Saturday, July 31, 2010
Archaeology Update
Discovered: Stone Age man's morning after the night before - News, Archaeology - The Independent: "Archaeologists in Wiltshire have discovered remarkable evidence of a spectacular party – enjoyed by Neolithic tribesmen 4,500 years ago.
Excavations at Britain's biggest 'henge' site – a prehistoric religious complex 16 times the size of Stonehenge – have yielded the remains of dozens of pigs slaughtered for an ancient ceremonial feast."
Excavations at Britain's biggest 'henge' site – a prehistoric religious complex 16 times the size of Stonehenge – have yielded the remains of dozens of pigs slaughtered for an ancient ceremonial feast."
Dead Lift -- Rachel Brady
A few months ago, I said a few words about Rachel Brady's first novel. Now that I've read her second (an ARC; the book's coming in December), I can tell you that there's no sophomore slump. In fact, this one's even better the the first. Emily Locke is back, still working as a private investigator, still trying to work out just where she stand with her daughter and with the hunky Vince. The backstory's in the previous book, but there's enough info parceled out so that if you come to this book first, you won't have any trouble figuring things out.This time Emily's investigating a murder for a law firm she has reason to dislike. She doesn't believe the woman the police have arrested is guilty, though, so she's determined to do a good job. And she's good at her work. She's learned some things since the first book.
One of the good things about Dead Lift is that Emily really does investigate. She works hard and pays attention to the details. Another good thing is the local color. There's some great stuff about health clubs (note the false nails on the book cover), and the descriptions of Houston's Heights are right on the money. There's some good misdirection along the way, and the villain is a nasty piece of work.
There's humor, too, and I've gotten fond of Emily's uninhibited friend Jeannie. I expect she'll continue to play a big part in the series. It's not all fun and games, though. There's menace and action, too. Check it out.
New Issue of Crimefactory is Now On-Line
With fiction by Graham Powell, a frequent commenter here, and some well-known others. Nonfiction, too. Check it out.
Burning Man Update
Man With Prosthetic Leg Found Burned On Side Of Road Charged With Making False Reports - The Dreamin' Demon: "Remember the story we did last week about the guy with the prosthetic leg who let his friends set him on fire because he lost a drinking bet? Turns out he lied. Also turns out the real story is even dumber than his original one."
Hat tip to Randy Johnson.
I Beg Your Pardon
NM governor considers pardon for Billy the Kid | US National Headlines | Comcast.net: "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is considering granting a posthumous pardon to Billy the Kid, angering descendants of Garrett who call it an insult to recognize such a violent outlaw."
Friday, July 30, 2010
Ansel Adams Update
Ansel Adams Garage Sale Mystery Apparently Solved: "The mystery of the Ansel Adams garage sale negatives keeps taking on new twists, but the latest twist might have solved it once and for all.
KTVU in Oakland is reporting that a Bay Area woman named Mariam l. Walton has come forward with apparently solid proof that the photographs were not taken by Ansel Adams but her Uncle Earl. She was watching KTVU report on the story Tuesday when she suddenly saw a photograph of the Jeffrey Pine on Sentinal Dome and recognized it as a print her uncle Earl Brooks made back in 1923."
KTVU in Oakland is reporting that a Bay Area woman named Mariam l. Walton has come forward with apparently solid proof that the photographs were not taken by Ansel Adams but her Uncle Earl. She was watching KTVU report on the story Tuesday when she suddenly saw a photograph of the Jeffrey Pine on Sentinal Dome and recognized it as a print her uncle Earl Brooks made back in 1923."
Eddie Munster Update
The Munsters - Munster Patrick To Wed Longtime Fan - Contactmusic News: "THE MUNSTERS actor BUTCH PATRICK is set to marry a fan he met at a Dracula convention in May.
The former child star, who played the son of the monster family in the 1960s TV show, originally began corresponding with Donna MCCall when The Munsters became a big hit in the U.S. and she would send fan mail to him.
The pair lost touch for decades but MCCall reconnected with Patrick a few years ago and they agreed to meet for the first time at DraculaCon II in Pennsylvania earlier this year."
The former child star, who played the son of the monster family in the 1960s TV show, originally began corresponding with Donna MCCall when The Munsters became a big hit in the U.S. and she would send fan mail to him.
The pair lost touch for decades but MCCall reconnected with Patrick a few years ago and they agreed to meet for the first time at DraculaCon II in Pennsylvania earlier this year."
