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November 21, 2012
Life Of Pi
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 4 MIN.
Can a story make you believe in God? That's the challenge issued by Ang Lee's gorgeously realized new film, in which a shipwrecked Indian teen and a Bengal tiger share a life boat, facing the high seas, and one another, for survival.
The novel "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel serves as the source material for this film of the same title written for the screen by David Magee. The movie pares and simplifies, as movies must, but stays true to the spirit of the book: No one's journey here proceeds from place to place in a straight line. Rather, each course is charted in loops and whorls that pull disparate elements into a single epic tale. That includes the story's own dual-layer nature, which was more hinted at in the book but here is treated as a defining characteristic: Whereas Pi Patel tells his story to a writer in the novel's opening pages, his narration forms the backbone of the movie. (Pi as a middle-aged man is played by Irrfan Khan; his youthful self is played by Suraj Sharma.)
The name Pi turns out to be short for "Piscine." It seems that Pi was named for a French swimming pool. But the mathematical connotation of his name has a role to play, as well; in order to get his school mates to stop calling him by a crude nickname, Pi memorizes the mathematical value of the irrational number that the Greek letter stands for, and writes it out to hundreds of decimal places on his school's blackboards.
That's not just a cute aside, as it turns out. The older Pi tells his writer friend that his story will inspire a belief in God, but Pi is a complex individual who follows three faith traditions. Just as important to him is the idea that rationality can be a kind of faith; and indeed, it's his ability to reason his way through challenges that helps him survive his trial at sea.
At the beginning of the yarn, Pi's family owns a zoo in Pondicherry, India. Or rather, they own the exotic animals in the zoo; they do not own the land, and when they lose the right to keep their zoo on its parcel of the city's park, they are forced to relocate to Canada, taking a number of their animals with them to deliver to buyers in North America. Getting there is a complicated matter, because you can't fly zebras and giraffes on commercial airlines; instead, the family book passage for themselves and their living cargo aboard a freighter.
When the boat goes down during a storm, only Pi and a handful of animals escape. The tiny ark that their lifeboat becomes contains the boy, an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena -- and a nine-foot-long Bengal tiger improbably named Richard Parker, who was the pride of the Pondicherry zoo, but who is now the most dangerous passenger on a boat where survival only gets harder with each passing day.
If a story set in a lifeboat sounds hard to make interesting, be assured that Martel's book found ways to make it absolutely gripping. Lee's film adopts most of those same narrative approaches, but adds a layer of visual beauty and dynamism that kick the entire production to a new level -- and I'm not talking about the fact that the movie was filmed in 3D, though that helps. The film is full of moments that are so beautiful you might literally lose your breath. To call Lee's adaptation transcendent wouldn't simply be a way to describe its impact; the film often seems so take place in a realm of stars and clouds, with majestic skies mirrored by the ocean's surface. We're not in any ordinary place here, but then again, this is no ordinary tale of a boy and his Bengal tiger.
Ang Lee has always had a talent for strong visual composition, whether dissecting Americana from the 1970s in "The Ice Storm" or adapting a comic book to the screen in "Hulk" (and say what you will about that script's failings in the script department; it was a vibrant visual accomplishment). Lee's best known films are probably "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," where gravity-defying martial arts experts dueled in the tops of bamboo groves, and "Brokeback Mountain," the same-sex romance involving two sheep herders in 1960s-era Wyoming. The former was all about action and kinetic visual fluidity; the latter was a heartbreaking story of love caught in stasis, made impossible by fear.
Lee has had a couple of critical and commercial flops since then, with "Lust, Caution" and "Woodstock," ably made movies that didn't quite reach the level of the visionary. But with "Life of Pi," Lee once again proves himself a master of his medium. The story soars, the cinematography achieves rare effects of light and composition, and the film's sure-to-be-controversial ending carries a sting of surprise balmed by a deep and generous wisdom.
Amazingly, the movie earned a PG rating; this is a story that includes astonishing violence from nature and animals, but shows us very little blood or gore. Nor is there much profanity -- as with the novel's prose, the dialogue is lyrical (and the verbal cadences of the mostly-Indian cast underscore the poetry of the language).
Personally, I think Lee got rooked at the 78th Academy Awards when "Brokeback Mountain" lost to, of all things, "Crash." Oscar's dance card for next year's ceremonies is already filling up, with movies like "Lincoln" breaking late in the year like tidal waves of cinematic splendor, but "Life of Pi" is simply the most comprehensively stunning film to hit the silver screen in ages. It's early yet, but I'm ready to bet Oscar gold on the tiger.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.


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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — None of the past 10,000 drug tests performed on student-athletes at Miami has shown a positive result for anabolic steroids, university officials said Thursday night.
The statement comes amid reports the Hurricanes' baseball program has been linked to a Major League Baseball investigation into performance-enhancing drug use and if they got those products from an anti-aging clinic in South Florida.
nd it's a somewhat out-of-character move for Miami, which as a private institution typically does not release sensitive information such as details of its drug-testing policy publicly.
The statement also makes clear that Miami does not test for human growth hormone, "like many of our peer institutions, the NCAA and many professional sports leagues," the university said.
Miami's connection to the latest drug scandal in baseball was revealed late last month, when the alternative weekly newspaper Miami New Times said New York Yankees third baseman — not to mention a Hurricanes' trustee — Alex Rodriguez was among a group of players listed in records of a defunct Florida anti-aging clinic that is alleged to have sold PEDs. Rodriguez's name is on the Miami baseball stadium, after he pledged $3.9 million to a renovation project several years ago.
The statement from Miami is not attributed to any one person, though typically releases such as those are crafted with direct involvement from the office of university president Donna Shalala — a former U.S. secretary of health and human services.
"The University of Miami's drug-testing policy is consistent with those at most NCAA Division I programs and provides more stringent penalties — including game suspensions for first-time positive results — than many of our peers," said the university's statement.
The New Times report said Rodriguez bought HGH and other performance-enhancing substances during 2009-12 from Biogenesis of America LLC, a now-closed company based in Coral Gables. That report, and others that have followed, also linked Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun — a former Hurricane — and Washington Nationals standout pitcher Gio Gonzalez, who went to high school in the Miami area, to the same clinic.
Also named in the New Times report is Miami strength coach Jimmy Goins, whose involvement is the subject of a university investigation.
"As stated last week, we have initiated an internal review involving an employee and will continue to monitor developments," the university said Thursday night, the same night that the Hurricanes had some former players back for the team's annual banquet. That event was not open to reporters, a university athletic spokesman said.
Another report in Thursday's editions of The New York Times said MLB investigators suspect that Miami's baseball program "is a nexus of performance-enhancing drug use." In 2010, a now-former Miami player was arrested and charged with trying to sell marijuana to undercover officers on university grounds, and police later found 19 vials of HGH at his apartment.
Miami officials said approximately 3,380 student-athletes have been tested since 2005. The university did not specify why it chose to release results that began in 2005.
"The University of Miami's comprehensive drug testing policy, enacted in 1995, continues to evolve as the methods and reliability of testing have improved and as more drugs have been introduced into the world of competitive sports," the statement said.
Biogenesis was reportedly operated by Anthony Bosch, who has not responded to several messages left with family members in South Florida. Bosch's lawyer has said the reports are inaccurate and filled with "misstatements of fact."
Rodriguez has also denied a relationship with Bosch.
Rodriguez admitted four years ago that he used PEDs from 2001-03. Other players listed in the New Times report — 2012 All-Star game MVP Melky Cabrera, 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and San Diego catcher Yasmani Grandal — were suspended for 50 games each last year by MLB following tests for elevated testosterone.
Rodriguez is sidelined for at least the first half of the season after hip surgery on Jan. 16.
Miami's policy is to test student-athletes at least three times a year for a large number of drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, designed drugs, barbiturates, opiates such as Demerol and heroin, hallucinogens and steroids. Any unexcused missed test is considered a positive test, according to university policy.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

subset: commoncrawl


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Giveaway: win two tickets to see Steve Martin at the Palace
One of my lucky readers is going to win two of the most sought after tickets of the season.
"A Conversation with Steve Martin" goes down March 30th at 8:00pm at the Palace Theater.
The evening will feature the comedic legend – and a personal idol of mine – talking at length in an impromptu moderated panel that will include a question and answer period. In addition to his acting and comedic roles, Martin will be discussing his work as a novelist, filmmaker, playwright, and musician.
To win your tickets, please post your favorite Steve Martin memory in the comments below. A winner will be drawn at random, and all comments posted on this blog post between now and Thursday March 3rd at 11:59pm will be eligible to win. Only one entry per person, please, and use a valid e-mail address when posting.
Also keep an eye on this space later today and throughout the week, as I'll be sharing my own memories of Martin and the effect he's had on my creative endeavors.
So have at it, folks, and good luck!
121 Responses to Giveaway: win two tickets to see Steve Martin at the Palace
Doug Bartow says:
Hunchback: Is this Theodoric, Barber of York?
Theodoric of York: Say, don't I know you?
Hunchback: Sure, you worked on my back.
Theodoric of York: What's wrong with your friend here?
Hunchback: He broke his legs.
Drunkard: I was at the festival of the vernal equinox, and I guess I had a little too much mead.. and I darted out in front of an oxcart. It all happened so fast. They couldn't stop in time.
Theodoric of York: Well, you'll a lot better after a good bleeding.
Drunkard: But I'm bleeding already!
Theodoric of York: Say, whos the barber here?
tom says:
Too many to count. The first time I heard Let's Get Small is burned in my memory, as well as when he sings "My little buttercup" in the Three Amigos. Definitely something I remember from my childhood that I think I'll never forget.
LM says:
Really more than I can list, but Wild and Crazy Guys, then Planes, Trains and Automobiles—many scenes in that film (I still watch it every so often). He's cool and he's great!
Dee Dee says:
My favorite memory of Steve Martin is when I was an early teenager and would babysit on a Saturday night. I thought I was being an "adult" by watching Saturday Night Live after the kids were in bed. I would laugh so hard, and my most visit memory was of the "Wild and Crazy Guy" sketch! I still think back and smile :-)
Meredith says:
Steve Martin was ridiculous as Barry in "Baby Mama". He's always hilarious but this character was so uncomfortably awesome that I wasn't quite sure how to respond. I feel as though everyone knows someone like this:
Barry: "Congratulations, Kate. I want to reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact."
jaci says:
I will always love "We are two wii-ild and cah-raazzy guys!" I don't know why, but that always gets me cracking up!
