Texan kills man who stepped on shoes, gets life | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "BEAUMONT — A jury has sentenced a Port Arthur man to life in prison for fatally shooting a clubgoer who had accidentally stepped on his shoes.
Richard Trahan, 30, was convicted of killing 39-year-old Todd Hall outside a Port Arthur nightclub in May 2005.
A jury in nearby Beaumont deliberated less than two hours before sentencing Trahan on Friday.
Witnesses said Trahan became angry when Hall stepped on his shoes inside the club as Hall was moving back from the bar after ordering drinks."
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Database of Bestsellers
Beth Foxwell has found a great resource if you're interest in what people have been reading for the past 100 years or so.
The Bunburyist: "I stumbled on a fascinating online resource from a 2006 class taught by John Unsworth, dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's a database of twentieth-century U.S. bestsellers, organized by author, with entries by his students. The entries include physical descriptions of the particular work, publication history, analysis of sales (if information is available), and quotes from reviews."
The Bunburyist: "I stumbled on a fascinating online resource from a 2006 class taught by John Unsworth, dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's a database of twentieth-century U.S. bestsellers, organized by author, with entries by his students. The entries include physical descriptions of the particular work, publication history, analysis of sales (if information is available), and quotes from reviews."
Peru Update
Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson rough it in Peru - USATODAY.com: "LIMA, Peru (AP) — A cheap hotel and a bath in an irrigation ditch — not the usual travel arrangements for Hollywood celebrities.
But Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson were apparently out to show the locals in Peru that they aren't your average high-maintenance movie stars.
Local celebrity gossip program Magaly TeVe aired video Wednesday night of the two actors deep in Peru's Andes bathing in an irrigation ditch wearing nothing but their boxer shorts. It showed the pair pouring handfuls of water over themselves under the highland sun."
Update: Walter Satterthwait provides this video link.
But Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson were apparently out to show the locals in Peru that they aren't your average high-maintenance movie stars.
Local celebrity gossip program Magaly TeVe aired video Wednesday night of the two actors deep in Peru's Andes bathing in an irrigation ditch wearing nothing but their boxer shorts. It showed the pair pouring handfuls of water over themselves under the highland sun."
Update: Walter Satterthwait provides this video link.
Archaeological Update #2
Dining, Roman-style, as London dig finds history by the bucketful - Times Online: "Wine buckets, bowls and dishes with an elegant beaded design are among a spectacular Roman hoard of international importance that has been discovered in London.
Archaeologists have unearthed more than 1,100 objects dating from the first to third centuries AD that they described yesterday as unprecedented in size and scale.
The finds, which will give dramatic new insight into Londinium, the Roman city, include the most complete timber door to have survived anywhere in the Roman Empire, as well as shiny metal vessels in an exceptional state of preservation and the large-scale remains of an entire Roman streetscape."
Archaeologists have unearthed more than 1,100 objects dating from the first to third centuries AD that they described yesterday as unprecedented in size and scale.
The finds, which will give dramatic new insight into Londinium, the Roman city, include the most complete timber door to have survived anywhere in the Roman Empire, as well as shiny metal vessels in an exceptional state of preservation and the large-scale remains of an entire Roman streetscape."
Archaeological Update #1
Roman repairs last the distance - World - theage.com.au: "Archaeologists in Germany say they have found a 2000-year-old glue that Roman warriors used to repair helmets, shields and other accessories of battle.
'Caesar's Superglue' — as it has been dubbed by the co-workers of the Rhine State Museum in Bonn — was found on a helmet at a site near Xanthen on the Rhine River where Romans settled before Christ.
'We found that the parade cavalry helmet had been repaired with an adhesive that was still doing its job,' said restorer Frank Willer."
'Caesar's Superglue' — as it has been dubbed by the co-workers of the Rhine State Museum in Bonn — was found on a helmet at a site near Xanthen on the Rhine River where Romans settled before Christ.
'We found that the parade cavalry helmet had been repaired with an adhesive that was still doing its job,' said restorer Frank Willer."
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Best News Yet from Stark House
At least from my point of view. I have copies of all three of these, but my copy of Mink is in French, so I've never been able to read it.
Hello Mystery Fans:
I just want to announce that Stark House Press has just signed a contract with Harry Whittington's Estate and will be bringing back three rare short novels by Whittington in one edition next November 2008.
The novels are:
To Find Cora -- originally published as Cora is a Nympho by Novel Books in 1963 -- To Find Cora is Harry's original title, and much truer to the story.
Like Mink Like Murder -- originally published only in French in 1957 as Mink, then rewritten later by Harry as Passion Hangover for one of the sex lines and published under a pseudonym -- again, Like Mink Like Murder is Harry's title.
Body and Passion -- originally published by Original Novels in 1952 under the Whit Harrison pseudonym -- a strange story of switched identities that will keep you guessing until the end.
Three hard-to-find books in one volume, with a new introduction by Whittington specialist, David Laurence Wilson. Three compelling stories from one of the noir masters. Three novels of suspense and hardboiled action.
We hope you are as excited as we are.
Cheers,
Greg Shepard, publisher
Stark House Press
Bring It On
Britney Spears threatens Paris Hilton with lesbian footage | Herald Sun: "IN THE latest battle between the wild girls of Hollywood, Britney Spears has reportedly threatened to leak footage of Paris Hilton in a lesbian romp.
The singer and her pals sent the heiress a letter warning her that they would leak the footage, which shows Hilton in a compromising position with one of Spears' friends, unless her attitude changed.
'The letter warns Paris that if she continues being rude to people, the footage will be leaked online,' says an insider."
The singer and her pals sent the heiress a letter warning her that they would leak the footage, which shows Hilton in a compromising position with one of Spears' friends, unless her attitude changed.
'The letter warns Paris that if she continues being rude to people, the footage will be leaked online,' says an insider."
Black Book
I thought this was a very entertaining movie. It's kind of an old-fashioned WWII espionage thriller, put together like a good Alistair MacLean novel translated to film, but with one major difference: the main character is a woman, played with intelligence and spirit by Carice van Houten. Wow. She's terrific.Van Houten plays a Dutch Jew, a singer who's hiding out from the Nazis. When her hiding place is destroyed, she has to find other ways to survive. The story takes off at a run and doesn't let up again, not even at the end. There are betrayals galore, there's twist after twist, there's romance, there's sex (okay, that's another major difference from a MacLean novel), there's violence, there's degradation.
There's even a bit of moral ambiguity as director Paul ver Hoeven makes the Nazis almost human. The worst of the villians plays a mean piano, whistles a nice tune, and even sings a little tenor harmony. But he's a monster all the same. Not so the SS officer played by Sebastian Koch. He's hardly a monster at all.
I missed this one in the theater, but it's way better than the last batch of big-budget Hollywood thrillers I've seen. Check it out.
Gator Update (Pittsburgh Edition)
Big Alligator Surprises Police In Pittsburgh Home - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh: "PITTSBURGH -- It seemed everyone was trying to escape the snow in Pittsburgh on Wednesday -- even a 6-foot alligator.
Police said they found it in the basement of a home in the 500 block of North Murtland Avenue in Homewood while trying to make arrests in a robbery case.
Animal Control workers were called to remove the gator. They said it's the biggest one they've ever seen in the city."
Police said they found it in the basement of a home in the 500 block of North Murtland Avenue in Homewood while trying to make arrests in a robbery case.
Animal Control workers were called to remove the gator. They said it's the biggest one they've ever seen in the city."
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Sell that Netflix Stock Now
You don't mess with the USPS.
Post Office Drawback Cited in Dark Forecast for Netflix - New York Times: "When Netflix’s seven million subscribers send their DVDs back to one of the rental service’s 47 distribution centers, the discs do not represent many happy returns for the Postal Service.
According to a recent audit by the service’s Office of Inspector General, the adhesive flap that seals the Netflix mailers often jams machinery and requires sorting by hand, adding $21 million a year to the service’s labor costs. The Office of Inspector General has recommended a 17-cent surcharge on every package that requires hand sorting (not just Netflix discs)."
Post Office Drawback Cited in Dark Forecast for Netflix - New York Times: "When Netflix’s seven million subscribers send their DVDs back to one of the rental service’s 47 distribution centers, the discs do not represent many happy returns for the Postal Service.
According to a recent audit by the service’s Office of Inspector General, the adhesive flap that seals the Netflix mailers often jams machinery and requires sorting by hand, adding $21 million a year to the service’s labor costs. The Office of Inspector General has recommended a 17-cent surcharge on every package that requires hand sorting (not just Netflix discs)."
I Don't Want Minimize the Horror . . .
. . . of what happened in Omaha, but where do people like Mike Fahey (and for that matter, George Bush) learn to speak the English language? And how do they get elected to office? Maybe I'm wrong to be opposed to politicians who can't speak (and probably can't write) a coherent sentence, but isn't it possible that if their thought processes are so screwed up that they can't speak or write, they might not be able to govern, either? Or maybe I'm just being cranky.
