THE UAW-GM STRIKE IS OVER!!!

GOOD news!!! The United Auto Workers union and General Motors have reached a deal on a new contract that features a brand new idea on health care. It involves a trust fund that I can't explain to you because details won't be provided until this agreement is presented to UAW workers for ratification, something that is expected to happen this weekend.

FUN AT THE OL' BALLPARK:

Barring a tie of some kind, the Major League's baseball (regular) season will end this Sunday. And what a season it's been! In the National League West, Arizona has a 2-game lead over San Diego and the Padres have a 1-game lead over Philadelphia and Colorado in the N.L. Wild Card race. The Cubs have a 2-game lead over Milwaukee's Brewers in the N.L. Central and the Mets have a 2-game lead over the Phils in the N.L. East. All those teams have 5 games to play. The Dodgers, busy pointing fingers at each other, have been eliminated.

The Angels have won the A.L. West, but are now jeopardizing home field advantage opportunities by sitting guys and losing their last two games. Cleveland has won the A.L. Central and the Red Sox have a 3-game lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East, but the Yankees are expected to win the A.L. Wild Card race.

All in all, it's been a great season with some races probably not being decided until Sunday. And when the playoffs begin next week, we are expecting to witness some terrific games. Steroids? We don't care 'bout no stinkin' steroids, let's play ball!!! Which is the way it should be, right?

NICE PICTURE ALERT:

If you like nice pictures, I call your attention to page 4 in the main news section of today's Los Angeles Times where you'll see a picture of President Bush and his Secretary of State.

A BAD PICTURE TAKING EXPERIENCE FOR JACK BAUER:

Jack Bauer, otherwise known as Kiefer Sutherland had his picture taken early yesterday morning. This was after he'd been stopped for making an illegal U-turn and was then booked for driving while intoxicated after failing a Breathalyzer test.

Ordinarily, this would be one of those deals where a high profile person is "embarrassed". That's if this is that person's first driving while intoxicated booking. Since 1989, Kiefer Sutherland has been booked and convicted or pleaded no contest three times for alcohol related charges. And when Sutherland was arrested yesterday morning, he was on probation for a 2004 conviction of driving while intoxicated. Ordinarily in a case like this, if he's convicted, he'll face a double hit. The driving while intoxicated thing and a violation of probation thing. A double edged "thing" that would result in jail time of (perhaps) at least a year if it was you or me.

Now I understand that the sight of Jack Bauer imprisoned by terrorists or by U.S. officials for breaking laws too numerous to count while fighting terrorists is a sight that fans of "24" are used to. But seeing Jack Bauer in a regular jail?

Okay, I'm kidding a little, but here's something I'm not kidding about. You have the star of your big hit television show who has a history of driving while drinking. I'm not making excuses here. Kiefer Sutherland is a grown man and he should be responsible enough to know (by now) that he's not "bulletproof" when it comes to this drinking and driving business and he should see to it that he doesn't drink and drive, buuuut....If I'm the Executive Producer of "24", wouldn't it be in my best interests to see to it that Kiefer Sutherland was assigned a driver during the months that their big TV show is being shot?

SPEAKING OF TELEVISION SHOWS:

More new shows will make their debuts tonight.

Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland (Kiefer's dad) star in "Dirty Sexy Money" on ABC at 10 tonight and the reviews are quite good.

At 9 on ABC, the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff, "Private Practice" will be shown. It has a terrific cast that's headlined by someone I'm not sure deserves the headline/lead position she finds herself in. That would be Kate Walsh who has had praise heaped upon her that I don't believe she's worthy of. The hands down best actor on "Private Practice" is Audra McDonald and the most charismatic actors appear to be Tim Daly, Taye Diggs and Amy Brenneman. "Private Practice is getting mixed reviews, but because it's a show created by the "Grey's Anatomy" folks, there will be nothing private about the coverage of "Private Practice".

One other new show that's getting a lot of attention is "Bionic Woman" which debuts on NBC at 9 tonight. Michelle Ryan is the "Bionic Woman" and the show has gotten mixed to poor reviews.

All in all, I see nothing that will keep me from watching "Back to You" on Fox tonight and "Gossip Girl" on CW. But I do have tape machines.

EDITOR'S NOTE: IF YOU READ THIS BEFORE PICTURES HAVE BEEN ADDED, COME BACK! PICTURES WILL BE UP SOON!

A new blog is written every morning, Monday through Friday and is posted between 7 and 7:15, Pacific Time. Sometimes earlier. Questions and comments can be sent to scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. I do write back.

TOMORROW: Remember Kato Kaelin? I'm gonna tell you about a forgotten film in which he played two roles in addition to being part of the "crew" annnnd...anything else that makes me say, "Whaaaat?!?"