Croc Update (Video Edition)

Crocodilian Pets in Hiroshima : Japan Probe: "A video report from Fuji TV news about a Mr. Murabayashi of Hiroshima Prefecture who keeps a spectacled caiman as a pet:"

Great video. It's in Japanese, but there's a translation provided underneath the video. Hat tip to Boing Boing.

When Bikers Meet Humans -- J. J. Solari

Okay, it's here. What's here? The new collection of stories J. J. Solari, author of the legendary "No Class Chick." He's also a frequent commenter on this blog. My opinion isn't influenced by that or even by the fact that in the "about the author" section he names Paris Hilton as one of the seven "most iconic Americans deserving of their reputations."

If you've read "No Class Chick" and liked it, then you're already sold on this collection, and you know what kind of stories it contains. If you don't know, well, the cover illustration might give you an idea. And that little note at the bottom about "socially unredeeming tales."

You think you've read edgy stuff before? These stories are over the edge. The very first story is "Black Biker," which is only a few pages long but which contains something to offend just about everybody I can think of.
It's so unPC that you might not be able to believe it. It's a test to see if you can read the others, I suspect. The other story I've read so far is "The Burial of Mokes," which is almost as sick and warped as "No Class Chick." I mean that in a good way, but you'd have to be as warped an nuts as I am to understand.

So if you want something completely different, something really out there, you can order a copy by e-mailing whenbikersmeethumans@yahoo.com. The price is $13.13, plus postage. You might even get a signed copy, though the author objects to defacing books.

Paris Hilton to Get Award

At Harvard.

Prison Break Update

N.J. prisoner recaptured after escape that left taunting note - CNN.com: "NEW YORK (CNN) -- One of two men who escaped from a county jail in New Jersey last month was back in custody, authorities said.

Federal and local authorities on Tuesday captured Jose Espinosa, 20, who broke out of the Union County Jail on December 15 with fellow inmate Otis Blunt, 32, Union County prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said.

****************

The two left behind dummies in their beds, along with a note thanking prison guard Rudolph Zurick "for the tools needed" and saying, "You're a real pal! Happy holidays."

Zurick committed suicide this week at his home in Sayreville, New Jersey. His attorney, Michael Mitzner, said Zurick had not been charged in the jailbreak and was cooperating with investigators.

"It's possible that his name being associated with the escape was more than he could take despite his lack of involvement," Mitzner said."

Croc Update (Drug Fiend Edition)

Australian teen blames dope for theft of 2 crocodiles and monkey: "DARWIN, Australia - An Australian teenager blamed the influence of marijuana for his decision to steal two crocodiles and a monkey, news media reported Wednesday.

Benjamin Glen Watts, 19, pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to twice breaking into a wildlife park on the outskirts of the tropical city Darwin last July, Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio reported on its website. Watts said he planned to sell the stolen baby crocodiles and the marmoset but had been unable to find buyers, ABC reported."

Ancient Shores -- Jack McDevitt

George Kelley suggested that Jack McDevitt writes the kind of science fiction I like to read: clearly written, with a good story and interesting characters. George was right, which proves, once again, that I'm an old guy, harking back to the SF of my distant youth, the kind written by Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein. I guess there's just no getting around it, and keep off my lawn!

To tell the truth, there's not much emphasis on the science in the story. An alien artifact is discovered. it leads to another artifact, which contains gateways to other worlds. Instead of exploring those worlds Jack McDevitt chooses instead to explore ours. If such an artifact were found, what would be the effects on the economy? On religion? On politics? How would we deal with it?

This is a big-canvas novel: lots of characters popping in and out, lots of scenarios presented, lots of plot threads developed. That's not to say that McDevitt forgets the human scale of things. A couple of characters carry through the novel, and I was interested in their fates. I kind of enjoyed the idea that there were people who could actually be more powerful than the government, in a way, and I got a little kick out of their brief appearance in the novel.

The ending leaves from for a sequel, several sequels for that matter, but I don't know if there's been one. I'm sure I'd read it if I ran across it.

Gator Update (Tina Turner Edition)

SGVTribune.com - Tina's talk of the town: "PASADENA - Tina is a lot like most gals.

She likes a good back scratch every now and then; she packs on a few pounds each winter; and if she gets agitated, it's best to stay out of her way.

But this woman is cold-blooded - for real.

The nearly 7-foot-long American alligator, who takes her name from powerful vocalist Tina Turner, is digging her recently upgraded digs at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, officials there say."

Once Again, A Texas Dog Leads the Way

AFP: Dog shoots, kills Texas hunter: "CHICAGO (AFP) — An overexcited dog accidentally shot and killed its owner on a goose hunting trip in Texas, authorities said Tuesday."

Hotwire Comics #2

This looks good.

Link via Boing Boing. More details here.

Croc Update (Pet Edition)

Nice croc photo at link.

How Australia's pet crocs become pest crocs | csmonitor.com: "Sydney, Australia - She watches TV on the couch with him, rolls over on her back to get her tummy tickled, making squeaking-barking sounds to indicate her delight, and is uncharacteristically (for her species) pliant while being fed. Her meals consist of goldfish, defrosted rats, mice, and day-old chickens.

Now four years old and four feet long, Stampy, a female crocodile, was once someone's abandoned pet. She was found one night wandering the streets of suburban Darwin in northern Australia.

