What Up With That?

What's up with the nice new 4 lane divided concrete highway being constructed off 101 North of Bridgeport? Is that a new entrance to the off-road park?

They could have paved half of West Side for what that road cost!

Somebody send me some pics!

Breaking News:(Literally) CenturyLink Outage Texas

I might be slow, but I'm faster than The Messenger (and LLDQ)... Unless your ISP is someone other than CenturyLink/Embarq/Sprint you have been without service most of the last 24 hours.

In case you are keeping track (and I am for when I call for a rebate)  this is the 5th time in the last 30 days CenturyLink has gone offline.

Oh yeah, it's back on now...

Come Fly The Friendly Skies... For Free

Ingenious. I'm amazed Littlesister didn't think of this first.

From Forbes:

It goes something like this: The U.S. Mint, through a 2005 act of Congress, is required to place $1 billion worth of the golden presidential and Sacagewea dollars into circulation in an effort to stimulate general use. The only problem is, the coins haven't really caught on with the general public. But there is one group of people that have enthusiastically embraced their use: travel hackers, so called because they aggressively look for loopholes in promotional programs and for tips on travel websites for ways in which to make the best use of their travel dollars. Much of this "hacking" involves taking advantage of frequent flier programs in unique and innovative ways.


The dollar coin trick involves purchasing large amounts of coins with a frequent flier card, waiting for the Mint to ship the coins (free shipping!), and then taking the coins to the bank, where they are deposited and the money is used to pay the credit card charges. No money is lost, the frequent flier miles rack up, and travelers can use them for upgrades or completely free flights whenever they want. According to NPR's Planet Money, which broadcast a story about the scheme on Wednesday morning, the Mint caught on when some customers started buying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free coins, so it has since limited purchases to $1,000 every ten days. But 3,000 free frequent fliers miles per month still isn't a bad deal.

Contrary to some reports, the practice hasn't ended since the Mint enacted the new rules; it's only slowed down. You can find the web page for the Mint's coin program here.

30 Minutes or Less

Jesse Eisenberg, Danny Mc Bride, Aziz Ansari and Nick Swardson.
This could be great.

Box Cutter

I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.
All Los Pollos Hermanos employees must wash hands before returning to work.

6353 Juan Tabo, Apartment 6...Yeah.

The new season of the best show on TV starts this Sunday night on AMC when Breaking Bad returns. In case you live under a rock in a Geico commercial, Breaking Bad is the best show on TV and that is in no small credit to it's ensemble of writers, cast and cinematographers. Bryan Cranston is a cross between the Dad from Malcom in the Middle and Tony Montana in Scarface. The stark New Mexico desert gives a gritty backdrop to the wildly tangled web of hope, lies, desperation and good intentions of a mild mannered man that's been screwed over his entire life and is making one last desperate effort to provide for his family only to have that also go horribly wrong. Series creator Vince Gilligan has hand crafted a masterpiece from top to bottom.

Gut busting humor one minute and gritty crime drama like no other the next. The fact it comes from a basic cable network that relies on old movies to fill airtime is astounding. The fact that same basic cable network also produces Mad Men, The Walking Dead and The Killing is simply beyond comprehension.

AMC is the little network that could.

All the previous seasons and special online webisodes of  Breaking Bad are available at: http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad

If you've never seen the show I highly recommend watching it from the begining and seeing the evolution of the characters, especially Walt and Jesse. Yeah I know, you've never seen the show despite my constant plugging and now you don't have time to watch it from the beginning. Well, you're in luck. Being the undisputed amateur media king of the Southwest blogosphere proper, I took the time to hunt down the Cliff Notes for you.

Here is Breaking Bad in 10 minutes.


Any show that can have you rooting for a chrystal meth cook can't be all bad. Tony Soprano ain't got squat on Walter White.

Did I mention it's the best show on TV?

Edit: Did I also mention I don't know the difference between Wantabo and Juan Tabo? Reason # 27 why I'm no longer a crackerjack journalist / cub reporter.

Netflix of the Week: Cancelled!

It's a dog eat dog world in the blog bit bidness. Less than a month after The South 40 retooled a dedicated recurring bit by plugging Netflix (free of charge I might add) they decided to jack the cost of their basic subscription rates 60%.

Add that on top of the recent DVD shipping debacle and the Tribal Council has spoken. The Netflix Tiki torch has been extinguished.

Movie Netflix Working Title of the Week will return after a brief hiatus.

Chloroform, chlorine... C'mon man, you're like MacGyver!

A quick webisode featuring Walt and Badger from the Breaking Bad archives.

The new season of the best show on TV debuts this Sunday night on AMC.
More to come...

Justin Timberlake: Ultimate Wingman

I've always liked Justin Timberlake. He can sing, dance, act, he's funny as hell and blog hit counter gold. I didn't think it was possible for him to be any cooler. I was wrong.

Now he's the ultimate wingman for a US Marine.


Last week (after reported watching Black Swan for the 132nd time) Sgt. Scott Moore, of the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines in Musa Qala, Afghanistan set up a YouTube page and posted a video asking Mila Kunis to accompany him to the Marine Corps Ball on November 18th in Greenville, North Carolina.

During an interview with FOX News for their film Friends With Benefits, the reporter asked Kunis if she had seen the invitation and co-star Justin Timberlake immediately went to work for the Devil Dog.



