Good on him. Hope it makes some people's Christmas's a bit more happy.

Anonymous donor?

With the price of utilities so high, he might have helped a total of 2 people.

There was a story on CNN about some guy buying gas for everyone at a gas station. Cool story, I know.

Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

From a grateful citizen:

"Money at home is very tight and this has extremely helped me a lot," she wrote


I'd say grammar at home is extremely bad a lot too. (Seriously though this is awesome, both for the people and for human spirit).

/cool story, Bro

tbyte: Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

In the south they will cut your shiat off DURING a blizzard. They don't care how much you make. Well, at least here in Oklahoma.

Wow its amazing that people still find a way to biatch about charity. Or troll. I want to believe its the latter, but met too many idiots to believe that its not the former.

Last year's rockin' Christmas story (clicky poppy)

tbyte: Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

In Pennsylvania if you're at or below 250% (except Philadelphia Gas Works customers, which is 150% of poverty line) of the poverty line it's almost impossible to have your heat shut off during winter months.

I have a neighbor who works for the local power company who claims that he is constantly being asked to work overtime to keep up with all the service disconnections due to non payment. He says many of the disconnects he performs are at local businesses, effectively putting more people out of work. Good times.

They should have prepared for their services to be out. More than likely, they deserve it and this guy is just creating a moral hazard for their bad habits.

lexnaturalis: In Pennsylvania if you're at or below 250% (except Philadelphia Gas Works customers, which is 150% of poverty line) of the poverty line it's almost impossible to have your heat shut off during winter months.

I assume it's probably all about geography. Here in Arkansas, it's rarely cold enough for long enough to actually kill anyone. If there's an ice storm, chances are your electricity if probably out, anyway.

But I've never heard of any company that made provisions for water and trash pickup.

Administrative Fees: $987
Basic meter fee: $13
----
Unused meter at broken streetlight #377 left on an extra month. Thanks for the donation!

So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

vabeard: So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

No. She used her iPhone. Duh.

nubzers: Wow its amazing that people still find a way to biatch about charity. Or troll. I want to believe its the latter, but met too many idiots to believe that its not the former.

Trolling? I can do better (I think):

There is no such thing as "Christmas". "Jesus" was a title, not a person. Jesus wasn't real. Christmas isn't real. It's simply an assimilated pagan holiday.

Oops. That wasn't trolling, that was just the truth.

vabeard: So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

Library.

captainktainer: vabeard: So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

Library.

Yeah, or friend/relative's house.

akula: tbyte: Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

Around here, there's rules about shutting off utilities when the temperature is below a certain range. Don't remember what that is or if it's tied to an income level.

Still, though, that electricity/gas isn't free. I wonder if the people pushing these "no shutoff" rules also oppose every rate increase. If you're going to demand that one group gets free electricity/gas, that money has to be made up somewhere else.

Every state has different rules For links for each state's policy, see this.

For links to all the energy financial aid you can get through the states, try the link in this sentence. Good luck, everybody!

Moved into the new house: no gas (cold shower), grumpy water guy, no water for a day....
tbyte: Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

Arizona rocks...no, not so much, still farking cold...28 degrees is the same everywhere,,,amiright?
/they'll shut it off everytime

Christmas isn't *just* about consumption -- it's also about Saturnalia, solstice, Yule logs, trolling the fundies, and generally cultivating a sense of smug-superiority.

/kudos to those (like this Secret Santa) who are better people than I

Saborlas: SOCIALISM!11111elvenchainmail

No, socialism is when the government takes peoples' money against their will to redistribute. This was a private citizen choosing to do whatever he wanted with his own money, and he chose to do something nice for the holidays.

justoneznot: No, socialism is when the government takes peoples' money against their will to redistribute.

Yeah, like how my taxes pay for schools, parks and fire departments. Damn socialism!

Dovienya: Yeah, like how my taxes pay for schools, parks and fire departments. Damn socialism!

Like many things in life, it's a matter of degrees. ...but you're not wrong, really.

vabeard: So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

We have these things called libraries where there are computers. Some people even have friends who have computers. Shocking, I know!

Mija: vabeard: So, some woman sends an email as thanks. She must have had money to pay her ISP, but not her water/utility bill?

We have these things called libraries where there are computers. Some people even have friends who have computers. Shocking, I know!

In my library, there are people with e-mail addresses whose meat space address is "under a bridge." And I hear there is a homeless blogger somewhere, which makes sense, since you don't need your own computer for that, either.

jshine: Like many things in life, it's a matter of degrees. ...but you're not wrong, really.

My uncle argued that it isn't socialism if the money comes from property taxes - only income tax can fund socialist endeavors. He couldn't really explain why that mattered.

