MontanaOpinions

Unfortunate end for Outlaws

2010-10-08T10:34:00.002-06:00

It seems that Billings/Yellowstone County is unwilling to support a professional sports team beyond the Mustangs. Our fine county commisioners fumbled in their treatment of the Outlaws and now they have folded. I guess commisioners felt it would be better for the Metra to be empty a few more dates after it is repaired. No blasted football, pro basketball or hockey in there please! Maybe they plan on lots of concerts since they are finally doing some acoustic work? I doubt they have good plans going forward.
Billings has enjoyed having the Outlaws. They were always a good team and are league champs. The Mustangs have been mediocre of late, but since my old boss, Jon Dehler, donated $1M toward the sweet new ballpark, the government won't likely be killing that team soon.
We need new blood in the county commision. We need someone with a little vision for our city/county and an ability to plan. I'm too busy for the job. How about you?

Celebrities ususally die in groups of three

2009-06-25T16:34:00.004-06:00

Recently, Ed McMahon died after a long bout of illness. Today, I heard that Farrah Fawcett (yes, I had that poster as a kid) passed as well. Moments ago I found out that Michael Jackson died from heart trouble. I can't recall them all, but this isn't the first time I have noticed stars dropping as trio.
I guess many young boys can feel a bit safer, but I'll miss Farrah.

It's so quiet out there!

2009-02-08T11:24:00.003-07:00

I have noticed that many of our beloved Montana blogs have had little in new content lately. I can't point fingers since my postings have been rare as well. Many of my favorite reads have had zero posts while some others have added sparingly. I see the Montana Netroots was temporarily eaten up by a worm and is only recently back (and welcome back guys) along with Shane's personal site. I'll have to say this is mostly due to the elections being over. Thank God! All those political ads were driving me nuts!

On a personal note: I get to be a bachelor over the last week of February since my beloved is going to Copenhagen and Amsterdam on a trip her sister won. Lots of time for me to do whatever strikes me as fun I guess. I will miss her anyway. (hate sleeping alone after 25 years of marriage)

Happy new year

2009-01-01T10:05:00.002-07:00

Let's hope '09 is better than '08 was. I'm not too hopeful though. Hamas and Israel are hammering each other. We get a new President soon (whoopie!) and the economy is looking bleak. If aliens came and offered to take me to a nice, uninhabited world, I'd have to consider it!

Chargers defense looks weak

2008-09-13T08:17:00.002-06:00

The Carolina Panthers moved the ball well against them last week- well enough to pull off an upset win. The Chargers travel to division rival Denver this week. I don't like their chances for a win if they play like they did last week. Denver has a fair offense and plays well at Invesco field. I will obviously root for the Bolts to get things on track. LT has turf toe, but will still play. Merriman looks to be done for quite a while with his bad knee. Maybe having a HEALTHY guy playing end will improve the D. I hope so!

Kelleher wins state Republican primary for senate

2008-06-11T13:58:00.002-06:00

Okay! Who among you voted for the eyebrows? It certainly wasn't me. I voted for Bushman.
This sure backs up my opinion that many voters go to the polls uninformed and unprepared. I can't find one person who will admit to voting for Bob. Fess up. Who was it?

I guess Max can save his money for the 2014 run.

Operation Chaos supported by Hammond report

2008-04-27T09:33:00.006-06:00

Andy Hammond has tempted the ire of the left by coming out in support of Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos". There have been many venomous comments left in response to his post. While I don't intend to participate myself (someone needs to chose OUR candidates for other offices), I must remind leftists that they have employed these tactics as well. Some liberal voters have been encouraged to vote for Romney before our Presidential contest was decided.

I don't feel great about the ethics of such maneuvers, but those who threaten legal action over this have little to go on. Montana has an open primary. I get both ballots before going into the booth to vote. Are you going to follow me in to see how I vote? Try it! We'll see who gets arrested.

Republican caucuses leave me cold

2008-02-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here we are at "Super Tuesday" folks. Are you all as excited as I am? Maybe not. You see, regular voters like me who consider themselves Republicans get no vote this time around. Only Elected officeholders and party insiders get a voice. I can still vote in the primary, but the caucus results will be used no matter how the primary vote comes out.

Our beloved party switched to the early caucus because they failed to get the earlier primary they desired. It was more important to them that THEY be heard earlier in the process than for rank and file conservative voters to get that very vote. I'm not against an earlier primary, but I WANT A VOTE! Wyoming had caucuses even earlier in the year. I didn't see much attention coming their way. I know who won that one, but do you? Few do. If you know who won it, you know who I'm leaning toward supporting.

I intend to support ending caucuses in the future and return to a primary. If the party supports it, we can vote in February. I'd actually like to see a rotation of the order of the primaries. Let each state eventually get to be among the first. What's so great about Iowa and New Hampshire?

Chargers lead a division of losers

2007-11-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

As of this posting, my Chargers are fresh off an undeserved win over the Colts. I still say they only won because I picked them to lose in the office pool. If it weren't for spectacular Sproles returning both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, the Bolts would have had no chance at all. Even with those gifts, they still had to get a missed chipshot field goal attempt at the end. Sheesh! Rivers is aweful and the running game isn't what I expect. LT can't run if there's no hole. He's good, but who's that good?

Since the Denver Donkeys beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead, the Chargers are in first. Big deal. Denver stinks and they ruined KC. Oakland is deserving the basement. None of them are going anywhere in the playoffs. Let me state what's obvious to any NFL fan. The Patriots are going to take it all. They're just too good.

It's almost that time of year!

2007-08-19T20:04:00.000-06:00

Time to turn thoughts to another football season. May my Chargers go all the way this time. They certainly have the talent. I know there are many Denver Donkey fans out there who'd like to spoil things, but be prepared to get swept away. I think my boys have an excellent chance to win it all as long as Ladanian Tomlinson (quick prayer) stays healthy. The Chiefs are a minor threat and the Raiders seem to be a broken unit. I think the Colts are San Diego's biggest obstacle. Tom Brady & Co. are a concern as well.

Let's hear it for your team. Who's your money on? Who will improve the most? Who will be a disapointment?

The real inconvenient truth

2007-08-13T19:11:00.000-06:00

Go to Craig's place and see this post by Gman on global warming:

http://www.mtpolitics.net/archives/5508-The-REAL-Inconvenient-Truth.html

Many of us agree the Earth is getting warmer. Some of us think it is a more natural thing than man made. The sun has a lot of input to this 'problem'. This piece also shows that a warmer planet causes higher CO2 levels- not the other way around. It's a long piece (presented by ACTUAL SCIENTISTS) but worth seeing if you really want to know what's going on. I'll warn you liberals that there are some 'inconvenient' facts included which will challenge your beliefs if you're honest with yourself.

