Thursday, May 19, 2011

Never leave unattended dogs in cars


Click for bigger.

Naked man sits on ant hill

With predictable results.




LiveLeak link.

Here's a deer playing with a space hopper


YouTube link.

Drunk man put finger up policewoman's bottom

An Australian man who put his finger up a female police officer's bottom was jailed for nine months in Townsville District Court, but walked free after the judge took into account time served. Nathaniel Solomon Wailu, 27, pleaded guilty to serious assault and obstructing police after a drunken incident on November 19 last year.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Lowrie told the court police were called to a Garbutt lodge where Wailu was causing a disturbance. Mr Lowrie said the female constable who was assaulted told Wailu she was accompanying his mother so she could retrieve property she had left in his unit. "At one point the accused walked behind the complainant ... (who) then felt a forceful and sudden poke from the accused's finger between the cheeks of her buttocks," he said.



"The complainant then jumped in shock and turned around and pushed the accused away, telling him not to touch her." Defence barrister Wayne Pennell told the court his client was intoxicated when he assaulted the officer. "When he sobered up ... he realised he'd done a stupid thing," he said. "In his words he felt 'really bad' about what he'd done."

Judge John Baulch SC gave Wailu a piece of his mind before ordering immediate parole on a nine-month jail term given he had been in custody since the offence. "Police must be respected as they go about the performance of their duties," he told Wailu. "It's hard to imagine a more disrespectful thing than what you did to the officer on that day."

Man with trousers around ankles caught touching himself behind drinks machine

Oklahoma City police said while they were responding to a shoplifting call at a grocery store, a man was caught with his pants down behind a soda machine.

Police arrested 31-year-old Marshall David Osbrone on indecent exposure charges after someone alerted police to a man touching himself behind a soda machine at the store's entrance.



The person told police they saw a pair of legs sticking out from behind a soda machine. When police went to investigate they said Osbrone had his pants down to his ankles touching himself.

Once arrested and handcuffed, police took him to the Oklahoma County Jail. At the jail, an officer again found Osbrone with his pants down and touching himself, all while handcuffed to the bench. Police then added another charge of indecent exposure to Osbrone's arrest.

Woman arrested after talking for 16 hours on mobile phone on train

A woman travelling on a train's quiet carriage refused for 16 hours to stop talking on her mobile phone. Lakeysha Beard was speaking loudly on her mobile phone on the journey between Oakland, California, and Portland, Oregon.

Passengers complained to train staff about Beard's talking, but the 39-year-old ignored requests for her to be quiet. Beard is then said to have been involved in a "verbal altercation", resulting in workers for train operator Amtrack calling police to come and remove her.

LiveLeak link.

The train was called to a halt at a crossing just outside Salem, Oregon, where police boarded to remove the talkative traveller. She has now been charged with disorderly conduct.

Speaking after the incident Ms Beard said she felt "disrespected". She admitted to talking on her phone, but saw no reason why she should have been escorted from the train.

Taiwan hospital fined for firing transvestite employee

A Taipei hospital has been fined after it fired a male employee for dressing as a woman at work, in what is reportedly the first such case in Taiwan.

The private Mackay Memorial Hospital was fined Tw$50,000 (£1,000, $1,700) for violating gender equality law after it laid off 35-year-old transvestite engineer Chou Yi-jen last year.



"The hospital broke the law, and I was really hurt ... I wish I could have my job back," Chou, clad in a mini-skirt, said.

Chou kept his cross-dressing from his employer when he was hired five years ago but he started to grow long hair and wear women's clothes to work last year.

Tiny poodle chases bear up tree

On Tuesday morning, Rose Hill resident Robert Carroll's daughter was sitting on the porch when she heard rustling noises from the corner of the yard. When a black bear approached her, she yelled, "There's a bear in the backyard!"

Carroll ran outside and thought his daughter could be mistaking the bear for a dog. But sure enough, it was a bear.



But the 150-pound bear proved no match for Little Schmoopie, a skittish three-pound teacup poodle. She sent the bear scrambling up a tree. "The bear was really startled - I was not too worried about the dog at the time," recalled Carroll.

"I was only thinking, bear in yard! Rose Hill? She loves chasing squirrels in the yard, but this is the biggest thing she's chased so far," said Carroll.

With news video.

Veg Arbi Manchurian Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 / 2 kg small sizes colocassia (arbitrage)
  • 2-3, tamarind (imli)
  • 15 cloves garlic (lehsun), finely chopped
  • 1 / 2 "piece ginger (adrak), finely chopped
  • 6-7 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 1 / 4 teaspoon black pepper (kalimirch) powder
  • 3-4 teaspoons tomato ketchup
  • 1 onion, finely chopped


Procedure:

  • Saturate arbitrage in fresh water for half an hour.
  • Drain and wash thoroughly.
  • In a container with water, add tamarind and arbitrage and steam in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
  • Peel arbitrage, and in a pan fry until golden brown.
  • Mix all ingredients together and make a sauce.
  • Pour this sauce over the arbitrage and toss.
  • Serve warm as an evening meal with a steaming hot cup of tea.


