Hang In There

New stuff coming. I just need to confirm my reservation at Viking Resort...
The Triple Lindy is extra?

I've Got Itchy Feet

First off let me be very clear. I don't have Athlete's Foot. There is no fungus among us. What I'm referring to is I've been in 1 place for too long.

I drove trucks cross country for years before I finally burned out on the constant travel. But, like an alcoholic, I still crave it from time to time. This is one of those times.

I've been semi-planning a trip to Belize for a couple of years, but those kind of tropical destinations are wasted without a companion to share the experience with. As has been duly noted time and again, I am severely lacking in that department. It's also not much of a first date kinda thing either.

What's a middle aged single guy to do?

So while searching the net for all-inclusive Caribbean travel deals, I stumbled across Viking Resort. YOWZA! Talk about your "all-inclusive" vacation! That's not exactly what I had in mind. I was thinking more along the lines of airfare, room, meals and drinks. They take it a (ginormous) step further.

Why don't I just cruise Craigslist and take the Ho d'jour? It would be cheaper and the number of STD's would be right on par. Itchy feet would be the least of my worries.

Who goes to a place like that? (I really, realllly don't want to think about that.)

Ripped From The Headlines

I don't often copy straight from newspapers. I prefer to astound you with my own wit and wisdom. But, this is a gem. I couldn't have said it better myself.

From The San Jose Mercury News.

In this age of out-of-control political correctness, it never ceases to amaze me how thin our skins have become. Can anyone around here take a joke anymore?

I’m referring to the latest — and utterly ridiculous — furor being made over the comments David Letterman made last week about Sarah Palin’s daughter.

Palin, of course, went ballistic. And then so too did her devoted followers. And now comes word that a Website called FireDavidLetterman.com is organizing a rally outside Letterman’s show at the Ed Sullivan theater on Tuesday. They want the acerbic host gone.

Give me a break.

Leading the torch-bearing mob is New York State Assemblyman Brian Kolb (R), who clearly has too much time on his hands. He’s a co-sponsor of the site, which features a list of major advertisers and CBS bigwigs, to whom people can complain.

“Firing Mr. Letterman would send a clear message that CBS will not tolerate any of its employees, even an established media figure like Mr. Letterman, making demeaning and degrading comments about women,” Kolb wrote in a letter to CBS chief Les Moonves.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Letterman, and as a parent, I agree with detractors who believe his remarks were rather tasteless. They did not make me laugh. I also side with EW.com critic Ken Tucker, who says Letterman (who has already apologized) needs to “clam up” and move on.

But so does everyone else. Letterman, after all, was JOKING. And he was joking in a late-night monologue — a venue where barbs and gags often get a little edgy and occasionally dip below the belt. Can we all just lighten up a bit?

Granted, the chances that Letterman will be fired are probably pretty slim. Still, it should bother us all that a small group of overly agitated, politically-minded people can stir up this much of a ruckus over a couple of lines in a monologue.

Somewhere in all of this, I sense there’s another joke — and it is on us.

If I Wanted To Live In Houston...

I'd move to Houston!

According to my PDA the temperature was 90 @ 9pm. The humidity level was something resembling a John Goodman on a treadmill.

I'm just sayin'...

PJTP Vol.6

• Oh my aching back! It's been killing me off and on for the last 2 weeks. (Damn you, D.B. Norton Troopers!)


• I always wonder if people will get the obscure film references I throw out. Dennis Miller referred to himself as the king of the obscure reference. I must be the crowned prince.


• I think Weeds may have jumped the shark this season. Mary-Louise Parker is still hot, but the storyline is degrading muy rapido.


• Will Ferrell's new movie "Land of the Lost" tanked at the box office. His comedy is just like Ricky Bobby. If it ain't first, it's last.


• The storm blew down a couple trees in my yard the other day. Oddly, they fell into the wind, not away from it. I should call Mythbusters.


• I know a woman that works 2 jobs and rarely has a day off, her husband does not work, treats her like crap and spends money like crazy. I don't get it.


• The power cable for my new video card finally arrived. The Radeon HD 4770 kicks serious ass.


• I saw a report where debit card sales have finally surpassed credit card sales. Really? I would have thought that happened a long time ago.


• I thought Stephen Colbert's week of shows from Baghdad was great. I loved his homage to Bob Hope. Some people were upset that Obama did a video cameo. They had no complaints about Bush Sr, Clinton or Bush Jr (and a buttload of other politicians) doing the same thing later in the week. I think they failed (or didn't want) to understand it was for the USO and not pandering for political support.


• I heard a commercial for condos bragging they were within walking distance of Cowboys Stadium and The Ballpark in Arlington. I think living there would get real old, real fast.


• The Best of Wise ballots are in The Messenger this week. I'm starting a campaign at work to get my boss voted "Best Boss". He deserves it.


• I'll cook up something for a regular post soon.

TMS IRL Weekend '09: The Quest For Danica

Previously, on The South 40...



I let it slip that I had a hot date with a certain Cute Little Racegirl, Danica Patrick. Yes, she's married but I am a man of questionable morals. The fact that Danica has not returned any of my voicemail, letters, emails or FedEx messages is understandable. She's has to maintain appearances and keep it on the downlow or hubby might find out about our forbidden romance.

When I get to TMS I discretely slip away and prepare for our clandestine tryst. I searched thru the crowd, but no luck. I tried to check the Speedway Club but my name was not on the guest list. I guess you were so busy before the race you didn't have a chance to get my name submitted in time.


So, I went looking thru the crowd...

You're not Danica!

She must be waiting inside...

I kept searching...

You're not Danica!!!

I was beginning to become depressed. I was starting to think that we may miss each other when suddenly a black SUV came barrelling thru the crowd surrounded by a Halo flight of FWPD and D.B. Norton Troopers. I knew it must be you trying to reach me. I began to fight my way thru the crowd so we could hook up before you had to hit the track. I wanted to wish you luck if you know what I mean and I think you do.

The SUV came screeching to a stop just 15-20 yards away. I almost had your attention. I was calling your name pushing towards you, but suddenly I was on the ground and the security would'nt stop clubbing my kidneys with their nightsticks long enough for me to catch my breath.

I'm sure it was just some mixup with paperwork. These things happen and I forgive you. I'm sure we will get together after the race and celebrate in Victory Lane.

Here I am!!! Good luck!!!

The race was flat out and full throttle. She ran a good race but her car was not the fastest on the track. It didn't help that her "Teammate" Marco Andretti kept pressuring her for position then bad mouthed her after the race for running hard.

She had a few fiery words for him on the radio. I like a woman with spunk.

Sadly, Marco got passed her and took away a Top 5 finish.

I tried to reach you so I could console you after suffering such a difficult finish, but the D. B. Norton Troopers spotted me and I barely escaped with my life was politely asked to leave before they ruptured my jejunum.


