Crime Expert BURL BARER. Edgar Award Winner and NYT Bestselling Author

Jack Olsen Remembered

Two of my true crime books published by Kensington Publishing Group's Pinnacle True Crime series, and my fiction novel HEADLOCK, have positive reviews by Jack Olsen prominently placed on the book covers.  I recently was asked, "who is Jack Olsen, and why do you have rave reviews from him on all your books?"

Jack Olsen was the award-winning author of thirty-three books published in fifteen countries and eleven languages. A former Time bureau chief, Olsen wrote for Vanity Fair, People, Paris Match, Readers Digest, Playboy, Life, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, New York Times Book Review and others. His magazine journalism appeared in thirteen anthologies. His books included The Misbegotten Son, The Bridge at Chappaquiddick,, the eco-thriller Night of the Grizzlies, and his monumental study of a Nazi massacre in Italy, Silence on Monte Sole. Three of his works were adapted for the screen, including Have You Seen My Son? on ABC.

Olsen's journalism earned the National Headliners Award, Chicago Newspaper Guild's Page One Award, commendations from Columbia and Indiana Universities, the Washington State Governor's Award, the Scripps-Howard Award and other honors. He was listed in Who's Who in America since 1968 and in Who's Who in the World since 1987. The Philadelphia Inquirer described him as "an American treasure."

Olsen was described as "the dean of true crime authors" by the Washington Post and the New York Daily News and "the master of true crime" by the Detroit Free Press and Newsday. Publishers Weekly called him "the best true crime writer around." His studies of crime are required reading in university criminology courses and have been cited in the New York Times Notable Books of the Year. In a page-one review, the Times described his work as "a genuine contribution to criminology and journalism alike."

Olsen is perhaps best known for his studies of rape: "Son": A Psychopath and His Victims, which won a Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America; Predator, the American Mystery Award winner for Best True Crime, and "Doc": The Rape of the Town of Lovell, awarded the 1991 Edgar for Best Fact Crime. He was named to the MWA's fact-crime committee in 1996 and appointed chair in 1997.

A nationally respected expert on the psychology of criminals, Olsen appeared on Good Morning America, Sally Jessy Raphael, Donahue, Geraldo, Larry King Live and other network interview shows. He was the father of eight, a native of Philadelphia, a fishing fanatic and former resident of New York City, Bermuda, New Orleans, Denver, Chicago, Washington and San Diego. He lived on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound, Washington where he passed away at the age of 77 on July 16, 2002.

Jack and I first met via telephone prior to the Edgar Awards in April, 1994.  We were both heading to New York for the ceremony, and I was hoping to find a roommate to cut expenses. While we didn't share a room, we did connect on another level.  The following year, we met in person at an MWA event in Bellevue, Washington where he took me aside and informed me that I was one vote short of an Edgar nomination for MAN OVERBOARD. We got into quite a discussion of journalism, integrity, and different stylistic approaches. Somehow, despite our age difference, we became close.

Although we only saw each other a couple more times before  his death, we kept in regular weekly contact via telephone and email.

He was one of the most generous men I've ever met -- generous with advice, and remarkably generous in his support and encouragement.  "Get out of true crime,Burl," he advised me, "if you don't, you will wind up like me."

“What’s wrong with that, Jack?"

"The genre has gone to crap, that's what. We're too good to write schlock, kiddo. You are young enough to get out while the gettin's good. The true crime book I'm writing now will be my last, I promise you."

It was.  Entitled "I," Jack Olsen's final true crime book was his literary farewell. Sad and depressed over what he perceived as the "burying" of his brilliant "Last Man Standing," by the publisher, Jack felt betrayed.   "I've had it, kid," he told me. "and the way true crime is going, it's nothing but garbage."

He'd been on a "true crime bashing" spree for sometime, and I made a request. "Jack, if you're going to call all true crime books garbage,could you please say something such as `Burl Barer doesn't write garbage?'"

"Hey," he barked, "what does Jack Olsen say on the cover of your latest book? I'll tell you what it says: `Burl Barer writes true crime at its best.' If it weren't true, I wouldn't have said it. So there."

So there, indeed.

That's Jack Olsen.  He meant what he said and he said what he meant. Jack Olsen was faithful, one-hundred-percent.

He passed away peacefully while taking a nap at his Bainbridge Island home. We should all be so lucky.

Was it Tiresome for You?

Researchers are struggling to understand a rare medical condition where sufferers unknowingly demand, or actually have, sex while asleep.

You might foolishly ask: What's wrong with that? If  you are already in bed with your partner, whose going to complain?

Here's the problem.  The wife, for example, has this condition, and begins initiating sex while asleep. The husband responds appropriately, but this WAKES UP THE WIFE who then gets alll pissy about him jumping her while she is asleep!    His protestastions of, "but you started it, and now that you're awake, let's do it" fall on deaf ears. She falls back to sleep and it starts all over again!

Most researchers view sexsomnia as a variant of sleepwalking, where sufferers are stuck between sleep and wakefulness, though sexsomniacs tend to stay in bed rather than get up and walk about.

While sleepwalking affects two to four percent of adults, sexsomnia is not thought to be as common a problem, according to Nik Trajanovic, a researcher at the sleep and alertness clinic at Canada's Toronto Western Hospital.

  "On rare occasions you have stories of people liking it better than waking sex."

Michael Mangan, a psychologist at the University of New Hampshire in the U.S. has set up a Web site, www.sleepsex.org, to help sufferers.

Meanwhile Trajanovic is devising a procedure for diagnosing sexsomnia in legal cases where sufferers have been accused of sexual assault.

  "Your Honor, I didn't intend to have sex with the woman in my bed. I was asleep when it happened, and she didn't make any movement or response sufficient to wake me.  In other words, no different than usual"

_____________

Burl Barer at SimonSays, official publisher's site

Is it a Crime to be Poor??

A man drives a 1986 Buick Century with a current value of $220.
It has a crack in the windshield, for which he is cited by the police. The cost of replacing the windshield is more than the value of the car, and he doesn't have the money anyway. He contacts the court and explains that he cant repair the windshield because he has no money. They give him an extension. He is still unable to repair the windshield, and therefor stops driving the car.  As he cannot repair the windshiled, the court fines him $376 and the Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend his license.

Does this make sense?

If a man cannot pay to replace the windshield, why fine him even more money for not having money?  This is insane. Essentially, he is being charged money for being poor. The more you can't pay, the more expensive it is.


My cousin Alan Barer had a yelow Buick - I think it was an '86.  I have one also, it too is yellow.

My Dad had a 1983 Buick Park Avenue -- white with red leather interior.
MMMMMMMM! What a car!! It was like driving your living room. I was stopped by the cops outside of Yakima on Hiway 12 on suspician of being Hispanic. Honest!

New Orleans Man Cooks Girlfriend

Tuesday night, Oct. 17, Zackery Bowen, a 28-year-old part-time bartender and part-time grocery delivery man, leapt from the eighth floor of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in the French Quarter and plummeted to his death. Inside one of his pants pockets detectives found a plastic bag holding a suicide note:"This is not accidental. I had to take my own life to pay for the one I took. If you send a patrol to 826 N. Rampart, you will find the dismembered corpse of my girlfriend Addie in the oven, on the stove, and in the fridge...Zack Bowen."

He wasn't kidding. Cops went to the address and found an unappetizing sight.  On the stove in the tiny apartment were two pots. Inside one was the charred head of a woman. Inside the other were a pair of hands and a pair of feet. On the counter beside the stove were sliced carrots and potatoes. In the oven, lying on turkey-basting trays, were two arms and two legs.Cops also found a letter from the killer explaining his actions:

At least two of the limbs had seasoning sprinkled on them. The woman's torso was wrapped in a plastic bag and stuffed into the refrigerator.  The body parts belonged to Bowen's girlfriend, 30-year-old Adriane "Addie" Hall. 

