Reviews

My Words on Sir Patrick

1987.  The highschool cafeteria.

“Did you see the new Star Trek?” asked one of the guys.

“Yeah…the old captain guy…’get the hell off my bridge’…I didn’t like him.”

That was the exact conversation at school after Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted.

Patrick Stewart was in fact younger than William Shatner.  His bald pate gave him the air of elderly wisdom.  Perhaps a bit of frailty.  Star Trek: The Next Generation was to feature a captain that didn’t so much get into fist fights like Kirk did.  He now had a first officer to get physical.  This of course changed by the time we get to the movies, with Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard beating the crap out of F. Murray Abraham.

Picard was my introduction to Patrick Stewart.  I didn’t see Dune.  I didn’t see I Claudius.

When I dove back into Star Trek for the first time since childhood, it was 1991 and I was in university.  It seemed the university thing to do.  I shaved my sideburns into the Star Fleet dagger and I bought a communicator badge.

I became a huge fan of the show, and of Sir Patrick in particular.

There is no reason for me to list his many accomplishments.  You can google them yourself.  I’ll just talk about the ones that meant a lot to me.

Robin Hood:  Men In Tights came in 1993, another Mel Brooks parody, with Sir Patrick doing an end-of-film cameo as King Richard.  This spoofed Sean Connery’s end-of-film cameo in Prince of Thieves.

“Patrick Stewart does comedy?” I marveled.  “Coooool…”

Having dove into Star Trek, I had to see Dune.  To say I was disappointed would be incorrect.  I got what I expected.  There just wasn’t enough Sir Patrick!  Then there was the awful Conspiracy Theory with Mel Gibson and Sir Patrick as the bad guy.  I know I saw it, I just can’t remember it.

When Brian Singer cast Sir Patrick as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men, everyone universally rejoiced.  Paired opposite Sir Ian McKellan, we were treated to some of the greatest comic book drama between two characters ever filmed.  Sir Patrick earned a new generation of fans with that film.  I learned from younger co-workers that they saw Sir Patrick as Professor X, not Captain Picard.

Of course, long after their character arcs ended, Picard returned.  So did Professor X.  A new generation discovered Sir Patrick.  But what led to a completely new audience was a young upstart named Seth MacFarlane, who himself had cameoed on a Star Trek.  Seth MacFarlane cast his friend Patrick Stewart in several comedy roles, but none more beloved than Deputy Director Bulloch on American Dad.  The pansexual, cocaine driven Bulloch was the most unlikely of all the Stewart characters, but he clearly voiced him with naughty delight.

I hope Seth kills off the Deputy Director in a cocaine binge with hookers.  It’s how he’d want to go.

I won’t lie.  This one hurts even more than Leonard Nimoy did.  (And we just lost the beloved Walter Koenig last week!)  Because of Stewart’s imporant role in three of my favourite franchises, this one’s going to hurt a long time.

I watched him in Logan last night.  I needed those difficult feelings.

Stewart died after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia.  This too hits close to home.

To quote a character from another rival franchise, “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

I’ll miss you Sir Patrick.  I really will.

 

 

 

We got our photo in under 24 hours! Not Dead Yet: John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50 VIP Show and Experience

We were promised our photo in 72 hours, and we got it in under 24.

What this photo doesn’t show is the gentle chit-chat with John Cleese.

He also shook my hand twice which I thought was kind.  Check out the entire experience below!

 

REVIEW

A once-in-a-lifetime experience was had on Oct 3 2026 in Kitchener, Ontatio. It was over in a flash, so I had to document it live as soon as I got home, from Not Dead Yet: John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50.

Last Christmas, my mom said “When will I ever have the chance to meet John Cleese again?”  And so for $374.75 each, she bought three VIP tickets.  One for her, one for me, and one for Dr. K.  With hindsight I wish she also bought one for my dad.  Not only would he have loved the show, but I think he would have lost his mind meeting Mr. Cleese at the end of it.

The show began at 7:30, but we were there well early to get a couple drinks and enjoy our front row seats.  The stage was bare except for a big screen, a table, two chairs, and stuffed bunny rabbit.

