Archive for the ‘pics’ Category

Pringles White Chocolate Peppermint

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

“I understand what all those word mean individually, but together in the same sentence they don’t make any sense!”

Sometimes you buy something just so that later you can prove to people it exists.

This is one of those times.

Feast your eyes on this:

I thought they might be white chocolate covered Pringles. But no, they’re regular Pringles with a hint of…white chocolate peppermint. It’s actually pretty subtle. But I’m not sure I want my mass produced pressed potato chips to be “subtle.”

If you want to try them, you should probably pick them up, as I doubt you’ll see them again after this Christmas.

By the way, did you know that Gene Wolfe helped engineer the machine that makes Pringles? Absolutely true. He designed the part that cooks the chips.

Halloween Horrors: Revolting Cakes

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012

To satisfy your grisly sweet tooth, take a gander at these revolting cakes from a cake shop about to open at London’s Pathology Museum.

Sometimes you just get the kind of hunger that only hands can satisfy:

More information here.

Halloween Scares: Self-Mummifying Japanese Monks

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Next on our Halloween tour of scary and/or creepy phenomena: Mummies.

Yawn. Bad Universal monster movies. How banal.

OK. How about Japanese mummies?

Meh. Maybe worthy of a slightly-arched eyebrow.

OK. How about Japanese monks who mummified themselves while they were still alive?

!!!

I thought that would get your attention.

Meet the Sokushinbutsu:

Let’s go to Wikipedia, the source of all vaguely-accurate knowledge, for the grisly details of how a monk would voluntarily turn himself into a Sokushinbutsu:

For 1,000 days the priests would eat a special diet consisting only of nuts and seeds, while taking part in a regimen of rigorous physical activity that stripped them of their body fat. They then ate only bark and roots for another thousand days and began drinking a poisonous tea made from the sap of the Urushi tree, normally used to lacquer bowls.

This caused vomiting and a rapid loss of bodily fluids, and most importantly, it made the body too poisonous to be eaten by maggots. Finally, a self-mummifying monk would lock himself in a stone tomb barely larger than his body, where he would not move from the lotus position. His only connection to the outside world was an air tube and a bell. Each day he rang a bell to let those outside know that he was still alive.

When the bell stopped ringing, the tube was removed and the tomb sealed. After the tomb was sealed, the other monks in the temple would wait another 1,000 days, and open the tomb to see if the mummification was successful.

If the monk had been successfully mummified, he or she was immediately seen as a Buddha and put in the temple for viewing. Usually, though, there was just a decomposed body. Although they were not viewed as a true Buddha if they were not mummified, they were still admired and revered for their dedication and spirit.

There are reportedly some 24 “successful” examples of monks turning themselves into mummies in northern Japan, which suggests that they were probably hundreds of unsuccessful attempts. So just imagine a starving monk, entombing himself alive, wasting away toward his inevitable demise.

That would be one hell of a time to discover you have claustrophobia…

Lawrence Person’s Library: Reference Books (Part 5: Magill’s Sets)

Sunday, September 30th, 2012

Back when I edited Nova Express, I tried to pick up all the important SF reference works I could afford that I could lay my hands on. Among those were two extensive Magill’s references sets: Survey of Science Fiction Literature and Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature. Each covers hundreds of key works, alphabetized by title, providing title, author, year of publication, type (novel, etc.), time, setting, key characters, a summary of the book that touches in some measure on its major themes, and a short secondary bibliography. Several notable science fiction writers, editors and critics contributed entries, including Brian Aldiss, John Clute, David Pringle, Brian Stableford and Jack Williamson.

In some ways, the material in these books have been superseded by the aggregate knowledge contained in the Internet. But it’s still a useful reference source. If i want to know, say, what Harry E. Martinson’s Aniara is about, I can read the short entry here rather than the entire book-length poem and be reasonably sure that it’s accurate.

I kept my eyes out for those sets, and picked them up off eBay when affordable copies appeared. I also picked up two more Magill’s sets at a library sale dirt cheap (I think $10 for each set) and those are on the same top shelf.

  • Magill, Frank N., Editor (series editor). Survey of Science Fiction Literature. Salem Press, 1979. First edition hardbacks, five volume set, Ex-Library copies, otherwise VG with interior library markings, etc.
  • Magill, Frank N., Editor (with bibliographies compiled by Marshall b. Tymn). Survey of Science Fiction Literature Bibliographic Supplement. Salem Press, 1979. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight edgewear. Additional secondary bibliographic material for 295 of the entries in the five volume work. Purchased separately.
  • Magill, Frank N., Editor (series editor). Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature. Salem Press, 1983. First edition hardbacks, five volume set, Ex-Library copies, otherwise VG with library markings, etc.
  • Magill, Frank N., Editor (with Stephen L. Hanson and Patricia King Hanson, Associate Editors). Magill’s Bibliography of Literary Criticism. Salem Press, 1979. First edition hardbacks, four volume set, Ex-Library copies, otherwise VG with library markings, etc. Covers some 2,500 works, listed alphabetically by author. Very little genre coverage.
  • Magill, Frank N., Editor. Materplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction Series. Salem Press, 1991. First edition hardbacks, four volume set, Ex-Library copies, otherwise VG with library markings, etc. Listed alphabetically by title. Includes some genre coverage, even of books I wouldn’t associate with YA (such as Babel-17, Dreamsnake, Dune, etc.).
  • On the end of the row in the picture is an Ex-Library copy of the first edition of Neil Barron’s Anatomy of Wonder.