Cops Accused of Stealing From Frankford Bar - Local News - Philadelphia, PA - News - msnbc.com
Cops Accused of Stealing From Frankford Bar - Local News - Philadelphia, PA - News - msnbc.com: "At least two Philadelphia Police officers are accused of stealing cash and drinking alcohol from a Frankford bar while it was closed.
The officers then entered the cafe and spent about 45 minutes inside, sources say.
Surveillance cameras allegedly caught police drinking from the bar inside and at least one officer taking cash from a safe, sources tell NBC Philadelphia.
A source who saw the surveillance video said the evidence speaks for itself. That person said it shows a man, who appears to be an officer, stuffing cash from the bar's safe down his pants."
[. . . .]
Sources say the officers were responding to an alarm call at the nearby New Vision Auto Detailing and Repair shop when they noticed the basement door to the restaurant open.
Sources say the officers were responding to an alarm call at the nearby New Vision Auto Detailing and Repair shop when they noticed the basement door to the restaurant open.
The officers then entered the cafe and spent about 45 minutes inside, sources say.
Surveillance cameras allegedly caught police drinking from the bar inside and at least one officer taking cash from a safe, sources tell NBC Philadelphia.
A source who saw the surveillance video said the evidence speaks for itself. That person said it shows a man, who appears to be an officer, stuffing cash from the bar's safe down his pants."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
No Comment Department
Sci-Fi Burlesque Show of Penny Star Jr. Offers Full Frontal Nerdity: "A burlesque dancer in Los Angeles may be doing the impossible -- making science fiction sexy for folks who can't tell a Klingon from a Romulan or think the Watchmen are the folks who work at Rolex.
She's Penny Starr Jr. and for six years, she's teased and tempted sci-fi fans in Los Angeles and San Diego with a series of shows featuring sexy dancers doing bump-and-grind numbers while dressed up as an Orion slave girl from 'Star Trek,' Princess Leia from 'Star Wars' or even Uma Thurman's character from the 'Kill Bill' films.
Now the show is coming to DVD next month under the title 'Supernova A Go-Go Sci-Fi Burlesque Show,' which will give nerds obsessed with aliens a chance to see some bodies that are out of this world."
She's Penny Starr Jr. and for six years, she's teased and tempted sci-fi fans in Los Angeles and San Diego with a series of shows featuring sexy dancers doing bump-and-grind numbers while dressed up as an Orion slave girl from 'Star Trek,' Princess Leia from 'Star Wars' or even Uma Thurman's character from the 'Kill Bill' films.
Now the show is coming to DVD next month under the title 'Supernova A Go-Go Sci-Fi Burlesque Show,' which will give nerds obsessed with aliens a chance to see some bodies that are out of this world."
Cocktail Quiz
How well do you know cocktail culture of Mad Men era?
I'm posting this mainly because of the Don the Beachcomber reference. Don was from my hometown of Mexia, Texas.
Forgotten Books: Even the Wicked -- Richard Marsten
Richard Marsten is one of Evan Hunter's several pseudonyms, but he writes just as well under all of them. In this books, a radio commentator named Zach Blake returns to Martha's Vineyard one year after the drowning death of his wife there. He now suspects that the drowning wasn't accidental and that she was murdered. Zach's young daughter is with him (not a good move, Zach), and one of the first things they do is discover a body.Nobody seems to want Zach to stay around, except for a beautiful blonde named Enid Murphy, so he's pretty sure he's right about the murder. Naturally he does some amateur sleuthing, which puts him and his daughter in danger.
This novel, from 1957, is very short, only 116 pages, and that's one of the problems with it. The relationship between Zach and Enid doesn't have time to develop. It just happens, and it's hard to believe. Other characters don't have any time to develop, and nothing is done with Zach's line of work. He might just as well have been a baseball player or a grocery clerk. But I'm not complaining, really. The story zips along, and the writing is sharp, and Marsten gives us a photo of a time and a place that's hard to beat. And it sure won't take you long to read it.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Paperback Birthday Update
Richard Heft's comment on a post below moved me to post this in the interests of fairness.
Albatross was founded in 1932 by John Holroyd-Reece, Max Wegner and Kurt Enoch. The name was chosen because 'Albatross' is the same word in many European languages. Based on the example of Tauchnitz, a Leipzig publishing firm that had been producing inexpensive and paperbound English-language reprints for a continental market, Albatross set about to streamline and modernize the paperback format."