Stampy was picked up and nursed back to health from a dehydrated state by Chris Pebedy, who captures deadly snakes and other reptiles from urban areas for a living. Mr. Pebedy keeps nine crocodiles and one alligator on his property"

Happy Birthday, Yvette Mimieux

Yvette Mimieux is 66 today. I'll always remember her for Where the Boys Are (Key line: "They weren't even Yalies"), a great movie of my late youth. You tough guys will perhaps think of the graphic rape scene in Jackson County Jail, but for me, Where the Boys Are is the picture to remember.

So How Would You Look . . .

. . . with a celebrity's hair? I'd look younger.

Fight Club -- the Musical

Yes, that's right. The musical.

A Review

Benjie Potter, a frequent commenter here, has a nice review of Houston Homicide.

Lone Star Sleuths

Although it's not mentioned in the article, there's an excerpt from my book Winning Can Be Murder included in the anthology.

A guided tour of Texas-based mysteries: "SAN MARCOS — A new landscape for the Lone Star State, one dotted with make-believe murders and other fictional felonies, is rising from the ether — although rooted in Texas soil — as more crime writers craft novels set here.

A new anthology of Texas-based mysteries takes readers on a guided tour of the fictional crime scenes across the state."

MY Hometown . . .

. . . is Mexia, Texas. A nice place, but I'm not so sure about the name of the kids' basketball league.

Mexia Daily News - Mexia Little Dribblers Opening Ceremonies: "Mexia Little Dribblers will kickoff their 2008 youth basketball season for their ages 4-14 boys and girls with Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday January 9, 2008 at the Mexia Old Jr. Gym at 6pm. All 38 teams players will be introduced with their parents at the Ceremony. There will be Music, Prizes and Basketball shooting contest and much more fun."

Serial Killer Update

Serial Killer Fears Reignited In Daytona Over 'Eerily Similar' Slaying - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando: "DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A 30-year-old woman found dead in some Daytona Beach woods may be the latest victim of a serial killer already blamed for the deaths of several women in the same area.

Daytona Beach police Chief Mike Chitwood said the slaying of Stacey Gage, 30, of Holly Hill last week is 'eerily similar' to the slayings of three known prostitutes in December of 2006.

'There are a whole bunch of things that I'm not going to get into but from an investigator's perspective, when you sit back and look at the circumstances, you look at the location and look at other things that may be in her background, it gives us pause to say, 'You know, we may be heading down this road again,'' Daytona Beach police Chief Mike Chitwood said."

Judy Update

Judy had her eighth and final chemotherapy treatment yesterday. Since the doctor has already said she's in remission, we hope we'll now be traveling to MD Anderson much less often. We'll have to go for various tests, of course, but the worst is over. Okay, not quite. There's still the sickness that comes after chemo to get past one more time, but we've dealt with that enough now that it doesn't scare us. Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive while we went through this. Now we can concentrate on our next big adventure.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

M.D. Anderson scientist finds life's essence | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "For the first time, scientists have captured detailed images of life's essence.

The dazzling pictures reveal a key step in the process of cell division, which all organisms must undergo to survive. The moment occurs deep within a cell, as two proteins work in concert to unzip a strand of DNA to create two new cells.

But until now, scientists seeking to directly observe this essential process only could view fuzzy images taken by an electron microscope.

A scientist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has changed that by perfecting a technique employed by biophysicist Rosalind Franklin more than half a century ago to gather the first images of DNA."

Interview with "Pushy First-Time Novelist"

Well, that's how he described himself to me, anyway. Check it out.

Dark Scribe Magazine - Drawing First Blood: "Few emerging writers can stake claim to blurbs from the likes of David Morrell and Jack Ketchum - especially for their debut novel. But newcomer David Jack Bell can proudly do just that, with praise coming in from all directions for The Condemned. DSM wanted to meet the buzz-generating Dr. Bell and get the scoop on what promises to be a meteoric rise to stardom in the horror genre."

Fender Tucker Recommends. . .

. . . this article, written by a guy who also wrote what Fender considers "the quintessential Keeler pastiche." This article, by the way, is not about Keeler.

Paging Dr. Lecter

Authorities find a body, a human ear in a pot in Tyler | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "TYLER, Texas — Deputies responding to a 911 call in this East Texas town found a gruesome scene: a human ear boiling in a pot on a stovetop and a hunk of flesh impaled on a fork sitting atop a plate on the kitchen table.

Authorities believe that the 25-year-old man arrested in the death of his 21-year-old girlfriend cooked parts of her body and may have tried to eat them — actions he described to them in the emergency call that led them to the grisly discovery."

Dion

Dion and the Belmonts. One of my top 5 doo-wop groups. "I Wonder Why" is one of my top 5 doo-wop songs. Dion is still around.

Th Diary of Anne Frank --the Musical

Anne Frank's diary to be made into a musical | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited: "It might not seem the most obvious material for a song-and-dance number, but the Diary of Anne Frank will take centre stage next month when a Spanish musical based on the most famous book about the Holocaust opens in Madrid."

Hmmmmmm

Alan Moore is the writer on this, and his work is widely respected. Still, I'm not at all sure I want to see this. I guess I'm a Disney-version kind of a guy, after all.

Naked anger as Peter Pan's Wendy gets porno rewrite - Scotsman.com News: "PETER Pan is known to generations of children as the boy who never grew up.

But his sweetheart Wendy is depicted in a series of adult situations in a hugely controversial new adaptation of JM Barrie's classic tale.

In the extremely graphic graphic-novel Lost Girls, Pan's demure companion is shown in a serious of erotic trysts.

