Saturday, September 27, 2014

The quiet Great Train Robber reveals identity of the gang’s mystery insider

The quiet Great Train Robber reveals identity of the gang’s mystery insider

Gilligan's Island At 50

Gilligan's Island At 50: A Goofy Show From A Time Of TV Innocence

Free for Kindle for a Limited Time

Hawthorne: Tales of a Weirder West - Kindle edition by Heath Lowrance. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.: There are monsters in the West. There is evil, lurking in the blood-soaked hills and bone-strewn plains. 

But there is also Hawthorne-scarred, enigmatic, deadly, driven by an all-consuming rage to seek out and destroy evil wherever he finds it. Without mercy. But how long can one man fight the demons before becoming one himself? 

HAWTHORNE: TALES OF A WEIRDER WEST features the stories "That Damned Coyote Hill," "The Long Black Train," "The Spider Tribe," "Bad Sanctuary," and "The Unholy" as well as an introduction by Western fiction legend James Reasoner.

The Longest Continuously Inhabited Cities in the Americas

The Longest Continuously Inhabited Cities in the Americas  

Link via The Presurfer.

Song of the Day

Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth - YouTube:

Wanna Get Dawn Wells' Shorts?

'Gilligan's Island' star Dawn Wells: Short shorts gave Mary Ann sex appeal: The famous shorts will be auctioned by Profiles in History from October 17 to 19.

Today's Vintage Ad


Forgotten Hits: The Saturday Surveys (September 27th)

Forgotten Hits: The Saturday Surveys (September 27th)

PaperBack



Fred Hoyle, Ossian's Ride, Berkley, 1961

“In Praise of Honkaku” (by John Pugmire)

“In Praise of Honkaku” (by John Pugmire) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN

Shakespeare on Film: Best Straight-Up Adaptations

Shakespeare on Film: Best Straight-Up Adaptations 

Robotic Octopus WBAGNFARB

Robotic octopus swims like the real thing 

Don Keefer, R. I. P.

Don Keefer, Who Was Turned Into a Jack-in-the-Box on 'The Twilight Zone,' Dies at 98: Don Keefer, a versatile character actor for six decades who starred in the original 1949 Broadway production of Death of a Salesman and made an indelible impression as “a bad man, a very bad man” on The Twilight Zone, has died. He was 98.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

10 Things You Never Hear Houstonians Say

10 Things You Never Hear Houstonians Say 

Friday, September 26, 2014

Stephen King: 'I Think Books Are Going To Be Here For A Long, Long Time'

Stephen King: 'I Think Books Are Going To Be Here For A Long, Long Time'

I Want to Believe!

Complex organic molecule found in interstellar space: Scientists have found the beginnings of life-bearing chemistry at the centre of the galaxy.

I Want to Believe!

Marco Polo may have discovered America in 13th century, map shows: Authenticity has yet to be determined

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

WKRN News 2: A woman was arrested Thursday for theft and vandalism after she allegedly stole a baseball bat from a Walmart and used it to attack a car in the parking lot.

Breakfast of Champions

Spreadable Beer

New Western Fiction E-Zine

Check It Out:  Welcome to Saddlebag Dispatches, Where Stories Of The West Come To Be Told. If you like stories of the Old West, you’ve come to the right place.

Song of the Day

Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise - YouTube:

A Review of Interest (To Me, Anyway)

Kevin's Corner: FFB Review: "A Werewolf Named Wayne" by Bill Crider

Today's Vintage Ad


Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago This Weekend

Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago This Weekend

PaperBack



Edmund Schddel, Break-Up, MacFadden, 1964

Three Cheers for Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett’s Nazi Hunting Past Is Just One Reason He’s the Greatest Living American

And It's Not Past Its Expiration Date?

The Washington Post: When you take a sip from your water bottle, you just might be swallowing molecules older than the sun itself. And this new discovery won't just make you think twice about the wonders of hydration -- it actually bolsters our hopes of finding life on other planets.

Top 10 Underworld Gangster Nicknames

Top 10 Underworld Gangster Nicknames   

Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.

Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1966: A Retro Review

Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1966: A Retro Review

Vintage Treasures: The Voyage of the Space Beagle by A. E. van Vogt

Vintage Treasures: The Voyage of the Space Beagle by A. E. van Vogt

Yet Another Forgotten Book: The Elfin Ship by James P. Blaylock

Three Men And A Dog: The Elfin Ship by James P. Blaylock

Another Forgotten Book

 The Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series: Land of Unreason by Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp

Forgotten Authors

Forgotten Authors | Eric Brown  

Link via SF Signal.

FFB: Baseball Stars of 1960 -- edited by Ray Robinson

George Kelley sent me this one, knowing that I miss the old days.  It's a collecton of "thrilling inside stories" written by writers, some of whose names you might recognize (Arnold Hano, Dick Schaap), about players I remember well (Mickey Mantle, Hoyt Wilhelm) and about some I hardly recall (Frank Malzone). 

