December BLOGGAGE to help usher out ‘O8
Hey you guys!!
Bet you thought I was NEVER gonna BLOG again hunh? That last one, with the historical election of Barack Obama, was very, VERY difficult to follow up. But, here I be! So let’s get into what has been swirling (like a frigid-cold December wind) through my (egg) noggin’!!
SPEED TRAPS REVISITED:\
Came across an article in the newspaper last month about traffic fines helping cities fill up their coffers. Umm-m-mmmmm… EXCUSE ME!?? But yours TRULY, the Georgester, did a piece on that right HERE , on this BLOG at the beginning of this year.
See: >> Bombastic Bloggage for Mid, to LATE February (2008) :
Amazing it took the paper THIS long to not only do a story on this topic, but to also get the PRESIDENT of the Police Officers Association of Michigan to ADMIT that more & more officers ARE being …how you say? “ENCOURAGED” to write moving violation tickets…..
SPEEDING people… 
……SPEEDING!
I recall back then, when I wrote that blog, I might have mentioned that a GOOD way to remedy that, and NOT help these little communities pay for a new copy machine, or police headquarters building, is to slow your asses DOWN! But, i know that aint’ ever gonna happen, so I gave you a website that tells you EXACTLY where those sneaky speed traps are. I don’t recall whether the newspaper article gave that site out, but I’ll post it, NOT because I’m encouraging you to BREAK-THE-LAW…(many of you DON’T NEED my encouragement to DRIVE EXCEPTIONALLY fa-aa-a-a-a-ss-s-sst…know what I’m sayin’?). But, when I see places like Plymouth with the highest percentage of tickets written between 2002-2007? I think there’s something wrong about that! Plymouth was at 487 %, followed by River Rouge, at 363 %, Sylvan Lake, at 322 %, Lathrup Village, at 240 %. Those numbers are obscene!! Now, the ARGUING-AGAINST side will say….”the number of traffic deaths because of speeding ..is obscene”. Hold it right there, wait a minute, wait a MIN-U-ETTE!! A good portion of driving accidents are caused by drunk drivers, and NOW? the ‘New Millineum’ drunk driver…..? >>>> Is the DISTRACTED — ( yappin’ on the cell phone…mostly) …driver. But, here’s a STERN warning: The National Motorists Association say METRO DETROIT has the MOST SPEED TRAPS in the U.S., as of in 2007!! In the entire U-S of A people!! 
Are you GETTIN’ THIS?? I have lost count as to how many times I have the DOORS BLOWN OFF the Buick, by stunt drivers on our freeways, and, sadly…. our surface streets, by those in a perpetual HURRY! Here’s the deal. You, my friends, don’t HAVE many options on this! You will either SLOW-THE-HELL-DOWN!? or…..you’ll get nailed speeding through one of our fine little municipalities. It’s your choice!! Happy motoring!!
Here is the website that will help you KNOW where the traps are. I, ONCE AGAIN, am NOT advocating that you break the law, but there is a REASON they are called: SPEED TRAPS – http://www.speedtrap.org/site_map
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BIG THREE BAILOUT, BRIDGE-LOAN, BRIDGE CARD, HAND-OUT…whatever! :
It has been no secret that our domestic automakers have been hemorrhaging $$$ for awhile now, and without getting into ALL the suspected reasons why, I thought I would bring it to you like this. Remember, at the near-beginning of this whole bailout thing, when ONE of the MAIN reasons experts were saying GM, FORD, & Chrysler were struggling was because they went BUCK-WILD…. selling gaz-guzzling behemoths? (mostly trucks) Well, has anyone taken a good look at the prices at the gas pumps recently? It would seem to ME, that IF that were the reason for the economic downturn of the Big Three, then people should be almost TRAMPLING each other (like a BLACK FRIDAY shopper) to get their very own MONSTER TRUCK!! right?? helloo-o-o-o-oooo ?? (echo!* echo!*). H-m-mmmm..maybe it WASN’T only that. Maybe the domestics had to really CONVINCE consumers that were at LEAST TRYING to join the 21st century, by putting more fuel-efficient, or more alternative energy-type vehicles on the road. That’s NOT to say the Japanese, or Europeans are getting it done any quicker, but it APPEARS to many that they ARE. There are some great American made vehicles out there, but the overall IMAGE of the Big Three is still suffering from prior years. Shoot! in California ( where MORE people buy cars than in ANY other state), you would be hard-pressed to look in even a grocery store parking lot, and find a Big Three vehicle!!
