NHL sued by NY Rangers (MSG)

For an interesting discussion, I give you this story and this related story. Madison Square Garden (owner of the NHL's NY Rangers) has sued the parent league, the NHL. This is interesting as hell to me, and his a great deal of significance to hockey fans everywhere.

The NHL, this year, took over every team's website. That is if you go to www.floridapanthers.com you're actually going to the main NHL website and you'll see your URL changed to http://panthers.nhl.com/. The site is designed, run, and maintained entirely by the NHL for the sake of league conformity. It might not seem like a big deal to you as a fan, but it's a big deal to at least one team. The NY Rangers feel they want to retain complete control over their site. I have to support them. The league may want conformity, but ultimately it's the Rangers' team that should decide how they present themselves to the outside world. Yes, I am down on record as supporting the NY Rangers in this matter*. I do not know what all the Rangers' beefs are with the NHL sites -- though I find them cluttered, boring, and lacking in any depth. If it's going to be fluff (and it's the blandest type of fluff, I might add), one might as well let the teams control it.

However, cynic that I am, must assume it's money. Let me quote an excerpt from the article:

MSG said it filed the suit in U.S. District Court because the NHL would begin fining the organization US$100,000 per day starting Friday (9-29-07) if the company did not give the league complete control over the Rangers' Web site and other promotions. The league is seeking to control the licensing of teams for all commercial purposes and to stop teams from marketing apparel, merchandise and memorabilia, the suit said. MSG asked that a judge order the league to stop limiting team promotions, and it also wants the court to clarify the boundaries of the league's rights.

As I said at the beginning, there are significant ramifications as a result of this. On the plus side, if you're a Panthers fan you'll be happy. Why? As you well know many very cool NHL items are only available in select teams. The NHL's intent is to make sure most items are available in all teams' logos and colours, though some regional items are expected to be exempt. As a Panthers fan, most items I've wanted to buy are not available for our team -- you all know that. On the minus side, when the team decides it wants to do something "special" for its own use, it can't. It's all controlled by the league -- including team promotions. So that cool giveaway you get at some games would also, in theory, be affected.

Although I understand the league's position. I think they've gone overboard. But it won't come down to what we, as fans, think. It'll come down to the rules that govern what the league can or can't do with respect to the teams. I suspect merchandising with a logo comes down to a league decision. Ultimately, I imagine it'll end up being like the NFL/NBA/MLB arrangement -- whatever that is. For me, I am most interested in the sentence in red above.

This case will give us all an interesting insight into how the league is run as well as to how much money is involved with merchandising, though I suspect this will be an unusually big year because of the jersey redesign. Lots of people are buying new, $390 authentic jerseys: at least that's our in-arena price -- less at NHL.com


* It's quite possible that the fact I agree with the NY Rangers is a sign of Armageddon.

The Kingdom: An Unexpected Review

I wanted to see The Kingdom because the previews were interesting even though it didn't seem like "my type" of movie. I figured I might like it or be entertained. I didn't actually expect it to be good. This is an action film that has more than its fair share of suspense.

Although Jennifer Garner is wasted, getting no significant screen time, the rest of the cast does well. I must say the surprise casting move was Jason Bateman of Arrested Development in a largely dramatic role. He does very well. Jamie Foxx of course, rocks in his role.

To sum it up, there's a suicide bombing in Saudi Arabia targeted at an American Compound. A bit painful to watch and very bloody to boot. You also get a very condensed but oddly accurate representation of the rise of Saudi Arabia as an Islamic Kingdom. I was expecting a highly politicized film. It is, but not in the way you'd expect. There are no red-state/blue-state issues in this film but there are lots of political statements.

You will be drawn in. You'll even accept the film's notion that there are good and bad people on both sides. So it makes it really difficult to accept the film's devastating last revelation. "What did he whisper in your ear?" To reveal the answer here would spoil the impact, but I have to say this is a FANTASTIC film and I recommend it without reservation and qualification to anyone over the age of 13 as long as the sight of blood doesn't gross you out. There is a lot of it, but in a film like this there's no alternative.