First, Mr. Cleese was introduced to a standing ovation.  He graciously thanked us all for coming to watch this film that he started writing in 1974.  Then, the film began.  It was the extended version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but I believe that they ran the wrong version of the movie.  Mr. Cleese specifically said that it was supposed to be a version that he himself edited, removing the Three Headed Knight scene.  That scene was in fact shown, as well as the “GET ON WITH IT!” bits from the extended version.  A minor slipup.

After the film, an 86 year old John Cleese returned for approximately an hour of Q&A with the audience, wearing bunny rabbit slippers.  Some questions were great, some less so, but being a total pro, Mr. Cleese’s answers were also entertaining and interesting.

The thing that surprised me the most was how much Mr. Cleese loathes the last 10 to 15 minutes of Holy Grail, which was assembled by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam without his (and presumably the others’) input.  “It doesn’t make sense!” said Mr. Cleese multiple times.  And here is the main takeaway that we got from the John Cleese Holy Grail at 50 Q&A:  Writing is #1 for him.  Performing, comedy, commentary are all second.  He says they did 13 drafts on A Fish Called Wanda‘s script before it was good enough.  Holy Grail’s ending was not written, made no sense, and he really dislikes it.  He also dislikes the Three Headed Knight scene, and wanted it edited out.  The scene was kept because Eric Idle’s knight, Sir Robin, had nothing to do after they split up.

He discussed many projects including a new comedy on cannibalism.  He also revealed what inspired the famous Python “parrot” sketch:  a used car that Michael Palin bought and tried to return.

Mr. Cleese praised the talents of Kevin Klein, and make fun of Michael Palin’s “horribly boring” travel show multiple times.  He reserved sincere praise for his old writing partner, the late great Graham Chapman.  He was clearly a special man.  The whole show was very warm, and simply delightful.

And then we met him!

Check out the video below, recorded while still on the high of meeting John Cleese and having this wonderful experience.

REVIEW: Not Dead Yet: John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50 VIP Show and Experience

A once-in-a-lifetime experience was had on Oct 3 2026 in Kitchener, Ontatio. It was over in a flash, so I had to document it live as soon as I got home, from Not Dead Yet: John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50.

Last Christmas, my mom said “When will I ever have the chance to meet John Cleese again?”  And so for $374.75 each, she bought three VIP tickets.  One for her, one for me, and one for Dr. K.  With hindsight I wish she also bought one for my dad.  Not only would he have loved the show, but I think he would have lost his mind meeting Mr. Cleese at the end of it.

The show began at 7:30, but we were there well early to get a couple drinks and enjoy our front row seats.  The stage was bare except for a big screen, a table, two chairs, and stuffed bunny rabbit.

First, Mr. Cleese was introduced to a standing ovation.  He graciously thanked us all for coming to watch this film that he started writing in 1974.  Then, the film began.  It was the extended version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but I believe that they ran the wrong version of the movie.  Mr. Cleese specifically said that it was supposed to be a version that he himself edited, removing the Three Headed Knight scene.  That scene was in fact shown, as well as the “GET ON WITH IT!” bits from the extended version.  A minor slipup.

After the film, an 86 year old John Cleese returned for approximately an hour of Q&A with the audience, wearing bunny rabbit slippers.  Some questions were great, some less so, but being a total pro, Mr. Cleese’s answers were also entertaining and interesting.

The thing that surprised me the most was how much Mr. Cleese loathes the last 10 to 15 minutes of Holy Grail, which was assembled by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam without his (and presumably the others’) input.  “It doesn’t make sense!” said Mr. Cleese multiple times.  And here is the main takeaway that we got from the John Cleese Holy Grail at 50 Q&A:  Writing is #1 for him.  Performing, comedy, commentary are all second.  He says they did 13 drafts on A Fish Called Wanda‘s script before it was good enough.  Holy Grail’s ending was not written, made no sense, and he really dislikes it.  He also dislikes the Three Headed Knight scene, and wanted it edited out.  The scene was kept because Eric Idle’s knight, Sir Robin, had nothing to do after they split up.

