Beeps From B

The NY Times 10 Best Books of 2009

2009-12-08T16:37:54Z

I was cruising NYTimes.com and saw this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2009/10-best-gift-guide-sub/list.html?nl=books&emc=booksupdateema1

I reviewed these "lauded" books and came away unimpressed. The first book is a short story anthology, "Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It." It seems mildly interesting, but not essential.

The second book is listed as an "alternative reality" novel set in Brooklyn. "Speculative fiction" and "alternative reality" are editorspeak for Science Fiction (SF). It is a designation for those who consider SF a tawdry, lowbrow genre.

I tire of this deceitful practice, just as I tire of Margaret Atwood's perennial proclamation that she is *not* an SF writer. She writes speculative fiction. I have read "The Handmaid's Tale" and it *is* SF. Her outbursts both amuse and dismay me, but seem to be a reflection of public opinion.

I suspect "You Don't Love Me Yet" also belongs in the SF genre. I may recommend it to my sister, who lives a couple blocks from Prospect Park. If she thinks that it well-researched her Hood--and she likes it--then I might read it, too.

The last three fiction books did not impress me. The remaining five are non-fiction--yes, the NY Times evenly split this list between fiction and non-fiction.

"The Age of Wonder" sounds interesting. But, I'm the person who liked "Longitude" and enjoyed the movie, "Young Einstein." I look forward to looking back at A.D. 1800.

"The Good Soldiers" is a timely work that I may or may not read. With my son in the army, I'm not sure how close I want to be to the Iraqi war. I may get more out of a subscription to the weekly paper, "Army Times."

"The Lords of Finance" is about the peeps who brought us the Great Depression. This failure of capitalism helped bring about the "new world order" of fascism. The Nazi party is probably the most recognizable new world order. I wonder if author Liaquat Ahamed will recognize that link or ignore it? Historian Richard Overy provides a brilliant explanation of the Depression and the rise of fascism in "Why the Allies Won" (page 7, 1995).

The last two are biographies of Mary Karr and Raymond Carver, which do not interest me.

"The Age of Wonder" is the only book out of these ten that impresses me. I will defer my trip to the library until the NY Times-induced stampede is over. And, I need to finish "Why the Allies Won." I *know* how the war will end, but half the fun is seeing how we got there.

Writer's Block: Smoke screen

2009-12-01T18:35:35Z

What are your feelings towards smoking? What rights do you think smokers and non-smokers should have?

Submitted By croses

View 1241 Answers

I don't smoke. But, if you want to smoke in your space and not blow your smoke in my space, I'm fine with your smoking.

I am in favor of banning smoking in restaurants. If I go out for a nice meal, I have the expectation that I will enjoy the aroma and flavor of my food and drink without interference from anyone else. If someone is smoking--making my meal taste like an ashtray--that interferes with my enjoyment.

I am aware that some places have banned smoking in cars--even your own car. That is dead wrong. If you own a car, then it's yours. If you want to smoke in your own car, that's your right as the property owner.

Smoking in the office is wrong. People are trying to focus and be productive. The last thing anyone needs is coping with an irritating, noxious cloud. Anything that interferes with other people's work, has no place in the workplace.

I was rather horrified when UNM banned smoking outdoors on campus. There are a few designated outdoor smoking corners colloquially referred to as "smoking ghettos."

I'm not a smoker, but I don't see a problem with people smoking in the great outdoors. It's not smoke in my face, it's not in my car, it's not in my office cubicle. But, I care that they banned it outdoors, on campus. If the university bans smoking outdoors, then what violation of rights & reason is next?

The Dresden Files

2009-07-13T22:56:26Z

It's done: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Beat_(novel)

This book summary took me two months to complete, due to RL commitments. I particularly enjoyed the Jurassic Park rip-off...errr...tribute.

I think I'll take a break and start on the next book in the series tomorrow. I'm not too fond of _Proven Guilty_, but it moves along and Dresden picks up an apprentice, who is even more rebellious than he. I think it's cosmic justice. Or, maybe it's the Rule of Three in triplicate?

Writer's Block: Economizing

2009-07-10T11:33:51Z

If you had to tighten your budget (or already have), what would be the easiest thing to cut?

