Still undecided...

I have this "feeling" in the back of my mind, every time I hear Sen. Obama speak. Specifically when he pauses to think about answering a question. It scares me. I have mentioned this before in an earlier post. This "feeling" is not going away. We are going to be in real big trouble if it turns out that these gentlemen have similar styles. I am worried. Perhaps after the PA primary, things might become clearer. But, I'm asking you to watch out for the signs. We need to know what kind of manager Sen. Obama is. Remember we are electing much more than a President. Look at what you got with Pres. Bush. His subordinates have failed. Bush's management style, we now know, is too "good 'ole boy from Yale." Remember "Brownie" from FEMA. We cannot afford to let this happen again. Who will Obama have on his team to support him? I'm still leaning to Hillary as President and Obama as VP. I like Sen. McCain's international & military experience, but he falls short, in my opinion, on domestic issues. I like Obama, but he has not completely sold me yet. I don't know if he can.

Holy shit, am I dying!

I close my eyes for a few seconds, open them up and what do I see right next to my door? An ambulance with its lights a blaring. Ashland Volunteer Rescue. Am I dying? Has my constant shortness of breath finally gotten to me? Is it my heart? No pains in my left arm? They run to the truck next to me. Seems the driver sliced his hand and is bleeding badly. Off to the emergency room he goes. Me, well, I have a small box of Nilla wavers I've got to finish.

"Not extraordinary circumstances"

was the determination of the warden not to let this inmate stay with his sick daughter. 10 year old Jayci Yaeger passed away this past Friday. She has terminal cancer. Her father, Jason Yaeger, is serving 5 years on drug charges. The minimum security prison, in a press release, said: The Bureau of Prisons routinely utilizes furloughs and escorted trips in response to family emergencies, whichever is deemed most appropriate based on a review of security and safety concerns for both the inmate involved and the community. Bureau of Prisons officials have reviewed inmate Yaeger's request for a compassionate release and have determined his situation does not meet the criteria set forth by the Bureau of Prisons Program ... Inmate Yaeger's request for extended placement in a Residential Re-entry Center is currently in litigation; therefore, we are unable to comment further on this request. Instead of slowing or shutting down for high fuel prices, perhaps owner operators should have protested this warden's decision. For more on the story, please go to these two links: http://thatlawyerdude.blogspot.com/ and http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342794,00.html.

Review...T/A Ashland VA (I95 Richmond)

That's my photo of the location. I had to get a PM and patch a flat drive tire. They were busy, but I got in and out. I did not wait for a bay. $279.42 for the "ultimate" PM service. Everybody spoke English and seemed to know what they were doing. What a nice change. With that done time to take care of myself. There were plenty of showers. The room I had was small, but the water pressure was awesome. I stopped showering at Pilot because they all have water restrictors. The (hot) water pressure felt good against the back of my neck. It's been over week since I shaved. I'm just too sexy now for my truck. The Popeye's here is not open yet, so I had the buffet. BBQ pork, some kind of potatoes with ham in a white sauce - all very good. It's a raw 45 degrees outside and it was good to have a decent hot meal for $9. And remember to scan your reward points card when you fill up, whenever you stop. Use it to buy a meal, a pair of gloves or a new map book. The program is there, you might as well use it.

Cops gonna get a hard on...

if and when the national speed limits go down from 70ish to 65, 60 or (worse) if Hillary has her way, 55. Jimmy Carter all over again. My company just turned their trucks down from 68 to 64. I drive 60 mph. Conway is going down to 62. The ATA, the enemy of the American trucker, is asking for a 65 mph national speed limit for both cars and trucks. I guess the typical interstate vehicle goes around 75 mph. A few independents want to shut down around April 1st - April Fool's Day. How fitting. I can just imagine telling my "driver manager" that I'm not moving for a day or two because of fuel prices. I'll be on a Greyhound back to Florida sooner than you can say termination. I do not support any type of slowdown or shutdown. I feel nothing for owner-operators. You do not speak for me, and you certainly don't speak for truckers. You speak for you, and that's fine, but stay out of my way. **the photo was taken my me and is the first thing I saw this morning when I opened up the bunk curtains - very unfair LOL.

