February 28, 2009
The medical industry call a swollen prostate gland benign prostate hyperplasia, or BPH. In simple terms this means the prostate gland, a gland which encloses the urethra and is situated under the bladder, grows bigger and this may impair and stop urination. As males age, their prostate swells and can engender complaints for example trouble in micturition, weak urinary flow, and also the retention of urine within the bladder. Frequent night time trips to the toilet and infections of the urinary system can also be produced by an enlarged prostatic gland. Benign Prostate Hyperplasia - What Does that Mean? Males over 60 commonly have benign prostate Hypertrophy. It’s recommended that males over the age of fifty undergo an exam by their personal doctors annually, irrespective of the presentation of problems, to help sustain better prostatic wellness. Get medical intervention straightaway if blood appears in the urine or if unable to urinate. Surgery or the use of pharmaceuticals are frequent treatments for an enlarged prostate. Regrettably, impotence or even loss of normal bladder control may be experienced as a result of a surgical procedure. An alpha blocker and drugs that reduce the prostate gland can also be prescribed to improve prostate gland wellness, however, medications frequently lead to undesirable results so what are some more natural therapies? Enlarged Prostate Gland Problems? The Alternative Way to a More Healthy Prostate
To assist in the relief of any problems associated with an enlarged prostate gland gland and to promote better prostate gland fitness, various treatments may be indicated. African pygeum keeps down inflammation, alleviating most of the symptoms. Formulated from the fruit of an African evergreen tree, African pygeum has been tested extensively by the Europeans for a number of years as a treatment for improved prostate gland health.
Dietetic changes for example a decrease in the consumption of fats can help, so will getting more excercise more, frequency of ejaculations may ease the pressure in the prostate, and trying to cut out sitting for a long time. Using over-the-counter anti-histamines and decongestants can aggravate the symptoms of a swollen prostate, consume these medicines with caution. Reducing coffee and additionally alcoholic drink, avoid drinking within a few hours of bedtime to keep down nighttime toilet trips. There are very many further natural supplements used for improved prostate health — these include saw palmetto extract, Borago officinalis oil capsules, selenium, and also lycopene, a chemical found in tomatoes. Be sure to discuss your plans with your health care professional prior to introducing the natural treatment of an enlarged prostate gland.
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February 26, 2009
Do you find yourself in this situation also? Feeling that your gut is expanding or just drifting due south. Is buttoning those pants getting harder and harder? Are you learning the months passed on your butt watching the tube, consuming snacks and chugging six packs has finally done you in, and you are featuring love handles? Have you lost your six pack abs(http://six-pack–abs.net)? You’re definitely not alone and there is great news for you.
If you have too much flesh around your breadbasket you need to start some ab workouts. This is advantageous for both men and women as more muscular abs result in less lower back troubles. When your abdominals are beefed-up your back is also strengthened. There are simplified exercises to lose the spare tire, such as sit ups and crunches.
Dealing with the lower back you can try lying on the tummy. Do the leg swim motion by gently kicking with knees and feet off the floor. Fifteen seconds of kicking, thirty seconds of rest and then repeat.
It is in all likelihood a great idea to reduce the salt in your diet. We tend to link salt and salt loaded foods with heart disease and stroke. Sodium can induce water retention which can in turn add to the tummy fat. Stay away from processed foods and adding extra salt. A fat stomach can also be diminished by drinking water. Water not only helps to keep the body hydrated, it also assists your body to metabolize stored fat into energy and cuts your appetite.
You should in all probability think about trimming your calories from alcoholic beverages. Im certain that youre simply as let down as I was to find out that alcoholic beverages do not perform the same function as water being that they are both liquid. Alcoholic drinks contain a lot of empty calories which for men have a tendency to get fixed around the gut resulting in love handles. You do not need to cut alcohol out completely, just keep in mind how much you drink and cut it back; same strategy as reducing the quantity you eat.
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February 26, 2009
On June 9th, 2005 Eli Lilly and Company announced that it has entered an agreement with plaintiffs’ attorneys involved in Zyprexa liability litigation to settle most of the claims against the company relating to their Zyprexa medication.
“While we believe the claims are without merit, we took this difficult step because we believe it is in the best interest of the company, the patients who depend on this medication, and their doctors,” said Sidney Taurel, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company.
The agreement states that Eli Lilly will establish a fund of $690 million for plaintiffs who agree to settle their claims. This settlement fund will be overlooked and distributed by claims administrators chosen by the steering committee of the plaintiffs. At this time the number of claimants is projected at around 8,000 comprising about 75% of claims identified to Lilly.
This agreement involves claimants who have allegedly developed diabetes-related side effects from their use of the drug Zyprexa. Those who are not covered by the final settlement are those who are represented by attorneys not participating in the agreement in principle. Lilly is ready to continue their forceful defense of Zyprexa in the remaining cases.
