Jingle BellsAs you will all know, Christmas is coming. I wondered if anyone had an idea what ’A Friend’ might want Santa to bring and whether youd like to contribute?
Your call.
BTW KSS, youre not allowed to read this thread.
This is a discussion topic or guest posting submitted by a Stock Gumshoe reader. The content has not been edited or reviewed by Stock Gumshoe, and any opinions expressed are those of the author alone.
I’m in too but I agree that a charitable donation would avoid embarassment
ps also think its better to allow Dr K to maintain his anonimity. That’s the basis on which he makes his contributions and I think that needs to be respected
I don’t think he’ll be embarrassed, as it will be a personal token of the affection he has earned in so many ways: in how hard he works to learn and help us; in how respectful and quick he is to answer Q’s, even ‘ignorant’ one;: and how much concern he shows when the questions are about personal health concerns. Gratitude and affection are always best expressed. Besides, as none of us can see him….
I’m in
Count me in. I agree with the suggestion for a spend anywhere (VISA) gift card – perhaps accompanied by a note card letting Dr. KSS know how much we individually and collectively value his selfless contributions (business and personal) to our lives, with a recommendation that he use our gift to buy selected music CDs, DVDs, or read-for-pleasure books that will bring to mind his Gummyland friends whenever he enjoys the music, the movie(s), and/or books.
Are you really so brain washed? Do you care if I start a collection for a present for my friend for Yom Kippur? How about Hari Raya? Ramadan? You get the picture. If he is Christian and folks want to give for Christmas, so what! All this “political correctness” is to avoid drawing attention to religion and make it seem like it is bad. It is not! Celebrate, don’t denigrate other’s religions. Know that all help form a connection to the divine. Love each other don’t sit in judgement of each other.
I am in! And Merry Christmas, or Happy Hannukah, or happy whatever religion you choose to celebrate!
Of course to the communists, “Happy No Religion” and thanks for the “Political Correctness” diatribe.
Alan, I like the idea a lot. My difficulty lies with the PayPal idea – unless there is a P/Pal Account No. into which can donate – I personally do not use P/Pal. And then, there’s the “International” bit. When comes time to resubscribe, I could ask if Travis would take an extra$20 or so and pass it on. Sue.
I suspect that would be seen as income so be liable for tax !
I assume you mean that Travis would have additional income. That would be true if he cannot show the “payment” of the same amount as an “expense”.
We should try to find a method that allows for direct payment by individuals and leaves Travis out of any recordkeeping.
Not sure that a payment from Travis to KSS would be sen as an allowable tax expense. Still I have a middle road idea brewing. Hold your breath for the anonymous man thats got everything.
I’m in
I’m in. I think some really fine scotch might be in order.
Oh yes please…Ill send my address !!
As I understand it, Santa and silver bells have been around a lot longer than Christianity and so their use has no specific religious connotation other than recognition that there is perhaps something bigger than us. While I celebrate the diversity that makes us human, I am offended by the political correctness police as their goal is to destroy our diversity and make us all one grey monotone drone. As for my beliefs, I’m in on the KSS gift, based on the moral values for sharing and gratitude that my Christian upbringing instilled in me. I have no problem with respecting others’ beliefs and simply request that mine be respected, too. Somehow, having my wishes for my friends and loved ones to enjoy a “Merry Christmas” being reduced to “Have a nice day” is quite insensitive to my beliefs and causes me to become cynical about the whole human race.
Paypal would be the easiest way for contributors to deal with, but am not so sure it is easy to set up an account without having to provide personal information about the recipient. Maybe Travis can help us out.
Your right about the date….It was a Pagan winter solstice festival that got hijacked by a Pope. But Santa Christian and WAS real…..I went to his grave in Turkey. (Im seious)
Are you referring to St. Nicholas of Myra? If so, I’ll concede that he was the model for the modern day Santa. But my sources from lands near the North Pole, tell me Santa was around before St. Nicholas. The Norse god Odin, was a white bearded fellow who preceded St. Nicholas. He was said to fly through the sky on an eight footed steed while bearing gifts. Sounds like lots of people were eating brownies back then. In any event, I figure the real Santa Claus is a right jolly old elf that has been around as long as time itself and I don’t believe we should quibble then, over the details. Nothing in the world is new, we’ve all been around since the dawn of time, just in a different formation.
Luv it….seems Santa is as anonymous as KSS!!
