Archive for November, 2011

Dream Zone: Hooded figure

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Dear Lauri,
I keep having a dream that I’m sleeping and someone I can’t see comes in and tries to suffocate me. Then suddenly I’m behind this person. I hit them and I take the hood off and their face is blank!
- Allison 21, Grand Rapids, MI

Lauri: Some of the symbols in this dream sound like you are experiencing Sleep Paralysis, which is a result of not getting enough sleep. The most common symptoms are a sinister presence in the room, a pressure on the chest making it difficult to breathe and the inability to scream or move.  However, the other symbols make this seem more like an actual REM dream that has a message for you so I’m going to go with that. The fact that you’re sleeping means there may be an issue that you have been turning a blind eye towards, something your inner mind wants you to “wake up” to and see it for what it truly is. The suffocation suggests you feel this issue is beginning to close in on you and is becoming more of a problem. The hood on the figure is another symbol of keeping yourself in the dark about this issue or at least keeping your thoughts to yourself. The advice in this dream comes in the form of you taking the hood off and seeing a blank face. That means you must remove your fear and FACE this once and for all. Once you do, and deal with the issue properly, the dreams will stop because as it is now, these recurring dreams are the way you are nagging yourself about this ongoing, unresolved issue.

Allison replies: My children have been with my family for almost a year and I’ve been fighting to get them back but I have also been hiding from the situation and not openly discussing what’s been going on.  This makes sense. Thank you.

-Lauri Quinn Loewenberg
Dream Expert and Author
“The brain is wider than the sky.” – Emily Dickinson
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Shafir to miss season, undecided on future

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Naama Shafir

Senior guard Naama Shafir suffered an ACL tear in her right knee Nov. 25 and will miss the remainder of the 2011-12 season. She plans to have surgery by the end of December and is eligible to redshirt and return for the 2012-13 season.

“It is probably the lowest,” Shafir said. “It’s hard. I never thought I’d be injured like that. You can’t really prepare for it. I’m trying to stay positive and be there for the team and my teammates.”

“When it first happened, my heart sank not only because she’s a great player but a great kid,” Toledo head coach Tricia Cullop said. “She’s sacrificed so much to be here and was looking forward to having a tremendous senior year. For it to happen the way it did is very hard to stomach. Knowing she has the opportunity to redshirt and come back certainly gives you hope.”

Shafir hasn’t made any decision on whether she will return next season.

“It’s been only a few days,” she said. “I’m trying to be around people that make me happy and make me laugh and not think about it too much.

“I’m waiting. I don’t want to think about it right now.”

“In all fairness to her, this just happened,” Cullop said. “She’s never been injured or missed a game before. Having to miss the Arkansas State game was devastating for her. Having to sit there and watch her teammates in the Indiana game and see tears welling up in her eyes, that was hard to watch. She needs to stomach and digest this first, and then we’ll worry about the future. We’re not even talking about that right now. I want her to get to a better mental place because it’s devastating. She also is trying to be there for her teammates who she knows need her leadership.”

Naama Shafir

Cullop also hasn’t looked ahead to next season.

“The possibilities for the future are exciting to think about, but I have more worries,” she said. “I have to put in some new offensive sets. I’m going to wait and think about some of that later. Right now, the task at hand is I have 14 other players that need a lot of attention with things we have to get better as a team to still reach the goals we put forth. We’re not going to change our goals because a player got injured.”

Despite the injury, Shafir plans to help the team in any way possible.

“It’s hard when you really want to help and you don’t know how,” Shafir said. “You try and talk to them but you want to be the one to do it. It’s hard. I don’t know how to explain. I can’t change anything. There’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to stay strong for my teammates.”

“We’re not going to lose her leadership,” Cullop said. “She’s still going to be a part of our practices and games leading from the sideline. Obviously we lose a go-to player that had the ball in her hands a lot of the game. We’re going to have different people try to step up and fill those roles. We’re going to have to practice them. We’re going to have to change some offensive sets that we run. Things that Naama was good at, other kids can score but they may score in a different way.”

Shafir suffered the injury in the first minute of action in UT’s 69-58 win at Indiana.

“I think our players are resilient,” Cullop said. “I was very proud of how they handled the Indiana game, because it happened in the first few seconds of the game. They reacted the way I expected them to with great courage. We won the game. With a young team, that may not have happened.”

