Boris, EU, Charity Adverts

A friend, I do have them, in a far distant land, shares cheap Christmas tokens with me each year.  One year I received a pencil with a knot in it, another year a short string of glittering blue tinsel.  Obviously she does not appreciate the cost of the two tea bags I sent her!  This is her offering this year, possibly this could be construed as a political gesture, and with Boris now somewhere in the EU selling out so that he can obtain a 'No Deal' as he and his money changers have been looking for all along, then he can start blaming the EU for intransigence.  

I mentioned on Twitter last night that this trip was a scam, no deal was going to happen as 'No Deal' was what he has been looking for and this is just another balloon from the bumbling, lying balloon.  It was frightening to read peoples responses.  There is out there still a number, a large number, of people who believe in Boris.  People who consider 'No Deal' a good thing, people who do not think January 1st will lead to shortages, people who will not open their minds to anything but what they wish to believe.  While Boris panders to these people in Brussels his friends who demanded Brexit are all moving their business overseas.

 

I came across this German cartoon the other day and thought it appropriate...

On a slightly different subject, this morning I received a magazine, I can read yu know, and inside the plastic wrapper alongside said mag was an invitation to give a subscription to a friend, an advert for a 'Special Pensioners' hearing aid, though it did not qualify how to be a 'special pensioner,' an offer (£83 plus P&P) for 12 bottles of wine, considerably cheaper in Tesco I wish to point out, an advert for health insurance to rob us, and eight (8) requests for money from various charities.  Corum, Crisis, Blind Veterans, Trussel Trust, Lifeboats, Zane (who?), YMCA and Water Aid!  All this doubled the weight of the magazine!  Oh yes, and something dangerous was also included, a small advert, indeed a booklet, from an organisation calling itself PostScrpt.  This is a bookshop selling books!  

Comparing this to a pile of requests for charitable cash leaves me feeling too guilty to purchase a book.  And if guilt, and that is what lies behind such requests at this time of year, if guilt forces me to send cash how do I decide who to give it too?  No doubt that those charities among them that I know are worthy, the others probably are also or this mag would not allow them, but how to decide?  Are the young needy more important than old?  Or Blind more important because they were servicemen?  Do children come before families or Lifeboats? It can all become very confusing.

Naturally I dump them in the recycling bag.

I have given to various charities, month by month, sometimes for years, then if I had any cash I decided to let the money collect and give a bundle to something I truly thought worth it.  There are all around such places, from the Food Bank to local homeless hostels, young folks and the like, and there are always things near and far that could be helped.  I just like to imagine that what I give can do something for others.  My mates church in London helps the 'Street People,' many of whom sleep under bushes in Hyde Park, and weekly they give out foodpacks in these virus days.  This when the church income has been slashed, some 75% of the income has gone, and therefore so has many staff.  However, he believes the work must continue and Jesus will help.

Come January 1st we shall begin to see real need again.  What social services we have will soon face cuts, the NHS, over burdened still, will also be cut, and how many US investors will arrive?  The Food Banks may need more help, the people operating the food banks will also require assistance soon, 2020 is seen as a dark year, I suspect for many it will become darker.

 

 

Dismal Park and Dismal Charity

Twice this week I have meandered slowly across the park ruminating on how depressing and dank a park can be when weather is dreich and the park empty of life.  Trees stand bare of leaves, they lie rusting all around, even evergreens appear darker than normal and only an occasional small bird is noted high up on a bare branch shivering in the gloom.  In the far distance a pale blue sky might be seen on occasion but much of the sky is battleship gray and full of the promise of rain.  
How much better in the Spring when leaves develop happily, bright yellow Daffodils and other flowers dominate the edges of the par and toddlers run around with parents struggling in the rear and the air is full of birdsong and bright sunlight. 
Not even the occasional drug dealer hovers during this day, gathering in the dim light behind bushes at night maybe but never in the dank daylight.  Those choosing to cross the park do so wrapped up in winter garb, council workers passing through offering brightness with those high-vis yellow or lime green jackets they are forced to wear, the only bright spot in the day.  How depressing a park can be after rain or in winter.  Roll on Spring.