Investors have been advised that at least $700 million pretax will be taken in the 2nd quarter of 2005 to cover this settlement and as well as other product liability claims.
To learn more about this recent Zyprexa settlement by Eli Lilly and Company please visit http://www.resource4zyprexainfo.com
This article may be freely re-printed as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyper-links. To learn more about hiring a Zyprexa lawyer please visit http://www.resource4zyprexainfo.com
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February 25, 2009
Your Medical Doctor or Chiropractor has released you from treatment for your motor vehicle accident and enough time has passed so you’re about to position yourself to sit down with Adjuster Henry Hard-Nose. His employer is Rock Solid Insurance, the company who insures Fred Fuddle, the individual who plowed into your rear end, smashing you with a tremendous crash which was responsible for your injuries plus the “Pain and Suffering” you’ve had to endure.
To be adequately compensated for what you’ve gone through you must have accumulated what’s identified in the world of insurance claims as “Special Damages”. Those are your Medical bills, your Lost Wages plus every dollar paid out to help with your recovery. When building the value of a personal injury claim there are several key elements you should be aware of:
LIABILITY: In the vast majority of motor vehicle accidents it’s clear who was at fault. Assuming that Fuddle struck you a mighty blow in the rear end (rear-enders make up well over half of the motor vehicle accidents that take place in the United States each year) yours is a case that must be settled. (Final Statistics prove that in 83% of accident’s that took place in 2003 it’s clear who was at fault) !
The very doubtful liability case has little, if any, settlement value. If that’s the situation you should obtain the services of the local Legal Beagle who does a good job at that, Attorney I.M. Greedy. But, if you do, be very careful when you sign Greedy’s “Contingency Fee Agreement”. Read it closely. Don’t sign anything that will let him charge you one penny, other than his normal fee. Do not - - in any way whatsoever - - allow him to chisel any money from you, for his out-of-pocket expenses. All Greedy should be compensated for (if he’s successful at busting loose some bucks from Rock Solid) is his fee and that should be no more than the usual locally published accepted percentage of the total recovery.
TYPE OF INJURY: If there are severe injuries (which make up only ten to fifteen percent of all motor vehicle accidents) you should obtain the services of a lawyer. But, if you’ve had minor injuries like whiplash, bumps, bruises, sprains and/or strains (and it’s clear you’re not at fault) you can handle and settle the claim yourself.
TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE: Rate yourself and be brutally honest. You’re most likely an average motor vehicle owner/driver, living a normal life. But, if you’ve spent some time behind bars, have a criminal record, or a history of character defects that often get your butt in a jam with the local cops (and this is well-known) you must take those facts into consideration when forming expectations regarding what your case is worth.
THE TYPE OF PERSON FRED FUDDLE IS: The better Fred Fuddle looks, or the better the “entity” “(Fuddle’s business or company, etc.) appears, the better for Rock Solid. But, if Fuddle is a known bookie or drug dealer, they’re in deep “stuff”. On the other hand, if Fuddle is a well-loved philanthropist, that can be a plus for Rock Solid Insurance. Or if the vehicle that struck you was a van driven by Pastor Frederick Fuddle, and the named insured is The Fuddle Camp For Lost Souls, that can be a plus for Rock Solid.
But, if the “entity” that hit you was a dilapidated junk pile on wheels operated by Fred “Goof-Ball” Fuddle, and the named insured is The Fuddle Rotted Cow Manure Corporation, that will obviously not be favorable for Rock Solid.
DAMAGES: There are “Medical Special Damage” Expenses, “Non-Medical Special Damages” Expenses, and/or your “Property Damage” Expenses.
MEDICAL SPECIAL DAMAGE EXPENSES: These typically include Cost of Ambulance, Emergency Room, Hospital and/or Clinic Charges, Chiropractor, and/or Dentist, Over-The-Counter Drugs and/or Prescription Medications, Laboratory Fees and Services, Diagnostic Tests: X-Rays and (CT) Scan, Prosthetic Appliances or Surgical Apparatus, (Cranes & Crutches), Physical Therapy, Registered and/or Practical Nurse Fees, Ace Bandages, Gauze and Tape, Heating Pads, Creams, Lotions, Ointments, Balms and Salves.
When it comes to listing your Medical Special Damage “expenses” don’t overlook one single dollar because, when it comes time to settle your claim, that dollar can increase the value of your payment for “Pain and Suffering” by a multiplier of four or even five! (Yes, that means a $20.00 bill can be worth $80.00 to $100.00 more ,in your pocket, from Rock Solid Insurance, at settlement time).
NON-MEDICAL SPECIAL DAMAGES: These typically include Lost Wages and Earnings, Lost Vacation time and/or Sick Leave, Travel Expenses (car rentals, public transportation, expenses incurred getting to and from your Chiropractor and/or hospital and/or physical therapy “treatment” of some sort) Household Help during disability and/or Child Care. Be sure to obtain written proof of such “Non Medical” Special Damages.
LOST WAGES: The income you lost, because you were unable to work, is an area where adjusters take terrible advantage of the typical claimant because they know so little about it.
Commissions and overtime can make a huge difference in your lost earnings. Be sure to get a letter from your employer, on their official letterhead, explaining that in detail. Or, if you’re self-employed, get this information stated on your accountants letterhead.
The time you miss from work (thus the money you may have lost) is calculated and this element constitutes what is known as “Lost Wages” or “Lost Time Verification”. In most situations you’re entitled to compensation for lost time and earnings, even if you have no actual loss of money! Such as, for example, when your salary is paid by your company insurance coverage, or by taking sick leave, or some similar arrangement.
Even if you’re salaried you should obtain a “Lost Earnings”, or “Time Lost Verification”, in writing on your employer’s letterhead.
IF YOU’RE SELF-EMPLOYED: To prove your lost earnings you’ll probably have to assemble some inside information for Hard-Nose. If you don’t like the idea of submitting private documents to him, in the privacy of your home or office, just think how you’d feel about producing them in the non-private environment of a courtroom. When a case goes to trial, and if you want to prove your damages so as to collect adequate compensation, that’s your only alternative.
TWO CRITICAL AREAS REGARDING LOST WAGES: Did the injury necessitate a change of job or employment at a lesser rate? Or, did the injury allow your going to work but only on a part-time basis? If the answer to either question is “Yes”, it would be wise to ask your employer to document these facts on their letterhead.
IT’S CRUCIAL FOR YOU TO KNOW: Even if you’ve been paid while out of work, you can still compute your time lost from work as “Lost Wages” .
PROPERTY DAMAGE EXPENSES: These typically include Motor Vehicle Repair, Damaged Clothing, Broken Glasses, cost of Substitute Car Rentals, Towing and Storage. Make copies of all bills relating to any of your property damage expenses. Keep the originals. Be sure to have these in your possession when you and Hard-Nose plunk yourselves down to “Talk Turkey”. Photocopies are sufficient to give him.
YOUR AGE: Because of their obvious innocence, insurance claim accident victims, up to the age of 12, generally have excellent settlement results. Those in their teens, and into their late 50’s, fall into a fairly normal category because they’re generally considered to be at the height of their physical stamina. Those in their late 60’s, and over, usually fare extremely well; primarily due to the sympathy that’s often invoked, from a judge or jury, because of general attitudes regarding frailty and the elderly.
MOST IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:The information Hard-Nose places into your file plays a major role in the ultimate value of your claim. Never underestimate the importance of his impressions and conclusions! Should, one day, your case ends up in front of a judge, or jury, what Hard-Nose feels, observes and then reports into your file at Rock Solid about you, his insured Fred Fuddle, and/or possible witnesses, etc., (in addition to the information you’ve documented for him) could have massive influence on the value of your claim - - especially if Fuddle is a loser and he’s absolutely in the wrong. At that point the only thing stalling a settlement is the amount of money it’s going cost to get rid of you.
And, should your file end up in the hands of the local defense attorney for Rock Solid Insurance, all the positive factors about you, your injury and liability, will cause him to gasp, “Hey, what’s going on here? My legal fees will be higher than the few hundred more bucks this one can be dumped for.”
The bottom line: Your out-of-pocket expenses correctly recorded and presented, your injury information properly documented and your lost wages clearly established will seriously increase the dollar value of your personal injury claim.
QUESTION: How does Dan know this to be true? ANSWER: “Because for 38 years Dan was right there, where he saw and done that” !
Copyright (c) 2005 by Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved
DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this “How To” Insurance Claim Article “PLACING A VALUE ON YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM” is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Dan Baldyga does not make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever, NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Wherever such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
Dan Badlyga has had 3 “How To” Insurance Claim books published, the last being AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) which can be found on the internet at http://www.caraccidentclaims.com or http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com.
This book explains, in simple language, “How To” handle your motor vehicle property damage and/or personal injury claim. It also contains BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). THE BASE FORMULA will explain how to determine the value of the “Pain and Suffering” you endured - - because of your motor vehicle accident injury!
