Saturday, July 15, 2017
Galaxy Magazine : Free Texts
Galaxy Magazine : Free Texts : Download & Streaming : Internet Archive: Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L. Gold, who rapidly made Galaxy the leading science fiction (sf) magazine of its time, focusing on stories about social issues rather than technology.
Something like 365 issues, all right there to read for free. I've been looking through them for several days, and I'm overwhelmed by nostalgia. I miss the old days.
Something like 365 issues, all right there to read for free. I've been looking through them for several days, and I'm overwhelmed by nostalgia. I miss the old days.
Inside the Magic Library at the Conjuring Arts Research Center
Atlas Obscura: THERE IS AN ANONYMOUS-LOOKING OFFICE building located in Midtown Manhattan that hides a secret library for magicians.
It sounds fantastical enough to have been created by Terry Pratchett or J.K. Rowling, but the Conjuring Arts Research Center is very much real, and one of the world’s greatest collections of books dedicated to the deceptive arts.
It sounds fantastical enough to have been created by Terry Pratchett or J.K. Rowling, but the Conjuring Arts Research Center is very much real, and one of the world’s greatest collections of books dedicated to the deceptive arts.
The Waldorf Astoria’s detectives.
Inside the century-old private records of the Waldorf Astoria’s detectives.: As luxurious a home as the new Waldorf Astoria will be, however, there is one amenity from its golden early days that it almost certainly will lack. That is a set of in-house detectives. The records of those detectives, which can be seen today in the hotel’s papers at the New York Public Library, show an almost unimaginable level of kid-glove service and provide a tantalizing window into the high-end hotel life of a century ago.
Friday, July 14, 2017
Forgotten Hits: July 14th
Forgotten Hits: July 14th: The Recording Industry Association of America awarded gold record certification for the Association's single "Windy", only seven weeks after it premiered on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Although the Association interpreted the song's subject as a girl, composer Ruthann Friedman had a free-spirited guy in mind when she wrote the song. Bones Howe produced the Warner Bros. release, which included a recorder flute solo musical bridge.
Includes a survey.
Includes a survey.
FFB: The Impossible Virgin -- Peter O'Donnell
The Impossible Virgin is a Modesty Blaise novel, but the title doesn't refer to her. It's a reference to a vein of gold in Africa, and that's what the bad guys are after.There's some great stuff in this one, including Willie Garvin's [SPOILER ALERT]presumed [END OF SPOILER ALERT] death when he's tossed out of an airplane a few thousand feet in the air. And Modesty's cage match with a giant gorilla. Not to mention a battle with quarterstaffs against machetes. And a great heist scene. Along with some truly goofy villains, and the endearingly goofy Dr. Pennyfeather, who's really good at what he does, though most people think he's incompetent.
It's all sheer fantasy, and it's all sheer entertainment. Sometimes that's all I need, and Modesty Blaise never disappoints.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
"My Name is Forrest Gump": the Forrest Gump Story
"My Name is Forrest Gump": the Forrest Gump Story: John Travolta was the studio's original choice to play the title character in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump. Travolta declined and the role was next offered to both Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, both of whom also said no. Sean Penn claims he was Paramount's second choice after Travolta; he said no, too. Paramount soon had to "settle for" Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks to take over the lead. Hanks decided to accept the role after reading the script for a hour and half, on the condition that the film be historically accurate.
“Ten Days’ Wonder” (1948) by Ellery Queen (review by Artur Vidro)
“Ten Days’ Wonder” (1948) by Ellery Queen (review by Arthur Vidro) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN: As I mentioned when he last blogged for this site, in January of this year, in addition to being a freelance editor and a writer of short stories (two can be found on EQMM’s website and blog), Arthur Vidro is an expert on the subject of classical detective fiction, and especially on the work of Ellery Queen. In this new post he analyzes one of my own favorite novels by Ellery Queen, Ten Days’ Wonder. The book is available again in a new e-edition from Mysterious Press/Open Road and in audio format from Audible. Spoiler Alert: Readers who have never read this wonderful mystery should know that the following post discusses all aspects of the book—though it does not reveal the details of the solution. Arthur’s post will make thoughtful reading for those who already know the book, or who want a full introduction before reading it.—Janet Hutchings
Forgotten Hits: July 13th
Forgotten Hits: July 13th: The Who begin their first full-scale tour of the U.S. … as the opening act for Herman's Hermits!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
The Moist Towelette Museum
Moist Towelette Museum: Housed in the university planetarium, the thousand-strong collection of tiny towelettes includes a used one from the hosts of Car Talk.
