I like what my father calls “homogenized business”.

Mom and Pop operations that are trying to make their way in the world of bottom lines, last dollar and otherwise chain establishments.

Fortunately no one has been able to come up with a brick & mortar chain of cigar bars yet. Romeo’s is no exception.

I’ve had the pleasure of sitting, visiting and smoking with Tom of Ponderings from a Piper’s Paradise. Tom is also one of only two people who work at Romeo”s. He’s a writer, blogger, and sports fan…all of which are things deer to this misplaced Irish Georgia boys heart. Thanks to his establishment, we have wiled away several hours talking about books, literature, writers, sports, and strung out hippies while toking on some very good cigars.

They have an excellent selection, and no they aren’t paying me for this post. Not even a free cigar.Tom & Larry are extremely knowledgeable and a couple of real nice guys. Thats the whole reason I’m giving them a plug. Well that and the fact that I want them to stay in business so sending some traffic and folks their way can’t hurt.

If your ever in Bentonville, you should drop in and say hi to Tom and Larry. Get a Master Blend cigar. Sit on the couch, and get a cup of coffee while you chat. Relax. Stay a while. Tell’im I sent you over.

Thats what a good cigar, and a good cigar bar, is all about. And no chain will ever replicate that.

Tags: Arkansas, Bentonville, Cigar, Cigar bar, Romeo;s, Technorati

I don’t ask of many favors from my fellow bloggers or Tweeters. I’m asking one now. Please spread this story and help bring these little girls home – BS

15 miles.

Thats all that separates my home from the town of Exeter, Missouri. Population 700.

It’s a small town. Smaller than I graduated high school in. Compared to some towns in Southwest Missouri, however, it is practically a metropolis.

It is also not the sort of place where crime happens.

Unfortunately, in the case of Abby and Isabella Chapman, thats exactly what has happened. A crime. One that is breaking their hearts of their mother and family, and shocking southwest Missouri.

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Tags: Amber Alert, Chapman, Danger, Exeter, help, Locate, Matthew, Missing Children, Technorati

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) continues to work with Missouri state and local agencies to provide all necessary response resources to Joplin, following Sunday’s deadly tornado

Responders are being coordinated through established regional mutual aid agreements and requests filed with SEMA for state and federal resources.

Missourians interested in volunteering to assist should first call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1, instead of reporting directly to a command post or the disaster area. Those with medical skills interested in volunteering should go to: https://www.showmeresponse.org/.

Missourians wishing to make donations to help with the relief effort can go to http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/recover/donations.asp or call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1.

Residents affected by the tornado who wish to notify their friends and family that they are safe should go to: https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Friends and family who would like to check on their loved ones in the affected area can use the same site.

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals are urged to call

2-1-1. The United Way’s 211 service number is now available for most areas in Missouri. In areas where the 211 number is not operational, citizens can call 800-427-4626.

Tags: Joplin, Missouri, Southwest Missouri, Technorati, Tornado, Volunteer

The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," changes the guard as the body of former Army Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, lies in honor in the Memorial Amphitheater Chapel at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday, March 15, 2011.

Former Army Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, passed away and was honoured this week.

He was laid down yesterday in Arlington National cemetery, the last of a generation who did what I think the current generation would be aghast to do, to sacrifice, to rise to meet.

He stands at parade rest, with his brothers and sisters who went before. The last man standing in a noble line.

A fellow Missourian, during the war Buckles served in England and France, driving ambulances and motorcycles for the Army’s 1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment.After the Armistice in 1918, Buckles escorted prisoners of war back to Germany. Following his discharge in 1920, he attended the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, in honor of the Americans who died in World War I.

He died on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, at his West Virginia home at age 110. Mr. Buckles enlisted in the Army on Aug. 14, 1917, at the age of 16; he was discharged in 1920

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Tags: A Soldier Died Today, A. Lawrence Vaincourt, Arlington, Corporal Frank Buckles, Parade Rest, Support our troops, Technorati, World War I

What a way to start graduate school heh.

I haven’t blogged anything regarding Missouri States sports program. That may change moving forward.

