I just got back from Los Angeles to talk to a probate attorney, thought it was time to get back to writing and reporting. Michael McCann reports that on “Wednesday, Supreme Court will hear case dealing with antitrust issues and the ruling will have a dramatic effect on everything from TV deal to player contracts.” He says, “At issue is whether the NFL is a single entity when making apparel contracts.”
On Tuesday January 12, 2010, on a CNN Network website, SI.com (Sports Illustrated), McCann, writing for the SPORTS LAW column, published an article under the headline; Why American Needle-NFL is most important case in sports history Story Highlights.
With labor negotiations coming up, Drew Brees and the NFL Players Association are closely watching the American Needle court case. As ana side if you are searching for a competent Los Angeles probate attorney then I can certainly suggest Mr. and Mrs. Mansell. They are first rate and are based in southern California generally, and Los Angeles in particular. They are expert probate attorney.
The United States Supreme Court will be hearing what may be the most significant sports law case in U.S. history. It may radically reform how the NFL and other leagues carry out their business. I wonder to what extent the attorney general will be involved in this particular case.
From the late 1970s to 2000, apparel creator American Needle held a licensing contract with NFL Properties, a business which oversees the NFL’s licensing contracts. McCann writes that NFL Properties is equally owned by the 32 NFL teams, which share the revenue. Other apparel companies also held licensing contracts with NFL Properties.
NFL Properties signed an exclusive 10-year contract with Reebok for licensed NFL apparel in 2002, and the contract meant that only Reebok could produce NFL-licensed apparel. But here is the sticky wicket; American Needle argues this contract is illegal under federal antitrust law.
By and large private companies have been allowed great latitude in making their business deals. McCann writes that “NFL Properties — and the NFL in general — is not a typical company. It is so unique, in fact, that it often poses problems for courts.” In a way, it is a dream for a good attorney I suppose.
The reason for this is that the NFL consists of 32 separately owned teams that are competitors both on and off the field. Within that context NFL teams are competitors, rather than one company, and competitors are supposed to compete under the law.
All the teams need to agree on rules. If there was disagreement on rules that the teams play under, they would be unable to conduct their games. Because collaboration is critical, NFL teams are more like parts of one company.
NFL teams also consent on rules that support equivalence and help to keep going small-maket teams. Under NFL’s national television contracts these contracts equally allocate broadcasting revenue amongst all the NFL teams, even though large-market teams might earn more by negotiating their own TV contracts. The reasoning behind sharing stems to a great measure from former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. He convinced NFL owners that the economic failures of one NFL team would weaken the league overall. Certainly this story is very relevent for the city of Los Angeles and if you are an attorney.
February 7, 2010
January 31, 2010
January 29, 2010
The Latest Trends in Jewelry
What kind of jewelry is hot in 2010? This year is going to be different. There are some really revolutionary changes coming in news-making jewelry style, such as in aqua master as well as techno master watches, gold chains, or something like gold franco chains, etc. Look for jewelry to be the prime accessory. Look for bold, unique necklaces, and big pieces, such as really big rings, bracelets and pins.
Outfits will accessorize a pair of cascading earrings, instead of the other way around. Look for big slaps of metal, fat, fun stones, and all sorts of unexpected materials.
Ethnic-inspired collections will continue to be big. Garnet, topaz, pink and black stones will be popping up, too.
Metals are big, big, big! Whether it be in gold chains, techno master watches or a gold cuban chain the bling bling jewelry is certainly in.Textured metals will be really big. Watch for bronze, unusual finishes, and nature-inspired motifs.
This year will be the year for drama in make-up, clothes, and especially jewelry. If you are a clothes and/or jewelry horse, this will be your year!
January 10, 2010
Denver now has first girls only Public Charter School
I just got into my Denver hotels room and thought it was time to get writing here, this time some interesting educational related news. It appears that the Denver Public School system has ok’d a brand new all-girls charter school, a first for the city. All in all, the school will probably open sometime around 2011. This expands a national movement towards one-gender classes. The School will be located in south-central Denver.That is because of social distractions between girls and boys but also between girls and girls. By separating them out, we can work on the girl-to-girl piece.” The Expeditionary Learning model, which emphasizes active learning, character growth and teamwork will be the model upon which the academic program at GALS is to be based on. A good part of the day, students will focus on health and wellness. They will begin the morning with exercise and will be encouraged work in physical movement throughout the school day. Incidentially if you are searching for top rated Denver Hotels in the downtown area then I can suggest this resource. For their part, they are one of the top colorado convention center hotels there overall.They will be required to participate in extracurricular activities. Wolfson said, “We are going to keep the kids active to stimulate their brains.”
