I'm not sure I ever made it all the way through a Mickey Spillane novel. I liked his no-nonsense talk whenever I saw him interviewed and I admired the success of this one-time comic book writer. But I think I got to I, The Jury a couple of decades too late. By that point, he'd been imitated and parodied to the point where it all seemed hokey to me…and of course, what was titillating and shocking when the book was first published in 1947 was almost Disney fare by the late sixties. Still, it was easy to see why he'd sold umpteen zillion copies of it and subsequent novels and why he'd spawned a legion of mimics, striving to achieve the two-fisted reality that came so naturally to Spillane.

I don't have any personal anecdotes. Only met the man once — at a San Diego Comic-Con International — and the conversation was brief and unremarkable. I think I advised him on good places to eat around the convention center and told him it was an honor to meet him. Which it was. He was a giant in his genre and one of the most-imitated writers of his century. Here's a link to an obit.

The National Weather Service is still calling for highs near 80° and lows near 70° in San Diego this coming week and Tom Spurgeon's list of convention tips is still better than mine. You can get all sorts of great facts about the con including parking and shuttle info over at the convention website. You can also read the Programming Guide but really, all you need to know is when my panels are. Here's one more plug for that list…

Greg Ip and Deborah Solomon in The Wall Street Journal explain what's going on with the American economy. Short summary: Tax revenues are up largely because the wealthiest Americans are making more than ever and therefore paying more in taxes. The non-wealthiest Americans aren't doing so well.

Fred Kaplan on what needs to be done to stop the bloodbath in the Middle East.

The video isn't perfect on it but you might enjoy this clip. It's from the 1976 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon at the Sahara Hotel in Vegas. Frank Sinatra is appearing and he decides to reunite Mr. Lewis with his former partner. It's a historic moment in show business even though Jerry is somewhat lost as to what to say, Dean doesn't seem sure where he is and Frank doesn't know enough to clear out because the moment is not about him.

Dan Quayle makes a political statement.

Another article about the Comic-Con International in San Diego. This one's about Shel Dorf, who got the whole thing started.

Less than five minutes ago, I shot the above photo. It's the smallest possum I've ever seen out on my back porch partaking of the cat food I leave out for the local menagerie. Earlier this evening, I fed a stray cat and based on the water spots on the ground and all the food that's been dumped out of the dish, I suspect that a raccoon has been there, too. Fortunately, the others left something for this little guy.

An article on the impact that the Comic-Con International has on the city of San Diego.

Nicholas Von Hoffman on why we may be in Iraq for a lonnnnng time.

Stephen Colbert discusses Joe Lieberman.

The latest on Art Buchwald, the man who continues to defy death. This guy may outlive all of us.

My buddy Aaron Barnhart, who covers television for the Kansas City Star, was also present for the last performance of the live What's My Line? show. He files this account in his blog, complete with pictures.

Michael Kinsley writes about his brain surgery.

Here's another great classic commercial…the Alka-Seltzer "spicy meatball" commercial. Legend has it that it wasn't terribly successful in terms of selling the product but given how much attention it attracted, I'm not sure I believe that. Legend also has it that it was pulled from the air due to protests from Italian anti-defamation groups and I find that somewhat easier to accept. Anyway, it was created by the legendary advertising king, Joe Sedelmaier, who did many well-remembered campaigns.

The lead actor is a gent named Jack Somack, who had a rather fascinating acting career…fascinating because it began late in life. Mr. Somack was a chemical engineer who in 1967, at age 48, decided he'd gotten into the wrong line of work and that he wanted to be an actor. He began studying and auditioning, mingling with wanna-be actors half his age, and he managed to get some stage roles. It was when he landed this commercial in '69 that he first began to make a living as a performer and he remained one, working quite often for the rest of his life.

I don't know who played his wife but the stage manager is the wonderful Ronny Graham, a very funny man who left us way too soon.

Here's the commercial…