So here Judy and I are in Euless, Texas, taking advantage of the free high-speed Internet service in the La Quinta Inn, where outside our window is a lovely view of the Euless Home Depot.
Last night I was on a panel at the Euless Public Library with Harry Hunsicker, Mike Cochran (the moderator), Carlton Stowers, and Diane Fanning. We had a fine time, and while Harry and I provided most of the lighter moments, Diane and Carlton spoke eloquently and movingly about their experiences in writing true crime. It was good to see Crimespot guy Graham Powell in the audience, not to metion superagent Jim Donovan and writer Margaret Mosely.
Now it's time for us to get back on the road. It's a long way to Alvin.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
See? Paris is NOT a Slut.
The Sun Online - News: Coogan can't get into the Hilton: "SEX addict Steve Coogan was snubbed by Paris Hilton when he begged her to let him into her Hollywood home.
The Alan Partridge star paid a late-night visit to the hotel heiress’s pad after drinking in a club with her and Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberly.
He banged on the door for an HOUR and demanded to be let in by 25-year-old Paris, who had left the nightspot before him.
But Paris, who dismissively calls the funnyman “Courtney’s Creep” after his brief fling with her pal Courtney Love, refused to open up.
A source close to her said: “She wouldn’t touch him if he was the last man on Earth.”"
The Alan Partridge star paid a late-night visit to the hotel heiress’s pad after drinking in a club with her and Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberly.
He banged on the door for an HOUR and demanded to be let in by 25-year-old Paris, who had left the nightspot before him.
But Paris, who dismissively calls the funnyman “Courtney’s Creep” after his brief fling with her pal Courtney Love, refused to open up.
A source close to her said: “She wouldn’t touch him if he was the last man on Earth.”"
Euless, Texas
In a couple of hours Judy and I will leaving for love Euless, Texas (Motto: We Have Less Eu), where I'll be on a program tonight at the public library. That means light blogging today and probably none tomorrow. Talk (like Pirates!) amongst yourselves.
District B13
In the near future things are so bad in Paris that the city has simply walled off the worst of the districts and pretty much left the criminals to themselves. The worst of the worst, I guess, is District B13. But there's one good guy living there, and he's played by David Belle, one of the creators of Parkour.What's Parkour? Well, it involves a lot of running, jumping, and falling. You just take off, and you don't let anything in your way stop you. Just watch the opening scene in District B13, and you'll see what I mean. Or you can click here for an amateur example.
The plot of the movie isn't really important, but it involves a nuclear bomb that's about to go off, countdown and all. Only one man (okay, two men) can stop it. There's a pretty funny Scarface parody in there somewhere, too. Don't bother thinking about any of it. That's not the point. The point is that David Belle can jump through a transom. What more can you ask for?
Monday, September 18, 2006
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
As I'm sure you're all aware, Tuesday, September 19, is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Some of you, however, may be ill-prepared to venture forth and speak without embarrassment. Luckily for you, there's a film that might help. For all I know you might even get college credit for watching it. Check it out.
(Link via Dave Barry's blog.)
(Link via Dave Barry's blog.)
Will the Persecution Never End? (A Continuing Series)
Willie Nelson hit with drug charges?|?Entertainment?|?Entertainment News?|?Reuters.com: "NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson and several fellow musicians were charged with misdemeanor drug possession by Louisiana police after a search of their tour bus on Monday turned up marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.
State police spokesman Willie Williams said the bus was stopped early on Monday morning about 7 miles east of Lafayette, Louisiana, for a routine commercial inspection, and a state trooper smelled marijuana inside the bus.
State Police seized about 1-1/2 pounds (0.7 kg) of marijuana and two-tenths of a pound (91 grams) of mushrooms from the bus, Williams said."
State police spokesman Willie Williams said the bus was stopped early on Monday morning about 7 miles east of Lafayette, Louisiana, for a routine commercial inspection, and a state trooper smelled marijuana inside the bus.
