Tuesday, September 30, 2008

A "New" Super Heroine



link

I heard this bit this morning and just had to share - the Adventures of Shirtless Girl, America's BIGGEST Crime Deterrent. You can follow along with a comic at Bob and Tom's site - quite tasteful, doncha know.

Yep, nuttin' but fine art here.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Huh?



Egads, talk about stretching to prove a point - whatever that might be. A bit disconnected, do ya think?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Video Explanation



I've seen plenty of people around the blogosphere post this video, so I'm hardly original here. However, the content jibes with the various analyses available online.

It never ceases to amaze me how our leftist leaders develop amnesia about what they said and supported several years ago when their pet policy doesn't work out. It's like yelling "la la la I don't hear you" during a debate. It's also frustrating that the press won't at least ask some tough questions about the denials that can easily be disproven, but I guess that interferes with their agendas as well. Oh excuse me, they are impartial and have no agendas. My bad.

Do You Agree With Obama?





You DISAGREED with the Barack Obama position on 50 of the 51 test questions. This means you disagree with the Obama position 98% of the time.

I hope this will help you make an informed decision on Election Day!


I'm shocked I "agreed" with him at all. There were some multiple choice questions that seemed to allow a degree of agreement with our Democrat candidate.

I still say McCain is a far cry from what I look for in a President, but he is a damn sight closer than Obama. I have surely enjoyed his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate just to see the left's heads explode, even if their temper tantrums have grown very tiresome.

The picture above is a link to the test, or click here.

Good To Know




You Are 70% Normal About Sex



You're so normal about sex, it's a little scary.

Your sexual attitudes and experiences match up with most other people.



Like everyone else, you're a little naughty and a little traditional.

You enjoy sex, but you're not a total freak about it!



Heh. Here I thought my predilection for midget p0rn would trip me up/snark.

Ripped off from MoK.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

I Tell Ya, I'm Shocked

You are a

Social Conservative
(38% permissive)

and an...

Economic Conservative
(76% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Republican




Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid
Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test


Edit: The link to the test above has this blog's url in it for some reason. Click here instead.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Doin' the Rahht Thang

Ain't always easy. We all know that - if you are even aware of morals at all, you know you have to make decisions that influence the future of your life at every crossroads, major or minor. It's common enough - we've all heard about how the correct path may not be the easy one, or life is full of hard choices, the high road is the road less taken and so on.

I had all this driven home to me today, and it was an innocuous enough situation. One of my coworkers called me while I was at Wally World in Dodge City. When he found out where I was, he asked if I'd do a favor for him. He wanted me to go to the Alltel store - just down the road - and put five bucks on his pay as you go phone. I didn't know he had one. It turns out it is for phone calls he doesn't want his wife to find he's made.

They have a tumultuous relationship - she doesn't trust him, and he apparently gives her enough ammunition for her not to trust him. However, when it comes to family decisions (she has children from previous relationships), she won't listen to him, and the situations only go downhill. He is for discipline, and she wants to be the kid's friend. Plus, the ex hubbies get involved, and all they seem to be interested in is scoring points rather than the welfare of their offspring. So, later on, he gets yelled at for saying "I told you so" when he, in fact, did. I've even heard him refrain from using that loaded sentence.

I wouldn't be married to this woman, period. Were I treated like that, it would be over tuit suite, I can guarantee you. But, I would behave myself as well. All this is neither here nor there.

Usually the phone store is pretty crowded, and the lines are long. He claimed there is a kiosk that you can enter in the info. I told him he could do it online. He can't have a debit record of it. So, I said I'd do it.

But I got to thinking about it. I, by doing this one small thing, was basically condoning what he was doing behind his wife's back. Maybe she is a bitch and deserves it. Maybe he is just a cool misunderstood guy that just needed a small favor. I couldn't justify it in my mind. I've been in those situations in the past, and they can turn ugly. I'd just rather not insert myself into a troubled relationship even in the smallest degree. Were I paying their electric bill to keep them from getting shut off - that would be far different (if more expensive!!).

I called him back and said I wasn't going to do it, and why. He was not a happy camper, but I don't think he was totally PO'd about it. It didn't matter - I have standards that I will try my hardest to adhere to.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

More Cartoons that Piss Me Off



A lying Sarah Palin "action" figure, eh? Yup, sure taking the high road here. In a pageant one piece bathing suit, no less. For a guy who supposedly is a staunch supporter of women's rights, Trudeau is sure showing his colors here. Garry could have just as easily shown a "non-action" figure of Obama - he says a lot but does nothing and has no experience. But, he and Jane wouldn't be on Katie Couric's Christmas card list if he did something like that.

