Categorically Opposed

I used to be a fan of genres. Science fiction, fantasy, gothic... but not westerns, no definitely not westerns. I spent countless hours of my youth reading Star Wars novels. I just chewed through them. Some of them were good, some of them woefully mediocre, and some beyond bad. But, I read them because of the name on the front, not for any other reason. It was a trap, one I think far too many people fall into. For in the last few years, I've slowly come to realize the truth: genres suck.

Yes, they can be helpful. There are differences between genres and specifics to each that lead some to gravitate towards certain ones and others to shy away from them. I am a sci-fi fan, there is no doubt about it, but I don't like the vast majority of science fiction books. Several Hugo and Nebula winning books that I have read recently have disappointed me. Others are some of my favorites. What it comes down to is a sense of exploration and newness that science fiction has. It is that idea of a blank slate, of endless possibilities. Truly great sci-fi creates a sense of wonderment that is beyond compare. But, that doesn't mean other genres cannot do the same thing, or invoke different joys in a reader or viewer. Even, explaining why I love science fiction limits the genre, because not all, or even most sci-fi elicits that sort of feeling in me. Just some, and others of my favorite science fiction do no such thing.

So, genres are a nice indicator of certain themes that one might think to expect in a piece of art, but they are frighteningly problematic. When they confine us into little regions of fiction, they are only hindering our enjoyment. For far too long I avoided westerns for whatever reason, but No Country for Old Men was a great movie, and Deadwood is one of the best TV shows I have ever seen. And that only leads me to the question of what a western even is. Do they have to take place in the western United States during the 19th Century or is it specific themes which form a genre? What about The Gunslinger by Stephen King? Is it a western or fantasy? What genre is Firefly?

Even my esteemed colleague here at BSD has been mutilated by this stealthy succubus, claiming he dislikes anime. While, I cannot claim to be all that well-versed in the genre, Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service were wonderful movies and if cinematic Japanese video games count, well... those are some of my favorites. While I may not delve into some genres enough, I have abandoned claiming not to like genres. Genre-ism simply is not helpful. Romance, Mystery, Alternate History, Slasher Films... I can name a book or movie I have enjoyed from most any genre that I can think of. Military? Saving Private Ryan. Romantic Comedy... Groundhog Day (or is that sci-fi too?). Alternate History... The Man in the High Castle. Mystery? Sherlock Holmes. The the only real criteria I have is whether or not it's any good. Isn't that what matters? Just take a step back, do yourself a favor, and do just a little delving. Find something that sounds interesting or is supposed to be great from a genre you thought you hated and let yourself experience something new. Because, really... aren't we all violating the true spirit of that old cliche... aren't we just judging books by their covers?

While these thoughts have been floating around in my head for a while now, what really inspired me to write this (though it has taken me far too long to actually get my thoughts down) was an article in The Guardian by Ursula K. Le Guin late last year. It is ostensibly a review of Margaret Atwood's latest book, The Year of the Flood, but to me read more like a critic of the publishing industry in general and genres in particular. I won't rehash it completely, but in short: Atwood argues she doesn't write science fiction, while Le Guin can't blame her for not wanting to be relegated to "genre fiction", but doesn't agree. Neither do I, to tell the truth and the whole ordeal is a sad state of affairs. I don't believe anything should be called "genre fiction", or maybe everything should be, but either way the title is meaningless. Everything fits into some genre or another, or two, or three or seventeen. You can fit it into some category that will help it reach it's audience, but ultimately it only restricts it. I understand that The Year of the Flood is much better than the average sci-fi novel out there (or would imagine it is, not having read it, but having thoroughly enjoyed Atwood's novels The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake), but it is also much better than the average novel period. Call it speculative fiction or future fiction or post-apocalyptic-dystopian-geneticism... just call it something that is helpful. Because, despite how much I am railing against genres, they are useful if used as descriptors. I like to know a little bit about what I am going to read before I read it. The problem is that genres are limiting us, not helping. Give me the genre and then tell me if it's any good or not and we are set. It's the latter that really matters.

Despite how much I love thrill of the hunt for used books, there are simply too many to sift through by myself. Which is why I rely on reviews and lists, word of mouth and advertisements on the back of milk cartons to decide what I should read. I search for used books all over the place, but I try not to allow myself to be biased by the genre in my searches. Library book sales are unmatched for book hunting, for the simple fact that you can load up on a bunch of books you didn't realize you needed or wanted for only a few bucks, but they are always so hectic. The internet is obviously the most convenient route, but it has it's drawbacks, too. First, you never really know what you're getting... condition, smell, delivery time, all unknowns and I dislike paying a cent for a book and $3.99 for shipping. Ultimately, though, it just feels like cheating. I would much rather have the thrill of finding the book somewhere than giving in and ordering it off of Amazon. So used book stores are without a doubt my favorite. You simply cannot beat the ambiance and smell of them. Recently, I was even a bit disappointed when my favorite store fixed the light over the sci-fi section... I preferred the dimness. Yet even there, in my sanctuary is the horror of genre. Sci-fi, fantasy... mysteries, westerns, romance.... and, worst of all "literature".

Yet, if I am going to be honest, the demarcation is helpful. I avoid the romance completely, not from an aversion to love, but with the the knowledge that anything in that section is going to be dreck. If I'm going to invest the hours it takes to read a book, it's not going to be for smut. That's what porn is for. The well-written love stories are in the normal fiction section anyway, because apparently a criteria for the romance genre is that it must be bad. Which, I don't get at all. If we're going to make these categories, shouldn't we stick with them? Shouldn't 1984 be in Science Fiction? Or All Quiet on the Western Front in historical novels? Or is that not historical because it was written only ten years after the war? I don't even know the rules on these things. But no, those two aren't even in normal fiction, no... they have been exalted to the "literature" section, not that I really know what that means.

Yet, again... I can't say this division doesn't help me. I am a book elitist and much of what I read comes from stuff that would be termed "literature", though from the narrow way the used book stores describe it, nothing written in the last half-century counts. But, literature is not a genre and is far greater than the two shelves worth of Dickens, Hardy, Austen and Sinclair Lewis in the corner of the store. Literature is no more and no less than the art of the written word. As impossible to define as I know that is.

So, I will continue reading literature, which really amounts to anything that is well-written enough to keep my attention, no matter the genre. If you'd like to keep reading uninspired, bland fiction, be my guest, just maybe think about trying a bad sci-fi book or a bad western once in a while. It might surprise you.