I think only one person is best suited to act as intermediary and that would be Travis. I for instance have been on a annual automatic renewal so my cc info is on file. And, he does know Dr.KSS’ identity and other details so he can act as a conduit w/o revealing them to us.
Now what we do with our “collection” has to be decided: It is either a charitable donation as or “OTHER”. If it is not clear cut by the number of votes—we can do both
In post 11 Stew suggested “favorite charity or non-profit the giftee has that we can contribute”. We can have Travis find out which charity would be best.
And, Alan a big thank you for coming up with this idea and for getting the ball rolling.
Cheers
I’ll let CEO Alan to decide how to execute his proposal. I would also like to let Dr. KSS to decide how to accept his gift. For those with benevolent spirit in heart, there are limitless charities one can reach out one’s own. Happy Holidays to all!
Very interesting!!!!!!! This might require a thread if its own.
And if 100% accurate, should really make you think twice before making ‘worthwhile’ donations.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR CHARITY.
The Red Cross
President and CEO Marsha J. Evans’
Salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses
MARCH OF DIMES
It is called the March of Dimes because
Only a dime for every 1 dollar is given to research
The United Way
President Brian Gallagher
Receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits.
UNICEF
CEO Caryl M. Stern receives
$1,200,000 per year (100k per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE.
Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause.
GOODWILL
CEO and owner Mark Curran profits
$2.3 million a year.
Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business.
You donate to his business and then he sells the items for PROFIT.
He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy.
$0.00 goes to help anyone!
Stop giving to this man
Check out where the money goes before you donate to any “charity”
PERHAPS THESE MIGHT BE CONSIDERED WITH HIGHER “LIKE”
The Salvation Army
The Commissioner receives a small salary of only
$13,000 per year
(plus housing)
For managing this $2 billion dollar organization.
96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.
The Canadian Legion
National Commander receives a
$0.00 zero salary.
Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
Make a Wish: For children’s last wishes.
100% goes to funding trips or special wishes for a dying child.
Ronald McDonald Houses
All monies go to running the houses for parents who have critically ill children in the nearby hospital.
100% goes to housing, and feeding the families.
Im sure there are many more good charities, but thought this was a good reminder to pick wisely.
This is information I have always wanted but wasn’t able to find. Thank you very much. And if it is not too much to ask where did you find it???
MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION FROM SNOPES.COM
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The e-mail reproduced above, which began circulating in 2005 and has been re-circulated every year since then around Christmastime, attempts to steer potential
donors away from inefficient charities. Unfortunately, much of the information it presents was inaccurate back in 2005, and it has grown only more so in the years since then, resulting in a misleading and outdated view of various charities. We attempt to present accurate and up-to-date information about the named charities below.
The following efficiency information is derived from the Charity Navigator web site, the GuideStar web site and Forbes magazine’s November 2009 special report on the 200 Largest U.S. Charities. Salary information is taken from Schedule J (Compensation Information) of the various charities’ IRS Form 990 filings, an annual reporting return that certain federally tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS which provides information on the filing organization’s mission, programs, and finances. (In the context of this article, the term “efficiency” refers to the percentage of total budget/expenses that each listed organization spends on providing charitable programs and services, while the term “compensation” or “pay” includes salary, one-time payments, and deferred compensation.)
• UNICEF: The e-mail is not specific about which executive is being referred to here, as UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) is a global organization with offices in 190 countries. We’re assuming the reference is to the President and CEO of the United States Fund for UNICEF, Caryl M. Stern, whose last reported total yearly compensation was $472,891, not $1,200,000. Both Charity Navigator and Forbes rate this organization’s efficiency at 91%, far greater than the 14% claimed in the e-mail cited above. In response to the claim that UNICEF’s CEO receives “a Royal Royce for his exclusive use where ever he goes,” UNICEF told us that “There is no Rolls Royce or company car provided for any staff member at UNICEF or the U.S. Fund, including the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund or UNICEF’s Executive Director.
• American Red Cross: The information presented above is outdated (as of October 2010), as Marsha J. Evans resigned her position as CEO of the American Red Cross in 2005. The current President and CEO of the American Red Cross (since 2008) is Gail J. McGovern, whose total yearly compensation for 2010 was about $1,037,000 (considerably higher than the $651,957 figure mentioned above) and for 2011 was about $561,000. Charity Navigator and Forbes both rate this organization’s efficiency at 92%, much higher than the 39% figure claimed in the e-mail.
