Charity Shop Books
-
I've just been in a local charity shop to browse the books and DVDs, having had some bargains lately. In the computer section of the bookshelves were such up to date tomes as "Programming Windows 3.1", "Windows Vista for Seniors" and "Windows NT4 Fundamentals". I'm sure they'll fly off the shelves, along with "The Internet Encuyclopedia (2007 edition)"
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
If they're cheap (like a couple of quid) they might be worth buying to re-sell on Amazon - some of the older books there go for well over their original price (if they sell) :)
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
If they're cheap (like a couple of quid) they might be worth buying to re-sell on Amazon - some of the older books there go for well over their original price (if they sell) :)
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
I use my laptop rested on a book to keep the air vents free...a WROX VB6 COM book.
Mad as it may seem my Dan Appleman VB6 API book comes in useful about every second month these days...and is of a similar vintage.
-
I've just been in a local charity shop to browse the books and DVDs, having had some bargains lately. In the computer section of the bookshelves were such up to date tomes as "Programming Windows 3.1", "Windows Vista for Seniors" and "Windows NT4 Fundamentals". I'm sure they'll fly off the shelves, along with "The Internet Encuyclopedia (2007 edition)"
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
-
You never know. There's always someone pining for the fjords! There were quite a lot of things that I used to have fun with on W3.1 that have got all serious and dull as the years go by. Hmm, where did you say that shop was again?
Somewhere at home I still have an 8086 Assembler for MSDos 3.1 manual (and a PC I can still use it on)
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
-
Mad as it may seem my Dan Appleman VB6 API book comes in useful about every second month these days...and is of a similar vintage.
A great book.
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
-
A long time ago I worked for a company that developed websites (mostly online shops and donation sites) for a large number of charities.. We had lots of the top guys coming over, and all of them had multi-million pound houses in Oxfordshire and the home counties, and all of them arrived driving top of the range Mercedes, BMW's and Audi's. There were a couple of more expensive vehicles too. I came to the conclusion then that charities really don't need my couple of quid (quite a few of them were paying the company I worked for over £5k a month to host a handful of pages), they're much better off than me. On top of that, I struggled to think of any charity that's ever solved the problems it set out to solve. It got me thinking that perhaps it's not in their interest to solve anything, what do you think?
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
A long time ago I worked for a company that developed websites (mostly online shops and donation sites) for a large number of charities.. We had lots of the top guys coming over, and all of them had multi-million pound houses in Oxfordshire and the home counties, and all of them arrived driving top of the range Mercedes, BMW's and Audi's. There were a couple of more expensive vehicles too. I came to the conclusion then that charities really don't need my couple of quid (quite a few of them were paying the company I worked for over £5k a month to host a handful of pages), they're much better off than me. On top of that, I struggled to think of any charity that's ever solved the problems it set out to solve. It got me thinking that perhaps it's not in their interest to solve anything, what do you think?
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
Brent Jenkins wrote:
I struggled to think of any charity that's ever solved the problems it set out to solve.
RNLI? Air Ambulance?
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
Well technically, they haven't actually solved their specific problems :laugh: Seriously though, I don't think that either of these should be charities - they both provide essential services across the UK and should be funded by government. It's arguable that because people donate to these, the government gets away with offloading it to the charity sector. Historically, charities were actually set up by the wealthiest in Britain to benefit the general public. These days, charities seem to work the other way around.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
Well technically, they haven't actually solved their specific problems :laugh: Seriously though, I don't think that either of these should be charities - they both provide essential services across the UK and should be funded by government. It's arguable that because people donate to these, the government gets away with offloading it to the charity sector. Historically, charities were actually set up by the wealthiest in Britain to benefit the general public. These days, charities seem to work the other way around.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
The specific problem the RNLI wanted to solve was too many people dying in the sea. Problem solved, now far less people die in the sea. Our allotment association holds a charity thing each year, and when they were having a meeting to decide which charity should benefit the Air Ambulance was suggested (as someone's relation had their live saved by it). An objection was raised by someone whose brother was in the RAF as he believed the RAF should fully fund and staff the Air Ambulance, and them continuing to get lots of donations means the government can shirk their responsibilities. And I agree with him, and you, there are lots of charities which shouldn't exist, and the government is passing off their responsibility because of the hundreds of millions that are donated each year. We eventually chose a couple of local charities to split the money between, and that is the approach I generally take, something small, local, meaningful to me or those I know.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
-
The specific problem the RNLI wanted to solve was too many people dying in the sea. Problem solved, now far less people die in the sea. Our allotment association holds a charity thing each year, and when they were having a meeting to decide which charity should benefit the Air Ambulance was suggested (as someone's relation had their live saved by it). An objection was raised by someone whose brother was in the RAF as he believed the RAF should fully fund and staff the Air Ambulance, and them continuing to get lots of donations means the government can shirk their responsibilities. And I agree with him, and you, there are lots of charities which shouldn't exist, and the government is passing off their responsibility because of the hundreds of millions that are donated each year. We eventually chose a couple of local charities to split the money between, and that is the approach I generally take, something small, local, meaningful to me or those I know.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
chriselst wrote:
The specific problem the RNLI wanted to solve was too many people dying in the sea. Problem solved, now far less people die in the sea.
But you could argue that even one is too many :)
chriselst wrote:
We eventually chose a couple of local charities to split the money between, and that is the approach I generally take, something small, local, meaningful to me or those I know.
I'd agree that's probably the better approach. The big charities are really businesses taking advantage of the tax breaks they get as charities. If you look at how much some of the big cancer charities have had over the years, it's staggering, yet the big advances seem to come from the pharmaceutical industry or universities (although the charities can always provide a spokesman for the news applauding the latest advance). I looked at the accounts of one such (very well known) charity a few years ago which had around £500 million income and spent over £150 million just on marketing, for a single year. Like I said, they really don't need my £5 a month.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
chriselst wrote:
The specific problem the RNLI wanted to solve was too many people dying in the sea. Problem solved, now far less people die in the sea.
But you could argue that even one is too many :)
chriselst wrote:
We eventually chose a couple of local charities to split the money between, and that is the approach I generally take, something small, local, meaningful to me or those I know.
I'd agree that's probably the better approach. The big charities are really businesses taking advantage of the tax breaks they get as charities. If you look at how much some of the big cancer charities have had over the years, it's staggering, yet the big advances seem to come from the pharmaceutical industry or universities (although the charities can always provide a spokesman for the news applauding the latest advance). I looked at the accounts of one such (very well known) charity a few years ago which had around £500 million income and spent over £150 million just on marketing, for a single year. Like I said, they really don't need my £5 a month.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
Brent Jenkins wrote:
But you could argue that even one is too many
Yeah, I realised I was leaving myself open to that but as we're having a flippant argument irrelevant to main point with that bit I couldn't be bothered firming it up.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
-
I've just been in a local charity shop to browse the books and DVDs, having had some bargains lately. In the computer section of the bookshelves were such up to date tomes as "Programming Windows 3.1", "Windows Vista for Seniors" and "Windows NT4 Fundamentals". I'm sure they'll fly off the shelves, along with "The Internet Encuyclopedia (2007 edition)"
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
Wow those are fairly new, last time I went the books were written in hieroglyphs.
New version: WinHeist Version
When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page. Unknown -
Brent Jenkins wrote:
But you could argue that even one is too many
Yeah, I realised I was leaving myself open to that but as we're having a flippant argument irrelevant to main point with that bit I couldn't be bothered firming it up.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
-
Well technically, they haven't actually solved their specific problems :laugh: Seriously though, I don't think that either of these should be charities - they both provide essential services across the UK and should be funded by government. It's arguable that because people donate to these, the government gets away with offloading it to the charity sector. Historically, charities were actually set up by the wealthiest in Britain to benefit the general public. These days, charities seem to work the other way around.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
Quote:
should be funded by government.
There's a very sound economic reason that they're not and indeed nor are specialist services like this all across the world. Nor would you find anyone within the organisations themselves that would have time for any suggestion that they be brought under Government purview. Right and proper as it may seem to you, it's something that nobody on either side wants.
-
Somewhere at home I still have an 8086 Assembler for MSDos 3.1 manual (and a PC I can still use it on)
========================================================= I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka. =========================================================
-
Quote:
should be funded by government.
There's a very sound economic reason that they're not and indeed nor are specialist services like this all across the world. Nor would you find anyone within the organisations themselves that would have time for any suggestion that they be brought under Government purview. Right and proper as it may seem to you, it's something that nobody on either side wants.
Royal Air Force Search & Rescue has been funded by the government for decades..
Member 9082365 wrote:
Right and proper as it may seem to you, it's something that nobody on either side wants.
You could argue then to make every service a charity.. ambulances, police, water purification, government..
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
Royal Air Force Search & Rescue has been funded by the government for decades..
Member 9082365 wrote:
Right and proper as it may seem to you, it's something that nobody on either side wants.
You could argue then to make every service a charity.. ambulances, police, water purification, government..
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
As an adjunct to the RAF, yes it has. As an independent service (if Mr Corbyn gets to abolish the military forces, for example) it would be rather different. You could well argue that some services might be the better for charity status. In most cases it's an argument that's already taken place however and decided in favour of taxation rather than donation (although you could also argue that that's merely compulsory charity!)
-
As an adjunct to the RAF, yes it has. As an independent service (if Mr Corbyn gets to abolish the military forces, for example) it would be rather different. You could well argue that some services might be the better for charity status. In most cases it's an argument that's already taken place however and decided in favour of taxation rather than donation (although you could also argue that that's merely compulsory charity!)
Things that are essential services should really be funded and run by the government in my opinion. A lot of focus has been placed on profitability and value for money. This is right for some areas, but there are some services are worth more to the country than you can put a price on. Perhaps if we didn't just throw tens of billions away we'd have some money spare to spend on the things this country needs.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
-
Things that are essential services should really be funded and run by the government in my opinion. A lot of focus has been placed on profitability and value for money. This is right for some areas, but there are some services are worth more to the country than you can put a price on. Perhaps if we didn't just throw tens of billions away we'd have some money spare to spend on the things this country needs.
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
Your definition of 'essential' being what? Of the basic needs of human existence, food, water, and shelter, only one has ever been in public ownership in the UK and was less than successful, allowing our sewers and pipelines to fall into a state of costly disrepair. Is it 'essential' to rescue idiots in boats who go out in poor weather under-prepared and inexperienced? Compassionate, perhaps, but certainly not essential - the world, as the Darwin Awards suggest, could well be a sight better off for letting them drown. Clearing up accidents on roads clearly has economic value so it's easy to justify public funding of ambulance, police and fire services on the grounds of 'essential'-ness. The rescue of people that get themselves stuck up mountains, down caves, and out at sea, rather less so. It would not be an easy sell for any government to expect additional taxation to cover 'luxury' compassionate services. That's why there are very few countries in the world that even have a 'national health service' like the UK's.
