Category: work
10/06/08 01:51 - 55ºF - ID#45962
The foolishness of Ch. 4 and Time Warner
Lin TV owns 12 stations in markets mostly around the great lakes. When Fox 29 came to the end of their agreement almost two years ago, they let TW keep showing them while the negotiations kept going. 29's parents had a lot at stake. The same firm owns NBC in LA.
Lin decided to cut off Buffalo, but the local station that shows the Packers to Green Bay (that had to be ugly) as well as their other markets. If I am an advertiser (like I am now), I'm pissed because they just took over 330,000 out of the loop because they felt like it. If I'm a paying cable customer (like I am now), I'm miffed because there are two channels doing nothing, yet I'm stuck paying for them.
While they talk, it would behoove Lin to put the channels back up. Both sides are going to take a beating for their stances, but Lin has a chance to actively be a "good guy" and place their signals back on.
I guess my point is that moving to Dish, Verizon, etc doesn't insulate you from such foolishness as they have to work with broadcasters under similar agreements. I'm not saying that because I used to be there or that my former Amherst office had a thousand people waiting for antenna on Saturday, but in the battle of overstuffed corporate entities, Lin is the one who could lose this time and throw the switch to put their signal on.
I can appreciate taking a stand, but perhaps there was a better way of digging in their heels.
Permalink: The_foolishness_of_Ch_4_and_Time_Warner.html
Words: 444
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: politics
10/06/08 09:43 - 50ºF - ID#45955
The "Debate"
Permalink: The_quot_Debate_quot_.html
Words: 11
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/03/08 02:39 - 54ºF - ID#45919
Homer Votes!
"Maybe in Ohio, but not in America"
Hee!
Permalink: Homer_Votes_.html
Words: 10
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: work
10/02/08 03:08 - 54ºF - ID#45895
Say after me ~~~~~~~~~
I WILL NOT complain about my job,
EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
Permalink: Say_after_me_.html
Words: 11
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: work
10/02/08 02:34 - 54ºF - ID#45894
Rainforest Falls
Missing Image ;(
This is a cool gig
Permalink: Rainforest_Falls.html
Words: 64
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: politics
10/02/08 10:21 - 50ºF - ID#45889
Post Turtle
The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Palin is a Post Turtle'".
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle".
The old rancher saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. "You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, and she doesn't know what to do while she's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dummy put her up there to begin with".
Permalink: Post_Turtle.html
Words: 152
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: work
10/01/08 12:03 - 56ºF - ID#45880
Sometimes it just isn't meant to be....
Yesterday did look a little gloomy, but no ride can't be made better by cranking up the Ipod expodentially. The gathering was at the Hard Rock Cafe (franchise, I know, but hey it was a change from boring old conference rooms). Being a semi-frequent visitor to that area, I remembered that after Labor Day, some of the parking gets cheaper, like along Goat Island and places like that. We got directed to the three lots closest to the Hard Rock to park. I zip across the street and promptly get hosed for $10.00 (!?!?!) for access to not awhole lot. No street parking and the other option was to pay the ten spot to the flag waving monkey on the other corner. Mumbling, grumbling and cursing a little like Popeye, I parked. I was 15 feet from my car when you hear that tell-tale thump, thump, thump. A couple of seagulls with digestive issues opened fire on my car and the one next to it. Perfect! There was a freaking relief map on my sunroof of bird poop.
That yanked any enthusiasm I had for this gathering before it even got off the ground. Forgot to chime in much or just didn't want to network much until the end of the meeting, when the lovely people at the Hard Rock Cafe announced food and drink to end the meeting. Hard Rock has Guinness! except yesterday. I made due with some comlimentary Stella Artois and some stuffed mushrooms. Nice combo. Made me quite content will gathering strange looks at Delta Sonic. Guess the grey skies made them think nobody would wash their car yesterday.
Now, I just got to replace the missing (e:strip) bumper sticker on back. Got any left, Paul?
Permalink: Sometimes_it_just_isn_t_meant_to_be_.html
Words: 336
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: foodie
09/30/08 09:13 - 55ºF - ID#45857
The Heart Attack Grill
Got to admire the plentiful availability of after dinner smokes too :)
Permalink: The_Heart_Attack_Grill.html
Words: 52
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: potpourri
09/29/08 02:32 - 58ºF - ID#45843
Cops is filmed on location.....
I was basically spent yesterday. I had an event at the Zoo that I was the big cheese Saturday afternoon and evening. It was basically 7 hours of running around the grounds that I knew was coming but didn't make it less painful trying to hang through the B-52s (but I made it).
Woke up yesterday feeling like somebody beat me up, but muddled through. Went to one meeting, Wegman's and stumbled home. Alternately watched & dozed in front of the Bills game. After Brothers & Sisters, I put my carcass into bed. Just as I'm settling into that nice feeling of sleep getting ready to overtake, my intercom goes off. I stagger into the living room thinking who the hell would be calling at 11:45 on a Sunday night. Turned out to be one of the more "colorful" residents of the neighborhood who, aside from being three sheets to the wind, was ringing doorbells asking (I kid you not) for help "Getting back to Lancaster." Sure, I'll open the door and give you money.....NOT. I politely declined the offer, but she went to the next door and rang a bell, promptly picking a fight with the next respondant, screaming "What's Wrong with you?" into the intercom. I'm thinking the bastard didn't want some fool ringing his doorball late at night but I'd just be guessing.
She stomps off and within seconds I hear cops arriving. With lights flashing on the Delaware side of my building, a metro cop car and a regular buffalo cop had pulled up and were questioning her. Don't mess with my building mates. It must have been a slow night because while this was going on, FOUR more Buffalo cars showed up. I suspect largely for the entertainment value, but you can't help but think ugly thoughts. Yeah, the woman was disruptive, but there was no way 5 to 7 Buffalo guys needed to be standing around. Scenes like that can make your sleep deprived imagination run truly amuck. One guy talked her down and sent her on her way without incident. Thankfully.
Permalink: Cops_is_filmed_on_location_.html
Words: 354
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: tv
09/25/08 09:45 - 60ºF - ID#45789
You don't mess with Letterman
Permalink: You_don_t_mess_with_Letterman.html
Words: 31
Location: Buffalo, NY
Author Info
Date Cloud
- 07/18
- 02/15
- 04/14
- 03/14
- 02/14
- 01/14
- 12/13
- 11/13
- 10/13
- 09/13
- 08/13
- 07/13
- 06/13
- 05/13
- 04/13
- 03/13
- 02/13
- 01/13
- 12/12
- 11/12
- 10/12
- 09/12
- 08/12
- 07/12
- 06/12
- 05/12
- 04/12
- 03/12
- 02/12
- 01/12
- 12/11
- 11/11
- 10/11
- 09/11
- 08/11
- 07/11
- 06/11
- 05/11
- 04/11
- 03/11
- 02/11
- 01/11
- 12/10
- 11/10
- 10/10
- 09/10
- 08/10
- 07/10
- 06/10
- 05/10
- 04/10
- 03/10
- 02/10
- 01/10
- 12/09
- 11/09
- 10/09
- 09/09
- 08/09
- 07/09
- 06/09
- 05/09
- 04/09
- 03/09
- 02/09
- 01/09
- 12/08
- 11/08
- 10/08
- 09/08
- 08/08
- 07/08
- 06/08
- 05/08
- 04/08
- 03/08
- 02/08
- 01/08
- 12/07
- 11/07
- 10/07
- 09/07
- 08/07
- 07/07
- 06/07
- 05/07
- 04/07
- 03/07
- 02/07
- 01/07
- 12/06
- 11/06
- 10/06
- 09/06
- 08/06
- 07/06
- 06/06
- 05/06
- 04/06
- 03/06
- 02/06
- 09/05
- 06/05
- 05/05
- 04/05
- 08/04
The reason why the channels aren't ala carte is the decreasing numbers of owners. The talk about that is mostly a case of somebody wanted ESPNs but not the Disneys. That don't fly because they share the same owner and want to squeeze as much as is possible about the market. It's more cost effective for Time Warner to sell chunks or blocks of channels than trying to itemize. They can itemize channels but they don't want to as they make more ad dollars from them, which would disappear if we could pick and choose.
There is a non-duplication agreement that affect what else you were asking about. I remember back in the day, if a show got preempted, you could often find it on canadian tv. That's why when you sit down to watch the Office on NBC, there is often a dark screen or infomercials on the CBC. Time Warner tried to get around that for the sake of the football game. It's more of an understanding than a law, but LIN TV yelled foul when Time Warner tried to bring in the feed from the Rochester CBS affiliate. So, the FCC sided with LIN TV and said no.
And you're right, for the local stations with satelite, you either have to get antenna from them or another smaller dish. None of which protects you from the shenanigans like we've been seeing from Time Warner and Lin TV this week