He discussed many projects including a new comedy on cannibalism.  He also revealed what inspired the famous Python “parrot” sketch:  a used car that Michael Palin bought and tried to return.

Mr. Cleese praised the talents of Kevin Klein, and make fun of Michael Palin’s “horribly boring” travel show multiple times.  He reserved sincere praise for his old writing partner, the late great Graham Chapman.  He was clearly a special man.  The whole show was very warm, and simply delightful.

And then we met him!

Check out the video below, recorded while still on the high of meeting John Cleese and having this wonderful experience.

REVIEW: Raspberry Cordial – Anne of Green Gables Craft Soda

Sweet and tart! Pick one up where you can find craft soda. I got mine at Treats and Tales at 811 Queen Street in Kincardine, Ontario!

5/5 stars, watch the review for details and nutritional information!

REVIEW: The 1651 French Lemonade Recipe

One of my most popular videos of the year is a 375 year old French recipe for lemonade.  I got this from Max Miller’s Tasting History channel on YouTube and made it myself.

Check out the video!

  • 6 small lemons
  • 2 small oranges
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon, zest of 1/2 orange
  • 1 L water
  • 1 cup sugar

Just do as I do!

But wait! There’s more!

We also tried a modification where we added 1/2 of a lime. The result was a very tart lime-ade!

Give it a try yourself and taste what thousands of viewers are watching!

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Ruko R1 Mini Robot Dog – A surprisingly fun little robot dog with lots of tricks up its sleeve!

RUKO R1 Mini Robot Dog

Get yours at this Amazon link:  Ruko R1 Mini Robot Dog

After receiving the R1 robot dog to try out, I have to admit that I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’ve seen some of the larger, more expensive robot dogs before, but the R1 is
a much smaller and more compact version. After spending some time playing around with it, though, I can see why this would be a fun toy for kids. It packs a surprising
number of features and movements into a pretty small package.

One of the first things I noticed is how agile it is. The R1 can move around easily without needing a huge amount of open space, which makes it much more practical as an
indoor toy. You could use it in a living room, bedroom, playroom, or even around a desk without needing to clear half the room first. It also has a self-righting feature, which is
one of the things I found most entertaining. If it tumbles over or falls while doing one of its tricks, it can automatically get itself back up instead of just lying there waiting for
someone to turn it over.

And this little dog can definitely do some tricks! It can perform 360-degree stunt flips, including front flips, back flips, left flips and right flips. It can also do side rolls, push-ups,
pouncing, kung fu-style movements, swimming motions, greetings and handshakes. There’s even a funny “peeing” action, which I suspect kids will find hilarious (I did – the
dog even whistles while he’s doing it). It’s actually pretty entertaining just to cycle through the different actions and see what it does next.

The R1 comes with a traditional remote control, which is straightforward and easy to figure out. But there is also a gesture-sensing watch, and I think that is probably one of
the coolest features. Instead of simply pressing buttons on a remote, you can use hand movements to control the robot dog. It makes the interaction feel more like you’re
actually controlling the dog yourself rather than just operating a remote-control toy. The remote and watch can’t be connected at the same time, but switching between them is
simple.

Controller and USB port

There’s also a programmable action function that lets you combine different movements into a sequence. This is a nice feature because it gives kids the opportunity to
experiment and create their own little routines rather than just repeatedly pressing the same buttons. I can see this being especially entertaining for kids who like figuring out
how things work and coming up with their own combinations.

Of course, I had to introduce the R1 to my own dogs to see what they thought of it. I have three small dogs, and they were definitely intrigued by this strange new creature
moving around the house. I would say they “played” with it, although that might be a generous interpretation of what actually happened. Their primary response was to bark
at it and follow it around suspiciously, as though they were trying to figure out what exactly this bizarre little animal was. So, while the R1 did not immediately become their
new best friend, it definitely got their attention!

Another feature I appreciate is the adjustable volume. Robot toys can get pretty noisy, particularly when they’re being used indoors, so having the ability to turn the volume
down is a nice touch. The R1 also has a built-in rechargeable battery. It takes approximately two hours to charge and provides about 50 minutes of playtime, which
seems reasonable for a toy like this. Not having to constantly replace batteries is definitely convenient.

