The Lair of the Silver Fox.

See You When I See You

2012-01-11T15:39:00.000-05:00

Thanks for your time.

Two Ships ~~ Part Seventeen

2012-01-08T21:00:00.003-05:00

We walked into quite a sticky situation. To make a very long story short, the state police had been called about Eve's "abandoned" car after it had been there for a couple of days. A call to the police in Eve's home town established that Russ had filed a missing persons report on his wife!It was now up to Eve to make her way home. I offered to drive her there, of course, but she refused both

Two Ships ~~ Part Sixteen

2012-01-07T17:34:00.001-05:00

A few hours later, I woke up and Eve was nowhere to be seen. I glanced toward the bathroom. Its door was opened far enough for me to see that it was apparently empty. As I often do, I surmised the worst. Filled with guilt over what had almost happened last night, Eve must have left before I'd awakened. Damn, where could she be?I jumped out of bed, discarded my bathrobe, and rushed to the nearby

Two Ships ~~ Part Fifteen

2012-01-06T18:57:00.001-05:00

Just like the last chapter of Two Ships, this one's a "rerun" for those who've followed my blog for more than a couple of months, because I used it as a Theme Thursday entry! But it had to go here now as well, obviously. Besides, a lot of you liked it the first go-round... Two Ships is winding down, folks, so I'm going to post a chapter every other day from today until it's done. And after

Two Ships ~~ Part Fourteen

2012-01-01T19:30:00.004-05:00

My regular readers -- all but the newest ones -- will experience a sense of deja vu beginning somewhere around halfway through this chapter. I already posted the last part of it several weeks ago, in late October, to showcase a song of mine which it contains.Other than that, fellow babies, you're on your own! Thanks for your time. * * * * * The rest of that day was fairly uneventful. Eve

Two Ships ~~ Part Thirteen

2011-12-30T19:25:00.000-05:00

Neither of us woke up with a hangover, thankfully, although Eve uncharacteristically (albeit playfully) told me to "shove it" when I chided her for not getting out of bed as soon as I did.I checked my clothes in the bathroom. My t-shirt, socks, and underwear were dry. My shirt and pants were still a bit damp, but dry enough for me to throw on. I also checked Eve's clothes. Her skirt, made out

Out to Lunch... or Something

2011-12-28T16:30:00.002-05:00

Hi there, fellow babies! I'll bet you were expecting to see the Comical Wednesday post about Canadian comic book heroes that I've been talking about for two or three weeks, huh? Oh, well. No such luck. I didn't finish it, and I'm not going to kill myself doing it. Instead, here's a little illustration as a place-filling pacifier, sent with love to all my Canadian readers. (Yep, all three of them

Two Ships ~~ Part Twelve

2011-12-25T19:00:00.006-05:00

I opened the door. No one was there! I stuck my head out, glancing to the left and right. No one was on the walkway, either! "Where'd that bag come from?" asked Eve."Bag?" I looked down. There was a large paper shopping bag at my feet, with its top folded to close it. I picked it up and brought it inside the room, sitting upon the bed next to Eve with the bag between us. "Let's find out what's

Two Ships ~~ Part Eleven

2011-12-24T17:15:00.001-05:00

I've told you already what Eve had told me, of course, which was that she'd only had sex with one man during her entire life, and that was Russ. I strongly suspected that he didn't receive such a unique place in her life until after the wedding night, but Eve had refused to confirm that during our previous discussions. I also knew that the early years of their marriage had been what she herself

Two of the Giants -- A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-12-22T15:45:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the latest installment of Comical Wednesday, or, since I'm posting this on Thursday, perhaps I should steal a line from Pat Hatt, who called it "his Comical whenever he feels like posting it Wednesday." Originally, I had planned for this week's Comical Wednesday post to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of one of comic books' true legends, the incomparable Sheldon Mayer

Two Ships ~~ Part Ten

2011-12-19T16:07:00.001-05:00

The warmth that the alcohol had generated within me suddenly left me -- as did much of its other effects -- and I once again felt the oppressive chill of the night air. I'm ordinarily an expert when it comes to thinking on my feet. In my mind, I quickly came up with a long song-and-dance about how my wife and I had taken a vacation from our stress-filled day-to-day lives, and were once again

Two Ships ~~ Part Nine

2011-12-17T19:26:00.002-05:00

Before I begin the latest chapter of "Two Ships":The bespectacled gentleman pictured above, next to the man dressed as Captain America, has more right than most to be photographed with the Captain. Joe Simon co-created Captain America, along with Jack Kirby. I just learned of Mr. Simon's passing, and wanted to mention it here. I'll be taking a much more involved look at the man in my next

How Sweet It Is! -- A Theme Thursday "Sweet" Post

2011-12-15T18:56:00.001-05:00

I saw this week's Theme Thursday theme, Sweet, and said "Now there's a challenge!" What the hell could I write about that? How about... The two or three women who've called me that, mainly because -- when I care to, usually -- I can say the right thing at the right time? Nah. I could write about how I have to watch my blood sugar levels now that I'm diabetic. I was never much for candy or

Jerry Robinson, 1922-2011, R.I.P. ~~ A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-12-14T08:10:00.001-05:00

