But since this is a family blog, I can't link to it.
Thanks to Linda Richards at The Rap Sheet for calling it to my attention.
Friday, January 15, 2010
"Billy Goat Bandit" Update
"Billy Goat Bandit" suspected in at least 11 Houston area bank robberies - 1/14/10 - Houston News - abc13.com: "The Houston FBI Bank Robbery Task Force is seeking the public's assistance in identifying a man who is now suspected in at least 6 Houston area bank robberies.
The latest occurred at the Wells Fargo located inside the Randall's grocery store located at 12860 Memorial Thursday. In previous robberies, the robber sported a unique straggly beard with extra long chin hair, earning him the nickname of the 'Billy Goat Bandit.' During some recent robberies, the robber's chin whiskers were more neatly trimmed."
The latest occurred at the Wells Fargo located inside the Randall's grocery store located at 12860 Memorial Thursday. In previous robberies, the robber sported a unique straggly beard with extra long chin hair, earning him the nickname of the 'Billy Goat Bandit.' During some recent robberies, the robber's chin whiskers were more neatly trimmed."
Forgotten Books: STONE M.I.A. HUNTER: MIAMI WAR ZONE -- Jack Buchanan
Okay, the truth is that this book's not entirely forgotten, and that's why I'm writing about it. I ran across a reference to it an another book. Almost as soon as I started reading the reference work, I ran across this comment: ". . . the MIA Hunter and his team do more damage to the drug trade in a week than the DEA had done in many years."Indeed. And I'm proud to have had a part in doing that damage. Back in the late '80s, Steve Mertz invited me to write a few of the M.I.A. Hunter books based on his outlines. One of them was Miami War Zone, and seeing it mentioned in print reminded me of just how much fun it was to write those fast-moving tales of rugged adventure. Lots of action, shooting, and explosions. I wrote several in the series, and it would be hard to pick a favorite, though this one stands out in my memory.
Joe Lansdale wrote a couple of these books, too, as did Mike Newton. They turn up in used-book stores quite often, and you can buy them on-line for a buck.
My review of Serial Vigilantes, the reference work cited above, will be posted in a day or so.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Latest Getting Away with Murder Now On-Line
The January "Getting Away With Murder" column is now up and running at
Bobby Charles, R. I. P.
See You Later Alligator: Louisiana Legend Bobby Charles Dead at 71 - Houston Music - Rocks Off: "It's a sad day in the swamps of South Louisiana as Bobby Charles, a founder of the musical genre known as swamp pop and one of the most under-rated songwriters of his time, has passed away at 71. Originally from rural Abbeville, Charles rose to fame on the very cusp of the birth of rock and roll when he penned and recorded 'See You Later Alligator,' which became a hit for Bill Haley & His Comets shortly thereafter. Charles also wrote the Fats Domino standard 'Walkin' To New Orleans,' and hit early rock and roll gold when Clarence 'Frogman' Henry recorded 'I Don't Know Why I Love You (But I Do).'"
Getting High
FOXNews.com - Thar She Blows: Cocaine Found at NASA: "NASA is investigating how a small amount of cocaine ended up in a space shuttle hanger at the agency's Florida spaceport.
A bag containing a small amount of white powder residue that was later confirmed to be cocaine was discovered in the space shuttle Discovery's hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The hangar, known in NASA parlance as an Orbiter Processing Facility, is a restricted zone for shuttle workers only."
A bag containing a small amount of white powder residue that was later confirmed to be cocaine was discovered in the space shuttle Discovery's hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The hangar, known in NASA parlance as an Orbiter Processing Facility, is a restricted zone for shuttle workers only."
Latest Out of the Gutter Magazine
Out of the Gutter MagazineIssue #6, the Sexploitation Issue, is now available. Guaranteed to contain pulp fiction and degenerate literature. Check it out.
'Rasta Robber' Update
FBI: 'Rasta Robber' Arrested | MyFoxHouston.com: "Red lipstick and a dreadlock wig weren't enough to disguise a robber who hit two Houston-area banks, according to the FBI.
Houston resident Rashad Rambo Kenyatta Ross, 22, was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery after investigators received a tip, an FBI spokesperson said."
Houston resident Rashad Rambo Kenyatta Ross, 22, was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery after investigators received a tip, an FBI spokesperson said."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
New Firefighters Calendar Dropping Jaws, Sparking Controversy | MyFoxHouston.com: "'When I look at that picture I just don't imagine that being a firefighter who represents the fire department,' one Houstonian said.
They're looking at the new 2010 calendar put out by a group of firefighters called Pipes and Drums. Those are the firemen who play the Scottish bagpipes at funerals and other events.
Their model is also a Houston firefighter. The calendar doesn't leave much to the imagination when it comes to her breasts."
No photo at the link.
Update: Brian Lindemuth has thoughtfully provided a link with a photo.
They're looking at the new 2010 calendar put out by a group of firefighters called Pipes and Drums. Those are the firemen who play the Scottish bagpipes at funerals and other events.
Their model is also a Houston firefighter. The calendar doesn't leave much to the imagination when it comes to her breasts."
No photo at the link.
Update: Brian Lindemuth has thoughtfully provided a link with a photo.
Which One of the Mad Men Came Up with This One?
If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger,There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats: Great Moments in Marketing #27
A great ad for "the world's finest projection equipment."
A great ad for "the world's finest projection equipment."
