. . . that divides genius for nuttiness. You'll have to judge for yourselves whether this crosses that line.
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski
Link via Boing Boing.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Arrrgggghhhh!
Gently does it for a genital emergency - Home News, UK - The Independent: "A man who went to casualty with his penis stuck in a steel pipe had to be cut free by firefighters using a metal grinder."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Nice Doggies
Dogs discover dangerous 'bone': "Madison Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the 41-year-old man found his dogs chewing on an item that turned out to be the wooden handle of a loaded revolver. The gun was wrapped in a light green towel that was frozen solid, DeSpain said."
Hat tip to Gerard Saylor.
Hat tip to Gerard Saylor.
Southland
When NBC canceled Southland, the outcry from anguished fans reached the ears of someone at TNT, which picked up the show after only a few weeks. Next Tuesday, January 12, TNT's going to show a 2-hour "extended version" of the show's pilot episode. There'll be 13 more shows, including six brand-new ones. (The new ones begin on March 2.) Let's face it, folks. Cable's the place for a show like this, and some of the earlier episodes will have some of the previously omitted language restored. Check it out.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police: Teen Hired Classmate to Kill Mom | MyFoxHouston.com: "On what seemed like an average day at HISD's Lee High School, the buzz in the hallways centered on the two classmates arrested and charged with capital murder.
'I don’t believe it,' said one high school senior. 'I can't believe it.'
Yet, Danish Minhas and Nur Mohamed are jailed and due in court Thursday morning for the murder of 43-year-old Tabassum Khan. Khan was Minhas's mother.
[. . . .]
On the surface, they seemed like an odd match. Classmates knew Mohamed as the guy who brought drugs to school. They knew Minhas as the guy who made the morning announcements over the campus intercom.
Even the Houston police knew of Minhas. On the day his mother was killed, Minhas was supposed to report to HPD Headquarters to interview for an internship. It would have been his second interview for the spot."
'I don’t believe it,' said one high school senior. 'I can't believe it.'
Yet, Danish Minhas and Nur Mohamed are jailed and due in court Thursday morning for the murder of 43-year-old Tabassum Khan. Khan was Minhas's mother.
[. . . .]
On the surface, they seemed like an odd match. Classmates knew Mohamed as the guy who brought drugs to school. They knew Minhas as the guy who made the morning announcements over the campus intercom.
Even the Houston police knew of Minhas. On the day his mother was killed, Minhas was supposed to report to HPD Headquarters to interview for an internship. It would have been his second interview for the spot."
Where's Waldo?
You might be surprised.
Link via Neatorama.
And You Thought Texting While Driving Was Dangerous
Driven to Distraction - Despite Risks, Carmakers Integrate the Web With the Dash - Series - NYTimes.com: "To the dismay of safety advocates already worried about driver distraction, automakers and high-tech companies have found a new place to put sophisticated Internet-connected computers: the front seat.
Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices."
Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices."
Time for that Diet
Top Weight Loss Foods for 2010 on Yahoo! Health: "In 2010, vow to eat better—not less, just better. Add these 9 best foods for weight loss to your daily (or weekly) diet, and watch as the pounds melt away. The best-selling weight loss series Eat This, Not That! shows you how to make a weight-loss resolution worth sticking to."
The first item on the list convinced me.
But Will It Keep the Whippersnappers off my Lawn?
Must Zzz TV - NYPOST.com: "THE first 'senior-friendly' LCD high-def set will be unveiled later this week with the kind of features only someone who went to Woodstock will love.
Manufactured by TV Ears, the set includes a built-in wireless headset which cuts down on volume-blasting; a remote control with just six buttons to lessen confusion and -- perhaps most intriguing of all -- a switch that turns the set off automatically after four hours."
Manufactured by TV Ears, the set includes a built-in wireless headset which cuts down on volume-blasting; a remote control with just six buttons to lessen confusion and -- perhaps most intriguing of all -- a switch that turns the set off automatically after four hours."
A Sad, Oddly Beautiful Slideshow
The Grandiose Decay of Abandoned Detroit: "Nearly a third of Detroit's homes are vacant, and along with the residences, the city's stately hotels and cultural centers have been abandoned as well, falling into dramatic disrepair, their grand ruins still showing the promises of a once-booming city."
