Category: Reviews

Master parent category for all my reviews: books, movies, television shows, restaurants, products.

My First Hugo Awards Voting Adventure – Best Novels 2014 and 1939

I took the plunge this year and decided to buy a supporting membership to WorldCon so I could vote in the Hugo Awards. What pushed me over the edge?  The Best Novel (or Series) nomination for Ancillary Justice and the entire Wheel of Time series.  I could not let this opportunity pass me by without making my meager voice heard.

I spent (or wasted, depending on your point of view) over two decades reading (and re-reading) and waiting to read the Wheel of Time series.  At one point, upon Robert Jordan’s death, I gave up hope of ever being able to complete the series.  I made my peace with that, prayed for his family, and went on with my reading life. 
Continue reading “My First Hugo Awards Voting Adventure – Best Novels 2014 and 1939”

Article: Chromecast turns one: why this small streaming stick became such a big deal

Chromecast turns one: why this small streaming stick became such a big deal

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/24/chromecast-turns-one-why-this-small-streaming-stick-became-such-a-big-deal/

Happy Birthday Chromecast!

Best $35 I ever spent.  I’m looking forward to the updates promised in the article above.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

Everything You Never Knew About The Making Of Last Starfighter

http://io9.com/everything-you-never-knew-about-the-making-of-last-star-1602703884?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

I’ve gone all nostalgic now.  I love this movie.   I should buy it so I can enjoy all these behind the scenes goodies myself.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

Article: Finally, A Way To Find Movies Worth Watching On Netflix

Finally, A Way To Find Movies Worth Watching On Netflix

http://techcrunch.com/2014/07/09/finally-a-way-to-find-movies-worth-watching-on-netflix/?ncid=rss

I’ll give this site a try this weekend.  This is exactly why i don’t like Netflix streaming: I am not going to waste my time slogging through the slush pile of Rotten Tomatoes to find that one priceless pearl of a movie to watch.  There’s always a great book waiting on my shelf to read commercial free and quiet.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

‘Little Free Libraries’ legal in Leawood thanks to 9-year-old Spencer Collins | The Kansas City Star

http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article687562.html

Less than a month after their shameful attack on Little Free Libraries,  Leawood redeemed itself … temporarily … through late October.  They pledged to amend their code.  We shall see.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

American Day of Deliverance ~ John Adams

John Adams Quote.

It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

John Adams: letter to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776

Moon Passes Near Both Mars and Saturn this Week

Yesterday, I saw a post via Sky & Telescope’s Facebook feed that reminded me to get out my telescope. This week, starting tomorrow, you don’t need a telescope to see something amazing.

Saturday after sunset, look to the south to see the Moon near Mars.

Monday, again after sunset, look a bit farther to the south-east to see the Moon near Saturn.

Here’s a link to Sky & Telescope’s article about the Moon juicing up July:

Two Moon-Planet Conjunctions Juice Up July

But back to my telescope. I know I don’t need it to see the above two events, anyone with eyeballs can observe them. I wanted to get out my telescope and shake off the cobwebs. It’s been a cloudy spring this year, at least on the weekends. I observed Mars first, trying to see the polar ice caps, then I switched to Saturn, where I clearly saw the separation between the rings and the different cloud layers. The angle of the rings with respect to Saturn is spectacular right now.

Review: ‘Women Destroy Science Fiction!’ : NPR

http://www.npr.org/2014/06/28/322544552/women-are-destroying-science-fiction-thats-ok-they-created-it?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20140629

Time to buy my first issue of Lightspeed mm agazine.

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‘Little Free Libraries’ grow throughout KC area — except in Leawood | The Kansas City Star

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article607370.html

Shame on Leawood.  Another reason I’m grateful I don’t live in Johnson County, Kansas.

Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon