Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 194

June 22, 2020: My Top 20 Favorite Thrillers (Novels)!

When I was narrowing down the titles for this Top 20 list, I ended up with a shortlist of over 50 books.  So, after giving it some thought, I elected to divide the genre into Thrillers and Crime/Mystery.  The latter are more police, P.I., and organized crime-focused while the former cover pretty much everything else.  Of course, it’s a sliding scale and there may be some overlap.  Suffice it to say that between the two lists, you have 40 fantastic reads that should keep you busy well into 2021 or, if you’re me, end of summer.

Today, it’s My Top 20 Favorite Thrillers…

#20. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

When Korede’s dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what’s expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This’ll be the third boyfriend Ayoola’s dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede’s long been in love with him, and isn’t prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other…

#19. Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land

Milly’s mother is a serial killer. Though Milly loves her mother, the only way to make her stop is to turn her in to the police. Milly is given a fresh start: a new identity, a home with an affluent foster family, and a spot at an exclusive private school.

But Milly has secrets, and life at her new home becomes complicated. As her mother’s trial looms, with Milly as the star witness, Milly starts to wonder how much of her is nature, how much of her is nurture, and whether she is doomed to turn out like her mother after all.

When tensions rise and Milly feels trapped by her shiny new life, she has to decide: Will she be good? Or is she bad? She is, after all, her mother’s daughter.

#18. Grist Mill Road by Christopher J. Yates

The year is 1982; the setting, an Edenic hamlet some ninety miles north of New York City. There, among the craggy rock cliffs and glacial ponds of timeworn mountains, three friends—Patrick, Matthew, and Hannah—are bound together by a terrible and seemingly senseless crime. Twenty-six years later, in New York City, living lives their younger selves never could have predicted, the three meet again—with even more devastating results.

#17. Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry

When Nora takes the train from London to visit her sister in the countryside, she expects to find her waiting at the station, or at home cooking dinner. But when she walks into Rachel’s familiar house, what she finds is entirely different: her sister has been the victim of a brutal murder.

Stunned and adrift, Nora finds she can’t return to her former life. An unsolved assault in the past has shaken her faith in the police, and she can’t trust them to find her sister’s killer. Haunted by the murder and the secrets that surround it, Nora is under the harrow: distressed and in danger. As Nora’s fear turns to obsession, she becomes as unrecognizable as the sister her investigation uncovers.

#16. Trust No One by Paul Cleave

Most of the world knows Jerry Grey by his crime-writing pseudonym, Henry Cutter – a name that’s been keeping readers at the edge of their seats for more than a decade. But now that he’s been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of forty-nine, Jerry’s career is coming to an abrupt end.

His twelve books tell stories of brutal murders, of a world out of balance, of victims finding the darkest forms of justice. As his dementia continues to break down the wall between his real life and the lives of his characters, Jerry confesses his most terrible secret: the stories are real. He committed the crimes himself. His friends, family, and caretakers insist that it’s all in his head, just a side effect of the devastating disease – but is it?

#15. The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka

Sarah Cook, a beautiful blonde teenager, disappeared fifteen years ago, the same night her parents were brutally murdered in their suburban Ohio home. Her boyfriend Brad Stockton – black and from the wrong side of the tracks – was convicted of the murders and sits on death row, though he always maintained his innocence. With his execution only weeks away, his devoted sister, insisting she has spotted Sarah at a local gas station, hires PI Roxane Weary to look again at the case.

Reeling from the recent death of her cop father, Roxane finds herself drawn to the story of Sarah’s vanishing act, especially when she thinks she’s linked Sarah’s disappearance to one of her father’s unsolved murder cases involving another teen girl. Despite her self-destructive tendencies, Roxane starts to hope that maybe she can save Brad’s life and her own.

#14. He Said, She Said by Erin Kelly

In the summer of 1999, Kit and Laura travel to a festival in Cornwall to see a total eclipse of the sun. Kit is an eclipse chaser; Laura has never seen one before. Young and in love, they are certain this will be the first of many they’ll share.

But in the hushed moments after the shadow passes, Laura interrupts a man and a woman. She knows that she saw something terrible. The man denies it. It is her word against his.

The victim seems grateful. Months later, she turns up on their doorstep like a lonely stray. But as her gratitude takes a twisted turn, Laura begins to wonder—did she trust the wrong person?

15 years later, Kit and Laura are living under assumed names and completely off the digital grid: no Facebook, only rudimentary cell phones, not in any directories. But as the truth catches up to them, they realize they can no longer keep the past in the past.

#13. Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

When two young sisters disappear from a strip mall parking lot in a small Pennsylvania town, their devastated mother hires an enigmatic bounty hunter, Alice Vega, to help find the girls. Immediately shut out by a local police department already stretched thin by budget cuts and the growing OxyContin and meth epidemic, Vega enlists the help of a disgraced former cop, Max Caplan. Cap is a man trying to put the scandal of his past behind him and move on, but Vega needs his help to find the girls, and she will not be denied.

With little to go on, Vega and Cap will go to extraordinary lengths to untangle a dangerous web of lies, false leads, and complex relationships to find the girls before time runs out, and they are gone forever.

#12. The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan

Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D., taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. Gentle, soft-spoken, and lonely, he innocently befriends Amanda, one of his students. But one morning, Amanda is found dead in his backyard, and Warren, shocked, flees the scene.

As the small community slowly turns against him, an anonymous narrator, a person of extreme intelligence and emotional detachment, offers insight into events past and present. As the tension builds, we gain an intimate understanding of the power of secrets, illusions, and memories.

#11. The Fall of Lisa Bellow by Susan Perabo

 masked man with a gun enters a sandwich shop in broad daylight, and Meredith Oliver suddenly finds herself ordered to the filthy floor, where she cowers face to face with her nemesis, Lisa Bellow, the most popular girl in her eighth grade class. The minutes tick inexorably by, and Meredith lurches between comforting the sobbing Lisa and imagining her own impending death. Then the man orders Lisa Bellow to stand and come with him, leaving Meredith the girl left behind.

After Lisa’s abduction, Meredith spends most days in her room. As the community stages vigils and searches, Claire, Meredith’s mother, is torn between relief that her daughter is alive, and helplessness over her inability to protect or even comfort her child. Her daughter is here, but not.

#10. The Destroyers by Christopher Bollen

Arriving on the stunning Greek island of Patmos, Ian Bledsoe is broke, humiliated, and fleeing the fallout from his father’s death. His childhood friend Charlie—rich, exuberant, and basking in the success of his new venture on the island—could be his last hope.

At first Patmos appears to be a dream—long, sun-soaked days on Charlie’s yacht and the reappearance of a girlfriend from Ian’s past—and Charlie readily offers Ian the lifeline he so desperately needs. But, like Charlie himself, this beautiful island conceals a darkness beneath, and it isn’t long before the dream begins to fragment. When Charlie suddenly vanishes, Ian finds himself caught up in deception after deception. As he grapples with the turmoil left in his friend’s wake, he is reminded of an imaginary game called Destroyers they invented as children—a game, he now realizes, they may have never stopped playing.

#9. The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

When Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to return to work after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their two young children. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family’s chic apartment in Paris’s upscale tenth arrondissement, stays late without complaint, and hosts enviable kiddie parties. But as the couple and the nanny become more dependent on one another, jealousy, resentment, and suspicions mount, shattering the idyllic tableau

#8. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

#7. Ill Will by Dan Chaon

A psychologist in suburban Cleveland, Dustin is drifting through his forties when he hears the news: His adopted brother, Rusty, is being released from prison. Thirty years ago, Rusty received a life sentence for the massacre of Dustin’s parents, aunt, and uncle. The trial came to symbolize the 1980s hysteria over Satanic cults; despite the lack of physical evidence, the jury believed the outlandish accusations Dustin and his cousin made against Rusty. Now, after DNA analysis has overturned the conviction, Dustin braces for a reckoning.

Meanwhile, one of Dustin’s patients gets him deeply engaged in a string of drowning deaths involving drunk college boys. At first Dustin dismisses talk of a serial killer as paranoid thinking, but as he gets wrapped up in their amateur investigation, Dustin starts to believe that there’s more to the deaths than coincidence. Soon he becomes obsessed, crossing all professional boundaries—and putting his own family in harm’s way.

#6. Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates

It was only ever meant to be a game played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University; a game of consequences, silly forfeits, and childish dares. But then the game changed: The stakes grew higher and the dares more personal and more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results. Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round. Who knows better than your best friends what would break you?

#5. The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

On the surface, Henry Hayden seems like someone you could like, or even admire. A famous bestselling author who appears a modest everyman. A loving, devoted husband even though he could have any woman he desires. A generous friend and co-worker. But Henry Hayden is a construction, a mask. His past is a secret, his methods more so. No one besides he and his wife know that she is the actual writer of the novels that made him famous.

For most of Henry’s life, it hasn’t been a problem. But when his hidden-in-plain-sight mistress becomes pregnant and his carefully constructed facade is about to crumble, he tries to find a permanent solution, only to make a terrible mistake.

Now not only are the police after Henry, but his past—which he has painstakingly kept hidden—threatens to catch up with him as well. Henry is an ingenious man, and he works out an ingenious plan. He weaves lies, truths, and half-truths into a story that may help him survive. But bit by bit the noose still tightens.

#4. You by Caroline Kepnes

When aspiring writer and recent Brown graduate Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he’s instantly smitten. Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: she’s gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and sexy beyond his wildest dreams. Joe needs to have her, and he’ll stop at nothing to do so. As he begins to insinuate himself into her life – her friendships, her email, her phone – she can’t resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom-made for her. So when her boyfriend, Benji, mysteriously disappears, Beck and Joe fall into a tumultuous affair. But there’s more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade, and their mutual obsession quickly spirals into a whirlwind of deadly consequences.

#3. The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti

After years spent living on the run, Samuel Hawley moves with his teenage daughter, Loo, to Olympus, Massachusetts. There, in his late wife’s hometown, Hawley finds work as a fisherman, while Loo struggles to fit in at school and grows curious about her mother’s mysterious death. Haunting them both are twelve scars Hawley carries on his body, from twelve bullets in his criminal past – a past that eventually spills over into his daughter’s present, until together they must face a reckoning yet to come.

#2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.

Under mounting pressure from the police and the media – as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents – the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter – but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

#1. Misery by Stephen King

Best-selling novelist Paul Sheldon thinks he’s finally free of Misery Chastain. In a controversial career move, he’s just killed off the popular protagonist of his beloved romance series in favor of expanding his creative horizons. But such a change doesn’t come without consequences. After a near-fatal car accident in rural Colorado leaves his body broken, Paul finds himself at the mercy of the terrifying rescuer who’s nursing him back to health – his self-proclaimed number one fan, Annie Wilkes.

Annie is very upset over what Paul did to Misery and demands that he find a way to bring her back by writing a new novel – his best yet, and one that’s all for her. After all, Paul has all the time in the world to do so as a prisoner in her isolated house…and Annie has some very persuasive and violent methods to get exactly what she wants…

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June 21, 2020: Suji Sunday!

Are you looking at me?  Are YOU looking at ME?  Are you LOOKING at me?!

High treat alert!

Couch-sitting Tinkleberry.

Sleepy face.

From the Suji archives…

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June 20, 2020: Back in the swing of things!

I recently put together a list of My Top 20 Sci-Fi Movies and was thinking of doing something similar for the literary side, a Top 20 of my favorite novels in the categories of sci-fi, fantasy, crime, thriller, and horror.  THIS has proven a lot harder than I imagined, not because I’m having trouble coming up with titles, but because I have way too many to squeeze into a Top 20.  Hell, even a Top 30 would be kind of tight.

As I’ve been going through my list of favorites, I’ve been tempted to do some re-reads, something I never do simply because my To-Read pile of new books is so enormous.  After several months of not reading, I have slowly but surely resumed my habit, starting off with a graphic novel a day (I’m on Day 56) and now blazing my way through the ten thrillers I borrowed from my local library.

For those of you keeping track…

Thriller 2/10
Social Creature – Tara Isabella Burton
A Talented Mr. Ripley for the social media age, this book explores a mutually manipulative relationship involving devotion, deceit and, ultimately, death.
A little far-fetched at times, but a solid read. pic.twitter.com/220zyDeElY

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 19, 2020

Thriller 3/10
A Simple Favor
A Gone Girl knock-off stacked with implausibilities. pic.twitter.com/tKmowo2QoN

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 20, 2020

Thriller 4/10
Long Man – Amy Greene
With authorities poised to dam the Long Man river and flood a tiny Appalachian town in the name of progress, one woman holds out in the face of an evacuation order. And then her daughter goes missing.
Moving, character-driven historical fiction pic.twitter.com/MfUrOkED7r

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 20, 2020

Any of you avid readers of the suspense/mystery/thriller genre?  If so, any books you highly recommend?

