tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-389051922024-03-13T11:22:38.696-07:00Hollywood InvestigatorAffiliated with the <a href="http://www.hollywoodInvestigator.com">Hollywood Investigator</a> online tabloid -- sponsor of horror filmdom's <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/tinsel/horrorcontest.htm">Tabloid Witch Awards</a>!
Also read about the shocking true-life adventures of tabloid reporters in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">Hollywood Witches</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-20638861425775987492022-06-30T08:36:00.004-07:002022-07-07T16:17:52.596-07:00Reagan Is Not Responsible for the Mentally Ill Homeless Crisis<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjrWqM4ML_tLTRz1-0wZzC1FAquK464somVqbhLWtSA_WFLtzmi0oG8ErQ8KtJhysmdXGaprDeqSSyf2Fal4Bv_0jTOMD14L5hLLTiYW9LVvmMDHeJJQSgpy9zFhkq_8NI-nlGv9K5SfRMs0zYBXwQgW32bwA-ZbSDVe8FH3_PGUZKwVykg/s1200/One%20Flew%20Over%20the%20Cuckoo's%20Nest.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjrWqM4ML_tLTRz1-0wZzC1FAquK464somVqbhLWtSA_WFLtzmi0oG8ErQ8KtJhysmdXGaprDeqSSyf2Fal4Bv_0jTOMD14L5hLLTiYW9LVvmMDHeJJQSgpy9zFhkq_8NI-nlGv9K5SfRMs0zYBXwQgW32bwA-ZbSDVe8FH3_PGUZKwVykg/s320/One%20Flew%20Over%20the%20Cuckoo's%20Nest.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>In the <i>Santa Monica Daily Press</i>
(June 29, 2022), <a href="https://www.smdp.com/is-it-time-finally-to-move/218900">Charles Andrews</a> resurrects a favorite progressive
canard when he sneeringly writes, "Thank you Ronnie Raygun for
emptying the asylums." But the 1960s progressive counter-culture
and the state legislature had more to do with that.<p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In <i>The Fresno Bee</i> (Sept. 15,
2022), <a href="https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article34968618.html">Tom Balch</a> writes: "The emptying of California’s state
mental hospitals resulted from the passage, in 1967, of the
Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (named for the sponsors, two Democrats,
one Republican).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"This bill, known as LPS, was advanced in response to
pressure from mental health professionals, lawyers, patient’s
rights advocates, and the ACLU. When fully implemented in 1972, LPS
effectively ended involuntary civil confinement of mental patients in
California.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"The Democrat-controlled Legislature passed LPS with
overwhelming majorities; the vote was 77-1 in the Assembly, and the
margin was similar in the Senate. Gov. Reagan signed the bill."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The bill was passed by veto-proof
majorities, so Reagan had no legal authority to stop it. Had he tried
to do so anyway, progressives would have denounced him as "a
threat to democracy."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As for the milieu, well, it was the
Sixties, and there was "something in the air" back then. In
1961, Thomas Szasz's well-received book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061771228/communistvampire">The Myth of Mental Illness</a>, challenged the authority and expertise of the
psychiatric profession.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A year later, Ken Kesey's best-selling novel,
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451163966/communistvampire">One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest</a>, portrayed forced
institutionalization as inhumane. In 1963, Dale Wasserman adapted the
novel into a play. The 1975 film version won five Academy Awards. The
tale of a sane person involuntarily committed to a "snake pit"
asylum was a staple of horror, exploitation, and TV movies throughout
that period.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Governor Reagan was but a small cog in
a progressive, counter-cultural zeitgeist that, along with the ACLU,
was combating forced institutionalization. Andrews has waxed
nostalgic for those liberating times, so he should just kick back and
enjoy its fruits. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">========== <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-33884832552419659602020-03-18T10:03:00.000-07:002020-03-18T10:03:59.125-07:00Santa Monica Starbucks Ends Seating Due to Coronavirus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Santa Monica
Starbucks on the corner of Wilshire and 26th Street opens at 4 a.m.,
and normally has plenty of customers by 5 a.m. But not since Sunday.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I entered on
Sunday, March 15th, shortly after 5 a.m., and saw that all the seats
and tables had been stacked against a wall. It's "take-out
orders only" for the immediate future. The reason, obviously, is
the COVID-19 Coronavirus. "Take out orders only" is
Starbucks way of encouraging "social distancing" to stem
the spread of the virus.
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These photos were
taken March 15, at 5:18 a.m.:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdXxWdwywgZL5f39vaJkC07BcLrr9x-Uy4qHIYlyKch-Wn3WNUUF4VRd1_gQg3IdOi3OtLX2sXhnN-uQT7WiSLxCL6If-ylYFcs4ZxM1Gmyvs9HrA7twY91PuN__6ZWkBFvLR/s1600/Starbucks+-+Wilshire+and+26th+-+Coronovirus+-+March+15%252C+2020+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdXxWdwywgZL5f39vaJkC07BcLrr9x-Uy4qHIYlyKch-Wn3WNUUF4VRd1_gQg3IdOi3OtLX2sXhnN-uQT7WiSLxCL6If-ylYFcs4ZxM1Gmyvs9HrA7twY91PuN__6ZWkBFvLR/s640/Starbucks+-+Wilshire+and+26th+-+Coronovirus+-+March+15%252C+2020+11.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5k5wXipLakzpGnHkeMQo3_4LlHyyOmt90UzFkYp4Rp84mtAOcYQvz8be5gnk97kuemhb1hF2MN7UJL7iQAewyvRVbVA_ReHTSqPK3XkvWXthMYN7V5HJYXxR2BFOuxAHN7fLM/s1600/Starbucks+-+Wilshire+and+26th+-+Coronovirus+-+March+15%252C+2020+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5k5wXipLakzpGnHkeMQo3_4LlHyyOmt90UzFkYp4Rp84mtAOcYQvz8be5gnk97kuemhb1hF2MN7UJL7iQAewyvRVbVA_ReHTSqPK3XkvWXthMYN7V5HJYXxR2BFOuxAHN7fLM/s640/Starbucks+-+Wilshire+and+26th+-+Coronovirus+-+March+15%252C+2020+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And it isn't just
that Sunday is a slow morning. The following three mornings -- Monday through Wednesday -- there were even fewer customers. Instead of three customers, it
was only me.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I expect that many people aren't coming in for "take out orders" because sitting for a spell was always part of the pleasure of going to a Starbucks. It's why you paid such high prices for a cup of coffee. The ambiance.</div>
<br /><div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The bathroom is
also closed to the public.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
======</div>
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<br />
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-64415489286405410472018-12-17T00:36:00.002-08:002018-12-17T00:36:43.421-08:00SAG-AFTRA Can't Say "Christmas"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Add SAG-AFTRA to the list of
organizations that can't say "Christmas."</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The Fall/Winter 2018 issue of <i>SAG-AFTRA
Los Angeles</i> (the newsletter of the actors union's Los Angeles
local) has a "Calendar of Events" on page 7 that states:
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Monday, Dec. 24 -- Office closed for
holiday</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tuesday, Dec. 25 -- Office closed
for holiday</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Monday, Dec. 31 -- Office closed for
New Year's Eve</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tuesday, Jan. 1 -- Office closed for
New Year's Day</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjWMKePAP8BkbziafS8SqCs7vEyrcEfNA-7ThwvUhfOwSjN2FmIGDqijbxTBiWOMImCCeU63xPo96poXRWnkO_22ro6ZnctDey7DSr-Zsyze4TfWrDxuU_-2P0KCSEh2qELnd/s1600/SAG-AFTRA+actors+union+hates+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1260" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjWMKePAP8BkbziafS8SqCs7vEyrcEfNA-7ThwvUhfOwSjN2FmIGDqijbxTBiWOMImCCeU63xPo96poXRWnkO_22ro6ZnctDey7DSr-Zsyze4TfWrDxuU_-2P0KCSEh2qELnd/s640/SAG-AFTRA+actors+union+hates+Christmas.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now, which holiday do you suppose the
office is closed for on Decembers 24 and 25. There's only one that
fall on those dates. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So why not say
it?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's not like the newsletter was
referring to the "holiday season." It was referring to two
specific days that contain only Christmas.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And it's not like the newsletter is
averse to mentioning other holidays. New Year's Day is specifically
named.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The only reasons for SAG-AFTRA Los
Angeles's newsletter to refrain from writing "Christmas" is
that union leaders themselves find the word offensive -- or they fear
that the word might offend non-Christian readers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is no oversight or trivial thing.
