Abandoned Books

What are your abandoned books? | News | Telegraph: "The average Briton spends more than �4,000 on books during his or her lifetime but nearly half of them remain unread, a new study claims.

DBC Pierre's Booker Prize-winning novel, 'Vernon God Little', topped the list of unfinished fictional works, followed by the fourth installment of Harry Potter and James Joyce’s notoriously difficult 'Ulysses'.

The research, commissioned by Teletext, also found that more than half of the 4,000 respondents, (55 per cent) admitted they often bought books for decoration and had no intention of actually reading them."

Croc Update

Thanks to Jeff "Croc" Meyerson for the link.

Ananova - Nike croc shoes slammed: "Nike has been slammed by animal rights groups after launching trainers made from crocodile and snake skin.

The special edition shoes come with 18-carat gold lace tags and cost �1,400, reports the Sun.

One version is made from saltwater crocodile skin while the other features the skin of the world's largest snake - the anaconda.

They have been made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Nike's Air Force 1 range, and have gone on sale at flagship stores around the world.

In London, one pair is spotlighted beneath a glass case.

However, the move seems to have backfired, with the National Animal Welfare Society saying: 'What a horrific and objectionable way of making money. They are croccy horrors.'"

The Gunseller -- Hugh Laurie

I don't watch House very often, but I do know that Hugh Laurie's the star. He's also a darned good writer if The Gunseller is any evidence. It's fast-moving, funny, and thoroughly entertaining.

The narrator is Thomas Lang, and when he's asked to kill an American millionaire, he refuses the job and informs the man of the plot against him. No good deed goes unpunished, and before Lang is absorbing more punishment than you'd think possible. He even lands in the hospital a couple of times, though his ability to recover rivals that of the immortal cheerleader on Heroes. He also finds himself at the center of a highly convoluted plot that I won't even try to summarize here. Let's just say that things blow up real good, that people are shot (or not), and that hardly anyone is what he (or she) appears to be.

This is great fun all the way through, and be sure to turn the next-to-last page for the final two-line kicker, which is fully in keeping with the cynicism of the rest of the novel.

Gator Update

Looser gator-hunt rules allow kills at nesting time | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "RIO HONDO — Listed as endangered a few decades ago, alligators these days are keeping game wardens busy as they respond to calls about the scaly reptiles being spotted alongside highways, behind strip malls and in the man-made lakes of gated housing developments.

The state's solution: more alligator hunting.

April 1 marks the beginning of the first spring alligator-hunting season in Texas, allowing one alligator per hunter in areas beyond the traditional zone in the state's swampy east.

And the new season comes with loosened restrictions, which worry some longtime hunters.

Hunters will be allowed to shoot alligators during nesting season and can shoot alligators in open water, which can leave a wounded and even more dangerous animal sitting in the bottom of a pond.

Traditionally a state warden permits alligator hunting only after a property meets a set of criteria. This season, Texas Parks & Wildlife specialist Amos Cooper said, is 'for any Joe with water and an alligator.'"

13 Sidekicks Who Are Cooler than the Heroes

Since we've had the other list of sidekicks, we need this one, too.

I'll Bet She Smokes Salems

Witch rumors prompt teacher lawsuit - Newsday.com: "Her fingernails, makeup and clothing apparently made her look like a witch in the eyes of the principal at the Hampton Bays school where she taught reading, Lauren Berrios said Tuesday as she prepared for her lawsuit against the district to go to trial.

Berrios, 37, who vehemently denies ever practicing witchcraft, said there was no reason her appearance at the school could have been mistaken for anything other than a prim and well-kept professional.

Jurors in federal court are scheduled to start hearing Wednesday about how Berrios endured harassment from former Hampton Bays Elementary School principal Andrew Albano, who she claims falsely accused her of being a witch."

In Reality, They Were Just Good Friends.

Americans get an 'F' in religion - USATODAY.com

Sometimes dumb sounds cute: Sixty percent of Americans can't name five of the Ten Commandments, and 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married.

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High Profile -- Robert B. Parker

I'm an admitted Robert B. Parker junkie. I've read all his novels, some more than once, and I find something to enjoy in all of them, even those that others dislike with varying degrees of intensity. That being said, I think we can now declare that it's official: nobody's proofreading the books any more. Maybe we can excuse the missing period after the book's last sentence. That might be some Faulknerian Literary Device (Parker was an English teacher, after all). But I don't think that explains the momentary lapse into first-person narration on p. 188. I think Parker just forgot for a second that he wasn't writing a Spenser novel and that nobody read the galleys, not the copy-editor and not Parker. But, hey, I don't care. I still enjoy the books. This one has two plots. One involves the high-profile murder of a radio and TV talk show host, and the other involves Jenn, Jesse's wife, who claims that she's been raped and that the rapist is now stalking her. Jesse has his hands full with the murder, so he enlists Sunny Randall, crossing over again from her own series, to take care of Jenn. There's always plenty of psychology (some might say too much) in Parker's novels lately, so there's a lot of analysis of Jesse's relationship with Jenn and of his relationship with Sunny. There's a lot of analysis of Jenn's relationship with Jesse, the "rapist," and men in general. There's also the usual smooth, assured writing (with that one little lapse), the snappy dialog, the fast-moving story. In other words, all the things I like. Check it out.

Gator Update

ABC News: Pet Alligator Confiscated From Vt. Home: "A 125-pound pet alligator that had been living in a basement cage is headed to a new home after it was confiscated by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. The 6-foot-4-inch American alligator, estimated to be 17-years old, had been living in the home for seven years.

'This animal could have harmed a child, not to mention the people who were taking care of it,' said Michael Ralbovsky of Rainforest Reptiles of Boston, who helped Vermont agents seize the alligator.

Ralbovsky said the alligator, which was kept in a wood and glass enclosure, was well taken care of, but small for its age.

'They just don't warm up to people. They don't ever become friendly. They don't make good pets,' he said."

Mickey Spillane

Todd Mason provides this link in a comment, but I wanted to move it up here.

More Birthdays!

Happy birthday to Lloyd Price: "Stagger Lee," "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," "Personality," and plenty more. Wonderful stuff.

And a happy birthday, too, to Mickey Gilley. He's more than just Jerry Lee's cousin and the one-time owner of Gilley's. He cut a few pretty good records, too: "Don't the Girls all get Prettier at Closing Time," "Roomful of Roses," "I Overlooked an Orchid." He even did a version of "Lawdy Miss Clawdy."