Fret not my love, I will not let this minor misunderstanding get in the way of our true destiny. I'm sure the internal injuries will be completely healed in time for next year's race.



Until then...

What Do You Call A Nurse With A Bad Back? Greatness!

I've never been a fan of Edie Falco. Wait, let me correct that. I've never been a fan of the characters Edie Falco plays. Carmella Soprano irritated the heck out of me and pretty much typecast her in my book.

I need to get a new book because I was completely wrong.

The much hyped new Showtime original series Nurse Jackie premiers this Sunday night. But if you are a DirecTv customer you got a sneak preview this week on The101. I was stunned after watching. It was smart, it was funny and because it's on Showtime it pulls no punches.

Without giving any spoilers, Nurse Jackie jumps right onto the ragged edge with the very first episode. It is dark, very dark humor that I haven't seen since Six Feet Under. But where SFU was subtle and low keyed, Nurse Jackie is up front and in your face.

This show is very, very good. It's the best new show I've seen in years. If the writing holds up Jackie Peyton will make Carmella Soprano an afterthought when describing Edie Falco's career.

Sunday Monday nights on Showtime. DVR worthy.

I Finally Have a Date!

OK, so being one of 150,000 people that have tickets to the race may not technically be a date in your book, but I'm not letting that stand in the way of a good fantasy.

Run Fatboy Run!

Man, what a week. I threw my back out Thursday. You know how it is when your a World Class lover, you have to maintain top physical conditioning or these things can happen when you perform the forbidden Bangkok Spleen Bender maneuver.

OK, there's zero chance of blaming it on that. Sadly, this was just a case of waking up and not being able to move. WTF? It just made the rest of the week that much tougher to get thru. But by God I made it! Now I have a relatively easy week ahead.

2 off, 2 on, 4 off! I also have 2 days of racing thrown in there. The NASCAR Truck Series comes to TMS on Friday and IRL on Saturday. I've never seen an IRL race so this could be interesting.

So right now I'm just kicking back enjoying a few cervezas with a muscle relaxer chaser and wondering how the rest of the WC is enjoying their Monday at work.

Calgon, Take Me Away!!!

As previously mentioned on The South 40, I have some issues with the one and only game I play, Aces High. My faithfull old Dell died last year and I decided to replace it with a gaming computer just so I could play AH better than I could with the old generic Dell.

Fate is a fickle beast.

I bought an iBuypower 501 Gamer from Newegg with twice the power, RAM and video than I had before. It wouldn't run the game. It made me warp (jump from position to position) and had the other players accusing me of trying to cheat. The latter really pissed me off because I had just dropped a considerable amount of money to upgrade what was a system that ran the sim just fine.

After several months of working with the game's Tech Support and chasing software and configuration dead ends I finally decided to throw even more money at the problem and upgraded my system's memory and video. Mind you they were already a huge upgrade from my original system that ran the game smoothly to begin with.

Anyhoo, I buy $100 worth of new RAM and a new $120 video card ( + shipping)from a major online retailer that I've done lots of business with before. Other retailers has the card I wanted (Radeon 4770) for much less, but they were out of stock. This retailer had them in stock, but for $30 more than all their competetion. Probably the reason they had them in stock. So I bite the bullett and order the card. I even pony up the extra bucks for overnight delivery. I made the order last Thursday at 11am. It arrived Tuesday at 3pm.

Overnight my ass!

To add insult to injury, after installing the new video card, it will not work without an external power cable. A little fact left out of all the online documentation and the installation manual in the box. The cable does not come with the card, I learned after spending 2 hours on hold with their technical support.

Good news is they are sending me the required cable free of charge. Bad news is it will take 8 - 10 business days. Now they didn't say if it was 8-10 days shipping or 8-10 days to fill the order then ship.

When it absolutely, positively, has to be there overnight.

Meanwhile, while waiting for all this stuff to arrive after I've ordered it, I finally find a tweaked driver for my original card that gets the game to run almost as smooth as it did with my old system.

That's $250 that could have been spent on whiskey, women or other vices. Guess that's why I stay out of trouble these days.

Memorial Day

Happy Birthday Little Sister

I have the Alvord Fire Department on standby for when they light the candles!

I Can Fix That in 30 Minutes 1 Hour 4 & 1/2 Hours!

I'm sort of know of as the "go to guy" when something's broken at work. Hey, I grew up on a farm. You learn how to fix stuff because you have to!

So, tonight one of my employee's pickup broke down. The power steering pump on his '99 Dodge Ram broke. It was literally in 2 pieces. The drive shaft came loose and and the truck was not drivable. He was debating calling a wrecker or just driving it as is. He's a sweet old man and he has some challenges. I felt I had to help him out.

"I can fix that for you no problem. Take me about half an hour."

Yeah, riiiiight...

Normally, it would have been a 30 minute job. The definition of "normally" is in a proper shop with all the proper tools. I was in a parking lot with a half assed tool kit and trying to run a store.

Removing proper facilities changes the time ratio by + 47% . Removing proper tools, add 63% difficulty. Doing this while trying to work, all these factors increase exponentially.

Actually, most everything came apart very easily. (It usually does.) Putting it back together, completely different story. The real sticking point was removing the pulley from the old driveshaft and putting it on the new pump. Autozone apparently does not carry pulley pullers. They do have gear pullers, but those are NOT designed to remove a power steering pulley. I don't care how much you sweat and cuss. It ain't happening. Capice?

So I go to my emergency backup in these situations, Brotherinlaw. He has a massive set of tools and is a good mechanic. But, he's also 30 minutes away from Bridgeport. I make the call, he tells me not to worry, he's working in the garden with Littlesister but will be on the way with the tool I need, asap.

I tell my employee everything's under control, it will just take a little more time than I expected. His wife is calling him every 10 minutes wanting to know when he will be home. 30 minutes goes by and no Brotherinlaw. I reassure my employee, sometimes things take time. Just be patient.

An hour goes by and still no Brotherinlaw. My employee's wife is now calling him every 5 minutes wanting to know how much longer. I can't give him a time, but it won't be long as soon as I get the tool.

Finally, Brotherinlaw arrives with the tool. One small problem. The tool has SAE threads and the pumpshaft has Metric. Tool no worky.

Uh, How much longer is it going to be?

Luckily, Brotherinlaw has a vast network of mechanics on standby... OK, we got lucky and he knew a guy in town. Fortunately he did have the proper shop and tools needed to remove the pulley and reinstall it on the new pump. Now all I had to do was install the pump. In a dark parking lot. With my halfassed tool set.

Aaah, good times! Tell her 30 minutes!

It only took a total of 4 & 1/2 hours, a few busted knuckles, 3 trips to Autozone and help from Brotherinlaw and Randy, but I got him safely back on the road and saved him a buttload of money to boot.

Many thanks to Brotherinlaw (again), Randy (BIL's friend) and everyone that pitched in.

Now if you'll pardon me I have directed my attention towards a several well deserved cold beers.

