ApolloCon

On June 27-29, Judy and I will be at ApolloCon in Houston. If you're going to be in the area and would like to drop in on my panels, here's the preliminary schedule:

Man of Bronze; Pages of Pulp Fri 8:00PM - 9:00PM Tucson
Allen Steele (M), Chris Roberson, Scott Cupp, Bill Crider, Mel. White

Firing Off the Canon: The Spec Fic *Should Reads* and Why
Sat 11:00AM - 12:00PM Tucson
Allen Steele, A.T. Campbell III (M), Bill Crider, Gail Dayton, Mikal Trimm

Besides Blood, Sweat, and Inspiration: What Does It Take to Be a Writer
Sat 1:00PM - 2:00PM Seattle II
C. J. Mills (M), Martha Wells, Bill Crider, Jayme Lynn Blaschke, Gail Dayton,
Maureen McHugh

Holy Moly -- Ben Rehder

Blanco County, Texas, is a strange place, just as strange as Blacklin County, if not even stranger. Hmmmm. Blanco in Spanish means white. B. C. and B. C. White and black. And what kicks off the book is the find of a dinosaur bone. Hmmmm.

Okay, I'm just kidding around here. Ben Rehder is a friend and a fine fella, and I like his books a lot. They're hilarious, well written, and well plotted. This one's no exception. John Marlin, the crime-busting game warden, is back, and all kinds of things are happening. Besides the dinosaur bone, now missing, we have a dead man (shot with a hunting arrow), a mega-church pastor and his hot-to-trot wife, a guy who huffs Pam spray, and so on. There's a lot going on, and there are a lot of crazy characters. If you've read Rehder's books before, you know what I mean. If you haven't, why not? It's time you had some laughs. Rumor has it (well, Rehder said so on his blog) that this might be the final book in the series before old Ben moves on to bigger things. After you read this book, you'll be sorry if that's true. Not the part about the bigger things. That's great. But you'll be sorry that John Marlin won't be back again.

Friday 13

My grandmother was superstitious, and she would never travel on the 13th, even if it wasn't Friday. I thought this was foolish until just the other day. We blithely left Alvin on the 13th and arrived here in Thornton late that afternoon. The first thing we discovered when we walked into the house was that the A/C wasn't working. Since it was 96 degrees outside, we were a little concerned. After frantically digging through old bills in various drawers, I finally located one from the place that had done the A/C work for Judy's mother in the past. By then it was nearly five o'clock That's when we discovered we weren't getting a signal for the cell phone.

I got in the car and drove to the local cemetery, where I found both a nice shade tree and a cell phone signal. I got the A/C guy on the phone at 4:55 P. M., and of course no one would come to work on anything at that time of day. However, he said he'd send someone out the next day, "but you'll have to pay double-time."

I told him I'd pay and to send someone. When I got back to the house, I discovered that it was not only very hot but that my dial-up connection wasn't working. I didn't manage to get on-line until nearly 10 P. M. on Saturday.

Not that I was bothered. I can take the Internet or leave it alonge. It's not like I sit by the computer all the time. Not me. I can step away any time I want to.

Which is what I'll be doing in a few minutes when we begin to wend our weary way homeward. The A/C is fixed, the dial-up is working, and our relaxing weekend is over. I hope the A/C is working in Alvin when we get there.

Monster Zero (in Japanese except for Nick Adams)

Rambo

I wasn't expecting too much from Rambo, but this sucker moves! It's not much more than 80 minutes long, but it's got enough violence and action for two movies. And when I say violence, I mean raw, visceral, terrible, brutal stuff. From what I've read about Burma in the last few years, it's probably not to far off the mark, either.

A lot was said recently about Harrison Ford being too old to play Indiana Jones now. Sylvester Stallone can't be much younger than Ford, yet here he is, playing an action hero who goes through a lot more than Indy ever did, and playing it as convincingly as if he were thirty years younger.

The plot's simple. Missionaries want to go into Burma from Thailand. They ask Rambo to take them. He doesn't want to. He tells them they can't change anything. He relents. They're captured. Mercenaries are hired to get them out. Rambo goes along. Chaos ensues. If this is the kind of thing you like, believe me, you'll like this.

Who's the Most Translated?

Index Translationum: UNESCO Culture Sector: "The Index Translationum is a list of books translated in the world, i.e. an international bibliography of translations. The Index Translationum was created in 1932 and this year is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The database contains cumulative bibliographical information on books translated and published in about one hundred of the UNESCO Member States since 1979 and totals more than 1.700,000 entries in all disciplines: literature, social and human sciences, natural and exact sciences, art, history and so forth. It is planned to update the work every four months."

The Top 50 "writers" are right here.

Pluto Update

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Non-planet' Pluto gets new class: "'Plutoid' is the word of the moment for astronomers.

It is the new classification that has been sanctioned for the object that was formerly known as the 'ninth planet'.

It is nearly two years since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) stripped Pluto of its former status as a 'proper' planet.

