Great Music Monday-Murdered In The City

This week's Great Music comes from a group that I really don't know much about, but the song is amazing.

I first heard this song on Saturday night of the Galesburg Heritage Days Rendezvous when a large group was gathered around playing music. Arkbuilder stepped up and performed this song that he learned just for that day as part of his wedding present to Mr. and Mrs. Dragonfly. I was absolutely blown away.

It is a message from one brother to another.

I particularly like the last line. "Always remember there was nothing worth sharing, like the love that lets us share our name."

St. Patrick's Day is Coming!!!

And it will be here early in my hometown.

Mark your calendars for March 7, 2009. The Galva Arts Council in Galva, IL will be hosting their monthly coffeehouse a week early.

Due a scheduling conflict, the pub band, Exorna was not able to do their "St. Patrick's Day Warm-up" on the typical 2nd Saturday of March.

This is a great show that lasts about 2 hours. No cover, coffee and refreshments are free, but donations are accepted. Doors open at 7:00pm and show at 7:30.

If you live anywhere close to Galva, you should be there (Wil, Red, Dragonfly, Arkbuilder, Contagion, Wes).

Here's a couple of samples of what you'll hear.

Out!!

It is 11:30pm on Wednesday. I am still working at the computer. I haven't finished getting my gear in order. Still need to put fuel in the truck. Have to build one thing yet. Details on that when I get back.

And people are going to start arriving at my house around 5:00am.

Gonna be a bad night. Thank God for extra drivers.

Busy

I feel like a chicken with no head. Running around aimlessly trying to accomplish too many different things.

But at least I got the hardest part of one of the last big projects out of the way tonight. My winter camp prize is painted.

Basswood Canoe Paddle. Hand-built. Hand Painted. By me. With Milk Paint. And you have no freaking idea how much I REALLY HATE painting. But it turned out cool.
The tip is painted just for a cool look. The middle of the blade has the ONW Co. crest. and down the shaft it has 1979 - 2009. This year is the 30th Anniversary of the Company.

Great Music Monday-Feed Jake

It's late tonight, but I wanted to get this posted.

This weeks great music Monday is a great country song from the early 1990's.

Pirates of the Mississippi released a song entitled "Feed Jake." It is a simple request of friends. "Feed Jake. He's been a good dog. My best friend, right through it all. If I die before I wake, Feed Jake." But it is also a story of coming home.

It is the kind of music that can choke you up.

Standing on Principles

While cruising through the blogroll, I saw a short video on Snowflakes in Hell of Rep. John Boehner making a speech Friday in the House of Representatives about the $800,000,000,000 SPENDING BILL (this pile is not a stimulus).

Well, Sebastian's clip was only 36 seconds and just a clip. When the video finished, I looked at the related videos and found the entire speech.




$30,000,000 for a mouse? What the hell are we doing, giving it its own Disney World? Now, let me clarify-I believe in wetlands conservation and restoration. I am a waterfowl hunter. Wetlands are habitat for one of my passions. However, I am not niaeve enough to think that the $30,000,000 in this bill will in any way stimulate ANYTHING (is it just a coincidence that these wetlands and these $30,000,000 are going to Speaker Pelosi's, a Democrat, home district?) Or $8,000,000,000 to build a rail system from L.A. to Vegas. What the hell for? Oh, I know more gambling money. It sure is handy that the Senate Majority Leader is Harry Reid, a Democrat from NEVADA!

Just listen to Rep. Boehner's speech. Listen as he talks about the "change" in the Beltway.

Friday the 13th for weeks

It's not ever Friday the 13th but our luck at works SSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But this morning may take the cake.


We have 4-5 trucks on the road every day. At least 3 curbside/commercial trucks every day and either a fourth curbside/commercial truck or a hooklift truck running as well, sometimes both.

A couple weeks ago we were having problems (again, we almost always seem to have a truck with a problem, but this one is much worse) with a truck not running right. We had it towed to the mechanic we use. They started trying to figure out the problem. The tube that suctions the oil from the pan to the head had broke off. At least one piston and rod are shot, and the crank needs turned. We have been trying to find a used motor, but it is just a different enough truck that no one has been able to come up with one.