• United Way: The United Way is another charitable organization that operates on both global and local levels. We’re assuming the e-mail references the President and CEO of United Way Worldwide, Brian A. Gallagher, whose last reported total yearly compensation was $717,076 (including a base salary of $415,613, which is a bit higher than the $375,000 figure reported above). Charity Navigator rates this organization’s efficiency at 89%, while Forbes rates it at 85%, both much higher than the 51% efficiency claimed in the e-mail.
• World Vision: World Vision is yet another charitable organization with global reach, but the message quoted above specifically references World Vision Canada. That organization provided us with the following information:
Dave Toycen [President and CEO of World Vision Canada] salary is $184,000 which is a matter of public record. As per our Board’s compensation policy, Dave and all of our top executives earn substantially less than executives who run comparable organizations. This policy is overseen by our Board’s Executive Committee and is regularly assessed by an independent external consultant. We disclose executive compensation as required to the Canada Revenue Agency.
Dave does not live in a $700,000-$800,000 home, and none of his housing costs are paid for by World Vision. He has lived in the same house outside of Toronto for more than 20 years. He travels economy class and does not use the most cutting edge technology.
Accountability in the use of funds and transparency to our donors are among our core values and they are taken seriously at World Vision. As evidence of this:
– The facts about our executive compensation, including the President’s renumeration, are published openly on our website;
– Our annual report and independently audited financial statements are also available for review.
World Vision Canada’s (self-reported) efficiency is 81%, much higher than the 52% figure claimed above.
• Salvation Army: The information presented above is outdated, as W. Todd Bassett stepped down as National Commander of The Salvation Army in April 2006; the current National Commander of the Salvation Army (since 2010) is William A. Roberts. The Salvation Army is not required to file a Form 990 with the IRS because it is primarily a religious organization, but according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Roberts’ last reported total annual compensation was $126,920, much higher than the $13,000 reported above. Forbes rates this organization’s efficiency at 82%, a fair bit lower than the 93% figure claimed in the e-mail.
•Goodwill: Goodwill Industries International is not a business that takes in donated items and resells them for a profit. It is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges. Goodwill raises money for their programs through a chain of thrift stores which also operate as non-profits.
The CEO of Goodwill Industries International is not Mark Curran, nor does he make $2.3 million a year. The current President and CEO of Goodwill is Jim Gibbons, who in 2011 received a total reported compensation of $725,000.
•March of Dimes: Charity Navigator rates the March of Dimes’ efficiency at 64.6%, a fair bit lower than most of the charities mentioned here, but much higher than the 10% figure claimed in the e-mail example quoted above.
•St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Charity Navigator rates the efficiency of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at 70.3%, considerably lower than the 100% figure claimed of it above.
•Ronald McDonald Houses: Ronald McDonald House charities operate at local levels in dozens of different metropolitan areas in the U.S. with varying levels of efficiency. Charity Navigator rates the efficiency of the parent organization at 89.5%.
• Lions Club International: Charity Navigator rates the efficiency of the Lions Clubs International Foundation at 83.9%.
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/charities.asp#S7Xz8RMkGaT8Eo61.99
Knew I’d touch a nerve here. Thanks for the update!
Count me in also
In. Thanks Alan!
I have a plan for the card……I will draw one….start a thread and you can all post comments to it
Ok, I have read all the suggestions above and I’m thrilled your so ‘up’ for the idea. Unless there’s outrage, I’m now offering my suggestion.
I can see how Paypal would simplify the collection process…….but its a bit like giving someone a gift with the price tag left on ! In the unlikely event that we only collected $50, coz people ‘forgot’ to make the transfer, it would might be taken as a personal insult……but how much is too much? That could also embarrass him. I honestly dont think he does his stuff for material reward.
We know soooo little about the geezers likes/dislikes, that there’s a real danger of buying something that’s ‘not quite his cup of tea’ (Ill bet he’s a picky bugger when it comes to choosing photographic kit and books etc). Add to that, he’s apparently unmarried ( no wife would allow him to spend as much time posting to GS as he does, and he practically offered someone here a date !….silly girl for not having chased that one down!!). He’s a top Heptologist and stock marketeer….I somehow doubt he’s Boracic lint (Cockney rhyming slang: borasic lint=skint = penniless), so he can prob afford to buy practically anything his little (big) heart desires. In any event, where would we send this gift. Anyone got an address??
I did consider buying him a lifetime subscription to Gumshoe….well, it was one way to keep him here for all OUR own benefit. I hope you see the irony 🙂
Then there was the charitable donations and DIY soup run. This inspired me.
