Mexico: Man admits dissolving 300 bodies - Americas- msnbc.com: "TIJUANA, Mexico - A man accused of helping a Mexican drug kingpin dispose of hundreds of victims by dissolving their bodies in acid was arrested in the border city of Tijuana, authorities said Friday.
A Mexican military statement said Santiago Meza Lopez confessed to disposing of at least 300 bodies over a decade, but authorities provided no further evidence to back the claim. Officials contend he dumped the bodies in graves, poured acid on them and let them dissolve underground."
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Lee Goldberg and Dave White, Take Note
The Cult of the Snuggie - TIME: "If you've never heard of the Snuggie, then you haven't been watching cable TV. The two-minute commercial for the 'blanket with sleeves,' which began airing in September, has been playing nonstop--and not just on struggling channels in the wee hours of the morning. Images of Snuggie-clad folks high-fiving one another at an outdoor sporting event (and looking like, as one blogger put it, members of a 'laid-back satanic cult') have appeared during prime time on such cable stalwarts as ESPN, Comedy Central and CNN, becoming so ubiquitous that everyone from Jay Leno to a gazillion people on YouTube is talking about it. Just Google 'Cult of the Snuggie.'"
Kasey Lansdale
Okay, folks, we'd voted Kasey up to #4 in the competition, and now she's down to #11. Don't forget you can vote every day. Time to vote again!
Henry Kuttner's Crime Novels
The two by Lewis Padgett are by Kuttner, or possibly Kuttner and Moore. The one under Kuttner's own name is supposed to have been ghosted by Cleve Cartmill.
Was Tycho Brahe the Victim of a Hit Man?
Hamlet may have poisoned stargazer Tycho Brahe in mercury murder - Times Online: "A murder mystery involving royal intrigues and an eccentric scientist with a golden nose could be resolved after 400 years when researchers open the tomb of Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer, in the light of new evidence that he was murdered by a contract killer.
Archeologists are waiting for permission to open the tomb in the Tyn Cathedral, one of the landmarks of the Old Town in Prague. Brahe, the first astronomer to describe a supernova, in 1572, is also famous for his incredibly accurate measurements of celestial movements in the pre-telescope era and for having catalogued more than 1,000 new stars.
The wealthy nobleman is said to have worn a prosthetic nose of gold and silver after losing his own at the age of 20 in a rapier duel resulting from a row over a mathematical formula.
A new theory by Danish scholars claims that Brahe was poisoned with mercury on the orders of Christian IV, the King of Denmark, because the astronomer had an affair with his mother. It is even suggested that Shakespeare used the alleged liaison as an inspiration for Hamlet."
Archeologists are waiting for permission to open the tomb in the Tyn Cathedral, one of the landmarks of the Old Town in Prague. Brahe, the first astronomer to describe a supernova, in 1572, is also famous for his incredibly accurate measurements of celestial movements in the pre-telescope era and for having catalogued more than 1,000 new stars.
The wealthy nobleman is said to have worn a prosthetic nose of gold and silver after losing his own at the age of 20 in a rapier duel resulting from a row over a mathematical formula.
A new theory by Danish scholars claims that Brahe was poisoned with mercury on the orders of Christian IV, the King of Denmark, because the astronomer had an affair with his mother. It is even suggested that Shakespeare used the alleged liaison as an inspiration for Hamlet."
Vinyl is Back
Fredericksburg.com - Louisa man says vinyl still invincible ABOUT 'THE RECORD CUTTER': "When Vampire Weekend--the hottest indie band in the 2008 blogosphere--played two sold-out shows at the 9:30 Club last month, its merchandise table featured 12-inch vinyl LPs of their debut album.
People were buying them, and plenty of those customers were young. Teens. Kids.
It's hard to deny: Music history is repeating itself at 33 rpm."
People were buying them, and plenty of those customers were young. Teens. Kids.
It's hard to deny: Music history is repeating itself at 33 rpm."
Friday, January 23, 2009
More Bad News from Publishing
Newsarama.com : Worrying a Little Bit? MAD Magazine Goes Quarterly: "Today’s economy is tough enough to even make MAD Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman worry, apparently.
The venerable humor magazine today announced that starting with issue #500 in April, it will move to a quarterly publication schedule from its current monthly. The magazine’s version for younger readers, MAD Kids will cease publication with the issue on sale February 17th, while the final issue of MAD Classics will go on sale March 17th."
The venerable humor magazine today announced that starting with issue #500 in April, it will move to a quarterly publication schedule from its current monthly. The magazine’s version for younger readers, MAD Kids will cease publication with the issue on sale February 17th, while the final issue of MAD Classics will go on sale March 17th."
Teach the Scofflaws a Lesson!
Iowa woman arrested over overdue library book / QCTimes.com: "INDEPENDENCE, Iowa — An Independence woman who police say failed to return a library book has been arrested.
Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping ``The Freedom Writers Diary,'' which she checked out from the Jesup Public Library in April 2008."
Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping ``The Freedom Writers Diary,'' which she checked out from the Jesup Public Library in April 2008."
Oh. My. God.
the studiotour.com - Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical - Universal Studios Hollywood: "Initially seeming like a spoof press release, this information has now been confirmed. This show is believed to be replacing Fear Factor Live in the Castle Theatre, timed to catch the publicity surrounding the new Breck Eisner-directed remake of the 1954 classic Universal horror.
Press Release: 2 June 2008
Drawn from Universal’s crypt of classic monsters and updated with spectacular Broadway production values and special effects, “Creature from the Black Lagoon—The Musical,” will rise, live, on stage at Universal Studios Hollywood beginning spring, 2009.
