Category: Entertainment

Spice World Dune 3

Mentats of Dune: A Review

I’m a big fan of the Dune series of sci-fi novels. I’ve read them all, including all of Frank Herbert’s originals and the prequels and sequels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. So...

Star Trek Bucks Coffee 10

Star Trek and Story Arcs

I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, and as much as I enjoyed the series as a kid, it seems rather dated now. Part of that’s due to the 1980s hairstyles and...

Cracked Logo in Optima Font 2

Cracked: The Voice of a Generation

This is the first in a series of websites that have influenced me as a writer and artist. It is not a paid endorsement of Cracked, but a recommendation to my readers based on...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Hogwarts Colors 7

Ninja Turtles, Hogwarts and Archetypes

I recently got into a very nerdy discussion with my friends, asking what Houses of Hogwarts the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would be sorted into. I was amazed at how well the Teenage Mutant...

Tom's Diner MP3 File 6

Tom’s Diner: An Influential Song

It’s such a simple little song, a two-minute ditty about a woman sitting in a diner. Eight simple notes played in several variations, with a catchy a capella “doo doo doo doo doo doo...

Heartfire 4

5 Best New Arrested Development Characters

I’ve loved “Arrested Development” ever since the first episode. I remember watching it on Fox, hoping the TV network would keep the show going. I was disappointed, but unsurprised, when they canceled and doubled...

Roentgenium Medal 13

Intelligent Videos on YouTube

I grew up watching PBS. I loved Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. When I got older, we got cable TV, and I started watching documentaries on the History Channel, A&E, the Discovery Channel and...

Comedy Logo 4

Anatomy of a Bad Joke

How does one acquire a sense of humor? A good sense of humor? I’d really like to know. Despite having worked as a stand-up comedian, I seem to tell some pretty bad jokes. Awful...

Lucky Seven 7

The Problem with Casinos

Math. That’s the problem that I have with casinos. Once I realize how badly the odds are stacked against me, it’s hard to have much fun. To me, a slot machine is really just...

Super Mario Evolution 4

How Mario Got His Mustache

Super Mario Bros. is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. For people of a certain age, Mario and other Nintendo characters are better known than old-school cartoon characters like...