People.com: Jackie Collins, the beloved best-selling novelist, has died, PEOPLE has exclusively learned.
"It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today," the Collins family tells PEOPLE in a statement.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Free for Kindle for a Limited Time
THE SHOTGUN RIDER, Peter Brandvold - Amazon.com WHEN A MAN IS LOCKED IN A BOX HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO BLAST HIS WAY OUT!
Here Be Dragons: In Literature
Here Be Dragons: In Literature on AbeBooks: The ancient mythology of the dragon dates far, far back, centuries before Shakespeare. Originally often presented as sea serpents, modern dragons are now commonly reptilian creatures of land, with legs, and of air, with wings. Though dragons are mythological creatures, it has been widely speculated that their existence was once widely accepted. This belief may have originated with prehistoric art, and with glimpses of large amphibious and reptilian creatures such as crocodiles or komodo dragons.
Everything You Need to Know About the 2015 National Book Awards Longlist
Flavorwire: Everything You Need to Know About the 2015 National Book Awards Longlist
Friday, September 18, 2015
The Story of My Comb
My guess is that not a lot of people have stories to tell about their combs. I have a story about mine, though, and it will tell you a lot about me and how I cling to the past and avoid change. Here it is.
THE STORY OF MY COMB
In August 1966 Judy and I moved from Denton, Texas, where I'd finished work on my MA at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), to Austin, where I was going to pursue my Ph.D. in English at The University of Texas at Austin.
Digression #1: Did you know that the word "The" is part of the official title of The University of Texas at Austin? Well, it is.
Digression #2: I've always liked the phrase "pursuing a Ph.D." because it gives the impression that the degree is elusive and has to be chased down and caught. Some people catch it, and some don't. I knew a few who didn't.
Digression #3: Judy and I packed all our possessions into two cars, ours and her parents', which we'd borrowed for the occasion. We moved from our apartment at 308 Normal Street in Denton to our new one at 104 East 32nd Street in Austin. I liked both those addresses. Here's why. For six or seven years of my childhood, I lived in Mexia, Texas, at 308 East Hunt Street, after which we moved to 401 South McKinney. The street numbers should explain everything.
Digression #4: I like digressions when I'm the one doing the digressions. I try to avoid them in my books, but this kind of thing is different.
Back to the story of my comb. I was a teaching assistant, and when the fall semester started, I was assigned to a bullpen office in Parlin Hall, the English building, with eight or ten other people who were pursuing their degrees. It was an interesting environment, and I enjoyed it. I still remember coming in the morning after LJB announced that he wouldn't seek another term. One guy climbed up on his desk and addressed the others of us who were there. He yelled, "We can't forgive him just because he's not running again. He was a son of a bitch yesterday, and he's a son of a bitch now." Anyway, after I'd spent two years in that office, a new wing of the building opened, and many of the full-time faculty members moved into offices in the new wing. Those of us in the bullpen were than moved into the offices vacated by the full-time faculty.
Thus I found myself in an office formerly occupied by Dr. Joe Kruppa. He'd been a member of the department for three or four years by that time. He was young, had long hair, and was a flamboyant dresser. And he was already one of the most popular instructors in the Department of English. He'd left his office entirely bare, except for one shelf in the tiny coat closet. On that shelf was a comb.
Some people might have taken the comb to Dr. Kruppa's office and given it to him, but I don't do things like that. I thought it would be kind of dumb, to tell the truth. So I took it home. Judy wasn't one to adopt someone else's comb, but I was. It was much nicer than the one I'd been using. Judy soaked it in hydrogen peroxide before she let me use it, though.
We moved into two other apartments in Austin during our stay there (711 W. 32nd and 1304 Mariposa, in case you were wondering), and we've lived in two houses since then. A bit of time has passed. Forty-seven years, in fact. And I'm still using the same comb. I have less hair to comb, but I still comb it. The comb lost a tooth a year or two ago, but that didn't affect its performance. It's been a good and faithful servant. I've never considered getting another one.
And that's the story of my comb. The end.
Once Again Texas Led the Way
How a Texas collector ended up with millions worth of World War II fighter planes: Wilson "Connie" Edwards, ended up with more antique European fighter planes in his secluded hangar than the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum has in Washington, D.C.
Elvis Presley’s Legendary Midnight Sandwich Run
Messy Nessy Chic: On the night of February 1, 1976, Elvis Presley took his private jet from Graceland to Denver and back in one night because he was craving an 8,000 calorie sandwich made from a hollowed out loaf filled with an entire jar of peanut butter, one jar of jelly, and a pound of bacon. Not your average snack, priced at $50, this is the story of how the Fool’s Gold Loaf became the Elvis Presley of sandwiches, King of the PB&Js…
Link via Neatorama.
Link via Neatorama.
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
. . . and now it's a gunbattle over a stolen fighting rooster!
This Year's Ig Nobels
Bee stings, research that makes you go 'huh?' win Ig Nobels: A Cornell University graduate student who allowed honeybees to sting him in 25 places and a group of scientists who concluded it's possible for one man to father 888 children are among the winners of this year's Ig Nobels, which honor humorous scientific achievement.
FFB: What the Dog Saw -- Malcolm Gladwell
I doubt that this book is forgotten, but it might be one that not many of you have read. It's a collection of 19 essays, all of which first appeared in The New Yorker, so you may have read them there. The book is divided into three sections: "Obsessives, Pioneers, and other varieties of Minor Genius," "Theories, Predictions, and Diagnoses," and "Personality, Character, and Intelligence." Each one of these has essays that I found fascinating and entertaining. Gladwell says he wants to "to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head." For me, he succeeds admirably in those goals.
It's hard for me to pick out a favorite since I had a great time reading all the essays. The first one in the book is on Ron Popiel, and it was a real treat to read about the gadgets and the selling of them. There's the best essay I've read on the Exon debacle. There's a really fine one on profiling serial killers, and there's one on late bloomers that I liked a lot. And so on. I liked them all.
Gladwell writes clear, straightforward prose, and he has a gift for making things easy to understand. Everything he writes has a human connection, and he has the gift of being able to tell a great story, whether it's about a dog whisperer or plagiarism. If you're looking for some entertaining nonfiction, I highly recommend What the Dog Saw.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Milo Hamilton, R. I. P.
abc13.com: Eyewitness Sports has learned Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton, who called Houston Astros games for decades, has passed away. He was 88 years old.
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
. . . and now it's the testicles with spaghetti threat! AN ITALIAN tourist shouted at a door steward at "I am going to have your testicles with spaghetti and white wine sauce" when he was ejected from a pub.
Who Says TV Is Out of Ideas?
‘Hart to Hart’ Gay Couple Remake Set At NBC: EXCLUSIVE: The Harts are back, with a twist. NBC has put in development a new take on the 1979 ABC mystery/adventure drama, which starred Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. The reboot—which revolves around a gay couple—hails from producer Carol Mendelsohn and Sony TV, whose predecessor Columbia Pictures produced the original series with Spelling-Goldberg Prods.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Amazon
I know that Amazon is supposed to be the Evil Empire, but here's my story.
A couple of days ago I needed two batteries. They're odd-sized lithium 123 batteries. So I went to the Alvin, Texas, Radio Shack. The helpful guy behind the counter said that, yes, they had the batteries, except that they were currently out of stock. He told me I could try Walgreens, as they usually had odd-sized batteries. So I drove to Walgreens, which besides not having an apostrophe in its name, didn't have the batteries, either. The helpful woman in the camera department said that Walmart might have the batteries. Now we all know that Walmart is also the Evil Empire, but off I went. The woman in the camera department there was sure they had the batteries, but what they had was a large area of empty hangers in the battery department and no size 123 batteries.
So I drove home and did what I should have done in the first place. I sat down at the computer and looked for the batteries on Amazon, where I found them in profusion. Not only that, but they were cheaper than the ones that Radio Shack would have sold me if they'd had them. How much time and gasoline did I waste looking for those batteries at local stores? I don't know, but it's pretty clear to me why Amazon is getting a lot of business.
A couple of days ago I needed two batteries. They're odd-sized lithium 123 batteries. So I went to the Alvin, Texas, Radio Shack. The helpful guy behind the counter said that, yes, they had the batteries, except that they were currently out of stock. He told me I could try Walgreens, as they usually had odd-sized batteries. So I drove to Walgreens, which besides not having an apostrophe in its name, didn't have the batteries, either. The helpful woman in the camera department said that Walmart might have the batteries. Now we all know that Walmart is also the Evil Empire, but off I went. The woman in the camera department there was sure they had the batteries, but what they had was a large area of empty hangers in the battery department and no size 123 batteries.
So I drove home and did what I should have done in the first place. I sat down at the computer and looked for the batteries on Amazon, where I found them in profusion. Not only that, but they were cheaper than the ones that Radio Shack would have sold me if they'd had them. How much time and gasoline did I waste looking for those batteries at local stores? I don't know, but it's pretty clear to me why Amazon is getting a lot of business.