With state-of-the-art stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and hilarious, toe-tapping music, the Creature will be brought to life in a story based on the original screenplay, updated to emphasize the element of romance and just a bit of comic relief. Original new music and dazzling production numbers will keep the attraction contemporary and lively."
Press Release: 2 June 2008
Drawn from Universal’s crypt of classic monsters and updated with spectacular Broadway production values and special effects, “Creature from the Black Lagoon—The Musical,” will rise, live, on stage at Universal Studios Hollywood beginning spring, 2009.
With state-of-the-art stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and hilarious, toe-tapping music, the Creature will be brought to life in a story based on the original screenplay, updated to emphasize the element of romance and just a bit of comic relief. Original new music and dazzling production numbers will keep the attraction contemporary and lively."
Fakin' It
Obama quartet admits faking performance at inauguration - Times Online: "It's not exactly Watergate but Barack Obama's inauguration was back in the dock today after it emerged that the quartet of classical musicians who ushered him on to the steps of the Capitol were faking it.
In a report headlined 'The Frigid Fingers Were Live, but the Music Wasn't', The New York Times said that the four, including the violinist Itzhak Perlman, had already recorded their contribution two days earlier and played along just for show."
In a report headlined 'The Frigid Fingers Were Live, but the Music Wasn't', The New York Times said that the four, including the violinist Itzhak Perlman, had already recorded their contribution two days earlier and played along just for show."
Will the Persecution Never End?
BISH'S BEAT: PARIS HILTON DEAD DOG PURSE!: "“Based on Paris Hilton’s discarded pet Tinkerbell is an upside down dead Chihuahua. This design capitalizes on the trend of carrying a small dog as a fashion accessory.”"
Say It Ain't So
Are the Hilton sisters at war? - New Zealand's source for entertainment news, gossip & music, movie & book reviews on Stuff.co.nz: "Celebrity socialite Paris Hilton is reportedly being shunned by her less famous sister Nicky, sparking rumours of a rift.
Nicky is reportedly distancing herself from her sister because she hates Brittany Flickinger, the winner of Paris' reality TV show My New BFF.
A source told the New York Post newspaper: 'Nicky can't stand Paris' new BFF.'
Nicky is reportedly distancing herself from her sister because she hates Brittany Flickinger, the winner of Paris' reality TV show My New BFF.
A source told the New York Post newspaper: 'Nicky can't stand Paris' new BFF.'
For My Next Birthday. . . .
'Flying car' goes to market - Discovery.com - MSNBC.com: "The aptly named Transition takes a stab at bridging the gap between automobiles and airplanes. Some people call it a flying car. The company designing and selling the vehicle prefers the term 'roadable aircraft.'Either way, it boils down to this: You sit down behind the steering wheel, drive to the runway, unfold two wings and take off. You can fly 500 miles on a tank of gas — regular unleaded —and when you land, you simply fold up the wings and drive where you want to go. At the end of the day, you fly back, drive home and park inside your garage."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Mike Myers, Paris Hilton Lead Razzie Nominations - Individual Class, Paris Hilton, Content Item : People.com: "Also in the running for worst picture: Disaster Movie, The Happening, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Meet the Spartans and The Hottie & the Nottie, which starred Paris Hilton, who's up for worst actress and worst screen couple (with Joel David Moore) in the film.
Hilton also earned a worst supporting actress nomination for Repo! The Genetic Opera."
Hilton also earned a worst supporting actress nomination for Repo! The Genetic Opera."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Forgotten Books: MURDER OF A MISTRESS --Henry Kuttner
Yesterday I talked about one of Kuttner's fantasy novels, but he also wrote crime fiction. In the middle 1950's, he was working on a master's degree in (I believe) psychology, and he started a series of novels that featured a psychoanalyst named Michael Gray. Five books appeared before Kuttner died (much too young) of a heart attack in 1958. In Murder of a Mistress, one of Gray's patients is accused of murder. Gray doesn't believe she's guilty. Then three other people confess to the crime. The cops don't care because they already have the person they've convinced committed the murder. Gray agrees that none of the people who confessed is the killer. He thinks the killer is someone else entirely.
Then one of the people who confessed is murdered. Gray discovers that his client's sister was murdered months earlier, and there's an attempt on Gray's life. Gray uses psychology instead of police procedure to come up with the solution, as he does in all the books of the series.
While the psychology is dated now, the Michael Gray books are still fun to read. Kuttner was such a talented writer that he could do just about anything. As most of you know, I'm sure, his wife was C. L. Moore, and they often collaborated on their work. I'm not sure how much Moore had to do with this series, if anything.
Tough as Leather
Jochem Steen, who maintains the Sons of Spade site and writes the Noah Milano stories, has published a collection of those stories. Tough as Leather is available here. And here's a description:
NOAH MILANO is a Los Angeles security specialist who's not afraid to get a little action in. And who has more than a few "family" problems. Because, in his case, his family is "the family."You see, he's the estranged son of a mobster and this, as his creator puts it, "creates a big deal of tension and more than a few problems." Fiercely independent, and determined to sever all ties with his past, Noah has to adjust from being a spoiled mobster son to being an independent operator with little money. Fortunately he's learned a great deal about security from his years as his dad's personal bodyguard. Perhaps in penance, he now uses these skills to earn an honest (well, relatively) living.
In this collection all of his short stories are collected in one handy volume, featuring introductions by great PI writers like: Lori B. Armstrong, Les Roberts, Robert J. Randisi, Dave White, Wayne D. Dundee, Mark Coggins, Ace Atkins and Sean Chercover.
Even the introductions sound good.
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