E-Verify...may be used to establish legal status! Work place shivers...

The Board of Supervisors voted 5 to 0 in recent days to have County officials review E-Verify - an online service that determines whether residents seeking gainful employment are legal immigrants or authorized to work in the United States.

The Obama administration is widely promoting the program which is free to employers.

With a potent tool such as E-Verify, employers are able to dredge up legal particulars - and likewise - determine an applicant's status in respect to a potential new hire.

Behind-the-scenes, handlers have whispered that Obama has acknowledged his intention to exclusively award contracts to only those companies that enroll in the E-Verify program.

Talk about twisting arms!

Participation has been a bit spotty.

For instance, there is no requirement that hiring halls facilitate the E-Verify online service in California.

However, a few states have jumped on the band wagon.

According to sources, the program is becoming increasingly popular, which has resulted in about one-thousand new companies signing up each week.

When it comes to accuracy, the illegal-immigrant cracker is pretty much on the money.

For example, an official at INS noted at a recent press junket, that the accuracy rate is about 97 percent.

For this reason, LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich has been touting the program, too.

After all, benefits not only include improved accuracy when it comes to wage and tax reporting, but welcome relief to employers who would otherwise be forced to maintain an enforcement team to feret out the illegals in order to avoid penalties, prosecution, and-so-forth and-so-on.

On the flip side of the coin, advocates of immigrant rights are concerned that the program may result in racial profiling, instead.

Jorge-Mario Cabrera (at the Coalition for Humane Immigration rights) went farther and accused Officials of engaging in mean-spirited "witch hunts".

Balderdash!

But, Ira Mehlman got it right.

Mehlman predicted that if city personnel adopted the E-Verify program,  it would set an example for other counties who have - 'til now - bent over backwards to accomodate illegal aliens because of the economic crisis.

The need for cheap labor factors in, I expect, although Mehlman didn't say it in so many words.

In my opinion, a candy-ass approach to the illegal immigrant problem, does nothing to resolve the issues.

It should be noted that because of a downturn in the economy - and a shortage of jobs for day workers - there has been a drop in immigrants crossing the border in search of lucrative tax-free day work on these shores.

What does that tell 'ya?

E-Verify may be a darn good deterent in the final analysis.

So much so, that one day it may not even be necessary to secure the border.

After all, the pursuit of the elusive American dream has lost all its luster - and likewise - turned into a nightmare for foreigners.

Shame?

Rene de Visme Williamson said it best:

“If the American dream is for Americans only, it will remain our dream and never be our destiny”

http://www.julianayrs.com

Facebook...gaydar predicts sexual persuasion at social hub! Out and about, are 'ya?

Two MIT grads have asserted that through a "gaydar" software program they developed, savvy web surfers touching down at the Facebook site may be able to determine the sexual persuasion of members,  without hearing a snippet of their lisping voice or even spying a flap of a wrist!

The tell-tale smoking gun rests in the realm of an individual's friends, according to researchers Carter Jernigan and Behram Mistree.

One of their theories is based on what is commonly referred to as a homophily.

In a nutshell, the practice underscores that the male animal tends to stick with those of the same kind, if he had his druthers.

In a research study consisting of - 1544 straight men, 21 bisexual men and 33 gay men - the findings determined that gay men proportionally have more homosexual friends than their butch (?) alleged counterparts (male breeders).

According to the gaydar stats, 4.6 percent of the dudes on a homosexual's friends list are of the gay persuasion.  On the other hand, a straight male appears to have stretched his comfort level if over .07 percent of the friends on his list are gay.

I assume, for obvious reasons, that no attention was paid to trendy "do's" or color-coordinated outfits when the researchers surveyed the facebook prowling grounds.

In a nutshell, based on the information gathered, the brainy twosome argue that by using the homophily theory, it is wholley possible for the carousing Don Juan (interested in hooking up) to correctly classify 78 percent of the gay men and 88 percent of the straight guys without much drama rearing its ugly - um - head.

A number of issues were raised, but not intriguing enough to post here, I dare say.

Except for one niggling little bit of information.

"We did this work to inform users that they could be indirectly disclosing information about themselves that they didn't realize," Behram Mistree confidented in an e-mail.

For the "out" - loose-as-a-goose drama Queen - t is a little late to be concerned about that.

It's quite another tawdry mystery-ridden tale for someone like Ryan Seacrest, who has had the good fortune to date to be labelled a Metrosexual Male, for now.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall, at his digs!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Experian...TransUnion & Equifax defendants in class-action lawsuit! Fair Credit Reporting Act violated...

Three credit bureaus in the United States are being dinged big-time for ignoring consumer complaints about errors on their credit reports and violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

When the news swept across the country that a class-action suit rustled up a proposed settlement for damages in recent days, cheers went up from every quarter of the consumer landscape.

If you've ever encountered an error on your credit report and attempted to resolve the issue with one of the the three major credit reporting agencies - Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax - you know what a nightmare that experience can be.

There may be a seemingly endless round of letter-writing to one (or all three) of the credit bureaus - followed by a nasty barrage of requests from the bureau in question for proof of identification - and a demand for signed affidavits that attest to the truthfulness of the facts, for starters.

Meanwhile, the black mark on the credit report may unjustly continue to hound the individual relentlessly from one credit grantor to the next until the frightful issues are resolved in the debtor's favor.

All of these nefarious practices screeched to a halt, however, when the aforementioned class-action suit was filed in a Federal District Court with the jurisdiction over the matter.

In - White et al. v. Experian Information Solutions, Inc. - the plaintiffs alleged in their cause(s) of action that all three credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (and state laws) when they continued to report consumer debts past due and delinquent  - in spite of the fact - said financial obligations were discharged in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy proceedings.

A settlement fund in the sum of $45 million was negotiated for the express purpose of compensating individuals so situated in the form of damage awards to be based on a set of criteria approved by the court

A consumer is eligible for benefits if  he or she received a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy discharge and a credit report issued by the defendants between March 15 (2002) and May 11 (2009) (or, for California Residents in the case of  TransUnion, between May 12 (2001) and May 11 (2009) contained debts, accounts, judgments or other obligations discharged in a bankruptcy action that were not reported  as "discharged".

Consumers may choose from two options when filing their claims for damages.

The amount  of the subsequent award(s) will depend on the number of class members making a claim.

Claims must be submitted (and postmarked) to the address below no later than November 30, 2009.

Information

White et al. v. Experian Information Services, Inc.
c/o The Garden City Group, Inc.
PO Box 9517
Dublin, OH
43017-4817

http://www.julianayrs.com

Michelle Obama...slated to chat up NBC host Jay Leno! 1st lady meets 1st man of talk talk talk...

B-4 ratings game!

(no gray)

Svelte & Swish

(which is which)

Ten to one, she's a good tenner!

Say what?

According to a News release fired off earlier in the week, 1st Lady Michelle Obama has agreed to appear on a segment of the Jay Leno Show, hailed as the "Ten @ Ten".

In a nutshell, NBC will use state-of-the-art satellite technology to connect with ten celebrities (high-profile personalities, too) in the global spotlight who will summarily cough up answers to ten (loaded?) questions fired at 'em from Leno's lair in Burbank (CA).

Jay left no stone unturned when it came to snatching up "high-hitters" such as Justin Timberlake, Miley Cirus, Tom Cruise, and Camera Diaz, to name a few.

The "take it on the chin" talk-show host slumped recently in the ratings game - so I expect this is a deliberate ploy to nab a floundering audience - before they go bye-bye altogether, eh?

I anticipate at least three of the following questions will be levelled rapid-fire at the Prez's better-half:

* How's your sex life in the White House?
* Are you a haus-frau now?
* Favorite demand of a maid (or butler!) in the employ of the Prez?

News at 11 - um - 10!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Garth Brooks...signed on for gigs in Vegas! Fans ecstatic...

Hee Haw!

Garth Brooks appeared out-of-the-blue this past week, scooped up a lucrative deal to perform live! on stage in Vegas - and essentially - sauntered out of retirement into the glare of the spotlight once again.

And, smack dab into a dispute with Hotel owner - Steve Wynn - over ticket prices.

 "This is where we really went at it," Brooks quipped

After all, the charismatic performer insisted the price of admission be affordable.

Was it kinda-like roping a steer, Garth?

If so, he didn't win calves down.

In spite of the fact tickets at Kansas City venues once topped at $25.00 - and edged up to $45.00 at the Staples Center on another occasion - Wynn won out by a musical landslide to the tune of $125.00 a stub.

The "compromise" that Wynn offered had greed written all over its smirking face!

By the way, dusty-voiced Brooks flew into the desert oasis in high style, by jet.

With a posse of -handlers, hangers-on, business stalwarts, friends and family in tow - natch!

The studly cowboy - though a tad rusty - will obviously bounce back comfortably on stage soon enough.

When you're one of the biggest solo performers ever to grace the boards - it comes naturally - I expect.

Even still, at the top of his game, the savvy good-humored musician has his eye on an inevitable future.

The likable country-music star will start his five-year residency of weekend acoustic shows at Wynn on the Vegas strip December 11th (2009).

Once that fifteen-week stint is up, he'll head back to Dodge - presumably - and  return in 2010 to fulfill the second year of a contractual agreement to span over the next five years.

Yup, the now-chunky (outgoing) down-to-earth dude, has got it made.

And, if the toe-tapping guitar player gets cold feet, he can walk away (no foul).

Garth is keen to the fact that, though - that just like death and taxes - there will be a reckoning one day (in the form of plummeting popularity and dwindling sales).

"You want to be remembered at your best."

In the instant case of Garth Brooks, it is worthy to recall the following John F. Kennedy quote.

"I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battles or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.

Amen!

http://www.julianayrs.com

The Inferno...composer Keith Emerson attends New Bev screening! Horror Genre fans pack house...

Die-hard fans of the Horror Genre - and particularly those intrigued by the body of work conjured up over the years by celebrated film director Dario Argento - packed the New Beverly Cinema on Friday night at the witching hour to catch a much-anticipated screening of a fresh print of  "The Inferno".

A posse of the filmgoers were there to attend the Q & A, also, in response to an announcement that there would be an appearance by Keith Emerson of  "Emerson Lake & Palmer" (who composed music for the fright-night cinematic offering) and one of the pretty female stars of the classic film.

Right off-the-bat, charismatic Emerson noted that the visionary director - Dario Argento-  was the first filmmaker to incorporate rock music into the feature film creative mix.

"We rehearsed with a full orchestra in Rome," he excitedly recalled.

In so many words, he proceeded to point out that the high-brow musicians were in the dark as to how the classical music tracks would actually be used in the Inferno.

Needless to say, when the gorey footage sprang to life on the silver screen, it jolted their sensibilities.

On a more humorous note, the earthy rock star confessed that composing music for the lead actress, ended up being quite titillating.

Understandably!

The shot of the sexy star emerging from a pool of water in a skin-tight see-through blouse that he was referring to - which triggered a raucous roar of cat-calls in the Revival House that night - left little to the imagination, after all.

"The audition was really strange," she confided.

Allegedly, Argento strode into the rehearsal hall, examined her facial features for a moment or two, then  made a quick exit without much consternation or thought.

A few days later, she was officially cast for the role.

Then, for some inexplicable reason - just before the shoot began - her hair started to fall out.

And, difficulties with Argento, surfaced.

"I think he thought I was dying of some dreadful disease. Maybe that is why quite a few scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor."

An actress blowing things out of proportion, perhaps?

As to the film, well, the opening scenes were stilted - melodramatic - in fact.

Although I'm a big fan of Keith Emerson (and not hankering to burst the icon's first music bubble on screen), I found the score way over the top at times.

And, not in keeping with Argento's creative musings.

For instance, Dario was allegedly keen on using a well-known classical piece for a pivotal scene at the start of the film.

After the music was laid in - and unveiled to the quirky director - he didn't recognize the piece because Emerson used  5/4 time in a bold-faced effort to take a stab at emulating the sound of a taxi bumping and grinding along the pot-holed streets of Rome.

To me, Emerson failed to hit the mark.

The tempo was too fast, for starters.

And, the jumble of quick clashing burps & jolts of strident sound, amounted to a lot of misguided noise.

Also, the music was too loud (and uneven) throughout the film - but, just maybe - that was the fault of the projectionist in the booth upstairs.

At to the film, the acting was stagey, too.

Which reminds me, casting TV actor Leigh McCloskey (who I generally like) in the male lead, was a big boo-boo.

At times, I felt I was watching a soap opera,  or sloppy night-time dama on a cable network.

In the final analysis, Argento's film is an inferno mess!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Mattel...settles suits over toy recalls! Got the lead out...

18 million Toys recalled!

Just before the magic hour at Christmas for the past two years - as the kiddies were about to tear open their gift packages with delight - a scare ran throughout a host of communities around the country.

Investigators undercovered the awful truth about a handful of toy manufacturers in the U.S.

Tots were unwittingly exposed to high does of lead poisoning because careless (neglectful) manufacturers (such as name-brand Mattel) chose to take ghastly short-cuts in the toy-making process by farming out the job lots to penny-wise countries with less-strict guidelines about the use of deadly toxins.

But, there were also revelations (nasty ones) about plastics, too.

In a bold-faced effort to raise the consciousness about the toying issues - and with the aim of stemming the tide - I penned posts on the investigations and the subsequent outcomes.

Post:  12/10/2007

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2007/12/toysx-mas-advocates-warn-about-hazards.html

Post:  12/18/2007

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2007/12/toysx-mas-advocates-warn-about-hazards.html

Post:  12/18/08

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/12/mattelsettles-toy-lead-poisoning.html

Now, just before a new holiday season upon us, there is good reason to celebrate!

Mattel has announced to the press that the toy maker has reached an agreement to settle "virtually all" the money-damage suits arising from the product recalls.

The class-action settlement is subject to the Court's approval.

Excessive levels of lead poisoning and other hazardous materials were detected in Mattel's toys, in spite of the fact they vowed publicly in the past, that safety was always a top priority.

The million-dollar settlement will be divied up according to the nature of the claims submitted.

For example, consumers who acted on the recall action will receive fifty-percent of the total vouchers sent in -  or ten dollars - whichever is greater.

Anyone who "missed out" on filing the paperwork, or failed to actively participate for whatever reason, will receive a reimbursement in the amount originally plunked down for the Mattel toy.

The individual settlements may not amount to much, but in total, represent a staggering figure sure to "sting" the negligent Corporate giant - and ultimately - teach the big brass upstairs a valuable lesson about ethics and morality in the marketplace.

http://www.julianayrs.com