Bush and the Deficit

The US is nearing its credit limit according to Henry Paulson, the treasury secretary. Yes, not only have the past seven years turned us from a budget surplus to being in the hole, that hole is now $8.9 trillion dollars. Trillion. With a "T" to be exact. Or in numbers that's $8,965,000,000,000 -- which is what it will be on 10-1 when the US government will exceed its credit limit. I am not making that up. Yep, we're about to overdraw our checking account. The Senate has approved raising the limit to $9.82 trillion as a temporary fix, the fifth such increase in the past 6 years. The US has never missed a debt payment, and has always upheld "the full faith and credit" motto making our currency stronger.

Everyone wants to know why the dollar is currently hovering at record lows against most major currencies. This is a big part of the answer. Not only has Bush sold our integrity, our respect, he's sold our souls to the highest (or perhaps it's lowest) bidder.

Sleep easy. If you were to pay this off at $1 million per day and there was no interest, it would take you 26 years to pay it off. And that assumes the budget is miraculously balanced. To put it in different terms, if every living person from newborns to those about die, who was a US citizen were to pay $30 per day, it would take a year to pay it off. Or if everyone paid $11,000 we could do it right now. I'll ask Bill Gates for his share -- you go ask the new baby next door and the homeless guy down the street.

For shame, shame, shame.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Using Stumble Upon I found what is one of the most amazing videos I've ever seen. This guy is talented whilst at the same time irritating. I am in awe. The video is here.

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen is one of the most classic songs of the rock era. This cover by Canadian comedian Rick Miller will blow you away. If you've got StumbleUpon give it a thumbs up!

Best 5 minutes and 21 seconds you'll spend tonight.

Fuck Bush Says a Student Newspaper

The headline and editorial ran thusly: "Taser this FUCK BUSH" I will withold comment on the lack of proper punctuation in said headline.

That was the entirety of a four-word column in the student-run Rocky Mountain Collegian. I think that's great. But in response to the headline, it's way too juvenile for a professional newspaper which a college paper puports to be. Still I admire their spirit, if not the lack of a carefully placed asterisk or two.

A number of newswires have picked it up from Raw Story who are running it unedited to Fox News and USA Today who are commenting on it with an expletive deleted tag. Most coverage is local and even those who sympathize with the sentiment are not giving the headline good marks.

The editor will likely lose his job, and the staff are facing pay cuts to compensate for lost advertising revenue. I was just amused that it's come this far. I agree with the sentiment. Totally. I just don't think it should have run without an asterisk in a newspaper.

Family Guy does Star Wars

In an earlier post I had said Family Guy jumped the shark, and true, it's been pretty sucky lately. But the new season première take on Star Wars was utterly, and completely brilliant. This may have been the best episode of the show. Ever.

It's a scarily faithful retelling of the original Star Wars (episode IV for the geeks) that begins with a hysterical crawl about Angelina Jolie. We have Darth Stewie, Leia (Lois), Han (Peter), Luke (Chris), Obi-Wan (Herbert, the pervert), C3P0 (Quagmire), R2D2 (Cleveland), Chewie (Brian) and the monster in the trash chute (Meg). We have cameos by just about everyone who's ever had a recurring role in Family Guy.

There's a great bit about John Williams, a funny thing with the couch, and watch out for the limp light sabre. This episode just really has a lot going for it. And the Asteroid Field. Yes. Definitely that. Lots of little cheap shots at Star Wars, done in an obvious fan-boy loving sort of way. There is more sexual innuendo in this episode than the entire last season combined. We finally learned why it's called a Tie Fighter. And there are cameos out the ass.

I cannot recommend this enough. It's a shame they'll break the two parter up, because it will lose a great deal if not seen as one continuous episode.

Man. It's amazing. A one hour animated Star Wars. It works, dammit. IT WORKS. I think I like it better than the real Star Wars.

Marcel Marceau, Famed French Mime, Dies

When asked to speculate on the cause of death, police were silent.

Family members asked had no comment.

Other mimes were quiet on the subject.

I hate Christmas

Dear God Almighty. I was at BJ's Wholesale today to buy some bulk stuff for work -- this is a routine event. Today, I wish to point out is 22 September 2007. They had artificial Christmas trees, wrapping, decorations, and were playing Christmas music. It's 93 days away. Save us all from holiday creep.

How on earth can you have Halloween Decorations next to Christmas Decorations. They haven't even got that Thanksgiving stuff out yet. It's unseemly and just a little bit creepy.

In other news, Thomas is still in the rehab center for his hip. I went and got his keys and got him stuff from his house. My good deed for today, I suppose. He was under quarantine in his room because of some infection from surgery, so we really couldn't visit much. Went to lunch at Smokey Bones with Erin, Kathy & William, and Adrian. Got home around five, and then went off to BJ's which is what started this post.

The weather outside is frightful.

Another Mac In The Wall

(Apologies to Pink Floyd for the title)

I normally just write about what's on my mind and don't take requests as it were. However because the topic was so appropriate for me and because the person who sent it to me is as cute as a button (Erin), I've got no other choice than to throw it on my blog for all the world to see -- or at least the 500+ visitors I still get every week. I've written on this topic before.

So many people are switching to the Mac, hence the rising sales of their computers (Yay) it almost isn't worth of note. I could name many famous Mac users who are recent converts, though I think people would be hard pressed to find anyone who recently switched away from a Mac.

But this case amuses me greatly because it's none other than billionaire Marc Cuban. Mark says I had gotten to the point where I was embarrassed to be a PC owner. So a few months ago I made the executive decision to buy a MacBook to replace my laptop. I haven't looked back. Like most honest people he's got complaints with the Mac. One of which, I might add isn't valid. I have no idea why he can't left click. That's been available to Mac users for ages. Maybe he's got it turned off.

Remember: changing the world, one person at a time. Do your part. Save the world from the Microsoft.

VideoGate: Belichick's Cheating Ruins NFL Credibility

I'll skip the discussion of the travails of the actual incident in questions. It's pretty much blatant and obvious. I'm going to move right on to my opinions of the NFL's response. I think it's a total sham. What a freaking crock of excrement.

First and foremost Belichick, doesn't have even have to pay his fine because the Patriots are doing it for him.

Secondly, Belichick earns $4.2 million per year so even if he HAD to pay it, it's about 12% of his salary. In that regard, it's pretty minor. Sure, nobody wants to lose 12% of their salary, but I'd see many people giving up 12% for my Vince Lombardi trophy. This fine is insulting to the fans and the other teams.

Thirdly, Belichick has been accused of this in the past and has been warned in the past. He went and did it anyway. That's a pre-meditated offence and deserves the harshest punishment for him and his team. I don't believe for one second that the team wasn't aware of his actions. I think it's fantastic they got busted. I hope it serves as a distraction to their entire team. (I feel bad for their fans and ex-players because now their entire legacy under Belichick is now tarnished and in question.)

Fourth, the annual revenue of the New England Patriots is $250,000,000 (on an estimated worth of $1.1 billion dollars) -- yes about $250 million dollars per year. So a $250,000 fine is 0.1% of their annual revenue. Yes ZERO POINT ONE PERCENT of annual revenue is the amount of their fine. That's probably a day at the concession stands at best, or maybe the take for parking. It's a disgrace.

Fifth, The draft picks are a minor detail. They should be, at minimum, barred from the playoffs for a year or three and possibly have their last title stripped from them too. Belichick should be suspended for a year or two and not be allowed to coach or attend any games. The league needs to make a huge statement that it will not tolerate this sort of behaviour. This is far worse than what has been done by the players and it creates a double standard.

I'd cheat every game if I were disposed to be a cheater. What the NFL has done is create a situation where it pays to cheat. It's absurdly disgraceful. They need to do something FAR more severe but they won't. For $250k per game, or a few million dollars a year, you can cheat at every single game. Even the team with the lowest revenue rakes in over $167,000,000 per year and is worth 3/4 of a billion dollars.

I think cheating destroys the integrity, honesty, and character of a sport. It's inexcusable and must be discouraged in a meaningful way.

(Belicheck -- to catch the people who can't spell it right)

OJ Did It Again

Yeah, for the second time in my life, I am blogging about OJ Simpson. (First time here) The last time, I wrote about OJ was to discuss the theory that he was actually innocent. Yeah, I still believe it's possible. From the glove that didn't fit, to the matching DNA, to the time he killed driving around town: it all fits the theory that OJ was protecting his son who committed the murders.

But OJ, nut-job that he is won't go away and die a peaceful quiet death. He has to drag us all along for the miserable ride. He's in the news again, this time on breaking and entering. Yes, he broke into a hotel room at the Palace Station casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. I mean what was this guy thinking. He's just so bizarre I can't stand it. He was also, a year or two ago, involved in case of road rage here in Miami where he lives in suburban Pinecrest or thereabouts.

