Ranj,

You seem to be missing the point.

We all went through this when Jim Galbally's car expired, and everyone was all "yeah, I'll donate £10 etc etc".

At the time, I was one of the only ones who questioned it, NOT because I was denegrating on people's right to give, but purely because it doesn't qualify as charity by its merits.

At the time, I got slated by a few people who said that it was wrong for me to criticise Jim's car fund that was started on his behalf, yet I recieved that many PMs thanking me for saying it that my PM box filled.

It's the same situation - fair play for anyone donating free time or doing discounted labour rates to help anybody out - the point everyone seems to be missing is that a pure cash donation is charity, plain and simple.

Personally I would not donate any CASH to a cause that has no worth, except make the donater feel that they have done something right, even though it's unjustifiable.

Should the roles be reversed, I would willingly accept an offer to help me out if my engine went bang, by way of discounted goods and services, but I've got pride, and that pride would never allow me to accept a cash fund from a bunch of strangers. No-one should be that pitied.