Thursday, June 21, 2007
Well, it Worked for Two Years
Thanks to John Stickney for the link.
Lion disguise didn't fool U.S. Marshals - cleveland.com: "Solon -- U.S. Marshals bagged a lion Wednesday and hauled him to jail.
OK, it wasn't a real lion, but a man wearing a furry costume with a long tail: James Wagner, 39, of Canonsburg, Pa.
Wagner has been running from the law for more than two years, marshals say. He was wanted on charges of raping and impregnating a girl in Pennsylvania.
Marshals in Pennsylvania received a tip that Wagner was working at a cell phone store on Ohio 91 in Solon. They heard that his job there was to stand outside the store wearing a lion suit to lure people inside.
About 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, marshals drove to the store in a car. Sure enough, a lion enthusiastically waved them over.
The marshals jumped out of their car and struggled with the lion, until one marshal grabbed the tail."
Lion disguise didn't fool U.S. Marshals - cleveland.com: "Solon -- U.S. Marshals bagged a lion Wednesday and hauled him to jail.
OK, it wasn't a real lion, but a man wearing a furry costume with a long tail: James Wagner, 39, of Canonsburg, Pa.
Wagner has been running from the law for more than two years, marshals say. He was wanted on charges of raping and impregnating a girl in Pennsylvania.
Marshals in Pennsylvania received a tip that Wagner was working at a cell phone store on Ohio 91 in Solon. They heard that his job there was to stand outside the store wearing a lion suit to lure people inside.
About 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, marshals drove to the store in a car. Sure enough, a lion enthusiastically waved them over.
The marshals jumped out of their car and struggled with the lion, until one marshal grabbed the tail."
Only in Texas
Thanks to Scott Cupp for the link.
United Press International - NewsTrack - Top News - Man dies of gas burns after Taser stun
United Press International - NewsTrack - Top News - Man dies of gas burns after Taser stun
SAN ANGELO, Texas, June 20 (UPI) -- A gasoline-soaked San Angelo, Texas, man who caught fire after being shocked with a police Taser has died of his burns in a hospital.
The Texas Rangers have been sent in to investigate how Johnny Lopez, 47, caught fire in the police confrontation at his home Monday, the San Angelo Standard Times reported Wednesday.
Police were called to the home twice Monday because Lopez was threatening to kill himself, one of Lopez's daughters, Erlinda Faz-Lopez, told the newspaper.
On the second call, an officer was splashed with gasoline and that's when the electrically charged Taser was used to stun Lopez, the police report said.
It's not clear if the charge ignited the flames, as Lopez's sons who witnessed the incident said there was a lighter nearby they saw their father ignite after being shocked.
Powered by ScribeFire.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
There's Good News Tonight!
Our visit to MD Anderson Cancer Center was quite an experience. There are enough stories there, I'm sure, to fill a few hundred books.
But let me cut to the chase. When we saw the lead doctor on Judy's "team," he said that based on the results of the previous tests, "If it's what I hope and expect, it's very low grade, and highly treatable." I heaved a sigh of relief that you may have heard, even if you're in New England and California. I just hope that I'm not building myself up for a letdown, but I don't think so. He wouldn't say that just to kid me along. Right?
The bad news is that Judy will still have to undergo a series of pretty grueling tests, including a bone marrow biopsy and another biopsy of the lymph nodes in her neck. But we're both confident that she can get through the tests all right and that when we see the doctor again (currently on the schedule for July 11) that he will have the same good news for us.
I want to thank every one of you again for your support and concern. It's hard for me to express how much it's mean to us, but it's meant a lot. Trust me. And keep right on thinking those good thoughts for us. We need 'em.
But let me cut to the chase. When we saw the lead doctor on Judy's "team," he said that based on the results of the previous tests, "If it's what I hope and expect, it's very low grade, and highly treatable." I heaved a sigh of relief that you may have heard, even if you're in New England and California. I just hope that I'm not building myself up for a letdown, but I don't think so. He wouldn't say that just to kid me along. Right?
The bad news is that Judy will still have to undergo a series of pretty grueling tests, including a bone marrow biopsy and another biopsy of the lymph nodes in her neck. But we're both confident that she can get through the tests all right and that when we see the doctor again (currently on the schedule for July 11) that he will have the same good news for us.
I want to thank every one of you again for your support and concern. It's hard for me to express how much it's mean to us, but it's meant a lot. Trust me. And keep right on thinking those good thoughts for us. We need 'em.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
MySA.com: Metro | State: "LAREDO — In response to the Department of Homeland Security's plans to construct hundreds of miles of fencing along the border with Mexico, the McAllen Chamber of Commerce started a campaign of their own: build a wall around Washington, D.C.
Steve Ahlenius, president and CEO of the chamber, inaugurated the tongue-in-cheek campaign through a news release Tuesday.
'It's frustrating to no end that Washington, which has no idea of what's happening here and along the border with Mexico, is proposing to build a wall,' Ahlenius said by phone. 'My response is: Why don't we just build around Washington, D.C.? It can protect us from some bad characters, some bad legislation and bad ideas.'
Additional materials related to the campaign will be forthcoming, he said."
Steve Ahlenius, president and CEO of the chamber, inaugurated the tongue-in-cheek campaign through a news release Tuesday.
'It's frustrating to no end that Washington, which has no idea of what's happening here and along the border with Mexico, is proposing to build a wall,' Ahlenius said by phone. 'My response is: Why don't we just build around Washington, D.C.? It can protect us from some bad characters, some bad legislation and bad ideas.'
Additional materials related to the campaign will be forthcoming, he said."
Here We Go
In a couple of hours, Judy and I will leave for MD Anderson Cancer Center for our first appointment. I think that today will be mostly a time for filling out paperwork. Probably Judy will be poked, prodded, bled, and generally harassed. I'm trying to be optimistic and to hope for the best possible outcome, but I'm also realistic. I think. It's going to be a long day, and I don't know when the regimen of tests will begin, so I don't know what posting will be like around here.
As I've said more than once, I've appreciated all the support you've shown. We need it, and we'll continue to need it. Thanks, and keep the good thoughts coming.
As I've said more than once, I've appreciated all the support you've shown. We need it, and we'll continue to need it. Thanks, and keep the good thoughts coming.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Hook 'em, Horns!
FBI seeks armed and dangerous 'Ponytail Bandit' | The Blotter: "A woman who donned a Longhorns baseball cap while robbing a bank in Austin is now wanted for robbing banks in California and Washington State.
Her name is not yet known, but the FBI has a few surveillance shots of her holding up banks around the country and has nicknamed her the “Ponytail Bandit.”
She became a suspect on May 7, when she was caught on tape at Wachovia Bank in the 8000 block of Mesa Drive in Austin, stuffing money into her white purse. It was Austin’s fifth bank robbery of the year. The same woman is suspected of robbing a bank on May 23 in Roseville, Calif., and another bank in Lynnwood, Wash., on May 30."
Her name is not yet known, but the FBI has a few surveillance shots of her holding up banks around the country and has nicknamed her the “Ponytail Bandit.”
She became a suspect on May 7, when she was caught on tape at Wachovia Bank in the 8000 block of Mesa Drive in Austin, stuffing money into her white purse. It was Austin’s fifth bank robbery of the year. The same woman is suspected of robbing a bank on May 23 in Roseville, Calif., and another bank in Lynnwood, Wash., on May 30."
Gator Update: Rio Vista Edition
Thanks to Cormac Brown for the tip.
4-foot-long gator captured in Delta: "RIO VISTA -- First the wandering whales, now a vagabond alligator. Authorities this morning captured a feisty four-foot alligator found next to a rural highway in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
No one knows how the gray and white reptile got there, but officials are glad motorist Dennis Bradley of Elk Grove -- the first to see the gator -- quickly called for help.
Bradley, who was on his way to work in Antioch, told authorities he had stopped to stretch his legs when he spotted the gator, whom he called Maria after his granddaughter (although state Fish and Game officials aren't sure of the reptile's gender).
