Wherein you, the readers, talk amongst yourselves.

A Russian judge just ruled that sexual harassment is "necessary for the survival of mankind." Thankfully, that sort of ruling would never fly in the states, even though sexual harassment happens all the time. Has it ever happened to you in your workplace? Have you ever witnessed it happening to someone else? What did you do about it?

Say what you will about NYC's radio personalities and their exhausting egos, but none of them deserve to die. A sexual harassment lawsuit — which made waves when a few details of it were leaked in March — filed against Wendy Williams' husband, Kevin Hunter, includes some interesting information about Wendy Williams competitor Miss Jones of Hot 97. Nicole Spence, the plaintiff and former Wendy Williams employee, alleged that Hunter was plotting to have Miss Jones killed over some comments she made about Williams on the air. Problematic to say the very least. [NYDN]

So NASCAR might not provide the most comfortable work atmosphere for black female employees? Would you have ever guessed that?

According to a former NASCAR official, Mauricia Grant, the organization pretty much fulfills that stereotype. Grant says she was fired after she complained to superiors about racial and sexual harassment she was experiencing on the job. In a lawsuit, Grant "allege[d] that she was called a series of degrading names (such as "Nappy Headed Mo," "Queen Sheba," and "Simpleton") and subjected to racist stereotypes, such as being told she worked "on Colored People Time" if she arrived late." At the time she was hired, she was the only black female official at NASCAR. She's suing for $225 million. [TSG]

• At this point, it would almost be funny if it wasn't so sad and infuriating. Good ol' Bush has appointed a woman who is anti-birth control to head the family planning division of the Department of Health And Human Services. [WP]

• This is what Jason Kidd has resorted to? Grabbing crotches in the club? [Bossip]

• It's hard to pick just one thing wrong with this picture. [C&D]

• No matter how hard this guy tries, I will never, ever, ever, ever be interested in NASCAR. [DS]

• So, considering the current racial climate, it's probably a good idea to keep that Halloween hangman decoration in the garage this year. [SL]

Madison Square Garden execs shouldn't be surprised. When one mistreated black female employee gets $11.6 million for her pain and suffering in the workplace, other mistreated or "mistreated" employees will surely follow.

Two black women who worked as security supervisors at Madison Square Garden are set to hit their former employer with a discrimination lawsuit, claiming they were denied advancement while young white interns who slept with management quickly rose to the top.

"It's definitely a boys' club there," charged Diane Henson, 50, who said she worked at the Garden for 11 years only to get pushed out this summer once she complained about the unfair treatment of blacks, and women in particular.

Isiah Thomas, who really has enough to worry about, is probably thanking his lucky stars he was never around security supervisors long enough to call them bitches.

[NYP]

• Don't you love it when individuals or events are credited with "opening dialogs" that people have been trying to open for decades? [NW]

• Everybody Haaaaates Clarence. The CW should look into a 30 minute sitcom. [NYT]

• When employers criticized for a lack of diversity defend themselves with the "but there were no qualified black candidates" line, they're usually lying. [BG]

• Prodigy just began his gun trial (he faces 15 years if convicted) after cops discovered him pulling a Nicole Richie on a one way street in NYC with an unlicensed handgun in the glove compartment. [AHH]

• Credit card providers aren't tapping into the African American market. I wonder why. [MP]

The New York Post has come up with a solution to Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden's costly sexual harassment issues, but only if you live in a disgusting dreamworld where Rosie O'Donnell weighs 1,000 lbs and is in need of a corporate job with a sexist professional basketball team. And, anyway, Isiah Thomas would probably be just as, if not more, likely to call a white, morbidly obese lesbian toting a McDonald's bag a bitch. Except, what's the consensus on black-on-white bitch-calling? The rules confuse me so…

[QT]

• Black women who are sexually harassed by black men are often characterized as traitors for speaking up. Isn't it the other way around? [CS-T]

• Charges against Jadakiss were dropped. Oh, Jadakiss had charges? [AP]

• The mother of a suspected rapist wants the NAACP to investigate his $1 million bail. Uh, pick your battles, NAACP. Please. [BE]

• Here's one perspective on the black-brown conflict, if you're interested. [CNN]

• Here's another. [CNN]

Clarence Thomas' new book, My Grandfather's Son, which has been described as an outlet for his unresolved anger and hurt feelings over his Supreme Court confirmation process, during which Anita Hill, a former staffer of his, lodged sexual harassment accusations against him, has detractors coming out of the woodwork to disprove his emotional assertions.

