Begorrah! Leprechaun theme park for Jackson? - Gossip: The Scoop - MSNBC.com: "Looks like Michael Jackson has taken a liking to the wee folk of Ireland.
The “Thriller” singer, who left the U.S. for the Mideast following his acquittal on sex charges, has been spending time on the Emerald Isle recently, and is looking into buying an estate there — possibly a castle — according to reports.
What’s more, he’s supposedly interested in opening up a leprechaun-inspired theme park."
Friday, September 22, 2006
Latest Issue of Crime Spree
The new issue of Crimespree arrived yesterday. As usual, it's full of great stuff: photos, reviews, comments, and even some fiction. And one other thing: a full page ad for Murdaland, which says that the first issue is now available. You can click the link for a look at the contents and a shot of the cover. It's going to be $12 an issue, so I'd say it's certainly not a direct competitor with or EQMMAHMM and that it doesn't want to be. Looks very interesting. But back to Crimespree. That's Greg Rucka on the cover, and you'll want to read the article about him and his work in both comics and novels. You'll want to read the whole issue, in fact, so check it out.
Smiling Bob May Not Be Smiling Today
Owner of ‘Smiling Bob‘ company indicted: "CINCINNATI - The maker of dietary supplements that claim to improve everything from sexuality to memory defrauded thousands of customers and banks of at least $100 million, federal authorities say.
Warshak, who has 107 counts against him, denies the accusations and will continue to operate the company, his attorney said Thursday.
The company, based in suburban Forest Park, also used false advertising, the indictment charges. In one example, Wednesday‘s indictment cited ads placed in Penthouse and other male-oriented magazines that claimed Enzyte was developed after years of study by two doctors, one at Harvard and the other at Stanford.
Customers with complaints were told to write to a director of customer care who did not exist, the indictment alleges.
The Food and Drug Administration , Internal Revenue Service , postal inspectors and other agencies participated in the investigation."
Warshak, who has 107 counts against him, denies the accusations and will continue to operate the company, his attorney said Thursday.
The company, based in suburban Forest Park, also used false advertising, the indictment charges. In one example, Wednesday‘s indictment cited ads placed in Penthouse and other male-oriented magazines that claimed Enzyte was developed after years of study by two doctors, one at Harvard and the other at Stanford.
Customers with complaints were told to write to a director of customer care who did not exist, the indictment alleges.
The Food and Drug Administration , Internal Revenue Service , postal inspectors and other agencies participated in the investigation."
For Those Who Hate Waiting in Line
For some reason Scott Cupp thought we needed to know about this.
CNN.com - Wanna cut in line? Eat a live cockroach - Sep 21, 2006: "GURNEE, Illinois (AP) -- Why wait in line when you can just eat a cockroach?
That's the question Six Flags Great America is asking thrill seekers during a Halloween-themed FrightFest. The amusement park is daring customers to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in exchange for unlimited line-jumping privileges.
The promotion, which has Lake County Health Department officials shaking their heads, starts October 7.
Anyone who chows down the entire 2- to 3-inch horned cockroach gets a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines through October 29.
Park officials insist it's safe to eat the crunchy critters, but health officials are cautioning participants."
CNN.com - Wanna cut in line? Eat a live cockroach - Sep 21, 2006: "GURNEE, Illinois (AP) -- Why wait in line when you can just eat a cockroach?
That's the question Six Flags Great America is asking thrill seekers during a Halloween-themed FrightFest. The amusement park is daring customers to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in exchange for unlimited line-jumping privileges.
The promotion, which has Lake County Health Department officials shaking their heads, starts October 7.
Anyone who chows down the entire 2- to 3-inch horned cockroach gets a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines through October 29.
Park officials insist it's safe to eat the crunchy critters, but health officials are cautioning participants."
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Don Walser, R. I. P.
Don Walser was born in 1934 in the small Texas Panhandle town of Brownfield and grew up in nearby Lamesa. His mother died when he was 11, and his father worked nights as a cotton mill superintendent. To fill the solitude of the daylight hours, he listened to the music of West Texas plains on the radio and watched the early cowboy crooners at the movie theater. He began to sing as a young boy, learning the songs, style, and yodeling skills of his musical models. He joined the National Guard at 15 (claiming he was 17), married his wife Pat at 17, and raised a family of four children. Instead of leaving West Texas to pursue his musical career on the road or in Nashville, he stayed home to devote himself to his family, playing clubs, VFW halls, and honkytonks at night and on the weekends. After 45 years with the National Guard as a mechanic, a superintendent, and an auditor, he retired.
My son worked on a couple of recording sessions with Walser, who was a true Texas classic. Check out some of the soundbites on the website that I linked to above.
Happy Birthday, Stephen King!
I wasn't into Stephen King's work at first. When Carrie was a big hit, I wasn't much interested. What grabbed me was 'Salem's Lot, which I still think is one of the best-ever vampire novels. After that, I was a confirmed Stephen King fan. I was lucky enough to attend the World Fantasy Convention in Ft. Worth in 1979, and King was there (which explains my signed copy of the first hardcover edition of Night Shift). That was when I discovered that King wasn't just some weird guy who wrote horror novels. He was, instead, some weird guy who'd read everything I'd read, and then some. I continued reading his books as they appeared up until around the time if It, which just about did me in. Too long, too rambling, too lacking in discipline? All of those? I don't know, but it marked the end of my having to read everything King wrote. I've read only a few things since (his book on writing, for one thing, and I liked that one a lot), but I remember those earlier books with great affection. And I read his column in Entertainment Weekly whenever it appears.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
F-89c Scorpion Update
For those of you who've been wondering about that F-89c Scorpoion that might, or might not, have been found in the Great Lakes, here's the update you've been waiting for, with images.
Thanks to Bill Halvorson for the link.
Thanks to Bill Halvorson for the link.
Is This the Ultimate Paris Hilton Page?
I report, you click, read, and decide.
Why Paris Hilton Is Famous (Or Understanding Value In A Post-Madonna World) ? chartreuse (BETA)
Why Paris Hilton Is Famous (Or Understanding Value In A Post-Madonna World) ? chartreuse (BETA)
Happy Birthday, Gogi Grant!
Back home again, just in time to wish Gogi Grant a happy 82nd birthday. "The Wayward Wind" was and is a favorite of mine. My first college roommate had an autographed photo of Gogi Grant that I coveted. That was about the only good thing about the guy.
Euless, Texas
So here Judy and I are in Euless, Texas, taking advantage of the free high-speed Internet service in the La Quinta Inn, where outside our window is a lovely view of the Euless Home Depot.
Last night I was on a panel at the Euless Public Library with Harry Hunsicker, Mike Cochran (the moderator), Carlton Stowers, and Diane Fanning. We had a fine time, and while Harry and I provided most of the lighter moments, Diane and Carlton spoke eloquently and movingly about their experiences in writing true crime. It was good to see Crimespot guy Graham Powell in the audience, not to metion superagent Jim Donovan and writer Margaret Mosely.
Now it's time for us to get back on the road. It's a long way to Alvin.
Last night I was on a panel at the Euless Public Library with Harry Hunsicker, Mike Cochran (the moderator), Carlton Stowers, and Diane Fanning. We had a fine time, and while Harry and I provided most of the lighter moments, Diane and Carlton spoke eloquently and movingly about their experiences in writing true crime. It was good to see Crimespot guy Graham Powell in the audience, not to metion superagent Jim Donovan and writer Margaret Mosely.
Now it's time for us to get back on the road. It's a long way to Alvin.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
See? Paris is NOT a Slut.
The Sun Online - News: Coogan can't get into the Hilton: "SEX addict Steve Coogan was snubbed by Paris Hilton when he begged her to let him into her Hollywood home.
The Alan Partridge star paid a late-night visit to the hotel heiress’s pad after drinking in a club with her and Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberly.
He banged on the door for an HOUR and demanded to be let in by 25-year-old Paris, who had left the nightspot before him.
But Paris, who dismissively calls the funnyman “Courtney’s Creep” after his brief fling with her pal Courtney Love, refused to open up.
A source close to her said: “She wouldn’t touch him if he was the last man on Earth.”"
The Alan Partridge star paid a late-night visit to the hotel heiress’s pad after drinking in a club with her and Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberly.
He banged on the door for an HOUR and demanded to be let in by 25-year-old Paris, who had left the nightspot before him.
But Paris, who dismissively calls the funnyman “Courtney’s Creep” after his brief fling with her pal Courtney Love, refused to open up.
A source close to her said: “She wouldn’t touch him if he was the last man on Earth.”"
Euless, Texas
In a couple of hours Judy and I will leaving for love Euless, Texas (Motto: We Have Less Eu), where I'll be on a program tonight at the public library. That means light blogging today and probably none tomorrow. Talk (like Pirates!) amongst yourselves.
District B13
In the near future things are so bad in Paris that the city has simply walled off the worst of the districts and pretty much left the criminals to themselves. The worst of the worst, I guess, is District B13. But there's one good guy living there, and he's played by David Belle, one of the creators of Parkour.What's Parkour? Well, it involves a lot of running, jumping, and falling. You just take off, and you don't let anything in your way stop you. Just watch the opening scene in District B13, and you'll see what I mean. Or you can click here for an amateur example.