OOIDA's tedious...

article on the Sirius/XM merger did not speculate what the new channel lineup will look like. First, of all, OOIDA said the "new" radios will cost $200. That's not correct. The new line of combo receivers will cost pretty much what they are now $49 - $350. And then there's the 2 trucking channels, which has a small audience. XM has "Open Road" on 171 and Sirius has "Road Dog." XM's day starts with Dale Summers, the "Truck'n Bozo", then the OOIDA Land Line report, the (dinosaur) Bill Mack "the Satellite Cowboy", Kevin Rutherford trends and tech show and finally ends with the Midnight Trucking Network. Sirius has a weaker lineup starting with The Loading Dock show, then the (terrible) Freewheeling, the Lockridge Report then someone called Jonesy. I have listened to them all. I have suffered through many. So here's what we do. Ditch the Loading Dock, Rutherford, Freewheeling and Jonesy. Start the day with the Lockridge Report, then OOIDA, Bill Mack, Dale Summers and finally the Midnight Trucking Network. When the FCC approves the deal, Howard Stern will come out as the winner with something like l6 million listeners. You will have both baseball and football. There is much duplication with news, talk and music. Both XM and Sirius are wasting their money on folks yapping on the music channels and save a bundle on eliminating them with little or no effect on the quality of the shows. Oprah, Martha Steward, Barbara Walters, Opie and Anthony - well who cares? One of the best sports shows is Ferrell on Howard 102 and in the merger, it will most likely become more popular. The one show that everyone wants, but satellite can't get is Rush Limbaugh, who makes a fortune in syndication. Ever try to tune him in on the road. He's somewhere on AM, sometimes on FM, but he lasts about 10 minutes, then you lose him. Too bad. I would pay another $1.50 just to get him on the new combined XM/Sirius lineup.

White coat fever...

is a fact of life that the bureaucrats (DOT) make no provisions for. Your trucking company just declared bankcruptcy. You're on one of those 21 hour Greyhound "treks" to your next orientation. After sharing a room with snoring Bubba over the weekend, at 5:30am, the company picks you up in their "van" and takes you for a physical with Greta "occupational" somewhere in downtown Birmingham. Greta, fictional photo to the left, is a nurse practitioner who gets $65 for every "new hire" she touches. Her office is in a strip mall next to Bunny's tanning and nail salon. A Chinese buffet is on the other side. You sit there with 25 other tired smelly poor out of work truck drivers hoping to get through the next 3 boring days into a truck to make some money. Even before you see Greta you work yourself into such a state that your blood pressure beings to rise, and rise, and well, there is no way you're going to meet the DOT requirements for a medical card. And two hours before, and three hours after this ordeal, your blood pressure is NORMAL! You (and I) have white coat fever. I hate going to the doctor. I hate getting weighed. I absolutely detest getting my blood pressure taken. And, unless I'm doing it - even my regular family doctor doesn't count - my blood pressure is ALWAYS high. This whole process sucks. I'm all for health, but once again my government has its business right up my butt, literally. It is embarrassing and a violation of my personal and private business. OOIDA can't even answer my e-mail about Florida ag inspections stations, so I don't expect them to deal with this issue that effects THOUSANDS of drivers.

What a shame...

that we're wasting so much time on meaningless nonsense. We need serious discussions on the real issues effecting this country. This election right now sounds like a bunch of old church ladies gossiping about their neighbors. The link for the candidates photos is http://www.nytimes.com/.

Henderson, KY

is a shit hole. Dark, cold, wet and stark. No leaves on the trees. Where's the sun? There is too much traffic on the main drag through town. The right lane is closed because of construction and traffic has been backed up all day. There are too many trucks. I'm at the Marathon gas station/truck stop. There is free internet service. Screw Flying J. I've just had the worst experience with a broker. Not some hole in wall broker. One of, if not the, largest broker in the country. It involved a double blind bill of lading. I've been in this business for 30 years and I have no idea what this is. Obviously, it the creation of a broker. I'm a company driver, but sometimes in these times of scarce freight, I have to deal with these people. So, it seems, some trucking company somewhere, turned to another company to do a pick up of coils down in Columbus, MS. This company can't handle it so they give to this huber broker to take care of it. My company ends up booking the freight. So I enter the picture. I get to the shipper at 7:15pm. No go that night. Please wake until "the shipping lady" gets in at 8am. I'll make a long story short. No one knows anything about this load. 7 cell phone calls. Release numbers, purchase orders, this, that - they finally find what it is and who it is. 1pm. Loaded. Not coils. Aluminum ingots. They want it tarped. Yeah right. Are they going to give me new tarps when I get to the final and there completely torn. No. It is 365 paid miles. It is 516 real world mile. I have to and get 150 extra paid miles. 2 1/2 days wasted on this load. I hate brokers. Nothing they have done has ever changed my mind. And I should be an owner operator? No way!

