VIDEO: Bob snaps upan opportunity to build giant crocodile - Midhurst and Petworth Today: "This is the latest jaw-dropping creation from Barnham blacksmith and sculptor Bob Fuller.
Bob has been working on the 30ft steel crocodile for the last six months and the project is now nearing the completion.
This beast of a work of art weighs around two tonnes and will soon be appearing at Avisford Park Golf Club where several of Bob's previous sculptures reside."
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
A Great Baseball Card Story
Surprise Find: A 139-Year-Old Baseball Card -- Courant.com: "FRESNO, Calif. - Bernice Gallego sat down one day this summer, as she does pretty much every day, and began listing items on eBay.
She dug into a box and pulled out a baseball card. She stopped for a moment and admired the picture. 'Red Stocking B.B. Club of Cincinnati,' the card said, under a sepia tone photo of 10 men with their socks pulled up to their knees. The card itself was dirty and wrinkled in a few places.
It was definitely old, Gallego thought. As a collector and seller, it's her job to spot old items that might have value today, to find the gems among the junk."
She dug into a box and pulled out a baseball card. She stopped for a moment and admired the picture. 'Red Stocking B.B. Club of Cincinnati,' the card said, under a sepia tone photo of 10 men with their socks pulled up to their knees. The card itself was dirty and wrinkled in a few places.
It was definitely old, Gallego thought. As a collector and seller, it's her job to spot old items that might have value today, to find the gems among the junk."
Habitat for Travis
Travis Erwin is a Texas writer. Like James Reasoner last year, Travis has lost his home to fire. If you'd like to help out, click the link.
Habitat for Travis: "On the morning of January 4th Travis Erwin's house burned down. Erica Orloff and friends have launched an effort to help him build a new one.
Travis takes life incrementally (one word, one rung, one day at a time), so that's the way we're going to do it: one brick at a time.
The price of each brick in Travis's new house is $25, and you can buy as many as you like. If you buy enough to complete an entire room, we're pretty sure Travis will let you sleep in it."
Habitat for Travis: "On the morning of January 4th Travis Erwin's house burned down. Erica Orloff and friends have launched an effort to help him build a new one.
Travis takes life incrementally (one word, one rung, one day at a time), so that's the way we're going to do it: one brick at a time.
The price of each brick in Travis's new house is $25, and you can buy as many as you like. If you buy enough to complete an entire room, we're pretty sure Travis will let you sleep in it."
No More Fairy Tales!
Traditional fairytales 'not PC enough' for parents - Telegraph: "A third of parents refused to read Little Red Riding Hood because she walks through woods alone and finds her grandmother eaten by a wolf.
One in 10 said Snow White should be re-named because 'the dwarf reference is not PC'.
Rapunzel was considered 'too dark' and Cinderella has been dumped amid fears she is treated like a slave and forced to do all the housework."
One in 10 said Snow White should be re-named because 'the dwarf reference is not PC'.
Rapunzel was considered 'too dark' and Cinderella has been dumped amid fears she is treated like a slave and forced to do all the housework."
Morris Dancing Update
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Arts & Culture | Morris dancing 'extinction' fear: "Morris dancing could be 'extinct' within 20 years because young people are too embarrassed to take part, a UK Morris association has warned.
The number of people taking part in the English folk dance is falling while the average age of the dancers is going up."
The number of people taking part in the English folk dance is falling while the average age of the dancers is going up."
I Knew This all Along
Paris Hilton: 'I've Only Slept With A Couple Of People' - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog: "Paris Hilton has only slept with 'a couple of people' - because she respects herself too much.
The Simple Life star has had high profile relationships with former Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter and Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, but is currently single after splitting from the rocker in November. And Hilton insists she just kisses the majority of her suitors, and plays 'hard to get' to ensure men are serious about dating her."
The Simple Life star has had high profile relationships with former Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter and Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, but is currently single after splitting from the rocker in November. And Hilton insists she just kisses the majority of her suitors, and plays 'hard to get' to ensure men are serious about dating her."
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
And Yet PUSHING DAISIES was Canceled
The Media Equation - A Star Turn for a Sheriff on Reality TV - NYTimes.com: "With his reputation for being tough on crime and his way with a good quote, Joseph M. Arpaio, the sheriff and jailer of Maricopa County in Arizona would seem to be a reality show waiting to happen.
The wait is over. In the last two weeks, the Fox Reality Channel has broadcast “Smile ...You’re Under Arrest,” a prank-fueled effort to bring nonviolent offenders with outstanding warrants in or near Phoenix to justice.
Television producers, with Mr. Arpaio’s enthusiastic assent, sent out notices to scofflaws suggesting that they had won a contest and need only show up to claim a $300 prize. Once there, they are hoodwinked into participating in fake fashion shows or movie shoots before uniformed deputies come out from behind the curtain and slap bracelets on them."
Hat tip to Vince Keenan.