An A4 envelope crashed through the door today.  Inside there was a letter from a charity, a four page letter, detailing the sob story they work amongst, a reply envelope, a car, a three page handout detailing the work at Christmas all wrapped in a big envelope.  My first reaction was simple, if they can afford an appeal of this size they can do without my money.  Money spent asking for money can be saved by sending out less and more to the point I say.
This came from a  place I have helped before, a good place doing good work especially at Christmas. However as I mentioned to one (well run) charity a while back I do not wish large amounts of guff asking for money and all of it ends up in the recycling.  Brief details well written tell more and may get my sympathy.  I recall one charity working amongst children sending out small plastic packets containing a sugar/water mix that they feed starving children, my attitude was send that to where it is needed not to me!  
A quick glance at 'Charity' on Google (Google, there is a charity that is doing well!) reveals hundreds and thousands of charities asking for cash.  Some are small local ones, good for them, others huge national world wide operations paying the top people over a hundred thousand a year (charity eh?) and I am not sure they are making the best use of the cash with such administration.
Clearly charities have to fight to get our money, clearly there is much need, clearly this failing government is contributing to the need by throwing people on the streets and failing to provide care where it is needed.  There will always be a requirement for charity and in this country people are always willing to give, I just wonder if the money is always used correctly, administration organised properly and my limited cash is being used in the most appropriate manner.

 

Charity Begins at Home...?

I was impressed by the screaming headlines in the press this morning concerning the tower block fire yesterday.  All called for someones head, all yelled about safety, all demanded something ought to be done.
Where were they several years ago when the tenants of this block demanded changes?  Where was the press opposition when the Labour Party attempted to ensure landlords made their properties safe for tenants?  They were nowhere as these were not important stories for the daily press, sex, scandal, political intrigue and immigrants sells papers not dangerous housing, especially among the lower orders.  Especially when some 71 Conservative MPs who voted against the Labour bill demanding landlords took action were and still are landlords themselves!  The Tory press would not mention this.
Out of some 400 or so tenants less than half have been identified, I feel for the foremen who have to clear the building once it is made safe.
When these buildings arose in the 1950's they were an answer to a desperate housing problem.  It was not long before the dehumanising aspect of the style of building came to the fore, and indeed the misbehaviour of the people living in such blocks.  Lack of authoritative control, ignorant tenants and soon these places were wastelands.  Only once done up and sold off to paying owners with porters, sorry 'Concierge' at the door could such places work.  It is not just the building but the people that ruin such creations.  Of course many were badly designed, many have been destroyed and more human housing produced but in the end the people decide whether a housing development works or not.
I liked the idea of being high up, great views, wonderful skies, but if the lift breaks you are trapped.  We know know, and ought to have known long ago, that fire is a hazard to be avoided.  No block of flats ought to go over four stories in my view, this enables most firemen to gain access to you.  It was very difficult to watch the pictures of the trapped high above, or listen to the tales of the survivors.  This made worse by endless speculation and repetition of survivors stories over and over again to no-ones advantage.  
Of course the £62 million or so taken from the Fire Service has to play a part, closing fire stations, and I read somewhere that yesterday the government sold all the fire engines and equipment to a private company on the very day this fire erupted.  That requires checking but sounds just like this government.  I was intrigued to find a link on Twitter to an item in the London Evening Standard blaming cuts to services as one factor responsible for the fire, the Evening Standard the paper now 'edited' by one George Osborne the failed chancellor of the Exchequer who brought in the 'austerity' that gave us the cuts and decimated the Fire Service, the Police, the Ambulance crews, the NHS and everything else!   I wonder if George read that item?

When I met one of my women today we discussed, among other important topics, the response to the tragedy.  People were collecting items to send, food, clothes, blankets and the other daily requirements that the folks from the tower have lost.  I noticed some wished to do so round her, others as far away as Fife were offering items and then I began to think something was not right here.  For a start this disaster occurred in London, relatively close to the centre of the city and with seven or eight million people and a good number there willing to help there is no real need for people at a distance offering such aid.  A friend of mine is in close contact with the Latymer Church which is close to the tower and had things been desperate I suspect a call would have gone out for items.  

