TOO CLOSE TO HOME

As if you were on the edge of your seat, but I scored on eBay (and Borders) and am now all booked up for the next several weeks (Woo-Hoo!!)... Still shouldnt keep me from grabbing the new Linwood Barclay book next Tuesday. He wrote a series of 4 novels that were sort of comic-thrillers that were great (reminded me of Janet Evanovich), and then came out with "No Time For Goodbye" last year, which was a FANTASTIC thriller that moved like a rocket-- very much like the Harlan Coben books (who preceeded HIS brilliant suspensers with the lighter, Myron Bolitar series). If you're a reader, and you like good genre fiction, then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Linwood Barclay. The new one is called TOO CLOSE TO HOME, out 9/30...

What to read, what to read...

As someone who frequently has more than one book going, simultaneously, Ive just noticed that I only have one book left on my stack before Im all out (Yikes)... Big fan of thrillers/ Just finished the lastest John Lutz suspenser "In For the Kill", which was fantastic... Just started "Make Them Cry" by Kevin O'Brien (have read most of his stuff, and have emailed back and forth a few times with the writer), and that will do it!! There are a few series that I have yet to tackle-- Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series, and the Lee Child/ Jack Reacher books (both come highly recommended, and I think I'll be picking up the 1st in each of their repective string of novels. It is almost like when I was a smoker, and I got down to the last few menthols in the pack-- Gotta get more!! I have to say, eBay is a great place to buy books in lots, often by author, although it can be daunting to get a pile of 10 or 15 books at a pop> We'll see how I like the Crais and Child intro books...
Clearly, not a whole lot is going on with me right now :)

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler do Palin/Clinton on SNL!!

The full skit (as seen in bits and pieces on the news/ TODAY SHOW/ etc etc...
BRILLIANT


http://perezhilton.com/tv/?videoid=4a7351283919d

Next Tuesday sees the Double-DVD release of Gene Kelly's 1951 Best Picture winner AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, one of Hollywood's greatest musicals, and the perfect companion to Kelly's follow-up, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. What sets this apart from "Rain" is its Gershwin score, and it's amazing cinematography (which took incredible advantage of the Technicolor process). Kelly is immensely likeable as Jerry, the "title character", an amiable artist falling for gamine Leslie Caron despite nearly being "kept" by benefactoress Nina Foch (happy to subsidize his art in exchange for companionship...). A wonderful supporting cast round out this deceptively little film that is HUGE on production numbers, namely the "American In Paris Ballet" that comprises the final 17 minutes of this film. Here, Jerry finds himself dancing within painted works of art. Naysayers call this pretentious, but the idea of artist becoming the art was groundbreaking, both thematically as well as artistically, and clearly elevated this film from the genre musicals of the time. A simple story amazingly presented. Finally getting the deluxe treatment on DVD with assorted featurettes, and a full-length bio on Gene Kelly. Brilliant.

She's 63??

I just had to post this/ Debbie Harry is looking more and more amazing. This is from last night's FASHION ROCKS show, where she performed, and was lauded as being a style-trendsetter as well.

More Campaign Silliness...

I LOVE it when this kind of thing happens: The Republicans "adopted" the classic 1977 HEART song "Barracuda" is a quasi-theme for Palin, and HEART responded with a lawsuit. Other rockers have been in similar situations, most famously when Ronald Reagan co-opted Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA", not even grasping the cynicism and anti-Reagan era theme that the song was all about. How embarrassing... Anyway, here is the article from the Boston Globe:



The rock group Heart has sent a message to John McCain and Sarah "Barracuda'' Palin: quit playing our 1977 hit ''Barracuda.''
Soon after the presidential nominee finished his acceptance speech late Thursday and running-mate Palin joined him on the Republican National Convention stage in St. Paul, the sound system pumped the throbbing introductory guitar licks to "Barracuda.''
It seemed the cleverest musical choice of both conventions. Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, like Alaska Governor Palin, are outspoken products of the Pacific Northwest, and the sisters's tune also could refer to Palin's Dazed-and-Confused-Era nickname of Sarah Barracuda, given for her intense high-school basketball play.
But the Wilsons condemned the usage then and earlier in the convention, adding that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to the McCain-Palin campaign, according to CNN.
UPDATE Friday morning: here's a statement by Ann and Nancy Wilson from EW.com:
"Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."
No word so far on whether the tune would be dropped from the GOP playlist. "If the real thing don't do the trick,'' Ann Wilson sang in "Barracuda,'' "You better make up something quick.''