Books 'n Stuff

Sounds like a rather uncreative, generic name for a store that sells. . .well, books and stuff. But that's not what's this entry's about.

Harry Houdini, Secret Agent? Sounds plausible. This forthcoming biography of Houdini speculates he worked for the U.S. Secret Service, Scotland Yard, and monitored Russian anarchists. That he was America's First Superhero. Makes sense. Even Teller (of Penn &) doesn't think that's such a big leap. The guy
was good at disguising himself (from visiting a number of alleged spiritual mediums in order to bust them). He was agile, strong, smart. The only thing he didn't have? One of these:










Or one of her:













But he did have her:

















Who knows. . .Bess Houdini as Bond Girl of her era? Hell, maybe she was the secret agent and Harry was only her cover.

Light Blogging for Awhile

On vacation from my real job this week. Daughter's visiting us. Finished up work for next month's LMN. Not changing out of my pajamas until after lunch. But still keeping up with the world.

See you soon.

UPDATE: If you're needing some light, cheerful reading. . .don't click here.

(h/t: the folks at Pajamas Media)

Congratulations, Brigid!

Louisville musician Brigid Kaelin is one of 56 who will compete in the regional finals for a chance to appear on USA Network's Nashville Star. She was originally one of 20,000 to have initially auditioned. Full list here.

Here's my story on her from the July, 2005 issue of Louisville Music News. And starting here are the pictures my wife took for Brigid's cover shoot session.

Honestly, you didn't think this whole post was going to be abour Brigid, did you?

UPDATE: Forgot the h/t to The Chief. Also, here's Brigid's site.

So. . .Been to the Movies Lately?

Only once in the last couple of months, says I. And that was to see this. I liked it, but wasn't too enthralled.

But I'm looking forward to this, this, and, of course, this.

So why are the only films I'm looking forward to based on comic books?

This guy might have an answer.

End stick. Strike the set.

Happy Birthday Chuck Berry!

The duck-walker turned 80 years old on Thursday.

Sing a few lines of "My Ding-a-Ling" to honor the man.

EXTREME TRICKS! EXTREME TREATS!

EXTREME PUMPKINS!

Have an EXTREME Halloween!

Dredged Up From Your Nightmares of the 1970s

And brought into attempted relevance today, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Billy Jack vs. George W. Bush! (h/t: Libertas)

This film will be, according to BillyJack.com, just the start of a:

multifaceted Political, Sexual, Spiritual and Psychological Revolution, and because America is “the only Nation founded for a Moral Purpose … the rights of every man, everywhere,” the film calls out to Mainstream America to help restore America to It’s Moral Purpose

And, I guess, to reclaim our Right to Use Capital Letters In odd Places and Use Contractions incorrectly.

And what's the first step to beginning this Revolution of Capital Letters? It should be nose-on-your-face obvious:

Impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney.

Now why didn't I think of that? Maybe because I'm not a doddering old Earth-Shoe loon like Tom Laughlin (a.k.a., Billy Jack).

But what do I know. I'm not an expert in filmmaking and psychology like he is.

Ow.

Creative gratuitous stick figure violence from the kind folks at SomethingAwful.com.

And for all my musician friends, take a look at Something Awful's Photoshop Friday projects "Band Name Movies" and "Band Name Movies 2."

You're welcome.

9-11 Truther Reax to South Park

The snarky WuzzaDem wades into the bongwater swamp and gets 9-11 Truther reactions to this past Wedesday's episode of South Park that took on the Kooky Konspiracy Kidz and their nonsense (which they proclaim as THE TRUTH, AND YOU NEED TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ABOUT IT AND BUY INTO WHAT WE SELL. REALLY, MAN! YOU SHEEPLE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. ESPECIALLY YOU, BILL O'REILLY. Hey, dude, put some fresh water in that thing and pass it around again) about 9-11.

(h/t: The Political Pit Bull, who has the entire episode, broken into three video segments, here)

My Goal For This Blog. . .

Is to have it mentioned in Playboy as one of the best of the blogs. Just like the good Captain was named recently.

To be sure, CQ was named as one of the best political blogs. Maybe mine can be in another category. Something like Blogs Containing Random Sporadic Nonsense.

Wouldn't mind being at the awards ceremony though. Here are the presenters going through orientation:











Okay, so they're actually a group of Bunny Blackjack Dealers getting their training at the new Playboy Club Casino in Las Vegas. Its going to operate out of the Palms Casino and Resort.

And guys will visit it just for the outstanding wireless service. Just like they read the magazine for the articles.

And maybe some of these ladies will stop by.

"My Opponent Basically Sucks Old Sour Dishrags"

Our TV was on early Monday evening, but neither my wife and I paid much attention to it. She was busy editing some pictures she had taken while a delicious dinner simmered on the stove. I had just finished a shower after cutting the grass for the final time this year (I hope). I glanced at it while walking back to the bedroom. A political ad was on. Not surprising, since they're now running nearly non-stop and back-to-back on local TV, just in case we've forgotten that there's an election in November. And by the way, my opponent basically sucks old sour dishrags. Consider that when you go to vote.

Yes, we know. You've told us that. Many times. Thanks for the reminder. No, it probably won't change my mind.