By a weird twist of fate, I just so happened to be finishing my paperwork at Carrington Hall for admissions while history for the school was being made on Saturday.

Missouri State got 18 points from Jermaine Mallett to lead four Bears in double figures in a 69-64 win over the Wichita State Shockers here Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both clubs. With the victory, MSU (23-7, 15-3) earned its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference regular-season conference title.

Meanwhile I was giving copies of transcripts and other such material to admissions personnel.

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Tags: Basketball, Bears, Conference, Education, Graduate School, Missouri State University, MSU, MVC, Shockers, Technorati, Things that make you go Hrmm, Wichita State

Once again we are privileged to offer you the regular communication from District 68 State Representative David Sater of Southwest Missouri

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Tags: Barry County, Capital Straighttalk, Cassville, David Sater, District 68, McDonald County, Missouri, Southwest Missouri, State Representative, Technorati

Thats it.

I’m declaring Open Season on Ground Hogs.

Got a foot of snow and more falling by the hour.

And insult to injury?

My area is going to be the hardest hit in the state.

Tags: Ground Hog, Snow, Spring, Technorati

So after record snowfall last week it looks like it’s coming again.

Missouri DOT working to clear roadways using their TowPlow

Weather radio’s are already going off, and alerts are being sent to phones apparently.

We get snow in Missouri. Usually about 14 or so inches per year.

But this year, amidst people screaming global warming, has been just a little nuts.

We were declared a state of Emergency, which is a good thing for schools etc.

But the fact that my little corner of Missouri, specifically the Southwest is determined to be the hardest hit, does not bode well.

I guess we’ll see. I won’t be putting my snow chains away any time soon it looks like.

And if I ever see Punxsutawney Phil, I think I’ll be forced to shoot him, the dirty lying scoundrel.

If I vanish again you can keep track of my madness here and I’ll still be in Twitter via my phone.

Tags: Global Warming, Groundhog Day, Missouri, Snow, Snowfall, Southwest, Spring, Technorati, Weather, Winter

Yup. Here it comes.

Weather radio has been going off since Saturday.

So if I vanish for a few days? You’ll know why.

IMPACTS… TRAVEL WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY TREACHEROUS LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY MAKE TRAVEL NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES.

SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS… STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM AROUND A FOOT NEAR THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR TO AROUND A FOOT AND A HALF ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI.

SIGNIFICANT SLEET ACCUMULATIONS UP TO A HALF INCH ARE POSSIBLE… ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 44.

RAPID ACCUMULATIONS OF WINTER PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIKELY WITH SNOWFALL RATES POSSIBLY EXCEEDING TWO INCHES PER HOUR ON TUESDAY.

The issue here isn’t the amount. It’s the response. A lot of folks tend to think “Oh gee that little bit amount shouldn’t shut down anything.”

If southwest Missouri was Buffalo, maybe not. But we don’t have $1 million dollars to spend on every inch of snow, either.

I had this argument with one of my former employers. Who lived 4 miles from our job. “If i can get to work so can you!” said he. “You used to live in New York, you don’t have an excuse either!” Quoth his kiss ass assistant.

Let me break it down.

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Tags: Blizzard, Missouri, Snow, Snowstorm, Technorati

Missouri State Representative David Sater has been a regular feature both here and at our sister site of Techography for a number of years.

Sadly soon that will end.

Representative Sater has reached his term limit and will be moving on to other, we hope, bigger and brighter things. A pharmacist, and native of nearby Cassville, MO he has brought a degree of honesty and integrity to the very dirty business of politics. We regret to see him go.

We will also miss his regular dispatches, and we hope to share his with you until the last.

With no further adieu, Missouri State Representative of District 68, David Sater.

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Tags: Capitol Straight Talk, Cassville, David Sater, Missouri, Missouri House of Representatives, Politiciaans, Politics, Southwest Missouri, State Representative, Technorati

Our regular feature from Missouri House of Representatives own David Sater!

Happy holidays from the Capitol in Jefferson City. If this is any consolation, it is colder up here than in Barry County. The Governor has erected a large lighted Christmas tree on the front lawn of the Mansion and there are lighted wreaths on the Capitol Building. One of the things of interest to me are the ice junks moving down the Missouri River and I always wonder how far they have traveled. You just don’t see that along Flat Creek.

December for most of the elected representatives is a time of pre-filing legislation and getting the committees organized. For the last five years I was appointed Chairman of the Appropriations Committee for Mental Health, Health, and Social Services. It is this committee that starts the ball rolling for how much each program will receive in funding. Last year it totaled 9.5 billion for all three departments, and the total state budget was over 23 billion dollars. I enjoyed the challenge of this chairmanship, but have decided to step down and accept the Chairmanship of Healthcare Policy Committee. I will still serve on the Budget Committee, but will get to work on health issues instead of crunching budget numbers.

We have 57 new representatives coming in this year and there will be several on my new committee. So there will be a time of orientation for these new members as they get their feet wet. Also, the new chairman of my old appropriations committee is Tom Flanigan (Carthage) and I have a feeling I will be seeing a lot of him in the coming months. He has already been down to see me in Cassville. You get good results from government when elected officials work together for the common good and not their own good. I have seen it go both ways from Republicans and Democrats.

Half of the bills that I pre-filed for the 2011 session are the same as last year, but there are a few new ones:

1. Regarding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, I have placed a cap that while receiving state assistance, if the family has more children, the state would not be responsible for financially including these new children for assistance:
2. County Disability Boards (SB40 Boards) would need to publicly have a reserve fund policy. There are some boards in the state that are hoarding taxpayer monies:
3. Keeps government from requiring pharmacies to stock certain medications, such as the morning after pill. Some states have tried to pass legislation and this bill would prohibit government intrusion into the free market area: and
4. Keeps non-prescription drugs while written as a prescription by a physician to remain tax free.

There are bills filed by other legislators to overturn Prop B, the puppy mill initiative. Although I was totally against the provisions in Prop B, this was an initiative passed by the citizens of Missouri. The money supporting the initiative mostly came from out of state and the advertising was misleading in favor of the proposition. I do have a problem with legislators trying to overturn a citizen’s initiative. I would be more in favor of another citizen’s initiative to overturn it, rather than it being done in the Legislature.

The proposed legislation by our Governor to place all Pseudoephedrine products as prescription only is something I will fight against. Presently we have a signature log book that a purchaser has to sign to obtain these products. This is not working very well because law enforcement does not have the staff available to check these in a timely manner. The state received a grant this year from the pharmaceutical industry to fund a “real time” electronic signature log to be placed in all pharmacies. These will be operational in all pharmacies by the first of the year. These devices would lock a person out from purchasing more than was allowed by dosage and would keep people from going to multiple pharmacies because all pharmacies would be on line together. By placing these products on a prescription only basis, it will become a financial hardship for our citizens who need these products. There will be a doctors office visit which cost money, the prescription will be more than the non-prescription product. I would just like to give the electronic signature log a chance to work as it has been successfully in other states in reducing Methamphetamine production.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tags: 68th District, David Sater, House of Representatives, Local, Missouri, Politcs, Southwest Missouri, State Politics, State Representative, Technorati

Ok so my home Internet is still down. Fortunately I have some posting ability at work.

Here’s the scoop as it were.

For the last year I have had HughesNet. I have a download limit of 350 Meg every 24 hours. I exceed that, either via E-mail, video, downloading, or what have you and they knock me to “dial up comparable”

Right.
It was supposed to be 1.5 meg down. I never came close to seeing that speed. But I will admit what I had was better than dial up. Credit where credit is due. However the Turbo gateway constantly went down, we experienced outages in all sorts of weather, and several network related outages as well.

But this past weekend it went out. And when my Dish Network came back, the Internet didn’t.

So I called’em up, to figure out what was going on.

Right about here is where the bobsled to hell started.
They wanted to charge me $150 to come out just to find out what was wrong with my system. Seems they could not figure out what it was over the phone, and all of the fancy lights that they have in the modem wasn’t telling them anything.