Support the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
You'll notice the new widget at the upper right. The Red Cross has assured everyone that 100% of the money donated will go to Haiti. I've already chipped in.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
U.T. researcher studies difference between 'Dog People', 'Cat People' | kvue.com | Local News: "Sam Gosling, a professor at the University of Texas, gave personality tests to more than 4,000 people. Gosling found those who called themselves dog people were more extroverted, more agreeable, and more conscientious. Self-described cat people were more neurotic, but they were also more open."
Teddy Pendergrass, R. I. P.
Soul singer Teddy Pendergrass dies in Pa. at 59: "Teddy Pendergrass, who became R&B;'s reigning sex symbol in the 1970s and '80s with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads and later became an inspirational figure after suffering a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed, died Wednesday at age 59.
The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had 'a difficult recovery,' his son said."
The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had 'a difficult recovery,' his son said."
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Arrrgggghhhhh!
Tolstoy will do the robot in the next Quirk Classic | EW.com: "Quirk Books, the folks who brought you Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, its prequel, and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, have moved on from bloodying the frock of Jane Austen and set their sights on a new author: Leo Tolstoy. No, the company’s fourth augmented classic isn’t going to be War and Pieces of Brain, nor will it be The Undeath of Ivan Ilyich.
It’s Android Karenina, which will transpose the tale of Anna Karenina to a steampunk-inspired alternate 19th-century world of cyborgs, robot butlers, and space travel. S&S&S scribe Ben H. Winters will be helping to mechanize the original text, and the new quirkified version (the cover, at left, has yet to be designed) is set for release in bookstores this June."
It’s Android Karenina, which will transpose the tale of Anna Karenina to a steampunk-inspired alternate 19th-century world of cyborgs, robot butlers, and space travel. S&S&S scribe Ben H. Winters will be helping to mechanize the original text, and the new quirkified version (the cover, at left, has yet to be designed) is set for release in bookstores this June."
Pennsylvania Leads the Way
Hairdresser sentenced for shooting dissatisfied customer: "A Washington County hairstylist who claims she didn't know a .38-caliber handgun was a 'deadly weapon' will spend five to 20 years in prison for shooting a dissatisfied client in the lower back."
If I didn't know better, I'd think this story was from Texas.
If I didn't know better, I'd think this story was from Texas.
How Does Hollywood Keep Coming Up with These Great Ideas?
Broderick approves 'Bueller' remake - MSN Movies News: "Matthew Broderick has given Hollywood bosses the green light to remake his classic movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' . . ."
Knox Burger, R. I. P.
Knox Burger, 87, Book Editor and Literary Agent - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "As a magazine editor in the 1950s, Knox Burger published Kurt Vonnegut’s first short story. As a book editor in the 1960s, he asked John D. MacDonald to create a mystery series around a character who eventually turned out to be the detective Travis McGee. And as a literary agent in the 1970s, he took on a novel about a Russian detective by a largely unknown writer — “Gorky Park,” by Martin Cruz Smith — which in 1980 he sold to Random House for $1 million."
I just learned of this from Sarah Weinman's blog. One the giants of the paperback original days (both Dell and Gold Medal) is gone.
I just learned of this from Sarah Weinman's blog. One the giants of the paperback original days (both Dell and Gold Medal) is gone.
Antiques Flee Market -- Barbara Allan
Barbara Allan is, as you might know already, the writing team of Barbara and Max Allan Collins. I like the pen name because it's not just the combination of their own names but the title of a ballad I like, one that I first heard sung by the Everly Brothers. But I digress, and I've just gotten started.Antiques Flee Market isn't the first book in the series about Brandy and Vivian Borne, but it's the first one I've read. Probably it won't be the last because I found Brandy's narrative voice very engaging, and the book was very funny, just the kind of thing I need now and then. I should mention that Vivian gets to narrate a couple of chapters, though it appears that in earlier books Brandy has limited her to only one, which seems hardly fair to Vivian (and to me).
Brandy's living with her mom, Vivian, because of an indiscretion with a former classmate at a high school reunion that led to her divorce. Brandy's on Prozac, and her mother is bi-polar. They visit their shrinks together. Obviously this book isn't a typical cozy. But if you love cozies, I must admit that the series is ostensibly antiques, and each chapter ends with a flea market shopping tip. There's even a recipe included.
The plot? When one of Vivian's old boyfriends is murdered, Brandy and Vivian get involved in the investigation, even though the cops warn them off. Brandy's current boyfriend is a cop, in fact, but he doesn't help the pair in any way with with their probe into the case, which involves a first edition of Tarzan of the Apes. There's cold weather, amusing dialogue, and a couple of nice surprises. Next time you need a laugh, check it out.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
The Galveston County Daily News: "A West End property owner is suing Bank of America Corp., asserting its agents mistakenly seized a vacation house he owns free and clear, then changed the locks and shut the power off, resulting in the smelly spoiling of about 75 pounds of salmon and halibut from an Alaska fishing trip and other damages.
[. . . .]
Bank of America officials on Friday said they had not had an opportunity to review the lawsuit and typically decline to comment on pending litigation. But the bank is familiar with the case.
“Based on previous discussions with Mr. Schroit, we do not believe the case will show merit,” spokesman Rick Simon said."
[. . . .]
Bank of America officials on Friday said they had not had an opportunity to review the lawsuit and typically decline to comment on pending litigation. But the bank is familiar with the case.
“Based on previous discussions with Mr. Schroit, we do not believe the case will show merit,” spokesman Rick Simon said."
Okay, Hasn't This Sort of Thing Gone Just About Far Enough?
Reported to the Fictionmags list by Martin Wooster: LOCUS reports that Sherri Browning Erwen "sold JANE SLAYRE, a literary mash-up in which Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is a vampire slayer."
Wow, and Only a Buck Ninety-Nine
Company creates sarcasm punctuation - UPI.com: "A Michigan company announced the release of software
Tuesday that introduces new punctuation to the typed word: The sarcasm mark.
Sarcasm Inc. of Washington Township said the SarcMark, which resembles an open circle with a dot in the center, can be installed on computers via a program that can be downloaded from sarcmark.com for $1.99"
Tuesday that introduces new punctuation to the typed word: The sarcasm mark.
Sarcasm Inc. of Washington Township said the SarcMark, which resembles an open circle with a dot in the center, can be installed on computers via a program that can be downloaded from sarcmark.com for $1.99"
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police line up to use drones on patrol after Houston secret test: "The Federal Aviation Administration has been flooded with requests from police departments throughout the United States to use drones to fly on patrol, since a secret test of the technology was captured in Houston."
Video here.
Hat tip to Mike Stamm.
Video here.
Hat tip to Mike Stamm.
A Letter from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Letters of Note: Slaughterhouse Five: "In December of 1944, whilst behind enemy lines during the Rhineland Campaign, Private Kurt Vonnegut was captured by Wehrmacht troops and subsequently became a prisoner of war.
[. . . .]
Below is a letter he wrote to his family that May from a repatriation camp, in which he informs them of his capture and survival."
[. . . .]
Below is a letter he wrote to his family that May from a repatriation camp, in which he informs them of his capture and survival."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Disc golf: All the joys of golf without the plaid or green fees - 2010-Jan-09 - CultureMap Houston: "Fortunately for those of us who have a hard time coughing up regular greens fees for a sport they know will make them look like jerks, there is an alternative. Disc golf grows in following and respectability every year, and with more courses than any other city in the country, Houston is a great place to give it a try."
Archaeology Update
My Way News - Prehistoric building found in modern Israeli city: "Archaeologists have uncovered remains of an 8,000-year-old prehistoric building as well as ancient flint tools in the modern city of Tel Aviv, Israel's Antiquities Authority announced Monday. The building is the earliest structure ever found in Tel Aviv and changes what archaeologists previously believed about the area in ancient times.
'This discovery is both important and surprising to researchers of the period,' said Ayelet Dayan, the archaeologist who led the excavation. 'For the first time we have encountered evidence of a permanent habitation that existed in the Tel Aviv region 8,000 years ago,' she said.
The three-room structure is believed to be have been built in the Neolithic period - when humans went from a nomadic existence of hunting and gathering to living in permanent settlements and engaging in agriculture."
'This discovery is both important and surprising to researchers of the period,' said Ayelet Dayan, the archaeologist who led the excavation. 'For the first time we have encountered evidence of a permanent habitation that existed in the Tel Aviv region 8,000 years ago,' she said.
The three-room structure is believed to be have been built in the Neolithic period - when humans went from a nomadic existence of hunting and gathering to living in permanent settlements and engaging in agriculture."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
CRIME Blog | The Dallas Morning News: "This anouncement from the State Bar of Texas should spawn all sorts of creative responses: The Bar is sponsoring a video contest on 'the importance of the Legal System.' Texans are asked to create a 30-second video that answers one of two questions: Why are lawyers important to our society? How is the court system important to our society?"
Santa Fe Leads the Way
Santa Fe man demands half a mill for being near iPhone • The Register: "Arthur Firstenberg is suing his neighbour for $530,000 for refusing to switch off her iPhone, claiming that the electromagnetic fields generated are destroying his health.
Not only does Mr. Firstenberg want the iPhone switched off, but he also reckons that leaving the iPhone and a laptop charging overnight is denying him the sleep he so badly needs, according to the filing spotted by the Santa Fe Reporter. This is apparently why his half-million claim includes $100,000 for pain and suffering."
Not only does Mr. Firstenberg want the iPhone switched off, but he also reckons that leaving the iPhone and a laptop charging overnight is denying him the sleep he so badly needs, according to the filing spotted by the Santa Fe Reporter. This is apparently why his half-million claim includes $100,000 for pain and suffering."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
4 men arrested in botched Conroe jewelry store burglary | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Police captured a band of suspected burglars who made several mistakes when they allegedly broke into a Conroe jewelry store Monday morning, officials said.
The alleged lookout man failed to disable the alarm system at Camillo's Fine Jewelry, 2107 W. Davis. The suspected getaway driver was found sleeping in his car, Conroe police said."
The alleged lookout man failed to disable the alarm system at Camillo's Fine Jewelry, 2107 W. Davis. The suspected getaway driver was found sleeping in his car, Conroe police said."
Monday, January 11, 2010
Eric Rohmer, R. I. P.
Eric Rohmer, New Wave Filmmaker, Dies at 89 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Eric Rohmer, the French critic and filmmaker who was one of the founding figures of the internationally influential movement that became known as the French New Wave, and the director of more than 50 films for theaters and television, including the Oscar-nominated “My Night at Maud’s” (1969), died on Monday. He was 89."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
This Is Gonna Be Great!
'Rockford Files' remake in the works - UPI.com: "NBC has announced plans to remake the 1970s U.S. private detective series 'The Rockford Files' and the contemporary British police drama 'Prime Suspect.'"
