Lawyers' Committe for Better Housing

Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing
33 N Lasalle Street, Suite 900
(312) 347-7600

This past Friday on the Resistance Legal Clinic TV show, we had a guest, Mark Swarz from the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing. Just like the NWSHC, I'll give a short but detailed explanation of LCBH.

Founded by a group of young lawyers in 1980, LCBH "Promotes the availability and access" to the safe, decent and affordable housing on a non-discriminatory basis the website describes. To that end, they have several programs and methods to help homeowners and tenants. For starters, their Tenants Advocacy Project acts on behalf of tenants whose difficulties with their landlords have not yet been taken up in court.

The Committe also provides legal services for low-income families and tenants at no cost to them in the Attorney of the Day Eviction Defense Project (AOD). A similar program, the Tenants in Foreclosure Project, helps tenants who are living in and renting in buildings whose landlords have already been foreclosed on, which are unseen victims of Chicago's foreclosure crisis.

The TFIP also helps provide info regarding tenants' rights during the foreclosure process and helps preserve affordable housing in the city. And speaking of affordable housing, there is also the Affordable Housing Preservation Program, which seeks to help tenants who are living in less than ideal living and building conditions. They provide legal assistance to these tenants, inform them of their rights, negotiate with landlords on behalf of clients and represent the tenants.

There are also fair housing advocacy programs, which helps combat discriminatory practices and supportive services for their more vulnerable clients. They also provide foreclosure information and renters' resources for tenants.

Their website, where much of this information was found, is lcbh.org. Do not hesitate to call them.

A Message for Andrew Hauptman

Dear Mr. Hauptman,

In 2007, you bought the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, a team with a rich and storied history starting from its first season in Major League Soccer. With an MLS Cup championship, four US Open Cup championships and three CONCACAF Champions League appearances before 2007, the breeding club for US Soccer greats DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra and Josh Wolff, the Fire are known for excellence in every
facet of the game.

Since 2007, however, things have dried up. While teams like the LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders have racked up major success and big name stars, the Fire are languishing in the middle of the field, only squeaking into the playoffs once since 2009. Open Cup success has also dried up, with only 1 Open Cup finals appearance 2009, a loss to Seattle in 2011. And just this month, the Fire's undefeated streak in the State of Illinois was ended by DC United in a 2-0 loss.

During that game, fans made their displeasure known with this utter lack of success. Any good owner would not tolerate a showing like that. Unfortunately, Mr. Hauptman, you are not Rocky Wirtz, who is a good owner.

Two weeks after the loss, an editorial by Fire Director of Communications Dan Lobring appeared on the team's website. The editorial criticized fans who he claimed were misbehaving. While soccer fans are obviously not pariahs of good behavior, one can understand the frustrations of Section 8, the supporters group you so desperately need in order to succeed. Indeed, criticizing the fans who show up for every game does not sound like something Rocky Wirtz or Tom Ricketts would do.

You seem to think that you can control the message surrounding the Fire and your ownership when word of mouth from former employees say otherwise. Indeed, you can talk a good game about "consistency", but the Fire have gone through 4 Presidents since you have been here and we currently do not have a President.

And there's another problem. While Fire attendance is certainly impressive and I see quite a few fans in the seats while watching on TV, I hardly see any ads for upcoming home games outside of Fire telecasts. You don't even have a radio presence outside of Spanish radio and while Latinos are certainly passionate fans, you cannot rely only on them. This is similar to, but admittedly not the same as Bill Wirtz's refusal to put Blackhawks games on TV. While Chicago is certainly a saturated sports market, what with the Hawks, Bears, Bulls, Cubs and Sox, but you should be trying to make your mark.

And getting back to the attendance thing. While the Fire attendance is still relatively impressive, we are low in attendance numbers for a league that is seeing record attendance and profits. We can't be excellent if we keep losing seats, Mr Hauptman. In all fairness, I recognize some of that is beyond your control, but there needs to be some effort to communicate with the community.

Which, of course, brings us back to "The Editorial", as it's become known. While the media is staying mostly neutral on it, a few bloggers are not. Quite frankly, Mr. Lobring didn't make any friends with that editorial. Critics are saying that it's a meandering wreck, especially when it doesn't specifically say what the supporters did or said that caused offense. One fan mentioned that he simply called out for you to spend some money to buy someone who can score. What's wrong with that?

If anything, this simply shows what a mess the Fire have become. There might not even be playoff soccer for the third time in four years. Why should fans be satisfied with that? To me, Mr. Hauptman, you seem to consider the Fire a mere 'investment'.

Football and soccer clubs are not mere investments. You remember the "Love United, Hate Glazer" protests over Malcolm Glazer's ownership of Manchester United? No? Fans overseas will chant and hurl obscenities at owners who they feel are not doing their job and spending money. You appear to be taking the fact that American supporters are relatively well-behaved for granted. A few people shouting for you to do your job is not... whatever Mr. Lobring was trying to get at.

It doesn't have to be this way, Mr. Hauptman. All you have to do is move to Chicago, start talking to supporters, start spending money and start winning. That's how Rockey Wirtz was able to revitalize the Blackhawks. See how successful they've become? The Fire can make a dent in Chicago. All you have to do is follow Rocky's lead.

Mr. Hauptman, I am a Fire fan, and I have been so since they were founded back in 1997, when I was just 10 years old. I remember hearing that they were the first team other than DC United to win the MLS Cup and I was excited. I even went to go see the Fire take on Manchester United and I backed the Fire during that match. I love this team, Mr. Hauptman. This is not some "investment", this is a part of the community, a part of Chicago itself. I want to see them win, but so long as you're not doing anything to fix this problem, the criticism will keep coming and it will get louder. Don't say I didn't warn you.

USA Hockey Training Camp: Possibilities

The 2010 USA Hockey team was an underdog. NO ONE expected them to do anything in that Olympics, but they took Canada to the brink before that villain sidney crosby robbed what turned out to be the best team in that entire tournament in overtime.

Still, as the USA invites the players who expect to make it to the USA team in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, there is a big expectation for this team going into their orientation camp. There won't be any skating in this camp, it will only be a way for the players to get orientated and do some work-outs. The team will be decided over the course of the early NHL season and the team will be announced on News Years Day after the Winter Classic.

This is not a so-called "transitional" period for the USA hockey team. They expect to win Gold. Leading that effort is new USA Hockey General Manager David Poile, whose main job is the GM of the Nashville Predators. Just like Brian Burke, who brought together a surprising team in the 2010 Olympics, Poile must find the right players for 2014.

Starting in net, there may be a change. Ryan Miller was the unquestioned star of the 2010 Olympics, where he was named the tournament's MVP. However, Miller's been dealing with inconsistency as of late, so Poile may have to look at LA Kings netminder Jonathan Quick. The man has been incredible during the playoffs these past two years, and was the 2012 Conn-Smythe Trophy winner as playoffs MVP during the Kings' Stanley Cup run that year. I expect Quick to be named the starting goalie while Miller might be named the back-up goalie.

The USA Today reports that Poile might take a slightly different approach that Brian Burke, but they say it's "mostly out of necessity". European hockey uses a wider rink than the NHL does, so the USA will have to use speed and maneuverability, which the USA Today article says Poile will do. At the same time, much like how Brian Burke did and Herb Brooks did before him, Poile will have to assemble a team, not a group of all-stars.

