The end of an era, the beginning of another...

The Kevin C. Burns Benton Wal-Mart SuperCenter era has come to an end. After nearly 13 months of cashiering at store #85, I have moved on...To another Wal-Mart. Beginning tomorrow I will become a garden center cashier at a Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Little Rock. It is newer, better looking, more spacious, and I'm happy to be going there. Plus, it's a pay raise to work up here :). I'm not entirely sure how a garden center cashier is different but I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow during my first nine hour shift (yikes!). So that is where my job situation stands.

The Kevin C. Burns high school era is ending soon as well. After next Friday, I will have graduated from high school. It's overwhelming to think that in four years I will need to have my career plans pretty much set. But the next four years will be amazing, I'm sure.

Maybe I'll do a better job of keeping this blog updated this summer but don't count on it :)

Boomer Sooner!
-Kevin C. Burns

Respect vs. Exposure + My favorite TV show returns in four days!

From the Associated Press: "NEW YORK (AP) -- Versus has picked up an option to televise NHL games for three more years...

The cable network, formerly known as OLN, began televising NHL games during the 2005-06 season. It paid $65 million for the first year, $70 million for the second, and exercised a $72.5 million option for this season.

Ratings for NHL games on Versus are up this season. Through 29 games, average viewership has increased 34 percent from 195,666 to 261,760. Versus is airing 57 regular-season games this season."

I am a big fan of hockey, specifically the NHL. Call me crazy but I love hockey (maybe it comes from liking soccer a lot too). For me, it's an exciting rush from the goals, the incredible saves, and the big hits. I know my opinion is not shared by most Americans. Which is why the NHL's primary broadcast partner is Versus (with weekly games on NBC for the second half of the season).

So now, for at least three more seasons, NHL games will be broadcast on Versus, a channel not widely available. Though Comcast will claim 70 million households or so can receive Versus (compared to ~90-100 million for ESPN), how many actually receive it? I can receive Versus via Dish Network but that requires upgrading to the most expensive package.

So the question is: What is better for the NHL, a league struggling to regain popularity after a strike: Money and respect from Versus or exposure and less money from a broadcast juggernaut in ESPN? I would love to get into hockey more but I can't because most of the playoff games are on VS, a channel I can't get. How many more casual fans are like me and can't become invested fans because VS isn't available? I guess we won't know for another three years...

In other television news...

My favorite television show, LOST, returns this Thursday! Unfortunately the writers' strike has cut this season in half but a half season is better than no season! To celebrate, some friends and I are watching it together :). It's been eight long months since the last episode but LOST is almost here! And, in reference to my previous post, Comcast has KATV's HD signal back and my dad's office has Comcast so I will be recording LOST there on Thursday nights to avoid the whole ethical/moral dilemma. An exciting month ahead, more to come later...
-Kevin C. Burns

Sticky Situation

Ok, here's the setup:

I love HDTV. My favorite TV show is LOST, neither of those statements are news to those who have read this blog and/or have talked to me for longer than 5 minutes or so :). LOST is on ABC. My local ABC affiliate is KATV. KATV's tower collapsed two weeks ago. KATV will not have a new tower for many, many months. It probably won't be back on the air, via antenna in high definition, until after I'm long gone to Norman, OK.

I can still few LOST in standard definition, albeit sloppy SD, via DISH Network. However, there are absolutely zero options to watch LOST in HD in central Arkansas, not even on cable or if we had an HD package from DISH. If KATV's tower had not collapsed, I would watch and record each LOST episode each week and store the episodes, after editing commercials out, on my external hard drive.

But since KATV does not have a tower at this time, and no other HD service is available, I cannot do this. I still plan to watch LOST in standard definition each Thursday night and I will watch the local commercials (or change channels). Therefore, is it morally ok for me to use a torrent client such as BitTorrent to download HD episodes of LOST after they air? Why or why not? I'm seeking your opinion here. Regardless of the confusing laws in place, if there were no laws governing this, would it be morally ok to download a TV show for free?

My justification: I would be recording LOST and editing out the commercials for myself anyways so why is it wrong to download the same thing I would have? I'm not using this as a means to avoid KATV's commercials and their income. I'm not using this to sell it or display it for the public. I am not using it instead of buying the season 4 DVDs when they come out (there's no doubt I'll buy Season 4). I am simply using it to watch the show in HD, an option not available to me due to an unforeseeable accident and lack of HD download stores. Therefore, as much as I dislike and fear using BitTorrent and similar programs (due to lawsuits from the big bad media companies), I will be downloading HD episodes of LOST on Fridays to enjoy the spectacular scenery and amazing HD of the best show on television.

Another Postseason Disappointment

Another good Cowboys season, another disappointing end. Another good season for a Dallas sports team, another bitter end. It really started in June 2006...

The Dallas Mavericks take a 2-0 lead on the Miami Heat before losing four in a row in the NBA Finals...

January 2007-Tony Romo bobbles a potential game-winning field goal snap and the Cowboys fall two points short in Seattle...

April 2007-The best team in the NBA regular season, the Mavericks, lose in six games to the #8 seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round...

Also in April 2007, the Dallas Stars lost game 7 to Vancouver in the first round after a decent season.

Now it's 2008 and the bad luck seems to have carried over. The Cowboys fell at home to the New York Giants. Incredibly disappointing after a great regular season. I'm just ready for a Dallas team to break the curse and win a championship!

American Gladiators is back!

After years of reality television trash (with a select few rising above the trash), a good reality show is back! American Gladiators premiered last night on NBC. Though it is often a little over-the-top with the dialogue, the sports action is outstanding. Plus, it is broadcast in high-definition while most reality shows are not (American Idol and Dancing with the Stars are). With the ongoing television writers' strike leaving TV viewers without much new programming, American Gladiators is a great choice for sports fans!

It is now on my list of can't-miss TV shows (an elite group with Heroes, The Office, and LOST, of course, being the others).

So check it out Mondays at 8/7c on NBC!