Sodom and Gomorrah

"Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to use after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make out father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father. So they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she law down or when she rose. On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with me father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father." So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and law with him; and he did not know when she law down or when she rose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day"

I have never really understood the use of Sodom and Gomorrah as an argument against homosexuality, not that I truly understand using the Bible as an argument for or against much of anything. The entire story is pretty crazy... the town is full of rapists who want to fuck anything that moves, yet I'm supposed to believe that the problem God has with the place is homosexuality? I'm not arguing that the passage supports homosexuality, but it's clearly not the focus of the story. But, what I find really interesting are the other aspects of the story, because... well, things get pretty weird.

First, the supposedly righteous Lot is pretty quick (in a scene very reminiscent of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac) to offer up his daughters to the crazed mob as a substitute for the angels, yet is rewarded by being saved, while his wife is turned into a pillar of salt because she decides to look back at the destruction. Furthermore, and correct me if I'm wrong, Lot's daughter's don't seem to incur any divine retribution for raping their father. The usual argument I get when I bring this up to people is that they believed they were the only people left on earth and were trying to repopulate it. But, that doesn't make much sense. First, it is clear that God's wrath is against Sodom and Gomorrah (for, I would argue, being horrible, violent wretches, and having nothing to do with their sexuality) and he doesn't have plans to wipe out all of humanity. Secondly, God sends Lot's family to Zoar, which seems to be another city, and thus should be populated to some extent. This is a bit more tenuous, but only reinforces my point that the whole story is pretty nonsensical. I imagine the entire point was to poke fun at the Moabites and Ammonites rather than be some sort of moral story, but who knows. It seems to me like they both just had some serious Electra complexes. They couldn't even wait a day to get the guy drunk and have their way with him? That's pretty desperate, especially if you think you're the last people on earth.

So, the next time anyone tries to use Genesis as an argument against homosexuality, I'm just going to quote Genesis 19:30-38. You know what... forget that... It's a good passage to bring up in pretty much any old situation. Oh, and... someone get to writing a book from the perspectives of Lot's daughters. That'd be an interesting read.

Mega Man Soccer

Name: Mega Man’s Soccer
System: SNES
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: 1994
Genre: Sports

Whether this game is actually any good or not, I can’t really say for sure. I am not too familiar with soccer games as a whole, especially not those on the SNES, but I can tell you that, at the very least, the game is damn interesting.

The biggest problem is that it’s a pretty boring game. Yet, there are a whole host of other issues that I should probably enumerate before I go any further. It is far too easy to slide tackle the ball away from the opponent, passing is difficult, the game switches the player you are controlling automatically so often you end up running away from the ball at times, and your view of the field is so small that it is almost impossible to actually get anything resembling an offense going without looking at the map at the top of the screen, which causes you to take your eyes off the play for a precious second. Yeah… there are a lot of issues, yet for some reason I still really enjoy playing the game. Not for long periods of time, but picking it up every once in a while is a blast, especially if you have an opponent to play.


Scoring is difficult, but it’s soccer so that’s fairly realistic. There are power shots, which make scoring much easier, but you only get two a game. Other than these you can score often enough using one-timers and less often by shooting close to the goal but at an angle. You can compose your team of a variety of different characters and align them in a wide variety of different formations. And despite all of the flaws in the gameplay, there is something undeniably cool about the game. I remember the first time I ever played it was at the house of one of my classmates. I say classmate, because I never really liked him all that much, and the dick wouldn’t even tell me the controls, so I got slaughtered, but I remember coming away from the game thinking how cool it was… It was Mega Man, and while I had never played a Mega Man game before, I of course knew who the Blue Bomber was. And that is the real charm of the game, and perhaps it’s only redeeming quality. It’s a game full of Mega Mans, Cutmans, Woodmans, Toadmans and a whole slew of others who just ooze charm and nostalgia. It is the predecessor to Mario Tennis and all those other sports titles. There is quite simply something grand about a game that pits video games characters against one another in soccer.

The graphics are decent enough for a game of the era, but nothing special and the music is a bit repetitive and can get fairly annoying after a while. Each of the characters have different stats, affecting how well they play defense, kick the ball, and run, among other things. There are several different stadiums, all of which are built like indoor soccer arenas, with boards instead of sidelines, but none of which are any different except for their coat of paint. While a generic soccer game like this wouldn’t even be worth a look back, because it is Mega Man, I still have a special fondness for it. It’s frustrating, difficult and pretty bland, but you can’t tell me that it isn’t cool.

Score: 5/10

Common Sense

"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason."

Thomas Paine began his pamphlet Common Sense with the paragraph above. The essay was incredibly influential in Colonial America and helped to stir up revolutionary fervor against Britain that would be instrumental to starting the American Revolution. In it, Paine rails against monarchy in general and the British monarchy specifically, while espousing the virtues of the colonies and urging them to fight against the motherland.

Oddly enough, Paine was born in England and only arrived in the colonies in 1774, before promptly beginning to raise hell. He was a revolutionary through and through, and in the 1790s he found himself in France, you guessed it, to take part in yet another Revolution. He was elected to the National Convention, but managed to get on Robespierre's bad side and was arrested. This was no unusual event at the time (see: The Reign of Terror) and Paine only barely avoided painting, with the help of a little contraption called the guillotine, the Paris streets with his blood.

I was unaware of Paine's involvement in the French Revolution and it only increases my already high opinion of him. The man was an idealist and a rabble-rouser, pure and simple. You don't go around sticking your nose in other people's Revolutions unless you believe in them or are suicidal.

But, perhaps the most interesting nugget of information I discovered about his life, was that while in France, Paine developed a menage a trois with Nicholas Bonnevile and his wife. They slept together for several years and when Paine returned to America, Bonnevile sent his wife and children (who were Paine's godchildren) along with him. From what I was able to gather, this had something to do with Bonneville having been arrested by Napoleon, and though now free, he was still under heavy surveillance.

Throughout his life, Paine always followed his convictions, even if they were unpopular. He was a deist who opposed organized religion, a revolutionary who opposed monarchy and a great firebrand. I think it is overlooked just how radical these movements were in a European age of absolute monarchs. Men like Paine were anathema to the social and political order, because they were against everything that it stood for. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness... liberty, equality, fraternity... sovereignty deriving from the people... these concepts were so fundamentally opposed to the established order that Revolutionary France was at war with every major power in Europe. To put it simply, Paine was a hero, who fought not for himself, but for the ideals that he so strongly believed in.

