***Original reply deleted***
Because it was a bit angry, and childish. Sorry if you read it.

In a more balanced manner:
1) I'm unsure of the evidential basis for the majority of people asking for money being albanian drug dealers. She was from Nottingham by the accent

2) I think your tone is quite patronising, and ironically holier-than-thou. I'm sure you mean well, but I think you go about changing other people's behaviour in an ineffective manner.
( prince-igor si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, Fri 10 Feb 2012, 18:24, 2 replies)

So zany=impulsive?

(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Fri 10 Feb 2012, 22:31, closed)

"impulsive" would be rather over-egging it
ill-considered is probably more accurate.
( prince-igor si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, Sat 11 Feb 2012, 1:11, closed)

Didn't read your reply to my reply - nowt wrong with angry & childish on the interwebs though...
Sorry if you took my post to heart; I get so used to people calling each other a cunt on b3ta that I probably overdid the aggression.

By way of explanation, the part of London where I live and work had an explosion of Albanians a couple of years ago who were begging with their children on the tube and in the streets. I have strong feelings about what I consider the abuse of children, and this was frankly exploitative. It is beginning to happen again, and yes, a lot of them do seem to be Albanian (and more recently Roumanian) which is where that bit came from.

Most people who beg have disorganised lives, substance abuse issues, and commonly mental health issues. The best way to help them is to give to them indirectly by cash to charities that work to help them out of the hole they are in. Leave it to the professionals rather than helping their drug habit, not to mention the externalisation of the locus of control that comes with being dependent on the vicariousness of others by begging.

On a more general note though, charity is a bizarre thing. Its main function is to make the giver feel better about him/herself; it generally achieves little. Even Band Aid raised just 52 million pounds, less than half the cost of a single Eurofighter.

Muslims have Zakat (the third pillar of Islam), most Western God-botherers have a similar tithe to ensure their place in heaven. As an atheist I see it as my moral duty to give to the needy just so I can argue with the religious that I am doing so not because my invisible friend has told me to, but that it is the right thing to do. I give by setting up a deed of covenant to the charities that I believe in (NSPCC and The Amber Foundation) and random donations to Shelter and overpaying Big Issue sellers. Why them? because they are not sexy, do not rely on posters of fluffy animals, and are near to home.

To be honest, I might have given a tenner to a vulnerable young adult who might genuinely been stranded in Central London and at risk of rape or worse. I probably wouldn't have mentioned it on b3ta though... ;)
( da5id <YOUR SIG HERE>, Mon 13 Feb 2012, 22:20, closed)

Pft - no worries
in the unlikely event you read this...

On another day wouldn't have taken it to heart, but had just had one of them days. No offence taken, I think you had the right motives, and I should man up and be ready for the cut and thrust of QOTW or not post.

Oddly, I am more inclined to post when on a crappy day than on a day when life is all good. This is frankly poor decision-making and a flatlining learning curve.
( prince-igor si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, Tue 14 Feb 2012, 16:30, closed)

:) we should totally gay up and hug now.

( da5id <YOUR SIG HERE>, Tue 14 Feb 2012, 20:23, closed)