The wait is over. In the last two weeks, the Fox Reality Channel has broadcast “Smile ...You’re Under Arrest,” a prank-fueled effort to bring nonviolent offenders with outstanding warrants in or near Phoenix to justice.
Television producers, with Mr. Arpaio’s enthusiastic assent, sent out notices to scofflaws suggesting that they had won a contest and need only show up to claim a $300 prize. Once there, they are hoodwinked into participating in fake fashion shows or movie shoots before uniformed deputies come out from behind the curtain and slap bracelets on them."
Hat tip to Vince Keenan.
And Yet PUSHING DAISIES was Canceled
A&E reality show has cops chasing ghosts--The Live Feed: "Who you gonna call? How about 911?
A&E is seeking to one-up Sci Fi's 'Ghost Hunters' with a new series that blends paranormal investigation with law enforcement.
The network has greenlit a new unscripted series called 'Paranormal Cops,' about a group of Chicago police officers who moonlight as ghost chasers in their spare time.
Given the team's law enforcement credentials, the format seeks to add a new layer of credibility to an increasingly popular reality TV genre which has featured ghost hunting teams founded by professional plumbers, college students and academics."
A&E is seeking to one-up Sci Fi's 'Ghost Hunters' with a new series that blends paranormal investigation with law enforcement.
The network has greenlit a new unscripted series called 'Paranormal Cops,' about a group of Chicago police officers who moonlight as ghost chasers in their spare time.
Given the team's law enforcement credentials, the format seeks to add a new layer of credibility to an increasingly popular reality TV genre which has featured ghost hunting teams founded by professional plumbers, college students and academics."
And Yet Pushing Daisies Has Been Canceled
nytimes.com: “Homeland Security USA,” an ABC reality series about the men and women who police our borders, has the look and sound of a documentary without the pesky burden of responsibility — it’s homage, not reportage. And that’s not a surprise, given that the executive producer, Arnold Shapiro, the creator of “Rescue 911” and “Big Brother,” is also the mastermind behind “Blow Out,” a reality series about Beverly Hills hairdressing.
Viewers long ago became inured to the blurring of news and entertainment. Shows like “Cops,” on Fox, which follows real-life deputies and police officers as they raid crack dens, break up domestic disputes and chase speeding cars, have proven appeal. Yet there is something more than usually troubling about a network series that purports to cover the full canvas of homeland security and that is made with the assistance — and censorship (they call it “prescreening”) — of the Department of Homeland Security. The result is an exclusive, inside look at a recruitment video.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Keep off her Lawn!
Seventy-year-old woman holds home intruder at gunpoint, talks about ordeal: "It's not uncommon to hear stories of people defending their homes and themselves from intruders-- but when it's a 70-year-old woman, that story is a bit more uncommon.
It's exactly what happened in St. Joseph County on Sunday night, after an intruder broke into an elderly woman's home on Portage Road.
The woman held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. That man is 28-year-old Cyrus Brown. Brown is being held in jail on a number of charges, including burglary and intimidation."
It's exactly what happened in St. Joseph County on Sunday night, after an intruder broke into an elderly woman's home on Portage Road.
The woman held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. That man is 28-year-old Cyrus Brown. Brown is being held in jail on a number of charges, including burglary and intimidation."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
The new year brings a new format to Houston radio. Beginning Monday, January 5, 2009, “Classic Cool” will reunite Houston listeners with the Rat Pack, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall, Michael Buble, and Norah Jones. Hosts Ronnie Renfrow and Tom Richards will join listeners for the drive home beginning at 4pm, Monday through Friday.
Longtime Houston radio personality Ronnie Renfrow and his Classic Cool team have created a format that is unique not only to Houston, but to the national radio scene as well.
“This is by far the biggest programming void in radio. The artists of Classic Cool are selling millions of CD’s annually, but listeners have had nowhere to go on the dial – until now,” Renfrow said.
“This is definitely not a nostalgia format,” Renfrow stressed. “Classic Cool is far removed from that approach in that we will feature new music from contemporary artists who are all over the Billboard charts.”
Classic Cool will present a blend of singers, classic jazz, Latin, and blues. Stars of the show include Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, and B.B. King, to name just a few.
The format’s web site – classiccool.com - is the first of its kind, exploring music both new and vintage. Visitors to the site can register to win rare and valuable prizes, including musical collectibles. Listeners will also be able to participate in online exchanges with the hosts, who are experts on the artists and the music. Additionally, the web site will be a resource for information on live music performances in Houston.
Hat tip to Mike McGruff.
Longtime Houston radio personality Ronnie Renfrow and his Classic Cool team have created a format that is unique not only to Houston, but to the national radio scene as well.
“This is by far the biggest programming void in radio. The artists of Classic Cool are selling millions of CD’s annually, but listeners have had nowhere to go on the dial – until now,” Renfrow said.
“This is definitely not a nostalgia format,” Renfrow stressed. “Classic Cool is far removed from that approach in that we will feature new music from contemporary artists who are all over the Billboard charts.”
Classic Cool will present a blend of singers, classic jazz, Latin, and blues. Stars of the show include Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, and B.B. King, to name just a few.
The format’s web site – classiccool.com - is the first of its kind, exploring music both new and vintage. Visitors to the site can register to win rare and valuable prizes, including musical collectibles. Listeners will also be able to participate in online exchanges with the hosts, who are experts on the artists and the music. Additionally, the web site will be a resource for information on live music performances in Houston.
Hat tip to Mike McGruff.
Uh-Oh
Sigourney says 'Ghostbusters' sequel is on | Pop Machine - Entertainment with all the fizz: "BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—Sigourney Weaver is usually so busy being peppered with questions about another 'Alien' sequel (her answer: it might happen) that she rarely has to address the other lucrative franchise with which she has been associated.
So, Sigourney, any word on that proposed 'Ghostbusters' sequel?
'I hear it's a real thing,' she said while promoting her new, animated 'The Tale of Despereaux.' 'I hear that Bill's [Murray] going to do it.'"
So, Sigourney, any word on that proposed 'Ghostbusters' sequel?
'I hear it's a real thing,' she said while promoting her new, animated 'The Tale of Despereaux.' 'I hear that Bill's [Murray] going to do it.'"
Transsiberian
This was a terrific little movie. Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer are a couple of Americans in China on a mission trip for their church. Because Harrelson's a train buff, they take the Transsiberian Express from Bejing to Moscow. Along the way they meet another couple, a young American woman and her older Spanish companion. There's something a little odd about them, and it turns out the Mortimer isn't exactly what she'd seemed to be. Complications ensue. Boy, do they ever. I had no idea where this movie was going, and it filled me with a sense of dread and anxiety in a way that no movie's done for years. The cast is great right down the line, and that certainly includes Ben Kingsley as a Russian cop. The less said about the plot, the better. You should let the movie spring its own surprises. The suspense builds slowly at first, but soon enough the plot takes off like a runaway train. Check it out.
Detroit Leads the Way
University aims to save 'good words' - UPI.com: "DETROIT, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A Detroit university has created a Web site aimed at keeping 'good' but rarely used words in the public lexicon, officials said.
Wayne State University's 'Word Warriors' Web site, which can be seen at www.wordwarriors.wayne.edu, states its goal as to 'bring good words back from oblivion,' The Detroit News reported Monday.
The Web site lists 'mercurial,' a synonym of fickle; 'sycophant,' another word for a suck-up; and 'charlatan,' a term for an imposter, among its initial group of words that need saving."
Wayne State University's 'Word Warriors' Web site, which can be seen at www.wordwarriors.wayne.edu, states its goal as to 'bring good words back from oblivion,' The Detroit News reported Monday.
The Web site lists 'mercurial,' a synonym of fickle; 'sycophant,' another word for a suck-up; and 'charlatan,' a term for an imposter, among its initial group of words that need saving."
The Hag Goes Straight
Merle Haggard Ready to Kick the Habit - The Boot: "Merle Haggard, who criticized pot-smokers in his 1969 hit 'Okie From Muskogee,' is now coming clean with his own battle with marijuana. What began as a doctor-suggested alternative to Valium turned into an addiction that the 71-year-old country legend has tried to quit in the past. But now, after his recent bout with lung cancer that included surgery to remove part of his lung, the Hag is ready to kick the habit for good."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
A Forgotten Book
Steve Lewis has posted my 1001 Midnights review of One for my Dame over on Mystery*File. The novel is by Jack Webb (not the Dragnet Jack Webb), a writer who deserves to be better remembered.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Former Newspaper Rivals Cooperate As Jobs Are Cut: "(January 05, 2009)—Just over a decade ago, rival newspapers on either side of Arlington fought fiercely for every reader in the fast-growing Metroplex.
The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram spent millions of dollars to expand their staffs and cover the smallest meetings and sporting events.
Twelve years later, it might come as a surprise that the two North Texas rivals started sharing photos and concert reviews in November."
The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram spent millions of dollars to expand their staffs and cover the smallest meetings and sporting events.
Twelve years later, it might come as a surprise that the two North Texas rivals started sharing photos and concert reviews in November."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Man will throw Lexus in with home sale - UPI.com: "HOUSTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A man desperate to sell a luxury home in Houston in the current down U.S. real estate market is offering to throw in a Lexus to make a sale, a broker says.
Broker Pam Harris said upon hearing that Barry Reynolds had offered to add a new car to any finalized sale of his 5,500-square-foot home, she was immediately intrigued, KHOU-TV, Houston, said Monday.
She said by offering the new car to potential buyers, Reynolds was making his real estate offering more attractive to the limited number of home buyers during the ongoing economic crisis."
Broker Pam Harris said upon hearing that Barry Reynolds had offered to add a new car to any finalized sale of his 5,500-square-foot home, she was immediately intrigued, KHOU-TV, Houston, said Monday.