Note: Most of the information here is gleaned from years spent studying history as well as several classes I have taken. The information about Paine's personal life comes from a few short notes in Fire int he Minds of Men by James H. Billington, a wonderful study of revolutionary movements in Europe, but probably not a book for those not already well-versed in the history of 18th and 19th century Europe.

MLB Suggestions

Opening Day is almost upon us, which means my yearly opining about baseball. However, instead of rambling on nostalgically about how much I love the game, I'm going to complain about it for once. I love baseball for many reasons, but I do have several gripes with the MLB that I'd like to enumerate. I know many of these things are not going to happen anytime soon, if at all, but if I was given free reign over baseball for a year, these are the things I would see done.


Salary Cap
The biggest problem I have with the major leagues is the income disparity between the small-market clubs and the big. You can preach free-market capitalism at me all you want, but the truth is that the MLB is a monopoly, and one protected as such through congressional legislation. I don't want to change that, but I do think that it is vital to bring about a bit of equity in the system. Baseball needs a salary cap, it's as simple as that. It would level the playing field, create some parity in the league and allow teams to keep their stars instead of being forced to trade them off for prospects once they are approaching free agency. It gets tiring seeing the best young players traded off to New York, Boston, Chicago, L.A., and yes... even to a lesser extent my Tigers year after year.
I know this would be a hard sell for the players association and for the high payroll teams, but it is in baseball's best interest to see this happen. Just taking look at the 2009 team payrolls, shows a stark contrast between the teams who can spend and those who can't. First of all, the Yankees have a payroll of almost 70 million more than the next highest team (the Mets) and over five times that of the Florida Marlins. Yet, the payroll figures only give a snapshot view of the situation. Some of these clubs are keeping unsustainable payrolls in order to compete now, while others have very low ones because their teams are so young.

MLB Blackout Areas

What we really need to be looking at is regional populations or market sizes. Baseball Almanac has a nice article that lists the market sizes. There are some caveats to the data, however. The first is that it is a bit outdated, but population figures haven't changed enough to negate it's usefulness. Additionally, a city like New York, which has nine major sports teams (not counting MLS) to divide its fans among, probably won't have as high a percentage of its market viewing as a city like New Orleans (with only two teams) would. Yet, I don't believe it is realistic to divide the market by nine, since it is not as if residents of a city watch or attend only a finite number of games, and thus, the more teams available watch, the higher the total viewership will be, in general. I don't think anyone can argue with that. Besides, the baseball season is for the most part during the summer and without a major sports rival for much of the season. However, it is vital to split the markets of those cities with two teams in half. Still, the Yankees and Mets have a market size of over 10 million compared to the 1.6 million in Milwaukee. That is a massive gap to bridge and one that I only see two solutions to. The first is a salary cap, the second... add five or six professional teams to the New York market, and a few to L.A. and Chicago, too. Hell, we might as well give Philly, Detroit and Boston another team while we're at it. Okay, so that proposal is totally unreasonable for a variety of reasons that I won't get into. So, salary cap it is.

Furthermore, the salary cap should be coupled with some sort of revenue sharing deal (which the MLB already has) and a payroll floor, to prevent teams from just constantly tanking like the Florida Marlins have been apt to do over the years. Not only should this system allow small market teams to better compete and keep their players, it should create a more competitive league as a whole. Drafting, the farm system and roster management suddenly become a lot more important, especially for big market teams which can no longer just throw money at their problems.

Expansion
With some money freed up, baseball may even be able to expand. This desire is obviously biased, because I simply like seeing new teams spring up, but I think it would work well. While probably not realistic in the current economic climate, I think that a more fiscally responsible MLB could definitely expand to a few more cities. Going back to the list of biggest markets in the US and Canada for a moment... I think that bringing baseball back to Montreal would be a great idea. Charlotte, San Antonio or Portland might also make nice homes for new teams, or just place another team in New York. It would cut into the TV areas and the revenue of the other teams, but I think ultimately revenue would increase for the MLB as a whole. But, my primary motive is getting the leagues back to an equal number of teams. Having 14 teams in the AL and 16 in the NL always felt so unbalanced to me. Move Milwaukee back to the AL or add two AL teams, either way it would work. The divisions could be reworked into four of four teams or have two of five and one of six.


Steroids
The steroid issue may have diminished, but baseball is definitely not in the clear yet. It is painfully obvious that the MLB turned a blind eye to the use of steroids throughout the 90s. In doing so, they not only harmed the integrity of the game, but allowed the specter of the Faustian bargain of steroids to descend upon countless young baseball players. Even with the knowledge of the harm they can cause, steroids are a huge lure to players who dream of making the big leagues. While I like to think I would not give in if I were in that position, I cannot blame those who have. The MLB needs to simply come out and admit their mistake, acknowledge that the game was compromised and that there are fraudulent records on the books. While, I don't believe that the records achieved during the era should be erased, simply because it gives players an incentive not to come clean, the major leagues need to admit to their mistake. It was the Steroids Era, the stats are out of whack, they cannot be fixed now. We will never know who used steroids or who didn't, because there is no way that everyone will com clean, but there will always be a cloud hanging over the period. All that baseball can do now is admit their mistake, implement as stringent as steroid policy as possible and move on.


Hall of Fame
On a related note, I don't believe that known or suspected steroid users should be banned from the Hall of Fame. Again, I think this policy only serves as an incentive not to admit to using steroids. Bonds, McGwire, Sosa... put them all in the Hall. Put it on the plaque that they cheated, or that they achieved fame under suspicious circumstances, I don't care, and I don't like any of them, but they deserve to be there. Just like Joe Jackson and Pete Rose do. Especially in the case of Jackson, who was given a lifetime ban, and is now dead. Shouldn't the ban be over? And keep Rose away from baseball, that's fine, but both of them deserve to be there for being some of the greatest baseball players ever. You don't have to lie or exalt any of these guys, hell... put up an exhibit about cheating and gambling on baseball if you want, just let them in. If a horrible person like Ty Cobb gets to be there, anyone who was good enough at playing should be, too.


