Archive for May, 2008

Katy Perry’s new song goes a little like this “I kissed a girl…and I liked it.”
Not to say that it isn’t a catchy song, the chorus is good, I just wanted to put a disclaimer to the mothers out there.
Sure a lot of girls have kissed other girls. I’ve seen it in Wichita Falls, so I know its going down. And I’m sure some girls starting playing for both teams after that first, innocent like girl-on-girl kiss.
Side note: To me, there is nothing wrong with the action of a girl-on-girl kiss. I’m just trying to be informative with this blog.
But here is Katy Perry, who is probably going to become the new summer sensation with “I Kissed A Girl” and her other single “Ur So Gay.”

I’ve listened to a couple of her other songs, like “Ur So Gay,” and it’s a sound that I can get into. She’s upbeat and she’s got an 80s feel. Always a good thing.
And I hear that Madonna loves her. I’m not sure if they are going to share a Britney/Madonna kiss at the MTV VMAs, but I just know that Madonna has taken a liking to her.
Katy is also coming to Dallas soon as part of the Vans Warped Tour. I’m not much for day long music-a-thons, but if I wouldn’t mind going.
I’m still kicking myself for missing the Secret Handshake show at the American Legion last week. Secret Handshake is also supposed to be at the Warped Tour.
Tickets are cheap if you’re interested. Who knows you might kiss a girl and like it.

So the wife and I watched the new Rambo movie Wednesday night. Or should I say I watched the movie the entire length while my wife had to walk out of the living room because of the excessive violence from time to time.

I’ve seen worse collections of violence, but nothing that I can actually remember at this moment. It was probably on the internet…so back to my thoughts on the movie.

Sly does a good job again as John Rambo. He’s a trained killer, what more could a guy love. The ultimate badass.

The movie is violent, very violent. I shuddered a couple of times. And I don’t like seeing kids getting massacred in movies, but I’m a realist and I understand that situations like the one Rambo is suggesting by its plot in Burma.

Happens every day. And no one really does anything about it most of the time. So as far as social commentary goes, I give Rambo an A.

I don’t want to give away too much, but Rambo’s weapons of choice are a bow and arrow, knife and a .50 caliber turret gun.

He rips out a certain part of a man’s anatomy with his bare hands. (Above the waist.)

Overall, the movie was good. They limited the speaking parts of Stallone, which is always a good thing, because he plays the quiet, mysterious man living in a distant land.

I say rent it. And if you’re feeling nostalgic rent the first one. It’s the best. A first movie is typically the best if any sequels follow.

And I didn’t know this but there’s an alternate ending for First Blood was shot at the time of production. Rambo could have committed suicide.

In this day in age with military suicides on the rise, I wonder what kind of different impact Rambo could have had on people if the character would have taken his own life.

I’m glad he didn’t because where would the world be without four Rambo movies? Less violent?

Kimbo Slice, aka Kevin Ferguson, will step into the primetime ring Saturday night to fight James “Colossus” Thompson.

At 8 p.m. Saturday I’m predicting the MMA world will turn on its head.

I’ve always had a glimmer of interest in the sport, but nothing to really push me over the edge.

I think Kimbo has that ability for a lot of people. He just needs to keep winning.

He reminds me of a younger Iron Mike. I don’t really know what it is. The knockout ability is there at any moment, which Mike had bottled into his thunderous uppercuts in every round 1 through 5.

Kimbo seems to be a nice guy. He has the exterior of a martial arts war lord, but after reading a cover ESPN story, he comes from a tough/homeless past.

I don’t know if he was saying the right things for the sake of ESPN, but he appears he has his head on straight. Yes, he used to work security for a Porn site, but who wouldn’t do what it took to put a hot plate on the table.

If I remember correctly the guy has a family to take care of too.

And I also don’t understand the flak he’s getting from MMA vets. So they couldn’t get the following that Kimbo currently has.

Too bad. You want internet following, do something cool.

All I know is I’ll be watching Kimbo. Here’s hoping for a win. Maybe he get some so called “better” fighters after he’s past the 5 win mark.

Better fights come with time and as far as I’m concerned anyone who has the nerve to step into the ring (I know octagon is probably the choice of word, but I like ring) is a fighter.

Here is Kimbo’s Showtime website: Click here

Rankings never guarantee a thing. Any coach that I have ever talked to has told me that.
Still, schools should always carry a sense of pride when they are at the top in the state of Texas.
Two of the five classifications in Texas had our area’s baseball teams ranked No. 1. Archer City and Holliday both occupied the top spot, representing Archer County very well.

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When the Mavericks got busted out of the NBA playoffs, I still had a couple of teams to root for.
I liked watching the Hornets, and catching LeBron on TV is always fun to watch, even if the rest of his team leaves something to be desired.
Now both of those teams are done, and I really can’t be excited about any of the four teams left. I wish there was some way for them all to not win it.