The illustrated adult book, which depicts Tinkerbell being raped and Wendy being spied on by paedophile peeping toms, has provoked children's campaigners and devotees of the original Barrie fable to demand it be taken off the shelves."

A Review

I've posted a review of Toni Kellner's EQMM story "Skull and Cross Examinations" over at Nasty, Brutish, and Short.

An Essay by Robert Silverberg

Robert Silverberg has a wonderful essay in the January issue of Aismov's. It certainly stirred some emotions in me. I identified with just about everything in it, and it recalled a wonderful time for me. Check it out.

Reflections: "It’s an episode more than half a century old that I think will stir some emotion in the bosom of anyone who, like myself of long ago, found it exciting to collect the science fiction magazines of ancient days."

You Want Hillbilly Noir?

Then just read this article.

| Showbiz | News of the World: "A panic call from Britney Spears' husband sparked her stand-off with cops - because he feared she would SHOOT DEAD their two sons.

As Brit left hospital, a pal said: 'K-Fed was terrified. He realised she had a gun where she was holding them.'

We can reveal that Kevin Federline feared his ex would use the Beretta pistol he bought her as a birthday gift to MURDER their two young sons."

This Can't be a Good Sign

UK living standards outstrip US - Times Online: "LIVING standards in Britain are set to rise above those in America for the first time since the 19th century, according to a report by the respected Oxford Economics consultancy.

The calculations suggest that, measured by gross domestic product per capita, Britain can now hold its head up high in the economic stakes after more than a century of playing second fiddle to the Americans."

Texas Crime Update

Angletown is about 20 miles from Alvin. It's the county seat of Brazoria County.

Angleton man dies in police custody after eating bag of crack | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "ANGLETON, Texas — An Angleton man who was being booked into the Brazoria County Jail on drug possession charges died after eating what authorities say was a bag of crack.

William Yendis Franklin, 28, was taken to the county jail on Thursday after a Texas state trooper arrested him on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. As Franklin undressed for a body search during the booking process, he reached into his underwear and pulled out a small bag, officials said.

Franklin, whose handcuffs had been removed so he could undress, had been cooperative, said Brazoria County Sheriff's Lt. Russ Baker. Two officers were in the room at the time.

Franklin chewed on the bag, then pulled the empty bag from his mouth, Baker said. Franklin was taken by ambulance to Angleton-Danbury Hospital, where he died in the emergency room."

The 50 Greatest British Writers since 1945

The 50 greatest British writers since 1945 - Times Online: "What better way to start the year than with an argument? The Times has decided to present you with a ranking of whom they consider the best postwar British writers, and are awaiting your responses."

Hat tip to the Dark Forces Book Group.

D. B. Cooper Update

A commenter has provided this link to an eBay auction of the money.

Where is Janice Gantry? -- John D. MacDonald

I may have mentioned before that I sometimes like to do some comfort reading when I'm in hospitals. Here's another example. It was originally published in 1961, a few years before MacDonald published the first of the Travis McGee novels, but this one could have been a warm-up for those.

Sam Brice is a former pro football player who's returned to his small hometown (this is a bit like Deadly Welcome, come to think of it) in disgrace, though of course he's actually a noble knight in slightly tarnished armor. A young woman named Janice Gantry disappears, along with an escaped convict to whom Brice has given aid and comfort. So Brice decides he'll dig into things and find out what's happened. He does, and while what happens won't surprise you, it's typical fine MacDonald storytelling, with some comments even 47 years ago about what the developers are doing to Florida.

MacDonald has his flaws, the irritating male/female dialog exchanges chief among them, but when it came to getting down the details of his time (he seemed to know everything about everything) and creating memorable characters, situations, and stories, he was hard to beat. I know some younger readers find him slow. I can't imagine that, but maybe the attention to detail, character, and description has something to do with it. Times and tastes (not mine, though) have changed.

Celebrity Geeks

My favorite is Kate Beckinsale.

WKRC or WKRP?

This is great. I don't know if it's real or faked, but either way, it's still great. I hope it's still there by the time you take a look. Be sure to click the play or pause button; otherwise, you'll just get the audio. And this needs video of anything ever did.

Croc Update (Plague Edition)

Photo at link.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | More deaths of rare Indian crocs: "The number of endangered crocodiles that have died this month in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has risen to 67, officials say.

The crocodiles, known as gharials, have been found dead of an unknown disease in the Chambal River sanctuary."

The Cold Spot -- Tom Piccirilli

When Chase's pregnant mother is murdered and his father disappears, an apparent suicide, Chase's upbringing is taken over by Jonah, his grandfather, a professional criminal. Chase becomes an expert getaway driver, but at age 15, he's involved in a situation (the novel's fine opening scene) that convinces him it's time to break away.

He does, and for a few years he leads more or less straight life. He meets the right woman (a deputy sheriff, no less), marries, and starts teaching school (auto shop, of course).

Then, bad things happen. Violence, and a lot of it, results. Chase, looking for revenge, gets involved with his grandfather again, and their relationship is just as strained and enigmatic as before. At the end of the book, several things remain unresolved, and there's plenty of room for a sequel or two. Because this book was so well done, so sharp, fast, and involving, I'm looking forward to reading them.

