August
1 August
Pioneer RV Park
Lander, WY
I almost did not get a last breakfast at the Maverick restaurant this morning. They changed their hours and are now closed on Monday.The door was locked when I got there but they were serving the motel guests that had paid for breakfast with the price of their room. The waitress recognized me and let me in and said that she would serve me also because she knew that I walked to get there.
If I'm ever back in Lander again I'll sure try to patronize the Maverick – good people, good food.
I did finish my latest novel, The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown. He also wrote The Da Vinci Code, which I have not read but now want to.
The story line has something to be desired but the use of symbols and explaining how they fit into that story line is simply fascinating.
If I ever get to Washington D C again I'll need this book as I re-visit the sights and sites. I was able to trade for another book here at the Park written by the same author but one of his earlier books. Will see if it is as good.
After weeks of posturing and name calling by members of Congress plus demagoguery speeches by President Obama here is the “Deal” on spending cuts. Keep in mind that this is only 'discretionary spending' which is about 1/3 of Total spending.
With the debt at $14.3 Trillion the average interest rate on the debt needs to go up ONLY 0.05% to increase Total spending by $7 Billion. The 'cut' from current levels of spending for 2012 is a whole 0.67%, the 'cut' for 2013 is meaningless when Total spending is considered.
What this “Deal” should be called is “The Incumbent Protection Act of 2011”. It is all about taking fiscal responsibility off the table during the 2012 election campaigns. That was #1 priority for President Obama but was also the priority for every member of the House and for 1/3 of the Senate.
The issues of fiscal responsibility, deficit and debt limits have not gone away. This is going to become THE debate for years to come. A default is not only possible but virtually guaranteed unless the mind set of those in power in Washington changes. I predict that a Third Party will be what does that, the two Parties that are now in power will not change.
Total discretionary spending in fiscal 2012 and 2013 will be capped at $1.043 trillion and $1.047 trillion, respectively, $7 billion and $3 billion below current levels. The House Appropriations Committee has been operating on the assumption that the number for 2012 is $1.019 trillion, a $31 billion cut from current levels. For all the worries on the left about deep cuts to government spending now, the actual bite up front is much less than the GOP has been pushing.
2 August
Pioneer RV Park
Lander, WY
This last morning for breakfast in Lander was at the Summit. I walked to get there but it was only there-n back for a total of 3 miles.No excuse for doing less than my self imposed goal of a 5 mile minimum. Resting heart rate was not up but I did sleep in and felt tired/lazy. So if there is any excuse to be made – I was lazy this morning.
Not so much so that I didn't dump holding tanks when I got back home. I then found the cause of my slow fresh water fill ups. The screen on the intake was clogged up with lots of 'stuff'.
I scrapped as much off as I could and the fresh water fill up went much faster. However, I need to get, and replace, the screen soon.
Finished preparing my 3x5 route card notes. Have also made notes about where I can get breakfast and dinner along the way.
I'll be two days on the road to my next Camp and should have Internet on the route. If not, I'll catch up on my postings on the 4th or 5th.
The following is an article by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) that I have copied in its entirety. He is one of the few people in Congress that 'get it' but no one, Republican or Democrat, want to hear what he says. He is a thorn in both Parties side and they both wish he would just go away because people are starting to listen to him.
One might think that the recent drama over the debt ceiling involves one side wanting to increase or maintain spending with the other side wanting to drastically cut spending, but that is far from the truth. In spite of the rhetoric being thrown around, the real debate is over how much government spending will increase. No plan under serious consideration cuts spending in the way you and I think about it.
Instead, the "cuts" being discussed are illusory, and are not cuts from current amounts being spent, but cuts in projected spending increases. This is akin to a family "saving" $100,000 in expenses by deciding not to buy a Lamborghini, and instead getting a fully loaded Mercedes, when really their budget dictates that they need to stick with their perfectly serviceable Honda. But this is the type of math Washington uses to mask the incriminating truth about their unrepentant plundering of the American people.
The truth is that frightening rhetoric about default and full faith and credit of the United States is being carelessly thrown around to ram through a bigger budget than ever, in spite of stagnant revenues. If your family's income did not change year over year, would it be wise financial management to accelerate spending so you would feel richer? That is what our government is doing, with one side merely suggesting a different list of purchases than the other.
In reality, bringing our fiscal house into order is not that complicated or excruciatingly painful at all. If we simply kept spending at current levels, by their definition of "cuts" that would save nearly $400 billion in the next few years, versus the $25 billion the Budget Control Act claims to "cut". It would only take us 5 years to "cut" $1 trillion, in Washington math, just by holding the line on spending. That is hardly austere or catastrophic.
A balanced budget is similarly simple and within reach if Washington had just a tiny amount of fiscal common sense. Our revenues currently stand at approximately $2.2 trillion a year and are likely to remain stagnant as the recession continues. Our outlays are $3.7 trillion and projected to grow every year. Yet we only have to go back to 2004 for federal outlays of $2.2 trillion, and the government was far from small that year. If we simply returned to that year's spending levels, which would hardly be austere, we would have a balanced budget right now. If we held the line on spending, and the economy actually did grow as estimated, the budget would balance on its own by 2015 with no cuts whatsoever.
We pay 35 percent more for our military today than we did 10 years ago, for the exact same capabilities. The same could be said for the rest of the government. Why has our budget doubled in 10 years? This country doesn't have double the population, or double the land area, or double anything that would require the federal government to grow by such an obscene amount.
In Washington terms, a simple freeze in spending would be a much bigger "cut" than any plan being discussed. If politicians simply cannot bear to implement actual cuts to actual spending, just freezing the budget would give the economy the best chance to catch its breath, recover and grow.
3 August
Fossil Valley RV Park
Vernal, UT
I was up a few minutes later than usual but only needed to un-hook from electric. Left Lander right at my planned 6:00 with the only stop all day at Farson, WY.The last time I stopped in Farson was in 1991 (for ice cream) while on the Park-to-Park bicycle tour. That was at the general store on the corner of WY28 and US191.
This time it was at Mitch's Café where everything on the menu was quite pricey. They do serve up a huge platter of food for the price. I could have split mine and been satisfied. Did I split it – No, I ate the whole thing.
There were a lot of big thunder heads to the west and south of Lander. I saw some wet road south of Rock Springs. Then drove under one of them after crossing Flaming Gorge Dam and got rained on for a few minutes.
I drove this same route in 2005 on my way home from the 1st International Teardrop Gathering (ITG). That was done in my Mini Cooper towing a Teardrop which I do not remember requiring much shifting. There are a lot of climbs and descents that Desperado handled fine but a lot of shifting was going on.
There were two steep descents that I manually shifted into 2nd gear to engine brake on the way down. I have now got in that habit when I see a “Trucks Use Lower Gear' sign and the grade is 8% or more. That has worked well for me so far and I stay off the brakes for most of the descent.
The route today was 223 miles: US287, WY28, US191, *Elk St, N. Center St/US30 BUS, Foothill Blvd, US191, & US191/US40.
* This city street route goes through Rock Springs and avoids I-80 which is shorter and faster; but I still avoid all Interstates when I can just as a matter of principle.
The Camp for tonight is crowded like almost all commercial RV Parks but has big mature trees for shade. The showers are coin operated but they and the bathroom are clean. This Park was selected mostly for its location which is near 'downtown'.
When I got here at noon the wind was very calm, the temperature up into the mid-80s and the humidity was high. I thought I would be running the A/C during the afternoon until it cooled down near sundown. Was pleasantly surprised that the clouds boiled up from the west at around 2:00 and a stiff breeze came with them.
I walked to JB's for 'linner' and was going to walk through some more of the town after I finished eating. That thought was canceled when I left the restaurant and found it to be sprinkling. Hot footed it home with only a sprinkle or two on me only to have the storm blow over with no rain. It may still come later tonight, the clouds are still very heavy and threatening.
I know that I'm beating a dead horse now that the Debt Limit “Deal” has been signed sealed and delivered but I can not resist. The liberal media pundits have been crying crocodile tears about the 'slashed spending' that the Tea Party was pushing.
