A local reporter decided to find out how much these seen-every-day beggars really make. She put on some worn clothing and took an old daypack, made a sign, and took up space at the bottom of the offramp. After she had been on the first corner for a few hours, some of the 'competition' suggested they all trade corners, which she did.

I don't remember the exact amount, but she made something like $130 in about 6 hours. She would take the money, do a quick count, then hand it back to the giver, saying she was really a reporter and doing a story about panhandlers.

And I just saw my first panhandling cat early this week. It was black, wearing a harness and leash, and seemed quite blase about sitting on the owner's shoulder next to traffic.

Oh, I know I say I'm cynical, which is only true, and some people here probably agree, but I was outdone in Vegas. I was taking a group of people to the airport, and as we headed out of the downtown area, we saw a man with one leg and a pair of crutches with a cardboard sign hanging from a string around his neck. One of my passengers looked at him as we passed, then commented, "Now, there's a diehard beggar! Imagine cutting your leg off to collect more money!"

Sue