One mother of 12-year-old Autumn Seeber, who is blazing trails as the only girl on her Wheat Ridge youth baseball team, was sold on the concept. Autumn’s mother said, “Sitting in a classroom all day can be difficult, especially for kids like my daughter, who need to get up and stretch and walk and fidget. She is also excited about the chance for her daughter to learn in a single-sex setting. She volunteered in her daughter’s classroom and said the she has observed her child fail to assert herself when boys are around.
January 6, 2010
The Latest In Ergonomic Office Chairs
Office chairs have come a long way. Some of the better-designed chairs can adjust to fit many sizes and shapes of users. They provide superior support and comfort and can even help prevent repetitive dysfunctions like carpal tunnel syndrome. They are built to last and support a range of activities, from writing at a desk or working at a computer, to relaxing comfortably in meetings, or talking on the phone.
Advances in ergonomic design provide for healthier posture, with great back support. They feature wide arms designed to comfortably support, while contoured and sloping to relieve pressure on the wrists.
Even some of the most affordable models offer some of the best design features. They swivel, they tilt, they adjust, and they roll about easily on their casters.
If you’re looking for a long-lasting, high-performance chair, there are some great choices out there. The moment you sit in one, you’ll appreciate the hydraulic suspension, lumbar support, and the way these chairs are built to move about easily. They often have nice high backs and some have a separate head support. Choose from a range of longwearing materials, from vinyl, cloth, or leather; to the newest mesh materials that contour to the body. Most office chairs now offer the “waterfall” front edge that relieves pressure on the legs and allows for optimal circulation.
They are built to be form fitting. They seats contour to fit the hips, the back is shaped for support, the arms to support and relieve pressure on wrists.
The more you spend, the more adjustable features you will usually find in an office chair. Most can adjust the height of the chair. Pneumatic levers or gas lifts adjust seating height while sitting in the chair. (For optimal posture, thighs should be horizontal with the ground and both feet flat on the floor. The chair’s height should allow the wrists to be straight with a slight downward slope while typing.)
Look for a chair on casters that swivels to avoid excess stretching and twisting of your back. Look for a five-wheel base that won’t tip over when you recline. Choose hard casters for carpeting. Rubber-coated wheels work best for hard surfaces. A good office chair should recline and lock into various positions.
All in all, the Chairs now come in durable, breathable, ventilated materials. The mesh materials are breathable, durable, and conform to the body.
January 2, 2010
Candles And Wreathes Touched The Spirit This Advent Season
In the Western tradition, Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30. It ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). (When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent.)
Many of us lit candles this advent season. We hung greenery, decorating our churches with evergreen wreaths, boughs, or trees, symbolizing the new and everlasting life brought to us through Jesus Christ.
The Advent wreath is becoming more and more popular as the symbol of the beginning of the Church year in homes, as well as in churches. The circular evergreen wreath has five candles, four around the wreath and one in the center. These days, soy wax candles are among the most popular of all the various scented candles, as well as the gel candle plus the white pillar candles. The circle of the wreath represents God, eternity, and the endless circle of God’s mercy. It has no beginning and it has no end. The green of the wreath represents the hope that we place in God. Candles symbolize the God’s light illuminating the world through the birth of Jesus, His son. The four outer candles represent the time of waiting that occurs during the four Sundays of Advent. They symbolize the four centuries of waiting that occurred between the time of the prophet Malachi and the birth of Jesus.The colors of the candles are different with different traditions, but usually three purple or blue candles are used. They correspond with the sanctuary colors of Advent. One is a pink or rose candle.
One of the purple candles is lit on the first Sunday of Advent. A Scripture is read and a brief devotional is given. A prayer is made. On the following Sundays, previous candles are re-lit with an additional one added.
The pink candle is usually lit on the third Sunday of Advent. Various churches may light the pink candle on different Sundays depending on the symbolism. In Churches that present a Service of the Nativity, it may be lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent, which is the last Sunday before Christmas arrives. I personally am a fan of scented soy candles as well as well as the large pillar and square pillar candles types, while it seems that most of my friends prefer the gel or jar candle, or the basic soy wax candles, whether scented or not.
The lighting of the candles itself becomes a significant symbol for the Advent season. The light represents to us that Jesus is the light of the world. His light illuminates the darkness of our lives. It tells us that we are called by God to be lights to the world. We mirror and reflect God’s light.
