A Pretty Good Day

So, I took Sarah and Willow in for their distemper and rabies shots this morning. While I was there, I mentioned that I was going to Applebee's for a free lunch. One of the young vet techs said, "I think you're awsome, Mr. ______." I told her, "I get that a lot -- from women who are young enough to be my daughter."

Got to Applebee's and the line was out the door -- into the cold rain. I waited about half an hour in the rain and another half hour inside. The vets worked out a system. We passed WWII vets to the head of the line followed by Korean vets and the Vietnam vets. After that, it was every man for himself. As I was standing in line, some old guy came up to me and gave me a 1957 Eisenhower silver dollar. He said, "I think every vet should have a souvenir." Don't know why he came up to me. Maybe it was my Stargate Command flight jacket.

The meal was OK. I make a better steak and I make WAY better coleslaw. But seeing and listening to all the people made the wait worthwhile. On my way out, I gave the silver dollar to a WWII WAVE. That was quite an honor.

Yup. A pretty good day.

Veterans' Day

For all you vets, Applebees is going to offer a free meal for all veterans and active duty personnel on Wednesday. You can see the details here. Since I just started low-carbing, I think I'll go for the sirloin.

Uncle Jay Explains the News

What's In My Head

The Commies at the NEA

Apparently, the National Education Association has become emboldened by having a Marxist in the White House, because they are no longer even bothering to hide their communist agenda.

The teachers' union is openly pushing the books of radical leftist Saul Alinsky, who was one of Obama's inspirations and role models.

I often think the only reason liberals don't abort ALL their children is so they can exploit them and seed future generations with the discredited communist agenda.

You can take Marx out of the gene pool, but you can't take Marxism out of liberals.

Is There a Vaccination for That?

Experts at MSNBC discovered yesterday that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is contagious. Presumably, Kathleen Sibelius is whipping up a vaccine which will soon be placed into the uber efficient HHS delivery system.

I showed you that, so I could show you this.

SEATTLE (AP) -- A man accused of shooting and killing a police officer on Halloween night is also suspected of firebombing police cruisers and other property nine days earlier, police said Saturday.
At a news conference, Seattle Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel identified 41-year-old Christopher Monfort as the man shot by police on Friday as he was sought in connection with the killing of Officer Timothy Brenton. Pugel also said investigators found improvised explosive devices at Monfort's apartment.
"This man, from everything we can tell is a lone domestic terrorist," Pugel said. "At this moment we cannot find any ties to anyone else."

Apparently, non-Muslims have an immunity to PTSD. Because there seem to be NO Muslim domestic terrorists.

RATS!

I've been assigned to write stories on the health care bill tonight, so I might as well live blog it.

10:15 The House just passed an amendment banning federal funding of abortions except in some cases. Sixty-four Democras joined 176 Republicans in voting for it. Since abortion is the crown jewel in the liberal crown, this really means nothing because as long as dems control Congress, they can change it later on.

10:30 House just rejected the Republican alternative bill. The Republican plan was considerably smaller and more targeted than the one put forth by Democrats, focusing on cost controls and curbing medical malpractice lawsuits.

10:30 Expecting final vote on health care bill within the hour. This is like watching the British House. Lots of yelling, booing and cheering.

11:05. Bill has passed! Cheers from democrats. 220 for, 215 against. One Republican from Louisiana voted for it. The bill must now pass in the Senate, which is preparing its own version. Differences between the House and Senate versions will have to be reconciled and approved by another vote before the bill goes to Obama for his signature.

So, hope is not lost. There is still a long row to hoe.

Something That Works

I was in Bed, Bath and Beyond a few days ago and spotted the Turbo Snake. For the past three months, every time I took a shower, I'd end up standing in water up to my ankles. All the Liquid Plumber in the world didn't make a difference. So, I shoved this wire down the drain and in less than a minute, the problem was fixed! Well worth the price.

On the downside, considering the ball of hair I pulled out of the drain, I fear I'm a werewolf.

A Good Quote

"Idealism increases in direct proportion to one's distance from the problem." - John Galsworthy

Buy Insurance or Go To Jail

If liberal programs are so wonderful, why do they have to be forced on people?

