Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
CRIME Blog | The Dallas Morning News: "A naked man was taken into custody this afternoon after descending from a billboard on John W. Carpenter Freeway near Stemmons Freeway."
Liz Carpenter, R. I. P.
News 8 Austin | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES | Former White House press secretary Liz Carpenter dies: "The road to the White House for journalist and author Liz Carpenter had its humble beginnings in Central Texas.
Carpenter died Saturday morning at University Medical Center at Brackenridge Hospital.
Born in Salado in 1920, Carpenter served on Vice President Lyndon Johnson's staff. She wrote the words that ushered him in as the president of the United States, at the death of John F. Kennedy."
Carpenter died Saturday morning at University Medical Center at Brackenridge Hospital.
Born in Salado in 1920, Carpenter served on Vice President Lyndon Johnson's staff. She wrote the words that ushered him in as the president of the United States, at the death of John F. Kennedy."
Judy and I met Liz Carpenter at a writer's conference once. She was a fine speaker, warm and funny, and she signed a copy of her book for me to give to my mother.
Seat Rage
Man shot after refusing to give up train seat - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "A Russian policeman has shot and wounded two passengers during rush hour on the Moscow metro after a row about giving up a seat for a pensioner, the interior ministry said."
Hat tip to Walter Satterthwait.
Anna Nicole Smith Update
Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's heirs, left penniless: "A US federal appeals court ruled Friday that Anna Nicole Smith's heirs will not receive a penny of the more than 300 million dollars she claimed to her billionaire husband's inheritance.
The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled in favor of E. Pierce Marshall, the son of Texas oil tycoon Howard Marshall, whom the late Playboy centerfold married in 1994 after meeting him while working at a strip club. She was 26 at the time and he was 89."
The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled in favor of E. Pierce Marshall, the son of Texas oil tycoon Howard Marshall, whom the late Playboy centerfold married in 1994 after meeting him while working at a strip club. She was 26 at the time and he was 89."
No Comment Department
Teen Gets Carpal Tunnel from Texting - ABC News: "Nielsen Research: Average Teenager Sends 3,146 Text Messages Each Month"
Friday, March 19, 2010
This is Absolutely What the World Needs Now
Jennifer Lopez goes 'Overboard': "Jennifer Lopez is in talks to star in the remake of the romantic comedy 'Overboard,' which Overbrook is producing for Columbia."
Criminal Genius of the Week
Cops: Burglar Logs Into MySpace on Store Computer - ABC News: "A burglar who spent about five hours on a store's computer after breaking into the business gave police all the clues they needed to track him down. Investigators said the 17-year-old logged into his MySpace account while at Bella Office Furniture and that made it easy for them to find him. He also spent time looking at pornography and trying to sell stolen items, all while using the business' computer."
New York Leads the Way
Computer snafu is behind at least 50 'raids' on Brooklyn couple's home: "Blame it on a computer.
Embarrassed cops on Thursday cited a 'computer glitch' as the reason police targeted the home of an elderly, law-abiding couple more than 50 times in futile hunts for bad guys."
Embarrassed cops on Thursday cited a 'computer glitch' as the reason police targeted the home of an elderly, law-abiding couple more than 50 times in futile hunts for bad guys."
Cookie Rage
Man arrested for hitting door with hoe - UPI.com: "Florida authorities said an 80-year-old man was arrested for attacking his neighbors' door with a garden hoe because he thought they stole his cookies."
This Immortal
The world's only immortal animal | Yahoo! Green: "The turritopsis nutricula species of jellyfish may be the only animal in the world to have truly discovered the fountain of youth.
Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Scientists say the hydrozoan jellyfish is the only known animal that can repeatedly turn back the hands of time and revert to its polyp state (its first stage of life)."
Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Scientists say the hydrozoan jellyfish is the only known animal that can repeatedly turn back the hands of time and revert to its polyp state (its first stage of life)."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Hacker Disables More Than 100 Cars Remotely | Threat Level | Wired.com: "More than 100 drivers in Austin, Texas found their cars disabled or the horns honking out of control, after an intruder ran amok in a web-based vehicle-immobilization system normally used to get the attention of consumers delinquent in their auto payments.
