Game of Thrones-S4E7 "Mockingbird" By Greg Hernandez

Last week's episode titled, "Mockingbird," is in reference to Littlefinger. If you recall his conversation with Cersei in the first season - you know the one where she almost had his throat cut by her guards - showed us that he created his own Sigil, the mockingbird. Now here we are three seasons later and the mockingbird has eliminated two pieces from the Game, first King Joffrey and now Lady Lysa. Littlefinger is an effective player in the Game of Thrones.

Now, this episode displayed a plethora of tender moments throughout, only turning brutal in the final scene. Let's dive in.

Snowfall in the Eyrie brought a smile to Sansa Stark's face. We haven't seen that in quite some time. It was good to hear the Stark theme play. I believe it was the first time we've heard it since the opening of this season. Sansa gets to recreating Winterfell in the snow. It's a therapeutic exercise, one filled with memory and loss. She's trying to remember what her home looked like. Winterfell is now a burned ruin.

 When little Robin Arryn  arrives, he asks Sansa what she is doing. He's never left the Vale. He doesn't understand true heart ache yet. He's the quintessential mama's boy. He's weak and sickly - his condition is expanded upon in the books, (prone to fits, weak eyes which makes him unable to read so someone must read to him, he always must win in games, older boys play to rough with him and before Littlefinger arrived in the Vale, many of the knights wished to woo Lysa and make Robin their ward). In the show the actor who portrays Robin does a great job. Robin's fondness of making people fly through the Moon Door earns him a slap from Sansa when he stomps all over her snow-made Winterfell in a fit  of fury. Littlefinger quips that the boy's mother should have done that years ago.

Creepy Petyr Baelish or clever Littlefinger? Or perhaps both? It seems that this moment between Sansa and Littlefinger was tender. It was genuine. Still, the whole you could have been my daughter, but you're not; you look like your mother, the woman I was enamored with, I killed off the guy who had your dad killed, so all of this makes me want to give you a full on 5 second kiss.
More than anything, it is complicated.
Check out George R.R. Martin's explanation here - "A Piece in the Game."

Lysa sees Petyr kissing Sansa. She has suspected that his feelings for her were not merely paternal. She sees Sansa as a younger version of her older sister, Cat. This sets up a devastating scene between these two. Lysa accuses Sansa of loving Petyr, once again Kate Dickie, you were so believably heart broken and vengeful. Her hair grabbing rant was beautiful. Her father, husband and sister could not stand in the way between her and Petyr. Only Petyr could do that. Only he could save Sansa. Although when he said, "Let her go Lysa," I laughed and thought of the Joker from "TDK." His words prevented Lysa from hurling Sansa out of the Vale. His final words to her were calculated. "Oh my sweet wife, my sweet silly wife. I have only loved one woman. Only one my entire life...Your sister," Shove* The line change from "Only Cat" to "Your sister" did not bother me. It worked for the show.

Over the course of a few days, Tyrion has three visitors. The first being his dear brother Jaime. This scene was so good. The two brothers united once again against their father. Jaime vehemently declares, that his brother is being ungrateful for spoiling his deal with his father and throwing his life away. It seems Tyrion is not the realist that Jaime thought he was. He enjoyed taking his father's heir away from him. It felt good he says. Jaime scoffs at the small victory for Tyrion, stating that it would be a speech they will talking about for days, up until the combat of course. Due to the loss of his hand, Jaime cannot champion for Tyrion. Did everyone notice how Jaime's eyes froze and flashed with anger when Tyrion mentioned Cersei. He still loves her... "The golden son who can do no wrong, kill a king, lose your hand, fuck your sister..." "Careful, I'm the last friend you've got." Also, if you missed it. Go back and re-watch Jaime's reaction to Tyrion mentioning the first whore he loved. *Foreshadow*

Bronn doing a courtesy and calling Tyrion my lord was hilarious. His outfit was a fine spectacle to behold, remember in season 2 he did not want to wear the clothes of the commander of the city watch. Now he walks in and shows off his cape and quips, that his "gloves are softer than a virgin's thighs." Now his bachelor days are over. He is a knight who is set to marry Lollys. His wolfish smile appears when Tyrion mentions the line of succession. This scene was well done, not as abrupt as it was in the books. Bronn and Tyrion acknowledge their friendship and understand that their time together has ended. Bronn is the "evil bastard with no conscious" - unless he has to fight the Mountain- who wants to keep climbing the societal ladder and Tyrion can no longer help him to do that.

Enter The Red Viper. Someone would have to be bloody-mad to challenge the Mountain in single combat. Luckily for Tyrion, one such man exists and he is conveniently located in Kings Landing. Oberyn Martell's two decade grudge with the Lannisters is about to pop. Tyrion declaring trial by combat was the perfect opportunity for Oberyn to begin exacting his revenge. He wants to fight the Mountain in public, where he can make him confess his atrocities and kill him. His story of how he first met Tyrion was straight from the books. It also makes Cersei look more madder than ever. Pinching her baby brother's cock so hard she almost yanked it off, of course Jaime saved Tyrion there.

Peter Dinklage and Pedro Pascal were wonderful in this scene. The Red Viper is one of my favorite characters on a show filled with so many great characters. If you look closely, you can see Oberyn start to tear up a bit when he discusses his sister. "I will be your champion," The Red Viper says. I look forward to his duel next episode. A relieved Tyrion swallows his doom and gives Oberyn a look that screams thank you.

