Saturday, March 13, 2010
Edgar Allan Poe Update
Joaquin Phoenix - Phoenix's Rep Denies Poe Reports - Contactmusic News: "A representative for JOAQUIN PHOENIX has shot down reports the star is preparing to return to the big screen as EDGAR ALLEN POE.
Slumdog Millionaire sound designer Resul Pookutty claimed earlier this week (begs08Mar10) that Phoenix was tuning his back on his newfound rap career to head back to filmmaking.
He told India's Mumbai Mirror the star had signed up to play iconic American writer and poet Poe in an upcoming movie.
But Pookutty's claims have been dismissed by Phoenix's rep, who tells GossipCop.com the star will not be appearing in the picture."
Slumdog Millionaire sound designer Resul Pookutty claimed earlier this week (begs08Mar10) that Phoenix was tuning his back on his newfound rap career to head back to filmmaking.
He told India's Mumbai Mirror the star had signed up to play iconic American writer and poet Poe in an upcoming movie.
But Pookutty's claims have been dismissed by Phoenix's rep, who tells GossipCop.com the star will not be appearing in the picture."
And Stay off His Weed!
Police: Man ate marijuana in back of the squad car | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen: "Police said a 77-year-old Iowa City man swallowed marijuana he had hidden on him while in police custody.
Howard R. Switzer, of 71 Commercial Court, was witnessed by an officer making a left turn into oncoming traffic at 6:20 p.m. Jan. 31, police said. Police said Switzer's license is revoked and he was placed under arrest for driving while revoked."
Howard R. Switzer, of 71 Commercial Court, was witnessed by an officer making a left turn into oncoming traffic at 6:20 p.m. Jan. 31, police said. Police said Switzer's license is revoked and he was placed under arrest for driving while revoked."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Rice considers digital future for university press | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "An experiment at Rice University to make scholarly research available to anyone with an Internet connection is trying to change the world of academic publishing.
[. . . .]
Rice goes further: Every book may be read online for free; none are printed until an order is placed, with the payment covering the cost of printing and delivering the book. There is no sales staff, nor warehouses to hold unsold books."
[. . . .]
Rice goes further: Every book may be read online for free; none are printed until an order is placed, with the payment covering the cost of printing and delivering the book. There is no sales staff, nor warehouses to hold unsold books."
Can a Town with Only about 6 Seniors Win?
You can vote if you want to help 'em.
Prom Hopes: "The name of the event is Proms Across America and the voting is on-line. It takes a little typing, a few clicks, and the task of deciphering a sequence of distorted numbers and letters.
Go to HERE if you want to see it. Scroll down to Downieville/Junior/Senior High School near the bottom of the list. And vote. Early and often."
Prom Hopes: "The name of the event is Proms Across America and the voting is on-line. It takes a little typing, a few clicks, and the task of deciphering a sequence of distorted numbers and letters.
Go to HERE if you want to see it. Scroll down to Downieville/Junior/Senior High School near the bottom of the list. And vote. Early and often."
Song of Solomon 2, 11-12
"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."
Corey Haim Update
Corey Haim's Family Puts His Belongings on eBay - mediabistro.com: FishbowlLA: "This Corey Haim story could not get any sadder. Turns out he was living with his mother in the Valley while she was fighting cancer when he overdosed and died at 38. To add to that, his meager personal effects are on eBay to help pay to bury him."
Archaeology Update
Beheaded Vikings found at Olympic site - CNN.com: "They were 51 young men who met a grisly death far from home, their heads chopped off and their bodies thrown into a mass grave.
Their resting place was unknown until last year, when workers excavating for a road near the London 2012 Olympic sailing venue in Weymouth, England, unearthed the grave. But questions remained about who the men were, how long they had been there and why they had been decapitated."
Their resting place was unknown until last year, when workers excavating for a road near the London 2012 Olympic sailing venue in Weymouth, England, unearthed the grave. But questions remained about who the men were, how long they had been there and why they had been decapitated."
Friday, March 12, 2010
Edgar Allan Poe Update
:: The Playlist ::: Is Joaquin Phoenix Returning To Acting Playing Edgar Allan Poe In 'The Beautiful Cigar Girl'?: "In what must be the biggest news ever broken by a sound recordist in history, Oscar winner Resul Pookutty has revealed that that Joaquin Phoenix is set to return to the world of acting.
Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror about his next project Pookutty reveals, '“I couldn’t be happier because I am doing a period film. It is a very special challenge because I have to recreate the sound textures of New York in 1854. It’s an adaptation of 'The Beautiful Cigar Girl' by Daniel Stashower and based on an eerie real-life experience of author Edgar Allen Poe which happened just months before his death. Joaquin plays Edgar Allen Poe.”"
Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror about his next project Pookutty reveals, '“I couldn’t be happier because I am doing a period film. It is a very special challenge because I have to recreate the sound textures of New York in 1854. It’s an adaptation of 'The Beautiful Cigar Girl' by Daniel Stashower and based on an eerie real-life experience of author Edgar Allen Poe which happened just months before his death. Joaquin plays Edgar Allen Poe.”"
Florida Leads the Way
ALL FL State Aid Funding For Public Libraries To Be Eliminated | LISNews: "On March 10, appropriations committees in the Florida House and Senate adopted positions eliminating all funding for Florida’s State Aid to Public Libraries program."
James Brown, Vampire?
James Brown's body is 'missing from its crypt', alleges singer's daughter | Mail Online: "James Brown's daughter has claimed the singer's body has gone missing from its crypt."
Happy Birthday, Jack Kerouac!
| The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor: "It's the birthday of Jack Kerouac, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1922, the author of On the Road (1957), a book that brought him instant fame and labels like 'King of the Beats' and 'the voice of a generation.' Writers Ken Kesey, Haruki Murakami, Richard Brautigan, Hunter S. Thompson, Lester Bangs, and Tom Robbins have all pointed to Kerouac as a defining influence on their writing. And songwriter Bob Dylan said about On the Road: 'It changed my life like it changed everyone else's.'"
Roaches on a Plane
Airline Passengers 'Delayed By Roaches' | WUSA9.com | Washington, DC |: "A stewardess told Kempler 'There are roaches on the plane.' She found out 'there are actually 50 roaches and they found a colony on a curtain between first class and the pilots.' Kempler says 'we spent the next two and a half hours or at least I did, curled up in my seat thinking 'how many cockroaches are going to be in my bag when I get out?''"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Watch the skies!
It was one of the more jarring incidents of the fourth week of border tensions sparked by drug killings, and rumors of such killings, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas."
Sharktopus Update
US TV - News - Eric Roberts joins Syfy's 'Sharktopus' - Digital Spy: "Eric Roberts has signed for the lead role in the Syfy movie Sharktopus.
The 53-year-old will star in the Roger Corman-produced project, reports HitFix."
The 53-year-old will star in the Roger Corman-produced project, reports HitFix."
Forgotten Books: THE SOFT ARMS OF DEATH -- Richard Hayward
Once upon a time there was a mystery writer named Baynard Kendrick. He wrote a series of novels about Duncan Mclain, a blind private-eye. (The Longstreet TV series was based at least in part on this series.) He wrote another p.i. series featuring Miles Standish Rice, and some standalones. But that's not all. Under the name Richard Hayward, he wrote two Gold Medal novels, including The Soft Arms of Death, which I've had for a long time but never read. It's another one I downloaded from the Munsey's site to read on the Kindle, and I'm glad I did.
Our first-person narrator is Gil Blaine, a reporter for his uncle's newspaper. He drinks too much, and he's in love with a woman named Diana Marston. In fact, he's married to her, though they've never lived together, and she's long since left town. It's a surprise to Blaine when he hears that Diana's husband, Robert Smith, has died in California. It's an even bigger surprise when Diana and Smith show up in town.
Diana has a bad reputation. It's rumored that she killed her father, for one thing, and when Robert Smith is murdered, she's naturally a suspect. But then so are Blaine and several others. You might think you know where this one's going, but Hayward (or Kendrick) does a good job of keeping the reader off balance, right up until the final paragraphs. The plot's a little gimmicky, but that didn't bother me. I particularly enjoyed the setting, South Carolina, which is certainly off the beaten path for mystery novels, and the local color writing is top notch. This book was so entertaining that I'm now thinking I need to read Hayward's other Gold Medal novel.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Merlin Olsen, R. I. P.
Football and TV star Merlin Olsen dies aged 69 | Reuters: "Football star turned actor Merlin Olsen, who was a key member of the Los Angeles Rams' defensive line nicknamed the 'Fearsome Foursome,' died at the age of 69 on Thursday after a battle with cancer."
All Righty, Then
Brain scan can read people's thoughts: researchers - Yahoo! News: "A scan of brain activity can effectively read a person's mind, researchers said Thursday.
British scientists from University College London found they could differentiate brain activity linked to different memories and thereby identify thought patterns by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
British scientists from University College London found they could differentiate brain activity linked to different memories and thereby identify thought patterns by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
The New New Look
I decided that the blog was a bit too bright, and Toby's comment agreed. So I'm now trying something a bit like the old blog. I think it's easier to read, and I like it. At least for now. Check back in an hour. Maybe I'll have changed it again.
No Comment Department
Warner Bros Turning Leonardo Da Vinci into an Action Hero? | /Film: "After the success of Guy Ritchie’s reinvention of Sherlock Holmes, it seems like Warner Bros is digging through the archives for old properties or historical figures that could use a Hollywood tentpole revamp. In recent weeks the studio has announced a big screen adaptation of the popular arcade video game Space Invaders, a Guy Ritchie-directed Star Wars-like version of Arthur’s Excalibur scripted by Warren Ellis, a big screen remake of the 1960’s television series Gilligans Island from the producer of The Dark Knight, an action/adventure take on Marco Polo directed by I Am Legend helmer Francis Lawrence, and an action/sexified adaptation of The Three Musketeers from the producer of Sherlock Holmes.
And tonight it was revealed that WB is looking to turn famed Italian artist/inventor/engineer/architect Leonardo Da Vinci into an action/adventure hero. The treatment was penned by producer Adrian Askarieh. The studio is searching for a screenwriter to turn the idea into a fleshed out screenplay."
And tonight it was revealed that WB is looking to turn famed Italian artist/inventor/engineer/architect Leonardo Da Vinci into an action/adventure hero. The treatment was penned by producer Adrian Askarieh. The studio is searching for a screenwriter to turn the idea into a fleshed out screenplay."
The New Look
After nearly eight years, I figured it was time to try something new. I don't know if it was a wise decision, but for now I kind of like it.
Podcast Discussion of J. D. Salinger
MIT Press Journals - Podcasts: "In light of J.D. Salinger's recent passing and on reflection of his literary contributions, The New England Quarterly took a trip back to its December 1997 issue (70:4) and one of the journal's most popular articles. Pulitzer Prize-winner and NEQ editorial board member, Louis Menand interviews author Stephen J. Whitfield on his article 'Cherished and Cursed: Toward a Social History of The Catcher in the Rye'. They discuss the impact of Salinger, the political and social climate during the time of Catcher, and contemplate how Cold War is viewed today. The conversation was recorded on February 24, 2010."
There's a link to the original article at the podcast site.
There's a link to the original article at the podcast site.
Cozy Mystery
Jersey Shore town of West Cape May has a knit fit - and a mystery: "Knitters have pulled the wool over the eyes of residents in a small Jersey Shore town.
Dozens of colorful knitted cozies have mysteriously popped up on trees and sign posts in West Cape May, leaving locals enchanted - and authorities on the hunt for the culprits."
Dozens of colorful knitted cozies have mysteriously popped up on trees and sign posts in West Cape May, leaving locals enchanted - and authorities on the hunt for the culprits."
Hat tip to Angela Crider.
And Keep off Their Lawns!
Study: Old Men Stay Frisky Longer | NBC Chicago: "In the battle of the sexes, men are the winners.
Women may live longer, but dudes pack more sex into their shorter lives and they remain randy until much later in life, according to a new University of Chicago study published in the British Medical Journal."
Women may live longer, but dudes pack more sex into their shorter lives and they remain randy until much later in life, according to a new University of Chicago study published in the British Medical Journal."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
United Tastes - Tacos in the Morning? That’s the Routine in Austin, Tex. - Series - NYTimes.com: "AUSTIN can’t claim taco primacy. That category is too broad, encompassing too many variations in style.
When it comes to breakfast tacos, however, Austin trumps all other American cities."
When it comes to breakfast tacos, however, Austin trumps all other American cities."
Hat tip to Fred Blosser.
Gardening Update
Police dig up body in London garden after tip-off |
UK news |
guardian.co.uk: "Police digging up the garden of a man with terminal cancer last night found human remains.
A body wrapped in carpet was discovered at the back of a home in Fulham, west London, after a tip-off. The remains are believed to be up to 20 years old."
UK news |
guardian.co.uk: "Police digging up the garden of a man with terminal cancer last night found human remains.
A body wrapped in carpet was discovered at the back of a home in Fulham, west London, after a tip-off. The remains are believed to be up to 20 years old."
Hat tip to Todd Mason.
Arkansas Leads the Way
Welcome To The World’s Weirdest Beauty Pageant | Scanner: "This one-of-a-kind contest features teenage girls in one-piece swimsuits parading before judges and leering onlookers with a picture of a turkey covering their upper bodies."
Anna Nicole Smith Update
Showbiz - News - Anna Nicole Smith musical 'for 2011' - Digital Spy: "A musical about the life and death of late model-actress Anna Nicole Smith is due to premiere in London next year.
The premiere of composer Mark-Anthony Turnage's production 'Anna Nicole', first announced in April 2008, will be held at London's Royal Opera House on February 17, 2011, Contactmusic reports.
Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek has been selected to play the late Playboy star in the stage show, which will be directed by Richard Jones."
The premiere of composer Mark-Anthony Turnage's production 'Anna Nicole', first announced in April 2008, will be held at London's Royal Opera House on February 17, 2011, Contactmusic reports.
Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek has been selected to play the late Playboy star in the stage show, which will be directed by Richard Jones."
Literary Arts Update
Hilary Duff to write young adult book series - washingtonpost.com: "Welcome the latest celebrity children's author, Hilary Duff.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young readers said Tuesday the actress-singer will work on a series of young adult novels that starts with 'Elixir,' to be published in October. The first novel will feature the worldwide adventures of photojournalist Clea Raymond."
Simon & Schuster Books for Young readers said Tuesday the actress-singer will work on a series of young adult novels that starts with 'Elixir,' to be published in October. The first novel will feature the worldwide adventures of photojournalist Clea Raymond."
The Most Devilish Books
The Most Devilish Books: "Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Mephistopheles, the prince of darkness - call him what you will, but the devil is a such an intriguing force of evil that countless writers across many centuries have woven a devil, the devil or simply demonic themes into their work."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Johnny Porno -- Charlie Stella
I've reviewed a couple of Charlie Stella's books before (see here and here), so I was eager to read his new one, the first paperback original that Stark House has done. I was probably expecting something like the earlier books, but this one's a little different. It's a historical novel, set in the early 1970s, and it's a more ambitious novel, on a much bigger scale and with a much bigger cast.The title character, John Albano, can't work as a carpenter because he's lost his union card. He punched out the wrong guy, something he does more than once. He works as a service driver during the week, and on weekends he picks up money from showings of Deep Throat. Mob money, so you know that won't work out well for him. Luckily for him, when he punches out a cop, the incident was caught on tape. Unluckily for him, the cop loses his job and wants to kill him. And he's not the only one.
Psycho cops, bent cops, straight cops, Feds, wiseguys, good women, bad women,really bad women, guys on the make, gamblers, dumbasses, good guys, bad guys. This book's got 'em all (and more), and all so well-drawn that they seem like real people. There are also three or four plots going in, and they all converge in the final pages. I don't know how Stella managed to keep all the balls in the air, but he doesn't drop a one. Stark House's first original is a winner. Check it out
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Man Files Lawsuit Over Clogged Toilet - KIAH: "A Houston area man is blaming a clogged toilet for his right foot being amputated. Oscar Batres said the trouble began when his toilet clogged and then overflowed last November from a sewage back-up at his apartment complex in Tomball."
William Campbell Gault Interview
This interview is from Paperback Quarterly, Volume 2, Number 2 (Summer 1979).
Raquel Welch Update
Raquel Welch's bustier sets off alarms at O'Hare :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State: "Raquel Welch’s black-satin bustier set off a metal detector last week at O’Hare Airport, and the actress had to undergo a patdown search.
“It was hilarious,” Welch’s publicist, Julie Nathanson, said today. “Every alarm in the hemisphere went off.”"
“It was hilarious,” Welch’s publicist, Julie Nathanson, said today. “Every alarm in the hemisphere went off.”"
Corey Haim, R. I. P.
Sad news: Corey Haim dies at 38 - Pop Candy: Unwrapping pop culture's hip and hidden treasures: "Another one of our '80s idols is gone.
This morning Corey Haim was found dead of an apparent accidental overdose. The LAPD has confirmed the reports and says Haim's mother was with the actor at the time.
Haim's struggles with addiction have been documented over the years in the media and on series like A&E's The Two Coreys, which co-starred his frequent '80s on-screen partner, Corey Feldman."
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
This morning Corey Haim was found dead of an apparent accidental overdose. The LAPD has confirmed the reports and says Haim's mother was with the actor at the time.
Haim's struggles with addiction have been documented over the years in the media and on series like A&E's The Two Coreys, which co-starred his frequent '80s on-screen partner, Corey Feldman."
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
Bigfoot Update
WGME 13 Top Stories: "Gossip is flying in the town of Leeds, but it's not typical talk for small town Maine.A local couple says Bigfoot is real and he's living nearby. Monday morning a pair spotted a 7 foot tall, hairy man crossing the road near the Greene/Leeds town line. And they're not alone. Over the last 25 years, There have been numerous Bigfoot sightings, leaving locals to believe there may be some truth to it."
Where Do I Sign Up?
Hunting for a job? There's always alligator wrestling -
Broward Breaking News
- MiamiHerald.com: "Until now, alligator wrestling might have been considered a poor career choice. The pay is not steady, the travel is exhausting, and the occupational hazards are apparent.
Now a group of alligator wrestlers say they want to change all that, except for the hazardous part, which they say isn't so scary at all, by forming the Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competitions -- a professional organization, with annual meets, that promotes the activity as a legitimate sport."
Broward Breaking News
- MiamiHerald.com: "Until now, alligator wrestling might have been considered a poor career choice. The pay is not steady, the travel is exhausting, and the occupational hazards are apparent.
Now a group of alligator wrestlers say they want to change all that, except for the hazardous part, which they say isn't so scary at all, by forming the Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competitions -- a professional organization, with annual meets, that promotes the activity as a legitimate sport."
Or maybe I'd be better suited for this.
John Thorbjarnarson, R. I. P.
John Thorbjarnarson, 52, a Leading Expert on Crocodiles - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "John Thorbjarnarson went on to become one of the world’s leading experts on crocodiles and alligators. He also came up with strategies to help preserve crocodilian species that were on the verge of extinction when he went to work a quarter century ago.
Then, 20 of 23 species teetered on the edge of oblivion. Now, seven do.
Dr. Thorbjarnarson, a herpetologist, died at the age of 52 on Feb. 15 in New Delhi. The Wildlife Conservation Society, his employer, said he had contracted malaria while studying the dwarf caiman, a crocodile cousin, in Uganda. He died of the disease after coming to India to speak to a wildlife group."
Then, 20 of 23 species teetered on the edge of oblivion. Now, seven do.
Dr. Thorbjarnarson, a herpetologist, died at the age of 52 on Feb. 15 in New Delhi. The Wildlife Conservation Society, his employer, said he had contracted malaria while studying the dwarf caiman, a crocodile cousin, in Uganda. He died of the disease after coming to India to speak to a wildlife group."
Hat tip to Toby O'Brien at Inner Toob.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Nutty Squirrels
'Astro-squirrels' use coconut shells as helmets - Telegraph: "The pair look more like starved spacemen tucking into the tropical treats at the back of Jane Robert's home in Fareham, Hants.
Miss Roberts, 46, leaves out two coconuts a week and suspends them on pieces of string from her washing line and watches her furry friends dig in."
Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Tom Knowles.
Miss Roberts, 46, leaves out two coconuts a week and suspends them on pieces of string from her washing line and watches her furry friends dig in."
Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Tom Knowles.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas teen rides fashion blog Seaofshoes to fame | Life | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Jane Aldridge was barely 15 when she began blogging about her love for expensive designer shoes.
Two years later, she snagged a plum deal designing a limited-edition shoe collection for Urban Outfitters.
That's the power of blogs, the reality TV of the Internet.
Aldridge says her blog (seaofshoes.com) started as a hobby, something to pass the time between homework assignments, studying for the SAT and the slow-paced life of suburban Trophy Club, Texas, just north of Dallas."
How come my blog doesn't go global?
Two years later, she snagged a plum deal designing a limited-edition shoe collection for Urban Outfitters.
That's the power of blogs, the reality TV of the Internet.
Aldridge says her blog (seaofshoes.com) started as a hobby, something to pass the time between homework assignments, studying for the SAT and the slow-paced life of suburban Trophy Club, Texas, just north of Dallas."
How come my blog doesn't go global?
Murder, She Wrote -- the Game
Murder, She Wrote | Games | Review | The A.V. Club: "Fourteen years after Murder, She Wrote went off the air, a tie-in videogame has finally been released, just as demand had become a roiling river of frenzied anticipation. Yes, Jessica Fletcher, the widowed substitute English teacher turned successful novelist who turned down a glitzy life as an author in murder-filled New York City for a nice quiet life as an author in murder-filled Cabot Cove, Maine is back in five red-herring-filled mysteries."
If Only I Had Known This When I Was in School
Exposure to letters A or F can affect test performance: "Seeing the letter A before an exam can improve a student's exam result while exposure to the letter F may make a student more likely to fail."
Will Detroit Go Back to the Future?
Detroit wants to save itself by shrinking - Yahoo! News: "Detroit, the very symbol of American industrial might for most of the 20th century, is drawing up a radical renewal plan that calls for turning large swaths of this now-blighted, rusted-out city back into the fields and farmland that existed before the automobile.
Operating on a scale never before attempted in this country, the city would demolish houses in some of the most desolate sections of Detroit and move residents into stronger neighborhoods. Roughly a quarter of the 139-square-mile city could go from urban to semi-rural."
Operating on a scale never before attempted in this country, the city would demolish houses in some of the most desolate sections of Detroit and move residents into stronger neighborhoods. Roughly a quarter of the 139-square-mile city could go from urban to semi-rural."
Watchlist
The Chopin Manuscript and The Copper Bracelet were originally released one chapter at a time as audio books. These "serial thrillers" were so successful that they've been packaged together for a print release. Jeffery Deaver came up with the ideas and wrote the first and last chapter of each novella. Other writers were invited to write one chapter each, and it's a great line-up, as you can see if you check out the names on the cover scan to the left.This kind of round-robin has been done before, from The Floating Admiral to Naked Came the Manatee. I'm sure you could name others, but those come to mind. How well it works depends on how much the authors buy into the concept and how much they enjoy the work. In this case I think it works very well in each case.