PJTP Vol.5

• My yard went from dead to jungle virtually overnight.
• I haven't been to CiCi's in Decatur. I'm still trying to repress the memory of the last one I went to in Grande Prarie. Worst, pizza, ever.
• I met another faithful reader last week. That's always awkward. They're telling me they like my writing and all I can think is Mrs. Read would give me about a C+ and tell me I'm not applying myself.
• I don't apply myself.
• 2 weeks until racing returns to TMS. I've never seen an Indy Car race before. I'm more hyped about the NASCAR Truck race.
• I've got a head cold but I tell everyone it's the Swine Flu. A couple people freaked out until I told them I was kidding. They were not laughing.
• I bought a brand new computer designed for gaming 6 months ago and I already need to upgrade my video card and RAM to play Aces High. I have all kinds of issues with that game, but I'm badly addicted to it.
• The new Sam Raimi movie "Drag Me to Hell" looks scary as all get out. He is a great director.
• American Idol picked a winner last night and there is quite a bit of controversy. I could care less.

Why I'm Single

Text: I Heard what you said. Don't understand. Guess I should have expected it, but didn't.

Me: What the **** are you talking about?

Text: [No reply for the last 2 days.]

Ya know, you'd think I would have a clue as to how the fairer sex operates after all this time. But, I don't.

I need some clues like what did I say? Who did I say it to? What was the context? Who told you what?

I got out of High School over 29 years ago. You'd think this kinda stuff would have stopped by now.

Oops, Craig Did It Again!

You gotta love YouTube. This was up within 10 minutes of airing.

Once again proving he's the most talented host since Carson.

The Highlander of Drum Battles

Somebody once said they never posted videos on here. I have no idea who that was. (cough)

Stumbled upon a discussion at Flamewarriors about drummers. I don't think you will ever beat this matchup.

There can only be one...

Icky Twerp

The greatness that was Icky Twerp and Slam Bang Theater.

I'm Not a Pilot, But I Play One In a Video Game

This post isn't going where you thought it was, so the fasten seatbelt sign has been lit. Brace yourself for some harsh facts. It's going to be a bumpy flight.

As the title says, I'm not a pilot. But, I do hang out with a group of pilots thru a World War II fighter sim. The message boards these pilots hang out on really let you get to know the flight community, older professional pilots with military experience and the new wannabes or "squeakers" with only civilian experience working their way up thru the ranks. After hanging out with these guys for 10 years I've learned a few things.

The general impression the public has of a commercial airline pilot is the ad agency profile shot of the smiling professional in their freshly pressed uniform and a twinkle in their eye. They think pilots ride the gravy train with biscuit wheels working a few hours a month and living a luxurious lifestyle.

The truth is like an alternate universe. Many commercial passenger pilots actually earn less than your average rock hauler (to put it into a Wise County format). Unless you are a senior pilot with a major airline, the wages, benefits and working conditions are less than that of an entry level OTR truck driver or bus driver. But driving an 18-wheeler, driving a Greyhound and being PIC are very different things.

The job market is flooded with pilots.

That leads to what happened to Rebecca Shaw — who co-piloted Continental Flight 3407, which crashed in February near Buffalo, N.Y., killing 50 people. As Co-Pilot she earned an annual salary of just $16,200 at regional carrier Colgan Air.

The co-pilot in an airline crash that killed 50 people in upstate New York was paid a salary so low that she lived with her parents near Seattle and commuted across the country to her job, a combination of long travel and little money that a safety official called a "recipe for an accident."

Shaw, 24, had worked for Colgan Air of Manassas, Va., which operated the flight for Continental, for 13 months, flying 774 hours in her first year. Colgan pays its beginning first officers $21 an hour, which means she would have earned $16,254 that year, although she could have earned more if she worked more hours, said Roger Cox, an NTSB aviation safety expert.

In questioning Colgan officials, Cox suggested that Shaw was commuting from her home near Seattle because she couldn't afford to live in the New York metropolitan area on her salary. She had a second job in a coffee shop when first hired.

Colgan spokesman Joe Williams initially declined to disclose Shaw's salary, but he said the airline's starting first officers typically earn around $24,000. Late Wednesday he said Shaw's salary was $23,900.

The night before the accident, Shaw flew overnight as a passenger from Seattle, changing planes in Memphis, to report to work at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. She also complained about congestion and may have been suffering from a cold.

Renslow, 47, commuted to Newark from his home near Tampa, Fla. It is unclear where Renslow, who was in the middle of a two-day assignment, slept the night before the trip, but he logged into a computer from Colgan's crew room in Newark at 3 a.m. on the day of the flight, according to NTSB documents.

Daniel Morgan, Colgan's vice president for flight safety, said the airline industry has a long history of flight crews commuting long distances to report for work.

Morgan said it is appropriate that the airline sometimes schedule pilots to be on duty up to 16 hours at a stretch with a maximum of eight hours of flight time.

"It's not an ideal way to work, but neither is working overnight in the post office," Morgan said.

Paul Rice, vice president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said airlines — especially regional airlines, where salaries for less senior pilots are lower — have "defaulted to a position that pilots will commute."

"People can't go live in these major cities, or even in the suburbs of these major cities, at $16,000 to $17,000 a year," Rice said.

This is not an isolated incident. There are thousands of low hour, overworked, underpaid pilots out there looking for that shot at the big leagues and big money. In the meantime they slave away as your life is in their hands and we are letters going thru the post office at 3am.

Pardon me while I climb on my soapbox for a moment.

I don't really have a problem with income tax. I don't like paying it, but at least I'm not alone in the boat. Everybody has to row. Some row harder than others but there are few free riders.

Property taxes are something completely different. Only property owners pay based on the appraised value. Those that rent or lease pay nothing. You could argue that the cost of the tax gets passed along to the renter, but it's not really the same. You don't like the rent, you move. You don't like the tax, you must sell the property. And good luck getting the appraised value.

Appraisal statements are arriving this month from the Wise County Appraisal District. These fine folks are a quazi governmental entity that works as a collection agency for local school districts. I call them quazi governmental because they are not held accountable to the voters. This is not the Wise County Tax Collector who you can vote out of office. The WCAD is like the Supreme Court.

Each school district used to collect their own taxes. WCAD now collects for all districts in the county, they also set the appraised value.

I've never agreed with their opinion of that value. The amount they value minerals is far above the amount you receive. They get around that by saying they tax amount in reserve (in the ground) not the amount that gets pumped out. Odd the amount valued never decreases equal to the amount pumped out. Good luck getting that changed without a battery of lawyers and accountants. I also have to pay income tax on the amount pumped. They literally have me by both ends.

Real property is much the same. They set a value according to their opinion, not market value. You do have a better chance at getting that changed, but it's not a simple or convenient thing. There is no Easy Button. You must gather evidence supporting your estimate of the value, appeal the WCAD board and hope they rule in your favor. Back to that Supreme Court thing again.