I'm thinking Adam Sander as Jim Rockford and Rob Schneider at Angel.
I'm thinking Adam Sander as Jim Rockford and Rob Schneider at Angel.
Gaily bedight,/ A gallant knight/ In sunshine and in shadow, . . .
Google Earth helps find El Dorado - Times Online: "Since the time of the conquistadors, the legend of an ancient, lost civilisation deep in the Amazon forest has beguiled hundreds of explorers and led many to their deaths. Some called their dream El Dorado. Others, most notably Colonel Percy Fawcett, the gloriously moustached British explorer (and real-life model for Indiana Jones) named it the City of Z. But no one has ever returned from the Amazon with conclusive proof that such a place existed.
Three scientists have now come close to doing just that. The journal Antiquity has published a report showing more than 200 massive earthworks in the upper Amazon basin near Brazil’s border with Bolivia. From the sky it looks as if a series of geometric figures has been carved into the earth, but the archeologists and historians who published the report believe these shapes are the remains of roads, bridges, moats, avenues and squares that formed the basis for a sophisticated civilisation spanning 155 miles, which could have supported a population of 60,000. The remains date from AD200 to 1283."
Three scientists have now come close to doing just that. The journal Antiquity has published a report showing more than 200 massive earthworks in the upper Amazon basin near Brazil’s border with Bolivia. From the sky it looks as if a series of geometric figures has been carved into the earth, but the archeologists and historians who published the report believe these shapes are the remains of roads, bridges, moats, avenues and squares that formed the basis for a sophisticated civilisation spanning 155 miles, which could have supported a population of 60,000. The remains date from AD200 to 1283."
Words. Who Needs 'Em?
Teenagers 'only use 800 different words a day' - Telegraph: "A generation of teenagers who communicate via the Internet and by text messages are risking unemployment because their daily vocabulary consists of just 800 words, the Government's new children's communication tsar has warned.
Although, according to recent surveys, they know an average of 40,000 words, they tend to favour a 'teenspeak' used in text messages, on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace and in internet chat rooms like MSN.
One poll, commissioned by Tesco, revealed that while children had the vocabulary to be articulate, the top 20 words they used - including the Vicky Pollard lexicon of “yeah”, “no” and “but” - accounted for about a third of all the words they used."
Although, according to recent surveys, they know an average of 40,000 words, they tend to favour a 'teenspeak' used in text messages, on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace and in internet chat rooms like MSN.
One poll, commissioned by Tesco, revealed that while children had the vocabulary to be articulate, the top 20 words they used - including the Vicky Pollard lexicon of “yeah”, “no” and “but” - accounted for about a third of all the words they used."
Defiance
Near the beginning of WWII, the Bielski brothers lose their family to the Nazis. They flee to the Lipicza´nska Forest in Belorussia and decide to fight back. Tuvia (Daniel Craig) wants to fight by helping other Jews escape the on-going attempt at genocide. Zus (Lev Schreiber) wants to use guns. Eventually they gather a large number of people in the forest. They have to fight not only the Germans but disease, the cold, and sometimes each other. Zus leaves to join the partisans who have more and better weapons.You can pretty much write the script for this one yourself, but it's still an effective movie. Watching it reminded me once again that we never learn anything. We still seem to think that killing and war will solve all our problems. Pretty depressing when you think about it, but the movie, based on a true story, does at least show that some people have the grit and the spirit to survive the terrible things that others do to them.
I don't know much about the Bielski brothers, so I didn't really care whether the movie stuck close to what actually happened. It works well enough on its own terms. Check it out.
Love Will Find a Way
Lots of folks dial 911 for stupid stuff. But this guy wins: "First Paul Brian Clutts, 46, called 911 in Tampa to report that he hit his house with a car, reports the St. Petersburg Times.
Cops rushed to his home but Clutts had vanished. And there was no damage to his home.
Afterwards Clutts showed up at a Sheriff's District Office and told deputies he called 911 because 'his cat attacked him.' Also he wanted to join his girlfriend in jail. He also told cops 'someone was going to shoot up the district.'"
Cops rushed to his home but Clutts had vanished. And there was no damage to his home.
Afterwards Clutts showed up at a Sheriff's District Office and told deputies he called 911 because 'his cat attacked him.' Also he wanted to join his girlfriend in jail. He also told cops 'someone was going to shoot up the district.'"
Archaeology Update
NewsDaily: Egypt tombs suggest pyramids not built by slaves: "New tombs found in Giza support the view that the Great Pyramids were built by free workers and not slaves, as widely believed, Egypt's chief archaeologist said on Sunday."
Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Poetry Update
Businessman is arrested in front of wife and son... for �anti-gipsy� email that he didn�t even write | Mail Online: "A wealthy businessman was arrested at home in front of his wife and young son over an email which council officials deemed ‘offensive’ to gipsies – but which he had not even written.
The email, concerning a planning appeal by a gipsy, included the phrase: ‘It’s the 'do as you likey' attitude that I am against.’
Council staff believed the email was offensive because ‘likey’ rhymes with the derogatory term ‘pikey’."
The email, concerning a planning appeal by a gipsy, included the phrase: ‘It’s the 'do as you likey' attitude that I am against.’
Council staff believed the email was offensive because ‘likey’ rhymes with the derogatory term ‘pikey’."
Big Netflix is Watching You (and What You're Watching)
A Peek Into Netflix Queues - NYTimes.com: "Examine Netflix rental patterns, neighborhood by neighborhood, in a dozen cities."
