tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71921216517322496952024-03-07T19:04:16.114-06:00busplungeBusplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.comBlogger2587125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-86268625434983335342013-09-29T11:34:00.003-05:002013-09-29T11:35:06.809-05:00John David Lee --- 09/29/1959 <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOhm1vtBHbDCPcMnAeYMObDel4zrDGA-BQbC1jJfJYw2GyLaN5R5lClxdWPb9JmysOvo_VCr41FKxYBFzS0DgFnE-mUDBlPp9Th1jHpWZD6CfRbkr21FxrLBMpbbJ3SLTrsSNA-QvMkk/s1600/scan0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOhm1vtBHbDCPcMnAeYMObDel4zrDGA-BQbC1jJfJYw2GyLaN5R5lClxdWPb9JmysOvo_VCr41FKxYBFzS0DgFnE-mUDBlPp9Th1jHpWZD6CfRbkr21FxrLBMpbbJ3SLTrsSNA-QvMkk/s400/scan0025.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday JOHN DAVID LEE!</td></tr>
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-69769375483949194392013-03-16T15:00:00.001-05:002013-03-16T15:00:51.088-05:00Why we weren't in the St. Patrick's Day Parade this year.The <a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/" target="_blank">bus</a> went to Texas<br />
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-30168380128901725832013-02-25T20:50:00.004-06:002013-02-25T20:56:00.815-06:00Wal-Mart passes city council, 5 - 4This evening Springfield City Council, on a 5 - 4 vote, approved the re-zoning of the church property at 444 West Grand, between Campbell and Grant, to permit the construction of a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market.<br />
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Councilman Rush, Mayor Stephens, Councilwoman Fisk, Councilman Compton and the little guy who works for the Chamber of Commerce in his day job Siegfried, all voted in Wal-Mart's favor.<br />
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When I got home this evening from the City Council meeting, this was in my email box:<br />
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<a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/after-ruining-america-era-giant-chain-stores-over?akid=10104.1124359.iN6jOS&rd=1&src=newsletter799811&t=7">"After Ruining America, the Era of Giant Chain Stores Is Over"</a> by James Howard Kunsler.<br />
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The coming implosion of big box retail implies tremendous opportunities for young people to make a livelihood in the imperative rebuilding of local economies.
February 24, 2013<br />
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Global currency wars (competitive devaluations) are about to destroy trade relationships. Say goodbye to the 12,000 mile supply chain from Guangzhou to Hackensack. Say goodbye to the growth financing model in which it becomes necessary to open dozens of new stores every year to keep the credit revolving.
Then there is the matter of the American customers themselves. The WalMart shoppers are exactly the demographic that is getting squashed in the contraction of this phony-baloney corporate buccaneer parasite revolving credit crony capital economy.<br />
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Unlike the Federal Reserve, WalMart shoppers can't print their own money, and they can't bundle their MasterCard and Visa debts into CDOs to be fobbed off on Scandinavian pension funds for quick profits.<br />
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They have only one real choice: buy less stuff, especially the stuff of leisure, comfort, and convenience.
The potential for all sorts of economic hardship is obvious in this burgeoning dynamic. But the coming implosion of big box retail implies tremendous opportunities for young people to make a livelihood in the imperative rebuilding of local economies.<br />
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Back in the day when big box retail started to explode upon the American landscape like a raging economic scrofula, I attended many a town planning board meeting where the pro and con factions faced off over the permitting hurdle.
The meetings were often raucous and wrathful and almost all the time the pro forces won — for the excellent reason that they were funded and organized by the chain stores themselves (in an early demonstration of the new axioms that money-is-speech and corporations are people, too!).<br />
<br />
The chain stores won not only because they flung money around — sometimes directly into the wallets of public officials — but because a sizeable chunk of every local population longed for the dazzling new mode of commerce. "We Want Bargain Shopping" was their rallying cry.<br />
<br />
The unintended consequence of their victories through the 1970s and beyond was the total destruction of local economic networks, that is, Main Streets and downtowns, in effect destroying many of their own livelihoods. Wasn't that a bargain, though?
Despite the obvious damage now visible in the entropic desolation of every American home town,<br />
<br />
WalMart managed to install itself in the pantheon of American Dream icons, along with apple pie, motherhood, and Coca Cola. In most of the country there is no other place to buy goods (and no other place to get a paycheck, scant and demeaning as it may be). America made itself hostage to bargain shopping and then committed suicide.<br />
<br />
Here we find another axiom of human affairs at work: People get what they deserve, not what they expect. Life is tragic.
The older generations responsible for all that may be done for, but the momentum has now turned in the opposite direction. Though the public hasn't groked it yet,<br />
<br />
WalMart and its kindred malignant organisms have entered their own yeast-overgrowth death spiral. In a now permanently contracting economy the big box model fails spectacularly. Every element of economic reality is now poised to squash them.<br />
<br />
Diesel fuel prices are heading well north of $4 again. If they push toward $5 this year you can say goodbye to the "warehouse on wheels" distribution method. (The truckers, who are mostly independent contractors, can say hello to the re-po men come to take possession of their mortgaged rigs.)<br />
<br />
At this stage it is probably discouraging for them, because all their life programming has conditioned them to be hostages of giant corporations and so to feel helpless. In a town like the old factory village I live in (population 2500) few of the few remaining young adults might venture to open a retail operation in one of the dozen-odd vacant storefronts on Main Street.<br />
<br />
The presence of K-Mart, Tractor Supply, and Radio Shack a quarter mile west in the strip mall would seem to mock their dim inklings that something is in the wind. But K-Mart will close over 200 boxes this year, and Radio Shack is committed to shutter around 500 stores. They could be gone in this town well before Santa Claus starts checking his lists. If they go down, opportunities will blossom. There will be no new chain store brands to replace the dying ones. That phase of our history is over.
What we're on the brink of is scale implosion. Everything gigantic in American life is about to get smaller or die.<br />
<br />
Everything that we do to support economic activities at gigantic scale is going to hamper our journey into the new reality. The campaign to sustain the unsustainable, which is the official policy of US leadership, will only produce deeper whirls of entropy.
I hope young people recognize this and can marshal their enthusiasm to get to work. It's already happening in the local farming scene; now it needs to happen in a commercial economy that will support local agriculture.
The additional tragedy of the big box saga is that it scuttled social roles and social relations in every American community.<br />
<br />
On top of the insult of destroying the geographic places we call home, the chain stores also destroyed people's place in the order of daily life, including the duties, responsibilities, obligations, and ceremonies that prompt citizens to care for each other.<br />
<br />
We can get that all back, but it won't be a bargain.
© 2013 James Howard Kunstler
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-29890894401280583072013-02-20T12:21:00.000-06:002013-02-20T12:21:45.893-06:00Good Bye Old Friend<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/aa_snowy_tuesday_0011-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-122123"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122123" alt="aa_snowy_Tuesday_001[1]" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/aa_snowy_Tuesday_0011.jpg" width="550" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>This olelongrooffan has previously shared some of the vehicles my family and I have owned over the years. But one of the most beloved vehicles was the one my older brother, Bus-Plunge, owned for over twenty years. I am, of course referring to the short bus that has played an important role in not just Bus-Plunge's life but his kids, grandkids, family members and friend's lives as well.</p>
<p>Should any of my fellow Hoons be so inclined to make the jump, please accept this olelongrooffan's apologies for the wonkiness of the size of some of the old school photos. They are over a 1/4 century old by this point. Thanks.</p>
<p><a name='more'></a></p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/dadmombus/" rel="attachment wp-att-122155"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122155" alt="dadmombus" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/dadmombus-700x473.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Every year at Christmas time, Bus-Plunge, on the far right standing behind my Mom, would gather up whoever wanted to go for a ride and tour around the Queen City of the Ozarks and check out all the Christmas lights and decorations. In the image above, that is my Dad, TheGentlemanFarmer on the far left, Bus-Plunge's PrvtRN is in the white slacks and Mom is on the far right. The dude with the pipe is the neighbor who went with Bus-Plunge to Colorado to retrieve that old Willy's thejeepjunkie got running while this olelongrooffan was on my epic road trip.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/airstreamontheroad/" rel="attachment wp-att-122124"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122124" alt="airstreamontheroad" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/airstreamontheroad.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Now that shorty bus is not the only <del>oddball</del> unique vehicle that has ever resided in Bus-Plunge's driveway. He has this cool ass old Airstream that he and lovely wife put to great use. He currently has a later model Suburban to haul it around though. Last summer they had a great road trip through Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and southern Missouri and this olelongrooffan would have loved to been along on that sightseeing trip.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/carnystepvan/" rel="attachment wp-att-122126"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122126" alt="carnystepvan" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/carnystepvan.jpg" width="480" height="324" /></a></p>
<p>Back when the Bus-Plunge made a living owning several "joints" in the carnival industry these are the trucks he and his Hooned up and down the highway in up there in the great state of Iowa.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/1ton/" rel="attachment wp-att-122127"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122127" alt="1ton" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/1ton.jpg" width="400" height="305" /></a></p>
<p>One summer this olelongrooffan worked for them and drove this C-30 box truck towing a 24' enclosed trailer. Yeah, I was all of sixteen years old that eventful summer and still remember it like it was yesterday. Fun, but loads of windshield time.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/bobtail/" rel="attachment wp-att-122130"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122130" alt="bobtail" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/bobtail.jpg" width="387" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>Meanwhile, Bus-Plunge piloted this bobtail towing a 32' skeeball enclosed trailer while his PrvtRN drove his big ass blue one ton towing their huge house trailer. Yeah that summer was fun but after the kids started school, they decided to liquidate their stuff and live a more conventional lifestyle.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/cushman_2-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-122128"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122128" alt="cushman_2" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/cushman_2.jpg" width="640" height="480" /></a></p>
<p>Conventional, that is, if you consider owning one of these three wheeled Cushman's as conventional. Which of course Bus-Plunge does.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jimnthing94_edited-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-122131"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122131" alt="jimnthing94_edited" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jimnthing94_edited-700x468.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Soon he decided to get into all things air cooled. The only time this olelongrooffan saw his Volkwagen Thing it was painted white. A few years later I got a copy of this photo and wasn't surprised to see it was painted camo. My fellow Hoons will see why this olelongrooffan wasn't surprised just aways down.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/ganeys-westie-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-122132"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122132" alt="ganeys westie" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ganeys-westie.jpg" width="400" height="266" /></a></p>
<p>Yeah, he got into VDubs in a huge way. Not seen in this photo are the other two Buses he owned along with a handful of Type I Bugs. That boy in this photo? His name is LilJim. He is now pushing 40, has a burgeoning family and Hoons around in a M880. These days this olelongrooffan refers to him as NotSoLilJim. Yeah, as far as vehicles go, like father like son.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/ganeys-porsche-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-122133"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122133" alt="ganeys porsche" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ganeys-porsche1.jpg" width="400" height="268" /></a></p>
<p>A little later Bus-Plunge picked up this cherry Porsche 911 to Hoon around with his lovely wife. He sold this when NotSoLilJim turned 16 and has never regretted that decision.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/campingambulance/" rel="attachment wp-att-122125"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122125" alt="campingambulance" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/campingambulance.jpg" width="400" height="261" /></a></p>
