Saturday, September 09, 2006

Now You, too, Can Hear Bob Dylan on Theme Time Radio

Slampo doesn't like Bob Dylan's new album, but he has a link to this page, where you can listen to all the back shows. I also learned that Theme Time Radio Hour is now simulcast on AOL Radio, which is all for free, so you can listen every week. Now I can stop posting those playlists. You're on your own.

A Little Culture for the Masses

Link via the ever-fascinating Neatorama.

50 Best High School Movies?

Entertainment Weekly (or Weakly, as someone likes to say) has a list. I'd rank 16 Candles much higher. And how could they leave off Blackboard Jungle. Maybe I just missed it.

Friday, September 08, 2006

September 8, 1900: Deadly Anniversary


The 1900 Storm: Galveston, Texas: "A Galveston Daily News reporter in 1900 said the story of the Sept. 8, 1900, hurricane could never truly be written. For many, no words could ever be spoken again about the deadly hurricane that reshaped the Gulf Coast forever."

Happy Birthday, Grace Metalious!

Grace Metalious was born on this day in 1924. I've commented briefly on her greatest novel, Peyton Place, here and here. Check 'em out.

Gator/Croc Update

Northern Territory News: Supersized saltie is back [ 08sep06 ]: "A CROCODILE believed to be the biggest known specimen in the world has returned to a popular Territory fishing spot.

Dozens of tourists were treated to a rare sighting of the super-sized saltie, estimated to measure at least 6m long, on a boat tour of Corroboree Billabong.

Tour guide Ted Jackson, who operates Wilderness 4WD Safaris, spotted the saltie on the banks of the Mary River two months ago -- but did not see it again until Sunday.

'He is without a doubt the largest-known living crocodile I've ever seen or heard of,' he said.

'We were just 2m from his head, which was lying on the bank of the river parallel to the edge.

'Boy, is he something.

'I was only just telling the group all about him and there he was.' "

Coming in January from St. Martin's

Buy early and often! (This is a Sheriff Rhodes book, despite the academic-looking cover.)

Joi Lansing Sings and Dances!

Yes, and it's all there for you to see at Jaime Weinman's fine site. Check it out.

Something Old, Nothing New: Scopitones!: "'Trapped in the Web of Love,' a video with stupefyingly literal interpretations of the lyrics and lots of wholesome obscenity, featuring Joi Lansing."

She Only Wanted a Quick In-N-Out!

No, the title is not a straight line. I knew, of course, that she had a good excuse. (And thanks to Paris Hilton mauven Jeff Meyverson for the link.)

New York Daily News - Daily Dish & Gossip - Hilton is booked: "Hungry Paris only had one, lawyer says of DWI bust

LOS ANGELES - Hunger drove Paris Hilton to drink and drive, her rep says.

The willowy starlet, busted and handcuffed early yesterday on a drunken driving charge in Hollywood, was famished from a long day of working and schmoozing without eating when she headed out for a burger after downing 'one margarita' at a charity bash, her spokesman Elliott Mintz told the Daily News.

'She had not eaten all day. She was a little weak. She left the event intending to go to In-N-Out Burger,' Mintz said. 'She is a big fan of fast food.'"

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Paragaea -- Chris Roberson

At Armadillocon, I was on a panel called "What Should I Have Read this Year?" One of the panelists, Willie Siros, mentioned this book. When Willie speaks, I listen, so I immediately went into the dealers' room and picked up a copy. It's billed as "A Planetary Romance" in the tradition of Burroughs and Leigh Brackett, but I was reminded more of the "travels through wonder" branch of the genre. (The first Jack Vance book I ever read was Big Planet, which I thought of when reading this one. Maybe it's a planetary romance, too.)

What happens is that a Russian cosmonaut (Leena Chirikov) from the early '60s slips through a wormhole to a parallel earth full of dinosaurs, cat men, snake men, and more wonders than I can catalogue here. Not to mention a handy hero (that's his name, too, sort of) from her own world (again, sort of). It's just one damn thing after another, from the first chapter to the last. There's enough material here for a slew of sequels about the different characters who go their own ways at the end of the novel. It's a very Burroughsian ending.

I enjoyed Roberson's take on all the old pulp cliches, updated in his own sly ways. He even manages to work in a comment (or so I took it) on airport security. Check it out.

Some Questions about Carter Brown

Dr. Toni Johnson-Woods, author of a two-part article on Australian pulp fiction, has some questions about Carter Brown. I'm sure she'd appreciate any help you can give her.

To Each His Own

Thanks, again, to Jeff Meyerson.

KSBY - Sheriff's Deputies Make Bizarre Arrest: "Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies come across a bizarre encounter at La Purisima Mission in Lompoc.


Around midnight they found a 69-year-old Huntington beach man...naked and covered in oats.


Deputies say the man had covered himself in olive oil, rolled around in oats and allowed the horses at the mission to lick him clean.


He apparently told deputies this has always been a fantasy of his and drove up from the Los Angeles area to play it out."

Will the Persecution Never End?

Thanks to Jeff Meyerson for the link.

iWon News - Paris Hilton Booked on DUI Charges: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paris Hilton was arrested early Thursday for investigation of driving under the influence, police said.

Hilton was arrested shortly before 12:30 a.m. after being pulled over in Hollywood, said police Officer I. Isabella, who declined to give his first name.

Police stopped Hilton because she was 'driving erratically,' he said.

'The officers observed that Hilton exhibited the symptoms of intoxication. A field sobriety test was conducted at scene, and the officers determined she was driving under the influence,' Isabella said, reading a police statement.

Hilton was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and released, he said."

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Bob's Back!

Dylan's New Album Hits No. 1 on Charts: "Bob Dylan is back at the top of the charts — for the first time in 30 years. His new album, 'Modern Times,' reached No. 1 on the album sales chart, selling 192,000 units in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures released Wednesday.

The critically acclaimed disc is Dylan's first No. 1 album since 1976's 'Desire.'"

Bob Dylan on XM

Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio on XM
September 6, 2006
Theme: The Good Book

“Where Are You Bound?” sermon by the Reverend J. M. Gates
“The Bottle and a Bible,” the Yayhoos
Clip from The 38 Steps
Bob tells the story of Samson and Delilah
“Samson and Delilah” (“If I had my Way”), The Reverend Gary Davis
“He Will Set Your Fields on Fire,” Kitty Wells
“Adam, Come and Get Your Rib,” Wynonie Harris
“The Old Ark’s a-Movin’,” AA Gray
“Denomination Blues,” Washington Phillips
“I’m Using my Bible for a Roadmap,” The Four Interns
“God and the Bible,” commentary by Keb Mo
“Elijah Rock,” Ollabelle
“Rivers of Babylon,” Melodians
“John the Revelator,” Blind Willie Johnson
“Boogie Woogie Preachin’ Man,” Jess Willard
“Oh Mary Don’t You Weep,” The Swan Silvertones
“That’s What the Good Book Says,” The Robins

For the '80s Generation

Over 1500 music videos. I recommend starting with ABBA.

(Hat tip to Pop Culture Junk Mail for the link.)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Yet Another One of those Lists


Screen siren Vivien Leigh tops British beauty poll | 24dash.com - Showbiz & Slap Dash: "Screen siren Vivien Leigh has topped a poll of the greatest British beauties of all time.

The Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind actress, who died in 1967, beat contemporary style icons like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller to the title.

Elizabeth Taylor, who was born in Britain to American parents, came second.

She was followed by former Darling Buds of May actress Catherine Zeta Jones in third place.

Princess Diana took fourth place in the survey of 1,000 men and women.

Screen icon Julie Christie was next, followed by Bond star Honor Blackman.

Supermodel Kate Moss took seventh place, followed by actress Sienna Miller, model Liz Hurley and actress Jane Seymour.

The survey, for the Bottlegreen Drinks Co, also found the so-called golden age of film boasted the most beautiful man of all time - Cary Grant.

:: The top 10 British female beauties:

1. Vivien Leigh

2. Elizabeth Taylor

3. Catherine Zeta Jones

4. Princess Diana

5. Julie Christie

6. Honor Blackman

7. Kate Moss

8. Sienna Miller

9. Liz Hurley

10. Jane Seymour"

Our Legal System at Work

Michigan woman cleared of crime after bank finds money: "GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Accused of stealing money from work, Lisa Hansen has maintained her innocence.