There is a reason Pelosi won't post her health care "reform" bill on line for people to read.

She's afraid you might stumble on things like this. If you "opt out," you go to prison.

“Criminal penalties

Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

Man-Made Disaster Hits Fort Hood

An American, an Army major opens fire on an Army post, killing 13 people and wounding 30.

Oh, and he's a Muslim. And he's a psychiatrist -- a well-educated man. No unwashed Taliban is he.

One of the insane things here is that military bases are no-gun zones. Military personnel on base are just as defenseless as civilians in towns where guns are banned. These mass shootings almost always happen in areas where people are denied their human right of self-defense.

This proves something I have contended for years. We are at war with an enemy who could be anywhere among us. If a U.S. Army officer can turn killer, who can we trust? We cannot have a reasonable expectation of safety ANYWHERE. That's why I go around armed.

Awwwwwwwwwwww

Here's another Awww moment.

The Future of An ObamaNation

I just found a fascinating blog that chronicles the disintegration of a city under liberalism. Detroitblog has archives going back to July of 2003. There are plenty of photos and it is written by a local journalist, so it's an easy read and quite interesting. No coincidence that Detroit is the most liberal, the most violent and the most ravaged city in the country. This is where progressives will take us -- if we let them.

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FOX NEWS IS A CULT! AAAAAAH!!!

The left is getting more and more hysterical about Fox News. NOW, they say it's a cult!

Let's look at some of the attributes of a cult.

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel.

The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers or military commanders.

The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary.

He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

If

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM st ock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was th e 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word "advice" would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America , would you have approved.

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had used the deaths of 19 Americans as a photo op, would you have approved?

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A Good Quote

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln

You Might Be A Taliban If....

I saw this list over on Joe's blog and decided to post it here -- with a few revisions and additions.

You Might Be Taliban If....

If you are so ugly that you should be wearing a veil instead of your wives -- you might be Taliban.

If you have to hire a clown for your youngest wife's birthday party -- you might be Taliban.

If you think children should be feeled and not heard -- you might be Taliban.

If adding a room on your home involves a backhoe -- you might be Taliban.

If you refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer -- you might be Taliban.

If you own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes -- you might be Taliban.

If you have more wives than teeth -- you might be Taliban.

If you wipe your butt with your left thumb, but consider bacon "unclean" -- you might be Taliban.

If you think vests come in two styles -- bullet-proof and suicide -- you might be Taliban.

If you consider dancing dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing -- you might be Taliban.

If the only number on your speed dial is used to detonate roadside bombs -- you might be Taliban.

If you have nothing against women and think every man should own at least one -- you might be Taliban.

If a million-dollar cruise missile just blew up your $5 tent -- you might be a Taliban.

If you end every sentence with, "or somebody dies!" -- you might be a Taliban.

And finally, if the DNC faxes you daily talking points -- you might be Taliban.

Inbreeding and the Royals

I'm no Anglophile, but this is just too spooky to ignore.

Halloween

I pretty much ignore halloween. And I shake my head whenever I hear some dope say halloween is their favorite "holiday." But this is just too funny. Call me a racist, but all bloodsuckers look alike to me.



I wonder what other masks they could come up with.

Al Franken -- Al Frankenstein

Nancy Pelosi -- Nancy Lugosi

Harry Reid -- Hairy Reid (werewolf)

Hillary Clinton -- Hillary Clinton

Uncle Jay Explains the News

What's In My Head

A Good Quote

"All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner. " - Red Skelton

What's In My Head

Ask Lone Ranger Time...

So LR - what say you on your Virginia Gubernatorial Race? Who do you think? McDonnell or Deeds gonna win it? And do you think this is an accurate way "to take the temperature of Obama" around the country?...because you certainly live in a "tricky" state to figure out.

Two Hours Later.....

I just installed Windows 7. Looks different. We'll see if it is better.

Sarah meet Oprah

Sarah Palin will be on Oprah November 16th! I wish she wasn't doing OPRAH. Her book sales do not need her. But I guess she has to reach out to that side. They will be so mean to her. I don't know how she does it. Does anyone have to guess what the opening of SNL will be the Friday after this show? I stopped watching Oprah a while ago. I guess this means I get to TiVo Oprah one last time. I thought I would miss Oprah but I really don't. Why is she doing this?

Uncle Jay Explains the News

What's In My Head

Marc Lamont Hill

Wonder why they fired him from Fox News?

"Condoleeza Rice Racism"

Was it just me or did you fall out of your recliner too last night watching O'Reilly - when you saw this exchange? Why is it okay to do or say these things to people like Condoleeza Rice or Juan Williams? I have never heard that term used ever in conversation in my life. It sounds as bad as I thought it would. How could that man say that to Juan?

What's In My Head

Uncle Jay Explains the News

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My Daughter-In-Law and Grandson

Obama Wins MORE Awards

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The Prince of Peace Wins the Nobel Prize

Can you believe this? I am nearly speechless. Not only did Obama get the Nobel prize, he was in office for less than two weeks before the nomination deadline. He should also get a line in the Guinness Book of World Records as the person who did the LEAST (if anything) to "win" the peace prize.

This just shows that except for the 1.4 million dollars that goes with it, the Nobel is as worthless as a Confederate dollar.

Lefties just can't let go of George Bush. The committee made it clear that when they gave the prize to Carter and Gore, they were doing it to spite W. This makes strike three. Liberals never stop hating. And there is Truths About Liberals # 15.

Ask an Ex-patriate

Why is it no news show goes to France, UK, Germany, Italy or any of them and asks one Ex-Pat how you like the healthcare here?

What would they say?

...well the ones I know in Italy and UK and Germany...HATE IT. They LOVE they don't have to worry about the cost of going to the doctor, checkups, etc. and that they won't lose their house if they do get sick and need surgery or treatment.

HOWEVER...they all purchase private health insurance policies on the side thinking it might help with the kind of care they already have. They can afford it because they are rich. But actually the private supplement doesn't really help but at least the doctors who do take it have clean offices and no long lines. So they pay for it anyway.

Ex-Pat's buy private health insurance on the side because....THE HOSPITALS ARE GROSS...they look like most prisons here. The hospitals are dirty...they don't even have mattresses. My bed in Rome had a board with a thin prison mattress on top, and I was in the best hospital in Rome when I had my son. The hospitals make you wait weeks and months for surgery which we already know about. My friends were mortified when the saw the condition of the hospital I was at in Rome in the background of a lot of my pictures.

And a lot of Ex-Pat's think that getting the side insurance will make it more like home (U.S.)....because they pay more and go around the system. But of course that is only for rich people. They love the US healthcare just not the COST...which everyone agrees is ridiculous because of what we let insurance companies get away with.

Most ex-pats come back to the US for a lot of treatment.

Makes no sense to me...why anyone would want to trade in Health insurance that they HATE for the government to be their health insurance?...And consider this an improvement!!

Like I want to go to a hospital that will remind me of a post office or a prison or most state or county buildings offices. Many hospitals in Italy and Germany are filthy and reuse items we would never imagine here. But they can do whatever they want - they are the government - the people who make the rules also run the show over there...and people think that is a good idea HERE!

FYI

I made a little modification to my Truths About Liberals. Number 5 used to say, "Liberals have no moral standards." Though true, it sounded a bit harsh. I've asked plenty of them that if they have moral standards, where are they written? After all, they can't be standards unless everyone knows what they are. And for that, they have to be written somewhere.

Number 5 is now, "The only standards liberals have are double standards." It is not only catchier, it covers a lot more ground. And it doesn't need to be explained.

Liberal sympathizers but Conservative thinkers = Independent?

I was responding to a comment left by Mark on LR's post - it was so long I just made it a post.

Mark said -

I know several Liberals, including some in my own family. My doctor nephew is a Liberal. He's also a Christian. He is very intelligent, as is his father (my brother).

I know both my brother and his doctor son share a belief in all of these principles, and yet, they remain Liberals. It is a mystery to me why they continue to be Liberals.

Then, I noticed you have added a 14th truth about Liberals, and I think that one explains it.

Mark - I think I am/was/continuing to evolve like your brother and nephew.

Labels can be comforting - and it is hard to accept emotionally the label - I am a conservative when conservatives are equated with Republicans and or worse racists [even though I know it is untrue]. But labels are powerful.

I think it comes down to me finally understanding I am not a bad person because I choose and know the GOVERNMENT should not and cannot do things for society the best way - and learning it is not the same thing as saying WE [the people or individuals] CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT do things for society as a whole. Because WE should - but not our government.

I choose "we the people" not "we the goverment" to do for people what they cannot do for themselves.

John Stossel has shown time again on his one hour shows how the private citizens have done more to help out bad situations for people than the govnerment has ever been able to do. No red tape, no llame excuses for the slow up...just results when good people care. We see that in our daily lives. No government needed.

And just because I prefer things that way - I am not a bad person. But I have to constantly remind myself of this.

I have to keep repeating that or I think I am a bad person because I do not want the govenrment to run healthcare or even the post office for that matter.

I want the government to do "just enough" but that does not mean I don't think we should do nothing "as people/individuals" for others - which is hard to keep distinguihsing when you are Christian and want to help...and at the same time I do not hate the idea of social justice.

I was a huge advocate for liberation theology - the kind of church Obama attended. I was a theology major so I read about it as much as possible. Then realized as I studied the NT and OT - social justice was really not Jesus' point...but at the same time Jesus would not condone injustice carried out by two believers against each other.

And there lies the constant tension...for people like me...liberal sympathizers but conservative thinkers.

Which maybe what bugs your brother and nephew...just a thought.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

I found out yesterday that I've been a grandpa for TWO WEEKS! I thought the Internet was supposed to make communications faster. I have some e-mailed pics,but there's something wrong with them because I can't download or even print them. But, it looks like little Evan Jacob will be just as cute as his daddy was. I don't know WHERE he got that name, because nobody in our family has it.

On a sadder note, the little girl I've been sponsoring for 15 years in the Philippines is a woman now. She turned 18 this summer, so she's out of the program. I'll miss watching her grow up and helping her family. Well, maybe I can adopt another one. Just figuring out where.

It's my WEEKEND! Off to bed.

What's In My Head

I was just over at Namaste's place and was reminded of this song.

Uncle Jay Explains the News

Also In My Head -- With Great Video

What's In My Head

I was driving to work last night with the top down, the full moon shining overhead and wondering if a werewolf can jump into a convertible doing 60 mph, when this song popped into my head.

Presidential Address

Are You A Lamed Vovnick?

In Jewish lore there is a legend of the lamed vovniks, the 36 just men on whom the existence of the world depends. According to the legend, God had become so disgusted with His creation that He was determined to destroy it. But an angel came to plead with Him and to ask for a reprieve if she could find 36 just men in the world. As the legend goes, in every generation there are always 36 just men – the lamed vovniks -- on whom the world's continued survival depends. The lamed vovniks are not conscious of who they are. They perform their acts of compassion and love out of the purity of their hearts. And the rest of us owe the world to them.

Could the fate of the world be resting on your shoulders without your knowledge? A good reason to live your life like a lamed vovnik.

Update on Me

My broken ankle saga has come to an end. I went to the doctor for the last time on Wednesday and he said I'll probably have chronic pain for the rest of my life, and it will probably get worse if arthritis sets in. Military medicine.

I put out some catnip before I left for work last night. When I walked out the door, Sarah and Willow were engaged in a wrestling match and Ginger was dashing around in a paranoid panic at every noise and movement. Gwen doesn't partake.

On Thursday, I got all stickered up. I got my safety inspection sticker for $16, my emissions sticker for $24, my registration stickers for about $76 and my car tax sticker for $587. I now have the state's permission to drive my own car for another year. What a privilege! That's another thing. The politicians say driving is a privilege, not a right. Since when? I paid for the car. I pay for the gas. I even paid for the highways. And for that I get the privilege of driving? The government treats us like sheep. We get sheared several times a year.

I have started my Christmas shopping -- for myself. I already got a pair of i-glasses. Haven't tried them yet because I need a special cable for my portable DVD player. That's on order too. Hammacher-Schlemmer was out of the sunglasses that record 2.5 hours of video. Nice thing to have if you're ever pulled over by police -- not that I'm ever pulled over by police. But, they could also be used to blackmail my co-workers. Oh, wait! They're in stock again!

Speaking of blackmail, the jerk of late-night TV got his tail caught in a crack. You all know the lurid details. During the confession, he talked about protecting the women, protecting himself, protecting his job and protecting his family. Not even an attempt at an apology. He said that's all he would say about it, but I think this story will snowball as women come forward to try to make a buck and gain some fame for themselves. One of the funniest remarks was from Jay Leno who said, "This guy that was trying to blackmail Letterman was a producer for the show 48 hours. It could have been worse. At least he wasn't a producer on To Catch A Predator."

I have finally chosen a maid service. I'm guessing they won't look like the maids in that picture. I'll have to clean up a bit before they come. Once my apartment is pristine again, I'll try to keep it that way -- unless I break a bone again

I'm off to do a story on last week's earthquake in Indonesia. Two more hours of work. An eternity.

Awwwwwwwwwww

Kitten thinking, "Tastes like chicken!"

A Good Quote

"We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason if we remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were, for the moment, unpopular." - Edward R. Murrow

The 9/12 Project

Here is the reason liberals loath Glenn Beck. He came up with the 9/12 Project -- Nine principles and 12 values that liberals sneer at and hate.

The Nine Principles
1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

The Twelve Values
1-Honesty
2-Reverence
3-Hope
4-Thrift
5-Humility
6-Charity
7-Sincerity
8-Moderation
9-Hard Work
10-Courage
11-Personal Responsibility
12-Gratitude

What's In My Head

This was BEFORE Friday's Olympics Farce

I, I, I, I, I

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Chicago — mighty Obama has struck out.

Here are some excerpts from Obama's speech to the Olympic Committee that might, MIGHT, explain why they rejected Chicago on the first vote.

I know you face a difficult choice among several great cities and nations with impressive bids of their own. So I’ve come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reasons I chose Chicago nearly twenty-five years ago – the reasons I fell in love with the city I still call home. And it’s not only because it’s where I met the woman you just heard from – though after getting to know her this week, I’m sure you’d all agree that she’s a pretty big selling point.

You see, growing up, my family moved around a lot. And I never really had roots in any one place or culture or ethnic group. Then I came to Chicago. And on those Chicago streets, I worked alongside men and women who were black and white; Latino and Asian; people of every class and nationality and religion. I came to discover that Chicago is that most American of American cities, but one where citizens from more than 130 nations inhabit a rich tapestry of distinctive neighborhoods.

We stand at a moment in history when the fate of each nation is inextricably linked to the fate of all nations – a time of common challenges that require a common effort. And I ran for President because I believed deeply that at this defining moment, the United States of America has a responsibility to help lead that effort, and to forge new partnerships with the nations and peoples of the world.

Nearly one year ago, on a clear November night, people from every corner of the world gathered in the city of Chicago or in front of their televisions to watch the results of the U.S. Presidential election. Their interest wasn’t about me as an individual. Rather, it was rooted in the belief that America’s experiment in democracy still speaks to a set of universal aspirations and ideals.

Trust me. When Obama says it isn't about him, it's ALL about him.

And Michelle was even worse.

“Some of my best memories are sitting on my dad’s lap, cheering on Olga and Nadia, Carl Lewis, and others for their brilliance and perfection.”

Mrs. Obama was 20 years old when Lewis first competed in the Olympics in 1984. What was going on in THAT relationship?

It was all about the Obamas.

Chicago 2016...NOT

I wish I could be on the plane home with Michelle and Oprah and hear that conversation!

No Wonder Hollywood is defending someone like Polanski...

Why? Because that is what Hollywood is made of. Look at this case from 1996...Doe v. Capital Cities (1996) 50 Cal. App. 4th 1038.

First time I read this doing legal research I was dumbfounded because of the arrogance of the people involved. If you have read the transcript of Polanski's victim...wait until you read the facts that happened to this poor guy in this case. The Hollywood people who did this to this guy...have gone on to much success and doing just fine...of course. I have cut the facts of the case below. I couldn't find a site with the whole case to link.

Be prepared.

FACTS

An aspiring actor is first drugged and then gang-raped by a casting director and four other men one Sunday at the casting director's home. Can the actor successfully allege causes of action for sexual harassment and negligent hiring against the casting director's employers? Given the nature of these events, plaintiff has elected to sue as "John Doe."

Plaintiff met Marshall at a movie screening at the Directors Guild in July 1993. Marshall told plaintiff he worked as a casting director at ABC and gave plaintiff his business card. Marshall told plaintiff that he " 'had a great look' " and that ABC was developing programs that could be suitable for plaintiff. Marshall invited plaintiff to an interview at his office. The next day, plaintiff went to Marshall's office at the ABC Entertainment Center in Century City and read for him. Marshall responded positively to plaintiff's audition and introduced plaintiff to Marshall's supervisor who was likewise impressed.

In the following weeks, Marshall "spent several hours a day on most days . . . working with [plaintiff], [efforts] which . . . Marshall said[] would lead to an employment contract [***4] between . . . ABC and [plaintiff]." These efforts included auditions, a taping, meetings with other entertainment industry executives, and attempts to find an agent and a publicist for plaintiff. When instructing plaintiff to perform particular tasks, Marshall "REPEATEDLY TOLD [HIM]: 'I'm your Manager at ABC.' " On several occasions, Marshall told plaintiff that he would be introduced as a new ABC star at an annual event held at the Page Museum on September 18, 1993. Based on all of these circumstances, plaintiff "fully believed that . . . Marshall would hire him for an acting position in an ABC Entertainment production . . . ."

On Saturday, August 14, 1993, plaintiff spent the day at Marshall's office preparing for his final auditions. When they finished working, Marshall told plaintiff that "they would be meeting ABC executives for dinner that evening." "After dinner on August 14, 1993, . . . Marshall advised [plaintiff] that he 'had a brunch to go to in the morning,' and to be at . . . Marshall's home at 8:00 a.m. [the next morning]."

During the morning of Sunday, August 15, 1993, plaintiff went to Marshall's home. He did so "expecting to attend a meeting where he would meet entertainment industry executives representing ABC shows and/or for the purposes [of promoting his acting career]." Marshall gave plaintiff a glass of tea. Plaintiff drank the tea which, unknown to him, contained a drug. When plaintiff awoke, he was bound and tied. He was given multiple injections of an unknown drug and was beaten and gang-raped by Marshall and four named codefendants, 2 none of whom is alleged to have any connection with ABC. At one point when plaintiff was untied, he attempted to escape but Marshall and a codefendant forcibly took him back into the house and again injected him with a drug. Marshall ultimately drove plaintiff in plaintiff's car to Beverly Hills where he abandoned him. Plaintiff was subsequently discovered by the police.

Those four individuals are Barry Parker, Michael Sullivan, Ken Dickson, and Fred Goss. Plaintiff names them as defendants in his common law intentional tort causes of action. Plaintiff also alleges Doe defendants participated in the attack.

The ordeal caused plaintiff severe emotional distress as well as a temporary memory loss for several months.

In late October 1993, Marshall and others grabbed plaintiff outside of his home and stabbed him. Plaintiff reported the stabbing to the police and to ABC. In the following six months, the "defendants" physically harassed plaintiff, threatened him by phone and by writing, and poisoned his dogs.

In July 1994, plaintiff filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, alleging unlawful employment practices, including sexual harassment. (Plaintiff's brief asserts that Marshall and the other four assailants are being criminally prosecuted.)

A Good Quote

"Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them." - Paul Valery

What's In My Head -- Sort of

Another Country Ditches Communism

North Korea just revised its constitution to eliminate all references to communism. Why? Well, it's just "too hard to achieve."

A South Korean pool report said Monday that Kim has expressed his wish to bolster socialism rather than communism.

It quoted an unidentified official as saying, on the sidelines of family reunions at the North's Mount Kumgang resort, that the leader had characterized communism as hard to achieve.

"Communism is meant to have a one-class society which does not distinguish the class that exploits from the one that is exploited. But it is hard for the system to exist as long as American imperialism persists," the official was quoted as saying.

You'd think that after the Soviet Union fell, after China embraced capitalism, and after this, that tinhorn dictators all over the world would get the message and throw in the towel.

But, nope. You listening, Mr. Obama?

Uncle Jay Explains the News