Saturday, November 07, 2009
As for Me, I Think Mediums Should Stick to Murder Investigations
'Michael Jackson furious he's not buried next to Marilyn Monroe', claims medium on live TV seance | Mail Online: "Michael Jackson is annoyed he was not buried alongside Marilyn Monroe, according to a medium.
Derek Acorah claims he was contacted by the star during a televised seance and reduced fans to tears with his account of the singer adapting to spiritual life."
Derek Acorah claims he was contacted by the star during a televised seance and reduced fans to tears with his account of the singer adapting to spiritual life."
Here's the Plot of Your Next Cold Case Files Novel
Police: Teen missing since 1954 was slain - Crime & courts- msnbc.com: "A young woman buried as Jane Doe in Colorado 55 years ago. An Arizona family puzzled and saddened as Dorothy Gay Howard's disappearance stretched into decades.
It took a historian, a detective and a determined family member to make the connection after more than a half century that these two people were one and the same."
It took a historian, a detective and a determined family member to make the connection after more than a half century that these two people were one and the same."
There Will Always Be an England
Psychic 'leads' prompt murder inquiry | UK news | guardian.co.uk: "A police force has defended spending €20,000 investigating a man's death after his ghost was said to have told psychics that gangsters had forced him to drink petrol and bleach."
When Dolphins Go Bad
Monterey Bay researchers say dolphins are causing porpoise deaths - Santa Cruz Sentinel: "For the past five years, the growing number of dead harbor porpoises washing up on California shores has been a marine mystery -- until now.
In September, marine biologists with Okeanis, a nonprofit conservation group based in Moss Landing, captured the only video footage taken in Monterey Bay of bottlenose dolphins attacking and killing a porpoise."
In September, marine biologists with Okeanis, a nonprofit conservation group based in Moss Landing, captured the only video footage taken in Monterey Bay of bottlenose dolphins attacking and killing a porpoise."
I Thought the Percentage Would be Even Higher
Report: 237 millionaires in Congress - Erika Lovley - POLITICO.com: "As Washington reels from the news of 10.2 percent unemployment, the Center for Responsive Politics is out with a new report describing the wealth of members of Congress.
Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall."
Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall."
Friday, November 06, 2009
Maybe It's Just Me . . .
. . . but it bothers me that whenever there's a developing crisis like the Fort Hood shooting, the "news" channels fill the air with hour after hour of rumors, misinformation, and wild-ass guesses.
All Righty, Then
Clash Of The Titans Posters - FilmoFilia: "“Clash of the Titans” is a modern version of the 1981 Greek mythology film."
Okay, I realize that whoever wrote the above probably wasn't even born in 1981. Still, I do kind of resent the implication of that sentence.
Okay, I realize that whoever wrote the above probably wasn't even born in 1981. Still, I do kind of resent the implication of that sentence.
SMILE, you @#$%&'s!
Frown if you dare ... | The Sun |News: "A DESIGN student has created a high-tech hat that forces its wearer to SMILE.
The woolly headwear detects a user's facial expression and jabs a sharp metal SPIKE into their head if they stop grinning."
The woolly headwear detects a user's facial expression and jabs a sharp metal SPIKE into their head if they stop grinning."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police: Smell of pot sparks 12-hour SWAT standoff in gated Harris County community | khou.com | News: "A 12-hour standoff ended Thursday morning after police fired tear gas into a northwest Harris County home.
It all happened in a gated community in the 16000 block of Stoneside Drive. Police said they got a tip Wednesday night about the smell of marijuana coming from a home. When they arrived, investigators said a deputy confirmed the tip and knocked on the front door. The man inside did not answer.
Police then called a K-9 unit to the house. Investigators said the dog made two separate hits at the front door and the garage for drugs. Again, police said they got no response from the man inside.
Investigators secured a search warrant, and the HPD SWAT team was also called in to assist. The tactical team arrived around 2 a.m. Officers tried to contact the man over a loudspeaker and through a cell phone, but got no response after trying for two hours.
That’s when the officers fired the tear gas and the suspect came out."
It all happened in a gated community in the 16000 block of Stoneside Drive. Police said they got a tip Wednesday night about the smell of marijuana coming from a home. When they arrived, investigators said a deputy confirmed the tip and knocked on the front door. The man inside did not answer.
