Despite its outlawing, college fraternities continue hazing pledges, sometimes with disastrous results
BarkGrowlBite
May 16, 2017
Lately the mews has been occupied with the death of Penn State student Timothy Piazza who died as the result of a Beta Theta Pi fraternity hazing prank gone bad on the night of February 2.
The 19-year-old sophomore and 13 other Beta Theta Pi pledges were made to run ‘The Gauntlet,’ a cute little hazing prank in which the pledges were required to stop at several ‘stations’ and chugalug large quantities of vodka and beer. Piazza died in a hospital February 4 because fraternity brothers refused for 12 hours to call for medics after he had tumbled twice down a set of stairs. He had been tanked up with booze and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.40 percent.
Texas and every other state has banned hazing in any form of public and private school students, and of college and university students. Despite the ban, the illegal practice goes on unabated. Every college administration is aware that fraternity and sorority pledges are being hazed and turn a blind eye to the practice until the shit hits the fan as it did at Penn State.
When I attended the University of Texas in Austin back in I think it was 1949, I pledged a fraternity and was subjected to hazing on a daily basis. The hazing consisted mostly of getting the shit swatted out of you by leather belts and wooden paddles. And you were made to do pushups at the drop of a hat with some asshole frat brother pushing down on you with his foot.
I remember one freezing night, we were stripped down to our skivvies and forced to hike through Austin neighborhoods. Several of the frat brothers followed us in a nice warm car. During the hike a police car stopped us and the officers warned us we would be jailed if we continued the hike. We told the cops, “please take us to jail!” They said, “We can’t do that, we don’t have enough room in our jail.” And so we went on our merry way. When we got back to the frat house the brothers paddled the shit out of our frozen asses for asking the cops to take us to jail.
I quit the fraternity, not because of the hazing, but because as a military veteran I came to realize I did not want to be associated with a bunch of young jerks.
It was common knowledge all over the UT campus that fraternity and sorority pledges were being subjected to one form of hazing or another. The UT administration was aware of it then and the Penn State administration had to be aware of it when Piazza met his untimely end.
18 members of the Penn State Beta Theta Pi chapter have been charged in Piazza’s death. Eight of the fraternity brothers and the chapter were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Other charges include aggravated and simple assault, evidence tampering, alcohol-related violations and hazing.
Some of those jerks could transfer from Penn State to State Pen where they will experience hazing like none they could have imagined. Some of them will be forced to suck dicks and be punked, leaving them with a bad taste in the mouth and a good case of the red ass.
There are already calls for the charges to be dropped so that the 18 frat brothers won’t have their young live ruined by a criminal record resulting from a college prank gone wrong. Have their young lives ruined? What about the life of Timothy Piazza? His young life was not ruined, it was snuffed out by 18 jerks who knew better but wanted to hush up what happened within the fraternity by refusing to call for medics when Piazza was obviously injured by falling down the stairs.
Not all frat members are jerks. And in addition to hazing and sex orgies, fraternities are known for doing good deeds. The problem is that enough of the brothers are jerks, making it appear that they dominate the fraternity.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
DIFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS IN HONORING MOM ON MOTHER’S DAY
Man, 36, 'drenched in blood walks into a grocery store carrying his mother's severed HEAD on Mother's Day before stabbing an employee'
By Liam Quinn
Daily Mail
May 15, 2017
A man who reportedly was drenched in blood and carrying his mother's severed head when he walked into a grocery store and stabbed an employee has been arrested.
Joshua Lee Webb, 36, allegedly walked into the Estacada Thriftway Harvest Market in Oregon on Sunday afternoon. Authorities say he was also carrying a large kitchen knife at the time.
Just minutes after he strolled into the store and grabbed the employee, authorities discovered the body of Webb's 59-year-old mother, Tina, in her home about 10 miles away.
Police have revealed they believe the two gruesome incidents are connected.
