Earl Merkel's Blog
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Jan.25.2013
There's no doubt this image-suggestion will keep your home wi-fi signal less liable to squatters.
But for the full desired effect, I'd recommend "al-Qaeda Martyr-Mobile No. 3".
I guess it depends on your neighbors. Results may vary.
But one can probably expect the FBI to come into it, one way or...
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Jan.25.2013
(1) Amen.
(2) Yes.
(3) Well, everybody does. But if you put your tire-chains on and drive a little more carefully, probably not today...
(Image uncredited, likely due to subsequent multiple-vehicle crash.)
-- Earl Merkel
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Jan.25.2013
Two truisms of the Writing Life I've learned from "driving" a sailboat:
(1) When you're on an even keel, you're not going much of anywhere (except, possibly, downwind)
and
(2) if you're going to throw up --and sometimes, you are-- don't do so to windward.
-- Earl Merkel
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Jan.24.2013
"And while we're telling stories about each other, Officer, let me tell you a little about him.
"And by 'little,' I'm not kidding..."
And, I have no doubt, she'll swear to it in open court. For the (permanent) record...
-- Earl Merkel
(Image courtesy of the Northwest Florida Daily News.)
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Jan.24.2013
I admit to mixed emotions here: on the one hand, I'd worry about flying with this fellow.
On the other, tho... well, how do you fault a guy for using one of the Great Movie Lines Of All Time?
-- Earl Merkel
(Story at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2267389/Qantas-passenger-wearing-...
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Jan.23.2013
From our "C'mon: We All Saw This Coming" -files, a sad li'l peanut of a story...
"He was always kinda a loner, always muttering about some "little red-haired girl..."
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/voice-actor-charlie-brown-arrested-calif-18290451
-- Earl Merkel
(POSTSCRIPT: ...
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Jan.23.2013
Flu.
Too.
(Boo-hoo.)
-- Earl Merkel
(POSTSCRIPT, POETIC: "Loo" has a place here, too. Screw! -- EM)
--------------
This plaintive lament drew an outpouring of ...uh... sympathy from Faithful Readers, via Facebook:
FAITHFUL READER RICH: "Flu?, Oh, poo--not you."
EM Response: Alas...
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Jan.20.2013
"Yachts, yes. But not guns."
Mr. Mayor, may I introduce your bodyguard?
Uh... you'd rather I didn't?
(From our "Logic & Politics" -files, "Advancing The Debate" -subcategory.)
-- Earl Merkel
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Jan.20.2013
And, I'd wager, the City Council will be moving its meeting-place fairly soon, too...
-- Earl Merkel
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Jan.19.2013
There's a reason we speak of our "better angels."
But it would be nice if they didn't rub in it all the time...
-- Earl Merkel
((*** Cartoon image "inspired" by a visit to the FB page of book critic Oline Cogdill, who also frequently "muses" over the Deeper Meaning of The Writing Life))
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Jan.18.2013
Men are dogs. So are dogs.
(Cartoon courtesy of Whyatt.)
-- Earl Merkel
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Jan.18.2013
From our "A Man's Reach Should Exceed His Grasp" -files: Kudos on the ambition, Piers.
But realistically, it looks like the only way might be to sneak up on him.
In a dark alley.
With a crowbar.
But hey: I'd watch your show that night...
-- Earl Merkel
(POSTSCRIPT: 'Course, those night-vision...
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Jan.18.2013
From our "Unintentional Humor" -archives: Note To Screenwriters: you probably didn't want audiences to laugh out loud at the line, (from Arnold Schwartzenegger's new "comeback" film) "Mein name ist Sheriff Ray Owens."
If you are somehow personally committed to the character-name being either "Ray"...
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Jan.17.2013
Let's just cut through the "freedom of artistic expression" -pontificating and say it: The only way this "Praying Hitler" installation could be "acceptable" art is to position a statue of a hooded headsman --poised with sword in mid-swing-- behind Herr H.
As with so much "statement art," the...
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Jan.16.2013
In the interests of full disclosure and postscript'd contrition, I hereby confess that during my competitive-writing days, I... I... well, I used steroids.
But in my defense, it was just because all the other writers were juicin' on talent. I had to somehow stay competitive, don'cha see...
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About Earl
Earl Merkel is the author of Fire Of The Prophet (Diversion Books, 2013); Virgins And Martyrs (Five Star 2008, under the name "E L Merkel"; Final Epidemic (PenguinPutnam/NAL), a Barnes and Noble national bestseller re-released in hardcover by Elmtree Press/...
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