Saturday, October 24, 2015
First It was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
and now. . . Man's 'explosive' bowel issues lead to machete melee
Maureen O'Hara, R. I. P.
abc7ny.com: Maureen O'Hara, the flame-haired Irish movie star who appeared in classics ranging from the grim "How Green Was My Valley" to the uplifting "Miracle on 34th Street" and bantered unforgettably with John Wayne in several films has died. She was 95.
She was one of my all-time favorites.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
She was one of my all-time favorites.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
You're a Vampire: That Sucks! -- "Count" Domenick Dicce
Okay, so you've become a vampire. Now what? To whom can you turn for advice? To "Count" Domenick Dicce, that's who. Well, not to the count personally but to his book. He has it all laid out for you: how to handle your finances (you can get rich), how to choose a familiar, how to chose a home. He tells you what your strengths and weaknesses are, and he gives you a list of vampire rules. There's a good bit more, but those topics will give you an idea. You'll find some humor here (the whole book has a light touch), but it's not over the top. If you're looking for guidance in your new life or just for something different in the vampire line, you can't go wrong with Dicce's advice.
I'm Back
Last night I decided that instead of going to the scheduled luncheon at the reunion today, I'd come back home. The rain was supposed to hit Houston today, and I didn't want to be heading home in a flood. I'd had enough of that. Besides, someone could use my hotel room. There were 40-50 people in the lobby and the lounge area who didn't have rooms. So I checked out and left. The rain was light, the highway was open, and here I am.
I saw the longest traffic jam I'd ever seen. The northbound traffic on Interstate 45 was backed up for at least twelve miles. Maybe fifteen. I don't know if the highway was opened last night, but if it wasn't, there were a lot of travelers and truckers sleeping in their cars and truck cabs.
The reunion was fun. I hadn't seen most of those people since they graduated from high school fifty years ago. They were all having a fine time visiting with each other, and I felt lucky to have played a small part in their lives.
I saw the longest traffic jam I'd ever seen. The northbound traffic on Interstate 45 was backed up for at least twelve miles. Maybe fifteen. I don't know if the highway was opened last night, but if it wasn't, there were a lot of travelers and truckers sleeping in their cars and truck cabs.
The reunion was fun. I hadn't seen most of those people since they graduated from high school fifty years ago. They were all having a fine time visiting with each other, and I felt lucky to have played a small part in their lives.
Friday, October 23, 2015
A Brief Update
I've arrived in Corsicana, Texas, and the dinner for the Class of '65 starts in about an hour. Here's a little story of my journey. For almost all the distance it was just fine. Then, about 20 miles from town, the skies opened up. Hardest rain I've ever driven in. But everyone was being sensible, so it was no big deal. Drive slowly, lights on, etc. I was within .8 of a mile from my exit when the traffic stopped. Completely. Both lanes.
I sat there for about 15 minutes, maybe 20. No movement. None. I took a peek at the shoulder. It looked clear, so I decided to go for it. I pulled onto the shoulder and got to the exit with no problem.
The problem arose after I took the exit. It was about 200 yards to the light where I needed to turn. There had been an accident there. Luckily I was able to get into the lane I needed to be in before traffic piled up and blocked me. I sat there for about 10 minutes, but I finally got to the light and then to the hotel.
I just took a look out the window. The traffic on the Interstate is still at a dead stop. The rain is light now, so that's not a problem. I have a feeling there won't be more than a handful of people at the dinner. I may have made a big mistake by coming. I'm trying not to think about what the trip home tomorrow might be like. Yikes.
The Internet connection here seems to be going in and out. I'll try to post this before I go silent.
I sat there for about 15 minutes, maybe 20. No movement. None. I took a peek at the shoulder. It looked clear, so I decided to go for it. I pulled onto the shoulder and got to the exit with no problem.
The problem arose after I took the exit. It was about 200 yards to the light where I needed to turn. There had been an accident there. Luckily I was able to get into the lane I needed to be in before traffic piled up and blocked me. I sat there for about 10 minutes, but I finally got to the light and then to the hotel.
I just took a look out the window. The traffic on the Interstate is still at a dead stop. The rain is light now, so that's not a problem. I have a feeling there won't be more than a handful of people at the dinner. I may have made a big mistake by coming. I'm trying not to think about what the trip home tomorrow might be like. Yikes.
The Internet connection here seems to be going in and out. I'll try to post this before I go silent.
On the Road Again
This weekend the Corsicana High School Class of 1965 is having its 50-year reunion. When I graduated from college in 1963, my first teaching job was in Corsicana, and I taught junior English. A good many members of the class of '65 were in those English classes. I'm sure it must have been an interesting experience for them, since I didn't know what I was doing. They taught me at least as much as I taught them that year. One of them got in touch with me and asked if I could come to the reunion. I don't like leaving home, but I thought it would be good for me to get out of the house. And of course I was curious to see what had happened to that group. I remember them much better than any other students I taught. Something about them being the first ones, I guess.
The bad news is the weather. There's a 100% chance of rain in Corsicana this weekend, and I don't like driving in the rain. There's a stretch of I-45 that used to flood when there were heavy rains. I hope that's been improved since the last time I was up that way.
If you're reading this, that means I'm on the way. Otherwise, I'll just take it down. If I go, I should be back here on Saturday night. I'll post some stuff for today and Saturday to keep you occupied.
The bad news is the weather. There's a 100% chance of rain in Corsicana this weekend, and I don't like driving in the rain. There's a stretch of I-45 that used to flood when there were heavy rains. I hope that's been improved since the last time I was up that way.
If you're reading this, that means I'm on the way. Otherwise, I'll just take it down. If I go, I should be back here on Saturday night. I'll post some stuff for today and Saturday to keep you occupied.
The World's Most Expensive Book
AbeBooks: The World's Most Expensive Book: This is the world's most expensive book. You are looking at the Bay Psalm Book printed in 1640, which sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $14.2 million on November 26, 2013.
FFB: Detective Fiction: A Collection of Critical Essays, Robin Winks, editor
Here's another example of the kind of book that was available to us mystery and crime fiction fans back in the olden days (1980) before the Internet made all kinds of articles available at the click of a mouse. I could summarize the contents for you, but being lazy today, I'll just scan the back cover. The info there is probably all you need. 
Oh, I will mention one thing. There's an appendix that includes a section on "Where to Obtain Current and Out-of-Print Detective Stories." Guess how many sources it lists. Okay, you probably got it right. The answer is four. That's right. Four. It was a long time ago.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
The Machineries of Mars -- Charles Gramlich
Another book (novella, actually) that I read on my Bouchercon flight was The Machineries of Mars. It's a sure-footed homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs that works well both as homage and as a humdinger of a story, which begins in medias res when the narrator wakes up on a flyer that's about to crash. He doesn't know who he is, but he knows how to fix the flyer, and he knows how to use the sword he's wearing. He looks at the sword, worn from use, and sees letters that seem to be IOHN. So maybe his name is Iohn.Almost immediately, Iohn sees a battle and has little hesitation in choosing sides, as on one side a woman and child are involved. After the fighting, in which Iohn acquits himself quite well, Iohn learns that a society of clones is fighting the inhabitants of Mars, on whose side Iohn now finds himself. There are move battles, chases, and pursuits before the final twist, which is a good one.
Whether you're a fan of Burroughs or whether you just like fast-moving pulp-style adventure, this one deserves a look. Check it out.
I'm Sorry Dave, but I Can't Let You Cheat on the Exam
Bloomberg Business: An experiment conducted by John Beck, Ph.D., at Hult International Business School found that a business strategy video game proved just as effective in teaching students as a professor.
This Is What Bad Grammar Does to You're Brain
This Is What Bad Grammar Does to You're Brain
You and I know that "you're" isn't bad grammar. It's bad spelling. But just go with it.
You and I know that "you're" isn't bad grammar. It's bad spelling. But just go with it.
Marty Ingels, R. I. P.
Actor and comedian Marty Ingels dies at 79: Marty Ingels, the actor, comedian, and talent agent who was married to Shirley Jones for almost 40 years, died Wednesday following a massive stroke. He was 79.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
The Surprising History Of The 'Back To The Future' Clock Tower
The Surprising History Of The 'Back To The Future' Clock Tower: Here's a look at one of the most famous backgrounds in Hollywood history, one that has been featured with everyone from Gregory Peck to Buffy Summers, and is still an iconic setting 65 years after it was built (and 58 years after it was struck by lightning).
