something's wrong with that robot

I'm glad you're here, fan club members! It's me, The Haiku Master, and I'm hoping you can help me with a problem.

It's the Haiku-Bot, see; he's been acting screwy ever since I got back from the Himalayas. For starters, he's taken to wearing a tough-looking sleeveless smoking jacket. He also appears to be more... roboty. If that's possible. With red, beady little eyes. But that's not what worries me.

The Haiku Master Can't Put His Finger On It, But Something's Different About The Haiku-Bot These Days

No, it's his attitude that really has me on edge. He barely does anything I ask him to, and when he does, it's always with a boat-load of lip! Then he spends all his free time in the basement, making phone calls that he refuses to discuss with me. Oh, and his once world-class hoagies? I think he's buying them from the gas station down the street!

All of which makes me think it might be time to send H.B. to Best Buy's Geek Squad for a tune-up. In the meantime, should you have any robot psychology tips, feel free to send 'em my way. I have a feeling I'm going to need them.

Best,

home sweet home

Hail and well met, 'ku believers! 'Tis I, The Haiku Master, back at last from my retreat atop an exclusive Himalayan mountain, ready once more to thrill you and chill you with the singular brand of high adventure that I and only I can deliver! Plus, plenty of run-on sentences and exclamation points!!!

Believe it! As I type these words, I'm safely ensconced back in the loving arms of my state-of-the-art crimefighting headquarters, a.k.a. Castle Haiku. In fact, I returned just this afternoon, accompanied by Haiku International's newest operative, Brother Ko. He was one of the monks at the monastery where I was staying, but wisely fled with me once we discovered the place was actually a front for a nefarious angel trumpet operation!

The Haiku Master (Right) And Brother Ko (Left) Make A Triumphant Return To Castle Haiku

In fact, that tale is an Epic Saga in its own right, but it'll have to wait -- the Haiku-Bot just dropped off a fresh plate of hoagies, and I still have half a bottle of George Dickel: The Official Whiskey of The Haiku Master to finish before I hit the sack. I'll catch up with you fine folks later, at which time I shall still be... The Haiku Master!

Best,

out with the old, in with the new

Howdy, 'ku believers! It's me, The Haiku Master, ringing out the Old Year with the last Haiku International post of 2005!

Unfortunately, I have a lot to do before Castle Haiku's gala New Year's party later tonight, so this isn't destined to be one of my better crafted missives. Instead, I'm going to borrow a page from the hack journalist's playbook and present you with a slapped-together list of top 10 stuff; heck, let's call it The Top 10 Things The Haiku Master Ate In 2005! Here we go:

1) Sausage Pizza: If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, but nothing tastes better than a pipin' hot sausage pizza. Ask for it by name!

2) Hostess Snack Cakes: My obligatory crimefighter endorsement deal with them aside, there really is no finer snack cake on the market. Twinkies? Zingers?! Ho-Hos?!? Only as a last resort as far as I'm concerned!

3) Hoagies: Thanks to the Haiku-Bot's deft hoagie-making abilities, this category made a big jump in the past year, and may even be a serious contender for the top spot in 2006!

4) Lucky Charms: Nothing says breakfast like a paranoid, gold-hoarding leprechaun. Also great as a late-night snack straight out of the box!

5) Cheese: And plenty of it.

6) Hamburgers: Two of my close, personal friends, Jughead Jones and Wellington J. Wimpy, turned me on to these bad boys at an early age, and I've never been able to say "no" to them since.

7) Mashed Potatoes: My preferred movie-watching munchies.

8) Gravy: Goes great by itself, as well as with a variety of other items -- including #s 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 on this list.

9) Chewing Tobacco: Most wouldn't consider this a food, but if you've got the stomach for swallowing, you'll find it to be a real delicacy.

10) Pop Rocks: A classic never goes out of style.

So there you have it -- the Top 10 Things eaten by the Sultan of Syllables in 2005. Look for next year's list in about 12 months, and until then, have one hell of a Happy New Year!

