Saturday, November 05, 2016

Bill Crider Warned Us: Texas is Losing the War on Feral Hogs

Kevin's Corner: Bill Crider Warned Us: Texas is Losing the War on Feral Hogs

So Long, Nolan.

Houston Chronicle: A Nolan Ryan statue that stood in the middle of the legendary pitcher’s hometown of Alvin has found a new home in Round Rock, just outside Dell Diamond.

YES!

Few Benefits to Daylight Saving Time—Should We Scrap It?

Song of the Day

Johnny cash - I still miss someone with lyrics - YouTube:

A Literary Look at the Last Time the Cubs Won the World Series

A Literary Look at the Last Time the Cubs Won the World Series 

I Saw Mysterious Monkey Open for Moby Grape

More Tampa Bay area residents report seeing mysterious monkey

Today's Vintage Ad


Oops

Scientists reveal Ossian's works were copies of 12th-century Irish tales: Poems widely regarded as a cornerstone of Scottish history are almost certainly a hoax, according to new research. 

Ossian, a legendary Celtic warrior and bard from the third century AD, is the narrator and apparent author of poems translated by the Scottish poet James Macpherson. 

But an investigation by scientists concluded Ossian's poems were an ingenious fake, stolen from Ireland.

PaperBack



Tom Stone, Red Headed Wench, Rainbow Books, 1952

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Private resort community underway in Ector: "It's an hour north of Dallas-Fort Worth," said Whitt. "In case of any sort of war or nuclear war or international terrorism, it's an hour away from what we call 'the threat zone.' " 

Trident Lakes plans to have 400 condos, all 90 percent underground. 

There will also be an underground tunnel system, a shared greenhouse, a DNA vault and several helipads. 

"It's going to be one of the world's safest communities, so of course, it will be gated and there will be armed security at all times," said Whitt.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

Huge fight erupts between travellers on Ryanair plane after elderly woman hit on the head

The Weird Week in Review

The Weird Week in Review

Judy's Birthday

Judy would have been 73 years old today.  She was married to me for more than 49 of those years, and we'd been going out for a little more than five years before we married.  You might think that would be long enough for two people to be together.  You'd be wrong.  I still can't believe she's not in the next room watching Jeopardy! 




Friday, November 04, 2016

He Should Get a Medal

University executive director under fire for Bigfoot hunt  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Croc Update (Romance Is Not Dead Edition)

Handler stages dangerous proposal inside crocodile pit

I’ve Made Millions Selling Fake Plastic Hillbilly Teeth

I’ve Made Millions Selling Fake Plastic Hillbilly Teeth  

Link via Boing Boing.

Song of the Day

Kay Starr - Wheel Of Fortune 1952 - YouTube:

Yes

Is Daylight Saving Time to Blame for Seasonal Depression?

Today's Vintage Ad


First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

MLive.com: "I was cutting up a potato with a fork to put in the microwave," Levy testified. 

"I was getting her meal ready and Bobbi came out and said, 'I don't want a potato.'" The witness said his wife grabbed a burrito out of the freezer, then started grabbing other frozen items and throwing them at him.

Uh-Oh

Courtney Love to Star in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” Horror Adaptation on Lifetime

12 Books That End Mid-Sentence

12 Books That End Mid-Sentence

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Norma Dann (Norman Daniels), The Twist!, Rainbow Books, 1953

Here’s why daylight saving time isn’t worth the trouble it causes

Here’s why daylight saving time isn’t worth the trouble it causes

Kay Starr, R. I. P.

The Washington Post: Kay Starr, a ferociously expressive singer whose ability to infuse swing, pop and country songs with her own indelible, bluesy stamp made her one of the most admired recording artists of her generation, died Nov. 3 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 94.

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The Ars Technica science fiction bucket list—42 movies every geek must see: ...and nine bonus stinkers from which you should run away screaming.

Riddled with Gilt

Poems by W.B. YeatsAbeBooks: Riddled with Gilt: Gilding is an age old art which consists of applying gold in powder or thin sheet (gold leaf) form to an object - in this case, a book's pages or even cover boards. 

