Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tremors Again
Searchers shovel Northwest dirt seeking giant worm - Yahoo! News: "The giant Palouse earthworm has taken on mythic qualities in this vast agricultural region that stretches from eastern Washington into the Idaho panhandle — its very name evoking the fictional sandworms from 'Dune' or those vicious creatures from the movie 'Tremors.'
The worm is said to secrete a lily-like smell when handled, spit at predators, and live in burrows 15 feet deep. There have been only a handful of sightings."
The worm is said to secrete a lily-like smell when handled, spit at predators, and live in burrows 15 feet deep. There have been only a handful of sightings."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Late John Wayne sci-fi role sees release on DVD | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Any fan of old westerns would probably say that the 1976 movie, The Shootist, was John Wayne’s last film.
They’d be mistaken, according to Dave Burleson.
Burleson, who played minor parts in more than 70 westerns and was friends with Wayne, is releasing an independently produced film that contains Duke’s final unseen performance.
The film, a science-fiction western entitled Thunder Riders of the Golden West, was produced by Burleson in 1984, and includes footage that Wayne filmed before his death in 1979.
“It’s not the last movie he acted in, but it’s the last performance to be released,” said Burleson, who now resides in Barksdale, about two hours Southwest of Kerrville."
They’d be mistaken, according to Dave Burleson.
Burleson, who played minor parts in more than 70 westerns and was friends with Wayne, is releasing an independently produced film that contains Duke’s final unseen performance.
The film, a science-fiction western entitled Thunder Riders of the Golden West, was produced by Burleson in 1984, and includes footage that Wayne filmed before his death in 1979.
“It’s not the last movie he acted in, but it’s the last performance to be released,” said Burleson, who now resides in Barksdale, about two hours Southwest of Kerrville."
New Orleans Leads the Way
Armed with foam-core bats, the Big Easy Rollergirls will chase hard-core runners through French Quarter - NOLA.com: "The Running of the Bulls in New Orleans, happening Saturday. Modeled after the festival of San Fermin in Spain, which started Tuesday, the local event involves hundreds of people in white and red gathering at 8 a.m. to run through the streets of the French Quarter. But instead of running from bulls, they will be running from something equally fearsome: the Big Easy Rollergirls. Armed with foam-core bats and wearing horns on their helmets."
Official website here.
Rollergirls are here.
Official website here.
Rollergirls are here.
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, What'cha Gonna Do?
DASH-CAM VIDEO: Trooper, Officer Ticketed For Alleged Speeding | NBC4i.com: "The Ohio State Highway Patrol released video Friday after an off-duty trooper and off-duty officer were ticketed for allegedly driving nearly 150 mph on an interstate highway."
Scroll down in the article to read the dash-cam transcript to find out what the Bad Boys gonna do It'll make your day.
Scroll down in the article to read the dash-cam transcript to find out what the Bad Boys gonna do It'll make your day.
Crime of the Day
Man suspected of stealing duck calls arrested - The York Daily Record: "Police arrested a man suspected of stealing duck calls from a vehicle. Authorities said a 40-year-old man was booked Wednesday with burglary of a motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
iWon News - Police: Couple charged with having sex in drug car: "The car was a-rockin', and the law went a-knockin'.
Bexar (BAYR) County sheriff's deputies drawn by the actions of an amorous couple in a parked car allegedly found more than l'amour.
Deputy Ino Badillo (bah-DEE'-yoh) tells the San Antonio Express-News they also found enough equipment and chemicals in the car Thursday night to start a methamphetamine lab."
Note the helpful pronunciation tips.
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
Bexar (BAYR) County sheriff's deputies drawn by the actions of an amorous couple in a parked car allegedly found more than l'amour.
Deputy Ino Badillo (bah-DEE'-yoh) tells the San Antonio Express-News they also found enough equipment and chemicals in the car Thursday night to start a methamphetamine lab."
Note the helpful pronunciation tips.
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
Friday, July 10, 2009
News from Busted Flush Press
Busted Flush Press: "Busted Flush just signed up Scottish crime writer Donna Moore (Go to Helena Handbasket) for the American publication of her second novel, Old Dogs. This is an incredibly funny caper thriller... reads like a Guy Ritchie adaptation of The Thomas Crown Affair."
Remo Returns
Remo Williams rides again--The Hollywood Reporter: Risky Business: "'The Dark Knight” producer Charles Roven and “Transporter” producer Steve Chasman are teaming up to produce “The Destroyer,” a franchise vehicle that brings back ’80s action hero Remo Williams. The pair have set up the project at Columbia.
Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, who are penning the action epic “War of Gods” for Relativity, are on board to write the screenplay.
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir wrote the initial batch of “Destroyer” adventure tomes, which centered on Williams, a New Jersey cop convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Williams is sentenced to the electric chair, but his death is faked so he can be reborn as the vigilante character the Destroyer, joining a top-secret assassin squad set up by the government to operate outside the bounds of the law."
Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, who are penning the action epic “War of Gods” for Relativity, are on board to write the screenplay.
