SWOOPSTAKE

SWOOPSTAKE definition: in an indiscriminate manner; first used in 1602. Example from Shakespeare: Claudius to Laertes in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V: "That, swoopstake, you will draw both friend and foe, winner and loser."

An elderly acquaintance of mine sends at least ten sweepstakes entries a week. To nearly all of them he sends donations as they are supposed "charities". Numerous times I have shown him proof that nearly all of them are nothing more than "scams". I tell him that the "rules" state that one doesn't have to send money, but he thinks his donations better his chances of winning. He's surprised by the number of offers he receives and I told him that it's also a huge business compiling and selling lists of victims to other such "charities"! "Swoopstake" and sweepstake both apply to him!

One of the ones to which he donates is "The Kids Wish Network". In its last year tax filing the company showed collecting $18.6 MILLION and distributed $240,000 for kids' wishes. The remainder was spent on salaries and advertising. When I told him the salary of the CEO he said he wasn't going to donate any more money!

CLICK HERE to see the article The 50 Worst Charities.