Then yesterday, one of our drivers calls in saying that his truck is losing water and fast. We told him to take it to a shop in the town he was working in. But since the truck was a cab-over style Crane Carrier, and the lift cylinder had been taken out so it could be replaced, this shop wouldn't work on it. Damnit.

So we had to get it towed to the shop where our other truck was already being worked on and Dad and I headed to the Quad Cities to get a rental truck. Expensive as hell.

Then this morning, we get a call from the mechanic and there is a problem with the truck we just towed in. The part was to be delivered overnight and they were going to have us up and running first thing this morning, but sometime during the night the engine had a short and caught fire.

Yessireebob, fucking truck caught on FIRE!!!!

Burned up lots of stuff on the engine. Hoses, wires, oil lines. Filled the shop with soot all over everything. Shorted the wiring in the overhead doors of the shop. Melted light fixtures in the shop. Luckily, the shop didn't burn to the ground. The truck is totaled. We think we have found a cab and chassis that we will be able to mount the box off the existing burned truck onto.

On top of everything else, I thought the folks were going to have a meltdown.

Frankly, I am surprised it hasn't happened already.

Power-Hungry Pansises

via Caleb at Gun Nuts Media:

I read this post that REALLY pisses me off.

The Lib-tard pansies that are living on a power trip by being in student "government" have arrived at the most vile decision in their worthless history.

Background: A Marine veteran in Oregon on the campus of Western Oregon University was falsely arrested on a gun charge for carrying a firearm. But the Marine didn't break any laws because he had not possessed the firearm in the buildings, and the prosecutor dropped all charges. However, possession of the firearm on campus is against the administrative rules of the University.

So the charges are dropped, end of story right?

WRONG!!!!!

The goofy do-gooders of the student government had a blood-lust for justice. And this Marine was their target.

So Marine Veteran Jeffery Maxwell was forced to go before a student tribunal in a "trial," which he asked to be public but was denied.

When the kangaroo court issued its "ruling," they slapped this American Hero in the face. Laughing while they suspended him from the University until he:

1. Writes a mandatory “ten page paper” ” with references, “citing, but not limited to:
a) the importance of following the law, even through civil disobedience.
b) the importance of accepting responsibility for one’s actions
c) and recognizing the impact possession of weapons on college campuses has on others.”

and

2. Goes through a "psychological evaluation stating he is not a threat to himself of others."


AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

These pipsqueaky little pukes think their shit don't stink.

As far as their "sentencing," let me address it in depth.

For the paper
a)Maxwell did follow the law. Just ask the Prosecutor. If Maxwell would have broken any law, he would have been in jail The prosecutor dropped all the charges as they had no legal basis. Done.
b)Where did Maxwell ever not take responsibility for his actions? Was that when he took responsibility for his own safety? Or when he was serving this Country in the United States Marine Corps?
c) The impact on others? I would wager my entire retirement that had someone like Jeffery Maxwell been on the Campus of Virginia Tech or Northern Illinois University, lives would have been saved. How's that for impact.

and for the psych evaluation, I'll tell you the findings:
Marine Veteran Jeffery Maxwell is an American Hero and the only people he is a threat to is criminals who would try to harm him or others around him.


This demonetization of the best this country has to offer will be a major part of our downfall as a Country.

How can this happen

There has long been a problem in this Country with illegal immigration. Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against immigration. It is what has made this Country great. However, illegal immigration is a major factor in our destruction. We have laws that establish the proper way to come to this Country to live or work. Just like every other country on the planet. And while this process may not be perfect, it is the law of the land.

And what do we do with people who break the law?



So how can this happen in these United States of America?

A rancher, who is a former county sheriff's deputy, and a CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES is being sued by 16 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS because he scared them when they were TRESPASSING on HIS LAND.

