Duct Tape: Man's Best Friend

Jeff Meyerson thought my readers would want this information:

How to Make a Duct Tape Wallet - WikiHow: "How to Make a Duct Tape Wallet

Everybody needs a wallet, right? If you have a taste for the unconventional, or you're simply a stubborn do-it-yourselfer, then whip out that roll of duct tape and make your own wallet!"

This Year's List

What Your Freshmen Don’t Know

Beloit College has released its latest “Mindset List,” to help academics understand what freshmen know — and what they don’t have a clue about. This list has been prepared each August since 1998 and past lists are available online.

Here is this year’s list, for the Class of 2010:

1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.
2. They have known only two presidents.
3. For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt.
4. Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S.
5. They have grown up getting lost in “big boxes”.
6. There has always been only one Germany.
7. They have never heard anyone actually “ring it up” on a cash register.
8. They are wireless, yet always connected.
9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents’.
10. Thanks to pervasive head phones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.
11. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.
12. Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.
13. Faux fur has always been a necessary element of style.
14. The Moral Majority has never needed an organization.
15. They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams.
16. DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court.
17. They grew up pushing their own miniature shopping carts in the supermarket.
18. They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication.
19. “Google” has always been a verb.
20. Text messaging is their e-mail.
21. Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.
22. Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America.
23. Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.
24. Madden has always been a game, not a Super Bowl-winning coach.
25. Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway.
26. “Boogers” candy has always been a favorite for grossing out parents.
27. There has never been a “skyhook” in the NBA.
28. Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents’ attics.
29. Computerized player pianos have always been tinkling in the lobby.
30. Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing. religious organizations in the U.S.
31. They grew up in minivans.
32. Reality shows have always been on television.
33. They have no idea why we needed to ask “...can we all get along?”
34. They have always known that “In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups.”
35. Young women’s fashions have never been concerned with where the waist is.
36. They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.
37. Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.
38. Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age.
39. “So” as in “Sooooo New York,” has always been a drawn-out adjective modifying a proper noun, which in turn modifies something else.
40. Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series.
41. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
42. Ken Burns has always been producing very long documentaries on PBS.
43. They are not aware that “flock of seagulls hair” has nothing to do with birds flying into it.
44. Retin-A has always made America look less wrinkled.
45. Green tea has always been marketed for health purposes.
46. Public school officials have always had the right to censor school newspapers.
47. Small white holiday lights have always been in style.
48. Most of them have never had the chance to eat bad airline food.
49. They have always been searching for “Waldo”.
50. The really rich have regularly expressed exuberance with outlandish birthday parties.
51. Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited.
52. They never played the game of state license plates in the car.
53. They have always preferred going out in groups as opposed to dating.
54. There have always been live organ donors.
55. They have always had access to their own credit cards.
56. They have never put their money in a “Savings & Loan.”
57. Sara Lee has always made underwear.
58. Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.
59. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.
60. They never saw Bernard Shaw on CNN.
61. Beach volleyball has always been a recognized sport.
62. Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have always been luxury cars of choice.
63. Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.
64. LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars.
65. Diane Sawyer has always been live in Prime Time.
66. Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale.
67. Disposable contact lenses have always been available.
68. “Outing” has always been a threat.
69. Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss has always been the perfect graduation gift.
70. They have always “dissed” what they don’t like.
71. The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.
72. Richard M. Daley has always been the mayor of Chicago.
73. They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die.
74. Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.
75. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.

Bob Dylan on XM

Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio on XM
August 23, 2006
Theme: Friends & Neighbors

Howdy, Neighbor, Howdy – Porter Wagoner & the Wagonmasters
Don’t Take Everybody to be your Friend – Sister Rosetta Tharp
(Dylan suggests going on YouTube and searching for Sister Rosetta. Watch a video, he says, and “it’ll blow your mind.”)
Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend – T-Bone Burnett
Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend – Marilyn Monroe (truncated version)
Dylan explains why he plays “obscure” artists
La Valse d’ Amitie – Doc Guidry
Make Friends – Moon Mullican
My Next Door Neighbor – Jerry McCain
Let’s Invite them Over – George Jones & Melba Montgomery
Dylan digresses for a fine rant about the current state of country music (“You damn kids get off my lawn!”)
My Friends – Howlin’ Wolf
Last Night – Little Walter
You’ve Got a Friend – Carole King
Bad Neighborhood – Ronnie & the Delinquents
Nieghbours – The Rolling Stones
Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals – Luke the Drifter (Hank Williams)
Why Can’t We Be Friends – War

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

A city crackdown on saggy pants?

Dallas: Critics defend their right to wear drawers that droop

07:19 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 23, 2006

By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News

The hip trend of wearing saggy pants could be at risk on the streets of Dallas.

Dallas school trustee Ron Price, with the backing of several City Council members, wants to prohibit pants that hang well below the waist. He wants an ordinance banning the look within city limits.

Mr. Price plans to address the council at today's meeting at 9 a.m. at City Hall. He said he's fed up with people who walk the streets "with their pants below their buttocks with their underwear exposed."

Several council members backed the idea Tuesday, with Bill Blaydes declaring, "It's an embarrassment to our city if we can't keep our pants up."

Source: Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

This Can't be Good

montgomeryadvertiser.com?::? Giant nests perplex experts: "MOBILE -- To the bafflement of insect experts, gigantic yellow jacket nests have started turning up in old barns, unoccupied houses, cars and underground cavities across the southern two-thirds of Alabama.

Specialists say it could be the result of a mild winter and drought conditions, or multiple queens forcing worker yellow jackets to enlarge their quarters so the queens will be in separate areas. But experts haven't determined exactly what's behind the surprisingly large nests.

Auburn University entomologists, who say they've never seen the nests so large, have been fielding calls about the huge nests from property owners from Dothan up to Sylacauga and over into west-central Alabama's Black Belt.

At one site in Barbour County, the nest was as large as a Volkswagen Beetle, said Andy McLean, an Orkin pesticide service manager in Dothan who helped remove it from an abandoned barn about a month ago."

Louiefest -- Cap'n Bob Rocks Out!

Dave Lewis says he was wearing the video camera around his neck, which might account for the quality of the video. Also starring Sir Trafford (aka Tough Jim) Gaston, famous Omaha deejay Drew Bentley, Kristine Napier, and Alex Mills, with cameos by Laurie & Mark Mills.

I'll Bet He Hasn't Heard Paris Hilton's New Disc

Bob Dylan says modern music is worthless?|?Entertainment?|?Entertainment News?|?Reuters.com: "LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bob Dylan says modern recordings sound 'atrocious,' and even the songs on his new album sounded much better in the studio than on disc.

