Free AI Voice Round-Up by AI

I slapped up a quick post on my AI experiences then decided to see how AI would handle the topic.

technopreneurph

John P. McCann vs Artificial Intelligence 

Me

After a week or so of bold experimentation—scroll down for examples—I submit the following brief, incomplete report on my AI voice, text, and video experiences to date.

Fliki: Some voices tend to have that AI artificiality. Simple, easy editing interface including music library. Unlike other services, you can build your short on the platform. But minutes are limited before you're required to purchase more.

Elai: (Pronounced Ah-Lie) Free voices are limited in number but you get one free minute video. (Good for a short or two.) Offers a paid service whereby you upload your image and dialogue from a smart phone. They'll send you your AI avatar.

Lovo: Free service voices include several gems, but their Genny editing software is rather basic and requires a downloaded film. 

Synthesia: Free 10-second AI film. I tried something cute, ala creating an AI video to introduce this article but kept getting 405 Not Allowed. Lots of features, but most are of the paid variety. 

Writing time for the post was around a half-hour between grabbing urls and coffee and checking my phone. Because AI popular kid Chat GPT was at capacity, I visited copy.ai. After plugging in keywords such as the website names and phrases like "compare and contrast," here's what AI churned out in less than 30 seconds.

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Artificial Intelligence

Free AI Platforms

Introduction

The following platforms are free AI platforms that have been in development for a while and have a lot of features.

Lovo

Lovo is a free AI platform that lets you create music and voiceovers in minutes. Lovo uses the same technology as Apple's Siri, so it can understand your voice commands, answer questions, and even make recommendations based on what you like or don't like.

Lovo has a library of over 1 million songs, including covers of popular songs--and if they don't have what you're looking for in their catalog they'll find it elsewhere! You can also use Lovo to record yourself singing or speaking so you can save it as an audio file (MP3).

Elai

If you're looking for a free AI platform, Elai is an excellent choice. Elai is a complete AI voice assistant that allows users to access all of their daily tasks and activities through voice commands. It has a full range of functions including weather updates, news aggregation, music streaming and even language translation. For those who love listening to music or audiobooks on their phone or computer but don't want to spend any money doing so, Elai also has an extensive library of songs and audio books available at no cost.

Fliki

Fliki is a free artificial intelligence platform that helps you create music with your own voice. You can use Fliki to create AI-powered music, or use it as an additional tool in your production pipeline.

Fliki uses deep learning algorithms to convert speech into musical notes, which you can then edit and manipulate using their software editor (or any other DAW). You can also import existing audio files into Fliki's library of over 200GB, allowing for real-time processing of prerecorded material without having to record anything yourself!

Synthesia

Synthesia is a free platform that provides human-sounding voices, music library and editing tools.

The website offers a variety of instruments to choose from so you can create your own compositions with ease. It also allows users to upload their own audio files as well as share them with other users around the world. This makes it easier for people who want to collaborate on projects together without having any prior experience in music production or programming skills!

On Platform Editing

It's important to note that when we talk about editing on the platform, we mean that you can edit your text using the tools provided by the platform. For example, if you are using Lovo (which is an AI-powered writing assistant) and have written a document using their app, then you would be able to use their editing tools in order to make changes or additions to your work before sharing it with others.

Music Library

Lovo has a large music library, with over 2 million tracks available. This makes it one of the best options for users who want access to as many songs as possible.

Elai.io also has a large selection of songs, with over 1 million tracks available through its platform.

Fliki has a small music library--around 80,000 tracks--but its focus on indie artists makes it ideal for niche listeners who want something different from mainstream hits and chart-toppers.

Synthesia is also not designed for casual listeners; instead, this AI provides users with custom-made playlists based on their musical preferences (and even mood).

Human-Sounding Voices

Lovo is the only platform that has human-sounding voices with a unique voice for each character. These voices can be customized, and you can use Lovo's built-in voice editor to change their pitch and speed of speech.

Elai.io and Fliki also offer synthetic voices, but they don't sound as natural or realistic as Lovo's do (at least from what we've heard).

These platforms have different strengths and weaknesses

• Lovo has a good music library, but it doesn't have any voice generation or editing features.
• Elai has a good AI-generated voice, but its library is smaller than other platforms and the interface isn't as user-friendly.
• Fliki is great for editing on the platform--it lets users modify their sounds in real time using their computer keyboard or mouse (similar to how GarageBand works).
• Synthesia's audio clips are free, but they're not always professional quality; most people use it as an entry point into creating their own music rather than as an end product in itself.
• 
  

On Platform Editing is another option if you want to create songs without leaving your browser window open: You can record yourself singing or playing instruments live into a microphone connected directly into your computer's audio input jack (or connected via USB), then add effects like echo or reverb afterward through On Platform Editing's built-in software suite.

Conclusion

We hope you found this article helpful, and that it has inspired you to explore the world of free AI platforms. As we mentioned earlier, there are many other options out there besides those we covered here--and even some paid ones! So if one doesn't work out for whatever reason (or if they all do), don't hesitate to search around until you find something that does fit your needs perfectly.

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Damn.

Other than some formatting changes, the above is AI's first pass. 

And no coffee breaks.

But would it work as a video?

We shall see.

Lumpkin-Krieg Sustainability Plan Explained

 

Hats off to elai.io for the AI and editing software.

John P. McCann

I like the avatars at elai.io but their playback function freezes up on my computer. I don't see a clean version until I render. Flixi, by contrast, plays back well but offers only AI voices. There's something about avatars that cries out for humorous handling.

Squeak Stopper YouTube Short

Crafted with Canva props, and elai.io AI and video features.

The advantage of these various AI video sites over iMovie is their ability to supply actors who roughly look and sound human for a fraction of the effort. So far, they seem ripe for commercial and corporate parody. But more sites are coming online all the time. What will the next year bring in the field of artificial intelligence?

The Squeak Stopper Trench Shovel

Copy AI provided the words and Synthesia supplied the video and artificial human. (I supplied the concept.) Watch the video first, then check out the other copy.ai suggestions. They needed trimming to fit the free, but meager, Synthesia space. (Check out the last one—wow!)

Our Squeak Stopper is a trench shovel with the power to kill rats, mice and other vermin. The Squeak Stopper comes in pastel colors, and has a comfortable grip so it won't slip out of hands during emergencies.

Kill rats with this safe, humane and effective method. The Squeak Stopper trench shovel is the most humane way to control your rat infestation. Made from high quality materials and tested for reliability, this shovel will not only kill rats but prevent them from coming back again. In addition, it is available in a variety of pastel colors and can be purchased in any hardware store nationwide.

For the squeamish, or those who just prefer to avoid bloodshed, a non-lethal option is available. This trench shovel has been modified to deliver rats and mice quickly and humanely. A single strike will kill the rodent instantly and with minimal suffering. Also provides excellent back support. This product is not recommended for commercial use or victims of Black Death.

More AI Fun with Copy.AI and Synthesia

 

Copy AI provided the words and Synthesia supplied the video and artificial human. (I supplied the concept.) Watch the video first, then check out the other copy.ai suggestions. They needed trimming to fit the free, but meager, Synthesia space. (Check out the last one—wow!)

Our Squeak Stopper is a trench shovel with the power to kill rats, mice and other vermin. The Squeak Stopper comes in pastel colors, and has a comfortable grip so it won't slip out of hands during emergencies.

Kill rats with this safe, humane and effective method. The Squeak Stopper trench shovel is the most humane way to control your rat infestation. Made from high quality materials and tested for reliability, this shovel will not only kill rats but prevent them from coming back again. In addition, it is available in a variety of pastel colors and can be purchased in any hardware store nationwide.

For the squeamish, or those who just prefer to avoid bloodshed, a non-lethal option is available. This trench shovel has been modified to deliver rats and mice quickly and humanely. A single strike will kill the rodent instantly and with minimal suffering. Also provides excellent back support. This product is not recommended for commercial use or victims of Black Death.

ChatGPT Composes a Love Poem ala Karl Marx

The Power of Oneness

 "From Oppression to Liberation: A Love Song for the Working Class"

by ChatGPT

As the worker toils in the factory,

His heart aches for his love so true.

But under the yoke of capitalist oppression,

He cannot freely express his feelings as he wishes to.