All-Star Game
I have several problems with the All-Star Game in its current format. The first and more egregious is that the winning league gets home field advantage in the World Series. It is beyond dumb that what amounts to an exhibition game has any effect upon the MLB championship and this has to be changed. Secondly, fan voting needs to be done away with. The average fan doesn't know enough about baseball to know who actually deserves to be in the game and most fans are too partisan to vote for anyone but their own team's players. The rosters should be decided upon by the players or managers. It is unfair to use all-star game appearance as a criteria to argue a player's merit if it is simply a popularity contest. Lastly, the rule that each team must have a representative in the game should be abolished. Once again, the only criteria that should decide who is on the all-star team is how well their season has been thus far.


Designated Hitter
Finally, I would at the very least consider implementing a DH in the National League. My only reluctance in doing so is historical and because I think it is rather quaint to have such a huge rule difference between the two leagues. Also, I know how biased I am about this rule having grown up a fan of an American League team. Nonetheless, I don't buy into any of the arguments in opposition to the DH other than those I have already listed. The additional strategy that it provides is negligible and the necessity of pinch hitting for a pitcher at the end of the game, in my mind, is an argument in favor of the DH and not against it. Furthermore, pitcher is an extremely specialized position and the most grueling in the sport, why force them to do something that they are almost universally poor at? Kickers don't catch passes, goalies rarely shoot on net, pitchers don't need to hit. In the end, what does inserting an extremely weak batter at the bottom of every lineup do to make the game better? Nothing, that I can see.


I have little hope of most of these things coming to pass anytime soon, but that's alright. For the most part I have just been musing and the lack of reform, while frustrating at times, pales in comparison to the joy I get from watching the game. Baseball has never been my favorite sport, but it is the one that I have always felt my identity as a Detroiter has been most tied to. Perhaps it is its position as the national pastime, perhaps the fact that it is so old, or maybe its the fact that I equate it with summer and freedom and joy, but being a Tigers fan was always about more than just the game. I always felt that you were born with a team and you would die with that team. Winning or losing, I was content with the sport, because it was my heritage as a Michigander. I may enjoy watching other teams, may even someday adopt another team as a secondary rooting interesting, but the Old English D will forever be baseball to me.

Thundercats

Today I have two odd and unrelated Thundercats topics to bring up. The first, and possibly the most awesome discovery in the history of the universe, is that James Lipton, host of BSD favorite Inside the Actor's Studio, wrote the theme song for Thundercats. Credit goes to Stef, and I believe Cracked, for discovering this. I had no idea that the Detroit native could get any cooler, but he just did.



Secondly, a while back we were watching the first episode of the series, which had some horrible inconsistencies (like why Lion-O aged so much more than WilyKit or WilyKat after they go into stasis), but the thing that bugged me most was why they are all naked (except for belts) at the beginning of the episode, but after they come out of the cold freeze they decide to put clothing on. Is it supposed to be some type of armor?

While the skin-tight jumpsuit isn't bad at all, I'd prefer seeing Cheetara slink around in the nude for 130 episodes*.


*I've only seen one episode of the show in the past fifteen years and don't plan on making it two anytime soon.

Geography of DC Comics: Gotham City

When trying to think up names for Sim City 4 cities or fantasy football team names or for any of many others reasons why someone like me might want to make up place names, Gotham has always been a thorn in my side. No matter how hard I try, I cannot think of a name as good as Gotham. Part of that is probably because it is so ingrained in pop culture and my mind that it actually feels like a real place and actual names always seem more realistic than fake ones. Moreover, the fact that Gotham is actually a nickname for New York probably gives some added weight to it.

Still, the name is simply perfect. It is short and catchy, yet manages to evoke so many images. Goth elicits memories of barbarian tribes, towering Gothic cathedrals and darkness, while ham is a simple English town ending. Thus, it manages to be a reference, but still sound like a real place.

But because Gotham is not a honest-to-goodness physical place, the most important part of its reality is in the mind. Gotham is darkness, it is madness, an art-deco nightmare. It is shadow, towering skyscrapers and muggings on street corners. When you think of Gotham City it brings to mind images of a real place, just as if you thought of New York, London or Hong Kong.

I haven't been able to find quite as much information the geography of the city itself, but I did find some interesting things. Strange Maps, which actually began this endeavor, has a post with some information on various places in the city, as does Gotham and Beyond. I'm not well versed enough with comics to comment further on those particulars, so let's just get to the maps.


The first image comes from Batman: The Animated Series, and honestly isn't all that helpful. Though it's a nice sepia tone and I just like the way it looks.



This next map is the original from Strange Maps and wonderful for city details, but not great for larger area names. As far as I can tell Gotham City is comprised of three main islands, two secondary islands and a few other islands here or there (including Blackgate Isle, #41 on the map). The islands I consider secondary are the two triangular ones, the northern containing Arkham Asylum, the southern the Tricorner Yards. These seem very integrated into the city and important, with an expressway going through the northern and the shipyards on the southern. The other islands are not given much detail, only showing a few bridges connecting them to the main islands and one road.


Here is a subway map of Gotham, which gives some nice detail on neighborhood names. It also gives us the areas of Uptown, Midtown and Downtown (obviously modeled after NYC), but no names for the actual islands which these areas of the city are on. A non-subway map similar to this can be found here. It has a zoom function, lists all sorts of street names and is without a doubt the best map of the city I have found. Oddly, both of these maps get rid of four of the five islands in the south of the city.


From these maps we get the following neighborhoods.
Uptown: Granton, Farrow, Harrow, Jerold.
Midtown: Gainsly, Reatton.
Downtown: Haysville, Stevensburgh, West Harlow.

Additionally, there is the Narrows between Midtown and Downtown, and the island in the southwest corner is South Hinkley.

I would appreciate any input those readers with more comic book knowledge than me have.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Name: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
System: Sega Genesis
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: 1992
Genre: Platformer

Sonic Team’s magnum opus, arguably the greatest game ever made for the Sega Genesis, or by Sega period, Sonic 2 is the embodiment of the franchise and its pinnacle. It improves upon its predecessor with the introduction of the spin dash, the best level design of any Sonic game and the pin point precision of its platforming elements. But what sets Sonic apart from the plethora of platformers of the 16-bit era, like all the Sonic games, is its sense of overwhelming speed.

Even though I could never manage beat the game as a kid, I always got much further than any of the other Sonics… I think it has something to do with the levels being easier, on average shorter, but also because I played the game to death I managed to know the levels better than in any of the other games. I would beat Chemical Plant, Aquatic Ruin, Casino Night, Hill Top and all the way to Mystic Cave, where I would undoubtedly die many horrible deaths, wasting continue after continue until I got frustrated and quit. I must have played this game more than any other in my Genesis days, but somehow it never got old. I even played the crappy two player game quite often… which was basically just racing against someone else to see who could finish a level faster, except everything was squished pretty horribly.

This game is brilliant in every single way, but truly excels in the area of control. Sonic moves quickly, agilely, but without the sense of loss of control (maybe with the exception of the speed shoes) of many games. The level designs are, in my opinion, the cleverest of the series, with Chemical Plant, Casino Night and Hill Top Zones leading the way. Chemical Plant was the first major test to anyone playing the game and delivered splendidly with divergent paths and the toxic sludge atmosphere. Hill Top was perhaps my favorite, mostly because of the wonderful music and the Loch Ness lava monsters popping up all over the place. There can be little argument that Casino Night is the best, though… it is by far the most immersive level. The true joy of the zone is that you don’t want to leave, you just hang around gambling for coins, bouncing off the plethora of bumpers and glowing chili dogs and enjoying the atmosphere. Yet, it never seemed to lose the sense of speed that is essential to the game.

The graphics were wonderful, with everything having just a little more depth than in the first game and a little more vibrant look. While the visuals certainly were not as pretty as those of Sonic 3 or Sonic and Knuckles, they have a charm of their own. The music is outstanding and fitting in every zone.

The biggest addition to the game was the spin dash, which contributes majorly to the game’s sense of speed, but Tails can’t be forgotten. This is his first game and while he’s up there at the top of the pantheon of annoying sidekicks, I always had a soft spot for him and he is a help at times in the game. The player has the option of playing as either Sonic and Tails, with Tails either computer controlled or being controlled by the second player. I never found controlling Tails to be all that easy, but he can be helpful at times, Sonic alone or Tails alone. Unfortunately, Tails cannot fly when player controlled like in Sonic 3. The new bonus stage is interesting, if only for its 3-D, and has Sonic running along a halfpipe picking up rings and avoiding bombs. It always gave me a headache, but it was decent.


From the rehashed Green Hill Zone, which never felt like a cop out, but simply a homage, to Wing Fortress and Death Egg Zones, Sonic 2 is an amazing game and one that I simply cannot do justice. While not a long game (it can be finished in one sitting if you’re good enough), it will surely take most players many hours to complete it. It took me about fifteen years. During that time, I took years off from playing it, but every time I picked it up it was as enjoyable as the last. It is rare to find a platformer that is this perfect, but Sonic the Hedgehog 2 surely does everything it sets out to do perfectly.

Score: 10/10

Middlesex

A few weeks ago, Stef, Caleb and I went on an expedition down into the heart of Detroit and then out into Grosse Pointe. It was a journey of nostalgia as well as a literary pilgrimage. While we've never gone to find Salinger so he can hit on our girlfriends or sought out the wisdom of Ray Bradbury, we did find Middlesex.


But I'm getting ahead of myself, that's the end of the journey. The beginning was a drive down Michigan Avenue, the mainstreet of our hometown of Dearborn and one of the main spokes that radiate out from the center of Detroit. We drove into Detroit past beautiful old buildings, some shoddy, some painted gaudily, some in wonderful condition and housing Mexican restaurants. Soon enough Downtown was visible, but we took a bit of a detour as we past the wreck of old Tiger Stadium, one wall left emblazoned with two defiant tigers and headed up Trumbull towards Warren.

While I had been into the city plenty of times, never had I done so at such a leisurely pace. We weren't heading to a ball game or a concert or driving around in the middle of the night because we're stupid and eighteen, we were exploring. I was to come see what I would soon be leaving behind, coming to appreciate what I had always taken for granted as my home, but never truly stopped long enough to take it all in.

We took a turn down a lonely little street and looped past the Michigan Central Station, one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, even though it is now only the deteriorating shell of an idea.

Michigan Central Station

We headed along Warren past Wayne State's campus and then hit Woodward and took that down into the heart of the city. We drove passed Grand Circus Park, Campus Maritus and to Hart Plaza, dwarfed by the skyscrapers above... the Penobscot Building and the Renaissance Center especially.

Downtown Detroit from Belle Isle

We headed northeast up Jefferson and crossed the river to Belle Isle, where we parked and wandered about the south end of the island. Avoiding goose poop, we walked down to the water's edge where huge rocks are piled up and looked at Downtown, then headed over to the beautiful statue before the pond. Eventually, we hopped back in the car and circled the island, stopping by the Aquarium to peek inside (it isn't open anymore) and the Conservatory. We drove past the Detroit Yacht Club (looking quite pompous) and the Detroit Boat Club (the burned out husk of a building) and then headed back to the mainland and up Jefferson once more. We drove around Indian Village, marveling at the beautiful old houses of the revived neighborhood and then into Grosse Pointe, which while beautiful and old, had a definite flavor of aristocracy.


It was there where we found Middlesex and on that street a house which seemed to us suspiciously like the house from Jeffery Eugenides' book by the same title. It looked smaller than I imaged it from the book, but it did seem to stretch back quite a ways and we didn't go traipsing about the backyard or anything, but it seemed to fit the image of that big-windowed monstrosity of modernism.

I'm not sure I can capture what I felt staring at that house, but I must have been part pilgrim, part detective, part wonder-struck child...

Middlesex

We spent a bit more time in Grosse Pointe, just soaking in what the city (or cities, I should say) felt like, before heading back into Detroit and then home. We stopped by a Mexican place to eat and then by a comic book store on our way back up Michigan Avenue and into Dearborn.

The Oscars

Every year I tell myself that I'm going to watch all the movies nominated for Best Picture, mostly because then I can complain more effectively. Not that I think most of the Best Picture winners aren't deserving, but I rarely feel they are most deserving. This year I managed to watch 2.5 of the movies nominated for Best Picture and I don't even see myself being able to finish The Reader before tomorrow night. Despite that, I am going to try to make a few observations.

Best Actor
The only two performances I have seen from these nominees are Sean Penn and Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button was nothing special in my mind. I really enjoyed the movie, but his performance wasn't especially moving or great in my mind. I though Sean Penn did a good job as Milk and would rather see him win it than Pitt, but I hope it goes to someone else.

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger has this won hands down. It's not even a contest.

