Saturday, November 24, 2012

The 11 greatest, craziest sci-fi crossovers in television history

The 11 greatest, craziest sci-fi crossovers in television history

Hat tip to Toby O'Brien.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

. . . and Pumpkin Attack WBAGNFARB.

Woman Rushed To Hospital After Drive-By Pumpkin Attack 

PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Attention to Books of Interest

Blood Red Sun
I read the original hardback edition of this one years ago, and I'm happy to recommend this new eBook edition.  Good stuff!

Blood Red Sun: Stephen Mertz: Amazon.com: Kindle Store: Japan is at the brink of surrender. It is the eve of the Emperor's announcement of his country's acceptance of the Allied terms of surrender. But a core of fanatical extremists in the Emperor's military, descended from the legendary Samurai warriors of feudal Japan—and other, more shadowy factions of power shrouded in the mysteries of this ancient society—vow never to surrender. The overthrow of the Emperor is only the first step in their insane scheme. 

Sergeant John Ballard is a battle-hardened commando. The best the army's got when it comes to fighting dirty. Years of surviving on the edge are starting to eat away at him but Ballard can't stop now. General Douglas MacArthur himself has just handed Ballard what may be the most impossible mission of the war. 

Keiko Tamura is a young Japanese woman, gutsy, independent; the blood of the Samurai flows in her veins. Educated in America before the war, she is willing to risk her life to end the military madness that has brought her country to ruin. 

Unlikely allies thrown together, these two alone stand in the way of one final, sinister, far-reaching plot with millions of American and Japanese lives at stake.

Last Day to Enter!

The Trades - Contest: Book Giveaway - The Destroyer, "Number Two" signed by Warren Murphy and Donna Courtois

Durn Tootin'

Black Friday, Texas style: Shopper who pulled gun on fellow mall shopper "within rights," say cops

Or Maybe You Did

10 Great ’80s Bands You Didn’t Know Still Existed

Or Maybe You Will

Top 10 Movies You Won’t Believe Are Based On True Stories

Boxer 'Macho' Camacho, R. I. P.

 SFGate: Former championship boxer Hector "Macho" Camacho died Saturday at the hospital in Puerto Rico where he has been unconscious since he was shot in the face in an attack in his hometown.

Today's Vintage Ad


I Miss the Old Days

Retrospace: Sex Sells #29: Men's Fashion Advertising

No Need to Thank Me

10 Animals That Will Give You Nightmares

25 Years Of Cell Phones In A Single Image

25 Years Of Cell Phones In A Single Image

PaperBack



David James (David Hagberg), Croc, NEL, 1976

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Houston - News: A Katy father and his adult son and daughter have all been charged with bank robbery, and police believe that the family team might have knocked over as many as six other banks in Oregon and Texas.

Kurt Vonnegut: the author's advice for a friend about to teach at the Iowa Writers' Workshop

Kurt Vonnegut: the author's advice for a friend about to teach at the Iowa Writers' Workshop

Ummmmmm. Turkey Testicales.

Turkey Testicle Festival: Hundreds dig in to deep-fried testicles at 30th annual Thanksgiving event in Illinois

10 Eerie Places on Earth in Images

10 Eerie Places on Earth in Images 

Larry Hagman, R. I. P.

Larry Hagman dead: J.R. Ewing was a business cheat, faithless husband and bottomless well of corruption. Yet with his sparkling grin, Larry Hagman masterfully created the charmingly loathsome oil baron — and coaxed forth a Texas-size gusher of ratings — on television's long-running and hugely successful nighttime soap, "Dallas." 

Although he first gained fame as nice guy Capt. Tony Nelson on the fluffy 1965-70 NBC comedy "I Dream of Jeannie," Hagman earned his greatest stardom with J.R. The CBS serial drama about the Ewing family and those in their orbit aired from April 1978 to May 1991, and broke viewing records with its "Who shot J.R.?" 1980 cliffhanger that left unclear if Hagman's character was dead.

10 Excellent Bookstore Cats

10 Excellent Bookstore Cats

The Daily Routines of Famous Writers

The Daily Routines of Famous Writers 

Starship Troopers: Invasion

Starship Troopers: Invasion - Trailer 2012 [HD] Animated Movie - YouTube:

Friday, November 23, 2012

Check it Out!

Romancing The West with Jacquie Rogers: Bill Crider & Chuck Tyrell: Wolf Creek 

The Christmas Spirit if Breaking out all Over

Mesquite police break up fight at Town East Mall on Black Friday

Hat tip to Kevin Tipple.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Cushing man gets jail for striking estranged wife with genitalia 

Frank Sinatra in a Blender -- Matthew McBride

When you're looking for something that's out of the mainstream, a little bit bizarre, grisly, violent, shocking, and sometimes even funny, you can count on New Pulp Press.  Matthew McBride's Frank Sinatra in a Blender delivers on all counts.

Nick Valentine is a private-eye who consumes enough alcohol and Oxycontin to kill just about anybody, and that's just by page 10.  He's helping the cops on a suspicious suicide case that turns out to be tied to a savings-and-loan robbery.  The robbery results in the mcguffin, a bag full of cash.  Valentine is also working with Amish Ron on a related case.  Gotta love the names.  There's also Johnny No Nuts.  

There's some detecting going on, but there's also torture, dismemberment, and, yes, Frank Sinatra in a blender.  Plus shotguns and chainsaws.  If you think Mickey Spillane's work is too brutal, if you prefer those nice little murders where no one gets hurt, this is not the book for you.  If you're wondering what's out there on the cutting edge and aren't easily offended, then give it a try.  You won't be disappointed.

Song of the Day

Pat Benatar - Fire And Ice - YouTube:

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

German lawyer claims 38DD girlfriend tried to smother him to death with her breasts

Today's Vintage Ad


First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Man allegedly attacked with serving fork during Thanksgiving dinner

Top 10 Directorial Debuts

Top 10 Directorial Debuts

PaperBack

 

Thomas B. Dewey, The Chased and the Unchaste, Crest, 1960

10 Creepy Murders in Old New York

10 Creepy Murders in Old New York

Ruh Roh! Ten of the Weirdest Gifts for Your Pet This Christmas

Ruh Roh! Ten of the Weirdest Gifts for Your Pet This Christmas 

Famous Literary Truces: Epic Feuds That Fizzled

Famous Literary Truces: Epic Feuds That Fizzled

Or Maybe You Did

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Steven Spielberg

Forgotten Books: Tales from Super-Science Fiction -- Edited by Robert Silverberg

9781893887480Yes, I'm cheating again.  This isn't a forgotten book.  It's brand new.  Almost.  But the stories inside are from a nearly forgotten digest of the '50s, and a favorite of mine, not so much for the stories but for the covers by Emsh and Freas.  They were wonderful, as the one reproduced on the cover of the book shows you.  As a bonus, the covers of all 18 issues of the magazine are included on the front and back endpapers (and a couple on the back cover).   The interior illos are included with the stories, too.

In his introduction to the volume, Robert Silverberg talks about what fun it was to write for Super-Science Fiction.  He must have enjoyed it, since he provide numerous stories for it, sometimes two, three, and four an issue.  It was also a financial pleasure, since the pay was two cents a word.  In the '50s.  People are still writing for that, or less, now.  

Super-Science Fiction wasn't the class of the SF field.  It published mostly straightforward adventure stories of the kind that a lot of readers now wouldn't consider worthy of notice.  Near the end of its run it even started running "Special Monster Issues" that featured, you guessed it, monsters.  Every story with its own monster.  These stories didn't save the magazine, but they were still fun.

Besides his intro to the collection, Silverberg also has brief intros to each story.  You can always learn something from reading Silverberg's intros.  

This isn't a book for everyone, but some of you will enjoy it as much as I do.  You know who you are.  You get the cover reproductions, Silverberg's intros, and the stories themselves, all in one great volume.  Highly recommended.


Introduction by Robert Silverberg
"Catch 'Em All Alive" by Robert Silverberg
"Who Am I?" by Henry Slesar
"Every Day is Christmas" by James E. Gunn
"I'll Take Over" by A.Bertram Chandler
"Song of the Axe" by Don Berry
"Broomstick Ride" by Robert Bloch
"Worlds of Origin" by Jack Vance
"The Tool of Creation" by J.F. Bone
"I Want to Go Home" by Robert Moore Williams
"Hostile Life-Form" by Daniel L. Galouye
"The Gift of Numbers" by Alan E. Nourse
"First Man in a Satellite" by Charles W. Runyon
"A Place Beyond the Stars" by Tom Godwin
"The Loathsome Beasts" by Dan Malcolm (aka Silverberg)

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder Trailer - YouTube:

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Deborah Raffin, R. I. P.

San Jose Mercury News: Deborah Raffin, an actress who ran a successful audiobook company with the help of her celebrity friends, has died. She was 59.

The Mayflower Gun

The Mayflower Gun: The Only Surviving Firearm from the Pilgrims 

Song of the Day

Motorcycle Mama - Sailcat - YouTube:

Why Do We Wish on the Turkey’s Wishbone?

Why Do We Wish on the Turkey’s Wishbone? 