ABC News: Dumped and Fired: Hawkins Snapped: "The mayor of Omaha, Neb. summed up the shock in the community following Wednesday's shooting rampage in a shopping mall that left nine people dead.
'We will not accept this evil action to occur in our community,' Mayor Mike Fahey proclaimed at a news conference today."
ABC News: Dumped and Fired: Hawkins Snapped: "The mayor of Omaha, Neb. summed up the shock in the community following Wednesday's shooting rampage in a shopping mall that left nine people dead.
'We will not accept this evil action to occur in our community,' Mayor Mike Fahey proclaimed at a news conference today."
Paris Hilton is Classy
Paris Hilton Turns Down 'The Bachelorette' - Starpulse News Blog: "Paris Hilton has ruled out appearing on a future season of reality show The Bachelorette because she finds the program's male contestants a turn-off.
The Simple Life star was recently rumored to be the single lady who gets to choose her ideal man on the show, but Hilton insists she'd never consider such an offer."
The Simple Life star was recently rumored to be the single lady who gets to choose her ideal man on the show, but Hilton insists she'd never consider such an offer."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas couple celebrates 80th anniversary - UPI.com: "PALESTINE, Texas, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Melvin and Minnie Lou Scott enjoy the simple pleasures in life in their Texas town and recently a rare one -- celebrating their 80th wedding anniversary.
At the age of 100 and 99 respectively, Melvin and Minnie Lou may be the oldest married couple in the United States, having celebrated eight decades together last month, the Tyler Morning Telegraph said Tuesday.
While the pair's habits of eating bacon almost every day and doing their own yard work may not be recommended for anyone their age, they do offer some key advice to a lengthy successful marriage.
'If people want to stay married, I guess I would tell them to live right, stay off dope and live a clean life,' Minnie Lou said."
At the age of 100 and 99 respectively, Melvin and Minnie Lou may be the oldest married couple in the United States, having celebrated eight decades together last month, the Tyler Morning Telegraph said Tuesday.
While the pair's habits of eating bacon almost every day and doing their own yard work may not be recommended for anyone their age, they do offer some key advice to a lengthy successful marriage.
'If people want to stay married, I guess I would tell them to live right, stay off dope and live a clean life,' Minnie Lou said."
The Most Dangerous Game
Maybe in a couple of years the hunters will get real bullets.
Sci Fi show gives contestants Run for Money | Oddly Enough | Reuters: "LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sci Fi Channel has ordered a pilot for 'Run for Money,' a reality competition that pits contestants against one another in the quest for cash prizes as they are stalked by 'hunters.'"
Sci Fi show gives contestants Run for Money | Oddly Enough | Reuters: "LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sci Fi Channel has ordered a pilot for 'Run for Money,' a reality competition that pits contestants against one another in the quest for cash prizes as they are stalked by 'hunters.'"
Best Policework of the Day
Behold the power of Google. Thanks to Walter Satterthwait for the link.
Woman found canoeist photo via Google | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited: "A single mother put police and journalists to shame in their attempts to unravel the mysterious reappearance of the canoeist John Darwin by using a simple Google search, it emerged today.
The woman found the picture that apparently shows Darwin with his wife, Anne, in Panama City in July last year.
When confronted with the picture, which was printed in the Daily Mirror yesterday, Anne Darwin is reported to have admitted: 'Yes that's him. My sons will never forgive me.'
The photograph was available on a website of the firm Move to Panama.
It was found by the anonymous woman after she tapped in the words 'John, Anne and Panama' into Google. She then forwarded the picture to both Cleveland police and the Mirror.
She said when she forwarded the picture to detectives, she was told: 'You're joking.'"
Woman found canoeist photo via Google | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited: "A single mother put police and journalists to shame in their attempts to unravel the mysterious reappearance of the canoeist John Darwin by using a simple Google search, it emerged today.
The woman found the picture that apparently shows Darwin with his wife, Anne, in Panama City in July last year.
When confronted with the picture, which was printed in the Daily Mirror yesterday, Anne Darwin is reported to have admitted: 'Yes that's him. My sons will never forgive me.'
The photograph was available on a website of the firm Move to Panama.
It was found by the anonymous woman after she tapped in the words 'John, Anne and Panama' into Google. She then forwarded the picture to both Cleveland police and the Mirror.
She said when she forwarded the picture to detectives, she was told: 'You're joking.'"
The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 — Infoplease.com
The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 — Infoplease.com: "Book Magazine, now defunct, compiled a panel of 55 authors, literary agents, editors, and actors in 2002 to “rank the top one hundred characters in literature since 1900.”"
Hat tip to The Good Girls Kill for Money Club.
Hat tip to The Good Girls Kill for Money Club.
Too Much Information?
Maybe. This is certainly a waste of good chocolate, if you ask me.
Rare Maya "Death Vase" Discovered: "An extremely rare and intricately carved 'death vase' has been discovered in the 1,400-year-old grave of an elite figure from the Maya world, scientists say.
The vase is the first of its kind to be found in modern times, and its contents are opening a window onto ancient rituals of ancestor worship that included food offerings, chocolate enemas, and hallucinations induced by vomiting, experts say."
Rare Maya "Death Vase" Discovered: "An extremely rare and intricately carved 'death vase' has been discovered in the 1,400-year-old grave of an elite figure from the Maya world, scientists say.
The vase is the first of its kind to be found in modern times, and its contents are opening a window onto ancient rituals of ancestor worship that included food offerings, chocolate enemas, and hallucinations induced by vomiting, experts say."
Headline of the Day
Kangaroo farts could ease global warming | NEWS.com.au: "AUSTRALIAN scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Happy Birthday, Little Richard!
Watching Little Richard on those TV commercials these days, it's hard not to think he's become something of a parody of himself. But those of us who were around to hear the sheer power of "Tutti-Frutti" blaring out of a car radio in 1955 were changed forever.
Little Richard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is a celebrated African-American singer, songwriter and pianist, who began performing in the 1940s and who was a key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock and roll in the mid-1950s."
Little Richard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is a celebrated African-American singer, songwriter and pianist, who began performing in the 1940s and who was a key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock and roll in the mid-1950s."
The Red State Guys . . .
. . . discuss Evel Knievel's passing. Some of the language is NSFW.
And you can read about the plans for the funeral here.
And you can read about the plans for the funeral here.
When Toads are Outlawed . . .
. . . only outlaws will have toads.
Cops: More smoke toad venom to get high - Yahoo! News: "KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Law enforcement authorities have discovered that people are willing to go to great lengths to get high, including a troubling new method that features a frightened toad.
'Toad smoking,' which is a substitute for 'toad licking,' is done by extracting venom from the Sonoran Desert toad of the Colorado River. The toad's venom — which is secreted when the toad gets angry or scared — contains a hallucinogen called bufotenine that can be dried and smoked to produce a buzz.
In October, a Kansas City man was charged with possessing a controlled substance after Clay County authorities determined he possessed a toad with the intent to use its venom to get high."
Cops: More smoke toad venom to get high - Yahoo! News: "KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Law enforcement authorities have discovered that people are willing to go to great lengths to get high, including a troubling new method that features a frightened toad.
'Toad smoking,' which is a substitute for 'toad licking,' is done by extracting venom from the Sonoran Desert toad of the Colorado River. The toad's venom — which is secreted when the toad gets angry or scared — contains a hallucinogen called bufotenine that can be dried and smoked to produce a buzz.
In October, a Kansas City man was charged with possessing a controlled substance after Clay County authorities determined he possessed a toad with the intent to use its venom to get high."
Genius Update
Sherri Shepherd Doesn't Get That Whole BC Thing, Insists "Jesus Came First" - Media on The Huffington Post: "For whatever reason, the ladies on 'The View' were discussing ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus this morning. Naturally, talk soon migrated to the topic of religion, and Sherri 'I don't know if the world is flat' Shepherd came out to play. More specifically, to spew ignorance and a complete lack of understanding of basic world history! Discussing whether Christians were around during Epicurus' time (Epicurus lived from 341-270 B.C.), Sherri chimed in, '[The Greeks] had Christians 'cause they threw them to the lions.'
When Whoopi tried to cautiously navigate her through the timeline of basic world events, saying, 'I think this might predate that,' Sherri responded, 'I don't think anything predated Christians.' "
When Whoopi tried to cautiously navigate her through the timeline of basic world events, saying, 'I think this might predate that,' Sherri responded, 'I don't think anything predated Christians.' "
B. O. L. O.
42-foot-tall inflatable snowman stolen in Tyler | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "TYLER, Texas — 'Frosty' the snowman has been swiped.
The 42-foot-tall inflatable holiday decoration is missing from a tree farm in Tyler.
Officials at Dixon Farms say Frosty, worth about $10,000, was last seen Friday night.
So far no arrests.
Lot owner Royce Wisenbaker believes Frosty was hoisted over a fence.
