There it is, my friends: The Bush Administration's solution to our declining economy. Did you get yours? Where's it going? New iPod? Paying off debt? Saving it? Guess which one of those three options the gubmint would like you to choose?

Like most of you reading this, I received the early notice from the Internal Revenue Service alerting me of my forthcoming Economic Stimulus Payment rebate last month. However, unlike most of you, I did not jump for glee, contemplating the new electronic drum kit, iPhone or H&M clothes this extra 600 dollars will buy. No, I resolved myself to protest this nonsense, initially planning to make a big fuss about it by destroying the check on camera, then mailing the remains in an envelope to the White House as a "fuck you" to President Bush. (Of course, that would have been futile anyway, given that the funds came via direct deposit. Groan.)

See, this rebate is being sent to approximately 130 million households. If the average check is 600 dollars, that's 78 BILLION dollars going into the pockets of taxpayers, who are then -- the administration is hoping -- going to spend the bulk of that money purchasing items they don't need, thereby making Bush and his pals in Congress appear as if they've pulled the United States out of a recession. Imagine that spike the Consumer Spending Index will receive between May and June when most of the 130 million folks out there drop their new, "free" money into the coffers of retailers across the nation.

Oh sure, some of you MIGHT save those 60,000 pennies in the bank. Many of you might pay off a credit card or two -- you know, just before charging 'em up again in a few months. But really: Couldn't we use that 78 billion dollars for something truly needed in this country? Put it toward education or other public programs such as, oh I don't know, a national health care system? Imagine starting such a project with 78 bil.

Yes, I know, it won't happen here because we're so painfully afraid of being pegged as dirty socialists, like maybe those stinking French. Perish the thought we work to take care of each other instead of looking out for ourselves exclusively.

Well, I'm going to do my part toward enriching the greater good. Yes, I just moved and need a number of things for my house. Yes, my laptop hard drive is about a week away from crashing and could use a new computer. Yes, the keys on my ancient Nokia cell phone have stopped working and I kinda need a new communications device. But I'm doing none of that. I'm giving my $600 to charity. And that's where you come in.

This year, I've already donated money and time to Nevada Public Radio, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, St. Baldrick's Foundation, Aid For AIDS of Nevada, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona and the Charleston Miracle League. So we've got cancer, HIV/AIDS, fuzzy animals, needy kids and public broadcasting covered. What I want to know is where do you think my $600 from Uncle George, uh, Sam should go?

What I'm going to do is take comments below with suggestions of worthy charitable causes that would most effectively use those funds (so ixnay high-overhead orgs such as Red Cross, which I have contributed to in the past). I have some in mind (such as aid for Burmese cyclone victims/survivors), but I want to know what YOU think is worthy. And I'm cool with splitting the cash two or three ways. So just give me your suggestions. It's OK if they overlap with someone else's -- I'm going to aggregate them and then probably do a poll with the top selections.

Please help me help others AND make something worthwhile out of this economic stimulus facade.

Thank you!