Texas bucks national unemployment trend - USATODAY.com: "Finding work may not be quite that simple, but it sure seems that way. While the nation's job growth has limped along since the economic recovery began two years ago, the Lone Star State is enlarging payrolls in Texas-size fashion.
From June 2009 to June 2011 the state added 262,000 jobs, or half the USA's 524,000 payroll gains, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even by a more conservative estimate that omits states with net job losses, Texas' advances make up 30% of the 1 million additions in the 34 states with net growth."
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Bigfoot Update
seattlepi.com: "A group of paranormal investigators from California think they might have DNA evidence that will confirm Bigfoot’s existence.The DNA was collected from muddy smudges left on the window of a truck abandoned during a snowstorm in the Sierra national Forest. The truck belonged to Sanger Paranormal Society founder Jeffrey Gonzalez, who was part of an expedition to look for Bigfoot Memorial Day weekend."
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Your Hub - Police Blotter: "On July 13, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy investigated a fight between a brother and sister at a residence on the 6800 block of South Zephyr Street. The two argued over a plumber coming to unclog a drain, and investigation revealed the sister punched her brother, who then put her in a headlock and pulled her to the floor after which she bit him to get him to let go."
A Werewolf Named Wayne
Years ago I wrote and published a book for kids. It was called A Vampire Named Fred. I was so sure it was going to be a big hit that I wrote a sequel called A Werewolf Named Wayne. The publisher, however, a small Texas press, didn't have the muscle to make the book a national success, and in fact no longer exists. So the sequel languished in my files.
Until now. It's available for the Nook, and it a day or so it should be available for the Kindle. You can be sure I'll let you know.
I'm pretty fond of this one, and I hope it finds an audience.
Hermie, Al, and Carl from Bill Crider's first young adult novel A VAMPIRE NAMED FRED, are back in action for another adventure in A WEREWOLF NAMED WAYNE - published for the first time ever."
Star Time -- Henry Melton
Henry Melton is nothing if not ambitious. Star Time is the first book in The Project Saga, "a multi-volume, multi-thousand year tale of human destiny." And you know what? I think he can pull it off. Star Time itself is a big book with multiple points of view. It tells beginning of the story, but it's complete in itself. It starts with the crash of a scout ship belonging to the Cerik, alien predators who are not nice at all. Earth is to be their next conquest, but they haven't reckoned with Sharon Dae and Abe Whiting, who have talents of different kinds and who just might be able to do something about the Cerik's plans. And they surely haven't reckoned with Hodgepodge, or Hodges, who's not human but an AI who becomes one of the book's most interesting (and human) characters. Not an easy feat to pull of, but Melton does it here. I get the feeling that Hodges will be around for a lot of the thousands of years that the saga covers, and I hope I'm right.
I've enjoyed a number of Melton's books. This might be his best one yet.
2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest winner named
2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest winner named: "A SENTENCE in which tiny birds and the English language are both slaughtered took top honours in an annual bad writing contest.
Sue Fondrie of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, won the 2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for her sentence comparing forgotten memories to dead sparrows, said San Jose State University Prof Scott Rice. The contestant asks writers to submit the worst possible opening sentences to imaginary novels.
Fondrie wrote: 'Cheryl's mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories.'"
Sue Fondrie of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, won the 2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for her sentence comparing forgotten memories to dead sparrows, said San Jose State University Prof Scott Rice. The contestant asks writers to submit the worst possible opening sentences to imaginary novels.
Fondrie wrote: 'Cheryl's mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories.'"
Hat tips to Lawrence Person and Jeff Meyerson. Lawrence, a fellow blogger and occasional commenter here, received a dishonorable mention.
Here's the Plot for Your Next Mysterious Stranger Thriller
Yahoo! News: "A mystery man arrested on minor charges more than three weeks ago remains behind bars in Utah while law enforcement officials try to determine his true identity, which he refuses to reveal.
'This is really a strange case,' said Lt. Dennis Harris with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. 'He just doesn't want to be found.'"
'This is really a strange case,' said Lt. Dennis Harris with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. 'He just doesn't want to be found.'"
Doesn't This Happen to All of Us Now and Then?
Steven Spielberg and Gwyneth Paltrow fall foul of Italian beach laws: "Locals complain to authorities as Hollywood holidaymakers anchor luxury yacht too close to Sardinian shore"
Dan Peek, R. I. P.
R.I.P. Dan Peek Of America - Undercover.fm News: "Founding member of folk rock icons America, Dan Peek, has passed away.
Peek formed America with Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley in 1969, playing on the hits ‘Don't Cross The River’, ‘Lonely People’, ‘Woman Tonight’ and ‘Today's the Day’."