Personal Stuff

I'm just using the blog to whine a little You should just skip over this. I don't particularly want anybody to read it. I just need to get it out of my system. Today we're bringing Judy's mother home from the hospital. From now on, she'll be living with us, and I'm pretty darned scared. I'm pretty helpless as a nurse. We've signed up for home health care, but we have no idea why. We don't know what it involves or how much help it will be. We don't know how long Judy's mom will be able to communicate and get around. Did I mention that I was scared? I'm most worried about taking Judy to Houston for her appointments. Will we be able to leave Judy's mom here, or can we take her with us? Or what? What I fear most is the uncertainty, and of course the change in routine. I'm a guy who loves his routines.

In a Lonely Place

Gator Update (Theft Alert)

It wasn't me. And I'm not in the market for one. Photo at link.

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Brazil's rare alligators 'stolen': "Police in Brazil are investigating the disappearance of seven rare albino alligators from a university zoo in the western state of Mato Grosso.

One theory is that they may have been stolen to be sold abroad.

The animals, said by officials to be worth around $10,000 (�5,070) each, have no skin pigment and their eyes are a distinctive pink."

Reel Geezers

I like 'em. And stay off their lawn.

No Comment Department

Cost of coitus: Male monkeys pay for sex: "Selling sex is said to be humankind's oldest profession but it may have deep evolutionary roots, according to a study into our primate cousins which found that male macaques pay for intercourse by using grooming as a currency.
Michael Gumert of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore made the discovery in a 20-month investigation into 50 long-tailed macaques in Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia, New Scientist reports on Saturday.

On average, females had sex 1.5 times per hour.

But this rate jumped to 3.5 times per hour immediately after the female had been groomed by a male -- and her partner of choice was likely to be the hunky monkey that did the grooming."

I Passed!

Looking for payday loan?

D. B. Cooper Update

Arkansas man to sell cash from '71 hijacking as case rekindles: "LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- In 1980, 8-year-old Brian Ingram found the sole link to the only unsolved airline hijacking in U.S. history buried in the sandy banks of the Columbia River.

Now 36, Ingram hopes to auction the weathered bundle of $20 bills as the FBI launches a new effort to find the unknown hijacker who parachuted into the night after taking over the 1971 Northwest Orient Airlines flight."

This Can't be Good

Scientists can read your mind... sort of | NEWS.com.au: "THOUGHTS are successfully being read for the first time by scientists using nothing but a modified MRI scanner and a special computer program.

Researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University in the US city of Pittsburgh have managed to find out if a person was thinking about one of ten physical objects, the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper reported.

The readings, which the newspaper said were 97 per cent accurate, were formed by measuring how the brain “lit up” when a person was thinking about one of ten drawings of buildings and tools."

Been Looking for a new Gig?

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive: "Jan. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Farid Mesbaah, male belly dancer, hopped on a car in Cairo's Shobra district and strutted his stuff.

He clanged metal castanets, magically converted his hips into pistons and twirled his head around like a centrifuge. The crowd at tables lining a dirt alley clapped rhythmically. Young men in jeans jumped up to wiggle along."

This Guy is Texas Tough

Worker cuts off own arm to free himself from machinery | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News: "MANOR, Texas - A worker at a concrete company who got caught in machinery amputated his own arm to free himself Wednesday.

The 52-year-old man went to warm up some equipment at Alamo Concrete at about 4:30 a.m. when he got his sleeve caught. Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services spokesman Warren Hassinger said the man cut off his arm at the elbow to free himself."

Makes Sense to Me

Attorney installs shark tank in office - Yahoo! News: "BOZEMAN, Mont. - It started out as a joke — a lawyer putting a shark tank in his office. 'I said, 'What would it take to put a shark in a lawyer's office?'', and it kind of took off from there, said attorney Christopher Gillette.

On Monday, a crane hoisted a 1,000-gallon aquarium up to a second-story window in Gillette's new office."

George MacDonald Fraser, R. I. P.

George MacDonald Fraser has died. What a loss to fiction. When the first Harry Flashman novel was published in paperback, I picked it up off the paperback rack at the T. G. & Y. Store in Brownwood, Texas, attracted by the dandy cover. I read a couple of paragraphs and bought the book. Ever since that time, I've been a Flashman fan, reading each novel as it appeared in the U. S., either in hardback or paperback, whichever came to hand. I also thoroughly enjoyed The Pyrates, and I also liked Mr. American. When I read on The Rap Sheet about Fraser's passing, my first selfish thought was, "Now we'll never get the story of how Flashy fought on both sides during the Civil War." But now I'm just glad that he wrote the books he did and that I was attracted to that cover.

Evan Tanner and The Owl Take Note

Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep: "In what sounds like a dream for millions of tired coffee drinkers, Darpa-funded scientists might have found a drug that will eliminate sleepiness."

Archaeological Update

Can Ice Age art survive Man’s attempt to save it? - Times Online: "The survival of the most important cave paintings in the world is in doubt because of a severe fungal infection that spread after an air-circulation system was installed to protect them, archaeologists say.

The 17,000-year-old paintings known as “the Sistine Chapel of pre-history” - the Lascaux cave in the Dordogne region of southwest France - are being damaged by black spots that are spreading at an alarming rate. Fragments of the cave walls have broken off and some colour tones are fading. Now Unesco is sending a delegation of specialists to the cave to determine whether it should be placed on its World Heritage in Danger list."

New Issue of Mouth Full of Bullets Now On-Line

I'm pleased to announce that the Winter 2007 Issue of Mouth Full of Bullets Mystery Magazine is now available. Here's the URL: http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com

BJ Bourg
http://www.bjbourg.com

Bottom 10 Moments in Sports (and a Top Ten, Too)

In the Bottom 10, the ones involving kids are really sad.

