It’s that time of year again. If you want a really great Christmas tree your best bet is to head to the hills and cut one down yourself. Leave a little on the bottom so it can grow back.
People have put themselves through college and paid off outrageous debts by simply asking for help on the Internet. Now, one man simply wants out of Detroit and a chance to start a new life.
Sean Bush owes about 80,000 on his home but homes in his neighborhood are selling for $5,000. He’s a skilled pipe fitter but there’s not a lot of demand for his skills or job prospects of any kind in Detroit. The city currently has an unemployment rate of nearly 30%. That is not a typo. About 1/3 of Detroiters live at or below the poverty line.
Sean wants to move to California to take an EMT training course in Freemont and start a new life.
Visit Help Me Leave Detroit for more information. He’s only asking for $1.39 per visitor. If anyone has time to donate some web help that might be in order as well.
A friend of mine in the police academy recently had to memorize the 2009 Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. He asked if I could record the four paragraphs and upload the MP3 files so he could memorize the code while working out.
It's not any different than trying to learn the lyrics to a song by playing the track over and over. However, in this case, there's very little rhyming and it doesn't exactly flow. To make it easy we made MP3s of each paragraph so they can be repeated quickly. We also made a file of the entire code.
We figured we might as well put the files in our download section so anyone in the academy that has to learn the 2009 Code of Ethics could easily grab them and transfer the files to a MP3 player. These files are also compatible with all cell phones if you hvae a media player in your cell phone. Enjoy!
This is the full text of what is in the recordings.
"As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held as long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession ... law enforcement."
We're not sure what to make of this. At first it seems like a site exploiting a man simply struggling to survive. Upon closer inspection it seems the website is truly a non-profit venture simply looking to help the homeless.
Depending on your perspective and who you choose to believe you can vacillate between enthralled and disgusted in one breath.
All that non-withstanding, if this site can help just one person get back on his or her feet than it's an experiment worth pursuing.
Visit Pimp This Bum for more information and decide for yourself.
I don't think anyone is going to miss 2008. That was a rough year on so many fronts and certainly no need to rehash it here. So looking forward what does 2009 have in store for us?
On the economic front it doesn't look good. A second and third wave of foreclosures is expected to pummel housing values while once powerful corporate giants such as General Motors struggle to survive.
The recession has impacted all socioeconomic classes and once insular economies such as the ever resilient Silicon Valley. Here companies are now reacting and hunkering down into survival mode by cutting production and reducing expenses, which generally means laying people off. With all this doom and gloom what do you have to look forward to in 2009?
Certainly the changing of the guard in Washington has given the country a much needed shot of optimism and we wish Obama and company all the best in the next 4-8 years. In the meantime we'll find solace in a hot cup of coffee and the company of friends and family.
A fun trivia question for the Christmas season is, “What do Tony the Tiger and the Grinch have in common?” It’s a good piece of trivia because Tony and the Grinch are such beloved characters. The answer of course is Thurl Ravenscroft who was genius in his singing of the Grinch theme song.
A lot of people think the Grinch theme song was performed by James Earl Jones or Boris Karloff. Both probably could have done a great job but Thurl deserves the credit. Interesting to note is that Thurl is missing from the credits in the movie. We looked for him in the recent updated release by Warner on DVD and he’s completely Kaiser Sosei
“You’re a mean one…Mr. Grinch”. The song and voice are unmistakable. Hopefully you enjoyed a few airings of the Grinch that Stole Christmas on TV this holiday season. If so you were treated to one of the best vocal performances of all time.
Coffee. Where would we be without it? It's so much more than a drink, much more than a stimulant, even. In life, how many relationships have started, or been maintained, through a simple phrase. "Let's meet for coffee." It's the definitive icebreaker. If it's a girl you really like, think of how non-threatening that is. It's not even lunch. Or drinks. It's...well, coffee. Who doesn't drink coffee?
In Chicago, where I live, it's even cooler, because you walk to get coffee--one never drives. So, with the Holidays in full swing, it just feels right to be walking around downtown Chicago with a cup of coffee in your hands. It "warms" you in more ways than one.
Now, a quick word about brands. Things are getting tighter, so Starbucks is now officially a "luxury item." Fair enough--their coffee was always too strong, and their drinks way too sweet. Every now and again is fine, and for meeting someone, there’s no place better. Everybody has a Starbucks around the corner. The staff is great, the clientele is cool, and the music is always top-notch. It's a great first date or meeting place, but it's not a bad place to dump someone, either. Just kidding. It’s not you it’s me.
Dunkin Donuts. Not bad. There's a time and a place--their coffee always seems to taste better on ice. When I have it warm, it just seems too strong. Every now and again, though, it hits the spot.
McDonald's-very, very, very underrated cup of coffee, simple, strong, yet not overwhelming. Just gets the job done.
Recently I received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. I tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else I could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.
Finally, I was fed up and I yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. I shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. So, in desperation, I threw up my hands, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer.
For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that I'd hurt the parrot, I quickly opened the door to the freezer.
The parrot calmly stepped out onto my outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions andI fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."
I was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As I was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
Happy Thanksgiving! Go Lions! (would be the biggest upset of all time)
Angela Hoover, the star of Mommy Madness on Lifetime, is a good friend and very funny woman. She's been honing her craft with standup and sketch comedy. The Mommy Madness series on Lifetime showcases her life as a mom with 2 young kids living in Vegas. This bit is particularly funny, especially if you're a recent mom. Enjoy!
It’s that time of year again. If you want a really great Christmas tree your best bet is to head to the hills and cut one down yourself. Leave a little on the bottom so it can grow back.
People have put themselves through college and paid off outrageous debts by simply asking for help on the Internet. Now, one man simply wants out of Detroit and a chance to start a new life. 
A friend of mine in the police academy recently had to memorize the 2009 Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. He asked if I could record the four paragraphs and upload the MP3 files so he could memorize the code while working out. 
We're not sure what to make of this. At first it seems like a site exploiting a man simply struggling to survive. Upon closer inspection it seems the website is truly a non-profit venture simply looking to help the homeless. 
I don't think anyone is going to miss 2008. That was a rough year on so many fronts and certainly no need to rehash it here. So looking forward what does 2009 have in store for us? 
A fun trivia question for the Christmas season is, “What do Tony the Tiger and the Grinch have in common?” It’s a good piece of trivia because Tony and the Grinch are such beloved characters. The answer of course is Thurl Ravenscroft who was genius in his singing of the Grinch theme song. 
Coffee. Where would we be without it? It's so much more than a drink, much more than a stimulant, even. In life, how many relationships have started, or been maintained, through a simple phrase. "Let's meet for coffee." It's the definitive icebreaker. If it's a girl you really like, think of how non-threatening that is. It's not even lunch. Or drinks. It's...well, coffee. Who doesn't drink coffee? 
Recently I received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. I tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else I could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.