SwampLog: Blogathon 2005

The Final Countdown

One hour!  Sixty minutes!  3600 seconds!

Special props to Colleen, who answered the "Call Devin's Damned Cell Phone" challenge.  She's blogging on TinMonkey.com, and she really got me during that prank, since she's at the Center of all things Blogathon.  I'm just out on the fringes.  Hi, Sheana!

Yours Truly,
Hong Kong Phooey.

Schwag Auction Number Three, Y'all!

Item Number Three is now open for bids: a Free Pass at the world famous Moonlite Bunny Ranch!

Dennis Hof, the Pimpmaster General of the United States, is a very giving individual.  When we approached him for a unique giveaway for today's Blogathon, we figured he would be able to hook us up with a selection of shirts or other memorabilia from the Bunny Ranch.

Dennis would have none of it.  Period.

He instead offered a free pass at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada. 

Please understand: this is only a free pass for one round of service.  This does NOT include transportation to or from Carson City, nor does it include lodging at the Bunny Ranch.  And it DAMN SURE does not include gratuity.

That said, if you've seen HBO's "Cathouse," you know that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the amazing ladies of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch for yourself.

Starting right now (9:00 pm EDT), bidders need to send an e-mail to blogathon@devinandmarty.com with the amount they would like to bid on the item. The item has a minimum bid of $100, and is valued at far more than that.  The bidding will only last until the end of the Blogathon, at 9:00 am EDT.  One hour prior to the end of the auction (at 8:00 am EDT), I'll post an update on the bidding. If you want the item, send in your best bid. Don't wait around to "snipe" the item, since it won't work that way.

If you are the winner, I will e-mail you with instructions to make that amount as a pledge for the Blogathon.

So, get bidding... Now!

Please Note -- When the Powerbook went down, there were bids on both existing items -- the Girls Gone Wild promo pack and original Yirmumah! production art.  Those bids need to be re-submitted at this time, and bidding will be held open until the end of Blogathon.  Make your bid now.

Schwag Auction Number Two, Y'all!

Item Number Two is now open for bids: Production art from the webcomic Yirmumah!

DJ Coffman and Bob McDeavitt draw the funniest funny on the Web. Period! Anyone who disputes it needs to go see for themselves. They want to help Kick Cancer's ASS, so they're offering up the original art for their strip, "Cave of Cliches." This is truly a one-of-a-kind item.

Starting right now (6:30 pm EDT), bidders need to send an e-mail to blogathon@devinandmarty.com with the amount they would like to bid on the item. The item has a minimum bid of $100, and is valued at far more than that. The bidding will only last one hour. At the halfway mark, I'll post an update on the bidding. If you want the item, send in your best bid. Don't wait around to "snipe" the item, since it won't work that way.

If you are the winner, I will e-mail you with instructions to make that amount as a pledge for the Blogathon.

So, get bidding... Now!

P.S. -- Since none of youse guys bid on the First Schwag Item, the Girls Gone Wild prize pack personalized by GGW founder Joe Francis and other entertainers, it is now sitting up for grabs. Make your bid now.

Schwag Auction Number One, Y'all!

Item Number One is now open for bids: a Girls Gone Wild gift bag, personalized by GGW founder / millionaire playboy Joe Francis and other entertainers

Starting right now (4:30 pm EDT), bidders need to send an e-mail to blogathon@devinandmarty.com with the amount they would like to bid on the item. The item has a minimum bid of $100, and is valued at retail far more than that. The bidding will only last one hour. At the halfway mark, I'll post an update on the bidding. If you want the item, send in your best bid. Don't wait around to "snipe" the item, since it won't work that way.

If you are the winner, I will e-mail you with instructions to make that amount as a pledge for the Blogathon.

So, get bidding... Now!

Alright, What's In It For Me?

As I type this, there's $295 pledged for the American Cancer Society. I'm eternally grateful to everyone who has pledged.

However, a lot of you haven't. You're not going to burn in hell or anything, but you do want to know one simple thing:

"What do I get out of it? You're going to type whether I pledge or not."

That's accurate. But, because I'm a giving person, I'm going to let you in on a little secret... there's pledge incentives coming. I'll 'splain.

The person who pledges the highest single amount today will get to program a whole hour of DAMradio on Friday, August 26. This podcast, though highly illegal, is heard and adored worldwide by stockbrokers in New York, tour guides in Australia, and US Army personnel stationed in Iraq. It's your big chance to inflict your musical tastes on the world.

We also have three one-of-a-kind items to offer up, and these are excellent:

• 4:30 pm EDT: A Girls Gone Wild gift bag, personalized by GGW founder / millionaire playboy Joe Francis and other entertainers
• 6:30 pm EDT: An original piece of art from Yirmumah! creators DJ Coffman and Bob McDeavitt
• 8:30 pm EDT: A "free pass" at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada (as seen on HBO's award-winning series 'Cathouse'), courtesy of Bunny Ranch owner Dennis Hof

Here's how this will work:

Starting at the times listed above, bidders will send an e-mail to blogathon@devinandmarty.com with the amount they would like to bid on the item. Each item has a minimum bid of $100, and each item is worth far more than that. No bids will be accepted in advance of the start time, and bidding will only last one hour.

At the halfway mark, I'll post an update on the bidding. If you want the item, send in your best bid. Don't wait around to "snipe" the item, since it won't work that way. Meh.

Spread the word today -- if you know someone who would like any of the items listed, call them. E-mail them. Do it NOW.

No one ever said charity ever had to be polite.

Early Faves

You should be surfing the Blogathon Webring, located over there to the right, so you can see what people worldwide are doing for their respective charities. There's a lot of great people working their ass off all day. Here's some of my favorites early on:

For The Love Of Greys is a site by Jenny & Kimmie, benefitting Greyhound Adoptions of Florida. Greyhounds are my second favorite breed of dogs -- if I didn't say that boxers were my fave, Nik would surely beat my ass.

Erik Anderson is the first DJ working Radio Free Blogathon, doing a great job holding down the dawn patrol. Check out his blog while he keeps the radio station between the ditches. (By the way, I'm working the graveyard shift -- 5:00 - 9:00 am EDT) for Radio Free Blogathon. Graveyard. AGAIN!!!

Lindsey LeBlanc is blogging for the Canadian Cancer Foundation, so you know for a fact that she's going to get some pimpin' from me. Also, she has tasty nipple rings.

It IS A Visual Medium, After All...

Some photos from the first hours of the 'thon.  Apologies for the slapdash nature of the pics -- I'm still struggling with basic motor skills.

The First Schwag Announcement

[Originally posted on the Big Blog]

You know of my love for all things Yirmumah! and the strip's creators, DJ Coffman and Bob McDeavitt. The strip is consistently one funny damned comic.

So, imagine my glee -- utter and absolute schoolgirl-esque glee -- when DJ offered to create a special piece of artwork for the Blogathon.

At some point on Saturday, 5 August, I'll post that if you want this piece of artwork, you need to pledge a certain amount. Once that single pledge amount is met, the original piece of art will be mailed to the winner's home.

I am incredibly stoked by this, and extremely grateful to DJ and Bob.

This will not be the only piece of collectable schwag I'll be pimping out for the 'thon and the folks who pledge. Remember, the person who makes the highest single pledge donation gets to program a whole hour of DAMradio on Friday, August 26.

Oh, one more thing Blogathon-related: the XML feed is up and running. Go ahead and plug it into your feed readers.

A Few Words From Our Sponsored

Devin,

It was nice talking with you today regarding your desire to raise funds for the American Cancer Society through the annual blog-athon. Most of all, I was very pleased to hear feedback on your positive experience with the American Cancer Society during your cancer journey. What I think most people don't realize is that we are so much more than a fundraising organization!

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

A few highlights to share:

Research - We are the largest not-for-profit funder of research in the US-over $2 billion to date! Through a peer review process, we strive to fund the best science, including junior investigators who may not yet qualify for the larger government grants. In fact, 38 of the researchers we funded early in their careers went on to win the Nobel Prize-an impressive statistic we are enormously proud of!

Education - An American Cancer Society priority is to raise public awareness on how to prevent or lower your risk for cancer, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and ways to improve quality of life to all sectors of the community. In addition, the medical community relies on us for cutting-edge cancer information and continuing education in the field of oncology.

Advocacy - By raising awareness of our legislators at every level on the needs of the general public and cancer patients, we are able to encourage changes in policy on issues such as tobacco use, insurance coverage for cancer screenings, navigation, and indigent care, to name just a few.

Services - Your local American Cancer Society offers a variety of services to patients in need in our community. These include support groups, one-on-one visitation, transportation to treatment, guest room services, gift items, and medical equipment, etc. In addition, because of our strong collaborative partnership with local medical systems, we have access to a strong referral network to help patients access all available resources in their community.

Comprehensive cancer information is available on our website, cancer.org, and cancer specialists are available to answer your questions about cancer 24/7, 365 days a year at 1-800-ACS-2345.

One way to get involved in the fight against cancer on the local level is through our signature event, Relay For Life. This overnight event takes place on a local track, where 8-10 walkers per team take turns walking throughout the night to raise funds for our mission (after all, cancer never sleeps!) There is a Cancer Survivor Celebration and moving luminary service to remember those who have lost their battle with cancer, or are still engaged in the fight, as well as numerous other fun activities to keep things rocking throughout the night. We have 11 events scheduled for 2006 in Tarrant/Denton County in these communities: Arlington, Azle, Benbrook, Burleson, Denton, Fort Worth, Keller, Lake Worth, Mansfield, Northeast Tarrant County, Saginaw. There is one near you, so call your local American Cancer Society at 817-737-9992 to get more information and join us in the fight against cancer in 2006!!

I hope you find this information helpful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance, and THANK YOU for choosing to support our lifesaving mission -- I look forward to hearing of your success!

Lesa M. Robison
Development Director
American Cancer Society, Fort Worth Metro