Veg Arbi Manchurian Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 / 2 kg small sizes colocassia (arbitrage)
  • 2-3, tamarind (imli)
  • 15 cloves garlic (lehsun), finely chopped
  • 1 / 2 "piece ginger (adrak), finely chopped
  • 6-7 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 1 / 4 teaspoon black pepper (kalimirch) powder
  • 3-4 teaspoons tomato ketchup
  • 1 onion, finely chopped


Procedure:

  • Saturate arbitrage in fresh water for half an hour.
  • Drain and wash thoroughly.
  • In a container with water, add tamarind and arbitrage and steam in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.
  • Peel arbitrage, and in a pan fry until golden brown.
  • Mix all ingredients together and make a sauce.
  • Pour this sauce over the arbitrage and toss.
  • Serve warm as an evening meal with a steaming hot cup of tea.


Feathers fly when turkey breaks into home

A Comstock Park woman had a bit of a scare on Tuesday morning when a wild turkey smashed through her basement window.



Darlene Fochtman was sitting in her living room when she heard a loud crashing noise. She found the turkey had broken through a screened window and was making a mess.

"It blew glass through the front window, probably between 12 and 15 feet into the room," says Fochtman. "There are shards of glass everywhere. Feathers, poo and papers ... it's a mess."


YouTube link.

Darlene's husband came home from work to catch the turkey in a fishing net and removed it from the home.

Meerkat that student stole to keep as pet escaped and froze to death

A student stole a meerkat from a wildlife park to have “as a pet” – but the terrified animal escaped and was found frozen to death. Adam Catherick, 19, took the animal from Wingham Wildlife Park in Canterbury, Kent last December. He stuffed the six-year-old meerkat into his girlfriend Debbie Smith’s rucksack before they both left.

Folkestone magistrates heard how back at home he put the scared animal into a dog cage. It howled to be let out and eventually escaped through a cat flap, but was found frozen to death nearby days later. Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said Catherick tried to sell the meerkat and that when police, acting on a tip-off, raided Smith’s home in Sandwich, Kent, they found cannabis plants.



She said: “At the park visitors are allowed to stroke the meerkats and he thought it would be nice to have one as a pet.” The defence said: “He saw the meerkats on TV. He didn’t intend to steal one.” Adjourning sentencing until June 2, magistrates told jobless Catherick, who admitted theft: “If you hadn’t taken the meerkat it would be alive today.”

Wingham Park owner Tony Binskin said: “We’re often complimented on the way people can get so close to the meerkats and now that might be taken away.” Catherick’s mother Jane spoke up for her son, saying: “Adam knows what he did was wrong, but it was a spur of the moment thing. He wouldn’t hurt a fly and loves animals.”

Half-eaten piece of chewing gum found on Tesco pizza

A teenage Birmingham boy has been put off Italian food for life after biting into a Tesco pizza and discovering a half-eaten piece of chewing gum. The pizza was from Tesco’s Italian range and bought from the Tesco Extra store in New Oscott. Mother-of-three Jamie Fowler, aged 30, said she already struggled for what to cook her 13-year-old son Callum, who has cystic fibrosis and needs a diet rich in fat, salt and calories.

But now his favourite dish is off the menu after he nearly swallowed the masticated gum. “I think it’s disgusting,” said Jamie, who is a full-time carer. “I’d cut the pizza in half and given half to Callum and half to my other son Ollie. I was upstairs when Callum shouted up, ‘Mum, there’s something on my pizza.’



“I came downstairs and I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It was a chewed up piece of gum. It’s disgraceful. Obviously the person making the pizza was munching away and it fell out of their mouth. I can’t believe they just left it there. Callum said he’ll never eat another pizza. Just the thought of it makes him ill.”

Jamie took the offending pizza into the shop for a refund and to demand an explanation but was told the complaint would be dealt with at head office. She has since received a letter of apology and a £10 Tesco voucher. A Tesco spokesman said they had written to the pizza makers and would respond again to Mrs Fowler once they were clear of the circumstances. ”We are sorry for this unpleasant find,” he said. “We are currently investigating with our supplier.”

False alarm as 'body' in Thames turns out to be a doll

A doll was recovered from the River Thames near Hampton Court Palace on Tuesday lunchtime. Police from the Metropolitan and Surrey forces, fire and ambulance crews all attended the scene near Hampton Court Station in East Molesey after members of the public reported seeing a body in the water. Firefighters from Walton were also called with their boat.



