As the Mets were entering the 9th hitless the other day, my friend and I talked about how baseball has developed as more and more of a “social sport”. Many uncommitted fans go as a means of being in and around the ballpark (tailgating, eating, drinking) moreso than they go to watch the game itself. We got on the topic of how we love Citi Field but how it lacks the outside bar scene that builds game day atmosphere (Fenway, Billy’s, etc…) I know I’m going to get a lot of heat for this, but in our boredom we questioned if there was any legitimacy to this theory…
When Cohen first took over, he made a lot of moves that did not only endear him to fans, but also positioned the team in serious contention. 3/4 years out from that, the team has had ups and downs and even though some of those players have produced (Lindor good years, Diaz 2022, McNeil batting title) the truth is, I don’t see us winning World Series with this squad. That seemed like the initial “investment”.
Cohen recently announced an $8 billion plan regarding the area around Citi Field and his plans for a casino, restaurants, bars, etc… all means of generating “fans”, attention, and revenue.
Is it at all possible that the advent of these changes could be correlated with a rebuilding phase regarding the Mets roster? I think the deadline will be very telling, and yes, this is midseason, under 500., Mets fan thinking. Curious to see how mad people will get at this.

[JUNE]
Week 1, June 2001
________________
[1.6 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “EIGHT MAN MAYHEM”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The Championship Committee make Flair an offer
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,586
Overall Rating 58
Kevin Nash and Booker T exchanged words to end the show
Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair beat Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett and Mike Awesome
Gene Okerlund spoke with Vampire and Goldberg
Dustin Rhodes beat Curt Hennig
Buff Bagwell beat Bam Bam Bagwell
Yoshihiro Tajiri & Sting beat Kanyon and Lex Luger
Sabu beat Jim Duggan
A confrontation between Sting, DDP, Lance Storm, Rena Mero and Mike Awesome
Sabu and Rob Van Dam were with their manager Bill Alfonso and Gene Okerlund
Bobby Henan and Kanyon addressed Lex Luger ahead of their match at Great American Bash
Vampire & Goldberg beat 3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
Shane Helms, Lizmark Jr, Rey Misterio Jr, Super Crazy, Volador Jr beat Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666, La Parka, Vilano V and Masato Tanaka
Lance Storm beat Hugh Morrus
The Championship Committee (Arn Anderson, Steamboat, Piper, Funk) and WCW President offer Ric Flair a spot on the Championship Committee. He turns it down to focus on his and Dustin Rhodes WCW Tag Title match at Great American Bash
[DARK] The Mamalukes beat Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo
◆Show Notes
Cash, Jamie Knoble, Big Vito and Johnny Ace were fined due to behavioural incidents.
Curt Hennig was injured in his match (out 16 days)
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was rated 0.11 with 82,885 viewers with 1,316,070 views overall.
◆Roster Changes
Jim Duggan was released from his contract, a cost of $103,200 to the 2001 budget
Johnny Ace was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Jimmy Hart was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Miss Jones was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Ernest Miller was released from his contract, a cost of $78,600 to the 2001 budget
Don Callis has agreed a one year per show handshake deal with no downside.
Dory Funk Jr has agreed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Harley Race has a greed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Fit Finlay has agreed a one year per show handshake deal with no downside.
Larry Zbyszko has agreed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Scott Hudson was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Week 2, June 2001
________________
[7.6 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “WHOSE NEXT?”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The final stop before the Bash
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,601
Overall Rating 61
Goldberg beat Masato Tanaka
Kevin Nash and Booker T discussed their World Title match at Great American Bash
Diamond Dallas Page and Sting Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas
La Park and Rey Misterio trash talked each other
Booker T, KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark), Rob Van Dam and Sabu beat Kanyon, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell and The Steiner Brothers
Vampiro beat Big Vito
A video promoted Legacy (Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes)
Fit Finlay beat Hugh Morrus
Jamie Noble beat Elix Skipper
Bobby Henan and his client Kanyon confronted Lex Luger
Kevin Nash beat EZ Money
Director of Talent Acquisition spoke with Stacey Keibler and her client Vilano V, Don Callis and his client Damien 666
Konnan, Billy Kidman, Rey Misterio Jr, Silver King and Tajiri beat Vilano V, Damien 666, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome
There was an confrontation between Goldberg and Vampire and Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett.
Gene Okerlund is joined by Tajiri, James Mitchell and Buff Bagwell to discuss their Great American Bash match.
Goldberg is getting ready backstage
The show opened with Sabu/RVD and the Steiner Brothers fighting backstage.
[DARK] Alex Wright, Bam Bam Bigelow, Norman Smiley and Lash Leroux beat Mike Jindrak, Mike Sanders, Evan Karagais and Shannon Moore
[DARK] Super Crazy beat Sean O’Haire
◆Show Notes
Stevie Ray was fined for a behavioural incident.
◆[GREAT AMERICAN BASH]:”ALL MATCHES CONFIRMED!”
Booker T v Kevin Nash - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Diamond Dallas Page v Lance Storm
Sting v Mike Awesome
Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas v Goldberg & Vampiro
Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair v Rob Van Dam & Sabu v Scott & Rick Steiner v Kronik - WCW Tag Team Titles
Buff Bagwell v Tajiri
Lex Luger v Kanyon
Shane Helms v Chavo Guerrero Jr v Billy Kidman v Super Crazy- WCW Cruiserweight Title
Rey Misterio Jr v La Parka
TV Title Battle Royal
◆Show Notes
WCW Nitro’s TV rating was 0.11 with 86,294 viewers with 1,377,515 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Jeremy Borash was released from his contract at a cost of $33,600 to the 2001 budget.
Billy Gunn has agreed a six month per show agreement with no downside.
Steve Corino has agreed a one more handshake per show agreement with no downside.
[13.6 A NEW!] “WCW Great American Bash Live On Pay Per View”
[Oasis Hall, CA] Turn Up The Heat
◆”Big Bang” Pay Per View
Oasis Hall, CA with 8,633 in attendance
Overall Rating 63
Post Match Booker T and Nash shook hands.
Booker T beat Kevin Nash to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title
Steiner Brothers beat Legacy (Flair and Dustin Rhodes), Rob Van Dam & Sabu and Kronik to become the new WCW World Tag Team Champions (fall at second defence)
Diamond Dallas Page beat Lance Storm
Gene Okerlund interviewed Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes about the WCW Tag Team Title match tonight
Rey Misterio Jr and Kevin Nash bumped into each other backstage
Sting and Mike Awesome went to a double DQ
Sting was getting ready backstage
Vampiro & Goldberg beat Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett
DDP ran into Lance Storm backstage
Yoshiro Tajiri beat Buff Bagwell
Kevin Nash spoke about Booker T ahead of the main event
James Mitchell and his client Tajiri confronted Buff Bagwell ahead of their match
Rey Misterio Jr beat La Parka
Mike Tenay caught up with Booker T ahead of the Main Event.
Super Crazy beat Shane Helms, Billy Kidman and Chavo Guerrero Jr to become WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Kanyon beat Lex Luger
The Championship Committee (Arn Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk and Roddy Piper) with WCW President Eric Bischoff present Fit Finlay the Championship belt
30 Man Battle Royal for the TV Title: Fit Finlay wins, Masato Tanaka made the most eliminations with the final four being the debuting Steve Corino and Billy Gun alongside Konnan.
[DARK] Lash Leroux beat Kid Romeo
◆Show Notes
Yang and Hugh Morrus were fined due to behavioural incidents.
◆Business Notes
WCW Great American Bash had a buy rate of 0.10 (54,714 buys)
WCW Great American Bash was shown internationally with a TV rating of 0.11 (86,151 views) with 150,637 viewers overall.
Week 3, June 2001
________________
[21.6 WCW LIVES ON!] “THE FALL OUT FROM LAST NIGHT”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Tag Main Event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,791
Overall Rating 60
Kevin Nash and Goldberg carried on their disagreement
Steve Corino and Jeff Jarrett beat Goldberg and Kevin Nash after a miscommunication from Goldberg and Nash
Bobby Heenan with Kanyon confronted WCW World Champion Booker T.
Booker T, Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Vampiro beat Kanyon, Shane Douglas, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome by DQ
Billy Gunn beat Bryan Clark
Rey Misterio beat Rick Steiner
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger
Fit Finlay beat Alex Wright to retain the WCW World TV Title (first defence)
Team Canada (Mike Awesome & Lance Storm) and Sting, Diamond Dallas Page have an in ring confrontation.
Goldberg is walking backstage
Vampiro cuts a promo on Curt Hennig
Ric Flair beat Vilano V
Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Terry Funk
Ric Flair discusses his match with Vilano V
Championship Committee members Terry Funk and Roddy Piper are confronted by Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell
[DARK] Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro’s TV rating was 0.11 (87,155 viewers) with 1,375,028 overall.
◆Bash at the Beach ~CARD SO FAR
Booker T v Kanyon - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
Vampiro v Curt Hennig
Lance Storm v Sting
Diamond Dallas Page v Mike Awesome
Week 4, June 2001
________________
[28.6 WCW LIVES ON!] “STEINER AND RHODES DO BATTLE”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] More matches are made for the Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,761
Overal Rating 60
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Diamond Dallas Page beat Booker T and Masato Tanaka for the WCW United States Heavyweight Title, with Kanyon watching on
Goldberg beat Lex Luger
Cash, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666 and La Parka beat Jamie Knoble, Great Sasuke, Yang and Kaz Hayashi
Champion Committee members Arn Anderson & Roddy Piper were in the Control Centre hyping up Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas and Tajiri v Super Crazy matches set for Bash at the Beach
A confrontation between Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) and Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger)
Steve Corino, Billy Gunn, Curt Hennig and Fit Finlay beat Hugh Morrus, Bam Bam Bigelow, Air Paris and Sean O’Haire
Kevin Nash and Goldberg then brawled in the back
Yoshihiro Tajiri & Kevin Nash beat Super Crazy & Vampiro
Bobby Hennan and Kanyon talked trash of WCW World Champion Booker T
Rick Flair & Dustin Rhodes come face to face with Steve Corino & Billy Gunn
Rey Misterio Jr beats Mark Jindrak
A video recaps the feud between DDP/Sting and Lance Storm/Mike Awesome
Kronik beat Big Vito & Johnny The Bull
Video plays showcasing Rob Van Dam & Sabu
[Dark] Kanyon beats Norman Smiley
◆Show Notes
Jamie Knoble suffered a grade 1 groin strain, he will be out for 2 days
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro rating 0.11 with 86,167 viewers with 1,379,409 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Sean O’Haire requested and was granted his release, he departs at no cost to the budget.
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Bash at the Beach (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue $2,2m ⬇️ $300k
Wages ($2,68m) ⬇️ 220k
Of Which Are Terminations (215k) ⬇️ $172k
Loss ($3.5m) ⬇️200k
Performance ($1.3m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $7,4m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam w/Bill Alfonso
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso
Shane Helms - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) - WCW World Tag Team Champions
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
The Mamalukes (Big Vito & Johnny the Bull)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Chris Harris
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Masato Tanaka
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 10 Months
Ultimo Dragon - Broken Arm - 56 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
Don Callis
Dory Funk Jr
Harley Race
Fit Finlay
Larry Zbyszko
Out
Jim Duggan
Johnny Ace
Jimmy Hart
Miss Jones
Ernest Miller
Scott Hudson
Jeremy Borash
Sean O’Haire
Summary
5 signings and 8 departures
[JULY]
Week 1, July 2001
——
◆Bash at the Beach ~MORE MATCHES CONFIRMED
Booker T v Kanyon - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
Vampiro v Curt Hennig
Lance Storm v Sting
Diamond Dallas Page v Mike Awesome
Flair & Rhodes v Billy Gunn & Steve Corino
Super Crazy v Tajiri - WCW Cruiserweight
Konnan & Rey Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
Totally Buff & Kronik
[1.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “THE BRAIN IS OUT FOR BOOKER T”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Huge one on one matches scheduled
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,782
Overal Rating 54
Booker T and Kanyon w/Bobby Henenan closed the show in the ring.
Rob Van Dam beat Steve Corino
Mike Tenay interviewed DDP, Sting, Lance Storm, Mike Awesome and Reno Mero.
Kanyon beat Dustin Rhodes
Yoshihiro Taijiri, Sting and Super Crazy beat Billy Gunn, Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett
Control Center segment promoted Steiner Brothers v Rob Van Dam & Sabu, Vampiro & Curt Hennig, Super Crazy v Yoshihiro Taijir and Vilano V v Bam Bam Bigelow for Bash at the Beach
Ric Flair beat Mike Sanders
Diamond Dallas Page beat Curt Hennig
Rey Misterio Jr & Konnan beat Totally Buff (Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell)
Goldberg and Kevin Nash bumped into each other backstage
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) tussled on the microphone with Steve Corino & Billy Gunn
Goldberg beat Vilano V
Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas went face to face with Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr
Rick Steiner beat Sabu
[DARK] AJ Styles beat Volador Jr
[DARK] Vampiro beat Chris Harris
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was shown to a rating of 0.10 with 80,029 viewers with 1,252,174 viewers overall.
◆Talent Relations
Norman Smiley's current contract is set to expire at the end of July. He has now agreed a per show handshake agreement with no downside.
◆Roster Changes
TAKA Michinoku has agreed a three month per show handshake agreement with no downside. His WWF contract is set to expire at the end of the month.
Big Vito has been released from his contract at a cost of $45,600 to the 2001 budget
Johnny the Bull has been released from his contract at a cost of $30,000 to the 2001 budget
Chris Harris has been released from his contract at a cost of $16,200 to the 2001 budget
Week 2, July 2001
——
[8.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “FOUR SUPERSTARS MEET IN THE MAIN EVENT”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Plus... Flair v Booker T
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,748
Overall Rating 58
Goldberg beat Lance Storm, Goldberg and Rob Van Dam in a non-title match
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Promo with Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Rena Mero, Diamond Dallas Page and Mike Awesome
Booker T beat Ric Flair in a non-title match
Bam Bam Bigelow, Vampiro and Kevin Nash beat Curt Henning, Vilano V and Fit Finlay
Goldberg is getting ready backstage
Rey Misterio Jr beats EZ Money
Vampiro confronts Curt Hennig
Shane Douglas & Jeff Jarrett beat Yang and Kaz Hayashi
Mike Awesome beat Masato Tanaka
Control Centre segment with Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Goldberg, Steve Corino, Vilano V and Bam Bam Bigelow
Goldberg and Kevin Nash come face to face
Rey Misterio Jr & Konnan confront Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas
Rick Flair v Kanyon v Sting ends in a no contest with interference from Mike Awesome and Sabu
Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner fight with Sabu & Rob Van Dam
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) fight with Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger backstage
Scott Steiner and Rob Van Dam open the show with promos in the ring
[DARK] Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Chavo Guerrero Jr
[DARK] Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger) beat Norman Smiley and Hugh Morrus
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was rated 0.11 with 83,270 viewers with 1,321,854 views overall.
Roster Changes
Brazo de Platino has agreed a per show agreement with no downside.
Week 3, July 2001
——
◆News
WCW will once again go on the road from August, no longer taping Nitro exclusively at the Hard Rock Cafe & Casino in Las Vegas.
Alex Wright & Hugh Morrus are set to debut as a new heel team 'Futurewave'
Essia Rios turned down an approach from WCW and extended his WWF contract
Masato Tanaka has one month remaining on his per show handshake contract, he has indicated he wishes to leave
