Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Tris, ME on January 12, 2008:

I feel for Bill's frustration at feeling like he cannot afford the premium edition. I am a student and I know what it is like to get the free edition each week with a tantalizing reminder of what you are missing. But, you know what? The free edition still rocks, and if that is all you can afford then you are still getting something at a supremely lower cost than its actual value. If his problem is justifying it to his wife, he should wait until his next birthday and then ask to be able to spend a pitiful $24 on a premium subscription. I don't work at all and I could afford it if I have up a few luxuries, so the free edition is probably too good. Thank you, Randy, for being so generous.

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You're welcome, Tris. I think you have the right attitude to be a great success. Best of luck to you once you get out of school. -rc

Posted by Jennifer, Pennsylvania on January 12, 2008:

Bill, you poor-mouthing dork! You give Pennsylvanians a bad name. I was seriously hurt in an accident several years ago, lost everything I had except clothes and dignity, and STILL wouldn't beg for strangers to give me money. You act like a charity case. There are starving children in the US and many victims of crime and unfortunate circumstances that can't afford health care or basic necessities and you BEG for a email subscription?!? Please! Go to a women's shelter some freezing cold night and tell those kids to donate $24 dollars because you can't live without a premium email subscription. How about telling your wife to take her ex to court for child support. And don't get her knocked up again if you can't afford it. I'll even buy you some prophylactics. I can afford those. (Sighs in disgust)

Posted by Bill, Westminster, MD on January 12, 2008:

Randy� I can well afford the premium edition and I'm sorry it's not possible for others, but the "Bill" who wants someone else to pay his bills is giving all us Bills a bad name.

Posted by John -Virginia on January 12, 2008:

I too am a government employee - not I.R.S. - and I think I can afford a premium subscription, but choose not to upgrade since I find that I don't always have time to read the free 'True' and would feel obligated to make time to read the premium edition of I were paying for it. (And the free version goes to my personal e-mail -- not my government e-mail.)

With regard to 'Bill', if he's really as strapped as he says he is, he needs to redirect his energies into an area that will earn him more money -- either at his current job, a second job or maybe a new profession that pays more.

I have a 'soft' spot in my heart and would have tossed in a buck if Randy had bitten on this guy's situation (even if he does work for the I.R.S.) -- or that of our servicemen and women, but agree that it would be impossible to administer.

Want to help a serviceman/woman? Donate to the USO.

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I'm not at all surprised that there are readers who would have "bitten" had I endorsed this, and helped Bill out. But my guess is, not 24 of them.... -rc

Posted by Mike in Indiana on January 12, 2008:

I am currently out of work cause of "hernia' problems. I have had 3 surgeries on same hernia and is now causing problems again. Been having problems keeping a job over this same problem all my life and have nothing and can't get any help cause I am a 40 year old white male.

Now if you feel sorry for me don't -- I still am a lot better off than most so if you wanna give money how bout give it to ronald mcdonald house or a good charity that needs it. I am sure the guy here can point you out some. but don't give it to someone who already makes 50,000 times what i make a year.

Posted by Cheryl, Rochester, NY on January 12, 2008:

In response to Fred from Wichita, I'd love to have Bill's income, too. I'm not 70 and in bad health (I'm 28), but I've been unemployed more than I've been employed in the past few years. I'm over $40,000 in debt because of all the interest piling up on credit card debt and student loans, and I have to get samples of my medication from my doctor because I don't have health insurance and I can't afford to pay out-of-pocket for it. I'm using a computer at the library, by the way.

I'd love to be making $9/hour, nevermind whatever $50K/year breaks down to in hourly wages. I ask others for help with necessary and understandable expenses, but that's as far as it goes. Begging for a Premium sub? A luxury and it's one even I could afford to pull together the money for if I saved my quarters and dollar bills for a few months. I haven't yet, though, because I keep forgetting.

