My New Best Friend

I don't care much for John McCain, one of the many would-be hopefuls for the Republican presidential nomination. If he had his way, he would have half a million troops in Iraq. (But it is kind of sad to see him look like he's lost his best friend every time he appears on TV.)

Anyway, he bioooch-slapped the very spare Texas Senator John Cornyn the other day over the issue of immigration. Hard. F-bomb kind of hard.

On behalf of the State of Texas, thank you Sen. McCain.

Yep, I'm Selling Out

After owning www.wisecounty.com for 10 years and hearing, "Man, you should sell advertising space," I'm finally going to give it a shot. (Although it makes me tremendously uncomfortable.) I'm setting up an E-Bay auction site for the ad space on the right hand column. I'll probably activate it Sunday night/Monday morning. I'll let it run for seven days. It may be a disaster. It may work. But at least the hard line conservatives out there can't fault me for trying to make a buck. (And you'll have the extra entertainment of watch the E-Bay auction for a week to decide if it's a failure or a stroke of genius.)

Uggh

So I have lunch at Taco Cabana in Fort Worth (Basswood and Beach, to be exact). I'm placing my order and some girl comes up from the kitchen area and says something to the manager/cashier who is taking my order.

"Are you OK?" the manager says.

"Yeah, I think so."

At this point, I take a look at the kitchen worker who is holding up her hand which, I am certain, had blood coming from one of her fingers.

Uggh. Just what I needed: Personal Skillet Chicken Fajitas with a side of The AID. Good times.

Ok, My Last Reminiscing Post

These two items are pretty funny. (As I go through scrapbooks as described from the post below.)

The first is a photo which is the only proof I have that I once played football (and make no mistake about it, I was a tremendously average player. I probably gained one yard on that play).

The second is my first ever column as a sports writer for the school paper at Bridgeport High School in 1978. Sadly, it could be written today (but perhaps more artfully - and I have no idea why the apostrophe is after "Decatur".) But, man, did I have a head of hair at age 16. Click to enlarge.

Limited Interest

I realize that this is of limited interest, but today my dad dropped off about four suitcases full of junk from my childhood. I'm going through some of it tonight.

I looked at a 1980 high school graduation issue of The Bridgeport Index and it had an article on "What Concerns Seniors Most." To a person, everyone mentioned "conserving our natural resources." That's kind of ironic considering today's $3.00 gas prices and gas guzzling vehicles. But it's understandable for a group of kids that, after adjusted for inflation, were paying more for gas then than they are today and, at one point, had to wait in lines six cars deep just to buy it. That scared us to death.

But I also found a program from the Optimist Club Pee Wee Football Banquet held in Bridgeport on November 10, 1973. I've scanned in a portion of it above that lists players and cheerleaders. Some of the names will be recognized by Wise County folks, including one that went on to play a decade in the NFL. (And I love that one of the teams was sponsored by the "Corner Drug" which meant, really, the drug store that was on the corner. And I'm pretty sure that "Runaway Bay" sponsored a team not because it was a town but because it was a privately owned resort.)

I've Often Wondered

Is there a book somewhere with all these sayings or is someone in each church in charge of making them up?

Scary Sounding Headline

And it's scarier once you realize that the guy was last seen in Roanoke and 114 and not "north Fort Worth."

Worst Job In The History Of Ever

That would be the usher to the right of the neekid man.

(Story.)

Awful Story . . .

. . . about the two deputies killed in Henderson County. And the accused also wins the award for the most menacing book-in photo.

And did you catch the quote from the neighbor who said, "I'm a Christian man, but some people don't deserve to be on the face of this earth."

(As a side note, the funniest book-in photo I've seen was over in Jack County a couple of weeks ago. A guy decided to shoot the bird while his photo was taken. I don't have a copy of it, but I'm sure someone over there does.)

Random Confusing Photo

I call it, "Scantily Glad Girl In A White Tie Holding a Firearm." Good times.

"Gary From Decatur"

. . . just called into the Mark Davis show on WBAP. "It's almost not worth working any more. All you make just goes to taxes and the government is just gonna give it away. And this immigration thing? There's just no way that is right." Attaboy, Gary. Way to give to The Man and The Mexicans all in three sentences.

Sexier Than Phil King: The Lady That Killed The Nazi Cam

One final nail for the City of Rhome, according to the Star-Telegram. One interesting twist is that an officer that operated the camera for Marble Falls but who was paid by Nestor was questioned about a potential conflict of interest.

"All I Want To Do Is Kill Stuff, Daddy"

I'm not prepared to say this is real, but allegedly some 11 year old kid killed this hog on May 3rd. The source (with more pictures) is here. I was a little disturbed at the description of the killing, but almost laughed at loud at the note that a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd called the kid to congratulate him. Feel free to guess the state.

(First seen on BagOfNothing.com).

Sometimes I Get Distracted From The Lead

One of the big stories today is that the President of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, had resigned after catching a bunch of heat for engineering a $60,000 raise for an employee who just happened to be his girlfriend. That's her in the pic, Shaha Riza.

It's just a thought, but if I had "President, World Bank" on my business card, I think I'd be dating somebody like "Winner, Miss World Pageant."

Brit Has One Crazy Closet

And I love every single outfit.

Sell Your Car. You Can't Afford To Drive It.

Pic taken this evening.

Hmmmm

I think this is the first time that I've ever seen and open letter from a topless girl that mentions the word "prayers" twice. Normally they just say, "Barry, quit stalking me or I'm calling the Sheriff."

From her official site.

Time Waste

Word List Recall. Fifteen words will come at you, one second at a time. At the end, try to recall as many as you can. The average person can get eight correct.