'He appeared very healthy,' said Kyle Orr, spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game, hours after the gator was fetched from alongside Highway 160 three miles south of Highway 12. His resting spot was south of Rio Vista about 1.5 miles south of Three Mile Slough Bridge."
4-foot-long gator captured in Delta: "RIO VISTA -- First the wandering whales, now a vagabond alligator. Authorities this morning captured a feisty four-foot alligator found next to a rural highway in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
No one knows how the gray and white reptile got there, but officials are glad motorist Dennis Bradley of Elk Grove -- the first to see the gator -- quickly called for help.
Bradley, who was on his way to work in Antioch, told authorities he had stopped to stretch his legs when he spotted the gator, whom he called Maria after his granddaughter (although state Fish and Game officials aren't sure of the reptile's gender).
'He appeared very healthy,' said Kyle Orr, spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game, hours after the gator was fetched from alongside Highway 160 three miles south of Highway 12. His resting spot was south of Rio Vista about 1.5 miles south of Three Mile Slough Bridge."
Monday, June 18, 2007
The Big Sleep -- Raymond Chandler
I've been having a little trouble focusing these days. Can't concentrate, can't write, can't read. So I decided to go back to one of my early favorites, The Big Sleep. I've read it any number of times, but not for several years, and I'm glad to say that once again the voice caught me, carried me along, and helped me through a few hours.
The first time I read the book was well over 40 years ago. I was a young guy who didn't have a clue about p.i. fiction or writers, and then I picked up this book. It blew me away, as did Hammett and Ross Macdonald right around the same time. I knew then that I'd started a reading habit that would last a long time. Little did I realize how long.
Some people these days profess not to like Chandler, and it's true that many of his attitudes are dated. I don't blame him for that. He was a man of his time, and maybe he would have changed if he'd hung around. As for me, I liked Chandler then, and I like him now. The man could write. That's enough for me right now.
The first time I read the book was well over 40 years ago. I was a young guy who didn't have a clue about p.i. fiction or writers, and then I picked up this book. It blew me away, as did Hammett and Ross Macdonald right around the same time. I knew then that I'd started a reading habit that would last a long time. Little did I realize how long.
Some people these days profess not to like Chandler, and it's true that many of his attitudes are dated. I don't blame him for that. He was a man of his time, and maybe he would have changed if he'd hung around. As for me, I liked Chandler then, and I like him now. The man could write. That's enough for me right now.
Say It Ain't So!
Director on board for movie | NEWS.com.au Entertainment: "FILM director Ridley Scott is preparing the most unlikely movie of his career: a feature-length version of the venerable board game Monopoly.
The 69-year-old British film-maker, whose hits include Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, has been offered the pick of young actors to help turn the property game into a comedy thriller.
William Morris, the oldest theatrical agency in Hollywood, has promised Hasbro, which owns Parker Brothers, the manufacturer of Monopoly in the US, that the cream of its stable of 2000 actors will help create a blockbuster movie.
Scarlett Johansson and Kirsten Dunst are being considered for roles. Hasbro, which claims that Monopoly has been played by 750 million people since the 1930s, wants the film to feature 'sexy young people' in an attempt to attract teenagers to board games."
The 69-year-old British film-maker, whose hits include Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, has been offered the pick of young actors to help turn the property game into a comedy thriller.
William Morris, the oldest theatrical agency in Hollywood, has promised Hasbro, which owns Parker Brothers, the manufacturer of Monopoly in the US, that the cream of its stable of 2000 actors will help create a blockbuster movie.
Scarlett Johansson and Kirsten Dunst are being considered for roles. Hasbro, which claims that Monopoly has been played by 750 million people since the 1930s, wants the film to feature 'sexy young people' in an attempt to attract teenagers to board games."
Gator Update: Buffalo Edition
8-foot alligator removed from basement in Buffalo: "BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An alligator raised in the basement of a house in Buffalo is headed to a new home in a more gator-friendly place -- Florida.
A former Buffalo couple who operate a reptile sanctuary in Tampa removed the eight-foot-long gator from the Buffalo home yesterday. The person who owned the 170-pound reptile had contacted the state Department of Environmental Conservation and said he couldn't care for the gator any longer.
A DEC officer checked out the gator and contacted Laura and John Paner, who run the Croc Encounters Reptile Sanctuary.
It's illegal to keep an alligator in New York state, but officials say the man who raised the gator won't face any charges because he turned himself in."
A former Buffalo couple who operate a reptile sanctuary in Tampa removed the eight-foot-long gator from the Buffalo home yesterday. The person who owned the 170-pound reptile had contacted the state Department of Environmental Conservation and said he couldn't care for the gator any longer.
A DEC officer checked out the gator and contacted Laura and John Paner, who run the Croc Encounters Reptile Sanctuary.
It's illegal to keep an alligator in New York state, but officials say the man who raised the gator won't face any charges because he turned himself in."
Gator Update: Toledo Edition
toledoblade.com -- See you later, Toledo alligator: Animal-removal specialist collects reptile from Point Place home: "Tracey Davis of Point Place willingly admits that she asked her husband to do yard work on Father's Day.
So when she spotted what appeared to be a small alligator look-alike staring at her in the garage yesterday, she assumed it was his try at scaring her for revenge.
But then she bent down to pick it up - and it moved.
'I flew out of the garage screaming,' Mrs. Davis recalled. 'It was really an alligator!'"
So when she spotted what appeared to be a small alligator look-alike staring at her in the garage yesterday, she assumed it was his try at scaring her for revenge.
But then she bent down to pick it up - and it moved.
'I flew out of the garage screaming,' Mrs. Davis recalled. 'It was really an alligator!'"
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Larry King Live
CNN.com - Larry King Live: "Here comes the judge. Television's most outspoken judge, Judge Judy, takes on Paris Hilton's jail sentence and much more. She joins Larry for the hour. Monday at 9 p.m. ET."
Thanks to George Kelley for the tip.
Thanks to George Kelley for the tip.
Back to the Drive-In
New Porter drive-in puts silver screen under stars | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "PORTER — Just before dusk, the cars and trucks start rolling onto the gravel lot, seeking a perfect spot under the clear evening sky.
Children wiggle in the back seats with their heads bobbing out the windows. Their eyes widen with excitement when they see the two jumbo screens at the new drive-in theater, which opened Friday night in east Montgomery County."
Children wiggle in the back seats with their heads bobbing out the windows. Their eyes widen with excitement when they see the two jumbo screens at the new drive-in theater, which opened Friday night in east Montgomery County."
Top 10 Science Fiction Novelists of the '00s -- So Far
I've read books by only four of these writers. While I may read books by some of the other, I probably won't. I liked at least three of the four to read other books by them (one of those is the "bonus" writer, whose work I first read long ago). But for the most part I don't connect with contemporary hard science fiction. Probably I'm too dumb to get the "big" concepts or to understand some of the science. I guess I'll stick to Murray Leinster.
blog.pmarca.com: Top 10 science fiction novelists of the '00s -- so far: "We are blessed so far this decade with an amazing crop of new science fiction novelists.
Writing in a variety of styles, this crew is arguably more insightful, more interesting, higher intensity, and bolder than many (but not all!) of their predecessors -- and in my view revitalizing the genre at a time when more new technologies that will radically reshape all our lives are incubating and percolating than ever before.
So, taking nothing away from authors like David Brin who have long been established and continue to produce top-notch work, here are my nominations for the top 10 new science fiction novelists of -- more or less -- the decade, plus one bonus."
blog.pmarca.com: Top 10 science fiction novelists of the '00s -- so far: "We are blessed so far this decade with an amazing crop of new science fiction novelists.
Writing in a variety of styles, this crew is arguably more insightful, more interesting, higher intensity, and bolder than many (but not all!) of their predecessors -- and in my view revitalizing the genre at a time when more new technologies that will radically reshape all our lives are incubating and percolating than ever before.
So, taking nothing away from authors like David Brin who have long been established and continue to produce top-notch work, here are my nominations for the top 10 new science fiction novelists of -- more or less -- the decade, plus one bonus."