Enjoy this...

soiree on steroids. I have attended trade shows all over the globe. As a marketing person, I've designed trade show booths, and as a salesperson, I've had to stand for hours, smiling and doing hundreds of demos. At this stage of my life, I can think of nothing else I'd rather do than spend any time with thousands of fake plastic people bullshitting for three days. Trucking has failed to successfully market itself to America. This show is an invisible fun fest. Have a great time, enjoy the shiny trucks, but know that what really needs to be accomplished "ain't" happening in Louisville, KY this weekend.

Shut down...

slowdown, protest, call, e-mail, petitions, drive minimum speed, bla bla bla. Hey - America doesn't give a crap about truck drivers. They don't care what you pay for fuel. They don't care about your problems. If every piece of food, medicine, lumber or steel could be moved on a rail car, America wouldn't care. Mr. and Mrs. America would love to see you off "their" roads. So listen to yourselves. All of you sound like Floyd R. Turbo, the famous "stupid" television character, Johnny Carson created. Do your job. Shut up. The less you say the better. Join OOIDA and let them deal with the bastards in Washington. Wise up. Because you're not cops, not pilots, not military, not doctors or nurses - America does not care what you have to say. You need to be transparent. And that is the truth, and you know it! The photo is from the NBC archives.

This little photo is of Evan Lockridge, who sells himself as an "independent, authoritative voice for the professional driver." I have no idea if he even knows how to drive a truck or if he has ever spent any time behind the wheel. I know he never answers e-mails. In the past, on both XM and Sirius, I have found him rather annoying. But, I have tuned in recently to his Lockridge Report on Sirius "Road Dog" Sirius 147 2pm-4pm, and it is worth listening to. Of course, he is competing with Jay Thomas on Stars 102, Bubba on 101, and repeats of the (heavyweight) Howard Stern show on Sirius 100.

Finally...

the DOJ blessed this "long overdue" merger. Let's hope that the FCC moves quickly to approve it.

Deadheading all...

over the damn place. Drove from Hickman, KY to Altus, AR. Then deadheaded back to Hickman, KY to drop the trailer. Bob tailed to Senatobia, MS. Picked up a trailer and dead headed south to Columbia, MS. Then learned that the pick up is Columbus, MS. My bad. A 365 miles broker load. I need to find a truck stop that actually has a fax machine that works. I don't like dealing with brokers. I'm a damn company driver doing other folks work for a 365 trip. Bullshit. Got to what looks like a job site just as the sun is going down. The place is huge and I'm in mood to deal with it. There is a Texaco station quasi little truck stop at the corner. I'm wasted. I'll deal this nonsense in the morning. I'm here in the middle of nowhere and this Texaco has FREE Internet service. Screw you Flying J! Mississippi is a nice place, but the people are too slow for me. They all seem to talk in a low slow voice. I can't hear them. I would be better off using sign language to order my dinner, which by the way, was pretty good for $6 at this Texaco. I'm sorry but "typical" white people have no idea how to make good fried chicken. The photo is the Mississippi quilt from this site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennysanford/628640014/

Sunday night...Easter...