Peek formed America with Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley in 1969, playing on the hits ‘Don't Cross The River’, ‘Lonely People’, ‘Woman Tonight’ and ‘Today's the Day’."
Tom Aldredge, R. I. P.
NYTimes.com: "Tom Aldredge, an Emmy-winning actor who for five decades was ubiquitous on stage and screen, seen in everything from Sondheim to “The Sopranos,” died on Friday in Tampa, Fla. He was 83."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Linda Christian, R. I. P.
Obituaries: Michael Cacoyannis, Linda Christian - latimes.com: "Linda Christian, 87, a Hollywood starlet in the 1940s who married heartthrob Tyrone Power and went on to play the first Bond girl in a 1954 television production of 'Casino Royale,' died Friday at her Palm Desert home after battling colon cancer, according to her daughter Romina Power.
Born Nov. 13, 1923, in Tampico, Mexico, Christian pursued an acting career in Los Angeles and eventually signed a contract with MGM.
A year after appearing in 1948's 'Tarzan and the Mermaids,' Christian married Power, one of Hollywood's most popular leading men. She was the second of his three wives. They had two daughters, then divorced in 1956. Power died in 1958. She later had a brief marriage to British actor Edmund Purdom."
Born Nov. 13, 1923, in Tampico, Mexico, Christian pursued an acting career in Los Angeles and eventually signed a contract with MGM.
A year after appearing in 1948's 'Tarzan and the Mermaids,' Christian married Power, one of Hollywood's most popular leading men. She was the second of his three wives. They had two daughters, then divorced in 1956. Power died in 1958. She later had a brief marriage to British actor Edmund Purdom."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Michael Cacoyannis, R. I. P.
Obituaries: Michael Cacoyannis, Linda Christian - latimes.com: "Michael Cacoyannis, 89, the Cyprus-born filmmaker and screenwriter who directed the 1964 film classic 'Zorba the Greek,' starring Anthony Quinn, died Monday at an Athens hospital of complications from a heart attack and chronic respiratory problems.
Cacoyannis won multiple awards and received praise for the film versions of the Greek tragedies 'Electra' (1962), 'The Trojan Women' (1971) and 'Iphigenia' (1977). His final film was 'The Cherry Orchard' (1999)."
Cacoyannis won multiple awards and received praise for the film versions of the Greek tragedies 'Electra' (1962), 'The Trojan Women' (1971) and 'Iphigenia' (1977). His final film was 'The Cherry Orchard' (1999)."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
G.D. Spradlin, R. I. P.
iWon News: "Gervase Duan 'G.D.' Spradlin, a former lawyer and oil producer who found a second act as a prolific character actor, playing authority figures in such films as 'Apocalypse Now' and 'The Godfather: Part II,' has died. He was 90."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Forgotten Films: Boy on a Dolphin
I'm not widely traveled, and it's too late nowfor me to see in person some of the great places of the world, but that's okay. I've seen them in the movies. One of those places is the Greek island of Hydra, which I saw in Boy on a Dolphin when I was a teenager. It's a beautiful place, and this movie would be worth watching just for that reason alone. I don't think the movie is easily available, which is okay, I guess. It's certainly not a great movie, and the scenery really deserves a theater that can show Cinemascope and has a really wide screen.And speaking of scenery, there's Sophia Loren. I was about 16 when I saw this movie. Was I impressed. Oh, yes, indeed. Wow. What does the plot matter when you have Sophia playing a sponge diver and walking around in wet clothes?
If you're interested in the plot, Sophia finds a statue of a boy on a dolphin. I suppose the boy is Arion, another reason I remember the movie, but that's another story. Anyway, Clifton Webb is the unscrupulous collector who wants the dolphin for his own, and Alan Ladd is the scholarly archaeologist who thinks it belongs in a museum. Why he'd care about the statue when Sophia is around is a mystery to me.
I remember reading about this movie when it was being filmed. I can't remember where the articles appeared, but there was a problem with Ladd and Loren because of the disparity in their heights. Ladd was a good bit shorter. He had to stand on a box for the kissing scenes, I think, and for the scene of the two of them walking on the beach, they had to dig a trench for Loren to walk in so they would appear to be of about the same height. That didn't bother me. I knew I was taller than Ladd and that Loren would notice that about me if we ever met. Which unfortunately we never have.
