Get off the phone and order your sandwich!

 

 

 

Pickles, lettuce?

At the Subway, they're not messing around. When its your turn to 'build' your sandwich, they want you OFF the phone, now, pronto, ahorita mismo! After all, building the perfect sub takes art and skill. Distractions can't be had.

These are important times we live in.

Please refrain from checking your facebook while making your Sub

Time for Me

I have been getting loads of questions regarding my upcoming B-day sometime in the next month and in order to appease the masses, I will post on here ideas for what I want to receive on that festive day. These are just ideas. You are welcome to think outside my blog and buy me whatever you think is best.: TX Rangers season tickets, Star Wars Hans Solo autographed poster, New HD Canon Camara and BoomMic, etc. Again, just ideas. Or, you can get me one of these below.

A much needed watch to keep track of my peeps phone #'s

or

A good way to get me to blog on time

Patek Philipp watch if you are feeling generous

Ideas, ideas. Send all gifts and donations here

My Experience with Emilio (by Cindy)

My Experience with Emilio

by Cindy (guest contributor)

The year was 1994.  I can clearly remember waiting anxiously to go with my parents to the Casa Blanca baile.  The main attraction…Stephanie Lynn, Xelencia, and none other than Emilio Navaira.  I was in love with these Tejano bands.  I knew all of the lyrics to all of their songs.  I didn’t care if I was going with my parents for I was a teeny bopper, of sorts. Instead of crushing over Jordan Knight (which is a whole other article) I was in love with Emilio!  All I could think of was….”Como Le Hare” to get a picture with him and his chubby counterpart, Raulito!

I remember always nagging my parents to go see these bands, especially Selena and La Mafia.  I would plead…”but mom…what if something tragic happens and they die?!  We have to go see them today!”  And of course my mom would try to explain to me logically that nothing was going to happen and that we would go see them, “Next time, mijita.”  Well, sadly, these tragic things do happen.  I mean look what happened to Selena.  Who would ever fathom that her psychotic number one fan would shoot her and that her overly religious father would deny a blood transfusion that could potentially save her life?  I guess there wasn’t a next time for that one, Mom.  

Then, in 2008, another tragic accident occurred.  While driving back home after performing in Houston, Emilio wrecked his tour bus and landed in the hospital with a bad head injury.  Now granted, this accident could have been avoided.  He chose to drive extremely fatigued, intoxicated, and without a commercial license to drive that big bus.  But he’s Emilio Navaira... I’m sure he felt invincible, at some point in his career.  And I’m sure many of us have rationalized it the same way. "I’m sleepy, but I will make it home ok.  I’m not drunk, just a little tipsy… I’m ok to drive."

Well that accident cost him more than a head bump.  He was sued by his band mates, he confessed to driving while intoxicated and now he admits that he forgets some of the lyrics to his songs while performing due to his accident.  The biggest effect of this accident has been the public’s response.  People are glad he survived, but at the same time they talk, “How could he?! How dare he risk his band mate’s lives?  I can’t believe he drove drunk!”

He performed here at the Casa Blanca about 3 weeks ago.  The same Emilio that would sell out the venue, barely sold any tickets this time around.  The turnout was extremely poor.  I’ve seen more cars in the parking lot for a quinceanera than there was for his concert.  I was anxious to see how he looked. Did he have scars all over his face?  He stepped onto the stage and the first thing I noticed was that he looked older, masarrugas, but he looked fine.  No visible signs of that accident.  Despite all that, I was simply grateful that God had given him a second chance at life.  And sure enough, the first words out of his mouth when he stepped on stage were, ”Gracias. Muchas gracias!”  You could tell, that he was thankful for all of the prayers and for us giving him a chance to continue to do what he loves to do…sing.  

I think, as a society, we hold celebrities to a higher standard.  They can do no wrong in our eyes.  I admit, Emilio messed up.  He shouldn’t have driven that bus in his condition.  But I will not hold a grudge forever.  His music is, and always will be a part of my childhood that I won’t forget.  Maybe it just reminds me of a better time when my biggest worry was making sure I did my Algebra homework on time.  

