Once Again, Texas Leads the Way (Sex Party Update)

cbs11tv.com - Swingers Plan Party To Raise Money For Legal Fees: "(CBS 11 News) DUNCANVILLE Tuesday night the Duncanville City Council voted to shut down a swingers club known as the Cherry Pit.

Now they say they have an additional reason to party. The organizers hope to attract big crowds on Friday and Saturday night.

They say they'll use the donations to build a legal defense fund to fight the city's ordinance.

On their Web site's chat room Wednesday, the Cherry Pit's organizers said they need $10,000 to retain an attorney who will help them fight to stay open. They said it would take 1,000 supporters donating $10 each.

After the ordinance passed Tuesday, organizers Jim Trulock and Julie Norris vowed to take the city to court next week."

Yet Another List I'm Not On

The Top 50 Thinkers.

The Sword of Genghis Khan -- James Dark

James Dark is a pen name used by an Australian writer named James McDonnell. He wrote a lot, and I mean a lot, of books, including those in the Mark Hood spy series. Some of the latter were published in the U.S. by Signet at the height of the spy craze. I have four or five of them, and I must have read a couple back in the '60s, though I don't remember which ones. I pulled one off the stack the other day just to have a look, and I recognized the opening scene, in which the sea begins to boil near some Japanese fishing boats just before they're destroyed. In rapid succession, we have more boiling seas, a sex scene, a scientist kidnapped by a some fake medics, and another scientist grabbed by a guy wearing a jet pack right out of the Rocketman serials. That takes up about the first twenty pages. And there are only 1oo left to read. The print's big, too.

As you've probably guessed, this book makes anything in Fleming's James Bond series (and I'm counting the movies) look like a model of realism. Before it's over we've taken into the cave of Genghis Khan where one of his descendants has set up shop and from which he intends to (you guessed it) rule the world. (The cave, by the way, was revealed by a nuclear test, and the Khan descendant and his minions entered it "after the radiation had receded." In case you were wondering.)

He doesn't have a chance, however, against Mark Hood, who's remarkably stupid at one minute and brilliant at the next. The book seems to head in one direction and promise one thing, but then it veers off into another direction entirely, dropping the plot idea that had seemed to be developing for another one. You want character development and logic? You've come to the wrong place.

This kind of thing can be fun, though, if you just turn off your mind and go with the flow, but it's definitely a relic of an earlier time. I suspect there's only one other person besides me who can still enjoy it: this guy. If you want to try, though, you might get a kick out of it. (And don't ask what that is on the cover. I have no idea.)

Happy Birthday, Patti Page!

Almost missed this one, which would have been too bad. 80 years old today. Talk about the soundtrack of my kidhood! Miss Patti Page, the Singing Rage, was a huge part of it. My parents must have had the radio on all the time because my head is full of the pop and country songs of the late '40s and early '50s.

10 Most-Quoted Movie Lines

The list is at this link.

The Mafia's 'Ten Commandments'

List at the link. No photo of the stone tablets, however.

Police discover Mafia's 'Ten Commandments' after arresting Godfather | the Daily Mail: "The Mafia's Ten Commandments have been found after police arrested a top Godfather in Sicily.

Under the secret Cosa Nostra code of conduct, the so-called 'men of honour' must avoid bars, other gangsters' wives and girlfriends and be on time.

The list of rules emerged from documents seized after the arrest of Salvatore Lo Piccolo, 65, at a secret mob meeting in Palermo, along with his son Sandro, 32, and two other godfathers."

Chinatown

The Austin Chronicle: Screens: Review - Chinatown: "For many, Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski from Robert Towne's Oscar-winning screenplay, epitomizes the peak of Seventies Hollywood filmmaking and perhaps the finest neo-noir ever made. Yet according to the four documentary featurettes on this new special edition, the movie almost didn't get made."

Check out the whole review at the link.

New Issue of Spinetingler Now On-Line

An embarrassment of riches today. Check it out.

New Issue of Thrilling Detective Now On-Line

As always, it's don't-miss material. Check it out.

Crosshairs -- Harry Hunsicker

I've said before that I'm opposed to mixing first- and third-person narration in p.i. novels that have the p.i. narrating the story. Call me a traditionalist, or a fuddy-duddy, and keep off my damn lawn. Anyway, those days are gone forever. I'm here to say that I've decided not to object anymore. Robert B. Parker did it in at least one Spenser novel, James Lee Burke has started doing it all the time, Robert Crais took up the habit, Dave White did it in his first novel, and now Harry Hunsicker has done it in his third book. I'm sure I've missed plenty of others. So who am I to object?

But enough of that. What about Crosshairs? Well, Lee Henry (call him Hank) Oswald, shaken up by the events of the previous book in the series (The Next Time You Die), has become a bartender. That doesn't last long, though. An old Army buddy calls in a favor, Oswald bumps into the buddy's doctor, and the next thing he knows, he's up to his neck in mayhem again. That's one of the things I like about the books, in fact. There's always plenty of mayhem, and Hunsicker's very good at action scenes. Good at the snappy patter, too, and at giving you a look at the down and dirty of Dallas. An bonus in this one is some good stuff about the Travelers. I was planning to use them in a Rhodes book I've started, but now I probably won't.

I don't know if there are plans for more in the Hank Oswald series, but I figure there must be. Wouldn't surprise me if Hunsicker didn't have a standalone in mind, too. Check him out if you haven't already.

I Love a Mystery

Scott Cupp, knowing I'm a fan of the radio version of I Love a Mystery, called to alert me to the fact that yesterday afternoon TCM was showing the three 1940s movies based on it. I set the DVR, but then I decided to watch the first one, I Love a Mystery: The Decapitation of Jefferson Monk, which is based on the radio program of the same title.

Carlton E. Morse, who wrote the radio show, liked to let his imagination run wild for these programs, and this one opens with a guy (Jefferson Monk, played by George Macready) who's killed in a single-car accident. And his head is missing. The rest of the story is told in flashback, as Jack (Jack Bannon) and Doc (Barton Yarborough, who played the part on radio) tell the owner of The Silver Samovar what happened.

Then we get flashbacks within the flashback as Monk relates the strange circumstances that led to his being followed by a peg-legged man carrying a small black valise, just the right size to hold Monk's head.

As the stories unfold, you have your secret societies (which want Monk's head), your prophesies, your paralyzed wife, and plenty of murders. Some of this is preposterous (a guy with a peg leg wears a mask to disguise himself?), and some is beyond that, but it's all part of the fun.

Jack figures out a lot of things apparently by having picked up on clues that aren't shown to the viewer, or by having heard descriptions that the viewer didn't hear. But even Jack can't figure out everything, which leads to a dumb series of events and the climax. The final moments aren't bad, but the final moments of the radio show are a bit spookier.

