of abbreviations please?
Plz?

[Toolmaker]

BTDT

Can you provide a translation list of abbreviations please?
Plz?

Been There Done That

[gyre]

Thanks.

[professorzed]

This has been a very interesting thread.

Check out this 'homeless vehicle', designed from a shopping cart to be used specifically as a portable homeless shelter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59DV3k2f ... re=related