Courtney Ingersoll

Senior guard Courtney Ingersoll stepped up in Shafir’s absence with 20 points and eight rebounds, including shooting 5 of 8 from three-point range.

“Courtney has taken some of that on her shoulders already,” Cullop said. “I’ve really been impressed with her leadership. When we’ve been in some close situations, you can definitely tell she is firing up her teammates and getting them focused on what’s most important.”

The Rockets lost 64-56 at Arkansas State on Nov. 27 in the first full game without Shafir. Ingersoll led the team again with 15 points and five rebounds in 37 minutes. Sophomore guard Andola Dortch scored 10 points with five assists, and senior guard Haylie Linn made three triples along with a team-high seven assists. Freshman Inma Zanoguera also scored nine points and had four rebounds.

“We’ve got a lot of great players,” Cullop said. “Courtney Ingersoll scored 35 points in the two games that we played last week. She would be one that would stand up and say, ‘Hey, I can score too.’ She does have the ball in her hands a lot. Andola Dortch showed in the Indiana game that she can handle that same pressure. We may have to, when she’s out of the game, do point guard by committee. I’d like to see some of the post players in our league match up with the post players we have, and I love the veteran experience we have on the wings with Haylie and Courtney.”

Naama Shafir

Cullop was already experimenting with several lineups with six new players on the team, a trend that will continue with Shafir out for the season.

“We need to keep Andola Dortch out of foul trouble,” Cullop said. “That’s something we struggled with this past weekend. Janelle Reed Lewis and Inma Zanoguera will have to play some more minutes, but I also think Stephanie Recker could get some minutes out of this situation. If those three players improve, we’re going to have a better situation on our hands.”

The Rockets return to Savage Arena on Dec. 1 for an 11 a.m. game against Iona and host Colorado State at 3 p.m. on Dec. 4.

Maritime Academy to host civilian career fair Dec. 1

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

The Maritime Academy of Toledo will host a career fair for civilian seagoing positions conducted by The Military Sealift Command Dec. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the school located at 803 Water Street in Downtown Toledo.

The Military Sealift Command is recruiting people for seagoing positions as civilian mariners in numerous fields including cooks, bakers, engineers, medical, radio electronics techs, supply and general officers.

The vacant Civilian Mariner (CIVMAR) positions offer on-the-job training, career advancement opportunities, steady pay and federal benefits. Civmars work in state-of-the-art environments with excellent living accommodations, according to the Military Sealift Command.

“Hosting the MSC Career Fair is very important to The Maritime Foundation.   It plays directly into our goal of helping to promote maritime job opportunities and to once again position Toledo as a leading center for maritime job retraining and job creation,” said Renee Marazon, CEO of The Maritime Academy of Toledo Foundation, in a statement.

The Military Sealift Command, based in Norfolk, Va., transports equipment and supplies to U.S. forces worldwide.

Six UT players earn All-MAC selections

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Eric Page

The Mid-American Conference announced its postseason awards today with UT receiving five First Team All-MAC selections.

Junior Eric Page led the way with three first team honors at wide receiver, kickoff return specialist and punt return specialist. Page caught 112 passes for 1123 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games this season and completed a 33-yard touchdown pass. He returned 18 punts for 196 yards and a touchdown and had 30 kick returns for 703 yards. Page also gained 10 yards rushing for 2032 total yards for the Rockets.

Senior Mike VanDerMeulen was named first team at offensive tackle and Desmond Marrow at defensive back. Marrow led the defense with 78 tackles, 14 pass breakups and three interceptions.

Senior running back Adonis Thomas and sophomore center Zac Kerin was named Second Team All-MAC. Thomas had 963 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games this season. He also caught 28 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown.

Junior defensive lineman T. J. Fatinikun was a repeat selection as Third Team All-MAC.

Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish was named First Team All-MAC and won the Vern Smith Leadership Award and Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive Player of the Year honors went to defensive lineman Drew Nowak of Western Michigan.

Eastern Michigan’s Ron English was named Coach of the Year. Ohio kicker Matt Weller is the Special Teams Player of the Year, and Bowling Green running back Anthon Samuel is the Freshman of the Year.

McGinnis: Great characters point North

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

There is no character in video games that I enjoy being more than Nathan Drake.
That’s one of the great appeals of gaming that doesn’t get enough play — we talk about the controls, the levels, the action, the story, everything. But the one thing gaming can give its audience is the ability to feel like you are someone else, experiencing the world through a new set of eyes.
In games, I have soared over Gotham City as Batman. I have fought valiantly to repel alien invaders. I have traversed the old west and the most distant galaxies.
When done right, a game can convey a sense of time and place almost unmatched in pop culture.
And yet, for all the experiences gaming has brought me, being in the skin of Drake — the hero of Naughty Dog’s “Uncharted” series — gives me more joy than any of them. The wiseacre fortune hunter with a lust for adventure is one of the most memorable and entertaining characters imaginable in any media, let alone games.
During the past four years, gamers have embodied Drake on numerous adventures via Sony’s Playstation 3 — they’ve searched for the lost city of El Dorado, hunted for Shangri-La and traversed an endless desert.

And the “Uncharted” games stand as some of the most entertaining and well-designed today — the latest chapter, “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception,” was released on Nov. 1 to rave reviews and rapid sales.
But the franchise is well-served by its lead character. Nathan Drake is a hero who loves adventure, but tempers it with a genuine humanity. He isn’t an unstoppable superman. He hesitates before facing long odds. He frequently reacts with wide-eyed alarm when things get out of hand. His basic demeanor is exasperation.
“Great, power’s out, and a girl’s trapped,” Drake mutters to himself at one point. “I swear to God, if there’s a zombie around the next corner …” Unlike many game series, where heroes react stone-faced to the most outrageous circumstances and throw themselves headlong into danger with little regard for personal safety, Drake’s demeanor feels more human.
A lot of the character’s appeal can be ascribed to the numerous artists who write for the character and construct his adventures. But a great deal of Drake’s very real character lies in the performance of the actor behind him — Nolan North.
Even if you don’t know North’s name, most likely you’ve heard his voice. He has become one of the most prolific and celebrated voice-over actors in gaming. Played “Assassin’s Creed”? He’s the voice of Desmond. “Prince of Persia”? Meet the Prince. “Halo 3: ODST”? Romeo. “Batman: Arkham City”? The Penguin. Basically, virtually every other game over the past few years has featured North’s work at some level.
He’s also an accomplished actor in other media, as well, with frequent roles on television (most recently seen in “Pretty Little Liars”) and animation (he’s currently voicing Clark Kent on the “Young Justice” cartoon). And his ability as a fully-rounded performer certainly helps with the creation of a character like Drake.
North’s imprint on  “Uncharted” isn’t limited to simply sitting in a booth and reading dialogue. The filming process of a game in the series is much more akin to filming a movie, as illustrated by the new book “Uncharted: Drake’s Journal,” written by North, a former journalism student.
Using the latest in motion capture technology, North and his fellow actors are filmed onstage acting out all the actions in the game — those controlled by the player and otherwise. The game’s actions reflect the genuine personalities of the characters, and the actors who perform them.
There is still the work of animators and game designers to polish and build upon the performance, to be sure, but at the core is the work of a real actor. This gives the series’ characters more depth than almost any other game available.
Watching interviews with North, it’s clear that a lot of Drake’s demeanor and mannerisms come from him, as well. He has a wry wit and a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. You could almost see this guy going on all sorts of wild adventures.
North channels that personality into his performances, resulting in some of the most spirited and memorable characters in gaming today.
“What did you do back there?”
“Oh, you know, saved the world.”

Email Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

Berry: Malignantocracy

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

A new word recently surfaced: Ineptocracy. While not yet officially part of the language, it has been defined as, “A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.” As good a working description of our current culture as that is, I submit another: Malignantocracy.
Merriam-Webster defines “malignant,” as “
evil in nature, influence, or effect: injurious,” as “passionately and relentlessly malevolent: aggressively malicious,” and, in the context of health, “tending to produce death or deterioration <malignant malaria>; especially: tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally <a malignanttumor>.”

Therefore, in the context of a democratic republic, a malignantocracy is a government that, having appealed to malevolence and malice for its election, is itself malevolent and malicious in its actions, and whose policies and effects are injurious, resulting in the death or deterioration of what is governed. By this definition, we are in a malignantocracy.

Consider the current federal government. It appeals to class envy, a popular malevolence towards those who are different, especially of different political affiliation or greater financial success or standing than one’s own, to build and sustain its power.

It treats opponents with open malice. Consider the President’s conduct: He slanders opponents and misrepresents their views with the intent of stirring up even more malevolence. For example, he says Republicans want dirty water and air, broken-down bridges and no jobs. He publicly shames and humiliates those who stand against him; one need look no further for evidence than how, during the 2010 State of the Union address, he mocked and disrespected Supreme Court justices who dared defy his will.