She said by offering the new car to potential buyers, Reynolds was making his real estate offering more attractive to the limited number of home buyers during the ongoing economic crisis."
Forbidden Planet Update
Forbidden Planet trilogy with James Cameron: Freud, Shakespeare, and Robby the Robot - SFFMedia: "Following reports that Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Stracynski is developing a remake of the 1956 science fiction classic Forbidden Planet, comes news that he is aiming for a trilogy and that James Cameron has met Stracynski to discuss directing the first movie."
Retire to Mars
Where do I sign up?
Forget the bungalow, retire to Mars - Times Online: "When someone looks you in the eye and tells you he’s planning a supersonic electric plane and a retirement community on Mars, it can be hard to take him seriously.
It gets a little easier when you realise he is worth more than $325m, owns the world’s most successful electric sports car company, has put a rocket into orbit and was hired by Nasa last month to help it keep the International Space Station supplied."
Forget the bungalow, retire to Mars - Times Online: "When someone looks you in the eye and tells you he’s planning a supersonic electric plane and a retirement community on Mars, it can be hard to take him seriously.
It gets a little easier when you realise he is worth more than $325m, owns the world’s most successful electric sports car company, has put a rocket into orbit and was hired by Nasa last month to help it keep the International Space Station supplied."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Houston bookstore tied to True Blood's Sookie Stackhouse | Life | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "[Today, Charlaine] Harris will be in Houston to discuss Sookie, vampires and what it’s like to hear the words she wrote spoken on TV. Her talk at the Houston Public Library downtown was brought together in part by Murder by the Book on Bissonnet.
Indeed, the store and its employees have long been tied to Sookie and her creator.
Harris’ first Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Until Dark, sputtered into existence in 2001 with some help by Dean James, then the general manager of Murder By the Book."
Indeed, the store and its employees have long been tied to Sookie and her creator.
Harris’ first Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Until Dark, sputtered into existence in 2001 with some help by Dean James, then the general manager of Murder By the Book."
Pariah -- Dave Zeltserman
Small Crimes got a lot of attention for Dave Zeltserman in 2008. This year, Pariah should get even more. If you like hardboiled noir, this book's for you.Kyle Nevin, just released from prison, is looking for a couple of things: revenge and a big score. He's out to get back at Red Mahoney, who set him up to take the fall, and his former girl friend. The big score is a kidnapping planned by guy who was in prison with Nevin. To do the job, Nevin needs the help of his brother, Danny, who's now living the straight life and thinking it's not too bad.
If I told you any more, I'd be taking a lot of the fun out of your reading the book, which is fast, furious, and funny. I haven't even mentioned what goes on in the last third of the story, which was, for me, the most amusing part of the book. I don't mean this is a farce. It's far from a comedy, but it's sharply satirical and mean as a junkyard dog with a burr on its butt.
Pariah is from Serpent's Tail, and it's available in Britain right now. You can order a copy, or you can wait for the U. S. publication this year. If you have any interest in tough-guy noir, you'll want to get hold of this one as soon as you can.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Esquire's Clint Eastwood Interview
Clint Eastwood Biography - Clint Eastwood Quotes - Esquire: "In a rare interview as he stars in Gran Turino, the Hollywood legend opens up about the 'pussy generation,' America's blasé remembrance of 9/11, Barack Obama achieving the unimaginable, the beginning of his acting career (hint: good-lookin' chicks), and, yes, that grunt."
Blockbuster or Bust
Blockbuster or Bust - WSJ.com: "Dark days are upon the book industry. Last month alone, Random House announced a massive restructuring; Simon & Schuster laid off 35 staffers; the adult division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt stopped acquiring manuscripts for the rest of the year; and HarperCollins sent comedian Sarah Silverman a contract worth $2.5 million to write her first book.
Yes, that's right -- amid the worst economic crisis to hit the United States in decades, publishing executives are still making what many see as outrageous gambles on new manuscripts."
But not on mine.
Yes, that's right -- amid the worst economic crisis to hit the United States in decades, publishing executives are still making what many see as outrageous gambles on new manuscripts."
But not on mine.
They'd Take a Bullet for the President
But would they take a shoe for him?
PARADE Magazine | They'd Give Their Lives For The President: "Special Agent Malcolm D. Wiley Sr., a former college-football player, has a winning smile and a handshake that could bend steel. He's been in the U.S. Secret Service for 17 years, part of that time directly guarding the President. How does it feel to go to work knowing that he may have to take a bullet? 'It comes with the job,' he says crisply. 'It's an honor to protect the President. End of discussion.'"
PARADE Magazine | They'd Give Their Lives For The President: "Special Agent Malcolm D. Wiley Sr., a former college-football player, has a winning smile and a handshake that could bend steel. He's been in the U.S. Secret Service for 17 years, part of that time directly guarding the President. How does it feel to go to work knowing that he may have to take a bullet? 'It comes with the job,' he says crisply. 'It's an honor to protect the President. End of discussion.'"
