Tuesday, October 10, 2006
It Happens to the Best of Them
HUGH HEFNER - HEFNER PREFERS DOMINOES TO SEX: "Ageing lothario HUGH HEFNER knows he getting old because he now prefers playing dominoes with his partners to having sex. The 80-year-old, who opened his Playboy Club in Las Vegas on Saturday (07OCT06), lives with three blonde babes but has grown tired of sex after decades spent bedding numerous beauties. He says, 'I'm bored of the hanky panky. I'm still active but it's different - I like to play dominoes with my girlfriends.'"
I, For One, Couldn't Be More Pleased
CNN.com - Paris and Nicole make up for 'Simple Life' fans - Oct 10, 2006: "LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are reunited. And the producer of 'The Simple Life' says it feels so good.
After a yearlong public feud that nearly killed the reality show that made them famous, Hilton and Richie have agreed to film a fifth chapter of 'The Simple Life' together, executive producer Jon Murray told The Associated Press.
'The thing the viewers love is the two girls together,' he said. 'America, Paris and Nicole are going to camp.'
The 25-year-old celebutantes will be camp counselors in the newest 'Simple Life' adventure, which is set to begin production next month, Murray said. The show will air on E! next spring, he said.
The show will delve into 'what led to the breakdown in the friendship and maybe some of the misunderstandings and things that got in the way,' he said."
After a yearlong public feud that nearly killed the reality show that made them famous, Hilton and Richie have agreed to film a fifth chapter of 'The Simple Life' together, executive producer Jon Murray told The Associated Press.
'The thing the viewers love is the two girls together,' he said. 'America, Paris and Nicole are going to camp.'
The 25-year-old celebutantes will be camp counselors in the newest 'Simple Life' adventure, which is set to begin production next month, Murray said. The show will air on E! next spring, he said.
The show will delve into 'what led to the breakdown in the friendship and maybe some of the misunderstandings and things that got in the way,' he said."
Bob Dylan is Sexier than I Am. And He's More Popular, Too.
Sure, you're saying. I knew that. Well, now we have proof. Ed Gorman sends me news of The Celebrity Ranker, which tells you how popular and how sexy people are. I checked out Bob Dylan. He's the web's 1658th most popular celeb and the 6529th sexiest. So I naturally had to compare myself with him, and it was a bitter disappointment. I'm the 7543rd most popular celeb, and (this really hurts) the 11,632nd sexiest. But you know what really hurts? Ed Gorman is more popular and sexier than I am. I think I'll just go lie down somewhere and sulk for the rest of the day.
Stephen King to Visit London
From Ali Karim - Shots Ezine
STEPHEN KING VISIT TO THE UK
Pardon me for getting excitable!
We've just heard some HUGE News and would appreciate you putting this online, and/or letting your readers know, that THE KING is coming to London.
For me, this is the literary event of the year! and I have always supported Stephen King as he always supports writers and readers worldwide and have been an avid fan since my youth -
SO :-
Stephen King will soon make his first UK appearance for 10 years to coincide with publication of LISEY' STORY.
This exclusive event, presented by The Times, Hodder & Stoughton and Waterstone's, will take place at Battersea park Events Arena on November 7th at 7.00pm. Tickets cost £15.00 each. Book yours now on: 08708 303 488
Monday, October 09, 2006
From Squaw Tit to Whorehouse Meadow: an Excerpt
John Duke, intrigued by the offensive toponyms mentioned in a previous post, sends this enlightening link.
From Squaw Tit to Whorehouse Meadow: How Maps Name, Claim, and Inflame by Mark Monmonier, an excerpt: "Offensive toponyms fall into two categories. One type, examined earlier, denigrates racial and ethnic groups. The other variety, dealt with here, offends folks bothered by rude or otherwise impolite references to body parts, sex, excrement, and other no-no’s. A form of geographic cussing, rowdy feature names are markedly less controversial than their ethnically derogatory counterparts, partly because the irreverent miners and ranchers responsible for most of them avoided the F-word and similar shockers, and partly because questionable toponyms occur mostly in remote, sparsely inhabited areas with few eyebrows to raise. Indeed, an outsider who objects to a locally acceptable “naughty name” is quickly branded a stuffed shirt or prude."
From Squaw Tit to Whorehouse Meadow: How Maps Name, Claim, and Inflame by Mark Monmonier, an excerpt: "Offensive toponyms fall into two categories. One type, examined earlier, denigrates racial and ethnic groups. The other variety, dealt with here, offends folks bothered by rude or otherwise impolite references to body parts, sex, excrement, and other no-no’s. A form of geographic cussing, rowdy feature names are markedly less controversial than their ethnically derogatory counterparts, partly because the irreverent miners and ranchers responsible for most of them avoided the F-word and similar shockers, and partly because questionable toponyms occur mostly in remote, sparsely inhabited areas with few eyebrows to raise. Indeed, an outsider who objects to a locally acceptable “naughty name” is quickly branded a stuffed shirt or prude."
You Learn Something Every Day
TimesDispatch.com | AP News: "Idaho tribes want places named 'Squaw' removed from maps
SQUAW BAY, Idaho (AP) -- Members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe refer to it as the 'S Word,' but 93 creeks, canyons, peaks and springs in Idaho that include the name 'squaw' are not so censored on maps.
Linguists debate the meaning of the word, but the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and most other American Indians in the Northwest say it's a derogatory reference for a woman's genitals dating back to the area's frontier past.
Now, members of the tribe are pushing to strike 13 squaw references from maps of Idaho."
SQUAW BAY, Idaho (AP) -- Members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe refer to it as the 'S Word,' but 93 creeks, canyons, peaks and springs in Idaho that include the name 'squaw' are not so censored on maps.
Linguists debate the meaning of the word, but the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and most other American Indians in the Northwest say it's a derogatory reference for a woman's genitals dating back to the area's frontier past.
Now, members of the tribe are pushing to strike 13 squaw references from maps of Idaho."
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Paris Hilton caught carrying cannabis claim - Showbiz News - Life Style Extra: "LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Paris Hilton has been caught alledgedly carrying cannabis in her handbag.
The 25-year-old socialite attended a fashion party in Milan and was pictured with a transparent plastic bag of what appeared to be skunk, a powerful form of marijuana, as she opened her handbag.
A witness said: 'Paris had her bag open for quite a while as she applied lip gloss. There were a few shocked faces around her but she carried on chatting away.'"
The 25-year-old socialite attended a fashion party in Milan and was pictured with a transparent plastic bag of what appeared to be skunk, a powerful form of marijuana, as she opened her handbag.
A witness said: 'Paris had her bag open for quite a while as she applied lip gloss. There were a few shocked faces around her but she carried on chatting away.'"
Good News from Genre Bookstores!
News from The Associated Press: "In general, times remain tough for most locally owned bookstores; the American Booksellers Association in Tarrytown, N.Y., said fewer than 40 percent of books are now sold by independent stores.
Even in intellectual hubs like Berkeley, flagging sales recently led to the closure of a vaunted institution, the flagship store of Cody's Books near the University of California campus. And in Cambridge, Mass., the eclectic WordsWorth Books closed its doors in 2004 after nearly 30 years in Harvard Square.
Genre stores, specializing in literature ranging from fantasy to religion, have bucked this trend by catering to inveterate and demanding readers. Booksellers in southern California, New York, Minneapolis and elsewhere are finding ways to be profitable by targeting specific markets."
Even in intellectual hubs like Berkeley, flagging sales recently led to the closure of a vaunted institution, the flagship store of Cody's Books near the University of California campus. And in Cambridge, Mass., the eclectic WordsWorth Books closed its doors in 2004 after nearly 30 years in Harvard Square.
Genre stores, specializing in literature ranging from fantasy to religion, have bucked this trend by catering to inveterate and demanding readers. Booksellers in southern California, New York, Minneapolis and elsewhere are finding ways to be profitable by targeting specific markets."
Take the Lead
This is really a combination of two different kinds of movies that I've seen a zillion times before, starting with The Blackboard Jungle and Rock, Rock, Rock and moving forward through the years with things like To Sir, with Love and many others. In this one suave, polite dancing instructor Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) goes to an inner-city school to teach dancing to the kids in detention. At the end the students to to the big dance contest. You can figure out what happens in between.