TV's Top 5 "Super-Dads"
I Am A Child Of Television: "The Super-Dad is perfect – the all seeing, all knowing, all wise. If the kids come to him with a problem he most likely sits there for a minute, hands held together in some manner, and, week after week, dispenses some bit of banal wisdom that somehow fits the situation exactly. Before TV the perfect example of Super-Dad was Judge Hardy in the Andy Hardy movie series."
Dracula Update
Controversy over Dracula's castle - Yahoo! News: "BUCHAREST, Romania - Romania's government on Thursday defended its decision to return 'Dracula's Castle' to members of the former royal family, denying allegations that the decision was illegal.
The castle, famous for its links to a 15th-century medieval ruler who inspired Bram Stoker's 'Dracula,' was confiscated in 1948 by the former communist regime.
'When it comes to property confiscated by the communists, I as a prime minister don't have any problems with returning it,' said Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu."
The castle, famous for its links to a 15th-century medieval ruler who inspired Bram Stoker's 'Dracula,' was confiscated in 1948 by the former communist regime.
'When it comes to property confiscated by the communists, I as a prime minister don't have any problems with returning it,' said Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu."
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Croc Update
Very cool photos at link.
Disguise that took the intrepid zoologist into the crocodiles' lair | the Daily Mail: "When Dr Brady Barr decided to dress up as a crocodile, the disguise needed to be good.
Otherwise he was in grave danger of being eaten by the real thing.
The zoologist adopted his bizarre outfit in the hope of getting closer to a colony of Nile crocodiles, which can grow up to 20ft.
His disguise was a prosthetic head attached to the front of a protective metal cage covered with canvas and a generous plastering of hippo dung to mask his human scent."
Disguise that took the intrepid zoologist into the crocodiles' lair | the Daily Mail: "When Dr Brady Barr decided to dress up as a crocodile, the disguise needed to be good.
Otherwise he was in grave danger of being eaten by the real thing.
The zoologist adopted his bizarre outfit in the hope of getting closer to a colony of Nile crocodiles, which can grow up to 20ft.
His disguise was a prosthetic head attached to the front of a protective metal cage covered with canvas and a generous plastering of hippo dung to mask his human scent."
Im in ur skulz
Osprey Media. - The Kingston Whig-Standard - Ontario, CA
In a questionnaire at the end of the test, 91 per cent of the Kingston students taking the test for the first time reported that they read websites, e-mails and chat messages more than novels, magazines and newspapers outside of school. The questionnaire also asked what types of writing students do, and 92 per cent spend more time writing e-mails and chat messages than any other type of writing.
Powered by ScribeFire.
O. J. Update
Goldmans get rights to Simpson book - Yahoo! News: "MIAMI - A federal bankruptcy judge Friday awarded Ron Goldman's family the rights to O.J. Simpson's canceled book, 'If I Did It,' which the Goldmans want to rename 'Confessions of a Double Murderer.'
Goldman was slain along with Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson in 1994. The Goldmans want the book's proceeds included as part of a nearly $33.5 million civil jury award they have been trying to collect for almost a decade.
The ruling 'ensures that Mr. Simpson will never see another dime from this book,' said Paul Battista, an attorney for the Goldman family."
Goldman was slain along with Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson in 1994. The Goldmans want the book's proceeds included as part of a nearly $33.5 million civil jury award they have been trying to collect for almost a decade.
The ruling 'ensures that Mr. Simpson will never see another dime from this book,' said Paul Battista, an attorney for the Goldman family."
New Issue of Thrilling Detective Now On-Line
The latest Thrilling Detective is now up and ready for reading. Stories by Fleur Bradley, Patricia Abbott, Michael Bracken, Stephen D. Rogers, and Barry Ergang. Other good stuff, too. Check it out.
Friday, June 15, 2007
To Hell in a Handbasket
The unkindest cut is Dickens minus 40% - Opinion - theage.com.au: "My new-found evangelism for literature has been energised by the news that Britain's Orion Publishing Group has reissued some classic novels with as much as 40 per cent of the original text removed. This is an act of cultural vandalism.
The first six of these compact editions — Vanity Fair, David Copperfield, The Mill on the Floss, Anna Karenina, Moby Dick and Wives and Daughters — will be available in Australian bookstores in July.
They are intended for trouble-free consumption by people with far better things to do than read the whole books."
The first six of these compact editions — Vanity Fair, David Copperfield, The Mill on the Floss, Anna Karenina, Moby Dick and Wives and Daughters — will be available in Australian bookstores in July.
They are intended for trouble-free consumption by people with far better things to do than read the whole books."
It Helps me to Write about This. . .
. . . but you don't have to read it.
There are a couple of things we're dealing with now.
The certainty and the uncertainty.
The certainty is that Judy has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
That's the good news.
The uncertainty is worse.
What will the tests at M. D. Anderson tell us? What stage is the cancer in? What will the treatment be? How long will it last? What's the prognosis? What can we expect?
So we're riding a roller coaster between the peaks of hope and terror. thanks again to all of you for caring.
There are a couple of things we're dealing with now.
The certainty and the uncertainty.
The certainty is that Judy has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
That's the good news.
The uncertainty is worse.
What will the tests at M. D. Anderson tell us? What stage is the cancer in? What will the treatment be? How long will it last? What's the prognosis? What can we expect?
So we're riding a roller coaster between the peaks of hope and terror. thanks again to all of you for caring.
Croc Update (George Bush Edition)
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the tip. Photo at link.
George W. Bush caught wearing Crocs - Styledash: "Love him or hate him, there's one thing we can all agree on when it comes to President Bush: he is not a fashionable man. So, now that the commander-in-chief has been caught wearing Crocs, can we officially declare these sandals as the ugliest pieces of footwear on the planet?"
George W. Bush caught wearing Crocs - Styledash: "Love him or hate him, there's one thing we can all agree on when it comes to President Bush: he is not a fashionable man. So, now that the commander-in-chief has been caught wearing Crocs, can we officially declare these sandals as the ugliest pieces of footwear on the planet?"
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Gator Update (Music-Lovers Edition)
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
Features: Musical note sends gator into bellowing ecstasy
Features: Musical note sends gator into bellowing ecstasy
On the way to playing tuba for an audience of alligators, William Mickelsen felt cocky enough to talk about his musical chops.
His well-trained jaw muscles, his lips and his tongue felt up to the task. His majestic lungs felt strong and elastic. He and his tuba were ready for whatever reptilian drama lay ahead. The night before, he and his fellow artists in the Florida Orchestra had played at Ruth Eckerd Hall behind composer Marvin Hamlisch, the Oscar winner for The Way We Were. Everything had gone swimmingly.
At Gatorland, the old tourist attraction near Kissimmee, Mickelsen was going to play a deep B flat for a battle-scarred, amorous male alligator named Toxic.
Powered by ScribeFire.
From Pulitzer to Paris
Thanks to Todd Mason for the link.
From Pulitzer to Paris
Thrity five years to the day after taking the iconic photograph of a naked Vietnamese girl running from a napalm attack, AP photographer Nick Ut snaps a crying Paris Hilton. We talk with Ut about the coincidence.
From Pulitzer to Paris
Thrity five years to the day after taking the iconic photograph of a naked Vietnamese girl running from a napalm attack, AP photographer Nick Ut snaps a crying Paris Hilton. We talk with Ut about the coincidence.
  | Listen |
 | The photograph that earned Ut the Pulitzer prize |
| Paris Hilton in police car crying |
New Issue of Mouthful of Bullets Now On-Line
Looks like a solid issue for this e-zine's first anniversary. Lots of familiar names among the contributors. Click here.
A Young Couple with Vision
Ya gotta love it. I wish them well.
The Austin Chronicle: Screens: No Strangers to Drama: Austin couple rescues Vernon Plaza Theatre: "In Albert Brooks' zany Eighties zeitgeist film Lost in America, thirtysomethings David and Linda Howard, as portrayed by the neurotic Brooks and the fey Julie Hagerty, leave their jobs, sell all of their possessions, and set out in a Winnebago in search of their dreams. Maybe author Mark Finn and his wife Cathy Day will someday show it in the old movie house they recently bought after leaving their successful jobs in Austin.