Today's Vintage Ad


Or Maybe You Did

15 Things You Didn't Know About The First Thanksgiving

PaperBack



Richard Hardwick, Hawk, Belmont, 1966

The First Thanksgiving Didn’t Actually Take Place in America

The First Thanksgiving Didn’t Actually Take Place in America

The Day the President Moved Thanksgiving

The Day the President Moved Thanksgiving 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts: In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

Starship Troopers 2

Starship troopers 2 trailer - YouTube:

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

George Eliot writing desk stolen from Nuneaton museum

George Eliot writing desk stolen from Nuneaton museum

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Clogged toilet led to shooting in Lacey area, sheriff's office says 

Oops

Bad news Scotty: Star Trek-style 'warp drive' systems could turn spacecraft into Death Stars which destroy planets on arrival

Song of the Day

Andrews Sisters - Rum And Coca Cola - YouTube:

Top 10 Iconic Junk Foods

Top 10 Iconic Junk Foods

Today's Vintage Ad


PSA

Judy and I will out and about for a few days, and I'll have limited Internet access most of the time.  The blog will soldier on with some scheduled posts, and I'll try to drop in from time to time.  

This year Thanksgiving falls on a momentous date.  It's the date of the Kennedy assassination, of course, but it's also the date of my mother's birthday.  So I thought it would be nice to post a photo of her by way of remembrance.  I sure miss her.

Or Maybe You Did

27 Everyday Things You Never Knew Had Names

PaperBack



Anonymous, I Worked for Lucky Luciano, Avon, 1954

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing is a blog project designed to help writers get the word out about their latest works.  I'll be tagging five writers at the end of those Q&A, and they'll be doing their own blogs about their work next week.  Check 'em all out.

1.  What is the working title of your next book?
      It's Compound Murder.  It's coming next August from St. Martin's, and I'm pretty sure the title is set.  

2.  Where did the idea for the book come from?
      The book is part of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, and I started thinking that there was probably at least one person in Blacklin County who didn't think much of having the government interfere in his life.  So I took off from there.  I think I have the idea worked out pretty well, but we'll see.

3.  What genre does your book fall under?
      Like all the other Sheriff Rhodes books, this one's a crime novel.  I don't think it's a cozy, but on the other hand it's not hardboiled either.  One of my agents once told me that I'd invented my own genre, the hardboiled cozy.  I'll take that.

4.  What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie?
     For Sheriff Rhodes I'd pick either Tommy Lee Jones or Matthew McConaughey.  Either one could do the humor, and neither would have to fake the accent.

5.  What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
      Small-town murder is a big-time problem.

6.  Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
     This one will be published by St. Martin's as mentioned above.  I'm represented by an agent, but I do some self-publishing, too.  I'm writing books as Colby Jackson (along with Mel Odom and James Reasoner) for the Rancho Diablo series of eBooks.

7.  How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
      I've slowed down a lot these days.  I used to work very quickly, but now it takes me several months to get a book done.  About four months for Compound Murder.

8.  What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
     What I usually say when people ask me that question is that there are no other books like mine, mainly because I'm a pretty weird guy.  So I'll stick with that answer.

9.  Who or what inspired you to write this book?
      I don't usually wait for inspiration.  For this book, I had a contract to fulfill.  The contract calls for an untitled book in the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, so as usual I thought for a few days about what might work, came up with an idea, and started writing.  Sometimes things other people say will give me an idea, and I already know what the next book after Compound Murder will be about, thanks to something someone suggested to me, more less in fun.  I thought it would be fun, and I'm going to give it a shot.
  
10.  What else about the book might pique a reader's interest?
        Sex!  Violence!  Sudden death!

One week from today, be sure to check out what Kevin Tipple, Mel Odom, Sharon Wildwind, Jochem Vandersteen, and Troy Smith have to say in answer to these questions, too.

Bad Sex in Literature Short List

Did Tom Wolfe Write the Year’s Worst Sex Scene?

Machu Picchu Update

Machu Picchu: The world’s highest resolution image released 

Soon We'll Have No Personal Freedoms Left at All

Judge Won't Let Murderer Wear Pimp Coat to Sentencing 

4 Early American Politicians Rocked by Sex Scandals

4 Early American Politicians Rocked by Sex Scandals

Edward S. Aarons and the Sam Durell / Assignment Series of Spy Novels

Existential Ennui: Edward S. Aarons and the Sam Durell / Assignment Series of Spy Novels (Gold Medal, Coronet, Herbert Jenkins, 1950s/60s/70s)

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Citizens rush council members as chaos erupts at Newark City Hall meeting 