Now an IAU committee, meeting in Oslo, has suggested that small, nearly spherical objects orbiting beyond Neptune should carry the 'plutoid' tag."

The Giant Claw

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

But Texas places 3 cities in the top 10.

Top 10 best places to live in the U.S. - Best places- msnbc.com: "Raleigh, N.C., it seems, is the best place to be in the U.S. right now.

It ranks No. 1 in Forbes’ 2008 list and was also top in 2007 -- consistent placement among these lists is truly rare. It ranks No. 2 in Kiplinger’s list this year (“Raleigh is a work in progress, but 2008 should be the turning point,” Kiplinger notes)."

New Issue of Cozy Times Now On-Line

Click here. Always worth a look, even for you tough guys.

Old Time Radio

If you like OTR, you'll love this site. Lots of programs you can listen to, or, if you're so inclined, download.

On the Road Again

Judy and I will be traveling today. We're headed for her hometown of Thornton, Texas, but we'll stop along the way for lunch with some friends in Huntsville. This evening and tomorrow morning we'll be visiting with friends from my high school class at Fort Parker State Park. On Sunday, we'll be driving back here to scenic Alvin. While I might not be doing much e-mailing for the next few days, the blog will be updated with all kinds of wonderful stuff. Trust me.

Sex Kittens Go to College

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Thanks to Scott Cupp for the link.

Victoria Advocate - Mutant beaver prowls Coleto Creek?: "What has webbed feet like a duck, scales on its tail but is furry and weighs about 80 pounds?

Hint: it is North America’s largest rodent that has made its home at the Coleto Creek Reservoir – an American Beaver.

While a lot of people haven’t heard of a beaver in Texas, Capt. Bill Guy, 78, of Victoria, swears its a beaver – a fat one at that – that lives on the banks of the reservoir."

Spoiler Alert! Giving Away the 20 Best Movie Twists

Doc Quatermass send this link. If you want to find out what the twists are, you can click it. But don't say you weren't warned.

Bill Dial, R. I. P.

Thanks to Todd Mason for the tip. If Dial had written nothing more than the Turkey Episode for WKRP, he'd have achieved more than most of us. Jaime Wienman has more here.

TrekToday - Bill Dial Passes: "Steve Stoliar, former secretary to Dial, confirmed the death. 'Sorry to say, it's true. Bill Dial died of a heart attack at age sixty-six at his home in South Carolina. [Dial's obituary lists him as being sixty-four.] He'd had some health problems of late, and it finally caught up with him. He was a wonderful man whose influence on my life, personally and professionally, is incalculable. After he moved to Beaufort, we used to email each other whenever a celebrity would pass away, confessing varying degrees of sadness at their passing. Little did I know that Bill would be joining them so soon.'

Dial wrote for Star Trek He was a co-writer on Deep Space Nine: The Alternate and he wrote another episode for the series, Tribunal. Dial also penned a Star Trek: Voyager episode, writing the initial teleplay for Eye of the Needle.

But Dial is best known for writing the Turkeys Away episode of WKRP in Cincinnati where general manager Arthur Carlson stages a Thanksgiving promotion where twenty live turkeys are dropped from a helicopter over a shopping center to unsuspecting shoppers. The problem is, turkeys can't fly! The episode was rated by TV Guide as the fortieth greatest episode in television history."

Okay, This is Odd

Check it out, and don't miss the slideshow.

Hat tip to Chris Roberson.

Great Hammet Posters

They're here. For more on the posters and such, check out Kevin Burton Smith's The Thrilling Detective Blog.

All for One . . . .

411mania.com: Movies - [Movies] Get Ready for The Three Musketeers: "Millenium Films, the studio behind the Rambo update and the upcoming Conan and Red Sonya updates, is also now planning a new version of The Three Musketeers.

The film will focus on how Athos, Porthos and Aramis first banded together to become the Three Musketeers.

'There aren't many branded properties like this out there, and it is a seller's market for the high-profile ones,' said Millenniun's Joe Gatta. 'You can either build one from scratch or find the ones that are available and of interest to audiences, which we did with Conan and Buck Rogers.'"

Another Side of Bob Dylan

Another side of Bob Dylan - Features, Art & Architecture - The Independent: "Pied piper, poet and now painter, his artworks are the subject of a much-anticipated exhibition. But are they any good? Michael Glover offers his verdict."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

cbs11tv.com - North Texas Man Survives 2-Hour Bee Attack: "GRAHAM (CBS 11 News) ― A North Texas man credits God and a cell phone for helping him survive a two-hour long bee attack. It all happened in Graham, west of Mineral Wells."

Captain America

Archaeological Update

Montezuma’s palace unearthed in Mexico - Science- msnbc.com: "MEXICO CITY - Mexican archaeologists say they have unearthed the remains of an Aztec palace once inhabited by the emperor Montezuma in the heart of what is now downtown Mexico City.

During a routine renovation project on a Colonial-era building, experts uncovered pieces of a wall as well as a basalt floor believed to have been part of a dark room where Montezuma meditated, archaeology team leader Elsa Hernandez said Monday."

I'm Pulling for the Chimp

Thanks to Doc Quatermass for the link.

iWon News - Ape applicant vies for star on Walk of Fame: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have gone to the dogs, so why can't Cheeta the chimp get some love? The animal actor, whose credits include the 1967 comedy 'Dr. Doolittle' and the 'Tarzan' movies, is trying for the seventh time to get a sidewalk star and become the first monkey to get the honor. His handlers have launched an online petition to get supporters to urge the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to give him a star in 2009.

Each June, the Walk of Fame Committee picks from hundreds of nominations a list of inductees for the next year.

Cheeta's 'inclusion on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will not only give recognition to one of the international, animal megastars of all time, but focus attention on his fellow primates in the wilds of Africa who now face extinction,' the petition reads.

The petition notes that Cheeta's canine colleagues Lassie, and 1920s stars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart are immortalized on the boulevard, along with fictional animals Kermit the Frog, Godzilla and Donald Duck."

Outside my Window (Click for Awesome Enlargement)

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Can A Tracking Device Curb Truancy?, A New Program In Dallas Makes Truant Students Carry A GPS Device - CBS News: "(CBS) It's 7 a.m. and Joshua Cervantes is getting ready for school.

He makes his bed, grabs his ID - and his GPS tracking device, reports CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan.

At school, Joshua clicks his GPS. It sends a signal to a satellite and tells his truancy counselor that Josh is on time.

'Every 10 minutes it gives me a point on that individual,' said Tom Urrutia, program manager of the monitoring system.

Josh is part of a pilot program at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas to stop truancy. Last year, out of 185 school days, he had 160 unexcused absences."

Switchblade Sisters (aka The Jezebels)

Poor audio but a great trailer.

The 10 Oldest Bars in the U. S.

Click here for the list and some photos.

The Rock 'n' Roll Years -- the Important Dates

The rock 'n' roll years - Telegraph: "From its birth in the late 1940s, through the heyday of Chuck Berry, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, rock'n' roll produced characters as big and brash as the music itself. A new book celebrates its golden age."

Great timeline, and a neat slideshow. Check it out.

Famous Last Words

Click here.

Our Tax Dollars at Work

ABC News: Fed Official: Golf Helps End City Gang Crime: "A senior Justice Department official says a $500,000 federal grant to the World Golf Foundation is an appropriate use of money designed to deal with juvenile crime in America.
Does the White House favor social programs based on politics?

'We need something really attractive to engage the gangs and the street kids, golf is the hook,' said J. Robert Flores, the administrator of the Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention."

This guy is a genius. If someone had thought of this sooner, there would be no juvenile crime anymore. Off the streets and onto the links!

Severance Package -- Duane Swierczynski

My copy of this one finally arrived the other day, so I started it almost immediately. It's hard to resist a book that begins with a woman poisoning her husband with his favorite potato salad, and the rest of the book more than lives up to the promise of the beginning.

The deal is that all the employees of a shady espionage agency have to be killed. Their chief plans to do the job and then kill himself. But you know what people say about the best-laid plans. One of his employees has different ideas. And so do some others. Things go wrong, and it all gets complicated. It's bang-bang action from start to finish, and I enjoyed it immensely, even if I never did quite figure out exactly what precipitated the plan of everybody in the office having to die.

There are several little touches to let you know how much fun Swierczynski was having as he wrote the book. Part of it's set in Scotland, and as one of the characters (Keene) walks to work he sees a man and his dog:

"Wee thing -- the dog, that was. It had only three legs. The owner had only two, but looked haggard, if finely muscled.

"'Sorry, mate,' Keen said.

"The man smiled at him, and not in a particularly warm way."

I suspect that some of you can even guess the man's name. And then there's Charles Lee Vincent, from The Blonde. He's got another security job. You talk about a guy who has bad luck with security jobs, you're talking Charlie.

If you've read my earlier reviews of Swierczynski's work, you know I'm a fan. I think you will be to after reading this one, if you're not already.

Phantom Empire

Algis Budrys, R. I. P.

Todd Mason has an obit on his blog. Ed Gorman has some personal memories of the man here.

Happy Birthday, Les Paul!

Les Paul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Les Paul (born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9, 1915) is an American jazz guitarist and inventor. He is a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which 'made the sound of rock and roll possible.'[1] His many recording innovations include overdubbing, delay effects such as 'sound on sound' and tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording. In 2003, he was named the 46th best guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone although many seasoned rock artists feel he should have been rated much higher because of his longevity and guitar achievements and innovations."

Gator Update (Fountain Pen Edition)

Father's Day is coming.

dunhill - Luxury goods for men: "New! Sentryman Alligator Chassis Fountain Pen

A new addition to the Sentryman family is the Alligator Chassis Fountain Pen. The pre-eminent pen in the Sentryman collection features a brass barrel wrapped in a matt black alligator, a luxurious leather that has been precisely cut to ensure a perfect fit around the body of the pen. Only 1893 of this design have been produced."

