Just got back from Las Vegas and the Vegas Valley Book Fest.  One of the highlights (besides sitting across from Felix Silla, a.k.a. Twikki from Buck Rogers), was my trip to the Pinball Hall of Fame!

The PHOF houses around 200 old and new pinball machines in pristine condition, and there for you to drop quarters in.  I played some serious classics, like Twilight Zone, Theatre of Magic, Medievel (sp?) Madness, and  some super old ones from the fifties and sixties and some totally strange ones.

Apparently, one of the machines I played was a prototype of a game that completely tweaked the traditional pinball machine.  It was a game that went up three levels, and was so out of the ordinary that no one wanted to take a chance on it, so only two were made.

I hear the owners have about 800(!!) machines that they bring in and out of the PHOF, so it’s worth checking out every time you visit Vegas.  Thanks to F. Andrew Taylor and his brood for taking me there.

Here’s a good list of favorite pinball machines.  I agree with most of what people are talking about.

I didn’t get to Harlem when I was in NYC last month, so Bill Withers live will have to do: