February 17, 2007
Last night Kathy and I had a great dinner at Cartwright's. It's a top-rated steakhouse which is right next door to the True West offices. She bought so I won't record the damage but let's just say she spent a C-note on her husband and call it a day. Ha.

Robert Ray worked late last night getting the prototype for the Top Secret Project ready for New York. We slammed and jammed all afternoon, pruning and tweaking (we added Dan Harshberger's colored backgrounds and that looks mucho groovy). Still hanging out on the word balloons but it's going to be fine for show and tell.

Train Brain Drain
My father watches your program [True West Moments on The Westerns Channel]. He's a big fan. He tells me that he wants to see a stature of Wyatt Earp that you featured in one of your programs. He says it is near Bisbee, AZ next to some train tracks. At 91 he doesn't get all the details correct sometimes. We traveled to Bizbee today and were not able to locate it even after asking the local tourist info centers. Can you give me some idea of its location? Seeing that stature would mean a whole lot to him. Thanks so much.”
—Congressman Bill Redmond, New Mexico

Bill,
I am so sorry. The statue is at the Tucson train station. When we recorded this bit, the train museum in Tucson didn't want their name on the piece (their “historian” claimed the script was too sensational and not accurate). This was after we had filmed the bit and were getting ready to go to Tombstone to film. We were running late so we couldn't refilm, and because they were being so stupid about the script we felt oblidged to take the plug for their museum off the piece (I know, this is so stupid I still can't believe it). So, consequently, at the beginning of the True West Moment I say, "The train from Benson glided along these tracks. . ." I got a call from the Benson Chamber of Commerce last summer and the guy said, "What did you say on the Westerns Channel? We just had the fourth tourist today coming in looking for a statue of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday."

The Tucson Train station of course is right down town and well marked. When you go be sure to tell the museum how sorry you are that everyone is going everywhere but to their musuem. Ha.
—BBB

I got word this morning that my mother is very sick and I may need to fly to Cody tomorrow. She got the flu a couple weeks ago, it didn't get better and she went into the hospital and still didn't improve. Hospice is coming into her home on Monday and I'm afraid if I wait until after the New York trip it may be too late. She's 85.

Onion Headline de Jour
Bush Determined To Find Warehouse Where Ark Of Covenant Is Stored

"The best leaders create an atmosphere of mutual respect while setting out goals that fill up the days with striving rather than conspiring."
—Dale Dauten