Lucas Sells Star Wars Franchise for $4 Billion; New Trilogy to Be Made

Star Wars creator George Lucas has sold his famous space opera franchise to Disney for a whopping $4.05 billion.  Lucas made his name through bringing the Star Wars universe to multiple generations of movie-goers with his sci-fi/fantasy tale that spanned six movies, an CGI-animated show, a couple of made-for-TV movies (including the 1978 Star Wars Christmas Special that neither fans or Lucas himself ever wish to discuss, and rightfully so-it is a-w-f-u-l) plus billions of dollars worth of merchandising sales since 1977.  He is also the innovator of Pixar, the company born out of Graphics Group in 1978 (which itself was begat by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) in 1977 that was sold to Apple in 1986 and then finally to the Walt Disney Company in 2006.  The franchise has to date brought in $4.4 billion combined global box-office receipts.

But enough about the history of George Lucas and his business offshoots, he has sold his baby and he himself was quoted as saying, ""I've always believed that 'Star Wars' could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime,"
New Star Wars movies on the way, baby!!

With new producers and directors at the helm, will this mean the end of corny lines and bad acting?  Maybe. But maybe not.  After all, that is part of the whole SW universe is it not?  Of course we could all have done without Hayden Christiansen as Anakin Skywalker, midiclorians and of course, Jar-Jar Binks.  But really, do even the most die-hard SW fans really care?  Did they ever?  Or were they like me and just were almost orgasmic that three brand new movies would allow us to relive our collective childhoods at the same time introducing the greatest movie trilogy to our children?

Maybe the piece I wrote a while ago has something to it.

But there is a downside...a big one.  What if Disney over-saturates the SW universe and makes either too many or just plain bad ones?  I mean look at movie franchises such as Friday the 13th, Halloween or Police Academy that just went on too long in pursuit of the almighty dollar and ruined even the first couple of movies that many might consider gems or even classics.  There are exceptions, such as the Harry Potter series, but that is a big exception.

But again, who cares?  Unless the above happens and Disney totally soils every memory and all those hours upon hours of my time spent alone (proudly) creating new stories (but mostly just re-creating scenes from Star Wars through Return of the Jedi-that right! the franchise was originally three movies and they had actual names, not this silly "Episode 1," "Episode 2" crap) I'll be happy to see what they do with it.  Maybe some OLd Republic stories, maybe a contuing arc with cameos by Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher.  Don't hold your breath on that one, but theoretically, it could happen.

Yay, new Star Wars movies.

Worst NHL Logos...Whattya Think?

Since there is no real hockey news to discuss thanks to the inexcusable lock-out of National Hockey League players by the owners due to everyone involved needing more than their $5 million/year (at least) contracts and $2 billion revenue for the league itself, I'm relegated to link to a article about the worst NHL logos.  Fortunately, this type of thing interests me, so I'm hoping it has at least some sort of entertainment value because watching KHL or American Hockey League games from Russia on-line just isn't cutting it.

Why Just the NHL?

When the National Hockey League made an arrangement with the Board of Trustees of the Stanley Cup (the people responsible for maintaining and protecting it) in 1947 (and again in 2000) it was determined and agreed upon that Lord Stanley's mug would be the de facto championship of the NHL after the demise of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (later the Western Canada Hockey League, then finally the Western Hockey League) in 1926.  Many think that since the cup was originally presented to the "amateur hockey champions of the dominion" (Canada) that Canadian teams have the right to challenge for the cup if there is a labour dispute or work stoppage that would result in the cup not being awarded to a NHL team, much like what happened in 2005.

Two Toronto beer-league hockey players launched a legal challenge during the 2004-05 lockout to amend this aspect of the agreement between trustees and the NHL, leading to an out-of-court settlement a year later.  The court ruled in the players favour, however the powers of who ultimately decided who gets to compete for the cup remained with the trustees and they say no team outside the NHL will hoist the cup.

