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One way for Texas to tackle its revenue shortfall, sell license plates. There were 33 license plates auctioned off this past Saturday by My Plates at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington

1: GIDDY UP $2,500

2: T BIGTEX $2,500

3: FISHING $1,400

4: MILLION $1,500

5: RAIDERS $2,000

6: DIAMOND $2,000

7: RANGERS $10,000

8: FREEDOM $2,500

9: SOONERS $4,500

10: FORD4U $2,000

11: MUSTANG $7,000

12: RANCHER $1,500

13: GO HORNS $10,500

14: COOL DAD $4,500

15: AGGIES 1 $2,750

16: BELIEVE $6,250

17: DRAGONS $7,750

18: TEX4NS $1,000

19: MY TEXAS $3,500

20: COWBOYS $11,500

21: 2FAST 4U $3,000

22: NASC4R $2,500

23: FERRARI $15,000

24: HUNTING $1,500

25: T STARS $1,000

26: MICHAEL $800

27: AMERICA $3,000

28: T DALLAS $1,500

29: MAVS FAN $1,200

30: FT WORTH $5,000

31: PORSCHE $7,500

32: BEST MOM $3,750

33: Bidders Choice $6,000

The license plates sold for $138,650, and of that total, My Plates estimated $78,422.50 went into the state's general revenue fund. A My Plates release said the company has sold more than 34,000 plates since November 2009, putting more than $2.6 million in the state general revenue fund. That's quite a revenue stream.

I enjoy watching politicians argue about budget shortfalls, deficits or whatever they're called now. I was never very good at math, and now I know why, I cannot make numbers say one thing and mean another. Or as my father used to tell me, "Figures never lie, but liars sure can figure."

So let us kick back and enjoy the show that is the Texas Legislature as it works to do more with less (at least on paper).

TODD HUTCHINSON is the Web Editor of the Herald Democrat. He can be reached at thutchinson@heralddemocrat.com or 903-893-8181 ext. 2296.