Saturday, December 6, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
"On the Road with the original florida kid" week 47
"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week47
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 47 and …..you’re on the road with the original florida kid….
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY! "
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in, check your boots, hang up your coats and grab a chair! Grandma has a fresh pot of her famous cowboy coffee goin'...a second pot..maybe I can get her to bake us up a batch of them extra large chocolate chip muffins of hers...come on boys back me up here...
Ain't it funny how hard times make some of the little things in life seem so big...and maybe even special? I don't know about you truckstars, but I'm one of those who tends to get caught up in the day to day bump and grind of life...Barbie says, sometimes, that I take things too seriously and I know she's right...I do. Hard times, I'm finding out, also have a way of showin' ya what you're made of...in more ways than one......tellin' ya..Hard times bring out the worst in people...but, they can also bring out the best....too.
The other day Barbie brought home this little bag from the animal hospital she works at over in the next town, so I asked her what was in the bag and she says "Never mind, just grab a chair out on the porch and sit down"...so I did, and here she comes walkin' out with this giant electric dog hair clipper in her hand, has it already plugged in, says she's cuttin' my hair, ( I’m thinkin’ “Okay save the twenty bucks…right?....the ol’ mop was getting’ a little bushy anyway…so..) ) then she wraps a big towel around my shoulders, barber style, and proceeds to givin' me a haircut....uhh...what ? wait a minute… dog clippers ?......I've never had a "home" haircut before...didn't know my darling wife of several decades had such a skill either(turns out she didn’t…so…at this point truckstars I need to be careful what I say because I know she'll end up readin' this....get me?), so there I am sittin' in this chair , kinda cold out too, Barbie's choppin'...I mean...cuttin' away on me...the hair starts flyin'...keep in mind it was just her and I home at the time(I had no back-up and Grandma and Pup are almost always on her side anyway...so..). Truckstars, sadly, but honestly, I can't remember the last time, years maybe, we had so much fun together...laughin'(and I'm still not sure what about...)and just plain havin' fun(she even sat on my lap and kissed me…wohoo!).... but both of us realized, without sayin' anything, that we really needed that...her and I...and that we both still truly love each other....just for a few moments it seemed like God turned the clock back thirty years and there was this bitty little woman who loved me so much it scared me, standin' here in front of me...still…tellin' me not to move…..fussin' over me with such a “one of a kind” love in her eyes...just for a little while the world and all it’s problems were gone....I’ll take a couple of shaved bald spots for an afternoon like that anytime….
Truckstars, I know times are hard for a lot of us, but the other day taught me somethin' about what really matters in this life we live, and however tough it gets, the things in this world that really matter - will still matter - and will always matter more than any trial or trouble we might be going through...I only hope I never forget that again...the things that are right in this life mean so much more than the things that are wrong.....and, what you're made of, today, is who you're going to wake up being tomorrow.
Yeah, unless a bag of money falls out of the sky, I'm losin' one of my trucks this week, I've got thousands of dollars worth of bills on my desk I can't pay...don't know when I'll work again, Barbie's health is takin' a little turn for the worse, I think we have termites in the roof....the economy seems more like the “great depression” every day....These things too, shall pass....but..God's grace and the look in my wife's eyes...never will...and I count on them both…. (and Please - don’t anyone think I’m sittin’ here thinkin’ I’ve just passed on this great and profound piece of wisdom, the fact of the matter is that I’m really not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I am a lucky son of a bitch and sometimes I even get to realize that…)
Oh right...the hair...Grandma says “It'll grow back”....Tommy and JT just point...and laugh. I think I even heard Pup snickerin' behind the couch.......damn dog....
TRUCKSTAR RADIO: I’m tryin’ to ramp up my broadcast hours to 24/7 so I’m still lookin’ for mobile internet active drivers who have a laptop, headset and http://www.skype.com/ installed(it’s free) or a cell phone or landline they can call into the station on to host their own show!(I also recommend for you mobile cell phone users to get a “hands free blue tooth, or a regular corded headset) Truckstar O/Owners of some of our favorite trucking sites are on board but we need everyday men and women drivers too….I’m usually on the air from 8:00 – 11:00pm most nights.
If you’re interested here’s the call-in numbers and the player links to Truckstar Radio:
954-603-7561 - or – 954-376-8452( cell or landline phone)
Just click on the player, below, that you use in your computer to play music and Truckstar Radio will start playing, “click” us into your playlist, reduce the screen and you can stay on this great site while you’re listening in the background to “The Truckstar Live”, if they're not here just go to http://thetruckstar.com/ and click on "truckstaradio" to find your banner link to your player! Okay?
Windows Media Player: Real Audio(RealPlayer):
I Tunes & Winamp( for Mac users):
(Also, don't forget! If you have http://www.skype.com/ search "the truckstar live", add us as a contact and “Skype-in” whenever you want!)
TRUCKSTAR TECH- My dream laptop? The new Sony VAIO Z Series Ultra-portable, or if I’m really in fantasyland the “AREA 51” by Alienware…Okay now with this class of laptop we’re talking serious money the Sony being way cheaper of the two….(shhh…don’t wake me I’m dreaming….) Most of us will end up with one of the mid-range models, maybe even a “mini”..I really do like the new VAIO Z Series(#1 on my wish list…hint hint…), but I’ll take an HP Business Class anytime too…or the “mini” MSI Wind NB. For us “sound junkies” the new ACER Aspire 8920G is “the beast”(6-speakers a subwoofer and Blue-Ray baby, Blue Ray…) and so is the VAIO FW Series(both are “big screen laptops). DO NOT forget to ask about service, parts/labor warranties!
The Big 4 – AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile - all have high speed for both mobile internet “smart phones” and mobile broadband laptops, it’s just a matter of what you need and want to do with the mobile technology. I may end up with just a mini-laptop but it’ll be 3G speed and as high def. as I can get it. Blue Ray, hopefully….
Smart phones definitely “rock” but they’re not nearly as versatile as a laptop, even a “mini” and the monthly is more expensive when you’re talking about “unlimited” web use per month and using different applications available for each model and carrier. Keep in mind if you want to stream MP3 music, watch video or films over the web,(and most of the cool new applications can do it) you need the 3G speeds. Also a little tip - if you’re a GPS person, look for a notebook with GPS “built-in” then all you need is a software program like Garmin MobilePC, one of the highest rated, is only $59.99 ! Think power adapters too! You’ll need one so you can charge your battery. Don’t forget to ask or check to see if the laptop you want comes with one. I highly recommend making a list of features you need, and want, in a laptop and use it when you shop!
Shop both online and walking at an AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or Verizon store to ask about prices and service, then compare, remember to ask about rebates and discounts for different computer models BEFORE you buy! Air card models work great and so do the new Gobi(built in modem) models. Need help? Contact me through this website or call into Truckstar Radio and I’ll be happy to talk it over with you! I’ll be doing a weekly “Truckstar Tech” show “on the air”, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, anytime. Okay?
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Winter time is also “germ” time….I always bring a container of “dis-infectant” wipes and a container of “moisturizing” wipes with me, I even use them here in my office to wipe down my keyboard every night when I shut er’ down, the dis-infectant ones that is, but particularly, when on the road I wipe down my door handles, shifter, steering wheel, toilet seats, pay phones, and lastly – my hands - before I touch my food or anything else, (like my phone), because winter time is also “cold and flu” season and it’s all the more important to do a little germ control. People who have colds and other issues are always touching themselves and then touching everything else in public places and some don’t wash their hands after using the restroom either….just keep that in mind this winter….and spring and summer and next fall too!
Now let’s talk vitamins!…Most of us have a “health food” store near where we live or somewhere out on the road we see them occasionally, and next chance you get, if you haven’t already, stick your head in the door and ask about “whole food organic” vitamins, if they have em’, grab a bottle, but check the dosage per day and get the ones that say “1 tablet per day”, some of the brands have you taking 3 or more tablets, or capsules, per day, that’s too much for most of us to screw with, but, they’re also a good way, the best way, to keep the mental and physical “burn” going stronger, longer! THINK protein shakes and bars too! So - it’s your call truckstar! You can also go online and order them, I do…try http://www.luckyvitamin.com/ and http://www.bodybuilding.com/ (protein shakes and bars, these guys rock!) Keep your body’s immunities up with a good diet and “whole food organic” vitamins!
*Next week we’ll talk about the cardio-vascular system in the body, and the subject of arterial and vascular plaque! Problems.Causes and Cures.
Did you know that arterial plaque in the brain has been directly linked to stroke and Alzheimers?
NOW would be a good time to get acquainted with your elected and newly elected officials (like em’ or not)Washington goes back to work in early January! HR6630 – (this is the Mexican trucking pilot program bill) It looks like we’re in for a fight over this thing, (since the President in his infinite wisdom for some reason vetoed it) but the congress(and everyone else)is on our side, this is do-able, and every voice counts! It’s in committee right now getting ready to be voted on by the Senate! Get involved!
www.house.gov – (to find your representative enter your zip code)
www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU? PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today, pray for our nation, the world and the “lost”…. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
..you’re “on the road with the original florida kid”…we gown…..
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 47 and …..you’re on the road with the original florida kid….
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY! "
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in, check your boots, hang up your coats and grab a chair! Grandma has a fresh pot of her famous cowboy coffee goin'...a second pot..maybe I can get her to bake us up a batch of them extra large chocolate chip muffins of hers...come on boys back me up here...
Ain't it funny how hard times make some of the little things in life seem so big...and maybe even special? I don't know about you truckstars, but I'm one of those who tends to get caught up in the day to day bump and grind of life...Barbie says, sometimes, that I take things too seriously and I know she's right...I do. Hard times, I'm finding out, also have a way of showin' ya what you're made of...in more ways than one......tellin' ya..Hard times bring out the worst in people...but, they can also bring out the best....too.
The other day Barbie brought home this little bag from the animal hospital she works at over in the next town, so I asked her what was in the bag and she says "Never mind, just grab a chair out on the porch and sit down"...so I did, and here she comes walkin' out with this giant electric dog hair clipper in her hand, has it already plugged in, says she's cuttin' my hair, ( I’m thinkin’ “Okay save the twenty bucks…right?....the ol’ mop was getting’ a little bushy anyway…so..) ) then she wraps a big towel around my shoulders, barber style, and proceeds to givin' me a haircut....uhh...what ? wait a minute… dog clippers ?......I've never had a "home" haircut before...didn't know my darling wife of several decades had such a skill either(turns out she didn’t…so…at this point truckstars I need to be careful what I say because I know she'll end up readin' this....get me?), so there I am sittin' in this chair , kinda cold out too, Barbie's choppin'...I mean...cuttin' away on me...the hair starts flyin'...keep in mind it was just her and I home at the time(I had no back-up and Grandma and Pup are almost always on her side anyway...so..). Truckstars, sadly, but honestly, I can't remember the last time, years maybe, we had so much fun together...laughin'(and I'm still not sure what about...)and just plain havin' fun(she even sat on my lap and kissed me…wohoo!).... but both of us realized, without sayin' anything, that we really needed that...her and I...and that we both still truly love each other....just for a few moments it seemed like God turned the clock back thirty years and there was this bitty little woman who loved me so much it scared me, standin' here in front of me...still…tellin' me not to move…..fussin' over me with such a “one of a kind” love in her eyes...just for a little while the world and all it’s problems were gone....I’ll take a couple of shaved bald spots for an afternoon like that anytime….
Truckstars, I know times are hard for a lot of us, but the other day taught me somethin' about what really matters in this life we live, and however tough it gets, the things in this world that really matter - will still matter - and will always matter more than any trial or trouble we might be going through...I only hope I never forget that again...the things that are right in this life mean so much more than the things that are wrong.....and, what you're made of, today, is who you're going to wake up being tomorrow.
Yeah, unless a bag of money falls out of the sky, I'm losin' one of my trucks this week, I've got thousands of dollars worth of bills on my desk I can't pay...don't know when I'll work again, Barbie's health is takin' a little turn for the worse, I think we have termites in the roof....the economy seems more like the “great depression” every day....These things too, shall pass....but..God's grace and the look in my wife's eyes...never will...and I count on them both…. (and Please - don’t anyone think I’m sittin’ here thinkin’ I’ve just passed on this great and profound piece of wisdom, the fact of the matter is that I’m really not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I am a lucky son of a bitch and sometimes I even get to realize that…)
Oh right...the hair...Grandma says “It'll grow back”....Tommy and JT just point...and laugh. I think I even heard Pup snickerin' behind the couch.......damn dog....
TRUCKSTAR RADIO: I’m tryin’ to ramp up my broadcast hours to 24/7 so I’m still lookin’ for mobile internet active drivers who have a laptop, headset and http://www.skype.com/ installed(it’s free) or a cell phone or landline they can call into the station on to host their own show!(I also recommend for you mobile cell phone users to get a “hands free blue tooth, or a regular corded headset) Truckstar O/Owners of some of our favorite trucking sites are on board but we need everyday men and women drivers too….I’m usually on the air from 8:00 – 11:00pm most nights.
If you’re interested here’s the call-in numbers and the player links to Truckstar Radio:
954-603-7561 - or – 954-376-8452( cell or landline phone)
Just click on the player, below, that you use in your computer to play music and Truckstar Radio will start playing, “click” us into your playlist, reduce the screen and you can stay on this great site while you’re listening in the background to “The Truckstar Live”, if they're not here just go to http://thetruckstar.com/ and click on "truckstaradio" to find your banner link to your player! Okay?
Windows Media Player: Real Audio(RealPlayer):
I Tunes & Winamp( for Mac users):
(Also, don't forget! If you have http://www.skype.com/ search "the truckstar live", add us as a contact and “Skype-in” whenever you want!)
TRUCKSTAR TECH- My dream laptop? The new Sony VAIO Z Series Ultra-portable, or if I’m really in fantasyland the “AREA 51” by Alienware…Okay now with this class of laptop we’re talking serious money the Sony being way cheaper of the two….(shhh…don’t wake me I’m dreaming….) Most of us will end up with one of the mid-range models, maybe even a “mini”..I really do like the new VAIO Z Series(#1 on my wish list…hint hint…), but I’ll take an HP Business Class anytime too…or the “mini” MSI Wind NB. For us “sound junkies” the new ACER Aspire 8920G is “the beast”(6-speakers a subwoofer and Blue-Ray baby, Blue Ray…) and so is the VAIO FW Series(both are “big screen laptops). DO NOT forget to ask about service, parts/labor warranties!
The Big 4 – AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile - all have high speed for both mobile internet “smart phones” and mobile broadband laptops, it’s just a matter of what you need and want to do with the mobile technology. I may end up with just a mini-laptop but it’ll be 3G speed and as high def. as I can get it. Blue Ray, hopefully….
Smart phones definitely “rock” but they’re not nearly as versatile as a laptop, even a “mini” and the monthly is more expensive when you’re talking about “unlimited” web use per month and using different applications available for each model and carrier. Keep in mind if you want to stream MP3 music, watch video or films over the web,(and most of the cool new applications can do it) you need the 3G speeds. Also a little tip - if you’re a GPS person, look for a notebook with GPS “built-in” then all you need is a software program like Garmin MobilePC, one of the highest rated, is only $59.99 ! Think power adapters too! You’ll need one so you can charge your battery. Don’t forget to ask or check to see if the laptop you want comes with one. I highly recommend making a list of features you need, and want, in a laptop and use it when you shop!
Shop both online and walking at an AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or Verizon store to ask about prices and service, then compare, remember to ask about rebates and discounts for different computer models BEFORE you buy! Air card models work great and so do the new Gobi(built in modem) models. Need help? Contact me through this website or call into Truckstar Radio and I’ll be happy to talk it over with you! I’ll be doing a weekly “Truckstar Tech” show “on the air”, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, anytime. Okay?
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Winter time is also “germ” time….I always bring a container of “dis-infectant” wipes and a container of “moisturizing” wipes with me, I even use them here in my office to wipe down my keyboard every night when I shut er’ down, the dis-infectant ones that is, but particularly, when on the road I wipe down my door handles, shifter, steering wheel, toilet seats, pay phones, and lastly – my hands - before I touch my food or anything else, (like my phone), because winter time is also “cold and flu” season and it’s all the more important to do a little germ control. People who have colds and other issues are always touching themselves and then touching everything else in public places and some don’t wash their hands after using the restroom either….just keep that in mind this winter….and spring and summer and next fall too!
Now let’s talk vitamins!…Most of us have a “health food” store near where we live or somewhere out on the road we see them occasionally, and next chance you get, if you haven’t already, stick your head in the door and ask about “whole food organic” vitamins, if they have em’, grab a bottle, but check the dosage per day and get the ones that say “1 tablet per day”, some of the brands have you taking 3 or more tablets, or capsules, per day, that’s too much for most of us to screw with, but, they’re also a good way, the best way, to keep the mental and physical “burn” going stronger, longer! THINK protein shakes and bars too! So - it’s your call truckstar! You can also go online and order them, I do…try http://www.luckyvitamin.com/ and http://www.bodybuilding.com/ (protein shakes and bars, these guys rock!) Keep your body’s immunities up with a good diet and “whole food organic” vitamins!
*Next week we’ll talk about the cardio-vascular system in the body, and the subject of arterial and vascular plaque! Problems.Causes and Cures.
Did you know that arterial plaque in the brain has been directly linked to stroke and Alzheimers?
NOW would be a good time to get acquainted with your elected and newly elected officials (like em’ or not)Washington goes back to work in early January! HR6630 – (this is the Mexican trucking pilot program bill) It looks like we’re in for a fight over this thing, (since the President in his infinite wisdom for some reason vetoed it) but the congress(and everyone else)is on our side, this is do-able, and every voice counts! It’s in committee right now getting ready to be voted on by the Senate! Get involved!
www.house.gov – (to find your representative enter your zip code)
www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU? PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today, pray for our nation, the world and the “lost”…. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
..you’re “on the road with the original florida kid”…we gown…..
Sunday, November 9, 2008
"On the Road with the original florida kid"/Week46
"On the Road with the original florida kid"Week 46
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 46 and....
...you're on the road with the original florida kid...
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!"
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, alright, come on in, hang your coats up on the peg there by the door, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee...she put some extra ashtrays out this week...take a load off...let's get this party started(or is it more like a funeral kind of thing?.....don't know yet....)..whatever it is...we have a lot to talk about....
I may be losin’ one of my trucks if boat haulin’ doesn’t pick up or I can’t find some hot shottin’ work somewhere…anywhere….(I’d be happy to run pipe for the oil drillers..or yank trailers for FEMA)…..what work there is the boat haul brokers are low-ballin’ because they know we’ll take the run….yeah it’s easy to sit around talkin’ hard-ball politics but it ain’t easy wonderin’ if you’re going to be able to make your payments and pay the bills, let alone put food on the table……
…..what the hell man….
Barbie’s health may be takin’ a turn for the worse here again, she’s havin’ serious issues in her abdominal area….she’s got to go in for tests again….somethin’s goin’ on in there and it probably ain’t good…been prayin’ a lot for her lately…
First of all, we need to....I need to...calm down and try to sort this all out...the election, I mean. Maybe this soon afterward isn't the best time to talk about it, but, I'm in if you're in...
I can't get over this feeling of “doom” that came over me when Barbie told me that Obama got elected the next morning, not that it was a surprise or anything, it's just that I felt like we were close to getting conservative focus back in this country and now it seems a million miles away...overnight...I wonder if he's going to shelf the tax cut plan as soon as he takes office, like Clinton did...just wonderin'...
And, unless he has a serious policy change, over 5 million babies will be murdered in the womb during the next 4 years...(we're at 50 million since Rowe v. Wade)...dear God....Grandma is just beside herself over this….”the babies…the babies…” she keeps cryin’….
(How could anyone possibly think that's a good thing by calling the life and death of an un-born infant, a “choice”?....) There's a huge difference between a decision or a choice, and a "right"....murder, and that's what it is, is a decision, not a right....as a nation we keep cursing ourselves with our…uhh... “choices”……yeah we do.....
Conservative America....I'm not sure what happened here ...I guess we'll find out...I can tell you one thing though...the "real" battle isn't over...it's just begun.....again…..and we have 4 years to decide if, and how, we want to be heard next election. 4 years goes by quick….although somethin’ tells me this is going to be a long four, truckstars…..tellin’ ya……
Well - let’s not forget that these people are elected officials and WE still have a voice in government! Right? The economic situation in this country needs and demands our input to our government in an ongoing way….wha’cha think truckstars?....
I’m not going to bash Obama. Why? Because I still have respect for the office of the presidency, that’s why, so let’s just get past the honeymoon and the racial stuff here and get on with the business of runnin’ this country…if that’s what’s goin’ on here……
Am I upset? Hell yes I’m upset…like I said – conservative values just went into the toilet - unless we keep this liberal government in check……and that’s what I mean by “the battle isn’t over….it’s just begun”….otherwise we’ll reap the harvest along with the liberals promoting it….uhhh….WHAT?.....yeah…think about that one for a minute….when the party’s over and the smoke clears there’s still work to be done and
it ain’t gonna happen overnight either…..
Listen to me….I want just as bad as anyone for this to be the time in American history where the people’s voices are heard and the country becomes the place our founding fathers envisioned it to be, and listen , it’s not just a question of motivations - it’s a matter of values, and that’s the part that has me worried….I don’t want some rich guys money, whether he earned it the right way or the wrong way, that’s for the courts and God to decide, not me….and that doesn’t solve the day to day labor and job and career re-training issues in this country anyway, we’re just moving money around…even that costs money to do and guess who gets to pay for it……you guessed it…
“He” apparently hasn’t had much experience in trying to take money from rich people….yeah…this I gotta see….
Shifting gears here truckstars - I want to bring your attention again this week to Dan Little and the OOU, Owner Operators United. As drivers we still need that voice that will unite us, a voice that speaks for us and one that has us, as drivers, in mind, first and foremost and a voice that will tell us what’s going on in trucking, how issues and legislation will affect us and what we need to do, truthfully and “professionally”.
Please go up on the www.owneroperatorsunited.org and also check out http://oouinc.ning.com/
This second site is the “forum” site of the OOU, both sites will give you a good handle on what they’re all about, I think you’ll find that they really do have drivers in mind. I do a lot of research on organizations and issues in my job and I can tell you one thing truckstars, this guy is the real deal, Dan Little that is, he’s been on CNN and other major news shows, in the New York Times and written of in the Drudge Report, he’s on a first name basis with many of the politicians involved with, and supporting, us as drivers, he’s succeeded in putting a legitimate, respectable and professional “face” on trucking and truck drivers as a group and labor force….and I hope you take the time to go over there - get informed and get involved! One more voice, YOURS, is another piece of the foundation truck drivers need to build….you’ll also be hearing from Dan and other members of the OOU on Truckstar Radio. If Dan would’ve run for president I would’ve voted for him….there’d have been fists flyin’ and boots getting’ planted where the sun don’t shine up there on Capitol Hill, then the right things would’ve gotten done too…….maybe even a little talkin’ too….maybe….
TRUCKSTAR TECH- Mobile Internet connection speeds are getting faster and faster. AT&T, Sprint and the other major players have all launched faster connection plans for us as cell phone and laptop users and, in fact, laptops, the newer ones comin’ out, have the “modem” built into them. It’s called 3G and Gobi. For me, the AT&T or Sprint’s or Verizon’s 3G speed is more than adequate for phone calls, movie downloads and viewing and whatever else I need to do while on the road, and for me, the versatility of a laptop, even a “mini” beats out any idea of paying far more a month for a “cell” phone (with much less day to day functional use), than $40 - $60 a month for a fully functional mobile web computer, for me anyway….and majors like HP are offering huge discounts on certain business laptop models if you sign up with them, Sony too I think… I would’ve signed up anyway and I’ll take the discount of up to $200 bucks…..cool…the new “minis” are looking better and better to me and they’re 3G capable too….cheap and they’ll do the job, you can always download movies to a flash drive usb and put that in to watch a movie, or just download from www.fancast.com or Netflix..….
Also, if you’re already an internet activated mobile laptop user and you want to host a show or just call in – let me know – Truckstar Radio’s 2 numbers(so far) are;
954-376-8452 and 954-603-7561 you can call with Skype( we can all conference if you are on Skype) or any cell/landline phone! I’m trying to crank it up to bein’ on the air 24/7 asap….I hope to hear from ya!
APU’s – it’s coming to the point truckstars when I think it’ll be mandatory nationwide for APU’s because of anti-idling laws, more and more I’m seeing different parts of the country outlawing idling…..I like the idea of the Cummings diesel powered models…here’s a link to get ya started - http://www.cumminsonan.com/apu/products/
You also need to support HR 139 - the bill for a 25% tax credit to drivers for buying a new APU! I’ll let you know what else I can find that might help ya pay for one when I find it! HR 139 is also called S. 894 and is in Committee on Finance so Please let your Rep’s and Senators know how you feel about it. I think the tax credit should be a lot higher, so let’s take that up with our legislators!
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Since these are particularly stressful times it’s more important than ever to watch your fat and “chemical” intake….and to make sure you eat “smart”. A low-fat diet rich in fresh(not canned or frozen) leafy green vegetables and whole grain nutrients and roughage is the best way to help your body help you !
Look for the Met Rx Colossal Protein bars at Flying J Truck-stops, I think they’re getting’ the idea….soon I hope they’ll carry the Labrada, MetRx, and Muscle Milk Protein shakes standard procedure…. Better fuel means better performance truckstars…you’ll see…
By “chemical” I mean caffeine and additives in foods, artery clogging trans-fats too…I’m waitin’ to see which truck-stop chain decides to lead the way by changin’ the restaurant food format to better health menu’s from old style high fat cookin’ and fast foods….Don’t get me wrong I love an old fashioned home cooked meal….but years ago meats, veg’s and grains, even the oils they used were far more natural based…nowadays corporate greed has caused the food co’s to put any kind of chemical or whatever in the foods they make for a higher profit margin and longer shelf life, meanwhile the “natural” food stores and restaurants are all packed all the time….HelloooOOOooo….Pillsbury, Kraft, General Foods….anyone home?…
Don’t forget Truckstar Radio is “on the arrr – eveywarrr” so I hope you’ll tune in when ya can, we’d love to hear from ya!
Well truckstars, I could ramble on all day here but I better shut er' down for this week and get back to puttin' the line-up for Truckstar Radio together. Technically we're on the air but I'm still lookin' for men and women drivers to host their own shows with lots of call-in options, and also, some of the good folks from all our favorite trucking websites. We'll also be hearing music and on the road interviews from some of country music's up and coming stars, like Stephen Wild and Scott Getlin, PBR bull riders and a whole bunch of other great people….but mostly it’s all of you together talkin’, screamin’, laughin’ and cryin’ together….I look forward to Kitchen Table Talkin' with all of you around the country here on Truckstar Radio. If you're needin' help just call-in to the station for specific weather, truckstop locations, road service help…whatever you need…I’m here for YOU…954-376-8452 or 954-603-7561
The links are on www.thetruckstar.com, just bookmark em’ or list Truckstar Radio in your player list(RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, Quicktime or the iTunes/Winamp Player for you Mac users out there.)
And remember, you can always listen to Truckstar Radio in the background while spending time on your favorite trucking site, like this one, you read my blog here already anyway…so….trucker talk radio for YOU, by YOU, starring YOU !!
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….
If you’re a prayin’ person, Please pray for our nation, the world and the lost….. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
So play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
……you’re “on the road with the original florida kid”……we gown…..
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 46 and....
...you're on the road with the original florida kid...
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!"
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, alright, come on in, hang your coats up on the peg there by the door, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee...she put some extra ashtrays out this week...take a load off...let's get this party started(or is it more like a funeral kind of thing?.....don't know yet....)..whatever it is...we have a lot to talk about....
I may be losin’ one of my trucks if boat haulin’ doesn’t pick up or I can’t find some hot shottin’ work somewhere…anywhere….(I’d be happy to run pipe for the oil drillers..or yank trailers for FEMA)…..what work there is the boat haul brokers are low-ballin’ because they know we’ll take the run….yeah it’s easy to sit around talkin’ hard-ball politics but it ain’t easy wonderin’ if you’re going to be able to make your payments and pay the bills, let alone put food on the table……
…..what the hell man….
Barbie’s health may be takin’ a turn for the worse here again, she’s havin’ serious issues in her abdominal area….she’s got to go in for tests again….somethin’s goin’ on in there and it probably ain’t good…been prayin’ a lot for her lately…
First of all, we need to....I need to...calm down and try to sort this all out...the election, I mean. Maybe this soon afterward isn't the best time to talk about it, but, I'm in if you're in...
I can't get over this feeling of “doom” that came over me when Barbie told me that Obama got elected the next morning, not that it was a surprise or anything, it's just that I felt like we were close to getting conservative focus back in this country and now it seems a million miles away...overnight...I wonder if he's going to shelf the tax cut plan as soon as he takes office, like Clinton did...just wonderin'...
And, unless he has a serious policy change, over 5 million babies will be murdered in the womb during the next 4 years...(we're at 50 million since Rowe v. Wade)...dear God....Grandma is just beside herself over this….”the babies…the babies…” she keeps cryin’….
(How could anyone possibly think that's a good thing by calling the life and death of an un-born infant, a “choice”?....) There's a huge difference between a decision or a choice, and a "right"....murder, and that's what it is, is a decision, not a right....as a nation we keep cursing ourselves with our…uhh... “choices”……yeah we do.....
Conservative America....I'm not sure what happened here ...I guess we'll find out...I can tell you one thing though...the "real" battle isn't over...it's just begun.....again…..and we have 4 years to decide if, and how, we want to be heard next election. 4 years goes by quick….although somethin’ tells me this is going to be a long four, truckstars…..tellin’ ya……
Well - let’s not forget that these people are elected officials and WE still have a voice in government! Right? The economic situation in this country needs and demands our input to our government in an ongoing way….wha’cha think truckstars?....
I’m not going to bash Obama. Why? Because I still have respect for the office of the presidency, that’s why, so let’s just get past the honeymoon and the racial stuff here and get on with the business of runnin’ this country…if that’s what’s goin’ on here……
Am I upset? Hell yes I’m upset…like I said – conservative values just went into the toilet - unless we keep this liberal government in check……and that’s what I mean by “the battle isn’t over….it’s just begun”….otherwise we’ll reap the harvest along with the liberals promoting it….uhhh….WHAT?.....yeah…think about that one for a minute….when the party’s over and the smoke clears there’s still work to be done and
it ain’t gonna happen overnight either…..
Listen to me….I want just as bad as anyone for this to be the time in American history where the people’s voices are heard and the country becomes the place our founding fathers envisioned it to be, and listen , it’s not just a question of motivations - it’s a matter of values, and that’s the part that has me worried….I don’t want some rich guys money, whether he earned it the right way or the wrong way, that’s for the courts and God to decide, not me….and that doesn’t solve the day to day labor and job and career re-training issues in this country anyway, we’re just moving money around…even that costs money to do and guess who gets to pay for it……you guessed it…
“He” apparently hasn’t had much experience in trying to take money from rich people….yeah…this I gotta see….
Shifting gears here truckstars - I want to bring your attention again this week to Dan Little and the OOU, Owner Operators United. As drivers we still need that voice that will unite us, a voice that speaks for us and one that has us, as drivers, in mind, first and foremost and a voice that will tell us what’s going on in trucking, how issues and legislation will affect us and what we need to do, truthfully and “professionally”.
Please go up on the www.owneroperatorsunited.org and also check out http://oouinc.ning.com/
This second site is the “forum” site of the OOU, both sites will give you a good handle on what they’re all about, I think you’ll find that they really do have drivers in mind. I do a lot of research on organizations and issues in my job and I can tell you one thing truckstars, this guy is the real deal, Dan Little that is, he’s been on CNN and other major news shows, in the New York Times and written of in the Drudge Report, he’s on a first name basis with many of the politicians involved with, and supporting, us as drivers, he’s succeeded in putting a legitimate, respectable and professional “face” on trucking and truck drivers as a group and labor force….and I hope you take the time to go over there - get informed and get involved! One more voice, YOURS, is another piece of the foundation truck drivers need to build….you’ll also be hearing from Dan and other members of the OOU on Truckstar Radio. If Dan would’ve run for president I would’ve voted for him….there’d have been fists flyin’ and boots getting’ planted where the sun don’t shine up there on Capitol Hill, then the right things would’ve gotten done too…….maybe even a little talkin’ too….maybe….
TRUCKSTAR TECH- Mobile Internet connection speeds are getting faster and faster. AT&T, Sprint and the other major players have all launched faster connection plans for us as cell phone and laptop users and, in fact, laptops, the newer ones comin’ out, have the “modem” built into them. It’s called 3G and Gobi. For me, the AT&T or Sprint’s or Verizon’s 3G speed is more than adequate for phone calls, movie downloads and viewing and whatever else I need to do while on the road, and for me, the versatility of a laptop, even a “mini” beats out any idea of paying far more a month for a “cell” phone (with much less day to day functional use), than $40 - $60 a month for a fully functional mobile web computer, for me anyway….and majors like HP are offering huge discounts on certain business laptop models if you sign up with them, Sony too I think… I would’ve signed up anyway and I’ll take the discount of up to $200 bucks…..cool…the new “minis” are looking better and better to me and they’re 3G capable too….cheap and they’ll do the job, you can always download movies to a flash drive usb and put that in to watch a movie, or just download from www.fancast.com or Netflix..….
Also, if you’re already an internet activated mobile laptop user and you want to host a show or just call in – let me know – Truckstar Radio’s 2 numbers(so far) are;
954-376-8452 and 954-603-7561 you can call with Skype( we can all conference if you are on Skype) or any cell/landline phone! I’m trying to crank it up to bein’ on the air 24/7 asap….I hope to hear from ya!
APU’s – it’s coming to the point truckstars when I think it’ll be mandatory nationwide for APU’s because of anti-idling laws, more and more I’m seeing different parts of the country outlawing idling…..I like the idea of the Cummings diesel powered models…here’s a link to get ya started - http://www.cumminsonan.com/apu/products/
You also need to support HR 139 - the bill for a 25% tax credit to drivers for buying a new APU! I’ll let you know what else I can find that might help ya pay for one when I find it! HR 139 is also called S. 894 and is in Committee on Finance so Please let your Rep’s and Senators know how you feel about it. I think the tax credit should be a lot higher, so let’s take that up with our legislators!
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Since these are particularly stressful times it’s more important than ever to watch your fat and “chemical” intake….and to make sure you eat “smart”. A low-fat diet rich in fresh(not canned or frozen) leafy green vegetables and whole grain nutrients and roughage is the best way to help your body help you !
Look for the Met Rx Colossal Protein bars at Flying J Truck-stops, I think they’re getting’ the idea….soon I hope they’ll carry the Labrada, MetRx, and Muscle Milk Protein shakes standard procedure…. Better fuel means better performance truckstars…you’ll see…
By “chemical” I mean caffeine and additives in foods, artery clogging trans-fats too…I’m waitin’ to see which truck-stop chain decides to lead the way by changin’ the restaurant food format to better health menu’s from old style high fat cookin’ and fast foods….Don’t get me wrong I love an old fashioned home cooked meal….but years ago meats, veg’s and grains, even the oils they used were far more natural based…nowadays corporate greed has caused the food co’s to put any kind of chemical or whatever in the foods they make for a higher profit margin and longer shelf life, meanwhile the “natural” food stores and restaurants are all packed all the time….HelloooOOOooo….Pillsbury, Kraft, General Foods….anyone home?…
Don’t forget Truckstar Radio is “on the arrr – eveywarrr” so I hope you’ll tune in when ya can, we’d love to hear from ya!
Well truckstars, I could ramble on all day here but I better shut er' down for this week and get back to puttin' the line-up for Truckstar Radio together. Technically we're on the air but I'm still lookin' for men and women drivers to host their own shows with lots of call-in options, and also, some of the good folks from all our favorite trucking websites. We'll also be hearing music and on the road interviews from some of country music's up and coming stars, like Stephen Wild and Scott Getlin, PBR bull riders and a whole bunch of other great people….but mostly it’s all of you together talkin’, screamin’, laughin’ and cryin’ together….I look forward to Kitchen Table Talkin' with all of you around the country here on Truckstar Radio. If you're needin' help just call-in to the station for specific weather, truckstop locations, road service help…whatever you need…I’m here for YOU…954-376-8452 or 954-603-7561
The links are on www.thetruckstar.com, just bookmark em’ or list Truckstar Radio in your player list(RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, Quicktime or the iTunes/Winamp Player for you Mac users out there.)
And remember, you can always listen to Truckstar Radio in the background while spending time on your favorite trucking site, like this one, you read my blog here already anyway…so….trucker talk radio for YOU, by YOU, starring YOU !!
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….
If you’re a prayin’ person, Please pray for our nation, the world and the lost….. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
So play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
……you’re “on the road with the original florida kid”……we gown…..
Thursday, October 30, 2008
On the Road with the original floirda kid Week 45
"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 45
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 45 and....you're on the road with the original florida kid.....
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY"...
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- yeah buddy....it's gettin' cold outside...so hang your coats on the peg by the door, come on in and grab a cup of Grandma's famous, and hot, cowboy coffee. Good thing I cut a bunch of firewood this past summer. We had to clear back quite a few trees that grew in over the gravel road goin' up the hill to 2 of the pastures up there because the shade was keepin' it too wet and slippery....even the horses were doin' the slip and slide, we have to walk them up that part of the dirt road...so...at least we got firewood out of the deal...dry too now…..looks like we'll need it.
Ol' Pup the Wonder dog is gettin' up a little bit slower these days...Barbie says he's got arthritis.....poor ol' boy, he's gettin' up there...sometimes he sits it out when we go up in the hills, not always but sometimes....guess we're all gettin' old....dammit….
JT might just make it...we’ll see…we don't know yet but he found a new load broker...one that actually passes on the fuel surcharges to him...yeah well, like I said, we'll see.....(call me crazy but isn't stealin' money against the law?....I don't know I thought I heard that somewhere...)
I hope everyone caught last week's blog - Week 44 - where I listed the legislation that's
on the table up on capitol hill in several important areas, ones that affect us as drivers I mean....I also listed most if not all of the politicians involved so you can contact them and give them support. If your rep's and senators aren't there you may want to contact them and ask them....WHY ?....
Here's the starting point if you're in the mood....( if you’re not, now would be a good time to get in the mood….wha’d ya say?)
www.house.gov - to find your representative enter your zip code
www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)
Don't think for a second that ONE voice doesn't matter....Have you ever been to a professional football or baseball game at a stadium? One guy starts yellin' and the next thing ya know 60,000 people are yellin' too...the players will tell you it can definitely affect the outcome of a game, not to mention the fact that it can be deafening........get the point?.....
Your voice DOES matter! It matters to, and for, all of us....are ya with me truckstars ?
I'm readin' the trucking news headlines this morning...not that I need anyone to tell me that freight is still going down and the price of everything else is goin' up...or that the economy worldwide is feelin' the crunch....and suddenly - I realize that I'm damn sick and tired of feelin' helpless and scared...and I'm also sick and damn tired of seeing and hearing about good and decent people losing everything...homes, cars, kids in college comin' home, businesses....And while I'm at it here a little word to the critics of the common man out there....they can kiss my ass and go to…....you heard me right....I’m sorry truckstars but there are even many in the trucking industry who think it’s a good thing the ranks are getting’ thinned out, that we’re going under because we can’t run a business or a truck…..
What - I need to be a business expert to survive in America now? Since when? And don't talk down to me while you've got your hand in my pocket either.....
Yeah well it looks like the business experts need to go back to school too.......
No, I mean it....I'm a man's man, not afraid of anything...but the past year or two has been like a really really bad movie....with the keystone cops runnin' around in Washington bumpin' into each other....only it's not funny and I'm not laughin'.....
What the hell man....
I ran a few small boats down to the boat-show settin' up in Ft. Lauderdale monday and tues. and I ran into a veteran boat hauler I know from the west coast, an older guy been doin' it for 35 years, a pro's pro, this guy...well he pulls me off to the side and tells me it's been so slow that he might not be able to make his insurance payments much longer and he may be done for....already sold everything that wasn't nailed down...spare trailers and what not...the ones that haven't been stolen, that is...it was hard to watch this guy's face...the look on his face just broke my damn heart truckstars....it really did....I'm walking away thinkin' to myself, man, if this guy's goin' under.... and right then it felt like an ice cold wind just blew right through me..........tellin' ya.....
The rail and ocean going shipping industries are way down too....worldwide...
Where's it going to end?
Don't know truckstars....don't think anyone but God knows................wonder what He has to say about all this.
I wish I would have asked Him AND gotten more involved in government……sooner..... ……….well...I AM NOW........you?
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- I want to make a comment about all these "weight loss" pills, drinks and powders...DON'T TAKE THEM! Why? Because most of them are newer forms of "speed" or enhanced acid based caffeine drugs designed to artificially raise your metabolism and heart-rate in order to burn more calories. Anything with a "drine" at the end of it is basically a synthetic type of stimulant, and there are others that use sugars and caffeine mixtures ALL of which are not, and never will be, good for you. Protein shakes, or drinks, like MetRx or Muscle Milk or Labrada Protein Drinks( http://www.labrada.com/ ), I think the Labrada is the best because they are really high in good protein and also vitamins and minerals(I know I’ve misspelled the name in past blogs…should’ve stayed in school longer…)but Muscle Milk is easier to find, then the MetRx, this is the same co. that makes the best protein bars on the market like the one I eat - MetRx Colossal. Flying J now carries em’. It’s cheaper to get a case of drinks and bring a few out on the road with, that’s what I do.
If you find yourself overweight, with a higher than healthy cholesterol level or even high blood pressure, or feeling sluggish and low energy in general you first need to take a look, a really good hard look, at your diet, that’s where you’ll find the problems..
Now, for starters these so called weight loss potions do not discharge the fats and toxins in your body they raise your "burn" level to cause your body to try to metabolize fats and toxins out of your system, but they don't, they just burn low levels of carbs and some or part of the fats, and make you NOT feel like eating meanwhile they acidify the nutrients in your blood, that's why it still takes someone 6 months to lose just a few pounds when they take this stuff. The power drinks don't do anything but amp you out, fake energy with a nasty downside.
Most health issues originate in or with the diet you eat. Fact. And for you vitamin skeptics out there, vitamins are not drugs - they're food derivatives - big difference. I always talk about "whole food organic" vitamins because they're drawn from organic foods and are in fact food themselves, just concentrated and made for people that can't, won't or don't have a way to eat an ideal diet rich in lean proteins and fruit, vegetable or grain based vitamins and minerals. Make sure you read the labels on whatever vitamins you're taking to see if the source of the nutrient is synthetic or natural or organic based, organic being best. Synthetic based vitamins are useless. You can't run on "fake" fuel, just like you can't be healthy on fake food....Okay?
TRUCKSTAR TECH- I got a new "free" upgrade phone when I renewed my cell phone contract with AT&T last week, got a cool new Razr 3, internet enabled...cool right?
Uh… well….yes and no....
Yes, because I can check my Comcast e-mail and look up "some" stuff on the web, but, no, because I still need G3 or higher speeds to watch movies and the better graphics, and some of the streaming radio, no, most of the streaming "anything" I want to do requires it, not to mention the fact that I also need to get the "unlimited internet plan" to go with it, and, a higher minute plan or the "all in one" unlimited plan for around a hundred bucks a month....and that's not even close to what I really wanted, which was a "smart phone", which is a kind of a - phone/wanna-be computer thing. So...after 2 days of research on the web I came to the conclusion that I'm bagging the cool phone thing and going with a "super" laptop that will do everything including : making phone calls to any computer or cell or landline anywhere in the world, HD or Blue-Ray film watching(on DVD or Flashdrive or download like Netflix), e-mail of course, storing files, map programs, writing work, business software, photos, and well, anything else I will need or can think of, plus I can web surf at very high speeds all for about $60 bucks a month. That's it.
When I save the money for the laptop I need then this phone is going into my outdated cell phone collection and I'm switching my monthly plan to an internet plan. End of conversation. When I want to call Barbie, or anyone else, I have the option of seeing them while I'm speaking with them for pennies.
I'm still looking at the new "mini" laptops, so far the new SONY Z series is the best, they already have the best "after sale service". HP has a deal where you get $200 off the price of the laptop if you go with AT&T on select models...hmmm.....HP's are getting raves in the tech mags too for the new laptops....I'll be taking a look at them too you can bet...I'll let you know, and if you're in the market for a laptop I would wait till the last minute the experts say the prices will be falling......a lot....really soon.....
I want to give a big cowboy howdy shout out to Dan Little from the OOU.com(you need to join up truckstars...seriously...) and my main man in Kentucky - Big Jack Knife aka Harold, he’s a 2 million miler who's laid up at the moment sufferin' from a little bit of "father time".....
So - hats off and heads up - "HEY BOYS !"
Well truckstars, I could ramble on all day here but I better shut er' down for this week and get back to puttin' the line-up for Truckstar Radio together. Technically we're on the air but I'm still lookin' for men and women drivers to host their own shows with lots of call-in options, and also, some of the good folks from all our favorite trucking websites. We'll also be hearing music and on the road interviews from some of country music's up and coming stars, like Stephen Wild, PBR bull riders and a whole bunch of other great people….but mostly it’s all of you together talkin’, screamin’, laughin’ and cryin’ together….I look forward to Kitchen Table Talkin' with all of you around the country here on Truckstar Radio. If you're needin' help just call-in to the station for specific weather, truckstop locations, road service help…whatever you need…I’m here for YOU…
The links are on http://www.thetruckstar.com/, just bookmark em’ or list Truckstar Radio in your player list(RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, Quicktime or the iTunes/Winamp Player for you Mac users out there.)
And remember, you can always listen to Truckstar Radio in the background while spending time on your favorite trucking site, like this one, you read my blog here already anyway…so….
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes…. If you’re a prayin’ person, Please pray for our nation, the world and the lost…..
I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
So play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
……you’re on the road with the original florida kid…we gown…..
Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 45 and....you're on the road with the original florida kid.....
Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY"...
KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- yeah buddy....it's gettin' cold outside...so hang your coats on the peg by the door, come on in and grab a cup of Grandma's famous, and hot, cowboy coffee. Good thing I cut a bunch of firewood this past summer. We had to clear back quite a few trees that grew in over the gravel road goin' up the hill to 2 of the pastures up there because the shade was keepin' it too wet and slippery....even the horses were doin' the slip and slide, we have to walk them up that part of the dirt road...so...at least we got firewood out of the deal...dry too now…..looks like we'll need it.
Ol' Pup the Wonder dog is gettin' up a little bit slower these days...Barbie says he's got arthritis.....poor ol' boy, he's gettin' up there...sometimes he sits it out when we go up in the hills, not always but sometimes....guess we're all gettin' old....dammit….
JT might just make it...we’ll see…we don't know yet but he found a new load broker...one that actually passes on the fuel surcharges to him...yeah well, like I said, we'll see.....(call me crazy but isn't stealin' money against the law?....I don't know I thought I heard that somewhere...)
I hope everyone caught last week's blog - Week 44 - where I listed the legislation that's
on the table up on capitol hill in several important areas, ones that affect us as drivers I mean....I also listed most if not all of the politicians involved so you can contact them and give them support. If your rep's and senators aren't there you may want to contact them and ask them....WHY ?....
Here's the starting point if you're in the mood....( if you’re not, now would be a good time to get in the mood….wha’d ya say?)
www.house.gov - to find your representative enter your zip code
www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state)
Don't think for a second that ONE voice doesn't matter....Have you ever been to a professional football or baseball game at a stadium? One guy starts yellin' and the next thing ya know 60,000 people are yellin' too...the players will tell you it can definitely affect the outcome of a game, not to mention the fact that it can be deafening........get the point?.....
Your voice DOES matter! It matters to, and for, all of us....are ya with me truckstars ?
I'm readin' the trucking news headlines this morning...not that I need anyone to tell me that freight is still going down and the price of everything else is goin' up...or that the economy worldwide is feelin' the crunch....and suddenly - I realize that I'm damn sick and tired of feelin' helpless and scared...and I'm also sick and damn tired of seeing and hearing about good and decent people losing everything...homes, cars, kids in college comin' home, businesses....And while I'm at it here a little word to the critics of the common man out there....they can kiss my ass and go to…....you heard me right....I’m sorry truckstars but there are even many in the trucking industry who think it’s a good thing the ranks are getting’ thinned out, that we’re going under because we can’t run a business or a truck…..
