Hmmmmmmm

Thanks to George Kelley for the link.
Dirty, sexy money: The writer Rupert Smith on his lucrative porn-lit sideline - Features, Books - The Independent: "With his legit literary career heading for the doldrums, a despondent Rupert Smith took on a 'nom de porn', James Lear, and entered the parallel universe of erotica. Now he sells more copies than Alan Hollinghurst..."

Gator Update (Gang Member Edition)

N.J. Police Nab 91 Gang Suspects, One Gator - News Story - WNBC | New York: "TRENTON, N.J. -- State Police and Plainfield police have arrested 91 alleged members of local gangs in a series of raids, authorities said.

The arrests happened in waves, with 46 people being nabbed between Jan. 23 and March 20, and 24 more arrested Wednesday and Thursday.

Police said they confiscated weapons, a stun gun and a bulletproof vest as well as large quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy, Oxycontin and marijuana.

'Their reign of terror ended this morning when they woke up,' a state police spokesman said Thursday.

New Jersey State Police also told WNBC.com's Brian Thompson that a live alligator was discovered in one of the raided homes. The alligator was taken to an animal shelter.

The alligator measured 3 feet. It is not clear if the alligator may have been kept for security, as a pet, or for some other reason."

The Destroyer!

Tor Books has a good interview with Destroyer authors Warren Murphy and Jim Mullaney up at The Destroyer Club.

The Black Keys

I'm not fond of a lot of contemporary music, but for some reason I like The Black Keys.

Alas, no Asp

Discovery News : Discovery Channel: "April 1, 2008 -- Popular lore holds that in Cleopatra's last moments, the distraught queen -- who had just lost her kingdom and learned of her lover's demise -- smuggled a poisonous snake into her locked chamber and died, along with two ladies-in-waiting, of a self-inflicted snake bite.

Such a scenario is next to impossible, according to Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley, who shatters the 'snakebite suicide' myth in her new book, Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt, just published in Europe and slated for an upcoming U.S. release."

Top Gator Photo of the Day

Click here.

Emshwiller: Infinity X Two: The Life and Art of Ed and Carol Emshwiller -- Luis Ortiz

When I was a kid, my favorite SF artists were Emsh, Freas, and Finlay. I have a terrible eye, but I could recognize their work easily, and I liked all of it. Looking at the paintings in this book brought back a flood of memories, and I was surprised at how many of them I recognized instantly. I knew which magazines the cover paintings had appeared on without having to look at the comments about them, and I even remembered where a lot of the interiors appeared. I guess that some things make a huge impression on you when you're young.

While this book is worth its price just for the artwork alone, it's also a biography of Ed and Carol Emshwiller, and it goes into Ed's films as well as his magazine work. So there are lots of snippets from the films as well. Carol's contributions to the films are mentioned, but it's her stories that most people will remember. I can still remember reading "Pelt" many years ago in F&SF.

This is a book. Of particular interest to me were the paintings for covers that I'd never seen, the ones on the men's sweat mags and the mystery mags. You need a copy if you're a fan of either Emshwiller or of both of them. Great stuff.

Fossil Feces Update

Evidence Supports Earlier Date for People in North America - New York Times: "Exploring Paisley Caves in the Cascade Range of Oregon, archaeologists have found a scattering of human coprolites, or fossil feces. The specimens preserved 14,000-year-old human protein and DNA, which the discoverers said was the strongest evidence yet of the earliest people living in North America."

Remembering Bette Davis

Remembering Bette Davis on centennial of her birth - International Herald Tribune: "Bette Davis, born 100 years ago this week, made her first appearance on film in 1931 and her last in 1989, and like every star of her generation she was always ready for her close-up."

Hmmmmmmm

HarperCollins Unit to Pay Little or No Author Advances - WSJ.com: "In a radical departure from traditional book-publishing practices, News Corp.'s HarperCollins Publishers is launching a new business that won't accept returns from retailers. In addition, the new entity intends to pay little or nothing in the way of advances to its authors.

Instead, the unit, which hasn't yet been named, will share its profits with writers and focus much of its sales efforts on the Internet. In recent years, Amazon.com Inc., the nation's largest online book retailer by sales, has gained market share from bricks-and-mortar stores. News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., which publishes The Wall Street Journal.

The move by HarperCollins comes at a time when the book publishing and book retailing industries are battling to generate new sales and attract more readers."

Magnum, P. I.?

I, for one, hope not.

The Policeman is your Friend

S.C. cops under fire - BostonHerald.com: "COLUMBIA, S.C. - A state trooper is seen kicking a suspect in the head repeatedly after a high-speed interstate chase in the latest in a string of alarming Highway Patrol videos to be released.

In other videos, a trooper punches a suspect several times in the face after a pursuit, and another officer appears to hit a suspect with his shotgun barrel in a traffic stop.

The Department of Public Safety released the 2006 videos Monday after media requests. They are the latest to surface showing South Carolina troopers acting aggressively toward suspects."

Hang 'em High

Brazil mass alligator slaughter discovered: official | Environment | Reuters: "BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian authorities discovered the slaughter of around 740 alligators in a nature reserve in the Amazon forest, a state official said on Tuesday.

Inspectors of the Amazon state's environmental protection agency IPAAM confiscated roughly eight tons of skinned and salted alligator corpses in the Piagacu-Purus reserve, some 190 miles west of the state capital Manaus.

'We were surprised and shocked,' Aldenira Queiroz, an agency director, told Reuters by telephone from Manaus. 'This indicates a large-scale commercial operation.'

The meat was to be sold for human consumption in neighboring Para state, she said. It will now probably be incinerated.

The alligator skins, the most valuable part of the animal, were dumped in rivers, an IPAAM spokesman said.

Some environmentalists have said that the reserve is a favorite hunting ground for local politicians and wealthy businessmen."

Bomb Canada!

CANOE -- JAM! Television: Paris Hilton faces Cdn. border rules: "MONTREAL - Paris Hilton will have to give at least one autograph before she sets a dainty foot in Canada this weekend - on a request to enter the country submitted to the Canada Border Services Agency.

That's because the ex-con's record isn't limited to her self-titled debut album, 'Paris,' which came out in 2006.

A misdemeanour traffic violation led to a criminal conviction for the 27-year-old celebrity that resulted in her spending 22 days behind bars last year."

The Ballad of Lost C'Mell, New Edition

Cow-human cross embryo lives three days | NEWS.com.au: "HUMAN-cow embryos have been created in a world first at Newcastle University in England, hailed by the scientific community, but labelled 'monstrous' by opponents.

A team has grown hybrid embryos after injecting human DNA into eggs taken from cows' ovaries, which had most of their genetic material removed."

Croc Update (A Poke in the Eye Edition)

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

'No time for fear' says croc-attack rescuer | NEWS.com.au: "A MAN jumped on the back of a crocodile and poked its eyes to free his wife from the reptile's jaws during an attack at a Northern Territory river.

Norm Moreen, 39, has been praised for his heroism for leaping on to the 2.5 metre saltwater crocodile after it yesterday seized his wife, Wendy Petherick, from a river bank at Litchfield National Park, southwest of Darwin."

Insect Update

Photo and video at link.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Secret 'dino bugs' revealed: "It is like a magic trick - at first there is nothing and then it appears: a tiny insect unseen by any eye for 100 million years.

We are with Paul Tafforeau who is scrolling through images on his computer.

His pictures have been produced by a colossal X-ray machine that can illuminate the insides of small lumps of clouded amber (fossil tree resin).

As he plays with the settings, what starts out as grey nothingness suddenly becomes the unmistakable outline of a 'wee beastie'."

Harry Crews

The Doc and I mentioned Harry Crews in a comment or two, and then the #1 Crimedog posts this video link. Coincidence? I report, you decide.

Something New Has Been Added

If you ever happen to look at the list of links on the right, down there below the slideshow, you'll notice that they've been changed. Now, the links appear with the most recently updated link on top. The topic of the latest post is displayed, too. Very cool stuff.

And Somewhere Someone Opened the Sixth Seal

Mariah Carey Surpasses Elvis in No. 1s: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - With her 18th chart-topper 'Touch My Body,' Mariah Carey has passed Elvis Presley for the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard singles chart, and is now second only to the Beatles."

Happy Birthday, Emmylou Harris!

This was 20 years ago. She looks even better now and still sings like a fallen angel.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Buy the T-shirt here.

Even in Finland . . .

. . . the politicians are horn dogs.

The Associated Press: Finland's Foreign Minister Ousted: "HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — Finland's foreign minister was ousted Tuesday by his conservative party over a text message scandal involving an erotic dancer.

The scandal, which had been making headline news for weeks, had eroded trust in and respect for Ilkka Kanerva, said Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen, chairman of the National Coalition Party, which holds the Foreign Ministry post in the coalition government."

The National Geographic?

Not really. It's a Harvard Lampoon parody of that venerable publication, and it has -- ta-da! -- Paris Hilton on the cover. You know you need a copy, at your local newsstand now!

Here's what the good sports at National Geographic have to say, and here are some more photos.

Gator Update (Nuisance Edition)

Rusty Burke tells me that the earlier link to this on-going story is broken. But he sends along this update. Video at link (as long as it's working).

Nuisance gators end up on the menu - 04/02/2008 - MiamiHerald.com: "Used to be, you blocked a busy road and you got a ticket. Now they turn you into a handbag or back scratcher.

The nine-foot alligator that was cornered and captured Tuesday morning after a traffic-stopping appearance at U.S. 441 and Bailey Road was sold to a processing facility for $280."

Derringer Nominees from the Short Mystery Fiction Society

We are pleased to announce this year's Derringer Award nominees.

The nominees for Best Story 0 to 1000 words are:

--Keri Clark, "Saved" (Mysterical-E, Fall 2007)

--BV Lawson, "Dreaming of a Spite Christmas" (Mouth Full of Bullets,
Winter 2007)

--Jillian Berg, "A Woman Scorned" (Mouth Full of Bullets, Autumn 2007)

--Keri Clark, "Your New Fan" (Mouth Full of Bullets, Winter 2007)

--Patricia Abbott, "My Hero" (D Z Allen's Muzzle Flash, 2007)

The nominees for Best Story 1001 to 4000 words are:

--Beverle Graves Myers, "Brimstone P.I." (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery
Magazine, May 2007)

--Hugh Lessig, "We All Come From Splattertown" (Thuglit, Issue 17,
July 2007)

--Rick Noetzel, "Joyride" (Shred of Evidence, Dec., 2007)

--Jack Hardway, "Handful of Stars" (Mouth Full of Bullets, Issue 5,
Autumn 2007)

--John Weagly, "In the Shadows of Wrigley Field" (The Back Alley,
Vol. I, Nov 2007)

--Camille LaGuire, "The Promise" (Future's Mysterious Anthology
Magazine, March-April 2007)

The nominees for Best Story 4001 to 8000 words are:

--Twist Phalen, "A Trader's Lot" (Wall Street Noir, Akashic Books,
June, 2007)

--John Schroeder, "Devil's Lake" (Futures Anthology Magazine, Jan/Feb
2007)

--Herschel Cozine, "A Private Hanging" (Mysterical-E, Summer, 2007)

--Kate Flora, "Mr. McGregor's Garden" (Still Waters, Level Best
Books, 2007)

--Rosemary Harris, "Growing Up is For Losers" (Still Waters, Level
Best Books, 2007)

--Richard Helms, "The Gospel According to Gordon Black" (The
Thrilling Detective, Fall 2007)

The nominees for Best Story 8001 to 17,500 words are:

--Beverle Graves Myers, "The Bookworm's Demise"(Alfred Hitchcock
Mystery Magazine, Dec. 2007)

--Eric Shane, "Paper Walls / Glass Houses" (The Back Alley Vol.1,
June 2007)

--John Burdett, "The Enlightenment of Magnus McKay" (Wall Street
Noir, June 2007)

--Mike Wiecek, "Wasting Assets" (Alfred Hitchcock Sept., 2007)
Clifford Royal Johns, "Forget Me Not" (Mysterical-E, Fall 2007)

Congratulations to the nominees -- way to go!

Joyce Holland, 2008 Derringer Awards Coordinator
Molly MacRae, SMFS Vice President
Stephen Johnston, SMFS President

PS. (In cases of a tie for fifth place, both stories were included in
the selction of finalists.)

Peru Update

Photo at link.