Sue says:
The Muppet Show and Movie – because that's my earliest memory of him. Also, what's funnier than Steve Martin and Kermit the Frog?
Philip Nagle says:
I heard in an internew that Steve Martin, whenever anyone would come and ask for an autograph would also give them a small business card he kept in his wallet that said something like, "You have officially met Steve Martin in person". That is simply amazing. And my Mother would read me parts from his book Cruel Shoes when I was younger! I almost bought tickets to this today, I want to take my MOMMA!
HomeTownGirl says:
Love Steve Martin! Best memory is Steve with the arrow going through his head, playing his banjo "I'm a ramblin' mannnnn, a ramblin' ramblin' mannnnn" on old time SNL. Classic !!!
Jason Purvis says:
I have always been a fan of "The Great Flydini"
Greg says:
What's finer that Steve Martin cribbing Rostand? I remember watching him in Roxanne at the now defunct little Smalley's Theater in Cooperstown… so much classic Steve in that film. The 20 Something Betters scene sticks out. "It must be wonderful to wake up in the morning to smell the coffee… in Brazil."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNLhptltBg -
Richard E. Johnson says:
After all the things Steve martin has done, I'm thinking that this show goes right to the top of the list. To be able to hear the man speak in person about his life cannot be better. The ad lib's alone will never be heard in a book. Thanks
Amanda Wheeler says:
Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!
Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.
Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 – Johnson, Navin R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity – your name in print – that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now. -
Colleen says:
In "The Jerk", the line "I was born a poor black child" but grew up to be a white rich one……in context of the movie it was a very powerful statement on class in America.
Jennifer says:
Clearly should be from The Jerk, "I'm picking out a thermost for you." Who said guys need to bring a gal some roses to be romantic? Steve Martin at his most vulnerable moment, singing in the shower to the woman he loves-who just walked out the door. Classic.
Katherine says:
I didn't see his Pink Panther movies but in the preview when he's trying to learn to speak English and he can't say "I would like to buy a hamburger" makes me laugh each time. I also love his plays and novels. I have all of them.
crabby old Emily says:
I really think my favorite was his role in "Parenthood"
One of my favorite movies.
Searching for his son's retainer in the dumpster was beautiful. -
Lori Marra says:
By far the best for me, was when he played in the movie with Lily Tomlin, and half of his body was female, and the other half male. I can't remember the name but I laughed so hard of him trying to walk, and I think he tries either getting in or out of a cab. I'll never forget it!
FoFacy says:
A couple of years ago he played on Garrison Keillor's A Prarie Home Companion live at Tanglewood. A coworker was giving away tickets and I won them, asking my friend who got me into Keillor to go. He had mentioned it was his Dad's birthday so I changed my mind and told him to take his Dad instead and listened live on the radio. It was a great show and Mr. Martin plays a fantastic banjo!
ally says:
I loved him in Bowfinger as well as Planes, Trains, and Automobiles – both very funny movies. I've also always had a soft spot for his role as a father in Father of the Bride.
julie says:
I think my favorite movie he was in was ithree amigos…cracks me up every time I watch it
Joe F says:
So many but I always liked Dirty Rotten Scoundrels when he plays Ruprect
and asks to go to the bathroom and proceeds to pee his pants. Love it. -
Lori says:
There are so many things about Steve Martin that I love, his comedic timing, his music, writings are standouts.
This scene from "The Jerk" was brilliant, funny and poignant, all at the same time."The paddle game and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches for sure. Well what are you looking at? What do you think I'm some kind of a jerk or something! – And this. That's all I need.
[walking outside]
Navin R. Johnson: The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, and this magazine, and the chair.
Navin R. Johnson: [outside now] And I don't need one other thing, except my dog.
[dog growls at him]
Navin R. Johnson: I don't need my dog. -
PoGo says:
His first comedy album included an 8×10 glossy image of Steve in his trademark white suit with a fish sticking out of the vest. It was signed "Best fishes, Steve Martin".
Katy says:
Steve Martin in awesome. Love him on SNL. My boyfriend is especially a fan, and would LOVE to have these tickets for his birthday which is coming up this month!!
Joe says:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles when he's in bed with John Candy. Steve asks John where his hand is and John replies "between two pillows." Steve then says "those aren't pillows!"
Jess Collier says:
"He hates these cans! Stay away from the cans!"
"It's him! What's him doing here?!"
Aaaand the "That's all I need" monologue.
All from The Jerk. Best movie ever.
(Can't take the tix, but I just wanted to share cuz I'm a huge fan too.) -
NinaisShort says:
Haha, his "If I could have one wish" segment. I also loved his character in "It's Complicated". So sweet!
EdFricken says:
Definitely "Two wiiiild and crazy guys!" They crack me up. Also he was great as the eccentric boss in Baby Mama.
Bringing down the house with Queen Latifah was also hilarious.
Rich says:
My favorite Steve Martin is as Lucky Day in Three Amigos. He is hilarious with Chevy Chase and Martin Short.
I'm hoping this will be my lucky day and win the tickets. Thanks. -
Walt says:
Gil: What's the matter, honey? You don't feel so good?
Taylor: Yeah.
Gil: You feel like you wanna throw up?
Taylor: O.K. [vomits all over Gil's shirt, and starts to cry]
Karen: Oh Taylor, baby … Gil, why are you standing there?
Gil: I'm waiting for her head to spin around.Classic Steve Martin. :)
Jo says:
"The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!" My favorite Steve Martin line, from The Jerk and atleast once every year I'm reminded of it.
al says:
Father of the Bride, hands down. I still swear to this day that my father used this movie to cope with my nuptials (or the expense thereof?)
rich says:
Wait a minute – what's happening to my special purpose!?
CoolMom says:
LOVED him in, "The Jerk." Such a sad, funny character at the same time. When he kept trying to "get the rhythm" – hilarious! I also loved the film w/Darryl Hannah, he played the guy w/the huge nose (name of film failing me right now!). He has had 40 years of amazing hilarious talent and like a fine wine, he gets better looking w/age!! Would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see him in person!! (hint hint) ;0)
Tina says:
I know it is more recent then other memories of him but I did love him and Alec Baldwin during the opening segment for the Oscars. :)
Helen says:
From the movie the Jerk – my favorite line – "I was born a poor black child" :)
But on a non-comedic note his movie Shopgirl is very poignant – a must see
Eric says:
Oh man, I'm a gigantic Steve Martin fan, but will recuse myself from competition. In any case, I wanted to share this:
…And bring up some seldom-mentioned Martin comedies that I love, Bowfinger, which was mentioned once above, Mixed Nuts, LA Story, The Man With Two Brains, and one of my favorites, My Blue Heaven ("I'm wichyou. When I say I'm wichyou, I don't mean like I understand you, I mean I'm wichyou… I'm with the FBI").
Pennies From Heaven isn't really a comedy, but it's a great distillation of an even greater British mini-series. He's good in some other serious fare, like Grand Canyon, Simple Twist of Fate, The Spanish Prisoner….
His writing too. Pure Drivel, I think I've mentioned before, is the equal to the celebrated Woody Allen New Yorker essays. Shopgirl's a good one too.
And then, there's his classic appearance in The Muppet Movie….
Terri says:
His three best movies, in no particular order, "The Jerk", all I need…, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", with the cork on his fork and "Little Shop of Horrors" as the sadistic dentist.
Jimbo says:
I was fortunate enough to see Steve live in Atalntic city in the early 80's. It was part of his last tour doing stand up.
It was fantastic, he did every classic piece: Wild-n-Crazy guy, "well escuse me", King Tut, amazing banjo playing, balloon animals and arrow thru the head. To this day I haven't laughed that hard.
It's almost too bad he's s serious now. -
B. J. Hart says:
This wine is old! Bring me some fresh wine…do you think I was born yesterday! "The Jerk".
Lola says:
Steve Martin from the Muppet Movie growing up. Then when I have seen titles like Shopgirl, or Novocaine, it all just makes me smile. His career has really spanned multiple types of film, and I love it all. Muppet Movie is so classic though.
Sally says:
Reading 'Shopgirl' and then being only happy with his part in the movie, which took forever to be released. I first read it when I was 17/18 and it's a story of his which oddly mirrored one of my past relationships. I've always kept it close to my heart.
Also, "In the beginning of something, its ending is foretold," from one of his plays – The Zig Zag Woman, I think? While I don't always find it to be true, it struck a chord with me. -
Susan says:
Absolutely loved him in Roxanne – my most favorite and recent memory was of him playing his banjo on stage this past summer with James Taylor and Carole King at Tanglewood!!! Came out very unassuming along with Arlo Guthrie – and they played accompaniment for James and Carole! Awesome concert.
Roz says:
The time: July, 1979.
The place: SPAC. I was 18. My brother and I had indoor seats.This was about 15 months after he KILLED on Saturday Night Live, and "EXCUUUUSE MEEEEEE!" was still a huge catchphrase. The show was a riot, and even though I was sick to death of "King Tut," seeing him perform it live made me laugh so hard I thought I was going to rupture a vital organ.
Rochelle Sibilia says:
My favorite Steve Martin memory is in my faavorite movie of all time, "Father of the Bride Part II". The part when he takes too many sleeping pills and is in the hospital and gets mistaken for a patient needing a colonoscopy. So the nurse takes him into a room to be prepped. Then he "comes to" and runs out of the hospital room saying "EXCUSE Me??!!? Do I KNOW you??!?!?" LOL, makes me crack up very time!
Marilyn says:
I adored Steve Martin in Father of the Bride. Having been through our daughter getting married, we can identify with all the things he experienced. But we didn't have a Martin Short as a wedding planner either!
Jen Banker says:
"Lookuphere, lookuphere!"