Finn, author of the acclaimed Robert E. Howard biography Blood & Thunder, walked away from his day job as a manager at BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas. After 12 years, Day gave up her career as an elementary special-education teacher. They agreed that it was time. 'We've always wanted to do something like this, and the opportunity presented itself,' Finn says."
The Austin Chronicle: Screens: No Strangers to Drama: Austin couple rescues Vernon Plaza Theatre: "In Albert Brooks' zany Eighties zeitgeist film Lost in America, thirtysomethings David and Linda Howard, as portrayed by the neurotic Brooks and the fey Julie Hagerty, leave their jobs, sell all of their possessions, and set out in a Winnebago in search of their dreams. Maybe author Mark Finn and his wife Cathy Day will someday show it in the old movie house they recently bought after leaving their successful jobs in Austin.
Finn, author of the acclaimed Robert E. Howard biography Blood & Thunder, walked away from his day job as a manager at BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas. After 12 years, Day gave up her career as an elementary special-education teacher. They agreed that it was time. 'We've always wanted to do something like this, and the opportunity presented itself,' Finn says."
Another Jane Goes to Jail
Thanks to Walter Satterthwait for the link.
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Merseyside | Woman jailed for testicle attack: "A woman who ripped off her ex-boyfriend's testicle with her bare hands has been sent to prison.
Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage when Geoffrey Jones, 37, rejected her advances at the end of a house party, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
She pulled off his left testicle and tried to swallow it, before spitting it out. A friend handed it back to Mr Jones saying: 'That's yours.'"
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Merseyside | Woman jailed for testicle attack: "A woman who ripped off her ex-boyfriend's testicle with her bare hands has been sent to prison.
Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage when Geoffrey Jones, 37, rejected her advances at the end of a house party, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
She pulled off his left testicle and tried to swallow it, before spitting it out. A friend handed it back to Mr Jones saying: 'That's yours.'"
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
They're Baaaaaaack
Video at link.
kutv.com - UFO Sighting In Salt Lake City?: "Is it a rocket? Is it a blimp? Is it a UFO?
A strange object seen in the skies above in Salt Lake City has residents scratching their heads.
What appears to be a huge air balloon was seen floating above the valley Wednesday morning.
The silver, rocket-shaped craft was sighted about 8 a.m. and floated about for several minutes before disappearing.
Salt Lake Air Traffic Control said they didn’t pick up the object on radar and had no knowledge of the craft. "
kutv.com - UFO Sighting In Salt Lake City?: "Is it a rocket? Is it a blimp? Is it a UFO?
A strange object seen in the skies above in Salt Lake City has residents scratching their heads.
What appears to be a huge air balloon was seen floating above the valley Wednesday morning.
The silver, rocket-shaped craft was sighted about 8 a.m. and floated about for several minutes before disappearing.
Salt Lake Air Traffic Control said they didn’t pick up the object on radar and had no knowledge of the craft. "
Help Catch this Bastard
I ran across this info on an abebooks forum, and I'd like to spread the word.
Early in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, June 9, a thief robbed an Austin, TX Half Price Books at 2222 of over forty rare and collectible books. Unlike many of the other Half Price locations, these books are the centerpiece of the store, complete with their own room and many locked cases.
Early in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, June 9, a thief robbed an Austin, TX Half Price Books at 2222 of over forty rare and collectible books. Unlike many of the other Half Price locations, these books are the centerpiece of the store, complete with their own room and many locked cases.
The unscrupulous individual absconded with some of the finest items in the store's inventory. Unique titles such as
Leonard Feather's The New Encyclopedia of Jazz signed or inscribed by over twenty-seven jazz musicians, some multiple times including legends Charlie Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Nina Simone
The Bretano's edition of R. C. Sherriff's famed World War I play Journey's End signed by Sheriff, producer (and poet) Maurice Browne, and legendary director James Whale (who directed this version and would later direct the 1930 film version)
Author Eugene C. Barker's personal copy of The Life of Stephen F. Austin complete with his penciled notes on changes made to the published text.
Or rare titles such as the
Among the missing:1875 first French edition of Karl Marx's Das Capital
signed first edition of Larry McMurtry's The Last Picture Show
first edition of Under the Volcano by Malcom Lowry
first edition of Hammet's Maltese Falcon
the first US edition of Edwin Abbot's cult novel Flatland.
signed books by Edward Gorey, Stephen King, Hunter S. Thompson, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Richard Nixonand
first editions by Jack Kerouac, John Steinbeck, J. D. Salinger, Cormac McCarthy, Dr. Seuss, and Maurice Sendak.
Anyone with information is asked to contact me directly either via email at rklaw@halfpricebooks.com or at the store (512-451-4463).
Rick Klaw
Half Price Books Austin
Back in PrintL 1001 Midnights
Mystery*File: "Although I’ve yet to hold a copy in my hands myself, Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller have theirs, and so it’s safe to say that it’s ready for purchase. Ordering information at the bottom of this page.
Originally published in hardcover by Arbor House in 1986, 1001 Midnights by Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller, one of the finest reference texts ever published in the field of mystery fiction, quickly went out of print, but it has been in high demand in the used book market ever since."
Originally published in hardcover by Arbor House in 1986, 1001 Midnights by Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller, one of the finest reference texts ever published in the field of mystery fiction, quickly went out of print, but it has been in high demand in the used book market ever since."
Update
Believe me, I've been deeply touched by all the comments and e-mails. It's a big help to know that so many people care about me and Judy. We have our first appointment at M. D. Anderson on June 20, one week from today. We'll meet with the doctor and schedule a series of tests, some of them not so pleasant. After that's all done (it will take 8 or 10 days), Judy will start her treatments. Keep those good thoughts coming our way.
20 Best Gibberish Lyrics
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.
20 Best Gibberish Lyrics: No. 20 - Spinner.com - Free MP3s, Interviews, Music News, Live Performances, Songs and Videos: "Frank Sinatra once called rock 'n' roll's lyrics 'imbecilic.' To prove him wrong, we've compiled 20 examples of rock at its most poetic -- which is when it doesn't concern itself with actual words."
20 Best Gibberish Lyrics: No. 20 - Spinner.com - Free MP3s, Interviews, Music News, Live Performances, Songs and Videos: "Frank Sinatra once called rock 'n' roll's lyrics 'imbecilic.' To prove him wrong, we've compiled 20 examples of rock at its most poetic -- which is when it doesn't concern itself with actual words."
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Mr. Wizard, R. I. P.
I remember watching his show in black & white or our first TV set when I was a kid.
Charleston Daily Mail: "Don Herbert, who explained the wonderful world of science to young baby boomers on television in the 1950s and '60s as 'Mr Wizard' and did the same for a later generation of youngsters on the Nickelodeon cable TV channel in the 1980s, died today. He was 89.
Herbert died at his home in Bell Canyon after a long battle with multiple myeloma, said Tom Nikosey, Herbert's son-in-law.
A 1940 graduate of LaCrosse State Teachers College who served as an Army Air Forces pilot during World War II, Herbert worked as an actor and model before launching his weekly science show on NBC in 1951. Broadcast live from Chicago the first three years and then from New York, 'Watch Mr. Wizard' ran for 14 years.
The show won a Peabody Award, three Thomas Alva Edison Awards, four Ohio State University awards and two Emmy nominations."
Charleston Daily Mail: "Don Herbert, who explained the wonderful world of science to young baby boomers on television in the 1950s and '60s as 'Mr Wizard' and did the same for a later generation of youngsters on the Nickelodeon cable TV channel in the 1980s, died today. He was 89.
Herbert died at his home in Bell Canyon after a long battle with multiple myeloma, said Tom Nikosey, Herbert's son-in-law.
A 1940 graduate of LaCrosse State Teachers College who served as an Army Air Forces pilot during World War II, Herbert worked as an actor and model before launching his weekly science show on NBC in 1951. Broadcast live from Chicago the first three years and then from New York, 'Watch Mr. Wizard' ran for 14 years.