Furthermore they consider the $2.4 Trillion 'cut' in spending, that was agreed upon, to be a terrible thing and I'm sure would have supported a tax increase of $2.4 Trillion to be the solution.
They do seem to gloss over the facts that the 'cuts' in 2012 and 2013 are virtually none. But are almost gleeful that the Debt will increase by $2.4 Trillion, to $16.7 Trillion, by the end of 2012. Then IF nothing changes before the end of 2021 the Debt will be at about $21.0 Trillion.
I now want to make a couple of assumptions: 1) The average Debt over this 10 year period will be $17.5 Trillion 2) The average interest rate will be what it was when President Clinton left office at the end of 2001 (5.743%). Those two assumptions would result in the Interest on the Debt exceeding $1 Trillion per year.
It it a coincidence, but in 2008 the top 50% (that is anyone with Adjusted Gross Income over $33 Thousand) of taxpayers paid just over $1 Trillion in income taxes. The bottom 50% (those with less than $33 Thousand AGI) paid $28 Billion. In 2008 $450 Billion was spent on Debt Interest or nearly half of that $1 Trillion that the Top 50% paid.
President Obama had planned for Budgets that would have Deficits of $1 Trillion, or more, per year over the next ten years which the “Deal” has 'cut' to only $700 Billion per year. I don't believe any of the governments projections but IF they are correct and a 'balanced' approach is taken, then I would guess that taxes will at least double for everyone with an AGI over $33 Thousand.
This will most likely start with the 'rich' in 2013 and then add more taxes onto every level of AGI until 2021. There is going to be a continuing possibility of default and if that were to happen then the tax increases will happen even sooner and be even higher.
4 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I was up at my usual early hour which was a mistake at Fossil Valley RV Park. The lawn sprinklers were on at that early hour and I got dampened down pretty good by the time I had un-hooked electric. I would have been soaked if I had to un-hook from the water and sewer.Went right next door to a Maverick gas station to fill up, they seem to have the lowest prices everywhere that I have been except when I can get a discount because of grocery purchases.
Yesterday I was on a route that I had been on before. Today, most of the route I had not; US40, CO64, CO139, US6/US50, US50.
The total was 208 miles but I added a few miles to get groceries at Safeway. Then added another few 'lost' miles before I found my way to Camp for the next month.
Stopped for breakfast at Betty's Café in Rangely, CO. All I can say is there may be a good breakfast place in Rangely but Betty's is not it. This is oil and gas country with gas wells all along CO139 to the south.
There was one pass, Douglas Pass at 8,268', on CO139 which I would not recommend for large Class 'A's or long 5th Wheels. They can probably make it but it would not be a pleasant climb and decent - I saw none today.
I did both the climb and decent in 2nd gear and needed to break going into the downhill hair pin turns.
The north side of the pass was nice and green with evidence of recent rain whereas the south side is parched and does not look like it has seen rain all summer. You do not see much when going up a canyon on the north side but there are great views of the mesas and mountains around Grand Junction as you descend to the south.
I tried three spaces here in the Park before I found 'home'. Kind of a Goldilocks sort of a thing to find just the right one. I have an electric and water site so will have to go to the Park dump site like I did while in Weiser, ID.
More to come as I discover Montrose.
5 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: August 5, 1923I have been in Montrose twice before but remember very little about it. Both times were just overnight stops.
The first time was June 24, 1991 while on the Park-to-Park bicycle tour. I know we stayed at a school but could not tell you which one. I walked past the High School this morning and it did not jog any memories.
The second time was on April 12, 2007 when I was on my International Teardrop Gathering – 2007 trip. This was the first half of my visiting all of the 'Lower 48' in 2007 and 2008.
I probably saw more of the town this morning on my walk to Starvin Arvin restaurant for breakfast. It is directly across the street from Safeway. Planned my return route home to pass by the office where I will get my teeth cleaned; a big reason that Montrose was chosen as a Camp.
I had a small IRA account that was totally invested in one company which took a huge hit in 2008. It got hit again yesterday in the market free fall.
I decided that now was the time to close out that account and take a total distribution. I'll pay a small income tax for 2011 but believe that the rate will be less than in future years. The distribution was a paperless transfer to my 'regular' account where I'll be carrying the same assets at a very low cost basis.
There is hope for good things to happen with the stock but not in the near term. I can now sit and wait; if it remained in my IRA there were mandatory distributions coming when I turn 69 ½. I'm convinced that it will not grow much by then so now is a good time to close out.
I quote myself from July 29, 2011: “I made an investment decision about a month ago with this scenario in mind at the time. It is coming to pass, now I will see if the investment performs as I pictured it would in my mind.”
I did not picture a 500 point drop in the DOW coming but that has not changed my mind about the decision that I made. As Satchel Page said: “Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.”
6 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
There are two bakeries in 'downtown', both are on a street corner and directly across the street from each other, that also serve breakfast. I gave the Daily Bread a try this morning.Had an omelet that was good with some sourdough toast that had a great texture but not the 'sour' that I like. I'll give the other one a try but have put the Daily Bread on my list of stops.
The location of both these bakeries makes for difficult 5 mile walking route planning. There are two more possible breakfast stops very close to me here in the Park that also create difficulty.
All four of these restaurants are at locations that make it tough to put them in the middle of my walking route. I can do five mile walks with no problem but my breakfast stop would be at the 4-4.5 mile mark. I'll work something out.
I have a well shaded space here in the Park that is very nice until mid-afternoon. I think it would remain nice if there were a breeze but both afternoons have been quite calm.
The high has been in the low 90s and a brief shower the day I arrived did not cool things off much. That shower and the creek just to the south of my space simply add humidity which I don't want.
This is from the Economic News Release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics which the lame stream then parrots to a gullible populous.
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 117,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 9.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.However, when you look at - Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted - which is attached to the on-line Economic News Release you get an entirely different picture.
Table A shows that the number of employed declined by 38,000 between June and July 2011. The number of unemployed declined by 156,000 but they did not become employed but became part of the 374,000 increase in those that are no longer in the labor force. This has lead to the lowest labor participation rate in the last 25 years.
I have commented in the past on where the nonfarm payroll numbers are coming from and how they are meaningless. The lame stream media jumps on that number and the unemployment rate when they can 'spin' them in President Obama's favor.
The real news and the real fact is there are fewer people employed at the end of July than there were at the end of June 2011. The real news and the real fact is there is a lower percentage of people in the labor pool now than there were 25 years ago. The real news is that you can not 'spin' these facts into good news.
7 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
This morning I went to the Red Barn for breakfast. They only serve breakfast Thursday thru Sunday so I will go back but not as part of the cycle of restaurants that I'm slowly developing.It is one of the two restaurants that are close to the Park, about ½ mile, but I walked a four mile loop to get there. This north loop goes through a semi-rural area with a few corn and alfalfa fields remaining. It has some elevation gain that provides a great overview of Montrose, the Uncompahgre Valley and part of the San Juan Mountains to the south.
When I got home it was laundry time once more. I think I was lucky to get a washer and dryer when I did. There are only four washers and four dryers for a fairly large Park and few vacancies.
When I went through the laundry to get to the bathroom at 5:45 this morning there were two washers running. I may find that I need to do my next load that early also to get a machine.
Had a good chat with the owner of the Park while I was waiting for the dryer to do its thing. He and his wife have only been here a bit over one year. Not sure what his previous employment was but he came from the Colorado Springs area.
Gave up the hussel-n-bussel of the metropolitan Front Range with the Springs population at over 400 thousand for Montrose and its 16 thousand.
Contacted my UPS Store in Pahrump on Friday and requested that all my First Class Mail be forwarded. With any luck I'll have it by Wednesday. The most important mail is my Rx re-fills, the bill for same and the Mail-In Rebate that I got from Big O Tire.
China is now going to 'call the tune' and President Obama, Secretary Geithner and Chairman Bernanke had best learn how to dance to it. It is interesting that the Chinese commentary calls for cuts in military and social welfare expenditures it does NOT call for increased taxes.
That however is just what Senator Reid is calling for from his Speaker's soap box, he just can not turn loose of his 'tax the rich' mantra. He never puts any numbers with his comments so it is not possible to measure how much revenue his 'tax the rich' will bring in.