Can someone possibly explain the weirdness that is OJ? I can't.

I was In a Fender Bender Today

Today, I was in a relatively minor fender bender. Or, more accurately, I was rear-ended by a cel-phone wielding blonde bitch. Maybe she isn't but her attitude bears me out.

I left work a bit early today to go to the post office and pick up some stuff while they were still open. So, along about 435pm or so, I am on the NW 36th Street access road (the road that runs right next to NW 36th Street). The road merges from two to one lane as it hooks left onto Ludlam Road. I was in the left lane (the through lane) and the right lane merges into it (they have the merge sign, and therefore the left lane has right of way).

I am driving substantially below the speed limit because it's raining and the road is wet. Right next to me in the right lane is a dark blue Kia Sportage. In the right lane following the Sportage is a gold Honda Civic, driven by a blonde who appears to be on a cell-phone. In front of me is a white Nissan Pathfinder (or maybe it's a Q45; I'm not positive as I wasn't paying attention to that). I slow a little more to let the Sportage in, and continue as the lanes merge. Please keep in mind there is no median and it's a blind curve so you cannot weave into the oncoming lanes without risking a fatal head-on collision.

I am still driving WELL below the speed limit, going approximately 10 to 15 MPH due to the fact we're merging, the road is wet, and we're on a blind curve. Three wonderful driving conditions.

Apparently the lady in the Honda decides to merge and lean on her horn at the same time. It is my understanding that, apparently, if you're a blonde on a cel-phone merging left, leaning on the horn gives you the right of way even if a car is ALREADY in the space you wish to occupy. Apparently it does not dawn on her she can slow down or stop and get behind me.

It is FAR more convenient for her to actually clip my back bumper in the far right corner and keep leaning on her horn. I pull over in front of Miami Aviation (or whatever that abandoned building in front of the UPS Air terminal is called) and get out and grab my (OFF as always) cel phone. She exits her car and is gabbing on the phone -- which is why I assume she was on it when she hit me as she didn't likely have time to make a call in the few seconds that elapse.

She starts yelling at me in Spanish and I yell back at her in English (no foul words were used). I ask what she wants to do because, happily there is almost NO visible damage to my car. She yabbers something so fast, I cannot understand it to translate it with my semi-limited Spanish. I say "Policia?" and she says "Si! Policia" so I call the Police (she is still on her phone call). I call 911 and transfer to the non-emergency number and give them the details calmly, and politely as a cop drives by and totally ignores us -- we're standing in the rain. I probably should have mentioned that because it adds to the joy of my situation.

Amazingly, not 4 minutes later the police show up -- okay, it's a PSA but still four minutes is rocking. I like the police. We greet him simultaneously, me in English, her in Spanish. She's hung up the phone at some point. He looks for the damage on my car and doesn't see any except some paint chips, and then looks at her damage. He asks me to describe what happened and I tell my side pointing at the clearly marked lanes and road signs. He asks her for her side -- in Spanish. I should mention the PSA is very professional -- some guy named Officer Delgado with a scary looking scar on his left arm.

It's quite clear she rear-ended me while not having the right of way. He doesn't TELL me that, but he talks to her in Spanish and I don't think he realizes I speak a little. Sometimes silence is good: keep your mouth shut. He asks what I want to do. I told him she wants a police report, so we should let her have what she wants. I explain, again, that nobody is hurt and I have no serious damage -- it's all on her front bumper and the rear of my car, hence the overwhelming evidence she rear-ended me. I've just got a few nicks which I can probably fix myself.

He talks to her in Spanish and tells her that she can drive away and he won't write anything. He asks if I'm okay with that, and despite my desire to punish Blondie as she so richly deserves, I'm very tired of being in the rain. Apparently she is too, and decides it's okay to leave with no report. He instructs her to leave first and stops traffic so she can get back on the road. I notice she jots my plate number down as she drives off -- which is why I am writing this so when I get a legal document, I have everything written here while it's fresh in my memory along with a nifty time and date stamp.

I stay a few moments more chatting with the officer before I get in my car and get to the post office just before 5pm.

