The best Iraq war story you'll read today.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Beautiful Books
The Most Beautiful Books You've Ever Seen - Books - io9: "Philip Smith is one of the world's most famous book binders, who has transformed book binding into an incredible form of art. And one of his favorite subjects is Lord of the Rings, whose covers he's reimagined several times.
Here you can see a selection of his covers, including many versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy - one of which looks weirdly similar to the Necronomicon in Evil Dead."
Here you can see a selection of his covers, including many versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy - one of which looks weirdly similar to the Necronomicon in Evil Dead."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
No success yet with birth control for feral hogs | Business news | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "There's a saying that when a feral hog has six piglets, only eight are expected to survive.
That's no joke in Texas, however, where the 400-pound beasts do an estimated $50 million in damage to crops and property each year. Texas has half the nation's feral hogs, but they're now found in about 38 other states, up from fewer than 20 states 15 years ago.
One Texas researcher had hoped to slow their rapid reproduction with a birth control pill, but that hasn't worked out well."
That's no joke in Texas, however, where the 400-pound beasts do an estimated $50 million in damage to crops and property each year. Texas has half the nation's feral hogs, but they're now found in about 38 other states, up from fewer than 20 states 15 years ago.
One Texas researcher had hoped to slow their rapid reproduction with a birth control pill, but that hasn't worked out well."
And don't miss The Wild Hog Murders, coming from St. Martin's in 2011. Except they'll probably change the title.
Uh-Oh
Bugs returns! Cartoon Net rebooting 'Looney Tunes' -- The Live Feed | THR: "Cartoon Network is launching a new version of the classic Warner Bros. series 'Looney Tunes.'
[. . . .]
'The Looney Toons Show' will star Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, along with Yosemite Sam, Tweety, Sylvester -- the whole gang. Weirdly, the network is having each episode as a half-hour story along with 'cartoons within a cartoon.' The concept takes Bugs and Daffy out of the woods (awww) and puts them into the suburbs (arrrh!) with 'colorful neighbors.'"
'The Looney Toons Show' will star Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, along with Yosemite Sam, Tweety, Sylvester -- the whole gang. Weirdly, the network is having each episode as a half-hour story along with 'cartoons within a cartoon.' The concept takes Bugs and Daffy out of the woods (awww) and puts them into the suburbs (arrrh!) with 'colorful neighbors.'"
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
It's San Jacinto Day
Repeating history: San Jacinto Day comes alive | Chronicle | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Bugle calls and thundering cannons will fill the air Saturday at the old San Jacinto battlefield — the site where Sam Houston's army won Texas' freedom from Mexico — but this time the smoke and hubbub of war will all be in fun.Hundreds of military re-enactors will relive the clash between Texas rebels and Santa Anna's troops as the highlight of the annual festival commemorating the Texans' April 21, 1836, victory.
The actor-soldiers also will dramatize the “runaway scrape” — the flight of Texans from the advancing Mexican army — and the march of Sam Houston's troops from Gonzales to San Jacinto."
I For One Welcome Our New Feathered Overlords
BBC News - Clever New Caledonian crows can use three tools: "New Caledonian crows have given scientists yet another display of their tool-using prowess.
Scientists from New Zealand's University of Auckland have found that the birds are able to use three tools in succession to reach some food.
The crows, which use tools in the wild, have also shown other problem-solving behaviour, but this find suggests they are more innovative than was thought."
Scientists from New Zealand's University of Auckland have found that the birds are able to use three tools in succession to reach some food.
The crows, which use tools in the wild, have also shown other problem-solving behaviour, but this find suggests they are more innovative than was thought."
Women + Country -- Jakob Dylan
One of my favorite recent CDs is Harper Simon, by Paul Simon's son. I've been listening to it quite a bit. And lately I've been listening to Women + Country by Jakob Dylan, the son of another '60s great, Bob Dylan. I'm not sure how to classify this one. Americana? I guess that's close enough. T-Bone Burnett produced the CD, and the backing vocals are by Neco Case and Kelly Hogan, so you have spare, clear sound and some nice harmonies to go along with Dylan's own voice and lyrics. Case and Hogan are way down in the mix, though. I wouldn't have minded hearing them a bit louder. All the songs sound great, and the session players do excellent work. My favorite songs are "Holy Rollers for Love" and "Truth for a Truth," but they're all good. I like melody and harmony, which explains why Dylan and Simon appeal to me. If you have similar likes, give this one a try.
Super-Science Fiction, June 1959 (Part 2)
I love this ad on the back cover of the issue. I remember the royal jelly craze, and it even begot at least one monster movie. But back to the stories.Robert Silverberg's "The Day the Monsters Broke Loose" isn't anything great, but it's the best story in the magazine. It's about just what the title says it is.
"Beasts of Nightmare Horror" by Richard F. Watson is also about just exactly what it says it is, and it's sort of a Forbidden Planet/alien-invasion/frontier/WWII story. It's the issue's "novelette."