Is Civility Dead?

2007-08-04T21:41:00.000-06:00

I find the level of civility in discourse about politics to be falling into the gutter lately. It seems many are quite willing to belittle people who disagree with them and call them names. Both sides are quite willing to overlook facts if they are inconvenient and go for the throat of their political opponent. I'll not claim to be free of guilt on this point, but I try to avoid it and show at least a bit of respect for my opponent. My grandfather always told me to try to "be the better man" in an arguement. I try to remember that. Even if your opponent seems to deserve little respect, you'll feel better about yourself if you refrain from acting childish.
I'm not referring to any single person on this point. We need to debate positions and show each other courtesy. I find this lack of respect in a lot of places. Rush Limbaugh often disrespects people. He loses me when he stoops to that level. He's certainly not alone in doing this. Visit daily Kos and you'll find plenty there too. It alienates some and convinces few on the author's point. Unfortunately, it seems to be everywhere. It might help to admit when your debate opponent is right on some things instead of blindly ignoring their point while pursuing ideological superiority. That will lose you respect as well.
We have plenty of problems and concerns in our world today. Working toward coming together somewhere in the middle seems to be a better idea than the polarization that is happening now. Neither the "left" or "right" has all the answers. Most of us really aren't that extreme anyway. I agree with liberals on some points and conservatives on some others. It just seems counterproductive to fight each other so hard. We need each other if we are to do what needs to be done. Our nation would be better served if blatant partisanship died.

Missed Vacation!

2007-07-20T20:55:00.000-06:00

Since I'm starting the new job with Century gaming, I felt I had to forego the planned family vacation to Puerto Vallarta and the five star Barcelo La Jolla hotel. My wife and son will enjoy the trip along with my sister-in-law. This place looks like a fabulous getaway. Too bad I have to miss it! I guess having the house to myself for a week will have to suffice. That will be nice in its own way. Maybe I can get a few rounds of golf in. Unfortunately, no local course will be as nice as the ones down there!

A wild couple of weeks for me!

2007-06-14T21:23:00.000-06:00

Just last week I was informed that my employer, Fleetwood gaming's routes were going to be sold to Century gaming- its chief competitor. That meant my job was virtually eliminated after 15 years of service. Imagine my trepidation at what the future held for me. I was quite nervous and wondered at what a 46 year old man would do to pay the bills and support my family. While Fleetwood would continue as a gaming manufacturer, they would have no use for an account representative like me. My gut was being eaten full of holes!

This week I met with the nice folks at Century and they basically hired me on the spot. Not only would I get a job, but I would get paid at the same rate I had been used to and keep my seniority, vacation time, insurance and 401k. This was partly due to my former employer's input in actually giving a damn about his former employees. While I was sad to lose my position at Fleetwood, I am happy to give thanks to Jon Dehler and Fleetwood for going to bat for their people.

I have heard some say less than nice things about Jon when he donated money for Cobb field reconstruction. Some said he did it for publicity and naming rights only. I know he did it because he loves baseball and our fine community.

Thanks for a great job over the last 15 years Jon. May you continue to have success in the future. You were a great guy to work for. Thanks also to Steve and the gang at Century for giving me a shot. You won't be sorry.

I'm considering siding my house-

2007-04-20T17:01:00.000-06:00

Any of you out there have a point of view on siding? Steel or vinyl? Is it expensive? If you recently did your house, may I ask what it ended up costing you? Just picking brains. I know many of you have good ones. Give me some input.

Weather finally turns to spring?

2007-04-15T01:03:00.000-06:00

We finally had some decent temperatures here in Billings today. Damn am I tired of the gray, wet and cold! I guess it will be yard work time soon. I have done some spring clean up, but mowing will soon follow. I get to pawn that off on my 14 year old boy though. He should have an easy time of it since we bought a new self-propelled Craftsman today. We looked at Toros, but they have plastic gears these days. Did you know that? The Honda looks nice, but for $700 it should!

I've been guilty of not posting much lately. Nothing exciting to talk about. I'm tired of Anna Nicloe and Don Imus (Don Imuschmuck?) I see Rosie is still an ignorant bitch though. She suggests Bush blew up WTC7. Imus is stupid, but Rosie takes the cake!

Super Bowl should be good

2007-01-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Yea- My Chargers let me down. They dropped way too many balls to beat the Pats. That stunk, but I'm hopeful for better next year.

As for the big game- I'd put my money on the Colts but don't look for a big bet. It should be a fine matchup of a VERY capable offense vs. probably the best defense (sorry Raven fans) in the league. I'm going to lean toward Manning leading the Colts more steadily than Rex Grossman does the Bears. My wife will disagree as she is a long time Bears fan. Don't take my advice though. My pre-playoff picks for the Super bowl were San Diego and Philly. Shows you what I know. I'll say 34-27 Colts.

What's your pick?

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

May you all have a fine holiday season, no matter what faith you might

follow. I hope you had a good 2006 and enjoy better in the year to come.

Enjoy precious time with those you love and think of those others whom

have nobody of their own. I encourage you to give at least one gift to

someone unfortunate who needs help. It'll make you feel more holiday

spirit. I guarantee it.

Note how good the Seahawks must feel. They gave

my Chargers a shot at home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

They backed in themselves anyway, so I bet they feel great! Donkeys

won on a lucky missed extra point. Damn Bengals!

Chargers slice & dice Broncos!

2006-12-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

My boys clinched the AFC West and are in first place in the AFC. The Broncos were no match for them- especially with a rookie at QB. I think Shannahan has made the wrong move there, but Plummer is no prize either. Tomlinson, Rivers and Gates played well and the defense was competent, if not overwhelming. I guess you don't need a Bears style defense if the offense is going to put up 48. With the Colts getting stoned by Jacksonville, my guys have top billing in the playoffs. All they need to do is win at Seattle and cover at home for a couple they should (!) win.

In any case, to you Bronco fans...

Better luck next year... Not!

Chargers climb to 10-2.

2006-12-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

My boys won a tight game against a good Bills team who have won their last few coming in. Tomlinson has been a stud all year. He only ran for over 170 yards and two scores. I'm so glad I have him on most fantasy teams- yes, many in first place, thankyou.
I've been taking a lot of crap from Denver fans for years. It would be nice to bury them next week and end all the chat! The Colts loss to the Titans makes it an even bigger game with home field playoff considerations in effect. With three of their last four at home, I expect a strong finish. You Donkey lovers can hope, but you won't catch us this year.

Sudan/Darfur needs world attention

2006-11-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

Please go read about the problems between Chad and Sudan & the poor people being killed. We must not allow this barbarism to continue. This area could become a bigger problem than Iraq. Those whom believe we should bring all our troops home and hide our head in the ground need to think more about whether they are willing to stand aside and let poor innocents be murdered in ethnic cleansing. Like it or not, this kind of thing happens every day in our world. Death and destruction are not limited to Iraq. Other than my new favorite- Glenn Beck- I have seen very little in the press about this. Shame on them. We need to push world leaders to do something right now! Join me in demanding action.

New Montana blog

2006-11-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Our friend Shane Mason has started a new blog and welcomed me as a contributing author. The latter aside, stop in and give it a look. Most of the authors lean to the left, but this site is working to be a place of sane discussion of issues without the backbiting and name calling. It's about time we all come together somewhere without "sides" being taken, don't you think?

Vote on November 7th!

2006-11-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

I also urge you to vote for conservative candidates. We must win the war on terrorism. The American public should not allow itself to be deterred from backing the effort against extremists who wish us dead. Democrats cry that we have no plan while they have no plan themselves. Sure, some things have been tough, but quickly exiting would be seen as a sign of weakness by the extremists. Not everything has been bad either. The Kurds are very thankful of us coming to free them. You won't see pictures of that in the liberal media, but I challenge anyone to prove it's not true. Some would have you only know the more sensational bad news. We need to support our troops AND their mission. Some people don't support their mission. What do these people think that mission is? I see us tring to help these people. What do liberals see? Rampant murder, rape and pillage by our guys? You know they are better than that. John Kerry seems to think only poor dumb souls would join to enter the fight. I have family in the service and I find that comment offensive. Our military personnel are the best. But even if they were less intelligent than John Kerry (I severely doubt it), why would anyone impugn the brave souls who volunteer to defend us? Kerry says he just botched a joke intended toward Bush. Last I checked, Bush got better grades than Kerry at the same school. Skull and bones anyone?

I also don't want my taxes raised. The economy is doing just fine. Leave it alone liberals!

I see Conrad Burns as an imperfect candidate. He talks without thinking sometimes, but he'll vote the way I want most of the time. John Tester might very well be the "nice guy" that David Crisp describes him as, but I doubt he'd vote with me. I have to go with Burns because of terrorists and taxes. Go ahead now libs- call me names.

Monica Lindeen went to the same school as I did. I'm sure she's still a standup person, but again, she won't vote my way. Denny has done a good job for us and deserves not to be replaced anyway.

I can't support raising the minimum wage. It will only be inflationary and is simply feel good politics. The free market pays more than that in a lot of places now anyway. Automatic adjustments tied to the CPI seems poorly considered as well.

Billings needs to support building a new ball park. Cobb field is a disaster waiting to happen. Which will hit first? Collapse or fire? Surely we have enough civic pride to build a better city. What if our forefathers had been too stingy to fund pools or parks and the like? Local businessmen are stepping up to donate to the cause. Surely the rest of us can chip in.

Athletic pool could be a casualty of any new Cobb. I understand that some people don't want to lose it, but it leaks anyway. I'd support building a new pool. Maybe we could build it away from 27th street too. I'd think that would be safer.

I have to begrudgingly support the safety levy. I don't like the way "cumulative and permanent" was conveniently overlooked, but I do like having sufficient police and fire protection.

In any case- VOTE! As they say, if you don't vote, don't bitch.

Rosie has a strange "View"

2006-09-14T15:58:00.000-06:00

Tueday on "The View", Rosie O'Donnell stated that Radical Christians are as large a threat to the United States as radical Muslims are! Come on Rosie! Show me where some radical Christians blew up thousands of innocent people. You simply can't. Some of them might even be dangerous, but there is no comparison. As far as being dangerous goes, radical Muslims are even more of a threat to Muslims around the world. They senselessly murder people every day. This woman has a right to her views, but this is totally wrong. I'm thinking that an apology to Christians isn't going to cover it. I don't watch the view- wonder why?

On this historic date...

2006-09-11T08:44:00.000-06:00

Always remember the innocent lives lost. Remember the hurt and pain. Also remember how we all came together to stand strong. Recall the selflessness of so many policemen and firemen. Respect the courage of those who forced the last plane down in Shanksville Pa. It's so sad what happened, and sadder still that the togetherness lasted such a short time. Never forget 9/11!

Vacation in Mexico

2006-08-30T13:36:00.000-06:00

I recently took my family to Mexico on vacation. Other than the security hoops to jump through at airports, the entire trip was wonderful! We stayed at the Iberostar Quetzal hotel (4 1/2 star) in Playa del Carmen. That's about 25 miles south of Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula. The room was nice, the food great, the beach clean and well maintained and the staff was friendly and helpful. I heartily recommend this resort. They took us out to Cozumel to do some snorkeling on the reef. It was beautiful with astonishingly clear water. There were many varieties of fish to see. I saw several sea turtles and got within about ten feet of a barracuda! Later, a shark swam by underneath us. The guide said not to worry; that it wouldn't bother us. We're all still here, so I guess he was right.

I do have one recommendation for you though. This is an "all inclusive resort" so the drinks are free. If you are going to partake of adult beverages, have the lady of the house go to the bar to get them. This isn't because I'm a lazy pig. It's because the mostly male bartenders make much stronger drinks for the ladies. If they are blonde, it seems that's even better.

Oh, and you might want to leave young children home if you are puritanical in nature. Many Europeans seem to vacation here. There were about 15-20 topless women on the beach every day. Not a problem for me, but some might balk. I did see one guy dress right on the beach too. Different cultures, I guess.

Be sure to get a passport for international travel. It's REQUIRED after the first of the year. It'll probably take one or two months to get also.

Thank God the boy won't laze away the summer

2006-06-12T13:35:00.000-06:00

My thirteen year old son is joining the workforce today. It is a volunteer position at St. Vincent hospital. He won't earn a cent, but will earn valuable experience. He'll also get something to put on his resume for when he applies for an actual paying job. He gets to feel good about contributing to society too. He has done some volunteering before, but nothing on a weekly scheduled basis. Maybe he'll find out that his dad isn't the only demanding job boss in the world.
He gets to become very familiar with the city bus system also. It won't hurt him a bit. He did this on his own. His parents didn't push at all. Yep, I'm happy with him!