'I don't know anybody who's made a record that sounds decent in the past twenty years, really,' the 65-year-old rocker said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

Dylan, who released eight studio albums in that time, returns with his first recording in five years, 'Modern Times,' next Tuesday.

Noting the music industry's complaints that illegal downloading means people are getting their music for free, he said, 'Well, why not? It ain't worth nothing anyway.'

'You listen to these modern records, they're atrocious, they have sound all over them,' he added. 'There's no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like ... static.'"

Paris Hilton Speaks! And Sings!

Actually, it's kind of a catchy little tune.

Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury!

Here's what I said on this day last year. It's still true, except that Bradbury is 86 now.

I see in the paper that it's Ray Bradbury's 85th birthday. The Martian Chronicles is one of those books that will always be in my Top Ten. There are some great stories in there. And "The Fireman," the story that became Fahrenheit 451, is one that completely knocked me out when I was a kid and read it in Galaxy magazine. One of the best stories ever. Happy birthday, Ray Bradbury!

Harry Crews Writes Again

Harry Crews, Aging Wild Man of Southern Literature, Publishes Again, Quietly - New York Times: "In June, the literary wild man Harry Crews published the latest book — his 23rd — in his continuing saga of the roughneck South. The book, “An American Family,” a novella about the violent demise and unexpected redemption of an abusive husband, is Mr. Crews’s first in eight years. Unlike most of the others, it was published not by a mainstream publishing house, but by a little-known small press, Blood and Guts, based in Los Angeles."

Thanks to Ed Gorman for the tip.

New Hardluck Stories Now On-line

The "western noir" issue of Hardluck Stories is now on-line, and it's terrific. Ed Gorman provides the introduction, and there are stories by Ed, Norman Partridge, Jon Breen, Trey Barker, Harry Shannon, T. L. Wolf, Jeremiah Healy, Bentley Little, Steve Hockensmith, James Reasoner, Jerry Raine, Jan Christiansen, and Terry Tanner. Not to mention me. What a line-up! And what stories! I've read most of them, and they're all excellent. Don't waste any more time here. Check 'em out.

From the Book of Amazing Facts

The long war - baltimoresun.com: "Between Pearl Harbor and the capitulation of Nazi Germany there elapsed three years, five months and a day. That's how long Americans have now been fighting in Iraq, as of this morning."

Cavalry Man: Powder Keg -- Ed Gorman

As you can see, the cover of this book has a nice explosion on it. Too bad there's no explosion in the book. The title refers to the town where the story's set. It's a powder keg ready to explode, and it does, into a series of murders.

One thing Ed Gorman does better than just about anybody, in fact, is bring the small-town setting into his westerns. The book's never about just the main characters. It's about everybody who's affected by what happens, and in Powder Keg we get to see them all.

Another thing you can be sure of is that nobody's going to be all bad or all good (well, except for Pepper and Connelly in this one, and maybe the killer). Everyone's troubled; everyone's motives are mixed.

Something a little different this time is that the setting is the dead of winter. The cold and wind and snow play a big part in the story, and you can feel them all.

I'd better warn you, too, that this book isn't for the faint of heart. There are some disturbing scenes that will probably stick with you for a while. And of course it's a mystery. The murders aren't what they seem, and Noah Ford, the Cavalry Man, has to figure out what's really going on. You'll get more than your money's worth from Powder Keg. Check it out.

What Could Be Worse than Snakes on a Plane?

Samuel L. Jackson Is Scared of Finding Naked Photos of Roseanne Barr - Starpulse News Blog: "Samuel L. Jackson was stunned when he bought Roseanne Barr's former home and was told she had hidden naked pictures of herself all over the house. The star and his actress wife LaTanya Richardson bought the Beverly Hills, California, pad and have been busy making it their own."

Paris Hilton: Role Model

PARIS HILTON - Paris Hilton Campaigns Against Promiscuity.: "Paris Hilton Campaigns Against Promiscuity.

Celebrity PARIS HILTON has launched a campaign to fight the spiralling problem of sexually transmitted diseases, and is urging women to pull back on promiscuity for the sake of their health.

The reality TV star has shaken off her raunchy reputation after her 1 NIGHT IN PARIS sex tape with RICK SALOMON was exposed in 2004, and is reinventing herself as a positive female role model.

And the socialite, who recently vowed to avoid sex for a year, is encouraging women to do the same and retain their dignity.

She says, 'It's sexier when a girl is flirty but she doesn't do anything.

'I think women should be confident and strong, and they often underestimate themselves and give in to men."

Top 10 Grossest Candies

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Candy Addict ? Top 10 Grossest Candies: "There are a lot of gross candies in this world. A lot. I didn’t realize the level of grossness that candy has sunk to. We at Candy Addict decided to compile a list of the Top 10 grossest candy we could find. We searched high and low for gross candy and came up with a long list. We then each ranked the grossness of each and compiled our results to bring you the Top 10."

Happy Birthday, Anthony Boucher!

As Beth Foxwell reminds us, Anthony Boucher was born on this day in 1911. A true polymath, he went on to a distinguished career as an editor, author, and anthologist, among many other things. The Bouchercon is, of course, named for him and held in his honor. I love to recall the happy hours I spent in the stacks of the library at The University of Texas at Austin, poring over the yellowed pages of the bound issues of The New York Times Book Review, writing down the names of all the authors that Boucher had reviewed so that I could check their books out of the library or buy old paperback copies of them. Great times.

Boucher died much too young, in 1968. Though I never met him, he had a huge influence on my life.

But What about Paris Hilton?

Osama Bin Laden Wants To Convert Whitney Houston To Islam - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise: "

Whitney Houston has a new fan in the form of the world’s most wanted man – Osama Bin Laden.

According to Bin Laden’s former sex slave Kola Boof the Saudi native is obsessed with the crack addicts work.

She told Harpers Bazaar: “He told me Whitney was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.”

'He said that he had a paramount desire for her and although he claimed music was evil, he spoke of someday spending vast amounts of money to go to America and try to arrange a meeting.'

Apparently Bin Laden wants to convert Bobby Brown’s lady to Islam and shower her with copious amounts of gifs.

Boof said: 'He said he wanted to give her a mansion he owned in a suburb of Khartoum."

2 Legit 2 Quit (As You've Never Seen It Before. Trust Me.)

Link via Neatorama.

Exploding Pythons! And Alligators!

If you're not a Salon subscriber, you have to watch an ad to read the whole article. But it's worth it. I mean, did you know the Everglades was teeming with pythons? Snakes on a plane is nothing compared to this. Thanks to Walter Satterthwait for keeping me posted on the latest 'gator doings.