I had originally planned to do a feature about two Golden Age Canadian comic book characters who gave birth, as it were, to a couple of American heroes. But that post is going to have to be pushed back not one, but two weeks. Sorry, my Canadian fellow babies... all three of you... Comic legend Jerry Robinson (born Sherrill David Robinson) died on December 7th, at the age of 89. He was born on

Two Ships ~~ Part Eight

2011-12-12T18:54:00.002-05:00

Art reached into a pocket of his bib overalls, and took out a small, empty, uncapped glass bottle. I almost came out of my chair. "Ohmigod," I whispered. "He's gonna play Allmans!""Almonds? Almonds?" said Eve.I smiled and shook my head. "No, he's going to play something by the Allman Brothers!""How do you know that?""See that bottle?""You're kidding, right?" She looked into my eyes and

Two Ships -- Part Seven (a little "extra")

2011-12-10T22:08:00.002-05:00

Millie -- that genial chatterbox -- alternated between serving the dozen customers that night and spending time with each party of diners after their meals were delivered. She explained to Eve and myself that since the "restaurant" had given up its liquor license a while back, 99% of its patrons were those who were staying at the motel at any given time. (With the blizzard, of course, such an

Two Ships ~~ Parts Five & Six

2011-12-09T07:07:00.003-05:00

What Has Come Before: It's January of 1996, and... Oh, hell, if you really want to know what's happened before, go read the previous chapters! Thanks for your time! * * * * * The coffee was great, the breakfast was filling, and Millie was nice enough to give us the key to a different room (with a working heater). None of the other motel guests showed up at the restaurant while we were

The Lure of the Tracks

2011-12-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

When I was quite young, my parents, my sister, and myself went to a place called Edaville Railroad in Carver, Massachusetts. For no particular reason, I'd assumed for some time that it was closed. I was wrong, as I discovered just last night! Edaville Railroad still operates, under the name Edaville USA. I was glad to learn that. There's a train track near my home, about a 5 minute walk away.

Terrific Tid-Bits -- PART THREE of a Two-Part "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-12-07T15:45:00.001-05:00

Well, fellow babies... The post I'd originally planned for this week's Comical Wednesday got away from me, so to speak, so I'm adding some little treats pertaining to last week's Mr. Terrific post! Part Three of Two, y'might say! You can be Mr. Terrific in a role-playing game... Omitted last time: The scene where Superman finds the fresh-killed body of Mr. Terrific, from JLA #171! Veronica

Two Ships ~~ Part Four

2011-12-05T06:00:00.003-05:00

What Has Come Before: It's January, 1996. Our story is being narrated by "Woody," a mid-thirtyish New Englander who is currently in Iowa. Helping out Eve, a slightly younger, pretty married woman he'd met at a truck stop, Woody ends up transporting her (in his sister's Corvette, which he'd borrowed for the trip) to a motel during a terrible blizzard. After dealing with the curmudgeonly motel

Two Ships ~~ Part Three

2011-12-03T10:24:00.000-05:00

What has come before: Well, it's complicated... It's January of 1996. The narrator of our story, "Woody," is a New Englander in his mid-thirties who was about to make his way home from Iowa when a blizzard hit. He had just met a thirtyish young woman named Eve at a truck stop. Her reasons for being there, as opposed to being at home with her husband, are as yet unclear. Eve had no money

Mr. Terrific... Loser? -- Part Two of a "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-12-01T06:40:00.001-05:00

Howdy, fellow babies! Before we resume with the overview of DC's Mr. Terrific, I've got some news for y'all. Due to a small but fervent demand in public and in private, the serialization of "Two Ships" will now come to you not once, but twice weekly, tentatively on Mondays and Fridays. That will still give me leeway to do my random posts and my regular Comical Wednesday posts, as well as muck

Two Ships ~~ Part Two

2011-11-28T14:18:00.002-05:00

You haven't missed much. Our story's unnamed narrator just "rescued" a beautiful woman from an overly friendly guy at a truck stop in Iowa, by posing as her husband. And it's January, 1996. * * * * * Ordinarily, I would have walked around and opened the door for her, but my twisted sense of humor said “Hey, we're supposed to be married,” and I threw the keys to her instead. She got in as I

Advice to the Lovelorn -- A "Theme Thursday" Tomorrow Post!

2011-11-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

Something a little different today, fellow babies, in keeping with Theme Thursday's "Tomorrow" theme! Advice to the LovelornThe Best Gosh-Darned Advice You Will Ever Get About Getting Over "The One!" Romantic relationships can be all lah-dee-dah and wonderful when both parties are in love. If one person doesn't love the other, things may very quickly turn to guano. There all all sorts of

Mr. Terrific... Loser? -- Part One of a "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-11-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Part One of a two-part post featurinjg one of comic books' "second-stringers." Most of my regular readers know by now that Captain America is one of my all-time favorite superheroes. (Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, by the way. That's not Captain America pictured above!) And quite a few of you know when my love for the character began, which was when I first saw him in an

Two Ships ~~ Part One

2011-11-19T22:25:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago, I gave you not one, but two chapters from a longer story called "Two Ships." Some of you requested more. So for the next few weeks, I'll be posting a chapter at a time, on or about Monday. That's all you need to know, except for the fact that the narrator is not me. This is a work of fiction. Hope you like it. Thanks for your time. * * * * * January, 1996 The closest I'd

The Unofficial Biography

2011-11-16T18:22:00.000-05:00

(Most of what appear to be photographs in the following post are actually cave paintings. Yes, they're that old. Just sayin'.) Many years ago -- many, many, many years ago, fellow babies -- on this very date, a foxling was born in a building many referred to by a brand new word: "hospital." The fox-child was precocious, to say the least. To the doctor whose hand smacked the newborn baby's pink

Happy 100th, Sepia Saturday! ~~ A "Sepia Saturday" Post... Obviously!

