incipit vita nova

Balloon Boy's Future . . .

2009-11-12T18:00:00-08:00

I immediately guessed that the story of 6-year old Falcon Heene the "Balloon Boy" was a hoax even before Falcon said "But Dad, you said it was for the show!" Ordinarily, I'm sure I would have been fooled, but having...

Qualities of a Good Teacher

2009-11-11T18:17:42-08:00

I understand now that Harlan has been "controversial" because people don't perceive the several layers of irony in which he sometimes cloaks his words and actions, and because they also fail to perceive that he has always communicated from a deep, honest emotional core. It's in his writing. It is his writing. It took me years to understand and acknowledge the reality of the greater than average number of people in the sci-fi and fantasy field that were crippled emotionally, or who simply didn't have the normal range of emotions, or a normal level of empathy possessed by the majority of the general population. It's truly a clash of titanic human forces -- the enlightened, empathetic humanist Harlan vs. frightened dogmatic . . . skeptics.

Rob Lowe: Too Late to Say Goodbye

2009-11-06T20:00:00-08:00

Thanks to Jillian, Dorothy and Steve (again) . . . Rob Lowe was on the Channel 11 news this a.m. promoting his new TV movie "Too Late to Say Goodbye" based on Ann Rule's book about the murders of Jennifer...

Phishing Fail . . .

2009-11-06T06:58:18-08:00

Received this a.m. from my trusted partners at Banok of America. Your Bank of America ATM & Account Informations Dear Valued Customer We recently noticed some changes in your bank account informations. How ever, we like you to log into...

I'm a Turkey!!!

2009-11-05T10:44:32-08:00

Beyond Shelter's 2009 Thanksgiving Turkey picture - FIRST LOOK. Stay tuned . . .

Vote 4 The Leader of the Post-2012 World - 11 White Guys!

2009-11-01T20:49:48-08:00

Eleven people, I'm guessing viewers or fans, are competing for the fake internet title of "Leader of the Post-2012 World" sponsored by Roland Emmerich's soon-to-be-released film 2012. So, all 11 are white guys, and it looks like their ages range...

Perfect Stranger in Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls

2009-11-01T11:40:16-08:00

The first all-Book View Cafe/Book View Press anthology is live now. You can download the Kindle version for $4.99, and it's also available at Book View Cafe. Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls (Sarah disavowed the title, and I honestly...

Beast of Gevaudan - A Hyena?

2009-10-29T18:00:19-07:00

Don't believe what you see on MonsterQuest. They can't read French. And the beast of Gevaudan was one of several big, ugly, obviously dangerous wolf-dog hybrids ranging the French countryside in the 18th century. Poor old Jean Chastel is very unlikely to be a serial killer, he didn't make a silver bullet or use it, and . . . that's that.

The Voice That Killed Sci Fi As We Knew It

2009-10-25T15:40:57-07:00

Don't get me wrong. Science fiction isn't dead. It's alive and well, and Michael Bay, J.J. Abrams, and many others not quite in their stratosphere are entertaining hundreds of thousands, and often, hundreds of millions worldwide. Written science fiction as...

How to Do Cleopatra Makeup

2009-10-24T10:30:30-07:00

I "learned" how to apply makeup in my early years when receiving modeling and "charm" education. At this time, I also learned how to sit, stand, and walk down stairs properly. I had the distinct honor of being the only...