Horrible Local News

The officer is a former Wise County Sheriff's Office deputy. His dad is currently an investigator with the Wise County Attorney's Office. (The news stories should appear here.)

Edit: Dallas Morning News story here. ("He was a good ol' country boy," said Officer David Tilley, a Plano police spokesman. "He had that country accent. You could tell he was from Wise County. Former Wise County patrolman Billy Hamilton, a friend of the younger Hardy, said the news of his death had hit the Decatur-area law enforcement community hard.")
Fox 4 News story here.

Blade Runner

If you want to read a very long article about the "Flying Motorcycle" inventor from Boyd, you can do so in the Dallas Observer.

A sample: "Neal, though, came to the town of Boyd, literally just south of Paradise, and never left."

Local Ties

A faithful reader tells me that Sheila Reed had moved to Killeen from Slidell. She leaves behind three daughters, one whom is severely handicapped. (Story.)

Hmmm

Not Much Going On Today

But it is only 56 days until:

Baylor at TCU
Arkansas State at The Evil Empire
North Texas at Oklahoma
Montana State at Texas A&M
Texas Tech at SMU (two days later)

Jennifer Garner and I . . .

. . . have the same tan.

It's Over

After studying the weather charts all morning, I have come to the conclusion that the rain is over. Yeah, we might have a brief shower over the next couple of days, but the Big Stuff is over.

And I wonder if we will remember the weather over the last two months in the same way we remember the Heat Wave of 1980 or the Freeze of 1983-1984?

Are You Going To Cooperate Now?

Story here. But as far as falls go after being hit with a Tazer, that was a 10 in my book.

Want To . . .

. . . see Scooter Libby's check for $250,400?

Janet Jackson Says,

"When I'm in Wise County looking for Ringo, I always stop by and get me some chicken fried steak at K-Bobs - with extra gravy."

(Yep, really her.)

Hey, Shorty, It''s Your Birfday

50 Cent (32) George W. Bush (61) Nancy Reagan (86)

They Might . . .

. . . want to find a better way of describing how to get there.

Who Says I Don't Have A Soft Spot?

An email I just received:

Hello Mr. Green,

My dog, Ringo, has been missing since 8 o'clock on July 3rd (old downtown Rhome area). Since so many people see your website, I thought maybe you would post his picture. I've had this dog for 10 years. His name is Ringo. He is a white Shih Tzu with brindle/grey ears. He has NEVER wandered off like this. I am offering a 250 dollar reward for anyone who finds and returns him to me. My cell number is [deleted - email me at my email address]. His photo is attached.
Thanks,

Diana

Legal Tired Head

The law had been that you couldn't have a license plate frame that so much as covered one letter of "Texas" or even one of those stars surrounding it.

So the legislature fixed it this session. But how a simple problem needs a simple solution did not happen. Look at this mess of the new law. (Strikeouts mean words deleted and underline means words added.) Uh, whenever a law makes it illegal to do something but only if you "significantly" do it, you've got a bad law.

I Got Your Contingency Fee

Security video of an unhappy personal injury claimant trying to throw a (his?) female lawyer over a balcony. It happens pretty fast here. But I love the other guy who, in his effort to "assist" her, never drops the folder/briefcase that he keeps under one arm.

Haltom City Is Cursed

I wish this picture was bigger. That house is going down sooner or later. What a nightmare. The nightmare that is Haltom City.

And did you guys catch the footage of the westbound lanes Loop 820 near Rufe Snow being shut down Tuesday evening due to flooding? Yep. Right by Haltom City.

Uh . . . .

. . . oh.

Arby's Is Now Open In Decatur

Cow meat is being devoured by Wise Countians in biblical proportions. (Only 26 grams of fat in that baby according to the Arby's web site. And I think that is extremely conservative.)

For Some Reason . . .

. . . I have Rush Limbaugh on in the background. Boring.

But I was amused how he didn't think Al Gore's Live Earth concert included any "A List" performers. So I looked to see who was on the bill: Fall Out Boy, Bon Jovi, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Akon, Dave Matthews Band, Kelly Clarkson, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge, Kanye West, Smashing Pumpkins, Rihanna, AFI and The Police. (And that's just in New Jersey alone.)

Yep, Rush, you're right. But Mel Torme died a few years back. What an idiot.

More Skiing. More Of Friend Laughing

New Pic Of 380 Bridge At Runaway Bay

Getting close. Click to enlarge. (Thanks for the email.)

Edit: You know, the more I look at it, I'm not sure it is the 380 bridge (although that is what was represented to me.) I thought it was taken from a position looking east but that electrical wire support doesn't look familiar. Maybe by the "old damn"? I'm confused.

Good Grief

I'm getting out my dress blues.

Lindsay Says,

"When I take a break from rehab, I like to get my shoes at one of those resale shops in Bridgeport or Decatur. Those girls' hand-me-downs make me feel like I'm in Parent Trap all over again.."

Lake Bridgeport: Locked Up Tighter Than A Drum

Thanks to a reader for sending these in.

From The East Coast, To The West Coast

Lake Austin. Tricked Up.

I Don't Know

Jessica Simpson . . .

. . . wishes Wise County a Happy 4th of July. But if you go in the lake, we'll treat you like the Taliban and you won't even feel like an American.

They've Seized Pablo Escobar!!!!

From the home page of the Dallas Morning News:

Three men were arrested on Monday after the Coppell Police Department’s organized crime unit and SORT team executed a narcotics search warrant at a residence in the 700 block of Fairway Drive.

Police seized more than 179 grams of marijuana packaged for street level distribution as well as packaging and distribution materials and $630 in cash.

179 grams? That's a little over six ounces. Yep, six ounces of marijuana is now a major news story.

5 Seconds Of Joy

A five second youtube.com clip of a Ski Face Plant is here. I laugh at it every time because of his buddy laughing so hard. All my friends are exactly like that.

Hey You Kids, Get Off My Lake!

The Update is reporting that Lake Bridgeport is closed to watercraft traffic beginning at noon today.

Not True

I've been asked a couple of times about an email that is going around warning of new Texas traffic laws including one that requires "hands free" use of cell phones. Not true.

Scarlett Johansson May Not Be Hot Any More

This is upsetting. Very upsetting. There are some things in my life that I need constant. A hot Scarlett is one of those things.

Amarillo By Morning

I spent at least an hour and half last night dreaming that I was looking for the lyrics to Amarillo By Morning. I looked everywhere. For the sheet music. In hymnals (yep, hymnals). Een on the Internet. Never found them.

I'm losing it.

Edit: Folks, I appreciate all the links to the lyrics but I said I couldn't find them in my dream.

Eva Longoria Says,

"I'd have to go to Toast Ur Bunz in Decatur with my friend because you guys haven't seen the sun in two weeks."

Apocalypto

Ok, first of all, this film is great. It'll grab you and hold on for two hours and never let you go. It's bloody and violent. Very bloody and violent. The only thing I'm confused about is how this Mel Gibson produced movie was promoted as this high tone special insight into the Mayan culture. Baloney. We learn nothing about the Mayans, and the movie is the equivalent of Rambo Without Firearms. Except it's better than Rambo (actually named First Blood.)

Paris Still In Hawaii

But why do those rocks look like smoothed glass?

Crazy thought: Wouldn't the beach be great after 20+ days in jail? Wouldn't we all appreciate so much more?

What A Beating

Sheesh. Two financial pains today:

(1) "Yahoo! Bill Pay", which I have used for ten years, has given me notice the service will be discontinued in September. Now I have to re-enter a ton of information on a new bill pay site.
(2) My MasterCard provider, Citibank, sent me a new credit card with a new number because my account "may have been compromised." Huh? So now I have to go to all sorts of places that have been doing an automatic debit every month so that I can update them with a new account number.

At this moment, I hate technology.

Hey!

I've used Yahoo! Bill Pay for 10 years. I scheduled a payment a second ago and I get this screen that says the service is being discontinued this fall. Yeah, it's no big deal to use my bank or some other service, but it's still a pain.

Holy Cow! He Really Is The Decider! (AKA "The Scooter Commuter")

President Bush, who is against activist judges, gets active in the criminal justice system by "commuting" the prison term of Scooter Libby. Wow.

Developing. . .

Edit: And anyone remember then Gov. Bush's statement when he declined to even give the now dead Karla Faye Tucker a 30 day stay of her execution?: " "When I was sworn in as the governor of Texas I took an oath of office to uphold the laws of our state, including the death penalty. My responsibility is to ensure our laws are enforced fairly and evenly without preference or special treatment . . . . She was convicted and sentenced by a jury of her peers. The role of the state is to enforce our laws and to make sure all individuals are treated fairly under those laws." (Thanks to a local lawyer for reminding me of that.)

He's Going Big Time

Former Bridgeport resident and recently elected State Representative Allen Vaught got lots of face time on CNN this weekend. If interested, check out his story here.

I Hate It When I Miss The Swimsuit Competition

Apparently the Miss Texas USA pagent was held last night.

The winner:

The runner-up:I think I'd choose the blond girl. And I'm not even a Republican.

Wow

One year ago, this headline focused on a 16 year old who survived a vicious attack in Texas. He recovered. So much so that he was able to leave on a cruise last weekend. Then he did this.

Earl Campell

The legendary running back for the Evil Empire isn't doing to well these days:

"With all the computer companies here [in Austin], not one of those companies have said, 'Would you be interested in representing our company?' " Campbell said. He then asked one of the reporters to help him get a car deal with a BMW dealership.

"I need the biggest BMW they got, black and loaded," Campbell said.

I saw Campbell in a restaurant in Austin about 15 years ago. He was in good spirits and cutting it up with everyone. During a lull, I told him how funny I thought his old snuff commercials had been. As he was leaving about a half hour later, he looked back at me over his shoulder and said "Skoal, bruther." (If you ever saw the commercial, you'd appreciate that.)

Now That's Racin'

This was over the weekend at some Grand Prix race in a country where they talk with funny accents. It's great for two reasons: (1) Two cars just run into each other at the start of the race for no apparent reason, and (2) one minute later you get to see a car freakin' fly! Nobody died. I don't know why not.

You Could Ride It All The Way To Waco

I've played golf at The Cliffs off of Possum Kingdom lake one time. A reader submitted this pic to indicate it would be a little hard to get there.

Parenting Chuckle

This is a repost from a year or so ago, but it's worth a laugh for Monday morning. Yeah, the kid screaming for dear life is funny, but I really enjoy the mother who just laughs uncontrollably about her child's plight.

Jenn Sterger says,

"During the summer, I try to take a few classes at Weatherford College where the old Walmart used to be."

I Don't Think I'm Much Of A Music Fan

But I really like Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry." (Picture from today's concert in London.)

Time Goes By

These screenshots don't do it justice, but Deon Sanders has grown a beard. A beard with some grey in it.

"T.J. Houshamazilly . . . Championship!"

ESPN and the NFL Channel run this commercial over and over. But I laugh every time.

Bridgeport Spillway

Reader submitted pics. Thanks. (Click to enlarge.) I think I'm right when I say you'll see this about once every decade.