Police then called a K-9 unit to the house. Investigators said the dog made two separate hits at the front door and the garage for drugs. Again, police said they got no response from the man inside.
Investigators secured a search warrant, and the HPD SWAT team was also called in to assist. The tactical team arrived around 2 a.m. Officers tried to contact the man over a loudspeaker and through a cell phone, but got no response after trying for two hours.
That’s when the officers fired the tear gas and the suspect came out."
No Wonder I'm so Slow
Good Sprinters Have Long Toes: Scientific American Podcast: "When the starting pistol fires, sprinters launch into the race with a burst of acceleration. That initial velocity depends, in part, on the length of their toes. The scientists examined the feet of a dozen collegiate sprinters and a dozen non-athletes of a similar height. They measured foot length and used ultrasound imaging to watch Achilles tendons in action. And they found two things.
First, the sprinters have longer toes. That could give them an advantage by allowing them to maintain maximum contact with the ground as they push off the starting block. Second, their Achilles tendons have less leverage. That might sound bad, but it actually allows their leg muscles to produce greater force."
First, the sprinters have longer toes. That could give them an advantage by allowing them to maintain maximum contact with the ground as they push off the starting block. Second, their Achilles tendons have less leverage. That might sound bad, but it actually allows their leg muscles to produce greater force."
Even Older than I Am
Oldest American artefact unearthed : Nature News: "Archaeologists claim to have found the oldest known artefact in the Americas, a scraper-like tool in an Oregon cave that dates back 14,230 years.
The tool shows that people were living in North America well before the widespread Clovis culture of 12,900 to 12,400 years ago, says archaeologist Dennis Jenkins of the University of Oregon in Eugene."
The tool shows that people were living in North America well before the widespread Clovis culture of 12,900 to 12,400 years ago, says archaeologist Dennis Jenkins of the University of Oregon in Eugene."
My Mind is Boggled
Babies' Language Learning Starts From The Womb: "From their very first days, newborns' cries already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, reveals a new study published online on November 5th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication. The findings suggest that infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb, and certainly long before their first babble or coo.
'The dramatic finding of this study is that not only are human neonates capable of producing different cry melodies, but they prefer to produce those melody patterns that are typical for the ambient language they have heard during their fetal life, within the last trimester of gestation,' . . ."
'The dramatic finding of this study is that not only are human neonates capable of producing different cry melodies, but they prefer to produce those melody patterns that are typical for the ambient language they have heard during their fetal life, within the last trimester of gestation,' . . ."
Forgotten Books: WE ALL KILLED GRANDMA -- Fredric Brown
As far as I know, this Fredric Brown novel hasn't been reprinted since the 1953 paperback release. There's a good reason for that. It's regarded as one of Brown's lesser efforts. I've had it on my shelves for nearly 40 years, and before this week I'd never read it.It has a promising start. The narrator, Rod Britten, has amnesia. His grandmother's been murdered, and he thinks he might have killed her. Even when the cops prove he couldn't have been the killer, he worries about it. Nothing new there, but the back cover of the book promises "a hammering, hard-driving murder." It is to laugh. I wonder if it's too late to sue for false blurbage. I haven't read a book that plods like this one in a long time. It's almost all talk, with no action at all. It's less about the murder than about Britten's attempt to recover his memory and reconnect with his ex-wife, and nothing happens for page after page.
There's a pretty good twist near the end, but by that time, you might have lost interest. I almost did, but Brown's style, even in a book like this one, flows so well that I kept on reading. And the title almost makes sense (don't be thinking Orient Express, though). I found the morality of the ending questionable at best, but what the heck. I can't really recommend the book. It's another forgotten novel that might just as well remain that way.
Oh, and that's not grandma on the cover, in case you were wondering. It's not anybody in the book, as far as I can tell, but at least the cover makes up for some of the book's shortcomings.
Update: Here's a good article on Brown by Bud Webster. All his "Past Masters" columns are worth a read.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
O. M. G.!
Undead Backbrain � Blog Archive � Dinocroc vs Supergator: "First there was Dinocroc (US-2004; dir. Kevin O’Neill), then there was Supergator (US-2007; dir. Brian Clyde) — both produced by the inimitable Roger Corman (see Undead Brainspasm article).
Now there’s Dinocroc vs Supergator, and courtesy of Jim Wynorski we bring you the latest images of the rampaging beasts — bigger and more fiercesome than ever!"
