I love this movie, but I never thought of it as a masterpiece. Maybe I was wrong.
“I’m Hard to Get, John T.” | The New York Observer: "In 1959, Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo was just another all-star western - with the Duke, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan and a very hot Angie Dickinson. But 48 years later, writes Peter Bogdanovich, it has become a life-affirming, raucous, profound masterpiece."
Saturday, July 28, 2007
No Comment Department
www.azstarnet.com � | Associated Press: "SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, who made headlines earlier this year when he claimed to be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby, said Friday he was stripped, robbed and left naked in his Rolls-Royce by three women.
Frederic Von Anhalt called police about 10 a.m. Thursday to say he'd been driving on Bellagio Road behind the Bel Air Country Club when he was flagged down by three women in a white Chrysler convertible with Florida plates, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Kevin Maiberger.
Von Anhalt said he thought the three women wanted to pose for a photograph with him, but when he started talking to them, one of them pushed a gun into his neck."
Frederic Von Anhalt called police about 10 a.m. Thursday to say he'd been driving on Bellagio Road behind the Bel Air Country Club when he was flagged down by three women in a white Chrysler convertible with Florida plates, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Kevin Maiberger.
Von Anhalt said he thought the three women wanted to pose for a photograph with him, but when he started talking to them, one of them pushed a gun into his neck."
Keep off this Preacher's Church Lawn
My Way News - Pistol Packing Pastor Nabs Theft Suspect: "TAFT, Calif. (AP) - A former Bakersfield police officer turned pastor helped nab a man who allegedly stole a car from his church's parking lot.
James Kilgore, pastor at Taft Free Will Baptist Church, said he always keeps a gun and handcuffs in his fanny pack. They came in handy on Tuesday, when one of his elderly parishioners left Bible study to find his car had vanished.
Kilgore and Walter Brenton, 72, drove around looking for Brenton's 1986 Ford Crown Victoria, and spotted the alleged thief driving it a few blocks away.
The pastor followed the driver until he crashed, tackled him as he crawled out of the car and then handcuffed him until police arrived on the scene."
James Kilgore, pastor at Taft Free Will Baptist Church, said he always keeps a gun and handcuffs in his fanny pack. They came in handy on Tuesday, when one of his elderly parishioners left Bible study to find his car had vanished.
Kilgore and Walter Brenton, 72, drove around looking for Brenton's 1986 Ford Crown Victoria, and spotted the alleged thief driving it a few blocks away.
The pastor followed the driver until he crashed, tackled him as he crawled out of the car and then handcuffed him until police arrived on the scene."
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- J. K. Rowling
This isn't a review, just a few comments.
First of all, let me just say how gratifying it is to know that J. K. Rowling is a devoted reader of this blog and that she values my advice. Many of you will no doubt recall my review of the previous novel in this series (for those who don't, it's here). Ms. Rowling took my comments to heart, and she eliminated (at a rough guess) 85-90% of those annoying adverbial tags. For which I'm grateful.
I was also please to discover that Ms. Rowling is a Mickey Spillane fan and that she included a nice homage to The Mick on page 214:
"Harry," wailed Hermione. "How could you?"
"It was easy," said Harry.
Aside from that, what else is there to say? Well, the book's too long. I could cut it by 200 pages and not miss much. Not that the length is going to keep anyone from reading it. Are there deaths of beloved characters? Yes, and I was saddened by all of them. There were more than I thought there would be.
This book is mostly action, though there are some quiet moments, too. The final chapters, and the whole book, really, will make for some great action scenes in the eventual movie version.
I have to confess to great admiration for Ms. Rowling. To conceive a series like this and to cap it off with a book that ties just about everything up neatly and effectively is quite an achievement. Over the years she's made me laugh and cry, and I thank her for that. Like many others, I'll miss Harry and all his friends, but I'm glad I was along for the ride. I'll be very interested to see where J. K. Rowling goes from here.
First of all, let me just say how gratifying it is to know that J. K. Rowling is a devoted reader of this blog and that she values my advice. Many of you will no doubt recall my review of the previous novel in this series (for those who don't, it's here). Ms. Rowling took my comments to heart, and she eliminated (at a rough guess) 85-90% of those annoying adverbial tags. For which I'm grateful.