State Police seized about 1-1/2 pounds (0.7 kg) of marijuana and two-tenths of a pound (91 grams) of mushrooms from the bus, Williams said."
To Protect and Serve, Oregon Style
Mom: 9-1-1 call was to help son: "Hope Glenn was frustrated because she, her husband and her son's friends couldn't seem to calm her drunken, agitated 18-year-old son early Saturday. So she called 9-1-1 at 3:05 a.m. for help.
She told a dispatcher her teenage son, Lukus, was suicidal, standing outside their house in the Garden Home area of unincorporated Washington County with a knife to his throat.
'When I called 9-1-1, I called to save my son, to get some professional help,' she said in an interview Sunday. 'Maybe I'm naive.'
Minutes after Washington County sheriff's deputies and a Tigard police officer arrived and Glenn's son, Lukus, refused to drop his knife, officers fired bean-bag rounds at him. When Glenn turned toward the house, two deputies fired several gunshots. Relatives said the teenager collapsed by a doorstep. He died at the scene.
The sheriff's office did not say how many times or where Glenn was shot, but said the deputies fired because they were concerned he might harm family inside.
The teenager's parents and relatives Sunday said in interviews the deputies' gunfire ripped through the house and into the teenager's 72-year-old grandmother's room, barely missing her."
She told a dispatcher her teenage son, Lukus, was suicidal, standing outside their house in the Garden Home area of unincorporated Washington County with a knife to his throat.
'When I called 9-1-1, I called to save my son, to get some professional help,' she said in an interview Sunday. 'Maybe I'm naive.'
Minutes after Washington County sheriff's deputies and a Tigard police officer arrived and Glenn's son, Lukus, refused to drop his knife, officers fired bean-bag rounds at him. When Glenn turned toward the house, two deputies fired several gunshots. Relatives said the teenager collapsed by a doorstep. He died at the scene.
The sheriff's office did not say how many times or where Glenn was shot, but said the deputies fired because they were concerned he might harm family inside.
The teenager's parents and relatives Sunday said in interviews the deputies' gunfire ripped through the house and into the teenager's 72-year-old grandmother's room, barely missing her."
Anna Nicole Smith Update
CNN.com - 2nd Smith autopsy?rules out some causes - Sep 17, 2006: "NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) -- An autopsy ordered by Anna Nicole Smith to determine what killed her 20-year-old son has ruled out several natural causes, but her pathologist said he needs to conduct more tests, including drug and chemical analyses.
Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who gained fame as a consultant on celebrity cases including Elvis Presley's death, said the results of samples taken Sunday from Daniel Wayne Smith could take weeks to complete.
The former Playboy model and reality TV star's son died September 10 in a hospital room where she was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Wecht ruled out several potential natural causes including heart disease, stroke, or a 'congenital anomaly,' and said there was no indication of foul play.
'I don't find anything that would cause me to believe there is something in terms of some traumatic injury having been inflicted, or somebody having done something to him in some cryptic manner that could not be observed,' he said."
Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who gained fame as a consultant on celebrity cases including Elvis Presley's death, said the results of samples taken Sunday from Daniel Wayne Smith could take weeks to complete.
The former Playboy model and reality TV star's son died September 10 in a hospital room where she was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Wecht ruled out several potential natural causes including heart disease, stroke, or a 'congenital anomaly,' and said there was no indication of foul play.
'I don't find anything that would cause me to believe there is something in terms of some traumatic injury having been inflicted, or somebody having done something to him in some cryptic manner that could not be observed,' he said."
Will the Persecution Never End?
Thanks to John Duke for the link (video at the link).
ABC News: Has Paris Hilton Lost Her Mojo?: "Sept. 16, 2006 — Paris Hilton, famous for being famous, is used to living the good life and getting star treatment. But in a recent turn of events, it appears Paris Hilton's star may be descending rapidly.
'Paris Hilton has been having a string of bad weeks lately,' said ABC News entertainment contributor Katrina Szish. 'It seemed like nothing could go wrong in this girl's world. But lately, everything has been going wrong.'"