There are a lot of things to criticize in the movie. The kids in detention, for one, seem like a bunch of real sweethearts. The principal mentions some of the reasons they might be there, but they demonstrate none of those behaviors in the movie. They're just great kids. We're shown the tough home lives of a couple of them, but both the kids are hard workers who want to graduate and make something of themselves. In the competition at the end, the beginning dancers are up against the best of the best, which would never happen in a real contest. And so on. None of that matters, really, at least not to me. The movie's still very entertaining, and Banderas gives one of the best performances I've seen from him. There's some good dancing of all kinds.
If you're an old guy like me, you remember that in movies like Don't Knock the Rock the parents hate the dances the kids do, and they hate the music. Here, the kids hate the music that Banderas brings to them, and the upper-crust dancers hate the music of the inner city. But in the old rock 'n' roll movies, the parents always ended up dancing to the music of the kids. Stay through the closing credits of Take the Lead and see how the old trope plays out.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Rod Stewart Speaks for the Defense
Fametastic ? Paris Hilton is polite and well-mannered, says Rod Stewart: "It’s rare that another celebrity speaks out in favour of Paris Hilton but Rod Stewart has told the Ellen DeGeneres Show that he thinks she’s polite and will grow out of her need for attention.
Rod, who knows the socialite through his daughter Kimberly Stewart, told the show: “I’ve always found Paris to be extremely polite, well-mannered. She is when she’s around me and did not do a bad version “If you think I’m sexy” as it happens.”
“She enjoys the publicity [but] I think she’ll grow out of it I think too when she finds the right guy in her life.”
“I think she’ll get everything in perspective and leave the press alone and the press will leave her alone hopefully.”"
Rod, who knows the socialite through his daughter Kimberly Stewart, told the show: “I’ve always found Paris to be extremely polite, well-mannered. She is when she’s around me and did not do a bad version “If you think I’m sexy” as it happens.”
“She enjoys the publicity [but] I think she’ll grow out of it I think too when she finds the right guy in her life.”
“I think she’ll get everything in perspective and leave the press alone and the press will leave her alone hopefully.”"
Top 10 Chokes by the New York Yankees
ESPN.com: Page 2 : The List: Bliss for Yankee haters: "It has become an annual tradition since 2000.
The New York Yankees' season ends without another World Series title, and Yankee haters everywhere rejoice. Doesn't matter whether it's the Angels, Red Sox, Marlins, Diamondbacks or now the Tigers eliminating New York, all that matters to Yankee haters is the premature demise of the team with MLB's biggest payroll.
In the past few Octobers, we've had to make several updates to Page 2's list of the 10 best moments ever for Yankee haters. After this year's collapse in Detroit, we submit our new top 10.
And, if you're a Yankee fan, you might want to avoid this list ... and go back to dreaming of the day when the Bronx Bombers will finally add that elusive 27th world championship."
The New York Yankees' season ends without another World Series title, and Yankee haters everywhere rejoice. Doesn't matter whether it's the Angels, Red Sox, Marlins, Diamondbacks or now the Tigers eliminating New York, all that matters to Yankee haters is the premature demise of the team with MLB's biggest payroll.
In the past few Octobers, we've had to make several updates to Page 2's list of the 10 best moments ever for Yankee haters. After this year's collapse in Detroit, we submit our new top 10.
And, if you're a Yankee fan, you might want to avoid this list ... and go back to dreaming of the day when the Bronx Bombers will finally add that elusive 27th world championship."
Another "Best of" List
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
The Observer | Review | What's the best novel in the past 25 years?: "A recent poll in the New York Times named Toni Morrison's Beloved as the greatest work of American fiction in the past 25 years. But what about over here? On the eve of this year's Booker Prize, we asked 150 literary luminaries to vote for the best British, Irish or Commonwealth novel from 1980 to 2005. "
The Observer | Review | What's the best novel in the past 25 years?: "A recent poll in the New York Times named Toni Morrison's Beloved as the greatest work of American fiction in the past 25 years. But what about over here? On the eve of this year's Booker Prize, we asked 150 literary luminaries to vote for the best British, Irish or Commonwealth novel from 1980 to 2005. "
Tony Bennett
Judy and I went to see Tony Bennett in concert last night in Galveston. As it happened, I was listening to XM radio's show about '50s pop earlier in the day, the show where they eventually play the top 5 hits of the current week from some year in the past. The year chosen yesterday was 1952, and in this October week in that year, Bennett had a couple of songs in the top 5: "Because of You" and "Cold, Cold Heart." Fifty-four years later, he's still singing. That's what I call sustaining a career.
Bennett might be 80 years old, and his voice might not quite be what it once was, but it's still damned good, and he can still belt it out. He can still hold a note about five times longer than I could, and at one point he even had the mic turned off to sing without amplification, accompanied only by a soft guitar. I wasn't in the top balcony, but I'll bet they could hear him there without any problem.
Bennett sang what you'd expect to hear: "Cold, Cold Heart," "Shadow of Your Smile," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Lots of standards from the American Songbook. Great stuff. He can still swing with the best of them, as he proved in "I've Got Rhythm" and "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Swing."
The show ran a little over an hour and a half, with no break. Not much talking, just singing. At 80, Bennett has a lot more energy than I do. It was a fine evening.
Bennett might be 80 years old, and his voice might not quite be what it once was, but it's still damned good, and he can still belt it out. He can still hold a note about five times longer than I could, and at one point he even had the mic turned off to sing without amplification, accompanied only by a soft guitar. I wasn't in the top balcony, but I'll bet they could hear him there without any problem.
Bennett sang what you'd expect to hear: "Cold, Cold Heart," "Shadow of Your Smile," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Lots of standards from the American Songbook. Great stuff. He can still swing with the best of them, as he proved in "I've Got Rhythm" and "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Swing."
The show ran a little over an hour and a half, with no break. Not much talking, just singing. At 80, Bennett has a lot more energy than I do. It was a fine evening.
Wilson "Bob" Tucker, R. I. P.
Wilson "Bob" Tucker was the toastmaster at the first AggieCon I ever attended (around 1980). He was also the toastmaster at the very first Cluefest. I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a great guy, one of those people that everyone liked. He was a big-time fan, and a wonderful writer of both SF (The Year of the Quiet Sun) and mysteries (To Keep or Kill). His name is the source of the word tuckerization, and for that alone he'll be immortal.
Wilson "Bob" Tucker (1914-2006) - SFWA News:
"Wilson Tucker passed away today: Friday, October 6, 2006. He had been in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida since Tuesday. He would have turned 92 in a few weeks.
Tucker contributed to many aspects of genre Science Fiction. As 'Bob' Tucker, he was well loved as a convention guest and fanzine writer. He served on the committee of the 2nd World Science Fiction Convention, Chicon, in 1940. He was the author of 60 short stories and novels, including the Campbell Award winning The Year of the Quiet Sun.'
His many other honors included three Hugo Awards (two retro), the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, E.E. Smith Memorial Award, Archon Hall of Fame Award - Grand Master, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Author Emeritus and was a 2003 inductee in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
A more detailed memorial will follow, probably on Monday."
Wilson "Bob" Tucker (1914-2006) - SFWA News:
"Wilson Tucker passed away today: Friday, October 6, 2006. He had been in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida since Tuesday. He would have turned 92 in a few weeks.
Tucker contributed to many aspects of genre Science Fiction. As 'Bob' Tucker, he was well loved as a convention guest and fanzine writer. He served on the committee of the 2nd World Science Fiction Convention, Chicon, in 1940. He was the author of 60 short stories and novels, including the Campbell Award winning The Year of the Quiet Sun.'
His many other honors included three Hugo Awards (two retro), the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, E.E. Smith Memorial Award, Archon Hall of Fame Award - Grand Master, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Author Emeritus and was a 2003 inductee in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
A more detailed memorial will follow, probably on Monday."
Saturday, October 07, 2006
This Week in Texas History
Groesbeck Journal, Newspaper for Groesbeck, Texas with Groesbeck, Texas real estate, antiques, news, and entertainment: "This Week in Texas History: The make-believe career of Johnny Ringo
By Bartee Haile - The cold-blooded murder of an unarmed man on Oct. 6, 1875 was Johnny Ringo's contribution to a Texas feud and the only confirmed kill of his mostly make-believe career.
John Peters Ringo was 19 year old, when he left his home in California for Texas. During the 'Hoodoo War' that in 1875 turned Mason County into a battleground, he threw in with the faction led by Scott Cooley. To prove himself, he volunteered to avenge an ambush killing by gambler James Cheyney.