3-D Update
Avatar sparks 3-D makeover for action classics - Times Online: "Hollywood is preparing to re-release some past hits, including Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in 3-D following the record-breaking success of Avatar."
No Comment Department
Tweet, google voted top words - UPI.com: "Members of the American Dialect Society have voted 'tweet' the 2009 word of the year and 'google' the word of the decade."
Next Time, Use a Marshmallow
Myleene Klass Knife Warning: Marks And Spencer Model Warned Over Waving Kitchen Knife At Teenagers | Showbiz News | Sky News: "Celebrity mum Myleene Klass is 'aghast' after being warned by police for waving a knife at teenagers who entered her garden.
The TV star and Marks & Spencer model was in her kitchen, with her daughter upstairs, when she spotted people peering into her window just after midnight on Friday.
She grabbed a knife and banged the windows before they ran away.
Hertfordshire Police officers warned Klass she should not have used a knife to scare off the teens because carrying an 'offensive weapon' - even in her own home - was illegal."
The TV star and Marks & Spencer model was in her kitchen, with her daughter upstairs, when she spotted people peering into her window just after midnight on Friday.
She grabbed a knife and banged the windows before they ran away.
Hertfordshire Police officers warned Klass she should not have used a knife to scare off the teens because carrying an 'offensive weapon' - even in her own home - was illegal."
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Facebook Oddities
Today I noticed on a Facebook sidebar that one of my friends was 45% active. I thought that was pretty good, considering that he's 100% dead and has been for a good while now. I hope I can remain that active that long after I step on a rainbow.
The Kids Will Go Nuts for This!
Stun gun maker Taser creates phone monitoring tool for parents | News.com.au: "STUN gun maker Taser wants to help parents, not with jolts of electricity but with a tool which allows them to effectively take over a child's phone and manage its use.
The phone application, called 'Mobile Protector,' allows a parent to screen a child's incoming and outgoing calls and messages, block particular numbers and even listen in on a conversation.
Text messages, emails, photos and videos can also be screened for inappropriate language or pornographic content."
The phone application, called 'Mobile Protector,' allows a parent to screen a child's incoming and outgoing calls and messages, block particular numbers and even listen in on a conversation.
Text messages, emails, photos and videos can also be screened for inappropriate language or pornographic content."
And You Thought Your Neighborhood was Tough
CRIME Blog | The Dallas Morning News: "The body of 36-year-old Hugo Hernandez was left on the streets of Los Mochis in seven pieces as a chilling threat to members of the Juarez drug cartel. A note read: ''Happy New Year, because this will be your last.''
To drive home the point, the assailants skinned Hernandez's face and stitched it onto a soccer ball.
The gruesome find, confirmed Friday by Sinaloa state prosecutors, represents a new level of brutality in Mexico's drug war, in which torture and beheadings are almost daily occurrences."
To drive home the point, the assailants skinned Hernandez's face and stitched it onto a soccer ball.
The gruesome find, confirmed Friday by Sinaloa state prosecutors, represents a new level of brutality in Mexico's drug war, in which torture and beheadings are almost daily occurrences."
Hurricane Ike Update
The Galveston County Daily News: "Sixteen months after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston, the storm is continuing to wreak havoc on the island’s streets.
Galveston’s streets, notorious for potholes before the hurricane, are continuing to crack, sink and crumble in what the city said are latent effects of the hurricane. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency will not pay to repair streets just now showing damage, Eric Wilson, director of municipal utilities, said.
The street damage is a result of the hurricane’s storm surge and the abnormally heavy rainfall in Galveston in 2009, Angelo Grasso, director of public works, said."
Galveston’s streets, notorious for potholes before the hurricane, are continuing to crack, sink and crumble in what the city said are latent effects of the hurricane. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency will not pay to repair streets just now showing damage, Eric Wilson, director of municipal utilities, said.
The street damage is a result of the hurricane’s storm surge and the abnormally heavy rainfall in Galveston in 2009, Angelo Grasso, director of public works, said."
Grits Rage
Woman attacked her sleeping boyfriend with boiling grits: "They say that revenge is best served cold, but apparently Louisiana based Carolyn Brown hadn’t heard about it, because in a fit of anger she attacked her sleeping boyfriend with a bowl of boiling grits. And her boyfriend is now suffering from second-degree burns due to this act.
Carolyn’s boyfriend came home from work on November 7th, and then he got into a heated argument with her. In a rage, he said to her that he wanted to break up with her. After that he went to bed. Carolyn was understandably very angry and in a fit of anger she dumped a huge bowl of boiling grits on him."
Hat tip to Charlaine Harris.
Carolyn’s boyfriend came home from work on November 7th, and then he got into a heated argument with her. In a rage, he said to her that he wanted to break up with her. After that he went to bed. Carolyn was understandably very angry and in a fit of anger she dumped a huge bowl of boiling grits on him."
Hat tip to Charlaine Harris.
Self-Rolling Snow Balls
Snow stories: rare self-rolling snow balls found in UK - Telegraph
Great photo at the link.
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Great photo at the link.
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Dad Delivers Baby In Parking Lot - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston: "A Texas man made it as far as the parking lot of a Houston-area hospital before helping his in-labor wife deliver their daughter.
Timmy Day of Needville says he 'didn't do anything special but catch.'"
Timmy Day of Needville says he 'didn't do anything special but catch.'"
