Charles D Shell

How Far is the Future?

(Originally posted on July 25, 2018) “How far is the future?” seems like a nonsensical question.  It’s not, however.  “The future” is not merely rotations of the planet yet to come, it’s a future roadmap of human development.  It’s the advancement and evolution of our civilization. How long will it take for fundamental changes to […]

Jonny Quest: The Invisible Monster & Less is More

(Originally posted on April 19, 2017) I’ve been recently re-watching the original Jonny Quest cartoons from the sixties.  I haven’t seen many of them since I was a kid, and some hold up fairly well, while others . . . ehhh.  There are more than a few dated and embarrassing ethnic stereotypes. Anyway, one of […]

Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds Computer Game

(Originally posted on January 25, 2017) The Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds is an oddball offshoot of the RTS genre.  I am a bit of a real-time strategy freak.  I’ve played a lot of RTS games.  The Dune II game from 1993 became my first encounter with the genre and hooked me from the […]

The Black Hole: (1979) A Very Weird Disney Movie

(Originally posted on October 19, 2016) Okay, let’s roll the clock back to 1979 to take a look at Disney’s first PG rated film: The Black Hole. Star Wars had come out two years earlier and every studio was scrambling to find their niche in the science fiction boom.  Science fiction adventure films were, for […]

Piers Anthony: Apprentice Adept

(Originally posted on Oct 12, 2016.) Piers Anthony is a best-selling fantasy author who most people associate with the pun-filled Xanth books (of which there are 39!)  However, he’s been prolific for several other science fiction and fantasy series, such as the sci-fi/fantasy series called Apprentice Adept. Piers is an oddball writer.  I’ve read a […]

Moments of Coolness #3: Wrath of Khan first skirmish

(Originally posted on May 21st, 2013) Okay, for you youngsters out there you might not realize how groundbreaking Wrath of Khan was.  You just see the repeated jokes with Shatner screaming “KHAAAN!” and not think much more of it.  See, thing about it is, back in 1982 when it was first released, it hit like a bomb. […]