Ernie Roberts, interim police chief in nearby Sandy, Oregon, spoke to reporters Monday about what happened inside the grocery store.
After walking inside, Webb stabbed the worker - who was known by locals as 'Mike'.
Mike, a white-haired checkout clerk, had worked at the store for years and was beloved by customers for his warm greetings and sense of humor, locals said.
Co-workers raced to Mike's aid after he was attacked, tackling Webb and pinning him to the ground until police arrived.
Roberts said the 36-year-old attacker did not say anything after he was 'subdued' - except for the bizarre moment when he told someone he was thirsty.
'He was in like a catatonic state, wasn't speaking to anybody,' the cop said.
'That's why he was transported to the hospital.'
Mike remains in hospital for treatment on the wounds he suffered in the attack, but he is expected to survive.
Soon after the attack, someone called 911 to report that a woman's body was found at a home in Colton, a short drive south of Estacada.
Police did not say if the body was decapitated.
The attack sent shock waves through the community, and customers were seen stopping off in a steady stream to drop off balloons at a tribute for Mike in front of the store. Many also signed a giant get-well poster.
Webb also remains in hospital.
By Liam Quinn
Daily Mail
May 15, 2017
A man who reportedly was drenched in blood and carrying his mother's severed head when he walked into a grocery store and stabbed an employee has been arrested.
Joshua Lee Webb, 36, allegedly walked into the Estacada Thriftway Harvest Market in Oregon on Sunday afternoon. Authorities say he was also carrying a large kitchen knife at the time.
Just minutes after he strolled into the store and grabbed the employee, authorities discovered the body of Webb's 59-year-old mother, Tina, in her home about 10 miles away.
Police have revealed they believe the two gruesome incidents are connected.
Ernie Roberts, interim police chief in nearby Sandy, Oregon, spoke to reporters Monday about what happened inside the grocery store.
After walking inside, Webb stabbed the worker - who was known by locals as 'Mike'.
Mike, a white-haired checkout clerk, had worked at the store for years and was beloved by customers for his warm greetings and sense of humor, locals said.
Co-workers raced to Mike's aid after he was attacked, tackling Webb and pinning him to the ground until police arrived.
Roberts said the 36-year-old attacker did not say anything after he was 'subdued' - except for the bizarre moment when he told someone he was thirsty.
'He was in like a catatonic state, wasn't speaking to anybody,' the cop said.
'That's why he was transported to the hospital.'
Mike remains in hospital for treatment on the wounds he suffered in the attack, but he is expected to survive.
Soon after the attack, someone called 911 to report that a woman's body was found at a home in Colton, a short drive south of Estacada.
Police did not say if the body was decapitated.
The attack sent shock waves through the community, and customers were seen stopping off in a steady stream to drop off balloons at a tribute for Mike in front of the store. Many also signed a giant get-well poster.
Webb also remains in hospital.
40 SECONDS TO HELL
2 Dead Following 40-Second-Long Police Chase That Ended In Fiery Crash In Heart Of Hollywood
CBS Los Angeles
May 14, 2017
HOLLYWOOD -- Authorities say two people in a stolen vehicle have died following a police chase that ended in a fiery crash in Hollywood.
The pursuit, which lasted no longer than 40 seconds, ended at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard at Gower Street.
Officers used fire extinguishers and attempted to pull the suspects from the burning vehicle — a 1993 Honda Accord — after it crashed into a tree.
Police were not able to get the suspects out in time. Authorities said they were so badly burned it was impossible to tell their genders.
The incident unfolded just after 2 a.m. Sunday.
Both suspects were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities have not yet been released.
“We saw the car in flames and the cops surrounding it,” said witness Lauren Weening.
She also said many patrol cars were in pursuit of the suspects.
“He was going 70 miles per hour. We counted 14 cops following him, we counted 14 police officers going after him,” Weening said.
The crash was so horrific many had trouble recognizing a car was involved.
