Legend!

Today I know how Will Smith must have felt when he was the last man in New York City in the movie "I Am Legend". Sure Fayetteville is no New York, but at 2:30 Christmas Day, a Tuesday afternoon, I was able to stand in the middle of the road on Dickson Street in Fayetteville and feel like I was the only person in town. This was not just for a few seconds but for about the 15 or 20 minutes I was there.
That's right... not another car, person, dog or bug... nothing!
Just Me, Myself and I.

Here is the view East, up Dickson St.


And West, toward the UA.


I Am Legend!

Run!

"Run! Run for your lives....AAARRGHH!"
Just kidding. I love the new Razorbacks basketball coach John Pelphrey. When the team makes a run he gets exited, when he gets exited the team gets exited, when the team gets exited the fans go crazy and a good time is had by all.
I am enjoying Arkansas basketball more now than I have since Nolan left.

Flight!

Just a photo from the inaugural flight of the Z-16 fighter/paper aircraft outside our Fayetteville office last night.

Here are some specs:
The Z-16 is a multi-role jet fighter aircraft developed by Craft & Spencer Skunkworks, Fayetteville, AR. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it has evolved into a successful multi-role aircraft. The Z-16s versatility is a paramount reason it was a success on the export market, serving 24 countries.
The Z-16 is the largest Western fighter program with over 4,000 aircraft built since production started in 2007.
The Z-16 is a dogfighter with innovations including a frame-less, bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. It is also the first fighter aircraft to be deliberately built to sustain 9-g turns. It has a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, providing enough power to climb and accelerate vertically - if necessary.

Thanks Donna!

Pretty!

I've been meaning to post this photo for a couple of weeks now.
It is an abandoned farmhouse on the Gay Orchards property on the East side of Springdale. About five or six years ago I shot a very similar photo when the Springdale School Board wanted to have the property condemned so they could build a new high school here. The Gays fought the school board and eventually the new school was built on the West side of town instead.
I am glad to see that after all this time it is still the same scene.

P.S.
Gay is the family's name not their sexual orientation.

Che!

Apparently Che Guevara is alive and well and driving a bus for ORT. Also, judging by the logo on his hat, he moonlights as a fry cook at McDonalds.

OMG!

Guess where I ate lunch today?

ACAMBARO!

Yes, by some sort of Christmas miracle or act of God they have re-opened their doors. I don't want to get too exited just in case this is a temporary thing, but today is a good day.

Starcrossed!

For those of you who don’t already know I have been having an affair for the past three or four years.

At first it was a casual thing but the more lunches and dinners I enjoyed the more my love grew.

During the past few months our tryst had become intensified with meetings three, four and sometimes even five times a week.
All this came to an end Monday, December 10, 2007.

When I arrived at work that fateful day I was told to go to a local restaurant to cover an immigration bust. In the back of my mind I knew what was going on but refused to accept it.
Yes, on Monday the Immigration Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) agency raided my beloved Acambaro Mexican Restaurant and shut her down. It was not only a sad day in Springdale but in all of Northwest Arkansas as they shut down all the Arkansas locations.

Yes, Acambaro was my lover and I am not ashamed to admit it. Near the end of October I pledged to eat and rate every item on their lunch menu. When finished I was going to re-christen the restaurant “Zacambaro”.
Unfortunately I only managed to finish 14 or the 30 items before the raid. I recently learned of two “secret” lunch items. The #31 is “the same as a number one only with a chicken taco instead of beef” and a #32 “Huevos Rancheros”. I guess I shall never know these two.

For anyone still reading here is a copy of the lunch menu complete with my notes on the items eaten.


And here is the final ratings of the 14 items eaten:
***** = 5 Stars
**** = 4 Stars
*** = 3 Stars
** = 2 Stars
* = 1 Star

#3 ***
#5 *
#6 ****
#9 ****
#10 ***** (best meal at the restaurant)
#11 ***
#12 ****
#15 ****
#16 ****
#17 ***
#22 ***
#24 ****
#25 ****
#26 ****

As you can tell I really liked their food.

Pelph!

A homage to Neemah’s "Incredible Pelph" photo in the comments on In The Loupe. I think mine is better. BTW Arkansas beat the Missouri State Bears 70-51 last night.

Geaux!

Back from my Thanksgiving holiday and "LS You Suck!" trip. Once again we traveled in style on the phat jet.
Did you know....




WE ARE ROCK STARS!

And


Darren

McFadden

is SUPERMAN!



GEAUX HOGS! Arkansas beat #1 ranked LS "You SUCK" 50-48 in triple overtime.

Here is the same photo from November 28, 2003.




I also shot the 7A State Football Championship and the Fayetteville High School Bulldogs "Brought the Wood!"
Cody Hammer is the un-holy seed of D-Mac and Peyton Hillis combined. This guy was un-stoppable!

T-Day!

So this is what I would look like if I were on South Park. You can create your own southpark character here.
Happy Thanksgiving!

BTL!

Just a plug for our re-designed Morning News photo blog Behind•The•Lens.
Check it out!

Rocky Top!

Early this morning I drove to Springdale, jumped on a Stephens Inc. jet and headed to Knoxville, Tennessee, to shoot the University of Arkansas Razorbacks as they took on the University of Tennessee Volunteers.


This is not the first-time I have flown on the jet and will not be the last, but every time I fly it is a rush just like my first time.


Yeah, we're a bunch of pimps.


The front of the plane...


And the rear.

Did you know there is a magazine dedicated to the "Private Jet Lifestyle"?


And at $35.00 an issue quite a deal. I guess if you can afford the jet, you can afford the mag.


Just in case you were wondering what Tennessee looked like when you're traveling nearly 600 MPH at 41,000 feet.


By the way, Arkanss lost to Tennessee 13-34.

Brick!

How could I resist a photo-op with the world's largest brick?

The brick, AKA “Baby Clay” is constructed with clay from Acme Brick Co.'s 23 brick plants. The brick is 116 inches long (9’ 8”), representing the 116 years Acme has been in business. The brick weighing about 5 tons is nearly 3,000 times the size of a standard brick. Baby Clay is the fifth attempt to create the world's largest brick.

And yes, Z-Man is "The Best Thing To Have aournd Your House."

Bourdain!

Last night I encountered one of my favorite celebrity chefs at the Fayetteville Public Library. Anthony Bourdain, author, chef and host of the television show "No Reservations" visited town and I was the "official" photographer for the library. Bourdain was a pretty cool guy. Following a news conference Bourdain was greeted by hordes of "foodies" who just wanted to meet, touch, talk to, hang with and get autographs from their hero.


As you can see I had some pretty stiff competition for photographs.

I like the fact that when Bourdain spoke he didn't use notes, swore like a sailor and drank like a fish. As a matter of fact, I had to make an "official" beer run when the library ran out of Heineken for him to drink.


In all over 500 people showed-up to meet their favorite T.V. personality. This guy came all the way to Fayetteville from Lawrence Kansas, that's about a four and a half hour drive. He was pretty stoked.


The highlight of my night is when I was asked to take Mr. Bourdain, no, Tony, back to his hotel. I did not expect this and I was not really prepared. As I moved all the trash and car crap from the front passenger seat of my car Tony said,
"Wow, kinda looks like Norman Bates' car from Psycho."
I froze... then he said,
"Aahh, it looks just like my apartment back home."
I think he was just exhausted and didn't care what my car looked like, but I doubt his apartment is as gross as my 4-Runner.
Of course, as the "official" photographer, "official" beer-getter and "official" ride-giver-homer, I had Tony sign a book to me.

Helena Back!

Well, I am back from the 2007 Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in Helena, Arkansas. The music was great, the campground was crazy and the weather was hot. No, really, really, REALLY HOT!
This year we took a side trip to Clarksdale Mississippi to visit the blues club Ground Zero.


While we were in Clarksdale we also stopped at Cat Head Records and saw Mr. Tater "The Music Maker" playing on their front porch. I have seen Tate playing on the street in Helena during the festival in years past. I guess this year he decided to stay home.


Again the music was great but the weather was hot so most of our activity was limited to the hours after sunset. Here is one from Friday night, I don't remember who he is so I'll call him 'Fez'.


Here is Roy Book Binder playing on Saturday.


I have created a photo gallery of all my KBBF photos this year and years past. Please check it out and enjoy!

Decapitated!

The Arkansas Razorbacks beat, no decemated the North Texas Mean Green in Fayetteville tonight. Here are a few highlights of the 66-7 victory.




One last shot for Zamora


Turns out the Mean Green are not so mean after all.

Can't Wait!

I am counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the 2007 Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in Helena, Arkansas, beginning on October 4, 2007. The photo is Pinetop Perkins performing in 2005.
See you there!

Good Stretch!

I could never be an Arkansas Razorback, these guys are so damn flexible. Kinda like Gumby!

This Way!

Right turn only. Ok, got it!

Left turn only. Ok, got it!

Wait a minute......