Needless to say, I finally got a chance to take a picture with Emilio.  Thank you for the blast to the past.

Cindy w/Emilo OMG!

 (Thanks to Cindy for her special contribution to our blog.)

Cold Night

It was too cold last night, and the icy roads caused havoc all throughout Laredo.

Icy roads can't stop me

Crossing an overpass was also a fun adventure.

 This guy thinks its an IceRoad Truckers episode

 Local chain restaurant empty

I was out having dinner and it was practically empty. I guess everyone stayed home and ate tamales instead.

Target parking lot

You know it's cold outside when even the Target parking lot is empty at 8pm. People were to cold to shop. A bit of ice shuts Laredo down and brings us to our knees.

Frozen Mop

Then this morning, I was about to mop around the house, but when I went outside I discovered that my bucket was frozen solid. Needless to say, I was unable to mop and clean so I went back to bed, slid under the covers and played old re-runs of Chiquilladas on TV. Nimodo.com

Closede for lack off Bussines

In these tough economic times, many downtown stores are opting to close down due to sluggish sales. After shuttering their doors, some stores place a sign out front to let the customer know that they have gone out of business. Here is one such example below, that I found downtown. 

Of course, since this is Laredo, we go bilingual on everything, and pos, here is the gringo English version for you pochos que no hacen espeak Espanish.

A few errors in spelling and grammar

Good thing Mami Chulas is still in bussines and not closede.

Panaderia Showdown

 

 

It is finally here. Hold on to your bucket seats because I will soon bring you the showdown for the ages: Pano's Bakery vs. Polo's Bakery.

You 'member the Pepsi challenge, well this will be Pano/Polo Challenge. Which bakery will come out on top as having the better pan dulce? Which bakery will have the bragging rights as being a DeLaredo highly recommended panaderia? It's a prestigious honor for sure. 

Very soon we will answer the eternal question: Polo's pan ducle or Pano's pan dulce? Stay tuned...and bring your coffee.





 

Yankee Truck

Evil Empire Truck

I found myself late at night at the HEB  and as I was getting off my truck, a Red pick-up with a flashy Yankee decal pulled up next to me.  For a brief second, evil thoughts crossed my mind (a much needed ding here and there) and I could see myself doing things that I might later regret. Needless to say, I left the truck alone but I did curse Jeter and his GQ self. Good thing it wasn't the regular season or else, quien sabe...

Looking

No need to keep looking. You have found it: Laredo's worst blog.

Glad you stopped by. Please leave a quarter in the tip jar. 

My Favorite Songs-of-the-Moment

Here you go, my top 6 songs that are on the repeat button of my CD changer. Laugh away at my musical ignorance. Click here to read more (if you dare!!!).

Tax Time

It's tax time again and the local businesses are out again trying to lure customers in. The above picture was taken from a tax place on Springfield and just three houses down, on the same street, is another tax place. Looks like some stiff competition.

I hope I get a good tax return this year. I know several places downtown where I can spend my cash. You're invited BTW. First round on me.

Pano's Bakery and Lonestar Card

Pan Dulce MMM

Pano's bid to be Laredo's best bakery seems to be well underway, and now that they have opened their 7th store, it seems that they have they have taken over the world. Personally, I prefer Quickie, La Perlita or El Mejor Pan Bakery myself, but Pano's has its moments, especially when the other bakeries are closed for the day or have run out of sweet bread.

One thing I had not noticed is that Pano's accepts Lonestar Card. Wow, must be nice to eat pan dulce on someone else's dime. Goes to show how important sweet bread is to raza.

Now, if only Mami Chula's accepted Lonestar, then that would be sweeter.

WBCA and other silly things

That crazy time that we all dread is here again. It's that time of the year in which we all have a love/hate relationship with all things George and its WBCA version of him.