When Ringo and a Cooley crony showed up at his place one October morning, Cheyney invited the strangers to breakfast. They followed him onto the porch to wash up for the meal. Ringo waited until his hospitable host's face was buried in a towel and blew him to kingdom come. "
By Bartee Haile - The cold-blooded murder of an unarmed man on Oct. 6, 1875 was Johnny Ringo's contribution to a Texas feud and the only confirmed kill of his mostly make-believe career.
John Peters Ringo was 19 year old, when he left his home in California for Texas. During the 'Hoodoo War' that in 1875 turned Mason County into a battleground, he threw in with the faction led by Scott Cooley. To prove himself, he volunteered to avenge an ambush killing by gambler James Cheyney.
When Ringo and a Cooley crony showed up at his place one October morning, Cheyney invited the strangers to breakfast. They followed him onto the porch to wash up for the meal. Ringo waited until his hospitable host's face was buried in a towel and blew him to kingdom come. "
Neither of These Two Men Is Me
Two More Men Claim to Be Anna's Baby Daddy - TMZ.com: "As the paternity battle rages between Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead for the title of Anna Nicole's 'real' baby daddy, TRIMSPA.com is reporting that two more men have surfaced, each claiming that they are the true sire. In addition, the website also claims another man says he was asked to father the baby, although it's unclear if he actually went through with that, er, 'plan.'"
It's Always Something
Yesterday our cable box went on the fritz. It's the kind with the built-in DVR. The crack tech folks at Time-Warner couldn't help me revive it, so today I had to take it in and trade it for a new one. That means I lost the first two episodes of Heroes, which I'd intended to watch this weekend, and some other things as well. The moral of the story is, don't plan to save anything you record on a DVR. You can lose it all too easily.
When I Was (Almost) Fab
Here's a story you haven't heard before.
Now and then someone asks me (though maybe not in these exact words), "How is it that somebody who's been consistently publishing for over 20 years, who's done three or four series, and who's sustained one of them for 20 years now, remains a complete unknown?"
As Mike Hammer says, "It was easy." I just never had a hit. People who ask me to blurb their first novels sell more copies of it than I've sold total. People who started writing about the same time I did are now on the New York Times list. Maybe I just don't write the right kind of books, or maybe my books just aren't that good. (I'd like to disregard that second possibility, but there it is.) Reviewers like me (mostly), editors like me, readers (when they can find the books) like me. But here I am, unknown.
I've come close to being known, though, a couple of times. When my evil twin, Jack MacLane, was writing for Zebra Books, the editor there really loved his work. After the first two books, I didn't have to offer a synopsis or even a title. My contract just said, "two books by Bill Crider." At one point, I was about to get The Big Push, with Blood Dreams. Die-cut cover with embossed inner cover. A dump in the front of all the chain stores. The works.
Didn't happen. The editor got pregnant and left the company. Another editor came in. The book was slapped back to the regular list, with a regular cover. The dump in the chains? Forget it.
What proof do I have of this? Not much, except for a cover flat that I got when the big plans were being made. That's it up there. The outer cover is on the top. The embossed inner cover is below it. Pretty cool, right? I sure thought so at the time. I thought Jack MacLane was on his way. And he was, straight to oblivion, which is where he remains. My brief brush with fame was pretty short, but it was fun while it lasted.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Gator Update
Photos of frozen gators at the link.
WZZM 13 Grand Rapids, Michigan - Police Find Snakes, Alligators Stabbed, Frozen At Assault Scene: "St. Louis, MO - St. Louis County police officers responding to an assault call found not only a human victim, but also exotic animals that were victims, too.
A 17-year-old victim was allegedly attacked by the 28-year-old suspect, who hit the victim at least 3 times with a sledgehammer. Police say the victim's injuries are not considered life threatening.
The attacker then allegedly impaled an alligator with a samurai sword. The alligator was chained up in the back yard of the home, in the 2300 block of Gardner drive in Moline Acres. That alligator was taken into surgery.
Police also found alive a 4-foot copperhead snake and a 6-foot rattlesnake. Two dead alligators and a dead snake were found in a freezer. "
WZZM 13 Grand Rapids, Michigan - Police Find Snakes, Alligators Stabbed, Frozen At Assault Scene: "St. Louis, MO - St. Louis County police officers responding to an assault call found not only a human victim, but also exotic animals that were victims, too.
A 17-year-old victim was allegedly attacked by the 28-year-old suspect, who hit the victim at least 3 times with a sledgehammer. Police say the victim's injuries are not considered life threatening.
The attacker then allegedly impaled an alligator with a samurai sword. The alligator was chained up in the back yard of the home, in the 2300 block of Gardner drive in Moline Acres. That alligator was taken into surgery.
Police also found alive a 4-foot copperhead snake and a 6-foot rattlesnake. Two dead alligators and a dead snake were found in a freezer. "
Shatner Update
CNN.com - William Shatner to host game show - Oct 6, 2006: "LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- William Shatner will host 'Show Me the Money,' a new game show series for ABC.
Contestants answer trivia questions for the chance to win millions while also facing the risk of losing everything they have accumulated. ABC has ordered seven one-hour episodes."
Contestants answer trivia questions for the chance to win millions while also facing the risk of losing everything they have accumulated. ABC has ordered seven one-hour episodes."
Here There Be Monsters
ABC News: "Monster" fossil found in Jurassic graveyard: "OSLO (Reuters) - Scientists have found a fossil of a 'Monster' fish-like reptile in a 150 million-year-old Jurassic graveyard on an Arctic island off Norway.
The Norwegian researchers discovered remains of a total of 28 plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs — top marine predators when dinosaurs dominated on land — at a site on the island of Spitsbergen, about 1,300 km (800 miles) from the North Pole."
The Norwegian researchers discovered remains of a total of 28 plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs — top marine predators when dinosaurs dominated on land — at a site on the island of Spitsbergen, about 1,300 km (800 miles) from the North Pole."
Thuglit Anniversary
Thuglit has been around for a year now. Check out the anniversary issue.
A Message From Big Daddy Thug
One year.
It’s been one year of Thuglit.
And what a year it’s been. Twelve months of pimps, pushers, dopers, killers, muggers, mobsters, robbers, hookers, hustlers, hitmen – and a couple of homicidal monkeys.
365 days. Countless bullets.
SO, in honor of the year past and the many years ahead of us, we dedicate this issue to the Thugs and Thugettes around the world and officially honor the Thug Hall Of Fame Inductees for 2006. This year’s inductees were selected by an exhaustive panel composed of me, myself, and moi. Feel free to disagree with the selections. Also feel free to kiss my hairy beanbag.Goodnight Moom -- Jack MacLane
The other night at Murder by the Book, Joe Lansdale said to me, "You love this noir stuff, but you don't write it." Well, as he admitted after reflection, I've written a number of noir stories ("My Heart Cries for You," "Death's Brother," "Top of the World," "An Evening Out with Karl," and even "Franklin and the Can of Whup-Ass"). Later it occurred to me that I've also written a hard-core noir novel. Or my evil twin, Jack MacLane, has. It's one of my favorites of my own books, and it's noir to the bone. At least I think it is. Great cover, too. I commend it to you, assuming you can find a copy. You can decide for yourself.
No More Serenity
IGN: Serenity Sequel Squashed: "October 5, 2006 - In spite of a groundswell of grassroots support amongst its fans, Serenity has failed to revive the science fiction-western Firefly franchise. Even with DVD sales, the movie reportedly failed to recoup its $40 million budget. And as anyone who's seen the film knows, the exit of certain characters and the resolution of key storylines makes it difficult — or impossible — to recapture the chemistry of the excellent-but-short-lived series."
I liked the movie a lot, so I'm sorry to hear this.
I liked the movie a lot, so I'm sorry to hear this.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Captain Alatriste -- Arturo Perez-Reverte
Captain Alatriste is the swashbuckling tale of a former Spanish soldier in Madrid in the early 17th-century, the siglo del oro, when Spain was one of the world's great powers. The title character fought in Flanders, where he got a serious wound. No longer able to serve, he ekes out a living by selling his sword to whoever can pay. At the start of the book he and another man are hired by some powerful figures (who wear masks) to attack a couple of travellers and frighten them, maybe wound them, but not to kill them. When the masked men leave the room, one of the leaders of the Inquisition steps in and changes the orders. The men are to be killed. Who are the men? I'll let you find out, but let's just say that one of them shows up in The Three Musketeers, as well.