Officers spent some time on the bank of the river facing Hampton Court Palace holding up a green sheet. One member of the public described what he saw. The man said: "Three firemen went down with rubber gear. One was carrying a white bag - I thought body bags were black."

Another onlooker said: "There are a lot of emergency services there so this must be something serious. I have heard it was a body." A police spokeswoman said: "Officers in Elmbridge were called to Hampton Court Way, East Molesey just before 12.30pm on Tuesday, 17 May after reports a body had been found in the river.



"On arriving at the scene an object was located and removed from the river by officers and taken to a local police station for analysis. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident and the object was confirmed as being a large doll made of material and wood."

Hundreds of drivers hit by speed limit sign prank

Hundreds of perplexed motorists have been flashed by a speed camera after “irresponsible and stupid” practical jokers erected a rogue 40mph speed limit sign in a 30mph zone. Highway chiefs have condemned as “crassly irresponsible” the pranksters who put up the sign close to a speed camera on Woodside Road, in Wyke, Bradford.

Bradford Council have now removed the sign, which it believes was installed by a member of the public several days ago. Dave Clarke, a HGV driver, of Carr House Mount, said: “People were coming at 30mph but this sign brought them back up to 40mph so people were picking their speed up and setting the flash off.



“Some evenings it’s been like a strobe disco light. There have obviously been a lot of people who have been caught by it. Whoever has placed the sign there, it’s a stupid thing to do. It costs time and effort for all those involved in the fines process."

Darren Badrock, Bradford Council’s principal engineer for Bradford South, said: “The 40mph sign was not put up by the Council and appears to have been placed there by a member of the public. We have now removed it. Whoever put it up may think it was just a practical joke but it is actually crassly irresponsible. Anyone who receives a fixed penalty notice related to the camera who believes the unauthorised sign was a factor should contact the partnership.”

With video.

Driver banned for life plus 99 years

A sheriff has banned a driver for life - to add to the 99 years of disqualifications he already has. Sheriff Lindsay Foulis also jailed Andrew Winsborough for 10 months and complained he could not send him to prison for longer. The 42-year-old, from Kelty in Fife, admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance on the A822 Dunkeld to Amulree road on 12 May.

He has not been able to drive legally since 1989, Perth Sheriff Court heard. Sheriff Foulis said limiting the maximum jail term for a banned driving offence to 12 months was "wholly inadequate". He told Winsborough: "You can count yourself lucky that the appropriate government hasn't seen fit to increase the maximum sentence for driving while disqualified.



"With your record, the maximum sentence of 12 months seems wholly inadequate. You have 15 convictions now for driving while disqualified. You have not been able to drive legally since 1989." Solicitor Louisa Wade, defending asked the court to limit the ban on Winsborough as an "incentive" for him to behave in future, but was told by Sheriff Foulis her client was in "no position to lay down conditions".

The sheriff said: "He is now coming up for 43 and has been disqualified since just before his 21st birthday. He has not been able to legally drive for 22 years.On 14 previous occasions he hasn't complied with that. We are talking about someone driving 60-plus miles from Aberfeldy to Kelty. That is not a particularly safe option for other road users. Wake up and smell the coffee, Mr Winsborough."

Wallaby caught in Lyme Regis town centre - Update

A wallaby, thought to be the same animal seen in a woman's Dorset garden earlier in the week, has been caught. Off-duty firefighter Virgil Turner rugby-tackled the marsupial to the ground in Lyme Regis town centre. Mr Turner said the wallaby, which has been taken to an animal park in Exminster, Devon, "kicked a bit".

The 45-year-old added: "My friend called me and he's a trickster so I thought it was a wind up. But I could hear he was serious. When I got there the wallaby was cornered by a couple of council workers and a local woman - but it could have got away still. It had already had a couple of near misses with cars and I didn't want a serious car accident on my hands.



"I must admit I was wary because I'd heard they can give quite a kick and can be very strong. But I used to play a bit of rugby so I just rugby tackled it - I grabbed its legs and tail and we managed to get a blanket over it which subdued it and then get it into a cage.

"I got a few scrapes and scratches from the concrete but the wallaby was fine - it was very calm really. It kicked a bit but totally calmed down when the blanket went on." Eyewitness John King, who praised Mr Turner, said: "The wallaby had already caused a few problems hopping across roads in the town. It was bizarre really - not something you see every day in Lyme Regis."

Previously.

Train pony also seen in pub and hospital - Update

More images have emerged of places visited by a mystery man and his pony, including a hospital A&E department and a pub. The animal was caught on CCTV waiting in line at the reception desk at Wrexham Maelor Hospital's emergency department. Meanwhile, shoppers have also snapped pictures as the animal was led into a pub in Wrexham.