Best,

not my doom

Greetings, 'ku believers. Yeah it's me, The Haiku Master, and do I ever have a bone to pick with the makers of that so-called Fantastic Four movie... for they've done a grave disservice to the world's greatest comic book super-villain, Dr. Victor Von Doom!

After Viewing The Fantastic Four "Movie," The Haiku Master Thinks The Real Doctor Doom Has An Extremely Strong Libel Case Against 20th Century Fox And Marvel Studios

That's right! See, with Baltimore buried under a blanket of snow thanks to Old Man Winter's latest bender (We only got four inches, if that!--ed.), the Haiku-Bot and I declared it a movie day here at Castle Haiku. Well, that and a whiskey day. Hoagies and cigars were involved, too. At any rate, H.B. selected I, Robot -- again -- while I made the mistake of choosing the FF flick. Right off the bat I knew there were going to be problems when some middle-aged doofus with a flattop tried to pass himself off as teenaged hero Johnny Storm, and The Thing wound up looking like a burn victim. But all that paled in comparison to what they did to Doom!

The Haiku-Bot (Left) And The Haiku Master (Right) Pay A Visit To The Local Video Store

I mean, Sweet Jesus! Doom isn't the dandified, metrosexual owner of some two-bit electronics firm! He's the iron-fisted dictator of a little-known Eastern European nation called Latveria! And he doesn't have metal skin! He wears a highly advanced suit of armor packed to the gills with one technological wonder after another, any one of which could fry the skin right off your face!! Or worse! And last but not least, he wears a cloak with big gold buttons -- not a frikkin' trenchcoat with big silver buttons!!!

Fake Movie Doom Should Stick To What He Does Best, E.G. Sucking Ass

Oh well, at least I didn't pay to see that turkey at the theater; if you haven't watched it yet, avoid it at all costs!

Best,

the haiku master's big vegas caper, pt. XII

* * *
CHAPTER XII

With Haikunestro on the run and Paulo serving as his hostage, there was scant time to spare. Fortunately -- very fortunately -- my foe had equipped his lab with two elevators; I gladly threw caution to the wind and jumped aboard the second.

"Haiku-Bot! Help Ralphus and Malphus get the Professor and Angelina to safety!" I shouted. "O.M.W.! Dubya! You're with me!"

From Left: Old Man Winter, Dubya, And The Haiku Master Prepare To Chase Haikunestro In An Elevator

"Dubya against the terrorists. Dubya with us!" Dubya confirmed as he got on the elevator.

"Crap," added O.M.W., joining us. "I was hoping to draw Angelina guard duty."

"Be careful, H.M.!" said the Professor. "I zink zat Haikunestro might have vun or two tricks still up his sleeve!"

"Well, he'd better," I said, pressing the "up" button. "Or he'll never make it out of Vegas alive!!!"

One short elevator ride later and we were back in the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek: The Experience concession... but where were Haikunestro and Paulo?!?

"Excuse me," I said to a pair of elderly women. "Have either of you seen a madman with a Hitler mustache escorting a Mexican fellow wearing a sombrero?"

"Oh, you again!" the fatter one said -- and I immediately recognized them as the silver-haired slot sluts from earlier! "We lost a lot of money 'cause of you and your big mouth!"

"Yeah, my mojo's still outta whack!" spat the other.

"Oh, never mind!" I said, turning to ask another passerby... and found myself face-to-face with none other than my close, personal friend, Billy Dee Williams!

The Haiku Master (Left) Greets His Old Ally, Billy Dee Williams

"Billy Dee Williams!" I said. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, baby? Cuttin' loose and getting wild!!!" he said, then took a long swig off his ever-present can of Colt 45: The Official Malt Liquor of Billy Dee Williams. "I also had to pick up my royalty check from the Star Wars slots they have here. What about you?"

"Looking for my arch-enemy, Haikunestro -- you haven't seen him, have you?"

"D-a-a-a-a-a-mn! I thought that was him I saw heading towards the parking garage, but he had some Mexican dude with him so I wasn't sure. Plus, I've been drinking this sweet, sweet malt liquor for so long I don't even trust my own senses anymore! Ain't that crazy?!"

"If it's crazy, then I should've been locked up ages ago," I assured him. "Thanks for the info, old friend; time for my partners and me to take that haiku-hating bastard down!"

"Be careful H.M.," he said. "And be sure to use some Colt 45 on his ass! Works every time!!!"

Leaving Billy Dee behind, we rushed into the Hilton's parking garage -- just as two loud gunshots rang out!

"What the--?!" I gasped, running towards the sound with O.M.W. and Dubya behind me. I rounded a corner expecting the worst, and was instead greeted by a most welcome -- and strangely familiar -- sight!

Haikunestro lay on the cold concrete floor of the parking garage in a growing pool of his own blood. Paulo was safely off to the side, and standing above my arch-foe was a large form draped in fine blue silk. This person wore an equally blue sombrero, and held a large, blue, smoking revolver in each hand.

The Blue Sombrero, A.K.A. The Mexico City Madman, Returns

"That," the stranger said in a smooth Mexican accent, "is for sleeping with my wife again. The next time it will be your life! Adios, híbrido!"

Just as quickly as he appeared, the mysterious gunfighter in blue was gone.

"Was that... the Blue Sombrero?" an awed Old Man Winter asked.

"The Mexico City Madman?" I said. "It sure was, friend. It sure was. But never mind that now; Paulo, are you alright?"

"Sí, Hombre muy Extraño," he said, brushing himself off as he rose. "But what of the robot cocks? You told me there would be robot cocks!"

"Robot cocks..?" said Old Man Winter, starting to giggle. "Robot cocks???" He then doubled over with mirth, laughing long and hard until finally wheezing to a stop.

What it was he found so funny, I do not know.

* * *
EPILOGUE

Shortly thereafter it was determined that Haikunestro was not dead, just severly wounded, and he and his Trekkie henchmen were soon rounded up by the fine men and women of the Las Vegas Police Department.

That ugly business settled, Paulo, O.M.W., Dubya, and I met up with the others in the Hilton's impressive sports book. We decided to eat there, dining on delicious hoagies and gallon-sized plastic footballs filled to the brim with beer.

"So I guess zat is zat," said Professor de la Groove, bits of hoagie clinging to his mustache. "I only hope zat my vun great fear vill not be realized!"

"Your one great fear?" I said. "What would that be?"

"Zat jou dumkopfs might have messed vith ze time-space continuum vhen jou vent back to 1960! Tell me, jou didn't interact vith any famous people, did jou?"

"Not me," I said, almost too quickly.

"Not you?!" scoffed Old Man Winter. "What about the Rat Pack, Haiku Master? Huh Haiku Master? What about them?"

"Oh yeah. There was that..."

"Oy!" said the Professor. "Und vat of jou zree, hmm?"

"Nah, nobody famous, but we did meet some pretty cool people," O.M.W. replied. "Check out our pictures!"

Old Man Winter, Dubya, And Paulo Mugging With Non-Famous People From 1960

"Nobody famous!" gasped the Professor. "Zat's John F. Kennedy, Cassius Clay, Marilyn Monroe, und Elvis! Vat do jou mean, not famous?"

"Oh! No wonder I found these pictures in a history book!" O.M.W. chortled. "You gotta admit, that's pretty funny! Hey Haiku Master, ain't that funny?"

"Feh," Angelina sneered, looking at the blurry black-and-white images. "That Marilyn was such a cow."

Hoping to change the subject, I said: "Er, I have a question Professor -- if I got replaced by Joey Bishop when I went back in time, who replaced these guys?"

"Two vinos und a mental patient."

"Huh. Well, with that cleared up I guess I can label this case as 100% 'closed'!"

