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Don't make eye contact
Old 05-15-2012, 01:32 PM   #1
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Don't make eye contact

Several years ago, I was sitting out in front of a hamburger joint on Whittier Blvd. waiting for my lunch order. A fellow came up and sat down next to me. He was not an unfamiliar sight along that stretch of highway; walking up and down the road, or stretched out sleeping on the sidewalk, everyday in a dirty trench coat, long matted hair and the Charlie Manson look in his eyes.

He launched into a convoluted diatribe about land bridges between continents and the movement of ancient peoples, dinosaurs and all manner of strange goings on in the universe. Finally he looked me in the eyes and said, "Do you understand?"

I replied, perhaps more harshly than was warranted, that I didn't have a (expletive deleted)ing clue what he was talking about. He looked like I slapped him across the chops. And without missing a beat said, "Give me a dollar."

I hope Dr. Phau knows what he is doing by engaging he who cannot be named.

don't tease the animals!
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Old 05-15-2012, 01:44 PM   #2
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The first time DW and I vacationed in South Beach we walked from breakfast at the hotel out onto the beach to get a look at how it compared to the Outer Banks (our usual vacation spot)... we were approached by what we assumed was a lifeguard. He struck up a friendly conversation that went on for 5 minutes about the area and how nice it was.

Out of nowhere the question came: "Can you spare $5?" and the light bulb went off... I thought man, if I'm ever homeless I'm coming to Miami... even their style of begging is leisurely and stress free, although awkward as always when they got to the point [gimme gimme gimme]

I think it would be an interesting study to look at the evolution of techniques adopted by the homeless in different areas of the country. With so many hours on "the job" they are surely to fine tune and perfect their methods to fit the regional crowd

Crazy works in some places...
Friendly lifeguard in others...
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Old 05-15-2012, 01:44 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by ronin View Post
Several years ago, I was sitting out in front of a hamburger joint on Whittier Blvd.
That was the first mistake that set this whole unfortunate thing in motion.

Ha
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Old 05-15-2012, 01:48 PM   #4
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At least on your own blog you can edit the comments as you see fit, so if ***** gets out of control Wade can get out the shears.
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Old 05-15-2012, 01:50 PM   #5
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I had a similar experience while trying to eat in front of Molinari Delicatessen in San Francisco, only it was an unfortunate woman who started off screaming at us right off the bat...very sad.
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Old 05-15-2012, 02:15 PM   #6
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Oh my, someone willing to argue with the ho ho man and his theories! Oh dear lord, should we warn him?
Many here will not know he whose name cannot be said. But as for the rest, we shudder....
Awesome find, ronin!
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Old 05-15-2012, 02:20 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Sarah in SC View Post
Oh my, someone willing to argue with the ho ho man and his theories! Oh dear lord, should we warn him?
Pfau knows the history of you-know-who, but I'm not sure he understands the lengths YKW will go to once locked on a target subject. As brewer says, at least Pfau has the final say in what shows up in his comments section...
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Old 05-15-2012, 02:31 PM   #8
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It is a different way of life....

Once a group of us were sitting outside a Chipotle and this worman approached us with her hands together like in church... someone made a comment to her saying we were not interested even before she started her speil.... boy did she let loose... she was cursing us out about how we did NOT know why she was approaching us etc. etc... went away for a minute or two and then came back to yell at us some more...

The guy lit into her about knowing exactly why she was approaching as only beggers come like she was.... (you could easily tell she was homeless)...
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Old 05-15-2012, 03:38 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvrClrx311 View Post
.

Out of nowhere the question came: "Can you spare $5?" and the light bulb went off... I thought man, if I'm ever homeless I'm coming to Miami... even their style of begging is leisurely and stress free, although awkward as always when they got to the point [gimme gimme gimme]
...
Seems you've omitted a key element of the story...Did you cough up the fiver??
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Old 05-15-2012, 05:06 PM   #10
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Wow, two, two threads in one.

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Old 05-15-2012, 05:31 PM   #11
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Does "he who cannot be mentioned" have a "G" in his user name?

I'd also like to buy a vowel.

To keep the thread ambidextrous, I had a 50ish year old guy come up to me today and literally beg with a voice like he was crying, I gave him a dollar.
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Old 05-15-2012, 06:31 PM   #12
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Thanks for posting the link to this interesting blog.

Amethyst
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Old 05-15-2012, 07:52 PM   #13
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I was thinking the same thing, can'tlogin !
And zero, it is a name that, due to longstanding tradition, if it is spelled on the forum, will only appear as *****. But it isn't SG, it it is the h---s man that Pfau mentions in the blog.
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Old 05-15-2012, 09:51 PM   #14
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*****?
Yes, I got it...
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Old 05-15-2012, 11:38 PM   #15
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I nominate Nords to warn Pfau on the danger of discussing anything to do with H*.

I wasted the first 6 months of my retirement arguing with the guy on The Fools" retire early board. I want nothing to do with the guy.

On the other topic. Berkeley is/was famous for crazy homeless people (as well as the politicians) and has more than its share of panhandlers.

I got stop one day by young woman with toddler in tow. She told me a heart breaking story of bad luck, hungry children etc. As I was literally reaching for my wallet to give her a buck or two. She stopped said "Ah hell I guess that story doesn't work either" and moved on.

I guess the moral of the story being if you are panhandling have patience.
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Old 05-16-2012, 12:03 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo View Post
Pfau knows the history of you-know-who, but I'm not sure he understands the lengths YKW will go to once locked on a target subject. As brewer says, at least Pfau has the final say in what shows up in his comments section...
Wade locked horns with H&&&& on another blog (4% Rule & Safe Withdrawal Rate In Retirement - A Complete Guide...) and went about 10 rounds before gracefully bowing out. As usual, the judges gave up before the other contestant would agree to leave the ring, but Wade was far ahead on points.

Interestingly enough, the comments on that blog appear to have been heavily edited since the original sparring occurred. "Eviscerated" is probably an apt description.

Anyway Wade is well aware of who H&&&& is and has been adequately provided with plenty of links by posters who are well-informed on the guy's history. Since Wade knows exactly what he's dealing with, I suspect he's found the perfect way to drive his blog traffic through the roof.

Tune in for my next post, "The Military Guide to H&&&&&"...
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Old 05-16-2012, 12:13 AM   #17
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Tune in for my next post, "The Military Guide to H&&&&&"...
As well as my new book the "The Dummies Guide to H*Mania"

To help promote my book I will be giving away some prizes.

First prize is "A day with H*"
Second prize is "A weekend with H*"
And the boobie prize is "A week with H* and JWR too"
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Old 05-16-2012, 12:33 AM   #18
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If someone becomes unpopular because of abnoxious postings, he or she can come back using a different username, correct ? Maybe h---s has already come back under a different name....
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Old 05-16-2012, 12:44 AM   #19
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If someone becomes unpopular because of abnoxious postings, he or she can come back using a different username, correct ? Maybe h---s has already come back under a different name....
He has a very distinctive writing style (verbose is kind) but not particularly obnoxious more like a pit bull. There are at least two dozen veteran poster who could catch a doppleganger of him after a handful of posts.
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Old 05-16-2012, 04:34 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by obgyn65
If someone becomes unpopular because of abnoxious postings, he or she can come back using a different username, correct ? Maybe h---s has already come back under a different name....
Nope. We mod folks check for that. It happens, but rarely. Old Hoc couldn't probably stand to post under an alias, though, because he is a one-note drum.
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