Commando Cody and the Hatless Planet

Thanks to JJ Solari for the link.

Archaeological Update

Wine-carrying vases salvaged from a 2,350 year-old shipwreck off Cyprus' south coast - International Herald Tribune: "NICOSIA, Cyprus: Marine archaeologists have salvaged ancient wine vases piled on the hull of a 2,350-year-old cargo ship lying on the seabed off Cyprus' southern shore, the Mediterranean island's Antiquities Department said Saturday.

The vessel is one of only a few such commercial ships dating from the late Classical period (mid-4th century B.C.) to have been discovered so well-preserved."

King of the Rocketmen

Paris Hilton Update

Jeff Meyerson deserves the credit for this link.

Paris Hilton parties for new TV show | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|Bizarre: "PARIS HILTON hit the Tao Club this weekend accompanied by a gaggle of beauties.

The heiress was filming in Las Vegas for her brand new reality show Paris Hilton's new BFF (that's Best Friend Forever if you're not up with the kids), in which Paris will choose one 'lucky' girl to be her new best buddy."

Gator Update (Surfing Edition)

iWon News - Crocodile trapped in surf off SC barrier island: "ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (AP) - Officials at the Isle of Palms ordered everyone out of the water because of a dangerous animal. But it wasn't a shark this time.

Instead, wildlife officials ended up trapping a 6-foot long American crocodile in the surf Thursday."

Thanks to Surfin' Jeff Meyerson for the link.

First it was THE BLOB, and now. . .

My Way News - 'Brokeback Mountain' to premiere as opera in 2013: "NEW YORK (AP) - The New York City Opera commissioned Charles Wuorinen to compose an opera based on 'Brokeback Mountain,' the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx that became the basis for a 2005 movie that won three Academy Awards."

Thanks to intrepid reporter Steve Stilwell for the link.

Someone Has Messed with Texas

AUSTIN — An early morning fire at the Governor's Mansion today was intentionally set, a state fire investigator said.

State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado declined to discuss further details but said there was no indication the fire was intended as a direct threat to Gov. Rick Perry.

No one was in the building, which has been closed several months for renovation, when the fire broke out. The governor has been living in a rented house in suburban Austin since last fall.

He and his wife, Anita, are in Stockholm, Sweden, finishing up a weeklong, trade-related trip to Europe.

The fire, discovered by security officers about 1:45 a.m., was under control by 6:30 a.m., but there were still hot spots in the building. Flames broke through a portion of the roof about 9:30 a.m. but were quickly extinguished.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was assisting the state Fire Marshal's office in the investigation. Maldonado indicated security cameras posted around the building were helpful to investigators.

But officials declined to discuss more details, including how an arsonist could have gone undetected by Department of Public Safety troopers assigned to secure the building and its grounds.

Damage to the 152-year-old historic structure is "extraordinary, bordering on catastrophic,'' including a partially collapsed roof, said Perry spokesman Robert Black.

Millions of dollars worth of antique furnishings, portraits and other heirlooms had been removed from the mansion and placed in storage before renovation began. But Black said it was impossible to calculate the historic value of the building itself.

He said officials hoped the first floor could be structurally salvaged, but there was more uncertainty about saving the second floor.

Ironically, one of the purposes of the renovation project was to install a sprinkler system in the building, which had none. Before work began, the mansion had a fire alarm system on the first floor but none on the second floor, where the governor and his family lived.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Juno

I'd heard a bit about this movie before I watched it, and I was a little leery. But I liked it. Ellen Page is Juno, a 16-year-old girl who's pregnant by her nominal boyfriend (Michael Cera). She decides to allow a couple played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Complications ensue. That's about it for the plot. No explosions, no car chases. It's all about character.

I have no idea how I'd have reacted if my daughter had found herself in Juno's situation. I hope I'd have been as understanding and supportive as the parents (Jonah Jameson, er, J. K. Simmons, and Allison Janney) in this movie, and I'd also hope that my daughter would have a friend like Leah (Olivia Thirlby).

The script had some very funny lines, and the whole cast did a fine job of delivering them. I'll be interested to see what Diablo Cody comes up with in her next produced script.

All in all, a nice, quiet movie that I enjoyed spending some time with.

Zorro Rides Again

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Tyler student, 17, gets 8 years in prison for phone threat | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "TYLER — A 17-year-old who phoned his rival high school on a school bus and threatened to open fire on students has been sentenced to eight years in state prison.

An attorney for Terrance Taylor said Saturday he was surprised by the sentence and had recommended probation for his client, who was a junior at John Tyler High School in Tyler.

Taylor pleaded guilty Thursday to making a terroristic threat. Don Davidson, the student's attorney, said state District Judge Jack Skeen Jr. used the phrase 'the times we live in' in handing down the sentence.

Police found no weapons belonging to Taylor after he made the call in January. Davidson said another student initiated the call on the bus and that his client was 'gullible' in taking part.

Angela Jenkins, a spokeswoman for the Tyler school district, said that while the sentence was 'severe in this circumstance,' the school takes threats very seriously. She said 'we now live in a time where safety is of paramount concern.'"