Top 5 Sidekicks

What? No Gabby Hayes?

Survey Says Chewbacca Is The Ultimate Sidekick - Starpulse News Blog: "Movie wookie Chewbacca has topped a new internet poll created to find the ultimate Celebrity Sideman. The Star Wars character, portrayed by Peter Mayhew, beat Burt Reynolds' sidekick Victor Prinzim (Dom DeLuise) in The Cannonball Run to land the title in Maxim.com new list.

The top five film friends are:

1. Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in Star Wars
2. Victor Primzin (Dom DeLuise) in The Cannonball Run
3. Short Round (Ke Huy Quan) in Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom
4. Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) in Lord Of The Rings
5. Barney Fife (Don Knotts) in The Andy Griffith Show"

Birthdays!

I have to admit that I didn't know until Beth Foxwell pointed it out that Mickey Spillane and William Campbell Gault shared this day as their birthday. Two great guys, two writers I've enjoyed for many years. Both gone now, and that's too bad.

Alvin, Texas, Hits the Big Time!

Banjo Jones has the scoop.

Who?

Pete Townshend has a blog.

He's blogging his memoirs, too.

Or someone is.

I Hate Daylight Saving Time

As far as I know, there are no studies to prove that DST saves significant energy, or, for that matter, any energy at all. Yet we have to go through this every year. Stop the madness!

LiveScience.com - How to Survive the First Morning of Daylight Saving Time: "

Your head and body are in for a spin on Sunday morning, when clocks shift forward an hour in the earliest-ever calendar start of Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Here are some tips to keep the grogginess to a minimum and ease your body into the new “time zone,” according to the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center.

* A few days before Daylight Saving kicks in, hit the sack a little earlier each night. Even 15 minutes earlier for three days can make a difference.

* Also, set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier successively for each of the three days before DST.

* Make sure to set your clock one hour forward before going to bed this Saturday, not the next day. Sleeping in on Sunday will only cause problems down the line. Experts say to wake up at your normal time."

Dang

LiveScience.com - You Can't Travel Back in Time, Scientists Say: "The urge to hug a departed loved one again or prevent atrocities are among the compelling reasons that keep the notion of time travel alive in the minds of many.

While the idea makes for great fiction, some scientists now say traveling to the past is impossible.

There are a handful of scenarios that theorists have suggested for how one might travel to the past, said Brian Greene, author of the bestseller, “The Elegant Universe” and a physicist at Columbia University.“And almost all of them, if you look at them closely, brush up right at the edge of physics as we understand it. Most of us think that almost all of them can be ruled out.”"

The Wheels of the Law Grind Slowly

State revokes trucker's driver's license: "A trucker who had a lengthy record of driving offenses before causing a fatal crash on the Maine Turnpike has lost his driver’s license for good, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced Wednesday.

The state was able to permanently revoke Scott Hewitt’s license because of a finding by investigators that Hewitt was under the influence of marijuana when his tractor-trailer crushed a car on the toll highway in July 2005, Dunlap said.

Hewitt, 34, of Caribou, pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter in the crash, which caused the death of Tina Turcotte, 40, of Scarborough.

'The death caused by Mr. Hewitt was a needless tragedy, and it is my sincere wish that he never get behind the wheel of any motor vehicle ever again, in Maine or any other state,' Dunlap said Wednesday in a statement.

Hewitt’s driving record, which included 63 convictions, 23 license suspensions and a previous fatal crash, outraged many Mainers and prompted the Legislature to crack down on motorists with suspended licenses who refuse to stop driving."

Bitter Ground -- W. R. Burnett

Once upon a time, long, long ago (1958), Knopf published western novels. And they were reviewed in the New York Times, which called Bitter Ground the "best western of the year," according to the blurb on the back of the Bantam paperback edition.

Don't get the idea that Bitter Ground is a "novel of the west" or anything like that. It's a pure powder-burner. A man named Doc and his two cronies ride into San Ygnacio with the idea of taking over the town. The sheriff is Ben Gann, a fast gun, but over the hill, or so Doc believes. The only obstacle to Doc's plan is William Stafford, a young man who's in San Ygnacio to escape from his past, when he was known as "Brazos" and was faster with a gun than anybody. He's hung up his guns, however, and vowed never to strap on a pistol again.

So what do you think? Will Brazos be forced to wear guns again? Will he and Doc have a showdown in the middle of Main Street? You're durned tootin'. This is the good old stuff. Check it out if you ever get the chance.

Grrrrrrrr. . .

It's that time again. 'Nuff said.

I Am Deeply Hurt . . .

. . . that I was not invited.

Hollywood's Hottest Blondes

I'm not going to mention #8.

Christina Aguilera Is The Hottest Blonde - Starpulse News Blog: "Christina Aguilera has topped a new magazine poll to find Hollywood's Hottest Blonde.

The pop superstar beat Reese Witherspoon and Kate Hudson to land the top spot on the new In Touch hot list."

Interview with Lee Goldberg

There's an entertaining an interesting interview with Lee Goldberg over at Poe's Deadly Daughters. Check it out.

OK, I Admit It. . .

I think this is genius.

Link via Boing Boing.

Mama Mia! Update

Pierce Brosnan to star in ABBA musical with Meryl Streep - Yahoo! News: "Pierce Brosnan has become the latest star to sign up for the big-screen adaptation of hit ABBA musical 'Mamma Mia!,' local media reported Wednesday.

The Irish actor best known for his portrayal of British super spy 007 in the James Bond films will line up opposite two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep for the movie, film industry tabloid Daily Variety reported.

The film, which plays out to a soundtrack of hit songs from the Swedish super group of the 1970s and 1980s, tells the story of a young woman trying to find out the identity of her father."

If You've Ever Wanted to Read about an Elephant's Penis . . .

. . . click here.

No English Teacher Reading this Will Be Surprised

The applicants who all had burnt pyjamas-News-UK-Education-TimesOnline: "University admissions officers may have been amused and impressed with the bright young spark who began his medical school application with an entertaining yet thoughtful anecdote about setting fire to his pyjamas when he was a boy.

But that was before they read 233 other applications telling exactly the same story.

They may experienced a similar sense of d�j�vu when they read all 370 applications from would-be doctors who opened their personal statements with “a fascination for how the human body works . . .” and the 175 who referred to their “elderly or infirm grandfather”.

A creative imagination may not be the first thing universities were looking for from our future GPs, dentists or brain surgeons, but they might reasonably expect applicants to tell the truth."

