Today's the last day! Most non-religious advent calendars I've seen fit an image of Santa Claus in the last window. I don't know who the most appropriate "Santa-like" Transformer would be, but the thought of Primal Prime delivering Christmas toys on that hoverboard was too funny to pass up.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
Monday, December 08, 2014
Sunday, December 07, 2014
Saturday, December 06, 2014
Friday, December 05, 2014
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Wednesday, December 03, 2014
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Monday, December 01, 2014
2014 Transformers Advent Calendar - Day 1: Robot Replicas Ratchet
I'm going to try something different this year. A month (almost) of just picture-entries. Few, if any, words. Just a different Transformer image every day. This will help me to showcase parts of my collection that I really don't have so much to say about.
Today's entry, Robot Replicas Ratchet from 2009. The Robot Replicas line consisted of non-transforming figures, which means a lot of folks consider them updated Action Masters. I've lately come to the opinion that Action Masters are more than just "non-transforming" figures. Action Masters have their own aesthetic, are fairly posable, and came with transforming partners. Robot Replicas are somewhat posable, but one could never mistake one for an Action Master.
Today's entry, Robot Replicas Ratchet from 2009. The Robot Replicas line consisted of non-transforming figures, which means a lot of folks consider them updated Action Masters. I've lately come to the opinion that Action Masters are more than just "non-transforming" figures. Action Masters have their own aesthetic, are fairly posable, and came with transforming partners. Robot Replicas are somewhat posable, but one could never mistake one for an Action Master.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Thanksgiving Every Day?

Perhaps you've heard similar sentiments suggested from time to time. Whatever struggles we may face, we nonetheless have things for which we should be grateful. For those of us with a religious mindset, showing that gratitude by giving thanks to God is not only appropriate, but necessary. Even if we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday as it was intended to be, and not just as a time to eat extra portions of dinner, if we're only doing it once a year... well, perhaps it demonstrates that we're not grateful enough.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Game Show Board Games: Family Feud
Monday, November 17, 2014
Transformers Feature - BotCon 2013 Electro(ns) and Gold Plastic Syndrome

Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Transformers Feature - Hero Mashers Heatwave

Monday, September 22, 2014
Transformers Feature - Wal-Mart Exclusive Bumblebee and Strafe
Monday, September 15, 2014
Game Show Board Games: Card Sharks

Tuesday, September 09, 2014
The Essence of the Character
Monday, August 25, 2014
Not-Transformers Feature: Bluster and Trench from Mech Ideas
Monday, August 18, 2014
Transformers Feature - Duocon Flywheels

Wednesday, July 23, 2014
The Perseverance of Weird Al Yankovic
Meeting Weird Al at BotCon 2009 |
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
The Unofficial Transformers Club and Convention Data Pages Needs Help!
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Countdown to BotCon 2014 - Pounce and Wingspan

Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Countdown to BotCon 2014 - Thundertron

Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Countdown to BotCon 2014 - Cybertron Cannonball
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Countdown to BotCon 2014 - BotCon 2007 Exclusive Alpha Trion

Sunday, May 04, 2014
May the Fourth Be With You - Transformers Crossovers Yoda
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Remembering Glen Stassen

Monday, March 31, 2014
Jeopardy! Turns 50

Now, if you've been watching the current version with Alex Trebek recently, you might think I've made a bit of a typo. The Trebek version has been celebrating the show's thirtieth anniversary this year. But that's just the amount of time that's passed for the current version. Before Trebek took the reigns of America's preeminent quiz show, the show had a previous life — several lives, actually — starring Art Fleming.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Looking (Out) for the Helpers
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.
— From The World According to Mister Rogers, p. 187.
I've been thinking about this quote a lot lately. It's not that there's been any recent "disaster" in the conventional sense. At least, I haven't heard of any significant earthquake, or crime, or other such tragedy, although I'm sure that there are things happening all over the world to people that I won't ever know about. Indeed, the irony is that the "disaster" I have in mind is not only of a more figurative kind, but it's one that has specifically targeted "helpers" who... well, if you're reading this at about the same time as I'm posting it, you probably already know what's been going on. And if you don't, it's perhaps just as well. In another month or two, this event will fade into the recesses of memory, and I can only hope that things will return to normal enough that it won't matter that I ever had a specific incident in mind. The words will hopefully stand on their own.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Reflections on Gallifrey One 2015's Pre-registration. What Might BotCon Be Able to Learn?

I will not be going to Gallifrey One in 2015. Or ever, very probably.
Before I get into the "why," I should mention that, being a fan of Doctor Who, I've had a passing awareness of Gallifrey One for many years now. But whenever I've looked into the page (only once in a blue moon) to see whether it might be worth my putting the money into attending, I invariably soon learn that the reservations for the upcoming convention are already sold out.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Requiem for a Misguided Effort - Transformers: ReGeneration One
Monday, March 03, 2014
The Transformers Thunderous Thirty #30 - Megatron

Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Transformers Thunderous Thirty #29 - Swerve
Monday, February 10, 2014
The Transformers Thunderous Thirty #28 - Grimlock
Monday, February 03, 2014
The Transformers Thunderous Thirty #27 - Ravage

Provided, of course, that you're the rightful Decepticon leader. If you're not, Ravage could easily end up your worst enemy.