The mcguffin in The Chopin Manuscript is -- you guessed it -- what seems to be a previously unknown original score by Chopin. Harold Middleton, a war-crimes investigator and head of a group known as the Volunteers, soon finds out that someone really wants that manuscript, someone willing to kill just about anybody, and that includes Middleton and his daughter, who happens to be pregnant. Middleton can't trust anyone, other than his daughter and the Volunteers. The big question is what will happen when the Chopin composition is performed, but I'm not going to answer it for you. As with anything that Deaver's involved in, there are lots of surprises along the way, and at the end, too.
The same is true with The Copper Bracelet, which is more of an international chase involving Middleton and the Volunteers. This time there's a bracelet involved, or a drawing of it, along with the presumed sabotage of a big architectural project. More twisting and turning, with things becoming a lot more complicated than they seemed at the beginning. Both the novellas are sort of over-the-top, so be warned about that. I mean with a villain named The Scorpion, you should know what you're in for.
I think most writers are at their best when they're working with their own characters, but sometimes it's fun to stray a little and have some fun with characters created by someone else. I've done that a lot in my own career, and I've always had a ball. Read the stories in this twofer (or listen to them) and see what you think about the writers in this case.
I Might Have to Watch This One
Nick Nolte Saddling Up For Milch At HBO – Deadline.com: "Nick Nolte -- TV star turned film star turned TV star again? Years ago he burst upon the scene in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. Now I'm hearing that Nolte is about to join the cast of Luck, that David Milch-created HBO drama about the horse race world. Milch and Michael Mann are exec producers, and Mann is directing the pilot. The deal isn't done yet, but I hear Nolte is already 'mucking the stalls' at Santa Anita racetrack where the drama will unfold. Dustin Hoffman already signed to star, along with Dennis Farina and John Ortiz. Milch and Mann are exec producers with Carolyn Strauss and Henry Bronchtein."
Treasure in the Attic?
Century old rare treasure found in attic of Galveston building - 3/08/10 - Houston News - abc13.com: "Something very special has been sitting untouched in an attic in Galveston's historic Strand District, possibly for over a century. In a place where businesses and homeowners struggle to preserve the unique look of the neighborhood, this discovery is an exciting treasure."
Video at the link.
Video at the link.
No Stamp for Benny Hill
Why saucy Benny Hill was kept off our stamps
| Mail Online: "He famously ended his shows chasing after scantily-clad women.
But that running gag has cost Benny Hill his place in history.
Documents yesterday revealed how the comic was dumped from appearing on a set of stamps to commemorate 50 years of ITV because of concerns about his saucy style.
Royal Mail deemed that his jokes were 'in direct opposition to the company's policies on harassment in the work place'."
| Mail Online: "He famously ended his shows chasing after scantily-clad women.
But that running gag has cost Benny Hill his place in history.
Documents yesterday revealed how the comic was dumped from appearing on a set of stamps to commemorate 50 years of ITV because of concerns about his saucy style.
Royal Mail deemed that his jokes were 'in direct opposition to the company's policies on harassment in the work place'."
Croc Update (Take Out Some Insurance Edition)
The Daily Mash - GOVERNMENT BACKS CROCODILE INSURANCE: "EVERY crocodile owner in the UK will have to take out insurance under government plans to tackle 12 foot long killing machines with jaws of steel.
Home secretary Alan Johnson said that while Britain was a nation of animal lovers, it was probably time to do something about the thousands of massive crocodiles currently sitting in the middle of people's living rooms.
He added: 'While we do not want to stop people from buying and owning crocodiles, I suppose we do all have a right not to be chased down the street by what is essentially a dinosaur and devoured in front of our local community.'"
Home secretary Alan Johnson said that while Britain was a nation of animal lovers, it was probably time to do something about the thousands of massive crocodiles currently sitting in the middle of people's living rooms.
He added: 'While we do not want to stop people from buying and owning crocodiles, I suppose we do all have a right not to be chased down the street by what is essentially a dinosaur and devoured in front of our local community.'"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
New Waco museum reveals a mammoth undertaking: "WACO — It's been more than 30 years since two men out hunting snakes pulled the first mammoth bones from a dry creek bed on the outskirts of Waco, but for the first time, the site has opened to the public.In all, 26 Columbian mammoths have been uncovered at the Waco Mammoth Site, and scientists think more might be buried on the 105-acre property, owned by Baylor University and the City of Waco, a few miles west of Interstate 35."
Video at the link.
Hat tip to John Duke.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Charles B. Pierce, R. I. P.
Charles B. Pierce | 'Boggy Creek' creator, 71 | Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/08/2010: "Charles B. Pierce, 71, an independent filmmaker whose inexpensively made documentary-style drama The Legend of Boggy Creek influenced the hit film The Blair Witch Project decades later, died Friday at a Dover, Tenn., nursing home. The cause of death was not given.
Born in Indiana, Mr. Pierce grew up in Hampton, Ark., and as an adult lived in nearby Texarkana, where he ran an advertising agency. But it was his 1972 low-budget movie that gained him fame.
'He really did change the face of filmmaking,' Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane said. 'With his model, many filmmakers became successful with the drive-in creature feature, so to speak.'"
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
Born in Indiana, Mr. Pierce grew up in Hampton, Ark., and as an adult lived in nearby Texarkana, where he ran an advertising agency. But it was his 1972 low-budget movie that gained him fame.
'He really did change the face of filmmaking,' Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane said. 'With his model, many filmmakers became successful with the drive-in creature feature, so to speak.'"
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
Chicago Leads the Way
Ice Age baby mammoth on display in Chicago, first time ever in U.S. - USATODAY.com: "CHICAGO — Some 42,000 years after scientists say she fell into mud near a river and suffocated to death, an intact baby woolly mammoth from the Ice Age is to go on display for the first time in the United States at The Field Museum.
Scientists say the mammoth calf named Lyuba is the best preserved and most complete mammoth specimen known. She was found in 2007 by a reindeer herder in northern Siberia's remote Yamal-Nenets autonomous region and named for his wife."
Scientists say the mammoth calf named Lyuba is the best preserved and most complete mammoth specimen known. She was found in 2007 by a reindeer herder in northern Siberia's remote Yamal-Nenets autonomous region and named for his wife."
Photo of Lyuba at the link.
No Comment Department
Moviegoer Stabbed with Meat Thermometer After Asking Woman to Silence Her Phone - KTLA: "LANCASTER-- A man was stabbed in the neck with a meat thermometer after asking a woman to silence her cell phone in a movie theater, a sheriff's department official said."
Anthony Neil Smith Has a Plea
Crimedog One: PLEA FROM A TOWN WITH NO BOOKSTORE: "Finally, though, our wish for a new bookstore is about to come true. SMSU's S.I.F.E. (Students in Free Enterprise) are coming to the rescue. They, along with the SMSU Accounting Club, are opening a new non-profit used bookstore in our city. All of the profit will go to scholarships at Southwest. A good cause for a good school.
Now, I'm betting I can get some interesting book donations from you folks if you're willing to pack 'em into a box and mail them on. Nice to have some variety, see. And I'm eager for this place to succeed wildly. So how about it? For a good cause? Let's help give these folks some books.
If you ship them to Accounting Club/New Bookstore, SMSU, 1501 State St., Marshall, MN, 56258, that should do it. I'm really stoked and just want the joint packed with a great variety of titles."
Now, I'm betting I can get some interesting book donations from you folks if you're willing to pack 'em into a box and mail them on. Nice to have some variety, see. And I'm eager for this place to succeed wildly. So how about it? For a good cause? Let's help give these folks some books.
If you ship them to Accounting Club/New Bookstore, SMSU, 1501 State St., Marshall, MN, 56258, that should do it. I'm really stoked and just want the joint packed with a great variety of titles."
You Can't Stop Me -- Max Allan Collins & Matthew Clemens
First of all, if you're curious about how this collaboration came about, click here for an informative post by Matthew Clemens on Ed Gorman's blog.Okay, now that you know how the authors work together, it's time for me to say a few words about the book. It's an all-out thriller with a serial killer being tracked across the country by the host of a reality TV show. How's that for an idea?
J. C. Harrow is a small-town cop who has a really good day that goes really bad. He catches a guy who's bent on assassinating the president. That's good. He goes home that night to find his wife and son murdered. That's as bad as it gets.
Years later, Harrow is the host of Crime Seen! a highly successful TV show. Behind the scenes, he's putting together a team that he hopes will allow him to track down the killer of his wife and son. (One of the team members is from Waco, Texas. Texas leads the way.) When the hunt begins in earnest, with the viewers helping, Harrow has a lot to consider. What if one of those viewers is the killer? And what if the show is driving the killer to murder others?
The story moves fast, but with plenty of twists and turns. Maybe the title should have been You Can't Stop Reading because this one's hard to put down. Check it out.
Detroit Leads the Way
Motor City Rah Rahs: Have pompoms, will travel | detnews.com | The Detroit News: "Ask Julie Hecker about cheerleading and she'll tell you: 'Once it's in your soul, it's in your soul.'
So what do you do if you're 45 years old and can't bear to hang up your pompoms?
Well, if you're Hecker -- entrepreneur, wife and mother of two -- you start the Motor City Rah Rahs. This group of eight middle-aged women dress up -- or strip down-- to their fishnets and go-go boots and hit the road with their pompoms to promote Detroit."
So what do you do if you're 45 years old and can't bear to hang up your pompoms?
Well, if you're Hecker -- entrepreneur, wife and mother of two -- you start the Motor City Rah Rahs. This group of eight middle-aged women dress up -- or strip down-- to their fishnets and go-go boots and hit the road with their pompoms to promote Detroit."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Lawyer Threatens Suit Over Coat - March 4, 2010: "If you've forgotten why lawyers have approval ratings as low as politicians and journalists, take a look at this letter written recently by William Ogletree, a Texas lawyer."
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Hmmmmmm
Law Librarian Blog: Books Now the Largest Sales Category in the Apple App Store: "For the first time in the Apple App Store history, books outnumber games in annual downloads, making books the biggest category in the App store."
Coming Soon
Needle: A Magazine of Noir: "It's gonna be hardboiled. Lean and mean. No silly reviews. No poetry (that's for pussies). No advertising. Nothing but hard hitting stories. In your face and busting up your kiss-maker. Kapow."
Croc Update
The moral of t his story is: "Don't wash your feet in the river."
Link via Neatorama.
Hunt at World's End -- Gabriel Hunt, as told to Nicholas Kaufmann
Reading this entry in the Gabriel Hunt series is a lot like reading an old Republic serial. (Yes, I know you can't read a serial.) It's almost all action, with a fistfight or gunfight in every chapter. This time Hunt's after the Three Eyes of Teshub, which, when used in some way will create a weapon of mass destruction somehow devised by the Hittites thousands of years ago. The Eyes were scattered to three winds, so Hunt has to hunt them down. The action races from Borneo to the Mediterranean to the sands of the Kalahari while Hunt, the beautiful Joyce Wingard, and her uncle Daniel try to stay one step ahead of the evil Grissom, who wants to get the weapon and destroy the world.
The book has everything a good serial needs. Secret codes, ancient death cults, swords, bows and arrows, buried tombs, sunken tombs, mystical jewels of power, constant jeopardy, hairsbreadth escapes, betrayals, and a little romance. My favorite exchange occurs when Daniel finds it hard to believe he's been wounded by an arrow shot by a member of a millennia-old death-cult. "Is it always like this for you?" he asks Gabriel, who replies, "Sometimes the death cults are only centuries-old."
If you're looking for escape, this book will give it to you. Check it out.
Massachusetts Leads the Way
Funeral home tries to drum up business with chili cookoff | News Bizarre | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A Western Massachusetts funeral home is trying 'bring life' to business with a chili cookoff, a murder-mystery show and free limo rides to couples on their 50th anniversaries."
Crocorama!
Dinosaur dig resumes in Arlington |
Dallas - Fort Worth News | wfaa.com
| Local News: "'What we are digging in here is an ancient swamp. That's why we are finding crocodiles, dinosaurs and turtles. That is what you usually associate with swampy environment,' said site director, Derek Main.
Main and his crew are still excited about finding a crocorama, a large crocodile skeleton buried beneath this Arlington Archosaur Site."
Dallas - Fort Worth News | wfaa.com
| Local News: "'What we are digging in here is an ancient swamp. That's why we are finding crocodiles, dinosaurs and turtles. That is what you usually associate with swampy environment,' said site director, Derek Main.
Main and his crew are still excited about finding a crocorama, a large crocodile skeleton buried beneath this Arlington Archosaur Site."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Firefighters free duck stuck in Santa Fe chimney | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "The bad luck of a stuck duck changed when firefighters in Santa Fe rescued the bird wedged in a chimney.
Fire Chief Tommy Anderson says the homeowner heard the bird and lit a fire, hoping the duck would get out on its own from the open-top chimney.
Anderson says the plan backfired, when “it filled her house with smoke.”"
Fire Chief Tommy Anderson says the homeowner heard the bird and lit a fire, hoping the duck would get out on its own from the open-top chimney.
Anderson says the plan backfired, when “it filled her house with smoke.”"
And Stay off Their Lawns!
Men Fight Over Parking Spot At McDonald's - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver: "LOVELAND, Colo. -- A long-running argument over a favorite McDonald's parking spot has resulted in an assault conviction for a Loveland man.
A Colorado jury on Friday convicted 52-year-old Vernon Brandt of felony third-degree assault for a July 29, 2008 fight with 85-year-old Richard Albers."
A Colorado jury on Friday convicted 52-year-old Vernon Brandt of felony third-degree assault for a July 29, 2008 fight with 85-year-old Richard Albers."
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