It's James Bond's Birthday
The real one, that is.
James Bond (ornithologist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "James Bond (January 4, 1900 – February 14, 1989) was a leading American ornithologist whose name was appropriated by writer Ian Fleming for his fictional spy, James Bond."
James Bond (ornithologist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "James Bond (January 4, 1900 – February 14, 1989) was a leading American ornithologist whose name was appropriated by writer Ian Fleming for his fictional spy, James Bond."
More Discouraging Publishing News
The SF Site: News: "Gordon van Gelder has announced that the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction will change to a bi-monthly publication schedule rather than its current eleven issues per year. According to van Gelder, the change is aimed at keeping production costs down. Although only six issues will be published each year, there will only be a cut of about 10% of the wordage due to an increased size for each issue."
Top 10 Treasure Finds of 2008
A Collector’s Dream Come True - 10 Amazing Uncovered Treasures From 2008 � The Avid Collector: "It’s amazing what you can find! These unbelievable discoveries of 2008 make it exciting to be a collector, and for many of these lucky finders, provide quite a nice cash reward as well. Maybe it is finally time to dig your old metal detector out of the closet (doesn’t everybody have one of those?) and think about building some extra income this year - with some kind of awesome discovery! Avast, matey, buried treasure!"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Tyler Paper - Tyler Morning Telegraph: "The distinctive smells of leather and cologne greet you as you enter the closet of D.M. Edwards.
Rows and rows of boots, in immaculate, perfect order, not a speck of dirt on them, line the shelves.
There are exotic boots made from the mountainous, craggy skin of an alligator, scaly boots made from snake skin, electric blue boots, deep green boots and a beautifully tooled pair of 'Tyler' boots, complete with the words 'Lone' and 'Star' emblazoned on them.
Even with 126 pairs, Edwards, a Tyler businessman and self-proclaimed collector, is still searching for more."
Rows and rows of boots, in immaculate, perfect order, not a speck of dirt on them, line the shelves.
There are exotic boots made from the mountainous, craggy skin of an alligator, scaly boots made from snake skin, electric blue boots, deep green boots and a beautifully tooled pair of 'Tyler' boots, complete with the words 'Lone' and 'Star' emblazoned on them.
Even with 126 pairs, Edwards, a Tyler businessman and self-proclaimed collector, is still searching for more."
Saturday, January 03, 2009
A Tribute to Donald Westlake
David Laurence Wilson sent me this one.
Oh boy, this one hurts. Westlake and I had several friends in common
and all spoke affectionately and respectfully of him, always. His
personality was as large, it seems, as the shadow from his prose.
Everyone else was in second place. I very much hoped to meet him
and add him to my series of interviews with crime writers but we were
never in the same place at the same time. A great writer who may
be my all-time favorite, who convinced me again of the undying beauty
of the novel and the mystery form. For many years there's been no
one who I'd seek out in the bookstores like Westlake. A new Stark
was an event for me. Just a great great loss. I have so few heroes
left.
Death seems to have greeted him as a professional, swift and sudden,
without emotion or hesitation. A Westlake moment. Despite his
subjects, and the controlled mayhem of his characters. Westlake was a
writer of elegance and compassion. I was pleased last week because
I'd found a copy of his first novel. I was going to quote from
another of his books but I've pulled it out often enough that it
wasn't filed with its cousins, a book he did not claim but that I
returned to, on occasion, because it filled me with a great sense of
compassion. It consoled me and made some of life's challenges easier
to bear.
This is the life of a writer. You will touch the lives of those you
have never met. You will help them through their own private hells
and they will weep, someday, when you are gone.
I'll have to go and reread some of my favorite memories with the
guy. He left us so much.
Oh boy, this one hurts. Westlake and I had several friends in common
and all spoke affectionately and respectfully of him, always. His
personality was as large, it seems, as the shadow from his prose.
Everyone else was in second place. I very much hoped to meet him
and add him to my series of interviews with crime writers but we were
never in the same place at the same time. A great writer who may
be my all-time favorite, who convinced me again of the undying beauty
of the novel and the mystery form. For many years there's been no
one who I'd seek out in the bookstores like Westlake. A new Stark
was an event for me. Just a great great loss. I have so few heroes
left.
Death seems to have greeted him as a professional, swift and sudden,
without emotion or hesitation. A Westlake moment. Despite his
subjects, and the controlled mayhem of his characters. Westlake was a
writer of elegance and compassion. I was pleased last week because
I'd found a copy of his first novel. I was going to quote from
another of his books but I've pulled it out often enough that it
wasn't filed with its cousins, a book he did not claim but that I
returned to, on occasion, because it filled me with a great sense of
compassion. It consoled me and made some of life's challenges easier
to bear.
This is the life of a writer. You will touch the lives of those you
have never met. You will help them through their own private hells
and they will weep, someday, when you are gone.
I'll have to go and reread some of my favorite memories with the
guy. He left us so much.
Friends of Ed Bryant
Friends of Ed Bryant: "Over the last few years, Ed has fallen on hard times due to financial complications from his heart bypass surgery in 2004, a limited income stream, and predatory actions by individuals who took advantage of Ed's kindness. At one point, Ed (who is also a Type-I diabetic) did not have funds available to purchase insulin and was in danger of foreclosure on his house. Thankfully, friends and caregivers stepped in to handle those troubles, but Ed is still facing a long uphill battle to satisfy his financial and medical responsibilities."
If you want to donate, there's a PayPal button at the link.
If you want to donate, there's a PayPal button at the link.
Will The Persecution Never End?
Man faces drug charges for cocaine, Viagra, links himself to Paris Hilton | NSW/ACT | News.com.au: "
# Driver pulled over by police
# Claims he's on way to pick up Paris Hilton
# Cocaine, Viagra allegedly found"
# Driver pulled over by police
# Claims he's on way to pick up Paris Hilton
# Cocaine, Viagra allegedly found"
Johannes Mario Simmel, R.I.P.
The View From Graustark: Johannes Mario Simmel, R.I.P.: "German-language novelist Johannes Mario Simmel died New Year’s Day in a care home/clinic in Zug, Switzerland. He was 84."
A thriller writer whose books in this country were published under the single name Simmel.
A thriller writer whose books in this country were published under the single name Simmel.
Have We No Rights Left?
Man arrested for farting // Current: "SOUTH CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) — A West Virginia man who police said passed gas and fanned it toward a patrol officer has been charged with battery on a police officer."
(Movie) Monsters in the Sewers
World of watermains fertile ground for horror directors’ imaginations – Daily Commercial News: "When movie makers seek an otherworldly setting that’s close to home, they often choose water and wastewater conduits. Fantastic films take special delight in populating the water system with giant bugs and aliens, but the films have industry critics, notably Frank Zechner, Executive Director of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association."
The Next Big Thing?
New Year 2009: Leading thinkers offer predictions of 'next big thing' - Telegraph: "A 101-strong group of scientists, authors, musicians, philosophers and other respected experts were posed the question 'What will change everything?'
Their task was set by Edge, an online intellectual discussion group, which claims its membership comprises 'the most interesting minds in the world'.
The responses spanned new methods of energy production, the dawn of telepathy, freely available artificial intelligence and the colonisation of the Milky Way."
Their task was set by Edge, an online intellectual discussion group, which claims its membership comprises 'the most interesting minds in the world'.
The responses spanned new methods of energy production, the dawn of telepathy, freely available artificial intelligence and the colonisation of the Milky Way."
The Little Sleep -- Paul Tremblay
If Philip K. Dick and Ross Macdonald had collaborated on a mystery novel, they might have come up with something like The Little Sleep. Mark Genevich is a p. i. in south Boston. As a result of a serious car wreck, he's disfigured. And he's narcoleptic. You might think that would be enough of a handicap for a p. i., but one of the symptoms of narcolepsy is cataplexy, brought on by stress. So imagine yourself confronted by, say, a guy with a gun. You slide off your chair to the floor and lie there, conscious but unable to move. Not a good situation. But it gets worse. Another symptom is hypnagogic hallucinations, so you're never sure if things have actually happened or if you just imagined them. Makes it tough to solve a case.But Genevich has a case, and it's a big one. It involves photographs that someone brings to his office, photographs that someone else wants to get his hands on. And there's a mysterious "it" that Genevich is supposed to find. He doesn't know what "it" is because of the hallucinations, but it has to do with Genevich's father, who's been dead since Genevich was five. Digging into the past can be dangerous for a guy with normal sleep patterns. For Genevich, it's double tough.
I've never used the phrase "new noir" before, but I think I will now. The Little Sleep is new noir with panache. Coming in March, I think. Check it out.
Seven New Wonders of the World
Seven new wonders of the world - environment - 02 January 2009 - New Scientist
Including 750,000-year-old ice cubes.
Including 750,000-year-old ice cubes.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Obviously this wasn't in Sheriff Dan Rhodes's county.
New Texas sheriff closes jail amid FBI probe | Top Stories | Star-Telegram.com: "Jack McGaughey, district attorney for Montague, Clay and Archer counties, declined to say what prompted the investigation, also being conducted by the Texas Rangers. But he said authorities found contraband in the Montague County Jail.
He also said some surveillance cameras' cords had been disconnected; recliners were in cells; some bathrooms and cells could be locked from the inside; and inmates had made partitions out of paper towels to block jailers' view inside their cells. One alarming discovery was a type of rack made of nails, he said."
New Texas sheriff closes jail amid FBI probe | Top Stories | Star-Telegram.com: "Jack McGaughey, district attorney for Montague, Clay and Archer counties, declined to say what prompted the investigation, also being conducted by the Texas Rangers. But he said authorities found contraband in the Montague County Jail.
He also said some surveillance cameras' cords had been disconnected; recliners were in cells; some bathrooms and cells could be locked from the inside; and inmates had made partitions out of paper towels to block jailers' view inside their cells. One alarming discovery was a type of rack made of nails, he said."
And Yet PUSHING DAISIES was Canceled
'CONFESSIONS OF A TEEN IDOL' GIVES AGING TEEN STARS A COMEBACK CHANCE - New York Post: "VH1's new 'Confessions of a Teen Idol' brings together a house full of former teen idols - guys who were once so famous, so beloved and so bedazzling that they literally couldn't go out of their homes without being mobbed by scores of panting teen girls; guys who now, however, have fallen so far into obscurity that the only people who ask for their autographs are their ex-wives - on their alimony checks."
I never even heard of any of these guys except for Atkins.
I never even heard of any of these guys except for Atkins.
Clovis People Update
Gems Point to Comet as Answer to Ancient Riddle: "Something dramatic happened about 12,900 years ago, and the continent of North America was never the same. A thriving culture of Paleo-Americans, known as the Clovis people, vanished seemingly overnight. Gone, too, were most of the largest animals: horses, camels, lions, mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, ground sloths and giant armadillos.
Scientists have long blamed climate change for the extinctions, for it was 12,900 years ago that the planet's emergence from the Ice Age came to a halt, reverting to glacial conditions for 1,500 years, an epoch known as the Younger Dryas.
In just the last few years, there has arisen a controversial scientific hypothesis to explain this chain of events, and it involves an extraterrestrial calamity: a comet, broken into fragments, turning the sky ablaze, sending a shock wave across the landscape and scorching forests, creatures, people and anything exposed to the heavenly fire."
Scientists have long blamed climate change for the extinctions, for it was 12,900 years ago that the planet's emergence from the Ice Age came to a halt, reverting to glacial conditions for 1,500 years, an epoch known as the Younger Dryas.
In just the last few years, there has arisen a controversial scientific hypothesis to explain this chain of events, and it involves an extraterrestrial calamity: a comet, broken into fragments, turning the sky ablaze, sending a shock wave across the landscape and scorching forests, creatures, people and anything exposed to the heavenly fire."
Bid Early and Often
Big Bopper's casket a macabre marketable on e-bay >> www.beaumontenterprise.com - Local: "Rock 'n' roll's most macabre historical artifact will go on the block when the family of the late 1950s pop star J.P. 'The Big Bopper' Richardson auctions his casket on eBay sometime in the next few weeks - almost 50 years after 'the day the music died.'
The Big Bopper's 16-gauge steel casket was exhumed last year from his original grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont so it could be moved to a more visible location with a life-sized statue and historic marker. The disinterment also offered forensic experts a chance - with his family's blessing - to examine the pop singer's unautopsied remains after his death in rock 'n' roll's first great tragedy."
The Big Bopper's 16-gauge steel casket was exhumed last year from his original grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont so it could be moved to a more visible location with a life-sized statue and historic marker. The disinterment also offered forensic experts a chance - with his family's blessing - to examine the pop singer's unautopsied remains after his death in rock 'n' roll's first great tragedy."
Uncle Sam Wants You
War Vet, 50, Stunned By New Deployment - Nashville News Story - WSMV Nashville: "MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- A veteran who has been out of the military for 15 years and recently received his AARP card was stunned when he received notice he will be deployed to Iraq.
The last time Paul Bandel, 50, saw combat was in the early 1990s during the Gulf War."
The last time Paul Bandel, 50, saw combat was in the early 1990s during the Gulf War."
Math Solves Beatles Mystery
Beatles Unknown "A Hard Day's Night" Chord Mystery Solved Using Fourier Transform: "It’s the most famous chord in rock 'n' roll, an instantly recognizable twang rolling through the open strings on George Harrison’s 12-string Rickenbacker. It evokes a Pavlovian response from music fans as they sing along to the refrain that follows:
'It’s been a hard day’s night
And I’ve been working like a dog'
The opening chord to 'A Hard Day’s Night' is also famous because, for 40 years, no one quite knew exactly what chord Harrison was playing."
'It’s been a hard day’s night
And I’ve been working like a dog'
The opening chord to 'A Hard Day’s Night' is also famous because, for 40 years, no one quite knew exactly what chord Harrison was playing."
