Henrys Bar and Grill,  voted #1 neighborhood Bar and Grill in Garden Grove.

great Food-drinks-music-fun!!!

come and join us!

"The Little Red Building on stanford Ave"

All male teens growing up in the 80`s had a poster of  Farah on the Wall. She will be greatly missed and my thoughts and prayers go out to their entire family!! God Bless!

                                                    
                                                      Ken Wisdom Phelan,Ca

Sunday, June 14, 2009

12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Celebrating our 25th Annual Scholarship Tardeada!

SAESL has been fundraising for ESL & AB540 high school students for 25 years!

We invite you to join us on Sunday, June 14th for the 25th Annual SAESL Scholarship Tardeada, an event to support a community of students in need, specifically ESL students pursuing a higher education and attending college in the Fall of 2009.

Tickets are $10 for 5 hours of entertainment & including your meal and the obvious satisfaction of contributing to a great cause. Children under 12 are free!

We are a 100% volunteer run organization and our model had been created so that our participating high schools keep 100% of their fundraising dollars. We are a 501c3 nonprofit.

Our events are cultural celebrations! An afternoon of cultural performances by:

Mariachis, Jazz Bands, Salsa Groups and multiple Folklorico Dance Troupes by LAUSD schools & Professional Entertainers. We say it every year, but the elementary school mariachi is a real treat, as is LA's premiere Folk Ballet Company, Grandeza Mexicana!

Please feel free to invite your family, friends, or anyone you feel might be interested in donating to our cause. Thank you for your time & we look forward to seeing you on June 14th!

Tickets available from participating schools, at the door, from SAESL volunteers, and at saesl@mac.com
amzn_cl_tag="latinola-cal-20"; amzn_cl_max_links=4; // -->
Sponsored by: Scholarship Association for English as a Second Language Students

WD40-WOW
This was sent to me by a friend. I wanted to share it with you.

Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?


Don't lie and don't cheat. 
 
WD-40. Who knew? 
 
I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup.  I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason).  I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news.  He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do. Probably nothing until Monday morning , since nothing was open. 
 
Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off.  It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck.  I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew?  'Water Displacement #40' The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.  WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company.  Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound.  They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40.  The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. 
 
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.  When you read the 'shower door' part, try it..  It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door.  If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle!  Then try it on your stove top ... Voila!  It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed. 

Here are some other uses:  
  
   1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
   2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
   3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
   4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
   5. Keeps flies off cows.
   6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
   7. Removes lipstick stains.
   8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
   9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots .
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!  Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring.  It    doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.  Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprocket s on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31.. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve art hritis pain.
37. Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.  Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40.. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls.  Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you spr ayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
 
P.S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL. Castrol doesn’t work.

BBB’S GIGGLE PAGE – 5

New Pet.

This guy was lonely and so he decided life would be more fun if he had a pet. So he went to the pet store and told the owner that he wanted to buy an unusual pet. After some discussion he finally bought a ‘talking centipede!’ He put the centipede in a little white box and decided to celebrate by taking his new pet to the bar for a drink.
So he asked the centipede in the box, "Would you like to go to Frank's place with me and have a beer?" But there was no answer. This bothered him a bit, but he waited a few minutes and then asked him again, "How about going to the bar and having a drink with me?" Still no answer. He decided to ask him one more time, this time putting his face up against the centipede's house and shouting, "Hey, in there! Would you like to go to Frank's place and have a drink with me?"
A little voice came out of the box: "I heard you the first time! I'm putting my shoes on!"

"WHAT'S IN A NAME?"

            I'm about to illustrate the importance of filling your idle time with anything that will nurture those knowledge starved brain cells that dwell in the chasms of our minds.  In other words, I think that you have waaay too much time on your hands and that it's very important for you to "GET A HOBBY!"

            The way it is with me, is that I keep getting these little MIND-BLIPS!  These little insignificant thought explosions, mind burps, the "WHAT IFS...I WONDER WHY'S...IF I DID THAT WITH THIS WOULD I BE CONSIDERED A BAD PERSON!...WHO INVENTED WATER?  You get the picture!

     So it was that on one of these brain bruised days, I was sitting around the pool, staring into the water, when wonderment of wonderments, I began the silent "WHAT-IF'S" with, What if there were no "sur-names?"  What if instead of me being Bob Paiva, I was referred to as "Robert, The Scribe Of Humor, Formerly The Provider Of Rhythm, Via The Drums?"  How the hell would that title fit on my mailbox?  I'd be right up there with William The Conqueror, Eric The Red, Vlad The Impaler, Robin Of Loxley!

            There'd be Bernie the Butcher, Bernie the Attorney, Bernie the Son of Carlton the Doorman...Hector the provider of mechanical repair.... Eunice the Educator.... Barney the Dinosaur...Patrick the Law Enforcer person...Vito the maker of the Vino...Harry the Unplugger of Toilets...Mary the Keeper of Lambs...Mary the grower of Cockle-shells...Bubbles the remover of clothes...Hortense the Harlot...Leroy the Procurer...John the JOHN!

            We'd be sitting on our stoops waiting for the mail, and here it comes, brought to us by ANNE THE DELIVERER!   Oh, oh, here come those troublemakers, Irving the INSTIGATOR and his partner in annoyance, PHILLIPE THE INCITER!  There is NANCY the NERVOUS...            

Hollywood Stuntman, Sammy Maloof is popular for his incredible driving skills in movies like Fast and Furious, Miami Vice, Spiderman 2 and Rush Hour (to name a few). But did you know he is also a much sought after motivational speaker and author? He's been invited to share his incredible story all over the country. He and his wife, (sorry ladies, this cutie is taken!) started their company Winning at the Race of Life ten years ago to give back to his fans and community. I’ve been to his show and it’s really cool! First, Sammy gets the crowd excited by sharing his life story (which is incredible). Apparently he used to have an interesting past involving Illegal Street racing, but now he’s actively getting kids off the street and away from street racing which is becoming a growing epidemic. He’s got some powerful videos on You Tube about it and even a father whose son got killed and is now teamed up with Sammy to help. (Sorry, back to his stunt show.) Then Sammy plays video footage from movies he's been in like The Fast & The Furious.  He and his team put on a stunt show demonstration with live music and then he gives children and “young at heart” adults fun, safe and unforgettable rides right next to him in his beautiful 1967 Camaro stunt car. This car is powered by a 415 cubic inch Chevrolet engine.  I got in the car and WOW! It’s way cool. If you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be in the movies, you’ve got to ride next to Sammy! Then he signs autographs and takes pictures with everyone. He’s known to stand in 100-degree heat signing hundreds of autographs and he even gave over 300 stunt rides at one Texas event. Sammy wants to make sure everyone has a good time and that they do! In addition to publishing CD’s, books and a 44 page full color magazine, Sammy and the Winning at the Race of Life team travel city to city visiting churches, schools, juvenile halls, youth camps, prisons and corporations all over America.  All I can say is, I've seen him in action and he is really an all around great guy and really down to earth. You gotta check him out. More importantly he has a unique way of helping others overcome obstacles in their own life. So I am not surprised I heard a rumor that he is currently considering several reality TV show offers!
By the way, Sammy will be speaking at Bethel Temple, 1087 W Mill Street San Bernardino CA 92410 on April 25, 2009 at 5:30 pm. 