My favorite time of the year is here!

2006-04-29T21:24:00.000-06:00

Spring just has to be the finest time of the year here in Montana. Oh sure, you can get some cold and blustry days, but days like today are rare. The temp up in the high 60's and little to no wind afforded us with pure comfort. I missed my chance to have a nice walk ruined by a little white ball. Maybe later in the week. NFL draft on ESPN all day long- snore! After the first round, who really cares enough to watch? Not me! Chargers got a DB in first round. Drafting for need on that one kids. My momma could pass on em!

Daytime TV is a wasteland!

2006-02-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Having been home all week for a little time off from work, I have been treated to a bit of free time during the day. I started off on Monday by surfing through all 57 damn channels and - lo and behold, nothing on! That started the lame tune of the same name running through my head. I made a trip to the video store, but that too was a wasteland. I guess my expensive wide screen is a waste when there isn't a good game on or Sci-fi Friday. Thank God for that or I could just sell the damn TVs. I did learn on Tuesday that there are more judge shows than I knew of. My wife was off that day, and she really likes them. I'd prefer a root canal- but that's just me. Some of the people that show up on those programs are painfully stupid. I guess I did enjoy watching one guy get the tongue lashing of his life from judge Judy. He deserved it though. He was stupid enough to provoke her early on. Idiot.

Happy Presidents day

2006-02-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing few of you got the day off. Lucky me has the entire week off. Don't turn too green! I'm sure my spouse will have a few things to keep me busy. Have a good week everyone.

Spouse Shopping

2006-02-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

A store that sells new husbands has just opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights.There is, however, a catch: you may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men have jobs. The second floor sign reads: Floor 2 - These men have jobs and love kids. The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love kids, and are extremely good looking."Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going. She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads: Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework."Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads: Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak. She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads: Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. A new wives store opened across the street. The first floor has wives that love sex. The second floor has wives that love sex and have money. The third through sixth floors have never been visited.

Fantasy Baseball starting soon.

2006-02-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when I find myself in a sort of limbo. I really enjoy playing fantasy sports on the net. It just so happens that this is the dead time of year for that activity. Fantasy football has recently expired. I fared reasonably well on my teams there. Two first places, a second and a fourth. Fantasy baseball is nearing ready for sign ups- but that is not going to really start for more than a month. Fantasy NASCAR and fantasy golf have gotten into gear this weekend and a couple of weeks ago. Neither of those really hold my interest though. Fantasy basketball is half way over with the All star game this weekend. That means no scores to worry about there for a few days either. I'm not faring too well in those leagues this season as I had a bad draft in the two leagues I'm in. I didn't seem to get any good big men out of the ones I ranked high. Oh well. Next year, as they say!

Super Bowl Prediction

2006-02-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

This year I'm going to have to go with the majority and pick the Steelers to take the big game. They have been on a roll in the playoffs and have beaten some very good teams. I really believe that the AFC has been the stronger division for quite a while now. The Seahawks aren't without hope. Shaun Alexander is definitely a stud that can hurt you. Seattle has won quite a few games, but against inferior competition. I'll say- 34-24 Steelers.

Our friend Tony is at it again

2006-01-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

"Rocky? I have your address, given to me by someone who knows and also doesnt like you. Watch your back and your mouth lest be held accountable for your stupidity." Says Tony.

Here we go again folks. What was my transgression against the all powerful Tony this time? I stated over at David Crisp's place that I am a conservative and Tony isn't. I didn't peg him as a liberal or a radical or anything else- just that he isn't a conservative. I figured that was a safe statement to make that even Tony would have to agree with. No such luck, I guess. For that he decides I need to be physically threatened AGAIN. I tire of this guy and his thought that he can win an arguement by threatening people.

Here's a response just for you, Tony, since you don't have the balls to allow comments on your own site(s):

First of all, I don't scare that easily. I have as much right to voice my opinion as you do sir. Go ahead and threaten me and send me pictures of yourself with no shirt on (unimpressive) and flying (rather poor form) the bird at me. I laugh that crap off with ease. Where did you learn that tactic from anyway? Stalin?

Secondly- Don't even think about messing with my family. If you do anything to make them even feel threatened, I'll have the law on your ass quickly! I won't tolerate you even letting them know you breathe Montana air. I would never do anything to cause any harm nor even slightly scare your beautiful wife and charming daughter. If you feel you must have it out with me, be man enough to leave our wives and children out of it.

Third- Be sure you have the right Rocky Smith. There are two of us living in this town. I get mail and phone calls for him all the time. I'd hate to see you go to jail for assaulting the wrong man. You might well deserve some jail time if you did this, but he wouldn't even know why you're angry with him. If you're going to Cynrock (his marketing firm) to find me, you're in the wrong place. You wouldn't need a private investigator to find me anyway. My name, adress and other information are not a state secret. I'm not going to publish them for you here. You might have to look for yourself. It'll probably take less than five minutes to find.

In closing- I'm not really sure what got you so ticked off this time anyway. Are you claiming I'm wrong to say you are not a conservative? I think even many of our local bloggers would readily agree with my statement. I didn't make the mistake (as I did once before) of trying to say you were a liberal or any other description- only that you're not a conservative. I'll stand by that statement. I must say I was a little suprised at your flaming reaction. I wasn't even attempting to get your ire up on that one. If I wanted to do that, I would have said much more than you aren't a conservative. Note that I have not threatened you ( aside from protection of my family) and I'm not even angry. I'm partly puzzled and mostly laughing about this whole affair. I won't be bullied into shutting up though. Don't bother with the threats any more, Tony. I doubt you are really crazy enough to assault me based on differing political views. We probably will never see eye to eye on much (aside from Walmart), but let's keep this a debate- not a fistfight. MAYBE you could win a fight of fists, but can you win a debate of words?

Is Iran next?

2006-01-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

I think that Israel would have already blown up Iran's return to nuclear research if Sharron wasn't half dead in a hospital. I have little doubt that the US is being pressured to do something. Hearing Iran's President deny that the holocaust occured in WWII shows what a loose cannon with no brain this guy is. I predict that if we don't hit Iran soon, Israel will. I wouldn't blame them if they did. It's called self defense.

Merry Christmas to all!

2005-12-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

May we all celebrate the coming holidays together in friendship and health. Whether you are Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Christian, some other religion or Agnostic- enjoy some time with your family and friends. Appreciate the important people in your life and show them how much they mean to you. Even if you reject organised religion, it can be nice to take in the positive energy of good fellowship.

Celebrate this season with care. If you partake of alcohol, please pick a designated driver. I don't want you hitting me, you lush! (Just kidding!)

Happy Holidays!
Rocky

It's all over now!

2005-12-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Man! My Chargers just love to disappoint me. They beat the unbeaten one week, and lose all focus the next week. No playoffs for them. Just as well, I guess. They wouldn't go far anyway. I'd still like to see them lay one on the accursed Donkeys next week though. That'd take some of the bitter taste from my mouth. I should get so lucky!

My Chargers did it!

2005-12-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Much to my suprise, my SD Chargers knocked off the previously unbeaten Colts to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They beat the best team in the league (and I believe- eventual super bowl champs) on their home field. Too bad they couldn't have beaten the lowly Dolphins last week in Chargerville. Now they have to go into KC and beat the Chiefs, go home and beat the Donkeys and then hope the Steelers drop a game somewhere. All of that coming to pass is very unlikely. It's more likely that the commentators will be referring to the Bolts as the best team to not make the playoffs. Boo!

I try to stay cool driving through shopping traffic

2005-11-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

But sometimes I want to act like kitty here and dispose with you all!

Happy holidays to everyone!

2005-11-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

I hope you all were smarter than I and didn't overeat yesterday. The food was just too damn good though. You know you're a lost cause when you're already full, but have to stuff in a piece of pie. I enjoyed it all too much.

It was a fine day and I enjoyed seeing all my family. We hosted dinner at our house for the first time in quite a while. What a mess to clean up! It was all worth it though as I was thankful to see all my relations happy and healthy again this year. I hope your holiday went as well. Now don't go blowing too much ca$h in today's shopping madness. You won't see me out there in sharp elbow land!

The Monkey is back!

2005-11-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

After a long absence, our favorite Monkey is back to his blog. Go visit for a laugh if you're not too puritanical to take some jokes and fun observations that might make grandma blush. He's one of my favorites. Welcome back Monkey!

Just a joke ladies!

2005-10-24T15:13:00.000-06:00

Does this look like a guilty man?

2005-10-24T14:46:00.000-06:00

I am not in a position to pre-judge the man, but he doesn't look too worried to me. He does resemble that "salesman of the month" moniker that Randy laid on him. If it turns out he's guilty, he must go. If he is guilty, there are many on the other side of the aisle whom have done things very similar to what Mr. Delay has. ANYONE who breaks the law must be made to pay and resign. I don't care what little letter follows their name. I gotta say that he doesn't look or sound like a man who is in danger of being convicted of anything. He says he gave a big smile because he knew the lefties were waiting with baited breath to use that mugshot for their own purposes. He sure ruined that for them. I don't doubt they'd have loved a shot of him somber and looking beaten.

I'd rather look at Ali Landry anyway:

Montana Rescue Mission

2005-10-10T06:25:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday night, I took my son down to the Rescue Mission to help serve dinner. We did this as part of his community service as a member of the Kiwanis sponsored Builder's club. At first, I think he was expecting to see all kinds of derelicts and drug crazed idiots down there. As we served spaghetti and garlic toast with milk and dessert, he came to see that many of them appeared to be normal folks who just happen to be in a tough spot. Even the "Meds" who got to eat ahead of the general populace didn't seem very strange. He came away from the experience with less fear and more understanding of how things really are. That was a good experience for him which I would recommend for all kids in junior high or later. The couple of hours of honest hard work didn't hurt him either. He came away wiser with a sense of accomplishment. I thank the staff of the Mission for their work helping those in need and taking extra time to teach many of our area youth in their kitchen. Support them where you can.

Tony has spun out

2005-09-15T15:16:00.000-06:00

Some of you might be familiar of Tony of http://www.spunandspinning.blogspot.com/ . This guy is so far left that he is insulted if you call him a liberal. He wants to be referred to as a radical. I have to agree that he is. Recently, we have been jousting over the afteraffects of hurricane Katrina and the blame game following it. I posted a comment that stated Bush and FEMA did a poor job on relief efforts. I continued on, saying that if he was anywhere near fair, he'd admit that Governor Blanco and mayor Nagin had dropped the ball also. He refuses to admit that Blanco screwed up and hasn't called her on it in his own words at all. He did mention that SHE has recently accepted blame, but did HE call her on it or admit she was wrong too? Of course not! Everything is BUSH's FAULT! He is so whacked out that not only wouldn't he call Blanco on her mistakes, but he has ERASED EVERY COMMENT I made on his site about the matter. That, IMHO is just plain CHICKENSHIT! He now dumps any comment I post on his blog. I don't expect him to agree with me (far from it), just to at least engage me in honest debate. Apparently, he isn't up to it. I have visited many a left leaning blog and left comments that the blog's author disagrees with. The folks at Two good legs, Left in the West and Wulfgar all debate concepts and ideas with me fairly and honestly. They often disagree with me and might sometimes get perturbed by my posts- but they accept the challenge of fair and open debate. They are all good people and worthy of reading daily. Matt, at Left in the West has even convinced me to give a serious look at John Tester for Senate in the coming election (I'm not a big Burns fan).

I'm going to continue to post to Tony's blog every day. He's going to get worn out removing my comments. If any of you reading this are conservative, I suggest you drop by his site and leave a few comments of your own. Just don't expect to be heard fairly. He claims I get all my news from Fox, what he calls hateradio (Hannity, Limbaugh and O'Reilly) and conservative blogs (yet I read his?) and that I know nothing. It so happens that I watch news from a variety of sources- Fox, CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC and read many liberal blogs. You might have seen some of my comments there.

By the way- note that I said what he did was chickenshit, but that I didn't stoop to calling him names (he calls me the Bushmonkey- strange since I freely stated that Bush and Co. blew it on hurricane relief) . I freely admit that I'm a conservative and tend to back Republicans but I have criticized the right on more than one occasion. I try to be honest and admit when I'm wrong. I don't erase comments from those who disagree with me. I welcome the debate and diversity of thought. You won't get blackballed here, not even if your name is Tony.

Update: I was going to continue posting comments to Tony's blog, but he has since threatened physical force. While the guy doesn't scare me in the least, I do have a family to consider. I'd like to think he is just a blowhard, but I'm not taking that chance. I guess I'll let the radical lie in peace.

