I don't know the shop

But I do know the area it's located. It's NOT a low class, low quality area.

So why do they put the advert on craigslist as:
Necesito ayudante mecanico/mecanic helper needed
Yeah, I had a once reputable shop in Castroville try to sell me a complete engine rebuild because the parts changer (who only spoke Mexican) checked my oil level instead of trying to figure out how to run the diagnostic machine like I payed for. This was MORENOS AUTO REPAIR in Castroville, Tx.

I went in there for the B-4000 that was using a quart of oil a week- to find which sensor was bad and to have it bypassed (so the computer would mellow out). The Mech and the counter guy pretty much told me that if I didn't have the engine rebuilt or replaced (they just happened to have one in stock) that my truck would catch on fire, seize the rear end up and cause a fiery wreck into a Catholic preschool.
I told them 'thank you for your concern, but I only came in to see if you could bypass a sensor."
I ended up paying $40 for a non-English speaking parts changer to look at a dipstick.

I won't be wasting my time going to a shop that I *know* pays so bad that they need to advertise in ,,,another language.

Guess where we're going today!

I'm so exited!

This is Karens first one, I hope it's not too crowded.

Maybe I'll take pictures.



UPDATE-2:30PM
What a waste of an hour drive. There were about 15 or so vendors, most of who (whome?) were selling 'well used' and common guns for the price of new. Sorry, I'm not spending $550 on a pitted-up .38 police special or $800 on a .32 Marlin lever action. They had a Schmeisser broomhandle there for only $2500.

Karen did see her first Javelina on the asement on the way to Pleasantville, which was the highlight of the ride. She decided she could shoot a pig, but would still have problems with a deer. Cool, pigs are free here and nice lean meat. "Hunny, we're getting low on ham, wanna go shoot us one?"

I don't know how fast some drive, but it would probably take me over an hour to get from pleasanton to Port Lavaca if someone wanted us to drop-in.

The reality of the illusion

I have the TV on for background noise.
It's Reality TV and they have the 'mystery magician' on... you know showing how those magic tricks are really done.

They say he has to be completely camoflaged or the the other magicians would put out a hit on him... or something. Ok, I guess, sure, whatever you say.

But why aren't his assistant babes discuised, too? Wouldn't the magicians know who they are and who they work for? Just curious.

Are you part of the tribe yet?

I see that Boyd is, with two of his leetle friends.

Some Liberal columnist wrote a wonderfully enlightend piece (as you can imagine) about "The people of the gun". Jeff at alphecca has a picture site up for the tribe.
To become a member of the tribe, simply e-mail him a picture of yourself (medium size since he's on dial-up) with your name and blog, if you have one.

And, no I haven't got one up there yet. The camera's batteries are dead, and pictures just don't seem to work for me (neither do mirrors), but I'll let you know when I put one up.
In the meantime you can see my hands in this old school You-tube video, or this...
pre-school vid.




OK, gotta go,,,Torchwood is on--and the 21st century is when it all changes

FLASH...

aAAAA HHHHhhhhaaaa!!!!

Does anyone watch it?
I watched it in the 80's at the E.M. club because it was the only thing on. (Yes kiddies,,,way back in the dark ages of the '80s they were only just getting basic cable on base.)

It was campy and corny, and they had fun. I din't really like it then, and I haven't had the most modern version on the tv after the final aHHhhh yet. Don't plan on having it either. Some things were just made to be .....unmodernized.

Dick Tracy was the same way...

(Stargate) Atlantis has the benefit of hot main leads,,,and a watchable plot.

Two important things happened on this same day

Fifty years ago.
I'm not sure which is more important, what the Russians did or what the Beaver did.

Sure Sputnik spurred us on to the stars (and a soundstage in Hollywood....some say)

But the Beave grew up with us.



Now, isn't that better than this?

Can you believe this?

It looks like the AP isn't content to run photoshopped pics from the Mid-eas;t they have to photoshop O.J.'s head onto another body.
Really, Juice's head isn't even big enough to cover the the real perps noggin (look at the back skull) in addition to the visor shadow not belonging where it is.


The Associated Press "We Photoshop because we can."

