It's the birthday of Irish writer Oscar Wilde, (books by this author) born Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde, in Dublin (1854). His mom wrote Irish Nationalist poetry under an Italian pseudonym meaning "Hope," and his dad was a prestigious ear and eye surgeon who served Dublin's poor population. Oscar Wilde studied classics at Trinity College ( Read more... )

It was on this day in 1927 that a man named Philo T. Farnsworth transmitted the first ever all-electronic television picture in history.

Thank you, Mr. Farnsworth, for bringing me an Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations marathon today.

Happy Labor Day to those who are staying home celebrating the work force by... not working.

Just finished ( Read more... )

It's the birthday of children's fantasy writer J.K. Rowling, (books by this author) born Joanne Rowling in Yate, England (1965).
Rowling grew up in rural England. She tried writing a couple of novels, but never finished them. One day on a cross-country train trip, the idea of Harry Potter just appeared in her mind. She didn't have a pen to ( Read more... )

Pure coincidence, I'm sure, that the poem today is about California when THAT IS WHERE I AM GOING IN ABOUT 6.5 HOURS!

Sorry if this eats your Fpage. IE is being rude and won't let me use a cut. Will edit shortly.

Fault

by Ron Koertge

In the airport bar, I tell my mother not to worry.
No one ever tripped and fell into the San Andreas
Fault. But as she ( Read more... )

( Chagall-O'Connor-McCullough-Cahan-Heinlein )

The Effort

by Billy Collins

Would anyone care to join me
in flicking a few pebbles in the direction
of teachers who are fond of asking the question:
"What is the poet trying to say?"
( (Oh, there's more. G*d love you, Mr. Collins.) )

It's the birthday of Saul Bellow, (books by this author) born Solomon Bellows in Lachine, Quebec, in 1915, two years after his parents emigrated from Russia. He was born in Canada, but when he was young he was smuggled across the border into Chicago, and so he grew up as an illegal immigrant. His dad was an onion importer and a bootlegger. His mom ( Read more... )

The last stanza blows me away.

Dragonflies at Dawn

by David Allen Sullivan

They couple above this still pool, red rusted male
in front, four wings blurring the light;
butterscotch-colored female anchored to his tail.

They careen into grass stalks,
then explode across vast distances.
The lightness of their bodies, ( Read more... )

It's the birthday of comedian and actor Bob Hope, born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, England (1903).

It's the birthday of G.K. Chesterton, (books by this author) born in London (1874). Chesterton is best known for his stories about Father Brown, a crime-solving priest who appears to know nothing, who is clumsy and constantly misplacing his umbrella ( Read more... )

In 1897 on this day, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, (books by this author) was published. Stoker added several chilling details to the age-old vampire tale: that the undead show no reflection in a mirror, that they shun garlic, and that they can be killed only by a stake through the heart.

Without him, none of this Twi-crack madness would have been ( Read more... )