FOOLISH GUILT

DURING MY CHILDHOOD, SAGE ADVICE FROM MY FRUGAL MINDED FAMILY WAS FURIOUS AND FORTHCOMING. A FAVORITE ISSUANCE WAS, "A FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON PARTED." YOUTH OFTEN CANNOT INTERPRET SUCH ADVICE CLEARLY, BUT WHEN I SAW A REPORT ON ECO-CHARITY TODAY, I IMMEDIATELY DIVINED A RIP-OFF THAT MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE APPROPRIATELY SCORNED. INTERNET SITES PROVIDE A SERVICE WHICH EVALUATES A CUSTOMERS POLLUTION LEVEL AND THEN HELPS THEM NEUTRALIZE THIS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT BY DONATING MONIES TO OFFSET THE EMISSIONS GENERATED BY THEIR ACTIVITIES. THE CONTRIBUTIONS SUPPORT 'WORTHY' CAUSES. CUSTOMERS, HOWEVER, HAVE LITTLE CONTROL OVER HOW THEIR DOLLARS ARE SPENT ON REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES OR GLOBAL WARMING, REFORESTATION, RENEWABLE ENERGY OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY. BASICALLY, THESE WEB SITES PREY ON THE GUILT OF SPOILED AMERICANS WHO ONCE AGAIN, RATHER THAN OPEN THE DOOR TO COMMON SENSE LIVING, OPEN THEIR POCKET BOOKS TO EXPUNGE THEIR GUILT. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE RICH ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE REDUCTION OF BRAIN CAPACITY IN THESE DOLLAR FOOLISH AMERICANS. AS MUCH AS 20% OF DONATIONS DO NOT FLOW INTO THE CAUSES. CONTRIBUTORS WHO CHOOSE TO LOSE 100% OF THEIR EQUITY FAIL TO SEE THAT THEIR MONEY COULD BE PUT TO BETTER USE TO EARN MONEY. ALSO, GUILTY DONORS OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO CONCEPT OF PERCENTAGES BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN THE CHOSEN ECO-CHARITIES RECEIVE A 20% RETURN ON THEIR FOOLS’ INVESTMENTS. ECONOMICS ASIDE, SNAKE OIL SALESMEN, MORPHED INTO MODERN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORRECT .COMS AND .ORGS, ARE AS EFFICIENT AS EVER AT RIPPING OFF INDULGENT FOOLS.