2011-11-12T05:20:00.004-05:00

Today marks the 100th Sepia Saturday post! Well, not counting a few thousand individual posts which have used that mighty meme as a prompt, of course. To commemorate this occasion, as well as yesterday's Veteran's Day, I'm going to showcase two individuals. And as a special treat to you, dear readers, I'll keep my usual blitherings to a minimum. 1. The first is the one veteran in my immediate

Who [Writes] Short Shorts? -- A "David'Z RantZ" Post

2011-11-11T12:20:00.001-05:00

Short Shorts this time, fellow babies! 1. If you wanna drag me over to your computer to show me your cool new photos, try renaming them something that makes sense first. 1250024552Yw0FWh doesn't mean monkey-f*** to me, nor does it to you, I expect. So if you wanna show me a shot of your Aunt Sadie proudly holding her newborn grand-nephew, label it something that makes sense, like "Sadie with

Oh, Well...

2011-11-09T13:13:00.003-05:00

Gee, fellow babies, I was planning a great new Comical Wednesday post, to be followed by a terrific Theme Thursday entry... But you know what? I've been too busy. Oh, well, it's only an effin' blog. See you soon. I'll be out of town for a couple of days, but I am hoping I'll have a Sepia Saturday offering this week... Thanks for your time.

"The Pome to End All Pomes?"

2011-11-08T12:20:00.003-05:00

The Lair of the Silver Fox was just chosen the Blog of the Month by The River. And it's a real award, not one of those annoying chain-letter memes. Thanks to The River's small but dedicated staff! I'm going to leave this pome up for a few days, and link this post to dVerse Poets Pub's Open Link Night -- that link goes live on Tuesday @ 3 p.m. -- to let some of the really polished poets get a

Well, Bully for You! -- A "Theme Thursday" David'Z RantZ Post

2011-11-03T02:40:00.005-04:00

A little Anger Music, maestro, please! This is only a tenuous link to this week's Theme Thursday theme, Gadget, but here 'tis, fellow babies: OptimizedApps.com has a new app called a Bully Button for your iPhone. With it, you can record and report instances of school bullying. (I'm simplifying, of course. Here's the link to the full article if you want to read it.) OptimizedApps CEO Thomas

One Last Stab at Halloween

2011-10-31T22:20:00.004-04:00

Okay, fellow babies, here's a Halloween Quickie for you! Ah, 'tis the season for all parents to go through their kiddies' Halloween loot to make sure there are no poisons, pins, or razor blades (as in the photo at the top of my post) embedded in the candy. But you know something? I've seen people doing that since the early 1970s, and I think the paranoia is over-blown! Read here and here, and

A BEVY OF CAPES, for Halloween

2011-10-30T14:00:00.016-04:00

Before I do anything else, I want to commemorate the 125th "birthday" of The Statue of Liberty by posting this photograph of its sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, shown here using his cell phone! And now... Today, fellow babies, in honor of Halloween, I'm posting a poem about some of the adults that like to "play dress-up." And since I often talk about Zorro, as well as other caped heroes..

"David'Z RantZ" ~~ Children of the Corn

2011-10-29T07:52:00.002-04:00

The Gates of Hell have opened, fellow babies, and the writing is on the wall! Along with the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins associated with Halloween trick-or-treaters, the truly terrible element of this Halloween season has already reared its ugly head. And the saddest part of this whole situation is that it's involved a close friend of mine! This is a woman whom many of my readers know... and

Whatever Happened To...??? -- A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-10-27T09:36:00.000-04:00

Today's Comical Wednesday post is a quickie, but I needed to do something after not having a CW entry last week. I'm not the only one who has these last-minute jitters, either... Ever since I began blogging, I've tried to give my readers the very best. And I haven't had the energy lately for any David'Z RantZ entries... I mean, keeping up with a blog can be kinda depressing at times. And at

Another Day of Reflection

2011-10-20T21:50:00.002-04:00

Well! Due to other pressing concerns, neither of my planned posts for Theme Thursday and my own Comical Wednesday were completed this week. That's okay. It's only a freakin' blog, right? At least I get to post this very brief entry in memory of my mother, Anita, who passed away in late 2009. She would have been 94 today. Happy Birthday, Mom, and as you always said, "See ya when I see ya."

The Return of "The Silver Fox's THRUST HOME Award"

2011-10-19T07:52:00.001-04:00

Award drawn and "donated" by Skip Simpson,based on a poster he found on the internet. It's been quite a while -- over a year, actually -- since I've done one of these. But first, the obligatory reminder as to what "The Silver Fox's THRUST HOME Award!" is all about: Bloggers like to give each other awards. One of the drawbacks to these awards is that they're usually given with a set of

"My Way?" -- A dVerse Post

2011-10-18T10:11:00.000-04:00

The latest challenge from the dVerse Poets Pub is to write a poem on a taboo subject. My subject is Anger... and it's only "taboo" in the sense that many of us are -- or should be -- afraid of what we're capable of when pushed to our limit. Like the "speaker" in my poem. (And don't let the photo fool you. It's not about Frank Sinatra!) Thanks for your time. * * * * * My Way? It was bad

"YOU IS." -- A Poem, Kinda/Sorta

2011-10-16T17:09:00.000-04:00

Due to encouragement (nagging?) from a couple of people, I decided to come back with a short poem, of sorts. * * * * * You Is. You is. Not "You are." "You is." As in " 'You' is the third word in my favorite sentence." "I love you." Of course, that's only my favorite sentence when "you" is you. * * * * * And remember, fellow babies, sometimes a poem is only a poem. Sometimes.