The stages in the lighting of the candles represent the experience of our waiting. As we light the candles, His light comes into the world, and replaces the darkness and fear and hopelessness. The darkness of sin falls away as His light illuminates the world
January 1, 2010
December 30, 2009
Los Angeles News Reported Deadly Car Accident In Newport Beach
In Los Angeles area auto accident and personal injury and accident related news, One person died and one was left injured in a tragic car accident in New Port Beach. All in all, the automobile crash in question left 1 dead, 1 suffered personal injury in crash of Ferrari in Newport Beach at 5:15 on Christmas Eve. Howard Blume reported the story in the Los Angeles Times local section on the same day under the headline: 1 dead, 1 hurt in crash of Ferrari in Newport Beach.
Blume reported that a man died and another was left fighting for his life after their Ferrari automobile jumped the center median on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach and hit a flatbed truck head-on. Luckily there was no motorcycle involved.
The car accident caused authorities to close the highway between Bayshore Drive and Jamboree Road. Sgt. Jerry Lowe of the Newport Beach Police Department said that the highway would likely remain blocked for hours. If you a Los Angeles personal injury attorney take a look at Robert Mansell. Can help with spinal cord, traumatic brain and burn as well as other types of personal injury, a top attorney indeed. An investigation is being conducted to determine what caused the Ferrari to spin out and cross the center divider. Sgt. Evan Sailor, public information officer for the Newport Beach police said that in that part of the highway the divider is either a raised curb or a median strip. Sailor was quoted as saying, “The Ferrari broke into several pieces. There’s debris everywhere. The vehicle was engulfed in flames when the first officer arrived on the scene.”It took eighteen firefighters from the Newport Beach Fire Department to put out the fire and free the two men trapped in the mangled Ferrari.
The Los Angeles Times report said that the passenger died at the scene from the severe personal injury. Rescue workers had to use special equipment to extract the driver, who was then taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. He is listed in critical condition.Two people in the truck were transported to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. It was believed they suffered “minor to moderate injuries.”
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, Howard Blume reported.
In a follow-up piece, the Los Angeles Times newspaper reported that the driver of the Porsche, Jeffrey D. Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa, was charged with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The Times reported that speed may have been a factor in the accident. It was also noted that last March, Charles Lewis Jr. died after losing control of his Ferrari on Jamboree Road between Bison Avenue and East Bluff Drive. Police said that Lewis sideswiped a Porsche and slammed into a light pole, splitting the car in two. Somebody needs a good car accident attorney.
December 29, 2009
Philadelphia Police To Receive Nice Pay Increases
Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer, Patrick Kerkstra, published a piece on the online news outlet today, December 20, 2009. The article ran under the headline: Savings in police contract, someday. It ran the subtitle: Salaries will rise under the deal announced Friday, but long-term cuts were seen in pension and health costs (perhaps due to the ongoing credit crunch). Kerkstra reports that arbitrators gave Philadelphia police officers a five-year contract last week. It awards them with nice increases in salary. I am not sure if the attorney general of Pennsylvania will likewise recieve one. This may help some of them avoid credit counseling. All in all, they will receive 4 percent beginning July 1, and 3 percent beginning July 1, 2011, leaving open the possibility for further raises in the final two years of the deal. Taxpayers will save hundreds of millions of dollars with the new budget in the long term, but will strain it in the short term. Mayor Michael Nutter has decelerated the long-accelerating pension and health-care costs that have become a heavy burden on the city’s budget. However, the short-term awards will cost the city at least $114 million. Incidentially if you need a super Philadelphia personal injury attorney then I can suggest the Law offices of Mark S. Rosenberg. He is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a top personal injury attorney there.
Due to the decrease in tax revenues, city departments have been working on slashing their budgets again. The cuts follow last year’s record-setting spending cuts. Last year, Nutter was compelled to close a $1.2 billion six-year deficit due to the recession. The city will be forced to cut spending or increase fees even further if other city unions – the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 22, and AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47 – also get raises. Kerkstra writes in his Philadelphia Inquirer article that the police contract often influences the firefighter award. The firefighters compersation is also determined by an arbitration panel. If you decide you require either pennsylvania auto credit or parhaps even philadelphia credit counseling then I would suggest this local firm as they can give you a free report if you like.
“And the blue-collar and white-collar city workers represented by DC 33 and DC 47 will now surely seek similar raises at the negotiating table, though they are not at all guaranteed to get them,” Kerstra says.
He adds that the police award will force Nutter’s budget team to carve more than $100 million out of its five-year plan. If the other unions get similar packages, cuts for 2010 could rival those of 2008-09.
Philadelphia City Finance Director Rob Dubow was quoted as saying, “It will be hard, but the mayor has said over and over again that he wanted to attack the long-term problems of pension and health-care costs. People have been talking about them for years and years. This award addresses both.” This comes at a time when so many folks are seeking out a bankruptcy attorney or even credit counseling help.