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They’re not exactly the Cosbys.
Cleveland Brown is bringing the life of his family to Spooner Street next to the Griffins.
Well I don’t really know how much Peter and the family will be involved, but I did catch wind that Cleveland is getting his own show.
It’s not exactly movin’ on up to the east side, but it looks like he got a new wife, a hot daughter and another son out of the Fox deal.
He’s got some new neighbors by the looks of the promo image as well. What’s with the bears? Does he move to Chicago?

Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane announced that the show will hit Fox sometime in 2009, right after Family Guy.
Hopefully by that announcement he means that Fox is canning the American Dad show. I try and I try to watch the show to get some level of enjoyment out of it, but it’s unobtainable.
I don’t know why. Maybe its the alien. I understand the parallel version is Stewie, but I just can’t watch with a smile on my face.
Anyways, I can’t wait for Cleveland to do what he does. Maybe the gangsta R2-D2 will make a couple of guest appearances.
I hope it doesn’t turn into Joey either. You remember the short-lived spin-off of Friends staring Joey Tribbiani.
It wasn’t the original and everyone knew it. They watched anyways expecting the same magic as those zany six roomates/friends could create after nine seasons. It didn’t happen.
Everyone is going to want watch the Griffins. It’s a little easier to do because its a cartoon and several different actors don’t have several different demands.
I don’t imagine Quagmire will complain that there isn’t enough hot, underage girls running around the set, drunk for his taking.
Cross your fingers and hope for the best.

So the area Justice of the Peaces want to get a little more action on their paycheck? JP raise story here

OK, fine by me, but what about the little people.

When the JPs moved into the Central Magistrate Office — roundabout 2 years ago — they took two secretaries/assistants with them.

Five JPs — two assistants.

In the Wichita County JPs offices alone there are three other workers that help out the judge. I can’t speak for the outlying area judges, but I’m guessing they have more than two.

So for the past two years two assistants have been doing five times more work — and no raise.

I was told early Thursday morning that one employee did get a raise, but it amounted to the cost of a gallon of milk after taxes.

Big whoop!

The JPs have been telling the staff at the CMO office that the raise would come all the while doing their jobs.

It didn’t come. About that time one of their two assistants walked out on the job. I’m not condoning the action, but there is only so much run-around one person can take.

So the office was down to one person doing the work.

And the way the office runs is a little odd. Their are five JPs and five days of the week. They rotate days.

The judges, from what I’ve been told and told again, are supposed to be in the office to be reached.

You know, in case that pesky little warrant needing a signature comes around. Sometimes the judges are there, other times they aren’t.

I’ve seen the files in that office. More than I hopefully ever have to deal with in a lifetime. Imagine all the little work that comes with it.

So back to the needed raises. FYI, the CMO office has restaffed and now the running standard of two people in the office at all times is back to two people in the office at all times.

The assistants need the raise they were promised when they moved there in the first place. It’s been a long time coming.

Nancy Viavettene, Marc Newman and Karen Hamilton want what amounts to roughly a $48,000 a year salary.

I don’t see a problem giving it to them I guess. But a couple people in the office might be a little more deserving.

I just wanted to show the TRN world what Chicago based Fall Out Boy has been up to lately. By the looks of the finished visual product, not much.
They recently put out a live album, “Live in Phoenix,” what a clever title. Who wants to hear that kind of stuff live? I believe the thing came with a DVD. I’d agree that would be the only thing worth paying attention to. They have, what, two albums?
Their first, major label release was OK, but not spectacular. The “Dance, Dance” song caught on real quick, but has since fizzled out.
FOB kind of disappointed me with their last studio album, “Infinity on High,” as well, so I’m not expecting that much in the near future.
I even lost a little bit of respect towards Jay-Z when he decided to do a brief, 10 second appearance on the album.
Hopefully that kind of pop-punk will die. Simple wishing, but I can’t really stand a lot of it anymore.
And anyone hoping to successfully tackle the great Michael Jackson songs better bring it. What it is, I don’t know, but bring it.

Or as some people may know as S.H.I.E.L.D.
The foundation headed by Nick Fury got a little trailer at the end of Iron Man. And yes, I finally saw Iron Man.
What a good movie. I’d put it up there with the first Spiderman. Robert Downey did a better job then Toby McGuire as well.
Actually, Robert D. Jr. did a much better — more convincing job as Iron Man than Toby did as Peter Parker.
He was a good womanizer, alcoholic than Toby was a professional nerd. But back to the whole SHIELD thing.
My friend told me to stay for the WHOLE thing, and I did. I waited and waited for those stupid credits — who knew so many people had a hand in making one product — and then a little teaser popped on the screen.
Iron Man was returning into his home when he notices his home security system has been tampered with. And then you see the silhouette of Nick Fury, played for 25 seconds by Samuel L. Jackson.
Less Jules Winnfield and more Mace Windu, Jackson was. He propositioned Stark with the thought of the Avengers.
God would I love an Avengers movie. Yes, they’re doing another hulk right now, but I would like to see Captain America get his turn in Hollywood.
Either that or they’ll tie the anticipated 2010 Iron Man 2 sequel to the Avengers plot. I would pay to see that. I’m sure by that time (my son is currently 15 months old) that I would end up buying every Avengers toy known to man.
I’m not saying that its a bad thing…toys are fun for guy’s my age. Some call them action figures, a la the 40-year old Virgin, others walk the collectibles line.
Back to Iron Man.
One little subtle touch I don’t think a lot of people picked up on. When Robert and Terrance Howard were on the plane and the supple stewardesses started dancing the pole the song playing was a Ghostface Killah song.
For those who don’t know Ghostface is a rapper with Wu Tang roots. And forever and ever he’s assumed the Tony Stark alias. He’s used it over and over again and even made one of his greatest cds when he fully embraced the Tony Stark mantra.
Check out Supreme Clientele if you’re interested. It’s a Ghostface staple.
And as far as music goes I was hoping to hear the Black Sabbath song a little sooner in the movie not at the end. I liked when the commercial played the song, but the producers waited to long in my opinion.
Maybe when Iron Man walked out of the cave the producers could have queued up Tommy Iommi’s riff.

Last weekend at the state track meet, I wrote a story about Kelsey Johnson of Iowa Park. She won two gold medals a year after suffering from an iron deficiency in her body that hampered her running.
Well, this week came with another great story about a high school athlete bouncing back.

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I was really impressed when I first watched this video some time ago.
And it wasn’t until about 11:55 p.m. May 16 that I learned the identity of the group performing that odd subway night overseas.
The event takes place in a subway car in France, I believe in Paris. The song is a Phil Collins staple, “In the Air Tonight,” performed by Naturally 7. (commentary: I don’t believe this video has in any way helped their what-appears-to-be mediocre career)
My relationship with that song is a little odd. I fell in love with it a couple of years ago when I was watching an NBA playoff game on TBS. I think it was TBS, but it doesn’t really matter.
They played the game and I loved the drumline. I think its almost everyone’s attracting factor to that song.
Then I did my half-assed amount of research. My buddy told me the story about the guy actually seeing the murder was true, then Phil Collins invited him to the show and sang “In the Air Tonight” for the first time.
Turns out, if the story hasn’t changed, that his tale was exactly that – B.S.
Then I dug a little deeper.
One of my favorite musicians of all time, Eminem, played off Phil Collins’ song on “Stan.”
I listened to both trying to actually determine if the story behind the song was true. I thought it was, and for a couple of years stood by my assessment.
Sure, I probably start a chain reaction of lying song history, but who cares. Most of the people I remember telling were idiots. (What does that say about the teller?)
So back to the video. Watch and enjoy. Maybe you’ll like it, maybe not. They group reminds me of a local group — once you google the actual group — of Of Scripture.
The three family members of Of Scripture are a talent. I haven’t heard from them in a while, but I do know I have one of their CDs circulating around my home.
Back to the video — again.

Since I work at night, I am usually home during the day. I will do some yardwork, clean up a little (probably not enough as the wife would like), read, run errands and sleep some.
I also have to answer the door when these people come by. You know who they are. College-aged kids who act like they are your best friend and hope that you will buy a magazine subscription from them so that they can earn points toward this awesome vacation.
This guy yesterday was about the third or fourth one since we bought the house a year ago.

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I thought this was too good, thus I pass it on. Enjoy.
And don’t get fooled by the “King of Swing” thing. It has nothing to do with venturing outside of a marriage. You’re safe to watch, so pay attention to the fedora.

Here’s the video of Cowboy Quarterback Tony Romo attempting to sing the seventh-inning stretch at a recent Chicago Cubs baseball game.
And to think just a couple of months ago I was a regular Romo-sexual.
I’ll just say the guy is no Harry Caray. He might have committed Harry Caray by trying to belt out the lyrics, but that’s about it.
When I saw the Cubs play the Dodgers two years ago I was treated by the performance of the one and only Tommy Lasorda. He tried and he passed. He did get a couple of boos — not as many as Romo — but he did the song some justice.
I still remember that crazy pot Ozzy Osbourne completely screwing the song up about three years ago. Its a perfect example of what should be run for a kids staying off drugs commercial.

I really liked the ending of the performance when it appears he’s actually trying to audition for American Idol.
He should stick to dating hot chicks, gambling, playing quarterback and starring in Diet Pepsi Max commercials.
Or maybe he should try that stuff in Arlington. It might actually get people to go the Rangers games.

Here is a rundown of the area’s track medalists on Saturday.
Either later tonight or sometime Sunday, I will have my thoughts recapping the weekend. But for now, I just sent my last story to the paper and am going to go to dinner and then unwind with friends that I rarely see.
The medalists:
Gold: Seymour girls 4×400 relay team
Silver: Hannah Lewis, Electra (shot put); Shelby Gutierrez, Knox CIty, (200)
Bronze: Samuel Nunez, Munday (discus); Seymour girls 4×200 relay team; Brock Harris, Olney, (100 hurdles); Zack Hardin, Seymour (400).

What a great 3A mile race last night. Iowa Park’s Kelsey Johnson set a state record in a race down to the wire.
It’s the best mile race I have ever seen. Johnson and her pratice partner (Argyle’s Kristie Krueger) broke away from the field and both went full bore the last 100 meters or so.
And it’s a great high school ending for Johnson, who didn’t make it to state last year because of health problems.
For more on Johnson, check the story link.
Also, we’ve had two events already this morning with area kids involved, and both ended with medals.
Electra’s Hannah Lewis set a personal best and took silver in the A shot put.
Then Munday’s Sammy Nunez earned a bronze in the A shot put by the slimmest of margins. He didn’t even know he won until the officials announced it.
The A-2A running finals are about to begin, so I will offer a recap in a few hours. Should be an exciting day.

SInce I last blogged three hours ago, three athletes won medals and a golf team won a state championship.
Graham won the 3A title by three shots. Great for them – I wished I could have seen more of it, but I am at the track covering some more medals.
Wade Thornton of WFHS took silver in the high jump. Rider’s James Chambers earned a bronze in the discus, and set a school record in the process.
And on top of that, Olney’s Cody Cope was third in the long jump.
The only person not to medal in the last few hours was Jazzmin Hill of Rider. The event is still going on, so I’m not sure where she placed, but I do know she jumped 5-0.
It looked like she was dissappointed, but she is only a freshman, so she will be back. And plus, she probably didn’t practice for a week until she learned she was going. Hill was third in the region, but someone dropped out.
I will update after the night races to see if more athletes have success in Austin.

Finally got a chance to get to a computer after a crazy morning. And guess what?
Kelsey Johnson of Iowa Park won the area’s first gold medal since 2005 when she won the Class 3A girls 3200 by about 27 seconds. Her time was 10:56.86.

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So the wife and I intended to go to Pizza Hut for lunch Thursday. I didn’t really want to go, but I gave it to the OK.

Not much of a pizza fan, but a buffet is a buffet. As we were driving there Iggy’s Internet Cafe, right outside the base, caught our eye.

We walked inside and I was a little taken back.

The restaurant, formerly Subs N’ Suds, formerly Deli Planet, was redone inside. Goodbye old tattered red booths, hello sleek look.

The walls were freshly painted and the vibe inside the place was different. The idea behind the cafe is to offer internet service to all takers. I didn’t have my computer with me so I can’t judge their capability in that department.

They also allow their customers to play XBOX, Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii. They have computers that can be used for $5 an hour as well. There wasn’t a sign posted stating the price, if any, to play the video games, and boy, did they have a lot of signs posted.

I really didn’t know what to think after the overload of computer equipment inside the building.

You may not know that I used to work at Deli Planet. I was my first actual job. For four years I slaved over the hot stoves and worked as a waiter to some of the best customers the military could provide.

It sucked at times and other times, well I’ll just say it helped make me who I am now.

I know the building. I’ve cleaned, scrubbed, mopped every corner of what is now Iggy’s. So forcing myself to get used to the change will be a difficult obstacle.

Anyways, the food was good. You can really judge a place by the taste of their burger. They did a good job. It’s hard to mess up a burger but it can also be easy to do.

The onion rings made the meal. They weren’t homemade, but I’m not really a fan of homemade onion rings either.

The sweet tea wasn’t really that sweet, but it had a good mixture of flavor.

The one thing about Iggy’s that struck me as odd was their foot lockers. One of their back walls looked like a mid-stop at the railroad station.

Who needs a locker at a place like that. Maybe the up and coming airmen might need a locker for their bags when they cross the street from the base, but why would they want to stow it there for longer than an hour or two?

Overall, I liked Iggy’s. The food selection is a little all over the place. They can do cheap breakfast, but they also have things like 80 cents candy bars and homemade, or what appeared to be, brownies.
 

As promised, here is the story of how I have cursed our area track athletes.
Three years ago, I went down to Austin to cover my first state track meet. The year before (I was graduating from MSU, so I was not able to attend) nobody from our area won a gold medal — a real rarity.
So in my first event of the morning, Graham’s Dan Schmidt wins gold in the 3A discus. I thought gold medals were the norm. I waited to write about my second gold medal that weekend.
And I have been waiting three years.

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