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir wrote the initial batch of “Destroyer” adventure tomes, which centered on Williams, a New Jersey cop convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Williams is sentenced to the electric chair, but his death is faked so he can be reborn as the vigilante character the Destroyer, joining a top-secret assassin squad set up by the government to operate outside the bounds of the law."
Forgotten Books: A TWIST OF SAND -- Geoffrey Jenkins
This is ThrillerFest weekend, right? Then what better time to celebrate one of the great thriller writers of 50 years ago, Geoffrey Jenkins. Jenkins' books came along at just the right time for me. I'd discovered Alistair MacLean a few years earlier and was looking for more in the same vein. Jenkins filled the bill. As you can see from the blurb on the cover, he impressed Ian Fleming, and the reviewers were equally impressed.A Twist of Sand is the first-person account of the adventures of Captain Geoffrey Peace, who really goes through a lot. There's a lovely female scientist (should be played by Denise Richards in the movie, considering how great she was as a nuclear physicist in The World is Not Enough) whom someone is trying to kill, there's the Skeleton Coast ("the most dangerous shoreline in the world"), there's a killing journey across 30 miles of desert, there's mountain climbing, and there are wild animals: strand wolves, black lions, hyenas, and maybe a few more.
The local color's great, the action is fast, and the hero's competent and steadfast. Prime stuff for people (like me) who like old-fashioned wide-screen high adventure. As far as I know, none of Jenkins' books is in print in the U.S., but you should be able to find the paperback editions easily enough. Any of them would be worth a look.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Ernest Hemingway, KGB
Hemingway revealed as failed KGB spy | Books | guardian.co.uk: "Up till now, this has been a notably cheerful year for admirers of Ernest Hemingway – a surprisingly diverse set of people who range from Michael Palin to Elmore Leonard. Almost every month has brought good news: a planned Hemingway biopic; a new, improved version of his memoir, A Moveable Feast; the opening of a digital archive of papers found in his Cuban home; progress on a movie of Islands in the Stream.
Last week, however, saw the publication of Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America (Yale University Press), which reveals the Nobel prize-winning novelist was for a while on the KGB's list of its agents in America. Co-written by John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr and Alexander Vassiliev, the book is based on notes that Vassiliev, a former KGB officer, made when he was given access in the 90s to Stalin-era intelligence archives in Moscow."
Last week, however, saw the publication of Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America (Yale University Press), which reveals the Nobel prize-winning novelist was for a while on the KGB's list of its agents in America. Co-written by John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr and Alexander Vassiliev, the book is based on notes that Vassiliev, a former KGB officer, made when he was given access in the 90s to Stalin-era intelligence archives in Moscow."
Will the Persecution Never End?
iWon News - Trial begins in Paris Hilton film contract dispute: "Paris Hilton has arrived for the Miami trial of a federal lawsuit accusing her of failing to adequately promote her 2006 movie 'Pledge This!'
Hilton entered the courthouse Thursday afternoon wearing a black and white dress.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of some film investors claims the 28-year-old didn't honor her contract to promote the DVD release. The lawsuit seeks more than $8 million from Hilton and her entertainment firm."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hilton entered the courthouse Thursday afternoon wearing a black and white dress.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of some film investors claims the 28-year-old didn't honor her contract to promote the DVD release. The lawsuit seeks more than $8 million from Hilton and her entertainment firm."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Croc Update (Armadillo World Headquarters Edition)
Armadillo-like crocodile roamed Brazil: researchers - Yahoo! News: "Fossils found in Brazil are from a crocodile resembling a large armadillo that was a predator in the area around modern-day Sao Paulo state 90 million years ago, researchers said on Tuesday.
The 6.6-foot-long (two-meter-long), 265-lb (120-kg) crocodile, named the 'Armadillosuchus,' appears to have been unique to that area, the researchers at Rio de Janeiro's Federal University said."
The 6.6-foot-long (two-meter-long), 265-lb (120-kg) crocodile, named the 'Armadillosuchus,' appears to have been unique to that area, the researchers at Rio de Janeiro's Federal University said."
They've Turned Me Wallabies Loose, Bruce
Wayward Wallaby Still Missing - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis: "A wallaby missing for more than two weeks might have been spotted in a Muncie neighborhood.
Julie Halteman said she saw a strange creature, like a small kangaroo, hop past the window of her son's bedroom Monday morning."
Julie Halteman said she saw a strange creature, like a small kangaroo, hop past the window of her son's bedroom Monday morning."
One More Sign of the Apocalypse
Summer movie season cooling off - Los Angeles Times: "It may be an honest admission that Hollywood finally has run out of ideas, but this week's announcement that DreamWorks is developing a movie based on the View-Master couldn't come at a more fitting moment: Brand names people have heard of -- even those associated with a simple toy -- now mean more to a film's success than $20-million stars."
Greatest Sandwich in America?
Bourdain Declares Three Little Pigs Sandwich ‘Greatest Sandwich in America’ [video] - Eat Me Daily: "In the latest episode of No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain went to Chicago and visited the Silver Palm restaurant. He had the Three Little Pigs Sandwich: smoked ham, a breaded pork cutlet, two strips of bacon, and two fried eggs, blanketed in a thick coat of gruyere, all on a brioche bun."
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