Doc, there are numerous possible choices, but the system is so corrupt, the choke holds with various strings like money, power, favors etc are so strong, that the good ones have not established any, which is why they are the good ones. I believe all we will get from here on out are Thompson succubi.

I think people seem to miss the point, I do not need to accept your beliefs, neither do you need to accept mine. I own my own self, and am responsible to myself. I can choose to accept responsibility for any damn thing I want, but I should not be forced to accept responsibility for anything beyond myself. I thought that was an objectivist view. Whether I approve or disapprove of your position on something, I owe you a respectful discussion. Too often I see people who slide off the road and start lecturing or pontificating about a position that implies the other person is wrong, and while that may actually seem true, no one should think they have the last, right, only answer on any issue that can not be conclusively proven through fact and data examination. This reminds me of the discussion we had a couple weeks ago where some people were vehemently trashing others views on something, when it was all a discussion on interpretation of a collection of facts and how some see them fitting together. I leave it to the holy politicians to pontificate and out-gas on all their wonderful holy knowledge. Look how well they have done, other than successfully scamming all of us for years. Your position is yours and deserves as much respect as anyone elses. I do not see anything objectionable in what you have said, whether I agree with them or not ( I do lean in your direction, maybe disagree on some details, but that is why we discuss and debate).

I apologize to all animals and people for my reference to both.
Regarding doing something altruistic I prefer to call it a voluntary act of kindness.

I left out the part where the girl said she left her wallet somewhere and was stranded.
There was nothing to indicate she did not have a job. She was dressed well for one thing.
She was running a pretty good con save for being stupid enough to work the same place.

Same here. I'll give to the local food bank, but I won't give to beggars because it creates an incentive to beg -- and my city already has far too many of them. That goes double for the guys on street corners who come up to you when the light is red.

And most of all, I'm POed at the idiots who do give them money. They're causing the problem. Any ideas on how to discourage the practice without making it a crime?

And that is indeed, how to treat a moocher. However, in this case, I see that the old man rose above the issue of "is she a moocher" and gave her help when needed. Of his own free will. I never know if the moochers on the side of the road are real or not, and it does detract from people truly in need, and makes it unnecessarily hard to find the difference.

I know, I know. I've turned away many an obvious moocher.
The most memorable one was a big muscular dude, who asked old limping dino for money when I walked out of a gun show with an AR-15 in my hands.
I thought he may try to mug me for the rifle, which was of course empty without an inserted clip. Kept my distance.
Next person I saw was a security guard, who I sent running after the beggar.
One thing you wrote I don't get. The link is all I found about "Heinlein's jar" when I tried to look it up.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...

Indeed, that is true. I get frustrated as Government (read: City of Portland) decide they can fix the problem by spending 100 million on a shelter for 600, just to draw 600 more in from Washington and California. There is a fine line between helping and enabling. Government is all about enabling, with someone elses money, that THEY had to work to earn.

I am not arguing the points. I do see that there are fine lines that are very hard to decide, as well as very bad people using everyone else. If the story was 100% straight, and the woman was a co-dependent who thought spawning like a salmon would keep her man, she was obviously wrong, and is in dire need of some basic life counseling. Like any report I see today about most anything, certain aspects get emphasized. "needy" is one of the trademark tools used by those who would manipulate others. I can't say what went on here beyond what was told, but I do see a connection with what government does (see City of Portland and homeless shelter for 100million) and use of the "they are needy" descriptor. Manipulation is rampant, and I can't say she is not one, but I do feel bad for the kids, another generation being bred to hope someone will "help them" rather than help themselves.

This is true, and we have our share of them here. It has become a cultural norm to beg in our society in the last 20-30 years. I am sure it is all connected to the increase in the "I will give it to you"political atmosphere. I am tired of being the unwilling donor...