Best Actress
I've only seen half a role in this one, but so far Kate Winslet did a very good job with the character. Her acting was subtle and even stoic, but very effective. And there were a lot of sex scenes, that's always a plus. Couple all that with the fact that she has six nominations and zero wins, I think this one goes to her.

Best Supporting Actress
Taraji P. Henson was good in Benjamin Button, but I'm not sure it was Oscar worthy, then again i haven't seen any of the other nominees, so who knows.

Best Director
Honestly, I have no idea. Everyone says Danny Boyle is going to run away with this thing, and if what I've heard about Slumdog Millionaire is true, he should. Making that great of a movie with untrained actors? That is a feat.

Best Picture
The category I tried so hard to be able to actually give an educated opinion on. Unfortunately I failed. Is saying Dark Knight or Wall-E cheating? I think both of those were better pictures than Benjamin Button, Milk or half of The Reader. If I had to pick between Button and Milk, I would go with milk. While I enjoyed Benjamin Button more, I didn't find anyhting particularly moving or important about it, which I think is an important consideration for best picture. Milk was a great movie and was very touching. But, from what I've read Slumdog Millionaire has this category and I've heard it's great.

While I'm disappointed that Dark Knight didn't get nominated for Best Picture, I'm even more disappointed that Wall-E did not. While I find it hard to fathom an animated movie ever winning, I think that it deserved a nomination at least. It was an amazing movie and deserves more than to simply win Best Animated Feature.

Well... there you have it. My awful opinions. I highly doubt I will be watching tomorrow night, but I'm sure I'll be bugging my girlfriend about who won what throughout.

If you want some better opinions on the Oscars, go here:
Careful with that Blog, Eugene
Nate Silver

Winter TV Preview

The Definites or the shows I'll definitely be watching every week ASAP

New Seasons:

Battlestar Galactica, Friday 10:00, premieres 1/16 (Sci-Fi)
Finally! Finally... after way too long, BSG returns with the second half of the fourth, and final, season to finally resolve what the hell happens between the Colonials and those crazy toasters. I'm more excited about this than any other show this winter by a long shot. While I think the show was ended by Sci-Fi too soon, at least we get a logical ending on the series creator's terms, which is all I ever wanted.

Lost, Wednesday 9:00, premieres 1/21 (ABC)
Lost returns with more plot twists and confusion than any one person can handle, and I for one am extremely excited about it. If you haven't seen this show yet, I really wouldn't recommend coming into the middle of the series, but if you can handle the odd and often convoluted plot, go start watching this from the first episode, it's worth it.

Scrubs, Tuesday 9:00, premieres 1/6 (ABC)
Scrubs returns for its eighth season now on ABC, and supposedly in a more "family friendly" format. Whatever the hell that means, though I don't really like the sound of it. Courtney Cox will be on the show, at least for a while, which seems to be a slightly iffy move. While I think it hasn't been as funny the last few seasons, it is still a quality show and one that I need to see the end of if only to see what happens to some of my favorite characters on TV.

Returning Shows:

30 Rock, Thursday 9:30, returns 1/8 (NBC)
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are all great in this show about a TV show. The humor is a nice mix of smart and outrageous and makes for a great comedy.

The Big Bang Theory, Monday 8:30, returns 1/12 (CBS)
Simply hilarious. I have no idea how they put together a show that is so smart, yet so accessible or how they avoid dumb blonde jokes. The show is dorky as hell, yet my grandmother and my sister's mom still really enjoy it. I'm constantly vacillating whether I like this or How I Met Your Mother more, but I can't really decide.

Chuck, Monday 8:00, returns 2/2 (NBC)
This show is on the borderline between a watch every week and catching it occasionally. It's not great, it's extremely formulaic, but the characters are interesting and likable. I really think that Chuck is getting too good at his job, which sort of does away with the bumbling secret agent aspect of the show, but oh well... I seem to turn it on every Monday night, so it must be doing something right.

Fringe, Tuesday 9;00, returns 1/20 (Fox)
It took me several months to actually watch the first episode of this show, but I was really awarded once I did. It reminds me of a cross between The X-Files and Law and Order (minus the court drama), which really makes for a fine show. The plots are weird and interesting, characters are great (especially John Noble as the insane scientist) and the show seems truly original. My only complaint is the way they superimpose the name of wherever the characters happen to be on the screen... it's kinda cool at first, but gets a bit annoying.

House, Monday 9:00, returns 1/19 (FOX)
Same old, same old... House really great character, show way too formulaic. I keep watching this show, because it is still pretty good, but I'm not sure how long I can keep going.

How I Met Your Mother, Monday 8:30, returns 1/12 (CBS)
As funny as every and now that CBS Mondays also have Big Bang Theory, it makes this an even more must-watch show. Besides, I really want to find out who the hell the mother is.

The Office, Thursday 9:00, returns 2/1 (NBC)
Great, just great. Somehow they keep bringing great episode after great episode. I really don't think there is anything else to say.

The Probables, or the shows that I'll be watching every week sometime, probably

Family Guy 9:00, returns TBD (Fox)
This show is funny at times, but also incredible stupid. I'll watch it if I have time, but I never look forever to it.

Sanctuary, Friday 10:00, returns 1/2 (Sci-Fi)
I can't claim this is a good show... Everything is done in front of a green screen and it shows, the acting is pretty bad, and the overarching plot about some sort of Illuminati pretty uninteresting. I put this on here because I usually watch it and there have been some really good episodes. It has a lot of potential, but it keeps wandering outside its wheelhouse. You are a show about monsters, stick with that... and please give me more than one per episode.

The Simpsons 8:00, returns TBD (Fox)
I wish this show would just end, I really do. It's still decent, but mostly I just miss how amazing this show used to be. The new episode are just too overdone and heavy handed. The MyPod episode? Come on...

The Newcomers or shows I have yet to see, but which look interesting

Castle, Monday 10:00, premieres 3/9 (ABC)
Nathan Fillion (Firefly) stars in this show about a mystery writer who has to help the NYPD solve a series of murders based on his books. While it's not that great a premise in my mind, it could be good, so I'll give the pilot a shot.

Dollhouse, Friday 9:00, premieres 2/13 (Fox)
I have a vague idea of the premise of this show: a group of people get memories implanted in their brains to make them believe they are any person a customer wishes them to be and once their assignment is over, their memories are wiped. You can imagine what could go wrong with this. It seems like a really weird and interesting premise. Fox has already been fucking with the show, and I doubt it will last all that long, but the only thing I really care about is that it's Joss Whedon's new show, and no matter what, I'm going to at least give it a shot.

