Save the World Extra : South East Asia Tsunami

The horrible disaster that has struck south east Asia starting Boxing Day is no new news. In an effort to help, I've taken some time to come up with some little and maybe "less than little" ways you can help out. I'm also going to provide links to information and charity sites that are helping.

1. Click for food - The Hunger site (http://www.thehungersite.com/), directly benefits Mercy Corps, a charity that gives 91% of its resources to humanitarian efforts. They need you clicks more than ever, so be sure every day to click.

2. Donate - You can donate as little or as much as you want. Amazon.com features a quick and easy way to donate to the American Red Cross who are providing support for the disaster releif. Suggestions for how much to donate, include fasting for a meal or giving up a night on the town and donating that money to those in grave need. Note, that you will need a credit card for this one. World Vision is also a highly recommended charity as it uses such a high percentage of the donations it receives for releif.

3. Learn More - Keep abreast of the events and ways you can help. CNN.com is a massive resource, despite my usual distaste for that company. CNN also features an appeal process that you can use if you are missing family in the affected area. The SEA-EAT Blog features enourmous amounts of information on everything from charity to how to find lost family in South East Asia.

This is the kind of disaster that is of such magnitude that no one could possible prepare once it happens. Luckly suppost has been pouring in on the internet and elsewhere, but naturally speed is of the essence concerning this disaster. Shortages of food, loss of homes and clothing, starvation and the threat of disease are all real threats that will surely keep balooning this disaster for months to come. Help is needed quickly to aid as many people as possible... the death count goes up by 10' of thousands a day. As of this writing cnn.com reports 116,000 dead.

EDIT : Hey, I need a hand finding something. There's a huge call for clothing for those affected. If anyone knows of a website or local charity that is collecting clothing, send me a link or info so I can post it here.

My new Boss is a Super Chirstian

I mean the guy is crazy about Jesus. I made a joke about my mom saying she lived in Gods country and he took it as an invite to tell me about the gospel. So I just told him that if nobody sinned, we'd never know when we were being good. It actually shut him up pretty quick. I mean honestly ... don't worry about what everyone else is doing, God will take care of them. You take care of yourself, and if a bunch of people don't make it to heaven, well there's more room for you then.

Seriously I think I'm gonna have fun fucking with him. He thinks I'm a saint as it is right now... just wait till he finds out I've been living "in sin" with my girfriend for 6 months... and it looks like I'll be living in sin for many more.

Shawna called me from Weyburn last night. We talked for like 2 hours... we haven't done that since she was living in Saskatoon and I was in Weyburn. Sounds like she had a good Christmas, I can't wait to see her again, this house is pretty empty all by yourself. I wish she wanted to come up for New Years, but she wants to see her family and she doesn't get to see them often, so I guess I can't be greedy.

Counting my Loot

No Takers on the BLOG WAR? Oh well

Ok, so I know you're all wondering what I got for Christmas. Well potential theives, here's a full list.

From Santa (mom and dad still insist we do this though we're all over 17 now) - An HP Printer Scanner Copier, Two pairs of thermal socks and some chemical hand warmers.

From Mom and Dad - Some cargo pants (olive drab), some massively oversized polo shirts (moms taking them back for mediums) and some financial help to get my car running again.

From Me - Dog Day Afternoon, a 6 pack of Babybell Cheese

From Michelle - *drool* Ghostbusters 2 soundrack on vinyl LP, Muppets from Space on VHS

From Shanna - Best of Will Ferrel on DVD, The Curious Enlightenment of Professor Cariat by Steven Lukes.

From Andrew - a new Honer "c" Harmonica.

From Shawna - a box full of crap and a brand new acoustic guitar.

Great year, some thoughtful gifts from all... I'll enjoy all of them.

PS ! I almost forgot!
From Katherine at work - A "candycane warmer" tree ornament.

From Shivon at work - A pair of sports socks and a maple tea light candle.

PPS - also forgot
from Shanna I also got - A little "Lucky Bear" care bear... apparantly the fact that I never had a carebear was a major oversight, so she felt the need to rectify the situation.

From the Forer grandparent - $50

From the Pilon Grandparents - $ 20 and some knitted slippers grandma made.

I know I'm spoiled.

One Two Three Four

I DECLARE A BLOG WAR!

Any takers, e-mail me at jeremy_pilon@canada.com

More Easy Ways to Heal the World

Jolly Boxing Day yo!

So although I can't measure the success of my last "Heal the World" blog, I'm gonna do it again, and again, and again. Hopefully I reach more people each time who want to help, and perhaps even look back on the past "Heal the World" segments. The thought had crossed my mind to create an entire site that would feature easy ways to heal the world on a weekly, or bi-weekly basis, including e-mail alerts as to new "missions" you can do every week. If anyone is interested in working on a project like this with me, please drop me a line. It's make a good New Years resolution.