"Mating Instinct" by Lloyd Biggle, Jr., isn't part of the monster motif. It's story about an alien invasion that fails. Attitudes have changed a lot since the '50s.
Here's a bit from "The Enormous Diamond" by Bill Wesley: "The bitter odor of Venerian hashinrut, the twang of loose-stringed Capellan guitars, the appreciative grunts of the huge Sirians as they feasted their tiny swollen eyes on the smooth-skinned Venerian belly dancers -- all this he had seen before." And all this you've read before in the SF digests if not the crime digests (in different words, of course). I'll be George Lucas could say the same. I love it.
The Origin of DUNE
Frank Herbert's 'Dune' holds timely - and timeless - appeal - latimes.com: "The novel was sparked when, in the late 1950s, Herbert flew to Florence, Ore., in a small chartered plane to write about a U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to stabilize sand dunes with European beach grasses. The author was struck by the way dunes could move, over time, like living things -- swallowing rivers, clogging lakes, burying forests. 'These waves can be every bit as devastating as a tidal wave . . . they've even caused deaths,' he wrote his agent, beginning an article, 'They Stopped the Moving Sands,' that was never published.
Despite his agent's indifference, Herbert dug in: He was fascinated by the project and superimposed the history of another sandy place -- including Arabs and Islam's Mohammed -- into an adventure novel originally called 'Spice Planet.'
When he hit his stride, Herbert was writing 70 pages a week."
Despite his agent's indifference, Herbert dug in: He was fascinated by the project and superimposed the history of another sandy place -- including Arabs and Islam's Mohammed -- into an adventure novel originally called 'Spice Planet.'
When he hit his stride, Herbert was writing 70 pages a week."
The 50 best Author vs. Author Put-Downs of All Time
The 50 best author vs. author put-downs of all time: "Yes, hell hath no fury like one author gleefully savaging another author's work."
Texting Update
AFP: US teens favour text over phone call, study finds: "Text messaging has eclipsed the telephone call to become the most frequent form of communication among US teenagers, and girls send more than twice as many messages as boys, according to a new study.
The study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project and the University of Michigan released Tuesday found that the average adolescent sends or receives 50 or more messages a day, or 1,500 texts per month.
Thirty-one percent send and receive more than 100 messages per day or more than 3,000 messages a month and 15 percent send more than 200 texts a day.
Girls tend to be much more avid texters than boys, typically sending and receiving 80 messages per day compared to 30 for boys, according to the survey of 800 teens aged 12 to 17 years old and their parents."
The study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project and the University of Michigan released Tuesday found that the average adolescent sends or receives 50 or more messages a day, or 1,500 texts per month.
Thirty-one percent send and receive more than 100 messages per day or more than 3,000 messages a month and 15 percent send more than 200 texts a day.
Girls tend to be much more avid texters than boys, typically sending and receiving 80 messages per day compared to 30 for boys, according to the survey of 800 teens aged 12 to 17 years old and their parents."
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Unsanctioned pruning | Dallas Morning News
| Latest News
| Latest News
After she was patted down and handcuffed, Sandra McFeeley was hauled from her Oak Cliff home to jail.
"I met some neat people," she said of her nine hours at Lew Sterrett Justice Center. "I'd never been in a perp walk before. It was cool."
What's not so cool, the 67-year-old attorney said, was being accused of felony criminal mischief – for thinning thickets in a city park near her home.
"She was going out to this greenbelt area and trimming it as she saw fit," said Joe Ries, a city park maintenance manager. "We asked her to stop," he said, because she didn't have a work agreement with the city.
Super-Science Fiction, June 1959
I know I've written before about my fondness for the low-rent SF digests of the '50s, and Super-Science Fiction was certainly among that group. I picked up the "Second Monster Issue" the other day only to discover that nostalgia ain't what it used to be. Even I have to admit that nobody could read these stories today with a straight face."Creatures of Green Slime" by James Rosenquest is about the first manned expedition to Mars, in which an encounter with an alien life form results in takeover by green slime. It's an attempt to create horror in the reader with the use of italics, exclamation points, and strong men weeping. Doesn't work. What stopped me in my tracks, though was the fact that they check out the green slime by testing it on a bowl of goldfish. Yes, that's right. They took a bowl of goldfish on the first manned expedition to Mars. I wouldn't have thought to take it, but by golly someone did.
"Terror of the Undead Corpses" by Rusell Thompson is about the first manned expedition to Venus, in which contact with an alien life form results in corpses reanimated by green slime. No, wait, that's the other story. Well, yes, but it's this one, too. The difference is in the way the takeover works. Not that you'll care much.
Obviously the publishers were trying to capitalize on the monster craze in the movies of the time, but it didn't save the magazine. I'm sure Todd Mason could give you the entire crazed history of it, and he might even know if Rosenquest and Thompson were real people or just pen-names for Ellison and Silverberg, who apparently wrote most of the stories for this publication.
Great Freas cover, though, and fine Emsh interiors. More reports later.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
iWon News - Divorce dilemma: Texas says gays can't get divorce: "After the joy of a wedding and the adoption of a baby came arguments that couldn't be resolved, leading Angelique Naylor to file for divorce. That left her fighting both the woman she married in Massachusetts and the state of Texas, which says a union granted in a state where same-sex marriage is legal can't be dissolved with a divorce in a state where it's not.
A judge in Austin granted the divorce, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing the decision. He also is appealing a divorce granted to a gay couple in Dallas, saying protecting the 'traditional definition of marriage' means doing the same for divorce."
A judge in Austin granted the divorce, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing the decision. He also is appealing a divorce granted to a gay couple in Dallas, saying protecting the 'traditional definition of marriage' means doing the same for divorce."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Gator Update (Fargo Edition)
Alligator found abandoned in Fargo | Worthington Daily Globe | Worthington, Minnesota: "An abandoned alligator has found a temporary home among the Bison.
The roughly 2-foot-long reptile was discovered about 6:45 p.m. Thursday outside a Fargo apartment building in the 1800 block of 42nd Street South."
The roughly 2-foot-long reptile was discovered about 6:45 p.m. Thursday outside a Fargo apartment building in the 1800 block of 42nd Street South."
Librarians Have More Fun
Survey: Librarians get frisky in stacks - UPI.com: "A 1992 survey of 5,000 U.S. librarians, long withheld by a professional journal, found one in five respondents had engaged in sexual trysts among the stacks.
Will Manly, who said the New York-based Wilson Library Bulletin withheld the results of his survey in 1992, published results recently on his Web site indicating 51 percent of librarians in the early 90s were willing to pose nude for money and 61 percent of respondents admitting to renting an X-rated film, the New York Daily News reported Monday."
Will Manly, who said the New York-based Wilson Library Bulletin withheld the results of his survey in 1992, published results recently on his Web site indicating 51 percent of librarians in the early 90s were willing to pose nude for money and 61 percent of respondents admitting to renting an X-rated film, the New York Daily News reported Monday."
Hat tip to Jeremy Lynch.
South Park, Beware!
Security Brief: Radical Islamic Web site takes on 'South Park' – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs: "The radical Islamic Web site Revolutionmuslim.com is going after the creators of the TV cartoon series 'South Park' after an episode last week included an image of the Prophet Mohammed in disguise."
Image at the link. Look at your own risk.
Croc Update (Aerobics Edition)
Croc holds up aqua aerobics class |
Quirky News |
Orange UK : "A water aerobics class at a holiday park in Australia had to be postponed - after a 5ft crocodile entered the pool."
Quirky News |
Orange UK : "A water aerobics class at a holiday park in Australia had to be postponed - after a 5ft crocodile entered the pool."
A Big Day in Mystery History
| The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor: "In 1841, on this day, the first detective story was published. In his story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," published in Graham's Magazine, Edgar Allan Poe (books by this author) created mystery's first fictional detective, C. Auguste Dupin. The story introduced many of the elements of mysteries that are still popular today: the genius detective, the not-so-smart sidekick, the plodding policeman, and the use of the red herring to lead readers off the track."
George Scithers, R. I. P.
Locus Online News: George Scithers, 1929 - 2010: "Writer, editor, and publisher George H. Scithers, 80, died April 19, 2010 after suffering a massive heart attack on April 17.
Scithers first became active in the SF field in 1959 as editor of two-time Hugo winning fanzine Amra. He was the founding editor of Asimov's when it launched in 1977, continuing there until 1982, and from 1982-86 edited Amazing Stories. In 1987 he revived Weird Tales with Darrell Schweitzer and John Betancourt, and in 2007 stopped editing the magazine actively, becoming editor emeritus. He founded specialty publisher Owlswick Press in 1973 and also edited numerous anthologies, most recently Cat Tales: Fantastic Feline Fiction (2008). He also wrote fiction, notably first genre story 'Faithful Messenger' in If (1969) and spoof cookbook To Serve Man (inspired by Damon Knight's eponymous story) under the name Karl W�rf in 1976."
Scithers first became active in the SF field in 1959 as editor of two-time Hugo winning fanzine Amra. He was the founding editor of Asimov's when it launched in 1977, continuing there until 1982, and from 1982-86 edited Amazing Stories. In 1987 he revived Weird Tales with Darrell Schweitzer and John Betancourt, and in 2007 stopped editing the magazine actively, becoming editor emeritus. He founded specialty publisher Owlswick Press in 1973 and also edited numerous anthologies, most recently Cat Tales: Fantastic Feline Fiction (2008). He also wrote fiction, notably first genre story 'Faithful Messenger' in If (1969) and spoof cookbook To Serve Man (inspired by Damon Knight's eponymous story) under the name Karl W�rf in 1976."
Oops
BBC News - Surgeon cut off testicle 'by mistake' at Bury hospital: "A patient lost a testicle during an operation because the surgeon cut it off by mistake, a General Medical Council (GMC) hearing has been told."
Hat tip to Jeremy Lynch.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Gators Got Talent!
