Tuesday, December 17, 2013
As Punishment, the Arresting Officer Will Have His Mouth Washed Out With It
The Raw Story: Authorities have dropped charges against a New York pair who spent nearly a month in jail after tests confirmed two kilograms of cocaine were, in fact, soap.
Overlooked Movies -- The Mouse that Roared
The plot is simple. The tiny (almost microscopic) Duchy of Grand Fenwick is facing bankruptcy, so why not declare war on the United States, lose, and get a bunch of foreign aid? Why not, indeed? Except that the Duchy wins the war, and the U. S. is conquered. Complications ensue.
I thought it was hilarious. It's not as slapsticky as Carry On, Nurse, though at times it comes close. I was amazed at the performances of Peter Sellers (three roles), of whom I'm sure I'd never heard before. And while I'd seen Milton Berle in drag on TV (a stunt that never failed to reduce my mother to tears of laughter), I'd never seen anybody pull it off like Sellers. It's just masterful, and so funny I probably laughed as much as my mother did at Uncle Miltie. And he's great in the other two roles, too. And then there's Jean Seberg. She's lovely and lively, and it's sad to see her here and think of her ending.
I've never read the novel that the movie is based on, but I have a copy here somewhere. I think I'll read it one of these days.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Ray Price, R. I. P.
Fox News: Good friends like Willie Nelson and Merle haggard got more credit for their contrary ways and trend-setting ideas, but it was Ray Price who set the precedent for change in country music more than a decade earlier.
Price passed away Monday at his Texas home, having long outlasted most of his country music contemporaries and the prognosis doctors gave him when they discovered his pancreatic cancer in 2011. He was 87.
Price passed away Monday at his Texas home, having long outlasted most of his country music contemporaries and the prognosis doctors gave him when they discovered his pancreatic cancer in 2011. He was 87.
Janet Dailey, R. I. P.
ABC News: Romance writer Janet Dailey, whose books have sold more than 325 million copies worldwide, has died at her southwest Missouri home. She was 69.
The Decline of Western Civilization Continues Apace
Betabeat: Just Give Up on Your Dreams Now Because ‘Rich Kids of Instagram’ Is Becoming a Novel
Neanderthal Update
AFP: Neanderthals cared for elder, burial site shows: An old Neanderthal man who could barely walk and had lost his teeth was cared for by fellow cave people and then painstakingly buried after he died, researchers said Monday.
The latest findings are based on 13 years of research at an excavation site in central France, adding new evidence to the argument that cavemen were actually a sophisticated lot.
The latest findings are based on 13 years of research at an excavation site in central France, adding new evidence to the argument that cavemen were actually a sophisticated lot.
Celebrate Philip K. Dick’s 85th Birthday With Mindbending Art From His Paperback Novels
Celebrate Philip K. Dick’s 85th Birthday With Mindbending Art From His Paperback Novels
Warning: Scans are of novels in pretty sad shape.
Warning: Scans are of novels in pretty sad shape.
Once Again Texas Leads the Way
Video: Sewer fishing is the newest rage for some anglers: According to Kevin Naegeli, a 15-year-old Texas resident who believes he is the pioneer of sewer fishing, to sewer fish you need some line, some bait and some patience.
The secret origins of nerd, dork, and other things you've been called
Well, not you, but people you know.
The secret origins of nerd, dork, and other things you've been called
The secret origins of nerd, dork, and other things you've been called
New Poem at The 5-2
The 5-2 | Crime Poetry Weekly, Annual Ebooks - Gerald So, Editor: Paul Hostovsky
STEALING BAND-AIDS FROM HOSPITALS
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Joan Fontaine, R. I. P.
Joan Fontaine, Oscar-winning actress, dies at 96 | Inside Movies | EW.com: Joan Fontaine, the Oscar-winning actress who was one of the last remaining links to Hollywood’s golden age of the 1930s and ’40s, has died at age 96, her assistant confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
In her most famous films — Rebecca, for which she was Oscar-nominated, and Suspicion, for which she won — Fontaine came across as appealingly passive-aggressive. She could seem radiantly shy, believably insecure, gazing into the middle distance with a hesitancy that drew you immediately to her side. Yet she fashioned a movie career out of willpower and, quite possibly, large reservoirs of spite.
In her most famous films — Rebecca, for which she was Oscar-nominated, and Suspicion, for which she won — Fontaine came across as appealingly passive-aggressive. She could seem radiantly shy, believably insecure, gazing into the middle distance with a hesitancy that drew you immediately to her side. Yet she fashioned a movie career out of willpower and, quite possibly, large reservoirs of spite.
George Rodrigue, R. I. P.
NPR: George Rodrigue, the artist who transformed the image of Louisiana's loup-garou into a pop art icon, died on Saturday after a battle with cancer.
Rodrigue took the legend of the Cajun werewolf and transformed it into instantly recognizable portraits of a quizzical blue dog framed by different landscapes.
Rodrigue took the legend of the Cajun werewolf and transformed it into instantly recognizable portraits of a quizzical blue dog framed by different landscapes.
Tom Laughlin, R. I. P.
EW.com: Actor and activist Tom Laughlin, best known for the Billy Jack films, died last week at age 82, his family announced Sunday.
In addition to that series of films — which kicked off with 1967′s The Born Losers — Laughlin also mounted three failed bids to become the president, starting in 1992. There were four Billy Jack films in all, and Laughlin co-produced and starred in all of them alongside his wife, Delores Taylor, to whom he’s been married since 1954.
In addition to that series of films — which kicked off with 1967′s The Born Losers — Laughlin also mounted three failed bids to become the president, starting in 1992. There were four Billy Jack films in all, and Laughlin co-produced and starred in all of them alongside his wife, Delores Taylor, to whom he’s been married since 1954.
Peter O'Toole, R. I. P.
'Lawrence of Arabia' star Peter O'Toole dead at 81: Peter O'Toole, the charismatic actor who achieved instant stardom as Lawrence of Arabia and was nominated eight times for an Academy Award, has died, his agent said Sunday. He was 81.
99 Cent Sale!
Amazon.com: West of the Big River: The Artist eBook: Jackson Lowry: Kindle Store: Before he was a world-famous Western artist, Charles M. "Charlie" Russell was a horse wrangler on a ranch in Montana during the worst winter in that state's history. The danger of freezing to death while riding for the brand isn't the only threat Russell has to face, however. A ruthless band of rustlers is sweeping the range of cattle, and a beautiful but trouble-making rancher's daughter complicates Russell's life even more. He'll need more than his artistic ability to survive this deadly winter! THE ARTIST is the latest volume in the popular West of the Big River series from the Western Fictioneers. Acclaimed author Jackson Lowry spins as entertaining a tale as any of those from Charlie Russell himself in this superb new historical novel.
PaperBack
How many of the party-goers can you name?
Update: In case you can't name any of them, or only a few, here's the key, thanks to Art Scott.
Audrey Totter, R. I. P.
The Hollywood Reporter: Audrey Totter, the blond starlet who made her mark in such 1940s film noir classics as Lady in the Lake, The Set-Up and High Wall, has died. She was 95.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . .
CBS Miami: According to a Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest report last month’s employee of the month at a Deerfield Beach Wal-Mart store on South Military Trail had her car shot up by a co-worker who was angry after she won the award.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
The Human Division -- John Scalzi
Since this book is set in what's called "The Old Man's War Universe," it helps to have read the previous novels in the series, but it's not necessary. What you need to know is that there's a Colonial Union (humanity) that's been keeping a lot of secrets from Earth. There's the Conclave (every other race in the universe) that's not happy with the CU and is trying to get Earth to join it. The Human Division is primarily about a diplomatic team that's working with alien races to make them allies of the CU or at least make them lean in that direction.
I quite enjoyed this book. It's what I think of as being a lot like the Good Old Stuff, and I also like to think that John W. Campbell would have published each of the stories in Astounding in the '50s. It has a lot of the things Campbell liked: smart, competent humans who usually come off well in their encounters with aliens; attractive, courageous, quick-witted characters (aliens and humans alike); a readable style; humor and sentiment. Some of the stories play out familiar tropes (single combat, for example, in the first coda), but they're well done and fun. Here's my only caveat. This seems never to have been designed as a standalone novel. The overarching mystery behind the attacks on the CU ships is never resolved. Scalzi says he's writing another book to follow this one, and I think that was his secret plan all along. If you don't like books that leave you hanging, then you might want to skip The Human Division, but you'll be missing out on some good reading if you do.
