Getting a Great Deal "Selling England by the Pound": Prog Review #6
If you’ve read my previous reviews or know my contrarian nature firsthand, you won’t be surprised to learn that Selling England by the Pound is not my favourite Genesis album. It doesn’t even make my top three.
Still, it’s easy to see why this is considered the band's best.
More Than "Close to the Edge" of Greatness: Prog Review #5
I’m pretty sure a degree in musicology is prerequisite for writing about Yes: a Master’s at least for an album like Close to the Edge. I’m going stream of conscious this week because writing intelligently on Yes would take way too long.
The Real Monster at the End of This Book is Your Child
Ever wonder if your child is too obedient? Does she always respect the limits you set for her? Is she sympathetic to other children and supportive when they express their fears?
Well worry no longer, because Little Golden Books and Sesame Street have the story for you!
Monetizing Play: Bubbles
Writing at the crossroads of introspection, poetry, prose, and marketing:
"What is it about the soap bubble that so fascinates and delights the child?
Wishing I Wasn't Here Listening to "Wish You Were Here": Prog Review #4
Two Pink Floyd albums in the top five? Maybe I should have started from the bottom of the list.
Sorting Through "Moving Pictures": Prog Review #3
It’s a wordplay offensive enough to be reminiscent of Byron’s Don Juan, and appreciating that phrasing or not might be a determining factor of who does and does not enjoy Rush music in general.
Seeking Audience "In the Court of the Crimson King": Prog Review #2
From the pinnacle of early prog we move backward to its inception: In the Court of the Crimson King (1969) must have made a remarkably jarring entrance into the world of popular music on its release.
Prog Review #1: In which we Illuminate the "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd.
Unfortunately, #1 is the album I’ve been dreading most: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Monetizing Play: Fisher-Price 3-in-1 Bounce, Stride, and Ride Elephant
“Can penguins ride elephants?”
Monetizing Play: LeapFrog Scout's Learning Lights Remote
Tired of inaccurate weather reports? LeapFrog Scout's Learning Lights Remote will never steer you wrong!
Mini-Golf of Ottawa Summers Past
Spring is upon us, and that means it's time to hit the links in a small way. MINI GOLF! is a big passion of mine, and I here offer a review of the Ottawa mini golf scene. Sadly, I have not been to any of these locations since the original posting of this article (December 2013), but I trust the reviews still hold true. I think you'll agree that when it comes to planning your next golf date, these reviews will help you make it a hole in one.
Transmitting The Tea Party’s “Alarum”
Dante’s journey through the Inferno is designed to prepare him for divine truth by seeing, but not taking part in, the punishments of the damned. Martin likewise describes his own “slide . . . down a staircase” to “taste the truth” through “a seizure of the senses” with “a foot in the grave”. The language mirrors the descriptions of lust and the other sins in terms of letting go control, but here submission is to truth, and this is an active decision to fight against baser impulses.
Peace at Any Cost? Star Trek TOS, S1Ep10, "The Corbomite Maneuver"
Weird children is an apparently common theme in TOS.
“Toy Story Three” Is Not Sad, But Neither Are You For Thinking So
No, I’m not a heartless monster. I cry at the beginning of Up every time. And then I cry again at the end. Sometimes, just thinking about Up makes me cry.
"What Are Little Girls Made of?" The Answer Will Shock You! Star Trek TOS, S1Ep8
This confusion of archaeology as science is troubling. For a series that’s praised for its exploration of what it means to be human, it is shockingly ignorant about a field of study that is all about understanding human cultures.
Assassin’s Creed: Good Movie, Great Video Game Movie (SPOILERS)
Adaptations of games have a lot to take into consideration besides plot. Great video games often have great narratives, but these are usually secondary to gameplay, and game logic often stretches credulity. To remain faithful to the source material, filmmakers must do more than simply adapt the story that is often just a small part of the gaming experience.