A little almsless fun.

There is a strange emergence of begging on the Internet. I'm not talking about Nigerian email scams.

Panhandling plain and simple.

Check out payourmortgage.co.nz. A Christchurch couple have put up a site inviting you to donate spare cash to them for no other reason than to pay their house mortgage. There's no benefit to you. They don't offer any reasons why you might want to give them anything.

I'm bemused.

It's not the first time this has happened - or that the national broadcaster has given it airtime. (Watch the segment on CloseUp) Perhaps you remember Jacqui Thomas - the Millionaire Mummy. She wants, unashamedly, to make a million dollars by telling you about how she is making a million dollars. Why a million bucks? Why not? At least Jacqui (whom I know personally and actually like) is offering something of value in return for your subscription.

Here's my take on the idea.

I'm inviting you to give me a thousand dollars (NZD). I offer and expect nothing in return.

Click the button to use PayPal.

Go on, you know you want to...

S'a funny old world.

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