View 501 Answers

It was easy to cut soda pop. I just stopped buying it. Then, I stopped going out to eat--not even for a hamburger. That's pretty easy to do, if you're a homebody in the first place.

When things started getting better in April, I continued my cutbacks. Inertia? Now, I have extra money, which is a very odd concept. I've been using it on home maintenance. I consider it to be a preemptive strike on home repairs.

I would say I made out like a bandit, but it was my money in the first place. :)

July is here

2009-07-01T22:54:29Z

I love June.

June ia s a month of wonderful weather, a multitude of family birthdays, graduations, holidays, and of course, long-awaited vacations.

It's also time for yard work and home repair before the summer rains start in July. I planted tomatoes and tomatillos for salsa. We used the mint for mojitos as fast as it could grow. That reminds me, I'm out of rum, by gum! I had 8 tons of gravel delivered and covered the front yard in "rose stone." It contrasts nicely with the red lava rock. The dead tree is gone and I had the leaning poplars taken down before they fell down. Now, we have off street parking for three--yes, a space for Eric's car.

I woke up one day and hated everything.

New fixtures in the bathroom sink and shower were a welcome and needed touch. So, I celebrated with bright blue and sea green towels with matching rugs. The local drycleaner's cleaned my sheepskin rug for $35--not bad for a 3 x 6 rug. Neko won't sleep on it anymore. It probably doesn't smell like cat hair. LOL

I boxed up old clothes, books, and knickknacks, and took them to Goodwill. I bagged up oodles of plastic, cardboard, glass bottles, and aluminum. I packed my car and took the load to the recycling bins behind the Smith's. I don't know if it helps "save the planet," but I feel good every time I clean out the recycling corner of the garage. I'm waiting for a critical mass of 7-8 donation boxes before I burn gas to drive back to Goodwill. I bought filing cabinets and a metal shelf for the garage. It was tough love time for 15 boxes. That generated 2 more donation boxes for Goodwill. And, what's left is more organized--and accessible. If I can get to it, perhaps I will make use of the items?

In spite of all that work, I still can't fit Eric's car into the garage. Then, at the end of June, Eric decided to take his car to Ft Hood. Great! I can stop cleaning the garage like a fiend and concentrate on the backyard for a while.

The family gathered in NYC and celebrated Eric's graduation, various birthdays and Father's Day--then they were celebrated again in Boston; because sometimes, once isn't enough. I don't feel any older. Meanwhile back at the ranch, for Eric's graduation party, I put up a new flag pole on June 1st. Today, July 1st, the flag bracket snapped off. Well, at least it made it through the month--and me, too! (sigh)

Writer's Block: Grimm Question

2009-06-04T14:23:25Z

What was your favorite fairy tale as a child?

Submitted By wolfy284

View 503 Answers

I dressed my cat like Puss N Boots. I laughed at The Pied Piper. Aladdin was very kool. I can eat just one potato chip, but I cannot pick just one fairy tale.

My hometown libraries had a summer reading program. My sisters and I were each given a paper with a loooooooong bookworm. Each time we returned a book to the librarian in the Children's Room, we were each given a sticker. This sticker was a bookworm segment. I put the sticker on my bookworm paper, handed it to the librarian, and she hung it on a bright-colored yarn "clothesline" that was strung around the room. It was alphabetical, so my sisters and I were all "hanging" together. I read every fairy tale book to make mine longer than theirs--Andrew Lang, Folktales from Other Lands series, etc.

By the end of the summer, there were some pretty long bookworms. On Labor Day, the three kids with the longest worms won a framed reading certificate for first, second, or third place. I didn't know the winners.

Looking back, there are some things that I remembered. I guess hanging the worms was supposed to make all of us kiddies want to read. In reality, I didn't care how much total strangers were reading. I was out to beat my sisters. In the end, only 3 awards were given. Today, it's politically-correct for everyone to win something. And, of all the books I read in that summer of '66, the one I remember the best is The Arabian Nights.

beatrixal @ 2009-01-30T07:33:00

2009-01-30T15:04:42Z

At the Theater, Joe noticed that all the movies seem to be sequels: "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," "Terminator," "Friday the 13th," and yet another "Fast and Furious." There were others that I don't remember. I guess if the formulas works, don't change it. However, I must admit, I will probably see the "Night at the Museum" sequel.

