Diversion canal from Mississippi River creates feeding frenzy for gators. -- The Davis Pond freshwater diversion plan sends water from the Mississippi River into the Barataria Basin on the West Bank, and alligators love it because it also diverts fish into their jaws.
With video.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Once Again Texas Leads the Way
The Amazing, the Inexplicable, Orange Show in Texas: Very few times in my life have I truthfully been able to say that something is indescribable.
I Miss the Old Days
14 Beautiful Vintage Knitted Sweater Coats for Women From the Early 1970s: The knitted sweater is a staple garment of everyday clothing, being functional, versatile, and fashionable. The hand-knitted "shirts" and "waistcoats," worn as underclothing by both rich and poor from the Seventeenth century, can be linked to the "gansey" or "jersey" worn by fishermen and sailors of the British Isles and Scandinavia from the mid-nineteenth century.
Basil Gogos, R. I. P.
Horror News Network: It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Basil Gogos. Gogos was an icon in the world of horror art and he defined a style that is immediately recognizable and influential to many horror artists to date. He is most known for his portraits of movie monsters for Famous Monsters of Filmland in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He also served as a cover artist for Creepy and Eerie back when they were under Warren publishing.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Harry Dean Stanton, R. I. P.
NY Daily News: Actor Harry Dean Stanton, who played in classic films such as “Godfather II”, “Cool Hand Luke” and “Pretty in Pink,” has died at 91.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
The never-ending love for literary sequels
The Guardian: The popularity of the form can mainly be blamed on Hollywood, where the quality of a script is increasingly judged on whether the title could reappear followed by a “two” and ideally a rising succession of digits. Taking their cue from movie studios, writers and publishers began to imagine a second go at stories that had seemed to be one-offs.
Forgotten Hits: September 15th
Forgotten Hits: September 15th: Brand new debuts include "Your Precious Love" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (#65), "You Keep Running Away" by The Four Tops (#77) and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Brenda Holloway (a song not too many will notice until Blood, Sweat and Tears cut their version two years later), new at #84.
Silver Dollar Survey included.
Silver Dollar Survey included.
FFB: The Iowa Baseball Confederacy -- W. P. Kinsella
Once upon a time (1999) I was a guest at Angelo State University's Writers Conference in Honor of Elmer Kelton, an annual event that's been going on for more than 20 years now. The featured guest that year was W. P. Kinsella. The interesting thing about the conference was that they put us guests up in a dormitory, and my room was right next to Kinsella's. I'd like to say that we had a long chat and became best pals, but that would be Wrong. That would be A Lie. He'd forgotten to bring soap, however, so I was able to give him a bar. (Judy never traveled without a few spare bars of soap.) And I did buy a copy of The Iowa Baseball Confederacy, which he signed for me at his autographing session. My shameful confession is that I'm just now getting around to reading it. I like Kinsella's writing, so I don't know why it took me so long.The book was sold as a mainstream novel, naturally, but it's actually an SF novel, with a whole bunch of magical realism thrown in. After being struck by lightning, Matthew Clarke is filled with the knowledge of the Iowa Baseball Confederacy, which nobody else in the world has ever heard of. Or at least no one will admit it. Matthew spends the rest of his life (cut short when he's killed by a line drive) searching for evidence of the Confederacy's existence and trying to convince others of it. At the moment of his death, the knowledge is transferred to his son, Gideon, and he's obsessed just as his father was. They both believe that there are little cracks in time that might allow a person to slip through into an alternative universe and another time. Eventually Gideon and his friend Stan manage to slip through one of those cracks, and in an alternative 1908 (or maybe it's our 1908 but nobody remembers it) they discover that the Confederacy is real. And they get involved in one of the longest games in baseball history, 2014 innings, played out mostly in the rain over a period of forty days, between the Confederacy All Stars and the Chicago Cubs.
It's an odd game to say the least and not just because of the rain and its length. See that balloon on the cover? In the gondola is Leonardo da Vinci, who pays a visit and claims to have invented the game of baseball. See that ghostly Native America? That's a ghost, all right, and his name is Drifting Away. He has shamanic powers, and he's in control of the game, sort of, because his wife was killed on the spot where the diamond is.
There's so much more going on that I won't bother to summarize it. There's so much, in fact, that at times I thought Kinsella was losing control of the narrative. But as I said above, I like his writing, and I kept right on going to the end. If there's a moral here, I think it must be, to quote those great philosophers Jagger and Richards, "You can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need." When he's writing about baseball, Kinsella's hard to beat, and if you like the game, you'd probably like this book.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
I Miss the Old Days
35 years ago this week, ‘Sorry’ was the least hardest word: What’s more amazing about the Billboard Hot 100 chart 35 years ago this week: That 7 of the 10 songs are by artists inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame? That John “Don’t Call Me” Cougar has two songs in the top 10? Or that "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor is either the best homage or worst ironic pick in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma?