Today’s film-themed question of the day…

Movie with the worst twist ending?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/Sini9frNeA

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 20, 2020

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June 19, 2020: Pro Sports, Reopening the Economy, and Selective Bailouts!

I recently received an email invitation to the start of my Fantasy Football League’s 2020 season – which I found altogether odd.  Partly it’s because, unlike every other year, I’m having trouble mustering up much enthusiasm.  And partly, it’s because I doubt the NFL will play this year. Oh, I know that plans are underway and the league is all “Full steam ahead!”, but I’m starting to note the number of professional athletes who have started testing positive for the coronavirus.  Now how the hell does the league plan on keeping its players healthy and safe given it IS a contact sport?  And what about the players – and there will undoubtedly be some – who would rather not to risk it and choose to sit out the season?  And what of the infected players?  Hopefully they all make quick recoveries, but there’s mounting evidence that the virus can leave you with long-lasting health effects.

I realize we’re negotiating uncharted waters here and everyone desperately wants a return to normalcy, but I’m seriously wondering if we’re pushing too soon, too fast?  So far, we’re looking at over 120k deaths in the U.S., and that’s with a three month lockdown to mitigate transmission.  And we’re not even halfway through the year.  Meanwhile, states are opening back up and people are acting like the worst is over.

I understand the need to balance safety and the economy, but I can’t help but feel the solution to this lies in the Federal Reserve and their seeming limitless coffers. Trillions of dollars have been spent on bailing out billionaires, banks, big corporations, wealthy hedge fund managers, junk bonds, and zombie companies while a comparatively lesser amount has gone to helping small businesses and citizens in need.  In his 60 Minutes interview, Jay Powell claims the Federal Reserve can print up an endless amount of money with absolutely no repercussions.  If that’s the case, then why not direct that money to people who really need it?  Those who’ve lost their jobs or are unable to pay rent or their mortgages?  Why are regular people receiving deferrals while the uber-wealthy are being gifted boatloads of cash in the way of bulletproof stocks?

The prospect of Universal Basic Income is, of course, a non-starter because those in power will argue it reeks of socialism but – SPOILER ALERT: As the Federal Reserve artificially pumps up the markets, over-inflating stock values and removing risk for investors, they are effectively embracing socialism.  BUT only for the rich.

Government policy, along with the actions of the Federal Reserve, have worsened economic inequality.  They’ve overplayed their hand.  And, this time, I don’t think people are going to let them get away with it.

I’m curious what you all think.  How do you feel about the reopening, he Wall Street bailouts, and the prospective return of pro sports?  Are you venturing out and, if so, what kind of safety precautions are you taking?

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June 18, 2020: Villains, TimEscape, Thrillers, and Annoying Kids!

Last night’s movie-themed question was…

Best movie villain.
Answer with a gif.
I was considering Darth Vader but figured it would be too obvious, so I opted to go with an equally fearsome and formidable baddie. pic.twitter.com/qsvDgPIbgQ

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 17, 2020

So, how’s everyone doing?  What’s new and exciting?  Here, same old, same old – although I did have a pretty good chat with my management team recently.  We covered a variety of topics and projects, but the one I’m most excited about it TimEscape, my sci-fi series in the vein of Dark Matter, SG-1, and Atlantis.  Having read the bible and two scripts, they feel it could find a home as a network show as they are actively looking for more upbeat programming.  Finally!

Inspired by an article listing the Top 50 Thrillers, I visited my local library (‘s website) and (digitally) borrowed a few books.  Ten to be exact.  And I have three days to read them.  I got started today with…

Thriller 1/10
Vanishing Girls – Lauren Oliver
Two sisters struggle to come to terms with a tragic accident amidst the mystery of a missing girl.
Like me, you'll probably guess the twist 40 pages in.
In the end, the mystery is solved by luck rather than clever deductive reasoning. pic.twitter.com/GBFaNyKRdz

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 18, 2020

Seriously.  Anyone who has read any sort of mystery or horror novel in the past twenty years will guess the twist and then spend the rest of the book hoping against hope that there will be some unexpected twist on the twist because it couldn’t be so simple.  But it is.  As for the mystery at the heart of the book…  Well, it’s less at the heart of the book and more somewhere farther off, like at the kidney or spleen.  In the end, our protagonist solves it by mere happenstance.  Dramatically unsatisfying is my two word review.

Tonight’s movie-themed question is…

The most annoying kid in a movie.
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/hop2BKbJlT

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 18, 2020

A close second. This kid was scarier than the Babadook. pic.twitter.com/QngZgq8Vaf

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 18, 2020

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My Top 20 Favorite Science Fiction Films!

Without further ado, here are MY Top 20 favorite science fiction films…

Auto Draft

#20. Moon

A small movie that accomplishes so much.

#19. Westworld

I remember being completely floored when the seeming hero gets gunned down not thirty minutes into the movie.

#18. They Live

This movie, and Roddy Piper’s performance, was a pleasant surprise.

#17. Donnie Darko

Most time travel movie logic unravels under close scrutiny.  This movie, in contrast, is pretty tight.

#16. Dark City

Conceptually, this one felt like a souped-up classic Twilight Zone episode.

#15. A Clockwork Orange

The book is equally provocative.  And great.

#14. Mad Max: Fury Road

I remember watching this in the theater with Akemi who continually kept throwing “Can you believe this movie?!” looks to strangers – who roundly ignored her.  Then I brought her Avengers: Endgame and she fell asleep within twenty minutes.

#13. Battle Royale

Controversial?  Absolutely.  Fantastic?  Without a doubt.

#12. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

A delightfully weird little movie that should have gotten that sequel.

#11. Robocop

This movie boasts an exceptional villain in Kurtwood Smith’s performance as Clarence Boddicker.

#10. Dredd

An under-appreciated gem of a movie.

#9. Star Wars: A New Hope

I saw it 11 times in theaters in the first year of its release.

#8. Galaxy Quest

As a fan of sci-fi, and especially sci-fi film and television, how can you not love it?

#7. The Empire Strikes Back

Surpassed my lofty teenage expectations.

#6. Planet of the Apes

Every time this movie aired, I got special permission to stay up late to watch.  Even on a school night!

#5. Ex Machina

One of the smartest sci-fi films ever made.

#4. The Thing

Like the characters onscreen, will have you jumping out of your skin.

#3. Aliens

Not your typical sequel, it takes what came before and blazes a hugely entertaining new trail.

#2. Blade Runner

Probably the coolest (and most moodiest) sci-fi film.

#1. Alien

The ultimate in deep space exploration.

Rounding out My Top #25

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

Pitch Black

Children of Men

Starship Troopers

Death Race 2000

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June 16, 2020: Hey, what ever happened to that coronavirus?

Oh, right.

***

Uninsured and underinsured more likely to suffer severe symptoms: https://www.wkyt.com/2020/06/16/study-uninsured-underinsured-more-likely-to-have-severe-covid-symptoms/
***
NATO to stockpile medical equipment for second wave: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/nato-to-stockpile-medical-equipment-for-second-coronavirus-wave
***

Prince Charles’ sense of taste and smell still not back: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53026903

***
Republican congressman who refused to wear mask has the virus: https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-congressman-with-coronavirus-refused-to-wear-mask-in-capitol-2020-6
***
Pence encouraged governors to downplay new community spread: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/502891-pence-encouraged-governors-to-downplay-new-community-spread-of-coronavirus
***
In Boston, 14 out of 1,288 test positive following protests: https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/06/16/george-floyd-boston-protests-coronavirus-testing-results/
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Texas governor blames young people for recent spike in cases: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/16/texas-coronavirus-spike-young-adults/
***
Texas officials can’t recommend precautions because they can’t enforce them: https://www.click2houston.com/news/texas/2020/06/16/as-texas-coronavirus-hospitalizations-rise-local-officials-can-recommend-precautions-but-they-cant-enforce-many-of-them/
***
1 in 4 workers at high risk: https://money.yahoo.com/coronavirus-reopening-1-in-4-workers-at-high-risk-of-severe-illness-from-covid-19-204233321.html
***
750B in exports could be relocated from China: https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/coronavirus-speeds-up-china-supply-chain-exodus
***
Businesses ask patrons to waive right to sue if they get sick: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/06/16/businesses-ask-patrons-waive-right-sue-if-they-get-covid-/
***
WWE cancels tapings after wrestler tests positive: https://nypost.com/2020/06/16/wwe-cancels-tv-tapings-after-wrestler-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/
***
30% of Americans missed their housing payments in June: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/30percent-of-americans-missed-their-housing-payments-in-june.html
***
The dollar is going to fall very, very sharply: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-dollar-is-going-to-fall-very-very-sharply-warns-prominent-yale-economist-2020-06-16?mod=home-page
***

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My Top 20 Favorite Members of the Legion of Super-Heroes!

