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If I sleep with the judges, will that get me the rest of the credit?

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sunshine.kittens.bubblegum.happythoughts

Can you substantiate any of that?

I read the financial report on their site. It's all of eight lines with no breakdown. I tried hard to find something more detailed, nothing to be seen. Even by the standards of the non-profit world, that's extremely sketchy. They have a huge staff. From LinkedIn I see many of them work exclusively for the organization. What is their means of support? What about Misha and the rest of the higher ups, what is their means of support, exactly how much do they get paid?



It's not a question of "less deserving". I simply see Haiti as a very PR-able choice. In any event, these people are not our own. We have no business presuming to try to fix other culture's problems until we work our own out.



All of those things are very sentimental in nature, which makes me even more suspicious of the whole enterprise.

Why not provide these people the means to become self-sufficient - build homes, water systems, power plants? It seems like they're just doing cheap, trivial and ineffectual things designed to pull heartstrings and generate PR, but provide almost no lasting benefit.

Random acts of kindness do not change the world. They make it worse, because they justify the world we live in rather than seeking to change it. That doesn't mean they need to go start riots or overthrow governments or whatever. I'll give you examples of alternatives they could do, but don't.

For many years, Vietnam and other countries lacked good power systems, so they developed bicycle generators. A bicycle generator is durable, with an operational lifespan in decades and little need for maintenance, and provides a self-sufficient power source for a single home, business, or foxhole.

Fresh water is a harder problem to solve, but there are possible solutions. One, which worked very well in Israel, is to drain swamps and plant forests, and dig artificial lakes then fill them with seawater. Forming the land in this way causes positive changes in rainfall near cities - within a few years, rainfall will increase by a few milimeters, enough to water crops and quench the people's thirst. They could even just clear land for simple agriculture, or plant forests of quick-growing plants like bamboo or olive or guava or manzanita, which would enable these people to have some basic industry.

None of those solutions require advanced technology or a lot of capital - just some cheap Chinese bikes and a dynamo/battery/transformer kit that costs like $40. Digging holes, planting forests and such would require only the cost of MREs, bottled water and some tents.

Toys for children in Mexico. Why not give them a simple elementary school? A hut with some used books and maybe three staff members could make all the difference. Care packages for the homeless. Why not set up a shelter, with maybe ten or so staff members picking up day-old bread and leftover pizza and such and redistributing it? There is more food that firms WANT to donate than can be consumed by the appetites of the homeless - not only for the writeoff, but also because it saves firms the trouble of taking out the trash (something I have seen firsthand).

Most of those things just aren't as sexy, and they take a long-term commitment. Not a financial commitment, mind you, so much as the need for administration and collective willpower. There isn't the "now" and "ooh" factor as handing out toys, it's not as photogenic, not as compelling.

As for you and what you do, that's all well and good; I don't doubt your good faith, and my disagreement with you about this is nothing personal. And I'm not engaging you in the hopes of working you up to crave makeup sex so I can sleep with you at the next FUBU meet.

What I want to know is, exactly how much money is going in and out, who's donating how much and how it's getting spent. I think they do a lot of things that are very sentimental and make no real difference, and my sense is that they do it just to PR for more money for themselves.

Aestu of Bleeding Hollow...

Nihilism is a copout.

Misha is an actor. Cinde, the director, is the director of planning and administration for US Airways in North Carolina. Michelle, assistant director, is an HR Officer of a food processing company in the UK. Tracy, the treasurer, works at a medical technology company in China. Tina, the executive assistant, is an administrative assistant at UGA's law school.

Should I keep going, or is that enough? As far as finances, you could check out this, but I'm pretty sure more detailed reports on there require you to pay for them. And that's for their over-all work. For just H2H, there is this.



Did you read any of what I wrote? They funded a dental clinic, installed water catchment systems on homes, provided a means for education in order TO build homes and other water systems. The children's center will produce electricity from solar panels and have gardens, its own water well, and a fish farm. Building it for them is not teaching them to be self-sufficient. It's hand-holding.

I think this is just one of those points where we will have to agree to disagree. I think personally that kindness fosters kindness. People who have been treated unkindly are less likely to show kindness to anyone else. I don't think it justifies the world we live in, I think it challenges it. The world we live in is every man for himself. People who perform random acts of kindness do something for someone else with nothing in it for them.