1. The Trustees hereby delegate to the League full authority to determine and amend from time to time the conditions for competition of the Stanley Cup, including the qualifications of challengers, the appointment of officials, the apportionment and distribution of all gate receipts, provided always that the winners of this trophy shall be the acknowledged World's Professional Hockey Champions.
2. The Trustees agree that during the currency of this agreement they will not acknowledge or accept any challenge for the Stanley Cup unless such a challenge is in conformity with the condition specified in paragraph one (1) thereof.
3. The League undertakes the responsibility for the care and safe custody of the Stanley Cup including all necessary repairs and alterations to the cup and sub-structure as may be required from time to time, and further undertakes to insure the Stanley Cup for its full insurable value.
4. The League hereby acknowledges itself to be bound to the Trustees in the sum of One Thousand Dollars, which bond is conditioned upon the safe return of the Stanley Cup to the Trustees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and it is agreed that the League shall have the right to return the trophy to the Trustees at any time.
5. This agreement shall remain in force so long as the League continues to be the world's leading professional hockey league as determined by its playing caliber, and in the event of dissolution or other termination of the National Hockey League, the Stanley Cup shall revert to the custody of the trustees.
6. In the event of default in the appointment of a new trustee by the surviving trustee, the "Trustees" hereby delegate and appoint the Governors of the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario, to name two Canadian trustees to carry on under the terms of the original trust, and in conformity with this Agreement.
7. And it is further mutually agreed that any disputes arising as to the interpretation of this Agreement or the facts upon which such interpretation is made, shall be settled by an Arbitration Board of three, one member to be appointed by each of the parties, and the third to be selected by the two appointees. The decision of the Arbitration Board shall be final.^[13]

-SOURCE: Wikipedia

I get all the agreement stuff and legal mumbo-jumbo.  The NHL essentially owns the cup (if not officially) and even if there is a work stoppage or another entire season wiped out, no team from the amateur ranks (say the competitors for the Allan Cup-the successor to the Stanley Cup as Canadian amateur supremacy) or juniors, no other kids that have dreamed of hoisting hockey's Holy Grail, unless they're a member of an NHL team, will never get that chance.  Somehow, I doubt that was the original intention of Lord Stanley, the Earl of Preston when he purchased the sterling silver punch bowl to crown Canada's hockey kings.

But think about it.  Wouldn't it be an exciting time for hockey, professional or otherwise, if any team could have a chance to challenge for the Stanley Cup?  Not juniors.  They have the Memorial Cup and the Stanley Cup was never meant or advertised for junior hockey competition.  But pro-am and minor league teams?  Why not?  Imagine the intrigue if minor league or amateur team were told they had the opportunity to be hockey's club world champions?  A kid that had dreamed of playing in the NHL only to be cut, injured or otherwise told his dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup one day was done was now in the running to have his name etched on the cup with the heroes of yesteryear.  Maybe even a true world tournament.  Much like the World Championships or Olympics, the best or best available could compete from all over the globe.

Isn't the Stanley Cup, regardless of who or what league supposed to be the emblem of hockey's best?  Isn't that better than having the greatest symbol of hockey supremacy, and the oldest and hardest team trophy to win collecting dust because a decision can't be made on what millionaires should make the most money?

Could It Be?

I'll believe it when I see it (or them) litteraly.
But, oh what happy days it will be.  Except, hey George, no more Jake Lloyds, Haden Christiansens and for the love of everything decent, please nothing even remotely close to resembling Jar Jar Binks!

The Rolling Stones Celebrate 50 Years

After 50 years of blues-oriented rock and roll, the Rolling Stones are still filling stadiums and influencing young rock and rollers all over the world.  eveybody who has ever picked up a guiter, or ever wanted to, know the ensemble of Mick Jagger, Kieth Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood.  Before the modern incarnation of the band, there were members Bill Wyman who left the band in ???? and the late Brian Jones, who died accidentally at the age of 27 in 1969.  Ian Stewart played piano for a short time and Dick Taylor, Mick Taylor and Tony Chapman also served in other capacities for a time.  Since 1993, Darryl Jones (bassist) and Chuck Leavell (keyboardist) have applied their trade in studio and live performances.

Everybody know the iconic tounge and lips logo even without any wordmarks indicating the signature logo belongs to the world's most famous rock band.  That is if you don't count The Beatles, or perhaps even if you do.

KISS/Motley Crue Tour Press Conference

A little late with this post, BUT, better late than never.  Here is the press conference announcing the 2012 summer "Monster" tour of KISS and Motley Crue.

Unfortunately I'm going to miss this one as I recently moved half way across the country (Canada) back home from the hub of concert access in Windsor, Ontario where I could either go to Detroit and anywhere in Michigan or five hours up the 401 to Toronto to see any concert I wanted.  Hopefully the tour will come back this way in the fall or early next year in a "lost cities" tour (as KISS did last fall with Sonic Boom/Hottest Show on Earth) after touring in Europe.

Director Nolan says He is Forever Done with Batman

According to his wife and business partner Emma Thomas, director Christopher Nolan says he will never again be at the helm of another Batman movie.