No more nudity for Daenerys. Instead we get a little bit of Daario. Dany allows him to do what he does best, "War and women." First the woman. For Daario, only desires one - his queen. This scene nicely mirrored their last encounter in Dany's private quarters. Afterward, we got the nice awkward moment between Daario and Jorah. "She's in a good mood," says Daario. How does it feel Jorah? To have this new upstart come in earn the queen's trust and honey. You earned the first one, but the second still eludes you. Remember, Visery called out Jorah for looking at his sister back in Season 1. Everybody has needs...at least Dany is learning more and more each episode how to become a ruler. She accepts Jorah's council. (It is true, if Jorah had not fled Bear Island for the Free Cities, Ned would have beheaded him for selling men into slavery. It's why Jeor Mormont gave Jon Snow "Longclaw" back in the first season). So, repaying brutality with brutality will solve nothing. Dany sends him to accompany Daario, not before telling him to tell Daario that he was in fact responsible for changing her mind. Her power-play is a distinct message for both men, play nice, I am the one in charge. Also, Hizdahr Zo Loraq will be sent as an ambassador. Looking forward to seeing more of him.

Melisandre made a joke! HA-HA-HA!!! Not a very good one...although it has truth to it. The next few episodes will elaborate. It's ok if you had to re-watch this scene. The camera did linger on her breasts. Not that many people would complain. It just gives us more of an incentive to re-watch the episode. Now, the Queen admits that "Humor isn't my strength." Looks and good parenting skills aren't either. Religious fervor is. Still, she is a woman, jealous of the red priestess' body and hold over Stannis. Melisandre drops a major bomb about being full of shit. She perpetrates almost nothing but lies. All of her viles are phony except one. I wonder what's in it? Any guesses? An even bigger bomb was Melisandre's mention of Shireen. Last season Gendry escaped her clutches, now she wants Stannis' daughter. There is power in the King's blood remember? This is deviation from the books. I am very curious as to where the show is going with this. This new direction could spell trouble for Shireen.


After Arya and The Hound, Brienne and Pod are the best traveling pair on the show. Loved how Brienne had to stop Pod from drinking wine so fast. Being Tyrion's squire will do that to a person. We saw the return of Hotpie which was nice, although he was only used for information to steady the duo's course. His loquaciousness was funny to watch and his making another direwolf treat for Arya was touching. I laughed when he said, "Winterhell," because he's right, it's burned to the ground now haha. Briennes' "Umm, you were saying," was good too. So now the duo, (thanks to Pod) have a good mind as to where Sansa is and where The Hound is taking Arya.

Arya gives her dark speech, "Nothing is nothing." The Hound is wounded. He's bitten by bitter. Nasty wound on the neck. Rorge spills that Joffrey is dead. R.I.P. "Fuck The King." I expected a bigger reaction from these two, but it was still ok. Arya adds Rorge to her list and promptly kills him. She's learning.

Later, The Hound breaks down and tells Arya his childhood story of how his older brother pushed his face and held it into the fire. Ever since then he's afraid of fire. Arya is becoming cold-blooded, but she still has a soft spot in heart for those who are alone like her. The Hound is ironically licking his wounds rhetorically and physically. Arya helps him treat it. Although the fire would help most to stop it from festering, The Hound's fear of fire could be his downfall.

Best quotes not mentioned above are:

- "Men never crave what they already have." Melisandre.

- "You can't forget about the gravy." Hotpie.

- "Let me worry about Aunt Lysa." Littlefinger This was a steal from The Godfather. "Let me worry about Luca." Sollozzo.

- "You ruined it. You're being stupid." Sansa.

- "I wouldn't say I have a single sort of girl."

- "If I wanted wits, I'd marry you."

- "Ladies fall from their horses and snap their pretty necks all the time." All by Bronn

- "If I want you here, I will summon you." Daenerys. That means more sexy time.

I give this episode a 9.6. Very well done. Only the Jon Snow storyline still irks me. It's the one storyline that I wish could be better adapted from the books. There is still 3 episodes left to salvage it.

Now, what I mean is this. The variances this season have been awesome. Jon Snow nearly coming face-to-face with Bran and fighting Karl "I was a fucking legend" Tanner. Also, Locke infiltrating the Night's Watch. However, the constant back and forth between Thorne and Snow has become redundant and borderline predictable even for non-book readers. Also, this bad material is negatively affecting Kit Harrington's acting. He will either pout, slam something down on the table or stare menacingly at Thorne before walking away. His speech to rally brothers to destroy the mutineers at Craster's was morbid. Perhaps that was the point. It seems to me the show runners are hell bent on unleashing Jon Snow in the final three episodes. Makes sense for a television show, I guess I just prefer the book ha.

Check this final video out. I had a good laugh especially when Kit came up. Enjoy. Celebrities Read Mean Tweets#7

"It Could Be Worse."

 Shrug your shoulders.
Sigh.
Look on the bright side.
Laugh half-heartedly.
Scream bloody irony.
Read a book, a magazine or a newspaper.
Go for a walk, a jog or a run.
Spend time with an animal.
Sing in the shower.
Cry in bed.
Get fat with Netflix.
Fire a gun.
Shout at your loved ones, because they won't hold it against you and obviously forgive you.
Narrow your eyes as happy people pass you by.
Stare at the clock, watch the hands move.
Hear the time tick.
Send a text, a Facebook message, tweet, swipe right or left on tinder, like an Instagram photo.
Masturbate - once, twice, thrice. Ok, that's enough...for now anyway.
Go to Starbucks.
Go to the movies alone
Go on an adventure- road trip.
Get baked.
Get a tattoo.
Be ratchet.
Quit your job and move away.
Be a nomad.
Become a prostitute.
Find a millionaire or hell, a billionaire.
Make funny faces in public.
Take pictures of everyone and everything.
Do anything.

Just don't die. Cup of chai before the fatal suicide.

Lastly, remember. "It could be worse."
 

The other day I stood next to a guy on the D train. He was talking to his buddy about the dogs he owned. He was very proud of how well he trained his Pit bulls and Rottweilers to guard his land. He was also adamant of how the dogs served a purpose to watch and protect the belongings of their master.

His condescending rant went as followed: "Nah, my nigga. I trained them good. Them motherfuckers could bite your neck off. You can run, but damn well, I trained them to tear the flesh off a nigga. They BIG TOO! Nah, not big like FAT my nigga, BROLIC, You-know-what-I'm-saying? BROLIC my nigga. The ones outside are vicious. I taught em' well. They're nasty my nigga. Like cold blooded. They don't fuck around. The ones inside are nice, you can pet em' and shit. I got a new puppy now, Imma raise him to be a nice one. But, word my nigga, true shit, the one's outside they gnaw on ya bones my G. Shit, my bulls and my rotts don't play no games."

My stop came. As I left the car the name Michael Vick went through my mind. I grinned and thought, "Well, it could be worse."

On a warm Tuesday evening, I return home with my mother. Her operation was completed to the Doctor's and ours satisfaction. She felt queasy and gassy, she needed to lie down. There were few cabs in the area. For the ones that we did manage to see and wave at ignored us. This intersection near the highway was a bad wait spot, so we crossed the street for some shade and a better chance to hail a cab. "Hail a cab," as an atheist, that just makes me chuckle. We signaled to many cabs, but none stopped. When one finally did, the cab driver asked us upfront how much we were willing to pay. Taken aback from this question, my mother blurted out, "$12." I had already opened the car door as those words escaped her lips. The cab driver sighed and shook his head. Off he went without us. "Cheap fuck", I thought.

It took a half hour to find a taxi in The Bronx. When we finally did, we were in a for a fun and potentially dangerous ride. Our cab driver - a Latino male, was so engrossed in his phone conversation that he barely paid us any mind. If it weren't for needing to know our destination he would have never acknowledged us in his cab. The Major Deegan Expressway was backed up, so he took the slow local route. The trip was not a long one. The driver's phone conversation was interminable. This juxtaposed with our earlier cab ride to the doctor's office, where our first cab driver's loquaciousness was borderline torture. I felt bad for my mother on that particular drive because we did take the Major Deegan. It was backed up because of construction on one of the lanes. She was worried about missing her appointment. I, with my headphones and music, did not have a care in the world. I patted her hand lightly and smiled. We did end up making it on time.

Now, our current cab driver held his phone with his right hand to his mouth and steered nonchalantly with his left. His phone was on speaker. He was talking in Spanish. I tried to block out his conversation by having one with my mother, but to no avail. His words permeated my mind like a needle at a check-up. On the turn to the bridge, he asked us for a reminder of the address. My mother was on the phone. So I told him. Eight minutes later we had arrived. The cab driver asked us what sort of place this was. I told him it was a co-op. "Perhaps, he thought it was a hotel," my mother ventured.

Afterward, I made a protein smoothie that my friend Nick, showed me last month and read a book on my balcony. It was a fine day. I took a "book selfie." We survived both cab rides.


Last Monday, I called two women and sent out one text. Neither answered. The one text message was left unanswered. Having spoken to both women via text and on the phone before, I quickly assumed they were both busy that night. Tuesday night came. I placed my book down on my desk and walked to the living room to watch television and chat with my parents. I did not pay either of those women a single thought the rest of the night. The previous day I believed them to be busy. That night I knew I had been ignored. I went to bed after the basketball game finished. The Heat won. I knew, without thinking that I would never contact either woman again.

"My kind of superhero film" By Greg Hernandez

Innovation has been lost in the superhero franchise.

In the past we read the comic books, watched the cartoons and maybe even played with the action figures during our childhoods. However we continue to watch the movies, because...why? What makes a movie so special? Famous actors who are ridiculously good looking are portraying your favorite heroes/heroines on the big screen? The visual effects? Or is it those comfortable movie theater seats? Perhaps it's because the guarantee of a good product. After all, superhero movies are legit. In fact, a successful superhero movie is generally one that surpasses the 100 million dollar plateau. Forty-three films have achieved that feat. More will soon follow by the end of the summer.

I don't want to get into the whole conceived "nerd territory," I understand the nostalgic need for the recapitulation of our favorite superhero stories, but why do the films have to be almost completely repeated? The same villains, setting, love interest - everything. Why? Why not switch things up?

A Wonder Woman film needs to be made. Instead of making an "origin film," why not make a contemporary film? Picture Wonder Woman traveling to India to stop the current rape crisis or rescuing the kidnapped Nigerian students. Too far from home? Fine, let her tackle the pay discrepancy between men and women in this country. Not plausible? Please, anything can be done with a superhero, especially in America. If Americans can pay to see every Adam Sandler film, than they can pay to see Wonder Woman promote the idea of global feminism. Regardless of the plot, the film would gross a ton of money, which is my point. In this age of the obvious oligarchies, shouldn't we at least have some semblance of justice? A movie is the perfect way to promote awareness for various global issues.

Imagine Superman some how tackling climate change by re-freezing the melting polar ice caps, cleansing the dirty ice that has yet to melt and somehow flying to the sun to... I don't know some how making it a little less warm on Earth.

The Flash could travel around the world and capture all of the dictators, terrorists, CEOs, lobbyists, religious extremists, terrible politicians, police officers who brutalize individuals and terrible parents.

Batman of all people should not be bolted down to Gotham City. Let him save all of the new graduates from student loan debt. Or hell, force the Supreme Court to reverse all of heir asinine decisions on socioeconomic issues.