ABC News: Has Paris Hilton Lost Her Mojo?: "Sept. 16, 2006 — Paris Hilton, famous for being famous, is used to living the good life and getting star treatment. But in a recent turn of events, it appears Paris Hilton's star may be descending rapidly.
'Paris Hilton has been having a string of bad weeks lately,' said ABC News entertainment contributor Katrina Szish. 'It seemed like nothing could go wrong in this girl's world. But lately, everything has been going wrong.'"
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Gator Update
If you live in Florida, take the poll.
Poll to Help Manage Gators | theledger.com: "Poll to Help Manage Gators
Officials seek input for first review of gator management plan in decades.
By Tom Palmer
The Ledger
LAKELAND -- Some Floridians have seen alligators their entire lives and some Floridians know little about them outside of press accounts of fatal attacks on pets or humans.
State wildlife officials want to hear from that kind of cross section of residents as part of the first comprehensive review of alligator management in Florida in decades.
The online poll is being conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."
Poll to Help Manage Gators | theledger.com: "Poll to Help Manage Gators
Officials seek input for first review of gator management plan in decades.
By Tom Palmer
The Ledger
LAKELAND -- Some Floridians have seen alligators their entire lives and some Floridians know little about them outside of press accounts of fatal attacks on pets or humans.
State wildlife officials want to hear from that kind of cross section of residents as part of the first comprehensive review of alligator management in Florida in decades.
The online poll is being conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."
Happy Birthday, Robert B. Parker
I see on Gerald So's blog that Robert B. Parker is 74 today. Gerald finds Parker's voice engaging even in novels with thin plots. So do I, though Jeff Meyerson obviously doesn't, at least if you believe his comment on the "10 Greatest Detective Novels" post below. I've been reading Parker ever since his first book (I wish I'd gotten the first edition instead of the book club edition that I still own), and I'm not likely to stop any time soon.
Film Noir: A to Z
Check out this cool film noir alphabet from Louis Parks in the Houston Chronicle. Don't miss the slide show at the beginning. You might also want to read Parks' article on flim noir, which also has a short slide show in addition to some pertinent comments.
Anna Nicole: The Saga Continues
Anna Nicole's pathologist prepares for autopsy:
By MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press
"NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A pathologist who consulted in the death investigations of Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey said Saturday that Anna Nicole Smith had hired him to perform a repeat autopsy on her son.
Daniel Wayne Smith, 20, died Sept. 10 in a hospital room where the reality-TV star, former Playboy model and ex-Houston resident was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
By MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press
"NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A pathologist who consulted in the death investigations of Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey said Saturday that Anna Nicole Smith had hired him to perform a repeat autopsy on her son.
Daniel Wayne Smith, 20, died Sept. 10 in a hospital room where the reality-TV star, former Playboy model and ex-Houston resident was recuperating from giving birth three days earlier. Investigators have said they did not find evidence of drugs in the room or obvious signs of a crime.
Bob Dylan and Henry Timrod
Check out the whole article.
From the New York Times: Perhaps you’ve never heard of Henry Timrod, sometimes known as the poet laureate of the Confederacy.
But maybe you’ve heard his words, if you’re one of the 320,000 people so far who have bought Bob Dylan’s latest album, “Modern Times,” which made its debut last week at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
It seems that many of the lyrics on that album, Mr. Dylan’s first No. 1 album in 30 years (down to No. 3 this week), bear some strong echoes to the poems of Timrod, a Charleston native who wrote poems about the Civil War and died in 1867 at the age of 39.******************************
Henry Timrod was born in 1828 and was a private tutor on plantations before the Civil War started. He tried to sign up for the Confederate Army but was unable to serve in the field because he suffered from tuberculosis. He worked as an editor for a daily paper in Columbia, S.C., and began writing poems about the war and how it affected the residents of the South. He also wrote love poems and ruminations on nature. During his lifetime he published only one volume of poetry. Among his most famous poems were “Ode Sung on the Occasion of Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead at Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina 1866,” and “Ethnogenesis.” Mr. Cisco said he could not find any phrases from these poems in Mr. Dylan’s lyrics.