We Guys Knew this All Along

Are men less obsessed with sex than we think? Psychologist argues stereotype of dirty-minded men is a myth 

Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers - Movie Trailer - 1997 - YouTube:

S.O.S. Coast Guard

CLIFFHANGERS: 1937 S.O.S. COAST GUARD TRAILER - YouTube:

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A Guide To Paris Hilton's Music Career

A Guide To Paris Hilton's Music Career

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Keith Macdonald: Love-rat dad of nine children to eight women who headbutted ex-girlfriend in row over cheese toastie jailed for just 20 days

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Online Athens: Meredith Grayson Watson, of Hiawassee Avenue, got into an argument with his wife at the Roadhouse on North Lumpkin Street, then went outside and held a Taser as if it were his penis and discharged it at passersby, Athens-Clarke police said.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Corpus Christi police: Man drives SUV Monday through strip club wall 

And It's Not about Basketball

Earliest Hitchcock film now streaming 

Signed Books for Christmas?

I know what you're thinking.  You don't want to fight the Black Friday crowd, but you want some great but inexpensive gifts.  I'm here to help.  A signed book would make a great Christmas gift for everyone on your list, especially if the book was written and signed by me.  So here's what you need to do.  Let the folks at Murder by the Book know what you're looking for.  I'll be signing there on December 8, and I'll be more than happy to personalize books for you and your friends.  You can't go wrong. If I sell enough books, maybe I can even afford that new Aston-Martin I've been needing.

Song of the Day

Gene Pitney - Mecca..w/ LYRICS - YouTube:

PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Attention to Books of Interest

Branham's Due (Holt County)Branham's Due (Holt County): Richard Prosch: Amazon.com: Kindle Store: Holt County, Nebraska, 1881. Deputy sheriff Whit Branham sets out alone to bring in a scurvy killer, but will surprise alone be an advantage? Armed with his trusty Stevens 10-gauge and some hard won experience, even Branham isn't above giving the devil his due. This 3,000 word short story introduces Branham and is followed by a 2,000 word sneak peek at the deputy’s upcoming adventure, HOLT COUNTY LAW, a brand new novella slated for December.

Today's Vintage Ad


Bram Stoker: Walt Whitman's #1 Fan

When Bram Met Walt

SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN

“From Noir to Julius” (by Dave Zeltserman)

PaperBack



Alan Hynd, We are the Public Enemies, Gold Medal, 1949

'Frankenturkey' attacks in Connecticut

As Thanksgiving nears, 'Frankenturkey' attacks in Connecticut

Hat tip to Jeff Segal.

15 Hilariously Negative Early Reviews of Classic Albums

15 Hilariously Negative Early Reviews of Classic Albums

Gator Update (Fence Climbing Edition)

Determined gator tries to reach the woods by climbing barbed wire fence

Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Justin Bieber comment leads to assault: The nephew then became angry, slammed down a plate of chili fries, and told his uncle he would beat him up.

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Why Coke Cost A Nickel For 70 Years

Why Coke Cost A Nickel For 70 Years

Bonnie Lynn Fields, R. I. P.

latimes.com: Bonnie Lynn Fields, who danced and sang her way into pop-culture posterity as one of Walt Disney's Mouseketeers, died Saturday in Richmond, Ind. She was 68.

Hat tip to Toby O'Brien.

5 Everyday Things That Can Literally Drive You Crazy

5 Everyday Things That Can Literally Drive You Crazy

John Keats's Porridge: The Favorite Recipes of Beloved Poets

John Keats's Porridge: The Favorite Recipes of Beloved Poets

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

CultureMap Houston: Not since Pee-wee Herman asked to see the basement at the Alamo have workers at the Texas landmark witnessed this much confusion. 

The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) is investigating a possible theft from an Alamo office, where some believe an original copy of the Texas Declaration of Independence was swapped with a fake. Here's the catch — leaders at the historic site never knew this original copy of the document ever existed.

Overlooked Movies: Casino Royale (1967)

You don't hear much about this James Bond movie in all the celebration that's going on because of the 50th anniversary the beginning of the film series.  I don't know the whole story behind the film, but apparently the makers of the other movies didn't own the rights to the novel version of Casino Royale.  So in 1967 we got the goofiest Bond movie of all time.

Many directors and writers, both credited and uncredited, worked on the movie.  It's sort of as if they tossed the book into a blender, put the parts together at random, and tried to make a spoof of the other James Bond film.  David Niven, as Bond, becomes head of MI6, and to fool SMERSH, he names all the other agents James Bond.  See the trailer above for the results.  Yes, even Woody Allen and Ursula Andress.  To try to describe the plot wouldn't do much good. 

