Saturday, June 07, 2014

Sidewise award finalists

This Way to Texas: Sidewise award finalists

Song of the Day

One Toke Over the Line with Lawrence Welk - YouTube:

Optical Illusions

crazy optical illusions

Today's Vintage Ad


Arthur C. Clarke Predicts the Future in 1964

Arthur C. Clarke Predicts the Future in 1964 

37 Deeply Satisfying Palindromes

37 Deeply Satisfying Palindromes

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Robert A. Heinlein, Glory Road, Berkley, 1980

Gives New Meaning to the Phrase "Teacher's Pet"

Students Served Pet Treats At Montgomery County Grade School 

5 Hilariously Stupid True Stories Behind Country Names

5 Hilariously Stupid True Stories Behind Country Names

My Family's Been Eating This Family's BBQ for Decades

Interview: Kirby Hyden of Kirby’s Barbeque 

I Miss the Old Days

Johnny Cash Show debuts this day in 1969

Or Maybe You Have

10 Creepy Horror Films You’ve Never Heard Of

Bill Watterson Update

Ever Wished That Calvin and Hobbes Creator Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? Well, He Just Did. 

The Cult of Boba Fett

The Cult of Boba Fett: The ‘Star Wars’ Bounty Hunter’s Spin-Off 

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Man Pees On Lawn, Shoots Onlooker 

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Texas girl’s service dog gets his due — a picture in the school yearbook 

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

And now it's the Florida Condiment Fight Left Live-In Combatants Drenched In Ketchup, Maple Syrup 

The Pirates of Blood River

The Pirates of Blood River / Original Theatrical Trailer (1962) - YouTube:

Friday, June 06, 2014

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Sword Fight Erupts at Sikh Temple in India 

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

DPD cops, wives investigated for swingers party brawl

Amazing, Historic Images Of Allied Troops Storming The Beaches Of Normandy On D-Day

Amazing, Historic Images Of Allied Troops Storming The Beaches Of Normandy On D-Day

Listen to Willie Nelson's New Album

First Listen: Willie Nelson, 'Band Of Brothers' 

Heroes the of D-day Invasion

Heroes the of D-day Invasion

The military power, economics and strategy that led to D-Day

The military power, economics and strategy that led to D-Day

Booklover's Paradise

When On Earth: This small market town in Wales is a booklover's paradise.  

Link via the Presurfer.

Song of the Day

Fats Domino - I'm Ready - YouTube:

19 Rare Recordings of Famous Authors

19 Rare Recordings of Famous Authors 

Today's Vintage Ad


I Miss the Old Days

Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago This Weekend (June 6th)

Yes. Yes, It Is.

Is This The Best Nicolas Cage Prank Ever? 

PaperBack



Peter Saxon, Vampire's Moon, Unibook, 1970

Dino Update

Stunning fossil eggs provide insight on gender differences of ancient flying reptiles: WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A spectacular fossil find in China – a prehistoric egg extravaganza from 120 million years ago – is providing unique insight into the lifestyle and gender differences of pterosaurs, the flying reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs.

The Only 28 Times It's Completely Valid To Dial 911

The Only 28 Times It's Completely Valid To Dial 911

AbeBooks: Most Expensive Sales in May 2014

AbeBooks: Most Expensive Sales in May 2014

D-Day | June 6, 1944

Home | D-Day | June 6, 1944 | The United States Army: On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolph Hitler’s crack troops.