Mr. Dylan does not acknowledge any debt to Timrod on “Modern Times.” The liner notes simply say “All songs written by Bob Dylan” (although some fans have noted online that the title of the album contains the letters of Timrod’s last name).
Happy Birthday, Ken Kesey!
Ken Kesey was born on this day in 1935 and died in 2001. He wasn't a prolific novelist, but he did publish one of my favorite books, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I read it first in 1965 and then read it many times after that. I taught it nearly every semester for 12 years at when I was at Howard Payne U., and I'd previously taught it as a graduate assistant at Texas. The graduate assistants had a saying about freshman English: "When all else fails, teach the Cuckoo's Nest." It was the one book that never failed to catch the students' interest and resonate with them.
10 Greatest Detective Novels?
David Montgomery, over at the Crime Fiction Dossier, is embarking on the modest project of listing the 10 Greatest Detective Novels. Sort of. Check out his requirements and then trip on over to his blog and submit your own list.
Crime Fiction Dossier: "10 Greatest Detective Novels -- let the debate begin!
I've decided to compile a list of the 10 Greatest Detective Novels ever written. And you can help! I'll give my preliminary list below. Feel free to use the comments section to argue over the choices. Your suggestions and contributions are welcome. I want to put together the definitive list...Well, at least, the CFD's definitive list.
The only requirements are: the book must feature a detective; it must be written in English; and I have to have read it. (I know, you don't know what I've read. We'll figure it out.)"
Crime Fiction Dossier: "10 Greatest Detective Novels -- let the debate begin!
I've decided to compile a list of the 10 Greatest Detective Novels ever written. And you can help! I'll give my preliminary list below. Feel free to use the comments section to argue over the choices. Your suggestions and contributions are welcome. I want to put together the definitive list...Well, at least, the CFD's definitive list.
The only requirements are: the book must feature a detective; it must be written in English; and I have to have read it. (I know, you don't know what I've read. We'll figure it out.)"
The Warren Magazine Collection
Some great covers here. Check 'em out. (Link via Boing Boing.)
WARREN MAGAZINE Collection: "This Web Site was created for the Cover Collection from Warren Publishing magazines. It includes CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA."
WARREN MAGAZINE Collection: "This Web Site was created for the Cover Collection from Warren Publishing magazines. It includes CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA."
Greatest Hollywood Starlet?
Knightley tops poll - Movie news - Movies - Virgin.net: "Keira Knightley has been rated the greatest ever Hollywood starlet.
The British beauty was chosen ahead of Scarlett Johansson and movie legend Judy Garland in the survey of film fans.
Still only 21, the Pirates of the Caribbean actress already has one Oscar nomination under her belt for her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
The survey of 1,600 film-goers by Yahoo! Entertainment revealed that starlets from the golden age of Hollywood can still outshine some of today's talent.
Garland, whose films include The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me In St Louis and A Star Is Born, was second.
And Shirley Temple, child star of the 1930s, was fifth.
Scarlett Johansson was voted into third place.
The 21-year-old is currently sizzling on screen in Forties thriller The Black Dahlia.
Natalie Portman and Lindsay Lohan also appeared in the list, along with Brooke Shields and Mia Farrow."
The British beauty was chosen ahead of Scarlett Johansson and movie legend Judy Garland in the survey of film fans.
Still only 21, the Pirates of the Caribbean actress already has one Oscar nomination under her belt for her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
The survey of 1,600 film-goers by Yahoo! Entertainment revealed that starlets from the golden age of Hollywood can still outshine some of today's talent.
Garland, whose films include The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me In St Louis and A Star Is Born, was second.
And Shirley Temple, child star of the 1930s, was fifth.
Scarlett Johansson was voted into third place.
The 21-year-old is currently sizzling on screen in Forties thriller The Black Dahlia.
Natalie Portman and Lindsay Lohan also appeared in the list, along with Brooke Shields and Mia Farrow."
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