Police with Austin’s High Tech Crime Unit on Wednesday arrested 20-year-old Omar Ramos-Lopez, a former Texas Auto Center employee who was laid off last month, and allegedly sought revenge by bricking the cars sold from the dealership’s four Austin-area lots."
Police with Austin’s High Tech Crime Unit on Wednesday arrested 20-year-old Omar Ramos-Lopez, a former Texas Auto Center employee who was laid off last month, and allegedly sought revenge by bricking the cars sold from the dealership’s four Austin-area lots."
Forgotten Books: The Screaming Mimi -- Fredric Brown
Well, you guessed it. This is another free download from Munsey's. I can't seem to resist those things, even though I already own the books. This was my St. Patrick's Day book, and let me quote the fifth paragraph:His name really was Sweeney, but he was only five-eighths Irish and he was only three-quarters drunk. But that's about as near as truth ever approximates a pattern, and if you won't settle for that, you'd better quit reading. If you don't, maybe you'll be sorry, for it isn't a nice story. It's got murder in it, and woman and liquor and gambling and even prevarication. There's murder before the story proper starts, and murder after it ends; the actual story begins with a naked woman and ends with one, which is a good opening and a good ending, but everything between isn't nice. Don't say I didn't warn you. But if you're still with me, let's get back to Sweeney.
So how long has it been since you read a novel who's omniscient narrator addressed the reader directly like that? A long time, I'm sure, and Brown doesn't do it just at the beginning. He breaks into the narrative every now and then like that. And you know what? It works just fine.
Sweeney is a reporter who's been on a long bender, but when he sees a naked woman whose stomach's been slashed, he sobers up almost instantly. He manages to write a story about her, and then he begins his own investigation of the ripper killer who's on the loose in Chicago. If you read the excerpt above, you know pretty much what the book has in it, and how can you resist wanting to read it? The book must have been shocking and surprising in its time (1949), but today's readers won't find it so. Doesn't matter. It's still a great read.
And then there's the totally loopy movie version with Anita Ekberg (!), which is not to be missed. Supposedly the famous film Bird with the Crystal Plumage was also based on this book, though Brown's not credited.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
I'm Already Invisible to Servers in Restaurants
Researchers create 3-D invisibility cloak: study: "European researchers have taken the world a step closer to fictional wizard Harry Potter's invisibility cape after they made an object disappear using a three-dimensional 'cloak,' a study published Thursday in the US-based journal Science showed.
Scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and Imperial College London used the cloak, made using photonic crystals with a structure resembling piles of wood, to conceal a small bump on a gold surface, they wrote in Science.
'It's kind of like hiding a small object underneath a carpet -- except this time the carpet also disappears,' they said."
Scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and Imperial College London used the cloak, made using photonic crystals with a structure resembling piles of wood, to conceal a small bump on a gold surface, they wrote in Science.
'It's kind of like hiding a small object underneath a carpet -- except this time the carpet also disappears,' they said."
Meat Thermometer Updaate
Suspect arrested in cinema thermometer stabbing - KMIR 6 - Palm Springs News, Weather, Sports: "Detectives in Lancaster have arrested a man on suspicion of stabbing a moviegoer in the neck with a meat thermometer during a screening of the film 'Shutter Island' last month.
Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said 39-year-old Landry Boullard was arrested Wednesday after detectives received an anonymous tip. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder."
Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said 39-year-old Landry Boullard was arrested Wednesday after detectives received an anonymous tip. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder."
Fess Parker, R. I. P.
Fess Parker, TV's `Davy Crockett,' dies at 85 - washingtonpost.com: "Actor Fess Parker, who became every baby boomer's idol in the 1950s and launched a craze for coonskin caps as television's Davy Crockett, died Thursday of natural causes. He was 85.
Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home. His death comes on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella."
Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home. His death comes on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella."
Happy Birthday, Charley Pride!
Charley Pride - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Charley Frank Pride (born March 18, 1938) is an American country music singer and baseball player.
Pride's smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-six number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early-to-mid 1970s, when he was the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis Presley.[1] His chart success and recordings since the late 1980s have been sporadic, but Pride continued touring successfully."
Pride's smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-six number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early-to-mid 1970s, when he was the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis Presley.[1] His chart success and recordings since the late 1980s have been sporadic, but Pride continued touring successfully."