They Should Stay off His Lawn
970 WFLA - Tampa Bay News, Traffic & Weather: "A Volusia County man has been charged with threatening his neighbors with a slingshot."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Man cut in fight over nachos: "A fight over nachos resulted in the arrest of two roommates at their South Side apartment late Tuesday, according to San Antonio police.
Marty Henke, 35, and Randy Scott Esckilsen, 45, were both being held Wednesday in the Bexar County Jail. Henke was arrested on an outstanding warrant for delivery of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $30,000.
Esckilsen was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly stabbed Henke in the chin at about 10 p.m., police said."
Hat tip to Sanford Allen over at Missions Unknown.
Marty Henke, 35, and Randy Scott Esckilsen, 45, were both being held Wednesday in the Bexar County Jail. Henke was arrested on an outstanding warrant for delivery of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $30,000.
Esckilsen was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly stabbed Henke in the chin at about 10 p.m., police said."
Hat tip to Sanford Allen over at Missions Unknown.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Time to Buy Stock in Blockbuster?
News from The Associated Press: "Netflix's 11 million subscribers will have to wait nearly an extra month to rent the latest movies by Warner Bros.
Under an agreement announced Wednesday, Netflix's DVD-by-mail service won't send out Warner Bros.' latest DVD and Blu-ray discs during the first 28 days after they hit the market.
The deal is a first for Netflix. The company expects to reach similar agreements with other major movie studios later this year."
Under an agreement announced Wednesday, Netflix's DVD-by-mail service won't send out Warner Bros.' latest DVD and Blu-ray discs during the first 28 days after they hit the market.
The deal is a first for Netflix. The company expects to reach similar agreements with other major movie studios later this year."
Geniuses at Work
Publishers dumbfounded by airplane book ban - The Globe and Mail: "Canadian publishers are dumbfounded by new airport security measures that seem to forbid passengers from bringing books and magazines purchased pre-flight onto airplanes bound for the U.S.
The measures, announced Dec. 28 by Transport Canada, permit Canadian passengers en route to the U.S. to carry on board “one or more” of 13 specified items. They include canes, cameras, laptop computers, musical instruments and “medical devices.”
However, books and magazines are not included among the permitted items. The situation has left Carolyn Wood, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, “speechless, really. We're used to governments fearing books for their content. But what is it here? Is it their explosive capability?”"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
The measures, announced Dec. 28 by Transport Canada, permit Canadian passengers en route to the U.S. to carry on board “one or more” of 13 specified items. They include canes, cameras, laptop computers, musical instruments and “medical devices.”
However, books and magazines are not included among the permitted items. The situation has left Carolyn Wood, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, “speechless, really. We're used to governments fearing books for their content. But what is it here? Is it their explosive capability?”"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
And Then They Get on their Lawns!
Queens Newspaper New York - Queens NY News Paper- The Queens Courier > Archives > Sports > Top Stories > Holy Cross faculty beat seniors for charity: "Holy Cross faculty beat seniors for charity."
One by One Our Precious Freedoms are Taken from Us
NH artist protests halt to Bigfoot project - CharlotteObserver.com: "A New Hampshire artist and videographer who dressed as Bigfoot in a state park says his rights were trampled by big government.
Jonathan Doyle, of Keene, has complained in a letter to the state parks department that a Mount Monadnock park ranger halted his performance art project in the fall because he didn't have a permit."
Jonathan Doyle, of Keene, has complained in a letter to the state parks department that a Mount Monadnock park ranger halted his performance art project in the fall because he didn't have a permit."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
. . . in fashionable bank robbers.
Police seek wig-wearing W. Houston robber | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Police are searching for a wig-wearing man suspected in a bank robbery in west Houston today.
Police said the man reportedly struck a Wells Fargo branch in the Randalls store on the 14600 block of Memorial at Dairy Ashford about noon, then he ran away.
The man wore a wig, purple lipstick, a purple shirt and black jeans."