But the station we had on ran back-to-back-to-back-to-back ads for incumbents and their opponents in a three-minute block. And now I'm officially disgusted. Not even anywhere close to being amused.

Here in our area there are three important Congressional races: the Second and Third districts in Kentucky, and the Ninth in Indiana. All seats are currenly held by Republicans (Ron Lewis, Anne Northup, and Mike Sodrel, respectively). To be honest, all six are running MOBSOSD ads. But at this point, for me, I already know who will get my vote in about four weeks. And I think the same is true of other voters, too. So I don't care if a candidate thinks his or her opponent BSOSD. . .with or without much skill.

I like what James Lileks said in this fine piece for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

"I often vote for people based on lawn signs, just like I find myself frequently bidding on houses that have For Sale signs."

For those of us whose minds are made up, Ignore Your TV.

New Louisville Music News Out 'n About

Forgot to mention it earlier this month. Pick it up at your favorite music place in Louisville. Or check it out at www.louisvillemusic.net.

I took a month off from writing the cover feature, so my contributions this month are minimal. You'll find my review of works from two Louisville musicians: Basic Needs from Leigh Ann Yost, and Thenceforward, from Tom Staley and Rick Harper. Click here to read. Click here and here for more information about the musicians.

Worn Out

Plain beat to the socks, Daddy-O. Saturday was one of the Days-Full-o'-Stuff-to-Do: cash-up, gas up for a trip out to Buckner, KY (in the next county east of here) so my daughter could cheerlead for a youth-league football team, but not before a stop at Meijer to get her a white turtleneck to wear under her uniform (she's already outgrown the ones she's had here). Her team lost, again (0-6 on the season so far - I know it's youth-league football, but, jeez, these kids have been klonked around week after week).

Then it was back home, but not before stopping at the grocery for a few items. We had a late lunch/early dinner, then we took the daughter to her grandparents' house for an overnight visit while wife and I went to see Matt Nathanson and Carbon Leaf.

Nathanson combined some sweet singer-songwriter power pop with a bit of a blue stand-up routine. Carbon Leaf didn't bother with the between-song conversation and chatter and played a solid 90-minute set.

We creeped home close to 12:30 a.m. and each showered the second-hand smoke odor off, then fell into bed around 2:00 a.m.

And all this after an exhausting week at work dealing with a company identity change and pushed-up deadlines.

So blogging's been sparse. If you regularly, check in: sorry. I know I promised the first installment of my Underrated Album Project more than a month ago. As they say in business, "It's on my to-do list," one of the many dismissive fibs that fly around a company every hour, along with "I'm not set up to do that" (an easy way to get out of a task you don't want to do) and "the network's down, I can't print that (or "send that" or "find that").

Of course, the capper for the weekend was this. Comments on it at Little Green Footballs are plenty.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. I know I'll try.

Now The Insanity Has Infected My City

Somali refugee kills his four children, wounds wife.

Developing. . .

Accessing My Inner 13-Year-Old Geek

Today was just a bad news day. I can't add anything more to what's been said. I grieve for the loss of those children. I have one in that age group, and my gut knots up when I hear of something like this done to any child. Anywhere.

Still, I did have a brief shot of joy this weekend when I found out that the lead for the upcoming Iron Man feature film had been cast. Robert Downey, Jr., will play millionaire industrialist, playboy, and some-time superhero. I enjoyed the Iron Man comic in my teens, but didn't have a lot of issues (of his book, that is). He seemed brusque, a bit too formal, and lacked wit. But how witty would you be if you always had to wear an iron suit to keep your heart working? And that you'd get your clock cleaned if some villian hit you in the right spot with the right kind of force?

So to get you ready, and to show off something my inner 13-year-old geek thinks is really, really cool, here's the Stark Industries Prototype:

















a.k.a., Ol' Shellhead

See you in the theater in a couple of years.

Explore a Slightly Skewed Genius

Visit the Tim Burton Collective.

And you can actually find a forum there dedicated to Burton's movie about this guy, whose most famous work is now in glorious color.

More here.












The Man Himself (not Tim Burton, I mean)












And as portrayed by Johnny Depp.

Almost can't tell one from the other.

UPDATE: Give all your documents at work the Tim Burton touch with these.

UPDATE: Belated h/t to The Screengrab for the Burton links.

Obnoxious Loudmouth Deemed Sexy by Talk Show Queen

Via Hot Air: Oprah names Kos one of her sexiest men in the world

Huh?

Does she mean The Candidate Stalker?









The Barge-In Neighbor With a Mouth Full of Nuts He's Saving for Winter?









Or The Dead-Sexy Nipple Stroker?









I guess one billionaire's definition of "sexy" doesn't have to fit everyone else's.

Vid caps courtesey Allahpundit via LGF.

Best News Headline of the Day

(with apologies for the obvious Dave Barry ripoff of this post's title)

I never knew they even left.

Saving Nickels, Saving Dimes

So I can eventually travel into space, thanks to Sir Richard Branson.

Check out this video from Virgin Galactic, appearing on Space.com.

Expected cost for a two-hour suborbital flight? $200,000.

That'll be about 2000 jars of change.

Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Scientologists

They don't want to leave anyone out.

The 10th season of South Park premieres next Wednesday, October 4.