Laughing all the way FROM the bank

In-between the madness of Stephen F. Austin State University doing what they do on the basketball court and the pile of tall cans in the backyard as evidence of a "typical" St. Patrick's Day, Cactus League baseball is stretching and straining in Arizona.  For the National League team at Cameltoe Ranch, the Dodgers are getting into mid-season injury form.  Currently, the Dodgers are playing an exhibition against Seattle.  In theory, this game should be on the Dodgers-owned cable channel, SportsnetLA.  But instead, they are replaying Sunday's split-squad defeat to San Diego.

Just to summarize: A channel only Time Warner and Charter subscribers can see, one devoted entirely to the Dodgers and nothing else, can't even air the team's spring training games live because...

And don't think this is an isolated incident.  It's happened again and again this Spring.  "[I]t's a reaction based on viewership of weekday games." said a channel rep.  The channel cut their game coverage in half.  You'll wan't this channel now, right, fans?

The dynamics of sports on television these days shows its value in a multi-platform world.  This, in theory, is a bargaining tool for the owners.  The Dodgers are the owners, Time Warner the facilitators, and it's should be an easy deal, correct?   A "Home Run" for Southern California viewers.

Well, maybe, except for one fatal flaw: The Lakers did it first, and no one cared.

In the Spring of 2011, when the Lakers announced they would forgo Fox Sports West and KCAL, it was met locally with sadness.  "It's the future" was the refrain, and that fans would be getting more content than ever before.  A future where they wouldn't make the conference finals, Phil leaves for the first time for the last time, and "a new era begins."

After the strike (and while Mike Brown slowly brought the team down) the Lakers have been worse than the previous year ever since the channel started.  You can imagine the demand for said channel as each year went by.  And when cable and satellite companies decided to pass along TWC Sportsnet's fee directly to consumers, the complaints were loud.  Louder than the fandom for this can't-miss opportunity to give the Lakers a dedicated home.

The Dodgers didn't give a fuck about what happened to the Lakers interest when they made their own channel.  There would be twice as many games on THEIR channel, and just as the Lakers broke the back of all the cable and satellite companies in "demand," the declines wouldn't happen to the Dodgers.

But those cable and satellite companies had been burned once.  Southern California viewers had been burned once.  Time Warner was only warm, and they needed the cash.  The Dodgers got theirs...8 BILLION.  They don't give a fuck.

"Hey - can't see the games?  Don't look at us.  We own it, but you know, we're a baseball team.  What do we know about dealing with a cable company besides getting bags of cash?  Would you expect us to negotiate a good deal?  How about our deal trading Dee Gordon?  I thought so.  Call your operator and demand it now!"

And there it is.  In 2014, for the first time since the 1940's, there was no local or cable TV for all Dodgers fans.  That's progress.  So what if it's their lowest season ratings on record, and the ratings for Angels' games grew +49% year to year.

2014, and 2015...and, again 2016.  Nothing has changed, the team doesn't care, so...should you?  As a fan, should you go out of your way to spend even MORE?  Will you be satisfied?  Or, like the LA Rams move, will the team just be a memory?

Perhaps...of course, the team is still here.

Govern the Schwarzenegger Way

Most everyone knows of the golden life out west. They also know life is a lot better with a lot of cash. Having a lot of cash and living the golden life is the solution to life's mathematical problem. It may be superficial to say, and some may argue, but having been on both sides of the coin...well, I don't need to tell you the right side. Hell, there's the right way, and then there's all the way. You know what to do.

And just as pacific gold is an ideal it is also a very real lifestyle. But it doesn't come easy, it doesn't jive for everyone, and it takes hard work. But living this lifestyle is becoming harder and harder. You might not sense it right away, but hooo boy you'll be noticing it when you send in your state taxes. And you can thank Gov. Schwarzenegger for one clusterfuck after another. Yes, the man elected Governor with NO EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY seems to be neck deep in a shit storm he attempts to avoid by leaving the state as often as possible. Just how did we get here? Follow the golden road! How can others govern Arnold's way? Read how:

1. Run for the position using catch-phrases from your movies. Vaguely mention what you'd do, but enforce the fact of how "cool" it would be to have yourself as governor. Don't act surprised when it works. Campaign that you won't take money from special interest groups. No one will check to find out that, over five years in, you will have taken more special interest money than any California governor in the state's history.
2. With the state budget a mess, begin the idea of spending 15 BILLION DOLLARS in bonds. Most people won't understand that a bond is spending money you don't have...and then paying for it later. You do this for only one sensible reason: you're sure that you'll be in the black in the future, so it will all even out. Never mind there is no possible way out if you're not making money by then.
3. Press hard for the approval for the bond measures. Get help from Democrats, who know smart spending is needed. You're a republican spending money, and they love you. So does the public.
4. What? Not everyone loves these spending measures? That will likely make it hard for a state budget. When those struggles begin, continue using catch-phrases from parodies of yourself. Hide your confusion when the trick which worked on voters doesn't seem to hold the attention of those in Sacramento.
5. When your opinion poll numbers are well below 50% favorable, immediately decide to hold a special election for state reform measures. This gives you another chance to be on TV and remind people that a famous movie star is California's governor. Try to compose yourself when voters reject every one of your reform measures.
6. Just in case people were turning around in your favor, go against your previous statements and veto a gay marriage bill. Fairly, you state that this would go against Prop 22, which California voters agreed that same-sex marriages should not be allowed. Five years later, support a "no" vote on Prop 8, which would have banned same sex marriages. React sadly when once again, the vote fails for same sex marriages.
7. As your bond measure problems come up again (with Democrats wanting them only for different things than Republicans) complain of party fighting as the reason for gridlock. Support the Democrats wants anyway, just to piss off your own party.
8. You're up for re-election! Time to do the easy things, like sign into law tougher greenhouse gas & emission standards. Look - you're still Governor!
9. Uh oh - those pesky bonds (the ones people voted for, and voted for AGAIN in 2008) will start to become due in a couple years. And we don't have the money to make it. We could keep getting bonds and have little to no tax income or treasure left. What to do? Solution 1: Blame state employees, and have them work only four days a week. This will make up the money difference and you won't have to raise taxes. Never mind the fact that fewer people working government jobs will delay assistance to citizens and create more red tape.
10. To show the legislature who's boss, you threaten to lay off 10,000 government workers (at a time when most people can't hack it) to continue to make up the balance in money. With gridlock once again, everyone spends the night at the capitol. Make no comment when Republicans suggest raising taxes instead of firing people, despite a national tax cut. Those stimulus checks won't sit in your bank account for long!
11. Use the old insult tactic when there are some who think $14.4 billion of tax increases are in your way.
12. REMEMBER: When all else fails, smile! You've got charisma! You've got Hollywood looks, even in your advanced age. Even if your popularity is hovering near 50%, who the hell could beat you in an election? You're a famous actor!