The bowl of petunias was the umpteenth reincarnation of a being called Agrajag. It was apparently his fate to be unwittingly killed (at least as Arajag) by Arthur Dent.
A partial list of the creatures Arthur Dent killed him as:
Countless flies, a newt, an oyster Arthur Dent had for dinner (this was the death Arajag finally realized that every one of his deaths was caused in some way by Arthur Dent), countless ants, a rabbit, an uneaten fish, a cow, and, of course, the bowl of petunias at Magrathea.
You have obviously never read the late Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s” series.
I recommend it to you. It is a comic romp with completely likeable characters; there aren’t even any villains; just beings blundering about trying to understand the meaning of life and written very comically. Science fiction fantasy at its best.
If you do read the series and like it, I also recommend the also late Robert Asprin’s “Myth” series; again no villains just fun.
As I recall, the bowl of petunias and the whale were both creatures that came to life high above a planet, and plummeted to their deaths, in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
I think the whale fell to Earth and the petunias another planet.
I’m sure someone around here will correct me if not… it’s been years…
…
The petunias, and some say the whale, as well, were incarnations of a creature that Arthur Dent, the hero…. well, let’s say protagonist… was fated to kill over and over.
It doesn’t sound funny but in the hands… or pen… OK, typewriter… of Douglas Adams it was hysterical.
The planet was Magrathea, and they both crash-landed there. They were missiles before, but they changed…
Heck yeah; I have to read the books again, too. Listening to the original radio show (re-run) in Nymphenburger Park was part of the first phase of how my husband and I came together…1983…
Both the radio show and the books were transferred to German 1979(?) with here famous actors – and the books were translated by Benjamin Schwarz (who also was responsible for the really good translation of Woody Allen’s work back then).
My husband even went to an author-reading of “Last chance to see” once here in Munich. It really was the last chance to see Douglas Adams…
It's because I missed clicking on the { } in the "Join the discussion" box and
put the comment in directly; so the two
<p>&# 160;<p> s became <p> <p> <p> <p>
the space coding was recognized by the programming (and except for the
space I put between # and 1 would be here, too) but the paragraph
coding wasn't.
Why? That, I can't explain.
I had to put this in a "Code Block" "</>" box before I could post this semi-properly, too.
The line spacing here is due to the "Code Block" programming.
StelBel’s original poster for “The Maltese Basset” … human edition.
The basset version, which we’ve been seeing, had been a huge success…
Humans tried to copy it… but not wanting to be sued… they substituted a bird for the wonderful basset statuette.
….
A bird? A falcon, I believe…. nowhere near as adorable as a basset!
No wonder “the Maltese Falcon” was not a huge success.
Just look at the image Stel posted.
…
So the human studio got smart…
they paid for the rights to use the title… “The Maltese Basset”…
hired their fairly passable actors from the first version back, to do a sequel….
They were smart enough to hire StelBel to recreate the basset statuette…. but covered in actual bling this time…
pulling out all the stops to film this human version of “The Maltese Basset”.
I believe it was even subtitled in American/British Dog language, for the canine audience.
…
It had a happier ending, with lots of bling and romance, which helped make it more popular.
It was never as big a success as the canine film….
but it was more fun than the bird version.
Trivia note:
If that statuette looks familiar…
Cleo Clifford, before she was a big star, was already a friend of StelBel’s, and posed for the sculpture.
An unplanned bonus was that the glittery statuette became famous… and Cleo looked so beautiful on it, it helped her get some of her first acting jobs.
BTW… that caricature of the cast of The Maltese Falcon is by Edward Sorel… whose artwork has been published in many magazines, including Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker.
This one ran in Esquire in 1979.
When I was searching for the artist, I found that the original was auctioned at Bonham’s in 2015 for $2,250.
Not that I have space or thousands of dollars to collect art… but that seems reasonable somehow, if one could.
The description says it’s colored pencil and ink on artist board, and was likely completed for the film’s 30th anniversary in 1971.
Even though I was “involved” in a couple of the versions, even I get confused as to what happened in which version! Thanks for straightening it all out! My favorite poster, though, will be on Tuesday. Stay tuned…
On a non-senior moment of mine. I was at a Home Depot about twenty years ago and when I came out, I unlocked the car and got in, ready to start the car and take off.
Then I realized something wasn’t right. I looked around and among other unfamiliar items in the car was a child’s booster seat.
I quickly got out, locked the car and located my real car about four spaces down.