I was also please to discover that Ms. Rowling is a Mickey Spillane fan and that she included a nice homage to The Mick on page 214:
"Harry," wailed Hermione. "How could you?"
"It was easy," said Harry.
Aside from that, what else is there to say? Well, the book's too long. I could cut it by 200 pages and not miss much. Not that the length is going to keep anyone from reading it. Are there deaths of beloved characters? Yes, and I was saddened by all of them. There were more than I thought there would be.
This book is mostly action, though there are some quiet moments, too. The final chapters, and the whole book, really, will make for some great action scenes in the eventual movie version.
I have to confess to great admiration for Ms. Rowling. To conceive a series like this and to cap it off with a book that ties just about everything up neatly and effectively is quite an achievement. Over the years she's made me laugh and cry, and I thank her for that. Like many others, I'll miss Harry and all his friends, but I'm glad I was along for the ride. I'll be very interested to see where J. K. Rowling goes from here.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Could this be the Same FCC That Went Nuts over Janet Jackson's Nip Slip?
Local stations get call letters that spell dirty words - TV Squad: "In what can only be described as utter irony, the FCC has given two local television stations call letters that either spell out or stand for dirty words. In Maui, it's KUNT. Yes, those are the real call letters given to a low-power digital station in Wailuku, Maui. The station is still under construction so no one has seen KUNT Action News as of yet--or maybe it's KUNT On Your Side.
The other station is KWTF in Arizona. Now, this one I like. I think I'd keep it. I'd make my motto, 'Hey! KWTF is happening in Arizona!'
Both stations are owned by KM Communications, which actually requested those call letters. The vice president of the company claims he (metaphorically) 'fell asleep on the job' when it came to requesting call letters. Yeah, right. Either he's a dirty, dirty man or he's extremely stupid for letting some high school-age employee choose the stations' call letters."
The other station is KWTF in Arizona. Now, this one I like. I think I'd keep it. I'd make my motto, 'Hey! KWTF is happening in Arizona!'
Both stations are owned by KM Communications, which actually requested those call letters. The vice president of the company claims he (metaphorically) 'fell asleep on the job' when it came to requesting call letters. Yeah, right. Either he's a dirty, dirty man or he's extremely stupid for letting some high school-age employee choose the stations' call letters."
Don't Go Near the Water
Front page news - newsjournalonline.com: "It sounds worse than a horror movie: A microscopic critter just as deadly as an alligator usually lurking in the muck goes up a swimmer's nose undetected to attack the brain.
This scenario is rare, but happens in this area enough that the Volusia County Health Department urged swimmers Thursday not to swim in freshwater lakes and ponds.
Water temperatures reaching higher than 80 degrees bring the amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri out of its lair to begin the feeding season. With the ocean temperature at 80 degrees, that's happening just about now."
This scenario is rare, but happens in this area enough that the Volusia County Health Department urged swimmers Thursday not to swim in freshwater lakes and ponds.
Water temperatures reaching higher than 80 degrees bring the amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri out of its lair to begin the feeding season. With the ocean temperature at 80 degrees, that's happening just about now."
I'm Shocked -- Shocked!
Aquafina labels to spell out source - tap water | Health | Reuters: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - PepsiCo Inc. will spell out that its Aquafina bottled water is made with tap water, a concession to the growing environmental and political opposition to the bottled water industry.
According to Corporate Accountability International, a U.S. watchdog group, the world's No. 2 beverage company will include the words 'Public Water Source' on Aquafina labels.
'If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do,' said Michelle Naughton, a Pepsi-Cola North America spokeswoman."
According to Corporate Accountability International, a U.S. watchdog group, the world's No. 2 beverage company will include the words 'Public Water Source' on Aquafina labels.
'If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do,' said Michelle Naughton, a Pepsi-Cola North America spokeswoman."
Thursday, July 26, 2007
I'm Not Unplugged! And Big News!
Well, sort of not. The dial-up I'm using isn't as fast as RoadRunner, but at least I'm on-line.