Personally, I'd like to see some examples of the "lies" McCain has supposedly uttered, as well as his examples of "mud slinging." I guess when your communicative abilities are limited to a teleprompter to avoid embarrasment, you get a pass from these guys.


And lastly, this one doesn't really piss me off - I think it's true! I put this up for ptg, who as a Nebraskan has to suffer Hagel's idiocy.

Fog From Above


This morning, about thirty miles west of Craig CO, on US40. It was like hitting a wall - visibility went from miles to meters that could be counted on one hand.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Cats Have No Sense of Irony

Or they wouldn't puke into their own food dish.

Thatisall.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Lucky Shot



Friday night about one am, I awoke to the urgent desire to step outside and relieve some pressure, as it were. My sewer has some issues, so I hate to stress it and I like stepping outside. It may mark me as an uncivilized lout, but oh well.

It isn't all that unusual to have some wildlife encounters during these trips to commune with nature. I've written before about finding rattlers close to the front door. So, I wasn't completely surprised to hear the buzzing sound of one of the poisonous bastards when I walked out. I couldn't see the damn thing (which makes me nervous), but I had needs that had to be met.

So, I needed a flashlight and a killing tool. What to use? My shotguns weren't just real handy, but I did have my Henry Golden Boy .22 rifle loaded and ready by the front door. I prefer shotguns, because I'm a wuss and like some distance between me and the biting serpents. But, like I said, the .22 was ready to go and fully capable if I was as well.

Shining the flashlight on the porch revealed the snake on the porch with me. This was not a pleasant thought. It was trying to force it's way into a crack in the foundation over the side - mice live under said porch, and it would be a feast for any mouse eating reptile. I just had a shot at it's belly. I figured I'd give it a major gut ache, and it would roll off into the dirt where I could eventually finish it off. But wait - it pulled it's head out of the crack and it was looking to the north of me! I had a head shot!

I've been somewhat concerned with my shooting abilities for some time, since my hands are not fully functional nerve wise. I have discovered that I can still run just any firearm I own, and all it takes is practice. We've all been shooting .22s primarily because we feel it is still affordable - the heavier stuff could break us if we shoot a lot of, say .45s or .308s. So, I have been shooting the little lever action a bit lately, even if it is just once a month or so.

It was with some trepidation that I lined up my first shot - I figured I'd miss, the snake would become more active, and I'd be scattering .22 shots all over the place. I shot and bzzzzzztt---- it was over. You can see the head shot in the top picture. There wasn't even a twitch out of that sucker three seconds later.



My buddies made me pose with my hunting trophy the next day. I'd just come home from work and they were here doin' some shootin.' The rattler wasn't very big - maybe 2.5 feet long if that. They ran over another rattler about a hundred yards down the road on their way home.

I felt pretty good about that one shot.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Fire Truck


A firefighter was working on the engine outside the station, when he noticed
a little girl nearby in a little red wagon with little ladders hung off the
sides, and a garden hose tightly coiled in the middle.

The girl was wearing a firefighter's helmet. The wagon was being pulled by
her dog and her cat.

The firefighter walked over to take a closer look. 'That sure is a nice fire
truck,' the firefighter said with admiration.

'Thanks,' the girl replied.

The firefighter looked a little closer.

The fireman noticed the girl had tied the wagon to her dog's collar and to
the cat's testicles.

'Little partner,' the firefighter said, 'I don't want to tell you how to
run your rig, but if you were to tie that rope around the cat's collar, I
think you could go faster.'

The little girl replied thoughtfully, 'You're probably right, but then I
wouldn't have a siren.'

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Again With the Cartoons


Bok has a pretty clear idea of the reality of the situation, doncha think?

I actually have two half written posts saved up, but just not the time nor the energy to finish them. Tonite I'm in Charlotte MI, tomorrow I'll unload and drop by to see my aunt and uncle on the way home. I probably won't be posting anything at all tomorrow - doing the quality time thing and all.

Michigan and Illinois can stick their speed limits - well, let's just say where the sun don't shine.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Ha Ha Ha

Oh, man, now that is just too funny. Yannow, what Smith should have added was that Palin burned the book later! Wouldn't that just be too much?

I slay me.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Palin and Hillary Speak Out



link

From the email inbox - since I don't watch SNL much these days. Thanks, Troy!

Edit: Mmmkay, the vid shows up in preview but not when published. Oh well, the link is there and it works, still worth the trip.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

In The Light



I've had to drive one of our "spare" trucks while mine is being repaired. A bolt mounting one of the turbos broke, and it was pretty noisy. Very irritating. The bolt broke off in the center section of the exhaust manifold, which has to be ordered in. I have to take the spare to Michigan next week, because mine won't be ready. This truck is a Kenworth with the extended cab. It has great legroom for a day cab, and KWs are built very well and there is a lot less road noise, even for a truck with a few trips around the world on it.

So, it got me out of the XM rut, by having to listen to terrestrial radio. This truck has XM installed, but I'm not paying for a month while only using it for a week. One of the problems with the death of the AOR format is that ya just don't hear this Led Zeppelin song very often, and it's really rare on XM. I heard this on a hard rock station in Nebraska, of all places.

I'm not a total Led Head, but I do like 'em.

Friday, September 12, 2008

I Can Relate


I think the older I get, the less Republican or libertarian I am. Contrarian seems to fit better.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

I Have Nothing More to Add


I just don't have much inspiration today. Today's Day by Day strip is pretty eloquent, and captures the mood very well.

Bluffs



East of Scottsbluff, NE on NE92. I've keep saying it and never do, but I've got to have my real camera ready to catch some of these shots. You can kinda see the finger projection to the left, and some other formations to the right. They were actually several miles apart. Anyhow, I hadn't seen them before, and I thought it looked pretty cool.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Not Necessary



Mmmmkay - this just plain pisses me off. So much for making me think about the issues, Oliphant.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Funeral Home



US83 north of Valentine NE. A cow hauler behind me said this was the "old funeral home" from there. I get to feeling at times I'm hauling some pretty wide loads, but not compared to this! There were utility trucks north of the house pulling lines for miles. Not exactly a "mobile" home, but it's gonna be for a bit.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

The Lazy Blogger's Post Generator

Just in case you have nothing to say go here. My post:

F*** me dead I just climbed out from under my rock and realised I have not updated this since Paris Hilton was in jail... You would not believe it only hurts when I laugh. I prostrate myself in sorrow and beg thy forgiveness..

I am out of it with sleeping my way to the top, rock crushing, just generally being a terrible burden to my local police, my day starts with the dawn patrol from the second I am woken by murderous Teletubbies to 11pm at which point I fall asleep on the couch. I am avoiding recapture. but this damned rock is heavy.

I won't promise anything to you but if one more person emails me to ask why I haven't posted today I will start posting pictures of toe fungus, or fecal murals. No, really! Assuming I don't get distracted by counting my chest hairs..


Yep, inspiration is a many splendored thing.

H/ T Erica

How's Norma?

A sweet grandmother telephoned St. Joseph 's Hospital. She timidly asked, 'Is it possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?'


The operator said 'I'll be glad to help, dear. What's the name and room number?' The grandmother in her weak tremulous voice said, 'Norma Findlay,? Room 302.'


The operator replied, 'Let me place you on hold while I check with her nurse.' After a few minutes the operator returned to the phone and said, 'Oh, I have good news, her nurse just told me that Norma is doing very well. Her blood pressure is fine; her blood work just came back as normal and her physician, Dr.Cohen, has scheduled her to be discharged on Tuesday.'


The grandmother said, 'Thank you. That's wonderful! I was so worried! God bless you for the good news.'


The operator replied, 'You're more than welcome. Is Norma your daughter?'








The grandmother said, 'No, I'm Norma Findlay in 302. No one tells me shit.'

Friday, September 05, 2008

Hunting Coyotes

For some reason, this remembrance came bubbling up from the cesspool that is my mind.

A couple of years ago I had some free time, and decided to try to call in some coyotes. I had just gotten several calls, and had been working on my techniques. There is some fairly rough (for this area) country not too far east of my half section, and the draw running through it is a wildlife roadway. Past expeditions have shown coyote signs, and there is plenty of other denizens of the prairie there as well.

There is a spot where the draw follows a sort of "S" shape, and there is a little ridge at the bottom of the tiny valley. This was my destination. I parked my pickup about a mile away to the north, and walked in. I was suitably attired in camo, and had my calls and my Savage Model 10 in .243. I've got a long bipod on it, and can shoot with the rifle supported in the seated position. I found an area that had several clumps of weeds and a bunch or two of yucca. I pulled up some tumbleweeds to build up the little area so that I could mask my silhouette a bit as well. I had a pretty good view of the valley floor as it opened up from the south, which is where I thought I could draw any coyotes in the area. Since I'd walked in from the north, I figured that direction was probably a lost cause.

So, I'm equipped not stripped, and wounded rabbit calls were being sent in a timely fashion. I had my binoculars with me as well, and there just wasn't anything happening. But, it was a fairly nice day, if a bit windy. I was enjoying just sitting in that little area, whether anything happened or not.