Hope you can make it!

THIS EVENT IS FREE 
Contact friendsofsammy@yahoo.com for more information

visit http://www.sammymalo­­­of.com

            My brand new neighbor is about to become a brand new parent, and asked ME what to expect.  So I told him.

            Being a parent is quite cool.  At first you're in awe of the miracle of birth.  Then you take the little tyke home and the fun begins.  Mom's going to be understandably incapacitated for a while, so being a liberated male, you take care of most of the newborn’s needs (I drew the line at breast feeding).

            Being new to this, ten minutes after the new addition is home, while you're wife is resting, you call the hospital to tell them that you have a defective baby!  You'd like a replacement!  This one leaks!....and it keeps throwing up on you!

            Before long you start becoming a champ at playing with and bathing the new kid on the block, not to mention changing it's diapers.  This last part has accomplished something that your mother couldn't.  You are cleaning your nails and washing your hands on a regular basis!  Boy, it just doesn't get any more paternal than this, does it?  Oh great, it just spit up on my new shirt!

            You manage to get through the "Honey it's crawling, it's pulling things off the table, I think it's trying to stand” stage.  This is when that ignored advice, about child-proofing your house, that other people have been warning you about, kicks in!  You begin at warp speed to barricade rooms, raise things to above shoulder height, and remove all breakable items from the coffee table.  But not before you find your little dependant sitting on the floor, covered in chocolate, with your wife's favorite crystal candy dish broken under the table (not to mention the yodel juice all over my new NIKES!).

            The next stage is "THE TERRIBLE TWO'S" through Pre-K!  This is the time that any Dad worth his weight will do anything to entertain his kid and the friends, who are sitting on the grass while you become part of the birthday entertainment.  You're jumping up and down, making weird noises, talking like GOOFY and DONALD DUCK, and acting like a real jerk.  Meanwhile, the other kids are telling yours that they think dad should cut down on his coffee intake.  "He just keeps jumping up and down, making weird noises, thinks he's a Disney character and keeps acting like a real jerk.  He's like, scaring us, okay?"

            Pretty soon you're kid gets involved in sports, so you're throwing the ball around with your kid, goal tending (which means you're being barraged with hockey pucks and soccer balls), or shooting baskets and going a little one-on-one with that new basketball hoop. (Forget that you had to call the fire department to get you off the garage roof when you were installing it.)  You spend your afternoons playing with your kid and evenings soaking in a tub of Mineral Ice and Ben Gay!  You went from being an athletic jock in your youth to being a test dummy for the local TRAUMA Center!

            Still wanting to be a hero to your kid, you figure that you may be too sore to play, but you're not too sore to coach.  So you take over coaching the baseball team.  It doesn't take long before you have absolutely no friends left in the community.  Not only are your kid’s teammates not talking to you, but neither are their parents!

            You survive class trips to zoos, museums, circuses, hikes that come complete with mosquito bites and poison sumac, amusement park rollercoaster rides (where it's pay-back time and now you spit-up on your kid), and the ever popular "HOLIDAY ON ICE!" show.  Here your kid looks up at you with those baby blues and says, "Dad, will you teach me how to ice skate?"  "Oh sure, I'll teach you.  I haven't even come close to my threshold of pain.  In fact, why not have our own show?  We can call it "HOLIDAY ON ICE-PACKS!”

 YOU KNOW YOU’RE A NEW YORKER IF…12

1)      You get five parking tickets and you don’t own a car!

2)      You think that ‘Larceny’ is a subway stop in Brooklyn!

3)      You know more than three women with facial hair!

4)      You go fishing with a baseball bat!

5)      You think The Soprano’s was a sitcom!

6)      Your Mother’s a bouncer at a Biker Bar!

7)      You look at your family album to admire their mug shots!

8)      You go shopping at 5AM before the stores open!

9)      Your boss says it’s time to take lunch, so you take HIS lunch!

10)  You win the NYC Marathon; not even realizing you were in the race….You just thought that people were chasing you!   

AWSOME MOVIE,   I REALLY LIKED IT. I HAD SEEN THE DOCUMENTARY ON IT A FEW YEARS BACK BUT OF COURSE THE MOVIE HAS SOME GREAT VISUAL EFFECTS.

NOT BLOODY OR GORY BUT STILL SPOOKIE IN ITS OWN RIGHT

YOU WILL JUMP IN YOUR SEATS

JUST FOR FUN  HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

ADS FROM THE 30'S

New feature! BBB'S GIGGLE PAGE! I'll be sharing with you my stuff and thing some fans have sent me. This one is from Karen!

1)      You get ready to order dinner every night and your choices are….Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Greek, Japanese, Lithuanian, Korean,   Indian or McDonalds!

2)      You consider it a federal offense to order pizza in any other city!

3)      You’re not the least bit interested in going to Times Square on New Years Eve!

4)      Your internal clock lets you know when alternate side of the street parking is in effect!

5)      Someone bumps into you and you check for your wallet! You use your taser gun on him just incase!

6)      If you do drive, you pay ‘ONLY’ $230 a month to park!

7)      You never notice anyone walking down the street carrying on a perfectly normal conversation with themselves! AND NO CELLPHONE!

8)      You cringe when you hear people pronounce Houston Street like the city in Texas!

9)      You know what boroughs Al’s Pizza and the Lemon Ice King are!

10)   The Deli guy gives you a straw with any of your beverages even if it’s beer!

With what movies are costing nowadays, I’ve decided to build a media room in my basement. Flat screen tv.. surround sound, popcorn machine and leather recliners! I might even use rope lights for effect. It’ll be done in the not too distant future but in the meanwhile I still have the large screen tv in the living room. So last weekend we decided to watch a classic, “JAWS!” It was on DEMAND and so was “JAWS II!”Other then the fire in the fireplace, we shut off all the lights, had a huge bowl of microwaved popcorn, cranked up the sound..(this tv has surround sound too) and had at it.

BA-BUM! BA-BUM! BumbumbumBUMBUMBUM! TADA…enter the shark. Even though they knew it was coming the wife and daughter let out  blood curdling shrieks! Hitting the bowl causing it to snow popcorn in our living room! Not to mention it took us two hours to find the cat! We had to keep pausing it for bathroom breaks, otherwise it could’ve been another JOHNSTOWN FLOOD! This is entertainment? Eating popcorn while watching people getting ingested and devoured by a fish?

You bet your bippy it is! Things slow down for a while, then more bumbum’s And an even higher shrieks. I look at the girls…it wasn’t them…it must’ve been me!!!! Pause and potty break for BBB!  Meanwhile back at the movie, more screaming and shrieking, it was like the Movie was being watched by bait!!! Us being the bait!!!!! The movie’s over, I’m mopping up…So girls how’d ya like it? “It was freakin’ scary!” What do ya wanna do now?  LET’S WATCH JAWS II!

Go figure. If I could of hit notes like that while still in the band, I coulda been Frankie Valley!

Jill: Kara Dio Guardio

Steve: John Bon Jovi

Dorothy: Meg Ryan

Rick: Grant Reynolds

-------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- 

Subject:  WAL MART INTERVIEW

(Just has to pass this on!)