Here's the Plot for your Next Art-Related Mystery Novel
Chicago man admits he sold bogus Picassos on eBay: "A suburban Chicago man pleaded guilty Tuesday to swindling at least 250 people out of more than $1 million through the sale of counterfeit prints advertised as the work of Pablo Picasso and other major contemporary artists.
Michael Zabrin of Northbrook admitted sometimes paying between $1,000 and $1,500 for counterfeit limited edition fine art prints produced in Spain and Italy and reselling them on eBay for many times that amount."
Link via News from Me.
Michael Zabrin of Northbrook admitted sometimes paying between $1,000 and $1,500 for counterfeit limited edition fine art prints produced in Spain and Italy and reselling them on eBay for many times that amount."
Link via News from Me.
Art Clokey, R. I. P.
'Gumby' creator and Los Osos resident Art Clokey dies - Breaking News - SanLuisObispo.com: "Art Clokey, whose iconic Gumby entertained generations of children, died Friday morning.Gumby – the slender, green clay character partly modeled after Clokey’s father – was a fixture on television through the decades, starting with an appearance on the “Howdy Doody” show in 1956. Through the years, the stop motion star made several comebacks, including a new show in the 80s, after a “Saturday Night Live” skit with actor Eddie Murphy made the character popular again. Throughout Gumby’s long run, Gumby toys – most notably, the bendable – have been a staple of toy stores everywhere.
Clokey, who lived in Los Osos, was 89."
Friday, January 08, 2010
Stun Gun Update
Fla. woman shocked after Christmas greeting: "A 29-year-old Zephyrhills woman has been arrested after allegedly using a stun gun on a woman who tried to hug her on Christmas night."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Casablanca, Starring Jack Benny
Failing Better: "In recent entries of Roger Ebert's Answer Man column—on December 9 and December 23—he tackled the rumor that Jack Benny had an uncredited cameo in Casablanca. While addressing various claims, such as the fact that one Benny fan-site stated that the Casablanca press kit verifies the fact, Ebert responded, 'I think you're right.'
I'd never heard this before, and didn't dig out my old VHS tape to check, but based on a few minutes searching online, I found a newspaper ad placed by a Florida theater that confirms this appearance—because it gave away a free pass to any theater patron who could spot Benny."
Link via News from Me.
Update: The guy in the screen grabs now posted at News from Me don't look much like Benny. Maybe this is another urban legend, though a good one.
I'd never heard this before, and didn't dig out my old VHS tape to check, but based on a few minutes searching online, I found a newspaper ad placed by a Florida theater that confirms this appearance—because it gave away a free pass to any theater patron who could spot Benny."
Link via News from Me.
Update: The guy in the screen grabs now posted at News from Me don't look much like Benny. Maybe this is another urban legend, though a good one.
Tylenol Killer Update
Suspected 1982 Tylenol Killer James Lewis Turns Over DNA - ABC News: "James Lewis, the one and only suspect in the 1982 Tylenol killings, has been forced by a judge to surrender DNA samples to investigators, ABC News has learned.
No one has ever been charged in the Tylenol poisonings that left seven people dead and an entire nation paralyzed by fear."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
No one has ever been charged in the Tylenol poisonings that left seven people dead and an entire nation paralyzed by fear."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Celeb Shrink Update
Alleged white supremacist killer attacks celeb shrink in jail - BostonHerald.com: "Accused white supremacist killer Keith Luke yesterday attacked celebrity shrink Dr. Keith Ablow during a court-ordered sit-down at the Plymouth House of Correction, according to authorities."
Great photo at the link.
Great photo at the link.
What the World Needs Now
CES 2010: Ford unveils Tweeting car - Telegraph: "Alan Mulally, Ford’s chief executive, said the company will produce a range of vehicles which can read motorist's twitter messages to them as they drive down the street.
Drivers may even be able to Tweet replies as the cars will feature voice recognition technology. But composing Tweets will not be possible on the first models, due out in the US later this year, because of safety fears."
Drivers may even be able to Tweet replies as the cars will feature voice recognition technology. But composing Tweets will not be possible on the first models, due out in the US later this year, because of safety fears."
It's Cold in the Lone Star State
Texas power usage sets another winter record - Yahoo! News: "Electricity usage in Texas rose Friday as arctic air covered most of the state, hitting another winter power record after setting one just the night before, according to initial data from the state grid operator."
Cats: The Clear Losers
TBO.com - News From AP: "Cats. Dogs. Those can be fighting words in some circles.
Cats are 'nasty, stinking creatures,' says Mark David of Warrensburg, Mo. And dogs? They're noisy, disruptive and 'lick you and themselves,' counters Sanford Reikes of Louisville, Ky.
Clearly, there are dog people and there are cat people. But it's not much of a contest: 74 percent of people like dogs a lot, and only 41 percent like cats a lot."
Cats are 'nasty, stinking creatures,' says Mark David of Warrensburg, Mo. And dogs? They're noisy, disruptive and 'lick you and themselves,' counters Sanford Reikes of Louisville, Ky.
Clearly, there are dog people and there are cat people. But it's not much of a contest: 74 percent of people like dogs a lot, and only 41 percent like cats a lot."