She said after leaving her receptionist job at a Panopoulos salon last Sept. 3, she had placed a bag containing $80 in cash and $345 in checks that belonged to the company in the night depository of a Huntington National bank branch, just as she was supposed to do.

Several days later, her manager told her that the money was missing. He fired her but promised that the company wouldn't press charges if she returned the cash and the checks.

The Grand Rapids woman said she did nothing wrong. She was subsequently arrested, jailed and punished.

Then, on Aug. 9, a bank worker found the money -- right where Hansen had said she'd left it nearly a year earlier. Huntington officials will say only that the bag had become lodged and hidden within the depository."

Greatest Movie Musicals?

CNN.com - 'Singin' in the Rain' named best musical ever - Sep 5, 2006: "LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- 'Singin' in the Rain' topped the American Film Institute's list of the '25 Greatest Movie Musicals,' the movie preservation group said Sunday.

A jury of more than 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected the list, whose top 10 are, in descending order, 'West Side Story,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Cabaret,' 'Mary Poppins,' the 1954 'A Star Is Born,' 'My Fair Lady,' 'An American in Paris' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis.'

The remaining 15 films are 'The King & I,' 'Chicago,' '42nd Street,' 'All that Jazz,' 'Top Hat,' 'Funny Girl,' 'The Band Wagon,' 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'On the Town,' 'Grease,' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,' Walt Disney's 1991 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Guys and Dolls,' 1936's 'Showboat' and 'Moulin Rouge!'"

Want to Vote?

It's time for the World Stupidity Awards. Click here to get to the polls.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

WFTV.com - Food News - Newest Fair Food: Deep-Fried Coca-Cola: "DALLAS -- There are fried Twinkies and even fried candy bars.

Now, vendor Abel Gonzales Jr. has come up with a new artery-clogging concoction for the State Fair of Texas. It's fried Coke.

Gonzales deep-fries Coca-Cola-flavored batter. He then drizzles Coke fountain syrup on it. The fried Coke is topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Gonzales said the fried Coke came about just from thinking aloud.

Gonzales' diet-buster wins the creativity honor at the second-annual Big Tex Choice Awards Contest.

Judges for the contest chose Shirley London's Fried Praline Perfection as the tastiest fried delicacy.

The two won out among 26 entries such as fried macaroni and cheese and a deep-fried cosmopolitan.

London said she came up with the fried pralines idea after buying pralines at the fair last year. She plans to sell the pralines alongside fried marshmallows.

Gonzales achieved notoriety in 2005 with the fried peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwich -- selling an estimated 25,000 of the treats, according to the fair's Web site. The site said London got media attention in 2004 with her fried marshmallows on-a-stick."

What the World Needs Now: Snakes on Crack

Samuel L Jackson Wants Some 'Snakes On Crack' - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise: "

Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson has said he would love to make a sequel to his new film ‘Snakes on a Plane’.

The film, which has already developed cult status, features Jackson playing an FBI agent who is taking a witness to testify in a trial but an assassin bent on killing the witness releases a whole load of snakes on the witness’s plane leaving Jackson to get rid of them.

Jackson enjoyed the experience of making the film so much that he is already thinking about the sequel that he wants to call ‘Snakes On Crack’."

Five Best Books Set in School


The book to the left isn't mentioned, so how can you possibly trust the list?

Monday, September 04, 2006

Paris Hilton in Vegas, Part 2

In a comment to this post, Disco Legend Zeke mentions that he was at Paris Hilton Day in Las Vegas and got to see P.H. and take a few photos. Click Zeke's link for his post about it.

Mystery*File Again

Great article on Australian pulp fiction, with cover scans!

This is Just Cruel


BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Paris Hilton targeted in CD prank: "Paris Hilton's album entered the UK chart at number 29 last week.

Hundreds of Paris Hilton albums have been tampered with in the latest stunt by 'guerrilla artist' Banksy.

Banksy has replaced Hilton's CD with his own remixes and given them titles such as 'Why am I Famous?,' 'What Have I Done?' and 'What Am I For?'