WAL MART INTERVIEW
Jennifer a manager at Wal-Mart had the task
of hiring someone to fill a job opening. After sorting
through a stack of resumes she found four people who were
equally qualified. Jennifer decided to call the four in and
ask them only one question. Their answer would determine
which of them would get the job.

The day came and as the four sat around the
conference room table, Jennifer asked, 'What is the
fastest thing you know of?'

The first man replied, 'A THOUGHT.' It
just pops into your head. There's no warning.

'That's very good!' replied jennifer.

'And, now you sir?', she asked the second man.

'Hmmm...let me see 'A blink! It comes and goes and you don't

 know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of.' 

'Excellent!' said Jennifer. 'The blink of an eye, that's a very popular cliché for speed.

'She then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. 

'Well out at my dad's ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there's

 a light switch.
When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light on the barn

comes on in less than an instant.
'Yep, TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of' ..
Jennifer was very impressed with the third answer
and thought she had found her man. 'It 's hard to beat the speed of light,' she said.

Turning to BUBBA, the fourth and final man, Jennifer posed the same question. 

Old Bubba replied, 'After hearing the previous three answers, it's obvious to me

 that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA.'

'WHAT!?' said Jennifer, stunned by the response.

'Oh sure', said BUBBA. 'You see, the other day I wasn't feeling so good, and I ran

for the bathroom, but before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT,

I had already [...] my pants.'

BUBBA is now the new greeter at a Wal-Mart near you!

You probably will think of this every time you enter a Wal-Mart from now on!

HISTORY IN THE MAKING!

I live in the now! I appreciate the past, but always look forward to the future. But then I realized that the past sets you up for the future and when this blog is over, it will become part of the past. Today is today, but tomorrow today will be yesterday. This is history in the making! We are part of our own history, which will never be reflected in the HISTORY BOOKS! If you have a busy schedule and you want to accomplish things, you make a “TO-DO” list! But if you do the stuff on your TO-DO list, it’s done, over, finished and becomes part of history! Your “TO-DO” list is now your “TA-DA!” list! Don’t put of ‘til tomorrow, what you can do today! What’s the difference? Today’s only gonna become tomorrow anyway…RIGHT? So maybe the art of procrastination may be a way to extend your life?!?! Keep putting off the inevitable! Well this blog is over!! “TA-DA!!”

Will You Dance With Me?

'READ THIS VERY SLOWLY.... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND. '

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because
They haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't
Know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who
Passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut
Back.  From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't
Suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed?
Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while
You watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going
To lunch in a half hour?'  She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't . I
Have clothes on the line.  My hair is dirty.  I wish I had known
Yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.'  And my
Personal favorite:  'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never
Did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule
Our headaches.  We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to
Ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve
Toilet-trained.  We'll entertain when we replace the living-room
Carpet...  We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids
Out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter,
And the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we
Awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm
Going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a
Bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to
Adventure and available for trips.  She keeps an open mind on new
Ideas.  Her enthusiasm for life is contagious.  You talk with her for
Five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of
Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord..

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years.  I love ice cream.
It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a
Spatula and eliminate the digestive process  The other day, I stopped
The car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on
The way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day.  Do something you WANT to......not
Something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and
Had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what
Would you say?  And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go-round or listened to
The rain lapping on the ground?  Ever followed a butter fly's erratic
Flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through
Each day on the fly?  When you ask ' How are you?'  Do you hear the
Reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred
Chores running through your head?  Ever told your child, 'We'll do it
Tomorrow.'  And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

  Ever lost touch?  Let a good Friendship die?  Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened
Gift....Thrown away..... Life is not a race Take it slower.  Hear the
Music before the song is over.

New Suit

A young banker decided to get his first tailor made suit. So he went to the finest tailor in town and got measured for a suit. A week later he went in for his first fitting. He put on the suit and he looked stunning, he felt that in this suit he can do business.

As he was preening himself in front of the mirror he reached down to put his hands in the pockets and to his surprise he noticed that there were no pockets. He mentioned this to the tailor who asked him, "Didn't you tell me you were a banker?"

The young man answered, "Yes, I did."

To this the tailor said, "Who ever heard of a banker with his hands in his own pockets?"

            This prompted me to search through the family albums.  I needed proof that I never looked that bad!  I opened it to the corresponding year, and there it was, ME!  Dumbo ears and all!  Was I serious with that part in my hair and those curls?  What was I thinking?  I should have saved some of my milk money for a hair stylist.  Only back then we didn't have "hair stylists".  We had barbers, and they always cut our hair the way our parents wanted it cut....Oh, the embarrassment of it all!  (By the way, if this was a movie, do you think that would have merited an Oscar nomination, for best screen writing?)  I didn't believe it, I looked exactly the same as the year book picture!  There had to be a mistake.  Okay, who doctored up the family album?  Then it dawned on me that me and cameras never got along.  I never looked good in photographs.  There's only one shot of me playing the drums at the old "FILLMORE EAST" that's representative of how I look...only one!  Do you know why?  Because it was candid and not posed.  It captured my real expression as I was performing, not one that was contrived by a photographer.   I never said "CHEESE" while I drummed!

            To this day, I don't like looking at pictures of myself!  I thought it was just my snap shot on my drivers license that was that frightening.  Please tell me that I DON'T look like that!  It was so bad that, to this day I keep it face down in my wallet so it doesn't scare my credit cards!

            Not to wander too much from this story line, but come to think of it, when you're pulled over by a cop and give him your license, have you ever wondered why he never runs screaming back to his patrol car?  It's simple.  That's the only time you DO resemble your driving photo!  You can always spot the rookie cop, he's the one who looks at your license, then looks at you, and finally to be a hundred percent sure, he double checks himself by asking you to say CHEESE!  "Yup, that's you alright!"

            When I showed the pictures that I found in the attic to my family, the dog spotted them, let out a yelp, and hid in the closet for the rest of the day!  On the other hand, my family grabbed the ancient images and made me chase them around the dining room table as they were laughing uncontrollably and threatening to take them outside to show the neighbors!

            I don't know of anybody who's pleased with their OWN likenesses on their drivers license, passport, employee ID card, credit cards, etc.  So now I was curious to see if they felt the same about their yearbook photos as well.

            Boy, did I open up a can of worms with that one.  Soon my plague of depression spread to all those who came in contact with me.  The sound of bursting "FOND-MEMORY" bubbles was deafening!  Those who took their cue from my rummaging through memory lane, were now dusting off their own yearbooks.  People who embellished their memories of the past with a rosy minds eye, were developing tears in those eyes and getting poked in their pupils with spurts of exaggerated realities!  In other words, they were seeing things as they really were, and not how they wanted them to be remembered.  Pretty soon, my phone became a SUICIDE HOT-LINE!  People sobbing on the other end, "Please, Bob, tell us it's not true....We never looked like that... How could you be so cruel?"

            Oh my goodness, WHAT HATH BOB WROUGHT?  I'm not a cruel person by nature.  I would have suffered my own personal findings in private, had I known the anguish that I would be inflicting on others.  They had all come to terms with those official license and passport photos, but yearbook photos too?  Oh, the inhumanity of it all.