Monday, July 25, 2011
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
| UK News: "The two-mile chase at 3.30am through Portsmouth, Hants, ended with Williams, 33, smashing into a fence. Mr Wing told Portsmouth Crown Court: “On that night his parrot died. There was much trauma in the house over this death."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Bye Bye, Baby -- Max Allan Collins
I don't know how much input Max Allan Collins has on his covers, but Nate Heller's sure looking a lot like Mickey Spillane here, I think. Which of course has nothing to do with the book itself. Just something I thought I'd throw in as a bonus. You can't get this kind of stuff just anywhere, you know.Since the start of his career, Nate Heller's been involved in more cases from history than anybody else I can think of. This time it's the mysterious death of Marilyn Monroe that gets his attention, and not just because she was his close personal friend if you know what I mean and I think you do. Heller knows that the picture of Marilyn in her last days that's being presented to the public is far from the truth, and he knows a lot of other secrets, too.
The two things I like best about the Heller books are Collins' ability to capture the era he's talking about and his ability to convince the reader that his fiction might really be closer to the truth of the matter than the official accounts. Both those strengths are on display here, and I could especially relate to the era this time, having been just about to turn 21 when Monroe died and having followed the case in the papers and magazines. As for the solution, well, let's just say that all the interlocking conspiracies Heller encounters take into account everything you've imagined and suspected. Collins brings them all together and comes up with a believable and satisfying solution that may be be as close to truth as we'll ever get. And it leaves Heller open to taking on what's sure to be the biggest case of his career in the next book.
This book's bound to be on a lot of award lists at year's end, and deservedly so. Check it out.
Rango
Rango got off to a bit of a slow start, but for the most part I had a great time with it. The animation was amazing, so good, in fact, that at times the creatures seemed real. The voice acting was about as good as it gets. Ned Beatty does a great John Huston, and who knew that Timothy Olyphant could channel Clint Eastwood? Johnny Depp was even better than I expected.The drought-inspired story has a special resonance for us Texans. It pays homage to a wide (and wild) variety of sources: Chinatown, Star Wars, and just about every spaghetti western ever made, for starters. The big set piece is a chase scene that's really wonderful. This isn't up there with the Pixar features, but it's still very entertaining.
Peru Update
Retracing An Explorer's Footsteps to Machu Picchu : NPR: "On July 24, 1911, Machu Picchu was found by an American historian, and this weekend many are celebrating the centennial of the 'discovery' of the cloud city high in the Andes — one of the most remarkable archeological sites on the planet.
Now, of course, Peruvians say that the city was not discovered a century ago today, because they never lost it. But Americans give credit to Hiram Bingham III, who climbed the Andes and saw the remarkable city, surrounded by holy mountains and filled with houses, terraces and temples that with all our modern skills and machines would be impossible to build today."
Now, of course, Peruvians say that the city was not discovered a century ago today, because they never lost it. But Americans give credit to Hiram Bingham III, who climbed the Andes and saw the remarkable city, surrounded by holy mountains and filled with houses, terraces and temples that with all our modern skills and machines would be impossible to build today."
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Des Moines Register Staff Blogs: "Des Moines police say a bridegroom’s objection to his new wife’s dancing partner led to handcuffs Saturday after a wedding reception scuffle that ended with a police officer punching the groom in the face."
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Dang.
Hong Kong scientists ‘show time travel is impossible’ | The Raw Story: "Hong Kong physicists say they have proved that a single photon obeys Einstein's theory that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light -- demonstrating that outside science fiction, time travel is impossible."
Massachusetts Leads the Way
Telegraph: "Hot dogs said to be the most expensive in the world are on sale in Massachusetts - price $80 each."
I'm Shocked! -- Shocked!
msnbc.com: "Some airline customers won't see savings this weekend even though several federal taxes on tickets have expired.
US Airways and American Airlines raised fares to offset the tax savings.
That means instead of passing along the savings from expired taxes, the carriers are pocketing the money while customers pay the same amount as before."
US Airways and American Airlines raised fares to offset the tax savings.
That means instead of passing along the savings from expired taxes, the carriers are pocketing the money while customers pay the same amount as before."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
CBS Dallas / Fort Worth: "If America is a Fast Food Nation. Plano is the capital. A Business Insider survey says people in Plano spend twice as much on fast food as everyone else.
The survey of 100 of the largest U.S. cities put Plano in the number one spot."
The survey of 100 of the largest U.S. cities put Plano in the number one spot."
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Please, No "Ball Skill" Jokes
The West Australian: "Ball skills and a lot of tackle were the order of the day as New Zealand clashed with Fiji in a game of nude rugby in Dunedin."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
A Failure of Institutional Memory
The Republic: "The Cincinnati Art Museum has rediscovered a collection of more than 800 antique musical instruments that had been stored beneath the facility and largely forgotten for decades.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the items span four centuries and represent more than 20 countries, making it an important collection in the eyes of museum officials and instrument specialists. The instruments include African drums, a Burmese crocodile zither, a Chinese version of a hammered dulcimer and a Native American ceremonial raven rattle."