◆Roster Changes
Tommy Dreamer has agreed a one year per show handshake agreement with no no downside.
[13.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “THIS IS NO DAY AT THE BEACH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Two huge main events
◆”Bash At The Beach” Pay Per View
Toyota Sports Centre, CA in front of 8,418 people
Overall Rating 66
Goldberg beat Kevin Nash
Booker T beat Kanyon to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title (third defence)
A video hypes up the Goldberg v Kevin Nash main event
Kevin Nash is seen getting ready backstage
Golderbg is seen getting ready backstage
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat The Steiner Brothers to become the WCW World Tag Team Champions (fall at first defence)
WCW President Eric Bischoff and Championship Committee Member Terry Funk meet with Bobby Heenan and his client Kanyon ahead of his World Title challenge
Diamond Dallas Page beat Mike Awesome to retain the WCW United States Heavyweight Title (first defence)
Sting beat Lance Storm
Kevin Nash speaks to Gene Okerlund about his match with Goldberg
Yoshirio Tajiri beat Super Crazy in a match for the WCW Cruiserweight Title by count out, Crazy retains the title
Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, Rob Van Dam meet with WCW President Eric Bischoff and members of the Championship Committee Terry Funk, Arn Anderson and Roddy Piper ahead of their WCW Tag Team match
Vampiro beats Curt Hennig
We see a promo video on Sting
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) beat Billy Gunn & Fit Finlay
Bam Bam Bigelow beats Vilano V
Head of Talent Acquisition Dusty Rhodes announces Steve Corino will not perform tonight, Billy Gunn will now team with Fit Finlay to take on Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes
Curt Henning and Vampiro ran into each other backstage
Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger) beat Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
WCW World Champion Booker T was seen backstage
Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr beat Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
[DARK]Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
[DARK] Billy Kidman beats Chavo Guerrero Jr
◆Show Notes
Arn Anderson was reprimanded for a behavioural incident.
◆Show Notes
Steve Corino's contract expired the morning of the show, no agreement could be made.
◆Roster Changes
Steve Corino's contract has expired and has departed WCW.
◆Business Notes
WCW Bash At The Beach received a pay per view buy rate of 0.12 with 61,931 buys
WCW Bash At The Beach was shown internationally with a rating of 0.12 with 90,010 views with 162,518 viewers overall.
Week 3, July 2001
——
[21.7 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “TAG CLASH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The fall out from Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,762
Overall Rating 59
To close the show DDP, Sting, Booker T, RVD and Sabu challenged The Steiners, Team Canada and Fit Finlay to an Elimination Tag match at Fall Brawl.
Diamond Dallas Page & Sting beat Curt Henning & Billy Gunn
Sting and DDP were seen backstage walking to the ring
Goldberg beat Jeff Jarrett and Konnan in a triple threat match
Goldberg and Nash went nose to nose backstage
Fit Finlay beat Shane Helmes to retain his WCW World Television Title (second defence)
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) crossed paths with Don Callis and his client Damien 666 and La Parka
La Parka, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666, Vilano V bear Lizamark Jr, Brazo de Platino, Jamie Knoble and Great Sasuke
Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes cut a backstage promo
Dustin Rhodes beat Masato Tanaka
Sting/DDP and Team Canada (Lance Storm/Mike Awesome), Booker T, The Steiner Brothers and Rob Van Dam went at it in the ring
Scott Steiner beat Bam Bam Bigelow
Rey Misterio Jr beat Sabu
Rob Van Dam beat Cash
Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Booker T and Fit Finlay crossed paths backstage
Vampiro bumped into Vilano V and his manager Stacey Keibler backstage
[DARK] Lance Storm beat Yoshihiro Tajiri
◆Show Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 85,945 viewers with 1,327,423 viewers overall.
Week 3, July 2001
——
[21.7 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “TAG CLASH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The fall out from Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,771
Overall Rating 59
A video plays confirming the Goldberg v Kevin Nash rematch is set for Fall Brawl
Booker T beats Jeff Jarrett to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title (defence four)
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) beat Kanyon & Billy Gunn
Booker T is getting ready backstage
Kevin Nash beats Shane Douglas
Sabu & Rob Van Dam are attacked by The Steiner Brothers
Booker T and Fit Finlay talk to WCW President Eric Bischoff
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright)
A highlight reel of Diamond Dallas Page and Sabu was shown...they'll meet next week!
Goldberg beat James Storm
Funk, Rhodes, Flair, Vampire and Dustin Rhodes challenge Totally Buff, La Parka, Vilano V and Damien 666 to an Elimination match at Fall Brawl
Goldberg is seen backstage
Fit Finlay beat Konnan to retain the WCW Television Title (third defence)
Vampiro and Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) beat Curt Hennig & Totally Buff (Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell)
Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas talked backstage
Bam Bam Bigelow beat Mark Jindrak
Diamond Dallas Page beat Scott Steiner, La Parka and Tommy Dreamer to retain the WCW Unites States Title
WCW President Eric Bischoff and Championship Committee Members Terry Funk & Arn Anderson confirm Super Crazy will defend his WCW Cruiserweight title at Fall Brawl against Yoshihiro Tajiri and one other!
[DARK] Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was broadcast with a rating of 0.11 with 86,713 views with 1,328,284 viewers overall.
◆Bash at the Beach ~MORE MATCHES CONFIRMED
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
ELIMINATION TAG: Mike Awesome, Lance Storm, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Fit Finlay v Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Sabu, Rob Van Dam and Booker T
ELIMINATION TAG: Dustin Rhodes, Ric Flair Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk and Vampiro v Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger, Damien 666, La Parka, Vilano V
Super Crazy v Yoshihiro Tajiri v ???
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Fall Brawl (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue 1.9m ⬇️ $300k
Wages ($2,47m) ⬇️ 203k
Of Which Are Terminations (91,8k) ⬇️ $123k
Loss ($3.3m) ⬇️200k
Performance ($1.4m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $6m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Brazo de Platino
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Shane Helms -
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Tommy Dreamer
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay - WCW World Television Champion
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Masato Tanaka
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
TAKA Michinoku
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 9 Months
Ultimo Dragon - Broken Arm - 25 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
TAKA Michinoku
Brazo de Platino
Tommy Dreamer
Out
Big Vito
Johnny The Bull
Chris Harris
Steve Corino
Summary
3 signings and four departures
Week 1, August 2001
——
[1.8 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “BACK TO THE MID-ATLANTIC”
[Greenwood Civic Center, SC] Icons collide in the main event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Greenwood Civic Center, SC in front of 2,188 people
Overall Rating 63
Kevin Nash and Sting go to a non-contest when Goldberg runs in
Ric Flair beat Curt Hennig
Gene Okerlund interviews Rob Van Dam & Sabu and The Steiner Brothers
Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Vampiro, Dusty Rhodes all out Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell.
Diamond Dallas Page beats Sabu to retain the WCW United States title in his third defence
A hype video plays promoting Goldberg v Kevin Nash at Fall Brawl
TAKA Michinoku is confirmed as the third person in the WCW World Cruiserweight Title match at Fall Brawl
Goldberg, Booker T and Vampire beat Fit Finlay, Lance Storm & Mike Awesome
Rob Van Dam beat Jeff Jarrett
WCW President Eric Bischoff meets Mike Awesome, Lance Storm and his manager Rena Mero
Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Billy Kidman
Championship Committee member Terry Funk deals with The Filthy Animals, Jeff Jarrett, Shane Douglas and Kanyon. A 3 v 3 Match is set for Fall Brawl.
Bam Bam Bigelow, Jamie Knoble and Kronik (Bryan Clark & Bryan Adams) beat Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell, Shannon Moore and Evan Karagais
Rey Misterio Jr beats Shane Douglas
Nash arrives at the building
Sting is backstage
Kevin Nash v Sting is set for tonight's main event
[DARK] TAKA Michinoku beat Chavo Guerrero Jr
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 86,806 viewers and 1,377,944 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Mr Aquila has agreed a three month per show handshake agreement with no downside.
Week 1, August 2001
——
[8.14 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “ACTION AT CENTER STAGE”
[Ceenter Stage, Atlanta] Icons collide in the main event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Center Stage, Atlanta in front of 1,050
Overall Rating 65
Goldberg beats Buff Bagwell
Goldberg is heading to the ring
Booker T , Diamond Dallas Page & Sting celebrate in the ring before Mike Awesome, Lance Storm and Fit Finally interrupt
Booker T , Diamond Dallas Page & Sting beat Fit Finlay, Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dusin Rhodes) beat Chavo Guerrero Jr & Cash
Kevin Nash beat EZ Money
Tommy Dreamer beats Masato Tanaka
A video plays hyping Rob Van Dam & Sabu v The Steiner Brothers
Lex Luger beats Lash Leroux
The Steiner brothers cut a promo on Rob Van Dam & Sabu
Control Center segment promoting Super Crazy v Tajiri v TAKA Michonoku, Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas at Fall Brawl
Rob Van Dam and Sabu beats Kevin Karagias and Shannon Moore
Kevin Nash hypes his upcoming match with Goldberg
TKA Michinoku, Mr Aquila and La Parka Damien 666, Lizmark Jr and Yoshihiro Tajiri
Ric Flair is joined by Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes before La Parka, Damien 666 and Don Callis interrupt.
Curt Hennig beat Norman Smiley
Bam Bam Bigelow beat James Storm
Vampire beat Mark Jindrak
Announcers confirm Ric Flair will be speaking later in the show
[DARK]Scott Steiner beat Billy Kidman
◆Show Notes
Volador Jr was fined for poor backstage behaviour.
Lex Luger suffered a Olecrannon Fracture and is out for 24 days.
◆Business News
WCW Nitro received a 0.12 TV rating with 90,880 viewers with 1,447,334 viewers overall. The most watched Nitro since the reboot.
◆Roster Changes
Franklin Foley has signed a two year contract with a cost to the 2001 budget of $8,800
Franlin Foley has joined M-Pro on a 12 month excursion at a cost of $13,2000
Masato Tanaka's contract has expired and he has departed WCW.
[8.20 FALL BRAWL!] “IT'S A BRAWL LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE”
[Norfolk, Virginia] Teams collide
◆”Fall Brawl” Pay Per View
Norfolk Scope Arena, Virginia in front of 10,859
Overall Rating 65
Kevin Nash beat Goldberg
Goldberg left his locker room to head to the ring
Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, Sabu, Rob Van Dam and Bill Alfonso celebrated backstage
A video played hyping the main event
Diamond Dallas Page, Sting, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Sabu defeated Fit Finlay, Team Canada and Steiner Brothers in an elimination tag match.
Yoshihiro Tajiri defeated TAKA Michinoku and Super Crazy to win the WCW Cruiserweight title (
Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk had a heated debate backstage
The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman, Konnan and Rey Misterio Jr) defeated Jeff Jarrett, Kanyon and Shane Douglas in an elimination tag match
Kevin Nash was getting ready backstage
Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes and Terry Funk beat Buff Bagwell, Billy Gunn, Vilano V, Damien 666 and La Parka in an elimination tag match. Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk had a miscommunication in the match.
The team of Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Vampire and Terry Funk hung out backstage
Gene Okerlund interviewed Yoshihiro Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell
Bam Bam Bigelow beat Curt Hennig, Tommy Dreamer and Chavo Guerrero Jr
Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) & Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) beat Elix Skipper, Kid Romeo, Shannon Moore & Evan Karagias in an elimination tag match
The announcers put over the main event of Goldberg v Kevin Nash
The team of Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Scott Steiner, Ric Steiner, spoke to Gene Okerlund
Silver King, Air Raid (AJ Styles/Air Pairs) beat Cash, EZ Money and Christopher Daniels
◆Business Notes
WCW Fall Brawl's buy rate was 0.12 with 61,932 buys
WCW Fall Brawl was shown and received a 0.12 TV rating to international audiences, 90,378 viewers with 163,339 viewers overall.
Week 3, August 2001
——
[8.20 WCW NITRO!] “No.1 Contenders Tournament”
[Punta Gorda, Florida] Who will face Booker T, next?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Charlotte Harbour Center, Florda in front of 2,000 (SUPER NO VACANCY!)
Overall Rating 65
Show closed with a promo video hyping Booker T v Fit Finlay
Kevin Nash challenged Goldberg to a third match.
Fit Finlay beat Rob Van Dam to become the new World Heavyweight Championship No.1 Contender
Booker T & Goldberg beat Curt Hennig and Billy Fun
Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes have unfinished business with La Parka and Damien 666
Fit Finlay beat Jeff Jarrett in a semi final match of the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Team Canada (Lance Storm & Mike Awesome) beat Yoshihiro Tajiri & Vampiro
Gene Okerlund interviewed new WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell who spoke about their win over Super Crazy
Championship Committee Members Terry Funk and Roddy Piper tried to cool things over with Director of Talent Acquisition Dusty Rhodes.
Jeff Jarrett beat Diamond Dallas Page in a No 1 Contenders Tournament Match
Fit Finlay beat Ric Flair in a No 1 Contenders Tournament Match
Rob Van Dam defeated Scott Steiner in the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Kevin Nash and Goldberg are backstage; an argument breaks out
Sting and Kevin Nash went to a no contest when Goldberg, Lance Storm and Goldberg all interfered, both men are eliminated from the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Goldberg arrives at the building, he's not happy
◆Show Notes
Volador Jr was fined for poor behaviour backstage.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 86,481 viewers with 1,375,613 viewers overall.
——
[8.20 WCW NITRO!] “No.1 Contenders Tournament”
[Omaha, Nebraska] Who will face Booker T, next?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Omaha Civic Aud Mancuso, NE in front of 1,541
Overall Rating 65
Goldberg & Fit Finlay beat Booker T & Yoshihiro Tajiri and Kevin Nash & Super Crazy
Mike Awesome beat Brian Adams
Goldberg was getting ready backstage
Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk crossed paths
Diamond Dallas Page beat Mike Sanders
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Kanyon beat Konnan
Billy Kidman & Rey Misterio Jr beat Cash & EZ Money
Rob Van Dam beat Rick Steiner
Sting and Reno Mero were backstage
Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes crossed paths with La Parka and Damien 666
Scott Steiner and Rob Van Dam went face to face
Vampiro beat Tommy Dreamer
◆Show Notes
Konnan was fined for poor backstage behaviour
Booker T suffered compound frontal bone fracture and was initially set to be out for a year. Surgery was unable to produce a significant improvement and he'll now be out for over a year.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was shown to a TV rating of 0.12 with 91,046 viewers with 1,484,015 viewers overall.
◆Breaking News
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T will be out for over a year. This news comes as the company is rumoured to have made a seven a fourth month of $1m+ losses.
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Wrestle War (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue 1.8m ⬇️ $100k
Wages ($2,2m) ⬇️ 100k.
Of Which Are Terminations (13k) ⬇️ $78,8k
Loss ($3.2m) ⬇️100k
Performance ($1.3m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $4.6m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Brazo de Platino
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Shane Helms -
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Tommy Dreamer
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay - WCW World Television Champion
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
TAKA Michinoku
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 8 Months, 2 weeks
Booker T - Frontal Bone Fracture - 1 year, 2 weeks
Great Sasuke - 6 days
Lex Luger - 4 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
Franklin Foley
Out
Franklin Foley (Excursion)
Masato Tanaka
Summary
1 signing and 2 departures
//- EXECUTIVE NOTES //-