So, this latest “UNFAIR”, in my opinion, over-scrutinizing of U.S. automakers by the legislators >> 
<< should come as no surprise! The financial institutions all get the equivalent of a Monopoly “Get out of Jail FREE” card for ‘effing‘ up, but the city of Detroit’s lifeblood, the Big Three, get grilled like a slab of ribs on the 4th of July!! The original request for $25 billion (which NOW has been upped to around 34, 35 BILLION), is SO-O-O-O-O important to this region. I don’t think I have to tell anybody that! But, there are STILL murmurs of some sort of bankruptcy deal reportedly involving GM and Chrysler. DETROIT 
My city, my hometown, cannot TAKE a major hit like that…plain and simple! But, amazingly, it SEEMS as if some of those ‘crusty curmudgeons’ sitting on those House and Senate panels, wouldn’t MIND seeing Detroit become a ‘true’ ghost-town! I have FAITH that the loans will be made, but more importantly, I have FAITH that the domestic auto makers will GET THEIR COLLECTIVE acts together and turn this thing around. It’s like everything ELSE going on with our lives in TODAY’S world (yes…….in RADIO too)..LEANER, MEANER, and SUPER-DUPER competitive!! C’mon GM, FORD, Chrysler !! You can DO IT!! I KNOW you can!!
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HOLIDAY SHOP…..IN the “D”:
I’m NOT suggesting, or even remotely telling anyone where they should spend their HARD-EARNED money for the holidays. But, I agree with my friend and work colleague, Sandy Kovach, get out in the area stores and spend your money. I’ll just go a step, or TWO, further. Spend IN DETROIT! Spread it around, but give the city some love. C’mon ‘burbanites! We won’t bite here! I’ll have some information about precisely, where you can venture and find some nice things for gifts. Keep an — 
on this blog page for that information !!
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UPDATED INFORMATION!! UPDATED INFORMATION! UPDATED INFORMATION!!
There is a GRASS-ROOTS group called DETROIT SYNERGY, who for the past five years, have held a one day “SHOP DETROIT” extravaganza. This year, they extended the event to FOUR big days. There are (as of THIS writing), THREE shopping days left on their schedule.
INCLUDING >>>> Saturday, December 6th, Midtown Detroit, from 11am, until 4pm. Shoppers will have access to a number of participating stores and boutiques, as well as the gift shops in the Cultural Center; including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Their FIRST extravaganza was held on November 29 in Downtown Detroit. And, there are TWO more planned for : December 13th, at the Russell Industrial Center, and the FINAL shopping extravaganza day will be : December 20th @Eastern Market.
This is a GREAT way to particpate in something to not ONLY shop for unique gifts for the holidays, but it also gives the opportunity to help boost the city’s economy during the holiday season. If you want MORE information, I would encourage you to visit the Detroit Synergy website >>> www.detroitsynergy.org/projects/shopdetroit
I wish the group well in their efforts !! And a HUGE THUMBS UP!!
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THE LIONS: 
I don’t know what to say anymore. Whaddya want me to say? They’re HORRIBLE! just HORRIBLE! As bad as they ARE? We still love ‘em and want to see them ….um-mmmm? WIN a g**d*mn game!! But? Just as I said at the beginning of the season, shoot, I said this when SOME of you were LOSING your MINDS when they went unbeaten during preseason…(which, by the way, preseason games don’t mean POOP!), they would NOT be a good team! I THOUGHT that, AT LEAST they would squeeze out 3, maybe 4 wins? But, they are going to make history (the wrong kind, mind you) and become the first (and probably …ONLY) NFL team to EVER LOSE 16 GAMES in ONE SEASON!! That’s right people OH! & 16!! The Lions CANNOT BEAT ANYBODY!! Their ORGANIZATION IS in SHAMBLES (thank you Matt Millen, ya NUMBSKULL!! ), Their players (with the exception of Calvin Johnson, Ernie Sims, perhaps this kid, Smith at running back) are incredibly untalented. The Jury is still out on what Daunte Culpepper has left in the tank. I’m gonna give him the benefit of doubt by HIM being able to go through training camp next summer!
Did you all see the play the Tennessee Titans’ player made after he ‘glided’ through the Lions’ pathetic ‘efense ( rii-i-i-ight, spelled it that way because we KNOW the Lions don’t play no ‘D’ ). Dude runs it in …untouched, uninterrupted, looks at his watch, stops at Starbucks along the way for a cappucino coffee, makes a cell phone call, and casually places the ball into the end zone, for a touchdown!! Okay! maybe I over-embellished some of that, but you get my drift ? This entire organization is an UTTER embarrassment. I have a ….um-m-mm friendly ‘wager’ with our Marketing and Promotions Director, Maureen, that the Lions will NOT win a single game. She…is holding out HOPE that they will. I’m planning on exactly WHERE I’m going to be treated to LUNCH!!