Saggy Pants Update
Saggy pants are butt-ugly but legal: judge - NYPOST.com: "You have the right to look ridiculous.
A Bronx judge has thrown out a summons issued against a Bronx man for wearing saggy pants, finding that 'the Constitution still leaves some opportunity for people to be foolish if they so desire.'"
A Bronx judge has thrown out a summons issued against a Bronx man for wearing saggy pants, finding that 'the Constitution still leaves some opportunity for people to be foolish if they so desire.'"
Happy Birthday to the Paperback!
Read Street: Happy birthday to the paperback! - Book clubs, reviews and recommendations - baltimoresun.com: "This week 75 years ago, Penguin brought out the first modern paperback. The idea came from British publishing exec Allen Lane, who was seeking a respite from a Depression-era revenue slump. The cheap, convenient, color-coded format caught on with readers and within months Penguin books were selling in the millions. Today, half of the books bought each year are softcover, the Census Bureau says."
Link via Mystery Fanfare.
"Which Part of the Squirrel Do You Like Best, Miss Stephanie?"
No points for identifying the source of the quotation above.
'In a few years' time, it's going to become like rabbit,' said Andrew Thornton, who introduced squirrel meat into his branch of the Budgens supermarket in north London this year.
'Squirrel is a very sustainable form of meat,' he told AFP on Thursday, explaining that while it takes 15 tons of grain to produce one ton of beef, 'squirrels feed from nature -- there are too many of them around.'
Squirrel meat was once a common feature of the British diet and in recent years has returned, being sold by speciality game dealers and restaurants and endorsed by celebrity chefs, who have cooked up recipes for squirrel ragout and squirrel offal skewers."
Dino Update
Morph-osaurs: How shape-shifting dinosaurs deceived us - life - 28 July 2010 - New Scientist: "DINOSAURS were shape-shifters. Their skulls underwent extreme changes throughout their lives, growing larger, sprouting horns then reabsorbing them, and changing shape so radically that different stages look to us like different species.
This discovery comes from a study of the iconic dinosaur triceratops and its close relative torosaurus. Their skulls are markedly different but are actually from the very same species, argue John Scannella and Jack Horner at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana."
This discovery comes from a study of the iconic dinosaur triceratops and its close relative torosaurus. Their skulls are markedly different but are actually from the very same species, argue John Scannella and Jack Horner at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana."
And Keep Off Their Damn Lawns!
Pensioners face Asbos after 'late night parties' at sheltered accommodation | Mail Online: "Seventy pensioners have been threatened with Asbos in a row over late-night parties at their sheltered housing estate.
The residents, some as old as 90, have been accused of playing loud music until the early hours of the morning.
The complaints include allegations that a new tenant had been bringing 'outsiders' into the shared common room for late night bingo sessions."
The residents, some as old as 90, have been accused of playing loud music until the early hours of the morning.
The complaints include allegations that a new tenant had been bringing 'outsiders' into the shared common room for late night bingo sessions."
Archaeology Update
Team finds famed Arctic ship missing for 155 years: "'In anthropological terms, this is the most important shipwreck in history,' said senior marine archeologist, Ryan Harris. 'This was the first contact with the Copper Inuit; it's a bit like finding a Columbus ship in the Arctic.'"
Apocalypse Now
Abc - The Bachelorette Rises To No. 1 - Contactmusic News: "ABC's hit summer reality series The Bachelorette rose to the top of the Nielsen ratings heap last week as it drew 7.55 million viewers."
Zedonk Update
Aww! Rare zedonk - a cross between a donkey and zebra - born in Georgia: "A zedonk, an unusual cross between a donkey and a zebra, is attracting attention at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega after being born there about a week ago. The animal, which has a zebra father and donkey mother, has black stripes prominently displayed on her legs and face."
Great photo at the link, which was sent along by Art Scott.
Forgotten Music -- Stonewall Jackson
No, not the Confederate general. As far as I know, he wasn't a singer. However, this Stonewall Jackson (it's his real name) claims to be descended from the general.
If anybody remembers Jackson these days, it's probably for his big crossover hit (#4 on the pop charts), "Waterloo." Hard to imagine a song like that crossing over to the pop charts these days. For that matter, it's hard to imagine a song like that getting airplay on the country stations. That's because country stations now aren't really country in the sense they were in Jackson's heyday, the late '50s and early '60s, which was the golden era of country honky-tonk singers. Even the Grand Old Opry might be all that fond of Jackson's kind of music, since back in 2006 Jackson sued the Opry for age discrimination. Jackson had been a member of the Opry for 50 years, but he thought he was being pushed aside for younger singers. One thing's for sure, there's nobody like him around now.
One of my personal favorites is the flip side of "Waterloo," a great little ditty called "Smoke along the Track."
And for those of you who like a little noir music, here's the great "Life to Go," written by a young George Jones.
When it comes to honky-tonk, Jackson's one of the all-time greats.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Fiberglass Cow Update
Vermont Man Jailed in Vandalization of Cow Sculptures: "You've heard of cow tipping?
It really happens: A community art project that installed 37 fiberglass cows in and around Vermont's biggest city has been plagued by vandalism, leaving four men charged, one injured — the cow he tipped broke his foot — and sponsors beefing up security.
In all, six of the 600-pound sculptures have been targeted by vandals since being installed in May."
It really happens: A community art project that installed 37 fiberglass cows in and around Vermont's biggest city has been plagued by vandalism, leaving four men charged, one injured — the cow he tipped broke his foot — and sponsors beefing up security.
In all, six of the 600-pound sculptures have been targeted by vandals since being installed in May."
Hat tip to Mark Harris.
My Dad
Today my niece posted this great photo of my father, which I lifted from her blog. She also has a photo of me.
Jon Cleary, R. I. P.
Writer crafted novels for seven decades | The Australian:
VERY few writers can boast of publishing novels across seven decades, let alone maintaining a loyal readership in that time.
Jon Cleary could, selling more than eight million books and winning fans from You Can't See Round Corners in 1947 to Four-Cornered Circle, his 56th title, released in his 90th year. It is an astonishing record of creative production, especially when you add to it his copious film and television scriptwriting."
"OBITUARY
Jon Cleary
Novelist. Born Sydney, November 22, 1917. Died Sydney, July 19, aged 92.
Jon Cleary
Novelist. Born Sydney, November 22, 1917. Died Sydney, July 19, aged 92.
VERY few writers can boast of publishing novels across seven decades, let alone maintaining a loyal readership in that time.
Jon Cleary could, selling more than eight million books and winning fans from You Can't See Round Corners in 1947 to Four-Cornered Circle, his 56th title, released in his 90th year. It is an astonishing record of creative production, especially when you add to it his copious film and television scriptwriting."
Hat tip to The Gumshoe Site.
Birthdays
As some of you know, today is the blog's 8th birthday. It's also my birthday, and it would have been my father's 95th birthday if he were still around. Because we were born on the same date, I have a lot of photos of us taken on July 28, and this is one of them. I'm on the left.
Paging Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
FBI director defends bureau over test cheating - Yahoo! News: "FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress on Wednesday that he doesn't know how many of his agents cheated on an important test about the limitations of the bureau's powers to conduct surveillance and open cases without evidence that a crime has been committed."
Peru Update
Meteorite causes mystery sickness in Peru | Metro.co.uk: "It sounds worryingly similar to the plot of the sci-fi classic The Andromeda Strain - dozens of people in a remote town mysteriously fall ill after a meteorite crashes to Earth.
But that's exactly what has happened in a Peruvian town near Lake Titicaca, where residents have reported vomiting and headaches after they went to look at a crater apparently left by a meteorite that crashed down over the weekend."
But that's exactly what has happened in a Peruvian town near Lake Titicaca, where residents have reported vomiting and headaches after they went to look at a crater apparently left by a meteorite that crashed down over the weekend."
Poem of the Day
You Are Old, Father William
by Lewis Carroll
| 'You are old, Father William', the young man said, 'And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head -- Do you think, at your age, it is right?' 'In my youth', Father William replied to his son, 'I feared it might injure the brain; But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again.' 'You are old', said the youth, 'as I mentioned before, And have grown most uncommonly fat; Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door -- Pray, what is the reason of that?' 'In my youth', said the sage, as he shook his grey locks, 'I kept all my limbs very supple By the use of this ointment - one shilling the box - Allow me to sell you a couple?' 'You are old', said the youth, 'and your jaws are too weak For anything tougher than suet; Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak - Pray, how did you manage to do it?' 'In my youth', said his father, 'I took to the law, And argued each case with my wife; And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw, Has lasted the rest of my life.' 'You are old', said the youth, 'one would hardly suppose That your eye was as steady as ever; Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose - What made you so awfully clever?' 'I have answered three questions, and that is enough,' Said his father, 'don't give yourself airs! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs!' |
There Will Always Be an England
Giant grass sofas start growing around Britain - Odd News | newslite.tv: "A dozen huge grass sofas have been installed at tourist attractions around the UK -- in a bizarre bid to get couch potatoes out of the house.
The sofas - some of which are 30ft long - are the idea of the National Trust and are made from a base of straw which has been watered and trimmed to size, and covered in a green grass blanket."
The sofas - some of which are 30ft long - are the idea of the National Trust and are made from a base of straw which has been watered and trimmed to size, and covered in a green grass blanket."
Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
Collectible Travelogues
AbeBooks: Collectible Travelogues: "The thrill of travel is nothing new. Exploring the world - and writing about the adventure - starts as early as the 8th BC century with Homer's Odyssey, an epic poem accounting the travels of the Greek hero, Ulysses, on his voyage home from Troy.
To some, Karl Baedeker is the grandfather of travelogue writing. Baedeker guidebooks have been published since 1832 and to this day remain at the top of their publishing niche. Many other famous people have followed in Baedeker's footsteps including Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Henry James and Richard Haliburton. Certainly the most popular travel writer in modern times is Bill Bryson, best known for his works including, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, In a Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods."
To some, Karl Baedeker is the grandfather of travelogue writing. Baedeker guidebooks have been published since 1832 and to this day remain at the top of their publishing niche. Many other famous people have followed in Baedeker's footsteps including Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Henry James and Richard Haliburton. Certainly the most popular travel writer in modern times is Bill Bryson, best known for his works including, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, In a Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods."
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
He Could be Right!
Man hit by six meteorites is being 'targeted by aliens' | Metro.co.uk: "A Bosnian man who claims he is being targeted by extraterrestrials after a series of meteorite strikes on his house has now been hit by a sixth space rock in the space of a few years."
Hat tip to Donna Courtois.
Maury Chaykin, R. I. P.
CBC News - Television - Actor Maury Chaykin dies at 61: "Maury Chaykin, a prolific and award-winning actor recently seen in the hit TV comedy Less Than Kind, has died.
The veteran actor died in Toronto early Tuesday, his 61st birthday, his agent Paul Hemrend told CBC News. No cause of death was confirmed, but Chaykin had been battling kidney problems.
Chaykin, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to an American father and Canadian mother, studied drama at the State University of New York in Buffalo."
The veteran actor died in Toronto early Tuesday, his 61st birthday, his agent Paul Hemrend told CBC News. No cause of death was confirmed, but Chaykin had been battling kidney problems.
Chaykin, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to an American father and Canadian mother, studied drama at the State University of New York in Buffalo."
Link via The Rap Sheet.
No Comment Department
Report: Daniel Schuler signs deal to exhume his wife's body for film | LoHud.com | The Journal News: "A cash-strapped Daniel Schuler has signed a deal reportedly to have his wife's body exhumed for an HBO movie, infuriating a family that lost two relatives to the woman whose drunken crash killed eight people."
Oooooooklahoma Leads the Way
The Associated Press: Daughter urges Okla. voters to not vote for father: "An Oklahoma judicial candidate is fending off a political attack from his daughter, who has taken out a local newspaper ad urging voters: 'Do not vote for my dad!'"
Hat tip to Ivan Shreve, Jr., at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear.
No Comment Department
Experts: Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million - CNN.com: "Rick Norsigian's hobby of picking through piles of unwanted items at garage sales in search of antiques has paid off for the Fresno, California, painter.
Two small boxes he bought 10 years ago for $45 -- negotiated down from $70 -- are now estimated to be worth at least $200 million, according to a Beverly Hills art appraiser.
Those boxes contained 65 glass negatives created by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams in the early period of his career. Experts believed the negatives were destroyed in a 1937 darkroom fire that destroyed 5,000 plates."
Two small boxes he bought 10 years ago for $45 -- negotiated down from $70 -- are now estimated to be worth at least $200 million, according to a Beverly Hills art appraiser.
Those boxes contained 65 glass negatives created by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams in the early period of his career. Experts believed the negatives were destroyed in a 1937 darkroom fire that destroyed 5,000 plates."
Gator Update (Feeding Frenzy Edition)
Ga. gator video attracts viewers | The Augusta Chronicle: "Video footage of a rare alligator feeding frenzy at one of Georgia’s popular state parks is creating an Internet stir.
