DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

Hiaasen’s latest is classic: familiar (and fondly remembered) characters, deeply satirical and wickedly funny situations.

Palmer Stoat is a political fixer, a grotesque (but oddly sympathetic) sort of guy who sets up the deal to develop Toad Island yet another bit of Floridian wilderness scheduled to be razed, paved, and golf-coursed. Twilly Spree is an anger-management-school dropout who decides to stop Stoat, and a cast of lunatic developers (including an ex-smuggler with a Barbie fetish and a hit man who wears a snakeskin corset).

Sick Puppy is a joy to read and a must-have for any Hiaasen fan, as well as anyone who has a Labrador Retriever.

Patronize these links, man:

• Amazon (paperback)
• Amazon (hardback)

A sequel that can stand alone, Catch Me is a thriller about an ex-FBI agent, Jay Fletcher, who went rogue (in the first book) and executed 4 serial killers. In this book, the heroine matches wits with the most dangerous character from the previous story, Billy Bones, who had been imprisoned.

Bones escapes and immediately begins taunting Fletcher… “Catch me before I kill again.”

The story is gripping, and as enjoyable as the first. If you like thrillers, you’ll like this (and you should also read Watch Me).

Patronize these links, man:

• Amazon (paperback)
• Amazon (hardback)

Yesterday, Cisco laid off 8000 workers.

In a move as predictable as, I don’t know, Clinton denying wrongdoing, Cisco’s PR machine has created a new term for layoff that is not only free of evil connotations, but also free of meaning: “normal involuntary attrition.”

We’ll give Cisco spokesman Tom Galvin the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn’t craft that senseless phrase in advance, but merely blurted it out in the panic of the bright lights and microphones during a regrettable announcement.

But for an entertaining and enlightened analysis, read Steve Rubenstein’s deconstruction of Cisco’s ridiculous new coinage.

(Casting doubt on my benefit, Cisco’s own press release contains a related contradiction in terms, “involuntary attrition.” Gad, why can’t they just say LAYOFF? Who are they trying to fool?)

The Net has always demonstrated a peculiar affinity for haiku. A quick search turned up Y2k haiku, Mr. Jenkins haiku, Survivor haiku, Clinton haiku, and my two personal favorites, Spam haiku and Unabomber haiku.

These formidable ranks have been joined, perhaps bested, by the latest entry: Piggypoop Haiku. Oink!

Long-time readers may recall our mention of a vertical Zin sampler offered by Dashe Cellars. On a recent day of some personal importance, we drank the oldest bottle of the trio, a 1996 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. According to the label, the Zin was blended with small (but unspecified) amounts of Carignane and Alicante Bouschet.

This wine is huge. Monstrous berries, with none of the high-alcohol heat that often accompanies Zinfandels. It was perhaps not as balanced as some of our other favorite Zins, but we enjoyed it immensely, and quickly, with 100g of Ritter Sport Halbbitter. Sensational!