“It didn’t even look like a vehicle,” said Molly McRhoads, “it just looked like a bunch of scrap metal, just burnt metal, twisted and awful.”
No one else was hurt.
CBS Los Angeles
May 14, 2017
HOLLYWOOD -- Authorities say two people in a stolen vehicle have died following a police chase that ended in a fiery crash in Hollywood.
The pursuit, which lasted no longer than 40 seconds, ended at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard at Gower Street.
Officers used fire extinguishers and attempted to pull the suspects from the burning vehicle — a 1993 Honda Accord — after it crashed into a tree.
Police were not able to get the suspects out in time. Authorities said they were so badly burned it was impossible to tell their genders.
The incident unfolded just after 2 a.m. Sunday.
Both suspects were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities have not yet been released.
“We saw the car in flames and the cops surrounding it,” said witness Lauren Weening.
She also said many patrol cars were in pursuit of the suspects.
“He was going 70 miles per hour. We counted 14 cops following him, we counted 14 police officers going after him,” Weening said.
The crash was so horrific many had trouble recognizing a car was involved.
“It didn’t even look like a vehicle,” said Molly McRhoads, “it just looked like a bunch of scrap metal, just burnt metal, twisted and awful.”
No one else was hurt.
Monday, May 15, 2017
TINGLING LEAVES IN SHOWER GEL STARTED A FUCKING BRUSH FIRE IN HER PUBIC THATCH
British woman uses Facebook to rant about Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shower gel
How strong is Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shower gel? Well, according to Kathryn Kendall, a 36-year-oldBritish woman, it set her vagina ablaze.
Original Source says it has 7,927 tingling leaves crammed into every bottle.
Here is Kathryn’s hilarious rant from her May 10 ‘I know, I need to stop talking’ Facebook page:
I Know, I Need To Stop Talking with Original Source and 30 others.
Um, Original Source… can we talk?
I’d like to take you back to around 6.45am this morning, when I stepped into my bath, and found that my usual, rather innocuous bottle of shower gel (Waitrose essentials, Rose) had run out. A tad irritating, but fortuitously, I had a solution close to hand. A brand new, unopened bottle of your very own Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel. My bodily cleanliness was assured once more. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I took the Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel and began to work it into a lather. I applied it to first one leg, then the other, and shaved them diligently. (Yes, feel free to be impressed at my commitment to body defoliation at 6.45am on a Wednesday morning. I was too.) So far, so good.
I washed my arms and shaved underneath them. I washed my neck, breasts, stomach and back. Thus far, it had been a positively first class bathing experience.
And then.
AND THEN.
Oh. Dear. God.
MY VAGINA WAS ABLAZE.
For a moment, I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. Had I repeated the never to be forgotten error when I managed to apply hair removal cream which was strictly not for front bottoms to my front bottom? Had a stray spark inadvertently set light to my pubic thatch?
BECAUSE IT FUCKING FELT LIKE IT.
Yes, Original Source, your innocuous looking green bottle of so called shower gel, it turns out, is an absolute fucking liability. MY FLAPS WERE ON FUCKING FIRE. I had a quick look at the ingredients list to see if it contained gasoline. It did not. There was a warning though. ‘KEEP AWAY FROM EYES.’ Keep away from eyes? KEEP AWAY FROM EYES? Frankly, my eyes were the least of my problems right now.
I frantically scrubbed my flaps, which by now felt as though they were being ceremoniously scrubbed by ants wearing ice skates laced with chilli sauce. ‘7,929 tingling leaves’ claimed the front of the bottle. Tingling? TINGLING? This wasn’t tingling my minge. It was starting a fucking bush fire down there. (Pun entirely intended. You can thank me later.)
Some twelve hours later, my front bottom has finally calmed down, though may well be suffering from as yet unconfirmed PTSD. My eyes have eventually stopped watering. And so, in the interests of public safety, I thought I would pen you this missive.