Now there’s Dinocroc vs Supergator, and courtesy of Jim Wynorski we bring you the latest images of the rampaging beasts — bigger and more fiercesome than ever!"
America's Youth -- Our Country's Future!
Obesity, poor education big obstacles to military recruiting - washingtonpost.com: "About 75 percent of the country's 17- to 24-year-olds are ineligible for military service, largely because they are poorly educated, overweight and have physical ailments that make them unfit for the armed forces, according to a report to be issued Thursday.
Other factors, such as drug use, criminal records and mental problems, contribute to what military leaders say is a major problem that threatens the country's ability to defend itself at a time when the all-volunteer force is already strained fighting two wars."
Other factors, such as drug use, criminal records and mental problems, contribute to what military leaders say is a major problem that threatens the country's ability to defend itself at a time when the all-volunteer force is already strained fighting two wars."
Tom Sawyer Update
Brazilian makes surprise visit at own funeral - Weird news- msnbc.com: "A Brazilian bricklayer reportedly killed in a car crash shocked his mourning family by showing up alive at his funeral."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Men Filing Suit After Dogs Sent Them to Jail | MyFoxHouston.com: "Three men who spent months in jail after dogs linked their scents to evidence from crimes they did not commit are filing a lawsuit claiming Texas authorities falsely arrested and imprisoned them, their attorney said Tuesday.
[. . . .]
This is at least the third lawsuit targeting Pikett, who has spent about 20 years training dogs named Clue, James Bond and Columbo to sniff out possible criminals in more than 2,000 scent identification lineups. Pikett says his dogs determine if a suspect's scent matches smells from crime scene evidence."
[. . . .]
This is at least the third lawsuit targeting Pikett, who has spent about 20 years training dogs named Clue, James Bond and Columbo to sniff out possible criminals in more than 2,000 scent identification lineups. Pikett says his dogs determine if a suspect's scent matches smells from crime scene evidence."
Now This Is Really Sad
What the wild things are: British children unable to identify crocodiles and leopards | Mail Online: "More than half of British children can't identify a crocodile while just one in five can name four basic wild animals, a new study has found."
Guess Which One I'm More Likely to Watch
CMT greenlights two adventure series: "But first, coming in the second quarter are ITV's 'Danger Coast' and 12 Forward's 'Gator 911' (working titles).
'We did a lot of research looking at what reality programming our audience watched on other networks, and adventure shows kept popping up near the top of the list,' said Mary Beth Cunin, CMT senior vp programming strategy.
'Coast' follows Miami's elite Marine Operations Bureau as they protect the public. 'Gator' follows Gary Suarage, owner of Texas-based adventure park Gator Country, as he and his team rescue wandering gators. Both half-hours received a 10-episode order."
Hat tip to John Hall.
'We did a lot of research looking at what reality programming our audience watched on other networks, and adventure shows kept popping up near the top of the list,' said Mary Beth Cunin, CMT senior vp programming strategy.
'Coast' follows Miami's elite Marine Operations Bureau as they protect the public. 'Gator' follows Gary Suarage, owner of Texas-based adventure park Gator Country, as he and his team rescue wandering gators. Both half-hours received a 10-episode order."
Hat tip to John Hall.
Precognition Update
Mexican mayor announces rival's death hours before body is found - Telegraph: "A Mexican mayor announced the death of his main political rival hours before the body was found."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
He's Invisible . . . well, Almost
Liu Bolin Creates Slowest, Least Practical Invisibility Cloak Ever - liu bolin - Gizmodo: "Liu Bolin is a Chinese artist who makes himself invisible. See him hiding there in the picture above? But wait, how does he do it?"
Check the link for the photos.
Hat tip to Walter Satterthwait.
Check the link for the photos.
Hat tip to Walter Satterthwait.
Talk about Luck!
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Amateur 'stunned' after �1m find: "'I basically parked the car up and got the metal detector out and picked a direction to set off and about seven steps later there it was. It was the first thing I came across.'"
Photos and video at the link, which comes via Neatorama.
Photos and video at the link, which comes via Neatorama.
Who Needs Mel?
Perez Hilton: Mad Max Is Back! Charlize Set To Star (Not As Max): "The Mad Max franchise will be resurrected! The only question is, will Mad Mel Gibson return for it?