That's Some Mighty Fine Police Work There, Lou
How Instagram tricked NYPD into James Blake arrest: A fraud “suspect’’ whose photo helped lead cops to wrongly bust former tennis star James Blake is actually a respected Australian businessman who had nothing to do with any scam either.
Fred DeLuca, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Fred DeLuca, who in 1965, at 17, borrowed $1,000 to open a sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Conn., to help pay college expenses and parlayed that experience into building Subway, the world’s largest chain of fast-food franchises, died on Monday night. He was 67.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Boxed Set of YA Westerns for Kindle only 99 cents at Amazon.
Painted Pony Books: #NewRelease and GIVEAWAY--The Cowboy Way by Cheryl Pierson, Frank Roderus, and James J. Griffin: Boxed Set of YA Westerns only 99 cents at Amazon.
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
. . . and now it's the brisket brawl! Woman hit by flying brisket during fight at BBQ festival: Tempers flare at Kentucky State BBQ after woman is hit by flying brisket in heated fracas between cooks
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Overlooked Movies -- Bad Girls
Bad Girls has a terrific (and terrifically appealing) cast, and while it's fun, it's not the movie that Bandidas is. It's much more serious, and it could've done with a lighter touch. It's too dang serious and its feminist message is pretty heavy-handed. Still, you aren't going to get me to complain too much about a western starring Andie McDowell, Madeline Stowe, Mary Stewart Masterson, and Drew Barrymore, all of them looking as if they just stepped out of a Hollywood beauty salon, even in the toughest situations.The four stars are all soiled doves working in a small-town saloon as the movie opens. (One of the unanswered questions is why there's not a line of guys around the block.) Cody (Stowe) kills a customer who's abusing Anita (Masterson), and the four women go on the run, with the Pinkertons right behind (they're hired by the widow of the man Cody killed). There's bonding. There are captures. There are escapes. There are pursuits. There's a lot of shootin'. And an explosion or two.
Kid Jarrett (James Russo) and his father (Robert Loggia) are the hissable villains, and and there's a big shootout at the end. The movie doesn't leave a cliche untouched. I really can't recommend it very highly, but I like watching the four stars ridin' and shootin'.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Gary Richrath, R. I. P.
REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath dies: Reo Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath has died, the band announced on its website and Facebook page Sunday. He was 65.
I Want to Believe!
Gigantic Ice Slab Found on Mars Just Below the Planet's Surface: Scientists have discovered life virtually wherever there is liquid water on Earth, leading some researchers to believe that life might have evolved on Mars when it was wet, and that life could be there even now, hidden in subterranean aquifers.
Saving the Scream Queens
Saving the Scream Queens: Why Yale University Library Believes In the Value of VHS: One reason Yale bought this video collection was to preserve rare titles—it’s been estimated that about 40 to 45 percent of content distributed on VHS never made its way into any subsequent digital format.
Frank D. Gilroy, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Frank D. Gilroy, whose 1964 Broadway debut, “The Subject Was Roses,” won the theater’s triple crown — a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony and a Drama Critics’ Circle Award — but proved to be the high note in his life as a playwright and television and Hollywood dramatist, died on Saturday at his home in Monroe, N.Y. He was 89.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
. . . and now it's the Desnuda Dust-up! Brooklyn woman, Times Square painted lady in rumble: The desnuda dust-up unfolded about 3 p.m. on W. 43rd St. and Seventh Ave. after Angela Portalatin, 27, made a derisive comment to near-naked Amanda Roman, 23.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Moses Malone, R. I. P.
NY Daily News: Moses Malone, a man of few words and many rebounds, died Sunday at age 60.
Malone was the first player to come right out of high school into the pros, signing with the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association when that league was at war with the NBA. But he made his name later in the NBA, after the leagues’ merger. He led an otherwise mediocre Houston Rockets team to the NBA Finals in 1981 and then brought a championship to the Philadelphia 76ers as the Finals MVP in 1983.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Malone was the first player to come right out of high school into the pros, signing with the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association when that league was at war with the NBA. But he made his name later in the NBA, after the leagues’ merger. He led an otherwise mediocre Houston Rockets team to the NBA Finals in 1981 and then brought a championship to the Philadelphia 76ers as the Finals MVP in 1983.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Texas Led the Way
The Deadly Train Crash That Started a Trend: On September 15, 1896, two locomotives traveling at speeds upward of 50 miles per hour smashed into each other in Crush, Texas—completely on purpose—killing two people and seriously injuring at least six others.
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
. . . and not it's the frozen treats fracas! DQ sued by woman who says she was beat up over her Blizzard
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
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