He has also changed pictures of her on the CD sleeve to show the US socialite topless and with a dog's head.

A spokeswoman for Banksy said he had doctored 500 copies of her debut album Paris in 48 record shops across the UK.

She told the BBC News website: 'He switched the CDs in store, so he took the old ones out and put his version in.'"

The Passengers Wanted Barry Manilow

United Press International - NewsTrack - Passengers complain after Tyler sings: "PARIS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Passengers on a flight from France to Mauritius have filed suit against Air France after musician Bonnie Tyler performed a song at the request of the co-pilot.

The passengers, believed to be Belgian, complained to the airline after the Welsh singer performed part of her 1983 hit 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' at the request of the co-pilot, who retired after the flight, The Mail on Sunday reported.

'I was asleep in First Class. The stewardess came and said the co-pilot was retiring. And they asked me would I sing to him. They were having a bit of a party,' Tyler said.

The complaining passengers reportedly claimed they were traumatized by the experience and had feared for their safety during the celebration. The complaint eventually escalated into a legal dispute."

But What about ABBA?

Rock music boosts your brain power - Newspaper Edition - Times Online: "LONG suffering parents of adolescents might not agree, but scientists claim that listening to rock music can boost your brain power.

Researchers at a Scottish university believe that the sound of guitar-based rock such as Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers improves concentration and boosts memory."

Best Cover Ever?


Is it just me, or does anybody else think that Megan Abbot is getting the best covers ever for her books? These are prestige hardbacks, but the covers would be right at home on a Hard Case Crime paperback, or an old Gold Medal Original. I frankly don't care what this book is about: I gotta have it. (If you do care what it's about, check out this Rap Sheet post.) It's not due till January, so I'll have to wait a while.

Texas: No Longer the Home of the Armadillo


The armadillo is waddling its way north: "The official small mammal of Texas is becoming a Yankee.

Blame global warming. Or maybe just wanderlust.

Texans feel proprietary about the armored mammal, but we hardly have a monopoly on its range. It's not even a native.

The nine-banded armadillo, the most prolific of the 20 species of armadillo and the only one to live in the United States, crossed the Rio Grande about 150 years ago.

In recent years, though, it has been spotted as far north as Illinois.

'I don't know exactly how they get here,' said Joyce Hofmann, a research scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey's center for wildlife and plant ecology. 'I don't know if they're really surviving and breeding here.'

But she has gathered more than 100 reports of sightings — mostly roadkill — since 1999.

A few have been found as far north as Chicago, but most have been in southern Illinois.

Emboldened by the disappearance of its predators, the 'dillo spread first across the Southeast and now is marching through the Midwest, where the biggest threat isn't bobcats and foxes but freezing weather."

Crocodile Hunter, R. I. P.


Australia's 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin killed by stingray's barb - Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune: "CAIRNS, Australia Steve Irwin, the ebullient Australian whose catch cry of 'Crikey!' helped him rise to global fame as television's the 'Crocodile Hunter,' was killed Monday by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

Irwin was in the water at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called 'Ocean's Deadliest' when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous barb on their tails, said John Stainton, a friend and colleague.

'He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart,' said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat, Croc One, at the time."

Sunday, September 03, 2006

EQMM


What with the recent anniversary of Katrina's landfall, it's time for me to mention (again) the special EQMM issue devoted to New Orleans. Most of the stories are by people who live or have lived in New Orleans, and there's a poem by another former resident, Jim Sallis. I've received my subscriber's copy, so the issue should be on the stands now. All advertising revenue goes to Katrina relief, and you'll be getting some great stories besides making a contribution. There's more info here. Check it out.

Everybody's Getting into the Act


Story, video: Apaches go public with Bigfoot sightings | www.azstarnet.com ?: "Footprints in the mud. Tufts of hair on a fence. Ear-piercing screeches in the night. These are only fragments of the stories now coming from the White Mountains in Eastern Arizona.

For years the White Mountain Apache Nation has kept the secret within tribal boundaries. “We're not prone to easily talk to outsiders,” said spokeswoman Collette Altaha. “But there have been more sightings than ever before. It cannot be ignored any longer.”

It is a creature the world knows as “Bigfoot”."