Bums, hippies and Greenpeace

[jim]

Say 'AGNAROUG' (gouranga backwards) to the Krishna's, this freaks them out.
Say GOURANGA to the chuggers (charity muggers), this annoys them a lot.
Give change to the occasional beggar, with all that competition they need the money.

[aliferste]

Say 'AGNAROUG' (gouranga backwards) to the Krishna's, this freaks them out.
Say GOURANGA to the chuggers (charity muggers), this annoys them a lot.
Give change to the occasional beggar, with all that competition they need the money.

Top post!!

[Fossil]

update:
http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/c ... ewsid=4349

-Fossil-

[ColonelCrow]

Oh man...has anyone seen the little Hare Krisnha lady with the painted face who hangs around Buchanan St. She accosted me a while back when I was with my pal, we gave her the brush off, but I always like to say Gouranga when they ask (dunno why, but it makes me feel good, like I'm an ex-hippy who's still with it or something). Anyways, about a month later, Im getting off the train at Queen St and she's there and give me the weirdest chat ever...

HK 'Hi there'
Me 'Hi'
HK 'Nice to see someone smiling, you look really fresh'
(she seriously said that...what does it mean? At the time I thought it was because it was morning, but now Im beginning to think she may have been using american rap-slang )
Me'...thanks'
HK' Do I know you?'
Me '...erm, you've stopped me before...'
HK 'When?'
Me 'a few weeks back, on Buchanan street, by the lights...'
HK 'Did you give us any money?'
Me '.....yes, and I got a book off you. (blatant lie)
HK 'Great. What do you do?'
Me 'I study birds'
HK 'Wow...in the temple, there are all kinds of birds that fly in!'
Me '....oh. Err, I know this is a cliche, but I really am late for an important meeting!'
HK 'Oh okay then...can you at least give me a gouranga?
Me 'Gouranga' (scurries off)

On a similar subject, I was in Brel a while back, sitting out the back in the pub garden enjoying a Frambosen, when this homeless guy starts going from table to table. He gets to ours, and I go into 'just say anything and make him go away' mode...I say "sorry pal" looking at him, expecting him to mumble and walk away (as I understand it, this is standard procedure for saying no to homeless people). Instead he goes "Sorry for what?"....confused I say "Sorry for not wanting to give you any money!" He looks taken aback at my bluntness and leaves. Madness! I felt a little bit harsh afterwards though, poor bloke.
I keep having these weird encounters...I was in Oran Mor (top bar) sitting outside in the sun, homeless lady who looks a bit like a caveman walks up to me, "any spare change?" "Sorry, no"..she just stands there looking at us, then she says "Do you like my Celtic tap?".....before I could retort (in hindsight should have said 'That's last seasons....call yourself a fan!') a big aussie bouncer ushered her away.
Glad to hear it's not just me that has these weird little encounters!

[DMcNay]

I told that Hare Krishna lady last week "I'm sorry, I don't speak English".

That threw her.

[kn0wledge]

One time this little Hare Krishna fellow accosted me in the pissing rain, on Buchanan Street, harassing the fuck out of me to buy his Gouranga Rock CD. Knowing full well it was a pile of shite (my friend's sister bought one for a bet and lent it to me) I said I would be delighted to give him a tenner if he would please hold on until I went to the bank.

"Sure" says he, and proceeds to stand there in the horizontal rain while I 'go to the bank.'

I felt a tad guilty knowing that he would be waiting, but then the Reasonable Colin kicked into gear and told me I was a fucking idiot for feeling sorry for some wannabe hippy who needs to go and get a real job. And a wash.

I think I still have that CD somewhere, if anyone wants to hear it. Pirating Hare Krishna CDS, whatever next...

EDIT: my girlfriend just read this and now thinks I'm a mean, unsympathetic arsehole. :<

[PlasticDel]

I got a book from one of them once for nothing. Was I supposed to pay?

My friend just dragged me away. That was in the days when I was too nice to jsut say... "F*ck off!!! I'm sick ae yer shi!te! Leemae alane or a'l stab yer f*cking throat!!! ARGH!!!!!"

I find it usually works if you walk down the street with your "I'm gonnae kill ye!" face, they bother you less.

"I speak no english" never works we me now. Even if i use German or Italian... Bampots.

[DMcNay]

"I speak no english" never works we me now. Even if i use German or Italian... Bampots.

You see, you have to say it in fluent English. It confuses them because clearly you can, even when you've told them you can't.