Nobody's Perfect -- A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-09-21T07:28:00.004-04:00

I have good news and bad news for you today, fellow babies! First, the bad news... and it's time to get serious. Several weeks ago, I wrote a short Foxyblog post saying that for several personal reasons, I was going to take a leave of absence from the blogiverse. Things in the real world had gotten pretty depressing at the time, and frankly, they've gotten even worse since then... so I haven't

"AAUGH" -- A NOT-So-Comical FRIDAY Post...

2011-09-16T17:27:00.003-04:00

The following is one of my two all-time favorite Peanuts strips: (It's too bad that most of the people this is aimed at probably won't ever see it.) Thanks for your time.

A Lone Vegetable, Crying in the Wilderness! -- A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-09-12T22:45:00.002-04:00

In previous Comical Wednesday posts, I promised to talk about one of the best superheroes of all, the incredibly demented Flaming Carrot! First, I showed him sharing a drink with Marvel's Forbush-Man. Then, I showed him co-starring with ACG's Herbie Popnecker! Well, in today's Comical Wednesday post, I finally make good on my veiled promises. And I have good news for you: This will be a post

My Keys to the Kingdom A "Comical Wednesday" Post Part Two (of Two)

2011-09-07T16:26:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read Part One of "My Keys to the Kingdom" yet, please go read it now. I'll wait. I also suggest that you take a leave of absence from your job, and make arrangements to have your next few meals delivered. This is a lonnnnng one. Comic books -- more than any Whitman Little Golden Books, or any other "kiddie" books or magazines to which I was exposed as a young foxling -- taught

My Keys to the Kingdom A "Comical Wednesday" Post Part One (of Two)

2011-08-31T20:39:00.000-04:00

On August 28th, 1917, a child named Jacob Kurtzberg was born in New York City. There is apparently no truth to the rumor that he was born with a pencil in his right hand (and a cigar in his left), but his decision to become an artist certainly wasn't made too long after that! Entering the field of comic books roughly at the same time as the need for all-new material became apparent, young

"There's a Starman Waiting in the Sky" -- A "Comical Wednesday" Post

2011-08-23T00:01:00.169-04:00

If I were to try to give a detailed description of every character -- in comic books and elsewhere -- that's used the name "Starman," this would be my longest single post ever. Ever. Therefore, merciful s.o.b. that I am, I'm going to spare you the stories of all the Starmen out there. (But this'll still be a long one!) For instance, I'll only give a fleeting mention of the wonderful Starman

The Skivvied Superheroes A "Comical Wednesday" Post! Part Three (of Three)

2011-08-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

Two quick notes: 1. It seems that I was "half right" where my personal theory about how the term "domino mask" originated, a theory disproved by Wikipedia. I looked up the etymology of the word "domino" in Wiktionary itself, and here's what I found (full article here): From French domino (1801) < Medieval Latin domino < Latin dominus (“lord, master”); compare Medieval Latin dominicale (“a kind

The Skivvied Superheroes A "Comical Wednesday" Post! Part Two

2011-08-09T02:00:00.003-04:00

I'm still on my leave of absence, but today's Comical Wednesday post was completed a couple of weeks ago. Hope you like it. * * * * * Before I begin Part Two of my series about "The Skivvied Superheroes," a word -- okay, several -- about "domino masks!" If I recall correctly, I first encountered the term "domino mask" in the early 1970s, when I was avidly reading anything I could get my

"And Miles To Go Before I Sleep..."

2011-08-05T00:15:00.001-04:00

For reasons that (as usual) I'm not going to share... this has been a very bad week. "Sucks to be me," and all that. There are too many important things which I need to attend to, and this blog isn't one of them right now. I haven't felt much like blogging lately anyway, in case you haven't noticed The good news is that if you enjoy my new mid-week series, Comical Wednesday, I have a bunch of

The Skivvied Superheroes A "Comical Wednesday" Post! Part One

2011-08-04T18:19:00.000-04:00

There won't be any set format for the Comical Wednesday posts, but whenever possible, I'm going to throw in only a small offering of my usual, personal observations, and "drown" you in comic images instead. So, let's see how I do in this second installment! * * * * * From Stan Lee's introduction to the very first Spider-Man story, in Amazing Fantasy #15: Like costumed heroes?

Tune In Tomorrow...

2011-08-01T17:00:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow's post will be the second in my new Comical Wednesday series. It'll post at one minute after midnight tonight, as a matter of fact. Tomorrow, of course, is Tuesday. Yeah? So? What's your point? I'm posting it a day early because: 1. It's done.2. I feel like it.3. I can. That is all. See you tomorrow. Thanks for your time.

Don't Count Your (Digital) Chickens...

2011-07-31T17:10:00.001-04:00

As this (relatively) recent article points out, Paypal President Scott Thompson predicts that by 2015 -- yeah, only four years away, fellow babies -- the wallet will have become a thing of the past. Mr. Thompson is quoted as saying “We believe that by 2015 digital currency will be accepted everywhere in the U.S. – from your local corner store to Walmart. We will no longer need to carry a wallet

Comical Wednesday: How Green Was My... errr... Lantern?

2011-07-28T10:10:00.002-04:00

In my last post, I wrote an overly-dramatic and tongue-in-cheek story about my figuring out that Skip Simpson had "padded" the votes for my poll about what the very first subject for Comical Wednesday* should be. I decided that either The Golden Age Green Lantern or the actual winner, Long Underwear Characters, would be first, depending on which post got finished first. I really "got into" the

Stuffing It

2011-07-25T00:05:00.003-04:00

The polls have closed, fellow babies, but Oh, the perfidiousness! Alas, for one brief instance, I allowed myself to throw myself upon the mercy of my readers, and oh-so-humbly beg for advice, for guidance, for direction! I wondered which of several earth-shaking, pulse-pounding, senses-shattering topics should be the very first comic-related subject dealt with in my new, weekly non-meme...

In Search of "Frank Reinhardt" -- A "Sepia Saturday" Post

2011-07-23T20:40:00.003-04:00

Today's Sepia Saturday theme is to be determined by each individual "player's" interpretation of the photo prompt that was offered, that of a NASA researcher in 1964, wearing a prototype space suit for the Apollo Moon Project. Kinda reminds me of Mattel's Major Matt Mason, but I digress. I ignored the space travel connection, and instead decided to go with the "researcher" aspect for today's

Help Wanted!

2011-07-22T15:49:00.005-04:00

Short and sweet, for a change... In my last post, I told you how I'm going to be running mid-week posts devoted to comic books, cartoons, comic strips, etc. (for a while, anyway). Well, I have lots of ideas, but I'm undecided as to which subject or character(s) to showcase first. If you're at all interested as to where I'm going with this, please feel free to vote on which one it'll be! Choose

Coming Attractions (I Hope)

2011-07-19T17:58:00.003-04:00

You "fellow babies" who have put up with... errr... that is, read and enjoyed my Foxyblog posts for almost three years, as well as my David'Z RantZ posts for slightly more than three years, are well aware that I formed a love for comic books in my youth that has never dissipated. True, I don't read any of the current titles, but I still look fondly upon those I grew up reading, and many of

"Oh, SHUT UP, Spell-Checker!"

2011-07-17T01:30:00.014-04:00

Yep, another Grammar Nazi post!) I typed the word "glamor" while writing an email recently, and my handy-dandy (and intrusive) spell-checker red-lined the word. Suggested substitution? "Glamour." Oh, really? Hmmmm, I thought, let's see what the 'net has to say bout that. Apparently, "glamor" is acceptable, but "glamour" is the preferred spelling. According to American Heritage: "Many words,

That's Using Your Noodle!

2011-07-14T19:44:00.001-04:00

I had to share this. Nico Alm of Austria has been allowed to wear a spaghetti colander upon his head in his license photo, and all because of freedom of religion. I'm not making this up, fellow babies. The full story is here. Mr. Alm, y'see, is a member -- perhaps the only member, for all I know -- of a religious group called the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which claims that "the

The Wright Stuff

2011-07-11T08:48:00.000-04:00

(No, don't let the title fool you! This isn't another Grammar Nazi post! You may continue without fear!) As I've mentioned numerous times on this blog, I live in Massachusetts. A few days ago, I spotted a car bearing an out-of-state license plate -- also known as a "license tag" in some areas of the country -- parked in the parking lot at my part-time job. States love to put all sorts of

Money Talks!

2011-07-08T21:24:00.000-04:00

Ben: You should be ashamed of yourself, sir! Jack: What are you talking about? Ben: Do not play the innocent with me, sir! Jack: Stop calling me 'sir,' please. 'Jack' will do. Ben: Very well, then... Jack. I'm referring to the outrageous effect you have had on your country. Our country, I should say! Jack: Errr... ahhh... As I recall... Ben... you weren't all that moderate in your own dealings

David'Z RantZ: The Return of the "Short Shorts!"

2011-07-07T21:00:00.001-04:00

My friend Betsy says that the woman above looks like she's wearinga skirt rather than short shorts (and I agree), but the photo is from a 1956LIFE article about "Short Shorts for Girls..." Serves me right for nottaking the easy way out and using a shot of Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke. When David'Z RantZ was an actual, active blog rather than "just" an occasional heading on this blog, I often had

The "Mystery" Solved!

2011-07-05T06:00:00.071-04:00

And the winners are... Betsy, of the My Five Men blog, and my friend and writing partner, Skip Simpson, of the seldom-updated Life with Skip! Ladies first, so we'll begin with Betsy's answers to the questions originally asked in this post): OK, I'm taking a stab at this. :) A. The photo is of Clayton Moore.B. The film is The Ghost of Zorro3. Three role models would be Zorro, Orson Welles,

SIGH

2011-07-04T03:10:00.006-04:00

The day-to-day unravelings of the English language seem to have demanded a proliferation of "Grammar Nazi" posts lately. "So sad," as a certain Sharp-Eyed Reader of mine would say. Facebook is the latest culprit (although admittedly, this trend has been going on for a while now). Remember back in the day back in the good old days, when you wanted to make someone your friend? You would "befriend

Hey, While You're Waiting...