Mike and alligator mate Rosie a big hit on Australia’s Got Talent show - Local News - News | Express Advocate Wyong Edition: "THERE’S an old showbiz saying that you should never work with children or animals, but Australian Reptile Park ranger Mike Tate is never one to back away from a challenge, just ask his best mate Rosie.
The odd couple are tackling the world of television and are off to a stellar start, making the second round of Channel 7’s hit show Australia’s Got Talent.
While the idea of having an alligator wrapped around your neck compared to singing and dancing might not seem like a talent, Tate and Rosie quickly won over judges Dannii Minogue, Kyle Sandilands and Brian McFadden with their slightly left-of-field routine in which Rosie gave Tate a cuddle, smile and even a kiss for Sandilands."
The odd couple are tackling the world of television and are off to a stellar start, making the second round of Channel 7’s hit show Australia’s Got Talent.
While the idea of having an alligator wrapped around your neck compared to singing and dancing might not seem like a talent, Tate and Rosie quickly won over judges Dannii Minogue, Kyle Sandilands and Brian McFadden with their slightly left-of-field routine in which Rosie gave Tate a cuddle, smile and even a kiss for Sandilands."
The Toyman Rides Again -- Robert S. Napier
I've known Robert S. Napier (aka Cap'n Bob) for many years, but that has nothing to do with the fact that I found The Toyman Rides Again to be a highly entertaining novel.The book is set in 1983, and Viet Nam vet Jack Lorentz is asked to join a group of 7th Cavalry reenactors. His job is to protect the man playing General Custer, whose life has been threatened. No one knows for sure if it's the Custer character who's been targeted or if it's the guy playing the part. Indian activists are involved, including the beautiful Abigail She Stands in Light, whom Jack finds quite attractive.
The battle of Little Big Horn gets reenacted, all right, but not in the expected way, and General Custer bites the dust. Jack, who didn't protect the General so well, feels obligated to find the killer, although it seems obvious that one of the activists did the deed. Too obvious, naturally, and Jack discovers that there are plenty of others who had reason to want Custer out of the way.
Napier does a masterful job of capturing the spirit of the reenactors and the atmosphere surrounding their encampment. He's studied Custer for years, and his knowledge of Custer and all the others involved in the original battle adds a lot to the story. If you're looking for humor, a good mystery, and lots of snappy patter, grab this book. Great stuff.
Now for a little disclaimer or two. I'm sure that a minor character named "Allen Krider" has nothing to do with anyone we know. Nor does a mention of Alvin, Texas. The big question is, should we forgive the Cap'n a minor baseball error? I say, why not?
Minnesota Leads the Way
Laptop Falls Off Medical Helicopter in St. Cloud | Grayson Peterka: "ST. CLOUD, Minn. - A laptop computer fell from an medical helicopter leaving St. Cloud Hospital on Saturday evening, nearly hitting a 10-year-old boy.
The flight crew apparently left the laptop on the helicopter's skid.
10-year -old Grayson Peterka said the low-flying helicopter made a turn, causing the laptop to hit the ground with the sound of a gunshot."
The flight crew apparently left the laptop on the helicopter's skid.
10-year -old Grayson Peterka said the low-flying helicopter made a turn, causing the laptop to hit the ground with the sound of a gunshot."
Hat tip to Steve Stilwell.
For Those of You Who Have an iPhone
Listen to the 100 best songs of each year since 1947, courtesy of Bing | TechBlog | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Earlier this month, a developer called nuTsie released an iPhone app called Top 100s by Year. It lets you listen to the 100 best songs from every year since 1947, for just $1.99. That's a pretty good deal in itself, because it gives you access to thousands of great tunes for a couple of bucks.
But now, Microsoft has stepped in and turned Top 100s into a promotional vehicle for its own Bing search app. It's sponsoring the Top 100s app, and making it available for free."
But now, Microsoft has stepped in and turned Top 100s into a promotional vehicle for its own Bing search app. It's sponsoring the Top 100s app, and making it available for free."
Personalized Teen Novels
Teen Book By You: Personalized Teen Novels: "A bright high school student has her life forever changed by a captivating stranger with a deadly secret. Our hero tries to hide his true nature, but his new love won't be denied. Will they find their way to happiness? Fans of Twilight and Vampire Diaries will love starring in their own immortal romance!"
You elderly folks might like this, too!
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dede Allen, R. I. P.
Pioneering Film Editor Dede Allen Dies at 86 - ABC News: "Dede Allen, the film editor whose pioneering work on movies like 'The Hustler' and 'Bonnie and Clyde' brought a new approach to shaping the look and sound of American movies, has died. She was 86.
Allen died Saturday at her home in Los Angeles days after suffering a stroke, her son Tom Fleischman told The Los Angeles Times.
With 'Bonnie and Clyde' in 1967, Allen became the first film editor to receive sole credit on a movie. She was nominated for Academy Awards for that movie, 1975's 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Reds' in 1981 and 'Wonder Boys' in 2000."
Allen died Saturday at her home in Los Angeles days after suffering a stroke, her son Tom Fleischman told The Los Angeles Times.