Roger Barnett has a 22,000 acre ranch in Arizona. When the border patrol started cracking down illegals in border towns, the ILLEGALS started using Barnett's ranch as their super-highway and caused all kinds of problems. They destroyed water pumps and storage tanks. Barnett put in a water spigot on an 8,000 gallon water tank to try and halt the destruction of his pumps. There was garbage 10 INCHES DEEP along the trails, the trespassers killed calves and cattle died after ingesting their garbage. The criminals destroyed fences, stole trucks, and BROKE INTO BARNETT'S HOME!!!!!! Finally, he had had enough. Roger Barnett invested $30,000 in motion sensors and would patrol his OWN PROPERTY for these criminals.

The lawsuit stems from a 2004 incident where Barnett found a group of criminals on his property and confronted them while he had armed himself with a pistol for personal protection and also had his dog with him. When he found these law-breakers, Barnett alerted his family and the Border Patrol.

According the lawsuit, Barnett claims to have turned over more than 12,000 criminals to the Border Patrol. TWELVE FREAKING THOUSAND CRIMINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!! This guy should be given a Presidential Commendation, not be stuck in a baseless court battle. I wonder how many law-enforcement officers can lay claim to 12,000 criminals in 10 years (and that is not a slam against any of our fine law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day).


Roger Barnett is a National Hero and should treated as such. And the criminals must be prosecuted.

Explaination

I wasn't able to post a Great Music Monday last night.

Sunday night I got on my personal computer to check e-mail and work on a monthly newsletter. I got through my two e-mail accounts and was moving on to MySpace when

BAM!!!

Blue Screen of DEATH.

Shit.

Computer re-boots. Go through the Windows diagnostic and I have a freaking trojan. DAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT!!!!!

So I spent the rest of Sunday night and all last night trying to get rid of the thing.

No fucking luck!!!!

I have a call into a local computer guy to come out this morning to kill it. Just waiting on him to call that he is available.

If I ever find the fucktard who created it, I will shove a Trojan helmet up his ass!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

UPDATE!!!

The computer guy called about 9:45 this morning. By 11:30 he had gotten the damn thing to go the hell away. Thank GOD!

Best $30 I've spent in weeks. Hell, I'd have paid $100 just to get rid of the fucking thing.

Bass

I found this interesting.

Your result for The If You Were A Beer Test...

Bass

(100% dark & bitter, 33% working class, 100% genuine)

So the deal with this test is that each taker, based on his or her scores, is assigned a beer that fits their personality (Corona, Bud Select, and so on), and along with the personality description, there's a poster or an ad for that beer. As you can imagine, most of the images feature booty models, sports cars, or, maybe even more depressing, retro kitsch.


It's a testament to Bass Ale, and therefore to YOU, that when I went to look for ads for Bass, all I found was this. An ad from 1937. Bass is legit, and if your scores are true, so are you. I tip my glass to that.


Personality-wise, you have refined tastes (after all, Bass is kind of expensive), but you know how to savor what you get. Your personality isn't exactly bubbly, but you're well-liked by your close circle of friends. Your sense of humor is rather dark, but that's just another way to say sophisticated, right? Cheers.

Take The If You Were A Beer Test at HelloQuizzy

Blogroll Updated!

I finally got my blogroll updated!!!

Something that has needed to be done for months. I removed some old links that didn't work anymore, updated some that had changed URL's, and change formats.

Previously, I had been using Blogrolling, but their software has been screwed up for months, and Blogger came out with this great thing where it actually will tell you went blogs were last posted to-which is a time saver for me, as I would normally go through every single site in the roll.


Also, I added one new link. On Second Opinion is a blog written by David E. Young, a Constitutional Scholar and authority on the original intent of the 2nd Amendment. He edited The Origin of the Second Amendment, which was cited 6 times in the majority opinion of D.C. v. Heller. When he talks, we all need to listen and learn.

Support

When I came into the office this morning, my mother (I work in our family owned business) holds up The Dispatch newspaper out of the Quad Cities, where the main headline grabs my attention: "Sheriffs support concealed guns."

That's right boys and girls, the Illinois Sheriffs Association adopted a resolution in support of the passage of a Concealed Carry law for the State of Illinois. Not only adopted the resolution, but here are the really great kickers: The association's resolution noted it surveyed Illinois sheriffs on the issue, and 90 percent of those responding "support concealed carry in Illinois ..." and "...the group unanimously supported the call for a concealed-carry handgun law."

I'll spare you the reprinting of the entire article, you can go and read it at the link above, but I do want to highlight some of the keys quotes of the article.

From Henry County Sheriff Gib Cady (my county): "We are constitutional officers for the people, and the people want this."

From Todd Vandermyde, spokesman for the National Rifle Association: "Sheriffs aren't the puppets of mayors and county board chairmen. What's being proposed is not a radical idea. Forty-eight states have it. Forty-eight states can't be wrong."

No, they can't be wrong. 40 states have show that Will-Issue programs are effective crime deterrents.

Maybe, just maybe this will grab the attention of some in Springfield.

I'm Getting Hungry

This may be the greatest idea EVER!!!!

Restaurant plans 'impeachment dinner'

Star Courier

Mon Feb 02, 2009, 08:36 PM CST

---

Bishop Hill -

The Filling Station restaurant in Bishop Hill will hold an impeachment dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to celebrate the Illinois Senate’s 59-0 vote last Thursday to impeach former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Blagojevich made cuts in the state budget last year that resulted in the closing of three of the state historic site’s main buildings last fall and the laying off of four state employees.
The staff at the Filling Station will be serving “ex-governor’s stew” made with “outrageous onions”, “I’m not a criminal” carrots, “out of context” potatoes, “slippery” celery and “behind bars beef,” all in a deep gravy over “slimy” noodles with “corrupt” biscuits, “apprehended” applesauce, “mudslinging” coffee and im“peach”ment pie.
“Join your neighbors for a final complaint fest about our ousted leader and share your hopes for the future of our community,” said one of the employees of the restaurant located near the north end of town.
The cost of the meal will be a free-will contribution.
Large contributors will be considered for a very lucrative job at the Filling Station which reportedly involves a lot of hot water.

Nothing more to say than: Anybody hungry?

Trip to the Beltway

Sometime last year I stumbled across a great website.

The United States Concealed Carry Association.

I signed up for the weekly newsletter, which really got me almost daily e-mails on current issues on concealed carry, personal protection, firearms safety, shooting tips, money saving tips while still doing effective practice, etc.

Today's e-mail really caught my eye in the first portion.

Before I jump into today's Ammo-Saving tip, I want to bring you in the loop on something that I'm REALLY excited about. A couple guys who you may or may not have heard of before are hard at work on it as we speak... Skip Coryell and Ted Nugent. Oh- you have heard of Mr. Nugent, you say?

Well, you're probably wondering right about now, "what is ole' Uncle Ted working on?" Well... it's gunna be huge. You've probably heard of the million-mom march... well, this is something about a billion times better- a Million Gun Owner March, on Washington D.C. It's roughly slated for the Spring of 2010.

This idea is YOUNG right now- in fact, it's so young that I'm about to give you a URL to a website that isn't even active yet.

But it will be after Friday:

http://milliongunownermarch.com/

Remember- the site is still under construction, but I'll shoot you another email when it's up and ready. Guys, I am VERY excited about this. This will be our chance to stand up PEACEFULLY and be heard. We will be able to show the world that American Gun owners are organized, peaceful, proud, dedicated citizens who only want their rights to be left alone.

I think I am going to have to begin planning a trip to D.C. for this. Let's show D.C. what a million people REALLY looks like.




Also, don't forget IGOLD to make your voice heard in the state. In this very hostile time towards the 2nd Amendment, we must remain diligent in our fight. We must never give an inch.

Great Music Monday-Sunday, Bloody Sunday

After two weeks off, GMM is back.


30 January 1972

British Parachute Regiment opens fire on unarmed protesters in the Bogside Region of Derry, Northern Ireland.

The protest was over the use of internment by the British in Northern Ireland. 13 people died that day, and a 14th died 4-1/2 months later due to injuries received that day. In all, 27 people were shot on that day referred to as Bloody Sunday.

This past Friday was the 37th Anniversary of the carnage.

Over the years, there have been several numbers written about that day. So for the memory of those who died that day, for those who fight for an independent Northern Ireland, the green field that Tommy Makem described in his song "Four Green Fields" as being in bondage, this week's Great Music Monday is actually two different songs about the day.

First, is the song written by John Lennon. Now, let me be very clear, I am NOT a Beatles fan but I appreciate Great Music. Here, it is performed by Wolfe Tones, a great Irish band. "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" is a recounting of the events of the day.



Second, is a song written and performed by U2. "Bloody Sunday" is more of a prayer tribute to those who were slain on Bloody Sunday. A prayer for them.







"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. "
---Thomas Jefferson

If only it would PASS!!!!

When I returned to work after a trip to the South, I was greeted Monday morning with this headline:

Taking up arms: Proposed bill would allow Illinoisans to carry concealed handguns.

This is nothing new in Illinois. Every legislative session a bill that would stop the State's continued denial of the basic fundamental right of self-protection. However, in a State where 31 of 59 Senatorial Districts and 62 of 118 Representative Districts come from 3 counties (Illinois has 102 counties) and 35 Senatorial Districts and 70 Representative Districts are in the 4 counties of Chicago and its suburbs up to the Wisconsin state line, downstate Illinois gets shafted out of good legislation if they can't secure at least 1/3 of the Chicago/Suburbs vote. So every time this legislation to remove the injustice comes up, it gets killed by Mayor Daley and his cronies. Even though 2 states allow anyone who can legally own a gun to carry concealed, 38 states have Will Issue concealed carry where if you meet the requirements for a permit it will be issued, and 8 states have restricted concealed carry where you have to show a certain need to carry beyond simple personal protection-i.e. your job requires you to transport large sums of money or you have actually received threats to your safety. Only two states have absolutely no provision for any form of concealed carry-Illinois and Wisconsin.

If this bill would get passed through the General Assembly and by some great miracle, be signed into law by the new Governor, Illinois would be the 39th Will Issue carry State.

So what is it that makes this year different from other years. So different that it warranted a front-page article in The Dispatch newspaper.

The backing of the President of the Illinois Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Gib Cady, who is the Sheriff in my home county of Henry, supports the measure and will encourage the Association to back this legislation this year.

He said statistics show crime goes down in states with concealed-carry laws.

Gib Cady obviously has taken the time to look at the MOUNTAINS of data showing that concealed carry makes us all safer.

It is too bad that Moline, IL Police Chief Gary Francque and East Moline, IL Police Chief Victor Moreno have never bothered to look at the statistics or the results of the 48 existing programs in the United States.

Francque is so confused that he believes "The threat to law enforcement would be enormous with that many people out there allowed to carry guns. I am a supporter of a person maintaining a weapon in their home and defending in their homes, but to be out running around with concealed weapons, you're asking for a huge increase in violence."

Moreno believes that the public interation with law enforcement will somehow become much more tense and be detrimental.

In some states, the law requires that CCW holders must identify themselves as such whenever approached by a law enforcement officer, but not all states with CCW require this.

In the article, there are several people listed supporting this necessary measure. Of course already mentioned was Sheriff Gib Cady. Also expressing support were Mercer County Sheriff Tom Thompson as well as State Rep. Pat Verschoore and State Sen. Mike Jacobs. Both Jacobs and Verschoore are Quad Cities Democrats. The one theme with those supporting the bill is the requirement for training a licensing-which would be like the 38 states with Will Issue programs.


Maybe. Just May Be we are finally starting to be able to grab a toe-hold in Illinois to finally get concealed carry.

We all need to do our part and be diligent about contacting our State Representatives and Senators and pushing them to support or even co-sponsor this bill.

HB0245-Family and Personal Protection Act

Listing of Illinois State Senators

Listing of Illinois State House of Representatives

Downstate General Assembly District Map

Chicagoland General Assembly District Map