More Incredible Hubble Pics!
April 24, 2010
Hubba-Hubba Hubble Nebula!
I know some of the links I’ve posted have since been archived and are no longer accessible, so that’s why you should take advantage now!
These are really incredible and should provide hope, promise and inspiration for any current situation. (I’d be happy to explain why if you don’t already know.)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36698695/ns/technology_and_science-picture_stories/?GT1=43001
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36698695/ns/technology_and_science-picture_stories/?GT1=43001
Earth Day Reality
April 23, 2010
On Earth Day I picked up someone’s Bank of Nevada ATM deposit receipt that was blowing in the park while I walked Zazzy. So is the stereotype true? Are literbugs truly stupid?
“Online Access Granted. Funds Transfer Complete” are my second favorite words in the Universe! (“It’s nice to see you again, Oprah” are still #1.)
On the upside, the economy here in Nevada must be improving because the transaction was a deposit not a withdrawal. It wasn’t for much but trends blowing in the wind are trends blowing in the wind, right?
So Long Overdue!
April 13, 2010
I should have printed out the manuscript to my novel last year. There’s nothing better than editing a hard copy! Dang! Get ready world!
Winter Olympic Games
February 14, 2010
I am aware that the Winter Olympic Games are sort of falling under the radar this year, but as a big fan of the city of Vancouver and someone just coming from a Vegas Saturday night show, let me say THESE GAMES ROCK. SHORT TRACK IS ILL!!!
A Look Behind Sports Book Operations
February 11, 2010
Had one of my first interview pieces published on the e-zine Living-Las-Vegas today. I had the pleasure of meeting the Specialty Games Manager for Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas this week, Frank Kunovic III. He answered my questions and graciously showed me around the joint. Not bad. Now I want to be a sports book “writer” so that I can start contributing to the family well-being and at the same time put the finishing touches on my novel at night!
Check it out: “A Look Behind the Book” on Living-Las-Vegas.com!
Avatar: what an amazing film!
January 27, 2010
Finally saw Avatar last night. It’s the most amazing film I’ve ever seen in my whole life! Today I found out that James Cameron plans to make a sequel. Fortunately, it shouldn’t take nine years to make like the first one did!
Neytiri has cat-like reflexes and appeal.
After this latest (much appreciated!) rain moves through Vegas, I’m looking forward to getting to the bookstore to browse any Avatar books. Apparently James Cameron plans to write a series of comic books or novels based on the Na’vi and life on Pandora, as well as a reference “bible” to avoid mythos confusion..
In a thousand years, if I can’t be an archeologist digging through the sand drifts and re-discovering Venice Beach, I’d like to be a 12-foot tall, skinny blue-dude from Pandora! Anyone else?
(Tip: if you haven’t seen Avatar yet, spring for the 3-D glasses and keep them. There is going to be a whole string of 3-D movies this summer including Alice Returns to Wonderland with Johnny Depp.)
The Importance of Take-aways
January 22, 2010
Every time I go to a Las Vegas Writer’s Group meeting I take away at least one good idea. Last night was no different. Although the meeting was challenged by the fact that the guest speaker, Chris Epting, was unable to make the journey from Huntington Beach in So Cal because of severe weather between there and here, one piece of his advice is still ringing in my ears.
Chris is a pop culture historian and author of seventeen books, including “The Birthplace Book: A Guide to Birth Sites of Famous People, Places & Things” and “Roadside Baseball” which is on its second edition and was recently named one of the top travel books of the year by the Los Angeles Times.
Mark Sedenquist, the Program Director for the LVWG, gave an overview of what would have been Chris’ presentation based on the notes Chris e-mailed to him. For me, the advice Chris offered about engaging readers is even more memorable than his ten tennis-themed tips for writing. It was, “Engage with your readers and let them know what you do.” As I finally near completion of the novel I’ve been working on (“For Rent Dangerous Paradise”) his advice has struck a chord. The process of writing a novel is hard. This is the first mystery I’ve written and each time I’ve changed a thread in the spider web story of life in Venice that I’ve created, it has been a challenge.
I don’t intend to bore anyone with details, but I think at least one weekly posting here during the final stretch run will be interesting.
(Ask me in a comment below if you’re interested in Chris’ ten tennis-themed tips for writing and I’ll post them. BTW, they apply to more things than just writing and I think they have cross-over appeal for tennis lovers.)
Barack’s Facebook plea regarding health care
November 5, 2009
This is what I had to say in response to “Barack Obama” in regards to his recent Facebook plea to contact my local representative regarding the upcoming “health care” vote. WARNING: this might seem like a bitter pill (on multiple levels) to many of you, but here’s what I just posted on his link:
“Hey! Wake the $&* up! It’s not reform without a public option! I didn’t know you were going to be a pansy for the insurance companies, Barack!
Why don’t you go ahead and give more of our tax dollars to Wall Street executives so they can pay out lavish bonuses for jobs poorly done while you’re at it ?
And don’t forget to escalate the wars we voted for you to end!
All hail Bush III.”
Hopefully, this dose of reality will change everything and intelligent change will be put back on course.
Yeah, I’m an unbridled optimist, with unbridled enthusiasm. Just like Billy Mumphey.
What has happened to the “great American novel”?
August 3, 2009
The subject of “the great American novel” came up in a recent Facebook discussion group and I had some thoughts on the subject. Perhaps the pursuit of “the great American novel” has been tarnished over the years. Perhaps the goal is heard less because time has become too fluid, changing too rapidly for fans of story to fall in love with an idea.
To me, perhaps sadly, the last great American novel was either “Bright Lights, Big City” or possibly “Prozac Nation” – both reveled in the great American past-time, Escape, from a caught-on-an-elevator-down perspective. In many ways those novels lead to the last twenty years of urban vampire escapism.
I’m not condemning the trend, I’m just suggesting that the “great American novel” has always been about pretend (i.e., Huck Finn, J. Gatsby, On The Road, and for the last great while, semi-immortal beings trapped in a mortal world).
The concept of Immortality seems mesmerizing to those bent towards religion while at the same time it is both dismissed and cherished by the unaffiliated masses.
Perhaps that is the new legacy of “the great American novel” until the next new frontier is discovered – escapism until the next BIG reveal.
FINALLY!
June 11, 2009
After years of struggling to deal with the poisonous tobacco industry, positive legislation is presented and on the same day it’s detractors manage to embody the deficiencies of their ideology in just a few words:
“Opponents, led by Republican Sen. Richard Burr of the tobacco-growing state of North Carolina, argued that the FDA, which is in charge of ensuring the safety of food and drug products, was the wrong place to regulate an item that is injurious to health.”
I mean, come on. Wake up and realize the hypocrisy of the oh-so self-righteous Republicans who despise themselves and their fellow man so much as to actually think and believe this kind of sick logic!