The newsletter's editors certainly thought it was important to avoid
writing "Christmas." They made a conscious decision to
mention one holiday by name -- "New Year's Day" -- while
simultaneously avoiding the name of another holiday -- "Christmas."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">================</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-77601738090995593152018-06-22T00:14:00.002-07:002018-06-22T00:14:44.475-07:00Sacramento Bill Promotes Diversity in Hollywood -- But Only "Below the Line"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVIFm3kcFc8T90CFAuGX2NyvxoyKBwO8vF8eBYktyyRU8e5u-EIVfRDqC9fv5tRgHr5uIb-tStj9xcfpnADE0v_8UE7cHD5j7lX5dPEv_2Gk4uPc5qX6eYRJN_myQpGAEBCXF/s1600/Hollywood+Diversity.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="609" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVIFm3kcFc8T90CFAuGX2NyvxoyKBwO8vF8eBYktyyRU8e5u-EIVfRDqC9fv5tRgHr5uIb-tStj9xcfpnADE0v_8UE7cHD5j7lX5dPEv_2Gk4uPc5qX6eYRJN_myQpGAEBCXF/s320/Hollywood+Diversity.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sophia Bollag of the AP reports that the California legislature is making diversity hiring a
condition for tax credits to the film industry. Unfortunately, this only applies to "below the line" workers.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bollag <a href="https://apnews.com/c458d7e41d07414f9be769f0df2117e6">writes</a> [June 19, 2018]:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The
film commission assigns credits based on a production's 'below the
line' jobs, including set builders, makeup artists and extras -- not
the highest profile workers, such as starring actors and directors.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Applicants who receive the tax credit would help fund a program to
train people from underrepresented communities to do 'below the line'
jobs on film sets."</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's commendable as far as it goes.
But diversity in the workplace will always depend upon the kindness
of employers until the gatekeepers to jobs -- producers, studio
executives, talent agents, casting directors -- also more accurately
reflect our nation's racial, religious, ethnic and gender makeup.
Diversity among "below the line" workers is nice. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">Diversity among decision makers</a> is better.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">===================</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-56821615429031548802018-02-06T22:34:00.002-08:002018-02-06T22:35:11.928-08:00Rose McGowan Trashes Quentin Tarantino's Foot Fetish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062655981/communistvampire" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062655981/communistvampire" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpG8qt92MKWGGacFR9FesOJ7GtR5dCon4g5XTSjY3c5aHzWjaNDtvzzoHf4A4Y-rojDMRXVrnWzGv8lhgJsGIIOyFTTXUUPqAI3H983kk8bVlz8s9Pfc8Cj-9wP9_HBPn1ZmHK/s400/Brave+by+Rose+McGowan.jpg" width="266" /></a>Actress Rose McGowan's new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062655981/communistvampire">Brave</a>, recounts her decades of suffering sexual harassment -- and even rape -- at the hands of Hollywood's top men. While the meat of the book targets producer Harvey Weinstein, McGowan also trashes other Hollywood notables.<br />
<br />
At one point, McGowan expresses disgust at Quentin Tarantino for his foot fetish. Tarantino had allegedly told McGowan that he enjoyed watching her paint her toenails in a movie scene. McGowan writes:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Tarantino has a known foot
fetish. That means Tarantino paid extra money to jerk off to my young
feet and he told me about it loudly, over and over, for years in front
of numerous people, as if I should be so thrilled that he donated his
solid-motherfucking-gold semen that is clearly better than all the other
semen in the world, and he gave it up for little ol' me? It's time men
realized their semen isn't all that."</blockquote>
<br />
While McGowan's "revelation" might disgust some people, it comes as no revelation to readers of the Hollywood Investigator. The Investigator reported on Tarantino's foot fetish <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/tinsel/tarantino.htm">as early as 2004</a>!<br />
<br />
================<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-70657558089492069172017-11-16T23:14:00.000-08:002017-11-16T23:14:27.136-08:00Al Franken: I Don't Like Homosexuals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMTa38qB7sw3Zb1MBrUVXBfnhPfBdz1-xMAiiWpa7kQrXLzmsMQtA5asw1fejeV6Gt2vWGcq5D0fDqUCgtTkjgq2p84EYcZ0Vop_q4rSMKwIOZ2rpcNA6qhZx0hNn5sayUrEP/s1600/Al+Franken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMTa38qB7sw3Zb1MBrUVXBfnhPfBdz1-xMAiiWpa7kQrXLzmsMQtA5asw1fejeV6Gt2vWGcq5D0fDqUCgtTkjgq2p84EYcZ0Vop_q4rSMKwIOZ2rpcNA6qhZx0hNn5sayUrEP/s320/Al+Franken.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
Hollywood comedian turned Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken paints himself as a progressive. But he has a homophobic past.<br />
<br />
Richard S. Lee interviewed Franken for <i>The Harvard Crmison</i> [April 16, 1976], and reported:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[Franken] recalled writing a skit called "Seamen on Broadway" that was rejected
from the Hasty Pudding show "by some preppie so they could take some
other preppie's skit." Franken started to smile again, but his tone was
serious, too serious. "It's not preppies, cause I'm a preppie myself.
I just don't like homosexuals. If you ask me, they're all homosexuals
in the Pudding. Hey, I was glad when that Pudding homosexual got killed
in Philadelphia."<br />
<br />
The smile became so broad it pushed his eyes shut.
He couldn't stand it any longer. "Put that in, put that in," Franken
laughed, leaning over the desk. "I'd love to see that in The Crimson."</blockquote>
<br />
Read the entire <a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1976/4/16/live-from-new-york-its-al/?page=single">interview</a>.<br />
<br />
===============<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-87226374588341819932017-11-06T12:14:00.000-08:002017-11-06T12:14:20.179-08:00Actresses Selling Sex to Join the Actors Union<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBCnSZ5w3rymFUJDGAaXuEEW4BNhWkqvAoGA3wPca3BpJqpHWcTpIEz99c-axec2qr-mim0xARNnEAM5BUTpRtI6a5WS4QYQxDrgCnjZGVlRJoTkQe-DaQyskU7f54oex3p3X/s1600/bimbo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBCnSZ5w3rymFUJDGAaXuEEW4BNhWkqvAoGA3wPca3BpJqpHWcTpIEz99c-axec2qr-mim0xARNnEAM5BUTpRtI6a5WS4QYQxDrgCnjZGVlRJoTkQe-DaQyskU7f54oex3p3X/s1600/bimbo.png" /></a></div>
<span class="auto-style1">Everyone in Hollywood is suddenly
discussing sexual harassment in Hollywood. The practice is
apparently widespread and widely known. Which begs the question, if
sexual harassment is so widespread and widely known, why did
everyone wait until now to discuss it?</span><br />
<span class="auto-style1"> </span>
<br />
<span class="auto-style1">I can attest to its being widespread and
widely known. Even casually accepted as the norm. That's been my
experience....</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="auto-style1">Read the rest of this shocking story in the <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2017/sexvoucher.html">Hollywood Investigator</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="auto-style1">=============</span><br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-30418923187348520122017-06-11T20:27:00.002-07:002017-06-11T20:29:38.606-07:00Los Angeles Burglars Targeting Second Storey Windows<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk_Ana-OvZ7SEKOFM7P20QmRqXom-GZ0wgsB6eqAdPDjMokfNVoPHhb_HP6xauwQTci3tOLsibjaJbV8FHlxvj32_wJ8HLk6_zepMIvmuhkgSd_3CkfCz7Goj2Murg0pF9X_p/s1600/LAPD+badge.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk_Ana-OvZ7SEKOFM7P20QmRqXom-GZ0wgsB6eqAdPDjMokfNVoPHhb_HP6xauwQTci3tOLsibjaJbV8FHlxvj32_wJ8HLk6_zepMIvmuhkgSd_3CkfCz7Goj2Murg0pF9X_p/s320/LAPD+badge.png" width="320" /></a></i></div>
<i>The following is being posted widely:</i><br />
<br />
<br />
"I just finished a crime update meeting with our Detectives here in West
LA. Our main area of concern are burglaries.<br />
<br />
The trend that we are
seeing, suspects (three to four male blacks) driving newer rental vehicles, breaking into homes in the evening hours (e.g., 8pm).<br />
<br />
Suspects are watching
residents leave the house and drive away. The suspects then cover up with
hoods or hats tucked in tight to obscure there face.<br />
<br />
Some recent
activity, the suspects are taking the backyard furniture and stacking them
up to access the second floor patio areas. Most alarms are not
activated on the second floor sliding windows.<br />
<br />
I encourage everyone to
check into a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0974383058/communistvampire">neighborhood watch program</a> or block captain program. The
more vigilant the community, the less chance we give to the criminals to
roam freely in our neighborhoods. Please ensure you look out for
each other and if possible have some <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0124200427/communistvampire">security cameras</a> directed out
towards the street or sidewalk areas. This can possibly help track the
suspects movements and we can connect the dots."<br />
<br />
Please forward this message to your Family, friends and neighbors. <br />
<br />
Brian Espin #37430<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/150045754X/communistvampire">Los Angeles Police Department</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/160949623X/communistvampire">West Los Angeles</a> Area<br />
Community Relations Office<br />
310-444-0730<br />
<a href="mailto:37430@lapd.onli">37430@lapd.online</a><br />
<br />