 I'm tired of having to defend Laredo. There isn't anything to do in Laredo, they say.
The are no bookstores in Laredo. People are illiterate here, they say.
Parks are awful in Laredo. But I still defend my hometown. There is a high unemployment rate in this city. But I still defend mi Laredo.

But the hilarious Martha Washington shenanigans and most of the WBCA events, that I can't defend.

Its that time of the year again in which I'm ashamed to live in Laredo (OK, easy on the drama now).

Name the Laredo Baseball Team

Soon, Laredo will once again have a pro baseball team. Now you can enter the contest to name the team. Send in your submissions. I believe that the winner receives nice perks, including lifetime tickets.
LaredoProbaseball.com

Send me your submissions if you like; I'll submit them for you! I will; I will. Promise. (changuitos).

Thinking of buying me another ride

I always wanted an '86 regal. Its crazy. Don't hate. I'm going to buy it and trick it out too. 

 

Who knows, I might even give you a ride. Just easy on the trash talking.

Tome Schlitz: Little Joe y la Familia

I ran across a song titled "Tome Schlitz" that I had found on a forum some time back. It's a Little Joe song. Looks like it was recorded sometime in the mid to late 70s. I had a couple of cold ones, during a carne asada, with my father and we played this song several times. Made a video slide show with some random pictures I found online. I'm getting thirsty now. Tomen Schlitz people!

 

Menudo Bowl

I'm saddened to admit that I will be unable to attend the Menudo Bowl. I had hoped on going and snapping some pics for the ol' blog, but, due to work, I won't be attending the Bowl.  Send me some pics of the event if you have some to share with everyone.

gbfilms@ymail. com

Wanting

Wanting

by L.C.

Wanting the forbidden

opens the soul to

tempation

of the unwanted.

These uneasy

f e e l i n g s

of lust, formulating uncontrollable

wants that are unfathomable.

Lack of control

       is driving

sanity away and allowing

       insanity

to creep in and take control.

It leaves emptiness, false hope,

false love, false dreams

losing grips of

r e a l i t y

fingertip

by

fingertip

I'm trying to keep hold.

jamboozie

It's WBCA time again. Jamboozie  is coming up on the 29th. I donlt normally attend these events, but this yr I'm going. I need a date though. I'm taking applications.

La lana

Some local establishments are big on superstitions. I can respect that. I especially love the borreguito next to the cash register. Kaching! Vamos a ganar mucha lana.

Winter "Blizzard" Hours

More fun from Naturall Yogurt over on the southside: Winter Hours

It seems that the good people over at Naturall Yogurt are expecting heaving blizzards this winter for they have altered their hours of operation in anticipation of the heavy snowfalls. No sense in getting caught in two feet of snow just 'cuz you had a frito pie craving. I'm glad they're keeping it real.

Carne Asada

Fellow blogger, Que Fregados, featured a crazy youtube video of some guy going off on 'carne asada'. I thought it was a bit funny and decided to give the video some more play on this site. Watch it or go to Fregados blog and view the others by the same uploader. Let's make it go Laredo viral!

Check out the Laredo Parks and Rec shirt on this guy. At least he has guts. 

"Una carnita, aqui ya sabes para los youtube members, you now for keeping it totally mexican-american, latino, hispanic, border living, laredo, TX!"

No Freebies

 

Saw this sign at a local restaurant, Naturall Yogurt, on the southside Loop. I don't have anything to say about it. It is what it is.

Random Movie Quote of the week

From a movie, but my personal creed that I live by:

"Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pu*sy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days." 

  Give the title of the movie and you win my admiration.

Poeta

POETA plates, click to enlarge

I had never met a real Poeta before. But, I was at a stoplight recently, and fate brought me up close and personal to a real Poeta! I was thrilled. I was flabbergasted. I wanted to write a haiku about it. I tried to pull up next to this poet, but he sped away and left me breathing his smog. Alas, no poets for me.

Quiero Volverte a Ver

 The Holidays are not my favorite time of the year. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are just a downer for me. I'm actually glad to have them out of the way and I can go back to living it up, like its 1999.