The one I'm really eager to see is the next "Harry Potter" movie. Yes, it's a sequel, but that's a given, since it's the serialization of a series of books. One movie per book, and two movies to movies for the final book, so they don't have to cut any of the important bits.

And, I'm waiting for "Iron Man 2." (A.D. 2010)

And, I'm waiting for "Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." (also, 2010)

And, "National Treasure 3."

What sequels are other people waiting to see?

beatrixal @ 2009-01-30T07:07:00

2009-01-30T14:32:56Z

Last night, we had movie vouchers for "New in Town" with Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr.

It was a chick flick about Lucy (Renee), an up and coming female exec, who is sent to New Ulm, MN as the hatchetman for the company. Her mission is to lay off half the work force and to make sure the new, automated equipment is installed in time to produce Rocket Bars. But, she is charmed by the people. And, their way of life fills an empty spot in her heart. Then, the Board sends word that the Rocket Bars are a dud, so they are closing the plant. To save the jobs of all her new friends, Lucy must come up with a spectacular product line to save the plant.

It's "Gung Ho" meets "Fargo."

Blanche (Siobhan Fallon) has many of the best lines. It's a fun way to spend an hour and a half, but it will never replace "Kate and Leopold."

beatrixal @ 2009-01-26T06:55:00

2009-01-26T14:01:14Z

Happy New Year!

2009 is the Year of the Ox. The Ox symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. It also represents the triumph of virtue and ethics, as well as the influence of a stable environment.

I'm not sure how much faith to put in the stars; but maybe, if we believe it, we will manifest it. This bodes well.

So, who is the guiding hand here? Is it Fate, or faith in ourselves?

Writer's Block: Prepared Answer

2009-01-06T16:46:42Z

What is the one question you've always wanted someone to ask you?

View 501 Answers

One lump or two?

I've only heard it asked in movies and on TV. I'm not sure it's a real world question.

Sir Terry Pratchett

2009-01-02T22:35:46Z

It's so nice to see someone in the field of SF & F receive honest, sincere recognition for "contributions to literature." And yes, it's down right heartwarming to see SF & F referred to as "literature."

Fifteen years ago, I read "The Colour of Magic." I didn't particularly like it, because it prattled excessively and I didn't appreciate the humor -- or, is that "humour"? A couple months ago, I read "Equal Rites," which I enjoyed. I received "Hogfather" for Christmas, so I will read that before the semester starts.

Which book should I read after the "Hogfather"?

And, what is your favorite Discworld novel?

Name that movie!

2009-01-02T21:52:53Z

Name a movie that you've seen multiple times at the theater in 2008: Iron Man.

Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in general: The Day After Tomorrow.

Name the actor(s) who would make you more inclined to see a movie: Jodie Foster, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Eric Bana, Penelope Cruz, Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Depp, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Bruce Willis.

Name the actor(s) who would make you less likely to see a movie: Will Smith, Cameron Diaz, Samuel L Jackson, and Steven Segal.

Name a movie that you can quote extensively: Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Eiger Sanction.

Name a movie musical that you know all the lyrics to all the songs: My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music.

Name the cheesiest movie you have ever seen: The Lost Continent.

Name one movie that you want to own asap: I cannot pick just one.

Name one movie that you would recommend: Armageddon (1998).

Name a movie that you keep meaning to see, but just haven't gotten around to it: A Quantum of Solace.

The day after Christmas

2008-12-26T19:34:01Z

Christmas Day was cold, grey and overcast. It was drizmal (drizzling & dismal) with rainy snow all morning. The weather forecast is "slush."

I keep telling myself we need the rain, because we've been in a drought for 8+ years. But, I want my Christmas to be festive, and sunny, and happy -- I'm selfish this way.

What Christmas weather makes the day bright for you?