The plot of the movie isn't really important, but it involves a nuclear bomb that's about to go off, countdown and all. Only one man (okay, two men) can stop it. There's a pretty funny Scarface parody in there somewhere, too. Don't bother thinking about any of it. That's not the point. The point is that David Belle can jump through a transom. What more can you ask for?
Monday, September 18, 2006
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
As I'm sure you're all aware, Tuesday, September 19, is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Some of you, however, may be ill-prepared to venture forth and speak without embarrassment. Luckily for you, there's a film that might help. For all I know you might even get college credit for watching it. Check it out.
(Link via Dave Barry's blog.)
(Link via Dave Barry's blog.)
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Willie Nelson hit with drug charges?|?Entertainment?|?Entertainment News?|?Reuters.com: "NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson and several fellow musicians were charged with misdemeanor drug possession by Louisiana police after a search of their tour bus on Monday turned up marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.
State police spokesman Willie Williams said the bus was stopped early on Monday morning about 7 miles east of Lafayette, Louisiana, for a routine commercial inspection, and a state trooper smelled marijuana inside the bus.
State Police seized about 1-1/2 pounds (0.7 kg) of marijuana and two-tenths of a pound (91 grams) of mushrooms from the bus, Williams said."
State police spokesman Willie Williams said the bus was stopped early on Monday morning about 7 miles east of Lafayette, Louisiana, for a routine commercial inspection, and a state trooper smelled marijuana inside the bus.
State Police seized about 1-1/2 pounds (0.7 kg) of marijuana and two-tenths of a pound (91 grams) of mushrooms from the bus, Williams said."
To Protect and Serve, Oregon Style
Mom: 9-1-1 call was to help son: "Hope Glenn was frustrated because she, her husband and her son's friends couldn't seem to calm her drunken, agitated 18-year-old son early Saturday. So she called 9-1-1 at 3:05 a.m. for help.
She told a dispatcher her teenage son, Lukus, was suicidal, standing outside their house in the Garden Home area of unincorporated Washington County with a knife to his throat.
'When I called 9-1-1, I called to save my son, to get some professional help,' she said in an interview Sunday. 'Maybe I'm naive.'
Minutes after Washington County sheriff's deputies and a Tigard police officer arrived and Glenn's son, Lukus, refused to drop his knife, officers fired bean-bag rounds at him. When Glenn turned toward the house, two deputies fired several gunshots. Relatives said the teenager collapsed by a doorstep. He died at the scene.
The sheriff's office did not say how many times or where Glenn was shot, but said the deputies fired because they were concerned he might harm family inside.
The teenager's parents and relatives Sunday said in interviews the deputies' gunfire ripped through the house and into the teenager's 72-year-old grandmother's room, barely missing her."
She told a dispatcher her teenage son, Lukus, was suicidal, standing outside their house in the Garden Home area of unincorporated Washington County with a knife to his throat.
'When I called 9-1-1, I called to save my son, to get some professional help,' she said in an interview Sunday. 'Maybe I'm naive.'
Minutes after Washington County sheriff's deputies and a Tigard police officer arrived and Glenn's son, Lukus, refused to drop his knife, officers fired bean-bag rounds at him. When Glenn turned toward the house, two deputies fired several gunshots. Relatives said the teenager collapsed by a doorstep. He died at the scene.
The sheriff's office did not say how many times or where Glenn was shot, but said the deputies fired because they were concerned he might harm family inside.
The teenager's parents and relatives Sunday said in interviews the deputies' gunfire ripped through the house and into the teenager's 72-year-old grandmother's room, barely missing her."
Anna Nicole Smith Update
CNN.com - 2nd Smith autopsy?rules out some causes - Sep 17, 2006: "NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) -- An autopsy ordered by Anna Nicole Smith to determine what killed her 20-year-old son has ruled out several natural causes, but her pathologist said he needs to conduct more tests, including drug and chemical analyses.
Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who gained fame as a consultant on celebrity cases including Elvis Presley's death, said the results of samples taken Sunday from Daniel Wayne Smith could take weeks to complete.
The former Playboy model and reality TV star's son died September 10 in a hospital room where she was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Wecht ruled out several potential natural causes including heart disease, stroke, or a 'congenital anomaly,' and said there was no indication of foul play.
'I don't find anything that would cause me to believe there is something in terms of some traumatic injury having been inflicted, or somebody having done something to him in some cryptic manner that could not be observed,' he said."
Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who gained fame as a consultant on celebrity cases including Elvis Presley's death, said the results of samples taken Sunday from Daniel Wayne Smith could take weeks to complete.
The former Playboy model and reality TV star's son died September 10 in a hospital room where she was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Wecht ruled out several potential natural causes including heart disease, stroke, or a 'congenital anomaly,' and said there was no indication of foul play.
'I don't find anything that would cause me to believe there is something in terms of some traumatic injury having been inflicted, or somebody having done something to him in some cryptic manner that could not be observed,' he said."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Thanks to John Duke for the link (video at the link).
ABC News: Has Paris Hilton Lost Her Mojo?: "Sept. 16, 2006 — Paris Hilton, famous for being famous, is used to living the good life and getting star treatment. But in a recent turn of events, it appears Paris Hilton's star may be descending rapidly.
'Paris Hilton has been having a string of bad weeks lately,' said ABC News entertainment contributor Katrina Szish. 'It seemed like nothing could go wrong in this girl's world. But lately, everything has been going wrong.'"
ABC News: Has Paris Hilton Lost Her Mojo?: "Sept. 16, 2006 — Paris Hilton, famous for being famous, is used to living the good life and getting star treatment. But in a recent turn of events, it appears Paris Hilton's star may be descending rapidly.
'Paris Hilton has been having a string of bad weeks lately,' said ABC News entertainment contributor Katrina Szish. 'It seemed like nothing could go wrong in this girl's world. But lately, everything has been going wrong.'"
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Gator Update
If you live in Florida, take the poll.
Poll to Help Manage Gators | theledger.com: "Poll to Help Manage Gators
Officials seek input for first review of gator management plan in decades.
By Tom Palmer
The Ledger
LAKELAND -- Some Floridians have seen alligators their entire lives and some Floridians know little about them outside of press accounts of fatal attacks on pets or humans.
State wildlife officials want to hear from that kind of cross section of residents as part of the first comprehensive review of alligator management in Florida in decades.
The online poll is being conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."
Poll to Help Manage Gators | theledger.com: "Poll to Help Manage Gators
Officials seek input for first review of gator management plan in decades.
By Tom Palmer
The Ledger
LAKELAND -- Some Floridians have seen alligators their entire lives and some Floridians know little about them outside of press accounts of fatal attacks on pets or humans.
State wildlife officials want to hear from that kind of cross section of residents as part of the first comprehensive review of alligator management in Florida in decades.
The online poll is being conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."
Happy Birthday, Robert B. Parker
I see on Gerald So's blog that Robert B. Parker is 74 today. Gerald finds Parker's voice engaging even in novels with thin plots. So do I, though Jeff Meyerson obviously doesn't, at least if you believe his comment on the "10 Greatest Detective Novels" post below. I've been reading Parker ever since his first book (I wish I'd gotten the first edition instead of the book club edition that I still own), and I'm not likely to stop any time soon.
Film Noir: A to Z
Check out this cool film noir alphabet from Louis Parks in the Houston Chronicle. Don't miss the slide show at the beginning. You might also want to read Parks' article on flim noir, which also has a short slide show in addition to some pertinent comments.
Anna Nicole: The Saga Continues
Anna Nicole's pathologist prepares for autopsy:
By MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press
"NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A pathologist who consulted in the death investigations of Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey said Saturday that Anna Nicole Smith had hired him to perform a repeat autopsy on her son.
Daniel Wayne Smith, 20, died Sept. 10 in a hospital room where the reality-TV star, former Playboy model and ex-Houston resident was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
By MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press
"NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A pathologist who consulted in the death investigations of Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey said Saturday that Anna Nicole Smith had hired him to perform a repeat autopsy on her son.
Daniel Wayne Smith, 20, died Sept. 10 in a hospital room where the reality-TV star, former Playboy model and ex-Houston resident was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Bob Dylan and Henry Timrod
Check out the whole article.
From the New York Times: Perhaps you’ve never heard of Henry Timrod, sometimes known as the poet laureate of the Confederacy.
But maybe you’ve heard his words, if you’re one of the 320,000 people so far who have bought Bob Dylan’s latest album, “Modern Times,” which made its debut last week at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
It seems that many of the lyrics on that album, Mr. Dylan’s first No. 1 album in 30 years (down to No. 3 this week), bear some strong echoes to the poems of Timrod, a Charleston native who wrote poems about the Civil War and died in 1867 at the age of 39.******************************
Henry Timrod was born in 1828 and was a private tutor on plantations before the Civil War started. He tried to sign up for the Confederate Army but was unable to serve in the field because he suffered from tuberculosis. He worked as an editor for a daily paper in Columbia, S.C., and began writing poems about the war and how it affected the residents of the South. He also wrote love poems and ruminations on nature. During his lifetime he published only one volume of poetry. Among his most famous poems were “Ode Sung on the Occasion of Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead at Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina 1866,” and “Ethnogenesis.” Mr. Cisco said he could not find any phrases from these poems in Mr. Dylan’s lyrics.