and I'm sitting eating dinner here at the Flying J. I'm closely monitoring the rear ends of the young waitresses as they wiggle past me. Whatever is on the television is of no interest to me. I'm fantasizing what each of them would look like in a bikini or short summer dress running bear foot in the grass. The sun coming in through the open blinds feels good on my head. I don't want to leave. It 's probably the best I've felt since last weekend when I sitting at some other Flying J watching other waitresses rear ends. But, something is definitely wrong today. I just don't feel good. I'm away from home. I'm not driving, hence not making any money. And, I'm getting fat and my health is swirling down the drain. My mood this week has been effected by all this plus spending some time in a flooded retention pond in Jonesboro, AR. So let's talk about one of my favorite subjects - depression. Specifically how depression correlates to communication. When your depressed, the last thing you feel like doing is talking to someone. That's because the person you're talking to, who doesn't really understand how you feel, cannot possibly tell you what you want to hear. Talking makes you feel worse. And you end up making the person you're talking to feel worse. So you avoid people altogether. You, if you're not careful, will sink deeper and deeper in a hole of negative thought. You do a head trip on yourself of worst case senarios and feel like you're just a loser. Along with this, you will possibly overeat. Unchecked, you begin to drift further and further from shore, which in this case, is a balanced level headed motivated person. In a conversation with my wife this week, I needed sympathy. She told that all she needed me to do is work my ass off so we can pay the bills. She had someone coming to the house to give her an estimate on repairing some damage to the attic. It was $500. In my frame of mind at that point, the absolute last thing I needed to hear was anything concerning anything that did not directly concern my immediate need for some kind of lifeline. And, I in turn did not (could not) communicate that I was extremely concerned about my health, my job after the "pond" incident and my fantasy of getting off the road. You know the expression - "idle hands are the devils workshop?" Well, for the OTR driver, not driving and keeping busy opens the door wide open for 'ole Mr. Depression to make an appearance. So while sitting in the Flying J with the sun beaming on my face, I was thinking about all this. And I reached no conclusions. In many ways, I'm lost. The kind of lost where all you want is a motorcycle and a new job with health insurance. You think of actually leaving behind the job at 5pm and go home. Getting off the road. Talking to your wife face to face. But would that actually work out? Who knows. I'm going to buy a chocolate egg for Easter, go back out to the truck and watch another taped episode of Law & Order. The photo is from: http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/content/images/2004_2613.JPG

Screw China...

"I believe that a form of cultural genocide has taken place in Tibet, where the Tibetan identity has been under constant attack. Tibetans have been reduced to an insignificant minority in their own land as a result of the huge transfer of non-Tibetans into Tibet. The distinctive Tibetan cultural heritage with its characteristic language, customs and traditions is fading away. Instead of working to unify its nationalities, the Chinese government discriminates against these minority nationalities, the Tibetans among them." His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. I know that if I walked into the Flying J here in Russellville, AR, that little or no one would know who this man is, what China is doing or what his mission is. I've always said that being a truck driver is no excuse for ignorance. Arkansas is the home of Wal-Mart, which imports thousands of cheap products from China, a Communist country that is masquerading as a capitalist society. It is not. Our government, which invaded one country with an oppressive leader, chooses to do trade with another, with little regard for human rights. To learn more go to: http://www.dalailama.com/

Why?

hasn't our President, who is responsible for 4,000 of our troops being killed in Iraq, not found this man. I don't understand it. He never talks about it. Sen. McCain says he going to make it a priority to find him. But, why hasn't the President, in his time left in office, not made this job #1? I can't forget 9/11. I never will. Whatever the fuel price, the ridiculous price of groceries, mortgage failures, the very questionable war, I will not forget 9/11. Bin Laden must be brought to justice. I know Mr. Bush can't wait to get home to his ranch in Crawford, TX, but does he really want Americans to remember that he failed to get Bin Laden? I'm sorry, but nothing else really matters right now. The link for the WTC photo is http://www.rubensteintech.com/resources/wtc/P1010015.jpg

Can it be possible...

that you can become so fat that you are no longer a sexual being? That by being so overweight you are just a walking talking chunk of fat rather than a "normal" male or female. When you sit in the truck stop today, you will see a woman (barely) walking that is so obese, you not only wonder how she got that way, but how could anyone associate with her. You wouldn't have sex with her if she was the last living being on earth. The same goes for a man that is obese. Do these people have sex? Some are so fat you wonder if they can even reach their "private parts." Certainly you have to wonder why anyone would want to "make love" to anyone so large. I wrote "disgusting" but then changed it to "large." In my experience, these people are not only dangerously overweight, they all seem to have attitudes. But that's for another piece. Listen drivers, find a mirror. Look at yourself. Really look at yourself. Can you walk in a public place and look "normal?" Would someone want to go to bed with you? What would other people say about you? Even if you don't care, ask yourself that question. But know that if you look anything like the two photos I used - and I regularly see people like this everyday in trucking - people are totally turned off by you. And I'm sorry, but you have ceased to be a man or women, but just a fat (disgusting) loser. The link for the photos is http://www.freakingnews.com/Fat-People-Pictures--328-0.asp

Take your whore out to dinner night...

at the Russellville, AR Flying J. A few tables away from me is a 50 ish year old white man dressed all in very conservative grey clothes. Nice stuff, leather belt, shoes - looks like a preacher without the collar or tie. His eating partner is a tall Black female with a blue tiger print 1 piece hot pants kind of thing. Her big brown butt cheeks protrude from both sides of her "outfit." She has fuzzy wool leg warmers and knee length fake suede Indian boots on. You could see her red lips a mile away. Her nails were a curvy 4 inches long and colored baby blue. Both of them were driving a U-Haul truck. The waitresses acted like they knew him. Perhaps from Sunday services? He had a big wallet full of cash. He flaunted it. He left a big tip. They both had the buffet. He did not know her name. Yes, it was whore night at the FJ. The food was pretty good (steak, pizza, BBQ chicken) for $13. Service was good. The ice cream machine was out of order as well as all the washers in the laundry room. The photo is from http://www.blackagendareport.com .