Writer's Block: Neuromancer

2008-10-09T15:47:08Z

Happy birthday, Neuromancer! Since its publication 24 years ago, William Gibson’s visionary novel has influenced everything from technology to pop culture. What other novels have had such an unexpected impact?

View 290 Answers

"1984" has given us a view and vocab to deal with "Big Brother" types of regimes. And, "Brave New World" has given us a more subtle totalitarian regime. I think that book's social control drug, "soma," is our society's zoloft. The brave new world is here.

Bubonicon 40

2008-08-28T20:47:15Z

It came and I went.

I spent most of my time hostessing in the Con Suite. We had a lot of help this year, so it was not an overwhelming task. We were able to bus the tables fairly regularly and keep the food bowls and soda coolers relatively full. We had so much help, I could actually go home around 10 pm and bake more brownies. I was able to relax and get to sleep before midnight. That was a first.

We had four food sponsors, so the con suite was nearly always full of people. During the Mountain Base Rebels' (Star Wars) sub sandwiches sponsorship, a father (and his son) came up to me and said, "This is the BEST con suite I've ever seen, and I've been to a lot of conventions." (GRIN)

I set up the con suite puzzle table. Tanley started it last year. It was very popular. This year, people dropped by to eat, and then sat down to work on the puzzle for a few minutes. Bill donated more puzzles for the cause. After the first one was finished, I put out a second one. I'll save the other donations for next year. This could be the beginning of a tradition.

I had the opportunity to hear some interesting panels. I enjoyed the pulps panel. I had started reading those in the last 60s. I was amused that I have the Zelazny short stories that Jane Lindskold mentioned. I had hoped they would mention Stapleton and CS Lewis, as well as Pohl and Kornbluth--I loved "The Space Merchants."

Joe and I went to hear Berthold's "Rome & America" talk. It was 45 mins of Rome and 5 mins of America. He stressed the expansion of the Empire by war, and completely ignored the engineering aspects. I was reminded of The Life of Brian, when the zealots are bad-mouthing the Romans: the Romans are evil they bring war and oppression...and paved roads...aqueducts...clean water...and medicine . . . .

If I'd had time, I would have commented that Thomas Jefferson admired Caesar's army as a military and engineering unit. Jefferson founded West Point as a military AND an engineering school. The West Point graduates went on to build roads, water systems, buildings and railroads: engineering the American empire. Today, the US Army Corps of Engineers is the world's largest engineering unit. The Corps even added an epidemiological lab to trace waterborne diseases--and bio-terrorism.

After the con suite closed, I went to Steve Stirling's "Fist of God" reading. I only have the first book. I've fallen behind. So many books, so little time. Libri tot, parum temporis!

We did a pretty good job of pacing the food and drink distribution. We had very little in the way of leftovers. And, we set aside a box of donations for the authors' tea. All and all, it was a good experience. I haven't even thought about B-41.

Who Are You?

2008-08-17T21:04:10Z

I remember the Vorlons used to ask people, "Who are you?"

OK Let's see who I am.

Your result for The Perception Personality Image Test...

NBPS - The Idealist

You perceive the world with particular attention to nature. You focus on the hidden treasures of life (the background) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. Because of the value you place on nature, you tend to find comfort in more subdued settings and find energy in solitude. You like to ponder ideas and imagine the many possibilities of your life without worrying about the details or specifics. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

The Perception Personality Types:

Take The Perception Personality Image Test

Then, I went back and did the test with snarky answers.

I became: "The Humanitarian."

You perceive the world with particular attention to humanity. You focus on what's in front of you (the foreground) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. Because of the value you place on humanity, you tend to seek out other people and get energized by being around others. You like to deal directly with whatever comes your way without dealing with speculating possibilities or outcomes you can't control. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

OK. What does synthesis tell me?

You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

Not bad. So where's the part about books, cats, and gaming?

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred

2008-08-15T02:40:24Z

Andrew, the blogger at Very Good Taste, created a food meme:

"Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results."

I didn't do too badly.

I don't need to do a lot of eating, just some calculated eating. I added Navajo ach'ee to the chitterlings entry, to account for our local variation.

Many thanks to my brother for making me eat Pocky on my birthday.

Some things I just won't eat. Why eat fugu, if it might kill me. Jim Butcher is publishing Welcome to the Jungle and Turn Coat, so I have too much to live for. Roadkill? I don't think so. Horse! Only if I were starving to death.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (NYC Central Park)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. ~~Brawn, or head cheese~~
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea (Harrod's)
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (fried caterpillars)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. ~~Fugu~~
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel (unagi sushi)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin (blek!)
51. Prickly pear (nopales and Stucky's candy)
52. Umeboshi (blek!)
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips (blek!)
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, andouillette, or Navajo ach'ee
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. ~~Horse~~
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

The Goddess Within

2008-08-14T23:33:13Z

It was a splendid day today, so I decided to test my divinity. I am Minerva. If goddesshood comes with my own Library, this is a good thing.

Your result for The Mythological Goddess Test...

Minerva

Another virgin Goddess (Diana or Artemis being the other), Minerva was, just like her Greek counterpart Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Freedom as well as an all powerful Goddess of War, which made her a most formidable opponent indeed.

Among the many disciplines that fell under her control were: writing, the sciences, architecture, embroidery, and just about anything else dealing with artistic skills, wise counsel, and of course battle and warfare.

Like Athena, owls were considered sacred to Minerva, representing wisdom. She was a very wise warrior, respected by the Roman legions.

She was also, no kidding, the Goddess of Women's Rights and patroness of career women. Take The Mythological Goddess Test

A picture of Minerva would have been nice. Here she is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Minerva-Vedder-Highsmith-detail-1.jpeg

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon

2008-08-08T05:17:23Z

A few days ago, I finished the wikipedia entry for Fool Moon. I started on a plot summary for Grave Peril, but then I decided I should post a review for completeness sake.

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon:
Kim Delaney is paying for a steak dinner at McAnally's tavern. All Dresden had to do was tell her how to complete and empower a magical triple circle. Dresden withholds the esoteric information, so Kim won’t be executed by the White Council wardens. Kim thinks he’s patronizing her, so she leaves in a huff.

Police detective Karrin Murphy asks Dresden to consult on a homicide—a series of them. One clue is a wolven paw print. The other is a piece of glass with the wolf's blood. A blood tracking spell leads him to the lair of a gang of teenage werewolves and their pack leader, Tera West.

Surviving that meeting, Dresden writes a complete guide to werewolves for Murphy. There are four kinds of werewolves: hexenwolves, werewolves, lycanthropes, and loup-garou. At the station, Dresden gets a tip that the Streetwolves biker gang might know something about the murders. It’s a set up. The Streetwolves are lycanthropes. Dresden has a new set of enemies that want him dead.

Marcone shows up in Dresden’s office. He wants to buy…err…hire Dresden as his "security adviser." Actually, he wants Dresden to kill the were-creatures that are after him. Dresden refuses Marcone’s dirty money. Marcone hints that these killings are connected to Harley MacFinn and his Northwest Passage Project.

Dresden is sorely tempted to remove Marcone and make the world a better place. Then, Dresden says my favorite quote. But, "[t]hat was black magic, and it was easy to use. Easy and fun. Like Legos." I like Legos--and Playmobil knights. Does this mean I might like Black Magic? But I digress.

At MacFinn’s apartment, Dresden is arrested. Kim Delaney’s shredded body is there next to a summoning circle. To express her displeasure at Dresden’s withholding vital evidence, Murphy arrests him and beats the crap out of him. Tera West busts him loose. Before the moon rises, she wants Dresden to draw the containment circle around her fiancée, Harley MacFinn, a loup-garou.

Dresden is shot during the escape. He awakes miles from Chicago and moonrise is coming. He calls Susan and bums a ride. Susan is less than thrilled to meet a naked were-woman named, Tera. Dresden promises a great story about the murders, Marcone, and the Northwest Passage Project. Unable to resist an exclusive story, Susan drives them back to Chicago for the showdown.

Many surprising things happen. Dresden eventually meets all four types of werewolves. The ending has a splendid battle with lots of treachery and bloodlust.

I sleep easily at night, knowing all the werewolves are far, far away from me, in Chicago.