Mr. Dylan does not acknowledge any debt to Timrod on “Modern Times.” The liner notes simply say “All songs written by Bob Dylan” (although some fans have noted online that the title of the album contains the letters of Timrod’s last name).
Happy Birthday, Ken Kesey!
Ken Kesey was born on this day in 1935 and died in 2001. He wasn't a prolific novelist, but he did publish one of my favorite books, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I read it first in 1965 and then read it many times after that. I taught it nearly every semester for 12 years at when I was at Howard Payne U., and I'd previously taught it as a graduate assistant at Texas. The graduate assistants had a saying about freshman English: "When all else fails, teach the Cuckoo's Nest." It was the one book that never failed to catch the students' interest and resonate with them.
10 Greatest Detective Novels?
David Montgomery, over at the Crime Fiction Dossier, is embarking on the modest project of listing the 10 Greatest Detective Novels. Sort of. Check out his requirements and then trip on over to his blog and submit your own list.
Crime Fiction Dossier: "10 Greatest Detective Novels -- let the debate begin!
I've decided to compile a list of the 10 Greatest Detective Novels ever written. And you can help! I'll give my preliminary list below. Feel free to use the comments section to argue over the choices. Your suggestions and contributions are welcome. I want to put together the definitive list...Well, at least, the CFD's definitive list.
The only requirements are: the book must feature a detective; it must be written in English; and I have to have read it. (I know, you don't know what I've read. We'll figure it out.)"
Crime Fiction Dossier: "10 Greatest Detective Novels -- let the debate begin!
I've decided to compile a list of the 10 Greatest Detective Novels ever written. And you can help! I'll give my preliminary list below. Feel free to use the comments section to argue over the choices. Your suggestions and contributions are welcome. I want to put together the definitive list...Well, at least, the CFD's definitive list.
The only requirements are: the book must feature a detective; it must be written in English; and I have to have read it. (I know, you don't know what I've read. We'll figure it out.)"
The Warren Magazine Collection
Some great covers here. Check 'em out. (Link via Boing Boing.)
WARREN MAGAZINE Collection: "This Web Site was created for the Cover Collection from Warren Publishing magazines. It includes CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA."
WARREN MAGAZINE Collection: "This Web Site was created for the Cover Collection from Warren Publishing magazines. It includes CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA."
Greatest Hollywood Starlet?
Knightley tops poll - Movie news - Movies - Virgin.net: "Keira Knightley has been rated the greatest ever Hollywood starlet.
The British beauty was chosen ahead of Scarlett Johansson and movie legend Judy Garland in the survey of film fans.
Still only 21, the Pirates of the Caribbean actress already has one Oscar nomination under her belt for her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
The survey of 1,600 film-goers by Yahoo! Entertainment revealed that starlets from the golden age of Hollywood can still outshine some of today's talent.
Garland, whose films include The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me In St Louis and A Star Is Born, was second.
And Shirley Temple, child star of the 1930s, was fifth.
Scarlett Johansson was voted into third place.
The 21-year-old is currently sizzling on screen in Forties thriller The Black Dahlia.
Natalie Portman and Lindsay Lohan also appeared in the list, along with Brooke Shields and Mia Farrow."
The British beauty was chosen ahead of Scarlett Johansson and movie legend Judy Garland in the survey of film fans.
Still only 21, the Pirates of the Caribbean actress already has one Oscar nomination under her belt for her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
The survey of 1,600 film-goers by Yahoo! Entertainment revealed that starlets from the golden age of Hollywood can still outshine some of today's talent.
Garland, whose films include The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me In St Louis and A Star Is Born, was second.
And Shirley Temple, child star of the 1930s, was fifth.
Scarlett Johansson was voted into third place.
The 21-year-old is currently sizzling on screen in Forties thriller The Black Dahlia.
Natalie Portman and Lindsay Lohan also appeared in the list, along with Brooke Shields and Mia Farrow."
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Not Quite the Holy Grail . . .
. . . but close. I've known of three Harry Whittington sleaze titles for nearly 30 years, but I've never been able to find them. Thanks to Lynn Munroe, I've now cut that number to two. I'd never even seen a copy of Nightmare Alibi by "Henry Whittier," but now I own one. There's another title under that name (or possibly "Henri Whittier") that I'm still looking for (Another Man's Claim), and one called The Mexican Connection by "Howard Winslow." There are probably many more under names I don't know, but it's better that I never find out about them since they'd be impossible to find, I'm sure.
Happy Birthday, Lauren Bacall!
I always think of Lauren Bacall in black & white. Dark Passage. To Have and Have Not. The Big Sleep. Come to think of it, I guess I always associate her with Bogart, too. There's a lot more to her than that, of course. She's 82 today.
10 Worst Movies of the '80s
Blog: Stuck in the '80s | Tampabay.com - St. Petersburg Times: Top 10 Worst Movies of the 80s (aka Stallone Appreciation Day): "Today's biggest loser: Sylvester Stallone, come on down! With nearly a third of the movies on the top 10 list, you own this list. I'm having all comments forwarded to his agent."
The Celebrity Power of the Hoff!
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | The celebrity power of the Hoff: "From leather-clad cop with talking car to hunk in trunks, David Hasselhoff is the most watched television star in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records."
Yes, Another List
Any list that has Baby Doll on it is all right by me.
Entertainment Weekly's EW.com | Feature: Most controversial movies: Nos. 21-25: "The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever
The world's $583 million obsession with ''The Da Vinci Code'' proves it: We're fascinated by what shocks, disgusts, and divides us"
Entertainment Weekly's EW.com | Feature: Most controversial movies: Nos. 21-25: "The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever
The world's $583 million obsession with ''The Da Vinci Code'' proves it: We're fascinated by what shocks, disgusts, and divides us"
Headline of the Day
Woman pleads guilty in fake penis case - Yahoo! News: "Woman pleads guilty in fake penis case
Fri Sep 15, 6:51 AM ET
MCKEESPORT, Pa. - A woman pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with a bizarre incident in February that resulted in a fake penis being microwaved at a convenience store."
Fri Sep 15, 6:51 AM ET
MCKEESPORT, Pa. - A woman pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with a bizarre incident in February that resulted in a fake penis being microwaved at a convenience store."
Friday, September 15, 2006
Jim Lee's Texas
One of my favorite writers, teachers, and commentators, Jim Lee, has started a blog. Check out his list of the Top Ten Western movies and argue with him. Also, be sure to scroll down to his lits of favorite B-Westerns.
Don't Come Knockin' if This Van's Rockin'
You gotta like the Sheriff's answer.
Sandoval sheriff disputes reports : Local : Albuquerque Tribune: "Sandoval County Sheriff John Paul Trujillo denies what he calls 'very serious allegations' made about him in two Bernalillo Police Department reports.
According to the reports, two officers encountered Trujillo's dark blue SUV on Monday in a Park ?n' Ride lot on U.S. 550, and found 'the vehicle shaking back and forth.'
As officers approached, one observed the sheriff crawling 'from the back seat area of the SUV into the front driver-side seat' and 'maneuvering to put his pants on by way of buttoning and zipping.' The officer also observed 'in the back seat area the figure of a female crouching down obviously not wanting to be seen.'
According to the report, the officer asked what was going on and Trujillo responded that 'everything was fine.'"
Sandoval sheriff disputes reports : Local : Albuquerque Tribune: "Sandoval County Sheriff John Paul Trujillo denies what he calls 'very serious allegations' made about him in two Bernalillo Police Department reports.
According to the reports, two officers encountered Trujillo's dark blue SUV on Monday in a Park ?n' Ride lot on U.S. 550, and found 'the vehicle shaking back and forth.'
As officers approached, one observed the sheriff crawling 'from the back seat area of the SUV into the front driver-side seat' and 'maneuvering to put his pants on by way of buttoning and zipping.' The officer also observed 'in the back seat area the figure of a female crouching down obviously not wanting to be seen.'
According to the report, the officer asked what was going on and Trujillo responded that 'everything was fine.'"
Shadow of the Wind -- Carlos Ruiz Zafon, translated by Lucia Graves
Several people recommended this book, and I'd seen reviews referring to its literary quality its beautiful writing, its wonderful characters, and so on. So I bought it. I have to confess that while I managed to read the whole thing (it's very long), I wasn't as taken with it as others seem to be. I thought it was an attempt to write a modern version of the gothic novel. Having once taken a course in the gothic novel, I remember most of the things one is supposed to contain. Shadow of the Wind has 'em all. Deep, dark secrets? Check. Persecuted maidens? Check and double check. Death, decay, madness, crypts, madhouses? Check again. Old dark houses and dark and stormy nights? Check. Murders and violent confrontations? Check. Hints of the supernatural? Check. Dark figures slinking through the night? Doomed romance? Check. And so on. You get the idea. This kind of thing can be fun, but to tell the truth, after I've read nearly 500 pages of it, I don't want the big revelations to be things I guessed before I'd gotten to page 50. As for the beautiful writing, well, if referring to snow as "God's dandruff" is what constituted good writing for you, then you need to grab this book right now.