That remains to be seen but it has been announced that Charlize Theron will be joining the post-apocalyptic fun! She has signed on to star in the fourth chapter of the series, titled Mad Max: Fury Road."
That remains to be seen but it has been announced that Charlize Theron will be joining the post-apocalyptic fun! She has signed on to star in the fourth chapter of the series, titled Mad Max: Fury Road."
Uh-Oh
Perez Hilton: Adam Sandler To Play Jack AND Jill!: "Adam Sandler has signed on to the romantic comedy Jack and Jill, in which he will be playing Jack as well as his twin sister Jill."
Happy Birthday, Ralph Macchio!
Turns 48 today. Make you feel old? Anyway, he might even be getting a TV show.
Ralph Macchio Reality Show? | The Plastic Surgery Channel: "Ralph Macchio may be moving to prime time. The 48-year-old star of the Karate Kid movies is in talks with an unnamed network about a reality show based around his family."
Ralph Macchio Reality Show? | The Plastic Surgery Channel: "Ralph Macchio may be moving to prime time. The 48-year-old star of the Karate Kid movies is in talks with an unnamed network about a reality show based around his family."
Hey, It Worked on OLD MAN'S WAR
Elevator to space? They're really trying :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Nation: "Rocketing into space? Some think an elevator might be the way to go.
That's the future goal of this week's $2 million Space Elevator Games in the Mojave Desert.
In a major test of the concept, robotic machines powered by laser beams will try to climb a cable suspended from a helicopter hovering more than a half-mile (one kilometer) high."
That's the future goal of this week's $2 million Space Elevator Games in the Mojave Desert.
In a major test of the concept, robotic machines powered by laser beams will try to climb a cable suspended from a helicopter hovering more than a half-mile (one kilometer) high."
Ah-Ha!
Time change could prove hazardous to your health | Viewpoints, Outlook | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Although daylight-saving time was sold politically as an energy-conservation measure, it does no such thing. Studies conducted in Indiana prior to 2006, when that state operated under three different time regimes, show either no difference in energy consumption or a small increase in power usage during the months after clocks were moved one hour ahead."
The Most Popular Christmas Toys, By Year Since 1960
Permuto Discoveries � The Most Popular Christmas Toys, By Year Since 1960: "Here they are, the most popular Christmas toys since 1960"
Link via Neatorama.
Link via Neatorama.
Firsts Magazine, November 2009
Book collecting, first editions: Firsts Magazine for book collectors - November 2009: "James Lee Burke
We profiled Burke in our July 1991 issue, when it was clear that his Dave Robicheaux detective novels were among the best the genre had to offer. In course of the 18 years since, Burke has more than fulfilled his promise."
The article on Burke is by Robert Skinner, and it's a really good one. Highly recommended. There's also a good article on "Books into Film" that discusses The High Window, Time to Kill, and The Brasher Dubloon. Plus an article on C. J. Box.
We profiled Burke in our July 1991 issue, when it was clear that his Dave Robicheaux detective novels were among the best the genre had to offer. In course of the 18 years since, Burke has more than fulfilled his promise."
The article on Burke is by Robert Skinner, and it's a really good one. Highly recommended. There's also a good article on "Books into Film" that discusses The High Window, Time to Kill, and The Brasher Dubloon. Plus an article on C. J. Box.
Carl Ballantine, R. I. P.
Carl Ballantine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Carl Ballantine (born Meyer Kessler; September 27, 1917 - November 3, 2009) was an American actor, magician and comedian. Billing himself as 'Ballantine the Great' or 'The Amazing Ballantine,' his vaudeville-style comedy routine involved transparent or incompetent stage magic tricks, which tend to flop to the wisecracking Ballantine's mock chagrin."
Hat tip to Toby O'B.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Don't Mess with Texas
Pregnant woman shoots would-be burglar in northwest Houston - 11/03/09 - Houston News - abc13.com: "Houston police say a pregnant woman shot and killed a man trying to break into her car.
The shooting happened on Pinemont near Alabonson in northwest Houston last night. Investigators say a woman who is eight months pregnant saw a group of men breaking into a neighbor's car and then the crooks turned toward her vehicle."
The shooting happened on Pinemont near Alabonson in northwest Houston last night. Investigators say a woman who is eight months pregnant saw a group of men breaking into a neighbor's car and then the crooks turned toward her vehicle."
20 Crap-tacular Action Flicks
Con Air | 20 Crap-tacular Action Flicks YOU Love | Photo 1 of 16 | EW.com: "To welcome ''G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'' to DVD, we asked PopWatchers for their ''just bad enough to be awesome'' flicks -- ''Con Air,'' ''Wanted,'' and ''Starship Troopers'' made the cut."
I like this list for many reasons, particularly for #1.
I like this list for many reasons, particularly for #1.
Happy Birthday, PBS!
U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for Nov. 3 | Reuters: "PBS, the Public Broadcasting System, aired its first television broadcasts 40 years ago today, as a string of local educational channels united to form the network. Over the years, PBS has built a reputation for excellent programs and objectivity. Some of its well-known programs include the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, The American Experience, and Sesame Street. For some years, it was the leading broadcaster of key tennis matches. The Public Broadcasting System currently has more than 350 stations, which collectively own the network."
Hat tip to Todd Mason.
Hat tip to Todd Mason.
She Was Groggy? Really?
Police: From crack to the Cape, local women involved in unrelated, yet unusual crashes � Naples Daily News: "Griffin, 24 was arrested at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
[. . . .]
She had a blood alcohol level of .088 percent and told the deputy she drank vodka, smoked crack and had taken Oxycodone, Clonopin, Baklaphine, Lirica, Tegradol, Paxcil, Dilantin and Lamiktal, reports say.
Griffin was groggy, and was taken to NCH North Naples Hospital."
[. . . .]
She had a blood alcohol level of .088 percent and told the deputy she drank vodka, smoked crack and had taken Oxycodone, Clonopin, Baklaphine, Lirica, Tegradol, Paxcil, Dilantin and Lamiktal, reports say.
Griffin was groggy, and was taken to NCH North Naples Hospital."
Country Music Update
George Jones worries about the future of country music - San Jose Mercury News: "Country Music Hall of Famer George Jones simply does not care for this rap music fad.Asked whether he'd ever branch out to a completely different genre of music, like heavy metal or rap, Jones laughed and said: 'Rap? That's tacky.'
'How can you call that music?' he said. 'Now, I love music, too. I love all kinds. I really do. I've got an open mind. But now, you can't call rap, talking stuff like that, music. No, no, no, you've got to have another name for that.'
Neither is he much of a fan of where country music has moved in recent years.
When asked about what he thought about the music being produced by today's top country stars, the 78-year-old said while they are good, 'they've stolen our identity.'
Artists like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, he said, 'had to use something that was established already, and that's traditional country music. So what they need to do really, I think, is find their own title, because they're definitely not traditional country music,' he said."
Hat tips to Jeff Meyerson (article) and Lauren Bettinger (photo link).
WWII Update
TBO.com - News From AP: "Even though it was 65 years ago, Al Tortolano clearly recalls the one thought, the only thought, that ran through his mind as his military unit was surrounded by German soldiers during World War II.
'About the only thing you could think of was family. Will I ever see my family again?' remembered the 88-year-old Tortolano, part of what was dubbed the 'Lost Battalion.'
It was October 1944 and Tortolano was part of the 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment, 36th Infantry Division - a Texas military unit that was surrounded by German soldiers in northern France's Vosges Mountains.
The prayers of Tortolano and the other members of the 1st Battalion were answered by the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit made up almost entirely of Japanese-Americans. The 442nd broke through the German ranks and was able to free the 1st Battalion."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
'About the only thing you could think of was family. Will I ever see my family again?' remembered the 88-year-old Tortolano, part of what was dubbed the 'Lost Battalion.'
It was October 1944 and Tortolano was part of the 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment, 36th Infantry Division - a Texas military unit that was surrounded by German soldiers in northern France's Vosges Mountains.
The prayers of Tortolano and the other members of the 1st Battalion were answered by the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit made up almost entirely of Japanese-Americans. The 442nd broke through the German ranks and was able to free the 1st Battalion."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Top 10 Coolest Cars on TV
Our 10 Favorite TV Cars at TV.com: "Your car is an extension of yourself -- whether it's a sexy Lamborghini or dented van filled with fast food wrappers. Some of the most famous characters on TV would be naked without their cars: The A-Team would be lost without their high-tech gear and not-so-stealthily painted GMC van. Here are ten of the coolest cars on TV."
Hat tip to Toby O'B.
