Canadians (up) in Arms

[nitehusky]

We're up to 131 signatures guys...in just over 48 hours. Keep passing it along.

In the meantime, if anyone knows where I can get a copy of last year's TSN CART schedule let me know. I need it for an article on the subject that another CART site host has agreed to do.

[macdaddy]

[nitehusky]

So far the petition is up to 173 names. My hope is that there will be 200 or more by the end of the weekend so if you can think of anyone you've missed, please get them to sign. So far, with one exception (Mats Sundin), the names all seem legitimate. Lets keep it this way as I think that is critical to the integrity of the petition.

I am going to be drafting my letters this weekend and sending them out next week (hopefully). If anyone wants a copy please let me know by sending me an email at the email address posted at the bottom of the petition. Also let me know if you want copies of any replies.

Cheers

[Fogelhund]

I see 181 signatures now.. so it seems to be gaining momentum.

The title itself is funny though "Canadians Up in Arms".... what did they close down Tim Hortons or blackout Hockey Night in Canada? Perhaps just charged too much for Hydro.

[macdaddy]

That's good funny, Fogelhund! And yet so true!

[Snrub]

I think it's losing momentum! Tell anyone and everyone interested in racing or cars about this! I've posted on the RX-7 forum, DSM Talk, Supra Forum, Prelude clubs for TO, Montreal, Ottawa, etc.

[Liz]

Someone has put it on 7th Gear too.

Canadians Up in Arms -- have they tried to get rid of DON CHERRY?

[nitehusky]

Here is the response from CART after I notified them of the petition. FYI- Molson and TSN (as well as Ford, Players, Indeck and Bridgestone) have been told about the petition.

Lets see what happens.

Cheers
------------------------------------
Hello Louis,
Thank you for your feedback. The Canadian television rights are owned by
Molstar who licensed the rights to TSN and Global in 2002. As a Canadians
ourselves (VFX is based in Richmond, BC), we not only understand how you
feel, we actually feel what you feel. I know that negotiations are underway
to make sure that CART races are given a higher priority by the broadcaster
as it benefits not only the series and it's fans, but perhaps more
importantly in the business world, the sponsors. Hopefully a suitable
arrangement can be worked out. We will pass on your concerns to CART's
broadcast department for their records as well as Audiencerelations@tsn.ca.
Thank you for your comments and support. Happy Holidays!

[Liz]

I know that negotiations are underway
to make sure that CART races are given a higher priority by the broadcaster as it benefits not only the series and it's fans, but perhaps more importantly in the business world, the sponsors . Hopefully a suitable arrangement can be worked out.

Someone needs to tell these people that the sponsors are not their customers. WE are their customers.

P.S. Does it seem to you that virtually all these "feedback" forms are written by people who can't put together a properly spelled and/or punctuated English sentence? "the series and it's fans"?

[Snrub]

I noticed that too Liz.
The petition has sort of run out of gas, but that sounds like a good response. It would have been nice to hammer them with 10k signatures.
I've heard of Molstar before, but I know nothing about them. Division of Molson?

I still don't know what companies like Indeck, Eli Lily, Visteon get out of sponsoring CART. I'm glad they do though.

[BobbyB]

Originally posted by Liz
"the series and it's fans"?

If an American viewpoint is allowed on this very Canadian topic, I would have to say that around here we would say it just the way he wrote it... the series and IT'S fans. Were you hinting that it should be "their" fans? I know that American English uses the "is" and "are" a little differently- we often think of a group as a single entity, while the Brits might call it plural. Thats why we started the Revolution 200+ years ago, ya know!

Or were you referring to the apostrophe in "it's"? Thats always been a tripwire for some of us.

But you are correct- the writing skills (or lack thereof) of some PR types who should know how to do it are sometimes a little thin.

[macdaddy]

Reminds me of an email I got from them many, many months ago, right after Toyota pulled out and Ford/Cosworth stepped in. I was bored, so I inquired if Ford may be pressuring the series into a Michigan date for 2003. The person who replied thought that Michigan was a city, and said so outright in one sentence, "Michigan is a city..." It was so outrageous that it was laughable.

However, that was about the only silly reply I've ever received from them. Every other time the person "on the other end" has taken time to research my question and give me solid answers. I was especially impressed to get a reply from front office one time recently.

"It's" denotes possession, no? I'd vote that "the series and it's fans" is grammatically correct. But in school they taught me otherwise. Go figure. They say the English language is the hardest to learn, don't they? At least that's what my Mom always said they said.

[nitehusky]

YOu guys must have much better souls than I do. I wasn't pleased with the response at all. To me they (CART) are just deflecting the responsibility once again, this time to Molstar. It never seems to be their fault - or they never seem to care. That doesn't sit well with me. But then again, who am I.....

Oh, and it really irked me that they spelled my name wrong. Goes to show how much attention they actually paid to what I wrote. Oh well..I tried.

[Liz]

Warning, what follows is a rant and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Ten-Tenths. (To be honest, it probably doesn't even represent the opinions of the poster when they aren't ranting.) No, it's is a contraction of IT IS . The possessive of it carries no apostrophe. As a Canadians ourselves is probably just a failure to follow through on an edit. negotiations are underway ... under way is not one word, and anyway the correct phrase is under weigh . And HOPEFULLY is an adverb, as in "he said hopefully" ... he should have said I hope . I'm an editor, I have to notice these things. In everyday conversation or posting on bulletin boards, it does not matter so much; however, in the hands of a person who writes for a living, the English language should not be a blunt instrument. We now return you to our normal ramblings.

[macdaddy]

I have to use the English language as a blunt instrument, because I'm not allowed to handle sharp objects anymore.

I wasn't correcting ya, Liz! I know "it's" is "its" but it's stupid. "Its" should be "it's" not "its". I spell "alot" as one word too, afterall, which itself I suppose is supposed to be two words too.

I mean... Somebody had to sit down and make this language up in the first place. Whoever it was who got bored one night and decided to write up a new dictionary and call it "English". All I'm suggesting is, perhaps he was an idiot and got alot of things wrong! I know... "it's" "a lot".

Rant over. Not that it was a rant. I was more of a ramble.

[Liz]

That's what my dad says too. "If B U R D doesn't spell BIRD, then what the DOES it spell?" In everyday life among compadres, as long as you can read it, no problem.

But I get a lot of press releases and PR pieces that would make the angels weep. (You are correct -- "A LOT" should be two words, although "many" or "often" are better words.) Even Wal-Mart advertises "Low Prices EVERYDAY" -- and everyday is an adjective!)

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There's nothing going on in racing just now. Can you tell?

[f1manoz]

Yes!