Things don't go as planned. Because of the gallantry of one of the travellers, Alatriste refuses to kill them. He won't let his companion kill them, either. This doesn't endear him to the Inquisitor or to his companion, and things get complicated, as you might have guessed.
The mother of the book's first-person narrator, Inigo Balboa, has placed him with Alatriste because she can no longer support him. Inigo tells the story years after its occurrence, and he naturally drifts into third person when describing events that he wasn't present to witness. The POV shift is handled pretty deftly, I thought.
My only problem with the book: not enough swashbuckling. It's all too obviously the first book of a series, so there's a lot of set-up, and a lot of introductory stuff of the "Little did I know the trouble that he would cause us in later years" kind. There's also a lot of history that occassionally slows down the narrative, or at least it did for me.
There's already a movie of the book (or actually all the books in the series). It's called Alatriste, and it stars Viggo Mortensen. It was made in Spain, and I don't know if it's had an American release. If so, it never played Houston. I'd kind of like to see it.
Blazing Adventrues Magazine is now On-Line
The stories are in pdf format. There's even a serial featuring "Dr. Shadows and his man-servant, Hoon." Check it out.
Blazing Adventrues Magazine HomePage: "Welcome to the launching of one of the interent's only place for original and new, yes, you read correctly, NEW pulp fiction sites.
This is the place for the high adventure, high drama, high suspense, that used to be all over the newsstands and under the beds of many a young man and young woman. They reached for that cheap thrill, that juicy love story, or to satiate that craving, that itching, for the bitter taste of a stug of gin, a sexy blonde bim in cheap nylons, dressed in a strapless number as red as blood, with legs that went on forever.
Or for the high flying adventure, the knockout fighting spirit, the fighting soldier, or the futuristic hero.
Where new fiction with the feel of the pulp, has now got a home to see the light of day."
Blazing Adventrues Magazine HomePage: "Welcome to the launching of one of the interent's only place for original and new, yes, you read correctly, NEW pulp fiction sites.
This is the place for the high adventure, high drama, high suspense, that used to be all over the newsstands and under the beds of many a young man and young woman. They reached for that cheap thrill, that juicy love story, or to satiate that craving, that itching, for the bitter taste of a stug of gin, a sexy blonde bim in cheap nylons, dressed in a strapless number as red as blood, with legs that went on forever.
Or for the high flying adventure, the knockout fighting spirit, the fighting soldier, or the futuristic hero.
Where new fiction with the feel of the pulp, has now got a home to see the light of day."
An Unusual Beauty Pageant
It's for cocaine mules, and it's held in a prison in Lima, Peru. I found this link at boing-boing, and I suggest you go there and read the whole post. Very interesting stuff.
Your Tax Dollars at Work
CNN.com - Sex, shopping and gambling all in a day's work - Oct 4, 2006: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Interior Department employees aren't just using their computers to oversee parks and wildlife, an investigation found. They're spending thousands of hours a week visiting shopping, sex and gambling Web sites.
A report made public Wednesday on an internal investigation examining a week of computer use found more than 1 million log entries in which 7,700 employees visited game and auction sites.
More than 4,700 log entries were to sexually explicit and gambling Web sites.
The findings are 'egregious' and 'alarming,' the department's inspector general, Earl Devaney, wrote in the report."
A report made public Wednesday on an internal investigation examining a week of computer use found more than 1 million log entries in which 7,700 employees visited game and auction sites.
More than 4,700 log entries were to sexually explicit and gambling Web sites.
The findings are 'egregious' and 'alarming,' the department's inspector general, Earl Devaney, wrote in the report."
So THAT'S How Anna Nicole Smith Did It!
BBC NEWS | Health | Chewing gum can 'enhance breasts': "A chewing gum which the makers say can help enhance the size, shape and tone of the breasts has proved to be a big hit in Japan.
B2Up says its Bust-Up gum, when chewed three or four times a day, can also help improve circulation, reduce stress and fight ageing.
The gum works by slowly releasing compounds contained in an extract from a plant called Pueraria mirifica.
In theory, this helps to keep the muscle tissue in good order."
B2Up says its Bust-Up gum, when chewed three or four times a day, can also help improve circulation, reduce stress and fight ageing.
The gum works by slowly releasing compounds contained in an extract from a plant called Pueraria mirifica.
In theory, this helps to keep the muscle tissue in good order."
Those of You Who Liked Madison's Cow Parade , . .
. . . please allow me to direct your attention to the Stein Parade. (Text and photos.)
Jayme Lynn Blaschke's Gibberish: "Conflicting demands on my time have prevented me from blogging the fact that New Braunfels has gotten into the public art act as well this year. Only, well, this is New Braunfels. This town can't do anything without tying into its German heritage. So a cow parade was right out. Instead, residents and tourists have been treated to--I kid you not--the world's first Stein Parade!"
Jayme Lynn Blaschke's Gibberish: "Conflicting demands on my time have prevented me from blogging the fact that New Braunfels has gotten into the public art act as well this year. Only, well, this is New Braunfels. This town can't do anything without tying into its German heritage. So a cow parade was right out. Instead, residents and tourists have been treated to--I kid you not--the world's first Stein Parade!"
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
No Comment Department
Variety.com - Lucas: Let's get small: "George Lucas has a message for studios that are cutting their slates and shifting toward big-budget tentpoles and franchises: You've got it all wrong.
The creator of 'Star Wars,' which stamped the template for the franchise-tentpole film, says many small films and Web distribution are the future.
And in case anyone doubts he means it, Lucasfilm is getting out of the movie business.
'We don't want to make movies. We're about to get into television. As far as Lucasfilm is concerned, we've moved away from the feature film thing, because it's too expensive and it's too risky.
'I think the secret to the future is quantity,' Lucas told Daily Variety. 'Because that's where it's going to end up.'"
The creator of 'Star Wars,' which stamped the template for the franchise-tentpole film, says many small films and Web distribution are the future.
And in case anyone doubts he means it, Lucasfilm is getting out of the movie business.
'We don't want to make movies. We're about to get into television. As far as Lucasfilm is concerned, we've moved away from the feature film thing, because it's too expensive and it's too risky.
'I think the secret to the future is quantity,' Lucas told Daily Variety. 'Because that's where it's going to end up.'"
Hollywood Nerds Have More Fun
There's a photo of Fisher in her Princess Leia outfit at the link. Since I refuse to pander, I won't publish it here.
Carrie Fisher slept with a 'nerd' to bag Star Wars role: "New York, Oct 4: Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who became one of the highest-profile celebrities to speak publicly about having mental illness, once again opened up, as she spoke with George Wayne in Vanity Fair.
In a rather candid interview to the magazine, the star this time chose to discuss casting-couch practices in Hollywood, while she also talked about her struggles with bipolar disorder, maintaining that she's now taking only prescribed medication for it.
When asked how she bagged Princess Leia's role in Star Wars trilogy, that helped her attain international recognition in the 1970s, Fisher said, 'I slept with some nerd. I hope it was George [Lucas].'"
Carrie Fisher slept with a 'nerd' to bag Star Wars role: "New York, Oct 4: Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who became one of the highest-profile celebrities to speak publicly about having mental illness, once again opened up, as she spoke with George Wayne in Vanity Fair.
In a rather candid interview to the magazine, the star this time chose to discuss casting-couch practices in Hollywood, while she also talked about her struggles with bipolar disorder, maintaining that she's now taking only prescribed medication for it.
When asked how she bagged Princess Leia's role in Star Wars trilogy, that helped her attain international recognition in the 1970s, Fisher said, 'I slept with some nerd. I hope it was George [Lucas].'"
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Shanna Moakler punches Paris Hilton in the face, gets shoved down a flight of steps - Celebrity Gossip from Derek Hail: "Shanna Moakler, Paris Hilton, and Stavros Niarchos were present at club Hyde on Wednesday night and at around 1:10am, Shanna approached Paris shouting profanities and then socked Paris in the jaw. Paris was escorted out safely and proceeded to the police station to file a report. Shanna claimed, Stavros Niarchos poured a drink over her head and then shoved her down a flight of steps and proceeded to file a report as well."
Why Don't I Ever Find Stuff Like This at Garage Sales?
Parking Lot Sale Unearths Lost Lincoln Letter - October 4, 2006 - The New York Sun: "BIRMINGHAM, England — An amateur historian believes he has unearthed a letter written by the President Lincoln — after buying it for $1.89 at a parking lot sale.