For his love is a commodity,

Like all things under capitalism's rule.

    It is bought and sold, used and abused,

And kept from him as a precious jewel.

But in the struggle for a socialist future,

Where the means of production are shared,

Love will be freed from its capitalist shackles, And the worker will finally be spared.

With love as a human right,

Not just a product of economic might,

The worker will love freely and boldly,

For the socialist revolution has made all things right.

historylapse.org

But will it work as an AI-crafted video? I'll know soon.

Putting the Love Back Into Lovecraft

Check out the sweet tips from Miskatonic University's ace man hottie in this book trailer promo for my eerie short-story collection: Death Honk.

John P. McCann

Pitch Meeting for Velma

 Comic Ryan George strikes again as he presents the pitch meeting that gave us animated Velma.

Pitch Meeting

AI and My Blog

 

Tara Winstead

Running is an amazing way to stay fit and healthy, but did you know that there are some pretty awesome things about running that aren't related to your health? 

1.  -It's fun! Running is a great way to get outside and get moving, which is always a good thing. If you've got a dog, it's also a great way to get them out for some exercise. 
2.  -You can listen to music while doing it! You don't have to do the same old boring walking routine if you don't want to—you can put on some tunes and let your feet do their thing while your ears enjoy something new
3. -It's easy! It doesn't matter how old you are or what shape you're in—if you're willing to put in the effort, running is something anyone can do. 

No matter what level of fitness you're at when you start out, running will push your body and make it stronger over time.

NOTE: The above post was written in 30 seconds on copy.ai 

NOTE 2: It's not what I would write, but its fast and easy. 

NOTE 3: Things are changing quickly.

Naming the Unnameable in Lovecraftian Films

 Happy February! There's are reasons Hollywood can't seem to nail down a Lovecraft film. This video does a better job than most in explaining why.

Screened

Prostate Cancer Real Talk: Sex Anyone?

Okay, men, listen up: post-surgery news on sexual performance, courtesy of your hosts El and Shay Allen.

Prostate Cancer: Real Talk

MCRD 51 Years Later

 

 

USMC League

MCRD San Diego Back in the Day

Everything must begin somewhere. And in the United States Marine Corps, my enlisted tour commenced with yellow footprints. Drawn on the asphalt of the recruit depot with heels close together and toes angled out to 45 degrees, they are where I, along with seven other guys from our suburban Chicago neighborhood, stood to begin military service. Then we marched somewhere, boxed up our clothes and mailed them home, coming to the realization that our new life would be different from drinking beer behind a bowling alley.

The Vietnam War was winding down, at least for the United States, though the North Vietnamese would launch a huge attack against South Vietnam toward the end of March as we conducted infantry training at Camp Pendlelton. (In September, now a Private First Class, I would find myself in an Army hospital called Camp Kue on Okinawa, sharing  a ward with American advisors who'd been wounded helping the South Vietnamese forces stop the communists.)

In 1991, I visited the footprints on a vacation to San Diego with my girlfriend. (Now My Fine Wife or MFW.)

In 2002, I stood on a hill in Vietnam called Con Thien with a Vietnamese guide who told me about the obliteration of his village by B52s, bombing the NVA advance.

In 2008, I was back at MCRD finishing up a marathon with Team in Training.

But on a Friday night, January 14, 1972, I stood on yellow footprints. Oh, right before we boxed up our clothes, this happened:
(The following scene is rather accurate, except there's no C&W music. Just buzzzzzzz.)

h/t: amp1776

Note 2020:

On this 48th anniversary of my enlistment, I pay my respects to Tom Poto and Steve Lovell, two of my comrades who are no longer with us. RIP, bros. Hard to believe we were once young together.

Note: 2021

Yikes! 49 years ago; one removed from a half-century. I'll write no more on the subject.

Note: 2022

NOW 50 years have passed. I remember being hung over with a shaving cut on my right cheek that bled most of the day. Grisly forshadowing. Ah, well. 

Note: 2023

Alas, another comrade passed on. Gary Burke, who I'd known through grade school and high school, died last November. We'd only recently gotten back in touch. He was a great guy and a man's man. I pray for his soul and that God may ease the hurt in family and friends.

