Bearman Cartoons Charity Challenge 2012

Yes it is that time of year once again.  The Bearman Cartoons Charity Challenge, where you do stuff and I donate money to worthy charities.  I have been extremely fortunate that both my wife and I are gainfully employed during this tough economic times so I am upping the ante this year.

This is the Fourth Year I have done this so far donating $1656 ($336 in 2009, $630 in 2010, $690 in 2011) and it will run until the end of May.

Many of you know that I do this challenge each year to raise awareness of my blog while giving money to charities who need it.  Historically, this has been the majority of my advertising budget for the year so if you enjoy Bearman Cartoons, please help by spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc and/or thumbing up on StumbleUpon or Reddit.

As in previous years, the first $500 raised will once again go to the Cincinnati FreeStore Foodbank. This charity does great things not only to feed those in need but also to help families get back on their feet in other ways.   Anything donated above $500 to the max $1000 will go to support the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati.  I have a relative with Down Syndrome and this organization does an incredible job working with the families of those afflicted.

But that is not all.  Some of you know I donate 100% of my commissions directly to Crayons to Computers.  It is a free store for teachers allowing them to stock up on school and art supplies for their students/classrooms.  So I am going to match dollar for dollar anything you donate to Crayons to Computers up to a max $500.  When donating just make it in Honor of Bearman Cartoons and they will know how to notify me.

I will donate the indicated amount for each thing that you do in the month of May:

• $10 – For any cartoonists who uses ME in a cartoon in their strip.  Use “BEARMAN” somewhere in the toon.  Maybe it’s a character’s name, a name on a bar sign in the background, integrating my green haired gravatar into a background character or even loosely as “Check out that Bear, man!”  Be sure to link back to this post so I know to include you in my tally.   I know some of you work with a buffer so if you plan to post after May just contact me and let me know and I will add it to the list.
• $5 – Add http://beartoons.com to your blog roll (for those who don’t already have it)
• $5 – Add a Bearman Cartoons Banner Ad (found here) on your site or if you already have one upgrade to a larger size.  Link it to http://beartoons.com
• $10 – Blog about my challenge to your readers and link back to this entry in your post – http://beartoons.com/2012/04/29/bearman-cartoons-charity-challenge-2012
• $5 – Send a picture of yourself wearing a t-shirt from our shop OR send a picture that showcases that you are a BEARMANiac. Photos will be showcased in weekly updates and also appear ongoing in the BEARMANia section.    See below for my favorite fan pic from Lynn.
• $1 – Circle/Follow me on Google Plus – http://googleplus.beartoons.com.   Currently I have 13,218 followers.

If you add me to your blog roll, add/upgrade your banner, include this challenge in a post, please indicate in the comments. I’ll post a weekly update of the money raised and who did what to raise the money with links back to your site if applicable.

Thanks for your continued support.

Editorial Cartoon: The Generosity of Warren Buffet

Today’s editorial cartoon was inspired by a blog post from Jeff Jena that blasted Billionaire Warren Buffet for his pittance of a challenge to Republicans in Congress.   Now on one hand, I agree with Buffet that certain tax shelters need to be right sized.  CEOs who take little salary yet rake in stock options because Capital Gains are charged at a lower rate than income.    In the late 80′s and 90′s that rate was closer to 30% and now it is somewhere around 15% so there is precedent for a higher rate.  And we are familiar with the notion that Buffet paid less as a percent of income in taxes than his secretary.  Maybe Warren should start paying her in stock instead.

A Republican pushed through the Buffet Rule Act that gives individuals an option on the tax form allowing them to give more to the IRS to lower the national debt.   Buffet responded saying he would match any Congressional Republican’s donations to the debt dollar for dollar.  While it can be looked at as a “put your money where your mouth is” bet, it is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP on his part.

