biodork

It's not quite as hideous as it looks/sounds, but it's definitely... different.

Sorry, not trying to be a downer! I guess my thing is that if their goal is to raise awareness, they've only done so temporarily. Maybe that's all they needed and it doesn't matter, but I would think long-term support would be better. :shrugs: Could just be me. :) Edit: corrected typo

I was not thinking clearly this morning when I requested both guacamole and mustard on my sub for lunch.

No; I make one-time donations on occasion, but they are usually for disaster relief and that sort of thing. And if others prefer to take their $ and pick a new cause each year, then that's cool, too (just not my MO). My point is that ALS fundraising will likely go right back to normal next year because the challenge is a short-term fundraising effort, and unless they manage those extra funds very wisely by setting up an endowment or something of that nature, in the long run they'll be back to needing to raise awareness (again) for the cause.

I have a group of about 4-6 organizations to which I donate on a regular basis (from monthly to annually, depending on the charity), in small increments but often to the tune of about $1000 by the end of the year. I've selected these few because they are causes I believe in and choose to support; not because they're in vogue or because someone told me I should. And if the challenge convinces someone they want to support that cause regularly, then that's awesome. I just worry that next year they drop off the map again as some other organization comes up with a better marketing tactic. It reminds me a little of something I've seen in my area and find very annoying: a newer local charity group called Community Aid came together and decided to put their donation bins (the large metal containers that look like a mini-dumpster) DIRECTLY NEXT TO existing bins from the Salvation Army. I don't know much about this group, and as it turns out they support the local Humane Society and so I'd likely have chosen to contribute to their cause with that information. But the fact that they felt it necessary to compete with SA and almost poach their donations completely turned me away from them. Edit: I'm NOT saying that is what the ALS group is doing... I'm saying I could see that happening going forward as other organizations recognize how successful their campaign has been and attempt to out-do each other in fundraising efforts.

Well, in fairness, it IS a gimmick. It was started with great intentions and it's wonderful for the ALS community that it's raised so much money and gotten people to donate who otherwise probably would not have, but I'm guessing most of those donations were a one-off and won't help generate regular, consistent support, which you might argue is ultimately more helpful. If the same challenge were to go around next year, I'm guessing most of the people who participated this time would probably feel that they'd done their part already and not donate again.

I don't think he was saying that; he was just explaining why he personally is choosing not to participate and expressing very valid concerns about the whole thing.

I don't need to kill it; I just want it to stay the heck away from me! :lol:

Yuck! Any bug that is big enough to crunch when squished is not okay in my book.

:clapping:

Maybe. It's just humongous, though (that's what she said). I hope it's gone when I get home or I might need to move. :P

Attached pic is what I saw when I opened my door to go to work this morning... gross. Tomorrow I have to leave work early to go home and meet my dad and stepmom since they're leaving their dog with me over the weekend while they travel. I really, REALLY don't like this dog. I love animals in general, but this dog is an a$$hole. She stayed with me for a week back in December and drove me crazy then. She bites her toenails while I'm trying to sleep, she wakes me up early in the morning, she sheds everywhere, she barks at everything and everyone, and she doesn't listen when I call her to come inside, even if she's been out running around for 30 minutes. She's too stupid even to play; the last time I tried to get her interested in one of her toys, and she'd get all excited watching me throw her ball and then wouldn't go retrieve it. And my mom is coming down to visit Sat. night, which means the stupid dog will probably bark and bark and bark because my mom is a stranger to her. And if that dog gets into my flower bed and ruins everything I've worked hard to keep alive this summer, I am going to be furious. I wanted so badly to decline taking her, but my dad asked right after I'd asked him to help me replace my fence, so I was kind of stuck. Ugh.

Good luck, man. Both of my maternal grandmothers died of colon cancer, and my mom is now around the age when her mother was diagnosed. It's no fun, but far better to catch it early than late. And afterwards you'll finally be able to fit into those skinny jeans again! ;)

Mike Rowe (from Dirty Jobs) aptly articulated how I feel about the Challenge. From his Facebook page:

For you, SFiNS. At least someone else gets it. http://www.theislami...-islamic-state/

Great news!

The paper we've been waiting on was finally accepted for publication. :) And I get to sleep in tomorrow for the first time in probably 3 weeks. Good Lord, do I need some sleep.

lol I felt the same way when I started graduate school... like an old fart among kids. Not all that far apart in age, but huge differences in mentality. Good luck with classes!

Was wondering where you'd gone! Hoped d4rk hadn't locked you in a closet somewhere. ;) Good luck next week and have fun with it!

This NC school teacher is awesome: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/21/1323522/-NC-teacher-raises-80K-to-feed-Ferguson-kids-whose-schools-can-t-open-due-to-civil-unrest

That definitely helps. I found it much more manageable when I was working weekends at a restaurant because there was still some extra cash coming in throughout the month.

We have that, too... takes a LOT of getting used to. Especially weird since we're paid the last working day of the month, so sometimes it's 4 weeks between paychecks and sometimes it's more like 5 weeks. It's nice to be able to pay everything at once, but it's also sad seeing how much money you have left to stretch over 4-5 weeks. Yikes, man... hope they finally have the correct diagnosis and can get you back on the up and up. For me: two years ago today, I had to say goodbye to my best (canine) friend. I still miss the little guy, but I hope he's running free up there and has all the treats his little heart desires.

Right there with ya, buddy. CV, shrader, and I all work in this area, and I think we can all attest to the negative effects of funding cuts the last decade.

Sorry ink... I tried to resist, but my OCD tendencies wouldn't let me! (Good luck with your fantasy team, btw.)

My God, I was beginning to think no one would ever notice! Been driving me nuts, lol.