Geek Movies Not On DVD, L through Z

Part 2 of the "Geek Movies Not on DVD" series is up at RevolutionSF. Check it out.

Big Bopper Update

Big Bopper autopsy puts rumors to rest - CNN.com: "KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- J.P. 'The Big Bopper' Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body.

The performer's son, Jay Richardson, hired Dr. Bill Bass, a well-known forensic anthropologist at the University of Tennessee, to look at the remains in Beaumont, Texas.

There have been rumors a gun might have been fired on board the plane and that the Big Bopper might have survived the crash and died trying to get help.

Bass took X-rays of the body and found nothing Tuesday to support those theories.

'There was no indication of foul play,' Bass said in a telephone interview from Beaumont. 'There are fractures from head to toe. Massive fractures. ... (He) died immediately. He didn't crawl away. He didn't walk away from the plane.'

The rock 'n' roll stars' plane crashed after taking off from Mason City, Iowa, on February 3, 1959 -- a tragedy memorialized as 'the day the music died' in Don McLean's song 'American Pie.'"

Lucky at Cards -- Lawrence Block

The other day I commented on Lawrence Block's $20 Lust, reprinted as Cinderella Sims. Block started out to write a Gold Medal crime novel, figured this one didn't quite cut the mustard, and published it as soft-core porn. Now Hard Case Crime has reprinted another of Block's old soft-core novels, Lucky at Cards (aka The Sex Shuffle). This one comes a lot closer to being a Gold Medal book, I think, than Cinderella Sims.

For one thing, there's a lot less sex. Cinderella Sims has a lot of sex, and the scenes are considerably longer and more explicit than those in Lucky at Cards. Another thing is that the background in Lucky is a lot more carefully worked out and believable than the one in Cinderella. All the stuff about poker and gin sounds exactly right, and the setting is as convincing as in anything Block has done.

With a little tweaking, especially toward the end, this book would have fit right into the Gold Medal line. I wonder if Block tried it there and it just didn't fly for some reason. At any rate, it's great to have this new edition on the shelves. Check it out.

Top 10 Things You Don't Want to Hear in the Elevator at an SF Convention

Top 10 Things You Don’t Want to Hear in the Elevator at an SF Convention

10 “Signal the Mother Ship! The specimens in this turbolift will just fill our quota for new slaves!”

Click the link for more.

Anna Nicole Smith Update (from the Ever Classy O. J.)

O.J. A SMITH DAD CANDIDATE - Pagesix - New York Post Online Edition: "ADD O.J. Simpson's name to the list of Anna Nicole Smith conquests. When the blond bombshell died last month and at least three men claimed to be the father of her baby girl, Dannielynn, the double-murder acquittee 'said he was throwing his hat into the ring,' Norm Pardo told Page Six. Pardo is the videographer who amassed 70 hours of footage of Simpson from 2000 to 2005. 'He said he knew Anna Nicole pretty well, and he said he had slow-moving sperm, and he might be the father.' Simpson and Smith were castmates in 'Naked Gun 331/3: The Final Insult' (1994), and Anna Nicole was certainly O.J.'s type. His murdered wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, was also blond and busty. Simpson, who often visits the Bahamas, also joked to Pardo, 'I hope they don't do a DNA test on Anna Nicole's baby. If they find out Dannielynn is mine, I don't want Fred Goldman trying to seize her money - or the baby herself.'"

Anna Nicole Smith Update

ANNA NICOLE SMITH - ANNA NICOLES JAILED EX FEARS SEX TAPE HAS BEEN STOLEN: "ANNA NICOLE SMITH's jailed ex-boyfriend fears a sex tape of him making love to the tragic model is among the items stolen in a raid on her home in the Bahamas. MARK HATTEN, who is serving time for making terrorist threats against Smith and beating up her neighbour, has revealed the existence of the sex tape in recent correspondence with Smith's estranged mother VIRGIE ARTHUR. In one letter to Arthur, obtained by website TMZ.com, Hatten urges her to find and destroy the tape, explaining his ex was 'against pornography (hardcore)'. "

My Ban on Paris Hilton . . .

. . . is still in effect.

Out of the Gutter

I've been reading the stories in Out of the Gutter this week. You remember those old "not for the squeamish" warnings? Well, it sure applies here. But the old adage about not being able to judge a book by its cover doesn't. Take a look over there to the left. You're going to get what the cover promises. These are rough and tumble stories, and some of them hit like a fist in the face. There's nothing pretty and dainty here, but if your looking for something rough, raw, and real, they gotcha covered. Some of the stories are even funny, in a gruesome or very dark way. There's some nonfiction, some verse, some comics, and some mock ads, too. An interesting and entertaining package. Check it out.

So That's Why They're Called Drill Sergeants

FOXNews.com - Drill Sergeant Accused of Forcing Trainee to Dress as Superman, Submit to Sex Acts - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News: "A drill sergeant at Fort Eustis in Hampton is accused of forcing a male trainee to dress as Superman and submit to sexual acts.

Officials say Army Staff Sergeant Edmundo Estrada also faces charges of indecent assault, having an inappropriate relationship with a trainee, and cruelty and maltreatment of subordinates. The 35-year-old was arraigned in January and is scheduled to appear April 17 in a military court. He remains on active duty but is no longer a drill sergeant.

A search warrant affidavit filed in Hampton Circuit Court says officials began investigating Estrada in August after a soldier reported Estrada mistreated and sexually assaulted him."

News Flash

SCI FI Wire | The News Service of the SCI FI Channel: "SCI FI Channel has green-lighted production on Flash Gordon, a series based on the popular comic-strip franchise, the channel announced Jan. 12 at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif.

Production on the 22 one-hour episodes begins in Canada early this year. The series, produced by Reunion Pictures, is slated to debut on SCI FI in July, with a broadcast syndication window to follow.

The series will be produced under an agreement between King Features Syndicate, which owns the rights to Flash Gordon, and Robert Halmi Sr. and Robert Halmi Jr. (The Legend of Earthsea).

The characters of Ming, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov will be brought back for a contemporary retelling of the comic-strip story created in 1934 by Alex Raymond. The strip is still distributed internationally by King Features Syndicate. "

New Hardluck Stories Now On-line

The latest issue of Hardluck Stories is on-line now, with some great artwork and some fine stories. Don't let anybody try to tell you that the e-zines aren't publishing topnotch work. This is good stuff. Check it out.

