....MONKEY???? DID YOU SAY "MONKEY"?!!!

[MalahatTwo7]

Monkey will decide who gets to be a billionaire on new U.S. TV show. Canadian Press Thursday, April 10, 2003

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The evolution of television continues: a $1-billion prize will be at stake in a WB special and a monkey may help decide if there's a winner.

Play for a Billion will be the culmination of a Pepsi summer promotion in which contestants have the chance to play for the top prize on a live, two-hour show airing in September. The program, to be produced by Michael Davies (Who Wants to be a Millionaire), represents a partnership between WB and Pepsi-Cola North America.

The two companies are also teaming on a summer variety show, Pepsi Smash, which will feature performances by top musical acts, WB said in a release. The six-week series will begin airing in July.

Play for a Billion guarantees a $1-million winner and a shot at the grand prize for 10 contestants. The contest starts May 1 with the sale of Pepsi products that could lead to a chance to be on the TV special.

Details of the show are under discussion, executive producer Matti Leshem said Thursday. One proposal involves having a monkey put previously selected numbers in an order that must be matched for the $1-billion prize, he said.

"What could be more random than that?" Leshem said.

He's hoping to have a capuchin monkey do the job. There was some controversy surrounding the idea, Leshem said, refusing to elaborate. There are also those promoting an orangutan as a better, more intelligent choice, he said.

There is a one-in-1,000 chance the $1 billion will be awarded, said WB and Pepsi. The winner could choose either a 40-year annuity or a lump-sum payment representing the annuity's current value.

WB and Pepsi previously announced plans for a variety show that would blend advertising into the program in place of commercial breaks. Plans for such a show are now on hold, a Pepsi spokesman said Thursday.

© Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press

And people wonder why I don't watch sitcoms and talk shows..... *shaking head in wonderment.*

[StayBack500FT]

ACK!!!! IT'S COMING TRUE!! DA MONKEYS ARE TAKING OVER!! QUICK, GET CHARLTON HESTON ON THE LINE!!! Wait...he got caught up in that whole plane crash thing..hmmmm...MICHEAL JACKSON..He has a monkey...YEAH...CALL MICHEAL JACKSON!! OH THE HUMANITY!!! MONKEYS IN CONTROL OF ONE BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!! OH THIS CAN'T BE GOOD!! I KNEW THEY'D BE DRIVING LEXUSES(????Lexi???LOL)!! HEY, THAT GIRL WITH THE HAIRY FINGERS....SHE'S LOOKING AT ME FUNNY!! COULD IT BE??? MORE MONKEY CHICKS??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! O.K....O.K...Stayback....don't get hysterical...be cool...be cool....AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... ...THEY'RE COMING TO GET US............WE'RE ALL DOOOOOMMMMMED!! BANANAS FOR THANKSGIVING......MONKEYCHICKS PROTESTING GOLF COURSES BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALLOW PRIMATE MEMBERS....OMG!!!!! HELP!!! HELP!!!

[MalahatTwo7]

Its funny that you should make reference to Golf courses.....

Taking a swing at gender equality
Golfer villified for her campaign to open club's lounge to women.
Jim Gibson Times Colonist Friday, April 11, 2003

John McKay, Times Colonist / Jane Murphy took the Victoria Golf Club to the B.C. Human Rights Commission over the lounge's men-only rule.

Jane Murphy is Victoria's answer to Martha Burk, the woman leading the protest against the male-only membership at Augusta National Golf Club, the site of this week's prestigious Masters tournament.

But, unlike the head of the National Council of Women's Organizations, Murphy is actually a golfer. And now she is having trouble finding golf partners. Particularly this week, after a radio documentary, coinciding with the start of the Masters, aired nationally on her four-year-old fight for equality at the 800-member Victoria Golf Club. Murphy's fight boils down to access to the club's men-only 19th Hole lounge.

One of Murphy's regular Saturday morning female foursome phoned this week to say she would no longer play with Murphy "because she doesn't agree with my stand. This is a lady I've been playing with for six months."

It's not the first time Murphy has been dropped by a Saturday morning golf partner since her campaign for equal access to the club's facilities began. Eventually, her challenge reached the B.C. Human Rights Commission only to fall victim, like other complaints at that time, to organizational changes there.

Both she and her husband, retired judge Ken Murphy, have been snubbed at the club over her position. She has received letters including an anonymous one stating: "You are destroying our club. You bitch."