A movie is a movie, but if there is to be a justice league film, please make the justice realistic. No more world ending scenarios. Superheros are always saving us. Why not create a film where they actually save us? Drop the pessimism, it would damn well be entertaining. A superhero movie can be enthralling as well as informative. It's not superhero movie we want but the one that we deserve. America, you can keep your destruction and your education in the same movie. Try it.

Game of Thrones-S4E6 "The Laws of Gods and Men" By Greg Hernandez

Riveting, but that can easily be said for each episode this season. The first episode of the back half of this season started off with a bang. One can only hope that the subsequent episodes surpass each other.

Finally, we made it to Tyrion's trial! Unlike Jon and Bran last episode, Yara and Theon were reunited, albeit quite briefly. Stannis the mannis returned! Davos helped Stannis face down the cold, calculating Iron Bank.

First off, how many times were the bloody titles said in this episode - I counted four. Davos, Tycho Nestoris, Missandei and Tommen all said those long winded titles.

Alright, let's dive in.

Stannis and Davos are easily the purest pair behind Tyrion and Jaime in this episode. Since we lost Ned and Robert in season 1- Stannis and Davos have been the power duo- King and Hand. Almost brotherly like. Devotion at its finest.

The opening sequence gave us our first look at Braavos. Braavos, like many of the other wonderful shots in GOT history was majestic and grand. I wish the shot of the Titan of Braavos lingered longer. It was a beautiful sight.

 The first shot of Stannis pacing was a tone setter. The duo had been waiting since mid-day. A poor lord/wannabe king with some 4,000 soldiers and 32 ships is a nobody to these Braavossi folk. Notice how Melisandre did not join the pair on their voyage. Magic does not compare to money, which in the fantasy world is brilliant and hilariously accurate. Gold/money is the true authority in the world. Braavos is the greatest banking center of the world. Everyone lives in its' shadow, remember? In past seasons we have had religion be the major driving force of the show, but now accounting has arrived...yikes!

Liam Cunningham who plays Davos, did a remarkable job this episode. His display of his shortened hand - Stannis' justice- is a testament to the "honest accounting" of the rightful King of Westeros. His gesture was the proof necessary to sway the opinion of Tycho Nestoris. Also, age is an important factor. Tywin is 67 years old. When he dies, House Lannister loses its' reputation of House to be respected and reckoned with. Side note- Tywin waited until he was 27 years old to wed and begin a family, that is quite late for GOT.

Salladhor Saan, the Lyseni pirate was a welcomed sight. This character is primarily utilized for comedic relief, however he is a key component for Stannis. He has ships and men who, with the right coin will fight for you. The story the pirate told was funny and predictable, yet still a joy to watch. Davos and Salladhor are always a good pair. This time though, Mr. Cunningham stepped it up. His acting in that scene was brilliant.

Yara Grejoy's attempted rescue was enjoyable. This variance made complete sense. This is a television show, important characters must be doing something. In the books Theon is not seen for quite some time because of the torture, so his sister assumes him to be dead after the sack of Winterfell. With this change, it will keep the audience invested in her storyline. Plus, their is still one king left- (Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon are dead, which leaves Balon Greyjoy.) Yara's storyline is beginning to pick up nicely.

The infiltration was well done, first time I saw it, it felt cliche to me, like some common action flick, however, Yara did say she was bringing the 50 best killers with her. Stealth warriors in the night. Small number of cut throats moving in silent precision makes sense on the small screen. The shots with Ramsay and Myranda enjoying themselves in the bedroom helps too. The fight scene with Ramsay being shirtless, bad ass as it looked did not do it for me. How the opposing sides were able to switch sides seemed too convenient, but at the same time, this is television.

 Alfie Allen did a fantastic job in this episode as Reek. His compulsive breakdown and refusal to be let free was perfect. Go back and watch his acting in this episode. Two scenes are enough to appreciate his work. Alfie Allen was completely believable as a character who is broken. When Yara made it out of the castle with her survivors, she pronounced Theon dead. He is dead. Reek is all that's left.

Aw, Reek loves Ramsay. The bath scene was delightful. It will set up another bloody scene, that I cannot wait to see. Ramsay is not just a mad dog, there IS a method to his madness. He is a cunning and ruthless psychopath, who knows how to settle scores. Remember, he still must deliver the Moat Cailin for the family.

Now we move on to Daenerys. Once again, her scenes are falling quite short to me. Besides taking Meereen and nailing the masters to posts, Dany is pretty much sitting on her behind, which of course makes sense. Everyone wants to sit on the Iron Throne. Great, what will you do once you sit on it? King Robert hated siting on there, in fact he remarked that Ned would hate even more than he did. "I thought being King meant I could do whatever I wanted," is what the late fat funny king once said. Ruling and governing can be quite boring. Winning the war is fun, sitting the throne, not so much. This is practice for Dany. 212 supplicants is plenty of boring practice.

For those of you getting bored with Dany's storyline, have no fear, things will begin to heat up very soon. The pace will accelerate thanks to the early introduction of Hizdahr Zo Loraq. Who else enjoyed seeing Dany's surprise, when he mentioned that it was his father that she had nailed to a post? Also, as someone who has read the books, it made no sense when Dany showed annoyance at the news of his arrival. It made it sound as if she had been in contact with him several times before, yet she only learns of his father's death now? There was no allusion to any past encounters besides Dany's reaction to hearing his name. Shouldn't she be annoyed at the sight of him not sound of his name? New information such as that does not warrant a reaction like that. Please go back and review that scene if you disagree.