New Issue of Plots with Guns is now On-Line

Click here for great reading.

Jim McKay, R. I. P.

ESPN - Jim McKay, Olympics and ABC announcer, dies at age 86 - ESPN: "Jim McKay, 86, a longtime television sports journalist, has died of natural causes in Maryland, according to a statement from the McKay family.

McKay is best known for hosting 'ABC's Wide World of Sports' and 12 Olympic Games.

McKay won numerous awards for journalism, including the George Polk Memorial Award and two Emmys -- one for his sports coverage, the other for his news reporting -- for his work at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which were tragically affected by the Black September terrorists' attack on the Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village."

Fifty Best Pun Store Names

Click here if you dare.

Link via Neatorama.

End of an Era

Forty-five years ago this spring, before any of the young whippersnappers reading this were born, I was a college senior. I was on track to get a B.A. in English, with a teaching certificate. One of the requirements for the teaching certificate was a semester of student teaching. I was assigned to the practically new Johnston High School in East Austin. I still remember a number of the students in the class I taught. I even remember the names of a few of them: Ronald Swank, Robert Medrano, a couple more. And now JHS is no more.

Johnston High School's Final Graduation | Homeroom: "Gabriela Camarilla had scribbled the words across her Columbia blue graduation cap in red paint, a final tribute to her fallen alma mater.

“The school is being renamed and reopened as something new, so Johnston High School is no more, but it will always continue on in the hearts of the students who went there,” she said.

Camarilla began to cry as she mourned the moments that will never be for the troubled school, which was closed down Wednesday for failing to meet state accountability standards for a fifth consecutive year."

Peeps -- Scott Westerfeld

After my experience with Twilight, I was a little leery of trying another YA vampire novel, but I'm glad I did. This one's well written and a lot more fun. It's even educational.

Vampirism is a disease. Parasites get into the body and wreak havoc. But not in ever case. Sometimes you're a carrier, like Typhoid Mary, and don't develop all the unpleasant habits, like cannibalism. Cal's a carrier, and he works for the Night Watch, hunting down those who are infected and dangerous.

But some weird stuff is going on. When Cal discovers some ancient evil deep below the streets of New York, he also discovers that the Night Watch knows a lot more than he's been told about what's happening.

My main complaint is that this book is clearly the set-up for the following books in what I suppose is a trilogy. We're headed for the zombie apocalypse, or something like it, and to find out the rest, you have to read the following books. I'm tempted, but I'm not making any promises.

What I said about this book better written than Twilight? That doesn't mean it's perfect: "'Peeps can see in the dark,' I hissed." Well, at least there are a couple of esses in there.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

"THE BLOB" MUSICAL COMEDY STAGE PLAY IN SAN FRANCISCO - Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s: "Here's one play worth checking out: a musical comedy version of the 1958 B movie classic The Blob that gave Steve McQueen his first starring role. The play is running through June 7 in San Francisco...(make sure you bring your own fire extinguisher!). For info click here."

Utah Wagon Train

J.K. Rowling's Harvard Commencement Address

You can watch the video or read the speech at the link. I think it's a very good address.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement : Harvard Magazine: "J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, delivers her Commencement Address, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association."

The World's Biggest Robberies

There's a list right here.

Anna Nicole Smith Update -- The Opera

British writer penning opera about Anna Nicole Smith: "Replete with doomed love affairs, failed bids for fame and an early tragic death, Anna Nicole Smith's life story is the stuff of opera.

At least that's the way it seems to Richard Thomas, the British writer and composer who also created Jerry Springer — The Opera.

Thomas plans to turn his talents to the tale of the former Playboy Playmate who died last year of an apparently accidental overdose.

'It's an incredible story,' Thomas said, quoted in the London Independent on Friday. 'It's very operatic and sad. She was quite a smart lady with the tragic flaw that she could not seem to get through life without a vat of prescription painkillers.'"

The Arthur Ellis Awards

The Rap Sheet: Arthurs, Arthurs Everywhere: "The Crime Writers of Canada announced the winners of its 25th annual Arthur Ellis Awards during a special presentation dinner tonight in Toronto."

Check the winners at the link.

Bells of Rosarita

Forgotten Books: DOWN AND DIRTY -- W. B. Murphy

As the cover lets you know, "W. B. Murphy" is Warren Murphy, co-author of The Destroyer series. I guess that one didn't occupy all his time, so he came up with another one, and it's a winner. I don't have all the books in hand, so I don't know for sure how many there were. Four, maybe. Too bad, since they're all great reading. The series should have lasted longer.

The cover also lets you know that the book's about a black-and-white detective team. The black member is "Tough" Jackson. He "cared about results, he never protected a narcotics peddler, he was never charged with brutality (officially), he considered himself a good cop."

His partner is Ed Razoni, "who shared his bachelor apartment with a maiden cat, whose virginity he protected like his private phone number."