There is also a storytelling/companion function with dancing and entertainment content, so it isn’t limited to simply walking around and doing tricks. That gives it a bit more of a
“companion” feel, particularly for younger children. The recommended age is 3+, and I think the combination of simple controls, funny movements, sounds and interactive
features would make it particularly appealing to that age group and up. I would have loved this as a kid and I also love it as an adult.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the R1 can do. It’s small enough to be practical indoors, but it has enough different movements and features to keep it
interesting. The self-righting ability, stunt flips, programmable actions and gesture-controlled watch are probably my favourite features because they make it feel more
interactive than a basic remote-controlled toy.

If you’re looking for a fun and unusual gift for a child who likes robots, animals, gadgets or interactive toys, I think the R1 would be a good choice. Just be prepared for any real
dogs in the household to have some very strong opinions about their new robotic roommate!

 

Dr. K

REVIEW: April Wine – Animal Grace (1984)

APRIL WINE – Animal Grace (1984 Capitol/EMI)

11 albums in, and April Wine were riding high!  Myles Goodwyn, Brian Greenway, Steve Lang, Gary Moffet, and Jerry Mercer bunkered down in Morin Heights with Mike Stone co-producing, and emerged with some true grace…Animal Grace.  Let’s take a dive into the nine new songs they emerged with in 1984, all but one written by Myles.

 

 

 

 

THIS COULD BE THE RIGHT ONE.

Lead track and lead single.  Great riff, accompanied by melodic keyboards.  Myles’ impassioned vocals make for a great chorus, but the lush backing vocals really sell it.  There are some cringe lyrics though –  “I just wanna please you.  To give you pleasure is a pleasure for me.”  There is a superb double-tracked guitar solo, and nice thuddy 80s drums with that processed sound that went in and out of style.

SONS OF THE PIONEERS

Second single.  It has an interesting, jagged kind of riff.  It’s an an unusual song, a little proggy in vibe.  A little spacey in atmosphere.  More cringey lyrics – “Men not afraid of fear”.  “Sons of the Pioneers” is definitely one of the most interesting songs because it’s a bit different.  There is an absolutely smashing guitar solo.  Melodic and memorable, with a lot of fun hooks and some whammy work.

WITHOUT YOUR LOVE

This killer not-ballad sounds very much like a Journey outtake from 1983’s Frontiers.  Nice keys open the track, but it does sound like a Jon Cain backing a Neal Schon riff.  Not that this is a bad thing.  Even the drum patterns remind of Steve Smith in Journey.  One of the top tracks.  Almost haunting chorus with those keyboards.  Three in a row great guitar solos with memorable hooks, this one being particularly catchy.

ROCK TONITE

Just a good time, party song with a simple sentiment:  “Let’s rock tonight!”  It is the hardest rocking song so far, with basic lyrics about letting go and rocking tonight.  Don’t want no revolution, let’s rock tonight.  It’s feels so good.  Simple message.  First song on the album without a dominant keyboard, though you can still hear them.  This song is simply based on the riff.  The guitar solo this time is less full of “grace”, and more rock and roll energy.

HARD ROCK KID (Tom Lang cover)

Shades of “I Got Your Rock” by Frehley’s Comet.  Nice low-key chugging going on in the verses, with some wah-wah guitar accents.  Sounds very typical of the era with that chorus echo – “Hard rock kid…kid…kid!”

MONEY TALKS

Very sweet saccharine chorus, again with the great backing vocals.  The song itself is a bit janky, but the chorus really knocks it out.  Again, it’s something that Frehley could have done with the Comet, but the backing vocals are more from the oldies era of the early 60s.  Not among the top tracks on an album stacked with them, but the chorus is one of the best on the album.

GIMME THAT THING CALLED LOVE

This atmospheric song features keyboards of two types:  eerie opening keys, and different eerie ones on the chorus!  It’s a really interesting and unique slow-paced song.  Maybe Alice Cooper could have recorded it on one of his 80s blackout albums?  If he has, it would be a classic today.