But for now here are a few other REALLY easy ways to heal the world.

- The Hunger Site - Just go to http://www.thehungersite.com and click on the "Give Free Food" button. That's it, you just helped a child get 1.1 cups of food. Good work.

- The Breast Cancer Site - Go to http://www.thebreastcancersite.com and click on the "Fund Free Mammograms" button. BAM, you just helped give a woman a free mammogram.

- The Child Health Site - Go to http://www.thechildhealthsite.com and click on the "Help a Child" Button. Kaplowee - one more child will be helped with illness, amputation or other life threatening ailments.

- The Literacy Site - Go to http://www.theliteracysite.com and .. get this ... click the "Give Books" Button. Guess what you just did? That's right you just helped a child in need discover books!

- The Rainforest Site - OK hard one here... go to http://www.therainforestsite.com, click the "Save the Rainforest" button.... I know this is hard, but you did just save 11.4 square feet of endangered rainforest. Thats more area than a phone booth takes up!

- The Animal Rescue Site - last one! Go to http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com, click the "Feed an Animal in Need" button. Well there you just gave some starving kitten or puppy in a shelter .6 bowls worth of food and care!

See how insanely easy that shit is? I mean its ridiculous how easy it is to do your part to make the world a better place.

I've been Transferred

So I've been transferred out of my cushy bakery job back into the hell that is fast-food. Althought I'm still working for the North-West company, I've been promoted to Head-Supervisor at the local A&W. While the job will come with a pay increase and more hours, the hours will suck and the work is WAY more stressful. And to top it all off, I haven't been able to talk to the manager about the position yet and I start at 6 AM Monday morning.

One more day till the family shows up. Should be a blast all weekend, can't wait to see everyone.

Fire and Cleaning house

So we've been working madly all week cleaning our house in preparation for a visit from my family. Despite our best efforts, I'm sure my mom will find something amiss, castrate me and brand me and Shawna pigs for the rest of our lives.

The thought occured to me yesterday to just move all our shit to another house, and burn this one down... it would be easier than cleaning. SO then this morning I wake up and the smoke detector in the apartment next to us is going off.. and it went off for like 45 minutes before I went to work. I just about had my wish come true! We called the landlord and he took care of it... thank God my house didn't really burn down.

I've been using the "Draft" option on this Blog service to write up Blog ideas for later, that way all I have to do it work on it a peice at a time or just finish one if I don't have an idea. I'm liking that, it'll keep me blogging for years to come.

What a way to live

So I proposed to Shawna this weekend. I thought she had an idea that I was gonna do that. She didn't.

We've talked it over and we're ok. Like she said, she hasn't said "no" yet, but she does need time to say "yes".

She got me a great acoustic guitar, so now all I need to do is learn some more songs. Being a bass player, I've got two more strings now that I'm not used to... so I'll have to pick up some new songs, suggest some in the comments.

Hope everyone is doing their little part to save the world today!

Heal the world, make it a better place!

I'm watching Super Size Me right now. It's frigtening me. Not only the shit going on there, but its making me realize how much shit goes on all over the place. War, Disease, Pollution, Obesity, Drug abuse, Poverty, Violence... shit the list goes on an on. So what can I do... LOTS. I decided to spend the afternoon of my day off here to compile a list of websites and actions that each of us can do to help make the world a better place. I challenge anyone who reads this list to visit or participate in just one of these programs every day for the next week. It's all really easy stuff... REALLY easy, heck for some of them, they're fun.

Of course I know these aren't all the problems. Not by far. Not only that, but these aren't all the solutions either. So if you choose to participate, I ask one more favour. Talk to me and others about it. If you have a website that you''d like to mention, tell me, I'll post it here for eveyone to read. Tell me what you've done in your life to make the world better. Tell your friends about this blog and this small challenge, through e-mail, word of mouth, MSN, on a forum or in your own blog. Only through strength of numbers will this thing work. I'm gonna start by posting this page then suggesting it to as many people as I can.

Finally I'd like anyone who can to suggest to me some other problems that I could tackle here another day. I've had ideas of stopping animal cruelty, eating organically grown foods, information sharing issues (P2P filesharing rights) and the destruction of the rainforest. Drop me a line with ideas if you have them.

Problem 1 : Pollution

Your Solution : Canada's One Tonne Challenge. A challenge spearheaded by the Canadian Government for each Canadian citizen to reduce their waste emissions by 20% or 1 tonne on average. These things are easy, switch to ethanol blend gasoline, use those flourecent bulbs in your house, recycle... its all easy, heck some of them will IMPROVE your way of living in my opinion. Even if you're not Canadian, go to the site, it will help everyone. The trick that got me wasn't so much to recycle, but to recycle MORE.

