When I was a child, our family car was named Puff the Tragic Wagon.
It was a school-bus yellow 1974 toyota pickup with a muffler that was held on with coat hangers and wire. You had to drive with all the windows down in the dead of winter because the whole thing stank like gas. You could hear it coming a mile away. When my mom would pick me up from school, all the children would point and laugh at me before it even rounded the corner, because they could hear it coming, ka-THANG ka-THANG ka-thuck thuck thuck.
If I get a free DVD out of this story, it will make all my childhood humiliation amount to something.
Got my etrade paperwork today. Everything went smoothly and they actually credited my $25 despite me not providing paperwork. But I did call and hassle them first.
i tried to open an account there, and i got declined.
also, ive had a horrible experience with etrade (website not working, called, on hold for 25 minutes). i just dont know if an online account is worth all this trouble.
I once loved a pirate wench. She was a beauty. But our parents came between us. They both wanted us t' tie t' knot, or splice t' mainbrace or somethin' like that, and o' course that meant we never wanted t' see each other again. She sailed on, and be now probably a beautiful and happy wench while I be stuck in dry dock wonderin' and gatherin' barnacles. A movie like t' Pirates o' t' Caribbean would certainly jump start t' datin' life again and aye get t' old mast rubbed by an old wench again. Please send the movie quickly you scurvy dogs!
So i went to see the Pirates of the Carribean: The Dead Man's chest with a couple of my friends because of our love for pirates. As we were entering into the theater, the lights dimmed and all of a sudden a shadow engulfed the screen, blocking any light. We heard a loud "ARRGH," followed by a "SURRENDER YE BOOTY" as ten pirates swung from the ceiling in front of us. Now as a charter member of the Pirate Protection Agency (PPA), I had to do something about this. Though i love pirates, i know i needed to protect my friends from harm. With my pirate defense training, i started fighting the pirates. Luckily, i carried my sword with me. I battled for half an hour, swords clinging left and right, until the pirates realized they were not strong enough to defeat me. So in a last ditch attempt, they cut the screen down the middle, ruining it. I was angered by this, so I chased after the pirates, but unfortunately these pirates drove expensive sports cars they bought with their stolen booty. My Camry was no match for them. As we returned to the theater, the attendant told us they were not going to show the movie anymore because it posed a great risk for another pirate attack. So i would like the DVD so i can watch the movie in the safety of my home, free from any pirate raids.
So, I once saw a pirate standing outside my houde he was having a sword fight with a fire hydrent. He lost because he knocked that bolt off and got soaked with water. I invited him into my home. He felt threatened and drew his sord but i coforted him and gave him some sand to play with, of course he was delited with his home land and he thanked me with some of his booty (treasure). I have since cashed in the gold and bought the first pirates but yet to get the second.
I want the Cars DVD just because I don't wanna give Disney and money for being bastards by making me double dip by getting a 2-disc cars dvd set later on down the track just because they are greedy and although I am a shareholder I don't care because they are greedy and mean and you should have pity on those who aren't fortunate enough for any reason you may put up and i am running out of breath typing this so I might just, in George's words from the 4th series of blackadder, "Go and kill myself until it bloody well hurt". Thankyou and I'm here till I exit this browser which is about now.
I am partial to charities that empower 3rd world families to earn more - sometimes called "income generation", sometimes called "poverty eradication". Microloans particularly help women and their children - check out the Grameen bank foundation. A wimpy little infusion of money by Western standards can help a women generate extra income which she typically uses to reinvest in her business and/or educate her daughters. I love that a virtuous cycle keeps going. Another organization that accomplishes this through livestock gifts (in keeping with the fuzzy critter theme) is www.heifer.org Great blog!
I don't have a whole lot of money to give to charities, so I don't give to many. The local food bank gets some cash but most of my charitable contributions go to Child's Play. It's an organization that lets you directly donate money or purchase toys for children to play with in hospitals while they are sick. They are mostly active around the holidays, http://www.childsplaycharity.org/.
Actually, the org my mom went through wasn't something like Heifer, it was one of those Christian charities where you send money every month and correspond with the kid. But mom wanted to do more, so she contacted the organization's hq and asked about giving the family a business loan (like buy one of those scooter rickshaws so that the family's father could drive that for a living, rather than toiling on a farm - turns out that there aren't any paved roads where the family is, so that was a no-go). The hq in turn contacted the country coordinator, who contacted the regional coordinator, right on down until someone who is in contact with the family suggested sheep. So it was definitely an more direct assessment of need than it might seem at a glance.
Mom thinks that the money also went towards a shed and some vaccinations for the animals, so maybe that was it. In this case, I think they took a little extra for themselves (the org) but it wasn't the typical "pooling" type of charity money pot. Also, they are going to send her pictures of the family with the sheep and all, so she's mollified.
I generally give to United Way through my employers. I always chose where I want my money funneled--for me it is a local agency that records books for the hearing impaired. I am not able to give a lot, so I like that it is spread out and taken from my paycheck.
I also have used the services of a United Way agency myself--fiancial counseling.
Troy-
On the price of charity livestock: if you look at groups such as Heifer Interntional, you'll find that the $300 goes toward their program of giving livestock to needy families. Chances are, the charity your mother donates to doesn't actually take her $300 check and use it as a restricted donation (that is, a money that ONLY goes toward buying 2 sheep for one family). Most likely, all of their donations go into one big pot, and it is allocated according to what is needed at that time (i.e., if they have more families needing water buffalos than sheep). In that sense, the idea of buying two sheep (or cows, or whatever)is more of a marketing gimick than anything else, and it works-- people in my family like the idea of saying that they gave each other goats for Christmas. :)
On where the money goes: If a charity is a 501 c3 organization, they should be sending their revenue/expenses information to Uncle Sam every year. If they do, then you can see how they spend their money. One great site for this is www.charitynavigator.org. They look at 501c3 charities and give them ratings based on how well they spend their money. They also include neat little tidbits such as the CEO/ President's salary, and what percentage of revenue they spend on administrative and fundraising costs. Sometimes a charity you want to evaluate isn't there, but a lot of the big ones are. I, too, want to see my money spent well, so I always check out my chosen charities before I give.
It's always a great honor to have someone link to your article. Makes everything feel worthwhile. I thank anyone who has found my content remotely interesting and will continue to do my best to remain noteworthy. By the way Andrea, my payment to you is in the post, as usual. It's getting pricey this.
Yes, my love is intense. Forceful, actually. That's why I've been ordered by the courts to stay at least 500 meters away from Angelina Jolie. I think it's a little harsh, but hey.
I think a lot of young people feel a bit intimidated by this process. Sometimes they end up not asking the right questions because they don't want to look stupid.
When I was a child, our family car was named Puff the Tragic Wagon.
It was a school-bus yellow 1974 toyota pickup with a muffler that was held on with coat hangers and wire. You had to drive with all the windows down in the dead of winter because the whole thing stank like gas. You could hear it coming a mile away. When my mom would pick me up from school, all the children would point and laugh at me before it even rounded the corner, because they could hear it coming, ka-THANG ka-THANG ka-thuck thuck thuck.
If I get a free DVD out of this story, it will make all my childhood humiliation amount to something.
Can I have Cars please?
one of my fav all time TV shows (hey, I'm English, I grew up with him) is a possible way to get a freebie. But I'm not falling for it.
I am in need of a good coaster and the Cars DVD would suffice.
(actually i like the movie and am too cheap to buy a kid's movie and admit that i am immature)
Got my etrade paperwork today. Everything went smoothly and they actually credited my $25 despite me not providing paperwork. But I did call and hassle them first.
i tried to open an account there, and i got declined.
also, ive had a horrible experience with etrade (website not working, called, on hold for 25 minutes). i just dont know if an online account is worth all this trouble.
I once loved a pirate wench. She was a beauty. But our parents came between us. They both wanted us t' tie t' knot, or splice t' mainbrace or somethin' like that, and o' course that meant we never wanted t' see each other again. She sailed on, and be now probably a beautiful and happy wench while I be stuck in dry dock wonderin' and gatherin' barnacles. A movie like t' Pirates o' t' Caribbean would certainly jump start t' datin' life again and aye get t' old mast rubbed by an old wench again. Please send the movie quickly you scurvy dogs!
So i went to see the Pirates of the Carribean: The Dead Man's chest with a couple of my friends because of our love for pirates. As we were entering into the theater, the lights dimmed and all of a sudden a shadow engulfed the screen, blocking any light. We heard a loud "ARRGH," followed by a "SURRENDER YE BOOTY" as ten pirates swung from the ceiling in front of us. Now as a charter member of the Pirate Protection Agency (PPA), I had to do something about this. Though i love pirates, i know i needed to protect my friends from harm. With my pirate defense training, i started fighting the pirates. Luckily, i carried my sword with me. I battled for half an hour, swords clinging left and right, until the pirates realized they were not strong enough to defeat me. So in a last ditch attempt, they cut the screen down the middle, ruining it. I was angered by this, so I chased after the pirates, but unfortunately these pirates drove expensive sports cars they bought with their stolen booty. My Camry was no match for them. As we returned to the theater, the attendant told us they were not going to show the movie anymore because it posed a great risk for another pirate attack. So i would like the DVD so i can watch the movie in the safety of my home, free from any pirate raids.
That's the kind of thing I want. Right now, you're the front-runner David. You're also the only runner, but hey, you never know.
So, I once saw a pirate standing outside my houde he was having a sword fight with a fire hydrent. He lost because he knocked that bolt off and got soaked with water. I invited him into my home. He felt threatened and drew his sord but i coforted him and gave him some sand to play with, of course he was delited with his home land and he thanked me with some of his booty (treasure). I have since cashed in the gold and bought the first pirates but yet to get the second.