Ancient gold necklace discovered in Peru - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON - The earliest known gold jewelry made in the Americas has been discovered in southern Peru. The gold necklace, made nearly 4,000 years ago, was found in a burial site near Lake Titicaca, researchers report in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

Sleeping Dogs -- Ed Gorman

Seems as if James Reasoner and I read a lot of the same books, and we often share the same opinions of them. I certainly share his admiration for Ed Gorman's latest novel. In fact, I might even like it more than James does. My feeling is that if this book had been published by someone like, say John Grisham, it would have been given a big push, some great promotion, and a big first printing. Reviewers from the big publications would have gushed over it. It's better written than a Grisham book, though, and, sad to say, it won't sell nearly as well as one of those. That's what they get for using Ed's picture on the cover. (Just kidding, Ed!)

The book is a mystery novel, but that's only secondary. What it really is, is a look at a political campaign from the inside. Nobody comes off very well, not the liberal senator that Dev Conrad, the narrator, works for, and certainly not his opponent. Everybody wants to win, and if that means playing dirty, so be it.

Nearly every page of this book has some sharp observation or some penetrating insight into the political system. Sometimes both. If this is the first of a new series, I'm all for it. By all means, check it out.

Scribe Award Nominees

Click the link for all the nominees.

A Writer's Life: Scribe Award Nominees Announced: "The Second Annual Scribe Awards, presented by the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, acknowledges and celebrates excellence in licensed tie-in writing -- novels based on TV shows, movies, and games. The IAMTW is proud to announce this years nominees for the Scribe Award."

Gator Update ("Very Large" Edition)

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link. Photos and video available with a click.

'Very large' gator collared on U.S. 441 - 04/01/2008 - MiamiHerald.com: "Why did the alligator cross the road? Cops don't know, but authorities collared the nine footer Tuesday morning after a half-hour standoff that slowed traffic to a crawl on U.S. 441.

The gator was spotted about 7:15 a.m. at U.S. 441 and Bailey Road. The reptile was seen by construction workers, who called 911, bringing the Broward Sheriff's Office to the scene."

10 Years!

The Thrilling Detective Website is celebrating 10 years on the web. Contents of the latest issue can be found here. Looks like plenty of good reading. Kevin Burton Smith has more to say about the anniversary on his TD blog.

There's Good News Tonight!

Okay, so it's April 1, but this is no joke. I just heard from Joe Lansdale that Hap and Leonard are ready to make their triumphant return in Vanilla Ride, which has been picked up by Knopf. No pub date yet, but it's something to look forward to.

Spring Issue of Mysterical-E Now On-Line

Good line-up. You can read it here.

Sweeper: Viruses by Lew Stowe
A Courtesan's Death by Tom Rynard
Shae by Frank Zafiro
Band of the Hand by Scott Robinson
Charted Waters by Tom Underhill
Daddy's Little Girl by Larry D. Sweazy
Downpour by Larry Tyler
Fiesta by Steve Torres
Jack Best and the Scorpion Blonde by Steve Olley
No Harm Done by Daniel B. Young
The Blue Goose by Kin Smith
The Best Laid Plans by Kris Ashton
Today You Die by Herschel Cozine
Utopia by Bryon Quertermous
Wink and a Smile by J. Alan Brown
And columns and stuff, like this one by Gerald So.

D.B. Cooper Update

Expert: Parachute not D.B. Cooper's - UPI.com: "AMBOY, Wash., April 1 (UPI) -- An old parachute found in rural Washington last week wasn't used by skyjacker D.B. Cooper back in 1971, an expert said Monday night.

Earl Cossey told The (Portland) Oregonian Monday night an FBI agent took the parachute to his home last Friday and asked him if he believed it could be the one Cooper used when he leaped from a Northwest Airlines flight the night of Nov. 24, 1971, with $200,000 in ransom money.

'Not even close, not even close,' said Cossey, who packed the four parachutes given to Cooper."

Time to Take Action

Thanks, again, to Jeff Meyerson.

On the road to saving two Kerouac sites: "Poring over books and maps in his mom's Ozone Park apartment, Jack Kerouac planned the most famous road trip in literary history - and embarked on it in 1947.

But neither the walk-up where Kerouac plotted his cross-country exploits, nor a South Richmond Hill home where he worked on the classic novel 'On the Road,' are protected with city landmark status."

I Was Nowhere Around

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Dwarf Crocodile Snatched From Aquarium: "OSLO, Norway (AP) - A dwarf crocodile has been snatched from the Bergen aquarium by apparently knowledgeable thieves who broke into its cage and walked out with the 27-inch reptile named Taggen, the aquarium director said Monday.

'We know that somebody broke into the cage,' Kees Oscar Ekeli, a marine biologist and head of the Bergen Aquarium, said by telephone. 'It was almost tame. This one comes over when you open the cage, so capturing it was no big feat.'

The missing four-year-old Taggen is a Paleosuchus Trigonatus, also known by the name Schneider's dwarf caiman. Ekeli said such smooth-fronted caimans are among one of the world's smallest species of crocodile, can grow to 21.5 feet, and are normally found in South America."

Carnival of the Criminal Minds

The Carnival of Criminal Minds has come to town courtesy of the lovely and talented Barbara Fister. Come one, come all.

There are no sideshows in this carnival, just main attractions, that is, links to other crime fiction blogs so you can check 'em out. (Some might argue that this isn't really a crime fiction blog, and who am I to argue? Still, I'm going to use the word other because I want to.) You can find the previous carnival here, and the next one will be here. But I digress.

Where should we begin? Well, I guess we could begin and end with Crimespot, the blog aggregator that will give you links to a lot more blogs than this one will. I won't end there, however, even though my natural laziness leads me to want to. Instead, I'll press on.

Next up is A Writer's Life, where Lee Goldberg reviews books, gives you the TV Main Title of the Day, and tells of his great love for fanfic.

Bookgasm doesn't devote itself exclusively to crime fiction, but there are a lot of reviews of it there. Not to mention other good stuff. It's a don't-miss daily visit.

Jon the Crimespree guy doesn't update the Central Crime Zone every day, but when he does, you don't want to miss out.

And speaking of Jordans, there's the velvet fist in the iron glove of Jennifer Jordan, Human under Construction. Not always mystery-related, but I, of all people, can't complain.

You all must already have Sarah Weinman's blog bookmarked. She gets more hits in ten minutes at Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind than I get in a week.

Wanna know what's happening in crime fiction in Ireland? Declan Burke says that Crime Always Pays.

Over at the Crime Fiction Dossier, David Montgomery will tell you about the Book of the Week, among other things. (Yes, it's true that none of my books have never been Book of the Week, but I'm a big-hearted guy.)