Did you ever see a movie called Lethal Weapon? You might notice a strong resemblance to the Jackson/Razoni series. Except the books are a lot better. Grittier, tough, and just plain fun to read. Grab 'em if you can find 'em.

Our Tax Dollars at Work

ABC News: Indicted Saudi Gets $80 Million US Contract: "The US military has awarded an $80 million contract to a prominent Saudi financier who has been indicted by the US Justice Department. The contract to supply jet fuel to American bases in Afghanistan was awarded to the Attock Refinery Ltd, a Pakistani-based refinery owned by Gaith Pharaon. Pharaon is wanted in connection with his alleged role at the failed Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), and the CenTrust savings and loan scandal, which cost US tax payers $1.7 billion."

Waiting for the Geezer Bus

Wayward Alzheimer's patients foiled by fake bus stop - Telegraph: "A German nursing home has come up with a novel idea to stop Alzheimer's patients from wandering off: a phantom bus stop.

The bus stop, in front of the Benrath Senior Centre in the western city of Dusseldorf, is an exact replica of a standard stop, with one small difference: buses never stop there.

The idea emerged after the centre was forced to rely on police to retrieve patients who wanted to return to their homes and families but had forgotten that in many cases neither existed any longer."

Summer Songs

I've revamped the Jukebox and added a couple of my favorite summer songs. Check 'em out.

Once Again, Texas (Alvin, Texas) Leads the Way

The Alvin Sun Advertiser Online: "This is to inform parents of the kind of material being required of Alvin students to read. The book “Ender's Game” is required reading for eighth grade pre-AP students in the Alvin ISD. This book has been a requirement for several years now, apparently with little or no complaints. It is my opinion this is because parents do not know what is in this book."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

And once again, Jeff Meyerson provides the link.

1010 WINS - On-Air, Online, On Demand: "GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) -- Elaine Fulps is thrilled about the prize she won at a minor league baseball game. But she's hoping she doesn't have to collect on it anytime soon. Fulps, 60, won a $10,000 paid funeral at Tuesday night's Grand Prairie AirHogs game.

The prize won't expire until after Fulps does, said Ron Alexander, the sales manager at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens, which partnered with the team and Irving's Chapel of Roses Funeral Home to sponsor the event."

The 100 Greatest Summer Songs

Elton John | The 100 Greatest Summer Songs: The Top 25 | Photos | EW.com

Hat tip to Mike McGruff.

8 Things Britons are too Busy to Do

Thanks to Doc Quatermass for the link.

Peel an orange, and other things Britons won't do - This Britain, UK - The Independent: "Oranges are declining in popularity, according to Grocer magazine. They were introduced to our larders and kitchens from Asia 1,000 years ago, and their juice is our favourite morning heart-starter – but the actual spherical bomb of vitamin C, fibre, potassium and folate is less appetising with every passing year.

Why? Not because we've gone off the taste, but because we find them too difficult to peel. It's pathetic but true. Compared with the easy-peel, lighter-weight satsuma and tangerine, the noble orange is considered too big, too messy and too inconvenient to denude with your human fingers."

The Top 10 Star Wars Collectibles

Money Central - Times Online - WBLG: The top 10 Star Wars collectibles: "It's 30 years since the first Star Wars action figures were released – a staple of any happy 1980s childhood. To celebrate, here is our list of the top ten Star Wars collectibles, from the vintage and rare to new items that should climb in value.

Prices are approximate sale values for new or mint objects in their original packaging – 'carded' in the case of action figures."

Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

Family sues over judge's spanking demands | Metro.co.uk: "A family in Texas are suing a local justice of the peace, alleging that he ordered a father to spank his teenage stepdaughter with a wooden plank in the courtroom - and threatened to convict her of truancy if he didn't."

Anthony & Cleopatra Update

Cleopatra Bust Among Treasures Found in Egypt Temple: "An alabaster bust of Cleopatra and a mask that might have belonged to her lover Marc Antony are part of a slew of treasures found north of Alexandria, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities announced on Monday.

The artifacts were discovered inside the Taposiris Magna, a large temple in what is now Abusir that was built during the reign of Ptolemy II, which lasted from 282 to 246 B.C."

Please to Hand over Your Papers, Citizen

Lanier plans to seal off rough ’hoods in latest effort to stop wave of violence - Examiner.com: "D.C. police will seal off entire neighborhoods, set up checkpoints and kick out strangers under a new program that D.C. officials hope will help them rescue the city from its out-of-control violence.

Under an executive order expected to be announced today, police Chief Cathy L. Lanier will have the authority to designate “Neighborhood Safety Zones.” At least six officers will man cordons around those zones and demand identification from people coming in and out of them. Anyone who doesn’t live there, work there or have “legitimate reason” to be there will be sent away or face arrest, documents obtained by The Examiner show."

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

GUY RITCHIE - GUY RITCHIE CONTRACTED FOR SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIE: "Guy Ritchie is to take a look at an older style of crime movie with a new Sherlock Holmes adaptation

The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director has been contracted by Warner Bros Studios to helm a film based on an upcoming comic book about the detective.

