Charitable Contributions

Mrs. Inscrutable and I will be heading up to the cool pines in Flagstaff this weekend to participate in the American Cancer Society's Climb to Conquer Cancer walk. My mom is a cancer survivor, and we're doing it for her and all of the people who can still beat this thing with the additional research and whatnot that can be achieved with our donations.

Now, I'm not an exercise-y sort of guy. I walk - to the couch. And I "exercise" when I mow the lawn, weed-wack the backyard, take a ride around the galaxy neighborhood on Starship Rasmussen at a leisurely warp 2, or head down the road to recover the day's mail from the mailbox. But I don't exercise in the traditional sense.

So, I have been thinking about my choice of shoes to wear while walking up the mountain in Flagstaff - 7 miles uphill! I mean, I wear flip-flops 350 days out of the year. I asked Mrs. Inscrutable, seeing as she is a former high school and college track star, and predictably she says, "Wear your running shoes."

Gah. My "running shoes", as she puts it so delicately, are an old pair of Reeboks that I got from the bargain rack at The Sports Authority for 11 dollars about 5 years ago. I bought them because I needed shoes that I could trash while working on a friend's roof re-shingling job. They have seen better days, in other words. And, because this seems to be an very important point in my consideration of potential footwear, I have to mention that I have never really walked anywhere in them. I've stood around on a hot rooftop in Phoenix, and lugged buckets of tar and nails across said rooftop in them. Climbed up and down a ladder. Driven in them. But never "walked" walked.

I actually thought about wearing my flips. I am used to them, they are comfortable, and like I said, I wear them all the frickin' time. But that'd be stupid I guess. Sure, I have walked a lot more than 7 miles in them, but never all at one time, uphill. And they have no arch support. (Hell-oo flat feet in a few more years! Woo!)

I about to conclude that I was going to need to make a trip to the shoe store and get a new pair of comfortable walking shoes when it hits me...

I hunt about twice a year. In my hunts I walk, and walk, and walk, and walk, etc., ad infinitum, for miles. Up the mountain, down the mountain, through rushing rivers, over rocks and boulders, on dirt roads, and pavement sometimes - in my hunting boots. Perfect! They are comfortable, broken in, have arch support, and fit my feet like a, um, a shoe I guess. :) (I was about to say "glove", but that didn't sound right at all. Heh.)

So, if you happen to be at the Climb to Conquer Cancer walk this weekend in Flagstaff, keep an eye out for me. I'll be the ugly redneck in shorts, a tshirt, my cowboy hat, and my calf-high camo hunting boots.

I have gotten a late start in my fundraising this year, and my personal goal is to try to donate a minimum of $500 to the organization. I have already kicked in 40 bucks, and my good friend Dave De Neui contributed $200 (thanks again Dave!). If you would like to contribute (no matter how large or small - even a buck will help!) and help me achieve my goal, please go to:

1. http://main.acsevents.org/goto/brentrasmussen
2. Click the "DONATE" button and make your donation.
3. Win. (heheh)

Once you have donated, it will add to my (and our team's) total goal.

We will be walking with the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant Team and supporting this wonderful cause. With the current economic downturn, we need to try a little harder this year to raise the money that is needed to continue the treatments and research that our peers, colleagues, friends, or family needs.

Thank you in advance for anything you may be able to give and feel free to let others know how to donate. Although the donation is under my name, I am just the messenger who will hopefully deliver a large amount from all of us.

Thanks again! :)

Telegraph's Martin Beckford raises an important point about the charitableness of nonbelievers, but at the raising of said point, another I fear is missed.

[ . . . ] atheist groups [ . . . ] don't run soup kitchens or adoption agencies, and they don't own village halls in which they could hold jumble sales.

When they do act as a group, as letter writers have pointed out, they spend tens of thousands of pounds on an advertising campaign designed to reassure their fellow non-believers rather than helping the needy.

[ . . . ]

The Atheist Bus Campaign has undoubtedly been a success, not just for the money it raised but for the public debate it has sparked.

But if those behind it really want people to like them, and accept their views, I would suggest they find a way to show that atheism can benefit society and not just the individual.

There's a lot of hurt in this world. A lot of violence, a lot of trauma, and a lot of poverty. Children in particular should be helped either avoid these problems, or to cope with them as best they can. As one charity says on their website:

At CCF, we believe:

* all children deserve an environment of hope, respect and understanding;
* that poverty is a personal experience for every child and this insight and sensitivity guides all of our actions;
* it takes a global perspective and collaborative effort in order to substantially impact the issues of poverty that are facing children today;
* we must work together to create an environment of understanding towards all children embracing cultural and religious differences;
* that all of our actions must be guided by the utmost integrity and transparency;
* that we are accountable for all funds we receive, and we will always be upfront and honest with our donors and stakeholders and use these funds in the most efficient and productive manner.

Possummomma needs our help! Her Lupus-related light sensitivity has gotten worse, and she needs to light-proof her home. Even a couple of bucks, from each of us baby-eating evil atheist scum-sucking lowlifes will help.

Berlzebub is organizing the donations at his blog.

Hang in there P-Momma!

Planned Parenthood has always attracted its fair (or perhaps unfair) share of protesters hell bent on doing the right thing regardless of who they hurt. This, needless to say, can be quite annoying, especially considering that pro-life protesters have a habit of using grotesque pictures to make their point. Well some Planned Parenthood locations got tired of it and decided to try to turn lemons into lemonade. Pledge-a-picket was their answer, it is a program where you can pledge to pay your local Planned Parenthood money based on how many picketers show up to protest abortion. At present the Planned Parenthood featured in the story has raised $1200 through this method.

Needless to say, the protesters are rather miffed by the idea that their effort is funding the very organization they seek to protest. This leaves them in the uncomfortable position of having to choose between stopping protesting to stop the funds or continue protesting knowing that they are, in effect, giving money to Planned Parenthood. It's enough to make a young atheist girl cry (from laughter).

Neighboring businesses, particularly restaurants whose patrons are often turned off by pictures of chopped up babies, are happy at the prospect that the picketers days may be numbered. Similarly anyone who stands a chance of being harassed by protesters as they go into or come out of a Planned Parenthood building will be glad to know the picketers now have incentive to back off.

Connie needs our help.

My name is Connie and I've been a Type I diabetic for 25 years (diagnosed at age 11). I've done pretty well throughout the years, but things are starting to get a lot worse than what I expected they would. I am extremely brittle, which means that my blood sugars rise and fall exceptionally quickly, and without much warning. This has caused a condition called DKA (Diabetic Ketone Acidosis), and/or Glucose-Toxicity.

More below the fold...