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Post by everso on Nov 22, 2010 19:56:08 GMT
Any fans of "Chuggers" here? The "Charity Mugger"? Usually found in pedestrian areas and usually recruited from local universities - there to sign you up to multiple direct debits for their nominated concern. We get a couple a month knocking on the front door! Damn! it's annoying! Usual response is that we already regularly give via "Give as you earn" which is something that Best Beloved used to do with her old employer. That usually shuts them up - though one or two still try and get you to sign up for extra. The other good one is - "You've got a website haven't you? I'll take a look later and sign up then......." Grrrrr! Yes, these charity muggers are always lurking around the High Street in Chelmsford. I believe they take a cut of anything they sign you up for (I'm hoping I'll be corrected here, but I doubt it). I always ignore them. |
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Post by everso on Nov 22, 2010 20:00:34 GMT
I don't think many people do, really. People will pretend to (we do) but they mostly know that cats aren't human. I give mainly to animal charities. We use animals too much, and we owe them. Also, disadvantaged humans get help through taxes (though probably not enough). Animals only get help through charity, and not much there either. Best Beloved's attitude is that humans can help themselves - Animals can't. So human charities get left out in the main. Saying that though, we bought everyone of our relatives a fabulous "local" Calendar a couple of years ago (about 10) as our "local" branch of the RNLI needed a Garage to be built for their hovercraft. It helps when there's a bit of local need. Wouldn't give to the RSPCA though - they're a bit rubbishNot sure I agree there, Patrick. Yes, animals can't help themselves, that's true, but humans can't always help themselves either, especially children! People come first in my book, not animals. I love animals, but I'd never put them before human life. Ever. |
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Post by Weyland on Nov 22, 2010 20:09:35 GMT
Yes, these charity muggers are always lurking around the High Street in Chelmsford. I believe they take a cut of anything they sign you up for (I'm hoping I'll be corrected here, but I doubt it). I always ignore them. I treat them like J'Witnesses [watershed]. Or if I'm in a good mood I just say I live abroad. |
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Post by housesparrow on Nov 22, 2010 21:23:58 GMT
Most boat owners give money to the RNLI just as motorists subscribe to a road rescue organisation; if your engines fail out at sea, your only option is to call the lifeboats.
As for children's charities - well, just about every charity does benefit children as well as adults - cancer charities, Oxfam, you name it. And if you look at the adverts, the heart association makes great play of the fact that children suffer from heart disease too. Even charities helping elderly people abroad plug the point that grannies are often the only carers for children whose parents have died of AIDS.
The thing about animals is that if we domesticate them for our own ends, I think we owe them something in return . RSPCA isn't my favourite animal charity - I support Compassion in World Farming because if you eat meat (and I do) you exploit animals.
As for MIND - it is a great charity and I really must get round to giving 'em summat.
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Post by Patrick on Nov 22, 2010 22:13:01 GMT
Of course - we spend a hell of a lot less on mental health services anyway - I've heard the French take it a lot more seriously and have far better services - whether it helps - that I haven't heard.
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Post by tarzanontarmazepam on Nov 22, 2010 22:49:02 GMT
Of course - we spend a hell of a lot less on mental health services anyway - I've heard the French take it a lot more seriously and have far better services - whether it helps - that I haven't heard. Debateable Patrick...  |
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Post by Patrick on Nov 22, 2010 23:26:51 GMT
Indeed! The old brain is hazy, I just remember reading statistics showing that we - if not "spend" - then "don't pay as much attention to" mental health services as we could.
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Post by aubrey on Nov 23, 2010 18:51:59 GMT
I once saw a chugger for MIND being harangued by a mad street person, which - I know, I know, I know - I found really funny.
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Post by everso on Nov 23, 2010 19:51:57 GMT
I once saw a chugger for MIND being harangued by a mad street person, which - I know, I know, I know - I found really funny. You really can't have too many mad street people. They cheer the place up.  Mr. E. fondly remembers a really mad person that he used to see on the Tube when he first started work. Looking back, the mad person probably had something like Tourettes. Actually, I just googled Tourettes (to make sure of the spelling) and found that the condition where a person swears a lot is called coprolalia whereas Tourettes is mainly "tics" but also occasionally includes a bit of swearing. You learn something every day!  |
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Post by housesparrow on Nov 25, 2010 8:03:49 GMT
Last week I shared a bus with a woman who was wearing a flowing cotton dress and silver pumps under a jacket which, she explained, she had brought because it got cold on summer nights. Towards the end of a strange and baffling conversation she announced that she was frightened because of the impending full moon, which made men mad, then adding: "well of course men are mad anyway."
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Post by everso on Nov 25, 2010 17:03:50 GMT
Well, we all knew that, didn't we?
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