Of course, this is also the man who proclaimed on facebook that THE LIBERAL MEDIA PUTS MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH ON THE NEWS BUT THEY IGNORE FARAH, FARAH WAS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT MICHAEL WAS A PEDOPHILE. THE NEXT STEP AFTER GAY MARRIAGE WILL BE LEGALIZED CHILD MOLESTATION!!!

So I don't know if this income/property tax thing has any validity or if it's part of his craziness.

Dovienya: THE NEXT STEP AFTER GAY MARRIAGE WILL BE LEGALIZED CHILD MOLESTATION!!!

And here, I thought that the next step would be having sex with turtles. Silly me!

thehomelessguy.blogspot.com/

Saborlas: SOCIALISM!11111elvenchainmail

No when people give to the poor it's charity.
When the government takes from the people, keeps 90% and gives the remaining 10% to the poor it's socialism.

It IS about consumerism.

If it were religious then wtf is this Santa Claus and Dec. 25 crap? It would be more appropriate to celebrate Jan. 6 when the supposed "Wise Men" delivered their gifts, and if you're really hard core christian you would argue that Jesus was born on June 17. Link (new window)

And you argue it is about the season of charity and good faith, then why do we hide it behind all this religious, consumerist garbage and agree to do it in unison at a particular time of the year?

You're all drones.

pippi longstocking: It IS about consumerism.

If it were religious then wtf is this Santa Claus and Dec. 25 crap? It would be more appropriate to celebrate Jan. 6 when the supposed "Wise Men" delivered their gifts, and if you're really hard core christian you would argue that Jesus was born on June 17.

It's not about consumerism. We celebrate in decemeber as part of our plan to crush the heathen and steal their holiday.

Charity- when you care enough to give freely of yourself

Socialism- When you care enough to take from some one else and give to bureaucrat and politicians to distribute how they see fit.

Anyone who cannot tell the difference those is a fool. The whole "OMG socialism!" tripe is an indication of ignorance.

jdmac: Charity- when you care enough to give freely of yourself

Socialism- When you care enough to take from some one else and give to bureaucrat and politicians to distribute how they see fit.

Anyone who cannot tell the difference those is a fool. The whole "OMG socialism!" tripe is an indication of ignorance.

Came here to say THIS, but you beat me to it.

Suppose your charity goes to an (non profit) organization with employees distributing the funds as they see fit?

SirFire: With the price of utilities so high, he might have helped a total of 2 people.

Came in here to say this, that would pay like 2.5 heating bills.

I remember sitting in my bar during Christmas night in 2006 (after the family party) and a regular walked in, had won the 10% jackpot in the lottery and gave everyone 100$... and wrote it off as a charitable donation by having us all sign a Christmas card to send to his lawyer.

/$830,000. After taxes.
//Bought a giant house that was in bad shape and fixed it up. Bought a Corvette Stingray and treats it like it's a museum piece - vintage tags and all. Then, deciding that he needed a new toy, bought a 2001 SVT Whipple-code Cobra - which makes my 1995 look infinitely more masculine stuck next to THAT rice-grinder-looking-abomination, seriously, Ford went gay from 1997-2004. Anyway, he invested in Google at their IPO for 200 shares and is now loaded. Still drinks at the bar, will lend money - but records it on a PDA to ensure that he's paid back.

WILL buy rounds on occasion, really nice guy.

justoneznot: Saborlas: SOCIALISM!11111elvenchainmail

No, socialism is when the government takes peoples' money against their will to redistribute. This was a private citizen choosing to do whatever he wanted with his own money, and he chose to do something nice for the holidays.

I think this one's under the size/age limit. Catch and release, dude.

/my puritan ancestors would have horsewhipped you for celebrating the pagan "Christmas" holiday
//local dude gave away $10k to people outside goodwill, one franklin at a time, now there's a hero

i gave a homeless chick a quarter and a cigarette today.

Damn christians and all their charity.

Jakevol2: DerekSD: i gave a homeless chick a quarter and a cigarette today.

I hope the beej was worth it.

no beej.

but, it was worth it using her to chock the wheels of the truck.

SirFire: With the price of utilities so high, he might have helped a total of 2 people.

If this happened during the monsoon season, I'll believe that.

Jakevol2: akula: tbyte: Where I live, if you're under the poverty line (which is really high compared to cost of living) it's illegal to shut off your utilities until summer. I guess other places don't do this?

Around here, there's rules about shutting off utilities when the temperature is below a certain range. Don't remember what that is or if it's tied to an income level.

Still, though, that electricity/gas isn't free. I wonder if the people pushing these "no shutoff" rules also oppose every rate increase. If you're going to demand that one group gets free electricity/gas, that money has to be made up somewhere else.

The company may not make as much in profits. Let me get out the worlds smallest violin.

You don't have any idea what you're talking about. These people bust their ass. This is a hard job.