Susan Spencer-Wendel, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Susan Spencer-Wendel, a former newspaper reporter who wrote a best-selling memoir about living life to the fullest after learning she had an incurable muscle-wasting disease — and wrote most of it on a smartphone with her right thumb — died on Wednesday at her home in West Palm Beach, Fla. She was 47.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Steven H. Scheuer, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Steven H. Scheuer, a television critic who helped change how newspapers reviewed programs and thus how viewers decided what to watch, died on Saturday at his home in Manhattan. He was 88.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Another Forgotten Book

Warlock of the Witch World by Andre Norton

Forgotten Books: Kings of the Bs: Working with the Hollywood System -- Todd McCarthy & Charles Flynn, editors

If you like B-movies, you'll love this book.  I do, and I do.  It's a collection of essays and interviews.  The interviews are with the likes of Samuel Z.  Arkoff, Albert Zugsmith, William Castle, Roger Corman, Phil Karlson, Herschel Gordon Lewis, and others. The essays range from discussions of films like Thunder Road and They Live by Night to essays about "people," including Sam Katzman, Corman, Russ Meyer, and Joseph H. Lewis.  There are filmographies for 325 directors.  Sure you can find filmographies on IMDB, but it's even easier with this book.  It's a big collection, 550 pages, great for browsing or even reading straight through.  Copies are easy to come by on the Internet, and if you have any interest in the topic, you should grab one for the fun of it.

He Was Her Man

1934 HE WAS HER MAN TRAILER JAMES CAGNEY JOAN BLONDELL - YouTube:

Thursday, June 05, 2014

Marilyn Beck, R. I. P.

Los Angeles Times: Marilyn Beck, a syndicated Hollywood columnist who for decades dished out delectable dollops on celebrities hooking up, splitting up and cracking up, has died at her Oceanside home. She was 85.

Book Giveaway -- Better Act Fast!

Tornado Alley Publications: THIS SUMMER STORM--NEW RELEASE AND GIVEAWAY!

Free for Kindle For a Limited Time

Amazon.com: PARADOX FALLS: A Horror Novel eBook: Peter Brandvold: Kindle Store  Meet Jake, David, and Ashley. They’re all good-looking and 30-something. They live in Colorado. They’re lifelong friends. 

They’ve hiked the mountain trail to Paradox Falls regularly since they were teenagers. 

David and Ashley are married...and wealthy. 

Jake is married, as well...to Brenda. Jake is not nearly as wealthy as David and Ashley. Jake’s a struggling writer and part-time bar tender in Denver. He may or may not be in love with his wife. 

Jake and Ashley had once been lovers. They were each other’s first love, in fact. But that was back in high school. Even so, their flame has never totally died. 

That becomes obvious on the trail to Paradox Falls, when petty jealousies, old resentments, carnal passions and slow-burning insecurities...as well as a beautiful blond hiker named Jasmine and an old cowboy named Jerry who’s hunting a killer wielding a crossbow...churn into a lethal concoction resulting in crushed dreams and bloody murder... 

***BEWARE: VIOLENCE, EXPLICIT SEX, STRONG LANGUAGE*** 

Plus a bonus horror short-story: “Johnny & Devlin Forever: Terror in the Piney Woods” 

I Miss the Old Days

June 5, 1956: Elvis Presley Introduces “Hound Dog” On TV (The Milton Berle Show) 

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

'Till arrest do they part: British couple busted after wedding night brawl, spend first night together in jail  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

The 17-Year-Old Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth And Lou Gehrig

The Story Of The 17-Year-Old Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth And Lou Gehrig

Song of the Day

Debbie Reynolds - If I Had A Hammer - YouTube:

13 Essential Summer Reads According to Book Critics in 1852

13 Essential Summer Reads According to Book Critics in 1852 

Today's Vintage Ad


Can't Read? Go To the Library

Can't Read? Go To the Library

PaperBack



Peter Saxon, The Curse of Rathlaw, Magnum Books, 1968

Happy Birthday to Francelle Crider Bettinger!

And she'll be at the beach this weekend, too.

Chester Nez, R. I. P.

Los Angeles Times: The final member of the original Navajo code talkers, the group of 28 Native Americans who played a crucial role for U.S. communications during World War II, has died. 

Chester Nez died Wednesday in Albuquerque, confirmed Judy Avila, who helped Nez write his memoirs. He was 93.