You are misunderstanding the point and the process entirely. The point is encouraging people to go out in their community and help others. This is not Random Acts picking nice things to do out of a hat. It's individuals who write in and say "I have encountered someone who could use some help", and Random Acts provides funds to enable that person to do so.

I would have loved to buy my friend's kids some toys after they lost it all. But could I afford to do it? Not without the check sitting in my purse.



Maybe in the grand scheme of the world they don't. But when we were too poor to buy food and the food stamps still hadn't kicked in, the nice woman (whose name, face, and short backstory I still remember, though this was around 12 years ago) who bought me lunch one day when I was $1 short sure made a difference to me.

s^ | Kay

Why does an actor create a massive PR machine to raise $200k rather than just spending out of pocket?

You say Misha and his buds aren't getting anything. But they are, aren't they? They're getting publicity and studs for their resume. For an actor, publicity is gold. A better example would be Gates - that man has nothing to prove and generally isn't a self-aggrandizer, he just spends billions, quietly, doing big things for unsympathetic people. But Gates spends that money out of pocket - quietly - and Misha doesn't. The children's center is a husk and the only thing that is actually working is the PR machine.

They say what the children's center will have. But it doesn't...it's just an empty husk...and they're PRing when the people you name have enough money to just pay for those projects out of pocket rather than shake down everyone else.

Why does a hardscrabble community need a children's center or dental clinic (or even have the means to equip and service it) if they don't even have enough food, water and shelter? I saw that expense list you posted. What makes me sceptical is the fact that there appears to be absolutely no provision for the costs of staffing, maintaining and servicing this thing.

Solar panels are an inherently high-tech and unreliable technology. What's going to happen after the Haitians are left with it? How will they replace panels that break or wear out? How will they do routine service and maintenance? If the goal is to help these people, why not give them something they can service themselves? A solar furnace would be a much better fit.

You say you got a dollar and it made a difference for you - then you got food stamps. These people aren't going to get food stamps. Realistically, these people have absolutely no hope of a better future. If I were in their shoes, I would feel dehumanized by being used as an object for the incidental gratification of those who have the power to change things for the better.

The whole thing just doesn't make sense to me. There are too many inconsistencies and too little substance. A lot of emotional stuff like a children's center and too many inconsistencies about its operating conditions.

I am convinced it is just a big PR machine and all the money is going out to sycophants. The fact that it has some sort of institutional approval means nothing to me because such abuses in the field are rife.

I like to help people, I like to bring joy to others' lives, just as you do. I believe the only way that can come to pass, however, is by cutting through the bullshit and crap that gets in the way. For the world to be joyous, the useless must be cleared to make way for the functional - and that includes sappy do-nothing non-profits. We must not give them money or credibility unless they put more emphasis on long-term results and not sentimentality and PR.

But if it works for you - well, I respect you personally.

Aestu of Bleeding Hollow...

Nihilism is a copout.

So they're damned if they do, damned if they don't? You insinuated that the fact that they don't make any money personally from this is impossible, that they must be making SOME money. When presented with proof that they get by fine on their own with their careers and do this on a purely volunteer basis because they are passionate about it, you say they should just spend the money out of pocket. In that case, why do celebrity charities exist at all? Why does Bill Gates, then, HAVE a charity foundation himself?

It's usually to raise awareness, get people involved, and make change in some way. Also, Misha doesn't have an exorbitant net worth. Had you heard of him before? Could you name more than one or two shows he's been on? He's mostly a guest star. He's a talented actor, but he hasn't been in anything that's made a fat lot of cash. He's mentioned the general area of where he lives - median income's about $40k. He actually had once made a silly bet that went awry with one of the stars of the show he was on and ended up owing the guy about $2k. He said he tried to let him out of it because he doesn't make much. So while he probably isn't rolling around in money, he did acquire a pretty rabid and dedicated fanbase, and figured at the very least he could use what fame he did have to do something for the world.



"The JCC project will cost between US$200,000 to US$275,000. Funds collected that exceed construction costs will go toward operating costs for the JCC or toward the ACFFC, the dental clinic, or the Jacques Orphanage also in Jacmel."



Food stamps didn't mean I wasn't living in a hotel room. Actually, I had a cot in the closet. I Harry Potter'd the shit out of that hotel. It was me, my mom, my brother, sister, and 2 dogs. My dad was still in New York trying to get our house back from the tenants he'd rented it to when we moved. I don't even really want to get into any more of the logistics of my childhood.

But thanks for at least respecting what I do personally. I generally don't talk about those things, because if the only reason you do things for people is to talk about it and look good, I don't think that really says much of you as a person.

In any case, I figured I'd throw it out here and ask for help if anyone DID feel the cause was worthy or they just wanted to send the link to some people who might be interested in it. That's kind of what this is all about, and you're all welcome to decline. If I go (or if not, once the place is finished) I'll post some pictures.

s^ | Kay

I bet those poor kids in Haiti would do anything for a few extra words, and you two are just throwing them away in this thread.

Shame on you.



So wasteful.

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sunshine.kittens.bubblegum.happythoughts

That is actually really clever.

Have you ever read The Phantom Tollbooth?

Aestu of Bleeding Hollow...

Nihilism is a copout.

Kay, take what Ethan says with a grain of salt. BUT I do want to say that the best thing you can do is give your TIME to charity. Habitat For Humanity is always looking for help. It isn't glamorous or exotic, but they desperately need workers.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Callysta of Reverence

It isn't damned if they do, damned if they don't. It's damned if they don't, period. I simply don't see that they're actually "doing" anything. Goodwill gestures are basically emotional masturbation, and I've explained why I don't believe these clinics and centers are legitimate and useful.

The financial figures seem unlikely in terms of the sheer mass of his CV and his general standard of living (not home; clothes, mobility, etc). I don't think he's in it for the money, I think he's in it for the free PR. I think that who are in it for the money, are his inner circle of sycophants who work the PR machine and are probably getting most of the donations. If it's not so, why not provide a detailed, itemized breakdown? Why crunch the financial report into a few cryptic lines in the corner?

Everything you've said is going off what Misha says. And what he says, has bought him a rabid fanbase, and the prospect of greater fame. Interesting how that works, isn't it?



I saw that. It doesn't add up. How long will a few thousand surplus dollars last keeping this thing operating?



I don't think that's the case of you - people who you are too quick to believe, yes, not you. And frankly, there are few internet denizens I respect as much as you, which is why I try to be nice, so far as my personality allows. As you know, I have a strong belief in the power of negativity to make the world a better place.



Yes. Exactly. Time. I've heard good things about H4H.

That said, Kay's commitments in that regards seem to be completely maxxed out =P

Aestu of Bleeding Hollow...

Nihilism is a copout.

Building a house with H4H has been on my bucket list for a long time, a lot of it has just been my schedule not being flexible enough or the construction sites being quite far out of town. I was hoping to find one scheduled this summer since i am off but i havent checked yet.

If i can't get to Haiti, which is probably the likely outcome, one of the first things on my list after i graduate is a medical mission trip anyway. Like i said, i've been wanting to do something like this for years. This just seemed like a good opportunity i didnt want
To pass up without trying

s^ | Kay

Not to piss on your parade, but if it is to good to be true...This is why "getaways" are common scams.
They appeal to a strong desire many people have. And it's easy to cop out of lotto delivery for exactly the reasons that it's unlikely you would go even if you won.

That said, in all seriousness, Kay, I'd be interested in at least visiting Haiti. Not for the same reason, obviously.

I do seriously hope you achieve your dream of using your medical skills to help people.

Also, I'm sorry if you regret posting because of me.

Aestu of Bleeding Hollow...

Nihilism is a copout.

I once went on a trip to New Orleans with a church youth group when I was in 8th grade. We actually worked with H4H and built houses and it was very rewarding and I actually felt like I accomplished something. The thing that annoyed me was I was with a bunch of young ultra religious teens who were more focused on socializing and proselytizing then actually doing real work. This was probably one of the first times I truly thought about my religion and started the trend towards disbelief. Often times trips like this are what you make of it. If you go in expecting a vacation and do some helping on the side then that's what you will get. If you go in wanting to work hard and help people (I built houses from 7-4 in a combination of blistering New Orleans summer heat and torrential rain) then you will accomplish that. But I guess this can be said of most things in life, they are what you make of them.

It's not that I wouldn't be able to go if I won (pretty much nothing could KEEP me from going if I won), it's that I am not sure I will be able to raise enough to be offered a spot. And I don't regret posting, it honestly gave me cause to put into words exactly what they've done, what they plan to do, and why it means so much to me. A friend of mine went with them the past two years and has said nothing but incredible things about the experience and was hoping I'd be able to make it this year. Though it's unfortunate that we are technically in competition, as she's already raised almost $1500 :(

s^ | Kay