Boondoogle alert!!

"The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is a not-for-profit organization, established to promote an environment free of commercial vehicle accidents and incidents. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. This is accomplished by establishing effective transportation safety standards for motor carriers, drivers, vehicles, and inspectors through compliance, education, training, and enforcement programs." That blurb is from the CSVA website. I learned from OOIDA that the CSVA's annual "roadcheck" is scheduled for June 3-5th. It's a great time to go fishing. What law enforcement folks just love to to do is play up dress up and give people with little or no say a hard time. It is a 3 day tailgate party for 10,000 inspectors. Why we don't have 10,000 inspectors searching for Osama Bin Laden or illegal aliens or drug smugglers is a mystery me. But then truck drivers have no power, no say in the matter and will do nothing but bend over like the good little victims they've always been.

Happy Easter ??

I have a vague idea of what Easter is all about, although what chocolate eggs and pink and yellow rabbits have to do with it are a mystery to me. If you find yourself sitting in the truck stop this weekend with time on your hands, and you're by yourself, spend a hour or so with this guy. I'm not religious by any means, but Joel Osteen (and his wife) will cheer you up. For more information go to: ghttp://joelosteen.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer?pagename=JOM_homepage

Waiting, waiting and sitting...

around doing absolutely nothing seems to be the story of my life, and I'm getting real tired of it. I wonder what other job has so much damn downtime. I’m not on the clock or getting paid a salary, so other than the cost of the truck, I represent no liability to the company I work for. Life truly is passing me by as I sit here. Trump is making big deals, brave men and women and fighting are overseas, people are flying everywhere, folks are teaching, healing, making money, fishing, vacationing, and so forth and so on. But I’m just sitting here. And I have “just sat here” for about six years now. And while to some who don’t sit a lot, all this waiting might seem, well, fun. Not to me, not anymore. Much of it has been waiting to load, waiting to unload, waiting in traffic, waiting for an accident to clear, waiting in construction, waiting to fuel, waiting to pay for fuel, waiting to pay, waiting for a truck wash, waiting to park, waiting for service, waiting for tires, waiting to scale, waiting for road service, waiting to pay a toll and of course, waiting for the truck to be fixed. I have a house that needs fixing. If I combined all the time I have been waiting and instead used that time to repair my house, I would have a little palace. If I used all this wait time to work out and exercise, I would be in shape and not have to worry about my blood pressure or weight. I might be a thin as the sock photo. I think I have spent so much time waiting and sitting that I’m becoming permanently stiff. A few more years of waiting and someone will have to call the fire department to pry me out of the front seat of the truck. Right now, I'm sitting (again) at the Petro in W. Memphis, AR with a load of "carbon" to Altus, AR delivery Monday at 8am and then a return back to Hickman, KY 400 miles away (where I started) delivery Tuesday 8am. The sock photo by Pwm2004OU on Flickr.

Out of sight, out of mind...

was the excuse for keeping me waiting for 4 hours after the truck was ready. TAG in Jonesboro, AR off US63. Make note of that. At least Freightliner is consistent - every service manager for every one of their dealerships is a moron. I don't like mechanics. I don't like dealerships. And, I especially don't like service managers. They're all from the planet STUPID. If you're an OTR driver, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And we all know where the really retarded service managers go...to the trucking company shops. By the way after checking on the status of the repairs - the service manager actually tried twice to avoid me by walking in the other direction - then finally being told it "should be any time now" - I was sitting in the DRIVERS LOUNGE!! Shakespeare said "Kill all the lawyers", and I completely agree right after we kill all the dealership service managers!