KSS has selflessly given us all, his friendship; an education; a light into the dark corners of bio understanding and investing; plus he’s crafted caring and measured personal medical advice for those in desperation. I am posting this on Thanksgiving day…. I truly believe we have reason to be thankful for this wonderful man and I for one will raise a glass to him…he’s improved my life. Certainly he’s gone above and beyond anything we might have expected to find on the brutal internet.
There’s an old saying that, if you cast bread onto a pond, the ripples will eventually bring it back to you, swollen to twice the size. So, my solution is to suggest we ALL make the effort to cast some bread onto the pond of humanity in his name. I suggest we all do something selfless in his honor to demonstrate that we have been affected by his ripples. By all means, make a donation to YOUR favorite charity; stick a few bucks in some homeless persons tin. But maybe, even stop and have a chat with them to hear their story …remember, loneliness is a vile killer disease; the only treatment is a few words of kindness and compassion from another human who doesn’t treat them as invisible. Or give them that warm coat/sweater you know you’re never gonna wear again….tell them it’s a present from a friend of yours, with his best wishes; Run a sponsored marathon for charity (or round the block if that’s all your zimmer frame is up to); Visit a hospital with a few well rehearsed jokes up your sleeve and say ‘hello’ to a few people who are having a rotten Christmas…..you’ll brighten their day; Make soup (I loved this suggestion coz it involves giving your time, not just reaching in your pocket for a few miserable bucks), In short, emulate KSS’s example….do something selfless, something good, simply for good’s sake. This ‘present’ requires NO collective action; just your own ‘get off your butt’. But its far more meaningful than a handful of surplus change. Who knows…..You may gain more from it than it costs you….maybe your bread will float back swollen?
You have ~ a month to plan something…..you get the idea so be creative.
Next…. I will create a card…..post it on GS and each one of you can ‘sign it’ with a greeting post below. Trust me, KSS definitely has an ego…so tell him what he has brought to your table…….perhaps mention what you did as the result of his inspiration, (concisely or it could be the longest thread on GS!! ) Im sure he will be far more touched by your words, and deeds in his honor, than any crappy camera lens or priced gift voucher.
Hope you approve.
AlanH
Wonderfully written Allen. I was also thinking about the charity idea. How about we ask Dr.Kss , if he had any charity/charities in his mind that would benefit gummies hand ?
Charity is charity…..lets think for ourselves. Even thinking deeply about the plight of others, is a act of charity….it shows you don’t imagine you’re living on a desert island. Politically, that may make more difference than any amount of loose change in your own pocket.
You can always tell how well a company is doing by the character of its CEO, and you Allen, are the best there is.
Very moved and touched by your post.
I will gladly contribute to the card, and will also take your advice and pass on the Doc’s kindness as well.
Thank you!!!
Don
Its a relay race.
Alan- An excellent idea that captures the spirit of KSS and the season.
Terry
Very well said Alan and a excellent idea.
Cheers,Glenn
Great idea – very well stated. All in. You should try-out for, “Britain’s Got Writing Talent”!
A nice plaque signed by us might be nice. It’s a physical thing, doesn’t cost much (because it’s not about the cost), it shows our heartfelt gratitude, and it’s something he can hang on his wall and think of us whenever he sees it. Or he could toss it! Sorry, came in late to this thread.
Alan, we are lucky to have Dr. KSS — and we are also lucky to have you for our CEO. You are a man of immeasurable wisdom.
Well said Alan and a great idea. For a Brit you really captured the spirit of the American Thanksgiving. I think this effort warrants you getting another year as CEO …… with double your salary. 😉
A holiday that’s not focused on some war, religion or political event, but instead simply serves to re-unite families and friends, to re-cement their bond, and give thanks for all that’s good in life…..whats not to like ??
Im truly envious !!
Well Alan . . . thats not quite true. The holiday does reunite families and friendships as you stated. But then the days events turn to politics and religion and sport rivalries, and the result is war does break out. And we are all back to pre-holiday spirits…
Is there any way we can create a video card, with say 5 second or so greetings and cheers from all of us? Upload our greetings somewhere, splice them together,etc.
Alan, you have put in a lot of time and thought and have come up with a great idea. I believe Dr. KSS would much more appreciate our attention to the human condition than any remuneration. I will plan something. What an opportunity to pay it forward in his name. Merry Christmas.
I agree with all of the above and I might suggest Doctors Without Borders as a charity we might all agree on.