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Photo by Jay Hagan,
7/12/08 Burbank, CA
A Thought for Today
Work is the four-letter word that makes
any country great.
TO BEGIN WITH
While in NY, NY I answered e-mail and worked on the FP in the Starbucks
across the street from my hotel a lot. Yes the on again/off again WiFi
in my room sucked. Talk about feeling like a tourist, with my Mac in
front of me and a double late to the side all I needed to complete the
picture was a camera dangling around my neck.
Not sure what all the other guys behind their laptops were working on
but had it been Hollywood each would probably have boasted about
pounding out a screenplay.
As Starbucks go the one near my hotel was a small to medium sized venue
and last morning after hitting the arbitrary number of 12 cell phones in
use I stopped counting. Onward to today’s ‘not necessarily the news’
feature.
NOBODY ASKED ME BUT . . .
BIG DEAL
Guess the ratings must have started slipping but it finally happened! It
only took them 3 years and 246 episodes but at last “Deal or No Deal”
has managed to unload a million dollars, you know the one they promise
every “lucky contestant.”
Haven’t seen the particular show where this milestone occurs but I
imagine more than the usual amount of jumping up and down took place.
Not just by the fortunate contestant and the obligatory family
cheerleaders but the gleeful taxman who’s been waiting in the wings all
these months.
HIT–&–RUN JERK SUES OVER CAR
The above recent headline from The New York Post has to be one of the
best and most apt of recent times. Here’s the story as reported by Post
staff writer Stephanie Cohen:
“A hit-and-run driver who killed a man with his Bentley is suing the
city –– for damages while it was impounded.
Harry Shasho, 39, claims he’s due $190,000 because cops impounding his
2003 Bentley Continental –– the car involved in his fatal Brooklyn
hit-and-run –– allowed mold to fester inside.
But he makes no mention anywhere in the suit about the reason it was
impounded.
Shasho was arrested in the early hours of Oct. 1, 2005, after mowing
down Louis Couch on Ocean Parkway. Shasho heartlessly took off and left
the man to die in the street.
According to police Shasho hit Couch, 54, and then drove home. He was
arrested within hours after the cops found a side-view mirror in the
road. The windshield was also cracked, and the headlight, fender and
roof were damaged.
Shasho, who owns the Brooklyn-based 212 Motoring, which customizes
luxury cars, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crime without
reporting it.”
HIS SENTENCE?
“He served 20 days of community service, lost his license for six months
and was put on probation for five years.
Now Shasho claims the “the car was in excellent condition, proper
working order and fully functional . . .with no noticeable defects or
damage” when the police impounded it.
In the year and a half cops parked it in a Queens impound as evidence,
they allowed mould to grow inside and water damage to occur, “rendering
the vehicle inoperable,” the suit claims.
He claims they violated his property rights by not returning it to him
“in good condition.” Shasho wants the city to fork over $190,000. He did
not return messages and his lawyers refused to comment on the case.”
I’ll bet his lawyers refused comment. In the interest of justice lets
hope his lawsuit doesn’t draw the same judge who slapped him on the
wrist for the vehicular homicide of the late and apparently unlamented,
by Mr. Shasho, Louis Couch.
I’m sure ace reporter Cohn will be watching this story closely and if
you’d like to send her a word or two of encouragement here’s her e-mail
address:
stephanie.cohen@nypost.com
TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Senator McCain’s running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin calls her real
life running mate (as in hubby) “The #1 Dude”.
Does that mean McCain’s #2 considers him the #2 Dude?
Ok, Ok, so she’s a lifetime member of the NRA but am I the only one who
was a bit queasy seeing her little girl posed with Mommy Sarah next to a
reindeer she had just shot? Hope she didn’t tell the kid it was Rudolph.
RM 8/30/08 First Publication.
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