Kenneth Anderson-Jones, 75, found the dusty and dirt-encrusted framed document in a pile of bric-a-brac at the sale near his home in Stratford-upon-Avon.
When he got it home, he cleaned it up to find it was a letter written in 1856 by Lincoln giving Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant total command of the American army, a move that led to victory in the American Civil War.
Yesterday, his nephew took the letter to Sotheby's to have its authenticity checked. The American Library of Congress, which keeps official documents, said it did not hold a copy of the letter and was keen to examine Mr. Anderson-Jones's find."
Kenneth Anderson-Jones, 75, found the dusty and dirt-encrusted framed document in a pile of bric-a-brac at the sale near his home in Stratford-upon-Avon.
When he got it home, he cleaned it up to find it was a letter written in 1856 by Lincoln giving Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant total command of the American army, a move that led to victory in the American Civil War.
Yesterday, his nephew took the letter to Sotheby's to have its authenticity checked. The American Library of Congress, which keeps official documents, said it did not hold a copy of the letter and was keen to examine Mr. Anderson-Jones's find."
Panel at Murder by the Book
Last night at Murder by the Book in Houston, Joe Lansdale, Jason Starr, and Donna Moore did a signing. I asked Donna to name her favorite books by Jason and Joe. You can hear the answer at the beginning of the clip if you listen closely.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Not Quite the Beatles Reunion
BEATLES - NEW BEATLES ALBUM TO BE RELEASED: "THE BEATLES are releasing a new album next month (NOV06), which promises to be a 'new experience' of the Fab Four's music. LOVE is the soundtrack to the Beatles-inspired Cirque du Soleil show of the same name, consisting of experimental mixes of the pop phenomenon's back catalogue. The band's original producer SIR GEORGE MARTIN and his son GILES made the disc after the surviving Beatles, RINGO STARR and SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY, alongside JOHN LENNON's widow YOKO ONO and GEORGE HARRISON's widow OLIVIA, approached him to create a Beatles soundscape for the show, which debuted in Las Vegas, Nevada, in June (06). Sir George says, 'This music was designed for the Love show but in doing so we've created a new Beatles album. 'The Beatles always looked for other ways of expressing themselves and this is another step forward for them. Giles says, 'We took all the Beatles' catalogue from tape, the original four tracks, eight tracks and two tracks and used this palette of sounds and music to create a sound bed. 'What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period.'"
Happy Birthday, Chubby Checker!
The master of the twist turns 65 today. You real music fans know that Hank Ballard and the Midnighters first recorded "The Twist" and that it was written by Ballard. It was Checker, however, who took it to the top of the charts. Twice.
The Muppet Matrix
It's the trailer for The Matrix, with Kermit as Neo. Why didn't someone think of this before? Thanks to Joan Reeves at Sling Words for the link.
Why The Hoff Is Better than Anybody
You might think you've heard The Hoff's best music, but have you heard "The Pingu Dance"? It was recorded for a kids' show in Switzerland, and you can hear it here, if you dare.
Caught in the Act
Noted video blogging artiste caught in the act of video blogging by Gary Warren Niebuhr. Check out Gary's list of classic (and not so classic) p.i. books for sale here. (This was an unpaid commercial message.)
Anna Nicole Smith Update
Rita Cosby Specials - MSNBC.com: "Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead says he is the father of her new daughter. Birkhead tells MSNBC's Rita Cosby he has filed suit against Anna Nicole and wants a DNA test."
Happy Birthday, Thomas Wolfe!
Nobody reads Thomas Wolfe anymore, as far as I know. His work wasn't included in any of the college anthologies of American literature that I used to see when I was still teaching, so I guess he's not considered important. Too bad. Look Homeward, Angel had a huge impact on me when I was a teen, and even though I haven't read it in over 50 years, parts of it are still vivid in my memory.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Shamus Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 2, 2006
PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF
The Private Eye Writers of
Best Hardcover Novel
THE
Best Paperback Original Novel
THE JAMES DEANS by Reed Farrel Coleman (Plume)
Best First Novel
FORCING AMARYLLIS by Louise Ure (Mysterious Press/Warner)
Best Short Story
“A DEATH IN UENO” by Michael Wiecek (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, March 2005)
“The Eye” – for lifetime achievement
Max Allan Collins
The Shamus Awards have been given annually since 1982 to honor novels and short stories featuring protagonists who are paid investigators not employed by a unit of government.
PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers. This year’s Shamus Awards were presented Sept. 29, 2006 at the 25th anniversary PWA banquet at the
For additional information about the awards, contact awards chair Ted Fitzgerald at tedfitz[at] msn.com.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Houston Community Newspapers Online - Parent criticizes book 'Fahrenheit 451': "Alton Verm, of Conroe, objects to the language and content in the book. His 15-year-old daughter Diana, a CCHS sophomore, came to him Sept. 21 with her reservations about reading the book because of its language.
'The book had a bunch of very bad language in it,' Diana Verm said. 'It shouldn't be in there because it's offending people. ... If they can't find a book that uses clean words, they shouldn't have a book at all.'
Alton Verm filed a 'Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials' Thursday with the district regarding 'Fahrenheit 451,' written by Ray Bradbury and published in 1953. He wants the district to remove the book from the curriculum.
'It's just all kinds of filth,' said Alton Verm, adding that he had not read 'Fahrenheit 451.' 'The words don't need to be brought out in class. I want to get the book taken out of the class.'
He looked through the book and found the following things wrong with the book: discussion of being drunk, smoking cigarettes, violence, 'dirty talk,' references to the Bible and using God's name in vain. He said the book's material goes against their religions beliefs."
'The book had a bunch of very bad language in it,' Diana Verm said. 'It shouldn't be in there because it's offending people. ... If they can't find a book that uses clean words, they shouldn't have a book at all.'
Alton Verm filed a 'Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials' Thursday with the district regarding 'Fahrenheit 451,' written by Ray Bradbury and published in 1953. He wants the district to remove the book from the curriculum.
'It's just all kinds of filth,' said Alton Verm, adding that he had not read 'Fahrenheit 451.' 'The words don't need to be brought out in class. I want to get the book taken out of the class.'
He looked through the book and found the following things wrong with the book: discussion of being drunk, smoking cigarettes, violence, 'dirty talk,' references to the Bible and using God's name in vain. He said the book's material goes against their religions beliefs."
Thanks, Australia
One small word is one giant sigh of relief for Armstrong - World - Times Online: "[Neil] Armstrong has long insisted that he meant to say “one small step for a man . . .” — which would have been a more meaningful and grammatically correct version, free of tautology. But even the astronaut himself could not be sure.
“Damn, I really did it. I blew the first words on the Moon, didn’t I?” he is reported to have asked officials later, amid uncertainty as to whether he had blown the moment or simply been drowned out by static interference as his words were relayed 250,000 miles back to Earth.
Now, after almost four decades, the spaceman has been vindicated. Using high-tech sound analysis techniques, an Australian computer expert has rediscovered the missing “a” in Mr Armstrong’s famous quote. Peter Shann Ford ran the Nasa recording through sound-editing software and clearly picked up an acoustic wave from the word “a”, finding that Mr Armstrong spoke it at a rate of 35 milliseconds — ten times too fast for it to be audible.
“Damn, I really did it. I blew the first words on the Moon, didn’t I?” he is reported to have asked officials later, amid uncertainty as to whether he had blown the moment or simply been drowned out by static interference as his words were relayed 250,000 miles back to Earth.
Now, after almost four decades, the spaceman has been vindicated. Using high-tech sound analysis techniques, an Australian computer expert has rediscovered the missing “a” in Mr Armstrong’s famous quote. Peter Shann Ford ran the Nasa recording through sound-editing software and clearly picked up an acoustic wave from the word “a”, finding that Mr Armstrong spoke it at a rate of 35 milliseconds — ten times too fast for it to be audible.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
NPR's Top 100 Songs of the 20th Century
This is quite a list, with a paragraph about each song. The list is alphabetical, and the songs aren't ranked.
And to Think We've Been Doing this for Charity at Conventions
The Observer | UK News | Author auctions novel route to immortality: "It could be the ideal Christmas gift for a friend or lover with literary pretensions who wants their name to live forever. An Irish author is offering readers a small piece of literary immortality - if the price is right.
Jason Johnson, described by critics as 'the Irish Irving Welsh', will open up an unusual auction in cyberspace next month: a chance to become a character in his third novel. The highest bidder on his website, www.woundlicker.com can pay for the bizarre privilege of joining a former flasher and his psychiatric patient/girlfriend in his next book.