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

A bit Rainbow, circa “Danger Zone” from Down to Earth.  The keyboards and guitars combine into one nice, smooth opening riff combo.  The chorus features great harmonies once again, but this song isn’t a standout.

LAST TIME I’LL EVER SING THE BLUES

Here we go with the classic blues groove.  Myles’ approach to the blues here is like Kim Mitchell’s, or Van Hagar’s.  The blues is the basis, but it’s a far more fun version of the blues.  The kind of blues to dance to.  The April Wine lush harmonies don’t quite meld with the blues, but maybe that’s what makes it unique.

With Animal Grace, April Wine concocted a strong collection of songs with 80s production values perfectly in synch with what was happening at the time.  A strong album, and still enjoyable for those who miss that sound.

3.5/5 stars

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Where Is Eddie? Book Review

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Where Is Eddie? Book Review

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

Did you ever have a Where’s Waldo book when you were growing up?  Or, perhaps you knew a niece or nephew who enjoyed finding the bespectacled Waldo on a joyfully printed page full of activity?  Here at Grab A Stack of Rock, we are no strangers to these illustrated search books.   Now you can get an Iron Maiden version:  Where Is Eddie? by Fantoons.

Featuring artwork interpreted from several key Iron Maiden albums and singles, your task is to find Eddie in each.  There are also numerous “easter eggs” to find on each page, with Maiden references deep and obscure.  Can you even find the band members?  It’s not that hard, but it sure is fun.

As Harrison continues his hiatus, this episode comes courtesy of Mike with Harrison’s understudy.  We hope you enjoy this little bonus episode!  When Harrison returns, the next episode will be #35  Legacy of the Beast.  Until then, have a look (not too spoiler-y) at this art book that goes from the 1980 debut up to The Book of Souls.  Up the Irons and see you again soon on 50 Years of Iron Maiden!

 

Episode available now, click image above!

 

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

REVIEW: AMOS TastySounds AudioLollipop – “Hip Hop Music” (Strawberry Flavor)

AMOS TastySounds AudioLollipop – “Hip Hop Music” (Strawberry Flavor)

Acquired at Treats & Tales in Kincardine Ontario.

For the first time since 2022, I have added a new physical music format to my life.  This isn’t a format that you can play on a disc player, or a turntable, or even on a digital device (unless you download the tracks conventionally, which you can do, but we’re not here to talk about that).  This isn’t a even format that you need any equipment to play.  All you need is…your mouth.

Youtuber Techmoan recently did a video review of the new device.  And it is partially edible!  It’s an audio lollipop you can play through your mouth.

I chose strawberry flavor, which corresponded to “Hip Hop Music”.  You can also choose orange, blueberry, and grape.  There are other versions available as well with a USB port and bluetooth connections, but we’re here to talk about the basic lolli.

With a heart-shaped candy on one end, and a fob shaped like headphones on the other, it was…delicious!

You activate the music by pushing and holding the lone button on the fob on one end.  Then the lolli starts vibrating, but unless it’s in your mouth, you can’t hear anything.  Stick the candy in your mouth and the magic happens!

The lolli works via bone conduction.  There are such things as bone conducting headphones, which I’ve never tried.  Insert candy, press play, and you can hear the music!  It kind of sounds like it’s coming from your mouth, and all around you.  There are multiple short songs on the lolli which I can’t identify.  Techmoan thought it sounded like something Nelly would do.    I’m not familiar enough with hip hop music to know, but it sounded good to my ears.  Err, my mouth.

The benefit here:  You can listen to music without subjecting anyone else to it.  You can listen without earbuds, in case you’re out walking and need to hear your surroundings.  You can push the button again to pause the tunes, and once more to un-pause.

The drawbacks:  The first time I tried it, I got a bit of a headache.  From the vibrations, presumably.  The second time, it tickled my mouth a bit.  While you can hear the music and the lyrics, it does sound muffled.  As if the music was coming from a club next door.

Another warning:  The box and instructions tell you to put earbuds in your ears.  There are no earbuds, and don’t attempt to put the candy in your ears!

