Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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money making mannequin

money for nothing
  (+4, -1)
(+4, -1)
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get a few ultra realistic mannequins and some buckets with "please help, homeless and hungry" written on them. Place them posing as "human statues" at strategic places across the city first thing in the morning, and then drive round and pick up the buckets of cash in the evening. Maybe add in a couple of motors to make the eyelids twitch or something at random intervals to scare off poking kids.
sporn, Mar 18 2004

(?) Headless Businessman Statue http://www.accentfu...0=515&1=516&3=13103
I don't think anyone ever tried to slip an extra twenty into this guy's pockets or briefcase, but then again the fact that he's stuck at Citicorp Plaza (in Los Angeles) may have something to with that. [jurist, Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       Cost of replacement when they get picked up for vagrancy?
Lacus Trasumenus, Mar 18 2004
  

       Twitching eyelids are not a may-be but a must-have to make them realistic. Also need some kind of pseudo-suppressed breathing.
kbecker, Mar 19 2004
  

       It's baked, actually. In my country, one of the charity organisations put out a little girl mannequin/statue holding a coin box. (It's probably a homeless children or handicapped children organisation.) And it worked quite well, and took in more donations than before.
Aerythes, Mar 19 2004
  

       [Aerythes], is there a system of electronical mannequins programmed to blink their eyes.. your country? Maybe they even raise their hands when someone comes to them?.. ^__^ It's fun.
Inyuki, Mar 19 2004
  

       Awesome! +
nomadic_wonderer, Mar 19 2004
  

       Real homeless people would take the buckets.
yabba do yabba dabba, Mar 19 2004
  

       There are organised crime groups who drop off real people at strategic places. Complete with drugged kids, painted on sores, and missing limbs. -
Ling, Mar 19 2004
  

       [Inyuki], nope, no blinking or raising hands. It's just a cute lil girl statue. I think, if the statue is made too real-looking, complete with movements, it might turned out scarey instead of cute. :)   

       As it is, an image of a needy lil girl is enough to persuade people (even cynical stone-hearted ones like me ^_^; ) to donate some spare change.
Aerythes, Mar 23 2004
  

       I'm not sure if he's still there, but there used to be a dog that would hang out in Seattle Center begging for money. He was a very well trained dog since he would sit politely next to his money collection bucket wearing a banadana and dark glasses. I assume the owner was hanging out nearby and would occasionally reward the dog, but I didn't stay around long enough to find out.
scad mientist, Mar 25 2004
  
      
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