Saturday, October 08, 2011
Roger Williams, R. I. P.
Reuters: Roger Williams, known as "the Pianist to the Presidents" for his White House performances, died on Saturday in his California home after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, his former publicist said. He was 87.
George Baker, R. I. P.
Mail Online: George Baker, who starred as Chief Inspector Wexford in TV's The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, has died.
The 80-year-old, from West Lavington, Wiltshire, died of pneumonia on Friday after a recent stroke.
The 80-year-old, from West Lavington, Wiltshire, died of pneumonia on Friday after a recent stroke.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Lucky Bruce: A Memoir (9781926845319): Bruce Jay Friedman: Books: "Like a Twilight zone with Charlie Chaplin"–Mario PuzoFor decades Bruce Jay Friedman has charmed the glitziest industries of American golden-age culture. He’s been in publishing. He’s been in theater. He’s been in film. And now, this best-selling author is in his own head, re-illuminating the dazzle of post-war American life. With cameos by Mario Puzo, Richard Pryor, Warren Beatty, Norman Mailer, Joseph Heller, and many others, Lucky Bruce is a moving and scandalous memoir that brushes against the brightest of American luminaries.
Bruce Jay Friedman is a best-selling author, an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter, a magazine editor, a Hollywood actor, and a celebrated playwright. He lives in Manhattan, New York.
Al Davis, R. I. P.
NYTimes.com: Al Davis, the long-time owner of the Oakland Raiders football team, died Saturday at the age of 82, the team's Web site reported on Saturday.
This Looks Promising
Mark Ellis says, "Here we go...David Enebral's wonderfully atmospheric rendering of Shell Scott...who is apparently realizing anew that the sidewalks of 1960s Hollywood were just as likely to be paved with blood as stars." I think you'll agree our hero, Shell Scott is going to be up to his ears in trouble when our graphic novel, KILL THE CLOWN comes your way. Adapted by Mark Ellis and illustrated by David Enebral.
Lawsuit of the Day
Trailer X: A Detroit woman is suing film distributor Film District because she went to see Drive, and left angry because she thought it would be more like The Fast and the Furious. So she’s suing.
All Righty, Then
The way you hold your drink reveals key personality traits, claim psychologists - Telegraph: He has categorised them as the 'Flirt', 'Gossip', 'Fun-Lover', 'Wallflower', 'Ice Queen', 'Playboy', 'Jack the Lad' and 'Browbeater'.
Diane Cilento, R. I. P.
NYTimes.com: Diane Cilento, an Australian actress whose long stage and screen career included an Oscar-nominated performance in the 1963 movie “Tom Jones,” highlighted by a memorably sensuous eating scene, died in Queensland, Australia, on Thursday, a day after her 78th birthday.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
And Keep Off Her Lawn!
Herald Sun: The 44km chase lasted nearly an hour, finally ending when police closed the road and formed a rolling roadblock.
An officer got out of his car and ran alongside the pensioner, telling her to pull over.
"It was a surprise to me when he knocked on the window," Turner said.
An officer got out of his car and ran alongside the pensioner, telling her to pull over.
"It was a surprise to me when he knocked on the window," Turner said.
Brain-attacking worm WBAGNFARB
The Raw Story: A brain-attacking worm is strongly suspected as a factor in the mysterious and steep decline of moose herds in the western part of Wyoming, wildlife biologists in the state said on Friday.
Friday, October 07, 2011
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Forbes.com: A 42-year-old man has been convicted of punching a 79-year-old man into a plate glass window after complaining about the older man's karaoke singing at a western New York bar.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Deadlocked (Lou Mason Thrillers) eBook: Joel Goldman: Kindle Store: If you like Scott Turow’s riveting legal thrillers and Catherine Coulter’s nerve racking suspense stories, you’ll love Deadlocked! Joel Goldman’s latest Lou Mason Thriller!"A certain death penalty case and execution is the catalyst in Joel Goldman's legal thriller Deadlocked. The fourth Lou Mason case is the best and most thought provoking and when the action starts it is a real page turner delivered by a pro."
Doris Belack, R. I. P.
Variety: Actress Doris Belack, who appeared as the original Anna Wolek Craig on "One Life to Live" and recurred as a judge on "Law and Order" during a long career in television and film, died of natural causes in Manhattan on Tuesday, Oct. 4. She was 85.
Belack's feature film credits included "Tootsie," in which she played the exasperated producer of the soap opera within the movie, and "What About Bob?" She often played professional or authority figures, frequently in comedy.