Bill, take Randy's suggestion: give up your Starbucks a mere once a week and pay for it yourself. You have no excuse to be begging for handouts.

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$50K/year translates to about $25/hr. And don't forget: that's plus excellent benefits. -rc

Posted by Ryan, Wooster OH on January 12, 2008:

I will go out on a limb and call shenanigans on the rest of the commentators' reactions. The self-righteous outrage everyone seems to be expressing is a natural reaction, but shame on you for not being able to control it. Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm in my mid-20s) but I don't begrudge anyone for asking anything. My philosophy is "it doesn't hurt to ask". I would never, ever ask what Bill asked, but I can't judge him for it. Assuming your source is correct and can pin down his salary so accurately (that's quite a leap for me to believe), there are areas of PA where supporting a family of 6+1 on a 45k salary could arguably be considered poverty level. Obviously, there is a great deal of anti-government/anti-IRS sentiment mixed in with a lot of the complaints, which is hogwashie. So, for the sake of the principals "it doesn't hurt to ask", "giving him the benefit of the doubt", and "he who is perfect, let him cast the first stone", I can't be the one who tells Bill he's out of line.
Randy, I don't have a well-reasoned argument why you should NOT be miffed at Bill's request, let alone why you should not have devoted so much energy rebuking him. But I still expected more from you.

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I spent virtually no time and even less energy, but the man put out a request of "the people" here. Some have chosen to respond with their honest feelings -- including me. I feel the TRUE readership is a community; some are more involved than others, as in any community, and one guy is trying to make a case that he's a special, deserving case. The people in the community aren't unanimous (as is always the case!), but the majority have made their feelings clear. -rc

Posted by Lindsey, OH on January 12, 2008:

Let me save some of you wanting to comment a couple of minutes by giving to you a fill in the blank form. Just copy and paste this into your own window and replace the parenthetical statements with your own sob stories.

How dare he! I am poor for (fill in reason here) and would NEVER ask for a premium subscription. I hate the government for (irrelevant reason here)! I have (x amount of) children and I still sacrifice (luxury goes here) to get MY premium subscription! This is ridiculous! Let him be hanged!

On a side note: give this guy a break. He did not raise the taxes in your county. He doesn't demand money from anyone vindictively. And while the get-something-for-nothing attitude is certainly a vice, how many of us are turning up our noses and the Katrina victims who are still getting free housing. How many of us have gone to a social gathering for the food or cocktails?

This man's crime was asking for a dollar of your "well earned money." Let's wrongly assume that you earn $6/hr after taxes. I'm sure there were 10 minutes last week where you were talking with your co-worker, or spent an extra minute at the water fountain. A lot of us are perfectly willing to give a dollar to some bum on the street with a cup without knowing any of his circumstances.

Bill is not Hitler reincarnate. He doesn't deserve the be the outlet of our frustrations about the government, bad charity cases, slackers, or the like. Wasn't Randy's response enough? "Sorry, no." Let's leave it at that.

Posted by Guy Big Rock, TN on January 12, 2008:

I'm more than a little "miffed" at Bill in PA. I am also a government worker, a GS civilian with the Army, working with, and for, the troops. I do not have any kids that I support (i.e. living at home) but I do have a wife living with two life threatening diseases. As much as I wanted a Premium Subscription, I would never have had the gall to "beg" the readers of "This Is True" for the $24 price.

As to what your friend who works for the IRS said, I'll back up her statements: Bill's request was unethical, and that is according to the ethics guide given every government employee. I am also surprised he is able to receive "True" via his work connection. I am not able to log on to any outside network at work.

I suggest that Bill re-read his ethics guidebook.

Posted by Mary, Virginia on January 13, 2008:

I am disabled and only get $9600 a year and I did not beg for free Premium service. I feed myself and 5 others daily. I have purchased my home, and keep all bills paid. If I can do on less than 10K a year, Bill in PA ought to buy me a Premium service.