ALS is Cool!

It must be because I see a bunch of Celebrities on Facebook doing an ice bucket challenge to make me aware of it.  I just might pour a bunch of ice on my head too.  Why not?  I love the Pens and I don't mind being associated with them, some of my friends have done it already.  I don't really know what it is, but I know it's out there and I should pour ice on my head because of it.

And so I begin to wonder.  What the hell is the point of pouring ice on your head?  That's just wasteful and we waste enough water as it is.  Here's what I know, ALS sucks.  I don't want it, I don't want anyone I know to have it.  How many people are really looking it up because The Flower poured ice on his head?  I don't feel like it's that many.  I feel like it's less then it could be because I never see a link to anything so I could learn about it or donate to it.  I keep asking people I know if they are aware of the ice bucket challenge for ALS and they are, then I ask what ALS is and they don't know.  One of my friends who did the challenge has no idea what he did it for except that Letang did it, so he did.  You're accomplishing nothing.  After a few days, I finally start seeing that if you're challenged and don't do it in 24 hours or something, then you have to donate $100.00.  (Still no links)  So, wait, I either dump ice on my head or cough up $100.00?  How about instead of buying ice to waste, I just donate the $1.69?  AND if all these celebrities are meeting the challenge, does that mean they're not donating because that's pretty ridiculous.  Frankly, I don't have $100.00 to just donate because someone challenged me and I don't see a point in wasting a bunch of ice either.

Yeah yeah, I hear you, I know, "but they're raising awareness!"  So, a lot of things really suck, maybe I'm not aware they suck and then you tell me how they suck and I say "yeah, that sucks."  So?  I agreed with you.  It sucks, whatever "it" is.  But did I do anything?  Did you?  Did we actually effect change?  No.  We just agreed it sucks.  Cancer Sucks, Multiple Sclerosis Sucks,  Hemorrhoids Suck,  Diabetes Sucks, Autism Sucks, Being Marginalized Sucks, Downs Syndrome Sucks, Anxiety Sucks, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Sucks, Strokes Suck, Heart Disease Sucks, Bullying Sucks, X-Linked Juvenile Rentinoschisis Sucks, Liver Disease Sucks, Multiple Personality Disorder Sucks, Depression Sucks, Bipolar Sucks, Forest Fires Suck, Hurricanes Suck, Flash Floods Suck, A.I.D.S Sucks, Deafness Sucks, Erectile Dysfunction Sucks, Suicide Sucks,  hell, a lot of things suck.  I just gave you a list, are you running around donating money or volunteering because of my list?  No. You are saying "yep, those things all suck."  We have accomplished nothing.

Maybe if the videos started with a check and ended with an ice bucket?  Or how about something like "for every like I get I will donate .05 cents"?  Money makes a difference, ice just melts.  Ok, ok, so maybe a couple of people looked it up and found out what it was, how many of them are then going the extra distance to find a way to donate to research and then actually donating?  Hardly any, if any.  A lot less than there could be I suspect.  At least put a damn link to make it easy!

You've made no difference by reading this blog or watching Mario dump ice on his head.  But here's how you can help.  I'm going to include a bunch of links so you can donate to the charity of your choice, and guess what, you don't even have to dump any ice on your head or challenge anyone else!  You don't have to put yourself in any discomfort whatsoever!  I would appreciate it that if you donate anything or even just found my list a little entertaining, just like my blog on Facebook or +1 it on google.  Maybe you could even share it and one of your friends will donate to something.  Even if it's just .10cents, it's something and SOMETHING makes a difference.  Nothing is, well, nothing.

Or, is it that we need to be entertained in order to feel the need to donate or effect a change?  If that's it, this world is in more trouble than I suspected.

To donate, click on any of the links below!  It's that simple!  Keep in mind, I have not vetted all the sites, except the last one, because we donate to that one!  So click the link and make sure you feel good about it, maybe let me know you donated, then do a little dance, because you're a good person!  If you don't donate, do a little dance anyway, because it's just fun!

ALS Lou Gehrig's disease:

American Cancer Society

St. Judes

Multiple Sclerosis

Diabetes

Autism Speaks

Down's Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Strokes

American Heart Association

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

Liver Disease

Multiple Personality Disorder

Depression

Anxiety

Suicide Hotline

Forest Fires

A.I.D.S.

American Red Cross

Deafness

Erectile Dysfunction

Clean Drinking Water

CJs Racing Dream

Whose Fault is it Really if You Get a Ticket? Yours!

Ok, tickets are annoying and expensive.  Parking tickets, speeding tickets, inspection expiration tickets.  I know I hate them, but really, if you got one, it's your own damn fault, quit blaming the police.  If the speed limit is 65 and you go 75 and you get a ticket, that's your fault.  You knew what the rule was, it was right there on the side of the road.  If you don't put money in the meter and you get a ticket, that's your fault.  You knew there was a meter, it was right there.  If your inspection is up for 3 months and you get pulled over and get a ticket, that's your fault.  You got the letter in the mail 5 months ago!

I cannot for the life of me understand how people get mad and pissed off at police officers for giving out tickets.  It's part of their job.  AND you know the rules!  If you don't, you shouldn't have a license.  It's that simple.

And let's not forget, sometimes those tickets help solve other serious crimes.  Let's all remember that Son of Sam was caught because of a parking ticket.  Now, I'm hoping you're not out there randomly killing strangers or breaking into little old ladies houses or knocking over liquor stores, but if you are and you get a ticket while you're doing it, then good, that will help track you down and you're dumb.

Can we PLEASE lay off the police for this already?  Their jobs are hard enough.  Yes, they wrote you a ticket for parking in a no parking zone, but they're also the ones you're going to call when some dbag sideswipes your car while you were getting your teeth cleaned.  You're going to call them when you go to the shopping mall and see some poor dog or child locked in an unattended car in 80 degree weather.  You're going to call them when you're drunk and wandering the city at 3am and get mugged.

And by the way, to all you whiners running around getting tickets because you just can't seem to get the rules straight, thank you.  Because of you my taxes won't go up because your irresponsibility and flagrant disregard for the rules is helping to pay for the police force.  You see, it's not free to call the police because you notice a strange van parked in front of your neighbors house and you see lights going on and off in the house and you know for a fact that your neighbor is in another state tending to a sick relative.  Someone has to pay the officer's salary, for the car he's driving to investigate, the gas that's in the car, the bullet proof vest that just might save him one day.  Police are not free.  But by all means, let's do away with tickets and all of that can come out of our pocket at tax time!  How's about that?

Personally, I'm glad they write tickets.  Hell, I got one today because I forgot to move my car for street cleaning.  Well, someone's got to pay the street cleaners, so I guess it's my turn.  I'm off to drop my ticket in the ticket box with my payment.  But before I do, just so we're clear, let me give you the definition of the word "police" from Merriamwebster.com:

po·lice

 verb \pə-ˈlēs\

: to control and keep order in (an area) by the use of police or military forces

: to control (something) by making sure that rules and regulations are being followed