Police seek wig-wearing W. Houston robber | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Police are searching for a wig-wearing man suspected in a bank robbery in west Houston today.
Police said the man reportedly struck a Wells Fargo branch in the Randalls store on the 14600 block of Memorial at Dairy Ashford about noon, then he ran away.
The man wore a wig, purple lipstick, a purple shirt and black jeans."
Hair Glue Update
Former Houstonian charged with hair glue attacks in Portland | khou.com | Local News: "There may be a break in the case of a bizarre string of Houston-area glue attacks last summer.
A former Houston-area man has been accused of putting glue in women’s hair in the Portland area. He’s also accused of trying to cut another woman’s hair."
A former Houston-area man has been accused of putting glue in women’s hair in the Portland area. He’s also accused of trying to cut another woman’s hair."
McRage
Woman Launches Into Hamburger Rage - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City: "Surveillance video from a Midtown McDonald's restaurant on Main Street shows a woman experiencing hamburger rage."
The Manchurian Candidate
What's the Big Deal?: The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - Film.com: "The film stands out as one of the best paranoid political thrillers ever made, expertly balancing satire and suspense in a way that has rarely been matched."
One of those movies I saw and then went out and bought the book immediately afterward.
One of those movies I saw and then went out and bought the book immediately afterward.
Sylvester Stallone Update
Sylvester Stallone breaks his neck during filming of veteran action heroes movie | Mail Online: "Sylvester Stallone broke his neck while filming a fight scene in his latest movie.
The veteran action hero had emergency surgery and a metal plate inserted in his neck following the accident on the set of The Expendables."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
The veteran action hero had emergency surgery and a metal plate inserted in his neck following the accident on the set of The Expendables."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Today the Lakes, Tomorrow the Canals
Spectacular Mars images reveal evidence of ancient lakes | International Space Fellowship: "Spectacular satellite images suggest that Mars was warm enough to sustain lakes three billion years ago, a period that was previously thought to be too cold and arid to sustain water on the surface, according to research published today in the journal Geology."
Croc Update (Bounding Overland Edition)
SCIENCE NEWS - washingtonpost.com: "A 20-foot-long crocodile with three sets of fangs -- like wild boar tusks -- once roamed parts of northern Africa, researchers reported recently. While this fearsome creature hunted meat, not far away another type of croc with a wide, flat snout like a pancake was fishing for food. And a smaller, three-foot-long relative with buckteeth was chomping plants and grubs in the same region.
The three species that lived 100 million years ago on the southern continent known as Gondwana were recently unveiled by researchers Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago and Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal.
'My African crocs appeared to have had both upright, agile legs for bounding overland and a versatile tail for paddling in water,' Sereno wrote in an article for National Geographic magazine, which sponsored the research."
Hat tip to Beth Foxwell.
The three species that lived 100 million years ago on the southern continent known as Gondwana were recently unveiled by researchers Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago and Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal.
'My African crocs appeared to have had both upright, agile legs for bounding overland and a versatile tail for paddling in water,' Sereno wrote in an article for National Geographic magazine, which sponsored the research."
Hat tip to Beth Foxwell.
The Transatlantic Accent
Transatlantic accent � Abagond: "The Transatlantic accent, also called a Mid-Atlantic accent, is a way of speaking English that is halfway between American and British. It makes you sound like you have a good education but no one can tell quite where you are from. You hear it in old Hollywood films from the 1930s and 1940s. It is the accent of Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, William F Buckley and (at least in some films) God."
I'm going to work on developing one.
I'm going to work on developing one.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Willie Mitchell, R. I. P.
Willie Mitchell, Al Green producer, dies - CNN.com: "Willie Mitchell, the Memphis producer whose percussive, string-and-horn-tinged R&B sound shaped '70s hits by such artists as Al Green and Ann Peebles, died Tuesday. He was 81.
Mitchell had been having health problems and went into cardiac arrest in December, according to his grandson, Lawrence.
Mitchell 'was doing music all the way till he couldn't,' his grandson, whom Mitchell helped raise, said. He worked on Rod Stewart's most recent album, 'Soulbook,' as well as Solomon Burke's forthcoming CD."
Hat tip to Todd Mason.