But then, I heard several thumps from behind me. For the life of me, it sounded like car doors being slammed some distance away. My first thought was someone was trying to rip off my pickup.

But, when I turned around, it was nothing of the sort. A mule deer buck and two does were contemplating just what I might be from about twenty yards away. Muleys don't walk, they spring from spot to spot, and the thumps were what I heard when their hoofs hit the ground. They looked me over, and I marveled at the sight. After a bit, they decided they'd had enough, and started to move away. It took a couple minutes before they disappeared from view to the south.

Muleys are a curious lot, and the buck with his little harem just had to see what was making that racket. I don't know if I really did sound like a wounded rabbit, but I'd hidden myself well enough that they didn't know what I was until they about stepped on me. Of course, it wasn't deer season, and I've never gotten a muley tag anyways. Whitetails are what I always draw, and they are a lot more skittish.

But, none of that mattered that day. I didn't fire a single round, but the day was a success.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Something Different

County Road 49 (also known as Kersey Road) between I76 and US34, southeast of Greeley CO. A big load of loose onions in a bobtail truck. There is a cabbage patch on C79 between Bennett and Prospect Valley, but I'd never seen onions.

He was definitely overloaded - I wanted to get around him, but he was dropping a huge onion about every quarter mile, and I didn't want one through the windshield.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Heavy Metal



link

This was on the radio as I was headed home late this afternoon. Man, it's been a while since I've seen the movie. I've always been a fan of off beat movies that might be terrible, but something about them grabs me. This is one of them.

The animation sucks, the story isn't bad, and the drug references are legion. Cokeheads loved this flic when it came out - one of the scenes where John Candy's robot character snuffed up yards of a feel good powder was definitely a favorite. There was even a bit of T&A. The music was particularly good. The plot is a bunch of short stories originally appearing in the magazine Heavy Metal with a common thread - the evil Loc Nar. The animation varies because to speed the release of the movie, several studios were assigned segments. Some of the backgrounds were decent, but the movement was jerky. However, it is still an enjoyable film to me - just not one I can watch repeatedly. It would wear out it's welcome pretty quickly. So, Heavy Metal is a guilty pleasure.

Back to Work

Just got home from a "trip to town," which included a visit with the Workman's Comp doctor. I'm cleared to go back and to take it easy. The doctor's father used to have a big cow hauling truck line, so he was joking with me about not to jump from a cabover. He need not worry about that!

Got the convention on, too. I'm not sure how much more of Wolf Blitzer I can take.

Bok Nails It



The only things missing are her pageant awards and a basketball. I'm really not afraid of "losing" the experience issue to Obama.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Another Blog

This one is a story told in installments - The Luck of Dennis St. Michel, Viscount Stokington. You might guess it has something to do with Jolly Olde England, and you'd be right. I don't know exactly what time period the story is set, but they are still using horses. I'm only about a third of the way through, and it's a compelling read. The story is told in the first person, and he is able to travel through all strata of society comfortably in his nefarious quest, of which I know nothing at the moment.

Anyways, if you have time to burn, check it out!

Edit: Now that I've gotten a bit further into the adventure, a couple things really stand out. There are quite a number of pop culture references in the story - a villain trying to kill our hero is named "Calvin Hobbes." A certain "Major Tom" dies unexpectedly, and our hero says "Can you hear me Major Tom?" several times. There are more, and I cannot help but chuckle when coming upon one.

Monday, September 01, 2008

My Favorite Western



link


A while back, Frank W. James had a post up asking what was our favorite western? His is The Wild Bunch. While it is a movie that I enjoy, it isn't my favorite. That would be Shane.

Some time ago, I was watching Rear Window on television, and during the breaks the channel had a running commentary from Brent Spiner - Data on Star Trek The Next Generation. He commented on the opening shot and how it showed Hitchcock's mastery - there was a several minute sequence with absolutely no dialog, but we learned all kinds of information. It was a hot morning looking out at the rear of apartments across a plaza, the hero was a photographer for a national magazine injured getting a great shot of a race car crash, among other details. Spiner said that was a far more effective way of using film to tell a story rather than have someone narrate. That always stuck with me, and I look for that sort of thing in films I watch.

Now, I've never had any sort of film appreciation training, or any sort of higher education related to film making what so ever. But, I do notice certain things, and Shane was a pioneer in a lot of ways.

For instance, if and when you view the movie, watch the dogs. It seems there is a mutt somewhere in a scene, and it isn't accidental. When one of the homesteaders is buried, his dog is right there at the grave, whining at the death of his master. Joey's constant companion is a dog that helps convey emotions - particularly during the fight between Joe and Shane, when he breaks his leash to be with Joey. Most telling is the dog in the bar. When Jack Wilson, the gunfighter, first shows up at Grafton's, check out how the dog slinks away. We now know for sure Wilson is a bad guy, and we didn't have a bunch of dialog to explain it. The dog did that for us.

Another touch I "got" was the opening part of the clip above, right at the end. We see Shane, riding into town to meet his destiny. Joey and his mutt are chasing him, and he runs through the graveyard. The scene freezes on the tombstones - one with a big cross. The scene fades to Shane, his horse at a fast paced walk. Shane, death, and moving with a deliberate purpose, showing no fear. Again, no dialog.

Of course, the acting is superb. Apparently,
George Stevens originally cast Montgomery Clift as Shane, and William Holden as Joe Starrett. When both decided to do other films instead, the film nearly was abandoned before Stevens asked studio head Y. Frank Freeman who was available. Upon seeing a list of actors with current contracts, Stevens cast Alan Ladd, Van Heflin and Jean Arthur within 3 minutes.
link

Alan Ladd was too short (5'6"), Jean Arther was too old (over 50), and Van Heflin wasn't a big star. This was Arthur's last film. But, their performances and the supporting actors made this flick a classic. Jack Palance, the gunfighter, was a relative unknown. Dad told me men copied how he put his gloves on for years after the movie came out to show how tough they were. Ben Johnson, one of my favorite character actors and a longtime film companion to John Wayne, portrayed a young cowboy who saw the light. Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe in the Beverly Hillbillies/Petticoat Junction/Green Acres universe), Elisha Cook, Jr. (Icepick in Magnum PI), Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton), and even Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane on the Beverly Hillbillies) makes an appearance. Brandon De Wilde, who died far too young, plays the boy Joey.

It doesn't hurt that the story is pretty good, too. A gunfighter looking to escape his past ends up at the Starrett place and finds a home, helping on the burgeoning farm. He puts his gun away. He becomes the boy's hero, and there is an attraction between he and Marian, the wife and mother. He is also fast friends with Joe Sr., the man of the house and the leader of the collection of homesteaders. But, the local cattle baron - Riker - wants them gone. He needs unfettered access to the river to water his cattle. The "squatters" have fenced him out, their farms with barbed wire shutting off his cattle. The cattleman's point of view is presented somewhat sympathetically as well - Riker makes a valid case. But he crosses the line when he hires a gunfighter to run the homesteaders out of the valley. This part of the plot is reminiscent of the Johnson County War in Wyoming. There is a great scene where Shane and Joe fight the Riker boys at Grafton's, bonding as friends and destroying some furniture in a classic battle. There are some great lines as well - Shane shows Joey how to shoot, and Marian objected, not appreciating Shane glorifying guns to Joey:

A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.


The movie is a gradual slide into requiring Shane to strap on his gun again. Riker wants to eliminate Starrett, because he correctly determines he is the glue that holds the homesteaders together. Shane knows Starrett will die if he confronts Riker and his hired gun. Shane, with his innate sense of "all that is right and good," knows the job has to fall with him. It means a fight with Joe, who won't let Shane fight his battles. Shane has to fight "dirty" to win against the larger and stronger Starrett.

So, we find ourselves at the beginning of the clip above, Shane on his way to meet his destiny. Shane conquers all, but is wounded. There is some debate on whether Shane lives or dies - I'd like to think he lived. The story was deliberately vague. You think what you want here.

Also, the most famous lines were uttered by Brandon De Wilde, when he calls to Shane: Shane, come back! Mother always cried when she watched this movie at this point.

So, while I am a total John Wayne westerns fan, and really like a bunch of the "classics," Shane will always be at the top of my list.

Another Blog I Read Every Day

I feel bad - I just noticed I didn't have Jed from Freedom Sight linked on the sidebar. Actually, I'm embarrassed. Bad manners and all. He has been a friend and I really enjoy reading his posts. I hate to pigeonhole anyone, but if you want to read about government excesses and the ramifications thereof, he is the guy. Jed also covers geeky stuff pretty well, too, often turning a well deserved jaundiced eye towards Microsoft and their shenanigans. He also covers Colorado issues - since that is where he resides. I kinda like keeping track of the neighbors and all.

Labor Day Funnies


Because we all know how maladjusted Darryl turned out from watching those evil violent cartoons. We got your Doubleplusungood right here!



Actually, I identify with Jeremy more than Walt. Yesterday my DSL was down for about ninety minutes. Oh, the pain! Oh the agony!