Adopt a Squid!

I appreciate people who make a habit of donating to charitable organizations. It's good for the soul, and not bad for those who are receiving aid, either. But when retailers jump on the bandwagon (i.e. the current spree of designers cranking out red items), the spirit of charity gets marred by capitalism and materialism. The designer makes money, and the consumer gets a product. Instead of spending $50 on a red handbag with a tag that proclaims that a portion of the proceeds will go to help AIDS patients in Africa - lady, you don't need that red handbag ... it's pretty gaudy and you have nothing in your wardrobe that goes with it - why not just find an organization and write a check. At least then it's tax deductable, if you must have justification beyond the concept of "charity."
Above is a link for a website selling giant plush squid ... squids? For a minimum of $400, you can help tsunami victims rebuild their lives ... and have a giant plush squid! Granted, they are very large, and very well made (by hand, even!), but what would one do with an enormous stuffed squid? Make films that combine a plush fetish with tentacle porn?