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"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 50 Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 50 and.... ....you're on the road with the original florida kid.... Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT, Neil Ray and the whole gang here at the ranch want to give a big cowboy howdy "HEY " and wish one and all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Come on in! Hang up your coat - and close the damn door! Looks like winter is here in a big way! This time of year we kind of hold our breath around here when we think about all you drivers out there on the road...all of us here want you to know you're in our prayers...day and night. Grandma's been a bakin' fool all week, she gets in the mood every year...she's doin' her best to keep her spirit's and her chin up...Barbie and me too! How 'bout you? I was thinkin'....about everything goin' on in our country, the economy, work and all that, and something dawned on me that I want to tell you about. It was somethin' Grandma said the other day...she was talkin' about how things were when she was a little girl in the days after the "great depression", and how the headlines seem the same in a lot of ways, now, like they did then. Lots of folks were out of work, businesses shuttin' down, that kind of stuff. Hard times. I was sitting in my chair totally bummed out about my bad knees(the UPS thing didn't work out, I blew out both my knees on day 7, they crunch when I try to walk..), wonderin' what I'm going to do NOW......Barbie's workin' 2 jobs killin' herself...things are tight...real tight... She sat down next to me, runnin' her fingers through my hair like she used to do when I was little, knowin' I was upset about somethin'... "Even in those days, people were still people. We had the same hopes and dreams and we wanted the same kinds of things. It was so easy to get caught up in the struggles of life tryin' to keep our land under our feet, clothes on our backs and food on the table. For your Grandpa and me it wasn't about cars, credit cards and keepin' up with the Jones's, we had no choice but to try and learn to be Thankful for what we had. Each other. When the smoke clears at the end of the day, the things that really matter...God willin'.....will still be there." She told me the story of her and Grandpa's first Christmas together, as man and wife, and how Grandpa had to hike out to the road in the snow to catch a ride with Tommy Boy's Grandad to the mill over in the next county every morning, and how they were havin' a bad winter that year. She would take care of the animals on the ranch, keep the house clean(which she's still doin'...almost 70 years later...) and make sure supper was on the table when he got home. "Well, Christmas was right around the corner and times bein' what they were I knew it would be, well, kind of a 'poor folks' Christmas. So, on Christmas Eve, I cut an extra load of firewood, got supper ready and while Grandpa was eatin' and I went into the bedroom, lit a few candles, dolled myself up, got buck naked, tied a red satin ribbon around my waist and waited for him. Wonderin' where I had got off to, and why I wasn't answerin' him, he eventually made his way through the house lookin' for me. He gets to the bedroom door and stops cold in his tracks when he sees me layin' there." Laughin' like a school girl she said, "You would have needed a shovel and a block 'n' tackle to get his jaw up from off the floor! Grandpa couldn't get his clothes off fast enough and of course fell right on his face with his pants down around his ankles, tryin' to get his boots off. I thought he knocked himself out cold, he just lay there! So, I jump out of bed to help him, and playin' possum the whole time, he reaches up and grabs me, and, well, we spent the night, Christmas Eve, on the floor in front of the fireplace." (She was lookin' at Grandpa's picture over the fireplace while she's tellin' me this.) "I'll never forget that Christmas! Love, the greatest gift of all...was all we had to give each other, and so we did. Love gives birth to faith and faith gives birth to hope....and nine months later I gave birth to your Daddy!" We were laughin and cryin', both of us, by now, and truckstars, I wish you were here to see the light in Grandma's eyes while she's tellin' me this story...pure love...and nothin else... I'm kind of thick headed when it comes to learnin' "life" lessons....but.. Thank God I've got enough sense to look around myself and see the true blessings I have. And no matter what's goin' on in this crazy ass world, when the smoke clears at the end of the day, the things that really matter...God willin'.....will still be there.... ....and I'll be Thankful for them! We’ll be on our knees in prayer and thanksgiving! So truckstars........from our house to yours..from our hearts to yours....... Don’t forget the reason for the season! MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Tags: "On The Road With The Original Florida Kid"
