The downtown Indianapolis skyline changed forever this morning when the roof of the RCA Dome was deflated. The roof, held in place with cables and 4 huge fans, has remained inflated over the stadium for 24 years. Weighing 257 tons, it took just 35 minutes to deflate once the fans were turned off and the puffy white dome that has helped define the Indy skyline disappeared. The remains of the stadium will be demolished in an implosion scheduled for December to make way for a large multi-million dollar expansion to the Indianapolis Convention Center which sits next door to the RCA Dome.

The Indy skyline may have shrunk for the moment, but there will be changes over the next few years. The most significant change will be the addition of a glimmering 34-story JW Marriott Tower across the street from Victory Field. Along with this hotel tower will come new, smaller Courtyard by Marriott and Springhill Suites towers next to the JW. A whole shopping and entertainment complex is planned for an area on the south side of downtown a couple blocks from the new Lucas Oil Stadium. The 11-acre complex, known as the Legends District - SODO, is described as being Times Square-like with large outdoor television monitors and ribbon-screens playing clips of famous Indiana natives such as Larry Bird, David Letterman, and John Mellencamp. It will feature up to 3 hotels, theater, and several restaurants and shops. A 24-story tower is also proposed on the south end of downtown next to Lucas Oil Stadium and a couple of hotel towers across the street from Conseco Fieldhouse that will also house restaurants and condos. The exterior of the 36-story One Indiana Square tower is in the middle of a complete redo to remove the tired look of the outside and add a lot of shimmering glass to the facade.

This is a lot of change for a city skyline that's barely seen anything new in the past decade. The question now is, how will the recession hurt all this development. Demand is high for hotels do the expanding convention center and coming Super Bowl in 2012 and the JW Marriott is already under construction. I personally would love to see all this happen! We shall see.

BEFORE

AFTER

It's something I thought I would never see in my lifetime, but a recent poll by the Indianapolis Star/WTHR Channel 13 shows Obama with a slight lead over McCain in Indiana, 47 percent to 44 percent. To show how much pull the Indianapolis area has on the state, Obama's lead only applies to Indianapolis. McCain leads across the rest of the state, including the heavy minority and blue-collar Chicago suburbs in northwest Indiana. The only problem with this of course is it does require a huge voter turnout in Indianapolis for Obama to win the state. But since Indiana hasn't supported a democrat for President since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, it would be an unbelieveable thing if it happened!

I stumbled across a rather interesting website tonight on the Pew Research Center's website that helped to reinforce a belief I've had for a long time: That Barak Obama would better the United States in the eyes of the world. Let's face it, much of the world is not much a fan of the U.S. anymore including allies such as Australia, Germany, France, and Spain. But this website provides graphics showing world opinions relating to the American presidential elections coming up in November. The first thing I noticed was that a huge chunk of the world thinks the United States would be better off with a new President no matter who it turns out to be. And of those only Pakistan and Egypt believe U.S. foreign policy will change for the worse with a new President. It's not a surprise to find most of the world, including the U.S. hates President Bush.

So let's look at the Presidential candidates then. We'll start with John McCain. According to the map there are only a few countries that have confidence in McCain including Poland, Japan, and Great Britain. And as it's plain to see, Obama has a much higher confidence rating in even those countries. For example, in Japan, 40% have confidence in McCain compared to 36% who don't. Obama has 77% who have confidence in him compared to just 14% who don't. In Great Britain, 44% have confidence in McCain compared to 42% who don't. Obama has 74% who have confidence in him compared to just 19% who don't. In fact, the United States is the only country that has more confidence in McCain than in Obama! Even countries like Russia and India, who have very little confidence in McCain, have a good deal of confidence in Obama. So it's time to wake up, America! The world is trying to tell you something! If everyone else can see that Obama is the superior candidate, I hope my fellow citizens can see that as well before November 4th!

A few months ago, the biggest video game publisher in the world, Electronic Arts, announced that future game releases on the PC would be packed full of DRM. The company claimed this was it's way of looking out for its customers. Part of this DRM would include the software checking in with servers over an internet connection every 10 days to make sure it was still legit. If it didn't check in after so long, the game would simply stop working. So much outrage was seen around the net by this that EA finally backed off and said the DRM would be toned down.

Well, the release of one of the most anticipated computer games in ages is finally here. Spore, from creator Will Wright who designed the original SimCity and The Sims, gives users the chance to create a species from its beginings as a micro-organism through evolution to a gigantic monster. Based on sales of the $10 creature creator which was released earlier this summer, sales of the game itself looked to be huge. Then people actually got a chance to try it.