Positive Coaching :: PCA Blog: "The “Mitchell Report” on steroid use in baseball “tops” PCA's list of the “Bottom 10 Moments in Sports, 2007.” PCA releases this list of the worst behavior in sports from pee-wees to the pros to stimulate discussion among parents, coaches, players and educators. We also list the 'Top 10 Moments in Sports, 2007' and provide Discussing Sports Incidents with Children, to help youth and high school athletes process all the life lessons contained in the Bottom 10 and Top 10 Moments."

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It - 2007 50 Things We Know Now (That We Didn't Know This Time Last Year): "You tend to miss a few things going on in the world when the news focus is on which goofball might have parented Anna Nicole's baby.

To help you catch up on developments both great and small that you might have overlooked, we spent the year casting our net into the stream to catch some tasty info nuggets. We've pushed them into a giant news pill for you to swallow in one gulp."

10 Most-Anticipated Movies of 2008

10 Most-Anticipated Movies of 2008 on Yahoo! Movies

But only a couple are anticipated by me, so that's it. I'm officially an Old Fart. And keep off my lawn.

Happy Birthday, J. D. Salinger

Salinger turns eighty-nine today. Not everybody loves Salinger's work, but I'll never forget the first time I read The Catcher in the Rye. You might think that a kid growing up in smalltown Texas 50 years ago couldn't relate to Holden Caulfield. You'd be wrong. The book knocked me out. I laughed, I cried, I wished I could write like that. I don't know what Salinger's been up to since he went into seclusion, but maybe he's written another book as wonderful as the Catcher. It's something to hope for.

What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet . . .

. . . oh, to hell with it. What the world needs now is a Taser shotgun.

A Taser shotgun for long-range electrifying | CNET News.com: "Taser International will move into production on a projectile that can disable someone up to 98 feet away with a quick blast of electricity.

The company has successfully completed tests with the Office of Naval Research on the Extended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile (XREP). Unlike current Taser guns, this projectile is fired out of a shotgun. When it strikes a target, the projectile transmits a jolt of electricity, and a second round can then be fired.

In current Taser guns, the projectile has the same function, but it is connected to the gun and a power pack with a wire, limiting the range to 25 feet. XREPs are wireless."

Sara Jane Moore Update

Some of you weren't even born when Sara Jane Moore took a shot at an American president, but I remember it well.

Woman who tried to kill Ford freed - Yahoo! News: "SAN FRANCISCO - Sara Jane Moore, who took a shot at President Ford in a bizarre assassination attempt just 17 days after a disciple of Charles Manson tried to kill Ford, was paroled Monday after 32 years behind bars. Moore, 77, was released from the federal prison in Dublin, east of San Francisco, where she had been serving a life sentence, the Bureau of Prisons said."

Local Crime Update

Santa Fe, Texas, is about six miles from Alvin. Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for pointing out this criminal activity in my locality.

iWon News - Man Allegedly Steals Neighbor's Panties: "SANTA FE, Texas (AP) - Police arrested a neighbor after a woman reported some of her undergarments had been stolen from her house. Charles Michael Clark, 30, has been charged with burglary and is free on $20,000 bond. Sgt. Eric Bruss said the woman had been out of town when she returned home and found a barefoot man in the living room. Bruss said the man fled.

Clark was arrested Sunday outside his home, a couple of blocks away, police said.

The woman, whose name hasn't been released, reported a bra and some panties were missing.

Clark told KTRK television that he had been doing drugs and was, quote: 'stoned and stupid.'

Clark also apologized during the television interview.

'I took her bra, but I didn't know nothing about her panties,' Clark said."

D. B. Cooper Update

FBI has 'reignited' Cooper hijacking case - UPI.com: "PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The FBI is resurrecting the mysterious case of D.B. Cooper, who 36 years ago hijacked a plane and parachuted near Portland with $200,000 in stolen loot.

The bureau said in a news release Monday it is releasing new information to the public, including sketches, saying 'You can help.'

'Would we still like to get our man? Absolutely,' the release said. 'And we have reignited the case — thanks to a Seattle case agent named Larry Carr and new technologies like DNA testing.'"

We Interrupt this Blog for an Important News Bulletin

SFGate: Daily Dish : Federline Charms Hilton: "Britney Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline has been photographed chatting intimately to socialite Paris Hilton.

Federline was pictured whispering into the star's ear at a Las Vegas club over the weekend, before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

The couple then shared a joke before partying together for the remainder of the evening."

2007 -- What a Year

It started off just fine, with an Edgar nomination for a story called "Cranked." It doesn't get much better than that. "Cranked" went on to be nominated for an Anthony and a Derringer, winning the latter. One out of three ain't bad. Oddly enough, however, the story wasn't picked for a single "best of the year" anthology. Maybe it wasn't as good as people thought.

Things went pretty much downhill after that. In June Judy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and the rest of the year has been devoted to getting that taken care of. She's now in complete remission and has only one more chemo treatment to go. We're looking forward to reaching the end of that road.

However, on Christmas night, we discovered that Judy's 95-year-old mom has multiple brain tumors. She's in the Clear Lake Regional Medical Center now, and we're waiting to find out what the doctors conclude about our options. Judy has an appointment at MD Anderson on Wednesday, and she can't miss that. I have to be with her. Then her final chemo treatment is a week from today, January 7. She's going to feel terrible after the treatment, which will take the full day. We don't know what we'll do about her mother during that time, since we don't even know where her mother will be. Seems as if 2008 isn't going to get off to a promising start for us.