Speaking of the LIONS? It’s time for ANOTHER : “From the Sidelines“ by Ray Templin….
A couple games ago. Lions QB, Daunte Culpepper was NEARLY BEHEADED trying to get into the endzone on a goal line ’keeper’ play
The zebras totally MISSED the play that everybody ELSE saw, and the Lions didn’t score. Didn’t matter anyway. They got ‘blowed-OUT’. They got ‘blowed-OUT’ real good!
Yaw-wwwwwwwwwnn-nnnn!!! >> 
OH & 16 kind of yawn!!
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PISTONS: 
report card:
Have to give them a B-MINUS so far. They still don’t defend the paint well, they are still adjusting to having Allen Iverson, and HE’S adjusting to them. They have to start Kwame ‘EFFING’ Brown!! at center!! No team with Kwame Brown in the starting lineup should expect to be hoisting the championship trophy next June…. know what I’m sayin’? They get Antonio McDyess back this month…which will help….a little! BUT??? Get a good look at a couple of players this season, ’cause THEY WON’T BE rockin’ the Pistons’ Red, White and Blue for the ‘O9 -10 season. See ya ‘Sheed, it was cool while we had you! A-I ?? Hasta La Vista baby-boy! !! I’m just sayin’.
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We had a GREAT TIME on November 21st, down at Campus Martius for the CITY of DETROIT’s Annual Tree-lighting show-extravaganza. I have a couple of video stills to share with you. The videos are from the ‘Doin the D’ episode. I always enjoy doing those, especially IN the city.
video still by: Roberto Boschian
Me and SANTA CLAUS!!
I was asking SANTA if Detroit was good in ‘O8. He said we were. And?? If we’re gunna get what we want?? He said yeah! H-mmmmm, Big THREE bailout, A public school system that works, A Lions win, more businesses, and PEOPLE moving back…..um! um! um! …..
video still by: Roberto Boschian
Funny! when I asked the honorable ( BOY! haven’t had a chance to say THAT about our mayor in awhile!! ) Kenneth Cockrel Jr. what HE wanted for Detroit for Christmas, his answers were pretty similar….(and he did it with a case of laryngitis!!) Happy Holidays!!
video still by: Roberto Boschian
It was a C-c-c-c-cccccOLD! but happy and festive crowd! I was sensing……HOPEFUL as well! HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!
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ONE MOORE THING:
Congratulations to Detroit’s own TIM BOWMAN. Tim has the number ONE Smooth Jazz hit track this week, “Sweet Sunday”, from his self-titled CD. I was very pleased to hear the news when Sandy told me. It could not happen to a GREATER person!!
video still by: Kristin Kelly
Tim and…(some dude) having a ‘Southwest Detroit’ moment during his listening party at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Tim? The entire CITY is proud of you! Your success is so well deserved!!
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ONE MORE, ONE MOORE THING:
The “BEST of DOIN’ the D” (featuring….me?) is coming !!! before the end of ‘O8
ONE MORE, ONE MOORE, ONE MO’ THING:
I kept this pretty low-key for various reasons..(HONESTLY? it was mostly because of the skittishness of others involved in this project)… But I was in ANOTHER movie, a short FILM/VIDEO a couple weeks ago, which was entered into the EAST LANSING FILM FESTIVAL. The film, by Mitten World Productions, was written, produced, and ACTED in by a couple of my work colleagues, and shot right here in the Detroit area. The short, FIVE MINUTE film is entitled .. “The Last Caller”. Basically, I play the role of a radio talk-show host ( wow! THAT was a stretch!!), who gets OFFED by a crazed, stalker type person. The movie also featured a VERY convincing … Sandy Kovach, who had a part as a caller on my radio show. How did the movie DO in the film festival??
We won “HONORABLE MENTION”, meaning, there were ONLY four other films that were deemed BETTER than ours!! WAY TO GO Guys!!! Next YEAR?? We GET the TOP Prize!! It was a LOT of fun, and I really enjoyed working on it!
You MAY be able to see some of “The Last Caller” by visiting the ELFF website at >>>>> www.elff.com ( I say may, because as of right now? the site hasn’t been updated to include any ‘clips’ of the movies) And…I’m told by the guys, that THIS is the BEST they have ever done in the film festival!! Check it out!!
Feel free to email me if you feel compelled: george.moore@cbsradio.com
Till the NEXT blog: 
PEACE! …on on Earth, GOODWILL toward mankind!