Stars In Their Eyes Makes Massive Blunder

The New Zealand version of Stars in their eyes has made another massive blunder.

Last year, host Simon Barnett and the writers embarrassed every country music fan, by saying Ronan Keating must be so thrilled with a contestant's version of his song "If Tomorrow Never Comes. If Tomorrow Never Comes is a Garth Brooks song, the contestant just did Ronan's version of it.

Well this year was another blunder and another kick in the face to country music by TVNZ.

A contestant on the show was taking off Garth Brooks and he sung the song "The Thunder Rolls", the backup singers for some reason , sung it like a love song, and when he had finished, Mr Barnett told him, that the song was lovely and he must sing that to his wife every night.

Well Mr Barnett if you actually listened to the song, or did your research, you would know that the song was about domestic violence, spousal abuse and murder, it wasn't a ballad.

The contestant looked dumbfounded by Barnett's comment and could only say "I don't sing that song to my wife"

Still I should of seen it coming, this is the treatment that TVNZ continues to give country music, although just once I would like someone involved with TVNZ to have a little credibility, it hasn't happen yet.

Read More

Slides from My Berkeley Lecture

There was a nice turnout for my lecture last night at UC-Berkeley (in Giannini Hall, above) as part of the 2009 Breakthrough Seminar Series. Lots of good discussion as well. At the talk I met Tom Fuller, who has posted up some comments about the talk. And I understand that a streaming video will be online before long. Meantime, you can download my slides here in PDF. Comments welcomed.

UPDATE 7/3: More form Tom Fuller here. And here. And even more here.

Read More

The Fortunate 50

Jonah Freedman of Sports Illustrated has compiled his annual list of the top 50 earning U.S. athletes, taking into account salary, winnings, and endorsements. Always a fun read. Some interesting points:

* Tiger Woods, not surprisingly, ranks first, earning just under $100 million ($92 million of which is from endorsements), followed by fellow golfer Phil Mickelson.

* Lebron James ranks third, earning $42 million. Will his endorsement income--which is already $28 million a year--go up should he leave Cleveland next summer for the Knicks?

* Three of the top 10 earning atheltes are NBA players who jumped directly from high school to the NBA (Lebron, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant), while four other prep-to-pro stars are also in the top 32 (Dwight Howard is #13, Jermaine O'Neal is #20, Rashard Lewis is #30, and Amare Stoudemire is #32). Allen Iverson, who was my more celebrated classmate at Georgetown University for two years, and Shaquille O'Neal, who played three years at LSU, are also NBA players in the top 10.

* Tom Brady, despite his enormous celebrity, is only #28 on the list, earning $18 million a year between salary and endorsements. For what it's worth, his wife--super model Gisele Bundchen--is reportedly worth $150 million.

* The Manning Brothers are both in the top 50: Peyton is #10 while Eli is #43.

A sports law related point: While player-agents, who in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL are regulated by the respective players' association, typically receive a small commission percentage of a player's contract with a team (depending on the players' association in question, the agent usually receives a 2 to 4% commission), their cut of an endorsement contract tends to be higher (in the ballpark of 10 to 20%). As a result, the difference between income from a player contract and income from an endorsement contract matters a great deal to an agent. It also means that agents who represent endorsement-attracting players tend to see their earnings go up considerably.

Read More

Creative Encounters: Bicycle "Self-help" Workshop

Located in the WUK center for workshops and culture in Vienna, the Fahrrad Selbsthilfe Werkstatt (Bicycle Self-Help Workshop), functions on a similar premise as co-ops like Bikes Not Bombs in the US: You pay a small fee for the afternoon, and one of the mechanics on staff helps you fix your bicycle or assemble an entirely new one using the parts available at the shop.

But the unique thing about the Fahrrad Selbsthilfe Werkstatt, is that here you are likely to see bicycles like this:

or like this:

or like this!

The workshop specialises in tall bikes and various other remarkable constructions, the likes of which you are not likely to see every day.

Though the floorspace is small, they make excellent use of the extremely high ceilings. Rows upon rows of frames, wheels, and partially assembled bicycles of different vintages, hang suspended above the visitors' heads. The resultant arrangements are quite beautiful.

Wheels and a station with tools...

forks...

cranks and pedals...

small parts...

Of course the majority of those who come in, are looking for help with "normal" bikes and are not assembling the sort of eccentric constructions shown above.

The mechanics are very helpful, and the atmosphere is mellow and friendly. A wonderful place to be, even just to watch. If you are a cycling enthusiast visiting Vienna, you will enjoy a visit to the Fahrrad Selbsthilfe Werkstatt.

Read More

Just Sue It? SportsFuzion v. Nike and Basketball Hall of Fame

Deadspin has an interesting piece on a lawsuit brought by a small company named SportsFuzion against Nike and the Basketball Hall of Fame alleging breach of contract, tortious interference with contract, and fraud. The lawsuit concerns the following:

* * *

Three years ago, a small company called SportsFuzion saw an opportunity. They convinced the Basketball of Hall of Fame to sell them "exclusive worldwide rights to the Hall of Fame's trade names, logos, trademarks, designs, and photos for use in sportswear." At the time, those rights didn't seem that valuable, because who buys a hat that says "Hall of Fame" on it? But SportsFuzion, was thinking ahead because they knew that in three years Michael Jordan would be in the Hall of Fame, and people will buy anything even remotely associated with Michael Jordan.

So, they took their idea—and their licensing rights—to Nike and made their pitch. And Nike passed. Michael Jordan and the Hall of Fame isn't really going to work for Brand Jordan. Thanks, but no thanks.

Then two months later, the Hall of Fame suddenly decides they don't want to be in business with SportsFuzion. They want to renegotiate their contract. Oh, and look at that ... Nike is now selling their own Jordan Hall of Fame gear!

* * *

In a separate press release, the CEO of SportsFuzion says, "Having Nike and the Hall of Fame go behind our backs to cut us out of the deal has become my worst nightmare." SportsFuzion has retained a very notable intellectual property law firm, Fish & Richardson, to represent it.

We haven't yet heard Nike's side of the story. But when it tries to get the case dismissed, expect Nike to argue something to the effect of, even if SportsFuzion's facts are entirely correct, there is no legal remedy for SportsFuzion's harm -- the harm is simply the way the businessworld works. Along those lines, SportsFuzion will need to produce clear evidence of fraudulent conduct on the part of Nike and the Basketball Hall of Fame; Nike merely acting deceptively and prextually is not, in and of itself, illegal.

Read More

Cycling Habit

You really can cycle in your everyday clothes! This lovely nun was weaving through traffic with ease on a busy shopping street.

Read More

Quote of the Day

"India will not accept any emission-reduction target -- period. This is a non-negotiable stand.”

Indian Environmental Minister, Jairam Ramesh
30 June 2009

(Thanks BP)

Read More