System iNetwork

This is crap. World Vision is a Christian organization selling religion masking as food relief. You should not be prompting religious organizations on a business site. I do not pay money to be sold religion.

*Note from Chris: Your point is well taken, Alan. As I noted, I tend to be very careful about noting any kind of fundraising on Maxed Out or any other publication. I was only swayed in this case, and this may be the first ever, as near as I can recall, because of Bartell's willingness to assist the IBM i community in various ways over the years.

My links go to Bartell's blog, and if you're really interested, readers have to go farther on their own.

I tend to see this more as being about Bartell's efforts than a support of World Vision, and World Vision was Bartell's choice. Obviously readers interested in going far enough will consider the source before any sort of donation and weigh the pros and cons.

I won't be publishing links if Bartell actually starts shaving body parts. You'll have to follow those on your own.

As for additional comments from other readers, let's not let this lead into a "religion" diatribe, a World Vision is good or bad post, or angles on American cultural imperialism. I believe readers are smart and are able to think about how they donate, if at all.

Please accept my sincere apologies, Alan, and know that I have no ulterior motives in pushing any religion on anyone.

Alan, you paid to receive this? I didn't! If you don't like it, ignore it, don't read it. Chris, don't let the minority scare you off. Thanks

With four kids already and a fifth on the way Mr. Bartell might get more responses by promising to get a vasectomy when his pledge total reaches $1000. Does he not see the obvious connection between people starving and the fact that the world already has too many people?

Note from Chris: Maxed Out and NEWS on i are definitely free, but other parts of SystemiNetwork.com and System iNEWS magazine are paid.

My intent was to cover what Bartell was up to, not push World Vision, though in retrospect I can see how my word choice with the last line can lead some readers in that direction due to the hungry kids image. Sorry about the slip, everyone. It was not motivated by religion or politics. I think most everyone can agree that hungry kids are a bad thing, but again, I trust readers to form their own opinions and act accordingly in matters that ever come close to religion or politics.

Mr. Bartell is a hero in book. We all could take some lessons from him. Some people are so uptight.........relax. Mr. Bartell, thank you for giving of your time and love for mankind.

Alan, I can understand your point. Hopefully it wont affect your opinion of SystemiNetwork too much as the value they provide to the IBM i community is quite excellent.

Rich, the v-doctor visit is going to be scheduled soon :-)

Chris, thanks for making the likelihood of having my body shaved a tangible reality - I better go and sharpen my razor. I must say that learning about other developers and what they do in their spare time is always a fun read. I love it when SystemiNetwork does personal interviews of different people making waves in the IBM i community. On a final note I appreciate your donation - it makes a difference.

Happy 4th of July to all - celebrate your independence and liberties of this great country we live in!

Hey Rich, with an attitude like that, I'm assuming you've had a vasectomy? If not, kindly keep you're hypocrisy to yourself...

Let's not add the politics of population here, too.

To help get us all back on track of ripping and roaring over technology, just a heads up: I'll be enjoying the Fourth of July with family and not thinking about anything related to work. Come Monday, the Maxed Out post we can read and get fired up about will be about EGL.

Now that should get some people truly fired up!

And hey, have a great weekend everyone!

Thanks Aaron for doing this and stepping outside of your own box and giving back. I really appreciate the articles, tips, and attitude. I don't know how you have the time, but I get a lot out of it. Good luck on your endeavor.

Sean,
Yes, I've had a vasectomy after having one child. Admittedly age was a factor in that decision, but I certainly would never have had five children.
I'm not sure what you think my 'attitude' is or why I must be a hypocrite. I sincerely believe that the world could be a paradise if we had about one-tenth the number of people that we do. Is it really necessary to procreate at more than a replacement level?
This is probably not the appropriate forum for this discussion, but I couldn't let your comments go unchallenged.

So many people mouth off things based on their own bigotry without knowing anything!

I have met several people involved on the ground with World Vision and they are helping people with food, clothing, and help for schooling supplies, and I have met people they have helped.

I was an independent missionary myself and saw this myself with my own eyes in the poor areas of the Dominican Republic.

It is the "love of Christ constraineth me", and this loud mouth will probably be shocked to find that the major charity works have been started by Christians: The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Baptist- and Catholic-founded hospitals across the country, Doctors without borders, Samaritan's Purse, Habitat for Humanity, hundreds more..

He should visit soup kitchens, and shelters like the Salvation Army has.

The comments are like those parodied in the Bible itself: "Touch me not, for I am holier than thou". Maybe he's so much better than religious folks because he's "unholier than thou".

--Alan

OK, let's try really hard not to get into the pushing and shoving over religion and affiliated groups and whether they've been doing good or bad for the world. Both sides of these camps can find plenty of evidence for whatever they want to show, and this is not the place for any of it.

Anyone who reads this blog is smart enough to pay attention to where they donate money and make decisions aligned with their own concerns.

Aaron Bartell is a public figure in the IBM i-related world, and this is clearly his charity of choice.

OK? Let it go . . . so yes, that's what I'm saying . . . let the irritating statements go unchallenged here. Nobody is going to get convinced of anything relating to this subject on a IT-focused blog.