Job well done...

by Spc. Micah E. Clare BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army News Service, March 21, 2008 - The second female soldier since World War II was awarded a Silver Star Thursday for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan last year. Spc. Monica Brown, 19, a Lake Jackson, Texas, native was presented her Silver Star by V.P. Dick Cheney during a ceremony at Bagram Airfield. It was dusk April 25, 2007, when Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was on a routine security patrol along the rolling, rocky plains of Paktika's isolated Jani Khail District when her convoy was attacked by insurgents. "We'd been out on the mission for a couple of days," said Brown, "We had just turned into a wadi (empty river bed) when our gunner yelled at us that the vehicle behind us had hit an (improvised-explosive device)."They all looked out of their windows in time to see one of the struck vehicle's tires flying through the field next to them. Brown had just opened her door to see what was going on when the attack began."I only saw the smoke from the vehicle when suddenly we started taking small-arms fire from all around us," she said. "Our gunner starting firing back and my platoon sergeant yelled, 'Doc! Let's go.'"Brown and her platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Jose Santos, exited their vehicle, and while under fire, ran the few hundred meters to the site of the downed Humvee."Everyone was already out of the burning vehicle," she said. "But even before I got there, I could tell that two of them were injured very seriously."In fact, all five of the passengers who had stumbled out were burned and cut. Two Soldiers, Spc. Stanson Smith and Spc. Larry Spray, suffered life-threatening injuries. With help from two less-injured vehicle crewmen, Army Sgt. Zachary Tellier and Spc. Jack Bodani, Brown moved the immobile Soldiers to a relatively safe distance from the burning Humvee."There was pretty heavy incoming fire at this point," she said. "Rounds were literally missing her by inches," said Bodani, who provided suppressive fire as Brown aided the casualties while injured. "We needed to get away from there."Attempting to provide proper medical care under the heavy fire became impossible, especially when the attackers stepped up efforts to kill the Soldiers."Another vehicle had just maneuvered to our position to shield us from the rounds now exploding in the fire from the Humvee behind us," Brown said. "Somewhere in the mix, we started taking mortar rounds. It became a huge commotion, but all I could let myself think about were my patients."With the other vehicles spread out in a crescent formation, Brown and her casualties were stuck with no-where to go. Suddenly, Santos arrived with one of the unit's vehicles backed it up to their position, and Brown began loading the wounded soldiers inside. "We took off to a more secure location several hundred meters away where we were able to call in the (medical evacuation mission)," Brown said. She then directed other combat-life-saver-qualified soldiers to help by holding intravenous bags and assisting her in prepping the casualties for evacuation. After what seemed like an eternity, the attackers finally began retreating and Brown was able to perform more thorough aid procedures before the MEDEVAC helicopter finally arrived to transport the casualties to safety, Brown said.Two hours after the initial attack, everything was over.In the darkness, Brown recalled standing in a field, knee-deep in grass, her only source of light coming from her red head-light, trying to piece together the events which had just taken place. "Looking back, it was just a blur of noise and movement," she said. "What just happened? Did I do everything right? It was a hard thing to think about." Before joining the Army at the age of 17, the bright-eyed young woman said she never pictured herself being in a situation like this. Originally wanting to be an X-ray technician, she changed her mind when she realized that by becoming a medic, she'd be in the best place to help people."At first, I didn't think I could do it," she said. "I was actually afraid of blood. When I saw my first airway-opening operation, I threw up."She quickly adjusted to her job, and received additional training both before and during her deployment to Afghanistan."I realized that everything I had done during the attack was just rote memory," she said. "Kudos to my chain of command for that. I know with training, like I was given, any medic would have done the same in my position.""To say she handled herself well would be an understatement," said Bodani, who quickly recovered from his injuries and immediately returned to work. "It was amazing to see her keep completely calm and take care of our guys with all that going on around her. Of all the medics we've had with us throughout the year, she was the one I trusted the most." Earning trust with a combat unit is not something easily earned, said Army Capt. Todd Book, Troop C's commander at the time of the attack, but it was something Brown had taken upon herself to prove long before the Jani Khail ambush." Our regular medic was on leave at the time," Book said. "We had other medics to choose from, but Brown had shown us that she was more technically proficient than any of her peers." Having people call her "Doc" means a lot to her because of the trust it engenders. "When people I've treated come back to me later and tell me the difference I was able to make in their life is the best part of this job," Brown said. During her rest and recuperation in May 2007, Brown visited Spray in the hospital and met his mother." I almost cried," Brown said. "Spray's mother was so thankful and she hugged me. That was the moment that made me feel the best about what I did." Even though she felt proud when she was informed that she was going to receive a Silver Star, she considers her actions to be the result of effort put into her by everyone she's worked for. "While I'm not scared to get my hands dirty, I have to say that I never fully became a medic until I came over here and did it first-hand," she said. "I just reacted when the time came."Due to her quick and selfless actions, both Smith and Spray survived their injuries. ** Spc. Micah E. Clare serves with the 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office *** the photo is by Jeremy D. Crisp/US Army/via Getty Images

Do you have any idea

what your credit “score” is? Do you regularly review your credit reports? Do you know how to get a copy of your credit report? Did you know that there are three major credit reporting companies? Did you know that if you're denied credit somewhere you can get a free copy of your credit report? Just recently I learned my credit score and was surprised that it was as high as it was. I haven’t seen a copy of my credit report in years. I am not so concerned about someone stealing my identity and using my credit, because I have little or no available credit, despite my good credit score, and if someone wants to assume my identity, then, please, be my guest. I'm a poor OTR trucker. But, every time I go to my e-mail page there is a flashy colorful advertisement (see above left) telling me to sign up for some service to get a “three-in-one” credit report and (re) learn my credit score. Now of course all this information about me should be free, but there are a few companies out there making a lot of money keeping information about me from me. Only in America right? So I clicked on two of these ads wanting to see which service I should sign up for. What I got was more confused than ever. The first thing I learned was “free” does not mean “free.” And it went downhill from there. I ended up more and more frustrated. The more I went back to these sites, the more angry I got. It’s like many other things “financial” – a lot of double talk and funny money - lies and deception. I wanted to see my credit reports. I don’t need daily monitoring. They tell me I need to know who inquires about my credit, but I haven’t cared about that for over twenty years, why should I begin now. I would also like to hold the three credit agencies reports in my hands - real paper. What is offered is a combination on-line “e-version” of the three agencies reports into one. Is that good? Is that bad? Who knows. My wife suggested I go to Suzie Ormond’s finance site. She apparently also offers some type of credit report & score service. I haven’t done this yet, because I need to be the right “mood” to deal with this. And I dare not forget to tell you that some of these companies charge as much as $39 a month for their services. That’s almost $500 a year. That’s also absurd, So it seems I can’t afford to check my own credit, find out what my credit “scores” are and get credit reports – all information about me an a private individual. Whew, my head is spinning!

Did you know...

that in the District of Columbia you cannot own a gun? I wonder why in the capital of our nation we have such a high crime rate, despite the ban on handguns? Washington, DC is a beautiful place as long you’re in the right neighborhood. Only miles from the White House, you put yourself in harms way just by taking a walk. This is a disgrace. Shouldn't Washington DC be a model city, rather than a carbon copy of Detroit or Newark. It’s another domestic problem that is never addressed by the media or politicians. Taking away the "evil" guns has only resulted in making the crime rate worse. Even more stupid is that you can possess a rifle or shotgun, but it must remained disassembled. The issue of private gun ownership in the District was the topic of arguments before the US Supreme Court earlier this week. I personally do not own a handgun, rifle or shotgun. First of all, I can’t afford to buy one. Second, I have not come to terms with firearms. Just looking at one makes me nervous. But the right to bear arms is guaranteed in our constitution. And so it should be. I would hope the Court affirms that and “they” stop messing around with what should be a “given.” The photo is a Walther PPK.

This is one of the those days

where saying adios to trucking greatly appeals to me. Here's the deal. 4am Jonesboro AR. I'm parked outside the front gate of the plant I'm delivering to. The day before I left Chicago. It never stopped raining. Stressful driving. The closer I got to my final the heavier the rain got. The darker the sky became. A few miles from my destination the warning sirens were blaring. Cops and ambulances rushing everywhere. Tree limbs blowing onto the road. Weather service has a tornado warning extended until 2am. The wind is blowing. Knock knock. "They're ready for you at door 11. At the other end of the building." I threw on some sweats and jumped in the front seat. It was raining and dark. Through the front gate I went. The whole place was flooded. I see door 9 so 11 is around the bend. Proceed slowly. What the f..k. And down I go into the f..k'n water. It's a damn retention pond. No fence, no sign, no lights - just my ass in the water. Drives off the ground. Engine off. I get out of the cab and into waist high cold water and mud. Jesus H. Christ. Long story short. Wrecker comes. Old redneck talks to much. Acts like I fell off a bridge into the Mississippi. Pulls me out. Engine starts, runs for 10 minutes, then shuts down. Fast forward, I'm in a f..k'n cheap plastic barcalounger at the Freighliner dealer. Can't get a straight answer. Typical dealer. Just what hell might be like. It takes hours waiting on the phone with my carrier who has 1 person sitting at the outside repair desk with too many problems to handle by himself. 6pm, the truck is not repaired, and I'm stuffing my face with $34 of wings and a medium cheese pizza from Dominos, inside a "room" at the Super 8 motel. I'm so freak'n pissed, my wife orders the food for me from Florida. I'm watching my 350th episode of Law & Order. Dealing with the woman in safety was like rubbing my private parts on sandpaper. Get real, bitch, I really want to f..k my day up by driving straight into a ditch. Let's fix the truck and roll. I don't need this shit anymore. I hate winter, what's left of it. A job with the Peace Corps. somewhere far far away from a truck, the suits and the bullshit seems just what the doctor ordered. Right. I need to win the lottery and retire. Photo from Bakko Brats' Photos on Flickr.