• I am using a TEW 2016 data converted to TEW 2020, it has a lot of issues mainly around personality attributes, everyone - even the most godly person seems to have a hard drug issue or cause issues. This really impacted the moral (0%) and therefore hurt my initial shows. I'm not a fan of playing around with data during a save but it was required to make it playable.
  
• Despite slashing the wage bill with $700k in terminations, and signing replacements on per show deals my basic wage has not changed dramatically, only about $100k.
  
• One unintended consequence of slashing the wage bill has been a massive reduction in Merchandise. I'm making $750k less than my first month. While my live event merchandise sales have increased, I'm $775k down on worker sales.
  
• As one of the few that did watch WCW in 2000, I am surprised you start as small (made even harder by being based South West). Also Hogan was still under contract with WCW until 2002 (just sitting at home), on this data he starts unemployed. Having said that, if he was on your wage bill the challenge would be even harder.
  

1. FTW Championship, contested under Hardcore Championship Rules

Eddie Kingston vs Chris Jericho(c) W

1. Women's TBS Championship

Mariah May vs Willow Nightinggale(c) vs Serena Deeb vs Mercedes Mone W

1. World Tag Team Championships

FTR vs The Young Bucks(c) vs Bryan Danielson W and Claudio Castagnoli W

1. World Undisputed Trio's Championships

House Of Black W vs Death Triangle(c)

1. Boiler Room Brawl

Bullet Club Gold vs The Acclaimed W and Daddy Ass BIlly Gunn W

1. Women's World Championship

DR Britt Baker D.M.D vs Timeless Toni Storm(c) W

1. Casino Chip Battle Royales:

Men's:
MJF W for a future AEW World Championship Match at a time of his choosing
Women's:
Jamie Hayter W wins for a future AEW Women's World Championship Match at a time of her choosing

1. International Championship

Hook W vs Roderick Strong(c)

1. Continental Championship

Will Ospreay W vs Kazuchika Okada(c)

1. TNT Championship/ World Championship 2 falls Match

Fall 1: TNT Championship
Christian Cage vs Swerve Strickland vs Adam Copeland(c) vs Jeff Hardy W
Fall 2: World Championship
Christian Cage W vs Swerve Strickland(c) vs Adam Copeland vs Jeff Hardy

BY KORY GROW
MAY 10, 2024
How Al Jourgensen Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Ministry's First Album 'With Sympathy'
Al Jourgensen. DERICK SMITH*
IT TOOK A conspiracy to get Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen to come around to his band’s debut album, the proudly commercial, synth-pop juggernaut With Sympathy. The vocalist has spent the last four decades separating himself from the LP, since he alleges his label at the time, Arista, and its founder, Clive Davis, pressured him into constructing a surefire Billboard hit. He has felt so embarrassed by the whole thing that he left the label and has charged fans $1,000 just for him to autograph copies of the record. Now for the first time in decades, he’ll be performing songs from With Sympathy again at this weekend’s Cruel World festival in Pasadena. He just needed a nudge.
“The guys in the band know I don’t like this record,” Jourgensen tells Rolling Stone on a Zoom from his Los Angeles home. He’s sitting outside, wearing a witchy wide-brimmed hat and mirrored Lennon sunglasses even though he’s in the shade. “They came up with all these new versions of all the old songs and then sprung them on me one night on the bus while I was on ‘shrooms. I actually wound up going, ‘Hey, that’s not bad.'”
Jourgensen’s psychotropic revelation led to talks with Cruel World and now he acknowledges mixed emotions about revisiting the material — which Ministry will perform alongside songs from the group’s second LP, Twitch — on Saturday. He says he’s finally ready.
“The reasons I don’t like that record are not really so much for the music as much as the surrounding dynamic of it,” he says. “It’s literally a label-appointed producer, label-appointed engineer, label-appointed background vocalist, label-appointed lyrics, label-appointed looks or management-appointed looks. I had to sue to get off this label as soon as that record came out. I was so unhappy.”
With disco drums, glassy synthesizers, and Jourgensen’s fey British accent, With Sympathy became an easy hit when it came out in May 1983. Lead track “Effigy (I’m Not An)” has an icy cool about it that still resonates (it was featured in an episode of Euphoria’s second season) while the singles “Work for Love” and “I Wanted to Tell Her” have a funky club feel that could fit easily between Duran Duran and Bronski Beat songs on an Eighties pop playlist. Rolling Stone recently rated the album’s “Revenge” the 42nd best song of 1983, likely much to Jourgensen’s chagrin. It was so commercial that at the time, Ministry opened for the Police, Culture Club, and Madness, and the album was Ministry’s best-selling LP until 1992’s Psalm 69. Jourgensen was so unhappy, he spent years trying to expiate the success.
The new versions of the songs, however, will sound more like the Ministry that achieved fame in the late Eighties and early Nineties, leaning into rigid rhythms and crushing guitar. The only With Sympathy redux song they’ve performed live so far, “Revenge,” features chugging metal guitars and Jourgensen’s now-guttural vocals replacing his once slight croon. The changes in the rest of the songs, which will require two keyboardists, three backup singers, and an orchestral string trio, are even more dramatic. For Jourgensen, who’s planning on sunsetting Ministry’s career with recordings of these new versions of the songs and another album with his estranged bandmate, Paul Barker, later this year, it’s a full circle moment.
“You’ll be able to recognize the songs, but we’ve certainly put the stamp on it of Ministry 2.0,” Jourgensen says during a rare interview about the album that lasts about the time it takes to play With Sympathy. “It’s not your grandpa’s Ministry.”
So what makes the new versions of the With Sympathy songs special?
We turned them into arena rock songs. People at Cruel World are going to freak out. I feel empowered and it’s very cathartic for me to finally be able to own these songs instead of run from them. This Cruel World thing is going to be literally a public exorcism.
What was your state of mind around the making of With Sympathy?
I was living in a squat where literally I had a hole in my roof. I had plugged stolen cables into a building that actually had power. And somebody offers me a record contract, I’m like, “Hell yeah, man. This sure beats a kick in the balls.”
If you’d had your way, what would With Sympathy have sounded like in 1983? Would it have been more like “Every Day Is Halloween”?
Yeah, I think so. It would have been a lot more keyboard-oriented. I was going through my keyboard phase because everybody was. As a matter of fact, Arista turned down “Halloween” and “All Day” and a bunch of other songs because Clive Davis pretty much wanted to write my songs. I mean, basically they wanted to make me a whiter shade of Milli Vanilli.
What do you mean?
On “Work for Love,” I was recording in London, and Clive Davis would call from New York and read me lyrics over a landline phone. And I’d have to jot them down and sing those, and he’d accept those. He rejected all these songs that I had done already. He wanted things like “Say You’re Sorry.” He would just call up on a whim and say, “I want you to do this.” And after living in a squat, shoveling snow out of my living room, I was like, “OK, man, whatever you want.”
So all the song credits should say, “By Clive Davis”?
No, not all of them. But even the versions I had of things like “Revenge” and “Effigy” were cleaned up by the appointed engineer, producer, and Clive and made more palatable to a pop audience. Basically, I think they signed me for having high cheekbones and being a skinny little white guy that was playing pop and funk.
What do you think they wanted you to be?
The flavor of the month that year was the Psychedelic Furs. So they appointed [the Furs’ drummer] Vince Ely as producer of [With Sympathy]. And Vince is a great guy and all that, but he’d never produced before. It was all about the look of it.
And damn it, they made me cut my hair, and that pissed me off the most. I’m an old hippie, so it’s like Samson losing his hair. I felt powerless, naked, vulnerable. It was horrible.
Bob Roberts, who played keys on With Sympathy, gave an interview a few years ago where he said you “certainly seemed to be into it at the time, more so than anyone else.” But he added that the record didn’t really reflect how you sounded onstage.
He wasn’t in London fielding the calls from Clive Davis, OK? And yes, he’s right: It did not capture us at the time because we did a lot of varied material that eventually got rejected. I really don’t know what he’s talking about because he wasn’t there. Maybe the band and him couldn’t twist my arm on things, but Clive Davis on the phone can certainly twist your arm. You pretty much do as told.
Was Clive Davis scary back then?
When you’re 21, 22 years old and you’re just coming out of a squat and now you’re living in London and fancy hotels, I’m recording at AIR Studios, George Martin’s place, with Queen’s engineer, I’m like, “Whoa.” Of course, it’s overwhelming. So you go along with everything.
The credits for With Sympathy say you not only wrote “Should Have Known Better” but recorded every instrument yourself. Is that wrong?
That one’s all mine. And yeah, there’s some real pop flavor to a lot of that stuff that I was writing back then. I’d just found keyboards and fell in love with them, and so a lot of the stuff I was doing was getting away from my roots.
Before that, I was in a metal cover band, oddly enough, called Slayer. It came before Slayer, back in ’78. And by ’79, ’80, I was in Special Affect, which is very Gang of Four-ish. And then keyboards came out and I started writing poppier stuff. But all that stuff like “Every Day Is Halloween” was written in ’81, ’82.
What were you listening to around the time you wrote With Sympathy?
My taste is completely wacko, off the charts. I listened to everything from Yma Sumac to Gang of Four to Thelonious Monk, and then into Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks. Then Killing Joke came out, and that sealed the deal for me. It was just like, “No, I’m throwing out the synthesizers and I’m going to do a lot more guitar.”
I found an interview with you from 1982 where you said, “Chic is the best band ever as far as I’m concerned.”
Oh yeah, absolutely. I still feel that way. But like I said, I’m all over the map. There’s only two types of music: There’s good and there’s shit. I was hoping I was listening to the good shit.
You also described Ministry’s music by saying, “If you can’t dance to it, you’re either a cripple or disinterested.“
Well, back then I was DJing as well, so that was important to me. You had to make people dance and buy drinks, otherwise you’re out of here. So at the time, that was a much more important factor in my songwriting than it is today.
When is the last time you listened to With Sympathy?
About 40 years ago. I still haven’t. I’ve listened to the songs my band ambushed me with on the bus but the actual original versions, no. I burned those tapes on a barbecue. We had to start from scratch on doing this show because we had no stems, no guide to go by. I didn’t even know what songs were on the album, to be honest.
I was going to ask what you thought of your vocals on the album.
I’ve listened to some songs but not the whole album. I was singing in this high key register that I couldn’t pull off now at gunpoint. It just sounds so naïve to me.
On “Effigy,” you had a British affectation, singing about “me mom and me dad.” What was that about?
Well, I was living there. You’re obviously influenced by your environment, so I don’t feel bad about that. That’s how I spoke on an everyday basis when I was living there. By the time I was done with Twitch, I’d lived there two years.
“Effigy” was used in an episode of Euphoria a few years back. What do you think about how it appeals a new audience? Do you still ask fans to donate $1,000 to charity to sign it?
I’m happy to sign it now because I’m ready to own it. I’m ready to stop that haunting me.
You left Arista after With Sympathy. What happened?
I literally had to go to court and sue to leave. They offered me a lot of money to stay, and I was just like, no, no, no, no, because I couldn’t look into a mirror anymore. I didn’t feel like I was myself anymore.
What strikes you when you look at the photo of yourself in the album art for With Sympathy?
What strikes me is anger that my management was in literally cahoots with Arista. The record company basically said, “You need to cut your hair.” Then they took me to some place on Melrose here, flew me out, and picked out a bunch of sharkskin suits.
It makes me angry at the exploitation aspect of it. I just wasn’t down with the program: that particular photo shoot and that particular “Revenge” video, which is done by the guy that did all the Cure videos, because that was the flavor of the month.
Ministry’s drummer at the time, Stevo, is the only other person in the photo. When’s the last time you spoke with him?
About 35 years. And I haven’t talked to Bob Roberts in 40 years. Just went our separate ways and I decided to just forge my own path. I’ve been known to do that with Ministry.
Yeah, you’ve had a lot of band members.
Right after Filth Pig, I took a couple of years off to live with Timothy Leary and just do acid. I was sick of it. I was sick of Paul Barker, and now I’m working with Paul Barker again on our final album.
How did you two patch things up?
Well, we realized it was both of our ex-wives suing each other instead of us. He just moved close to me here. I have a recording studio in my house, so we’re going to start the final album together in June. We’re best buddies now. We should have always been, but literally it was two other people suing each other in our names. It was really bizarre.
Have you and Paul Barker talked about the final album?
Yeah, I just heard some of his ideas. What Ministry is doing now is kind of like arena rock — it’s just much more simple and guttural — where Barker is much more ethereal and it’s more like a Brian Eno–type. So the two styles combined is what makes Ministry “Ministry.” What he played me the other day was just extraordinary.
Will Paul be joining Ministry’s live band again?
He’ll be on the last tour without a doubt.
So the plan is to do Cruel World, re-record some of the With Sympathy songs and then do the final album with Paul Barker. Which songs from With Sympathy will you never play again?
“Say You’re Sorry,” “She’s Got a Cause” — yuck, just drips with just fakeness, sugar-coated pop. Those are the two that stand out right away. I’m sure I could come up with more, but I think there’s some solid ideas on there. I just think it was just sanitized so much that it was almost beyond recognition.
Have you run into Clive Davis at all in the past four decades?
Hell no. I don’t go to his [Grammy] parties and stuff. Trust me.
You’re cool with Paul Barker now, are you sure you and Clive —
No, Clive and I aren’t going to happen.
When do you plan on re-recording the With Sympathy songs you like?
As soon as we’re done with Cruel World, I go right in the studio. And most of these songs are already done because we had to re-record them just to know how we were going to sound. So they basically just need to be mixed. It’s just going to take me a couple of weeks. Then we shop it to the highest bidder, whoever wants it. And then at that point, I start working with Barker.
Since you’re planning Ministry’s final album, how are you seeing the end of the band?
I’m 65 now. I was hoping to retire at 65, but two years of Covid made it so I can’t afford that yet. So I’ll do another couple years, and then that’s it. There’s no point in touring. And touring gets harder as you’re older anyways, and I don’t really want to do the whole casino circuit.
All I really want to do is film scoring. I get to stay at my house, and I work out of my house. And so I’m just trying to wrap everything up with a nice little bow, exorcise all demons, and put Ministry to bed.
Your recent film score was for something related to Killers of the Flower Moon.
Yes, it’s called Long Knife. It follows up on Killers of the Flower Moon. Leo DiCaprio is narrating the documentary of this. His dad is executive producer, and I think Scorsese might be involved in this as well. It will come out next year.
Other than composing film scores, what does the Ministry retirement plan look like?
That’s it. If I’m not scoring, it’ll just be activism. Everyone knows my views are pretty left. I’m not divulging my medical records, so there might be underlying reasons why it’s also time to go. I’ll just put it at that.
In the interview you gave from 1982, you said: “A few things are for sure. It’s a fairly safe proposition. I’m not going to turn into a junkie or move away or have a girl ruin my life. I don’t want to do anything else. It will be Al Jourgensen and the music business till the death.” What do you think of that now?
As far as being a junkie, yeah, I blew that one. But everything I’ve done in my life has been ass backwards. I was born premature, yellow, completely jaundiced with liver failure, and 60 percent hearing loss. So what do I become, a drunken producer? It’s been 22 years since I touched any of that shit, coke or heroin or pills or any of that shit. I don’t touch that stuff. I watch people do it in front of me and just never relapsed either, never.
So yeah, I’ve lived a pretty backward life. Everything that I wasn’t supposed to do, I did. Everything I was supposed to do, I didn’t. I’m just as confused as anyone else is on this planet and just wondering why I’m even here. So when do I get my next assignment in the universe? When do I get a new planet to go to? Because I think they keep sending me back to this one on purpose just to piss me off, but here I am.