From one pleasing variance to a displeasing one. The dragon. In the books he kills the Sheppard's son, not goat. This has huge ramifications for the dragons' freedom. I'm curious as where the series will go from here.

Finally, a small council meeting. Oberyn Martell complaning about the early meeting because of being up late last night...doing how many people? Anyone notice how his interest was sparked when Sandor Clegane was mentioned, guess the mention of any Clegane will get this Prince's blood boiling. Also, "Fuck the King," was uttered was a great touch. The Hound makes you laugh even when he is not present.  Now there is a bounty on his head, nobody knows that Arya is with him. Mace Tyrell is more of an oaf on the show than in the books, "Fetch me my quill and paper."

Tywin rhetorically smacked down Cersei for the umpteenth time. Cersei would be a terrible ruler, because she blindly underestimates her opponents. A girl in the far east with two seasoned warriors advising her, an army 8,000 unsullied warriors and 2,000 sellswords and 3 growing dragons at her disposal is not a threat to be taken lightly. Cersei's insultingly stupid dismissal of Ser Barristan Selmy could come back to haunt the crown.. Tywin lets her know that in front of everyone. I wonder, why is Jaime not on the small council? He's the Lord Commander after all, even Ser Barristan sat on King Robert's council. Perhaps the rift with his father is the reason behind it. Also, I'm happy Jorah Mormont was mentioned. Will Dany ever find out that he was once a spy?

The scene between Oberyn and Varys was a good addition. Varys is from Essos- the continent where the free cities lie. Oberyn can detect his lost accent. It also gives us more Varys time, which is always a plus. Oberyn's comment on the necessity for travel was very true. People do live and die on their block and never get to see the world, The Red Viper is not like most people.

The best part of the season so far was Tyrion's trial. On a show with hundreds of characters, Tyrion is by far the most entertaining and compelling one; with his latest wowing performance, Peter Dinklage separated himself from his co-stars . He more than delivered in this episode, he showcased his acting prowess in such a way that every fan who saw that trial went through the same range of emotions; all fans the same thing- just give him the Emmy now. Every line he says is great. The very first time we see Tyrion in his cell, you automatically feel the change in energy, this is not a Dany scene, this is a Tyrion scene damn it! Once Jaime arrives to escort Tyrion, the first words out of his brother's mouth are "I've been pardoned." So good.

The intense drama of this trial was palpable. Each witness, under Cersei's guide of course; provided damaging testimony against Tyrion. Please note that mostly everything they said was true, however it was thrown in the wrong context. Tyrion verbally attacked Ser Meryn for that. He asked Varys that question just to make him feel bad. Varys did warn him that this would happen. Unlike Tyrion, he has no brother to avenge his death. Varys must remain useful to the crown, which means putting aside his partnership with Tyrion.

Much credit must be given to the director of this episode Alik Sakharov did a phenomenal job of getting the different viewpoints of the Lannister clan. The perspective shots displayed some awesome family reactions. This sequence was so important to get down and his direction proved to be successful. It is one thing to read this scene, but to watch it was breath taking. You felt the ever changing emotion in the throne room.

Jaime the character we've all come to love aside from that changed rape scene back in episode three, was well aware of his brother's dire peril. Once the court was adjourned he briskly walked out to meet his father. Jaime's offer to abandon the King's guard to serve as the lord on the rock for Tyrion's freedom is swiftly accepted by his father. Much to Jaime's shock, he sees, just like we all do that once again Tywin never fails to take advantage of a crisis. He was more than ready for this moment. He probably anticipated it right when Tyrion was arrested.

Now, with Tyrion's misfortune because of his sister's accusation, Jaime will end up doing what Tywin wants. Jaime as Lord of Casterly Rock, will sire a few children to help keep the Lannister name alive, while Tyrion will go off to the Wall were he will no longer be a pest. Tyrion's face as Jaime asks him to trust him was perfect. Yes, you're my brother and the only relative who cares about me, you know I trust you.

Of course this does not all go as planned. Shae enters the courtroom. In the third novel, Tyrion has a quote, "My big mouth will be the death of me, I swear it." He is essentially right. Cersei saved the best witness for last - Shae. Notice how many times she glanced at Cersei during her testimony. Tyrion was meant to confess or die while Shae was meant to do the opposite, testify or die. Shae's testimony gives birth to a glorious breakdown of Tyrion. His speech was epic. It was theatre on television. The kind of spectacle that you can truly admire and treasure by watching over and over again. It was real. Tyrion told everyone off. He may die for it, but it was a great sight to behold. He told off the crowd, Shae, his sister and he even threw his father's plans right back in his face. Remember Tywin's smug and satisfied face in episode one of this season. That image is a long lost memory for him now.

Best moments:

-Obviously Tyrion telling everyone off at the end- "I did not kill Joffrey but I wish that I had. Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief then a thousand lying whores. I wish I was the monster you think I am. I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you. I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it. I will not give my life for Joffrey's murder. And I know I'll get no justice here, so I'll let the gods decide my fate. I demand a trial by combat!"

- Oberyn's joke to Shae, "Did you fuck him like it was his last night in this world?"

- Tyrion- "Well we mustn't disappoint father."

-Tywin's face when the trial resumed. Tyrion looked up at him in surprise. Oh, that was the face of imminent victory.

- Tyrion's "Shae, please don't."

-Salladhor Saan- "You're not my friend, my friend."

- Davos' double take, "Only half-rotted."

- Oberyn trolling Varys, just like Littlefinger used to, which leads Varys to admit he never desired men nor women, because he has seen what desire has done to this country and the lack of it frees him to pursue other interests, (Knowing glance at the Iron Throne).

-Yara slicing the guy's throat after he showed her where her brother was.

I give this episode a 9.6.

