A Good Batman Collection: Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert

I'm a big fan of Batman and have been since the 1960s. I still read and collect comics (all DC Comics), but not the current run of Batman (I just don't care for the current writer). But back in the 70s and 80s, Batman stories (writers and artists) were the best!
So, I recently bought the Hardcover collection "Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert." This writer penned some of my favorite Batman stories that involved the counterparts on Earth-2 (the Earth2 Batman, Robin, Batwoman and Catwoman), including the landmark issue where the Earth-2 Batman married Catwoman and gave birth to a daughter who grew to be her own hero, the Huntress. These were outstanding stories (all Brave and the Bold series).
The only disappointment I had was the final story called "Batman Holy Terror" from 1991. It was a Bruce Wayne that went into a religious order and wound up dressing like a "bat." Honestly, that story was so awful that I skimmed through the second half (and I won't read it again). But all the other stories were pretty awesome. So this gets a 4 of 5 stars from me... because 1 awful story doesn't spoil the amazing stories and artwork of the collection.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Penning just a handful of comic tales over two decades, writer Alan Brennert was never a prolific contributor to the DC Universe. But to fans familiar with those iconic tales, Brennert ranks among the all-time greatest Batman authors. Primarily a writer of television and literary fiction, he wrote only nine stories for DC Comics, but all were instant classics. Largely taking place outside of the main DC continuity, in the realms of Elseworlds and Earth-Two, Brennert’s comics are some of the most-thought provoking and insightful in the Dark Knight’s history.

Also featuring art by industry legends Jim Aparo, Dick Giordano, Joe Staton, Norm Breyfogle and José Luis García-López, TALES OF THE BATMAN: ALAN BRENNERT brings together for the first time the complete works of a writer who has been a staple DC “Greatest Stories” collections for decades. Collects THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #178, #181, #182 and #197, DETECTIVE COMICS #500, BATMAN: HOLY TERROR #1 and more!

Idiot of the Week: Tourist Accidentally Breaks Toes Off of 200-Year-Old Statue

This week's idiot didn't acknowledge the "Don't Touch" signs at a museum with priceless historic treasures, and apparently put all his weight on centuries-old statue and damaged it. Here's the story:


Tourist Accidentally Breaks Toes Off of 200-Year-Old Statue While Posing for Photo

By Gabrielle Chung, people magazine
August 04, 2020 07:38 PM

An Austrian tourist is in hot water with museum officials in Italy after accidentally breaking the toes off of a 200-year-old statue while posing for a photo.

The incident occurred on July 31 at the Gipsoteca Museum in Possagno when he sat on Antonio Canova's statue of Paolina Bonaparte, causing two toes to break off of the plaster sculpture, the art gallery said in a statement.

Gipsoteca Museum

Caption: The incident occurred at the Gipsoteca Museum in Italy when a tourist sat on Antonio Canova's statue of Paolina Bonaparte, causing two toes to break off of the plaster sculpture

According to the museum, the tourist quickly moved away from the exhibit without telling anyone, and staffers were only alerted of the damage after an alarm in the room went off.

The tourist was tracked down by police using personal information the guest had left with the museum for contact tracing in the event that a coronavirus outbreak is tied to the gallery, CNN reported.Police told the outlet that the man was with eight other Austrian tourists and broke away from the group to take a picture of himself "sprawled over the statue." Security camera footage also captured the tourist jumping onto the base of the sculpture to get the selfie when he snapped off part of the artwork.

The tourist admitted to breaking the statue when police contacted him, CNN reported, calling it a "stupid move."

Vittorio Sgarbi, an art critic who serves as president of the Antonio Canova Foundation, called on the Italian police to not allow the unidentified tourist to "go unpunished and return home," writing on Facebook that his actions were "unacceptable."A court in Italy is currently deciding whether to press charges, according to CNN.

As for the statue itself, Museum Director Moira Mascotto said officials have found the broken pieces of the sculpture and are working on restoring it, Artnet reported.

"We reiterate that our heritage must be protected: adopting responsible behavior within the Museum while respecting the works and goods preserved in it is not only a civic duty, but a sign of respect for what our history and culture testifies and that must be proudly handed down to future generations," the museum said in a statement on Saturday.

Gipsoteca Museum

New dinosaur related to T. rex discovered on Isle of Wight!

A CGI image of the Vectaerovenator inopinatus.TRUDIE WILSON

There's another new dinosaur finding on the Isle of Wight and it's off the coast of Scotland! The dinosaur is a relative of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

About the Isle of Wight-The Isle of Wight is England’s largest island. Naturetrek.co.uk said, "The northern part of the island is predominantly formed of impervious clays which give rise to wetlands and marshes such as the island’s only National Nature Reserve at Newtown Marshes, home to a variety of waders and wildfowl. The centre of the island is largely formed of high rolling chalk downlands, whilst the south coast is renowned for its soft sedimentary cliffs."

Here's the article:

New dinosaur related to T. Rex discovered on Isle of Wight
BBC NEWS 8-12-20

A new species of dinosaur has been discovered on the Isle of Wight.

Palaeontologists at the University of Southampton believe four bones found at Shanklin last year belong to a new species of theropod dinosaur.

It lived in the Cretaceous period, 115 million years ago, and is estimated to have been up to 4m (13ft) long.

Isle of Wight. Credit: aturetrek.co.uk 

It has been named Vectaerovenator inopinatus and belongs to the group of dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurus rex and modern-day birds.

The name refers to the large air spaces found in some of the bones - from the neck, back and tail of the creature - which is one of the traits that helped the scientists identify its theropod origins.

These air sacs, also seen in modern birds, were extensions of the lung, and it is likely they "helped fuel an efficient breathing system while also making the skeleton lighter", the University of Southampton said.

The fossils were found in three separate discoveries in 2019 and handed in to the nearby Dinosaur Isle Museum at Sandown, where they are being displayed.

Robin Ward, a regular fossil hunter from Stratford-upon-Avon, was visiting the Isle of Wight with his family when they made their discovery.

"The joy of finding the bones we discovered was absolutely fantastic," he said.

DARREN NAISH

Image captionThis silhouette of a theropod indicates where the bones were from

James Lockyer, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, was also visiting the island when he found another of the bones.

"It looked different from marine reptile vertebrae I have come across in the past," he said.

"I was searching a spot at Shanklin and had been told, and read, that I wouldn't find much there.

"However, I always make sure I search the areas others do not, and on this occasion it paid off."

Paul Farrell, from Ryde, added: "I was walking along the beach, kicking stones and came across what looked like a bone from a dinosaur.

"I was really shocked to find out it could be a new species."

'Delicate skeleton'
Chris Barker, who led the University of Southampton study, said: "We were struck by just how hollow this animal was - it's riddled with air spaces.

"Parts of its skeleton must have been rather delicate.

"The record of theropod dinosaurs from the 'mid' Cretaceous period in Europe isn't that great, so it's been really exciting to be able to increase our understanding of the diversity of dinosaur species from this time.

"You don't usually find dinosaurs in the deposits at Shanklin as they were laid down in a marine habitat. You're much more likely to find fossil oysters or drift wood, so this is a rare find indeed."

It is likely that the Vectaerovenator lived in an area just north of where its remains were found, with the carcass having washed out into the shallow sea nearby.

The university findings are due to be published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology and co-authored by those who discovered the fossils.

More Stunning Photos around Scotland from BBC News!

Every week, BBC News in Scotland asks people to send in their photos for publication. Scotland is a beautiful place, and these pictures convey that. Like last week, of course I have to start the photos with a dog. :)
   FUN FACT: Scotland, most northerly of the four parts of the United Kingdom, occupying about one-third of the island of Great Britain. The name Scotland derives from the Latin Scotia, land of the Scots, a Celtic people from Ireland who settled on the west coast of Great Britain about the 5th century CE.  Now, onto the photos>>

Image copyrightURSULA DANTE

Image captionUrsula Dante's photograph of her dog Rudi on a beach near Prestwick

Image copyrightNEIL MCKELLAR

Image captionNeil McKellar, from Motherwell, took this picture of a deer on a family visit to Carmichael Estate in Biggar

Image copyrightJAMES NANGLE

Image captionA sleepy otter on Yell, Shetland, photographed by James Nangle

Image copyrightCOLIN DONALDSON

Image captionBrothers Simon and Colin Hood and their friend John Macgregor completing their final Munro, Spidean a' Choire Leith on Liathaich in Torridon, in a photo by Colin Donaldson

Image copyrightMEGAN KIRKALDY

Image captionCloud clings to Meall na Teanga in this image by Megan Kirkaldy, from Fort William, taken above Loch Lochay

Image copyrightADAM DABROWSKI

Image captionFields of barley at Cleish, Kinross, photographed by Adam Dabrowski

Image copyrightJOHN JOHNSTONE

Image captionA scene from John Johnstone's trip to the remote archipelago of St Kilda

Image copyrightCHRISTINE SCHERER

Image captionFog cleared for Christine Scherer to take her photo at Glen Turret near Crieff

Image copyrightHELEN THOM

Image captionAn image to sum up summertime in Scotland - glorious one minute then torrential rain the next - says Helen Thom who took her picture from South Queensferry

Rob Gutro's 7 Paranormal Books: Quick Summaries of them!

I've been asked how my books are different from each other so I've put together the following short list of bullet points to summarize them!  All are available on Amazon.com and all are under $10 paperback or under $3.99 ebook. Here's the summary:

1) 2020: Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking - about crazy cases the IGT paranormal team (I'm a medium on the team) investigated in private and historic homes and more

2) 2019: Kindred Spirits: How a Medium Befriended a  Spirit - my husband's late partner has been contacting me since 2005, sent a look alike that saved us in England,gives me insight into his life, and helped solve the mystery of his own death!  I've grown to know him like a best friend.

3) 2018: Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation - Everywhere I visited while on vacation in England (we went to a lot of Tudor-era places, castles, churches, etc.) there were some amazing ghosts we ran into, and I've confirmed their identities. Stayed in a castle turned BandB and our room was haunted! 

4 and 5)  2016: Pets and the Afterlife 2 (and Pets 1 from 2013): How pets communicate from the afterlife. I've become known as a Pet Medium and teach people what signs to look for. The books have stories of signs pets gave me, confirmed by their pet-parents, and stories from others

6) 2012: Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead- My question and answer guide to all questions paranormal, with investigations, haunted places and more!

7) 2010: Ghosts and Spirits- I distinguish the difference between them, explain energy is the foundation of the paranormal. My dad helped me prove to my family that he was at his own services, and I take you to haunted places where I encountered ghosts! 

Paleontology: An ancient skull hints crocodiles swam from Africa to the Americas

The latest finding in the world of dinosaurs is about Crocodiles. Yes, modern-day crocodiles are
found in Africa and the Americas. This recent finding says that an ancient skull indicates crocodiles may have swam from Africa to the Americas!  Story>

(Image: Like its American relatives, Crocodylus checchiai (illustrated) sported a bump on its snout.

DAWID A. IURINO) 

Features of a 7 Million Year Old African Crocodile Fossil are Close to its American kin
By Carolyn Wilke

JULY 23, 2020 AT 11:00 AM

A resemblance between a long-lost African crocodile and modern American crocs goes beyond the shared bump on their snouts.

New analyses of a roughly 7-million-year old skull from the extinct Crocodylus checchiai suggest that crocodiles journeyed from Africa to the Americas millions of years ago, researchers report July 23 in Scientific Reports. Unearthed in the 1930s, the fossil came from what’s now Libya and sat for decades in a museum. With CT scanning, scientists have now mapped the skull’s structure, revealing hidden anatomical features that tie the animal closely to the four species of American crocodiles alive today.

“It really looks like an American true crocodile, but it comes from Africa,” says Massimo Delfino, a paleoherpetologist at the University of Turin in Italy.

Genetic analyses had already linked the Nile crocodile with its American kin. Though scientists suspected that crocs long ago colonized one of the locales before journeying to the other, the fossil record hadn’t painted a clear picture of which came first.

This C. checchiai specimen predates the earliest known crocodile in the Americas (from roughly 5 million years ago) by about 2 million years. The skull’s structural features place C. checchiai at the base of the American crocs’ branch of the crocodile family tree. But the animal was also a close relative of the Nile crocodile, the researchers found. As a result, the newly described fossil “fills a gap between the Nile crocodile in Africa and the four extant American species,” Delfino says.

(Photo: Left:  Ancient African crocodile skull
The features of this C. checchiai, excavated in the 1930s from what’s now Libya, place the animal at the base of American crocs’ branch in the crocodile evolutionary tree.
BRUNO MERCURIO) 


The continents would have been in roughly the same place as now when C. checchiai or a close relative may have been on the move. So the new finding suggests that a group of crocs, or at least one pregnant female, may have made a transatlantic journey from Africa to the Americas, Delfino says. “It’s not so surprising,” he says, given today’s crocodilians’ ability to survive saltwater and travel hundreds of kilometers when helped by ocean currents.

In the news -Susan B. Anthony Museum Rejects President Trump's Pardon Of The Suffragist

This says a lot when a museum honoring an historic figure rejects the current president's pardon.
Here's the story and the reasons why...

Susan B. Anthony Museum Rejects President Trump's Pardon Of The Suffragist
NPR - August 20, 2020

On Tuesday Aug. 18, President Trump officially pardoned leading suffragist Susan B. Anthony, who died in 1906. He noted she was arrested in 1872 for voting before it was legal for women to do so.

(Photo: This 1895 portrait of Susan B. Anthony was painted by Carl Gutherz when Anthony was president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, a group dedicated to women's voting rights. National Portrait Gallery)

"She was never pardoned!" he exclaimed in a White House ceremony. "Did you know that she was never pardoned? What took so long?"

Well, it was partly that Anthony would not have wanted to be pardoned, according to some historians who've pointed out that the activist did not think she'd done anything wrong. Joining those voices is the executive director of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in Rochester, N.Y.

"Objection! Mr. President, Susan B. Anthony must decline your offer of a pardon," Deborah L. Hughes wrote in a statement. She continued:

"Anthony wrote in her diary in 1873 that her trial for voting was 'The greatest outrage History ever witnessed.' She was not allowed to speak as a witness in her own defense, because she was a woman. At the conclusion of arguments, Judge Hunt dismissed the jury and pronounced her guilty. She was outraged to be denied a trial by jury. She proclaimed, 'I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty.' To pay would have been to validate the proceedings. To pardon Susan B. Anthony does the same."

Hughes pointed to Anthony's support of sex education, fair labor practices, excellent public education, equal pay for equal work and elimination of all forms of discrimination.

She suggested that the best way to honor Anthony would be taking a clear stance against voter suppression and advocating for human rights for all.

2 Young YouTube Reviewers Discover Dolly Parton's Jolene for the First Time

There's a duo of young guys; called "Twins the New Trend" that react to music that they've never heard, and recently they discovered (my favorite) Dolly Parton, and was referred to listen to Jolene. Their reaction was awesome. In fact, even Dolly Parton herself tweeted it out!


VIDEO:

How to Get a MARYLAND Absentee Ballot in the Mail for the Presidential Election

Anyone registered to vote in Maryland can vote a mail-in ballot. Just submit a request for a
ballot, and the state will  send it to you.

AFTER YOU VOTE:  After you vote your ballot, you must return it to your local election office by mail, by dropping it in a drop-off box, or by taking it to your local election office. You can mail your voted ballot or take it to your local election office at any time. A list of designated drop off locations will be included with your ballot.

If you request a mail-in ballot and decide to vote in person, you will have to vote a provisional ballot.
How do I ask for a mail-in ballot?
If you have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card, PLEASE  use the online system to request a ballot.  They can process your request more quickly, and we do not have to worry about reading your handwriting.
https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/onlinemailinrequest/InstructionsStep1

How will I receive my ballot?
The best way to receive your ballot is to ask us to mail it to you. We can send it to any address you want. Voting a ballot that you get in the mail helps us speed up the vote count and keep election workers safe during the pandemic. We will also send you an envelope with prepaid postage. No postage necessary!

How soon should I request my ballot?
Submit your request now! If you wait, there is a risk that your local elections office may be overwhelmed by last minute requests and may not be able to process your request in time. If that should happen, you may have to vote in person.
The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot is Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
•If you want your local election office to mail or fax you a ballot:
-Make sure this form is at your local election office by 8 pm on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
-Or send this form to your local election office by email or fax by 11:59 pm on Tuesday,October 20, 2020.
•If you need to receive your ballot over the internet:
-Make sure this form is in your local election office by 5 pm on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
-Or send this form to your local election office by email or fax by 11:59 pm on Tuesday,October 20, 2020.

You can find email addresses and fax numbers to your local election office at 
elections.maryland.gov/about/county_boards.html 
Voting Information for Maryland Voters
2020 Presidential General Election
State Board of Elections P.O. Box 6486, Annapolis, MD 21401-0486 800-222-8683MD Relay Service 800-735-2258
elections.maryland.gov
You can ask for this form in large type.
Este formulario está disponible en español.
•Ask for your mail-in ballot online athttps://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/onlinemailinrequest; or•Tex t VBM (English) or VPC (Spanish) to 777-88. We will text you a link to request your mail-in ballot online; or•Fill out this paper form and get it to your local election office before the deadline.

Idiot of the week: Plane overloaded with cocaine crashes on take-off

This Cesna aircraft was stuffed with more than 500 kilograms of cocaine.

Crooks are stupid. That saying continues to hold true. Here's a story from July about a bunch of crooks that overloaded a small airplane with so much weight in drugs, it crashed after take off!
Here's the story:

Plane overloaded with cocaine crashes on take-off, exposing alleged crime syndicate
By Rob Picheta, CNN

Updated 9:16 AM ET, Sat August 1, 2020
(CNN) A light aircraft overloaded with cocaine crashed on take-off on its way to Australia, police said on Saturday, exposing a Melbourne-based crime syndicate and leading to the arrest of five men with alleged links to the Italian mafia.

The Cessna aircraft, which was stuffed with more than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of cocaine, went down while attempting to leave a remote airstrip in Papua New Guinea on July 26.
Australian Federal Police said in a statement that "greed played a significant part in the syndicate's activities" and added they "cannot rule out that the weight of the cocaine had an impact on the planes (sic) ability to take off."

Five suspects were arrested in Queensland and Victoria in recent days, and have been charged with conspiring to import over 500 kilograms of cocaine and a number of related offenses. They each face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. The pilot was also arrested two days later, after surrendering himself to police.

Authorities said the plane had flown to Papua New Guinea from the small town of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, flying at about 3,000 feet to avoid detection by radar.

The cocaine stash was eventually found on Friday after a search of the area. Its total value was estimated to be around 80 million Australian dollars ($57M USD), the equivalent of about 500,000 street deals.

"With current interstate travel restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the attempt to import illicit drugs into Australia shows how opportunistic and greedy organised crime can be," AFP deputy commissioner Ian McCartney said in a statement.

The arrested men -- aged 31, 36, 31, 33, and 61 -- were charged with a variety of crimes. The first man arrested faces charges of directing activities of a criminal syndicate and money laundering of over $1m AUD. A number of assets were seized by police, with an estimated total value of $3.5 million AUD.

The drugs bust is one of the largest in recent Australian history. In 2016, a similar-sized 500 kilogram haul of cocaine was seized by officers in New South Wales.
CNN's Angus Watson contributed reporting.

If you Missed it: President Obama's Speech at the DNC

It's how a President should be: Poised, articulate, intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate, welcoming of all others, encouraging and supportive. No, I'm not talking about the current WH resident, I'm talking about President Obama. If you missed his speech this week at the Democratic Convention, CBS News provided it. Watch it. Listen to him. Vote for a change.

Obama gives scathing rebuke of Trump in forceful endorsement of Biden at DNC
Former President Obama used his speech at the Democratic National Convention to give a blistering rebuke of President Trump while also lifting up his former vice president, Joe Biden. Mr. Obama said Mr. Trump "hasn't grown into the job" of being president "because he can't." Watch his speech.
LINK TO VIDEO for sharing: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/obama-gives-scathing-rebuke-of-trump-in-forceful-endorsement-of-biden-at-dnc/

Awesome Photos of the week from BBC News Scotland!

Every week, BBC News in Scotland asks people to send in their photos for publication. Scotland is a beautiful place, and these pictures convey that. One of the photos included a woman's dogs dressed up like Star Wars Jedis, so I put that first, because, well, dog pictures are the best. Enjoy the scenery photos, too!

FUN FACT: Many of Scotland's most famous inventions – kilts, tartans and bagpipes - were actually developed elsewhere. Kilts originated in Ireland, tartans have been found in Bronze Age central Europe and bagpipes are thought to have come from ancient central Asia

Image copyrightMARTIN PRINCE

Image captionLuke Skywalkies: Martin Prince, from Dunfermline, wondered if this photo from his family's dog walker Helen shows a meeting of a Star Wars Jedi dogs council

Image copyrightNIALL FRASER

Image captionNiall Fraser, from Glasgow, captured this scene at Dunnottar Castle on the Aberdeenshire coast

Image copyrightSTEVE SMIRTHWAITE

Image captionSteve Smirthwaite's image looks down on a swimmer in the River Findhorn

Image copyrightBETH CAIRNS

Image captionBeth Cairns, from Rutherglen, described the view from McCaig's Tower of Kerrera, Mull and Oban Bay as "spectacular"

Image copyrightALLISON MCMAHON

Image captionGlamis Castle in Angus pictured by Allison McMahon

Image copyrightSTEPHEN WELLS

Image captionStephen Wells and his daughter at Sgorr Tuath in Wester Ross

Image copyrightCOLIN CHISHOLM

Image captionColin Chisholm was rewarded with this view of The Kelpies on an early morning bike ride

Image copyrightMARIE-PIERRE GARROWAY

Image captionMarie-Pierre Garroway took this image of the Falls of Clyde using a tripod and long exposure to achieve a "silky effect"

Image copyrightELAINE O'REILLY

Image captionA field of lavender at Kinross in a picture taken by Elaine O'Reilly while on her first outing with her mum since the start of lockdown

Image copyrightCHRIS LONG

Image captionChris Long, of Ellon, said he did not spot any puffins on his evening walk at the Bullers of Buchan, but the light looking inland from the clifftop path at sunset was "stunning"

Image copyrightCHRIS MCGREGOR

Image captionChris McGregor said it was good to be home in Anstruther for a family visit

Image copyrightFRANK URBAN

Image captionStromness, Orkney, after a "wee shower" said Frank Urban of this picture

Image copyrightWAYNE PAXTON

Image captionWayne Paxton photographed Lochgoilhead from the mountain The Steeple

Image copyrightMORAG WILSON

Image captionSunrise at the Fyrish Monument captured by Morag Wilson, from Culbokie

Image copyrightROSIE MACKAY

Image captionSwans and cygnets on Mugdock Loch pictured by Rosie Mackay, from East Dunbartonshire

Image copyrightMERVYN RENDALL

Image captionMervyn Rendall sent in this sunset over the Orkney islands

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