Saturday, September 17, 2016

Stephen Blumberg and His Stolen Books

Stephen Blumberg and His Stolen Books  

Hat tip to Howard Peters.

Song of the Day

Sister Sledge - We Are Family - YouTube:

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The 10 Strangest Places on Earth

Today's Vintage Ad


The Weird Week in Review

The Weird Week in Review 

PaperBack



Harry Widmer, editor, The Hardboiled Lineup, Lion, 1956

20 superheroines who were saving the world before Wonder Woman

20 superheroines who were saving the world before Wonder Woman

Barry Award Winners 2016

Mystery Fanfare: Barry Award Winners 2016

I Want to Believe!

Is this Nessie? Amateur photographer captured picture of 'three humped Loch Ness Monster'

Shamus Award Winners

Mystery Fanfare: Shamus Award Winners

Novelist W.P. Kinsella, R. I. P.

Novelist W.P. Kinsella, author of 'Shoeless Joe,' dies at 81: Canadian novelist W.P. Kinsella, who blended magical realism and baseball in the book that became the smash hit film "Field of Dreams," has died. He was 81.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

. . . and now it's the Crucifix Attack!

Friday, September 16, 2016

Edward Albee, R. I. P.

The New York Times: Edward Albee, widely considered the foremost American playwright of his generation, whose psychologically astute and piercing dramas explored the contentiousness of intimacy, the gap between self-delusion and truth and the roiling desperation beneath the facade of contemporary life, died Friday at his home in Montauk, N.Y. He was 88.

Uh-Oh

'High Noon' Remake in the Works: Based on the 1952 Oscar winner, the new version will be set in the present day along the cartel-controlled U.S.-Mexico border.  

Hat tip to Fred Zackel.

Song of the Day

Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away lyrics - YouTube:

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

19 Times Someone Gets Thrown Into the Vacuum of Space, From Worst to Best

Today's Vintage Ad


PaperBack



Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises, Bantam, 1949

Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties

The sexiest knees in America: 1914-1925 Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties

I Miss the Old Days

16 Pictures That Show How Stylish Jumpsuits Were In The '70s

Christa Faust and Me at Bouchercon

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the photo.

Mystery Fanfare: Macavity Award Winners 2016

Mystery Fanfare: Macavity Award Winners 2016

FFB: A Touch of Infinity -- Harlan Ellison

A Touch of Infinity is half of a 1960 Ace Double Book, and it's Harlan Ellison's first short story collection.  It contains his second published story ("Life Hutch") and five others.  All of them are what I'd call apprentice work, not really very good but obviously the work of a guy with talent.  They're nothing like the stories Ellison would go on to write just a few years later, but they're not just the standard SF stories of the time, either.

For example, the first one, "Run for the Stars," while a straightforward adventure story full of nonstop action, also features a protagonist who's an admitted coward.  He has a bomb planted in his stomach, and it's his job to run from the enemy while the rest of the people on his planet make an escape.  He goes through some rapid changes throughout the story, and the ending is a snapper that works pretty well if you accept the rest of it.

"Life Hutch" finds a man who's ship has been wrecked but who makes it to the title spot, a place where he can be healed and signal for a ride home.  Or he could if not for the malfunctioning robot that's trying to kill him.

"The Sky is Burning" is supposedly a "different" kind of early story, and I guess it is.  I didn't buy it's reason for mass suicide though.

"Final Trophy" is about a Hemingway-esque hunter in the far future and his final trophy.  I don't think you'll have much trouble guessing what the trophy is, but the story gives us a logical extension of the big-game hunting philosophy, I think. 

"Blind Lightning" has a scientist on an alien world captured by a native who plans to eat him.  An amusing problem to be worked out, and a pretty good story.

"Back to the Drawing Board" is another robot story, but with a kind of Ellison social twist.  Another one I didn't buy but thought was okay.

TOC:
Introduction by Harlan Ellison
“Run for the Stars” (Science Fiction Adventures, June 1957)
“Back to the Drawing Boards” (Fantastic Universe, August 1958)
“Life Hutch” (If, April 1956)
“The Sky Is Burning” (If, August 1958)
“Final Trophy” (Super-Science Fiction, June 1957)

“Blind Lightning” (Fantastic Universe, June 1956)

Thursday, September 15, 2016

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

All sperm, no eggs: Motherless babies on the way, say scientists 

Hat tip to Mike Stamm.

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

. . . and now: Senior Busted In Shuffleboard Rage Incident 

Song of the Day

HANK THOMPSON - On Tap, in the Can, Or in the Bottle (1968) - YouTube:

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Texas Walmart opening restaurant that will serve only State Fair foods  

Updated link.