There are obvious names like Patrick Kane and Zach Parise who have been mentioned as being no-brainers for this team. Other names that have been dropped include Brandon Saad, a Calder Cup (NHL Rookie of the Year) finalist. Poile will be using a group of GMs from around the NHL to pick the team. This approach was also used by Brian Burke. The USA will have good wingers and defensemen, but the center might be a bit of a problem.

To put it simply, Poile has his work cut out for him. The Russian team is an easy favorite, since they're playing in their home country. The Canadians are always a threat and there's the little matter that no North American team has won a Gold Medal in a Winter Olympics held outside of North America. I expect a fast team with strong defense and goaltending that, if possible, could break the dry spell.

The Newsroom Review: Red Team III

Wow. What an episode. So, let's get down to business.

The News Night team is dealing with the fallout from Operation Genoa now. Don is talking about Jerry Dantana, who as we will find out, has probably become the most hated character in the "Newsroom" fandom. The Operation Genoa story was approved by Will, who was convinced to do it by Jerry. It took a heck of a lot of arguing, but the story aired.

Immediately, though, things started to fall apart. The Marine general they interviewed for the story called immediately after the show in anger that they misrepresented him. He did not actually say the US used sarin gas, just "If". At first, they brush it off, thanks in part to the massive ratings they got for the show. But then the story began to fall apart when Eric Sweeney, one of their witnesses, revealed he had a traumatic brain injury.

Well, now things really get bad. They try to fix the damage but Jerry's shoddy journalism becomes a much bigger problem. Even Charlie's source for the story ends up screwing them over! To put it simply, things are bad.

Then the Benghazi consulate attack happens.

In the end, Genoa falls apart and Mr. Jerry Dantana is gone... kinda. There is the lawsuit that provides the framing device to deal with. We'll see what happens next... IN TWO WEEKS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

But I digress. Put simply, I thought this was an excellent episode that shows what happens when journalists doctor their work when trying to run a story, especially if they have an agenda. Jerry Dantana, who had an ideology that while noble, screwed up a major story and almost brought News Night down. I also liked the speech Will gave about small little events that can lead to big things, like the O-Rings that caused the destruction of the Challenger space shuttle.

I can already tell that the News Night team is going to be on high alert in the next episode. While this season has been an improvement over the last one, I think that this might be the best story arc the show has gone over. There is so much tension in these scenes you can cut it with the figurative knife. Critics keep saying "The Newsroom" is a bad show. I disagree. This is one of the better, more underrated shows on TV right now and this story arc has been proving it. I want to see more.

Book Vs. The Movie: A Christmas Story, A Review

Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Why the hell are you writing about 'A Christmas Story' four months before Christmas?" Well, I'll tell you why: because I feel like it! That being said, I might as well go over it.

"A Christmas Story" is one of the most popular Christmastime movies around, thanks in major part to the 24-hour marathon it enjoys on TBS on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You all know the lines, "You'll shoot your eye out", "NADDAFINGA", and "A crummy commercial?". Yeah, that movie, about Ralph Parker's adventures as a kid during the Christmas season. What a lot of people, save for a few, don't know is that it was adapted from a series of short stories by late humorist and radio personality Jean Shepherd.

The stories first appeared in the collection "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash". In it, Ralph Parker is discussing his childhood from the view of his adulthood. However, I found a book version of "A Christmas Story" which is essentially the stories that make up the movie collected in one volume.

First, a clarification: to start off, I'm going to go summarize the stories while comparing the plots of both before an actual comparison and book review all rolled into one. And to make this clear, I'm approaching this from someone who's seen the movie first. That doesn't mean I'm not going to try and review the book on its own merits.

The first story, is of course, the story about the Red Ryder BB gun, which is the main plot of the movie. Titled "Duel In the Snow, or Red Ryder Nails the Cleveland Street Kid" his is the longest story in the the book so far, taking up approximately 42 pages, at least in the copy I have. It's far more condensed, which is presumably why the producers of the movie added all the subplots. In fact, the dialogue from the short story is minimal, but the moments are there. There's still the moment where Ralphie writes about how he wants a BB gun for his teacher and instead of getting a C+, he got a B. "You'll shoot your eye out" is still in here, but isn't repeated as much, and the encounter with Santa Claus is shortened.

It does however, go into lengths about how Ralphie tried to tell his parents by sneaking adds from a boys magazine into their books and newspapers. As for the climactic scene is also given in great detail, but I will not include it for the fear of giving away spoilers.

But there is a difference when it comes to the pink bunny suit: in the original story his dad likes the pajamas, while his mom doesn't, which is reversed in the movie. As for this one, it's easy to see why it's the main plot of the movie. Ralphie is single-minded in his determination to get that BB gun that he'll do whatever it takes. 

The second story in the book, "The Counterfeit Secret Circle Member Gets the Message or The Asp Strikes Again" is about how Ralphie gets the Ovaltine decoder ring. Now here's a part where knowing the book gives you an advantage while watching the movie. In the original short story, Ralphie mentions he does not drink Ovaltine and thus is confused whenever the secret decoder ring segment comes on "Little Orphan Annie".

However one day, he finds an Ovaltine can and sends in a piece to gain the ever-coveted decoder ring. Well, you should know what happens next. But knowing that Ralphie does not drink Ovaltine makes watching the part where he decries the commercial makes the scene make just a little more sense. It's not just that he felt jipped at hearing a commercial instead of some special prize, he feels it's a waste of his time.

Also, the third story, "My Old Man and the Lascivious Special Award that Heralded the Birth of Pop Art" also got distilled. Here, Ralph is looking over pop art in a New York art museum before remembering the Old Man's certain "Special Award".

The "Special Award" in this was won because the Old Man won a trivia contest sponsored by a candy company with the leg logo. Also here differently, the story is vastly different. Major Award actually lasts a couple months before the mom (allegedly) smashes it. There's no "FRA-GEE-LEY" and "NADDAFIGNA" in here, so you fans of the movie might be disappointed. Still, the tension between the Old Man and the mom is pretty palpable, which Ralphie goes into great detail about.

The fourth story is called "Grover Dill and the Tasmanian Devil." Ralphie is enjoying a summer day when he comes across Grover Dill. There is no Scut Farkus here. Well, in this, Ralphie comes across Grover and ends up snapping thanks to the jungle of boyhood, as Shepherd so ingeniously describes.

He compares himself to a Tasmanian Devil--something that does not show up in the movie--and when backed against the wall, thrashes out against Grover, unleashing those obscenities that are still hanging over Lake Michigan today. The primal nature of boyhood is described here, going into detail about how kids have to choose whether they're bullies or nameless victims punished by the bullies.

 The fifth and final one is "The Grandstand Passion Play of Delbert and the Bumpus Hounds." This one is much longer, about as long as "Red Ryder". The Bumpuses, are, for lack of a better term, REDNECKS. Shepherd goes all out with the over-exaggerating prose, describing one Bumpus as being about 8 feet tall and weighing three hundred pounds and ripping his porch off the house! They own chickens, pigeons, goats and dogs--lots of dogs. And boy, do they talk like rednecks.

For me, since this is the one I'm least familiar with, this is the funniest of the stories in my view. My favorite is Ralphie's classmate, Delbert, who swears like a sailor, insults volleyball and beats the snot out of Grover Dill (on his first day!). One scene in the book appeared in the movie, but compared to the rest of it? It pales in comparison.Honestly, this is Jean Shepherd at his best in here.

Okay, now that that's done, I'll give my thoughts on this book. At first, I wasn't laughing as much, mainly because I saw the movie so many times that I'll admit, I kept expecting the movie lines instead of the book. It's my fault, really. But, I did enjoy the parts of the book that differed from the movie, especially the parts like the decoder ring, where it went into more depth. And of course, I did identify with Ralphie's plight in "Red Ryder", because that's how kids are around Christmas. I wanted things so badly that I'd go to Santa Claus.

That's the reason the movie, and by extension, the book, work so well. This isn't some schlocky look at childhood, it's a humorous, accurate look at childhood. It's from the point of view of a man looking back at his childhood, so the descriptions are very exaggerated.

Still, I'm not going to say which is better. In some cases, the book is superior, in some cases the movie is superior, but it's mainly a subjective response (Except when it's not). But getting back to comparing the book to the movie, I think they sort of balance each other out. I already mentioned the parts about the decoder ring that doesn't show up in the movie. Well, the famous scene where the kid gets his tongue stuck to the pole doesn't show up, either.

But still, I enjoyed this book. I read through it very quickly, and I can honestly say that Mr. Shepherd did his job here, that he entertained me. It's a good read, even during the summer. Yes, I was laughing by the end and yes, it is worth your time. Jean Shepherd is one of America's best humorists, and this is part of the reason why. For whatever reason--you love the movie and want to see the original, or you like the original already--give it a read. You will not be disappointed.

The New Editor

This was it. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. He'd slaved over this work for weeks, edited it and re-wrote it over and over and over again. He had people he knew inside and outside the writing business critique his work and tell him what to fix and he took their suggestions to heart. He'd made 3 drafts of the same work before it was even submitted. Once he was done, he was told the final product was amazing. He was certain this short story would be approved by this new editor.

He stood outside the editor's office, waiting to go in. The new editor insisted that writers submit their work in-person, dropping it off on his desk so that he could have a look at it. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in!" said the editor. John walked in and watched as the new editor, looking like a figure out of an old movie--suspenders, stogie, rolled-up shirt sleeves, the whole nine yards--looked up from his desk. "Reynolds!" he said. "What have you got for me?"

"It's my new short story," said John. He sat down and handed the draft to the editor. He waited patiently while the new editor looked it over with a neutral expression. He hated these moments. They were too tense. The last editor actually said what was on his mind, though. Well, part of the time, anyways. "Well? What do you thi--"

"This story sucks!"

"Wait, what?"

"You call this piece of crap a short story?" the editor asked in a voice that sounded like something out of a 1940s Screwball comedy, "I've seen better crap in a port-a-John right next to a trash dump."

"But... what's wrong with it?" asked John.

"Everything!" said the editor. "For starters, these characters? I hate 'em."

"But everyone says they're my best characters--"

"Shut up." John froze in his place while the editor continued. "And this prose, it's terrible. Too descriptive, too confusing."

"But everyone else said they knew what was going on," said John.

"Malarkey," said the editor, "Seriously, trained monkeys can write better than this. Your writing is sloppy, and your prose style is atrocious. Who the hell do you want to be, Stephanie Miller?"

"But everyone says I remind them of Steinbeck!" said John. And did the editor just repeat himself?

"You'll never be Steinbeck," said the editor. "Why don't you write something involving werewolves or something like that, everybody likes those?"

"But I don't want to write about those," said John. "I like the subjects I write about."


"Don't question me or I'll have you out of here in a second," said the editor. John stiffened in his seat, unnerved by the editor's threat. "Now get outta here and write it again!"

His pride burnt to a crisp, John took his draft and sulked out of the editor's office, tossing it in the recycling bin outside the editor's office. Another writer with the same confidence he once had walked right in to the editor's office. He decided to stay and find out what would happen next.

About five minutes later, the writer came out, her makeup smeared and running from all the crying she was doing. "I-I-I thought it was incredible!" she said through her tears.

"You too, huh?" asked John. The woman looked at him and she understood immediately what he meant. "Come on, let's get outta here and have a drink."

"Okay," the woman said, taking John's hand and following him out the door of the publisher's office to get a drink.

The Hyperman 'Verse: More

So a couple days ago I wrote about the "Galactic Knight Hyperman" universe as it pertains to the first installment. I say "first installment" in a different term, as I also wish to propose a prequel setting, which I hope to also have publish. Unlike the main "Hyperman" story, this one is more your typical Star Trek-inspired Space Opera.

The main plot involves Tom's mother--well, one of them--Kathrin Sauer on her first mission with the Terran Alliance space force aboard the TAS Earhart. She's a fresh graduate of the Terran Alliance Space Academy and well, kind of cocky, which earns the unwanted attention of her captain Thomas Johnson, who is a bit of a hard-nosed veteran. Also part of this cast is Tom Thatcher, the father of Becky Thatcher in Hyperman, who in this is also a young Academy graduate, but this time is a fighter pilot.

So because he doesn't like Kathrin's attitude, Captain Johnson does something is completely out of the blue, even in modern military, he promotes the newly-minted ensign to his First Mate. Yes, Kathrin is surprised. However, this is something Captain Johnson does that the TA Space Forces just don't care about anymore, since it's mainly a way to shape young recruits he feels are in need of some extra discipline, putting them in positions of responsibility.

Naturally, things go bad and Captain Johnson is injured in an attack by space pirates, which puts the newly-promoted Kathrin in a pretty bad spot, and she has to captain a massive space aircraft carrier out of trouble and back to spaceport. Oh, and she has to deal with a few unsavory enemies along the way. However, she has a friend in Tom, who tries to help as best he can. She also meets a space pirate who she feels drawn to. Oh, and this space pirate is a woman, because Kathrin is a lesbian (even though the term no longer exists by the 25th century and homosexuality is seen as normal).

"Captain Sauer", which is the working title, is a look at how people react to times of crises and pushed into circumstances that push their character, showing that they cannot do things by themselves. With impressive space battles, lively characters and a good plot, I hope this proposal is sufficient. However, I doubt that I can capture the life on board a starship, as I am unfamiliar with life on an Earth ship. Still, I like this idea and I hope that it can come to fruition some day.

Northwest Side Housing Center

I volunteer at CAN-TV as a part of the Resistance Legal Clinic and we had a guest on who works for the Northwest Side Housing Center. In an effort to help, I've been doing some research on the group and we have a little info here that might help anyone looking for foreclosure help.

NWSHC (as I shall refer to them) organize around three issues: bank accountability, educational equity and older adult access. They also focus on three areas of programming: home preservation, education and older adults services.

NWSHC's housing committee uses community organizing techniques to work with Aldermen, Senators and members of the community while helping those community members in need when facing foreclosure. They meet once or twice a month. In between, they go out into the community to do outreach, hold events and conduct research while holding the City accountable for their lack of action against the banks that are foreclosing on residents. The committee conducts business bilingually in English and Spanish.

The NWSHC also is involved in financial education, as this is necessary for a homeowner facing foreclosure. They provide a series of free workshops for first-time homeowners and tenants. There is also a Parent Mentor Program who are assigned to a student's classroom and provide one-on-one education to students.

Finally, NWSHC is dedicated to assisting senior Chicagoans. They work with affordable senior residences like Montclaire Senior Residence to bring to light the issues surrounding housing for older adults. They also have the LET'S Ride program, which provides free transportation for older adults, all of whom are 55 or older.

Northwest Side Housing Center can be contacted at:

5007 W. Addison St.
Chicago, IL 60641

Their phone number is 773-283-3888

And their website is http://www.nwshc.org/

They are open on Weekdays from 8-5 on Mondays, 8-7 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thurdays and 8 AM to 2 PM on Fridays. They are also available by appointment. Do not hesitate to call or come in.

Egypt Is A Mess

Okay, I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to write anything about this, but it looks like I have to. Egypt is a mess. I know I repeated myself, but that's the only conclusion I can draw from this week's events over there. While I hope things can calm down, I'm not really enthusiastic about the outcome.

So once Mohammed Morsi became so unpopular that people were out in the streets demanding the removal of yet another dictator, the Egyptian military swooped in an removed Morsi from power, which angered Morsi supporters and the Muslim Brotherhood. Ever since then, they've been demonstrating against the military and just yesterday, the already-tense situation exploded ad the military cracked down on the protesters.

In response, President Obama has condemned the military's actions and drew the American military out of a war game they were scheduled to take part in with the Egyptian military. The entire globe is condemning the military's actions, and there are calls for Europe and the United States to end military aid to Egypt.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian military is refusing to back down and it looks like things are getting worse. The US government needs to figure out what to do about the Egyptian military and how to get the violence to stop. This cannot turn into another Syria. And yet, the Egyptian people do not want to be ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood.

What we have here is a Catch-22. Do you want to see the dictatorial party that was just removed get back in power? Or do you want to see the military junta crush everything? The only people you can support in this conflict are the ordinary Egyptians who just want to live their lives in peace and want what they first set our for: Democracy. Indeed, while I doubt anyone in Egypt will here this, I call on ordinary Egyptians to come out and ask that the carnage STOP. DO SOMETHING!!! And also, let's hope the Egyptian soccer team gets to go to the World Cup. It might be our best chance.

Until things get worse or better, we'll have to keep watching and waiting. With the Muslim Brotherhood so unpopular, it might not turn into another Syria, but I have no doubts there will be more carnage. This won't be pretty.

Studying at Second City

So you should know by now that I take classes at The Second City Training Center. To be specific, I'm in the writing program, not improv. Having taken improv and writing classes at The Second City, there are definite differences between the two. While I'm going to discuss them, I'm going to tell you how much you might not expect from The Second City.

First off, The Second City may be a fun thing to do on a Friday night, but the writing classes are dead serious. You have to write a sketch every single week, bring it in and it is read for the class. You are critiqued on the sketch, given suggestions on how to improve it, some of which might change from class to class. At times what you think is the perfect sketch has so many holes that you might end up hating the final product.

And this isn't something to be taken lightly. You go through six writing levels, and you learn how to write a sketch in each one. The first level doesn't involve actually writing sketches until the end, but by the end of Writing 5, you're holding auditions for a show. In between you learn about sketch formats, parodies, clash of context, center-and-eccentric, satire, clothesline, blackouts, and jokes.

The thing about the writing course is that it's a bit more competitive in some way. When I did improv, a lot of it was basically the classmates doing something because it was fun, and that's not a bad thing, I had fun doing improv, too. But in order to get into the fifth writing level, you have to write a sketch and submit it. It has to follow detailed guidelines--is it written in the correct format, is it stageable, and are the characters human? Trust me, it's not that easy. And even worse, it's a pass/fail assignment and they don't even tell you why if you failed.

I did one script the first time I got into the fifth writing level, and I got rejected. I had to go through the same fourth level writing class unsure if I was going to get into Writing 5. Well, I did and as you might know, I have a show coming up in October. I'm helping with the marketing of the class.

If you want to get into the Writing program at The Second City Training Center, go ahead, but be warned, it is not easy. Good luck (you're gonna need it).

Olympic Boycotts Never Work

Okay, I really don't want to keep talking about this, but I feel like I have to, anyway. There are so many people in the West who are calling for boycotts of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. I have to say this: Listen, first.

The controversy is getting even more heated with reports that the IOC might allow enforcement of the law, which criminalizes "propagandizing" homosexuality and holding pride parades. This is obviously making things a little more difficult, especially once Johnny Weir steps on the ice for his performances (although we'll get to that later).

The calls for boycotts have gotten more publicity, as I'm sure you've heard, thanks to Stephen Fry, who demanded that the British Olympic Committee boycott the Olympics. Even George Takei has gotten in on the act. Others have delivered a petition to the same group demanding that they boycott the Games. However, David Cameron and Lord Coe have refused to do so.

Even President Obama has refused to boycott, saying that he's offended by the law, but he won't boycott the games. And as the days go by, it seems as if more athletes are coming out in support of attending... and they're gay.

Johnny Weir, the ever-flamboyant figure skater and Russophile, has said that he will go to the games and wear a rainbow pin, even if it means he gets arrested. Kiwi speed skater Blake Skjellerup, who is also gay, has said he'll wear a pin. The popular gay soccer player Robbie Rodgers has made many of the same arguments that have been touted, and will be touted, that boycotts punish the wrong people: The athletes.

Diver Gref Louganis can vouch for that point-of-view. He is one of America's most decorated gay athletes. He won medals in 1976, '84 and '88. See the gap there? Louganis had to miss the 1980 Olympics because the US boycotted the Games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (sounds pretty familiar).

Now Louganis is speaking from experience here, and that's not all. The boycott didn't do a damn thing, the Soviets stayed in Afghanistan until 1989. In fact, their response was simply to boycott the 1984 Games in L.A. You see what happens? This kind of argument is going to keep being pulled out, because honestly, it's a valid point.

A point I likely haven't brought up is that it might alienate the people needed to help advance LGBT rights. I'm going to make this clear: I'm not gay, but I do support gay rights, and I am also an Olympic fan. I get angry seeing all these so-called "advocates" of gay rights demanding a boycott. I even got one comment on another site saying that Johnny Weir can say these things because he's "privileged".

Well, excuse me--and Weir--for disagreeing! The fact of the matter is, gay athletes want to go, and they're going to make their voices heard, whether the Russian government wants it or not. You're not thinking about the people who matter most in this, the athletes! Imagine you're a dancer and you've been preparing your whole life for this one big recital and then right before it, someone who's not even involved in dancing demands you not take this opportunity, how would you feel? Damn right, you'd be devastated!

These folks have their hearts in the right place, but not their thinking. I see so many blogs and posts that are like the person mentally grabbed a hot potato and went with their gut. You need to think these things through. I know you're mad, but boycotting the Olympics is not going to help anyone. And this is the last thing I'm going to say about it, so listen up:

It. Won't. Work.

There, I said it. Now, go ahead and boycott personally, if you'd like. I'll be watching the USA Hockey team beat the snot out the Russians, thank you very much.

Album Review: DragonForce, "The Power Within"

I was into DragonForce before it was cool.

Okay, I just sounded like a hipster, but it's true. I discovered DragonForce in a "Guitar Hero" article about young guitar heroes. I couldn't help but feel pretty interested in it. It was my freshman year of college and I was interested in this new form of Metal called "Power Metal", so I downloaded "Inhuman Rampage" and in my 19-year-old musical naivete, I was blown away by how fast they and epic they played.

But it became clear that they were pretty divisive within the Metal community. A concert at Graspop Metal Festival showed that their sound was terrible, which led to accusations that they're not just horrible live, but that they speed up their music in the studio. Okay, that accusation aside, other criticisms included how every song they did sounded the same. That's a heck of a low for a band that set the metal underground ablaze in 2002.

Around the time of the release of "Ultra Beatdown", which had songs that actually varied, the band became big yet again, this time in the mainstream when "Through the Fire and Flames" was featured in "Guitar Hero 3". Now a whole bunch of people got into the band and, believe it or not accusations of selling out followed the London-based international Power Metallers. Okay, that's pretty ridiculous.

But in 2010, singer ZP Theart left the band, citing the usual spiel about creative differences. Needing a singer, DF (as I'll refer to them on occasion in here) did something different: A YouTube audition. They asked singers to record a video of them performing their songs. When it was over, Englishman Marc Hudson was announced as the new singer.

So now that there's been a little background info shed, we might as well get into the details of "The Power Within". Released in 2012, there's one thing I can certainly say about this album: It's different.

Whereas DragonForce is known for 7-minute long songs with long dueling guitar solos by wizards Herman Li and Sam Totman, only one song goes over 5:30 on this album, "Wings of Liberty", which runs 7:20. All the songs are short and condensed, which upon listening, provides a refreshing change from the usual DragonForce.

I have to admit, DF was getting rather bland by "Inhuman Rampage". Unlike AC/DC, where people expect them to stay the same, DF had to be different. We see that in singer Marc Hudson. ZP was a solid singer, but his range is a different from Marc Hudson, whose youthfulness shines here. He sounds like former Helloween singer Michael Kiske in a way, but his voice does not grate on anyone here. He can reach the high heavens or he can growl like a dog. There's a reason DF hired him (although part of it might be due to relocation issues. Since they're based in London, it made sense to hire another English guy, but I think hiring an American would have been a good idea).

As for Li and Totman, they're still Li and Totman. They just condensed and shortened their solos. They're still shredding and weaving their solos in and out, just shorter. I think their best solo work is during "Cry Thunder", especially near the end of the solo during their harmony part, which has a triumphant air about it. "Wings of Liberty" also has an excellent solo section, since it's the typical DF song.

The rest of the band also shines here. Freddy Leclerq's bass is solid and he even gets a chance at a bass solo in "Give Me the Night". Vadim Prushnev's keyboards are mainly backing and used for atmospheric reasons, though. And there's drummer Dave MacIntosh, whose thundering, pounding drums are the backbone for DF's thundering sound and he really shines here, going from super-fast to mid-paced when he needs to be. He is one of the most underrated drummers in Metal today.

As for the sound, this is DF's most diverse album to date. While the first two songs, "Holding On" and "Fallen World" are DF's typical fast, epic Power Metal, "Cry Thunder" changes things up, and another midpaced song, "Seasons", also graces the album. These two have been released as music videos.

Listening to the album, you can definitely tell that DF is trying to prove something. Indeed, when you've been hearing the same criticism over and over again for years, it will get to you at some point. This band is trying to prove a point, showing that they can be shorter, they can be slow and they can be deep, not just high fantasy-inspired lyrics and video game solos.

Indeed, there are only a couple songs, "Cry Thunder", "Wings of Liberty", "Heart of the Storm" and "Die By the Sword" go with DF's stereotypical fantasy lyrics. Drug addiction is tackled in "Give Me the Night" and personal issues are dealt with in "Seasons". The atmosphere also varies, with hopeful-yet downtrodden on "Holding On", triumphant on "Cry Thunder", despair on "Give Me the Night" and "Seasons" to aggressive on "Die By the Sword", which helps the album succeed here.

This is one of DF's best albums. It's not their absolute best, but they are definitely headed in the right direction. I think their next album might be their best if they really work for it. These guys are good, and there's a reason they're a power metal band that's actually popular in the United States, something that can't be said about other groups like Gamma Ray.

I give "The Power Within" an 8.5 out of 10.

Blackhawks News

Wow, I haven't said that in a while. But, we have a bit of news that might be of interest to Hawks fans. The Hawks have hired a new goaltending coach, Steve Weeks, who once coached for the Atlanta Thrashers. General Manager Stan Bowman said he's thrilled with the recent hiring, emphasizing Weeks' two decades of experience in the NHL. He replaces Stephen Waite, who left to take the same position at the Montreal Canadiens.

In a bit of well, kinda gross news, Andrew Shaw is auctioning off the stitches he got after getting hit in the face with a puck during Game 6. Personally, I'm kinda grossed out. I've had stitches myself and I don't want anything to do with them. If someone wants to buy them, that's fine, but I won't touch them.

In some good news however, it seems as if the Hawks front office is excited for one Teuvo Teravainen. Drafted last year, the Finnish kid has been playing for SM-Liiga club Jokerit for the past year. Now that he's shown up at the US National junior evaluation camp in Lake Placid, GM Stan Bowman has been singing his praises. 

Teravainen is described as a player who oozes talent. He had 8 points during the evaluation camp (3 goals, 5 assists) and scored both of Finland's regulation goals in a 3-2 shootout win over Sweden. This kid already looks pretty tantalizing, but since he turns 19 in September, he likely isn't going to play for the Hawks just yet, but he should show up at the Hawks training camp in South Bend in September. Judging by these numbers and how he's been described, I see him potentially as a big-name star for the Hawks, as he's already been compared to Patrick Kane in terms of talent. I've got my eye on this kid.

Hawks prospect Tyler Motte was also a healthy scratch for the US Blue team and did not register a point with the US unified team. Forwards Vince Hinostroza, a Notre Dame recruit and John Hayden, who will be going to defending Division 1 national champions Yale, were among the 13 players cut by the US. 

Also, the Hawks' AHL affiliate Rockford IceHogs will be playing in a renovated BMO Harris Bank Center come October.

So there's those little bits of updates. I'll hopefully be back next week, but I'm not too keen on it just yet. It's still in the middle of the off-season, so I'm not expecting many updates. So until the next update, so long!

Bears Update: Oh, Dear

So the Bears played their first preseason this past Friday night against the Carolina Panthers, and it could have been better, to say the least. The Bears lost 24-17 in Charlotte on Friday night. There are several takeaways from that game and the following days, and they're not very good.

Once Jay Cutler threw the interception on the first play from scrimmage, you could hear the naysayers and almost everyone else let out a groan that you could hear from Bollingbrook to Waukegan. And yet, Cutler took full responsibility for the interception, saying he threw it wrong. Cutler was on the field for ten plays, which is typical of a preseason game. Marc Trestman has said that he's impressed with Cutler's improvement, but given how Cutler has not improved his game over the course of several seasons, it's easy to have doubts about it. Luckily it's only preseason and Cutler could change things. In Cutler's defense, Cam Newton was also making bad decisions, so it is possible it's just preseason rustiness.

In the meantime, the other major problem with the offense, the offensive line, is still shaky. Right tackle J'Marcus Webb is still inconsistent, since he gave up a sack in the first half of the game. This morning we awoke to news that Webb has been demoted to the second team, an update that might not be the best, since despite his inconsistencies, the other two options, the injured Jonathan Scott and Eben Britton, aren't very appealing. It's pretty plain that if Webb wants his role back, he'll have to step it up.

Indeed, the whole offensive line might be a problem, what with the Bears giving up seven sacks in the whole game. Phil Emery is likely to be under more pressure to find solid offensive linemen for the Bears coaches will have to find some way of fixing this problem before the season starts. Since no one is getting paid until the end of the season, this could be a way to get them to work on their game. Also, Earl Bennett is out with a concussion and so is Brandon Marshall, which is not good news for Trestman at all.