“Have you seen this? Have you heard about this? You need to do it for your country,” Timberlake asked Kunis excitedly, before sending out a direct message to Moore. “I’m going to work on this, man. This needs to go down.”

After questioning her publicist if she knew about the invitation, the clearly flattered 27-year-old actress agreed.

“I’ll go, I’ll do it for you,” she said, turning to Timberlake. “Are you going to come?”

“They don’t want me! They want you,” Timberlake responded. “You need to do it for your country.”
Kunis agreed. “I’ll do it!”

Semper Fi, JT! You are the man!

I'm definitely going to see "Friends With Benefits" now. (Like I wasn't anyway.)
(R Rated Trailer)

How To Make A Pepsi Sammich

First off I apologize because this post is absolutely useless without pictures and I was right there with a camera and didn't shoot a single drive-by. This is a good example of why I'm no longer a cracker jack journalist / cub reporter.

If you've noticed a bread shortage at Allsup's and a few other stores in Wise County it's because the TriState bakery truck and the Pepsi truck smashed each other in front of Allsup's in Chico last Wednesday. It was a bread-splosion on 101 as a rock truck crashed thru the TriState truck's trailer filled with bread and split it in half. Buns were flying as the two sections of trailer spun around and wound up wrapped around the Pepsi truck sitting in Allsup's parking lot.

KA-BOOM!

I was laughing so hard from the sight of it that I completely forgot about getting any pics or video. It was like a real life Top Gear bit. It would have definitely filled in the gap for the Liberally Lean vacation. Hopefully somebody out there has pics to share.

Edit: I have found an eyewitness with pics, but don't have them on my computer yet.

Netflix of the Week: Finally Updated

The Expendables

Apparently, the title was appropriate than I imagined because I didn't receive the BluRay that was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday.

1 out of 3 isn't bad I guess, but this isn't what I was hoping for. I filed a missing DVD report so when it finally gets here, you'll get my 2 cents on what looks like to be a last gasp testosteronefest for Hollywood's aging action heroes.

Prove me wrong, please...

UPDATE: The BluRay finally arrived and unfortunately they didn't prove me wrong. Here's the plot...

ACT 1:Shoot, explosion, old guy doing karate, explosion, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, explosion, old guy doing karate, explosion.

ACT 2: Old guy gets horny for inappropriately younger girl. Shoot, explosion, shoot, shoot, shoot, old guy doing karate, shoot, explosion, explosion, explosion.

ACT 3: Old guy fights old guy both doing karate, shoot, shoot, shoot, old guy, old guy, explosion, old guy, explosion, shoot, shoot, old guy fights old guy while shooting yet another old guy, old guy gets inappropriately younger girl.

The End.

On a Sylvester Stallone film scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being Cliffhanger and 10 being Rambo, this film barely rates a Rocky 5.

On the plus side I've discovered YouTube has a good library of movies online for absolutely free.

I Saw This In A Three Stooges Movie

From CNN:

A 19-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly trying to sneak her husband out of prison in a suitcase, according to authorities in the Mexican Caribbean state of Quintana Roo.

According to officials at the prison in the city of Chetumal, the state's capital, the woman identified as Maria del Mar Arjona was caught as she was leaving the prison, pulling a black-wheeled suitcase.

Authorities said that as she was walking up a staircase to leave the prison, Arjona hit the suitcase against the stairs. When something inside the bulky suitcase moved, guards noticed and stopped Arjona, who acted nervously. The guards then looked inside the suitcase and found her husband, Juan Ramirez Tijerina.

Cesar Manuel Castilla, a spokesman for Quintana Roo's Department of Public Safety, says that in any case it would have been extremely difficult for the inmate to escape in the suitcase.

"We have three inspection stations at the prison and he was caught in the first one," Castilla said. "In any case, she would have been asked to open the suitcase for inspection at the third and last inspection station. I don't know what they were thinking."

Pictures of the incident released by Quintana Roo's Department of Public Safety show the man curled up inside the suitcase in a fetal position. He was covering his face when the pictures where taken.

Ramirez is serving a sentence at the Chetumal prison after being convicted of federal drug trafficking charges.

He was immediately returned to his cell while Arjona was detained. She now faces multiple charges stemming from the Saturday incident. According to Castilla, Arjona is six months pregnant. She fell ill after being detained. Charges and a court appearance are pending while she recovers at a state hospital.

Arjona was at the prison for a conjugal visit, Castilla said.

4-year-old cold murder case still haunts detective

4-year-old cold murder case still haunts detective

Who killed Sheila Reed?

Think I Blew My Knee Out

Took an impromptu trip to Lake Texoma yesterday to spend some time with Little Sister and BrotherInLaw. They were camped on an island and invited me to come with them. I wimped out and didn't spend the night because the heat was wearing me out. That and my knee was killing me!.

The lake is very low and shallow this year. When we pulled up to the island I jumped off the stern to help tie off the boat. They said it was waist deep. Well if you are an umpaloompah it was waist deep, for me it wasn't even knee deep. I jumped off standing up and hit bottom before I could bend my knees.

C R U N C H !

Now my left knee feels like somebody tried to take off my kneecap with a crowbar and filled it with gravel when I walk.

Happy Independence Day!

Saw this on CMT tonight. Who knew Rob Hawkins was so funny?

Some Things Never Change

I remember the fireworks wars we had as kids using bottle rockets and roman candles. Somehow we survived without killing ourselves or burning down the neighborhood. At work yesterday, I overheard a conversation between a father and his sons that took me back to those golden days of yesteryear.

Sons: Dad can we get some roman candles at the fireworks stand??? 


Dad: Maybe, we'll see.


Sons: COOL!! Were gonna take hay bales and make forts and have a roman candle war!!!


Dad: Nooooooooooo!


Have a safe and happy 4th everybody. And please, no hay based forts near the fireworks.

I Hate Counting Inventory!

Just wanted to throw that out there for what it's worth. The good news is I lucked out and got a 4-Day weekend to make up for it.

We now return to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress.

Netflix of the Week

The Social Network


Director David Fincher's biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophmore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Winning Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Director, the film also racked up Oscar nods in the same categories and for lead actor Eisenberg,.


PG-13 2Hrs 2010 Blu-ray

Let me say that I thought this film had a lot of good things going for it before I watched it. But 3 main ones. First, The subject is fresh. Outside of Tron, Lawnmower Man and The Net, you don't get many internet based movies, much less factual based ones 500 Million people have a personal interest in. Second, the screenplay is written by Aaron Sorkin. Nobody can jam more complex dialogue in a scene than him. Writing about a computer nerd with ADD is the script he was born to write. And third, Jesse Eisenberg. He was great in Zombieland and Adventureland. But in this film he plays a much darker and complex character like he did in Holy Rollers and he nails it. This film propels him into a solid lead actor.

I also have to throw credit to Justin Timberlake for his performance. This was an excellent role for him. A young, rich wild child/internet guru with a chip on his shoulder and a shot at redemption. Justin has had several successful smaller roles, but this is a substantial supporting role and he gives a solid performance.

I have to admit, as the first act plays out I follow and completely understand the computer/programming/hacking jargon word for word. Heh, not to brag... but I am a computer guru afterall. I felt particularly proud I was able to keep up with a Harvard computer major. Not to shabby for a fatboy from The South40!

That lasted about 5 minutes.

Suddenly we are talking coding algorithms, randomizing programs and some serious computer crap that I have absofreakinglutely no idea what they are talking about. Guess that why I was never accepted at Harvard.

From that point, programming gets moved to the back burner and the real story begins. Law suits and back stabbing. Megazillionairs and those left in their wake.

This is a very good film. It's well written, well directed and well acted. The script is complex and fast paced, just like the real thing was. The story intoxicating and the characters enthralling. It's not just for computer nerds. But then if you're reading this, you might just be a ...

Just in case you were wondering, nice guys DO finish last in the real world.

Add The Social Network to your queue.

I'd Eat a FORK if it were Deep Fried!

I think she'd eat anything, raw or cooked.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know

Scooby Snack, Anyone?

I already know the answer, but I'm opening this up to The South40 Nation.

In a recent discussion regarding dogs eating rabbits attacking a garden, a friend wrote :

The best of both worlds. Feed the dog in the process with no expense, then put the poop at each corner of the garden like i did. A win/win. I like it. Just goes to show ya that a great idea can always be improved on. LOL

Sounds great, right? Well maybe... if you've never studied biology or agriculture or any class in hygiene in my opinion. But what do I know, I'm a Liberal Weenie (and I stayed awake in biology and FFA).

Even if you aren't using the dog manure as a direct fertilizer on the crops, you have to be concerned about runoff contamination if it's anywhere near the garden. Putting a pile of dog poo at each corner of your garden might scare away some varmits, but it virtually guarantees the garden (and any area in the runoff) will become a breeding ground for parasites that can lay dormant for years.

For some reason, I can't get this guy to understand how badly he's screwing up. He thinks I'm nuts, apparently scientific studies aren't proof and only liberal weenies go to skool.

So I put the question to the South40 Nation. Would you pile dog poo around your garden to scare away pests?

Fly The Friendly Skies

Reminds me of the scene from Apollo 13 where Tom Hanks asks "Are we on VOX?!?"
BTW, please put your seat and tray in the full upright and locked position. And thanks for flying Southwest!

¡Ay, Caramba!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... I already told you it's a plane, DUCK!


In case you think that's fake, here's the cockpit view:


Jump to the 1:00 mark and watch 'em scatter! BTW, that's an Argentinian Air Force IA-63 Pampa pile-it. The IA-63 Pampa is a trainer, but all info about the pile-it or any disciplinary action has been blacked out since the video was leaked.

Edit: Glad I didn't say you'd never see American pile-its acting so irresponsibly, because someone was quick to point these out:

# 6 On My Bucket List

I'm too fat (6'2", 210) to even consider piloting an ultralight without it plunging rapidly toward Mother Earth in an uncontrolled manner. But, I really want to do this.

Pajama Jeans

Ass too fat or simply too lazy to squeeze into a pair a jeans for that trip to Walmart?

Netflix of the Week

Adapt, improvise, overcome. Wait, that's a completely different movie.

But it accurately describes what's happening to our favorite seldom used feature "Movie of the Week". Not like I've been burning up the blog with movie reviews lately, but hopefully this rebranding will bring it back as a regular feature and favorite of the discerning South 40 fan.

