Michael Hopcroft

The Game of Spanish Flu NT:L Subtle signs the LoFi Girl (the one who its at her desk studying day and night while Muzak soft music plays in the background) no longer finds your antics amusing.

I had to take care of other things and had to set the game I was watching aside. Were the Oilers able to hang on? The other series in the East is the Rangers and the Hurricanes, which New York tied up today. I'm sure the waiting Lightning would rather play New York than Carolina. That's what's so rough about having to prepare for the dreaded TBA.

Strat-o-Matic Soccer and APBA Cricket

"Gordon..." "Who's this Gordon character?" "That is your name, Gordon..." "My mother calls me Sting. My children call me Sting." (In case anyone wonders, that's from Michael Apted's documentary Bring on the Night, about the recording of Sting's seminal "solo" debut The Dream of the Blue Turtles.)

Three Words: Razor Hockey Pucks.

Sometimes going for satire does not work. I have not seen the film, but I know what it was trying to do. But it sounds overambitious and full of the fetishization of murder that they were trying to warn s against. In many cases our celebrity and noteriety-based culture has gone too far. It's hard to go too over-the-top in fiction when Kyle Rittenhouse happens in the real world.

"Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar -- Galactica -- leads a rag-tag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest. A shining planet -- known as Earth!"

Q: What did they call John Lennon after a munchies-fueled overzealous night at the all-you-can-eat buffet? Q: Are you sure your son has the stuff for Clown College of Oklahoma? A: They don't let women kill you — not here in the Tower of Song.

The Great, Magnificent, and Powerful Dr. Oz. NT: Subtle signs that the editor of your local newspaper (assuming you have one) is out of their mind.

The Coffee Ground Sandwich, McJolt. A couple of those and it may be neccesary to tranquilize you, but it may take a rather large brick. NT: What's REALLY in those 19 Herbs and Spices KFC uses to bread its chicken.

It's raining Chocolate Milk and Tacos. NT: Subtle signs you've had one too many Egg McMuffins this morning.

This may be a game-changer for Video Games and Esports: FIFA has broken up with EA Sports, who will not produce their game without the naming rights in 2023 after thirty profitable years. Electronic Arts has been the six-hundred-pound gorilla of the genre. Their soccer, football (Madden), and hockey ("Chel") sell like hotcakes even if critics have gone less and less impressed each season. Not only are the games popular and profitable, but it gives the distributor a near monopoly in the field. Right now, for example, they have an EXCLUISIVE license with the NFL. The games also have a substantial Esports presence. I attended one of the last eMLS (the official Esports competition of Major League Soccer) tournament finals that were open to the public and had a grand old time seeing people so good at a video game that they earn their livings at it. While this finally lets other companies into the party, EA Sports is still free to negotiate with leagues and clubs on its own. So they can still get exclusive rights to the kits, images, stadiums, and league structures of any organization whose price they are willing to meet. They just can't use FIFA, UEFA, and CONCAF (the North American organization, including Canada, the USA, Mexico, and the Central American and Caribbean countries) events in the game. Meanwhile, the splintering of soccer games may force EA to finally update their game engine to modern standards. They have been riding on FIFA's coattails for decades with little incentive to make real gameplay changes. If this cascades, we could end up with multiple NFL or NHL games in the future. Up until the mid-aughts, EA's versions competed with those of other companies before they started locking up the popular rights just to themselves.

"The weather will be cloudy with a 65% chance of wiper fluid". NT: The weather report for May 18, 2122 in the city of your choice.

Three Foxbats of varying sizes, all claiming to be the real one. They are all correct. NT: Why multiple Foxbats of varying sizes are showing up everywhere on Earth.

"Beg in vain for mercy from the DuckLord Kvak!"

Why was he still in the game? His own insistence? Basketball players want to play. They wouldn't have made the NBA if they didn't. I can understand an aging superstar wanting every second he can get on the court. But by this point the game and season are lost, and you have to start thinking about 2022-23. Any injury to Chris Paul at the point would have devastated the Suns next season. If you are an NBA coach, you do not squander your team's greatest resource in a lost cause. No matter how angry they will get at being held out. What I want to know is how the Bucks got blown out.

"We appreciate your desire to fit in, but using cannabis to fuel your flame signal is going to have consequences." NT: Subtle signs The Spectacular Spider-Ham should avoid the maple syrup.

Q: When you were born in the Mega-City One prisons, how do you learn to write? A: Are you kidding? The whole city is a prison!

Only if he is a Jedi and everyone else on the ice are Siths. Well, there is a war on. It could be rersolved by December, one way or another, but it's bound to put a crimp in everyone's travel plans for the rest of this year.

Q: And why do you insist I leave Slade out of Teen Titans Go!? A: So you want me to choose between working for the Billionaire trying to kill James Bond, or working for the Billionaire trying to kill Superman.

Q: And how do you like your new vacuum cleaner? A: That is not one of the preferred uses for a Roomba.

HEY! THOSE ARE MY NUMBERS! NT: Subtle signs you should not have built your retirement plans on around winning the Lottery.

Hakeem Olajuwon may not be the household name Shaquille O'Neal is, but he has always had the respect of just about everyone. I can't recall a single bad thing ever being said about Hakeem other than in the immediate postgame after he took the Rockets to another victory. Shaq had more raw physical gifts and more spectacular offensive talent, but Hakeem was the far better post defender. Neither was a guy you wanted to play against. Shaq would make you look silly on the next hot NBA poster, while Hakeem would beat you black and blue should you try to post up on him. The spotlight loved Shaq much more than it did Hakeem because Shaq had this larger-than-life swagger while Hakeem was quiet off the court and professional on it. All in all, good guys to have as your namesakes.

Some would call Eminem questionable, and there are people who will be disappointed not to see DEVO finally break through and get in after three years they were on the ballot. The place is getting really crowded. I have never gotten to see a Hall of Fame concert. There have been some incredible performances there, as you would expect when a hundred or so of the greatest musicians on Earth get together to celebrate their own.

Does anyone pay attention to the FIFA Club World Cup? Obviously not me, since this is the firstr I've heard of it. Whenever it is held the Qatar WC should be a PR Disaster. But if there's one thing Oligarchs in general is good at, so people will flock to Qatar's new stadiums and hotels - never mind who actually did the work, or how much (or whether) the hotel housekeeping stafs are paid. Bitter? Moi?.