Retired teacher George Cawley, 62, was about to have a pub lunch with his wife last Friday when the man walked in "matter of fact" leading his pony. He described it as a "crazy" scene which caused "uproar" among shoppers and customers, although the pony seemed relaxed and undistracted.

Mr Cawley explained after pub staff asked the man - and pony - to leave it was later seen tied up outside another pub in the town centre. That was the same day the animal was taken into the A&E department where the man had asked for treatment for the animal from a doctor.



A health board spokesman added: "He was politely asked to leave the premises by the security guard and duly left, taking the pony with him." Meanwhile, the RSPCA said of the station incident it was "not a safe nor acceptable manner in which to transport an equine." It added: "The RSPCA inspectorate are currently viewing the images which have been released to the media."

Previously.

Bombay Halwa Recipe

The following Ingredients for Bombay halwa recipe

  • 1 / 3 cup sago (sabudana)
  • 1 / 3 cup flour (Maida)
  • 2 / 3 cup cornmeal
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup ghee
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
  • green, yellow or red color


Method for Bombay halwa recipes

  • Wash and soak sago in 2 cups water for 8 hours and mix.
  • Soak Maida and potato flour in 2 cups water for 8 hours.
  • Dissolve sugsr in 1 ½ cups water and bring to boil.
  • When the sugar melts completely, add both mixtures and start stirring.
  • When the mixture starts thickening, add 1 teaspoon ghee at a time up to ½ cup is exhausted.
  • Add color mixed in lime juice and cardamom powder.
  • Now add the remaining ghee as before.
  • When the mixture becomes a foamy mass and begins to leave sides of the vessel. remove from flame.
  • Pour into a greased plate, cool and cut when soft.
  • When completely cooled wrap each piece separately in clean thin pieces of butter paper or plastic film .


Bombay Halwa Recipe

The following Ingredients for Bombay halwa recipe

  • 1 / 3 cup sago (sabudana)
  • 1 / 3 cup flour (Maida)
  • 2 / 3 cup cornmeal
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup ghee
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
  • green, yellow or red color


Method for Bombay halwa recipes

  • Wash and soak sago in 2 cups water for 8 hours and mix.
  • Soak Maida and potato flour in 2 cups water for 8 hours.
  • Dissolve sugsr in 1 ½ cups water and bring to boil.
  • When the sugar melts completely, add both mixtures and start stirring.
  • When the mixture starts thickening, add 1 teaspoon ghee at a time up to ½ cup is exhausted.
  • Add color mixed in lime juice and cardamom powder.
  • Now add the remaining ghee as before.
  • When the mixture becomes a foamy mass and begins to leave sides of the vessel. remove from flame.
  • Pour into a greased plate, cool and cut when soft.
  • When completely cooled wrap each piece separately in clean thin pieces of butter paper or plastic film .


SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL - THE FINKLER QUESTION


The quite new and most impressive three level City Recital Hall was packed (seating around 1300 plus standing room at rear) to hear Man Booker Prize 2010 winner Howard Jacobson in conversation with Rick Gekoski.
AP photo.

This must have been one of the easiest chairing roles Gekoski has ever performed as he hardly had to ask a question before the brilliant, articulate and very funny author would launch into an entertaining account on any subject at all - literary prizes, his earlier novels, his Jewish mother's influence on his early life and attitudes, reviewers, life in Australia (he lived and taught here 40 years ago), Wolverhampton Polytechnic, Indian curry, his claim to have vindaloo instead of blood in his veins, his Dad the taxi driver, seeing himself as the Jewish Jane Austen, literary influences on his writing life - Dickens, Austen, Lawrence,Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, The Finkler Question selling more than all his other books combined, (he did a reading from it by the way), Cambridge University,  and the night he won the Man Booker, (as he said "that most coveted of all literary prizes"), plus much more too.

Howard Jacobson is a born entertainer, I could have listened to him for hours.

This is one of the greatest Festival occasions I have ever attended. My thanks to both men on stage, the one who talked endlessly and with such style and the one who knew when to keep quiet. Brilliant stuff.
I am going home to urge the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival to get this author as their guest, he would fill the capacious Aotea Centre.

SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL - Event # 109 THE THOUSAND STYLES OF DAVID MITCHELL


The house full sign was up early for this session, in fact we were informed that it was the first session that was sold out when bookings first opened opened a few weeks back. The audience looked to be about 80% women.
I had missed David Mitchell, (pic below taken at the Hay Festival), in Auckland last week where he was one of the big draw cards at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival so I was keen to hear him here.

Sadly the chair, Geordie Williamson, a walking encyclopedia on all matters David Mitchell, must have thought we had come to hear him because he have himself more talking time he gave Mitchell. Long, convoluted, academic questions were the order of the day and really in the end the best part of the session was when the audience had a chance to direct questions to the very successful and clearly popular author.