Hat tip to Toby O'B.
Soon to be a Movie on the SyFy Channel
Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish - Telegraph: "Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish.
A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Monday, November 02, 2009
No Comment Department
Halloween 'dummy' was a dead body - thestar.com: "The body of a 75-year-old man sat decomposing on his Marina del Rey balcony for days because neighbours thought the lifeless figure was part of a Halloween display and didn't call police.
Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed had apparently been dead since Monday of a self-inflicted gunshot to one eye. He was slumped over a chair outside his third-floor apartment, said Austin Raishbrook of RMG News, who was on the scene Thursday when the discovery was made."
Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed had apparently been dead since Monday of a self-inflicted gunshot to one eye. He was slumped over a chair outside his third-floor apartment, said Austin Raishbrook of RMG News, who was on the scene Thursday when the discovery was made."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
San Antonio hopes Wi-Fi lures riders to buses | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "San Antonio is trying to lure riders to public transit by offering riders free Wi-Fi.
A month-long pilot program being launched today will give access to riders on some VIA Metropolitan Transit express routes.
“What we're trying to figure out with the pilot program is how much interest there is out there,” VIA President Keith Parker said. “We think there may be a considerable amount. And if there is, we plan to roll it out on a much larger level.”"
A month-long pilot program being launched today will give access to riders on some VIA Metropolitan Transit express routes.
“What we're trying to figure out with the pilot program is how much interest there is out there,” VIA President Keith Parker said. “We think there may be a considerable amount. And if there is, we plan to roll it out on a much larger level.”"
Another SF Device Becomes Reality
Simultaneous Translation Glasses - Neatorama: "NEC is developing a gadget that will translate spoken words into text displayed on a user’s eyes:
The prototype device called a “Tele Scouter” is a glasses type display that translates the foreign language being spoken by a partner and projects the translation onto a tiny retinal display."
The prototype device called a “Tele Scouter” is a glasses type display that translates the foreign language being spoken by a partner and projects the translation onto a tiny retinal display."
Croc Update
2m croc caught on busy city road - Northern Territory News: "A CROCODILE has stunned residents in Darwin's northern suburbs after it was caught taking a stroll on a suburban footpath.
The 2m-long male saltie was basking next to Vanderlin Drive near Homes Jungle Nature Park - only 5km from the police headquarters."
Photo at link.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
The 2m-long male saltie was basking next to Vanderlin Drive near Homes Jungle Nature Park - only 5km from the police headquarters."
Photo at link.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
New Podcast at Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine!
Welcome to Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine!: "Episode 3: 'The Talking Dead' by Melodie Johnson Howe
A TV writer goes missing, leaving her show's star without a script and opening up a perfect scenario for murder. In this fourth installment in her series of Diana Poole mysteries (published in EQMM in June 2003), former Hollywood actress Melodie Johnson Howe takes a penetrating look at the off-stage life of a TV idol."
A TV writer goes missing, leaving her show's star without a script and opening up a perfect scenario for murder. In this fourth installment in her series of Diana Poole mysteries (published in EQMM in June 2003), former Hollywood actress Melodie Johnson Howe takes a penetrating look at the off-stage life of a TV idol."
Hmmmmmm
Thinking negatively can boost your memory, study finds - Yahoo! News: "Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad makes people less gullible, improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote."
The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were told.
'Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking paying greater attention to the external world,' Forgas wrote."
Just Looking
I seem to be watching a lot of coming-of-age movies these days, and this is another good one. As usual, I don't know who recommended it, but thanks to whoever it was.It's 1955. Lenny's 14 and lives in the Bronx. His mother's recently remarried, and he hates his stepfather. He's also obsessed with seeing a man and a woman having sex. When he's sent to Queens to live with his aunt and uncle, he's not discouraged. He makes a new plan. He also meets a some kids his own age (a boy and two girls) who have a sex club. In 1955 that means they talk about sex. Lenny learns a lot. He also learns a lot from Gretchen Mol, who really shines in this movie.
You'll probably be way ahead of the plot, the movie's so good-hearted and funny that you won't care. As Judy pointed out, Lenny is exactly my age. I didn't live in the Bronx, and I didn't visit Queens, but I was 14 in 1955, and this movie gets it right. Judy and I both enjoyed it a lot.
Short Stories for Sale
There's a new site called iPulp that has short stories by a lot of different writers, one of whom is me. Or "is I" if you're going to be all grammatical about it. The prices for the stories vary, but they're all quite reasonable. The first of my stories to be published there should be available today, and all of them are about a 1940s Hollywood p.i. named Bill Ferrell. They've appeared in anthologies previously, but if you haven't read them and if you have some spare change, you can read them now. The first of my stories to appear is "Cap'n Bob and Gus." It should be there sometime today. Check it out.
World Fantasy Award Winners
Locus Online News: World Fantasy Awards Winners: "The 2009 World Fantasy Award winners were announced today at the World Fantasy Convention held October 29 - November 1, 2009, in San Jose, California."
Winners and nominees at the link.
Winners and nominees at the link.
Thanks Goodness Adults Aren't Affected
When Internet use becomes a problem - The Boston Globe: "Their worried parents bring them to the doctor, fearing drug abuse or depression, but the evaluations come up empty. A doctor at Children’s Hospital Boston says something else may be at work. “We see kids who are just gaming, and they appear to their parents to have all of the signs and symptoms of drug use,’’ Dr. Michael Rich said about the seductive world of online games. “But in fact they are only hooked on the drug of electrons on their screen.’’"
It's Wild West Monday
THE TAINTED ARCHIVE: WILD WEST MONDAY IS HERE: "It's here again and tomorrow people all over the world, pulled together by the wild west web will be visiting their local bookshops and libraries to enquire about their western section -if they don't have any westerns then ask them why not. Please take part - together we can do it and previous Wild West Mondays have been huge success with many publishers reporting a spike in western sales."
I Got Only 7 Right
GEOGRAPHY QUIZ - MontereyHerald.com :: "Questions are from the National Geography Bee, a program of the National Geographic Society."
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Kick Start
Steve Lewis has unearthed another of my old reviews (from 1979). I barely remember reading the book, but it sure sounds good.
Amelia Earhart Update
Cousin: Japanese captured Amelia Earhart | NevadaAppeal.com: "Wally Earhart of Carson City, the fourth cousin of Amelia Earhart, says the U.S. government continues to perpetrate a “massive coverup” about her mysterious disappearance in the Pacific 72 years ago."
Howie Schultz, R. I. P.
Former Hamline standout played pro baseball and basketball | StarTribune.com: "The St. Paul Central graduate, 87, played for three major league clubs before being part of two Minneapolis Lakers championship teams.
[. . . .]
Schultz saw regular duty for the Dodgers until the start of the 1947 season, when Brooklyn sold his contract to the Philadelphia Phillies to make room for Jackie Robinson.
[. . . .]
Schultz saw regular duty for the Dodgers until the start of the 1947 season, when Brooklyn sold his contract to the Philadelphia Phillies to make room for Jackie Robinson.
'His first year, Jackie played first base,' Schultz said in a 2004 interview with the Star Tribune. 'I'm a footnote in history -- the guy who was benched to allow baseball to be integrated.'''
Lionel Davidson, R. I. P.
Lionel Davidson, Writer of Complex Thrillers, Dies at 87 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Lionel Davidson, a noted British thriller writer whose novels brought to life far-flung settings like Prague, Tibet, Israel and Siberia, died on Oct. 21 at his home in London. He was 87."
Link via Sarah Weinman.
If you haven't read Davidson's work, I highly recommend Rose of Tibet.
Link via Sarah Weinman.
If you haven't read Davidson's work, I highly recommend Rose of Tibet.
Where There's a Will . . . .
Court tosses will written on dog collar - UPI.com: "An employee of an Italian businessman allegedly forged what was supposed to be the boss's will on the back of dog collar.
Giovanni Russo, who died in 2004, split his estate between his sisters and ex-wife in a will put to paper. But a few months later, a dog collar that had belonged to the Sicilian businessman's German shepherd, Delos, arrived in the mail, the Italian news agency ANSA reported."
Giovanni Russo, who died in 2004, split his estate between his sisters and ex-wife in a will put to paper. But a few months later, a dog collar that had belonged to the Sicilian businessman's German shepherd, Delos, arrived in the mail, the Italian news agency ANSA reported."
Hanging Out
Caught on camera: naked love rival flees furious husband - Telegraph: "A naked man who climbed out of a window and hid on the ledge to escape his lover's furious husband has been caught on camera."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Photo at the link.
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