I would suggest we all have a look in our cupboards
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7426950.stm

Now if Josef Fritzl had only seen that story first, he could have claimed his daughter sneaked into the basement without him knowing ...

So right

Am I the only person who feels saddened that in the midst of all that affluence a human being had to resort to this in order to find somewhere to sleep and food to eat?

Lets hear it for the American Dream!!!!!

Bananaman wrote:
Am I the only person who feels saddened that in the midst of all that affluence a human being had to resort to this in order to find somewhere to sleep and food to eat?

Lets hear it for the American Dream!!!!!

I assume by the American dream you mean that Japanese people want to live that way.

Japan seems to have a very split society with no provision for the poor.


It is a sad reflection of a country so rich that they are funding space travel and medical research but cannot feed their poor.

Lydia wrote: It is a sad reflection of a country so rich that they are funding space travel and medical research but cannot feed their poor.
That sounds like America to me Lydia, certainly according to the figures from 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/feb/19/usa.paulharris

Perhaps Japan is hoping to model itself on them.

its the automatic elimination of problems.. and problem people. We are in the age of computers..black/white.. no excuses.. laws upon laws. The robotic unemphasized approach. Just throw away the problem and it will be gone. Funny how tonight, i was talkn to my daughter about the story of Anne Frank would be a good read this summer.(which in the world of people who want to rewrite history.. it may someday disappear..) I was also reading about this man found living under a bridge.. chasing off some kids that was in his 'area' and.. they arrested him for being drunk and slapped a huge fine on him. I bet THAT didnt help his situation out. I thought of sending a lil chunk of money in a small Bible to help lift his Spirit a bit. Too many people ready to bash people in the knees.. and always knockn each other down. Sometimes people send me small gifts like that.. just a boost of love.. and they dont leave a return address. Lately, weve gotten a few extra boosts of love in these wild days.. of walking on water.. where you caint get a foothold anymore...costs have risen like crazy and everything is gettin out of sorts. Except the wages.. they never get .. jumpy like that

Can you blame a man for drinkin.. when he's been reduced to what ever he still owns is now under a bridge?! He needs folks to give him a leg up. He's been reduced to being a beligerant and arrested. for what?! where do you go when you lose your home? because people are losing their homes right and left.. many empty homes.. and many people unhoused.. what a stupid situation. duh. oh.. and many people being unjobbed too. im afraid we will ALL be in the same predicament soon. As long as jobs keep shipping off..and being eliminated. and nobody is supporting eachother. I dont think anyone likes to be unhoused, unjobbed.. and unfed. I have a lady who comes over.. and we feed her when she's hungery. She helps around and she's elderly, but she still gives a hand and tries to be helpful. Her income doesnt support her. But we always find food that the kids have not even touched..(ungrateful puppies) there always seems to be a bit here and bit there that helps her out ALOT! Small chunk of unused cheese.. a couple slices of left over bread.. extra stew.. No need in tossin away good food. You might be amazed what perfectly good food gets tossed at times.. And here a fellow neighbor is wondering if she can make it just a few more days.
We need to bring down the walls that we keep building up around us and listen to people and be that boost. Instead of making the person an example for others in the media.. make the act of compassion an example for others. Gee..hope someone is there for YOU when YOU need it most.

(general statement )

Brenna1508 wrote:
Lydia wrote: It is a sad reflection of a country so rich that they are funding space travel and medical research but cannot feed their poor.
That sounds like America to me Lydia, certainly according to the figures from 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/feb/19/usa.paulharris

Perhaps Japan is hoping to model itself on them.

Sounds like Britain on a larger scale

Jaimekans - I enjoyed reading that.

My sister worked in the city of Toronto's homeless department. She went to Japan to see how they coped. Being driven around Tokyo a group of homeless men were pointed out - they were dressed in suits and ties and were well turned out. When she questioned this she was told that each day they must be ready for job interviews as access to services like shelters was predicated upon this.

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Many years ago I was in Quebec city in a youth hostel. Being French they have very advanced ideas and the dormitories in the hostel were co-ed. In the middle of the night a young lady started yelling, "what are you doing?" With the lights turned on we could see a young guy hiding under her cot.

Turned out the hostel was full and this guy couldn't get a bed so decided to sleep under this lady's cot. She wasn't having it and wanted him gone pronto. Big hearted socialist that I am I allowed the guy to sleep under my cot. Oh how grateful he was. I shoulda charged him rent.