It has been injurious to the well-being of the country, and the nation has clearly deteriorated in the last three years. The economy is stagnant, unemployment remains unacceptably high by Obama’s own admission, the federal deficit is mushrooming, the housing market is comatose, corruption is rampant, the dollar is weakened, and by every standard we are less free.

Malignantocracy is by no means unique to the present moment. Each administration, each Congress, each Supreme Court and every level of government whose actions have resulted in loss of freedom, loss of prosperity, or loss of protection of person and property against crime or of the nation against enemy attack have been malignocratic.

Malignantocracy is aided and abetted by those who vote it into power. Obama, you will recall, campaigned and won by standing President Kennedy’s famous saying on its head: Ask what your country can do for you, and especially ask what it can do to those of whom you are envious. That a government can be elected to power by appealing to malignancy bodes ill for our national character.

Although the extreme leftists in the Occupy movement have taken the public form of American malignantocracy to its most virulent extreme, they scarcely monopolize it. On both left and right, there are those who think only in terms of demonizing the opposition, in whatever form it exists. Progressives call conservatives terrorists and Nazis, while progressives are branded as idiots and spoiled potheads by conservatives.

Many conservatives want to force the pendulum of political discourse as far to the right as possible after its recent sharp leftward swing, so they embrace Dr. Ron Paul for president – even though, despite his sound grasp of the Constitution, his foreign policy would be malignocratic in its woeful naivete.

On their part, progressives don’t think Obama’s policies have been destructive enough to our freedom or our prosperity. They call for even greater expansion of government power, more spending, tighter control of the economy, and far higher taxes. Some among them, especially certain hotheads in labor, advocate intimidating opposition into silence.

We are being persuaded to accept the spread of tyranny, the vilification of traditional values and legitimately achieved success, and personal helplessness against these malignancies as a desirable norm. So much better, we are told to think, to be silent and do nothing than to speak out against what we know to be wrong. Whether in cowed silence, or in taking positions on either side that are unreasonable and bigoted towards opposition, we too thus become malignocrats.

Our only recourse against this evil is to study our situation honestly, without prejudice and from a foundation of right knowledge of our history, and to make our voices heard in truth, honor and integrity. If public discourse continues to be dominated by hate and envy, the results will be even more malignant for us all.

Thomas Berry, for the Children of Liberty, http://www.meetup.com/The-children-of-liberty/ <http://www.meetup.com/The-children-of-liberty/> .

Ohio awards $15.1 million in grants to help house homeless

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

More than $15.1 million in grants through the Ohio Housing Trust Fund Homeless Assistance Grant Program were awarded to 75 organizations operating emergency shelters and supportive housing facilities in the state.

The grants were announced Nov. 28 by the Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Community Development which administers that program.

More than $1.7 million in grants was awarded to numerous organizations in northwest Ohio, including $171,000 to Beach House Inc., $201,900 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo, $82,900 to Harbor House/300 Beds Inc., $275,000 to Neighborhood Properties Inc., and $352,000 to the Toledo Community Service Center, all in Lucas County; $121,000 to Ottawa County Traditional Housing; $150,100 to the Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission in Defiance County; $173,200 to Liberty Center in Sandusky County; and $179,700 to the YMCA of Van Wert County.

“These investments will support local community efforts to provide shelter and housing for our most vulnerable citizens. We are ensuring that housing organizations have the funding needed to continue making a difference in the lives of Ohioans,” Michael Hiler, deputy chief for the Office of Community Development, said in a statement.

In addition, Habitat for Humanity of Ohio will receive $200,000 from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund Discretionary Grant Program for its efforts to construct homes for Ohio families. Habitat will distribute $180,000 of the grant to 16 of its local affiliates around Ohio to construct or rehabilitate 20 single-family homes which will assist 60 people.

Toledo in unfamiliar territory at 4-1

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

UT head coach Tod Kowalczyk

As Toledo labored through a 4-28 campaign in Tod Kowalczyk’s first year at the helm last season, much of the talk surrounding the struggling Rockets was about next year and building for the future of the program. Through its first five games, UT has shown that future looks bright, already equaling last season’s win total with an 82-67 victory over UIC at Savage Arena on Saturday night.

“Expected; expected,” Kowalczyk said on the Rockets reaching last year’s win total already. “[I’m] disappointed that we’re not 5-0. I thought we left one out there at Texas State. Had they not been our first game, I think we would have won that game.”

Part of success is learning how to handle it. Toledo (4-1) looked like a team that wanted to show fans that this was indeed a new and improved squad in the first half, shooting 55.2 percent from the field as it forced the Flames (2-3) into 14 turnovers. The active Rockets were led by sophomore guard Rian Pearson, who put up 17 points in the first 20 minutes. After committing just four turnovers in the first half, though, Toledo ended up with 14 for the contest.

“The second half—to be honest with you—this is what we’ve got to get a lot better at,” Kowalczyk said. “I thought our ability to handle success was very poor. [We were] up 20, and we acted like a team that’s the fifth-youngest team in the country. We got giddy instead of getting serious and getting down to business. When you have a chance to put away a team, championship teams do that.

“We’ve got some work [and] a long way to go to get to that level, but we didn’t handle success.”

That was evident early in the second half when sophomore forward DeLino Dear stole the ball and tossed a pass upcourt to freshman point guard Julius “Juice” Brown, who had the path for a layup. Instead of taking the layup, however, Brown opted to lob the ball high off the glass for a follow-up dunk from the trailing Pearson, but the play failed and resulted in zero points for UT.

“We talked about it,” Kowalczyk said. “And you know what? Juice Brown is a very good basketball player, a tremendous person. It won’t happen again.”

Brown finished the game with 17 points and a team-high four assists, while Pearson had a game-high and career-best 27 points.

“If we set the tone early, then we know what’s in store for the second half,” Pearson said. “In the second half, we kind of backed off. But we’ve got to keep our pressure on second half. Coach [Kowalczyk] wasn’t too proud of us with the second half.”

And though UT was happy to give local fans a win in its first home game, Kowalczyk said the road trip to Texas to start the season was more important than what happened on Saturday night.

“Playing on the road is what championship teams need to be successful with,” Kowalczyk said. “We need to play well on the road. I thought in Texas we grew up. We got better. We played well. Obviously, we’ve got another game at home and then we go back on the road, which is good for us.”

A listed crowd of 4,093 took in the Rockets’ first home game of the 2011-12 campaign, only 362 off last year’s average attendance at Savage Arena.

“I think people are genuinely excited about the future of our program, but still cautiously excited, and rightfully so,” Kowalczyk said. “I’d like to think that hopefully we can get better, continue to grow. When Curtis [Dennis] comes back, we add another really good perimeter player. I think this team has a chance to be good. We’re far from where we want to be, but I think we have a chance to be.”

Kowalczyk is right in that the Rockets do have a long way to go. If you’re a Toledo fan, though, at least they’re off to a good start.

Humes leads Flames in return to T-Town

Though he didn’t leave Savage Arena with the win, UIC sophomore forward and former Rocket Hayden Humes left Toledo Saturday night with a productive personal outing against his former teammates, leading the Flames with a team-high 11 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes of play off the bench.

“It was pretty neat because we played all the games last year,” Humes said of seeing his old teammates. “[We wanted to] get the win, but obviously we didn’t.”

Both Humes’ career at UT as well as the way it ended was difficult. The 6-foot-8, 215-pounder received a medical redshirt as a freshman with the Rockets in 2009 after tearing his ACL prior to the season starting. Then, after suffering through his second school-worst 4-28 campaign under his second collegiate head coach in 2010-11, Humes left Toledo after discovering that UT would lose three scholarships for the 2011-12 campaign.

The Rockets failed to have an Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 925, resulting in the NCAA’s penalization of three of the program’s scholarships this year.

“Coach [Kowalczyk] met with me,” Humes said. “He said they didn’t really have a choice, but [there’s] nothing really either of us can do about it. I’m happy where I’m at right now. I’m all about UIC, so that’s about it.”

Humes was granted a legislative relief waiver by the NCAA in August, allowing him to play for UIC this season instead of sitting out a year as a transfer. In two academic years at Toledo, Humes accumulated a 3.43 GPA.

“I can tell you this: Hayden’s one of the best guys I’ve ever been around,” Kowalczyk said. “He really is. He’s a great person. I truly wish him nothing but success, and I can tell you this: he’s going to be a very successful person.”

Jim Beard: Holy Batvention!