I've been told that "Cranked" has been nominated for an Anthony. Very cool. An Edgar nom, a Derringer nom (and win!), and now this. Thanks to all who helped stuff the ballot box.
I've been told that "Cranked" has been nominated for an Anthony. Very cool. An Edgar nom, a Derringer nom (and win!), and now this. Thanks to all who helped stuff the ballot box.
On the Road Again
Judy and I are leaving in a few minutes to visit her mother. We might not get a chance for a while, so we'll spend a couple of days in the land of no Internet. I used to have RoadRunner dial-up, and I could use the service on visits, but RoadRunner no longer serves Houston. I tried signing up with other dial-up services, but for some reason my laptop prevents me from logging on to any of them. I blame Microsoft, but I could easily be wrong.
At any rate, unless some miracle occurs, I'll be gone until late Saturday or Sunday. I'm sure you can live without the blog for that long, but I hope being unplugged doesn't drive me bonkers.
At any rate, unless some miracle occurs, I'll be gone until late Saturday or Sunday. I'm sure you can live without the blog for that long, but I hope being unplugged doesn't drive me bonkers.
Uh-Oh
Man's love of reading costs him his home: "WILKES-BARRE, Pa., July 25 A bookstore owner's obsession with the written word has cost him his Pennsylvania home after local officials deemed his book collection a fire hazard.
Authorities in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., condemned John Puchniak's apartment this year when a routine inspection raised concern the bookstore owner's collection of nearly 3,000 texts could cause a fire, The (Wilkes-Barre) Times Leader reported Wednesday.
Puchniak now resides in a local hotel, while attempting to limit the stacks upon stacks of books that decorate his condemned apartment.
But even if he can restore the apartment to acceptable living standards, Puchniak has said he cannot afford to appeal the city to reopen his home.
Attorney Jim Hayward has become a champion for the troubled literary fan, attempting to convince local officials to let the 59-year-old store his growing collection as he sees fit.
'Their (the city's) priorities are wrong. This is not the guy they should be going after,' he told the newspaper. 'The average person may not agree with how John stores his books, but does that mean it's wrong?'"
Authorities in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., condemned John Puchniak's apartment this year when a routine inspection raised concern the bookstore owner's collection of nearly 3,000 texts could cause a fire, The (Wilkes-Barre) Times Leader reported Wednesday.
Puchniak now resides in a local hotel, while attempting to limit the stacks upon stacks of books that decorate his condemned apartment.
But even if he can restore the apartment to acceptable living standards, Puchniak has said he cannot afford to appeal the city to reopen his home.
Attorney Jim Hayward has become a champion for the troubled literary fan, attempting to convince local officials to let the 59-year-old store his growing collection as he sees fit.
'Their (the city's) priorities are wrong. This is not the guy they should be going after,' he told the newspaper. 'The average person may not agree with how John stores his books, but does that mean it's wrong?'"
Overnight Success
Over at Murderati, Dave Zeltserman has an interesting account of how he became an overnight success as a writer, and it only took him fifteen years.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Gator Update (Escape from Sing-Sing? Edition)
Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for this gator sighting news.
Alligator sighting in Ossining draws DEC: "OSSINING - An alligator in Ossining?
Wildlife experts from the state Department of Environmental Conservation were headed to the scene, expected to arrive about 3 p.m.
That's after a Consolidated Edison worker called police about 11 a.m. today after reportedly seeing the head of a 3-foot gator poking out of a private pond off Somerstown Road.
'He was sitting beside a tree and he ran into the water,' said Aaron McDuffie, a flagger. 'They (other workers) didn't want to believe me at first, this being Westchester, but they walked over and saw him in the water.'
He said even he's in disbelief.
'With the cold climate, to see an alligator in the water? I didn't want to believe it when I first saw it.'"
Alligator sighting in Ossining draws DEC: "OSSINING - An alligator in Ossining?
Wildlife experts from the state Department of Environmental Conservation were headed to the scene, expected to arrive about 3 p.m.
That's after a Consolidated Edison worker called police about 11 a.m. today after reportedly seeing the head of a 3-foot gator poking out of a private pond off Somerstown Road.
'He was sitting beside a tree and he ran into the water,' said Aaron McDuffie, a flagger. 'They (other workers) didn't want to believe me at first, this being Westchester, but they walked over and saw him in the water.'