About Mickey Mantle, Arnold Hano asks the musical question,  "Can he come back?"  You see, in 1959, Mantle hit only .285 and knocked only 31 home runs (with 94 RBIs) and the Yankees didn't win the pennant.  Some of you are smiling, and so am I.  A guy with those numbers would be paid a bazillion dollars today.  And I'd say he came back.  In 1960, although his average was a mere .275, he hit 40 home runs and had 94 RBIs. 

The final story in the  book, by Ray Robinson, is about the question of comebacks, as well.  Stan Musial and Ted Williams both had down years in 1959.  They were over the hill in the eyes of a lot of fans.  Musial hit only .255 with 14 home runs.  Again, these days he'd be making big bucks, but (and this is unheard of now) Musial took a salary cut from $100,000 in 1959 to $80,000 in 1960, when he hit .275 , with 17 homers.  Williams had 10 home runs and hit .254 in 1959, a bad year for him, indeed.  1960 was his final season, but it was a good one.  He hit for a .316 average with 29 home runs.

There are lots of other good stories in this book, and it was great to take a trip back to a time when I followed baseball more closely than I do now.  No wonder I miss the old days.   

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Dino Update

Science News - redOrbit: New Species Of Armored Dinosaur Found In New Mexico

PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Attention to Books of Interest

Outlaw Ranger - Kindle edition by James Reasoner. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.: G.W. Braddock was raised to be a Texas Ranger and never wanted anything else. But when he's stripped of his badge through no fault of his own and a corrupt system turns the vicious killer Tull Coleman loose on the people of the Lone Star State, Braddock has to decide if he's going to follow the law—or carry out the job he was born to do, even if it means becoming an outlaw himself! 

Never before published, OUTLAW RANGER is the first book in an exciting new Western series by best-selling author and legendary storyteller James Reasoner. Based on actual incidents, this action-packed novel is the stirring tale of a little-known era in Old West history. Rough Edges Press is proud to present this compelling saga of a man haunted by the past and fighting to make a place for himself in the violent world of the Texas frontier.

Croc Update (Record Setting Edition)

Record number of crocodiles in Everglades, researchers say

Song of the Day

Elton John- Daniel - YouTube:

10 Weird Theories From The History Of Criminology

10 Weird Theories From The History Of Criminology 

Today's Vintage Ad


William Faulkner on Writing

William Faulkner on Writing, the Human Dilemma, and Why We Create: A Rare 1958 Recording 

PaperBack



Roger Davis, Always Love a Stranger, Hillman, 1961

Better Know Your Real Texas Vampires

Better Know Your Real Texas Vampires 

The 10 Creepiest Kids in Movie History

Flavorwire: The 10 Creepiest Kids in Movie History

Geoglyph Update

50 Ancient Geoglyphs including Giant Swastikas Discovered in Kazakhstan

Deborah Cavendish, R. I. P.

NYTimes.com: Deborah Cavendish, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire and the last of the six eccentric Mitford sisters, who turned her husband’s ancestral estate into one of England’s grand country houses and wrote books about it and her own fairy-tale life, died on Wednesday. She was 94.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

32 Incredibly Depressing Popular Music Facts

32 Incredibly Depressing Popular Music Facts

Forgotten Musical Groups (Okay, Maybe Not)

Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees 

Forgotten Music Lawsuits

The Time John Fogerty Was Sued for Ripping Off John Fogerty

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

L'Shana Tova

Rosh Hashanah 2014: The Jewish New Year Begins

15 Great F. Scott Fitzgerald Quotes For His Birthday

15 Great F. Scott Fitzgerald Quotes For His Birthday

10 Twenty-First Century Bestsellers People Tried to Ban (and Why)

10 Twenty-First Century Bestsellers People Tried to Ban (and Why)

Yet Another List I'm Not On

Amtrak Announces the Winners of its Residency

I'll Just Have a Veggie Burger, Thanks

British chef creates burgers that taste like human flesh  

Hat tip to Art Scott, who suggests serving them with fava beans and a nice chianti.

“Happy National Punctuation Day!”

“Happy National Punctuation Day!” ;): To celebrate this annual recognition of commas and periods, TIME explores some ways that punctuation just "aint" the same as it used to be

Edward Gorey’s Doubleday Anchor Paperback Covers

Edward Gorey’s Doubleday Anchor Paperback Covers 

Song of the Day

The Four Preps - Cinderellla (1958) - YouTube:

Today's Vintage Ad


The Gibson Girls: The Kardashians of the Early 1900s

The Gibson Girls: The Kardashians of the Early 1900s 

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

And now it's the ketchup dispute!