(500) Days of Summer
We're warned at the beginning that (500) Days of Summer isn't a love story, but it is. It just doesn't play by the rules of a standard love story. In fact, it doesn't play by any rules except its own, and that's what makes it so much fun.It's the story of a relationship between a girl named Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). The relationship lasts 500 days, but the story's not told in chronological order. It skips around, but the numbers are flashed on the screen in parentheses (as in the title) so you know where you are. I'd describe what goes on and how different it all is, but it's really the kind of thing you should find out for yourself. (I seem to say that a lot in my reviews, but it's always true. Trust me.) It provides everything from quiet smiles to belly laughs, and there are a couple of exhilarating scenes that took my completely by surprise.
The performances are perfect. Deschanel is just mysterious enough as a young woman who always keeps a little bit of herself hidden, and Gordon-Levitt is just as good at playing a young man whose feelings are often all too obvious. His sidekicks are great, too. And Chole Moretz steals all her scenes, in preparation, no doubt for her upcoming role in Kick Ass, which is a slightly different kind of movie.
You probably have to be in the right mood to enjoy a movie like (500) Days of Summer. If you're looking for Rambo 6, you're in the wrong place. Even if you're looking for, say, You've Got Mail, you're in the wrong place. Think more along the lines of Annie Hall. And then check it out.
Alex Chilton, R. I. P.
Influential Big Star member Alex Chilton dies - San Jose Mercury News: "Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, who topped the charts as a teen and later became a cult hero with Big Star, died Wednesday. He was 59.
Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his longtime friend John Fry. Fry said Chilton's wife, Laura, was very distressed by the unexpected death.
'Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres,' said Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios.
As the teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band's song 'The Letter' in 1967. Their other hits were 'Soul Deep' and 'Cry Like a Baby.' Chilton grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and formed the band with friends from school."
Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his longtime friend John Fry. Fry said Chilton's wife, Laura, was very distressed by the unexpected death.
'Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres,' said Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios.
As the teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band's song 'The Letter' in 1967. Their other hits were 'Soul Deep' and 'Cry Like a Baby.' Chilton grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and formed the band with friends from school."
Scribe Award Finalists
2010 SCRIBE AWARD FINALISTS
AS THE WORLD TURNS: THE MAN FROM OAKDALE by "Henry Coleman" & Alina Adams
CSI: BRASS IN POCKET by Jeff MariottePSYCH: A MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO READ by William RabkinBEST NOVEL (SPECULATIVE FICTION)
STAR TREK VANGUARD: OPEN SECRETS by Dayton Ward
STAR TREK: A SINGULAR DESTINY by Keith R.A. DeCandido
WARHAMMER: SHAMANSLAYER—A GOTREK AND FELIX NOVEL by Nathan Long
TERMINATOR SALVATION: COLD WAR by Greg Cox
ENEMIES & ALLIES by Kevin J. Anderson
BEST ADAPTATION (GENERAL & SPECULATIVE)
COUNTDOWN by Greg Cox
GI JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA by Max Allan Collins
THE TUDORS: THY WILL BE DONE by Elizabeth Massie
BEST YOUNG ADULT (ORIGINAL & ADAPTED)
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon
BANDSLAM: THE NOVEL by Aaron Rosenberg
THUNDERBIRDS: DEADLY DANGER by Joan Marie Verba
GRANDMASTER: WILLIAM JOHNSTON
Copied from Lee Goldberg.
Uh-Oh
‘77 Sunset Strip’ On Its Way At Warner Bros – Deadline.com: "Warner Bros is dusting off its classic TV series 77 Sunset Strip, and turning it into a hip period feature. The film will be directed by Greg Berlanti, the Green Lantern writer who is previewing part of his new film, Life As We Know It, at ShoWest. Stephen Chin is in talks to write the script. Berlanti will produce with author A. Scott Berg and Kevin McCormick, through the latter’s Warner-based Langley Park shingle."
Hat tip to John Hall.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
College Students Who Stay Too Long - ABC News: "Last month, members of the Second Task Force on Enrollment Strategy [at The University of Texas at Austin] recommended the school's administration adopt a 10-semester limit on how long students can stay to pursue their degree in Austin. This academic restriction would probably be the first of its kind, said Steven Leslie, UT executive vice president and provost, who appointed the task force.
