Blogs

Been home for a few weeks, but my eye is still on Japan. I continued to follow the Kyushu Basho, Fukuoka’s sumo tournament, and watched as Aonishiki, the man we affectionately referred to as Jerry Cowlings from Indianapolis, won the tournament. He is in fact a Ukrainian and a rising…

Read more: After Japan: Kit Kats & Final Thoughts

Our last morning in Japan was met with a sadness that the trip was over but a sincere appreciation for what Dave and I have done together on this trip. We did everything we wanted to do at our own pace, never felt rushed. Our schedule was packed but efficient.…

Read more: Goodbye, Japan!

Too many drinks last night. We woke up rough, with Samurai Dave feering particurarly rousy. We took it easy this morning, skipping a bit of sightseeing to recover in bed. With the time, I researched the sumo tournament to prepare myself for some of the matches we were going to…

Read more: Our Last Day in Fukuoka: Sandwiches & Sumo

Nothing… really happens. This is just a quirky mix of comedy and horror that is faintly Tim Burton, only it’s neither funny nor scary. Just dumb. The funhouse gags and Candy in drag are insulting attempts at humor. A waste of true comedy talents. Perhaps the last of Chevy’s movies…

Read more: Nothing But Trouble

Mel Brooks is all about silly, but at least it used to come with risk, satire, and social commentary. Now it’s just dumb. References to other movies, especially his own, are cheap. Elwes reprises the wisecracking medieval hero he played so perfectly in The Princess Bride, but he’s nowhere near…

Read more: Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Truly epic in every sense, from the scope of the story to the practical effects, cinematography, and large-format presentation. What Christopher Nolan has accomplished with IMAX cameras, mirrors, and in-camera photography is a true technical achievement (even if the focus-pulling occasionally misses in some close-ups). This is an enormous undertaking,…

Read more: The Odyssey

The Nyveen family traces its origins to the northern Netherlands, in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe, where both the name and the family itself appear to have taken shape in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The name was originally spelled Nijveen, and is composed of two older […]

Read more: A History of the Nyveen Family

My daughter, who’s been getting curious about how evolution shaped all the animals on Earth, including us, recently asked me if humans are still evolving. I thought the answer was no. For most of life’s history, organisms with traits that reduced the likelihood of successful reproduction were less likely to […]

Read more: The Future Evolution of Humans

While having a discussion with friends about the accelerating advance of technology, I was asked what I think will happen in society in the next 10 years. I came up with three big things I believe will shape the next decade more than anything else: AI, population collapse, and climate […]

Read more: What Will Happen in the Next 10 Years?

The Card The 1991 Topps set was an attempt to be a little bit more minimalist and refined with its design, which was the trend in the early 90’s. An anniversary emblem adorned the front and back of every card, but other than that, it was just another very mediocre…

Read more: 1991 Topps #15 – Von Hayes

The Card Donruss used the Leaf brand from 1985 to 1988 for cards distributed in Canada. Despite their relative rarity and the fact they were almost visually identical, Leaf cards were even less desirable (if that’s even possible) than the standard Donruss offering. In 1990, Leaf was rebranded as an…

Read more: 1990 Leaf #180 – Albert Belle

The Card The 1990 Topps set was a hideous abortion of secondary colors, halftone gradients, and squares. Topps tried real hard to cram the trendiest design elements into a single layout and succeeded in making one of the ugliest sets of the decade. It didn’t help that most of the…

Read more: 1990 Topps #162 – Todd Zeile