What is your view on this story?

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

These sorts of street rats are all around us. Any vigilantes out there? Do your stuff, geezers.

[Rincewind]

The attacks on Ken do go a bit far sometimes and although I've taken the piss at times I do try to stop some of the worse stuff that's said about him. But what do you do when he starts a thread like this, asking us if we're offended that a homeless man has been beaten up? As if any of us would approve? What should I do, delete the thread and be accused of censorship or let people have their right of reply.

 

When you go out of your way to accuse others of being cruel and selfish towards those less fortunate you're asking for an unpleasant reply. When you claim that everybody on benefits is starving to death I think it fair to point out that Ken himself is on benefits and he's not starving.

Fair enough. I admit that I do overdo things sometimes. I did not start the thread to accuse people of not caring. Maybe the topic title was wrong. If I could change it to something more appropriate I would. he term that grinds my gear when referring to homeless people  is 'tramps' There are  a few unsavory characters on the street but they are in the minority Maybe it is used as a joke but in the context of some posts it is hard to tell. Maybe I am over reacting which leads to a kind of preaching.

Up to a couple of years ago I may have thought the same as some on here. But I have met people who were once homeless. They are perfectly decent people. They did not choose to be homeless. When they were in that situation they said they had low esteem and felt nobody cared about them. Eventually with support they rebuilt their confidence and feel good about themselves. One chap has said if it was not for the ones that helped him he would not be here now because of his depression.

Anyway I think I have said enough. Close the thread if need be.

[Guest MattP]

Most benefits are paid to low paid families and pensioners.

[Lamby]

I dunno,I've made my feelings clear before, I find him tiresome and I don't really read his posts.

But I do find it odd, the whole making out he's a career benefit claimant thing.

If you've been round the board a few years you'll remember he was always working weird hours and chipping in with the odd bit of kooky humour and real ale chat.

He's hardly Lamby's prototype.

 

What? So I sleep all day and claim every benefit under the sun and spend most of it on crates of beer?

[RobHawk]

I guess it's because Kens charmed tax-payer funded lifestyle stands as irrefutable evidence that his claims of hardship are nonsense. His lifestyle disproves his own point.

Besides, if Ken is in any way annoyed at his lifestyle being used as an example, he could always stop posting every detail, or stop being so preachy, or just mention that he doesn't like it. He does none of those things, and he obviously loves the attention, so I wouldn't bother yourself getting upset on his behalf

  

I may be wrong but I get the impression Ken is now in receipt of state pension, something all pensioners with suitable NI contributions receive. I'm sure he gets a bit of pension credit and housing benefit with that as well but if the state says he is too old to work why should he? I understand he was unemployed for a few years after being made redundant as a security guard before reaching retirement age and it was during this time that he really struggled.

I respect him for detailing the difficulties he had and to be fair he has been honest when he has stated how much easier it has been since his income increased. Away from this forum I have never met Ken so have no vested interest in "getting upset on his behalf" but if I see something I don't like I'll call you up on it! I'll try and be respectful about because you do sometimes post some interesting points of view, but I'm not the kind of guy who stands there ignoring something he sees but doesn't like.

Endless free time with which he services numerous hobbies including his radio show, social events, training courses, loads of time down the pub - I mean he's down the pub basically every single day, his dominoes league, endless lie-ins, endless free time, no pressure, no stress, just easy living. What he chooses to do with his time might not be to your tastes, but I'd venture that lots of people stuck in full time jobs wouldn't mind being gifted that kind of free time and spending money to persue all those hobbies. It is literally money for nothing. Hardly 12 years a slave? Not exactly walking like a starving Egyptian. In many ways everyday is just another day in paradise for ken.

 

Retired people tend to have a lot of free time it's the beauty of being retired. A lot of what he does is towards a charity and I don't see how that can be ridiculed whether you agree with what DNO are doing or not. If you don't like the fact that retired people have a lot of free time and get money from the government, I suggest you do something about it as a complete issue rather than taking it out on one bloke on a football forum.

 

How can it possibly be considered an attack when I'm simply listing all the things in his life he cheerfully posts about on here?

If ken is offended he'll be the first to say so. He doesn't need you patronising do-gooders defending him. If anything the implication that he needs you to speak on his behalf is what will offend him the most.

So my advice to you is to hang on to yourself mate. Don't stay here spending your golden years breaking glass. Otherwise in time and after some changes you'll look back in anger.

You can call me a patronising do-gooder all you like (as it was me who posted originally so would guess this extends to me as well) but just like you I can say what I like. You might be the kind of guy who joins in when people are having a go at someone, trying to get in with the crowd, if you say it enough maybe they won't say anything bad about you - let's be honest it's like being back in the playground. Well none of that's for me, I have my own mind, I think (and clearly others agreed) that it started to get a little vindictive and as much as anything there's really no need for it.