One of my big disappointments was that the opening pages introduce us to the "Cemetery of Fogotten Books." Now that's a great idea. But it's one that the novel does next to nothing with.
All in all, I'm not sorry I read Shadow of the Wind, but I don't plan to read any more books by Sr. Zafon. Should you check it out? If you like the kind of book I described, this is the kind of book you'll like. I report, you decide.
New Spinetingler
Sandra Ruttan says: "The Fall 2006 Issue of Spinetingler is now available. This is a double issue, in every sense of the word. Nineteen stories. 23 reviews. Profiles and interviews with the de la Crime, Peter Robinson, Reggie Nadelson and Simon Kernick, as well as a special look at joint promotion with Barry Eisler and JA Konrath: find out what they really did at Thrillerfest."
You can download it or read it on-line. Check it out.
You can download it or read it on-line. Check it out.
Jeb Bush: And You Thought G. W. Couldn't Speak English
Weird News at Tampa Bay's 10: "Governor Jeb Bush alongside Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio announced this year's book choice for the state's third annual reading promotion from the West Tampa library.
Bush compared “The Zero Game” by Brad Metzler to the “Da Vinci Code.” He said it’s a fast moving thriller about a betting game between politicians in congress. Bush says it's an entertaining way for anyone to better themselves.
Governor Jeb Bush, Florida
“If you could only do one thing really well to be successful in life it is probably to be really literate because then you can acquire knowledge, be respective of where you are, who you are and with that comes all sorts of other things.”"
Bush compared “The Zero Game” by Brad Metzler to the “Da Vinci Code.” He said it’s a fast moving thriller about a betting game between politicians in congress. Bush says it's an entertaining way for anyone to better themselves.
Governor Jeb Bush, Florida
“If you could only do one thing really well to be successful in life it is probably to be really literate because then you can acquire knowledge, be respective of where you are, who you are and with that comes all sorts of other things.”"
And I Haven't Even Seen "Thong Girl I"
Gallatin mayor let 'Thong Girl 3' be filmed in his office - Nashville, Tennessee - Friday, 09/15/06 - Tennessean.com: "GALLATIN — Mayor Don Wright has raised eyebrows in town by allowing the makers of 'Thong Girl 3' to film in his office on a Sunday.
Wright says he supports filmmaking for economic development in town and only knew generally what the movie was about.
'They told me it was a film about a superhero woman and there was no nudity or any kind of offensive stuff in the film,' Wright said.
In the film series, the risque superheroine dons red underwear and 'polices the skies with an iron fist' to keep Nashville safe, according to the Thong Girl Web site, thonggirlfilms.com.
Some say using City Hall for this kind of movie could be offensive."
Wright says he supports filmmaking for economic development in town and only knew generally what the movie was about.
'They told me it was a film about a superhero woman and there was no nudity or any kind of offensive stuff in the film,' Wright said.
In the film series, the risque superheroine dons red underwear and 'polices the skies with an iron fist' to keep Nashville safe, according to the Thong Girl Web site, thonggirlfilms.com.
Some say using City Hall for this kind of movie could be offensive."
Thursday, September 14, 2006
More of a Sad Story
This is a long (3-page) article. If you're interested in true crime tales, take a look at the whole thing.
Anna Nicole Smith tried to revive dead son?|?Entertainment?|?People?|?Reuters.com: "NASSAU, Bahamas (Reuters) - Anna Nicole Smith tried frantically to revive her 20-year-old son even after he had been pronounced dead by officials at the Bahamas hospital where the former Playboy centerfold had given just days before, her attorney said on Wednesday.
Moreover, she was so traumatized by the sudden death on Sunday morning of Daniel Smith, which local authorities have termed 'suspicious,' that she experienced memory loss, and had to be reminded of what had happened, according to a statement from Michael Scott.
Mother and son, along with her longtime attorney and spokesman Howard Stern, had spent Saturday night together in Smith's room at Doctors Hospital in Nassau, where the reality TV star was recovering from the birth of a daughter last Thursday.
When Smith noticed, about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, that Daniel did not appear to be breathing, she awoke Stern, who checked his pulse and immediately summoned hospital personnel.
'Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the medical staff was not able to revive Daniel,' Scott said. 'Even after Daniel had been pronounced dead, Anna Nicole and Howard frantically continued resuscitation efforts.'"
Anna Nicole Smith tried to revive dead son?|?Entertainment?|?People?|?Reuters.com: "NASSAU, Bahamas (Reuters) - Anna Nicole Smith tried frantically to revive her 20-year-old son even after he had been pronounced dead by officials at the Bahamas hospital where the former Playboy centerfold had given just days before, her attorney said on Wednesday.
Moreover, she was so traumatized by the sudden death on Sunday morning of Daniel Smith, which local authorities have termed 'suspicious,' that she experienced memory loss, and had to be reminded of what had happened, according to a statement from Michael Scott.
Mother and son, along with her longtime attorney and spokesman Howard Stern, had spent Saturday night together in Smith's room at Doctors Hospital in Nassau, where the reality TV star was recovering from the birth of a daughter last Thursday.
When Smith noticed, about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, that Daniel did not appear to be breathing, she awoke Stern, who checked his pulse and immediately summoned hospital personnel.
'Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the medical staff was not able to revive Daniel,' Scott said. 'Even after Daniel had been pronounced dead, Anna Nicole and Howard frantically continued resuscitation efforts.'"
Plunder of the Sun -- The Movie
I'd read David Dodge's novel a couple of years ago because it was set in Peru. The movie, as it turns out, is set in Mexico, so the Incan ruins of the novel become Aztec ruins in the movie. Sine the movie was filmed in 1953, it's a record of a different time. When Ford and Diana Lynn traipse around the deserted ruins (today, there'd be thousands of tourists swarming over them), he's in a suit and tie; she's wearing a coctail dress and heels. In fact Ford's nearly always in a suit and tie, even when digging up atifacts. Those were the days.
The plot from Dodge's novel is pretty much intact, though in a Cliff's Notes version (the screenplay is by Jonathan Latimer): ancient manuscript, treasure, everyone trying to beat everyone else to the treasure, and nobody's motives made clear until the end. Though the movie's short, there's a foot chase near the end that's dragged out for too long. There's some atmospheric B&W photography, but the ruins really aren't done justice. Color would have worked better.
Ford is very good as hardboiled Al Colby, and I enjoyed the performance of Sean McClory as the bespectacled villain. Patricia Medina looks great, as always, and Francis Sullivan dies too soon. Overall, about a C+. You could do better, but you could also do worse.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
There They Go Again, Trampling on our Precious Rights
AP Wire | 09/13/2006 | Sports group stops raffle with gun prize: "WEAVERVILLE, N.C. - A youth athletic association stopped the sale of raffle tickets for an Uzi submachine gun after parents complained that the tickets were being sold at a concession stand.
Gary Chandler, commissioner of the North Buncombe Youth Athletic Association, said his group didn't approve the raffle tickets, which were sold Saturday during football practice at North Buncombe Park.
'It was a parent who was doing soliciting out in the community,' Chandler said. 'This individual or parent did not think it through.'"
Gary Chandler, commissioner of the North Buncombe Youth Athletic Association, said his group didn't approve the raffle tickets, which were sold Saturday during football practice at North Buncombe Park.
'It was a parent who was doing soliciting out in the community,' Chandler said. 'This individual or parent did not think it through.'"
New Issue of Thrilling Detective
Kevin Burton Smith says that the new issue of Thrilling Detective is up and live, "with with not one, not two, not even three or four but FIVE new private eye short stories.
"That's private eyes, folks. Not talking cats or clever pastry chefs or serial killers suffering from verbal diarrhea.
"Yep, we've got new stuff from Sarah Weinman, Kim Harrington, Russel McLean, Daniel Hatadi and D.H. Reddall. It's an intriguing mix of virgins and those who've been around the block a few times. Check 'em out. Let us know what you think.
"We've also got an excerpt from the early 60s pulp classic A DUM-DUM FOR THE PRESIDENT by Brett Martin, featuring Montreal private eye Mike Garfin.
"Plus over 300 new or updated files (and more on the way), and a couple of new non-fiction essays, including Max Allan Collins' MICKEY SPILLANE: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL."
"That's private eyes, folks. Not talking cats or clever pastry chefs or serial killers suffering from verbal diarrhea.
"Yep, we've got new stuff from Sarah Weinman, Kim Harrington, Russel McLean, Daniel Hatadi and D.H. Reddall. It's an intriguing mix of virgins and those who've been around the block a few times. Check 'em out. Let us know what you think.
"We've also got an excerpt from the early 60s pulp classic A DUM-DUM FOR THE PRESIDENT by Brett Martin, featuring Montreal private eye Mike Garfin.
"Plus over 300 new or updated files (and more on the way), and a couple of new non-fiction essays, including Max Allan Collins' MICKEY SPILLANE: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL."
The Plot Thickens
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
iWon News - Officials May Know Why Smith's Son Died: "NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Authorities believe they know what killed the 20-year-old son of Anna Nicole Smith but are awaiting a toxicology report to confirm their findings, and are holding open the possibility criminal charges will be filed, the Bahamas coroner said Wednesday.
Her Majesty's Coroner Linda P. Virgill told The Associated Press that once the coroner's office receives the toxicology report of David Wayne Smith, it could launch a formal inquiry and there is the possibility his death on Sunday could result in the filing of criminal charges.
'We do know the cause of death,' Virgill said. 'But we need to confirm it with a toxicology report.'"
iWon News - Officials May Know Why Smith's Son Died: "NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Authorities believe they know what killed the 20-year-old son of Anna Nicole Smith but are awaiting a toxicology report to confirm their findings, and are holding open the possibility criminal charges will be filed, the Bahamas coroner said Wednesday.
Her Majesty's Coroner Linda P. Virgill told The Associated Press that once the coroner's office receives the toxicology report of David Wayne Smith, it could launch a formal inquiry and there is the possibility his death on Sunday could result in the filing of criminal charges.
'We do know the cause of death,' Virgill said. 'But we need to confirm it with a toxicology report.'"
He Said He Wanted to Have a Hot Time
Crime Scene KC: "Analyst says she may avoid jail time
A Montreal woman has pled guilty to setting her boyfriend's penis on fire with fondue fuel while he slept after an argument. He suffered third-degree burns on the groin and spent a month in the hospital."
A Montreal woman has pled guilty to setting her boyfriend's penis on fire with fondue fuel while he slept after an argument. He suffered third-degree burns on the groin and spent a month in the hospital."
Bob Dylan on XM
Just a reminder: You can listen to Bob Dylan yourself today on AOL Radio, or you can listen to any (or all) of the previous shows. The links are in my post here. Check it out.
Sad Anna Nicole Update
Mystery surrounds death of Anna Nicole Smith's son: "Mystery surrounds death of model's son
By JESSICA ROBERTSON
Associated Press
NASSAU, Bahamas — The remains of Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son, who died suddenly while visiting his celebrity mother in the hospital, were to be returned to his home in California with no official word yet on what caused his death.
A funeral home hired by the family of the 38-year-old reality TV star, who had given birth to a healthy baby girl in the same hospital three days earlier, said today it expected to receive Daniel Smith's body after police completed an autopsy."
**************
"Daniel Smith, who died Saturday, was the product of Smith's 1985 marriage to Billy Smith. The couple, who met while working together at Jim's Krispy Fried Chicken in Mexia, Texas, divorced in 1987. The son had small roles in her movies Skyscraper and To the Limit."
By JESSICA ROBERTSON
Associated Press
NASSAU, Bahamas — The remains of Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son, who died suddenly while visiting his celebrity mother in the hospital, were to be returned to his home in California with no official word yet on what caused his death.
A funeral home hired by the family of the 38-year-old reality TV star, who had given birth to a healthy baby girl in the same hospital three days earlier, said today it expected to receive Daniel Smith's body after police completed an autopsy."
**************
"Daniel Smith, who died Saturday, was the product of Smith's 1985 marriage to Billy Smith. The couple, who met while working together at Jim's Krispy Fried Chicken in Mexia, Texas, divorced in 1987. The son had small roles in her movies Skyscraper and To the Limit."
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
This Might Not Be True . . .
. . . but if one can't believe The Sun, whom can one believe?
The Sun, September 12, 2006
A WIFE aged 65 chopped off her dead husband’s willy in hospital — so she could keep it in a pickling jar as a souvenir.
The Sun, September 12, 2006
A WIFE aged 65 chopped off her dead husband’s willy in hospital — so she could keep it in a pickling jar as a souvenir.
Uta Schneider used a butcher’s knife to hack off the “treasured” manhood. She wrapped it in foil and put it in a lunchbox — next to gherkins.
But she was spotted by a nurse and arrested in Stuttgart, Germany. She is accused of mutilation.
Uta was wed to Heinrich, 68, for 35 years.
She told police: “It was his best asset and gave me so much pleasure.
“I wanted to pickle it for eternity — he would have wanted it. We called it his joystick. I wanted it to remember him by.”
Monday, September 11, 2006
The Hoff: Classier Than You Ever Imagined
The Hoff's 'friendship' with Diana: "Baywatch legend David Hasselhoff has claimed he was asked to sing at Princess Diana's funeral service.
The Hoff, whose musical talents are perhaps better known in Germany, said the Princess's brother asked him to perform at the service which famously featured Sir Elton John's outstanding rendition of a reworked 'Candle in the Wind'.
The former hunk in trunks said there was a common bond between the pair while the Princess was alive and that she even wrote him letters which she dared not send.
The Hoff said: 'Her brother Charles rang me up and asked me to sing at her memorial and he said she'd written me letters but had never sent them.
'He said 'was there something there?' and I said 'yeah'. I saw a lonely person in her, I saw a little girl and someone who needed a friend and I kind of needed a friend at that time and didn't even know it.
'We had a lot of fun together. The first thing she said to me was 'you look good with your clothes on' and I said 'so do you'.'
A spokesperson for Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, said: 'I'm afraid that we have nothing to say on this subject.'"
The Hoff, whose musical talents are perhaps better known in Germany, said the Princess's brother asked him to perform at the service which famously featured Sir Elton John's outstanding rendition of a reworked 'Candle in the Wind'.
The former hunk in trunks said there was a common bond between the pair while the Princess was alive and that she even wrote him letters which she dared not send.
The Hoff said: 'Her brother Charles rang me up and asked me to sing at her memorial and he said she'd written me letters but had never sent them.
'He said 'was there something there?' and I said 'yeah'. I saw a lonely person in her, I saw a little girl and someone who needed a friend and I kind of needed a friend at that time and didn't even know it.
'We had a lot of fun together. The first thing she said to me was 'you look good with your clothes on' and I said 'so do you'.'
A spokesperson for Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, said: 'I'm afraid that we have nothing to say on this subject.'"
Elvis (Jr.) Lives!
Son of Elvis or not, singer drops touring to settle down by lake
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Michael Sangiacomo
Plain Dealer Reporter
"Celina, Ohio- People with 'Suspicious Minds' want to know: Does the son of Elvis Presley live in Ohio?
Absolutely, says Elvis Presley Jr., and he'll tell you all about it.
'Junior,' as he likes to be called, can be found at Dreamland, the Elvis Presley Museum and Dinner Show, on Celina Road (Ohio 703) near Grand Lake St. Marys.
The museum, attached to the 'Nifty 50s' diner, is open daily. On weekends, Junior performs Elvis' greatest hits and some songs of his own. The club opened the first week of July and has sold out shows ever since.
Junior looks the part: the face, the hair. But unlike the army of Elvis impersonators, he doesn't talk like Elvis. He sings like Elvis but refuses to wear a tacky jeweled jumpsuit.
At 45, he's outlived Elvis, who died at age 42 in 1977.
But is he really the son of The King?
'People either believe or they don't,' he said. 'It's my story, and I feel I have the proof, and the rest is up to them.'"
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Michael Sangiacomo
Plain Dealer Reporter
"Celina, Ohio- People with 'Suspicious Minds' want to know: Does the son of Elvis Presley live in Ohio?
Absolutely, says Elvis Presley Jr., and he'll tell you all about it.
'Junior,' as he likes to be called, can be found at Dreamland, the Elvis Presley Museum and Dinner Show, on Celina Road (Ohio 703) near Grand Lake St. Marys.
The museum, attached to the 'Nifty 50s' diner, is open daily. On weekends, Junior performs Elvis' greatest hits and some songs of his own. The club opened the first week of July and has sold out shows ever since.
Junior looks the part: the face, the hair. But unlike the army of Elvis impersonators, he doesn't talk like Elvis. He sings like Elvis but refuses to wear a tacky jeweled jumpsuit.
At 45, he's outlived Elvis, who died at age 42 in 1977.
But is he really the son of The King?
'People either believe or they don't,' he said. 'It's my story, and I feel I have the proof, and the rest is up to them.'"
Will the Persecution NEVER End?
How Paris was left hopping at Branson's Mad Hatter bash ... | the Daily Mail: "How Paris was left hopping at Branson's Mad Hatter bash ...
By CHRISTOPHER LEAKE Last updated at 10:06am on 10th September 2006
Paris had asked if she could come to the Mad Hatter-themed bash dressed as Alice in Wonderland - guaranteeing her a starring role.
But when the Virgin tycoon found out, he secretly ordered that all 60 waitresses at the event should also wear Alice costumes - and he rubbed salt into Paris's wounds when she arrived by deliberately mistaking her for one of the serving staff and asking her to serve him a drink."
By CHRISTOPHER LEAKE Last updated at 10:06am on 10th September 2006
Paris had asked if she could come to the Mad Hatter-themed bash dressed as Alice in Wonderland - guaranteeing her a starring role.
But when the Virgin tycoon found out, he secretly ordered that all 60 waitresses at the event should also wear Alice costumes - and he rubbed salt into Paris's wounds when she arrived by deliberately mistaking her for one of the serving staff and asking her to serve him a drink."
On-Line Interactive Mystery Game
CNN.com - Review: 'Mansfield Manor' a clever whodunit - Aug 18, 2006: "Review: 'Mansfield Manor' a clever whodunit
By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service
Friday, August 18, 2006; Posted: 2:05 p.m. EDT (18:05 GMT)
Armchair sleuths with a knack for solving murder mysteries on TV shows or in books can put their skills to the test with a new Web-only adventure, 'Mystery at Mansfield Manor.'
This clever whodunit can best be described as an online interactive movie with nearly three hours of live-action video.
The game stars 14 real actors -- most of whom are suspects -- and it's your job as Detective Frank Mitchell to interrogate each one to solve the murder of a wealthy oil industrialist, Colin Mansfield Sr."
Mystery*File Update
Not good news. But there is some good news further down in the post. Go read it all.
MYSTERY*FILE ON-LINE: "Sept 10. SITE STATUS. I’ve been delaying this decision as long as possible, but since it has to be made, there’s no reason to put it off any longer. I’m not shutting down, but M*F On-Line, as it’s existed over the past year or so, is going on hiatus for the time being."
MYSTERY*FILE ON-LINE: "Sept 10. SITE STATUS. I’ve been delaying this decision as long as possible, but since it has to be made, there’s no reason to put it off any longer. I’m not shutting down, but M*F On-Line, as it’s existed over the past year or so, is going on hiatus for the time being."
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
I shouldn't write posts like the one immediately below. I start thinking about stuff, and one thing leads to another. You know how it goes. Anyway, thinking of the JFK assassination reminded me of Mort Sahl, whose career took a header when he became obsessed with the assassination and the supposed conspiracy surrounding it. Sahl's still around. It's just that his career died a long time ago. Or if it didn't die, it more or less disappeared. Anyway, I was reminded of one of Sahl's jokes: "Senator McCarthy doesn't disagree with what you say, so much as he disagrees with your right to say it." Change the name (you can probably think of a few to substitute without even trying), and you've got a joke you could use right now.
September 11
Everything happens when I'm in school. I guess that's because I spent most of my life in the classroom, one way or the other. When JFK was shot, I was in my first year of teaching. I was talking to to my fourth-period class about some scene in Huckleberry Finn when the school secretary came to the door and called me out of the room. She told me that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. That was all she knew. I went back into class and finished the lesson.
I had a study hall the next period. It was in a huge room with a lot of students. I think there must have been 100, but I could easily be mistaken. When I walked in, the room was completely quiet, a big change from the usual. Someone had set a little transistor radio in one of the windows and tuned it to a Dallas station. For the rest of the period we all listened. For nearly an hour nobody said a thing. Some of the students cried.
Five years ago on this date I was in my office at Alvin Community College. A lot of years in a lot of different schools had gone by since that long ago day in 1963. I was grading some papers when John Duke came in from the office next door to tell me that something was happening in New York. An airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. He had a TV set in his office, so I went with him to see what was going on. We saw the Twin Towers collapse.
Like a lot of people who were a good distance removed from the event, I spent most of the rest of the day in a kind of daze. I couldn't quite get a grip on what had happened. I'm not sure I have one yet. In the years since, a lot of things have happened in this country. Most of them I don't like at all, though I don't often talk about them here. That's not the purpose of this blog (in case you were wondering, the purpose of this blog is to keep me entertained). I just thought I'd say a few words today and then move on.
I had a study hall the next period. It was in a huge room with a lot of students. I think there must have been 100, but I could easily be mistaken. When I walked in, the room was completely quiet, a big change from the usual. Someone had set a little transistor radio in one of the windows and tuned it to a Dallas station. For the rest of the period we all listened. For nearly an hour nobody said a thing. Some of the students cried.
Five years ago on this date I was in my office at Alvin Community College. A lot of years in a lot of different schools had gone by since that long ago day in 1963. I was grading some papers when John Duke came in from the office next door to tell me that something was happening in New York. An airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. He had a TV set in his office, so I went with him to see what was going on. We saw the Twin Towers collapse.
Like a lot of people who were a good distance removed from the event, I spent most of the rest of the day in a kind of daze. I couldn't quite get a grip on what had happened. I'm not sure I have one yet. In the years since, a lot of things have happened in this country. Most of them I don't like at all, though I don't often talk about them here. That's not the purpose of this blog (in case you were wondering, the purpose of this blog is to keep me entertained). I just thought I'd say a few words today and then move on.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Jumper -- The Movie
Steve Gould wrote an excellent SF novel called Jumper, which I read a number of years ago. It's now being filmed, and JoBlo has some photos from the set, including one of Samuel L. Jackson, who's definitely not in his Snakes on a Plane mode. Check it out. (Better yet, read the book if you haven't done so already.)
Megan Abbott Speaks
Over at The Rap Sheet, Megan Abbott has some interesting commentary on the actual case that inspired her forthcoming novel, The Song is You. Check it out.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Now You, too, Can Hear Bob Dylan on Theme Time Radio
Slampo doesn't like Bob Dylan's new album, but he has a link to this page, where you can listen to all the back shows. I also learned that Theme Time Radio Hour is now simulcast on AOL Radio, which is all for free, so you can listen every week. Now I can stop posting those playlists. You're on your own.
50 Best High School Movies?
Entertainment Weekly (or Weakly, as someone likes to say) has a list. I'd rank 16 Candles much higher. And how could they leave off Blackboard Jungle. Maybe I just missed it.
Friday, September 08, 2006
September 8, 1900: Deadly Anniversary
The 1900 Storm: Galveston, Texas: "A Galveston Daily News reporter in 1900 said the story of the Sept. 8, 1900, hurricane could never truly be written. For many, no words could ever be spoken again about the deadly hurricane that reshaped the Gulf Coast forever."
Happy Birthday, Grace Metalious!
Gator/Croc Update
Northern Territory News: Supersized saltie is back [ 08sep06 ]: "A CROCODILE believed to be the biggest known specimen in the world has returned to a popular Territory fishing spot.
Dozens of tourists were treated to a rare sighting of the super-sized saltie, estimated to measure at least 6m long, on a boat tour of Corroboree Billabong.
Tour guide Ted Jackson, who operates Wilderness 4WD Safaris, spotted the saltie on the banks of the Mary River two months ago -- but did not see it again until Sunday.
'He is without a doubt the largest-known living crocodile I've ever seen or heard of,' he said.
'We were just 2m from his head, which was lying on the bank of the river parallel to the edge.
'Boy, is he something.
'I was only just telling the group all about him and there he was.' "
Dozens of tourists were treated to a rare sighting of the super-sized saltie, estimated to measure at least 6m long, on a boat tour of Corroboree Billabong.
Tour guide Ted Jackson, who operates Wilderness 4WD Safaris, spotted the saltie on the banks of the Mary River two months ago -- but did not see it again until Sunday.
'He is without a doubt the largest-known living crocodile I've ever seen or heard of,' he said.
'We were just 2m from his head, which was lying on the bank of the river parallel to the edge.
'Boy, is he something.
'I was only just telling the group all about him and there he was.' "
Coming in January from St. Martin's
Buy early and often! (This is a Sheriff Rhodes book, despite the academic-looking cover.)Joi Lansing Sings and Dances!
Yes, and it's all there for you to see at Jaime Weinman's fine site. Check it out.
Something Old, Nothing New: Scopitones!: "'Trapped in the Web of Love,' a video with stupefyingly literal interpretations of the lyrics and lots of wholesome obscenity, featuring Joi Lansing."
Something Old, Nothing New: Scopitones!: "'Trapped in the Web of Love,' a video with stupefyingly literal interpretations of the lyrics and lots of wholesome obscenity, featuring Joi Lansing."
She Only Wanted a Quick In-N-Out!
No, the title is not a straight line. I knew, of course, that she had a good excuse. (And thanks to Paris Hilton mauven Jeff Meyverson for the link.)
New York Daily News - Daily Dish & Gossip - Hilton is booked: "Hungry Paris only had one, lawyer says of DWI bust
LOS ANGELES - Hunger drove Paris Hilton to drink and drive, her rep says.
The willowy starlet, busted and handcuffed early yesterday on a drunken driving charge in Hollywood, was famished from a long day of working and schmoozing without eating when she headed out for a burger after downing 'one margarita' at a charity bash, her spokesman Elliott Mintz told the Daily News.
'She had not eaten all day. She was a little weak. She left the event intending to go to In-N-Out Burger,' Mintz said. 'She is a big fan of fast food.'"
New York Daily News - Daily Dish & Gossip - Hilton is booked: "Hungry Paris only had one, lawyer says of DWI bust
LOS ANGELES - Hunger drove Paris Hilton to drink and drive, her rep says.
The willowy starlet, busted and handcuffed early yesterday on a drunken driving charge in Hollywood, was famished from a long day of working and schmoozing without eating when she headed out for a burger after downing 'one margarita' at a charity bash, her spokesman Elliott Mintz told the Daily News.
'She had not eaten all day. She was a little weak. She left the event intending to go to In-N-Out Burger,' Mintz said. 'She is a big fan of fast food.'"
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Paragaea -- Chris Roberson
At Armadillocon, I was on a panel called "What Should I Have Read this Year?" One of the panelists, Willie Siros, mentioned this book. When Willie speaks, I listen, so I immediately went into the dealers' room and picked up a copy. It's billed as "A Planetary Romance" in the tradition of Burroughs and Leigh Brackett, but I was reminded more of the "travels through wonder" branch of the genre. (The first Jack Vance book I ever read was Big Planet, which I thought of when reading this one. Maybe it's a planetary romance, too.)What happens is that a Russian cosmonaut (Leena Chirikov) from the early '60s slips through a wormhole to a parallel earth full of dinosaurs, cat men, snake men, and more wonders than I can catalogue here. Not to mention a handy hero (that's his name, too, sort of) from her own world (again, sort of). It's just one damn thing after another, from the first chapter to the last. There's enough material here for a slew of sequels about the different characters who go their own ways at the end of the novel. It's a very Burroughsian ending.
I enjoyed Roberson's take on all the old pulp cliches, updated in his own sly ways. He even manages to work in a comment (or so I took it) on airport security. Check it out.
Some Questions about Carter Brown
Dr. Toni Johnson-Woods, author of a two-part article on Australian pulp fiction, has some questions about Carter Brown. I'm sure she'd appreciate any help you can give her.
To Each His Own
Thanks, again, to Jeff Meyerson.
KSBY - Sheriff's Deputies Make Bizarre Arrest: "Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies come across a bizarre encounter at La Purisima Mission in Lompoc.
Around midnight they found a 69-year-old Huntington beach man...naked and covered in oats.
Deputies say the man had covered himself in olive oil, rolled around in oats and allowed the horses at the mission to lick him clean.
He apparently told deputies this has always been a fantasy of his and drove up from the Los Angeles area to play it out."
KSBY - Sheriff's Deputies Make Bizarre Arrest: "Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies come across a bizarre encounter at La Purisima Mission in Lompoc.
Around midnight they found a 69-year-old Huntington beach man...naked and covered in oats.
Deputies say the man had covered himself in olive oil, rolled around in oats and allowed the horses at the mission to lick him clean.
He apparently told deputies this has always been a fantasy of his and drove up from the Los Angeles area to play it out."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
iWon News - Paris Hilton Booked on DUI Charges: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paris Hilton was arrested early Thursday for investigation of driving under the influence, police said.
Hilton was arrested shortly before 12:30 a.m. after being pulled over in Hollywood, said police Officer I. Isabella, who declined to give his first name.
Police stopped Hilton because she was 'driving erratically,' he said.
'The officers observed that Hilton exhibited the symptoms of intoxication. A field sobriety test was conducted at scene, and the officers determined she was driving under the influence,' Isabella said, reading a police statement.
Hilton was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and released, he said."
iWon News - Paris Hilton Booked on DUI Charges: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paris Hilton was arrested early Thursday for investigation of driving under the influence, police said.
Hilton was arrested shortly before 12:30 a.m. after being pulled over in Hollywood, said police Officer I. Isabella, who declined to give his first name.
Police stopped Hilton because she was 'driving erratically,' he said.
'The officers observed that Hilton exhibited the symptoms of intoxication. A field sobriety test was conducted at scene, and the officers determined she was driving under the influence,' Isabella said, reading a police statement.
Hilton was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and released, he said."
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Bob's Back!
Dylan's New Album Hits No. 1 on Charts: "Bob Dylan is back at the top of the charts — for the first time in 30 years. His new album, 'Modern Times,' reached No. 1 on the album sales chart, selling 192,000 units in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures released Wednesday.
The critically acclaimed disc is Dylan's first No. 1 album since 1976's 'Desire.'"
The critically acclaimed disc is Dylan's first No. 1 album since 1976's 'Desire.'"
Bob Dylan on XM
Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio on XM
September 6, 2006
Theme: The Good Book
“Where Are You Bound?” sermon by the Reverend J. M. Gates
“The Bottle and a Bible,” the Yayhoos
Clip from The 38 Steps
Bob tells the story of Samson and Delilah
“Samson and Delilah” (“If I had my Way”), The Reverend Gary Davis
“He Will Set Your Fields on Fire,” Kitty Wells
“Adam, Come and Get Your Rib,” Wynonie Harris
“The Old Ark’s a-Movin’,” AA Gray
“Denomination Blues,” Washington Phillips
“I’m Using my Bible for a Roadmap,” The Four Interns
“God and the Bible,” commentary by Keb Mo
“Elijah Rock,” Ollabelle
“Rivers of Babylon,” Melodians
“John the Revelator,” Blind Willie Johnson
“Boogie Woogie Preachin’ Man,” Jess Willard
“Oh Mary Don’t You Weep,” The Swan Silvertones
“That’s What the Good Book Says,” The Robins
September 6, 2006
Theme: The Good Book
“Where Are You Bound?” sermon by the Reverend J. M. Gates
“The Bottle and a Bible,” the Yayhoos
Clip from The 38 Steps
Bob tells the story of Samson and Delilah
“Samson and Delilah” (“If I had my Way”), The Reverend Gary Davis
“He Will Set Your Fields on Fire,” Kitty Wells
“Adam, Come and Get Your Rib,” Wynonie Harris
“The Old Ark’s a-Movin’,” AA Gray
“Denomination Blues,” Washington Phillips
“I’m Using my Bible for a Roadmap,” The Four Interns
“God and the Bible,” commentary by Keb Mo
“Elijah Rock,” Ollabelle
“Rivers of Babylon,” Melodians
“John the Revelator,” Blind Willie Johnson
“Boogie Woogie Preachin’ Man,” Jess Willard
“Oh Mary Don’t You Weep,” The Swan Silvertones
“That’s What the Good Book Says,” The Robins
For the '80s Generation
Over 1500 music videos. I recommend starting with ABBA.
(Hat tip to Pop Culture Junk Mail for the link.)
(Hat tip to Pop Culture Junk Mail for the link.)
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Yet Another One of those Lists
Screen siren Vivien Leigh tops British beauty poll | 24dash.com - Showbiz & Slap Dash: "Screen siren Vivien Leigh has topped a poll of the greatest British beauties of all time.
The Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind actress, who died in 1967, beat contemporary style icons like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller to the title.
Elizabeth Taylor, who was born in Britain to American parents, came second.
She was followed by former Darling Buds of May actress Catherine Zeta Jones in third place.
Princess Diana took fourth place in the survey of 1,000 men and women.
Screen icon Julie Christie was next, followed by Bond star Honor Blackman.
Supermodel Kate Moss took seventh place, followed by actress Sienna Miller, model Liz Hurley and actress Jane Seymour.
The survey, for the Bottlegreen Drinks Co, also found the so-called golden age of film boasted the most beautiful man of all time - Cary Grant.
:: The top 10 British female beauties:
1. Vivien Leigh
2. Elizabeth Taylor
3. Catherine Zeta Jones
4. Princess Diana
5. Julie Christie
6. Honor Blackman
7. Kate Moss
8. Sienna Miller
9. Liz Hurley
10. Jane Seymour"
Our Legal System at Work
Michigan woman cleared of crime after bank finds money: "GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Accused of stealing money from work, Lisa Hansen has maintained her innocence.
She said after leaving her receptionist job at a Panopoulos salon last Sept. 3, she had placed a bag containing $80 in cash and $345 in checks that belonged to the company in the night depository of a Huntington National bank branch, just as she was supposed to do.
Several days later, her manager told her that the money was missing. He fired her but promised that the company wouldn't press charges if she returned the cash and the checks.
The Grand Rapids woman said she did nothing wrong. She was subsequently arrested, jailed and punished.
Then, on Aug. 9, a bank worker found the money -- right where Hansen had said she'd left it nearly a year earlier. Huntington officials will say only that the bag had become lodged and hidden within the depository."
She said after leaving her receptionist job at a Panopoulos salon last Sept. 3, she had placed a bag containing $80 in cash and $345 in checks that belonged to the company in the night depository of a Huntington National bank branch, just as she was supposed to do.
Several days later, her manager told her that the money was missing. He fired her but promised that the company wouldn't press charges if she returned the cash and the checks.
The Grand Rapids woman said she did nothing wrong. She was subsequently arrested, jailed and punished.
Then, on Aug. 9, a bank worker found the money -- right where Hansen had said she'd left it nearly a year earlier. Huntington officials will say only that the bag had become lodged and hidden within the depository."
Greatest Movie Musicals?
CNN.com - 'Singin' in the Rain' named best musical ever - Sep 5, 2006: "LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- 'Singin' in the Rain' topped the American Film Institute's list of the '25 Greatest Movie Musicals,' the movie preservation group said Sunday.
A jury of more than 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected the list, whose top 10 are, in descending order, 'West Side Story,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Cabaret,' 'Mary Poppins,' the 1954 'A Star Is Born,' 'My Fair Lady,' 'An American in Paris' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis.'
