kids' days sucks

i'll come right out and say that i don't like kids' day. kids' day is a longstanding tradition where the fresno bee, our local fishwrap, sells special edition newspapers that benefit the local children's hospital. the local, for profit, children's hospital. why don't i like it?

1. if i wanted to donate to a charity, i would. if i wanted to donate to a for profit enterprise, i would. i don't need to buy a paper, and i don't need to be harassed at every corner.
2. i dislike the people aggressively selling papers on the corner. do you like people just panhandling for their own profit on the corner? this is only slightly different.
3. i don't like being yelled at while i'm stopped at a light. really, when you're in a car, at least you can roll up the window or turn up the radio and tune them out. on a motorcycle, they're right up on you. yelling. yeah, if i wanted a paper, i would buy one. you don't need yell. everyone knows you're there. on every corner.
4. these corner paperhawkers are usually getting in and out of traffic, which is dangerous for them, and for you. it's really dangerous for me. people already are distracted enough and motorcycles are difficult to see. i don't need more distraction. to have a pair of people on every corner, and then have some more in the median is a bit problematic for traffic.
5. if, by chance, you happen to buy one of these inflated rate papers, you're still not off the hook. they want you to buy more. seriously, you can show them the paper you already bought at another corner, and they'll just shout back, "buy another!" no. no i won't.

so, if you want to buy one, fine. i'm not going to. and i'm not going to feel bad about it.