July 20, 2007

Pa. Upholds Right To Pay Out The Ass For Concerts

The Pennsylvania legislature recently passed a law guaranteeing protecting when buying concert tickets over the Internet.

It's a state law that says if you buy tickets for, say, the Philadelphia Kixx over the Internet and the show is cancelled or the tickets are fake or not the ones you paid for, you get a refund. How this is going to be enforced if you buy tickets from eBay power seller s3xyd00d469, I do not know.

There's no cap on the premium ticket sellers online can charge, so a $16 Phillies playoff ticket can go for $500 if it's that in demand. Of course, buying a Phillies playoff ticket is like the King of Mexico: It's a scenario that could possibly exist, but in reality does not. (There was some sort of word for this, "neither [x] nor [x]" I think. It was in sophomore year geometry class. Naturally, the only thing I actually remember is "King of Mexico." I don't even know how many sides a triangle has.)

Also, if you're scoring at home, selling tickets over the Internet: God bless America. Selling tickets outside the stadium: Illegal.

Pa. Regulates Resale Of Tickets Sold Over The Net [KYW 1060]

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April 27, 2007

Angry Blogger Makes Citizen Arrest Or Something

While Jon Corzine is doing better and recovering from his car accident (caused by Don Imus), he might have to dig deep into his pockets sometime soon.

A blogger by the name of GadFly actually left his house and issued a citizen seat-belt complaint against the governor.

Wait, you can do this? Can I go cite Ed Rendell for saying he drives around 80? Anyway, the ticket for driving (or riding in the passenger seat) without a seatbelt is $46, which should be pretty tough for the multimillionaire governor to pay.

On his blog, Gadfly -- aka Larry Angel -- discussed the citizen complaint. To note, his blog contains the following phrases: "THE CORRUTP [sic] MULLICA 5 AKA IDIOTS R US," "glen THE AUTO INSURANCE FRAUD KING forman," "jimmy THE ETHICALLY CHALLENGED curcio," "steve THE SCOFFLAW waszen." I don't know who these people are, but it seems they're all pretty evil.

His post about the seatbelt complain:

The statue of Justice is blindfolded as a symbol that laws are enforced impartially...that Lady Justice does not peek, to see how thick one’s wallet is or the color of one’s skin. Given the minor nature of the fine for not wearing a seat belt the State Police do a disservice to us all in not citing the Governor...as such inaction allows the perception of special treatment. It is further noted that the following day a seat belt ticket was signed by larry THE MISANTHROPIC PEDANTIC S.O.B. angel with the cooperation of Galloway officials.

Hm. Good... good to know.

Subject: Buck(l)ing the system [Gadfly]
Corzine gets citizen seat-belt complaint [AP/Philly.com]

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April 11, 2007

Milton Takes On Fort Knox

Milton Street was in court paying traffic tickets yesterday, and since Milton Street is the greatest politician ever, the Daily News' Regina Medina was there to chat up the friendly neighborhood Milton man.

Street paid $337 of the $637 he owes to the court, and went on a $50 a month payment plan to pay off the rest of his total. (The question here is: Does Milton Street have a job? How does he plan to get $50 a month -- assuming he doesn't win his bid for City Council, that is. Hell, how does Milton Street afford tolls?)

And now that Milton Street isn't actually running for mayor anymore -- though he is on the ballot for City Council -- he's done talking about the man he dubbed Watermelon Man, Michael Nutter, and has moved on to everyone's new favorite target, surprise frontrunner Tom Knox.

Street accused Tom Knox of lying about his plan to add more cops. "No, Tom Knox is lying," he told the Daily News. "[If] he knows how to fund it, tell us how you're going to fund it. Where are you going to get the money, Tommy?"

And then, there's this:

Street said he'll protest Monday outside Knox's headquarters, though he doesn't know at which one of the three offices he'll stage his protest.

Hell, Milt! Protest at all three! You and Tommy the Loan Shark can chill all day. And it's supposed to be nicer on Monday, I hope. Don't want Milton to get rained on or anything.