The remaining 15 films are 'The King & I,' 'Chicago,' '42nd Street,' 'All that Jazz,' 'Top Hat,' 'Funny Girl,' 'The Band Wagon,' 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'On the Town,' 'Grease,' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,' Walt Disney's 1991 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Guys and Dolls,' 1936's 'Showboat' and 'Moulin Rouge!'"
A jury of more than 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected the list, whose top 10 are, in descending order, 'West Side Story,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Cabaret,' 'Mary Poppins,' the 1954 'A Star Is Born,' 'My Fair Lady,' 'An American in Paris' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis.'
The remaining 15 films are 'The King & I,' 'Chicago,' '42nd Street,' 'All that Jazz,' 'Top Hat,' 'Funny Girl,' 'The Band Wagon,' 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'On the Town,' 'Grease,' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,' Walt Disney's 1991 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Guys and Dolls,' 1936's 'Showboat' and 'Moulin Rouge!'"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
WFTV.com - Food News - Newest Fair Food: Deep-Fried Coca-Cola: "DALLAS -- There are fried Twinkies and even fried candy bars.
Now, vendor Abel Gonzales Jr. has come up with a new artery-clogging concoction for the State Fair of Texas. It's fried Coke.
Gonzales deep-fries Coca-Cola-flavored batter. He then drizzles Coke fountain syrup on it. The fried Coke is topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Gonzales said the fried Coke came about just from thinking aloud.
Gonzales' diet-buster wins the creativity honor at the second-annual Big Tex Choice Awards Contest.
Judges for the contest chose Shirley London's Fried Praline Perfection as the tastiest fried delicacy.
The two won out among 26 entries such as fried macaroni and cheese and a deep-fried cosmopolitan.
London said she came up with the fried pralines idea after buying pralines at the fair last year. She plans to sell the pralines alongside fried marshmallows.
Gonzales achieved notoriety in 2005 with the fried peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwich -- selling an estimated 25,000 of the treats, according to the fair's Web site. The site said London got media attention in 2004 with her fried marshmallows on-a-stick."
Now, vendor Abel Gonzales Jr. has come up with a new artery-clogging concoction for the State Fair of Texas. It's fried Coke.
Gonzales deep-fries Coca-Cola-flavored batter. He then drizzles Coke fountain syrup on it. The fried Coke is topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Gonzales said the fried Coke came about just from thinking aloud.
Gonzales' diet-buster wins the creativity honor at the second-annual Big Tex Choice Awards Contest.
Judges for the contest chose Shirley London's Fried Praline Perfection as the tastiest fried delicacy.
The two won out among 26 entries such as fried macaroni and cheese and a deep-fried cosmopolitan.
London said she came up with the fried pralines idea after buying pralines at the fair last year. She plans to sell the pralines alongside fried marshmallows.
Gonzales achieved notoriety in 2005 with the fried peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwich -- selling an estimated 25,000 of the treats, according to the fair's Web site. The site said London got media attention in 2004 with her fried marshmallows on-a-stick."
What the World Needs Now: Snakes on Crack
Samuel L Jackson Wants Some 'Snakes On Crack' - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise: "
Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson has said he would love to make a sequel to his new film ‘Snakes on a Plane’.
The film, which has already developed cult status, features Jackson playing an FBI agent who is taking a witness to testify in a trial but an assassin bent on killing the witness releases a whole load of snakes on the witness’s plane leaving Jackson to get rid of them.
Jackson enjoyed the experience of making the film so much that he is already thinking about the sequel that he wants to call ‘Snakes On Crack’."
Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson has said he would love to make a sequel to his new film ‘Snakes on a Plane’.
The film, which has already developed cult status, features Jackson playing an FBI agent who is taking a witness to testify in a trial but an assassin bent on killing the witness releases a whole load of snakes on the witness’s plane leaving Jackson to get rid of them.
Jackson enjoyed the experience of making the film so much that he is already thinking about the sequel that he wants to call ‘Snakes On Crack’."
Monday, September 04, 2006
Paris Hilton in Vegas, Part 2
In a comment to this post, Disco Legend Zeke mentions that he was at Paris Hilton Day in Las Vegas and got to see P.H. and take a few photos. Click Zeke's link for his post about it.
This is Just Cruel
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Paris Hilton targeted in CD prank: "Paris Hilton's album entered the UK chart at number 29 last week.
Hundreds of Paris Hilton albums have been tampered with in the latest stunt by 'guerrilla artist' Banksy.
Banksy has replaced Hilton's CD with his own remixes and given them titles such as 'Why am I Famous?,' 'What Have I Done?' and 'What Am I For?'
He has also changed pictures of her on the CD sleeve to show the US socialite topless and with a dog's head.
A spokeswoman for Banksy said he had doctored 500 copies of her debut album Paris in 48 record shops across the UK.
She told the BBC News website: 'He switched the CDs in store, so he took the old ones out and put his version in.'"
The Passengers Wanted Barry Manilow
United Press International - NewsTrack - Passengers complain after Tyler sings: "PARIS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Passengers on a flight from France to Mauritius have filed suit against Air France after musician Bonnie Tyler performed a song at the request of the co-pilot.
The passengers, believed to be Belgian, complained to the airline after the Welsh singer performed part of her 1983 hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' at the request of the co-pilot, who retired after the flight, The Mail on Sunday reported.
'I was asleep in First Class. The stewardess came and said the co-pilot was retiring. And they asked me would I sing to him. They were having a bit of a party,' Tyler said.
The complaining passengers reportedly claimed they were traumatized by the experience and had feared for their safety during the celebration. The complaint eventually escalated into a legal dispute."
The passengers, believed to be Belgian, complained to the airline after the Welsh singer performed part of her 1983 hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' at the request of the co-pilot, who retired after the flight, The Mail on Sunday reported.
'I was asleep in First Class. The stewardess came and said the co-pilot was retiring. And they asked me would I sing to him. They were having a bit of a party,' Tyler said.
The complaining passengers reportedly claimed they were traumatized by the experience and had feared for their safety during the celebration. The complaint eventually escalated into a legal dispute."
But What about ABBA?
Rock music boosts your brain power - Newspaper Edition - Times Online: "LONG suffering parents of adolescents might not agree, but scientists claim that listening to rock music can boost your brain power.
Researchers at a Scottish university believe that the sound of guitar-based rock such as Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers improves concentration and boosts memory."
Researchers at a Scottish university believe that the sound of guitar-based rock such as Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers improves concentration and boosts memory."
Best Cover Ever?
Is it just me, or does anybody else think that Megan Abbot is getting the best covers ever for her books? These are prestige hardbacks, but the covers would be right at home on a Hard Case Crime paperback, or an old Gold Medal Original. I frankly don't care what this book is about: I gotta have it. (If you do care what it's about, check out this Rap Sheet post.) It's not due till January, so I'll have to wait a while.
Texas: No Longer the Home of the Armadillo
The armadillo is waddling its way north: "The official small mammal of Texas is becoming a Yankee.
Blame global warming. Or maybe just wanderlust.
Texans feel proprietary about the armored mammal, but we hardly have a monopoly on its range. It's not even a native.
The nine-banded armadillo, the most prolific of the 20 species of armadillo and the only one to live in the United States, crossed the Rio Grande about 150 years ago.
In recent years, though, it has been spotted as far north as Illinois.
'I don't know exactly how they get here,' said Joyce Hofmann, a research scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey's center for wildlife and plant ecology. 'I don't know if they're really surviving and breeding here.'
But she has gathered more than 100 reports of sightings — mostly roadkill — since 1999.
A few have been found as far north as Chicago, but most have been in southern Illinois.
Emboldened by the disappearance of its predators, the 'dillo spread first across the Southeast and now is marching through the Midwest, where the biggest threat isn't bobcats and foxes but freezing weather."
Crocodile Hunter, R. I. P.
Australia's 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin killed by stingray's barb - Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune: "CAIRNS, Australia Steve Irwin, the ebullient Australian whose catch cry of 'Crikey!' helped him rise to global fame as television's the 'Crocodile Hunter,' was killed Monday by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.
Irwin was in the water at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called 'Ocean's Deadliest' when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous barb on their tails, said John Stainton, a friend and colleague.
'He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart,' said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat, Croc One, at the time."
Sunday, September 03, 2006
EQMM
What with the recent anniversary of Katrina's landfall, it's time for me to mention (again) the special EQMM issue devoted to New Orleans. Most of the stories are by people who live or have lived in New Orleans, and there's a poem by another former resident, Jim Sallis. I've received my subscriber's copy, so the issue should be on the stands now. All advertising revenue goes to Katrina relief, and you'll be getting some great stories besides making a contribution. There's more info here. Check it out.
Everybody's Getting into the Act
Story, video: Apaches go public with Bigfoot sightings | www.azstarnet.com ?: "Footprints in the mud. Tufts of hair on a fence. Ear-piercing screeches in the night. These are only fragments of the stories now coming from the White Mountains in Eastern Arizona.
For years the White Mountain Apache Nation has kept the secret within tribal boundaries. “We're not prone to easily talk to outsiders,” said spokeswoman Collette Altaha. “But there have been more sightings than ever before. It cannot be ignored any longer.”
It is a creature the world knows as “Bigfoot”."
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