Soon We'll Have No Freedoms Left at All

Nude neighbor caught pumping his hose in front yard, cops say 

WWII Fighter plane footage

Fighter plane footage WWII: Gun cameras capture raids on Germany

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

wptv.com: Investigators say Hinebaugh and the victim called each other names in the presence of each other's children, allegedly prompting Hinebaugh to throw a half-eaten sandwich at the victim, striking him in the back of the head.

Paris Hilton Update

Paris Hilton dons skintight leather trousers and thick eye make-up as she arrives at LA Kings hockey game   

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

The Beach Girls and the Monster

1965 BEACH GIRLS AND THE MONSTER TRAILER JON HALL - YouTube:

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Don Zimmer, R. I. P.

NY Daily News: Baseball is forever poorer with the passing of Don Zimmer, one of the game’s all-time good will ambassadors, humorists and raconteurs who began his travelogue career as a Dodger in Brooklyn, surviving two near-fatal beanings, and went on to be an original ’62 Met, a Washington Senator, manager of two storied franchises, the Red Sox and Cubs, and finally Joe Torre’s bench coach for four Yankee world championship teams.

Free Book for Your E-Reader!

Treasure Coast by Tom Kakonis from Brash Books: THE WILD NEW THRILLER FROM THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF CRISS CROSS AND MICHIGAN ROLL

I Wanted to Believe!

Gravitational wave triumph turns to dust after flawed analysis revealed

Well, Maybe Not Your Childhood

11 Vintage Toys From Our Childhood That We Still Love Today

Well, of Course It's an Emergency!

Unhappy customer dials 999 because of lack of ice cream sprinkles

Song of the Day

Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long - YouTube:

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Fort Hood Sergeant Accused Of Setting Up Prostitution Ring With Cash-Strapped Female Soldiers

Today's Vintage Ad


Yet Another List I'm Not On

25 People You Can Only Find In Texas

I Miss the Old Days

These 60 Rare Photos Will Destroy Everything You Knew About The Past. Mind = Blown.

“The Hardboiled Notary” (by Kevin Mims)

“The Hardboiled Notary” (by Kevin Mims) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN

PaperBack



Robert A. Heinlein, The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein, Ace, 1966

They Haven't Checked my Closet

World’s Oldest Pants Unearthed in China

The Time 250,000-Year-Old Mammoth Was Served For Dinner

The Time 250,000-Year-Old Mammoth Was Served For Dinner

Happy Anniversary to Me and Judy

Who knew that 49 years would seem like such a short time?

Judy did not need this.

9 Great Books About Authors

Flavorwire: Writers Writing About Writers: 9 Great Books About Authors

Croc Update (LOTR Edition)

'Giant Beast': 900-Pound Ancient Croc Devoured Turtles: It's called Anthracosuchus balrogus after the fiery Balrog that lurked deep in the Middle-Earth mines of Moria in J.R.R. Tolkien's novel "The Lord of the Rings."

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Hairdressing awards descend into chaos with mooning and guest 'butted by organiser' - Mirror Online

Anna Berger, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Anna Berger, a character actress known for playing matriarchal figures from different ethnic backgrounds in films like Woody Allen’s “Crime and Misdemeanors” and television shows like “The Sopranos,” died on May 26 in Manhattan. She was 91. 

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

The Unearthly Stranger

1964 THE UNEARTHY STRANGER TRAILER SCI-FI - YouTube:

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Free for Kindle For a Limited Time

Amazon.com: The Intercept (Jeremy Fisk Novels) eBook: Dick Wolf: Kindle Store  Dick Wolf, the celebrated creator of the Law & Order television franchise, makes his literary debut with The Intercept, a taut, driving thriller reminiscent of the classic The Day of the Jackal.

Days before the July Fourth holiday and the dedication of One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, an incident aboard a commercial jet reminds everyone involved that vigilance saves lives.