The gold in gold leaf has typically been mixed or alloyed with other metals such as silver or copper. But there are other options, and not all that glitters is gold. Some cheaper editions simply have gold-colored paint, which can dull quickly, while at the other end of the spectrum are firms like Easton Press, who still accent editions in genuine 22kt gold.

FFB: The Long Ships -- Frans G. Bengtsson (Michael Meyer, tr.)

I read The Long Ships right after the movie came out, sometime in 1965.  I loved it and have remembered especially the last paragraph for all that time.  So I decided to read it again.  I couldn't locate my original copy, but there were plenty of others for sale on the 'net, and I ordered one.  

The book was as good as I remembered it, if not better.  It's set in the late 10th and early 11th centuries, and it's the story of Red Orm and his adventures in that world, from youth to age.  He has a great many adventures, so there's plenty of action, but there's also a lot of humor and good old-fashioned storytelling.  The writing style might be a problem for some people, as there are paragraphs that are longer than entire chapters in a James Patterson book.  Also, the paperback edition pictured on the left if 475 pages of minute print, and that could be a problem for readers who need bigger print.  It's worth the trouble, though.

Red Orm and his friend Toke's adventures take them all over the world of that time, from England to Spain to Russia,  sometimes in search of booty or treasure, sometimes as slaves in the bodyguard of lord Almansur.  Even when they settle down, Orm and Toke are often called to take near-heroic action when circumstances demand it.

The Long Ships is truly the Good Old Stuff, and I give it my highest recommendation.  Don't read that last paragraph first.  It's effective only after you read the other 475 pages.

The movie, by the way, while wonderful in its own way, is nothing at all like the novel, aside from the title and the character names.  Here's a link to my review.

Thursday, November 03, 2016

Uh-Oh

'Starship Troopers' Reboot in the Works

Uh-Oh

Two-Headed Sharks Keep Popping Up—No One Knows Why

Here’s a list of all the World Series MVP winners from 1955 to 2016

Here’s a list of all the World Series MVP winners from 1955 to 2016

In His Own Words: Why Bob Dylan Paints

In His Own Words: Why Bob Dylan Paints 

Song of the Day

The Skyliners-Pennies From Heaven - YouTube:

The Jack the Ripper Content Economy

The Jack the Ripper Content Economy: his fall marks the 128th anniversary of a series of murders in London’s Whitechapel district — at least five, for sure — that have long transformed from an investigation to a vague romantic aura that haunts the more macabre corners of pop culture. The case is more frostbitten than cold: due to a combination of muddled evidence and the deteriorating effects of time, the case will never be solved. Yet despite the lack of leads — in fact, because of them — the content business of Jack the Ripper is still booming.

Today's Vintage Ad


“Neither Snow nor Rain ..." Isn't the USPS Motto

“Neither Snow nor Rain ..." Isn't the USPS Motto 

PaperBack



MacKinlay Kantor, Don't Touch Me, Bantam, 1952

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The 10 Best Airports in the U.S.

11 beautifully restored images of Bob Dylan's 1966 tour

11 beautifully restored images of Bob Dylan's 1966 tour

‘Brexit’ named word of the year

‘Brexit’ named word of the year

Who Says Hollywood Is Out of Ideas?

'American Gigolo' Adaptation Set at Showtime: The premium cabler, which is already rebooting Twin Peaks, has landed the TV remake of American Gigolo, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Western Wednesday: Interview with Bill Crider

Western Wednesday: Interview with Bill Crider | Spinetingler Magazine

The Great Garfield Car Window Toy Craze

The Great Garfield Car Window Toy Craze

Song of the Day

Bill Deal & The Rhondels - What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am? - YouTube:

John Grisham Interview

John Grisham in his first longform podcast interview.  

Good stuff.  About an hour.

Today's Vintage Ad


Mystery Readers Journal: Small Town Cops

Mystery Fanfare: Mystery Readers Journal: Small Town Cops I (Volume 32:3)

“What I Learned in Prison” (by T.J. MacGregor)

“What I Learned in Prison” (by T.J. MacGregor) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN: Trish MacGregor is the author of forty novels and the winner of an Edgar Allan Poe Award for best paperback original novel. In June 2016, she appeared in EQMM for the first time, with the story “The Unit.” We have another of her riveting stories of suspense coming up in 2017. The experiences she describes in this post are both inspiring and thought-provoking.—Janet Hutchings

8 Essential Gothic Horror Movies

8 Essential Gothic Horror Movies 

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Francois Mauriac, The Desert of Love, Bantam, 1951


Cars That Broke Bad (Or just Broke)

Cars That Broke Bad (Or just Broke)

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The Best Pizza in All 50 States  

I agree 100% with the  Texas choice.  Judy and I loved that place.