            Soon common sense began to prevail again, as I slowly started the de-tox procedure by inducing them into looking at their wedding pictures.  WE ALL looked good in those, didn't we?  Even I.  However, it had a reverse effect on the yet to be married, as they saw themselves in those ugly bridesmaids gowns and loud tuxedos.  The women were wailing "Always a bridesmaid and never a bride."  While the guys were screaming "I spent a hundred and fifty bucks for that lousy tux, that didn't even fit me and I still went home alone!"

            Now I have everyone yelling on me, and I was just as much a victim of bad photography as they were.  Don't blame me, blame the photographers!  If you want to look good in pictures, save your money, contact Hugh Hefner, and hire the guys he uses.  Anyone who can make a naked girl, look comfortable while bent over a wooden stool, can surely take class reunion shots, providing you pay extra for the industrial size air-brush!  Or what about the Sports Illustrated shutter bugs, who have all these beautiful bikini wearing foxes romping through the surf in sub-zero temperatures?  Even police front and side shots are better than nothing.  At least they get you to show some real emotions!

            Now I have a rule never to have my picture taken by any jerk with slick greasy hair, who makes you say cheese!  It's unnatural.  The only time I ever say CHEESE, is when I'm ordering a deli sandwich.  "I'd like that sandwich to be Ham and CHEESE, PLEEZE!"  Or "May I have a Pizza with extra CHEESE, PLEEZE?" Come to think of it, at one of our class reunions, the only way I could recognize anyone was to first get them to say, "CHEESE, PLEEZE!"

• Email to Friends Add Blog Post

            There was that time they picked one of the coldest years on record to have us work ALL of the New England states. I recall going to a restaurant in Vermont, where I actually saw my breath while ordering breakfast, and that was indoors.  It was freeeezing!  The club had topless dancers.  They weren't naked; it's just that their HEADS SNAPPED OFF FROM THE COLD!  These five foot seven, balding, eyeglass wearing, cigar chomping blobs of ecto-plasmic money machines known as AGENTS were only concerned with making their commissions, and not with our welfare or comfort.

             One January, they booked us in Colorado Springs.  It was beautiful country, but all it did was snow!  I LOVED seeing the snowcaps on the Rockies, HATED seeing them on us!  After a month and a half, our three-vehicle convoy was headed east toward the BIG APPLE, where we had a one-nighter at a major hotel, then it was "North to Toronto".

            In spite of the fact that one of our equipment trucks blew an engine doing 115 mph while out running a TORNADO in KANSAS!...and having to trade it in for an older van that was nothing more than ugly "POP-ART" on wheels!...and even with a little set-back, getting that speeding ticket that I picked up in Pennsylvania!...where I had to appear before the Justice of the Peace!...we still managed to do the two thousand-mile trip in sixty hours.  Oh did I mention that somewhere in Indiana we picked up a traveling companion…a major BLIZZARD!!  In spite of this, we still made good time going through New Jersey up until we exited the Lincoln Tunnel on the New York side into the worst mish-mosh I've ever experienced.  There were unshoveled streets, snowdrifts and abandoned cars everywhere.  The normally twenty minute trip from the tunnel to my place in Astoria took four and a half-hours.  It took another three days to get clearance from "Triple A" to make our trip to Canada, through even more intense snowstorms.  I guess that was when snow ceased to be cute to me.  Now I hate it!

            Forget the fact that ever since I was a kid, I was the "DESIGNATED SHOVELER!"  I'm in favor of shoveling all of the snow into huge dumpsters and sending it to "CURRIER AND IVES!" If they insist on romanticizing the stuff and putting it on the Christmas cards every year, let them have it!

            I remember the year I was covering for a DJ on WGLI and doing the weather report on his morning show.  I said, "Good news people, we won't be getting that snow storm after all.  Instead, it'll be partly cloudy and in the thirties."  A few minutes later they get a call from a guy, who says, "You tell that jerk on the radio, that right now I'm shoveling about three inches of partly cloudy out of my driveway.  And every once in awhile, he should get off his big fat chair and look out a window!"

            What I want to know is what was this past crazy snow-season all about? First it's going to snow, then it's not going to snow. Do I wear the boots? or do I not wear the boots? And just when you think it's safe to go shopping, more snow-induced hazardous driving conditions!  I was so confused I almost got a group to go out "Easter-Caroling!"

            Now that it's over, I'm left with enough sand in front of my house to build a BEACH!  The good news is that in spite of it all, my tulips are coming up.... The bad news is, they have pneumonia!

• Email to Friends Add Blog Post

I think California is a great state. Disneyland is wonderful.

I hope to vacation there someday.

I applied for the guide position in early October 2005, I was told to apply at the HR trailer that was set up behind a new parking structure. I was told on my first inquiry that the HR department was closing early that day and they could not give me an application. I could not take the application home but had to fill it out in the trailer. I was told to come back the next week as they were closed for two days and come in early Monday. I could also be interviewed at the same time that I filled in the application. I arrived early on Monday and did finally fill in the application but was told that the HR representative was still not available and would have to return two days later on Wednesday for the interview. To my dismay that the tour department was actually formed from the clerical pool of typists and clerks. I found this odd at first but later I was to learn why. Many varying studio facility jobs are filled unethically from the clerical pool of the studio as the pay rate is extremely low.

I waited over six months for my next contact with the HR department in late February 2006. I received a phone call that finally the tour department was ready to start interviewing and hire qualified applicants to join the tour department. I received no less then four phone calls in a three day period changing the date and place I was to report to be interviewed. I was further informed that not only would my academic credentials and prior employment history would be considered but I would have to pass two additional criteria: 1. I would have to read a section of the tour program to be selected from the tour guide handbook and then do an interview with the tour director, department manager, HR managers and their assistants, all asking questions. This was arranged as a type of reading similar to the process of auditioning for a part. 2. The second half of the selection dealt with a comprehensive background check which is now standard that included criminal, civil (law suits, traffic tickets, driving record) and an address screen (using your social security number) checking all listed all addresses that I had used previously.

Several more phone calls ensued after the interview claiming that all went well and then they would have to wait for the results of the background check. Another ten days of checking and waiting. They said they also wanted to check my references and other material listed on my resume. Unreal, all this just to be a tour guide? I thought I was applying to the FBI or to be a studio executive.

Pagen Rites

Finally I was informed that I had passed and was scheduled to start my training period in March. The next stage: a ten day training period culminating with an executive test. The test entailed giving a tour or part of a tour with a group of corporate executives on the tour cart. I was also informed that they would use me through the spring period and into the summer until September 2006. This is what happened the year before they explained.

I studied diligently. I enjoyed the training and I passed my test: out of a class of ten, I was one of four to successful pass the test on the first round. Supposedly other test dates would be scheduled for those that failed the test (this was never done). They had hired four more guides making our March group a total of 14 new guides. The Department intended to have another two hiring sessions in May and June for the summer rush.
Several guides had decided to quite at the end of training and claimed to be harassed. Several others had already decided to quite mostly due to the low rate of pay and heavy work load. Many of the complaints from the older guides dealt with the director and the current and previous managers. One senior guide had a long story of harassment and incompetence and quit three weeks after my arrival. One guide seemed to be frustrated with the job and wanted to talk after work, offered me a ride home. She went into a long story of harassment and abuse regarding the current director and several executives who were responsible for the department. This same guide and several others also talked about favoritism and stupidity. She claimed the director wanted to surround himself with low caliber yes men, informers and sycophants who he could trust weren’t to bright. She also mentioned that a former guide had an elderly guest in a wheelchair fall off the back of a cart while going up the hill by stage 23. He was a floater who had been in the department for over a year. That entitled him to certain rights and seniority in the department. If they ended his assignment and brought in someone else, he could file a grievance and get rehired. To get rid of him, they offered him full-time. The guest who fell from the cart bumped her head, but was basically okay. They tried to blame the guide for not tying her down, but there was no mention of how to work the safety straps in the General Operating Procedures. Not only that, they were non-functional. He couldn't strap the chair down even if he wanted to. At the time, we would just wheel them onto the ramp, lift it up and that was that. The guide was the only witness representing the studio that they had. Management was nice and supportive while the case was pending. Once it cleared, they made him full time, he signed all the paperwork, the next day they fired him.

One story involved a prior manager. Apparently their were some complaints about equipment or requests from the staff about getting rain coats, jackets and more misc. materials that were lacking in tours. Donny ignored these requests. However, his manager jumped in and told HR that they did not have rain gear and that it was needed as well as the other listed items. The next week people saw J carrying out her belongings in tow with several security guards who had several boxes of stuff and she was fired over the incident.

I thought I could avoid all this by being on top of my game. I seemed to be trusted and liked by the management team doing three tours a day, while others were still training. Many were sent home early or put on phones or the ticket counter after training. Six weeks later I was in for a big surprise. On a Friday in late April the department had an unannounced lay off list. I was one of four on the lay off list and I was stunned. This was after my first early meeting congratulating the department on the good job we had performed on April 12, 2006. One senior guide publicly congratulated me on doing a great job and helping him with his tour. I was told by management to just call in and that it would be only temporary. Sure enough I was given two days a week for the next two weeks while everyone else got full-time hours. Just before my formal layoff, I was told by the manager to sign a bonus contract: "she did not want to lay anyone off as I was a good guide."

I was shocked when I received a call the first week of May from Human Resources claiming that the tour department would not need me for another two months, would I like to come back in late June? I told HR probably not as that was too long a lay off period: I was more talented, knowledgable, and had more seniority then many of the people they were currently using. The HR rep said she would tell the director and he would be disappointed (I'll bet).


The Director

"I knew who Donny was long before he took over. I never really liked him much. I always thought he was kind of a screw up. I also got the feeling that he was the type that would be your best buddy while you were around, then tear you apart the second you stepped out of the room." Prior to the current directors position being created their were several managers of varying quality that ran the tour department under much turmoil. There was a tour guide who was more of a manager then guide. The former head of the department used to spend his days sleeping, talking to his stockbroker and scamming freebie lunches and movies. He had been there since 1958 and knew J. L. personally. He was also the first person Barry met when he started in 1971. The future studio president showed up to work and nobody was there -- a screening or meeting or something. The manager showed him around and gave him a tour. Took him on the sets of Dirty Harry and watched them film. That's why Barry has such a soft spot for the tour department. When Barry sees the tour carts, he thinks they're getting the same tour they gave him in 1971. If he only knew.

There was another woman who was the former directors assistant, Dana and she was a child actress... played Elizabeth Taylor's daughter in Giant. Did a few episodes of the Twilight Zone and a bunch of other classic TV shows. Dana hated Ron and was trying to get him fired. She was totally worthless and did absolutely nothing all day. Ron used to set up a video camera pointed at her desk with a clock in the background. She would come in late talk with her sister and niece on the phone, take two hour lunches so she could go home and feed her dogs, then go home as early as she could. Her thing was trying to get other employees to file charges with labor relations on Ron. There was so much stupid [...] that used to go on even back then. If Ron got in an argument with an employee. Dona would convince them to file a claim. Most of the time, the employee filing would be the one who got in trouble because the argument was usually over a gross policy violation on their part or a guest complaint.

Since Dona was already making much more then the regular tour guide salary (she had been there 22 years) and was Dick's assistant, she became Donny's assistant. This one girl got hired as a guide and figured if Rick was out of the way, she would have room to move on up. Her and Dona would deliberately try to get Rick mad. If something worked, even slightly, they would file charges. One would be the poor victim and the other would be the witness who saw everything. At one point, Ron's wife miscarried and he went on a bereavement leave. He was back less then a week before they filed another charge.
With the corporate mentality coming into play more and more the new director was hired to manage the tour department. He was not hired from the departments old school but from outside the department. I found this disturbing as the director or his current manager have NEVER given a tour or know anything about giving a tour either. The lack of any tour training in my opinion is not acceptable, in particular if you are managing a tour department. The directors qualifications for the job: he worked as a security guard at the studio and went to USC for several semesters (his parents helped him pay for this expensive, private school) eventually obtaining a degree in business elsewhere. The director slowly worked his way up the ladder: into the studio operations department under the director of special events. The events where he worked is where he got to know studio facility executives. He received several promotions while in operations that bridged the gap to the tour department director's position.

Two major changes occurred with this new directors policies:

1. The periodic down sizing of the department and harassing older experienced guides and others from the job: in this way the corporation could make and save money and deny many employees benefits and raises. Replacing the older more talented, knowledgeable with much younger, inept and unqualified guides many of whom had not passed the specified guide tests. Why you may ask would management want less talented personnel? Because the less talented are paid fifty cents less an hour then the guides who passed their training test, saving the corporation money. Also the management does not have to worry about their decisions or information being challenged by a younger less educated or experienced group of guides.

2. Management also detours many from fulltime employment and benefits and constantly hires and terminates many to save the corporation money at the employees expense. With no concern to the expertise of the guide.

I can understand the corporations view to a degree in cutting some costs and periodic down sizing depending on various economic factors. What I do not understand is incompetence and disorganization, deliberate harassment of the qualified and favoritism to the inept. The director claims he has an open door policy where all views will be considered but once criticism, suggestions or any decent that oppose the department, or the corporate line harassment then ensues. The harassment is generated from the directors number two in the department his current manager.

Corporate Scare Tactics

I thought I would present one of about a dozen scare letters I have received over the past four months. The author of a series of letters initially mailed me with many compliments and claimed he applauded my actions: his focus was to alert me that the guides in the department had found the Blog and were reading my information. He further insisted that the studio legal department must be aware of my actions and would probably try and have the Blog removed. Within a week, he was urging me to delete certain sections of the blog as he was afraid for his job. Within another week, I was informed that he wanted me to remove the entire blog as my safety was in grave danger. It was obvious to me that his intention of mailing was not to applaud my actions but to try and influence me to take the blog down. Below, in part is a section of his correspondence:

I've given you a lot of advice over the time I've known you and I have never steered you wrong and I'm not steering you wrong now. You are too wrapped up in the blog and your anger and getting even and have lost sight of the big picture and the consequences. You are on the other side of the world and think you can't be touched, you are wrong. You are so very wrong. You aren't messing with some mom and pop operation here. This is a fortune 500 company worth hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lawyers. They are world wide. They have their fingers in just about every country in the world. They have lawyers everywhere. At first glance you may not think they have any clout in Europe or Hungary, but isn't just movies, it's hundreds of different companies with ties to thousands of others. I promise you they have some kind on interests in Hungary. Can you buy a Time magazine in Hungary? If you can they can get to you. And that's only one company off the top of my head. These are interests that a bring in jobs and tax dollars and help Hungary's economy, problem is their problem. You are pissing them off and they are getting ready to come after you. And, rest assured, they will come after you if you keep this up. They will come after you in ways I can't even possibly imagine. If that happens, where does it leave you? What have you gained and will it will have been worth it?

You mentioned all the hits you've been getting. Hits at 1:00 am Los Angeles time. How can you be sure those hits are coming from Los Angeles? If it's 1:00 am in Los Angeles, what time is it in Hungary and the rest of Europe? Is it business hours? Can you tell me with absolute certainty that it isn't lawyers and private detectives, or thugs in Europe coming on board to see what they can do and how to deal with you?

You mentioned the check and your friend. I kind of figured that's how it found it's way into your hands. You think you have a buffer. You don't. You don't have bupkus. Let me ask you this... did you cash the checks? If you did, they were endorsed by your bank and are right now in route to the US and eventually the studio. Your bank has a number unique from any other bank in the world. They will know where you bank. They will know what country and city you're living in. They will go to the bank and get them to cooperate and they have all the personal info they need. Hell, just knowing the country and city might be enough. You won't even know a thing until it's too late. On this side of the ocean, your friend's P.O. box means absolutely nothing. Your friend had to have a home address to get the P.O. box. They go to the post office, serve a warrant, get your friend's address and rake him over the coals until they get the info they need. Boom! Another friend that tried to help you bites the dust.

You can still see a mistake when you've made one. You talk about your 26 (34) pages of valid info. You probably think pulling it will make it a total waste. Once again, you are dead wrong. Your blog and every update you've ever posted has been uploaded again and again. By Weiners and others, even the FBI. But right now they're not even looking at it. The people that need to read it and do something about it aren't doing anything of the kind. They're all figuring out what to do about this character. The info is getting lost in the chase and forgotten.

Dude! Put all that anger and hostility aside for a moment and look at what is happening. Right now, Donny's name has been besmirched and his job may possibly be on the line. Even if he were to skate, you've managed to pound a few more nails into his coffin. But right now, you can bet he's turning on all the charm he can possibly muster and helping them every way he can. You can also bet he's playing the poor victim card. With every moment you leave that blog up and with every update you make, you look more and more like a crazy zealot. Suddenly that victim card will start pulling more and more weight. The longer it stays up the better his chances of skating on this thing unscathed are.

Once again, everything productive you could have possibly achieved has been achieved. The tide has now turned. From here on out leaving it up will be counter productive to everything you have tried to do. As long as it's up, you are their number one problem. As long as it's up anything valid you had to say will get shoved further and further into the background. Leaving it up at this point will only guarantee your blog will have been a total waste. Leaving it up will only guarantee that you will get f$$ked big time. And when it happens you are going to take a lot of innocent people with you. At the end, when the smoke clears, you will have accomplished nothing. The public is never going to see it and they are never going to get the chance to decide. It will be pulled by others long before that happens and it might as well never existed.

Now look at pulling it will accomplish...

First off, it will take them completely off guard. It is the last thing they would expect you to do. They'll think there is something more here then some freak crazy with a personal vendetta. Most importantly, not only won't you be a priority, you won't be a problem either. You will be the one that gets shoved to the back burner. Now, they can finally take a look at some of your accusations and maybe take them seriously.

Let go of the anger and start thinking outside of the box. This isn't about popularity. This isn't about what the tour guides think of you. This isn't about choosing sides either. This is about survival. Yours, mine and everybody else's who has come in contact with this thing. Who's in the trenches with you? You didn't trust him when you were in the department and your trusting him now? Who else? People who don't know you and don't have anything at stake like you do. He probably thinks the whole thing is one big joke. Something to entertain himself with until he gets bored with it.

I have never steered you wrong and I'm not steering you wrong now. It's over. You are in great danger and you are too consumed by your anger to see it. Pull that damn thing. Pull it now, cover your tracks and get ready for the fall out. Minimize the damage as much as you can. If anything, pull it just to give yourself some time to cool off and think it through rationally. Take some time and see the situation from all sides. A vacation of sorts. Once again, I have never steered you wrong and I'm not steering you wrong now.

The Union?

Many guides complain and poor working conditions. Many have commented that they will talk to the Teamsters: "this is a tough union and since the guides are driving they should belong to Teamsters with a much higher rate of pay." When I was laid off and went to the clerks union in October 2006, I complained bitterly about the treatment I had received. The union reps only comment to me regarding a gamut of issues and complaints: "with all these problems you had better find another job." My biggest issue was the fact that I and many others were not filing clerks but knowledgeable guides, and drivers. Finally working in curriers, driving a cart and delivering confidential documents and other items. At no time did I ever do any filing or clerking. They completely ignored this issue. The union wants dues and money to keep going, if guides were validly placed in Teamsters or another union at a better rate of pay they would lose money and membership.

Several guides have told me that a driver on the lot said: “don’t worry, we know about your situation and at the next union meeting we will take care of you.” I have also heard from a half dozen guides that they will call the Teamsters and complain: get included in the union and or at least find out if guides can join the Teamsters. One guide claimed in late August 2006: "a driver who was paying at the counter for a tour knew about the guide problem and all would be taken care of at the January Teamster Union contract meeting and we (Tour Dept.) would be included in the next Teamster contract.” The problem here is that the Warner Teamster contract expires in June not January. The departments claim was that guides couldn’t be Teamsters because we drive electric carts which do not employ a fuel or diesel enginew. I tried calling the Teamsters in late August to confirm this information. I tried the listed union number and either got a busy signal, voice mail, or secretary who claimed they would call me back (they never called backed or returned my call from voice mail). I was finally directed to the studio courier department, where the Teamster representative was employed. He said: "anyone who drove any type of vehicle, it did not matter whether it was a motorized cart or a gasoline/diesel engine, you should be covered under the Teamster agreement. He claimed the Teamster rate of pay was $28.77 an hour, not $10.00. He would also talk to someone at the union regarding the tour cart operation and they should be included in the agreement and he would talk to the union president about this situation." However, I find this hard to believe.

The real story: about ten years ago, Sony decided not to pay the Teamster rate for couriers or drivers and listed them as studio employee couriers at a much lower rate of pay. The Teamsters where outraged, held a meeting and a vote to strike but the employees who were effected by the new studio agreement, many of them decided not to strike because they did not want to anger the studio. Some claimed they had families and needed the money and did not want to spend perhaps months in the strike line, even though they could triple their income. Weiner followed suit and have negotiated a much lower contract with transport/couriers on the lot: the pay being $12.00 to $18.00 an hour. Not $28.77. Weiner will not pay more and have threatened the union that if you do not like, then strike, knowing that the type of employee that they hire, mostly middle aged or people in there early twenties will not put up a fight. So, Teamsters accepts the low wage contract with limited benefits. It appears that the unions have completely sold out to studio interests at the employees and union members expense.

The Final Days

Studio management was going to select who would stay on full-time in the Department from September 2006 until January 2007. The supposed cut off date was September 8, 2006. They also presented several sign up sheets for over-time, Danny and Dianna announced that they were organizing a series of events for Saturdays for the citizens of Burbank, free tours of the studio as a public relations gesture. On Monday September 11, 2006 I did the first tour and then was simply told to go home early, after only working three hours. Several other issues arose: when I went home early the week before due to lack of work, I was pulled into the managers office and asked why I had not taken a lunch one day last week? I told her I was scheduled for a late lunch, worked the first two tours and then was sent home without taking a lunch. I was then informed that this was against the union rules and a problem for the department. She then changed the time sheet as lunch taken and said she would make it up to me later. She never did. At this point I decided on some passive-aggressive tactics to get out of the tour department and with my benefits for unemployment intact.

On Wednesday September 13, 2006 another meeting was scheduled. Again everyone was supposed to be in uniform, why in the world at 7:00 AM do we have to be in uniform, no tours were scheduled until 9:00 AM. I came in early alright but I decided not to change into uniform and just proceeded to the conference room. You should have seen the look on Dee’s face when I appeared into those hallowed halls, she starred at me with the meanest look as I took a seat. Dee proceeded to pass out a quiz on movies and the winner would receive free movie tickets or something to that effect. I did not fill mine out. The few remaining guides, all the little favorites and the old timers where there awaiting our fearless leaders next speech. His claim again was this was the best season ever and the busiest with huge numbers, double the year before. The previous week almost all the college kids went back to school. Dee was trying to hang on to whoever was remaining with little success.

Management waited until September 15, 2006 to make yet another startling announcement via the call sheet! Selected people would not in fact be working full-time until January but only part-time at three days a week. The so-called over-time was in fact only part-time, no over-time, what a waste of time. The next week Dee pulled me in the office and asked me if I was interested in working in a different department? She claimed that one of her guides, the same guy who was passing his phone number out to teenagers and was…. well……… laid off for two weeks until things cooled off. This guide was assigned for a whooping two days in couriers before the department requested another guide.

I jumped at the shot to move, my next big step in the studio system: to get out of tours and on the lot, meet people and get a production job. I was then instructed to call the HR department and advise them that I wanted to transfer, it would be full-time hours and at a better rate of pay. I was to find that the courier department was even more mismanaged then tours. Not only was it not a raise but a decrease in pay to $8.77 an hour. I was expecting Teamster pay or at least $20.00 an hour to carry and move important registered documents from the different studio departments and production facilities. I was assigned as a courier but was listed as a filing clerk one, the lowest pay grade, I wasn’t doing any filing.

The manager Dianna (Dee) wants me to work one more tour shift that I had signed on for, supposedly for over-time on a Monday from 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM. I can then start work as a courier on Tuesday and then fill in the department as needed. I called in sick for this event and Dee was apparently raging over this. When I came in early to clean out my locker from tours, apparently Dee had turned my card off so I could not enter the tour department or obtain keys for the carts. I only had one more scheduled shift in tours the next Saturday and Dee and Danny were going to make it a misery.

The small department locker room in question was a joke, the lockers only measured about 6 inches wide and 20 inches deep. I could not keep all the issued uniforms: ten pairs of trousers and shirts in the locker, it was just to small. Because the lockers are so small I stored about 6 pairs of pants and 4 shirts at home. The bottom line here is that I did not turn in 2 shirts and 5 pairs of pants. The reason for me trying to get back in the department and sort out the locker as I got a call from HR: stating that Dee-Dee had cleaned out my locker for me and half of my uniforms were missing. I told them that I in fact was returning everything, and that I had the other items stored at home because the lockers were small. I tried to return the items before my shift in couriers but couldn’t because they had turned off my card in the tour department. HR claimed that the missing clothing would have to be paid for by the department. I left the pants and shirts in the storage locker in couriers, where I stored my bag. I just said sorry.

Again with the “OSCARS!” No comic MC? I don’t watch! I’m not into fashion shows. It’s supposed to be about movie awards, not cleavage!! Do an award show about cleavage and I’m the first one on line to watch!!  

I don’t care about what the stars and starlets are almost wearing. If I wanna check out their bods and see them naked…I’ll watch the movie!  

"Focus people!" It’s an AWARD SHOW!!  For Flicks!!!  Not chicks! Unless the chicks are in the FLICKS!! They’re gonna be there anyway…You don’t have to provide a drool meter!  We all know those people are gorgeous…that’s why we go to see them in their “FLICKS!” Do the math! Not to mention the “OSCARS” are too damn long!! They were tolerable as long as  they had a Billy Crystal or a Whoopie,  creative geniuses to guide us through it and maybe throw in Hugh Jackman eye candy for the ladies!!  

And now to the Stimulus package.  Will it work? Hey it beats a blank! It can’t hurt! I prefer Polly-wood’s Stimulus Package! SALMA HAYEK! At the risk of being redundant...That's a Stimulus Package!! She’s got the gift that keeps on giving! In all honesty feeding that african baby was a beautiful thing!

And now for the gratuitous politician, (after all the name of this blog is POLLY-WOOD)….Disgraced former governer BAGOJAVICH. (ole helmet head) Will be joining the road company of STAR WARS, playing a duel roll as Chewbaka & Darth Vader utilizing a minimum of make up…..after all as I said he already comes equipted with his own helmet! Not to mention the money he'll make at sci-fi fares!

The Bella Vita and TAABOO are hosting a Walk at Pierce College in Woodland Hills on Sunday March 1 @ 1:00pm to help raise money for research, awareness and treatment of Eating Disorders.  This is important because nearly 10 million females and 1 million males across the United States are struggling with the active, destructive eating disorders anorexia and bulimia.  Another 25 million suffer from binge eating disorder.  

For females between fifteen to twenty-four years old who suffer from anorexia nervosa, the mortality rate associated with the illness is twelve times higher than the death rate of ALL other causes of death.

Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life, including young children, middle-aged women and men and individuals of all races and ethnicities.

Although eating disorders are potentially lethal, they are treatable.

For more information or to register fill out the contact form at www.thebellavita.com or go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

This morning I interviewed Wolfgang Puck under the red tent at the end of the red carpet for a preview of the 81st Annual Academy Awards® Governors Ball.  He served us mini kobe beef cheeseburgers with thinly sliced cherry tomatoes as garnish, smoked salmon oscars and a completely edible bento box dessert that featured chocolate drawers stacked on each other, each layer containing a different surprise.

The event also featured Sterling Vineyards - which creates special blends specifically for the Oscars and it just wouldn't be a fab Hollywood event without a few signature cocktails, right?

A few viewers emailed me asking for recipes so I did some research and I found the recipe for the smoked salmon and a few of the cocktails. Cheers!