Last week I got my appraisal notice. Guess what? The South 40 has gone up in value about 10%. Meanwhile the real estate market has dropped about 14%. Mineral values also went up while revenue has fallen dramatically.

You do the math.

Bring it on down to Plasticville!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/72447/saturday-night-live-surgery-center

If you asked me a year ago who my favorite SNL host was, I probably would have said Steve Martin, Buck Henry or Alec Baldwin. Now, without a doubt it's Justin Timberlake.

WHAT?!?

Yeah, I'm having a hard time with it myself. I'm not a JT fanboi by any strech of the imagination. I can only name 1 song he sings and it's "Dick in a Box" from SNL. But I have to admit he has talent as an actor.

Whenever Justin is on SNL, things just seem to come together. The writing is better, the skits are funnier and you actually laugh out loud instead of wondering why SNL is still on the air. Whether it's a cameo or hosting they bring the funny when Justin's around.

The writer's have managed to put together a running skit with Justin as a singing shill in a costume. It's greatness.

Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts: $2.99. 500-pack of Q-Tips Cotton Swabs: $3.99. Gunfire on the streets of Azle: Priceless!

A simple shoplifting of life's basic necessities goes terribly wrong.

This is not the first time something like this has happened in Azle. In 1999 a liquor store owner ALLEGEDLY opened fire on a hispanic male as he dove into the back of a Chevy pickup with a Liter of Jose Cuervo and a suitcase of Coors Light.

I He had no further shoplifters.

Hard Times

Batman Garage Sale with Adam West from Adam West

I heard this on 95.9 The Ranch morning show. It's from Will Ferrell's website Funny or DIE.

I immediately labeled this Classic.

Footnote: Anytime you add "or DIE" to the title of something, you are setting the bar pretty freakin' high.

PJTP Vol.4

Not much on random thoughts posts, but here we go...

The weather lately reminds me of my time in Seattle in the late '70's.

Seattle is a depressing city.

Went fishing last night with Littlesister and Brotherinlaw. The lake was as smooth and calm as I have ever seen it.

Fishfinders will see a sunken boat on the bottom of the lake. They will not see a sunken fishing pole.
(You had to be there.)

I love my Motorola Q 9-h. It is an awesome pda.

I bought a new Bissell bagless vacuum cleaner last week. I never realised how much my old Dirt Devil sucked (or failed to).

The new Star Trek movie looks very good. I may actually go see it in a theater. The last movie I saw in a theater was Charlie Wilson's War.

Things sound very bad for Farrah Fawcett. She was the first pinup poster I had in my room.

EDIT: The big bang was a sonic boom from a Lockheed F-16 on a test run. Startlegram story.

A Musical Interlude

It's a Texas thing. You wouldn't understand.

Or maybe you do!

50 lashes upon me for missing Bob Wills Day yet again. I hang my head in shame, it's been far too long since I last attended. I was at the very first and met Bob Wills himself. I have the faded Polaroids to prove it!

Everyone needs to go to Turkey, Texas and experience Bob Wills Day at least once. It's a pilgrimage for us South 40 types.

It's grown from a small gathering of diehard fans into a giant festival full of music, parades, camping, music, dancing, food, carnivals, museums and more music. Great fun for the whole family in Bob's tiny West Texas hometown. Last weekend in April annually.

To Tweet Or Not To Tweet, That Is The Question

This burning question has been on my mind. I got a request to sign up a few days ago from a faithful reader. I had to assess the necessity of updating the daily happenings of my life, so I played it out in my mind.

It went a little something like this...

10:00am- Just woke up. Searching for a Dr. Pepper

11:15am- I understand why LasVegas got cancelled. I can't understand why TNT keeps rerunning it.

1:00pm- Getting ready for work.

2:00pm- Clocking in.

3:30pm- Work, work, work.

7:00pm- Lunch

7:30pm- Back to work!

10:30pm-Time to go home. YAY!!

11:00pm- Multi-tasking. Cold beer, internet AND DirecTv.

12:30am- Suppertime. Microwave, work your magic!

3:00am- Say good night, Gracie.

Now imagine that repeated 5 days a week and pretty much the same thing sans work, work, work repeated over and over for the other 2. After taking all this into careful consideration, I just really can't see the purpose or need for me to broadcast my movements for all the world to follow.

Do you really want to be bored to death? If that's the case you'd be better off using Hypnotoad.

Hang on Baby Jesus!

I must be psychic.

The end of yesterday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega was straight out of the Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Talladega!!!

Time to Shake and Bake!

Identify The Following

1. Galaxy 500
2. Quisp
3. Tab
4. Sinclair
5. Braniff
6. Oxydol
7. Hamm's
8. Reddy Kilowatt
9. Caprice
10.TRS-80

1-2 correct = 2pts
3-4 correct = 5pts
5-7 correct = 10pts
8-9 correct = 15pts
10 correct = You need to take your Geritol.

There Is No Joy In Mudville

Mighty Casey has struck out.

I got a call today from Rep. Phil King's Chief of Staff, Mattie Parker. She had some very bad news. HB4495 will NOT be getting a hearing in the House Transportation Committee. For all the bluster Gov. Rick Perry has been touting for Texas' state's rights and secession from the Federal government, it seems TXDOT is not like minded. They are submissive to federal regulations.

TXDOT is vehemently opposed to allowing minitrucks on Texas roads. The reasons they gave me were the same ones I've heard over and over again. Pollution, crash safety and VIN number length. All of which make absolutely no sense and Mattie said so. Smartcars, Gators, Mules, Rhinos, golf carts, ect all are smaller and can be legally street driven in Texas and most are much less safer than minitrucks. Minitrucks are very environmentally friendly with tiny engines under 700cc and have catalytic converters, fuel injection, superchargers and many more enviromentally friendly, fuel efficient and safety features. Their emissions, fuel consumption and carbon footprint are a drop in the bucket compared to a 1/2 ton truck.

Do they belong on I-35? No. Are they safe to drive on rural Texas highways? Yes. But until TXDOT signs off on KEI class vehicles (and that ain't happening until the Feds do), Phil King won't be pursuing this any further. He can't be a martyr for a lost cause and I can't blame him. She suggested I contact US Rep. Kay Grainger and get it fixed at the Federal level.

Repeat after me... "a snowball's chance in hell!"

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement, but I understand. There's no money behind it. I'm just a lowly American consumer wanting to exercise my personal freedom. Not a dealer, wholesaler, importer or broker trying to make a buck. I'm not making a nickle off this and can't fund the nessesary paperwork or R&D out of my pocket to do so. I had a good year last year, but it wasn't THAT good. The manufacturers don't want to spend the money to get KEI class vehicles certified in the US. Why should they? They already have the market cornered here with larger, more expensive vehicles that they make a bigger profit margin from. They sell as many KEI class as they can make in Japan and have a built in market for more.