With 'Bonnie and Clyde' in 1967, Allen became the first film editor to receive sole credit on a movie. She was nominated for Academy Awards for that movie, 1975's 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Reds' in 1981 and 'Wonder Boys' in 2000."
CrimeWAV Episode 55 is Live
Episode 55: The Line Up presents Poems on Crime!! | CrimeWAV.com: "It gives me great pleasure to partner once again with Gerald So and the gang from The Lineup. This dynamite collection of poets, editors and readers has joined us once before back on episode 36 (see here) and now return for Issue 3 of their annual publication.
You can listen to this year's selection of poems right here. (Right-click to download.)"
You can listen to this year's selection of poems right here. (Right-click to download.)"
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Film - Brad Bourland, Grocer With a 10,000-Top-Movie List - NYTimes.com: "Mr. Bourland, of course, is none of these. He’s a produce clerk in an Austin, Tex., grocery. But Mr. Bourland, 58, has spent nearly a decade on a monumental task that he hopes will make his a name to remember in the world of movies.
He has ranked the greatest films of the 20th century. Sure, the American Film Institute and endless others have generated Top 10 or 100 Greatest lists. But Mr. Bourland goes them — well, one better isn’t even close. He has ranked the 20th century’s 9,200 greatest movies, watching more than 7,000 of them in the process. (He plans to reach 10,000 from readers suggesting titles he has overlooked. The list is at themovielistonline.com.)"
He has ranked the greatest films of the 20th century. Sure, the American Film Institute and endless others have generated Top 10 or 100 Greatest lists. But Mr. Bourland goes them — well, one better isn’t even close. He has ranked the 20th century’s 9,200 greatest movies, watching more than 7,000 of them in the process. (He plans to reach 10,000 from readers suggesting titles he has overlooked. The list is at themovielistonline.com.)"
I downloaded the list, but I haven't scanned all of it yet. I can say only that no list that has Mandingo on it can be all bad.
Hat tip to George Kelley.
No Comment Department
Such Tweet Sorrow: "Two families in the same town have loathed one another for years. But a boy from one and a girl from the other fall in love - deep, sweet and destructive. You know the tale of Romeo and Juliet but now you can see it happening live and in real time - in modern Britain and on Twitter. Six characters live the story over the five weeks of Such Tweet Sorrow and you can experience it with them."
This Is the House I Need
Built for the bookish / Cow Hollow home designed to afford privacy, house rare art: "What you'll love about it: Built to house the original owner's extensive collection of rare books, art and antiques, the core of the home is the three-story exhibition space in its entrance. It features clean lines of steel beams and stainless-steel cables underneath a full-length skylight that illuminates the collection with natural light.
Size: The home has five bedroom suites, two half-baths and spans 7,615 square feet."
Size: The home has five bedroom suites, two half-baths and spans 7,615 square feet."
Photo at the link.
Hat tip to Art Scott
Tut-Tut
Actor Nicolas Cage 'to be buried in a pyramid' | News.com.au: "HOLLYWOOD star Nicolas Cage is still spending big, despite his recent money woes.
The actor has purchased a lavish, pyramid-shaped tomb to serve as his final resting place, entertainment website TMZ reports.
Cage had the nine-foot crypt erected in a New Orleans cemetery. The grave resembles the pyramid symbol that appeared on the poster for Cage’s 2004 adventure film National Treasure."
The actor has purchased a lavish, pyramid-shaped tomb to serve as his final resting place, entertainment website TMZ reports.
Cage had the nine-foot crypt erected in a New Orleans cemetery. The grave resembles the pyramid symbol that appeared on the poster for Cage’s 2004 adventure film National Treasure."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas Pioneers Energy Storage in Giant Battery
Presidio, Texas, has one link to U.S. electrical power, stretching some 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Marfa in the high desert to the banks of the Rio Grande.
Built in 1948, the transmission line was around when Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean walked Marfa’s streets while filming the epic movieGiant.
[. . . .]
Chronic power outages and electrical fluctuations have been the norm.
[. . . .]
The hoped-for remedy is a battery, a Texas-size battery, which could eventually end up playing an important role in wider use of green power generation such as solar and wind. The U.S. $25 million system, which is now charging and is set to be dedicated April 8, will be the largest use of this energy storage technology in the United States.
Well, That Should Solve the Snake Problem
Florida's python hunting season ending with no snakes killed or captured | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota | WTSP.com 10 Connects: "Florida's first python hunting season ends Saturday with no reptiles being reported captured and killed."
Saturday, April 17, 2010
The Power of the Pen
Low-tech Skilcraft pens endure in a high-tech world: "For more than 40 years, standard black pens have cluttered the desks of thousands of federal employees, hung on a chain at post offices across the country and slipped into the pockets of countless military personnel. Yet few have realized that this government-issue pen has a history to rival that of any monument.
