Friday Iguana

Here is a captive Rhinoceros Iguana just hanging out.
(Image courtesy of Utica Zoo. This link has some Rhino Iguana Facts if you're into such things.)

WMAGNFARB - AI Addition #4

 I asked Gemini, "What would make a good name for a rock band?"  This is what it said:

1. The "Classic & Gritty" Vibe

Perfect for hard rock, blues rock, or garage rock.

• The Copperheads
• Rust & Ruin
• Midnight Dynamo
• Gravel & Gold
• The Iron Velvet
• Blackwood Echo

2. The "Modern Indie & Alternative" Vibe

Great for indie rock, post-punk revival, or synth-rock.

• Static Horizon
• Neon Ghosts
• The Paper Crowns
• Velvet Submarine
• Analog Heartbreak
• Echo Chamber

3. The "Heavy & Atmospheric" Vibe

Ideal for grunge, metal, psychedelic, or progressive rock.

• Sonic Eclipse
• vøidwalker (or Voidwalker)
• Crimson Tide
• Heavy Nebula
• Ashes of July
• The Ghost Frequency

4. The "Punchy & Minimalist" Vibe

Short, sharp, and easy to remember. Think punk, pop-punk, or alternative.

• Bedlam
• The Switch
• Feverish
• Stray Dog
• Riot Act
• Bad Habits

WMAGNFARB: Condemned to Plutocracy

I think I saw Condemned to Plutocracy open for Rage Against the Machine at Lollapalooza several years back.

Friday Iguana

There are lots of good Fiji Banded Iguan pictures around. Here is another one.
(Image courtesy of Blank Park Zoo (In Des Moines))

WMAGNFARB - AI Addition #3

I asked Copilot, "What would make a good name for a rock band?"  This is what it said:

Bold & High-Energy

• Voltage Saints — loud, electric, a little rebellious.
• Iron Carousel — gritty motion and metallic edge.
• Riot Meridian — chaos meets cosmic alignment.
• Static Monarchs — noisy royalty with swagger.

Dark & Atmospheric

• Black Lantern Union — moody, ritualistic, cinematic.
• Ash Cathedral — heavy, solemn, dramatic.
• Hollow Signal — eerie but modern.
• Nightglass Theory — sleek darkness with a sci‑fi edge.

Classic Rock‑Inspired

• The Silver Howl — bluesy, primal, timeless.
• Crimson Freight — gritty Americana with momentum.
• Stonewire Company — rugged and industrial.
• Thunder & Vine — earthy but explosive.

Modern & Alternative

• Neon Faultline — bright, fractured, energetic.
• Glass Harbor — clean, emotional, indie‑rock friendly.
• Echo District — urban, rhythmic, atmospheric.
• Signal Wolves — tech‑wild hybrid energy.

Playful or Quirky

• The Velvet Earthquake — soft meets seismic.
• Cosmic Laundry — surreal and memorable.
• Rusty Stardust — glam‑rock with grit.
• Banana Overdrive — chaotic fun with a wink.

Disclosure Day - A movie review

I am probably not going to spoil it too much, but I thought I would talk about my recent viewing of Disclosure Day. Overall, I found it 'Meh'. The brief and non-spoiler gist of the movie is "Suppose all that we've heard about aliens were true". So, Roswell happened. Alien autopsies happened. All of it. On "Disclosure Day" we will inform the world. For me, that is the biggest problem of the movie. All of those conspiracy theories have been so fully debunked, that the idea of a grand government conspiracy covering them up, hurts this movie hard.

Emily Blunt's performance is Oscar worthy. She does a lot of heavy lifting in this movie. It is part of the reason that I do not totally hate this movie. There is real interesting and good chemistry between her and Wyatt Russell. Also, there are moments when I think, "Wow! I am going to miss John Williams". In my opinion, those are the big highlights of the movie.

I do not want to knock Josh O'Connor's performance, because he is fine. However, I do not believe for a second that he is some sort of mathematical genius. In fact, I do not believe that his character is even a little smart. Mostly because the screen writers did not make him seem smart. In the movie, he does a bunch of plain old dumb things. Showing a bunch of mathematical symbols on a piece of paper is the only indication of his aptitude. If someone analyses that paper, it would probably turn out to be gibberish. Because, zero attention was given to what a "Mathematical Genius" would actually be like. Josh did not portray one.

Cookie cutter bad guys -- sorry Colin Firth. You root against them only because you are supposed to. Again, they are the giant government conspiracy folks who say things like "The Public is not ready to learn about aliens." How big a load of hooey is that? You strip that away, and the movie falls to ruins. Why is the public not ready? We have been living with "Roswell", "Area 51" and the rest since the late 1940s. We are well past ready.