Same make, model, year, color inside and out, and the key fit.
Happened to me once, too, in the early 1990’s….so I wasn’t a senior at the time, either…
I came out of a store, distracted… opened “my” car door, sat down, and thought “who cleaned up my car?” ….
Just as its owner walked up and said “May I help you?”
…
The whole thing hit me in one fell swoop… The wrong car, the shame, the embarrassment…
even the fear of being arrested.
I quickly got out, stammering apologies…
But the owner was nice, and understood, when I pointed out my car…. Not right next to it, but one over…
The thing is, we both drove beige, mid-1970s station wagons, mine a rather battered Plymouth, which I’d bought in that condition, when it was 10 years old…
his a better kept, and a bit newer, Dodge, but the models looked the same… and my key fit his door.
…
Looking around the parking lot, we both laughed…
It seemed like a quarter of the cars in it were beige station wagons, many looking interchangeable.
I was still embarrassed, but he thought it was funny.
End of the Sixties, my mother had a Fiat 500 which my brother was allowed to use. Once, he forgot the car key inside and tried other keys he had on him.
What to say: The garage keys fit! – After the car was no more, we had a spare for the garage that way.
Oh – and the security lock on our garden gate was the same as the one of our next neighbors (who weren’t very nice for a long time).
I only discovered this was an active .gif when I clicked on it to zoom it up.
When I went looking, I found out it’s part of a now apparently defunct webcomic called “The Witches Bakery.”
Of a 2021 compilation of James Patterson novella collaborations with Richard DiLallo; where Patterson’s thoughts must have been solely on the cheque for his signature.
“THE PARIS DETECTIVE”
James Patterson & Richard DiLallo
ISBN: 978-1-5387-1885-8
“French Kiss” was first published in 2016, “The Christmas Mystery” also in 2016, and “French Twist” in 2017.
Bad, bad, bad….I got to the end of chapter 10 (page 38 / and it was a struggle to get there) of “French Kiss” and didn’t even bother skipping to see if it got better.
I tried “The Christmas Mystery” next. It has a prologue consisting of four and a bit pages (if they were blocked and not properly separated as they are) broken into two chapters. I got through the not quite two pages of chapter one, and went, “Blehhh!” I got four paragraphs read of “French Twist” and repeated “Blehhh.”
If someone told me they had overheard either Patterson or DiLallo saying…
“We’re writing about a comic modern-day version of Agnetha Christie’s (probably thought of as Christy) French detective Hercules Pourpot set in New York City.”
….I’d believe it (but the novellas are really bad, and not the least bit comic).
Why do I keep trying his “collaboration books?” It’s because even now, once in a blue moon, he signs off on a good one (and why miss a good book?).
I got a call from my insurance carrier. They totaled the Prius. It seems that they just found out that something smacked the hybrid battery. That pushed it over the top. They are going to give me $5k for it.
Deeper and deeper…
I’ve taken the liberty of posting one of happy’s November 2nd pictures as a link back to the rest (not to mention their explanations). There’s one on page two.
I hope you don’t mind, happy, but if you do I’ll take this down as soon as I read your objection.
[human version]
The very first appearance of Sam Spade.
Part one of five.
<p> <p>
The bowl of petunias and the whale couldn’t make it this time?
<p> <p>
not quite sure what you mean…
42.
The bowl of petunias was the umpteenth reincarnation of a being called Agrajag. It was apparently his fate to be unwittingly killed (at least as Arajag) by Arthur Dent.
A partial list of the creatures Arthur Dent killed him as:
Countless flies, a newt, an oyster Arthur Dent had for dinner (this was the death Arajag finally realized that every one of his deaths was caused in some way by Arthur Dent), countless ants, a rabbit, an uneaten fish, a cow, and, of course, the bowl of petunias at Magrathea.
You have obviously never read the late Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s” series.
I recommend it to you. It is a comic romp with completely likeable characters; there aren’t even any villains; just beings blundering about trying to understand the meaning of life and written very comically. Science fiction fantasy at its best.
If you do read the series and like it, I also recommend the also late Robert Asprin’s “Myth” series; again no villains just fun.
The Myth Series is up over 10 books now (I think 13). Robert worked with a new author on a few, and she’s continued the series.
May I put in a vote for Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” series?
Yeah! Oook.
As I recall, the bowl of petunias and the whale were both creatures that came to life high above a planet, and plummeted to their deaths, in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
I think the whale fell to Earth and the petunias another planet.