Johnson, whose second novel, Alina, was released last month, is as brutally frank about his motives as he is with his violent plots and muscular prose. The 37-year-old freelance journalist, whose first two books have received critical acclaim in Ireland, admits he is starting the auction to secure financial freedom."
Jason Johnson, described by critics as 'the Irish Irving Welsh', will open up an unusual auction in cyberspace next month: a chance to become a character in his third novel. The highest bidder on his website, www.woundlicker.com can pay for the bizarre privilege of joining a former flasher and his psychiatric patient/girlfriend in his next book.
Johnson, whose second novel, Alina, was released last month, is as brutally frank about his motives as he is with his violent plots and muscular prose. The 37-year-old freelance journalist, whose first two books have received critical acclaim in Ireland, admits he is starting the auction to secure financial freedom."
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Itsy Bitsy Update
MiamiHerald.com | 09/29/2006 | Big mistake: 'Itsy Bitsy' songwriter isn't dead: "The man who wrote the famous novelty tune Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is alive and well and living in Coral Springs.
This is news to some because it was widely reported this week that Paul Vance was dead.
''It's not bad here in heaven,'' joked Vance, 76, who wrote the 1960 hit made famous by teen idol Brian Hyland. ``On Thursday, we get Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra performing.''
Joking is the only thing a man who has been told he is dead can do, explained Vance, who said the phone has not stopped ringing since The Associated Press circulated his obituary on Tuesday.
''At first, it wasn't funny,'' Vance said. ``My grandchildren heard about it from the news, and they believed it. And then it turns out the man they wrote about is an impostor. They wrote about the death of some guy who for years had been taking credit for writing my song.''
The AP reported on the death of a 68-year-old man named Paul Van Valkenburgh of Ormond Beach, Fla., who claimed to have written the song under the name Paul Vance. The story cited the man's wife, Rose Leroux, as the source for that claim.
Leroux said her late husband -- who made a living as a salesman and then a painting contractor -- claimed to have had a music career before they met 40 years ago. He said that he wrote the song, but sold the rights when he was 19."
This is news to some because it was widely reported this week that Paul Vance was dead.
''It's not bad here in heaven,'' joked Vance, 76, who wrote the 1960 hit made famous by teen idol Brian Hyland. ``On Thursday, we get Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra performing.''
Joking is the only thing a man who has been told he is dead can do, explained Vance, who said the phone has not stopped ringing since The Associated Press circulated his obituary on Tuesday.
''At first, it wasn't funny,'' Vance said. ``My grandchildren heard about it from the news, and they believed it. And then it turns out the man they wrote about is an impostor. They wrote about the death of some guy who for years had been taking credit for writing my song.''
The AP reported on the death of a 68-year-old man named Paul Van Valkenburgh of Ormond Beach, Fla., who claimed to have written the song under the name Paul Vance. The story cited the man's wife, Rose Leroux, as the source for that claim.
Leroux said her late husband -- who made a living as a salesman and then a painting contractor -- claimed to have had a music career before they met 40 years ago. He said that he wrote the song, but sold the rights when he was 19."
Anna Nicole Smith Update
Autopsy Says Mix of Drugs Killed Smith's Son - Los Angeles Times: "Actress and model Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son died from a lethal combination of methadone and two antidepressant drugs, the U.S.-based pathologist who conducted a private autopsy said in San Juan.
Toxicology tests showed that Daniel Smith had methadone, Zoloft and Lexapro in his system when he died Sept. 10 in a hospital room in the Bahamas where his mother was recuperating from giving birth, according to pathologist Cyril Wecht. Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction."
Toxicology tests showed that Daniel Smith had methadone, Zoloft and Lexapro in his system when he died Sept. 10 in a hospital room in the Bahamas where his mother was recuperating from giving birth, according to pathologist Cyril Wecht. Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction."
Top 10 Singalong Pop Hits Of All Time
Top 10 Singalong Pop Hits Of All Time: "Whether it's in the car listening to the radio, at a sports event, in a bar, or in the shower, one of the great things about pop music is it invites you to sing along. Some songs clearly are better than others for singing along, and it takes some time for a pop song to establish itself as a clear favorite. Read on for your guide's picks of the best of the best in singalong favorites."
J. D. (Dusty) Rhoades at Bouchercon
Dusty is the author of The Devil's Right Hand and A Good Day in Hell.
Jim Lee's Texas
James Ward Lee, who says he's a "learner" when it comes to blogging, actually has a great blog, as you can discover if you click the link. And I'm not just saying that because he has great taste in literature.
Jim Lee's Texas: "One of my favorite Texas writers is Bill Crider, who was called by the Brazosport paper “the Bard of Alvin.” Crider is author of at least fifty books—mysteries, westerns, horror tales. He writes them faster than I can read them. My favorites may be the Carl Burns mysteries which are set in a small college in near West Texas. A Dangerous Thing, a very early Crider, is not only a fine crime novel, but a pretty wonderful satire on small college life."
Jim Lee's Texas: "One of my favorite Texas writers is Bill Crider, who was called by the Brazosport paper “the Bard of Alvin.” Crider is author of at least fifty books—mysteries, westerns, horror tales. He writes them faster than I can read them. My favorites may be the Carl Burns mysteries which are set in a small college in near West Texas. A Dangerous Thing, a very early Crider, is not only a fine crime novel, but a pretty wonderful satire on small college life."
Friday, September 29, 2006
Anna Nicole Smith Update
Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com - WENN: "Anna Nicole Smith has wed her longtime attorney Howard K. Stern in a wedding in Nassau, the Bahamas, according to US reports. Stern, who revealed he was the true father of the actress/model's baby girl Dannilynn on CNN show Larry King Live earlier this week, exchanged vows with Smith on a catamaran anchored off Blackbeard's Cay in Nassau yesterday morning, according to America's Star magazine. The wedding comes just 18 days after the death of Anna's son Daniel Smith, 20, who passed away in his mother's hospital room three days after his baby sister was born on September 7. An eyewitness to the nuptials tells the Star, 'There was heavy security around the yacht, plus extra speedboats to deliver more supplies as needed from the island to the catamaran.' The source adds, 'Anna was wearing a pink bikini' for a post-wedding swim party. On Tuesday, Stern told CNN anchor Larry King he was the father of Smith's baby girl, disputing claims by the actress' ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead that the child was his. He went on to tell King via satellite from the Bahamas that he and Smith were planning to wed: 'I've loved her for quite some time and hopefully the feeling's mutual. At some point, we will (get married).' If the reports are true, this will be Smith's third marriage. Her first husband was tragic Daniel's father Billy Wayne Smith and she wed 89-year-old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall in 1994. He died in 1995."
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters
Pinup Girl Mural Turns Heads On Highway
Painting Was Gift On Homeowner's Birthday
The owner of the home had his friend paint the mural for his birthday.So far, he said he has had no complaints from his neighbors.
Thanks to Graham Powell of Crimespot for the link.
On-Line Mystery Art Exhibit
George Hagenauer planned an art exibit for Bouchercon, but it didn't work out. However, you can see some of the paintings on line here. Check it out.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Possum Update
IR // AP News // Opossum Clash Ends With Arrest, Dog Shot: "SAN DIEGO - A dispute that began over the capture of an opossum in a residential neighborhood ended with police shooting a Rottweiler and arresting a man after stunning him with a Taser gun.
A fight broke out in the Talmadge area of San Diego after a resident saw a large opossum running in the area Tuesday and asked a maintenance worker to corral the feral animal, prompting a call to police.
An officer at the scene shot a Taser gun at one man who became combative, according to police reports.
The man removed the barbs and fled through a neighboring yard, where a Rottweiler allegedly came at the officer. The officer fired several shots in self-defense, police said."
A fight broke out in the Talmadge area of San Diego after a resident saw a large opossum running in the area Tuesday and asked a maintenance worker to corral the feral animal, prompting a call to police.
An officer at the scene shot a Taser gun at one man who became combative, according to police reports.
The man removed the barbs and fled through a neighboring yard, where a Rottweiler allegedly came at the officer. The officer fired several shots in self-defense, police said."