Bonus FFB on Wednesday: Edge #1 The Loner -- George G. Gilman (Terry Harknett)
Maybe it was the success of The Executioner and other similar Pinnacle series that made someone decide that what the world needed was an ultra-violent western series. They found it in the Edge books. I never read any of them back in the '70s, but the other day I was in a Half-Price Books and saw a stack of them priced right, so I picked them up. The first in the series was among them, and I figured I'd give it a try.It's plenty violent, all right. Edge is Josiah Hedges (a mispronunciation of his name leads to his becoming Edge), and when he returns from the Civil War, he discovers that his brother and his dog have been brutally killed in a scene described in detail in the book. Edge sets out to find the men responsible, and along the way gets into a number of situations that serve the purpose of getting more violence into the book. Eventually he tracks down the men he's after and kills them.
It's all pretty straightforward, not a lot of twists involved. Or none. If you're looking for an ultraviolent western, this is what you're looking for. I'm not so sure I'll be reading any of the others in the series, but I might give one of the later ones a try just to see how things progress. In the stack I bought was one book with a different Gilman character, the Undertaker, and one features Edge along with yet another Gilman creation, Steele. Maybe I should try one of those.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Baseball on the Radio
1950 06 11 Indians vs Athletics Complete Broadcast by Al Helfer Art Gleason - YouTube:
When I was a little kid it was hot in Texas in the summertime, just like it is now. My mother wouldn't let us go outside "in the heat of the day," so on many afternoons I'd sit in the room I shared with my younger brother, Bob, with a little oscillating fan blowing hot air on me, and listen to the Game of the Day on the radio. The lead broadcaster was "Big" Al Helfer. On a whim the other day I looked up "Big" Al on YouTube and found the above complete broadcast of a game from 1950. His voice was as familiar to me as that of an old family friend whom I hadn't seen in 50 years. Just like the names of almost every player in the starting lineups. The pace of the game was a lot faster in those days. Not so much messing around. I loved listening to this, but then I'm weird. Next I'm going to have to look for a Game of the Week with Pee Wee Reese and Dizzy Dean.
When I was a little kid it was hot in Texas in the summertime, just like it is now. My mother wouldn't let us go outside "in the heat of the day," so on many afternoons I'd sit in the room I shared with my younger brother, Bob, with a little oscillating fan blowing hot air on me, and listen to the Game of the Day on the radio. The lead broadcaster was "Big" Al Helfer. On a whim the other day I looked up "Big" Al on YouTube and found the above complete broadcast of a game from 1950. His voice was as familiar to me as that of an old family friend whom I hadn't seen in 50 years. Just like the names of almost every player in the starting lineups. The pace of the game was a lot faster in those days. Not so much messing around. I loved listening to this, but then I'm weird. Next I'm going to have to look for a Game of the Week with Pee Wee Reese and Dizzy Dean.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee
Mass brawl over baby strollers injures 3 police officers: German police officers have been left nursing their injuries after trying to break up an argument between pram-pushing mothers.
I saw Pram-Pushing Mothers open for Every Mother's Son.
I saw Pram-Pushing Mothers open for Every Mother's Son.
Overlooked Movies: Scaramouche (1923)
I'm not a silent movie buff, but I've seen a few, mostly comedies. I watched this one because I'd read the novel and seen the Stewart Granger movie version recently. I'm glad I took a look because it was worth the time. The TCM print is a beauty, and the black and white photography is terrific. When you see the cast of thousands, you know it's really a cast of thousands and not a bunch of CGI stand-ins. The 18th century France photographed here is a lot more realistic than the one in the Granger movie, too. There's also a rousing score.I won't rehash too much of the story, but I'll say that this film version sticks much more closely to the book than the one Granger did. Both have Andre Moreau joining a troupe of actors to escape political repercussions, and this one has the same "surprise" ending as the novel. Both have Moreau (played here by Ramon Novarro) and The Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr (Lewis Stone) in a climactic duel, and this is one advantage the Grander movie has, as its sword fight is much more exciting. Stone is very good (of whom I have fond memories as Judge Hardy), and so is Novarro, whom I'd never seen on screen before. They do little, if any, of the exaggerated acting that's sometimes associated with silent movies, and neither does Alice Terry.
If you're in the mood for something a bit different, you can watch the whole movie on YouTube, or you can wait for it to come around again on TCM.
Monday, July 10, 2017
Sunday, July 09, 2017
Elsa Martinelli, R. I. P.
RIP, Elsa Martinelli: Elsa Martinelli was an Italian model and actress. She was “introduced” in The Indian Fighter (1955), which was produced by its star, Kirk Douglas, and directed by Andre de Toth.
Frontier Women
Frontier Women: Most histories of the Wild West focus on men—cowboys, gunfighters, sheriffs—glossing over the fact that a lot of the era’s women were just as powerful, influential, and hell-raising as their male counterparts.
The Spy Who Became England’s First Successful Female Writer
Smithsonian: Aphra Behn made a name for herself in Restoration-era England, when most women still relied on their husbands
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