'The intent is not to get out any student,' said Isabella Cunningham, the task force's chairwoman. '[It's] to provide the right kind of environment to have a successful career at the University of Texas.'"
'The intent is not to get out any student,' said Isabella Cunningham, the task force's chairwoman. '[It's] to provide the right kind of environment to have a successful career at the University of Texas.'"
Illinois Leads the Way
Give-a-pint, get-a-pint blood drive; donors get free drinks at day-after St. Pat's event - WQAD: "An unusual give-a-pint, get-a-pint blood drive in St. Charles will extend donors' St. Patrick's Day holiday.
The day-after event on Thursday will give free drink coupons to people who donate a pint of blood. The coupons are redeemable for a drink at Rookies' Pub in St. Charles. Other St. Patrick's themed giveaways and events are on tap for donors as well."
The day-after event on Thursday will give free drink coupons to people who donate a pint of blood. The coupons are redeemable for a drink at Rookies' Pub in St. Charles. Other St. Patrick's themed giveaways and events are on tap for donors as well."
Hat tip to Jeremy Lynch.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Uh-Oh
Wrong religion: Israeli ruins re-identified - Israel - Salon.com: "Israeli archaeologists have announced that ruins long thought to be of an ancient synagogue are actually the remains of a palace used by Muslim caliphs 1,300 years ago."
The Gentleman's Hour -- Don Winslow
If I were making a short list of the best crime writers around, which I'm not, I'd certainly include Don Winslow. The reason I'm not making the list is that I don't read widely enough to feel qualified, but if I did, I'll bet I'd still include Winslow. If you need any proof that he belongs on the list, read The Gentleman's Hour. Or for that matter, read just about anything else he's written.The Gentleman's Hour is a sequel to The Dawn Patrol, and it again features Boone Daniels and his friends who go out early every morning to surf. They're the Dawn Patrol. One day Boone hangs around into the Gentleman's Hour when some of the older surfers come along. Most of them are successful businessmen, including Dan Nichols, who has a problem. His wife, he says, is unfaithful, and he wants Boone to find out for sure. Boone works as a private-eye, but he hates matrimonials. Nichols pleads, and Boone accepts, to his sorrow.
Then Petra Hall wants to hire Boone to help with the legal defense of Corey Blassingame, a young man who's confessed to killing Kelly Kuhio, a beloved surfer and local legend. Everyone, including Boone's closet friends, wants Blassingame in prison for life of, better yet, dead. But Boone accepts the job, again to his sorrow. The fact that he'd work on the kid's defense causes considerable tension between him and his friends.
Throw in feuding drug lords, real estate scams, and a villain who loves to torture people, and things get pretty complex. As dark as the subject matter is, Winslow somehow manages to keep the sun shining. Fine writing, great characters, and superb plotting do the job. You can't ask for much more than that. Check it out.
From Out of the Past
Davy Crockett's Almanack of Mystery, Adventure and The Wild West: The Complete Crocadilettante -or- It's a Croc(k) by Bill Crider: "The Complete Crocadilettante -or- It's a Croc(k) by Bill Crider"
You know you want to read this. It's an article I wrote back in 1982 about alligators in the sewers. With great Brad Foster illos. Click the link and check it out.
You know you want to read this. It's an article I wrote back in 1982 about alligators in the sewers. With great Brad Foster illos. Click the link and check it out.
The Force is Strong in This One
Jobcentre’s sorry for the spurn of the Jedi | The Sun |News: "A JEDI believer won an apology from a Jobcentre which threw him out for refusing to remove his hood.
Star Wars fan Chris Jarvis, 31, was told he would have to leave if he did not take it down.
Chris is a member of the International Church of Jediism - based on the sci-fi films - whose doctrine states that followers should be allowed to wear hoods."
Star Wars fan Chris Jarvis, 31, was told he would have to leave if he did not take it down.
Chris is a member of the International Church of Jediism - based on the sci-fi films - whose doctrine states that followers should be allowed to wear hoods."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Peru Update
Pisco, probably the world's first surfing alpaca
| Metro.co.uk
| Metro.co.uk
Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Death of the Bookplate?
