We’ve had our way with you many times over, but still you’re putting up with us, so this weekend I’ll tip my ugly American hat to you while I still can, and in the best way I know how. There will be dead animals on the propane grill, dead plants in the dutch ovens cooked with charcoal, and a general conspicuous consumption of hydrocarbons out on the lake. Copious amounts of adult beverages will be imbibed, dead trees will be burned, and, best of all, we’ll all get to play with live ordinance. Should I return with a digit or two less, well, I’ll thank God for you, where I’m free to be as stupid as I choose to be. You may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but around here at least, you still look darn good, and you’re more appreciated than ever. Here’s to another 232 years.
Well, aside from swinging a hammer, coaching baseball, camping and striking my best pose; mostly this:
Hopefully I can keep it up for the rest of the summer. I’m trying to stuff as much in as possible before the second coming in January; after that the local militia will probably need some cannon fodder…as you were.
It looks like someone has rearranged some stones up on Mount Helena into the shape of a Rehberg in ‘08 design. I think I’d rather be volunteering at a soup kitchen rather than hefting some rocks around, but to each his own. I sort of doubt it will last long though; once the left discovers that city land is being used for political advertising there’s no doubt the Action Alerts will spring forth and quick. And quick! And quick? And…oh, it wasn’t for Rehberg? Never mind.
Craig can count me in too, though why it’s on a Thursday has got me; I mean, if we’re going to BBQ it really can’t be done properly on a weeknight, but I digress. As things stand, it looks like I’ve already used up my ’share’ of the planet, because at age 1.4 the responsible thing to do would have been to smother me with a pillow. Hey, if we’re going to cap emissions, why not just off those of us who ignore that the sky is falling; it’s for the greater good, after all.
H/T: Cold Fury
I’ve no doubt this weekend weighs heavily on all of us, some much more than others, but the lump in the throat and the hollow pit in the stomach that arises when we consider all of the sacrifices so many have made on our behalf since the birth of this great nation is a trifle we’re obligated to experience as fellow citizens of those we’ve put at the tip of the spear.
This year, as Memorial Day has drawn closer, I’ve been preoccupied with thoughts of my wife’s grandfather, the last grandpa either of us will ever have. He survived his two tours in World War II, but his incredible service to our nation always comes to mind this weekend, and this year more appropriately so as we lost him around Christmas this last winter.
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I don’t usually do this, but try as I might to resist, there are some vapors emanating from the Montana sinestra that really have me belly laughing (yeah, I’ve probably got a sick sense of humor). Some snippits and updates:
Governor Candidate Pogie:
Let’s leave the absurd leaps in logic and embarrassing stereotyping to the other side and focus on building coalitions to do what Democrats are supposed to do: help, not demonize, the poor. demonize Republicans.
Quoth your Misanthrope on May 21st:
I’ve no doubt that we who are opposed will now be accused in typical hackneyed fashion of wanting to destroy the nation’s water and kill the children…
Post title by Jay Stevens on May 23rd:
GOP Loves That Dirty Water
Congressional Candidate Jim Hunt at 12:46 P.M. Mountain time on The Daily Kos:
They told us to pull down our ad—an ad that speaks about Montana’s values and priorities…
Which was cross posted at Left in the West at 1:50 P.M. Mountain time. Priorities indeed.
And finally my favorite; a hat in hand at LITW:
…energy and food prices continue to rise.
I’m so looking forward to the Democrats reigning in those energy and food prices. Once they’re in control I’ve no doubt we’ll be back to the good ol’ days of cheep energy and food. Why, I bet once they get their hands on the reigns of power they’ll mandate ethanol and all will be right with the world.
Montana Headlines recently posted an excellent piece authored by Republican gubernatorial candidate Roy Brown (quite a coup, well done!) in which he discusses a House bill that, to all of our surprise and astonishment, would expand the reach of the federal government into any backyard puddle in Montana, or the nation for that matter. Our own Governor Schweitzer supports this insanity, and sent a letter (PDF) to Congressman Rehberg detailing that support last year. It came to my attention today that Rep. Rehberg has replied to Schweitzer’s letter, and his opinion is succinctly summed up in the last paragraph in such a way that I couldn’t have said it better myself:
‘no, nope, no way, hell no’.
I’ve no doubt that we who are opposed will now be accused in typical hackneyed fashion of wanting to destroy the nation’s water and kill the children, which, aside from gaining props from the Moldies, is pure upside from Governor Schweitzer’s point of view. Hyperbole aside, why is this bill such a stinking pile of dung? How about this one example which Governor Schweitzer posited:
We believe that is is critical to retain Clean Water Act jurisdiction to regulate deposition or fill, discharge of pollutants and other deleterious activities even within so-called ‘isolated waters’.
Who better to judge “other deleterious activities” and “isolated waters” than the federal government. If you’ve got a low spot in the back fourty, you better figure out a way for it to drain and quick, because if Governor Schweitzer gets his way there’ll be hell to pay if you spray next to it and the short nosed wrinkly gnat gets poisoned. To Roy Brown and Congressman Rehberg: thanks for standing up for common sense, it doesn’t look like there is any eminating from the governor’s mansion in Helena.
Actually, I’m not even sure a sense of movement should be implied:
The [FWP environmental assessment] shows the project [to kill 50 of the roughly 700 urban deer in Helena] will have no or minimal impacts to land, air water and vegetation resources. The study also analyzed wildlife impacts and showed the project will have some effect on the city’s deer population, but it won’t impact other species.
“The removal of 50 animals will cause some localized changes to the distribution and abundance of mule deer and it will not adversely affect the overall abundance of the species within the city,” according to the study. “Mule deer will still be plentiful in many … parts of the city.”
Yup, that’s some effect alright. Call me a heartless, unthoughtful bastard, but when I’m king for a day, I don’t spend money analyzing the impact to a cities environment if I were thinking of removing a mere 7% of a burgeoning deer population whose species is in no danger of expiring and pat myself on the back for being so diligent reviewing a useless “pilot program”. No, as king I just keep shooting until the cute fuzzy things don’t come back and I fill the freezers of some hungry people along the way. There you go Helena, two problems solved at once, you may now kiss the ring my *ss.
I grew up in the mountains, so moving down here outside of Helena is a sort of homecoming. I am having to remember a few things, though, especially as it relates to my latest project, which requires some decent holes in the ground. Up in Conrad, one could safely put a hole just about anywhere one desired, and a spud bar really wasn’t needed (as long as you were digging in the spring). That farm ground provided some good diggin’. Down here, on the other hand, even a post hole digger and a spud bar just don’t cut it. What one really needs are some blasting caps. Unfortunately for me, I don’t have the proper documentation to operate such things, so I have to make due with the spud bar and aching muscles. The holes are finally done, though, and I have gained several attractive boulders for landscaping in the process. No wonder guys like to blow things up.