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the items span four centuries and represent more than 20 countries, making it an important collection in the eyes of museum officials and instrument specialists. The instruments include African drums, a Burmese crocodile zither, a Chinese version of a hammered dulcimer and a Native American ceremonial raven rattle."
Amy Winehouse, R. I. P.
Amy Winehouse confirmed dead | Mail Online: "Amy Winehouse, 27, found dead at her London flat"
The Bolero of Andi Rowe: Stories -- Toni Margarita Plummer
I was hesitant to review this collection of stories because it was written by my editor at St. Martin's. Either I'm a brave man, I'm crazy, or I'm a suck-up. I report you decide.I learned about these stories a couple of years ago from the late Ruth Cavin, who was quite proud of the fact that Toni, then her assistant, was a prize-winning author in her own right.
Several of the stories, including the one that gives the book its title, involve Andi Rowe and her family, and they're coming-of-age stories for the most part, though not all of them are from Andi's point of view. Hearing from other members of the family or from other people whose lives intersect with theirs does a lot for the reader's perspective.
My favorite story doesn't involve the Rowes, however. It's "The Desert in Green," a subtle and touching story about a boy determined to keep crossing the border no matter how many times he's caught. Like all the stories in the book, this one generates emotion from clear, concise, specific language, quite an achievement.
If you haven't read any literary short stories for a while, this collection would be a great place to start.
Captain America
When I was a kid, I liked the Captain American comic books a lot, and I also liked the old serial version even though Steve Rogers wasn't the same character as the guy in the comics. So I was prepared to like the new movie version, too, and I did. A lot. [Possible Spoiler: I didn't much care for the ending. End of Possible Spoiler.]I liked the '40s setting, I thought Tommy Lee Jones was just right, and the rest of the cast wasn't bad, either. The CGI was amazing. (Was Chris Evans' body ever actually in the movie, or did they just use his head?) Hugo Weaving was a dandy villain, and the 3-D effects were great for the most part. As much as I hate to, however, I have to admit that the movie was a bit too dark through the 3-D glasses, and I kind of wish I'd gone to the 2-D version.
I haven't see any of the summer's other big superhero movies, but this was the one I wanted to see because of my affection for the character and my hope they'd do it right. They did. Check it out.
Today's Sizzling Summer Read: No One Will Hear You
Top Suspense Group: Today's Sizzling Summer Read: No One Will Hear You: "NOW HEAR THIS! by Max Allan CollinsTwo serial killers vie for the attention of the public in NO ONE WILL HEAR YOU, the second J.C. Harrow thriller by Matt Clemens and me. You needn’t have read YOU CAN’T STOP ME to jump in here, however, and as much as we like the first book – recently a nominee for the Best Paperback Thriller of the Year – Matt and I feel we’ve upped the ante and improved our game second-time around.
We listened to reviewers and readers and sought to make NO ONE WILL HEAR YOU a state-of-the-art thrill ride. We made the chapters shorter, increased the plot twists, even while trying to delve deeper in the characters...not just Harrow and his superstar forensics team, but the killers themselves. And we introduced a secondary protagonist, LAPD sex crimes detective, Lt. Anna Amari, who more than holds her own with Harrow."
They'll Try Anything
WLWT Cincinnati: "Three men from Detroit were arrested after they attempted to scam a gas station using a piece of tin foil and a ladder, police said."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Scribe Award Winners Announced
Scribe Award Winners Announced - A Writer's Life: "The winners of the Scribe Awards, honoring excellence in media tie-in writing, were awarded Friday at a ceremony at Comic-Con in San Diego by the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers ."
Winners at the link.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Ohio Cops Are Tougher than Your Cops
Cop threatens to execute driver over concealed weapon permit: "I swear to God man this little bull crap you just pulled right now has got me so hot. You know what I should have done? I'll tell you what I should have done. As soon as I saw your gun, I should have taken two steps back, pulled my Glock 40 and just put ten bullets in your ass and let you drop. And I wouldn'tve lost any sleep. And he would have been a nice witness as I executed you because you're stupid."