Belack's feature film credits included "Tootsie," in which she played the exasperated producer of the soap opera within the movie, and "What About Bob?" She often played professional or authority figures, frequently in comedy.
Could I Bring My Own?
Dutch trains substitute plastic bags for bathrooms: The Dutch national railway has an unusual solution for passengers who need the bathroom on a train line designed without them: plastic bags.
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Will the Persecution Never End?
100 dollar note from Paris is ripped apart: After finding herself at the receiving end of Paris Hilton's stroke of generosity last Sunday, this beggar woman, tragically, has not even a penny to show for it.
Ishika's windfall moment came on Sunday evening, when the visiting heiress spotted her, and magnanimously handed over a $100 bill to her -- a bill that could have brought the poor woman many an elusive joy. When her relatives began assaulting her to rob her of her gift, Ishika's brother-in-law tore the note to shreds. And thus was Ishika's fairy tale cut short by the sordid, grinding realities of existence.
Ishika's windfall moment came on Sunday evening, when the visiting heiress spotted her, and magnanimously handed over a $100 bill to her -- a bill that could have brought the poor woman many an elusive joy. When her relatives began assaulting her to rob her of her gift, Ishika's brother-in-law tore the note to shreds. And thus was Ishika's fairy tale cut short by the sordid, grinding realities of existence.
Can You Dig It, Daddy-O?
Can you dig Talk Like a Beat Day? | Books | guardian.co.uk: Make sure you're hip to 7 October as the swingingest day to pay a far-out tribute to the Beat Generation
Link via Book Dirt.
AbeBooks: Collectible Isaac Asimov
AbeBooks: Collectible Isaac Asimov: Isaac Asimov's fascination with science shone clearly in his writing. He wrote from a scientific perspective both in his non fiction - he penned many essays and articles for periodicals such as the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction - and his fiction. While best known for his scientific writing, Asimov's interests were not one-dimensional, and extended to religion (Asimov's Guide to the Bible), literature (Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare) and smutty humor (Asimov's Lecherous Limericks) to name a few.
Forgotten Books: Quest of the Golden Ape -- Ivar Jorgensen & Adam Chase
So here's what happened. Last week I ran across two references to Quest of the Golden Ape in two very different places. I could only interpret this as a sign that I should re-read the novel, which appeared first as a serial in three issues of Amazing Stories back in 1957. There's no question that I read it then, but I had no memory of it. The authors were Ivar Jorgensen and Adam Chase. At the time I didn't have a clue that Ivar Jorgensen was a name used by several different writers at several different publications. In this instance, Ivar was Randall Garrett. Adam Chase was used now and then by Milton Lesser, better known by another pseudonym, Stephen Marlowe.
The serial was later reprinted by Avalon books under the short title of The Golden Ape. I'm assuming it was lengthened by the authors, as it wouldn't have been long enough to fill even one of Avalon's slim volumes. It was also reprinted this year as part of a double volume by Fiction House. I don't know this is the serial version or the Avalon version.
As for the story, well, it doesn't hold up very well, but I had fun re-reading it, anyway. I like the old-fashioned stuff now and then. I'm not going to attempt to describe it. I'll let Paul W. Fairman, editor of Amazing Stories, do that for me.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
No Comment Department
Feds: Author duped women into giving him millions: An author of legal thrillers and a fantasy trilogy was accused Thursday of bilking women out of millions of dollars after meeting them through an online Jewish dating service.
Mitchell Gross, whose books include the suspense story "Circle of Lies," duped at least two women into investing about $4.4 million in a sham company he set up, using some of the money to buy expensive artwork, a luxury car and a golf club membership, federal prosecutors said.
Mitchell Gross, whose books include the suspense story "Circle of Lies," duped at least two women into investing about $4.4 million in a sham company he set up, using some of the money to buy expensive artwork, a luxury car and a golf club membership, federal prosecutors said.
Hat tip to Martha Wells.
Aden Meinel, R. I. P.
Astronomy pioneer Meinel dies at 88: Aden Meinel, who brought telescopes to Kitt Peak and led the early development of astronomy and optical sciences at the University of Arizona, died Monday at his home in Nevada. He was 88.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Rogue Island (9780765329813): Bruce DeSilva: Books: From Booklist: Rogue Island has everything a crime fan could want: a stubborn, street-smart hero with a snarky sense of humor; more than a baker’s dozen of engaging characters; a fast-paced plot; a noirish style; a realistic postmillennium newspaper setting; mean, pot-holed streets; and, best of all, a knowing portrait of a small city and a tiny state famous for inept government, jiggery-pokery, and corruption. Debut novelist DeSilva began a four-decade career in journalism as a reporter for the Providence Journal, and his take on the city and state is harsh but also affectionate, as when he describes graft as Rhode Island’s “leading service industry,” noting that “it comes in two varieties, good and bad, just like cholesterol.” This tremendously entertaining crime novel is definitely one of the best of the year. --Thomas Gaughan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Dark Tangos --Lewis Shiner
Lew Shiner is another of those writers I've been reading for a long time, ever since his early stories in Twilight Zone and Mike Shayne. He's always been good, no matter what genre he was writing in.Lew's a dancer, among other things, and he's traveled to Argentina to study tango. It was probably inevitable he'd use the dance as an integral part of a novel, and here it is.
Rob Cavenaugh is an American, recently separated from his wife, who's transferred to work in Argentina. He's just an ordinary unheroic guy, who happens to love tango. He meets a beautiful woman, also someone who loves tango, and they fall in for each other. Not surprisingly, it turns out that the woman has some dark secrets. They have to do with Argentina's Dirty War and the Disappeared. Soon enough, Rob finds himself being drawn into things that he's not prepared to deal with. Hardly anyone could be.
Dark Tango is a love story and a thriller, and when it really starts cooking, it's impossible to put down. I think I'd better issue a mild SPOILER ALERT right here. There's an extended section that deals with torture, and it's graphic and frightening. Sensitive sorts who pick up this book and get sucked in by the romance and the tango are likely to be shocked by the violence. Thus ends the mild SPOILER ALERT.
Not for the weak of heart, Dark Tangos is the real deal. And it's easy to obtain. If you don't want to spring for the hardback, that's okay with Lew. He gives his books away. You can get Dark Tangos and many others in .pdf format at the Fiction Liberation Front. As for me, I prefer books.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
WGAL The Susquehanna Valley: Since 1819, capital punishment has been used in the state of Texas. As of September 13, 2011, 1,225 criminals -- all of six whom have been male -- have been executed. Texas has executed more inmates than any other state, despite the fact that two states (California and Florida) have a larger death row population than Texas.
This slideshow recounts 50 of the most intriguing last statements by inmates put to death. Please note that many of these can be several paragraphs in length, so we have pulled one or two sentences from each.
This slideshow recounts 50 of the most intriguing last statements by inmates put to death. Please note that many of these can be several paragraphs in length, so we have pulled one or two sentences from each.
Gator Update (Hugs Edition)
Gatorman Mike Bringing Gator Hugs To Naples: The Naples City Council has approved a business man’s permit to sell alligator hugs for $5, according to a report in the The News-Press. It was a close vote, but it did pass. The proposal even survived national scrutiny of the PETA kind.
Mike “Gatorman Mike” Sturgill, 57, wants everyone to share in the joy of hugging his 4-foot gator named “Baby Bobby.” Of course, the alligator – which is four years old – is muzzled.
Mike “Gatorman Mike” Sturgill, 57, wants everyone to share in the joy of hugging his 4-foot gator named “Baby Bobby.” Of course, the alligator – which is four years old – is muzzled.
Charles Napier, R. I. P.
The Hollywood Reporter: Charles Napier, an actor who was known for his tough-guy roles in movies like Blues Brothers, died Wednesday afternoon at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, according to reports. He was 75.
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Fred Shuttlesworth, R. I. P.
NPR: The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a pioneer of the civil rights movement, died Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala. Shuttlesworth led Birmingham's battle against segregation — a battle that focused the national spotlight on the violent resistance to equal rights in the South and forced change. He was 89.
Steve Jobs, R. I. P.
Legendary Apple CEO Steve Jobs dead at 56 | The Raw Story: Legendary computer entrepreneur and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs died at the age of 56 on Wednesday, after a dramatic fight with cancer.
Soon We'll Have No Freedoms Left at All
Rick Newman: Boca Raton cracks down on Halloween show - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: Robotic monsters, a holiday music-and-light show and the fountains dyed to look like blood. All that in Rick Newman's front yard isn't a problem for city code-enforcement officials.
But the kids who volunteered to dance Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in his driveway apparently crossed a line.
But the kids who volunteered to dance Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in his driveway apparently crossed a line.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: O'Doul eBook: Wayne D. Dundee: Kindle Store: A Dime Novel - short Western adventure...
O’Doul has been a lot of places and done a lot of things in his life. Now, working on a ranch outside Pitchfork Creek, he finds bad things happening all around. The ranch owner and his wife are splitting up and O’Doul is forced to ride herd on a hot-headed cowboy.
When events come to a head, O’Doul makes a deadly decision and goes into action.
O’Doul has been a lot of places and done a lot of things in his life. Now, working on a ranch outside Pitchfork Creek, he finds bad things happening all around. The ranch owner and his wife are splitting up and O’Doul is forced to ride herd on a hot-headed cowboy.
When events come to a head, O’Doul makes a deadly decision and goes into action.
A.C. Nielsen Jr., R. I. P.
NYTimes.com: Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., who transformed the company his father founded in 1923 into an international leader in market research, helping to make its name synonymous with television ratings, died on Monday in Winnetka, Ill., where he lived most of his life. He was 92.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Perry Mason Update
Warner Bros., Downey team for 'Perry Mason' - Entertainment News, EXCLUSIVE, Media - Variety: Warner Bros. and Team Downey are teaming to relaunch the "Perry Mason" franchise as a feature film, with Robert Downey Jr. eyeing the title defense attorney role as a potential starring vehicle.
Like the original series of books by Erle Stanley Gardner, "Perry Mason" will be set in the rough and tumble world of early 1930s Los Angeles, and feature fan favorites such as Mason's secretary, Della Street, private investigator Paul Drake, and Mason's longtime courtroom nemesis, Hamilton Burger.
Like the original series of books by Erle Stanley Gardner, "Perry Mason" will be set in the rough and tumble world of early 1930s Los Angeles, and feature fan favorites such as Mason's secretary, Della Street, private investigator Paul Drake, and Mason's longtime courtroom nemesis, Hamilton Burger.
Link via Mystery Fanfare.
The Night and the Music -- Lawrence Block
In the middle 1970s, I was living in Brownwood, Texas. In those days, Texas still had Blue Laws, which meant that on Sunday, stores could remain open, but only certain items could be sold. I'd occasionally go out to Walgreen's on Sunday afternoons to look over the paperback rack, since it was apparently okay for me to buy one, though other areas of the store were roped off. And so it came to pass that one Sunday afternoon I picked up a Dell paperback called Sins of the Fathers. I'd already read a lot of other Lawrence Block titles and liked them all, so I grabbed this one, paid for it, and went home to read it. Thus I was introduced to Matthew Scudder.When I finished the book the next day, I was ready for the next one, and I've read all the succeeding Matt Scudder books, which means that I've been keeping up with Scudder's career for a frighteningly long time. I hadn't, however, read all the short stories about Scudder. Until recently, that is. Now the stories have been collected in the e-book you see pictured here, and it's only $2.99, making it the one of the biggest bargains you'll ever find.
As I said, I hadn't read all the Scudder stories, but I'd read several of them, including the Edgar-award-winning "By the Dawn's Early Light" and the Shamus-winning "The Merciful Angel of Death," but some of the other things included here were hard to come by even for die-hard fans. And Block's included a never-before-published story titled "One Last Night at Grogan's" that's guaranteed to make fans of the series a little misty-eyed.
There's also Block's "Afterword," an invaluable discussion of how the stories came to be written, plus an introduction and appreciation by Brian Koppelman. Put it all together and you have an irresistible collection. You'll want this one for sure. Trust me.
Paul Levine Interview
Studio City, CA Patch: Best-selling crime novelist Paul Levine likes living in the hills of Studio City—he thinks the mountain views are really special since he comes from South Florida where there isn’t the slightest bit of elevation other than the high-rises overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
With a confident swagger, Levine arrived at Jerry’s Famous Deli recently for an interview with Studio City Patch looking much less sinister and quite a bit friendlier than in his obligatory head shot on the inside cover of his just-released book, Lassiter.
With a confident swagger, Levine arrived at Jerry’s Famous Deli recently for an interview with Studio City Patch looking much less sinister and quite a bit friendlier than in his obligatory head shot on the inside cover of his just-released book, Lassiter.
Yeti Update
Fox News: Scientists from several countries, including Russia and the U.S., will gather in the Kemerova region of Siberia to hunt down the Yeti, after alleged sightings of the legendary creatures increased threefold in the area over the past 20 years.
Here's the Plot for Your Next Mafia Thriller
Houston Chronicle: A Houston woman whose infant son inherited the Baby Dolls strip club six years ago is alleging that a former New Jersey mobster - reputed to be an inspiration for HBO's Tony Soprano - has cheated her out of more than $1 million.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Never Bring Your MMA Skills to a Gunfight
WPEC 12 West Palm Beach: A 33-year-old man who claimed to be a mixed martial arts fighter was incapacitated by a shotgun after a fight with an internet prostitute and her husband early Monday morning, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
Hey, Who Doesn't Like Pizza?
Bear lets himself into restaurant for pizza: hungry bear has scared off customers in a Canadian pizza shop after he walked into the restaurant and helped himself to some dinner.
Hat tip to Cullen Gallagher.
The Wonder of Woodcuts
The Wonder of Woodcuts on AbeBooks: An important printing technique for centuries, woodcuts are a form of relief painting where patterns and images are carved into blocks of wood to create a raised picture. The raised surface is then covered with ink and pressed onto paper thus transferring the image. In the early days of the printing press, woodcuts and moveable type were a marriage made in heaven.
New Issue of Clues
The Bunburyist: Clues 29.2: Simenon, Stout, Sayers, et al.: Vol 29, no. 2 of Clues: A Journal of Detection has just been published, . . . .
See contents at the link.
Forgotten Films: Shane
You haven't forgotten Shane, you say? I'd expect most readers of this blog to remember it, but I wonder how many people these days remember westerns at all, even one as famous as this. I saw the movie in the theater when I was about 12 years old. I loved it without knowing why, but it seems obvious now, looking back more than 50 years. For one thing, it's a simple story that I'd seen plenty of times in the black-and-white B-westerns at Saturday matinees: ranchers vs. homesteaders. Shane was in beautiful color, but it was black-and-white in its depiction of two of the central characters. There's never any doubt that Shane is the good guy and that Jack Palance isn't. Palance is great as a man who's as thoroughly evil as a man can be, and loves it. He dresses entirely in black and is a real prince of darkness. The scene where he provokes Elisha Cook, Jr., into drawing on him was a shocker to me, and probably to some of the adults in the audience, too.
That's not to say the movie's morally simplistic. Shane's relationship with Marian Stewart (Jean Arthur) and the ranchers' grievances against the homesteaders are more complex that you might think at first, and they give the movie some depth.
Another typical western element is the use of the lone stranger who rides in to set things right, reluctantly, of course. Alan Ladd was never anybody's idea of a great actor, but he's really good here, mainly because he underplays everything. He's all quiet strength.
There's also the coming-of-age story with Brandon De Wilde, the kid who begins to realize that things aren't as simple as he thought and that even doing the right thing has a price.
And then there's the scenery. This must surely be one of the best-looking westerns ever filmed, in Technicolor and wide screen, with the Tetons as a backdrop to a lot of the dramatic action. To a kid who'd never been out of Central Texas, it was like seeing a movie filmed on another world.
There are people who don't Shane is a great movie, but it will always be on my list of best westerns. (The Mad parody is pretty good, too.)
Monday, October 03, 2011
Highly Recommended by Judy
Amazon.com: India Black and the Widow of Windsor (9780425243190): Carol K. Carr: Books: Black is back-Her Majesty's favorite spy is off to Scotland in this new adventure to ensure the Queen doesn't end up getting killed.When Queen Victoria attends a seance, the spirit of her departed husband, Prince Albert, insists she spend Christmas at their Scottish home in Balmoral. Prime Minister Disraeli suspects the Scottish nationalists plan to assassinate the Queen-and sends the ever resourceful India and the handsome British spy, French, to the Scottish highlands.
French will take the high road, looking for a traitor among the guests-and India will take the low road, disguised as a servant in case an assassin is hiding among the household staff. India is certain that someone at Balmoral is determined to make this Her Majesty's last Christmas...
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Vol. II eBook: Edward A. Grainger: Kindle Store: Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles Vol. II continues to chronicle the tales of two unorthodox 19th century U.S. Marshals. With seven more adventures, this collection includes the novella "Origin of White Deer" where the outlaw marshal leaves his Arapaho home as a teen to find his roots in the lawless town of Cheyenne, Wyoming. These noir tales infuse the Western genre with a fresh perspective on topics like race relations and social justice while still delivering pulse-racing action in the tradition of Wanted: Dead or Alive and Gunsmoke.