I am a big fan of Mr. Spielberg. I hear "Spielberg" and I think it is probably good. He gets the benefit of the doubt for most things. This movie is very Spielbergian, but it misses at critical points. (Which is a problem that some of his movies suffer -- see "War of the Worlds") For me, some things will get a pass. However, if you are going to have a "Mathematical Genius", you had better convince me. Otherwise, it takes me out of my suspension of disbelief. Once out, it is hard to bring me back.

If you see it and like it, good for you. I really wanted to. However, if Emily Blunt had not given a tour de force performance, I probably would have hated the movie. So, there you go.

Friday Iguana

I haven't posted a Wikipedia Iguana yet. Now, I have. From the Wikipedia entry for Green Iguana
(By Daniel Schwen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link)

WMAGNFARB - AI Addition #2

I asked ChatGPT, "What would make a good name for a rock band?"  This is what it said:

1. Classic Rock

   • Black Harbor
   • Stone Revival
   • Iron Echo
   • Midnight Circuit
   • The Hollow Kings
   • Wild Static
   • Ember Road
   • Rust & Thunder

   Hard Rock / Metal

   • Ash Dominion
   • Crimson Voltage
   • Grave Horizon
   • Steel Revenant
   • Silent Ruin
   • Blood Meridian
   • Black Vulture
   • Riftbreaker

   Alternative / Indie Rock

   • Paper Satellites
   • Neon Pines
   • Glass Atlas
   • Lunar Motel
   • The Violet Static
   • Ghost Orchard
   • Northbound Fires
   • Velvet Signal

   Punk Rock

   • Cheap Exit
   • Broken Anthem
   • Dead Air
   • Riot Motel
   • Loose Wires
   • Brick Parade
   • Static Youth
   • Exit Velocity

   Grunge / Garage

   • Concrete Flowers
   • Feral Saints
   • Smoke Season
   • Dust Ritual
   • Hollow Teeth
   • Crooked Halo
   • The Last Match
   • Dirty Skyline

   One-word names

   • Overdrive
   • Faultline
   • Ironveil
   • Rift
   • Afterglow
   • Blackout
   • Wildfire
   • Static
   • Outcast
   • Emberfall

   If you want something with a little more personality, here are some names that sound distinctive without being overly serious:

   • The Bad Decisions
   • Loud Enough
   • Broken Compass
   • Dead Frequency
   • Noisy Silence
   • Whiskey Weather
   • Electric Ghosts
   • Velvet Riot
   • Kings of Static
   • Last Call Heroes

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher

Here is the fourth(!?!) installment of my Wesley Crusher comic. This is another Phil Plait inspired one. What would you do if a super nova was about to happen nearby? Use Einstein of course!

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher - Volume IV

Friday Iguana

'O sole mio! Sings the Cuban Rock Iguana.
(Image courtesy of San Diego Zoo)

WMAGNFARB - AI Addition #1

I asked DeepAI, "What would make a good name for a rock band?"  This is what it said:

1. Thunder Echoes  
2. Midnight Riot  
3. Iron Pulse  
4. Crimson Voltage  
5. Velvet Rebellion  
6. Blackout Anthem  
7. Stonefire Revival  
8. Atomic Static  
9. Rebel Spectrum  
10. Shadow Voltage

Friday Iguana

Here is a beautiful Fijian Crested Iguana.
(Image courtesy of The Iguana Foundation). This link is about gardening for iguanas. Enjoy!

WMAGNFARB: Nighty Bunny

I am really enjoying that Nighty Bunny album Doll with Radium Eyes.

Friday Iguana

Enjoy this young iguana hanging out.
(Image courtesy of North Madison Animal Hospital. This link gives decent information about having an Iguana as a pet.)

WMAGNFARB: The Cave of Spleen

I think I saw The Cave of Spleen follow Country Joe and the Fish at Woodstock.

WMAGNFARB: Horsetalk Helmet

I think I saw Horsetalk Helmet open for Mumford & Sons a few years back.

Friday Iguana

Here is a Bahamian Rock Iguana coming right at you!
(Image courtesy of Swimming with Pigs

WMAGNFARB: Xenomorph Egg Wind-Up Toy

I think I saw Xenomorph Egg Wind-Up Toy at Bonnaroo a few years back.

WMAGNFARB: Concrete Weed Grinder

I think I saw Concrete Weed Grinder open for 4 Non Blondes in the mid 90's.

Friday Iguana

Here is Blue the Green Iguana. An Instagram influencer. Enjoy
(Give them a follow if your so inclined here.)

WMAGNFARB: Fishes Cycle

Most of the time, a Rock Band name comes from an internet article's title. However, some just come to me, and I will start posting those -- like Fishes Cycle.

