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jlb
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject: $100 a month challenge for a better world |
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We all have a lot of disposable income, working here in Korea. I am increasingly disturbed by how rich I am and how poor a lot of the world is. So I've decided to do something about it. I am donating $100 a month to those less fortunate than myself in the 2/3's world. I hope to increase the amount of resources flowing from the first world to the rest of the world. I've started a website to hopefully encourage others to take up the challenge.
I've included a couple links for Charity Watchdogs so you can do your own research. I've done a bit of research and have some recommendations as well for charities I support. Email me at [email protected] if you have decided to donate $100/month to help the world and I'll add you to the list on my site. If you donate $100 already, let me know and I'll put you on as well. $200 gets 2 spots, etc.
http://100amonth-abetterworldforall.blogspot.com/ |
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i_teach_esl
Joined: 07 Sep 2006
Location: baebang, asan/cheonan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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and bump. i think this is a wonderful idea. ive only just arrived in korea not even a week ago and wont get a check for a while... but pencil me in for later. i'll email you when i actually get some income.  |
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jlb
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Awesome! Come on people...take up the challenge! |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Bang on. |
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Cerebroden
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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how bout $1
I'd have to give up atleast one bottle of booze if I gave a hundy. And if I did that I'd have to seriously consider giving up my Elitist American "I'm better than you attitude"
Not quite sure I'm ready for that type of plunge yet. |
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jlb
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Cerebroden wrote: |
how bout $1
I'd have to give up atleast one bottle of booze if I gave a hundy. And if I did that I'd have to seriously consider giving up my Elitist American "I'm better than you attitude"
Not quite sure I'm ready for that type of plunge yet. |
Wow..having a bad day or something? Are you nicer in person than online? |
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Cerebroden
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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actually, my day has been pretty boring so far. And I try and make a point of of being the same both online and off. I detest internet cowboys.
That being said, my statement was made in absolute truth.
I still have student loans and college debt to pay off so I would have to definently alter my lifestyle to make that kind of commitment.
I understand what a extremely high spirited attempt this is, but you're asking for alot of faith with "give up $1200/year to me so I can put it towards a good cause" that being said its not you I don't trust any less than the charities.
Now, this "if you already donate" thing...does that include those people that donate a check to the church every sunday to bring jesus to the heathens? or what about just dumping of $1200 worth of old stuff at places like goodwill? |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Cerebroden wrote: |
actually, my day has been pretty boring so far. And I try and make a point of of being the same both online and off. I detest internet cowboys.
That being said, my statement was made in absolute truth.
I still have student loans and college debt to pay off so I would have to definently alter my lifestyle to make that kind of commitment.
I understand what a extremely high spirited attempt this is, but you're asking for alot of faith with "give up $1200/year to me so I can put it towards a good cause" that being said its not you I don't trust any less than the charities.
Now, this "if you already donate" thing...does that include those people that donate a check to the church every sunday to bring jesus to the heathens? or what about just dumping of $1200 worth of old stuff at places like goodwill? |
According to an email I got from the OP, it's not about giving the money to him/her. Just give it directly to the charities. This initiative is just about motivating and encouraging, not conveying the cash. |
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Cerebroden
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I understand, and I also agree that this is a worthwhile Idea so I hope you don't take my remarks as me being too much of an ass. But I think I'm just a touch too far on the cynical side to see this making a true impact. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:24 am Post subject: |
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| Cerebroden wrote: |
| I understand, and I also agree that this is a worthwhile Idea so I hope you don't take my remarks as me being too much of an ass. But I think I'm just a touch too far on the cynical side to see this making a true impact. |
A friend of mine makes decisions by asking himself one thing, and it made me think long and hard:
"If everyone acted the way I did, would the world be a better place?" |
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Cerebroden
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:28 am Post subject: |
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well, I'm of two minds on that one...
My friends love me because they know that I will always give them the same no nonesense persona everytime. People dislike me because I say what they know but don't want to hear.
So would the world be a better place if people were up front and brutally honest? Or would the world be better if we just tried to sugar coat everything for the sake of feelings?
I know you could say the whole "If you don't have anything nice to say..."
Which is possible true, but at the very least I'm bumpin this thread for ya. |
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Grimalkin
Joined: 22 May 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| Cerebroden wrote: |
| I understand, and I also agree that this is a worthwhile Idea so I hope you don't take my remarks as me being too much of an ass. But I think I'm just a touch too far on the cynical side to see this making a true impact. |
Hey Cerebroden I understand what you're saying (some people have student loans etc) but since that's not my case I'm up for it myself. Tho I gotta be honest...
..it's not a big deal for me cos I'm almost half way there already. It's not that I'm a huge philanthropist or anything. On the contrary. The first standing order I made was around christmastime a few years back. Watching the telly I felt ashamed and made a toll-free call after seeing pictures of starving children. (Not hugely ashamed tho'...I only committed to about 15 dollars a month!). After about a year when I found this wasn't exactly breaking me I increased it to 30. Later on I committed another 15 to another charity. I doubt at this stage I'll notice the extra difference... but again, I realise I have no outstanding loans whereas other people do.
For people who are undecided maybe try the same thing I did. Start small and if that works out okay, stay with it. If you feel you can increase it later well and good. I'm sure every little bit helps.
One way or another folks keep clicking on the 'Feed the Hungry' site. |
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Cerebroden
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:51 am Post subject: |
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ok ok...here's my view on charities, weather you want it or not.
Perfect example is Grimalkin's "I saw those starving children on t.v."
Now you said telly, so I don't know if you saw a christian coalition ad or not but. I really upsets me and C.C. definently spends ALOT of money with ads showing "poor starving children" when charities start spending such huge chunks of their funding towards advertising. and this is just C.C. but I have never once saw a "this is _____ she is part of the x amount of people we have saved" it is always "With your support, we could save this girl"
Then you have other charities that are either inherently currupt, or have charters that go against what I believe in. i.e. the Red Cross giving medical treatment to known terrorists and hiding them from both CIA and italian intelligence.
I would much rather donate or be a part of (as in the decision making process) of a smaller charity. Ideally I'd like to just get a small group of people together so I can see where each dollar goes and control it myself.
/rant |
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Grimalkin
Joined: 22 May 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:48 am Post subject: |
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| Cerebroden wrote: |
ok ok...here's my view on charities, weather you want it or not.
Perfect example is Grimalkin's "I saw those starving children on t.v."
Now you said telly, so I don't know if you saw a christian coalition ad or not but. |
Okay no idea what this means.
| Quote: |
| I really upsets me and C.C. definently spends ALOT of money with ads showing "poor starving children" when charities start spending such huge chunks of their funding towards advertising. and this is just C.C. but I have never once saw a "this is _____ she is part of the x amount of people we have saved" it is always "With your support, we could save this girl" |
I'm guessing they have to advertise for people like me. The place I lived I didn't stumble across a lot of starving childen on a day to day basis, so it's very much a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'.
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| Then you have other charities that are either inherently currupt, or have charters that go against what I believe in. i.e. the Red Cross giving medical treatment to known terrorists and hiding them from both CIA and italian intelligence. |
I'm sure you're probably right about this...and you can add governments like mine that commit to give a certain percentage of GDP to relieve poverty in 3rd world countries, and then renege.
| Quote: |
I would much rather donate or be a part of (as in the decision making process) of a smaller charity. Ideally I'd like to just get a small group of people together so I can see where each dollar goes and control it myself.
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I guess you're just a better person than me if you can manage to do this. But since I wouldn't have the first clue how to do that I'm just going to have to stick with established charities. |
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Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| Grimalkin wrote: |
| But since I wouldn't have the first clue how to do that I'm just going to have to stick with established charities. |
That's not very responsible though, especially considering so many of these charities actually end up causing damage to the communities you aim to help (especially the sponsor-a-child-make-the-rich-feel-better style charities). It's not very difficult to do a little research before picking up the phone. Or even better, change your own actions rather than just trying to throw money at the problem. |
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