The best thing about it might be the theme, maybe my favorite Bond theme of all, even if it's not official.  The movie, though, is a mess.  It's an entertaining mess at times, but the times are few.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale (1967) Trailer - YouTube:

Monday, November 19, 2012

Even apes have 'midlife crises,' study finds

SFGate: "I believe no ape has ever purchased a sports car," said Andrew Oswald, an author of the study. But researchers report that captive chimps and orangutans do show the same low ebb in emotional well-being at midlife that some studies find in people.

Hat tip to Art Scott.

Will the Persecution Never End?

Paris Hilton sparks outrage as she opens store in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Boris Strugatsky, R. I. P

Russian sci-fi author Boris Strugatsky dies: Russian writer Boris Strugatsky, famous for co-authoring Soviet-era science-fiction novels critical of the authorities with his late brother Arkady, passed away on Monday at 79, his foundation said.

Link via SF Signal.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .

Man Stabbed At Redwood City Baptism Party 

Song of the Day

I Think We`re Alone Now - Tommy James & The Shondells - YouTube:

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan

Clay Jannon's out of work, having lost his job with a designer bagel start-up.  He's about to give up hope when he happens on Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore and gets a job as a clerk.  It's an odd store.  There are "normal" books, but there are also books that are assigned numbers and that are given to odd customers who don't pay for them but who turn in other books instead.  Before long Jannon is involved in code-breaking, a cult that finances itself by selling a font, and a woman who works for Google.  

There's more.  A lot more, including the books that Jannon and his friend Neal loved as a kid, The Dragon-Song Chronicles, which it might not surprise you to discover are more than they seemed.

This novel is sort of a love song to books and technology, and Robin Sloan obviously loves both.  Google-haters might as well not even open the book.  They'll be gnashing their teeth well before the ending.

I enjoyed Sloan's writing and sense of humor, I liked his nods to Dashiell Hammett and others, I liked what he says about physical books and their pleasures, and I got a kick out of his weird plot.  I can see why some might not, but it worked for me.  Check it out and see what you think. 

Today's Vintage Ad


Lucille Bliss, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Lucille Bliss, who provided the cute, husky voice for the title character in the groundbreaking television cartoon series “Crusader Rabbit” in 1949, and later for Smurfette on the 1980s series “The Smurfs,” died on Nov. 8 in Costa Mesa, Calif. She was 96.

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

11 Weirdly Spelled Words—And How They Got That Way

11 Weirdly Spelled Words—And How They Got That Way

The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema

The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema 

PaperBack



Michael Kurland, Transmission Error, Jove, 1978

Obligatory Twinkies Post

5 movies where Twinkies played a supporting role 

Billy Scott, R. I. P.

WBTW: Friends gathered Sunday afternoon at Duck's Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach to honor the late Billy Scott. 

The singer, well-known across North and South Carolina for his beach music, lost his battle with cancer on Saturday.

Criminal Genius of the Day

Bungling Burglar Leaves Car, iPad at Scene: In what Los Angeles police are calling a study in how to get caught, a bungling burglar left footprints, fingerprints, and even photos of himself at an Arleta home.

Alien Lizard Attack WBAGNFARB

Woman predicting alien lizard attack on Earth registers a political party

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson

Bibliomat

Bibliomat: a vending machine for random rare and antiquarian books (with satisfying clunk)

Margaret Yorke, R.I.P.

Mystery Fanfare: Margaret Yorke: R.I.P.

Tycho Brahe Update

New Findings on Tycho Brahe's Death

The Patron Saint of the Internet

Neatorama: Pope John Paul II nominated Saint Isidore of Seville to be the patron saint of the internet, although the Vatican has not officially designated him so …yet. These things take time. Why St. Saint Isidore?

Break Out the Cooking Utensils

Best alligator recipes

Bowery Buckaroos

Bowery Buckaroos (1947) trailer - YouTube:

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Song of the Day

Sugar On Sunday - The Clique - YouTube:

Today's Vintage Ad


Ten Ridiculous Japanese Monsters

Ten Ridiculous Japanese Monsters 

PaperBack



Jack Finney, Good Neighbor Sam, Pocket Books, 1964

Top 10 Most Guarded Places on Earth

Top 10 Most Guarded Places on Earth 

Comic Strip of the Day

Link.

Or Maybe Not

10 Notorious Literary Slogs That Are Worth the Effort

5 Artifacts That Will Shatter Your Image of the Middle Ages

5 Artifacts That Will Shatter Your Image of the Middle Ages

I Miss the Old Days

Watches from the '80s

Jinx Money

JINX MONEY 1948 TRAILER THE BOWERY BOYS - YouTube: