On the road with the original florida kid-week 25

"On the Road" with the original florida kid
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 25.........
.......and you're on the road with the original florida kid...
Grandma, Barbie and the gang here at the ranch say "hey"........
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN' -
Well, first up - it looks like roadStar magazine will no longer be published...I was sure sorry to read that since I'm a big fan of Dave Sweetman's, for those of you not familiar with Mr. Sweetman, he's a longtime veteran driver and has been writing a great column which has appeared on the pages of roadStar. I'd sure like to ask him if he'd be interested in doing a show on Truckstar Radio........
..............and that brings me, truckstars and internet fans, to a subject I've been talking a lot about for a long time, and that is web access on the road. It would appear that the laptop makers have seen the writing on the wall and are almost in "standard issue" mode when it comes to including mobile web capability in the newer laptops. No - it's not a new idea, but until recently it was less of a demand and feature expectation, much less, than it is now. I will be going with AT&T myself, since I have a cell phone, internet at the ranch, and the landline at home with them and I can't complain about the service. Also, when I travel(which hasn't been much lately.....freight and boat hauls are still down....) I have very few "dead zones", and most of you know this, usually when going through hilly or mountainous country. I reckon it'll be the same with the web access. There is a company(http://www.groundcontrol.com) that I've found can hook you up with broadband(much faster) sat web access, but BE SURE to check out the "in motion" systems, the antenna is a roof mounted, flat disc looking thing, which to me is much better than the "dish" anyway...also, for those of us still wary of "wifi" it allows you to turn the wifi reception off so no one can jump your sat hook-up.....(you know how those 8 year old hackers can be......) and you can get a cheap item that will enable tv, along with skype phone service - it should be good. I'll find out more about the tv offerings sometime this week. Also check www.skycasters.com -and- http://www.ussatellite.com -and- http://www.highspeedsat.com/inetvu.htm
This technology will cost a little bit to hook up( you can shop it for "freebie" install and equipment deals....) and there's a flat fee monthly for the usage, but, I myself see things headed this way technologically. For now, it's good, since tv and even web radio is "there" with mobile web laptop hook-ups.....check out - www.Last.fm - on the web. It's CBS with the fastest growing music site on the web......
......anyone out there, besides me, who likes "rock-a-billy" ?
In this weeks HEALTH DEPT. - I want to talk about "germs". That's right - germs - or more specifically - "germ transfer".
We've all heard about them since we were kids and nowadays, more than ever, it's a common reality, that truckers especially, have to deal with ALL day - everyday. Have you ever found yourself at the truckstop sitting behind the wheel with a burger in your hand taking those first few glorious bites as you pull away from the fuel pumps? Well, think about this with me for a minute.... first, you grab the fuel pump handle, on each side of your rig and put it into the tank, then you walk to the store, grab the door handle and walk in....then, I usually hit the "john" , then I come out and either go into whatever food joint they have there or grab a sandwich off the shelf and a bag of 0 trans-fat chips and maybe a sweet snack. Now you get some moola out of your wallet then hand it to the clerk,(keep in mind they've already handled hundreds of dirty bills and cards and coins) grab your stuff and head for the door, like hundreds of other people have before you that day. Still with me truckstars? You go back to the pumps, put the pump handles back, screw your fuel tank caps back on, grab your reciept(after 20 minutes of button pushing....) and jump back into the cab, and like the hungry wolf that you are tear into that burger or sandwich.....right? Think for a moment about the germs that are probably on those hands of yours - right this minute - from fecal bacteria - otherwise known as poop smears - (which has even been found on movie theatre seats....) to e-coli to flu and even tb germs. The germ spectrums, especially at places where lots of people use restrooms and shop in stores and restaurants are at horrific levels - everyday..... What do you do?(for starters..)......You know those plastic bottles of those dis-infectant wipes they sell everywhere? I have a bottle of the Clorox kind, the large size,(it'll cost ya 5 bucks or so....and GET the good ones, not the disount cheapo kind)) and I keep them with me in the truck, right where I can reach them, before I grab the wheel, scratch my eye, grab my food or touch anything. Maybe we can't or will never really win the "germ" battle but you can be really smart about how bad you infect yourself and contaminate you trucks interior, AND , your cell phone!!!!
Make this a regular part of your daily life truckstars......Please.......
*****Take a minute and PRAY for our troops around the world - with me - truckstars....whether you agree with the war or not - I think we can ALL agree that these are OUR men and women over there, our KIDS, and, the politics involved is way over my head, not to mention the idea that there's probably a lot going on we DON'T know about, so, and, let's not forget about GOD in this equation....it's HIS will I want done, not my own, I'm just not capable.....how 'bout you truckstar?*****
NASCAR- Tony took the checkered at Fontana on Monday.....
PBR- Brazilian, Renato Nunes took the $31,000 money bag home with a first place win in St. Louis followed in second by Robson Palermo and third was Guilherme Marchi. The Brazilians swept the PBR event.
Next weekend - Baltimore.
Justin......how's the shoulder doin' buddy? We need ya over here....
Okay, so, anti-virus and spyware protection on my pc home computer ran out recently and I don't have the money to renew, I had Norton Security Suite. Thanks to laptop magazine I found both spyware and anti-virus, very high end stuff - free...it took some researching but I found it. Some of these freebie deals only last a few months but when they run out just go back in and find another co., if you have too. If you're rich and can afford $80 get the new Norton All-In-One, if you can swing $40 then do what I'm going to do, and that's get http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor/ - all the tech mags rave about this software. In my opinion, it's far and away the best deal, now, be careful to notice that when you click on the download for Spyware Doctor($29.99) make sure you ADD the anti-virus feature($10.00), it's a click box right there in the download box that comes up as you go to check-out. In the meantime I'm using one of the free anti-virus programs on www.avast.com(just scroll down the list(pick one in english and the type you want - I picked the one down the list a bit that prevents AND scans, it good for 60 days) and for anti-spyware I'm using www.safer-networking.org/en (just look for the Spybot download, it's easy....)
Man...I wish I could get one of the Alienware.com laptops.....un-believeable.........the one I want is, well, a lot......
I'm looking into gov. educational grants...I'll let you know how I make out....
TRUCKSTAR TECH - UPDATE -
The new website and the radio station are still in development and comin' along....it's a money thing as usual...
Barbie just rolls her eyes whenever I talk to her about it...it's not that she doesn't believe in me, it's just that, like a lot of women,(Thank God), she's a realist....when she gets home from work her eyes go right to the pile of bills sittin' here on the table, and this just tears my heart out (and I hate arguing over money......) she gets that scared look in her eyes.........I hope work picks up soon....this country's in trouble and it ain't just me........
I need to put this truck to work...(uhh,would ya like some fries and a coke with that sir? or "that was half pepperoni and half mushroom, extra cheese, large, right lady?").....awww, GOD help me.
I've been checkin' out helicopter pilot training schools....all I need is $65,000....yeah...that's all.....and you may not know this but student loans are one of the hardest loans to get....nowadays.....(because their UN-secured, meaning, if it was a car they could come get it, but it's an education, there's no way to repo it)........so.....I don't know, maybe I've got a scared look in my eyes too....
I don't want to find out, but this might be a little easier if I had nothing to lose......what'cha think truckstar?
Here they are, bookmark these sites ;
To find your Representative - www.house.gov ( just enter your zip)
To find your Senators - www.senate.gov - scroll to your home state.
Write them often, tell your friends to write them often....and tell them too that prices are not going to go down on Mexican shipped goods either......just more dope, crime, junky un-safe trucks with bad drivers, accidents and public costs.....Keep it going! Politicians care about 2 things most of all - Votes, and Money, in that order.......we elect em' that means they work for us.....doesn't it???..........
DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THE OOIDA(.com)..............
Okay truckstars - I gotta go - I'm trying to find a haul and a back-haul, so until next week..........
(truck payments....know what I mean vern??)
Don't forget about National Truckers Prayer Day!
Contact Billy Mack on Bozo Radio, or the other radio trucking shows! Let's do this!!
Billy Mack on(XMchannel171) Bozo radio's "Open Road Phone Line"
on-the-air - 12noon - 4:00pm - mon thru fri - you can call into the show at 817-451-6055
Remember - NO load or NO paycheck is worth dyin' for !!!!!
Pray for us all, our nation, the world and the lost..... and try not to worry!!
God hears prayers, trust me - I know...........
As always I want you to remember - I love ya and I'm prayin' for ya!
Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home...........
Crank em' up! - Check your gauges! - Watch out for four-wheelers!
Are you ready? Let's roll..........
......you're on the road with the original florida kid...................we gown..........