A $1,000 reward has been posted for the safe return of the towering decoration.
Frosty is described as a white male, sporting a red hat and scarf, with a pipe in his mouth."
The 42-foot-tall inflatable holiday decoration is missing from a tree farm in Tyler.
Officials at Dixon Farms say Frosty, worth about $10,000, was last seen Friday night.
So far no arrests.
Lot owner Royce Wisenbaker believes Frosty was hoisted over a fence.
A $1,000 reward has been posted for the safe return of the towering decoration.
Frosty is described as a white male, sporting a red hat and scarf, with a pipe in his mouth."
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Problems with Comments Update
I found this on "Blogger Help": "Blogger has removed the URL field for unauthenticated comments. Instead, we're rolling out support for OpenID, a technology for "signing" your comments with your own URL. OpenID lets you comment with the URL you want, while preventing others from impersonating you." This might explain the problems. I have my blog set so that anyone can comment without providing an ID, but Blogger might be having trouble with that.
Top 25 Raunchy Comedies
Hat tip to John Duke, who says he doesn't think some of these are very raunchy.
Best Raunchy Comedies: Moviefone Ranks the Top 25 - Moviefone: We would love to include the hilariously lewd 'Juno' on our list of the top 25 most outrageous, raunchy R-rated comedies of all time. Sadly, it's rated PG-13. But we didn't have a hard time finding 25 other brilliant flicks that contain copious amounts of swearing, drinking, fornicating and anything else that walks a fine line between offensive and outstanding.
Best Raunchy Comedies: Moviefone Ranks the Top 25 - Moviefone: We would love to include the hilariously lewd 'Juno' on our list of the top 25 most outrageous, raunchy R-rated comedies of all time. Sadly, it's rated PG-13. But we didn't have a hard time finding 25 other brilliant flicks that contain copious amounts of swearing, drinking, fornicating and anything else that walks a fine line between offensive and outstanding.
What's Going on with the Comments?
Some people seem to be having trouble with the comments, or not being allowed to comment. I'm not sure what's going on. The blog's settings are such that anyone, even those without a blogger account, can comment, but in some cases that's not happening. Just keep trying, and I'll see if I can dig up an answer.
Flash: Paris Hilton Not Even in Top 20!
Lindsay named the dumbest celeb - Access Hollywood - msnbc.com: "LOS ANGELES - Hollywood is filled with people who should be sent to the head of the Tinsel town class, for their talents, creativity and influence on the entertainment industry — but what about the ones who should be held back a year, sent to detention or maybe even expelled?"
The Road -- Cormac McCarthy
There have been dozens, maybe hundreds, of post-apocalypse novels, most of them by genre writers and therefore overlooked by the literary guys. Now and then a mainstream writer discovers doomsday, and the resulting novel gets a lot of play. The first one I remember like that was Philip Wylie's When Worlds Collide. Then came On the Beach by Neville Shute. And now we have Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which was such a hit that it won the Pulitzer.
It's basically a two-character story. The two, the man and the boy, are among the last survivors of some kind of apocalyptic event and they wander through what appears to be a nuclear winter, looking for food, starving, avoiding roving bands of cannibals and worse. They follow the road, trying to get to the sea. The man's not sure what he expects to find when they arrive. If they arrive. Maybe it's all about someone's search for meaning even where there is no meaning, or maybe it's about humanity's ability to hope when there appears to be no reason to hope. Or if there's no meaning at the end of the journey, maybe the journey itself is meaningful. Or . . . I think I'll stop now.
McCarthy's up to his usual stylistic tricks: no quotation marks, scanty use of the comma, and so on. This time he's very heavy on the sentence fragments, one after another. Took me nearly 100 pages to stop being irritated by them. I was brought up short by other things occasionally, sentences like this one: What are you doing? he hissed. You know what I'm going to say, right? Just try hissing it. And this one, which just made me say, "Huh?": . . . and the fire was good for no more than an hour or perhaps a bit more. But I liked this book better than No Country for Old Men, maybe because I have a weakness for post-apocalypse stories. It turned out to have a more hopeful ending than I was expecting. While it's not exactly jolly, it's not as bleak as the novel had prepared me for.
Here are a few of my favorite post-apocalypse tales, all of them as award-worthy as McCarthy's novel in my book:
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
Damnation Alley, Roger Zelazny
On the Beach, Neville Shute
Earth Abides, George R. Stewart
Dr. Bloodmoney, Philip K. Dick
Through Darkest America, Neal Barrett, Jr.
Alas, Babylon, Pat Frank
The Postman, David Brin
The Stand, Stephen King
Swan Song, Robert McCammon
Farnham's Freehold, Robert A. Heinlein
The Long Tomorrow, Leigh Brackett
Day of the Triffids, John Wyndam
It's basically a two-character story. The two, the man and the boy, are among the last survivors of some kind of apocalyptic event and they wander through what appears to be a nuclear winter, looking for food, starving, avoiding roving bands of cannibals and worse. They follow the road, trying to get to the sea. The man's not sure what he expects to find when they arrive. If they arrive. Maybe it's all about someone's search for meaning even where there is no meaning, or maybe it's about humanity's ability to hope when there appears to be no reason to hope. Or if there's no meaning at the end of the journey, maybe the journey itself is meaningful. Or . . . I think I'll stop now.
McCarthy's up to his usual stylistic tricks: no quotation marks, scanty use of the comma, and so on. This time he's very heavy on the sentence fragments, one after another. Took me nearly 100 pages to stop being irritated by them. I was brought up short by other things occasionally, sentences like this one: What are you doing? he hissed. You know what I'm going to say, right? Just try hissing it. And this one, which just made me say, "Huh?": . . . and the fire was good for no more than an hour or perhaps a bit more. But I liked this book better than No Country for Old Men, maybe because I have a weakness for post-apocalypse stories. It turned out to have a more hopeful ending than I was expecting. While it's not exactly jolly, it's not as bleak as the novel had prepared me for.
Here are a few of my favorite post-apocalypse tales, all of them as award-worthy as McCarthy's novel in my book:
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
Damnation Alley, Roger Zelazny
On the Beach, Neville Shute
Earth Abides, George R. Stewart
Dr. Bloodmoney, Philip K. Dick
Through Darkest America, Neal Barrett, Jr.
Alas, Babylon, Pat Frank
The Postman, David Brin
The Stand, Stephen King
Swan Song, Robert McCammon
Farnham's Freehold, Robert A. Heinlein
The Long Tomorrow, Leigh Brackett
Day of the Triffids, John Wyndam
Monday, December 03, 2007
Typewriters Can Be Dangerous
Sarasota parking garage reopens; suspicious package turns out to be old typewriter: "The Sarasota County parking garage at East and Ringling boulevards reopened at 10:30 a.m. Monday after police blew up a suspicious package that was discovered two hours earlier.
The package contained an old typewriter inside a case that was discovered in the ground floor stairwell on the northwest side of the garage. The typewriter was inside a locked gate that only county employees can access.
Investigators used a remote-controlled robot to detonate the package. All downtown streets around the garage were closed during the investigation and were reopened at 10:30 a.m."
The package contained an old typewriter inside a case that was discovered in the ground floor stairwell on the northwest side of the garage. The typewriter was inside a locked gate that only county employees can access.
Investigators used a remote-controlled robot to detonate the package. All downtown streets around the garage were closed during the investigation and were reopened at 10:30 a.m."
Soon to be a Major Motion Picture . . .
. . . starring John Vernon and Sybil Danning. And it's no wonder that Fox News is winning the ratings war. They report the good, wholesome stories that all America is wondering about.
FOXNews.com - Jailers Fired for Encouraging Female Inmate Bikini 'Fashion Show' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News: "SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Three jailers have been fired and one suspended for encouraging female inmates who put on a mock fashion show that included a bikini made from a sweatshirt.
'They used their prison uniforms and anything else for the fashion show,' sheriff's office administrator Larry Lowman said of the ten Bedford County Jail inmates who participated.
Alma Cantu watched the inmates through a large security window while three male guards — Steven Qualls, Jason Carden and Jamie Farris — watched them on security monitors, Lowman and Sheriff Randall Boyce said.
'There were some remarks made over the intercom into that [cell] block,' Lowman said. 'One of the guards asked a particular female to blow into the speaker ... box of the intercom [which doubles as a microphone] and as she did, he put his microphone down to his crotch.'"
FOXNews.com - Jailers Fired for Encouraging Female Inmate Bikini 'Fashion Show' - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News: "SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Three jailers have been fired and one suspended for encouraging female inmates who put on a mock fashion show that included a bikini made from a sweatshirt.
'They used their prison uniforms and anything else for the fashion show,' sheriff's office administrator Larry Lowman said of the ten Bedford County Jail inmates who participated.
Alma Cantu watched the inmates through a large security window while three male guards — Steven Qualls, Jason Carden and Jamie Farris — watched them on security monitors, Lowman and Sheriff Randall Boyce said.
