PHB
20080505
CBLDF wins!
At 4:30 on Friday afternoon, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund received word from its attorneys that all remaining charges against Rome, Georgia retailer Gordon Lee had been dropped:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12417.html
20080413
Arrrggh! my back is killing me! and I can't figure out what the hell I did?!
Started Fri morning - and wasn't too bad, thought maybe slept bad or something, it was a bit worse on Saturday, and even worse today. I wasn't fencing - there was none thursday, and nothing big Tuesday, I guess could have been moving boxes or something - but you'd think I remember doing something! gah, hope it quits soon.
Started Fri morning - and wasn't too bad, thought maybe slept bad or something, it was a bit worse on Saturday, and even worse today. I wasn't fencing - there was none thursday, and nothing big Tuesday, I guess could have been moving boxes or something - but you'd think I remember doing something! gah, hope it quits soon.
20080408
20080330
It's astounding how a pretty girl can get anything she wants. I'd never really seen it in action before. So A- and I were at the show, she's 20 has a pretty, though not striking face, and it fairly well endowed, but was wearing several layers of sweater & coat, so certainly wasn't dressed to thrill. Over the course of the day she was given several items just for expressing interest in them. Then while standing in line and being chatted up by some guy who she wasn't interested in and who she said was annoying - until he bought her lunch, then she was fine with him hanging around. And she wasn't even _trying_! I'd heard of this but really seeing it in action was amazing. Guys will do anything for a pretty face if it smiles at them... Not that I can claim dispassion or something, but it was interesting seeing it from the outside - as it were - for once.
20080323
20080319
20080318
Another loss
Report: Arthur C. Clarke, Dead at 90
By Sharon Weinberger
March 18, 2008 | 6:06:00 PM
An aide to the famous science fiction writer tells the Associated Press that Arthur C. Clarke has died. That's all the news available at the moment. The author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, reportedly died in Sri Lanka, where he had been living for over 50 years.
If ever there was a need for a good biography, it is about Clarke. Revered as both a futurist and science fiction writer, he is also credited with proposing geostationary communications satellites. The breadth of his work and mysterious private life (which included accusations of pedophilia) would make for an intriguing story.
By Sharon Weinberger
If ever there was a need for a good biography, it is about Clarke. Revered as both a futurist and science fiction writer, he is also credited with proposing geostationary communications satellites. The breadth of his work and mysterious private life (which included accusations of pedophilia) would make for an intriguing story.
20080229
![[]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vbKP8NykmGgTXYCdOuNv_OHc-kepZ0_GN68cS2pZPcxxrVgQCl625wehadulprrgNa1HYsamADD1b5RNEYo878x9i_di9OfULpVUiPZiAg-iPAs5eiNQRxJMOwTq7Kw-0esJmSPesgLlcXAVMJFyPSZAf8qCgV=s0-d)
20080221
New Risk; Borders download centers
Hasbro is planning a fall release for a revamped version of Risk that will provide 3 different modes of play depending on the players' skill levels and the amount of time they have to play the game--yes, there will be a 60-90 minute version, but you won't be able to conquer the whole world in that time frame:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12112.html
Borders has opened the first of 14 "concept" stores planned to debut this year--and in addition to the state-of-the-art digital center, the store's have a special emphasis on several categories including graphic novels:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12115.html
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12112.html
Borders has opened the first of 14 "concept" stores planned to debut this year--and in addition to the state-of-the-art digital center, the store's have a special emphasis on several categories including graphic novels:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12115.html
Fwd: Monopoly the Movie?!; Akira Live!
Universal signed an agreement with Hasbro to produce four movies based on Hasbro properties such as Monopoly, Magic: The Gathering, and Clue:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12110.html
Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Bros. are planning to release the first half of a 2-part live action adaptation of Akira in 2009:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12113.html
20080218
Blu-ray Wins!
In the wake of the decision by Wal-Mart to carry Blu-ray discs exclusively starting in June, Toshiba is ending support for the HD high definition format:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12088.html
20080131
Epic Fantasy on TV
Sam Raimi's First Rule
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12001.html
Fire and Ice on HBO
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/9926.html
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12001.html
Fire and Ice on HBO
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/9926.html
20080109
20080108
Libraries, Endless Quest
A new survey shows that the youngest adults use libraries more than any other group:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11839.html
WotC�s Mirrorstone Books imprint is reviving the Endless Quest series:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11860.html
Violent Movies Reduce Violence
Violent Movies Reduce Violence
Says New Study by Economists
January 08, 2008
A new study presented to the American Economic Association and summarized in the Business Section of Monday's New York Times argues somewhat counter-intuitively that violent movies actually reduce violent crime. By comparing nationwide statistics for crimes of violence over the past ten years with attendance figures for movies rated for violent content by the kids-in-mind.com Website Gordon Dahl, an economist at the University of San Diego and Stefano Della Vigna, a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley found that when young men, the group responsible for most violent crime, attended a violent movie on Saturday night, it reduced violent crime, an effect that lasted past the weekend carrying over through Monday and Tuesday.
Dahl and Dell Vigna's Freakonomics-like study found that from 6 pm until midnight on weekends, violent crimes decreased 1.3% for every million people watching a violent movie with crime dropping 1.1% for each million people who are watching a mildly violent film. In the hours from midnight to 6am, violent crime dropped 1.9% for every million attending a very violent film and 2.1% for each million watching a mildly violent film. The same effect was still apparent when theaters showed non-violent movies that appealed to the same teenage (and 20 something) male demographic, but to a lesser degree.
Professors Dahl and Dell Vigna's study, which has implications for all types of media that contain violence including comic books, anime, RPGs and videogames, has placed the large community of psychologists who have conducted "laboratory" experiments purporting to show that violence in media leads to violence in real life in a state of near apoplexy. Whether the effect is the result of catharsis, being "scared straight" by Hannibal Lector, or merely the consequence of sequestering a large portion of the population most likely to commit crimes during hours when a high percentage of crimes are committed, the economics professors maintain "on days with a high audience for violent movies, violent crime is lower," and that over the period that they studied (the last decade) the showing of violent movies in the U.S. has reduced the number of assaults "by an average of 1,000 per week or 52,000 per year."
Says New Study by Economists
January 08, 2008
A new study presented to the American Economic Association and summarized in the Business Section of Monday's New York Times argues somewhat counter-intuitively that violent movies actually reduce violent crime. By comparing nationwide statistics for crimes of violence over the past ten years with attendance figures for movies rated for violent content by the kids-in-mind.com Website Gordon Dahl, an economist at the University of San Diego and Stefano Della Vigna, a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley found that when young men, the group responsible for most violent crime, attended a violent movie on Saturday night, it reduced violent crime, an effect that lasted past the weekend carrying over through Monday and Tuesday.
Dahl and Dell Vigna's Freakonomics-like study found that from 6 pm until midnight on weekends, violent crimes decreased 1.3% for every million people watching a violent movie with crime dropping 1.1% for each million people who are watching a mildly violent film. In the hours from midnight to 6am, violent crime dropped 1.9% for every million attending a very violent film and 2.1% for each million watching a mildly violent film. The same effect was still apparent when theaters showed non-violent movies that appealed to the same teenage (and 20 something) male demographic, but to a lesser degree.
Professors Dahl and Dell Vigna's study, which has implications for all types of media that contain violence including comic books, anime, RPGs and videogames, has placed the large community of psychologists who have conducted "laboratory" experiments purporting to show that violence in media leads to violence in real life in a state of near apoplexy. Whether the effect is the result of catharsis, being "scared straight" by Hannibal Lector, or merely the consequence of sequestering a large portion of the population most likely to commit crimes during hours when a high percentage of crimes are committed, the economics professors maintain "on days with a high audience for violent movies, violent crime is lower," and that over the period that they studied (the last decade) the showing of violent movies in the U.S. has reduced the number of assaults "by an average of 1,000 per week or 52,000 per year."
