Reviewing Arizona’s eateries. Top Shelf, 35th and Peoria Avenue, Phoenix 2-17-18 First impression: 3 out of 5 croutons. The lobby was spacious, with a fountain in the center. Lots of cheerful disembodied voices greeted us as we were seated immediately. The ambiance: 3 out of 5 croutons. Nothing special here. It is the same as […]
Today would be the 209th birthday of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president. Though revered as a secular saint in the USA, his legacy is hotly debated among my fellow libertarians. Thus I’ve decided that instead of writing about the historical Lincoln, I’d review the 2012 alternate-history fantasy film Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter which was directed […]
Mike and Ronda’s “The Place,” Glendale 1-28-18 First impression: 4 out of 5 croutons. The entrance was crowded, with foodies waiting inside and out. Our name was taken, and we were obliged to sit and wait. Ugh. The ambiance: 4 out of 5 croutons. I really liked the wooden lodge look. We sat on beautiful […]
Clockwork Planet is a 2017 anime by Xebec based on a 2013 light novel series by Yuu Kamiya and Tsubaki Himana. This looked like a good prospect when I chanced upon it online. Sadly, there were no steam engines, airships or goggles. Its summary describes it not as steampunk but “clockpunk.” The show’s premise is […]
A New Feature: Guest Posts Reviewing Arizona’s Eateries. Macaroni Grill 1-27-2018 Dear fellow foodies, I had high hopes for this one. I am probably the last person in the city to dine there. First impression: 3 out of 5 croutons. The entrance was bright, and the hostess was directly in front of us. We were […]
Lately, on the sci-fi blogs that I follow there’s been a resurgence in interest in the classics of the “golden age” of the 1950’s and earlier. These were works that readers loved but critics derided as “pulp,” often unfairly. I began my own exploration of the classics by re-reading a book that I read many […]
With the proliferation of steampunk culture, it was inevitable that eventually there would be steampunk music. Of all the self-proclaimed “steampunk” groups (yes, there are several) Steam-Powered Giraffe is certainly the most famous. I haven’t seen them perform live, but I have enjoyed much of their work on-line. Steam-Powered Giraffe definitely has a memorable gimmick. […]