7 Fun Facts About American Names

7 Fun Facts About American Names

Ed Gorman Day

This would've been Ed Gorman's 75th birthday, and Patti Abbott suggested that we celebrate by sharing some memories and stories.  I've already done a bit of reminiscing, but I haven't mentioned much about how I became a writer of adult westerns.  Ed was writing some house name novels in a well-known series, and he asked me if I could help him out.  This was before his cancer, so I don't know if he just had more work than he could do or if he was tired of writing the books.  Anyway, I was glad to help.  I always enjoyed writing house name or pen-name books for some reason.  I know writers who hate that kind of work, but for me it was fun.  I could do anything I wanted to and have a great time doing it.  The thing about Ed was that when I'd do one of these, he'd read the manuscript and call to tell me how great it was.  He'd tell me that it was the best thing he'd read in weeks and that it was award-quality work.  I'd laugh, but he was serious.  You gotta love a guy like that.

Later on, when the cancer was worse, he had some times when he wasn't able to fulfill his contracts, and that's how I came to be his collaborator on a book called Fast Track.  It was originally published under Ed's name, but when it was reprinted, he added my name as co-author.  Working on that one was interesting because for the adult westerns, Ed provided nothing but a location and sometimes a title.  I did the rest.  On Fast Track, I was working from a partially completed manuscript, probably about 1/3 of the book, but Ed didn't work like I do.  I start at the beginning and to through to the end.  Ed started at the beginning, but then he'd do a scene here and a scene there and fit them in to the book later.  My problem was that he didn't have an outline for the book, just the beginning and a few scenes.  Putting that together while working out a plot was a little stressful, but I think it worked out all right.  Not that it won any awards.

Ed also got me work writing some essays and short stories, and he was always encouraging and upbeat.  I've said it before:  We won't see his like again.  

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Who Says Hollywood Is Out of Ideas?

Tampa Bay Times: Is John Rambo the new James Bond? A reboot of the ‘80s action movies is being planned by Hollywood, but with a younger actor in mind to replace 70-year-old Sylvester Stallone. The announced title - Rambo: New Blood.

Cursive Update

The Lost Virtue of Cursive

Song of the Day

Curtis Lee - Pretty Little Angel Eyes - YouTube:

Curly Putman, R. I. P.

NY Daily News: Country songwriter Curly Putman died early Sunday at the age of 85, Nashville TV station WSMV reported. Putman's most well-known tunes include “Green, Green Grass of Home” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today."

Natalie Babbitt, R. I. P.

EW.com: Natalie Babbitt, the author of beloved children’s novel Tuck Everlasting, died on Monday. She was 84 years old.

Today's Vintage Ad


First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

Florida Man Busted For Glass Eye Toss

The Woman Behind Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

MVPs of Horror: The Woman Behind Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, on Her 35th Year as the Bodacious Horror Hostess

PaperBack



David Goodis, The Burglar, Banner Books (UK), 1953

I Miss the Old Days

Coiffure (1963)  

Link via Messy Nessy.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

Altha woman arrested after fight over chicken feed  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

AbeBooks' Most Expensive Sales

AbeBooks' Most Expensive Sales - The Top 10 Sales of July, August & September 2016

Alvin Leads the Way!

High school play canceled due to sensitive subject matter: Alvin Independent School District said the subject matter involved in the play called "The Wondrous Strange" was too mature for high school students and younger kids.

It's Dia de los Muertos!

10 things to know about Dia de los Muertos 

Overlooked Movies: Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

We're all familiar (overly so) with the story of the star who falls far and hard, and Frankie Lymon fell farther and harder (and faster) than most.  Fortunately, Why Do Fools Fall in Love? doesn't take a straightforward approach to his story, and it's not even his story in the end.   Check the billing on the poster to the left.  The guy who's playing Frankie is fourth.  The movie's the story of his estate and the battle for it among his three wives, all of whom he may or may not have been married to at the same time.

This doesn't mean that Lymon's story is glossed over.  It's covered, all right, and there are some very ugly moments, especially in a movie that's essentially a comedy.  The moods mix well, better than I thought they would, and I got a kick out of the movie, especially the performances of the three leads.  Halle Berry has a good time as Zola Taylor (of the Platters, in case you don't remember), and Vivica Fox has even more fun as the con woman wife.  Lela Rochon, the Georgia schoolteacher, isn't as flashy but is equally effective.  Of course in a movie with Little Richard playing himself, "flashy" is a relative term.  Little Richard is great.

The '60s settings, the color photography, and the music all add to the fun.  I've had this DVD sitting around for years, and I don't know why I hadn't watched it.  I'm glad I finally got around to it.  Lots of fun. 

Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998) Official Trailer - Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox Movie HD - YouTube:

Monday, October 31, 2016

Tammy Grimes, R. I. P.

The New York Times: Tammy Grimes, the throaty actress and singer who conquered Broadway at the age of 26, winning a Tony Award for her performance in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and went on to a distinguished stage career, died on Sunday in Englewood, N.J. She was 82.  
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Gator Update (Costume Edition)

Coconut Grove man dresses up pet alligator for Halloween  

Photo and video at link.

Croc Update (Don't Go Near the Pool Edition)

Terrifying footage shows a crocodile attacking a couple in a hotel pool

Free for Kindle for Limited Time

Spider Girl by [Lovesey, Peter]Spider Girl eBook: Peter Lovesey: Kindle Store  It's the early 1980s and 23-year-old Sarah Jordan, a PhD student at an American university, is studying spiders… 

It's Alive! 13 Forgotten Frankenstein Movies

It's Alive! 13 Forgotten Frankenstein Movies 

Song of the Day

HAUNTED HOUSE - Jumpin' Gene Simmons - YouTube:

I'm not saying it's aliens, but . . . .

Pacific islanders may carry the DNA of an unknown human species

Today's Vintage Ad


Michael Masliah: R.I.P.

Mystery Fanfare: Michael Masliah: R.I.P.

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The Best Horror Movie Every Year Since 'Psycho'

The Spirit(s) of Lily Dale

The Spirit(s) of Lily Dale: Since 1879, residents of a quaint town in upstate New York have mediated conversations between loved ones—parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. What’s so special about that? These mediators connect the living…with the dead.

PaperBack



Alice Denham, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Popular Library, 1968

The Nic Cage Rage Page

The Nic Cage Rage Page

Descend into a Tomb of Imprisoned Vehicles Frozen in Time

Descend into a Tomb of Imprisoned Vehicles Frozen in Time

Five Scary Reads for Halloween and Beyond

Book Dirt: Five Scary Reads for Halloween and Beyond

It's Halloween!

History of Halloween - Halloween 

Sunday, October 30, 2016

World Fantasy Awards Winners

Locus Online News: World Fantasy Awards Winners

The 'Killer Women' Writers Collective

The 'Killer Women' Writers Collective Is Turning the Page on Sexist Crime Novels

Song of the Day

[OFFICIAL VIDEO] Hallelujah - Pentatonix - YouTube:

What Beauty Pageant Queens Looked Like the Year You Were Born

What Beauty Pageant Queens Looked Like the Year You Were Born  

Warning: Slideshow

Yet Another List I'm Not On

Best Books 2016: Publishers Weekly

Today's Vintage Ad


Fun book about toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s

Fun book about toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s

PaperBack



Ovid Demaris, The Lusting Drive, Gold Medal, 1958

A Horror Buff's Great American Roadtrip

A Horror Buff's Great American Roadtrip

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

Halloween candy, ranked 

Elvis Update

Elvis Presley set to become most successful solo artist in UK chart history after posthumous album jumps to No1

When Tomatoes Were Blamed For Witchcraft and Werewolves

When Tomatoes Were Blamed For Witchcraft and Werewolves: People have feared tomatoes for 600 years.