http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
Please present hall pass, you have ten seconds to comply.]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
Thank You Bum Bot!]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/index.jhtml]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
But then again they do show ads on their website so :S]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
One of the problem's with the homeless is that they prey on a person's guilt, because when you actually give homeless people change, it gives them no reason to alter their behavior, and they continue to beg on the streets. I know it's not ubiquitous, but look up the instances of "dateline" or "60 minutes" type shows that have followed some of these "homeless." They watch as they walk up to BMW's and Mercedes and drive off to expensive homes.

The problem is lack of motivation. There are shelters and soup kitchens and programs that help the homeless. (In DC there is the homeless newspaper, StreetSense)

I personally have seen homeless tooling around in powered wheelchairs, and asking for change. Where are they plugging those things in? Who bought them the chair in the first place?

Vagrancy can be a terrible affliction, but it can also be a choice. Instead of loitering and asking for spare change, there are more lucrative activities they could be doing.]]>Apr 25th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
If you want people to take you seriously, do not preface your argument with "I studied (said topic) in seventh grade."]]>Apr 25th 2008 3:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 5:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
john stossel (with the moustache) did a thing on hobos. he offered them $40 for them to cut his lawn and gave them bus tokens to get there. not a single one showed up.

if the bums dont want to be sprayed with water, they should go to a shelter and try to get a job. not trying is whats keeping them on the streets]]>Apr 25th 2008 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 10:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4mRJY6NEwI]]>Apr 25th 2008 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeUkgM-liSs&NR=1]]>Apr 25th 2008 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
But what is funny is the British meanings of "Bum" if it were to be used in this context.]]>Apr 25th 2008 3:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 25th 2008 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_Lark]]>Apr 25th 2008 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
Um, yeah? *Most* places don't look the same when the sun goes down. That's why we call it *night*.]]>Apr 25th 2008 4:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 26th 2008 12:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
...sweet]]>Apr 25th 2008 11:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/
You would not call someone a [N-word]-lover but you cheerfully use a term that tells a double lie: it not only pretends there's something wrong with being poor, it pretends there's even something wrong with defending poor people. All the time-tested religious and philosophical systems treat empathy for the poor as a duty, not a sin. It's only modern-day middle-class Americans who try to prop up their own teetering social status by pretending visibly poor people are subhuman.

The reasons given for reviling and abusing the homeless always have to do with the pretense that homelessness is a voluntary status. That's only possible to believe through faith-based denial of basic economic facts. Our economy is a game of musical chairs. Somebody will be left without a chair. If that somebody wasn't as greedy or fast as the others who got chairs, it doesn't mean the one without a chair is a bad person. The haters' further pretense, then, is that poverty may not be a crime but that there's something voluntary in the acts compelled by poverty -- such as spending time doing nothing on public property or in shop doorways. Which is complete crap.

Very poor people have survived in the same ways during every period of extreme inequality. We are in such a period now. The big bad recession is coming to get members of the middle class whether they admit it or not. Blaming homeless destitute people for living their lives in public spaces is a form of hysterical economic denial -- denial that extreme poverty is a function of our economy, not of individual character defects -- denial that Third World street scenes are an inevitable product of Third World levels of inequality. Homeless-hatred is a pathology most prevalent among people who are scared about their own economic futures, just as gay-bashing is most prevalent among people who are secretly afraid of sexual ambivalence. It is a pathology and should be recognized as such.]]>Apr 27th 2008 12:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 27th 2008 3:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 27th 2008 5:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 27th 2008 4:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/25/homemade-security-bum-bot-turns-up-on-the-colbert-report/Apr 26th 2008 9:23PM