Amelia Earhart's Bones May Have Been found On Island

Amelia Earhart's Bones May Have Been found On Island:

"NORMAN, Okla. — The three bone fragments turned up on a deserted South Pacific island that lay along the course Amelia Earhart was following when she vanished. Nearby were several tantalizing artifacts: some old makeup, some glass bottles and shells that had been cut open.

Now scientists at the University of Oklahoma hope to extract DNA from the tiny bone chips in tests that could prove Earhart died as a castaway after failing in her 1937 quest to become the first woman to fly around the world."

Timothy Karr: The Little Bill That Could

Timothy Karr: The Little Bill That Could:

"Little noticed but extremely important to progressives, on Saturday afternoon Congress also passed the Local Community Radio Act.

This legislation opens up radio spectrum to hundreds, if not thousands, of local independent radio stations (also known as LPFM).

Its passing will bring new choices and voices on the radio dial nationwide, but is especially relevant to a broadcast area reaching 160 million people who lived in areas where these stations had previously been barred from local airwaves."

UConn women win 88th straight, matching UCLA men - Yahoo! News

UConn women win 88th straight, matching UCLA men - Yahoo! News

Best Oldies show in the universe

And 40 years old at that, hosted by Jivin' Johnny Eteredge, my friend for 40 years, and available on the net at KRVM in Eugene, every Sunday morning at 11 a.m.  Go to page to listen live.

John also hosts a country classics show on Sat morn and a 60s rock show on Monday eves. See program guide.

Disappointment

I'm re-reading Grapes of Wrath and, while enjoying it, am also disappointed. What disappoints me is its poor storytelling efficiency, especially in the non-Joad chapters, which I find too often repetitive and over-written. I think you could take 20 or more pages out of this and lose nothing, in fact improve it. This is in great contrast to Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men with its storytelling efficiency. So this one is not the masterpiece that I remember, though I still embrace it as "a good book." But it could have been better.

Why we love bad writing - Stieg Larsson - Salon.com

Why we love bad writing - Stieg Larsson - Salon.com:

"Stieg Larsson and Dan Brown novels are riddled with cliches, but for many readers, that's a feature not a bug"

Bite-sized crab cakes - Recipes, Food & Drink - The Independent

Bite-sized crab cakes - Recipes, Food & Drink - The Independent

Daily Kos: This Week My Town Stood Up To Teabaggers

Daily Kos: This Week My Town Stood Up To Teabaggers:

"Here's the crazy on full display The ring leader swears we're all going to be mandated to ride bicycles. The guy that follows says there weren't any bikes outfront (keep in mind, it's December and cold here, but he was still wrong) and seems to think that he's the only one who pays taxes. Then there was the one that took the cake...the lady that warned 'the young mothers' that the day when children would be forced to ride bikes in the cold was coming and that we were all going to be put in compounds. You can't make this shit up."

The Arc Of History - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

The Arc Of History - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan:

"My mind and heart are full of cascading thoughts and feelings today. For the most part, I think of the past, and the countless gay men and lesbians who have served their country with honor over the decades and centuries. Today is their day as much as it is that of the current gay servicemembers. They form a brigade through time that has finally marched into the open clearing of equal dignity."

House Republicans Block Child Marriage Prevention Act

House Republicans Block Child Marriage Prevention Act:

"The legislation seemed likely to garner strong bipartisan support in Congress, and in the Senate, it did. But last night, the bill was voted down in the House by Republicans who argued the bill is too costly and could lead to increased abortions -- gripes the measure's supporters say have no basis in reality and are just excuses to kill the popular bill."

Republicans, Theodore Roosevelt and the estate tax compromise: The rich get richer - latimes.com

Republicans, Theodore Roosevelt and the estate tax compromise: The rich get richer - latimes.com: "

Today's Republicans might want to remember that the estate tax's modern champion was a president they used to regard as among the greatest the party has produced — Theodore Roosevelt."

The Geek’s Guide to Winter Reading | Inspired By You

The Geek’s Guide to Winter Reading | Inspired By You

Cultural Evolution Could Be Studied in Google Books Database | Wired Science | Wired.com

Cultural Evolution Could Be Studied in Google Books Database | Wired Science | Wired.com

Return of the netbook

Everything seems to be in order.

Special morning

We're going out to breakfast TOGETHER later, which doesn't happen very often. Usually I eat breakfast between 5 and 7 and H later around 10. But we'll do it and then drive out to pick up my netbook. Then I have a bowl game to watch, and practice banjo as I watch. Should be a good day.

Local News | Eastern Washington defeats Villanova 41-31 | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News | Eastern Washington defeats Villanova 41-31 | Seattle Times Newspaper:

"CHENEY, Wash. —
There must have been some magic in that new red turf Eastern Washington bought.

Bo Levi Mitchell threw four touchdown passes as Eastern Washington beat Villanova 41-31 on Friday night in the semifinals of the FCS football playoffs."

Operation Netbook

Ready and successful, a new screen -- I'm without wheels at the moment, so I'll pick it up tomorrow morning. Hooray!

New at Oregon Literary Review

A conversation with Primus St. John.

Portland 1978

Terry Simons has edited a collection of work from Portland writers in 1978. This is a valuable addition to our literary history. Check it out.

A personal note. This is when I arrived in Portland, entering a well-established literary scene of which Simons was a major participant, editing a poetry review at the time. Then Terry disappeared to a degree, his work less visible. What is extraordinary and wonderful about the digital revolution, is that artists like Terry can take it by the throat and become their own publishers, divorcing the whims of the pop culture marketplace forever, and for the first time give wide availability to work that otherwise would be lost or very hard to access. I've seen the same thing happen with my writer friend Lynn Jeffress in Paris, a bright and talented woman also without means to find her audience until the digital revolution made it possible. Sure, there is a large amount of amateurish work made public now but this is a small price to pay for the significant first rate work that has become available for the first time from the likes of Simons, Jeffress, and others (I suppose I should even add myself, though I played the traditional game for a long time before I took matters into my own hands). A book like this anthology is what the digital revolution does best.

Rendering, rendering

A very dear friend of H's has late stage cancer, and H is spending a lot of time trying to help her get situated as she prefers. That's what friends are for. But it takes a toll on one as well, certainly on H.

Trying to get this video rendered and online. Lots of waiting. Of course, I should bring the Kindle down here and just read as I wait but for the moment I'm keeping busy on various net chores.

The bowl games begin this weekend. I may watch 6 or 8 of them, the ones with the west coast teams. I'm a diehard west coast boy for sure. Despite my Virginia, New Jersey, Texas Navy-brat roots. It's Southern California that stuck, and then the Northwest.