The Traditional West
Amazon: The classic American Western returns in this collection of brand-new stories by some of the top Western writers in the world today. Robert J. Randisi, Dusty Richards, James Reasoner, Larry D. Sweazy, L.J. Washburn, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Kerry Newcomb, and many other members of Western Fictioneers, the only writers’ organization devoted solely to traditional Western fiction, take readers from the dusty plains of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Montana and beyond, in the biggest original Western anthology ever published! Western Fictioneers was founded in 2010 to promote the oldest genuine American art form, the Western story. Its worldwide membership includes best-selling, award-winning authors of Western fiction, as well as the brightest up-and-coming new stars in the Western field. The organization's first anthology features original stories by Steven Clark, Phil Dunlap, Edward A. Grainger, James J. Griffin, Jerry Guin, C. Courtney Joyner, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Matthew P. Mayo, Rod Miller, Clay More, Ross Morton, Kerry Newcomb, Scott D. Parker, Pete Peterson, Cheryl Pierson, Kit Prate, Robert J. Randisi, James Reasoner, Dusty Richards, Troy D. Smith, Larry D. Sweazy, Chuck Tyrell, and L.J. Washburn. With original cover artwork by acclaimed artist Pete Peterson, THE TRADITIONAL WEST is more than 100,000 words of classic Western fiction.
Hey, I Can Quit Any Time I Want To
Mail Online: "People deprived of the internet feel 'upset and lonely' and find going offline as hard as quitting smoking or drinking
Lack of internet access 'like having a hand chopped off'"
Lack of internet access 'like having a hand chopped off'"
Crossing Over
Star Trek Star Trek And The Legion of Superheroes To Join Forces: "It’s the crossover of crossovers, with heroes of the 23rd century teaming up with superheroes of the 30th century. It’s IDW Publishing’s first-ever crossover with the DC Universe. It is… Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes, a six-issue monthly series that will launch in October."
Hat tip to Randy Johnson.
Wicked Good Words -- Mim Harrison
I don't know about you, but I find this kind of book makes irresistible browsing. There are plenty of expressions that are familiar to a Texan like me, like frog strangler and gully washer to describe a heavy rain. But other parts of the country have phrases that I'd never heard before, like piggle, long butt, and lamb licker. You can find out what those mean, if you don't know already, along with hundreds of others in this entertaining book. You'll find out where they're used, and sometimes even the origin. Check it out.
Sizzling Summer Reads: RIPTIDE
Paul Levine on "Riptide": "Windsurfing Injury Led to 'Riptide'But for an injury, I might never have become a novelist.
This is the backstory of “Riptide,” a Jake Lassiter novel, now available on Kindle and Nook for $2.99.
In 1986, I rented a condo on Maui for the summer, intent on polishing my skills as a competitive windsurfer. My second day at Hookipa Beach, bouncing over the lip of a roller, the board exploded out of the water and smashed my femur. The E.R. physician told me nothing was broken and recommended smoking a little Maui Wowie for the pain. (No, not Dr. House).
So I sat on the beach with a yellow pad and started handwriting a novel featuring a character that popped into my mind: linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter. Here’s the first sentence of fiction I ever wrote, (not counting certain statements in my appellate briefs). “The old man loved gadgets, money, and large-breasted women, and at the moment, he had all three.”"
Gil Bernal; R. I. P.
Los Angeles Music - West Coast Sound: "Tenor sax veteran Gil Bernal died on Sunday of congestive heart failure. He was 80. Bernal was an incomparable Los Angeles jazz musician who began his professional career with swing kingpin Lionel Hampton in 1950, and played and collaborated with everyone from Ray Charles to Quincy Jones.
Born February 4, 1931 in Watts, Bernal's neighborhood chums were folks like Charles Mingus, Buddy Collette, and Big Jay McNeely. A proficient saxist and singer by his teens, Bernal jammed at parties and dances and, after graduating from Jordan High, ended up touring nationally with Hampton in 1950. Turns out Hampton had fired a tenor player during a local engagement, and Bernal had chops enough to land into the gig. His band mates included Quincy Jones and Little Jimmy Scott."
Born February 4, 1931 in Watts, Bernal's neighborhood chums were folks like Charles Mingus, Buddy Collette, and Big Jay McNeely. A proficient saxist and singer by his teens, Bernal jammed at parties and dances and, after graduating from Jordan High, ended up touring nationally with Hampton in 1950. Turns out Hampton had fired a tenor player during a local engagement, and Bernal had chops enough to land into the gig. His band mates included Quincy Jones and Little Jimmy Scott."
Is the World Ready?
Hollywood Reporter: "Beavis and Butt-Head are back -- and they haven't changed one bit, based on a sneak peek from MTV's upcoming revival of the 1990s animated comedy."
Life Imitates "Art"
Brownwood News: "A&E Network presents 'American Hoggers,' a new original real-life series that follows the Campbell family, from Brown County, and their struggle to rescue Texas residents and ranches from the devastating chaos caused by millions of invasive wild boars. The 8-episode half-hour series premieres August 16 at 9pm CST."
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