I was paying almost $90 a month for the last year for this service.
In any other ISP broadband, DSL, cable, etc. folks will come out and trouble shoot your system and it is all part of the plan. I worked for AT&T and I worked on U-verse. I know how that goes. Unless the customer lit the modem on fire and used it for polo practice, we fixed it. Customer abuse versus wear and tear of faulty equipment, all understandable. Not so here.
Here we have absolute disregard for keeping a customer, just a desire to sell their equipment with a massive start up cost, a installation charge that warranties nothing and no maintenance of any form save yourself.

So after over an hour of arguing with a tech support rep who tried to tell me there was no way to test coax (It was at this point I asked for a supervisor) I was told that it didn’t matter what I did or said, the only thing HughesNet was willing to do is give me 30 days free. Which means I would still be out $50 for the repair.

By this time I confess I was hoping mad. Between being treated like an idiot (TSR: “Sir, I don’t know who you were working for before but there no way to test the integrity of Coaxial cable.” Me: “Your joking right? How do you think Cell towers work?” TSR: “Uhm……”) and finding out that absolutely none of my equipment or installation was covered in my obscene cost per month with the ridiculous amount of restrictions: I canceled the service.

I was then sent to a CSR who tried to convince me to stay with them, and who told me if i canceled I would be subjected to a $79.99 fee for disconnection. (Me: “Let me get this straight, your going to charge me $150 to send someone out here to find out whats wrong with a service that doesn’t work yet your going to charge me $79.99 to flip a switch on a service that already doesn’t work? And you have the audacity to ask me why I’m canceling my service?”)

Within 4 hours of cancelling my service I have a MiFi unit on the way from Verizon. My wife and I have had their cellular service for over ten years now, and I know from first hand experience what to expect not only from their Customer Service but also from their technical support. Having worked on their towers I know how their coverage is as well. I feel confident in this choice.

I also feel confident in knowing I’m saving about $20 a month and I don’t have that 350 meg limit looming over my shoulder like a Gorilla.

So if any of you rural folks out there are considering going to a Satellite ISP, take some time and research some other opportunities first.

Tags: customer service, Hughesnet, Internet, Internet Service Provider, ISP, Junk, Satellite, Support, Technorati, Verizon

So HughesNet managed to really piss me off. My internet went out in the winter blast we had this past week.

My Dish came back. My Internet did not. After arguing with a guy who could not speak English I was told that a technician would call me in 3 to 5 days to set up a appointment and they would charge me $150 for the visit.

After I picked me jaw off the floor I cancelled the service.

So this the first time doing a full scale post with my Droid phone. I have signed up for the Verizon MiFi system. Will be a day or three until it gets here. Until then v00d3w has the helm.

Once I have internet again I’ll give a much more detailed telling of the debacle.

Meanwhile Happy Birthday today to my Critter!!

Posted from WordPress for Android

Tags: Birthday, BloodSpite, Critter, customer service, Hughesnet, Internet, Technorati

I know most folks like to sit back and smoke their cigars.

Yukon Blend Coffee with a shot of Jameson. Gurkha Cuban Legacy in Churchill

I like to walk.

Was a nice brisk cool morning yesterday, great weather for my traveling companions: a Gurkha Cuban Legacy and Yukon Blend coffee with a shot of Jameson.

Here’s a little photo-essay attempt with some random thoughts.
Feel free to click any of the images for a bigger version. Enjoy the walk, sorry if my mind tends to venture in to strange places. its just the way I am.

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Tags: Cigar, Cuban legacy, Gurkha, Home, Life, Missouri, Nature, Photoessay, Southwest Missouri, Technorati, Thoughts, Walk

Man I thought we would never get here

This week has drug by slower than a 100 car banana train through South Georgia in June hauling pigs to slaughter while you sit in a 1970 Volkswagen at the rail-guard without an air-conditioner in rush hour.

Lets lighten the load shall we?

Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat.

John Lehman

Now some groove tunes to get us through the day!

That’s it kids! 8 hours to the finish line! Sprint it out! Sprint it out!

