Fun_People Archive
29 Nov
The Hunger Site

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 99 12:46:31 -0800
To: Fun_People
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Subject: The Hunger Site

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Dear Fun_People,
    There are many scams, urban legends, and hoaxes being sent through email
and via web sites.  They range from imaginary virus alerts to chain letters
disguised as save-the-gay-whales petitions.  Some are good-natured jokes,
some are craven fear-mongering, and some are merely tricks to suck you into
viewing advertisements.
    This latter trick is akin to something we've been putting up with for a
long time (e.g. "commercial" radio & TV).  As a matter of fact, "listener-
supported" media such as NPR radio and PBS television also do a certain
amount of advertising in its most direct and, I think, least objectionable
form-- simply stating who put up the money to produce each show.
    In my ideal world that would be the extent of advertising and it would
be possible to get businesses to do the things that need doing in return for
the public's knowing that they had done them.  I admit that sounds foolishly
idealistic in a culture that keeps score only in dollars, but every once in a
while I find something that gives me hope.
    The Hunger Site <http://www.thehungersite.com/> is one such thing.  It
is not a hoax.  Nor is it too good to be true.  It, like public TV and radio,
is an example of businesses buying your attention, but there's no con job or
scam, these businesses want to be appreciated for the good they're doing and
that's it.  I will happily look at twelve little icons for twelve companies
that each contributed a little bit to ease world hunger.  I'll even try to
remember who they are, in the same way that I have always tried NOT to
remember the names of companies whose advertisements I found obnoxious (which
is almost all of them).
    If you'd be willing to make that deal and to encourage businesses to
devote a little of their profits to buying good-will by doing good, you may
want to visit The Hunger Site...

	http://www.thehungersite.com/

Thanks,
    Peter

 -=[ P. Langston - psl@acm.org - http://www.Langston.com/ - Seattle, WA ]=-
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