'There were some remarks made over the intercom into that [cell] block,' Lowman said. 'One of the guards asked a particular female to blow into the speaker ... box of the intercom [which doubles as a microphone] and as she did, he put his microphone down to his crotch.'"
101 Christmas Videos
The Christmas Spot - Another 101 Christmas Videos to Watch and Enjoy (2007 Edition) - Fanpop: "Another Holiday season is upon us and you know what that means: break out the egg nog, light up the tree, put up the stockings, take out a second mortgage for the credit card bill and fire up The Carpenter's Christmas album (turn it up to 11, will you?).
It also means it's time for another list of Christmas video goodies.
So kick back and get ready to enjoy another batch of holiday fun. Oh, and in case you missed last year's list be sure to check out the original list of 101 Classic Christmas Videos."
Hat tip to Rick Klaw over at the Dark Forces Book Group.
It also means it's time for another list of Christmas video goodies.
So kick back and get ready to enjoy another batch of holiday fun. Oh, and in case you missed last year's list be sure to check out the original list of 101 Classic Christmas Videos."
Hat tip to Rick Klaw over at the Dark Forces Book Group.
Now Appearing on the Right . . .
. . . a slideshow of Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine covers from the good old days. If you'd like slightly larger photos, there's a flickr slideshow here.
It Figures
Young chimp beats college students - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK - Never mind that TV show that asks if you're smarter than a fifth-grader. Is your memory better than a young chimp's?
Maybe not.
Japanese researchers pitted young chimps against human adults in two tests of short-term memory, and overall, the chimps won."
Maybe not.
Japanese researchers pitted young chimps against human adults in two tests of short-term memory, and overall, the chimps won."
Cool
Partially mummified dinosaur revealed | The Courier-Mail: "A PARTIALLY mummified hadrosaur discovered by a teenager in North Dakota may be the most complete dinosaur ever found, with intact skin that shows evidence of stripes and perhaps soft tissue, researchers said today.
Enough of the animal remains to show it ran quickly and was far more muscular than scientists believed such dinosaurs were.
'It's sort of King Tut meets T Rex,' paleontologist Phil Manning of the University of Manchester in Britain said.
The creature is fossilised, with the skin and bone turned to stone. But unlike most dinosaur fossils, tissues are preserved as well.
This includes large expanses of the animal's skin, with clear remains of scales.
'This is not a skin impression. This is fossilised skin,' Dr Manning said."
Enough of the animal remains to show it ran quickly and was far more muscular than scientists believed such dinosaurs were.
'It's sort of King Tut meets T Rex,' paleontologist Phil Manning of the University of Manchester in Britain said.
The creature is fossilised, with the skin and bone turned to stone. But unlike most dinosaur fossils, tissues are preserved as well.
This includes large expanses of the animal's skin, with clear remains of scales.
'This is not a skin impression. This is fossilised skin,' Dr Manning said."
Gator Update (Duct Tape Edition)
Video at link, but you have to sit through a Poligrip commercial.
abc13.com: Man wrestles gator with tape in hand 12/02/07: "They found an alligator roaming the streets and it ended up in one family's backyard.
Larry Barnes and his family saw the three foot long gator this afternoon off Waxahachie and Barbara. They were afraid it was going to hurt someone so
Larry's son grabbed some tape and tackled the animal. He put the tape over the gator's mouth. They don't know why it was so far away from water but they're having a good sense of humor about it."
abc13.com: Man wrestles gator with tape in hand 12/02/07: "They found an alligator roaming the streets and it ended up in one family's backyard.
Larry Barnes and his family saw the three foot long gator this afternoon off Waxahachie and Barbara. They were afraid it was going to hurt someone so
Larry's son grabbed some tape and tackled the animal. He put the tape over the gator's mouth. They don't know why it was so far away from water but they're having a good sense of humor about it."
Sunday, December 02, 2007
A Little Culture
Everett Gee Jackson was my great uncle. He was known to everybody in the family as "Beency," which is what his brothers and sisters called him. There are some of his other works pictured at the link.SAN DIEGO MUSEUM of ART | Everett Gee Jackson: "Everett Gee Jackson/San Diego Modern, 1920–1955 November 3, 2007—January 27, 2008 This major retrospective organized by SDMA presents the work of Everett Gee Jackson, San Diego’s most important Modernist artist. Featuring more than 50 works that span the most significant and productive decades of the artist’s career, San Diego Modern presents a representative range of Jackson’s multi-faceted work, while contextualizing Jackson within the broader scope of mid-twentieth century American modernism."
My Tax Dollars at Work
The Device NASA Is Leaving Behind - washingtonpost.com: "After years of delays, NASA hopes to launch this week a European-built laboratory that will greatly expand the research capability of the international space station. Although some call it a milestone, the launch has focused new attention on the space agency's earlier decision to back out of plans to send up a different, $1.5 billion device -- one that many scientists contend would produce far more significant knowledge.
The instrument, which would detect and measure cosmic rays in a new way, took 500 physicists from around the world 12 years to build. But with room on the 10 remaining shuttle missions to the space station in short supply, many fear that it will remain forever warehoused on Earth, becoming the most sophisticated and costly white elephant of the space era."
The instrument, which would detect and measure cosmic rays in a new way, took 500 physicists from around the world 12 years to build. But with room on the 10 remaining shuttle missions to the space station in short supply, many fear that it will remain forever warehoused on Earth, becoming the most sophisticated and costly white elephant of the space era."
The Durango Kid
When I was a mere sprout of a lad, I saw a double feature western movie nearly every Saturday afternoon. Often the movie featured Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid, so when someone tipped me to the fact that TCM was having a mini-festival of Durango Kid movies, I set the DVR. The Durango Kid is the first movie in the series, though apparently nobody planned it that way. But the movie was popular, and a few years later the character was brought back for another. And another and another until 60 or so features had been made. I remember the later ones best, after Smiley Burnette had become the comic sidekick.
In this first movie, there is (blessedly) no sidekick. There are, however, the Sons of the Pioneers, with a young and skinny Pat Brady thrown in for alleged comic relief. I didn't find myself laughing much during the opening barn-painting scene, but you can't beat the Sons of the Pioneers when it comes to singing cowboy songs.
The plot is pretty simple: Bill Lowry's father is killed by the bad guys because he (the father) is sticking up for "the nesters." Bill vows to find his dad's killer, and he does so as the Durango Kid. Everybody's pretty cavalier about the disguise. The marshal appears to suspect all along, and Bill even gets Bob Nolan to impersonate the Kid, with the rest of the Sons riding along as his gang. Bill hits at his secert identity to the chief bad guy, and at the end of the movie, the Kid is unmasked.
Starrett is an athletic guy, and he does just fine in the role of the Durango Kid. He might have been a pretty good actor if he hadn't become stuck in the role. Everything in the movie is entirely predictable, but it's fun in a nostalgic way.
There's stuff here that I might not have noticed if I'd seen the movie as a kid. For example, there are scenes from other movies cut in. One night scene of a house burning is painfully obvious, especially since the intercut scenes of the Kid are all daylight scenes. And the people in the house don't seem bothered at all by the raging inferno that's shown in the exterior shots.
And I have a major gripe. What I saw must have been a mutilated print. I didn't know TCM went in for that sort of thing, but I'm certain there are several minutes, maybe ten or so, missing from the movie. Either that, or it has serious continuity troubles. While that's not impossible, it seems more likely to me that TCM showed a bad copy. Of course I could be wrong. I often am.
I've watched only a few minutes of the second movie, The Return of the Durango Kid, but already things have gotten cheaper. The Sons of the Pioneers are gone, replaced by the Jesters, whoever they are. I do plan to see all of this one eventually, and maybe even one of the later ones. Too bad they didn't show one with Smiley Burnett, though.
If You Were the U. S. Editor of this Series, . .
. . . would you have changed the main character's name?
Harry Hole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Harry Hole is the main character in a series of, so far, seven crime novels written by Jo Nesbo. Hole is a classic loose cannon in the police force, with few close friends and some unorthodox methods. Hole is a heavy smoker and an alcoholic. The latter brings him into repeated conflict with his superiors and some of his colleagues, but Bjarne Moller, head of Hole's department and one of his closest friends, manages to prevent him from being kicked out. This is not primarily due to pity, but the fact that Harry Hole is also a brilliant detective."
Harry Hole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Harry Hole is the main character in a series of, so far, seven crime novels written by Jo Nesbo. Hole is a classic loose cannon in the police force, with few close friends and some unorthodox methods. Hole is a heavy smoker and an alcoholic. The latter brings him into repeated conflict with his superiors and some of his colleagues, but Bjarne Moller, head of Hole's department and one of his closest friends, manages to prevent him from being kicked out. This is not primarily due to pity, but the fact that Harry Hole is also a brilliant detective."