Smoked Salmon Blinis
Ingredients
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
2 cups all purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
3 cage-free eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup diced onions
2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1-cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
4 to 5 ounces smoked salmon, whitefish, or sturgeon, cut into paper-thin slices
Fresh lemon juice
8 to 10 dill sprigs for garnish

In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Reserve.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Reserve.
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Over medium-high heat, sauté the onions until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, cool slightly, and stir in the dill. Stir in the flour mixture, salt, and then the egg yolk mixture.
Using a wire whisk or an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until shiny and firm but not dry. Stir a little into the batter, and then fold in the remaining whites.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and dill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed. *
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet or griddle and brush with some of the butter mixture. For each pancake, pour ½ cup of batter onto the griddle and, over a medium flame, cook until brown on one side. Turn and brown the other side, brushing the skillet or griddle with the butter mixture as necessary. (This makes a pancake approximately 6 inches in diameter). As the pancakes are cooked, transfer to a tray lined with a clean towel and keep warm in a low oven while preparing the remaining pancakes.
Presentation: Place one pancake on each of 8 or 10 heated plates. Spread some of the sour cream mixture over the pancake and arrange a slice of smoked fish on the cream. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish and garnish with a sprig of dill. Serve immediately.

To prepare ahead: Through step 4, keeping the batter chilled in a bowl of ice water.

Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, The Wolfgang Puck Cookbook Random House, 1986

The Red Carpet Fizz
1/2 oz Pomegranate Juice
1/3 oz Orange Liquor
Add Fresh Raspberries
Top with Moët & Chandon White Star Champagne

The Ultimat Blueberry Martini

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Ultimat Vodka
1/2 oz Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur
2 oz fresh blueberry juice
1 oz fresh mango juice
blueberries for garnish

Preparation:
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with fresh blueberries skewered on a cocktail pick.

The Patron Gold Cosmopolitan

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Patron Silver Tequila
1/2 oz Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur
2 oz organic blackberry juice
1 oz orange juice
fresh blackberry garnish

Preparation:
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with fresh blackberries skewered on a cocktail pick.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Serve sparkling apple, pomegranate, or blueberry juice.  Mix cranberry juice with lime soda and add a twist of lime.  (These are from the officials Oscars website)

For foodies, here is the menu for the 81st Annual Academy Awards® Governors Ball!

Tray Passed Hors d’Oeuvres

Mini Kobe Burgers with Aged Cheddar and Remoulade
Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame Miso Cone
Wasabi Pea Crusted Crab Cake with Mango and Thai Basil
Smoked Salmon Pizza with Caviar and Dill Creme
Black Truffle & Ricotta Cheese Pizza
Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce
Chicken Pot Stickers with Ginger Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Sushi & Seafood Station

Rolls- Tuna, Vegetable, California, Unagi | Nigiri- Shrimp, Tuna, Hamachi, Salmon
Sashimi- Tuna, Salmon, Snapper, Hamachi
Soy, Wasabi, and Pickled Ginger
Poached Shrimp, Lobster Tails, Crab Legs, Oysters, Mussels
Mustard Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, Wasabi Apple Mignonette

Dinner

Asian Vegetable Salad with Maine Lobster, Caviar and Ginger White Soy Vinaigrette
Smoked Salmon Oscar, Vietnamese Vegetable Spring Rolls, Bruschettas
Pumpkin Coconut Soup with Chicken , Shrimp, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Green Onions
Slow Braised Asian Spiced Short Rib with Spring Vegetable Risotto
Vegetarian Option
Spring Vegetable Risotto with Black Winter Truffles

Dessert

Chocolate Bento Box Surprise

The menu was created by Puck and chefs Lee Hefter and Matt Bencivenga with desserts by Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard.

I will throw House music Party in Hollywood on 2/20/2009

"BLAZE" Party for International House music lovers!!

This party will be centering on the interaction between the American club life with the exotic, exciting Japanese club culture, which consists of various musical styles never seen before.

All the Professional performers are invited from Japan for Blaze only!!

Inspired by music styles of the United States, Japan and other countries, this party will appeal strongly to everyone regardless of their ethnicity and cultural background.

Additionally, the party will provide high quality visual effects made by professional VJ's and entertainers to create a breathtaking atmosphere as never seen before in Hollywood, the most lively hot spot in LA.

Time and Place Start Time: Friday, February 20, 2009 at 9:00pm End Time: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 2:00am Location: Knitting Factory Hollywood "Front Stage" Street: 7021 Hollywood Boulevard City/Town: Los Angeles, CA

Guest DJ
Hide
THE pluTous
Naoto Fukushima
and more...

Guest VJ
Shota Ueyama

Professional Body Painter
Saki Ishikawa

Dancers
AMI
GO Go Dancers!!

Main Organizer
Ryu with Quadra

Naoto Fukushima's myspace
http://www.myspace.com/naotofukushima

Blaze Offical Web

http://www.quadrajapan.com/blaze/index.html

What is the difference between a SAG actor and an AFTRA actor?

There was a time (not in my time), when there was a difference as the name implies. AFTRA was TELEVISION and RADIO; SAG being the SCREEN (film) actors. These 3 areas are still very different for professional talent as far as conditions, work climate, duration, and substance, but both unions now take on projects in all 3 mediums. Therefore, those lines as far as the need for separate unions, have blurred almost to no seams.

Most of the SAG membership would like to see these 2 unions merge into one union for (frankly), ALL professional talent.

The fact that SAG and AFTRA compete with each other over jobs, is ridiculously counter-productive. I have little doubt that if there were just one union representing professional talent, that our combined membership would have a fair contract right now, likely more than what AFTRA took and less than what SAG leadership is trying to acquire, but it would be done!

To the point that either of the SAG factions or AFTRA leadership wants to keep this status quo, they are (as was stated), hurting not only the members in both unions, but all the crew and related industries as well. I hope there will come a consensus in this area soon for the benefit of the entire industry.

However, it is also fact that AFTRA represents a small percentage of the total membership of both unions combined and therefore, to ask the majority of artists (bulk SAG membership in this case), to simply accept a deal taken by the minority (AFTRA) is not a workable basis. As almost all of AFTRA is also a lesser percentage part of SAG, I see these (AFTRA-SAG) members chief project ought to be to convince their peers and the leadership on both sides, to do away with the (2-union) division.

I too, feel the pain of not having the bulk of work (with many projects on hold). It is unfortunate that negotiations have gotten to the point they are; was sad in 2007, when the writers went on strike as a month prior to that was the last time I personally worked as talent!!  As was stated prior, "why don't I go find other work', I DID, BACK THEN, go back into my other career!! That was the 2007 WGA effect on my own personal situation; yet I very much supported the writers in their quest. As far as personal perspective is concerned, the WGA strike was enough to curtail my acting career for the time being and it may stay that way until these union leaders can come together to truly represent all professional talent.

Either that or one has a bit of good fortune, which happens now and again. Good fortune rather catapults a professional talent right over the need to have a union, for personal gain anyway. At that point a good agent is much more important to earnings than a union contract.

One thing is for sure, most job listings for new-media already offer only deferred/no pay to talent. In my situation, I cannot even consider these and do not feel I should have to work on a paying production, for no pay. A majority deferred/no pay status quo for talent will shake many professional talent out of the industry just as this stalemate with AMPTP and SAG (as was stated in comments), is holding up many production projects and forcing a shake-out on the crew-side.

But to suggest that professional talent take an extended, official pat on the back, as pay so that crew and other niches within entertainment can work and earn on the same project, is not an amicable proposition and certainly not one in which the bulk of union talent will accept.

Is it possible that if other niche groups and professionals within the entertainment industry were to put on the pressure the way SAG actors did for the writers during their strike, that this situation might be resolved sooner?