I want the Cars DVD just because I don't wanna give Disney and money for being bastards by making me double dip by getting a 2-disc cars dvd set later on down the track just because they are greedy and although I am a shareholder I don't care because they are greedy and mean and you should have pity on those who aren't fortunate enough for any reason you may put up and i am running out of breath typing this so I might just, in George's words from the 4th series of blackadder, "Go and kill myself until it bloody well hurt". Thankyou and I'm here till I exit this browser which is about now.
For those not keeping up, but wanting to:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/menu-foods/menu-foods-exec-sold-half-his-shares-3-weeks-before-recall-251565.php
Anyone still doubt just how devious Canadians are?
I am partial to charities that empower 3rd world families to earn more - sometimes called "income generation", sometimes called "poverty eradication". Microloans particularly help women and their children - check out the Grameen bank foundation. A wimpy little infusion of money by Western standards can help a women generate extra income which she typically uses to reinvest in her business and/or educate her daughters. I love that a virtuous cycle keeps going. Another organization that accomplishes this through livestock gifts (in keeping with the fuzzy critter theme) is www.heifer.org Great blog!
Great question! My favorites are Modest Needs.org Heifer International Doctors without Borders Oxfam Habitat for Humanity
I don't have a whole lot of money to give to charities, so I don't give to many. The local food bank gets some cash but most of my charitable contributions go to Child's Play. It's an organization that lets you directly donate money or purchase toys for children to play with in hospitals while they are sick. They are mostly active around the holidays, http://www.childsplaycharity.org/.
Thanks, Alexandra, for posting that information.
Actually, the org my mom went through wasn't something like Heifer, it was one of those Christian charities where you send money every month and correspond with the kid. But mom wanted to do more, so she contacted the organization's hq and asked about giving the family a business loan (like buy one of those scooter rickshaws so that the family's father could drive that for a living, rather than toiling on a farm - turns out that there aren't any paved roads where the family is, so that was a no-go). The hq in turn contacted the country coordinator, who contacted the regional coordinator, right on down until someone who is in contact with the family suggested sheep. So it was definitely an more direct assessment of need than it might seem at a glance.
Mom thinks that the money also went towards a shed and some vaccinations for the animals, so maybe that was it. In this case, I think they took a little extra for themselves (the org) but it wasn't the typical "pooling" type of charity money pot. Also, they are going to send her pictures of the family with the sheep and all, so she's mollified.
have a lot to learn from you. Still, most of your stories are high-interest anyway. (oh, puns...they are so good sometimes).
I generally give to United Way through my employers. I always chose where I want my money funneled--for me it is a local agency that records books for the hearing impaired. I am not able to give a lot, so I like that it is spread out and taken from my paycheck.
I also have used the services of a United Way agency myself--fiancial counseling.
Troy-
On the price of charity livestock: if you look at groups such as Heifer Interntional, you'll find that the $300 goes toward their program of giving livestock to needy families. Chances are, the charity your mother donates to doesn't actually take her $300 check and use it as a restricted donation (that is, a money that ONLY goes toward buying 2 sheep for one family). Most likely, all of their donations go into one big pot, and it is allocated according to what is needed at that time (i.e., if they have more families needing water buffalos than sheep). In that sense, the idea of buying two sheep (or cows, or whatever)is more of a marketing gimick than anything else, and it works-- people in my family like the idea of saying that they gave each other goats for Christmas. :)
On where the money goes: If a charity is a 501 c3 organization, they should be sending their revenue/expenses information to Uncle Sam every year. If they do, then you can see how they spend their money. One great site for this is www.charitynavigator.org. They look at 501c3 charities and give them ratings based on how well they spend their money. They also include neat little tidbits such as the CEO/ President's salary, and what percentage of revenue they spend on administrative and fundraising costs. Sometimes a charity you want to evaluate isn't there, but a lot of the big ones are. I, too, want to see my money spent well, so I always check out my chosen charities before I give.
Hope this helps!
But I charge interest. Oh, yes. Lots of interest.
It's always a great honor to have someone link to your article. Makes everything feel worthwhile. I thank anyone who has found my content remotely interesting and will continue to do my best to remain noteworthy. By the way Andrea, my payment to you is in the post, as usual. It's getting pricey this.
and I work for a movie company. I couldn't get rid of my TV if I wanted to.
Yes, my love is intense. Forceful, actually. That's why I've been ordered by the courts to stay at least 500 meters away from Angelina Jolie. I think it's a little harsh, but hey.
That's a great tip Sarah.
I think a lot of young people feel a bit intimidated by this process. Sometimes they end up not asking the right questions because they don't want to look stupid.
Andrea is not talking about links, either. She's talking about actual vibes, powered by the intensity of her love.
Yeah, after they canceld Firefly there's pretty much nothing worth watching on TV.