The rate would have to increased significantly; removing tax breaks would be a political victory but have little impact on revenue. It is a political victory that is his goal so I'm convinced that he, and President Obama, will continue repeating their mantra. It is an absolute MUST if they ever hope to raise taxes on everyone.
"The U.S. government has to come to terms with the painful fact that the good old days when it could just borrow its way out of messes of its own making are finally gone," China's official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary.
In the Xinhua commentary, China scorned the United States for its "debt addiction" and "short sighted" political wrangling.
"China, the largest creditor of the world's sole superpower, has every right now to demand the United States address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China's dollar assets," it said.
It urged the United States to cut military and social welfare expenditure. Further credit downgrades would very likely undermine the world economic recovery and trigger new rounds of financial turmoil, it said.
The editorial called for “international supervision over the issue of U.S. dollars” and the introduction of “a new, stable and secured global reserve currency.” It also noted that as its largest creditor, Beijing has every right “to demand the United States to address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China's dollar assets.”
8 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
The other restaurant, JoJo's Windmill, that is about ½ mile east of the Park was the breakfast location this morning. I did a loop south, east, north and almost back home to reach it.This loop, just short of 3 miles, is also through some semi-rural fields of corn, hay and one large bean field. It is a very nice route, yesterdays is acceptable with the better views.
I need to work out some alternative routes for the two bakeries and I'll then have four breakfast stops that I can go to in rotation. Will add in the Red Barn when open to give me 5 and I think I have located a 6th.
Settling into my usual routine of reading blogs, Internet News and novels. The afternoons have continued to be in the low 90s without much wind. That has me relying on A/C for comfort until sundown when it cools off. The nights are perfect!
I will not quote from They've Lost That Lovin' Feeling By Peggy Noonan dated July 30, 2011. The entire essay is excellent and you will be rewarded if you Google search for it. She makes so many good points that to quote one would require quoting the whole essay.
I will however quote from her The Power of Bad Ideas dated August 6, 2011.
The July 25 speech was of a piece with most of the president's rhetorical leadership through the debt ceiling crisis. Some of his statements were patronizing: We have to "eat our peas." He was boring in the way that people who are essentially ideological are always boring. They bleed any realness out of their arguments. They are immersed in abstractions that get reduced to platitudes, and so they never seem to be telling it straight. And he was a joy-free zone. No matter how much the president tries to smile, and he has a lovely smile, one is always aware of his grim task: income equality, redistribution, taxes. Come, let us suffer together...Early this morning I sent an email to President Obama at Contact the White House begging him NOT to talk about the debt rating issue today. The drop in the Dow today certainly makes for a convincing argument that his speeches have become rhetorical kryptonite. It seems that the more he talks about any issue the worse it becomes.
But speeches aren't magic. A speech is only as good as the ideas it advances. Reagan had good ideas. Obama does not. The debt ceiling crisis revealed Mr. Obama's speeches as rhetorical kryptonite. It is the substance that repels the listener.
9 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I went back to Starvin Arvin this morning for breakfast. A repeat for the restaurant but almost an all new route to get there. Even that portion of the route that was on the same street was new because I did it counterclockwise.Went past, or through, a lot of city parks which made for an enjoyable walk. After eating I stopped at Safeway, directly across the street, and picked up a bag of salad. Then it was to home by way of the shorter leg of the circular route.
A lot of Internet reading about the market meltdown yesterday. I suffered some more investment damage but nothing too bad and nothing that I'm worried about.
The trade that I did a little over a month ago was up a little which makes me feel good. It is too bad I didn't have a lot more of my holdings in the same asset.
I have copied the closing paragraphs from an Opinion written by Bret Stephens for The Wall Street Journal. This is only his final comments, he has a considerable number of criticisms earlier on in the article. All of them justified in my opinion and could have been written in early 2009 but no major Media outlet would have published them.
Mr. Obama, by contrast, appears to consider himself immune from error. Perhaps this explains why he has now doubled down on Heckuva Job Geithner. It also explains his insulting and politically inept habit of suggesting—whether the issue is health care, or Arab-Israeli peace, or change we can believe in at some point in God's good time—that the fault always lies in the failure of his audiences to listen attentively. It doesn't. In politics, a failure of communication is always the fault of the communicator.I think the lame stream media smells 'blood in the water' and President Obama is now in for some of the same treatment that LBJ got. Time will tell if I'm right but the 'honeymoon' is over that is for sure.
Much of the media has spent the past decade obsessing about the malapropisms of George W. Bush, the ignorance of Sarah Palin, and perhaps soon the stupidity of Rick Perry. Nothing is so typical of middling minds than to harp on the intellectual deficiencies of the slightly less smart and considerably more successful.
But it takes actual smarts to understand that glibness and self-belief are not sufficient proof of genuine intelligence. Stupid is as stupid does, said the great philosopher Forrest Gump. The presidency of Barack Obama is a case study in stupid does.
Here is another Opinion in The Wall Street Journal by William McGurn. Rupert Murdoch, owner of The Wall Street Journal, was a supporter of Candidate Obama in 2008; it now appears that he has turned his Editorial staff loose to criticize President Obama with impunity.
In other words, it's not just the way President Obama's policies have not worked out that invites the Jimmy Carter parallel. It's also the over-the-top praise each received before entering office. In both 1976 and 2008, each Democrat was presented as the kind of smart, cool, new politico who was going to—fill in the cliché—"transcend politics as we know it," "appeal across traditional lines," "bring America together," etc.
Ironically, here Mr. Romney has a case, for some of the differences between the two presidents favor Mr. Carter. Faced with raging inflation and a declining dollar, President Carter appointed Paul Volcker chairman of the Federal Reserve. He supported deregulation. Most of all, in contrast to President Obama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize because he wasn't George W. Bush, President Carter actually earned his, at least for the Camp David Accords that brought about peace between Israel and Egypt.
Mr. Obama can't be blamed for the excesses that saw him hailed as the new FDR, the new JFK or the new Lincoln, or for the Norwegian committee that bestowed upon him a Nobel. He can be held to account for encouraging them: by delivering a campaign speech in Berlin, by accepting a prize he hadn't earned, by breaking out not only a Lincoln quotation but the Lincoln china and the Lincoln Bible for his inauguration.
An American politician steeped in—dare we say it?—Niebuhrian realism would have appreciated that no president could live up to such hype. And such a man would not be surprised to find that people who once hailed him as the reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln are now dismissing him as the second coming of Jimmy Carter.
10 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I had intended on trying the bakery/restaurant across the street from Daily Bread this morning. When I arrived at 6:45 they were still closed but an employee outside told me that they only served breakfast sandwiches and bakery items.With two strikes against them I didn't wait around for a third but rather went to the Daily Bakery. I chose their Huevos Rancheros and found them to be 'different' but good and worth having again.
I went past another restaurant that appeared to be open that I'm going to give a try; this will replace the bakery that I have dropped.
My day was routine with only one exception. That being the receipt of a notice from my Bank that they will begin charging me $3 per month if I use my ATM/Debit Card to make a purchase.
I can remember, in my prior life as a banker, that was why they were called Debit Cards. It was “sold” as a replacement for checks which were/are very expensive to process. I may go back to writing checks. Or more likely, I'll start to shop around for a new bank.
Then there was this News item that I saw today. There will probably be more of this to come. I can remember a similar situation during the 1980s when Federal Banks were giving up their charters and becoming State Banks or S&Ls because of the regulations. Regulations have consequences, the last bank that I worked for did that just before I joined them.
Main Street Bank lends most of its money to small businesses and is earning decent profits. But the Kingwood, Texas, bank is about to get out of the banking business.
In an extreme example of the frustration felt by many bankers as regulators toughen their oversight of the nation's financial institutions, Main Street's chairman, Thomas Depping, is expected to announce Wednesday that the 27-year-old bank will surrender its banking charter and sell its four branches to a nearby bank...
The deal also calls for Green Bank, a unit of Houston-based Green Bancorp Inc., to acquire Main Street's four branches. Ascentium will acquire $150 million of Main Street's loans, with the rest going to Green.