Blind workers assemble the pens in factories in Wisconsin and North Carolina under the brand name Skilcraft as part of a 72-year-old legislative mandate. The original 16-page specifications for the pen are still in force: It must be able to write continuously for a mile and in temperatures up to 160 degrees and down to 40 degrees below zero."
Blind workers assemble the pens in factories in Wisconsin and North Carolina under the brand name Skilcraft as part of a 72-year-old legislative mandate. The original 16-page specifications for the pen are still in force: It must be able to write continuously for a mile and in temperatures up to 160 degrees and down to 40 degrees below zero."
Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio
Ten years ago at the World Fantasy Con in Corpus Christi, Texas, I met a young artist named John Picacio. He was, in fact, part of the crew that made a now legendary trip to Half-Price Books, the one where I had to out-muscle Joe R. Lansdale for the Gold Medal books that were being sold at half the cover price. I hadn't seen much of Picacio's work then, but I'd seen enough to know he was good. Little did I realize how soon he was going to become one of the best-known artists in the SF community and the first great SF illustrator of the 21st century.The evidence is all gathered right between the covers of Cover Story. I hate to repeat the old cliche about the picture and the thousand words, but it fits here. Just open the pages and take a look. I don't have to say any more.
But I will, of course. There's more than just pictures here. You also get Picacio's comments on the pictures. Here's an artist who loves what he does and who loves to talk about it. He's also a reader who loves the stories and novels he illustrates. The book closes with a substantial interview with Picacio from 2005.
The book's several years old now, but it's still available. If you like SF art and don't have a copy of Cover Story, grab one soon.
Arizona Leads the Way
Arizona to allow concealed weapons without permit: "Starting later this summer, U.S. citizens 21 and older can begin carrying a concealed firearm without a permit in Arizona."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Rare Pygmy Loris Twins Born at Moody Gardens - ZooBorns: "Moving slowly through the tree tops and weighing only a pound or less in adulthood, the pygmy slow loris lives up to its name. On March 22nd, Moody Gardens in Texas announced the rare birth of pygmy slow loris twins to mother Luyen and father Icarus."
Yet Again: Drugs, Guns, and Gators
Police: Raid turned up guns, pot, baby alligators: "Guns and drugs and alligators, oh my!
That's how the attorney for a South San Francisco man described the charges against her client, which she said were exaggerated.
Nevertheless, prosecutors say 39-year-old Lazaro Leon Jr. pleaded no contest Wednesday in San Mateo County Superior Court to possessing an assault rifle and marijuana with intent to sell, as well as two other gun charges.
The case stems from a January raid on Leon's home that police say turned up nearly two dozen guns, 13 marijuana plants, a pound of processed pot and three baby alligators."
That's how the attorney for a South San Francisco man described the charges against her client, which she said were exaggerated.
Nevertheless, prosecutors say 39-year-old Lazaro Leon Jr. pleaded no contest Wednesday in San Mateo County Superior Court to possessing an assault rifle and marijuana with intent to sell, as well as two other gun charges.
The case stems from a January raid on Leon's home that police say turned up nearly two dozen guns, 13 marijuana plants, a pound of processed pot and three baby alligators."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Friday, April 16, 2010
TMI
Bonds: 'Oversharing' Invades the Office - WSJ.com: "It's official: The TMI phenomenon—as in 'too much information'—has invaded the workplace. You can thank reality TV and social-networking Web sites for creating a culture where people are encouraged to share every sordid—or boring—detail of their lives. They have desensitized us to the idea that some things are meant to be private."
Hat tip to Stephen Blotner.
Paris City of Night -- David Downie
This is a man-on-the-run thriller involving secret codes and lots of local color. Jay Grant is a former paparazzo who deals in vintage photographs and daguerreotypes, occasionally on the shady side (i. e. forgeries). Jay's father was a spy during WWII and used daguerreotypes to smuggle coded messages in Morse code. Now there are more coded daguerreotypes that might be connected to a terrorist attack on Paris. The CIA and Homeland Security want Jay's help, but he's not sure he trusts them. Other people are after him as well, and everybody's dangerous. Jay decides that he'd better not trust anyone until he figures out what's going on, including who murdered his aunt and his father.Why use such a seemingly out-dated method of smuggling code? Because nobody has the technology to deal with it, for one thing. Only someone like Jay is equipped to develop the daguerreotypes and find the hidden messages. And he's the only one with the key to the otherwise unbreakable code. No wonder everybody's after him. It's a relentless pursuit, and you begin to wonder if sleep-deprived Jay will collapse before he can figure things out.
You can learn a lot about photography from Paris City of Night, and there's local color galore to go along with all the action. Check it out.
Donner Party Update
Donner Party Ate Family Dog, Maybe Not People : Discovery News: "The Donner Party, a group of 19th century American pioneers who became snowbound in the Sierra Nevada and supposedly resorted to cannibalism, may not have eaten each other after all, suggests a new study on bones found at the Donner's Alder Creek campsite hearth in California."