You gotta keep up with the Crime Dogs, and Anthony Neil Smith is Crimedog One.

Short stories? I love 'em. So do the folks at Criminal Brief.

Lonnie Cruse writes books about '57 Chevrolets, so you know I'm going to check her blog and go Cruse'n with Lonnie now and then.

How young is Dave White? Dave White is so young that I have shirts older than Dave White. His Writing Block often features video from an obscure TV series that only he watches.

Peter Rozovsky keeps as close watch on crime fiction outside the U.S., and you'll want to keep up with Detectives Beyond Borders, too.

Speaking of which, Martin Edwards, over in Merrie England, has a thoughtful and entertaining blog with one of my favorite titles: Do You Write under Your Own Name?

No matter whether he's writing about books or movies or anything else, Ed Gorman is always worth reading. A definite must.

There are too many Femmes Fatales for me to list, so just check the blog.

Allan Guthrie is a Hard Man, and those are good to find.

Hey, There's a Dead Guy in the Living Room is another group blog. And wotta group! You'll have to take a look if you didn't click the link above. They hosted the carnival before me.

I'm sure none of The Lady Killers has ever really killed anyone. Right? Right?

Some very funny women write The Lipstick Chronicles, but sometimes they get serious.

The Murderati are something like the literati except they write about murder. And a whole lot of other stuff.

The best source of crime-related writing research on the 'net? Maybe Steve Lewis's Mystery*File. See if you agree.

Reviews of short stories? What a great idea. They can be found at Nasty, Brutish, and Short.

Patti Abbott writes crime stories. Hey, she lives in Detroit. What would you expect? Motown tunes?

Poe's Deadly Daughters is another group blog, always fun to read.

Mark Coggins sits behind Riordan's Desk. Interesting posts and interesting pictures.

James Reasoner is the author of Dust Devils, one of the best books of 2007, as well as a few hundred (I'm not making that up) other books. He's a nice guy with a few Rough Edges.

Sandra Ruttan is shy about expressing her opinions, but occasionally she'll let something slip at Sandrababbler.

I've known Sandra Scoppottone for a while. I'm even tuckerized in one of her books. So naturally I read her Writing Thoughts.

Sean Doolittle is another of the Crime Dogs.

I can't spell Duane Swierczynski's name, but I can refer you to the Secret Dead Blog. Maybe you can learn to spell it. His name, that is.

Steve Hockensmith and I recently interviewed each other, so naturally he's a fine guy and someone whose blog you should read. Now.

Steven Torres writes about Precinct Puerto Rico, but he blogs at The Crime Time Cafe.

Beth Foxwell, aka The Bunburyist, will keep you posted about lots of good stuff.

While I love the glamor shots at The Good Girls Kill for Money Club, the posts are good, too.

Everybody needs a laugh. Steve Brewer will send you one from The Home Front.

Don't we all want to know The Naked Truth about Literature and Life?

The Rap Sheet is essential reading. 'Nuff said.

Ray Banks is The Saturday Boy. He's shy and retiring.

When the apocalypse comes, Victor Gischler, Crime Dog, will be ready. He already hosts the Blogpocalypse.

J. D. (Dusty) Rhoades is another shy flower. One of these days he'll let go and speak his mind at What Fresh Hell is This?

Writers Plot isn't about gardening. Well, sometimes it is.

Cats & Crime & Rock & Roll is Clea Simon's blog. I love the name. What more could one ask for?

Patrick Shawn Bagley is the Maine Crime Writer. And a poet, to boot.

The Sons of Spade is devoted to the fictional P. I. It's hosted by J. V. D. Steen, who writes P. I. novels and rock criticism. The site's in English, though Steen isn't. English, that is.

Ben Rehder writes very funny books, and sometimes his posts are funny, too. Sometimes, though, they're about bunnies.

Paul Bishop is an L. A. cop and a writer of good books. He walks Bish's Beat.

Susan Wittig Albert walks the Texas Hill Country, and you can find out what's blooming there at Lifescapes.

I got carried away, didn't I? I guess it was to be expected, and while I didn't include all the things I could (and probably should) have, it's time to close down the carnival for today. I hope you all had fun and that you won at least one stuffed animal.

Top 100 April Fool's Hoaxes

No jokes from me today, but here are some good ones from the past.

And how did the jokes on April Fool's Day get started, anyway? Apparently, nobody knows.

What Might Have Been

Hat tip to Chris Roberson.

A Review

Frequent commenter Benjie Potter writes about Of All Sad Words.

Robert E. Howard Days Update

The Brownwood Bulletin - Brownwood, TX > Archives > News > Author to be featured at this year’s Robert E. Howard Days: "CROSS PLAINS: An author who gained international fame when his Conan character was immortalized by Hollywood will again be the focus of a weekend of study and events in Cross Plains during June.

The humorous writings of Howard will be examined at a celebration dinner on Friday, June 13, in Cross Plains, and the speaker will be Mark Finn of Vernon, author of “Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard.”"

Murdaland

Check out this interview with Murdaland editor Michael Langnas. Great stuff.

Happy Birthday, John D. Loudermilk!

If you don't know who John D. Loudermilk is, then you must by younger than I am. Even at that, you might have heard one of his songs. He wrote a lot of good ones.

John D. Loudermilk - bio, pictures, lyrics, songs - extensive webpages about the man and his music: "John D. Loudermilk was born on March 31, 1934 in Durham, North Carolina. One of the most productive Nashville songwriters in the 1960s, he acquired a prominent place in the rock, teen, pop and country music of that decade."

Gator Update (He Has God on his Side Edition)

winnipegsun.com - Ian Shanley - Holy visions: "Owner Michael Wilk from Wisconsin was astonished and almost sober when he noticed white markings pop out against a backdrop of black scales on the side of his four-feet long pet alligator's side, spelling the word God."

Horny Vegetarian Update

Beach dinosaur a horny vegetarian with frills - 26 Mar 2008 - NZ Herald: Science News from New Zealand and around the World: "Scientists have discovered a new species of plant-eating dinosaur in Mexico whose large neck frill and three giant horns helped it attract mates and fight predators on a jungly beach 72 million years ago.

Mexico's Coahuila desert - now rocky and cactus-filled - was once covered by ocean where dinosaurs of all kinds thrived along the coast and hid from a giant relative of the fierce predator tyrannosaurus rex.

Palaeontologists say they have found evidence of a new species here related to the triceratops, known to have the largest head of any animal ever to have walked the earth."

Top 10 Most Outrageous Moments from "The Transporter" Film Series

Top 10 Most Outrageous Moments from "The Transporter" Film Series | AlwaysWatching.org: "In honor of yesterday's news that Jason Statham will soon be kicking some more collective bad-guy ass in a new Transporter film, here are the top 10 most outrageous, awesome, and insane moments from the cinematic masterpieces that comprise The Transporter series."

The Horror

Congress investigates the comics.

Yes, Another List I'm not On

The 101 most useful websites - Telegraph: "There are tens of millions of sites to visit. Not forgetting telegraph.co.uk, here are the only ones you actually need. Compiled by David Baker."

Back Home Again in Scenic Alvin

We got back from the AggieCon yesterday around noon, so we had plenty of time to clean up after the cats and catch our breath. As always we had a great time at Texas A&M, and even though Joe Lansdale wasn't there this year, we caught up with Scott and Sandi Cupp, Wille and Chuck Siros, Tom and Barbara Knowles, Kim, Renee, and others. The culinary highlight of the weekend was a trip with Tom and Barbara to Hullabaloo's, where I had the Redneck Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, which is a regular Philly Cheesesteak, with a couple of slices of thick-sliced bacon added. Ummm, bacon.

No Arse Cheeks?

You'll have to let Allan Guthrie explain.

Oh. My. God.

Madonna wants to remake Casablanca - and of all the places in all the world, she plans to set it in war-torn Iraq | the Daily Mail: "It is one of the greatest films of Hollywood's golden era, a triple Oscar-winning classic with electrifyingly charismatic stars and a script bursting with memorable lines.

But now Madonna has stunned the movie industry with plans to remake Casablanca – and this time set it in Iraq."

An Interview with Me

It appears on the Campaign for the American Reader blog, and the questions came from Steve Hockensmith. My questions for Steve will be published tomorrow. Check 'em out.

Stardust

I read Neil Gaiman's book several years ago and liked it quite a bit. However, I think in this case, rare as it is for me to say this, I liked the movie even more. It's a little too long, but that's the only fault I can find with it. Movies like this, for whatever reason, seem to drag out their endings, and this one's no different. Aside from that, though, I loved it.

Fine performances all around. Michelle Pfeiffer is maybe more beautiful than ever. Robert DiNiro seems to be having a wonderful time, and Claire Danes is a lovely star, not that Sienna Miller is bad, herself. The lightning-catcher airship is everything you could ask, and while I'd never seen Charlie Cox before, or at least that I remember, he was dandy as the young hero.

I seem to remember that Stardust was a disappointment at the box office. I have no idea why that would be. I thought it was a fine piece of entertainment. I guess not everbody likes the same things I do. Imagine that.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Successful Medical Necessity Defense in Texas Marijuana Case: "This week Tim Stevens, a 53-year-old Amarillo man who smokes marijuana to relieve the cyclical vomiting syndrome associated with HIV infection, used a necessity defense to win an acquittal on a possession charge. His attorney, Jeff Blackburn, says this appears to be the first time the defense, which argues that breaking the law was necessary to prevent a harm worse than the one the law is aimed at preventing, has been successful in a Texas marijuana case."

Side by Side #8

Side by Side #7

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Two-headed calf in Van Alstyne: "VAN ALSTYNE, TX - Its something we definitely don't see everyday...

'Oh its unusual. One in about 50 million I guess. That's what people say but I don't know if they knew what they were talking about or not,' says owner Joe Stephens.

We're talking about a two-headed calf. He was born yesterday and
Stephens says he didn't even notice it at first."

Hmmmmm

Thanks to Leigh Lundin for the tip.

Amazon changes rules for print-on-demand publishers: "March 28, 2008 (Computerworld) Amazon.com Inc. has told publishers who print books on demand that their titles will no longer be sold directly through Amazon if they don't use the company's printing company, BookSurge.

An article about the new policy appeared on WritersWeekly.com, a weekly newsletter for writers. The owner of the Web site, Angela Hoy, is the co-owner of BookLocker.com, a print-on-demand (POD) services company.

Hoy said she uses BookSurge's rival, Lightning Source Inc., in La Vergne, Tenn., which is owned by Ingram Industries Inc., to print the books her company publishes. According to information on the Lightning Source Web site, the company has printed more than 33 million books for more than 4,300 publishers.

Amazon's new policy means that any POD publisher that wants Amazon to sell its books directly will have to use BookSurge, which Amazon purchased in 2005, and not other printers, such as Lightning Source."

And Keep off Our Damn Lawns!

Older Americans wealthier, living longer: report | Reuters: "CHICAGO (Reuters) - Older Americans have more money and are expected to live far longer than prior generations, U.S. government researchers said on Thursday.

They said the average net worth of older Americans -- those 65 or older -- has increased almost 80 percent over the past 20 years.

And those who reach the age of 65 are now expected to live an average of 19 more years, or seven years longer than people who had reached age 65 in the year 1900."

10 Most Prophetic SF Movies?

10 Best Science Fiction Movies Ever – Most Prophetic Sci-Fi Films - Popular Mechanics: "When Arthur C. Clarke died last week at the age of 90, science fiction—hell, science in general—lost one of its greatest, most forward-looking masters. In his honor, PM’s resident geek and sci-fi buff analyzes the most eerily predictive, prescient films of the future. They’re not necessarily the best movies—just the ones that got the science right, or will sometime soon."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

My Way News - 4 Texas Cities Among Top 10 in Growth: "DALLAS (AP) - Four Texas metropolitan areas were among the biggest population gainers as Americans continued their trend of moving to the Sun Belt in 2006 and 2007, according to Census Bureau estimates to be released Thursday.

Dallas-Fort Worth added more than 162,000 residents between July 2006 and July 2007, more than any other metro area. Three other Texas areas - Houston, Austin and San Antonio - also cracked the top 10."

Yet Another List I'm Not On

The 25 Most Valuable Blogs.

Headline of the Day

Nats Stadium: 'It's Going to Spunk Us Up': "WASHINGTON -- Now that the team has seen its new digs at the new stadium, the adrenaline is pumping for the Washington Nationals."

Croc Update (Sunbathing Edition)

Video at link. And if you've been wondering where Donna Shalala was, she's the president of UofM. Who knew? Well, you probably did, but I didn't.