Mitchell came across as a very nice fellow, his style was quiet and thoughtful, he told a parent in the audience not to be bothered about the noise being made by a child, his reaction to audience questions was courteous and his replies fulsome.

Sydney Writers Festival - A.A.Gill is here



AA Gill started by pondering why we would want to be talking about books at 10.00 in the morning. Well the Sydney Theatre Company's main venue was packed to hear what he had to say about books and food and travel and sex under the Chairmanship of Caroline Baum.

A word first about Caroline Baum - She is a well known journalist and broadcaster.
She has worked as founding editor of Good Reading magazine, features editor for Vogue, presenter of ABC TV’s popular bookshow, Between the Lines, and Foxtel’s Talking Books, and as an executive producer with ABC Radio National. She is a regular contributor to national newspapers and magazines and is in demand as a presenter at arts and literary festivals around the country and overseas.

Impressive credentials but she had her work cut out with AA Gill who showed, as he had done at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival last week, that he would decide which questions to answer or dodge, and that he is a master of changing the subject or avoiding direct answers.

As in Auckland he had the very large audience in absolute stitches and the thing that astonished me was that apart from one short story he never repeated anything I had heard at the show I attended in Auckland.
I guess this was because the Chair asked different questions and led him in different directions.
Early on he suggested to the Australians that they "should get their own fucking flag" which drew forth a very warm response.

Other subjects canvassed included use of the metaphor, "interviewing" places, pornographic films,his nervousness as a traveller, the Royal Family & the idea of moving them all to Australia, journalism and deadlines, best writing being motivated by anger or love, his partner Nicola (she was in the audience), Elizabeth David, his "filthy" novel, the default setting of Britain, Sydney's largest brothel and its planned extension, laughing at his own jokes, eco-tourism (he doesn't like i)t, organic food, travel, poached partridge, cruising the Danube (he likes it), the Roman Empire and a lot more too.Amongst all the humour there were again moments of seriousness and great candour.

I found that I was still smiling an hour later. He is such a clever and funny man. That's enough though, I've heard and seen him twice, I don't need to see or hear him again although I will certainly continue to read him, especially his Gourmet Traveller columns.

SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL - FINAL JUDGEMENT


Chip Rolley, Artistic Director of the Sydney Writers Festival, and an American who calls Sydney home, in conversation with Rick Gekoski, Chairman of the Man Booker International Prize judging panel, and an American who calls London home, on the very timely subject of choosing the winner of that prize.

Overnight of course one of the judging panel, Carmen Callil, a London-based Australian publisher, had resigned from the judging panel in protest at Philip Roth winning the prize.(see story in Guardian)
Unsurprisingly then the conversation started on this subject with judging chair Gekoski talking at length about the judging process and concluding by explaining that after many hours of discussion and debate he decided as Chair that as two of the judges passionately believed Philip Roth should win and one dissented then he would accept the majority decision rather than compromise by selecting someone else.
He made the point very clearly that rarely if ever does a panel of judges ever reach a unanimous decision, something I can confirm from having been a judge on numerous book awards. He also spoke very warmly and generously of Carmen Callil's contribution to the judging process that took place over 18  months.

Rolley, and excellent Chair by the way, and Gekoski had a wide ranging discussion on Philip Roth and his long and illustrious career which includes many awards.
Then came a delightful surprise, a 20 minute video interview with Philip Roth made only a few days ago when he had just leaned of his win. In the video Roth looked back over his career including his university years, his years as a teacher,and of course his books and what inspired them and the writers who influenced him. It was great stuff -  fascinating, compelling and he proved to be a gracious and generous subject. At one point he said that had his friend John Updike not died two years before then he would surely have been sitting here today rather than me.

Rick Gekoski must be the busiest man in Sydney, this is about the fourth session where he has either been the chair or the subject of a panel.

MASALA DOSA

DOSA
Ingredients:
Urad dal .... 1 cup
Rice ........... 3 cups
Methi seeds .... 1 tsp.
Baking soda ... a pinch
Salt ... to taste
Oil.
Method:


1. Soak dal and rice seperately for at least 5-6 hours.Add methi seeds whiile soaking.
2. Grind them seperately adding enough water to a smooth batter. Mix them well, adding salt and leave to ferment preferably over night.


3. Just before making dosas mix the baking soda. Spread a ladle full of batter on a hot griddle and make dosas.


4. Sprinkle a little podi and spread a little masala on each dosa. Apply a little ghee or oil to make it crisp.
Masala:

Potatoes.... 4-5
Onions ... 2
Green chillies ... 2-3
Ginger ....... 1 tsp. grated
Curry leaves ... a sprig
Coriander leaves ... handful
mustard seeds... 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds ... 1 tsp.
Asafoetida ...... a pinch
Urad dal or chana dal ... 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder ... 1/8 tsp.
Salt .... to taste
Oil
Method:
1. Boil and peel the potatoes. Cut into cubes.
2. Slice the onions and green chillies.