We're Here
It's 6:10 p.m. and we're in our very nice room at the Madison Concourse Hotel, a mere 12 hours after getting up this morning. We've already see Robin Burcell, Sarah Weinman, Randy Hicks, Jim Winter, George Easter, Larry and Harriet Stay, George and Diane Kelley, Judy Bobolink, and probably others. And that's just in the lobby while checking in. I'll try to get some video subejcts lined up tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Off To Bouchercon
Tomorrow morning bright and early, Judy and I will be heading to Houston Intercontinental Airport for the long trip to Madison, Wisconsin. Okay, so it's not such a long trip as the crow flies, but we're not using a crow. We're using Continental Airlines, which means that we go to Cleveland, lay over for a few hours, and then go to Madison.
We'll be getting up here at 6:00 A.M. and getting to the hotel in Madison at about 6:00 P.M. So it's a long day's journey into night. Or, in this case, into the frozen north. We're basking in the 80s here this week, as opposed to the 90s last week, but the forecast for Madison looks pretty chilly to us, as it'll going into the 30s on Thursday night. That's the dead of winter.
At any rate, I'll be taking along the little video camera, and if all goes well, I'll post a video or two while we're gone. We'll be getting back here late on Monday, so the blog should return to what passes for normal sometime next week. Talk amongst yourselves until then.
We'll be getting up here at 6:00 A.M. and getting to the hotel in Madison at about 6:00 P.M. So it's a long day's journey into night. Or, in this case, into the frozen north. We're basking in the 80s here this week, as opposed to the 90s last week, but the forecast for Madison looks pretty chilly to us, as it'll going into the 30s on Thursday night. That's the dead of winter.
At any rate, I'll be taking along the little video camera, and if all goes well, I'll post a video or two while we're gone. We'll be getting back here late on Monday, so the blog should return to what passes for normal sometime next week. Talk amongst yourselves until then.
"Paul Vance" R. I. P.
News Times Live Composer of 'bikini' song, Paul Van Valkenburgh, dies: "The New Milford native and composer of the 1960s novelty tune 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini' died earlier this month.
Paul Van Valkenburgh, 68, who wrote the song and several others as a young man under the name 'Paul Vance,' died at his Ormond Beach home in Florida on Sept. 6.
*****************
The owner of a painting and decorating business in Florida, Van Valkenburgh was a Navy veteran who fought in the Korean Conflict, and who in his early years wrote several songs.
His silly, snappy tune about a girl wearing a very revealing 'yellow polka dot bikini' was a hit when it was released on Aug. 8, 1960, by artist Brian Hyland."
Paul Van Valkenburgh, 68, who wrote the song and several others as a young man under the name 'Paul Vance,' died at his Ormond Beach home in Florida on Sept. 6.
*****************
The owner of a painting and decorating business in Florida, Van Valkenburgh was a Navy veteran who fought in the Korean Conflict, and who in his early years wrote several songs.
His silly, snappy tune about a girl wearing a very revealing 'yellow polka dot bikini' was a hit when it was released on Aug. 8, 1960, by artist Brian Hyland."
In Other News, Cap'n Bob Applies to be Florida Cop
Vice Unit Thorough In Probe Of Bikini Bar: "TAMPA - East Hillsborough Avenue is hardly innocent.
Drug deals are made next to rundown buildings, prostitutes barter for cash, and a handful of adult businesses offer erotic massages, pornography and scantily-clad dancers.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says there even is a place where men have paid women to straddle their laps and show them more of a good time than allowed by law.
They know this because some of those men were undercover deputies.
From February 2004 to May 2006, vice unit detectives watched erotic dancers expose breasts and genitals during 92 lap dances in the VIP room of Lil Tootsie's nightclub, at 5634 E. Hillsborough Ave., according to county documents.
Sheriff David Gee said the investigation was a response to numerous calls for service, including violence, drug and DUI arrests where the driver had been drinking at the club. The investigation comes at a price for taxpayers. In addition to the detectives' time, they spent $6,400 on drinks, entry fees and tips, Lt. Gary Ganey said. Records show that in a single day, detectives visited the club three times and spent $260."
Drug deals are made next to rundown buildings, prostitutes barter for cash, and a handful of adult businesses offer erotic massages, pornography and scantily-clad dancers.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says there even is a place where men have paid women to straddle their laps and show them more of a good time than allowed by law.
They know this because some of those men were undercover deputies.
From February 2004 to May 2006, vice unit detectives watched erotic dancers expose breasts and genitals during 92 lap dances in the VIP room of Lil Tootsie's nightclub, at 5634 E. Hillsborough Ave., according to county documents.
Sheriff David Gee said the investigation was a response to numerous calls for service, including violence, drug and DUI arrests where the driver had been drinking at the club. The investigation comes at a price for taxpayers. In addition to the detectives' time, they spent $6,400 on drinks, entry fees and tips, Lt. Gary Ganey said. Records show that in a single day, detectives visited the club three times and spent $260."
I, For One, Am Thrilled
Blame Jeff Meyerson for sending this link.
Paris Hilton And Nicole Richie Are Friends Again! - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise:
"Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are reportedly making the first movements to becoming friends once again.
The Simple Life pair haven’t spoken for a year after a feud which neither will reveals the origins of.
However, on Friday they were filmed talking on the phone after Paris called to wish Nicole a belated happy 25th birthday according x17online.
Nicole apparently took the call while filling her car with gas and [was] so excited that she dropped her phone."
Paris Hilton And Nicole Richie Are Friends Again! - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise:
"Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are reportedly making the first movements to becoming friends once again.
The Simple Life pair haven’t spoken for a year after a feud which neither will reveals the origins of.
However, on Friday they were filmed talking on the phone after Paris called to wish Nicole a belated happy 25th birthday according x17online.
Nicole apparently took the call while filling her car with gas and [was] so excited that she dropped her phone."
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . .
. . . Christmas! I had to go to Wal-Mart today for some last-minute travel stuff (snacks). Sure enough, the plastic trees are out, the decorations are on the shelves, and old Santa's standing by. Only three months to go!
The Killer Year' New Site is Launched
The Killer Year: "Welcome to Killer Year, your resource for the finest debut mystery and thriller novels of 2007.
Over the coming months, KillerYear.com will be your one stop shop. We will provide you with a comprehensive community, a neighborhood to call your very own, and a bevy of new authors to discover. Booksellers, reviewers, readers and writers, all living under one roof. You'll be able to buy our books, read our reviews, find out when we'll be in your neck of the woods, and get a glimpse into all of our dirty little secrets."
Over the coming months, KillerYear.com will be your one stop shop. We will provide you with a comprehensive community, a neighborhood to call your very own, and a bevy of new authors to discover. Booksellers, reviewers, readers and writers, all living under one roof. You'll be able to buy our books, read our reviews, find out when we'll be in your neck of the woods, and get a glimpse into all of our dirty little secrets."
Free Streaming Movies
From J. D. (Dusty) Rhoades comes this link to a ton of free movies. The Giant Gila Monster? It's there. Hercules vs. the Moon Men? There. So is Birth of a Nation, for that matter. It's a long list. Check it out here.
I'm on The Brazosport News!
THE BRAZOSPORT NEWS: "I've been calling him 'The Bard of Alvin' for a year or two now, given his prodigious output of fiction, and he heeded our call sometime back to clean up the Nolan Ryan statue in front of Alvin City Hall, which he accomplished with a single phone call."
There's even a photo of me. I have no idea where it came from.
There's even a photo of me. I have no idea where it came from.
Top Ten Dark Comedies?
You can check out the list here, and see if you agree. I don't see how there could be any argument with #1.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
The morbidly curious (none of you, surely) can see the pics from the ads here.
Paris Hilton's w(h)ining outrage - Showbiz News - Life Style Extra: "LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Paris Hilton has caused outrage by starring in a wine advert just weeks after being arrested for drink drivingView the profile for Paris Hilton on Celebrity Spotlight.
The 'Stars Are Blind' singer agreed to be the face of Italian wine-maker Prosecco and posed for raunchy photos to promote their sparkling wine range 'Rich'.
However, road safety campaigners have been left fuming over the sexy ads, saying Paris is not suited for the campaign after her recent drink-driving scandal.
Andrea Dan, the president of Italy's Road safety Society said: 'She has just only been arrested for drink-driving and a few days later she is promoting an alcoholic drink. What sot of image is that?'
The 25-year-old was arrested on 7 September in Hollywood after she was pulled over for 'driving erratically' and failed a sobriety test.
Meanwhile, Paris stunned onlookers in Los Angeles when she broke down in tears after being approached by a young fan.