    There are two other Magill SF/F reference sets I don’t own: Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature from 1996, which culls and condenses the two five volume sets down to a single four volume set, and Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature from 2002, which condenses them down still further into a two volume set with still more additional material, including my own entry on Patrick O’Leary’s Door Number Three. I believe that Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature is the only thing I’m in for which I lack a contributor’s copy.

    In Anatomy of Wonder 4, Neil Barron calls Survey of Science Fiction Literature “an essential tool, although its price will limit it to larger libraries.” Well, I guess mine qualifies…


    Related Posts

  • Lawrence Person’s Library of Science Fiction First Editions
  • Lawrence Person’s Reference Books Part 1: Key Reference Works
  • Lawrence Person’s Reference Books Part 2: Oversized Books
  • Lawrence Person’s Reference Books Part 3: Contributor Copies
  • Lawrence Person’s Reference Books Part 4: H. P. Lovecraft
  • Pictures from the 2012 Chicago Worldcon: Monday

    Monday, September 17th, 2012

    And here’s the final set of picture from the Chicago Worldcon, taken on Monday before I left, including some book dealers.

    Willis Siros, bookdealer and next year’s Worldcon Fan Guest of Honor:

    Mike Walsh, owner of Old Earth Books (and if you’re looking for any of his Howard Waldrop books signed by Howard, I can hook you up).

    Greg Ketter of Dreamhaven Books, along with a big of the dealer’s room. For some reason pictures that include large interior spaces always seem to come out orange on my camera.

    Larry Hallock of Ygor’s Books.

    Sheila Williams, holding her Hugo.

    Stephen Haffner, of Haffner Press.

    Mel Korshak, founder of Shasta Publishers and someone who attended the first Worldcon in 1939!

    I’ve put up two crappy pictures of Charlie Stross, so finally here’s a good one, after he came over to join me, Pat Cadigan and Gardner Dozois for drinks.

    And that’s all she wrote for the 2012 Worldcon! See you in San Antonio!

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago Worldcon: Sunday

    Sunday, September 16th, 2012

    Yes, more Worldcon photos. I’ve broken them up across multiple posts so the page didn’t load so slowly readers would think they were back in the Geocities era.

    Dantzel Cherry and her friends charge up their eye lasers.

    Legendary fan David Kyle, who attended the first Worldcon in New York City in 1939!

    How many legends can you spot in this photo? David Hartwell, Robert Silverberg, and Joe and Gay Haldeman all talk to David Kyle.

    Connie Willis, enjoying the first Worldcon where she wasn’t required to present an award since she was six years old.

    With Mary Robinette Kowal, who survived the ordeal of being a SFWA officer.

    Michael Cassutt, just minutes before he was tragically bored to death at the Robert A. Heinlein Society annual meeting.

    Adam-Troy Castro. “I said sell Greek bonds! SELL!”

    Steve Jackson, who was there with his Chaos Machine setup. “What’s that? I can’t hear you over the sound of all that money my Ogre Kickstarter made.”

    Not-so-secret master of Fandom Ben Yalow.

    John Picacio, in the last known photo of him before he won the freaking Hugo Award.

    James Patrick Kelly and Robert Silverberg.

    Saturday night I dined with Scott Bobo, Kurt Baty, Sarah Felix, Ed Scarborough, and Spike and Tom at Everest, a 7 course meal that took three and a half hours and cost $200. Sunday, before the Hugos? I ate at Chipolte with Dantzel and some of her friends.

    Remember, pictures of attractive women are your best blog-visit drivers!

    David Brin is the Belle of the Ball:

    Molly Nixon, ready for the Hugos.

    As is Mary Robinette Kowal.

    Jim Minz and Mike Resnick at the door of the Baen party.

    Scott Edelman and Robert Reed, in a diagonally framed shot to get both of them in.

    Jay Lake, embossed by rocketship.

    You go, I go, for podcasting Hugos:

    Neil Gaiman, after the Hugos.

    John Scalzi in Murder by Hugo (Neil’s, as it happens).

    Scott Edelman’s fashion approaches David Hartwell levels of taste.

    And now, for the full effect: With the shoes.

    A better picture of Sue Burke, with 85% less “about to be eaten by zombies” grimness.

    Texas Worldcon Chairman Bill Parker looking sharp.

    Jim Mann, proving that some moose ties kan be pretty nasti.

    Another crappy picture of Charlie Stross, this one wearing his “Christopher Priest yells at a cloud” inspired t-shirt.

    It’s not my fault! She kept changing her outfit!

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago Worldcon: Saturday

    Saturday, September 8th, 2012

    Dantzel Cherry, show us your buffalo!

    As long as you’re not using it to flack for another science fiction writer named Lawrence…damnit!

    Part of a big crowd (along with Beth Mechem and Willie Siros) in the Tor Party:

    David Brin, caught mid-laugh:

    A very sleepy Lawrence Watt-Evans:

    One spins, one measures, one cuts.

    I attended the Worldcon SFWA Business meeting at 9 AM that morning, which included a “breakfast” of fruit and bagels. For San Antonio, may I suggest breakfast tacos?

    Joe Haldeman also attended.

    As did Eileen Gunn.

    Gardner Dozois and Eileen.

    Elizabeth Bear. If Elizabeth Bear and Greg Bear ever meet, they have the power to transform into a giant grizzly.

    A crappy picture from the totally awesome “Secret History of Worldcon” panel. George R. R. Martin (who I was finally able to get my Hugo Loser ribbon from), Mike Resnick, Joe Haldeman, Robert Silverberg. Gardner Dozois, who spaced on the time, joined later. I hope someone recorded that panel. It was epic!

    Paolo Bacigalupi and his crying/vomiting cat t-short.

    Night Shade Press publisher and infamous clothes horse Jeremy Lassen.

    And I never knew he was a Texas Longhorns fan!

    John Two-Time Hugo NomineeOne-Time Hugo WINNER DeNardo of SF Signal.

    Sue Burke and hubby. I wanted to get pictures to remember them by after the Iberian cannibalism breaks out.

    Scott Lynch, with nifty Lovecraft & Tesla T-shirt.

    Up close and personal.

    James Patrick Kelly must be going.

    Gardner Dozois and Amy Sisson:

    Janis Ian. Yes, that Janis Ian.

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago WorldCon: Friday

    Thursday, September 6th, 2012

    The obligatory Stina Leicht picture:

    Stina was a John W. Campbell Award nominee this year, and she moderated a panel that included Gene Wolfe, Martha Wells, and Joan D. Vinge (below).

    After the panel I had lunch with Gene Wolfe, Gary K. Wolfe (below), Gene’s daughter Teri Goulding, and Gary’s girlfriend Stacie Hanes.

    Gary ordered the Frank Gehry Sandwich, impressively postmodern and completely impractical.

    Alaskan David Marusek:

    Laura Ann Gilman. “Smile broadly! Drink heavily!”

    Bookseller and Tiger Eye Press publisher Chris Edwards:

    Allen Steele.

    Jim Minz and Catherine Asaro. I trust you can guess which is which.

    James Patrick Kelly, John Kessel and David Marusek. “Look into my eyes!”

    Toastmaster and SFWA President John Scalzi:

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago WorldCon: Wednesday & Thursday

    Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

    Always willing to get cheap blog fodder document science fiction history, I tried to take pictures of just about everyone I knew that I bumped into there.

    Scott Bobo and Kurt Baty pretend they’ve been hard at work setting up the art show.

    Elizabeth Moon, hanging out in front of the Lone Star Con 3 table.

    The ubiquitous Guest of Honor Mike Resnick at one of the approximately 700 parties he attended over the week.

    John Kessel looms large in science fiction.

    Scott Bobo sitting in front of the portal to London that suddenly appeared behind him.

    A blurry Adam Troy-Castro stands in front of an equally blurry Charles Stross. Obviously there was some sort of temporal disturbance in the dealer’s room.

    Sue Burke contemplates her life after the collapse of the Spanish economy.

    Noted lush Scott Bobo yet again, doing what he does best. Bobo, Kurt, Ed Scarborough and I ended up eating out together three times during Worldcon, hence extra pics of some of them. This one is from the original Morton’s.

    Ed Sacrborough and Jonathan Miles. “Is that bastard taking our picture again?”

    Kurt and Grady, whose skin has lightened considerably since his stint on Sanford & Son.

    More pics, probably tomorrow.

    Book Acquisition: Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired by Stephen King

    Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

    (King, Stephen) Beahm, George. Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired by Stephen King. Centipede Press, 2009. First edition oversized hardback (slipcase is 15 3/4″ high by 11 1/2″ wide), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in fine, illustrated slipcase. A huge, heavy book, only slightly shorter than the Lovecraft art volume they did. I hadn’t been planning on picking this up, nice as it is, but the publisher had a sale. And it’s nice to have all the Stephen King-related Michael Whelan works in one place (since, unlike this completely awesome and completely insane Stephen King collector, I don’t have the original paintings hanging on my wall).