My husband uses the whistle from The Three Amigos to get my attention when we're in a crowd. I can't whistle so I say lookuphere as a joke. :)
Jason McDonadld says:
[Stan Fox's eyeglasses keep slipping off]
Stan Fox: Damn these glasses son.Navin R. Johnson: Yes, sir.
[to the glasses]Navin R. Johnson: I damn the
Mike says:
When the sniper is shooting at him in the Jerk and keeps hitting the can display. "He hates these cans!".
Jim says:
who else but Steve could do the Man with Two Brains and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid and of course, Planes, Trains and Automobiles?
Erin Simmons says:
LOVE Steve Martin on 30 Rock. Gavin Volure is hilarious. The combination of him with Tina Fey is great on its own, never mind throwing Alec Baldwin in there, too!
Chuck says:
Opposite Lily Tomlin in "All of Me." "Edwina backinbowl, backinbowl, fixbowl, fixbowl, shhh, shh."
chris says:
excuse me, can i go to the bathroom first?
thank you.
-Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
kristin Gregor says:
Love his movies! Roxanne comes to mind 1st with that big nose. Parenthood, Cheaper by the dozen, Oh!! Father of the Bride 1 & 2. He is my favorite male actor, never disappoints!
kicknknit says:
My favorite memory is recent. When he was at the Troy Music Hall touring for his bluegrass album.
You haven't lived until you've heard "King Tut" played with a Bluegrass band. Also? he said he'd only play music that he wrote.. and then convinced himself that he wrote Foggy Mountain Breakdown… and played it. -
Dee says:
Hilarious in parenthood. one of my fave lines was i think in the beginning of the movie his little son is singing the "Diarrhea song" in the car and the mom asks "honey where did you learn that?" he answers "last summer @ camp" and steve looks over @ her and says "well that was money well spent". loved 3 Amigos and Def. Planes Trains and Automobiles. I just seen a Biography of steve martin on tv recently. they were claiming hes actually very humble, shy, and has very few close friends. nothing wrong with that, but i found it surprising.
Robin says:
Oh,my gosh! All that he has done is wonderfully entertaining! Laughed till I cried with the three amigos!!
derryX says:
It's been all downhill since My Blue Heaven, and lately steeper than ever.
Martin (in a gangster voice)- "I haven't had arugala in six weeks."
Moranis- "what's arugala?"
Martin- (in same voice) "It's a veg-i-ta-ble" -
sly and the family stone says:
Way too many to mention and most already have been. Little Shop of Horrors, Father of the Bride, Bowfinger, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Planes Trains and Autos, SNL, Parenthood, etc. etc. etc. This guy is a comedic genius. And while I know the drawing isn't until later, and it's random, today IS my 41st birthday and I would love to be able to win these as my own birthday present.
Will King says:
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is probably my favorite movie of his. The interactions between Martin and Michael Caine are incredible.
Sean McLaughlin says:
I remember staying up really late and watching Steve Martin along with fellow Saturday Night Live alums Martin Short and Chevy Chase in ¡Three Amigos! when I was seven. My brothers had gone to bed and our babysitter let me stay up waaaaay past my bedtime to watch this on cable! There I was, in my robins egg blue Batman footie-pajamas, sitting on the couch, eating handfuls of popcorn and drinking soda, feeling all grown up watching this hilarious movie! The movie ended minutes before Mom and Dad arrived home, so I was in bed literally 30 seconds before they walked in the door.
Kater says:
When I was younger- the 1st rated R movie that I saw was "The Jerk". I remember all of the swearing in the movie and thought I was really cool because I was watching it.. I think I was like 6 years old.. Good parenting, mom and dad! haha
AE says:
From "The Jerk" when he's in the bathtub singing
"I'm picking out a thermos for you. Not an ordinary thermos for you."
Amanda says:
Planes Trains and Automobiles……classic great movie!!!!
Cihan says:
Steve Martin's "A Holiday Wish" from SNL way before I was born.
Roger Green says:
What I love about Martin is his range, from writing (all the way back to the Smothers Brothers and including books and plays) to acting (very effective in serious fare such as Spanish Prisoner, as well as the comedies) to that fine banjo playing. I suppose my favorite films are Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Roxanne.
WendyV says:
My mom had his album "Let's Get Small," and I used to listen to it incessantly when I was a kid (I was 5 when it came out in 1977). I sure did not understand all of the references, but it was funny to listen to (I especially loved the King Tut song) and I loved (and still love) his mannerisms and impeccable timing.
To this day, when together with my family (all Steve Martin fans), certain things will trigger references to it – we find ourselves saying, "Never at dusk! Never at dusk. I would never do that." OR "EXCUUUUUUUSE ME! or "So, you go to Paris, France, and…"
I also read the ink off my mother's worn copy of "Cruel Shoes".
I would LOVE to be able to take my mom to see this show.
meg944 says:
I hope this counts – my favorite Steve Martin memory is actually about the way almost every boy in 8th grade memorized his comedy album. When we went to parties, the boys would just stand around and "do" Steve Martin for as long as we'd let them. It was funny to me then, adorable in retrospect.
marco4 says:
Steve Martin fan since I was a kid. The early stand-up and Saturday Night Live appearances are probably still my all-time favorites. Still proudly own my original copies of the Wild and Crazy Guy LP, King Tut 45, and Cruel Shoes hardcover – classics all!
Ryan Kohler says:
The funniest memory for me is his character in Little Shop of Horrors. Especially when he's with Bill Murray. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtMizMQ6oM
The best memory I have of Steve Martin, is actually of him dancing with Gilda Radner. It was the dedication he did on SNL that hooked it into my memory. Can't findhttp://www.videolog.tv/video.php?id=451266 the dedication, but here's the dance.
Helen says:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles, specifically when he was in bed with John Candy!
dave m says:
the Christmas Wish –
If I could have just one wish for Christmas it would be all of the children in the world singing in harmony. If I could have two wishes…
this was the best!!!!
Amira7765 says:
I loved Steve Martin in "Roxanne," "Planes Trains & Automobiles" and "All of Me," but my absolute favorite has to be his first comedy album. I remember listening to it over and over as a kid. Lest I fail to mention his hit song, "King Tut." Oh, and of course, who could forget the Thermos Song? A classic!
Mike D says:
Love the freakout when his son catches the pop-up in Parenthood.
Tony Barbaro says:
"what the hell is that thing?""hey kid, don't put your tongue on that thing….what the hell IS that thing?"
cindy says:
Gosh ~ My most memorable would be father of the bride only because It was the first Steve Martin film I saw. I was just a kid.
Michelle says:
Steve Martin's Balloon Animal Act is hilarious and a classic. If you haven't seen it, check out YouTube for it.
Donna says:
In the Father of Bride….he is blowing kisses and the women in the next
car thinks he is making a pass at her….he keeps showing his wedding
ring….he was so funny!!! -
Alex H. says:
As a kid I loved the 3 Amigos. My brother and I would laugh when they sang my little buttercup. Such a great movie.
Mob Regna says:
In my opinion, this guy 'jumped the shark' a long time ago. He has been unable to really produce any real comedic magic in a long, LONG time. My mom might laugh, but she doesnt have alot of people laughing along with her.
sj says:
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4037083417/ -
jenillumination says:
Having just returned from a few days in LA, I've definitely been thinking about LA Story "no one walks in LA"…. "half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a twist of lemon"
Emilia says:
I liked snl "two wild and crazy guys." ha. Always has me laughing.
don Rittner says:
I never touched a gun in my life. That and that alone forever doomed me to middle management.
My Blue Heaven (1990) -
Minstrel says:
"The new phone books are here, THE NEW PHONE BOOKS ARE HERE!!!"
Kris says:
I really liked him in the 'Father of the Bride' movies. :)
Laura says:
ooh, such a hard choice! Stuck between the Three Amigos and Father of the Bride. I love the scene in the grocery store when he picks up the hot dogs and goes on a rant about the bun to dog ratio. Whenever I see those items in a store, I always remember that and laugh.
maggie may says:
Definitely the trains,planes, etc. movie w/John Candy.
Cecelia says:
I used to watch Three Amigos all the time growing up. Like literally, all the time. It's one of my dad's favorite movies, and the "My Little Buttercup" scene is a classic. Then, last year we were vacationing in Mexico, and it turns out there are these Three Amigos theme restaurants for tourists down there. It was super cheesy, but we took a ton of photos.
The first time I saw Steve Martin play a banjo (I think it was on some late-night show) was pretty amazing too.
Lwoodbluz says:
Steve playing banjo with Scruggs. Simply the best
MBFarr says:
Totally loved his character in 'Grand Canyon'. His religious conversion after being shot in the leg during a drive-by didn't even last a month. As a successful movie producer in L.A. he was only going to produce quality movies that changes lives from then on- until he went right back to making million dollar blockbusters that had no redeeming value at all.
Lisa says:
"Where are your hands?"
"In between two pillows"
Greg Aidala says:
Two for me:
1. The Jerk – The 'oil can' scene is classic vaudevillian style humor, with the obvious being not so obvious.
2. Seeing Steve Martin play the banjo in person at the Troy Music Hall in 2009, accompanied by the Steep Canyon Rangers – what a show! At one point he played the first banjo he ever purchased over 30 years ago. He's a true entertainer.
mike says:
The man is genius always reinventing himself. Just when his bit gets a little old, he comes up with something new. Not affraid to strench or push the envelope. A true Renaissance Man.
Sean Maguire says:
Most of my Steve Martin memories are from his days doing Father of the Bride and other family movies. I am too young to know his SNL days first hand. I did find them in reruns though. The Jerk is one of my favorite movies to pull up on Netflix when I need to just do nothing.
Greg Aidala (hi ya Greg) suggested Martin's "Born Standing Up" during hi comedy class. I think that is a must read for anyone who likes to laugh. Steve Martin is complicated, I think, and that is part of his comedy genius. There are few still out that that can pull it off.
I love following him on Twitter, too. Just as complicated as ever.
Kevin Marshall says:
Sean and others – I can back up yours and Greg's recommendation. Born Standing Up is a fascinating read.
Short Temper says:
SUNY Albany's theatre group put on a production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile (written by Steve Martin) a few years ago. It was a lovely and hiliarious performance.
Jessica R says:
When his banjo record came out a few years ago he appeared on the Tonight Show (or was it David Letterman) with some of the people that were on the record. One of those people was Brittnay Hass, the young up-and-coming fiddle player in my favorite band, Crooked Still. I just thought it was neat that Steve took the time to find some awesome band mates and give some new people exposure. And Brittnay rocked it!
Daniel B. says:
It may be blasphemy, but I love this one line from My Blue Heaven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tncd84NYJ1YYou have to see it, but it's the one that starts out, "You know, it's dangerous for you to be here in the frozen food section…"
Actually, I love almost everything about that movie. It's brilliant.
danaloudoo says:
I was a student working for the Activities Director at Florida Atlantic University in 1976. We were in charge of booking acts and someone proposed an unknown comedian as an opener for a concert. They had seen him in Miami. A few folks went down to see his act and reported that not only was he offbeat and hilarious, but was scheduled to make his first appearance as host of SNL! We took a chance on Steve Martin. He showed up in his white suit with a very atractive woman on his arm. His green room was set up to specification, and he prepared to go onstage. At the last minute, I was sent out to look for a prop for his act – a napkin. Remember how he would hold it up to his face a stick his tongue through it? Funny stuff. Well, the show began and I ran everywhere looking for a suitable napkin. By the time I returned he was well into his arrow-through-the-head banjo routine and I had missed much his act. He never did end up using the napkin, but I do recall him as a perfect gentleman and a classy guy. Ever since then, I've followed his career, and have never been disappointed. Hope his show is as good as ever. I wonder if he would remember me…..
Tina says:
"Saturday Night Live": "We are just two wild and crazy guys!"
Ed Gilbert says:
"If I had one wish that I could wish this holiday season, it would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.
If I had two wishes that I could wish for this holiday season…"
Funny as hell and a great commentary on the transient nature of good will
JG says:
Terrific career, but most memorable has to be role in The Jerk.
Poppy says:
In my book, Steve Martin is the most talented man alive. I have his picture in my office with those very words written below it. I loved his autobiography, born standing up, wept while reading his novellas Shopgirl and the Pleasure of my Company and behaved like a giddy school girl when my husband and I were lucky enough to see him play his bango and sing–at one point with an arrow through his head–at the Troy music hall. And, on top of all that, he wears Armani–a true man of style and substance, indeed.
Justin says:
When Tom Hanks hosted SNL and showed off the "5 timer's club" lounge. There he was reading the paper. It was hilarious yet nonchalant.
Brownie says:
Loved his balloon animal act from years ago. I can't stop laughing thinking about the balloon twisted around the microphone stand. Great stuff!
Robin says:
For a Christmas party, my husband and his business partner took their employees to diner and then to the movies to see The Jerk when it opened…not many architects did (or so) that! The Jerk is still one of my family's favorite movies…one son was an infant and the other not yet born when the movie came out. :-)
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Rapes of Christian Girls in Pakistan Reflect Hidden Trend
FAROOQABAD, Pakistan (Compass Direct New) – The vulnerability of Christian girls to sexual assault in Pakistani society emerged again last month as a Muslim landowner allegedly targeted a 16-year-old and a gang of madrassa (Islamic school) students allegedly abused a 12-year-old in Punjab Province.
In Farooqabad, Shiekhupura district, three Muslim co-workers of a Christian man allegedly raped his 16-year-old daughter at gunpoint the night of July 21; the following evening in Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi district, more than a half dozen madrassa students decided to "teach these Christians a lesson" by allegedly gang-raping the 12-year-old girl.
The students at Jamia Islamia Madrassa had been harassing Christians in the villages around Gujar Khan, said the pastor of the church to which the girl's family belongs, United Pentecostal Church.
"They openly announce that 'the Christians are our enemies, we should not talk to them, eat with them or do business with them,'" Pastor Shakeel Javed told Compass.
The students often beat Christian children who come to play on the school grounds, telling them to convert or leave, he said, adding that on Sundays they throw stones at the church building.
A school teacher who said she was witness to the alleged rape told Compass that when she came across the madrassa students the evening of July 22, she overheard one saying, "We will teach these Christians a lesson they will never forget."
"Three or four Christian girls were washing dishes near a pond," Rana Aftab said. "These guys ran towards them, and the girls started running. One of them fell on the ground, and these madrassa students got hold of her and took her in the fields. I tried to stop them, but they were 15-16 in number."
Seven or eight of them raped the girl, whose name is withheld, while the others looked on, Aftab said.
"She kept yelling for help, but no one heard her cries," Aftab said.
They left the girl in the field, and some villages took her home to her father, Pervaiz Masih, Aftab said.
Masih was devastated, and the girl's mother fainted when she saw her, Masih told Compass.
Masih and Aftab went to the police station to register a complaint, but the officer in charge refused to register it, Aftab said.
When Compass contacted officers at the police station, they initially refused to comment, but eventually one admitted that they are under pressure from Muslims leaders and extremists to refrain from filing a First Information Report (FIR) on the alleged crime.
In eastern Punjab Province's Farooqabad, the Christian father of the allegedly raped 16-year-old girl said he was later kidnapped and tortured.
In his complaint to police, Ghafoor Masih of Kot Sandha village said he was working the fields when three men who work for his Muslim employer overpowered his daughter at home and dragged her into one of the rooms of the house at gunpoint.
His daughter, whose name is withheld, told police that the three men raped her while keeping her from screaming for help by threatening to shoot her in the forehead with a pistol. The family accused Rashid Ali, another Muslim identified only as Maan son of Muhammad Boota and an unidentified man who also worked for Masih's employer, Hajji Rashid Jutt.
The next morning, July 22, Masih went to the Saddr police station in Farooqabad, but Station House Officer Inspector Nasseer Ahmad Khan refused to register a First Information Report (FIR), labor leaders said. Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, chairman of the Bonded Labor Front, and Zia-ud-Din Khokhar, chairman of Equality for Minorities, later approached the Shiekhupura district police officer with Masih's complaint, and on July 28 the official sent an application for a FIR to Saddr Police Station.
Under pressure from the superior officer, on July 29 Inspector Khan registered the FIR under for "gang-rape at gunpoint," family members and clergy said.
As Masih made his way home after the filing of the FIR on July 29, however, two other Muslims who work for his employer, Jutt, allegedly intercepted and kidnapped him, the family members said, and took him to Jutt's farmhouse. There Jutt, the two men – Muhammad Irfan and Muhammad Usman – and another worker for Jutt, Fazal Karim, allegedly shackled and tortured Masih, leaving him in critical condition.
Inspector Khan told Compass that he has arrested Jutt, Irfan and Usman for kidnapping, as well as the suspect identified only as Maan for the alleged rape of Masih's daughter.
Joseph Francis, national director of the Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, condemned the alleged rape of the 16-year-old girl.
"Muslim landowners and their relatives see Christian girls or women as their chattel," Francis said. "Such vicious incidents are not being stopped by the government, and day by day the rate of rapes of Christian girls is escalating instead of plunging."
Sahotra and Khokhar added that many such cases go unreported as impoverished Christian families often do not have the resources to pursue justice.


text:
Last year "marked the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States," the National Climatic Data Center just confirmed.
This probably won't surprise many, but "a record warm spring, second-warmest summer, fourth-warmest winter and a warmer-than-average autumn" combined to make the year's average temperature 55.3°F.
That's "3.2°F above the 20th century average, and 1.0°F above 1998, the previous warmest year."
And 2012 was also "a historic year for extreme weather that included drought, wildfires, hurricanes and storms," the data center points out. It notes, though, that "tornado activity was below average."
The center's "U.S. Climate Extremes Index" indicates that 2012 was "the second most extreme year on record for the nation. The index, which evaluates extremes in temperature and precipitation, as well as landfalling tropical cyclones, was nearly twice the average value and second only to 1998. ... 2012 [saw] 11 disasters that have reached the $1 billion threshold in losses, to include Sandy, Isaac, and tornado outbreaks experienced in the Great Plains, Texas and Southeast/Ohio Valley."
Update at 2:35 p.m. ET. "Compelling Evidence" Of Climate Change.
The Washington Post writes that:
"Federal scientists said that the data were compelling evidence that climate change is affecting weather in the United States and suggest that the nation's weather is likely to be hotter, drier and potentially more extreme than it would have been without the warmer temperatures.
"Last year's record temperature is 'clearly symptomatic of a changing climate,' said Thomas R. Karl, who directs NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. Americans can now see the sustained warmth over the course of their own lifetimes — 'something we haven't seen before.' He added, 'That doesn't mean every season and every year is going to be breaking all-time records, but you're going to see this with increasing frequency.' "
Update at 2:15 p.m. ET. More Data.
The Weather Channel notes that:
"October was the only cooler than average month in the Lower 48 states in 2012. March and July were the warmest such months on record, there. Four other months: January (4th warmest), April (3rd warmest), May (2nd warmest) and June (8th warmest) landed in the top 10 warmest respective months."
And, the channel warns, "more dangerous weather is ahead."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
NSAIDs; Salicylates/Lithium Interactions
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
When these two medicines are taken together, your body may not process lithium properly.
What might happen:
Your blood levels of lithium may increase and cause toxic effects.
What you should do about this interaction:
Let your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together.If you experience new or worsened tremors, fatigue, muscle weakness or unusual stiffness, confusion, slurred speech, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, blurred vision, trouble walking, ringing in the ears, seizures, dizziness, or heart palpitations call your doctor right away. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of your lithium or change you to a different medicine for pain or inflammation. It may be necessary to monitor the lithium levels in your blood more often.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Keep all of your appointments with the doctor and laboratory. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
- 1.Frolich JC, Leftwich R, Ragheb M, Oates JA, Reimann I, Buchanan D. Indomethacin increases plasma lithium. Br Med J 1979 Apr 28; 1(6171):1115-6.
- 2.Ragheb M, Ban TA, Buchanan D, Frolich JC. Interaction of indomethacin and ibuprofen with lithium in manic patients under a steady-state lithium level. J Clin Psychiatry 1980 Nov;41(11):397-8.
- 3.Reimann IW, Frolich JC. Effects of diclofenac on lithium kinetics. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1981 Sep;30(3):348-52.