Mr. Depping hopes the deal will close by October after receiving regulatory approvals and completing Main Street Bank's unwinding. "It's a lot easier to become a bank than to get rid of your bank charter," he says.
11 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I went back to the Red Barn again for breakfast this morning. That was not my intended stop nor did I intend to walk almost 51/4 miles to get there.The restaurant that I wanted to stop at has not existed for some time. However, a sign on US50 as you enter Montrose from the east continues to advertise it.
When I got home I un-hooked from electric and went shopping. The focus was groceries , so I went to Safeway. There is one other good sized market very near 'downtown' but I am getting Reward Points toward a gas discount so Safeway it is.
From there I went to a Mexican market/restaurant that I had walked past earlier in the week. They had a sign out that said they sold tamales but no hours of operation. I still don't know when they are open, not at 9:30 on a Thursday. It is doubtful that I'll ever stop again.
I am in a back-in space here at this Park; usually I have a drive-thru. I know I need the practice of getting into back-in spaces so this is a good thing. What I do to get parked is not so good and not very pretty at this time. The effort today was somewhat better than last week although nothing that I'm proud of.
These are the beginning paragraphs of a story, by Max Hastings, published in the on-line edition of Mail in England.
It is my opinion that there are going to be similar stories in US newspapers next year if President Obama doesn't silence the press. There are now the 'flash mob' news stories starting to appear. I believe the mobs will become bigger, more numerous and more destructive over time and the economy continues to deteriorate.
I predict, again, that this will be the deciding issue in the 2012 election. The economy will still be an issue but domestic security will become a top priority.
Years of liberal dogma have spawned a generation of amoral, uneducated, welfare dependent, brutalized youngsters.
A few weeks after the U.S. city of Detroit was ravaged by 1967 race riots in which 43 people died, I was shown around the wrecked areas by a black reporter named Joe Strickland.
He said: ‘Don’t you believe all that stuff people here are giving media folk about how sorry they are about what happened. When they talk to each other, they say: “It was a great fire, man!”
I am sure that is what many of the young rioters, black and white, who have burned and looted in England through the past few shocking nights think today.
It was fun. It made life interesting. It got people to notice them. As a girl looter told a BBC reporter, it showed ‘the rich’ and the police that ‘we can do what we like’.
If you live a normal life of absolute futility, which we can assume most of this week’s rioters do, excitement of any kind is welcome. The people who wrecked swathes of property, burned vehicles and terrorized communities have no moral compass to make them susceptible to guilt or shame.
Most have no jobs to go to or exams they might pass. They know no family role models, for most live in homes in which the father is unemployed, or from which he has decamped...
12 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: August 12, 1923Not having much success in finding additional restaurants to stop at for breakfast. I thought I had found one called Café 110 which I passed yesterday.
Arrived at 6:40 only to find that they did not open until 7:00. It is difficult to find many restaurants that open before 7:00 so I settled in to wait. There was another fellow in the parking lot that was also waiting. Then at 7:05 a truck arrived to make a delivery but they were still not open so I left.
I will pass by again on my way to Daily Bread, where I had breakfast today after leaving, and might give them another try. Then again I might not, it irritates me when a business can not/does not open when that say they will.
On the way home I found a Bike Trail that I followed for about a mile. I think I'll use it to go to Starvin Arvin the next time I go there.
I had hopes of receiving my forwarded mail from the UPS Store in Pahrump on Wednesday or yesterday. Nothing came in on either day; perhaps today, if not then I guess I'm on the phone with them again. This happened once before when I was in Silver City, NM.
The score is now tied at 1-1 with the 6th Circuit ruling the mandate constitutional and the 11th has come down on the side of un-constitutional. The 4th Circuit will be the tie breaker but it will still go to the Supreme Court for a final decision. If President Obama can get one more appointment to the Supreme Court then I think he will get a favorable ruling, he may get that even with the current judges.
The Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, found that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage, but also ruled that the rest of the wide-ranging law could remain in effect.
The legality of the so-called individual mandate, a cornerstone of the 2010 healthcare law, is widely expected to be decided by the Supreme Court. The Obama administration has defended the provision as constitutional.
"This economic mandate represents a wholly novel and potentially unbounded assertion of congressional authority: the ability to compel Americans to purchase an expensive health insurance product they have elected not to buy, and to make them re-purchase that insurance product every month for their entire lives," a divided three-judge panel said.
13 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I went to JoJo's Windmill for breakfast again this morning. As I was passing the large bean field I saw four workers.They were tending to the irrigation of the field and one of them was close to the road. I asked if the field was pinto beans and was told that it was. There are two more fields along US50 that I think are beans also but they are further away from the road to get a good look.
JoJo's has used pinto beans in both of the omelets that I've had there. They also put cottage cheese inside of them with melted three cheese on top. It is different but both of them have been very good.
Mail has been delivered to the Park today and mine was not among it. I have sent an email to the UPS Store in Pahrump telling them that I have received ONLY their charge for forwarding my mail but NOT the mail.
I won't get into a panic quite yet but my prescriptions re-fills should be in the mailed that was forwarded. To replace them will double my cost but a bigger problem will be getting the VA to reissue. I don't know what kind of hoops I'll have to jump through to make that happen nor how long it might take.
I don't have many options to choose from in Pahrump for mail forwarding. There are other options available in other places; South Dakota and Texas are the two most popular states for FullTimers. Both of them have companies that serve the full time RVer. It may be time to select a new 'domicile'.
I have copied only a portion of an Opinion entitled What Happened to Obama? by Drew Westen and published in The New York Times on August 6, 2011. As I said in another recent post, the lame stream media has now got President Obama in their sights. Where was this Opinion back in 2008? The Times did all they could to get him elected and have done all they could to protect him for the past 2 ½ years now the gloves are off.
As a practicing psychologist with more than 25 years of experience, I will resist the temptation to diagnose at a distance, but as a scientist and strategic consultant I will venture some hypotheses.
The most charitable explanation is that he and his advisers have succumbed to a view of electoral success to which many Democrats succumb — that “centrist” voters like “centrist” politicians. Unfortunately, reality is more complicated. Centrist voters prefer honest politicians who help them solve their problems.
A second possibility is that he is simply not up to the task by virtue of his lack of experience and a character defect that might not have been so debilitating at some other time in history. Those of us who were bewitched by his eloquence on the campaign trail chose to ignore some disquieting aspects of his biography: that he had accomplished very little before he ran for president, having never run a business or a state; that he had a singularly unremarkable career as a law professor, publishing nothing in 12 years at the University of Chicago other than an autobiography; and that, before joining the United States Senate, he had voted "present" (instead of "yea" or "nay") 130 times, sometimes dodging difficult issues.
A somewhat less charitable explanation is that we are a nation that is being held hostage not just by an extremist Republican Party but also by a president who either does not know what he believes or is willing to take whatever position he thinks will lead to his re-election. Perhaps those of us who were so enthralled with the magnificent story he told in “Dreams From My Father” appended a chapter at the end that wasn’t there — the chapter in which he resolves his identity and comes to know who he is and what he believes in.
Or perhaps, like so many politicians who come to Washington, he has already been consciously or unconsciously corrupted by a system that tests the souls even of people of tremendous integrity, by forcing them to dial for dollars — in the case of the modern presidency, for hundreds of millions of dollars. When he wants to be, the president is a brilliant and moving speaker, but his stories virtually always lack one element: the villain who caused the problem, who is always left out, described in impersonal terms, or described in passive voice, as if the cause of others’ misery has no agency and hence no culpability. Whether that reflects his aversion to conflict, an aversion to conflict with potential campaign donors that today cripples both parties’ ability to govern and threatens our democracy, or both, is unclear.
A final explanation is that he ran for president on two contradictory platforms: as a reformer who would clean up the system, and as a unity candidate who would transcend the lines of red and blue. He has pursued the one with which he is most comfortable given the constraints of his character, consistently choosing the message of bipartisanship over the message of confrontation.