=============</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-63565221095340995152017-03-21T00:27:00.001-07:002017-03-21T00:29:19.517-07:00Santa Monica Police to Disregard Immigration Laws<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q0T2QNrKAQGFx_To8mE52pzMPgXUKVysQwjA9xxtTEK85vJTsaAjxUPxXuvPUIxl-1EtrHb6QkQg9SsYu4-2hkK8-UPHn-rgMY0iNrD8oXwfaBy2ORhqGXv00d2XtjGERS0C/s1600/Jacqueline+A+Seabrooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q0T2QNrKAQGFx_To8mE52pzMPgXUKVysQwjA9xxtTEK85vJTsaAjxUPxXuvPUIxl-1EtrHb6QkQg9SsYu4-2hkK8-UPHn-rgMY0iNrD8oXwfaBy2ORhqGXv00d2XtjGERS0C/s320/Jacqueline+A+Seabrooks.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738581437/communistvampire">City of Santa Monica</a>, California, continues to earn its reputation as one of the most liberal cities in the United States.<br />
<br />
In a recent press release, the Santa Monica Police Department (Jacqueline A. Seabrooks, Chief, <i>right</i>), announced that it will refuse to cooperate with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0615934390/communistvampire">ICE</a> in enforcing federal immigration laws.<br />
<br />
According to the release:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Santa Monica Police
Department <span style="background-color: white;">(SMPD) recognizes the heightened concerns of our community during
this time of uncertainty due to the federal </span>administration’s aggressive
approach to immigration enforcement. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>SMPD is committed to aligning our work efforts with the City’s
resolution to embrace diversity and reject hate.</i></span> In furtherance of this commitment, we are
evaluating our internal processes and procedures to ensure we are meeting our
professional obligations to all.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
As part of its commitment to
maintaining public safety in our community, the Santa Monica Police Department
collaborates and maintains partnerships with a substantial number of social
service, faith-based, educational, and regional, state and federal law
enforcement partners. Many of these
collaborations are longstanding and the terms and conditions underlying these
partnerships and their associated activities are captured in operational
agreements or memoranda of understanding. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The operational agreements or memoranda of understanding with various
law enforcement agencies include the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1933502002/communistvampire">Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department</a>
(LASD), the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Police Department,
Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT),
the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1250070279/communistvampire">U.S. Secret Service</a>, and that arm of the Department of Homeland Security's
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0615934390/communistvampire">Immigration & Customs Enforcement</a> (ICE) which is dedicated to investigating
major crimes involving people and goods, and investigating terrorism. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
These agreements serve as a multiplier for
the Police Department in terms of event staffing, identifying emergency
communication backup systems, clarifying jurisdictional authority, and for
expanding the Police Department’s criminal investigative capacity through the
provision of specialized investigative resources and support for ongoing criminal
investigations such as those involving gang interdiction, organized crime,
human trafficking, transnational drug trafficking, money laundering, currency
smuggling, crimes involving high levels of technology, and those involving
potential acts of terrorism.<br />
<br />
In response to community
concerns, the need for organizational transparency, and the needs to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>reaffirm
the Police Department's steadfast commitment to its longstanding policy against
immigration enforcement</i></span> while also ensuring consistency with the City's
resolution, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>the City will terminate the existing agreement with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0615934390/communistvampire">ICE</a>.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Moving forward, both the City and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0615934390/communistvampire">ICE</a> will
work towards terms of collaboration on criminal matters <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>that are in line with
the City's immigration policies.</i></span> The
Santa Monica Police Department is also reviewing <u>all</u> other existing and
pending memoranda of understanding and operational agreements associated with
the Police Department’s work with its external partners to ensure consistency
with City policies.</blockquote>
<br />
Read the SMPD <a href="https://santamonicapd.org/Content.aspx?id=53687097371">press release</a>.<br />
<br />
================<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-41188964547011784572016-12-25T09:49:00.000-08:002016-12-25T09:49:12.685-08:00Phoebe Maltz Bovy of Jewish Daily Forward Sees Anti-Semitism in Donald Trump's "Merry Christmas"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRnKzvKMcf9XWVV1Xb8czxCrXPNMY9H3LuA0V5oyGJfLq6LwFHIRZzCXS9cJaRCoK0vWfcfz8IlGz2CZj1TQ5hEz5aNRsbU_cQBqb634TOxsa_1Ck-8dy0FLaYp-ReaNyQj73/s1600/Merry+Christmas+Donald+Trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRnKzvKMcf9XWVV1Xb8czxCrXPNMY9H3LuA0V5oyGJfLq6LwFHIRZzCXS9cJaRCoK0vWfcfz8IlGz2CZj1TQ5hEz5aNRsbU_cQBqb634TOxsa_1Ck-8dy0FLaYp-ReaNyQj73/s640/Merry+Christmas+Donald+Trump.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Donald Trump is currently doing a "thank you" tour throughout the U.S., thanking his supporters for electing him president. His podium bears the words <i>Merry Christmas</i>.<br />
<br />
Phoebe Maltz Bovy tweets: <i>"I hereby announce my first-ness on the anti-Semitic undertones of Trumpian pro-Christmas rhetoric."</i><br />
<br />
Bovy bases her claim on her earlier tweet: <i>" 'Merry Christmas' Does Double Duty as Innocuous Greeting and Dog-Whistle."</i><br />
<br />
Buzz Anderson agrees, tweeting: <i>"I was just thinking today how sinister the 'Merry Christmas" on his victory tour podium sign feels."</i><br />
<br />
Phoebe Maltz Bovy writes for the <a href="http://forward.com/author/phoebe-maltz-bovy/">Jewish Daily Forward</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/phoebe-maltz-bovy/">The Atlantic</a>, and <a href="https://newrepublic.com/authors/phoebe-maltz-bovy">The New Republic</a>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8PNkQhqpL-wThRiDzDsFa_YRuiHygRjnKYf9xWXsL3c_BpBKrOz-212IdBT4WcTQuPOdPXduS1etoR6aC7-EahIgemEcdkN10eq4RtN8qm4DqwZGOo7DPI7e_GatJfAK_nLL/s1600/Merry+Christmas+anti-Jewish+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8PNkQhqpL-wThRiDzDsFa_YRuiHygRjnKYf9xWXsL3c_BpBKrOz-212IdBT4WcTQuPOdPXduS1etoR6aC7-EahIgemEcdkN10eq4RtN8qm4DqwZGOo7DPI7e_GatJfAK_nLL/s640/Merry+Christmas+anti-Jewish+1.jpg" width="615" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQr-7NbLcA66EoiiJ05rduZM2tht5kkkmZ1UxOes5qyeIoj3QT5qFry5e5fVVpZZ5jSGLL5KHwEwzV75FwF45Zmw5pHk77jV_3tAPoHySdNCWEK42c0JaudAkA1k908nvarDa/s1600/Merry+Christmas+anti-Jewish+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQr-7NbLcA66EoiiJ05rduZM2tht5kkkmZ1UxOes5qyeIoj3QT5qFry5e5fVVpZZ5jSGLL5KHwEwzV75FwF45Zmw5pHk77jV_3tAPoHySdNCWEK42c0JaudAkA1k908nvarDa/s640/Merry+Christmas+anti-Jewish+2.jpg" width="632" /></a> </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
In his <i>New York Times</i> article, "<a href="http://hollywoodinvestigator.blogspot.com/2016/12/liam-stack-of-new-york-times-is-wrong.html">How the 'War on Christmas' Controversy Was Created</a>," Liam Stack wrote: <i>"It should be noted that Jews, Muslims and others who do not celebrate Christmas often say they are not offended by a hearty 'Merry Christmas.' "</i></div>
<br />
I guess Mr. Stack has never met Ms. Bovy.<br />
<br />
========================</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-33929710160294581722016-12-23T01:59:00.001-08:002016-12-23T02:01:21.838-08:00Liam Stack of The New York Times Is Wrong -- War on Christmas Predates 2005<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_suds95sUNxCcm-y3xRUyLRqAvwfOy29ik1x5tIrjXolrA3iXttTPvj21y_lu_1URPgiHTXPeiWf9IesqWQBGTaGFMXG61XTP7ssD6ZdnK5wM1Nb1Za9-loiK2P8ZcGHOvW3/s1600/War+on+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_suds95sUNxCcm-y3xRUyLRqAvwfOy29ik1x5tIrjXolrA3iXttTPvj21y_lu_1URPgiHTXPeiWf9IesqWQBGTaGFMXG61XTP7ssD6ZdnK5wM1Nb1Za9-loiK2P8ZcGHOvW3/s400/War+on+Christmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In his <i>New York Times</i> article, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/us/war-on-christmas-controversy.html?_r=0">How the 'War on Christmas' Controversy Was Created</a>" (Dec 16, 2016), Liam Stack writes:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The most organized attack on Christmas
came from the Puritans, who banned celebrations of the holiday in the
17th century because it did not accord with their interpretation of
the Bible.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fast forward 400 years, and the idea of
a plot against Christmas gained wide publicity when Fox News promoted <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595230165/communistvampire">a 2005 book</a> by a radio host, John
Gibson, that alleged liberal antagonism toward the holiday, according
to Dan Cassino, a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, no. The current War on Christmas extends
much further back than 2005. As reported in the <i>Hollywood Investigator</i> article, "<a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/pork/holidaywars.htm">Holiday Wars Highlight Need for School Choice</a>" (Nov 16, 2006):
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
On May 20, 1998, <a href="http://www.catholicleague.org/">Catholic League</a>
president William Donahue testified before the US Civil Rights
Commission that in "Manhattan Beach, California, a public school
removed a Christmas tree from school property after a rabbi objected
that the tree was a religious symbol; however, the school allowed the
display of a Star of David. ... in Mahopac, New York, Boy Scout
students were barred from selling holiday wreaths at a fundraiser,
even though a wreath is a secular symbol; Hanukkah gifts, however,
were allowed to be sold at the school's own fundraiser."
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet government does not consistently
regard Jewish symbols as secular. Donahue adds, "I confronted an
attorney for New York City Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew regarding the
practice of banning crèches in the schools while allowing menorahs.
At first, she cited the 1989 County of Allegheny v. ACLU decision to
buttress her case, but when I pointed out that that decision
undermined her case -- making the argument that the high court
declared a menorah to be a religious symbol, not a secular one -- she
quickly retreated. Such ignorance strikes me as willful."</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Donahue's above examples will
discomfort some people, as it highlights the different ways that
Hanukkah and Christmas are treated. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813553806/communistvampire">Hanukkah's religious aspects are respected</a>. Christmas is "sanitized" of religious
overtones. Christmas is deemed offensive because not everyone
celebrates it. Hanukkah (and Kwanzaa, and Yuletide, and Ramadan, etc.) are to be respected even if only one person celebrates it, in the
interests of diversity.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our modern concept of diversity
includes and tolerates everyone except the Christian majority, whose
very presence is deemed offensive.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is, of course, one of the major reasons for Donald Trump's recent presidential victory. Whites, Christians, straights, and men have felt increasingly disrespected in their own country. It's not that they're opposed to diversity and tolerance. It's that they feel that this New Diversity has no Tolerance for them.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTvhebsOjaiCG7ZHCmqh9ybzYSJ6dhgwy4Otaaqw6TGV3ODhuDokhCZMmX-9vd8YWXSCK3_8eTeeWeZFZgV59DdifK625ID3mXKJVKKGMW319wm0JRYQQfX3gaCWDztVmNkt0/s1600/Trump+Merry+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTvhebsOjaiCG7ZHCmqh9ybzYSJ6dhgwy4Otaaqw6TGV3ODhuDokhCZMmX-9vd8YWXSCK3_8eTeeWeZFZgV59DdifK625ID3mXKJVKKGMW319wm0JRYQQfX3gaCWDztVmNkt0/s400/Trump+Merry+Christmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">Stephen Crowley/The New York Times </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mr. Stack correctly recognizes the link between the War on Christmas and Trump's victory -- as does Trump himself. Stack writes:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The idea of a "War on Christmas" has turned things like holiday greetings and decorations into potentially divisive political statements. People who believe Christmas is under attack point to inclusive phrases like "Happy Holidays" as (liberal) insults to Christianity.<br />
<br />
For over a decade, these debates have taken place mainly on conservative talk radio and cable programs. But this year they also burst onto a much grander stage: the presidential election.<br />
<br />
At a rally in Wisconsin last week, Donald J. Trump stood in front of a line of Christmas trees and repeated a campaign-trail staple.<br />
<br />
"When I started 18 months ago, I told my first crowd in Wisconsin that we are going to come back here some day and we are going to say 'Merry Christmas' again," he said. "Merry Christmas. So, Merry Christmas everyone. Happy New Year, but Merry Christmas."</blockquote>
<br />
Yes, Mr. Stack, Trump <i>gets</i> it. Christians demand to be treated with respect -- to be regarded as a vibrant and visible part of America's diversity, the same as any other group.<br />
<br />
============</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-86099328504542073572016-09-30T00:36:00.001-07:002016-09-30T01:20:33.065-07:00Is Hillary Clinton's 2016 Campaign in Trouble? In California?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeG3G3fi6yj-oW4DRp_-yr-n7Uzbh-T_BqdCR1WgO9DqZ_2uJQ7GdGpfpnRUr8VyeGNrUcms7w6tRq-FyeF4jfSYgBFtcmVWvEzDTE5f9jqoAtPNm9Zox5NR5w8Rn8dRdq6zf/s1600/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeG3G3fi6yj-oW4DRp_-yr-n7Uzbh-T_BqdCR1WgO9DqZ_2uJQ7GdGpfpnRUr8VyeGNrUcms7w6tRq-FyeF4jfSYgBFtcmVWvEzDTE5f9jqoAtPNm9Zox5NR5w8Rn8dRdq6zf/s1600/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeG3G3fi6yj-oW4DRp_-yr-n7Uzbh-T_BqdCR1WgO9DqZ_2uJQ7GdGpfpnRUr8VyeGNrUcms7w6tRq-FyeF4jfSYgBFtcmVWvEzDTE5f9jqoAtPNm9Zox5NR5w8Rn8dRdq6zf/s1600/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeG3G3fi6yj-oW4DRp_-yr-n7Uzbh-T_BqdCR1WgO9DqZ_2uJQ7GdGpfpnRUr8VyeGNrUcms7w6tRq-FyeF4jfSYgBFtcmVWvEzDTE5f9jqoAtPNm9Zox5NR5w8Rn8dRdq6zf/s640/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Is Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign in trouble -- <i>even in liberal California?</i><br />
<br />
It might be. A few weeks ago a Clinton campaign office opened on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738531448/communistvampire">Santa Monica</a>'s pricey Montana Avenue (1627 Montana, to be exact). This is highly unusual. The Democratic Party enjoys such a lopsided majority among registered voters, it hasn't bothered with any street campaigning for many years now. Indeed, in the nearly 30 years I've lived in Santa Monica, this is the first I've ever seen a presidential campaign office -- Democratic or Republican -- in this affluent but heavily Democratic town.<br />
<br />
The GOP wrote off California long ago. In 1996 <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060763418/communistvampire">Bob Dole</a>'s Republican campaign was invisible in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, despite the GOP holding its convention in San Diego. In 1992 I heard radio reports of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553447785/communistvampire">Bush campaign</a> supporters active in Orange County. That was about it.<br />
<br />
As for Democrats, they've long ago taken California voters for granted. Democratic candidates come to California to raise money from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1469617919/communistvampire">Hollywood</a> and Silicon Valley, not to meet ordinary voters. Yet this time Hillary has opened a storefront office in Santa Monica, apparently trying to rally every voter she can find.<br />
<br />
Do Hillary's people think that every vote will count this November <i>-- even in California?</i> It appears they do.<br />
<br />
The <i>Sacramento Bee</i> is also reporting that Clinton is <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/presidential-election/article102803037.html">slipping in California</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWmypwEFSbQf-FWfS_wHC6ye1QnpAG9aUrm_7CnbPWOhMXIcAniskU2cFtkeKd1Q1v6Ltq_C8cG3VplYHWUOkndWpsEQ9uYpwnS7r1SsVVuHdVlXvYoTmWsFL2ANZhzmCvwzo/s1600/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWmypwEFSbQf-FWfS_wHC6ye1QnpAG9aUrm_7CnbPWOhMXIcAniskU2cFtkeKd1Q1v6Ltq_C8cG3VplYHWUOkndWpsEQ9uYpwnS7r1SsVVuHdVlXvYoTmWsFL2ANZhzmCvwzo/s640/Hillary+Clinton+2016+campaign+HQ+in+Santa+Monica+2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The Clinton campaign office shares space with other Democratic
candidates, whose street presence was likewise invisible in past
elections.<br />
<br />
======================== </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-10918420489673284792016-09-22T23:34:00.002-07:002016-09-23T00:10:47.133-07:00Selfish Bicyclists Block Brentwood Wheelchair Ramp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk93imJOxmpTSkMf4t9unUWnOZ4gwBZLVIV2ilmrPAY8yCCcP_8PZEekyuecIYUHeov1p3CwK8LULChLMgCpWz8ZCzXdoRizzT-pTP_-qEv5iX6dSkNh1QZ2jP2Uqy2xDVv8k0/s1600/Brentwood+bikes%252C+Sept+11%252C+2016+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk93imJOxmpTSkMf4t9unUWnOZ4gwBZLVIV2ilmrPAY8yCCcP_8PZEekyuecIYUHeov1p3CwK8LULChLMgCpWz8ZCzXdoRizzT-pTP_-qEv5iX6dSkNh1QZ2jP2Uqy2xDVv8k0/s400/Brentwood+bikes%252C+Sept+11%252C+2016+2.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
The number of bicyclists is increasing
on L.A.'s Westside -- as is their selfish, self-centered, self-entitlement. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11707713/Cyclists-think-they-own-the-roads.-They-dont.html">Bicyclists are notorious</a> for <i>illegally</i>...
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>* Cycling on sidewalks, <a href="http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9377415.Speeding_cyclists_slammed_by_pedestrians_in_Southend/">endangering pedestrians</a>,</i></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i>* Cycling side-by-side in the street,
outside of designated bike lanes (instead of riding in tandem, as the
law requires), blocking cars,</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i>* Ignoring <a href="https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-151671050/blitz-on-selfish-cyclists">red lights</a>,
</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i>* Ignoring stop signs, and refusing to
wait their turn when it's a car's turn to go through,</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<i>* Passive-aggressively cycling in the
middle of the street, <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/selfish-cyclists-causing-chaos-on-western-sydneys-busonly-roads/news-story/8df81ae3202a92d269d1019627799a52">blocking traffic</a>, even when
there's a designated bike lane available,</i><br />
<br />
<i>* Even polluting the environment and <a href="http://road.cc/content/news/205430-selfish-cyclists-blamed-litter-caused-richmond-park-deer-deaths">killing wildlife</a> with their litter.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
But these <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11707713/Cyclists-think-they-own-the-roads.-They-dont.html">selfish cyclists</a> reached new
heights of arrogance when two of them chained their bikes <i>in
the middle of a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/%20%20/communistvampire">wheelchair</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1514692392/communistvampire"> ramp</a></i> at the <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/brentwood-town-center-los-angeles">Brentwood Town Center</a> (a
two-storey mini-mall located on the corner of 26th Street and San
Vicente Blvd, in Los Angeles's Brentwood neighborhood).<br />
<br />
The wheelchair "ramp" is actually a stone incline, leading to an upper level that is also accessible by stairs (for those lucky enough to still be able to walk or use a bicycle.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As the photos attest (taken
on Sunday afternoon, September 11, 2016), the remaining space was too
narrow for wheelchairs to pass through.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f1ZzPZqDM_ykcMtMJ6pXwghQygVQMQkS1LLpmmfx0kh4E6hsDpp4tg9-DvyOJf1u4A8C9nMK1g1t3UkCLqvYq1WZF1EV_sO7nqRHjTMdBFG35GD93TOOYrq4LQjwUP370mg9/s1600/Brentwood+bikes%252C+Sept+11%252C+2016+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f1ZzPZqDM_ykcMtMJ6pXwghQygVQMQkS1LLpmmfx0kh4E6hsDpp4tg9-DvyOJf1u4A8C9nMK1g1t3UkCLqvYq1WZF1EV_sO7nqRHjTMdBFG35GD93TOOYrq4LQjwUP370mg9/s640/Brentwood+bikes%252C+Sept+11%252C+2016+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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========================= </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-62274617950375694492016-09-21T16:49:00.000-07:002016-09-21T16:49:15.972-07:00AirBnB Abuse Rampant in "Rent Controlled" Santa Monica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguacFEjZDXyM60WIgeNCssCmeC2Vo9WEj-vqvpo4EyefmiIhJjftQ6OTOMdFm5DKXLpp0khH3vS9QIyEY7B0gBo0amsLBEfw3GqQcGgOD4tidUuZdd6Upb10myKESgoCAwQV48/s1600/homeless+on+Santa+Monica+Promenade%252C+August+21%252C+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguacFEjZDXyM60WIgeNCssCmeC2Vo9WEj-vqvpo4EyefmiIhJjftQ6OTOMdFm5DKXLpp0khH3vS9QIyEY7B0gBo0amsLBEfw3GqQcGgOD4tidUuZdd6Upb10myKESgoCAwQV48/s1600/homeless+on+Santa+Monica+Promenade%252C+August+21%252C+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguacFEjZDXyM60WIgeNCssCmeC2Vo9WEj-vqvpo4EyefmiIhJjftQ6OTOMdFm5DKXLpp0khH3vS9QIyEY7B0gBo0amsLBEfw3GqQcGgOD4tidUuZdd6Upb10myKESgoCAwQV48/s1600/homeless+on+Santa+Monica+Promenade%252C+August+21%252C+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguacFEjZDXyM60WIgeNCssCmeC2Vo9WEj-vqvpo4EyefmiIhJjftQ6OTOMdFm5DKXLpp0khH3vS9QIyEY7B0gBo0amsLBEfw3GqQcGgOD4tidUuZdd6Upb10myKESgoCAwQV48/s640/homeless+on+Santa+Monica+Promenade%252C+August+21%252C+2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite stringent rent control laws, the affluent city of Santa Monica, CA is plagued with rampant homelessness. Part of the reason might be that wealthy tenants are abusing rent control, illegally retaining their rent controlied apartments -- not to live in, but to price-gouge subtenants.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This was recently posted on
<a href="http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/rent-prices-drop-in-10-of-top-12-us-markets-us-rental-rates/">DoctorHousingBubble.com</a>:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>"A yoga instructor/model/single
mom I know has a rent-controlled one bedroom in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738581437/communistvampire">Santa Monica</a>
that’s
a walk to the beach. She has outgrown the apartment but knows
that on
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1535428821/communistvampire"> AirBnb</a> that one bedroom will bring in ~$4500 in income. Her
neighbor
only pays $600 in rent and will not rock the boat. She plans on
taking the $3000 in profit and using that as income to rent a
house
in nearby Mar Vista. The three bedroom house will run ~$4500.
Her
logic is that her monthly cash flow of $1500 stays roughly the
same."</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Was this the purpose of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0882851594/communistvampire">rent control</a>?
To protect the rights of (very lucky) tenants to price-gouge
subtenants on AirBnB? Here's <a href="http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/buying-a-home-without-seeing-it-bidding-without-viewing-homes-full-house-home/">another post</a>, from someone else:<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>"I have a friend in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970640900/communistvampire">SM [Santa Monica] Canyon</a> who
turned his garage into a 1 bedroom unit and was renting it out
for
about $1800 per month. Then when the tenant left a few years
ago, he
posted it on AirBnB and is now fetching about $5K per month to
vacationers with 1 week minimum stay. He intimated this to his
neighbor one day in a moment of trustful conversation and guess
what
-- his neighbor told him he was doing the same thing with his
garage."</i>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No wonder traffic is an increasing
nightmare. As if over-development wasn't enough, every other
house,
garage, condo, and apartment is being turned into a vacation
rental.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Santa Monica Code Enforcement, are you
listening?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
================== </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-19580147037127445302016-09-05T04:41:00.001-07:002016-09-05T04:46:41.554-07:00Jimmy Fallon Welcomes Songman Matt Farley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Writer/actor Matt Farley shared a <a href="http://tabloidwitch.com/2012.html">Tabloid Witch Award in 2012</a> with director Charles Roxburgh for their collaboration on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00BSTVF1A/communistvampire">Don't Let the Riverbeast Get You!</a><br />
<br />
Farley continues to impress and amaze -- this time with an appearance on the Jimmy Fallon Show:<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/URj3Zy3k9nI?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
Farley has been the subject of several Hollywood Investigator reports over the years, covering Farley's <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2011/motern.html">early films</a>, his <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2012/riverbeast.html">award-winning Riverbeast</a>, and his later, more <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2013/locallegends.html">autobiographical work</a>.<br />
<br />
============</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-57342849784772807412016-07-20T01:30:00.000-07:002016-07-21T00:35:38.775-07:00KFI's Gary and Shannon Think the U.S. Military Budget Was Slashed by 87.5%<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VUySJgIqxjaaa8kHyLxkxbGKWkBgHad2QxUmOkWv0dBNvupaAvq-C1Dsg6Ko4HlceF6ZJr2mJQCvDp1to_-87f4FF8uXVEaGkOq-NVnRic0Oh1zjK5r6D9XqpWquUhKpR2a/s1600/Gary+Hoffmann+and+Shannon+Farren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VUySJgIqxjaaa8kHyLxkxbGKWkBgHad2QxUmOkWv0dBNvupaAvq-C1Dsg6Ko4HlceF6ZJr2mJQCvDp1to_-87f4FF8uXVEaGkOq-NVnRic0Oh1zjK5r6D9XqpWquUhKpR2a/s320/Gary+Hoffmann+and+Shannon+Farren.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
KFI-AM's <a href="http://kfiam640.iheart.com/onair/gary-and-shannon-56930/">Gary Hoffman and Shannon Farren</a> think the Department of Defense's budget was <i>slashed by 87.5%</i>
after eight years of Obama!
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="name"></a>While the figure is
absurd on its face -- an 87.5% cut would effectively shut down the
military -- the two Los Angeles radio "journalists"
accepted that whooper at face value during an interview with Chuck
Mcdougald, held on July 18, 2016, at the 2016 Republican National
Convention.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mcdougald is the Western Region
Director for Concerned Veterans for America. In short, he's an
activist. It's his job to lie. And it's Gary and Shannon's job to
catch lies -- especially when they're so obviously a lie.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Specifically, Mcdougald told Gary and
Shannon that Obama had "halved" the military's budget (a
50% cut), "then halved it again" (to 25%), "then
halved it again" (leaving 12.5% of the original budget).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2016/Gary%20and%20Shannon%20with%20Chuck%20Mcdougald%20-%20July%2018,%202016.mp3">this brief clip</a>, you can hear
Mcdougald pass off his lie, which Gary and Shannon swallow whole.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And apparently, <i>nobody</i> at KFI (AM 640 in Los Angeles) had their brains turned on that day,
because <i>nobody</i> rushed in to correct Gary or Shannon. During the
following hour, Shannon repeated Mcdougald's whopper to KFI
"political analyst" John Thomas.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thomas, likewise, let Shannon's silly statement pass unchallenged (<a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2016/Gary%20and%20Shannon%20with%20John%20Thomas%20-%20July%2018,%202016">listen to the clip</a>), indicating that Thomas too accepts Mcdougald's
absurd claim.<br />
<br />
====================== </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-41458841221132059802016-07-07T05:30:00.001-07:002016-07-07T05:32:38.435-07:00Tympanum Now Available on Amazon Prime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja54Y4_RiLSTs0fgTVZj-q8pUSice7KIKmiTEmfRLHwgob8_eppUdrQdEibFkbQS86D6MYo6g97XnBnydgPa3Eh9WAlD8CYoP-8RzDhpC__OizD527K2vxPIZKC_hJKMZdIsBb/s1600/Tympanum+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja54Y4_RiLSTs0fgTVZj-q8pUSice7KIKmiTEmfRLHwgob8_eppUdrQdEibFkbQS86D6MYo6g97XnBnydgPa3Eh9WAlD8CYoP-8RzDhpC__OizD527K2vxPIZKC_hJKMZdIsBb/s400/Tympanum+poster.jpg" width="251" /></a><a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2013/tympanum.html">Tympanum</a> is a sci-fi/suspense film, blending the old-fashioned "sense of wonder" of a
1960s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Zone-Complete-Definitive-Collection/dp/B000H5U5EE?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=communistvampire">Twilight Zone</a> episode, with the emotional sensibility of a 1980s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Poltergeist-JoBeth-Williams/dp/B000V4UFZK?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=communistvampire">Steven Spielberg</a> film.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2013/tympanum.html">Tympanum</a> also won four Tabloid Witch Awards <a href="http://www.tabloidwitch.com/2013.html">in 2013</a> -- Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Honorable Mention.<br />
<br />
And it's now finally available to the public! You can stream or download the film on <a href="http://amzn.to/297GTgm">Amazon Prime</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-31528438468183699522015-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:002015-10-17T10:34:33.648-07:00Bill Handel's Historical Ignorance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nGQjehcyksh9PONYiu-x6wS5e9nYOq8mxqgrymhyWEfsgYzqnB4KJrJCMFh5Gl06avbLriwtnbg8NMvsBUFH_R2TayULQR7J9fM1ws2NdyznrxHaF_0v1Ksxg9X9yhKXp9mL/s1600/Bill+Handel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nGQjehcyksh9PONYiu-x6wS5e9nYOq8mxqgrymhyWEfsgYzqnB4KJrJCMFh5Gl06avbLriwtnbg8NMvsBUFH_R2TayULQR7J9fM1ws2NdyznrxHaF_0v1Ksxg9X9yhKXp9mL/s320/Bill+Handel.jpg" width="320" /></a>KFI-AM's <a href="http://www.kfiam640.com/onair/bill-handel-30603/">Bill Handel</a> often brags about
his lack of knowledge, legal and otherwise. But he really outdid
himself on October 15, 2015, during his radio show's 7 a.m. hour.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
President Obama has reneged
on his promise to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The troops
will remain. In defending Obama from the charge of "flip-flopping,"
Handel said that it is appropriate for presidents to change policy
when circumstances change.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fair enough. Whether that principle
applies to this situation -- <i>Do circumstances in Afghanistan
justifies Obama's change of policy?</i> -- is another matter. We'll leave that open to debate.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But it was in discussing past presidents
that Handel displayed his vast ignorance of history. In particular
...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
* Handel said that Woodrow Wilson was
re-elected president in 1916 on a platform of <i>"He kept us out of
the war."</i> That Wilson then changed policy and supported a war against Germany in 1917. The reason for this change of policy, said Handel,
was the sinking of the Lusitania.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
NO, Bill. You are WRONG.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <a href="http://u2r2h-documents.blogspot.com/2008/12/lusitania-human-shields-anglo-american.html">Lusitania was sunk in 1915</a> -- two
years <i>before</i> Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. The
sinking of the Lusitania had nothing to do with Wilson's change of
policy. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
* Handel also discussed President
Richard Nixon's attempt to curb inflation with a policy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1610161408/communistvampire">wage and price controls</a>. Handel then mocked Nixon's WIN button campaign
-- WIN for "whip inflation now."
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
NO, Bill. You are WRONG.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nixon did indeed call for wage and
price controls. But the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whip_inflation_now">WIN campaign</a> was sparked by President Ford.
Not by Nixon.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can listen to these examples of
Handel's historical by <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/Bill%20Handel%20on%20Lusitania%20and%20Nixon.mp3">clicking here</a>. (The MP3 file is edited so that
the Wilson gaffe is followed directly by the Nixon gaffe, removing
some of Handel's other historical examples there were -- by some fluke -- accurate.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
===========================</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-1225040523668510802015-06-03T00:39:00.000-07:002015-06-03T00:40:38.306-07:00June 3 is World Motern Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubkM20xBdpNxsjEKvdycWcicPXKbhNt_yFdNJYp25kloqIJKyGMCcaMcC0gOotTPZUEM3BkhLvBQ8hfVlgJfAEDrokMvFDiOeQoTzn6x7e9BhX3-yRh_TBWUPvAZ6xdfdFFcC/s1600/Matt+Farley+wins+a+Tabloid+Witch+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubkM20xBdpNxsjEKvdycWcicPXKbhNt_yFdNJYp25kloqIJKyGMCcaMcC0gOotTPZUEM3BkhLvBQ8hfVlgJfAEDrokMvFDiOeQoTzn6x7e9BhX3-yRh_TBWUPvAZ6xdfdFFcC/s320/Matt+Farley+wins+a+Tabloid+Witch+Award.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Support the world's most prolific musician!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2013/locallegends.html">Matt Farley</a> has created more than 17,000 songs since 2008. All the while, he's been working a full-time job outside of music!<br />
<br />
The music is bringing him about $2000 every month. That's nice. But it's not enough to be a full-time musician!<br />
<br />
So he declared that his birthday, June 3, will be World <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2011/motern.html">Motern</a> Day. On that day, one million people are to listen to all eight hours of this amazing <a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/moternmedia/playlist/5NpbTHJJUt7qyXiPlg5m73">Spotify playlist</a>. For each person who listens to the whole thing, Matt will earn about $1.50. By the end of the day, Matt will be a millionaire! It's foolproof!<br />
<br />
The playlist is <i>amazing!</i> You won't believe that one man was able to produce all this great music! And you will have even more trouble believing that this playlist is less than 3% of his musical output! <i>Wow!</i><br />
<br />
Get your friends to join in on World <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2012/riverbeast.html">Motern</a> Day. It'll be fun!<br />
<br />
============================ </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-335394585593309052015-05-20T03:58:00.000-07:002015-05-20T03:58:12.362-07:00Women Embrace Witchcraft to Break Through Hollywood's Glass Ceiling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71aYS_tpz3ZUu3HIVTRmDNxUe2rTJn3uAGtqtG_CnLaHb0BJL88UDhj-XSG-M3vXmrr2ZtL8mU1mI7Az53SGOjsWWShhu-cKmDkAHuv8InmZTj75Z_0veIxodw9U3OOUyiJhn/s1600/Magic+Circle%252C+John+William+Waterhouse%252C+1886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71aYS_tpz3ZUu3HIVTRmDNxUe2rTJn3uAGtqtG_CnLaHb0BJL88UDhj-XSG-M3vXmrr2ZtL8mU1mI7Az53SGOjsWWShhu-cKmDkAHuv8InmZTj75Z_0veIxodw9U3OOUyiJhn/s320/Magic+Circle%252C+John+William+Waterhouse%252C+1886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Tired of Hollywood's longtime liberal
hypocrisy -- claiming to love diversity while continuing to
discriminate against women in its hiring practices -- the ACLU is calling on the government
to use legal means to end gender discrimination at the studios.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Reporting for <i>The New York