The show won a Peabody Award, three Thomas Alva Edison Awards, four Ohio State University awards and two Emmy nominations."
Megan and Vicki
Megan Abbott and Vicki Hendricks are signing at Murder by the Book in Houston this evening at 6:30. Judy and I were planning to be there, but now our plans have changed. If you're in the Houston area, though, this should be a great event. You should be there in my place. Or your own place.
Starting Over
I've truly appreciated the comments from everyone, even though I haven't tried to answer them. I get a little teary just to think you care about me and Judy enough to say so.
I don't handle stress well. I slept maybe three hours last night. Maybe I'll do better when some of this sinks in on me a little more. Right now I'm still in shock, but I'm determined that Judy is going to get well. I guess I'm some kind of control freak, and it drives me nuts that I can't do something to make things right. Instantly. I feel as if that's my job.
To keep from going nuts, I'll be posting here, maybe rambling self-pitying stuff like this, but I hope more cheerful things, too.
Thanks to you all.
I don't handle stress well. I slept maybe three hours last night. Maybe I'll do better when some of this sinks in on me a little more. Right now I'm still in shock, but I'm determined that Judy is going to get well. I guess I'm some kind of control freak, and it drives me nuts that I can't do something to make things right. Instantly. I feel as if that's my job.
To keep from going nuts, I'll be posting here, maybe rambling self-pitying stuff like this, but I hope more cheerful things, too.
Thanks to you all.
Monday, June 11, 2007
No Surrender!
I got some good advice today from Steve Stilwell, who said, "don't let this illness control everything in your life. And it will try to do so." Steve's been there, and he knows.
So, by God, I'm not going to close down the blog. The comments down below have warmed my heart, believe me, and I'm going to keep on truckin' and smiling and pretending everything is just fine. You guys are great. Maybe there won't be quite as many posts here, maybe they won't all be chipper, but I'm gonna be here.
And now for an update on Judy. We're trying to process a lot of information, but here's what I think right now. Her lymphoma is of the non-Hodgkins variety. It's also "indolent." That means it grows slowly (good news) but is incurable (definitely not good news). It can be kicked into remission, though, and we'll settle for that until the cure is found. We have a long road ahead of us, and it might take a while to get into M. D. Anderson, but we're going to come out on the other side smiling. I hope you'll all be here with us when that happens.
So, by God, I'm not going to close down the blog. The comments down below have warmed my heart, believe me, and I'm going to keep on truckin' and smiling and pretending everything is just fine. You guys are great. Maybe there won't be quite as many posts here, maybe they won't all be chipper, but I'm gonna be here.
And now for an update on Judy. We're trying to process a lot of information, but here's what I think right now. Her lymphoma is of the non-Hodgkins variety. It's also "indolent." That means it grows slowly (good news) but is incurable (definitely not good news). It can be kicked into remission, though, and we'll settle for that until the cure is found. We have a long road ahead of us, and it might take a while to get into M. D. Anderson, but we're going to come out on the other side smiling. I hope you'll all be here with us when that happens.
Some Fairly Bad News
I hate to put this kind of news on such a formerly light-hearted blog, but I think I'd better get it out of the way. Judy's been going through some medical testing, and we thought things were going to turn out fine.
We were wrong.
Today we were told that she has lymphoma. That's not good news. So far, that's all we know. We don't know if it's Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins. Or anything else. She's being referred to M. D. Anderson, which is a fine cancer facility, and she'll get the best of care, I'm cure. I don't know what this means to our future, but for now I'm pretty much going to shut down the blog. If there's any good news, or bad news, I'll post it here eventually.
It's been fun, but I think the fun's over for a while. Prayers and good thoughts will be much appreciated. You guys behave yourselves.
We were wrong.
Today we were told that she has lymphoma. That's not good news. So far, that's all we know. We don't know if it's Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins. Or anything else. She's being referred to M. D. Anderson, which is a fine cancer facility, and she'll get the best of care, I'm cure. I don't know what this means to our future, but for now I'm pretty much going to shut down the blog. If there's any good news, or bad news, I'll post it here eventually.
It's been fun, but I think the fun's over for a while. Prayers and good thoughts will be much appreciated. You guys behave yourselves.
Make-up Hints for Janes in Jail
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for this link.
Back when I was chair of the English Deparment at Alvin Community College and teaching in the prisons, we held classes at one unit with a number of gay inmates. Their ingenuity was astounding. As one of the instructors said, "It's a wonder what a guy can do with a little bit of color." If only they'd spent as much time on their English assignments. . . .
Back when I was chair of the English Deparment at Alvin Community College and teaching in the prisons, we held classes at one unit with a number of gay inmates. Their ingenuity was astounding. As one of the instructors said, "It's a wonder what a guy can do with a little bit of color." If only they'd spent as much time on their English assignments. . . .
How Cops Keep Cool
CoolCop - Body Armor Air Conditioning: "On a hot day there's nothing more uncomfortable than having to wear a T-shirt soaked with sweat. Add a bullet proof vest over it and no amount of air conditioning coming from your car vent is going to keep you cool & dry. CoolCop™ gives you relief!
CoolCop™ attaches to your vehicle's A/C and directs cool, dry air behind your vest where you need it most. You stay comfortable, dry, energized, and ready to face the heat on the street."
CoolCop™ attaches to your vehicle's A/C and directs cool, dry air behind your vest where you need it most. You stay comfortable, dry, energized, and ready to face the heat on the street."
Sunday, June 10, 2007
World's Biggest Beatles?
Mike McGruff has the pictures on his flickr account. Click here. I think the faces are more like the originals than the article implied.
And for more on the Beatles, click here.
And for more on the Beatles, click here.
Bigfoot Not Confined to Blacklin County, Texas
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - India’s ‘bigfoot’ sightings prompt official probe: "TURA: Authorities in India are to investigate claims by terrified villagers that “bigfoot”-type hairy giants are roaming the jungles of the remote northeast, a local official said.The creatures have apparently been spoken of, and occasionally spotted, for years, but a rise in the number of sightings over the past month has prompted authorities to look into the matter further. The bizarre sightings have reportedly been made in the Garo hills area of Meghalaya state, close to the borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan. Villagers have dubbed the mysterious creatures “Mande Burung” - or Jungle Man. “A team of wildlife officials and other experts will conduct a study to find out if there is any truth in the locals’ claims about these hairy giants,” said Samphat Kumar, a district magistrate in the West Garo Hills district. One local farmer, 40-year-old Wallen Sangma, claimed he had seen an entire family of the creatures - possibly a lowland relative of the Himalayan Yeti, or perhaps a distant cousin of the North American bigfoot known as Sasquatch, or Australia’s Yowie."
Obit
See full obit at link, for which thanks to John Stickney.
Ron Porambo, 67, Journalist Turned Robber - November 7, 2006 - The New York Sun: "Ron Porambo, who died October 22 at 67, made a fateful and most unusual career choice when, in the early 1970s, soon after publishing an impassioned book about the 1967 Newark, N.J., riots, he turned to a life of crime as a stickup artist."
Ron Porambo, 67, Journalist Turned Robber - November 7, 2006 - The New York Sun: "Ron Porambo, who died October 22 at 67, made a fateful and most unusual career choice when, in the early 1970s, soon after publishing an impassioned book about the 1967 Newark, N.J., riots, he turned to a life of crime as a stickup artist."
Robert E. Howard Days Update
Brownwood Bulletin
CROSS PLAINS — Conan — or “the Barbarian,” as portrayed in cinema by Arnold Schwarzenegger — is the character most Americans associate with author Robert E. Howard, the Cross Plains resident whose works have put this community on the literary map.
But attention was also given many of his other literary works during this weekend’s Robert E. Howard Days that concluded Saturday night.
The annual event, co-sponsored by Cross Plains Project Pride and the Robert E. Howard United Press Association, opened Thursday and attracted Howard fans and scholars from throughout the United States. By early Saturday afternoon, almost 200 people had registered at the Robert E. Howard Museum on Highway 36, the home where Howard lived and wrote most of his manuscripts.