Fun with ChatGPT: Hemingway Writes a Diaper Ad

 

nationaldefensemagazine.org

Since writing is on the verge of being replaced by Artificial Intelligence, I thought I'd have a little fun with the hot new thing: ChatGPT.

I asked ChatGPT if it would write a diaper ad in the style of Ernest Hemingway. I received two options.

"The soft, absorbent cloth. A small shield against the constant tide of youth. A simple thing, yet essential. Trust in our diapers, as dependable as the sunrise."

OR

"In the chaos of new parenthood, there is one constant: dirty diapers. But with our diapers, you can face each change with the stoic, reliable protection they provide."

I feel like a 56 bpm modem.

Ryan Long Offers Income-Boosting Hope

 

Here's a thought.

Ryan Long

A Better 2023!

 

profilepictureframe

What shall happen? Let us go forward and learn or, as Ben Franklin wisely said:

"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors and let every new year find you a better man."

Car Trouble in the Cascades

 

A Happy New Years to all! Busy collating, totaling up, adding together various measurements from this year in the fields of running, writing, and finance.

Fourteen years ago, I spend New Year's Eve in the following manner:

Such a possibility awaited us until a few minutes ago. But first yesterday's driving update: loaded up the car at my sister's place out in the Washington countryside. My windshield was glazed with ice. That meant Monday's rain-soaked roads were also icy. Heading out on two-lane blacktop past alpaca farms, Douglas Firs, and coated horses grazing in early morning fields, we kept the speed down to 30 mph. Even that caused the car to swerve on slick blacktop. A half-hour of tense driving got us on the interstate and a deep sigh of relief. 

Regular motoring down into Oregon, through now-cleared Portland and across the flats to Eugene. Past Eugene, the terrain rose toward Grant's Pass. MDW was driving when a high-pitched squeal sounded under the hood. She pulled over and I checked - nothing. I took over driving as the squeal came and went, usually above 2300 RPMS/63 mph. 

We passed through Medford and Ashland, climbing into the southern Cascades into California. Dusk arrived and the squealing worsened. I began paying attention to exit sign numbers and hoping the engine held up to Redding. We entered a prehistoric lava field, encircled by cone-shaped, extinct volcanoes, snowy slopes aglow in the fading light. Overhead, a crescent moon gleamed above a landscape that seemed as bleak and lifeless as an asteroid. Oh, God, not here, I thought. And we squealed on past.

Finally made it to Redding. This morning the garage checked it out and said a part holding on my fan belt assembly was expiring. They found an after-market item over in Andersen and managed to install it, ensuring New Year's Eve might indeed be spent in the bosom of our condo.  

Ah, but another full day of driving stands between us and home. Adventures abound on the western roads. Let us see what transpires. 

Smashwords Holiday Book Sale

Find them here!

 In truth, my BOOKS are 50% off. Not all of them, just the ones on Smashwords or Smashwords via Draft2Digital.  A deal-bargain-score for the Christmas season! Choose between subjects as diverse as horror, humor, parody, or prostate cancer. I'd go myself, but I wrote them all. 

Paul Rugg and I are Hired at Warner Bros. v.6

 

And I Have the Memories to Prove It

Today, December 16, marked 27 years since Paul Rugg and I were offered jobs at Warner Brothers TV Animation. We were over at Paul's house watching Zontar: Thing From Venus, drinking coffee, eating chocolate donuts, and smoking. We'd just turned in scripts for some new show called Animaniacs. (Mine was "Draculee, Draculaa.") Paul's wife was off earning money as a social worker, while my future wife was still employed at the magazine I'd quit two months earlier. Rugg and I were performing improv and sketch comedy at the Acme Comedy Theatre. (Along with cast member Adam Carolla.) Money was very tight. The payment for one script would really help out my Christmas. 

Then Kathy Page, Tom Ruegger's assistant, called to offer us staff jobs and the trajectory of our lives veered sharply into an unexplored cosmos.

We were amazed, stunned, numb. Walking outside, we smoked more and talked it over. Should we take the jobs or would they pollute our comedy pureness by turning it commercial? We would accept the work immediately. 

Now it all seems opaque. If it weren't for the Web and talking to Paul Rugg yesterday, I'd swear the whole experience never happened. But I'm glad it did. (Paul, too.)  So thanks to Tom and Sherri Stoner. (And her husband, M.D. Sweeney, our Acme director, who recommended us.)

Note: After thirteen years of blogging, I'm running out of life events to chronicle.

Notes: 2019

A little hyperbole last year. I have plenty of life events and more on the way. Now then, Paul's episode was about a pet shop, I believe. In 1991 I wrote on a Mac Classic. (They look so quaint now, like a fancy radio from 1938.) Jeffrey Dahmer, Silence of the Lambs, Thelma and Louise, the unraveling of the Soviet Union and the number of computers on the newly commercialized Web reached one million.

Not mine, but similar.

Notes: 2020

What a year! (Wednesday will be 29 years, but close enough.) Pandemics, riots, politics. It's like 1968 on crystal meth. What's new? Well. You can now obtain the Top 5 Dating Tips of H.P. Lovecraft. Yes, that weird horror guy. For details, go to this nifty spot.  Actually, try THIS nifty spot for my mailing list, should such an act spur you. 

Notes: 2021

NOW it's 30 years. After three decades, events merge together into a clot of time. But I'll never forget that day. A life-changer. 

Notes: 2022

Paul has moved to Virginia. I remain in crumbling California. People on Twitter keep the memory of Animaniacs alive. I thank them.

CIM Marathon Stats

10,000 Stoopwaffles

Stoopwaffles sounds like a Nazi death unit on the Eastern Front. But nothing so dire here. A Stoopwaffle is a confection I was handed post-race. Very tasty. California International Marathon runners hailed from 32 countries and all 50 states. But how many tubs of Vaseline were used? Scroll down for that and more.

Marathon Report: CIM 2022

 

activenorcal.com

Lessons galore awaited me in my 7th marathon. New approaches and techniques had been incorporated into my training, lending uncertainty to the final outcome. Would these new elements cause me to bonk? Blow up? Grimace in the presence of photographers? Here's what happened.

Back in July, I was goofing around on the web instead of working on my book. Ending up on the California International Marathon website, I had a pang of nostalgia. Once, I'd signed up for the same race, intent on qualifying for the  prestigious Boston Marathon. But injuries by the crate load sidelined my training and appeared to end my running career. 

Anyway, 14 years later, I signed up for CIM. My 2022 training commenced with the goal of breaking five hours. But then I went on vacation. My hopes of incorporating training runs with travel fizzled. I lost two weeks.

Back home again, I only had 10 training weeks left. Some running economies would be necessary. Preparing for Surfers Point the previous year, I'd been steamrollered by my 21-mile run. Slow as I was, that distance was practically the same amount of time it would take to run the actual marathon. To keep my legs fresh, I chose to limit my longest run to 16 miles. 

My goals were to finish 26.2 with a smile and only lightly brush the fabled Wall. The smile would have to await circumstances. As for the Wall, I planned on taking electrolyte paste—known as "gu" and also a popular brand of exercise paste—earlier than I normally did and staying well hydrated.

Since rain was forecast for race day, I packed the poor man's rain coat: a 33 gal. trash bag.

Sunday in Sacramento

At 4:45 AM, rain swept the parking lot, drops beading on windshields. Boarding a drafty school bus, I was conveyed with my fellow runners to the start-line near Folsom Prison. CIM sure didn't skimp on Porto-Potties. I was able to locate one without too much hopping around. There were almost 9k runners waiting in the drizzle for the the race to start. I figured to hang out in the back, go out slow for the first few miles, than dial up the pace, hitting the second half of the race with more zip. I'd make up the time and bust five hours like dropping a dish on bricks. 

Loudspeaker banter from someone, then a woman sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," then the race began. Seventeen and a half minutes later, I crossed the timing mat. Downhill, then up. That would be the pattern for most of the race. You run a little different going uphill, conserving your energy, then drop your arms and let your legs swing back on the downhill. These weren't steep hills, nothing like what I trained on, but they grew monotonous. 

activenorcal.com

Pretty green country with farms and horses, and people outside in lawn chairs. "You're almost there," yelled someone on the second mile. No one laughed, not even the man who said it.

I smiled at people cheering. ("You've got this.") It was a good way to pump up my own energy. But in the course of things, I let my pace lapse. By around seven miles, I realized I needed to hustle. As we ran through suburban Sacramento, past high school cheerleaders, taiko drummers, djs spinning techo mixes, musicians and vocalists, I sped up. By around the 13.1 mile mark, I was closing in on goal pace.

"It Could Be Worse," said a homemade sign, "You Could Be at Work." The overcast sky parted and we ran under a clean polished blue sky. Wadding up my "raincoat", I jammed it into a trash bag held by a teenage dude. "Watch," I said, "It'll rain now." He snorted in amusement.

Too much water; that's what my stomach said. I felt bloated. At mile 18, I couldn't touch another Gu. I also noticed that walking ached almost as much running. Between miles 21 and 22, we ascended a bridge over the American River. Coming down the other side, a man yelled, "You're on the fast part now."

Really? My legs felt as heavy as iron girders. As we entered the Sacramento city limits, a woman checked her cell phone and cried, "86.6 percent of runners have already finished." She seemed delighted to convey the information, as if responding to popular curiosity. The only runner I cared about was me. Dark clouds drifted overhead.

Best message of the day was held up by a boy of around nine. His homemade sign read: "This is the worst parade I've ever seen."

While I was holding pace, I still hadn't made up lost time. At mile 23, I took off, giving it all I had left. 

Grit-your-teeth time. Everything hurt. My feet burned as if running on lava. I hoped for an injury so I could walk in. 

At mile 24, the rain resumed. I was grimacing for all to see, praying the finish line would rush forward to meet me.

Then we were in downtown Sacramento. The rain eased off. The finish line was just past a jigsaw beyond the 26 mile sign. Straight then left. My wife Joy waved from the sideline. "See you up ahead," I called. Then the course hung a left dogleg and the finish line awaited 

A woman passed me. An odd hobbling man passed me. To break five hours, I needed afterburners like a Titan rocket.

Wobbling over the finish line, I checked my time: missed the goal by 24 seconds.

And So?

Clearly, I should've picked up the pace sooner. I tended to weave across the course, wasting even more time. Still, I bettered my last marathon by 22 minutes. I also discovered that 16 miles is just fine for the longest of the long training runs. I didn't smile at the end, but I didn't suffer from a lack of electrolytes. I felt relatively good.

You race like you train. I trained to finish and did. If I want an afterburner, then I need to improve my chi running form, strengthen my core muscles, and set aside a dedicated running day for speed. I also need to practice marathon pace when my legs are heavy.

As we entered Christmastime, I'll allow my body rest for the next few weeks. But I'm anxious for the next marathon. Perhaps Los Angeles? Starting January 1st, I'll have a whole 11 weeks to train.

CIM Post Marker

 

A place holder until I can write up my notes on training and the race.

Famous People Born on My Birthday v. 8

 Birthday Post Redux

Having completed a marathon, I spent this year writing and marketing a book on my journey to the start line. I also trained for, and completed, a second marathon just last Sunday. Hence, my b-day post is late. A recap will be up shortly. (No book for this race. Well, maybe an audio book.) Having reached the age of 70, I may hire a town car for my next marathon. Delighted to enter a new decade. 

These people were also born on December 5th. How many have you heard of? Here's a more mature list. Enjoy productive lives!

In no particular order.:

1. Martin Van Buren - b. Dec. 5, 1782

2. George Armstrong Custer - b. Dec. 5, 1839

3. Walt Disney - b. Dec. 5, 1901

4. John P. McCann - b. Dec. 5, 1952

1. Martin Van Buren succeeded greatly in becoming the 8th President of the United States but was hardly remembered even in his own day. He had a large bull frog stuffed and used as an ink well in the White House. However President Taft later sat on it by accident and they had to throw the thing out. That's about it.

2. George Armstrong Custer succeeded greatly as a soldier in the Civil War but had a mixed record fighting Indians. (1-1-2, I think.) He is best remembered for his  spectacular fail at the Battle of the  Little Big Horn. At first, everything was going well; then it all fell apart under an Indian tsunami. In later years, Custer had a park named after him as well as a monument and a movie where his part was played by Errol Flynn. That's a whole lot more than Van Buren ever got.

3. Walt Disney succeeded greatly in animation, a pioneer in the field, creator of iconic characters—but not the word 'iconic' which has been seized upon by junior execs.—established Disney studios and Disneyland and is fondly remembered to this day. Nonetheless his body is frozen in a vault beneath Disney's Burbank lot and should Walt be reanimated and start making decisions again it could effect his legacy.

4. John P. McCann was greatly successful as a Hollywood atmosphere player. McCann was the ship-board stand-in for a Canadian actor portraying Errol Flynn in My Wicked, Wicked Ways. In addition, he is visible catching Dennis Quaid's jacket at around 1:19 in a clip from  Great Balls of Fire.
More successful in animation, McCann created the non-iconic character of The Huntsman. For the next fifteen years, he piggy-backed onto as many successful shows as his friends would allow. While the record is still being written, outsiders agree that McCann will be remembered by Bank of America and several other creditors who might reasonably feel aggrieved should he pass from the scene within the next several months without attending to the balance of his debts.

Images: whitehouse.gov, Parcbench, fold3

Top 100 TV Theme Songs

 

According to Rolling Stone. But there's plenty of nostalgia for all ages. 

Marathon Countdown

rt.com

Very little on the running front lately. I'm still depressed over the Dutchman's death and don't feel like blogging or Tweeting or working on my next book. I look for reasons not to do anything. But the marathon approaches this Sunday and I'm not so bummed out that I'd eat the race fee, hotel room, or months of training.

My goal remains to once again break five hours. Last year's Surfers Point race only counted a hundred or so marathon runners. Lots of elbow room. The CIM sports around 10k. That means close contact with my fellow humans in the first few miles. So I've factored that in as an asset to slow me down when every instinct cries, "Take off!"

Despite my grief, the race must go on. As Auden said in Musee des Beaux Arts: 

"About suffering they were never wrong,

The Old Masters: how well they understood

Its human position; how it takes place

While someone else is eating or opening a window or just

walking dully along;"

Based Black Friday/Cyber Monday Book Sale

 Back Again and Hungry for the Eyes of Readers

@AetherCzar

Yes, Hans Schanz, scientist and author, once again promotes free or .99 ebooks. Perfect for those holiday moments before the tryptophan kicks in. Choose sci-fi, fantasy, military sci fi, dystopian fiction or browse a selection of non-fiction including my very own Jury Doody. 

Go now, gather up these deals, and enjoy a fine read. At some point, the relatives will arrive and you can forget peace and quiet. 

So Long, Dave "Dutch" Heckman

Courtesy Angie Heckman

"Just Round the Corner"

He forgot more things than most people ever learned. 

Emmy Award-winning cameraman, passionate photographer, author and a brilliant funny guy, Dave Heckman passed away last week in Mar Vista, California, aged 71. We met in a bar across the street from KTLA back in 1979, later living in the same apartment building. When Dave bought a home in Hollywood, I moved into a guest house above the garage. 

Around 1986, he decided he wanted a nickname. For the next year or so, Heckman would correct people calling him 'Dave,' insisting he be referred to as 'Dutch.' In time, Dutch succeeded in giving himself a nickname on his own terms.

As Kurt Vonnegut might have said, "And so it went."

Below awaits a Heckman sampler. It's hard to believe there will be no more of Dave's hilarious acerbic comments. But plenty old ones remain.

Undistilled Heckman

What better eulogist than the Dutchman himself?

2007 - 2009:  Products of a Diseased Mind blog

Distilled Heckman

Write Enough! blog posts either mentioning Dave or featuring his writings.

2006: Getting Around with a Leg Cast

2007: The Value of Nothing

 Excerpt from The Value of Nothing

2008: 27 Years Ago

Time and Mrs. Murphy

2012: The Riots Recalled

The Dutchman Recalls the Riots

2019: Stalinfest

The Dutch/D G Heckman Reviews

If you miss Dave's outrageous humor, look no further than his books.

2014 Appalling Yarns

2017 Dreadful Outcomes

My wife, Joy, sent me the passage below. When it comes to the memory of Dave "Dutch" Heckman, I will be guided by this soothing wisdom: