Discussion about hot topics trending today

[jelgate]

But... but.. my kidneys could fail one day.. You could help prevent it..

Or find a way to repair my broken rib.. Or whatever it was I tore in my shoulder..

And Cantinians eat a lot of bacon.. that can't be doing us any good..

Blasphemy

*makes PH eat Canadian bacon*

[aretood2]

It would appear so. That site I referenced is a prisoners advocacy site, and they're using US census data. So I don't think they are pushing a racial agenda.
The numbers show that blacks are over represented in the prisons by a significant amount in reference to their percentage of the population as a whole.

Why do you think that is?

Well the article mentioned generational crime. It's an intro the discussion on that issue and is a very clear distinction than that between Hispanics and White people. Those two groups didn't go through a period where simply sitting on the wrong side of the bus lead to jail time (While hispanics were segregated too, at the time the population was significantly lower).

When racism and discrimination was an undeniable thing (even an idiot could see it), it created a generation of criminals and children who grew up knowing one thing, crime. Even if at the time the crime committed wouldn't be a crime today. Basically, it's a left over of Jim Crow.


Just read Gatefan's link.

Those walks for breast cancer are sponsored events which raise money to help find ways to fight the disease.. They're not just wandering around telling people cancer is a thing that exists..

Those walks are nice, but they aren't the only thing that people do. People are less likely to do a good dead when the perception of having done one exists. A lot of people who would be willing to walk are assuaged by simply wearing a shirt or changing a profile pick on social media or a bracelet all of which does little. If we take away those things and only leave the more efficient aspects like the walks (which are no where near as effective as direct donation drives) then there'd be more in the way of help.

Just saying, if you (That's the second person plural with a bit of a passive voice and the impersonal just in case context isn't enough) want to really help, the bracelets and shirts aren't the way to do things at all.

[Falcon Horus]

what, nothing for Alzheimers' patients?
or the homeless chap down the street?
you heartless person you

My prop/costume-group is regularly called upon by Make A Wish, and I have a young friend with cancer in his bones (his brother had a wish granted - he died a few years ago of the same illness).

And my mother has Parkinson's so no, not Alzheimer's (which is in the same research as Parkinson's as they have several similarities anyway).
Sponsored a runner with Parkinson's last year - doubtful he'll be able to run again this year as his illness has progressed to a point where he can't walk with a cane.

No homeless chaps to donate money to here.

And yeah... that's about it.
Didn't do the ice-bucket challenge -- better to donate money (and yes, I knew someone who suffered from ALS and died a few years ago - awesome man he was).

So, you could see I will donate to causes that have a link to me personally... not something that is too far from my world of living.

I'm also a regular blood donor.

*shudders*

My blood is mine.

[jelgate]

I understand. I donate to Altizhimer's charities because I have a personal connection to the disease. I watched my grandmother suffer and die to the disease so I want to see a treatment or cure the disease. I can see FH feeling the same about Parkistan's because of her mother

I was thirsty. *removes straw from FH's vein*

[Falcon Horus]

I was thirsty. *removes straw from FH's vein*

Vintage 1981 O+

[jelgate]

You are the perfect donor for jelgate

[Annoyed]

Is FH trying to kill jegate ? His rum system can't tolerate blood, can it?

[Coco Pops]

And I've read about several instances where most of that money ends up in the pocket of the organization's leaders, very little goes to the stated goal.

And a lot of charities eat up donations in admin costs, and don't actually publish percentages of what actually is used from donations to do the service they provide.

My biggest pet peeve is "the cancer council" they run shops and various other things and make millions and more every year but never publish what they actually do with the money, just vague press releases.

"Australia's biggest Morning Tea" happens at least 3 or 4 times a year and it irks me.

Their slogan annoys me "host this to help beat cancer"

[garhkal]

Those walks for breast cancer are sponsored events which raise money to help find ways to fight the disease.. They're not just wandering around telling people cancer is a thing that exists..

And how long have we been researching a cure FOR breast cancer?

Also, since it is only the #4 killer, why is it the three HIGHER killers on the list of 16 or so cancer types out there, don't get anywhere near the same amount of mention in the media, adverts, fund raisers etc?
Heck you ask a person on the street to name off 6 cancer types, i bet breast is the most COMMONLY named one. Not many people know of blood cancer, throat cancer, brain cancer or even stomach cancer..
And imo if you added up all the other types of cancer together, i doubt they would equal the # of groups/orgs out there researching just breast cancer.... Which to be is Fubar as heck.

I do think Annoyed has a point. I usually research a charity to make sure it truly a cause I care for

Same here. Which is why these days goodwill is the only one i donate to. I used to do NMCRS (Navy/marine corps relief society).. Also did 1-2 animal shelters via CFC when i was in, rotated each year with the USO.

yeah man there should be
also crime & injustice should not exist
and bad things should not happen to good people
and the world should be a better place than it is

Are you just trying to be facetious?
How is someone wanting there to be a way to hold the elite/politicians accountable jsut the same as WE the people are, being 'day dreaming that all will be well in the world'?

yup maybe some people have more self-respect & others are more submissive

And it's imo that bolded part, where i see a lot of the issue on the black side.. They Don't have self respect.. Heck they don't have respect period.

still not what I meant
alrite I'll make it even clearer
take a 30 year old on death row (note the age): you'd do everything to make sure he doesn't get to live - yet 30 years ago you'd have done everything to make sure he does live
so once again, might wanna make up your mind :

Are you saying my stance on abortion vs the death penalty is 'contradictory"? I don't see it. Kid(s) have not done wrong, especially those still in a woman's womb. A person on death row, though HAS done wrong.

kind of an important detail isn't it

So you think the guy theoretically killing his banker for boning him would be Justified in that murder?
By that logic, if anyone wrongs you, you should be justified in killing them.

so what you're saying is, if your own kid were victim of someone like, say, David Alan Gore & he used his status to get away with it, you wouldn't take the law into your own hands?
commendable (lol)

What status did he have that he 'got away with his murder'??
And since i have no kids, its a hypothetical.
Also, mentality like that, is what a lot of 'parents' use to justify doing what ever, no matter what laws get broken to 'save their own'. Sorry but to me that is anarchy.. Lawlessness.

Not at all. I regularly donate to the local Ambulance/EMS services, Fire dept. (both are volunteer). I'm also a regular blood donor.
I just prefer that my money actually be used by those who need it, rather than the big organizations with highly paid professional staff. For example, a while back, it came out that the head honcho of the local United Way organization draws a $150K salary. Yeah, that money is going to do a lot of good.

That's something i have never understood. Why if they are working 'voluntarily' for a VOLUNTEER organization should they even GET a salary?
And on the blood donation angle. Several times in the past 8 or so years i have TRIED donating plasma, i have been turned away cause i was 'stationed in the UK during 97-99 and again in 02-05, both during times of foot/mouth and mad cow issues, so can't give.. So if i can't do plasma, i can't do blood..

Those walks are nice, but they aren't the only thing that people do. People are less likely to do a good dead when the perception of having done one exists. A lot of people who would be willing to walk are assuaged by simply wearing a shirt or changing a profile pick on social media or a bracelet all of which does little. If we take away those things and only leave the more efficient aspects like the walks (which are no where near as effective as direct donation drives) then there'd be more in the way of help.

Just saying, if you (That's the second person plural with a bit of a passive voice and the impersonal just in case context isn't enough) want to really help, the bracelets and shirts aren't the way to do things at all.

And as i often wonder (and ask people), why is it we don't see the same sort of public effort for fund drives for say lung cancer, heart cancer, bone marrow cancer, testicular cancer, rectal cancer? Or any of the dozen or so OTHER cancers i didn't mention.
What makes just breast cancer so 'special' to get so much attention/focus/funding?

[Gatefan1976]

And as i often wonder (and ask people), why is it we don't see the same sort of public effort for fund drives for say lung cancer, heart cancer, bone marrow cancer, testicular cancer, rectal cancer? Or any of the dozen or so OTHER cancers i didn't mention.
What makes just breast cancer so 'special' to get so much attention/focus/funding?

Because people get of their arse do something about it.
Simple.

[Falcon Horus]

Is FH trying to kill jegate ? His rum system can't tolerate blood, can it?

You gotta wonder, and he was drinking voluntarily. I had nothing to do with it.

And how long have we been researching a cure FOR breast cancer?

If there was a cure for cancer, it wouldn't just benefit breast cancer. It would be all cancers.
But as it stands, there is no real cure -- just treatments that work, or not if you're really unlucky.

Cancer treatments are hit and miss and not work the same for everyone.

So you think the guy theoretically killing his banker for boning him would be Justified in that murder?
By that logic, if anyone wrongs you, you should be justified in killing them.

How many trespassers have been shot and killed by the owners of the properties? Isn't that the same logic you describe above. And yet, you are okay with them defending their property like it's a castle, but you are not okay with "anything wrong equals a justify killing".