 

What? That's so badly written I can't even read it. Take your time boy, it isn't a race. You get credit from me just for taking part in this clear David vs goliath style battle. It takes guts to bite off more than you can chew. Credit where it's due, young warrior, thou hast proven thyself capable of an occasional act of bravery. Settle down now, little one. Dinnae get too excited.

As for that picture, it couldn't be further from the truth. I'm currently relaxing at work spending all morning in negotiations where I smashed the competition to pieces. Wasn't a big deal relatively speaking, but made my company six-figures and the boss has been into my office already with the "thanks so much" and the "congratulations" and the "you've had a great year, look forward to your Christmas bonus" and all this practical worshipping of yours truly, none of which I care about because I'm motivated by pure unfiltered competence more than anything else, and in ten minutes i'll be putting on my £2,300 tailored hand cut jacket and heading home in my brand new A8, where Mrs moose (if she knows what's good for her) will be waiting with a cup of tea and a fvcking steak dinner. Yet none of this even brings me any happiness. I've got so much raw ability that merely succeeding in achieving vast material wealth and career domination doesn't do much for me, I just accept the plaudits as if it is simply the minimum I could ever expect.

With your self proclaimed superior intellect I guess you are Goliath in that battle - you might want to check how that story ended! As for the rest of the post, it has to be the most self indulged, egotistical bollocks I've read for a long time!

 

The attacks on Ken do go a bit far sometimes and although I've taken the piss at times I do try to stop some of the worse stuff that's said about him. But what do you do when he starts a thread like this, asking us if we're offended that a homeless man has been beaten up? As if any of us would approve? What should I do, delete the thread and be accused of censorship or let people have their right of reply.

 

When you go out of your way to accuse others of being cruel and selfish towards those less fortunate you're asking for an unpleasant reply. When you claim that everybody on benefits is starving to death I think it fair to point out that Ken himself is on benefits and he's not starving.

I'm not interested in censorship! I like good discussion and it's one of the reasons I read this forum so much. Everyone takes the piss out of each other on here and if it's all in good fun like the Xmas card thread, I really don't see the harm. It does sometimes go to far and maybe Ken brings a lot of it on himself but let's be honest, he's harmless and seems like quite a nice bloke! He's goo this own agenda but don't we all!

[Rincewind]

I apologise for the stories that I post but noone else seems to and they are stories that are not published in many of the mainstream newspapers. They cannot always be dismissed as false as many originate from people involved with organisations concerned with the issues.

 

If Moose wants to post how everone he knows in his social circle are doing great then who am I to say he is wrong?He seems to have a well paid secure job a nice house in suburbia and a loving wife who makes a good cuppa. Well done to him. Long may it last.  If our positions were reversed I could be making the same comments that he does. I'd look the other way.

I do work as a matter of fact. Part time. Granted it is ending at the end of the month but I will still carry on with it in a voluntary capacity.

 

Anyway enough of misery and gloom. I've updated my poetry blog and the latest is a Christmas themed one involving a hard working elf named Matt..

[Guest MattP]

Something so brilliant about the fact you finally do a poem where your imagination leads you to a hard working character and you make him a mythical figure.

 

Again, I'm convinced you're actually a genius.

[Rincewind]

On a serious note The Radio 4 Afternoon play was exactly about that,a true story about a young journalist living rough for research.Lee Halpin.you can play it on the Radio 4 site.Might be of interest to you.

Listened to it with a mate this afternoon. We were both shaking our heads at how he went about it. It seemed he wanted a dramatic story more than reality. What he should have done was do some research. Get footage from a homeless charity. Find out the angle from service providers POV. The people he spoke to were not typical just the stereotypes. He stayed out on one of the coldest nights with little clothing to keep warm. What he did was too authentic. He had no backup plan.The play did raise awareness somewhat as what he did but drama is usually different to real life.

Action Homeless had a sleep out the Friday before Lee Halpin did his sleep out and it was cold in Leicester and Newcastle with the North Sea close by would have been a lot colder. I cant remember if it was the one that was cancelled or the second one. I remember the emergancy services advising against it because of frost and snow.

[Guest MattP]

Listened to it with a mate this afternoon. We were both shaking our heads at how he went about it. It seemed he wanted a dramatic story more than reality. What he should have done was do some research. Get footage from a homeless charity. Find out the angle from service providers POV. The people he spoke to were not typical just the stereotypes. He stayed out on one of the coldest nights with little clothing to keep warm. What he did was too authentic. He had no backup plan.The play did raise awareness somewhat as what he did but drama is usually different to real life.

Action Homeless had a sleep out the Friday before Lee Halpin did his sleep out and it was cold in Leicester and Newcastle with the North Sea close by would have been a lot colder. I cant remember if it was the one that was cancelled or the second one. I remember the emergancy services advising against it because of frost and snow.

 

Getting off your head on Class A drugs doesnt help either does it?

 

So much that leaves you incapable of moving or calling for an ambulance.