Art Buchwald Update

The Laughter Lives On at Art Buchwald's Memorial Service - washingtonpost.com

They sent "Artie" off with laughter, as was only fitting, given that humor had been Art Buchwald's great gift to this world. So when hundreds of family members and friends -- many of them public luminaries -- gathered at the Kennedy Center yesterday to commemorate his life, it was a ceremony filled as much with mirth as mourning.

"He provided so much material for everybody, and so much of it was timeless," said his son, Joel Buchwald, after the 90-minute service. With 10 eulogies and two video tributes, approximately 550 guests and a setting in the Eisenhower Theater, Buchwald's memorial may not have matched the fantasy one he humorously described in his last book -- Carnegie Hall, Harlem Boys Choir, "New York Symphony" -- but it was certainly an event.

Among the guests were John Glenn, Nancy Pelosi, Sam Donaldson, Andy Rooney, Eunice Shriver and a whole clan of Kennedys, Robert Novak, Bob Woodward . . . and that doesn't even include those who spoke. In addition to three members of his family (Joel and his sister Jennifer Buchwald, as well as Joel's wife, Tamara Buchwald), the longtime humorist was honored by Tom Brokaw, Mike Wallace, Ben Bradlee, Dave Barry, George Stevens Jr., Michael Newman (who was Buchwald's friend as well as his physician) and Ethel Kennedy, who brought down the house with rich anecdotes about her old friend.

On the Wrong Track -- Steve Hockensmith

Gustav and Otto (or Old Red and Big Red, if you prefer) Amlingmeyer are back. That should be all you need to know to send you looking for Steve Hockensmith's new novel, the official publication date of which is today. In spite of the setting (the 1890s), this book is, of course a western. It's a historical mystery, this time with a railroad setting.* It's got a lot of great stuff for mystery fans, including robbery, murder, hoboes, and even an actual detective (who drinks a lot). Hilarity and deductifyin' ensue.

Fans of the first book in this series (Holmes on the Range) will recall that Gustav is the one who believes that Sherlock Holmes is a real person, and, inspired by his example, attempts to apply his methods in the Old West setting. Fans will also recall that one of the best things about the novel is Otto's first-person narration. If you're not a fan, you should be, because this is a series that's going to be around. You'll want to be sure to get in on the ground floor.

And one more thing. As Joe Bob Briggs would say, "Heads roll." Check it out.

*Once upon a time there was a series of westerns about a railroad detective agency, the main operative being a guy being named Stone. The author of the books was one "William Grant," and each book in the series was a mystery novel dealing with railroads in the Old West. The books were, unfortunately, marketed as westerns and sank without a trace. However, if you're a mystery fan and would like to read something along those lines, I recommend one called The Colorado Special.

25 Years? Seems More Like Two Weeks to Me

John Belushi, 25 years gone - CNN.com: "LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- When a force of nature like John Belushi is lost, 25 years isn't time enough to ease the grief or erase the laughter.

Actor-comedian Richard Belzer still dreams about him from time to time, the unselfish friend and 'impish genius' who devoured life. John Landis, who directed Belushi in 'Animal House' and 'The Blues Brothers,' is still angry at him for dying foolishly and young.

'Saturday Night Live' creator Lorne Michaels feels an obligation to 'restate the obvious,' that Belushi was profoundly talented and part of the show's creative DNA. (Blog: Belushi memories)

By most measures, the round comic with the sharp edges left a small body of work when a drug overdose killed him at age 33 on March 5, 1982. But his TV, movie and music performances proved influential, hitting the baby-boomer sweet spot and surviving despite pop culture's truncated attention span. "

Who'd Play Sheriff Rhodes in a Movie?

You can read my thoughts on this topic if you click here.

The Blog Project Story

Bryon Quetermous and Dave White set today as the date the latest blog project stories would go live. Each story was supposed to mention blogging, I believe. So I figured why not go the whole hog? My story is a blog. You can read it here. Since it's a blog, you can start with the most recent post and read it backward, or you can go to the beginning and start there. You won't be allowed to comment, but you can read the comments, I hope. They're kind of part of the whole thing.

I believe we were to receive the links to the other stories today, but I don't have those yet.

Update: Gerald So's keeping up with the contributors to the project on his blog. You can go there for the links.

But His Hair Was Perfect

Fond du Lac Reporter - Man who claims he’s a werewolf faces charges: "A Fond du Lac man who claimed he was a werewolf and spoke what sounded like a medieval language has been charged with criminal trespassing, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana.

A $5,000 cash bail was ordered for Robert Marsh, 39 — who lists his address as the Fond du Lac County Jail — during an appearance Friday in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court.

A woman who lives on West Division Street contacted Fond du Lac police about 3 a.m. March 1 and reported that Marsh broke through the deadbolt on her door and grabbed her arm but was stopped by two men in the apartment, according to a criminal complaint.

Marsh was released from prison a few days prior to the incident and the woman had allowed Marsh to stay at her place because he was homeless, according to the report.

During the time Marsh stayed at the home he had not slept, was drinking and often incoherent, stating he was a werewolf, had powers and was involved in a witch religion, the woman told police.

When Marsh was located he had a small amount of marijuana on him and warned authorities that he could change forms."

Happy Birthday, Al Hubin!

Happy birthday to the founder of The Armchair Detective and the compiler of the definitive crime-fiction bibliography. Long may he thrive.

Robert E. Howard Days Coming in June

Thanks to Charlotte Laughlin for the link.

Cross Plains creator of Conan died young : Local Attractions : gosanangelo.com: "Some Texas writers become famous after years of hard work, and some live long enough to enjoy their celebrity. For Robert Ervin Howard, 40 years would go by before his writings would bring him fame, long after his death by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian, the mystical land of Cimmeria and the sword-and-sorcery genre of fiction, died more than 70 years ago when he shot himself while grieving his sick mother. She would die 30 hours after her son. They are buried side by side in Brownwood’s Greenleaf Cemetery.

Howard was one of America’s most prolific writers, and perhaps the weirdest. He has been mostly forgotten by his peers, and his life was so unremarkable that not many folks remembered much about the man. He was described as “a social misfit who was so dependent on his mother that even as a grown man he could never leave her for more than a weekend.”

In June, his hometown of Cross Plains will again host a special weekend of commemoration focused on the Howard home and Howard’s manuscripts, notes and other articles."

Happy Birthday, James Ellroy!

Ellroy.com: "James Ellroy (nee Lee Earle Ellroy) was born in Los Angeles [on this day] in 1948. His mother was a nurse and his father, when he did work, was an accountant, among other things.

When his parents divorced in 1954, his mother got custody and moved to El Monte (a low income area in L.A). His mother was murdered there in 1958. James Ellroy's attempt to solve this still unsolved murder was the subject of his 1996 nonfiction work My Dark Places. After his mother's death, he moved in with his father.

Ellroy claims to have been turned on to crime fiction by the Hardy Boys. At the age of ten, his father bought him Jack Webb's The Badge:a history of the LAPD. He became obsessed with the book and studied it repeatedly. In this book, he discovered the story of the Black Dahlia, as well as the cops and crime figures he would later write about in the L.A. Quartet."

Let's See Paris Hilton Top This

Britney 'attempted rehab suicide' | NEWS.com.au: "BRITNEY Spears has flipped her lid in rehab, trying to hang herself with a bedsheet after screaming 'I am the anti-christ' to frightened staff.

She made the demonic cry after scrawling the devil's number '666' across her head.

Spears's manic behaviour has concerned relatives who once again fear for her safety, and has staff at the Promises Clinic in Malibu, California struggling to cope."

Robin Hood

I watched the first episode of BBC's Robin Hood last night and liked it. Jonas Armstrong's no Errol Flynn. He's moodier and broodier and lacks the zest I enjoyed so much in the Flynn film. He also looks too young for a guy who's supposedly been in the Holy Land slaying infidels for five years, but then nobody should expect realism in a series where the peasants all look as if they've just come from a shower and a hair stylist. Richard Armitage seems okay as Guy of Gisborne. I'm sure the character will get more development as the series goes on. Keith Allen's Sheriff of Nottingham is not a guy you'd trust with your birds. Lucy Griffiths' Maid Marian is a fiesty cliche, but maybe that will change. I'm wondering about Sam Troughton as Much, the miller's son. He's comic relief but seems to have secrets we're yet to learn.

The show looks good, and the bow-and-arrow stuff is fun. Shooting two arrows at once? Even Flynn didn't try that one, and how about that sword toss? I think I'll stick with this one for a few episodes, and maybe for the whole run. Check it out.

Looking Forward to April

Sure, you're going to have to pay your income taxes, but you're also going to have some great titles from Stark House. And when I say great, I'm not kidding. Three classic Gold Medal novels under one cover, including one of my very favorites by Dan J. Marlowe, The Vengeance Man. It's the real deal and stacks up against the best of Jim Thompson. Trust me. And besides that you get some fine work from Fletcher Flora and Charles Runyon, along with superb introductory materials by Charles Kelly and Ed Gorman. Don't miss this one! And then there's a double volume from Bill James, with an intro especially written for this edition. Again, not to be missed.

Anybody Seen This?

U. S. title: Joy House, based on the Day Keene novel of the same name. Charles Williams was one of the script writers. U.K. title: The Love Cage.

Birthdays

Beth Foxwell has a round-up of the important ones for today.

Steampunk Magazine Now On-Line

A new zine, $3.00 if you want the print version, or free if you download the pdf.

steampunk magazine - putting the punk back into steampunk: " Before the age of homogenization and micro-machinery, before the tyrannous efficiency of internal combustion and the domestication of electricity, lived beautiful, monstrous machines that lived and breathed and exploded unexpectedly at inconvenient moments. It was a time where art and craft were united, where unique wonders were invented and forgotten, and punks roamed the streets, living in squats and fighting against despotic governance through wit, will and wile.
Even if we had to make it all up.

SteamPunk Magazine is a publication that is dedicated to promoting steampunk as a culture, as more than a sub-category of fiction. It is a journal of fashion, music, misapplied technology and chaos. And fiction."

Precious Moments

Vote Early and Often

Rawlings Gold Glove Team Quick Ballot: "A stellar team of baseball pundits and purists — a congress of historians and experts, including those who played, managed, governed and reported on the game — were tasked with setting the initial ballot of 50 players for the All-Time Rawlings Gold Glove Team.

Now, it's in fans' hands to select the greatest defensive players since 1957 — one at each position. Picking the best will be no can of corn. If you need some tools to make your decision, use the Player Fielding Stats and Player Comparison pages to build your ballot."

I, For One, Believe Big Steve

Stolen Rockwell found with Spielberg - Yahoo! News: "LOS ANGELES - A Norman Rockwell work stolen from suburban St. Louis more than three decades ago was found in Steven Spielberg's art collection, the FBI announced Friday.

The painting, Rockwell's 'Russian Schoolroom,' was snatched during a late-night burglary at a gallery in Clayton, Mo., on June 25, 1973. The Oscar-winning filmmaker purchased the painting in 1989 from a legitimate dealer and didn't know it was stolen until last week, the FBI said in a statement."

Okay, Cap'n Bob. What're You Gonna Do about This?

Local News | KING5.com | News for Seattle, Washington: "RENTON, Wash. - The organization that oversees high school sports in Washington is considering more specific rules for fans that could ban booing and offensive chants.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is drafting guidelines to crack down on negative conduct.

The association director blames rude fans for the dwindling number of people who want to be coaches and officials.

He says the guidelines will remind fans to cheer for their team, not against the other."

13 Things that Don't Make Sense

No, I'm not talking about that movie you saw yesterday. I'm talking about this.

Anna Nicole Smith Update

Thanks to Jeff "Always on the Job" Meyerson for the link.

Over-the-top farewell for Anna Nicole Smith - 03/02/2007 - MiamiHerald.com

NASSAU - There were supposed to be 300 guests and a parade of stars. Hundreds of locals and tourists gathered near the church preparing for a show, hoping to spot Hugh Hefner, Patti LaBelle, Boyz II Men or Michael Bolton.

But fewer than 100 guests -- and no stars anyone could recognize -- turned up for Anna Nicole Smith's funeral in Nassau on Friday, an extravagant ceremony that brought the world's eyes onto the simple Baptist church and the now-famous hillside cemetery where she is buried.

Bahamians, who have grown tired of the media attention during recent weeks, now consider Smith part of their community. On Friday, they mourned her as one of their own.

Hundreds showed up at the church to watch the arrivals, and about 1,000 people, mostly locals, pressed against the barricades surrounding Lakeview Memorial Gardens, where the burial took place inside a green tent, the view blocked by stretch limousines and SUVs.

Undaunted, the crowd made itself a part of the spectacle, erupting in cheers and chants of ''LAR-RY DAD-DY'' when Smith's ex-boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, arrived, and lustily booing when Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, pulled up. Vendors trawled the crowd, hawking candy bars and ice cream, fruit medley and plastic containers of tuna salad.

Crank

Owing to circumstances beyond my control, I wasn't able to get to Black Snake Moan this afternoon. So I asked myself, "What absolutely nutty and moronic movie could I watch instead?" Crank was the answer.

Here's the deal: Chelios (Jason Statham) has been injected with some kind of Chinese poison. Adrenalin can combat the poison, so Chelios will die if he doesn't keep moving and keep stimulated. Speed meets D.O.A. Anyway, Chelios starts moving.

Kinetic is the word for the movie. You'd have to see it to get my meaning, but, trust me, it never slows down. It's nonstop maiming, killing, exploding, running, jumping, injecting, snorting, fucking, fighting, shooting, biting, and kicking. And falling, mustn't forget falling. My favorite stimulation scenes involved Amy Smart. She doesn't have much of a role, but she makes the most of it.

If you're the kind of person who watches a movie and says at some point or other, "But that seems somewhat implausible," then you'd better not watch this one. But if you need an hour and a half of burn-down-the-house action, I highly recommend that you check it out.

Happy Birthday, Lou Reed!

Lou Reed is 65 today. Hard to believe.

Sure, the Velvet Underground was more than just the one guy, but to me he was the main man. "Heroin" and "I'm Waitin' for my Man" are pure Reed. I have all the Velvets LPs and most of Reed's solo LPs. Some great, great stuff there. "Satellite of Love." "The Ocean." "Walk on the Wild Side." Happy Medicare, Lou!

Top 25 Crimes of the Century

Time has them for you. Check 'em out.

March 2, 1836

On this day in 1836, Texas became an independent country.

Texas Declaration of Independence: "The Texas Declaration of Independence was produced, literally, overnight. Its urgency was paramount, because while it was being prepared, the Alamo in San Antonio was under seige by Santa Anna's army of Mexico.

Immediately upon the assemblage of the Convention of 1836 on March 1, a committee of five of its delegates were appointed to draft the document. The committee, consisting of George C. Childress, Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Collin McKinney, prepared the declaration in record time. It was briefly reviewed, then adopted by the delegates of the convention the following day."

Gunshoe Review

New issue now live and on-line. Check it out.

New Mike Ripley Column

It's right here. Check it out.

NoirCon 2008

Dear Friends,

We commemorate the 90^th anniversary of David L. Goodis’s birth (March 2^nd, 1917) by announcing the birth of NoirCon.

In the spirit of GoodisCon 2007, we are proud to announce a conference dedicated to the celebration of the Noir, past, present and future.

Following such great masters as Goodis, Hitchcock, Wells and Boucher, NoirCon will seek to honor the finest in writing, film and art.

Presentation of the second annual Deen and Jay Kogan Award will be given.

Noircon will be a three day event convening on April 3^rd and running through April 6^th, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

So mark your calendars.

NoirCon will be another great weekend of lively conversation, wonderful company and entertaining multimedia presentations.

Do not hesitate to contact us!

Thank you,

Lou Boxer and Deen Kogan

Murdaland

Murdaland now has its website up and running. Very slick. Check it out right here.

Caveman Makes Good

Variety.com - ABC developing 'Cavemen': "Winner for most unusual piece of development this pilot season goes to ABC, which has turned a series of quirky Geico commercials into an actual half-hour comedy project.

'Cavemen' will revolve around three pre-historic men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal thirtysomethings in modern Atlanta.

Project, from ABC TV Studio, is penned by Joe Lawson, an advertising copywriter who was behind the 'Caveman' ads -- as well as other Geico commercials (think the cockney-speaking Geico gecko, and the reality TV spoof 'Tiny House').

Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are exec producers. Speck and Gordon, commercial directors who recently helmed the Will Farrell feature 'Blades of Glory,' are on board to also direct."

Shame on the AP

Unlike this blog, they couldn't stick to their ban.

Peru Update

Peru launches campaign against lateness - Yahoo! News: "LIMA, Peru - Sirens wailed, church bells rang and a sea of confetti fluttered through Lima's historical central plaza at the stroke of noon Thursday, alerting Peruvians to synchronize their watches at the start of a nationwide campaign to promote punctuality.

Chronic lateness is often overlooked by Peruvians who consider it an endearing cultural trait. But President Alan Garcia thinks otherwise.

It's a 'horrible, dreadful, harmful custom,' Garcia said as the nationally televised ceremony kicked off the campaign, 'La Hora sin Demora,' or 'Time without Delay.'

The Forum for National Consensus, a government-led council of business and citizens' groups responsible for the effort, is asking schools, businesses and government institutions to stop tolerating 'hora peruana,' or 'Peruvian time' — which usually means an hour late.

Peruvian officials proposed the initiative last month, saying that Peruvians' constant lateness reflects a negative attitude toward work and hurts national productivity."

Even the Aggies Give this Brilliant Idea a Thumbs Down

Postal Service fixes long waits by removing clocks | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "The Watson Post Office is one of the nation's 37,000 post offices in which clocks have been removed from retail areas as part of a 'retail standardization program' launched last year. The effort is designed to give the public-service areas a more uniform appearance, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in Thursday editions.

'We want people to focus on postal service and not the clock,' said Stephen Seewoester, Dallas spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.

At the Fort Worth post office, the hook that once held up the small battery-powered clock now protrudes from a plaster wall. The clock was taken down months ago.

A customer-service expert at Texas A&M University was not impressed with the decision to take down the timepieces.

'It's silly,' said Leonard Berry, holder of the M.B. Zale Chair in Retail and Marketing Leadership. 'I guess they think people don't have watches.'"

March Thuglit Now On-Line

Check out the March issue of Thuglit for stories by such luminaries as Anthony Neil Smith, Daniel Hatadi, D. T. Kelly, Alejandro Pena, and David C. Daniel.

Into the Volcano -- Forrest DeVoe, Jr.

Back in the 1960s, I read spy novels by the trailer load. Recently I've been reading some newer ones and having quite a good time. Into the Volcano was just right for me because it's set in 1962, the time when I was reading so heavily in the field.

