I've been meaning to call this man out as one of my lifetime favorites, and he will go on my hero's web page (to be some day) for his greatness in "calling it like he sees it" in the sports world.

As most people know, I am no greatly enthusiastic jock, yet do like a wide spectrum of games. FRANK is my main man these day's when it comes to sports. His fully proclaimed but nonchalant sarcasm of what's wrong is sports today is always balanced by what's right and who's trying hard to make it right.

I listen mornings to Franks sports commentary or NPR in Dallas. God bless him for giving Public Radio his time. I need to read more of him in SI (SI Frank,) but then again, I'm no jock and hate to read, soooo...

Want to listen to Frank Deford's (BIO) commentary (HE WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH) or hate the sports "corporate world" with a passion. Just go to this website, sit back and enjoy! Click here: LISTEN TO FRANK!

hb

This weekend we took another Texas road trip, but instead of going North, headed South of Fort Worth to Glen Rose, and took William along for a family outing. Willie was on Spring Break all week so Anna and I thought it would be fun for him visit Dinosaur Valley State Park. Actually this was a lot of fun for all of us. We did some back roads exploring to see the countryside and stopped along the way at Cleburne State Park for a picnic lunch. After we ate there William tried to fish a little and Anna and I played with Warlock to get some of his puppy yaya's out. We couldn't of asked for nicer weather. The temps were around 85 and it was the nicest day of the year for 07 yet. So we made it to our destination and have the pictures to share. Neat place! Simple, but for a boy a little magical I'd imagine. I have to admit, I was just as interested as he was with what we'd find there. So let us share. See the extended comments link below for more pictures and commentary. hb

Wave Samples used from Freesound

March 11, 2007
By reinsamba (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/usersViewSingle.php?id=18799)
dinosaur1 reduced.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=15280)
dinosaur2.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=15026)

Homes in RED, passed through, worked in and vacationed
in GREEN. Enlarged map in "Continue Reading" link below. hb

Just a nice picture of our warm, lazy puppy Warlock, who is half a dozen months old now.

We thought the movie below was cute, Wm playing with Warlock. :-) hb

William and Warlock Flick - Click here!

Robinson Middle School, Plano 6th Grade Winter Concert with the Boomeister!

CLICK ON THE SONGS LISTED BELOW TO LISTEN TO THEM.

The Banana Boat Song

The Last Dragon

Simple Gifts

Dance Celebration

Robinson Middle School, Plano 6th Grade Christmas Concert - Featuring William on T-Bone!

Hard Rock Blues

A Tisket A Tasket

Jingle Bells

Download file

Ole McDonald

Very Happy Day's Lately!

I'm working on posting my pictures from our Honeymoon trip to San Francisco and will slowly post them to this entry as they are formatted for the web. So here's for a great start, Anna sitting by the coast, just south of Frisco. hb

SEE OUR FOTO's HERE: Honeymoon!

]]> uockomr 2006-11-30T05:08:58Z 2006-11-02T05:05:48Z tag:www.haughty.us,2006:/blog//1.236 2006-11-02T05:05:48Z

Just a picture of the boys that I like, hb...

hulsew www.haughty.us haughty_bill@yahoo.com My Pictures!

Just a picture of the boys that I like, hb

There's nothing funny about it.

I don't remember the name of the geeky wench in the picture above, but I'd surly like to chat with her again some day, just to say "thank you!" At the time she was my friend Randy's girlfriend, while we were stationed with the Air Force at Torrejon, Air Base, near Madrid, Spain (1982 to 1986.)

On this day I'd venture to say that God dealt us all a bye, sent Randy and I a guardian angel, and gave us an extended lease on life. It was a nice Spring day when Miss Angel here, Randy and I went repelling at our favorite spot in Alcala de Henares. As we finished repelling early into the evening, we discussed getting some dinner and my suggestion (rather insistently as I can remember) was to go out to eat at the "Rib House" on Highway E7 near Madrid.

Much to my disliking, my suggestion was met with a response from Randy that his girlfriend, Angel, was a vegetarian and didn't ear meat. Pfffpff! It irked me but being the way I am I just took a breath and suggested going to eat cheese pizza at the Air Base instead. I can not say how thankfully "guided" Miss Angel's re-direction was at the time. Unbeknown to us, we would have been there eating, at the Rib House just at the time when it was leveled by a Palestinian Terrorist Organizations bomb.

As for reference, I was able to find information about the bombing story posted as a new, back-dated internet publication from the Washington Post. Senseless Killing in Torrejon. "Restaurant Bombing in Madrid, Spain, A bomb explodes in a restaurant popular with American servicemen in Madrid, Spain, killing 18, all Spaniards, and injuring 82, including 15 Americans."

Almost everybody loved the Rib House. It was a nice place to go for dinner in the Torrejon area. Just off of Autopista highway, the restaurant was a big Victorian home converted into a front lawn eating garden and cozy restaurant inside with a bar. It was a great place. Know for great ribs, salads, sangria and good times with friends. But those were deceivingly pleasant days in Spain and for American's and G.I's. like myself. Despite another restaurant bombing by Hisballah a little more then a year earlier, it was a turbulent time - close to the end of most Communism and the cold war, the beginning of perverted Islamic Extremism and a Mid-East world aggravated by Israel's incursions into Lebanon, the US presence in Beirut and our military incidents into Libya and Chad. On the evening of the Rib House bombing, we drove past the restaurant and could see nothing but the back wall of the building stand amongst smoke, debris and a stau of emergency vehicles. I was taken back by what I saw, and it truly taught me a long lasting lesson on blending in to society, avoiding American hang-outs and serving in "stealth" mode during my following tour & uniformed days in Germany. I'm told that the terrorist put a bomb in a brief case in the bathroom, adjacent the bar, which caused an implosion instantly collapsing the building. Why there were no American's killed was mainly because they usually ate earlier the the Spanish, so timing was the key. It was planted when the place was most crowded and most American's had already come and gone. Except me. I never made it there that evening. Thanks be to God (and an Angel.)

I'm glad that Randy's girlfriend was a vegetarian and God allowed us to skate by death this time. I would venture to say that it wasn't his first issuance of saving grace for me. When I was a military cop in Turkey I know that we narrowly avoided a terrorist attack when the Turkish Gendarme arrested several people outside the base with RPG rocket launcher's in the trunk of their car. Who knows what else I narrowly avoided while living abroad as an American ex-pat.

Thank you god for yesterday and thank you for today! hb

MORE pictures in "continue reading" below.

Thanks to Osama Bin Laden's present to the US in 2001, we are now graced yearly with another Patriotic and Inspiring US Day, September 11th. The organized run above, the "Freedom Run," is held in downtown Dallas, Texas to commemorate those who died and the fearless, unselfish rescuers on that dreadful day (9-11) five years ago.

Recently in the news, Osama bin Laden's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri sent out a video offering an open invitation to all American's to shun their leadership and convert to Islam. You have to hand it to him, he has no idea of the hatred him and his al Qaeda partners have instilled in many American's about both Muslim and Arab's alike. Personally, neither Bin Laden, his al Qaeda clan, al-Zawahiri or even President Bush can see thought their mental fog enough to know what the truly level-headed people of the world think or want. It's Peace. And I know that Islam is a religion of peace and that Muslims enjoy peace as much as Jew's, Christian and other religions.

I am appalled every day at the choices made by some Muslim groups in the Mid-East and abroad, likewise by member's of our Government, including our "Christian" President to resort only to violence as an answer. No! Violence isn't the answer and it serves no one or no purpose. To me it almost seems to me as if Islam has stepped back into a religious "dark ages" with the savagery committed these days in the names of God and religion. But I know that the Islamic leaders professing violence are a perverse, minor sect of the religion. How it can be construed as "God's Will" to ruthlessly maim and kill is forever beyond me. As for George Bush, how he sleeps well at night with the blood of of a hundred thousand, men, women and children on his hands is again, just utterly incomprehensible and beyond me. He really hasn't done us a favor as American's other then bring (some) order and justice to Afghanistan.

So why did I carry the flag? At first I wasn't going to. There were two gentlemen humping it along on their run, keeping it high and proudly running with it. (It was a chore.) As I looked at them they asked me if I wanted to carry it for a while and I just smiled, but then they both followed up with a "come on and do it." and I willingly agreed, if but for a short time. Why?

The number 1# thing is that "I'm utterly proud to be an American." What Zawahiri doesn't understand is that obscured from his view by his own zealous bigotry and the highly visible behavior and policies of our idiot ridden, special interest driven Republican and Democratic political machine, is that there is a huge grass-roots America, who are nothing more then loving Christians, Muslims, and many other religions, races, and creeds who cherish our society and the American way of life. To be free to chose what we want to be, hatred free, and without the threat of death if it's not to someone else's liking. So "NO" we will not convert to a perverse religious belief which is enforced with brutality and intimidation and our leader's will be change peacefully by our own will and ways. They pay the price for their own mis-givings.

Other then to spite Clown 1 and Clown 2 apocalypse leaders, I want to say that I also carried the flag to salute the brave citizens, police, firefighter and paramedic's who lovingly and unselfishly gave their lives helping other on 9-11. And I carried to flag to salute our honorably dedicated (and mis-used) heart-filled service members who've died - giving their lives to help others primarily for the name of peace. They are the "real" true American's, my brother and sisters for whom we loved and the world honestly needs more of. Helped Muslim's in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and many other Islamic countries as caring human beings, not "politic" minded individuals.

I carried the flag because deep in my heart I know we are a good Nation, and I really love this country. If you don't like it? Try living somewhere else for a while and I promise you, you'll surly be back!
hb

Remembering New Orleans, Louisiana and Biloxi, Mississippi between Hurricanes Camille and Katrina. I lived in Biloxi in 1986 and 1987. Loved the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. Shot these pictures with my Cannon 35MM way back then. More pictures in the extended comments, Continue Reading" link below.

I thought New Orleans artsy and neat. It's one of America's "true gems" for a city and it's a shame that they had to endure the incompetence's of of our many levels of Government. I believe that the pace of the storm related relief effort (or lack there of) stems from indifference beginning at the top. It's truly a "class thing" (like lack of desire to care about the lower and middle class) and another memorable "Bush Blunder". Like MoM says, "We don't need another "C" average president!" And I'd like to add, "nor special interest, big business, upper-class oriented one!"

I enjoyed Mississippi (before casino's.) Liked the peacefulness of Waveland (when it was there) and Pass Christian also. I know that they'll eventually get back on their feet, they always have after storms, and I wish then and all the sourounding communities there all Gods Speed in doing so! hb

(Special Note: Thanks to my friend Dale for this picture. May he also remain safe. He's working for us in Uzbekistan, I believe.

Biloxi Shrimper's Docks

Gull on the Biloxi Beach

Mid-Summer's view from Biloxi, before Casino's

A friend on the beach.

The Advisor/Multi-Nation Security Transition Command, Baghdad, Iraq

Ali Times. 407th Air Expeditionary Group. Ali Base, Iraq

Black Anthem - Miliary News

CENTCOM News from Balad & Northern, Iraq

Coalition Chronicle - Camp Victory / Al Faw Palace Baghdad, Iraq

Hooah Radio!

3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Balad, Iraq

The UN-REPORTED "Good" News - US Aid Building IRAQ

The Iron Soldier - 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Al-Anbar Province, Iraq

KRAB Kronicle. 506th Air Expeditionary Group, Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq

Combat Aviation Brigade PAO. CAMP TAJI, Iraq

Victory Times - Multi-National Corps, Iraq

Red Tail Flyer, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq

The Pathfinder, 447th Air Expeditionary Group, Sather Air Base, Baghdad, Iraq

The Sustainer, 3rd Corps Support Command, Iraq

Sand Script, 380th Air Terminal OPS, CENTCOM

Desert Eagle, 739th Air Expeditionary Wing, CENTCOM

Rock Slate, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, CENTCOM

Ganci Gazette, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan

Kind of very dated, but I've been meaning to add this to my blog for quite a while.

I added a link to Drift-a-Bit, the rafting company that I use to go rafting with in the New River Gorge and Gauley River Valley's in West Virginia. Haven't been on a trip there in years, but I'd like to do it again next year. The New River and Gauley are actually beautiful protected National Parks and National Recreation Area's. I think the New is one of the only North American river's that flow's south to north and has an interesting geological history. On the Upper New, you can take a nice slow drift or enjoy Class-5 Whitewater on the Lower New all year round. And oh yes, there's lots of legends that accompany the trip down the New with a good river guide. The Gauley is navigatable only in the Spring when they open the flood gates of the Summersville Lake Dam and flood the river. Gauley is a blast, whitewater all day long in wetsuits in February. Anyway, I added the Drift-a-Bit link on my favorites to the right. It was hard to find link but a great "small" company to camp with and have fun. hb PS: Yeah, that's me up front in the raft, second one back, river high side. If you go there for any reason you have to see the New River Gorge Bridge. It was build to rust together to be stronger and once a year they have "Bridge Day" so people can base jump legally from it.

Happy 4th everyone! We hope you all had a nice long extended weekend and enjoyed a picnic, friends or some fun travel. This weekend Anna and I went to Killeen, Texas to see where she lived and went to school when her dad was stationed at Fort Hood. The above foto was taken at the 1st Cavalry Division's Memorial for our soldiers who died serving our country in Iraq. hb

Anna and I went to Edgefest 15 at PizzaHut Park in Frisco, Texas (Home of FCDallas.) It was a hot day but a cool one to us. My second fest and Anna's first. We had a good time and persevered the heat with the other 20,000 or so fans. The park is nice, new soccer stadium and venue for this event sponsored by the Edge (KDGE - Dallas) alternative rock station. Doesn't may babe look great! We had fun! and the music was really good. I hate to miss these events. Anna liked Blue October and Staind and the Toadies put on a great show also. There were so many bands that were good, Shinedown, Three Day's Grace, Seether, loved them all. To many bands to mention, I scanned the program and included it with my additional pic's linked here. Hope we can make the fall fest. hb

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Anna, Wm and I all flew to Georgia to go to Anna's Family Reunion in Georgia. We packed all our gear in suitcases (which was a first,) flew into Atlanta and then rented an SUV and drove to her Dad's property just north of Dahlonega, around the Suches and Gladdistown area where we set up camp. It's a nice spread of property nestled up against the Chattahoochee National Forrest. Wow it was nice to be in such "green" forested, mountain land after living in Dallas and pancake flat Oklahoma for two years. Really breathtakingly beautiful, Anna took us into the property from the mountain side where you can see for tens of miles and it actually butt's up to the Applition Trail. Over the weekend we had a chance to hike the mountains for a few hours and had timed it just right to catch the sunset from the crest of the mountains. Awesome! Where we we're camping was unimproved land (all wooded) but it added to the flavor of being just a nice spot to do it. Has a cold, fresh stream for bathing and washing and playing with a flat spot of land by the water that would be perfect for a picnic area. We all loved it and I can see why the family likes their land their. Places like it are getting harder and harder to find these days. The town of Dahlonega is really an American gem. It was location of the first good rush in the U.S. and they've managed to keep the downtown historical and flavorful for visitors. Have to thank Anna's folks for a "home style" dinner that they bought is at "The Smith House." "Damn good eat'in" and the best of company. I would be a miss if I we're to neglect to mention the fact that we went to Georgia for Anna's family reunion. The function was fun and Wm and I got to meet half a dozen branches of the family, plus Anna's closest of kin. We had a great time the entire weekend and can't wait to go again. hb

SEE MORE PIC"S in the READ CONTINUATION: hb