When pythons attack | Salon News: When a giant python in Florida tried to swallow an alligator -- and blew up! -- local pundits had a field day. But nobody's laughing at how the wayward pets are strangling the life out of the Everglades.

By Philip Armour

A 200-pound, 21-foot snake is not something you want to step on when working in the yard. But don't look now -- Burmese pythons of that size are turning up in southern Florida. "No humans have been attacked yet, but it's clearly a possibility," said Skip Snow, a wildlife biologist with Everglades National Park.

An estimated 1,000 to 10,000 pythons now slither freely throughout southern Florida, eating birds, rabbits, raccoons, gray squirrels and possums. But they also take on bigger prey. Last year, a state employee, checking water levels in a remote canal, discovered the aftermath of a gruesome death match: a 13-foot python literally exploded attempting to swallow a six-foot alligator. The snake's grotesquely distended body ruptured as a result of the alligator's size and kicking legs. The alligator didn't make it, either.

"Yeah, yeah, the King Kong vs. Godzilla thing is pretty funny," said Kenneth Krysko, a reptile researcher with the Florida Museum of Natural History. "But Florida wildlife is under attack."

16 Blocks

While you were all out seeing Snakes on a Plane, I was home watching 16 Blocks. Richard Donner directed this one, with Bruce Willis as a haggard cop named Jack Mosely and Mos Def as Eddie Bunker, the prisoner Willis has to transport to the courthouse 16 blocks away. What's supposed to be a simple job is complicated by the fact that some very bad people, all of them cops, don't want Eddie to testify. Plenty of shooting, lots of chasing, numerous car and bus crashes (how did those bus tires get reinflated after the cops shot them out?), and of course a developing relationship between Jack and Eddie. The DVD comes with two versions of the movie, one with the theatrical ending and one with an alternate ending. [SPOILER ALERT: If you want to feel all upbeat and chipper, watch the theatrical one. If you're in a noir mood, go for the alternate.] Comparisons to other movies like The Gauntlet and Midnight Run are obvious, but this one can stand on its own. Willis and Mos Def after excellent, as is David Morse as the worst of the crooked cops. I was entertained almost all the way.

World's Oldest Computer

The Observer | World | Revealed: world's oldest computer: "Revealed: world's oldest computer

Helena Smith
Sunday August 20, 2006
The Observer

It looks like a heap of rubbish, feels like flaky pastry and has been linked to aliens. For decades, scientists have puzzled over the complex collection of cogs, wheels and dials seen as the most sophisticated object from antiquity, writes Helena Smith. But 102 years after the discovery of the calcium-encrusted bronze mechanism on the ocean floor, hidden inscriptions show that it is the world's oldest computer, used to map the motions of the sun, moon and planets.

'We're very close to unlocking the secrets,' says Xenophon Moussas,an astrophysicist with a Anglo-Greek team researching the device. 'It's like a puzzle concerning astronomical and mathematical knowledge.'

Known as the Antikythera mechanism and made before the birth of Christ, the instrument was found by sponge divers amid the wreckage of a cargo ship that sunk off the tiny island of Antikythera in 80BC. To date, no other appears to have survived."

Balloon over Alvin

When I went out to fetch the paper this morning, what to my wondering eyes should appear but a couple of hot-air balloons hovering over the neighborhood. Here's a shot of one of them.

OK, Why Not Admit It? I Love ABBA.

My Kids Should Be So Lucky

Holy windfall, Batman!

INGRID PERITZ

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Montreal — Tom Crippen knew he faced a daunting task after the death of his father, an inveterate pack rat who never threw anything out. It wasn't just the stockpiles of old opera programs, paper clips, Christmas cards, baseball caps, paperbacks or souvenir coffee mugs.

Mainly, it was the awesome collection of 11,000 comics that had colonized the family garage and basement.

“The shelves were just piled high with comics,” said Mr. Crippen, a freelance editor living in Montreal. “I knew they were worth money, but I thought, $50,000, maybe $100,000.”

Mr. Crippen was wrong. After painstakingly dusting off and cataloguing the comics — a process that took four months — he called in the experts to the family home outside New York.

And — Holy windfall, Batman! — the superheroes delivered.

The cache of vintage comics, many of them rare and in immaculate condition, were evaluated at $2.5-million (U.S.).

There's more at the link. Check it out.

I Think Sheriff Rhodes Could Take Lessons

There's a nice photo at the link.

The Herald Democrat: "Sheriff matches shirts, pistol grips

By ELIZABETH YORK
Odessa American

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson has more fur in his office than your average herd of wildebeests.

Sitting in a thick wooden king-chair covered with bronze stars and hairy cowhide, Donaldson reigns at the Ector County Detention Center. He folds his hands, leans forward and peers out over his set mustache.

“I like to think that I’m hard-nosed with criminals,” Donaldson said. “The main thing I try to do is serve the public. To try to do things right and try to be as efficient as we can.”

Donaldson keeps his pistol right-hand ready. The long-time West Texas lawman isn’t afraid to take on bad guys and put them behind bars — and he’s not afraid to color coordinate either.

He makes it a daily habit to match his gun grips with his shirt — can you say purple and canary yellow?

“People always say, ’How many guns do you have?’ Donaldson said.

But the secret is in the grips.

Each day Donaldson covers one of his two 1970s-model Colt 1911 pistols with one of his 19 sets of gun grips. (At the time of the interview, he was waiting for an additional grip with an American flag and eagle design to arrive.) He screws one of the decorative grips onto a pistol handle before placing it in his black gun holster.

Donaldson chooses from a collection of grips made of wood or synthetic materials in colors like canary yellow, marbled blue, green, black, red, orange and brown.

“I’m not one of the white shirt people,” he said. “I like bright colors.”

Even John Wayne wore yellow gun grips, Donaldson reasoned. But the Duke fan draws the line on some shades.

“They make pink (gun grips), but I’m not going there,” he said. “I have pink shirts, but I just wear black with those.”

If a John Wayne doll, commemorative rifle, replica belt, framed drawing and even Wayne toilet paper in Donaldson’s office aren’t enough, Robert Hollmann, an Odessa author and attorney, can vouch for Donaldson’s dedication to the Duke.

“He dresses like John Wayne,” Hollmann said. “He even tries to walk like him I think.”"

You're Not Getting Older. . .

. . . You're getting better. West Columbia, for the curious, is just down the road from Alvin.

USATODAY.com - Army accepting older recruits: "FORT JACKSON, S.C. — Margie Black had wanted to enter the military as a teenager, but having her first child at 19 put off her ambitions.

So when she learned the Army raised its enlistment age, Black, now a 41-year-old grandmother from West Columbia, Texas, didn't hesitate to join. The decision took 'about 30 seconds,' she said.

On Friday, Pvt. Black worked on her marksmanship skills here, while her 21-year-old daughter was at Army basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

'I'm taking it one day at a time,' Black said. 'If I do that, I can handle it.'

Older soldiers like her are showing up more often at Army training bases across the country since Congress gave the service approval earlier this year to raise its enlistee age limit, which had been 35, to just under 42 years."

Yes, We Have More Bananas

Many of you have no doubt been looking foreward with bated breath to my the annual posting of a photo of my banana crop. Well, here it is.

Friday Cat Blogging

It's come to my attention that cat photos on Friday are a grand old tradition of the blogosphere. So here are Geri (foreground) and Sam taking it easy in the grass.

Yep, That's the Band I'd Have Picked. Wait a Minute. They Were a Band?

Spice Girls top bands reunion poll - Yahoo! News UK: "The Spice Girls have been voted the band most people would like to see get back together.

Even though it's been a decade since they burst onto the music scene with the undeniably catchy Wannabe and their Girl Power slogan, the five-some took 17% of the vote in the Yahoo poll.

They beat legendary music acts such as The Jam and the Stone Roses to take the top spot.

Rock legends Led Zeppelin took second place and The Police came in third.

'The Spice Girls' music, like it or loathe it, has that amazing ability to transport the listener straight back to their heyday,' said Gareth Bellamy, Editor of Yahoo! Music UK.

And voters might just get their wish.

The girls - Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown - are rumoured to be planning a comeback."

New Stuff at Mystery*File

MYSTERY*FILE ON-LINE: "Aug 18. LESLIE CHARTERIS. One of the best websites devoted to a single mystery author, bar none. If there’s anything you’d like to know about Simon Templar, aka The Saint, you will find it here, whether it be be film, TV or books and magazines, no to mention a peek into the life of the author himself – whose real name was ... ?

Aug 17. THE RAP SHEET. For the finest in up-to-date news and detailed commentary on mystery fiction and its practitioners on a nearly daily basis, you cannot do better than this website, which recently celebrated its 200th posting. J. Kingston Pierce is the editor, ably assisted by collaborators Stephen Miller, Anthony Rainone and Linda L. Richards. (I thought I’d recommended this blog long ago, but not so. My error.)

Aug 17. MURDER CLINIC. The checklist of the detective tales adapted for broadcast on Mutual’s early 1940s radio series has been revised and added to once again. Also included are links to mp3 versions of the six episodes known to exist, plus links to e-texts of stories in the public domain and available on the web."

Happy Birthday, Lolita!

It was on this day in 1955 that Lolita was published. It was finally published in the U.S. in 1958. The scan on the left is of the copy of the first paperback edition. I bought it in 1959, and it's been part of my library ever since. I probably bought it because I'd heard it was scandalous, but I quickly discovered that it was a wonderfully written novel. Probably somewhere around page 1. I've read it only once since 1959, so it might be time for me to delve into it again.

Snakes on Claire Danes

Thanks to Walter (Snakes) Satterthwait for the link.

I Sense Another Cover-Up

United Press International - NewsTrack - Hawaii UFO looked like a wayward missile: "Hawaii UFO looked like a wayward missile

HILO, Hawaii, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- No one Thursday was claiming ownership of a tubular flying object that buzzed a Hawaii airport this week and looked a lot like a missile.

Officials at the Pohakuloa Training Area told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that there were no military exercises involving missiles taking place when the object was spotted Tuesday over the Hilo Airport on the Big Island.

Witnesses told the newspaper the silver object was silver and emitted a vapor trail; however it had no apparent fins or markings on it.

One man told the newspaper, 'The noise was super loud.'

The object didn't seem to threaten any air traffic around the airport, the report said.

Hawaii officials said the FBI and Transportation Security Administration were looking into the matter."

Paul Giamatti in Bubba Nosferatu?

Paul Giamatti's favorite role is played under the radar: "Also in the can are The Nanny Diaries, in which Giamatti and Laura Linney play a self-absorbed couple, and Shoot 'Em Up, 'a very violent action movie' with Clive Owen.

This fall he'll play Santa Claus opposite Vince Vaughn in the comedic Joe Claus. He also hopes to make Bubba Nosferatu, a prequel to horror-comedy Bubba Hotep.

Bruce Campbell again would play Elvis Presley, with Giamatti as his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. In Louisiana to make a movie, they're assailed by a coven of she-vampires."

The question is, how much will Joe Lansdale be involved with the script? I loved Bubba Hotep, but it was straight from Joe's story. So far I haven't seen any stories about Bubba Nosferatu. Can they pull it off without Joe? Or will he do the script? Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday, Maureen O'Hara!

One of the greats. No question about it. She's 86 today.

The A - Z of Rock & Roll Sex Scandals on Blender.com

The A - Z of Rock & Roll Sex Scandals on Blender.com: "What beloved band enjoyed molesting their male roadies? What other pop stars prefer the company of children? Find out all this and more in our comprehensive guide to the seamiest moments in music history."

Everything you ever wanted to know. Check it out.

Against all Gods

I couldn't resist acquiring one of the Harry Whittington novels I didn't already own. This is the Star Books pb edition, and the cover teaches us how to make a novel about the building of the Suez Canal look a lot like a plantation novel.

Is it Abbott and Costello?

Or is it Yoda and Jar-Jar? I report, you decide.

Happy Birthday, Davy Crockett!

Since I mentioned Fess Parker yesterday, I thought it would be appropriate to give a little shout-out to the real Davy on the anniversary of his birth on this day in 1786.

American West - DAVY CROCKETT: "Davy Crockett, the celebrated hero, warrior and backwoods statesman, was born August 17, 1786 in a small cabin on the banks of the romantic Nolichucky River, near the mouth of Limestone Creek, which today lies about three and a half miles off 11-E Highway near Limestone, Tennessee. David 'Davy' Crockett was the fifth of nine children and the fifth son born to John and Rebecca Hawkins Crockett. The Crocketts were a self-sufficient, independent family. Davy Crockett stands for the Spirit of the American Frontier. As a young man he was a crafty Indian fighter and hunter. When he was forty-nine years old, he died a hero's death at the Alamo, helping Texas win independence from Mexico. For many years he was nationally known as a political representative of the frontier."

Chupacabra?

SFGate.com: Residents are wondering if an animal found dead over the weekend may be the mysterious creature that has mauled dogs, frightened residents and been the subject of local legend for half a generation.

The animal was found near power lines along Route 4 on Saturday, apparently struck by a car while chasing a cat. The carcass was photographed and inspected by several people who live in the area, but nobody is sure exactly what it is.

Michelle O'Donnell of Turner spotted the animal near her yard about a week before it was killed. She called it a "hybrid mutant of something."

"It was evil, evil looking. And it had a horrible stench I will never forget," she told the Sun Journal of Lewiston. "We locked eyes for a few seconds and then it took off. I've lived in Maine my whole life and I've never seen anything like it."

For the past 15 years, residents across Androscoggin County have reported seeing and hearing a mysterious animal with chilling monstrous cries and eyes that glow in the night. The animal has been blamed for attacking and killing a Doberman pinscher and a Rottweiler the past couple of years.

Update: An expert who examined the remains of a mystery creature believes it was a wild dog. But that hasn't stopped runaway speculation about the beast and whether it was responsible for mauling dogs and frightening residents.

Loren Coleman, a Portland author and cryptozoologist, said he didn't know for sure what the animal was based on his examination of its remains Wednesday.

"I think this dead animal is a chow or chow-mix, a relatively small dog, that was feral, which is unusual for that area," he told the Sun Journal newspaper. He noted, however, that his was only an educated guess based on the findings so far.

The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists/The Pirates! in an Adventure with Ahab -- Gideon Defoe

This is a double book, a trade paperback in the style of the old Ace Doubles. Read one side and flip the book over for a second novel. The difference is that the Ace editions had cooler covers and were probably longer. Yes, I know that the Ace books were very short. So are these two novels, about 100 pages in fact.

They're also pretty funny if you're in the mood for the ridiculous. I can't really describe them, so let's just say they're the kind of books in with the pirates can sail to Las Vegas in search of the white whale, who's been spotted gambling there. Benny Hill collides with Monty Python, maybe. Anyway, if you like that sort of thing, this is very much the sort of thing you'll like.

I found both books very funny, but I enjoyed In an Adventure with Scientists more, probably because I read it first. A hundred pages is about the right length. You wouldn't want to O.D., and it would be easy to do. The next time you want to try something completely different, this is it.

Not That There's Anything Wrong with That

Thanks to the mysterious JTD for the link.

StarStyle.com: Ever wondered what it might actually feel like to be Paris Hilton dancing on her own leather ottoman or gazing lovingly at herself in her own mirror? Well, neither have we, but if you're curious about where the lodging heiress sleeps, lounges, and keeps her clothes, a new auction of Paris' furniture might be of interest.

StarStyle has begun auctioning off a set of furniture on its website that it says was actually used by Paris in her Hollywood home. Amongst the items up for bid over the next eleven days are various side tables, an oriental rug, wicker lounge chairs, McGuire Tambour copper lamps, and the highly functional "elephant stand," all starting at a relatively budget $300 or less.

Happy Birthday, Robert Culp!

Hoby Gilman, Texas Ranger; Kelly Robinson; Bill Maxwell. Or just Robert Culp, 76 years old today.

Happy Birthday, Fess Parker!

82 today. Sure he played other roles, but he'll always be Davy Crockett to me.

Bob Dylan on XM

I had to take a cat to the vet this morning, so I missed Dylan's show. However, here's the "divorce" playlist from another week I failed to post

D-I-V-O-R-C-E - Tammy Wynette
The Grand Tour - George Jones
Alimony - The Clowns
She Got The Goldmine, I Got The Shaft - Jerry Reed
Alimony Blues - T-Bone Walker
Married By The Bible, Divorced By The Law - Hank Snow
Divorce Me C.O.D. - Merle Travis
Mexican Divorce - The Drifters
Mr. And Mrs. Used To Be - Loretta Lynn
You Can't Divorce My Heart - Lefty Frizzell
Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore - June Christy with Pete Rugolo
Alimony - Tommy Tucker
Will Your Lawyer Talk to God - Kitty Wells
(Pay Me)Alimony - Maddox Brothers and Sister Rose
Alimony Blues - Eddie"Mr. Cleanhead" Vinson and his Orchestra
Divorce Decree - Doris Duke

Available Only in Japan

Only in Japan -- Hello Hilton - TMZ.com: "Only in Japan -- Hello Hilton
Posted Aug 7th 2006 3:28PM by TMZ Staff

Just when you thought Paris Hilton mania couldn't get any bigger, Sanrio, the folks behind Hello Kitty, have taken it to another level. They have created a signature Hello Kitty figure with a Paris Hilton look. Sorry folks, it's only available in Japan."

Lights Out (for) Lidge

Last year Brad Lidge was the best closer in the league. This year he's one of the worst. Last year they called him "Lights-Out Lidge." This year they're calling him "Blown-Save Brad." I feel sorry for the guy. How do you go from the penthouse to the outhouse like that? I know not what cause others will choose, but I think it was the monster homer that Pujols hit off him in the play-offs last fall. Lidge says it didn't affect him, and maybe he even believes it. I think it did. Even if it didn't, it affected the other hitters in the league, who saw that Lidge wasn't invincible. Not only that, he was vulnerable. He's never been the same since. And for that matter, neither have the Astros.

I, for One, Can Hardly Wait

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Morgan Creek has begun the detective work on a kooky cold case. The production company has hired Jeff Sank and brothers Jason and Justin Heimberg to write a third installment of the hit franchise "Ace Ventura."

The two previous "Ventura" comedies -- 1994's "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and the following year's "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" -- grossed more than $180 million domestically and helped establish Jim Carrey as one of the highest-paid comedy actors in Hollywood.

The latest pet project is expected to center on the eccentric detective's son, who steps into his father's shoes to take over the family business.

No Wonder Trace Adkins Writes Country Songs

Accident-Prone Trace Adkins Lost a Finger, Broke Both Arms, & Was Shot by Ex-Wife - Starpulse News Blog: "Country music tough guy Trace Adkins had to have his finger reattached when he sliced it off with a knife back in the days when he was working on an off-shore oil rig. The singer was trying to open a bucket when the accident happened. He says, 'They semi-successfully re-attached it.'

The accident-prone singer also broke both his arms, a leg and a handful of ribs and cut his nose off in a car crash. But the worst pain he ever felt came after his ex-wife shot him in a heated argument in 1994."

GoodisCon Update

What do Humphrey Bogart, Jane Mansfield and Anne Bancroft have in common? DAVID GOODIS

I am a big David Goodis fan. I know that you are also a David Goodis fan.

I am writing to you hoping that you would like to share in a tribute be planned in memory of David Goodis to be held on January 5th, 6th and 7th of 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

January will mark the 40th anniversary of his death. I feel that he has long gone unrecognized and unappreciated for his great contribution to the movie industry and noir/hard-boiled/existential writing. His artistic style lives on in any number of modern film makers (Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh) and writers (Duane Swierczynski, Ken Bruen, Andrew Vachss, Jason Starr, Jim Nisbet and George Pelecanos).

It is my hope that the conference will attract fans of Goodis (writers, movie makers, movie aficionados, academicians and readers), will inspire people to learn more about one of the most fascinating Philadelphians and will renew a long overdue interest in David Goodis.

The conference (“GoodisCon”) will be conducted over a three day period in Goodis’ hometown.

The conference will be divided into three parts: the man, the myth and the legacy. The man portion will examine David Goodis’ life in Philadelphia and in Hollywood. It is our intention to interview and/or have friends, family and biographers discuss their thoughts and memories of David Goodis. The myth portion of the conference will examine the many stories that abound about him. There will be discussions led by various academicians specializing in David Goodis and his works. The legacy portion of the conference will be dedicated to the ongoing influence of David Goodis today in the form of books, movies and theatre.

Our goal is to create a setting where people can come together, learn about a fascinating man and engage in lively conversation about this enigmatic man and his desire to portray the plight of the down trodden.

It would be an honor and a pleasure to have you attend this important event with us.

Please visit our website.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Yours,

Louis M. Boxer, M.D.
Lboxer1@comcast.net

Snowball Express -- Check it Out

About Snowball Express: "Those who protect us deserve our thanks, our support and our help. Those in the Armed Forces who have laid down their lives in service to our way of life deserve our gratitude and our commitment to helping the family members they left behind.

The Snowball Express will provide a holiday experience for every child who has lost a parent while serving in our military forces during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflict. We will be bringing the children and surviving parent or guardian from throughout the nation to Orange County on December 7th, 8th and 9th, 2006 for a holiday party and a trip to Disneyland. "

Maybe I Can Work Out a Tie-In

Mammoths may roam again after 27,000 years - Britain - Times Online: "BODIES of extinct Ice Age mammals, such as woolly mammoths, that have been frozen in permafrost for thousands of years may contain viable sperm that could be used to bring them back from the dead, scientists said yesterday.

Research has indicated that mammalian sperm can survive being frozen for much longer than was previously thought, suggesting that it could potentially be recovered from species that have died out. "

Snakes in a Quiz

I missed one.

Snakes in a quiz - MOVIE QUIZZES - MSNBC.com: "But are you ready for a journey into the twin realms of ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) and airplaneophobia (fear of... well, you can probably guess)? To prime you mentally for Snakes on a Plane, we've prepared a trivia quiz on snakes in popular culture. Don't be afraid -- it won't bite."

Happy Birthday, Bill Pinkney!

Bill Pinkney is the last surviving member of the original Drifters (founded in 1953), one of the great groups of my adolescence. Both Clyde McPhatter and Ben E. King sang lead with the group at different times, but it's Pinkney's bass voice that most people remember from the classic "White Christmas," the best rockin' Christmas song ever recorded. (McPhatter also sings lead on that one.)

Happy Birthday, Pat Priest!

Who could forget Marilyn Munster? Pat also starred opposite Elvis Presley in Easy Come, Easy Go. She played the "bad girl" part. Today she's 70 years old.

Happy Birthday, Susan Saint James

There's a wonderful tribute at The Rap Sheet. Check it out.

Snakes on a Plane, the Song

Thanks to Duane Swierczynski for the link.

Mystery*File Again

Mystery*File has some new stuff and highlights some old stuff. Check it out.

MYSTERY*FILE ON-LINE: "Aug 13. MacKINLAY KANTOR. You may or may not have known it, but MacKinlay Kantor, winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Andersonville in 1956, began his career writing for the pulp detective magazines. In this article reprinted from The Armchair Detective, Spring 1997, John Apostolou gives us an inside look into Kantor’s overall career as a mystery fiction writer. A newly revised bibliography follows, along with the usual assortment of cover images.

Aug 13. GIL BREWER. Gil Brewer’s estate has begun a website which, while it appears to be in its early stages – a link to “Gallery,” is currently non-operational, for example – may contain information found there and nowhere else.
Here on M*F you can find our own earlier tribute to Brewer, consisting of a profile in two parts. In part one, Bill Pronzini takes a long look at this noir author’s life, which ended tragically far too soon. Be prepared for a large dose of reality when you read this, if you haven’t already. Part two is a comprehensive checklist of Brewer’s novels by Lynn Munroe, complete with many cover images.
Also highly recommended is a Gil Brewer website maintained by George Tuttle. The bonus provided here is that the detailed bibliography put together by George also includes Brewer’s short fiction – as does the estate website, in a slightly different format."

Paris Hilton Gets Bitten

ABC News: Paris Hilton Bitten by Pet Kinkajou: "LOS ANGELES Aug 11, 2006 (AP)— Paris Hilton got no love this week from her pet kinkajou Baby Luv in fact, the racoon-like animal bit her. The heiress was not badly hurt but did visit a hospital emergency room to receive a tetanus shot, her publicist, Elliot Mintz, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Hilton was frolicking with her exotic pet early Tuesday morning 'the way some people play with their cats and dogs' when the animal became excited, Mintz said."

From Armadillocon: Bill Crider

From Armadillocon: Joe R. Lansdale

From Armadillocon: Neal Barrett, Jr.

From Armadillocon: Joe Lansdale Reads a Short-Short from The King

From Armadillocon: Julie Czerneda

From Armadillocon: Kasey Lansdale

From Armadillocon: Jayme Lynn Blaschke

From Armadillocon: John Picacio

From Armadillocon: Mark Finn

From Armadillocon: Rick Klaw

Happy Birthday, PC! (One Day Early)

BBC NEWS | Technology | Twenty five years of the IBM PC: "Computer firm IBM made technological history on 12 August 1981 with the announcement of a personal computer - the IBM 5150.

Costing $1,565, the 5150 had just 16K of memory - scarcely more than a couple of modest e-mails worth.

The machine was not the first attempt to popularise computing but it soon came to define the global standard.

It altered the way business was done forever and sparked a revolution in home computing."

How They Got in Her Pyjamas, I'll Never Know

Pregnant woman arrested by terror police in her pyjamas | the Daily Mail: "Pregnant woman arrested by terror police in her pyjamas
13:21pm 11th August 2006

The youngest of the terror suspects arrested in the raids was a heavily pregnant woman from Hackney, London.

The Asian woman was taken by police handcuffed and still wearing pyjamas from a top floor flat in Denver Road."

Readers of this Blog will not be Surprised that it All Started with an Alligator!

The Wilhelm Scream: "One sound effect that has found a following with many sound editors and observant movie fans is a distinctive scream named Wilhelm.

In 1951, the Warner Bros. film Distant Drums directed by Raoul Walsh starred Gary Cooper as Captain Quincy Wyatt, who leads a group of soldiers to stop some Seminole Indians from threatening settlers in early 19th Century Florida. During a scene in which the soldiers are wading through a swamp in the everglades, one of them is bitten and dragged underwater by an alligator.

As is usually the case with the making of a movie, the scream for that character was recorded later. Six short pained screams were recorded in a single take, which was slated 'man getting bit by an alligator, and he screams.' The fifth scream was used for the soldier - but the 4th, 5th, and 6th screams recorded in the session were also used earlier in the film when three Indians are shot, one after another, during a raid on a fort.

After Distand Drums, the recording was archived into the studio's sound effects library, and was re-used in many Warner Bros. productions."

[And many others from many studios. Thanks to the folks at Neatorama for reminding me of The Scream.]

Bob Dylan on XM

Seems I've been lax in posting the playlist for Bob Dylan's show on XM radio lately. Here's the one from last week when the theme was the Devil:

Devil's Dream - Rev. Gary Davis
Me and the Devil Blues - Robert Johnson
Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead
The Devil Ain't Lazy - Bob Wills
Christine's Tune (aka Devil in Disguise) - The Flying Burrito Brothers
(You're the) Devil in Disguise - Elvis Presley
Suzanne Beware of the Devil - Dandy Livingstone
Devil in his Heart - The Donays
It Must Have Been the Devil - Otis Spann
Devil's Hot Rod - Johnny Tyler
Devil Got My Woman - Skip James
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - Helen Humes and Count Basie
Devil with the Blue Dress On - Shorty Long
Devil's Haircut - Beck
Satan is Real - The Louvin Brothers
Race With the Devil - Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps
Way Down in the Hole - Tom Waits

Gator Update

Eyewitness News - Alligator removed from Attleboro apartment: "ATTLEBORO, Mass. State environmental police removed a three-and-a-half foot alligator from a third floor apartment in Attleboro earlier this week.

Police say the reptile's owner left a message with the city's animal control office Monday morning notifying officials that the alligator was present and granting permission for the reptile to be removed."

Personalized Ketchup

Heinz to offer custom labels - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Capitalizing on the 130th anniversary of its most famous product, the H.J. Heinz Co. has created a special Web site allowing consumers to create their own ketchup bottle labels.

At myheinz.com, users can show off their wit, be sentimental or use any wording for a unique tag to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or any special occasion. "

On the Road Again

Judy and I will be heading for Austin on Thursday morning. We'll be attending Armadillocon, so posting will be sporadic. I'll try to get some video posted if anybody will cooperate. SF writers and fans might not be interested in being on my blog, so we'll just have to wait and see.

I Wonder if John Reid has Seen V for Vendetta

BBC NEWS | Politics | Terror 'may force freedom curbs': "Britain might have to modify its freedoms in the short term in order to prevent their 'misuse and abuse' by terrorists, John Reid has said.

He conceded that was never an easy request, but it was up to everyone to ask 'what price our security, at what cost can we preserve our freedoms'.

The UK faced its 'most sustained period of severe threat since the end of World War II', the home secretary warned.

He urged people from all communities to help by being vigilant."

To Protect and Serve, Florida Style

local6.com - Problem Solvers - Firefighters Accused Of Surfing Porn, MySpace On City Computers: "CLERMONT, Fla. -- An Internet virus that apparently fried a computer network in Clermont, Fla., has prompted an investigation into improper usage of city computers by on-duty firefighters and paramedics, according to a Local 6 News report.

Firefighters and paramedics in Clermont are accused of using computers to view pornography, gamble and peruse women on the social Web site mySpace.com.

A source told Local 6 News that an investigation found that one of the city's fire stations was a gateway for the virus. The virus apparently shut down the system for days and deleted countless files."

Freedom of Speech Under Attack

Chron.com | Judge disciplined after ordering 'Go Seahawks' cheer: "Judge disciplined after ordering 'Go Seahawks' cheer

Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A state panel has disciplined a judge who ordered cheers in court for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks before issuing a manslaughter sentence.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Beverly Grant asked about 100 people in court to say 'Go Seahawks' before taking their seats on Feb. 3. Dissatisfied with the low volume of the response, she repeated the request."

Cats Plot World Domination!

Aug. 9, 2006 — Kevin Lafferty is a smart, cautious, thoughtful scientist who doesn't hate cats, but he has put forth a provocative theory that suggests that a clever cat parasite may alter human cultures on a massive scale.

His phone hasn't stopped ringing since he published one of the strangest research papers to come out of the mill in quite awhile.

The parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, has been transmitted indirectly from cats to roughly half the people on the planet, and it has been shown to affect human personalities in different ways.

Research has shown that women who are infected with the parasite tend to be more warm, outgoing and attentive to others, while infected men tend to be less intelligent and probably a bit boring. But both men and women who are infected are more prone to feeling guilty and insecure.

Other researchers have linked the parasite to schizophrenia. In an adult, the symptoms are like a mild form of flu, but it can be much more serious in an infant or fetus. Oxford University researchers believe high levels of the parasite leads to hyperactivity and lower IQ in children.

Dumbledore is not Dead

Even if J. K. Rowling says he is. Check it out.

Art Buchwald Update

Anything's Possible (August 8, 2006): "Anything's Possible

By HILARY RUSS
STAFF WRITER

EDGARTOWN - Most people don't get to have their eulogy sung to them by Carly Simon in front of hundreds of people before they die.

Then again, most people aren't Art Buchwald."

Happy Birthday, Peyton Place! (Part 2)

Here's a link to my earlier tribute to Grace Metalious's novel. I was reminded of it while reading Vince Keenan's blog today, in which he links to another article celebrating the publication of Peyton Place.

This Pretty Much Assures Victory in Iraq

wsmv.com - Entertainment - Lohan Wants To Visit Troops In Iraq: "NEW YORK -- Lindsay Lohan says she wants to travel to Iraq to entertain the troops, and she hopes to do it in the company of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In an interview that will run in the September issue of Elle Magazine, Lohan said she has been attempting to plan the trip for a number of months, 'but it seemed too dangerous.'

She also said her inspiration for the trip was Marilyn Monroe's visits to the troops during the Korean War. 'It's so amazing seeing that one woman just going somewhere, this beautiful sex kitten, who's basically a pinup, which is what I've always aspired to be,' said Lohan."

Blue Screen -- Robert B. Parker

Sunny Randal is hired to bodyguard a movie actress who has dreams of becoming the first woman to play major league baseball. The next think you know, there's a murder, and the actress wants Sunny on the case.

I'm often said that I'm an unabashed fan of Robert B. Parker's books. I didn't much like Blue Screen, though. In the course of the story Sunny meets Jesse Stone, also the star of a Robert B. Parker series. To no one's surprise, Sunny and Jesse hit it off, and the next thing you know, they're having hot sex in various locations. Somehow I liked Jesse better when he was brooding about his problems and his ex-wife. I didn't want to see him and Sunny get together, but then I'm not writing the books. The mystery element isn't exactly a knock-out in Blue Screen, either. I had it nailed almost from the beginning, and I never figure things out. I've read that Parker has a YA novel coming in the spring. My disappointment in Blue Screen won't keep me from reading it.

The Paperback Covers of Harry Whittington

One of my particular enthusiasms in the paperback field has been the novels of Harry Whittington. I have a lot of them. There are 152 images in this slide show, for example. I know I don't have all of them. As Donald Rumsfeld would say, there are "known knowns" and there are "known unknowns." The ones I know I don't have include a couple of the Black Lizard reprints (just never picked them up, for some reason), the novel Golden Stud (published as by "Lance Horner," another one I just never picked up; it's easily available), several slave/plantation novels published in hardback only in England, the novel published as by "Howard Winslow" (never seen a copy), and the two novels as by Henry (or Henri) Whitter (never seen copies, but have seen a photo of one). The known unknowns would include various soft porn novels from the period when Whittington was supposedly writing one a month. I have two books by Shep Sheppard, but I have no real evidence that Whittington used that name other than the fact that on the title page of one, he's credited as the author. I also have one book (Love Cult) that was published under Whittington's name but which is known to have been written not by Whittington but by William Vaneer. That cover is included in the show because it's such a good one. I also threw in some Australian Phantom Books, some pirated editions, one Scandinavian paperback, and one British paperback. Some hardcovers are included as well.

This is probably the last slide show I'll be doing. It was a lot of fun, but it takes too much time. I wanted to do this one, though, because I think it's great. I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Happy Birthday, Stan Freberg!

Mark Evanier at News from Me celebrates the birthday of one of his heroes (and mine), Stan Freberg. Read his post and check out the discography.

news from me: "I hope he'll forgive me for mentioning the number but it's not exactly a secret on the Internet. One of my personal heroes, Stan Freberg (seen above with his lovely spouse, Hunter) is eighty years old today. He is, as everyone knows, a fine actor, satirist, writer, voice actor, advertising genius, etc. He's also a very nice man whose friendship I treasure. It's a joy when one of your idols turns out to be as fine a human being as you could ever want him to be."

New Thug Lit

The latest issue of Thug Lit is up. Check it out.

Thug Lit - Todd Robinson, Writing About Wrongs: "This Issue of Thuglit:
A dentist helps put a bite into crime.
Does every man have a bullet with their name on it?

All Hell breaks loose at a diner when the waitress serves pie with a side of secrets.

Love thy neighbor. Love them to death. . . .

One generation initiates the next generation of gang-banger.

Too much is always more than enough in the drug biz.

Somebody is stalking a pedophile -- and it ain't Michael Jackson.

A safecracker's conscience gets the best of him on a job that's gone wrong, wrong, wrong.

Two government agents are on a mission -- but for who?

You better run -- when Boss Paul calls.

A woman comes between two men involved in some bad business.

A lesbian killer messes with. . . Aw, who the fuck are we kidding? Do you need more than that? C'mon. It's a lesbian freakin' killer for crissakes!!! "

Books on Demand

Thanks to Ed Gorman for the link.

Publishing: On-Demand Paperbacks - Newsweek Periscope - MSNBC.com: "July 31, 2006 issue - Imagine if there were a magic machine that could print entire books in mere minutes. You could go to a bookstore or coffee shop, choose a book online from millions of digital titles and then—poof!—out would come a fully bound book. You could get rare and out-of-print titles, in any language, and for less because the inventory isn't stored on site.

That machine exists—it's called the Espresso Book Machine—and it's currently being tested at the World Bank bookstore in Washington, D.C. (The New York Public Library and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, in Egypt, are each getting one in the fall.) Former Random House editorial director Jason Epstein, a legend in the industry, and former Dean & DeLuca CEO Dane Neller are backing the venture. 'We're on the verge of something really powerful here,' says Epstein.

The current model of the machine can print the text for a 300-page book, with a color paperback cover—and bind it—in just three minutes and for only a penny per page. It will retail for less than $100,000. If publishers digitize their catalogs and booksellers get onboard (big ifs), the machine could revolutionize the current warehouse-distribution model. 'I think that this may, indeed, someday come to fruition,' says Jane Friedman, CEO of HarperCollins. 'But there's a lot that still has to be worked out.'"

Things are Hairy in Scotland

Hairy MP wins sex scandal case - World - smh.com.au: "A Scottish Socialist MP has his excessive body hair to thank for a startling victory over the might of Britain's most aggressive tabloid newspaper.

Tommy Sheridan, 42, has been found by a jury to have been wronged by the Murdoch-owned News Of The World paper, which had accused him of being a serial adulterer and patron of swingers' clubs.

In a libel case that has transfixed Scotland for weeks, more than a dozen witnesses appeared to corroborate the newspaper's claims, including three women who reported having participated in orgies with Mr Sheridan.

Several of the former party leader's colleagues testified that he had admitted during a party meeting to frequenting swingers' clubs.

Even the Scottish Socialist Party leader, Colin Fox, confirmed Mr Sheridan's admission, and questioned his judgement in bringing the 200,000 euros ($500,000) action against the paper.

At one stage the popular MP sacked his defence team and proceeded to represent himself, quizzing women who claimed to have spanked him, rolled ice cubes around his body and taken cocaine with him. But it was Mr Sheridan's wife, Gail, who fed the defence its silver bullet.

Under heavy cross-examination by her husband, Gail Sheridan confessed to feeling surprised that none of his alleged paramours had mentioned his luxuriant body hair.

'You're like a monkey,' she told her husband in court. 'Anybody rolling an ice cube round your body would have had a hair ball in their throat.'

Mr Sheridan, in summarising his case, offered to disrobe to reinforce this point, but was restrained by the judge.

Early on Friday, however, the jury returned a verdict in favour of the MP, awarding the full amount of damages to be paid by the News Of The World."