Well, EA may have backed off some of it's DRM, but the game is still so full of it that people are fighting back. Spore has a 1 star rating on the Amazon review page with just about every review citing the horrible DRM. I haven't had a chance to try it and from what I've heard, I don't feel like shelling at $50 for what many people are describing as "just a rental from EA". Out of 2,134 ratings as of the time of this writing, 1,962 are just 1 star ratings, the lowest rating possible on Amazon. The other 172 ratings are pretty evenly spread over the remaining four star ratings. That's a very sad rating for any game, especially one as highly anticipated as Spore.

The funny thing is that all this DRM according to EA is supposed to prevent pirated copies of the game. But it hasn't worked. Pirated copies are already out there and freely available to download. So are people on Amazon being unfair in their rating of the game based on its DRM? Or is this much deserved? Tell me what you think!

Well, I think I might have learned a valuable lesson over the weekend. Just because you have the ability to know what your friend is saying about you to other people, it may not always be in your best interest to find out. Or maybe the better lesson is to not be so quick to trust people. Basically, I have this friend, let's call this person Chris, that way it could be male or it could be female. I want to protect their identity so as not to embarrass them or ruin my friendship with them. I've told Chris a lot of personal information about me and things going on in my life, including recent developments that I'd rather nobody other than those I'm really close to know about.

But over the weekend, I ended up viewing an e-mail between Chris and someone else I'm friends with that was about me. And they seemed to be questioning something I was doing or at least wondering why I was doing it. Granted, I didn't have access to the first e-mails in the exchange so I don't know exactly what they were calling into question, but it did make me wonder. And while it wasn't about the most recent developments in my life, who's to say that wasn't part of another e-mail exchange or even an in person conversation. I don't think I can confront them or ask them about it because I would probably appear to be a snoop which I suppose could be viewed as something just as untrustworthy.

Long story short, I've always kept my private life very private. And there are only a very select few that know just about everything about me. But I feel the need to reduce that even more. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I suddenly feel completely untrusting of just about everyone. Chris was someone I thought I could really trust, and perhaps I can, but I don't feel it's worth the risk anymore. And of course we can't forget the girl that recently taught me about everything I need to know about trusting someone you just met. But that's a whole other story that if I trust you enough to share it with, you already know it.

So if there is someone out there that can put my mind at ease, please by all means try it. I hate not trusting people but it seems every time I start to, they find some way to show me how foolish I was to do it.

Ok, so if you haven't already seen the commercials, feel free to head over to MojaveExperiment.com.It seems at some point, Microsoft decided in order to get people to try Windows Vista, they needed to pretend that Vista was a new operating system called Mojave. Suddenly, the people in the commercial are raving about how much they like it and want to buy it.

Now let's think about this for a moment. Wouldn't you think you really have a problem if you have to trick people into using your operating system? So what if it is good? It's very obvious, even from the commercials, that word of mouth on Vista is so bad, that people are refusing to use it. So Microsoft tricks them into using it. What do you think? Good strategy or signs of a major problem?

I'm not sure what title I want to use for this blog. On the one hand I want to go with "We can't get this president out of here fast enough" and on the other hand I was thinking "you can't teach an old president new tricks" but either way, the issue is the same. President Bush is once again ignoring U.S.Intelligence findings that Iran has halted efforts to build a nuclear weapon and is instead pushing ahead with his own agenda. Can anyone say Iraq, Part 2?

Maybe this is part of Bush's secret plot to make Obama's life as president miserable. Ok, so the Democratic nominee hasn't won yet but he does have a sizable lead on McCain. Then again, maybe Bush just doesn't get it. Did he not learn anything from Iraq? That was another situation where he ignored what everyone else was telling him and still invaded. Obviously, this helped lead him to one of the lowest presidential approval ratings in U.S. history. So does he really think invading Iran will help him leave a good legacy? Or does he think maybe he'll be right this time and all will be forgiven?

Well, I just can't hold my tongue on this one. There is a new book out by Mark Bauerlein entitled The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future. I have not read the book and based on the title, I know I will completely disagree with it anyway, but I have read a review from the Chicago Sun-Times by Lewis Lazare who praises the book.

According to the review, the book cites a 2006 poll by a professor at Northwestern University of 1300 students at the University of Illinois-Chicago about their favorite websites or where they go to more often. Somehow Lazare, and I'm guessing book-author Bauerlein, is surprised that only 5% said they regularly check a blog about politics, economics, law or policy. This is a surprise?? First off, the poll says only 5% check a BLOG, it doesn't say anything about whether they check on news stories or anything about these subjects. Secondly, the responses to this poll were obviously based on most often checked websites by students in their spare time. Even if they're majoring in this stuff, they aren't likely to constantly be checking blogs about them. And since when does reading a blog about politics or economics mean you're smart? Damn, I must be one of the dumbest persons alive then.