20080107
20071226
20071220
'Ice Tea' Lady
So this lady comes in the store with her big cup of 'ice tea' for the 3rd or 4th time now. She bangs her way through the door with her rolling shopping cart, comes over to the counter plops her cup down and parks her cart right in front of the counter. She brings some books for trades and gets 3 credits. She goes into the romance section moves stuff all over and out of order, gets a half dozen, brings them to the counter. She only has credit for 3, so she's only going to get 3 of them, but she can't remember where she got the rest from, so she leaves them on the counter. Then she finds a hardcover book, and asks how much it is, $6.95 it's priced on the 1st page, I tell her. How much? she asks, $6.95 I tell her. How much? she asks, $6.95 I tell her beginning to really wonder at her. She walks over to another bookcase, and calls back how much is that book again? It's still $6.95 I assure her. She comes back to the counter and points at the book. How much is this book? she asks a fifth time. I open it up and point to the price written inside, it's $6.95 I say yet again. Eventually she leaves, not purchasing it. I wonder what was really in that cup of 'ice tea' ?!?
20071212
With god as my witness
a court in India has asked two gods to appear in court
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/08/whindu108.xml
Public Libraries for Profit
Public Libraries for Profit
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112907P.shtml
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3419/public_libraries_for_profit/
By Akito Yoshikane
In These Times
Tuesday 27 November 2007
In late October, Jackson County, Ore., re-opened the doors to 15
of its public libraries after a lack of funds had forced them shut on
April 6 - the largest library closure in U.S. history. However, as
patrons returned to the bookshelves in the southern Oregon county,
they learned that their libraries are now under private, for-profit management.
Oregon suffered a $150 million budget shortfall - and Jackson
County a $23 million loss - in fiscal year 2007, after the federal
government failed to renew a $400 million annual subsidy designed to
help rural communities suffering from the decline in timber-logging
revenue. Though Congress eventually extended the funding by one year,
Jackson County commissioners, strapped for cash, voted to outsource
library services to the Maryland-based Library Systems & Services
(LSSI), which specializes in library management. Founded in 1981, the
company initially operated federal libraries during President
Reagan's era of privatizing government services and contracts. LSSI
now privately manages more than 50 public libraries nationwide.
Companies like LSSI focus on counties that are desperate to keep
their public agencies afloat but lack sufficient funds to do so. In
the case of Jackson County, officials offered LSSI a five-year
contract worth $3 million annually, with an additional $1.3 million
reserved for building maintenance. The deal cuts in almost half what
the county previously spent.
Public libraries in Dallas, Riverside, Calif., and Finney
County, Kan. have also hired LSSI staff.
But the trend of farming out public libraries to a private,
profit-oriented business has raised concerns. For one, private
companies are not subject to the same oversight as are public
institutions. More importantly, libraries have long been considered
democratic bodies built on the cornerstone of information diversity,
transparency and intellectual freedom.
"Libraries tend to reflect the communities they serve," says
Loriene Roy, president of the American Library Association (ALA).
"[They] respond to community needs and they do so within their
budget, but they are not set up to make profit. A company coming in
that doesn't exist within the community that is profit-making, you
can see that there is a different attitude and there is concern about that."
Under public management, transparency tends to be clear. As much
as 80 percent of public library funding can come from local tax
support, making libraries accountable to a board of trustees with
representatives from the community.
While municipalities have for years contracted "non-library
services," such as janitorial duties or photocopying, the outsourcing
of "core" library services - cataloging and use of automated systems
and material acquisition - has increased.
This prompted the ALA to create an Outsourcing Task Force and
conduct a study on privatization in 1999. Two years later, the ALA
council adopted a stance opposing outsourcing, stating that libraries
are "not a simple commodity" but "are an essential public good" that
should be "directly accountable to the public they serve."
LSSI makes its money from the difference between the budget and
what it spends - or does not spend. It typically downsizes staff,
centralizes accounting and human resource services, and buys books in
bulk, all while passing down administrative costs - sometimes as high
as 15 percent - to patrons as general handling fees. (The company
does not disclose its earnings.)
"They operate entirely with our tax dollars but they have no
transparency," says Buck Eichler, president of the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) Local 503 in Jackson County, whose
organization represented the public library employees. "They're
completely secretive about their books. We no longer know where our
tax dollars are going."
Although the total cost of running the libraries was cut, so,
too, were library hours. Now, most libraries in Jackson County are
open at half the normal operating times and are closed on Sundays,
totaling only 24 hours a week, down from the 40-plus hours before the
April shutdown. The exceptions are the libraries in Ashland and
Talent, which will stay open for 40 hours and 36 hours a week,
respectively, after local residents recently voted in favor of a levy
on monthly utility surcharges in order to pay for the extra hours.
While counties still own the buildings and retain control of
library policies, LSSI is in charge of hiring employees, which has
caused mixed reactions.
"I don't have any problems with it at all," says Kim Wolfe,
manager of the Medford branch. "I think it's a personal decision for
each individual. The community is thrilled to have the libraries
opening again. They're thanking us and they're glad they can come in
and use our services."
SEIU's Eichler, however, has said some workers have refused to
go back to work under a private employer.
"We don't want to sacrifice living wages at the expense of
workers," says Eichler.
LSSI brought back about 60 of the 88 people who were laid off,
according to one library staffer. But now that they are no longer
union employees, they've been subject to contractual changes in
rights, benefits and disclosure information.
Although salaries are comparable to what they were before,
employees in the Jackson County Libraries are now no longer part of
Oregon's pension system, which has been replaced with a 401(k)
program. Medical benefits have also been cut, and salary levels have
been "adjusted depending on market conditions," says Anne Billeter, a
former Jackson County library manager.
"I'm not saying that LSSI has a goal of union-busting, but it is
certainly the net effect," says Eichler.
Some areas have seen a backlash. In Bedford, Texas, after a
community-wide petition campaign to oppose library outsourcing
gathered 1,700 signatures in four days, city council members voted
4-3 to reject privatization in August. "If our library dies, this
community dies," said Mark Gimenez, a local resident who attended the
board meeting.
But not every public library is celebrating victories. In
Jackson-Madison County, Tenn., even after a community group lobbied
against privatization, the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled in April
that the county board has a legal right to outsource.
---
Thomas Hennen Jr., director of the Waukesha County Federated
Library System in Wisconsin, says, "It is the urgent duty of public
librarians to put the 'good' back into the 'public good' of the
public library movement."
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112907P.shtml
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3419/public_libraries_for_profit/
By Akito Yoshikane
In These Times
Tuesday 27 November 2007
In late October, Jackson County, Ore., re-opened the doors to 15
of its public libraries after a lack of funds had forced them shut on
April 6 - the largest library closure in U.S. history. However, as
patrons returned to the bookshelves in the southern Oregon county,
they learned that their libraries are now under private, for-profit management.
Oregon suffered a $150 million budget shortfall - and Jackson
County a $23 million loss - in fiscal year 2007, after the federal
government failed to renew a $400 million annual subsidy designed to
help rural communities suffering from the decline in timber-logging
revenue. Though Congress eventually extended the funding by one year,
Jackson County commissioners, strapped for cash, voted to outsource
library services to the Maryland-based Library Systems & Services
(LSSI), which specializes in library management. Founded in 1981, the
company initially operated federal libraries during President
Reagan's era of privatizing government services and contracts. LSSI
now privately manages more than 50 public libraries nationwide.
Companies like LSSI focus on counties that are desperate to keep
their public agencies afloat but lack sufficient funds to do so. In
the case of Jackson County, officials offered LSSI a five-year
contract worth $3 million annually, with an additional $1.3 million
reserved for building maintenance. The deal cuts in almost half what
the county previously spent.
Public libraries in Dallas, Riverside, Calif., and Finney
County, Kan. have also hired LSSI staff.
But the trend of farming out public libraries to a private,
profit-oriented business has raised concerns. For one, private
companies are not subject to the same oversight as are public
institutions. More importantly, libraries have long been considered
democratic bodies built on the cornerstone of information diversity,
transparency and intellectual freedom.
"Libraries tend to reflect the communities they serve," says
Loriene Roy, president of the American Library Association (ALA).
"[They] respond to community needs and they do so within their
budget, but they are not set up to make profit. A company coming in
that doesn't exist within the community that is profit-making, you
can see that there is a different attitude and there is concern about that."
Under public management, transparency tends to be clear. As much
as 80 percent of public library funding can come from local tax
support, making libraries accountable to a board of trustees with
representatives from the community.
While municipalities have for years contracted "non-library
services," such as janitorial duties or photocopying, the outsourcing
of "core" library services - cataloging and use of automated systems
and material acquisition - has increased.