A comment on Xerox

Go here, and drop her a note in her comments.

The government is in charge of your kid's education right now

World War II took place in 19-something, when Theodore Roosevelt was president and the Germans claimed to be the best race.

Hoping to aid Third World countries, the United States joined the war to stop racism and end the dispute over Jews.

The head of the Nazis was a killer named Hitler whose evil partner, Mussolini, was president of the USSR. Ultimately, the war ended with the bombing of Iwo Jima and Hitler's suicide. Then a treaty was signed. Not every 11th-grader who answered a Chronicle questionnaire at San Francisco's Burton High School responded with such a fractured version of history. Eight of the 34 students said correctly that "Roosevelt" or "FDR" was president during most of the war, apparently remembering the subject they had studied as sophomores last spring. Most knew about the attempted genocide of the Jews, all but three recognized Hitler, and eight placed the war in the 1940s.

Are you sure you want to let them be in charge of your healthcare, too?

At least the notes don't say "Bad wolf"

But then again, maybe in *this* reality it's different....

If you plan on being in London over the fall

Anubis beckons you to the King Tut exhibit.

So,,,, in the somber tone this calls for I give you this ode to the boy king:

NOW they tell me

Ok, so this is why cats dig me. I'm not a cat lover, so I don't go fawning over them. I guess next time, I'll treat them like a dog and not have to deal with them again.

~~Edited because I went to my worksite from here~~

Speaking of money for nothing, does anyone know about Texas workers comp laws?
I had a step come apart at my last job that did something to my rotator cuff on my right shoulder. I went to the Dr. and had MRI's done, but nothing showed up...except for the cracking/grinding. The company took me off driving and put me in the yard (at 10/hr) until I signed a release. Nothing was done- including PT because I needed the driving pay, and they were self insured.
Now my shoulder is getting worse, and I don't care if they have to sell one of their brand new trucks to get me fixed. I'm starting to think about one of those phonebook cover lawyers....

I missed it

Yesterday was Gene Autry's birthday.

At first I was going to make a cell phone comment

But after watching the video, I think I'll be making a comment about a 'steam' roller not being able to steer itself like the operators burro used to.


Yesterday when he was in Mexico.

If you don't know what I mean, look at the picture/vid then look at the yellow line.
There was also no signs of roadwork that I could see.
I wouldn't expect to see a roller coming at me on the wrong side of the road at night, either.

Liberal nannyism

You notice I didn't say anything about Dems only. That's because the Republicans are just as bad in advancing government health care with their vote (an unimpeachable vote) to authorize the NEW AND IMPROVED version of SHIP.
The one that calls 25 year olds 'children' and those making 200% of the poverty line...'needy'.
After the huge boondoggle of his complicated and over priced prescription drug plan, I don't know why Bush would have a problem signing that new advance on government intrusion.

I have a problem with that. I believe and was brought up to believe in and expect personal responsibility from others. You screwed-up, take your lumps and learn from it. Chit happens, it's not always "someone Else's" fault. These Libs in charge of government education have so brainwashed the kids (and got a good start on their parents) that somehow AMERICANS feel the need for government to take care of them.

We used to be independent and self reliant. When Karen first got here, she was kinda surprised that people didn't run to the nearest gov't agencies for help for everything. I tried to explain the different mindset between us (the U.S.) and Europe ("But we're ENGLISH, not part of Europe" "Sorry hun, but that's across the water, you're Europe just like all Americans are Yanks to you.")

This is basically what I told her---Kurts condensed history 50.5

Since the Romans took over and got run out, you've had some kind of centralized government that took care of laws and infrastructure.
America is a young country, and 200 years ago this land we're standing on now (Maxwell, Tx) was wild. It only saw white men when they travelled the Camino Real from one mission to the next. The main government then was in Mexico City- and they didn't care what happened here as long as they got the gold.
150 years ago the farthest west that was still semi civilized was on the east side of the Mississippi river. It wasn't until after the Civil War that the railroad was built across America- THAT only happened about 130 years ago.
Up until almost the 1900's, anyhting that needed to be done- roads built, rivers crossed, dams built, courts and laws enforced- were taken care of by the citizens in their community. We never relied on D.C. to really "DO" anything for us.

That's why Americans are (ok- were) a different breed- we grew up depending on ourselves and neighbors, not government. Mexico had the European centralized government mindset (you can see how well that's working here), and Canada is....French.
It's too bed that we're getting so...'civilized' now.


Ya know, I originally started this post about Fred Thompson being called 'lazy', and was going to say that we need more 'lazy' people up in Washington.

Did you know there are other things happening in the world

Besides the 24 month run-up to the November '08 presidential election?
There's Libs giving tough love to their idol over at Columbia University.

The French elected a pro-American president.
The Mexican governmnet is complaining that we're forcing their best and brightest to sneak across the border.

The border is still wide open- both nort and south.

AND...over in Britain- the Queens own are throwing rude gestures in front og the commoners. Even though I live with them, somehow I just keep expecting them to be,,,"more", you know?

It took the GAO to discover this?

H*ll, illiterate third world immigrants have know about this forever.
That's what the uproar was about during the amnesty plan.

It seems that our boarders are "porous" and able to be crossed without any questions, if you don't cross at checkpoints.

Gee,,,you could even bring in nukes without being caught.

And tomorrow there will be a schedulled outburst of outrage coming from D.C. because, you know people can sneak in.

Amadinijad at Columbia

And the 'slapdown' he got.

"Like getting scolded by Fraizer."







Stolen from MVRC

Christ on a crutch

I'm paying over $75/month for this satellite broadband and I'm really getting tired of the dial-up speed I'm getting more and more.

You'd think that if a company wanted to make money by supplying satellite broadband, they'd put a down link somewhere besides a city sitting right next to a third world country who's citizens jobs depend on who they know-not WHAT they know.

But then you wouldn't be a PC company called wildblue who'd rather show their love of diversity than actually expecting people to KNOW what they're doing.

I have to wait until Feb to drop the overpriced middle tier of service and a drop of $25 for a-little-better-than dial-up service. Especially when it's cloudy out.

So, I guess these are the same people who's jobs the illegals have?

There's an appartment complex in San Antonio that has a dress code (more or less) for their tenants. One of the clauses is not having inappropriate tats or piercings.

WOAI did a newsbuster thing about it.

I'm just wondering if they're the same ones crying about not being able to get good jobs because of what they choose to do to their bodies? You know, the ones with tats and implants and piercings that feel the need to protest because life's "not fair!"

If you want to do that to your body, it's up to you. Don't force me embrace you with open arms while you have a nose thing while serving my food. I know how that got there, and you probably didn't wash your hands. Sure, you can claim "Freedom of expression", but that never meant that there wouldn't be repercussions from what you chose to express.

And as long as we're on the subject of tats and what you're telling other people about yourself...
GIRLS...those goal posts on your back that announces to anyone who looks that "I'm a sloooot, and like it up the out canal" is going to bite you when you get knocked-up and want an epidural- since they won't give you one.......because of the ink.

THAT was the fake bomb ?

I finally found a picture if the "fake-but-accurate" bomb that threw the entire Boston Logan airport into a lock-down tizzy fit.

It's almost as scary as the "other" bomb threat they went through about 3 months ago,,, I think that had LEDs and batteries, too.

Ok, I'd be inclined to let her off, except that I have one question about the pictures I've seen of her.... is that her real hair, or a fright wig?

Ohhh, and if you haven't seen it yet, it was one of those Radio Shack do-it-yourself circuit boards and a 9v battery to light up the "star"-duh- on the board and *no* tape was used in the production of said "bomb".

My only post on the MoveOn ad

The Senate had a vote to condemn that "Betray us" ad this week.

I notice that Obama couldn't muster the cajonies to vote one way or the other.
How are we to believe he can make the hard choices? To stare down an enemy?

We all *know* Hillary has it in her to destroy someone she thinks is in her way, and to smile while doing it.

On this day in history

Two years ago hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana.

Not that you'll hear much about it from those who were all in N'awlins complaining that Bush hadn't fixed everything a week after Katrina hit.

You also won't hear much because most of the residents of ~well everywhere but N'awlins~ had the sense to evacuate, AND the municipal officials actually had buses RUNNING for those that didn't have transport. Sure, the plan had problems. At least it was implemented and things were learned for next time it needs to be used. At least it wasn't sitting under Chocolate-boys desk, replacing a broken leg. . . while he was throwing a hurricane party up in Baton Rouge.

So, does that mean our food bills will be falling anytime soon?

Corn-derived renewable energy sources create more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, according to a study from an international team of scientists reported in the London Times.

Research findings published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics calculate that corn and rapeseed biodiesels produce up to 70 percent and 50 percent more greenhouse gases respectively than fossil fuels.

Read about the eye-opening fuel alternative study in London Times report.

The study focues on nitrous oxide, which is 296 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Scientists found that the use of biofuels released twice as much as nitrous oxide as previously realised.

The research was performed by scientists from the U.S. Britain, and Germany and it included Professor Paul Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning ozone scholar.

Corn-based ethanol is the leading biofuel alternative in the US while rapeseed is used in 80 percent of biofuels created in Europe.

Because, ya know, the Federal mandate about the E-85 was all about the environment.
It had absolutely nothing to do with "Big Ag" getting unrealistic profits from your tax money or anything like that, did it?

In honor of Brits' sleepwalk through the grammies

or whatever they were, here's the Friday Not blonde blonds.....

Blondie


Madonna


Gwen

Sorry, but I can't handle sraigh Gwen...

Christina (the original vid here)

Ok, she probably is a real blonde...gimmme a break, I like this song.


And the not-so-fit...
Mamma Cass


Ella Fitzgerald


And we can't forget the cause of her stellar preformance, can we?

-----AND a bonus question.
What do all these featured entertainers have in common, that sets them apart from our favorite pop tart?

It must be a black thing

To gather thousands of people to protest for 6 guys who attacked ONE other guy and sent him to the hospital in a coma.

See these 6 guys just happen to be black, and one of them has already been well known the the local law enforcement agencys. They beat the cr@p out of a white guy and got thrown in jail......about six months ago.
The whole thing started with three other white guys hanging some nooses over a tree limb near the High school.
The six-on-one attack took place in an entirely different location at an entirely different time......with an entirely unrelated white guy.

Anyway, not one to miss a way to bring racial turmoil to the cameras (and probably some compensation ~ahem~), Jesse and the rest are down in Jena, La. protesting the boys being in jail, and going in front of the Judge.

Because it's, like racist to hold someone accountable for their actions if they happen to be black. Colored. Africa-American. Not white , or whatever.

Now, there's a party I could look at more closely

Unless, of course they look like the Democratic leadership.

Kinda catchy- in a bubblegum way

I know the 'Obama girl' but not the rest.
Enjoy the,,,calasthentics

Ohh,,,,it's a salute to the troops!

Good job girls!

THAT didn't take long, did it?

No, I'm not talking about Juice putting another one over on the legal system.

The Libs in Congress are ressurecting the Amnesty bill under the *sigh* benevolent DREAM ACT which is ostensibly to help 'immigrants' access their higher education.

This is nothing more than a back door way to force the amnesty bill on America. It's oddly enough, sponsered by Democrats who are so compassionate that they want to force you to pay the freight on the illegal community, and now they want to force you and your kids to take a back seat in college to the litters of third world lawbreakers.

Because, you know, they *care*.

Give your Congresscritter another shout, and remind them that YOU can vote and that you don't want to reward lawbreakers.

You know the old Bible story about the sins of the fathers don't you?

Every time I hear about the "subprime" motgages

and the crisis that the lenders (who really should have known better) caused themselves...
I just have to wonder *why* we don't hear who the people are that can't pay?
I mean are they trailer trash that decided to move up?
Blacks out of the ghetto?
Asians?

It couldn't be that all these big banks and lending companies were pawning off loans to people who couldn't actually...PROVE who they were, could it?
You know, the people taking on more debt than their @ss could stand- even IF the rate didn't go up. The people who take out the overpriced loans that Americans won't?

NAAAhhh, we're always told how honest (except for the illegal entry and identity theft) and hardworking the illegals are, something for the rest of us Americans to emulate.