And here's the thing. The movie is pretty spooky. It's preposterous, but it still manages to work up a nice atmosphere and to cram plenty of plot into 65 or 70 minutes. I'd rather listen to the radio show, but I'm glad I watched this. I'm sure I'll check out the others one of these days.

Hank Thompson, R. I. P.

A list of Thompson's hits would fill the page, and they're part of the soundtrack of my youth. One of the all-time greats. My son worked on a recording session with him only months ago.

Star-Telegram.com: | 11/07/2007 | Country singer Hank Thompson dead at 82: "Waco native and Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson passed away Tuesday evening at his Keller residence, four days after cancelling the remainder of an ongoing tour. He was 82.

“He was battling aggressive lung cancer,” said Thompson spokesman and Heart of Texas Records President Tracy Pitcox in a statement. “He remained conscious until the last couple of hours and passed away peacefully at about 10:45 p.m. ... surrounded by his friends and family.”

According to his bio, Thompson began playing the guitar and working local talent shows as a teenager. His first radio program was on WACO where he was featured as “Hank the Hired Hand.” In addition, Thompson was the first country entertainer to travel with his own light-and-sound systems, the first to have a corporate sponsor, the first to record in high fidelity stereo and the first to broadcast his television show in color. In 1961, Thompson recorded Live at the Golden Nugget, which would become the first live album ever produced.

“He was one of a kind,” says D.D. Bray, Thompson’s manager and booking agent for 25 years. “It’s a long, long legacy ... his songs will live forever.”"

Paris Hilton: Making the World a Safer Place

Paris Hilton Helps Elephant Alcoholics - Starpulse News Blog: "Socialite Paris Hilton is spearheading a campaign to stop a herd of elephants killing themselves - after bingeing on alcohol. The hotel heiress was horrified to discover 40 of the animals were electrocuted after drinking rice-beer, which is brewed by locals in north-east India. And Hilton is now urging Indian residents to lock up their booze."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

cbs11tv.com - City Of Duncanville Cracking Down On Sex Parties: "(CBS 11 News) DUNCANVILLE It's been a secret in the suburbs for years.

A house in Duncanville that holds large private parties for swingers is now gaining unwanted attention. Swingers are single people or couples who are open minded about their sexual partners.

'We have friends over for private parties,' said the organizer, Jim Turlock.

The City of Duncanville wants to crack down on the parties. So far, the city has been powerless to stop the parties at the house on Cedar Ridge Drive. But Tuesday night, the city council will consider a different tactic.

People gather at the house every Friday and Saturday night. As many as 200 people showed up for a Halloween party. So many people attend the parties that the organizers have a man directing traffic and parking."

Sometimes Georgia Leads the Way

No age limit on Gwinnett police Taser policy | ajc.com: "Last week's use of a Taser stun gun on a handcuffed 14-year-old trick or treater is within Gwinnett County police policy, which has no age provision, police said.

The only protection in the policy is for pregnant women because it could induce labor.

So what about a 5- or 6-year-old?

That's OK, according to Gwinnett police policy."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Man Arrested After Reporting Pot Theft: " McALLEN, Texas (AP) - A man was arrested for drug possession after telling authorities that two masked gunmen had stolen 150 pounds of marijuana from his home.

Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies arrived at the home near Penitas in South Texas to find the door kicked in and nearly 15 pounds of pot lying on the floor, Sheriff Lupe Trevino said.

Jose Guadalupe Flores, 35, escaped while the men ransacked the house but returned later and told the deputies he had been wrapping the drugs for shipment when the intruders arrived.

'The guy walked right up and said the drugs were his,' Trevino said. 'That's not the smartest move.'"

Croc Update

I'll think just have the salad, but thanks anyway.

Celebrities to eat crocodile penis | NEWS.com.au: "CONTESTANTS in the latest version of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here will be told to tuck into crocodile genitals as part of the popular British reality TV show, filmed in Australia.

According to Metro.co.uk, twelve crocodile penises were transferred to the film set this week.

Lilian Lever, owner of the Koorana Crocodile Farm in Coowonga, Queensland, told Metro: 'We do supply 'We do supply 'bits' of the crocs for the TV show. I can't say any more.'"

Happy Birthday, Stonewall Jackson

A country music great turns 75 today. If you have your old 45 rpm recording of "Waterloo" (I do, still in its picture sleeve), flip it over for an even better song, "Smoke Along the Track."

Red State Update

Thanks to Walter Satterthwait for the link.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

My first thought is, "Do this with gators, and then you'd have something."

Dublin, Texas, by the way, is the place where they still make Dr Pepper with real cane sugar.

And a tip of the Crider gimme cap to Jeff Meyerson.

'Texas Snake Man' sets record in tub with 87 rattlers | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "DUBLIN, Texas — Another day, another bizarre world record for Jackie Bibby, the 'Texas Snake Man.'

Bibby spent about 45 minutes in a see-through bathtub with 87 rattlesnakes Monday, fully clothed, shattering his own record by 12 snakes just in time for Guinness World Records Day, which is Thursday. A Guinness official certified the record.

The snakes crawled under his arms, between his legs and anywhere else they could slither, Bibby said. None bit him.

'They can go wherever they want as long as they don't start biting,' Bibby said. 'The key to not biting is for me to stay still. Rapid movement scares a rattlesnake. If you move real slow and gentle, that doesn't seem to bother them.'

Bibby sat in the dry tub with a pillow behind him, wearing regular clothing. The snakes were not defanged and still contained their venom, he said."

Puppet on a Chain -- Alistair MacLean

Every now and then I like to re-read something by Alistair MacLean, even if it's not one of his best, which this one isn't. It was published in 1969, and by that time, at least for my tastes, MacLean was past his prime. I remember reading a scene in Force Ten from Navarone (1968) and thinking that MacLean was writing strictly for the movies and even putting in scenes that he thought would work well in the screenplay. I think pretty much the same thing about several of the scenes in Puppet on a Chain.

This is a drug war book. Major Paul Sherman, of Interpol, and his two beautiful assistants (who really have next to nothing to do with the plot) are in Amsterdam to put a stop to the drug traffic. Like all of MacLean's first-person narrators, Sherman is supposed to be highly competent, but he makes all kinds of blunders, which he tells us about as he makes them and which he also tells us will lead to terrible consequences. That's what happens, all right. But whereas that kind of thing worked for me in his earlier books, it just doesn't quite come off in this one. Or maybe I'm just cranky.