His kick today is to refute my point that environmentalists have hampered levee construction through a lawsuit and many protests. He concentrates on that point since he still doesn't want to answer my suggestion that he should admit that Governor Blanco has fault in this mess as much as Bush does- and BOTH of them have admitted it this week. He wants to concentrate on one lawsuit back in 1997 over levees that were 97 miles outside New Orleans (and you know water won't go around a levee if it's 97 miles- that's too tiring- plus there isn't anyone living 97 miles outside the city limits I guess). No matter that they were working on over 300 miles of levees either. Gotta stop levee reinforcement to protect bottomland hardwood trees because they're more important than people. Let's also not mention that one of the main failed levees had already been reinforced. That big barge that smashed through it was probably Bush's fault too. I'm sure he loosened all the anchor points for barges while he was down there blowing up levees. Okay Tony- maybe you're right about the levees and I'm wrong. Maybe no envirowhackos ever slowed or stopped construction on levees. I'm certainly not an expert and I do want to be fair and admit to it if I'm wrong. Now- how about some words from you on the Governor? I didn't think so.

Oh- and as to your offer in the comments of this post- NO THANKS! I don't go that way. I doubt Craig or Dave are interested either, but you keep on trying. I won't judge you if you go both ways.

Islamic support of terrorism Declining

2005-08-26T13:35:00.000-06:00

According To PEW research, Muslim support of terrorism and Osama Bin Laden is waning. Is it possible for the world to defeat terrorists and bring back peace and security? Only time will tell, but these are encouraging numbers. The report also suggests that the people of this area are becoming more willing to consider Democracy as a viable government system. Hatred for America is also waning. I wish the same could be said for some Moonbat liberals here in the United States!

Scotty beamed up for the last time

2005-07-20T15:37:00.000-06:00

To a long time fan such as me, this is a sad day. I always enjoyed all the Star Trek episodes, even though some were quite cheesy. Doohan was one of my favorite characters (meaning Scotty) and brought a little personality to the show beyond Shatner's over the top acting. I enjoyed the later appearance he made on STNG as well. He will be missed.

Let's redirect the news media

2005-07-11T13:48:00.000-06:00

Let's get our news media focused on the genocide happening in Darfur and off Tom Cruise. Our weak news outlets have given 12x as much coverage to Cruise as it has Sudan. Let's all go to the above link and let them know that their coverage choices are out of line! When was the last story you saw on the Darfur genocide? I can't remember myself, but too long ago.

Hat tip to Matt Singer at Left in the West.

Democrats- Tell us YOUR plan!

2005-06-29T16:01:00.000-06:00

I had to stop myself from shouting at my television last night. Picture Nancy Pelosi giving her response to Bush's speech last night. She said we have no plan for winning things in Iraq. What has she been smoking? As I see it, we must defeat the insurgents (Terrorists) before we can get into high gear rebuilding the country. We are working at that while we see to the rebuilding of a democratic government; re-establishing an Iraqi military and police; rebuild schools, highways, roads, bridges and the like; holding free elections and restoring peace. Maybe Nancy is just smarter than we conservatives. She should enlighten the rest of us if she has a better plan. I haven't heard her speak up about what SHE would do. Please Nancy! You're so much wiser than George Bush or the rest of us. Tell us your brilliant plan! Tell us how you stop a guy from strapping a bomb to his chest and walking into a streetside restaurant to blow up innocents. Tell us how we stop the problem of troops being killed by roadside IED's. Maybe if we had sent only hand wringing liberals over there, they'd have solved the problems by now. After all, they're soooooo much smarter than the rest of us, especially we conservatives. C'mon Nancy! Save us!

The heat is on!

2005-06-21T14:25:00.000-06:00

Fellow Montanans- It appears summer is truly here. It has been forecasted by KTVQ-2's beloved Bob McGuire that it will reach 94 degrees today. I think it feels hotter than that already. That could be simply due to the fact that I haven't gotten used to the hot stuff yet. It has been a fairly comfortable spring with plenty of rain (Thank God) to keep things green and lush. This hasn't prepared us for the sweltering weather to come. Since today is the summer solstice, the season is upon us. The longest day of the year- and it's a work day. That somehow figures! Anyway- happy summer all. I hope you all can take a nice vacation in the season to come. I won't get mine for at least a month yet... ...cry, whine.

" Interest Only" Loans

2005-05-25T14:04:00.000-06:00

I find myself completely losing faith in my fellow man. Who are the people out there who are stupid enough to take out one of these interest only loans? Don't they realize that they are doing little (or nothing) to pay off the principle of the loan? You could pay on one of these things for decades and still owe the same amount. Worse yet, many of them are adjustable on the interest rate. That means the rate will surely go up in the future. The companies offering these items must be smiling all the way to the Bank (if they aren't one) and counting on doing it for many years to come. I wonder if there is a penalty for paying it off? Wouldn't suprise me. The people that sign up for this torture are probably the same ones carrying the big credit card balances. I heard the average balance is around $16k! I owe nothing on mine, so which of you is offsetting me? Do you owe 20k or more? Do you realize how stupid that is?

Gotta love Laura Bush

2005-05-02T15:30:00.000-06:00

Even if you don't like George Bush, you've got to like Laura. She kept them laughing at the White House press corps dinner over the weekend. Aside from being an attractive and nice lady, she seems to have good comic timing too. I wonder if George is into wife swapping? Just kidding Mr. President!

Awwww! The poor Yanks!

2005-04-29T08:34:00.000-06:00

First losing record month in several years. I hope there are many more to come. A-Rod is going to have to spread those homers out. Three homers in one game and then 0 for 4 last night. I can hardly believe my Orioles are still holding first place! Go boys!

I hate the Yankees!

2005-04-12T14:18:00.000-06:00

It gave me great pleasure to see my beloved but undermanned Baltimore Orioles take two out of three games from the evil empire this last weekend. That doesn't happen enough- and probably won't happen much more through the season. My boys have some good hitters in Mora, Tejada, Sosa and the Viagara man (Rafael Palmiero)- but as far as I can see, their pitching is not great. I figure they will finish in the middle of the pack in the AL east. I'd love to be suprised by better, but I don't expect it. Once the O's are far enough behind, I'll start rooting for the Red Sox. I'd root for anyone who could beat out Steinbrenner's boys. It's kind of like rooting against the hated Broncos during football season- only I despise the Hankies more. If the Donkeys could somehow get a game against the Hankies, I'd be hard pressed, but I guess I'd have to root for Denver.

Mora hadn't hit anything all season until he whacked one into the back of Carl Pavano's head. ESPN reported that Pavano had a concussion from that one... ... really? Melvin seemed to hit better since then. Maybe he should whack more Yankee pitchers in the melon! I hear Pavano will make his scheduled start later this week too. Is that wise or is he just that tough?

