Levar Burton takes us onto the set of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'

 

[VIDEO] Reading Rainbow was a public TV series that often aired on PBS TV stations around the nation during the 1980s. Actor Levar Burton hosted this show in addition to being USS Enterprise Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

What I have seen in this episode so far are the rehearsals and it appears that Burton and the TNG crew were doing a scene during that series very first season all the way in 1987-88. A long time ago, and back during the first season La Forge was actually the flight officer for the Enterprise as opposed to Chief Engineer for which he was promoted by the series' 2nd season.

Reading Rainbow is a series that's really about books, however, in this episode it seems as if Burton is giving you an inside look in the production of a TV series. Perhaps there is a child out there who saw this edition and decided they wanted to go into TV production. Perhaps they wanted to go into acting. Who knows.

However, I hope you enjoy this look back.

ALSO, if you're a Star Trek fan Levar Burton is back in Star Trek Picard as Commodore Geordi La Forge. So they promoted him again to be a "flag officer" in Starfleet. And the final episode of Picard airs on the streaming service Paramount Plus. Hopefully you will check it out and stream other Star Trek series available.

#ABeautifulDayMovie Thumbs up :)

I saw the Mr. Rogers film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhoood on Friday. It was actually based on a long ago Esquire magazine article about Fred Rogers.

This movie gave me a greater appreciation of Mr. Rogers' contributions to children's entertainment. As stated in a post back in August on this blog where he was shown in a segment on Late Night w/ David Letterman I truly believe him to be a very genuinely decent man. Rogers ended production of his long time public TV program Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood in 2001 and died in 2003.

Not a huge spoiler but a segment seen on Late Night before Letterman introduces his guest was a scene in this movie. It depicted Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers attempting to set up a teepee on the set of his TV program. It also depicts the journalist assigned to interview Mr. Rogers. Hanks truly did this iconic personality justice.

BTW, another scene depicted in this film was Mr. Rogers' appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show. You may have also seen that in the David Letterman post.

I have to admit it never occurred to me until watching this movie that Rogers has some eccentricities going on in his personality. Then again as a genuine person as I do believe he is, I have more respect for him now. I just wish today's children can see his awesomeness on TV again.

Also, I wanted to leave you with this article sharing 15 heartwarming facts about Mr. Rogers from MentalFloss.com. Fascinating look at a man who was part of so many childhoods

Here's a trailer for the movie that''s out in theaters now! [VIDEO]

Fred Rogers on "Late Night w/ David Letterman"

[VIDEO] This clip combines two TV legends. On February 17, 1982 on Late Night with David Letterman had as his guest a PBS personality Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. On this program Rogers had brought with him not only a t-shirt featuring the neighborhood trolley, also his sweater and casual sneakers.

Some aspects of this interview I found very funny, especially the part where Rogers thought it wasn't funny that some radio DJ as a joke thought it was funny to teach children to use aerosol cans and lighters. As Rogers said incredulously that could cause a lot of fires. Even I had to laugh at that!

I just have to say it's hard not to like Mr. Rogers who died in 2003 and who's legendary program ended production in 2001. I got the sense from this interview and even the often comical late night show that he was truly a decent man. It's really hard not to like someone who is genuinely very nice although we don't really know how he is behind the scenes. I do think his personality is genuinely nice and his appearance on Late Night probably was a mismatch.

I have to admit that watching Letterman when he was host of this program and before he moved on to CBS to host The Late Show with David Letterman was something of a guilty pleasure before even getting out of grammar school. It's amazing that he only retired from hosting a late night talk show in May 2015. I used to love his viewer mail segments or even his man on the street segments or even those sketches he might have. Another highlight are certainly his sketches with Larry "Bud" Melman. I can't believe I even got away with watching his program realizing only years later that it was probably not something a child should be able to watch.

As it turns out while Letterman continued with Late Night from 1982 to 1994 this would be the only time Rogers and Letterman would share the stage. You might be able to see him on other late night programs. Would you believe he was even on The Arsenio Hall Show at one point... [VIDEO]

Block Club Chi: Boy, 11, On Life Support After Years Of Bullying At CPS Leads To Suicide Attempt, Mom Says

I'm really aching for this boy and his family. He made a suicide attempt as in on life support. Jamari Evans is way too young to be ready to take his own life, as he's really just starting off.

It seems after some extreme actions from his teachers - ideally the ones who really should do what they can to protect him - contributed to his current condition. It's sad that he wasn't getting the support he should've had. It's also sad that highers up with CPS didn't take what his mother said seriously until Evans attempted suicide.

It's strange that he was even denied a transfer from his elementary school. What reason was a transfer to another school denied. This story should be a PR disaster for Chicago Public Schools.

BTW, I find it quite sad that the events that caused this young man to attempt suicide happened at a school named for the father of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson.

