OT: A Funny thing happened on the way home today

[Suicide Junkie]

On the other hand, if you donate to PBW, over 95% of the money will make it.

[Atrocities]

Suicide Junkie said:
On the other hand, if you donate to PBW, over 95% of the money will make it.

And its all for a good cause. I wish I had money to donate, to PBW and SE.net. (Along with being able to buy some Shrapnel Games.)

[Randallw]

There is an ad here for the Salvation Army asking for help for the farmers stuck in a drought. Putting aside for one moment that it is marked as a community announcement, Why do they get away without having to pay?, I find it offensive because it is basically saying "Donate to us, we're better than the other charities". I would think all charities would be the same, it defeats the purpose of being generous if they are being stuck up and saying they're better than everyone else.

I consider charity to be intrinsically self serving anyway. I'm a cynic, and apathetic, in the classical Philosophical sense, and to me giving to charity is just a way of making yourself feel good by thinking your better since you give stuff to people. No one does anything without a reason. If you don't get anything out of it then why do it at all.

[Baron Munchausen]

Randallw said:
There is an ad here for the Salvation Army asking for help for the farmers stuck in a drought. Putting aside for one moment that it is marked as a community announcement, Why do they get away without having to pay?, I find it offensive because it is basically saying "Donate to us, we're better than the other charities". I would think all charities would be the same, it defeats the purpose of being generous if they are being stuck up and saying they're better than everyone else.

I consider charity to be intrinsically self serving anyway. I'm a cynic, and apathetic, in the classical Philosophical sense, and to me giving to charity is just a way of making yourself feel good by thinking your better since you give stuff to people. No one does anything without a reason. If you don't get anything out of it then why do it at all.

Well, the Salvation Army is much better than many other big-name charities. They are efficient enough that the US Government, and especially what used to be FEMA (what is it called now?) are studying them to try to make government disaster relief more efficient. So while it's true that there is lots of corruption in the charity system, it's not totally corrupt.

[Atrocities]

The only charities I will, and have, donate too:

Salvation Army
The Humain Society
Meals On Wheels
Good Will

[Randallw]

My father works for Meals on Wheels. I think it's part of his government support. He onced roped me in to helping. Anyhow, have you ever eaten any of their food? It may well be different elsewhere but their food is the worst thing I have ever eaten that wasn't so just by what it was. For example I despise yoghurt and apricots, they will make me sick just thinking about it, but Meals on Wheels food . Their potatoes taste as if they were rotten before they cooked them. Perhaps they get Freeze dried somewhere and they don't thaw well. I spat it out and quite simply refused to eat it. I would rather starve than have to eat it.

[Renegade 13]

The only charity I give to is the Charity of Me. Call me a self-centered bastard, but I work hard for my money and will not willingly throw it away!

[Baron Munchausen]

Suicide Junkie said:
On the other hand, if you donate to PBW, over 95% of the money will make it.

because PBW is a charity where adminstration is closely integrated with the implementation. And the donating community can see the results themselves. More points for 'small is beautiful'... and efficient, and accountable, etc.

[capnq]

Baron Munchausen said: PBW is a charity

No, it's not. Don't try to claim your PBW donations as a tax deduction.

[Baron Munchausen]

Well, not in the legal sense. But many of the people who donate will never get 'their money's worth' out of it.