Here are fun facts from booksrockmyworld.com, edited by yours truly: Danielle Steel is currently the best selling living author and the fourth bestselling author of all time, more than 800 million copies having sold. The floating book shop currently has four of her novels: Accident, and Five Days in Paris in hardcover, and Zoya, and Precious Gifts in paperback... Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham after his editor, Bennett Cerf, bet the author couldn't write a book using fewer than 50 different words. The good doctor was up to the challenge. The 50 words are: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you. The text contains 236 words overall... In 1924 Erich von Stroheim attempted a literal screen adaptation of Frank Norris‘s novel McTeague. The film, Greed, was 9½ hours long. At studio insistence, it was cut to two hours. It flopped at the box office. It has since been restored to just over four hours. Sounds like a perfect vehicle to tackle for PBS' Masterpiece Theater... Alexandre Dumas fought his first duel at 23. During the tilt, his trousers fell down. Still, he prevailed. Apparently he was a Musketeer himself… The Oxford English Dictionary credits Charles Dickens with the first use of butter-fingers, crossfire, dustbin, fairy story, slow-coach, and whoosh.
Sign of the times: the London underground is dropping "Ladies and Gentlemen" from its announcements. "Everyone" will be used instead.
The Yankees acquired pitcher Sonny Gray from the A's. If he stays healthy, the Bronx Bombers will move up from contender to serious contender. Before the deal, I thought they were a couple of tweaks from dominance. They are now that much closer... The Red Sox made a nice acquisition in reliever Addison Reed from the Mets, but the team seems dysfunctional overall, especially offensively. It seems to miss Big Papi. If they don't fight off the Yankees this season, they may be in for another long run as second banana... The first place Dodgers also made a major move in acquiring Yu Darvish from the Rangers. Going from Ace to number two or three starter should help this underachiever... As for the Amazin's, they should be looking to foist Yoenis Cespedes on an AL team so that he can become a full time DH. His legs seem shot even though he doesn't run hard at bat or in the field.
My thanks to the family of five, who again generously overpaid for young adult novels: The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi and The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/30 - Dropouts & Blue Dogs
Here are people, gleaned from an article at listverse.com, who were hugely successful despite a lack of formal education. I eliminated several (Camus, Faulkner, Einstein) who returned to different types of schooling. The following are true dropouts: Born in Leningrad in 1940, Joseph Brodsky left school and took various jobs, taught himself Polish and English, and began writing poetry. He was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1972 and moved to the United States. He had nine volumes of poetry published and became a professor at Columbia University and Mount Holyoke College. In 1987 he received the Nobel Prize in Literature... Born in Glasgow in 1863, Arthur Henderson was forced to drop out of school to support his family upon the death of his father. He joined the Ironfounders’ Union at 18 and eventually was elected secretary of Newcastle lodge. In 1892 he co-founded the Labor Party. He was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1934... Like Henderson, Leon Jouhaux dropped out of school to help support his family and also went on to a career as a labor leader and winner of a Nobel Prize, 1951... Sweden's Harry Edmund Martinson was born in 1904. His parents died when he was very young. At 16 he ran away from an orphanage and went to sea. He spent six years aboard several ships, and as a laborer in foreign lands. He wrote about his experiences and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1974... George Bernard Shaw left school and started working at 15. He wrote for a decade before finally making a breakthrough. The rest is history... Jose Saramago was born in Portugal in 1922. Despite academic excellence, he dropped out of school due to financial reasons. He worked as a translator and journalist for a newspaper. He gained literary acclaim in his mid-fifties with the publication of his novel Baltasar and Blimunda. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988... While looking for a picture to accompany the post, I saw this alarming stat: 82% of prison inmates are dropouts.
I don't recall having ever heard the term Blue Dogs in reference to Democrats. According to Salena Zito's op-ed piece in today's NY Post, the term originated in 1995. It describes those who may be pro-life, pro-gun, fiscally responsible, concerned about national security, or all of the above. I knew there were a few Democrats who held such views. I'm surprised there were that many. In 2005 there were 54 in the House of Representatives. Caught in the tidal wave engendered by the party's swing to the extreme left, that figure is down to 18. I doubt there are any in the Senate, as no Democrat crossed lines on any of the votes to repeal the ACA. Then again, maybe the Blue Dogs merely paid lip service to their views, as those Republicans who voted to keep Obamacare in place seem to have done. I'm so cynical about politicians that I find it hard to believe any vote their conscience and not what's best for their chances of re-election.
My thanks to young Brandon and his lovely tattooed girlfriend, who bought Billionths of a Lifetime, and also to Mr. Conspiracy, who purchased a Spanish-English dictionary. One of my regulars, Monsey, resurfaced. Apparently she had a medical issue she was reluctant to discuss. I didn't press. She bought A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, which she had been seeking for a while. She is now able to use the work book she has for it.
I don't recall having ever heard the term Blue Dogs in reference to Democrats. According to Salena Zito's op-ed piece in today's NY Post, the term originated in 1995. It describes those who may be pro-life, pro-gun, fiscally responsible, concerned about national security, or all of the above. I knew there were a few Democrats who held such views. I'm surprised there were that many. In 2005 there were 54 in the House of Representatives. Caught in the tidal wave engendered by the party's swing to the extreme left, that figure is down to 18. I doubt there are any in the Senate, as no Democrat crossed lines on any of the votes to repeal the ACA. Then again, maybe the Blue Dogs merely paid lip service to their views, as those Republicans who voted to keep Obamacare in place seem to have done. I'm so cynical about politicians that I find it hard to believe any vote their conscience and not what's best for their chances of re-election.
My thanks to young Brandon and his lovely tattooed girlfriend, who bought Billionths of a Lifetime, and also to Mr. Conspiracy, who purchased a Spanish-English dictionary. One of my regulars, Monsey, resurfaced. Apparently she had a medical issue she was reluctant to discuss. I didn't press. She bought A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, which she had been seeking for a while. She is now able to use the work book she has for it.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Saturday, July 29, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/29 - Ooh La La
A while ago a gentleman whose opinion I respect said he had given up on La La Land (2016) after a half-hour, finding it too saccharine. That increased my skepticism. I feared I would have the same low opinion of it I have of two other modern Hollywood adaptations of musicals, Rent (2005) and Mamma Mia (2008). La La Land, which I watched last night courtesy of Netflix, is an original story written for the big screen. I'm happy to report I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the opening number, which takes place on the freeway. The scenario has three levels: boy meets girl, trying to beat impossible odds and becoming a successful artist, and ode to Hollywood. There are many cliches, but they fit in a work such as this. Surprisingly, it leans toward old fashion except for a few cusses and an instance of giving the finger. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are terrific as the leads. They charm despite limited vocal and dancing ability. Incredibly, Gosling had never played the piano prior to his three-month training for the movie. According to two web sources, he performed all of what is seen on screen. Wow! The dialogue is lively, often amusing, at times poignant. Shot in cinemascope, the colors are vibrant and beautiful. I loved the ending, which I found realistic. Until the last half hour or so, the film did not rise above nice. Although details were left out, it was easy to fill in the blanks, given the character development. The songwriting is solid. I followed the close captioning closely. Kudos to Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the lyrics, and Justin Hurwitz, who composed the music. One doesn't have to be a struggling artist to relate to this couplet from The Fools Who Dream: "Here's to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem..." The ubiquitous J.K. Simmons lends support as a nightclub owner. And pop star John Legend has this wonderful bit of dialogue while confronting Gosling's uncompromising character, accusing him of killing jazz: "How are you going to be a revolutionary if you're such a traditionalist? You're holding onto the past, but jazz is about the future." The movie is not only an artistic success, it was a smash at the box office. Made on a budget of "only" $30 million, it returned more than $151 million in the USA alone. It runs a bit longer than two hours. 287,000+ users at IMDb have rated La La Land, forging to a consensus of 8.2 on a scale of ten. I agree. Nominated for a boatload of Oscars, it won six. Stone won Best Actress. Damien Chazelle, who also wrote the screenplay, won Best Director. He followed his previous effort, Whiplash (2014), also a film centered around music and the obsession with making it. Kudos, sir, and to everyone involved.
My thanks to the gentleman and lady who each bought a book in Russian, to the young woman who purchased The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and to the two ladies and the local super who donated books. The best part of the day was learning from a traffic enforcement agent that as a merchant I don't have to feed the meter. I'd had no idea. I don't think it's fair to other drivers, but I'll take advantage of it. I'll also keep quarters handy - just in case.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
My thanks to the gentleman and lady who each bought a book in Russian, to the young woman who purchased The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and to the two ladies and the local super who donated books. The best part of the day was learning from a traffic enforcement agent that as a merchant I don't have to feed the meter. I'd had no idea. I don't think it's fair to other drivers, but I'll take advantage of it. I'll also keep quarters handy - just in case.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Friday, July 28, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/28 - Choices
Life on many college campuses keeps getting more absurd. According to the Fast Takes column in today's NY Post, Princeton is seeking an "Interpersonal Violence Clinician and Men's Engagement Manager." The aim is to train men to be more docile, as if that hasn't been occurring overall in society for years now.
Offensive Lineman John Urshel is retiring from the NFL after only three seasons, all with the Baltimore Ravens. At first many assumed it was in reaction to the astonishing concussion study recently released. It turns out that the big guy, who has a Masters in Mathematics from MIT, intends to pursue a doctorate full time. At one point in my life I thought anyone who would give up a career in pro sports was nuts. I don't anymore, especially regarding football, where the perils are great, especially in the long term. In retrospect, one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me was not being talented enough to play college ball. Who knows what aches and pains - or worse - I'd be suffering these days. Back in 1969, my buddy Bruce, also an offensive lineman, and who started several games as a sophomore during the '68 season, gave up his full ride at WMU and enrolled in Wayne State's (Detroit) pre-med program. I was shocked, believing sports was the highest calling. An assistant coach sniffed: "He's gonna be a student." Bruce went on to be an internist, proving himself smarter than all his detractors. Kudos to Urshel and my old friend.
A British driver has survived a major crash in his Ferrari - an hour after he bought it. Local cops called it a "miracle escape," and posted photos of the wreck on Twitter, saying the car "went airborne (and) burst into flames" beside a highway in northern England. The 430 Scuderia is worth $260,000. Here's where it ended up:
All the floating book shop's business came in the first 15 minutes of operation. My thanks to the middle age woman who bought the Sidney Sheldon translation into Russian, to the elderly one who bought two novels in her native tongue; to Ira, who purchased a huge pictorial on Hollywood homes; and to the young man who selected an odd combination: Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita and David Wellington's Monster Island: A Zombie Novel.
Offensive Lineman John Urshel is retiring from the NFL after only three seasons, all with the Baltimore Ravens. At first many assumed it was in reaction to the astonishing concussion study recently released. It turns out that the big guy, who has a Masters in Mathematics from MIT, intends to pursue a doctorate full time. At one point in my life I thought anyone who would give up a career in pro sports was nuts. I don't anymore, especially regarding football, where the perils are great, especially in the long term. In retrospect, one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me was not being talented enough to play college ball. Who knows what aches and pains - or worse - I'd be suffering these days. Back in 1969, my buddy Bruce, also an offensive lineman, and who started several games as a sophomore during the '68 season, gave up his full ride at WMU and enrolled in Wayne State's (Detroit) pre-med program. I was shocked, believing sports was the highest calling. An assistant coach sniffed: "He's gonna be a student." Bruce went on to be an internist, proving himself smarter than all his detractors. Kudos to Urshel and my old friend.
A British driver has survived a major crash in his Ferrari - an hour after he bought it. Local cops called it a "miracle escape," and posted photos of the wreck on Twitter, saying the car "went airborne (and) burst into flames" beside a highway in northern England. The 430 Scuderia is worth $260,000. Here's where it ended up:
All the floating book shop's business came in the first 15 minutes of operation. My thanks to the middle age woman who bought the Sidney Sheldon translation into Russian, to the elderly one who bought two novels in her native tongue; to Ira, who purchased a huge pictorial on Hollywood homes; and to the young man who selected an odd combination: Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita and David Wellington's Monster Island: A Zombie Novel.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/27 - Common Sense
It would be wrong to classify this guy as a hero, as he didn't face peril, but he performed a huge public service by shining a light on the inefficiency of government. From Foxnews.com, edited by yours truly: Toronto's Adi Astl, a retired mechanic, decided to build stairs at a park after several people fell down a poorly constructed pathway that leads to a garden. He paid $550 for materials and also received private donations. He hired a homeless person and together the two built the eight steps. Officials had estimated construction of the stairs would cost from $65,000 to $150,000. Astl took matters into his own hands, he said, for the safety of the community. The stairs have now been blocked off by tape and will remain that way until city officials come up with a solution. Astl has not been fined and is not facing criminal charges. Toronto Mayor John Tory said that the estimated cost of the stairs was “completely out of whack with reality,” but added that private citizens should not skirt city laws. He has asked city officials to decide on a different estimate, one that is a cheaper. He said: “I think we all need to have a bit of common sense here.” Now there's a rarity - common sense government. Kudos to Astl. Here's a pic of his work:
So far only Trump's tweeting has disappointed me. Otherwise, he is trying to enact an agenda with which I agree almost entirely. Although I believe it will be a huge mistake to fire either AG Jeff Sessions or Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, I will not turn against him. Sessions is a good man and deserves the benefit of the doubt. True, the investigation into the president seems like a stacked deck run by Clinton acolytes. It will eventually delve into his finances, which won't be fair but it may be the only way his enemies can get him. He has to stand tall and take the heat. Why give the enemy even more ammo? Let them continue to come up with their own baloney. I once had hope that Trump could make things at least a little better. The Republicans who voted to keep the ACA in place show just how deep the swamp is. My frame of mind has returned to where it was before the election. The tipping point has been passed. Socialism is here to stay. How I'd love to be wrong.
My thanks to the elderly woman who bought Predator by Patricia Cornwell, and to the young one who purchased Acts Of Contrition by John Cooney, and to the gentleman who donated four books in Russian. I had visits from both Political Man and Mountain Man today, the former excoriating Trump, practicing selective outrage that excludes wrath at the sins of the Clintons, Podestas, Loretta Lynch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the latter excoriating everyone in politics, which is closer to my view.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
So far only Trump's tweeting has disappointed me. Otherwise, he is trying to enact an agenda with which I agree almost entirely. Although I believe it will be a huge mistake to fire either AG Jeff Sessions or Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, I will not turn against him. Sessions is a good man and deserves the benefit of the doubt. True, the investigation into the president seems like a stacked deck run by Clinton acolytes. It will eventually delve into his finances, which won't be fair but it may be the only way his enemies can get him. He has to stand tall and take the heat. Why give the enemy even more ammo? Let them continue to come up with their own baloney. I once had hope that Trump could make things at least a little better. The Republicans who voted to keep the ACA in place show just how deep the swamp is. My frame of mind has returned to where it was before the election. The tipping point has been passed. Socialism is here to stay. How I'd love to be wrong.
My thanks to the elderly woman who bought Predator by Patricia Cornwell, and to the young one who purchased Acts Of Contrition by John Cooney, and to the gentleman who donated four books in Russian. I had visits from both Political Man and Mountain Man today, the former excoriating Trump, practicing selective outrage that excludes wrath at the sins of the Clintons, Podestas, Loretta Lynch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the latter excoriating everyone in politics, which is closer to my view.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/26 - Tales, Counts & Inventory
My knowledge of classical literature is greater than the average person's, although I am miles from an expert on the subject. I thought I'd heard of every such author, then one day I suffered a mild comeuppance, coming into possession of The Best Tales of Hoffmann, a Prussian who made a great impact on the world during his short life. He died in 1822 at 46. E.T.A. Hoffmann's stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann, which, heavily fictionalized, presents the author as its hero. He is also wrote the novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which Tchaikovsky based his beloved ballet. Another, Coppélia, is based on two of Hoffmann's stories, while Schumann's Kreisleriana is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler. There are ten tales in the aforementioned volume, translated from German by several personages. I read four. The first, The Golden Flower Pot, ran 70 pages. I found it grossly overwritten and outlandish, tending toward fantasy rather than the macabre. I then decided to concentrate on the stories that comprise Offenbach's opera, the libretto of which was written in French by Jules Barbier. Outside of a few arias, I'm not a fan of the genre, but I respect the skill of the creators and performers. I've never seen The Tales of Hoffmann, and doubt I've heard any music or arias from it. I enjoyed the three stories much more than the first. Each was considerably shorter. Hoffmann preceded Edgar Allan Poe, whose first story was published in 1833, eleven years after former's death. The two share an interest in the bizarre. A New Year's Eve Adventure is the story of a man who loses his reflection in mirrors. The Sand Man concerns a young man's obsession with a beautiful but lifeless woman. Rath Krespel is about a father's overprotection of a beautiful daughter. The first two have elements of the supernatural, which must be fun in modern renderings of the opera. The last, which is a fairly standard work, involves violins and vocals, so it's easy to imagine its transfer to the stage. Hoffman was also a caricaturist, and many of his drawings are interspersed throughout the book, recreated by artists. Here is one he did of himself, which is not in the book:
Here's eye-opening news: Male sperm counts in the USA, Europe, New Zealand and Australia have dropped 50% the in the past 40 years. Although the analysis did not state any reasons why this has occurred, previous studies cite exposure to chemicals and pesticides, smoking and obesity. Whatever - it's scary.
My thanks to the gentleman who donated a wide array of books that includes classics, best sellers and non-fiction, hardcover as well as paperback. The floating book shop's inventory keeps getting better. At the moment it's probably the best it's ever been. My thanks also to the young woman who bought Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, and to the elderly woman who bought a thriller in Russian; and to Eileen, who purchased novels by Kay Hooper and Rosamund Pilcher; and to the young man who sells books online at Amazon, who hopes he will realize a nice profit on Robert Graves' I Claudius and two other books. I hope he does too so he'll return and buy more.
Here's eye-opening news: Male sperm counts in the USA, Europe, New Zealand and Australia have dropped 50% the in the past 40 years. Although the analysis did not state any reasons why this has occurred, previous studies cite exposure to chemicals and pesticides, smoking and obesity. Whatever - it's scary.
My thanks to the gentleman who donated a wide array of books that includes classics, best sellers and non-fiction, hardcover as well as paperback. The floating book shop's inventory keeps getting better. At the moment it's probably the best it's ever been. My thanks also to the young woman who bought Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, and to the elderly woman who bought a thriller in Russian; and to Eileen, who purchased novels by Kay Hooper and Rosamund Pilcher; and to the young man who sells books online at Amazon, who hopes he will realize a nice profit on Robert Graves' I Claudius and two other books. I hope he does too so he'll return and buy more.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/25 - Fascinating
An article in the NY Post led me to Wikipedia for the following facts: The Ritchie Boys were U.S. special military intelligence officers and enlisted men of WWII trained at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. 2200 of the 15,200 were German-speaking immigrants, many Jews who fled Nazi persecution, born in Germany or Austria. The group was primarily utilized for interrogation of prisoners on the front lines and counter-intelligence in Europe. Most of the men were assigned because of fluency in German, French, Italian, Polish or other languages. There is a new book out on the subject: Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson. Of course, no one is capable of remembering everything regarding such a vast event as WWII, but it is amazing how often yet another forgotten aspect is remembered, brought to light.
The Fast Takes column in the Post tagged climate scientists as "Merchants of Misery," which I had not heard before and enjoyed. It highlighted a recent article that put forth suggestions on reducing one's carbon footprint such as: Have one less child, eat a plant-based diet, live car-free, avoid air travel, let the lawn grow longer, hang clothes outside, and raise chickens in the backyard. In response I say: Being childless is the biggest regret of my life; ixnay on the total vegan stuff; I need my car to operate the floating book shop; I haven't used an airline since the late '90's, not because of any environmental concerns but because I'm one of these nuts who hates travel; I don't have a lawn; I hang my clothes to dry in the basement of the old house, although there is a dryer there; raising chickens as a form of environmental correctness seems a symptom of mental illness.
Sci-fi continues to become reality. From Yahoo's Odd News, edited by yours truly: A Wisconsin company is offering to microchip its employees, enabling them to open doors, log onto computers and purchase break room snacks at the simple swipe of the hand. Three Square Market said more than 50 employees are voluntarily getting implants at a "chip party" to be held at its headquarters. The devices, which cost $300 each, are the size of a grain of rice and are inserted underneath the skin between the thumb and forefinger using a syringe. The procedure takes a couple of seconds. The company is picking up the tab. Employees are free to opt out. Addressing privacy concerns, officials claim the data is encrypted and does not use GPS, and the chip can be removed in seconds. Michael Zimmer, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, sees potential for "function creep," where the stated purpose of a technology ends up spilling over into other uses, including surveillance - ye olde unintended consequences. He prefers less invasive means like an iPhone app. Here's the chip:
My thanks to the woman who purchased the huge pictorial on Israel and novels by James Patterson and Nora Roberts, to the woman who bought two by Maeve Binchy and one by Cynthia Freeman; and to the home attendant who settled her tab.
The Fast Takes column in the Post tagged climate scientists as "Merchants of Misery," which I had not heard before and enjoyed. It highlighted a recent article that put forth suggestions on reducing one's carbon footprint such as: Have one less child, eat a plant-based diet, live car-free, avoid air travel, let the lawn grow longer, hang clothes outside, and raise chickens in the backyard. In response I say: Being childless is the biggest regret of my life; ixnay on the total vegan stuff; I need my car to operate the floating book shop; I haven't used an airline since the late '90's, not because of any environmental concerns but because I'm one of these nuts who hates travel; I don't have a lawn; I hang my clothes to dry in the basement of the old house, although there is a dryer there; raising chickens as a form of environmental correctness seems a symptom of mental illness.
Sci-fi continues to become reality. From Yahoo's Odd News, edited by yours truly: A Wisconsin company is offering to microchip its employees, enabling them to open doors, log onto computers and purchase break room snacks at the simple swipe of the hand. Three Square Market said more than 50 employees are voluntarily getting implants at a "chip party" to be held at its headquarters. The devices, which cost $300 each, are the size of a grain of rice and are inserted underneath the skin between the thumb and forefinger using a syringe. The procedure takes a couple of seconds. The company is picking up the tab. Employees are free to opt out. Addressing privacy concerns, officials claim the data is encrypted and does not use GPS, and the chip can be removed in seconds. Michael Zimmer, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, sees potential for "function creep," where the stated purpose of a technology ends up spilling over into other uses, including surveillance - ye olde unintended consequences. He prefers less invasive means like an iPhone app. Here's the chip:
My thanks to the woman who purchased the huge pictorial on Israel and novels by James Patterson and Nora Roberts, to the woman who bought two by Maeve Binchy and one by Cynthia Freeman; and to the home attendant who settled her tab.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Monday, July 24, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/24 - Money Matters
Recently, an official said taxes needed to be raised by the billions to fix NYC's subways. An editorial in today's NY Post suggested another method to find the necessary funds - ending tax subsidies for movies and TV. In the first three months of 2017, the state doled out $53.9 million in credits. $20.9 million went to The Tonight Show, $15.4 to The Good Wife, and $13.6 to Law & Order SVU. Let them sink or swim on their own. Here's another suggestion: politicians get a 50% reduction in salary.
Scott Blumstein, a Jersey guy, was the last man standing at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. 7200 participants entered. Oddly, his winning hand was a pair of deuces. He took home $8.1 million and a commemorative diamond bracelet. He has a degree in accounting from Temple University. The funniest fact in the accompanying article in the Post was that he employs a sports psychologist. The runner up took home $4.7 million. Man, it must be fun to make a living gambling. Investors face 50-50 odds. As mediocre as my stock picks have been, I've still earned at least five percent overall. Gamblers face longer odds, much longer in some cases. I've always felt I would come out way ahead betting on the major sports, but I never had the nerve to enter more than football and baseball pools. My nature is too conservative.
After yesterday's win at the British Open (I'm not calling it the pretentious "Open Championship"), Jordan Spieth now has three of the four legs of a career grand slam. After a bizarre bogey save at 13, he was brilliant down the stretch, separating himself from fellow American Matt Kuchar. He took home $1,845,000. Kuchar, 39, won $1,067,000, but I'd bet he'd trade it for a victory in a major. After all, his solid career has earned him a lot of money. He has won 13 events. This was his first runner up in a major. He has now been in the top ten seven times. He should have other chances, but one never knows. His best play may come in non-majors.
I dressed stupidly twice today. When I left the apartment just after 10:30, it was sprinkling. I'd just listened to the forecast, which said the rain would be stopping at lunch time, so I assumed the intensity would diminish rather than intensify. I didn't go back to the apartment for my rain jacket. By the time I reached Stop n Shop's recycling center, I was soaked. Later, when the rain stopped at about 11:30, I went out without a jacket, which was as dumb as not keeping one in the car - just in case. The temperature may have been 70, but the cloud cover and wind made it feel a lot cooler. I tried to jake myself by thinking what a relief it was from last week's heat, but it didn't work. After two hours, I was shivering a bit. Fortunately Jeannette, my dentist's wife. came along and bought Five Cents, the only sale of the session. My thanks. My back was stiff as I walked home, but it's loosened up since. A 67-year-old should know better.
Scott Blumstein, a Jersey guy, was the last man standing at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. 7200 participants entered. Oddly, his winning hand was a pair of deuces. He took home $8.1 million and a commemorative diamond bracelet. He has a degree in accounting from Temple University. The funniest fact in the accompanying article in the Post was that he employs a sports psychologist. The runner up took home $4.7 million. Man, it must be fun to make a living gambling. Investors face 50-50 odds. As mediocre as my stock picks have been, I've still earned at least five percent overall. Gamblers face longer odds, much longer in some cases. I've always felt I would come out way ahead betting on the major sports, but I never had the nerve to enter more than football and baseball pools. My nature is too conservative.
After yesterday's win at the British Open (I'm not calling it the pretentious "Open Championship"), Jordan Spieth now has three of the four legs of a career grand slam. After a bizarre bogey save at 13, he was brilliant down the stretch, separating himself from fellow American Matt Kuchar. He took home $1,845,000. Kuchar, 39, won $1,067,000, but I'd bet he'd trade it for a victory in a major. After all, his solid career has earned him a lot of money. He has won 13 events. This was his first runner up in a major. He has now been in the top ten seven times. He should have other chances, but one never knows. His best play may come in non-majors.
I dressed stupidly twice today. When I left the apartment just after 10:30, it was sprinkling. I'd just listened to the forecast, which said the rain would be stopping at lunch time, so I assumed the intensity would diminish rather than intensify. I didn't go back to the apartment for my rain jacket. By the time I reached Stop n Shop's recycling center, I was soaked. Later, when the rain stopped at about 11:30, I went out without a jacket, which was as dumb as not keeping one in the car - just in case. The temperature may have been 70, but the cloud cover and wind made it feel a lot cooler. I tried to jake myself by thinking what a relief it was from last week's heat, but it didn't work. After two hours, I was shivering a bit. Fortunately Jeannette, my dentist's wife. came along and bought Five Cents, the only sale of the session. My thanks. My back was stiff as I walked home, but it's loosened up since. A 67-year-old should know better.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Sunday, July 23, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/23 - Far from Thin
Last night PBS in NYC ran Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), the fourth of the six pairings of Hollywood royals William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Overall, they did 14 films together. No screen couple has ever had better chemistry. The Thin Man films are characterized by snappy dialogue. The screenplay for Shadow... was written by Irving Brecher and Harry Kurnitz. It was directed by W.S. Van Dyke, who was at the helm of 93 movies in his short life. He died at 53. Here are some lines from a list at IMBd:
Nick Charles: I want to know something about apartment 25C. What I want to know is, how long did Rainbow Benny live in that apartment?
Greek Janitor: Oh, no long. He's move in last night at seven and he's a dead at ten.
Nick Charles: I tell you what, you go home, cold cream that lovely face, slip into an exciting negligee...
Nora Charles: Yes.
Nick Charles: And I'll see you at breakfast.
Lieutenant Abrams, played by Sam Levene: Is this your gun?
Paul Clarke, played by Barry Nelson, boyfriend of Donna Reed's character: No. No. It was Whitey's and it hasn't been fired.
Lieutenant Abrams: So it hasn't been fired? Then its usin' a new perfume! Burnt powder!
Nora Charles: Did Daddy read you a story?
Nick Charles Jr.: Yes.
Nora Charles: Tell Mommy the story.
Nick Charles Jr.: Son-of-a-Gun is 40 to 1.
Lieutenant Abrams: [Reading the "laundry list" found in Whitey Barrow's pocket] Three bloomers, twenty-five kimonos, ten slips, five panties, fifteen chemises.
Nora Charles: Sounds like wash day at Vassar.
Claire Porter aka Clara Peters, played by famed acting teacher Stella Adler: I haven't killed a jockey in weeks. Really.
'Link' Stephens: You're gonna see some great wrestling tonight.
Nick Charles: How do you know? Were you at the rehearsal?
Lieutenant Abrams: You know that jockey Golez, the one who was caught throwing the fourth race yesterday? He was shot.
Nora Charles: My, they're strict at this track!
Nora Charles: He's getting more like his father everyday.
Estrellita, played by Louise Beavers: He sure is. This morning he was playing with a corkscrew.
RIP John Heard, 72, consummate Hollywood supporting player. There are 178 titles listed under his name at IMDb, which include six that will be released posthumously. Equally at ease on the big or small screen, he was particularly adept in the role of white collar criminal, which he did on all three of the Law & Order incarnations. Well done, sir.
My thanks to the young Asian woman who purchased Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James, and to Bad News Billy, who grossly over paid for Bush league: a History of Minor League Baseball by Robert Obojski, and to the elderly couple who donated about a dozen paperback best sellers.
Nick Charles: I want to know something about apartment 25C. What I want to know is, how long did Rainbow Benny live in that apartment?
Greek Janitor: Oh, no long. He's move in last night at seven and he's a dead at ten.
Nick Charles: I tell you what, you go home, cold cream that lovely face, slip into an exciting negligee...
Nora Charles: Yes.
Nick Charles: And I'll see you at breakfast.
Lieutenant Abrams, played by Sam Levene: Is this your gun?
Paul Clarke, played by Barry Nelson, boyfriend of Donna Reed's character: No. No. It was Whitey's and it hasn't been fired.
Lieutenant Abrams: So it hasn't been fired? Then its usin' a new perfume! Burnt powder!
Nora Charles: Did Daddy read you a story?
Nick Charles Jr.: Yes.
Nora Charles: Tell Mommy the story.
Nick Charles Jr.: Son-of-a-Gun is 40 to 1.
Lieutenant Abrams: [Reading the "laundry list" found in Whitey Barrow's pocket] Three bloomers, twenty-five kimonos, ten slips, five panties, fifteen chemises.
Nora Charles: Sounds like wash day at Vassar.
Claire Porter aka Clara Peters, played by famed acting teacher Stella Adler: I haven't killed a jockey in weeks. Really.
'Link' Stephens: You're gonna see some great wrestling tonight.
Nick Charles: How do you know? Were you at the rehearsal?
Lieutenant Abrams: You know that jockey Golez, the one who was caught throwing the fourth race yesterday? He was shot.
Nora Charles: My, they're strict at this track!
Nora Charles: He's getting more like his father everyday.
Estrellita, played by Louise Beavers: He sure is. This morning he was playing with a corkscrew.
RIP John Heard, 72, consummate Hollywood supporting player. There are 178 titles listed under his name at IMDb, which include six that will be released posthumously. Equally at ease on the big or small screen, he was particularly adept in the role of white collar criminal, which he did on all three of the Law & Order incarnations. Well done, sir.
My thanks to the young Asian woman who purchased Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James, and to Bad News Billy, who grossly over paid for Bush league: a History of Minor League Baseball by Robert Obojski, and to the elderly couple who donated about a dozen paperback best sellers.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Saturday, July 22, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/22 - Forgotten Film Resurrected
Certain movies fall through the cracks, go lost for decades. Such was the case with Something Wild (1961), starring the lovely Carroll Baker, which I watched last night courtesy of Netflix. Shot in black and white, mostly in Manhattan, it is the story of the rape of a college student on her way home from classes at City College. She keeps it to herself. There are long stretches without dialogue, something I've always loved as long as sound accompanies it. It is easy to empathize with what the young woman is thinking and feeling. The best scene occurs during a morning after commute on a packed subway car, fueled by the pulsating score of Aaron Copland, one of the 20th Century's most renowned composers. The music during the opening credits burst from the speakers, and it immediately had me wondering who was behind it. I paid a lot more attention to the soundtrack than usual. The first hour or so of the narrative focuses entirely on the psychological effects of the ordeal. It takes an odd turn when the character is saved from jumping off a bridge by a mechanic played by Ralph Meeker. Are the ensuing circumstances plausible? I think so, given that the young woman has not sought counseling. Who's to say how she would behave? The major flaw is the lack of development of the male's character. The leads are outstanding. Meeker has always been under-rated. The supporting cast features several Hollywood stalwarts. Mildred Dunnock and Clifton James play the parents, left by the young woman without a word or trace. Jean Stapleton plays a wacky neighbor, Doris Roberts a co-worker. It is a solid, interesting film worth resurrecting. Based on the novel by Alex Karmel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jack Garfein, who directed, it runs a bit less than two hours. The pace is deliberate. 61 users at IMDb have rated Something Wild, forging to a consensus of 6.8 on a scale of ten. The title, which suggests something light, does not fit the ultra-serious tone of the scenario. Perhaps something was lost in its adaptation from book to screen. Garfein, who met Baker at the famed Actor's Studio and later married her, has an interesting history. Born in Czechoslavakia, he survived Auschwitz, where he was sent at 15. He has only four screen credits, two of them in TV. He also directed plays. His union with Baker lasted 14 years and produced two children. Born in Johnstown, Pa. in 1931, Baker's real name is Karolina Piekarski. She had a solid career that spanned 50 years and included an Oscar nomination for Baby Doll (1956). She has 83 titles listed under her name at IMDb. Here's a great quote attributed to her: "When Clark Gable kissed me, they had to carry me off the set." That was in But Not for Me (1959). She retired to care for her third husband, and has not taken a role since 2003. Here's a still from the film. Meeker passed away in 1988 at 67.
My thanks to Jonathan's mom, who allowed him to select The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg and Licence To Kill by John Gardner, a novelization of the film starring Timothy Dalton, one of the 16 Bond novels the author did. Jonathon, 14, will be attending Brooklyn Tech in September. He has grown past six feet. I asked if he will be playing football. He said no. The coach will be very disappointed. It was another tough session weather-wise. I hope the forecast, which predicts an end to the heat wave, is right.
My thanks to Jonathan's mom, who allowed him to select The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg and Licence To Kill by John Gardner, a novelization of the film starring Timothy Dalton, one of the 16 Bond novels the author did. Jonathon, 14, will be attending Brooklyn Tech in September. He has grown past six feet. I asked if he will be playing football. He said no. The coach will be very disappointed. It was another tough session weather-wise. I hope the forecast, which predicts an end to the heat wave, is right.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/21 - The Good, the Bad & the Sad
The mainstream media would have Americans believe Trump is batting zero. Yesterday, radio talk show host Mark Simone, a personal friend and staunch supporter of the President, mentioned a list of the accomplishments during the first six months of the administration. Many of the 50 are too vague to be taken seriously, or haven't been finalized ("Working to" is not an accomplishment, although there is hope that it eventually will be.). The one about low unemployment is bogus, as many have become too discouraged to look for work and are not represented in the figure, same as during Obama's reign. Real unemployment is probably at least nine percent and may be as high as 20%. Here are the items I find noteworthy, many reworded by yours truly: Appointed Gorsuch to the Supreme Court; Withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership; Opened first new coal mine in decades; Will continue Keystone & Dakota Pipelines; Selling Energy to Poland; Pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord; Signed more than 13 Congressional Review Acts; Signed 30 executive orders; Eliminated many Obama era executive orders; Signed 40 bills into law, including holdovers from before he took office; Set ICE loose to make 41,000 arrests; Refugee intake reduced by 50%; Federal deficit reduced by $100 billion (Why isn't this being publicized or, if not true, refuted?); Job creation increasing (Still inadequate, however). Here's the entire list so that you can decide for yourself. Leftists will be appalled, of course. Everyone from left of center to the extreme right should read it make up his/her own mind. Don't let the talking heads do it for you:
Another day, another disaster for the NYC transit system. A train derailed in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, just one stop away from our neighborhood. A fleet of ambulances and maintenance trucks was lined up along Sheepshead Bay Road and into Avenue Z, curbside where I set up the floating book shop. Fortunately, there was only one minor injury. Unfortunately, service was disrupted. Packed shuttle buses transported commuters from the stations that had been shut down to the one that services our stretch. Access to Coney Island was unavailable on the D/Q line.
A stiff breeze made conditions a lot more tolerable than yesterday. Several people noted how different it felt passing under the scaffold than in the sun. My thanks to the sweet middle age woman returning from her daily shopping, who purchased Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly by Dean Ornish, and Eat Great, Lose Weight: Eat All the Foods You Love by Suzanne Somers. I sense a theme there. Thanks also to Ira, who bought two more Hollywood bios, Fred Astaire and Vivien Leigh. He must have the history of just about every star from the Golden Age in his library by now. My thanks also to the gentleman who bought a book on Judaism. He's the first person from Tajikistan I've ever met. He's trying to make it in real estate. The only fiction sale of the session went to a middle age woman who showed me what she's reading, one of those historical novels on the kings and queens of England that became popular about a decade ago. It prompted me to fish The King's Witch by Cecelia Holland out of its place in the display. The lady beamed.
I was witness to an ugly side of life. A handsome man in his early 20's came stumbling along, obviously intoxicated. He happened to make his return the same time as Nell, a lovely middle age woman who always wishes me well. She cared enough to engage him. He put an open bottle of prescription drugs to his mouth and swallowed a few pills. Nell asked what we should do. I had no clue. Had she owned a cell phone she would have called the cops, even though the kid mentioned he was carrying heroin. He also said he was ready to jump off a building. Nell hit the nail on the head in saying he was too stoned to be making any decisions. I sensed he was issuing a cry for help. She mentioned the program at Coney Island Hospital. He asked her to come with him. She balked, then started walking with him. They'd made it through two of the eight block journey before I lost sight of them. While they were beside me, one of my main benefactors arrived with four books. She mentioned that her daughter, 25, who worked for the Board of Education, died of an overdose of oxycodone. All I could say was how sorry I was to hear that. I imagine the parents of the young man are heartbroken over his state. Hopefully Nell is the angel that leads him to recovery.
Another day, another disaster for the NYC transit system. A train derailed in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, just one stop away from our neighborhood. A fleet of ambulances and maintenance trucks was lined up along Sheepshead Bay Road and into Avenue Z, curbside where I set up the floating book shop. Fortunately, there was only one minor injury. Unfortunately, service was disrupted. Packed shuttle buses transported commuters from the stations that had been shut down to the one that services our stretch. Access to Coney Island was unavailable on the D/Q line.
A stiff breeze made conditions a lot more tolerable than yesterday. Several people noted how different it felt passing under the scaffold than in the sun. My thanks to the sweet middle age woman returning from her daily shopping, who purchased Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly by Dean Ornish, and Eat Great, Lose Weight: Eat All the Foods You Love by Suzanne Somers. I sense a theme there. Thanks also to Ira, who bought two more Hollywood bios, Fred Astaire and Vivien Leigh. He must have the history of just about every star from the Golden Age in his library by now. My thanks also to the gentleman who bought a book on Judaism. He's the first person from Tajikistan I've ever met. He's trying to make it in real estate. The only fiction sale of the session went to a middle age woman who showed me what she's reading, one of those historical novels on the kings and queens of England that became popular about a decade ago. It prompted me to fish The King's Witch by Cecelia Holland out of its place in the display. The lady beamed.
I was witness to an ugly side of life. A handsome man in his early 20's came stumbling along, obviously intoxicated. He happened to make his return the same time as Nell, a lovely middle age woman who always wishes me well. She cared enough to engage him. He put an open bottle of prescription drugs to his mouth and swallowed a few pills. Nell asked what we should do. I had no clue. Had she owned a cell phone she would have called the cops, even though the kid mentioned he was carrying heroin. He also said he was ready to jump off a building. Nell hit the nail on the head in saying he was too stoned to be making any decisions. I sensed he was issuing a cry for help. She mentioned the program at Coney Island Hospital. He asked her to come with him. She balked, then started walking with him. They'd made it through two of the eight block journey before I lost sight of them. While they were beside me, one of my main benefactors arrived with four books. She mentioned that her daughter, 25, who worked for the Board of Education, died of an overdose of oxycodone. All I could say was how sorry I was to hear that. I imagine the parents of the young man are heartbroken over his state. Hopefully Nell is the angel that leads him to recovery.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Thursday, July 20, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/20 - Rejection
Here's a list of famous entertainers who were not dissuaded by brutal rejections, gleaned from listverse.com, edited heavily by yours truly. The original piece was written by Garry Pullman: When Boy George made his desire to become a musician known to his career counselor, the adviser laughed in his face and suggested he consider working in a factory... Following his audition for admission to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Gary Oldman was told he couldn't act and should seek another career... Most Hollywood talent evaluators told Arnold Schwarzenegger his hope of transitioning from bodybuilding into acting was a pipe dream given the three strikes already against him: accent, overly developed body, unpronounceable name... In the 1960's Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood were fired on the same day. Eastwood was terminated because of his looks. Reynolds said: “They told him his Adam’s apple stuck out too far, he talked too slow and he had to get that chipped tooth fixed.” When Reynolds asked why he was fired, he was told: “You can’t act.” As the canned duo left the premises, Reynolds told Eastwood: “You’re in a hell of a lot of trouble. I’ll eventually learn to act. You’ll never get rid of that Adam’s apple!”... When Sidney Poitier auditioned for his first role in a play, the director told him: “Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?”... The individual who evaluated Fred Astaire's first screen test said: “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Balding. Can dance a little.”... When Brad Pitt auditioned for a part in The Accused (1988), starring Jodie Foster, his performance elicited “three seconds of silence” followed by the question: “Have you ever thought about acting classes?”... After an audition, Elvis Presley was told not to give up his job as a truck driver - because he was “never going to make it as a singer.” And the rest is history.
My thanks to the young mom who didn't reject me, who bought three works of non-fiction, among them Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, and Walking the Weight Off for Dummies. I was lucky she didn't leave in a huff. When I pointed out one of Suzanne Summers' diet books, she looked me in the eye and said: "I'm not fat." In the business, that's what's called a faux pas. Thanks also to Ludmilla, who bought a book in Russian. She's working part time selling organic supplements. She gave me the hard sell, pulling out charts that showed how much she and her recruits had earned recently. I rejected her as gently as possible, saying I'd rather sell books. Undeterred, she said to ask for her card when I'm ready. My thanks also to the Jewish Meals on Wheels lady, who gave me two dinners, one of which I just had, some kind of sausage mix and veggies that wasn't bad. I'll have the other for lunch tomorrow. The heat was brutal. Fortunately, the old Hyundai was only 15 yards away. Unfortunately, I had to move it for the Alternate Side regulation. If I don't get it close tomorrow, I might not set up shop. It's supposed to be another scorcher. I hate doing it, but I have to make concessions to age.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
My thanks to the young mom who didn't reject me, who bought three works of non-fiction, among them Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, and Walking the Weight Off for Dummies. I was lucky she didn't leave in a huff. When I pointed out one of Suzanne Summers' diet books, she looked me in the eye and said: "I'm not fat." In the business, that's what's called a faux pas. Thanks also to Ludmilla, who bought a book in Russian. She's working part time selling organic supplements. She gave me the hard sell, pulling out charts that showed how much she and her recruits had earned recently. I rejected her as gently as possible, saying I'd rather sell books. Undeterred, she said to ask for her card when I'm ready. My thanks also to the Jewish Meals on Wheels lady, who gave me two dinners, one of which I just had, some kind of sausage mix and veggies that wasn't bad. I'll have the other for lunch tomorrow. The heat was brutal. Fortunately, the old Hyundai was only 15 yards away. Unfortunately, I had to move it for the Alternate Side regulation. If I don't get it close tomorrow, I might not set up shop. It's supposed to be another scorcher. I hate doing it, but I have to make concessions to age.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/19 - Zahir
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, Paulo Coelho worked as a director, theater actor, songwriter and journalist before becoming one of the world's most popular authors. It is estimated that there are 165 million copies of his works in print. He has been published in 150 countries, translated in 56 languages. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most translated book, The Alchemist. His path to success was not easy. At 17 his parents had him committed to a mental institution, from which he escaped three times before being released at the age of 20. In the 1960's he lived for a time as a hippie, traveling through South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe, using drugs. In 1974 he was arrested by the ruling military government of Brazil, which had taken power ten years earlier and viewed his lyrics as left-wing, dangerous. I just finished The Zahir: A Novel of Obsession, published in 2005. The title is Arabic and means "the present" or "unable to go unnoticed... something that occupies our every thought, until we can think of nothing else... considered a state of holiness or of madness." The object can be a person, job or objective. The main character is a successful writer, married for ten years to a renowned journalist, his fourth wife. One day she leaves, and he has no idea why. The mystery consumes him. He muses: "Everything seems to be in its place, but beneath the surface lies the unknown, the darkness, the incessant search for self." Eventually he embarks on a quest to find her. He comes into contact with an immigrant from Kazakhstan who may have been her lover. The young man leads a performance group that proposes spirituality without formal religion, "a celebration of the miracle of daily life." Its aim is "... to forget who we think we are in order to become who we really are." I'm not spiritual, so it was hard for me to relate to this new age-type thinking. And even though I went through a ten-year obsession over a woman, I found the character's unconvincing, as so many lovers come into and out of his life, including a famous French actress immediately after the departure of his wife. Eventually, the Zahir becomes society and not the woman. I related much more to the author's literary obligations, although I'm at the very bottom of the writer's totem pole and have no experience in the role of popular author. At one point he defends himself against his critics, musing: "If a book isn't self-explanatory, then the book isn't worth reading." And later: "... Why do I write? ... because I want to be loved." That was certainly my main objective at first. Now, at 67, the denial or defiance of death has entered the picture. I also related to his thoughts on the bittersweet mystery that is life. 489 readers at Amazon have rated The Zahir, forging to a consensus of 4.3 on a scale of five. I say 3.5. I didn't have the nerve to go to three, as I don't want to come off as a complete idiot, downgrading someone who is so highly regarded. Coelho dedicated the novel to his wife. Unlike the character, he has been married to the same woman since 1980. I would be remiss not to mention that this was the smoothest translation I've ever read. Kudos to Margaret Jull Costa, a Brit who specializes in such work. The 296 pages of the large paperback edition were as easy a read as can be.
Is the floating book shop a Zahir? I'll let others decide that. Today's session tilted all the way to the madness possibility rather than the holiness - not a single sale despite an impressive array of books, great variety. Fortunately, it wasn't a total waste of time. A middle-aged Latina with bewitching eyes donated a second bag o'books that included four in Spanish. To repay her generosity, I suggested she select one of mine. She chose A Hitch in Twilight. Is this progress? Doubt it, but at least I know she will attempt to read it. My thanks also to the retired Russian super just back from his house in the Hamptons, who donated two works of non-fiction, and to the couple who pulled up in an SUV as I was packing up. I repressed a groan when they asked if I wanted books they had planned to donate to the library, which doesn't accept such gifts anymore. Among the ten or so, an interesting blend of fiction and non, was a copy of The Zahir. I laughed out loud.
Is the floating book shop a Zahir? I'll let others decide that. Today's session tilted all the way to the madness possibility rather than the holiness - not a single sale despite an impressive array of books, great variety. Fortunately, it wasn't a total waste of time. A middle-aged Latina with bewitching eyes donated a second bag o'books that included four in Spanish. To repay her generosity, I suggested she select one of mine. She chose A Hitch in Twilight. Is this progress? Doubt it, but at least I know she will attempt to read it. My thanks also to the retired Russian super just back from his house in the Hamptons, who donated two works of non-fiction, and to the couple who pulled up in an SUV as I was packing up. I repressed a groan when they asked if I wanted books they had planned to donate to the library, which doesn't accept such gifts anymore. Among the ten or so, an interesting blend of fiction and non, was a copy of The Zahir. I laughed out loud.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/18 - Jacked Up
The Fast Takes column in today's NY Post uses a term I'd not heard before: "Whataboutism," the citing of similar bad acts by political opponents.
The Senate failed to come up with a passable health care bill. That's no surprise. It's a bedeviling issue. Anything the clowns would have concocted would probably have been as bad as Obamacare. Now there is talk of voting on strictly repealing it, and a few Republicans, who have voted to repeal many times, are now balking, which threatens to keep it from coming to a vote. The vote should take place, anyway, so that every congressman is on record on how he stands on the issue so voters can decide his/her fate when the time comes for re-election. The current idea is to allow Obamacare to continue for another two years to allow people to prepare for life without it. If that passes, will billions be spent in that span to bolster it? It would be very surprising if that's not the case. They're politicians - they waste other people's money. The swamp endures.
Male sexual aid products are a booming business. There's a full page ad in the Post about the wonders of JackedUp. For weeks there was one about Vesele. Ads for Super Beta Prostate are run frequently on radio and TV. Those three are not even ranked in the top five at prostatehealthcenter.net, which lists Proaxil, Prostacet, Prostanol, Antiiva, ProSta as the best. The first is available at Amazon (two bottles, 120 tablets total) for $70. It is deemed safe by the aforementioned website. Invite Health offers three products, Men's Edge Advanced, Maca Root, and Masculine Hx. I take the first two. I was scared off the third by warnings. They're expensive but they helped me. There are discounts when buying multiple bottles, but it would be wise to purchase only one at first to see if they work. There is also a ring one can use, available at Amazon. It works like a charm. A set of four runs less than eight bucks. The only warning on it was not to wear it for more than a half hour, which had me laughing out loud. I will not use a product that boosts testosterone levels for fear of side effects. Viagra-like products work, but in my limited experience with them they brought on the mechanical and insensitive, something that seemed separate of oneself. Of course, that might not be the case for everyone. It's not easy talking about such things. The male ego persists despite advancing age.
As I was rooting through discarded books yesterday, I came upon a Penguin classic completely unfamiliar to me: The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa. I passed and, after reading about it at Amazon, I'm glad I did. Here's part of the blurb from the book's page, edited by yours truly: "Pessoa died in 1935, a few years short of 50. He left behind a trunk of mostly unpublished writing in a variety of languages. This perpetually unclassifiable and unfinished book of self-reflective fragments was first published in Portuguese in 1982, and it is arguably Pessoa's masterpiece. His prose is often serpentine, his meditations sometimes opaque." The book is about 500 pages. 100 users have rated it, forging to a consensus of 4.4 on a scale of five. Although its sales ranking is impressive, the opinions of those who rated it one star convinced me I was right in passing on it.
My thanks to the gentleman who bought three classics and a book on African art. He is reading in English those books he read in Russian before emigrating. My thanks also to the woman who purchased Calculus for Cats by Kenn Amdahl and Jim Loats, and her companion, who selected Beowulf; and to the woman who settled her tab; and to Herbie, who donated three more books.
The Senate failed to come up with a passable health care bill. That's no surprise. It's a bedeviling issue. Anything the clowns would have concocted would probably have been as bad as Obamacare. Now there is talk of voting on strictly repealing it, and a few Republicans, who have voted to repeal many times, are now balking, which threatens to keep it from coming to a vote. The vote should take place, anyway, so that every congressman is on record on how he stands on the issue so voters can decide his/her fate when the time comes for re-election. The current idea is to allow Obamacare to continue for another two years to allow people to prepare for life without it. If that passes, will billions be spent in that span to bolster it? It would be very surprising if that's not the case. They're politicians - they waste other people's money. The swamp endures.
Male sexual aid products are a booming business. There's a full page ad in the Post about the wonders of JackedUp. For weeks there was one about Vesele. Ads for Super Beta Prostate are run frequently on radio and TV. Those three are not even ranked in the top five at prostatehealthcenter.net, which lists Proaxil, Prostacet, Prostanol, Antiiva, ProSta as the best. The first is available at Amazon (two bottles, 120 tablets total) for $70. It is deemed safe by the aforementioned website. Invite Health offers three products, Men's Edge Advanced, Maca Root, and Masculine Hx. I take the first two. I was scared off the third by warnings. They're expensive but they helped me. There are discounts when buying multiple bottles, but it would be wise to purchase only one at first to see if they work. There is also a ring one can use, available at Amazon. It works like a charm. A set of four runs less than eight bucks. The only warning on it was not to wear it for more than a half hour, which had me laughing out loud. I will not use a product that boosts testosterone levels for fear of side effects. Viagra-like products work, but in my limited experience with them they brought on the mechanical and insensitive, something that seemed separate of oneself. Of course, that might not be the case for everyone. It's not easy talking about such things. The male ego persists despite advancing age.
As I was rooting through discarded books yesterday, I came upon a Penguin classic completely unfamiliar to me: The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa. I passed and, after reading about it at Amazon, I'm glad I did. Here's part of the blurb from the book's page, edited by yours truly: "Pessoa died in 1935, a few years short of 50. He left behind a trunk of mostly unpublished writing in a variety of languages. This perpetually unclassifiable and unfinished book of self-reflective fragments was first published in Portuguese in 1982, and it is arguably Pessoa's masterpiece. His prose is often serpentine, his meditations sometimes opaque." The book is about 500 pages. 100 users have rated it, forging to a consensus of 4.4 on a scale of five. Although its sales ranking is impressive, the opinions of those who rated it one star convinced me I was right in passing on it.
My thanks to the gentleman who bought three classics and a book on African art. He is reading in English those books he read in Russian before emigrating. My thanks also to the woman who purchased Calculus for Cats by Kenn Amdahl and Jim Loats, and her companion, who selected Beowulf; and to the woman who settled her tab; and to Herbie, who donated three more books.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
Monday, July 17, 2017
The Writer's Life 7/17 - Departures
RIP Bob Wolff, 96, the longest running broadcaster in television and radio history. His career spanned 77 years. He was still doing occasional reports for cable outfits. He and Curt Gowdy are the only two broadcasters to be honored by both the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into Madison Square Garden's Walk of Fame, and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He served regionally as a TV play-by-play voice for eight teams in five different sports – the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons of the NBA, as well as the New York Rangers of the NHL, the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins of MLB, the Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Browns of the NFL, and soccer's Tampa Bay Rowdies of the initial North American Soccer League. He is one of very few announcers to have covered each of America's four major team sports. In 1956 he called Don Larsen's perfect game across the country on the Mutual Broadcast System and around the world on the Armed Forces radio. Another of his classic broadcasts was the NY Giants - Baltimore Colts 1958 NFL Championship Game, dubbed "The Greatest Game Ever Played." He was also the TV voice of the New York Knicks' only two championships, in 1970 and 1973. He donated 1500 hours of his work to the Library of Congress. Here's a still of one of his many interviews:
RIP George Romero, 78, the king of low budget horror. Born in the Bronx, he began making movies at the age of 14 with an 8mm camera. His first full length feature, Night of the Living Dead (1968), endures as a classic of the zombie genre. Its budget was just over $100,000. He wore many hats in his long career. IMDb lists 28 titles under his name as writer, 20 as director, 15 as actor, ten as editor and three as cinematographer. Here's a quote attributed to him: "I don't think you need to spend $40 million to be creepy. The best horror films are the ones that are much less endowed." Thank you, sir.
RIP Martin Landau, 89, a Brooklyn boy who had a long run as a superior supporting player, equally at home on the big or small screen, in commercial or serious fare. He worked for five years as an illustrator for the NY Daily News before breaking into acting. There are 177 titles listed under his name at IMDb. Most of his early work was in TV and on the stage. He did 77 episodes of Mission: Impossible as master of disguise Rollin Hand, and 48 of Space: 1999. He won an Oscar for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood (1994), and was nominated two other times. Here's a quote attributed to him: "What I do best, what I've always done best, is act." Indeed. Well done, sir. Here he is in his award-winning role, with Johnny Depp:
My thanks to the boy who asked his mom to buy a paperback in the Michael Jecks Knights Templar series, and to the woman who purchased More 60 Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey, and to the young man who donated Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James, to Herbie who donated two thrillers, and to local super Nick, who alerted me to a cache a tenant had discarded that contained several classics, plenty more great books for people to ignore.
RIP George Romero, 78, the king of low budget horror. Born in the Bronx, he began making movies at the age of 14 with an 8mm camera. His first full length feature, Night of the Living Dead (1968), endures as a classic of the zombie genre. Its budget was just over $100,000. He wore many hats in his long career. IMDb lists 28 titles under his name as writer, 20 as director, 15 as actor, ten as editor and three as cinematographer. Here's a quote attributed to him: "I don't think you need to spend $40 million to be creepy. The best horror films are the ones that are much less endowed." Thank you, sir.
RIP Martin Landau, 89, a Brooklyn boy who had a long run as a superior supporting player, equally at home on the big or small screen, in commercial or serious fare. He worked for five years as an illustrator for the NY Daily News before breaking into acting. There are 177 titles listed under his name at IMDb. Most of his early work was in TV and on the stage. He did 77 episodes of Mission: Impossible as master of disguise Rollin Hand, and 48 of Space: 1999. He won an Oscar for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood (1994), and was nominated two other times. Here's a quote attributed to him: "What I do best, what I've always done best, is act." Indeed. Well done, sir. Here he is in his award-winning role, with Johnny Depp:
My thanks to the boy who asked his mom to buy a paperback in the Michael Jecks Knights Templar series, and to the woman who purchased More 60 Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey, and to the young man who donated Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James, to Herbie who donated two thrillers, and to local super Nick, who alerted me to a cache a tenant had discarded that contained several classics, plenty more great books for people to ignore.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
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