//- INTRODUCTION //-
January 2001
Eric Bischoff along with Fusient Media purchased World Championship Wrestling from AOL Time Warner. The agreement will allow WCW to continue using Wrestlers under AOL Time Warner Contract for all WCW programming, but as of April 1, 2001 WCW will now longer be given programming on TNT and TBS.
ECW held its last major event Guilty As Charged before filling for bankruptcy Many of the talent signed to ECW have become free agents. Wile WWF will be contacting former ECW talent, WCW and Fusient Media has already reached out to several stars.
February 2001
World Championship Wrestling looks for a new home for television programming as Eric Bischoff is announced as President of WCW and Brian Bedol will assume the role of CEO of the company.
World Championship Wrestling is working through multiple television deals as they prepare for April when they are no longer part of TNT. There has been discussions with USA network, Fox Sports and ABC, but no deal has been solidified yet.
March 2001
WCW signs a television deal, but is not able to announce the partnership until their pogromming on TNT and TBS is over. Eric Bischoff does announce the lunch date for the new WCW. The next pay-per-view entitled ’The Big Bang’ will air live from MWM Grand and Garden Arena on Sunday, 6 May 2001.
April 2001. Once ht contact iwht Time Warner expires, WCW announces that Monday Nitro will be broadcast on the new Channel FX. At a press conference Eric Bischoff and Brian Bedol, announce that WCW headquarters will move from Atlanta to Las Vegas, where weekly Nitro will be broadcast from The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
The reboot of new WCW will be the exited PPV ‘Big Bang’ on May 6.
[MAY]
Week 1, May 2001
________________
[1.5 WCW LIVES ON!] “NITRO DEBUTS ON FX”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] New venue, a week out from pay-per-view spectacular ‘Big Bang’
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,314
Overall Rating 60
Kevin Nash, Booker T, Goldberg beat R Steiner, S Steiner and Jeff Jarrett
Team Canada beat Kronik
Interview with DDP, Sting, Team Canada
Shane Douglas beat Bam Bam Bigelow
Interview with Goldberg and Buff Bagwell
Lex Luger beat Disco Inferno
Diamond Dallas Page beat Reno
Mark Jindrak, EZ Money, Shane Helms, Shannon Moore beat AJ Styles, Air Paris, Yang and Kaz Hayashi
Buff Bagwell beat Johnny The Bull
Konnan & Rey Jr beat Eliz Skipper & Kid Romeo
Segment with Rey Jr, Lex Luger, Kevin Nash, R Steiner, Cash and Vampire
Billy Kidman, Dustin Rhodes beat James Storm & Chris Harris
Vampire beat Ernest Miller
Interview with Ric Flair, Dustin Rhodes, Billy Kidman
[DARK] Chavo Guerrero Jr beat Norman Smiley
◆Show Notes
Scott Steiner and Brian Adams had a fight, Steiner was fined.
Buff Bagwell had an argument with a fan outside the arena, he was fined.
Vampire was caught smoking in the locker room. He was fined.
Mark Jindrak is now heel, Ric Flair is now face. Jason Jett has returned to his EZ Money moniker.
◆Roster Changes:
The Limo Driver was released from his handshake agreement at no cost.
Volador Jr signs a a three year per show contract, no downside
Yoshiro Tajiri signs two year deal ($36,400 total cost 2001 budget ex bonuses)
Great Sasuke agreed a handshake per show deal, no downside.
La Parka signs a two year deal, no guarantee, per show cost.
Christopher Daniels signs a two year per show contract, no downside
Super Crazy signs a two year deal ($180,000 cost to 2001 budget ex bonuses)
Silver King signs a one year deal per show contract, no downside
Ricky Steamboat has agreed a per show contract, no downside
Sabu has signed a one year per show contract, no downside.
Ultimo Dragon has agreed an ongoing handshake per show agreement, no downside.
Roddy Piper has signed a one year per show contract, no downside.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro’s debut ratings were 1,290,497 on FX.
iN Demand has agreed a one year deal to carry WCW pay-per-views
Azteca 7 will carry WCW pay-per-views and WCW Nitro for the next 12 months in Mexico
J Sports 1 will carry WCW pay-per-views and WCW Nitro for the next 12 months in Mexico
NBCSN will carry WCW pay-per-views and WCW Nitro for the next 12 months in Canada
Sky Sports USA will carry WCW pay-per-views and WCW Nitro for the next 12 months in the UK
M-Pro and WCW agree mutual partnership. M-Pro and WCW will both accept excursions from each other , while both parties are open to talent trades.
IWRG and WCW agree mutual partnership. IWRG and WCW will both accept excursions from each other and look to trade talent when beneficial.
◆NEWS
Rey Misterio Jr will once again wear his mask after approval from the Mexican Commission.
WCW missed out on the signing of Juventud Guerrero who signed with NJPW
[7.5 A NEW!] “WCW Big Bang Live On Pay Per View”
[MGM Grand] Anything can happen at the start of a new begigning
◆”Big Bang” Pay Per View
MGM Grand Garden Arena with 7,063 in attendance
Overall Rating 66
Booker T beats Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner and Sabu to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Video of Jarrett, Booker T, Scott Steiner and Sabu
Goldberg beat Buff Bagwell
Sting & DDP beat Lance Storm & Mike Awesome
Kevin Nash beat Rick Steiner
Ric Flair, Dustin Rhodes Bam Bam, Billy Kidman, Hugh Murris v Kanyon, Road Warrior Animal, Shane Douglas, Chavo Gurrero Jr and Mike Sanders
Gene Okerlund interviews Kevin Nash and Rick Steiner
Rey Misterio Jr beat Lex Luger
Vampiro beat Cash
Air Raid v 3 Count v Young Dragons v Mark Jindrak/Ez Money
Shane Douglas, Kanyon,Animal, Chavo Gurrero Jr and Mike Sanders discuss their match tonight
Great Sasuke, Super Crazy, Volador Jr, Yoshiro Tajiri beat Christopher Daniels, La Parka, Eliz Skipper and Kid Romeo
Gene Okerlund interviews Goldberg about Buff Bagwell
Kronik beat Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire to become the new WCW World Tag Team Champions
Gene Okerlund interviews Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes
Shane Helmes beats Jamie Knoble in a WCW Cruiserweight Championship defence
Eric Bischoff announces the formation of a new Championship Committee and is joined by Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, Arn Anderson who bring out the main event Jarrett, Booker T and Steiner and tell them Sabu is now in the match.
[DARK] Norman Smiley v Konnan
◆Show Notes
Bryan Clarke, Road Warrior Animal, Chuck Palumbo was given warnings over their selfish behaviour,
Yoshirio Tajiri was fined on the first night of his new job for punching Brian Adams.
Jamie Knoble was fined for fighting backstage.
Week 2, May 2001
________________
◆Roster Changes:
Rob Van Dam has signed a four year contract, total cost to 2001 budget $995,000 ex bonus.
Bill Alfonso has signed a one year contract, total cost to 2001 budget $50,400.
Kwee Kwee was released from his contract, total cost to 2001 budget $37,800
The Wall was released from his contract, total cost to 2001 budget $45,000
Shawn Stasiak was released from his contract, total cost to 2001 budget $70,800
◆Business Notes
WCW Big Bang received a 0.11 (89,526 viewers) with 168,639 viewers overall with a buy rate of 0.14 (70,391).
◆Talent Relations
Kevin Nash has seen his salary increase due to the signing of Rob Van Dam, total cost to 2001 budget $910,000
Jeff Jarrett, Rey Mysterio Jr and Normal Smiley have been fined for drug test violations.
[7.5 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “MORE CHANGES…”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Eric Bischoff announces a new Director of Talent Recruitment, who will his first signing be?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,511
Overall Rating 56
Booker T, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Vampire & Goldberg beat Kevin Nash, Steiner Brothers,
Angle involving Jeff Jarrett, Shane Douglas who were confronted by Goldberg and Vampire, match set for Great American Bash
The Filthy Animals (Konnan, Billy Kidman, Rey Mysterio Jr) beat Road Warrior Animal, Kanyon and La Parka
Diamond Dallas Page beats Buff Bagwell
Kevin Nash challenged Booker T to a WCW World Heavyweight Title match at Great American Bash, it was accepted. Both men meet in the 5 v 5 Hardcore Tag Match in the Main Event.
Gene Okerlund interviewed Team Canada (Lance Storm, Mike Awesome), DDP and Sting. They’ll meet in singles matches at Great American Bash
Kronik (Bryan Clarke & Brian Adams) beat Ernest Miller & Disco Inferno to retain the WCW Tag Team Championships [1st defence]
Dustin Rhodes accepted Ric Flair’s offer to form a tag team, The Legacy.
Super Crazy beat Great Sasuke, AJ Styles, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Ez Money and Cash
Dustin Rhodes beat Lex Luger, Ric Flair watched the match and celebrated Rhodes win.
Yoshirio Tajiri beat Shannon Moore
Eric Bischoff announced Dusty Rhodes as the new Director of Talent Recruitment, he announced his first signing Rob Van Dam and his manager Bill Alfonso.
[DARK] Volador Jr, Kaz Hayashi, Yang beat Evan Karagias, Elix Skipper and Kid Romeo
◆Show Notes
Bryan Adams, Kevin Nash, Chuck Palumbo, Rob Van Dam, Disco Inferno and Bryan Clarke were all fined for various behaviour indiscretions.
◆[GREAT AMERICAN BASH]:”FOUR MATCHES CONFIRMED!”
Booker T v Kevin Nash - WCW World Heavyweight Championship
DDP v Lance Storm
Sting v MIke Awesome
Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas v Goldberg, Vampiro
◆News
Psicosis turned down an offer to sign with WCW and has joined NJPW.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro achieved a 0.11 TV Rating (83,940 viewers). It had a total of 1,33,784 viewers.
WCW’s drug testing policy has been paused will be reviewed.
◆Roster Changes:
Curt Henning has signed a one year contract, cost to 2001 budget $351,400 ex bonus.
Terry Funk has agreed a one year contract, cost to 2001 budget $128,800
James Mitchell has agreed a two year contract with a downside agreement costing 2001 budget $14,000.
Rena Mero has signed a two year contract, costing the 2001 budget $90,300
Bobby Heenan has agreed a one year contract with no downside, per show deal.
Masato Tanaka has agreed a three month handshake per show agreement with no downside.
◆Talent Relations
Sting, Jeff Jarrett, Vampire and Brian Adams were all fined for breaching drug testing regulations.
Week 3, May 2001
________________
[14.5 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “MORE CHANGES…”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Eric Bischoff announces a new Director of Talent Recruitment, who will his first signing be?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,502
Overall Rating 61
Booker T and Kevin Nash confronted each other ahead of their WCW World Title match at Great American Bash
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) and the Steiner Brothers went to a no contest when Kronik,
Gene Okerlund interviewed DDP, Sting, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome about their respective matches at Great American Bash
Jeff Jarrett, Vampire joined Gene Okerlund to talk their upcoming match with Goldberg and Vampiro
Sabu and Rob Van Dam ran in.
Booker T beat Terry Funk to retain the WCW Unites States Championship
Yoshirio Tajiri, Goldberg, Vampire beat Curt Henning, Road Warrior Animal and Buff Bagwell
Kevin Nash beat Chris Harris
Team Canada beat The Mamalukes
Rey Misterio Jr beat Masato Tanaka
Great Sasuke and Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris) beat Cash and 3 Count (Evan Karagis and Shannon Moore)
Diamond Dallas Page beat Johnny Swinger
Kanyon beat Normal Smiley
Shane Douglas beat Jamie Knoble
Legacy (Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes) confronted Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Brian Adams, Bryan Clarke, setting up a WCW Tag Team Title Four Way Match at Great American Bash.
La Parka beat Jim Duggan
Eric Bischoff introduced the Championship Committee (Arn Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper) who were joined by newest member Terry Funk. Director of Talent Acquisition Dusty Rhodes brought out his newest signing Curt Henning.
[DARK] Chavo Guerrero Jr beat Alex Wright
◆Show Notes
Jamie Knoble, Tony Shivonie, Johnny Ace, Scott Steiner were all fined due to various behavioural issues.
◆[GREAT AMERICAN BASH]:”CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES CONFIRMED!”
Booker T v Kevin Nash - WCW World Heavyweight Championship
DDP v Lance Storm
Sting v MIke Awesome
Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes v Steiner Brothers v Rob Van Dam & Sabu v Kronik - WCW World Tag Team Titles
Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas v Goldberg, Vampiro
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro received 0.11 TV Rating (86,894 viewers) with 1,391,647 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes:
Road Warrior Animal requested and was granted his release, no cost to the 2001 budget.
Dick Togo, MEN’s Teioh and Jinsei Shinzaki will join WCW for one show as per their talent exchange with M-Pro. Terry Funk, Kaz Hayashi and Yoshirio Tajiri will head to M-Pro for one show.
Damien 666 has agreed a one year, per show handshake deal with a downside that will cost the 2001 budget $9,100
Lizmark Jr has agreed a one year, per show handshake deal with a downside that will cost the 2001 budget $7,700
Villano V has signed a there year contract costing the 2001 budget $105,000
Week 4, May 2001
________________
[21.5 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “VAN DAM’S BIGGEST TEST”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Rob Van Dam and Sting will clash in the main event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,645
Overall Rating 57
Booker T was attacked by Kevin Nash backstage to close the show
Rob Van Dam beat Sting
Ahead of their WCW World Tag Team Titles match at the Great American Bash Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Flair), KroniK, Rob Van Dam and Sabu and The Steiner Brothers squared off in the ring.
Steiner Brothers beat Konnan and Billy Kidman
Booker T beat Sean O’Haire
Kevin Nash beat Evan Karagias
Bobby Henan and his client Kanyon called out Lex Luger, setting a match for Great American Bash.
Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, Vampire and Rey Misterio Jr beat Jeff Jarrett, Shane Douglas, Mike Awesome and Lance Storm
Kaz Hayashi, Yang, Lizmark Jr, Super Crazy and Tajiri beat MEN’s Teioh, EZ Money, Dick Togo, Damien 666 and Chavo Guerrero Jr
Gene Okerlund speaks with Tajiri w/James Mitchell and Buff Bagwell, a match is set for Great American Bash
La Parka beat Volador Jr
La Parka confronted Rey Misterio Jr, they’ll meet at the Great American Bash
Ric Flair beat Curt Henning
Dustin Rhodes beat Lash Leroux
The Championship Committee (Terry Funk, Roddy Piper, Arn Anderson and Ricky Steamboat) met with Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Sting and DDP ahead of their Great American Bash singles matches.
[DARK] Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) beat Mike Sanders & Reno
◆Show Notes
Chuck Palumbo was fired for another backstage incident.
Disco Inferno, Big Vito and Johnny Swinger were all fined for behavioural incidents.
◆[GREAT AMERICAN BASH]:”MORE MATCHES CONFIRMED!”
Booker T v Kevin Nash - WCW World Heavyweight Championship
DDP v Lance Storm
Sting v MIke Awesome
Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes v Steiner Brothers v Rob Van Dam & Sabu v Kronik - WCW World Tag Team Titles
Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas v Goldberg, Vampiro
Buff Bagwell v Tajiri
Lex Luger v Kanyon
Rey Misterio Jr v La Parka
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro received 0.11 TV ratings (82,725 viewers) with 1,319,060 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes:
Terry Taylor has been released from his contract costing the 2001 budget $106,200
Reno has been released from his contract costing the 2001 budget $30,000
Johnny Swinger has been released from his contract costing the 2001 budget $22,800
Disco Inferno has been released from his contract costing the 2001 budget $75,000
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event The Great American Bash (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue $2,5m
Wages ($2,9m)
Of Which Are Terminations ($387k)
Loss ($3,7m)
Performance ($1,2m)
Reserves $8,7m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Diamond Dallas Page
Ernest Miller w/Miss Jones
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam w/Bill Alfonso
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso
Seam O’Haire
Shane Helms - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) - WCW World Tag Team Champions
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
The Mamalukes (Big Vito & Johnny the Bull)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Chris Harris
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Masato Tanaka
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 11 Months
Silver King - Dislocated Hip 5 Day
Ultimo Dragon - Broken Arm - 3 Months
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Jeremy Borash
Jimmy Hart
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
Scott Hudson
[IN/OUT]
In
Curt Hennig
Terry Funk
James Mitchell
Rena Mero
Bobby Heenan
Masato Tanaka
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Great Sasuke
La Parka
Christopher Daniels
Super Crazy
Silver King
Ricky Steamboat
Sabu
Ultimo Dragon
Roddy Piper
Rob Van Dam
Bill Alfonso
Damien 666
Lizmark Jr
Villano V
Out
Road Warrior Animal
Kwee Kwee
The Wall
Shawn Stasiak
Terry Taylor
Reno
Johnny Swinger
Disco Inferno
The Limo Driver
22 Signings and 9 Departures

"我們機構的獨立性
上週，我寫了一篇關於可能影響本屆歐洲議會競選敘事進程的事件的可能性的文章。從技術上講，我指的是權威調查的完成，因為媒體已經在猜測。確實，我的職業不是律師。然而，沒有什麼能阻止我分析事情的發展方式，以及這次權威調查的時機是如何試圖在這次重要的選舉中抹殺工黨的競選活動的。
馬耳他工黨已經習慣了這些策略。這些策略與 1930 年代斯特里克蘭和博法時代所使用的策略相同，大多數國民黨法律專家透過他們的關係將法庭武器化，以對他們有利，主要癱瘓緊湊的政府。事實上，我知道國民黨成員並不樂意在國內外揭露他們的計劃，特別是歐洲人民黨處理烏克蘭和加薩戰爭的方式，以及推動軍備融資的做法。
當然，那些不了解馬耳他的人可能會忘記這樣一個事實：國民黨總是與某個機構（無論是宗教機構還是部分獨立機構）保持聯繫，包括 1930 年代的法院和 1960 年代的教堂。 1961 年 4 月，馬耳他大主教邁克爾·貢齊 (Michael Gonzi) 停職了馬耳他工黨的執行成員。可悲的是，我們有一些親戚在臨終前沒有懺悔就被埋葬了，因為大多數神父憎惡工黨支持者，並被指示拒絕聽取懺悔，也不能主持聖體聖事。那些設法做到這一點的人是透過關係秘密地做到的。政治和宗教局勢高度緊張。我們的一些親戚甚至被埋在阿多洛拉塔公墓一個名為“fil-miżbla”的垃圾場。
第二次世界大戰後開始的一項擬議發展計劃建議大規模移民。隨後，在1960年代，國民黨政府與英國政府共同推動了這項計畫。英國人在離開前少付錢符合他們的利益。一些鄉村牧師狡猾地說服了許多人移居國外。他們中的大多數是青少年工黨選民，主要來自傾向工黨的家庭。他們說服父母離開馬耳他。當時，教會及其領袖與國民黨勾結。他們巧妙地試圖清洗工黨支持者，以利於國民黨。我們不要忘記，當時馬塔的選舉是以微弱的多數決定。事實上，許多人前往澳洲、加拿大和美國。工黨在野長達十年之久。正是多姆·明托夫強而有力的演說和遠見才讓工黨得以生存。
我寫這篇文章是因為我們需要為那些試圖幹預馬耳他政治的海外人士提供一些背景資訊。他們不了解我們的文化。我們的歷史深深植根於我們的文化中。當然，外國人無法區分政治、種族或宗教清洗。確實如此。這是我們殖民者造成的結果。我們的祖先反抗我們的殖民者，為我們的獨立，甚至我們的自由而奮鬥。多姆·明托夫曾經是、也許仍然是真正為解放馬耳他而奮鬥的主要政治人物。工黨支持者抵制建制派、現狀、工黨將政教分離。
當然，任何政府都必須受到製衡。然而，馬耳他今天必須注意，不是來自政府的權力，而是來自反對派伸向我們法院的觸角。我們機構的獨立性確實受到威脅。諷刺的是，我們法院所承受的壓力並非來自政府，而是來自反對黨內的一些議員和前議員。正派要求我們必須消除任何一絲懷疑，無論情況如何，以便正義得以伸張。
儘管傳喚證人可能由詢問的治安法官酌情決定，但是，為了增強獨立性並加強公眾對我們機構的信任，傳喚那些被指控和指控的人是明智的做法在法庭上。不是為了乾擾這個過程，而是為了消除疑慮。如果我是地方法官，我會要求所有證人出庭作證，只是為了消除任何疑慮，而不是削弱程序的獨立性。當然，在選舉前夕向司法部長發送調查肯定會發出錯誤的訊息。賦予司法機構的權力不得被濫用，這適用於司法機構中有勞工和民族主義傾向的成員。
可怕的是，這並沒有隨著我們法院的獨立性而停止。即使在馬耳他廣播局的案例中，我們也遇到過這樣的情況：民族黨秘書長在 2023 年 6 月提出反對，稱我正在利用公共廣播服務，甚至不允許我在期間陳述我的版本。過程。當我詢問時，他們告訴我，打電話給我不是他們的職責。從技術上講，他們給了我一個公務員的答案。當然，我對我們獨立機構的成員抱有更好的期望，尤其是在建立公眾信任方面。我們如何信任我們的獨立機構卻造成如此可怕的後果？
這種做法無異於俄羅斯的慣用伎倆。 2019年政治危機後，機構的獨立性過度放鬆，有利於反對派。我們不要忘記，現任政府廢除了許多權力。國民黨對此感到高興。他們在馬耳他賭場的爭論是，法庭總是在國民黨的掌控範圍之內，而工黨總是會袖手旁觀。確實，這是一個世紀以來的常見做法。這確實是對民主的嘲諷。嗯，我不明白為什麼在進行瞭如此多的改革之後，我們不得不質疑我們機構的獨立性。作案手法必須避免任何政治幹預。我們不是俄羅斯。
最後，弗拉基米爾·普丁總統目前正在準備涉及核武的軍事演習。這才是本次活動以及 6 月 8 日之後真正重要的事情。別回來抱怨我沒有警告你。
https://maltabusinessweekly.com/the-independence-of-our-institutions/25968/
—
今日亞馬遜優惠（聯盟）- https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
成為天主教徒將為您永恆的命運奠定堅實的基礎。天主教信仰代表了人類所有相互競爭的哲學中最複雜、最一致、最完整的思想體系。這是名副其實的人類思想大教堂。天主教會教導說，上帝如此愛我們，以至於祂派遣祂的獨生子為我們的罪而死，並為我們的救贖而復活。透過相信耶穌基督為我們的主和救主，我們可以接受上帝的恩典並與祂永遠生活在天堂裡。 - https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html
瑪麗亞電台大中華區（中國大陸、香港、澳門、台灣） - http://www.voiceofmary.org.mo/ - 「瑪麗亞電台是聖母的禮物。透過節目編排、每一份社論產品以及我們所有的活動，我們必須成為帶有強烈瑪麗亞印記並呼籲皈依的祈禱和福傳的電台。 （利維奧神父）
瑪麗亞電台回應耶穌不斷的邀請：「你們往普天下去，向萬民傳福音」（谷16:15）。
我們節目的主題是：
禱告;
呼籲轉變；
傳福音；
人類和社會的形成；
來自教會和社會的新聞。
VisitMalta：取得馬耳他之旅所需的所有資訊！預訂門票、發現新的遊覽地點、發現令人驚奇的事情等等！ - https://www.visitmalta.com/
免責聲明：本網站僅供參考，不應被視為法律[健康、稅務、職業]建議。我們對因使用本部落格而可能產生的任何損失、損害或責任不承擔任何責任。本部落格無意取代專業醫療建議。本部落格所表達的觀點可能不代表主持人或管理階層的觀點。
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
http://sinomaltanews.freeforums.net/
"
"我们机构的独立性
上周，我写了一篇关于可能影响本届欧洲议会竞选叙事进程的事件的可能性的文章。从技术上讲，我指的是权威调查的完成，因为媒体已经在猜测。确实，我的职业不是律师。然而，没有什么能阻止我分析事情的发展方式，以及这次权威调查的时机是如何试图在这次重要的选举中抹杀工党的竞选活动的。
马耳他工党已经习惯了这些策略。这些策略与 1930 年代斯特里克兰和博法时代所使用的策略相同，大多数国民党法律专家通过他们的关系将法庭武器化，以对他们有利，主要瘫痪紧凑的政府。事实上，我知道国民党成员并不乐意在国内外揭露他们的计划，特别是欧洲人民党处理乌克兰和加沙战争的方式，以及推动军备融资的做法。
当然，那些不了解马耳他的人可能会忘记这样一个事实：国民党总是与某个机构（无论是宗教机构还是部分独立机构）保持联系，包括 1930 年代的法院和 1960 年代的教堂。 1961 年 4 月，马耳他大主教迈克尔·贡齐 (Michael Gonzi) 停职了马耳他工党的执行成员。可悲的是，我们有一些亲戚在临终前没有忏悔就被埋葬了，因为大多数神父憎恶工党支持者，并被指示拒绝听取忏悔，也不能主持圣体圣事。那些设法做到这一点的人是通过关系秘密地做到的。政治和宗教局势高度紧张。我们的一些亲戚甚至被埋在阿多洛拉塔公墓一个名为“fil-miżbla”的垃圾场中。
第二次世界大战后开始的一项拟议发展计划建议大规模移民。随后，在20世纪60年代，国民党政府与英国政府共同推动了这一计划。英国人在离开前少付钱符合他们的利益。一些乡村牧师狡猾地说服了许多人移居国外。他们中的大多数是青少年工党选民，主要来自倾向工党的家庭。他们说服父母离开马耳他。当时，教会及其领袖与国民党勾结。他们巧妙地试图清洗工党支持者，以利于国民党。我们不要忘记，当时马塔的选举是以微弱多数决定的。事实上，许多人前往澳大利亚、加拿大和美国。工党在野长达十年之久。正是多姆·明托夫强有力的演讲和远见才让工党得以生存。
我写这篇文章是因为我们需要为那些试图干预马耳他政治的海外人士提供一些背景信息。他们不了解我们的文化。我们的历史深深植根于我们的文化中。当然，外国人无法区分政治、种族或宗教清洗。确实如此。这是我们殖民者造成的结果。我们的祖先反抗我们的殖民者，为我们的独立，甚至我们的自由而奋斗。多姆·明托夫曾经是、也许仍然是真正为解放马耳他而奋斗的主要政治人物。工党支持者抵制建制派、现状以及工党将政教分离。
当然，任何政府都必须受到制衡。然而，马耳他今天必须注意，不是来自政府的权力，而是来自反对派伸向我们法院的触角。我们机构的独立性确实受到威胁。具有讽刺意味的是，我们法院所承受的压力并非来自政府，而是来自反对党内的一些议员和前议员。正派要求我们必须消除任何一丝怀疑，无论情况如何，以便正义得以伸张。
尽管传唤证人可能由询问的治安法官酌情决定，但是，为了增强独立性并加强公众对我们机构的信任，传唤那些被指控和指控的人是明智的做法在法庭上。不是为了干扰这个过程，而是为了消除疑虑。如果我是一名地方法官，我会要求所有证人出庭作证，只是为了消除任何疑虑，而不是削弱程序的独立性。当然，在选举前夕向司法部长发送调查肯定会发出错误的信息。赋予司法机构的权力不得被滥用，这适用于司法机构中有劳工和民族主义倾向的成员。
可怕的是，这并没有随着我们法院的独立性而停止。即使在马耳他广播局的案例中，我们也遇到过这样的情况：民族党秘书长在 2023 年 6 月提出反对，称我正在利用公共广播服务，甚至不允许我在期间陈述我的版本。审议过程。当我询问时，他们告诉我，给我打电话不是他们的职责。从技术上讲，他们给了我一个公务员的答案。当然，我对我们独立机构的成员抱有更好的期望，尤其是在建立公众信任方面。我们如何能信任我们的独立机构却造成如此可怕的后果？
这种做法无异于俄罗斯的惯用伎俩。 2019年政治危机后，机构的独立性过度放松，有利于反对派。我们不要忘记，现任政府废除了许多权力。国民党对此感到高兴。他们在马耳他赌场的争论是，法庭总是在国民党的掌控范围之内，而工党总是会袖手旁观。确实，这是一个世纪以来的常见做法。这确实是对民主的嘲讽。嗯，我不明白为什么在进行了如此多的改革之后，我们不得不质疑我们机构的独立性。作案手法必须避免任何政治干预。我们不是俄罗斯。
最后，弗拉基米尔·普京总统目前正在准备涉及核武器的军事演习。这才是本次活动以及 6 月 8 日之后真正重要的事情。别回来抱怨我没有警告你。
https://maltabusinessweekly.com/the-independence-of-our-institutions/25968/
—
今日亚马逊优惠（联盟）- https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
成为天主教徒将为您永恒的命运奠定坚实的基础。天主教信仰代表了人类所有相互竞争的哲学中最复杂、最一致、最完整的思想体系。这是名副其实的人类思想大教堂。天主教会教导说，上帝如此爱我们，以至于他派遣他的独生子为我们的罪而死，并为我们的救赎而复活。通过相信耶稣基督为我们的主和救主，我们可以接受上帝的恩典并与他永远生活在天堂里。 - https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html
玛丽亚电台大中华区（中国大陆、香港、澳门、台湾） - http://www.voiceofmary.org.mo/ - “玛丽亚电台是圣母的礼物。通过节目编排、每一份社论产品以及我们所有的活动，我们必须成为带有强烈玛丽亚印记并呼吁皈依的祈祷和福传的电台。” （利维奥神父）
玛丽亚电台回应耶稣不断的邀请：“你们往普天下去，向万民传福音”（谷16:15）。
我们节目的主题是：
祷告;
呼吁转变；
传福音；
人类和社会的形成；
来自教会和社会的新闻。
VisitMalta：获取马耳他之旅所需的所有信息！预订门票、发现新的游览地点、发现令人惊奇的事情等等！ - https://www.visitmalta.com/
免责声明：本网站仅供参考，不应被视为法律[健康、税务、职业]建议。我们对因使用本博客而可能产生的任何损失、损害或责任不承担任何责任。本博客无意取代专业医疗建议。本博客所表达的观点可能不代表主持人或管理层的观点。
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
http://sinomaltanews.freeforums.net/
"
"L-indipendenza tal-istituzzjonijiet tagħna
Il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, ktibt dwar il-possibbiltà ta’ avveniment li jista’ jaffettwa l-andament tan-narrattiva tal-kampanja elettorali attwali tal-Parlament Ewropew. Teknikament kont qed nirreferi għat-tlestija tal-inkjesta maġisterjali, minħabba li l-midja kienet diġà qed tispekula. Veru, jien mhux avukat bi professjoni. Madankollu, xejn ma jwaqqafni milli janalizza l-mod kif seħħew l-affarijiet, u l-mod kif iż-żmien ta’ din l-inkjesta maġisterjali qed jipprova jħassar il-kampanja tal-Partit Laburista waqt din l-elezzjoni importanti.
Il-Partit Laburista f’Malta huwa mdorri b’dawn it-tattiċi. Dawn huma l-istess tattiċi li ntużaw fis-snin tletin matul il-jiem ta’ Strickland u Boffa, fejn ħafna mill-esperti legali Nazzjonalisti, armaw il-qrati favurihom permezz tal-konnessjonijiet tagħhom, biex primarjament jipparalizzaw il-gvern kompatt. Tabilħaqq, naf fil-fatt li l-membri tal-Partit Nazzjonalista ma kinux kuntenti li kixfu l-pjanijiet tagħhom, lokalment u barra, speċjalment it-tmexxija tal-PPE tal-gwerer fl-Ukrajna u Gaża, u l-imbuttatura għall-finanzjament tal-armamenti.
Ċertament, min ma jafx Malta jista’ jinjora l-fatt li l-Partit Nazzjonalista kien dejjem fis-sodda ma’ xi istituzzjoni, sew jekk reliġjuża jew parzjalment indipendenti, inklużi l-qrati fis-snin tletin u l-knisja fis-sittinijiet. F’April tal-1961, l-Arċisqof ta’ Malta Michael Gonzi interdetta lill-membri eżekuttivi tal-Malta Labour Party. Sfortunatament, għandna qraba li ġew midfuna mingħajr qrar fuq is-sodda tal-mewt għax il-maġġoranza tas-saċerdoti kienu jistmerru mill-partitarji Laburisti u ngħataw struzzjonijiet biex jirrifjutaw is-smigħ ta’ qrar, u biex ma jamministrawx l-Ewkaristija. Dawk li rnexxielhom jagħmlu dan għamluh bil-moħbi u permezz ta’ konnessjonijiet. It-tensjoni politika u reliġjuża kienet għolja. Uħud mill-qraba tagħna kienu saħansitra midfuna f’vista taż-żibel magħrufa bħala “fil-miżbla” fiċ-ċimiterju tal-Addolorata.