Mitchell had been having health problems and went into cardiac arrest in December, according to his grandson, Lawrence.
Mitchell 'was doing music all the way till he couldn't,' his grandson, whom Mitchell helped raise, said. He worked on Rod Stewart's most recent album, 'Soulbook,' as well as Solomon Burke's forthcoming CD."
Hat tip to Todd Mason.
The Return of Kirkus
Book Magazine Kirkus Reviews Lives to Write Another Day - DailyFinance: "Late last year, Nielsen Business Media announced it would shut down two venerable trade magazines: newspaper industry-centric Editor & Publisher and book industry publication Kirkus Reviews. Just a few days into 2010, the news for both magazines is much more positive. The staffers of E&P have launched an exile blog while awaiting a possible sale, and Kirkus Reviews will continue publication for the foreseeable future."
Three Stooges Update
Sean Penn Rejoins 'The Three Stooges' - Starpulse Entertainment News: "Sean Penn has backtracked on his decision to leave The Three Stooges - the actor has rejoined the upcoming film just months after dropping out."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Pub noise has condo neighbors fuming in Houston | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A long-standing feud between Rice-area bar owners and their neighbors in a high-rise condo has escalated from egg throwing, water spraying, laser pointing and name calling to assault lawsuits.
[. . . .]
Bar co-owner Bill Cave was charged with misdemeanor assault for his behavior in trying to stop water spraying on his Christmas party. A few days later the condo association and homeowners became subject to a restraining order keeping them from tossing produce, water or anything off their garage onto the bar patrons and bocce ball court below."
[. . . .]
Bar co-owner Bill Cave was charged with misdemeanor assault for his behavior in trying to stop water spraying on his Christmas party. A few days later the condo association and homeowners became subject to a restraining order keeping them from tossing produce, water or anything off their garage onto the bar patrons and bocce ball court below."
Book Burners -- Stay off their Lawns!
Pensioners burn books for warmth | Metro.co.uk: "Volunteers have reported that ‘a large number’ of elderly customers are snapping up hardbacks as cheap fuel for their fires and stoves.
Temperatures this week are forecast to plummet as low as -13°C in the Scottish Highlands, with the mercury falling to -6C° in London, -5°C in Birmingham and -7°C in Manchester as one of the coldest winters in years continues to bite."
Temperatures this week are forecast to plummet as low as -13°C in the Scottish Highlands, with the mercury falling to -6C° in London, -5°C in Birmingham and -7°C in Manchester as one of the coldest winters in years continues to bite."
The Language of Love
Iowa Man Spells Out Wife's Birthday Message in Manure: "Ask this Iowa wife is she got the perfect birthday present and she'll tell you her hubby 'dung good.'
Carole and Dick Kleis live together on their eastern Iowa farm. This year for her birthday, Dick used more than 120,000 pounds of manure to spell out a special message. It basically says 'Happy Birthday, Love You,' but in shorthand."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Carole and Dick Kleis live together on their eastern Iowa farm. This year for her birthday, Dick used more than 120,000 pounds of manure to spell out a special message. It basically says 'Happy Birthday, Love You,' but in shorthand."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Avatar Update
Ananova - Avatar to be a blue movie on DVD: "Ananova:
Avatar to be a blue movie on DVD
Fans of blockbuster movie Avatar are being promised a 'blue' alien sex scene when the film comes out on DVD."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Avatar to be a blue movie on DVD
Fans of blockbuster movie Avatar are being promised a 'blue' alien sex scene when the film comes out on DVD."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
And I'm not looking forward to it.
Think it's cold now? Just wait a few days | Chronicle | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Friday's forecast low at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, near where Robert Scott launched his fatal expedition to the South Pole in 1911, is 21 degrees.
It will probably be colder in Houston."
Think it's cold now? Just wait a few days | Chronicle | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Friday's forecast low at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, near where Robert Scott launched his fatal expedition to the South Pole in 1911, is 21 degrees.
It will probably be colder in Houston."
Bad Boys
Ananova - Mouse nest found on policeman's desk: "Exterminators called in to deal with a mice infestation at a London police station found a nest on one officer's messy desk."