There's lots of derring-do and plenty of action, but it all seems to me to lack the drive of the earlier books. Again, maybe it's just me. But I felt the same way nearly 40 years ago. I thought maybe I'd feel differently this time, or I hoped I would, but I didn't. If this had been the first MacLean book I'd ever read, I might have loved it. As it is, I'd say it's middling, but not in the same league with things like The Black Shrike or The Golden Rendezvous or a number of others.

Robert A. Heinlein

Earlier this year I reviewed a few books by Robert A. Heinlein as my little way of celebrating the centennial of his birth. Robert Silverberg is doing something similar in Asimov's, just much better, and here's an example.

100 Movies, 100 Numbers

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the tip.

Uh-Oh

• Hollywood Elsewhere •: "Because Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa kicked some surprising box-office ass ($80 million domestic, $150 million int'l) last year and similar-type earnings from his aging-Rambo remake may be in the offing, the MGM guys -- holding high the attitude and aesthetic of Cannon Films in 2007 -- are 'in talks' with Stallone to direct and star in a remake of Death Wish, the 1974 Charles Bronson-Michael Winner film."

Well, at least it would be good for Brian Garfield's pocketbook.

New from Ramble House

Ramble House Rag: Let's Go Get Ripped: "Ramble House is releasing a book it published back in 2005, this time with an introduction and index to make it handier for anyone interested in serial murder. The book, RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES, is a collection of newspaper articles from the London Times and the New York Times between 1888-1895 dealing with the Jack the Ripper murders of Whitechapel and it now has an excellent introduction by Ripperologist Don Souden. It also has an index of all of the last names that appear in the articles for easier reference for Rippernuts the world over."

Political Rant -- Please Skip

This blog is usually just a conglomeration of stuff that amuses me for one reason or another. (Some would point out that I'm easily amused. I can't deny it.) I try to avoid politics, but now and then something political amuses me through its sheer outrageousness, like this new proof of the flowering of democracy in the Middle East, and I just can't resist.

Let me see if I have it straight about Pervez Musharraf:

1. Military dictator? Check. (Passes the duck test.)
2. Has weapons of mass destruction? Check. (Ask India if you don't believe me.)
3. Violates Human rights? Check. (Protesters and journalists beaten.)
4. Harbors terrorists? Check. (Osama's found safe harbor in Pakistan for ever so long.)

But not to worry: the State Department has sent a sternly worded letter saying that they'll be reviewing the millions of dollars in aid we're sending to Pakistan every single week.

I love the smell of democracy in the morning!

Question of the Day

Why are people who can't pronounce antarctica paid big bucks to be on TV news shows?

Mike Ripley's Latest Column Posted at Shots Magazine

You can read it here. I was pleased to see that two of his favorite Jack Higgins novels are also two of the ones I favor. Neither was originally published under the Higgins name, by the way.

Preview of Coming Attractions from Richard Helms

And just as a meaningless aside, I wrote my MA thesis on Frank Norris. I've read McTeague several times.

Just wanted to drop by to let everyone know that the second issue of The Back Alley ( www.backalleywebzine.com ) will go live in a little over one week.

We're very excited about this issue. The feature author this time around is Keith Gilman, the winner of the PWA/St. Martin's Best First PI Novel. Also appearing is Megan Powell, editor of Shred of Evidence Ezine; Bryon Quertermous, editor of Demolition ezine; Warren Bull, a psychologist and novelist from Kansas City; and John Weagly, a playwright and actor from Chicago. We have a wonderful historical/analytical piece from Jess Nevins, and the first installment of a serial edition of Frank Norris's early naturalistic/noir novel McTEAGUE.

For those of you interested in submitting to The Back Alley, we are now paying the MWA minimum $25 per story, and hope to be listed as an MWA qualified publisher sometime next year.

For the next week, please do drop by and check out the first issue of The Back Alley, featuring Stephen D. Rogers, G. Miki Hayden, Jack Bludis, John Lau, and the first published story by Eric Shane. If you missed the first issue, it will be archived in pdf format on subsequent issues, for your downloading and reading pleasure.

Hope to see you there when we debut Issue Two of The Back Alley!
R

Richard Helms
http://richardhelms.net ?
THE BACK ALLEY WEBZINE
www.backalleywebzine.com

Suspicions Confirmed, Part 2

Santa Rosa Press Democrat // News for California's North Bay and Redwood Empire: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- After clocks are turned back this weekend, pedestrians walking during the evening rush hour are nearly three times more likely to be struck and killed by cars than before the time change, two scientists calculate. Ending daylight saving time translates into about 37 more U.S. pedestrian deaths around 6 p.m. in November compared to October, the researchers report.

Their study of risk to pedestrians is preliminary but confirms previous findings of higher deaths after clocks are set back in fall.

It's not the darkness itself, but the adjustment to earlier nighttime that's the killer, said professors Paul Fischbeck and David Gerard, both of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh."

Gentle, Fun-Loving Old Charmers to Cheer You Up

American Gangster

No, I haven't seen the movie. However, I did read the article on which it's loosely based. If you haven't read it before, you can find it here. It's worth your time. Thanks to Walter Satterthwait for the tip.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents. . . .

. . . . but only in syndication.

Happy Birthday, Bob Feller!

One of the greats, sure enough. Age 89 today.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Student Wants On-Campus Porn Club - Education News Story - KSAT San Antonio: "SAN ANTONIO -- A University of Texas at San Antonio student is in the planning stages of forming a pornography club on campus, station KSAT 12 reported.

The student, Riley Jackson Starr, is posting fliers on campus in hopes of recruiting at least five students to Club X, which would watch and discuss sexually oriented materials."

Sir Isaac Newton . . . .

. . . . He invented more than those fig bars.

The MST3K Gang . . . .

. . . . is at it again.

Anna Nicole Smith/O. J. Update

My Way News - FBI Knew of O.J. Simpson Plan in Advance: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal agents learned three weeks in advance that O.J. Simpson and a memorabilia dealer planned an operation to retrieve personal items Simpson said were stolen from him, according to FBI reports obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

Dealer Thomas Riccio said he reported to the FBI on Aug. 21 that a collector claimed to have belongings taken from Simpson, and that Simpson wanted to videotape the confrontation with the person peddling thousands of pieces of his memorabilia.

Riccio told AP that he raised the subject while talking with the FBI about an unrelated subject: a video of Anna Nicole Smith. But he said agents dismissed his report, telling him 'they didn't want to be involved in another weird celebrity case.'"

We're from the Government, and We're Here to Help You

News from The Associated Press: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Transportation Security Administration touts its programs to ensure security by using undercover operatives to test its airport screeners. In one instance, however, the agency thwarted such a test by alerting screeners across the country that it was under way, even providing descriptions of the undercover agents.

The government routinely runs covert tests at airports to ensure that security measures in place are sufficient to stop a terrorist from bringing something dangerous onto an airplane. Alerting screeners when the undercover officer is coming through and what the person looks like would defeat the purpose.

But that's exactly what happened on April 28, 2006, according to an e-mail from a top TSA official who oversees security operations."

Suspicions Confirmed

I'm not a fan of Daylight Saving Time. I've never really understood the reason for it because I've never seen any convincing statistics that prove the time change really saves energy. And now it appears that the reason I've never seen any is simple: there aren't any. Yet we go on switching our clocks and screwing up our sleep cycles twice a year. I'm beginning to think my grandmother had it right when she refused to change her clocks. And keep off my damn lawn.

Astronaut Update

Evidence Thrown Out In Ex-Astronaut's Case - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston: "HOUSTON -- The confession and evidence of a former Astronaut accused of attempted kidnapping will not be allowed in court, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.

Orange Circuit Judge Marc Lubet ruled that the evidence taken from Lisa Nowak's vehicle be thrown out, as well as her jailhouse conversation with an Orlando police detective.

The judge said the actions of the Orlando police detective led to his decision."

20th Century Ghosts -- Joe Hill

Almost 30 years ago I sat down to read a short-story collection titled Night Shift. The author was Stephen King, and I thought the stories were terrific. They had a pulp vitality that I found exciting, and I was thrilled when the author signed the book for me at the World Fantasy Convention in Fort Worth.

And now I just finished reading a short story collection by Joe Hill, who's King's son. I don't plan to compare the two, except to say that Hill is a much smoother writer and more literary than pulpy, even at this stage of the game. He's clearly going in his own direction, and while some of the stories in 20th Century Ghosts can be classified as horror, most of them couldn't, even by stretching the definition.

One of the horror stories is the first one, "Best New Horror." You know exactly where it's headed before you get well into it, but it's that rare kind of story that's all the better for your foreknowledge.

The best pure horror story in the book, though, and the only one that reminds me of the famous father, is "You Will Hear the Locust Sing." It's a direct descendant of E. C. Comics, '50s monster movies, and Kafka. And it has maybe the best line in the book.

"Pop Art" reminded me of a movie I haven't even seen, Lars and the Real Girl. In Hill's story, a boy's best friend is an inflatable doll named Arthur Roth. Unlike the Real Girl, Arthur's fully sentient. He can't talk, but he can write and interact with others. I had no trouble at all accepting this, and the story worked just fine for me. You might feel differently.

"The Black Phone" is a crime story, about a boy who's caught and imprisoned by a serial killer. Great claustrophobic tension, worth your time.

If someone removed one of the nine stories from J. D. Salinger's Nine Stories and put "Better than Home" in its place, I'm not sure I'd notice. That's a compliment.

"Abraham's Boys" is about a famous vampire hunter and his sons, and I liked the way it played out.

The almost title story (no s on the end) is nicely evocative of old movie houses and may be the only real ghost story in the book.

Not all the stories worked for me. "Dead Wood" didn't even seem to be a story at all, and "The Widow's Breakfast" didn't have much of a point. "In the Rundown" seemed too obvious, and "Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead" was a little too soft. I didn't care much for "The Cape," about a boy who can fly, or "Last Breath" (again, too obvious). And while I liked I liked "My Father's Mask" quite a bit because it's unsettlingly weird, I still don't have a clue as to what was happening or what it was all about.

"Voluntary Committal" is the novella that closes the book, sort of, and it was a lot like a story from some '50s SF magazine, maybe F&SF, which might explain why I liked it.

I said that the novella "sort of" closed the book because Hill puts another short story into the Afterword. It's pretty good, too.

Thuglit #21 Now On-Line

If you don't want to read the stories (and you should), I'd advise you to click here just for a look at the cover. And click here for my comments on one of the stories.

When Billionaires Attack (Each Other)

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Billionaire Family Feuds - AOL Money & Finance: "Take a billionaire clan, add generational schisms, sibling rivalry, jealousy and greed and you end up with riveting family dramas to rival that of any prime-time television show. While Anna Nicole Smith's inheritance feud with her late husband's son was all over the news, these other blue-blood battles are just as salacious, if not as well-known."

Chupacabra Update

Photo at link.

'Goat sucker' actually a hairless coyote - CNN.com: "SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) -- The results are in: The ugly, big-eared animal found during the summer in southern Texas is not the mythical, bloodsucking chupacabra. It's just a plain old coyote. art.coyote.ap.jpg Phylis Canion holds the head of what researchers determined to be a hairless coyote.

Biologists at Texas State University announced Thursday night they had identified the hairless doglike creature.

KENS-TV of San Antonio provided a tissue sample from the animal for testing. 'The DNA sequence is a virtually identical match to DNA from the coyote,' biologist Mike Forstner said in a statement. 'This is probably the answer a lot of folks thought might be the outcome. I, myself, really thought it was a domestic dog, but the Cuero Chupacabra is a Texas Coyote.'

Phylis Canion and some of her neighbors discovered the 40-pound bodies of three of the animals over four days in July outside her ranch in Cuero, 90 miles southeast of San Antonio."

Crocs in Jail

Ananova - Police jail croc: "Police in Australia kept a 7ft 9in saltwater crocodile in a cell overnight after it threatened local fishermen.

Officers in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, say they had 'no other option' after capturing the crocodile late in the evening."

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Here They Come to Save the Day!

I'm working on the Oil Can Harry Breed, myself.

US scientists engineer 'mighty mice': "US researchers have engineered a line of 'mighty mice' whose human equivalent would have similar abilities to the bicycling champion Lance Armstrong, according to research published Thursday.

The breed of mice can run six kilometers (four miles) at a speed of 20 meters (yards) per minute for up to six hours without stopping, according to Richard Hanson, a biochemistry professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio."

Like a Knife in the Brain

I mean that literally. X-Ray photo at link, for which thanks to Gerard Saylor.

Troops unite to save soldier knifed in head - Army News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Army Times: "It felt like a nasty sucker punch. Yet when he strained his eyes to the hard right, there was something that didn’t belong: the pewter-colored contour of a knife handle jutting from his skull.

Sgt. Dan Powers, stabbed in the head by an insurgent on the streets of East Baghdad, triggered a modern miracle of military medicine, logistics, technology and air power."

Famous Author and Blogger Makes the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Thanks to Steve Stilwell for the tip.

How the D.B. Cooper mystery got a Minnesota twist: "Thirty-six years after Cooper disappeared into the night, America is still fascinated by the case. There are scores of websites, books, movies and songs. The country's only unsolved hijacking has become an iconic back story for everyone who has dreamed of getting away with something or getting away from everything.

'In my case, the fascination is with an unsolved crime that's stuck in my memory for all these years,' said Bill Crider, an author who also has an online pop culture magazine. 'I'm a mystery writer, so I like solutions.'"

Gator Update (Long Island Edition)

100-year timeline at link.

See you later, alligator? Occasionally, Westchester residents do: "MOUNT KISCO - The toothy reptile abandoned in Mount Kisco today marks the 10th confirmed alligator discovery in Westchester County in the last 100 years, according to news reports archived by The Journal News and The New York Times."

Harry Potter Update

Timesonline: J.K. Rowling has completed her first book since she finished her blockbusting series of Harry Potter novels which have sold 400 million copies world-wide.

Fans hoping to lay their hands on the latest work are, however, doomed to disappointment as only seven copies will ever be printed, and only one of those has been put up for sale.

The book - a collection of five wizarding fairy stories entitled "The Tales of Beedle the Bard” - has been handwritten and illustrated by the author herself. To add to its rarity value, the seven copies have been bound in brown morocco leather and mounted with silver and semi-precious stones.

Dead Street -- MIckey Spillane

This one's straight out of the '50s. Jack Strang, a retired NYC cop, discovers that a woman he loved 20 years ago and had presumed dead is still alive and living in a unique retirement village in Florida. The catch is that she's blind and has amnesia. (I'm not giving away anything here that's not in the blurb on the back cover.) And it won't surprise you to learn that whoever tried to kill her so long ago is still after her.

Spillane's style hasn't changed much except maybe to become a bit leaner. Strang calls women "doll" just like Mike Hammer did 60 years ago. (Strang also says that there was a cowboy actor named Buck Jones when he was a kid. Not unless he's even older than I am, there wasn't.) Maybe the violence has been toned down a little, too, and Strang, though known as "the Shooter," doesn't knock off as many hoods as Hammer did in the course of a book.

I've been reading Spillane for 50 years, and I've never been ashamed to admit it. There's been some discussion of his work on rara-avis lately, with a lot of people saying that Spillane's for adolescent minds and so on. Probably true, but I don't care. Entertainment Weekly reviewed Dead Street and gave it an A. I liked it, too, but I certainly wouldn't expect everyone to. In fact, I expect some people will read it and wonder what all the fuss was about. As I said, it's straight out of the '50s, and times and reading tastes have changed. Okay, mine haven't, but you know what I mean.

Spillane completed only the first 8 chapters of this novel before his death. Max Allan Collins wrote the final 3 chapters working from Spillane's notes, and it's a nearly seamless transition. I had fun with all of it. Check it out.

Tires for Tats

Winding Road � Archive � Need a New Set of Dunlops? Just Get a Tattoo: "Only in Vegas… Dunlop is offering a free set of four tires for folks willing to don the Dunlop logo or tread pattern for life. Tattoo artists are on hand to ink the company’s logo on your body. The tattoos are crowd favorites. We hear the line starts at 8:00 a.m. and the first reservations are taken an hour later. Dunlop officials expect all available spots, roughly 20 per day, to be spoken for within five minutes. We hear one guy did it just to get a free tattoo and he was amazed that there were some free tires in the deal."

Claude Rains Will be the Driver

Army tests James Bond style tank that is 'invisible' | the Daily Mail: "New technology that can make tanks invisible has been unveiled by the Ministry of Defence.

In secret trials last week, the Army said it had made a vehicle completely disappear and predicted that an invisible tank would be ready for service by 2012.

The new technology uses cameras and projectors to beam images of the surrounding landscape onto a tank."

Boston: Classy City, Classy Stories in the Paper

Author: Hitler’s veggie diet misguided bid to fix farts - BostonHerald.com: "Medical historians are unanimous that der Fuhrer had der farting problem, according to an article by historian and travel writer Tony Perrottet in this month’s The Smart Set, a magazine from Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Hitler wrongheadedly tried to cure himself, Perrottet says, by reasoning a mostly vegetarian diet would make his farts less offensive.

A hypochondriac, Hitler swore off meat in 1931, saying his ham tasted like “a corpse” after his niece Geli Raubel killed herself.

From then on, Hitler ate vegetables, oblivious that his diet was making him smell worse. His physician, Dr. Theo Morell, wrote that after Hitler downed his vegetables, “constipation and colossal flatulence occurred on a scale I have seldom encountered.”"

James Reasoner

James has a neat new website, and it includes a lengthy (but not complete) list of his books. Check it out.

Happy Birthday, Dick Francis!

The only 3-time winner of the Best Novel Edgar turns 87 today.

Forty years ago, I walked into a little convenience store in Austin, Texas, and pulled the book on the left off the spinner rack. (Yes, that very one. I still have it.) I opened it up and read the first paragraph:

I was never particularly keen on my job before the day I got shot and nearly lost it, along with my life. But the .38 slug of lead which made a pepper shaker out of my intestines left me with fire in my belly in more ways than one. Otherwise I should never have met Zanna Martin, and would still be held fast in the spider threads of departed joys, of no use to anyone, least of all myself.

Naturally I bought the book, then the ones preceding it, and I've read each novel since. I don't care who wrote the books. I've enjoyed every single one of them, and I plan to keep right on reading them for a while.

Another Horror Movie Quiz

Easier than the last one I mentioned. Shorter, too.

Bonus: Paris Hilton!

And Speaking of Elvis

Thanks to John Duke for the tip.

FOXNews.com - Elvis Presley Reclaims No. 1 Spot on Forbes' List of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "Elvis Presley is still the King.

Presley, who earned an estimated $49 million in the past 12 months, has reclaimed the No. 1 spot on Forbes.com's list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities. He last topped the list in 2005.

John Lennon ranks second with earnings of $44 million, followed by Charles M. Schulz ($35 million), George Harrison ($22 million), Albert Einstein ($18 million), Andy Warhol ($15 million), Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) ($13 million), Tupac Shakur ($9 million), Marilyn Monroe ($7 million), Steve McQueen ($6 million), James Brown ($5 million), Bob Marley ($4 million) and James Dean ($3.5 million).

Presley died in 1977. His estate continues to generate millions from music royalties, DVDs, licensing deals and tourism at Graceland, the rocker's mansion in Memphis, Tenn.

Forbes said the celebrities on the list, posted Monday, earned a combined $232 million in the past 12 months."

Update on Robert Goulet and Elvis

I knew I wasn't making this story up.

Welcome to the Elvis Information Network: "CA: You know Memphis is an Elvis town and you factor into a local legend.

