REV 1: DAVID SULAK, an autistic artist from Louise, TX, received notification that one of his works of art, THE ROCKING CHAIR, was selected for the Crossroads Art Guild of Rural Texas Gallery, Fayetteville, TX.

Earlier, Rusty had received a letter from April Sullivan, Manager of Public Programs, VSA arts of Texas. her contact are
512-454-9912 or april@vsatx.org.

VSA Arts of Texas is the nonprofit group in Austin (affiliated with the national VSA organization) which encourages state artists with disabilities to improve, show and market their various forms of art. The letter announced that Rusty's photo "NANNER BABY" was selected to appear in the art show being put on by the Crossroads Art Guild of Rural Texas Gallery, Fayetteville, TX. The show runs from August 11-September 15, 2007. It seems that any entries sold there will still be on display throughout the event.

VSA arts of Texas had invited all Texas artists with disabilities to
submit artwork to this juried exhibition by the June 5 deadline. 2D & 3D artwork was eligible.

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A future event announced by VSA Arts of Texas was the MIAW Art Show, October 2007, San Antonio, TX
This annual art exhibit in San Antonio celebrates Mental Illness
Awareness Week. Open to artists with mental illness in San Antonio
and surrounding areas (including the GOLDEN CRESCENT). Deadline for entry is August 6, 2007. Contact Susan Beattie at 210-341-4979 or miawartshow@yahoo.com or
April Sullivan at 512-454-9912 or april@vsatx.org for more
information or an entry form.

For those with any doubts, Rusty's period of depression therapy qualifies him to participate.
Since many contest rules state: "All works for consideration must have been created after the onset of disability" Rusty's depression since grade school(nobody identified it as such) should include nearly a lifetime of "art work", right? Most groups require an official "date of onset" of disabilities.
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BETTER HURRY FOR THIS ONE: Driven — VSA arts and Volkswagen
Washington, DC, October 2007
A national juried exhibition for young artists with disabilities ages 16-25. 15 finalists and $60,000 in awards. Deadline for entries is July 6, 2007. For an entry form visit www.vsarts.org/VWcall
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From left: Tom, Tyler, Garrett, Andie, Layni & Paul

Thursday, 9:00 a.m. Grandma Rusty announced, "The Army is here ready to go to work."

Lugging a wheelbarrow, an electric pole mounted chainsaw, limb loppers, a bow saw, and work gloves, our crew of the youth missions U.M.(United Methodist) Army consisted of the Adult Leader Tom from Del Rio, Andie from Del Rio, Layni from Austin, Paul from West Lake, Garrett from Round Rock, and Tyler from Austin.

That crew trimmed several trees (even hanging over the roof), drug the limbs out to the highway, cut up and stacked short sections of cedar limbs for Grandma's flower bed borders, mowed the grass, cleaned up some construction debris, stacked some kindling, and mowed the yard.

They also helped set up an old 1940s era, GI 16' x 16' squad tent long enough for Rusty to inspect and photograph it. When deemed it was still in good shape, it got taken down, folded up and hauled back to its resting place.

Various Jackson County residents and groups were canvased last week to see what they may need help with from Monday to Friday this week. Two or three old buildings were demoed and the debris was hauled off. Wheelchair ramps were built. Some other carpentry projects were tackled.

On Thursday, the girls came to the door inviting us to have lunch with them. Sack lunches held ham & cheese sandwiches, Cheetos, cookies, and apples. After lunch they thanked me for eating with them when it was MY privilege.

On Friday, Peter Beard brought some powdered electrolyte mix, probably donated by Action Oilfield Supply. Many other businesses, groups and individuals contributed money, time, tools and food stuffs throughout the week. Not wanting to slight anybody, Peter was the only one I know for sure who brought something. Rusty has a pretty good idea of who all probably contributed but won't guess here.

The youths who came from various parts of Texas west and north of us helped finance part their trips with fund raisers and personal labor.

Since "our" crew had finished right at noon on Friday they were anxious to go back to a demolition project. Before they departed, Jenna from Round Rock and about three other ladies and one young feller came packing two one-gallon plastic containers of warm spaghetti and a gallon bag of fresh green salad.
They had done the same for every "client" family in town, including the lunches the first four days.

Then Tom handed me a folded invitation afforded all their "clients" (16 or 17 projects) for the week. Supper at the Catholic church was for the ARMY BRATS (just made that up, no reflection on their character or work performed) to share one more meal with their clients. Members of the Ganado Methodist Youth Christian Fellowship spent the afternoon cooking brisket and stuffed baked potatoes, salad, and serving those delicious goodies plus brownies and ice cream.