2011-07-02T13:03:00.000-04:00

While I go about my life in the real world and think about the topic of my next earth-shattering (yeah, right) blog post, I would cordially invite you to check out all of the cool crap I've added to my sidebar lately. And just so you don't feel totally disappointed by today's entry, fellow babies, here's a little challenge for you: The above photo is related to not one, but two of my professed

I Got Dem Ol' Grammar Nazi Blues Again, Mama!

2011-06-30T21:45:00.000-04:00

Today's post is an unoffical follow-up to my last post, entitled "The Grammar Nazi." So why, you wonder, does this post feature a Janis Joplin LP as its prominent illustration? 1. I wasn't about to use the "Grammar Nazi" symbol again, because it looks too much like the real Nazi flag (as it was meant to, of course). And real Nazis suck. 2. Even if I had used the "Grammar Nazi" symbol again, a

The Grammar Nazi

2011-06-29T14:25:00.002-04:00

Pat Hatt and his cat Orlin*, of It's Rhymetime fame, have called me a "Grammar Nazi." (*Don't ask. I mean, what kind of nut would ever make the claim that one or more of his blog posts were written by a cat, right? Heh.) Well, it's true that I'll occasionally make wisecrack comments about spelling errors, typos, grammatical glitches, and the like, but I only do it once in a while. If I were

It's About TIME!

2011-06-27T00:35:00.004-04:00

Hey, isn't that Chuck Norris? I mean, only Chuck Norris could calmly pose in the mouth of a great white shark, right? Nahhhh, it's not Chuck Norris. In fact, here's the original, uncropped version of that photo: This photo and thus, the cropped version at the top of this post as well, are copyright ©1974 Cal Acord, from Jaws: Memories from Martha's Vineyard by Matt Taylor. It's only one of a

Only ONE of These REALLY Counts...

2011-06-23T19:38:00.002-04:00

Two deaths were "announced" this past week, and as it says in my title, only one of them really counts. Clarence Clemons, the incredible saxophonist best known as Bruce Springsteen's "soul-mate" in the E Street Band, passed away this week at the age of 69. I was a relatively late convert to Springsteen's music (late 1970s), and as we all entered and muddled through the 1980s, it seemed like "

We Interrupt This Sabbatical...

2011-06-10T09:40:00.002-04:00

Only a few short days ago, I posted that I would be away from blogging "until further notice." And I meant it. No, really. One of the reasons is that I've recently felt that my creative juices were somewhat dried up for the moment. And that hasn't changed. However, that doesn't keep me from appreciating -- and highly recommending -- someone else's creativity, and passing along the good news to

See You When I See You...

2011-06-05T23:30:00.005-04:00

Until further notice, fellow babies: ©Andy Warhol (Click here if you want toknow the story behind the soup can!) Or, if you've been waiting for Orson's latest post, rather than mine... Thanks for your time.

It's Time for ORSON'Z RANTZ, Fellow Cats'n'Kitties!

2011-05-27T15:08:00.000-04:00

(This is not The Silver Fox speaking here!) Did you see this blog's last so-called post? You know, the one with the photo of the wimpy-looking kitty-cat? Gimme a freakin' break, willya? If I ever have to look at anythin' that "cute" again, I'm gonna toss my Friskies! There's only ONE cat that deserves to star in this show! So, here I am! Orson, the One and Only! Orson, the Great and Powerful!

Okay, I'll Admit It...

2011-05-25T04:10:00.001-04:00

To those of you fellow babies who saw the "cutesie-wootsie wittle fluffy-wuffy kitty-cat" -- *gag* -- and wondered if you'd stumbled onto someone else's blog... I merely wanted a visual "hook" for today's post, kinda. That's all! I'm not going all "goo-goo" on you! Read on, please, and it'll make sense in short order. I know, I know... Most of my entries here lately have been inconsequential "

David'Z RantZ ~~ "...and I'll Say It Again!"

2011-05-24T05:38:00.001-04:00

The only "print" newspapers I buy are local newspapers. I get most of my information from a few varied publications which email their headlines to me, while giving me access to their online home pages. Just sayin'. Anyway, here's a recycled bit -- slightly edited -- from an earlier post about something that still bugs me: It's becoming annoying that almost every time I read a "newspaper"

Greatest. Invention. Ever. ~~ Updated!

2011-05-20T07:00:00.015-04:00

Okay, I changed my mind. Sue me. This isn't the greatest invention ever. Not any more, anyway. (But it's still the second greatest invention ever. Just sayin'.) This is the greatest invention ever (pictured above). You'd understand if you'd spent as much time as I have trying to transfer videos, documents, photos, and other important crap stuff from my old, whale-oil-powered computer (with its

Looking for a Memory

2011-05-19T13:30:00.005-04:00

Searching for stuff on the internet can be a lot of fun, or it can be a pain in the butt. It helps if you not only know where to search, but how to search. Sometime back in the late 1980s -- February 4th, 1988, to be exact -- I watched a musical performance on the sixth anniversary prime-time TV special for NBC's Late Night with David Letterman. This number, a medley of sorts with the Arthur

When the World Is Your Oyster...