Mark LaMura, R. I. P.
Deadline: Emmy-nominated actor Mark LaMura, known for his role as Mark Dalton on All My Children, has died. LaMura died September 11 from lung cancer. He was 68.
J.P. Donleavy, R. I. P.
New York Times: J. P. Donleavy, the expatriate American author whose 1955 novel “The Ginger Man” shook up the literary world with its combination of sexual frankness and outrageous humor, died on Monday at a hospital near his home in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. He was 91.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Frank Vincent, R. I. P.
TMZ.com: Frank Vincent -- veteran actor known for his roles on "The Sopranos" and several Martin Scorsese films -- died in a New Jersey hospital Wednesday ... TMZ has learned.
We're told Vincent suffered a heart attack last week, and underwent open-heart surgery Wednesday. He died during the surgery.
Frank was one of the most recognizable character actors -- in the biz for 41 years -- known for his tough guy roles ... especially in mafia movies. Some of his most memorable include Billy Batts in "Goodfellas" and Phil Leotardo -- Tony's nemesis -- in "The Sopranos."
We're told Vincent suffered a heart attack last week, and underwent open-heart surgery Wednesday. He died during the surgery.
Frank was one of the most recognizable character actors -- in the biz for 41 years -- known for his tough guy roles ... especially in mafia movies. Some of his most memorable include Billy Batts in "Goodfellas" and Phil Leotardo -- Tony's nemesis -- in "The Sopranos."
Indiana and Texas -- A New Relationship
Crown Point mayor touts Civic Center plans, help for Texas | Lake County News: The city also announced plans to become a sister city to Alvin, Texas, a suburb of Houston and one of the areas hard hit by Harvey. Alvin was selected because it is similar in size to Crown Point and has a downtown square similar to the historic venue in Crown Point. Also, many people in Crown Point have friends or relatives in the Texas city, so it seemed to be a good fit and a way for residents to help the flood victims that doesn’t involve going through national organizations.
I'm Sure You'll All Agree
The Best of the Weird Western: This Halloween, set aside Stephen King’s The Dark Tower and watch these solid Westerns.
A Beginner's Guide to Medieval Manuscripts
A Beginner's Guide to Medieval Manuscripts: Sandra Hindman is a leading expert on Medieval and Renaissance manuscript illumination. Professor Emerita of Art History at Northwestern University and owner of Les Enluminures, Sandra is author, co-author, or editor of more than 10 books, as well as numerous articles on history, illuminated manuscripts and medieval rings. AbeBooks posed a number of basic questions about medieval manuscripts and Sandra was kind enough to answer them.
Chemo Update -- Good News/Bad News
I had my third chemo treatment today and talked to the doctor. The good news is that my PSA is down somewhat. The bad news is that one of the hormones I’m taking has pushed my blood sugar into the danger zone, so now I have to see a doctor about that problem. I might be put on a diabetes medication, or I might not. I’ll find out when I see the doctor. The hormone is also known to cause brain problems, so I have to see yet another doctor about that. [Insert your own Bill Crider's brain joke here.] I don’t think I have any problems, but then I’d be the last to know, wouldn’t I. I’ll probably have to do some kind of tests to test my cognition. What fun.
Bonus FFB for Wednesday: Redemolished -- Richard Raucci, editor
Redemolished is a collection of Alfred Bester's previously unpublished stories, some "fictional articles," four essays, some interviews, and other miscellaneous material.The stories are published in chronological order, so you can see Bester's development from the pure pulp adventure in "The Probable Man" to more mature works like "Something Up There Likes Me." I kind of prefer the earlier stuff, although some of them I didn't care for, like "Hell Is Forever," which I found an unpleasant story about unpleasant people and which I didn't finish. "The Roller Coaster" is the perfect 1950s digest story in tone and content. I'd have loved it if I were still a kid. Of the others, "The Push of a Finger" was okay. I wasn't taken much by most of the others, some of which are hardly SF at all. The articles didn't interest me, but the essays are fun, especially the rant entitled "A Diatribe Against Science Fiction." It was written just before the New Wave crashed onto the shores of SF, and that changed some of the things Bester ranted about. He changes his tone slightly in "The Perfect Composite Science Fiction Writer," dishing out left-handed compliments to Heinlein, Blish, Sturgeon, Sheckley, Asimov, and Farmer. The interview with Rex Stout is great and my favorite piece in the collection, mainly, I suppose, because it's nearly all Stout. Great stuff.
If you're interested in Bester or the history of SF, this volume belongs in your collection.