This brings me to me second point. According to the above mentioned poll, the top two websites visited by these students were Facebook and Myspace, respectively. Again, this is not a surprise. Kids, and college students especially, are very social people. They love to keep up with their friends and let their friends know what they are doing. Bauerlein argues that this means todays kids are self-absorbed and narcissistic and I completely disagree. Not only do I not believe that today's young generation is the dumbest generation, I believe they are probably the most tolerant generation in America's history. Thanks to the "evil" internet that Bauerlein claims is making them dumb, they are able to meet and get to know people from around the world. Today's young generation is much more tolerant of minorities, immigrants, and gays than any other generation living in this country, especially the generation currently running things. I, personally, cannot wait until today's young generation begins to take over. Maybe then things can finally change.

Another blog on The Beachwood Reporter by Steve Rhodes takes exception to the Chicago Sun-Times glowing review of the book with a great line "...I'm not sure where a Sun-Times columnist gets off complaining that the internet is dumbing down America while the paper is running a "Which Team's Fans Are Hotter?" contest." Rhodes also, after talking to Lazare, the Sun-Times journalist, gets him to admit he's never even been to Facebook's website, yet he's putting it down and blaming it for America's "dumb" generation! It's no wonder that today's kids don't read newspapers or these peoples' websites or books! It's not because they're dumb. On the contrary, it actually shows how intelligent they really are!

So so sum things up, kids today use the internet to communicate with friends. The world is going to end! Oh no! How dare they try to communicate with friends! Oh, the humanity! If I get bored someday, I may see if I can find this book at the library, just for a good laugh.

The MPAA is a wonderful organization. Just like the RIAA. We love them all! Ok, enough with the smartass comments. We all know the RIAA likes to go around bullying people into paying for using music. And the recording industry is the one we hear about the most but the MPAA seems to be trying to get itself known in the world of bullying for its own benefit as well.

The MPAA is currently trying to work out agreements with cable companies that would allow them to broadcast new release movies On Demand after the theaterical release but before the DVD release. Since the current average window is a little over 3 months, I would say it's feasable that we could see moves On Demand,for instance through Comcast, about 2 months after its release into theaters.

What's wrong with that you say? Well, first, you're foolish if you think it will still only cost you $5 to rent that On Demand movie for 24 hours. First of all, nobody knows if the MPAA would even allow you 24 hour unlimited access to the movie you rented. Odds are more that it would follow its hotel model. Currently, hotels get access to moves for their (very profitable) On Demand service before they are released on DVD but to watch these movies can cost $12-15 per movie. And you only get to watch it once.

The other thing the MPAA is pushing for is to block DVR recording of these movies. Currently if you buy something On demand, the FCC has prohibited allowing the MPAA to block the ability to record it. But the movie companies say in order to fight piracy (SAT Lesson: Piracy is to entertainment industry as National Security is to President Bush), they have to be able to block the ability to record these early release movies. Never mind the fact that pirated versions of movies are available the minute the movie hits the screen, sometimes even before their release!

So what do you think? Would you pay $12 to watch a movie at home a month or so before it came out on DVD? What about if you weren't allowed any control over it? Not even the ability to pause the movie?

Sex and the City surprised everyone this past weekend by beating out Indiana Jones and taking the number 1 spot at the box office with an amazing $57 million. Indy fell to second with $44 million. That's still a respectable amount in it's second weekend but still, how much dignity can you have left when you lose out to Sex and the City?? On the opposite end of the spectrum, Iron Man is expected to be the first movie of the summer to top the $300 million mark in the coming weeks. As of Sunday, it's total domestic gross was sitting pretty at $276 million and counting. And Speed Racer is officially the first major bomb of the summer. Budgeted at around $120 million, the movie has grossed just $40 million after 4 weeks and will have a hard time pulling in even $100 million overseas. Prince Caspian could end up a toss up but is still causing dread in the Disney camp. Plans are still on to release the third film in the series in May of 2010 but the movie that cost $200 million has barely made $115 million stateside. Fortunately for Disney, the film is playing quite well overseas.

The Simpsons voice actors have signed on for a few more season. Episode filming for the series' upcoming season has been delayed due to contract negotiations between the actors and 20th Century Fox. The contract was settled yesterday and the actors were expected to be at work today. The new contract keeps the voice actors on for four more years, though Fox has yet to renew the show past the upcoming 20th season. Speculation on the internet abounds as to whether the lengthy contract for a show that has no guarantee of being around that long means they are perhaps holding the cast under contract for another movie. I wouldn't doubt it at all. The first film was a huge cash cow for Gracie Films and Fox. And rumors had always been that the previous contract had the actors locked on for at least 3 movies should they be made. I'll be sure to keep you posted!

And finally, we are now into the summer TV dulldrums.  What used to be rerun season where you either caught up with episodes of your favorite shows that you missed or used it as an excuse to stay out late has now turned into a completely new season of shows that run only during the summer. And now I would like to present to you several reasons why my TV will be staying off most of the summer (and my DVD player will likely get a huge workout). And the Farmer Wants a Wife season already started so it doesn't count.

Camp Rock - Disney Channel ... A made-for-tv movie described as Cinderella meets High School Musical. I know Disney has perfected the art of milking something for all the money they can, but isn't High School Musical dead yet? Ha! More on that in just a moment...

Nashville Star - NBC ... Yeah I know it's not new but moving from USA to NBC means its actually becoming popular! But please, it's like American Idol for Kentucky. Aren't there enough of these talent contests on tv? They weren't fun back in elementary school, they sure aren't fun now either.

Celebrity Circus - NBC ... Really? Do I even have to say anything about this one? At least Circus of the Stars in the 80s seemed to have a special quality to it. Or maybe I was too young to know otherwise. And at least that one really had celebrities, not knock off celebrities only famous through their association with someone else was too famous to actually do this show.

Wipeout - ABC .. ABC has two shows like this coming out this summer. It's like the found out the cult following of MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge on Spike and tried to American the Japanese game show it uses, but they didn't realize it was the innuendo-laced commentary that makes the show so funny. Not people bouncing off giant rubber balls. Then again, there are a lot of idiots in this world.

The Bill Engvall Show - TBS ... Another show that's not new but can't blue collar comedy please die already? Enough with this horrible suffering! By the way, that's my suffering I'm referring to.

The Singing Office - TLC ... A bunch of people for a bunch of Offices wish they were young enough to be on American Idol. Ok, that's not the real premise but it pretty much sums it up. It's a singing contest hosted by Joey Fatone and Mel B., both of whose names remind everyone of fantastic singing.

Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods - MTV ... Ok, from now on, just assume anything shown on MTV automatically goes in the crap list. Even their "reality shows" like Next are so obviously scripted. This time they're doing a nationwide search for someone to replace the star of Legally Blonde the Musical on Broadway. Wait.... Legally Blonde is a musical on Broadway??? Suddenly TV doesn't seem quite so bad.

I Survived a Japanese Game Show - ABC ... Funny that this is the same station airing Wipeout. This show looks even worse as 10 Americans are taken to Japan to compete in a game show. It's well known that Japan has game shows very different from those here in America. And I'm betting this show will prove exactly why we don't have them here in America. Because American's don't find them amusing!

High School Musical: Get in the Picture - ABC ... Remember what I said about Disney milking everything for all it's worth? Yeah, you can't avoid High School Musical and Disney is doing its damnedest to make sure it stays that way. Again, a bunch of girls try out for a chance to star in a music video during the end credits of High School Musical 3.

Jingles - CBS ... Can we please rid the world of Mark Burnett and his annoying reality shows?? This is one of the worst I've ever read about. A bunch of people spend each episode trying to come up with a catchy jingle for a product! Wow! That sounds like unbelievably fun entertainment! (shoots myself)

Hurl! - G4 ... Ok, G4/TechTV has been in the crapper for several years now as they've gone the way of MTV and instead of having lots of shows about video games, they're mostly shows about... well, let's see, there's Star Trek, more Star Trek, oh look, The Man Show, ok Star Trek again... So now they've got their own reality show about... That's right, not video games!! In this show, contestants eat as much as they can of something and then are forced to do stomach turning things designed to make them vomit. I swear I am not making this up! I couldn't make up something this disturbing! And what does the winner get? A whopping $1,000! Yeah, that's it. A freaking $1,000. I think I'm smelling bankruptcy coming up fast for G4 if this is the best they can come up with.

The Greatest American Dog - CBS ... A bunch of people live in a house together with their dogs and compete in challenges to win money. I feel like I'm writing the same damn thing over and over!

Celebrity Family Feud - NBC ... Hosted by Al Roker. Really. Richard Dawson he ain't! And let's have a look at some of the "celebrities" on THIS celebrity show... Mr T.... Kim Kardashian... What, Celebrity Circus was too booked up for them?

Dance Machine - ABC ... People compete by dancing. Ugh, this is making me so depressed!

The Gong Show - Comedy Central ... You're kidding me, right? They're bringing back The Gong Show? Oh this is going to be very bad, I can just tell. I'm gonging the show right now!

And one for good measure that doesn't come out this summer but it a sure sign of the apocalypse (or that network execs love to torture people), it's been announced that Fran Drescher and Rosie O'Donnell will star in a sitcom together. No further details are available. No further details are needed to keep me away.