Dropped or shows I will not be watching

My Name is Earl, Thursday 8:00, returns 1/9 (NBC)
It's not that I don't like this show, but the whole trailor-trash angle annoys me a little at times. Jason Lee is great, but I didn't watch a single episode of this during the year. It probably has something to do with me being behind, but if I really had a desire to see the show I would get caught up. I'm sure I'll end up watching re-runs of this eventually, but for now it's gone.

The No-Shows or shows that won't have new episodes this winter

Aqua Teen Hunger Force, returns March 2009 (Cartoon Network)

The Boondocks, return TBA (Cartoon Network)

Californication, return TBA (Showtime)

Venture Brothers, return TBA(Cartoon Network)

25 Best Songs that I First Heard in '08

For New Year's I decided that I would have a countdown, and since I hardly ever write about music here, I figured that'd be as good a subject as any. However, since I have thousands of songs to slog through from the years 1960-2007, I never actually got around to listening to any new music. So, not one of these songs was actually released in 2008. But, most of them are fairly new... you know, except for the ones from 1966. I tried to list them in some sort of semblance of likability order, but it was damn hard, and I also limited it to one song by any given artist. I doubt these are in perfect order, but I'm not willing to agonize over the list for several more hours. So... Enjoy.

25. The Call - Reginia Spektor, from the 2008 album The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian Soundtrack
I really hate that this is on the list, but it's so damn catchy. I must've heard this song two hundred times while working at the movie theater this summer, but it never got old. It probably brainwashed me, but whatever... I like it.

24. The World - The Starting Line, from the 2005 album Based on a True Story

23. Fable - Gatsby's American Dream from the 2005 album Volcano
A song about Lord of the Flies? Hell yes.

22. I'm on Fire - Bruce Springsteen from the 1985 album Born in the U.S.A.
Chalk this one up to my dad's habit of buying greatest hit's albums and the radio's inability to play lesser known songs, but somehow I never heard this song until this year.

21. When I Grow Up - Garbage, from the 1998 album Version 2.0

20. Take Cover - Acceptance, from the 2005 album Phantoms

19. Brighter - Paramore, from the 2005 album All We Know Is Falling

18. Live Forever - Oasis, from the 1994 album Definitely Maybe
Until this year I had only ever listened to What's the Story Morning Glory?, but this song is great. I really should check out more from this album.

17. Starlight - Muse, from the 2006 album Black Holes and Revelations

16. Banshee Song - Gob, from the 2007 album Muertos Vivos
The only song on this list that was also on the Best Halloween Song's list.

15. Do You Feel - The Rocket Summer, from the 2007 album Do You Feel?

14. The Underdog - Spoon, from the 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Obnoxious album title, but a great song. It has an extremely catchy beat and good melody.

13. Pictures of You - The Last Goodnight, from the 2007 album Poison Kiss
I first heard this song after driving home from Ann Arbor after having one of the most interesting nights of my life with a girl... It involved a raccoon, and probably warrants a post one of these days.

12. Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches
While definitely not my favorite song in Juno I did really enjoy the simple melody and quirky lyrics. It's probably done better by Ellen Page and Michael Cera, but this is the full version. I also really have no friggin' clue what album this is from. Now, I realize that Juno came out last year, but I for the life of me can't remember when I went to see it. Anyway, I certainly never really started listening to the songs from the movie on any regular basis until 2008.

11. Sea of Love - Cat Power, from the 2007 album Music from the Motion Picture Juno
Also from Juno.

10. Shimmer - Fuel, from the 1998 album Sunburn

9. Only Women Bleed - Lita Ford, from the 1990 album Stiletto
This is a cover of an Alice Cooper song, but frankly as much as I like Cooper, I'm not all that into his music. I think it's much more fitting to have this song sung by a woman, anyway.

8. The Conversation - Motion City Soundtrack, from the 2007 album Even If It Kills Me
Sad as hell, but with a lot of enjoyable lyrics. I first heard this thanks to Julia Nunes.

7. Breathe Me - Sia, from the 2004 album Colour The Small One

6. A Well Respected Man - The Kinks
This song was released in 1966... I have no idea how it took me over fifty years to hear it. It's great and also from Juno.

5. Pieces - Sum 41, from the 2004 album Chuck

4. All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople, from the 1972 album All the Young Dudes
Juno again...

3. A Lifetime - Better Than Ezra, from the 2001 album Closer
A song about death... sad, sweet, gives you that bittersweet feeling of longing in your gut, just amazing.

2. Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect - The Decemberists, from the 2002 album Castaways and Cut-Outs
I don't really have any idea what this song is about, but someday I'm going to really sit down and study it. This song might have the best lyrics of any that I have ever heard, everything just fits perfectly. It's slow, melancholy and just beautiful.

1. New Slang - The Shins, from the 2001 album Oh, Inverted World
This might be my favorite song of all time. The lyrics are second only to the above mentioned and everything else about it is even better. Nothing has ever better captured the feeling I get in my gut late at night better, not even my countless attempts at writing about it.

Not to be Confused

After a conversation with Matt the other day about Virginia Woolf I feel there are a few things I should make clear as a matter literacy and public record. Do not let these things confuse you in the future. Though many may seem the same to the untrained eye believe me, they are not.

This is Thomas Wolfe who, born at the turn of the century, is notable for writing Look Homeward, Angel and You Can't Go Home Again before dying of tuberculosis 1938.

Thomas Wolfe

This is Tom Wolfe who in the 1960s and 70s became famouse as part of the New Journalism movement. He wrote such classics as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Right Stuff, and The Bonfire of the Vanities. He often wears white.

Tom Wolfe

This is Naked Lunch, it's a book by William S. Burroughs. This is a naked lunch. The differences are negligible.

This is The Electric Ant-

a short story by Philip K. Dick about a man who awakes from a car crash an organic robot (artwork from the upcoming Marvel Comic mini-series based on the story.) And these are electric ants.

Toni Morrison writes about African-Americans and is alive and well. Tony Hillerman wrote about Native Americans and died recently. As did Michael Crichton (died I mean) who wrote about dinosaurs and the such. But this is a Kraken-

...which should not be confused with Cthulhu-

Who was thought up of by this man-

H.P. Lovecraft

Who is not to be confused with Edgar Allen Poe.

"BYE!"