This prompted the ALA to create an Outsourcing Task Force and
conduct a study on privatization in 1999. Two years later, the ALA
council adopted a stance opposing outsourcing, stating that libraries
are "not a simple commodity" but "are an essential public good" that
should be "directly accountable to the public they serve."
LSSI makes its money from the difference between the budget and
what it spends - or does not spend. It typically downsizes staff,
centralizes accounting and human resource services, and buys books in
bulk, all while passing down administrative costs - sometimes as high
as 15 percent - to patrons as general handling fees. (The company
does not disclose its earnings.)
"They operate entirely with our tax dollars but they have no
transparency," says Buck Eichler, president of the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) Local 503 in Jackson County, whose
organization represented the public library employees. "They're
completely secretive about their books. We no longer know where our
tax dollars are going."
Although the total cost of running the libraries was cut, so,
too, were library hours. Now, most libraries in Jackson County are
open at half the normal operating times and are closed on Sundays,
totaling only 24 hours a week, down from the 40-plus hours before the
April shutdown. The exceptions are the libraries in Ashland and
Talent, which will stay open for 40 hours and 36 hours a week,
respectively, after local residents recently voted in favor of a levy
on monthly utility surcharges in order to pay for the extra hours.
While counties still own the buildings and retain control of
library policies, LSSI is in charge of hiring employees, which has
caused mixed reactions.
"I don't have any problems with it at all," says Kim Wolfe,
manager of the Medford branch. "I think it's a personal decision for
each individual. The community is thrilled to have the libraries
opening again. They're thanking us and they're glad they can come in
and use our services."
SEIU's Eichler, however, has said some workers have refused to
go back to work under a private employer.
"We don't want to sacrifice living wages at the expense of
workers," says Eichler.
LSSI brought back about 60 of the 88 people who were laid off,
according to one library staffer. But now that they are no longer
union employees, they've been subject to contractual changes in
rights, benefits and disclosure information.
Although salaries are comparable to what they were before,
employees in the Jackson County Libraries are now no longer part of
Oregon's pension system, which has been replaced with a 401(k)
program. Medical benefits have also been cut, and salary levels have
been "adjusted depending on market conditions," says Anne Billeter, a
former Jackson County library manager.
"I'm not saying that LSSI has a goal of union-busting, but it is
certainly the net effect," says Eichler.
Some areas have seen a backlash. In Bedford, Texas, after a
community-wide petition campaign to oppose library outsourcing
gathered 1,700 signatures in four days, city council members voted
4-3 to reject privatization in August. "If our library dies, this
community dies," said Mark Gimenez, a local resident who attended the
board meeting.
But not every public library is celebrating victories. In
Jackson-Madison County, Tenn., even after a community group lobbied
against privatization, the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled in April
that the county board has a legal right to outsource.
---
Thomas Hennen Jr., director of the Waukesha County Federated
Library System in Wisconsin, says, "It is the urgent duty of public
librarians to put the 'good' back into the 'public good' of the
public library movement."
20071210
Sanderson to Complete Final Novel in Jordan Fantasy Series
Sanderson to Complete Final Novel in Jordan Fantasy Series
Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's widow and editor, chose Sanderson to complete A Memory of Lightwhich Jordan worked on almost daily for the last few months of his lifeand will edit it. Rigney said some scenes from the book were completed by Jordan before his death, and some exist in draft form. "He left copious notes and hours of audio recordings," she said. He also revealed details about the end of the series to close members of his family.
Sanderson, who acknowledged Jordan as an inspiration to him as a writer, has established a loyal fan base as the author of three fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn and The Well of Ascension (Tor), as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Scholastic Press). Sanderson said, "I'm both extremely excited and daunted by this opportunity. There is only one man who could have done this book the way it deserved to be written, and we lost him in September. However, I promise to do my very best to remain true to Mr. Jordan's vision and produce the book we have all been waiting to read."
A Memory of Light is scheduled for publication in fall 2009.
By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 12/10/2007 7:13:00 AM
Tor Books announced today that novelist Brandon Sanderson has been chosen to finish writing the final novel in Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series. Jordandescribed by some as Tolkien's heirdied Sept. 16 from a rare blood disease. The new novel, A Memory of Light, will be the 12th and final book in the fantasy series which has sold more than 14 million copies in North America and more than 30 million copies worldwide. The last four books in the series were all #1 New York Times bestsellers.Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's widow and editor, chose Sanderson to complete A Memory of Lightwhich Jordan worked on almost daily for the last few months of his lifeand will edit it. Rigney said some scenes from the book were completed by Jordan before his death, and some exist in draft form. "He left copious notes and hours of audio recordings," she said. He also revealed details about the end of the series to close members of his family.
Sanderson, who acknowledged Jordan as an inspiration to him as a writer, has established a loyal fan base as the author of three fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn and The Well of Ascension (Tor), as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Scholastic Press). Sanderson said, "I'm both extremely excited and daunted by this opportunity. There is only one man who could have done this book the way it deserved to be written, and we lost him in September. However, I promise to do my very best to remain true to Mr. Jordan's vision and produce the book we have all been waiting to read."
A Memory of Light is scheduled for publication in fall 2009.
20071209
NEWS Paddington Bear arrested by police and interrogated over his immigration status
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7137182,00.html
Police set to quiz Paddington bear
Press Association
Saturday December 8, 2007 11:08 AM
Paddington Bear will be arrested by police and interrogated over his
immigration status in a book marking his 50th birthday, it has emerged.
The novel, to be published next June on the anniversary of his debut in
A Bear Called Paddington, will see the stowaway from Peru interviewed
about his right to remain in England.
The appeal of Michael Bond's Paddington books, which have sold more than
30 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, remains
undiminished after half a century.
But Mr Bond, 83, was said to be reluctant at the prospect of writing his
first novel about him for 29 years - unless he had a strong contemporary
storyline.
The new book is again set around their home at 32 Windsor Gardens,
Notting Hill, and revisits the stalls in Portobello Road where
Paddington shared cocoa and buns with another immigrant, Mr Gruber, the
Hungarian antiques dealer.
After being arrested, Paddington has no papers proving his identity
because his Aunt Lucy had arranged for him to hide on a ship's lifeboat
from Peru after she went to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima.
Mr Bond was working as a BBC cameraman when a bear he bought in
Selfridges for his wife on Christmas Eve inspired him to write the
original novel, in which the Brown family adopt the homeless bear when
they spot him amid a pile of mailbags at Paddington station.
Mr Bond has continued to write occasional short stories about his
best-loved creation since the publication of Paddington Takes the Test,
the last novel, in 1979.
He told theBookseller.com: "One of the very nice things about
chronicling Paddington's adventures is that although the world has
changed considerably over the past 30 years, he remains exactly the
same; eternally optimistic and ever open to what life has to offer. It
makes writing the stories a pleasure."
Paddington Here and Now will have a cover illustration by Peggy Fortnum,
85, who did the first drawings of Paddington. The 50th anniversary will
also be marked by reissues of the novels and picture books and a new
title, My Book of Marmalade.
Police set to quiz Paddington bear
Press Association
Saturday December 8, 2007 11:08 AM
Paddington Bear will be arrested by police and interrogated over his
immigration status in a book marking his 50th birthday, it has emerged.
The novel, to be published next June on the anniversary of his debut in
A Bear Called Paddington, will see the stowaway from Peru interviewed
about his right to remain in England.
The appeal of Michael Bond's Paddington books, which have sold more than
30 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, remains
undiminished after half a century.
But Mr Bond, 83, was said to be reluctant at the prospect of writing his
first novel about him for 29 years - unless he had a strong contemporary
storyline.
The new book is again set around their home at 32 Windsor Gardens,
Notting Hill, and revisits the stalls in Portobello Road where
Paddington shared cocoa and buns with another immigrant, Mr Gruber, the
Hungarian antiques dealer.
After being arrested, Paddington has no papers proving his identity
because his Aunt Lucy had arranged for him to hide on a ship's lifeboat
from Peru after she went to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima.
Mr Bond was working as a BBC cameraman when a bear he bought in
Selfridges for his wife on Christmas Eve inspired him to write the
original novel, in which the Brown family adopt the homeless bear when
they spot him amid a pile of mailbags at Paddington station.