Pjan ta’ żvilupp propost li beda wara t-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija issuġġerixxa emigrazzjoni tal-massa. Sussegwentement, fis-sittinijiet, pjan bħal dan kien imbuttat mill-Partit Nazzjonalista fil-gvern, flimkien mal-gvern Ingliż. Kien fl-interess tal-Ingliżi li jħallsu inqas qabel jitilqu. B’mod żbaljat, xi qassisin tar-​raħal ikkonvinċu lil ħafna nies biex jemigraw barra. Il-biċċa l-kbira tagħhom kienu votanti adoloxxenti Laburisti li kienu ġejjin l-aktar minn familji bix-xejra Laburisti. Huma kkonvinċu lill-ġenituri tagħhom biex jitilqu minn Malta. Dak iż-żmien, il-knisja u rasha kienu fis-sodda mal-Partit Nazzjonalista. B’għaġla, ippruvaw inaddfu lill-partitarji Laburisti għall-vantaġġ tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. Ma ninsewx li l-elezzjonijiet f’Mata, dak iż-żmien, kienu deċiżi b’maġġoranza żgħira. Tabilħaqq, ħafna telqu lejn l-Awstralja, il-Kanada, u l-Istati Uniti. U l-Partit Laburista qatta’ għaxar snin fl-oppożizzjoni. Kien biss grazzi għad-diskorsi u l-viżjoni qawwija ta’ Dom Mintoff li żammew il-Partit Laburista fil-wiċċ.
Qed nikteb dan l-artiklu għax jeħtieġ li nagħtu ftit kuntest lil dawk barra minn Malta li qed jipprovaw jindaħlu fil-politika Maltija. Ma jifhmux il-kultura tagħna. L-istorja tagħna għandha għeruq sodi fil-kultura tagħna. Ċertament, il-barranin ma jistgħux jiddistingwu bejn, tindif politiku, etniku, jew reliġjuż. U bir-raġun. Dan huwa r-riżultat tal-kolonizzaturi tagħna. Missirijietna rreżistu lill-kolonizzaturi tagħna, ġġieldu għall-indipendenza tagħna, u anke l-libertà tagħna. Dom Mintoff kien u forsi jibqa’ l-attur politiku ewlieni li tassew iġġieled biex Malta teħles. Partitarji Laburisti rreżistu l-establishment, l-istatus quo u l-Partit Laburista ssepara l-Knisja u l-Istat.
Ċertament, kull gvern għandu jinżamm f'kontrolli u bilanċi. Madankollu, Malta trid tagħti kas illum, mhux mis-setgħat tal-gvern imma mit-tentakli li waslu l-qrati tagħna min-naħa tal-oppożizzjoni. L-indipendenza tal-istituzzjonijiet tagħna hija tassew mhedda. Ironikament, il-pressjoni li qed issir fuq il-qrati tal-liġi tagħna mhijiex mill-gvern, iżda minn xi membri, u eks-membri fi ħdan l-oppożizzjoni. Id-diċenza tiddetta li rridu nneħħu kull biċċa dubju, ikun xi jkun il-każ, biex il-ġustizzja tirbaħ.
Minkejja li s-sejħa ta’ xhieda tista’ tkun fid-diskrezzjoni tal-maġistrat inkwerenti, madankollu, biex tissaħħaħ l-indipendenza, kif ukoll biex tissaħħaħ il-fiduċja tal-pubbliku fl-istituzzjonijiet tagħna, kien ikun għaqli li nsejħu għal dawk li qed jiġu akkużati u akkużati. fil-qorti. Mhux biex tinterferixxi mal-proċess imma biex tneħħi d-dubji. Kieku kont maġistrat kont insejjaħ lix-xhieda kollha biex sempliċiment ineħħu kull dubju u ma jħassrux l-indipendenza tal-proċess. Żgur li l-inkjesta li tibgħat lill-Avukat Ġenerali lejlet elezzjoni żgur li tibgħat messaġġ ħażin. Is-setgħat mogħtija lill-ġudikatura m’għandhomx jiġu abbużati, u dan japplika għall-membri tal-ġudikatura tax-xogħol u ta’ tendenza nazzjonalista.
B'mod koroh, dan ma jieqafx bl-indipendenza tal-qrati tagħna. Anke fil-każ tal-Awtorità Maltija tax-Xandir, kellna sitwazzjoni fejn is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-Partit Nazzjonalista ppreżenta oġġezzjoni f’Ġunju 2023, fejn stqarr li qed nieħdu vantaġġ mis-servizz pubbliku tax-xandir, mingħajr ma ħallejtni nistqarr il-verżjoni tiegħi waqt il-proċess ta’ deliberazzjoni. Meta staqsejt, qaluli li ma kienx dmirhom li jċempluli. Teknikament, tawni tweġiba impjegat taċ-ċivil. Żgur li nistenna aħjar mill-membri tal-istituzzjonijiet indipendenti tagħna, speċjalment fejn tidħol il-bini tal-fiduċja pubblika. Kif jista’ jkollna fiduċja fl-istituzzjonijiet indipendenti tagħna b’eżiti daqshekk koroh?
Prattiċi bħal dawn huma ekwivalenti għall-modus operandi tar-Russja. Wara l-kriżi politika tal-2019, l-indipendenza tal-istituzzjonijiet tilfet b’mod eċċessiv favur l-oppożizzjoni. Ma ninsewx li l-gvern attwali rrevoka ħafna poteri. Il-Partit Nazzjonalista jinsab kuntent biha. L-argument ta’ bejniethom fil-Casino Maltese hu li l-qrati tal-liġi dejjem kienu f’idejn il-Partit Nazzjonalista, u l-Partit Laburista dejjem se jilgħab barra. Veru, din hija prattika komuni antika ta’ seklu. Hija tabilħaqq farfa tad-demokrazija. Tajjeb, ma nistax nifhem għaliex ninsabu f’punt fejn irridu niddubitaw l-indipendenza tal-istituzzjonijiet tagħna wara tant riformi. Il-modus operandi għandu jibża’ minn kull indħil politiku. Aħna mhux ir-Russja.
Fl-aħħar nett, il-President Vladimir Putin bħalissa qed jipprepara għal eżerċizzji militari li jinvolvu l-armi nukleari. Dan hu li verament jgħodd f’din il-kampanja u wara t-8 ta’ Ġunju. Terġax tgergru li ma wissijtekx.
https://maltabusinessweekly.com/the-independence-of-our-institutions/25968/
—
L-Amazon Deals tal-lum (Afljat) - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
Li ssir Kattoliku jagħtik pedament sod għad-destin etern tiegħek. Il-fidi Kattolika tirrappreżenta l-aktar sistema ta’ ideat kumplessa, konsistenti u kompleta fost il-filosofiji kollha tal-umanità li jikkompetu. Huwa katidral veru tal-ħsieb uman. Il-Knisja Kattolika tgħallem li Alla tant iħobbna li bagħat lil Ibnu l-waħdieni biex imut għal dnubietna u jqum mill-ġdid għas-salvazzjoni tagħna. Billi nemmnu f’Ġesù Kristu bħala l-Mulej u s-Salvatur tagħna, nistgħu nirċievu l-grazzja t’Alla u ngħixu miegħu għal dejjem fis-sema. - https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html
Radio Maria Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan) - http://www.voiceofmary.org.mo/ - “Radio Maria huwa rigal mill-Madonna. Permezz tal-programmazzjoni, kull prodott editorjali, u l-attivitajiet kollha tagħna, irridu nkunu radju ta’ talb u evanġelizzazzjoni b’impronta Marjana qawwija u sejħa għall-konverżjoni.” (Fr. Livio)
Radju Marija jwieġeb għall-istedina kontinwa ta’ Ġesù: “Mur fid-dinja kollha u ħabbar l-Evanġelju lil kull ħlejqa” (Mk 16:15).
It-temi ewlenin tal-ipprogrammar tagħna huma:
Talb;
Is-sejħa għall-konverżjoni;
Evanġelizzazzjoni;
Formazzjoni umana u soċjali;
Aħbarijiet mill-Knisja u mis-soċjetà.
VisitMalta: Ikseb l-informazzjoni kollha li għandek bżonn għall-vjaġġ tiegħek lejn Malta! Ibbukkja biljetti, skopri postijiet ġodda biex iżżur, sib affarijiet aqwa x'tagħmel u aktar! - https://www.visitmalta.com/
Ċaħda ta' responsabbiltà: Dan is-sit huwa għal skopijiet informattivi biss u m'għandux jitqies parir legali [saħħa, taxxa, professjoni]. Aħna m'aħniex responsabbli għal kwalunkwe telf, ħsarat, jew obbligazzjonijiet li jistgħu jinqalgħu mill-użu ta 'dan il-blog. Dan il-blog mhux maħsub biex jissostitwixxi parir mediku professjonali. Il-fehmiet espressi f'dan il-blog jistgħu ma jkunux dawk tal-host jew tal-maniġment.
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
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"