According to Bowen's letter, he strangled his girlfriend on Oct. 5. Then he repeatedly raped her corpse until he passed out drunk beside her. The next morning he went to work delivering groceries and came up with a plan for disposing of her body. When he got home he dumped Addie into the tub and used a handsaw and a knife to cut her into pieces. Then he cooked her.

Four days before Bowen killed her, Addie tried to throw Bowen out of their apartment. She told their landlord that Bowen had cheated on her. "She told me she caught him being unfaithful to her," the landlord said during a television news interview. "She told me three times she caught him being unfaithful—her words."

Deputy New Orleans Police Chief Anthony Canatella said the crime scene was one of the worst he has ever seen. "I've been on the job 40 years," Canatella said. "It was obviously very gruesome."

Obviously.

Jerry Belson Tribute

Jerry Belson, 68, an Emmy-winning comedy writer whose wit graced television shows from "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Odd Couple" through "The Tracey Ullman Show," died of cancer Tuesday, October 10, at his Los Angeles home.

On Monday, October 23, Belson's friends and family ...and Burl Barer....gathered for a memorial tribute at the Falcon Theater in Burbank, California, owned by Belson's long time friend and collaborator Gary Marshall.

Among the comedy series on which Belson and Marshall worked together were "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Love, American Style" and "The Odd Couple."

"Gary has mixed emotions today," quipped comedian Albert Brooks, one of Belson's close associates, "He's sad that Jerry passed away, but he's delighted the theater is full."

Marshall, acting as master of ceremonies, held back tears as he regaled the audience with amusing stories about Belson's incredibly successful career."He was so bright and so witty with not a very erudite background," Marshall said. "In one of our first meetings, I said to him, ‘Write it like you would a play.’ He said, ‘I never saw a play.’ He wasn’t from Harvard. He was from El Centro."

Humor outweighed tears as comedy writers and comedic performers took to the stage, paying tribute to a man who's wit and wisdom won him numerous industry accolades, including 17 Emmy nominations. Actress Tracey Ullman, praising him while doing an impersonation of his distinctive voice and delivery, reminded the audience that Belson won three Emmy Awards: in 1989 and 1990 for his work on her Fox comedy series, and in 1997 for his writing on the HBO show "Tracey Takes On..."

Others rising to speak of Jerry Belson included Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner, Penny Marshall, several famed comedy writers, and members of Belson's family. Mr. Belson is survived by his wife; his children, Kristine, Julie and Willi; a sister, Monica Johnson, a screenwriter and novelist; a brother, Gordon Belson, a radio personality; and two grandchildren.

Yes, I was there....and everybody thought I was somebody. It was a bit embarrassing. Belson's daughter looked thrilled and delighted to see me, grabbed my hand and said "HI! Oh, it is so wonderful to see you! How have you been?"

I didn't dare ask whom she thought I was, instead I simply offered my condolences and asked if she could direct me to Monica Johnson, Jerry's sister.  Monica, writing partner of Albert Brooks, once launched a valiant effort to get Sony Entertainment to produce a motion picture based on my book MAN OVERBOARD. Sadly, it didn't happen, but I wanted to meet her anyway, shake her hand, and introduce myself and offer my condolences on the loss of her brother.

MARGO THINKS I AM OBESE

Margo Swenson has sent me five emails today, and I have never heard of her in my life. Not only that, but dear Margo thinks I am OBESE and  emotionally distressed about it.   

Margo had the nerve to write: "We know you hate the extra pounds, the ugly look and the social stigmata attached to fat people. Moreover, you can barely do anything about the appetite."

Did YOU tell Margo that I was fat? C'mon fess up. Someone told Margo that I was obese, unhappy, and stuffed myself all day long as I watched Dr. Phil and his lil' spinner of a cutsey-poo spouse.

Well, Margo is right about one thing -- I do hate the social stigma attached to "fat people."  I am not obese, in fact I tend to be svelt and slender.  I'm 6'2" and weight 195 lbs.  Yes, tall dark and handsome. If I were 295 lbs would that make a difference in the value of my personal reality? Nope.

People who have significant difficulty with their weight don't need to feel worse because of Margo's unsolicited emails....oh, but Margo has a message -- she wants me to BUY SOMETHING..She wants me to buy Anatrim.

Margo, if you were a real person, which you are not,  I would answer your email and tell you where to stuff your Anatrim. Instead I am sending Margo a bill for $500.00   You see, under the law, I can charge a $500 evaluation and storage fee for unsolicited commercial emails sent to www.burlbarer.net.  I have been sending out bills to spammers but so far, none of them have paid up.

All those who think I should turn Margo over for collection if she doesn't pay in 90 days, say "aye."

 

Sammy Davis Jr.

My father, several years ago, pulled me aside and said "You know, you're like Sammy Davis, Jr."

At first I thought he meant that I liked having sex with blond white women, but there was more to it than that. "It isn't enough that he's terribly short, blind in one eye, and a black man married to a white woman. He became a Jew, too."

yeah, so what's your point?

"Well son, you're a Jew. You have experieinced anti-Semitism first hand. Now, I dont know that much about Baha'i, but I read the news. I know that Baha'is are persecuted in Iran and Iraq and most Moslem countries, and are treated worse than the Jews. Give me one good reason why you, who are a Jew, would also be a Baha'i? If they don't kill you for being one, they will kill you for being the  other."

"Because my father taught me to stand up for what I believe."

My Dad smiled and said, "you're right, that is the one good reason."

So, people often wonder why I seek to vindicate the Koran and Muhammad (which I have studied for over thirty years) when Fanatical Moslems want Bahais and Isreal blasted off the Earth, and why I equally defend the teachings of Jesus despite the raging anti-Semitism and racism of the Christian Identity Movement, the KKK, and others of that ilk. 

Simple -- there is no difference between a Moslem fanatic and a Christian fanatic...they are both nuttier than Aunt Esther's fruitcake and even more poisonous.  Moslem fanatics want a world run by their twisted interpretation of scripture -- complete with exclusivity and superiority for them, they want the religion running the governernment, and the governement running individuals lives.
The Christian fanatics want the same thing.  There is no difference.
They both link religion and politics, and they both demonize "the other" -- be it Jews, Christians, Moslems or anyone who looks like they could be related to Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad.

When terrorists blew up the oklahoma federal building, did we demonize white Christians who served in the armed forces? No.

As a Jew who has been to Israel more than once, and who follows the MIddle East with interest, I become exceptionally curious when the United States Congress passes a resolution condemning Hezbollah for their shocking record of long standing terrorism. Name one act of terrorism commited by Hezbollah between 1994 and 2006.  You can't. There havn't been any.  Not one.  This is why no other country on Earth has Hezbollah on their list of terrorist organizations.   Hezbollah WAS doing terrorist type activities in the 1980's -- over 25 years ago!

Remember when we did the news? "First, Factual, and Five Minutes Faster!"
What happened to Factual?  It probably never was factual -- from the falsity of the Maine bombing to the falsity of the Gulf of Tonkin attack which we know now never happened, we keep getting fed nonsense -- nonsense that keeps us afraid...just as in North Korea they are in a constant state of paranoid fear that the big mean USA is going to nuke them, just as the citizens of the old USSR believed that they were surrounded by hostile nations eager to invade ..and to protect themselves they MUST have more security, more prisons, more government control of every aspect of their lives.

When presidential canditates have their advisors speak at White Supremist rallies, when they allign themselves with religious fanatics who want their interpretation of religion to run everyone's life -- I get concerrned.

Gee -- I even remember when the FCC had no power to control content via fines...you better watch out if your field strength intensity was off kilter, but objectional content???

So, when people call middle eastern folks Rag Heads or Sheet Heads....I remind them that Moses and Jesus were Ragheads and Sheet Heads...and our troops supposedly are in the Middle East to rescue rag heads and sheet heads from religious fanatic despots who link church and state, spy on their citizens, lock up those who disagree too vocally, and would probably shoot you for playing the Irish Rovers "The Last Unicorn"

There is the old saying "there is nothing more permanent than a temporary tax" -- there is also nothing more permanent than the temporary loss of freedom. Will   this country change it's motto from "Land of the Free" to "Land of the Secure?"

I grew up in a town that had a MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON...no one felt very free in there.

You dont have to agree with me. We can agree to differ and still be best pals...but if "they" come for me for being a Jew...or if "they" come for me for being a Baha'i....maybe they come next for people who read blogs.

and now, much more music.

BB

CRIME AGAINST MS DIAZ

When movie star Cameron Diaz was 19-years-old, she had some topless pics taken. No big deal. Now, however, her breasts ARE a big deal.

When Diaz was 19 years old, she posed for John Rutter, a well-known photographer. It was a trade out deal -- she didn't pay him. A few pics were topless, and Diaz claims she never signed a model release. That means Rutter couldn't sell those pics.

Eleven years later, just prior to the release of "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," Rutter contacted Diaz and offered to sell Diaz the pictures from that shoot for $3.5 million.

Diaz contacted the cops, Rutter's apartment was raided and his computers were seized. Prosecution experts testified at trial that Diaz's signature on the releases found in Rutter's computers, etc. He is currently serving a four year prison sentence.

The moral of the story: If you are going to take topless pics, remember that your model might someday be really famous. GET THAT RELEASE FORMED SIGNED!!! Otherwise, if you try to sell those pics, you may wind up topless with Mr. Rutter in cell block #9.

JOY LEARY in Encino

Several years ago I had the pleasure of attending a workshop presented by Dr. Joy Leary.


It was one of the most valuable and important afternoons I ever spent, and have sung her praises non-stop (out of tune,perhaps) ever since.  Now, Dr. Leary is providing a free public presentation Friday night, October 20th, at the Encino Baha'i Center.  Doors open at 8pm, her talk is at 9pm. Yes, there are refreshments.  4830 Genesta Ave Encino, CA

Those who have experienced Dr. Leary's lectures have been stimulated, enlightened, and more during her workshops. Dr. Leary's seminars have been lauded as the most dynamic and inspirational currently being presented on the topics of culture, race relations and contemporary social issues. Her clients have included academic institutions such as Oxford University, Harvard University, Columbia University, Fisk University, Smith College, MorehouseCollege and the University of Chicago to name a few. She has also presented to federal and state agencies such as The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Probation and Parole agencies, Juvenile Justice Judges Association and Police departments. Dr. Leary has worked with major corporations and companies such as Nordstrom's and Nike, the NBA Rookies Camp, and with the renowned G-CAPP program based in Atlanta, Georgia.

MIKE PHILLIPS

Mike Phillips, Original KFRC-SF DJ
and former PD at K-EARTH, Dies
   

(October 17, 2006) Legendary personality and program director Mike Phillips died yesterday afternoon, following a two and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 64. Mike moved from his Santa Clarita home to Portland earlier this summer to be with his family.

Mike was one of the original 610 men at KFRC-San Francisco in 1966. Word of Mike’s passing came from his three-decade friend Tom Parker, who was with Mike when he passed away. Parker worked with Phillips starting in 1974 at KGW-Portland, then three stations in San Francisco, KYUU, K101, and KFRC.

“Mike had a great and wonderful career,” said Parker. “He invented the format that eventually became Soft AC with KOIT. A very successful guy with many different formats. What he did with K-EARTH was nothing short of incredible. They were 14th when he took over and kept them in the Top 5 the whole time he was there.”

Services for Mike are pending. You can email your condolences to Tom Parker at: [email protected] and he will be sure the emails get to Mike's family.