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Criminal Geniuses of the Day
Sun Sentinel: man and woman stole jewelry from an art gallery, and then left the woman's name and number in the guestbook, police said.
Now Available: Weird Menace Volume 2
Rough Edges: Now Available: Weird Menace Volume 2: The Shudder Pulps are back! In fact, it's like they never left in this second great collection of new stories inspired by the classic...
Cory Wells, R. I. P.
Fox News: Three Dog Night co-founder and vocalist Cory Wells died Tuesday, according to the band's website. He was 74.
A Little Song, a Little Dance, . . .
. . . a little butcher knife down your pants.
Man dances, smiles on roof of estranged girlfriend's burning home: Police say Matthew Russ, 25, stole her car and drove it through a utility pole, before setting fire to her home and climbing onto the roof armed with a butcher knife.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Man dances, smiles on roof of estranged girlfriend's burning home: Police say Matthew Russ, 25, stole her car and drove it through a utility pole, before setting fire to her home and climbing onto the roof armed with a butcher knife.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
In That Case, Sirs, You Are Free to Go
Kentucky cop accused of helping brother get rid of murdered girlfriend’s body: Also, both Nick and his brother Brooks claim that they have temporary amnesia and can’t remember anything that happened during the time of the murder.
A New History of the Horror Story: From Homer to Lovecraft
Flavorwire: The below essay, by attorney and writer Leslie S. Klinger, is taken from the introduction to In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe: Classic Tales of Horror, 1816–1914, a new anthology devoted to recovering those horror writers who are obscured by the looming shadow of Edgar Allan Poe. In his introduction, Klinger locates the origin of the “tale of terror” not in Poe — as is often claimed — but in Homer. Next, Klinger threads his history of horror through its “flowering” in the late 18th century, in effect providing a sensible context for what would become the modern horror story. In Klinger’s narrative, Poe’s work, as well of that of his disciples, is made all the more fascinating because it is placed in a new context — a new history of horror.
Vera B. Williams, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Vera B. Williams, a writer and illustrator for young people whose picture books centered on the lives of working-class families, a highly unusual subject when she began her work in the 1970s, died on Friday at her home in Narrowsburg, N.Y. She was 88.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Paris Hilton Update
Daily Mail Online: PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Paris Hilton shares never-seen-before photos with beau Thomas Gross as she reveals they already have Christmas plans
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Spyfall -- John Hegenberger
I read Spyfall on the plane on my return from Bouchercon, and I couldn't have picked a better book for the trip. It was the right length, for one thing, and it was also a fast, action-packed adventure that took my mind off the cramped seat I was packed into.The setting is 1959. Stan Wade is a Hollywood detective, and he's done a bit of work for Walt Disney in the past. Now Walt wants him again, but this time the job is a bit different. That's because Walt, besides making a lot of movies, is pretty high up in the FBI. You probably didn't know that, but that's because it's been kept secret from the public. So have a lot of other things, and when a CIA agent dies from a trap planned for Wade, Wade is off on a vengeance trip involving the deaths of his parents, nuclear secrets, and the Fate of the Western World.
Before you say "James Bond," Wade is in Jamaica at the estate of Ian Fleming, who's also a big-time spy. That one, you probably did know. Anyway, Wade and Norman, Wade's apprentice and a pretty good substitute for Q, are bouncing all over Europe, with Wade dodging Russian assassins whose persistence and resilience are astounding.
There's a lot going on in Spyfall, and Hegenberger name-checks just about every pop-culture figure you can think of from the late '50s. Some of the story might even be based on fact, not that you'll think about that as you read it. If you're looking for some nonstop action, along with some humor and surprising twists, give this one a try.
If It's in the Sun, You Know It's True
The Sun: MORE than a third of escorts who advertise their services are now men offering sex to WOMEN, a study has revealed.
In the House of the Seven Librarians - A Short Story
In the House of the Seven Librarians - Uncanny Magazine
Link via Boing Boing.
I really liked the story.
Link via Boing Boing.
I really liked the story.
Pat Woodell, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Pat Woodell, a former actress and singer who played the middle sister Bobbie Jo Bradley for two seasons in the 1960s sitcom “Petticoat Junction,” died on Sept. 29 at her home in Fallbrook, Calif. She was 71.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Overlooked Movies -- The Frogmen
In the summer of 1951 I was 10 years old, and my aunt and grandmother took me and my sister and brother to Corpus Christi, Texas, on vacation. We always stayed in the cheapest place available, and that meant no maid service. Did anywhere have maid service in those days? I don't remember, but I do remember that we didn't provide much in the way of our own maid service, either. When we left, the floor was as sandy as the nearby beach. Also, I left behind one of the shirts I took. It had pictures of pistols and holsters on it, so naturally it was my favorite shirt. I still miss that shirt.Having digressed before I even got started, I should mention that there really is a connection to The Frogmen here. One of the big treats for me on any vacation was going to see a movie or two. I loved going to movies in theaters away from home, and my aunt was always ready to accommodate me. The movie we went to see on this trip was The Frogmen. I thought it was the greatest movie ever made, and after we left the theater, there was nothing for it but to go somewhere and find me a diving mask and some swim fins. I was going to be a frogman for the rest of the vacation. This was a problem because while those items weren't exactly expensive, they were expensive for us. Especially me, as I had no money at all. However, my aunt came through once again, and soon I was flippering through the foot-deep surf, looking at the brown, sandy bottom. For the rest of that summer and all of the next, I was the terror of the public pool in Mexia, Texas, as I'd glide along below the surface on the lookout for enemy submarines.
Now about the movie. Richard Widmark takes over as the commander of an Underwater Demolition Team after the death of the previous chief, who was beloved by all the men. You can write the plot yourself from that point. The men don't like Widmark. Situations arise in which he acts in the correct ways but which the men, not knowing the whole story, consider cowardly. Things continue to get worse, but then he performs heroically when a torpedo hits the ship but doesn't explode. He performs even more heroically on a dangerous underwater mission, and the men are won over at last (I hope this doesn't spoil it for you).
There's some solidly professional acting here from Widmark, Dana Andrews, and Gary Merrill. Also featured in a couple of their very early movie appearances are Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter. The underwater scenes are great, by far the best part of the movie (or they were to me in 1951) even if they weren't done by the actors.
As far as I'm concerned, this one is right up there with the best war movies ever.
Monday, October 19, 2015
The Day Before We Moved to Austin
Judy and I borrowed her parents' car (a 1957 Plymouth Fury similar to the one in the picture but light green instead of blue) to take some of our worldly possessions to Austin in. We didn't have a lot of worldly possessions, so the Fury plus our Ford would do the job. When we arrived in Denton with the car early in the evening, we stopped to get gas, and there was Ray Peterson of "Tell Laura I Love Her" fame filling his car. I recognized him immediately, having seen him on TV a few times. It was easy to see that he wasn't like the rest of us. Nobody else I knew had hair like him. What surprised me what that he had a serious limp. I didn't know until years later that he'd had polio as a child. I also didn't know that Denton was his hometown. I wish I'd gotten his autograph, but I was much too shy to say anything.
The next day Judy went to work as usual, leaving me at the apartment to pack the cars. The day was August 1, 1966. Here's why I know the date. I turned on the radio to listen to music while I worked, but there wasn't any music. There was just talk because somebody was on the Tower at The University of Texas at Austin, shooting at people. His name, as we found out later, was Charles Whitman. He killed 14 people and wounded a lot of others before he was killed himself. I found out when I read accounts of the event in the paper that one of the wounded was the brother of one of my high school classmates, and of course I heard a number of first-person accounts after I got to town. It was a terrible thing, and it made me a little apprehensive about our move, but we were committed to leaving.
The Tower had always been one of my favorite places on the UT campus. I'd gone there on my first visit to the campus, and my college roommate, Walter Funk, and I made it a point to go up and check out the view at least once every semester. The photo of us was taken in November, 1960, our sophomore year. I'm the one on the left. You can sort of see the Capitol Building between us. The skyline is a lot different now. After the Whitman incident, the Tower was closed for a while, and it's been closed and reopened a number of times over the years. I don't know if it's open now.But I've digressed again. On August 2, Judy and I got into the Ford and they Plymouth and left Denton for the last time.
First It was the Thin Mints Melee
Daily Mail Online: Southwest Airlines flight returns to gate 'after passenger CHOKES another for reclining her seat in front of him'
I would vote for acquittal.
I would vote for acquittal.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
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