However, it's not all bad news. The Bears defense is still the Bears defense. They forced four turnovers and new linebacker Jonathan Bostic even returned a Cam Newton pass for a pick-6.

But I hate to be a party-pooper, and I cannot stress this enough, but the offense needs to step it up. The defense is fine, they still have their usual suspects. but the Bears have been working on their offense ever since Cutler came in. The Bears are pretty much behind the thinking of the NFL, where both defense and offense win championships. That's why they hired Marc Trestman. We'll see if the Bears can improve the offense by the start of the regular season. But every interception and every incomplete pass will be torn apart by the Bears harshest critics in an unfortunate "I told you so" moment. And if Cutler can't get it together... he's outta here.

Olympic Boycott: Good Idea, But a Horrible One

I wrote earlier about a possible Olympic boycott. Calls for a boycott have been growing louder ever since the Russian government passed a law that does not allow anyone to discuss homosexuality to minors or hold Pride parades. British comedian Stephen Fry and George Takei have joined calls to move the Olympics out of Russia or boycott the games.

There are severe problems with that.

Fry's invocation of Godwin's Law aside, there's the fact that the Games are 6 months away. It takes years to get ready for the Olympics, and as it's been shown, sometimes there are questions as to whether to venues are even ready. And Vancouver might not even want the Games again. You can't just build these venues overnight and have all these volunteers just pop up one week before the event. It takes a lot of time and effort, which Vancouver does not have.

There's also the fact that homophobia is so deeply entrenched in Russian society that a boycott might not change a thing. In fact, as one Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist pointed out, a boycott might make things worse. LGBT Russians could potentially be blamed for the failure or loss of the Games. I know that the people who are calling for boycotts do care about LGBT rights, but this could be an unintended consequence.

In fact, as I also pointed out, it's the people who show up and do protest that make the headlines. No one even remembers who won gold in soccer at the 1968 Olympics, they only remember John Carlos and Tommie Smith raising their black-gloved fists in protest of the treatment of African-Americans in the United States. Johnny Weir being his usual flamboyant self and wearing a pride pin would essentially be the LGBT equivalent.

And of course, there's also the fact that boycotts don't work and would punish the wrong people. The US boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow because of the Soviet invasion of Afghantistan. The Soviets didn't leave until 1989 and they and Eastern Bloc countries boycotted in '84 as payback. In the 1980 Games, American athletes who'd been training their whole lives for that one moment had it taken away in an instant. Some athletes did not get another chance at the Games.

And also, it's Vladimir Putin we're talking about. The man is shameless and doesn't care about how the world sees him. You think a boycott is gonna stop him? You must be mistaken. The best thing to do is to go over there and beat him. I want to see Patrick Kane and the US hockey team beat the Russian team on their own ice. A boycott will dash those dreams.

These folks advocating for a boycott or moving the games have their hearts in the right places, but are horribly mistaken when it comes to the realities of the situation. The best option is that the IOC do something to protect LGBT athletes, fans and officials. These people throwing around boycott like it's a football need to see the realities of the situation.

Let the Games go on.

Galactic Knight Hyperman: An Introduction to the World

I'm a big fan of Tokusatsu. If you don't know what that is, think "Power Rangers" and Godzilla. That's essentially what it is. Tokusatsu is a Japanese term, which roughly means "special effects". In the popular consciousness, it means seemingly low-budget TV shows involving transforming superheroes, men in rubber suits and general cheesiness. Of course, that's not to say Tokusatsu doesn't have its charms. A lot of fans like Tokusatsu for that very reason.

Famous Tokusatsu shows include "Kamen Rider", "Super Sentai" (translated in the west as "Power Rangers"), "Ultraman" and the "Metal Heroes" series, which became "Beetleborgs" in the States. And of course, everyone knows Godzilla. In Japan, the term Tokusatsu extends to shows like "Doctor Who" for their use of special effects. Watching the old "Doctor Who" it certainly gives that impression.

I'm saying this because I wish to introduce my own contributions to the Toku genre, which I call Galactic Knight Hyperman. This particular piece has a heck of an influence from the likes of "Star Wars", "Outlaw Star", "Cowboy Bebop" and other Space Operas. That's because it is one. Should I become an author, this is a piece I would like to submit to publishing companies. Consider this a proposal, if you will.

Set 500 years in the future, "Hyperman" starts on the colony planet "New Earth 2", or NE-2. Humans have branched out into the stars, thanks to First Contact happening some time in the 21st century and humans are given the technology to travel long distances in space. NE-2 is called so because it has a similar atmosphere, physical makeup, day & calendar length and location in its respective solar system to Earth.

NE-2 is part of what is known as the Terran Alliance, which is what the title says; it is an alliance made up of planets inhabited by Terran humans. NE-2 was settle by American, British, Japanese and German colonists, so the culture and language is derived from these cultures. Of course, there is interplanetary travel, so they're not the only ones. Unfortunately, NE-2 is not very prosperous. It's mostly working-class.

It's on this world that Tom Sauer is born. Yes, he is named after Tom Sawyer. A university student in the city of New Chicago, Tom is desperate to get off the planet. Unfortunately, he's stuck and it's most likely he'll never get off. His friends, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn, try to keep him grounded.

Things change when Tom finds a box in a pawn shop and accidentally puts his hand inside, which puts a device on his wrist. At first unaware of its use, he finds out quickly what kind of power it holds when he uses it to transform into a costumed superhero and refers to himself Galactic Knight Hyperman. And then he has to leave NE-2.

So now Tom gets to leave the planet! The bad news is that he's essentially forced to leave because the Hyperman suit is a coveted weapon in the Milky Way galaxy. Some bad people would love to get their hands on it, and so Tom has the double duty of protecting the weak all over the galaxy while trying to stay away from the forces that mean harm to him.

Other species in the "Hyperman" 'verse include Galactic humans--humans who were taken off of Earth before the rise of the Sumerians and their descendants who are now a major faction in the galaxy; the Quenya, essentially Tolkien's Elves IN SPACE! Except there's two factions of Quenya; the Paleo-Quenya--your typical arrogant, high Elves and the Neo-Quenya, who are more human in their demeanor. There are also the Grondians, a pretty bestial warrior species.

I hope to see "Hyperman" published one day. I'm not sure if it will, but I think that it can be a hit. It will be an examination of humanity's place in the galaxy, that we're not bad people, just misguided and need to find our way. I hope you liked this introduction into "Galactic Knight Hyperman". So long!

My Second City Show: Update

Okay, so a while ago I wrote a post about my show at The Second City. I am happy to announce that we have chosen a cast! But in the interest of classification, I cannot tell you who our cast is just yet. I can do that next week. Just stay tuned, we'll have a few more updates in the coming days. In the mean time, I can tell you that I like our cast and I think they'll do a heck of a job. I can't wait for October.

See you in October!

Bears Training Camp Update

Okay, so I was about to write about Alex Rodriguez, but I'm already sick of writing about it. So, I'm gonna switch to the Bears instead.

Yesterday we got a little more of a nerve-wracking moment when Jay Cutler and the Bears offense--which is supposed to be improved--got figuratively knocked around by the defense. While this bodes well for the defense, it doesn't bode well for the offense, which is what Marc Trestman was brought in to improve. That, along with the fact that Jay Cutler is in the final year of his contract, means the offense is under considerable pressure to perform this year.

However, the infamously sour Cutler is reportedly having a good relationship with Marc Trestman at this moment. I like this already. In case you didn't know, it was Marc Trestman who helped turn Steve Young into a Super Bowl winning quarterback and helped Rich Gannon become one heck of a QB. This guy's credentials are impressive, to put it lightly.

On the other hand, several players are already dropping with injuries. Brandon Marshall, a vital part of this new Bears offense, has been diagnosed with a concussion. Given the amount of nervousness in the NFL surrounding concussions, he might be out for a while. Urlacher's replacement, DJ Williams, is day-to-day with a calf injury and Kelvn Hayden, a vital CB, is out for the season with a torn hamstring.

Still, Trestman is an optimist and he thinks the Bears have a good shot this year. I've already learned to trust Trestman on the count of what he's been able to do in the NFL and the CFL, so I do think he knows what he's doing. The defense is getting older and the offense is still iffy, but nothing really matters until the season officially starts and that isn't for another month. They certainly have plenty of time to iron out their issues until then.

A Letter to Alex Rodriguez

Dear A-Rod:

Recently you have been slapped by Major League Baseball with a 211-game ban. It's not a lifetime ban, but it's still a big punishment. Instead, you have decided to fight the punishment instead of taking it and helping the integrity of the game of baseball, which you claim to love. You reportedly tested positive for PEDs back in 2003. First offense. Then in 2007 you said you never took PEDs. Then, in 2009, you admitted to using PEDs. Second offense.

Not only that, MLB says you were still using PEDs while recruiting other players to Biogenesis and trying to obstruct MLB's investigation while giving misleading statements and tampering with the witnesses. Third offense. You know the drill, A-Rod. Three strikes and you're out.

In a way A-Rod, you're right. This is a witch-hunt. But it's not without merit. You lied to us, A-Rod, the people whose money you rely on for a paycheck: the fans. You think we're going to forgive you? We do hate you for your on-and-off-the-field behavior. It would be catharsis to see you out of the game we love.

But banning someone just because you don't like them is not a good way to run a league. WWE has built a powerhouse based on characters whose sole job is to be hated. LeBron is hated by most of the NBA, but unlike you, he isn't going anywhere.

You failed the fans and the clean players, A-Rod. There's nowhere for you to go. Take the punishment and if you have it in you, you can come back and try for a return. But the longer you fight this, the more you'll be hated. For the good of the game, please take the punishment and go away.

Sincerely, a baseball fan

The Daleks: An Analysis

Every hero needs a villain. Superman has Lex Luthor; Batman has The Joker. The X-Men have traditionally had Magneto. The hero and the villain balance each other out. They create a conflict that keeps the viewers, readers and listeners coming back for more. In a way, these characters are nothing without each other. That sounds a little weird, but it's true. Some villains become just as popular as their enemy.

Others become cultural icons.

With their salt and pepper shaker-shaped tank-like outer shells, eye stalks, plungers and guns, the Daleks are the most feared and hated creatures in the "Doctor Who" universe. Their appearance, along with their cries of "EX-TERM-IN-ATE!" have scared British viewers for nearly fifty years.

Within the universe, they are a race of mutants from the planet Skaro, created after centuries of war. Their creator, the mad scientist and evil genius Davros, wanted to use them to conquer the universe. Time and time again, however, they've been stopped by a time-traveling Time Lord with a blue police box named The Doctor.

The Daleks first arrived on the scene in the second "Doctor Who" serial, "The Daleks". Heck of a debut. Their origins as mutants have been kept, but over the years, there have been quite a few changes to their backstory. They've appeared in nearly 100 serials and episodes, by far the most appearances of any of "Doctor Who's" staggering list of villains and monsters.

Their ideology is one of pure hate. These blobs of flesh hate all other species so much that they cannot stand anything that is not Dalek. It's an ideology based on racial purity that has seen the Daleks even have civil wars over what is a "pure" Dalek. Indeed, they have been compared to the worst that humanity has ever given birth to, the Nazis. They have little individuality. They only exist to be given and take orders. They shout their words, garbled by electronic equipment, which gives them their distinctive voices.

The Daleks and The Doctor have been fighting so much that a mutual fear and hatred has built up between the two. Just the sight of a Dalek can make the Doctor's blood boil while an image of The Doctor can make Daleks recoil. Early on, The Doctor was loath to kill them, but after the Time War, just the sight of them makes him angry.

Dalek tanks are built for battle. They have one arm that resembles a plunger, but is used to manipulate objects, fry a person's head and extract information from their brains at the same time. Their laser gun can kill with one shot. Once a punchline about their inability to go upstairs, they can now elevate and fly. Any attempts to shot them fail as they have force fields that protect them. Their only weakness is their eyestalk.

The Dalek creature inside is a pathetic Octopus-like blob of flesh and tentacles. Yet they are still dangerous and can strangle an opponent if taken out of their capsules. However, they are a pathetic life form that almost seems worthy of pity rather than fear.

Indeed, their hatred of other species and their view of their own superiority may come from their own self-loathing. They might know they're pathetic life forms clinging to life inside a metal cage while other species walk around freely and openly. Their jealousy causes them to hate all other life forms and they lie to themselves about their own superiority. They cannot escape the ever-living hell that has been created for them. The only way they can is to claim superiority.

Still, they are a deadly foe. They will continue to scare the daylights out of everyone they come across, both in-universe and out-of-universe. And "Who" fans won't have it any other way.

"TERM-IN-ATE TRANS-MISSI-ON!"

Who is Doctor Who?

I have no idea when I started to like "Doctor Who"--I'd head about the show before every now and then, but I never really go into it for the longest time. It was just another show for me. Then, over the course of several years, I've become interested in the series. I believe it was when I was in college--not in college, but probably during the summer after my freshman year of college.

I saw an episode where something happened with Rose and then Chris Eccleston regenerated into David Tennant. For the most part I ignored the series, but my cousin kept me interested... a little. I don't really recall paying attention to the show until recently, say 2011 or something like that--I can't remember--when I started to watch a couple of David Tennant's specials and then Matt Smith's time as the Doctor.

Ever since then, I've really delved into the series. It's about a time-and-space-travelling alien (his species is called "Time Lords") who goes on an adventure throughout the universe with his ever-changing companions. Because of the nature of Time Lords, he can regenerate, which allows the producers to change actors. The show's been going on for 50 years, although technically 40-something because the series, which first started in 1963, was cancelled in 1989, then had a TV movie in 1996 and re-started in 2005.

It was around the time "Downton Abbey" was becoming popular that I really got into "Doctor Who", I believe. I never really like "Downton Abbey", but because "Doctor Who" was up next, I had something to watch and I'd watch Matt Smith's (the 11th Doctor) adventures.

I think the reason I like "Doctor Who" is because it's... fun. That's the biggest reason I can think of. It's not the only reason, though. Part of that is The Doctor himself. In the right hands, The Doctor is a lovable madman who does what he can to help those in need. Instead of beating up a bad guy, The Doctor uses his brains and wits to beat the bad guys. Okay, so he's not above using his fists, as the Third Doctor era has proven.

Of course a good hero isn't a good hero without his bad guys. Monsters like the Daleks (those things that look like salt shakers and shouts "EX-TER-MIN-ATE!"), the Cybermen (robots who were once human but replaced their organic materials with cybernetic ones) and villains like The Master have given The Doctor a rogue's gallery that can match Batman's.

His companions are also a heck of a crew. Fan favorites like intrepid journalist Sarah Jane Smith, the omnisexual Jack Harkness (who's hitting on you even when he's just introducing himself), Scottish Highlander Jamie McCrimmon and the fast-talking Clara Oswin Oswald keep The Doctor grounded and allow him to explain things to the audience.

"Doctor Who" is about to begin a new era as the 12th Doctor has been announced (as you can see in a previous post) and there's no sign the show is slowing down. The show is a British institution and it's conquered the world. Give it a watch, you'll be hooked immediately. Now if you'll excuse me, ALLONS-Y!!!

So... Peter Capaldi

So the 12th Doctor has been named and he's still not ginger. Just fooling around, it's Peter Capaldi, a Scottish actor who previous to this was best known for his role as Malcolm Tucker in the comedy "The Thick of It" where he played a "spin doctor". I can't tell if that's foreshadowing or not.

Capaldi had previously played a character in the episode "The Fires of Pompeii" where he played Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a Roman banker living in Pompeii. However, Americans who have no idea who he is (like I was) will be surprised to find out he has connections. He was in a punk rock band called the Dreamboys with comedian and renowned Whovian Craig Ferguson. Already I can tell that Craigy's gonna go nuts on his show tomorrow.

As for Capaldi's role as the Doctor, I sort of see him calming down a bit after the the nutjobs that were David Tennant and Matt Smith. Oh, he'll certainly be insane, but he'll probably be a little more subtle about it. But this is just speculation and guessing until Capaldi actually says his first lines on the show. He's also 55 years old, around the same age William Hartnell was when he was the First Doctor.

Still, Capaldi is a veteran actor and his skills should make for an interesting tenure. I have no doubt he will be able to switch from comic moments to dead seriousness and sell it. Given how popular "Doctor Who" is right now, he'll probably be one of the more popular Doctors in recent times and I have high hopes for his tenure.

12th Doctor to Be Revealed Tomorrow!

Okay, so by now you're probably fanboying (or, more likely fangirling) at the very title of the post. But yes, the 12th incarnation of the title character in the popular long-running British sci-fi show "Doctor Who". Ever since Matt Smith, the current and eleventh incarnation of the fictional Time Lord, announced he was stepping down, the speculation has been fever pitch.

Several names have already been rumored to take Smith's place. Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint is one of them. I kind of like that idea because it'll not only help Grint escape the Weasley tag, but help make the Doctor a ginger, which the character has been itching to become. "Supernatural" co-star Misha Collins has also added himself to the mix, but I suspect he's just trolling the fanbase.

Personally, I want the Doctor to be a Time Lady. It will inject new life into the series and it will be nice to see something new. There will be people who will get angry at the idea of a lady playing the Doctor, but come on. I'd rather get angry at the actions of the Doctor, not the casting. Helen Mirren has been name-dropped by fans, but she's a big-name movie star. I don't see her doing it.

Until tomorrow, Whovians will have to hold their breath. All that can be guaranteed is that some people will be excited and others will... not. I'm eagerly awaiting this myself. I want to see who the new Doctor is. Look for my post here tomorrow.

Think of the Athletes, or Why Boycotting Sochi 2014 is the Wrong Idea

The Russian government has recently passed a law essentially criminalizing talking to kids about being gay and "propagandizing" (whatever the hell that means) being gay. Because Russia will be hosting the Olympics in Sochi in a few months, this has already brought up a few awkward issues for the Russian government and the Olympics. Already couple of gay-rights groups are calling for boycotts of the Olympics.

I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen. And Lindsey Graham, the US isn't going to boycott the Olympics of Edward Snowden either, so we might as well get that out of the way. The US has already boycotted an Olympics once before, and it was an absolute disaster for American athletes. The US and several other countries boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

Here's the thing: an anti-LGBT law (which might not be enforced during the Olympics) is nothing compared to that. Also, there were calls to boycott the 1936 Olympics over Adolf Hitler. It's a good thing our athletes went, because if they hadn't, Jessie Owens would never have become the legend he is now. Kareem Abdul-Jabar boycotted the 1968 Olympics, but the ones who are remembered at the two black athletes who raised their fists with black gloves in the air.

Even Johnny Weir, an openly gay athlete, has said that if he qualifies, he will go to the Olympics. He is a voice of reason in this debate. He also discussed the downside to a boycott: the athletes.

These athletes have been training and waiting their whole lives to take part in this one big chance at the Olympics. To unceremoniously rip that away will be a bigger stab in the back than what Brutus did to Caesar. I wonder how people can just throw around the word "boycott" without thinking of the consequences to athletes. Some boycotts are necessary, like the Rush Limbaugh boycott, but boycotting the Olympics?

If you want to, you can personally boycott the Olympics. I won't. I'll be cheering on my country's athletes as they pursue their dreams of Olympic glory. And if Johnny Weir decides to kiss his Russian-born husband in clear defiance of the law, that is a much more powerful statement than any boycott will ever make.

Writer's Worst Enemy

You stupid blank piece of paper.

I HATE YOU. You suck!

Why do I hate you? Because you're taunting me. I can't think of anything to write! It's like some little brat who's sticking his tongue out at me because my car is right behind his. Is that a good analogy? I DON'T CARE!!! I have writers' block! I just. Want. To write. SOMETHING!!!

Okay, calm down. Let's see here, maybe I can write about that time I went to the World Series game. No, that's not gonna work. I already did it. Okay, maybe something about my favorite character? But which one? Maybe a song. Wait, I suck at poetry. JEEZ this is a nightmare!

You stupid piece of paper! Quit mocking me like that! Hey! I'm warning you.

Maybe I could write an idealized version of me when I was a kid. Wait, everyone's done that. Perhaps I could write a mystery? No, I'm not a good at that. A fantasy? Too much Tolkien. ARGH! This is--

Wait. Oh, jeez. This is all my fault, isn't it? I keep telling myself I can't write something. Ugh! I'm my own worst enemy. Alright. I'll think of something to write and I won't get mad at myself.

"It was a dark and stormy night." Damn.

A-Rod Update

In an update to the Alex Rodriguez story I've been following for some time, USA Today is reporting that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is preparing to suspend Alex Rodriguez for life. I say, it's about time.

A-Rod and about 50 other players, who have not currently been named, are facing suspensions over their role in the Biogenesis scandal. A-Rod is a particular target because he's been accused of obstructing the investigation of his connections. He also used performance-enhancing drugs from 2010-2012.

Other names being dropped include Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers, Jhonny Peralta of the evil Detroit Tigers and Evereth Cabrera of the Sand Diego Padres. Unlike A-Rod, these players are facing 50-game suspensions instead of a lifetime ban.

In the USA Today article, they mention it's possible Selig will invoke Article XII (B) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement which states:

"Players may be disciplined for just cause for conduct that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of baseball, including, but not limited to, engaging in conduct in violation of federal, state or local law."

MLB will contend that because A-Rod lied about his drug use and tried to sabotage the investigation. As of right now, the USA Today article mentions that MLB can neither confirm nor deny they are looking for a lifetime band for A-Rod.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I mentioned that I want a lifetime ban for A-Rod. My opinion still stands. While I do hate A-Rod for on-the-field and off-the-field reasons, they have little to do with the reasons for my supporting the lifetime ban. Since A-Rod is alleged to have obstructed with the investigation, that brings up criminal possibilities. He should be punished for his infractions. 

We'll keep an eye on the upcoming announcement. If there are any updates, I'll post them.