3. Heat a little oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and asafoetida. When the seeds crackle, put the sliced onions, green chillies, curry leaves and grated ginger. Saute for a minute.


4. Now put the potatoes, salt and turmeric. Mix and sprinkle a little water and simmer until done. Break/mash the potatoes a bit while stirring to blend with the onion masala.


Garnish with coriander leaves.


COCONUT CHUTNEY


See recipe HERE


Designing 3D covers for Random House's new Vintage line of classic novels

Digital Arts

Wednesday 18 May 2011 - 11:22

Vintage Books, an offshoot of publisher Random House, has just released a new imprint of classic sci-fi and horror novels that have anaglyphic 3D covers that leap out at the reader when viewed using traditional red-and-blue glasses (which are included with each book). We caught up with Random House creative director Suzanne Dean to find out how they were created.  

The five books in the series are Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle and The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Tales by HP Lovecraft. Each features a 3D artwork created by a different illustrator, plus 3D typography.
"The 3D cover is an idea I thought of a long while ago and had been holding onto until the right book came along," says Suzanne. "This sci-fi project, with all its B-movie connotations, was the perfect match."

Saturday Morning with Kim Hill: 21 May 2011

Radio New Zealand National
  
8:15 Susan Freinkel: plastics
8:40 Tarell Alvin McCraney: brothers/sisters
9:05 Michael Morpurgo: horses and war
9:45 Tasmin Little: naked violin
10:05 Playing Favourites with Clive Neeson
11:05 Cameron Sinclair: optimistic architecture
11:30 AC Grayling: good words

Producer: Mark Cubey
Wellington engineer: Dominic Godfrey
Christchurch engineer: Joseph Veale

 8:15 Susan Freinkel
Science, health and environment writer Susan Freinkel is the author of the 2009 book American Chestnut: the Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree (University of California Press, ISBN: 978-0520259942), and has just published Plastic: a Toxic Love Story (Text Publishing, ISBN: 978-1-921758-48-5).

8:40 Tarell Alvin McCraney
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s debut play The Brothers Size premiered simultaneously in New York and London in 2007. It is the first play in a trilogy - The Brother/Sister Plays - which saw him being lauded as the leading young voice of the African American theatre. Tarell was 2009/2010 international writer-in-residence to the Royal Shakespeare Company. The SILO Theatre production of The Brothers Size opens at Auckland’s Herald Theatre on 27 May (to 18 June).

9:05 Michael Morpurgo
English author, playwright and poet Michael Morpurgo has written over 120 children’s books. His 1982 book, War Horse (Scholastic, ISBN: 978-0-439-79663-7), about a farm horse and his owner during the First World War, was made into a stage play at London’s National Theatre in 2007, using life-size puppets of horses, and transferred in 2010 to New York. A film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg, is due for release later this year.

9:45 Tasmin Little
British violinist Tasmin Little’s 2008 project, The Naked Violin, offered a free downloadable recital of works for solo violin, and led to a series of workshops and concerts around the UK. She has played with many of the world's greatest orchestras, has made 25 recordings, and is visiting New Zealand for a series of events, including the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (19 May), a free concert in Christchurch (20 May), Naked Violin performances in Wellington (22 May), Hamilton (24 May) and Auckland (10 June), and the adjudication of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

10:05 Playing Favourites with Clive Neeson
Taranaki filmmaker, physicist and extreme sports pioneer Clive Neeson grew up the son of wildlife cinematographers in east Africa, and had an idea for a movie at age 17. Four decades of filming later (from improvised hand-wound cameras, through 16mm to digital HD), after living a double life between extreme sports enthusiasts and the scientific community, he has produced the adventure documentary Last Paradise, about extreme sports innovation, a wilderness lost, and the science that may save it. Last Paradise was the most-seen New Zealand film at the 2010 New Zealand Film Festival, and is on release now in Wellington, with other centres following from 26 May.

11:05 Cameron Sinclair
Cameron Sinclair is Chief Eternal Optimist and co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit design services firm that provides time and expertise through a network of 40,000 professionals. He is one of the speakers at TEDxEQChCh, a one-day event on 21 May that brings together global experts, national leaders, local business owners and residents to coalesce around a shared vision for Christchurch.

11:30 A. C. Grayling

Dr Anthony Grayling is Professor of Philosophy at the University of London, and writes a column for the Times, is a frequent contributor to the Literary Review, Observer, Independent on Sunday, Times Literary Supplement, Index on Censorship and New Statesman, and is a broadcaster on the BBC. He has written and edited over twenty books on philosophy and other subjects, including Liberty in the Age of Terror (Bloomsbury, ISBN: 978-1-4088-0307-3) and Thinking of Answers (Bloomsbury, 978-1-4088-0953-2), and has just published The Good Book: a Secular Bible (Bloomsbury, ISBN: 978-0-7475-9960-9).

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Saturday Morning repeats:

On Saturday 21 May 2011 during Great Encounters between 6:06pm and 7:00pm on Radio New Zealand National, you can hear a repeat broadcast of Kim Hill’s interview from 14 May with climate scientist James Hansen

Preview: Saturday 28 May

Kim Hill’s guests will include science writer James Gleick.

Liberty Media offer to buy Barnes & Noble



Publishers Lunch



After an investigation of strategic options begun by Barnes & Noble's board last summer, today after the close of the market the company announced an offer from a prospective buyer. The special committee of the board charged with evaluating offers said that John Malone's Liberty Media has offered $17 per share in cash to acquire control of the company. But "the proposal states that it is contingent on the participation of founding chairman Leonard Riggio, both in terms of his continuing equity ownership and his continuing role in management." The committee says it "will evaluate this proposal" along with financial advisors Lazard Freres.

Last October Riggio said he "remains open and flexible towards any solution which is good for all stockholders." At the time he reaffirmed, "...should an interested investor or group of investors desire me to be part of a group, I will consider such participation, and if I decide to participate with any investor or group, I will negotiate in good faith on matters of governance and control. It is not necessary for me to be the controlling shareholder of such a group."

The announcement is preliminary--the company "cautions" that "the proposal from Liberty Media has not yet been evaluated by the special committee and its advisors." And they do "not intend to comment further regarding this proposal or the company’s evaluation of strategic alternatives, unless a specific transaction is recommended."

But shares jumped in after-market trading on the news, rising almost 19 percent to 16.73 after closing regular trading at $14.11 per share. While it's a little premature, it's pretty clear the market believes this is the beginning of bidding for the bookseller, not the end, with the expectation of higher offers to come. (Barnes & Noble is heavily shorted as well, so an offer like this will drive the price up quickly as those shorts get covered.) Ron Burkle, the single largest holder of Barnes & Noble stock after Riggio with just under 20 percent of the company's shares, purchased most of that block at $20 a share and above. In testimony last July in his campaign to overturn the company's poison pill plan, Burkle had testified that he considered--but then decided against--making his own offer for the company at $25 a share.

The stock has been on a roller-coaster of sentiment, rising to almost $19 a share in February as Borders was heading to bankruptcy, and crashing to historic lows of $8.77 a share less than two months later, before climbing back in May, helped by reports of a new ereader announcement for next week. (As previously disclosed, I bought shares back recently, and still hold most of those purchases.)

Liberty Media is a conglomerate and investment vehicle which owns Starz and QVC and substantial online and ecommerce companies among other things.



Sydney Writers Festival - Sonya Hartnett in conversation with her publishers

Sonya Hartnett was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1968. Her first book, Trouble All the Way (1984), was published when she was just 15 years old, and since then she has written many more books of fiction.

Her novels have been published traditionally as young adult fiction, but her writing often crosses the divide and is also enjoyed by adults.

Her novels include: Wilful Blue (1994), also produced as a play and performed at the Victorian Arts Centre; Sleeping Dogs (1995); Black Foxes (1996), which traces the extraordinary life of Lord Tyrone Sully; and Thursday's Child (2002). Set in the Great Depression, this novel follows the young Harper Flute, as she watches her family's struggle to survive. It won the 2002 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. What the Birds See (2003), also published in the UK, but published first in Australia as Of A Boy (2000), tells the story of nine-year-old Adrian, who struggles to understand the disappearance of three local children.

In Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf (2004), Satchel O'Rye and Chelsea Piper, marooned in an Australian backwater with the world passing them by, find their own survival becomes inextricably intwined with that of an animal they believe to be the last-ever Tasmanian wolf.

In both 2000 and 2003, Sonya Hartnett was named one of The Sydney Morning Herald Young Novelists of the Year. The Silver Donkey and Surrender  were published in 2004 and 2005 respectively, the latter shortlisted for a 2006 Commonwealth Writers Prize (South East Asia and South Pacific Region Best Book).

Sonya Hartnett's novel, The Ghost's Child, was shortlisted for the 2008 Commonwealth Writers Prize (South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book). In the same year, she was awarded the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her latest book is Butterfly (2009).

Above biographical information from the British Council website.

I first met the elfin-like Sonya Hartnett in my role as a judge of the Commonwealth Writers Prize and have long admired her writing so it was a great pleasure to sit in the audience at the Sydney Writers Festival to hear her in conversation with her Australia and Norwegian publishers. It was a quiet, low key session, with the Sydney  Theatre's Wharf Two auditorium filled with an audience that was 98% female.

Norway was the first country to publish Hartnett in translation so it was interesting to hear her publisher talking about publishing in that market which has a population comparable to New Zealand. And in particular to then hear all three panel members talking about the problems and pleasures of publishing works in translation. Hartnett said authors have to trust that translators are competent and in particular can capture the essence of the book. She is translated into 17 languages.

She also talked about the demands American publishers often make when taking books in English from Australia, NZ and the UK. She doesn't mind changing words such as footpath to pavement but when they want to change the structure of the story or make significant changes then she digs her heels in and refuses. She gave an example of a story she had published which was set in Gallipoli which the Americans wanted shifted to D-Day in Word War Two!

The discussion ranged over a wide broad of subjects including the Bologna Book Fair, e-Books, self-publishing, the Astrid Lindgren Prize, the honouring and recognition of children's writers in Sandinavia, the significant government support for local book publishing in Norway, and Sonya's first picture book - The Boy and the Toy.

Interesting stuff.

Southern Hospitality

Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.”

Anyone remember that old Pillsbury commercial or am I really, really dating myself here?

Don’t answer that.

Don’t worry, I’m not resorting to biscuits from one of those cans you crack open on the countertop (or anything else equally disgusting like processed cheese, garlic-in-a-jar, bottled lemon juice, canned asparagus, mint jelly or Vienna sausages). No, I'm talking about what we believe down here in the South which is “nothing says Southern Hospitality like cheese straws.”


Do you remember the movie “Annie Hall?” It’s probably my favorite film of all time because it mirrors my relationship with Henry's New York family versus my southern, wasp-y one. The best scene in the movie is when Woody Allen and Diane Keaton are seated at the dinner table with her parents and someone comments that the greatest sin in their family is to raise one’s voice at the table. Woody counters that the greatest sin in his family is to pay retail. My reality, captured on film.


We do have our share of quirkiness down here in the South. We wouldn’t say sh_t if we had a mouthful and we are notorious for keeping secrets hidden under the rugs, so to speak. We are infinitely polite and to this day, some of us still say “ma’am” and “sir.” I do not exaggerate.

But we are fanatics about our Southern Hospitality and there is nothing we won’t do to welcome you into our homes and make you feel like a rock star (or maybe a renowned gospel singer) when you walk through our front doors. It would not be a surprise if we have a big pitcher of “sweet tea” waiting in the fridge and we stand ready to rustle up something to feed you in a New York minute (sorry, couldn’t resist). We want you to feel comfortable, we want you to feel at home and we never, ever want you to think you are intruding.  Even if you are.

This explains why we keep a stash of unbaked cheese straws in our freezers. You show up unexpectedly, we dash to the freezer, pop them into the oven and before you know it, these savory little morsels are placed in front of you and you can’t resist.

What, no mint juleps?

CHEESE STRAWS  (adapted slightly from "The Gift of Southern Cooking" by Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis)

1 2/3 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

Sift together the flour, salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper. Put the butter and grated cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly blended. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and cheese and mix until completely incorporated. Add the water and mix for one minute more.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead five or six times. Roll the dough out to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut into strips ¼-inch wide and 4 to 6 inches in length. Place strips on ungreased cookie sheets ½-inch apart and bake in the preheated oven for 12-16 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Cool completely on a baking rack and store in airtight containers.

Yield: approximately 4 dozen pieces







*  Extra-sharp cheddar is essential for this recipe.  The sharper, the better.  Anything less than that will result in a cheese straw with no taste.

*  I use more salt and a little more cayenne than called for in Scott and Edna's recipe.  Let your palate be your guide, adding more or less to suit your taste.

*  In the interest of full disclosure, I doubled the recipe when I made and photographed it.  That's because I was making them for that baby shower last month and I wanted extras to store in my freezer for unexpected guests.  Gotta stay true to those Southern Hospitality tenets!  And yes, this recipe is easily doubled.

*  Speaking of freezing, these can go directly from freezer to oven.  That's actually not good news because you can drag out a few, throw them in your toaster oven and have freshly baked cheese straws anytime you want them.  What was that about becoming a skinny cook?

*  The original recipe also doesn't specify how to mix all of the ingredients, but knowing Miss Edna as I did, I can promise you that she never used an electric mixer.  I'm sure she used her trusty wooden spoon to blend everything together.  I, however, have no such scruples, so I used my electric mixer.  Your choice.

*  Obviously you can cut these into any size or shape you want.  I have been known to shape the dough into logs, wrap well in plastic, then chill and cut into 1/4-inch slices.  I then top each one with a pecan half, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake.  Dee-licious!

*  Betcha can't eat just one!