I work in the Winter Park area (the green arrow) and always noticed this large building next door and its odd shape. I decided to look it up in Google Maps and noticed that the odd shape is indeed an ‘X’. Someone told me it used to be some sort of government office but now it seems to be abandoned (despite the cars parked around it in the Google Maps picture).

If it’s not abandoned, does anyone know what this building is or what sort of operation it used to house? Until I get a credible answer I’ll just assume it is the base of operations for our local chapter of the Avengers or some other such super-hero group. Although if there are superheroes stationed in the place they certainly aren’t doing their jobs.

Let’s hear it for the highest crime rate in Orlando history!

Because somoebody has to say it: Toughen up local police! I know the loss of a friend or family is tough, believe me I do, but we all have to deal with it at various points in our lives. This morning I hear on news channel 13 that police will be attending seminars on how to better deal with the loss of a fellow officer, in the wake of Deputy Matthew Long’s terrible motorcycle accident. After a dizzying year of record body counts among citizens and a January that has cut our life expectances on the average down substantially, this just seems out of place to me. Nobody is holding state sponsored seminars for the countless civilian families left behind to pick up the pieces that criminals have shattered. And cops, you are the defense againist this, you are supposed to be tough hombres who value civie’s lives and are sworn to protect them. When you take the comments and actions of police as a whole over the last year I get the impression that you feel every civilian death is all par for the course in a growing city, but when an officer dies, even when it’s because they stepped in front of a moving vehicle intentionally, it’s all tears and seminars. Yeah, I know that’s likely not the intention, but that is EXACTLY how it appears to us, AND more importantly the criminals this emboldens.

There are people out there, lots of them, in this former peaceful town who have no problem murdering any of us, cops, civilians, dogs, whatever. You have chosen to be that line of defense and we are greatful. So start taking seminars on cracking criminal skulls and pound that concrete, and toughen up man!

Yeah… I am so getting a ticket now.

2006 was the first time I attended the long-running FX Show, which offered collectors rows upon rows of merchandise as well as a bevy of celebrities for fans to meet. I enjoyed the weekend, even though the layout at the Florida Fairgrounds wasn’t really very conducive to this type of event.

It’s about time for the 2007 FX Show and I was happy to hear that the event has moved back to the Orange County Civic Center, so the entire event will not only have more room for everyone, but will also be completely under one roof. I was even happier when I looked at the list of guests for this year’s show.

Not that last year didn’t have some gems, such as Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau from “Firefly” and horror greats such as Robert Englund. But it felt as though the guests were all over the map from older fandoms such as “Happy Days” to more recent projects like the Harry Potter movies.

This year’s guests include Hayden Panettiere (Clair) and Zachary Quinto (Sylar) of the red hot NBC series “Heroes” and the cast of the upcoming film Fanboys - Kristen Bell, Sam Huntington, Dan Fogler, Chris Marquette, Jaime King and William Katt (yes, he of the classic series “Greatest American Hero”) - a film about four guys from the Midwest who drive across the country to honor the wish of their dying friend: to watch Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch before the movie’s worldwide release.

Older fandoms are also represented, such as the aforementioned Star Wars (Ray Park, Kenny Baker, Daniel Logan, Felix Silla), in addition to “Firefly”/Serenity (Adam Baldwin, Ron Glass, Christina Hendricks), Aliens (Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen), the new SciFi Channel series “Eureka” (Jordan Hinson, Colin Ferguson), and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”/”Angel” (Andy Hallett, Biana Lawson). There are also some horror stars (Andrew Divoff, Andrew Bryniarski, Brooke McCarter), as well as a bevy of wrestling stars (Christy Hemme, Gail King, King Kong Bundy). Basically a good line-up that will appeal to many fans of film and TV.

The only off-property event is a party Saturday night that features the costume contest finals and live music from Orlando’s Cori Yarckin. The party takes place at the Doubletree Universal resort and is free to Saturday passholders.

The 2007 FX Show takes place this coming weekend, January 26-28. Admission to the event is $40 for the entire three-days, $30 for Saturday and Sunday, $20 for a single day pass for Friday or Saturday and $14 for a Sunday day pass. Kids 10 and under tickets are one free with each paid adult admission and $6 per day per kid additional. Most stars will be there the entire three days, but some will only be appearing on select days so please check the online schedule. Autographs are additional to the admission ticket price, with each guest pricing out at about $30 per autograph.

For the complete guest list, schedules or to buy tickets, please visit fxshow.com.

They’ve thrilled crowds around the world with their avant garde blend of theater and music and now Blue Man Group will be doing the same in Orlando.

Universal Orlando announced recently that BMG will be opening a permanent show theater at the resort complex, offering their multimedia live show to visitors year round. The theater is being built in the building that formerly housed the Nickelodeon Studios, with the entrance placed outside of the Universal Studios park walls. This means a park admission ticket will not be needed to attend the show.

Tickets are already on sale for shows beginning in June of this year. There will be a combination of showtimes daily with adult prices ranging from $45.00 - $55.00 during matinees and $59.00 - $69.00 during evening shows. Compared to prices for Orlando’s other major theatrical show, Cirque du Soliel’s La Nouba at Walt Disney World, these tickets are more wallet friendly. And considering that tickets for the Las Vegas Blue Man Group show are double that, the Orlando version is quite a bargain.

I did see the show in Las Vegas, when it was still at the Luxor, and I can tell you it was different and very interactive, but without a doubt, worth the ticket price. Too bad they won’t have annual passes.

For more information, please visit the Blue Man Group page at the Universal Orlando website or the Blue Man Group website.

Smacking kids in the face!

Story here.