To kick things off, I signed up for Netflix and the first movie I chose was True Grit. The film was written, produced and directed by Joel & Ethan Cohen. The Cohen Brothers rarely fail to deliver, but taking on a John Wayne classic is one tall order, even for them. To their credit, I don't think anyone else could have done it justice. But if you are expecting an exact duplicate of the original, you are in for a surprise. This screenplay sticks closer to the Charles Portis novel.

The casting is superb. Jeff Bridges gives a marvelous performance as Rooster Cogburn. Some have criticized his dialogue as a forced John Wayne impersonation. But if you look at his performance in Crazy Heart the voice is very similar. Hailee Steinfeld is outstanding as Mattie Ross. Stubborn, outspoken and smart as a whip. It's also easier to believe she's 14 than it was with Kim Darby. Matt Damon breathes new life into the role of Texas Ranger LaBoeuf. But outacting Glenn Campbell by an Academy Award winner is to be expected.

I rented the BluRay and it was worth it. The cinematography is breathtaking. The Cohen's have a knack for capturing the stark beauty of nature. The Texas and New Mexico landscape paint a hard and rugged backdrop that fit the story perfectly.

As I said it's not an exact duplicate and the Cohen's leave their mark all over the film. The one flaw, if you could call it that, is the ending. The Cohen's seem to have trouble with the epilogue. It was the same way with No Country For Old Men. It's not bad, just not quite what you were expecting. Perhaps that's done on purpose.

Bottom line, add True Grit to you queue.

All But One Man Died, There At Bitter Creek

      WALTER

Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 
  156 episodes, Dude.

    DUDE
  Uh-huh.

    WALTER
  The bulk of the series.

    DUDE
  Uh-huh.

    WALTER
  Not exactly a lightweight.

WTF Was That?!?

Wow, I thought a tornado was about to come tearing thru The South 40! It was sprinkling lightly when I got home and I thought that was strange since my Weather Bug app didn't say anything about rain. Hey, take what you can get in June and be thankful for it.

I just sat down and flipped on the TV. Next thing I know the wind really kicks up enough for me to notice it over the TV. I start hearing stuff hit the house and then a loud thump when a tree limb hit the roof. That really got my attention and things kicked into high gear. The house starts shaking, the roof and walls are flexing and I'm headed for the exit on the far side of the house when the power goes out.

Fortunately, I keep my feathers numbered for just such an emergency. I have my floor plan memorized by steps and keep flashlights stashed everywhere. I decided to ride it out in the house until the house went for a ride and that thank God that wasn't a call I had to make. The storm was just a microburst and passed fairly quick with no major damage. But, it did get my undivided attention for a few minutes.

I really need to dig a cellar. Brother In Law, can I borrow that backhoe next weekend?

More Amazing Military Video or 101 Uses For A Bottle Jack

So you're just flyin' around Iraq in your Chinook when one of your landing gear decides to collapse on touchdown. What do you do?

You hope these guys are the ground crew, that's what! Huge tip o' the hat to the pilot and flight crew. (He might make a Coastie pilot someday if he keeps practicing!) That was some precise flying and they didn't do any further damage the aircraft. This on the spot ingenuity wound up becoming a training film.

World Champion Dallas Mavericks

Mavs win it in 6, Dirk named MVP!

In a very classy move Mark Cuban requested the trophy be presented to Don and Linda Jo Carter.

How sweet it is!

The Guardians

Cool video of my old cutter USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) in action during a WESTPAC patrol thru Russia, Japan and China in 2007. Boutwell also led Task Force Tarawa into Iraq in 2003 and back in the day she carried one redneck rebel without a cause into the Arctic Circle for 90 consecutive days. Blue Nosed Polar Bear, Baby!

These guys became shellbacks.  Shallow water sailors my ass, Coasties rule the seas! Who do you think shows up when you call SOS?

Semper Paratus.

Run, Fat Boy, Run!

Wow, I finally made it to the end of a long stretch at work. My schedule has been screwy for the last month with people taking vacation, inventory, and God knows what else. But, now I finally get the payoff. A 4 day weekend with some racing at TMS mixed in! Woohoo! (I've already stopped by Muggs & Juggs for survival supplies.)

Our strategy hasn't changed from previous years. I won't be camping this weekend, just driving in for the races. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race Friday night and the IRL will be in town Saturday. (Danica, I'll meet you behind the Infield Care Center after the race, k?) The crowds are much smaller for these races than they are for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends, but they are (or can be) interesting and fun races to watch and you can get a really great view because there's lots of empty PSL seats you can snag.

The rest of the time I'm going to spend playing Green Acres.

Brother In Law is bailing hay and his small tractor is sick. Mine runs fine, but my tires are shot so I'm going to haul it to T&W in Bridgeport tomorrow and get some new rubber for the Massey then let him use it. That Massey Ferguson 235 is the only good thing I got out of CrazyEx#3 (well... you know) and I bought it from her before we got married. She tried to claim it in the divorce but that backfired on her, HA!

Anyway, it is one stout old school M/F'n diesel tractor. It takes a lickin' and just keeps on tickin'. No frills, no extras, just one solid farm tractor. I wish I had one with a bucket, power steering, a cab and A/C. But then it would probably be in the shop with something wrong and I'd still have to call for the Massey when it's 4th and goal from the 1.

Granted, I'm a nice guy BUT I'm not doing this totally out of the kindness of my heart. BIL has a backhoe I wouldn't mind borrowing for a few chores around The South 40. I have a few ditches that need digging and me no habla shovel very well anymore. He'd let me borrow it anytime I asked, but I like being able to help him out when he's in a bind, too. That's what neighbors and family are about in my book.

Biostation Alpha?

Why does it remind me of this???

World Shin Kicking Championship

Damn! I meant to sign up for this! Oh well, maybe next year...

Updated: Teen killed in three-vehicle crash near Denton | Crime and Safety | News from Fort Worth...

A Sunset teenager died Saturday night at a Fort Worth hospital from injuries he suffered in a three-vehicle wreck on 380 just west of Denton.

Two other people were injured and were in a Denton hospital in stable condition, according to Texas Department of Public Safety reports released Sunday.

The teen was identified as Tyler Kilcrease, 17.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/05/3129488/teen-killed-in-three-vehicle-crash.html#ixzz1OTRDY0q5

Unconfirmed reports are the boy was the son of the pastor of the church at the old Chico VFW (New Fellowship?). Condolences to the family.

Who Says Sarah Palin Is An Idiot?

Why just recently she gave a quick American History lesson while visiting Paul Revere's house.

Khan!!!

No, I'm not talking about Roberto Monteban (altho he looked maaavelous) as an outerspace warlord. I'm talking about a free world class education for anyone, anywhere. The Khan Academy.

I hated math in school. I just didn't get numbers. I excelled in language classes, but math just gave me mega tiredhead. When I changed schools from Bridgeport to Chico I was given the gift of the world's greatest math teacher, Mr. Singleton and my grades skyrocketed from a C (it's my blog and I'll remember it how I want) to an A. Unfortunately, since I did so well with him I was put into the advanced group and was forced to take Algebra 1, Algebra 2 Trigonometry and Geometry. God hated me because none of those teachers were nearly as good as Mr. Singleton (thru no fault of their own) and I struggled with math all the way thru High School, except for Geometry. For some reason Geometry made sense when the others didn't (but I passed them all damn it!).

Anyway, my point is Salman Khan may just well be Mr. Singleton reincarnate. Don't let the name fool you, he's from Nawlins (New Orleans to you Yankees) born and raised.  He has 3 degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard. The dude is one sharp cookie, yet he makes the subject (not just math) interesting and you want to learn more about it. 


It all started when he wanted to tutor his cousin over the internet. Now 2,300+ videos later it's blossomed into The Khan Academy and is educating people all across the planet.  Best of all it's 100% free. You won't get a diploma, but you will get a world class education at no cost. This is what the intertubesnet was ment to be.

When Mutant Mosquitos Attack!

I hear they are really bad at the rock crushers.

Has anyone else noticed how big the freaking mosquitoes are this year? It's like some mutant strain has emerged from the Amazon jungle and they are bent on world domination. Talk about your freaking illegal aliens!

I killed one that I saw hovering near my arm and waited for the SciFi freak of nature to land before I struck down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. It looked like I had been shot in the back seat of a Nova. He already had a belly full of blood and the SOB landed to top off with a quart of The South 40's finest. I honestly had never seen one so huge. He's got plenty of bloodthirsty mutant freak comrades, too!

I was talking to a friend later that day that just happened to be a hot and recently single female, when outa nowhere one of the mutant skeeters swooped in and latched on to her cheek. She swatted at it 3 or 4 times before the bastard finally turned loose. I instinctively wanted to strike upon the demon for her own safety because she was having trouble, but that wouldn't have worked out well.

I'm not one to give rise to crazytalk or rash judgments, but... Let's just hope there's no sudden outbreak of malaria or some mutant form thereof . Chupacabra already has the "giant mutant scorpion plague" covered, but I think this mutant mosquito malaria (hereafter known as 3M) plague is a more viable apocalyptic threat and I can already see the signs. This may well be the start of Zombieland or The Walking Dead. I suggest hoarding food and ammo now. Oh, and lot's and lot's of this stuff.

Personally, I'm trying to track down some DDT. 

Meet you at Bill Murray's. (Or somewhere along the way if things go bad.)

UPDATED:No Trailer Trash In Our Town!

Un freaking believable.

UPDATE: This is a bit more info and a way to help from my friend Razer in Alabama via a forum I frequent...

Cordova is in Walker County, it doesn't get any more redneck than that down here. The ordinance was intended to keep the portable meth labs out of the city proper. They didn't take onto consideration the possibility of a natural disaster and the need for temporary housing. Mostly cuz they ain't that smart. The council could adopt a temporary measure and allow the trailers but they won't because the fear is some of them will become permanent.

My wife spent the day there helping those who can't help themselves clean up while I worked. She spoke with several people including the fire chief. Now you know the rest of the story.

Razer, Action News, reporting from Alabama...

Samaritans Purse is a great organization who has been here since day one. If you're of a mind to help but can't make the drive, they could use your financial support.

Thanks.

UPDATED: Lotsa Motorsports News!

Big day for race fans yesterday...

Kyle Bush got a speeding ticket. 128 in a 45. What's the fine for 83 mph over the limit (with an unidentified female in the car)? I think the ticket is going to be cheap compared to his newlywed bride's take on it.