Mike Ripley's L:atest Shots Magazine Column Now On-Line
Click here. As always, full of news and goodies.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Lest We Forget
There are quite a few books by Donald E. Westlake that aren't generally read by his fans. Earl Kemp lists 28 of the "Alan Marshall" titles in his online fanzine. There were also several done as "Edwin West," and some others as well. Lawrence Block has reprinted some of his sleaze titles, but Westlake never did, as far as I know. Kemp's list will give you something to look for.
eFanzines.com - Earl Kemp: e*I* Vol. 3 No. 2: "Donald Westlake says he wrote 28 sleaze paperback books prior to 1962, mostly under the pseudonym of Alan Marshall (Alan Marsh). Following, by year, is a list of published Alan Marshall novels. This list is made in an effort to identify those 28 acknowledged Alan Marshall Donald E. Westlake novels and a few other confirmed writings. This list is limited to Marshall books published prior to 1965 and has every possibility of being wrong as well as missing some titles that should be included."
eFanzines.com - Earl Kemp: e*I* Vol. 3 No. 2: "Donald Westlake says he wrote 28 sleaze paperback books prior to 1962, mostly under the pseudonym of Alan Marshall (Alan Marsh). Following, by year, is a list of published Alan Marshall novels. This list is made in an effort to identify those 28 acknowledged Alan Marshall Donald E. Westlake novels and a few other confirmed writings. This list is limited to Marshall books published prior to 1965 and has every possibility of being wrong as well as missing some titles that should be included."
Top 50 Special Effects Shots
Top 50 movie special effects shots - Den of Geek: "There's more to a great visual effects shot than iconic status, and here are fifty that really paid their way..."
Forgotten Books: AFTER THINGS FELL APART -- Ron Goulart
Ron Goulart is a pulp scholar, comic-book scholar, and fiction writer. He's been writing for a long time now, and he's done dozens of books, including some straight mysteries and quite a few that are SF mysteries. The best of the latter, I think, is After Things Fell Apart, which was published in 1970 and set a few decades in the future, after things have fallen apart. Maybe now. Jim Haley is a private-eye who works for The Private Inquiry Office in San Francisco. In this case, his inquiries lead him to such places as "the wide-open sin town of San Rafael, run by the amateur Mafia (no Italians allowed) and "the Nixon Institute, where aging rock stars reminisce about the days when they still had hair."
I've heard some people say that Goulart's humor is an acquired taste. If so, I acquired it long ago. Well before 1970, even, and I found this book hilarious, also a little touching and sad. The satire is as sharp today as it was nearly 40 years ago. The book comes complete with raves from writers such as Philip K. Dick, and it was nominated for an Edgar, so surely I'm not alone.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Donald E. Westlake, R. I. P.
Damn and double damn. Terrible loss, terrible way to begin the year.
Donald E. Westlake, Mystery Writer, Is Dead at 75 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Donald E. Westlake, a prolific, award-winning mystery novelist who pounded out more than 100 books and five screenplays on manual typewriters during his half-century career, died Wednesday night. He was 75.
Mr. Westlake collapsed, apparently from a heart attack, as he headed out to New Year’s Eve dinner while on vacation in San Tancho, Mexico, said his wife, Abigail Westlake."
Donald E. Westlake, Mystery Writer, Is Dead at 75 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Donald E. Westlake, a prolific, award-winning mystery novelist who pounded out more than 100 books and five screenplays on manual typewriters during his half-century career, died Wednesday night. He was 75.
Mr. Westlake collapsed, apparently from a heart attack, as he headed out to New Year’s Eve dinner while on vacation in San Tancho, Mexico, said his wife, Abigail Westlake."
Mother of Mercy, Could This Be the End of the Pop Culture Magazine?
New York Times sued over Boston.com's linking practice | Digital Media - CNET News: "A publisher of mostly small, local newspapers has sued the New York Times Co. over its aggregation of news headlines on Boston.com, challenging the practice many sites use of linking to other sources.
In its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts on Monday, Fairport, N.Y.-based GateHouse Media, which publishes more than 100 papers in Massachusetts, accuses the Times of violating copyright by allowing its Boston Globe online unit to copy verbatim the headlines and first sentences from articles published on sites owned by GateHouse, including the Newton Tab."
In its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts on Monday, Fairport, N.Y.-based GateHouse Media, which publishes more than 100 papers in Massachusetts, accuses the Times of violating copyright by allowing its Boston Globe online unit to copy verbatim the headlines and first sentences from articles published on sites owned by GateHouse, including the Newton Tab."
Happy Birthday, J. D. Salinger!
Books - Still Revered for ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ and the Glass Family, J. D. Salinger Remains Elusive at 90 - NYTimes.com: "[Today], J. D. Salinger turns 90. There probably won’t be a party, or if there is we’ll never know. For more than 50 years Mr. Salinger has lived in seclusion in the small town of Cornish, N.H. For a while it used to be a journalistic sport for newspapers and magazines to send reporters up to Cornish in hopes of a sighting, or at least a quotation from a garrulous local, but Mr. Salinger hasn’t been photographed in decades now and the neighbors have all clammed up. He’s been so secretive he makes Thomas Pynchon seem like a gadabout."
The Catcher in the Rye spoke to me like no other book I read in the 1950s. No doubt it's lost much of its effectiveness for youngsters over the years, but to me it will always be one of the greats.
The Catcher in the Rye spoke to me like no other book I read in the 1950s. No doubt it's lost much of its effectiveness for youngsters over the years, but to me it will always be one of the greats.
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