The July 10 clip was shot by Homerville, Ga., fisherman Ray Cason during an outing at Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp, said Kim Hatcher, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ State Parks & Historic Sites Division.
“It’s getting a lot of attention,” she said of the brief video, showing the gators concentrated in a narrow canal where mudfish and suckers had congregated. “And we have checked – and verified – that it’s real.”"
The July 10 clip was shot by Homerville, Ga., fisherman Ray Cason during an outing at Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp, said Kim Hatcher, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ State Parks & Historic Sites Division.
“It’s getting a lot of attention,” she said of the brief video, showing the gators concentrated in a narrow canal where mudfish and suckers had congregated. “And we have checked – and verified – that it’s real.”"
I recommend the video footage. It's very short.
The Cardturner -- Louis Sachar
Everyone told Louis Sachar that he shouldn't write a YA novel about bridge. His agent, his wife, and his publisher all warned against it. He did it anyway because he loved bridge and because he'd like to see young people learn the game. I don't know that the book will achieve that purpose, but I liked it a lot. In fact, although it's over 300 pages, I read it in one sitting.It's the story of Alton Richards, who's hired one summer to be his uncle's cardturner. His uncle is a great bridge player, but he's gone blind. That's no obstacle to his playing in one way, since he can remember all the cards without having to see them. He just needs someone to handle them. That's Alton's job.
Alton knows nothing about the game, so that gives Sachar a chance to explain things to the reader. But he warns you every time something technical is coming up and even puts a whale in the middle of the page so you can skip it if you want to. (I didn't skip.) Things move along about as you'd expect until suddenly there's a big twist that I won't reveal. I know I wasn't expecting it, though maybe I should have been.
Besides being a bridge novel, this is a coming-of-age story, and I'm a sucker for those. It's also very funny at times, and I'm a sucker for that, too. I bought the book for Judy, who loves bridge, but I'm glad I read it, myself. Great fun.
But about that cover, which appears to show a guy asleep in a train station. What does that have to do with bridge? Or this book? Nothing whatsoever, as far as I can tell. Sachar's a big-time bestselling writer, though, and he must have had cover approval. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I just don't get it. Read the book and see if you can figure it out. And let me know if you do.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
College Graduates Should Flock to Houston: "Texas has always had one of the strongest job markets in the U.S., but now Houston is ranked the best in the country for entry-level jobs available to college graduates.
The ranking was determined by Bloomberg Business Week magazine, which also listed three other Texas cities in the national top ten. The findings are based on a combination of job openings, pay and home affordability."
The ranking was determined by Bloomberg Business Week magazine, which also listed three other Texas cities in the national top ten. The findings are based on a combination of job openings, pay and home affordability."
Your Tax Dollars at . . .
. . . well, okay, nobody really knows where they are.
Happy Birthday, Bugs Bunny!
A Wild Hare - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "A Wild Hare (re-released as The Wild Hare) is a 1940 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short film. It was produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, directed by Tex Avery, and written by Rich Hogan. It was originally released on July 27, 1940. A Wild Hare is considered by many film historians to be the first 'official' Bugs Bunny cartoon."
Monday, July 26, 2010
Janet Evanovich Update
Evanovich Takes Her Bounty to Random House - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com: "The blockbuster novelist Janet Evanovich has taken her scrappy bounty-hunter heroine Stephanie Plum to Random House, leaving her longtime publisher, St. Martin’s Press, after more than two months of contract negotiations fell through.
“We’ve had a good relationship and I truly am sorry that we’re unable to come to terms,” said Matthew Shear, publisher of St. Martin’s Press. “But it’s a negotiation like anything else and it didn’t work. And I hope it works well for her elsewhere.”
Mr. Shear declined to comment on a report on Deadline.com that Ms. Evanovich had demanded $50 million as an advance for her next four novels."
“We’ve had a good relationship and I truly am sorry that we’re unable to come to terms,” said Matthew Shear, publisher of St. Martin’s Press. “But it’s a negotiation like anything else and it didn’t work. And I hope it works well for her elsewhere.”
Mr. Shear declined to comment on a report on Deadline.com that Ms. Evanovich had demanded $50 million as an advance for her next four novels."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Urgent Message to St. Martin's: I'm willing to take $50 million for my next four books! In fact, to save you a bit of money, I'll take a mere $5 million a book. Just promote me like Evanovich. That's all I'm asking.
Happy Birthday, Mick Jagger!
This will make some of you feel really old. Mick Jagger is 67 today. Let's hope he's not out of time.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Finger in Butt Crack Sparks Knife Fight: "A Dallas woman touched her friend's buttocks, sparking an assault and attempted stabbing, police said.
The alleged incident happened at an apartment in the 1700 block of Trade Winds Drive in the southern section of the city.
According to a police report, the unnamed suspect rubbed a finger along the victim's butt crack, prompting her to clench her buttocks. The victim claimed the clenching caused the bed she was sitting on to break, angering the suspect.
A fight ensued in which the suspect repeatedly hit the victim before grabbing a butcher knife and threatening to kill her. According to the report, the suspect said, 'Are you ready to die?'"
The alleged incident happened at an apartment in the 1700 block of Trade Winds Drive in the southern section of the city.
According to a police report, the unnamed suspect rubbed a finger along the victim's butt crack, prompting her to clench her buttocks. The victim claimed the clenching caused the bed she was sitting on to break, angering the suspect.
A fight ensued in which the suspect repeatedly hit the victim before grabbing a butcher knife and threatening to kill her. According to the report, the suspect said, 'Are you ready to die?'"
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
This Is Wrong on So Many Levels
Arrest made in Broward church burglary: "Police have charged a suspect in a church burglary from last month in which the burglar used a crucifix to pry open a donation box, officials said Tuesday."
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Space Update
FOXNews.com - NASA's Deep Space Camera Locates Host of 'Earths': "Scientists celebrated Sunday after finding more than 700 suspected new planets -- including up to 140 similar in size to Earth -- in just six weeks of using a powerful new space observatory.
Early results from NASA’s Kepler Mission, a small satellite observing deep space, suggested planets like Earth were far more common than previously thought."
Early results from NASA’s Kepler Mission, a small satellite observing deep space, suggested planets like Earth were far more common than previously thought."
Bargain of the Day!
A while back I commented on Timothy Hallinan's A Nail through the Heart. If you have Kindle, you can now get it for free. This is the best deal you'll find today.
No Comment Department
Growing number of Texas teachers take on second - and third - jobs | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | News: Education: "More and more Texas teachers are struggling to pay their bills. Just ask the four in 10 teachers – a record number – who moonlighted this year.
A new survey by researchers at Sam Houston State University shows that the percentage of teachers who held second jobs this past school year was the highest in the three decades that the study has been conducted."
A new survey by researchers at Sam Houston State University shows that the percentage of teachers who held second jobs this past school year was the highest in the three decades that the study has been conducted."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Top 10 New Species - 2010
Top 10 New Species - 2010 | International Institute for Species Exploration: "Each year the IISE announces a list of the Top 10 New Species for the preceding calendar year."
Link via Neatorama.
Yikes
Twenty-Year Old SoCal Resident Has Longest Tongue In The U.S. - Los Angeles News - The Informer: "Hollywood actor and Southern California resident Nick Afanasiev has the longest tongue in the United States, according to San Diego television station Fox 5. Measuring 3.5 inches from the middle of his closed top lip to the tip of his tongue, Afanasiev's tongue is just 0.36 shorter than that of Stephen Taylor, the world record holder for the world's longest tongue.
Afanasiev was launched into fame after YouTube videos of his extraordinarily tongue received more than one million views."
Afanasiev was launched into fame after YouTube videos of his extraordinarily tongue received more than one million views."
Photo at the link.
Gator Update (Headgear Edition)
Reptile exhibit wows fairgoers | The Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, Missouri: "Spike, a 5-year-old American alligator, sits atop the head of Ken Henderson, a traveling showman who has a tent of reptiles on display at the Boone County Fair."
Great photo at the link.
New York Leads the Way
Local restaurant, Serendipity 3, earns Guinness World Record for most expensive hot dog at $69: "Does the world's most expensive hot dog cut the mustard?
Frankly, yes, declared a woman who forked over $69 for the winning wiener Friday.
'It was great. Great flavor,' said tourist Trudy Tant, 49, who played a key role in helping a Manhattan restaurant savor another Guinness World Record."
Frankly, yes, declared a woman who forked over $69 for the winning wiener Friday.
'It was great. Great flavor,' said tourist Trudy Tant, 49, who played a key role in helping a Manhattan restaurant savor another Guinness World Record."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
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