As you can see, we're not out celebrating tonight. I'm doing this blog entry about a half hour after returning from the hospital, and pretty quickly we'll hit the hay so we can be up and at 'em tomorrow.

My wish for all you blog readers is that 2008 will be a wonderful year, with good health and happiness for all. And if you're out there having fun tonight, drink a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

Dave Barry's Year in Review

Dave Barry's year in review - 12/28/2007 - MiamiHerald.com: "• Toward the end of the year, entire days went by when it was possible to not think about Paris Hilton."

Always worth reading, though I must respectfully disagree with the above assertion.

Craby Joe's, R. I. P.

Franklin Avenue: "Craby Joe's has served as a watering hole to John Fante, Charles Bukowski, and many other great souls who drew from this well of characters and atmosphere from the wrong side of the tracks. Its now-dead neon sign blinked gaily in the opening credits for 'Barfly,' and its pickled eggs were the day's only protein for too many.

Gentrification has come to Skid Row, and now Craby Joe's, the final holdout among the dozens of bars that once lined Main Street, is being shoved into history's dustbin. Its neighbor the Cecil Hotel, already on the skids when Raymond Chandler described it in early short stories, is now a self-described boutique hotel, a destination for the discerning European traveler."

"Tumbleweeds" R. I. P.

'Tumbleweeds' Comic to End This Month After 42 Years: "NEW YORK Tom K. Ryan will end his 'Tumbleweeds' comic Dec. 30 after 42 years.

The 'cowboy comedy strip,' which also includes Native-American characters, is distributed by King Features Syndicate."

Gator Update: New York in 2108

mediabistro.com: UnBeige: "The tropical temperatures have brought a huge alligator problem to Central Park, although New Yorkers have recently taken to taming alligators from birth and keeping them as pets. The city's first 'alligator run' has just opened in Washington Square Park, which is now lush with palm trees."

Stark House March Book

I've heard of these, but I've never run across copies. After reading Ken Bruen's intro, I'm more eager than ever to read the novels themselves. Stark House continues to go great work.

This is Another of Those Links . . .

. . . that you really don't want to click.

John Scoleri's I AM LEGEND Page

In his comment to my post on I Am Legend, John Scoleri mentions that he must be the guy I talked to at a WFC years ago, and indeed he must. He has a great page with all the cover scans. Check it out.

The World's Most Beautiful Libraries

Wow.

This Top Ten Is a Little Different

I've never seen any of these, of course, and I never will, but it was fun to read about them.

The Top 10 Films of 2007 That You Never Heard Of � PopMatters | Blogs | Short Ends and Leader: "As part of this Decalogue, we have three clear comedies, one documentary, three horror films, a pair of avant-garde grindhousers, and a spaghetti western homage. They add up to one amazing set of movies, a collection of creativity the likes of which many of you have never seen."

Attention Bikers

The latest in smart accessories. Thanks to Jeff (Mr. Good Taste) Meyerson for the link.

Croc Update (Snopes Edition)

With extremely gory photos. Beware.

Long, Long Ago . . .

. . . in a land not so far away, on December 29th, Judy Stutts and I had a blind date arranged by our friends Fred Williams and Loibeth Black. And here Judy and I are all those years later, still together. In fact, I don't believe that either of us dated anyone else after that night, when the two couples went to Mart, Texas, and saw a movie called All the Fine Young Cannibals. I'm still in touch with Fred. We e-mail almost every day. Judy and Loibeth are still best friends, and they talked for an hour or so on the phone just yesterday. Judy and I have had some interesting years, certainly none more interesting than 2007, and 2008 looks to prove just as interesting. Wish us luck.

Netscape, R. I. P.

A Sad Milestone: AOL To Discontinue Netscape Browser Development: "Please observe a moment of silence for the Netscape browser. Netscape Navigator, the browser that launched the commercial Internet in October 1994, will die on February 1, 2008. AOL, which acquired Netscape in November 1998 for $4.2 billion, will announce today that they will discontinue development of the browser, currently on version 9."

Cinematic Titanic's First Release

Some MST3K alums are behind this venture. You can read about the release (The Oozing Brain) and see a trailer if you're so inclined.

Cinematic Titanic: "We’re really proud to announce that the first Cinematic Titanic DVD is available for sale! It’s been a fun and busy three months and We really hope you like it. Buy it now!"

CNN's Best and Worst Movies of 2007

Here's the article and list. I've seen one of the best and one of the worst. Given the way things are going, I doubt I'll see any of the rest of them anytime soon. I don't think I'll suffer from the loss.

New Issue of Thrilling Detective Now On-Line

Always a thrill. Click here.

I Am Legend -- Richard Matheson

A guy I met at a World Fantasy Convention years ago told me that he bought every copy of this book that he ran across. I'm pretty much the same way, which explains why I have this SF Book Club edition.

I first read the book when it was published by Gold Medal, long, long ago. Hard to believe I was so young. Hard to believe, too, how much this novel impressed me. I've read it several times since then, and I continue to enjoy it.

You probably know the basic story, even if you haven't read it. As the result of a plague, Robert Neville is the last human on Earth, and he's surrounded by vampires. Every day he goes out to kill them. Every night they surround his house and taunt him.

I have no idea if the science in the book makes any sense. I didn't care 50 years ago, and I don't care now. What matters is that I still find the story powerful. I still get weepy during the episode with the dog.

I haven't seen the new movie version, and it'll be a while before I do, if, in fact, I ever do. But for me it was a pleasure to read the book again and to be caught up in the story.

Archaeological Update

Ancient pyramid found in central Mexico City - International Herald Tribune: "MEXICO CITY: Archeologists have discovered the ruins of an 800-year-old Aztec pyramid in the heart of the Mexican capital that could show the ancient city is at least a century older than previously thought.

Mexican archeologists found the ruins, which are about 36 feet (11 metres) high, in the central Tlatelolco area, once a major religious and political centre for the Aztec elite."

America's Most Literate Cities

Biggest surprise: Alvin, Texas, not listed!

Not a surprise: Minneapolis #1. After all, Stilwell lives there.

Will the Persecution Never End?

Paris losing out on Hilton fortune - Celebrities- msnbc.com: "NEW YORK - Hotel heiress Paris Hilton’s potential inheritance dramatically diminished after her grandfather Barron Hilton announced plans on Wednesday to donate 97 percent of his $2.3 billion fortune to charity."

So What about Writers?

Drugs to build up that mental muscle - Los Angeles Times: "Despite the potential side effects, academics, classical musicians, corporate executives, students and even professional poker players have embraced the drugs to clarify their minds, improve their concentration or control their emotions."

Croc Update (Starring John Schneider and Cloris Leachman)

DVD Talk Review: Lake Placid 2: "Back in 1999, a fun little creature feature comedy called Lake Placid was released on the big screen. It's ever since been one of my favorite guilty pleasures. The movie had it all: giant crocodiles, funny cartoonish secondary characters, a nice little romance, and Betty White spewing out obscenities right and left. I don't think the movie made many waves upon its initial release, but it's subsequently become a minor cult classic.

Apparently, it has enough of a cult following that someone decided it would be a good idea to resurrect Lake Placid as a franchise, and lo and behold we now have the ingeniously titled Lake Placid 2 courtesy of Sony Pictures and the Sci-Fi Channel."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

At 60% of Total, Texas is Bucking Execution Trend - New York Times: "This year’s death penalty bombshells — a de facto national moratorium, a state abolition and the smallest number of executions in more than a decade — have masked what may be the most significant and lasting development. For the first time in the modern history of the death penalty, more than 60 percent of all American executions took place in Texas."

No Good Way to Say This

Judy's mother has a urinary tract infection, all right, but that's the good news. She also has a brain tumor, which overwhelmingly like to be malignant. She's 95, so I doubt that the doctors will recommend aggressive treatment. We got very little sleep last night, and I'm not sure how much more of this kind of news we can handle. Sorry to burden you with it, but your good thoughts and prayers will be much appreciated, as usual. Don't know how much blogging I'll get done. I'm not much in the mood, and we'll be at the hospital a lot for a while, I'm sure. Not to mention Judy's own appointments. Thanks for sticking by us.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Or, Christmas in the ER. Judy's 95-year-old mother is spending Christmas with us. She's very stoic and won't tell people when she's not well, but today it became evident that she wasn't. She was disoriented and tired, and we finally took her temperature around 6:00 p.m. It was over 100, so after some argument we bundled her off the the Alvin urgent care center. I'm just back from there to pick up a few things, and then I'll head for Clear Lake, where she's being admitted to the hospital. She has "a raging bladder infection," which might (and we certainly hope so) account for the disorientation. We have no idea how long she'll be in the hospital. Judy has an appointment at MD Anderson on Thursday.

Have I mentioned that I'm spending way too much time in medical facilities? At any rate, if I disappear for a while, you'll know why.

The Big Book of Pulps

I got The Big Book of Pulps for Christmas. Glancing through the ToC, I failed to see the name of Robert Leslie Bellem. Maybe I just missed it. Anyway, here's the kind of thing that's missing. This is from "Dump the Jackpot," which appeared in Speed Detective in the September 1943 issue. It was reprinted in Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective, edited by John Wooley:

A thunderous bellow flashed from Dave Donaldson's service .38, full the the prop man's elly-bay. Welch gasped like a leaky flue, hugged his punctured tripes, and slowly doubled over, fell flat on his smeller. A bullet can give a man a terrific case of indigestion.

The Holiday Spirit is Rampant in Brooklyn

NAKED KNIFE FIGHT: "December 24, 2007 -- A naked Brooklyn man waving a knife chased a terrifed young teenager and two women into an elevator yesterday, slashing at them as the doors closed on his arm, police and witnesses said.

'I'm going to kill you,' the man screamed after the three interrupted a fight he was having with an also-naked woman at 3 p.m. in a hallway at the Bushwick Houses, said resident Shawanda Sanders."

Christmas Morning

It's Christmas morning, and all through the house, not a creature is stirring except for me an a couple of the cats. So, feeling nostalgic about Christmases past, I started to look through an album of old family photos and ran across this one. It's probably not from but it was certainly wintertime. That's me on the right, but I didn't make the snowman. My parents did. I helped, though. I remember that snowman well, and I thought the pipe was an excellent touch. The snowman's pretty small, but I was highly impressed by it. I still am. I don't think I've ever seen a better one in all the years since.

As you can see, there aren't any other houses around. For the first five years or so of my life, we lived a mile or so outside of town. We had chickens, and I loved to look for their eggs. We had a milk cow, and although it's been a long time, I think I could still walk right outside and milk a cow if I had to. I doubt that I'll ever help build another snowman, though.