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher

Here is the third installment of my Wesley Crusher comic. This one comes from my thoughts about making Mars livable. No one even considers crashing Ganymede into Mars -- the problems that would solve. Anyway...

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher - Volume III

Star Trek: Lower Decks

When I was reviewing Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, I said that I haven't liked a Star Trek show since Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  That was an incorrect statement.  I liked Star Trek: Lower Decks.  The thing is, I found Lower Decks to be entertaining.  I just wish it were better.

I think they were attempting to thread a needle between being funny and being Star Trek.  Everyone in Starfleet has to be competent.  Thus, none of the Lower Decks people are complete screw-ups.  They may let their enthusiasm lead to them making bad decisions, but they are all bound for promotion.  That is the main flaw in the show.  None of them will be in the Lower Decks forever.  They will all be highly respected members of a crew somewhere -- even Boimler.

Thus, they missed the point of their own premise.  Support crew for star ships may not always be support crew.  The premise - at least in my mind it should be - is how do star ships function?  They function with a long time staff doing these tasks.  People who can follow orders.  People with very specialized skills that do not translate into other positions.  This would be a much better show.  It shouldn't have been about young "up and comers" just waiting for their big break.  Those ensigns can pass through, but it should not have been about them.  It should have been about the career engineer that knows the warp core backwards and forwards, but cannot make the replicators work.

It was a fine show.  I enjoyed it.  A few of the characters (Mariner and Boimler) were just about right.  They just needed to fill it out with older veterans who have seen a few things.  People who just couldn't pull things together to get promoted.  People envious of Tendi and Rutherford who come in and are super capable that they get promoted.  Those would be the true "Lower Deck" staff.

Yes.  I am THAT guy.

Friday Iguana

2026 has been all about the cold iguanas falling from trees in Florida. So, enjoy this Blue Iguana from the Caymen Islands.
(Image courtesy of Safe Worldwide. Read about Blue Iguanas here.)

Friday Iguana

This is from an Treehugger article entitled: 9 Illuminating Facts About Iguanas
. It was from a few years ago.
(Image courtesy of Read that article here.)

Friday Iguana

A Fijian crested iguana resting on a coconut palm on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific.

(Image courtesy of Popular Science and an article about how Fiji possibly got its Iguanas.)

Friday Iguana

Kissy kissy! A couple of Marine Iguanas from the Galápagos Islands​. (Image courtesy of How Stuff Works)

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher

The heart of this story goes way back to the George W Bush presidency. It was during the War on Drugs™ and before the War on Terror™ Anyway, I cannibalized that story for this comic. I hope you enjoy it.

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher - Volume II

WMAGNFARB: Turned On By Avocado

I think I saw Turned On By Avocado open for Trampled by Turtles a few years back.

Friday Iguana

This is the Desert Iguana -- a very hearty fellow indeed! (Image courtesy of Nevada Department of Wildlife)

WMAGNFARB: Tactical Pyjamas

I think I saw Tactical Pyjamas at Coachella a few years back.

Friday Iguana

This Iguana is the "Spokesmodel"
for a very worthy group. Check them out!
(Image courtesy of International Iguana Foundation)

WMAGNFARB: Edible Spaceships

I think I saw Edible Spaceships open for Meteor over Ohio!

WMAGNFARB: Meteor over Ohio

In the tradition of the Ohio Players, I would like to introduce you to Meteor over Ohio.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

I suppose I should talk about “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy”, or as it should be called “Starfleet Academy 90210”. I have not watched the entire first season, but my take is that it is a group of pretty young people having pretty young people problems in space. So, it is not for a show for me.

Let’s start with the main characters. They are all unlikeable. (Angsty teens in their early 20s) You have the rebel bad boy and his rollercoaster relationship. You have the Klingon – not bad boy – who grumbles and growls a bunch. A rebel Klingon so he wants to just get along with everyone. You have the Prince of Space who doesn’t get along with anyone. You have the daughter of high-ranking official who wants to make her own way. Blah blah blah

Interesting characters: Sam (the photonic cadet), although I am afraid, they may have just ruined her. Most of the supporting cast is also well done – Holly Hunter, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Paul Giamatti...

In a very Star Trek manner, the first season is very uneven. Every major problem: the entire universe is in jeopardy. Every minor problem: a minor problem blown out of proportion. I simply do not care. This -- in the end -- is the issue. If the characters were less hate-able. If I found any one of them something other than a stock issue young person in school. Maybe then I would care about their doom. I just don’t.

I guess what I am saying is that the drama is either too much or not enough. There isn’t anything in between. So, the most recent Star Trek shows, I am not a fan. To be honest (TBH) I haven’t liked much Star Trek since Deep Space Nine. I guess there is that. So, am I a Star Trek fan? Hmmmmmm.