Closed it was... but fabulous Las Vegas would have one more surprise for me before I left its warm embrace, as seen in this unbelievable photo!

The Haiku Master Inspects The Las Vegas Hilton's Fitting Tribute To His Bravery

That's right! The Las Vegas Hilton paid homage to yours truly's death-defying deeds by unfurling this mega-sized banner above the hotel's glittering pool on my last day in town! Talk about a perfect ending!

But when you're me, every ending is perfect... 'cause I'm The Haiku Master!!!

the haiku master's big vegas caper, pt. I

Click For Larger Image

* * *
CHAPTER I

Set a course for High Adventure, adrenaline-heads! It's me, The Haiku Master, ready to pump you up with my latest, greatest, all-too-true Epic Saga!!!

Hot Babes Like This Are A Dime A Dozen In Vegas

So without further adieu, let's get into it. As they often do, this case started innocuously enough: I was polishing my game in Castle Haiku's bowling alley... when the Haiku-Bot had the unmitigated gall to interrupt!

"Excuse me Mr., The Haiku Master sir," it said, breaking my concentration and causing me to roll a gutter ball.

"Con-found it!" I growled. "Look what you made me do, you tin-plated creep!"

"Begging your pardon Mr., The Haiku Master but you, had already released the sphere prior, to my entrance and, based on my calculations a gutter, ball was inavoidable oh-point-two, seconds before I. Spoke."

"Talk to the hand, for my ears surely don't want to hear your paltry excuses!" I countered, raising my open right palm to H.B.'s face as my head turned sullenly to the left.

"Bzzt... hrmmm," it said, plainly confused. Regardless, H.B. pressed on, speaking into my hand as directed. "You have a, telephone. Call. It is Mr. Professor, de la Groove."

"Professor de la Groove?! Well why didn't you say so! Patch him through at once!"

The Haiku Master's Old Friend And Mentor, Professor De La Groove

I took a seat in one of the bowling alley's luxurious recliners, and within minutes the sound of my longtime science ally filled the room.

"'Allo? 'Allo? H.M., are jou zere?"

"Indeed I am, Professor! And as always, a pleasure to hear from you! To what do I owe the honor?"

"It iz ze trouble, H.M.! Ze beeeg trouble!"

"Big trouble, you say? Then it sounds like you called the right person! Lay it on me, Prof!"

"I cannot give jou ze details over ze phone, old friend, but I can tell jou zis: ze trouble of vhich I speak involves jour arch-enemy, ze city of Las Vegas, and ze greatest science fiction television franchise of all time!!"

"Well, I know the first one must be Haikunestro... but what's the TV show? Space: 1999?"

The Space: 1999 Year Two Soundtrack Continues To Be One Of The Haiku Master's Favorite Records

"No, you eembeezeel! It is ze Star Trek! But I can say no more on zis infernal contraption!"

"I understand, and it should go without saying that I'm ready and willing to give you all the help you need."

"I am very glad to hear jou say zat, H.M.! Ve're going to need a crew of seasoned pros to pull off zis job. I vant jou to assemble ze team, and meet me at ze Las Vegas Hilton at twelve o'clock zis Zursday!"

"Thursday? Why does everyone always want me to travel on Thursdays?"

"Vell, I can't speak for all ze people, but in my case it's a cheap day to fly."

"Fair enough -- and worry not! I know a number of top-rate pros who'll be happy to help... or else! But I do have one small request."

"Oui?"

"Can we stay at the local Motel 6: The Official Motel Chain of The Haiku Master instead of a Hilton? I'm sponsored by 'The 6', see, and I think it's against my contract to..."

"Ze Motel 6? Never in hell vould I stay at a Motel 6! My zird vife caught ze syphilis jusing ze toilet at vun of zose fleabag joints! Zat said, jou are free to sleep vherever jou vish. Just meet me at ze Hilton's Space Quest Casino by noon!"

Motel 6: The Only Motel Chain Endorsed By The Haiku Master, Despite Professor De La Groove's Unjustified Prejudices

After exchanging brief parting pleasantries with the Professor, I got down to work. Well, first I got the Haiku-Bot to make me one of his world-class hoagies, and then I got to work. Right after digesting lunch with another frame of bowling. And reading the latest issue of Jughead. For the second time.

But after all that, you can believe I got to it! And as subsequent chapters will reveal, it's a good thing I did... for the Pharaoh of 5-7-5 would soon be embroiled in one of the most death-defying odysseys of an already legendary career!!!

---CLICK HERE FOR 'THE HAIKU MASTER'S BIG VEGAS CAPER' PT. II---

oh momma, that was one good hoagie

Guess what, friends? It's me, The Haiku Master -- and man, am I ever stuffed!!

That's right! Turns out that, while his comma usage is still for shit, the Haiku-Bot has become a world-class sandwich maker since being reprogrammed for domestic servitude following my tussle with the Church of Scientology. In fact, I just finished off the scrumptious specimen seen below not 10 minutes ago, shortly after H.B. crafted it in Castle Haiku's state of the art kitchen!

The Haiku-Bot Whipped Up This Magnificent Hoagie For His Friend And Boss, The Haiku Master

All of which proves one of my long-standing theories: Even the evilest of electronic applicances can be turned to good if you show it a little love and understanding. Or get it rewired by the "Geek Squad" at your local Best Buy. Take your pick. Just don't try to take my hoagie!

Best,

maybe old man winter's not so bad after all

Welcome back, loyal readers! If I seem particularly cheery, it's because I -- The Haiku Master -- had my tenuous faith in humanity somewhat reaffirmed today...and it was Old Man Winter who did the reaffirming, if you can believe that!

Old Man Winter Showered The Haiku Master With Gifts To Make Up For His Earlier Misdeeds

As those of you with adequate reading comprehension skills will recall, O.M.W. and I had quite the nasty scuffle last week. And considering how much trouble he's caused me in recent years, I'd begun to ponder a more permanent solution to his antics, if you get my drift.*

Then, early this morning, it was like that French term for a sense of having been there before all over again: Old Man Winter woke me up with another of his god-awful ruckuses! At least he didn't break into my top secret base of operations this time; instead, he parked outside in his snowmobile, repeatedly laying on that tacky "Jingle Bells" horn of his.

"Haiku Master! Hey, Haiku Master!" he shouted. "Hey, it's me -- Old Man Winter!

I reached for my trusty megaphone and clicked it on. "Get out of here, you freon-sucking freak!" I bellowed. "It's not even noon yet! I'll come look for you in a few hours, and we can fight then!"

"No, no, you got me all wrong! Hey look, I'm real sorry about the other day, see? I wanna make it up to you. C'mon, lemme make it up to you!"

Peeking out my bedroom window, I saw there might be some truth to the villain's words. Perched on his lap were a number of princely gifts: an overstuffed hoagie, a bushel of fine Cubans, and a case of my favorite beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon: The Official Beer of The Haiku Master! Might as well see if he was on the up and up.

Pabst Blue Ribbon: The Only Beer Endorsed By The Haiku Master

As it turned out, he was, and we spent a swell afternoon eating sandwiches, getting drunk, and smoking cigars. Turns out he's bipolar and had been off his medication for awhile, but now he's bravely beating his disability instead of letting it beat him. Which is Dr. Phil speak for "taking a lot of pills," from what I can tell. But don't quote me on that.

Needless to say, I was still compelled to seek out some small token of revenge for his earlier churlishness -- one's street cred must be maintained, after all. So when O.M.W. asked to use the restroom, I instead directed him to the storm cellar and locked the door behind him. He's been down there two hours so far; three more should balance the karmic checkbook nicely.

I guess the lesson here is, not everyone who's a dick is a dick all the time, and everyone's a dick sometimes. Take it to heart, 'ku believers!

Best,


-------------------------
* If you don't get my drift, I'm saying I wanted to kill him.