I'm going to winter in the Juju crib. Come on in, the water is fine.

I have returned from Shovel-Stock hosted by Eric the Blade and meeting up with a bunch of Blodgers. Great people, great conversations, great food, great fire, multiple successful rocket launchs...good chutes on all of 'em...we even put one on the roof...which has become a custom, but a roof landing is in the hand of the Wind God. Yeap, there was an Ewe there as well, which is also becoming a custom. No one was shot, stabbed, or beaten. Everyone survived and I'm sure a good time was had by all.

For me, this is where it got bad.

The drive on I-40 from NC to TN or TN to NC is one of the prettiest in the country, especially when the Fall foliage is at peak...and it is PEAK right now...which means there are more people in the area than any other time of the year. I will say, this year the fall colors are as beautiful as I can remember.

I can make it from my door to Eric's door in about 6.5 hours. When I left the Blade's, my GPS said my arrival time was 2:08 pm...which was my plan...had some things to do when I returned yesterday afternoon...like a nice long hot bath with some of my woman's foo foo bubble stuff, among other things. I always smell like an over-made-up-French tart after after one of those...but I still take 'em.

I neither heard or saw any news while there, so I had no idea what I driving into. My woman didn't know about it either...she spent the weekend putting bread on the table and watching chick flicks.

The TN DOT did not "put out" any "road closed" signs until it was too late. I got detoured, with thousands (maybe more) of other cars and trucks about .75 of the way up the mountain(s). The detour involved service (dirt and gravel) roads in the mountains. The traffic was bumper to bumper...0 - 10 mph. I finally made it to the road in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park that would take my pissed off ass from TN to NC. Bumper to bumper...I'm telling you. I needed some gas, and I needed to pee, so instead of slipping onto the Blue Ridge Parkway (no fuel there), I had to head to the Cherokee Indian Reservation. I got some gas and took care of my business, but it was still 10 mph most of the way to Asheville...where I pick up I-40. Nightmare, I'm telling you.

Anyway, that was the most whacked out drive I've might have ever had. I don't think I've ever seen that much traffic on I-40...ever...and I've taken it coast to coast many times. It was still bumper to bumper (both lanes) after I got back on I-40...except these idiots were doing 80 mph minimum. I'm in the soup again...8 car pile up. ..i barely missed it...stopped...dark... and just an all around a cluster-fuck. 50 miles further down the road...another pile-up.. stopped...dark...not good.

Anyway, I arrived safely back in the Brier Patch after 9:00 pm...12 hours after I left the Blade's. Obviously, this was not in my plan...and I always have a plan.

I travel to Tennessee and back, often...but I won't be doing it again until someone fixes this shit. They say it might take several months to clear and repair, and the detour is between 200 and 250 miles. I-40 is closed both east bound and west bound.

It is what it is...but it seems to always be the unexpected that spanks your ass.

:: Comments left behind ::

Damn, that's some bad mojo right there... I might have made it home sooner than you did!

I saw that on the news and wondered if you would get stuck on the way home.

Glad everyone had a good time; maybe one day the hubby and I will be able to make that one!!

... good god, man!.... another natural disaster after a blogmeet!!!...... I'm so sorry that you had so much trouble!...

Man, I was so sorry to miss the meet, but not that kinda traffic. Had to make a run back to J'ville this weekend. I love, love the I-40 corridor for the very reasons you state. I still may have to go for a drive on Wednesday just to see.

Hope the foo foo bath helped smooth out all the rough edges after the Drive from Hell. Great seeing you and discussing Matters of Great Moral Import 'n' all dat.

Okay that beats my trip down to see my daughter when she was at Purdue and I got stuck for 3 hours about 1.5 miles from the exit because of a truck fatality...

Still it sucks pond water to get into those kind of traffic nightmares. Hope the bubbly bath worked to make it all better.

Wow. That so totally sucks sewage laden pond water! That's like trying to get through South Florida the Sunday after Thanksgiving when all the Gator and 'Nole fans are trying to get home too. We did that ONE time. ONE. Our 9 hour trip took 15.5 hours. Now we leave on Saturday. Blech.

Rockets are fueled, gas in the ride, heading to the Blade's on the other side.

Shovel-Stock, that is...other side of the mountains.

As usual, Brother Dax has my back...I think.

Be back later...I hope. The last one was a close one.

Y'all play nice...

:: Comments left behind ::

I got it brither....

I awoke this morning and my woman told me the front yard had a Mohawk. I was like...WTF are you talking about. I mowed it yesterday, late afternoon, and the sun was in my eyes. I missed a strip in the middle. I like it and I'm gonna leave it. Hell, I might even dye it.

It is what it it is.

:: Comments left behind ::

LOL - dye it! I love it.

Seen on US Hwy 15-501 at Grove intersection, near Durham , NC.

Click Here

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In Jersey, that sign would probably be torched by the tolerant Left.

Since I'm trying to keep my blog politics-free (not sure how long that's gonna last, seems to be the only thing that pisses me off anymore) I'll just say here that I noticed the Obama minions were out on the Sunday shows still decrying that all the negative economic indicators are still Bush's fault. Because they (the Obamanites) miscalculated the severity of what they were inheriting. GMAFB, already!

I just hope it's not too late before everyone wakes up and smells the roses,,,or in this case, the stink!

My former boss, who is a friend, came by the other day for some afternoon beverages on the Stretchengeti. He told me I was "Unmanageable" and compared me to Glen Beck...he added...I was relentless, intense, and would "just" not let up on matters I believe to be true. He also added that I would not tell anyone what I think it is they they want to hear. He also said that I research my arguments.

Well...right, wrong, or indifferent, I guess, I'll take that as a compliment.

:: Comments left behind ::

Sadly, in today's corporate world, those are qualities that are not in great demand. "Yes Men" are more the order of the day.

All sound like good traits to me. Proud to say they describe me pretty well. And if that makes me the asshole so many believe me to be, well then, I'll wear that title proudly!

You? Unmanageable? Really?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

Of course Jimbo is right - more's the pity.

...a comparison.

But, do you know who gave Hitler his power?

Clerks, Bookkeepers, and Civil Servants.

That is a fact.

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Ah yes, the footling footsoldiers of finance, filching and fecklessness.

I hereby challenge Obama to a game of chess. Stakes will be determined before colors are chosen.

I can beat him, and I'm not that good, but I do know how to think ahead, and he doesn't.

If I were you, I'd put your money on me.

Just sayin'

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Dude, you think your color hasn't already been decided? Think you're gonna get black from The Man? He'll go second, just to make you the white boy.

What in the hell are we thinking?

A six year old first grader, a Cub Scout, was suspended for taking a camping utensil to school. He was ordered by the school district to attend the district's reform school for 45 days.

A four month old baby was denied health Insurance for being too fat. I thought babies were supposed to be fat.

A high school senior, who is an Eagle Scout, on the honor roll, taking Advanced Placement classes, and has never been in trouble with the law, was suspended for five days because a two-inch pocket knife was found by school officials in his locked car. The knife was a gift from his Grandfather, who is the chief of police. This young man wants to attend West Point, and "now" is the time for him fill out his application for admission...but he can't because school officials will not allow him on school property.

I have carried a pocket knife every day of my life since I was five or six years of age. At the rate our society is going, I'll have to obtain a Concealed Carry Pocket Knife permit. What about the tire iron in the trunk of my vehicle. Will I need a Concealed Carry Tire Iron permit?

A Middle School student and his mother were told that they could not ride their bikes, or walk, to school. WTF

How do you teach values to young people, when you chastise them for everything?

I could go on and on, but the fact is...this country is out of fucking control on many different fronts.

We the People...need to wake up and do something about it...get involved...and not stay on the outside looking in. We are becoming BR (Beyond Ridiculous).

Personally, I have Zero Tolerance for this kind of shit.

We need more people children like him.

My woman and I, along with my dog Stretch, attended a Tea Party today. This young man spoke for over an hour...took questions for about 45 minutes...all without notes or a teleprompter...shooting from the hip, he was.

Anyway...got an autographed copy of his book.

Child Prodigy?... I don't know about that...but he is a very smart home-schooled young man. Very impressive.

:: Comments left behind ::

He's gonna go places ... you watch.

He rocks, and more power to him all the way!

This is one of the main problems of current political participation projects in Germany: Many newly youth-created local youth councils or parliaments get infiltrated by young party members who manipulate young people not yet involved in the political process who seek ways to find their own identity and play adult roles as early as possible. ,

I'm fairly good at technical support...put's bread on my table, but occasionally I get really pissed off. This is what I just did to a laptop that wouldn't behave.

I gassed it, and fired it (up).

It is no longer a problem. It is no longer...period.

If I can't fix a problem...I make it go away.

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Isn't that like the third or fourth computer you've destroyed? Nice to see someone still takes the scorched earth tactic to heart.

@V-man...you are correct...I don't take any shit off man or machine...but, it felt good to toast this one...

Put me out... Put me out!!!

??? WTF is LRE?

Comment weirdness. LRE's??? And what does least restrictive environment have to do with torching a laptop? Unless of course it means - go for it! LOL.

GREAT EXPLANATION OF WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTION

From a teacher in the Nashville area:

"We are worried about "the cow" when it is all about the "Ice Cream"

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year.
The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.
I decided we would have an election for a class president.

We would choose our nominees.
They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.

To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.
We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.
We got many nominations and from those,
Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids.
I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he received parental support.
I had never seen Olivia's mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.
Jamie went first.
He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place.
He ended by promising to do his very best.
Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now it was Olivia's turn to speak.
Her speech was concise.
She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."
She sat down.
The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream."

She surely would say more.
She did not have to. A discussion followed.
How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?
She wasn't sure..
Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it.
She didn't know. The class really didn't care.
All they were thinking about was ice cream.

Jamie was forgotten.
Olivia won by a landslide.

Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream
and 52 percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want
ice cream.

The other 48 percent know they're going to have to "feed the cow and clean up the crap."

Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone --- that they have not first taken away from someone else.

:: Comments left behind ::

When the "free" ice cream eaters outnumber the cows, we can shut the lights off.

...that you voted for the wrong guy; you were lied to by the media.

I wonder...how much of the damage 0bama has already done, and will do in the future, can be reversed?

Fool you once, shame on 0bama and the LSM...Fool you twice, shame on you.

0bama has gotta go.

Somebody, anybody, please explain to me anything 0bama has done to make our country better...anything.

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Well, he's..........
..........
.............. Never mind.

The Useless Nations says the next world war might be in cyberspace. They could be right on this one. If one country could control or shutdown another country's cyber-infrastructure, the hacked country couldn't fight conventionally. Game over without a shot fired. Think about it...no power...financial markets down...telecommunications down...air and train travel down...no fuel..., and the list goes on and on.

Also, what happens if a Root Server is compromised?

Servile Dictatorship ?

"Someone recently pointed out how much Barack Obama's style and strategies resemble those of Latin American charismatic despots -- the takeover of industries by demagogues who never ran a business, the rousing rhetoric of resentment addressed to the masses, and the personal cult of the leader promoted by the media. Do we want to become the world's largest banana republic?"

-- Thomas Sowell