Andie hopes to be a speech therapist working with children. Layni wants to be a missionary to Guatemala and run a food pantry. Garrett hopes to parlay his baseball skills into a college scholarship and beyond. Paul competes in football, runs the hurdles and pole vaults. I think he wants to study for sports medicine. Tyler ran our lawn mower and hunts with a .22 rifle or his crack barrel single shoot (that's coonie for a single shot break open style) 20 gauge shotgun.

After the meal everyone was invited to a worship service at the UM church. The name YUM YUM ARMY is certainly fitting for a fine group of young people and sponsors.
********
In an effort to get the dead freezer "odour" out of some 38 quarts of shelled pecans, they're spread all over the kitchen. Some home made cookies - 3C - (white chocolate, cashews, & coconut) are getting aired out to where they're palatable. So far, exposure to the air, ceiling fan and some even in the oven for 10 & 15 minutes hasn't ridded the pecans of their terrible smell & taste. Any suggestions?

Did you ever see a frozen chicken getting out of its meat market wrapper? They will ooze their way right out of there if the deep freeze goes out a few days before being discovered.

A six person team of U. M. Army missions projects arrived at our place this morning ready to go to work. When they reported one of my extension cords wouldn't work, a thrown breaker in the garage was found. Listening to verify the deep freeze was running, the hum was reassuring. The perfume filling the air was that of a dead rat. The loud buzz of swarming flies was disconcerting but the source wasn't determined.

Opening the garage doors allowed a breeze that chased the dead rat smell away but there was something else. The deep freeze was humming but the contents had been thawed for an unknown period of time. The best we could determine was that maybe a lightning strike had tripped the breaker earlier in the week.

Two chickens had "flowed" out of their packages and the leg of one of them sort of crawled off the shelf and splattered in the door opening.

It was easy to agree with the advice the instructor of our adjustor class when discussing insurance claims, "Anytime anyone claims they lost a freezer full of sirloins because of a power outage, take their word for it. NEVER open a freezer to verify the loss."

Grandma Rusty decided, "The next freezer we get will be in the house where I can keep a better eye on it."

After an odoriferous evening, we agreed that if this is the closest we ever come to cleaning up after a hurricane we'd be well blessed.

The "afterglow" of all this is that my office is ABOVE the garage. Hopefully, it'll be bearable in here in a few days.

Hit the CONTACT RUSTY link to get a copy of the email BILLBOARDS YOU'LL NEVER SEE.
*****
Blogger FRAZZLED MAMA asks, "Do you know how to tell the sex of flies?"
******
AS THESE WIZARDS KEEP EXPANDING TOWNS THEY'RE SETTING UP A BUNCH OF WILDLIFE TO BE KILLED BECAUSE OF CONFLICTS WITH "nature lovers" MOVING TO THE COUNTRY. The critters would love it a lot more if people'd stay in town where they belong.

THERE'S JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE
http://www.weather.com/mult... target='_blank'>HERE
They figure the drought in Georgia caused this bruin to enter a campsite.
http://www.weather.com/mult... target='_blank'>HERE

These "FLYING FISH" are hazardous to boaters and native species and the environment.http://www.weather.com/mult... target='_blank'>HERE

Sugar Magnolia's mom throwing the gar, pole and all, back in the river brought to mind another monster story. One summer morning my dad's sleep was interrupted by a screaming dog, not barking but screaming. When he got his britches on and went to investigate, the neighbor lady was waling the daylights out of their Cocker Spaniel with a broom. Every time she'd smack Inky, he'd scream with pain.
Dad's "What's goin' on out here?" was met with, "I'm trying to get this monster offa Inky."

When dad sized up the situation, he told the lady to stop her broom attack on the hapless dog. One of the kids had left their dad's tackle box open. Inky managed to get one end of a fishing plug (lure)in his mouth. In his effort to dislodge the critter he tried to shove it off with a front foot that got a hook in it also. Every time he took a step he'd inflict more pain on his jaw so would let out a mournful howl.

When the kids' mama heard the racket she grabbed her broom and tried "to sweep that thing right outta Inky's hair." The more she flailed the more she drove the hooks deeper into the dog. When dad got things calmed down surely he did his old T.B.'s anesthesia trick. They got Inky under a wash tub and his main tormentor sat on the tub.

Dad probably then poured about half a teacup of gasoline on the concrete driveway and they scooted the tub over the gas and held it until the thumpin' on the side of the tub stopped. Pulling his always handy tiny channel lock pliers from his back pocket he extracted both treble hooks from the sleeping dog.

I'd liked to have had a video of that whole episode. Coming to, the dog would take a step sideways and jerk his paw back up. He ran around kinda "sidelin'" bouncing off things until he regained his wits.

A kid received a well deserved tongue lashing, the tackle box was kept out of the dog's reach and every time Inky saw "mama" pick up a broom he lit out for safer climes.

Do you need me to explain that headline? See if you do after reading this.

This is OUTRAGEOUS, but not limited to Colorado

I am hoping you have the opportunity to read this email regarding the utter frustration we as English-speaking Americans experience on a daily basis. Hopefully, this will go beyond just an e-mail. This is an experience that happened to my wife today.
April 1, 2007, in Denver County Traffic Court, Denver, Colorado, she had to appear in traffic court as a result of a speeding ticket. She was speeding and knew she would have a fine to pay. We have no problem with that. The rest of the court experience, however, is something we should all stand up and take exception to and ask what is happening to the United States?

She was asked to be in court by 4:30PM today, with which she complied. However, when she got there, it was announced that all non-English speaking persons with traffic violations would be taken care of first. The reasoning being that the interpreter leaves every day at the same time and does not stay late. So, a reward for not speaking English is one gets to go the front of the line.

Next, the non-English speaking individuals do not have driver's
licenses or insurance. Never was it asked why they did not have
licenses, what they were doing to get licenses or insurance. What they were given for driving without a license was a $35 fine.
Since many of them did not have $35 they were also given payment terms.So, they are granted another reward for not having the money to pay the fines.

My wife, who was born in Denver, Colorado, raised here, and lived here all her life, was given a $249 fine for her speeding ticket, was not given payment terms, and had to wait until all the non-speaking, aliens were treated first. If I understand this correctly:

* Let's never require the non -English speaking individuals who live in this country to learn English.

* Let's never require they become citizens of this United States of
America.

* Let's never require them to ever get driver's licenses and pray they
never kill someone on the road with their driving.

* Let's never require they get automobile insurance, so that all of us who do will pay higher and higher premiums.

* Let's make sure that those of us who do get injured by these
individuals pay higher and higher health insurance premiums.

* Let's make sure those who can pay their fines, pay big ones to
subsidize all those $35 fines on payment plans.

* Let's make sure we never inconvenience them and let's never
inconvenience the interpreters in this country who may have to work
late.

Our Country is eroding every day right before our eyes. No country in the world has ever survived having 2 major languages. We are heading down that path.

Respectfully,
John DiNardo
14476 East Caley Ave.
Aurora, Colorado 80016

GARON SENT THIS. What's your IDEA about it? Subject: Pee Test

I have a question, not only for Jefferson County, but for the entire state of Missouri, and all 50 states. Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as they see fit.

In order to get that paycheck. I am required to pass a random urine test, which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check, because I have to pass one to earn it for them?

Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sit on their @$$. Could you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check.Pass on if you agree.

HOW MANY ON TEXAS ROLLS WOULD BE ELIMINATED?

Should a Georgia camper get a ticket for killing a bear with a stick of firewood? It stole their cooler and when his six year old son threw a shovel at it the bear charged. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE

Did Robin Wms. go too far on Jay Leno's show pickin' on priests & pedophiles? http://video.msn.com/v/us/f... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE

There's a dude, KEVIN HENCH, a "contributor to FOXSports.com" who's trying to stir up a stink saying Roger Clemens HAS to be on 'roids. Is he some little yankee worm with nothing else to write about or do you think he might have a point? Here's his drivel and blog replies.
http://msn.foxsports.com/ml... target='_blank'>HERE

What do YOU say?

The Navidad wizard was soaking some shelled corn to bait a catfish hole. Yesterday his nose told him that it wasn't Chanel #5 coming from that milk jug some critter had gnawed the corner out of. Trying to hold it just right while carrying it out to where he was "gonna feed the birds" didn't work. He said that either the "corn mash" splashed out or he just plain tipped the jug to one side. That resulted in the wonderful liquid running down his leg and into his shoe. The mess wasn't "processed" enough to have the effect mentioned in That Good Ole Mountain Dew. "The buzzards in the sky get so drunk they cain't fly, from smellin' that good ole mountain dew." But I'd bet the flies could find it along with the possums and coons when it got dark.
Navidad? His wife soaked his shoe with squirt bottle glass cleaner and he took two or three hitches at scrubbin' his leg down before he could breathe well again.

In response to Rusty's "HAD HE BEEN WHITE?" blog, hombre blanca had this to say June 19, 2007 Posted at 8:45 am "last liberal left at the Advocate??? That train is leaving Better try to get on board"

While any blogger is open to whatever comments they receive, some might "stick in their craw". Now that Rusty's on his high horse, he's gonna spur'im and let'im have his head.

Hombre's comment is the result of the attempt to stir up a blog fuss, which is often the object of many of Rusty's postings on here. From that standpoint, generating comments was successful. You know, it's sorta like yellin', "HEY, IS ANYBODY AWAKE OUT THERE???"

It may be a bit of thin skin here but who officially branded "liberals" as being someone to look down upon like slugs and lepers? Maybe it was some of those suck- butts who're clamped so tightly onto the shorts of that sorry bunch in Washington, DC, who're hell bent on bankrupting the nation; all the time making all their big money buddies richer while the rest of us are scuffling to make it.

We need more politicos like Mayor Bloomberg who had himself declared an "independent" today. He said, basically, "It's time we got rid of the ineffective two party system that stays in gridlock because they're more interested in the PARTY than serving the American people,(Rusty adds, "except the rich.)

How many of you ladies out there suffer from this malady? Or, have heard other gals lamenting the same thing?

Through the years Rusty has worked around oodles of old guys who'd returned to the work force, often at a much reduced salary, not too long after taking "retirement". For some reason their wives, who have run the household, unaided, for how many years, seem to resent
being "advised" how to do everything. They're also used to having their space and time alone.

How many gals refused to "retire" at the earliest time possible because hubby was already, or soon would be, living the life of leisure and they just flat didn't want to put up with them?

Is this selfish or self preservation?

When asked, "From your viewpoint, what's the construction picture looking like (in the power generation construction business)?" The head hunter (recruiter) replied,"We've been placing a lot of design people. They've got to start building something sometime."
*****
So, MIKE KEEP DRAWIN''EM UP.

The spirits are high and hope abounds in the Rusty domicile. Mama thinks Rusty would be much happier to be working again in his normal habitat. And, so would she for more reasons than not having him constantly underfoot. (THAT'S ANOTHER BLOG SUBJECT that many can identify with)

A phone interview is to happen, whenever the guy can find time, REV. 1, Thursday in regards to my going to work on a short term project. This is coming at a good time. After this long, it'd sure be helpful to be gainfully employed again.

It should also allow the (whatever the name is now) the Texas Rehab folks to recover all their expenditures for all my HELP, including therapies, they paid for. This is one reason that ANYONE who can possibly take any kind of sanctioned job, short term, reduced hours, etc. to do so in order for any rehab services expenditures to have that money back in the kitty for the next person(s) to get help.

Lots of wisdom is needed on a travel route with the least amount of strain on my supposedly repaired transmission. In spite of what the shop owner said, I still believe it's the tranny noise as the truck gains speed, not the a/c compressor we're hearing. Why would the compressor noise shift gears at the same time as the tranny? Any thoughts on this?

The cops got there TOO EARLY this time. A Georgia family returned home to face a gun waving robber. They "got the drop on 'im" and commenced to flog him with a metal broomstick. The daddy was getting ready to whack him with a shovel when the cops arrived, saving the crook from getting shoveled. Maybe he'd've "gotten the point".
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE
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BEAR KILLS UTAH BOY
June 19, 2007 - Posted at 3:16 am
A black bear ripped a hole in a tent and dragged a sleeping bag out with an 11 y.o. boy in it. It then killed the boy. Their camp was in a primitive camping area in Utah. At last report officials had shot but only wounded the bruin. They could be setting someone up else to get attacked by the bear. HERE
My guess is that the boy had taken some snacks to bed with him. Sad deal.

Lots of thoughts today. #1. is this reoccurring scam from ibrahim15hassan@hotmail.com claiming to have lots of money in an African bank. You simply send him your banking numbers and a phony check will be deposited in your account. You, in turn, are supposed to send him back a check from your account. In a few days, your check will bounce, you're charged for an overdraft and he'll have your money and he's singing, "Thanks, sucker."
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#2. Will someone who knows an email addy for Tammy Lytle please pass along this link for NATE? This MySpace video is about NICK SCOTT a young man's determination and recovery from a broken back
http://vids.myspace.com/ind... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE

Genarlow Wilson, a then 17 year old honors student was "sent up the river" for having had consensual oral sex from a 15 year old young lady at a party. After the court case so big a fuss was raised that the Georgia legislature changed what was a felony at the time to a misdemeanor with passage of the Romeo & Juliet law.

Even though the presiding judge made a new ruling in favor of Wilson and let him out of jail, the Georgia Attorney General "ain't havin' it" and has filed an appeal. He's acting like he had some stake in Wilson remaining in jail "because that was the law at the time."

My question is, would the AG be raising all this fuss, and would Wilson have received such a stiff penalty if he was WHITE????

Do any of you think the AG's mama scraped him up off the hen house floor and called him son? You know what that green stuff in hen scat is don't you?

If you were out in the woods and someone pointed to the ground and asked, "Do you know what this SCAT is?" "I sure as SCAT do, they say, "He really knows his SCAT." Rusty needs Kelli, Amber, and the rest of you to help lengthen this a bit after he starts it off. Whatever anyone adds will be transferred from your comments into this silly poem. Let's have a little fun with it.
Y'all are welcome to send in subjects for us all to try to make a silly rhyme about.

FAT PAT IN THE SCAT
Pat so often sat, his butt was fat,
One day fat Pat didn't watch where he sat.
Fat Pat sat right in a pile of cat scat, but his butt was so flat he couldn't smell the splat.
While Pat slept where he sat, it was smelled by another cat that scat in Pat's hat.
When Fat Pat donned his hat his face was covered with scat.
What do you think about that?

If you were a cat, and a gal waving a broom yelled "SCAT!!"
Do you scat right where you sat,
or turn tail and SCAT like a bat?

On the National Wildlife Federation's eNature web site you're invited to answer five questions to see if you know scat. Experience and considered evidence offered should help you get a top score. Or, like Rusty, a couple good guesses helped.

Ok, what was your FIRST score out of five?
http://www.enature.com/chal... target='_blank'> LOOK HERE

For those of you who don't read reader comments this question is being posed to you. Is Rusty being too petty by posting the following in response to a reader who asked, "What's the deal here anyway?"

Everyone, thanks for your notes to the editor. It's a matter of economics at the paper. My loss is nothing compared to all the people who work(ed) who've already been or will be axed. We didn't depend on the column to survive but having a few shekels in my pocket allowed me to do some things empty ones didn't. Who had that song, "If the devil danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine."

MORE SOUR GRAPES: In August or September they called me into a meeting where there was supposed to be two FULL pages of outdoor stories EVERY SUNDAY. Based on that, I was asked to provide copy for publication every other week.

When they printed a story about a female NEW YORK rock climber, I asked, "What the hell does this have to do about the OUTDOORS anyway?" "Well, we ran a reader survey and heard, "You're not having enough stories about women in your sports pages." Rusty then committed he'd round up some stories IF they'd print 'em. They said, "Go for it."
After driving hundreds of miles, sleeping in Old Blue at truck stops, doing interviews and taking photographs of ladies for a series OUTDOOR WOMEN, they wouldn't run my stories. I'd have to call and jack'em up about running 'em.

Doing this on speculation that the stories would at least cover gasoline expenses was naive on Rusty's part. They made the assignment and he trusted they'd have the integrity and the testosterone to live up to their side of the bargain.

To top it off, they ran stories about butterflies, turtles, trees, plants, weeds and other items that better belonged in a nature or the garden section.

Do any of you remember Alfred Hitchcock's thriller, THE BIRDS, that came out in the early 1960s? I'd sure like to turn those birds loose on whoever the wizards were who screwed this deal all up. Going from a 16 or 20 page Sunday sports section, to sometimes six, never over eight pages is beyond my comprehension.

Is Rusty being too petty and whining too much about this? Delete Comment

have decided to lump more topics in a blog so as to get more screens.
E. D. SURVEY

Just had a wild idea. With all the ads we see promoting viagra, levitra, and those other magic "confidence" builders designed to make your partner ecstatic and restore your marriage, how about we conduct a little survey. Without embarrassing anyone by giving names, let's record the reactions when we ask several people, individually of course, "While watching a Viagra commercial, did your wife ever exclaim, "I never thought that would happen to YOU, as h—— (amorous) as you always were."
********

YOGURT COFFEE?
June 12, 2007 - Posted at 4:04 pm
Rusty never was tough enough to drink just straight cowboy coffee, Cajun coffee (usually Community Club Dark Roast), or any other Java. Today, on a whim, he dumped a big tablespoon of vanilla yogurt in his coffee. Wasn't bad.
*****
BABOON SCARE
June 12, 2007 - Posted at 4:00 pm
Steve Carell got a major scare while making EVAN ALMIGHTY an offshoot of Bruce Almighty. It seems the animal trainer didn't prep Carell before shooting a scene,

"There is one scene when the baboons bring me lemonade. In one take, the baboons spilled the lemonade and I improvised and said something like, 'Hey man? What are you doing?' The baboon thought I was getting aggressive with it. It bared its teeth and took a very aggressive stance and it scared the hell out of me," Carell says.

"After the take the trainer said, 'You know what, don't do that. Really, don't talk to the baboon.' And then he paused and said, 'You know what? As a matter of fact, don't look the baboon in the eye.' And I'm like, 'What? Why didn't you tell me before they were shooting not to look the baboon in the eye?'"

You can read about it HERE

Coy Slavik, sports editor of the GTHIAHB (... in a handbasket) Victoria ADVOCATE (WHOSE ADVOCATE?) delivered the news of the guillotine stroke to the Amblin' Abe column. I'm disappointed but they didn't get a cherry this time, I've been laid off from jobs that I was MAKING A LIVING at. Back in '02, a gal in a Michigan grocery checkout line was lamenting her hubby got laid off "after THIRTEEN YE-EARS". (It was awfully tempting to quote her that old line about "The only place you can find sympathy around here is in the dictionary between...) He wasn't ranging very far from the couch in his job search either.

Being the sympathetic and congenial soul that Rusty is, he told her, "Hell lady, I live in Texas. Maybe he'll have to go somewhere else to work." Another guy in line chimed in, "Back in the eighties, when we were out of work up here, we went to Houston to work." Just couldn't resist, "In fact, I've been laid OFF more times that Britney Spears has been laid ON."

In Coy's defense, he's having to make some painful cuts that will only make more work with a smaller staff. Since everything in the media is migrating away from the printed page it was inevitable.

Now that some of the sour grapes are out of the way, here's a big THANKS FOR READING "AMBLIN' ABE" to all you loyal readers out there. Unless they tire of my 'cane raisin' we'll try to keep sending you some old Rusty stuff.

WHAT'S A MATTER WITH THE DISCUSSION FORUM POSTING MECHANISM? THIS IS NO TIME OF THE MORNING TO KEEP TRYING TO POST SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT TO SURF FISHING ANGLERS THAN ANYTHING PRINTED IN THE ADVOCATE UP 'TIL NOW, ONLY TO HAVE YOUR WORK DISAPPEAR WHEN YOU HIT THE "POST" BUTTON.

THIRD TRY to post this. One additional comment needs to be made to the fine warning Danny Goyen gave in Sunday's sports section, FISHERMEN BEWARE! He addressed the too many close calls with sharks that local anglers have had while wade fishing lately.

It's surprising to me that the FIRST RULE of wade fishing along our coast hasn't been taught in this area before. We were cautioning our readers over in Louisiana nearly 30 years ago. I'd have gladly done so given the chance.

NEVER TIE a fish stringer to anything that won't pull loose when a critter hits your catch such as by a shark, dolphin, big turtle, etc. Tie it to your BELT LOOP rather than to your belt or other strong strap.

UPDATE: Here's the schedule for "MR. PAUL'S BIRTHDAY PARTY AND ROAST" (MORE DETAILS BELOW). The CARNIVAL runs from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00. The Bar-B-Cue runs from 4:00 to 6:00. The banquet activities start at 6:30 P.M.
******
Here's Rusty's discussion forum comments about, "MOMMA, I DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO" vicad May 30, 2007.

HOORAY FOR MOMMA and her friendship with MRS. G and her concern for the kids being discharged from TYC. Only this kind of COMMUNITY CONCERN AND POSITIVE ACTION will reach these kids BEFORE they get locked up. One group who're leading the charge in helping BEFORE the kids around here get too deeply enmeshed in problems is LIGHTHOUSE 2911. REV. PAUL BEARD at 361-293-1350 can use financial, encouragement and prayer support.

In fact, REV. BEARDS BIRTHDAY PARTY AND ROAST will be held on Saturday June 16th at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 3310 N Ben Jordan, Victoria there's going to be a ROAST of MR. PAUL'S (backside?) by anyone putting up the money to do so, a meal, a silent auction and a vote at one dollar per vote on how much, if any, hair on his head "Mister Paul" gets to keep. The entertainment itself may be worth the price of admission. The event is to raise funds for the SUMMER CAMP AND SUMMER PROGRAM. For more information contact Wanda Ritchea at 361-649-2904 or Rev. Beard at 361-293-1350. A donation of $10.00 will admit you to an enjoyable evening. SEATING IS LIMITED SO GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY.

Maybe the auction will contain some of the $18,000 in prizes collected for the raffle at the big bass classic at Lake Fork back in April. The crowds were way below the predicted numbers because the weather threw us a curve Jeff Bagwell couldn't have hit. We had strong winds, heavy rains, 37 degree temps one morning, drizzle, thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes.

On an EBAY discussion forum a new user asked if it was permissible to quote scripture in product listings. While he took no offense at the quote itself, the feedback on that particular vendor said that he'd screwed a buyer. Lots of folks said that scripture quotes usually raised a red flag in their mind and they usually avoided that vendor. For the link to some interesting comments GOhttp://forums.ebay.com/db1/... target='_blank'>HERE

Rusty couldn't resist...
FLYBOY|: GOOD QUESTION. Without being preachy may I refer to what Jesus said, "There's no one good, no, not one." I agree about watching the one claiming to be "good" and the raising neck hackles when someone quotes scripture unless at an appropriate time to comfort or encourage someone. If there's something good about a person it will show, so will the bad.

We had a neighbor one time who was SOOO religious he made me want to puke. In the place of a tip, he'd leave a gospel tract. In MNAHO, while the wait person might benefit from the content, it'd have a much more favorable impact if accompanied by cash. After all, he or she's working for TIPS NOT TRACTS.

BO DOWDEN won the Bassmasters' Classic in the early 1980s. At a sports show later the nitwit neighbor asked BO, "Did the Lord give you those big fish?" Bo indignantly replied, "Hell no, I had to work for ever' damn one of 'em."

It did this old sinner's heart good.

Any similar stories or comments?

GARON SENT: At the church's husbands marriage seminar, the Priest asked Luigi,on his upcoming 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he managed to stay married to the same woman all these years.

Luigi replied to the audience 'Well, I've-a tried to treat-a her well, spend-a the money on her, but-a, da best-a is-a dat I took her to Italy for the 20th-a anniversary!

The Priest immediately commented, 'Luigi, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here! Please tell the audience what
you are planning for your wife for
your 50th anniversary...'

Luigi proudly replied, 'I'm-a gonna go and-a get her."

Have YOU ever uttered any of the following? As the school year is ending, here are some thoughts courtesy of Jeff Foxworthy's Take on Teachers

YOU might be a school employee if....

...you believe the playground should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick
...you want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off
...it is difficult to name your own child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bring high blood pressure as it is uttered
...you can tell it's a full moon or if it's going to rain, snow, hail....anything!!! Without ever looking outside
...you believe, "shallow gene pool" should have its own box on a report card
...you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."
...when out in public, you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior
...you have no social life between August and June
...you think people should have a government permit before being allowed to reproduce
...you wonder how some parents MANAGED to reproduce
...you laugh uncontrollably when people refer to the staff room as the "lounge."
...you encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter schools or home schooling and are willing to donate the U-HAUL boxes should they decide to move out of district
...you think caffeine should be available in intravenous form
...you can't imagine how the ACLU could think that covering your students' chairs with Velcro and then requiring uniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever be misunderstood by the public
...meeting a child's parent instantly answers the question, "Why is this kid like this?"
...you would choose a mammogram over a parent conference
...you think someone should invent antibacterial pencils and crayons.
..and desks and chairs for that matter!!!
...the words "I have college debt for this?" have ever come out of your mouth

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Watch what happens when this yuppie guns his motor at grandma so she'll hurry across the street.http://vids.myspace.com/ind... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE

Wouldn't that be tempting? GO GRANNY

GARON FORWARDED THIS EMAIL: THIS IS FOR EVERYONE'S INFORMATION - PLEASE PASS IT ON
This story was verified at: http://www.snopes.com/medic...

Yesterday, my youngest daughter, Halle, who is 4, was rushed to the
emergency room by her father for being severely lethargic and
incoherent. He was called to her school by the school secretary for
being "very VERY sick." He told me that when he arrived, Halle was
barely sitting in the chair. She couldn't hold her own head up and when he looked into her eyes, she couldn't focus them.He immediately
scooped her up and rushed her to the ER, and then called me.

When we got there, they ran blood test after blood test and did x-rays, every test imaginable. Her white blood cell count was normal, nothing was out of the ordinary. The ER doctor told us that he had done everything that he could do so he was sending her to Saint Francis for further tests. Right when we were leaving in the ambulance, her teacher came to the ER and, after questioning Halle's classmates, we found out that she had licked hand sanitizer off her hand.

Hand sanitizer, of all things. But it makes sense. These days they have all kinds of different scents and when you have a curious child, they are going to put all kinds of things into their mouths. When we arrived at Saint Francis, we told the ER doctor there to check her blood alcohol level, and yes we did get weird looks, but they did it. The results showed her blood alcohol level was 85% — six hours after we first took her. There's no telling what it would have been if we would have requested it at the first ER. Since then, her school and a few surrounding schools have taken this out of the classrooms of all the lower grade classes, but what's to stop middle and high schoolers from ingesting the stuff?

After doing research on the internet, we have found out that it only takes 3 squirts of the stuff to be fatal in a toddler. For her blood alcohol level to be so high was to compare someone her size to drinking something 120 proof. So please PLEASE don't disregard this because I don't ever want anyone else to go through what my family and I have gone through. Please send this to everyone you know who has children or are going to be having children. It doesn't matter what age.

Note from Rusty: Hasn't it been said to take that stuff camping for a fire starter? May do a little "field testing". Results later.

GARON sent us this:
Hillary Clinton and the Fortune Teller

During a recent publicity outing, Hillary sneaked off to visit a fortune teller of some local repute. In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the mystic delivered grave news.

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just be blunt: Prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year."

Visibly shaken, Hillary stared at the woman's lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She simply had to know. She met the fortune teller's gaze, steadied her voice, and asked her question.

"Will I be acquitted?"

This link http://www.onlineopinion.co... target='_blank'>CLICK HERE Tells about some high muckety muck in Australia Catholic schools is trying to get the govt. to make exceptions in their ANTI-DISCRIMINATION laws so the church can refuse schooling to non-Catholics; to pregnant girls; to kids of single mamas; to kids whose mama's are shacking up; etc. Rusty always thought those unfortunate folks were the ones needing the most help.

It's okay for the Catholic gays to attend but other gays might get the boot. Sure sounds like discrimination to Rusty. The Church receives public money so ALL kids can attend. Could they be gettin' a little too religious and forgetting the role of the church of opening its doors to those in need?

Is it possible that the real TASMANIAN DEVILS are wearing black robes and funny looking collars?

Rusty promised the D-I-L to try to sell her collection of Avon figurines. Where might one try besides eBay?

Our blackberries haven't been very sweet this year. They had plenty of rain for a spell but that only seemed to make them bigger. Any ideas?

Quote of the Century.

"The American Indians found out what happens when you don't control
immigration"

Rusty doesn't have a MIDAS touch, it's more of a "septic tank" touch because everything he touches seems to turn to.....(you get the idea). Before Grandma Rusty left home about two months ago her very explicit instructions were #1. If you'll clean up after yourself as you go along there won't be such a mess to cleanup before I get back; #2. Get this yard cleaned up; #3. And DON'T MESS WITH MY COMPUTER!!!!|(She inherited the whole shebang from her deceased brother so that made it all the more precious to her).

On #1. He did okay for about... three days. Consequently, before she got home, he failed to wipe out all the evidence that a bore hog had run loose in the house for 7-1/2 weeks, give or take a few days. #2. Fighting a riding mower for about three weeks (compared to most guys who wouldn't have taken much over two days) didn't help any. Without having photos to compare the minute progress under the carport, the scattered firewood, and the yard in general, not much was evident. #3. Rusty thought, "Now, If I swap my computer tower for hers and swap 'em back before she returns, surely nothing can happen to hers." WRONG!!! How in the world could a monitor (about a 19" jobbie which was like going to the drive-in movie) be screwed up by merely swapping towers? When things were put back, supposedly the same, the flippin' monitor's normal blue background had turned a sickening green. "Restore" didn't help any. Neither did clickin' on the "Change
Background Color" button.
Compared to when Grandma turned on her computer and saw that screen, her reactions to items 1 &
2 were minor driveby shootings. Her attempt to remedy the color just made the screen turn yellow.

Suffering from lack of sleep did nothing for Rusty's ability to remain calm in the resulting "conversation".

The #1 son's suggestion to re-hook Rusty's tower to the damaged goods to see what happened then were R-E-J-E-C-T-E-D. Him tellin' his mama that the monitor might be "hosed" forever made the cloud of doom grow larger. Rusty's offer to swap his 15" monitor for the other one didn't take any of the static charge out of the air either.

Is it any wonder why last night's dreams included visions of "bad guys" chasing Rusty to do him bodily harm? At least he got to sleep in the house last night.
Other than leaving home, do any of you have any suggestions for Rusty?