So what makes people respond this way?  When I was fifteen the Aberfan disaster occurred.  This was a mining village in Wales where an unsteady coal bing, the residue of coal waste that towered above the village gave way and fell across the village destroying the primary school and killing around one hundred and fifty young children.  Far away in Edinburgh watching this unfold on our rented Black and White TV I was gripped with a desire to go and dig out the kids.  An absurd idea as if miners and police could not save the I certainly would not.  
Years later while working for a charitable organisation I came across a wise item in a magazine where the author asked about those helping at Aberfan, they would come for miles to help he said but would they care about the man next door having a breakdown?  It is easy to rush to a disaster, it is hard to cope with daily stress of individual or local group disasters, no less real but not so spectacular.   Is rushing to a disaster such as this from far away the right thing to do, is it really 'loving your neighbour?'

  
Another man who has had a personal disaster is Tim Farron the Lib-Dem leader.  His party did not have an great success during the election, it did however grow from I think 8 seats to 12 so it wasn't all bad, but he himself was hounded by the media not on his policies but because he follows Jesus.
When interviewed there were few policy questions merely constant queries regarding whether he thought as a Christian homosexuality was a sin.  This was the constant refrain and sadly he failed to cope with this.  Instead of loudly brazing it out and saying "Yes it is!" he attempted to compromise out of 'consideration' for others opinions.  This was wrong!  The other day a senior Liberal in the House of Lords resigned because he objected to the biblical position offered by Tim, this has forced Tim Farron into resigning his position as leader.  A mistake in my view.  This Lord ought to have been castigated for his intolerance, his prejudice and his religious discrimination and thrown out of the party!  It is the Liberal Party after all so why has he now allowance for liberty?
Underneath all this lies the clear anti-Christian forces that dominate the media, that through the gay lobby harass those who stick to Christian principles (the Muslims are however never attacked as they might fight back) and white, middle class socialists, who have never done a proper days work in their lives, dominate the world.  We must obey their commands and accept homosexuality and all the other apparently new found behaviours as normal even if they are not.  From primary schools now children are indoctrinated to believe such behaviour is normal, instead of accepting people who behave thus, a very big difference!  The gay lobby leads the attack on the church as that is the truth that the power behind them hates, Christians such as Tim Farron ought to be given support to take his stand and not attacked constantly because of this.

We are right to wonder if there would have been a Lord grumbling if Tim won a lot of seats, we are right to wonder if all would be different then?  Possibly the Lord was only one man involved in a coup and we will soon know if his friend the new leader, whoever he may be, invites him to be a spokesman for something in the Lords.

I was forced out into the sunshine thrice today.  Not only did I have to visit two supermarkets to obtain cheap supplies but the brutes at the bird feeders broke one of the feeders and later I had to walk in the heat wearing dark glasses and bumping into things just to buy another.  Naturally the young girls at the counter were impressed with my 'James Bond' approach, I could tell by the way they looked at me, one of them even woke up long enough to almost smile.  I could see she was finding it tough having spend many years in school learning about many things and discovering work was in fact boring!  Having gained umpteen 'O' and 'A' levels and been interviewed as if she was applying for work as a rocket scientist she finds herself at a check out in a far too warm and stuffy store dealing with the public!  Poor lass, I hope something better arrives soon.  I always like to cheer such as her up by reminding them they can leave at 65 or 70 and enjoy retirement but they always look so glum when I do.  
It's a giggle mind! 

Charity or Self Projection?