WMAGNFARB: Gluttonous Cannibals

I think Gluttonous Cannibals is a good tribute band for the Fine Young Cannibals.

WMAGNFARB: Cetacean Chatter

I think I saw Cetacean Chatter open for They Might Be Giants back in the day.

Friday Iguana

Look at this beautiful Saint Lucia iguana! More iguana info found at the link below.
Such as this tidbit: "Saint Lucia used to be called "Iyanola," meaning "Land of the Iguanas"

(Image courtesy of Phys.Org)

WMAGNFARB: Mustard Watches

I think I saw Mustard Watches open for Meat Loaf

WMAGNFARB: Dish of Neurons Playing Doom

I think I saw Dish of Neurons Playing Doom at Burning Man.

Friday Iguana

This Jamaican iguana is in it for the noms. Mmmmmmmmm.

(Image courtesy of Licoln Park Zoo.)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Wedding Bell Blues

Making a prequel is hard. It is doubly hard when you are making the prequel for a show made 50+ years ago. You want to use all the wiz-bang of today, that was impossible when the original was made. So, when the original used sliders, clickers, and analog devices, your prequel must also. No touch screens for you!

I am going to put on my Pedantry Pendant and offer up some spoilers. So, if you haven’t seen the episode in question, you may want to skip this.

*** -- Spoiler Alert! Spoilers Ahead -- ***

Let’s start with Trelane. If you have seen the "Squire of Gothos" from the Original Series, you know who Trelane is. If you haven’t seen this episode, let me fill you in. Trelane is a powerful (Q-like) being who lives on a planet that is about 900 lightyears away from Earth.. When he looks at Earth through his telescope persumably, his view is of the past. He thinks Earthlings are still in the Napoleonic period. Oh wait, how can that be? He was on Earth (in Strange New Worlds) a few years before the Enterprise comes to his planet!

Prequel problem! (Pedantry alert!) You like Trelane and you want to use him – YOU CAN’T! You would like to tie him to Q from the Next Generation – YOU CAN’T. It is a continuity problem. You cannot introduce the Borg. You cannot even use the Romulans because no one knows what they look like until Kirk is the Captain of the Enterprise. This is not the fan service you’re looking for!

So, that is bad enough. But, it gets worse. MUCH worse! You may think (wrongly) that the reason Spock and Christine did not get together on the Original Series was because of Spock’s Vulcan side. He is unemotional, etc. His Vulcan logic will not allow him to experience love. You can semi-gloss over that. He could say he dedicated himself to the Vulcan ways after the captain switch. The problem here is that Spock is ENGAGED to T’Pring! Vulcan biology is not logical, but we know this. Spock is not going to cheat on his Fiancé. He has honor.

So, this episode is dumb up and down. It was meant to be a light fluffy episode to get us past the darkness of the Gorn war. (Borg in a frog suit). I do not know if I will continue watching - it was THAT bad. What is next Tribbles?

Star Trek: Wesley Crusher

So, I have been working on this project for quite a while. During Covid, I was watching a lot of Star Trek (TOS). I was also listening to Radio Free Burito by Wil Wheaton. I also got Still Just a Geek as a present. With all that in mind, I had a dream.

It was the first 4 pages of this comic "Star Trek: Wesley Crusher - Volume 1". I eventually crafted the entire comic around that dream. If you know things about the fate of Wesley Crusher, you know things that don't line up. Stay tuned. I know too!

A new comic will be posted here, on the first Tuesday of the month for several months. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks!

Friday Iguana

The San Fransisco Zoo is home to this fine Marine Iguana

(Image courtesy of San Fransisco Zoo.)

WMAGNFARB: Most Maximal Synth Sorcerer

I think I saw Most Maximal Synth Sorcerer in concert a few years back.

WMAGNFARB: Tax Deductible Bikinis

I think I saw Tax Deductible Bikinis open for Rage Against the Machine a few years back.

Friday Iguana

Here is an iguana that has found a home

(Image courtesy of Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, FL.)

WMAGNFARB: Anti-Vaccine Cows

I think I saw Anti-Vaccine Cows open for Cowboy Junkies a few years back.

Am I back?

Greetings everyone. I thought I would fire up the old Blog to feature a project that I have been working on for quite a while. I have posted elsewhere about this, but then I realized, "Hey! I have a blog" (Had a blog?) So, there may not be a "Friday Iguana" or "Dwayne's Robot Romper Room", but there will be at least a monthly post for a while. Wow! Once a month. Very ambitious. Well, I have been writing this comic book that comes out once a month. At least, that is what I will be posting about. Who knows, maybe more will come of this!?! Maybe we will see some more WMAGNFARBs. The sky is the limit. Thanks for visiting!