Big Brother

[acompton]

I had a nice letter from a Major in the army, looking for free goodies to hand out to the lads who were due to go out to Iraq. He wanted to cheer them up over the Christmas period.

I thought this might do the trick, but then I remembered there are women in the army.
http://www.greenknightgames.co.uk/ac...ng_Game_6.html

What was the UK defence budget?

Alan Compton

[Duncan Allan]

The defence budget has been diverted to Trident.

You could call your contribution a Green Tax!

Typical everyone crawls out of the woodwork at this time of year with their hands out for freebies.

The same with the shops people would ask for support for causes and events that weren't even in the area or close for that matter. Not to mention that I had never seen them in the shop or buy anything.

We've been supporting a small group that I have been associated with for a while now through it's incarnations: http://www.phoenixcharity.org.uk

I made a decision years ago to support a few on a regular basis and that would be it no more freebies to all and sundry. There has to be a reasonable limit to what you can afford to give away.
At least I know where the stock is going and who is benefiting from it.

Duncan

[jont]

I made a decision years ago to support a few on a regular basis and that would be it no more freebies to all and sundry.

We get asked on a daily basis so now have note on the website to the effect we have a nominated charity for which we have raised well over £20,000.

They still complain "I only want £25.00" or whatever but they never appreciate if we donated to every request we would need to become a registered charity oursleves.

I now make all prop requests chargeable as I despise the "you will definitely get sales from the publicity" statement which never happens

[Duncan Allan]

if we donated to every request we would need to become a registered charity oursleves.

Too true.

I joined a group for a local event and the first thing that came up when talking about paying for anything was to hit the local shops for support. In a small village that had a handful of shops that was on substance level for business were expected to contribute. All in the guise of supporting the local community.

Errh... shouldn't the local community be supporting the local shops first rather than bemoaning the loss of the corner shop because it wasn't supported.

Even the supermarkets with their 'local' in town branches are using differential pricing. The prices are easily 25% more than their bigger shops. Yet rather than supporting the local community they see fit to charge over the odds as the corner shop has a reputation of being more expensive. But of course they have no choice and are making 8% nett.
Whereas the supermarkets could support the area with a price reduction.

No it's take, take, take. And all in a season of giving....

OK off my soap box.

Duncan