<p>And Bus-Plunge doesn't do things in a minor, tepid way. No Siree. He jumps in with both feet. After he tired of adjusted valves on a daily basis on his air-cooled livery, he unloaded all of them and picked up more than a few military vehicles. To his credit, they were put to use.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jims-army-jeep/" rel="attachment wp-att-122149"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122149" alt="jims army jeep" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jims-army-jeep-700x532.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Yeah, a big way. Not just late model ambulances but this jeepy thing as well. And that trailer out back, damn straight Bus-Plunge had to have one even if he had to drive several hours there and back to get it.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jims-earlier-model-ambo/" rel="attachment wp-att-122150"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122150" alt="jims earlier model ambo" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jims-earlier-model-ambo-700x589.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>And, of course, for Bus-Plunge, one ambulance is not enough, let's get another.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jims-5-ton-gmc/" rel="attachment wp-att-122152"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122152" alt="jims 5 ton gmc" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jims-5-ton-gmc-700x463.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Well, after his lovely wife denied him the authority to purchase an old car transporter truck and trailer to haul his cache of military vehicles around he decided to liquidate yet another collection of cool trucks and pick up this Stovebolt 5 ton to match his shorty bus.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/bus-n-burb/" rel="attachment wp-att-122135"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122135" alt="bus n burb" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/bus-n-burb-700x525.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Yes, back to the bus. A year or so ago, Bus-Plunge was contacted by an advertising agency about the possibility of using the short bus in a McDonald's commercial up in Chicago. He kept putting them off and they kept raising his compensation until finally Bus-Plunge gave in and loaded that shorty bus on thehorsefarmer's trailer and put his grandsons in his newish Burban and headed off to Chicago for that filming.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jimmcd-com/" rel="attachment wp-att-122136"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122136" alt="jimmcd com;" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jimmcd-com-700x525.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>They even got Bus-Plunge a uniform to wear while driving that bus. The commercial was destined for broadcast over in jolly old England so Rust-My-Enemy, keep your eye out for it.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/busnjim/" rel="attachment wp-att-122137"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122137" alt="busnjim" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/busnjim-700x549.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Well, as Bus-Plunge ages, he, like many do, has decided to liquidate a bunch of his stuff. And as the short bus was driven less than 100 miles last year and less than 125 miles the previous year, he decided to put it up on the List that is Craigs and see what he could get for it. I did a little Hemmings type research and mentioned to Bus-Plunge the value of that bus. He was quite surprised as he was thinking it was worth less than half the amount this olelongrooffan expressed.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/loadingbus/" rel="attachment wp-att-122139"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122139" alt="loadingbus" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/loadingbus-700x402.jpg" width="550" height="402" /></a></p>
<p>Well, it turns out that a grandfather down Texas way was on the lookout for a bus just like this to tote his grandkids to school, Hoon around bar hopping with a bunch of friends, use it in parades and general stuff like that. Which is exactly the same use for it Bus-Plunge had over the years. Hell, sixteen of us rode in it to my Mom's funeral a whiles back. She loved the bus by the way.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/bus1-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-122140"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122140" alt="bus1" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/bus1-700x292.jpg" width="550" height="292" /></a></p>
<p>Well, Bus-Plunge and that grandpa struck a deal and on Saturday morning one of the truck drivers who works for grandpa showed up to pick up that short bus and take it to its new home. That is NotSoLilJim in the yellow jacket.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/busontrailer/" rel="attachment wp-att-122141"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122141" alt="busontrailer" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/busontrailer-700x525.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>All loaded up and off to make some grandkids very happy and provide a ton of memories for a whole damn bunch of other folks.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/goodbye/" rel="attachment wp-att-122142"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-122142" alt="goodbye" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/goodbye-700x462.jpg" width="550" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>A final handshake as Bus-Plunge and the driver exchange goodbyes and the short bus rode off into the distance.</p>
<p><a href="http://hooniverse.com/2013/02/10/weekend-edition-goodbye-old-friend/jimnbus/" rel="attachment wp-att-122122"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-122122" alt="jimnbus" src="http://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/jimnbus.jpg" width="400" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>And as Bus-Plunge put it, "We had a blast with it over the past twenty years but it was now time to turn it loose and let someone else have fun with it."</p>
<p>If any of my fellow Hoons are interested, a video about this bus and few other novelties Bus-Plunge owns <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18-kS5GEcKc" target="_blank">can be seen here</a>.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, that 1954 shorty school bus sold for $16,000.00. Yeah, Bus-Plunge was surprised as hell about that. </p>
<p>This olelongrooffan calls that "Well Sold."</p>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-8637699624668976212013-02-07T11:11:00.002-06:002013-02-07T11:11:49.731-06:00More Obfuscation from Billy Long<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In addition to signing the Koch Brothers' Americans for Prosperity bus while it was in Springfield on a campaign tour (pictured above), Billy Long has signed a lot of things that take some explaining...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-faIrIFDg1o8H-WBv1OepKQ2FMwy_fnGjb2Jg4kKQWPMTHSlb_jMIDx3yjsukS7XKgIqO4DNpOIfiy6VpeM4aAffldlW4VuORvisEuocTMF3VQRaPxJMAyXNoPpe-Jn-TLIBbkK88Eo/s1600/billylong.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
“For the last two years I’ve pressed the United States Postal Service
for real numbers on cost-saving options,” said U.S. Rep. Billy Long,
R-Springfield. “Dropping Saturday delivery was one of the first
questions I asked about and was surprised to see how little they would
save by ending Saturday delivery.”.<br /> <br /> PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Is
there anyone on staff with the SN-L who has institutional knowledge of
Springfield, Greene County, SW MO and MO7?<br /> <br /> Remember when <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100001110901059&extragetparams=%7B%22group_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/dstoefflernl?group_id=0" target="_blank">David Stoeffler News-Leader</a> wrote a couple of weeks ago that the SN-L would be watching out for us and even unveiled a little 'watchdog' journalism logo? <br /> <br />
What happened David?, did you miss the boat on this? Or perhaps,
because it was not originial content to the News-Leader you decided it
wasn't news worthy?<br /> <br /> To allow Billy Long to make a statement like above with <span class="text_exposed_show">no follow up questions is a pretty poor example of watch dog journalism.<br /> <br />
Do you remember when Long added -- not signed, not read, not typed but
WROTE in his own handwriting in response to the following statement:<br /> <br />
"Privatization: I will support legislation aimed at protecting
taxpayers by privatizing government sponsored corporations and
enterprises such as THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, the housing
government -sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the
Tennessee Valley Authority."<br /> <br /> Long hand wrote the following in the comment section under that statement:<br />
"Entities like the USPS Fannie and Freddie are proven economic failures
that operate at losses constantly. Service and profitability would be
enhanced by privatization."<br /> <br /> Long's crocodile tears and snake
charmer words reek of insincerity, pandering and signify that his
allegiance and votes are NOT to workers and constituents of MO---<br /> <br />
Long has not given constituents any explanation of his statements or
votes regarding this issue. As a matter of fact, he has not allowed
critical constituents to question his votes, actions or statements on
any issue. Why he turned into the FBI and Sheriff Arnott the names of
people who dared to question his positions.<br /> <br /> ah jeez.<br /> <br /> Jim Lee<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/01/you-can-catch-more-flies-with-honey.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>bus-plunge.blogspot.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>2012/01/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>you-can-catch-more-flies-wi</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>th-honey.html</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbus-plunge.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F01%2Fvar-gaq-gaq-gaq.html&h=dAQG4WVbs&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>bus-plunge.blogspot.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>2012/01/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>var-gaq-gaq-gaq.html</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/04/billy-long-straddles-fence-on.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>bus-plunge.blogspot.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>2012/04/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>billy-long-straddles-fence-</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>on.html</a></span><br />
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-57883035475011136862012-12-23T19:40:00.001-06:002012-12-23T19:41:21.412-06:00Billy Long goes on a dietWhere's Billy?<br />
He's on the television shilling for a diet plan.<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
Ah jeez.<br />
<br />
On CBS evening news this evening: <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S-AG8HZ1LUY" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Why's he's even got an "<a href="http://www.menshealth.com/video/8-hour-diet-congressman-billy-long#/video/all" target="_blank">infomercial</a>"<br />
<br />
But wait, there's more!<br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/2012/12/congressman-billy-long-can-barely-get.html">Congressman Billy Long Can Barely Get Out of His Chair and Walk Across the Capitol</a></span></h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Leave it to Billy Long to show the worst side of the Ozarks once again.
When it comes to politics, Congressman Long is nowhere to be found. We
in Missouri are a bunch of fat-assed, fried food eating, red necks...<br />
<br />
When asked to come on the Eric Farris and the Super Dave radio shows to
discuss how John Boehner purged conservatives from leadership roles,
Billy Long was AWOL.<br />
<br />
When the News-Leader asked Billy Long about gun control after Sandy
Hook, Billy Long gave an answer that left me puzzled as to how committed
he is to the Second Amendment, and the answer was provided by a staffer
of course.<br />
<br />
<i>A spokesman for Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, declined to make the
congressman available for an interview. And he would not say whether
Long could support a proposal to prohibit some automatic weapons or
high-capacity ammunition clips.</i><br />
<br />
However, Southwest Missouri constituents can go to bed at night
reassured their Congressman is on a needed diet. Weighing in at 320
pounds, Billy Long could barely get out of his office chair, let alone
walk down the halls of the US Capitol. We now know why Congressman Long
has been dodging interviews and questions. He's walking 90 minutes a
week to get healthy--90 minutes. No time for Eric Farris or Dave Day to
discuss the conservative purges in Congress as Long auctions down the
pounds.<br />
<br />
I guess Billy Long doesn't want to expire too soon after that
Congressional pension kicks in. He's looking to feed off the American
taxpayer for a very long time.<br />
<br />
Geez, these people make Southwest Missouri look like a bunch of white
trash idiots. Did you catch Gordon Kinne? "Why Billy just loves a good
steak!" Yeah, who doesn't except for those folks at PETA.<br />
<br />
Remember, it's the day before the Christmas holiday kicks off. It's Sunday night. It's a slow news day.<br />
<br />
Wishing no ill will on Billy, and hoping he gets down to a healthy
weight and enjoys good health for many years to come, it would just be
nice if this guy faced voters, answered the tough questions, and did
interviews that might actually challenge him since that guy in Joplin
will only throw him softballs. But no, we get another "look at me" story
about Billy Long.<br />
<br />
By the way, anyone notice Billy Long speaking Spanish in the first part of the interview? What's that about?
</blockquote>
Lots of chatter on facebook about this also.<br />
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-43902339605904878202012-11-14T21:35:00.005-06:002012-11-14T21:35:48.562-06:00Secessionists take note.<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div>
Dear Red States:<br /><br />We're ticked off at your Neanderthal attitudes
and politics and we've decided we're leaving.<br /><br />We in Maryland intend to
form our own country and we're taking the other Blue States with us.<br /><br />In
case you aren't aware that includes New York, California, Hawaii, Oregon,
Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and the rest of the
Northeast.<br /><br />We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation and
especially to the people of the new country of The Enlightened States of America
(E.S.A).<br /><br />To sum up briefly:<br />You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave
states.<br />We get stem cell research and the best beaches.</div>
<div>
<br />We get Andrew
Cuomo and Elizabeth Warren. You get Bobby Jindal and Todd Akin.</div>
<div>
<br />We get the
Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand.</div>
<div>
<br />We get* Intel* and Microsoft. You get
WorldCom.</div>
<div>
<br />We get Harvard (*Princeton, Penn, Haverford, Colgate, U of R)*,.