Sherlock Holmes, set for a 2010 release, will be based on an as-yet-unpublished graphic novel take on the Arthur Conan Doyle creation by former Warner Bros creative executive Lionel Wigram, who will also produce the film alongside Dan Lin.

Though the plot of Wigram's approach to the 19th century detective remains a secret, it is believed it reimagines Holmes as a more adventurous character, who exploits his pugilistic talents and swordsmanship, according to Variety."

Just as I Figured, Too Late to Do Me Any Good

Expect new drugs to treat aging, researchers say | ajc.com: "Not yet, aging researchers say, but medical breakthroughs to significantly extend life and ease the ailments of getting older are closer than many people think.

'The general public has no idea what's coming,' said David Sinclair, a Harvard Medical School professor who has made headlines with research into the health benefits of a substance found in red wine called resveratrol."

How We Spent Our Anniversary

Never let it be said that I don't know how to show Judy a good time.

This Is Going to be Big!

Albany Herald 20080604f3.htm: "OMAHA — Southwest Georgians looking for a day of cold-blooded fun should head to Florence Marina State Park this weekend for Alligator Day.

The annual event will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, with presentations starting at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Admission is a $2 program fee per person and a $3 park fee per vehicle.

The program will feature an educational presentation about alligators."

Paging Charles Willeford

Two arrested after alleged attempt to burglarize fumigated house -- Police, Fort Lauderdale -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "FORT LAUDERDALE - A would-be thief who covered his hands with socks was arrested moments after he tried to burglarize a home draped by a fumigation tent on Monday night, authorities said."

In 100 Years, He'll Still be Crisp

Inventor of Pringles chip can, Fredric Baur, to be buried in one: "The Cincinnati chemist who invented the iconic Pringles potato chip can was buried in one.

Relatives revealed yesterday they honored Fredric Baur's bizarre last wish and buried part of his cremated remains in a Pringles can.

Baur was so proud of the tube-shaped container he patented in 1970 that he wanted one to accompany him to his grave, his children told the Cincinnati Enquirer."

Hat tip to Art Scott.

Hey, What about Me?

There are no more great writers, says V S Naipaul - News, Books - The Independent: "The novelist V S Naipaul has damned the achievements of his literary contemporaries by declaring that there are 'no more great writers'.

Naipaul, 75, who won the Booker in 1971 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001, is said to have called this year's Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival 'unimportant and meaningless'."

June 4, 1965

Daredevils of the West

Will the Persecution Never End?

Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton Private MySpace Pics Exposed--Are You Next? - Switched: "Thought you were hiding the naughty pictures of you and your friends on your private MySpace profile? Think again, social networker, or face the fate that just befell Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, whose MySpace page private pictures were hacked and posted on the Web for all to see (this is the second time their MySpace pages have been compromised, by the way)."

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

CWA Dagger Shortlist

Sarah Weinman has it.

Arrrrrggggghhhhh!

The air-conditioner at the Crider manse has suddenly stopped working, and it's 96 degrees. This is not good news.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Thanks to Jeff (Brooklyn) Meyerson for the link.

Opening Big in Austin - Sony Classics’ ‘Baghead’ - NYTimes.com: "LOS ANGELES — On June 13, Sony Pictures Classics, one of New York’s wilier distributors of independent films, plans to open its little comic thriller “Baghead” with a splash.

But not in New York. And not here.

The movie will show first in Austin, Tex., where its writer-directors, the brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, got their filmmaking careers in gear. Then “Baghead” will probably move on to Dallas, Houston or, maybe, Portland, Ore. — cities that, in the words of Tom Bernard, the co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, “tend to connect with what’s new and different.”"

10 Hidden Gems To Discover on Summer TV

Photo 1 | Summer TV: 10 Hidden Gems To Discover This Season | Summer TV | Photos | EW.com: "Ready to fall in love this season? Series like ''Bones,'' ''Flight of the Conchords,'' ''Reaper,'' and ''Friday Night Lights'' aren't getting nearly the attention they need -- and deserve. So what are you waiting for? See what you're missing!"

Breaking Bad sounds good. I should have been watching this one.

The Great Stink -- Clare Clark

William May comes home from the Crimean War a damaged man. Nearly killed by a Russian bayonet, he can't escape the horrors in his head. His job in rebuilding the great London sewer system gives him the opportunity for isolation and self-mutilation. Meanwhile, in the secondary plot, Long Arm Tom is prowling the sewers, catching rats for the bars where dogs will kill them in vicious contests. When there's a murder in the sewers, May goes completely mad for a while and winds up in a lunatic asylum before being transported to a prison ship.

The Great Stink is a dark, Dickensian novel, rich in historical detail and smells, It's not for the overly sensitive. At one time, the Thames was an open sewer flowing through the heart of London, and Clark captures that time convincingly. The plot isn't nearly as convincing, relying as it does on numerous coincidences, but that's Dickensian, too. Check it out.

The Classic Science Fiction Channel

I assume all this is legal. The guy who put together the side says he believes that it is.

