KenLuer

Headline from today's LA Daily News:

Man steals ambulance from fatal stabbing scene at Downey Library, leads police in pursuit

And, for bonus points, a different guy was arrested for the stabbing. Guess the thief just figured "Hey, the cops are distracted and I need some wheels."

We had a furry visitor in our garden this morning.

Not to mention, a couple of drafts in my eyes start surfing the text.

You looking me? Huh? There's no one else here. You must be looking at me!

This evening at Collected Works bookstore. Two terrific Santa Fe writers: Michael McGarrity in conversation with Douglas Preston.

Hanging out in Santa Fe with my new friend Moe.

Spotted in Santa Fe: a pickup whose owner looked sixty something. Other places go Adolf, SF goes Che.

April 19 in Santa Fe.

Best guess: trying to rile up the militia types. Not the best plan in the world, but par for the course.

Sure, eggs are crazy expensive, but I found a deal on fresh chickens. Cage-free and grain-fed!

By coincidence (or act of a hardboiled god), I stumbled on this last week in Big Star used books (Santa Fe). I've read most of the JT books, but had never heard of this early stand-alone. Different lead, but vintage Bruen voice. RIP to a master.

YouTube video by Randy Newman - Topic Political Science (Remastered)

Theme song for the Ship of Fools.
youtube.com/watch?v=R5mA...

Cowgirl Saloon has a message worth sharing.

Of course, Canada & Greenland could add 4 Dems to the Senate. :)

Simon & Schuster imprint will no longer ask authors to obtain blurbs for their books Publisher says expecting authors, agents and editors to secure blurbs can create ‘an incestuous and unmeritocratic literary ecosystem that often rewards connections over talent’

Simon & Schuster imprint will no longer ask authors to obtain blurbs for their books www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Thoughts?

My partner brought this home from her medical clinic. Two sides, English & Spanish, reciting 4th & 5th Amendment rights for those questioned to hand to ICE. Quite brilliant, really. Apparently distributed nationwide.

Santa Fe skyline, Saturday.

From The Guardian's "Self and wellbeing" page, my favorite headline of the day:
"How writing about female cannibals changed my relationship with food".

Woke up to 5 degrees, "feels like -11." Ruahed out for emergency provisions.

Look what I found in Santa Fe's new B & N!

Congrats!

I just finished the audio of Karina Carrasco's Rough Trade, which was pretty fantastic.

Whatever time zone this finds you in, Happy New Year!!!

At her best, she's great, especially creating complicated characters. As I recall, she has some acting background, which likely informs her characterizations.

Sunset tonight, Santa Fe

December 23 on the Plaza in Santa Fe!

The Santa Fe sky in my evening walk to the mailbox.

But, but, but.. what about the 2nd Amendment? Or am I misrembering how that goes?

Getting ready!

New Yorker on "Takeover", about Hitler's rise in 1932: "a country with a functional, if flawed, democratic machinery handed absolute power over to ... someone [without] a majority in an ... election ... whom the ... conservative political class regarded as a chaotic clown with a violent following."