Problem 2 : AIDS Pandemic

Your Solution : Acting On AIDS. This is probably the hardest of the challenges for the average 25 and under person to help with. Although generous donations help, I know I don't have anything to give, neither do most of my friends. Prayer is easy, but many people I know would be skeptical of its positive effects. This solution requires only that you sign up to receive Acting on AIDS announcements via e-mail. They will send you information on how to help, events that will help influence politicians, neighbors and corporations to address the AIDS problem quickly and effecively.

On a personal basis many of you can also take action in your personal lives. Adopting less sexual partners, using or being sure your partner uses a condom, never enlisting the services of a prostitute and protecting yourself should you come in contact with a person in need who is spilling blood or sexual fluids will help prevent you and possibly those around you from becoming part of the ever growing statistics.

Problem 3 : Obesity

Your Solution : My first idea is to watch Super Size Me. Honestly this can really change your outlook on things. But if you're too cheap or unable to watch it, surf by the documentarys website, the stats speak for themselves.

In your own life? How about eat healthier? Here's a good website with some quick, easy and above all HEALTHY recipes to try out. They say that if a person who drinks 1 litre of cola a day can cut the cola out or switch to diet cola will lose 10 pounds in one year.... a small change for a big result. I also found a great website here of an article of some easy things to do to fight obesity... and if you're too fat and lazy to read it, there's a video you can watch.

Problem 4 : War

Your Solution : United for Peace and Justice. This is a good website that I visited very often during the beginning of the Iraq war. Check out the Get Involved page for simple ideas of what you can do in your community to affect the people who make war. Sign up for the anti-war mailing list on the page too.

Problem 5 : Poverty

Your Solution : This is one problem that can be blamed for many of the other problems I list here. War, Disease, Pollution, Hunger AND Obesity, Drug Abuse, Violence, Poor Education can all be found to have ties to poverty. This is a massive problem and people everywhere need help. So I will give two solutions to the problem, one local, and one international.

The International Solution : Net Aid. Join Net Aid or at least sign up for their mailing list to receive information on events and programs you can participate in to help the impoverished overseas.

The Local Solution : Homelessness Action Group. Visit their "What You Can Do" Section on the site. In addition to suggesting becoming informed, they suggest writing letters or visiting local city representitives to discuss how to change what is happening in the streets.

Problem 6 : Violence

Your Solution : In this I am mostly referring to local domestic or work/school violence. This idea is a bit different. Instead of receiving information, I'd like you to send it. First visit stopviolence.com. Check it out if you like, but the thing I'd like you to use the referral box to referr the site to a friend or relative. Preferrably you should send it to someone who is affected by domestic violence, be them an antagonist or protagonist, but you can just send it to your brother or girlfriend... just spread the word to one other person... and encourage them to do the same. Violence can't be changed so much with money as much as with education and treatment.

Problem 7 : Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Your Solution : Talk To Frank. This webpage provides information for users and friends/family of users alike. This problem is hard to solve if you aren't affected, but you could become affected by your actions. So what I can suggest is to visit this site to learn how to prevent yourself or others from abusing substances or to get help for yourself or others who are affected by substance abuse.

My Girlfriend is Cute

Cute. Its not a word I use very often, and frankly it usually makes me sick. But my girlfriend is the textbook definition of cute. I'm listening to her right now talking to her mom on the phone. She's trying to tell her mom about the video clips we saw on John Stewart last night of US Secretary of State, Donald Rumsfeld fielding questions from the troops. Basically the troops were wondering why they aren't being protected and why they can't go home and Donnie was being a moron... to the point where I despaired for the old fucks life. So anyway Shawna is trying to tell her mom about this and although she gets the idea right; "Donald Rumsfeld is a moron", the story she's telling her mom is incomplete and for the most part incorrect. And she's fucking PASSIONATE about it... she hates Rumsfeld, but really doesn't seem to know why. It's cute. But I won't point anything out. Yes if she were to get into a real political discussion, she'd look like a dimwit, but the bottom line is, she hates a member of Bush's cabinet, so we'll forgive her right?

I've been listening to Green Day's "American Idiot" (album, not song.. idiot) like non-stop for three days. I'm obsessed. Its like the first time I listened to Tommy. I haven't felt this way about an album in about 2 years. I walk around town with my MP3 player on my head and a huge tent-pole in my pants. It's just that good. I just really can't say enough about it... everytime i hear it, it gets better. Its by far Green Days best, and possibly one of the best albums of all time. Did I mention its fucking awesome, because it is. It's fucking awesome.