What - I need to be a business expert to survive in America now? Since when? And don't talk down to me while you've got your hand in my pocket either.....
Yeah well it looks like the business experts need to go back to school too.......
No, I mean it....I'm a man's man, not afraid of anything...but the past year or two has been like a really really bad movie....with the keystone cops runnin' around in Washington bumpin' into each other....only it's not funny and I'm not laughin'.....
What the hell man....
I ran a few small boats down to the boat-show settin' up in Ft. Lauderdale monday and tues. and I ran into a veteran boat hauler I know from the west coast, an older guy been doin' it for 35 years, a pro's pro, this guy...well he pulls me off to the side and tells me it's been so slow that he might not be able to make his insurance payments much longer and he may be done for....already sold everything that wasn't nailed down...spare trailers and what not...the ones that haven't been stolen, that is...it was hard to watch this guy's face...the look on his face just broke my damn heart truckstars....it really did....I'm walking away thinkin' to myself, man, if this guy's goin' under.... and right then it felt like an ice cold wind just blew right through me..........tellin' ya.....
The rail and ocean going shipping industries are way down too....worldwide...
Where's it going to end?
Don't know truckstars....don't think anyone but God knows................wonder what He has to say about all this.
I wish I would have asked Him AND gotten more involved in government……sooner..... ……….well...I AM NOW........you?
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- I want to make a comment about all these "weight loss" pills, drinks and powders...DON'T TAKE THEM! Why? Because most of them are newer forms of "speed" or enhanced acid based caffeine drugs designed to artificially raise your metabolism and heart-rate in order to burn more calories. Anything with a "drine" at the end of it is basically a synthetic type of stimulant, and there are others that use sugars and caffeine mixtures ALL of which are not, and never will be, good for you. Protein shakes, or drinks, like MetRx or Muscle Milk or Labrada Protein Drinks( http://www.labrada.com/ ), I think the Labrada is the best because they are really high in good protein and also vitamins and minerals(I know I’ve misspelled the name in past blogs…should’ve stayed in school longer…)but Muscle Milk is easier to find, then the MetRx, this is the same co. that makes the best protein bars on the market like the one I eat - MetRx Colossal. Flying J now carries em’. It’s cheaper to get a case of drinks and bring a few out on the road with, that’s what I do.
If you find yourself overweight, with a higher than healthy cholesterol level or even high blood pressure, or feeling sluggish and low energy in general you first need to take a look, a really good hard look, at your diet, that’s where you’ll find the problems..
Now, for starters these so called weight loss potions do not discharge the fats and toxins in your body they raise your "burn" level to cause your body to try to metabolize fats and toxins out of your system, but they don't, they just burn low levels of carbs and some or part of the fats, and make you NOT feel like eating meanwhile they acidify the nutrients in your blood, that's why it still takes someone 6 months to lose just a few pounds when they take this stuff. The power drinks don't do anything but amp you out, fake energy with a nasty downside.
Most health issues originate in or with the diet you eat. Fact. And for you vitamin skeptics out there, vitamins are not drugs - they're food derivatives - big difference. I always talk about "whole food organic" vitamins because they're drawn from organic foods and are in fact food themselves, just concentrated and made for people that can't, won't or don't have a way to eat an ideal diet rich in lean proteins and fruit, vegetable or grain based vitamins and minerals. Make sure you read the labels on whatever vitamins you're taking to see if the source of the nutrient is synthetic or natural or organic based, organic being best. Synthetic based vitamins are useless. You can't run on "fake" fuel, just like you can't be healthy on fake food....Okay?
TRUCKSTAR TECH- I got a new "free" upgrade phone when I renewed my cell phone contract with AT&T last week, got a cool new Razr 3, internet enabled...cool right?
Uh… well….yes and no....
Yes, because I can check my Comcast e-mail and look up "some" stuff on the web, but, no, because I still need G3 or higher speeds to watch movies and the better graphics, and some of the streaming radio, no, most of the streaming "anything" I want to do requires it, not to mention the fact that I also need to get the "unlimited internet plan" to go with it, and, a higher minute plan or the "all in one" unlimited plan for around a hundred bucks a month....and that's not even close to what I really wanted, which was a "smart phone", which is a kind of a - phone/wanna-be computer thing. So...after 2 days of research on the web I came to the conclusion that I'm bagging the cool phone thing and going with a "super" laptop that will do everything including : making phone calls to any computer or cell or landline anywhere in the world, HD or Blue-Ray film watching(on DVD or Flashdrive or download like Netflix), e-mail of course, storing files, map programs, writing work, business software, photos, and well, anything else I will need or can think of, plus I can web surf at very high speeds all for about $60 bucks a month. That's it.
When I save the money for the laptop I need then this phone is going into my outdated cell phone collection and I'm switching my monthly plan to an internet plan. End of conversation. When I want to call Barbie, or anyone else, I have the option of seeing them while I'm speaking with them for pennies.
I'm still looking at the new "mini" laptops, so far the new SONY Z series is the best, they already have the best "after sale service". HP has a deal where you get $200 off the price of the laptop if you go with AT&T on select models...hmmm.....HP's are getting raves in the tech mags too for the new laptops....I'll be taking a look at them too you can bet...I'll let you know, and if you're in the market for a laptop I would wait till the last minute the experts say the prices will be falling......a lot....really soon.....
I want to give a big cowboy howdy shout out to Dan Little from the OOU.com(you need to join up truckstars...seriously...) and my main man in Kentucky - Big Jack Knife aka Harold, he’s a 2 million miler who's laid up at the moment sufferin' from a little bit of "father time".....
So - hats off and heads up - "HEY BOYS !"
Well truckstars, I could ramble on all day here but I better shut er' down for this week and get back to puttin' the line-up for Truckstar Radio together. Technically we're on the air but I'm still lookin' for men and women drivers to host their own shows with lots of call-in options, and also, some of the good folks from all our favorite trucking websites. We'll also be hearing music and on the road interviews from some of country music's up and coming stars, like Stephen Wild, PBR bull riders and a whole bunch of other great people….but mostly it’s all of you together talkin’, screamin’, laughin’ and cryin’ together….I look forward to Kitchen Table Talkin' with all of you around the country here on Truckstar Radio. If you're needin' help just call-in to the station for specific weather, truckstop locations, road service help…whatever you need…I’m here for YOU…
The links are on http://www.thetruckstar.com/, just bookmark em’ or list Truckstar Radio in your player list(RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, Quicktime or the iTunes/Winamp Player for you Mac users out there.)
And remember, you can always listen to Truckstar Radio in the background while spending time on your favorite trucking site, like this one, you read my blog here already anyway…so….
Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes…. If you’re a prayin’ person, Please pray for our nation, the world and the lost…..
I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me.......
REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..
Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !
So play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………
Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……
……you’re on the road with the original florida kid…we gown…..
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