Today's Vintage Ad


PaperBack



Jack Karney, There Goes Shorty Higgins, Pyramid, 1953

I'm Sure You'll All Agree

The 10 Best Dark Comedies of All-Time

Want to Explore NYC’s Most Secret Spaces?

Want to Explore NYC’s Most Secret Spaces? Join the Club: I‘m wondering how many New Yorkers know about the greatest club in their city. Like many of your reading, I’m the kind of city kid that likes to look under the surface of my urban landscape, open doors I’m not supposed to and see inside spaces you need a special key for. The New York Adventure Club has that key to unlock the city.

I Miss the Old Days

This Vintage Gas Station Museum Deserves to be on many more Bucket Lists

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Brilliant MI6 Spy Who Perfected the Art of the 'Honey Trap'

The Brilliant MI6 Spy Who Perfected the Art of the 'Honey Trap' 

Song of the Day

Electric Light Orchestra - Hold On Tight - YouTube:

“Carve it in Jade: PWA Turns 35” (by Ted Fitzgerald)

“Carve it in Jade: PWA Turns 35” (by Ted Fitzgerald) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN: EQMM is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2016, and the year holds another important milestone for the mystery, the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Private Eye Writers of America. In honor of that organization, which has contributed so much to our genre, we asked Ted Fitzgerald, who recently served a term as vice president of the organization, to do a post for this site about the PWA. For over thirty years, Ted has been a fan, a critic, and a writer of crime fiction. He’s reviewed crime fiction for the Drood Review of Mystery, Deadly Pleasures, Mystery Scene, and the Boston Phoenix, and his short stories have been selected for inclusion in anthologies edited by many well-known people in the field, including Ed Gorman, Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane, Bob Randisi, and Martin Greenberg. Ted is the recipient of the 2004 Don Sandstrom Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mystery Fandom, and for several years he served as chair for the PWA’s Shamus Awards.—Janet Hutchings

Today's Vintage Ad




I Miss the Old Days

Inside a Comedy Writer’s Treasure Trove of Mid-Century 3-D Photos

PaperBack



Gabriel R. Vogliotti, The Girls of Nevada, Crest, 1975

Bouchercon Bound

It was about a month and a half ago that a doctor came into my hospital room and told me that they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me other than that I had an andenosarcoma of unknown origin.  At that moment, I didn't think I'd be going anywhere ever again.

But things have changed, and now my bag is packed and I'm about to head for the airport to fly to New Orleans and the Bouchercon.  I still can't quite believe I'm going to do it.  I think I can hold up for the five or six days I'll be there, but I might have to spend a lot of quality time in my room.  I'll just play it be ear.  I want to be able to do my panel on Thursday, and after that I'm not too worried about what might happen.  Angela and Tom will be looking after me. 

The usual regular posts should be appearing, along with a few others, so don't forget to stop by. 

I hope to see some of you in New Orleans.  Stop me and say "hey" if we pass in the halls.

My Books Inexplicably Not Included

10 Books That Will Make You Smarter 

I Miss the Old Days

1966: Blasting away speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Atlas Obscura: The town of Hearne is known as "The Crossroads of Texas" because it sits at the intersection of several highways and railroads. The little town used to be a hub of transport and commerce, but is now fairly sleepy pit stop. Amid the suburban houses and grassy lawns though, there is an unusual sight: a body buried in the middle of the street.

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Texas College Transforms Football Field Into a Farm

First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

Police: Woman charged for putting out cigarette in boyfriend's eye

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Bouchercon Attendees Beware

New Orleans: Neighborhood held hostage by aggressive raccoons on stretch of Gravier Street

Humans may speak a universal language

Humans may speak a universal language, say scientists: Humans across the globe may be actually speaking the same language after scientists found that the sounds used to make the words of common objects and ideas are strikingly similar. 

 The discovery challenges the fundamental principles of linguistics, which state that languages grow up independently of each other, with no intrinsic meaning in the noises which form words.

Song of the Day

Kenny Rogers - The Gambler (1978) - YouTube:

The deadliest animal in the U.S.

The deadliest animal in the U.S. may surprise you 

Today's Vintage Ad


First It Was the Thin Mints Melee. . . .

The Smoking Gun: A Florida woman was arrested Saturday night after storming into a Wendy’s and trashing the restaurant because she was unhappy with the food she had received at the drive-thru window, police report.

4 More Unofficial Rules Native English Speakers Don't Realize They Know

4 More Unofficial Rules Native English Speakers Don't Realize They Know

Once Again Texas Leads the Way

Photos: Texas family keeps world's largest rodent as indoor pet 

PaperBack



Edward De Roo, The Young Wolves, Ace, 1959

The Odd Grammar Rule Most English Speakers Know

The Odd Grammar Rule Most English Speakers Know But Are Rarely Taught

The Trap of Solid Gold: "Honeymoon in the Off Season"

The Trap of Solid Gold: "Honeymoon in the Off Season"

Uh-Oh

‘Toxic Avenger’ Remake: ‘Sausage Party’ Co-Helmer Conrad Vernon To Direct

Overlooked Movies: Forsaken

People say that there aren't many western movies being made these days, but there seem to me to be quite a few of them.  They're just coasting below the radar.  One of them I hadn't heard about is Forsaken, which stars Kiefer Sutherland as the gunslinger who's given up his guns and Donald Sutherland as his estranged father, a preacher who finds some things hard to forgive.

When Sutherland returns to his home after giving up his gunslinging, he finds that the bad guy (Brian Cox) is buying up all farms.  If the farmers don't want to sell, Cox has his gunslingers to take care of things.

I've seen movies with this plot a hundred times or more, and Forsaken plays it absolutely straight.  There aren't any twists or turns.  It goes from point A to Point B just like anything from Monogram ever did.  The only difference is that Brian Cox uses the F-word several times, for some reason.  There's nothing else in the movie that comes close to getting it rated R, so it's a strange choice.

I liked the scenery in the movie, I liked the soundtrack, and I liked the performances.  Demi Moore is playing about 30 years younger than her age, and she does just fine.  Donald Sutherland looks like an Old Testament prophet and does a couple of brief sermons very effectively.  Kiefer Sutherland is pretty one-note, but he's good at that note.  The scenes when he's using an ax should've been cut, though.  It's pretty clear that the ax and he aren't very well acquainted.

Maybe I was just in the mood for a movie like this, but I found it quite satisfactory.

Forsaken

Forsaken Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore Movie HD - YouTube:

Monday, September 12, 2016

Prince Buster, R. I. P.

The New York Times: Prince Buster, a performer and producer who transformed Jamaican music in the 1960s as a trailblazer of the ska beat, died on Thursday in Miami. He was 78.  

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

Evidence Rebuts Chomsky's Theory of Language Learning

Scientific American: The idea that we have brains hardwired with a mental template for learning grammar—famously espoused by Noam Chomsky of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—has dominated linguistics for almost half a century. Recently, though, cognitive scientists and linguists have abandoned Chomsky’s “universal grammar” theory in droves because of new research examining many different languages—and the way young children learn to understand and speak the tongues of their communities. That work fails to support Chomsky’s assertions.

Song of the Day

Devo - Whip It (Video) - YouTube:

Was Edward the Black Prince really a nasty piece of work?

Was Edward the Black Prince really a nasty piece of work?  

Link via The Presurfer.

Today's Vintage Ad


I Miss the Old Days

The '60s at 50: Monday, September 12, 1966: 'The Monkees'


William Johnston, Max Smart -- The Spy Who Went Out to the Cold (Get Smart #7), Tempo Books, 1968

27 Times Paris And Nicole Were The Ultimate Best Friends

27 Times Paris And Nicole Were The Ultimate Best Friends

7 Reasons Why Robert Silverberg Remains a Must-Read

7 Reasons Why Robert Silverberg Remains a Must-Read 

How Many Books Have Ever Been Published?

How Many Books Have Ever Been Published? 

Croc Update (Old Relative Edition)

200-Million-Year-Old Gigantic Crocodile Relative Unearthed in New Mexico

Sunday, September 11, 2016

New Story at Beat to a Pulp

Jon McGoran | The Key Man

The 137-Carat Diamond Lost Forever

The 137-Carat Diamond Lost Forever

Song of the Day

Dion - If I Should Fall Behind - YouTube:

12 Old Words that Survived by Getting Fossilized in Idioms

12 Old Words that Survived by Getting Fossilized in Idioms 

Today's Vintage Ad


Why Do Baseball Managers Wear Uniforms?

Why Do Baseball Managers Wear Uniforms? 

PaperBack



David Karp, Hardman, Lion, 1953

Documentary on the past, present and future of typewriters

Documentary on the past, present and future of typewriters 

Take My Advice

Take My Advice Some sage words of counsel from the advice books of yesteryear, courtesy of Uncle John’s Factastic Bathroom Reader. 

Don't Ditch that VHS Player Yet

VHS is the only place I can find the terrible movies I love 

This Is How The World Is Remembering 9/11

This Is How The World Is Remembering 9/11