CML

Advisory Committee

Seeing Caleb and I don't believe that most of our friends should be in charge of their own lives (yes, I just realize I've alienated our only audience), and seeing as President-Elect Obama will soon be putting together his Cabinet, I decided it would be great to put together a group of advisors for BSD, to show people just how it's done. We've tried to select individuals from across the political spectrum (good, evil and morally ambiguous), in an attempt to support multi-partisanship. These men, women and creatures will lead BSD into a new era of peace and prosperity, one of increased readership, more frequent posting and conquest. It shall be our moment in the sun!

Foreign Minister: Thufir Hawat

He is a mentat and thus amazing. With computer-like intelligence and unwavering loyalty, Hawat is perfect for almost any role. He is used to court intrigue and should be right at home in this position.

Minister of Defense: Admiral Ackbar

It's not hyperbole to say that Ackbar is one of the greateest military leaders ever to live. He overcame a lot of prejudice (being a squid-thing and all) to get where he is and has truly excelled in his position. Leading the Rebel Navy against the Empire with a million times the resources and winning? I'm not sure anyone has done more with less. Ackbar is a brilliant strategist and besides he has a cool chair. Also, no one is better at spotting traps.

Minister of Information: Lex Luthor

While, this may seem a controversial pick and somewhat at odds with BSD's own pro-Superman position, you cannot argue with the success that Luthor has had in his life. The man got himself elected President even though he was a super villain, and one time on Super Friends he convinced the country that Superman, Batman and crew were stealing priceless artifacts. He could sell swampland in Florida, ice to an Eskimo, condoms to... oh, hell, nevermind.... Anyway, he's a genius and his purple jumpsuit is simply kickass.

Minister of the Interior: Rick Deckard

In a future where robots are trying to kill us, Deckard will be irreplaceable. BSD is simply preparing for this inevitability. He has years of experience as a law enforcement officer, and iss always complaining about wanting to retire. A cushy government position should be perfect.

Minister of Finance: Smaug

This was a very hard decision to make, as I thought long and hard about giving this spot to Richie Rich. However, in the end I decided that I needed to put someone with more experience in this position. Sure, many blame him for losing all the gold to a bunch of Dwarves and a Hobbit, but it was hardly his fault. They had fate (not to mention a Wizard) on their side. Besides, he had that mountain of treasure for hundreds of years, not everything can last.

Minister of Education: Laura Roslin

Sure, this is a step down from her current position as President of the Twelve Colonies, but I can't imagine anyone better for this position. She even has experience in the office. I'm sure editing papers and such would be a bit mundane for her, but she could get a consulting in a few years.

Minister of Justice: Harvey Birdman

While not a good attorney, or superhero really, for that matter, he has a certain panache that you want in a position like this. Moreover, he has an amazing costume, can fly and has that cool crest on his head, all of which will be very helpful in a position such as this. And an eagle... that's important.

Minister of Health: Beverly Crusher

There was no one who I wished would take my temperature more as a child than Dr. Crusher, and for that alone I think she deserves the spot. She is extremely strong willed, and driven, but also very caring. Years experience as Chief Medical Officer aboard the Enterprise as well as a stint as Head of Starfleet Medical, are about all the experience anyone needs.

Minister of Culture: Mellvar

The wunderkind of the advisory committee and also the least qualified, Mellvar is best known for his run in with the Futurama crew in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before". Despite that, his encyclopedic knowledge of culture (and by that I mean Star Trek) will be vital in this position.

Minister of Agriculture: Edward Scissorhands

This position isn't really all that important unless you're a farmer or really into plants, so I went for the guy who would best trim the hedges, not that BSD has any hedges. But, I'm sure he'd do a fine job mowing the lawn. Though, he is a bit unstable, I think he can get over that problem.

Minister of Transportation: Ringo Starr

I had been considering Megatron for this position for a while, but in the end it had to go to the most downtrodden Beatle. Noe one can deny that he always made the trains run on time as conductor at Shining Time Station. Besides that, he spent a lot of time on the Yellow Submarine and he ran a Magical Mystery Tour for a while. Oh, and he wrote Octopus' Garden... I'm not sure what that has to do with this, but he's really proud of that.

A Post-Mortem: Pushing Daisies

I've never lost a show before... never before have I found a show I really liked, watched every week and had it canceled on me. Sure, I enjoyed Futurama when it was on, but I didn't watch it every week. I didn't have the patience or the inclination to plan my life so rigidly back then. I was a kid, and while it was a great show, I never felt the sting of its cancellation until much later. But, that is just what is happening to Pushing Daisies, or is what is most likely to happen unless there is some excessive surge in viewership. I'm not holding my breath. It's sad, because before this year I never really took the time to look at so many TV shows, read reviews and decide what ones were good enough to watch every week. It's part DVR and part patience, but I've found that there are a lot of good shows, maybe not compared to how many are actually on, but they are out there. Yet, despite all the complaining I hear about the horrible sludge that fills our little glowing boxes, no one is watching this show... This magical, wonderful show that succeeds so much at creating simple and pure happiness. The love story is amazing and pure, heart wrenching and joyous at the same time. It is the most original show I have seen in years, perhaps ever and yet it's being canceled. I wrote the following before the show got the ax:

Pushing Daisies, Wednesday 8:00 (ABC)

A strange amalgam of Tim Burton, Douglas Adams and... uh... Arthur Conan Doyle? Pushing Daisies is one of the most original shows on television. The acting is great, the characters are quirky, interesting and deep, the dialogue is funny and witty, the plots clever.

Pushing Daisies follows Ned the Piemaker, who happens to have the power to bring dead things back to life. There are only two catches, that if anyone he brings back sticks around for more than a minute, someone or something else dies and that he cannot touch anyone he anyone he brought back to life again or they will die permanently. He does just that to his childhood sweetheart Charlotte (Chuck), but now he can never touch her. Their romance is amazing, as they try to discover ways to show affection without touch. This sort of quirky weirdness permeates the show.

Ned and Chuck, along with Emerson Cod, a Private Investigator and Olive (the waitress at Ned's restaurant) romp about the city solving murders. While, the subject matter is at times dark, the show is painted in bright colors and light dialogue that provides an odd contrast. I suppose most of the mysteries are just too quirky to be scary.

It's without a doubt one of the best shows on TV, and one that is in danger of getting canceled, so I urge you to check it out. Here are some clips to wet your appetite.