Mr Bond has continued to write occasional short stories about his
best-loved creation since the publication of Paddington Takes the Test,
the last novel, in 1979.
He told theBookseller.com: "One of the very nice things about
chronicling Paddington's adventures is that although the world has
changed considerably over the past 30 years, he remains exactly the
same; eternally optimistic and ever open to what life has to offer. It
makes writing the stories a pleasure."
Paddington Here and Now will have a cover illustration by Peggy Fortnum,
85, who did the first drawings of Paddington. The 50th anniversary will
also be marked by reissues of the novels and picture books and a new
title, My Book of Marmalade.
20071201
POLICE RAID ANN ARBOR BOOKSTORE
Police raid book store near U-M
*Hundreds of books may have been stolen from other stores*
Friday, November 30, 2007
BY ART AISNER
*The Ann Arbor News *
Ann Arbor police seized hundreds of books Thursday from a used book
store near the University of Michigan campus as part of an investigation
into $40,000 worth of medical volumes reported stolen from another store
nearby, officials said.
Detectives searched David's Books, 516 E. William St., for about six
hours and seized between 800 and 1,000 books that they believe belonged
to Ulrich's Bookstore and possibly other stores, said Detective Sgt. Jim
Stephenson.
The raid came after a monthlong investigation into what police are
calling a large-scale retail fraud. The inquiry began after Ulrich's
employees discovered the unique medical books were missing during a
routine audit. Detectives learned some of the books were being resold on
the Internet.
With assistance from the department's special investigation unit,
detectives have identified two people believed to be involved in the
book thefts, but they have not yet been charged with any crimes,
Stephenson said.
They are not employees of David's Books, which sells a variety of used
books, and magazines.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us that needs to be done before we can
determine who is responsible for any criminal activity,'' Stephenson said.
The owners of David's Books, who could not be reached for comment, are
cooperating with police, he said. The store remains open for business.
Stephenson said detectives seized other merchandise that may have been
taken from other bookstores and that they are just beginning the
painstaking process of identifying the contents of dozens of boxes that
practically cover the floor of a large conference room.
"We're encouraging local bookstores to contact us about any recently
stolen property in order to attempt to identify where some of these
books came from,'' he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call detectives Bill Stanford at
734-997-1366 or Greg Jones at 734-994-3288.
Art Aisner can be reached at aaisner@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6823.
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1196453517167230.xml&coll=2
*Hundreds of books may have been stolen from other stores*
Friday, November 30, 2007
BY ART AISNER
*The Ann Arbor News *
Ann Arbor police seized hundreds of books Thursday from a used book
store near the University of Michigan campus as part of an investigation
into $40,000 worth of medical volumes reported stolen from another store
nearby, officials said.
Detectives searched David's Books, 516 E. William St., for about six
hours and seized between 800 and 1,000 books that they believe belonged
to Ulrich's Bookstore and possibly other stores, said Detective Sgt. Jim
Stephenson.
The raid came after a monthlong investigation into what police are
calling a large-scale retail fraud. The inquiry began after Ulrich's
employees discovered the unique medical books were missing during a
routine audit. Detectives learned some of the books were being resold on
the Internet.
With assistance from the department's special investigation unit,
detectives have identified two people believed to be involved in the
book thefts, but they have not yet been charged with any crimes,
Stephenson said.
They are not employees of David's Books, which sells a variety of used
books, and magazines.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us that needs to be done before we can
determine who is responsible for any criminal activity,'' Stephenson said.
The owners of David's Books, who could not be reached for comment, are
cooperating with police, he said. The store remains open for business.
Stephenson said detectives seized other merchandise that may have been
taken from other bookstores and that they are just beginning the
painstaking process of identifying the contents of dozens of boxes that
practically cover the floor of a large conference room.
"We're encouraging local bookstores to contact us about any recently
stolen property in order to attempt to identify where some of these
books came from,'' he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call detectives Bill Stanford at
734-997-1366 or Greg Jones at 734-994-3288.
Art Aisner can be reached at aaisner@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6823.
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1196453517167230.xml&coll=2
20071128
2007 11 Spam Poetry
It's like some sort of weird found poetry - more spam subjects
Subject: Sucks huh
Subject: immatchable gastromelus mildews
Subject: Souls And Saints
Subject: coanimate whipsawing arda
Subject: quayful schleimer invitational happen
Subject: Circle God Milk Cycle Ice
Subject: Chocolates Meteor Shop Elephant Rock
Subject: Room Leg Fruit Chief Meteor
Subject: Shop Software Festival Skeleton Garden
Subject: Square Maze Clock Skeleton Elephant Treadmill Fan
Subject: Gate Balloon Rocket Hose Fan Perfume Snail
Subject: Saddle Freeway Coffee Necklace Circus Vacuum Worm
Subject: Teeth Tapestry Spice Horoscope Horoscope Butterfly Freeway
Subject: left and a microclimate to raise a plate.
Subject: Gloves PaintBrush Car Videotape Kitchen Freeway School
Subject: Train Spice Cup Videotape Spice Umbrella Shoes
Subject: dockyard einsincere qed
Subject: Clock Television Room Videotape Bowl Junk Needle
Subject: Gate Rope Pocket Vulture Satellite Spice Vacuum
Subject: Salt Cappuccino Signature Child Chisel Rifle Rifle
Subject: Slave Data Base Backpack Woman Jet fighter
Subject: Rocket Potato Adult Shoes Child Gas Banana
Subject: Butterfly Fungus Horse Baby Computer Bible Dress
Subject: Bed Sports-car Skeleton Monster Album Saddle Mist
Subject: Shop Hammer Rainbow Rope Earth Knife Fungus
Subject: Skeleton Mouth Hose Boss Signature Leather jacket
Subject: Earth Monster Rocket Train Tiger Leg Flower
Subject: Gloves Family Needle Book Pants Egg Fungus
Subject: Sucks huh
Subject: immatchable gastromelus mildews
Subject: Souls And Saints
Subject: coanimate whipsawing arda
Subject: quayful schleimer invitational happen
Subject: Circle God Milk Cycle Ice
Subject: Chocolates Meteor Shop Elephant Rock
Subject: Room Leg Fruit Chief Meteor
Subject: Shop Software Festival Skeleton Garden
Subject: Square Maze Clock Skeleton Elephant Treadmill Fan
Subject: Gate Balloon Rocket Hose Fan Perfume Snail
Subject: Saddle Freeway Coffee Necklace Circus Vacuum Worm
Subject: Teeth Tapestry Spice Horoscope Horoscope Butterfly Freeway
Subject: left and a microclimate to raise a plate.
Subject: Gloves PaintBrush Car Videotape Kitchen Freeway School
Subject: Train Spice Cup Videotape Spice Umbrella Shoes
Subject: dockyard einsincere qed
Subject: Clock Television Room Videotape Bowl Junk Needle
Subject: Gate Rope Pocket Vulture Satellite Spice Vacuum
Subject: Salt Cappuccino Signature Child Chisel Rifle Rifle
Subject: Slave Data Base Backpack Woman Jet fighter
Subject: Rocket Potato Adult Shoes Child Gas Banana
Subject: Butterfly Fungus Horse Baby Computer Bible Dress
Subject: Bed Sports-car Skeleton Monster Album Saddle Mist
Subject: Shop Hammer Rainbow Rope Earth Knife Fungus
Subject: Skeleton Mouth Hose Boss Signature Leather jacket
Subject: Earth Monster Rocket Train Tiger Leg Flower
Subject: Gloves Family Needle Book Pants Egg Fungus
Dragonlance, Appleseed 2 DVDs
Paramount will release the animated Dragonlance: Dragons of the Autumn Twilight direct to DVD in January:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11683.html
Warner Home Video is releasing the new Appleseed movie, Appleseed: Ex Machina in March in both regular, HD DVD, and Blu-ray editions:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11684.html
20071126
Fwd: Spam
So I got this spam today - and the subject just cracks me up for some reason.
Subject: Rocket Potato Adult Shoes Child Gas Banana
Subject: Rocket Potato Adult Shoes Child Gas Banana
20071121
20071119
THE DARWIN AWARDS - November 2007
THE DARWIN AWARDS - November 2007
PERSONAL ACCOUNT: Hedge Your Bets (near miss)
2007, Ontario, Canada || My friend's daughter is a plastic surgeon
with expertise in reconstructive surgery. Recently a patient was
rushed into the hospital, needing a surgeon to reattach the tips
of his fingers to his left hand.
While taking the patient history, it was found that this bright chap
got the idea of holding his lawn mower sideways and applying it
to his hedge. He was holding the mower deck, trimming the hedge,
and things went well until the weight of the mower got to be
a bit much. He readjusted his grip on the mower deck, and
that was when the blade bit him.
When my friend's daughter was almost finished with the complex job
of sewing this patient back together, another patient came in with
the same injury! On investigation, it was found that he, too,
had been using his mower to trim his hedge. Apparently this man
was a neighbor of the first patient. He watched his neighbor
trim his hedge, and thought it was a bright idea.
DARWIN AWARD: ZAP!
(2003, California) John, a real estate attorney, was skimming leaves
from his pool when he noticed a palm frond caught in the power lines.
Years of education equipped John with enough reasoning power to
become a successful litigator. Yet his education did not equip him
with sufficient acumen to avoid becoming a toasty critter, when he
reached up with the long metal pole and poked at the palm frond.
John was, for once, the path of least resistance.
His family, perhaps as an homage to his litigation skills, sued
both the utility company and the pool supply store, which failed
to disclose the danger of using the pool skimmer on power lines.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2003-20.html
PERSONAL ACCOUNT: Hedge Your Bets (near miss)
2007, Ontario, Canada || My friend's daughter is a plastic surgeon
with expertise in reconstructive surgery. Recently a patient was
rushed into the hospital, needing a surgeon to reattach the tips
of his fingers to his left hand.
While taking the patient history, it was found that this bright chap
got the idea of holding his lawn mower sideways and applying it
to his hedge. He was holding the mower deck, trimming the hedge,
and things went well until the weight of the mower got to be
a bit much. He readjusted his grip on the mower deck, and
that was when the blade bit him.
When my friend's daughter was almost finished with the complex job
of sewing this patient back together, another patient came in with
the same injury! On investigation, it was found that he, too,
had been using his mower to trim his hedge. Apparently this man
was a neighbor of the first patient. He watched his neighbor
trim his hedge, and thought it was a bright idea.
DARWIN AWARD: ZAP!
(2003, California) John, a real estate attorney, was skimming leaves
from his pool when he noticed a palm frond caught in the power lines.
Years of education equipped John with enough reasoning power to
become a successful litigator. Yet his education did not equip him
with sufficient acumen to avoid becoming a toasty critter, when he
reached up with the long metal pole and poked at the palm frond.
John was, for once, the path of least resistance.
His family, perhaps as an homage to his litigation skills, sued
both the utility company and the pool supply store, which failed
to disclose the danger of using the pool skimmer on power lines.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2003-20.html
20071116
Burton in 3-D!
Tim Burton has signed a deal to produce two 3-D movies
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11643.html
Guinness & Books
Well there are books involved - and Guinness so it's double good.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2007/nov/08/guinnessadvert
20071106
20071102
Halloween 2007: Darwin Awards
THE DARWIN AWARDS - October 2007
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
WENDY's CORNER
Halloween is here. Below are two cautionary Halloween tales
about a Mummy and Count Dracula, a monumental game of Jenga
titled "Steel Steal," and a case of Beer for Bears.
DARWIN AWARDS: "Intelligent Design" BOOK 4 Now in Paperback!
123 NEW Stories. Available everywhere! Amazon price: $10.40
[ http://darwinawards.com/paperback ] An autographed bookplate
and free "Darwin Awards Fish" sticker are yours for the asking.
Mail your request (with an optional legal-sized SASE) to:
Wendy "Darwin" Northcutt
c/o Dutton Books 3rd Floor
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014 USA
FAQ: What is the Darwin Awards Fish? This fish up-ends the
classic Darwin Fish. It is a belly-up deceased fish, enclosing
the words, "Darwin Awards." To order Darwin Fish Emblems,
a Smoking Crater T-shirt, autographed books, and Darwin Awards
Condoms ("Keep Yourself Out of the Gene Pool") visit my new
store:
http://DarwinAwards.com/store
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Mummy Says, Don't Smoke
"Another Incentive to Kick the Habit"
For Halloween 1998, a Canadian man dressed as a mummy by wrapping
himself from head to toe in fluffy cotton batting. The cotton was
taped at the wrists and ankles, and white gloves and running shoes
completed his ensemble. As the mummy waited for his girlfriend
to dress for pictures, he carelessly lit a cigarette...
and the fluffy cotton burst into flames.
The reason for flame-retardant costumes became clear.
Firefighters arrived within minutes, yet already the mummy costume
was reduced to ashes, right down to the white coveralls underneath.
The man kept repeating, "It's my fault." He was taken to Soldier's
Memorial Hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns, where he died.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1998-11.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Steel Steal
"Gravity Still Works"
July 2007, Czech Republic | A pack of thieves attempted to steal
scrap metal from an abandoned factory in Kladno. Unfortunately
for them, they selected the steel girders that supported the
factory roof. When the roof supports were dismantled, the roof
fell, fatally crushing two thieves and injuring three others.
June 2007, Philippines | Three entrepreneurs planned to profit
from stolen scrap metal. They entered a former US military complex
and approached the prize: an abandoned water tank. Bedazzled by
the potential upside, the three threw logic to the wind, and began
to cut the metal legs out from under the tank. Guess where it fell?
Straight onto the thieves.
Darwin notes, "What are these thieves doing, playing a deadly
game of Jenga?! This entire category may soon become too common,
in violation of the Rule of Excellence. See Scrap Metal Thieves
and Barn Demolition."
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-09.html
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-02.html
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1997-03.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
UNCONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Death of Dracula
1994 | A college student dressed up as Dracula for Halloween. For
the finishing touch, he put a pine board down the front of his
shirt, so he could stick a knife into the board and pretend he was
transfixed with a killing stake. He didn't consider the strength
of the thin pine board when he tapped in the knife with a hammer.
Propelled by the force of the hammer, the sharp knife tip split
the soft wood and buried itself in his heart. He staggered from
his dorm room into the party, gasping, "I really did it!"
before succumbing before horrified friends.
REFERENCE: Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William R. Maples, Ph.D., 1994
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-09.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Beer for Bears
August 2007, Serbia | It's well known that alcohol impairs judgement.
It's well known that carnivorous wild animals and humans don't mix.
What happens when we combine all three? One might expect men, bears,
and beer to combine with lethal consequences. Such was the case for
a 23-year old man who inadvertently fed himself to Masha and Misha
at the Belgrade Zoo.
The Zoo director said of the incident, "Only an idiot
would jump into the bear cage."
The man's naked, mauled corpse was found inside the bear habitat, along
with several mobile phones, bricks, and plenty of beer cans. His clothes
were completely undamaged, suggesting that he approached the bears
bare-naked. The bears, fearing that his intentions were as dishonorable
as they were ill-informed, meted out a summary justice.
Later, Masha and Misha "reacted angrily" when keepers tried to recover
the man's corpse, but were eventually persuaded to give up their tasty
prize. We await word on how many beers were bartered for the body.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-08.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
Copyright 2007 DarwinAwards.com -- Be safe!
Forward this newsletter to friends.
---
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
You are subscribed to the The Darwin Awards
as: darwin@JabberwockLand.net
DARWIN NEWSLETTER SERVER COMMANDS
SUBSCRIBE: <subscribe@darwinawards.com>
CANCEL: <cancel@darwinawards.com>
HELP: <help@darwinawards.com>
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
WENDY's CORNER
Halloween is here. Below are two cautionary Halloween tales
about a Mummy and Count Dracula, a monumental game of Jenga
titled "Steel Steal," and a case of Beer for Bears.
DARWIN AWARDS: "Intelligent Design" BOOK 4 Now in Paperback!
123 NEW Stories. Available everywhere! Amazon price: $10.40
[ http://darwinawards.com/paperback ] An autographed bookplate
and free "Darwin Awards Fish" sticker are yours for the asking.
Mail your request (with an optional legal-sized SASE) to:
Wendy "Darwin" Northcutt
c/o Dutton Books 3rd Floor
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014 USA
FAQ: What is the Darwin Awards Fish? This fish up-ends the
classic Darwin Fish. It is a belly-up deceased fish, enclosing
the words, "Darwin Awards." To order Darwin Fish Emblems,
a Smoking Crater T-shirt, autographed books, and Darwin Awards
Condoms ("Keep Yourself Out of the Gene Pool") visit my new
store:
http://DarwinAwards.com/store
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Mummy Says, Don't Smoke
"Another Incentive to Kick the Habit"
For Halloween 1998, a Canadian man dressed as a mummy by wrapping
himself from head to toe in fluffy cotton batting. The cotton was
taped at the wrists and ankles, and white gloves and running shoes
completed his ensemble. As the mummy waited for his girlfriend
to dress for pictures, he carelessly lit a cigarette...
and the fluffy cotton burst into flames.
The reason for flame-retardant costumes became clear.
Firefighters arrived within minutes, yet already the mummy costume
was reduced to ashes, right down to the white coveralls underneath.
The man kept repeating, "It's my fault." He was taken to Soldier's
Memorial Hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns, where he died.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1998-11.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Steel Steal
"Gravity Still Works"
July 2007, Czech Republic | A pack of thieves attempted to steal
scrap metal from an abandoned factory in Kladno. Unfortunately
for them, they selected the steel girders that supported the
factory roof. When the roof supports were dismantled, the roof
fell, fatally crushing two thieves and injuring three others.
June 2007, Philippines | Three entrepreneurs planned to profit
from stolen scrap metal. They entered a former US military complex
and approached the prize: an abandoned water tank. Bedazzled by
the potential upside, the three threw logic to the wind, and began
to cut the metal legs out from under the tank. Guess where it fell?
Straight onto the thieves.
Darwin notes, "What are these thieves doing, playing a deadly
game of Jenga?! This entire category may soon become too common,
in violation of the Rule of Excellence. See Scrap Metal Thieves
and Barn Demolition."
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-09.html
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-02.html
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1997-03.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
UNCONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Death of Dracula
1994 | A college student dressed up as Dracula for Halloween. For
the finishing touch, he put a pine board down the front of his
shirt, so he could stick a knife into the board and pretend he was
transfixed with a killing stake. He didn't consider the strength
of the thin pine board when he tapped in the knife with a hammer.
Propelled by the force of the hammer, the sharp knife tip split
the soft wood and buried itself in his heart. He staggered from
his dorm room into the party, gasping, "I really did it!"
before succumbing before horrified friends.
REFERENCE: Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William R. Maples, Ph.D., 1994
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-09.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
CONFIRMED DARWIN AWARD: Beer for Bears
August 2007, Serbia | It's well known that alcohol impairs judgement.
It's well known that carnivorous wild animals and humans don't mix.
What happens when we combine all three? One might expect men, bears,
and beer to combine with lethal consequences. Such was the case for
a 23-year old man who inadvertently fed himself to Masha and Misha
at the Belgrade Zoo.
The Zoo director said of the incident, "Only an idiot
would jump into the bear cage."
The man's naked, mauled corpse was found inside the bear habitat, along
with several mobile phones, bricks, and plenty of beer cans. His clothes
were completely undamaged, suggesting that he approached the bears
bare-naked. The bears, fearing that his intentions were as dishonorable
as they were ill-informed, meted out a summary justice.
Later, Masha and Misha "reacted angrily" when keepers tried to recover
the man's corpse, but were eventually persuaded to give up their tasty
prize. We await word on how many beers were bartered for the body.
http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2007-08.html
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
Copyright 2007 DarwinAwards.com -- Be safe!
Forward this newsletter to friends.
---
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
You are subscribed to the The Darwin Awards
as: darwin@JabberwockLand.net
DARWIN NEWSLETTER SERVER COMMANDS
SUBSCRIBE: <subscribe@darwinawards.com>
CANCEL: <cancel@darwinawards.com>
HELP: <help@darwinawards.com>
--------------------------------------------+---+-+---+-+-+-+-+
20071028
When I was your age, Pluto was a planet.
Pluto, we salute you. (February 18, 1930 - August 24, 2006)
20071027
20071016
Fwd: CARDIOLOGIST'S FUNERAL
CARDIOLOGIST'S FUNERAL
A cardiologist died and was given an elaborate funeral.
A huge heart covered in flowers stood behind the casket during
the service.
Following the eulogy, the heart opened, and the casket
rolled inside. The heart then closed, sealing the doctor in the
beautiful heart forever.
At that point, one of the mourners burst into laughter.
When all eyes stared at him, he said, "I'm sorry, I was just
thinking of my own funeral.........I'm a gynecologist."
The proctologist fainted.
20071006
Brats
I suppose it was worthwhile since the mom bought a pile of kids books, but those boys were a terror playing with their lizards all over, and pulling books out of the shelves....
20070915
20070911
20070908
Gah!, lady comes in, first off with a big open cup of tea or something, and she keeps setting it on the shelf, okay, she didn't spill it, but yikes, then! she's looking in the romance, and shuffling stacks around getting things all out of order, She can't find an author, so I carefully point out that the books are organized alphabetically by the authors last name (or at least they were until she got into them), so if she's looking for an author whose name begins with an 'S' she should look under the sign that says 'Romance S' not where it says 'Romance B', I decline to comment on her yelling for assistance from across the store, but she's lucky I even heard her as books make fairly good sound baffles. Astoundingly she actually gets some books (for trade of course), I was beginning to wonder about her ability to read...
20070902
20070828
20070826
20070824
pirate-DVD nabbing dogs
Malaysia awards medals to pirate-DVD nabbing dogs
Reuters
Published on ZDNet News: Aug 20, 2007 9:35:00 AM
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6203411.html?tag=nl.e550
Two dogs trained to sniff out DVDs received medals from the Malaysian
government on Monday for a five-month campaign that crippled movie
pirates.
Lucky and Flo, black Labradors trained to detect the chemicals used in
making DVDs, were the first animals to receive the outstanding service
awards for finding discs stockpiled by pirates, the Motion Picture
Association said in a statement.
The canine campaign led to 26 arrests and seizures of illegal discs
worth more than $6 million.
"The dogs have proven to be a major asset in our fight against the
pirates, and we intend to continue what Lucky and Flo have set in
motion," S Veerasingam, Malaysia's deputy minister for domestic trade
and consumer affairs, said in the statement.
Malaysia, which figures on a U.S. watchlist on piracy, has
dramatically stepped up efforts to rein in copyright pirates as it
negotiates a free-trade pact with Washington.
The success of Lucky and Flo has prompted the ministry to set up its
own canine unit to fight the pirates, and the MPA, which arranged for
their trial by Malaysian officials, plans to donate two new dogs to
the unit by the end of the year.
Movie pirates even put a bounty of 100,000 ringgit ($28,560) on Lucky
and Flo after they busted a fake DVD ring in the southern Johor state
in March, the MPA said. Since then, the dogs have been closely
guarded.
Lucky and Flo's next stop on their crime-fighting tour is a visit to
New York, followed by a trip to Toronto for an appearance at a film
festival, said the MPA, which groups six major Hollywood film
companies.
The MPA groups Walt Disney's Buena Vista; Paramount Pictures, a unit
of Viacom; Sony Pictures, a unit of Sony; Twentieth Century Fox, a
unit of News Corp.; Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric's
NBC Universal; and Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner.
The group estimates that copyright theft cost its members about $1.2
billion in lost revenue in the Asia-Pacific region last year, with
annual worldwide losses of $6 billion.
Reuters
Published on ZDNet News: Aug 20, 2007 9:35:00 AM
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6203411.html?tag=nl.e550
Two dogs trained to sniff out DVDs received medals from the Malaysian
government on Monday for a five-month campaign that crippled movie
pirates.
Lucky and Flo, black Labradors trained to detect the chemicals used in
making DVDs, were the first animals to receive the outstanding service
awards for finding discs stockpiled by pirates, the Motion Picture
Association said in a statement.
The canine campaign led to 26 arrests and seizures of illegal discs
worth more than $6 million.
"The dogs have proven to be a major asset in our fight against the
pirates, and we intend to continue what Lucky and Flo have set in
motion," S Veerasingam, Malaysia's deputy minister for domestic trade
and consumer affairs, said in the statement.
Malaysia, which figures on a U.S. watchlist on piracy, has
dramatically stepped up efforts to rein in copyright pirates as it
negotiates a free-trade pact with Washington.
The success of Lucky and Flo has prompted the ministry to set up its
own canine unit to fight the pirates, and the MPA, which arranged for
their trial by Malaysian officials, plans to donate two new dogs to
the unit by the end of the year.
Movie pirates even put a bounty of 100,000 ringgit ($28,560) on Lucky
and Flo after they busted a fake DVD ring in the southern Johor state
in March, the MPA said. Since then, the dogs have been closely
guarded.
Lucky and Flo's next stop on their crime-fighting tour is a visit to
New York, followed by a trip to Toronto for an appearance at a film
festival, said the MPA, which groups six major Hollywood film
companies.
The MPA groups Walt Disney's Buena Vista; Paramount Pictures, a unit
of Viacom; Sony Pictures, a unit of Sony; Twentieth Century Fox, a
unit of News Corp.; Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric's
NBC Universal; and Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner.
The group estimates that copyright theft cost its members about $1.2
billion in lost revenue in the Asia-Pacific region last year, with
annual worldwide losses of $6 billion.
20070822
20070817
Fourth Ed. D&D!!!
Wizards of the Coast has unveiled Fourth Edition Dungeons and Dragons:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11123.html
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11123.html
20070723
Check your potter books, are a few reports of misprinted copies, with pages 643-674 missing at end, and some with skips from page 642 to page 707 to 730 then back to page 675.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6462186.html?nid=2286&source=link&rid=1097279302
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6462186.html?nid=2286&source=link&rid=1097279302
20070708
20070706
20070704
20070703
20070629
More George Carlin
Here's another question I've been pondering -- what is all this shit about angels? Have you heard this? Three out of four people belive in angels. Are you fucking stupid? Has everybody lost their mind? You know what I think it is? I think it's a massive, collective, psychotic chemical flashback for all the drugs smoked, swallowed, shot, and obsorbed rectally by all Americans from 1960 to 1990. Thirty years of street drugs will get you some fucking angels, my friend!
What about Goblins, huh? Doesn't anybody belive in Goblins? You never hear about this. Except on Halloween and then it's all negative shit. And what about Zombies? You never hear from Zombies! That's the trouble with Zombies, they're unreliable! I say if you're going to go for the Angel bullshit you might as well go for the Zombie package as well.
GEORGE CARLIN on Fencing
GEORGE CARLIN AND SPORTS
Fencing. Faggoty college shit. Also this activity isn't a sport, because you can't gamble on it. Anything you can't gamble on can't be a sport. When was the last time you made a fuckin' fencing bet?
Fencing. Faggoty college shit. Also this activity isn't a sport, because you can't gamble on it. Anything you can't gamble on can't be a sport. When was the last time you made a fuckin' fencing bet?
20070628
Very Very Very Very Short Stories
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html
Wired
We'll be brief: Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words ("For sale: baby shoes, never
worn.") and is said to have called it his best work. So we asked sci-fi, fantasy, and horror
writers from the realms of books, TV, movies, and games to take a shot themselves.
Dozens of our favorite auteurs put their words to paper, and five master graphic designers
took them to the drawing board. Sure, Arthur C. Clarke refused to trim his ("God said,
'Cancel Program GENESIS.' The universe ceased to exist."), but the rest are concise
masterpieces.
Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket.
- William Shatner
Computer, did we bring batteries? Computer?
- Eileen Gunn
Vacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love.
- David Brin
Gown removed carelessly. Head, less so.
- Joss Whedon
Automobile warranty expires. So does engine.
- Stan Lee
Machine. Unexpectedly, I'd invented a time
- Alan Moore
Longed for him. Got him. Shit.
- Margaret Atwood
His penis snapped off; he's pregnant!
- Rudy Rucker
From torched skyscrapers, men grew wings.
- Gregory Maguire
Internet "wakes up?" Ridicu -
no carrier.
- Charles Stross
With bloody hands, I say good-bye.
- Frank Miller
Wasted day. Wasted life. Dessert, please.
- Steven Meretzky
"Cellar?" "Gate to, uh … hell, actually."
- Ronald D. Moore
Epitaph: Foolish humans, never escaped Earth.
- Vernor Vinge
It cost too much, staying human.
- Bruce Sterling
We kissed. She melted. Mop please!
- James Patrick Kelly
It's behind you! Hurry before it
- Rockne S. O'Bannon
I'm your future, child. Don't cry.
- Stephen Baxter
1940: Young Hitler! Such a cantor!
- Michael Moorcock
Lie detector eyeglasses perfected: Civilization collapses.
- Richard Powers
I'm dead. I've missed you. Kiss … ?
- Neil Gaiman
The baby's blood type? Human, mostly.
- Orson Scott Card
Kirby had never eaten toes before.
- Kevin Smith
Rained, rained, rained, and never stopped.
- Howard Waldrop
To save humankind he died again.
- Ben Bova
We went solar; sun went nova.
- Ken MacLeod
Husband, transgenic mistress; wife: "You cow!"
- Paul Di Filippo
"I couldn't believe she'd shoot me."
- Howard Chaykin
Don't marry her. Buy a house.
- Stephen R. Donaldson
Broken heart, 45, WLTM disabled man.
- Mark Millar
TIME MACHINE REACHES FUTURE!!! … nobody there …
- Harry Harrison
Tick tock tick tock tick tick.
- Neal Stephenson
Easy. Just touch the match to
- Ursula K. Le Guin
Special Web-only edition: We were unable to include these 59 stories in the print magazine.
New genes demand expression -- third eye.
- Greg Bear
K.I.A. Baghdad, Aged 18 - Closed Casket
- Richard K. Morgan
WORLD'S END. Sic transit gloria Monday.
- Gregory Benford
Epitaph: He shouldn't have fed it.
- Brian Herbert
Batman Sues Batsignal: Demands Trademark Royalties.
- Cory Doctorow
Heaven falls. Details at eleven.
- Robert Jordan
Bush told the truth. Hell froze.
- William Gibson
whorl. Help! I'm caught in a time
- Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel
Nevertheless, he tried a third time.
- James P. Blaylock
God to Earth: "Cry more, noobs!"
- Marc Laidlaw
Help! Trapped in a text adventure!
- Marc Laidlaw
Thought I was right. I wasn't.
- Graeme Gibson
Lost, then found. Too bad.
- Graeme Gibson
Three to Iraq. One came back.
- Graeme Gibson
Rapture postponed. Ark demanded! Which one?
- David Brin
Dinosaurs return. Want their oil back.
- David Brin
Bang postponed. Not Big enough. Reboot.
- David Brin
Temporal recursion. I'm dad and mom?
- David Brin
Time Avenger's mistaken! It wasn't me...
- David Brin
Democracy postponed. Whence franchise? Ask Diebold...
- David Brin
Cyborg seeks egg donor, object ___.
- David Brin
Deadline postponed. Five words enough...?
- David Brin
Metrosexuals notwithstanding, quiche still lacks something.
- David Brin
Brevity's virtue? Wired saves adspace. Subscribe!
- David Brin
Death postponed. Metastasized cells got organized.
- David Brin
Microsoft gave us Word. Fiat lux?
- David Brin
Mind of its own. Damn lawnmower.
- David Brin
Singularity postponed. Datum missing. Query Godoogle?
- David Brin
Please, this is everything, I swear.
- Orson Scott Card
I saw, darling, but do lie.
- Orson Scott Card
Osama's time machine: President Gore concerned.
- Charles Stross
Sum of all fears: AND patented.
- Charles Stross
Ships fire; princess weeps, between stars.
- Charles Stross
Mozilla devastates Redmond, Google's nuke implicated.
- Charles Stross
Will this do (lazy writer asked)?
- Ken MacLeod
Cryonics: Disney thawed. Mickey gnawed. Omigawd.
- Eileen Gunn
WIRED stimulates the planet: Utopia blossoms!
- Paul Di Filippo
Clones demand rights: second Emancipation Proclamation.
- Paul Di Filippo
MUD avatars rebel: virtual Independence Day.
- Paul Di Filippo
We crossed the border; they killed us.
- Howard Waldrop
H-bombs dropped; we all died.
- Howard Waldrop
Your house is mine: soft revolution.
- Howard Waldrop
Warskiing; log; prop in face.
- Howard Waldrop
The Axis in WWII: haiku! Gesundheit.
- Howard Waldrop
Salinger story: three koans in fountain.
- Howard Waldrop
Finally, he had no more words.
- Gregory Maguire
There were only six words left.
- Gregory Maguire
In the beginning was the word.
- Gregory Maguire
Commas, see, add, like, nada, okay?
- Gregory Maguire
Weeping, Bush misheard Cheney's deathbed advice.
- Gregory Maguire
Corpse parts missing. Doctor buys yacht.
- Margaret Atwood
Starlet sex scandal. Giant squid involved.
- Margaret Atwood
He read his obituary with confusion.
- Steven Meretzky
Time traveler's thought: "What's the password?"
- Steven Meretzky
I win lottery. Sun goes nova.
- Steven Meretzky
Steve ignores editor's word limit and
- Steven Meretzky
Leia: "Baby's yours." Luke: "Bad news…"
- Steven Meretzky
Parallel universe. Bush, destitute, joins army.
- Steven Meretzky
Dorothy: "Fuck it, I'll stay here."
- Steven Meretzky
20070627
20070625
20070620
OJ If I Did it
http://www.scribd.com/doc/121908/OJ-Simpson-If-I-Did-It
Not really graphic or anything - but stomach churning none-the-less.
Not really graphic or anything - but stomach churning none-the-less.
Atari
Atari cast-offs could be treasure trove for East Bay man
By Chris Metinko
MediaNews
San Jose Mercury News
Article Launched:06/20/2007 10:04:12 AM PDT
Before "Halo," "World of Warcraft" or any "Grand Theft Auto," there
was "Pole Position," "Donkey Kong," and yes - everyone's favorite -
"Dig Dug."
And Cort Allen has the documents, designs and diagrams to prove it -
at least for another day.
On Thursday, his collection of all-things Atari goes up for bid at
Sotheby's New York. It is expected to sell for between $150,000 and
$250,000.
Allen, 60, a Pleasanton resident and semiconductor design consultant,
laughs at the estimated sale price. Back in 1985, he just thought it
was a lot of cool stuff.
At that time, Allen was looking for used furniture for his new Quest
Consulting company and he stopped in Sunnyvale at an office equipment
fire sale for Atari which had gone belly up.
"I saw these cabinets and told the guy, "I want to buy these
cabinets,'" Allen remembered. "They were full of all this original
artwork for the game cartridges and the original manual writeups.
"The guy said, "Sure, let me just clean them out for you, and I said,
`No, no I want that stuff,'" Allen recalled.
"He said, "Why? It's junk," Allen said. "And I said, 'Yeah, but it's
cool junk.'"
Allen paid $2 for each of the 40 cabinets, each chockful of Atari 2600
pixelated goodness, which included drafts for a manual for the game
"Robotron 2084," classic artwork from "Dig Dug" and early images of
such characters such as Mario and Donkey Kong, for Atari versions of
the Nintendo games.
"I used to look at that stuff a lot," Allen said.
Since that time, Allen said he's moved the 350 pounds of video game
history around his house, from closet, to shelves to garage - all much
to his wife's chagrin.
"My wife's so thrilled" with the auction," Allen said. "She'll
probably even be happier Thursday when she knows it's gone for good."
Allen too is looking forward to Thursday. While he loves his
collection of Atari artifacts, he also loves the numbers Sotheby's has
told him he might get from his auction.
"Honestly, I thought maybe it was worth a couple of thousand dollars,"
he said. "When I found out how much they were estimating it at, I
couldn't believe it.
"It's one of those things where I said I'd never part with it. Then
somebody comes along and makes you an offer you can't believe and you
say, 'Sold,'" Allen said with a laugh.
Allen, who still owns an original Atari 2600, said if the video game
documents get the right bid, he's hoping to use the money to help pay
off his kids' college bills.
"It's really great stuff," Allen said. "It's the history of Atari. I
used to look at it quite a bit. But I'm OK parting with it now. I'm
tired of moving it around my house."
By Chris Metinko
MediaNews
San Jose Mercury News
Article Launched:06/20/2007 10:04:12 AM PDT
Before "Halo," "World of Warcraft" or any "Grand Theft Auto," there
was "Pole Position," "Donkey Kong," and yes - everyone's favorite -
"Dig Dug."
And Cort Allen has the documents, designs and diagrams to prove it -
at least for another day.
On Thursday, his collection of all-things Atari goes up for bid at
Sotheby's New York. It is expected to sell for between $150,000 and
$250,000.
Allen, 60, a Pleasanton resident and semiconductor design consultant,
laughs at the estimated sale price. Back in 1985, he just thought it
was a lot of cool stuff.
At that time, Allen was looking for used furniture for his new Quest
Consulting company and he stopped in Sunnyvale at an office equipment
fire sale for Atari which had gone belly up.
"I saw these cabinets and told the guy, "I want to buy these
cabinets,'" Allen remembered. "They were full of all this original
artwork for the game cartridges and the original manual writeups.
"The guy said, "Sure, let me just clean them out for you, and I said,
`No, no I want that stuff,'" Allen recalled.
"He said, "Why? It's junk," Allen said. "And I said, 'Yeah, but it's
cool junk.'"
Allen paid $2 for each of the 40 cabinets, each chockful of Atari 2600
pixelated goodness, which included drafts for a manual for the game
"Robotron 2084," classic artwork from "Dig Dug" and early images of
such characters such as Mario and Donkey Kong, for Atari versions of
the Nintendo games.
"I used to look at that stuff a lot," Allen said.
Since that time, Allen said he's moved the 350 pounds of video game
history around his house, from closet, to shelves to garage - all much
to his wife's chagrin.
"My wife's so thrilled" with the auction," Allen said. "She'll
probably even be happier Thursday when she knows it's gone for good."
Allen too is looking forward to Thursday. While he loves his
collection of Atari artifacts, he also loves the numbers Sotheby's has
told him he might get from his auction.
"Honestly, I thought maybe it was worth a couple of thousand dollars,"
he said. "When I found out how much they were estimating it at, I
couldn't believe it.
"It's one of those things where I said I'd never part with it. Then
somebody comes along and makes you an offer you can't believe and you
say, 'Sold,'" Allen said with a laugh.
Allen, who still owns an original Atari 2600, said if the video game
documents get the right bid, he's hoping to use the money to help pay
off his kids' college bills.
"It's really great stuff," Allen said. "It's the history of Atari. I
used to look at it quite a bit. But I'm OK parting with it now. I'm
tired of moving it around my house."
20070615
20070609
Wrong Trousers Day 2007
Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers Day is fast approaching. On Friday 29th June you can join thousands of people across the country and get your kit on to raise money for children in hospitals and hospices all around the UK.
You decide what to wear; your favourite football kit, tennis shorts or cricket whites, the choice is yours, just have fun! If your organisation has a strict uniform policy you can simply wear one of our great Wrong Trousers Day stickers to show your support.
To register to take part and receive your fantastic Wallace & Gromit Fundraising pack please log on to
http://www.wrongtrousersday.org/
Thank you for taking part and have lots of fun!
Nick Park
Trustee of Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation
Creator of Wallace & Gromit
Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers Day raises funds for Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation, which supports children's healthcare throughout the UK.
You decide what to wear; your favourite football kit, tennis shorts or cricket whites, the choice is yours, just have fun! If your organisation has a strict uniform policy you can simply wear one of our great Wrong Trousers Day stickers to show your support.
To register to take part and receive your fantastic Wallace & Gromit Fundraising pack please log on to
http://www.wrongtrousersday.org/
Thank you for taking part and have lots of fun!
Nick Park
Trustee of Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation
Creator of Wallace & Gromit
Wallace & Gromit's Wrong Trousers Day raises funds for Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation, which supports children's healthcare throughout the UK.
20070608
the smell
Guy comes in the store sniffing and says "My, it smells good in here, like wood. That alone is a reason to return"
20070607
20070606
20070605
20070603
New York, USA to Paris, France
go to Google.com maps
http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl
click on get directions
put in from New York, usa to Paris, France
check out direction #21
http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl
click on get directions
put in from New York, usa to Paris, France
check out direction #21
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)