[Maritime Q-Scout]

I don't have the same experiances that you guys do when it comes to the homeless monestly because:

1. I'm from a small town, where there is little homelessness (lots of unemployment though). Where you actually know the guys name and everyone has their story of talking to "Sid". If I have spare change (that's not to say loose change in my pocket) I do pass it over, good karma is good karma.

2. I spent a summer in Montreal where it's capitalism at it's finest. They ask you in French, then English, and then perfrom for you. Every subway station has a guy doing something. Dancing, singing, doing tricks. They do fairly well I bet. I saw one guy directing people to empty parking places downtown. He's see someone looking, get their attention then show them a spot, and even hold it for them. I've watched people hand over toonies, and bills to the guy. I was thinking "this guy's a f'n genious!" If he parks 5 cars and hour for 8 hours a day, seven days a week, that's $560/wk tax free. (mind you there's no job security).

So when someone approaches me on the street, and shakes a Tim's cup, I just keep walking, because well atleast the homeless elsewhere were doing something.

3. I take it on a case my case scenerio. If you approach me for money, and you have a good story to tell (true or not) I'll give you something. I try and help people out where I can (mind you I don't like being scammed; waiting at a bus stop the other day a guy in his 20's said his girlfriend took all him money, he didn't even have busfare. He asked if I had the final 50 cents he needed to get on the bus. I didn't believe him, but knowing I didn't have any change, I looked in my pocket and wallet. When I saw bus tickets (I have a pass as well) and said to the guy "I'll make you a deal you give me what you have right now, and I"ll give you a bus ticket". Sounds like a fair deal right? 50 cents short, and you get a ticket that gets you the same thing. Talk about backtrack, "ugh actually man I don't even have that". Was the guy homeless? Didn't look it but begging none-the-less.

In the end, I suppose it's best to give food, and if someone looks really down on their luck, hand them some money. The best feeling comes when you give money to a homeless person who didn't ask for it, or who is outside of a fast food resturant, and you can see the hunger in his/her eyes.

I don't usually give to kids on the street just because you get that one kid wearing a Columbia jacket asking for spare change, and then you see them pack up and go home to their parents.

I have no idea where I'm going with this right now, I just woke up

to give, or not to give, judge by each case and your GUT feeling on it.