Hundreds more arrived in Cross Plains to attend seminars at the high school and enjoy a variety of activities for all ages downtown as part of the community’s Barbarian Festival. Arts and crafts, car shows, games and live music were part of the events Saturday.
Though most prominently known for creating the genre now known as “Sword and Sorcery,” Howard’s body of work also includes historical adventure, suspense, epic poetry, gothic horror, sea stories and Western burlesques in the vein of Mark Twain.
Over the past 75 years, Howard’s original work — including more than 800 stories, poems and novels — has gained a vast international audience. These works have been the inspiration for major motion picture franchises, TV series, comic book and graphic novel adaptations, games, toys and merchandising.
One of the seminars held Saturday focused on Howard’s personal interest in boxing, and the stories he wrote about the sport. It was moderated by Chris Gruber, editor of the book “Robert E. Howard: Boxing Stories” published by the University Nebraska Press. Gruber was joined by other Howard researchers to discuss famous boxers like Jack Dempsey and Charles “Kid” McCoy, whose personal characteristics influenced Howard’s numerous boxing stories.
Gregory Manchess of Beaverton, Ore., was the featured guest this year. He led a Friday seminar on his work in illustrating “The Conquering Sword of Conan” and was featured at Friday night’s banquet. Manchess paintings have appeared in magazines like Time, Newsweek, The Smithsonian and National Geographic. He has illustrated film posters, billboards, children’s books as well as the covers of two Major League Baseball World Series programs.
Powered by ScribeFire.
We're from the Army Corps of Engineers. . .
. . . and we're here to help you.
Engineer report: Some flaws remain in outfall canal pumps | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Local News | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | wwltv.com: "An Army Corps of Engineers report found mechanical and contracting problems with drainage pumps installed by the corps before the start of the 2006 hurricane season, prompting a Louisiana senator to call for a Justice Department investigation.
Although the pumps have been extensively overhauled, critical flaws remain a year later, according to the report, which was released Friday.
The review by three corps engineers from outside the New Orleand district office backed up findings of a May 2006 memo by a corps mechanical engineer working on the $32 million pump project. The memo warned the pumps were faulty and would not work during a hurricane."
Engineer report: Some flaws remain in outfall canal pumps | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Local News | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | wwltv.com: "An Army Corps of Engineers report found mechanical and contracting problems with drainage pumps installed by the corps before the start of the 2006 hurricane season, prompting a Louisiana senator to call for a Justice Department investigation.
Although the pumps have been extensively overhauled, critical flaws remain a year later, according to the report, which was released Friday.
The review by three corps engineers from outside the New Orleand district office backed up findings of a May 2006 memo by a corps mechanical engineer working on the $32 million pump project. The memo warned the pumps were faulty and would not work during a hurricane."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Thanks to Jeff "Mr. District Attorney" Meyerson for the link.
Everything you always wanted to know (or didn't want to know) about Paris Hilton's servitude.
Everything you always wanted to know (or didn't want to know) about Paris Hilton's servitude.
Gator Update: the Big Kill
Photo at the link.
The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas - Local men bag 13-foot alligator: "Every good hunter dreams of that one big kill, the one unforgettable story that he can tell over and over again and can be passed on for generations to come.
Palestine native David James got his catch, and his story, over Memorial Day weekend when he, with the help of his dad Dr. Barry James and brothers Jeff and Scott James killed and hauled in the biggest alligator they had ever seen."
The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas - Local men bag 13-foot alligator: "Every good hunter dreams of that one big kill, the one unforgettable story that he can tell over and over again and can be passed on for generations to come.
Palestine native David James got his catch, and his story, over Memorial Day weekend when he, with the help of his dad Dr. Barry James and brothers Jeff and Scott James killed and hauled in the biggest alligator they had ever seen."
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Update from Hard Case Crime
| Friends, |
These Damn Punks Better Stay off My Lawn!
"Old People Suck" Sign Upsets Seniors In Orlando - News Story - WFTV Orlando: "ORLANDO, Fla. -- Three words on a cardboard sign outside a luxury downtown high rise have senior citizens outraged. One senior was so upset she took a picture outside The Vue at Lake Eola, on the corner of Rosalind and Robinson streets.
Some senior citizens were across the street in a small rally when they noticed the construction workers laughing at them. Then they looked by the fence and saw a sign they consider very offensive. The words were scrawled in bold white paint on cardboard.
Sandra Taylor, 64, stood across the street and could feel the sign shouting at her.
'The next thing we knew, we looked over and he had made a sign, holding it, said 'Old People Suck,'' Taylor said.
The construction worker was standing inside the site of one of Orlando's newest, most luxurious high rises in development, The Vue at Lake Eola. Taylor said not only did the worker hold up the sign, but she and other senior citizens were ridiculed."
Some senior citizens were across the street in a small rally when they noticed the construction workers laughing at them. Then they looked by the fence and saw a sign they consider very offensive. The words were scrawled in bold white paint on cardboard.
Sandra Taylor, 64, stood across the street and could feel the sign shouting at her.
'The next thing we knew, we looked over and he had made a sign, holding it, said 'Old People Suck,'' Taylor said.
The construction worker was standing inside the site of one of Orlando's newest, most luxurious high rises in development, The Vue at Lake Eola. Taylor said not only did the worker hold up the sign, but she and other senior citizens were ridiculed."
Gator Update (Reggie Edition)
Press-Telegram - Yes, Reggie's a male - and no, he's not hungry yet: "He's 7& 1/2 feet long and weighs 111 pounds.
He's in possession of all his toes - five on each front foot and four each on his back feet.
And, yes, he's a boy.
Reggie the alligator - Los Angeles' most famous captive next to Paris Hilton - was forced to endure the indignities of his first medical exam Thursday morning at the Los Angeles Zoo where he remains under quarantine.
And unlike Paris, he's cooperating.
Reggie has proved to be a good sport through it all."
He's in possession of all his toes - five on each front foot and four each on his back feet.
And, yes, he's a boy.
Reggie the alligator - Los Angeles' most famous captive next to Paris Hilton - was forced to endure the indignities of his first medical exam Thursday morning at the Los Angeles Zoo where he remains under quarantine.
And unlike Paris, he's cooperating.
Reggie has proved to be a good sport through it all."
Friday, June 08, 2007
Podcast
Yesterday I was interviewed by Tracee Evans of KTRH radio in Houston. Tracee's a reporter who reads. A lot. And she has a great blog about Houston writers. You can find it at the link below, and you might even want to listen to the podcast if you can stand the sound of my voice. Just look for the cover of Damn Near Dead.
NewsRadio 740 - KTRH: "You are never too old to enjoy a great yarn! That may well be the motto of an new genre of crime stories. Local author Bill Crider is featured in this very funny tome with the great title, Damn Near Dead: Old, Bold, Uncontrolled: An Anthology of Geezer Noir. Crider will be making a personal appearance this coming Monday Evening at 6 at the Houston Library's Robinson-Westchase branch at 3223 Wilcrest. Crider, who has published more than 50 novels, will be reading from his 14th Sheriff Dan Rhodes' mystery, Murder Among the OWLS and promises in our interview to sign any book his fans bring him..... Click on the speaker, we double dare ya...."
NewsRadio 740 - KTRH: "You are never too old to enjoy a great yarn! That may well be the motto of an new genre of crime stories. Local author Bill Crider is featured in this very funny tome with the great title, Damn Near Dead: Old, Bold, Uncontrolled: An Anthology of Geezer Noir. Crider will be making a personal appearance this coming Monday Evening at 6 at the Houston Library's Robinson-Westchase branch at 3223 Wilcrest. Crider, who has published more than 50 novels, will be reading from his 14th Sheriff Dan Rhodes' mystery, Murder Among the OWLS and promises in our interview to sign any book his fans bring him..... Click on the speaker, we double dare ya...."