Protected by federal law, crocodiles at the University of Miami elude capture -- Endangered Species, Delray Beach, University of Miami -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "Coral Gables - On a typical spring afternoon on the leafy campus of the University of Miami, many of the 15,000 students are in class, others are romping around the athletic field, and a few are seeing how close they can get to a 6-foot American crocodile sunbathing with its mouth open.

'They apparently don't realize how dangerous this thing is,' said security guard Roberto Heredia as he warned curious collegians away from the toothy reptile. 'Some people think it's fake.'"

AggieCon

Judy and I are going to the AggieCon this weekend. We first attended in 1979, and we've missed only one since then, the year we went to Austria for spring break. We haven't had an outing in about 10 months, so we're really looking forward to it. If you happen to be around College Station this weekend stop by the Memorial Student Center and say "hey."

Homeland "Security"? I Report, You Decide

cbs5.com - Woman Told To Remove Nipple Rings For SoCal Flight: "LOS ANGELES (AP) ― A woman was forced by the Transportation Security Administration to remove her nipple rings before she was allowed to board a flight, an attorney said on Thursday.

'The woman was given a pair of pliers in order to remove the rings in her nipples,' said Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred. 'The rings had been in her nipples for many years.'"

This strikes me as excessively painful, depending on how the rings are removed. Thanks to Todd Mason for the link.

Port Hazard -- Loren Estleman

A long time ago, 1981 to be exact, I wrote a short essay on Loren Estleman's westerns for 20th Century Western Writers. It wasn't too tough, since at the time Estleman hadn't written that many novels. I believe there were two books in the Page Murdock series then. Little did I know that 27 years later, I'd still be reading books about Page Murdock, the latest being Port Hazard.

The book is set in San Francisco, on the Barbary Coast and in Chinatown, a coincidence since I recently read and reported on Steve Hockensmith's The Black Dove, which also set in Chinatown, though about ten years later than Port Hazard. Naturally, the set-up is a lot different. Murdock isn't an amateur like Hockensmith's would-be detectives. He's a deputy U. S. Marshal, and a real hardcase. This time out, he gets involved with a shadow conspiracy called the Sons of the Confederacy, mainly because they're trying to kill him.

It's nothing personal. They're trying to kill other prominent lawmen, too, as a way of bringing back the Civil War. (Hey, it makes sense to them.) So Judge Hawthorne, for whom Murdock usually patrols Montana Territory, disregards a little thing like jurisdiction and sends Murdock to San Francisco. Murdock takes along a railroad Porter named Beecher to help him out, having noticed that Beecher seems like a steady hand and cool head. Before long, they're shooting it up on the Barbary Coast while living in a hotel that is so seedy it makes a cave look comfortable. Opium dens, murders, vigilantes, and lots more figure into the plot, which is flavored by Estleman's usual tasty prose.

Read this one along with The Black Dove, and you'll feel like you've spent a while in 19th century San Francisco. Both are well worth a look.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Lone Star Rising — The American, A Magazine of Ideas: "How a combination of ambition, entrepreneurship, trade, and tolerance made Houston America’s booming opportunity city."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

MySA.com: Metro | State: "NEW BRAUNFELS -- A middle school principal threatened to kill a group of science teachers if their students did not improve their standardized test scores, according to a complaint filed with the New Braunfels Police Department.

Anita White, who taught at New Braunfels Middle School for 18 years before being transferred this month to the district's Learning Center, said Principal John Burks made the threat in a Jan. 21 meeting with eighth-grade science teachers."

Croc Update (Migration Edition)

New sea crocodile fossil hints at transatlantic migration: "A fossil of a new species of prehistoric crocodile found in Brazil and presented here Wednesday has led scientists to believe the reptile benefited from the extinction of dinosaurs to migrate from across the Atlantic.

Guarinisuchus munizi -- the 'warrior of the seas,' as the crocodile has been dubbed -- is believed to have had its origins in Africa some 200 million years ago.

But the remains of a jaw, skull and vertebra discovered in Palaeocene deposits of northeastern Brazil suggests the species set off for new territory 62 million years ago, according to researchers."

Anna Nicole Smith Update

More passport reviews found at State - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON - State Department workers viewed passport applications containing personal information about high-profile Americans, including the late Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith, at least 20 times since January 2007, The Associated Press has learned.

That total is far more than disclosed last week with the news that presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama had been victims of improper snooping."

Trader Horn

I caught this one on TCM the other night, never having seen it before. It was filmed in Africa in 1930, and it shows us Kenya as it will never be again. It holds up more as a travelogue than as an adventure movie, I think. Though there are still some stirring scenes, the middle sags when Trader Horn (Harry Carey) starts pointing out all the wildlife to Peru (Duncan Reynaldo), who at that point is still lugging his guitar along with him. and who's wearing a pith helmet the size of a washtub.

Horn and Peru are on their way to find the White Queen (Edwina Booth) and bring her out of the jungle. As you can see in the photo at the left, they do find her. They have considerable trouble getting her out of the jungle, however.

I imagine some people will find fault with a lot of things in this movie. Booth seems to think, at least part of the time, that she's in a silent. Racism is evident through out, though Horn's attitude toward Rencharo (Mutia Omoolu) is clearly not racist through and through. Lots of bare breasts in the National Geographic style, though Ms. Booth's remain covered. Must have been tough gluing that covering on with spirit gum.

The good news is that there are crocs. Lots and lots of crocs.

I'm glad I watched this, though I do wish that TCM had found a better print. The one they used needed a lot of work done on it.

Croc Update (Horrified Onlookers Edition)

Cop pot shots keep croc from 'idiot' drunk | NEWS.com.au: "A DRUNKEN miner was only seconds away from being attacked by a crocodile in Australia's northern waters when police saved his life by shooting at the reptile.

Horrified onlookers watched from the shore outside the Alyangula Recreation Club on Groote Eylandt as the determined crocodile closed in on the man shortly before 11am (CST) today."

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Happy Birthday, Bob Elliott!

One of America's great funnymen turns 85 today. You can send a birthday greeting to him at bob@bobandray.com. Be sure to include your snail mail address in the e-mail.

Thanks to Art Scott for the reminder.

Hmmmmmmm

I like the cats who live here, but would I really want a picture of them in the arms of Jesus after they're gone?

The Crimespree Awards

They're posted here.

Richard Widmark, R. I. P.

I remember him fondly from many, many movies. Madigan remains a favorite. And I can't resist adding a little personal story here. Long ago I had a good friend named Pat Rawlings. He loved to tell about the time he was in O'Hare Airport (O'Hara, as he called it) and saw a big crowd of people. He couldn't figure out what was going on, so he went over. He still couldn't figure it out. All he could see was what appeared to be a circle of people, some of them talking, but most of them listening. A flight was called, and when the crowd broke up, Pat saw that they'd all been gathered around Richard Widmark, who, Pat said, "couldn't have been more than five feet tall. You couldn't even see him in the crowd." I suspect Widmark was taller than that, but you'd never have convinced Pat.

Richard Widmark, Actor, Dies at 93 - New York Times: "Richard Widmark, who created a villain in his first movie role who was so repellent and frightening that the actor became a star overnight, died Monday at his home in Roxbury, Conn. He was 93."

Set the TiVo!

April 3 is the date. Thanks to jj solari for the tip.

Paris Hilton: My Name Is Earl! | My Name is Earl, Paris Hilton : Just Jared: "Paris Hilton is set to appear as herself on an upcoming episode of NBC’s My Name is Earl.

The 27-year-old hotel heiress will appear in a dream sequence taking place in Earl’s fevered unconscious mind.

“When we wrote the role of Paris Hilton in the script, we weren’t exactly sure who to go with for the role,” said Greg Garcia, the show’s executive producer. “But after an exhausting search we finally settled on a relatively unknown actress by the name of Paris Hilton. I can’t wait to see what she does with the role and I can’t wait for America to discover her.”"

Childhood's End -- Arthur C. Clarke

I hadn't read this book in more than 50 years, but having fond memories of it, I thought I'd read it again to commemorate Clarke's passing. Turns out that it's not heavy on character development; it's one of those novels where the idea is just about everything.

The idea is that aliens show up in the sky. Their science is far in advance of ours, and they more or less take over the Earth, without ever coming down to it or allowing themselves to be seen. Clarke devotes a lot of the first third of the book to describing the changes that take place under the Overlords, as they're called. In the second third, which takes place fifty years after the first, the Overlords reveal themselves, but not their real purpose. And in the final third, we discover what that the Overlords, though they're guiding Earth, can never have for themselves the transcendent powers that are revealed in the novel's end, which is also the end of humanity's childhood.

BIG SPOILER: It's also the end of humanity, not just humanity's childhood. END OF BIG SPOILER

In spite of the fact that most of the books characters are pretty much cardboard, the last few chapters still retained the power to move me, and I can see why I have such fond memories of the novel. It's exactly the kind of thing that would have inspired me to write a lot of very bad teenage poetry. The ending, and indeed the whole book, was the kind of thing that opened up my mind to things I'd never thought about before, the kind of things that made me love SF in the first place.

Clarke tosses out a couple of ideas in one sentence that I probably overlooked fifty years ago, a couple of reasons for humanity's golden age: "The first was a completely reliable oral contraceptive; the seconed was an equally infallible method -- as certain as fingerprinting, and based on a very detailed analysis of the blood -- of identifying the father of any child." Those things were probably being discussed at the time (1953) of the books publication, but they'd have been completely new to me. I'm glad I picked this one up again.

Wolverine Update

Photos at link.

It's true: wolverine is thriving near Tahoe: "Two more photographs of a wolverine lurking in the Tahoe National Forest were released Monday, extinguishing all doubt that the elusive predator exists in the wilds of California.

The wolverine pictures, taken from remote digital cameras by U.S. Forest Service researchers, mean the muscular carnivore with the almond-colored stripe has either avoided detection for three-quarters of a century or returned to the state after an epic journey."

D.B. Cooper Update

Feds check parachute for D.B. Cooper link - Breaking News Updates from Portland and Oregon - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com: "AMBOY, Wash. - There could be a major break in the biggest crime mystery in Northwest history.

According to the KOIN (6) website: The FBI in Seattle has begun analysis of a long-buried parachute - the same type used by skyjacker D.B. Cooper when he jumped from an Northwest Orient Airlines 727 with a 25 pound money bag containing $200,000 dollars ransom on Thanksgiving eve 1971.

The children of a Clark County contractor found the parachute buried in a field that their father has recently plowed for a road. The chute is white and conical shaped, dirty and deteriorated. Seattle Agent Larry Carr will clean it and search for a label, which could match the chute to a companion reserve chute left behind by Cooper in the plane."

The Real and the Unreal

Many photos at the link.

Advertising Vs Reality - A Product Comparison Project | Funtasticus.com: "A German website, Pundo3000.com, has conducted a study of 100 different products by comparing the look of the products as shown by the packaging with the actual contents inside the boxes."

15 Great Movies You Didn't Know were Science Fiction

That's what they think. I, however, knew most of these were SF from the start.

DC Comic Pulp Heroes Cover Gallery

Super Punch: DC Comic Pulp Heroes Cover Gallery: "Back in 1997, DC Comics featured painted pulp-style covers on all of its annuals and called the event 'Pulp Heroes.' I wish this had become an annual event. I've done my best to gather an image of every issue in the series, along with links to the cover artist's site."

Zombie Strippers -- the Trailer

Gator Update (Doggin' It Edition)

Gator Pulls Pet Dog Into Pond By Ear - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando: "Gizmo, a 7-pound gray Maltese-toy poodle mix, escaped through a hole in the porch screen at his home in Lutz on Sunday and ran down to the pond behind the house. In a matter of moments, the dog began to yelp.

Its owner saw an alligator grab the dog by the ear and pull him under the water. But Gizmo was able to break away even as the alligator clamped down on one of the dog's back thighs.

The alligator eventually let go and sank beneath the surface of the water."

38 Movie Remakes Coming Up

I doubt that all of these will be made, and of course the real question is, why bother?

Yet Another List I'm Not On

Digital Edge Blog - Newspaper Association of America: Advancing Newspaper Media for the 21st Century: "The following is data from Nielsen Online on the top 30 sites in the “News” category based on February 2008 traffic. This data takes into account U.S. home and work Internet usage, and it shows both unique visitors to each brand or channel and sessions per person. For more information about the sourcing of this data, please visit www.netratings.com."

So Young, So Wicked -- Jonathan Craig

Juri Nummelin has touted this one, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm happy to say that it lives up to his recommendation.