Once Again Texas Leads the Way
Mail Online: Two 107-old-year WWII veterans meet for the first time to have lunch and discuss fighting in the Pacific.
Richard Overton and Elmer Hill, both 107 and from Texas, met for lunch on Friday.
Hill is just three months younger than the older man Overton and Hill fought in the Pacific during World War II, but hadn't met.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Richard Overton and Elmer Hill, both 107 and from Texas, met for lunch on Friday.
Hill is just three months younger than the older man Overton and Hill fought in the Pacific during World War II, but hadn't met.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
But Soylent Green is . . .
. . . oh, wait, you mean this isn't green? Could Soylent solve world hunger?
Mac McGarry, R. I. P.
TV quiz show host Mac McGarry dies at 87: The 'It's Academic' host appeared on the Saturday morning show from 1961 to 2011, asking more than 200,000 questions of students throughout his career.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Friday, December 13, 2013
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . .
Stuff.co.nz: A chainsaw-wielding man wearing fishnet stockings chased a Mr Whippy van down the street after a stag party got out of hand.
Free for Kindle for One Day Only
Amazon.com: Salechii: A Shark Park that is a fun, safe environment to learn about sharks, what could go wrong? (Book 1 in the Apex Predator Thriller Series) eBook: Carolyn McCray: Kindle Store: **Warning, if you ever hope to swim in the ocean again, this book is NOT for you! From the #1 bestselling author in Action/Adventure, Men's Adventure, Techno-thrillers, War, And Thrillers, Carolyn McCray comes the next greatest thing since Jaws!
A shark-fest for all of you Jaws, Jurassic Park, Shark Week and Sharknado lovers!
A Whole Bunch of Lists I'm Not On
Who is Bigger?: We have developed computational methods to measure historical significance through analysis of Wikipedia and other data sources. We rank historical figures just as Google ranks webpages, by integrating a diverse set of measurements about their reputation (including PageRank, article length, and readership) into estimates of their fame, explained by a combination of achievement (gravitas) and celebrity. We correct for the passage of time in a principled way, so we can fairly compare the significance of historical figures of different eras.
FFB: The Unauthorized Lord of the Rings
The Unauthorized Lord of the Rings The essay at the link above does a nice job of telling the story of how Ace came to publish the first U. S. paperbacks of the LOTR trilogy and of how Ballantine came to take over the market with its own editions.
Back in 1965, I knew nothing about this controversy. One day when I was standing in a supermarket checkout line in Denton, Texas, I spotted the second volume of the Ace edition in a little rack of paperbacks intended to entice impulse shoppers. When it comes to books, I'm one of those. I know you're surprised to hear that.
Anyway, the Jack Gaughan cover of The Two Towers called out to me. I wasn't a kid anymore, but that cover bypassed any adult parts of my brain and went straight to the old "sense of wonder" portion of it that remained. I grabbed the book and bought it even though it wasn't the first volume in the series. I figured I'd find the first one soon enough. I did, and I found the third one, too. That's how I came to read the unauthorized edition of the trilogy.
No matter what you think of the Ace editions otherwise, I think we can all admit that the covers are far superior to those on the Ballantine paperbacks. I still have those Ace editions today, and I still love the covers.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Mr. Teeth Update
Jail time for man with pot-guarding croc: Castro Valley man who kept a 5-foot-long reptile named "Mr. Teeth" to guard his stash of marijuana has been sentenced to four months in jail, authorities said Thursday.
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Vintage Greenleaf Classics Books
Vintage Greenleaf Classics: This on-line checklist is based on an almost complete collection of Greenleaf Classics vintage paperback books. The physical collection is maintained by Bob Speray, with Bruce Brenner, as photographer and cataloger. Find out more about the 30 year history of building the collection and creating the data set - it's a great story over on the History of the Greenleaf Classics Book Collection page.
This is a great new website that has pretty much everything about vintage Greenleaf Classics imprints that you ever wanted to know. It's searchable, too. And the covers, well, they're great. They're also Not Safe for Work. Take a look at the site and you might find yourself spending a lot of time there, searching for books your favorite authors wrote under pseudonyms. I'm not guaranteeing the accuracy of all of them, but it's great fun to try to decide about them.
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