14 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I went to the Red Barn for breakfast this morning using the same route that I did last Sunday. I think this will be my routine since they are open for breakfast only Thursday thru Sunday.I have three other reliable restaurants that I can rotate through during the other six days of the week. Maybe add Café 110 once in a while to break up the cycle IF I ever find that they are open.
It was overcast this morning and warmer than it has been. That same overcast stayed throughout most of the day and made it cooler than it has been. Then there was a slight breeze in the afternoon that made it very pleasant. No A/C for the first day that I can remember.
Started looking for my next Camp. I'll leave here in early September and go 'someplace' to stay for another month. Contacted a RV Park via their Contact Form, which I do not like, on Thursday and have not received a reply.
If I do not hear from them on Monday I'll select a different town and try a different Park. In these economic times I would think any business would jump at the chance to obtain a customer – but then what do I know.
15 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Back to Starvin Arvin for breakfast by way of the Bike Trail this morning. It is not a Bike Trail that I would have wanted to ride when I was bicycling. There were few that I did like to ride – the Trail in Reno was one of those few.This Trail is interesting to walk and I'll probably do so again. It passes behind, or on the east side, of Safeway which makes it a good way for me to reach Starvin Arvin.
Received good (sort of) news regarding my missing mail. The UPS Store sent it to Weiser, ID where it has been received. When I called them whoever answered the phone asked me if I wanted it sent to Weiser and I told them NO.
I then gave them the address here in Montrose which I even spelled letter-by-letter but it went to Weiser. I don't think I was talking to the sharpest tool in the chest, so to speak. With any luck I'll get my forwarded mail next week.
This is a good reason for me to think more about moving my domicile to someplace that knows FullTimers and how to provide service to them. It would also get me out of Nevada and I could quit telling people that Senator Harry Reid is not in office because I voted for him. Because of him I'm embarrassed to have Nevada license plates on Desperado and I'm sure she feels even worse.
Still no reply from my first choice town for a September Camp. I'll give them the rest of today and then contact my second choice.
I woke up to a light rain on the roof not long after going to bed last night. It didn't sound like much, officially it was .04 of an inch, so I didn't bother closing the windows, just went back to sleep.
It increased the humidity this morning but has dried out again by this afternoon. Don't have the cloud cover today that we had yesterday , will probably be back up to near 90° once again. Have some breeze but the A/C will be needed I think.
I have copied only a small portion of the memo that the White House sent out concerning the 'Stimulus' funds provided to the people of Massachusetts. That is then followed by the beginning of an article about Evergreen Solar dated August 15, 2011. President Obama's 'green jobs' investment didn't work out so well, all those new jobs went away and so did those that were there before the 'Stimulus' investment was made. But, what the hell it was done with borrowed money that is now part of the Total Debt that some future generation can pay back – or maybe not.
To: Interested PartiesAs an aside, Devens is the old Ft Devens that was closed in 1996. I was stationed at the Fort from September 1965 to June 1967 with the 104th Army Finance. I then drove through part of the Fort area in 2007 while on a Teardrop Trip and saw that it had been converted to a business/industrial park.
From: White House Communications
Date: April 22, 2009
Re:The Obama-Biden economic plan: creating jobs, strengthening the economy for Massachusetts families
Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President Obama started his Presidency with decisive action -- proposing and quickly passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Since the bill went into effect, the ARRA has already helped put money back in the pockets of 95 percent of working Americans, created and saved jobs across the country and made key investments in our community to help kickstart the economy...
Thanks to the Obama Administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, real impact is already being felt across the state. Because of the Stimulus Bill and New Contracts, Green Energy Companies Are Looking to Hire Many New Employees... Evergreen Solar, the Marlborough-based maker of solar panels, also is hoping to hire 90 to 100 people at a manufacturing plant in Devens, said Gary Pollard, vice president of human resources.
Evergreen Solar Inc., the Marlboro clean-energy company that received millions in state subsidies to build an ill-fated Bay State factory, has filed for bankruptcy.
Evergreen, which closed its taxpayer-supported Devens factory in March and cut 800 jobs, has been trying to rework its debt for months. The company announced today it is seeking a reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware and also reached a deal with certain note holders to restructure its debt and sell off certain assets.
16 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I had breakfast at Café 110 this morning and will make it my regular Tuesday stop. They were even open a little before 7:00 this time.The prices are a bit high but the Huevos Rancheros were very good. They were made with blue corn tortillas and a green chili sauce.
On the way home I was stopped on the street by a woman that asked where she could find the Bike Trail. It just so happened that I knew and could give her good directions. HA HA
I detected an accent in her English when she spoke so I asked where she was from. She said that she was originally from Russia but had lived in Canada for the last 20 years. That made for an accent that sounded strange to me and she had me make two wrong guesses before telling me.
Selected a second town and tried to reach the only RV Park in the town by telephone. I don't like telephones and keep my TracFone turned off except when making an outgoing call. So when I reached a machine I did not talk to it.
Chose city number three and sent emails to two RV Parks. Maybe I'll receive a reply from one of them?
It has warmed up again. Have the A/C on in the afternoon. The very nice thing about my travels this summer has been sleeping with the windows open all night. The days may warm up but the nights have been just GREAT.
Now that the lame stream media has fallen out of love with President Obama the stories about his 'Stimulus' spending for 'green jobs' seem to be making it into print. Yesterday it was about Evergreen Solar then today it is weatherization in Seattle. How many jobs did the Administration claim they 'created' with just these two boondoggles? Where are those jobs?
Last year, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced the city had won a coveted $20 million federal grant to invest in weatherization. The unglamorous work of insulating crawl spaces and attics had emerged as a silver bullet in a bleak economy – able to create jobs and shrink carbon footprint – and the announcement came with great fanfare.
McGinn had joined Vice President Joe Biden in the White House to make it. It came on the eve of Earth Day. It had heady goals: creating 2,000 living-wage jobs in Seattle and retrofitting 2,000 homes in poorer neighborhoods.
But more than a year later, Seattle's numbers are lackluster. As of last week, only three homes had been retrofitted and just 14 new jobs have emerged from the program. Many of the jobs are administrative, and not the entry-level pathways once dreamed of for low-income workers. Some people wonder if the original goals are now achievable.
17 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I did an out-n-back route to JoJo's for breakfast this morning. On my way there last Saturday I saw two deer just off US50 near the Welcome to Montrose sign.This morning they were there again, this time casually grazing in a bean field. The don't let auto traffic on US50 nor foot traffic, such as myself, disturb their breakfast in the least.
Nothing out of the ordinary for this day. Although I did receive an answer from one of the RV Parks in city number three. They do not have a space for me.
I'm now thinking that I'll head in the direction of choice number two and look for a place when I get there. There has to be something available in the half dozen towns within a 100 mile circle.
It just keeps getting worse and worse for President Obama. Now the Congressional Black Caucus has him in their sights for not paying enough attention to the problems of African-Americans.
During a sometimes-raucous session of what's being called the "For the People" Jobs Initiative tour, a key member of the Congressional Black Caucus told an audience in Detroit Tuesday that the CBC doesn't put pressure on President Obama because he is loved by black voters. But at the same time, Rep. Maxine Waters said, members of the CBC are becoming increasingly tired and frustrated by Obama's performance on the issue of jobs. Even as she expressed support for the president, Waters virtually invited the crowd to "unleash us" to pressure Obama for action.Last month I reported on the Treasury International Capital (TIC) reports that measure the monthly demand of international investors and governments for US private and government securities. Comparison of the TIC with the Trade Balance surplus or deficit gives an idea of the sustainability of the US external position and also an indication of dollar strength. It is the later that I am most interested in.
It is still not looking all that great, even getting worse; I was hoping for some reversal of the trend. I know that the long term direction for the dollar is down but looking for a short term spike.
The (TIC) net foreign purchases of long-term securities were only $3.7 Billion in June versus a Trade Deficit of $53.1 Billion. In May (TIC) net foreign purchases of long-term securities were $24.2 Billion (adjusted) versus a Trade Deficit of $50.8 Billion (adjusted). In April (TIC) net foreign purchases of long-term securities were $30.6 billion and the Trade Deficit was $43.6 Billion.