2011-05-18T15:55:00.001-04:00

The great thing about having your own blog is that you can pretty much post any darned thing that you want. On The Lair of the Silver Fox (I'd link to it, but... you're already there!) that can mean anything from personal anecdotes, to "serious" fiction, to pop-cultural spotlights, to... well, you name it. Like, right now, for instance, I'm currently drafting an analysis of why Star Trek's

David'Z RantZ ~~ An Open Letter... (STILL Not the One You've Been Waiting For!)

2011-05-18T11:00:00.001-04:00

To Everyone in the Executive and Legislative Branches of the Federal Government (and I'm only excluding the Judicial Branch because they're appointed for life): You became senators, congressmen, or whatever because of your fervent desire to help the American people, right? I mean, it's not about the money, right? Hell, most of you are already millionaires, or well on your way to becoming such,

"Before I Sell It..." (#1 in a Probable Series!)

2011-05-15T06:20:00.000-04:00

As some of you know, I'm trying to slowly-but-surely unload most of the contents of my apartment. I have multiple collections of stuff I like, more CDs than I'll ever have a chance to listen to, more VHS tapes and DVDs than I'll ever have a chance to watch, more books, magazines, and comics than I'll ever get a chance to read... You get the picture. Add to that several boxes of paperwork,

In All Fairness...

2011-05-14T03:45:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, and the day before, Blogger went through some horrendous sort of glitch. Blogs suddenly became available in a "read-only" format. We Blogger-bloggers -- a term I use to specify those whose blogs are actually on blogspot.com -- couldn't draft new posts. We couldn't leave comments on our blogs, or those of others. Our "dashboards" were unavailable. And so on. The result, not only until

"Who Knows What eBay Lurks in the Hearts of Men?"

2011-05-11T10:40:00.001-04:00

Okay, fellow babies, here is (probably) the last post I'll be doing related to my dealings on eBay circa 2003-2004. But it's not an old listing of mine. Instead, it's comprised of someone else's eBay auction listing, which I forwarded to a friend only after having added my own comments! A very quick explanation here... although someday I may do a lengthy piece on this subject. (You've been

The Ghost with the Most! (Yet Another Woeful Tale from eBay)

2011-05-10T13:10:00.001-04:00

I guess you'd have to call today's post "part three in a two-part series," or something. It's an afterthought to my last two eBay-related posts. A few years ago, at about the same time that my eBay ads were occasionally becoming goofy, a true eBay phenomenon occurred. Briefly: A guy with the user name Teajay101 -- Tommy Johnson, as it turned out -- put up a jar for auction, a jar which (he very

My "Fans" on eBay, Part Two

2011-05-07T16:45:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my last post, I haven't put anything up for sale on eBay for at least a couple of years. Having said that... There was a time when I had a lot of fun with it. Most of my item descriptions were pretty straightforward, but once in a while, especially around 2003 (for no particular reason), I got a little loopy... and something along the lines of what you generally find here on

My "Fans" on eBay, Part One (Updated)

2011-05-04T03:37:00.007-04:00

Although I haven't put anything up for sale on eBay for at least a couple of years, there was a time when I had a lot of fun with it. Most of my item descriptions were pretty straightforward, but once in a while, especially around 2003 (for no particular reason), I got a little loopy... and something along the lines of what you generally find here on my blog ensued! Believe it or not, two of my

No Rant TODAY!

2011-05-02T10:05:00.004-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm in a pretty good mood this morning (for a change). Nearly ten years ago, we said "Never Forget." And we didn't. This is not just a victory for President Obama, or for former President Bush, or even for the USA. (And let's not try to take credit from anyone, okay? Let's give credit to all!) This is a victory for the entire planet. To quote the Council on

David'Z RantZ ~~ Oh, Puh-LEEZE! (STILL Not the One You've Been Waiting For!)

2011-05-01T19:00:00.000-04:00

Here I was, blissfully thinking that Donald Trump was the number one candidate -- please pardon the expression -- for the title of "Idiot of the Week" -- month? millennium? -- but someone had to prove me wrong! In case you haven't read this (yet) elsewhere... According to the new Journal of Animal Ethics, which is the result of a US/UK "academic partnership," terms like -- and take a deep

Bird, Incognito (A "Twitter for Gentlefolk" Post)

2011-04-29T22:27:00.001-04:00

(Note for readers of my next post: Now this kind of "p.c.," I like!) Continuing the relatively new "Twitter for Gentlefolk" tradition recently announced by that troublemaker fine fellow Alan Burnett of News from Nowhere fame, my friend Betsy (author of the My Five Men blog) and myself decided to do a "postcard swap." And rather than choosing an appropriate card for me, Betsy decided to create

David'Z RantZ ~~ Two Reasons I Don't Sleep Well at Night (and No, This Is NOT the One You've Been Waiting For!)

2011-04-26T13:28:00.003-04:00

Two Reasons I Don't Sleep Well at Night (and don't piss me off, or I'll make this a freakin' series): 1. People keep writing "lightening" when they mean to write "lightning." You can lighten your hair. After sunrise, the sky gradually "lightens." Lightning is that flash you see in the sky before you hear the thunder. (Or "lightning" could also apply to at least two great blues musicians. But I

And You Think I'M Extreme?