It would be cool if future versions of the candy allowed you to upload your own mp3 files into the lolli.  It would be fun to play Kiss’s “Lick It Up” while sucking on the strawberry.

A novelty item, but a fun one.  For the die-hard music fan in your life who collects odd items and curios.  Now I can say I own another physical music format!

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: Ruko F11PRO 2 Plus drone

PRODUCT LINK:  Get yours on Amazon today.

RUKO F11PRO 2 Plus drone

Are you ready to level up your drone videos?  If you have been wanting to fly higher, further, faster and capture amazing videos while doing it, then the Ruko F11PRO 2 Plus might be the perfect fit for you.  All you need to get started is a micro SD card (to record video) and a phone.  This drone is 360 grams, so you will also need to register it, which can be done in minutes.  Check your local regulations.

The drone comes with two batteries which give you a flight time of 35 minutes each, depending on conditions.  This is longer than the average drone, usually good for 20 to 30 minutes.  You will also receive all the cables for any phone connection, spare propellers, and replacement tools.  Not to be underrated, the drone also comes with a paper manual instead of a PDF file.  The included controller is sleek, with a small digital screen feeding you information about battery life, GPS connection strength, distance and altitude.  It is easy to learn how to fly, and once calibrated, the drone is extremely stable.  If you take it straight up, you can bring it straight down with minimal drift.  The running lights make it easier to spot in the sky.  In hand, it feels strong, sturdy and robust.

If you’re already familiar with drones and their features, you probably want to know all about the camera.  The videos in this review (at bottom) are their own testimony.

Video and photo quality are unparalleled.  With photos at 8k UHD, and video footage at 4k and 30 fps, you will capture smoother, sleeker, clearer images than ever before.  The camera offers a 5X digital zoom as well.  When you take these videos and play them on a high definition display, it will feel as if you are flying.  The three-axis brushless gimbal is key to the smooth feel of these videos.  Whether you are maneuvering your drone, adjusting the camera angle, or doing both at once, the videos are completely smooth and always level.  Even in windy conditions, you won’t notice any shake on video.   The drone will remain steady as you capture the images with all your creativity unleashed.  The special sauce might actually be the Sony lens, for top colour reproduction and light capturing.  The videos demonstrate this incredible life-like colour reproduction.

The drone has many features you can access through the phone app.  Taking off and landing in one touch?  Got it.  The controls include a high powered “sport mode” with extra responsive controls, to handle higher wind situations.  If it loses signal or a battery runs too long, it will automatically “return to home” (a point you can set) and land.  Range?  10,000 feet!

Features aside, one thing you can’t appreciate about this drone by reading specs and manuals is just how fun it is to fly.  There is so much satisfaction in pulling the sticks back and starting the motors.  Then pushing the stick forward and watching the drone rise.  Feeling the controls and seeing the response from the drone, as it responds precisely to every movement.  Then letting it loose, and watching it speed confidently away, but always under complete control.  Release the stick, and the drone hovers still, awaiting your next command.

Equally as fun is working with the flawless videos you will capture.  No more editing around shaky moments.  Every detail becomes clear.  In particular, I enjoy discovering details that I didn’t notice while flying.  Whether it’s an accompanying seagull or the vivid deep blue of water, every flight seems to reveal new details about the world around us.

We could talk about the night mode, where you can capture better images in the dark.  We could discuss the Optical Flow Positioning feature, which allows the drone to navigate by its own built-in cameras when the GPS goes out.  There’s even an infrared sensor to measure distances for low-altitude flight.  There’s a GPS follow feature, programmable routes, and more.  Still, there is no topping the sheer satisfaction you get from performing a perfect, flawless manual landing.

After a thorough series of flights, there is only one feature that I wish this drone had.  I love the 5x zoom feature, but I wish there was an external control for it.  You have to tap a button, select “zoom”, and adjust it via the phone screen.  A zoom dial on the side would have been perfect!

If you are ready to take your drone flights to another level (literally) and come back with brilliant 4K footage, then the Ruko F11PRO 2 Plus is what you need.  When you fly it yourself and see the results, you’ll understand.

5/5 stars