Based on recent data, Buffet’s net worth is somewhere around $50 billion and the entirety of Congress is around $2 Billions (well overpaid but still 25x less than Buffet).  Let’s put that in perspective you and I could understand.  It would be the same as someone earning $100,000 a year (Person A) saying he would match dollar for dollar in donations that someone earning just $4,000 (Person B) did.  Let’s say they each donate $1000.   That is only 1% of Person A’s income while it is 25% of Person B’s.  $1000 to Person A is nothing so even if all the Republican’s in Congress donated 100% of their yearly income, it wouldn’t even put the slightest dent in Warren’s pocketbook.

Bearman Charity Drive Update 3

ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT

Here is another weeks tally for the Charity Challenge. The Charity Challenge, for the uninformed allows you to do things like blogroll me, follow me on twitter, tweet about the challenge or post a blog about it. Details here. Any of those activities would raise money for the local FreeStore Foodbank to help those in need.

Here is a list of all the activity that was generated in the last week thanks to your efforts. Please let me know if I missed anyone on this list. I know there have been several people who have added me to their Twitter accounts but haven’t updated me here so please do so I can give you credit.

$10 for Posting about the Challenge:

• Nate at the Frustrated Cartoonist
• David at Urban Jungle Comic  (bonus for being a fellow Cincinnatian)

$10 for Adding me to their Blog Roll:

• Spilled Ink Cartoons
• Big Hollywood
• Toonstopia

$2 for Following me on Twitter: (if there were any that followed b/c of the challenge let me know)

• @spilledinkguy

$2 for each day You Tweet about the Challenge (up to 5x):

• 1x – @hilbury
• 1x – @lifewithkreg

For a Week Three total of $56 & a Grand Total of $268.  Spread the word so I can make it at least $300 in the last week.  Thank you all.

If I inadvertantly missed your efforts from last week, please indicate in the comments section so I can correct.

Follow me via TWITTER updates.

Don’t forget your efforts cost me money… so spread the word about my charity challenge. Click the image below for details.

Bearman Charity Drive Update

Last week I started the Charity Challenge that allows you to do things like blogroll me, follow me on twitter, tweet about the challenge or post a blog about it.  Details here.  Any of those activities would raise money for the local FreeStore Foodbank to help those in need.

Well week one was a great success and I thank all of you for your efforts.  Keep it going because the challenge runs till the end of June.  Here is a list of all the activity that was generated thanks to your efforts.  Please let me know if I missed anyone on this list.

$10 for Posting about the Challenge:

• NobblySan at the Mad Hatters Blog
• Christina Bledsoe at The Star Celeb Blog
• Clair Collins at Claire Collins Blog
• YorksNBeans at Two Yorks and a Bean Blog
• Tannerleah at the Stop Annoying Me Blog
• GrumpyGeek at The Grumpy Geek Blog
• And even though it wasn’t a true post (because it wouldn’t fit into the style of his fictional life blog) Alan at the Sick Days Blog did fit my challenge into his comments on at least 3 different occassions this week so we’ll add him to the list.

 $10 for Adding me to their Blog Roll:

• Soupalaxy
• Claire Collins
• The Star Celeb
• Two Yorks and a Bean

$2 for Following me on Twitter: (if there were more that followed b/c of the challenge let me know)

• @AmericanHell
• @thegrumpygeek
• @clairecollins
• @mekellie
• @hilbury
• @frustratedfakes
• @cooldads

$2 for each day You Tweet about the Challenge (up to 5x):

• 5x - @cooldads  the first to post on 5 different days about the challenge.  Thanks Jim
• 1x – @thegrumpygeek
• 1x – @thestarceleb
• 1x – @barelyknit
• 1x – @hilbury
• 1x – @addanaccity
• 1x – @AmericanHell
• 1x – @cincybeacon
• 1x – @clairecollins
• 1x – @spudcomics
• 1x – @I_am_Raven

 For a Week One Grand Total of $156.  Thank you all.

If I inadvertantly missed your efforts from last week, please indicate in the comments section so I can correct. 

 
Follow me via TWITTER updates.

Don’t forget your efforts cost me money… so spread the word about my charity challenge. Click the image below for details.

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