A Load of BS

I must admit that I was a little torn on this one in the beginning. The rumor mill started churning months ago about the possible closure of the Maelstrom ride at Epcot's Norway Pavilion. It's replacement would be a ride based on the film Frozen . No one could argue that Walt Disney World needed a Frozen -themed exhibit somewhere. I hoped for an alternative. Perhaps they could build a "Frozen World" of sorts at Disney's Hollywood Studios, being that it is, after all, a movie. Perhaps they could incorporate Frozen at Magic Kingdom and add Anna and Elsa to its ever-growing list of princesses for the kids to meet and greet. This past week, it was made official. Maelstrom is closing in favor of Frozen . There was sadness on my part. Another piece of the old EPCOT Center is gone. I wasn't outraged. I have my memories. I'll wait and see how the new ride turns out, sometime in 2016. If you're looking for outrage, look no further than Twitter. ...

This is a friendly warning to all of you who enjoy reading what I write. What you are about to read is a little depressing because that’s precisely what it's about.   Depression is a subject that is unpopular, especially on social media. You would never know from reading Robin Williams’ Twitter feed that he was on the verge of committing suicide. Unfortunately, people are not always what they appear to be. You don’t know what really happens behind closed doors. Not everything gets posted on Twitter or Facebook.   Depression has become a topic of debate once again since Mr. Williams’ tragic passing. The questions re-emerge. Is suicide a sickness or a weakness? Does depression truly cause suicide or is it just an excuse to perform a cruel, selfish act?   I’ve always believed that I’ve suffered from depression since age 16. I have attempted to deal with it for the most part without medication, with varying degrees of success. I tried meds for...

Well, look at what the cat coughed up! Keith Hernandez calling the Mets games in San Diego this weekend has made me recall his lowest, and most bigoted, moment as a broadcaster. Once upon a time, there was a massage therapist named Kelly Calabrese, who was essentially a de facto assistant trainer for the Padres. Trainers are, of course, allowed to be in the dugout. The problem was somebody forgot to tell Keith... "Who is the girl in the dugout, with the long hair?" "What's going on here? You have got to be kidding me. Only player personnel in the dugout."... "I won't say that women belong in the kitchen, but they don't belong in the dugout..." This created quite a stir, which led to a swift yet awkward on-air apology by the former Met. In a bizarre and ironic twist, it was then-Padres CEO Sandy Alderson who fired the loudest shot .... "The San Diego Padres are disappointed in the remarks of Keith Hernandez on a Mets telecast ...

I make it a point to see each and every Steve Carell movie that comes out. You may recall The Incredible Burt Wonderstone from last year, which is currently making the rounds on cable TV. The plot is very basic and predictable. Even Carell phone’s it in, essentially playing a version of Michael Scott. In the film, the title character is a once-successful Vegas magician who morphs into a stubborn, arrogant, delusional caricature over time. He ends up playing to half-empty theaters doing the same schtick verbatim in the present that he did some two decades prior. Naturally, he gets overtaken by a newer, younger star, gets fired from his gig and is forced to re-evaluate his life. Trust me, you’re not missing much, especially if you’re a WWE fan and watch John Cena every week. The John Cena from even five years ago can be deemed a talented performer and a tremendous role model. The John Cena of 2014 is a live version of Burt Wonderstone. He is a stubborn, arrogant, delusional caricatur...

For those of you who have seen the film A Million Ways To Die In the West , you may recognize this supporting character. No spoilers here, but the actor's name is Evan Jones... or is it?? Maybe THIS is what Lucas Duda did during the off-season...

I would like to direct all of you good people to a fine gentleman's debut article on The Sporting News. For those of you who know pro wrestling, you probably know Scott Keith. He is a longtime scribe with several books to his credit. He's also famous for his rants and his other literary creations via Scott's Blog of Doom . I give the man some free publicity because I had the honor and privilege of being featured in his premiere article, in the form of an anonymous question in bold italics. :) Presenting The Sporting News Column #1 . Enjoy!

So, it occurs to me that I never really referenced my letter to Mr. Fitzgerald. Brief backstory- Retro Disney World posted an open letter to Tom Fitzgerald upon being named new Creative Director at Epcot. I posted a comment with an idea, which was well-received. I later decided that an actual letter would be even better. Thus, the transcript, which garnered me "Treasured Guest" status :) ... Dear Mr. Fitzgerald: First and foremost, I want to congratulate you on being named the new Creative Director for Epcot. Your passion and vision is much needed and appreciated. There are three things in life that I am passionate about: my spouse, baseball and Walt Disney World. As a child, I developed a special place in my heart for EPCOT Center. I’ve always been fascinated with computers and the possibilities for the future. At the same time, I’ve always been one who believes in paying tribute to the past. Of course, EPCOT Center was a place to showcase new ideas and conce...