Please take a moment to read the attached article on food shortages in crisis. This should be a reality check for most if not all of us who read this BB. It truly saddens me and breaks my heart to think of the poor children that are born into these conditions, with little or no choices of their own.

It seems are world is becoming an increasingly lopsided affair between the have's and the have nots. I don't mean to get on my soap box, but this is really disturbing to me. Here is the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/haiti_eating_dirt

We all can help. Their is an organization called feed my starving children. They have a location that is just opening in Aurora. My wife, kids, and I have volunteered twice since the holidays. The kids get a ton out of it. It is educational, and you can spend as much time as you want packaging meals to be sent to countries in need. Here is the link to the organization:

http://www.fmsc.org/Locations/default.aspx

Any thoughts?

Get these kids some fish tacos.

Donate a dollar to me, I will direct all of it to UNICEF or the Red Cross, they will direct none of it to the kids but will instead use all the money for administrative costs, and you will get a bracelet showing your support. Deal?

I have never had a problem with the Red Cross. I found the assertion that they somehow screwed America by taking money donated for the 9/11 cause and used it for other disasters to be absolutely ridiculous. When you donate to charity, unless it's $1MM or $2MM, do you really care what your money is going to so long as it is helping someone in need?

Clearly there are many, many places in this world where people are in desparate need. I give to Doctors without Borders, Heifer International, my church, Relay for Life, Girl Scouts, PADS, and a handful of other charities....there is so much need and there are so many good organizations. However, I think this need sounds very rewarding and worthwhile. I will talk with my kids to work out some time to volunteer - maybe the Girl Scouts would like to give some of their time too...I'll ask them.

By the way, the fish taco bracelet is a riot!

My mantra is Think Locally, Act Locally.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
My mantra is Think Locally, Act Locally.

It would be great if we could Shop Locally.


Zing...

I drank locally Monday night. Did an extremely rare knocked-the-drink-over-onto-my-lap trick that night. Right in front of DXXXX MXXXXXXX and Ron Kas. Wish I could say I was drunk, but it was more like the olives didn't want to get eaten and clung to the glass.

Guess I left too early.

Same here.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
I drank locally Monday night. Did an extremely rare knocked-the-drink-over-onto-my-lap trick that night. Right in front of DXXXX MXXXXXXX and Ron Kas. Wish I could say I was drunk, but it was more like the olives didn't want to get eaten and clung to the glass.

I witnessed this, paused for reflection, and for the first time realized Clam is not God-like perfect.

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:


Donate a dollar to me, I will direct all of it to UNICEF or the Red Cross, they will direct none of it to the kids but will instead use all the money for administrative costs, and you will get a bracelet showing your support. Deal?

You do know that this is something I would say, don't you? What gives?

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:


Donate a dollar to me, I will direct all of it to UNICEF or the Red Cross, they will direct none of it to the kids but will instead use all the money for administrative costs, and you will get a bracelet showing your support. Deal?

You do know that this is something I would say, don't you? What gives?

Why do you think that I have repeatedly said that straight party punchers are idiots? Trying to place 90% of voter's beliefs into the political philosophy of ONE political party and that particular candidate running from that party is like trying to determine whether or not Iraq REALLY had WMD before we invaded it. Errr, bad example. But you get the point.

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:


Donate a dollar to me, I will direct all of it to UNICEF or the Red Cross, they will direct none of it to the kids but will instead use all the money for administrative costs, and you will get a bracelet showing your support. Deal?

You do know that this is something I would say, don't you? What gives?

Why do you think that I have repeatedly said that straight party punchers are idiots? Trying to place 90% of voter's beliefs into the political philosophy of ONE political party and that particular candidate running from that party is like trying to determine whether or not Iraq REALLY had WMD before we invaded it. Errr, bad example. But you get the point.

I have no clue what you are speaking of and how this relates to UNICEF and the Red Cross. Further, I was only kidding. We give to various charities.

I would agree about "straight party punchers" being idiots, but only to the extent that the voter has no clue who they are voting for and merely votes for that person because he or she is a republican or democrat. Maybe this is what you mean by "straight party punchers". Being loyal to one party because you believe in their political ideologies doesn't necessarily make you an idiot. If I thought voting for a person, regardless of party line was going to positively affect one of my core issues, then I'd vote for that person.

quote:

Originally posted by bitterboy:
Being loyal to one party because you believe in their philosophical ideology doesn't make you an idiot.

In an effort to further degrade this discussion, do you really think that 100% of Republican candidates share the philosophical ideology of the Republican party. Often, Democratic candidates share more Republican ideals than their Republican counterparts (and visa versa). It's those that can't spot that difference and merely look to the "R" or "D" next to the candidate's name to vote who are idiots in my opinion.

I've probably pulled more "R" ballots than "D" ballots in the past. That being said, if the "R's" are so adamant about the philosophical ideals of the Republican base, why isn't Ron Paul the trophy boy for the party. The Republican party has totally lost its way and sold its soul to the religious right at the expense of their historically fundamental philosophies - as far as I'm concerned.

Don't even get me started on the Democrats "philosophical ideologies."

Honestly, I am as disguted as you. I was going to start a thread entitled "What happened to the Republican Party?", and I suppose someone could have started one for the democratic party as well. But I elected not to only because it seems like political issues divide folks around this board and I like it much better when everyone is happy and friendly with one another.

quote:

why isn't Ron Paul the trophy boy for the party.

Honestly, I think his stance on the war is hurting him, that and money to fund a strong campaign. He wants to pull the troops out, I think most conservatives do not. Just my opinion. He is by far the strongest on immigration. I like his views on health care too, in particular in relation to small business.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bitterboy,

For a "non-establishment" candidate, Ron Paul's fundraising has been great. It hasn't helped that most of the media outlets never included him in any of the debates.

quote:

Don't even get me started on the Democrats "philosophical ideologies."

Somewhere Amy's ear are burning.

quote:

I will talk with my kids to work out some time to volunteer - maybe the Girl Scouts would like to give some of their time too...I'll ask them.

Amy,

Feed my starving children would be a great service project for the girl scouts. Thanks for offering to try to help.