I awoke with a plan… and someone else’s alarm. There were these four young college guys from Jersey in our room and they were planning on hitting Amsterdam today (it’s a three-hour train ride – something I would remember a couple of days later) and so had set alarms to get up in time to make the early train. Unfortunately, being college guys, they were not to be roused by a mere alarm. Me, however, being an old college professor, I get up at the slightest sound so when his alarm went off for the second time, I was ready to hit the day. Continue reading “Belgium 2016 Day 2 – Doing it the way the Belgians Do”
Category: History
DC Super Powers 1988/2016 Wallpaper Calendar | Andertoons Cartoon Blog
Happy New Year! Did you know that calendars repeat occasionally? There’s a 28 year cycle wherein certain years will begin on …
Source: DC Super Powers 1988/2016 Wallpaper Calendar | Andertoons Cartoon Blog
Last year, it was Marvel…. This year, DC. So awesome!!!
New Acquisitions | Jonathan Kearns Rare Books & Curiosities
Source: New Acquisitions | Jonathan Kearns Rare Books & Curiosities
if you are a fan of weird and speculative fiction, a book collector (or better yet, both) you need to look through the latest catalog from Jonathan Kearns Rare Books. Not only does he have some splendid tomes for sale (and if you don’t see anything for you, check with me, I have a wish list running), but his descriptions themselves make for wonderful reading!
Let’s Celebrate Harry Chapin Day – GeekDad
Geek Dad says what I would say… so I’m gonna let him say it.
Some people may remember Harry Chapin as the “Cat’s in the Cradle” guy; how did this musician from the ’70s impact the world in any lasting or meaningful way?
As God as my witness….
Lewis Carroll’s haunting photographs, including the ‘real’ Alice in Wonderland (1856-1880)
Because Dodgson’s photographic work was almost as cool as his imaginary worlds.
Source: Lewis Carroll’s haunting photographs, including the ‘real’ Alice in Wonderland (1856-1880)
Omni
Way back in the dark ages of the 70s, there was a magazine called Omni, put out by Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione. It was a great magazine which mixed science, pseudo science and science fiction all between the same, beautiful covers. It ran from 1978-1995 in a print version going another three years online.
Now, the entire print run is available, for free. you can find scans of every page, here. Of course, going through 17 years of a magazine can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re looking for, so here ya go, an index of the contents is here. It’s an amazing amount of work.
The FANTASTIC FOUR TV Series (1963-64) – Home
The FANTASTIC FOUR TV Series (1963-64) – Home.
With the release of the latest movie next week, here’s a look at the original TV series from 1963. Such an amazing amount of talent… it’s a shame they couldn’t get it to work. It was the Firefly of its day.
Anyway, enjoy the detective work put into discovering so much about this “lost” show.
What nobody talks about, when they talk about Marilyn Monroe
What nobody talks about, when they talk about Marilyn Monroe.
“She always wanted to be photographed while reading, because that’s what she loved doing most. She had a library of over 400 books.”
Let’s just take a moment to respect the ultimate combination that is both beauty and brains. Rest in peace, Ms. Monroe.
Review: Heroes and Legends: The most influential characters of literature
Heroes and Legends: The most influential characters of literature by Thomas A. Shippey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
One of the things I like about The Great Courses series is the lectures are all 30 minutes or so, which makes them easily digestible. I have several of the courses (or others like them) in my library and they're great for picking up bits of knowledge between listening to full books. My latest scholarly endeavor then is Heroes and Legends: The Most Influential Characters of Literature as presented by Professor Thomas A. Shippey Continue reading “Review: Heroes and Legends: The most influential characters of literature”
Book Collecting
So it appears I’ve become a book collector.
To be clear, I’ve always been a book accumulator. There’s never been a time in my life when I didn’t have shelves and shelves of books at my disposal. I learned to read in kindergarten in Albuquerque (a classroom of one, I had progressive parents) and was reading well beyond my age from the beginning. Continue reading “Book Collecting”
Review: Kindred
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Incredibly powerful piece. Seriously. Octavia Butler has crafted an amazing novel which is nominally science fiction but at the same time is a historical drama as well as a slave narrative.
Written in 1976, the story follows an African American woman named Dana who has just celebrated her 27th birthday and has moved into a new house with her white husband Kevin. Then the weird stuff happens. Continue reading “Review: Kindred”
Aga – Boom (Boom Boom)
A few weeks ago, my friend Kevin contacted me on Facebook. A friend of his was a in a clown troupe who would be performing in Vilnius and might have need for a stage manager. So I contacted Kevin’s friend, who put my in touch with Iryna, one of the clowns and the partner of Dimitri, the guy who had created the show – a show called Aga-Boom. Continue reading “Aga – Boom (Boom Boom)”
2015/1981 Marvel Desktop Wallpaper Calendar | Andertoons Cartoon Blog
This is incredibly cool! Due to the cyclical nature of, you know, the laws of the physical universe, there are only a handful of different variations on the annual calendar. It so happens that this year, 2015, matches up perfectly with 1981. 1981 when Marvel comics put out an absolutely brilliant calendar featuring all their heavy hitters.
Artist Mark Anderson decided to scan the pages for his own calendar this year. Then he generously made the scans available to others (Thank you!!). Anyone want to go in on a piece for your own wall?
2015/1981 Marvel Desktop Wallpaper Calendar | Andertoons Cartoon Blog.
DAVID • Think: A Singer & His Muses
DAVID • Think: A Singer & His Muses.
This month I take a look at Isaac Bashevis Singer in light of a new documentary about his process. Fascinating guy!
There’s a bunch of other really great pieces as well so check out the whole magazine! Let me know what you think.
And if you’re in Vegas, the film is showing at the Jewish Film Festival. See if you can’t get tickets.
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 