So my conscience is torn.

Then again, you WOULD probably get a lot more donations, too, in an attempt to win those…

Argh.

How generous of Neil and Brandon! Authors really are fabulous people.

Another idea: ask Brandon to donate the deck of Magic cards he used to pwn Jason Denzel (of Dragonmount, a huge WoT fansite) in their match last month.

Look, you have a way of writing that is neither too simple nor too … “complicated” (I can’t find the right word, sorry). Still, although at first seems like nothing special, as you read you’ll see increasingly trapped in the atmosphere that creates the book.

I think after The Lord of the Rings, your first book is my favorite. So, thank you so much.

I’ll be waiting for the sequel.
See ya!

(And sorry if there’s any mistake)

Given: (natural disaster*1.657 years)(Happiness*1.6seconds)(Patrick Rothfuss finishing The Wise Man’s Fear) Give an equation for how the universe should work.

That was my attempt at a math joke.

P.S. “Izola the World Builder” has international best selling sequel written all over it.

Also, it might be a mistake to making assumptions about Heifer based on what amounts to anecdotal evidence. It’s like assuming someone is rich (or wasting their money) just because they own a new car.

But the truth is, some people travel a lot for their jobs, and a owning a new car is essential for them to make a living.

It’s easy to forget is that a charity’s first goal *has* to be raising money. Sad but true. They want to help people, but getting the money has to come first.

In today’s society, raising money means getting into the public awareness. It means developing tools like newsletters and websites. And those tools have to look professional, or the charities won’t be taken seriously.

It would have a certain charm if WorldArc was a three-page flier done on a xerox machine, full of typos with a homemade word jumble on the back page. But that would also make Heifer look pretty incompetent. It wouldn’t fill people with confidence, and people want to be confident in a charity before they donate their money.

Could I do without the glossy magazine? Sure. But I also know that your average American reads that magazine, sees a picture of a happy child with a goat, then donates money.

And that’s what it’s all about. People have to donate money. The more people and the more money the better. That means they have to aim for a wide audience. That means being somewhat glossy. We live in a glossy time.

So if you have an genuine ethical issue with how Heifer comports itself (invasion of privacy, paper consumption, the Heifer rep that came to your house kicked your dog, whatever..) and in your mind that that ethical issue is genuinely more important than the good work Heifer does, that’s perfectly fine. Everyone has a dealbreaker. Salvation Army and United Way both have dealbreakers for me.

But if the real issue is that you don’t like *how* Heifer is handling their fundraising, then you’re probably guilty of playing the I-know-how-to-do-your-job-better-than-you-do game.

I’ve been guilty of playing that game myself in the past. I’ve thought, “Why would they do X on their website?” or “Why can’t they offer Y as an option?”

Then I remember that I don’t know anything about programming a website, and I know even less about managing fundraising for a massive, international charity.

Then I take a deep breath, shrug it off, and focus on what I can do to help.

Gech. This turned out way longer than I meant it to be. But I knew if I didn’t reply it would bug me all day. Like a popcorn husk stuck on the back of my throat.

I’d also like to say how impressed I am with the way everyone continues to comport themselves here on the blog. I love that people are considerate and articulate, and willing to discuss things as opposed to just snarking and bitching at each other.

I love you all, (Though honestly, that might just be the eggnog talking.)

pat