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Men of Tomorrow -- Gerard Jones
Men of Tomorrow is the story of how comic books came to be. But it's more than that. It's a social history, too, and there's a ton of information about the backgrounds of the creators of the first comics. It also presents the age old story of how the creators are exploited by the money-men. Two of the men Jones writes about the most are Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, the creators of Superman. The fact that they realized so little money from their character is one of the real shames of the comics industry, but there's plenty more to spread around.
The Golden Age of Comics was pretty much over when I started reading them around 1947, 60 years ago. But I loved them and read all that I could get my hands on. One of the great birthday gifts I ever received was from my aunt. It was a 35mm film can filled with dimes, and on the outside of the can my aunt had taped a note: "Strictly for Funny Books." That was more than 55 years ago, but the memory is clear as a bell. I kept the film can and note for many years.
Reading this book brought back that memory and a lot of others, and naturally I enjoyed it tremendously. But I do have one complaint. Jones is a good writer in a lot of ways, but there are too many clunkers along the way. For example, this one: "The lead character was a crime fighter in a mask, fedora, and a three-piece suit called the Sprirt." Which of course leads me to ask, "But what were the mask and the fedora called?" Probably just an old English teacher's quibble, and it doesn't change the fact that Men of Tomorrow is a fascinating history. Check it out.
So It's Come to This
Terrorism-trained deputies investigate dognapping - By Jennifer Squires - Sentinel staff writer - June 7, 2007: "BOULDER CREEK: Sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of a golden retriever in the Santa Cruz Mountains as a possible terrorist incident after finding animal rights group propaganda where the dog was last seen."
Vicki Hendricks is Put to the Test
You can read about it here.
Allan Guthrie is put to a slightly different test here.
And if you want to find out what J. Kingston Pierce of the estimable Rap Sheet has been reading, click here.
Allan Guthrie is put to a slightly different test here.
And if you want to find out what J. Kingston Pierce of the estimable Rap Sheet has been reading, click here.
News from the Future
It's about the unbloggable (though I did have a lapse on that count earlier today). You can blame Jeff Meyerson if you want to. He sent this link.
World's Biggest Beatles?
Hoffman: I saw them standing there ... | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "By KEN HOFFMAN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
I am proud that my city, in Texas, USA, is going to have an enormous sculpture of the Beatles sitting on its main highway. This is way cool.
Sculptor David Adickes will 'christen' his latest work (it's not an unveiling because the statues are too big to veil) Thursday night at his studio. His daughter Mary will smash a bottle of champagne across John Lennon's leg.
The 36-foot-tall sculpture of the Beatles will sit on his SculpturWorx Studio's front lawn on Summer Street near Interstate 10 and Taylor for three months, then move to property he owns on the south side of the freeway near the Shepherd exit.
Drivers will be able to see the Beatles for miles."
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
I am proud that my city, in Texas, USA, is going to have an enormous sculpture of the Beatles sitting on its main highway. This is way cool.
Sculptor David Adickes will 'christen' his latest work (it's not an unveiling because the statues are too big to veil) Thursday night at his studio. His daughter Mary will smash a bottle of champagne across John Lennon's leg.
The 36-foot-tall sculpture of the Beatles will sit on his SculpturWorx Studio's front lawn on Summer Street near Interstate 10 and Taylor for three months, then move to property he owns on the south side of the freeway near the Shepherd exit.
Drivers will be able to see the Beatles for miles."
For You Hardboiled Fans. . .
. . . a good article on dogfighting. And remember: If you use this as the plot of your next novel, I get 10%.
SI.com - NFL - Special Report: The House on Moonlight Road - Tuesday May 29, 2007 12:10PM: "The House on Moonlight Road
Though Michael Vick insists he knew nothing of alleged dogfighting on a Virginia property he owned, the case has cast a shadow over the star quarterback, alarmed the NFL and called attention to pro athletes' involvement in the grisly pastime."
SI.com - NFL - Special Report: The House on Moonlight Road - Tuesday May 29, 2007 12:10PM: "The House on Moonlight Road
Though Michael Vick insists he knew nothing of alleged dogfighting on a Virginia property he owned, the case has cast a shadow over the star quarterback, alarmed the NFL and called attention to pro athletes' involvement in the grisly pastime."
Janes in Jail: Day 3 (Extremely Urgent Update!)
Paris Hilton -- Free Woman - TMZ.com: "TMZ has learned that Paris Hilton has not only had her sentence cut short, she is already out of jail!
Unimpeachable sources tell TMZ the deal was sealed yesterday, and that Hilton made her exit early early this morning.
She was originally sentenced to 45 days in jail, but that was reduced to 23. She served a total of three days -- the normal stay for a violation of this kind.
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department will hold a news conference in an hour to discuss what went down. "
Update update: Reporters hammered away about Paris' medical condition during a press conference in front of the jail, where she was released early this morning, but Whitmore said that due to confidentiality laws, he could not discuss even the slightest health-related details.
Paris will be under house confinement in her West Hollywood home for 40 days, where she has a 3000-4000 ft. radius of freedom. Her jail cell was 96 square feet. After the 40 days are up, Whitmore says she will have "fulfilled her debt to society."
Whitmore made it clear that Paris was not released early -- she was reassigned. She is technically still in custody.
Unimpeachable sources tell TMZ the deal was sealed yesterday, and that Hilton made her exit early early this morning.
She was originally sentenced to 45 days in jail, but that was reduced to 23. She served a total of three days -- the normal stay for a violation of this kind.
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department will hold a news conference in an hour to discuss what went down. "
Update update: Reporters hammered away about Paris' medical condition during a press conference in front of the jail, where she was released early this morning, but Whitmore said that due to confidentiality laws, he could not discuss even the slightest health-related details.
Paris will be under house confinement in her West Hollywood home for 40 days, where she has a 3000-4000 ft. radius of freedom. Her jail cell was 96 square feet. After the 40 days are up, Whitmore says she will have "fulfilled her debt to society."
Whitmore made it clear that Paris was not released early -- she was reassigned. She is technically still in custody.
Over at Bookgasm. . .
. . . there's a review of James Reasoner's fine new novel called Dust Devils. I couldn't have said it better, myself. So I won't. Just go over there and read the review.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
A Hard Case Crime Movie
Who would Richard Aleas want to star in the upcoming movie version of Little Girl Lost? You can read his thoughts on the matter here.
I Report, You Decide
FOXNews.com - John Ramsey and Beth Holloway Twitty Are Dating - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News: "n a match seemingly made in tabloid heaven, the father of murdered child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey and the mother of missing-in-Aruba teen Natalee Holloway are dating, FOX News has confirmed.
John Ramsey, 63, and Beth Holloway Twitty, 46, have been romantically involved since January 2007, though the two met at a fundraiser last year.
The couple has been spotted openly holding hands and kissing in Mountain Brook, Ala. — where Twitty lives — and at an art show at a nearby art museum. They've also been seen at various restaurants."
John Ramsey, 63, and Beth Holloway Twitty, 46, have been romantically involved since January 2007, though the two met at a fundraiser last year.
The couple has been spotted openly holding hands and kissing in Mountain Brook, Ala. — where Twitty lives — and at an art show at a nearby art museum. They've also been seen at various restaurants."
Robert E. Howard Days Coming Up
Brownwood Bulletin: "CROSS PLAINS — Fantasy literature experts and fans from across the country — and perhaps a few from across the oceans — have their reservations made for Cross Plains this weekend.
They will be arriving today as they begin their annual trek to Callahan County to celebrate the works of fantasy fiction author Robert E. Howard, whose blossoming career ended with his suicide in 1936.
“We don’t expect quite as many people here this year as we had last time, because that was the 100th anniversary of his birth,” Era Lee Hanke, president of Project Pride here, said Tuesday. “But we already have over 100 people registered for the events where we need a count, the ones with meals being served. We have reservations for 118 for Friday dinner, and we always have a lot of people show up during each day who didn’t register.”"
They will be arriving today as they begin their annual trek to Callahan County to celebrate the works of fantasy fiction author Robert E. Howard, whose blossoming career ended with his suicide in 1936.