The Dresden Files: Storm Front

2008-08-03T05:57:21Z

I finished the books. I've been mulling them over. They're fun to think about. Now, Joe is reading them.

The Dresden Files: Storm Front:

"You’re a wizard, Harry." Oops! Wrong wizard! This is the first book about yet another orphaned wizard. Harry Dresden is a wizard in Chicago. He’s in the book: "Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties or Other Entertainment."

The book opens in Harry's office. It’s been a slow couple of weeks. Business is dead. Harry gets a phone call from a woman, asking him to find her husband. Since Harry's broke and about to be evicted, he takes her case. After he hangs up, Lieutenant Karrin Murphy calls with a job--pronto! She's the director of Special Investigations for the Chicago Police Department. When it rains, it pours.

Harry takes the police consulting job, too. Sure, he gets the odd lost item and paranormal investigation gigs, but his meat and potatoes comes from consulting for the police on bizarre, supernatural crimes. At the crime scene Harry finds a couple murdered during an act of passion. Their hearts had exploded out of their chests. Was it great sex or black magic?

Tommy was a bodyguard for crime lord Johnny Marcone and Jennifer Stanton was an escort from the Velvet Room. Harry knows it's an escort service run by Madam Bianca, a vampire. I wasn’t too impressed with Lt. Murphy. But, her character develops nicely over the next five books. So much so, that I was sorry to see her head off with Kincaid and leave Harry without decent back-up. But, that's a later book.

I was much more impressed with the introduction of Marcone. He offers Harry his usual $1,200 per diem to *not* investigate the murder of Tommy Tomm. Harry refuses. Marcone offers double per diem for Harry to ditch Murphy’s investigation. Insulted and angered, he refuses and locks into a deep eye-eye "soulgaze" with Marcone. Harry is shaken to see that Marcone has the iron will and soul of a tiger. Marcone takes advantage of the opportunity to "assess" Harry. High testosterone! It reminded me of two dogs circling each other in a dog-eat-dog world. Marcone should have offered Harry double per diem to investigate the beaches of Hawaii. It was a cold, windy Spring in Chicago. Hawaii would have looked mighty good.

I also enjoyed meeting Bob the skull. I knew what to expect from the erstwhile TV show. I will always think of Bob as Terrance Mann--the voice, the attitude, and the elderly visage are splendid. Bob is a repository of magical information; and literally, Harry’s spirit guide to all things magical.

I loved this book. It's witty and a romp. I hope Marcone ups his insurance coverage. Ten books and counting; yes, he’ll need it.

Monkeying Around

2008-08-01T18:12:00Z

Pat and Elizabeth had these on their LJ sites, so I thought, "Why not?"

It left out that I like fruit, especially bananas. Although, after 37,500 rpm in a Vitamix, you can't actually distinguish between the banana and the blueberries. "Secrets": okay, I can keep secrets. "Share my sorrows and happiness"; that would be this blog. "Betrayers"? What betrayers? "Confidence"; nope. "Determination": usually. "Sweet and easy-going"; sure, I haven't hit menopause. "Little self-control and care-free attitude"; Beatrixal the hedonist? Not! "Great fun and exciting"; sure, and I have Stargate: Continuum, too.

Lets101.com - More Quizzes

Stargate SG1: Continuum

2008-07-30T17:33:41Z

Yesterday, I bought "Stargate SG-1: Continuum"!

We watched it after dinner. It was 90+ minutes of lively fun. Yes, it's full of the old Stargate magic. As you can guess from the title, there is a great deal of time travel. Writer/Producer Brad Wright promised more of these stand-alone Stargate SG-1 direct-to-DVD movies. And, he reserves the right to bring back characters, who died in the TV series. I like this "what if?" approach. It means I can look forward to more Stargate fun in this time and space continuum. So, Dr Who better keep looking over his left shoulder.

This year, it seems like so many SF&F people have died. It's like the Twilight Zone. Don S. Davis / General Hammond passed away the day after Jack Speer did. "Stargate SG-1: Continuum" is his last Stargate. However, his last movie will be "Far Cry." The imdb description reads like typical SciFi channel monster flick filmed in British Columbia. I think I'll skip his last movie and just remember him as SG-1's General Hammond.

"Continuum" starts out in low key: it's another day at Stargate Command. Then, as characters began to disappear, it's pretty obvious that someone is messing with the time-space continuum. Since the Doctor is in the middle of a regeneration, SG-1 is on its own.

Spoilers:

The team is in fine form. They handle the complete destruction of their friends, families, and world with a wonderful blend of courage and humor. There is an almost gratuitous amount of self-sacrifice. But, each event moves the plot along, forcing the survivors to suck it in and strive for the goal.

Jack O'Neill has two cameo roles, past and present, proving he's a curmudgeon in both time streams. Sam is her wonderful brainy self AND she turns the heads aboard the USS Alexandria. Before being ordered to report for filming, the sub crew had been at sea for 167 days; and then, Amanda Tapping happened. The producers got the fast attack sub to perform brilliantly on camera. The sub commander reportedly said, "That's one for Hollywood." Actually, it's British Columbia, but I know what he meant.

Teal'c is his basic, loyal, and stoic self. In this movie, he doesn’t have to walk a thousand miles ("Arc of Truth"). The producers give him an Al'kesh to fly his mission. Mitchell gets to screw with the time-space continuum. He does all those things that SF authors warn us about. And, Daniel has some of the best lines:

The President: So, what's coming next?
Daniel: Death. Slavery. More slavery. More death.
The President: Look if you want to say, "I told you so," go ahead and get it off your chest. But then, you can do one of two things: you can help, or you can leave.
Daniel: Okay, bye!
Mitchell: Jackson!
Daniel: Oh right! I forgot to say, "I told you so"!

And, near and dear to my heart:
General Landry: I take it that in your timeline you're not a discredited whackjob living on the fringes of society?
Daniel: That really depends on who you ask.

Yes, this is the Daniel Jackson we know and love. What more could true fen want?

Das Buch von Guter Spise

2008-07-30T04:28:50Z

Last Saturday, I decided to download the earliest German cookery book: Das Buch von Guter Spise ("The Book of Good Food"). It was written some time between 1345-1354.

On Sunday morning, I decided to make early German recipe #10, the French toast. Lori had gifted me with farm-fresh eggs. How could I resist?

I got out ye olde mortar & pestle and went to work on the spices. This is what we did:

I copied Alia's redaction from my files (see below). We followed the instructions and made a pretty tasty brunch. There are a few things that I would change.

The fruit filling was too lumpy, so I would definitely change the redaction instructions to "mince." I had a great deal of leftover filling, which I made into a fruit fritatta. I noticed (too late) in the original German recipe that the pear is roasted. If I make this again, I will probably bake or boil the pear to make it softer. After 30 mins in the oven, the pear bits were still crunchy.

I used whole wheat bread. It complemented the taste of the apples. I would increase the anise to a 1/2 tsp. Baking on a buttered pan sounded weird to me, but it worked. They came out a bit too brown, rather than the "red" / "rot" specified in the original recipe. If I did it again, I would reduce the baking instructions to: 375 F, for 12 mins, on each side. Also, they were a tad dry. Or perhaps, I'm hooked on maple syrup? Some people prefer the real thing.

Many thanks to Joe for all the chopping.

How does one say, "Nom, nom, nom" in German?

RESOURCES =
Thomas Gloning's transcribed text:
10. Ein spise von birn (A food of pears, recipe below)
Nim gebratene birn und sure epfele und hacke sie kleine. und tu dar zu pfeffer und enis und ro eyer. znit zwo dünne schiben von dünne brote. fülle diz da zwischen niht vollen eines vingers dicke. mache ein dünnez blat von eyern und kere daz einez dor inne umm, und backez mit butern in einer phannen biz daz ez rot werde und gibz hin.

Alia Atlas' translation:
Take roasted pears and tart apples and chop them small. And add thereto pepper and anise and raw eggs. Cut two thin slices from thin bread. Fill this in between not too full, of a finger's thickness. Make a thin leaf of eggs and turn that therein about and bake it with butter in a pan until it becomes red and give out.

