I Say, Miss - It's Algis Budrys!

Who?*

You may well ask the question!  Judging from my recent trend of coercing the names of science-fiction authors to shamelessly promote the blog, you are indeed correct in surmising that he was a sci-fi novelist.  Al was an American of Lithuanian descent who wasn't prolific, but who wrote well-regarded novels and short stories.  The only thing you might be familiar with, especially if you like Elliot Gould, is "Who?", the film adapted from the novel of the same title.  

Which?  Close enough

I Know It's An Internet Cliche -

But this happens to rarely that Conrad simply has to share it with you.  Behold!

FEB at the FOB

     Allow me to translate:"Full English Breakfast at Forward Operating Base" and as I say this is a rare occurence; the last FEB I had was at 7:32 Saturday 28th of March in the hotel restaurant, bolting it in order to catch the bus home to drive over to Dungworth.

     Today was considerably less frantic, and also with a pair of eager helpers just waiting for me to drop something ...

Fortitude - They Stop It Now?

Egad!  After seven deaths, an insect infestation from hell, more fun with flamethrowers than "The Thing" and the explanation as to what really happened to Bill Pettigrew - and it suddenly stops.  What happened to the tusks?  How is Yuri going to get out of the ice cave?  Who killed Ronnie Morgan?

     And a plot point -

SPOILER!

 - if Doctor Allardyce was being eaten away from within by thousands of parasitic wasps surely an indicator would have tripped?  Or perhaps a nurse would have noticed the insects crawling their way out of her carcass?

CBS Action

A television channel, in case you were wondering.  Another unusual occurrence, Conrad spending time watching television, as I'm sure you're thinking.  Actually it's for the benefit of Edna, who likes to be able to loll on top or around a human being.  I was lying there, working on my index of the 51st Highland Division, so she could drape herself over me and the settee for a long hard doze.

     What I did notice were the adverts interspersed in between that classic Classic Trek story "That Which Survives"

What's her favourite metal band?
Black Sabbath!  No, hang on -

 - you know the one, with Losira, whom Sulu boggles over as being "beautiful", although perhaps a bit too much purple for Conrad.

     Anyway, the adverts.  This is the Action channel, right?  Full of manly men, correct? Then why were all the adverts for perfume, mascara, foundation and bodywash? Women having a bodywash, mind you.

     I'll let you know.

Why Edna Hates The Stool

As mentioned, Edna deems it her right - a right literally cast in stone, etched out with lasers and acid and witnessed by the Supreme Court in The Hague - to sit on a person's lap.  This is unfortunate when Conrad is being creative**as he sits and taps away on his computer keyboard, frequently managing to double-task by watching films or tv programs on his laptop at the same time (this may explains the occasional surreal nature of the blog***).  Conrad uses an ergonomic stool:

Thus

     Which pitches his lap downwards at an acute angle, meaning any dog trying to sit there would instantly slide off.  Thus Edna is not happy at lappy loss, and is even now sulking in her bed after whimpering at me.

     Sorry, Edna, an audience of as many as three or four has to be entertained!

Ah, The Rock And Roll Rebel Lifestyle

Living the dream.  Or at least drinking it.

     Here I am, swilling down English Breakfast Tea - and it's past twelve o'clock!

     Smashing the system from the inside.  Well, giving it a stern talking-to and a warning wag of the finger, anyway.

Another Unusual Event

As you surely know by now, Conrad liketh not that thing called "exercise", as it cuts down on his reading, writing and watching time.  So you do not often gets shots like this one posted on the blog - usually it's some grim grey granite cityscape.

Royton in the far distance

     This is taken from Thornham Old Road, looking south.  What you don't get here is the tranquility; there is a distant susurrus^ from the motorway and birdsong and that's it. The weather today has been far more changeable - sun, wind, rain, hail and now it's completely overcast, photos of Edna in the park later tonight.

Public Service Broadcasting

I doubt there will be two blog posts tomorrow as your humble scribe is off to see J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth, who are the powerhouse behind PSB.  Doors open at 7 p.m. and since Edna would otherwise be on her own, Darling Daughter has agreed to dogsit her^^.

Our heroes in action

I doubt it'll finish much before 10 p.m. and Conrad has then to get home and wrap himself around some food, probably also driving Darling Daughter back to her halls.