“We don’t expect quite as many people here this year as we had last time, because that was the 100th anniversary of his birth,” Era Lee Hanke, president of Project Pride here, said Tuesday. “But we already have over 100 people registered for the events where we need a count, the ones with meals being served. We have reservations for 118 for Friday dinner, and we always have a lot of people show up during each day who didn’t register.”"
D-Day the 6th of June
Osprey Media. - Belleville Intelligencer - Ontario, CA
A small piece of history sits on Gordon and Alice Cook's kitchen table.
It's a photocopy of part of Gordon's military records. Halfway down the page, are two half-typed, half-handwritten lines.
"Embarked at UK on 3 June 44. Disembarked at France on 6 June 44."
It's a very simple way of noting Cook's participation on D-Day, the world's largest-ever military invasion.
On this date in 1944, Operation Overlord, the Allies' invasion of Nazi-occupied France, was a success.
Powered by ScribeFire.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The Deep Blue Alibi -- Paul Levine
This is the second Solomon & Lord novel. (I talked about the first one here.) The two mis-matched lawyers are still law partners, but Victoria Lord wants to go out on her own, much to Steve Solomon's dismay. She's not only a great partner, but he's in love with her. A man from her past shows up and proves to be even hunkier than ever. His father is accused of murder, and Victoria wants the case for her own. At the same time, Steve is trying to clear his father's name. (As we learned in the first book, Herbert Solomon, a judge, was removed from the bench for a crime that Steve knows he didn't commit. Herbert doesn't want Steve to open that can of worms.
While Steve has issues with his father, Victoria has them with her mother, whom she blames for her father's suicide. The man Victoria's defending was her father's business partner.
Other complications include environmentalists intent on blocking construction of a floating hotel/casino, attempts on Steve's and Victoria's lives, and a side trip to a nudist colony.
Like the first book, this one's a fast, light read with plenty of twists. Levine has a way of making you (and some of the book'c characters) look at things in a whole different light by the time things come to a conclusion. Check it out.
Note Author's Name
Yep, that's Joe's kid. A chip off the old block. They call him "Scoop Dog" at home.
Former Center teacher accused of sex with student: "Former Center teacher accused of sex with student
Topless photos on cell phone lead to 23 charges, including sex assault of a child
By KEITH LANSDALE
The Daily Sentinel
Thursday, May 31, 2007
NACOGDOCHES — Former Center eighth-grade teacher Janet Susan Gallager Parker, 26, surrendered to Shelby County authorities Wednesday, after school officials discovered photographs of the woman, partially-nude and draped in a rebel flag, on a student's cell phone. Those photos eventually led to 23 warrants for her arrest on charges ranging from sexual performance and sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography.
Parker had been suspected of having an inappropriate relationship with a student while she was employed at Center ISD teaching technology applications and graphic arts. However, no proof could be established at that time, according to a press release.
Parker resigned after an investigation was initiated in December 2006 after the school received information that Parker had been seen at a shopping mall, holding hands, according to an affidavit filed with a Shelby County Justice of the Peace. Parker denied the allegations when questioned by school and law enforcement officials, but resigned from her teaching post at the middle school, according to the affidavit."
Former Center teacher accused of sex with student: "Former Center teacher accused of sex with student
Topless photos on cell phone lead to 23 charges, including sex assault of a child
By KEITH LANSDALE
The Daily Sentinel
Thursday, May 31, 2007
NACOGDOCHES — Former Center eighth-grade teacher Janet Susan Gallager Parker, 26, surrendered to Shelby County authorities Wednesday, after school officials discovered photographs of the woman, partially-nude and draped in a rebel flag, on a student's cell phone. Those photos eventually led to 23 warrants for her arrest on charges ranging from sexual performance and sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography.
Parker had been suspected of having an inappropriate relationship with a student while she was employed at Center ISD teaching technology applications and graphic arts. However, no proof could be established at that time, according to a press release.
Parker resigned after an investigation was initiated in December 2006 after the school received information that Parker had been seen at a shopping mall, holding hands, according to an affidavit filed with a Shelby County Justice of the Peace. Parker denied the allegations when questioned by school and law enforcement officials, but resigned from her teaching post at the middle school, according to the affidavit."
Janes in Jail: Day 1
Even the Game Show Network is getting into the act.
And thanks to Jeff "Big Winner" Meyerson for the link.
And thanks to Jeff "Big Winner" Meyerson for the link.
The Times, They Are A-Changin'
The long goodbye - USATODAY.com: "Times have changed for Michael Jackson (No. 24 below) and vinyl records (No. 5) since he released Thriller 25 years ago. Today, we look back at 25 years of other changes in our lives. Some things are still around (No. 4), some not (No. 6). Disagree with our picks? Tell us at usatoday.com, and we'll post yours."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Novel (I Charge 10%)
Serial killer may have blogged clues | NEWS.com.au: "THE serial killer behind the 1994 Claremont murders may be leaving clues to his identity in a series of comments on Australia's leading crime blog which show an unusually detailed knowledge of the case.
The latest comment was today.
The man, who calls himself 'Dr Phibes', started contributing detailed knowledge about the killings after journalist Gary Hughes started writing about the murders in his blog Gotcha in October last year."
The latest comment was today.
The man, who calls himself 'Dr Phibes', started contributing detailed knowledge about the killings after journalist Gary Hughes started writing about the murders in his blog Gotcha in October last year."
Janes in Jail: Day 1
Thanks to Jeff "Warden" Meyerson for the link.
I think you should all read this and reflect on the lawyer's remarks. You've been so wrong about P.H.
I think you should all read this and reflect on the lawyer's remarks. You've been so wrong about P.H.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Flaming Youth
For those of you who can't get enough of celebrity follies, here's something to look at. Thanks to Jeff "Jim Bowie" Meyerson for the link.
Movie News - Disturbing Photos of Lohan Hit Internet - AOL News: "(June 4) -- Shocking photos that depict Lindsay Lohan and an unidentified female friend playing with knives while seemingly under the influence are causing a stir across the Internet. "
Movie News - Disturbing Photos of Lohan Hit Internet - AOL News: "(June 4) -- Shocking photos that depict Lindsay Lohan and an unidentified female friend playing with knives while seemingly under the influence are causing a stir across the Internet. "
Thuglit #16 Now On-Line
And there's a BIG announcement, too. Check out the stories and the announcement, too. Click here.
Happy Anniversay to Me & Judy
Today we have been married for 42 years. Seems like a long time to you whippersnappers, I'm sure, but it went by so fast that I can hardly believe it.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Hard Case Crime at Book Expo
Click the link for more photos.About Hard Case Crime: " On June 2, 2007, Hard Case Crime welcomed booksellers from around the world to the annual Book Expo America tradeshow in New York City. Editor Charles Ardai was joined by stage and screen performers Meredith Napolitano (also the cover model for ZERO COOL), James Huffman, and Victoria Lee, all three of whom were dressed in vintage clothing from the pulp era. See below for some candid photos from the event..."
Man of the Century
I can't remember who recommended this one, but I'm glad somebody did. It's an odd little B&W movie about a guy named Johnny Twennies. Johnny appears to be living in the 1920s, even though he's living in the present day. He dresses in '20s clothes, shaves with a straight razor, uses '20s slang. He writes a column for a metropolitan daily, tapping it out on an old typewriter. His attitudes toward sex and dating are from a century ago.None of this is explained. It just is. The rest of the screwball plot involves mobsters, Johnny's girlfriend, another girl who wants to be an opera singer, and things like that. Mostly, though, the movie is just strung-together bits, most of which I found very entertaining. The ending is right out of It's in the Bag.
Gibson Frazier plays Johnny. It's as if he's spent most of his life watching Warner Brothers movies about the '20s. Most of them with Bogart. His acting style is based on those movies, particularly Bogart's. Some of his lines are even stolen from Bogart movies, among others. Putting that style into a modern movie, where everyone else is from a different school, might seem odd, but it works just fine. If you're looking for something different, this is it. Check it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)