Now, there's a contradiction.

And as i often wonder (and ask people), why is it we don't see the same sort of public effort for fund drives for say lung cancer, heart cancer, bone marrow cancer, testicular cancer, rectal cancer? Or any of the dozen or so OTHER cancers i didn't mention.
What makes just breast cancer so 'special' to get so much attention/focus/funding?

Lung cancer - unaware of any campaigns except possibly the "smoking kills" one

Heart cancer - unaware of any campaigns

Bone marrow cancer - unaware, however plenty of campaigns to urge people to become bone marrow donors for people suffering from any sort of cancer

Testicular cancer - as it so happens, April is awareness month

Rectal cancer - our government provides free testing kits to be sent back for testing when in an age group most likely to develop this cancer (50+)

Cervical cancer - free testing kits provided by our government to sent back no charge for testing

Breast cancer - government provides free testing from the age of 30

Just a few ones I could think of without having to look them up.

April is also Parkinson's Awareness Month.

[Annoyed]

That's something i have never understood. Why if they are working 'voluntarily' for a VOLUNTEER organization should they even GET a salary?

The staff is largely unpaid. But they have expenses; building, equipment, ambulances, fire trucks, etc.

[Annoyed]

So you think the guy theoretically killing his banker for boning him would be Justified in that murder?
By that logic, if anyone wrongs you, you should be justified in killing them.

Well, you have to remember, in SR's eyes, it's ok if you kill the rich banker, but if it's a "commoner" that wronged you, you shouldn't retaliate.

[Ian-S]

Cancer (and other illness related) charities are not in the business of finding a cure, they're only interested in finding new ways to treat the condition, and raising money to pay their executives.

I'm sorry but I have a very cynical view of most charities and the health industry, they ceased being there for the benefit of mankind the moment medical care was privatised and profit was put ahead of health (talking specifically about the NHS here who regularly refuse to treat patients because the treatment is too expensive, well that's what happens when you farm out research and devolpment of conditions to drug companies only interested in making a profit).

Over here more and more people are refusing chemo and going out on their own terms, chemo doesn't work regardless of what they tell you, but it costs a pretty penny to administer, of all the people I know who've had various forms of cancer over the years and receive chemo treatment, only one has survived more than five years, and most died within a few months or a year after diagnosis, the last one was my cousin's dad who had stage 2 lung cancer, put his faith in chemo and it killed him 4 weeks into the treatment.

[SoulReaver]

Are you just trying to be facetious?
How is someone wanting there to be a way to hold the elite/politicians accountable jsut the same as WE the people are, being 'day dreaming that all will be well in the world'?

I'm saying wishful thinking can only get you so far (which ain't far in your "representative" democracy that doesn't even give the People any real power)

And it's imo that bolded part, where i see a lot of the issue on the black side.. They Don't have self respect.. Heck they don't have respect period.

for those who wrong them? nope they don't
on the whole though, gotta admit that the american population is of the...subservient type. lol

Are you saying my stance on abortion vs the death penalty is 'contradictory"? I don't see it. Kid(s) have not done wrong, especially those still in a woman's womb. A person on death row, though HAS done wrong.

hey guess what it's the same person - so make sure they live even though they don't ask for life, then make sure they no longer live even though they don't ask for death, you don't see the irony
(then again we already knew that conservatism's heavily anti-individualistic)

So you think the guy theoretically killing his banker for boning him would be Justified in that murder?

you've moved the goal posts again - I thought this was only about mitigating factors?

What status did he have that he 'got away with his murder'??

come on it's on google m8

Also, mentality like that, is what a lot of 'parents' use to justify doing what ever, no matter what laws get broken to 'save their own'. Sorry but to me that is anarchy.. Lawlessness.

and all of a sudden you defend a killer lol

and btw you use the same case to justify State-executions, so you still condone killing while at the same time depriving the victims relatives (you know, the only ones concerned by this) from a chance at payback, so that's not better it's worse - in fact (must...resist...Godwin) Stalin would've agreed with you :|

And since i have no kids, its a hypothetical.

all the same you support the State execution of murderers but at the same time relegate those commoners who kill those same murderers to the same rank as them, that's an extreme form of government worship

Well, you have to remember, in SR's eyes, it's ok if you kill the rich banker, but if it's a "commoner" that wronged you, you shouldn't retaliate.

you kidding you should retaliate but if it's the elites then you should retaliate with even more extreme prejudice ^^