I have a Xbox Live Account.
I can’t download anything with it, unless I go to their website.
I can’t stream movies because they don’t support my Internet Service Provider.
I can’t access their Marketplace unless I go to their website.
And I can’t play on line against my friends.
In laymans terms? It’s like owning a car and being told that because the tire doesn’t fit I need to replace my car.
So what do I think about this Rate Hike? Read the rest of this entry »
Huffington post recently wrote a story entitled 9 Ways to Not Own a Car.
Like most how not to own car editorials it is written purely for people who live in cities.
Those of us who live in rural parts of America pretty much can not do any of these things.
A Small Example as follows.
Maybe its the gloom.
I love to sleep in pitch black, and cold rooms. My wife jokes I’m part vampire.
Maybe its from growing up for a time in a 2 room cabin with a tin roof.
When it rained, no matter how light or how hard, my eye lids could not stay open to save my life. Was just so relaxing.
Maybe its from working construction jobs when I was in High School. When it rained, we stayed home.
Whatever the reason, rainy days, I want to stay home and curl up in bed. Or sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and just watch it rain.
Listen to Rainy Night in Georgia
Yessir. Rainy days are probably my favorite day.
And I hate being at work when it rains.
Today is the Primary election for Missouri and Kansas.
However what a lot of folks do not realize is that Missouri and Kansas is a major battle ground, and the front line regarding Obama Care.
Why?
A yes vote on Prop C means you suppose Missouri’s right to opt-out of the mandatory requirement that everyone purchase health insurance.
A no vote on Prop C says you’re in favor of the federal government requiring everyone in all 50 states to buy health insurance or face a fine.
Missouri is the first state to put this on a ballet for the entirety of state voters.
So here in Missouri, at least, its not just a vote for a party or a candidate.
It’s a vote regarding our nations way of life.
Go Vote.
Now.
UPDATE:
Find your polling place if you don’t know it: Here
Received from David Sater of the 68th District of Missouri
As full disclosure I must note that I support David Sater. I have found him to be honest, straight forward, and one of the few politicians in the region who has been willing to open communication with bloggers such as myself.
DAVID SATER – Serving the 68th District
____________________________________________________________________________________
As you may of read in the newspapers, the Governor called a Special Session several weeks ago. Unless you were on a committee that heard these bills, you did not have to be there until the bill was on the floor for a vote. The rules are that only the bills the Governor has requested can be discussed and voted on during a Special Session. No other subject matter can be open.
Bill number one pertained to the state employee pensions and I had no problem voting yes for this bill. All that was in it was that people hired after January 1st, 2011 can participate in the retirement program by contributing 4% of their salary into the pension program. Almost every business entity that I know has similar provisions of employee participation. This will save the state around 10-12 million dollars per year in the future.
The other legislation was on tax incentives for the Ford plant in Claycomo, Missouri and was not favorable to me. The state was going to use the money saved in the pension bill to pay for the tax incentives per year to keep the Ford plant in Missouri. The legislation called for 10 years of these incentives at 15 million per year. Number one, the figures did not add up and I am afraid we will have to take a few million dollars from other programs already financially drained. Second, we have healthcare programs that we are not fully funded and people are going without medical treatment. I am talking about the Medicaid population, especially the elderly and disabled. If we were going to do anything with the money from the pension program, let’s spend it to keep people out of nursing homes and emergency rooms. These are life and death programs. Budgeting is a matter of priority of importance. Thirdly, there are many businesses in Missouri that could use tax incentives to stay open. Picking and choosing one concern over another is never fair. I would be more in favor of using this money for all businesses in our state and use it in an even and fair manner. So, I voted against this bill but it passed anyway. I am only one vote in 163. I thought about speaking against it on the floor, but most people had already made up their minds and it was going to pass anyway.
In the Senate, a Senator has a right to filibuster, which is a stalling tactic to take up time, so that a vote on a bill does not happen. Senator Chuck Purgason spoke for over 10 hours hoping to defeat this bill. Senator Jack Goodman helped with this, but in the end the Senate voted to pass the bill and send it to the House, where it was passed.
Our next session will be in September which is the Veto Session. We will probably just meet and come home, which will be a waste of time and money.
The State of Missouri’s fiscal year ended on June 30th by setting a record. However, it is a record that we would not strive to every meet or exceed again. State net general revenue ended at a minus 9.1% ($6,774,323,630), the largest decline that anyone can remember in state history. What makes matters worse, the previous record was minus 6.9% set last year. The challenges for next year’s budget are substantial. This year’s budget contains 860 million dollars of one time Federal Budget Stabilization Funds (Federal Stimulus Money) which will not be available next year. That amount will have to be cut from the core budget next year of find a replacement source of income. I do not know of one.
I hope everyone is having a good summer. It looks like the heat of this summer is making up for the cool last summer. Stay safe and look out for your elderly neighbors who may not have a cooling system.
So as through a glass, and darkly
The age long strife I see
Where I fought in many guises,
Many names, but always me.George S. Patton, Jr.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face
1 Corinthians 13
It was a good end to a Friday.
I bought groceries on the way home. Dropped them off at the house and called some old friend on my way to run a personal errand. My wife, bless her heart, inadvertently shattered my coffee press this past Monday and I sought to replace it.
While at the local coffee house I got myself a Red eye, a concoction that I became enamored with while stationed at Ft. Lewis, and had an excellent cigar with it while driving home.
While driving my mind wandered, questioning some decisions I had made this past week, as well as resolutions.
This time I hope to be bigger than I have been. Read the rest of this entry »
On my way to work the sun shined.
The smell of fresh cut hay wafted in to my truck over that of my coffee.
Passed a farm near my home where horses ran free.
And the sunrise this morning?
Just gorgeous.
I had a E-mail from someone I contacted yesterday in my Inbox with a whole lot of paperwork.
And I was happy about it.
Its not a big change and it’s not guaranteed.
But hell I gotta try. If you never swing you never get a hit.
I do not know whether it was the E-mail I got, or the one I sent, or even the decision behind it all.
But today is a beautiful day.
So I have a good friend who is with the FOP in Arkansas.
It seems the state FOP has one helluva nice truck for the use in Parades in such.
Coming up soon is one the largest Rodeo events in the state of Arkansas, The Rodeo of the Ozarks.
It would appear that yours truly, and his Critter have been asked to participate in the parade for the FOP.
More her than me of course.
But then, she’s more cute anyway so that makes perfect sense, aye?
It’s time to cowboy up folks!
This weekend the city of Cassville, Missouri will host its 71st annual Rotarian sponsored Rodeo.
The event will be at Bill Hailey Arena, and tickets are $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for kids.
The fun kicks off at 20:00 each night and goes until late.
The rodeo will be hosted by the award winning Hampton Rodeo Company of Springdale, AR
Its an honest to gosh down home family event, with picnic style seating as well as benches. The folks are always friendly, and last year Critter walked away with more autographs than she could shake a stick at.
As is the Spite Family tradition, we will be present on both Friday and Saturday nights’.
Come join us!
While attending Basic Combat Training courtesy of the United States Army, my Drill Sgt regular demanded of us “Are you bigger than yourself?”
It became a mantra of sorts for us. To challenge us, to push us, to rise above. To be bigger than yourself.
Saturday I will make myself bigger than I was.
Saturday is a double step up the ladder for me, in my eyes anyway.
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