It's got just about everything you could ask for: a private espionage firm known as The Consultancy, a woman whose martial arts skills make Mrs. Peel's pale in comparison; a stalwart hero who can take torture as well as anyone, exotic locations, a super-villain with a billion-dollar lair in a dormant volcano, and so on. The action never lets up, and the action's fine. I believe the sequel is about to be published, and I'm sure I'll be reading that one, too.

Forrest DeVoe, Jr., is a pen name used by Max Phillips, one of the founders of Hard Case Crime and the author of Fade to Blonde, a fine book in the Hard Case line. Both that one and this one are highly recommended. Check 'em out.

Geek Movies Not On DVD, A through K

: RevolutionSF - Geek Movies Not On DVD, A through K : Feature: "Geek Movies Not On DVD, A through K
� Staff and Contributors
February 23, 2007

Inspired by Glenn Erickson's always interesting annual Movies Not on DVD list at the entertaining DVD Savant, we at RevolutionSF decided to put together our own list. We contacted writers, critics, artists, and even a game designer for their selections.

There were a few rules:

1) DVDs must NOT be available in the U.S. (Region 1). The exceptions would be movies that are on cheapie labels and deserve a much better edition.

2) The DVDs need to be geek-related and/or something of interest to SF Revolutionaries. All science fiction, horror, and mysteries with supernatural elements are copacetic. Most cult films make the grade. TV movies are fine but NOT TV series.

This list is by no means complete, but a mere sampling of what we thought. Let us hear your thoughts and suggestions at subspace@revolutionsf.com."

No Comment Department

FOXNews.com - Sales of Rap Albums Take Stunning Nosedive - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "The turning point is hard to pinpoint. But after 30 years of growing popularity, rap music is now struggling with an alarming sales decline and growing criticism from within about the culture's negative effect on society."

Herman Brix (aka Bruce Bennett), R. I. P.

I saw him in many, many movies and serials. One of the greats.

Herman Brix, UW athlete, actor: Local News: The Seattle Times

LOS ANGELES — Herman Brix, a University of Washington football and track-and-field star who parlayed a silver medal for the shot put at the 1928 Olympics into a Hollywood career that included playing Tarzan in a 1935 movie, has died. He was 100.

Mr. Brix, who later adopted the stage name Bruce Bennett and appeared as Joan Crawford's husband in "Mildred Pierce" and as a gold prospector in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," died of complications of a broken hip Saturday at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, his son, Christopher, said Tuesday.

Mr. Brix, who was born in Tacoma, played football, basketball and soccer for Stadium High School, and competed in swimming and track and field.

He was an All-America tackle on the Huskies football team and went to the Rose Bowl in 1926, where the University of Alabama beat his team. A 1928 graduate, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics.

Mr. Brix moved to Los Angeles in 1929 after being invited to compete for the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

He became friends with actor Douglas Fairbanks, who arranged a screen test for the handsome young athlete at Paramount. While playing a small role as a running back in the 1931 Paramount college-football movie "Touchdown," Brix broke his shoulder, costing him a chance at the 1932 Olympics as well as losing the role of Tarzan at MGM, where he is said to have been the studio's leading candidate for the role.

Instead, the star-making role in MGM's 1932 hit "Tarzan the Ape Man" went to Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, who went on to appear in a string of Tarzan movies.

Two years later, Brix got his chance to play the jungle hero in "The New Adventures of Tarzan," produced by an independent film company whose principals included Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who supposedly selected him.

Because the AP and I No Longer Mention Paris Hilton . . .

. . . I will not be linking to this.

Will the Persecution Never End?

Remember, this blog started the trend.

AP Entertainment Editor Institutes Ban on Paris Hilton Coverage: "NEW YORK The Associated Press decided to give up a major vice last week: its addiction to stories about Paris Hilton. In the past year, Hilton has appeared on the wire an average of twice a week.

The wire service's entertainment editor Jesse Washington sent a memo to staffers on Feb. 13 that said, barring any major events, the AP would not run any mention of Paris Hilton on the wire, according to the memo, which was obtained by the New York Observer.

In the Observer article Washington was quoted as saying, 'There was a surprising amount of hand-wringing. A lot of people in the newsroom were saying this was tampering with the news.' Washington added that one editor's response was: 'This is a great idea -- can we add North Korea?'

The AP was largely successful in the experiment, but Washington said that, unfortunately, her name did pop up in a couple of stories."

Anna Nicole Smith's Tasteful Send-Off

Thanks to Jeff "Mr. Good Taste" Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Smith to Have 'Over the Top' Memorial: "NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Anna Nicole Smith will be buried in a custom-made gown next to her 20-year-old son following an 'over the top' memorial service with a tightly controlled guest list, said a friend helping to organize the memorial.

The memorial service, with about 300 guests at an undisclosed church, will feature large amounts of pink flowers, her favorite color, and singing from a well-known performer whose name organizers aren't ready to disclose, said the friend, Patrik Simpson of Beverly Hills, Calif.

'It will be a very beautiful, Anna Nicole send-off,' Simpson told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday night in the Bahamian capital of Nassau. 'Of course it will be over the top because it's Anna Nicole.'

Simpson's partner, Pol Atteu, has designed more than a dozen gowns for Smith, including the one in which she was to be buried in a 'very elegant' casket that will most likely be closed, he said. He declined to describe the dress."

Brazoria, Texas, Was there First

Texas leads the way. New York Follows.

7Online.com: New York City and Tri-State News from WABC-TV: "The City Council today approved a symbolic resolution to ban 'the 'n' word' a racial slur that has a painful history intertwined with slavery.
The non-binding measure calls for New Yorkers to voluntarily stop using the slur against blacks, which has more recently been adapted among entertainers and youths as a term of endearment.

Councilman Leroy Comrie, the sponsor of the bill, says people are also denigrating themselves by using the word, and disrespecting their history.

The effort began weeks ago at the start of Black History Month, and has gradually gained nationwide notice and support. Other municipalities have passed measures similar to New York City's, and a historically black college in Alabama recently held a four-day conference to discuss the slur."

Will the Persecution Never End?

Jeff "Ever Vigilant" Meyerson has provided yet another example of America's co-called "justice."

Bigfoot Alert

wcbstv.com - Is Bigfoot Living In The California Forest?

There's a big mystery in the Northern California woods. Is a Bigfoot living in a national forest? John Iander of CBS station KOVR-TV in Sacramento, Calif., reports that a California couple has found big prints in the woods and experts are saying it may not be a hoax.

It was just after a rainstorm, a great time for hunting deer. It was a perfect place, high up in the dense woods of the Plumas National Forest.