Friday's Forgotten Books: STONER #3: ALL THAT GLITTERS -- Ralph Hayes
Before Gabriel Hunt, there was Mark Stone, or Stoner, as he's called for no reason revealed in this book. He's not really much like Hunt, but he is a treasure hunter. Ralph Hayes was a familiar name on paperback covers in the '70s. He wrote a lot of action-adventure series and westerns as well as standalones, all of them for the lower-end houses like Manor, Leisure, and Belmont. None of the ones I've read are anything special, but I was feeling nostalgic and thought I'd take another look. Sure enough, I was right. Nothing special.
In All that Glitters, Stone's not exactly hunting treasure. A famous (and priceless) artifact known as the Southern Cross is stolen from the Topkapi museum. It's taken so easily that it makes you wonder why Peter Ustinov had so much trouble. Once the cross is stolen, it's sold, stolen again, and so on, always with Stone in pursuit but one step behind. The characters aren't particularly memorable, the action isn't all that interesting, and the ending is no big surprise. All in all, a workmanlike job, but nothing you need to go out of your way to find. I like the cover, though.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
They Must Be Stopped!
Jersey hit by potato rustlers - Telegraph: "Jersey's biggest potato farm has been hit by a spate of thefts in the last few days, raising fears that it has been targeted by professional 'vegetable rustlers' stealing a valuable crop."
I For One Welcome Our New Feline/Computer Overlords
Cat brain: A step toward the electronic equivalent: "A cat can recognize a face faster and more efficiently than a supercomputer. That's one reason a feline brain is the model for a biologically-inspired computer project involving the University of Michigan.
U-M computer engineer Wei Lu has taken a step toward developing this revolutionary type of machine that could be capable of learning and recognizing, as well as making more complex decisions and performing more tasks simultaneously than conventional computers can."
U-M computer engineer Wei Lu has taken a step toward developing this revolutionary type of machine that could be capable of learning and recognizing, as well as making more complex decisions and performing more tasks simultaneously than conventional computers can."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Rivals High - Texas school set to begin work on $60M stadium: "Just in case you forgot how important high school football is in Texas, the residents of Allen will soon have a $59.6 million stadium that will leave no doubt.
Next month in the booming north Dallas suburb, ground will be broken on a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat facility that will feature two decks, a video scoreboard, four concession stands and 12 restrooms. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012."
Next month in the booming north Dallas suburb, ground will be broken on a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat facility that will feature two decks, a video scoreboard, four concession stands and 12 restrooms. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012."
Hat tip to Seepy Benton.
About Mississippi Vivian
I wrote a column for Spinetingler about Mississippi Vivian. You can read it here.
Booklist Likes Mississippi Vivian
Get your copy today! Okay, Booklist didn't say that. I said that. Here's what Booklist says:"Crider, an award-winning master of the small-town whodunit, is at the top of his game here, with the low-key Stephens and the acerbic Vivian providing some classic repartee. Quite enjoyable with a puzzler of a plot and satisfying conclusion."
Read all about it here.
Steam Time
Yesterday I mentioned a visit to my hometown. While I was taking photos of the downtown area, I noticed a lot of people gathered down by the railroad tracks. I went down to see what was up and discovered that a steam locomotive was headed down the tracks. I stayed and snapped this picture.On Tuesday a friend and train buff called me to ask if I wanted to see the train as it came through Alvin, so I took another picture as the train neared the depot.
Here's a link to an article about the train that appeared in the Houston Chronicle.
Get Dirty
Allergy expert: excessive cleaning increases risk of illness
| Mail Online: "Excessive cleanliness which creates a sterile environment has led to soaring rise in allergies, a new report has shown.
Allergies have become widespread in developed countries - with hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma increasingly prevalent.
According to Dr Guy Delespesse, director of the Laboratory for Allergy Research at the University of Montreal, the hike in allergies is due to our obsession with cleanliness."
| Mail Online: "Excessive cleanliness which creates a sterile environment has led to soaring rise in allergies, a new report has shown.
Allergies have become widespread in developed countries - with hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma increasingly prevalent.
According to Dr Guy Delespesse, director of the Laboratory for Allergy Research at the University of Montreal, the hike in allergies is due to our obsession with cleanliness."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
The Easy Way To Win A Bass Tournament: Stick A Lead Weight In The Belly Of Your Fish - Houston News - Hair Balls: "Wily criminal minds never sleep. Luckily for the forces of good and justice, neither do the dedicated men and women of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Robby Rose, 45, a competitive fisherman from Garland, was playing (fishing?) in a bass tournament in Rockwall County last October. Apparently the big ones weren't biting, so he decided to give Mother Nature a little help.
According to the TPWD, he stuffed a one-pound lead weight in the belly of one of the teeny, tiny fish he managed to catch."
Robby Rose, 45, a competitive fisherman from Garland, was playing (fishing?) in a bass tournament in Rockwall County last October. Apparently the big ones weren't biting, so he decided to give Mother Nature a little help.
According to the TPWD, he stuffed a one-pound lead weight in the belly of one of the teeny, tiny fish he managed to catch."