Yes, TWO pictures of them.
Whose blog is it?

* Ha ha.  I'm so funny.  I even amuse me.

** This doesn't happen all the time.  Just so you know

*** Or maybe it's just me.

^ YEAH BABY!  How long have I waited to use that word!!!

^^ For a fee.  She is a student, after all.

I've Got Dibs On - William Gibson

Woo-Hoo, Another Sci-Fi Author Traduced
I doubt you'll be familiar with Bill, unless you've seen "Johnny Mnemonic", which is a bit of a "loosely derived from and in the process thereof messed-up by a bunch of suits" adaptation.  He is, however, the driving force, guiding light and bright beacon of the Cyberpunk school of science fiction.  Go read "Neuromancer" and tell me you're not impressed with the brio of ideas and images.
     Anyway, since today's earlier post had a whole lot of Conrad banging on about this, that and several others, this post is going to be rather picture-heavy*.
     I hope you like dogs.

The Day Began At 7:15
Edna woke up and whimpered.  I fed her and then had to post up the pester post, at which she was not impressed.

"I's bored.  Can we go play?"

     Conrad then went back to bed.  I can do that - I'm on leave.
     Edna?  She went to sleep as well.

Edna: On Overwatch
If Edna was a human she'd be on a sentry post.

The Wunderhund, watching

     Conrad, as you know ever one for a pun, declares her to be on her Sentry Pot.  She will dart out there every so often to inspect the street and passersby and cars.
     So.  Beware, Royton!  You are under inspection.

The Morning Routine Part One
Conrad is condemned to play "Tuggy-Bone" with Edna until she either gets tired, bored or distracted.  Or until whatever we are tugging is sodden with drool.

     Good for the teeth, apparently**.

The Morning Routine Part Two
Since it was nice and sunny this morning, albeit with a little wind, I sat outside and played ball with Edna.  Since you don't believe me without evidence -

     She actually managed to bring the ball back and - usually - dropped it so I could throw it away again for her to catch and return.
     Looking out the windows at how grey and dismal it is now, I'm glad we got this morning's event in.

The Morning Routine Part Three
O how have I boasted about taking Edna for a morning walk.  Here's a little evidence about our excursion from 10:43, off-the-lead on the footpath.

Edna.  Having a ball - but not chasing it.

Edna.  Not quite born free but certainly running it.

     In contrast to her bringing the ball back in the yard, here she was not interested in the ball at all.  Bad Edna!  Naughty Edna!  No biscuit - er, well, actually she has a lot of biscuits during our walkies.

The Afternoon Routine
This is necessarily a longer walk than the morning one, and today we went up Thornham Old Road, which is less a road than a series of potholes arranged in linear order.  It is, apparently, the border between Oldham and Rochdale and so neither authority wishes to spring for repairing it.  As I recall, it took until 2012 for them to agree about repairing Thornham Lane.

Cows, and lots of them.
I know, I know, "Animals, The" was the earlier post today.  Whose blog is it?

Edna enjoying some off-the-lead time

Edna enjoying biscuit

     This excursion took us for a couple of miles, so understandably for the rest of the afternoon our miniature mutt was a bit pooped:

Which is kind of where we came in.


* Good thing, bad thing?  Only you the reader can decide!
** Hers.  Not mine.  Just so we're clear.

By All That Smells! - It's H.G.Wells

It's Still Working For Me, This Sci-Fi Author Trolling
Just as long as we don't get an injunction or "Cease and Decist" notification from someone's estate, although only one author I've mentioned is still alive at the moment.*
     You should know old Wellsy, as there have been umpteen** films made of his novels.  "The Time Machine", the original one being far the better of the two of course; "The Invisible Man", and sequels, and probably also the John Carpenter film, too; "The Food of the Gods" which is a bad, bad film, to be avoided if you possibly can; "First Men In the Moon" - didn't that Mark Gatiss chap have something to do with a remake?; "The Island of Doctor Moreau" - please avoid the remake as if it were visual Bacillus Pestis; and of course "War of the Worlds", both of 'em***.  
     He also wrote "Little Wars", which is about wargaming, quite ironical in view of him being kind of a semi-pacifist, although little lead soldiers don't leave behind little lead widows and orphans, as I believe Charles Grant once mentioned.