Chuck and Michelle Padigo had been down the logging road lots of times, including just a few days earlier.

Past two gates, about three miles from the highway, in a recently logged area, Michelle looked down and spotted something very strange.

What the Padigo's say they encountered was more than three dozen huge footprints spread out over a hundred yards or more.

Anna Nicole Smith Update

National Enquirer: "Pneumonia — not a drug overdose — killed Anna Nicole Smith, the National Enquirer has learned exclusively.

In the new issue just hitting newsstands, The ENQUIRER reports that preliminary findings reveal that tests performed during the autopsy show Anna Nicole had a severe case of pneumonia. Prescription drugs that she had taken made the condition worse and did play a role in her death. The full toxicology report has not yet been completed.

Sources very close to the death investigation told The ENQUIRER that the prescription drugs masked the seriousness of her pneumonia. Anna Nicole had previously been hospitalized for pneumonia in the Bahamas after her son died.

This time, the painkillers Anna Nicole was taking masked her symptoms and quickened the deadly effects of the pneumonia."

Top 10 Nerd Crushes

CARRIE FISHER - FISHER TOPS NERD CRUSH LIST: "CARRIE FISHER has topped a new internet poll to find the Hottest Nerd Crush of all time. The actress' portrayal of PRINCESS LEIA in Star Wars beat GILLIAN ANDERSON's X-Files detective DANA SCULLY in the new Maxim.com hit list, which focuses on the hottest comic book characters and sci-fi stars. The top 10 list is: 1. CARRIE FISHER 2. GILLIAN ANDERSON 3. CARRIE-ANNE MOSS (The Matrix) 4. GRACE PARK (Battlestar Gallactica) 5. LARA CROFT (Tomb Raider computer game vixen) 6. FAMKE JANSSEN (X-Men) 7. JERI RYAN (Star Trek: Voyager) 8. AEON FLUX (comic book heroine) 9. JENNIFER GARNER (Alias) 10. NATASHA HENSTRIDGE (Species). "

John Travolta Could Have Saved Anna Nicole

Travolta says Scientology could have saved Anna Nicole | Metro.co.uk: "As various parties continue to fight over the remains of Anna Nicole Smith and custody of her baby, John Travolta has stepped into the fray.

The Pulp Fiction star has decided to use her death as a chance to promote Narconon – the controversial Church of Scientology drug rehab programme – saying it could have saved the Playmate's life.

A toxicology report from the 39- year-old's autopsy has not been completed yet, but methadone and other drugs were discovered in the Florida hotel room where she died earlier this month.

Travolta said: 'It's so sad. We could have helped her with Narconon but didn't get a chance to. I wish we had.'"

Surely This is a Joke

They're going to remake The Fly? Again? With Nicolas Cage?

NICOLAS CAGE - CAGE WANTS THE FLY: "Nicolas Cage is vying for the part of THE FLY in a planned remake of DAVID CRONENBERG's 1986 cult classic, according to the director himself. Cronenberg, who is working on an operatic version of the creepy man-insect story, will not be involved in the remake, but he has been kept abreast of developments. He tells E! 'From what I hear, Nic Cage wants the part.' "

Will the Persecution Never End?

Why aren't those guys out catching dope peddlers, hit men, and cat burglars instead of persecuting innocent blondes?

Thanks to Jeff "Wings of Justice" Meyerson for the link.

The Bunnies Do Bond

James Bond, that is. You can see it here.

If You Had Too Much Time on Your Hands . . .

. . . you might come up with something like this. Or not.

The 51 Best Magazines of All Time

Yes, it's another one of those lists. And a very interesting one, at that.

New Issue of Crime and Suspense Now On-Line

Welcome to the eighteenth issue of Crime and Suspense, the ezine for fans of crime, suspense and mystery fiction. This month the editors have released their inner Irish! Oh, and did you know that young Saint Patrick was a kidnap victim? He was stolen away from Britain by slave traders when he was just a lad, and taken to Ireland where he was a slave until he escaped and returned to Britain. Then he returned to Ireland--a risky prospect at best!--and ministered to the people there. Even religious history is fraught with crime.

Want to be on a Reality Show?

Here's how to apply.

The Picasso Flop -- Vince Vn Patten & Robert J. Randisi

Van Patten will be plugging the book on Fox News Live tomorrow, Feb. 28, 10:45 am PT, 12:45 noon CT and 1:45 pm ET. He'll be on the first half hour of the show.

Bob Randisi swears this is right.

She Creature

I find this vaguely disturbing.

Link via Paul di Flippo of the fictionmags list.

Unfortunately, the Allie Reynolds Card Isn't Bringing Quite this Much

1909 Honus Wagner baseball card sells for record $2.35 million: "LOS ANGELES — The 'Holy Grail of baseball cards,' the famous 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card once owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky, has sold for a record-setting $2,350,000, the seller of the card said Monday.

The anonymous buyer has only been identified as a Southern California collector. SCP Auctions Inc., a company that holds sports memorabilia auctions, said it bought a small share of the card. It is scheduled to be shown at a news conference at Dodger Stadium today."

New Crime Fiction Zine

Check it out.

www.mugshotsmagazine.com - Mugshots Magazine: "Welcome to Mugshots Magazine.

We're a quarterly crime fiction rag. Just getting started. Little different from the rest of the boys and girls on the block. Not better, not fancier, just a little different.

And why's that, you ask? Easy. We supply the picture, you supply the story. Interested? Then check out the guidelines over on the side.

Now accepting submissions for Spring 2007

Deadline for submissions is May 1st."

Baseball Card of the Day

Will the Persecution Never End?

Probably not.

Why Is E-Mail so Popular?

Post Office may issue 'forever' stamp - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON - The next hike in postage rates could be ameliorated by the introduction of a "forever" stamp that would cover first-class postage despite future increases.
ADVERTISEMENT

The independent Postal Regulatory Commission scheduled a Monday morning briefing to announce its ruling on the Postal Service's requests to raise first-class rates 3 cents to 42 cents and to establish the permanent stamp.

If the commission agrees, the matter goes back to the board of governors of the Postal Service, which is expected to schedule any rate changes in May. The commission can also reject or modify the rate proposal and send that to the postal board for a response.

A key part of the plan is the so-called forever stamp, which would allow consumers to hedge against future rate increases.

The stamp, which would not show a denomination, would sell for the first-class rate at the time of purchase and would remain valid for mailing permanently, even if rates increase.

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