These Guys Need to Visit Blacklin County
BBC NEWS | South Asia | 'Yeti prints' found near Everest: "A US TV presenter says he and his team have found a series of footprints in the Everest region of Nepal resembling descriptions of the mysterious Yeti. The presenter and his colleagues say they are 'very excited', although they are not saying they definitely believe it is the mark of the Yeti.
Josh Gates and his crew work on a series called Destination Truth, which follows reports of fantastic creatures.
The footprints found on Wednesday have renewed Yeti excitement in Nepal."
Saturday, December 01, 2007
All Dressed Up and No One to Talk To
This afternoon I got all gussied up and drove over to Houston's fabulous Murder by the Book, where I planned to attend a signing by Duane Swierczynski. But Duane wasn't there.
I don't know what happened to him, but of course I was disappointed. Not as disappointed as the ten or twelve hot chicks dressed like Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, though. Several of them were weeping openly. Between sobs, one of them said she'd had a "special surprise 'Duanie-poo,'" and she was devastated that he wasn't going to be there. I took her outside and comforted her as best I could, and then we went back in side and bought copies of this book. But not signed copies.
I don't know what happened to him, but of course I was disappointed. Not as disappointed as the ten or twelve hot chicks dressed like Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, though. Several of them were weeping openly. Between sobs, one of them said she'd had a "special surprise 'Duanie-poo,'" and she was devastated that he wasn't going to be there. I took her outside and comforted her as best I could, and then we went back in side and bought copies of this book. But not signed copies.
Once Again, Willie Leads the Way
Nelson Risks Jail To Promote Marijuana :: hightimes.com: "Country music legend Willie Nelson has risked being thrown in jail by appearing on the cover of pro-marijuana magazine High Times, holding the drug.
In September last year, the 74-year-old singer was fined and given six months probation after being found guilty of possession of large amounts of marijuana.
But it has not stopped him supporting the drug and those who use it. As well as gracing the magazine's cover, Nelson has performed at a recent Texas benefit concert for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "
In September last year, the 74-year-old singer was fined and given six months probation after being found guilty of possession of large amounts of marijuana.
But it has not stopped him supporting the drug and those who use it. As well as gracing the magazine's cover, Nelson has performed at a recent Texas benefit concert for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "
Juvenile Humor Alert!
More photos at the link.Britain's rudest road signs - Independent Online Edition > Features: "Britain's rudest road signs These isles are home to some of the most delightful double-entendres ever committed to a road sign. And Rob Bailey and Ed Hurst have worked long and hard to find the best. Stop tittering at the back ..."
Friday, November 30, 2007
Spiderman 3
I thought this might be pretty good, and that's all it was: pretty good. It was way too busy to suit me. Every time I thought a plot line had taken hold, wham! Here comes another one. I lost count of all the plot threads, but there were two villains (three if you count the Dark Spiderman), a love triangle, or maybe a quadrangle, a new discovery about the death of Uncle Ben, serious relationship problems, and a few other things I might be forgetting.The action scenes were great, especially the first big fight between Spiderman and the new Goblin. The acting was okay, and Bryce Dallas Howard was stunning. There was a good bit of comedy, though I'm not sure all of it was intentional. Tobey Maguire as a rebel without a cause was hilarious. Suddenly his hair gets greasy and hangs in his face. He struts through NYC like John Travolta on steroids. Maybe some actors could make. He even dances like John Travolta on steroids. Or maybe like a spiderman (no, not like Italian Spiderman).
Overall, I'm just as glad I didn't see this one in the theater. It would've looked great up there on the big screen, but it wasn't worth the effort of getting out for. Maybe Spiderman 4 will be better.
No Country for Old Men -- Cormac McCarthy
Okay, I started to read this book a couple of years ago and stopped after the first sentence: I sent one boy to the gaschamber at Huntsville. I know stuff like that shouldn't bother me, but it does. What stuff? Well, Texas doesn't have a gas chamber (or gaschamber) and never has. Here in the Lone Star State, we send 'em into the Great Beyond via lethal injection, and before that it was Old Sparky that did the job. So that sentence stopped me cold.
Oh, yeah. The "gaschamber" bothered me, too. It's part of McCarthy's celebrated style, in which men have a "shirtpocket" or drive a "Ramcharger." But they use a "cut-off" shotgun in a "shoot-out." Or they might fix a shotgun so that it has a "pistol grip." So I'm wondering: Why not a "pistolgrip" or a "shootout?"
McCarthy doesn't like quotation marks or apostrophes, either, or he must not because he doesn't use them. He'll use a comma now and then, but you can tell it hurts him to do it. Why? Is it that he wants to write like Willam Faulkner, that he's too lazy to type them, or that he just wants to irritate me?
Anyway, I told myself that I was going to read the book, and I did. The story is set in 1980, and it's about a guy who finds a lot of money after a drug deal goes bad and everyone dies. He takes the money. A guy named Anton Chigurh comes after him. Chigurh is relentless, and he kills anybody he feels like killing. Now and then he'll flip a coin and let a potential victim call "heads" or "tails," but that's as close to mercy as he comes. So there's a lot of killing and a lot of explosions, perfect for a movie (I haven't seen the movie).
Oddly enough, the major confrontation that you think the story is building toward takes place offstage. (Or should that be "off stage"? I'm getting confused.) A deputy describes what happened in a couple of paragraphs. Either McCarthy never heard about "show, don't tell," or he has contempt for something so elementary.
There's a county sheriff who has some first person narration now and then. He is, I suppose, the book's moral center. He figures that the world is going to hell in a hand basket (or handbasket), and he's sorry for the change that's coming over his part of it.
The truth is, I think there are a lot of crime writers who have told similar stories and done it just as well if not better. But what do I know?
Oh, yeah. The "gaschamber" bothered me, too. It's part of McCarthy's celebrated style, in which men have a "shirtpocket" or drive a "Ramcharger." But they use a "cut-off" shotgun in a "shoot-out." Or they might fix a shotgun so that it has a "pistol grip." So I'm wondering: Why not a "pistolgrip" or a "shootout?"
McCarthy doesn't like quotation marks or apostrophes, either, or he must not because he doesn't use them. He'll use a comma now and then, but you can tell it hurts him to do it. Why? Is it that he wants to write like Willam Faulkner, that he's too lazy to type them, or that he just wants to irritate me?
Anyway, I told myself that I was going to read the book, and I did. The story is set in 1980, and it's about a guy who finds a lot of money after a drug deal goes bad and everyone dies. He takes the money. A guy named Anton Chigurh comes after him. Chigurh is relentless, and he kills anybody he feels like killing. Now and then he'll flip a coin and let a potential victim call "heads" or "tails," but that's as close to mercy as he comes. So there's a lot of killing and a lot of explosions, perfect for a movie (I haven't seen the movie).
Oddly enough, the major confrontation that you think the story is building toward takes place offstage. (Or should that be "off stage"? I'm getting confused.) A deputy describes what happened in a couple of paragraphs. Either McCarthy never heard about "show, don't tell," or he has contempt for something so elementary.
There's a county sheriff who has some first person narration now and then. He is, I suppose, the book's moral center. He figures that the world is going to hell in a hand basket (or handbasket), and he's sorry for the change that's coming over his part of it.
The truth is, I think there are a lot of crime writers who have told similar stories and done it just as well if not better. But what do I know?
Degeneration Twenty
Read the rest, including writers' guidelines, at the link.
Degeneration Twenty: "Treading clumsily on the upturned faces of a hundred predecessors, a new zine launches here in January to find and highlight the best in crime, thriller and mystery fiction that differs from the bulk of the genre's mainstream. Drawing back the undergarments of obscurity to reveal the squirming genitalia of the unusual, the different and the refreshing, and hopefully having a lot of fun along the way.
DEGENERATION TWENTY will be part online, part hardcopy, and intends to be as transmittable and copiable as possible, like a bad cold or a case of typhoid."
Degeneration Twenty: "Treading clumsily on the upturned faces of a hundred predecessors, a new zine launches here in January to find and highlight the best in crime, thriller and mystery fiction that differs from the bulk of the genre's mainstream. Drawing back the undergarments of obscurity to reveal the squirming genitalia of the unusual, the different and the refreshing, and hopefully having a lot of fun along the way.
DEGENERATION TWENTY will be part online, part hardcopy, and intends to be as transmittable and copiable as possible, like a bad cold or a case of typhoid."
Dan Brown Update
I can't wait to read about the "astonishing facts." But hasn't Nicolas Cage already made the movie? Okay, I see there aren't any Masons in the Cage movie. But there appear to be plenty of astonishing facts.
US author to unveil Washington's Masonic past - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (AFP) - A sequel to the blockbuster thriller 'The Da Vinci Code' is set to lift the veil on mysterious Freemason symbols carved into the very fabric of the historic streets and buildings of the US capital.
Novelist Dan Brown has set the new adventures of his hero, scholar-adventurer Robert Langdon, right in the heart of Washington, which could reveal some astonishing facts for history buffs."