Adventures of Red Ryder

Should You Raise Your Child to be a Pirate?

PIRATE PARENTING: Capn Billy The Butcher MacDougalls Guide to Pirate Parenting: Why you should raise your kids as pirates and 101 tips on how to do it by Tim Bete: "In Guide to Pirate Parenting, Cap’n Billy “The Butcher” MacDougall provides everything you need to know to turn your little powder monkeys into happy, healthy buccaneers!"

Click the link for some great Top 10 Lists, too.

Destinyland

Those of you with a penchant for pop culture blogs might want to take a look at Destinyland, "the happiest blog on earth."

Bo Diddley, R. I. P.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton.

I've added a Bo Diddley song to the ones on the right in tribute to one of the greats.

Idiocracy

My son recommended this one. Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph get frozen and wake up in 2505. It's a new world, one where Wilson, the epitome of the average guy in his own time, is the smartest man in the world. By far. Hilarity ensues, sort of. The movie was funny, but not in the same class with C. M. Kornbluth's story "The Marching Morons," Wells' When the Sleeper Wakes or Woody Allen's Sleeper. I got the feeling that the movie could have been a lot better if there'd been a decent plot, but maybe that's asking too much.

The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of all Time?

You decide. (You'll have to because an old poop like me hasn't heard half of them.)

Shadows of the West

Sure it's an Advertisement. . .

. . . but it's a good advertisement.

Thanks to Doc Quatermass for the link.

A Zombie Musical

Host:	Dan Eggleston
Location:	Regal Arbor @ Great Hills 9828 Great Hills Trail #800, Austin, TX 78759 US View Map |
When:	Monday, June 16, 7:30PM
Phone:	512 458 8383
Come see the first Texas screening (open to the public) of Z: a Zombie Musical, the first zombie musical. Tickets at the theater are only $5. (FYI: the film includes profanity & nudity)

Anthony Nominations

The 2008 Anthony Award Nominees

Best Novel:

James Lee Burke-Tin Roof Blowdown- Simon and Schuster

Lee Child – Bad Luck and Trouble Delacorte Press

Robert Crais- The Watchman Simon and Schuster

William Kent Krueger-Thunder Bay Atria

Laura Lippman – What the Dead Know William Morrow

Best First Novel:

Sean Chercover- Big City, Bad Blood William Morrow

Tana French- In the Woods Viking Adult

Lisa Lutz-The Spellman Files Simon and Schuster

Craig MacDonald- Head Games Bleak House Books

Marcus Sakey- The Blade Itself St. Martin Minotaur

Best Paperback Original

Megan Abbott- Queenpin Simon and Schuster

Ken Bruen and Jason Starr – Slide Hard Case Crime

David Corbett- Blood of Paradise Ballantine Books

Robert Fate- Baby Shark’s Beaumont Blues Capital Crime Press

P.J. Parrish- A Thousand Bones Pocket

Short Story

Rhys Bowen- Please Watch Your Step- (The Strand Magazine-Spring 07)

Steve Hockensmith-Dear Dr. Watson- (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

Toni L. P. Kelner - How Stella Got her Grave Back - (Many Bloody Returns edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner) for Ace Hardcover

Laura Lippman- Hardly Knew Her - (Dead Man’s Hand edited by Otto Penzler) for Harcourt

Daniel Woodrell -Uncle – (A Hell of A Woman: An Anthology of Female Noir edited by Megan Abbott) for Busted Flush Press

Critical Work

Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters by Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower & Charles Foley Penguin

The Essential Mystery Lists Compiled by Roger Sobin Poisoned Pen Press

The Triumph of the Thriller: How Cops, Crooks and Cannibals Captured Popular Fiction – Patrick Anderson Random House

Deviance in Contemporary Crime Fiction- Christiana Gregoriou Palgrave MacMillan

Special Services

Jon and Ruth Jordan- Crime Spree Magazine

Ali Karim- Shotz Magazine

Maddy Van Hertbruggen- 4MA

Sarah Weinman- Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind

Judy Bobalik- for being one of the best friends and supporters of mystery writers anywhere

Web Site

Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind- Sarah Weinman

Rap sheet/January Magazine –J Kingston Pierce

Murderati – A Writer’s Blog

Stop You’re Killing Me- Stan Ulrich & Lucinda Surber

Crime Fiction Dossier- David Montgomery

Carnival of the Criminal Minds

Martin Edwards has the latest.

Stonehenge Update

Stonehenge Used as Cemetery From the Beginning - NYTimes.com: "At least part of the mystery of Stonehenge may have now been solved: It was from the beginning a monument to the dead.

New research shows that Stonehenge was used for more than 500 years as a cemetery. The burials were initially uncovered in a pit around the edge and in the nearby ditch surrounding the monument.

New radiocarbon dates from human cremation burials among and around the brooding stones on Salisbury Plain in England indicate that the site was used as a cemetery from 3000 B.C. until after the monuments were erected around 2500 B.C., British archaeologists reported Thursday."

The Black Lash