Times</i> (May 12, 2015), Cara Buckley <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/movies/aclu-citing-bias-against-women-wants-inquiry-into-hollywoods-hiring-practices.html?_r=0">writes</a>:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="story-continues-1"></a><i>"Grumblings
that Hollywood is a man’s world have percolated for decades and are
borne out in grim figures: Women directed only 4 percent of
top-grossing films over the last dozen years. Now this apparent
truism is being challenged as a violation of civil rights.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>"On Tuesday the American
Civil Liberties Union asked state and federal agencies to investigate
the hiring practices of major Hollywood studios, networks and talent
agencies for what the organization described as rampant and
intentional gender discrimination in recruiting and hiring female
directors.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>" 'Women directors aren’t
working on an even playing field and aren’t getting a fair
opportunity to succeed,' said Melissa Goodman, director of the
LGBT, Gender and Reproductive Justice Project at the ACLU of
Southern California. 'Gender discrimination is illegal. And, really,
Hollywood doesn't get this free pass when it comes to civil rights
and gender discrimination.' "</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While the ACLU is using
anti-discrimination laws to fighting hiring biases in the
entertainment industry, the women in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">Hollywood Witches</a> have turned to
the supernatural to achieve gender parity at the studios.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Read about their witchy exploits -- and
the tabloid reporters who struggle to expose their wiccan schemes --
in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">the 2010 novel</a> that preceded the current controversy!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
================== </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-78627386261074264122015-03-01T20:58:00.000-08:002015-03-01T21:22:40.940-08:00Hollywood Witches Targets Hollywood's Hypocrisy on Diversity <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmfefZADycfRzn8YdJ2EZjHfpg7FL5efej3P_slrpxRncgfxPuznO3HPg4Eo75mOSDyZb_VgsCie6VnbeWG2D-OnmzpjOElxH11aebV1D8q21K3QIntEY2Rp2Prpe5rBTIsqa/s1600/Hollywood+Witches+by+Thomas+M.+Sipos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmfefZADycfRzn8YdJ2EZjHfpg7FL5efej3P_slrpxRncgfxPuznO3HPg4Eo75mOSDyZb_VgsCie6VnbeWG2D-OnmzpjOElxH11aebV1D8q21K3QIntEY2Rp2Prpe5rBTIsqa/s1600/Hollywood+Witches+by+Thomas+M.+Sipos.jpg" height="320" width="205" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 2015 Academy Awards once again
exposed Hollywood's hypocrisy on diversity. The film industry has a
long history of promoting diversity on screen -- but only as a
message, not as an actual practice. As a random example, consider the
1980 TV-movie, <i>The $5.20 an Hour Dream</i>. In it, Linda Lavin
(TV's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0089BSLKS/communistvampire">Alice</a>) fights sexist bosses and co-workers for her right to do "a man's job" on a factory assembly line.
</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The makers of that film likely felt a
smug pride in berating manufacturers for their unequal hiring
practices. And a sense of moral superiority in belonging to the more
enlightened entertainment industry. Indeed, Hollywood has been so
prolific in fighting prejudice (on screen) that it's hard to list
every film and TV episode with an equal opportunity message. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008HUSFTS/communistvampire">Norman Lear</a> made a career of producing "liberal message" sitcoms
in the 1970s-1980s.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> But that's okay. The message
-- that one should provide equal opportunity to all job-seekers,
irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, sex, or age -- is right and
proper. The problem is that while Hollywood loves to wag its finger
at all those other "bigoted" businesses -- which are nearly
always depicted as being run by snotty, blue-blooded WASPs --
Hollywood has yet to practice what it preaches.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> According to the AP's <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Oscar-spotlight-draws-attention-to-industry-6087638.php#page-1">Jake
Coyle</a>, "[T]he academy is a reflection of the film industry;
it can only reward the films that get made. What this year's
all-white acting nominees did was lay bare the enormous, hulking
iceberg of the movie business' diversity problems." And
NPR's <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2015/02/28/389259335/diversity-sells-but-hollywood-remains-overwhelmingly-white-male">All
Things Considered</a> adds, "If you want an accurate picture of
ethnic and gender diversity in the United States, don't look to
Hollywood."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Both articles cite the <a href="http://www.bunchecenter.ucla.edu/index.php/2015/02/2015-hollywood-diversity-report/">2015
Hollywood Diversity Report</a> prepared by the <a href="http://www.bunchecenter.ucla.edu/">Ralph
J. Bunche Center for African American Studies</a> at UCLA. But this
is only the latest in a long line of dismal Hollywood diversity reports. In
2000, the <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Tomás Rivera Policy
Institute released a report with the self-explanatory title: <a href="http://www.sagaftra.org/files/sag/documents/stillmissing_latinosinandoutofhollywood_sagpiacf_2000.pdf">Still
Missing: Latinos In and Out of Hollywood</a></span></i>.
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I know about that report because I
cite its statistics in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">Hollywood Witches</a>, my satirical novel
about Tinseltown's hypocritical hiring practices. In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452892601/communistvampire">Hollywood Witches</a>, a New Age coven infiltrates the studios, seeking control
of the industry by hook or by crook -- or more specifically, through
sex and black magic. Once in power, they will impose hiring quotas
so that the industry "looks like America" on both sides of
the camera. Coven leader Diana
Däagen even has some programs on her Mac custom-designed for just that purpose: <i>Glass Ceiling 4.0</i> and <i>Bean
Counter 2.1</i>.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana Däagen
is a villain. Her plans require widespread blood sacrifice to
succeed. But like all great Hollywood villains, she has a point. There is
method to her madness. When she states her case (as all great
villains do before launching the final stage of their Master Plan),
she cites hard facts and makes valid arguments. Hollywood does
discriminate. Despite the usual boilerplate about "equal
opportunity" on studio stationery, nepotism and cronyism rule
the day.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And it's even worse behind the camera than on screen. Audiences will notice if there's no color on screen, but they never see who's
writing and producing (or not) off camera.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The
current controversy regarding the 2015 Oscars has focused mostly
(albeit not exclusively) on the lack of diversity on screen. But
Diana correctly understood that Hollywood will never achieve real
diversity until there is diversity among the gatekeepers doing the
hiring -- the agents, managers, producers, TV show runners, and
studio bosses. Give the devil her due.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">=============================</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-90946841255266275562014-10-03T03:41:00.000-07:002014-10-03T03:41:46.416-07:00Libertarians Make 2014 California Ballot Proposition Recommendations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7XWXF0qvDGUpIhebISO6Hb8XtOCAoCm6cH_kzba9bQRI3g0wgku2QcZvQCqTpyG4yu_uV8lAmMUj32fcpYiIeXTzouz2HcNEvCnwh7HMs_db01xHIONUq5CAX6KBZEPYkcFA/s1600/Vote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7XWXF0qvDGUpIhebISO6Hb8XtOCAoCm6cH_kzba9bQRI3g0wgku2QcZvQCqTpyG4yu_uV8lAmMUj32fcpYiIeXTzouz2HcNEvCnwh7HMs_db01xHIONUq5CAX6KBZEPYkcFA/s1600/Vote.jpg" /></a>The Libertarian Party of Los Angeles County recommends the following votes on the November 2014 statewide ballot propositions in California:<br />
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<b>Prop 1 -- Water Bond for $7.12 Billion</b>. This measure authorizes the sale of general obligation bonds for state <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0520253272/communistvampire">water supply infrastructure</a> projects. This water bond measure has been around since 2009, but it has been postponed from election to election until the current drought "crisis," when the politicians felt it had a better chance of passage. It will take 40 years to pay off these bonds, and with interest and bond expenses, the total cost of the bill will likely be closer to $15 billion. Water projects are best managed and financed by local water boards, rather than writing grants to state bureaucrats trying to secure expensive bond monies. We recommend a <b>NO</b> vote.<br />
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<b>Prop 2 -- State Budget Stabilization</b>. This measure changes the rules for how much the legislature puts into "Rainy Day" reserves to help balance the budget during poor economic times. Most of the features in this measure are for the better and will lead to greater fiscal responsibility; however, the requirement for local school districts to reduce their reserves will make local schools even more dependent on state government for funding. We prefer <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0472035592/communistvampire">local control of education</a>, rather than centralized control. We recommend a <b>NO</b> vote.<br />