Late post cause Storm was busy shooting Ogres with Rocketlaunchers. The threat finally comes due tonight as we start watching some remakes of classic films. A Hitchcock classic of Strangers on a Train with a british classic we saw a month ago made by the Coens. What better way to celebrate the upcoming mothers day than two films about killing old women!
Tom Hanks plays a courtly Southern gentleman, arrives at the home of devout, elderly woman, hoping to rent her extra room and use her basement to rehearse with his classical music ensemble. His fellow musicians, however, are actually criminals, and together they plan to rob a casino. When Mrs. Munson learns of their plan, they decide she must be silenced. Certainly, murdering one little old lady cannot be too difficult.
Billy Crystal, an author with a cruel ex-wife, Kate Mulgrew, teaches a writing workshop where Danny DeVito, one of his students, is fed up with his domineering mother (Anne Ramsey). When Devito watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie's plot into action and offers to kill the wife, if Crystal promises to murder his mom. Before Billy gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Danny has already sealed Margaret's fate.
See yall in the pre-rec chat at 8pm Central MD time!
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• Ladykillers (2004) 1:44:02
• Throw Momma From the Train (1987) 1:27:41

Link: https://pastelink.net/8cf0xcmc
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https://preview.redd.it/8tc8p9axltyc1.png?width=1004&format=png&auto=webp&s=e43d1aafd9edf32e07aa9918ce8b0b7c3d785ec6

Back in '03, there was a dark comedy series on FX called Lucky. It starred John Corbett in the title role. Also featured were Craig Robinson & Billy Gardell as his two buddies. The show only lasted 13 episodes, despite being well received by critics.
There was a promotional video game released for the series which essentially is a mini casino game (the series is about a professional poker playe gambling addict) ... kinda in the style of Yoda Stories if anyone remembers that one. I believe you basically walked around the casino and could play table games or slots.
I don't remember if this was a game you could download, or if it was just something available to play on the FX website. Years of searching and I can't find mention of it anywhere. Does anyone remember this little gem or have any idea how might go about finding it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I was playing at king billy casino which I thought was legit. I was fully verified not long ago and I've deposited many times and finally won a little bit only $450. I tried to withdrawl the money but they denied it and want me to reverify. But now they will not accept my proof of payment which has never changed. I use interac which uses gigadat to make deposits. The casino what's a bank statement showing the deposit to king billy casino but my statement only show the deposits to gigadat which gives me a confirmation email for each payment. I play at multiple casinos and have verified without issue. It's been almost a week I rarely get a response and it's always a different person. Anyone ever have this issue before I really don't know what to do

It's that time of the year again!
Advance pre-sale for Coachella 2025 goes live on Friday May 3, 2025 @ 11 AM PST.
https://www.coachella.com/2025-advance-sale-info
NEW FOR 2025: NO DELIVERY/SHIPPING fees on advance sale orders!
Weekend 1 - APR 11 - 13, 2025
Weekend 2 - APR 18 - 20, 2025
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\* Disclaimer: I will try my best to keep this post updated weekly. Please keep in mind that I do have a very busy work schedule, so forgive me if it may take longer than usual.* Bolded artists will be added weekly. \**
Coachella Data Sheet (credit to u/natnav & u/hausoflucas)

CONFIRMED (confirmations from artists or reputable source(s))

ARTIST	SOURCE(S)
Noga Erez	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Skream & Benga	Benga's Instagram Post

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LIKELY (tour dates surrounding Coachella with LA dates missing)

ARTIST	SOURCE(S)
Tyla	Tyla's Instagram Post (assuming she's back 2025)

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RUMORED (gossip or unconfirmed sources)

ARTIST	SOURCE(S)
Afrojack	Afrojack IG story
Dua Lipa	pop insider / per u/definitize
Keinemusik	Rampa IG story
Lane 8	because why not?
Olivia Rodrigo	pop insider (??)

​

POSSIBLE (more vague tour openings for Coachella)

ARTIST	SOURCE(S)
Bad Suns	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Chase & Status	Live Nation Int. tour ends 8/2024
Confidence Man	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Fuerza Regida	Live Nation tour ends 11/2024
Gunna	Live Nation intl. tour ends 8/2024
Ichiko Aoba	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Joy Crookes	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Kygo	Live Nation intl. tour ends 12/2024
Linkin Park	Billboard Article
MEUTE	Per u/YEazyBrazy
Mk.Gee	reliable source
Nine Inch Nails	rocketracoon via Inforoo
Partynextdoor	Live Nation tour ends 8/2024
Pitbull	Live Nation US tour ends 10/2024
Porter Robinson	Live Nation intl. tour ends 3/2025
T-Pain	Live Nation US tour ends 10/2024
The Prodigy	Live Nation intl. tour ends 8/2024
The XX	rocketracoon via Inforoo
Troye Sivan	Live Nation intl. tour ends 10/2024

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OUT/UNLIKELY (Non-GV/AEG shows or festivals within radius clause or conflicting dates during Coachella)

ARTIST	SOURCE(S)
Billie Eilish	Live Nation intl. tour resumes 4/2025
John Williams	LA show 4/2025
Oasis	Liam Gallagher
Twenty One Pilots	Live Nation intl. tour ends 5/2025

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COACHELLA RADIUS CLAUSE

• "Coachella uses radius clauses which could prevent acts from performing in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, or San Diego within a certain window. The festival has allowed some of its acts to make appearances in the region prior to the festival, but only at events and venues owned or controlled by AEG. According to the radius clause...
• Artists playing Coachella are barred from performing any festival in North America from December 15 to May 1.
• Artists are also barred from playing any hard ticket concerts in Southern California during that same time period.
• Artists can’t “advertise, publicize or leak” performances at competing festivals in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington or Arizona or headliner concerts in SoCal that take place after May 1 until after May 7.
• Artists can’t announce festival appearances for the other 45 states in North America until after the Coachella lineup is announced in January, with exceptions made for Austin’s South by Southwest, Ultra Miami and the AEG-backed New Orleans Jazzfest.
• Artists must also wait for the January announcement before publicizing tour stops in California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon, with an exception made for Las Vegas casinos, but not Las Vegas festivals.
• Terms are negotiable though generally less leniency is given to higher billed artists."

Read more about the radius clause here

So—We just got back from a Royal Caribbean cruise on Radiance of the Seas from Tampa to Coz, Roatan, Belize, and PCM. (We never got to dock at PCM because there was a group of unruly passengers who had a big fight by the pool one night and there was a lot of blood. They were taken to the brig and told they were banned for life from Royal but they couldn’t kick them off the ship in PCM, so we had to go back to Coz so there was a real airport for them to get kicked off into. (The captain made an announcement about this on the intercom blaming it on weather but when we did a behind-the-scenes ship tour, I was chatting with the head of security and she told me the real story!) Because we repeated the Coz port, Royal refunded everyone's excursion money and offered 50% off excursions that day in Coz. There weren't as many excursions offered as the first time we went there though. Just putting that in case you miss a port, you could know what to expect.
So anyhow—we'd sailed on Royal before. It was our first time with a smaller ship. Any waves etc didn’t bother us, and there was a storm the first night. There was a small amount of rocking but it was just fine. We didn’t have a problem with the outdated décor. It was fresh out of dry dock, but the glass was caked with salt outside, and inside, there were thick clear drips on the atrium glass. There was some extremely pilled carpet throughout. Those things aren't really hard to overlook if you have a good time on the cruise though. I would have liked sinks outside of the WindJammer. They only had a self serve hand sanitizer kiosk that you weren't required to use.
Here are the problems we had:

1. The AC in our cabin wasn’t working for a day and someone had to come fix it. They came up within a few hours of our complaint, so that's not too bad.
2. The bathtub wasn’t draining, so someone had to come fix it. Someone came within a couple of hours to fix it, and we had no other issues with the drain after that.
3. We booked a junior suite because we wanted a full sized shower, and we wanted a balcony. The room was listed on the diagrams on their website as not being obstructed. On my cruise receipt, it says it was 0% obstruction. When we went there, there was obstruction. It was some metal basket thing. I went to guest services to ask them to move it. (They tried to tell me there wasn’t an obstruction, so I showed them the picture—which I can show you as well) and they said they’d move it. 24 hours later, a manager came to our cabin and told us that it couldn’t be moved. (caveat emptor)
4. At 4:30 AM on the morning of Easter, we were hearing vacuuming and mens’ voices yelling. I was thinking they were insane to be up that early cleaning. It was 5 minutes of vacuuming then 5 minutes of silence then 5 minutes of vacuuming and 5 minutes of silence which was repeated for hours. (Caused us to be up bright and early that day--ughhh) That morning, I went to guest services to ask them what was going on and tell them to please not do that again. We found out from our cabin-neighbors that 2 cabins down, a pipe had burst and they were shop vaccing the water at the early hours. For the rest of the cruise, the hall smelled like sewage! I suppose such things happen from time to time. It's just not pleasant.
5. When I made the booking for that cabin, I saw on the deck plans that it was toward the tail end of the Windjammer. I asked the rep on the phone (yes-we had booked directly with Royal Caribbean) if we’d hear noise from it and he promised me we would not. We definitely DID hear a lot. 24/7 we heard some rumbling like carts rolling maybe like 3 times an hour round the clock. Occasionally, we could hear loud thumps like things being dropped. If the rep wouldn’t have lied to us, we wouldn’t have booked that cabin. I was unhappy about that. (caveat emptor)

What did we like about Radiance? There wasn’t tons to do, but we were never bored. We aren’t partiers and were content to sit and play cards, watch a movie, sit in the atrium listening to music etc. We hate MDR food (on any ship) and just go to Windjammer instead. The WJ food was decent (not the most amazing thing we ever had but we always found something we liked and never went hungry.) They always had good fruit out too such as melon, pineapple, watermelon, apples, bananas, etc at most meals. We liked the gym and used it every day. The equipment there was well maintained and it was clean inside. There were wipes and spray to use after finishing with the equipment. We liked the walking track and used it most days. We really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes tour! It was one of our favorite things on the cruise! I highly recommend it. We got to see the kitchen area, the motor room, and the bridge. The employees we met on the tour were so friendly and happy to answer questions! So many interesting things to see in all of the areas! We went to a couple of shows. The dance show was a C+, but I believe it was their first performance. The Billy Joel show was a D. The theater was spacious and the seating was nice. It wasn't packed when we went there. We enjoyed that there weren't all of the bells & whistles on this ship as it allowed us to relax more. There were a handful of kids. Some kids were misbehaving. Some were good. No excessive amount of kids. Any workers workers we encountered were usually pretty nice, especially in the Windjammer and BTS tour. The casino was small but nice and well maintained. The shops were stocked with sundries, tshirts, souvenirs, and luxury items. They had tshirt sales after the first couple of nights. Embarkation was the fastest we'd ever had, and the employees there were friendly. Debarkation was also fast and easy. We chose to use the Royal airport shuttle after the cruise, and the experience was decent as well.
If they did some serious maintenance on the Radiance, I would sail on it again. If I overlooked 1-5 listed above, the cruise was pleasant.
ETA: Please don't downvote me for sharing my experience. I wrote the good AND the bad. It's to help others know what to expect if they go on a cruise. I also like reading what people write about the cruises they go on so I know what to expect. It's all part of the research you put before cruising.

What If.......?
Skull Mask Vs Ghostface
Camp Nightwing Killer Vs Jason Voorhees
Milkman Killer Vs Michael Myers
Billy Barker Vs Young Michael Myers
Ruby Lane Vs Carrie
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