Who is the team you love to hate?

Living Wills

2005-03-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has learned something from the Terri Schiavo case. It is important that you get a living will to cover your wishes should something like that happen to you. Regardless of where you stand on Terri's case, you should do your loved ones the favor of not putting them in the place of the Schiavos and Schindlers. Let everyone know just what you think on the subject so these costly and apparently pointless legal battles can be avoided. Get it down on paper!

In my own case, I would like to be kept alive as long as there is reasonable hope. If my brain is as far gone as Terri's is, give up. Let me go peacefully. If there is hope of continued life, even if somewhat diminished, give me a chance please. I hope it never comes to that though. I'd rather die of a massive heart attack while making love or just plain slip away in my sleep. I'd much prefer the former though! Struck by lightning on the golf course wouldn't be bad either (after a hole in one!). Expiring while at work would be about the worst!

Michael Jackson- the faker

2005-03-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Did anyone see the video of that little creep heading into court ( late) yesterday? He had a bodyguard holding onto each arm to support him and looked like it was tough to even walk. A little way into the scene there were several (stupid?) fans screaming support for Michael. He quickly turned on his heels and raised his hands to wave at them. I've had back problems myself. You wouldn't do that move if your back really was bad! I suspect it hurt when he thought about the boy testifying more than when fans cheered.

Goodbye Dan Rather

2005-03-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not one who will miss you. Hell, I probably won't even catch your last broadcast as anchor tonight. You were a passable rerporter, but weak as the anchor. CBS should have dumped you years ago. You've been losing in the ratings for a loooong time! Did you verify those "documents" yet? No?

Discussion- Who should replace blathering Dan?

Why is it?

2005-02-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

I get into big trouble with my wife if I am insensitive enough not to want to watch what she has chosen on TV. If I come home and she has Judge Judy on the tube, I'm not very interested. She seems to revel in seeing other peoples misery and bad behavior. I usually want to pass on that and go in to the bedroom to watch sports or Stargate SG1 or something of a more manly nature. If I do that, I'm being bad. I'm not giving her enough attention- according to her. But just come over to our house on a Thursday night and try to tune the telly to anything other than Survivor, and you'll lose a limb. Why is it that I'm bad for wanting to watch an NBA game, but she's perfectly entitled to catch every moment of Survivor without even acnowledging that I'm still breathing? Is this something that is unique to my home or do some of you other men get the same problem? Am I a bad person for not being a fan of all the judge shows, Survivor, The Apprentice and all these other "people shows"? I don't force her to watch Baseball- why should I watch The People's Court? Is it really so bad if I watch something I like in the other room? Hey, I come home after work- I'm not at the bar. I'm not out drinking, gambling or chasing other women. Ladies- Is it so bad to be in the other room? She's really mad at me! I think it's a double standard.

Sorry I haven't posted lately- I have the flu

2005-02-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

I 've been sick as a dog for three days now. This seems to be a bad case of this crap! I haven't even been able to eat anything since Sunday. I'll try to catch up with all of you later in the week when I feel more like myself.

No- That's not me in the Gazette!

2005-01-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

There are two Rocky Smiths living in Billings. The one who is mentioned in today's Gazette is not me. I do get phone calls intended for him occasionally. His girlfriend has sent presents and flowers to my house once or twice. This makes my wife wonder a bit. I can't understand how his girlfriend could be clueless as to his real address. I hope the guy is doing reputable business. I'd hate to have him sully my name. It could be worse I guess. At least my name isn't Ted Bundy or something!

Worldwide Freedom?

2005-01-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

After Bush's Inaugural address yesterday, I heard many liberals whining about the President's statements regarding freedom and democracy. Bush suggested that our freedom and national defense against terrorism depended greatly on expanding freedom and democracy throughout the world. Chris Matthews, for one, scoffed at the idea that we export freedom. He acted like Bush was planning to invade all non-democratic nations before spring hit. I have a clue for you, Chris. Bush wasn't saying we are going to impose our values on the rest of the world within weeks or months. It was a LONG TERM VISION of what we need to work toward. He might think it is foolish and something we cannot accomplish, but nobody ever acheived great things by aiming low. When did liberals give up on the rest of humanity anyway? We are the beacon of freedom in this world. Don't let anyone try to snuff out that light just because it might be difficult. Would Chris be more supportive if a Democrat President had suggested it? Am I to believe that liberals are only willing to support freedom for those who are already free and aren't willing to make any effort for the rest of the poor souls of the world living under tyrants? Say it ain't so!

Whacking the smoker

2005-01-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

How I pine for 2004! Back when you didn't have to give up your left testicle to buy some smokes. I know all of you non-smokers hate we who pollute your air and think we should be made to pay. Well, we are paying dearly. As if we didn't already pay enough in taxes, the voters of this state decided we should pay $1.20 more per pack. It sure is nice when you get the opportunity to raise taxes on someone else, isn't it? Well, you'd better hope I don't ever get the chance to reciprocate! How about a tax on the obese, or on SUV drivers, or raising the cost of that adult beverage by a couple of bucks per glass?

I doubt any non-smoker reading this will hold any sympathy for smokers. I don't expect any. I just want to point out that taxes which aren't paid by EVERYONE are patently unfair. You can laugh at my plight if you like, but it might be your habbit that gets the big tax hike next. Did you ever think about that? When it happens, don't come to me for support.

I try to be a courteous smoker. I don't smoke around those who don't like it, even in my own home. I don't hang right next to the front door where you need to walk by. I understand your dislike for the smoke and try not to expose you to it. I severely doubt claims that a small amount of exposure to it will make you get cancer, but I respect your wishes to limit exposure.
Sure, I should quit. It sounds really easy, doesn't it? Trust me when I say it isn't.

In any case, the fine State of Montana will not be getting more tax money from my cigarette purchases. On the contrary, they will be getting ZERO, ZIP, NADA, Nothing in taxes because I will either purchase them from a local reservation or buy them on line. The only person you hurt was the owner of the store where I USED to buy them. By no fault of his own, he has lost my business. I feel sorry for him most of all.

Tough end to '04.

2004-12-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Tsunami dead numbering over 50K as of today. That's really sad. The U. S. rushes to send aid and all the UN can say is that we're selfish. From what I've seen, we are one of the most generous countries in the world. The $ 35 million the government has sent so far is only a start. That doesn't count all the support from private relief organizations or individuals.

Where was all the world aid when Florida got hammered with one hurricane after another? I didn't see any reports of Germany, France, Saudi Arabia or others rushing to help us. And now we are the stingy bastards? Sometimes I wonder why we do help. Of course it's because we are NOT stingy that we always do help. I'm proud of America and all it's generous people!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

2004-12-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

And no, I don't mean happy holidays or season's greetings! I mean Merry Christmas. It isn't meant as an affront to those of you who might be non-Christians. It's a traditional greeting you might still hear from time to time in December. Don't assume that it means I hate Muslims, Jews, atheists or others. Just assume I'd like you to have a happy day. OKAY?!

Go Griz!!!!!!!!!

2004-12-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

The beloved UM Grizzlies take Chattanooga by storm on Friday night. Be sure to watch them kick tail.

Culture War

2004-12-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

Since the election I have heard much in the media about the "culture war" going on in this country. Some reporters act as though this is a new phenomenon that has become apparent only since the election. If they were really paying attention, they would know that it has been going on for decades. They say that Bush won only due to fundamentalist Christians coming out in droves to vote for him. Who do they think these people voted for in 2000? I'll give you a hint. It wasn't Gore.

Why do these Christians vote Republican so steadfastly? Could it be the propensity of Democrats and liberals to strive so hard to eliminate God from the public arena and have an entirely secular society? Of course! Does separation of church and state mean that religion must be kept behind closed doors in a church, Synogogue or other religious edifice? I don't see it that way.

The whole point to the separation is to prevent the establishment of a State religion. The government should not promote one religion over another. This should not be construed to mean the State is required to stifle religious speech in the public forum. Such actions by government steps on everyone's right to freedom of religion and free speech also! While they cannot promote one religion over another, they have no right to actively work against religion as a facet of our society. I understand that there are some who would be offended by it since they are of a different religion or are atheist. Tough! Their right to not be offended is written where????? Their choice of religion or non-religion does not trump my rights! Many Christian faiths teach that it is every church member's duty to spread the word of God and work to convert non-believers. If they are told by the government to go sit down and shut up, are their rights to free speech and religion not infringed upon?

What about what is taught in our schools? I suggest that rather than making God a dirty word that cannot be uttered, that ALL religions should be studied equally. Make a point of explaining every one of them to our children- including telling them of how some people are Atheist or agnostic. This is teaching them about the different cultures of our world. Knowledge is good- Ignorance is NOT bliss. Exposure to other cultures might aid in better understanding throughout the world. Many liberals would be all for teaching about other religions but would balk at Christianity being among those that our children are exposed to. I know a couple of atheists. They aren't the slightest bit threatened by Islam, but talk of Christianity to them and they get defensive immediately. What are they afraid of? If they don't belive in a God, then they shouldn't feel threatened.

I am not an overly religious person. I don't attend a church regularly, but do consider myself a Christian. Some more zealous people have accosted me and told me that I can't be Christian if I don't attend regularly. Of course, they also say ONLY their church is the right one! They have every right to their beliefs and I have no right to shut them up. It is ultimately MY CHOICE as to what I will do. Isn't that what FREEDOM is?

OH YEA!

2004-12-06T11:35:00.001-07:00

How about that! My Chargers came through and protected home field vs. the Broncos. They did make me sweat it though. They played a fairly good first half and then sat on it in the second half. Fortunately, I could count on Jake Plummer to throw up a few( 4 total) gopher balls. Way to go Snake!

On Saturday, the Griz dismantled their poor opponent by a wide margin. Good job guys! I don't know who their next round opponent will be, but I'm sure they will give the Griz a better game than New Hampshire did. Here's hoping they can go all the way again. While I don't follow college ball very much, it's easy to root for our UM boys.

Thanks Craig!

2004-12-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

I guess Craig at mtpolitics.net found my site and was nice enough to give me a mention and link on his site. With all the readers he has, I might actually see a little traffic here now. Thanks again Craig! I'm going to have to put in a little time to write a few posts worth others time to read. I hope some of you find my site worth a visit from time to time. I intend to add links to other Montana bloggers now that I have figured out (I think!) how to do it. Words of encouragement and sage advice from those of you who actually know what they are doing are WELCOME at any time.

I truly enjoy visiting all the other Montana blog sites and am proud of the fine group of writers that share this great state with me. Most of you are far better and more experienced writers than I am. While I am not the most educated or articulate, I'll try not to drag down the overall quality level of Montana bloggers. More to come as time allows...

Big game Sunday-

2004-12-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

For a long suffering Charger fan such as myself, the game against the Denver Donkeys this week means much. I am amazed to find my beloved Bolts in first place as of this date. They shared the top spot for quite some time with the detested Donkeys. Last Sunday night the lowly Raiders dumped the Donkeys on their home field during a cold and snowy night. Mark me down as one who was very suprised by that. Unfortunately, I fear this will only motivate the Denver Nags to perform better this weekend. I hope that is not prophetic and that my Chargers hold down home field well. A victory would mean a two game lead in the division. Of course if they should make the playoffs, I fear they will only be a first round victim of one of the stronger AFC teams. While I love my Bolts, I wouldn't want to meet the Colts in a playoff. They have been making mincemeat of all competition lately. Manning is so hot he can fry bacon on his right arm!

Veteran's day

2004-11-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today is a very important day. If you know a veteran or active duty service person, thank them today (and any other day) for their service. Remember, your freedom was won and defended with the blood of these fine people. We owe them EVERYTHING we have. This is especially true of our freedom and the rights we enjoy. They protect our loved ones from those who would do them harm. There is no more honorable vocation on earth. Freedom is not free. We must often pay for it with the lives of our service people. They have my heartfelt thanks- be sure to give them yours.

Liberals whine while conservatives try not to gloat too much

2004-11-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

The amount of whining and hand wringing by all the liberals I know is comical as hell. Some decry the moralists on the right as ruining the country while others assure me that there was voting fraud with all the new electronic touch screen voting equipment. They just can't accept that they lost fair and square. What they really need to do is stop crying long enough to fully examine the real reasons they lost. I'm fairly confident that won't happen soon.
In the mean time, it is very difficult for conservatives like myself to resist the urge to gloat at least a little. I try to keep it to a minimum because I don't think it would show our side as very nice. If we wish to retard the divisiveness in this country, we Republicans must be the ones to show a little class. It is apparent that it won't come from the left.
By the way- are there really Democrats that are so pissed off that they are looking into moving to Canada or Australia? Can anyone really get that torqued off by an election? If there are, can we help them move?

Just getting started.

2004-11-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm new at this blogging stuff, but I want to give it a try. Have some patience since I'm a rookie. More posts to come as time allows.