This nation is one of the most charitable in the world.  Through many years of poverty and struggle for a decent life the people understand what it is like to suffer, although many may doubt this while reading their 'Daily Mail.'  The strong Christian influence left its mark concerning the need to consider those without basic needs, an attitude that remains withing society even among 'liberals' who refuse to accept Christian influence on their ideology. Therefore when a charitable movement becomes popular people many are willing to join in.  On occasions however this takes on a life of its own and the results are less than charitable.  The social pressure to undertake this 'charitable act' has led to politicians off all sorts joining in as they are afraid to refuse.  The so called 'ordinary' person is influenced likewise.
The 'Ice Bucket Challenge,' in which an individual allows a bucket of ice filled water to be poured over their heads and then posts the picture on every social website possible is one such charitable act that now fills the media.  Some see this as harmless fun and beneficial to charities. I beg to differ.
Sitting here in my 'miserable old man' outfit I recall similar daft means of raising charitable cash, for instance the woman I found sitting, somewhat bored, in a bath tub half filled with Baked beans for instance.  This behaviour was sponsored with money collected going to a charity of some kind.  I myself believed offering the beans to the nearest Food Bank a more charitable and practical idea.  In similar fashion the money spent on wasting water this way, plus the cost of creating ice, would have been better spent finding a suitable charity organisation that actually seeks to provide clean water for those who need it most in drought areas.  There are dangers in Ethiopia of long term drought killing the major coffee growing areas and the people who live off that produce with it, the Sahara regions and parts of India suffer terrible drought or just lack a source of clean water, could money spent there be more charitable than seeing yourself on facebook catching flu?  Vast numbers in this overcrowded world are beginning to lose the drinking water available, Middle East rivers for instance can no longer supply the vast areas let alone the war torn ones.  The need is great and I wonder what they think when they see fat people in rich lands pouring gallons of clean water over their heads?  Are they impressed?  Could it be resentment or would this breed a desire to move to such areas, legally or not?
Some clever people take a more appropriate outlook when collecting charity money, sponsored walks, women not speaking for a certain period of time (that's popular!), 'fun runs,' and such events while others take a holiday and ride a bike across a desert while being sponsored for the fun, a much better idea and both riders and charity benefit, unless of course the rider dies of thirst or heat exhaustion.  
There is nothing wrong with having fun while being charitable but a better way than ever is also more likely to benefit those that require assistance.  That is giving a direct debit of say £5 or £10 a month, depending on your income, to the charity of your choice thus enabling them to control their finances in a better manner and you have the satisfaction of doing something good and not even noticing it.  Of course you get no publicity for this and surely that is another benefit, who wishes to know how much another gives to charity, whoever they are?  Rich men who give to charity should do so quietly, those who are constantly seen in such poses do so for their image, not others.  
'Loving your neighbour' means just that, it means 'love your neighbour,' help those you wish to help and can afford to aid, it does not mean be seen doing good, or be afraid of a bandwagon. Let us continue in charity work, but let us do so wisely.

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Misty Morn

As I headed off to the museum this morning I was impressed by the mist.  The rising sun was beginning to show through and as I walked I took this shot. From the museum shop I watched the sun attempt to warm the land, and fail!  This is what the weatherman calls 'mild!  
However the day was good, customers wandered in to browse, ask for the charity cards that we don't sell, and wander out again.  I had three of them at once at one point!  Would they look around the shop before disappearing, no! Bah!  It was interesting to note the male customers hung about the many kids toys longer than the lassies did.  
As I fiddled the prices about sticking new barcodes on goods a gent arrived looking for a picture. Now this was good and within a mere hour I had obtained the pictures from our extensive range, filled in the form for him and sent him home happy.  To discuss his memories is for me what the place is all about, especially when he pays lots of money!  If local people cannot revive memories a museum is of no use to them.  If kids cannot learn what has gone before it is wasting time.  If this one does not keep me off the streets then I will be on here more than I am, and you don't want that do you!  Actually I have been dragged into returning to the museum on Thursday.  I like to think this is because of my bedside manner with the customers, it may be we are just short of volunteers....

Now I mention it charity cards sell very well but how much actually goes to the charity involved? The lass that runs the sale in the town ensures all the money collected is sent on but how much actually gets to the people at the sharp end? Each charity will spend the cash in relevant ways but to be honest I am becoming rather wary of some charity organisations.  More appears to be spent on staff, especially fund raising staff, than anything else.  After the disaster in Haiti millions were sent there, much of this from the USA, yet 200,000 still have no homes!  New vehicles, expensive hotels for staff and charities still 'working' there yet little appears to benefit the people!  I used to support one charity, which pays the big boss much less than others do, as I am sure the money was well spent, I am no longer sure about others.  The news has just mentioned 'Comic Relief' and how their money is used or abused.  Such money invested in many cigarette companies is totally unacceptable to me!  
What sayest thou, mush?
    
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