The July numbers should prove interesting since that is when the Debt Drama was being played out. It is the August numbers however that I'm looking forward to the most. If I don't see some indication of a reversal then I need to re-think the trade I made back in June.
18 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
My walking today was limited to about 6 blocks. I took the day off to attend to important things.The 6 blocks were back and forth to the bakery across from the Daily Bread. I went in there this morning for a latte and muffin then back to Mountain Oasis Dental Hygiene for an appointment.
That is one of the primary reasons that I selected Montrose, it was someplace I could get my teeth cleaned. They were cleaned by an Independent Dental Hygienist which Colorado allows whereas most states require them to work under the supervision of a Dentist.
She did everything that any periodontist office hygienist has ever done and I'm satisfied that it was done just as well. The cost was also just about the same, that was not such good news.
From there I drove to Starvin Arvin for breakfast (brunch?). Was parked at Safeway where I then stocked up on groceries and headed for home.
There I collapsed in the comfort of my A/C. It is a hot one today with the high pushing toward the mid-90s. Very clear sky and almost a dead still breeze.
I got a reply from RV Park number two in city number three that now has me thinking (a sometimes activity for me.) I'll ponder on what to do overnight and send them an answer tomorrow.
19 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: August 19, 1923This morning it was Huevos Rancheros again at the Daily Bread. They could become addictive.
There were high thin clouds today with the humidity up making it uncomfortable for me. The high temperature will probably be down from yesterday and I feel hotter.
I had forgotten that I had it but today I finished reading The Da Vinci Code. It was a good read with the story line used as a 'clothes horse', so to speak, to hang the symbolism and coded verses upon.
I think I liked The Lost Symbol better. It was set in Washington DC which I have more interest in than Paris and London where Da Vinci takes place. I am now looking forward to reading the older Dan Brown novel that I acquired even more.
Received an email from the UPS Store in Pahrump. They have my forwarded mail returned from Weiser, ID and wanted to know where to send it. This is a good thing, they are learning; I sent a reply that said I wanted it to come to Montrose, CO.
I also called the RV Park, in city number three, and made a reservation. I will be giving up two days that I have paid for here but that is the way it goes. They would only give me the monthly rate if I paid for September starting on the 1st.
I must also leave on the 30th, so that will be a 29 day month. It is all driven by the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM (October 1-10) with people coming into the Park on September 29 & 30. The price for one day during the Fiesta is $65, I'll leave on the 30th.
The last excitement for the day was – a change in the big salad that I eat with every 'linner'. Have grown tired of the various lettuces. Today I had broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, red pepper and red onion with a yogurt dressing.
20 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Went to JoJo's for breakfast this morning on streets and roads showing some of the rain that fell last night.At 11:00 pm, or there about, there came the biggest thunder storm I have had this summer. Maybe not all that much thunder and lightning but a good rain for nearly an hour. There wasn't much wind come with it either although I did close the window on one side of Desperado.
The official measurement reported that NO rain fell last night but there was evidence of it all around where I live.
When I got home it was laundry day once more. The number of spaces that are empty now at the Park made for good news. I had no problem getting a washer and dryer and have the chore done. I'll probably do it one more time before I leave here for my next Camp.
The rest of the day was my usual. Even working on the Will Rogers weekly articles for September was routine. I like to get the postings ready a month in advance but it is a chore. I will not finish the month today but will get a good start.
21 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
This is Sunday, time for breakfast at the Red Barn.I noticed something that you late risers may have been missing. It is staying dark later in the morning now. I get up at the same time, start my walk at the same time but then walk longer in the dark every morning.
This has been creeping up on me day by day and by the time I adjust to it Daylight Savings Time will kick in. Then I can start over getting use to the longer dark in the mornings.
Made good progress on the Will Rogers weekly articles. I may finish with September today and possibly start with October. Then again maybe I won't.
22 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Breakfast was at Starvin Arvin by way of the reverse route that I took on my first visit. I don't have that many restaurants to chose from but I do have more ways to reach them than when I was in Lander, WY. Starting to count down the days that I have left already although it has been pretty nice here. That seems to happen to me when I have a particular 'reason' to be in a place. Once the 'reason', getting my teeth cleaned, has been taken care of I'm antsy to move on.
A lot or early cloud build up today. That has kept it cooler for longer into the afternoon which is good, no A/C in the early afternoon but I will need it later. The forecast for the week is highs in the low 90s so I'm certainly not into cool weather yet.
Finished getting September ready for the Will Rogers weekly article postings and did some work on October. I might finish that month also before I leave here but not pressured to do so.
I blogged about this on Aug 10th when I received my notice from Wells Fargo that they were going to start charging this $3 per month fee. I thought it was for all Wells Fargo accounts but find in a News item that I just got 'lucky' and was included as part of a test.
I can tell you now how this test is going to work with me. I have stopped using my ATM/Debit Card to make any purchases effective the day I received the notice. I am also considering the move to a different bank. Have received information from one bank that will allow me to do everything I do now without the added fee.
What Dodd-Frank has done in their 'reform' is eliminate the use of ATM/Debit Cards for purchases by many people like myself. It has increased the cost of banking services for those customers that will continue to use their Card for purchases. It has given the banks a shot at adding revenue; this may or may not work but the banks will certainly lose revenue because of the law.
Wells Fargo just announced that it will test a $3 monthly fee for those who use its debit card. The fee will be levied against customers in Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada and Oregon beginning October 14, 2011. As a result, we can add debit card fees to the long list of bank fees we love to hate. To understand why Wells Fargo is testing a debit card fee, we need look no further than the fine folks in Washington.
Enter the Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted in 2010. As part of that sweeping reform, Senator Durbin (D-IL) championed a provision that empowered the Federal Reserve to cap the "swipe" fees that merchants pay banks for every debit card transaction. And that's just what the Fed did this summer, limiting the fee to 21 cents per transaction.
In theory, retailers were expected to pass these savings on to their customers. But as just about everybody under the sun warned when Dodd-Frank was passed, the results are quite different. Instead of helping consumers, most expect banks to eliminate rewards and add fees to make up for the lost revenue. And that's just what is happening. Chase is already testing a $3 fee on its debit cards and considering limiting purchases to $50. And we can now add Wells Fargo to the list of banks that have added fees to their debit cards.
23 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
The plan for this morning was to have breakfast at Café 110. When I arrived at a few minutes before 7:00 I noticed that there were no lights on inside. The second thing that I noticed was a large sign beside the door.This picture is not of Café 110's front door but the sign was identical.
It looks doubtful that I will have breakfast at Café 110 again before I leave. It is even doubtful that anyone will have breakfast there again unless it is under different ownership.
I continued on for a couple of blocks and ate at the Daily Bread which I'll visit a couple of more times now before I leave.
I have had the occasional overnight neighbor on one side of me or the other since I have been here. However, last night I was surrounded by one on my left, been there two night now, one on my right and three in front of me.
Have now added another one this afternoon on my left which has filled this section of the Park. Only one of those in front of me has left today so it looks like I have drawn a crowd for tonight and maybe longer.
The Big News of the day by the national lame stream media is the earthquake near Washington D C. This has them all atwitter and makes me wonder if President Obama will refer to this quake as another excuse for the poor economy.
The quake yesterday in Colorado was News at a local level but would have been ignored by the national media if the Washington quake had not hit. I didn't feel either of them although my guess is that the Social Network Sites are abuzz with “Where were you when the earthquake hit?”.
24 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
This morning I was back at JoJo's for breakfast. I did the same out-n-back route that I have done before but this morning it was different.The out part was much the same but the back part had a LOT of traffic. The schools went back into session this past Monday and my route happens to also be a school route. Maybe next week I'll go a few minutes later?
I received my forwarded mail yesterday and quickly sorted through it. The package of prescription medicine from VA was there, as was a bill, which is always a relief.
To replace the medicine would be a big hassle with the VA. I don't like the bill but if I don't get it and pay it the late fees start to add up so it is good to receive it also. I can now pay the bill on-line at Pay.gov which is a very good thing that the Treasury has done. Now if VA could just go paperless and get my bill on-line they would be in the 21st Century.