Dan Baldyga spent over 3 decades within the area of Insurance Claims, as an Adjuster, Supervisor and then Manager. He was then promoted to Trial Assistant where he worked another 5 years on thousands of Insurance Claim case.
eMail: dbpaw@comcast.net
AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM
(How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) - http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com
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February 25, 2009
Our current jury system is ailing. It is beginning to fail us. O.J. Simpson being found not guilty is just one example of that problem. People with loads of evidence against them are found not guilty, while others with far less evidence against them are found guilty. Mass murderers are often sentenced to life in prison, while many others who commit just one murder are sentenced to death. People tried separately for the same crime often get much different verdicts and/or much different sentences. I know the Constitution guarantees the accused a right to a jury of his or her peers, but times have changes over the last 200-plus years and we need to make adjustments accordingly. There are two changes I would suggest we make as soon as possible.
First, we should implement professional juries. There are many reasons why the average person should not serve on a jury. Many of them do not want to serve and find it to be an inconvenience. People with this attitude are likely to focus more on getting the trial over with rather than taking the time to come to reasonable and thoughtful decision. Other people come to a jury with an agenda. They have strong opinions one way or the other about the defendant and/or the case, but will mask these feelings in order to get a seat on the jury. These people are unlikely to be persuaded by evidence which runs counter to their preconceived notions.
Of course, there are many jurors who feel that it is their civic duty to serve and make an honest attempt to seek the truth. But even these people often make flawed jurors. Very often they will use things such as defendants’ courtroom demeanor, the way they dress, the emotions they show or the lack thereof, their facial expressions, etc. to help determine guilt or innocence. So what if someone seems arrogant in court? So what if they show no emotion? So what if they dress inappropriately in the courtroom? While it might be appropriate to take some of these items into consideration at sentencing time, none of these issues make a person any more or any less guilty and should not be considered as a part of making that determination. Professional juries would be trained to disregard everything but the facts when determining whether someone is guilty of a crime. It would be their fulltime job and if they had any kind of agenda, it would come to light over time. They would also be subject to a judicial review board on a regular basis to re-evaluate their fitness as professional jurors.
Second, we should put an end to the deliberating process. Jurors should not be allowed to speak with one another and should vote their conscience by secret ballot. This is needed because many jurors do not have the courage of conviction to vote what they really think, but are often intimidated into voting with the majority or with those who are the most persuasive or strong-willed. Of course, a change like this would make a unanimous verdict almost impossible, so a two-thirds majority should be required for a guilty verdict. Anything less would result in the defendant being found not guilty. There would be no hung juries. In the case of sentencing (except for death penalty cases), a simple majority would determine the sentence, with the judge acting as a tie-breaker. A three-quarters majority would be required to sentence someone to death. If a majority, however less than the required three-quarters, votes in favor of death, the next harshest available sentence would automatically be imposed, regardless of the other votes.
Having an impartial jury reach a just verdict along with making sure an innocent person is never convicted should be the ultimate goal of our criminal justice system. Unfortunately, our jury system is broken and doesn’t deliver this desired outcome nearly often enough. It is due for a much needed overhaul in the form of the changes I have suggested.
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.
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February 25, 2009

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February 23, 2009
Nominated for 17 Emmys in its short four-year run, Soap premiered in the Fall of 1977 as one of the most controversial shows in American television history (and all before a single episode ever aired). The show was opposed by many groups who thought its subject matter would be too mature for a prime-time audience. But Soap never overstepped its bounds, and the show became an instant smash hit with its brilliant and satirical spoofs of classic daytime programming. Sporting an all-star cast and talented producers, the show spawned successful spin-off Benson in 1979, a series that launched Robert Guillaume’s career to a whole new level…
