Posted on 01/31/2016 4:39:22 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
A beggar in Detroit has entered the digital age, accepting credit card donations.
Abe Hagenston, 42, who has been on the streets for nearly a decade, has brought an unprecedented measure of sophistication to begging.
It is all rather a long way from "Buddy can you spare a dime."
Having a technological background - he was a web designer - Mr Hagenston has paved the way in cashless panhandling.
Thanks to his mobile phone, he can process payments before the traffic light has changed.
He takes Visa and MasterCard, naturally American Express will do nicely, with the money being transferred to his account thanks to a smartphone attachment which can read credit cards.
The phone â nicknamed the Obamaphone â was provided by the US government's Lifeline Assistance programme.
Like all true professionals, he has a LinkedIn account. Mr Hagenston also has his own website.
He uses the website to solicit further donations and offer his services to carry out odd jobs from clearing snow to mowing the lawn.
If he is unable to do the work, he knows other homeless people who are willing to do so.
"My business is being homeless, now homeless is my business," he explains
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Yea - NO.
I just ask them what was imprinted on their dogtags. I figure if they get that right it earns them a few bucks even if they have no idea what di di mau means. :-)
Yes. Bummery.
That's almost as good as the sign a 19 year old beggar was holding on a freeway on ramp two or three years ago. His neatly worded sign said "Desert Storm Vet, Homeless, Please Help". I was laughing so hard I almost wrecked my car.
Bummery. Is that a word? :-)
Yeah. I heard the recruits were looking younger every year...
Good one!
If someone told me they were a 42 year old Vietnam vet, I would be laughing too. I don’t believe there ARE any 42 year old Vietnam vets.
If you managed to get to Vietnam as a 17 year old in 1975 you would be 57 years old today.
I had just turned 22 when I went to Nam. I hated every minute I was there. I couldn’t wait to leave. I counted the days.
Yes but, what if he “self-identified” as a dog?
The replies to this are beau coup funny, cong biet?
“”personally I don’t know that I’d trust doing credit card””
Please tell me that people wouldn’t be that stupid!!! If so, they shouldn’t even have a credit card as they simply don’t understand much of anything! This guy apparently prefers panhandling to working and I wonder why???? Hmmmm!
Then you throw it a bone.
That proves you were sane!
Few things surprise any more, but this does to some extent.
In Colorado they appreciate a joint and maybe $5
:-)
Michigan, from a guy who spends every waking hour walking to, at, and walking home from work. Vs a lazy guy who takes credit cards over his Obama phone.
BTW, his coat looks very clean for living on the streets.
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