Majority No More

I would think this would be bigger news today:

In Texas, the 2006 figures showed that 49.1 percent of residents were white, non-Hispanic; 35.9 percent Hispanic; 12.4 percent black and 3.8 percent Asian. In 2004, Texas joined Hawaii, New Mexico and California as a majority-minority state according to Census Bureau data.

(DMN story.)

Edit: And illegals are on their way to becoming legal.

Just Got My Issue of . . .

The Texas Prosecutor magazine (I'm like some alumni so they let me subscribe.) I always get a kick out of the photos in the publication and always look for the irony like I saw today: Prosecutors at an Intoxication Manslaughter seminar having a couple of beers at the end of the day.

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with it. Just always struck me as odd that the magazine wouldn't cut the brewskis out of the photos.

Mrs. Green #8 and Mrs. Green #9

I'd Rather Be Held At Guantanomo Bay

Sean Hannity is bringing his friends . . . Montgomery Gentry and Lee Greenwood to the Metroplex for "Freedom Concert '07" August 14, 2007 at NOKIA Theatre at Grand Prairie.

And Lee Greenwood, whose career is now based upon one song, just happens to have on an American flag shirt.

Out Of Curiousity . . .

. . . how much would you pay for this painting if you were to come across it?

It's Going To Be A Long Season

But I have a genius plan to boost attendance.

Viewership of This Silly Blog

This bottom graph represents unique viewers over the last 30 days. (Which, totaled, was the highest ever for one month by the way.) Funny how Monday is the biggest day and weekends are the slowest. You guys aren't goofing around at work are you?

But it's an average of around 1,800 unique viewers per day. By comparison, around 3,500 have paid subscriptions to the Messenger. As far as time spent looking at the two, I think I win.

(If you want to look around at the data yourself, I think you can click on the funny looking colored box at the very bottom of this page. But I'm not sure you can see the same thing that I do.)

Come On Down, Who?

I hear that Bob Barker is retiring from The Price Is Right. That really doesn't interest me. But I am interested in someone digging up a very old video clip of Vanna White being a contestant on the show before anyone had ever heard of her. But still, do you think that was just random pick out of the crowd? Uh.....get serious. And I think Bob tried to hit on her. Hey, now.

Nerdiest Blog Ever

Despite the salaciousness (<-- big word, huh?) of the topic, I'm posting the headline for another reason. I cannot believe the word "gotten" has made it into mainstream media. I was reading Newsweek this evening and saw the word at least twice. It seems so slang - even for me.

Big Tobacco . . .

. . . is trying to suck me in. I am so offended by the tactics.

I Knew She Was An Alien

Click to enlarge. I'm not real good at math, but sumpin' ain't right.

The Plague Of Alvord Students

Good luck finding lunch at Sonic, Chicken Express, or Jack in the Box in Decatur today around noon. A bus load of Alvord High School students was dumped in the Jack in the Box parking lot and they spread like wild fire to all the fast food joints. I think there were about a thousand of them, but I could be wrong.

Remember kids, stay in school and don't do drugs.

(Unrelated note: Somebody might want to tell the Whataburger folks that they can raise the U.S. flag from it's half mast status.)

Tina Fey: Funny and Hot

He Did What?

Maxim's Hottest Girl

Lindsay Lohan makes #1. And I don't even think the list was for "hot and trashy." If you want to see the list of all 100, one page at a time, go here.

The Cowboys Are Doomed

(Tony Romo and Carrie Underwood at the CMA's last night.) This guy, who has done very little, sucks up the spotlight like nobody's business. There's a weird vibe going on. And some bad karma.

What's More Disturbing?

The fact that she didn't know she was pregnant or her ability to tell a story?

I Officially Declare Lari Barager As My Nemesis

Fox 4 News did a story tonight on the crazy sounds coming from the courthouse that I wrote about last Friday.

Obviously, inspired by this blog, I was waiting for my big shout out from Lari. And then, as that great moment was to arrive, she said this in the story: "They [county officials] also turned off the speakers after we arrived which is why we are bringing it to you from a post on the Internet." At this point you see a video of this blog, my youtube.com creation from last week, and the audio of the screeching whatevers.

But do I get credit? Do I hear a Barry Green? Do I hear the name "Liberally Lean"? Is there a reference to a "local blog"? No. Nothing. Nada. Big Barry tears rolled down my Barry cheeks as I sat on my couch in amazement.

Lari, I'm hurt. I can only guess that my strange obsession with co-employee Megan Henderson has turned you against me. I don't even know you anymore.

The Day That "Big Oil" . . .

. . . came to Decatur in an unprecedented way.

Note To Self

Keep toddler away from break dancers. Edit: Here's a "remix."

Sarah Silverman Jazzes Me

Kelly?

I think someone's been doing some super-sizing.

Wow: Jerry Falwell Is Dead

Link.

Edit: This guy was a political force in the 1980s. I had to research my own blog to refresh my memory as to just how much.

Hard Hitting Journalism

Pic of the dump truck involved in this morning's wreck.

Very Odd Star Telegram Headline

Just about the time you start giggling about the first sentence they hit you with the second one. That's kind of a big ,"Uh, and one other thing." (Story.)

Saw This Last Night

Despite the old guy's plea, I doubt his assailant will get a job or go to school.

Update

The Messenger is reporting that there's a big wreck at 380 and Amanda Way (about three miles west of Decatur and one of the most dangerous intersections in the county). That explains a bunch of sirens heard at around 8:00 a.m.

If anyone knows anything, feel free to post.

Lasik Surgery

I just saw an ad on Channel 4 for Lasik surgery. Nothing new there. But the ad said it was offering a discount (from Dr. Boothe) of $1,200. (Sheesh, if that's the discount, the procedure must be pricey.)

Which gives rise to my question for my faithful readership: How much does it cost?