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<b>Prop 45 -- Health Insurance Rate Changes</b>. This measure gives the Insurance Commissioner the power to decide <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1116265427/communistvampire">health insurance rates</a>. This is yet another example of government interference in the marketplace where the bureaucrats have caused the problem and Prop 45 will (they hope) fix the problem. The bureaucrats have limited the number of insurance companies offering insurance to California consumers through excessive rules and regulations, which has led to less competition and higher prices. The fix is an "Insurance Czar" who will decide if insurance rate increases are reasonable to "protect" the consumers from "price gouging." The loosening up of regulations so many more insurance companies can sell to Californians will do a lot more to lower rates than any "Czar" can accomplish. We recommend a <b>NO</b> vote.<br />
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<b>Prop 46 -- Drug & Alcohol Testing of Doctors</b>. This measure requires <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1463661142/communistvampire">random testing for substance abuse</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0945999992/communistvampire">raise the cap on malpractice lawsuits</a> for pain and suffering. It is not possible to prevent every type of medical error that might occur -- and no government mandate is going to accomplish this worthy goal. The medical insurance industry already monitors doctors and will not insure doctors with problems or will charge them higher rates for the added risk. Mandatory testing will only add to the already high cost of health care by passing the cost on to consumers. Raising the cap on lawsuits for pain and suffering will only encourage more ambulance chasing in our lawsuit-happy society. We are also concerned about the requirement in this measure that requires doctors to turn in "suspected" substance-abused doctors and the requirement to use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596001053/communistvampire">government database</a> before issuing certain prescriptions, as government databases have a history of problems. We recommend a <b>NO</b> vote.<br />
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<b>Prop 47 -- Criminal Sentences</b>. This measure downgrades many less serious crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, thereby reducing the number of people incarcerated in California's prisons and jails. In particular, it reduces the penalty for possession of most drugs for personal use from felonies to misdemeanors. Locking up people in prisons for less time for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1459722892/communistvampire">victimless crimes</a> is a good start toward ending the drug war -- and reforming the criminal justice system to focus on actually doing justice instead of promulgating injustice. The savings of not incarcerating those who commit nonviolent crimes should go back to the taxpayers in the form of reduced taxes, rather than other government programs. More fundamentally, the California Dept of Justice should be focused on real justice issues, such as deterring crimes against persons and property, providing restitution for victims of violent crimes and thefts, reforming the system to provide more equity and fairness, and improving its customer service levels in handling civil disputes. It should stop destroying the lives, families and careers of people who have harmed nobody except themselves (and in many cases, not even themselves). Although we will continue to advocate for complete decriminalization of all victimless conduct, this measure is a step in the right direction. We recommend a <b>YES</b> vote.<br />
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<b>Prop 48 -- lndian Gaming Compacts</b>. This measure allows a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1481176145/communistvampire">new casino</a> to be built near Highway 99 and the City of Merced in Central California. The casino will provide an outlet for many consumers who enjoy the recreation of gaming at a more convenient location than the current casinos that are further inland. It may also increase activity in an economically depressed area of the state by attracting jobs and business. While the casinos further inland do not want the competition of a new casino, it is not the proper role of government to protect any business from competition. Neither is it a proper role to ban businesses from operating, and then grant favors to special interests in the form of exceptions to the ban. We <b>decline to take a position</b> on this measure.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-80962805111419076112014-08-08T10:26:00.002-07:002014-08-08T10:26:47.500-07:00Halloween Arrives Early in Santa Monica, CA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every year, it seems Halloween comes <a href="http://communistvampires.blogspot.com/2010/08/first-halloween-sighting-in-2010-august.html">earlier and earlier</a>. Used to be that by <i>mid</i>-August one could already see Halloween items displayed in stores.<br />
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Last year, 2013, my first Halloween sighting in Santa Monica was at <a href="http://wilshirewestcarwash.com/">Wilshire West Car Wash</a>, which had <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004KNWX12/communistvampire">Halloween greeting cards</a> on display by <i>mid</i>-August.<br />
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This year, 2014, Halloween has already arrived by <i>early</i> August -- specifically, August 8th. That's the day I saw Halloween items on display at Santa Monica's <a href="http://www.partylandwla.com/">Party Land</a> store on Lincoln Blvd. (Of course, the display was likely set up over the weekend, i.e., prior to August 8th.) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQK18TShW3Z_ax8vHa0J7HuJk0A6ABeEcDAoEgaEWqb9-ElnNMqUecQggVcRpuE7rh5qaa8U_XQNz3Pe_sn3azt-mRatBU1CNdQ1kPyTvb-CW0NvvNqVMXUnISGlY2UmZIRNwl/s1600/Halloween+display+on+Lincoln+Blvd,+August+8,+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQK18TShW3Z_ax8vHa0J7HuJk0A6ABeEcDAoEgaEWqb9-ElnNMqUecQggVcRpuE7rh5qaa8U_XQNz3Pe_sn3azt-mRatBU1CNdQ1kPyTvb-CW0NvvNqVMXUnISGlY2UmZIRNwl/s1600/Halloween+display+on+Lincoln+Blvd,+August+8,+2014.jpg" height="359" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you live in another part of Los Angeles County with an even earlier Halloween sighting?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-38924936392982720622014-07-08T03:19:00.000-07:002014-07-08T03:21:16.434-07:00Gene H. Bell-Villada Links Vladimir Nabokov and Ayn Rand <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjragjaiGDuceZCrZUwNzGSxsOQPucl3rw3fVu_rE8nUBn-Hcb4foqAubaOTty8HhaoqR09NJGiO5Udvj7n8oSRQMteZQKjHZj5qc5THkvzeSetWuM6X0yktVZFLDgckF5x0myV/s1600/On+Nabokov+Ayn+Rand+and+the+Libertarian+Mind+by+Gene+H+Bell-Villada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjragjaiGDuceZCrZUwNzGSxsOQPucl3rw3fVu_rE8nUBn-Hcb4foqAubaOTty8HhaoqR09NJGiO5Udvj7n8oSRQMteZQKjHZj5qc5THkvzeSetWuM6X0yktVZFLDgckF5x0myV/s1600/On+Nabokov+Ayn+Rand+and+the+Libertarian+Mind+by+Gene+H+Bell-Villada.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
Gene H. Bell-Villada is a professor of romance languages at Williams
College, having earned his doctorate in the field at Harvard.<br />
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He's written or edited eleven books, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0803212607/communistvampire">Art for Art's Sake & Literary Life</a>, a finalist for the 1997 National Book Critics Circle Award, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0938513249/communistvampire">The Pianist Who Liked Ayn Rand</a>, a collection of essays and short fiction, including a novella that satirizes the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812693906/communistvampire">Ayn Rand cult</a> phenomenon.<br />
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Bell-Villada's latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1443850403/communistvampire">On Nabokov, Ayn Rand and the Libertarian Mind</a>, returns to Rand, finding parallels between her life and philosophy, and that of Vladimir Nabokov.<br />
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Read what Bell-Villada has to say about Rand and Nabokov in this latest <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2014/nabokov.html">Hollywood Investigator interview</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38905192.post-25983397484070911302014-06-14T07:11:00.000-07:002014-06-14T07:11:55.499-07:00Glenn Berggoetz's Latest Horror Film: The Ghosts of Johnson Woods<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Glenn Berggoetz, writer/director of <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2013/midget.html">Midget Zombie Takeover</a>, has just completed his latest film, a "psychological thriller" called The Ghosts of Johnson
Woods, featuring <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789308444/communistvampire">Joe Bob Briggs</a> (top row, middle).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrNYgga8vHiBionilgo4Qf-JAMAMc6V4Fe-fani5W43foHxCXm02uYN3PzF9cZYd-GIMGc5eyzeiIEGfIru4izjWAJSCpicKlDN9fhFNqpgUb00o3o-OKRvysGblhXpmtLux/s1600/The+Ghosts+of+Johnson+Woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrNYgga8vHiBionilgo4Qf-JAMAMc6V4Fe-fani5W43foHxCXm02uYN3PzF9cZYd-GIMGc5eyzeiIEGfIru4izjWAJSCpicKlDN9fhFNqpgUb00o3o-OKRvysGblhXpmtLux/s1600/The+Ghosts+of+Johnson+Woods.jpg" height="506" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>The Ghosts of
Johnson Woods</i> was shot in Denver, Colorado. It is set for a 2015 release.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0