Me? I’m going to get this day over with and hook up with some ol bud’s in Springfield since my other plans of going to Chicago got washed down the shitter. I got 2 Devils Weed and 2 Gurkha Cuban Legacy lined up to share with them and I think they have the beer so we should be good to go!

Adapt and overcome!

Catch ya’ll on the flip side!

Tags: Bachman-Turner Overdrive, BTO, Devils Weed, Gurkha, John Lehman, Motivation, Quote, Quote of the Day, Technorati, TGIF, Thank God Its Friday, Weekend

Welcome to our regular contribution by the State of Missouri Representative for the 68th District, David Sater

DAVID SATER – Serving the 68th District
____________________________________________________________________________________

I am in Jefferson City writing this report just after election day. We caucus after every election for the purpose of electing new leadership and welcoming new members to the House of Representatives. And are we welcoming new members. Wow!! The State House went from 89 Republicans to 106 which is an historic pickup of seats. There are 163 seats in the House and to have 106 of these is quite a majority. There are many smiles on people’s faces, but there is also a lot of sadness on the minority side. To be frank, I saw a few Democrats lose that were very good to work with, they tried to do what was honestly best for their constituents, but in the end there was too much of a national “less government movement” in the air. The Republicans picked up seats in a few urban areas that never vote Republican and a few Democrats that have enjoyed large margins of victory in the past, barely squeaked by. But, another election will occur in two years and things never stay the same.

I do believe that House Republicans have done the right thing with the state budget, in trimming programs, greater fiscal accountability for the state departments, and keeping some excess funds for downturns. We were trying to trim state government even before the recession and by being more frugal and not funding every program that is offered, this was appreciated by the people of Missouri. In 2005, my first year, we cut Medicaid eligibility by 100,000 people, because of not enough state revenues to support the program. The Democrats cried “foul”, and we got a lot of heat over this issue. Governor Nixon pledged to restore the previous Medicaid eligibility, but he did not have the money to do so, or he would have. If this had been done school funding would be slashed to balance the budget. As I said nothing stays the same and another election will happen in two years.

I am in the process of organizing my priorities for the next last two years in office. I have around 10 or 11 bills this year to file the first of December. I am also considering stepping down from a Chairmanship that I have held for the last five years. It is the appropriations chair of Health, Mental Health, and Social Services. I will still serve on the Budget Committee and should still have some input on this area. I hope to be chosen chairman of a healthcare policy committee so I can continue to work on issues of healthcare rather than crunching numbers in appropriations. There will be bills presented before this committee relating to healthcare issues, and I believe that will be enjoyable.

Thank you again for letting me represent you here in Jefferson City. I cannot do everything for everyone, but I do try my best for each of you, no matter your political persuasion.

Tags: 68th, David Sater, District, Jefferson City, Missouri, Politicians, Politics, Southwest Missouri, State Representative, Technorati

It’s election day.

No matter who you vote for or which ticket side or color you choose, your voting to help yourself as well as your friends, family and neighbors have a better life.

There’s another way you can help too.

Your donation will help a injured soldier, sailor, airmen or marine receive a voice activated laptop.  It’s not snake oil.

Your donation will them supply a Voice Activated laptop to those troops whom are injured to the point they can not type an E-mail or dial a phone.

Go to our auction site if you wish something to be given to you in return.

Go to our direct donation page if you don’t.

It doesn’t have to be a fortune. Anything and everything helps.

And the cause is worth while.

And go vote!

Ballot Measures for Missouri are after the Jump

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Tags: Air Force, Army, Ballot, Cost Guard, Election, Marine, Measures, Milblog, Military, Missouri, Navy, Politics, Technorati, Valour-IT, Vote

v00d3w hasn’t been posting as his usual self.

That is because via an act of selfless service he has been working behind the scenes a lot lately.

He has been perfecting a lil sumpin sumpin just for this week.

I won’t steal his thunder.

But I don’t intend to be singing a damn thing at the end of this week.

Tags: bet, Bulldogs, Football, Friends, Georgia, Go Dawgs!, NCAA, Rivalry, SEC, Technorati, Tennessee Go Volunteers, Volunteers