"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week49 Hello again fellow truckstars! It's week 49 and.... ..."you're on the road with the original florida kid "... Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, JT, Tommy Boy and Neil Ray all give a big cowboy howdy "HEY !" KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright come on in, you know the drill....grab a cup of grandma's famous cowboy coffee and a chair....let's get her rollin'... I'm kinda tired and my knees really hurt...Why? Well, I started with UPS last monday and ran 200+ packages a day for 5 days straight, jumping in and out of the truck, up stairs, across parking lots, across streets and intersections. I had no idea these guys work as hard as they do....I like the job, it keeps me close to home where I need to be, for now, and the guy I'm helping, Wayne, is a long time driver of 22 years who really knows what he's doing,....I'm not going to get into a theological debate with anyone about unions right now either....I can tell you one thing, I know a lot of drivers of all kinds and these UPS guys are among the few that can actually pay their bills, and trust me truckstars...they earn their money... I got hired as a temp for the holiday big bang, a few weeks runnin' packages as a driver helper until Christmas, but they tell me they hire out of this batch of holiday people for the positions in the coming year, the next level up being truck loading, also a part-time gig. I'll let you know what happens. Everyone I've met seems very professional, happy with the company and their job....like I said that's more than I can say for a lot of drivers I know and until now...me included. I have to tell you....I really miss my F-450....I still catch myself looking in the backyard for it, The Black Beauty, my heart skipping a beat for a second when it's not there....then of course, I remember....I never thought, after all these years of hard work that they, these days I mean, would be marked in my memories this way....yeah it's just stuff, but the blood, sweat and tears, the hopes and dreams behind it all...those things mean something to me and the waste of it all is what breaks my heart.....I look to the left of me, I look to the right of me and I see working people's goodness, rightousness, kindness, and decency stomped down and plowed under every day! Who do we blame, who do we lash out at, where do we go, what do we do?.....I don't know truckstars, I wish I could answer that for you, I'm just not smart enough to figure this all out, (and Please....spare me that bullcrap session that I'm doin' something wrong here you, uhhh...business experts)..... but I can tell you this....it's the same old story, one that I'm sick to death of hearin'....lying, cheatin' and stealin'.....the sons of bitches we keep electing time after time after time holding hands with the corrupt bosses at these big companies, end up runnin' amuck with our hopes, our dreams AND our money in their dirty little hands....WHY WHY WHY?....WHY are the stories of our lives forever measured against the hopeless ignornace of people who couldn't care less about our welfare?...... The deep dark shadow stretching across this land of ours has been cast by some of the worst things folks can do to each other....and I'm just prayin' for daylight. You? THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Salt. Or more specifically - sodium. The American Medical Association says that 150,000 lives would be, not could be, WOULD BE, saved every year if Americans would cut their salt intake in half....yeah really... True - lots of companies have lowered the sodium levels in the foods they produce, but others have increased it, fast food french fries, and some of the so-called "low-fat" foods being at the head of the class. According to a Consumer Reports evaluation of 37 food brands available nationwide including breakfast foods, sweet snacks and low fat foods - the study surprisingly found that even licorice, spaghetti sauce and bagels were found to have much higher levels of sodium than previously thought. Restaurant meals led the sodium "bad boy" list, salt being used not just to add flavor but as a preservative, it's in msg, (which is also linked to cancer), monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrates, and even baking soda. 10% of the sodium we eat occurs in foods naturally. The rest is added! High blood pressure and related cardio-vascular dieseases are primary results of too much salt in our diets. What do we do? Read the labels on the foods you buy! (buy lower sodium foods, just add your own sea salt at home) Switch to sea salt, (Grandma swears by it.), it's much lower in sodium and tastes better. Take some on the road with you. You shouldn't be getting more than 2000 or so milligrams a day, most Americans take in over 4,000 miligrams a day.... Just take it day by day truckstars and train yourself to read labels! Remember - lower fat and sodium foods will take you a long, long way towards better health and keeping the extra weight off! TRUCKSTAR TECH- Next week I'll show you what to look for in a netbook or a notebook, and what the difference is! Also - the smart phone match-ups and APU comparisons. Until then - My buddy - truckingpopeye58 from chickentrucker.com wants anyone with an ACER to have the tech support number - 1-800-816-2237 In case you can't locate it. He's got a netbook and I'll let you know how he likes it. TRUCKSTAR RADIO - here's the banner links for the players so you can tune into the show and not leave this great site! :    Get a www.Skype.com account, it's free and so are pc to pc calls with Skype! "The Truckstar Live" is our Skype name, so sign up,(it's free) and then Skype In to the show! I'm usually "on-the-air" nightly from 8:00pm to 11:00pm, sometimes later! Tune in and call-in! 954-603-7561 954-376-8452 New shows coming soon with some of our favorite top trucking sites, like Truck.net, our favorite know-it-all and "seer of all things", (okay well, most things)The Trucking Guru, interviews with cool and interesting people, regional specific weather and directions, a little music sometimes and whatever else we can think of! And...of course - YOU! *Check out Dan Little and the OOU at www.owneroperatorsunited.org The OOU is running a Truckers Toys for Kids Program for the kids a t St. Judes in Memphis, TN. See the site for more info. Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU?
PLEASE say a prayer for SOMEBODY today! Pray for our nation, the world and the "lost"…. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me....... REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for….. Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya ! Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home……… Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride …… ..you’re "on the road with the original florida kid"…we gown…
Tags: "On The Road With The Original Florida Kid"
"On the Road with the original florida kid" Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 48 and.....you're on the road with the original florida kid.. Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy Boy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch want to say a big cowboy howdy "HEY ! " KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Come on in, grab a chair, a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee and let's get this party rollin'...I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did.... Before I go any further I have to tell ya, I'm kind of bummed out and a little "pissed" at the moment....I had to give up both trucks this past week, that's why I didn't write to you until today, I was busy tryin' to find a way to save my trucks, but I couldn't, and since then I've been applying to every place in the area to find a job...of any kind. Barbie's health isn't too good as you know so that limits my scope of work, somewhat, to local stuff, and right about now that picture doesn't look to good either. The job market down here is the worst I've ever seen it, even the classifieds in the paper are just a few listings, mostly medical and tele-marketer stuff, neither of which I'm qualified to do...so...here I sit feelin' like...like I don't know what....this is a new one for me...to be jobless, truckless and maybe a little hopeless sometimes too...feels like slidin' downhill trying to keep from gettin' slammed by the avalanche thunderin' close behind me....and not being able to do anything about it... What now? Don't know truckstars, for the first time in my 53 years...I don't know....Prayer, I guess....Grandma's been in her room a lot lately with her Bible...me too..... I'm no slacker, but honestly, I don't know whether to go out the door and go left, right, straight ahead or turn around and go back in the damn house.....(and maybe, bang my head on the wall)...also a new one for me...maybe I'll have to go to drivin' a company rig, a day player gig, for someone and hope to God nothing happens to her while I'm on the road, if anyone's hiring that is...meanwhile the wolves are already at the door....and they're hungry....... .....what the hell man..... I know I'm not alone in this, lots of folks around the country are in the same boat, some even worse off, some better, but many, worse. I'm not going to now, and will never ever give up hope, even still, I'm trying always to do the right thing...We're going to get through this, if no other way than God's grace and mercy...no matter how desperate things may seem Please remember truckstars there will be a "tomorrow" and win or lose we'll all get there together....a "bad' day in America is STILL better than a good day anywhere else!...... Stay tuned truckstars, as the battle rages on and the saga continues........I'll find somethin', hopefully soon.... "Keep your chin up kid, it's only rain"..... Don't forget we have legislative issues we need to let our Rep's and Senators know how we feel about...like HR-6630... (One thing we don't need right now is cheaper labor being allowed to grab what freight there is for tax paying American drivers!) www.house.gov - to find your representative enter your zip code www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state) You know what to do...... And if you're wonderin' where all the "important to truckers legislation" is "at" just check with Dan Little from the OOU... www.owneroperatorsunited.org and www.oouinc.ning.com (the forum site)....I'm tellin' ya, this guy's the real deal!... .....or keep it right here, and, at Truckstar Radio...driver driven talk radio...no b.s.... U.S. manufacturing is at a 60 year low(great...), the lowest since 1949, and ocean going freight is at a 30 year low, the rail industry.....forget the rail industry....fuel's cheap but work is so slow.... The new President has his work cut out for him....yeah he does.... Don't forget to grab the latest issue of "The Trucker" ! Cargo Security is a huge issue , it always has been but MUCH more so in the past year or two, so just use your head. Lock your truck, even at the fuel pumps and watch your back. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Arterial plaque. What is it, where does it comes from and what do we do about it? On any given day, how much thought do we give to what's in the foods we eat and the liquids we drink? Atherogenisis - the process of the artery walls being lined by depsosits, mostly cholesterol. What happens when we eat a diet too high in fats or other chemicals that aren't natural? They leave residual plaque which lines the arteries and veins in our bodies, even the ones in the heart and brain. This plaque begins to close-off the artery(otherwise known as "high blood pressure") or vein and sometimes pieces break off or clots form (because of the artery wall damage being done), and a heart attack or stroke occurs. Stroke and heart attacks are far to common in our society, which is the most educated, nutritionally, yet. Studies even indicate, that in the brain, deposits carried into sensitive brain tissue from the blood flow leave layering or sediment deposits which cuts off or chokes off oxygen from the blood eventually diminishing the activity and capacity of areas of the brain. This can be manifested, to one degree or another, as Alzheimers or Dementia( remember our Grandma June, this is what she had and died of last year). When we eat a diet rich in "natural" nutrients we GREATLY reduce this kind of effects from food, it's that simple truckstars...I don't get enough exercise and I'm trying to do something about it...I eat fried chicken and pizza WAY too often and I am doing something about that too. I Do watch my butter, salad dressings and the fat content of everything I eat, all the time, the chemicals in my food too. Sometimes it isn't possible, I know that, but let's face it we're talking about "damage control" here aren't we? Listen to me...this is serious business we're talking about and I want you to be as healthy as possible, and more importantly, disease free, but you have to do what you can! You control what goes into your body - don't you? Start out with a basic look at what you normally eat and work it out from there, Okay? Get a bottle of good "whole food organic" vitamins.... More on this next week, and also, what and how to buy at the grocery store, and, the "truth" about antacids.... Stay tuned truckstars..... TRUCKSTAR TECH- I keep see-sawing over these netbooks, otherwise known as "mini-notebooks". On the one hand they're cheap, really cheap, and do a lot of stuff for the money, but on the other their limitations keep me from getting one. Basic functions like web searches and e-mail, or keeping a journal, okay fine, but when it comes to good graphics for some sites and movie watching, full screen with good resolution or heavy data functions, NOT okay fine. Yes, they come 3G capable which is good, but picture sizing and other issues, bad. Don't, like me at first, try to compare them to a full size, full featured laptop notebook because you can't, but, you can ask yourself what you need it to do as a tool, a media access, and a communication device...they're affordable and they go high speed....cool.....Me? I'll probably end up with a business class Sony FW(with Blue-Ray), one of the new high performance multi media Samsung's or one of the great new Gobi, 24 hour battery HP's - biz class.....The techies say the Acer Aspire 1 is the cool mini....Digital cameras and web cams are coming out now with memory built in, no more sd cards or mini dvd's! I like the new Samsung SC-MX20, in red. "Smart-phone" winner? The new Sprint Instinct with the 99$ all in one plan which includes Sprint TV...... You can also get 8G flash memory SD cards for your "smartphone" from a co. called - www.kingston.com/flash The geniuses at MIT are trying to come up with new technologies so we can do away with the mouse and keyboard! Try www.fixya.com for device problems...and solutions. * My favorite mag - www.laptopmag.com for buying guides and product info ! NEXT WEEK - Smartphone match-up - and - APU's - I'm puttin together a full report on the growing nationwide ban on idling and the different APU's available, costs, pros and cons of the different models and makers. TRUCKSTAR RADIO - here's the banner links for the players so you can tune into the show and not leave this great site!    (Also, don't forget! If you have www.Skype.com search "the truckstar live", add us as a contact and "Skype-in" whenever you want!) I'm usually "on-the-air" nightly from 8:00pm to 11:00pm, sometimes later! Tune in and call-in! 954-603-7561 954-376-8452 New shows coming soon with some of our favorite top trucking sites, like Truck.net, our favorite know-it-all and "seer of all things", (okay well, most things)The Trucking Guru, interviews with cool and interesting people, a little music sometimes and whatever else we can think of! And...of course - YOU! Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU?
PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today! Pray for our nation, the world and the "lost"…. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me....... REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for….. Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya ! Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home……… Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride …… ..you’re "on the road with the original florida kid"…we gown…
"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week 47 Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 47 and &nb sp; …..you’re on the road with the original florida kid…. Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, Tommy, JT and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY! " KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Well come on in, check your boots, hang up your coats and grab a chair! Grandma has a fresh pot of her famous cowboy coffee goin'...a second pot..maybe I can get her to bake us up a batch of them extra large chocolate chip muffins of hers...come on boys back me up here... Ain't it funny how hard times make some of the little things in life seem so big...and maybe even special? I don't know about you truckstars, but I'm one of those who tends to get caught up in the day to day bump and grind of life...Barbie says, sometimes, that I take things too seriously and I know she's right...I do. Hard times, I'm finding out, also have a way of showin' ya what you're made of...in more ways than one......tellin' ya.. Hard times bring out the worst in people...but, they can also bring out the best....too. &nb sp; The other day Barbie brought home this little bag from the animal hospital she works at over in the next town, so I asked her what was in the bag and she says "Never mind, just grab a chair out on the porch and sit down"...so I did, and here she comes walkin' out with this giant electric dog hair clipper in her hand, has it already plugged in, says she's cuttin' my hair, ( I’m thinkin’ “Okay save the twenty bucks…right?....the ol’ mop was getting’ a little bushy anyway…so..) ) then she wraps a big towel around my shoulders, barber style, and proceeds to givin' me a haircut....uhh...what ? wait a minute… dog clippers ?......I've never had a "home" haircut before...didn't know my darling wife of several decades had such a skill either(at this point truckstars I need to be careful what I say because I know she'll end up readin' this....get me?), so there I am sittin' in this chair , kinda cold out too, Barbie's choppin'...I mean...cuttin' away on me...the hair starts flyin'...keep in mind it was just her and I home at the time(I had no back-up and Grandma and Pup are almost always on her side anyway...so..).Truckstars, Sadly, but honestly, I can't remember the last time, years maybe, we had so much fun together...laughin'(and I'm still not sure what about...)and just plain havin' fun(she even sat on my lap and kissed me…wohoo!).... but both of us realized, without sayin' anything, that we really needed that...her and I...and that we both still truly love each other....just for a few moments it seemed like God turned the clock back thirty years and there was this bitty little woman who loved me so much it scared me, standin' here in front of me...still…tellin' me not to move…..fussin' over me with such a “one of a kind” love in her eyes...just for a little while the world and all it’s problems were gone....I’ll take a couple of shaved bald spots for an afternoon like that anytime….Truckstars, I know times are hard for a lot of us, but the other day taught me somethin' about what really matters in this life we live, and however tough it gets, the things in this world that really matter - will still matter - and will always matter more than any trial or trouble we might be going through...I only hope I never forget that again...the things that are right in this life mean so much more than the things that are wrong.....and, what you're made of, today, is who you're going to wake up being tomorrow. &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; Yeah, unless a bag of money falls out of the sky, I'm losin' one of my trucks this week, I've got thousands of dollars worth of bills on my desk I can't pay...don't know when I'll work again, Barbie's health is takin' a little turn for the worse, I think we have termites in the roof....the economy seems more like the “great depression” every day.. &nb sp; &nb sp; These things too, shall pass....but..God's grace and the look in my wife's eyes...never will...and I count on them both. (Don't anyone think for a second that I'm sittin' here thinkin" I've just passed on this great piece of wisdom...the fact of the matter is that I'm really not the sharpest knife in the drawer but...I AM a lucky son of a bitch and once in a while I get to realize that....) &n bsp; ; &n bsp; ; &n bsp; ; Oh right...the hair...Grandma says “It'll grow back”....Tommy and JT just point...and laugh. I think I even heard Pup snickerin' behind the couch.......damn dog.... TRUCKSTAR RADIO: I’m tryin’ to ramp up my broadcast hours to 24/7 so I’m still lookin’ for mobile internet active drivers who have a laptop, headset and www.skype.com installed(it’s free) or a cell phone or landline they can call into the station on to host their own show!(I also recommend for you mobile cell phone users to get a “hands free blue tooth, or a regular corded headset) Truckstar O/Owners of some of our favorite trucking sites are on board but we need everyday men and women drivers too….I’m usually on the air from 8:00 – 11:00pm most nights. If you’re interested here’s the call-in numbers and the player links to Truckstar Radio: 954-603-7561 - or – 954-376-8452( cell or landline phone) Just click on the player, below, that you use in your computer to play music and Truckstar Radio will start playing, “click” us into your playlist, reduce the screen and you can stay on this great site while you’re listening in the background to “The Truckstar Live” Windows Media Player:
Real Audio(RealPlayer):
I Tunes & Winamp( for Mac users):
(Also, don't forget! If you have www.Skype.com search "the truckstar live", add us as a contact and “Skype-in” whenever you want!) TRUCKSTAR TECH- My dream laptop? The new Sony VAIO Z Series Ultra-portable, or if I’m really in fantasyland the “AREA 51” by Alienware…Okay now with this class of laptop we’re talking serious money the Sony being way cheaper of the two….(shhh…don’t wake me I’m dreaming….) Most of us will end up with one of the mid-range models, maybe even a “mini”..I really do like the new VAIO Z Series(#1 on my wish list…hint hint…), but I’ll take an HP Business Class anytime too…or the “mini” MSI Wind NB. For us “sound junkies” the new ACER Aspire 8920G is “the beast”(6-speakers a subwoofer and Blue-Ray baby, Blue Ray…) and so is the VAIO FW Series(both are “big screen laptops). DO NOT forget to ask about service, parts/labor warranties! The Big 4 – AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile - all have high speed for both mobile internet “smart phones” and mobile broadband laptops, it’s just a matter of what you need and want to do with the mobile technology. I may end up with just a mini-laptop but it’ll be 3G speed and as high def. as I can get it. Blue Ray, hopefully…. Smart phones definitely “rock” but they’re not nearly as versatile as a laptop, even a “mini” and the monthly is more expensive when you’re talking about “unlimited” web use per month and using different applications available for each model and carrier. Keep in mind if you want to stream MP3 music, watch video or films over the web,(and most of the cool new applications can do it) you need the 3G speeds. Also a little tip - if you’re a GPS person, look for a notebook with GPS “built-in” then all you need is a software program like Garmin MobilePC, one of the highest rated, is only $59.99 ! Think power adapters too! You’ll need one so you can charge your battery. Don’t forget to ask or check to see if the laptop you want comes with one. I highly recommend making a list of features you need, and want, in a laptop and use it when you shop! Shop both online and walking at an AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or Verizon store to ask about prices and service, then compare, remember to ask about rebates and discounts for different computer models BEFORE you buy! Air card models work great and so do the new Gobi(built in modem) models. Need help? Contact me through this website or call into Truckstar Radio and I’ll be happy to talk it over with you! I’ll be doing a weekly “Truckstar Tech” show “on the air”, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, anytime. Okay? THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Winter time is also “germ” time….I always bring a container of “dis-infectant” wipes and a container of “moisturizing” wipes with me, I even use them here in my office to wipe down my keyboard every night when I shut er’ down, the dis-infectant ones that is, but particularly, when on the road I wipe down my door handles, shifter, steering wheel, toilet seats, pay phones, and lastly – my hands - before I touch my food or anything else, (like my phone), because winter time is also “cold and flu” season and it’s all the more important to do a little germ control. People who have colds and other issues are always touching themselves and then touching everything else in public places and some don’t wash their hands after using the restroom either….just keep that in mind this winter….and spring and summer and next fall too! &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; Now let’s talk vitamins!…Most of us have a “health food” store near where we live or somewhere out on the road we see them occasionally, and next chance you get, if you haven’t already, stick your head in the door and ask about “whole food organic” vitamins, if they have em’, grab a bottle, but check the dosage per day and get the ones that say “1 tablet per day”, some of the brands have you taking 3 or more tablets, or capsules, per day, that’s too much for most of us to screw with, but, they’re also a good way, the best way, to keep the mental and physical “burn” going stronger, longer! THINK protein shakes and bars too! So - it’s your call truckstar! You can also go online and order them, I do…try www.luckyvitamin.com and www.bodybuilding.com (protein shakes and bars, these guys rock!) Keep your body’s immunities up with a good diet and “whole food organic” vitamins! &nb sp; &nb sp; *Next week we’ll talk about the cardio-vascular system in the body, and the subject of arterial and vascular plaque! Problems.Causes and Cures. &nb sp; &nb sp; Did you know that arterial plaque in the brain has been directly linked to stroke and Alzheimers? NOW would be a good time to get acquainted with your elected and newly elected officials (like em’ or not)Washington goes back to work in early January! &nb sp; &nb sp; HR6630 – (this is the Mexican trucking pilot program bill) It looks like we’re in for a fight over this thing, (since the President in his infinite wisdom for some reason vetoed it) but the congress(and everyone else)is on our side, this is do-able, and every voice counts! It’s in committee right now getting ready to be voted on by the Senate! Get involved! www.house.gov – (to find your representative enter your zip code) www.senate.gov – (scroll to your home state) Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU? &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp;
PLEASE! Say a prayer for SOMEBODY today, pray for our nation, the world and the “lost”…. I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me....... REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for….. &nb sp; Don’t ever forget – I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya ! Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home……… Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride…… ..you’re “on the road with the original florida kid”…we gown…..
"On the Road with the original florida kid"Week 46 Hello again fellow truckstars! It's Week 46 and.... ...you're on the road with the original florida kid... Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog and the whole gang here at the ranch say a big cowboy howdy "HEY!" KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN'- Alright, alright, come on in, hang your coats up on the peg there by the door, grab a chair and a cup of Grandma's famous cowboy coffee...she put some extra ashtrays out this week...take a load off...let's get this party started(or is it more like a funeral kind of thing?.....don't know yet....)..whatever it is...we have a lot to talk about.... I may be losin’ one of my trucks if boat haulin’ doesn’t pick up or I can’t find some hot shottin’ work somewhere…anywhere….(I’d be happy to run pipe for the oil drillers..or yank trailers for FEMA)…..what work there is the boat haul brokers are low-ballin’ because they know we’ll take the run….yeah it’s easy to sit around talkin’ hard-ball politics but it ain’t easy wonderin’ if you’re going to be able to make your payments and pay the bills, let alone put food on the table…… …..what the hell man…. Barbie’s health may be takin’ a turn for the worse here again, she’s havin’ serious issues in her abdominal area….she’s got to go in for tests again….somethin’s goin’ on in there and it probably ain’t good…been prayin’ a lot for her lately… First of all, we need to....I need to...calm down and try to sort this all out...the election, I mean. Maybe this soon afterward isn't the best time to talk about it, but, I'm in if you're in... I can't get over this feeling of “doom” that came over me when Barbie told me that Obama got elected the next morning, not that it was a surprise or anything, it's just that I felt like we were close to getting conservative focus back in this country and now it seems a million miles away...overnight...I wonder if he's going to shelf the tax cut plan as soon as he takes office, like Clinton did...just wonderin'... And, unless he has a serious policy change, over 5 million babies will be murdered in the womb during the next 4 years...(we're at 50 million since Rowe v. Wade)...dear God....Grandma is just beside herself over this….”the babies…the babies…” she keeps cryin’…. (How could anyone possibly think that's a good thing by calling the life and death of an un-born infant, a “choice”?....) There's a huge difference between a decision or a choice, and a "right"....murder, and that's what it is, is a decision, not a right....as a nation we keep cursing ourselves with our…uhh... “choices”……yeah we do..... Conservative America....I'm not sure what happened here ...I guess we'll find out...I can tell you one thing though...the "real" battle isn't over...it's just begun.....again…..and we have 4 years to decide if, and how, we want to be heard next election. 4 years goes by quick….although somethin’ tells me this is going to be a long four, truckstars…..tellin’ ya…… Well - let’s not forget that these people are elected officials and WE still have a voice in government! Right? The economic situation in this country needs and demands our input to our government in an ongoing way….wha’cha think truckstars?.... I’m not going to bash Obama. Why? Because I still have respect for the office of the presidency, that’s why, so let’s just get past the honeymoon and the racial stuff here and get on with the business of runnin’ this country…if that’s what’s goin’ on here…… Am I upset? Hell yes I’m upset…like I said – conservative values just went into the toilet - unless we keep this liberal government in check……and that’s what I mean by “the battle isn’t over….it’s just begun”….otherwise we’ll reap the harvest along with the liberals promoting it….uhhh….WHAT?.....yeah…think about that one for a minute….when the party’s over and the smoke clears there’s still work to be done and it ain’t gonna happen overnight either….. Listen to me….I want just as bad as anyone for this to be the time in American history where the people’s voices are heard and the country becomes the place our founding fathers envisioned it to be, and listen , it’s not just a question of motivations - it’s a matter of values, and that’s the part that has me worried….I don’t want some rich guys money, whether he earned it the right way or the wrong way, that’s for the courts and God to decide, not me….and that doesn’t solve the day to day labor and job and career re-training issues in this country anyway, we’re just moving money around…even that costs money to do and guess who gets to pay for it……you guessed it… “He” apparently hasn’t had much experience in trying to take money from rich people….yeah…this I gotta see…. Shifting gears here truckstars - I want to bring your attention again this week to Dan Little and the OOU, Owner Operators United. As drivers we still need that voice that will unite us, a voice that speaks for us and one that has us, as drivers, in mind, first and foremost and a voice that will tell us what’s going on in trucking, how issues and legislation will affect us and what we need to do, truthfully and “professionally”. Please go up on the www.owneroperatorsunited.org and also check out http://oouinc.ning.com/ This second site is the “forum” site of the OOU, both sites will give you a good handle on what they’re all about, I think you’ll find that they really do have drivers in mind. I do a lot of research on organizations and issues in my job and I can tell you one thing truckstars, this guy is the real deal, Dan Little that is, he’s been on CNN and other major news shows, in the New York Times and written of in the Drudge Report, he’s on a first name basis with many of the politicians involved with, and supporting, us as drivers, he’s succeeded in putting a legitimate, respectable and professional “face” on trucking and truck drivers as a group and labor force….and I hope you take the time to go over there - get informed and get involved! One more voice, YOURS, is another piece of the foundation truck drivers need to build….you’ll also be hearing from Dan and other members of the OOU on Truckstar Radio. If Dan would’ve run for president I would’ve voted for him….there’d have been fists flyin’ and boots getting’ planted where the sun don’t shine up there on Capitol Hill, then the right things would’ve gotten done too…….maybe even a little talkin’ too….maybe…. TRUCKSTAR TECH- Mobile Internet connection speeds are getting faster and faster. AT&T, Sprint and the other major players have all launched faster connection plans for us as cell phone and laptop users and, in fact, laptops, the newer ones comin’ out, have the “modem” built into them. It’s called 3G and Gobi. For me, the AT&T or Sprint’s or Verizon’s 3G speed is more than adequate for phone calls, movie downloads and viewing and whatever else I need to do while on the road, and for me, the versatility of a laptop, even a “mini” beats out any idea of paying far more a month for a “cell” phone (with much less day to day functional use), than $40 - $60 a month for a fully functional mobile web computer, for me anyway….and majors like HP are offering huge discounts on certain business laptop models if you sign up with them, Sony too I think… I would’ve signed up anyway and I’ll take the discount of up to $200 bucks…..cool…the new “minis” are looking better and better to me and they’re 3G capable too….cheap and they’ll do the job, you can always download movies to a flash drive usb and put that in to watch a movie, or just download from www.fancast.com or Netflix..…. Also, if you’re already an internet activated mobile laptop user and you want to host a show or just call in – let me know – Truckstar Radio’s 2 numbers(so far) are; 954-376-8452 and 954-603-7561 you can call with Skype( we can all conference if you are on Skype) or any cell/landline phone! I’m trying to crank it up to bein’ on the air 24/7 asap….I hope to hear from ya! APU’s – it’s coming to the point truckstars when I think it’ll be mandatory nationwide for APU’s because of anti-idling laws, more and more I’m seeing different parts of the country outlawing idling…..I like the idea of the Cummings diesel powered models…here’s a link to get ya started - http://www.cumminsonan.com/apu/products/ You also need to support HR 139 - the bill for a 25% tax credit to drivers for buying a new APU! I’ll let you know what else I can find that might help ya pay for one when I find it! HR 139 is also called S. 894 and is in Committee on Finance so Please let your Rep’s and Senators know how you feel about it. I think the tax credit should be a lot higher, so let’s take that up with our legislators! THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Since these are particularly stressful times it’s more important than ever to watch your fat and “chemical” intake….and to make sure you eat “smart”. A low-fat diet rich in fresh(not canned or frozen) leafy green vegetables and whole grain nutrients and roughage is the best way to help your body help you ! Look for the Met Rx Colossal Protein bars at Flying J Truck-stops, I think they’re getting’ the idea….soon I hope they’ll carry the Labrada, MetRx, and Muscle Milk Protein shakes standard procedure…. Better fuel means better performance truckstars…you’ll see… By “chemical” I mean caffeine and additives in foods, artery clogging trans-fats too…I’m waitin’ to see which truck-stop chain decides to lead the way by changin’ the restaurant food format to better health menu’s from old style high fat cookin’ and fast foods….Don’t get me wrong I love an old fashioned home cooked meal….but years ago meats, veg’s and grains, even the oils they used were far more natural based…nowadays corporate greed has caused the food co’s to put any kind of chemical or whatever in the foods they make for a higher profit margin and longer shelf life, meanwhile the “natural” food stores and restaurants are all packed all the time….HelloooOOOooo….Pillsbury, Kraft, General Foods….anyone home?… Don’t forget Truckstar Radio is “on the arrr – eveywarrr” so I hope you’ll tune in when ya can, we’d love to hear from ya! |