May I suggest a rebranding of the front of your bottles of Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel? Something along the lines of the following:
‘7,927 tingling leaves which will accost your genitalia until it screams for mercy.’
If nothing else, it will certainly stand out on the shelf. Anyways, thanks for brightening up my morning. And my front bottom, which has never been so lively.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Maybe Original Source wouldn’t be so strong if they put fewer than 7,927 tingling leaves into each bottle! Nearly 8,000 tingling leaves? No wonder it started a fucking brush fire in her pubic thatch.
How strong is Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shower gel? Well, according to Kathryn Kendall, a 36-year-oldBritish woman, it set her vagina ablaze.
Original Source says it has 7,927 tingling leaves crammed into every bottle.
Here is Kathryn’s hilarious rant from her May 10 ‘I know, I need to stop talking’ Facebook page:
I Know, I Need To Stop Talking with Original Source and 30 others.
Um, Original Source… can we talk?
I’d like to take you back to around 6.45am this morning, when I stepped into my bath, and found that my usual, rather innocuous bottle of shower gel (Waitrose essentials, Rose) had run out. A tad irritating, but fortuitously, I had a solution close to hand. A brand new, unopened bottle of your very own Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel. My bodily cleanliness was assured once more. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I took the Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel and began to work it into a lather. I applied it to first one leg, then the other, and shaved them diligently. (Yes, feel free to be impressed at my commitment to body defoliation at 6.45am on a Wednesday morning. I was too.) So far, so good.
I washed my arms and shaved underneath them. I washed my neck, breasts, stomach and back. Thus far, it had been a positively first class bathing experience.
And then.
AND THEN.
Oh. Dear. God.
MY VAGINA WAS ABLAZE.
For a moment, I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. Had I repeated the never to be forgotten error when I managed to apply hair removal cream which was strictly not for front bottoms to my front bottom? Had a stray spark inadvertently set light to my pubic thatch?
BECAUSE IT FUCKING FELT LIKE IT.
Yes, Original Source, your innocuous looking green bottle of so called shower gel, it turns out, is an absolute fucking liability. MY FLAPS WERE ON FUCKING FIRE. I had a quick look at the ingredients list to see if it contained gasoline. It did not. There was a warning though. ‘KEEP AWAY FROM EYES.’ Keep away from eyes? KEEP AWAY FROM EYES? Frankly, my eyes were the least of my problems right now.
I frantically scrubbed my flaps, which by now felt as though they were being ceremoniously scrubbed by ants wearing ice skates laced with chilli sauce. ‘7,929 tingling leaves’ claimed the front of the bottle. Tingling? TINGLING? This wasn’t tingling my minge. It was starting a fucking bush fire down there. (Pun entirely intended. You can thank me later.)
Some twelve hours later, my front bottom has finally calmed down, though may well be suffering from as yet unconfirmed PTSD. My eyes have eventually stopped watering. And so, in the interests of public safety, I thought I would pen you this missive.
May I suggest a rebranding of the front of your bottles of Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel? Something along the lines of the following:
‘7,927 tingling leaves which will accost your genitalia until it screams for mercy.’
If nothing else, it will certainly stand out on the shelf. Anyways, thanks for brightening up my morning. And my front bottom, which has never been so lively.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Maybe Original Source wouldn’t be so strong if they put fewer than 7,927 tingling leaves into each bottle! Nearly 8,000 tingling leaves? No wonder it started a fucking brush fire in her pubic thatch.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE ALLERGIC TO MARIJUANA, A FACT THE POT ADVOCATES PREFER YOU DID NOT KNOW
Rise of the CANNABIS allergy: 36 million Americans are allergic to marijuana - including other people's - causing asthma, inflammation and rashes
By Mia de Graaf
Daily Mail
May 12, 2017
More than 36 million Americans could be allergic to marijuana - even if they passively inhale it, figures show.
According to a report on the nation's allergies, 73 percent of the 50 million people who react to pollen also have issues with cannabis - and the figure is rising.
Scientists warn reactions even occur in people who are merely exposed to marijuana smoke, rather than consuming the drug themselves.
Researchers found in some cases exposure to marijuana pollen or cannabis smoke provoked symptoms of allergic rhinitis, caused by inflammation of the nasal passages, causing sneezing, congestion, itching and a runny nose.
They also found symptoms of conjunctivitis and asthma.
Experts warn the issue is a matter that needs urgent investigation as more than half the country has now legalized the drug.
Indeed, a study published last year reviewed the medical evidence, examining cases of allergic reactions to the marijuana plant, also known by its Latin name Cannabis sativa.
The researchers wrote: 'Although still relatively uncommon allergic disease associated with cannabis sativa exposure and use has been reported with increased frequency.'
Cannabis pollen normally sheds in late summer and early autumn.
The researchers wrote it is 'very buoyant, allowing for distribution across many mile'.
Scientists and authors Dr Thad Ocampo and Dr Tonya Rans said for those people with cannabis allergies an act as simple as touching the plant can trigger hives, itching and puffiness or swelling around the eyes.
They also revealed eating cannabis products, such as cannabis seed-encrusted seafood, could trigger an allergic reaction.
After emergency treatment tests revealed the patient was not allergic to seafood but the cannabis seeds were the culprit.
And the study noted some people who injected marijuana developed reactions including facial swelling and wheezing within minutes of exposure.
Allergic asthma triggered by seasonal and occupational exposure to cannabis was also reported.
The authors of the article pointed out that cannabis' legal status may create barriers for accurate and clear patient reporting, and that legal limitations may pose diagnostic challenges.
As with other allergens, the researchers advised that people avoid cannabis to reduce the risk of a reaction.
For those who have a history of anaphylaxis, which causes breathing difficulties, the scientists advise carrying an EpiPen.
Marijuana's legal status in the US is changing, making information about cannabis allergy timely and noteworthy.
Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, and eight states have legalized marijuana for recreational use.
The article was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Just see as more states legalize pot. That 36 million number will rise dramatically. A crackdown by the DEA in Colorado, Washington, California and other legalization states will stop this dangerous legalization nonsense.
By Mia de Graaf
Daily Mail
May 12, 2017
More than 36 million Americans could be allergic to marijuana - even if they passively inhale it, figures show.
According to a report on the nation's allergies, 73 percent of the 50 million people who react to pollen also have issues with cannabis - and the figure is rising.
Scientists warn reactions even occur in people who are merely exposed to marijuana smoke, rather than consuming the drug themselves.
Researchers found in some cases exposure to marijuana pollen or cannabis smoke provoked symptoms of allergic rhinitis, caused by inflammation of the nasal passages, causing sneezing, congestion, itching and a runny nose.
They also found symptoms of conjunctivitis and asthma.
Experts warn the issue is a matter that needs urgent investigation as more than half the country has now legalized the drug.
Indeed, a study published last year reviewed the medical evidence, examining cases of allergic reactions to the marijuana plant, also known by its Latin name Cannabis sativa.
The researchers wrote: 'Although still relatively uncommon allergic disease associated with cannabis sativa exposure and use has been reported with increased frequency.'
Cannabis pollen normally sheds in late summer and early autumn.
The researchers wrote it is 'very buoyant, allowing for distribution across many mile'.
Scientists and authors Dr Thad Ocampo and Dr Tonya Rans said for those people with cannabis allergies an act as simple as touching the plant can trigger hives, itching and puffiness or swelling around the eyes.
They also revealed eating cannabis products, such as cannabis seed-encrusted seafood, could trigger an allergic reaction.
After emergency treatment tests revealed the patient was not allergic to seafood but the cannabis seeds were the culprit.
And the study noted some people who injected marijuana developed reactions including facial swelling and wheezing within minutes of exposure.