Forgotten Books: THE YAKUZA -- Leonard Schrader
I read this book 35 years ago, and I remembered it with great fondness. I liked the movie, too. Mitchum is great in it. The cover pictured to the left is on the British edition of the book. As you can see, the author is Leonard Schrader. Paul Schrader and Robert Towne wrote the screenplay for the movie.This is one of those novelizations that expands a lot on the movie script. It's almost 250 pages long, and the print's small. It's essentially the same story, though. Harry Kilmer (Mitchum in the movie) is a retired p.i. who's asked by an old friend to rescue the friend's daughter, who's been kidnapped by the Yakuza. Kilmer doesn't want to take the job because of things that happened in Japan during the American occupation after WWII, but the old friend convinces him. Kilmer finds the girl and rescuse her almost immediately. End of story, right? Of course not. The trouble is only beginning.
Nobody goes up against the Yakuza and wins, or so they say. They just don't know Kilmer. There's a lot of violence in both book and movie, and also a lot about friendship and honor codes. I think I was originally attracted to the book for those reasons and because of the detailed Tokyo setting.
Reading the book again, I realize that while the story and the emotions still hold up for me (and I'm sure the movie would, too), the writing doesn't. "The rosy-fingered sunset slipped into the dark glove of night." I might have admired that 35 years ago, but now, not so much. There are other stylistic quirks that at the time must have appealed to me. They don't now. But the book held my attention and zipped right along, so I can't complain. I expect that I'd now find the movie superior, however. I wonder if it's on DVD.
Happy Birthday, Elvis!
Swivel your hips to a celebration for Elvis' 75th - USATODAY.com: "What would have been Elvis Presley's 75th birthday today is being marked all year in kingly fashion."Related links: PhotoSynthesis Elvis, Elvis '56.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
There's a Fine Line . . .
. . . that divides genius for nuttiness. You'll have to judge for yourselves whether this crosses that line.
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski
Link via Boing Boing.
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski
Link via Boing Boing.
Arrrgggghhhh!
Gently does it for a genital emergency - Home News, UK - The Independent: "A man who went to casualty with his penis stuck in a steel pipe had to be cut free by firefighters using a metal grinder."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Nice Doggies
Dogs discover dangerous 'bone': "Madison Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the 41-year-old man found his dogs chewing on an item that turned out to be the wooden handle of a loaded revolver. The gun was wrapped in a light green towel that was frozen solid, DeSpain said."
Hat tip to Gerard Saylor.
Hat tip to Gerard Saylor.
Southland
When NBC canceled Southland, the outcry from anguished fans reached the ears of someone at TNT, which picked up the show after only a few weeks. Next Tuesday, January 12, TNT's going to show a 2-hour "extended version" of the show's pilot episode. There'll be 13 more shows, including six brand-new ones. (The new ones begin on March 2.) Let's face it, folks. Cable's the place for a show like this, and some of the earlier episodes will have some of the previously omitted language restored. Check it out.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Police: Teen Hired Classmate to Kill Mom | MyFoxHouston.com: "On what seemed like an average day at HISD's Lee High School, the buzz in the hallways centered on the two classmates arrested and charged with capital murder.
'I don’t believe it,' said one high school senior. 'I can't believe it.'
Yet, Danish Minhas and Nur Mohamed are jailed and due in court Thursday morning for the murder of 43-year-old Tabassum Khan. Khan was Minhas's mother.
[. . . .]
On the surface, they seemed like an odd match. Classmates knew Mohamed as the guy who brought drugs to school. They knew Minhas as the guy who made the morning announcements over the campus intercom.
Even the Houston police knew of Minhas. On the day his mother was killed, Minhas was supposed to report to HPD Headquarters to interview for an internship. It would have been his second interview for the spot."
'I don’t believe it,' said one high school senior. 'I can't believe it.'
Yet, Danish Minhas and Nur Mohamed are jailed and due in court Thursday morning for the murder of 43-year-old Tabassum Khan. Khan was Minhas's mother.
[. . . .]
On the surface, they seemed like an odd match. Classmates knew Mohamed as the guy who brought drugs to school. They knew Minhas as the guy who made the morning announcements over the campus intercom.
Even the Houston police knew of Minhas. On the day his mother was killed, Minhas was supposed to report to HPD Headquarters to interview for an internship. It would have been his second interview for the spot."
Where's Waldo?
You might be surprised.
Link via Neatorama.
And You Thought Texting While Driving Was Dangerous
Driven to Distraction - Despite Risks, Carmakers Integrate the Web With the Dash - Series - NYTimes.com: "To the dismay of safety advocates already worried about driver distraction, automakers and high-tech companies have found a new place to put sophisticated Internet-connected computers: the front seat.
Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices."
Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices."
Time for that Diet
Top Weight Loss Foods for 2010 on Yahoo! Health: "In 2010, vow to eat better—not less, just better. Add these 9 best foods for weight loss to your daily (or weekly) diet, and watch as the pounds melt away. The best-selling weight loss series Eat This, Not That! shows you how to make a weight-loss resolution worth sticking to."
The first item on the list convinced me.
But Will It Keep the Whippersnappers off my Lawn?
Must Zzz TV - NYPOST.com: "THE first 'senior-friendly' LCD high-def set will be unveiled later this week with the kind of features only someone who went to Woodstock will love.
Manufactured by TV Ears, the set includes a built-in wireless headset which cuts down on volume-blasting; a remote control with just six buttons to lessen confusion and -- perhaps most intriguing of all -- a switch that turns the set off automatically after four hours."
Manufactured by TV Ears, the set includes a built-in wireless headset which cuts down on volume-blasting; a remote control with just six buttons to lessen confusion and -- perhaps most intriguing of all -- a switch that turns the set off automatically after four hours."