Alia's redaction:
Recipe 10: Crispy Pear and Apple French Toast Sandwiches
Apple and Pear Filling:

1 pears, skinned, cored and chopped very small
2 apples, skinned, cored and chopped very small
1/4 tsp anise seed, ground
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg

Mix apples, pears, eggs, anise and pepper together. This is used to fill the sandwiches.

French Toast Sandwiches:

3 eggs or 1 egg and 4 egg whites
8 slices bread
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 F. Beat eggs. Butter a foil-lined baking sheet. Make 4 sandwiches with bread and filling. Dip sandwiches into the beaten egg lightly. This should be done quickly, so that the sandwiches will not be soggy. Then put the sandwiches onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, turning halfway through (after 15 minutes).

From: http://cs-people.bu.edu/akatlas/Buch/buch.html
------

Nim's Island

2008-07-25T01:52:38Z

At last Saturday's picnic, we were talking about movies. Mike asked me what movies I'd seen this year. I spaced--maybe I was over-heated and dehydrated?

What movies had I seen? It's not like I slept through them.

All I could think of was "Nim's Island." Then, I realized I hadn't written a review for it. Being hot, cranky, and not having had much sleep, it's only natural that I filked my review.

RUUUUUUUUUUUN! Here it is:

Nim’s Jungle Isle

by Ann Sasahara
Music: "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle"
With profound apologies to George Wyle and Sherwood Schwartz

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from Nim's island port
Aboard a tiny ship.

Her Dad is a plankton research man,
A skipper brave and true.
He waved as he left her that day
That's what some Dads must do, what some Dads must do.

The weather started getting rough,
The research boat was tossed,
In spite of the courage of her brainy Dad
Her Dad is truly lost, her Dad is truly lost!

Now, Nim’s alone on the shore of this uncharted jungle isle
With Galileo
The Selki too,
Fred the lizard and his tricks,
The boy Edmund
The "Buccaneer" and all her crew,
Here on Nim's Jungle Isle.

But, this is the tale of a phobic chick,
Been sick for a long, long time,
To leave her house and rescue Nim
Is an uphill climb.

The first thing is to leave her house,
She'll do her very best,
Then, travel across half the globe,
To Nim's tropic island nest.

A house, with lights, and Internet,
Not a single luxury (Not!)
Like Robinson Crusoe,
As primitive as can be.

So join in with this song my friends,
You're sure to get a smile,
From this plotless exercise,
Here on Nim's Jungle Isle.

The Dresden Files

2008-07-13T03:03:29Z

I finished "The Dresden Files" today. Now, I'm going through withdrawal. I even read the free short stories on his website:
http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/restoration/
http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/vignette/

Apparently, the next book is not due out until April 2009. April Fool's?

(Looks at watch; ten months to go before the book release)

This is the pittance the official website had for the next / eleventh book in the series, _Turn Coat_:

"When Morgan shows up on Harry's doorstep, broken, bleeding, and begging for protection from the Wardens, Harry finds himself at odds with the White Council yet again."

That's not very helpful. It starts a new thread. What about all the loose threads involving the Winter Knight, the Nickelheads, Baron Marcone, Ivy, Michael, Ms Gard, Mab, and the partridge in the pear tree? And then, Thomas and Molly were swept into the background. What's with that?

(Looks at watch, again. Shakes watch. Still ten months to go . . . . )

Beeps From B

The NY Times 10 Best Books of 2009

Writer's Block: Smoke screen

The Dresden Files

Writer's Block: Economizing

July is here

Writer's Block: Grimm Question

beatrixal @ 2009-01-30T07:33:00

beatrixal @ 2009-01-30T07:07:00

beatrixal @ 2009-01-26T06:55:00

Writer's Block: Prepared Answer

*Sir* Terry Pratchett

Name that movie!

The day after Christmas

Writer's Block: Neuromancer

Bubonicon 40

Who Are You?

NBPS - The Idealist

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred

The Goddess Within

Minerva

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon

The Dresden Files: Storm Front

Monkeying Around

Stargate SG1: Continuum

Das Buch von Guter Spise

Nim's Island

The Dresden Files

Sir Terry Pratchett