Allergic asthma triggered by seasonal and occupational exposure to cannabis was also reported.
The authors of the article pointed out that cannabis' legal status may create barriers for accurate and clear patient reporting, and that legal limitations may pose diagnostic challenges.
As with other allergens, the researchers advised that people avoid cannabis to reduce the risk of a reaction.
For those who have a history of anaphylaxis, which causes breathing difficulties, the scientists advise carrying an EpiPen.
Marijuana's legal status in the US is changing, making information about cannabis allergy timely and noteworthy.
Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form, and eight states have legalized marijuana for recreational use.
The article was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Just see as more states legalize pot. That 36 million number will rise dramatically. A crackdown by the DEA in Colorado, Washington, California and other legalization states will stop this dangerous legalization nonsense.
PEP CLAIMS HIGH SUCCESS RATE FOR RELEASED TEXAS PRISON INMATES
"Shark Tank" for felons teaches more than business plans
By Chris Tomlinson
Houston Chronicle
May 12, 2017
CLEVELAND, Texas – Some call it "Shark Tank" for felons, but this business plan competition is much more than a jailhouse version of a reality show.
For the last six months, 85 men at the Cleveland Correctional Center have studied commerce, developed a business idea and dreamed of a better life. Within two years they'll be back on the street, and the Prison Entrepreneurship Program aims to prepare them.
The business plan competition is just weeks away, so Charles Hearne, PEP's executive relations manager, invited me to a practice session. I joined three dozen business men and women for an afternoon behind razor wire, steel doors and shatterproof glass. The experience was not what I expected, but neither is PEP.
Each year the staff invites 10,000 prisoners to apply for the program. Only sex offenders are excluded. About 3,000 express interest, but only 2,000 fill out the 20 page application. PEP provides 1,500 with a study packet for a 50 question test. Last year 718 participated, which is to say, the men earned their way into the program.
Once accepted, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transfers them to one of three facilities with a PEP classroom and instructor.
Training begins with a three-month leadership program focused on instilling integrity, accountability, love, fun and excellence, what Hearne calls degangsterization. Since the art of the deal is about poise and communication, students also complete a Toastmaster's public speaking program. Then the six-month business program begins using college textbooks and Harvard and Stanford Business School case studies.
My shock came when we entered the PEP classroom. Students blared upbeat music, flashed the fluorescent lights and gave us high-fives as we walked down what PEP calls a "tunnel of love" created by two lines of prisoners in white uniforms. They welcomed us by name and thanked us for joining them. The raucous welcome and 30 minutes of ice-breaking exercises are designed to settle nerves.
PEP has brought executives and prisoners together for 14 years, and they know a trick or two about building personal connection. But soon we got down to business, with eight judges providing feedback to 10 prisoners in mock pitches they've rehearsed in their cells for weeks.
To protect the privacy and security of those involved, PEP staff asked me to identify participants by their first name and last initial. The staff also tell the prisoners not to discuss their crimes, because they want their focus to be on the future, not the past.
The 10 pitches I heard were modestly ambitious, reflecting the student's realistic expectations and a desire to start something where their past can't haunt them.
Valentin T. wanted to start a home-based medical billing business, performing back-office functions of solo doctors. He'd calculated the cost of the computer and software and how long it will take to pay for it all. Robert K. had a plan to raise organic beef for high-end restaurants. Other plans included an RV park, a restaurant, a tree nursery, a janitorial service and a tiny house construction and rental business.
Brian A., who has spent 25 years of his life behind bars, plans to start a magazine for prisoners and their families that can also market prisoner-made arts and crafts.
"I have a captive audience," Brian laughed while explaining how prisoners have things to sell, but can't access the Internet. "I know prisoners who have put their children through college selling crafts."
Jeremi R plans to start a mobile barbershop.
"PEP teaches us not to use what we did as a crutch to keep us from succeeding," he said. "We learn that we can have a successful business and a better life."
Thomas Fields, founder and CEO of a start-up called Grind, was making his second trip and said he could relate to the prisoners more than the older, white executives. The University of Houston junior, himself an aspiring entrepreneur and minority, knows the courage that starting a business requires.
"The program gives them a different state of mind, coming from broken homes, broken families, rough backgrounds, rough upbringings," Fields said.
What struck me was the students' vulnerability as they dropped their street-tough personas to become someone new, as if psychologically donning a business suit for the first time and trying to get comfortable in it. Their sincere aspiration for a better life was palpable, and their fear of rejection was heart-touching, clearly affecting the executives who eagerly coached them on.
PEP graduates earn a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business. PEP also operates six transition homes in Houston, Dallas and Austin to help them re-enter society. All graduates find a job within 90 days of release. Graduates have started 289 legitimate, profitable businesses.
More importantly, while 50 percent of ex-convicts end up back in jail within three years, only 7 percent of PEP's 1,500 graduates have returned to the system. The program costs taxpayers nothing, with PEP relying instead on grants and donations. But Hearne said what PEP needs most are business people willing to donate time and expertise.
Not every man in the program will start his own company. But undergoing the intellectual rigor of creating a business provides invaluable life lessons that help these men rehabilitate.
The Prison Entrepreneurship Program teaches these men to not only stay out of trouble, but to become pillars in their communities. Now if only the rest of us would open our minds and give them that opportunity.
By Chris Tomlinson
Houston Chronicle
May 12, 2017
CLEVELAND, Texas – Some call it "Shark Tank" for felons, but this business plan competition is much more than a jailhouse version of a reality show.
For the last six months, 85 men at the Cleveland Correctional Center have studied commerce, developed a business idea and dreamed of a better life. Within two years they'll be back on the street, and the Prison Entrepreneurship Program aims to prepare them.
The business plan competition is just weeks away, so Charles Hearne, PEP's executive relations manager, invited me to a practice session. I joined three dozen business men and women for an afternoon behind razor wire, steel doors and shatterproof glass. The experience was not what I expected, but neither is PEP.
Each year the staff invites 10,000 prisoners to apply for the program. Only sex offenders are excluded. About 3,000 express interest, but only 2,000 fill out the 20 page application. PEP provides 1,500 with a study packet for a 50 question test. Last year 718 participated, which is to say, the men earned their way into the program.
Once accepted, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transfers them to one of three facilities with a PEP classroom and instructor.
Training begins with a three-month leadership program focused on instilling integrity, accountability, love, fun and excellence, what Hearne calls degangsterization. Since the art of the deal is about poise and communication, students also complete a Toastmaster's public speaking program. Then the six-month business program begins using college textbooks and Harvard and Stanford Business School case studies.
My shock came when we entered the PEP classroom. Students blared upbeat music, flashed the fluorescent lights and gave us high-fives as we walked down what PEP calls a "tunnel of love" created by two lines of prisoners in white uniforms. They welcomed us by name and thanked us for joining them. The raucous welcome and 30 minutes of ice-breaking exercises are designed to settle nerves.
PEP has brought executives and prisoners together for 14 years, and they know a trick or two about building personal connection. But soon we got down to business, with eight judges providing feedback to 10 prisoners in mock pitches they've rehearsed in their cells for weeks.
To protect the privacy and security of those involved, PEP staff asked me to identify participants by their first name and last initial. The staff also tell the prisoners not to discuss their crimes, because they want their focus to be on the future, not the past.
The 10 pitches I heard were modestly ambitious, reflecting the student's realistic expectations and a desire to start something where their past can't haunt them.
Valentin T. wanted to start a home-based medical billing business, performing back-office functions of solo doctors. He'd calculated the cost of the computer and software and how long it will take to pay for it all. Robert K. had a plan to raise organic beef for high-end restaurants. Other plans included an RV park, a restaurant, a tree nursery, a janitorial service and a tiny house construction and rental business.