Let the countdown begin.  And Love Live the Legion!

#20. Blok

I’m a big fan of the big guy and his relationship with Mysa. His death and delivery at the hands of Roxxas still haunts.

#19. Gates

Resist! Always so delightfully angry.

#18. Monstress

She truly shined in Legion Lost.  Jan, how could you?

#17. Triplicate Girl

A classic character with a lot of depth.

#16. Night Girl

A former substitute finally makes good!

#15. Shrinking Violet

Loved her relationship with Ayla.  One of a handful of Legionnaires with equally strong variations through various reboots.

#14. Kid Quantum II

Loved her Reboot incarnation.

#13. White Witch

Took Mordu to school! What a badass.

#12. Wildfire

Great character concept.  His relationship with Dawnstar is one of comicdom’s greatest romances.

#11. Polar Boy

Love the fact that he disbanded the Substitute Legion right after making the big leagues.  The least he could have done was bring it to a vote.

#10. Karate Kid I

What a tragic story!  Val Armorr vs Nemesis Kid is one of the most epic throwdowns in comic book history.

#9. Princess Projectra

Absolutely loved her as Princess Projectra.  Didn’t mind her as Sensor Girl.  Downright hated her as the serpentine Sensor.

#8. Bouncing Boy

Our trusty yet lovable mechanic who ends up getting the girl.

#7. Matter Eater Lad

His escape from the grain silo is one of my very favorite comic book scenes.

#6. Lightning Lad

One of the Big 3!  I always preferred him as a bit of a hothead.

#5. Chameleon

One of the Legion’s most endearing members.

#4. Lightning Lass

I’ve always envisioned Ayla as leadership material.

#3. Dream Girl

In my opinion, of the Legion’s most under-appreciated members.

#2. Brainiac-5

A crowd favorite.  He’s colorful, both figuratively and literally.

#1. Shadow Lass

Dare I say?  One of the edgiest Legionnaires to ever walk the hallowed halls of Legion Headquarters.

Falling just outside the Top 20 with a still very respectable Top 25 finish…

#21. Saturn Girl

#22. Star Boy

#23. Sun Boy

#24. Phantom Girl

#25. Tellus

The post My Top 20 Favorite Members of the Legion of Super-Heroes! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

January 14, 2020: Suji Sunday!

We’ve noticed a marked uptick in Suji’s energy lately.  Don’t know if it’s been the collagen or the extra walk, but she is, as the Japanese would sort of say, downright genki!

Phasing in that summer wardrobe.

Windy day.  Can you tell?

Show off!

Once around the park and home, James.

The post January 14, 2020: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

Tally Your Unusual Foods Score!

How many of the following unusual foods have you eaten?

***

Akutaq
Alligator/Crocodile
Balut
Beef cheeks
Bird’s Nest Soup
Black Pudding
Casu Marzu
Century Egg
Chicken Feet
Chitterlings or Chitlins
Crispy chicken skin
Crispy Insects
Deep-fried butter
Escamol
Fish Eyes
Frog’s Legs
Fugu
Chicken gizzards
Grubs
Haggis
Hakarl
Jellyfish
Kangaroo
Khash
Koolickles
Lamb’s Brains

Marmite
Nankotsu
Natto
Ox-tail

Pickled Eggs
Pig’s feet
Pig tails
Reindeer
Rocky Mountain Oysters
Sannakji
Scrapple
Sea Urchin
Shiokara
Shirako
Snails
Snake
Squirrel
Steak Tartare
Stinkheads
Surstromming
Tongue
Tripe
Turtle
Whale
I’ve managed a surprising 40/50.
Let me know your score – and the most unusual thing YOU’VE eaten.

The post Tally Your Unusual Foods Score! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.