Animals, The
Nope, I'm not referring to the seminal Pink Floyd album of 1977 vintage, although here is the cover photo:

The pig got adrift.  The airline pilot who reported seeing it was breathalysed

     Nor do I refer to The Animals, whose "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" has surely one of the best intro bass lines ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUpBSvN1a50

     Although there is a link to the song if you feel like a listen.
No, I refer to the two animal residents at the Mansion, Jenny the cat and Edna the dog.  It is just like looking after two small children, one an independent yet slothful character, the other a periodically manic yet needy individual.
     They are like children.  When you can't see Edna and things are quiet, you begin to worry - a) Where is she (probably nosing around the drain) and b) What is she doing?
     Then, as children squabble and fight, you can guarantee that if Jenny runs, Edna will chase her until the cat gets high enough or into some narrow space before the pursuit ends.

"Is the dog in there?  'Cos if it is I'm not coming in.   'Cos of dog"

The Neighbours
This morning I did hear a couple of low-key noises and their front door being closed, so Hoorah! the gamma-ray laser shielding did it's job and they are alive.
     Next week it's the turn of the x-ray laser test, fingers crossed that the shielding holds out for that one, too!

For Some, This Would Be Cruel And Unusual Punishment
As I mentioned earlier, I am creating an Index for the N & M Press reprint of "The History of the 51st Highland Division", viz:

     Have I ever created an Index before?  No, but that's not going to stop me.  Up to Page 76 now, interrupted somewhat by having to play the "Tuggy Bone" game with Edna.

Ah, Yes.  Coincidence.  That's My Seat
Who was I blathering on about in the title and text a short while ago?  J. G. Ballard.
     Today "Empire" arrives, and what do we have here?

     I do apologise for it being sideways, but under "The Brit Breakthrough" it mentions the film "High Rise", adapted from the novel of the same name by -

J G  Ballard

Yessssss.

Facebook, Get It Right!
After lambasting Twitter for the silly Tweets about ridiculous entities that Conrad has no conceivable interest in, association with or past employment by, we now return to Facebook and it's nonsensical "Suggested Posts"

The Rich List

     Where has Conrad ever expressed an interest in exactly who is top of the pecking order in terms of finance?  Do not know, do not care, oh there's Kim Cattrall in her ^

"Inherent Vice" And Sterling Hayden
Early in the novel, and the film, Doc Sportello gets laid out by an unseen assailant, whacked in the back of the head with a baseball bat.
     This reminded me of the film of "The Big Sleep", where a murder is committed at the beginning that nobody ends up being accused of or confessing to.  Kinda thrown in there to appease the palate of a jaded audience, perhaps?
     Nobody ever confesses to walloping Doc, nor does he speculate about who did it - he has more on his plate than to worry about someone not killing him - but given that it is a baseball bat, and that Doc later ends up in the offices of Adrian Prussia, with the loathsome Puck Beaverton looking on, and the walls of said office are lined with hundreds of baseball bats - I think Conrad suspects one of these two as being responsible.  Probably Puck.

Puck
("Of Pooks Hill" and close enough)

     Now, in the novel mention is made of a fading Hollywood star, Burke Stodger, who is said to have snitched upon his fellow actors in return for not being prosecuted as a Commie - plus he gets to keep his yacht.
     Let us now examine Sterling Hayden.  Young Sterling had a sterling^^wartime career, joining the OSS, which was the predecessor of the CIA.  He was good enough a soldier that although he enlisted as a private, he got commissioned as an officer.  The OSS sent him to Yugoslavia, where he fought with Tito's Partisans - who were extremely Communist.  O My how Communist were they!  Sterling admired them so much he joined the Communist Party.
     This became something of a problem in the McCarthy era.  When I say "problem" it should probably be written in letters twenty feet tall painted with day-glo red paint.  So, Sterling got his own freedom by informing on his fellow actors.
     This was not looked on at the time with any favour by his peers, and afterwards not by Sterling either, and he went out of his way to beat himself up about it forever after.
     So, Tom, I see right through you.  Burke Stodger = Sterling Hayden!

Sterling on the left
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

* Brian Aldiss, and he's getting on a bit.
** A bit vague I know.  What, you were expecting Conrad to work at this?
*** Although possibly both could do with more Things Exploding
^ We'll stop right there.  BOOJUM! has a reputation to maintain.
^^ Sorry