He's already issued a full mea culpa:

 "Today I received a traffic citation in Iredell County. I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away. I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors, and race teams for my lack of judgment. I take responsibility for my actions and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again. I thank the Iredell County Sheriff's Department and all law enforcement for the hard work they do every day to protect the public and to enforce the laws in a fair and equitable manner." 


MAJOR EDIT: Turns out the "unidentified female" WAS his wife. In that case I have to throw kudos to KB. She has the right to enjoy the perks of being a World Class racer's wife and he wasn't stingy with the swag. 


I just wish he didn't drive for Toyota. Otherwise, I could be a huge KB fan.

Let the media beatdown begin!

Danica Patrick is going NASCAR full time. Starting next year she will shed her Indy Racing League firesuit and run the full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule along with select Sprint Cup races. In 2013 she will run the full Sprint Cup schedule.  

Prepare for Danica overload. You think you've already seen Danica plastered all over everything? Bubba, you ain't seen nuthin' yet. Her sponsor/endorsement level will be 10 times what it is now. They are playingit coy with "where she will wind up" but she will be driving for Dale, Jr. He may not be much of a driver anymore, but Jr. has learned how to be one hell of a savvy media machine and he is behind Danica's every move. I think Jr. will become known more for being a team owner than a driver, much like Richard Childress. 

I also predict Danica will become the first woman to complete the Memorial Day 1100. The grueling back to back Indy 500 / Coca Cola 600 marathon. I doubt she will win either, but I wouldn't rule out a dual Top 10's. It's a huge milestone and is legitimately within her grasp.

UPDATED AGAIN!: Now Danica is denying the announcement saying she has no plans to leave IRL. Stay tuned race fans...

Bring it on down to Liquorville!

As usual Justin Timberlake rocked the house when he hosted the season finale of SNL. I would have never guessed I would become a Justin Timberlake fan and I can't name one of his songs to save my life, but the guy is loaded with talent and he's blog hit counter gold.

Along with reprising the "Bring it on down" sketch we were treated to other infamous bits like The Barry Gibb Talk Show and another music video with Andy Samberg. There were also several very funny original sketches including the gameshow "What's The Name?".

It may not have lived up to Betty White's season ender last year, but it was good stuff.

Now I can't help but wonder who will be back next season?

Hey Grandpa, What's For Supper?

I think I'd take Chow Baby's suggestion and try GoGo Gumbo instead.

I have got to make it down there one of these days, but their schedule and mine have a failure to communicate.

Gris-Gris a Go-Go | Fort Worth Weekly - News, Entertainment, Restaurants, Music

Breaking News: Booze in Alvoid!

ALVORD LIQUOR ELECTION
Yes	172
No	100

Hello Mr & Mrs America and all the ships at sea...

FLASH! (via WCMessenger.com)

Looks like you can get your drink on (actually off-premise only in this case) in Alvord (void) soon.

Rumor has it that the election was the reason behind the expansion on the soon eventually to be opened Market Place store. First predictions had it opening last November, Then reports had it opening in March. But there was another delay with a fire followed by a huge expansion and redesign.

Trust me, it's gonna open soon. Scuttlebutt says a substantial investment in new refrigeration equipment was just made for that store and Market Place is making a huge investment in Alvord being a long term venture.

Good things come to those who wait. This won't be The Pantry 2.0 . This store will be the centerpiece of Alvord.

Looks Like I'm Not Immune

The gaps are becoming longer and more frequent. My *GARA  level is dangerously low. These are not good signs. But I'm not pulling the plug just yet. There is no DNR on file for The South 40.

Like most of the other outspoken (I'm outspoken?) bloggers in our little blogosphere I've picked up a stalker/troll. This one happens to be from a different forum where I tend to rock the boat just to watch the waves (winning!), but he's threatened taking things to a whole nother level I really don't want to have to venture into. Something we saw not too long ago with another local blog. Honestly, I can't afford the time it would take to hunt him down and go all Jay & Silent Bob on his ass.

Aren't anklehumpers fun? 

What's an anklehumper? Pretty self-explanatory really. You remember when you were a kid and had to go to your Mom's Great Aunt's house and that annoying little dog she had that wanted to do nothing but hump your leg and snap at you? Well, it's pretty much the same thing, just the online version.

Boils down to how much info you are willing to let out on the intertubes, what the wackos on the other end decide to do with it and how you react. Are you talking to your closest anonymous friends or are you giving details to who the hell knows who, to do who the hell knows what with?

Either way, the thrill IS gone. Peace. Enjoy some good B.B. King.

*GARA- Give A Rat's Ass

Entr'acte

I don't know Aubrey Martin, but the answer is yes.

David Letterman - Top Ten Final Words of Osama bin Laden

Worth sitting thru the commercial.

Man Down! Man Down!

I was treated to a wonderful day at work Tuesday. I discovered my walk-in freezer was on the fritz. That's not a good. I had just ordered in a bunch of ice cream for the next ad and the clock was ticking. I couldn't use a hose to thaw it out (imagine lots of water damage to product) so I rigged up a blowdryer with some bailing wire and crossed my fingers.

I got it all cleaned out before I lost much product, but the ice cream wasn't a survivor. Neither was I unfortunately.

I had to stand on a ladder to reach the coils and there wasn't much room to move it around in the freezer. When I had to reposition my patent pending blowdryer/bailing wire contraption I switched to 1 foot on the ladder, 1 foot on a shelf. I already knew this was a bad idea in more ways than 1, but didn't have an option other than unloading the freezer and lose all the product. My main concern was the shelf collapsing and everything come tumbling down, so I tried to keep my weight on the ladder.

Let the games begin...

The shelf didn't collapse, but the ladder (now being pushed laterally by my weight) slid about a foot then tilted. I am now doing the splits suspended mid-air with no way out. Let's just say I don't take yoga classes, so after a few seconds I had to let go and come crashing down bouncing off racks and boxes along the way. Seems the only thing that got hurt was my right leg. I got a nasty bruise from the corner of a box that dug into my calf and hurts like hell. I take Plavix so even a little bump will leave a helluva bruise. This one looks like I was beaten with a baseball bat.

Medic!

Could have been worse. Why I didn't pull my groin is a miracle.

Let's Do The Time Warp!

h/t Denny Crane

You've got a good thing going here.

The new season of Breaking Bad is coming this July.

Prediction: Mrs.White gets whacked.

More Morgan Spurlock Greatness

The Next Discovery

Get ready for another new network from Discovery. Velocity is going to be the first network targeting the upscale men's market according to Discovery President David Zaslav. The network will feature cars, motorsports and adventure programming.

The Daly Planet reports former Speedvision founder Bob Scanlon will be at the helm. This is very interesting. Bob Scanlon was responsible for Inside Winston Cup Racing, the best weekly show about NASCAR in the history of ever. It was a quirkly little show shot live on tape from a not so soundproof studio near the dumpster in a Charlotte industrial park every Monday night on Speedvision that featured panelists Kenny Shrader, Johnny Benson, Michael Waltrip and host Allen Bestwick. It was a cool show that got swallowed up in the FOX buyout of Speedvision and is the benchmark for any NASCAR discussion program. There was very little script but it always ended on Bestwick's disclaimer "We'll be back next week, network executives permitting".

Here's hoping network executive Scanlon can put together more programs with the soul IWCR had. 

Discovery HD Theater will become Velocity later this year.

(edit) Nobody is jazzed about this? I'm envisioning a US version of Top Gear (subnote: A&E holds the US franchise for Top Gear) in a broader network format. While it won't carry the TG brand name, it certainly will embrace the spirit. SPEED suddenly has some serious competition.

Mean Green

I'm a fan of green power. It only makes sense to harness what you can for energy. You never know when the grid may go down in a disaster and cutting your power bill is always a good thing. The drawback has always been bang for the buck. That was especially true with solar. Efficient panels are expensive and to be honest, not that efficient.

That may be about to change.

Scientists at Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory have announced a breakthrough with a high efficiency solar cell that can work... in the dark! The new full spectrum solar cell can capture lower bandwidth light like the moon, stars and other energetic sources. Scientists at Ohio State have a second generation panel in the works that improves performance loss due to heat.

In the meantime you can just grab a few cans of  photovoltaic spray paint. That's right, turn the barn into a battery!

She's Got Steve Buscemi Eyes

This is oddly disturbing but I can't look away.

Oh.. My.. God!!

Bud Light is introducing new Etch It bottles. With these new bottles you can write your name or personal logo right on the bottle with a pen or use a coin to scratch your mark just like a lotto ticket. Now you can bust those beer thieves red (or in this case blue) handed.

I knew those NASA missions to the moon would pay off some day. What a giant leap for mankind!

(Coulda used some of those in can form last weekend.)

Be It Ever So Humble, There's No Place Like Home

I could have sworn I made a post yesterday but it somehow got deleted. Sorry 'bout that.

First the big news, we got a dang good rain the other night and skipped most of the bad weather. Did see a few minutes of pea size hail but nothing like they got south of here. I need a new rain gauge. My old one is busted into itty bitty pieces and has been for a while.

Hey it's good to be back home again.


It was a shortened weekend at TMS and that turned out to be a good thing. They got some major wind damage Sunday night. Normally we pull out of camp on Monday morning so we dodged a huge bullet. Around The Corner pointed out some major damage in our campground. Honestly, I had enough stuff go wrong without having my RV flipped over to boot.

With all the heightened security and drama over the ATV's, it really took a lot of the fun outa going to TMS. I expect it will only be worse next time. There were NO BANDS/NO DJS signs warning everyone about next time. That will be the proverbial nail in the fun coffin.

I don't want to sound all doom and gloom. There was plenty of partying going on in the campground and it turned out my Suzuki was at the epicenter. Who would have thought it would have been that big of a hit? I built it mostly as a joke, but it got a workout Saturday night.

I quickly learned I don't have a clue what young'uns like to dance to (apparently Ted Nugent and AC/DC aren't hip anymore) and relying on the radio is not the way to go. Fortunately, I have friends that do know what is booty shakin' and now I have a good hour long set of songs I've never heard of  loaded on my phone for next time.

Speaking of loaded on my phone, I did manage to find some blog friendly video that I can post. It's pretty dark, but it gets that way at  Midnight  3am.

All's Well That Ends Well

Turns out the horror stories I was told about ATV's were false. We had zero problems parking along the fence, but to be safe I took a different route. The racing was pretty dull. Matt Kenseth broke his losing streak and Jr. extended his to 100.

The after party more than made up for it. Let's just say you can find many videos of it in action on Facebook. I'm famous! Well, my Suzuki is. I'm sure I can edit up some blog friendly footage when I return to The Mothership in a few hours.

That's all from TMS Spring 2011.

I'm going to bed!

The Man Is Keeping Me Down

Well a new wrinkle has been added. We just heard from a reliable source that TMS isn't allowing ATV's on their property today. If you leave the camp you might not get back in.

What the heck is going on down here? They are trying very hard to take the fun out of coming here.

Wendell, I promised I'd come by this weekend, butthings are not looking good for that to happen.

A Quick Update

Wow,I've never seen police coverage like this at our campground. I've never seen FWPD in here unless there was a problem, and those have been few and far between.
Tonight there were no fewer than 6 cars patrolliing Finish Line.

Good news is they are just doing show of force. I haven't seen anyone hassled pr arrested. They did break up one party when the crowd blocked the road. Very low key.

Watch Me...

Well BroInlaw finally made it to the track just in time for the Nationwide race. So we all loaded up on the Suzuki and headed for the track. When we got there I got the usual dazed look of confusion from TMS traffic control. In the past I've always been able to reason with them that it's an ATV and park with the golf carts and Mules.

Tonight we ran into the TMS version of Barney Fife. He acted like we were criminals trying to break into the bank. I tried to explain it's an off road atv, he said it wasn't. He said if it was an ATV I needed a TMS campground pass. I asked where the campground pass was for the 30 or so atv's parked there. He threatened to have my Suzuki towed and me arrested for tresspassing (yeah, he went there) I decided to park off TMS pavement... For a bit.

At lap 20 I walked out to the truck and moved it up against the fence where I was going to park in the first place.

Honestly, I'd think TMS would embrace me. I haul fans in and out for free.

TMS update

In the clear light of day things don't look any better on the wiring front. Luckily I have a complete set of schematics of the RV. Now all I need is an electrician.

Bumped into old camping friends last night as they pulled in around 10. One thing is for sure, nobody will go hungry when Lance and his crew are here. Them boys cook some mean vittles.

Dust. Lots and lots of dust. Get used to it.

More to come after BroInlaw gets here with my Suzuki later this afternoon and I can mill about.

Live Fom Texas Motor Speedway!

Well I finally made it to TMS in one piece, more or less. Turns out a mouse decided to move into the RV during the winter and feast on my wiring. This is a mess. All my 12volt system is chewed to pieces and I,m not sure I can fix it in camp, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

This is a vacation, right?

UPDATE: I've abandoned the wiring for tonight after getting the overhead lights to work. But Imade a fatal error and kiled the generator while working on the wiring. Now it won't start.
Vunderbarr!

I'switched to drinking mode and mounted an assault on the beer chest. Think I 'll take a stroll over to where the band is playing.

I Did It My WAYYYYYYyyyyyyy!

Such early promise...

Who knew it would end up like this?

Leap of Faith

• Been a while since I posted anything original. Sorry bout that, I've lost my writing mojo. 
• Big week ahead as NASCAR rolls into Texas Motor Speedway for a shortened weekend and The South 40 takes the show on the road to Finish Line Campgrounds. This will be interesting since they moved the race from Sunday to Saturday night. We'll see how the partiers adjust. Personally, I feel gypped.
• This should be the best documented trip yet. I now have a laptop, HD digital video camera and a new smartphone. I have no excuse not to bore you to death with vacation pics.
• This will also be the worst prepared trip I've made to TMS. More on that in a bit.
• I've made it a mission to visit W's camp Around The Corner From Over There this trip. Life is just too short not to meet cool people when you have the opportunity. The problem is sneaking my minitruck into a TMS campground. They have become incredibly strict about atv's and my Suzuki sticks out like a sore thumb. OK, a sore thumb with strobe lights, sound system and an 8 ft polished stripper pole. But I have my ways of getting past the roadblocks and checkpoints. The Suzi has great 4 wheel drive!
• The Space Shuttle is in the shop getting the brakes fixed. I blew thru a red light on 114 last trip. Applying the brakes was more of a suggestion than a command. I swore that wouldn't happen again but on the bright side I learned the air horns work perfectly... Turns out it was a stopped up line going to the rear axle and the rest of the system is fine. Whew!
• I'm supposed to test drive it and possibly bring it home this morning but I have a slight problem. I don't have a 2nd driver to drive my truck home. Gonna have to work on that one.
• I stupidly let the auxiliary batteries run dead and didn't have time to charge them before I put it in the shop. That means I still have to fix that and test the generator (praying that it has no problems) before I can do the rest of the preflight.
• I'm also praying some of Dad's frozen waterline mojo rubbed off on me. I'm pretty sure I drained the onboard water system completely, but had no way to check. The manuals I have are pretty generic and low on details. I emptied the water heater and the drain next to the fill connection, but couldn't locate another drain so I'm running on faith until I can fill it up and check for leaks. Of course I'll have all kinds of time to get all this done because I'm working thru Wednesday.
• As I write this I have no camping space pass, no race tickets, no loading plan, no menu, no booze and a non-functioning RV.
• All will be fixed by Thursday morning.
• Have a little faith, Baby. Have a little faith.

Incredible Journey