Girl Power
Pinckney's Brianna Amat Kicks Winning Field Goal after being Named Homecoming Queen: She's the first girl to kick on Pinckney's varsity football team. On Friday night, Brianna Amat kicked a 31-yard game-winning field goal and was crowned homecoming queen on the same night.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
wzzm13.com: One man was arrested over the weekend for threatening another man with a bow and arrow during an apparent road rage incident in Montcalm County.
Long, Long Ago
I think I posted this one a few years ago, but I ran across it yesterday, and couldn't resist. This is a shot of Judy, Joe Lansdale, and me taken at AggieCon in 1980.
Here's the Plot for Your Next Feel-Good Family Comedy
Jail for family who googled murder to get granddad's riches: A BRITISH schoolgirl has been imprisoned for her part in a family plot to kill her elderly grandfather to get at his money.
The 16-year-old girl searched the internet with her 49-year-old mother, 19-year-old brother and his 17-year-old girlfriend for ''the easiest way to kill an old person''.
The 16-year-old girl searched the internet with her 49-year-old mother, 19-year-old brother and his 17-year-old girlfriend for ''the easiest way to kill an old person''.
They'd Better Stay Off His Lawn!
UPI.com: The FBI says it hasn't yet determined if Friday's stickup at a San Diego bank branch was the work of the elusive "Geezer Bandit."
Sunday, October 02, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: The Lineup: Poems on Crime 4 eBook: R. Narvaez, Sarah Cortez, Reed Farrel Coleman, Gerald So: Kindle Store: The fourth and final issue of THE LINEUP: POEMS ON CRIME features work by Ken Bruen, Michael Casey, Reed Farrel Coleman, David Corbett, Mary Agnes Dalrymple, Mary Christine Delea, Jeanne Dickey, H. Palmer Hall, Paul Hostovsky, David Jordan, Laura LeHew, Thomas Michael McDade, Peter Meinke, Keith Rawson, Chad Rohrbacher, Stephen Jay Schwartz, Nancy Scott, Kieran Shea, J.D. Smith, J.J. Steinfeld, John Stickney, Caitlin Elizabeth Thomson, Randall Watson, Charles Harper Webb, Steve Weddle, and Germaine Welch.
No Comment Department
The Raw Story: Researchers at the University of London found the elements of a song that make them a singalong hit and have declared Queen’s We are the Champions as the world’s catchiest song.
With Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti?
NBC Miami: A former model who killed, cooked and ate her husband 20 years ago will make a bid for freedom next week.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Northwest Florida Daily News: A Fort Walton Beach woman accused of throwing a Bible at her son's girlfriend was charged Sept. 25 with battery causing bodily harm, according to an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrest report.
Pete Gent, R. I. P.
iWon News - 'North Dallas Forty' author dies in Michigan: The seamier side of professional football was exposed by former NFL player Peter Gent's "North Dallas Forty," the 1973 novel that became a sports movie classic depicting the drugs, sex, greed and self-preservation of the game.
Gent had an unlikely five-season career playing for Dallas before penning the story loosely based on the Cowboys. It later became a movie, nestled between comedy and tragedy, showing the drinking and drugging by thinly disguised football characters.
Gent, who died Friday at his boyhood home in western Michigan, seemed pleased with how the movie turned out but usually didn't watch it years later, his son said Saturday. Gent went on to write several more books.
Gent had an unlikely five-season career playing for Dallas before penning the story loosely based on the Cowboys. It later became a movie, nestled between comedy and tragedy, showing the drinking and drugging by thinly disguised football characters.
Gent, who died Friday at his boyhood home in western Michigan, seemed pleased with how the movie turned out but usually didn't watch it years later, his son said Saturday. Gent went on to write several more books.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
ABC News: A New York man came up with an unusual plan to hurt his ex-girlfriend: kill a bear, skin it, and then dress up in the carcass and attack her.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Your Houston News: News: Houston has landed back in the top 10 of America’s fast cities -- but we’ve got plenty of company right here in Texas. In fact, Texas placed five cities on the list, compiled annually by Men’s Health, with what the magazine dubbed “Corpulent Christi” as the No. 1 fattest city nationwide.
Houston was in ninth place, with El Paso in third, Dallas in fourth and San Antonio seventh.
Houston was in ninth place, with El Paso in third, Dallas in fourth and San Antonio seventh.
But What about their Self-Esteem?
The Guardian: Stone age toddlers may have attended a form of prehistoric nursery where they were encouraged to develop their creative skills in cave art, say archaeologists.
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