I'd have posted this earlier, but I got home a little later than expected as I got stock in 5pm traffic, in construction (yet another batch of new construction -- this time on 25th street and Milam Dairy) on my way home. Then I had to call Thomas to find out how his hip replacement surgery went -- it's fine. He's awake and as alert as he was before the operation (take that as you will). He'll be in the hospital until this weekend approximately before he goes to a rehab center. He's watching baseball -- he says he likes it, but I think it's to dull the plain. Watching baseball makes me numb....

So how was YOUR day?

Panthershockey.net gets a sponsor!

Well, I've taken the plunge and accepted paid advertising. I never thought I'd actually do it. However, as my combined sites' Technorati authority ratings have climbed, offers have increased. I won't even CONSIDER porn ads, though those offers were SUBSTANTIAL and into the four figures. My Technorati authority rating broke 5 not that long ago -- and now it's up to six!

I finally got a sponsorship offer that I didn't find offensive, was related to what I talk about, and covered my annual ISP hosting bill. The fact that I have a lot of sports pages, often talk about sports, and quite frankly, like sports made this one of interest. So, I am pleased to announce, as my first sponsor and Première sponsor, Barry's Tickets. If you like this site, please click on the link or banner ad and check them out. Sure, they do non-sports stuff, but that's not what made them attractive to me as a sponsor:

Here's the little blurb we wrote about them for their sponsor tag-line: Barry's Tickets -- our site sponsor -- is your one-stop source for tickets to the hottest events nationwide. We offer premium seating and sold-out tickets as well. As a privately owned ticket broker, Barry's Tickets has seats for all sports and entertainment events buying and selling tickets at the best prices available. Visit them and help support our site!

I hope they get some business -- to be clear I get no commission from sales. They paid me a flat fee, and I agreed to give them a one year exposure until 8-31-08. So far they've been extremely professional. You will see their ads around my sites as follows:

1. Darsys.com/panth (www.pathershockey.net) left-side navigation bar on EVERY SINGLE page in the site exclusive to them
2. Darsys.com index page left-side navigation bar exclusive to them
   
3. Darsys.net index page left-side navigation bar exclusive to them
4. Darsys.com index page TOP OF LIST banner ad (like the one above)
5. Darsys.net index page TOP OF LIST banner ad (like the one above)

So, share the love and click on the from my website. If you buy and they ask where you came from, mention DARSYS.COM, DARSYS.NET, and/or PANTHERSHOCKEY.NET.

The entire cost of the darsys.com domain was paid for by this and left me a two cent profit. If I get another sponsor, I can probably get darsys.net paid off too. Send me an offer -- the more zeros the better :)

Iriomote Cats, English Teachers, Yellow Submarine, and Bush Declares Martial Law

Today we have another random group of eclectic posts.

1. Way back in December 2006, I wrote about the Baiji Dolphin become extinct. Truly a sad thing, indeed. Well it's about to happen again to another species. Now, Japan’s Iriomote Cat is Headed for Annihilation
according to the latest news. I am far more saddened about this because I love kitties of all kinds. This has been reported in National Geographic. It's a beautiful cat, too as you can see.

2. I am trying to locate Karen Goff; she was my eighth or ninth grade English teacher from McMillian Junior High School in Miami, Florida. It's an off chance, but she was one of the best teachers I ever had -- and in a subject I am rather fond of. I want to thank her. If anyone knows where she is, that would be great. The school was of no help whatsoever nor was the local school boards.

3. In other disturbing news: I am not a conspiracy theorist, and I often ridicule those who are. Let's be honest, most of them are utter and complete crackpots. However there's a new one making the rounds that even my regular "upstanding citizen" type friends are subscribing to. And, I think I do too. As you know Dubya's term is coming to an end -- and he's not happy, nor does he understand why he's the least popular president ever. There are more and more rumblings being made about Iran from inside the administration, but nowhere else. What happens when he uses some random event -- you know the odds are in favour of an event -- to declare martial law and take over and remain in power? Will anyone be able to stop him? Will the military say no? It's looking more and more real to me every day. Him and his cronies are looking for a way to stay -- just like the Kremlin in its heyday. It scares me.

4. Next Wednesday, I am still predicting a Yellow Submarine iPod pre-loaded with the Beatles oeuvre. It will look similar to the current iPhone without the actual phone functionality. Further, regardless of what comes next, I bet you get a Bluetooth iPod so people have no more wires. You'll also get some form of the iPhone touchscreen. Apple has ordered way more screens than it needs for phones. There's really no other conclusion to be had.