It's Over?

The number of drilling rigs working in the big North Texas natural gas field has fallen by more than half, from a peak of 214 in October to 97 as of Friday. And XTO executives suggest that could fall to as low as 90 in coming months.

That means fewer wells, and nowhere is that more true than at Devon Energy, which announced that it expects exploration and production spending in 2009 to be less than half what it spent in 2008. Devon had resisted cutting back its Barnett Shale activity, but it now says it will drill something over 200 wells this year, or only about a third of the more than 600 it drilled in 2008.

Story.

Any news from the front lines out there?

More Country Grammar

ai Thanks emailer Bobby. ("It's been up at least two weeks and no one has noticed.")

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• "Is anyone out there who really believes they are going to get one of them stimulus checks." - Gov. Rick Perry acting country (as heard on NPR this morning.)
• I'm halfway through 1776. I went into it with a little hesitation but it's absolutely great. I'm currently up to August of that year and, although I don't want to sound pessimistic, it looks like the British are going to win that war.
• When I was growing up, it seemed schools were more interested in teaching Texas history than American history.
• Funny exchange yesterday:

Prosecutor: "Those better not be the facts [of this criminal case] --- that would really offend me." Defense lawyer beside me (laughing): "We certainly couldn't have that happen." Me (smiling): "Yeah, we sure couldn't." Prosecutor: "Watch it, Green." Me: "Hey, he said it first. Why are you jumping on me?"

• I'm not sure what happened on The Bachelor since I never watch it, but it's got everybody riled up.
• It's "spring forward" weekend. Ugh.
• You never hear anyone refer to the joys of raising a teenager or referring to a teenage as "a blessing."
• I had a bull rider's wife once tell me that I she thought I could have been a bull rider. (Not making that up.)
• Fox 4 had a story of six TWU students being arrested for hazing. The allegations were "some slapping" and releasing an odor that "made some of the girls sick." We are arresting people for that?
• You would think Time and Newsweek would survive. There's just so much information out there that it's nice to have it wrapped up nicely in a weekly package.
• I've got a pimple that won't go away. I'm this close to taking a needle to it. Developing . . . .
• They've been stringing an ugly electrical line across 287 just south of Decatur for days.
• Half Marathon thought: Every lady watching the race from her high tone home was also holding a little dog wrapped in a blanket.
• Jon Stewart on The Daily Show a couple of nights ago: "Just over three years ago, the Republicans controlled the Presidency and both houses of Congress. Today....they control 1/4 of The View."
• Fascinating new Supreme Court case heard yesterday: A jury rules against a guy to the tune of $50 million. He then spends $3 million on the campaign of a guy running for judge on the only appellate court. New judge wins. The court hears the appeal of the $50 million case and votes to overturn it 3-2 with new judge in the majority. You can read about it in the aptly named article, Cash Bar.

Funny Picture > Tragic Murder?

Two People Arrested For Talking

Link. Edit: Fox 4 News, which appreciates a good hooker story as much as the next guy, has pictures.

The Headline, The Picture, And The Speculative Comment

Story in today's Dallas Morning News.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Is the TAKS test offered in a Spanish version?
• I caught Tonya Harding on Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel over the weekend. What a bitter, bitter woman.
• Of the four guys lost as sea, did you see the rescue of one of them who hand by clinging to the boat for two days and two nights? I cannot imagine.
• Just when did Halloween become so sexualized?
• Tony Romo got harassed by the paparazzi in Los Angeles over the weekend. He soooo needs to prove something before he goes all Hollywood on us.
• Do you get to date in Heaven?
• I love Gmail.
• Were women obsessed with their fingernails and toenails 20 years ago?
• You would have thought the Montage County Jail would be reopened by now.
• Doesn't a job with the government seem like a safe alternative right now?
• Had the strangest experience in court yesterday. An out of town lawyer who is known for some unusual conduct shows up in court during a docket call. One of my clients' name is called and we go stand behind before the judge. I glance back and find the aforementioned attorney standing right behind my client - barely a foot away - facing the judge. We all kind of look at each other. I make my announcement to the judge and the other lawyer turns and walks out of the courtroom. What the heck was that about?
• The Mavericks lost to Oklahoma City last night? Time to blow up the team - this era is over.
• During Joel Osteen's televised sermons, he advertises a book that his wife authored at the same time via a graphic. Makes me shake my head.
• I always wake up 10 to 15 minutes before my alarm goes off. I then reposition myself to easily reach the snooze button and then fall back asleep.
• The Plane Landing on The Hudson even has been recreated with the traffic control audio overlayed on it. It's really great. Man, that happened fast.

Oh, The Irony

"Far too many of your youth are leading super-sized, sedentary lifestyles which put their lives in danger," Nelson said in a statement. "Unless we take action, an entire generation of Texans will live shorter lives than their parents."

I'm A Nielsen Family!

Well, maybe. They sent me a questionnaire of 13, uh, questions which basically concern the demographics of my household. It kind of sounds like they'll be screening me for the possibility of being An Influential TV Ratings Person. But you see those two dollars? They were included in the envelope as a "thank you" for taking the time to fill out the survey. I love that. One dollar would be an insult. But two? Now we're talking. (Honestly, it does kind of guilt you in to responding.)

Montague County Scandal News

The Messenger has put up a couple of pictures of recently indicted individuals turning themselves in at the Wise County Jail today. (They couldn't do it in Montague County because the jail is STILL shut down.)

New England Patriots Cheerleader Tryouts

Hello, Mrs. Green #9. Source. Uh, some more pictures of what you would expect to see at such an event are here.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Watched the documentary "Standard Operating Procedure" which looked at the Abu Ghraid prison scandal. It was pretty interesting with many of those involved explaining how those famous photos came to be.
• But people have to trick up the "Lynndie England pose."
• The Megan Henderson on Fox 4 was great on Friday, especially the last twenty minutes. I've got it TIVO'd and will put it up on youtube if I can motivated to do it.
• Think this AP writer has a certain viewpoint about the old south?: "BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –A potent March snowstorm blanketed much of Alabama with up to 4 inches of snow Sunday, covering Civil War statues and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of church services."
• On July 7th of last year, I ghoulishly predicted Paul Harvey's death within six months. I was close. (An emailer reminded me of this)
• Two NFL players went missing at see sea over the weekend. I rarely look at NFL.com but thought I would check it out regarding the story. All day yesterday there was not a single mention of the incident.
• I like the Palladia channel.
• I saw on the news this morning that it's almost a blizzard in D.C. Found a live webcam of it if you want to check it out.
• Serious question: I was watching the lead singer of The Fray last night play the piano like nobody's business. Can any one do that with enough practice? Or is it a gift that few people possess?
• Secret video of me at the Sissies playoff game.
• I heard the Star-Telegram is raising it's daily rate to $1.00 an issue
• For the second year in a row, those trees that have those beautiful white blooms fired off the blooms too quickly (due to unseasonably warm weather) only to have the return of cold weather knock them back.

Allow Myself To Call Attention To Myself

Rush Limbaugh. Sean Hannity. Ann Coulter. They simply spit out shock value to gain attention. And here, sadly, I'm suckered into giving them that attention. From Coulter's most recent column where she discusses our President's most recent address to the nation:

After claiming that the disastrous stimulus bill would create or save 3.5 million jobs -- "more than 90 percent" in the private sector -- Obama then enumerated a long list of exclusively government jobs that would be "saved." He was suspiciously verbose about saving the jobs of public schoolteachers. Because nothing says "economic stimulus" better than saving the jobs of lethargic incompetents who kick off at 2 p.m. every day and get summers off. Actually, that's not fair: Some teachers spend long hours after school having sex with their students.

Joe Duty Takes Sissie Pictures

Yes, he did.

The Government Is Here To Protect Us Against A 15 Year Old Girl

Background. "I'm not going to comment on the video. The video is there for people to see and make their own judgments." Sheesh. My judgment is that the Sheriff should be removed is he won't step up to the plate and call that act reprehensible. (Thanks, emailer Paul.)

And The Aftermath

The conditions (as taken from my iPhone at 6:55 a.m.). Cold. Wind. Brutal. The bloody sock: For the last two weeks, I've developed this crazy problem of clipping my right ankle with my left shoe. It happened today causing the results in the photo. But I persevered. People are already saying it's the grittiest performance since Curt Schilling in Game Two of the World Series. The medal: Just like T-Ball, everybody gets one. My time?: I don't know yet. I was hoping to beat two hours flat, but it'll be close. I'll know later. Edit: Oh, no!!!!! Result: 2:00:15. (That was 128th out of 238th in my elderly old man's division.) Alvord resident Thomas Aaberg finished his first full marathon in an official time of 3:26:32. (That was 68th overall and 12th in his age division.) 18 year old David Cude of Decatur turned in a smoking 1:24:10 in the half marathon. If you ran and want me to post your time, let me know. I know Mrs. Jarhead was supposed to run the 10K --- I hope she wasn't delayed by serving him the mandatory Saturday breakfast in bed. Edit: Almost forget -- the iPod playlist:

Do You Know Where I Am Right Now?

Being an idiot at the start of the Cowtown Half Marathon. I suspect I'm freezing, rethinking my life, and having a tear roll down my very frozen Barry cheek. By the miracle of Google, I've set this post to automatically launch at 7:30 a.m. -- the same time that the race starts in downtown Fort Worth. The puppy? That's a metaphor for what my body thinks about me in light of what I am about to put it through. No funeral.

Bridgeport Sissies Audio Coverage

Starts at 8:30 p.m. This is very wheels off if you can hear it. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/focusbhs I may go to bed before the end of the game. I got get my run on tomorrow. Edit: Heartbreak City. Sissies lose in overtime, 71-65.