At one time, the paralegal played Saturday morning with three men. But that ended when they told her "We're not going to play with you any more. We feel you have used us."

Following their game, the men would retire to the 19th Hole lounge adjacent to and accessible through their locker room. As a female, Murphy was excluded. The alternative might have been for the foursome to rehash their game in the upstairs lounge, a room Murphy compares to "a mausoleum" in atmosphere, adding it can take 20 minutes to find a bartender, who is likely downstairs in the men's lounge. Besides, the coffee downstairs is free.

In 1999, the Victoria Golf Club finally caught up to the region's other major private clubs, Gorge Vale, Uplands and Royal Colwood, in achieving gender equality. Until then, all women had restrictive memberships which, among other aspects, gave men priority for tee times on popular playing days, apart from regularly scheduled men's or ladies-only slots. Men's memberships also cost more.

Under the change, existing female members could continue with cheaper fees and restrictions or upgrade to full playing membership. However new female members do not have that option, but instead, like men, pay the full rate -- $28,000 initiation fee plus monthly playing dues of $207.50. (The club has a slightly cheaper rate for couples as well as separate non-playing or social memberships -- $850 initiation plus $62.50 monthly.)

Murphy was the first woman to upgrade her membership. As a full-member, she felt entitled to equal access to the club's facilities, the 19th Hole included.

Her campaign reached a vote at an extraordinary meeting in July 2001. It passed ( 111 to 82) but the board continued to stall, prompting Murphy to take her complaint the next step to the human rights commission.

"She was certainly within her rights to do it," says Cheryl Sacher, the Victoria Golf Club's ladies' captain.

However, Sacher is still confident that the board will make the needed changes, but says "It's just not feasible at this time.''

As well, Sacher points out that the women were given a choice when the club house was renovated to have a lounge similar to the men. Instead, they opted to have two card rooms off their locker room.

Murphy's quest became known to women players at the other private clubs. Not all were supportive. However, the ladies' captain at Royal Colwood, Pat Low, thinks "it was very brave of her," further describing Murphy as both energetic and assertive.

But Murphy, this week, sounds almost disheartened.

"I've had three years of hassle. I've had no support from anyone. I kept getting phone calls saying, 'Well done, Jane!' but no one came forward to help."

This is the main reason she has not restarted her complaint with the province's replacement for its old human rights commission.

"I spent three years doing it. . . three years of people not talking to me."

Nor does she think her comparison to controversial Martha Burk is entirely appropriate.

"I'm not doing anything like she's doing,'' she says, referring to Burk's campaign to open up the Augusta National Golf Club to women members.

In fact, Murphy has no real quarrel with men who want a male-only club or women wanting a women-only club such as Toronto Ladies Golf Club. Instead her argument is about equal access for all members.

"What I have a problem with is that the Victoria Golf Club is a male and female club," repeats Murphy, who says this has been her only fight for equality. "I didn't even protest a thing at university."

Interview with Jane Murphy.

© Copyright 2003 Times Colonist (Victoria)Golf Story (http://www.canada.com/victoria/story.asp?id=FAD8680F-BF77-48D6-86DF-6130B31AAF45)

[LadyCapn]

"However, Sacher is still confident that the board will make the needed changes, but says "It's just not feasible at this time."

Oh? Why not? Is there extensive retrofit required? Will they have to redecorate? What would make it "not feasible" to open the lounge to females?

Geesh and I thought only the Fire Service was so dead set against change
:rolleyes: :D

[martinm]

Why not have a monkey in charge of a billion dollars?

Probably more trustworthy than the Government :rolleyes:

[MikeF25]

Hey guys.

Let's turn the tide on this gender thing.

Here is the plan.

We all go to a LADIES ONLY workout center and ask for membership and when they say no let's protest. Nationwide it is time to take a stand.
And while we are at it let's protest about not being allowed in women's locker rooms and such.

Come on! Who's with me?!


Some people need to get a life.

[Anyway]

My opinion only... I don't agree that women should be allowed into Member only golf clubs. Now before everyone starts bashing, I AM a female and I DO golf. However, we as women do have things that are just our own and I think the men should have something thier own. If women want to golf at a Master's style course, then make one. Make an all women's club.. I just don't think that opposite genders need to be involved in everything.

Now this is also coming from a female who has been in the FF/EMS services for 15 years. I worked hard to get to where I am. At one time I was the only female in our department, third in our district. As far as employment goes, IF YOU CAN DO THE JOB, then I am all for it. But in fun and golf, Men have their club, women can build theirs.