Link via Neatorama.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
No Comment Department
Self-Published Titles Topped 764,000 in 2009 as Traditional Output Dipped - 2010-04-14 13:22:53 | Publishers Weekly: "A staggering 764,448 titles were produced in 2009 by self-publishers and micro-niche publishers, according to statistics released this morning by R.R. Bowker. The number of 'nontraditional' titles dwarfed that of traditional books whose output slipped to 288,355 last year from 289,729 in 2008. Taken together, total book output rose 87% last year, to over 1 million books."
Uh-Oh
`South Park' creators plan B'way musical for 2011: "The creators of the cheeky animated TV series 'South Park' are taking aim at Broadway.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have written a musical comedy called 'The Book of Mormon' that will open on Broadway in March 2011. The two wrote the show's book, music and lyrics, along with Robert Lopez, one of the creators of the Tony-winning 'Avenue Q.' The musical will be directed by Parker and Jason Moore, who directed 'Avenue Q.'"
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have written a musical comedy called 'The Book of Mormon' that will open on Broadway in March 2011. The two wrote the show's book, music and lyrics, along with Robert Lopez, one of the creators of the Tony-winning 'Avenue Q.' The musical will be directed by Parker and Jason Moore, who directed 'Avenue Q.'"
If You're Going to Mont-St-Michel . . .
. . . don't miss the gators!
Hat tip to Patrick Bowles.
The Forbes Fictional 15
The Forbes Fictional 15 - Forbes.com: "Global markets are rapidly recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, and so are the fortunes of the fictitious. There are six new characters on the 2010 edition of Fictional 15, our annual ranking of fiction's richest, with an average net worth of $7.3 billion."
I can't stand it.
Deadly Weapon
Snake Attack! - April 14, 2010: "A South Carolina man was arrested last night for striking another man in the face--with a four-foot python."
No Comment Department
It Would Take 300 Years to Read All the Vampire Books at Target.
Photographic proof at the link.
Link via Pop Culture Junk Mail.
The Old Hometown
Judy and I spent last weekend in my hometown of Mexia, Texas, where we visited some old friends and checked out the downtown area, which looks a little like a bombed-out German town after WWII. The area out around the Super Wal-Mart is thriving, however. I took some pictures, of course. This one is of the back of the building that once housed Eubanks Hardware, a thriving business for many years. You can see the ghostly painted sign that shows the name of an even earlier business that inhabited the building, which is now vacant, like many of those downtown, at least the ones that haven't fallen down or been demolished.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Trial: Naked woman got intruder’s gun, shot him: "While naked in her bedroom, a woman surprised a masked intruder, disarming him and shooting him with his own gun, testimony revealed in a Tuesday burglary trial."
Show Me the Money
Handling cash 'better at killing pain than aspirin', study claims - Telegraph: "Researchers at the University of Minnesota carried out a series of studies which revealed those who counted money before taking part in an experiment where they were subjected to low levels of pain felt less discomfort than those who did not.
It's thought that fondling notes and coins helps ward off pain by boosting feelings of self-worth and self-sufficiency."
It's thought that fondling notes and coins helps ward off pain by boosting feelings of self-worth and self-sufficiency."
Gator Update (Another Druggie Edition)
KTTS 94.7 FM, Country's Best | Springfield, MO | KTTS.com > News > Story Detail: "Venomus snakes, posionous fish, and an alligator living in the bathroom. The Stone County prosecutor says that what officers found in a raid on a home near Reeds Spring last year. Cynthia Crowe has pleaded guilty to child endangerment after drug agents also found a pound of pot and five dozen bongs and pipes at the house on Friday Drive."
I'll Just Stay Home.
Avoid Spirit Airlines' Carry-On Baggage Fees With Nude Vacations - ABC News: "Spirit Airline's latest baggage fee -- up to $45 for the privilege of stuffing your bag into an overhead bin -- has at least one travel group hoping vacationers will start packing light... very light.
The American Association of Nude Recreation advocates vacation at nudist resorts and says the rising baggage costs make these so-called 'Nakations' even more attractive."
The American Association of Nude Recreation advocates vacation at nudist resorts and says the rising baggage costs make these so-called 'Nakations' even more attractive."
10 TV Shows That Wouldn't Exist Without Their Cities
10 TV Shows That Wouldn't Exist Without Their Cities - TV.com: "Here are ten current shows whose settings help define them."
Hat tip to Toby O'Brien.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Undercover with Bettie Page
Bettie Page, FBI Consultant - April 12, 2010: "Though J. Edgar Hoover's minions often probed the interstate transportation of obscene material featuring Bettie Page, the notorious pin-up model was nonetheless willing to help agents when it came to FBI inquiries about the production of certain 'flagellation and bondage pictures,' according to bureau records."
Way Down Deep
World's deepest known undersea volcanic vent found - Yahoo! News: "Scientists using a remote-controlled submarine have discovered the deepest known volcanic vent and say the superheated waters inside could contain undiscovered marine species and perhaps even clues to the origin of life on earth."
Hat tip to Angela Crider.
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