This officer and I have nothing in common. Really. Trust me.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
This officer and I have nothing in common. Really. Trust me.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Monday, January 04, 2010
McNugget Rage Update
Police: Ohio woman hit window over lack of nuggets: "Police say an Ohio woman punched through a McDonald's drive-through window because Chicken McNuggets weren't available. Police were called Friday to the restaurant in Toledo."
Today's Rumor
Famous Monsters of Filmland | MetaFilter: "Famous Monsters of Filmland, the legendary genre magazine edited by the late Forrest J Ackerman (previously), will be resurrected by comic publisher IDW."
Darwin Award Winners for 2009
Ananova - Darwin Award winners revealed: "Two bank robbers have been declared winners of the 2009 Darwin Awards after they blew themselves up while trying to crack open a cash machine."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Is It Just Me?
Or does anyone else hate those sites where there are Bing links everywhere that pop up if you get your mouse anywhere near them or even look at the page too hard? It's beyond annoying. In fact, it induces Bing rage in me.
Croc Update (He Should Take a Hint from Warren Beatty Edition)
20 years on, captive crocodile Gori waits for a mate: "The 15th National Youth Festival scheduled to begin here on January 8 has once again brought to the fore the story of Gori, the country’s lone captive albino crocodile which is still waiting for an ideal mate for nearly two and half decades at a government-run crocodile breeding and research centre located inside the world famous Bhitarakanika wildlife sanctuary in Orissa’s coastal Kendrapara district."
10 Possible Sources of "Avatar" in Classic Science Fiction
Dark Roasted Blend: 10 Possible Sources of "Avatar" in Classic Science Fiction: "Instead, we are going to list some possible influences from obscure and even forgotten classic science fiction sources that came to our mind while watching 'Avatar' - there is no telling if James Cameron read any of them or was influenced by any particular tradition, but it was a good fun to find out and remember the jolly good reads that they are (see if you can remember any of the stories mentioned below, or if you can think of other ones)."
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Sherlock Holmes Update
Guy Ritchie - Ritchie's Holmes Sequel Under Threat From Writer's Estate - Contactmusic News: "The executors of SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE's literary estate have threatened to withdraw GUY RITCHIE's rights to the SHERLOCK HOLMES story if the director hints at a homosexual relationship between the lead characters in his sequel."
Piker
Sexy tell-all jumps into Beatty’s bed - NYPOST.com: "'How many women were there? Easier to count the stars in the sky.'
But in his rollicking new book 'Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America' (Simon & Schuster), biographer Peter Biskind hazards a guess about the conquests of Hollywood's most notorious lothario -- based, he says, on 'simple arithmetic.'
Biskind estimates '12,775 women, give or take, a figure that does not include daytime quickies, drive-bys, casual gropings, stolen kisses and so on.'"
But in his rollicking new book 'Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America' (Simon & Schuster), biographer Peter Biskind hazards a guess about the conquests of Hollywood's most notorious lothario -- based, he says, on 'simple arithmetic.'
Biskind estimates '12,775 women, give or take, a figure that does not include daytime quickies, drive-bys, casual gropings, stolen kisses and so on.'"
Happy Birthday, J. R. R. Tolkien!
J. R. R. Tolkien - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE (pronounced /ˈtɒlkiːn/[1]; in General American also /ˈtoʊlkiːn/[2]) (3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion."
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the reminder.
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the reminder.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Authorities: Accident caused after fireworks erupt inside vehicle | khou.com | Local News: "A man crashed his car after fireworks in his back seat exploded while he was driving. It happened in the 18,900 block of KZ Road in northwest Harris County."
When We Get to Surf City -- Bob Green
This was the first book I read in 2010, and it's going to be hard to top. Bob Greene, who's written a couple of books I've enjoyed, especially Be True to Your School, got a letter in 1992 from Gary Griffin, who was part of the group touring with Jan and Dean, mentioned in the book. Greene was a fan of the duo, and Griffin made him the dream offer of a lifetime. He invited Greene to tour with the group, not just as an observer but as a participant in the stage show.If you grew up when I did, you'd respond just like Greene. He wasn't a singer or a guitar player, but he jumped at the chance. Every summer for 15 years, he was a part of Jan and Dean's back-up group when he could make the gigs. When We Get to Surf City is his account of those gigs. It's not a glamorous life, but Greene found it wonderful. You'll just have to read the book to find out why because I can't explain it. In a sense it's as simple as this: Guys never want to grow up, and Greene got to live his teenage dream when he was middle-aged. But there's a lot more to it than that. Every page or so, Greene comes up with an observation that really resonated with me. Here's one of them:
Who could have known it at the time - who could have known how long this would endure? On the loneliest nights, on the most joyful afternoons, during the sultriest summers and frigid winters, the music, since it was new, has been so profoundly and consistently welcome. In the very worst of times, and in the very best, this music - structurally uncomplicated, four chords in most of the songs, lyrics usually basic and bare - has been like a friend, something to be counted on and treasured. Magic: just guitars and drums and vocals, yet it has always been, without my even having to think about it, the most loyal and steadfast of companions. Wherever I have been, I have needed only to hear three or four seconds of any of hundreds of these songs, coming out of a radio or a loudspeaker or merely out an window on a city street, and I'm instantly somewhere I've been before, somewhere I want to be, familiar and somehow safe.
If that doesn't mean anything to you, you wouldn't like the book. If it strikes you as exactly right, then you should read the book ASAP.
Will the Re-Imagining Never End?
Children won't digest feeble tales of vegetarian wolves | Mail Online: "In Tempar's version of Little Red Riding Hood (The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood by Agnese Baruzzi and Sandro Natalin) the Wolf is shooed away, makes friends with Little Red Riding Hood, and becomes a vegetarian. In the Usbourne Illustrated Fairy Tales the wolf discovers healthy eating and lives on boiled carrots."
Jean Carroll, R. I. P.
Jean Carroll, Stand-Up Comedian, Dies at 98 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Jean Carroll, a comedian of the 1940s and ’50s whose ready wit, impeccable timing and unorthodox blend of glamour and humor made her one of the first female stars of mainstream stand-up comedy, died at a hospital in White Plains on Jan. 1. She was 98 and lived in Hartsdale, N.Y."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Refrigerator stops bullet during celebratory gunfire in southeast Houston - 1/01/10 - Houston News - abc13.com: "'I could see people shooting guns in the air and I know it was guns because you could see the muzzle fire about a foot to two feet long coming out the end of the guns. And it was more than one person,' said J.J."
Ligature Marks
Ligature Marks Fiction & Film - January Issue
A new e-zine with short fiction by the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, whoever he is.
Hat tip to Sandra Seamans over at My Little Corner.
A new e-zine with short fiction by the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, whoever he is.
Hat tip to Sandra Seamans over at My Little Corner.
Hard Case Crime Update from Charles Ardai
Friends,
First things first: Happy New Year.
2009 was Hard Case Crime's busiest year ever, with 13 books coming out. The last two are still in stores now, and if you haven't read them yet, you're missing a treat. Jonny Porkpie's THE CORPSE WORE PASTIES is a hilarious detective story set in the world of burlesque; A.C. Doyle's THE VALLEY OF FEAR is also a detective story, but it's set about 100 years earlier and features a detective you may have heard of once or twice. (Interestingly, I could see Robert Downey, Jr. playing the lead in a film version of either book.)
Want a taste? You can read sample chapters from both books (as well as all our upcoming titles) on our Web site, www.HardCaseCrime.com. Want more than a taste? You should be able to find them at your favorite local bookstore, but if they're sold out you can always order a copy online or by calling 1-800-481-9191.
Or...if you would like a copy of THE CORPSE WORE PASTIES that's been signed by the author and one of the lovely cover models, a few such copies were left after the stage show they put on in November. The author is making them available for $10 apiece (normal cover price plus a bit to cover postage/handling), and it's first-come-first-served -- so if you'd like one, send me an e-mail today and I'll pass it along to Mr. Porkpie pronto.
Or...if you prefer your PASTIES live, this month you've got another opportunity to enjoy a theatrical event celebrating the book, and this one's not just for New Yorkers. In the tradition of the long-running Off Broadway hit "Naked Boys Singing," last year saw the launch of a distaff alternative, "Naked Girls Reading" -- and this month's theme is "Naked Girls Reading Pulp Fiction." The titular naked girls (and yes, they really are) will be reading excerpts from a wide range of pulp novels, including THE CORPSE WORE PASTIES. The fun starts in Chicago on January 3, and then moves on to Seattle, Key West and Dallas (with possible stops in Madison, Miami, and Denver as well) before landing in New York on January 29. The author and cover models will be there at the New York event, so if you come to that one you can get your book signed and personalized; Jonny, Nasty, and GiGi won't be there in the other cities, but the lineup of sexy readers who will be there is certainly enticing enough to get you out in the cold. (Or in the warm, for those of you in Florida.) You can find out more at http://nakedgirlsreading.com/ -- and if you're interested in coming, you should get tickets pronto, since the NGR shows are held in intimate venues where seating is limited (just 40 seats in New York, for instance), and the shows tend to sell out quickly.
What else is coming up? Our next new book hits stores at the end of March, and it's a big one (both in terms of length and in terms of significance): MEMORY, the final novel by the great (and much missed) Donald E. Westlake. After that, it's the stunning, heartbreaking NOBODY'S ANGEL about a Chicago cab driver on the midnight shift, written by Shamus Award finalist (and Chicago cab driver himself) Jack Clark. Then the great Brett Halliday makes his first bookstore appearance in something like 20 years with MURDER IS MY BUSINESS, and then the equally great Max Allan Collins brings Quarry back in QUARRY'S EX.
After that? We'll see, we'll see. We've got a bunch of cool things cooking, but none's quite ready to come off the stove yet. Rest assured you'll be hearing more as 2010 trundles along.
In the meantime: Go to your favorite bookstore and buy some books. It'll give you great reading to entertain you on these long winter evenings, and it'll help keep the bookstores (and outfits like ours) in business. It might not always feel like your $7.99 makes a difference -- but I can tell you it really does.
With thanks and warmest holiday wishes,
Charles
----------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
Friday, January 01, 2010
Why Wait for 2012?
Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011: "[Harold] Camping, 88, has scrutinized the Bible for almost 70 years and says he has developed a mathematical system to interpret prophecies hidden within the Good Book. One night a few years ago, Camping, a civil engineer by trade, crunched the numbers and was stunned at what he'd found: The world will end May 21, 2011."
Ten for Tennant:
Parallel Universe: Ten for Tennant: Best 'Doctor Who' Episodes: "Ten for Tennant: Best 'Doctor Who' Episodes"
Hat tip to Toby O'B.
Hat tip to Toby O'B.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Rocket Launcher Found In Apartment - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston: "Police went to a southwest Houston apartment to break up a disturbance but ended up finding something else, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.
[. . . .]
They found an AT-4 shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. It can shoot a missile nearly 1,000 feet through buildings and tanks."
[. . . .]
They found an AT-4 shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. It can shoot a missile nearly 1,000 feet through buildings and tanks."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Psychological Suspense Novel
Half Guilty - Nick Kam: "How would the American legal system punish conjoined twins if one committed a murder while the other was completely innocent?"
Forgotten Books: THE BLUE STREAK AND DR. MEDUSA -- Art Elder
One of Medusa's intended victims is Bess Marigold. Her uncle hires the Blue Streak to protect her, but she's a spirited young woman and doesn't want to be protected. This leads to complications involving large caverns, underground rivers, whirlpools, encounters with Medusa's goons, murders, and even a bit of light romance.
All of this thrilled me when I was a kid, and I didn't notice the writing style, which is of the Hardy Boys school, or the problems with the story. I just enjoyed the adventures.
Now I wonder about the Blue Streak. Unlike a lot of Whitman books, this one doesn't seem based on a comic book, radio, or movie character. It's really a great deal like a Republic serial, but I don't know of one based on this character. It's also obviously set up for a sequel, though if there is one, I don't know of it. I don't know who Art Elder is, either, but I owe him big-time for the pleasure he brought me so many years ago. And now, too, for that matter.
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