You get Ole' Miss.</div>
<div>
<br />We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and
entrepreneurs.<br />You get Alabama.</div>
<div>
<br />We get two-thirds of the tax revenue. You
get to make the red states pay their fair share.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since our
aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we
get a bunch of happy families.<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With the Blue
States in hand we will have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water,
more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce, 92% of the nation's fresh fruit,
*95% of America's quality wines* (you can serve French wines at state dinners)
90% of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the US low
sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven
Sister schools plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and
MIT.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With the Red
States you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans and their projected
health care costs, 92% of all US mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90%
of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all
televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University
of Georgia.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">38% of those in
the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life
is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that
evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you
crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals than we
lefties.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />We're taking the good weed too. You can have that crap they grow in
Mexico</span></span></div>
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-60311922689026373442012-11-11T11:40:00.001-06:002012-11-11T11:42:58.029-06:00Veteran's Day 2012 --- Salute!<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5748808217554224178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JuHDNSPEIOXF9cpOdwUi-EFjqIy-dXmPXOYCDiTkwvRJqtGeLzaQfdiB3uoLsHG_1_Ir8DItzeGok_4GOW9hO6K9ZEJWvTjCJihHLFRQCulXcHRKUpR7c9NO6omH8JzH7riqrSoyILM/s400/Louis+J.+Klein.jpg" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><a href="http://www.2id.org/25-27-k.htm" target="_blank">Korean War Casualties, 25th Infantry Division, 27th Infantry Regiment</a><br />
<br />
<b>KLEIN LOUIS J</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Rank=</i></span><b>CPL</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Serial Number=</i></span><b>RA37864847</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Branch=</i></span><b>Infantry</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Military Occupation Specialty=</i></span><b>04745</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Year of Birth=</i></span><b>27</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Race=</i></span><b>Caucasian</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> State of Residence=</i></span><b>MO</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>County of Residence=</i></span><b>St Louis City</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Unit=</i></span><b>27th Inf Regt</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Division=</i></span><b>25th Div</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Type of Unit=</i></span><b>Inf Regt</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Place of Casualty=</i></span><b>South Korea</b><span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i>Date of Casualty (yymmdd)=</i></span><b>50 09 02</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Type of Casualty=</i></span><b>DOW</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Detail of Casualty=</i></span><b>SWA/Seriously wounded in action by missile</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Group of Casualty=</i></span><b>DOW or DOI (Far East Command)</b><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i> Evacuation Disposition=</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><i><b>Below is a photo of Louis and his step sister Frances "Schotzie", taken in St. Louis in the late 1940s.</b> </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_9Z_DdWhH-OPE4oOmPgLGl1FezYODwU5iyIC3A0kYRia6Bloj7VUjzifgeIeHlNEVy8KTOGryWbudT307nMn1fpXgF33eQr4_vCStGYNyDjcyF0uPfd91ZjXSA8Y85zDuMO7nsN1bSY/s1600/scan0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_9Z_DdWhH-OPE4oOmPgLGl1FezYODwU5iyIC3A0kYRia6Bloj7VUjzifgeIeHlNEVy8KTOGryWbudT307nMn1fpXgF33eQr4_vCStGYNyDjcyF0uPfd91ZjXSA8Y85zDuMO7nsN1bSY/s400/scan0441.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Below is the letter Schotz received in response to her inquiry as to the events that led to her brother's death.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBC1CFsnK-33xjo2NOUpg4yqt-xzigddYw5hVta1g1Dr7yER2pl9Qwl1oV8DR6Cwp9omJ2OrlwRHL7G2nQVyxBGdegQl5sV21XUu4jhIvI63dzA2Jghs_USsxnlkyvWXulH0u_mL5Xs/s1600/scan0325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBC1CFsnK-33xjo2NOUpg4yqt-xzigddYw5hVta1g1Dr7yER2pl9Qwl1oV8DR6Cwp9omJ2OrlwRHL7G2nQVyxBGdegQl5sV21XUu4jhIvI63dzA2Jghs_USsxnlkyvWXulH0u_mL5Xs/s640/scan0325.jpg" width="481" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><i> </i></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG77ZHG_DC4GhU38KkAAdSrZr7GMO-dBO3KHNYKMOB-Ke1h-jgEoMThXIaMyXm-KR0tnwOQBQHxktY-mtVxHIhueEFlKlb3DY4gupGjBszWSdavK5Xfr2uXiA4dPZnoylk1WqIUEDP8Wm/s1600-h/Frank_Bob_and_Bill_001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402887129188827538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG77ZHG_DC4GhU38KkAAdSrZr7GMO-dBO3KHNYKMOB-Ke1h-jgEoMThXIaMyXm-KR0tnwOQBQHxktY-mtVxHIhueEFlKlb3DY4gupGjBszWSdavK5Xfr2uXiA4dPZnoylk1WqIUEDP8Wm/s400/Frank_Bob_and_Bill_001.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 292px;" width="292" /></a></div>
The photo above is of my Uncle Frank, my Dad and my Uncle Bill. It was taken in St. Louis around 1945. <br />
<br />
LEE, FRANK D <br />
SGT US ARMY <br />
WORLD WAR II, KOREA <br />
DATE OF BIRTH: 05/26/1926 <br />
DATE OF DEATH: 11/15/2000 <br />
BURIED AT: SECTION 1Q SITE 168 <br />
JEFFERSON BARRACKS NATIONAL CEMETERY <br />
2900 SHERIDAN ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63125 <br />
(314) 845-8320 <br />
<br />
LEE, ROBERT G <br />
SGT US ARMY <br />
WORLD WAR II <br />
DATE OF BIRTH: 02/18/1924 <br />
DATE OF DEATH: 10/31/2003 <br />
BURIED AT: SECTION J SITE 392 <br />
SPRINGFIELD NATIONAL CEMETERY <br />
1702 EAST SEMINOLE STREET SPRINGFIELD, MO 65804 <br />
(417) 881-9499 <br />
<br />
<br />
LEE, WALDEN CAMPBELL <br />
LTJG US NAVY <br />
WORLD WAR II <br />
DATE OF BIRTH: 02/15/1921 <br />
DATE OF DEATH: 11/23/1959 <br />
BURIED AT: SECTION D SITE 1147 <br />
JEFFERSON BARRACKS NATIONAL CEMETERY <br />
2900 SHERIDAN ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63125 <br />
(314) 845-8320<br />
<br />
<br />
These three men, my Dad and his two brothers, served gallantly our country in World War II and the Korean Conflict. <br />
<br />
I,
and my brothers and sisters, salute their memory and the memory of all
those who have worn the uniform of our beloved country. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz31Od9Gu_z2HZv2n4ycVK9NYr2C7KC7x5chTZUtyXKg5adh_NFMPyjChHck9O_JvUR4yZWPCuWZ9Ne2Y_2yVbFTQN7Fkaf8_p8LsNy9AL7863X6iU2KOLyaGW-Rrt97HavabgqWzUqEZ/s1600-h/veteran's+day.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267488487178928210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz31Od9Gu_z2HZv2n4ycVK9NYr2C7KC7x5chTZUtyXKg5adh_NFMPyjChHck9O_JvUR4yZWPCuWZ9Ne2Y_2yVbFTQN7Fkaf8_p8LsNy9AL7863X6iU2KOLyaGW-Rrt97HavabgqWzUqEZ/s400/veteran's+day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><a href="http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/vietnam-and-afghanistan-still-waist.html">Soldiers</a> from the 9th Infantry Division transport a <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/airborne_cowboy/vietnamwartimeline.htm">wounded comrade</a> to a <a href="http://warstoriesandveteranshistories.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/new-hero-emerges-from-a-war-of-deceptions/">dustoff site</a>, somewhere in the Mekong Delta, Republic of Vietnam, <a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/2010/02/beyond-deployment/ptsd-timeline/index.shtml">1969</a>. The soldier on the stretcher is my older brother Bob.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2007/11/veterans-day.html">Veteran's Day, November 11, 2007</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0g1gm9ulwi3-cJL710Rqg47neNJpnhPiNvfyNa6rfYoP1gdx-j7f5xEeYEo1YbMQQ44L0eOCxhCAwYHp9SGgE0c4ICgIj9MnOAOy4nbMKCwQ4txVB8AMSUAANl7atiSn8JQsGozkTIAo/s1600-h/IMG_0011.jpg"></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
1. Remove the battery from the battery compartment for 30 seconds and then re-install.<br />
<br />
2.
Press the SET button for a few seconds until the hour starts flashing
in the display. (You may have to push the reset button with a paper clip
first.)<br />
<br />
3. Press the ADJUST button to set the hour. <br />
<br />
4.
Use the SET and ADJUST button to set the rest of the time and date. The
setting sequence is hour-minute-second-month-date-year.<br />
<br />
5. Press the MODE button to exit the setting mode.<br />
<br />
<br />
TIME ZONE SETTING:<br />
<br />
1. Press the MODE button to enter the Alarm Time Mode.<br />
<br />
2. Press the SET button to change the time zone.<br />
<br />
3. Press the MODE button to exit.<br />
<br />
<br />
If I help just one person set their atomic clock then my life will truly be a purpose-driven life.Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-13160785882678552652012-10-31T13:51:00.003-05:002012-10-31T13:56:20.762-05:00Bob Lee, February 18, 1924 - October 31, 2003<script type="text/javascript">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Bob Lee in Chancery Office, Landers Building, Springfield, MO, circa 1969 </div>
<br />
Robert
Graham Lee, Sr., passed away unexpectedly on October 31, 2003 at Cox
South Hospital. Born on February 18, 1924, Bob is survived by his wife
of 56 years, Mary Lou, their ten children: Bob, Jim, Tom, Mary, Carol,
Jane, John, Ed, Ellen, Joan and their spouses. Fifteen grandchildren
and five great grandchildren also survive him.<br />
<br />
A
decorated World War II veteran who fought in the great battle of Pismo
Beach, Bob was in the newspaper and publishing business all his life. A
prolific reader and thinker, Bob authored numerous books, articles and
pamphlets. He was an editor and publisher for The Queen’s Work, a
Jesuit publishing house and Ligouri Publications, a Redemptorist
publishing house. He was the founding editor of The Mirror, the
Catholic newspaper for the diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.<br />
<br />
He
did not want a list of his accomplishments (of which there were many)
in his obituary. Instead he wanted everyone to know he loved his wife,
he loved his children, he loved his grandchildren, he loved his
great-grandchildren and he loved his friends, of whom there were many. <br />
<br />
Bob
was proud that all of his children believe, as he did, that everyone
deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and kindness. He didn’t
tolerate mendacity very well. He had a well-developed sense of humor.<br />
<br />
After
Bob retired, he and Mary Lou enjoyed traveling and their cabin in
Rockaway Beach. Bob especially enjoyed the companionship of his good
friend, Fr. Bob Landewe.<br />
<br />
Bob donated his organs so that others might improve the quality of their lives.<br />
<br />
A
memorial mass for Bob will be celebrated at St. Agnes Cathedral,
Springfield, MO, on Monday, November 3, at 1 p.m., followed by a
celebration of Bob’s life at his daughter’s house. Directions will be
given at the mass. <br />
<br />
In lieu of flowers, Mary Lou
wishes that donations in Bob’s name be made to The Kitchen, 1630 North
Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, MO 65803. Bob was a good husband. He
was a good father. He was a good friend.<br />
<br />
He lives on in our memories.<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
"Are we having fun yet? Well, you shoulda been here last night."</div>
Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-84588629190180700072012-10-30T12:18:00.001-05:002012-10-30T12:18:14.556-05:00A "Rose" for Billy Long, really I mean it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
When the Springfield News-Leader endorsed Billy Long last Sunday, (complete with grammatically incorrect usage of verbs in the headline, correct usage: <i>Long proves</i> or <i>Long has proven</i>), <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/article/20121028/OPINIONS01/310280011/Billy-Long-our-voice-U-S-representative-Missouri" target="_blank">Congressman Long has proved he deserves a second term</a> almost 50 comments were posted disputing the endorsement.<br />
<br />
One comment that really nailed it---<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I noticed in the N-L's endorsement of Claire McCaskill that it labeled
Todd Akin's views as "well outside the mainstream." Yet, when it's time
to endorse Billy Long, who endorsed Akin when others backed away, who
calls himself the most conservative congressman in Missouri, that
suddenly Long is a "pragmatic conservative" because he told the N-L he
was? The editorial does a terrible job describing Jim Evans and thereby
does a disservice to the public in misrepresenting the general views of
both candidates.<br />
<br />
The N-L said that in their endorsement of
Billy Long in 2010, the N-L asked Long "to bring common sense to
Washington" Well, no. the 2010 article says "Long promises to bring
common sense to Washington." This wasn't an objective viewpoint given by
the N-L, this was something Billy Long told the N-L he was going to do.
Here we are again in 2012. Looking at
Billy Long's rhetoric, record, and lack of providing the public
information it needs to make the best choice, the N-L endorses saying
"Long was quick to emphasize an emerging role as a pragmatic
conservative" Again, this is not an objective viewpoint given by the
N-L, this was something Billy Long told the N-L he is going to do.</blockquote>
From the News-Leader endorsement:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Reflecting the views of his constituents, Long has been a vocal opponent
of the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare, but he
recognizes the value of key components, such as prohibiting denial of
coverage because of pre-existing conditions.</blockquote>
The catch here in this discussion of 'pre-existing conditions' is in the definition of 'continuous coverage'. Romney's plan (which Long supports) extends preexisting condition provisions only to those insured with continuous coverage, to those without gaps in coverage.<br />
<br />
After his last vote (of 30 plus) in July to repeal ACA, Long released a press release in which he or his staff said, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"Today I voted to repeal this law
because of these and many other bad provisions. I will continue to work
hard and ensure the president’s government takeover of health care is
replaced with free market reforms that put patients first."</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrdQTvt3ryH8IGA4Zx-VugsjYg895X54ZZy1LRx_pFWCw0h1wUA_biq3VLrVuBbyNFOGyEAJPrjeVyqvkepVurzezDYjtSspu0DVlFy7-fhceKoLV8C8Cb9YBsET_QZgs3b1jcm21GLA/s1600/prick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
So, with that in mind, I sincerely present this "Rose" to Billy Long for his 30 plus unsuccessful attempts to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, "Obamacare". If Long had been successful in his attempts our daughter would have had no health insurance coverage for injuries sustained in a terrible horse accident. She was starting a new job and was between insurance coverage. Thanks to "Obamacare" she had health insurance which is covering the injuries she received in her accident.<br />
<br />
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-84016630022163937502012-10-15T10:01:00.001-05:002012-10-15T10:01:01.947-05:00Shane and his wife had a fee office but "we didn't ask for it", part deux.<br />
<a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/10/shane-and-his-wife-had-fee-office-but.html" target="_blank"></a>
Today (October 15, 2012), the print edition of the Springfield News-Leader has a top of the fold story, byline Josh Nelson, with the headline: <i>Conflict of interest alleged</i>. The on-line headline is different:<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/article/20121015/NEWS06/310150016/Shane-Schoeller-Jason-Kander-license-office-conflict-of-interest" target="_blank"><i>Kander attacks Schoeller's past connection with Nixa license office</i></a></span></span><a href="http://www.news-leader.com/article/20121015/NEWS06/310150016/Shane-Schoeller-Jason-Kander-license-office-conflict-of-interest" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Opponent alleges Schoeller may have violated conflict-of-interest laws</span></span></i></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The article<span style="font-size: small;"> is a recap of th<span style="font-size: small;">is story </span></span></span></span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></i>from the Bus Garage, October 3, 2012: <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/10/shane-and-his-wife-had-fee-office-but.html" target="_blank">Shane and his wife had a fee office but "we didn't ask for it":</a><br />
<br />
A major point in both Nelson's article and the Bus article is the patronage aspect of the fee offices. As Nelson writes, <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Prior to 2009, only nine license office contracts were awarded with a
competitive bid. The rest of the 183 offices were awarded by governors
to politically connected allies in the form of no-bid contracts.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In 2005, Gov. Matt Blunt gave the contract for the Nixa license office to the Schoeller Group.<br />
<br />
Shane Schoeller was the chief administrative aide for Blunt when Blunt was secretary of state. </blockquote>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ58b6uZNhxh3GV3ds1VrPRWqPhSm6g8ghesAfC8ObvINyLYM-XuJoPt8O2VLE8toipxTHhH_vPMOBzWTTUEYpELdrcih_WQ8648QS_s-d_Vz9lDw-YmpX0E5ERl8nTZwgczwRTYkfOg/s1600/Schoeller+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ58b6uZNhxh3GV3ds1VrPRWqPhSm6g8ghesAfC8ObvINyLYM-XuJoPt8O2VLE8toipxTHhH_vPMOBzWTTUEYpELdrcih_WQ8648QS_s-d_Vz9lDw-YmpX0E5ERl8nTZwgczwRTYkfOg/s400/Schoeller+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
On August 1, 2006, Schoeller talked to KY3 News political reporter David Catanese about the fee offices: <a href="http://ky3.blogspot.com/2006/08/shane-schoeller-aims-to-end-roark.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://ky3.blogspot.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2006/08/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>shane-schoeller-aims-to-end<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>-roark.html:</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
License Fee Office Reform - This may be a touchy topic for Schoeller
because his wife operates a fee office in Nixa. He said he does not yet
have a position on Rep. Mark Wright's plan to change the way the offices
are awarded and run. "I haven't taken a position,
I'd have to see the details but so much has been mischaracterized about
these license offices. Unfortunately it has become an issue, but for me
it is already out there. My wife has one office in Nixa, but we didn't
ask for it. We were approached about running it and I encouraged my wife
to do it. People rarely ask me about it, most aren't interested in it." </blockquote>
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
People who know about how the fee offices were awarded (and I am one of those people) know that these contracts do NOT drop of out the sky and ARE GIVEN as as patronage jobs, rewards given to, as the SN-L reporter states, "given to politically connected allies in the form of no-bid contracts." For Schoeler to state otherwise is not how it works.<br />
<br />
And Schoeller knew that in 2006 when he talked to Catanese and he knows that now.<br />
<br />
Schoeller, except for one brief stint with SIFE,
has worked for Kit Bond, Roy Blunt, John Ashcroft, Matt Blunt, and Rod
Jetton. The Nixa office was given to Schoeller's LLC as a political favor. Schoeller should have given up the office after he was elected
state representative.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fS5iJ63qXl2MIl7_gmIknBCGQtwgOkW8Np_kDZEtlDevyliP1BlwbdvUXIkPB9nlT2_pmUp02l6-eLQQ9myLiW2aZYjaEsdPPzYN-Fj3klK8ew7ONS-a-uVokyeRu3JNmWEnTd23CxI/s1600/Schoeller+Blunt.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fS5iJ63qXl2MIl7_gmIknBCGQtwgOkW8Np_kDZEtlDevyliP1BlwbdvUXIkPB9nlT2_pmUp02l6-eLQQ9myLiW2aZYjaEsdPPzYN-Fj3klK8ew7ONS-a-uVokyeRu3JNmWEnTd23CxI/s640/Schoeller+Blunt.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Another 'spin' on this story is
Schoeller's assertion that the fee offices do not collect money directly
from the state. "Schoeller campaign officials have said that because
the offices do not receive money directly from the state, the statute
cited by Kander does not apply." <br />
<br />
When you and I go to the
fee office and buy plates, we write the check out to the "Department of
Revenue". Not one check to the "Department of Revenue" and one check to
the fee office operator. The state, using our money, pays the fee
office operator for the performing the service of selling license
plates. <br />
<br />
Schoeller seems to be spliting hairs here, trying to
make the best of a bad situation. However, Kander correctly notes the
law prohibits lawmakers or spouses from “for any” consideration or
service.<br />
<br />
From Kander's news release:<br />
<br />
The Schoeller Group L.L.C., which was founded by Representative
Schoeller and is now owned by his wife, Mendie Giles Schoeller, was
awarded the Nixa Contract Office by Governor Matt Blunt – Schoeller’s
former boss – without a competitive bidding process in 2005.
Representative Schoeller ran for and won a seat in the Missouri General
Assembly in 2006, entering office on January 3, 2007.<br />
<br />
State law prohibits members of the Missouri General Assembly
or their spouses from performing any service for the state that pays
$1,500 a year or more unless it is part of a publicly bid contract and
the legislator or their spouse was the lowest bidder. This prohibition
also applies to businesses where the member or spouse own more than ten
percent of the company.<br />
<br /><div style="padding-left: 30px;">
</div>
<b>Timeline of Events</b><br />
<i>October 14, 2003:</i> Shane Schoeller files Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State’s office to start The Schoeller Group, L.L.C.<br />
<i>March 17, 2005:</i> Department of Revenue informs Mendie
Schoeller that she has been tentatively selected as the Contract Agent
for the Nixa Fee Office.<br />
<i>April 12, 2005:</i> Mendie Schoeller submits business plan for operation of Nixa Fee Office.<br />
<i>April 13, 2005:</i> The Schoeller Group L.L.C.’s registered
agent is changed from Shane Schoeller to Mendie Schoeller. In The
Schoeller Group’s bid to keep the office in 2010, Mendie Schoeller wrote
“In April 2005, sole ownership was transferred to Mendie Giles
Schoeller…” No public record exists suggesting the Schoellers have
separated or divorced, making this distinction meaningless as a
practical matter.<br />
<i>January 3, 2007:</i> Shane Schoeller is sworn in as a State
Representative, making section 105.456.2 applicable to both him and his
spouse, Mendie Schoeller. As of this date, because they received the
Nixa Fee Office without the benefit of a competitive bid, it became
illegal for Shane Schoeller, his spouse, or their LLC to continue to
operate the office.<br />
<i>January 3, 2007 – January 6, 2010:</i> The Schoeller Group
L.L.C. operates the Nixa Contract Office in violation of section
105.456.2. In this time period, the Nixa Office processed approximately
184,298 transactions worth $612,101 in processing fees, which exceeds
the $1,500 per year allowed by section 105.456.2.<br />
<i>January 7, 2010:</i> Department of Revenue announces Alternative
Opportunities, Inc. won the competitive bid for the Nixa office. The
Schoeller Group was the only other bidder for the office.<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-PfaZ_Gq-Ps2q3azy2tg1CxUHW-UV4t_ARgcxeL7VJCy71XAwhkis7bnX3QTuOLkj3EcqbvsVkRjC969_JaPPwMbS_RgB84aQfDf13Pz-GttOkUylzFS8hfU7_UGW2eVYVkYankj0O8/s1600/Sara+horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-PfaZ_Gq-Ps2q3azy2tg1CxUHW-UV4t_ARgcxeL7VJCy71XAwhkis7bnX3QTuOLkj3EcqbvsVkRjC969_JaPPwMbS_RgB84aQfDf13Pz-GttOkUylzFS8hfU7_UGW2eVYVkYankj0O8/s320/Sara+horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A month ago, our daughter got her dream job of working at an equestrian center in Apex NC. <br />
<br />
Yesterday, she was riding this horse and took a fall resulting in a fractured skull with an epidural bleed. <br />
<br />
She is currently in nuero trauma intensive care and is being monitored very closely. We are thankful the bleed has not worsened. <br />
<br />
If no changes occur she will move out of intensive care tomorrow to a lesser level of care. <br />
<br />
Please keep her in your thoughts during this trying time.<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-44290252573364590222012-10-03T16:34:00.002-05:002012-10-03T16:37:35.617-05:00Maybe Todd's right?In an article published Tuesday by Slate Magazine, Jane Obert self-identified herself as "the city of Neosho's finance director".<br />
<br />
I never heard of her before I was forwarded this article by Dave Weigel about Todd Akin: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/10/todd_akin_defeat_claire_mccaskill_if_so_it_ll_be_because_of_the_support_he_gets_from_conservatives_in_southwest_missouri_.html" target="_blank">Welcome to Akin Land: Southwest Missouri made the Todd Akin candidacy, and southwest Missouri could save it.</a><br />
<br />
Jane was quoted in Weigel's article: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Shortly before I leave Joplin’s AFP
rally I talk to Jane Obert, the city of Neosho’s finance director. Off
duty for the day, she’s wearing the red-and-blue colors of the Southwest Missouri Conservative Network, another one of the umbrella groups down here that’s weathered the decline of the Tea Party.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="text parbase section">
“What he actually said, that riled people up, was not said eloquently
for a politician,” says Obert. “But it was actually true. Any time
women are in a highly stressful situation, they’re not likely to get
pregnant.” She points me to the Department of Health and Human Services website, which says this much in a HealthTip. “It’s a clear choice.Do you stand for life, or do you stand for murdering unborn babies
for any time and any reason. Claire McCaskill wants to make it legal to
suck an unborn baby’s brains out. How barbaric is that?”</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
The HHC website Obert refers to, <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/news/healthbeat/2010/10/20101013a.html" target="_blank">Stress and Pregnancy</a> was first published on October 10, 2010 and revised on May 7, 2011: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.<br />
A
study indicates being stressed may reduce the chances of becoming
pregnant. Researchers in the United States and England measured women’s
levels of a body chemical in saliva that’s considered a barometer of
stress – alpha-amylase. They followed the women for six months. And they
say women with higher levels were less likely than women with lower
levels to get pregnant each day during the fertile window.<br />
At the National Institutes of Health, researcher Germaine Louis:<br />
``However
you best relax, as long as it’s healthy and won’t have further
implications for trying to get pregnant, is something that you might
want to consider.’’ (8 seconds)<br />
Dr. Louis cautions that alcohol and smoking should be avoided as a means of reducing stress.<br />
The study is in the journal Fertility and Sterility.<br />
Learn more at hhs.gov.<br />
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.<br />
<div class="lastupdated">
Last revised: May 7, 2011</div>
</blockquote>
I googled "Jane Obert".<br />
<br />
The Joplin Globe's Roger McKinney reported that on September 7, 2012 Obert was fired by City Manager Troy Royer. <a href="http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x72183177/Neosho-finance-director-fired-after-nearly-a-year-at-post" target="_blank">Neosho finance director fired after nearly a year at post.</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Royer said he couldn’t reveal the reasons for firing Obert.<br />
<br />
“She was dismissed, but that’s all I can say,” Royer said.<br />
<br />
Obert, reached by phone at her home, said she was told that her
dismissal had to do with relationships. She said after receiving the
explanation, she still wasn’t aware of the reason.</blockquote>
Obert said her dismissal had to do with relationships. How barbaric is that? <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="text parbase section">
</div>
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-83855973378086362772012-10-03T14:35:00.001-05:002012-10-03T16:10:36.044-05:00Shane and his wife had a fee office "but we didn't ask for it."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fS5iJ63qXl2MIl7_gmIknBCGQtwgOkW8Np_kDZEtlDevyliP1BlwbdvUXIkPB9nlT2_pmUp02l6-eLQQ9myLiW2aZYjaEsdPPzYN-Fj3klK8ew7ONS-a-uVokyeRu3JNmWEnTd23CxI/s1600/Schoeller+Blunt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
Jason Kander, who is in the running for Secretary of State, has some questions for Shane Schoeller:<br />
<br />
<b>KANSAS CITY, Mo.</b> – Jason Kander today called on Rep.
Shane Schoeller to explain to Missourians how his family business’s
ownership of the Nixa fee office at the same time he was serving in the
legislature does not violate Missouri’s conflict of interest laws.<br />
<br />
The Schoeller Group managed the fee office in Nixa from 2006 until
2010. According to publicly available documents, The Schoeller Group
continued to manage the Nixa fee office after Representative Schoeller
was sworn into office in 2007, which appears to violate RSMO 105.456.<br />
<br />
When the process of awarding fee offices was opened up to competition
instead of cronysim, The Schoeller Group lost the contract.<br />
<br />
“Shane Schoeller may have violated Missouri law by serving in the
legislature at the same time his family operated a no-bid fee office for
the state,” said Rep. Jason Kander. “From all the publicly available
documents, it appears that The Schoeller Group improperly managed the
Nixa fee office from 2007-2010. I am calling on Representative Schoeller
to release all of the documents relating to the fee office so
Missourians can determine if The Schoeller Group’s management of the fee
office violated state law.”<br />
<br />
The Schoeller Group L.L.C., which was founded by Representative
Schoeller and is now owned by his wife, Mendie Giles Schoeller, was
awarded the Nixa Contract Office by Governor Matt Blunt – Schoeller’s
former boss – without a competitive bidding process in 2005.
Representative Schoeller ran for and won a seat in the Missouri General
Assembly in 2006, entering office on January 3, 2007.<br />
<br />
State law prohibits members of the Missouri General Assembly
or their spouses from performing any service for the state that pays
$1,500 a year or more unless it is part of a publicly bid contract and
the legislator or their spouse was the lowest bidder. This prohibition
also applies to businesses where the member or spouse own more than ten
percent of the company.<br />
<br />
As a result, on the day Representative Schoeller became a member of
the Missouri House of Representatives, all of the relevant factual
predicates for application of Section 105.456.2 were met:<br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
1) Shane Schoeller was a member of the General Assembly.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
2) His spouse, Mendie Giles Schoeller, owned more than 10% interest in The Schoeller Group L.L.C.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
3) The Schoeller Group L.L.C. provided
services to the state (operated the Nixa Fee Office) for consideration
in excess of $1,500 per year.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
4) The contract to operate the Nixa Fee Office was awarded without the benefit of a competitive procurement process.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
</div>
<b>Timeline of Events</b><br />
<i>October 14, 2003:</i> Shane Schoeller files Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State’s office to start The Schoeller Group, L.L.C.<br />
<i>March 17, 2005:</i> Department of Revenue informs Mendie
Schoeller that she has been tentatively selected as the Contract Agent
for the Nixa Fee Office.<br />
<i>April 12, 2005:</i> Mendie Schoeller submits business plan for operation of Nixa Fee Office.<br />
<i>April 13, 2005:</i> The Schoeller Group L.L.C.’s registered
agent is changed from Shane Schoeller to Mendie Schoeller. In The
Schoeller Group’s bid to keep the office in 2010, Mendie Schoeller wrote
“In April 2005, sole ownership was transferred to Mendie Giles
Schoeller…” No public record exists suggesting the Schoellers have
separated or divorced, making this distinction meaningless as a
practical matter.<br />
<i>January 3, 2007:</i> Shane Schoeller is sworn in as a State
Representative, making section 105.456.2 applicable to both him and his
spouse, Mendie Schoeller. As of this date, because they received the
Nixa Fee Office without the benefit of a competitive bid, it became
illegal for Shane Schoeller, his spouse, or their LLC to continue to
operate the office.<br />
<i>January 3, 2007 – January 6, 2010:</i> The Schoeller Group
L.L.C. operates the Nixa Contract Office in violation of section
105.456.2. In this time period, the Nixa Office processed approximately
184,298 transactions worth $612,101 in processing fees, which exceeds
the $1,500 per year allowed by section 105.456.2.<br />
<i>January 7, 2010:</i> Department of Revenue announces Alternative
Opportunities, Inc. won the competitive bid for the Nixa office. The
Schoeller Group was the only other bidder for the office.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
Frequent bus riders will know that the bus garage is not only the receptorium for the Jim Lee Vehicle Collection (aka 'rolling junkyard') but also is a vast repository for sometimes totally useless information and a few zingers.<br />
<br />
So when this information about the Nixa fee office and the Schoeller's involvement entered the bus garage alarms went off alerting this driver to previously stored information regarding the topic.<br />
<br />
Prior to Jay Nixon's revision of how fee offices were awarded (and I have a file on that also-- <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/01/todays-lesson.html" target="_blank">Today's lesson: don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining</a>), the offices were given out as political favors, patronage.<br />
<br />
In a posting on Tuesday, August 1, 2006, then KY3 political reporter David Catanese wrote about Shane Schoeller who was making his first bid for public office: <a href="http://ky3.blogspot.com/2006/08/shane-schoeller-aims-to-end-roark.html" target="_blank">Shane Schoeller aims to end Roark legacy</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ58b6uZNhxh3GV3ds1VrPRWqPhSm6g8ghesAfC8ObvINyLYM-XuJoPt8O2VLE8toipxTHhH_vPMOBzWTTUEYpELdrcih_WQ8648QS_s-d_Vz9lDw-YmpX0E5ERl8nTZwgczwRTYkfOg/s1600/Schoeller+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ58b6uZNhxh3GV3ds1VrPRWqPhSm6g8ghesAfC8ObvINyLYM-XuJoPt8O2VLE8toipxTHhH_vPMOBzWTTUEYpELdrcih_WQ8648QS_s-d_Vz9lDw-YmpX0E5ERl8nTZwgczwRTYkfOg/s320/Schoeller+2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
Schoeller talks to Catanese about the Nixa fee office:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>License Fee Office Reform - </b>This may be a touchy
topic for Schoeller because his wife operates a fee office in Nixa. He
said he does not yet have a position on Rep. Mark Wright's plan to
change the way the offices are awarded and run. "I haven't taken a
position, I'd have to see the details but so much has been
mischaracterized about these license offices. Unfortunately it has
become an issue, but for me it is already out there. My wife has one
office in Nixa, but we didn't ask for it. We were approached about
running it and I encouraged my wife to do it. People rarely ask me about
it, most aren't interested in it."</blockquote>
Shane worked for Bond, Roy Blunt, Ashcroft, Matt Blunt, Rod Jetton and the license office just fell out of the sky. Of all the politicians he has worked for Schoeller, in Catanese's post, said he's learned the
most from his four years serving as a legislative aide to Rep. Roy
Blunt.<br />
<br />
These offices are awarded as political favors and don't try to kid anyone by saying they are not.<br />
<br />
I
don't know Schoeller or his wife, but it strains his credibility with
me when he says he or his wife didn't seek the fee office.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fS5iJ63qXl2MIl7_gmIknBCGQtwgOkW8Np_kDZEtlDevyliP1BlwbdvUXIkPB9nlT2_pmUp02l6-eLQQ9myLiW2aZYjaEsdPPzYN-Fj3klK8ew7ONS-a-uVokyeRu3JNmWEnTd23CxI/s1600/Schoeller+Blunt.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fS5iJ63qXl2MIl7_gmIknBCGQtwgOkW8Np_kDZEtlDevyliP1BlwbdvUXIkPB9nlT2_pmUp02l6-eLQQ9myLiW2aZYjaEsdPPzYN-Fj3klK8ew7ONS-a-uVokyeRu3JNmWEnTd23CxI/s320/Schoeller+Blunt.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">A
friend and I were having a political discussion. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">He is a Republican
and he didn't want me to judge all republicans by Billy Long. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Or Dave
Spence.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Or Todd Akin. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Or Ed Martin.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Or Shane Schoeller. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Or Tim Jones.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Et Cetera. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Et Cetera. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Et Cetera.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"> </span></div>
<div>
</div>
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</div>
</span></span></h5>
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-8324752730368189362012-09-30T13:42:00.003-05:002012-09-30T15:40:40.725-05:00When Politicians Lie-- Billy Long lies to Springfield News-Leader: HOT DIGGITY DOGToday's Springfield News-Leader has an article on the MO7 congressional race of incumbent Billy Long and challenger Jim Evans: <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/comments/article/20120930/NEWS01/309300032/missouri-7th-congressional-district-Billy-Long-Jim-Evans" target="_blank">Long, Evans sound alarm on cuts</a><br />
<br />
In reporter Josh Nelson's article he writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Long noted he didn’t agree to debates during his primary race this
summer either. Long also refused to debate Democrat Scott Eckersley in
2010. </blockquote>
Here is a photo of Scott Eckersley and Billy Long at an October 2010 debate, you know, the one Billy said he refused to do. Photo credit to Brett Piper, KOLR-TV and KSFX-TV.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNZQWhXf76IkUB7LkYdRIz4c_Lfd6S2Xa-v6yZJUZLBIbgUTcw12si0TD23qZivxXFsUNZ6PHGRBlPAgjo5A58rLAmYjKacAwzpvkxjkL5pKH3Yo2rJaHKPqbg3WKA4-JMVsQL9RjDCY/s1600/billy+long+eck+brett+piper+kolrtv+ksfxtv+credit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNZQWhXf76IkUB7LkYdRIz4c_Lfd6S2Xa-v6yZJUZLBIbgUTcw12si0TD23qZivxXFsUNZ6PHGRBlPAgjo5A58rLAmYjKacAwzpvkxjkL5pKH3Yo2rJaHKPqbg3WKA4-JMVsQL9RjDCY/s1600/billy+long+eck+brett+piper+kolrtv+ksfxtv+credit.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Hot
diggity dog. Anytime you lie, Billy, I'm going to holler out 'Hot
diggity dog.<br />
<br />
Long did not debate during the primary race this summer but he did
debate during the primary 2010. In fact there are numerous accounts,
complete with photos, of Long being text'd answers to debate questions
on his cell phone during the debate. <a href="http://longiswrong.blogspot.com/2010/04/democrat-tim-davis-watched-billy-long.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>longiswrong.blogspot.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2010/04/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>democrat-tim-davis-watched-<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>billy-long.html</a><br />
<br />
Here is a photo of Tim Davis and Billy Long participating in that debate.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCFbrYZWxuU0wOVly7mGm45UDonLw5HLga1IGsnBCD5lmjWRF7jX2Jtvhm51PCNROEWRDiPsRy3CVZsJHEGdgwL2bhpT2Q5lixfoSVCnA-mJ3cbuaTlhQ1EqfIWJew9T91Xq048zGLts/s1600/billy+long+finger+point.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCFbrYZWxuU0wOVly7mGm45UDonLw5HLga1IGsnBCD5lmjWRF7jX2Jtvhm51PCNROEWRDiPsRy3CVZsJHEGdgwL2bhpT2Q5lixfoSVCnA-mJ3cbuaTlhQ1EqfIWJew9T91Xq048zGLts/s320/billy+long+finger+point.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Getting back to Nelson's story: Did Billy Long directly state he refused to debate Democrat Scott
Eckersley in 2010 or did he just imply that and let Josh Nelson reach
that conclusion?<br />
<br />
Either way, "HOT DIGGITY DOG" Billy.<br />
<br />
Billy Long and Scott Eckersley debated three times during the 2010 election. <br />
<br />
Long's campaign even sent out a <a href="http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2010/09/long-agrees-to-three-debates.html" target="_blank">press release</a>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Republican Seventh District Congressional Nominee Billy Long has agreed
to three more debates/forums before the general election.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I’m
pleased that voters will have an opportunity to hear about real
issues,” said Long. “I am fed up with Washington. We need to get our
country back on the right track and stop Nancy Pelosi’s agenda.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The one-hour debates/forums agreed to are sponsored by: KSNF - Joplin. October 6th. KWTO- Springfield. October 7th. The Young Conservatives-Springfield.<span class="word_break"></span> October 19th.</blockquote>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
The Springfield News-Leader published a story about the debate you and Eckersley had in Joplin on October 6, 2010: <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/article/20101009/NEWS06/10090363/Anti-Social-Security-website-backs-Long?nclick_check=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>www.news-leader.com/<wbr></wbr>article/20101009/NEWS06/<wbr></wbr>10090363/<wbr></wbr>Anti-Social-Security-websit<wbr></wbr>e-backs-Long?nclick_check=<wbr></wbr>1</a><br />
<br />
Of course, Billy may not want to remember that debate--- that's the debate where Long denied filling out surveys stating that he wanted to dismantle Social Security and Medicare.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
</div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
"Hot
diggity dog. Anytime you lie, Scott, I'm going to holler out 'Hot
diggity dog.' And you lied last night. You lied consistently about me
that I signed some kind of a questionnaire."<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i-8oPXLi-8E" width="420"></iframe> </div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
Unfortunately for Billy,
he DID fill out and sign quite a few questionnaires and surveys where he
states, quite emphatically I might add, that he was in favor of
dismantling Social Security, privatizing the Postal Service and ending
farm subsidies.<b> Long also voted "YEA" for the Paul Ryan budget which
changes Medicare as we know it and turns the program into a voucher
system.</b></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
From the bus garage, October 9, 2010: <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/10/pedaling-backwards-as-fast-as-he-can-my.html" target="_blank">Pedaling backwards as fast as he can and my new favorite Billy Long quote: "Hot Diggity Dog, Hot Diggity Dog, Hot Diggity Dog!"</a> </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="text_exposed_show">
So when Long accepts money, endorsements or signs pledges from groups
and individuals that advocate the privatization of Social Security, as
does <a href="http://conservativecongress.com/issues-statement/">Conservative Congress</a>, Americans for Tax Reform (see link above), <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/08/boehner-pence-social-security-retirement-age_n_674793.html">John Boehner</a>, the Citizens Against Government Waste (<a href="http://membership.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_socialsecurity">CAGW)</a>
and others Long is aligned with, then that is a pretty reliable
indicator that Long favors dismantling the Social Security program and
privatizing it.</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
Billy Long is lying when he says or implies to the reporter (who wasn't on the SN-L staff in 2010) that he did not debate Scott Eckersley in 2010.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LIX6iCeY-lE" width="420"></iframe></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
</div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
Again, from reporter Josh Nelson's article:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="text_exposed_show">
Long said he still identifies with some of the ideals of the Tea Party
such as cutting spending and rolling back the size of government."</div>
</blockquote>
What ideals does he NOT identify himself with? And when did he stop identifying himself with these ideals?<br />
<br />
Last time we heard, Billy was "tea party before tea party was cool"<br />
<br />
Remember when he told the NPR reporter (and the Philadelphia Inquirer
reporter and the C-SPAN reporter and The Daily Caller-- well you get the
drift he was talking to EVERYBODY!) : "You remember that old Barbara
Mandrell song 'I was country before country was cool?'" Long said.
"<a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-dont-run-to-microphone-every-time.html" target="_blank">We've been tea partying</a>. in the seventh district of Missouri before the
tea party was cool* We believe in smaller government, lower taxes and
sticking to the constitution."<br />
<br />
I guess 'sticking to the constitution' is one of the tea party ideals Billy's not identifying with anymore. Remember when Billy told us his copy of the constitution was "like a horse: rode hard and put away wet"? <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/01/like-horse-its-rode-hard-and-put-away.html" target="_blank">I do.</a><br />
<br />
Billy doesn't like sequestration either. Again, quoting Nelson's story<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Long called the sequestration plan a 'bill of goods,' because the plan
was crafted in such a politically harmful manner that lawmakers would
not let it go into effect..."</blockquote>
What Long conveniently neglects to tell the reporter is that Long vote "YEA" for the Budget Control Acto of 2011 and, on August 1, 2011 Long's office issued a <a href="http://long.house.gov/press-releases/long-the-debate-in-washington-has-changed" target="_blank">press release</a> about his "YEA" vote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Today in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Billy Long
voted in favor of the Budget Control Act of 2011, a bipartisan bill that
would cut excessive federal spending, create enforceable spending
controls, form a deficit reduction committee, establish a balanced
budget vote provision, and prevent America from defaulting on debt
obligations." </blockquote>
When did Billy change his mind about this bill and why did Billy change his mind about this bill?<br />
<br />
From Talking Points Memo, July 2012 <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/republicans-want-off-the-hook-for-voting-for-defense-sequester.php:" target="_blank">Republicans want off the hook for voting for defense sequester</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Republicans have been been clear
that they do not regard deep, looming cuts to defense and domestic
programs — the enforcement mechanism at the heart of last year’s debt
limit agreement — as a reason to compromise with Democrats and put real
tax revenues into the mix of cuts and reforms required to reduce
deficits over time.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But in recent weeks they’ve taken things a
step further. They’ve disavowed the so-called “sequester” altogether and
handed full responsibility for its existence to President Obama —
despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of them voted to
implement it last August.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This is why Billy won't debate: he can't get past the talking points.<br />
<br />
That and he's afraid of Jim Evans.<br />
<br />
Oh, lots of things to remember about Billy Long. Remember in Tampa,
during the Republican convention, when he appeared at that comedy club?
I do. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgqPyOvKwYl6FSAzuht7w98dmmfETCOxIPibRNyp6GzzD0RrohR9Li9qYVHm5vw2iDnMOldV9LNtsVZsn09fbr01dKiTRXHnIJ03zQRPj51GKXnS-5mb2U1OaxVKw0-mTaBzBSwPKLcU/s1600/0829+1227am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgqPyOvKwYl6FSAzuht7w98dmmfETCOxIPibRNyp6GzzD0RrohR9Li9qYVHm5vw2iDnMOldV9LNtsVZsn09fbr01dKiTRXHnIJ03zQRPj51GKXnS-5mb2U1OaxVKw0-mTaBzBSwPKLcU/s320/0829+1227am.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://%22i%27m%20a%20congressman.%20not%20too%20proud%20of%20that,%20but%20i%20am.%22/" target="_blank">LIVE, FROM TAMPA FLORIDA, IT'S BILLY ""I'm a congressman. Not too proud of that, but I am." LONG!</a><br />
<br />
Remember Billy's first speech on the floor of The House of Representatives?<br />
<br />
I do.<br />
<br />
He said <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/01/fed-up-billy-long-wants-to-cut-cheese.html" target="_blank">he wanted to cut the cheese.</a> (read the comments, they're funny)<br />
<br />
Remember when Billy told me that "he ain't afraid of nobody"<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tinfJOTJGwo" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
--- I guess he was lying then too.<br />
<br />
Billy's lied to us before. Remember what he said at the post office meeting? <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">You catch a lot more flies with honey
than you do with vinegar. So, when you tell stories about me through
some of your representatives that I want to privatize the Postal
Service, which is an out and out lie, that doesn't help you any with me
or my office. So...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Of course the problem here is that Billy <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/03/congressman-billy-long-is-liar-date-set.html" target="_blank">DID say he wanted to privatize the Postal Service</a>: On June 10, 2010 Long signed his name to this statement: <span style="font-style: italic;">"<span style="font-weight: bold;">I
will support legislation aimed at protecting taxpayers by privatizing
government-sponsored corporations and enterprises such as the United
States Postal Service,</span> adding in his own handwriting that "..the USPS...would be enhanced by privatization."</span><br />
<br />
The News-Leader article said that Long "also noted he regularly makes himself available for constituent meetings when he's back in the district."<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Contrast that statement with the implied threat in Long's own words "that doesn't help you any with me or my office, so...."<br />
<br />
And that's the problem with Billy Long. When he lies about -- or conveniently forgets -- that he participated in three debates with Scott Eckersley in 2010, that he did say he wanted to privatize the Postal Service, that he did vote "YEA" on sequestration in August 2011,-- all statements that are well documented, what else is Billy lying about?<br />
<br />
Ah jeez.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhhm1yHg7h-Bfk-2ZyJ7aP7AbMgGE1Km_5mprz_M503fkpNtiRPHk7cKcyVhsszQdNY4GO_S13EYjk9JKoY49vrh8pyYoV2RzhO6GmSeCOOO8fsyXPE8ol4Wn7kRAyojKR8uMGa-tc_o/s1600/you+lied+to+me.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhhm1yHg7h-Bfk-2ZyJ7aP7AbMgGE1Km_5mprz_M503fkpNtiRPHk7cKcyVhsszQdNY4GO_S13EYjk9JKoY49vrh8pyYoV2RzhO6GmSeCOOO8fsyXPE8ol4Wn7kRAyojKR8uMGa-tc_o/s1600/you+lied+to+me.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
*Turns out Billy wasn't even the author of that statement, Joe Barton of Texas was. <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/17/joe-barton-i-was-the-tea-party-before-tea-party-was-cool/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://dailycaller.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2010/10/17/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>joe-barton-i-was-the-tea-pa<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>rty-before-tea-party-was-c<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ool/</a><br />
<br />
For more on the Billy Long / Scott Eckersley debates during the 2012 campaign, google <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=billy+long+scott+eckersley+debate&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a" target="_blank">Billy Long Scott Eckersley Debate.</a><br />
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-15575914872143958042012-09-27T11:21:00.001-05:002012-09-27T11:47:15.934-05:00When Did Billy Long Change his mind on farm subsidies?In today's News-Leader editorial: <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120927/OPINIONS01/309270026/Farm-bill-leaves-food-states-hanging-while-candidates-campaign">Farm Bill leaves food states hanging while candidates campaign</a>.
"On a recent visit with the News-Leader Editorial Board, U.S. Rep. Billy Long expressed his frustration with the House’s failure to pass a farm bill."<br />
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The current farm law, which extends subsidy payments to farmers and pays for food stamps, is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, with no new law in place for the first time in recent memory.<br />
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The editorial notes Billy Long expressed his frustration with the House’s failure to pass a farm bill: "To be fair, our local representatives have spoken out in support of getting a farm bill. Long, R-Springfield, noted what every farmer knows — farmers need a five-year bill to “provide certainty to the agriculture community.”<br />
<br />
When did Billy change his mind on farm subsidies?<br />
<br />
During his 2010 campaign Long stated (pretty emphatically I might add) that "<b>I will support the elimination or reduction of obsolete agricultural subsidies." </b>Long then took the time time add to that statement, in his own handwriting: <b>"Our food supply is important and should be able to operate in a free market without the distortions of government's politically motivated subsidies."</b><br />
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From the bus garage, October 10, 2010: <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/10/billy-long-farm-tour-will-he-tell.html">Billy Long farm tour-- will he tell the farmers he wants to end farm subsidies?"</a>.<br />
<br />
An agricultural subsidy is a governmental subsidy paid to farmers and agribusinesses to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the cost and supply of such commodities. Examples of such commodities include wheat, feed grains (grain used as fodder, such as maize or corn, sorghum, barley, and oats), cotton, milk, rice, peanuts, sugar, tobacco, and oilseeds such as soybeans.<br />
<br />
In 2010 Billy was against farm subsidies.<br />
<br />
In 2012, Billy is for farm subsidies.<br />
<br />
When did Billy change his mind? More importantly, WHY did Billy change his mind?
When did Billy "flip/flop"? <br />
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We don't know, we'll probably never know as long as Long refuses to hold town hall meetings with is constituents or debate his opponent.<br />
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I'll bet the John Deere dealer is glad Billy changed his mind on subsidies. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinP6STpZSQ3dCaq-UAjcPiJngV1pjchl9T5z6P6qg83aSwq_cavOTB9wtMEsKMf6GIbuHMVSQ82ZWww3Wm9ED-3ZCwsduDcjkHHgCt1nxlc4RvGtc0mEw1WW6uJiPW6Mq9dpXHcQfDACw/s1600/toy+tractors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinP6STpZSQ3dCaq-UAjcPiJngV1pjchl9T5z6P6qg83aSwq_cavOTB9wtMEsKMf6GIbuHMVSQ82ZWww3Wm9ED-3ZCwsduDcjkHHgCt1nxlc4RvGtc0mEw1WW6uJiPW6Mq9dpXHcQfDACw/s400/toy+tractors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And then there's that little matter of Billy's "YEA" vote on H.R. 579 --a $1.047 trillion bill funding the federal government through March 2013 that will permit funding for Planned Parenthood and ObamaCare--including the regulation that took effect on Aug. 1 that will require virtually all health plans in the United States to cover, without fees or co-pay, sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives, including those that induce abortions.<br />
<br />
Billy repeated has said he was against everything in this bill.... so why did he vote "YEA"?<br />
<br />
These are the kind of questions Billy needs to answer.<br />
<br />
And these questions are the real reason Billy won't debate or appear in live un-scripted town hall meetings with his constituents.<br />
<br />
These are the kind of questions we would hope that those who DO get a chance to talk to Billy unscripted would ask.<br />
<br />
Step up to the plate News-Leader.<br />
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If you don't have any reporters with a historical knowledge of Long's campaign --- I'm sure you can find someone in MO7 who does and who would be glad to suggest areas of discussion.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbh1ESInSddXltFJXcvpKMUm-1JEYUNXbUAkfZtrfJtY0HnU9sTRW5rwOEHKOW2nn7ALMhaBVRg3m3ozUlNYitNMlosZA3eBHsUfBKx7_DNed54djwdzxZDZBPh_BTA1mB34LsfRH9pY/s1600/Jim+tin+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbh1ESInSddXltFJXcvpKMUm-1JEYUNXbUAkfZtrfJtY0HnU9sTRW5rwOEHKOW2nn7ALMhaBVRg3m3ozUlNYitNMlosZA3eBHsUfBKx7_DNed54djwdzxZDZBPh_BTA1mB34LsfRH9pY/s400/Jim+tin+hat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-77995608823630369952012-09-06T17:35:00.003-05:002012-09-06T18:06:59.974-05:00Billy Long discovers the importance of Medicaid to MO7... but he still votes against it.This pix of Billy Long and others was taken today at Sigma House in Springfield MO.<br /><br />Billy or more likely, his staff, posted the photo on Billy's facebook page with this caption: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=372473492820774&set=a.140428982691894.26740.139631049438354&type=1&theater">Billy tours the Sigma House of Springfield and learns how important it is in serving the community.</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAA6fcEi7Zt9cWuU6RVLuWx1OcpdqWMh3am1E5u8VjUQCSeRrDlFstROFiIf93v2RglXW4elWT0tPJ6FfWaiOYkQC_nhX3H1hPdJqiNC_KSQZGBvzGSbQK8fJSwy7y40XwXDpnClRAsc/s1600/sigma+house.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAA6fcEi7Zt9cWuU6RVLuWx1OcpdqWMh3am1E5u8VjUQCSeRrDlFstROFiIf93v2RglXW4elWT0tPJ6FfWaiOYkQC_nhX3H1hPdJqiNC_KSQZGBvzGSbQK8fJSwy7y40XwXDpnClRAsc/s400/sigma+house.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5785174912156150002" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">Billy tours the Sigma House of Springfield and learns how important it is in serving the community.</span><br /><br />Billy is just now learning about the importance of programs like Sigma House?<br /><br />Ah jeez. <br /><br />Sigma House receives funding from Medicaid through contracts with the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse*. These contracts provide a significant source of funding for the recovery centers. Other revenue is derived from federal substance abuse rehabilitation programs, courts system programs and local government.<br /><br />We know Billy watched Bill Clinton's speech last night on C-SPAN, he tweeted that he was watching: <span style="font-style:italic;">Billy Long @auctnr1: Watched #DCN2012 but TV was Time Warping or I got C-SPAN '92 Clinton Speech? No talk of abortion. social issues, business-bashing or Bain? </span><br /><br />I guess he must have going to the bathroom or getting a drink when Clinton talked about Medicaid:<blockquote>Now, folks, this is serious, because it gets worse. And you won’t be laughing when I finish telling you this. They also want to block grant Medicaid and cut it by a third over the coming 10 years. Of course, that’s going to really hurt a lot of poor kids.<br /><br /> But that’s not all. <span style="font-weight:bold;">A lot of folks don’t know it, but nearly two-thirds of Medicaid is spent on nursing home care for Medicare seniors who are eligible for Medicaid.</span><br /><br /> It’s going to end Medicare [sic--he probably meant Medicaid] as we know it. And a lot of that money is also spent to help people with disabilities, including a lot of middle-class families whose kids have Down’s syndrome or autism or other severe conditions.<br /><br /> And, honestly, just think about it. If that happens, I don’t know what those families are going to do. So I know what I’m going to do: I’m going to do everything I can to see that it doesn’t happen. We can’t let it happen. We can’t.</blockquote>In that sentence of Clinton's -- "They also want to block grant Medicaid and cut it by a third over the coming 10 years" -- he's referring to the <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/05/billy-long-why-are-you-willing-to-kill.html">Paul Ryan Budget Plan for which Billy Long voted "YEA", twice.</a> <br /><br />Frequent bus riders will remember when Billy Long, in talking about Social Security and Medicare, repeats the Republican talking point: "I think we need to honor our committment to seniors." And, when he's asked a follow up question, he has no answer beyond the talking point.<br /><br />From the bus garage, October 9, 2010: <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/10/pedaling-backwards-as-fast-as-he-can-my.html">Pedaling backwards as fast as he can</a>: <blockquote>Jim Lee (JL): Well, uh, I, uh, I feel like I'm 62 years old and just whenI get ready to collect Social Security, Boehner's talking about raising the, uh, retirement age to seventy and, and I thought, My God, I worked my butt off for forty plus years.<br /><br />BL: Yeah, we got to honor our commitment to people.<br /><br />JL: Yeah.<br /><br />BL: We can't, we got to honor our commitment to seniors.<br /><br />JL: Well, then, are you saying that, uh, you would consider raising the Social Security retirement age to seventy?<br /><br />BL: Listen, I'm, I think we need to honor our commitment to our seniors.</blockquote>That Paul Ryan Budget Plan that Billy Long voted "YEA" on, twice, thats the plan Billy and "Mr. Vice-President" (that's Billy's pet name for Paul Ryan-- sort of a congressman's crush I guess) while it <a href="http://roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=8521">preserves the existing Social Security plan for those 55 and older</a>,that budget also ends the Medicare guarantee and replaces it with a voucher program and cuts Medicaid funding by 34%. <a href="http://swampland.time.com/2012/09/06/bill-clinton-medicaid-and-the-politics-of-poverty/">Bill Clinton, Medicaid and the politics of poverty</a>:<blockquote>Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan vow not to touch Medicare benefits for anyone currently 55 or older. But they have made no such assurance about Medicaid. Last night, Clinton reminded America that plenty of seniors–and the middle-aged who are often responsible for and stressed about their care–depend on both programs. (More than eight million seniors are “dually eligible” for Medicaid and Medicare because of low income or disability.)</blockquote>So when Billy talks about "honoring our commitment to our seniors" he isn't telling you that that commitment doesn't extend to Medicaid.<br /><br />Think about it. In MO7, Long’s district, his "YEA" vote for the Paul Ryan budget and <a href="http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/med_2011/MO7.Long.pdf">the Medicaid cuts</a> <span style="font-weight:bold;">"would mean a loss of $1.9 billion in federal health care funding over the next decade."</span><br /><br />Long's "YEA" vote eliminates coverage for over 143,000 Missouri seniors, individuals with disabilities, children, pregnant women, and others currently enrolled in Medicaid. <br /><br />And jobs. Think about the job losses in MO7 resulting from Long's "YEA" vote. In today's SN-L there are 111 classified ads seeking help in the medical field. <br /><br />Think of all jobs in treatment centers like Sigma House, jobs in hospices, home health companies, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and hospitals that would evaporate if the Medicaid cuts Long voted "YEA" on came to pass.<br /><br />The economic impact on MO7 would be devastating. The impact of these cuts would ripple through the state and local economy, costing jobs for health care providers and suppliers, slowing economic recovery, and reducing income taxes and other revenues.<br /><br />Yeah, Billy Long, and you are just now learning how important Medicaid is to our community?<br /><br />I keep remembering what you told that crowd in Tampa during the Republican Convention last week: <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/08/live-from-tampa-florida-its-billy-long.html">"I'm a congressman. Not too proud of that but I am."</a><br /><br />Neither are we Billy, neither are we.<br /><br />You might try touring <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/swmo/">Planned Parenthood</a> also, Billy. You might learn something there also. For over 35 years, Planned Parenthood has been the leading provider, educator and protector for reproductive health care in Southwest Missouri. Planned Parenthood is important to members of our community. You might learn how <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/08/if-you-think-todd-akins-on-lunatic.html">your "YEA" vote outlaws IUDs</a>, an inexpensive, relatively risk-free means of birth control. I'm pretty sure you are familiar with birth control, Billy. You've got two kids. Or maybe you were just lazy.<br /><br />*The Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse also is the administrator of treatment programs for problem gamblers and affected family members. Individuals with gambling problems and their families can receive counseling services along with referrals for other supportive interventions, to include 12-step support groups, financial planning and remediation, and legal assistance. Treatment is individualized and services include individual and group counseling and family therapy. Family members affected by a loved one’s gambling can receive counseling services independent of the problem gambler. Services are paid for through the Compulsive Gamblers Fund, which is derived from the fees paid by Missouri casino properties. So maybe, just maybe <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2010/10/long-on-his-gambling-habit-its-nothing.html">Billy does support</a> Sigma House, eh?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdw0D44rB9Nw55Car9W100CCVrooRyqWlXdNaLKA9iEzIFDteFoEJRM7mFRSr2QLbO3p6SDNZrj-OjhXcWik5xh6ZFubFtWJF6CLxDT4_UNfev_d8-Sjr0S5VB0XptaBq-EOTwXQXEpk/s1600/billy+long+poker.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdw0D44rB9Nw55Car9W100CCVrooRyqWlXdNaLKA9iEzIFDteFoEJRM7mFRSr2QLbO3p6SDNZrj-OjhXcWik5xh6ZFubFtWJF6CLxDT4_UNfev_d8-Sjr0S5VB0XptaBq-EOTwXQXEpk/s400/billy+long+poker.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5785193022185709362" /></a><script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-57020484055855697412012-09-04T20:22:00.006-05:002012-09-05T21:09:23.886-05:00Did you ever wonder what Billy Long and Sheriff Joe Arpaio were talking about when they had their photo taken together last week in Tampa? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaawfK5ZpRhwYPZ28J2Jr9sMsiPMz9I9G-DUTGSj_UpuK06bvTHSK0YbtNDiaOkszMnki2dZX9g6n62ti0KxgkmPBOEhGMIbRrmUFKaCJLbOa0NiA8dxjI6K_dG4iSU4G4KcJj4FxgSM/s1600/billy%2527s+bus+tour.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaawfK5ZpRhwYPZ28J2Jr9sMsiPMz9I9G-DUTGSj_UpuK06bvTHSK0YbtNDiaOkszMnki2dZX9g6n62ti0KxgkmPBOEhGMIbRrmUFKaCJLbOa0NiA8dxjI6K_dG4iSU4G4KcJj4FxgSM/s400/billy%2527s+bus+tour.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5784488665970122930" /></a><br />Couple of weeks ago Todd Akin and Billy Long went on a <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/08/billy-long-walks-back-his-support-of.html">bus ride</a> together. That's Billy and Todd and a whole bunch of other guys in the photo by Billy's bus. (Shane Schoeller, who's running for Secretary of State, is in the photo also. (He's the SLF third from the left.)He just got a cool half a million dollars in campaign donations from <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2011/02/schweich-gives-pass-to-sinquefield.html">Rex Sinquefeld</a>. Wonder what Rex expects in return?)<br /><br />But back to Billy and Todd.<br /><br />Last week Karl Rove "joked" about murdering Todd Akin. Here's some <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-04/exclusive-how-karl-roves-super-pac-plays-the-senate">background on Karl's meeting</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrhY4OSMmjapn4T84b-3Xs__oB6QK_6Uihb_FP2gLX21VHevJNNk_Du8VwMidO7itFgZlFJuGihec2c9MzTqUO-dwKqBLkfOg0wgzjdis8NAGXT8VN0m2Xl1GQUXA7lKPERNCPj3GRRI/s1600/rove+nose.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrhY4OSMmjapn4T84b-3Xs__oB6QK_6Uihb_FP2gLX21VHevJNNk_Du8VwMidO7itFgZlFJuGihec2c9MzTqUO-dwKqBLkfOg0wgzjdis8NAGXT8VN0m2Xl1GQUXA7lKPERNCPj3GRRI/s400/rove+nose.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5784490478053703330" /></a><br />Todd Akin didn't think the "joke" was too funny. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/todd-akins-office-disturbed-by-karl-roves-joke/">Todd Akin's office disturbed by Karl Rove joke.</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYqja9Of3HBl3C-4UG9eXC3knHOxTL2sR6KOqnzeMbAjT2xFdJ9BcV8TAxMsyx3okaiqj_2plxPbZafjRFYK726s_Ah7T0M67UNwI0WN3xS9iZJ8WmT55E2X4H8_9NTOVOMDQCB1lrGQ/s1600/Todd+Akin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYqja9Of3HBl3C-4UG9eXC3knHOxTL2sR6KOqnzeMbAjT2xFdJ9BcV8TAxMsyx3okaiqj_2plxPbZafjRFYK726s_Ah7T0M67UNwI0WN3xS9iZJ8WmT55E2X4H8_9NTOVOMDQCB1lrGQ/s400/Todd+Akin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5784491042392582002" /></a><br /><br />Huh. So a bunch of bloggers in MO7 write things that Billy Long doesn't like and he turns them into the FBI. (Here's a whole bunch of posts about <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/search?q=billy+long+fbi">that incident.</a>)<br /><br />Bungalow Bill discusses <a href="http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/2012/09/did-billy-longs-office-report-karl.html">Billy's actions</a> also: <blockquote>Last week, Karl Rove talked about murdering Missouri Congressman Todd Akin. His words were far more dangerous than any thing bloggers have written about Congressman Billy Long. You may remember Congressman Long. Five days into his term as Congressman of Missouri's Seventh District, Congressman Long turned over a list of bloggers who he found worrisome and had their backgrounds investigated and called upon the FBI to intimidate these bloggers... Karl Rove says Todd Akin should be murdered, and where's Long and his staff member's concerns?</blockquote> <br /><br />Did Billy call the FBI on Karl like he did on those bloggers? <br /><br />A Big Chris Matthews "HAH"! <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1RTyBLrgTfA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> You know he didn't!<br /><br />But maybe, just maybe, that's what Billy and Sheriff Joe were discussing when this photo was taken. Surely it wasn't Billy's jokes because both these guys look like sourpusses.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JzCPjeQQg8sGLWYBA9c_uv_jZrU6VIGIvk9Rc-ECnNkwofWU_4pW9wLs7kUK-x0eodPsas43oURgbyDUBb7BKMnOvwElmFQeBgvyo6MT_ssFm8HMlxTLlu0rhQVCn5oF4kn5ZJgxu9Q/s1600/Sheriff+Joe+Arpaio+billy+long+tampa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JzCPjeQQg8sGLWYBA9c_uv_jZrU6VIGIvk9Rc-ECnNkwofWU_4pW9wLs7kUK-x0eodPsas43oURgbyDUBb7BKMnOvwElmFQeBgvyo6MT_ssFm8HMlxTLlu0rhQVCn5oF4kn5ZJgxu9Q/s400/Sheriff+Joe+Arpaio+billy+long+tampa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5784483434616830786" /></a> btw-- Billy seems to have taken this photo down from his twitter feed. Embarrassed by it, Billy? <br /><br />This just in: While in Tampa appearing at the comedy club, <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/08/live-from-tampa-florida-its-billy-long.html">Billy "I'm a congressman, not too proud of that but I am" Long</a> told a long involved joke about not swimming in the Sea of Galilee because he had nothing to wear. Then this photo surfaces. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-itNZQcHm-hz-nz6qqHEZh16kieRE0mnZKz6oe3SX_KjLRC_3-uqOuOWatJcZVShETC7ZKO2BYlIrM_veB2g3ahxVzVGb8wK7vFUkBMB9IutcfB430FIlcqVHq_L0NkRZCx-NrfAV8Fs/s1600/sea+of+galilee+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-itNZQcHm-hz-nz6qqHEZh16kieRE0mnZKz6oe3SX_KjLRC_3-uqOuOWatJcZVShETC7ZKO2BYlIrM_veB2g3ahxVzVGb8wK7vFUkBMB9IutcfB430FIlcqVHq_L0NkRZCx-NrfAV8Fs/s400/sea+of+galilee+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5784491942065269842" /></a>Unconfirmed reports say this man wearing the bottom half of a speedo bikini while fishing off a boat in the Sea of Galilee last August may not be Billy Long.<script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-85842663397186720822012-08-31T15:57:00.002-05:002012-08-31T16:06:16.158-05:00Everything you need to know about manure....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIAhyo67a1heQxeOEGF3rI6z5a5DEYMNQqaHuNM0G3TL6UXwpuoJhifDbAHzkivJJFM88E3tOBx1mO166042vIk8s5d7aZjF8NQbcAuU_AGRaIzybfeRgwnUQxW-v8JrYTKZAVR_ZuG0/s1600/cow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIAhyo67a1heQxeOEGF3rI6z5a5DEYMNQqaHuNM0G3TL6UXwpuoJhifDbAHzkivJJFM88E3tOBx1mO166042vIk8s5d7aZjF8NQbcAuU_AGRaIzybfeRgwnUQxW-v8JrYTKZAVR_ZuG0/s400/cow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782946539499916242" /></a><br />An interesting fact<br /><br />Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common.<br /><br />It was shipped dry because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea)hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a byproduct is methane gas, of course. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.<br /><br />After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the instruction 'Stow high in transit'on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.<br /><br />Thus evolved the term 'S.H.I.T‘, (Stow High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day. You probably did not know the history of this word. Neither did I.<br /><br />I had always thought it was a golf term.<script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-45049711114850971972012-08-30T22:45:00.005-05:002012-08-30T23:41:24.635-05:00Billy Long doesn't know how there are any Jewish Democrats.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7nuLXLcUoj55i2eAqqPlOrHJEvpfYL21rZRG-Ut6WJq0TFwbcOPz4LchyphenhyphenGIB365zY_u3KvvzgNS9WOOlJ6QkRgNNrQdDnck-WzAohENcXRxNc0i3yGpYFeIb0ajQLVlFRCMd-uUKZHE/s1600/Republican+Jewish+coalition+tampa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7nuLXLcUoj55i2eAqqPlOrHJEvpfYL21rZRG-Ut6WJq0TFwbcOPz4LchyphenhyphenGIB365zY_u3KvvzgNS9WOOlJ6QkRgNNrQdDnck-WzAohENcXRxNc0i3yGpYFeIb0ajQLVlFRCMd-uUKZHE/s400/Republican+Jewish+coalition+tampa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782679137691849042" /></a><br />“I don’t know how there are any Jewish Democrats,” said Missouri Republican Billy Long, “With what Obama did to Bibi Netanayahu, I don’t know how there are any Jewish Democrats.”<br /><br />Long takes one trip to Israel and he thinks he's a got damp expert.javascript:void(0)<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/162020/talkin-israel-at-the-rnc/">Talkin' Israel at the RNC</a>: <blockquote>No one seemed to have the appetite for getting into details. Speakers on the convention podium, including Condoleezza Rice spoke in general about taking back America’s leading role in the world, instead of “leading from behind,” but did not provide much substance. Advisers to the Romney campaign also avoided wading into the specifics of a future Republican administration’s policy regarding the Syrian civil war, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, or the moribund Israeli – Palestinians peace process.</blockquote><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23EUx2fc3Di097-UL0y0NQp38xzOmEStaKl3gLM7kKm0jTGB4naapCzuy2p5FQWfNM9TXVGZSINk2mvCiC0wDYJx6RY8TLvUtsFnt3RNpiBL3mpLuP9_Pdnh1sbzgJoxRmN3S2lTVyCQ/s1600/Jews.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23EUx2fc3Di097-UL0y0NQp38xzOmEStaKl3gLM7kKm0jTGB4naapCzuy2p5FQWfNM9TXVGZSINk2mvCiC0wDYJx6RY8TLvUtsFnt3RNpiBL3mpLuP9_Pdnh1sbzgJoxRmN3S2lTVyCQ/s400/Jews.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782679717588801122" /></a>"They wanted me to go swimming but I told them I didn't have a thing to wear. Ha. Ha. Ha."<br /><script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-33405227637084059512012-08-30T22:07:00.003-05:002012-08-30T22:35:35.518-05:00LIVE FROM TAMPA FLORIDA, IT'S BILLY LONG! "I'm a congressman. Not too proud of that, but I am."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGBoj5qFyxYqkwiLpWWh8A2twNaHyP-pOzx_RcuFK0nZ0LxolI6a5uUmQWN6xH9y-pDG1i9TwPiGVsaUykb4tiudWrtux_kQJ47V7D7RhZtpP_zTMCvKjs1-sDyZBWMLw20l8VZGzhcA/s1600/0829+1227am.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGBoj5qFyxYqkwiLpWWh8A2twNaHyP-pOzx_RcuFK0nZ0LxolI6a5uUmQWN6xH9y-pDG1i9TwPiGVsaUykb4tiudWrtux_kQJ47V7D7RhZtpP_zTMCvKjs1-sDyZBWMLw20l8VZGzhcA/s400/0829+1227am.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782654002141089234" /></a><br />Frequent bus riders will remember that Billy Long and Grover Norquist were to appear onstage at a Tampa comedy club -- we don't know if Grover made the show, but we shure know that Billy did AND somebody live tweeted it!<br /><br />The tweeter known as "indecision" posted this tweet; "Our night at the Tampa Improv takes a Southern turn as Rep. Billy Long (MO) takes the stage. #twangy! 12:19 AM - 29 Aug 12<br /><br />Right off the bat, Billy comes on stage and introduces himself: "I'm a congressman. Not too proud of that, but I am." 12:20 AM - 29 Aug 12 <br /><br />Well Billy, if you feel that way about it, why don't you quit.<br /><br />This tweet from the tweeter known as 'indecision': "Rep. Billy Long just told a long but satisfying joke about Mitt Romney's joke telling skills. Too long to tweet. Ask next time you see him." 12:24 AM - 29 Aug 12<br /><br />Then, according to those present, Long told several jokes about homosexuals ending with a joke about Congressman Barney Frank with the punch line being "an unfunded man date." Indecision @indecision: Rep. Billy Long just did a Barney Frank joke, punch line: "unfunded man date" 12:28 AM - 29 Aug 1<br /><br />Long also told jokes about his recent trip to Israel and the scandal that erupted when several congressman on the trip, after a dinner at a local hotel, went swimming, one of them nude, in the Sea of Galilee: "On a recent trip to the state of Israel, they tried to get me to swim but I told them: I don't have a thing to wear."<br /><br />(Billy liked that joke so much that he repeated it the next day: Daniel Libit @DanielLibit: At Jewish Republican event in Tampa, MO Rep. Billy Long cracks joke about the Sea of Galilee mini-scandal... 3:37 PM - 29 Aug 12<br /><br />Yep, the next time Billy holds a town hall meeting I am going to ask him just that!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">"I'm a congressman. Not too proud of that, but I am."</span><br /><br /> Billy Long @auctnr1 "Go ahead Punk - make my day - elect Mitt Romney" #2012GOPConvention #Tampa #romneyryan2012 9:10 PM - 30 Aug 12<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP86eqotsTZHdmFHXlrhnhLh8wy7sZ3npx6XNQGjAGGCizdibi_jAkDKYf4m3VNOEIM0E2c-Z6_79b6xtbeuYrd-phMr_uVtVcCsnEzS2eLDIsdmE4GS91tpCgoXk2cjyo67ls2663rU/s1600/dumb+look.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP86eqotsTZHdmFHXlrhnhLh8wy7sZ3npx6XNQGjAGGCizdibi_jAkDKYf4m3VNOEIM0E2c-Z6_79b6xtbeuYrd-phMr_uVtVcCsnEzS2eLDIsdmE4GS91tpCgoXk2cjyo67ls2663rU/s400/dumb+look.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782668246353600578" /></a><script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7192121651732249695.post-27857078466698699742012-08-29T11:14:00.009-05:002012-08-29T14:12:45.777-05:00Rolling Stone does long piece on Mitt Romney and Bain Capital<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bUbvCXuVzr5KVwOoD_61S4meQTguVU7fTAacxCN3uS77khf30yjPZwh7ureO9520xzfORII34r94CnBk-n_faLhGvUM4gXQIvw7_aDJn8NTV5SdEydPcbn6AK7Keu-yAb08BdfEIvZI/s1600/Rolling+Stone+Mitt+Romney.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bUbvCXuVzr5KVwOoD_61S4meQTguVU7fTAacxCN3uS77khf30yjPZwh7ureO9520xzfORII34r94CnBk-n_faLhGvUM4gXQIvw7_aDJn8NTV5SdEydPcbn6AK7Keu-yAb08BdfEIvZI/s400/Rolling+Stone+Mitt+Romney.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782130055027362610" /></a><br />Rolling Stone magazine, and Matt Taibbi, today published a lengthy article on <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829">Mitt Romney Greed and Debt: The True Story of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital</a>: <blockquote>The incredible untold story of the 2012 election so far is that Romney's run has been a shimmering pearl of perfect political hypocrisy, which he's somehow managed to keep hidden, even with thousands of cameras following his every move. And the drama of this rhetorical high-wire act was ratcheted up even further when Romney chose his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin – like himself, a self-righteously anal, thin-lipped, Whitest Kids U Know penny pincher who'd be honored to tell Oliver Twist there's no more soup left. By selecting Ryan, Romney, the hard-charging, chameleonic champion of a disgraced-yet-defiant Wall Street, officially succeeded in moving the battle lines in the 2012 presidential race.</blockquote>Read the full article in <a href=" http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829#ixzz24x7ymoIz">Rolling Stone</a><br /><br />btw, my congressman, Billy Long MO7 (he of "FED UP" fame), <a href="http://bus-plunge.blogspot.com/2012/08/billy-goes-to-tampa-headlines-at-comedy.html">his appearance with Grover Norquist at the Tampa Comedy Club last night notwithstanding,</a> is NOT one of the 23 funniest people in American, as featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone, as much as he wants to be.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZ7ZnkmqM-qWqbtr8y9Gg4L1f6Nc993i9pgCtSFyknD-DoxaCItOjY5c2BpCqZ6oQUnIABvQmm6AMPhyphenhyphenWLBOr0SWwhuNlbeJ1d0CVud4-4GkhQYS70ddGuQ77Gl2kVu9USnNBY7wuCQs/s1600/got+milk.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZ7ZnkmqM-qWqbtr8y9Gg4L1f6Nc993i9pgCtSFyknD-DoxaCItOjY5c2BpCqZ6oQUnIABvQmm6AMPhyphenhyphenWLBOr0SWwhuNlbeJ1d0CVud4-4GkhQYS70ddGuQ77Gl2kVu9USnNBY7wuCQs/s400/got+milk.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782134227712779826" /></a><br /><br />Ah jeez. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiYB-y-gUG63tsZp0nv5-7nA9aPlBJ6P2l8rjmZNLjJWV9apW4jelVuR7T6GGsVnmGolhDEfYz3Nd9SuU67QbOvT36NPlUe0c2OMDW__z_5_wo-yFLnhuURTA-cK6-dq3pQPGlAZcn3g/s1600/snake+faith1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiYB-y-gUG63tsZp0nv5-7nA9aPlBJ6P2l8rjmZNLjJWV9apW4jelVuR7T6GGsVnmGolhDEfYz3Nd9SuU67QbOvT36NPlUe0c2OMDW__z_5_wo-yFLnhuURTA-cK6-dq3pQPGlAZcn3g/s400/snake+faith1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782135015992464914" /></a><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-19019868-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();</script>Busplungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15330613997333646488noreply@blogger.com18