Death of the Bookplate? - Paper Cuts Blog - NYTimes.com: "Forget the death of the book. It turns out we have an even bigger problem: the death of the bookplate."
Slideshow of bookplates from the Yale collection here.
Slideshow of bookplates from the Yale collection here.
Update: Here's a nice bookplate blog.
Shakespeare Update
BBC News - 'Lost' Shakespeare play Double Falsehood published: "A play which was first discovered nearly 300 years ago has been credited to William Shakespeare.
The work, titled Double Falsehood, was written by the playwright and another dramatist, John Fletcher."
The work, titled Double Falsehood, was written by the playwright and another dramatist, John Fletcher."
Link via Patrick Murtha's Diary.
Absolutely No Comment Department
BBC News - Man used penis to assault female police officer: "A man who assaulted a female police officer with his penis has been fined.
Marium Varinauskas, 28, tried to strike the officer on the head with his penis when she was called out to his flat, but she got out of the way."
Marium Varinauskas, 28, tried to strike the officer on the head with his penis when she was called out to his flat, but she got out of the way."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Top 10 St. Patrick's Day TV Episodes
Top 10 St. Patrick's Day TV Episodes: "'Going green' should conjure up visions of St. Patrick's Day -- a day for Guinness, parades, and little men in green suits. In honor of this annual bash, TV Tango kissed the Blarney Stone and found the 10 best St. Patrick's Day episodes in TV history."
Hat tip to Toby O'Brien at Inner Toob.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Happy Birthday, Jerry Lewis!
Jerry Lewis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Jerry Lewis (born March 16, 1926) is an American comedian, actor, film producer, writer, film director and singer. He is best-known for his slapstick humor in stage, screen, television, radio, and recording and is also known for his charity fund-raising telethons and position as national chairman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Lewis has won several awards for lifetime achievements from The American Comedy Awards, The Golden Camera, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and The Venice Film Festival, and he has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2005, he received the Governors Award of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors, which is the highest Emmy Award presented."Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
The Suspect is not Mike Tyson
Drunk teacher allegedly bites man's ear in attack: "The complaint says the suspect approached the group of men, licked the victim's ear, then bit off part of it."
Who's the Booby?
Police: Man who shot himself was trying to booby-trap car: "Last week, police were looking for a shooter in Seward Park -- one initially believed to have shot a man after an attempted robbery.
But investigators quickly learned the man actually had shot himself, and documents released Monday revealed the man had tried -- and failed -- to booby trap his car."
[. . . .]
"'When he returned to his vehicle after jogging in the park he attempted to disarm his booby trap, accidentally set off the gun and shot himself in the leg.'"
Hat tip to Vince Keenan.
But investigators quickly learned the man actually had shot himself, and documents released Monday revealed the man had tried -- and failed -- to booby trap his car."
[. . . .]
"'When he returned to his vehicle after jogging in the park he attempted to disarm his booby trap, accidentally set off the gun and shot himself in the leg.'"
Hat tip to Vince Keenan.
New York Leads the Way
Towed away while making a bust: NYPD detectives irked as unmarked cars are hauled off: "The NYPD is regularly towing unmarked police cars - leaving detectives stranded on the street with no way to transport suspects in handcuffs, the Daily News has learned."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Thievery in Starbuck's drive-through line | Ultimate Clear Lake: "A Starbucks customer stole a tip jar with $25 in it from a drive-through in League City.
League City Police Lt. Bruce Whitten said the theft happened just after 3 p.m. Sunday at the Starbucks at 100 E. Main Street.
A white man in his early 20s pulled into drive-through line in a 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser, ordered a drink, drove up to the window and then stole the tip jar when the employee turned to get his order, Whitten said."
League City Police Lt. Bruce Whitten said the theft happened just after 3 p.m. Sunday at the Starbucks at 100 E. Main Street.
A white man in his early 20s pulled into drive-through line in a 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser, ordered a drink, drove up to the window and then stole the tip jar when the employee turned to get his order, Whitten said."
The Great Buck Howard
I'm a sucker for movies about magicians, er, excuse me, mentalists, so The Great Buck Howard was something I figured I'd like. And I did.John Malkovich plays the title character, who's based on The Amazing Kreskin, and Colin Hanks plays his road manager. Howard plays a lot of medium-sized cities (they love him in Akron), though he'd once been a bigger star, being almost a regular on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and playing the big casinos in Las Vegas. He might have gone down the ladder of success, but he's still enthusiastic about his job, and he still has the personality quirks of a primo uomo. Hanks begins working for him after he drops out of law school.
So what we have is a coming-of-age movie and one about a former star who's coping with his lesser fame. Both stories worked just fine for me, and there are some very funny moments. Malkovich is just about perfect as Howard, but Hanks is no slouch. Neither is Emily Blunt, and Steve Zahn has a nice role as a guy who really, really admires Buck.
At one point in the movie, when Buck has a big feat prepared, one that he believes will get him back on top, disaster strikes. Or does it? What seems to be a disaster could be the thing that might take him right back to the top. I won't tell you how that works out.
Buck's big closing trick at every show is to have someone in the audience hide his fee. If he doesn't find it, he doesn't get it, but he always finds it. Hanks doesn't know how he does it, and he never asks. The trick is important to the plot in ways that you'd best discover for yourself.
The Great Buck Howard must not have made much noise at the box office, but it's a dandy little film to watch at home. Check it out.
Happy Birthday, Sid Fleischman!
| The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor: "It's the birthday of the children's writer who said, 'I sometimes think I was born to set a bad example.' That's Sid Fleischman, (books by this author) born in Brooklyn (1920). His family moved to San Diego when he was a toddler, and when he was in fifth grade he decided to become a magician. After high school, he toured with vaudeville, worked as a journalist, fought in WWII. When he was 19, he published a book about magic tricks, Between Cocktails (1939). He made a living writing mysteries and adventure novels, and John Wayne's movie company bought the film rights to his novel Blood Alley and asked Fleischman to write the screenplay. It was made into a movie starring Wayne and Lauren Bacall in 1955."
They Must Not Have Checked the Texas Gulf Coast
Hot Air � Blog Archive � The good news that went unreported on air quality: "Last week, the EPA released its annual report on air quality trends … and no one noticed. Why? Unlike most environmental reports, this one didn’t contain dire warnings about the threat of disaster. In fact, as the Institute for Energy Research notes, the EPA discovered that our air has gotten progressively cleaner over the last four decades, and significantly so over the last twenty."
Michigan -- Formerly the Wolverine State
Michigan's only known wild wolverine found dead - WTOL.com - Toledo's News Leader |: "The Wolverine State has lost its only known wild wolverine.
The body of the 28-pound female was found Saturday along a trail in Michigan's Thumb. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment is investigating the cause of death."
The body of the 28-pound female was found Saturday along a trail in Michigan's Thumb. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment is investigating the cause of death."
Set the DVR
Animal Planet Orders Mike Tyson Series - 2010-03-15 14:44:12 | Broadcasting & Cable: "Animal Planet is getting into the ring with former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson, and this time he is the underdog. The series, tentatively called Taking on Tyson, will chronicle Tyson as he explores the world of competitive pigeon rearing and racing."
Monday, March 15, 2010
It's Good to Have a Goal
Woman aims to become world's fattest: "An obese mother in the US is trying to put on weight in order to become the world's fattest woman.
Donna Simpson, from New Jersey, weighs 273kg but told the Daily Mail newspaper she had her heart set on reaching her goal weight of 1000lb (450kg) in two years."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Donna Simpson, from New Jersey, weighs 273kg but told the Daily Mail newspaper she had her heart set on reaching her goal weight of 1000lb (450kg) in two years."
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
George Kelley Discusses P. K. Dick
This article is from Paperback Quarterly, Volume 2, Number 1 (Spring 1979).
At the Alamo
Evan Lewis has some nice photos from his recent visit to the Alamo, so I thought I'd post one of my first visit there. This must have been around 1946 or '47. I'm on the left, my sister's on the right, and my brother's in the middle.
He'll Fit Right In
Florida vampire to run for president | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota | WTSP.com 10 Connects: "TAMPA, Florida - Not satisfied with living in Florida, Jonathon 'The Impaler' Sharkey wants to move to Washington, D.C. to become the nation's first vampire president.
Sharkey, 45, spent Friday on a Greyhound bus with his new fiancee, Audrianna Foster, a 19-year-old girl from Ohio he met online. She too believes she is a vampire, or vampyre.
'I haven't dated a girl older than 19 since 2006,' said the Tampa man as his 19-year-old daughter and his 2-year-old grandson met him at the Greyhound station. 'It's good to be me.'
'The Impaler' claims he's a direct descendant of Vlad II the Impaler, better known as Dracula."
Sharkey, 45, spent Friday on a Greyhound bus with his new fiancee, Audrianna Foster, a 19-year-old girl from Ohio he met online. She too believes she is a vampire, or vampyre.
'I haven't dated a girl older than 19 since 2006,' said the Tampa man as his 19-year-old daughter and his 2-year-old grandson met him at the Greyhound station. 'It's good to be me.'
'The Impaler' claims he's a direct descendant of Vlad II the Impaler, better known as Dracula."
The Nora Roberts Video Game
AT&T Games
So when do we get the James Patterson game? Or maybe there's already one of those.
Link via Sling Words.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Peter Graves, R. I. P.
Peter Graves DEAD: Actor Found In Pacific Palisades Home: "Peter Graves has reportedly been found dead in his Los Angeles area home. The actor was 83.
A source told the Los Angeles Times that he apparently died of natural causes.
Graves stared in 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Airplane!'"
Hat tip to John Hall.
A source told the Los Angeles Times that he apparently died of natural causes.
Graves stared in 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Airplane!'"
Hat tip to John Hall.
A Message from Seepy Benton
| Okay, dudes. Today is Pi Day (March 14 = 3/14 = 3.14... = pi), and we all know what that means. You now have no choice but to click on the link below and enjoy the wondrous slide show I've created in celebration of Pi Day. Of course, you can choose not to click on the link, but if you do, I won't be responsible for the terrible things that happen to you because you decided not to celebrate Pi Day. I won't be responsible! |
Actionfest!
Actionfest brings high-energy cinema, Chuck Norris to Asheville | citizen-times.com | Asheville Citizen-Times: "ASHEVILLE — Pow! Thirty high-energy action films — and martial arts movie icon Chuck Norris — are coming to Asheville next month for a wild four-day cinematic celebration.
Actionfest, billed as the first festival devoted to nothing but action films, happens April 15-18 at the Carolina Asheville cinema. Norris, star of the long-running TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger” and many action films, will be given the first Lifetime Action Achievement Award.
Actionfest also includes such world premieres as “Centurion,” a warring Roman epic starring Michael Fassbender of “Inglourious Basterds'' fame. And there's a demonstration of a rocket belt flying device by veteran stuntman Kinnie Gibson. The festival was created by Aaron Norris (brother of Chuck Norris) and Bill Banowsky, owner of the Carolina Asheville cinemas."
Actionfest, billed as the first festival devoted to nothing but action films, happens April 15-18 at the Carolina Asheville cinema. Norris, star of the long-running TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger” and many action films, will be given the first Lifetime Action Achievement Award.
Actionfest also includes such world premieres as “Centurion,” a warring Roman epic starring Michael Fassbender of “Inglourious Basterds'' fame. And there's a demonstration of a rocket belt flying device by veteran stuntman Kinnie Gibson. The festival was created by Aaron Norris (brother of Chuck Norris) and Bill Banowsky, owner of the Carolina Asheville cinemas."
Because We Needed One in a Language We Could Understand
Death at a Funeral - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Death at a Funeral (2007 film), a British black comedy film
Death at a Funeral (2010 film), an American remake of the British film"
Death at a Funeral (2010 film), an American remake of the British film"
Mother of Mercy! Could this be the End of the Pop Culture Mag?
Has Blogging Peaked? Facebook Posts, Twitter Tweets Growing, and Easier to Do - ABC News: "There is increasing evidence that the art of blog writing is losing ground to even faster forms of communication, from 140-character Twitter blasts to one-sentence status updates on Facebook and MySpace. Nielsen Media Research estimates that of the 126 million blogs counted by its crawlers, the vast majority are rarely – if ever – updated."
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