GOULET: When he shot the television set? He also shot 50 other people. They told me that he had about a hundred sets in the basement. And he'd shoot the damn thing out - you know he was on pills and he didn't know quite what he was doing and he'd BANG! and they'd look at each other and say, 'Get another set!' They mention me all the time. I don't know why. I remember once we sat together backstage for two hours. And he was a charming, delightful, delightful man. And at one point I said, 'That's a beautiful ring you have there.' He said 'You like it?' I said, 'It's beautiful!'

He took it off his hand and put it on mine. He gave me his ring. And years later all the jewelry I had in my house - I trust everybody. I was brought up to believe that you cannot steal, cheat or lie and I've been stolen from, cheated or lied to all of my life. And so jewelry - who needs it? But this one was something special to me and it's gone."

The Poe War Goes National

From Ed Pettit: There will be a piece on National Public Radio's All Things Considered this afternoon about the whole Poe brouhaha. Jeff Jerome from Baltimore gets his say, as well. It ran this morning on the local (Philly) broadcast of NPR's Morning Edition, or as a friend of mine called it today, Morning Ed(ition).

If you miss the broadcast on your local public radio station, you can always listen online here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=2

Now that this is a national news story, things may heat up again. Might be time to go to the mattresses.

Worst Halloween Costumes of all Time?

You make the call.

Robert Goulet, R. I. P.

The thing I think of every time I hear Goulet's name is that he's the guy who caused Elvis Presley to shoot his TV screen. I suspect that won't get into a lot of the obits, and it may not even be true, but I've always liked the story.

Bloomberg.com: Muse: "Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Robert Goulet, the singer whose rich baritone voice and classic tall, dark, dashing good looks made him a star on stage and television, has died. He was 73.

Goulet suffered from a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and fatal condition. He was being treated at Cedars- Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and was awaiting a lung transplant when he died yesterday, the Associated Press reported."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

You've seen the play with 15 laterals in the Trinity vs. Millsaps game, right? Now here's the story.

Sleepy Hollow Meets Texas

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Embalmed heads found in I-30 truck | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | News: Local News: "On the face of it, the truck full of human heads could have been a Halloween prank or the makings of a scary movie.

'This is in the top five of the strangest things – maybe the strangest – that I've ever encountered,' Hunt County Justice of the Peace Aaron Williams said Monday.

Judge Williams was called to the scene when a regular traffic stop Sunday morning by Royse City police turned into a grisly discovery of severed heads in the back of a tractor-trailer.

Police said the truck driver was pulled over for speeding about 2:30 a.m. on Interstate 30 at the Hunt County line. Because he was acting suspiciously, officers looked in the back and saw about two dozen embalmed human heads staring back at them from plastic bags and containers."

Scott Cupp

Texas writer Scott Cupp's name has turned up here now and again, and he's contributed items to the blog. Rick Klaw has an interview with him posted here.

You Need This for Home Protection

Video at the link. Hat tip to Neatorama.

TechEBlog � Feature: World's Largest Shotgun (with Video Demonstration): "The world's largest shotgun aka Punt Gun measures 10-feet long and has a 2-inch barrel. Due to its size and recoil, this gun has to be mounted directly on the punts. Just a single blast could wipe out 50-100 ducks resting on the water's surface."

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

I got tricked by the trailer of this movie into expecting more than I got. I should've known better. The first movie was mediocre. So is this one. Mainly because it didn't make any sense. I'm too lazy to explain why in detail, but let's just say that the whole thing about swapping powers, which isn't even explained, isn't handled with any kind of logic. And (huge spoiler) if the Silver Surfer could destroy the Eater of Worlds, why didn't he just do it long ago, making the noble sacrifice and saving his own world in the bargain? (End of huge spoiler.)

And what is up with Mr. Fantastic's hair? I couldn't tell from one scene to the next where the gray was going to be. Sometimes it just went away altogether.

There were a few funny lines, some of the action was okay, but a lot of the special effects were right out of the cheese factory. I can't really recommend this one, but it has one thing going for it: It's short, only about 90 minutes long. There's something to be said for that.

Don't Forget to Pick Up Your Free Taco Today

Taco Bell's Big Enchilada - Forbes.com: "Taco Bell pitched a softball during the World Series. On Tuesday, it will pay. The official quick-service restaurant of Major League Baseball is offering everybody in America a free taco between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in their local time zones. The offer is good in all 50 states and the District of Columbia."

In Case You Were Wondering . . .

. . . why Thrilling Days of Yesteryear hasn't shown up on your RSS feed lately, that's because Ivan has moved his blog from Salon to Blogger. You can now find it here. Be sure to check in.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

State report says Texas has too many reports | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "AUSTIN — The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is declaring there are too many state reports.

It says so in a 668-page report.

The project took 18 months and included the commission's small team canvassing more than 170 agencies, and public colleges and universities, checking on all the reports they are assigned to do."

Halloween Horrors

The Little Professor provides links to her favorite horror tales from years long gone by.

Geico Cavemen Have another Party

This time it's a masquerade.

Don't Invite this Guy to Dinner

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Holy Cow! 103 Hamburgers in 8 Minutes: " CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - A competitive eater who has already triumphed at a famous hot dog eating contest swallowed 103 small hamburgers in 8 minutes Sunday to take home $10,000.

Joey Chestnut, 23, of San Jose, Calif., surpassed the previous record of 97 Krystal burgers - 2 1/2 inches square - held by Japan's Takeru Kobayashi, set at last year's Krystal Square Off.

'We never thought we'd see someone anywhere near, let alone past, the century mark when we started the Krystal Square Off in 2004,' said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing for The Krystal Co.

Chestnut beat 12 other contestants. Kobayashi, who won all previous Krystal Hamburger Eating Championships, didn't compete this year because of lingering jaw pain from having a wisdom tooth extracted in June."

Porter Wagoner, R. I. P.

USA Today: In 1957, he joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry and celebrated his 50th anniversary with the show this spring. He eventually became the radio show's public face.

He was best known, perhaps, for his flashy, custom-made stage suits that cost thousands of dollars. He sometimes joked that the suits forced him to stay thin, saying he couldn't afford to replace them.

In 1960, he launched TV's syndicated Porter Wagoner Show, on a budget of less than $1,000 an episode. It predated Hee Haw and CMT. At its peak, it aired in more than 100 markets, making it the most important country-music TV property of its time.

Wagoner introduced a young Dolly Parton in 1967. They recorded many duets together, including The Last Thing on My Mind and Just Someone I Used to Know. Wagoner produced some of Parton's early solo hits (1975's The Seeker). The partnership ended acrimoniously in 1974, but Parton wrote I Will Always Love You for him as she left.

More than anything, Wagoner loved a song that told a story. He favored sentimental recitations and macabre tales of murder and insanity, like the cult favorite The Rubber Room. Between 1954 and 1980, he had 20 top 10 country hits, including Green, Green Grass of Home, The Carroll County Accident and The Cold Hard Facts of Life. He won Grammys for three gospel albums with the Blackwood Brothers. In 2002, he became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

When She Was Bad -- Ron Faust

I like the work of Ron Faust, though not everybody agrees with me. (Read the comments on this post.) So you'll have to take it with a grain of salt when I recommend When She Was Bad. This is one of those stories about a guy who meets the wrong woman. Really the wrong woman. And of course he can't resist her. You might think you know this story, but at the point when the one you know would end, this one's just getting started. By actual end, I wondered if Faust was putting me on, but I decided that I didn't care. Getting there was a lot of fun, and I was laughing about half the way at all the twists and turns.

And speaking of the end, I really liked it that there's no long, drawn-out climactic scene eating up fifty or sixty pages. When Faust does get to the end, he ends it.

I had a thoroughly good time with this one, not that that means anything.

And Pete Rose Will be Sent to Monte Carlo

Ripken to visit China as envoy -- baltimoresun.com: "Cal Ripken Jr. has developed a lucrative, baseball-centered career that includes stints as a television analyst, co-owner of a minor league team and a long list of other business interests since retiring from the Baltimore Orioles in 2002. But when he boards a plane at Washington Dulles International Airport today for his latest venture, he'll be carrying a batch of newly printed business cards.

On one side of the small card his name appears in English, and on the back is a series of Chinese characters - an important tool for the newly appointed special envoy for the U.S. Department of State."

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

The Sasquatch Gang. If you look at the website, note the road sign. Too bad they didn't use my book, too.

Now This is a Guy Who Knows Gators!

50 YEARS OF CHASING ALLIGATORS -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "Ernest Brown, a longtime Gatorland employee, celebrated 50 years of employment at the theme park last week with friends and family."

"Redhead" -- Duane Swierczynski

In a move calculated to drive bibliographers and completists up the wall, St. Martin's has reprinted Duane Swierczynski's The Blonde in trade paperback format and added a novella titled "Redhead." "Redhead" isn't a standalone story. You pretty much have to have read The Blonde to figure out what's going on, so it will probably never be reprinted separately. If you want to read it, you'd better buy this paperback. Is it worth it? Hey, what's $13.95? A mere pittance. But if you're a person who thought the ending of The Blonde was just right, then you might not want to know what happens to Kowalski and The Blonde afterward. If you do want to know, then get out the old wallet and spend the cash.

What will you get for your money? I can't say too much about the plot without giving away the good stuff, so I'll just say the story hits the ground running and never lets up. You got your government assassins with nicknames line Bonesaw, The Surgeon, and Ana Esthesia. You got a body count that's somewhere past 75. You got your explosions. And you got Terrill Lee Lankford's apartment, which has now starred in at least two movies and this novella. Can anyone else's apartment say the same?

I guess the lucky people are the ones who haven't read The Blonde yet. They get two great stories for the price of one.

Happy Birthday, Ralph Kiner!

A childhood hero of mine turns 85 today.

Alvin in the News

Private Pentagon files surface in Alvin home | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "ALVIN — Did a former Pentagon employee take a file cabinet filled with sensitive information about America's top Army generals — including former Secretary of State Colin Powell — and then leave them behind in an Alvin house sold in a sheriff's sale?

That's what police and the Department of Defense would like to know.

Members of an Alvin family looking for salvageable materials a few days ago hauled the file cabinet holding the records home from a small house on Lee Street that is being renovated.

'The contractor told us to take whatever we wanted,' said Alfredo Moreno III.

His uncle, Martin Ortiz, later looked through the cabinet and got a shock when he opened one of the drawers. 'I thought, what is this doing here?' he said. 'I knew this was important.'

'Here we are in little old Alvin,' Police Chief Mike Merkel said Friday, 'and I have a folder in my hand that contains Colin Powell's Social Security number.'"

Read the Book . . .

. . . buy the costume.

This Guy's Been Reading too Much H. G. Wells

Human race will 'split into two different species' | the Daily Mail: "The human race will one day split into two separate species, an attractive, intelligent ruling elite and an underclass of dim-witted, ugly goblin-like creatures, according to a top scientist.

100,000 years into the future, sexual selection could mean that two distinct breeds of human will have developed.

The alarming prediction comes from evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry from the London School of Economics, who says that the human race will have reached its physical peak by the year 3000."

Paris Hilton Would Never Behave this Badly

Access Hollywood | Britney Spears Storms Out Of Court Sobbing, Cursing | Celebrity and Hollywood News: "UPDATE 4:10 PM, Pacific — Britney Spears made a brief exit from court just moments ago. The pop singer stormed out of the courtroom in an agitated state. She was yelling, “Eat it! Lick it! Snort it! F*** it!”

Spears' lawyers ran after her, as did her former assistant, Alli Sims, who is with her in court.

Britney then returned to the courtroom, sobbing."

James Bond, Sealed and Delivered

James Bond on Her Majesty's postal service - Telegraph: "James Bond has kept Britain safe from the world's villains for years. But now the spy has a new role — helping deliver the nation's letters.

Royal Mail unveiled a set of Bond stamps yesterday that feature the covers of Ian Fleming's Bond novels. They will go on sale from Jan 8 to mark the 100th anniversary of the author's birth in 1908.

Fleming wrote 14 Bond novels, which have sold more 100 million across the world.

The six that will be depicted on the stamps, which will feature different editions of the same book, are Casino Royale, Dr No, Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, For Your Eyes Only and From Russia With Love."

Murdaland

The second issue is out, with stories by Scott Phillips, Vicki Hendricks, Harry Hunsicker and others. You can check out the updated Web site here. I'll let you know what I think of the stories after I get my copy.

Gorilla of the Gasbags

There's a picture of the cover at the link. Well worth a look. And the story's by Gil Brewer!

The Geek Curmudgeon :: Holy Gasbags!: " Among ape collectors, Gil Brewer's 'Gorilla of the Gasbags' is a Holy Grail of sorts. The legendary cover of the June 1929 Zeppelin Stories tantalizes with a gorilla and a man fighting from the ladder beneath a flying dirigible! I've longed to read the story, but not only have I never actually seen one, I know of no one who has read the story.

Shockingly, a copy of the much sought after pulp recently sold on ebay for the astronomical sum of $3,183.33! Oh, to find one at a garage sale someday!"

Croc Update (Movie Edition)

This one sounds good.

Tales from the dead heart - Film - Entertainment - smh.com.au: "After seeing what McLean did with a minuscule $1.38 million budget on Wolf Creek, Hollywood's Weinstein brothers put up $29 million for his next film, Rogue, a more conventional horror film. In a remote Northern Territory gorge, a giant crocodile terrorises a boatload of tourists. The inspiration was a series of real-life attacks by rogue crocs on fishing boats in the 1970s."

New York, New York

Phony dentist puts ill patient out on Brooklyn street: "A bogus Brooklyn dentist dumped a 71-year-old woman onto the curb like garbage after she began foaming at the mouth and lost consciousness in his chair, police said Thursday.

Colette Villemin was on life support at Coney Island Hospital Thursday with heart and brain damage. She was rushed to the hospital Tuesday after a street vendor found her on the sidewalk and flagged down cops."

Ammunition -- Ken Bruen

Some people prefer Ken Bruen's novels about Jack Taylor, nothing wrong with that, but for me it's Brant and his mates of the Southeast London Police Squad. Maybe that's because I read the Brant books before anything else of Bruen's, but who knows? I find them fast, furious, and hilarious.

This one opens with Brant being shot while sitting in a pub. This is great news for cops and crooks alike, and all are disappointed when Brant makes a quick recovery to again muck about in people's lives, go after the shooter, and generally behave worse than the lowest villain. In fact, in Bruen's books it's hard to tell who's worse, the cops or the crooks. Some of them wear badges, and that's about it. No noble cops here.

If this series is Bruen's homage to McBain's 87th Precinct books, it's the 87th Precinct as it would have been had Cotton Hawes (or maybe Fat Ollie) had take center stage and if all the other people had been a lot like him.

If you've never read the Brant books, this isn't the place to begin. Go back and read The White Trilogy first. If you like those three, you'll get to this one as quickly as you can.

Croc Update (Drains Edition)

I like the reporter's name. Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Angler hooks 2m crocodile in city drain | NEWS.com.au: "By Damon Guppy October 25, 2007 10:34am Article from: The Cairns Post.

A WELL-FED 2m crocodile has been found in a drain in the centre of Cairns.

The crocodile was the last thing Stanley Leszczewicz expected to catch when he tried his new lure in a Portsmith drain yesterday morning.

The 2m croc emerged from the murky water and latched on to the lure, much to the keen fisherman's amazement.

'It went for my line but I retrieved it,' Mr Leszczewicz said. 'I didn't want to hook on to him.' "

Robert Plant & Allison Krauss

Sounds like the Odd Couple, right? Who knew they'd made a CD? I'm always the last to find out. You can listen to it here. T Bone Burnett is the producer. Not surprising.

Back on Track?

Scorsese bailed, but . . . .

• Hollywood Elsewhere •: "Tonight Variety's Michael Fleming reported that [Michael Mann] Mann has cut a deal at Paramount Pictures to develop Frankie Machine as a star vehicle for De Niro, with Alex Tse set to do a 'major overhaul' of the concept under Mann's supervision and De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, co-chiefs of Tribeca Films, producing."

This is not about Paris Hilton

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Vietnam Is Having Paris Hilton Moment: "HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam is having a Paris Hilton moment.

An online sex video featuring a popular celebrity has riveted the nation for more than a week now, much as Hilton's clip seized the attention of Americans when it hit the Internet several years ago.

But unlike Hilton, the 19-year-old woman at the center of Vietnam's sex scandal won't be able to capitalize on her newfound notoriety.

Hoang Thuy Linh's show has been canceled and the actress has made a tearful farewell on national television.

'I made a mistake, a terrible mistake,' said the doe-faced teen, who had cultivated a good-girl image. 'I apologize to you, my parents, my teachers and my friends.'"

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

KXII - HomePage Local News, Weather, Sports, Severe Weather, and Breaking News Coverage for Sherman TX, Denison TX, Ardmore OK, Durant OK, Ada OK: "Officials say Evans was hitch hiking down Interstate 30 in Arlington when a white female known only as ‘Angie’ picked him up.

Soon thereafter, the 42-year-old driver invited Evans back to her horse barn just outside of Wolfe City.

When they arrived, the two became intimate, and officials say ‘Angie’ asked Evans to perform oral sex on her.

That’s when they say Evans got quite a surprise. '(When he did) comply with the female subject, he found out it was in fact not a female, but a male,' Sheriff Moore said.

Officials say Evans pulled out a knife and stabbed ‘Angie’-- who is a man-- multiple times."

Croc Update (Movie Edition)

Obviously a quality production that will never show in the U.S.

'No lemons' screening at international film fest - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "Australian film Black Water will premiere nationally at the festival.

Black Water is a tale of survival based on a true story and is set in crocodile infested mangrove swamps in the Northern Territory.

The thriller starts with Grace (Diana Glenn), Adam (Andy Rodoreda) and younger sister Lee (Maeve Dermody) taking a river tour. When their boat is capsized by a crocodile, they are forced up a tree to escape the reptile.

They then face the prospect of reclaiming their boat and continuing their journey, while evading the croc.

Director Andrew Traucki says the film only took 18 months to complete, including writing the script."

The Perils of Drink

Thanks to Ted Fitzgerald for the link.

Drinking problem leads to elephants’ demise - BostonHerald.com: "GAUHATI, India - It was wild pachyderm fun until it went tragically wrong.

Six wild elephants got into the rice beer, got dung-faced, went berserk and were electrocuted when it all got out of control in a remote Indian village Friday, a wildlife official said yesterday.

Nearly 40 elephants had moved into the village looking for food. Some found the home-brewed beer, which farmers ferment in plastic and tin drums in their huts, said Sunil Kumar, a state wildlife official.

The blotto jumbos uprooted a utility pole carrying power lines and were electrocuted in Chandan Nukat, a village nearly 150 miles west of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya state, Kumar said."

Will the Persecution Never End?

Not if this video is any indication.

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the tip.

I've Got a Little List

Okay, maybe not so little.

Terror watch list swells to more than 755,000 - USATODAY.com: "WASHINGTON — The government's terrorist watch list has swelled to more than 755,000 names, according to a new government report that has raised worries about the list's effectiveness.

The size of the list, typically used to check people entering the country through land border crossings, airports and sea ports, has been growing by 200,000 names a year since 2004. Some lawmakers, security experts and civil rights advocates warn that it will become useless if it includes too many people.

'It undermines the authority of the list,' says Lisa Graves of the Center for National Security Studies. 'There's just no rational, reasonable estimate that there's anywhere close to that many suspected terrorists.'"