Suspects shot at McDonald's after ketchup dispute   

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

PaperBack



Louis-Charles Royer, African Mistress, Pyramid, 1965

The Best Suits in History

From Flintstone to Twain to Gekko: The Best Suits in History

Confused Frogs WBAGNFARB

Confused Frogs Try to Catch Worms on a Smart Phone

Banned Books By The Numbers

Banned Books By The Numbers (INFOGRAPHICS)

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Costco worker broke man’s leg with martial arts kick for refusing to show receipt

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee

Deltona man hurls chair at grandma in spat over dirty shoes   

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Innovative Problem Solving Doesn't Work Out

Mother drives with 5-month-old in trunk to avoid being cited for not having car seat 

14 Insane Book-Banning Stories

14 Insane Book-Banning Stories That Remind Us How Uncool the Establishment Can Be, Man  

Link via SF Signal.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

PimPage: An Occasional Feature in which I Call Attention to Books of Interest

To promote this new title, Book One is currently on sale for a mere 99 cents.

Trail Revenge (The Westward Tide Book 2) - Kindle edition by Jack Tyree, Wayne D. Dundee, Mel Odom. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.: Embarked on the Oregon Trail, the Culbertson-Barkley wagon train has already endured danger, hardship, and betrayal from within their own ranks. But driven by dreams of the promising new lives that await them in Oregon, they press on—even knowing that the distance still to be covered will only get harder as their route transitions from the high plains into the mountainous regions.

Braced for what lies ahead, what the emigrants are unaware of and unprepared for is the menace that is closing on them from behind. Dangerous, determined vengeance-seekers have their sights set on certain members of the Culbertson-Barkley party. But what the vengeance seekers, in turn, are unprepared for is the extent to which other members of the company will go to protect their own. 

When the forces clash, the result is bitter and bloody. The journey toward Oregon will continue, but those who forge on will be forever marked by the violence and startling revelations they have experienced.

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Man charged with buying Texas school board votes with cocaine

Audrey Long, R. I. P.

Audrey Long, Film Noir Star of the 1940s, Dies at 92: Audrey Long, who starred opposite John Wayne in the 1944 Western Tall in the Saddle and in a pair of film noir favorites directed by Anthony Mann and Robert Wise three years later, has died. She was 92.

PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Attention to Books of Interest

Amazon.com: The Silence of the Library (Cat in the Stacks Mystery) (9780425257289): Miranda James: Books  Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel. He’s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but a celebrated author’s visit draws an unruly swarm of fanatic mystery buffs…and one devious killer.

Judy and I have known Miranda James (under a slightly different name) for about 30 years now.  Judy says that this is the best book yet in the "Cat in the Stacks" series.

One by One Our Precious Freedoms Are Being Taken Away

Man arrested after trying to pet moose  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

What's So Strange about #9?

10 Strange Things People Have Found In Their Backyard 

Song of the Day

Ruth BROWN Lucky lips - YouTube:

Today's Vintage Ad


8 Surprising Crimes On The Books in Texas

8 Surprising Crimes On The Books in Texas 

7 Amazing Works of Pop Culture That Have Been Lost Forever

7 Amazing Works of Pop Culture That Have Been Lost Forever

A Little Story from my Life

The title of today's PaperBack reminds me of something that happened a long time ago, the summer of 1966.  I'd finished up my work on my M.A. at what was then called North Texas State University, and we were planning to move to Austin.  One weekend we drove to Austin and met a friend of ours, a very strait-laced guy, who was going to help us look for an apartment.  At the first place we looked, the apartment manager was a young woman, probably even younger than we were, and we were very young.  She took us into a one-bedroom apartment about which I remember nothing at all except for the bedroom, and the reason I remember that is because of what the young woman said when she took us into it.  She said, "It's a queen-size bed, and I'm sure it's big enough for all three of you."

For me, that moment marked the beginning the official beginning of that era known as "the '60s."  I knew for sure that I'd come a long way from my little old hometown, and even a long way from North Texas State.  I thought our friend was going to faint.  I still remember how red his face was.  I was laughing, and I think Judy was too.  We didn't rent that apartment, but I'll always remember that little episode fondly. 

PaperBack



George H. Smith, 3 in a Bed, Novel Books, 1962

Dino Update (with bonus Cretaceous Croc illo)

New Hadrosaur Noses into Spotlight: Call it the Jimmy Durante of dinosaurs – a newly discovered hadrosaur with a truly distinctive nasal profile. The new dinosaur, named Rhinorex condrupus by paleontologists from North Carolina State University and Brigham Young University, lived in what is now Utah approximately 75 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.

84 Illegal Photographs That Urban Climbers Risked Their Lives To Take

84 Illegal Photographs That Urban Climbers Risked Their Lives To Take  

Link via Neatorama.

The Stories Behind 10 Iconic Movie Scenes

Flavorwire: The Stories Behind 10 Iconic Movie Scenes

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

Flavorwire: The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

A Long-Forgotten Film

Coming Soon, a Century Late: A Black Film Gem: Now, after years of research, a historic find has emerged: what MoMA curators say is the earliest surviving footage for a feature film with a black cast.

Or Maybe You've Seen Them Already

10 Frightening Pre-Code Horror Movies You Need To Watch

12 Movies That Were Shot, But Never Finished

12 Movies That Were Shot, But Never Finished