The remaining four episodes will most likely prove to be as epic as this one.

Next episode we're back at the Vale with Sansa, Littlefinger and jealous aunt Lysa, I cannot wait. Remember, the Mockingbird is Littlefinger's sigil.

Here is the trailer. Game of Thrones 4E7 "Mockingbird"

Game of Thrones-S4E5 "First of His Name" By Greg Hernandez

The "mourning" continues, a new boy king is crowned, a rabbit is burned, a man is reunited with his wolf and a wedding goes without a hitch! Who would have thought? We've reached the half-way point of the season. Let's dive in.

Last night's episode displayed GOT's uncanny ability to keep its' audience engaged for the first 45 minutes without bloodshed and then reward us all with a nice little battle consisting of two key deaths. In terms of screen time, the female players of GOT dominated. The biggest news from this episode was the revelation of Littlefinger and Lysa's involvement in the death of Jon Arryn, former hand to the late Robert Baratheon and her writing a letter to her sister, implicating the Lannisters. This is how it all started people. Oh, Littlefinger you're so devious. The ability to manipulate nearly everyone around you for your own personal gain is fun to watch. I loved the exchange between these two. Their passionless kissing-then phony passion brought about for obvious reasons: Littlefinger is trying to get Lysa to shut up about what they did in the past. Remember what he had to say about people who are unpredictable, watch it Lysa...Walls have ears remember. Better to press on and not look back. Katie Dickie has nailed this role. She's even got the moaning down haha.

Sansa and Lysa. The fireworks have begun! After reveling in her nice long screaming sex session with Littlefinger; Lysa treated her niece to some lemon cakes. Just like her mother, Sansa enjoys sweets. Of course, Littlefinger is sweet for rescuing the daughter of the dead woman he fell in love with. Which means Sansa likes Littlefinger too! (Lysa logic). It makes her suspicious of her beautiful young niece whose red hair shines and resembles that of her mother. Similar to Cersei and Margeary, age plays an important role in creating tension between two female characters. However, Sansa is no queen, she is without family wealth and protection, which unfortunately makes her quite vulnerable to Lysa's assault. I was happy with this scene. Once again Kate Dickie you nailed it!

At Tommen's coronation we were treated to the queen size power struggle that is Cersei versus Margeary. The scene between these two queens was electrifying-the dialogue and unspoken loathing for each other was palpable. Both know how to play the game. Each is formidable. Yet, one is younger and in a potentially more suitable position for power, while the elder cannot help but look on as her opponent rhetorically shows off her understanding of her political advantage. Joffrey is dead, the potential nightmare was avoided. Tommen is a kind boy, a decent boy. He will treat Margeary with care. Of course Margeay is still "mourning" her late husband. As Tyrion, would say in a sardonic tone, widowhood becomes you. The fiery look that Cersei shot at Margeary when told that the young rose had not given any thought to marrying the sweet harmless lion cub and how she must consult her father about such matters was so satisfying. The hatred was just oozing in this scene. Well played queens, well played.

Now that Dany has taken Meereen, her story line may begin to fall flat. She has stopped. Her liberation crusade has backfired. Yunkai and Astapor have been re-taken by the slavers. Dany will not sail to Westeros. Oh, and even if she could, how can she find her Dragons? They were not mentioned- "8,000 unsullied, 2,000 second sons" but more importantly, 3 DRAGONS!!! Thankfully Dany's scene was short. Her line, "I will do what queens do, I will rule." Did not resonate with me and it appears to certainly not have resonated with Ser Jorah. It was a vague line with zero substance. Her movement felt robotic. This was the only scene in the episode that lacked energy and precision. Understandable of course.

Now back to the Tyrells rivalry with the Lannisters. Or...so we thought. Turns out the folks from the rock have not produced gold in three years. Yes, Cersei, how do you all pay for anything?The timing for running dry is terrible. The wars and weddings are over, but now this "tremendous amount" of debt the Crown owes has cast a dark shadow on Tommen's reign. Remember...Littlefinger was Master of Coin. Robert Baratheon was a spendthrift. He and Jon Arryn plunged the Crown into debt. Now two kings later and the impending payment looms large over the throne. If Tywin is worried, than the rest of the family should be worried too. Also, Davos instructed Shireen to contact the Iron Bank on behalf of Stannis. If the Lannisters are unable to pay their debts, a regime change may be in order.

With Jaime and Tyrion MIA this episode, it was only fitting that the third sibling got more screen time. Cersei deserved it. After locking horns with Margeary, we see Cersei consult her father. I loved how Tywin spoke of Robert, "I did not trust him. He always patted me on the back." The trial for Tyrion begins next episode, but before that Cersei is continuing to build a strong case against him. Tywin is a judge and although Cersei cannot discuss the trial with him she does make it a point to showcase that she is the one child who has contributed most to the Lannister legacy. Jaime is famous for killing the Mad King Aerys. Tyrion is a dwarf and an alleged king slayer himself-oh and he planned the city's defense for the battle at the Blackwater. Cersei united houses Baratheon and Lannister. She gave birth to the two sons. Each of whom has sat the Iron Throne. Tommen will prove easier to manage than Joffrey. Tywin understands this all which is why Cersei gets the last word this time.

Brienne and Podrick. I was so happy that we got two scenes with this new duo. Brienne's attempts to banish Pod are futile, he's too loyal of a  squire for that. Pod is able to prove his street cred to Brienne by telling her how he killed a kingsguard who tried to kill Tyrion. Spear through the back of the head is legit. Also, the armor part was funny. Shoot, I'd have some difficulty with those straps too! That's why you have a squire Brienne, get used to it. Sort of makes you more a lady, yet even more of a knight-oh the irony.

Arya and the hound. Easily the new favorite duo. Their banter is incredible to watch. Loved how Sandor told Arya to shut it. Imagine trying to go to sleep and your roommate is reciting a list of the names of the people she intends to murder. Yup, she saved yours for last too. Come morning, Arya is gone. Off to water dance. Sandor continues to shatter every principle that Arya has. Forget your family they're dead, forget your honor it will get you killed, it's all about being strong, not weak and forget your fucking water dancing-meryn trant killed your idol. All you need is good armor and a big sword.

Cersei provides a royal escort for the Red Viper. Cersei is speaking to another judge. One who admits to being a bad poet and has 8 bastard daughters. The latter is of which is more important of the two. Cersei's daughter myrcella is in Dorne. She is happy there (Allegedly). Through these three scenes-we get to see a fine glimpse into Cersei's life, in some ways it shows the audience one thing. Yeah, you may not like Cersei but she's a mother. She is actually mourning her eldest child. She is protective of her remaining son and misses her daughter. This is the beauty of GOT. Try to hate one character and the writing will eventually lead you on a path to identifying with them. It ultimately humanizes them. You feel sympathetic. Joffrey shocked Cersei with his antics, but still, he was her first son. His death has left her emotionally scarred. Tyrion's death would be wonderful therapy for her.

Staying with the topic of humanizing characters, it was clever of the writers to build up minor characters such as Locke and Karl Tanner. We all knew that their demise was inevitable however, after both deaths occurred, I found myself feeling strange. Like, damn...I wish they had lived. It was nice though to see Karl fight Jon. Once again a Stark is told about how fighting with honor is the wrong way to go about it. If the wildling girl had not interfered, Jon Snow would be dead. That deviation was enjoyable, albeit predictable. The performance by Karl Tanner was what made it good television. GOT teetered on "cliche action hero flick" those last 15 minutes. It was strangely reminiscent of a scene from another good HBO show, called "Boardwalk Empire"- Chalky White versus Dunn Purnsley.

Ghost was reunited with Jon. Again, predictable. Still do not understand why Ghost was caged and not killed. That deviation was not the best one. I am curious as to if and when "CH" will be introduced. He's the new character I have been talking about. Anyway, Bran and Jojen are on the same page. Bran warged into Hodor to save himself and free the others. His decision to not see his brother was heartfelt. Your past or your future. It is emblematic of Bran's destiny. I cannot wait see where this storyline continues for the back half of this season.

Speaking of symbols. It is an end of a dark and heinous era beyond the wall. The burning of Craster's keep along with the dead bodies was a sign that Jon Snow is ready to command. He restores proper order to the Night's Watch. Remember Ned Stark decapitated the deserter in the very first episode. All true deserters must die. The fire also makes sure that these men are not reanimated into wights by the White Walkers.

This episode remained strong even without the star of the show-Peter Dinklage. I give it a 9.1

Best Quote: This goes to Tywin. Tywin being worried about someone else is just...troubling.

"We all live in its shadow and almost none of us know it. You can’t run from them, you can’t cheat them, you can’t sway them with excuses."

A Lannister better pay his debts...

A close second: The Hound- this season he's displaying the full repertoire of one-liners! 

Next episode should be a dandy. Small council meetings where everyone is briefed on Daenerys. Ramsay Snow returns! Yara Grejoy too! Varys has got something cooking. Jaime standing up to his father again. Tyrion's trial begins! Oh, and the DRAGONS make their return.

Here's the link for the trailer: GOT: "The Laws of Gods and Men."

"American Etiquette and Education" By Greg Hernandez

"More and more of us are living in cities. The Census Bureau just came out with some new stats, and they show that nearly 1 in 3 Americans are now living in one of the ten largest cities. One in seven live in just three of the cities: NY, Los Angeles, or Chicago." - Bill Maher

As more people move to cities, the more regressive rural areas become, Mr. Maher says. With that, the cities become denser. As a New Yorker I experience the effects of this overwhelming urban density on a daily basis.

-  For example, the Subway.
This is not some sort of New Yorker 101 guide for surviving and navigating the tube. This mode of transportation is dangerous even for veteran New Yorkers. Here are a few of my experiences.

- Entering a train station at the wrong time may cause you to be bumped and pushed aside like a ping-pong ball by people running and rushing for trains. There are so many people that it can be too much to handle. A wave of strangers rushing at your front and back, trying to desperately reach their destination and not one "excuse me" is uttered! I've grown accustomed to weaving through the traffic of people with minor contact.

- Waiting for a train. People won't let you exit and they will not let you go in. Old people will literally exert their energy to box you out, preventing you from getting on before they do. Now, this should be common sense, those inside get to come out first, while those outside wait their turn to enter. No, this is New York, manners be damned. People want those seats! Especially old people, tired people and readers! This even happens with elevators, people are always in a rush. Two seconds to let me out first is too long for most people. Worst of all, are those who make a bad habit of anticipating an empty elevator. Yes, others ride the elevator.

- Actually sitting on the train. Ever receive the back pack treatment? You're sitting on the train minding your business when someone enters and stands with their back toward you. No problem. Only thing is their huge back pack is mere inches away from your face. You must politely ask the person to adjust.

-  Standing on the train. Those people who get in the train car and do not move from the doors are infuriating. Standing by the doors creates traffic because other people are clearly trying to enter as well. It's called being selfish. People do not care. They want their spot  on the train  even at the expense of others and their own time. The longer it takes for the rest of the commuters to enter the train, the longer the train does not move and makes that annoying beeping sound when the doors fail to close.  They stand on the side because they do not want to be pushed into the middle of the car for fear of potentially being trapped and missing their stop.