Certainly, Anita Hill wasn't going to sit idly by without comment. In a New York Times op-ed, she proves that she possesses the ability to get over the past (unlike our favorite Supreme Court Justice), but also defends herself against Thomas's attacks.

CONTINUED »

Anucha Browne Sanders, the former Knick's executive who claimed she was fired because she complained about touchy-feely, verbally abusive head coach Isiah Thomas, is disgruntled no longer. A jury ruled today that she was entitled to punitive damages from the Knicks, although Isiah Thomas will not have to pay her any damages directly.

Today’s verdicts are the latest embarrassment for the Knicks, who have floundered in recent years. The team has had six head coaches since 2001, has only made the playoffs once and has signed numerous expensive players who have flopped.

During the trial, testimony by witnesses made the inner workings of the Garden appear dysfunctional, hostile and lewd. The Knick’s star guard, Stephon Marbury, testified that he had sex with a team intern in the trunk of his car after a group outing to a strip club in 2005.

Aren't sexual harassment lawsuits a bitch?

[NYT]

The sex crimes unit of the Orange County police department is investigating Dennis Rodman for allegedly smacking a woman's ass so hard he left a "major mark." Obviously, I don't wish for any waitresses posterior to be assaulted, but I kind of wish that Dennis Rodman would commit some major victimless crime, so that he can be put in jail for a long, long time. That is how little I feel he has to offer the world. He could also flee to a deserted island. I wouldn't be mad at that, either.

[SP]

The always-interesting, always-enlightening Isiah Thomas sexual harassment trial continued yesterday, with lawyers playing a videotaped deposition during which the Knicks coach indirectly gives the word bitch n-word status for black men (i.e. it's fine for black men to call black women bitches, but white men bet' not disrespect beautiful black queens like that!).

Asked if he was bothered by a black man calling a black female "bitch," Thomas said: "Not as much. I'm sorry to say, I do make a distinction.

"A white male calling a black female a bitch is highly offensive," Thomas said. "That would have violated my code of conduct."

"Maybe I shouldn't go there. … A white male calling a black female, that is wrong with me. I'm not taking that. I'm not accepting that. … That's a problem for me."

How about a black woman calling a black man a bitch, Isiah? How would that make you feel? I'm perfectly willing to participate in a test case if you aren't sure.

[NYDN]

I don't know where I've been, but the seedy, sexist underbelly of the Knicks franchise is being exposed in a $10 million sexual harassment suit filed by Anucha Browne Sanders, a former executive at Madison Square Garden, against Knicks coach and basketball legend Isiah Thomas. Sanders says she was fired because of her complaints about Thomas, who she says called her bitch and a ho and claimed not to "care about white people." He also told the former college basketball player he loved her after a friendly game of horse.

For sheer entertainment value, I think, genius orator Stephon Marbury took the stand yesterday, when the case went off in a slightly different direction. Marbury was forced to admit that he lured Sanders' intern into his car for sex (after his cousin had speculated out loud about the attractiveness of her genitalia) and that he called Sanders a bitch (but not a black bitch, he is quick to say) when she told him he couldn't give away any more free tickets.

I concluded, from looking at the photos from outside the courtroom, that Marbury was happy to be there despite the somber proceedings. But that's probably because it's Thomas on trial and not him. And, I mean, who doesn't have sex with an intern at some point? Isn't that what they're there for?

[NYDN]