A Sad, Oddly Beautiful Slideshow
The Grandiose Decay of Abandoned Detroit: "Nearly a third of Detroit's homes are vacant, and along with the residences, the city's stately hotels and cultural centers have been abandoned as well, falling into dramatic disrepair, their grand ruins still showing the promises of a once-booming city."
They Should Stay off His Lawn
970 WFLA - Tampa Bay News, Traffic & Weather: "A Volusia County man has been charged with threatening his neighbors with a slingshot."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Man cut in fight over nachos: "A fight over nachos resulted in the arrest of two roommates at their South Side apartment late Tuesday, according to San Antonio police.
Marty Henke, 35, and Randy Scott Esckilsen, 45, were both being held Wednesday in the Bexar County Jail. Henke was arrested on an outstanding warrant for delivery of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $30,000.
Esckilsen was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly stabbed Henke in the chin at about 10 p.m., police said."
Hat tip to Sanford Allen over at Missions Unknown.
Marty Henke, 35, and Randy Scott Esckilsen, 45, were both being held Wednesday in the Bexar County Jail. Henke was arrested on an outstanding warrant for delivery of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $30,000.
Esckilsen was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly stabbed Henke in the chin at about 10 p.m., police said."
Hat tip to Sanford Allen over at Missions Unknown.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Time to Buy Stock in Blockbuster?
News from The Associated Press: "Netflix's 11 million subscribers will have to wait nearly an extra month to rent the latest movies by Warner Bros.
Under an agreement announced Wednesday, Netflix's DVD-by-mail service won't send out Warner Bros.' latest DVD and Blu-ray discs during the first 28 days after they hit the market.
The deal is a first for Netflix. The company expects to reach similar agreements with other major movie studios later this year."
Under an agreement announced Wednesday, Netflix's DVD-by-mail service won't send out Warner Bros.' latest DVD and Blu-ray discs during the first 28 days after they hit the market.
The deal is a first for Netflix. The company expects to reach similar agreements with other major movie studios later this year."
Geniuses at Work
Publishers dumbfounded by airplane book ban - The Globe and Mail: "Canadian publishers are dumbfounded by new airport security measures that seem to forbid passengers from bringing books and magazines purchased pre-flight onto airplanes bound for the U.S.
The measures, announced Dec. 28 by Transport Canada, permit Canadian passengers en route to the U.S. to carry on board “one or more” of 13 specified items. They include canes, cameras, laptop computers, musical instruments and “medical devices.”
However, books and magazines are not included among the permitted items. The situation has left Carolyn Wood, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, “speechless, really. We're used to governments fearing books for their content. But what is it here? Is it their explosive capability?”"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
The measures, announced Dec. 28 by Transport Canada, permit Canadian passengers en route to the U.S. to carry on board “one or more” of 13 specified items. They include canes, cameras, laptop computers, musical instruments and “medical devices.”
However, books and magazines are not included among the permitted items. The situation has left Carolyn Wood, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers, “speechless, really. We're used to governments fearing books for their content. But what is it here? Is it their explosive capability?”"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
And Then They Get on their Lawns!
Queens Newspaper New York - Queens NY News Paper- The Queens Courier > Archives > Sports > Top Stories > Holy Cross faculty beat seniors for charity: "Holy Cross faculty beat seniors for charity."
One by One Our Precious Freedoms are Taken from Us
NH artist protests halt to Bigfoot project - CharlotteObserver.com: "A New Hampshire artist and videographer who dressed as Bigfoot in a state park says his rights were trampled by big government.
Jonathan Doyle, of Keene, has complained in a letter to the state parks department that a Mount Monadnock park ranger halted his performance art project in the fall because he didn't have a permit."
Jonathan Doyle, of Keene, has complained in a letter to the state parks department that a Mount Monadnock park ranger halted his performance art project in the fall because he didn't have a permit."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
. . . in fashionable bank robbers.
Police seek wig-wearing W. Houston robber | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Police are searching for a wig-wearing man suspected in a bank robbery in west Houston today.
Police said the man reportedly struck a Wells Fargo branch in the Randalls store on the 14600 block of Memorial at Dairy Ashford about noon, then he ran away.
The man wore a wig, purple lipstick, a purple shirt and black jeans."
Police seek wig-wearing W. Houston robber | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Police are searching for a wig-wearing man suspected in a bank robbery in west Houston today.
Police said the man reportedly struck a Wells Fargo branch in the Randalls store on the 14600 block of Memorial at Dairy Ashford about noon, then he ran away.
The man wore a wig, purple lipstick, a purple shirt and black jeans."
Hair Glue Update
Former Houstonian charged with hair glue attacks in Portland | khou.com | Local News: "There may be a break in the case of a bizarre string of Houston-area glue attacks last summer.
A former Houston-area man has been accused of putting glue in women’s hair in the Portland area. He’s also accused of trying to cut another woman’s hair."
A former Houston-area man has been accused of putting glue in women’s hair in the Portland area. He’s also accused of trying to cut another woman’s hair."
McRage
Woman Launches Into Hamburger Rage - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City: "Surveillance video from a Midtown McDonald's restaurant on Main Street shows a woman experiencing hamburger rage."
The Manchurian Candidate
What's the Big Deal?: The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - Film.com: "The film stands out as one of the best paranoid political thrillers ever made, expertly balancing satire and suspense in a way that has rarely been matched."
One of those movies I saw and then went out and bought the book immediately afterward.
One of those movies I saw and then went out and bought the book immediately afterward.
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