- 4.Herschberg SN, Sierles FS. Indomethacin-induced lithium toxicity. Am Fam Physician 1983 Aug;28(2):155-7.
- 5.Reimann IW, Diener U, Frolich JC. Indomethacin but not aspirin increases plasma lithium ion levels. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1983 Mar;40(3):283-6.
- 6.Kerry RJ, Owen G, Michaelson S. Possible toxic interaction between lithium and piroxicam. Lancet 1983 Feb 19;1(8321):418-9.
- 7.Nadarajah J, Stein GS. Piroxicam induced lithium toxicity. Ann Rheum Dis 1985 Jul;44(7):502.
- 8.Walbridge DG, Bazire SR. An interaction between lithium carbonate and piroxicam presenting as lithium toxicity. Br J Psychiatry 1985 Aug; 147:206-7.
- 9.Ragheb M, Powell AL. Lithium interaction with sulindac and naproxen. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1986 Jun;6(3):150-4.
- 10.Harrison TM, Davies DW, Norris CM. Lithium carbonate and piroxicam. Br J Psychiatry 1986 Jul;149:124-5.
- 11.Kristoff CA, Hayes PE, Barr WH, Small RE, Townsend RJ, Ettigi PG. Effect of ibuprofen on lithium plasma and red blood cell concentrations. Clin Pharm 1986 Jan;5(1):51-5.
- 12.Ragheb M. Ibuprofen can increase serum lithium level in lithium-treated patients. J Clin Psychiatry 1987 Apr;48(4):161-3.
- 13.Stein G, Robertson M, Nadarajah J. Toxic interactions between lithium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Psychol Med 1988 Aug;18(3):535-43.
- 14.Bailey CE, Stewart JT, McElroy RA. Ibuprofen-induced lithium toxicity. South Med J 1989 Sep;82(9):1197.
- 15.Ragheb M. The clinical significance of lithium-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug interactions. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1990 Oct; 10(5):350-4.
- 16.Khan IH. Lithium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. BMJ 1991 Jun 22;302(6791):1537-8.
- 17.Langlois R, Paquette D. Increased serum lithium levels due to ketorolac therapy. CMAJ 1994 May 1;150(9):1455-6.
- 18.Iyer V. Ketorolac (Toradol) induced lithium toxicity. Headache 1994 Jul-Aug;34(7):442-4.
- 19.Bravo AE, Egger SS, Crespo S, Probst WL, Krahenbuhl S. Lithium intoxication as a result of an interaction with rofecoxib. Ann Pharmacother 2004 Jul-Aug;38(7-8):1189-93.
- 20.Lithobid (lithium carbonate) US prescribing information. ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. May, 2018.
Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.
CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.


text:
The last few days have provided a great deal of ammunition for those lamenting the state of football, specifically the seemingly inevitable march towards a game completely dominated by financial matters. The charge was led by Liverpool's managing director, Ian Ayre, who suggested that the leading clubs should receive a larger slice of the money from overseas TV rights, as the average fan in Kuala Lumpur "isn't subscribing… to watch Bolton."
Ayre adopted the language so beloved by marketing men the world over by adding, "Personally I think the game-changer is going out and recognising our brand globally." Although this statement would score highly in a game of corporate buzzword bingo, it provoked a scathing response from the football community, which roundly condemned the apparent avarice behind these cringe inducing words.
If his intentions weren't clear enough, Ayre whistled a version of the Pet Shop Boys' "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)", while he explained his grand plan, "Maybe the path will be individual TV rights like they do in Spain." The only problem was that the other football clubs did not seem to match his enthusiasm to rip up the status quo (at least publicly), so Ayre rapidly back-tracked via a clarification that this initiative wasn't in fact "about Liverpool trying to breakaway and sell their own rights." Oh no, it was purely about the way that the Premier League distributed its international rights.
Clearly, any idea that apparently involves applying the opposite approach to Robin Hood, namely to take from the poor to give to the rich, is likely to attract a huge degree of opprobrium, but before Ayre is completely dismissed out of hand, it is surely worth asking the simple question: does he actually have a point? In addition, we should try to understand the factors driving a (presumably) rational man to stick his head above the parapet in such a masochistic manner.
Looking at the distribution of the Premier League television money in 2010/11, we can see that Liverpool received £55.2 million, which incidentally was £12.3 million more than Bolton's £42.9 million. A great deal of the money is shared equally: 50% of the domestic rights, which is worth £13.8 million to each club, and 100% of the overseas rights, worth £17.9 million to each club. However, 50% of the domestic rights is allocated in a way that does favour the leading clubs.
For these funds, 25% is for merit payments, determined by the club's final league position, and 25% is paid in facility fees, based on how often a club is shown live on television. Each place in the league is worth an additional £757,000, which can make quite a difference, so Liverpool's sixth place delivered £11.4 million last year, while Bolton only received £5.3 million for fourteenth place. Similarly, it's no surprise to see that the top clubs feature much more often on television than those lower down the league, so Liverpool's 23 appearances produced a £12.1 million facility fee, compared to Bolton's £5.8 million, which was a result of the guaranteed minimum 10 appearances.
Nevertheless, although this algorithm does benefit the leading clubs, it is not a gigantic benefit. Ayre's issue is with the overseas rights, which are distributed entirely in equal shares, as opposed to the domestic rights, which to a degree reflect performance and popularity.
In the past, this would not have been a concern, but the point is that this is now serious money. First of all, the growth in payments secured for TV rights has been nothing short of astonishing, from the initial £253 million five-year deal in 1992 to the £3.4 billion payment three-year deal that commenced last season. To make that spectacular progress even clearer: the original deal was worth just £50 million a season, while the latest brings in more than £1.1 billion a year.
That's obviously fabulous news for football clubs, but closer examination of the new rights deals reveals an interesting (and potentially worrying) trend. Revenue for the sale of domestic TV rights (live matches and highlights) hardly grew at all in the new contract, implying that the home market may have reached saturation point. Instead, it is overseas fans that have been behind the explosive growth with the revenue more or less doubling each time that the rights are re-negotiated: 2001-04 £178 million, 2004-07 £325 million, 2007-10 £625 million and 2010-13 £1.4 billion.
To place that into context, in 2001-04, the overseas rights accounted for only 11% of the total deal, while they are now worth 42% with many analysts predicting that they could be higher than domestic rights after the next deal is signed. Therefore, what was previously the icing on the cake is now a very substantial slice, so it was really only a matter of time before the top clubs pointed out the anomaly between the different allocation methods used for domestic and overseas rights.
"Bolton - not popular in Kuala Lumpur apparently"
Some of the money paid to secure overseas rights seem barely credible: the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel paid over £200 million for the Middle East and North Africa (almost three times the £80 million paid by previous incumbent Showtime Arabia); in Singapore, an island with a population of less than 5 million people, SingTel paid £200 million to secure the rights from its rival StarHub; similarly, in Hong Kong i-Cable paid nearly £150 million, much more than the £115 million Now TV paid last time around.
There's no doubt that the Premier League is one of England's most successful exports, being shown in 212 countries around the world. Recent research from leading sports business consultancy Sport + Markt suggested that 70% of global football fans watch "the best league in the world" (© Richard Keys).
Given these amazing statistics, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that broadcasters should pay even more for the rights to live football, "When you think of that, I don't think we get enough money", though he appeared more concerned about television's impact on his team's fixture list.
That said, the Premier League's TV rights deal is the envy of other leagues. At £1.1 billion a year, it is well ahead of the rest with only Serie A (£0.9 billion) coming close. Incredibly, the deal is twice as much as La Liga (£0.5 billion) and three times as much as the Bundesliga (£0.4 billion). The principal reason for the disparity is the overseas rights, which are worth nearly £0.5 billion in England, but are negligible everywhere else. This helps explain why English clubs are increasingly focused on this element of the deal.
This argument is further supported by looking at how other major leagues distribute their TV income. In England the current deal works out at 67% of the revenue being allocated by means of an equal share with 17% based on on-pitch performance and the same amount on popularity, defined as the facility fee for number of times a club is broadcast live. No other league distributes as anywhere near as much via an equal share.
The closest is France, where the equal share comprises 50%, while the remainder is distributed based on league performance 30% (25% for the current season and 5% for the last five seasons) and the number of times a team is broadcast 20% (over the last five seasons).
Italy returned to collective bargaining this season with 40% divided equally among the Serie A clubs; 30% is based on past results (5% last season, 15% last 5 years, 10% from 1946 to the sixth season before last); and 30% is based on the number of fans (25%) and the population of the club's city (5%).
TV revenue in the Bundesliga is divided among clubs via a points system based on their league position over the past four years. Performance is weighted in favour of the more recent years, so last season a factor of 4 was applied to 2010/11, 3 to 2009/10, 2 to 2008/09 and 1 to 2007/08. However, a form of equality is then applied, as the club with most points only receives twice as much money as the club that has the lowest number of points.
La Liga allows each club to arrange its own individual deal, which is largely attributable to popularity, though you could argue that some of this is derived from past performance. No matter, it is clear that none of the money is allocated via an equal share.
In summary, with the exception of La Liga, every major league distributes a good proportion of the TV funds equally, either explicitly or via the weighting of the allocation. However, the Premier League distributes more money this way than any other league, mainly due to the surge in overseas rights.
The result is that the ratio from top to bottom earning clubs in terms of TV payments is much smaller in the Premier League at 1.5, especially compared to La Liga where it is 12.5. So, last season Manchester United received £60 million, while Blackpool got £39 million. In contrast, Barcelona and Real Madrid received around £123 million, while Malaga had to make do with £10 million.
That's bad enough, but the real issue in Spain is that the drop starts immediately with third placed Valencia only receiving £37 million, so the big two earn at least three times as much TV money as their closest challengers. Every other league is more equitable with the top team earning between 1.1 and 1.2 times as much as the third highest earner.
"Pictures on my wall"
It is however true that the Premier League still has the smallest ratio between top and bottom clubs with 1.5 against 2.0 in Germany, 3.5 in France and 10.0 in Italy (the gap in Serie A will reduce after the introduction of collective bargaining). This is largely due to the impact of the rise in the value of the overseas TV deal, as this ratio was almost three to one in the early days of the Premier League.
In other words, the TV deals at Barcelona and Real Madrid are very much the exception to the rule, so Ayre's "unfair" comparison only really works for these two behemoths and not for the hundreds of other clubs in Europe. In fact, Liverpool's TV deal compares favourably to everyone else, especially now that Italy's clubs have switched from individual arrangements to collective bargaining.
The winds of change have even hit Spain with a proposal to reduce Barcelona and Real Madrid's share of the combined TV revenue from 45% to 34%, though they seem to be blowing rather slowly, as this would still provide them with a massive competitive advantage and any move towards revenue sharing is unlikely to be implemented before 2015/16.
From the perspective of the lesser lights in England, TV money is critically important to their prospects. In 2009/10 television accounted for a staggering 70% or more of revenue at clubs like Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and, yes, Bolton Wanderers. Without this money, these clubs simply wouldn't be able to compete and might even struggle to survive. According to Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, "We will finish up like the Spanish league with just two teams in it, no competition, no anything, no heart and soul."
Some might argue that no more than six clubs could realistically mount a title challenge in any case, but "on any given Sunday" (or Saturday) any team in the Premier League is capable of winning against "the big boys", as Sam Allardyce used to describe them.
However, TV money is also of great importance to the top clubs, as evidenced by the most recent Deloitte Money League that shows that television is the largest revenue stream for 16 of the top 20 clubs. The only exceptions are three German clubs that place more emphasis on commercial operations and Arsenal, thanks to the money-spinning Emirates stadium.
In England, TV rights have driven the virtuous circle often referenced by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, "The continued investment in playing talent and facilities made by the clubs is largely down to the revenue generated through the sale of our broadcast rights." Put another way, English clubs need strong revenues to compete with their European rivals when trying to attract world-class players, both in terms of transfer fees and wages, which is surely one of the main reasons behind Ayre's intemperate outburst.
He will have recognised that Liverpool have been growing their revenue much more slowly than their peers. In 2005, Liverpool's revenue of £122 million was £44 million lower than Manchester United and £120 million behind Real Madrid. In 2011, the gaps have widened to £144 million and £234 million respectively. That means that Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United earn around twice as much as Liverpool, which is an enormous shortfall every season.
The inequality is growing all the time, as Liverpool's revenue has essentially been flat for the last three years. In 2011, the improvement in commercial income thanks to the new Standard Chartered shirt sponsorship has been offset by the failure to qualify for the Champions League. It's a similar story of lack of growth at Arsenal, though their revenue did overtake Liverpool after the move to a new stadium.
The harsh reality in football is that money does tend to buy success, so Liverpool have to explore every possible avenue of generating additional revenue and their options are limited. In particular, they are hamstrung by Anfield. Although this is a wonderfully atmospheric old ground, redolent with history, it lags behind the others in terms of money-earning potential.
Its capacity is only 45,400, which is much less than Old Trafford (76,000) and The Emirates (60,400). As Ayre said, "We are 30,000 seats behind our biggest competitor and that's worth a lot of money." In fact, Liverpool's match day revenue of £43 million is less than half of Manchester United (£108 million) and Arsenal (£93 million), while even Chelsea, whose Stamford Bridge ground is even smaller (41,800), generate more than them (£67 million). Liverpool only earn around £1.6 million from each home match, which is significantly less than United (£3.7 million) and Arsenal (£3.3 million).
This structural weakness has been exacerbated by Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League. In 2010/11 Liverpool battled their way through to the last 16 of the Europa League and received €6 million (£5.4 million) for their efforts. In contrast, the four English clubs in the Champions League enjoyed an average of £35 million, excluding gate receipts and bonus payments from sponsors. After reaching the final, Manchester United collected a hefty £47 million.
Of course, this does rather suggest that one old-fashioned way for Liverpool to grow their revenue would be to do the business on the pitch, which would not only boost their coffers with higher performance payments, but would make them more attractive to prospective sponsors. This is a winning combination that has propelled Manchester United's commercial income above £100 million, assisted by the significant global TV exposure.
The impact can be clearly seen by looking at the composition of English clubs' TV revenue. The payments from the Premier League are much of a muchness, but the real "game-changer" (to use Ayre's own word) is the Champions League. Yes, qualification for the Europa League helps, but the money is only around 20% of that earned by clubs in Europe's flagship tournament.
Interestingly, English clubs receive a higher proportion of the TV (market) pool in the Champions League, due to England's television deal being bigger, which produced the bizarre result of losing finalists Manchester United actually receiving more money than the winners Barcelona.
Currency movements have also helped English clubs, as Champions League money is distributed in Euros, which, despite recent travails, has strengthened against Sterling in the last few years. Although this is a moving target, it is a factor that should be considered when making comparisons with clubs from the continent, as this has contributed to the relative improvement by the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid against English clubs.
Now that we have established some of the reasons why Ayre might seek to increase his club's share of television revenue, we should explore whether such a move would actually increase revenue.
"Our house, in the middle of our street"
The Premier League believes that its international appeal is largely down to a model that delivers competitive matches, which is in stark contrast to the procession offered by La Liga, where the third-placed team has finished 21 and 25 points behind second place in the last two seasons. Indeed, Sevilla's president Jose Mari del Nido described the Spanish league as "a load of rubbish", because only two teams could conceivably win the title.
While there is a lot of truth to this argument, it is not necessarily the full story, as it's not as if the upper echelons of the Premier League have been anything but a closed shop since its formation. The traditional "Sky Four" (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) have rarely been threatened, though Manchester City have now become a highly credible challenger, thanks to the injection of oil millions.
Furthermore, if a competitive league were the only reason for success in overseas sales, then surely the Bundesliga would be the viewers' preferred choice, but, as we saw earlier, the Germans' overseas rights of around £40 million are less than 10% of the money received by the Premier League.
"Global A Go-Go"
That said, although it is far from certain that reducing the Premier League's competitive nature would reduce revenue, intuitively we can probably conclude that this would weaken the bargaining position of its marketing men, who, in fairness, have done a superb job to date.
Looked at from another perspective, we do have tangible evidence from Italy that moving from individual rights to a collective system increases revenue, as broadcasters pay a premium for having the whole product rather than the rights to individual clubs. In fact, the new Serie A deal is on course to meet its target of €1 billion, which represents a considerable improvement on the aggregate of the previous individual deals. Spanish football expert, Professor Jose Maria Gay de Liébena from the University of Barcelona, believes that introducing collective bargaining would boost total TV revenue for La Liga from €600 million to €900 million.
Therefore, Ayre's fondness for individual rights might not produce the gains he envisages, as it is entirely possible that Liverpool would merely receive a larger slice of a smaller cake.
Of course, after Ayre's "clarification", we now know that his proposal was restricted to international rights. If that is indeed the case, then it is difficult to see why he would risk so much contempt for so little reward. Assuming that he wanted to allocate these rights in the same manner as domestic rights (50% equal share, 25% merit payment, 25% facility fees), then that would have produced an increment for Liverpool of only £4.3 million in 2010/11 (and incidentally a reduction for Bolton of just £2.7 million).
Of course, the potential future increase in overseas rights may make such an amendment more valuable, while Ayre may have been thinking of another distribution methodology that was more favourable to his team, e.g. 50% for Liverpool and 50% for Manchester United. Only kidding.
In fairness to Liverpool, if they wish to remain competitive in a world where they once reigned supreme, they need to address the financial imbalances caused by the money pumped into the game by Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City, which has inflated transfer fees and wages for every other club. Despite the advent of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, other clubs have also been boosted by wealthy benefactors, such as Paris Saint-Germain, Malaga and Anzhi Makhachkala.
"John W Henry - This is the modern world"
Liverpool's owners are cut from a different cloth. Although John W Henry's Fenway Sports Group (FSG) is a clear improvement on the reviled duo of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, they are far from following the classic sugar daddy model. Instead, this is a group of savvy businessmen who will seek to manage the club well, aiming to maximise revenue and ideally get a return on their investment. This is no different from other American owners like the Glazers at Manchester United, Stan Kroenke at Arsenal, Randy Lerner at Aston Villa and Ellis Short at Sunderland.
While in many ways their ownership will benefit their clubs, it would be naïve in the extreme not to appreciate that they have been attracted by the financial possibilities offered by the Premier League. In contrast to sports franchises in the US, where they have to share all revenue received, including TV money, gate receipts and merchandising, in the Premier League they keep the vast majority of revenue earned.
This was confirmed by Liverpool chairman Tom Werner, "That is the difference with the EPL. If we can generate interest in Liverpool here and around the world, we will benefit from that." That comment also touches on the other attractive aspect of the Premier League for American investors, namely its global appeal, which again is not something enjoyed by sports like baseball, basketball and American football.
"I am the son and Ayre of nothing in particular"
So that's the plan, but Ayre raised another point that gave pause for thought, which was that the Premier League bubble might "burst, because we are sticking to this equal-sharing model". He was specifically referring to La Liga's ability to attract the top players from the Premier League, which seems like a blatant attempt at scaremongering, given that there's no shortage of imports from Spain, such as Juan Mata and David Silva, while Cesc Fabregas' return to Barcelona was a special case. In any case, there are other equally important factors at play here, such as currency and tax rates.
However, there are a few threats that might endanger owners' strategy of coining it from television, which are primarily due to: (a) economic pressures on the Premier League's customers, i.e. the TV channels; and (b) regulatory decisions.
TV channels are not immune from the recession, as we saw when ITV Digital and Setanta went bankrupt. Although the latter's collapse did not in itself prove problematic, as ESPN snapped up the TV rights relinquished by Setanta, if Sky were to hit financial difficulties this would be extremely serious for the Premier League and by extension the clubs. This may not seem likely, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility. For example, Mediapro, the company that owns the TV rights in Spain for La Liga, applied for bankruptcy protection last year.
"And it's... LIVE!"
On the other hand, it is clear that the Premier League is central to Sky's business model. Of the satellite company's nine million customers, around five million of them pay for the sports package, earning Sky some £2.5 billion a year. On top of that, pubs pay Sky huge sums for licences to show matches. Admittedly, the sports package contains more than just football, but the Premier League is the jewel in the crown, so must be responsible for most of that business.
In these days of multimedia with countless entertainment possibilities, television viewing figures are declining across the board, but average audiences for live football matches have remained consistent. This is particularly important for companies struggling to push their brand through traditional advertising.
Perhaps a more plausible possibility is that broadcasting companies would seek to end the cycle of ever increasing payments for TV rights, as happened recently with the new Ligue 1 deal in France.
The courts of law might also pose a threat to the television money enjoyed by Premier League clubs. A recent ruling by the European Court of Justice in a case brought by a Portsmouth pub landlady stated that broadcasters cannot prevent customers from using cheaper foreign satellite television services to watch Premier League football. As Sky /ESPN will no longer have exclusivity in the UK market and are likely to be under-cut by foreign broadcasters, the theory goes that they would have to lower prices to compete and so pay less for the TV rights.
"Richard Scudamore - One way or another"
However, to date the Premier League has proved very adroit at finding creative solutions to such challenges, so it would not be a great surprise if it found a way to maintain (or even grow) its revenue. The likeliest outcome is that they would market one pan-European rights package, though other options are also possible, such as launching their own TV channel, as the Dutch Eredivisie has done, but this would be a pain and more complicated than working with professional broadcasters.
Another possibility might be to sacrifice the continental European revenue, which represents around 16% of all European rights (£390 million), in order to protect the significant £2 billion of UK revenue by stopping sales elsewhere in Europe.
Finally, this might just be a storm in a teacup, as in practice very few subscribers would switch to a foreign language service. Although many of Sky's commentators and pundits are not that popular, they're surely easier on the English ear than their Greek or Polish equivalents.
However, English clubs could face a sizeable reduction in their Champions League revenue as a result of the ECJ ruling. William Gaillard, adviser to UEFA president Michel Platini, warned, "This may force us to sell the rights on a Europe-wide basis, which would prevent us from identifying individual national TV pools. That will be bad news for clubs in big TV markets such as England." This is a genuine threat, as the current £400 million deal with Sky and ITV is the biggest in Europe.
"Boy with a problem"
Another regulatory factor arises from UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, which force clubs to break-even if they want to compete in European tournaments. This means that most clubs will either have to cut costs (effectively wages) or increase revenue from football operations, which again helps explain why Liverpool have dared to question the distribution of the TV money. Indeed, when John W Henry bought the club, he said, "With the FFP rules, it is really going to be revenue that drives how good your club can be in the future."
Of course, the introduction of FFP does in itself raise questions about the inherent unfairness of clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid being able to sell their TV rights individually, as this clearly provides them with a monetary advantage over clubs in other leagues.
Looking further ahead, advances in technology could provide a threat to revenue (via illegal internet streaming) or a major opportunity to make even more money. There is little doubt that overseas investors see huge potential in football clubs' TV rights. As John W Henry said, "American owners understand media and the long-term global implications. They're going to want to reach their fans in the new media landscape. The Premier League was created in response to changing media. Audiences will drive leagues rather than the other way round."
"Werner - Ground control to Major Tom"
This is particularly relevant to Liverpool, as FSG have substantial expertise in this sphere, owning 80% of New England Sports Network, a regional cable television network, while chairman Tom Werner is an experienced television producer. To give an idea of the size of the prize, the value of the New York Yankees' official cable network is three times as high as the club itself.
It is equally clear that foreign owners see great promise in online delivery, hence Stan Kroenke's purchase of a 50% share in Arsenal Broadband long before he launched his takeover bid for the whole club. Indeed, the emergence of fast broadband networks might be the catalyst for clubs to launch their own channels to interact directly with their fans.
That's all future music, but in the here and now what are the chances of Ayre's TV rights initiative succeeding?
In practical terms, such a change would require a two-thirds majority at the annual shareholders meeting, so 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs would have to approve the plan. However, not one club has come forward to provide support, leaving Ayre to change his song of choice to The Beautiful South's "I'll Sail this Ship Alone". Given that turkeys are unlikely to vote for Christmas, it is no surprise that smaller clubs are not in favour, but all of the leading clubs have also praised the concept of collective selling.
"Glazers - What do I get?"
Even Manchester United, who would benefit most from such a move, said via their chief executive, David Gill, that "the collective selling of the television rights has clearly been a success." There is still a suspicion that some clubs may be considering the idea privately, e.g. there are rumours that John W Henry has discussed the plan with the Glazers, but for the moment the idea appears to be dead in the water.
Nevertheless, it is obvious that football clubs are now prepared to think out of the box in order to grow their revenue. It does not take a particularly large leap of imagination to see that this idea is part of a grander strategy to form a European Super League, as hinted at by Ayre's decision to compare Liverpool to Barcelona and Real Madrid while attempting to justify the change.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan thundered, "They want to take all the money for themselves, but they know the top six cannot play each other every week, so they will eventually look to Europe and the creation of a European league." He found a surprising bedfellow in Real Madrid's former General Manager, Jorge Valdano, who said that the overwhelming domination of the big two in Spain would inevitably lead them to abandon Spain for a European league.
"Slave to the rhythm"
Whatever Ian Ayre's intentions were in raising this subject, there is a sense that this is only the beginning in terms of clubs exploring new revenue opportunities. Most fans would understandably be against his views, but as he said, "It's a real debate that has to happen", and it's not going to go away that's for sure.
In any case, it's hardly a bolt from the blue that a club from a league formed with money as its primary focus should look for ways to earn even more, especially as football has become big business in recent years. Whether it be the inflationary impact of mega-rich benefactors or the desire of owners to make a return on their investment, money has become the name of the game.
Much of that is down to the huge amounts of cash provided by television, which on the plus side has helped to fund investment in new stadiums and to attract top players to England, but has also driven some questionable priorities. As Sir Alex Ferguson said recently while commenting on the increasing influence of television, "When you shake hands with the devil, you have to pay the price." That may be a touch over-dramatic, but there are undoubtedly some uncomfortable issues around football's cosy relationship with the television. Following his elevation to pariah status, Ian Ayre for one would surely now agree that the sun does not always shine on TV.


text:
Family Guy, Vol. 2 (Season 3)
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* Based on the least expensive way available to ship domestically. Check the merchant site for other shipping opportunities. Note: Merchants tend to change shipping rates frequently, please check the merchant's site to confirm the rates listed here before you order. Home | About DVD ESP All Content Copyright © 1999-2005 Greg Gardner (greg <at> bah.org) |


text:
Blame game rife as Dems, GOP try to avert shutdown
Republicans and Democrats blamed each other Monday as they took the federal government to the brink of a shutdown in an intractable budget dispute over President Barack Obama's signature health care law.
House Republicans excoriated Senate Democrats for taking the weekend off and resisting a House measure that would avert a shutdown, though with conditions: delaying further implementation of the health care law for a year and eliminating a tax on medical devices.
"The Senate decided not to work yesterday," Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said shortly after the House began its session — and just hours before a threatened shutdown at midnight. "Well my goodness, if there's such an emergency, where are they?"
"There's a pretty straightforward solution to this," Obama said at the White House. That's for "everybody to act responsibly and do what's right for the American people."
For the Senate, however, the GOP strings on the spending bill were nonstarters. The Senate returns shortly after 2 p.m. EDT and Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his Democrats have made it clear that they want a straightforward bill to keep the government open. Reid plans votes to reject House GOP-crafted amendments to delay the 3-year-old health care law and eliminate a tax on medical devices, and he has the numbers to prevail.
"They cannot seem to stop themselves," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said of Republicans at a Capitol Hill news conference. "So we will stop them."
As the rhetoric heated up, so did the pressure for compromise. If that doesn't occur by midnight, Americans will soon see the impact: National parks would close. Many low-to-moderate incomes borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays. Passport applications would be delayed.
One program that will begin on Tuesday — even with a shutdown — is enrollment in new health care exchanges for millions of Americans — a crucial part of Obama's health care law. That's because most of the program is paid from monies not subject to congressional appropriations.
But about 800,000 federal workers, many already reeling from the effect of the automatic budget cuts, would be forced off the job without pay. Some critical services such as patrolling the borders, inspecting meat and controlling air traffic would continue. Social Security benefits would be sent, and the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs for the elderly and poor would continue to pay doctors and hospitals.
The prospect of a government shutdown sent stocks sliding on Wall Street, which also is looking nervously at what a dysfunctional Washington would do mid-month on raising the nation's borrowing authority. Failure of the U.S. to act on the debt limit could unnerve world markets.
Tea party and conservative Republicans have forced Boehner and the House GOP leadership to couple the spending bill with efforts to dismantle the health care law. Democrats reject putting conditions on the temporary spending bill, saying that's akin to political ransom.
"I could sit here and say, 'Well, I'm not going to vote for a budget unless you agree to pass gun safety legislation.' That's not the way this place is supposed to operate," said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
Two moderate Republicans from Democratic-leaning states — Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Rep. Charles Dent of Pennsylvania — signaled that they could back a straightforward spending bill.
"I would be supportive of it and I believe the votes are there in the House to pass it at that point," Dent said.
"We're not going to shut down the government," Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, a member of the House GOP leadership told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting of GOP leaders.
Since the last government shutdown 17 years ago, temporary funding bills known as continuing resolutions have been noncontroversial, with neither party willing to chance a shutdown to achieve legislative goals it couldn't otherwise win.
"You're going to shut down the government if you can't prevent millions of Americans from getting affordable care," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
A leader of the tea party Republicans, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, insisted the blame rests with Senate Democrats.
"The House has twice now voted to keep the government open. And if we have a shutdown, it will only be because when the Senate comes back, (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid says, 'I refuse even to talk,'" said Cruz, who led a 21-hour broadside against allowing the temporary funding bill to advance if stripped clean of a tea party-backed provision to derail Obamacare. The effort failed.
The battle started with a House vote to pass the short-term funding bill with a provision that would have eliminated the federal dollars needed to put Obama's health care overhaul into place. The Senate voted along party lines to strip that out and sent the measure back to the House.