US author to unveil Washington's Masonic past - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (AFP) - A sequel to the blockbuster thriller 'The Da Vinci Code' is set to lift the veil on mysterious Freemason symbols carved into the very fabric of the historic streets and buildings of the US capital.
Novelist Dan Brown has set the new adventures of his hero, scholar-adventurer Robert Langdon, right in the heart of Washington, which could reveal some astonishing facts for history buffs."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas official resigns, cites creationism conflict - USATODAY.com: "AUSTIN (AP) — The state's director of science curriculum said she resigned this month under pressure from officials who felt she gave the appearance of criticizing the instruction of intelligent design.
The Texas Education Agency put Chris Comer on 30 days paid administrative leave in late October, resulting in what she described as a forced resignation.
The move came shortly after Comer forwarded an e-mail announcing a presentation being given by the author of Inside Creationism's Trojan Horse. In the book, author Barbara Forrest says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities."
The Texas Education Agency put Chris Comer on 30 days paid administrative leave in late October, resulting in what she described as a forced resignation.
The move came shortly after Comer forwarded an e-mail announcing a presentation being given by the author of Inside Creationism's Trojan Horse. In the book, author Barbara Forrest says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities."
Croc Update: The Spirit Made Him Do It
'Spirit lures Aussie boy to crocodiles' | The Daily Telegraph: "A FOUR-year-old boy has gone on an incredible five-hour adventure where he swam alone in crocodile-infested waters - and locals believe a spirit lured him away from his family."
The Demon Made Him Do It
Northpinellas: 'Demon' made him do it? Officials don't buy it: "It wasn't sadism or cruelty that caused Sgt. Thomas Mahoney to flush a toilet drain eight times until a restrained inmate urinated on himself.
No, Mahoney said, it was a demon. In the plumbing.
'I had like a fear of having my head smashed into the exposed plumbing behind the plate,' Mahoney told internal affairs investigators from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
'At one point the plumbing was exposed because it was broken, because it wasn't used, so somehow this object became a demon to me. I know it had nothing to do with that inmate. I just wanted those pipes to continue to work so I wouldn't get my face smashed,' Mahoney said."
No, Mahoney said, it was a demon. In the plumbing.
'I had like a fear of having my head smashed into the exposed plumbing behind the plate,' Mahoney told internal affairs investigators from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
'At one point the plumbing was exposed because it was broken, because it wasn't used, so somehow this object became a demon to me. I know it had nothing to do with that inmate. I just wanted those pipes to continue to work so I wouldn't get my face smashed,' Mahoney said."
Happy Birthday, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.!
Depending on which source you choose to believe, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., is 89 or 90 years old today. I remember him best for 77 Sunset Strip, though some people will recall him as Dandy Jim Buckley on Maverick or from the later The F. B. I. A TV icon who's often overlooked these days, he deserves remembering.
Happy Birthday, Dick Clark!
I've mentioned Dick Clark on the blog many times. (For example, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.) Maybe I should be ashamed to admit how much influence America's Oldest Teenager has had on my life, but I'm not. Here's wishing him a happy 78th birthday, and many more to come.School for Scumbags -- Danny King
I'd never heard of Danny King when I picked up this book from Serpent's Tail, but after a few pages I was sold. I even liked the dedication: To Me."The narrator is Wayne Banstead, and he's fifteen. He's also a thief. He likes stealing, and he can't understand why anybody wouldn't feel the same. That's why he winds up in the Gafin School for Misdirected Boys. Hogwarts, it ain't, and this is no kids' book. I hate to spoil any surprises, but if you read the book, you'll twig pretty quickly that the school isn't exactly as advertised, and you might even figure out something further, something that takes the author about half the book to get to. When he gets there, the book takes a turn that I'm not going to talk about because that would spoil the fun.
And it's fun, all right. This is a very vulgar and funny novel. Plenty of action, too, maybe too much in the last 100 pages or so. It takes care of business.
One thing I didn't like is the ending. Too many loose ends left over for the sequel. I don't mind a little selling of the next book, but I think King goes a little overboard. You might not feel the same way, so check it out.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Croc Update (Photo Edition)
Here's a great wide-angle shot of a croc. It was taken by Mary Ann Melton on her African trip. Prints are available.
Will the Persecution Never End?
All I can say is that Paris is on my "nice" list. And thanks to John Duke for the link.
Britney and Paris top Santa's naughty list: poll | Reuters: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Britney Spears and Paris Hilton open their stockings on Christmas Day, they shouldn't be surprised to find a lump of coal.
A poll of American children released on Wednesday found that the two high-profile celebrities should top Santa's naughty list.
By contrast Disney star Hannah Montana, played by country singer Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter Miley, was overwhelming deemed the 'nicest' celebrity among children aged 2 to 12 while actress Angelina Jolie was the choice for teenagers 13 to 17."
Britney and Paris top Santa's naughty list: poll | Reuters: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Britney Spears and Paris Hilton open their stockings on Christmas Day, they shouldn't be surprised to find a lump of coal.
A poll of American children released on Wednesday found that the two high-profile celebrities should top Santa's naughty list.
By contrast Disney star Hannah Montana, played by country singer Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter Miley, was overwhelming deemed the 'nicest' celebrity among children aged 2 to 12 while actress Angelina Jolie was the choice for teenagers 13 to 17."
Hmmmmmm
If you care about plagiarism, you might find this entire article of interest. It's another case of "do as I say, not as I do," and I find it a tad dishonest. But what do I know? It happens in "commercial" fiction all the time, as the article points out.
Hat tip to The Little Professor for the link.
02138 � A Million Little Writers: "In September 2004, Charles Ogletree, a professor at Harvard Law School, found himself having to admit that his latest book, All Deliberate Speed, contained six paragraphs lifted verbatim from a book by Yale professor Jack Balkin, What “Brown v. Board of Education” Should Have Said. Equally surprising was the fact that Ogletree hadn’t known about the plagiarism, which occurred in a passage about the history of desegregation efforts, until he was told of it by Balkin himself."
Hat tip to The Little Professor for the link.
02138 � A Million Little Writers: "In September 2004, Charles Ogletree, a professor at Harvard Law School, found himself having to admit that his latest book, All Deliberate Speed, contained six paragraphs lifted verbatim from a book by Yale professor Jack Balkin, What “Brown v. Board of Education” Should Have Said. Equally surprising was the fact that Ogletree hadn’t known about the plagiarism, which occurred in a passage about the history of desegregation efforts, until he was told of it by Balkin himself."
Agatha Christie Update (The Show Must Go On)
The Enquirer - Play will go on: "LIBERTY TWP. - Cast members of Lakota East High School's canceled play 'Ten Little Indians' plan to stage the play after all, and a majority of school board members may join those cheering the students on.
School administrators decided to scuttle the production after Gary Hines, president of the NAACP's Butler County branch, brought in parent complaints that Agatha Christie's 1939 murder mystery originally carried the title 'Ten Little N - - - - - - -.' Hines also heads a diversity training company.
While community members have been debating whether Lakota's superintendent and his administrators missed a grand opportunity for a 'teachable moment,' students say offers of off-campus stages poured in."
School administrators decided to scuttle the production after Gary Hines, president of the NAACP's Butler County branch, brought in parent complaints that Agatha Christie's 1939 murder mystery originally carried the title 'Ten Little N - - - - - - -.' Hines also heads a diversity training company.
While community members have been debating whether Lakota's superintendent and his administrators missed a grand opportunity for a 'teachable moment,' students say offers of off-campus stages poured in."
Jake Does Joe
But will he wear pantyhose?
ABC News: 'Broadway Joe' to Be Played by Gyllenhaal: "Joe Namath was larger than life. He was a highly-touted high school prospect who starred for Bear Bryant at Alabama, took New York City by storm and led the New York Jets of the upstart AFL to a Super Bowl victory he had brashly guaranteed.
Good enough that Universal Studios will make a movie about the Hall of Fame quarterback, with Jake Gyllenhaal playing Broadway Joe, according to reports."
ABC News: 'Broadway Joe' to Be Played by Gyllenhaal: "Joe Namath was larger than life. He was a highly-touted high school prospect who starred for Bear Bryant at Alabama, took New York City by storm and led the New York Jets of the upstart AFL to a Super Bowl victory he had brashly guaranteed.
Good enough that Universal Studios will make a movie about the Hall of Fame quarterback, with Jake Gyllenhaal playing Broadway Joe, according to reports."
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Paris & the Pizza Boy
This is exactly the kind of thing that I no longer link to. But I should, since it shows what a compassionate humanitarian that Paris Hilton really is.
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the tip.
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the tip.
Weird Tales Is Looking for the 85 Weirdest Writers
A tip of the Crider gimme cap to Rick Klaw over at the Dark Forces Book Group for the link.
