California's Own Hooverville, Circa 2009

Everytime the Army goes somewhere, they set up a Tent City. The US Army. Migrant labor, beFORE it was 'cool'. But, they manage(d). A tent, it's a piece of canvas, you stretch it out over the poles, you set the stakes, you lay down your bedroll, and presto, you're protected from some of the bugs, wild animals, and other elements that make sleeping naked out on the lawn such a 'drag'. But, tent cities in the 21st century? What the 'hey'? Part of this phenomenon is the real estate world, which as we know has been a fraudster's paradise, and part of it is NIMBY, because the 'middle class' and on up don't really want to have anything to do with the Great Unwashed. or the Mediocre Unwashed. Or frankly anyone that hasn't showered today. Which, if you're 'homeless', is probably you. But, what does it mean to be 'homeless'? Well, it means you're not established, probably because you're not employed, and you don't have any money, and hence you're sleeping in your car, someone else's car, somebody's garage/doghouse/so forth without them knowing about it, and chances are that Law Enforcement is watching you. So, why can't cities like Sacramento just run the bums out, or set up a nice prison camp, or something? Isn't that part of the New World Order, you WILL be economically viable, or you'll be prisoner #3765HFJ, clubbity-clubbity-clubbities? Well, maybe not. Maybe part of the problem here is that there aren't enough jobs, homes, and resources to meet the needs of all, and hence there are people that live in the margins, in the shadows, shirking the public eye and authorities and so forth, and just trying to get by. Why don't they 'go legit'? Well, in the world of 'normal' people, there's the New Homeless, the increasing number of people that've fallen out of the 'matrix', and are in some cases finding out that Tender Vittles IS cheaper than Friskies, and has plenty of fish oil to keep your coat sleek n shiny. Diginomix leaves people behind, and not everyone that ends up sleeping a la Pioneer is a 'criminal', either. Some people that end up in a tent DO have problems, other than lack of money, which is a big and spreading problem, these days. Part of the phenomenon of 'homelessness' is simply a matter of other people's TV-induced expectations. Life sucks when you don't have any money. Life sucks even MORE when you don't have money, hypothermia is setting in, you haven't eaten in three days, have no toilet paper, the last shower you saw was 3 weeks ago, and people are treating you like some kind of animal or criminal. Are they outcasts? In some cases, yes. You go against the herd, the herd chases you off into some remote ravine and leaves you for dead. Do some probably have criminal backgrounds? Possibly, and, chances are, if they don't to start with, they'll develop one as time goes by, trying to support themselves without money. So, how to take the edge off the symptoms, here? Does it cost 880k as implied above? No. Second-hand clothes will keep you just as warm as new stuff from Wal-Mart, and el cheapo generic products will keep a good separation distance between belly button and backbone. Past that, there needs to be dialogue about easements and city ordinances about camping, and preferably some organization behind the idea so that people can semi-permanently 'camp' for low-cost, no cost while they attempt to get their act together or whatever is going to happen to them next in life. It's either that, or jail cells, or as in some communities, read about street punks beating up bums and shake your head, and go, 'tsk, tsk', while your new undocumented housekeeper bends over in front of you and shakes her butt provocatively. Life in these United States in the 21st century is far from perfect, honest, just, or fair, and given the daily news items, it might not hurt to keep your bedroll handy, and a thousand bucks cash, just in case it ends up being YOU staying in a 'tent city'. Times change, people change, stuff happens... Klaatu marachas necktie