- The old ladies on the escalator who you cannot get by. Trapped on the escalator. You should have taken the stairs! No stairs, fine be patient. Cannot be patient. Well, just hope they do not not stop at the end of the escalator to gather themselves. You will be there for quite a while.

- Walking etiquette. You cannot drive in New York. People do not fear or respect drivers. People do not look both ways before crossing. They do not even look before exiting a restaurant or a deli. People walk while texting. People walk as they day dream, (as if they're the only people walking in the world). The worst part is when I am running in Central Park and the pedestrians walk by. They always make it so close. Why not exert a little energy like the old ladies awaiting the train and walk quickly across the path. Do not strut at a normal pace. Do these people crave a collision?

Now that is New York. Take it or leave it. Try to endure it. Be polite. Or hell, yell at people, push people and be brash. That is the beauty of New York. It's versatile.


Now on to a more serious observation of etiquette.

I view proper etiquette as an essential tool. Everyone should have it. Everyone should know it. A social skill to whip out when necessary. Table manners aside. I am speaking of interviewing skills, greeting skills, the skills that would aid anyone in important social scenarios. That is lacking for many people in this country. Forget awkward situations. Those are natural and quite funny honestly, but situations where a job is on the line, everyone should be equipped with a plan for potential success. The opportunity should exist for everyone. Where do we start?

How many times have we heard some miracle story, where a kid "made it out" of his neighborhood? Perhaps fixing the "middle class," working class and poor by starting from the bottom- the foundation is the right move. Let's start with the children, the American government must make a herculean effort to curb behavior for positive reasons that will benefit young men and women. Assist them. Provide them with the social tool box that they can use for the rest of their lives. They're not as dumb as we make them out to be. Furthermore, if they are that dumb, is it not our fault? Education is not truly valued in this country. Face it, this country is not the same anymore. America isn't #1 anymore- Bill Maher. We lack the engineers in this country...but can we at least have a majority populace that is eloquent and literate please?

 Did you see the Louie C.K. epic twitter rant on education? Here you go: Louie Ck's twitter rant against common core Children often ask the proverbial academic question: How is this (Whatever the hell it is they learn nowadays) going to help me in the future? Good question. I don't know either.

I've seen African-Americans and Hispanic men get turned away from job interviews simply because they did not dress well, did not speak well (Loudly, clearly or eloquently enough) or just had "that look." You know, the tough, unlearned, untrustworthy look that many White Americans perceive upon first impression. First impressions sadly mean everything in this world. Many people are ill-equipped to meet the expectations of those first impressions. This is a wrong that must be corrected and quickly. How many professional athletes have we seen in live interviews who cannot even hold a conversation? Their body language is poor because they know that they lack the rhetorical skills to impress. Their voices are low and posture poor. They excel in the physical dynamics of this world, not the verbal. Why can they not excel in both? I love it when I see a famous athlete speak well in front of the cameras. Their versatility is beyond attractive. This country invests far too much in sports. It's all about the coaches in America. Coach are kids for concussions and other sports injures-not life.

Employers say verbal and communication skills, how one dresses and behaves formally, naturally and comfortably are essential to being hired. Many children do not learn these specific skills and strategies because of  their parents or even where they were raised. It is a sad fact. If your parents did not learn this skill set than how would you? If a kid is so stupid, blame the parent, not the teacher. A Message From your Kids' Teachers.

As far as I know, schools do not have "Etiquette classes." You would have to go outside of your school's curriculum to learn about that. Or hell, skim the Internet. Perhaps, there in lies the problem. We should make it easier for our children to be taught. Let's face it, many parents do not parent. The prospects of aiding impoverished children in this country (Socioeconomically, Racially and Politically) are quite bleak. However we can make amends, by reaching out to our children by incorporating etiquette classes in all the major schools of the most populated cities across the country. We must make an effort. These children must be given a chance to get their foot through the door of a job interview, a graduate school interview-anything with the utmost importance to their ambition. Not every kid will become a successful athlete. Not every child will become an actor, a comedian or a model. We must prepare these children with a future outside of sports and entertainment. I want to see more Black and Brown entrepreneurs. Racism is still so deeply rooted in this country. The mindset of Blacks and Hispanics not being able to fit into "White urban high culture." I want to see more blacks and Hispanics prove the doubters, naysayers, and ignorant people wrong!

Here is a study that I read on the discrepancy of high school graduation rate between black and white males in America.

"55 years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, a majority of African-American males in this country are still not graduating from high school."

Study: Graduation Gap Exists Between Blacks and White Males.

We, must all be aware of this. Lawmakers, parents and teachers must combine their strength and close this gap. This would be an incredible service to the American people. It would yield results. No corporate gain or sponsorship would be necessary. This influence could employ hundreds of thousands Americans with jobs training potential teachers to tutor and mentor children and adults in etiquette seminars. Imagine the children who complete these courses or seminars let's say at the ages of 8-12. Young enough, yet mature enough to understand the due diligence of manners, courtesy, proper behavior to aid them in the real world.

Now I am NOT saying, everyone should behave in a "proper" manner always. I am merely illustrating my point of faking it until you can make it. It is good to know proper manners. To quote Roose Bolton from the Game of Thrones novels, "Power tastes best when sweetened by courtesy." Power is always up for grabs. People who fail to behave in social settings fail in life. They are alienated. They become social and political pariahs. How can you get a job if the interviewer does not wish to even hear you speak? Land a great job to you can act the fool at happy hour after a hard days work.

Children must arm themselves with social skills. Here is an example of the entrepreneurial nature of etiquette: Socialsklz