WEIRD TALES: magazine of the gothic, fantastic & bizarre � Name the 85 Weirdest!: "2008 will mark the 85th anniversary of WEIRD TALES’s founding. We’ve got a bunch of plans in the works to celebrate — and WE NEED YOUR HELP with one big project in particular. In the March/April issue of the magazine, we’ll be featuring a list of the 85 WEIRDEST STORYTELLERS OF THE PAST 85 YEARS, and we want your suggestions!
We’re NOT just talking about WEIRD TALES authors, though they’re certainly eligible; no, we’re thinking bigger than that. Who do you think has made the weirdest fiction, the weirdest movies, the weirdest plays, the weirdest narrative art, the weirdest poems and songs, since 1923? That’s the list we’re after: the greatest talespinners of the weird, unearthly, and bizarre, working in every imaginable storytelling form and medium."
WEIRD TALES: magazine of the gothic, fantastic & bizarre � Name the 85 Weirdest!: "2008 will mark the 85th anniversary of WEIRD TALES’s founding. We’ve got a bunch of plans in the works to celebrate — and WE NEED YOUR HELP with one big project in particular. In the March/April issue of the magazine, we’ll be featuring a list of the 85 WEIRDEST STORYTELLERS OF THE PAST 85 YEARS, and we want your suggestions!
We’re NOT just talking about WEIRD TALES authors, though they’re certainly eligible; no, we’re thinking bigger than that. Who do you think has made the weirdest fiction, the weirdest movies, the weirdest plays, the weirdest narrative art, the weirdest poems and songs, since 1923? That’s the list we’re after: the greatest talespinners of the weird, unearthly, and bizarre, working in every imaginable storytelling form and medium."
Croc Update (Jigsaw Edition)
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Keep Off Her Damn Lawn!
Gun-toting grandma foils burglars - UPI.com: "CARTHAGE, Mo., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- A gun-toting grandmother in Missouri foiled a pair of would-be burglars.
Police, who did not release the 63-year-old woman's name, said she temporarily captured Faith Barrick of Carthage and a teenage boy, the Joplin Globe reported. The pair escaped when she went to her telephone to call police but two suspects were arrested three hours later based on the description she gave."
Police, who did not release the 63-year-old woman's name, said she temporarily captured Faith Barrick of Carthage and a teenage boy, the Joplin Globe reported. The pair escaped when she went to her telephone to call police but two suspects were arrested three hours later based on the description she gave."
Spinetingler Award
The shortlist is up right here, and you can vote. James Reasoner is a legend? Isn't he too young for that?
Wonder Woman Update Update
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Murdaland #2
Murdaland has had only two issues, but it's already established itself as a fine literary crime magazine. The second issue begins with Scott Philips' "The Emerson, 1950," in which a crime photographer sees many terrible things. He's also dealing with his aunt and uncle who have, well, problems. Something's gotta give. That's followed by "Roachkiller," by R. Navaez. Just when he thinks he's out, they keep pulling him back in. "Roachkiller" is a first person story narrated mostly in the third person, a pretty clever trick. Next up is Harry Hunsicker's "Vivian and Bobby." A Dallas cop goes bad, and for a reason that's about as perverse as they come. You expect some raw sex in a Vicki Hendricks story, and "Sinny and the Prince: A Fairy Tale" doesn't disappoint. Sinny thinks she can get away with murder. And maybe she does. There's more in the issue (you can see the Table of Contents here), but that's all I've read so far, all of it really good stuff. If you're not reading Murdaland, you're missing some great stuff. Give it a try.
Norman Mailer Update
Dead author wins bad sex award - CNN.com: "The conception of Adolf Hitler was never going to make for easy reading.
But late American novelist Norman Mailer's explicit rendition of the incestuous encounter between the genocidal German dictator's parents has won the writer one of the world's most dubious literary prizes. advertisement Mailer, who died of renal failure last month at 84, was one of five candidates for the annual 'Bad Sex in Fiction Award' which aims to highlight crude and tasteless descriptions of sex in modern novels."
Update: for more on the nominees, click here.
But late American novelist Norman Mailer's explicit rendition of the incestuous encounter between the genocidal German dictator's parents has won the writer one of the world's most dubious literary prizes. advertisement Mailer, who died of renal failure last month at 84, was one of five candidates for the annual 'Bad Sex in Fiction Award' which aims to highlight crude and tasteless descriptions of sex in modern novels."
Update: for more on the nominees, click here.
Wang Steals Panties
Penn student arrested in underwear thefts | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/27/2007: "A student at the University of Pennsylvania was charged after allegedly stalking female students at the school and stealing pairs of their underwear.
Diexia Wang, a Penn senior, was charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, harassment and theft after he allegedly stole underwear and purses from several women."
Diexia Wang, a Penn senior, was charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, harassment and theft after he allegedly stole underwear and purses from several women."
Agatha Christie Banned in Ohio
WTOL-TV Toledo, OH: School cancels play that had racist slur as original title: "WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) - A widely performed school play has been canceled by officials at a suburban Cincinnati high school after complaints from a local NAACP official.
Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians' was to be performed by students at Lakota East High School this weekend.
The play is based on Christie's 1939 mystery novel.
But local NAACP president Gary Hines says the play is inappropriate for a school production because the original title for Christie's novel used a racial slur."
Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians' was to be performed by students at Lakota East High School this weekend.
The play is based on Christie's 1939 mystery novel.
But local NAACP president Gary Hines says the play is inappropriate for a school production because the original title for Christie's novel used a racial slur."
Lost Lady of Rome
Found in a farmer's field: The 2,000-year-old skeleton of the lost lady of Rome | the Daily Mail: "In her lifetime she was a member of a wealthy family based in a bustling British outpost of the world's mightiest empire.
The imperial glory has long faded. But, almost 2,000 years on, archaeologists have discovered a corner of an English field that is forever Rome. They have unearthed a coffin containing a remarkably well-preserved skeleton in the village of Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire - once the site of a major Roman town, Isurium Brigantium.
The archaeologists, conducting a two-week excavation project, were searching for Roman artefacts with a metal detector when they found the 6ft lead coffin inside a stone chamber only 12in below the surface of a barley field."
The imperial glory has long faded. But, almost 2,000 years on, archaeologists have discovered a corner of an English field that is forever Rome. They have unearthed a coffin containing a remarkably well-preserved skeleton in the village of Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire - once the site of a major Roman town, Isurium Brigantium.
The archaeologists, conducting a two-week excavation project, were searching for Roman artefacts with a metal detector when they found the 6ft lead coffin inside a stone chamber only 12in below the surface of a barley field."
Anglo-Saxon Gold
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Tees | 'Dramatic' ancient cemetery found: "A freelance archaeologist has uncovered what is thought to be the only known Anglo-Saxon royal burial site in the north of England.
Spectacular gold jewellery, weapons and clothing were found at the 109-grave cemetery, believed to date from the middle of the 7th Century."
Spectacular gold jewellery, weapons and clothing were found at the 109-grave cemetery, believed to date from the middle of the 7th Century."
An American Dream -- Norman Mailer
I meant to post this a while back, when Mailer died, but my copy of the book was in storage. Now that I've retrieved it, I want to post the opening paragraph, which had stuck with me, though not verbatim, for nearly 40 years.
I met Jack Kennedy in November, 1946. We were both war heroes, and both of us had just been elected to congress. We went out one night on a double date and it turned out to be a fair evening for me. I seduced a girl who would have been bored by a diamond as big as the Ritz.
Don't you just have to read on?
I met Jack Kennedy in November, 1946. We were both war heroes, and both of us had just been elected to congress. We went out one night on a double date and it turned out to be a fair evening for me. I seduced a girl who would have been bored by a diamond as big as the Ritz.
Don't you just have to read on?
Gator Update (Eat Healthy Edition)
Gator Meat Deemed 'Really Healthy Food' - Health News Story - WESH Orlando: "CHRISTMAS, Fla. -- Gators have long been hunted as part of a sport.
Now people are hunting gator meat because it's good for the heart.
Most gators that end up on restaurant menus are not hunted; they are raised on farms.
A segment on the Today show highlighted the health benefits of alligator meat, saying it's better for you than chicken.
But that's hardly a secret to guys who have raised them for decades.
Edwin Froehlich Jr. said the little fat and high protein makes gator meat 'really healthy food.'
Gator has all the protein of beef and chicken, and more protein than fish."
Now people are hunting gator meat because it's good for the heart.
Most gators that end up on restaurant menus are not hunted; they are raised on farms.
A segment on the Today show highlighted the health benefits of alligator meat, saying it's better for you than chicken.
But that's hardly a secret to guys who have raised them for decades.
Edwin Froehlich Jr. said the little fat and high protein makes gator meat 'really healthy food.'
Gator has all the protein of beef and chicken, and more protein than fish."
Wonder Woman Update
Wonder Woman - Comic Books - DC Comics - New York Times: "“I was a hairdresser until a couple of years ago,” Gail Simone said. “It took me a long time to admit that I was a professional writer.”