Table of Contents:
Stories:
"The Probable Man"
"Hell Is Forever"
"The Push of a Finger"
"The Roller Coaster"
"The Lost Child"
"I'll Never Celebrate New Year's Again"
"Out of This World"
"The Animal Fair"
"Something Up There Likes Me"
"The Four-Hour Fugue"
Fictional Articles:
"Gourmet Dining in Outer Space"
"Place of the Month: The Moon"
"The Sun"
Essays:
"Science Fiction and the Renaissance Man", originally delivered as a lecture at the University of Chicago in 1957.
"A Diatribe Against Science Fiction"
"The Perfect Composite Science Fiction Author"
"My Affair with Science Fiction"
Interviews:
Rex Stout'
Woody Allen
John Huston
Robert Helinlein
Isaac Asimov
Also included:
Two unpublished prologues to The Demolished Man
A memorial to Bester by Isaac Asimov, introduced by Gregory S. Benford
Warning: One of Asimov's comments in the memorial might cause your hair to catch on fire.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Chemo, Round 3
By the time you read this, I'll be at M.D. Anderson. After seeing the oncologist, I'll be hooked up to toxic chemicals that are supposed to do me good. Or I will if I get a good report on the blood work from yesterday. There's no guarantee of that, so I'll just have to wait and see. I'll update tomorrow.
Peter Hall, R. I. P.
The New York Times: LONDON — Peter Hall, who created the Royal Shakespeare Company at the age of 29, oversaw the National Theater’s move to the south bank of the Thames and exerted a commanding influence on theater in the English-speaking world for well over 50 years, died on Monday at University College Hospital in London. He was 86.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Overlooked Movies -- Solomon Kane
I overlooked this one when it was released, and I was surprised to learn that the release date was 2009. I thought it was only a couple of years ago. Time flies when you're old.While Solomon Kane is based on Robert E. Howard's character, it's not based on his stories. It's yet another origin story, and while I'm tired of those, I thought this one was okay. In fact, I was more impressed with the whole production than I thought I'd be. It's a low-budget film, but it looks terrific right up to the end. More about the end later.
The performances are uniformly good, and it was great to see James Purefoy as Kane, a very different character from Hap Collins on the TV series that Purefoy currently stars in. He's very good as the conflicted Kane, and it's a shame the movie didn't do well enough to generate a couple of sequels.
Now about that ending [SPOILER ALERT]: Way too over the top with a CGI demon that doesn't fit at all with the rest of the movie, which for the most part is realistic, muddy, bloody, rainy, and generally down to earth. The demon almost spoils it for me, but not quite. I'm glad I finally got around to seeing this, and if you missed it and like some good old-fashioned mayhem with swords and pistols, you might want to give it a try.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Ernest Hemingway House Cats Accounted for
Ernest Hemingway House Cats Accounted for: All of Ernest Hemingway House's 54 Famous, Six-Toed Cats Accounted for After Hurricane Irma Batters the Florida Keys
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin: Utter the phrase A Game of Thrones. Whether referring to George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels, the first title in that series, or the blockbuster HBO television series of the same name, there are few among us who would not immediately grasp the reference to this fantasy world of Lannisters and Starks, kings and would-be kings, queens and dragons, and family loyalty and betrayal taken to extremes, all set against a backdrop of seasons that span whole decades. The influence of that world and its inhabitants on popular culture is far-reaching and undeniable.
Michael Friedman, R. I. P.
The New York Times: Michael Friedman, a versatile, cerebral, and witty composer and lyricist who brought a historian’s eye and a journalistic sensibility to pathbreaking work off and on Broadway, died on Saturday in Manhattan. He was 41.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Don Ohlmeyer, R. I. P.
New York Times: Don Ohlmeyer, whose influential television career ranged from producing ABC’s “Monday Night Football” during its 1970s heyday to guiding NBC to No. 1 in prime time two decades later on the strength of programs like “Seinfeld” and “ER,” died Sunday in Indian Wells, Calif. He was 72.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Forgotten Hits: September 11th
Forgotten Hits: September 11th: "Ode To Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry is #1 for the fourth week in a row as "Reflections" by Diana Ross and the Supremes holds at #2 and "The Letter" by The Box Tops continues its climb to the top, moving from #5 to #3 this week. Also earning Top Ten Bullets this week are "San Franciscan Nights" by Eric Burdon and the Animals and "Funky Broadway" by Wilson Pickett, which moves from #17 to #10.
Superchart included.
Superchart included.
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Len Wein, R. I. P.
Len Wein, Co-Creator of Wolverine and Editor of Watchmen, Dies at 69: Len Wein, the comic book writer and editor who co-created DC’s Swamp Thing and edited Watchmen, has passed away.
Wein, who revived the X-Men in 1975 with artist Dave Cockrum, giving birth to the modern form of the franchise, had a long and distinguished career all over the comics world.
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