Set in suburban Connecticut, Soap follows the lives of two sisters - Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond), a wealthy yet dim elitist, and Mary Campbell (Cathryn Damon), a housewife in a more traditional blue-collar atmosphere. But regardless of their social station in life, neither woman manages to escape the scandal and intrigue surrounding a typical soap opera family. Jessica’s daughter Corrine (Diana Canova) is smitten with a priest, yet they are both having an affair with the same tennis pro. Meanwhile, Jessica and her husband Chester (Robert Mandan) incessantly cheat on one another. As for the other side of the family, Mary’s husband Burt (Richard Mulligan) is certifiably insane, her son Danny (Ted Wass) is a mobster, stepson Jodie (Billy Crystal) is an out-of-the-closet homosexual, and all of them are caught up in a family filled with promiscuous infidelities and quite possibly murder! Throw in the insubordinate and sarcastic Tate butler Benson (Guillaume), and Soap holds its own as one of the funniest sitcoms in TV history…
The Soap (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which Jodie and Carol move in together, and Carol learns that she’s pregnant with Jodie’s baby. Meanwhile, Father Tim and Corrine announce their wedding, and Chester goes to prison when he confesses to killing Peter, following Jessica’s conviction… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include Episode 32 in which Carol’s father strenuously objects to his daughter’s impending marriage to Jodie, and Episode 47 in which the two families work together to perform an exorcism on Corrine’s baby while Burt is apparently abducted by aliens…
Below is a list of episodes included on the Soap (Season 2) DVD:
Episode 26 (Episode 26) Air Date: 09-14-1978
Episode 27 (Episode 27) Air Date: 09-21-1978
Episode 28 (Episode 28) Air Date: 09-28-1978
Episode 29 (Episode 29) Air Date: 10-05-1978
Episode 30 (Episode 30) Air Date: 10-12-1978
Episode 31 (Episode 31) Air Date: 10-19-1978
Episode 32 (Episode 32) Air Date: 11-02-1978
Episode 33 (Episode 33) Air Date: 11-09-1978
Episode 34 (Episode 34) Air Date: 11-23-1978
Episode 35 (Episode 35) Air Date: 11-30-1978
Episode 36 (Episode 36) Air Date: 12-07-1978
Episode 37 (Episode 37) Air Date: 12-14-1978
Episode 38 (Episode 38) Air Date: 12-21-1978
Episode 39 (Episode 39) Air Date: 01-04-1979
Episode 40 (Episode 40) Air Date: 01-11-1979
Episode 41 (Episode 41) Air Date: 01-18-1979
Episode 42 (Episode 42) Air Date: 02-01-1979
Episode 43 (Episode 43) Air Date: 02-08-1979
Episode 44 (Episode 44) Air Date: 02-15-1979
Episode 45 (Episode 45) Air Date: 03-01-1979
Episode 46 (Episode 46) Air Date: 03-08-1979
Episode 47 (Episode 47) Air Date: 03-15-1979
About the Author
Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Soap (Season 2) DVD.
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February 23, 2009
The very first movie I took my oldest son to was George of the Jungle. I think he was about 4 at the time.
He was pretty amazed with the large stadium style theater. Just before the lights went out, he gave me a golden moment that I will treasure always when he looked up at me and said:
“Daddy, I like being with you.”
7 years later
These memories came to me today as my oldest son and I sat in the exact same theater waiting for King Kong to begin. Before the movie started I told him the story of what he had said seven years earlier.
I knew going in that the Kong on the screen was computer animation. Even knowing that, this Kong looked so real, so life like.
Remember how real the dinosaurs looked in the Jurassic Park series? These dinos make those look like guys in a dino suit.
Many times when you see a fight or battle in a preview, you worry that you have seen all the good parts. Not so here. The battle between Kong and the T-Rex that you see in the preview lasts for at least ten minutes in the movie.
At the end of this and several scenes, you can hear the audience take a collective breath.
Picture the attention to detail of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy combined with the intensity of the first Jurassic Park.
At the end of the time on Skull Island, I found myself thinking that we have gotten to see all this and they have not even arrived in New York yet.
Even thought you know how it is going to end, it is still a great ride.
Rating: 5 out of 5 ticket stubs.
Toward the end of the movie, my 11 year old son grabs my arm, curls up next to me and says:
“Daddy, I like being with you.”
Visit http://www.TheArticleGuy.com for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.
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February 19, 2009
Nominated for 7 Golden Globes and 6 Emmys, including Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Just Shoot Me is among the top cutting-edge situation comedies of the late-1990s and early-2000s. The NBC original series is the brainchild of talented creator Steven Levitan, writer for such celebrated TV shows as Wings (1990), The Larry Sanders Show (1992), and Frasier (1993) - among others. Featuring a multitalented cast with a dearth of experience in the world of show business, Just Shoot Me is one of the funniest and best-written sitcoms of its time…
