diff --git a/otp/distributed/OTPClientRepository.py b/otp/distributed/OTPClientRepository.py
index 46da715..00a0751 100644
--- a/otp/distributed/OTPClientRepository.py
+++ b/otp/distributed/OTPClientRepository.py
@@ -1867,15 +1867,15 @@ class OTPClientRepository(ClientRepositoryBase):
             return 0
 
     def listActiveShards(self):
-        list = []
+        activeShards = []
         for s in list(self.activeDistrictMap.values()):
             if s.available:
-                list.append((s.doId,
+                activeShards.append((s.doId,
                  s.name,
                  s.avatarCount,
                  s.newAvatarCount))
 
-        return list
+        return activeShards
 
     def getPlayerAvatars(self):
         return [ i for i in list(self.doId2do.values()) if isinstance(i, DistributedPlayer) ]
diff --git a/toontown/shtiker/IssueFrameV2.py b/toontown/shtiker/IssueFrameV2.py
index 96fc51c..5eaa22c 100644
--- a/toontown/shtiker/IssueFrameV2.py
+++ b/toontown/shtiker/IssueFrameV2.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class IssueFrameV2(IssueFrame.IssueFrame):
 
     def isSectionInIndex(self, sectionIdent):
         for name in self.newsIndexEntries:
-            if sectionIdent in name and self.dateStr in name:
+            if sectionIdent.encode('utf-8') in name and self.dateStr.encode('utf-8') in name:
                 return True
 
         return False
diff --git a/toontown/shtiker/ShardPage.py b/toontown/shtiker/ShardPage.py
index 01063d2..9525cc3 100644
--- a/toontown/shtiker/ShardPage.py
+++ b/toontown/shtiker/ShardPage.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from toontown.hood import ZoneUtil
 from toontown.toonbase import ToontownGlobals
 from toontown.distributed import ToontownDistrictStats
 from toontown.toontowngui import TTDialog
+import functools
 POP_COLORS_NTT = (Vec4(0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1.0), Vec4(1.0, 1.0, 0.0, 1.0), Vec4(1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0))
 POP_COLORS = (Vec4(0.4, 0.4, 1.0, 1.0), Vec4(0.4, 1.0, 0.4, 1.0), Vec4(1.0, 0.4, 0.4, 1.0))
 
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ class ShardPage(ShtikerPage.ShtikerPage):
             else:
                 return 0
 
-        curShardTuples.sort(compareShardTuples)
+        curShardTuples.sort(key=functools.cmp_to_key(compareShardTuples))
         if base.cr.welcomeValleyManager:
             curShardTuples.append((ToontownGlobals.WelcomeValleyToken,
              TTLocalizer.WelcomeValley[-1],