Ms. Simone was talking about her rise from hairstylist to online commentator to professional comic-book author. This month she added a new title. With the publication of issue No. 14 of Wonder Woman, which hit stores two weeks ago, Ms. Simone has become the regular writer of that amazing Amazon’s super-adventures, published by DC Comics. She is the first woman to serve as “ongoing writer” (to use the industry’s term) in the character’s 66-year history."
Ms. Simone was talking about her rise from hairstylist to online commentator to professional comic-book author. This month she added a new title. With the publication of issue No. 14 of Wonder Woman, which hit stores two weeks ago, Ms. Simone has become the regular writer of that amazing Amazon’s super-adventures, published by DC Comics. She is the first woman to serve as “ongoing writer” (to use the industry’s term) in the character’s 66-year history."
Monday, November 26, 2007
Kevin DuBrow, R. I. P.
Even an old guy like me remembers the cover of that #1 album.
Quiet Riot singer dies at 52 - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- Kevin DuBrow, the lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band Quiet Riot, has died, CNN has confirmed. He was 52.
DuBrow died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to TMZ.com. The Clark County coroner's office was examining the body to determine the cause of death, according to TMZ.
'I'm at a loss for words. I've just lost my best friend,' Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali told CNN. 'Out of respect for both Kevin and his family, I won't comment further. There's going to be a lot of speculation out there, and I won't add to that. I love him too much.'"
Quiet Riot singer dies at 52 - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- Kevin DuBrow, the lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band Quiet Riot, has died, CNN has confirmed. He was 52.
DuBrow died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to TMZ.com. The Clark County coroner's office was examining the body to determine the cause of death, according to TMZ.
'I'm at a loss for words. I've just lost my best friend,' Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali told CNN. 'Out of respect for both Kevin and his family, I won't comment further. There's going to be a lot of speculation out there, and I won't add to that. I love him too much.'"
Worst Movie Remakes
Here's the list. I think #16 must be a mistake, or maybe just an example of further persecution.
Hat tip to John Duke.
Hat tip to John Duke.
Into the Alternate Universe!
Evidence for a Parallel Universe? University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill physics Professor Laura Mersini-Houghton made a staggering claim. She says, “Standard cosmology cannot explain such a giant cosmic hole” and goes further with the ground-breaking hypothesis that the huge void is “… the unmistakable imprint of another universe beyond the edge of our own“.
Rick Klaw Interview with Kelly DiNardo
Featured Interview with Kelly DiNardo - Books: "A former USA Today staffer and current freelance journalist, Kelly DiNardo's first book, Gilded Lili: Lili St. Cyr and the Striptease Mystique, recounts the fascinating life of 'the queen of striptease.” DiNardo sat down to discuss her well-researched and superbly written book with Monsters & Critcs' Rick Klaw, grandson of legendary pin-up industry pioneer Irving Klaw. They talked about Lili St. Cyr, Marilyn Monroe, Irving Klaw, burlesque, heroin, and other diverting topics."
They Want Someone on Their Lawns
Older white women join Kenya's sex tourists - Yahoo! News: "MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64.
They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is 'just full of big young boys who like us older girls.'
Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex."
They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is 'just full of big young boys who like us older girls.'
Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex."
I Wish He Were Here to Celebrate
Charles Schulz is one of my favorite writers. I regard the first fifteen or so years of "Peanuts" as works of genius.
The Writer's Almanac from American Public Media: "It's the birthday of cartoonist Charles Schulz, (books by this author) born in St. Paul (1922), who created 'Peanuts' and Charlie Brown, who never gets to kick the football, always gets his kite stuck in the tree, and never wins the love of The Little Red-Haired Girl. Schulz loved comics from an early age. His father bought six different newspapers every weekend and they would sit and read all the comics together. Schultz started drawing his own cartoons, but he got a C-plus in a correspondence art course, and his sketches were rejected by the staff of his high school yearbook. He couldn't sell any cartoons to the major magazines, and he was turned down as an animator for Disney because he had no experience. And then, he got drafted to fight in World War II when his mother was dying of cervical cancer. One of the last things she said to him was that if the family ever bought another dog, they should name it Snoopy."
The Writer's Almanac from American Public Media: "It's the birthday of cartoonist Charles Schulz, (books by this author) born in St. Paul (1922), who created 'Peanuts' and Charlie Brown, who never gets to kick the football, always gets his kite stuck in the tree, and never wins the love of The Little Red-Haired Girl. Schulz loved comics from an early age. His father bought six different newspapers every weekend and they would sit and read all the comics together. Schultz started drawing his own cartoons, but he got a C-plus in a correspondence art course, and his sketches were rejected by the staff of his high school yearbook. He couldn't sell any cartoons to the major magazines, and he was turned down as an animator for Disney because he had no experience. And then, he got drafted to fight in World War II when his mother was dying of cervical cancer. One of the last things she said to him was that if the family ever bought another dog, they should name it Snoopy."
6 American Noir Masters
After seeing this list, you'll want to get into an argument with the guy about the difference between noir and hardboiled, since he doesn't seem to have a clue. But let's not get into that ourselves. Thanks.
No Wonder Sylvester Always Had the Munchies
Yesterday’s news � Blog Archive � Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1969: Catnip high: "In at least one Twin Cities pet shop, it takes a note from his parents nowadays for a teen-ager to lay in any big supply of catnip.
Owners of other stores have taken to questioning their youthful customers closely about large-scale purchases.
They know the reason for the sudden popularity of catnip in the Twin Cities and nationwide – and it isn’t the one a young man gave the owner of a Hennepin Av. pet shop:
“I have,” he explained, “a GREAT, BIG cat.” The fact is, the kids are smoking the stuff, apparently in dubious pursuit of a low-budget thrill."
Owners of other stores have taken to questioning their youthful customers closely about large-scale purchases.
They know the reason for the sudden popularity of catnip in the Twin Cities and nationwide – and it isn’t the one a young man gave the owner of a Hennepin Av. pet shop:
“I have,” he explained, “a GREAT, BIG cat.” The fact is, the kids are smoking the stuff, apparently in dubious pursuit of a low-budget thrill."
Who Among Us Hasn't Felt Like Doing This?
Commissioner arrested after pulling out gun - 11/26/2007 - MiamiHerald.com: "Miramar City Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman, who was arrested for pointing a semiautomatic gun in a Winn-Dixie, causing shoppers to scurry in fear, seemed to be in a sour mood that night because the self-checkout line wasn't open, according to a cashier.
The cashier said Salesman was apparently so peeved at having to stand in line with other Thanksgiving eve shoppers, he showed his business card to another cashier and said, ``Do you know who I am? I will shut this b**** down.''"
The cashier said Salesman was apparently so peeved at having to stand in line with other Thanksgiving eve shoppers, he showed his business card to another cashier and said, ``Do you know who I am? I will shut this b**** down.''"
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Conspiracy Fans, Rejoice
The Raw Story | Ex-Secret Service agent reveals Chicago JFK plot: "Abraham Bolden, a former Secret Service agent, tells CNN that he knew of a plot to assassinate John F. Kennedy in Chicago several weeks beforehand. Bolden is writing a book about the alleged plot titled 'The Echo from Dealey Plaza: The true story of the first African American on the White House Secret Service detail and his quest for justice after the assassination of JFK.'
According to CNN, the agent said that 'just before President Kennedy was to go to Chicago in early November 1963, the agency got an important tip. An employee of a boarding house had seen rifles with telescopic sites and an outline of Kennedy's motorcade route in a room rented by Cuban nationals.'"
According to CNN, the agent said that 'just before President Kennedy was to go to Chicago in early November 1963, the agency got an important tip. An employee of a boarding house had seen rifles with telescopic sites and an outline of Kennedy's motorcade route in a room rented by Cuban nationals.'"
Tough Guys Don't Flinch
Farmer Describes Cutting Off Own Arm - Yahoo! News: "A Kershaw County, S.C. farmer has recovered enough to recount how he had to cut off his own arm to save his life.
Sampson Parker talked to WIS reporter Dan Tordjman, and explained that after he got his hand stuck in a piece of farm equipment and a fire broke out around him, he had no choice.
'If I was going to die here, I was going to put up a fight, and that's basically what I did,' says Sampson Parker."
Sampson Parker talked to WIS reporter Dan Tordjman, and explained that after he got his hand stuck in a piece of farm equipment and a fire broke out around him, he had no choice.
'If I was going to die here, I was going to put up a fight, and that's basically what I did,' says Sampson Parker."
For Some Reason this Doesn't Really Worry Me
Universe doomed because astronomers keep looking at it | The Courier-Mail: "ASTRONOMERS may have unwittingly hastened the end of the Universe by simply looking at it, according to a new theory. The novel idea is being aired by two US physicists, who attack the notion that the universe, believed to have been created in the 'Big Bang' some 13.7 billion years ago, will go on, well, forever. In fact, the poor old cosmos is in a rather delicate state, they tell New Scientist."
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