But New York Police detective Jeremy Fisk—from the department’s Intelligence Division, a well-funded anti-terror unit modeled upon the CIA—suspects that the event is a warning sign that another, potentially more extraordinary scheme has been set in motion. So when a passenger from the same plane disappears into the crowds of Manhattan, it’s up to Fisk and his partner Krina Gersten to find him before the celebrations begin... And time is running out.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Gospel music drives North Carolina woman to ax stepfather in the head

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

And once again Texas leads the way.

ETX woman accused of slapping relative in face with catfish

Croc Update (Cave Croc Edition)

The Orange Cave Crocodiles of Gabon 

101 Masterpieces: Moby-Dick

101 Masterpieces: Moby-Dick

Song of the Day

409-the Beach Boys - YouTube:

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Man wanted in kindergarten graduation brawl

How did pioneers conceal their guns in the Old West?

Hideout Hijinks: How did pioneers conceal their guns in the Old West?

It Was an Informal Attack

Colm Keogh was only wearing underwear and one sock when he attacked a police horse in Hindley St  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Today's Vintage Ad


Thoreau on the True Gift of Growing Old

Thoreau on the True Gift of Growing Old

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Jealous girlfriend hits boyfriend with machete while he was driving his car

PaperBack



Donald Henderson Clarke, Millie's Daughter, Avon, 1953

9 Muses Who Inspired Incredible Literature

9 Muses Who Inspired Incredible Literature

Top 10 Most Quotable Movies

Top 10 Most Quotable Movies (Video)

Yet Another List I'm Not On

The 100 Most Obsessed-Over People on the Web

Keep Off Her Lawn!

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A 91-year-old woman ran a San Diego marathon on the weekend in record time for her age group, also becoming the oldest person ever to finish the race, despite lamenting she was unable to train properly because of cancer treatments.

30 Weird Holidays To Celebrate This June

30 Weird Holidays To Celebrate This June

This Is Exactly Why We Have 911

Man called 911 on wife for 'throwing out his beer' 

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Judge, public defender fight after argument in court 

Delectable, Delicious Design - Penguin's Great Food Series

Penguin's Great Food Series Box SetAbeBooks: Delectable, Delicious Design - Penguin's Great Food Series: "Throughout the history of civilization, food has been more than simple necessity. In countless cultures, it has been livelihood, status symbol, entertainment - and passion. In the GREAT FOOD series, Penguin brings you the finest food writing from the last 400 years, and opens the door to the wonders of every kitchen." -- Penguin Books

Overlooked Movies: The Fall

Reading about this movie on a list I posted the other day, I was reminded of how much I'd liked it, so I looked up this review from 2008.  After six years, I can say that I've thought about this movie a number of times, and I haven't changed me opinion.  In fact, I think it's worth watching a second time.  

What I didn't mention the first time around is that The Fall strongly reminded of a J. D. Salinger short story, "The Laughing Man," one of my favorites.  So I'm mentioning it now.  The original comments on the movie are below.

The Fall is the best-looking movie I've seen in a long time. It bombed at the box office, and in fact was barely released. Maybe nobody knew how to sell it. Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) plays a stuntman in early 20th century Hollywood. He's been crippled in a fall. He's suicidal and in a hospital in which a young girl played by Catinca Untaru (in a fine performance) is also a patient. Pace begins telling her stories, starring himself as the Blue Bandit, to persuade her to get him the pills he needs to kill himself. The tales of the Blue Bandit get grimmer as they come to an end. The girl is hurt in a fall herself, but she recovers, and the magic of the movies brings her happiness later on as she works in the orange groves with her family. Judy found this movie boring and slow. I can see why, but even in the slower parts, it's a wonder to look at. One of these days when you want to see something completely different, rent this one and see what you think.

The Fall

The Fall trailer - YouTube:

Monday, June 02, 2014

Isn't There a Commandment that Forbids This?

Woman Arrested For Stealing A Bible From Walmart 

The Holloway reading stand and dictionary holder

Retronaut: c. 1892: The Holloway reading stand and dictionary holder

Song of the Day

Chuck Willis - Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes.wmv - YouTube:

Classic Gunfights

The Gang Slayer: Captain Jonathan Davis vs 14 Polyglot Killers

Today's Vintage Ad


Here's the Plot for Your Next Footwear-Themed Thriller

Police confiscate $3M worth of shoes from Ky. home 

The Fascinating Real-Life Inspirations Behind Disney Villains

The Fascinating Real-Life Inspirations Behind Disney Villains

I Miss the Old Days

50 Years Ago: The Rolling Stones Arrive in America: On June 1, 1964, America was first introduced to a group of five long-haired English lads who called themselves the Rolling Stones. Though they had become a hit in England, the U.S. was only vaguely aware of this new band. Indeed, their first album, ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’ had only just been released in America two days before their arrival.

PaperBack



Robert A. Heinlein, Podkayne of Mars, Berkley, 1971

New Poem at the 5-2

The Five-Two: Mehnaz Sahibzada: MUSE NOIR

Alligators in the White House, Oh My!

Alligators in the White House, Oh My!  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Nicolas Cage Update

This Supercut Of Every Nicolas Cage Laugh Is A Psychotic Masterpiece

Bill Haley, the father of rock & roll?

When the Clock Strikes 12: Bill Haley, the father of rock & roll? 

4 Coin Flips That Changed History

4 Coin Flips That Changed History

Lee Chamberlin, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Lee Chamberlin, an actress whose career took off when she joined Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno on the funky 1970s children’s show “The Electric Company,” died on Wednesday in Chapel Hill, N.C. She was 76.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Target

1952 TARGET TRAILER TIM HOLT RICHARD "CHITO" MARTIN - YouTube:

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Ann B. Davis, R. I. P.

CBS Los Angeles:  Ann B. Davis, best known for being the wiseacre maid on TV’s “The Brady Bunch,” has died.

Davis was 88.

Ann Bradford Davis first came to the attention of TV audiences as Charmaine “Schultzy” Schultz in the “Bob Cummings Show” (NBC 1955-59). She won two Emmys for her work on that sitcom and was nominated two additional times.

10 Greatest Fighter Planes

10 Greatest Fighter Planes

Song of the Day

Margaret Whiting And Jimmy Wakely - Let's Go To Church - YouTube:

Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago This Weekend

Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago This Weekend

Today's Vintage Ad


Jay Lake, R. I. P.

This Way to Texas: Jay Lake is gone: According to his web site, the end has come. Jay Lake died this morning, June 1, at 5:45. Lisa and friends were with him. He will be missed but not forgotten.

The 25 Most Powerful TV Shows of the Last 25 Years

The 25 Most Powerful TV Shows of the Last 25 Years 

PaperBack



W. Somerset Maugham, Rain, Dell 10-Cent book

Not You. Other People.

Incorrectly used words that make you look bad 

A Superb Video (Says Nice Things about Me)

Brash Books: Unconventional Heroe

A List I'm On!

Western Fictioneers: Announcing the Winners of the 2014 Peacemaker Awards

Joan Lorring, R. I. P.

Los Angeles Times: Joan Lorring, 88, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 1945 Bette Davis film "The Corn Is Green," died Friday, said her daughter, Andrea Sonenberg. Lorring had been ill and died in a hospital in the New York City suburb of Sleepy Hollow.

The Intriguing History of the American Penny

The Intriguing History of the American Penny  

Link via mental_floss.

And speaking of mammoths . . .

. . . my brother, Bob, is currently helping to excavate a well-preserved specimen at an undisclosed location in Ellis county.

Early Mankind's Secret Weapon for Slaying Mammoths

Early Mankind's Secret Weapon for Slaying Mammoths

The Road to Singapore

1931 THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE TRAILER WILLIAM POWELL PRE-CODE - YouTube: