Saturday, November 29, 2008
Funny Signs Ahead
You may remember back in my series about England about a year ago I posted a road sign or two that was (were) sort of "odd." One of the signs I talked about, one mentioning "humped zebra crossing," made it into a new book from my friends Mark and Megan. Tami took the picture as I was driving. If you want to know what it really means, you can write to me and I'll tell you. It's really pretty mundane, but the sign certainly looks odd. If you click the title of this post you'll be taken to Amazon, where you can look inside the book and order yourself a copy. Or two. Three, maybe. They make good stocking stuffers, you know.
The book has 201 odd photographs taken along the highways of North America and other continents as well. (Leicestershire isn't technically on a continent at all, come to think of it.) There are some excellent dirty jokes (and I wonder if the sign-maker knew.) Check it out: there's plenty of time to get one or more for holiday giving! G-head! You'll be glad you did!
The book has 201 odd photographs taken along the highways of North America and other continents as well. (Leicestershire isn't technically on a continent at all, come to think of it.) There are some excellent dirty jokes (and I wonder if the sign-maker knew.) Check it out: there's plenty of time to get one or more for holiday giving! G-head! You'll be glad you did!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Quantum of Solace
Just got back from seeing Quantum of Solace.
This movie has gotten bad reviews, but I don't know why. Fights, car chases, explosions, much angst, I mean, what the heck do you want from a Bond flick? I liked it.
This movie has gotten bad reviews, but I don't know why. Fights, car chases, explosions, much angst, I mean, what the heck do you want from a Bond flick? I liked it.
Labels: Reviews
Friday, November 21, 2008
Today's Headline
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Hillerman in Albuquerque
The reason I wimped out, er, failed to post last week was that I was in Albuquerque attending the Tony Hillerman Writers' Conference Focus on Mystery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I've been a fan of Hillerman ever since I read the first of his Navajo stories. He died a month before the conference, which is a crying shame, but he leaves a wonderful body of work for fans to enjoy for a long time. I can say that he was remarkably accurate in his portrayal of both the place and people of the four corners area. I've visited the Navajo in their homes, and found them to be funny, generous, and reserved, not necessarily in that order. All of which is by way of background to me going to that particular conference.
At the conference I won a book by Louis Bayard titled Mr. Timothy. Now that is one fine book, and Mr. Bayard signed it for me while I waited. That was a highlight. If you like a good thriller and have an interest in Victorian London, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Mr. Timothy is Tiny Tim, all grown up and still having issues with his dead father. And it's a good thriller, too.
The conference was good, but I'm not sure it was worth all the fuss and expense of going all the way to Albuquerque for. Not that Albuquerque is not a nice place, because it is, but it is a long way from Las Vegas Nevada. (It's not far at all from Las Vegas, New Mexico.) It was interesting to ride on Interstate 25 again, as for many years that was the North-South main road through my town. And New Mexico is a beautiful place, to the point of feeling sort of weird. The workshops at the conference were good, but not as nuts-and-bolts as I'd expected, or would have liked. I did learn some things, especially about publishing mysteries, and also about making villains sympathetic, which is an important thing to do, of course. I mean, who doesn't love Doctor No? Exactly, nobody. He's a popular, if consummately evil, guy, and a fitting foil for Bond, James Bond.
Still, for the money, I'd have liked more hands-on instruction, but if I'd gone down from Denver I'd have probably loved it. Denver is closer to New Mexico in several important ways than is Las Vegas.
Albuquerque is a small town of 850,000 people, many of them surprising. For instance, the driver of the shuttle taking us to the airport after the conference, when I said "Eh voila!" just like in Fractured Fairy Tales on Bullwinkle, made the proper response, which is "Nous Avaunt Arrive'". Of course in the original that's all one sentence uttered by a magical French talking duck. Then he told me, in beautiful French, that he'd studied French and lived there for a time, and learned the language well. Indeed he had.
Well, I did have a good time, although the hotel featured Starbucks coffee, which I've never liked, but other than that, I did learn some things and enjoyed the company of like-minded literary fools. It's a small conference, but nicely done. I probably won't attend next year, but I am planning to enter their contest. Why not? A man from Vegas won this year, so I'll go for two in a row.
As for Albuquerque, they love books. Just look at this picture I took with my phone on Central Avenue if you don't believe me.
Steve
At the conference I won a book by Louis Bayard titled Mr. Timothy. Now that is one fine book, and Mr. Bayard signed it for me while I waited. That was a highlight. If you like a good thriller and have an interest in Victorian London, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Mr. Timothy is Tiny Tim, all grown up and still having issues with his dead father. And it's a good thriller, too.
The conference was good, but I'm not sure it was worth all the fuss and expense of going all the way to Albuquerque for. Not that Albuquerque is not a nice place, because it is, but it is a long way from Las Vegas Nevada. (It's not far at all from Las Vegas, New Mexico.) It was interesting to ride on Interstate 25 again, as for many years that was the North-South main road through my town. And New Mexico is a beautiful place, to the point of feeling sort of weird. The workshops at the conference were good, but not as nuts-and-bolts as I'd expected, or would have liked. I did learn some things, especially about publishing mysteries, and also about making villains sympathetic, which is an important thing to do, of course. I mean, who doesn't love Doctor No? Exactly, nobody. He's a popular, if consummately evil, guy, and a fitting foil for Bond, James Bond.
Still, for the money, I'd have liked more hands-on instruction, but if I'd gone down from Denver I'd have probably loved it. Denver is closer to New Mexico in several important ways than is Las Vegas.
Albuquerque is a small town of 850,000 people, many of them surprising. For instance, the driver of the shuttle taking us to the airport after the conference, when I said "Eh voila!" just like in Fractured Fairy Tales on Bullwinkle, made the proper response, which is "Nous Avaunt Arrive'". Of course in the original that's all one sentence uttered by a magical French talking duck. Then he told me, in beautiful French, that he'd studied French and lived there for a time, and learned the language well. Indeed he had.
Well, I did have a good time, although the hotel featured Starbucks coffee, which I've never liked, but other than that, I did learn some things and enjoyed the company of like-minded literary fools. It's a small conference, but nicely done. I probably won't attend next year, but I am planning to enter their contest. Why not? A man from Vegas won this year, so I'll go for two in a row.
As for Albuquerque, they love books. Just look at this picture I took with my phone on Central Avenue if you don't believe me.
Steve
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
I Told You So
Yes, I did correctly predict the outcome of this presidential election on June 18th. The link under the title of this post will take you to my unedited prediction. So, I really did tell you so. So there!
And now, as a service to those who just can't stand the thought of a President Obama, I offer the following. As in the late 1860s, when some people left the country for another country to the south, some of you may wish to do that yourselves. If so, here's a link to a Wikipedia article that you may find useful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Mexico
Now, if you're serious, here's a link to actual information and resources to set the process in motion:
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/fqimig.html
Now, why would I be so snide? Well, it has to do with the casual way that some folks calling themselves "conservatives" have dismissed people like myself. Here are some sad facts, if that includes you.
Most of the country lives in cities. True, we don't know the difficulties of rural living, but then neither do most Americans. We have, for example, African-American citizens who we see, and work with, every day. Nothing in particular happens as a result. Know what else? We have people who primarily know a language other than English, and they're common as anything. In the really up-and-coming parts of the country, Latino people are not a minority. They're sometimes even a plurality, which is the most any ethnic group gets in our part of America these days. Yes, my country friends, there is no majority ethnicity where I live. We're stuck finding ways to get along with people no matter where they or their ancestors came from.
It is not normal to live in Alaska. At all. There are fewer people in Alaska than in the city of Las Vegas Nevada. And Las Vegas is only a bit over a quarter of the people in Clark County. Alaska is a beautiful place, but it isn't typical in any sense of the word. If it were, it wouldn't be special. They do take more tax money than they contribute on a Federal level, so of course they hate us urbanites who pay for their roads and bridges. Why shouldn't they? (Go ahead, I dare you to answer that one.)
The rising generation believes in working together for a common cause. That's not a boomer thing, but it's a sensible thing. Frankly, the boomer day was mercifully short. Clinton, then Bush. I'd have hated to slip any further, if you get my drift.
So, once again, I told you so!
Steve
And now, as a service to those who just can't stand the thought of a President Obama, I offer the following. As in the late 1860s, when some people left the country for another country to the south, some of you may wish to do that yourselves. If so, here's a link to a Wikipedia article that you may find useful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Mexico
Now, if you're serious, here's a link to actual information and resources to set the process in motion:
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/fqimig.html
Now, why would I be so snide? Well, it has to do with the casual way that some folks calling themselves "conservatives" have dismissed people like myself. Here are some sad facts, if that includes you.
Most of the country lives in cities. True, we don't know the difficulties of rural living, but then neither do most Americans. We have, for example, African-American citizens who we see, and work with, every day. Nothing in particular happens as a result. Know what else? We have people who primarily know a language other than English, and they're common as anything. In the really up-and-coming parts of the country, Latino people are not a minority. They're sometimes even a plurality, which is the most any ethnic group gets in our part of America these days. Yes, my country friends, there is no majority ethnicity where I live. We're stuck finding ways to get along with people no matter where they or their ancestors came from.
It is not normal to live in Alaska. At all. There are fewer people in Alaska than in the city of Las Vegas Nevada. And Las Vegas is only a bit over a quarter of the people in Clark County. Alaska is a beautiful place, but it isn't typical in any sense of the word. If it were, it wouldn't be special. They do take more tax money than they contribute on a Federal level, so of course they hate us urbanites who pay for their roads and bridges. Why shouldn't they? (Go ahead, I dare you to answer that one.)
The rising generation believes in working together for a common cause. That's not a boomer thing, but it's a sensible thing. Frankly, the boomer day was mercifully short. Clinton, then Bush. I'd have hated to slip any further, if you get my drift.
So, once again, I told you so!
Steve
Labels: Politics, Social Commentary
