Thursday, May 5, 2011

Charitable Donations

I spent the morning watching Hula and being bombarded with pleas to donate money to different groups who want to feed the World. That's nice. However, I was taught that charity should begin at home, meaning our own backyard.

All you have to do to find out that 1 out of 6 Americans hasn't enough to eat. Here we are living in a country where "fat" has become a problem. How is it possible that there is so much hunger in this country.

There are so many groups out there who want your money to save the children, etc. Have you ever wondered just how much of the money actually goes to "the children"? Do some research. I was shocked. Below are a group of websites that give the low down on IRS regonized charities. Please note, however, that groups that are considered "religious" such as The Salvation Army are not covered. They are listed on several other sites and it is shocking.

Great advise for those who want to donate:
http://www.bendover.com/charity.asp
Another great article for those wondering about donating money to charity:
http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/dont-donate-money-to-charity.html
Good video explaining much about donations:
http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/dont-donate-money-to-charity.html
A must read for EVERYONE who wants to know facts:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/?gclid=CPnB49eQ1qgCFcTt7QodCHUnhA
Interesting read: Top Ten Highly
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=topten.detail&listid=118
Lastly, but probably the best information Guidestar.com:
http://www2.guidestar.org/rxg/products/GuideStar-premium.aspx?gclid=COq-5q6W1qgCFYTr7QodwA_diQ

Also, be sure and check out the alpha listings on Charity Navigator - links above. I'm sure your time will be well spent.

I had my eyes opened many years ago, back in the stone age, when I was a member of the United States Marine Corps. There was a death in the family and the only way to get emergency leave was to go The American Red Cross. Now, I'm sure things have changed since those stone age days, but I had to pay money, and more than I could afford ( only had a privates pay to live on ) for them to do it for me. Some charity, right. Also, my Uncle Bill was in the Army during the Korean Conflict and was separated from his unit. He was cold, had hypothermia actually, and finally after a long struggle found a Red Cross unit serving coffee and doughnuts - BUT you had to pay for them. Some Charity huh? Well I see from the ratings, things have changed a little. But you get my drift, right?

I've heard other horror stories about the abusiveness of charities. Please before you get sucked in, do research on who's actually getting the money. And, if it's advertised on television, you have to know that alone cost tons of money.

Do I donate to charity. I sure do. It's a non profit called Individual and Family Support. I am also on the council for the region and also the regional council - but then I have the time ( usually ) to spend going to the meetings, and discussing how the raised funds will be spent and signing check requests for those funds. I also donate a sum each Thanksgiving and Christmas for food stuffs as well as help collect and distribute collected food stuffs. I know exactly where my money goes.

Please, do the same. If you find you really have the desire to give your hard earned money to charity, do so, but please find out all you can before you do so. Find some charity in your own part of the World and make it yours and you'll be happier seeing where it all goes, and if you're luck, first hand who gets it. Don't be suckered into a scam and have your money wasted.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Robert Pattinson shoots down studio fabrication

This remark from Robert Pattinson has moved this young man's stock with me way up. Plus the fact it's adding more to the validy of relation ship between Kristen Stewart and himself.

This extract from an interview recently given while Rpatz was traveling with the Water for Elephants promotional tour.

The interviewer asked if the romance bewteen the two TwiHeartThrobs was a ploy the Studio came up with in order to sell more tickets and interest in the franchise.

"Rob shoots down the theory that the relationship is a studio fabrication.
“No. Oh no. I’d love it if they tried. If the studio tried to get involved with my personal life, I could start messing around with them in return…No. There’s nothing nefarious going on, I just don’t like people taking my picture. It’s not nice when your life becomes someone else’s news.”

This next is a loose version of an interview given in Germany when Robert was asked if he were in love and was his lady love with him, he replied ( something like this as I don't have that interview avaliable right now ) "Yes I am and no, she's not with me but back in Los Angeles". I thought BINGO!!

I have just now remembered an interveiw Kristen Stewart gave a while back regarding if the couple would every let the World at Large know if Robsten existed. The link is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol7SEMevxF8