[evilmiss]

"I speak no english" never works we me now. Even if i use German or Italian... Bampots.

You see, you have to say it in fluent English. It confuses them because clearly you can, even when you've told them you can't.

I don't know if I've said this before, but the same goes when your say, 'I can't say 'gouranga', I've got a speech impediment.'

That really bakes their little Bonkle-residing noodle.

[Fossil]

Update
http://news.scotsman.com/glasgow.cfm?id=1013012004

Fossil

[peter]

Have looked at many of the comments on the subject of begging, big issue sellers and the rest. I dont like what I see more than anyone else. However I find it hard to judge people just cause they are down on thier luck. I found myself living rough on the streets of a town on the South coast. It was the worst experience of my life. Cataclyzum is I feel quite sympathetic, It is the big picture we should be looking at. IE the grubby politicians lining pockets and the fat cats in business. After all this site deals with picture documenting of Gasgows heritage. For most of this it seems as thouigh you take loads of pics of the worst aspects of the city. I lived in Glasgow over 50 yrs and have seen the change from thriving industry to yuppyville. If there are human casualties thrown up along this road of progress we should be a lot less cynical. Somw day it could be anyone of us out there begging. I have been there.

[JamesMc]

Have looked at many of the comments on the subject of begging, big issue sellers and the rest. I dont like what I see more than anyone else. However I find it hard to judge people just cause they are down on thier luck. I found myself living rough on the streets of a town on the South coast. It was the worst experience of my life. Cataclyzum is I feel quite sympathetic, It is the big picture we should be looking at. IE the grubby politicians lining pockets and the fat cats in business. After all this site deals with picture documenting of Gasgows heritage. For most of this it seems as thouigh you take loads of pics of the worst aspects of the city. I lived in Glasgow over 50 yrs and have seen the change from thriving industry to yuppyville. If there are human casualties thrown up along this road of progress we should be a lot less cynical. Somw day it could be anyone of us out there begging. I have been there.

Some fair points there Peter, obviously everyone has their own views on begging, Big Issue sellers etc and i'm sure your experiences give you greater understanding of the issue, but with regards to your point about people posting pics of "the worst aspects of the city", i feel this is a wee bit unfair. I think overall the site provides a wide spectrum of Glasgow. If all we did was to document the positive and good stuff it would be to miss half of the story. As i've said elsewhere, i think most people on this forum like glasgow, maybe even love it and certainly have some sort of passion for it. Sometimes, the most interesting parts of a city are those which the tourist board wouldn't want seen, forgotten parts, rundown parts. Heres a wee quote from the concept of the site from Sharon, hope it helps understand why certain pics are posted;

"To expose the secret and hidden side of Glasgow through photographs, maps and images.

Glasgow was once the mighty second city of the empire, but the collapse of heavy industry saw the city fade into urban decay and dereliction.

This is a trend that is being reversed by a concerted effort to regenerate the city, however this inevitably means the complete obliteration of what once made up the fabric of the city.

There are still remnants of the past visible, and this site asks you to stop and look more closely at what you see every day. Take a little more time to look and appreciate the architecture.

We will try to explain and explore closed, disused and unknown buildings and structures; and to find answers for those questions you had about buildings and places."


JamesMc

[Vinegar Tom]

Does anyone remember the chap who had red hair and beard (sometimes) He used to wander about Argyle st and the rest. He never asked for money even though he sometimes only had one shoe on.
I did give him money when I saw him….. He’s gone now

There is a good book called “A Tramp around Glasgow”.. .. Read it… get’s you thinking..........

-Fossil-

Just recently got a copy of the book , and it certainly makes you think. Mainly photos and stories of old school Glasgow tramps in their own words. Well worth tracking down.
The guy from Central was called Frank.


A Tramp Around The City of Culture front by vinegartom40, on Flickr



A Tramp Around The City of Culture back by vinegartom40, on Flickr


Frank (The Man From Central Station) by vinegartom40, on Flickr

[robertpool]

the last gut looks like Andy Grey (ex sports pundit not the comedian)

[neilmc]

An ex-neighbour of mine used to work in the Talbot Centre, and we were talking about Frank over the garden fence one day: apparently Frank used to come in to the centre every so often, to get cleaned up and fed.

The neighbour looked at me solemnly and said "Do you know what Frank used to be?"

I started thinking; University Lecturer? Company Director? The original bass player with Slik?

“I give in John, what was he?”

Still with a serious face, he said: “A van boy”.