He said even he's in disbelief.
'With the cold climate, to see an alligator in the water? I didn't want to believe it when I first saw it.'"
Alice Borchardt, R. I. P.
Alice Borchardt passed away last night. She was a good friend and a fine writer. Judy and I enjoyed meeting her and her husband, Cliff, for dinner in Houston, as we did many times over the years. We're going to miss Alice a lot.
Alice Borchardt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Alice Borchardt is a writer of historical fiction, fantasy, and horror. She is the sister of Anne Rice and aunt to Christopher Rice. Alice Borchardt shared a childhood of storytelling with her sister in New Orleans. A professional nurse, she has also nurtured a profound interest in little-known periods of history. She published her debut novel, Devoted, in 1995. She lives in Houston."
Alice Borchardt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Alice Borchardt is a writer of historical fiction, fantasy, and horror. She is the sister of Anne Rice and aunt to Christopher Rice. Alice Borchardt shared a childhood of storytelling with her sister in New Orleans. A professional nurse, she has also nurtured a profound interest in little-known periods of history. She published her debut novel, Devoted, in 1995. She lives in Houston."
Judy Update
We got a mixed bag of news today. The bone biopsy turned out better than we'd expected. The doctor had said the disease there would likely be more aggressive than that in the lymph nodes, but it wasn't. It's the same thing. That means Judy won't need the very aggressive form of chemotherapy. Further good (we hope) news is that Judy's going to be part of a "clinical trial." This trial group has 100 people. Judy will be the 100th. Why is this good news? Because the chemo used will not cause Judy's hair to fall out, and she won't have to get a port implanted. Also, the results so far have been very good. One of the complications of Judy's case is that she has two kinds of lymphoma. This chemo will treat both of them.
Treatment begins on Thursday, August 2, one week from today. The bad news is that it's ten hours long. There'll be a session every three weeks for six months. The possible side effects are numerous and unpleasant, though not as numerous and unpleasant as those of the chemo we'd been expecting she'd have to get. Mixed in with the treatments will be a weekly blood check and various other stuff, including CAT scans and maybe an MRI or two. Though the doctor only hinted at it, another bone biopsy is also possible.
None of this is going to be any fun, but we're girding our loins. The bad news, really, is something we already knew. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma isn't curable. It can be put into remission. For how long? The doctor doesn't like to say. Six months would be a not very good result. Three to five years would be a good result, so we're hoping for that. Maybe by that time some miracle cure will have been discovered. If not, it's chemo all over again.
As always, thanks for the prayers, good wishes, and support. I'll do another update next week, maybe even during the session, as the nurse promised I'd have wireless access available in the treatment room. Until then, regular blogging will resume.
Treatment begins on Thursday, August 2, one week from today. The bad news is that it's ten hours long. There'll be a session every three weeks for six months. The possible side effects are numerous and unpleasant, though not as numerous and unpleasant as those of the chemo we'd been expecting she'd have to get. Mixed in with the treatments will be a weekly blood check and various other stuff, including CAT scans and maybe an MRI or two. Though the doctor only hinted at it, another bone biopsy is also possible.
None of this is going to be any fun, but we're girding our loins. The bad news, really, is something we already knew. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma isn't curable. It can be put into remission. For how long? The doctor doesn't like to say. Six months would be a not very good result. Three to five years would be a good result, so we're hoping for that. Maybe by that time some miracle cure will have been discovered. If not, it's chemo all over again.
As always, thanks for the prayers, good wishes, and support. I'll do another update next week, maybe even during the session, as the nurse promised I'd have wireless access available in the treatment room. Until then, regular blogging will resume.
Heading for MD Anderson
Judy's been through all the tests now. Or so we hope. Surely they can't come up with any more of them. So today we'll meet with the doctor at 11:30 and maybe something will be settled. Maybe we'll be given a treatment regimen. We're hoping, as always, for the best, but in this situation, and after so much has happened, we don't even know what "best" might mean. And we don't even want to think about any other possibilities. I'll update the blog here when we get back, and thanks again for all your support, prayers, and good thoughts.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
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