Report: Chicago Public Schools 'failed to recognize' extent of systemwide sexual abuse problem

We've seen a lot about this in the last few months or so. The allegations of sexual abuse and in some instances prosecution of them. This report well who knows if there is a lot of surprise over this:

Broad failures at all levels of Chicago Public Schools kept officials from preventing and responding to sexual abuse suffered by students in the nation’s third-largest school system, according to a prominent law firm’s early review of problems documented this summer in a Tribune investigation.

The report by the law firm Schiff Hardin identified repeated “systemic deficiencies” in training, incident reporting, data collection and trend tracking that pervaded city schools, the system’s downtown headquarters and a school board controlled by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Employees were not consistently trained on district policies and procedures involving sexual misconduct, according to the report authored by Schiff Hardin partner Maggie Hickey and released Friday. CPS also did not ensure that those policies were being implemented or that they were effective, the report said.

The report describes how understaffed and underfunded CPS investigators struggled to process reports of potential sexual harassment, notifications sent to the Department of Children and Family Services, employee misconduct allegations and altercations between students and staff — thousands of reports during the 2016-17 school year alone.

Hickey noted that the district’s incident-reporting software, known as Verify, “is almost universally viewed by principals as cumbersome and inefficient.” CPS is moving to a new system next year, the report said.

While this blog is named for a now closed former public school, it just has to be said. Another reason for confidence in public education to go into a negative direction...

h/t Newsalert

#halloween haunted house

5th district haunted house at 727 E. 111th St. on Oct. 31 from 4 PM to 8PM all children must be accompanied by an adult

EVENT: SMG Chatham 14 to host an Oscar viewing party

Photo of Chatham 14 by Wendell Hutson

 Of course this event coming soon to the Chatham 14 will benefit a charity via DNA Info:

A charity serving children with disabilities will benefit this year from an Oscar-viewing party being held for the first time at the Chatham 14 Theaters.

The party will raise money for the nonprofit Variety the Children’s Charity of Illinois. The private organization partnered this year with Studio Movie Grill, which owns the Chatham 14 Theaters, for the event.

The viewing party starts at 6 p.m. March 2 at the South Side theater, 210 W. 87th St. Tickets are $40 per person or $70 for couples.

The 86th annual Academy Awards will be shown on one movie screen and 150 seats are available, said Venisha White-Johnson, director of operations and community relations for the theater.

"You will feel like you are at the Oscars with the red carpet treatment you will get. And who knows, there may be a few celebrities on hand, too," Johnson-White said.

Tickets must be bought online by Feb. 25.

What is available for kids to watch on TV these days?

Sometimes I like going through memory lane. It's great to see that Fred Rogers' legacy continues on PBS stations around the nation.

He ceased production on his longtime program Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood back in 2001 and Rogers himself died in 2003. Most PBS stations no longer air his program, however, recently I became aware of a new TV series based on his program.

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood airs on most PBS stations as sort of a sequel to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I don't have kids to enjoy this program with, but it's great to know that we again will hear how great of a neighbor we're being. It's also great that young kids are able to take a trip to the neighborhood of make believe!

Sometimes I myself may not be happy about the state of TV for the young people. For me good children's TV may involve Square One, Ghost Writer, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, Newton's Apple or even Bill Nye: The Science Guy. It also included shows such as Tiny Toons Adventures, Animaniacs, Batman, Smurfs, etc. I must note that those other shows mentioned dropping anvils on a cartoon characters head would even be considered violent today I'll bet!

When I do finally have kids or even with anyone about to start school or even in school now at least in some way we still have something to share. The older folks and the young folks can always talk about being good neighbors!

Greater Chatham Alliance announcment: Free Dental Screenings

Here are some brief details about this event but refer to the flyer below

• The Chicago Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, Traveling Dental Bus is coming to Chatham: 
  September 1, 2012
  10 am - Noon
  8245 S. King Drive
  For school age children: 5-12
  Each child will receive a take home oral health bag with educational handouts and fun tips.

GCA ANNOUNCEMENT- Barnes Walton Dental Colgates Free Dental Screenings

Kids RULE Summer 2012

I'm quite late on this but if you live near the ICE Theaters Chatham 14 location, you can take advantage of the Kids RULE summer. These movies start at 10 AM and cost $2.50 Wednesday and Thursdays'. You can see Smurfs starting tomorrow!

http://www.icetheaters.com/

Hat-tip Concerned Citizens of Chatham!

Childhood nutrition legislation

This segment aired on C-Span's Washington Journal this morning:

Tracy Fox talked about childhood nutrition legislation and its impact on schools, and she responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. This program was part of a week-long "Washington Journal" series on food policy in the U.S.

I would like to refer you to another segment from C-Span talking about childhood hunger here on this blog. Perhaps different subjects but similar tracks as we talk about what children are fed in our schools.