I didn't used to be this way though. Christmas and New Year's Day used to be the raddest time of the year, now its just another expense. It's not that I want to be all Ebenezer-like, but that's just the way it goes these days.

I spent a night over at my Mother's house recently,  for reasons that you should not be concerned with, and I went to sleep in my old bedroom circa-1996. I was awaken early Sunday morning by the loud music that was still being played by one of my parents' neighbors. It turns out that their party had gone on well into the wee hours of the morning, so much so, that by 7am, they were barely finishing up their last can of Schlitz and jamming out to Fama.



I was used to those particular neighbors, for many a nights, back in the day, they had done just that. They would stay up drinking all night and listening to Tejano records.  They listened to Fama so much, they actually made me kinda like the band. And so it was again a couple of days ago. Me, trying to get some sleep in my old bedroom, but the next door neighbors playing Fama at 7am, still drinking the night (morning) away. I was awaken to the song of  "Quiero volverte a ver", and for s split second, I actually thought it was 1996 again, and I was a junior in high school and sleeping of a bad Plaza Disco hangover.

Unfortunetly, its 2011, and I was not hungover, just plain tired. Too bad. In any case, I leave you with this blog link (Tigre Texano), just in case you want to download some of that Fama stuff.

A Poem about a toe

Three Fourths Please

By

J.A. Jimenez

I awoke, big toe still lingering on my foot.

The drones [in green] cut across

the dotted line. A smiley face

drawn on my leg served as a guide

so they wouldn’t miss. The buzzing of a saw

announced their task. Two orbs

of light above me warmed my ass.

I heard the drip, drip, drip,

of the morphine by my side,

and I remembered high school and the good

times I had getting high. But just like back then

 the fun ended all too soon.

A high five signaled their success

and when I looked down

there was my toe
smiling at me
from inside
a medicine cup.

Puro P*nche Cowboys

This town is crazy for their Dallas Cowboys. Even though they had a less than stellar season, some fans still love to show their  love for their favorite team on everything imaginable, including vehicle decals.

Click to enlarge

I spotted this vehicle as I made my daily rounds around town. "Puro P*nche Cowyboys", the decal reads. That about sums up sports in Laredo. Maybe next year.

The Hand goes to Wal Mart

I'm not sure what was wrong with me. It was a momentary lapse of reason. I had to do some quick X-Mas shopping, so for some bizarre reason I ventured to the WalMart (by Chillis on I-35) and man was the place a mad house. I stepped in and quickly wanted out, but I was sucked in by the evil WalMart trappings. It was a bad afternoon for the hand. Live and learn.

I've been naughty lately..

Santa after X-Mas, goes on bender

  I've been very naughty lately. Yup, bad to the bone(r). One of my biggest sins has been neglecting this blog the last week or so. There has been other things that has put my name on Santa's coal list, but you need not concern your perfect life with those trivial tidbits.

I've been busy flipping off the bird to crazy paisanos and those cocky Monterrey shoppers that turn Best Buy, Walmart and Academy stores into a complete zoo. But enough about them, I do apologize for not having posted anything in over a week. I promise it won't happen again (crossed fingers behind back).

Santa, don't disappoint me please, like back in X-Mas 1987 when I wanted that He-Man and Battlecat action figure, but you goofed the order and sent me Rainbow Brite instead. That was so not cool. Then, Santa, you tried blaming 'the elves were knocking back too much eggnog', but that was just lame-o.

 
So, don't goof up this time Santa-Claws. You know what's on my Christmas list. I've been good enough this year too. Just ask around all over Laredo, in all the good neighborhoods: Cantaranas, La Ladrillera, El Chacon, Azteca, even in Santa Rita. I was good this year Santa, for the most part.

I'm hungry for you

I'm hungry 4 U

(written while bored in 8th pd. Algebra class circa 1993)

You're my cupcake

You're my twinky 

You're my Duvalin

and choco-slinky.

You're my muffin

you're my banana-nut,  

I love your donut-

big round butt.

You're my pancake,

my French toast.

You're the pan dulce

I love the most.

You're my butter biscuit,

my cornbread. 

You're my cheesecake 

pastry fed.

You get me so fuckin hungry.

Rico de Quicky

Letter to my Seventeen year-old Self

(If I could go back and give some advice to myself when I was just 17 years old, this is what I would say to me.)

Dear Seventeen Year-Old "DeLaredo",

Why the hell you give dad so much of a difficult time? Listen to him more often. You don't know it YET, but he actually does know what he is talking about. So stop being an asshole with him and listen to the old man's stories without rolling your eyes.

Easy on the underground Italian horror zombie films. Not everyone likes subtitles and dropping names like Lucio Fulci just to impress people is being a horror film snob. Some people actually do enjoy Stephen King. Let them! Watch less horror films and throw in a 'chick flick' with your GF. It makes things so much easier. Believe me.

Stop quoting Public Enemy when you write your school essays for English class. You didn't grow up in Cabrini Green. Get over it. You're not Chuck D and years from now Flavor Flav will be an embarrassment on VH1. (Yeaaaah Booooyyy)

Will it kill you to get the girl some roses? During Valentine's Day, be nice, buy her some roses. I know, I know. Its a bogus holiday fabricated by the American Florist Association to sucker people to guy overpriced flowers, but girls like it. Just do it. Again, it makes things so much easier. You don't always have to be a "rebel".

And while we are on the 'rebel' topic, its OK if you participate in school activities like pep-rallies. It doesn't make you a sheep or a pawn of the state. You can still be cool and hip and still do the other things that "normal" kids are doing. You're not going to melt if you attend your high school's football game. Stop being so EMO.  Contrary to what you believe, Robert Smith is not God so stop listening to "Inbetween Days" endlessly on your Cassette Walkman.

Seventeen year old self, its 1996 and you think you hate Intocable now? You're gonna absolutely loathe them in about 10 years.

And another thing, do your fuckin homework. Don't just start your essay; complete it. Get better grades. Heck, you might even be able to get into a decent college instead of LCC.

Be nice to your parents and to your siblings. They're your family.

Yeah, yeah, I know you don't care what people think about you. But easy on the Bobby Brown act. It might be your prerogative, but that doesn't give you a license to hurt people's feelings. Be nice and kind, seventeen year old self.

Last, don't bad mouth your own city so much. Laredo is great. In about 4 years something is going to happen to you that will make you realize everything I am saying and you will find 'the purpose'. Until then, heed these words, seventeen-year old me. You will love Laredo one day, and when that day arrives, everything else will fall into place.

Sincerely,
Your 32 year old self. 

Second Base Park

There was nothing better for me in the late 90s than going to the park adjacent to RiverDrive Mall. It was a great place to take a GF and get to at least second base. Most of the time it was dark and secluded, except for the occasional "mojadito". Border Patrol vehicles were frequent passer by's as well. But heck, they didn't break my concentration. I loved that park back in the day. For some odd reason, I was down the riverbanks again earlier in the evening, and I passed by this same deteriorated park, just like I remember it from 1996. I love my city. Good times.

CarrotHead part 2: Official Trailer

Finally, a teaser trailer of my upcoming short film, CarrotHead: Part 2. Take a look below. Lots more information on the film coming soon. Patience is good, friends.

Random Lyric of the Week

"Dicen que el mejor consejo, 
es el que se da uno mismo.
Que nada es tan importante,
como un hombre decidido"

Reminiscing Over You: 1993 and Thanksgiving Dreams

WTFB! (What the Fudge Brownies!) I had me a good Thanksgiving Day weekend. Ate some bird, had some 8 dollar wine and saw some relatives I had not had the displeasure of talking to in over a decade.

Wearing a TUX for some silly prom BS

 One of them was a cousin of mine from Nvo. Laredo that I had not seen since 1998. The holidays are always a good time to catch up with some of the relatives that get lost along the way. Well, back in the day, this primo (not the one pictured above) and me would have some crazy fun all over the streets of Nvo Laredo. We were both fourteen yrs old and we thought we were the shit. In reality we were just two stupid teenagers wearing Georgetown Hoyas jerseys and UNLV caps. Fashion was not our strong suit.


In music, we would make the noise to the latest rap single, but our favorites were Pete Rock and CL Smooth. For some reason, we would trump their music out of his boombox like nobody's business. I bought that CD sometime in 1993 and for a whole 3 months I played it out so much, the thing quickly became scratched and unplayable. My cousin asked me to lend it to him and I did, knowing full well I would not see it again. It had cost me something like $15 dollars over at Talamas Music Store on Guerrero St  en el otro lado.  That was in 1993. I thought the CD was lost forever. Whenever I would see him I would ask him for my CD back, but, he always had an excuse as to why he couldn't hand it over. Well, we had a falling out in the late 90s and I had not spoken to him in a over 10 years, until yesterday. I ran into him at my aunt's house, and he saw me and gave me a huge grin using his plaqued, crooked teeth.

"Guess what I've got in my truck!" he blurted out to me before even greeting my hand. We walked out to his truck and he produced the CD of Pete Rock and CL Smooth that we both had enjoyed and the CD I had not seen since 1993! It was the same one too, because it had my signature I had put on the CD sleeve. He slammed into this CD player of his automobile and the speakers produced my most favorite rap song eeever, "They Reminisce Over You"

value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FiOcVWQY2bc?fs=1&hl=en_US">



Thanksgiving is MosDef a time to bring family together. It's more than just turkey and overblown, hyped-up Best Buy Sales. It's more than tired Charlie Brown specials, and gravy and corn galore. The holidays are about family, about being together and seeing the loved ones from years gone by. Its about having cheap eight dollar wine with a loved one. It's about reminiscing passed,cherished memories and looking forward to the good days ahead. It is about forgiving a cousin for sins of the past. Turkey or no turkey, Thanksgiving is a sweet time. Here is to the holidays and reminiscing over the good times.

(Editors Note: You can download this CD at this great blog, along with other classic hiphop.)

For Sale

  Driving down the street I spotted this gem of a scene. A woman was seated on a table with a 'for sale' sign right next to her. It was unclear whether it was her for sale or the air conditioner unit that was right beside her. I can almost picture this woman's husband sitting her on this table and trying to get some chump change for the perceived old hag.
     BTW, I should've bought the AC unit. My place is like an oven.

My Thanksgiving: by Maria C

My Thanksgiving

by Maria Cisneros

When I was in elementary school, I remember every Thanksgiving my teacher would assign us the task of making a turkey out of our handprints and we’d make a list of the things we were most thankful for. I wish I would’ve kept one of those assignments so that I could see exactly what I was thankful for back then. My list probably included my new Jem doll and my She-ra action figure. Nowadays, my list would include a couple of items way more significant than that. Materials possessions don’t carry much meaning; they’re necessary to make living easier and possible but the objects most precious in my life are the people in it. My most important people are as follows: my daughter, my family, and my friends.

Drag me to Hal's

It's been a long, sad week for me. I think the loss is finally sinking in quietly. I'm coming to grips with it. In the meantime, I'm being dragged out of the house over to Hal's. Grief can be harsh.

Bleeding Ranger Red

I'm still hurting inside. I'm not  ready to talk about the loss. Don't look for new posts for a couple of more days. I can't blog right now, I have to lay down and not think about it.

Furniture in Life

My protege, Maria, has left me and started her own blog. Figures. So typical. You make someone famous, then they get a taste of the good life, and they leave you in the dust in the vain hope of being the next Jenny Jones. In any case, spin by her new blog and tell her I said hi.

La Sopa que me Como

La Sopa TentaDora

by GB 

La sopa se enfria

sentada en la mesa.

Con moscas bailando por encima

y mi cuchara bailando entre el fideo.

 El apetito me engrandece

mientras la sopa se me aburre,

  pero yo sigo igual de ardiente.

Selling Out

  As I kid, I loved watching the made-for-TV movie, The Deadly Tower, based on the Charles Whitman shootings at UT back in the 60s.



 When I first watched this movie in the 80s, I missed this particular scene found above. In this scene, the hero, Ramiro Martinez, is struggling with being a Mexican-American police officer while at the same time, being true to his roots and feels inferior to his white colleagues. In the scene, he meets "Mano", a kid from the neighborhood and the scene then plays out rather strangely, something I did not pick up when I was a kid.

 Listen to the dialogue of Officer Martinez. He starts talking about 'changes' and 'working hard' instead of just complaining. Is the movie referring to the Chicano Civil Rights Movement? Is "Mano" supposed to represent the old guard, and Martinez is the new breed of Mexican-American that is committed to changes via-hard work (middle-class?) instead of just complaining (protesting)? Maybe I'm reading too much into this, or is there some sort of social commentary? You decide. Still, I enjoy this movie, and this particular scene.

BTW, "Mano" needs to have his ass kicked!

Random movie quote of the week

“im 36 years old, I have a wife, a child and a mortgage and im scared to death im turning into my father”.

Quote from my favorite movie ever. The only film that makes me cry. Talk about daddy issues. Free cookie to the person that tells us what movie its from.

The Hand does Super S Foods

I was driving down Clark St. and was passing by Super S Foods when I realized that I had never been inside that particular location since like 1988. I stopped by just to check it out (and I was having a private HEB boycott) and I realized that pretty much nothing had changed since my last visit during the Reagan era. I think they even still had the same produce on display.

 One more thing I can cross off on my list of things to do before the year ends. Yeay for me.

El Mil Usos (parte final)

One of my favorite Mexican movies is a Hector Suarez gem titled, "El Mil Usos". The acting in that movie is just superb and the storyline is fascinating and easy to follow.

The plot of the movie deals with a Mexican man from the countryside that moves to the big city (DF) in search of a job and money. After a series of misadventures and terrible luck, he hears of the opportunities to have success in the USA over with the 'gringos'. The following is the next to the final scene of this excellent movie. Special note of the great acting by the old man in the final scene. His pain just seems so real.



Also, does anyone know the name of the game that the men in the background are playing? What's it called? Also, what is it that they are drinking at the bar? It's some white, milk like substance. Just wondering.

Rangers win now face NY Yankees

For the first time in their history, the TX Rangers have won a playoff series and now they face the much hated Yankees. I celebrated with them after our Cliff Lee win and even poured champagne over my own head. It's time.

Anti-Abortion

  
Several people were out by McPherson today showing their disagreement with the legality of abortion. I guesstimate there were about 60 to 75 people holding up signs that read "Abortion Kills Children". They ranged from all ages and were standing at this particular location for about an hour. IMO, its good to see that some people still stand up for what they believe. You're free to form your own opinion.

October: Month of frights and scares

 October is such a great month. The weather is finally changing. The scorching sun begins to finally give us a break, and Halloween is just around the corner. As a kid, I loved Halloween. Scares and frights are good sometimes.

Meet the Rangers (part 2: Josh Hamilton)

According to Sports Illustrated sports writer, Tom Verducci, Josh Hamilton is the best player in baseball.  Anyone that follows the Texas Rangers can easily see why that is the case. He has speed, power, and great defensive skills. He could possible be the AL MVP this year as the most important player in the league. All of this coming from someone that was out of baseball for close to four years by being a drug junkie.

As a former number one draft pick back in 1999, Hamilton, or The Natural, as he is known, signed a $4 million dollar signing bonus. He has confessed that much of that money was blown on drugs and alcohol binges. He did not return to the Bigs till 2007 and after a long road back, he is now at the height of his career. Hopefully, The Natural can lead the Rangers deep into the playoffs, and heck, into the WS. We can only dream.

Mayor's Race

     Mayor's Race

                                                                                                                                           Comic by JBC