Boring Sunday night

Fuck I went to a party last night and polished off a bottle of Jagermeister. Nothing makes me more passionate than Jag. I had a LOUD TIME. Very loud. It was good fun. But I think back to the night and I was a dumbass, moreso. Then I saw a big room full from roof to floor with monitors at this guys house.... that was fucked up.

So needless to say I'm a little hung over. I called the pizza place tonight to get a pie, and I swear I couldn't string a sentence together... I killed several brain cells last night.

RIP Dimebag Darrell

Some fuckin' John Lennon type shit happening here. Former guitarist of metal super-group Pantera was shot and killed Wednesday night seconds after starting a set with his new band. Now I'm not gonna come out here and say "oh I loved Dimebag, Pantera was my favourite band, and "Far Beyond Driven" was the best album ever. I'd be lying and that wouldn't be the thing to do. What I can say is I recognize the tragedy of the taking of a human life. I can say that Dimebag could fuckin' wail. I can say that I might not be such a dick next time one of my metal head friends puts on the "Great Southern Trendkill." I'll give the man the props he deserves and give his music a chance. Not because he's dead, because he's dead too soon.

In less important news, yesterday was the 1 month anniversary of the Blog that is this. I made it a month! Wow. I am updating Pilots world slowly... it should be good... including a new list... Gin and Jams - Songs featuring Gin n' Juice.

I'm not Ready!!! Ahhh!

Dammit. I've got this cool ass webpage idea in the works, but its a bit more work intensive than I thought it would be, but its cool! I'm taking the cover of Queen's News of the world... and making some cool shit happen. Plus I wanna do some work to the Table of Contents and some other cool stuff... it'll be awesome.

So another person I'm related to has a blog. My cuz Levi. Its boring so far, but he'll pick up. Plus I read a hilarious blog this afternoon. His review of random objects KILLS me its hilarious!

So yeah I was gonna do a blof on Tuesday, but I got tired and bored and just skipped out. Sorry folks. Really I had nothing to say anyway.

But anyway, I'm gonna go get more work done on the redesign.

PS/Edit - Ok I got Levi's Blog address wrong.. its fixed now. And I just found out his sister/my cousin Dore (I know I don't have the accent on the "e".. I'm too lazy to figure out how to do it right now). has a blog too. Shanna says she sounds professional. I say she sounds edumakated.

I am becoming an internet God

I had this dream back about 7 or 8 years ago... and in retrospect I should have pursued it then... it would have been easier than doing it now. My dream was to become the most famous person on the net... merely because I was the most famous person on the net. Now I look at what it would require to perform such a task, an I get a little faint. It certainly would take a monumental undertaking... and a good service provider to be the most linked to and visited person on the net. Perhaps I'll get there someday. Already I feel my online presence growing daily. I can feel my power growing.

Now to decide wether to use it for good or evil?

Thursday is my Blog/Websites 1 month anniversary.. and I should have an update ready to celebrate. Come on out Thursday night to the festivities.

I can't spell!

Did anyone read my last entry... Christ... I made like 10 spelling mistakes. I'm a retard.... or I type too fast. Yeah thats it.

So somthing funny happened to me today that wasn't my fault for a change. I got the clippers out and trimmed my hair (I'm a tightwad, so cut my own hair). I needed help straigtening the back, so I took the guard off the clippers and called Shawna. The first thing she did was shave a strip to the skin right down the middle of the back of my head. So I just shaved it all off... and I'm bald for a bit.. naturally it's FUCKING COLD out right now... so that makes it much better. OH well seems everytime I shave myself bald its like -50 C out.

I had a weird dream last night that my mom and my sister Michelle and I were sitting around talking and once again, Michelle starts putting me down for shit I've never done. Then she brings up this "former roommate named Marcus" (I've never had a roommate named Marcus)., that i apparantly hated for no reason. I argued that she just had a crush on him and he STUNK REALLY BAD... and that's why I hated him. SO then we turn to the TV and this reality show is on like Much or something and this "Marcus" guy is on... and they're just totally putting him down, telling him how much he smells and crap. Then they show a video that apparantly Bush (brit nirvana-bee band) wrote about how much he stinks. All I remember is the song sounded like an Avril Lavigne song sung by Bush. So I start motioning to the TV as in "SEE HE STINKS" and Michelle just ignores it and looks away. Then I woke up. Man I have some weird dreams.

Ahh lazy Thrusday

Nothing like Thursday. The little lady works at the lounge in the curling rink Thursday nights, so I just sit on the computer becoming reaquianted with my old friend... the internet.

I'm pretty excited about XMAS this year. The balls are in motion that should make this XMAS a pretty memorable one for a bunch of people in my life... no the least of all me!

I do have my apprehensions about this XMAS though. It's gonna be lonely in parts for me ... but I'm hoping it'll be a good time.