Listen before you leap

Random Word: Wait
‘Could I ask if you had warned him?’
‘Nope.’
‘I fear Madam, that was not wise.’
‘Buster, it was either a drink for him or a backhander for me.’
‘Yes, but perhaps you could have asked him to wait?’
‘What, and missed the laughs when they saw him butt naked?

It ain’t over till the last bullet

Random Word: Run
‘When yor goin to run?’
           It were just a waiting game. The bullets bouncin off the rocks, told Duke otherwise. Jumping for cover,  he landed heavy and felt something crack. Before the pain kicked he fired off a round. The  empty click told him it was his turn to wait.

 

Only the old know where the mountains are

Random Word: Don’t Move
‘I’m going to move mountains when I grow up. Only losers fail.’
           I can still see Charlie wiping the blood off his face as he defied the Townes bullies. He was our James Dean, the first of us to die. The one who never endured the small successes of  life.

What the fallen hear

Random word: Stand Still

The heavier footsteps started from streets who had nothing to lose. Soon those who could pitter-pat in the best French leather joined in. The guns facing them clicked and rattled. The cheers as the stomp of marching feet joined the beat told him it was over more then the silence.

You shop, we drop

After we tasted the fruit

Random Word:  Uncensored
‘It’s ain’t right. I tell you. What respectable woman goes around like that. It’s asking for trouble. In me day you never teased the men like this. But then we worked our fingers to the bone.’
           ‘Oh Granny, the cave age was so yesterday, all the girls wear clothes now.’

Conversations we wish for

Random Word:  Product recall
’Look its our planet and you have no right to-‘
‘I’m the almighty God-‘
‘Says who.’
’Pardon.’
’Don’t look so good round here.’
’You are alone responsible for this corruption of my vision.’
’Ok if we are responsible then its time to take responsibility and get you recalled.’
’At last.’

Did you notice me?

Random Word: Factory Reject
He had so wanted to love. To be one of those who stood on the touchlines and cheered. And he had tried so hard to fit in. But he was the square peg, the factory reject. Ignoring the pleas and screams he pointed his gun.  Bet they noticed him now.

Vive la diférerence

Random Word: Design Flaws
‘It’s true, I tell you.’ 
           Harry felt the other kids won’t with him. What  would Major  Adams do when faced with a wagon train that wanted to go renegade?  Catching his breath, he knew he had to tell it straight like his hero.
           ‘Girls aren't like boys…in the front. Honest.’

Nothing new under the sun

Soseki Natsume-I am a Cat (2002)

 
Life in Edwardian Japan from a cat's perspective. Ten story social satire from the period when Japan modernised—think Diary of a Nobody. Probably hilarious if you are up to speed with the period. Otherwise wait for the talking book and see if the actor can breathe life into it.

: Disappointing - fine if nothing better to read but sell or swap ASAP.

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Technorati Tags: Social Satrire,Edwardian Writing

Geeks @ GNOME

Random Word: Gnome
‘You see GNOME uses Metacity as its default window manager and desktop appearances can be changed in the icon set, window manager border and GTK+ theme engine,etc. Bluecurve is good to go—’
           ‘Gee Mary, what does a guy have to do to get a kiss?’
‘           Sorry, work been hell today.'

When dates go bad

Random Word: Date Night
‘Welcome honoured one to our date fields.’
           ‘Do I get the best seat?’
           ‘Yes honoured one, you will be wreathed with flowers and be at the…centre  of our celebration.’
           ‘About time. You lot think you can rip me off.’
           ‘No effendi we just rip your heart.’
           What!’
           ‘Take him.’

When you don't listen to your Mammy

Thomas M. Disch- On Wings of Song (1979)

Dystopian vision of a Bible-Belt police state America. The economy has collapsed—with millions fleeing their bodies as "angels" set free by music. We follow Daniel's struggle to find his song (and love). Heady mix of 70's social and political satire with SF's weakness of ideas over high quality writing.

: Decent - share with readerholics but don't promote, and sell or swap when shelves full

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Technorati Tags: Science Fiction

Remember Boston

Gwen tried not to look nervous at JFK customs. It had gone well so far. London had missed the hidden crushed grains. As the custom officer called for her, Gwen wondered if this protection of American feelings was worth it. Later, the taste of freshly brewed Assam tea said yes.

Random Word: Coffee or Tea?

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Technorati Tags: Boston,Customs,London,American feelings,Assam,Random Word,Coffee grains

Cheating the Hangman

The vital clue to the afternoon tea murders was in each house. Hidden in a shelved book was a complement slip with one Hangman letter.  Put together they spelt out the name and contact details of the murderer. The last needed was found some forty years after her peaceful death.

Random Word: Compliment

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Technorati Tags: Hangman,Murderer,Death,Random Word,Compliment

Forward to the Past

‘Which grandpa did you meet?’
           ’Grandpa Harold, from when he was a soldier.’
           ‘Did you ask about grandma?’
           ’No, because our teacher said don’t talk about their future…it gets broken or something.’
           'So how did you met?’
           ’Oh, they dressed me up as one of the orphans he saves.’

Random Word: Intergenerational

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Technorati Tags: Forward,Past,Grandpa,Harold,Soldier,Teacher,Random,Word,Intergenerational

Witold Rybczynski- One Good Turn: A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw (2001)

 
QI type discussion on the origins and development of the screw etc. All to down to your landed gentry looking after themselves. Wonderful detailed case study on unintentional consequence- better screws led to better lathes that lead to factories long before the Manchester revolution. Read and do a Steven Fry.

: Exemplar - Its a keeper for reading again. Rush out and buy copies for friends

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Technorati Tags: History,Tools