I’m sure someone around here will correct me if not… it’s been years…
…
The petunias, and some say the whale, as well, were incarnations of a creature that Arthur Dent, the hero…. well, let’s say protagonist… was fated to kill over and over.
It doesn’t sound funny but in the hands… or pen… OK, typewriter… of Douglas Adams it was hysterical.
The <p>s I can’t explain.
The planet was Magrathea, and they both crash-landed there. They were missiles before, but they changed…
Heck yeah; I have to read the books again, too. Listening to the original radio show (re-run) in Nymphenburger Park was part of the first phase of how my husband and I came together…1983…
Both the radio show and the books were transferred to German 1979(?) with here famous actors – and the books were translated by Benjamin Schwarz (who also was responsible for the really good translation of Woody Allen’s work back then).
My husband even went to an author-reading of “Last chance to see” once here in Munich. It really was the last chance to see Douglas Adams…
It's because I missed clicking on the { } in the "Join the discussion" box and put the comment in directly; so the two <p>&# 160;<p> s became <p> <p> <p> <p> the space coding was recognized by the programming (and except for the space I put between # and 1 would be here, too) but the paragraph coding wasn't. Why? That, I can't explain. I had to put this in a "Code Block" "</>" box before I could post this semi-properly, too. The line spacing here is due to the "Code Block" programming.Thanks so much for the explanation. Much appreciated.
Very cool. Three free-falling, parachute-packing (one hopes) pachyderms.
Cool comment of yours, as well!
As seen on the Dumbotron!
I like all that.
Good job, good choices! 🙂
I agree! The poster first, then the clips especially that cartoon at the end of the first batch. And a Queen song I never saw with video.
happy and Dennis:
Thank you both! Glad you enjoyed it all!!
A strange creature… kind of creepy….
but at least she’s nicely dressed for the ballet, and seems to raise her young to dance, as well.
Or something.
I find it somewhat hypnotic.
Birdy!
Oh wow… this is a classic!
StelBel’s original poster for “The Maltese Basset” … human edition.
The basset version, which we’ve been seeing, had been a huge success…
Humans tried to copy it… but not wanting to be sued… they substituted a bird for the wonderful basset statuette.
….
A bird? A falcon, I believe…. nowhere near as adorable as a basset!
No wonder “the Maltese Falcon” was not a huge success.
Just look at the image Stel posted.
…
So the human studio got smart…
they paid for the rights to use the title… “The Maltese Basset”…
hired their fairly passable actors from the first version back, to do a sequel….
They were smart enough to hire StelBel to recreate the basset statuette…. but covered in actual bling this time…
pulling out all the stops to film this human version of “The Maltese Basset”.
I believe it was even subtitled in American/British Dog language, for the canine audience.
…
It had a happier ending, with lots of bling and romance, which helped make it more popular.
It was never as big a success as the canine film….
but it was more fun than the bird version.
Trivia note:
If that statuette looks familiar…
Cleo Clifford, before she was a big star, was already a friend of StelBel’s, and posed for the sculpture.
An unplanned bonus was that the glittery statuette became famous… and Cleo looked so beautiful on it, it helped her get some of her first acting jobs.
BTW… that caricature of the cast of The Maltese Falcon is by Edward Sorel… whose artwork has been published in many magazines, including Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker.
This one ran in Esquire in 1979.
When I was searching for the artist, I found that the original was auctioned at Bonham’s in 2015 for $2,250.
Not that I have space or thousands of dollars to collect art… but that seems reasonable somehow, if one could.
The description says it’s colored pencil and ink on artist board, and was likely completed for the film’s 30th anniversary in 1971.
Robert Osborne should introduce Cleo’s movies. His voice is as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
.
.
.
.
.
That is if he wasn’t, you know, dead.
Thankfully, he does live on in YouTube!
Even though I was “involved” in a couple of the versions, even I get confused as to what happened in which version! Thanks for straightening it all out! My favorite poster, though, will be on Tuesday. Stay tuned…
chocolate cake
Yum, yum, yum!!!
I can only agree with you! Yum, yum, yum!!!
Salivating!
.
hahahahaha…………….
Mad me laugh out loud, whether it was true or not!
On a non-senior moment of mine. I was at a Home Depot about twenty years ago and when I came out, I unlocked the car and got in, ready to start the car and take off.
Then I realized something wasn’t right. I looked around and among other unfamiliar items in the car was a child’s booster seat.
I quickly got out, locked the car and located my real car about four spaces down.
Same make, model, year, color inside and out, and the key fit.
THEY shouldn’t do that!
Happened to me once, too, in the early 1990’s….so I wasn’t a senior at the time, either…
I came out of a store, distracted… opened “my” car door, sat down, and thought “who cleaned up my car?” ….
Just as its owner walked up and said “May I help you?”
…
The whole thing hit me in one fell swoop… The wrong car, the shame, the embarrassment…
even the fear of being arrested.
I quickly got out, stammering apologies…
But the owner was nice, and understood, when I pointed out my car…. Not right next to it, but one over…
The thing is, we both drove beige, mid-1970s station wagons, mine a rather battered Plymouth, which I’d bought in that condition, when it was 10 years old…
his a better kept, and a bit newer, Dodge, but the models looked the same… and my key fit his door.
…
Looking around the parking lot, we both laughed…
It seemed like a quarter of the cars in it were beige station wagons, many looking interchangeable.
I was still embarrassed, but he thought it was funny.
End of the Sixties, my mother had a Fiat 500 which my brother was allowed to use. Once, he forgot the car key inside and tried other keys he had on him.
What to say: The garage keys fit! – After the car was no more, we had a spare for the garage that way.
Oh – and the security lock on our garden gate was the same as the one of our next neighbors (who weren’t very nice for a long time).
..
I only discovered this was an active .gif when I clicked on it to zoom it up.
When I went looking, I found out it’s part of a now apparently defunct webcomic called “The Witches Bakery.”
LINK
That would make an interesting jigsaw puzzle. Especially if the floating parts moved.
…
Now that would make a pretty good animation!
Up! Up! Up!
Of a 2021 compilation of James Patterson novella collaborations with Richard DiLallo; where Patterson’s thoughts must have been solely on the cheque for his signature.
“THE PARIS DETECTIVE”
James Patterson & Richard DiLallo
ISBN: 978-1-5387-1885-8
“French Kiss” was first published in 2016, “The Christmas Mystery” also in 2016, and “French Twist” in 2017.
Bad, bad, bad….I got to the end of chapter 10 (page 38 / and it was a struggle to get there) of “French Kiss” and didn’t even bother skipping to see if it got better.
I tried “The Christmas Mystery” next. It has a prologue consisting of four and a bit pages (if they were blocked and not properly separated as they are) broken into two chapters. I got through the not quite two pages of chapter one, and went, “Blehhh!” I got four paragraphs read of “French Twist” and repeated “Blehhh.”
If someone told me they had overheard either Patterson or DiLallo saying…
“We’re writing about a comic modern-day version of Agnetha Christie’s (probably thought of as Christy) French detective Hercules Pourpot set in New York City.”
….I’d believe it (but the novellas are really bad, and not the least bit comic).
Why do I keep trying his “collaboration books?” It’s because even now, once in a blue moon, he signs off on a good one (and why miss a good book?).
Another Stel-bel SPARKLING poster!
Good morning Cleophanatics.
Y’all let ’em eat cake (((((HuGz!)))))
LOVE today’s poster! Especially the glittery statue of Miss Cleo.
Thanks, ML !! There’ll be another one to come on Tuesday!
I’m looking forward to it!
Bluespotted Ribbontail Sting Ray
Perth, Australia
BING Picture of the Day
His name is Spot.
LOL
I got a call from my insurance carrier. They totaled the Prius. It seems that they just found out that something smacked the hybrid battery. That pushed it over the top. They are going to give me $5k for it.
Deeper and deeper…
What happened to it? Were you in an accident? Are you okay?
It was November 3rd. I hit a box in the road at 55mph. It had a new kitchen chair in it. The box and chair did an amazing amount of damage.
So sorry! Were you okay?
Oh, yes. I barley felt the impact. But the car sure did.
Bummer. I take it the cops were never able to identify whoever it was that belonged to that box and chair?
Like MontanaLady asked: What happened???
I’ve taken the liberty of posting one of happy’s November 2nd pictures as a link back to the rest (not to mention their explanations). There’s one on page two.
I hope you don’t mind, happy, but if you do I’ll take this down as soon as I read your objection.
I’m so sorry. You pay insurance and they pay nothing back.
Apparently some part of the chair did damage to the main battery pack for the motor. That made it too expensive too repair.
So I remembered the accident right…
I’m so sorry.