Just Shoot Me follows the exploits of an eccentric staff of professionals working in the New York offices of the fictional “Blush” magazine (similar to “Cosmo” in real life). The series begins when Maya Gallo (Laura San Giacomo), the only child of Blush magazine owner and editor Jack Gallo (George Segal), gets fired from her job as a serious journalist and picks up as a writer for Blush magazine. Aiming to make the magazine more “cerebral,” Maya is constantly butting heads with her by-the-numbers, give-the-masses-what-they-want father. Maya must also face the incessant sarcasm of Jack’s personal assistant Dennis Finch (David Spade), the constant advances of womanizing photographer Elliott DiMauro (Enrico Colantoni), and the veracious neuroses of ex-model, turned fashion editor Nina Van Horn (Wendie Malick). Together, the strange amalgam of dysfunctional characters forms a charming, witty, and often hilarious setting in which to set the world of fashion on fire…
The Just Shoot Me DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere “Back Issues” in which a recently unemployed, broke, and quite desperate Maya Gallo seeks employment from the person and company she’d least like to work for - her father at Blush magazine. Now, Maya must not only contend with her estranged father, but with numerous fellow employees who fear that her presence will diminish their own influence and prospects for advancement within the company… Other notable episodes from Seasons 1 & 2 include “Lemon Wacky Hello” in which Jack returns from China with an exotic candy for everyone in the office to try, but they realize much too late that the candy is laced with a hallucinogenic drug, and “The Kiss” in which a harmless kiss, prompted by their pretending to be married, leads to bigger things for Maya and Elliott’s relationship…
Below is a list of episodes included on the Just Shoot Me (Seasons 1 & 2) DVD:
Episode 1 (Back Issues) Air Date: 03-04-1997
Episode 2 (The Devil and Maya Gallo) Air Date: 03-05-1997
Episode 3 (Secretary’s Day) Air Date: 03-12-1997
Episode 4 (Nina’s Birthday) Air Date: 03-19-1997
Episode 5 (In Your Dreams) Air Date: 03-25-1997
Episode 6 (Lemon Wacky Hello) Air Date: 03-26-1997
Episode 7 (The Experiment) Air Date: 09-23-1997
Episode 8 (The Assistant) Air Date: 09-30-1997
Episode 9 (Old Boyfriends) Air Date: 10-28-1997
Episode 10 (La Cage) Air Date: 11-04-1997
Episode 11 (King Lear Jet) Air Date: 11-11-1997
Episode 12 (My Dinner with Woody) Air Date: 11-18-1997
Episode 13 (Twice Burned) Air Date: 11-25-1997
Episode 14 (Sweet Charity) Air Date: 12-09-1997
Episode 15 (Jesus, It’s Christmas) Air Date: 12-16-1997
Episode 16 (Elliot the Geek) Air Date: 01-06-1998
Episode 17 (Sewer!) Air Date: 01-13-1998
Episode 18 (In the Company of Maya) Air Date: 01-20-1998
Episode 19 (Pass the Salt) Air Date: 01-29-1998
Episode 20 (The Walk) Air Date: 02-03-1998
Episode 21 (Nina in the Cantina) Air Date: 02-24-1998
Episode 22 (College or Collagen) Air Date: 02-26-1998
Episode 23 (Nina’s Bikini) Air Date: 03-03-1998
Episode 24 (The Kiss) Air Date: 03-19-1998
Episode 25 (Bravefinch) Air Date: 03-26-1998
Episode 26 (Jack’s Old Partner) Air Date: 04-09-1998
Episode 27 (Amblushed) Air Date: 04-16-1998
Episode 28 (The Emperor) Air Date: 04-23-1998
Episode 29 (Rescue Me) Air Date: 04-30-1998
Episode 30 (Eve of Destruction) Air Date: 05-05-1998
Episode 31 (War and Sleaze) Air Date: 05-12-1998
Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Just Shoot Me (DVD).
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February 14, 2009
WRONGFULLY CONVICTED AND IMPRISONED IN ALABAMA
ROBBERY OF FREEDOM: The Ultimate Injustice
My story is told to you as honestly and as accurately as can be. Over the years, I have felt like I’ve had to ‘defend’ something, but I have realized that, as bizarre as it is, just tell the truth and let that be it! I was released in April 10,2001, and my quest for justice has only gained momentum.
I am the victim of small town politics where the locals have met very little resistance in doing things their own way, regardless of the law. In fact, I am the first one who has ever been known to challenge that state court of Bullock County, Alabama (City of Union Springs) for their misconduct and gross miscarriage of justice.
I feel that I must preface my story with events that led up to the conspired, bogus lie, and malicious accusation against me.
My accuser, John Will Waters, whom I was never allowed to face in court, is a king pin drug lord. He operates out of that small town, but reaches as far as Colombia, South America. My parents grew up in that same town. Waters was from a long line of moonshiners and crooks. He is very liberal and seems to think money will do anything. He and my parents have always been on the opposite side of issues, i.e., they opposed the building of a state prison there, Waters was for it. They are Republicans, he’s a Democrat.
My father started, owned and operated a tire business there for 45 years. During the latter years, he depended strictly on out of town business, because the locals prevented county vehicles, school vehicles, and any other county business to be done there. Nevertheless, the business did very well. In 1993, my father had double knee replacement surgery. The business fell behind a few payments on a mortgage loan from a local bank. My father had done business with that bank since 1951. After very few months, the bank began foreclosure proceedings. My father immediately sold a large inventory of tires, raised $10,000. He offered the bank the $10,000 to pay the arrearage plus a few payments in advance to show good faith. Every possible attempt was made to satisfy the bank, but everything was turned down except the $50,000 required to pay the loan off in full. My parents were able to raise the $50,000.