In Japan KEI class vehicles must meet rigid emission standards that make California's look like a pollution soup secret family recipe. Each year vehicles must be reinspected (just like our inspection stickers). But, the older the vehicle the more expensive the inspection. After 5 years or so, it is cheaper to buy a new vehicle than get them reinspected. Guess what they do with those 5 year old vehicles? Yup, they sell them overseas.

Which brings us to where we are today.

I do want to thank everyone that took the time to call Austin and make your voice heard. Your calls were not in vain. There was a flood of supporters in the last few days. We got enough people to respond that they pushed HB4495 as far as they could, but TXDOT refused to sign off on it. Without TXDOT, it was doomed. If gas was still $4.50 a gallon we might have had a chance. It's not over, but I feel like Kevin Spacey in "Recount" after the Supreme Court decision.

Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

If I had the time and money I would pursue this at the Federal level. But, there are much bigger fish to fry there. I'm afraid minitrucks isn't one of them, even in my own personal agenda. Let's get that spending and war thingy under control first.

The worst thing about this? Those freakin' Okies are one up on Texas!

#*@%!!!

Not Too Proud To Beg

I need your help. HB4495 is stuck in committee and time is running out. Please take a few minutes out of your busy day and make a couple phone calls. Let Austin know you support HB4495.

You scratch my back and I'll... uh... well, I'll be really grateful.

But, I digress. There is no sensible reason for for these vehicles not to be street legal when ATV's are. Visit our sister blog Texans For Minitrucks for more background on KEI class minitrucks and their street legal status in other states, including Oklahoma. OKLAHOMA!!!

You're not gonna let a bunch of Okies be one up on Texas are you???

Get a rope...

Better yet, make some calls!

Rep. Phil King- (512) 463-0738

House Transportation Committee- (512) 463-0818

Chairman Rep Joe Pickett- (512) 463-0596

Vice Chairman Rep. Larry Phillips- (512) 463-0297

Other Transportation Committee members.

Guilty As Charged

I loves me some enchiladas at Casillas' in Bridgeport.

That's good eatin'!

(WARNING: May be habit forming!)

The Old Man and The Blog

Wow, I tell one sappy little vacation story and the joint starts jumpin'!

It's like my Daddy always said, "Even a blind sow finds an acorn now and then." I wonder why he was always saying that around me?

Big thanks to Barry for the shout out. I got the Liberally Lean version of "The Colbert Bump". The unofficial hit count was over 450 new readers.

Thanks for stopping by. Sit a spell, take your shoes off.

Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

Those Were The Days

Has it been 10 years?

It was a long flight. The jerk in front of me reclining in full didn't help. Neither did the fact our seats were split by the aisle. That's what you get when you book last minute. I'm still not sure if the Captain was joking when he said there was no radar at the airport, but I can appreciate his sense of humor. Everyone was looking out the window for other aircraft waiting to plow into us on approach.

But the second we stepped out of the plane the warm air hit me in the face and I heard the tropical music, I knew we were in paradise.

Jamaica is a tropical wonderland. Yeah, we were in full tourista mode. Packed into a minivan complete with the driver selling beer and shady locals with offers of ganja. And we haven't even left the airport!

The ride around the island is an adventure all it's own. Unfamiliar surroundings, confusing signs, narrow roads and death wish drivers.

Hand me another beer, will ya?

Passengers disembark at resort after resort along the way, each looking shnazzier than the last before we finally reach ours... Sandals, Ocho Rios. We checked into our Penthouse and are greeted by our concierges, Carlos and Amanda. Our wish is their command and they do their job very well.

We met that couple from Pennsylvania on the floor below us after hanging off the balcony. They were a hoot. I wonder if anybody has ever been thrown out of that restaurant before we were that night? I really liked them.

Then there was the hidden pool you found at 2am. That's a night I will never forget.

I enjoyed the guided sightseeing and shopping trips. But the trip with the private driver was the best. I still wear the gold chain you bought me bought that day. I wish we had gone back to The Little Pub that night. I think it would have been a blast, but our driver strongly advised against it. I really liked the cuban cigars and local rum they served.

Days on the beach, nights on the dancefloor. Full spa service and swim-up bar in between.

It ended all too soon.

The ride back was even more death defying, but you slept thru every bit of it. The flight home was quiet. A complete 180 from the previous flight in more ways than one. Everyone was contemplating the reality that lie ahead and the paradise left behind in our jetwash.

It's too bad things didn't work out between us because that was the perfect week.

Oh the pain, the pain!

Sorry for the lapse in content. I've been thru a traumatic experience. I just sent in a very large check to the IRS to cover last years taxes.

2008 was a good year for The South 40 and I knew this was coming, but that didn't lessen the sting when it came time to sign the check. Things are starting to improve. I've managed to stop the random bouts of crying. I've quit waking up in the fetal position drenched in sweat and I only had 2 nightmares last night.

Unfortunately, I still have that nervous eye twitch...

Elizabeth Warren

I'm normally not much for posting video on here simply because I'm on dialup and I don't watch too many of them because of the time involved. But I'm going to make a big exception here.

For a self professed snake oil salesman, Jon Stewart does some really great interviews. He interviewed Elizabeth Warren the other night and it was no exception. She is the chairman of the TARP committee and you need to hear what she has to say. We need more people like her in Washington.

A lot more!

PJTP Vol.3

I got some stuff comin'...

Just wanted you to know we're still alive.

Great Balls of Fire!

What the hell is going on? 3 times in the last 18 months The South 40 has been threatened or actually burned by a wildfire. January 30, 2008 I almost lost the place.

Thank God for the Chico VFD. My house was actually on fire last year when they arrived and they still managed to save it!

Now everytime I step outside when it's windy I'm always sniffing for smoke. I was outside Thursday morning when the wind was whipping and thought I smelled smoke. When I went to work I saw Chico VFD fighting a grassfire south of me, but it looked like they had it under control.

Later that day all hell broke loose and 100's of fires broke out across Texas and Oklahoma. Montague County, Texas (just north of The South 40) was hard hit. Over 38,000 acres were burned. The town of Stoneburg has been wiped off the map. 1/2 of Sunset has been burned and at least 3 people are dead in Montague County, including former WFAA & ABC reporter Matt Quinn and his wife Cathy.

And be warned. Don't piss off Paul Cunningham.

Child Porn?

OK, I just set off every government net scanner and am possibly on an FBI watchlist now because of the title. But stay with me, I've got a point and I'm not a perv.

18 year old Jimmy gets a text from his 17 year old girlfriend Jane. Jane sends Jimmy a "sext" with a few pics of her naughty bits.

Ah, hormones...

Flash forward. Jimmy's mom June is cleaning Jimmy's room and "accidentally" trips over his phone that pops open and she finds Jane's private messages to Jimmy. ALL of them. June recoils in horror and dials 911.

Her son is a child pornographer!

Jimmy and Jane are both cuffed and stuffed by 2 SWAT teams and are forever tagged as registered sex offenders.

What in the hell is wrong with this country?

http://www.gazette.com/articles/child_51558___article.html/law_case.html
http://www.gazette.com/articles/children_51546___article.html/office_case.html
http://www.wlwt.com/news/19120685/detail.html

How many of us can say we NEVER saw an underage member of the opposite sex? There are a few hot sweaty nights in a '68 Ford pickup I could tell you about, but I don't want to escalate my threat level.

Point being, technology has advanced past Poloroids (which under current law would also be illegal) and little notes passed in the hall on the way to class. But, is a consensual private message with sexual content between two young people really child pornography, regardless of the media used? Is anyone being exploited?

Had actual sexual contact occurred no law would have been broken. But a picture or message are completely different.

Are prosecution and lifelong tracking really appropriate?

You like me! You really, really like me!

Google Analytics

Comparing to: Apr 7, 2007 - Apr 6, 2008

The South 40

Visits % Change: +10,905.33%

I feel like Sally Field at the Oscars...

Thanks ya'll!!

TMS Roundup

I gave my Minitruck a workout last weekend!

I put nearly 50 miles on it cruising the campgrounds and making friends along the way. Many beads were given away on Friday and Saturday nights. Did you know a minitruck makes an excellent impromptu stage? I also got the message out about Texans For Minitrucks and HB4495.

I did have some competetion from the COT...

"The Cart Of Tomorrow"

Back to the Real World

OK, lots to blog about but I have a minor emergency on my hands. Seems my water heater decided to start leaking today.

Off to Lowes!

Live From TMS

Live via PDA. My Motorola Q is multitasking well. Phone, internet, and most importantly camera.

Friday night was quite an exerience. I've never been to Mardi Gras, but this had to come close. There were many free spirits.

Met some really nice people camping here.

The Nationwide race was one of the fastest ever run at TMS. Unfortunately it was another edition of The Kyle Busch Show.

There were 3 different bands playing in Finish Line Campgrounds tonight. 2 of them were very good and drew quite a crowd.

T Minus 36 Hours and Counting

Time to go over preflight checklist.

Margarita machine... check.
Tequila...check.

Checklist complete!

Movie Of The Week: The Promotion

OK, I've been wrapped up in my minitruck dealings way too hard and falling behind in the film review department. Time to make amends.

I can identify all too well with this film.

The Promotion is the story of two men working for a Chicago Grocery chain. Both battling for the same job as Manager of the company's new store and a chance to shine in the corporate spotlight. Just how far will they go to get that job?

The cast is excellent. The Oscar-nominated John C. Reilly (Chicago, Boogie Nights, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) and Seann William Scott (American Pie, The Rundown, Mr. Woodcock, Southland Tales) fill the roles perfectly as imperfect men struggling to keep life together at work and at home. Jenna Fischer and Lili Taylor play their loving wives.

It's a sweet yet dark story that's very well written. It's also a very funny film on many levels. The characters in the background really bring out the best in this film. It's very reminiscent of Office Space.

Seann William Scott continues to impress me with his performances. He has come so far from his American Pie days and is turning into a very well rounded and talented actor. John C. Reilly continues to add to his impressive body of work. They fit together very well in this film.

Available on DVD and currently showing on Cinemax. DVR to maximum stun setting for The Promotion.

Rumor Mill

I hear faint rumors that Alvord may soon have a grocery store once again! There is a very strong possibility that the old Pantry will reopen in the not too distant future.

It's not a done deal, but the old Magic 8 Ball says...

New Blog!

I decided rather than flood this blog and give you Minitruck tired head, I would create a new blog dedicated to the passage of HB4495.

Texans For Minitrucks

Oh, don't worry. If there's any big news I'll be sure to post it here as well.

Now get off your fat asses Please take a few moments out of your busy day and contact the House Committee on Transportation and tell them you support HB4495.

I'd really appreciate your help!

1 Down, 6 To Go...

HB4495 was read on the House floor today and referred to the House Transportation Committee! Step 1 of 7 is complete.

Now, it's time to start working the phones and email of the committee members. I really need everyone's support with this. Please take the time to call or email the Transportation Committee members and voice your support of HB4495.

Certified A-OK!

Just got back from the cardiologist's office and things went great! Blood pressure was fine, cholesterol was good and I lost 5 pounds! He even threw me a curve ball and made me take a stress test. Passed it with flying colors.

Now I'm good to go for a whole year. Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy and everything but I won't be upset about not seeing him for a while.

I Finally Got A Piece Of The Pie!

The only reason I am posting this is because I had several concerned employees come to me today with their paychecks. Something was wrong. They had more money than they used to. We screwed up and didn't take out enough taxes!

Au contraire! Welcome to Obama's Economic Stimulus! Your taxes just went down. On average everyone at work gained about $20. That's an extra $20 a week in your pocket, spend it however you want.

Granted it's not a Million Dollar bonus like the a-holes at AIG got, but it's hard earned money in your pocket none the less.

I also reminded them that people making a whole lot more money than they do lost their tax break and had their taxes go back up. They didn't seem to mind.

Added To My Bucket List

I have always envied and admired surfers. I watched a documentary on Big Wave Surfers a couple nights ago called Riding Giants. It followed the sport from it's early days to present. That really lit a candle under my ever expanding ass.

Mark my words someday I WILL catch a big wave. It will probably be the cause of said bucket but by God, I AM going to do this!

T-Minus 15 Days...

Just got back from Littlesister's and have my camping pass in hand! Brother InLaw and I mapped out what goes where on the campsite and put a checklist together. This year should be fan-freakin'-tastic!

We are going to be in a new spot this year at Finish Line Campgrounds. Should be a lot less dusty if it stays dry and much drier if it rains. Win/Win.

We also put pencil to paper and figured out just how much they gross converting an old hayfield into a campground. What we figured out was we are in the wrong business!

I just need somebody to build a NASCAR track across the street from me. Win/Win.

Say Adios to Bridgeport IGA

Just yesterday I posted at Silicone Alley's that I thought Bridgeport was the next store to get remodelled and rebranded. So today I pull in the parking lot and TA-DA! Scaffolding is being erected.

I should have told her I was about to get a huge raise...

Anyway, Bridgeport's IGA is now renamed Foodliner MarketPlace. Not sure how long they will hang onto the Foodliner bit, either.

No, they didn't sell the store. Quite the opposite. We have purchased several stores over the last couple of years in Chico, Nocona, Gainesville and Denton. The Gainesville store was already called MarketPlace. That's where the name came from. During the purchases we switched primary warehouses and are no longer an IGA. Now we are an Affilliated store. We still buy some things from our old primary supplier, but you won't find any more "Parade" items. You'll find "SureFine" on the shelves now.

Before it's all said and done all our IGA's will be renamed MarketPlace. Same people, new name.

Expect the entrance to be fubar for about a week.

I Am A Political Power Broker!

As some of you may know I own a Japanese KEI Class Truck (minitruck). It's a '99 Suzuki Carry 4x4. The thing is a blast to drive and never fails to turn heads. Maybe it's the right hand drive or maybe it's the stunningly handsome man behind the wheel. I prefer to think it's the latter.

Anyway, as fun as these are to drive they aren't exactly street legal in Texas. That may be about to change thanks to yours truly and State Rep. Phil King. Thru my one man campaign I convinced Rep. King to introduce HB4495 in the Texas Legislature!

HB4495 will make these KEI Class vehicles street legal (excluding Interstates) and give us a 55MHP speed limit. Currently I am able to drive it on the highway under farm use provisions, like a John Deere Gator or Kawasaki Mule. But, I have to display a SMV sign and a flag on an 8ft pole. I'm also restricted to a 25 mile radius from home. HB4495 will change all that!

Heheh.... I'm giddy!

The Chris Isaak Hour

Ya can't help but love Chris Isaak. He's so retro and hip at the same time. I'm definitely an Isaakophile.

I really liked "The Chris Isaak Show" on Showtime. It's a shame it was cancelled. Bright, talented, family friendly humor is hard to find. Chris always turns out a classy product along with a first rate musical performance.

Such is the case with his latest project, The Chris Isaak Hour on A&E The Bio Channel. He uses his cred in the music industry to draw some impressive guests. Stevie Nicks and Trisha Yearwood are hard to find singing songs like Walkin' After Midnight and Red River Valley. Chris digs beneath the surface and gets to the roots of their musical influence, then exploits it, much to your pleasure.

All in all it's a very entertaining program and I expect it to evolve into something really special. Do yourself a favor and set your DVR to KILL for The Chris Isaak Hour 9 pm Thursdays on the Bio Channel .

The Pic

I love this picture. It's so Joe Duty.

But, oddly enough it is about as far removed from The WC as is physically possible. I stumbled across it during some random Google search when it reached out and grabbed me. That is exactly where I came from all wrapped up in a neat little package.

The Lonesome Buckwhips are a "country" band from New Zealand somewhat along the lines of Asleep At The Wheel, but without the Western Swing. Is that confusing enough?

Their music is more folksy than country in the traditional sense. Trust me you won't mistake them for Bob Wills. But, their songs are blue collar driven and infused with humor.

The Flight of The Conchords are in no danger, but The Lonesone Buckwhips are definitely entertaining.

That's where the pic came from.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

One helluva return on your investment!

A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for $317,200 in an Internet auction. The previous owner had bought it secondhand for less than a buck.It is one of the highest prices ever paid for a comic book, probably a testament to the volume's rarity and excellent condition.

Only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are known to exist, and they seldom come up for sale.

The previous owner had purchased it in a secondhand store in the early 1950s when he was 9 years old.

He paid 35 cents.

Movie Of The Week: The Bridge On The River Kwai

I should be crawling into bed right now, but TCM has played an evil trick on me and I'm forced to watch this 3 hour epic.

The Bridge On The River Kwai is a masterpiece. William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins and Sessue Hayakawa lead a magnificent cast in a story of POW's in Japanese held Thailand forced to build a bridge on the Burma railway. The film is a work of fiction but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942-43 for its historical setting.

The POW camp is run by the sadistic Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), his sole concern is the construction of his bridge by the deadline. The Senior POW is Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness). His sole concern is proper military order. Both men are blinded by their vision.

The lone American in the camp is US Navy Commander Shears (William Holden), who has been held prisoner long before the British arrive and routinely bribes guards to ensure he gets sick duty, which allows him to avoid hard labor.

Shears manages to escape and returns to friendly territory. But he has a secret uncovered and is blackmailed by Major Warden (Jack Hawkins), a member of the British Special Forces, to lead a demolition team back to destroy the bridge.

Meanwhile, Colonel Nicholson has taken control of the construction. He inspires the men to stop sabotage efforts and build a solid, first rate bridge to instill esprit de corps. It is only when he discovers the demolition team's explosives that he realises what he has done.

It's a magnificent film. The cinematography is breathtaking and the performances stunning. There's a reason this film cleaned up at the 1957 film awards taking home 3 Golden Globes and 7 Oscars. It is widely regarded as one of the best films ever made.

In 1997, this film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

Why Tuesdays Suck

Laundry Day.

A Musical Interlude

EDIT: Better audio quality version.

Also without the cocaine, quaalude and marijuana into.

But, hey... it was the 80's!

Ya know what? This was a bad idea.

These are not the droids you are looking for...

Spring Forward, Fall Back

Yeah, you forgot didn't you?

T Minus 27Days and Counting

For those of you that couldn't give a rat's ass about NASCAR, tune out now.

27 days and counting until NASCAR returns to Texas Motor Speedway with the Samsung 500 weekend. OK, a couple days earlier if you count practice and qualifying. But this is the Big Kahuna. The April race always draws the biggest crowd at TMS. If the weather follows the long range prediction, it should be perfect racing conditions.

I'm really looking forward to the O'Reilly 300 truck race. The Camping World Series consistently puts on the best racing you'll see. So far it's shaping up to see who'll be the one to knock Kyle Busch off his pedestal. Tickets are still available, and they're cheap.

This year we will be staying in our own campsite. Oh, we'll still be hanging with the same bunch we have for the last few years, but we'll have our own campers and space to retreat to when we need a break. Rumor has it Littlesister will join the fun this year.


The "Skuzzuki", my 4x4 Japanese minitruck, is prepped and ready for campground prowling. It was perfect transportation for us to the track from the campground last race. Walking is for the birds. Trust me when I say that.

Me? I have season tickets in hand and can't wait. I'm still searching for that cute little racegirl to share the experience with.

And You Thought The Snake In The Toilet Was Bad...

What goes on between a man, a woman, a box of wine and some Astrolube is one thing.

But this Chinese chair stuff is for the birds!

In China, a fourteen-year-old boy was killed when the chair he was sitting on exploded. Parts of the chair entered the boy’s rectum. The result was extensive bleeding, and it killed him.

The killer chair is a gas cylinder type, not unlike those commonly seen at most computer work stations and home offices. The height is altered by an adjustable cylinder containing highly pressurized gas. It is this high pressure cylinder that exploded.

In 2007, another chair exploded propelling a 20cm piece of shrapnel into the backside of a 68-year-old man. He lived.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/dqnplus/archives/1218084.html

It's Deja-Vu All Over Again

Stepped out my backdoor yesterday afternoon to go water cattle and was greeted with a face full of smoke. It was barely a year ago that I narrowly escaped being burned out of house and home by a grassfire. This time I got lucky and was spared any damage. It was contained before it reached my land.

The grassfire started in our old "East Pasture". My Dad sold it off years ago and now it's filled with trailerhouses. Apparently one of those was the source and a gusty south wind helped whip it into a fury. It reached an old windbreak and got pretty intense for a bit.