One onlooker said: 'Paris seemed really sad and tried to explain that she was in a rush. When the young girl asked if everything was OK, Paris shook her head before fleeing in tears.'"
Paris Hilton's w(h)ining outrage - Showbiz News - Life Style Extra: "LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Paris Hilton has caused outrage by starring in a wine advert just weeks after being arrested for drink drivingView the profile for Paris Hilton on Celebrity Spotlight.
The 'Stars Are Blind' singer agreed to be the face of Italian wine-maker Prosecco and posed for raunchy photos to promote their sparkling wine range 'Rich'.
However, road safety campaigners have been left fuming over the sexy ads, saying Paris is not suited for the campaign after her recent drink-driving scandal.
Andrea Dan, the president of Italy's Road safety Society said: 'She has just only been arrested for drink-driving and a few days later she is promoting an alcoholic drink. What sot of image is that?'
The 25-year-old was arrested on 7 September in Hollywood after she was pulled over for 'driving erratically' and failed a sobriety test.
Meanwhile, Paris stunned onlookers in Los Angeles when she broke down in tears after being approached by a young fan.
One onlooker said: 'Paris seemed really sad and tried to explain that she was in a rush. When the young girl asked if everything was OK, Paris shook her head before fleeing in tears.'"
Joseph Hayes, R. I. P.
Joseph Hayes, 88, Author of ‘The Desperate Hours,’ Dies - New York Times: "Joseph Hayes, who wrote the novel “The Desperate Hours,” which he later turned into a Tony Award-winning play and a movie, died on Sept. 11 in St. Augustine, Fla., where he lived. He was 88.
Mr. Hayes died in a nursing home of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, said his son Daniel Hayes.
Though Mr. Hayes had already made it to Broadway in 1949 with a short-lived play, “Leaf and Bough,” he was catapulted to fame with “The Desperate Hours,” his 1954 suspense novel about a suburban family taken hostage at home by three escaped convicts. In his review in The New York Times, the critic Orville Prescott called it “an expert study of the agonizing dilemma of a group of sharply delineated and deeply understood characters.”
Immediately after the book’s debut, Mr. Hayes joined with an actor-turned-producer, Howard Erskine, to bring the theatrical version to Broadway. Their production, based on Mr. Hayes’s adaptation and starring a young Paul Newman, won the 1955 Tony Award for best play. Mr. Hayes also developed the novel into a screenplay; the movie, directed by William Wyler, with Humphrey Bogart in the role that Mr. Newman originated and Fredric March as the homeowner, won an Edgar Award in 1956. The film was remade in 1990 by Michael Cimino."
Mr. Hayes died in a nursing home of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, said his son Daniel Hayes.
Though Mr. Hayes had already made it to Broadway in 1949 with a short-lived play, “Leaf and Bough,” he was catapulted to fame with “The Desperate Hours,” his 1954 suspense novel about a suburban family taken hostage at home by three escaped convicts. In his review in The New York Times, the critic Orville Prescott called it “an expert study of the agonizing dilemma of a group of sharply delineated and deeply understood characters.”
Immediately after the book’s debut, Mr. Hayes joined with an actor-turned-producer, Howard Erskine, to bring the theatrical version to Broadway. Their production, based on Mr. Hayes’s adaptation and starring a young Paul Newman, won the 1955 Tony Award for best play. Mr. Hayes also developed the novel into a screenplay; the movie, directed by William Wyler, with Humphrey Bogart in the role that Mr. Newman originated and Fredric March as the homeowner, won an Edgar Award in 1956. The film was remade in 1990 by Michael Cimino."
News for all You Gourmets
Happy Birthday, William Faulkner!
I'm a fan of William Faulkner. I've probably read The Sound and the Fury six or eight times. In fact, I've read an awful lot of Faulkner's work, and I've enjoyed about 90% of it. Faulkner, besides being a lot of other things, was a crime writer (Sanctuary) and a mystery writer. Check out the stories in Knight's Gambit, which is listed in Queen's Quorum. One of the stories, "An Error in Chemistry" originally appeared in EQMM, I believe.
Interview with Me
Author Steven Torres has posted an interview with me at his site. For those of you who are already bored with me, there are some other cool interviews, too. Check 'em out.
To the Surprise of Absolutely No One
The Scotsman - Entertainment - Sir Sean voted best-ever Bond: "SIR Sean Connery has been named as the best James Bond of all time.
The star beat his fellow Bond actors Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby in the poll.
The 1964 film Goldfinger, starring Sir Sean, was named the favourite of all the 007 movies.
Ursula Andress was voted the best Bond girl of all time in the survey for the science fiction and fantasy magazine SFX.
The survey of Ian Fleming's screen spies put Brosnan in second place, followed by Moore, Dalton and Lazenby."
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Yet Another List
Ever wondered which movies Leonardo di Caprio thought were the ten best? Now you can find out. Just click here.
Bouchercon
Bouchercon is coming up. We'll be making our way to Madison, WI, on Wednesday, and one of the panels I'm on (Sunday morning, 9:00 A. M.) will include Louise Ure. Besides having been nominated for a Shamus for her first novel (Forcing Amaryllis), she was involved in advertising for a while and was connected to some extent with the California Raisins (yes, they even have their own Wikipedia entry). I'm going to have to be sure to ask her about that.
Anna Nicole Smith Update
I guess no personal sorrow is so bad that somebody can't make a few bucks off it.
Anna Nicole Smith's Unfathomable Sorrow Worth Low To Mid Six-Figures - Defamer: "On Friday, our East Coast big sister Gawker noted that an email had landed in the inbox of all the celebrity weeklies' top editors, offering them the once-in-a-newscycle opportunity to cash in on someone's else's tragedy. Getty Images informed them that for $200k, plus an assurance of 'no negative press,' they could have 17 photos of Anna Nicole Smith beaming in a hospital bed with newborn daughter and Daniel, the son who would be found mysteriously dead in the same building the very next day, at her side. A bidding war ensued, with third-tier glossy In Touch reportedly scoring the World's Most Depressing Photoset for a sum well north of $300k, . . ."
Anna Nicole Smith's Unfathomable Sorrow Worth Low To Mid Six-Figures - Defamer: "On Friday, our East Coast big sister Gawker noted that an email had landed in the inbox of all the celebrity weeklies' top editors, offering them the once-in-a-newscycle opportunity to cash in on someone's else's tragedy. Getty Images informed them that for $200k, plus an assurance of 'no negative press,' they could have 17 photos of Anna Nicole Smith beaming in a hospital bed with newborn daughter and Daniel, the son who would be found mysteriously dead in the same building the very next day, at her side. A bidding war ensued, with third-tier glossy In Touch reportedly scoring the World's Most Depressing Photoset for a sum well north of $300k, . . ."
Good News at Secret Dead about Damn Near Dead
Secret Dead Blog: "Damn Near Dead is a Bestseller!
No, not on the New York Times, USA Today, or any of those other so-called 'bestseller lists.' Feh. I'm talking about the Independent Mystery Bookseller Association, which reports that Damn Near Dead was the sixth bestselling paperback in August among fine indie mystery bookstores everywhere."
No, not on the New York Times, USA Today, or any of those other so-called 'bestseller lists.' Feh. I'm talking about the Independent Mystery Bookseller Association, which reports that Damn Near Dead was the sixth bestselling paperback in August among fine indie mystery bookstores everywhere."
Make a Wallet from a Paperback Cover.
From Eat Your Heart Out, Martha: "I'm always looking for new ways to work all the odds and ends I collect into something useful. In this case, I ravaged a stack of old paperback novels and concocted a wallet just right for carrying business cards and a little cash. From start to finish it takes no more than 15 minutes to make one of these babies!
"With a trip to a used book shop and a fabric store, plus an hour or two to spare, you can make several of these for five dollars or so. Pick books with a proper theme, slip a little note inside (or even some $$) and they would make sweet little gifts for just about everybody."
Check it out. Thanks to Mary Root for the link.
"With a trip to a used book shop and a fabric store, plus an hour or two to spare, you can make several of these for five dollars or so. Pick books with a proper theme, slip a little note inside (or even some $$) and they would make sweet little gifts for just about everybody."
Check it out. Thanks to Mary Root for the link.
Night of the Living Dead -- in 3-D
Yes, the next Night of the Living Dead will be in startling 3-D, and if you've got an old pair of those red and green 3-D glasses around the house, you can see some great stills, particularly this one. Check 'em out.
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