What was not in my mail was the Rebate for the tire purchase I made in July. I re-read an email that I received from the Rebate processor and saw that it would take 30 days. That means I may now have the Rebate but it is in Pahrump.
The crowd of neighbors that I had have all left – save one. Naturally, the one remaining is next to me and the most irritating. It is good that they have been gone all day everyday that they been here, three days now.
What is not so good is upon their return tonight, if past is prologue, the door slamming will begin. The tow vehicle has five doors and the pop-up trailer has one. I have not kept an accurate tally but a best guess is that they slam the six doors at least three times each before I can get to sleep.
There is a positive to this way of life however – I will be leaving on the morning of September 1st. There is also the hope that they will leave before then.
25 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
No walk this morning, I had 'stuff' to do.The first thing was un-hook from electric and go to the Park dump station to empty my holding tanks. The gray water tank has been signaling full for about 4-5 days and it is reasonably accurate at full – not at any other time.
I don't worry much about the black water tank, it never fills up before the gray. The idiot light for the black water tank is worthless, it may signal almost anything at any time.
I then drove to the China Outlet Store, sometimes known as Wal*Mart, and bought pants, 60 minutes of TracFone and some plastic food containers.
The pants are my annual wardrobe blowout, the minutes are not needed but I need to keep the phone active for another 90 days.
The storage containers are mostly for my yogurt dressing mixtures. I use yogurt with capers on my salmon twice a week. The other dressing has now become yogurt, walnuts and blue cheese. This goes on my daily salad of broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, red onion and tomato.
Next stop was Starvin Arvin , had biscuit and gravy with scrambled eggs covered with green chili – really good. Then across the street to Safeway for groceries and before leaving the lot a stop at the gas pumps where I filled up. Used my Reward Card for a 30¢ per gallon discount.
Once I got home I filled the fresh water tank. That now has me ready to leave here early in the morning a week from today. It also made for a full day for someone that usually does NOTHING.
The Vice President has been fair game for the lame stream media whereas the President has been given a free ride until recently. This is only part of an article written about Biden's recent China trip.
Vice President Joe Biden's talent for using many words to say little or nothing -- or worse -- was never more conspicuously displayed than during his trip to China.
At Sichuan University on Sunday, after Biden delivered a 4,600-word speech, a student asked him about the importance of public speaking. "That is a very good question," Biden said -- as he launched into an 863-word answer.
In the midst of those 863 words, Biden paid a tribute to brevity -- in an incoherent sentence of 68 words. The White House transcribed this Bidenesque brilliance as follows: "And so language, the ability not only to master the ability to put your ideas into words succinctly on a platform to communicate ideas to your own people, it is even more impressive when you have the capacity to do that and communicate your ideas, especially as future business and political and moral leaders of the world in the language of the people to whom you are speaking."
While lauding Chinese communists in China, Biden was tongue-tied in trying to explain the greatness of America and our people..."It's hard to define what an American is," Biden said in his speech at Sichuan. And apparently it is too hard for Biden.
26 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Read Will Rogers column 88 years ago: August 26, 1923I got up a few minutes later than normal with the sound of light rain on my roof. Prepared to do my walk thinking that it was only a very light sprinkle.
However, after walking to the Park's office I decided that although it was a light rain I would get plenty wet if I was out in it for a hour. Waited it out under the covered porch of the office to see what it was going to do. After a rain delay of about an hour I took off for the Daily Bread.
The route that I used passed another restaurant, the Cowboy Ciao, that opened at 8:00 which I have disregarded. This morning I was an hour 'late' and when I got there it was open at 7:30.
It seems that they are now going to open at 7:00 since Café 110 has closed. I had breakfast and will probably stop again next Tuesday.
I went past Café 110 on my way home and saw two other notices had been posted. These were giving the sale date and the amount owed to the State of Colorado and City of Montrose, $7,000+ and $4,600+ respectively.
It is my guess that the state and city will get their money eventually but it will cost them more in 'entitlements' to the three employees that have lost their jobs. The state and city have no other choice in the matter. Café 110 has committed the worse crime that they could have by not paying taxes.
Governments can put up with law breaking or turn a blind eye to regulation violations but will not stand for the non-payment of taxes. Taxes are their life blood and they will cease to exist if not received.
The rain quit and the day stayed nice and cool until later in the afternoon. It then warmed up and with the increased humidity I needed the A/C even more than ever.
The following was written as an analysis of a New York Times story that was probably written as a 'trial balloon' for the Administration.
At the center of the Panic of 2008 were defaults on cheap mortgages for Americans with poor credit. The latest idea to reverse the resulting recession is for the government to offer cheap mortgages to Americans with poor credit.
There have been rumblings for weeks that the economic plan to be offered by President Obama after he returns from his vacation would be aimed, at least in part, at trying to re-inflate the American housing market.
The trial balloon in today’s New York Times puts the earlier leaks in perspective. The idea is to have the government offer to refinance the mortgages of millions of Americans whose credit scores prevent them from grabbing the lower-than-5-percent commonly available to qualified buyers today.
The administration is envisioning an $85 billion instant stimulus as those with poor credit see their rates drop dramatically. But to do it, the government would likely need to take over Fannie and Freddie.
One of the criticisms on the left of the Obama efforts to revive the housing markets have failed is because they have been modest and voluntary. This would be large and mandatory.
But part of the reason the president resisted something with, as they say at the White House, “bigness” has been that Americans who pay on time and keep their credit in good shape would deeply resent a subsidy for the credit unworthy.
Another problem: If the government will give cheap money to almost anyone, banks may get out of residential lending altogether. That could have the same effect as the president’s health care law is forecast to have on insurance: a massive shift to public rolls.
27 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
I went back to JoJo's again this morning for breakfast. It was on August 21, 2011 that I wrote about it staying dark longer in the morning. Today I noticed that when I got to JoJo's it was light but the sun had not come up over the mountains.So I did all of my walk to breakfast this morning in the night, nautical twilight or civil twilight (also called civil dawn). I didn't even know there was a difference in twilight; had to look it up. This blog writing is an education. HA HA
For most purposes civil twilight is considered to be 30 minutes before sunrise. The official definition for it's start is when the sun is 6° below the horizon. Nautical twilight is for that period when the sun is 12° to 6° below the horizon and you can still see the horizon when at sea.
I guess you don't need to be told that the walk home was done in the day. What you don't know is I saw four deer about 100 yards north of US50. They were casually grazing in that full day in an alfalfa field just like all the rest of the livestock.
I been working on the Will Rogers weekly articles for September and October for the past 10 days, off-n-on. While doing so I have forgotten to add the link to the weekly article for the past two Fridays. They were added the next day in both cases.
I have so little on my mind that I can't remember anything anymore!
Don't expect to see this reported by NBC or MSNBC they have now both become the Obama Broadcasting Corporation. This is only part of a blog posting on White House Dossier dated August 26, 2011, this is a great site for all the News that the lame stream media does not want to report about President Obama.
It’s fine that NBC made a strategic decision to move to the left, adding blatant bias to its overall coverage. It’s where most of the networks are anyway, only NBC is a little further over on the spectrum. Fox News is conservative – I’d say unabashedly so, except that it pretends to be fair and balanced, which it’s not – and being a conservative network is fine too.
But what’s very disconcerting is having a major TV news network in the tank for a specific politician. This is unprecedented and a little frightening, giving off the noisome air of a nationalized, official government network.
28 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Today was my last planned breakfast at the Red Barn. Arrived there, ate and got home just before my door slamming neighbors were pulling out. Yee Haw, did a little 'happy dance' right there in their space soon after they left it.There were a lot of clouds early this morning but it cleared up by the afternoon. I woke up during the night to the sound of rain but it didn't last very long, or amount to much (officially .01”).
I was back to sleep and might have thought is was a dream if I did not see some wet on the roads that I walked. It stayed cool until late afternoon with a nice breeze.
Another lazy day with some couch time while reading my latest novel. Then take a break from that and read more of the blogs that I'm catching up to current. My normal day!
When we, the people of the United States, elected an African-American/Negro/Black as President there was massive back slapping in the media about what 'good' people we had become. However, if you now express any disagreement with that same president's policies you stand a very good chance of being branded a racist.
Former Vice President Gore knows a good thing when he sees it and is now trying to capture that same protection for his Global Warming/Climate Change Religion. If you disagree with his sermon then you should also be shunned as a racist.
One day climate change skeptics will be seen in the same negative light as racists, at least so says former Vice President Al Gore.
In an interview with former advertising executive and Climate Reality Project collaborator Alex Bogusky broadcast on UStream on Friday, Gore explained that in order for climate change alarmists to succeed, they must “win the conversation” against those who deny there is a crisis.
29 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
This morning was my last breakfast, for this trip, at the Daily Bread where I had their Huevos Rancheros. This was my favorite there and perhaps the best breakfast I had in Montrose.The green chili dishes that I had at Starvin Arvin were also very good. There are some good breakfasts to be had here at the Red Barn, JoJo's or Cowboy Ciao as well.
The weather was a repeat of yesterday. That included the early morning rain which sounded heavier than yesterday but came at about the same time. The official report gives the measurement as .18”.
The rest of my day was also pretty much a repeat of yesterday as well. That could be said for most of my days when you get right down to it.
I did spend some time web surfing and reading about the bus system in Albuquerque, NM. I'll continue my morning walks but will add some public bus transportation to the daily mix. I can get a monthly pass for $12, I think, which is cheap enough for me to give it a try.
I can remember the days when I first rode the Reno, NV buses the price was in that range. It then seemed that every time I went back to riding the price had doubled.
That may have been because the drivers union went out on strike every couple of years, the city-contractors would agree to the union demands and then simply raise prices and cut routes. Ridership then kept falling to the point where only those too poor to pay for any other transportation remained.
If President Obama is the smartest guy in the room, at least he and the media think so, there must be an overpowering reason why his job spurring proposal could not be unveiled today. This 'trailer' that has been released to the media sounds to me to be a re-hash of what he has 'unveiled' a number of times in the past.
He seems totally obsessed with this idea of infrastructure improvements by construction crews. He has already thrown massive amounts of money at building roads and bridges; my guess is that there is very little unemployment among those properly skilled workers.
I have sent him at least three Contact the White House messages that have pointed out that the unemployed home construction crews do not know squat about building roads and bridges. An unemployed roofer is NOT going to know anything about operating an asphalt paver. A home building carpenter is NOT going to be able to operate an earthmover or grader.
President Barack Obama said Monday he would unveil proposals next week aimed at spurring job growth in part through infrastructure improvements.
Obama made the comment as he announced he had picked Princeton economist Alan Krueger as the new chief of the Council of Economic Advisers.
He said next week he would lay out a series of steps that the U.S. Congress can take immediately to put more money in the pockets of middle class families and put construction crews to work.
30 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Last night at sundown, right when I go to bed, there came a good old fashioned thunderstorm. The lightning was snapping, the thunder was booming and the rain was falling by the bucket full.It must have kept me awake for over an hour before it mellowed and I fell asleep. The official tally was .91”, I think. The WeatherUnderground web page does not give a total and the hourly numbers are confusing. Whatever the total – it was a good old fashioned thunderstorm.
Went to Cowboy Ciao again for breakfast which was a Huevos Rancheros Burrito. I had them not wrap it but it was still far from any Huevos Rancheros I have ever had. I think they are only using the name with no intent of preparing the traditional dish.
I got there by taking a very different zig zag route through residential areas south and west of the hospital. Then north on a street one and two blocks east of US550 through a more rundown mix of commercial/residential. All of the route was around the old downtown core, the newer development of Montrose is toward the south.
The most exciting, important and celebratory thing about today is the completion of my Walking Program's fifth year. My Walking Program, so called, began on August 31, 2006 when I chose to walk 5 miles per day everyday.
I have failed to reach that goal in any year except the first one. But it hasn't been a total failure; I have averaged 4.17 miles per day during those five years or have walked a total of 7,614 miles.
Year four was my biggest failure when I walked only 651 miles. I got back with the Program this year and did 1,686 miles.
It is not going to get any easier as I get older but I will strive to achieve that elusive 5 miles per day everyday goal as long as I can.
I think the VFW has fallen out of President Obama's favor. They have been rather critical of his policies regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this past year so perhaps he is sending the organization a 'message'. If he is truly petty enough, I believe he is, to do so then I think the VFW will simply come down even harder in their criticism. In my opinion he sure can do some dumb things for being touted a brilliant politician.
It is important to note that in 2010 Richard Eubank, commander-in-chief of Veterans of Foreign Wars, announced a proposal to dissolve VFW’s political action committee to quiet outcry over some of the PAC's endorsements of liberal, anti-war Democrats over Republicans, many of whom are actual foreign war veterans. The PAC was put on 'hold' in 2010 and Eubank has proposed an amendment to the by-laws to dissolve the PAC. This will be voted on at this 2011 National Convention.
Notice also who is speaking to the VFW - the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs NOT the Secretary. Then notice what potential speakers were offered.
"The VFW has had a long-standing tradition of inviting the sitting president to address our convention," Richard Eubank, national commander of the organization, said in a statement, adding that the White House typically chooses a "high-level administration official" to speak if the president cannot attend.
The veterans group is accustomed to playing host to the nation's most powerful people at its national conference. Obama addressed the VFW in 2009, followed by Vice President Biden in 2010.
The senior administration official said the White House did offer several potential speakers, including U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. The Air Force pitched its secretary and chief of staff; the National Guard offered the Army National Guard director.
"It is an insult of the highest magnitude that for the first time in the history of the VFW, the White House has apparently decided that this great and iconic organization of combat veterans and all of its members are not worthy of its notice by not at least offering a first-tier speaker from the administration."
Perhaps incidentally, Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry was speaking at that conference Monday. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, another top GOP presidential candidate, is also scheduled to address the group this week.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that W. Scott Gould, deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs, will be addressing the convention. He noted that Obama will address the American Legion -- on Tuesday -- but explained that the president simply can't honor every speaking request.
31 August
Cedar Creek RV Park
Montrose, CO
Final breakfast in Montrose, this trip, was at JoJo's. I also checked with the truck stop next door to see if they still allowed a free RV dump with gas purchase – they do.I received an email from a fellow Fulltimer, fellow blogger and email friend requesting the confirmation. He is planning on coming thru Montrose in a week or so and needs a dump site.
I'll be meeting him, for the first time, in Ouray, CO tomorrow as I drive south. We will have breakfast and get acquainted face-to-face. It is always good to meet someone when you have been reading their blog.
His is one that I read from the beginning and now have on my 'Monthly Read' list. I need to do that this afternoon, catch up on his blog again. I'll then add him to my Daily reads and 'bump' someone there that I have not met to the Monthly.
That is about it for Montrose, I'm on the road again.
On August 29, 2011 I wrote: If President Obama is the smartest guy in the room, at least he and the media think so, there must be an overpowering reason why his job spurring proposal could not be unveiled today.
The date and time of his jobs spurring proposal speech has now been announced and everything becomes clear, there was an overpowering reason.
President Barack Obama will make his long-awaited speech about jobs Wednesday night to a joint session of Congress at the same time that the Republican presidential candidates are scheduled to debate at the Reagan Presidential Library in California.Then there is the News about another one of President Obama's 'green investments' that has gone down the drain. I certainly hope his personal portfolio is as heavily invested in these 'green' technology companies as we taxpayers are.
Solyndra -- a San Francisco Bay area solar company that he touted as a gleaming example of green technology has announced it will declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. More than 1,100 people will lose their jobs.
During a visit to the Fremont facility in spring of 2010, the President said the factory "is just a testament to American ingenuity and dynamism and the fact that we continue to have the best universities in the world, the best technology in the world, and most importantly the best workers in the world. "
It's not his statements the administration will regret; it's the loan guarantees. The President was celebrating $535 million in federal promises from the Department of Energy to the solar startup. The administration didn't do its due diligence, says the Government Accountability Office. "There's a consequence if you don't follow a rigorous process that's transparent," Franklin Rusco of GAO told the website iWatch News.