Many thanks to the Chico and Alvord firefighters that arrived quickly and got the fire under control before things got out of hand.

Texas Independance Day

Almost let this one slip past and I should be ashamed for forgetting. Today is Texas Independance Day! 173 years ago today our founding fathers signed the Texas Declaration of Independance which had been drawn up overnight at Washington on the Brazos while a fierce battle raged 150 miles away at The Alamo.

"…the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations; and, conscious of the rectitude of our intentions, we fearlessly and confidently commit the issue to the decision of the Supreme arbiter of the destinies of nations."

And with those words, the people of the Republic of Texas declared independence from Mexico on this day, March 2, 1836.

A month later, the Treaty of Velasco was signed by General Santa Anna and David G. Burnet (the interim president of the Republic of Texas, prior to Sam Houston taking the reins) at what is now Surfside Beach. The treaty formally ended the Texas Revolution and recognized the Republic of Texas as a sovereign nation. The Republic existed as an independent nation for ten years before being annexed by the United States as the 28th state in the union.

Eastbound and Down

HBO strikes gold once again with this new series from Executive Producer Will Ferrell.

Eastbound and Down is the brainchild of Danny Mc Bride, Ben Best and Jody Hill.

Washed up former Big League pitcher Kenny (You're Fucking OUT!) Powers has burned every bridge back to his former superstardom. But that's not going to stop him from trying to make back to the bigs after being thrown out for steroid use. In the meantime, he is forced to move in with his brother and take a job as Gym Teacher at his hometown Middle School.

Kenny Powers is a complicated soul. He's a redneck, racist, steroid rage, drug addicted, alcoholic asshole. People just don't understand the problems Kenny Powers has to deal with being Kenny Powers. Do you know how hard it is not to be a superstar anymore? You become accustomed to a certain level of living and fan worship.

It's comic greatness, which is normally the kiss of death on television. But HBO is one of the few venues where it may survive. This show deserves a placesetting on your Sunday lineup.

Set your DVR to kill for Eastbound and Down, Sunday nights on HBO.

Time To Pay The Fiddler

Normally, I shy away from political posts. You know the 2 things never to discuss among friends is politics and religion. Well I'm going to break both those with the next sentence.

Jeezus H. Christ, It's been less than 2 months since Obama was sworn in and already I am beaten down with the "Antichristers". You know who I'm talking about. All those people playing the end of the world card. If you listen to them we won't have to wait until 2012 for everything to end.

Here's the gameplan:

1. Obama is elected


2. Obama is sworn in on The Quoran


3. Obama outlaws guns


4. Obama outlaws Christianity


5. Obama steals from the rich and gives to the lazy


6. Obama pardons Osama Bin Laden (they ARE related!)


7. Obama burns the American flag


8. Obama signs over the deed to China


9. Obama dances on America's grave as the 4 Horsemen ride past


10. Obama, Obama, Obama!!!

My God, what a thrashing! And to think all I've heard for the last 8 years is what a whiney, sour grapes, lilly livered bunch of people "Libruls" are.

I watched the HBO special "Right America: Feeling Wronged" by Alexandra Pelosi the other night. Oh, wait a minute while the right side of the earth stops shaking... I said Pelosi. Either that or Hansen is pulling a late night quarry shot.

OK...I think it's safe now.

Yes that's Alexandra Pelosi, (aftershock) Nancy's daughter. She's actually a very talented documentarian, but because of her last name, her entire body of work is null and void of any truth or objectivity if you subscribe to the aforementioned gameplan.

She followed the McCain/Palin campaign for the final months of the election and gave an open mic to those she spoke with along the way. It could have been an interview of Liberally Lean and Flamewarrior posters. The interviewee's predicted Obama was everything from Hitler to the Antichrist. The venom in their responses was incredible. One that really stood out to me was a guy saying if Obama was elected he was moving his family to Canada. Yeah, Canada is the refuge for rightwing, anti-socialist conservatives. At least they don't have that devil loving socialized medicine up yonder in God's Country!!

This was before the man was even elected. Now, I can understand election hoopla... My guy is right, your guy's is wrong. But, the level of racism and hatred was shocking for this day and age. George Wallace would win in a landslide if these people could bring him back to life. Most of these rightwing conservatives would call B.G. a "Librul". No, not Barry Green... Barry Goldwater.

Then there's the conspiracy theorists... Obama is not an American citizen. I'm fairly confident that if he was born in Kenya, not Hawaii, the Democratic party would have known that during the primaries and Hillary would have been at the top of the list of people telling you so.

But, Hillary secretly wanted to be Secretary of State, not President, and she kept her mouth shut during the primary elections. Riiiiight....

We are living in some troubling times folks. The economy is in a tailspin, people are buying guns like there's no tomorrow (literally) and unemployment is skyrocketing. The time to pay the fiddler is upon us and the bill is a tidy sum. It's not going to be pleasant, but we have to pay down some of this debt and get the public back to work.

Is this stimulus plan the answer? I don't know. But, I do know that doing nothing is not the answer either. I'm not in favor of massive government spending, but nobody on the right was complaining when Bush was giving away huge no bid contracts like they were Halloween candy. You know somebody has to pay for that even if you put it on your credit card, right? Try making the minimum monthly payment and see how that works out for ya.

Just be thankful they did not privatize Social Security like Bush wanted. Imagine what THAT would look like today.

Hard questions require hard solutions. Hard solutions require hard work. We have lived a charmed existence (economy wise) for the last 20 years. The nail in the coffin was the spike in fuel prices and questionable loans. The very same reason for our last recession/credit crisis.

We managed to pull out of that one and I'm confident that we will do it again. But to quote Pink Floyd we can only do it "if we all pull together as a team".

Put your petty differences aside and look at the big picture.

United we stand, divided we fall.

Remember, you're still on "Team America".

PJTP Vol.2

Yeah, I'm a bad blogger.

I haven't posted anything in days. But, to be honest I haven't felt well and things have been pretty dull around The South40. I really don't think you want to read about that, but here goes anyway.

I came straight home from work today and took a 5 hour power nap as soon as my butt hit the recliner. I have a feeling my upcoming visit to the cardiologist isn't going to go well.

On the upside, it was a beautiful day today! I hope you all had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy it. I don't think that Groundhog knew what the heck he was talking about when he predicted 6 more weeks of winter.

Taking Chance

This is one of the most powerful and moving films I have ever watched. Based on a true story, Taking Chance follows Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl who volunteers to escort the remains of 19-year-old PFC Chance Phelps USMC killed in Iraq to his family in a small Wyoming town.

It will no doubt win at the Emmys, but it's a crime that this film is not eligible for an Oscar because it would walk away with several. Kevin Bacon is magnificent. The screenplay is flawless. The entire film is a work of art.

Taking Chance needs to be seen by every American.

Thank you PFC Phelps, from a grateful nation.