Steve Garrity, a mob hit man, is assigned to go to a small town and kill Leda Noland, who's only fifteen. He doesn't want the job, but he's not given any options. He's not told why he has to kill her, either, but he's told it has to look like an accident. He's given only a short time to go to the town, set up a cover, and make the hit. As you've probably guessed already, things do not go as planned.

There's some really good stuff in this one. Garrity, whose a musician (an excellent pianist), is an unusual hit man, recruited after he kills a man in revenge for sleeping with his wife. He finds that he's good at the job, and there's a fine scene in a restaurant when he's bantering with a waitress who's trying to pick him up. Garrity's thoughts of how he's going to murder Leda are intercut with the conversation.

As I mentioned in my review of Alley Girl, I like Craig's procedurals narrated by a cop named Pete Selby. But after reading this book and Alley Girl, I'm convinced that Craig's noir standalones are worthy of rediscovery. Check 'em out.

Congratulations to McKenna Jordan & David Thompson!

McKenna Jordan & David Thompson - 3/24/2008 - Publishers Weekly: "Talk about being married to your job: on September 6, when McKenna Jordan, 26, and David Thompson, 36, say “I do” at the Dryburgh Abbey in Scotland, they will cement a bond that already has them spending most days and nights together. Jordan and Thompson are manager and assistant manager, respectively, of mystery bookstore Murder by the Book in Houston, Tex., where they regularly cohost some 150 author events a year. And on January 1, 2009, they will take over as co-owners of the bookstore. “Technically,” says Thompson, “McKenna is the one buying the store, so I’ll be working for her.”"

Hat tip to Sarah Weinman.

Arthur Lyons, R. I. P.

Details at The Rap Sheet. This is sad news indeed. I liked the Jacob Asch novels a lot, and in fact, I still have my paperback copies of most, if not all, of them.

Everybody's on YouTube

YouTube clip wins Austrian monks record deal - Telegraph: "For centuries their biggest claim to fame has been a relic of the True Cross, but now Austrian monks are poised for modern-day celebrity after winning a recording contract through YouTube.

The monks from the Holy Cross monastery near Vienna used the internet video sharing site to audition for Universal Music, which is recording an album of Gregorian Chants."

Croc Update (Vietnam Edition)

Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily: "Several crocodile breeders in Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Chanh District are selling off their animals at low prices, fearing the crocodiles will soon die from exposure to severely contaminated water.

Like other breeders in the area, Tran Hoang Dung, head of the Minh Huy crocodile farm, said his animals had begun dying in the last few months while others had red, cloudy eyes."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

The Associated Press: Sex Offender Running for Mayor in Texas: "WILMER, Texas (AP) — A registered sex offender running for mayor of his small town says he hopes voters can overlook his 2004 arrest in which he was caught in a police sting trying to arrange sex with a 15-year-old girl on the Internet.

Brian Sliter said late Friday he accepts responsibility for his arrest and has received counseling that has helped 'turn my life around.'"

I Can Take It or Leave It Alone

Internet addiction 'should be recognised as a clinical disorder', psychiatrist claims | the Daily Mail: "Internet addiction is a serious public health problem and should be officially recognised as a clinical disorder, a psychiatrist claims.

Dr Jerald Block says there are four main telltale symptoms which include: Losing all track of time or neglecting basics such as eating or sleeping; cravings and feelings of withdrawal, including anger, tension or depression, when a computer cannot be accessed; an increased need for better computer equipment and software; and negative effects such as arguments, lying, fatigue, social isolation and poor achievement."

Mr. Monk in Outer Space -- Lee Goldberg

I've never seen so much as a single scene from the Monk television series. So why do I enjoy Lee Goldberg's books about the character so much? Well, let's see. They're funny, they're well-written, they're carefully plotted, and they're poignant. They probably have other good qualities, too, but those should do for starters.

In this one, Monk is called on to solve a murder (or murders) connected with a convention of Earthers, that is, people passionately devoted to a canceled '70s TV series called Beyond Earth, to which, of course any resemblance of any other TV series, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Goldberg has a lot of fun with the Earthers (they don't like being called Earthies), but it's not mean-spirited fun, as we (and Monk) discover as the book goes along. In fact, it leads to Monk's having a breakthrough moment.

As usual, Natalie Teeger's narration is just the right vehicle for the story, and Natalie has a few insights about herself that parallel Monk's breakthrough. Ambrose plays a crucial role, and Monk's relationship with his brother makes a big advance.

You say you don't read tie-in novels? You should give the Monk books a try and find out what you've been missing.

Message in a Bottle

The Associated Press: 1986 Message in Bottle Drifts 1,735 Mi.: "SEATTLE (AP) — Merle Brandell and his black lab Slapsey were beachcombing along the Bering Sea when he spied a plastic bottle among the Japanese glass floats he often finds along the shore of his tiny Alaskan fishing village.

He walked over and saw an envelope tucked inside. After slicing the bottle open, Brandell found a message from an elementary school student in a suburb of Seattle. The fact that the letter traveled 1,735 miles without any help from the U.S. postal service is unusual, but that's only the beginning of the mystery."

Arthur C Clarke, One More Time

While thumbing through some of my paperbacks, I ran across an afterword in a reprint edition of Childhood's End that closes with this comment by Clarke, from 1966: "I intend to go to the Moon when the tourist service starts; and I hope (but hardly expect) to go to Mars. . . ." Those were more hopeful times.

Shoot 'Em Up

Okay, this movie is preposterous. It starts out a mile or so over the top and then builds from there, sort of a live-action WB cartoon. No wonder I liked it.

Clive Owen plays Bugs Bunny. Really, with the carrots and everything. Except in this case, Bugs is better with a pistol than usual, and he sure does use those carrots to good advantage. The body count is astronomical, and the stunts are outrageous. Even the sex scene is outrageous, one of the best ever.

Is there a plot? Sure. Owen (they call him Mr. Smith in the movie, but we know better) saves a pregnant woman from a few dozen killers, delivers her child, and then becomes it surrogate father. Dozens, nay, hundreds more killers come after them. Why? Watch the movie, and you'll find out.

Paul Giamatti is the leader of the killers, and he's clearly having a fine time. Monica Bellucci plays the hooker with a heart of gold. I don't know who plays the kid.

Obviously some people aren't going to find the humor in a movie like this. I, on the other hand, laughed all the way through. You probably know where you stand on that kind of thing, but I thought I'd better warn you.

Easter Lore

From the "eggs-pert."