Street pays his tix, then nips at Knox [Daily News]
April 4: Nastiness Begins In Mayor's Race

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September 14, 2006

Eagles Lose By Selling Tickets

When standing room only Eagles tickets sold out yesterday in just a few minutes, they immediately showed up on local scalping websites.

Some people have blamed the Eagles for this, but it's not their fault. (It is odd, though, they accept advertising from online scalper RazorGator.) NBC 10 tries to correct these falsehoods and let us know who the real victims in exorbitant ticket prices are:

The biggest losers are the Eagles, who are getting a bum rap from fans who think the team is profiting from ticket scalping. The Birds only gross $600,000 from the ticket sale, before taxes. ¶ The team could cut 1 veteran, underperforming player and pocket more money than $600,000! (That's only half of what they saved when they cut Todd Pinkston.)

Shit! They could cut all their players and save tens of millions of dollars! Now that'd be fiscally responsible.

Eagles Blog: 'Ticket Scalping' And SRO Tickets [NBC 10]
Yesterday: Hot New Investment Item Sells Out In Minutes

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September 13, 2006

New Ticket Agency Hoping To Be Much, Much Worse Than Ticketmaster Ever Dreamed

Screw Ticketmaster! Right? The ticket giant has pretty much scooped up every venue from here to Turkmenistan, charging high services fees and generally making sure that concert and sports tickets cost approximately as a few years at a small liberal arts college.

Well, Ticketmaster is going to be out of Philly! Sorta! The Ticketmaster deal with the Wachovia Center and related places finally expired recently, and Comcast-owned ComcastTIX will soon begin selling tickets for the Wachovia Center and Spectrum, the Borgata, the Liacouras Center and the Sovereign Bank Arena. And you'll be able to buy tickets at the Ack-a-mee, too!

Surely, this new competitior to Ticketmaster wll have cheaper service fees, right? After years of being under the monopoly of the ticket giant, customers will finally have a break?

As ticket buyers are painfully aware, service charges can be sky-high on some concerts and sporting events, and that's not going to change much, conceded the execs.

"When someone's making a $1,000 charge for Barbra Streisand tickets, just the 2 percent fee we have to pay to the credit-card company is going to be steep, and that's built into the service fee," said Luukko.

Ohh, I see, it's the credit card company's fault! Which is why every business who takes credit cards charges enormous surcharges. There are perks, of course, like discounts for Comcast customers and the ability to give tickets to kids with a food, drinks and a t-shirt already on it. ("The bar code might even stipulate only nonalcoholic drinks," the Daily News warns. Y'know, so the 12-year-olds can't buy beer.)

But, hey, at least this company isn't worse that Ticketmaster. Right?

Comcast-TIX will be able to build profiles of the service users and put that information to use, said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko.

"Say, you've purchased tickets to a Metallica or AC/DC concert. Now we know you're a metal music fan and can send you an e-mail alert when Slayer is coming to town," said Luukko. "We'll be able to set up preferred-users clubs, maybe even offer half-price tickets to some shows."

Of course, Ticketmaster did that, too, but, man, at least they weren't so damn publicly gleeful about it.

Gee. I miss Ticketmaster already.

New ticket service vows to offer perks [Daily News]
ComcastTIX.com

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Hot New Investment Item Sells Out In Minutes

This morning, Eagles standing room only tickets went on sale, and fans pounced.

The Eagles website reports that tickets sold out in minutes, as fans and scalpers alike scooped up the $50 (plus various ridiculous surcharges) tickets that will allow you to stand in the councourses or steal tardy fans' seats.

But, never fear! The fifty buck tickets can be had online, at places like RazorGator, for only...

Hey, for only a $300 premium. But, that's a seat -- or, rather, a place to stand -- for the game against T.O.! C'mon, how could it really not be worth it?

Standing Room Tickets Sell Out Quickly [PhiladelphiaEagles.com]
Bird Brains [PW]
Related: Eagles officials angry about early sale of standing-room tickets [Daily News]
Yesterday: Buy, Eagles Fans, Buy

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September 12, 2006

Leftovers: Buy, Eagles Fans, Buy

• The Eagles will be selling 1500 standing-room only tickets for each home game tomorrow morning, sending IT departments into a frenzy when they realize that every single person at the office is constantly refreshing the Eagles homepage. [Daily News]

• John Perzel has proposed a huge increase in police officers all over the state, including 1,300 new cops in Philly alone. Perzel: "We're here today to send a clear message to the drug-dealing thugs, the illegal gun-pushers, and all those responsible for terrorizing our neighborhoods and communities - your days are numbered." Drug-dealing thugs had a mixed reaction to the news. [Inquirer]

• Herb Denenberg answers the tough questions: "Question: Can an insurance company refuse to insure my dog?" [The Evening Bulletin]

• Is it any coincidence that when a Northeast Philadelphia native is in space, the astronauts lose a bolt into the abyss? I think not. [AP/CNN.com]

• Now you can get to Harrisburg in 90 minutes instead of two hours! Yay? Hurrah? Does anyone actually travel to Harrisburg? [AP/Philly.com]

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September 05, 2006

Leftovers: Ralph Archbold To Sue For Copyright Infringement

• Target has released a talking Franklin Delano Roosevelt doll that... well... is pretty much Ben Franklin. Really, it is. [Wonkette]

• Don't move to the side when you see an accident? Oh, you're getting a ticket. Uh, wait, how would one not move when seeing an accident scene? Would you already get a ticket -- or at least a higher insurance rate -- for plowing into the cars in front of you? [KYW 1060]

• Okay, it's all Phillies from here on out, so you can stop reading if you're so inclined. Is Ryan Howard on steroids? Uh, no. No no no. Don't even mention it. In fact, I bet he takes drugs to make him smaller, just to make it tougher for him. And he still hits 400 homers a game. [Daily News]

• Speaking of Ryan Howard, it looks like the blogoambit has scooped the "Main Stream Media" again! Will Bunch on his blog: "Last week, we were the first to write about the possibility that the Phillies' Ryan Howard could hit as many as 61 home runs[.]" Somebody get that boy a New Era hat with "PRESS" in it; he's an old fashioned muckraker in a 21st century media world! [Attytood]

• Best sportswriter in the world DJ Gallo on the Phillies playoff chances: "[T]hey have no chance of making the playoffs. Why? Because their general manager says so.... But then his players went out and started winning, and they seem to have no intention of stopping. Which is kind of rude and disrespectful to Gillick, if you ask me. It's not right for players to hang their GM out to dry like that." [ESPN.com Page 2]

• Update, 6:37 p.m.: Brian Rochford, Society editor of The Evening Bulletin, passed away sometime over the weekend. He was 45. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. [The Evening Bulletin]

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August 31, 2006

Leftovers: Please Speak Section 8 When Renting

• A landlord in Abington is renting a house with one caveat: "Section 8 & Meagan's [sic] Law Welcome." He's also looking for convicted arsonists, professional heroin users and Terrell Owens. [CBS 3]

• Dear gods of the blogoverse, please please please make the liberal bloggers come to Philadelphia. (And, for that matter, any conservative bloggers, too.) Then we can get bowling balls and make the greatest game in the history of the world. [Attytood]

• A trucker in East Whiteland Township got a ticket for $17,000. "But once you get in the there with a 53-footer, its impossible to get out," he said. Tell me about it. [NBC 10]

• In response to his uncle's arrest, Bam Margera is going to move to Kazakhstan. With Borat! [Inquirer]

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Shitty Philly Cabs Cause Extra Buck Surcharge

Parking tickets went up five bucks this week, a hike done because people were just getting parking tickets instead of parking in, uh, garages. (Kinda.)

But, although City Council approved a $5 surcharge, there's also an extra buck surcharge from the state legislature:

Corinne O’Connor, head of on-street parking, says the extra buck is needed because the Parking Authority now oversees taxis and limos in the city:

“We did not receive any kind of funding for staffing and the cost it takes to run that department, so the dollar surcharge has helped with that.”

O’Connor says beyond the goal of the original increase is not to raise cash, but to spur turnaround at the meters.

So, right: Taxis are pretty shitty, and so the state needs to charge extra to make sure they stay that way. Thanks, Pennsylvania.

Most City Parking Fines Up by $5 -- Actually, $6 [KYW 1060]

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