Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Wichita County man gets life sentence for 10th DWI | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "WICHITA FALLS, Texas — A man with nine previous drunken driving convictions was sentenced to life in prison.

Kenneth Chris Oneal, 58, received the maximum sentence Thursday after jurors convicted him of driving while intoxicated-repetition, his 10th drunken-driving related offense.

The offense was a felony because he had at least two such convictions in the past, prosecutors said. He faced from 25 years to life in prison."

Eee-oooo-ooo-ah-ah

Nigerian official accused of hiring witch doctor - CNN.com: "LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) -- Police on Friday arrested the head of a federal agency charged with developing Nigeria's impoverished southern oil region after allegations that the man spent millions of dollars on a witch doctor in hopes vanquishing a rival."

Curse of the Vampires

The Associated Press: Rabies from bats suspected in Venezuela deaths: "CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — At least 38 Warao Indians have died in remote villages in Venezuela, and medical experts suspect an outbreak of rabies spread by bites from vampire bats."

The Oldest Austrian?

Scary photo at link.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Vienna celebrates Venus centenary: "Austrians are celebrating 100 years since the discovery of a tiny but curvy statuette that dates back 25,000 years.

The 11cm-tall (four-inch) stone figure - the Venus of Willendorf - will be in a special show at Vienna's Natural History Museum with similar statuettes.

Austria's post office is also to unveil a stamp in her honour on Friday, the Associated Press reports."

Dolemite

Over Hill, Over Dale, They Followed the Dusty Trail

iWon News - Cops follow Cheetos trail to nail burglar suspects: "ST. PAUL (AP) - St. Paul police followed a trail of Cheetos in order to nab three teenagers suspected of burglarizing a vending machine. Officers were called to the Arlington Recreation Center on July 29, where they found a vending machine's glass had been broken with a chair.

Most of the candy and chips were missing, according to a criminal complaint in Ramsey County District Court.

The officers followed the orange, dusty trail from the rec center, around the side of the building and to a nearby home. Inside, they found numerous vending-sized bags of Cheetos and other snacks."

Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.

Happy Birthday, Connie Stevens!

Vince Keenan is Probably Behind This

Freebie :: Hollywood Elsewhere: "HE reader Nick Zayas informs that Hulu just put up Joseph Sargent's The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3. The whole thing, in other words, is now free and streamable in reasonably decent quality. With 'limited commercial interruption,' of course."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

America's Hard-Drinking Cities - Forbes.com: "Austin, Texas, is famous for its parties. People flock from around the world to attend events like the annual South by Southwest film and music festival. And when they get there, chances are they make like the locals and throw back a few cold ones--because Austin may be the hardest-drinking city in America."

Ouch

Man Almost Loses Penis Humping Steel Bench | Weird Asia News: "Last night in Hong Kong, the police received a disturbing call from a man in trouble.

Xing, a 41 year-old man, was calling from LanTian park in the middle of the night. The lonely and disturbed man had apparently thought it would be fun to have sex with one of the steel sit-up benches around the park."

Gator Update (Caged Heat Edition)

Alligator, in cage, found on side of road -- Newsday.com: "An alligator has been found in a cage along a road in Lower Bank.

Fred Schubert found the 4-foot reptile in the rural Burlington County community on his way to work Thursday."

Forgotten Books: STONE ANGEL -- Marvin H. Albert

I'm a longtime fan of the work of Marvin H. Albert under all his many names. He wrote westerns (many of them filmed), crime novels, p.i. series, and movie novelizations. Any one of his books would be an interesting topic for discussion. For an earlier post on Albert's work, click here.

Today, I thought it would be fun to talk about the Stone Angel series, which I think consists of ten books, all of them first-person private-eye novels set in France, all of them recommended. The narrator of these cases is Pete Sawyer, whose French mother, a hero of the Resistance in WWII, sent her son to live with his American grandparents after the death of Sawyer's father. Sawyer grew up in Chicago but spent his summers in France, where he now lives. Albert also lived in France, and the local color in this series is really well done. Not quite as good as being there, but the next best thing.

Stone Angel introduces Sawyer as he tackles a wandering daughter job that turns out to be a lot more complicated than expected. The girl is involved with a terrorist cell, and she's in more trouble than she realizes. Sawyer deals with cops, criminals, and the very rich as he follows her trail.

Albert was a real pro. His writing style is smooth as cream, and there's plenty of action mixed in with the travelogue and dialog. The same is true of any book in the series. Try one. You might like it.

When Women Had Tails

Bob Randisi Goes Hollywood

From Bob Randisi:

I've sold film right to my first Rat Pack book, EVERYBODY KILLS SOMEBODY SOMETIME, to Sandy Hackett, the late Buddy Hackett's son. I will be writing the screenplay. Plans are to begin filming January 2010. Sandy Hackett will star as Sands Casino pit boss Eddie G., who in the story is asked by Frank Sinatra to help find out who is sending Dean Martin threatening notes, while they are filming Ocean's 11 in 1960 Las Vegas. All of the Rat Pack members appear in the book, as well as other historical characters like Sands boss Jack Entratter, George Raft and Angie Dickinson.

This book was followed last year by LUCK BE A LADY, DON'T DIE, and in December HEY THERE (YOU WITH THE GUN IN YOUR HAND) will be published. All the books come from St.Martin's Press,and I'm presently working on the fourth, YOU'RE NOBODY TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU.

Gator Update (Netted Edition)

Tampabays10.com | Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater | Gator rescue in Trinity: "Trinity, Florida — Neighbors in Trinity are asking for some help with a gator that lives in a lake in a conservation area near their homes.

But they don't want the gator removed. They want officials to save it by removing a net around its head.

Neighbors think the net came from a group of kids who'd recently been spotted fishing in the conservation area near their homes, where 'no fishing or swimming' signs are posted.

Keith Johnson, who first spotted the gator, thinks it can't eat with the net around its head."

Clive Sinclair's Top Ten Westerns

You can't go wrong with a Top Ten Westerns list that includes The Great Gatsby.

Hat tip to Marshal Zeringue.

Arrrgggghhhhhh!

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Elvis set for album chart return: "The King of Rock 'n' Roll is bringing out a new album later this year - despite being dead for over 30 years.

New technology will be used to produce Elvis Presley Christmas Duets, featuring country stars LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood, among others.

The late singer's ex-wife Priscilla said: 'I am sure Elvis would be proud to have worked with them.'"

Hat tip to Paul Bishop.

World Fantasy Award Nominations

You can see them here.  


Hat tip to A. T. Campbell.

Dagnabbit

Britney Spears 'not playing killer lesbian' | Celebrity News | Now Magazine: "Britney Spears will not play a crazed lesbian stripper in a new horror movie.

The singer was said to be starring in a remake of 1965 cult film Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! directed by Quentin Tarantino.

But her rep insists this isn’t the case."

Happy Birthday, Stan Freberg!