2011-04-19T16:15:00.014-04:00

Today's post is a prequel of sorts to a much longer, uncharacteristically political post I'll be posting sometime in the (probably) near future. You've been warned, fellow babies! "In this state... in this state, dig it, you get... uhhh... you get twenty years for sale of dope to a minor. Uhhh... You only get five to ten for manslaughter. [laughs] So, like, the thing is, if you're sellin' to a

"And All Before Breakfast" (Special Guest Post!)

2011-04-17T01:30:00.001-04:00

Hey, there, cats'n'kitties! This is the great and powerful Orson, the cat! The Silver Fox is busy workin' on scriptin' a second Poe-inspired story for his partner, Skip Simpson, to draw... so he decided to let me have a hand... errr, a paw... at writin' one of his blog posts! (And lest a certain rhymin' cat think I'm stealin' his act, I gotta point out -- well, in the sense that a cat can "

"An American Dream? Or An American Nightmare?"

2011-04-08T20:00:00.006-04:00

It's been quite a while since I've presented an actual work of original fiction here in the Fox's lair, and that was the original purpose of this blog. So here you go. It's really long -- even for me -- for a single entry rather than a multi-parter, but I sincerely hope you'll think it's worth it. It's about comic books, as many of my posts are, but even if you know and/or care nothing about

David'Z RantZ ~~ PART TWO of Meme THIS. (or, "The Meme to End All Memes")

2011-04-06T22:00:00.003-04:00

Last time, subversive & silvery s.o.b. that I am, I made you sit through what amounted to an introduction for today's post. (I've done it before. I'll do it again. Such is life.) I talked about some of the problems with internet memes. And now, here's my solution: Okay, okay, wait a second! Getting right to the point? That wouldn't be me, now would it? I have to include at least one

David'Z RantZ ~~ Meme THIS. (or, "The Meme to End All Memes")

2011-04-05T18:10:00.005-04:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "The term Internet meme (pronounced /ˈmiːm/, rhyming with "cream") is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet." (Trust me, cuz I'm not gonna link to the bastard!) Hey, if I may digress for a bit first -- as if you could stop me, huh? -- I have two questions for ya, fellow babies: 1. Why the hell does Wikipedia write "From Wikipedia, the

One of Those Guys Named Leslie

2011-04-04T20:40:00.007-04:00

Leslie Nielsen had a long and varied career as, well, Leslie Nielsen. Leslie Townes Hope thought "Leslie" sounded girlish, so he thought of shortening it to "Les," as in "Lester." (In fact, some early records of his show him as having the name Lester!) Somewhere around the time he became an entertainer, he quickly saw that "Les Hope" could be twisted to "hopeless." He went with "Bob Hope"

David'Z RantZ ~~ "Sleeping In"

2011-03-30T07:38:00.002-04:00

Usually, when I complain about changes in the English language, some defensive so-and-so points out that English is a "living" language, and as such, is constantly evolving... and I need to "get over it." Big freakin' deal. I accept that fact. I only object when: 1. The changes are stupid ones, and2. I wasn't consulted. (Da noive!) In past blogs, I've commented on terms like "my bad" (Your bad

Awww, Isn't That Tweet? (A "Twitter for Gentlefolk" post)

2011-03-29T10:21:00.003-04:00

Alan Burnett, world-renowned author -- Hey, he's British, and I've heard of him! -- of the always-entertaining News from Nowhere blog, is nothing if not a chivalrous sort. Therefore, in his recent post entitled "Twitter for Gentlemen" -- wherein he extolled the virtues of the quaintly-archaic postcard as an alternative to the high-tech Twitter -- I assume he meant to include the fairer sex as

Technology -- A "Sepia Saturday" Post

2011-03-26T11:20:00.008-04:00

Every parent, so they say, dreams that his or her child (or children) will have a better life than the parent had. A better education, better financial status, a better marriage (if that applies), etc. There were more technological advances during the span of my mother's life than I could list, even in a post of my usual entry's length. And say what you will about some of the downsides of "

Elizabeth Taylor, 1932-2011, R.I.P.

2011-03-23T14:05:00.011-04:00

I just learned of the death of one of Hollywood's true screen legends, Elizabeth Taylor. I've been a big fan of hers for years, so I'm uncharacteristically speechless at her passing. The closest thing I have to a tribute to Ms. Taylor is the following post, reprinted from my David'Z RantZ blog, where it appeared on December 2, 2008: Sunday, I was at my recently-revived stand at a local flea

I'm Just a Poe Boy... I Need No Sympathy.

2011-03-22T04:39:00.007-04:00

My writing partner Skip Simpson and I haven't posted anything on our Simpson/Lynch Studios blog since last freakin' October. Well, ye olde Silver Fox has just posted a little news bulletin of sorts on the SnL site. So, as the old saying goes, "be there or be square," fellow babies! Thanks for your time... and welcome to our nightmare!* *With apologies to Alice Cooper!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day... Kinda.

2011-03-17T12:30:00.003-04:00

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day, I want to share the following rip-roaring song by the Hoodoo Gurus. (You may have to click on the YouTube "screen," though, as you'll see. But it's worth it!) What does it have to do with Saint Patrick's Day, you ask? Umm... Nothing, really. Nothing at all. Hey, my name's Lynch, remember? I'm Irish all year round! (Well, part Irish, anyway.) I'm not wearin' a