Joy to the World . . .

My traditional holiday greeting to all the readers of the blog. (Except I believe I skipped last year.) May your days be merry and bright, and may 2008 be filled with only good things.

There's a new slide show to the right. Take a look.

Caiman Update

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the update. Photo at link.

Trinidad News, Trinidad Newspaper, Trinidad Sports, Trinidad politics, Trinidad and Tobago, Tobago News, Trinidad classifieds, Trinidad TV, Sports, Business: "JOY MOORE received a shock yesterday morning when she opened her toilet bowl only to see a black lizard-like creature, struggling to climb out.

She immediately slammed back down the lid of the bowl and was hysterical for the rest of the day, she said.

Much to her chagrin, she found out later that it was 'most likely' a baby caiman, a South American relative of the alligator, that might have made its way into the sewer system during yesterday's heavy rains and floods and ended up in her toilet bowl."

World's Oldest Living Thing

It's not me.

Archaeological Update

Ancient villas, baths restored in Rome - Yahoo! News: "ROME - The restored ruins of two opulent Roman villas and private thermal baths will open to the public Saturday, along with a 3-D reconstruction that offers a virtual tour of the luxurious residences discovered in downtown Rome.

The 19,375-square-foot complex, dating from the second to fourth centuries, features well-preserved mosaic and marble floors, bathtubs and collapsed walls that archaeologists believe belonged to a domus — the richly decorated residences of Rome's wealthy and noble families."

Eureka -- William Diehl

So tell me this: Why is it that whenever someone writes a southern California crime novel the reviews says things like "Comparisons will be made to Dashiell Hammett and James Ellroy's noir thrillers" and "Eureka will make you believe Raymond Chandler still lives"? Especially when the book has nothing at all in common with Hammett or Chandler. And, as we all know, there are some (me, for one) who would argue that Hammett didn't write "noir thrillers."

But who cares? What we actually have here is a sprawling novel that spans five decades, starting back in 1900 and ending in 1946. Maybe it has a little in common with Ross Macdonald because one of its themes is the effect of the past on the present. An L. A. cop, Zeke Bannon, and his partner discover that a woman found dead in her bathtub, victim of an apparent accident, has been receiving payments of $500 a month for twenty years or so. Then they find out that the "accident" was murder. This leads them to the town of San Pietro, once known as Eureka, and to Brodie Culhane, the chief of police, who has ambitions to become governor. Culhane's past has already been sketched out earlier in the book, and though he seems quite the hero to the reader, Bannon thinks he might be dirty. Bannon's investigation leads to mayhem, chicanery, and a couple of good twists. Even when the case is wrapped up, it's not wrapped up. The answers to everything finally come in an epilogue that takes place after Bannon returns from service in WWII.

I don't usually read this kind of novel. I picked it up in a hospital waiting room, and thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm not sorry I did. The historical details are interesting and, as far as I can tell, accurate. The good guys are really good, and the bad guys are really bad. The book is too long, but it moves so fast that I didn't mind. I did kind of mind the romance subplot with Bannon and a beautiful, wealthy woman. It's so unlikely that even I couldn't quite swallow it. There were some problems with the narration that really bothered me. I don't like it when a first person narrative is interrupted by italicized third-person comments. And I wondered what happened to the dog. Still, if you like epic-sized crime novels, this one shouldn't disappoint you.

I'm Not the Only One Who Needs a Proofreader

Or maybe it's not a mistake.

Paul defends asking for special projects - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON - Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul on Sunday defended his efforts in Congress to bring home money to his Texas district, despite his long-held aversion to big government and congressional votes to reign in federal spending."

It's Calder Willingham's Birthday

Calder Willingham (1922-1995) is one of those writers most people have forgotten, but I remember him well. That's because in 1963 I read a book of his called Eternal Fire. I was highly impressed, and I still have that old paperback on my shelves. At the time I didn't know about his movie work, including the screenplay for Paths of Glory (which had some punching up by Jim Thompson, as I recall) and One-Eyed Jacks (which I suspect had some additions by Marlon Brando). He also collaborated with Buck Henry on the screenplay for The Graduate.

You Don't Really Want to Click This Link

‘Wild Lindsay demanded sex’ | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|Bizarre: "LINDSAY LOHAN’S ex-boyfriend has revealed how the actress was an insatiable nymphomaniac addicted to marathon sex sessions."

Reader's Almanac Has Returned

If you missed Bill Peschel's Reader's Almanac, you'll be glad to know that it's been back in business at the old location for a few days now. Check it out.

Hairspray

It's hard not to like a movie as full of good will as this one, which presents 1962 as it never was but as it should have been: clean, colorful, and pretty much harmless, with lots of singing and dancing. It had me right from the first scene when Tracey (Nikki Blonsky) jumps out of bed with a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

Luckily for the audience, Tracey shares the song with us, and the whole opening sequence is bouncy with infectious happiness. In fact, the whole movie is bouncy and happy, and it carried me right along with it. I loved the colors, the songs, the dancing, and the actors, even John Travolta in his fat suit.

I liked the earlier version of the movie, too, the one with Ricki Lake, who turns up in a cameo. So does John Waters in another brief bit I liked. The plot in this one is pretty much the same, about the dance party TV program, the racism, and the beauty contest, but the energy and enthusiasm of the cast are what carry the show. If you need cheering up, this is one you can watch and get results.