Diary of a Mad Editor

Archive for August 3rd, 2008

Volunteers Needed in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative brain disease that affects as many as 4.5 million people in the U.S. alone. With numbers like that, chances are you either know someone with Alzheimer’s or will one day be afflicted yourself. That’s why more research is needed to find a cure.

The Alzheimer’s Association is one of the chief organizations raising funds for research as well as awareness about the disease, and they are seeking volunteers for the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk. This event is the largest of its kind to raise awareness and funds to support research and help find a cure. The Memory Walk is a 2-3 mile walk typically held on a weekend morning in the Fall. Volunteers of all ages are urgently needed to participate.

I can tell you from my own experience participating in similar events over the years that it’s not only a great way to help raise money to battle a deadly disease, it’s great exercise and a great way to meet new people. So, what are you waiting for, America? Sign-up, now, to be a team captain for the next Memory Walk in your area and become a warrior in the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease!

Bad Bodyguard or Author Behaving Badly?

The Associated Press is reporting today that Lit-Celeb, Salman Rushdie of The Satanic Verses fame is threatening to sue Ron Evans, one of his former policeman bodyguards over the impending publication of Evans’ memoir On Her Majesty’s Service because of some unkind disclosures about fellow policemen and Rushdie allegedly contained in the book.

Well, you know . . . I have no idea whether the allegations about Rushdie are true, although I’ve heard from the usual unreliable sources ( a friend of a friend of a friend’s cousin’s ex-girlfriend’s sister who heard it from a waiter in a NY restaurant) that Rushdie is an asshole. I’ve never met the man, so I’ll take that information with a grain of salt. Although, I did find it interesting that Rushdie’s the only one vehemently denying Evans’ version. The official spokesman for the Metropolitan Police in London didn’t deny the allegations, only stating that the publication of the book was “unfortunate.” That can easily be translated into “that book embarrasses us, but it embarrasses us because it’s true.” When I think about Evans’ story, I’m suddenly overcome with the image of the police from Irvine Welsh’s novel, Filth. Ha-Ha.

So, is the bodyguard the bad guy here or is Rushdie the real heavy? Undoubtedly, Evans wouldn’t have even mentioned Rushdie were he not a lit-celeb knighted by the Queen. Nonetheless, that doesn’t automatically make him a liar.

What is funny to me is that no one would even give a shit about this book had Rushdie not gone all Mr. Cranky-Pants about it. Now, if the book is published (and probably, even if it isn’t), Evans will get his fifteen minutes of fame and people will put Rushdie under the microscope.

Are Pay Day Loans Right For You?

Let’s face it, unless you are the chairman of Exxon-Mobile, you are likely having trouble making ends meet in this economy. And if you happen to work in the arts, you are lucky if you even have a roof over your head!

So, what do you do when some emergency expense pops-up and you are short on funds? Your credit cards are maxed-out, your rich uncle is out of the country, your friends are just as broke as you are, and you surrendered your tax relief check to Walmart for a new flat screen T.V. Whether you need money for bills, car repairs, child support, or anything else that requires you to get cash in a hurry, you are left with few options — and most of them are illegal, inconvenient or just plain stupid. Probably the best option for you is a small payday loan from completeloansource.com. They offer fast personal loans with instant online approval and quick turnover. It’s much more convenient than going down to your local bank.