The day before the scheduled foreclosure, my parents went to the bank to settle the debt. They were met by the President with a cool reception. He said he could not take it. He told them to go home that he would call them. He met with the foreclosure attorney, who was also a Board member of the bank (conflict of interest). They both conspired to refuse the money and did refuse the money.
The next morning, February, 1995 the foreclosure was staged on the steps of the courthouse. As people gathered, so did my parents, brothers, and I. My parents voiced loudly to the attorney, Rutland, that they had the money. They were totally ignored. A friend offered to pay it for them since he wouldn’t take their money, and that was refused. He opened the bid at $85,000. No one can benefit from the sale at a foreclosure and he was opening at $35,000 above the amount owed! My parents bid $85,500. They countered after each bid, but were totally ignored. The attorney yelled sold, and pointed to a bidder who had been sent by my accuser, John Will Waters.
My parents asked him how he could do that. The attorney’s reply was, ‘because I wanted to and I had the authority to do so”.
My parents had 10 day in which to redeem the property. They were able to do to the tune of $100,000. The property joins the courthouse property, and is highly coveted.
It wasn’t until later that my parents learned that it was my accuser, Waters, who had bought the property.Crushed and broken hearted, I watched my father walk around in a daze, holding his chest, voice cracking when he spoke, and he hit the depths of depression. It was all I could bear to see.
In February. 1995, I called JW Waters and told him what a horrible thing I think he did. I made the statement that he should stay in his greedy drug world and stop trying to destroy people who are trying to make a living. I told him he destroyed enough people with his drugs. That’s all, just got it off of my chest.
In June 1996 (16 months later) I was charged under a newly created law for “stalking John will Waters.” April 24, 1996 was when the anti-terrorism law was passed). Six weeks later I was charged under that law, EX POST FACTO, with stalking.
The arrest warrant only stated ’stalking’. It did not have him named on it. I knew that this was bizarre, for I had not stalked anyone. I still don’t even know how to. At the time I was accused, I did not own a vehicle, nor have a telephone. I lived across the street from my parents, work at the tire company, and was home most of the time that I was not at work. So who, what, when, and where was still a question. I signed on my own recognizance, and it was then that I learned it was John W. Waters.
This was clearly a conspiracy to maliciously prosecute. Waters was coming at the Brabham family with a vengeance, attempting to destroy at all cost. The D.A. (Whigham) was his buddy. He awarded Whigham a beach house in Panama City, valued at one million dollars for this and other dirty work he has performed for him (i.e., not prosecuting his drug cronies).
CASE STARTS!
I went to court, accompanied by my mother who was well aware of my absolute innocence. I had one of their appointed attorneys to represent me (so called). He never defended me, encouraged me to plead guilty, and I didn’t talk to him for even 5 full minutes before court was recessed. My mother and I were taken into a back room for a most severe coercion of a guilty plea. There were 6 men present with us. The JUDGE conducted the coercion!! D.A. Whigham, the foreclosure attorney, Rutland, 2 DEA agents, and an Alabama Bureau of Investigations man were there. I had called the ABI to report the corruption, drug business, etc. He was there to enhance the coercion and had breached all of the confidential information that I had given him, information that they have killed people over (and there are a few!) (Examples provided at the end of story.)
The judge, Robertson, was hissing, spitting and spewing anger toward me, and I couldn’t understand any of it. He repeated things to me that I had told the ABI. I just sat there in total shock at what was being said. My attorney just shrugged when I would look at him, he never opened his mouth. The death penalty was suggested as a possibility by a DEA agent, Orvie Locklar. He was a lifetime friend of my parents, so they thought. One can only imagine the helpless horror of that ordeal. I had never had any court experience, but we were very aware of just what they were capable of doing.
My mother and I talked alone after the bug-eyed, red faced judge went back to the bench. He had screamed to the top of his lungs!
My mother was crying at the thought of the death penalty, because she knew just how brutal they could be.
The appointed attorney told me that the best thing to do was plead guilty, that it would not affect my nursing license, that there would be no real harm done. I kept asking, where is Waters, let’s get him in here and clear this lie up. The attorney said that this was not the kind of case where he needed to be present. Boy, was he right, the railroading was going to take place, regardless of the truth. Of course, there were no facts whatsoever to back any of this.
On transcript before the judge, I stated a few times that I did not want to plead guilty to something I positively did not do. The DA mentioned “trying the case”. The judge would say, yeah, we’ll try it, and THEN you’ll see what you get.
I was so beaten up by them at the end of the day, and knowing that I could still be sitting on death row, I pled: “guilty, I guess”.
I was immediately taken to jail and was denied an appeal. Their appointed attorney told my mother that if an appeal was allowed, that it would show that he gave ineffective assistance of counsel. My mother told him that is exactly what he gave.
I was in jail for 17 days with no bond and no appeal.
My parents got an attorney and he talked to the judge. Judge Robertson suspended the sentence in July 1996. I was to enter a treatment program. (totally unrelated to a stalking charge). I applied to one or two of them, and going to one never materialized. I refused to contact the court to let them know. I just went home and started living life. I avoided and hid from them, but nothing else occurred.
Judge Robertson was forced to leave office in October 1996. He was addicted to Cocaine and had stolen thousands of dollars from the County. Judge Gaither took office. In April 1997 to end the case, he ordered a 28 day treatment program. I completed that successfully and he ended the sentence. He knew it was due to corruption. He was an honest judge and came into a mess to clean up. THERE, THE CASE WAS OVER, May 1997
Judge Gaither let it be known to the locals, that he would go by the law, and that he wasn’t there to make anyone rich. Needless to say, he wasn’t very well liked by the DA and others of the court.
In January, 1999, the locals supported the election of a judge who would puppet for them, Burt Smithart. He is very young and follows the orders of the DA. I was arrested for a misdemeanor public intoxication in March 1999, 100 yards from my house.
It was adjudicated by Municipal Court, fine paid, and one year probation ordered.
Eight days later, the D.A. Whigham sent me a summons to court. He claimed that he wanted to revoke the stalking charge. It had ended two years earlier and he was aware of that fact.
I was ordered to court on April 2, 1999 for the probation revocation of stalking. There WAS no probation to revoke and Judge Gaither had written an affidavit saying so, that the case had expired.
Judge Gaither was ignored by Judge Smithart and I was put in jail there for one week before being taken to prison.
I was literally re-sentenced on an expired case. My family went to the Attorney General’s office, talked with an underling of his, and nothing was done on my behalf.
A hearing was held in August of 1999, and Judge Gaither testified under oath there, that the case expired and that he did not order any probation. His testimony was lied about by the D. A. Whigham.I filed a state habeas corpus in October 1999 and to this day, it has been ignored.
I filed a Federal Habeas Corpus in November 1999. The Magistrate Judge, John Carroll, made it a full blown case. He wrote two orders to the court and two order to me to answer. He resigned as magistrate judge in June 2001. The Magistrate Judge who was assigned the case, dismissed it in August 2001, as being out of statute of time. There was definitely a weisel in the wood pile!!!
Double jeopardy stands alone, sui generis, and I had filed in the mandatory one year statute of time. A dismissal for ‘out of statute of time’ is done summarily, and this case had gone on for two and a half years!
In January 2001 I was called back to that court for probation consideration. The end of this double jeopardy was to be April 10, 2001. The DA requested 5 years, but Judge Smithart said he’d order 3 years, if I chose to take the probation. The Judge said, you can go back until April 10, 2001 and complete the sentence or take the probation. (the law states that it is the persons unfettered right to complete a sentence in confinement or elect to take probation). Knowing of the hatred for me and my family, I elected to return to the ‘hell’ and be through with them.
I was released on April 10, 2001.
On April 13, 2001 my mother received a phone call from the judge at her home at night. He told her to inform me that I would be on probation for one year. She asked why, that she thought I returned to avoid probation. He said he had made a mistake and hung up the telephone.
I called the court clerk and requested an order for the probation. I received one in the mail. I filed yet another habeas corpus in Federal Court, alleging double jeopardy again.
The second sentence, by Judge Smithart, for the expired case was on April 2, 2001. I was not present nor was I represented at that sentencing.
The third sentence for the same case was on April 13, 2002 and I was not present nor was I represented at it either.
I recently requested that Federal Court reconsider the second sentence for the same case, which robbed me of two years of my life.
It was denied by Federal District Court. Federal Circuit Court vacated that order, and has returned it to Federal District Court for a full remand.
The third sentence for the same case, the probation ordered in April 2001 is still pending an evidentiary hearing in Federal District Court. They ordered me to get all affidavits from witnesses, testimonies, and the affidavit from Judge Gaither who ended the case in 1997. That is where it is at this point. Both the second and third sentences on the expired case are now two separate cases being considered in Federal Court.
(MY comments: There were 3 judges in 3 years. District Attorney Whigham was there during the reign of the three, and he knew the truth. He is the culprit at the core. Hopefully this exposure will bring the desperately needed relief that this town needs).
Sincerely,
Beverly Brabham
Any and all questions and comments are welcome! Write to Beverly directly at:
beverlybrabham@direcway.com
About the Author
I am from a small town in South Alabama, Bullock County, City of Union Springs. I am the victim of the local political corruption that exists in many small towns where thing are done their own way. There is no check and balance, it is everywhere, and society seems to just be indifferent toward it. If my efforts in my own quest for justice help just one other person, that would make it all worthwhile. Sincerely, Beverly Brabham
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