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Fans of the 1960s “Batman” TV series converged on Teaneck, N.J., Nov. 12 and 13 to celebrate 45 years of their favorite show, and Yours Truly joined them to wrap up a year-long promotion of my book about the series, “Gotham City 14 Miles.” NJ Comic Expo promoter Tom Jeron pulled out all stops to make the show a Bat-fan’s dream come true and I was honored to be invited as a guest.

Jim Beard and Lee Meriwether

Jeron brought in five actresses who had appeared on the famous TV show — Lee Meriwether, Terry Moore, Donna Loren, Deanna Lund and Susan Silo — and billed them as the “poor deluded females who crossed the Caped Crusaders.” Pop culture fans received a double treat from Lund, who also starred in “Land of the Giants,” and Loren, who did the music for “Beach Blanket Bingo.” On hand were also three replica 1960s Batmobiles, a replica 1960s Batcycle and the original Batcopter used in the 1966 “Batman” feature film. I was amazed to see what prime condition the ’copter is in, a testament to its present owner.
That Saturday night, fans were also treated to a special screening of the ’66 “Batman” movie in nearby Jersey City at an opulent Art Deco theater. Jeron arranged for an archival 35mm print from 20th Century Fox to be shown and for star Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the film, to speak before the screening.
It was Meriwether who truly made the entire show and trip for me. I approached her table on Saturday afternoon with an original 1966 press still from the feature film for her to autograph, one that I had Adam West sign in 1999 in Ohio. Meriwether was charm and poise personified as she told me a story about the jewelry she was wearing in the still — her own bracelet and ring — and also agreed to pose for a photo with me and a copy of “Gotham City 14 Miles.” When she asked where one could acquire a copy of the book, I knew at that moment that she needed one for her very own and gave her the copy I held; I could think of no better way to mark the first anniversary of its publication.

America’s Delusional Dream adds heavier elements

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

The Toledo-based six-piece group America’s Delusional Dream (A.D.D.) is best described as a live Hip-Hop act, effortlessly blending live guitars, bass and drums with dual vocalists.
“We’re like The Roots meets Muse” said bassist Charles Foster. “Meets Meshuggah meets Wu-Tang,” added drummer David Kontak. “Meets Vanilla Ice,” laughed vocalist AJ.
According to half of A.D.D.’s guitar team John Fowler, A.D.D. is not a rap-rock group.
“An A.D.D. show has the vibe and energy of a rock show, but this isn’t a rap-rock band. We fit in more with the band feel and crowd, but the focus is on hip-hop music,” he said.

America's Delusional Dream

A.D.D. also has another fairly unusual feature, two frontmen. Vocalist AJ explained, “We’re opposite of the commercial side of Hip-Hop. Our music is about word play and content.”
“The majority of the Hip-Hop shows you go to these days are rehearsed karaoke,” said A.D.D.’s second vocalist, known as Brick. “We are much more organic, this isn’t just hip-hop over rock ‘n’ roll. We have found a way to mesh the two styles without either being on top of the other.”
A.D.D.’s rhythm section, composed of Foster and Kontak, sets the foundation for a very solid blend of Hip-Hop grooves and colorful guitar pieces.
“Chuck and I have a background in heavier rock” Kontak said. “The old rhythm section for A.D.D. was more jazzy, jam-band style. We certainly bring a heavier element to the band now.” A.D.D.’s other guitarist, Anthony Beck, said “AJ approached me about this hip-hop project. He had ideas already and he let me add to it, put melodies behind it. It turned out so much different than what anyone expected. It’s the most unique thing I’ve ever been a part of.”
While A.D.D. is still making concerted efforts to gain mainstream recognition, it has been hustling behind the scenes. Members are writing new material, performing live every chance they get and regularly hitting the recording studio.
A.D.D. is making noise and making a name for itself and doing it in traditional word-of-mouth fashion.
“We were nominated for best live performance at the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards again this year,” Foster said. “We didn’t win this year but we got to rock the awards show.”
A.D.D. continues to perform locally while working on new material and frontman AJ explained that an A.D.D. show is pure “Rage.”
“We ustream all of our practices,” Foster said. “Anyone who is interested in what we’re doing can check out americasdelusionaldream.com or search A.D.D. on Facebook for updates on shows and practices.”

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Retirement Guys: Paterno: Just a football coach?

The longtime football coach Joe Paterno of Penn State University died recently after a…

01.27.12 at 12:00 AM

Toledo Free Press Columnists

Michael Miller
Editor in Chief
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President / Publisher
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Dock David Treece
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