The latest House bill, passed early Sunday by a near party-line vote of 231-192, sent back to the Senate two major changes: a one-year delay of key provisions of the health insurance law and repeal of a new tax on medical devices that partially funds it. The steps still go too far for the White House and its Democratic allies.
A House GOP leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, said Sunday that the House "will have a few other options" for the Senate to consider, though he did not specify them. "The House will get back together in enough time, send another provision not to shut the government down, but to fund it," he said.
He suggested that House Republicans would try blocking a mandate that individuals buy health insurance or face a tax penalty, saying there might be some Democratic support in the Senate for that.
On the other hand, Democrats said the GOP's bravado may fade as the deadline to avert a shutdown nears.
Asked whether he could vote for a "clean" temporary funding bill, Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, said he couldn't. But he added, "I think there's enough people in the Republican Party who are willing to do that. And I think that's what you're going to see."


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Inspired by Michael Mitzenmacher's
The hypothesis:
There is a significant difference in citation patterns between STOC/FOCS and SODAThe plan:
First, we obtained the list of titles of conference papers appearing in STOC, FOCS and SODA in the last 10 years (1997-2006). We deliberately excluded 2007 because FOCS hasn't happened yet. We got this list from DBLP (Note: DBLP does not make any distinction between actual papers and tutorials/invited articles; we decided to keep all titles because there weren't that many tutorials/invited papers in any case).
For each title, we extracted the citation count from Google Scholar, using a process that we henceforth refer to as "The Extractor". Life is too short to describe what "The Extractor" is. Suffices to say that its output, although not perfect, has been verified to be somewhat close to the true distribution (see below).
The results, and methodology, can be found at this link. The tables and graphs are quite self-explanatory. All source data used to generate the statistics are also available; you are welcome to download the data and make your own inferences. We'll be happy to post new results here and at the webpage.
The main conclusion is that the hypothesis is valid: a systematic discrepancy between citation counts of SODA vs. STOC/FOCS does appear to exist. However, the discrepancy varies significantly over time, with years 1999-2001 experiencing the highest variations. It is interesting to note that 1999 was the the year when SODA introduced four parallel sessions as well as the short paper option.
Although most of the stats for STOC and FOCS are quite similar, there appears to be a discrepancy at the end of the tail. Specifically, the 5 highest citation counts per year for STOC (years 1997-2001) are all higher than the highest citation count for FOCS (year 2001). (Note: the highest cited STOC article in 2001 was Christos Papadimitriou's tutorial paper on algorithms and game theory). The variation between SODA and STOC/FOCS in the 1999-2001 range shows up here too, between STOC and FOCS themselves. So maybe it's just something weird going on these years. Who knows :)
Another interesting observation comes from separating the SODA cites into long and short paper groups (for the period 1999-2005). Plotting citations for short vs long papers separately indicates that the presence of short papers caused a net downward influence on SODA citation counts, but as fewer and fewer shorts were accepted, this influence decreased.
There are other observations we might make, especially in regard to what happens outside the peak citations, but for that we need more reliable data. Which brings us to the next point.
To make sure that the output makes sense, we performed a few "checks and balances". In particular:
- we sampled 10 random titles from each of FOCS, STOC and SODA for each of the 10 years, and for each title we checked the citation count by hand. Results: there were 7 mistakes in FOCS, 9 in STOC, and 11 in SODA, indicating a current error rate in the 9-10% range.
- for each of FOCS, STOC, SODA, we verified (by hand) the values of the top 10 citation numbers, as reported by The Extractor
- we compared our stats for the year 2000 with the stats obtained by Michael. The results are pretty close:
Median (Mike's/Ours) | Total | |
Warning: the data displayed here is KNOWN to contain errors (our estimate is that around 10% of citation counts are incorrect). We would very much appreciate any efforts to reduce the error rate. If you would like to help:
- choose a "random" conference/year pair (e.g., STOC 1997)
- check if this pair has been already claimed in this blog; if yes, go to (1)
- post a short message claiming your pair (e.g., "CLAIMING STOC 1997") on the blog.
- follow the links to check the citations. For each incorrect citation, provide two lines: (1) paper title (2) a Google Scholar link to the correct paper
- Email the file to Suresh Venkatasubramanian.


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Futures Finalists Vote ends tonight
Clubs, teammates rallying behind candidates' campaigns for last roster spot
Teams, organizations, teammates, even the prospects themselves have been busy talking about the Futures Finalists vote.
For the first time, fans are determining the final player on both the U.S. and World team Futures Game rosters by casting their votes in the All-Star Sunday Futures Finalists ballot, available exclusively on MLB.com and the Club sites. Fans may cast their ballots until tonight at 11:59 ET.
There are five candidates for each team. The U.S. Futures Finalists are: OF Tyler Austin (Trenton/NYY; #VoteAustin); OF Nick Castellanos (Toledo/DET; #VoteCastellanos); 3B Garin Cecchini (Portland/BOS; #VoteCecchini); OF Courtney Hawkins (Winston-Salem/CWS; #VoteHawkins); and OF Brandon Nimmo (Savannah/NYM; #VoteNimmo). The players vying for the final roster spot on the World Team are: SS Javier Baez (Dayton/CHI; Puerto Rico; #VoteBaez); 1B Ji-Man Choi (Jackson/SEA; South Korea; #VoteChoi); SS Carlos Correa (Quad Cities/HOU; Puerto Rico; #VoteCorrea); 3B Renato Nunez (Beloit/OAK; Venezuela; #VoteNunez); and 2B Rougned Odor (Myrtle Beach/TEX; Venezuela; #VoteOdor).
World Team futures finalists voting
Place | Player | Team | |
1. | Carlos Correa | QC River Bandits (HOU) | |
2. | Javier Baez | Daytona Cubs (CHC) | |
3. | Rougned Odor | Myrtle Beach Pelicans (TEX) | |
4. | Ji-Man Choi | Jackson Generals (SEA) | |
5. | Renato Nunez | Beloit Snappers (OAK) |
It's possible that a debate over who's the better shortstop, Correa or Baez, could rage on years from now in the big leagues. Consider this Futures Finalists contest the first step, with the 2012 No. 1 overall Draft pick and the 2011 No. 9 pick locked in what is effectively a dead heat.
Both Correa and Baez are getting help from their parent organizations, with @Astros tweeting out a link to the ballot for Correa and @Cubs doing the same for Baez. Both have gotten shout outs from @LasMayores, the official twitter account of MLB.com's Spanish-language site. Baez also received tweets from the team he's playing for in 2013, the Daytona Cubs, and the team that would like to see him this year, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, while Correa is getting help from the Quad Cities River Bandits, his current team.
U.S. Team futures finalists voting
Rank | Player | Team | |
1. | Brandon Nimmo | Savannah Sand Gnats (NYM) | |
2. | Garin Cecchini | Portland Sea Dogs (BOS) | |
3. | Nick Castellanos | Toledo Mud Hens (DET) | |
4. | Tyler Austin | Trenton Thunder (NYY) | |
5. | Courtney Hawkins | Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) |
They're not the only World Team candidates getting some love. Choi, the Mariners prospect, has been getting international support as well, receiving tweets from Brad Miller, named to the U.S. Team in this year's Futures Game, his former teams -- the Clinton LumberKings and High Desert Mavericks, as well as the Australia Baseball League, where he once played.
The United States team race has Nimmo leading the way, though there's still time -- and plenty of creative marketing taking place -- to shift the standings.
Nimmo, who could get the chance to play in his potential future home, has been getting some help in high places. Big leaguers Eric Young Jr. and Zack Wheeler, both alumni of the Futures Game, have tweeted support for the 2011 first-round pick, as has reliever LaTroy Hawkins. But the biggest helping hand may have come from Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who even used a clever #MetsCowboy hashtag to describe Nimmo, a Wyoming native.
Mets prospect Brandon Nimmo can be elected to the ALL-STAR FUTURES GAME on July 14. Vote for Nimmo at http://goo.gl/dwaIq #MetsCowboy
- Sandy Alderson (@MetsGM) June 27, 2013
Cecchini has been getting plenty of support as well, with Red Sox affiliates in Portland, Salem and Greenville all pushing the #VoteCecchini cause. Anthony Ranaudo, on the U.S. pitching staff, is doing his part to get his organization-mate there.
#RedSox fans help send my teammate Garin Cecchini to the Futures Game. Text "U2" to the number 89269 right now!! Go! RT to spread the word.
- Anthony Ranaudo (@anthony_ranaudo) June 27, 2013
Austin, who was voted to play in last year's Futures Game, but couldn't attend because of a concussion, is getting the vast Yankees empire to help, with @Yankees tweeting a plea for votes. But it might be a slightly smaller Twitter account that is more meaningful to Austin. That comes from @austinmom03. Tyler's mother, Kim, is doing her part to get her son back in the race.
Castellanos, last year's Futures Game MVP, has garnered support from his current club, the Toledo Mud Hens, as well as from the parent Tigers.
And Hawkins might still be best known for his Draft night back flip, but the campaigns that have sprung up in his name should earn some points as well. The Winston-Salem Dash, where Hawkins plays, produced this video to spread the word.
In addition to voting on the web at MLB.com/futuresfinalists, fans also may use their mobile phones to cast votes via text message. To receive the All-Star Sunday Futures Finalists ballot, text the word "VOTE" to 89269. Individual player votes may be cast directly via text by sending a player's code to 89269. For example, Text "U3" to vote for U.S. Team Player 3. Player codes are as follows: Austin (U1), Cecchini (U2), Castellanos (U3), Hawkins (U4), Nimmo (U5), Baez (W1), Choi (W2), Correa (W3), Nunez (W4) and Odor (W5). All votes are final. Standard rate text messaging fees apply - check with mobile carriers for details.
The 15th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game takes place at 2 p.m. ET on All-Star Sunday, July 14, at Citi Field in New York and can be seen live on MLB.com, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD and followed live on MLB.com's Gameday. In addition, XM Radio will broadcast play-by-play coverage of the event live on MLB Network Radio XM 89. MLB.com will also provide complete coverage before, during and after the game. Fans can stay updated by following @MLBFutures on Twitter and can send/receive tweets to/from the U.S. and World Team dugouts during the game by tagging tweets with the hashtags #USDugout and #WorldDugout.