Brian A., who has spent 25 years of his life behind bars, plans to start a magazine for prisoners and their families that can also market prisoner-made arts and crafts.
"I have a captive audience," Brian laughed while explaining how prisoners have things to sell, but can't access the Internet. "I know prisoners who have put their children through college selling crafts."
Jeremi R plans to start a mobile barbershop.
"PEP teaches us not to use what we did as a crutch to keep us from succeeding," he said. "We learn that we can have a successful business and a better life."
Thomas Fields, founder and CEO of a start-up called Grind, was making his second trip and said he could relate to the prisoners more than the older, white executives. The University of Houston junior, himself an aspiring entrepreneur and minority, knows the courage that starting a business requires.
"The program gives them a different state of mind, coming from broken homes, broken families, rough backgrounds, rough upbringings," Fields said.
What struck me was the students' vulnerability as they dropped their street-tough personas to become someone new, as if psychologically donning a business suit for the first time and trying to get comfortable in it. Their sincere aspiration for a better life was palpable, and their fear of rejection was heart-touching, clearly affecting the executives who eagerly coached them on.
PEP graduates earn a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business. PEP also operates six transition homes in Houston, Dallas and Austin to help them re-enter society. All graduates find a job within 90 days of release. Graduates have started 289 legitimate, profitable businesses.
More importantly, while 50 percent of ex-convicts end up back in jail within three years, only 7 percent of PEP's 1,500 graduates have returned to the system. The program costs taxpayers nothing, with PEP relying instead on grants and donations. But Hearne said what PEP needs most are business people willing to donate time and expertise.
Not every man in the program will start his own company. But undergoing the intellectual rigor of creating a business provides invaluable life lessons that help these men rehabilitate.
The Prison Entrepreneurship Program teaches these men to not only stay out of trouble, but to become pillars in their communities. Now if only the rest of us would open our minds and give them that opportunity.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
PAYBACK IS A BITCH
by Bob Walsh
One thing you can say about the Socialist-Democrat party in California, they have much better internal party discipline than the pseudo-Republicans do.
Steve Glazer was the only Democrap in the Senate to vote against the recently passed gargantuan fuel tax and vehicle registration increase. For his trouble he got kicked in the nuts by his party leadership. He was just kicked off his committee assignment as the chair of the Governmental Organization Committee.
Because Glazer didn't bite, the Democraps had to bribe a pseudo-Republican (Anthony Cannella, R-Modesto) with $500 million worth of goodies for his district.
There was also one Democrap in the assembly who voted against the bill. He also lost his committee chairmanship. Rudy Salas, D-Bakeresfield, got kicked from the head of the Business and Professions Committee shortly after refusing to vote in support.
If you are a democrap in CA you must be a Democrap first and not a representative of your district, or you end up loosing your committee assignments and your office is moved to the men's john in the subbasement with a view of the squirrel trap storage cabinets.
One thing you can say about the Socialist-Democrat party in California, they have much better internal party discipline than the pseudo-Republicans do.
Steve Glazer was the only Democrap in the Senate to vote against the recently passed gargantuan fuel tax and vehicle registration increase. For his trouble he got kicked in the nuts by his party leadership. He was just kicked off his committee assignment as the chair of the Governmental Organization Committee.
Because Glazer didn't bite, the Democraps had to bribe a pseudo-Republican (Anthony Cannella, R-Modesto) with $500 million worth of goodies for his district.
There was also one Democrap in the assembly who voted against the bill. He also lost his committee chairmanship. Rudy Salas, D-Bakeresfield, got kicked from the head of the Business and Professions Committee shortly after refusing to vote in support.
If you are a democrap in CA you must be a Democrap first and not a representative of your district, or you end up loosing your committee assignments and your office is moved to the men's john in the subbasement with a view of the squirrel trap storage cabinets.
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