The "rag-blog" and International...

I was going to profile the new Int'l LoneStar tractor - until - I saw that there was some kind of "tie-in" with that "rag-blog" - Life on the Road. They label themselves as a blog with "discussion and opinion" about the trucking industry. There is little or none of either of any relevance. In reality it's a truly bad online version of (that bird cage liner) Pilot's Challenge Magazine, edited by Mr. Nascar, Steve Smith. And, then there was the advertisement by International that the editors of Fleet Owner magazine want you to think is an article, but is really an advertisement. So read this from the ad - "The interior was designed to provide a clear delineation between the working space of the cockpit and the living space of the sleeper." That said by (*Dr.) Lenora Hardee, chief engineer, human factors and engineering for International. "This is a modern interpretation of what 'classic' is. It is a product that is all about being authentic", says International's chief designer. WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THIS? International and the rag-blog Life on the Road deserve each other. There is no way any blog can be honest and open about anything when "suits" of a company like International have their thumbs up your ass. That's why we do not accept advertising! The picture courtesy of http://pete-online.com/ *Dr. ? PhD. or medical doctor. I hate when this is not made clear.

Still snowing...

here in Chicago even though it is 41 degrees. Miserable rain and fog. My 14 hours are up so I'm parked at the Petro off I-57 just south of I-80. Idle Aire is the internet service provider. I'm headed down to Jonesboro, Arkansas. The photo is of the 330 mpg (!) Aptera by a California company called Accelerated Composites. They're trying to get it ready for the market late this year. Now all we need is some type of hybrid truck with awesome fuel mileage. In the meantime, let me pose this question - all you whiners about $4/gal diesel - why are you still flying down the interstate at 70 mph+? What's the deal? You dangerously tailgate other trucks and cars because (so it seems)you're in so much of a rush. You don't turn off your engine at the shipper, receiver or even while pumping. What a bunch a morons. Yeah you. Shut up, slow down, get off everybody tail and stop unnecessary idling. Drive like the price of diesel is $5/gal.

No sex for you...

Did you ever wonder why magazines like Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler, Leg Show, etc. are not sold at Flying J, T/A, Love's or Pilot? No sex, but these "travel centers" heavily push cigarettes and beer. How is it that you can sell alcohol and beer to the "traveling" public in light of so many DUI's? We all know that cigarettes are deadly, yet FJ and every other "truck stop" pushes them. And, clearly, having nothing to do with "sex" and not exposing their SUV and RV customers (and their ugly innocent evil tired hungry cranky whiny children) to vulgarity and "pornography" is good business. Did you ever take a good look at these "fine upstanding" Americans? These folks have not had any (good) sex in years. Most don't even talk to each other. Many are so out of shape sex is impossible. It is very clear to me that these "holier than thou" goody two shoes with their pretend Christian family values, who clog the interstate with their Winnebago's, Toyota's and Fords, could clearly benefit from a good "BJ" or few minutes with a copy of the latest Penthouse and an appointment with their left hand. I really want to go back to the days of a separate section for "professional" drivers where we can buy "smut", eat in peace and not interface with these "sexless" annoying civilians.
*** the photo is hot (21 year old) Bree Olsen http://breeolson.com/ & http://penthouse.com/ who I listened to going nowhere in the I-65 KY traffic on Sirius 100 (replay) The Howard Stern Show. She was "fooling around" (lesbian kissing exhange) with her new friend porn star Erica Ellyson - great moments in radio! Just Google them for more photos - just make sure you're in your truck and not sitting inside the FJ.

3rd FJ in 3 days....

Just south of the windy city I'm here at the Hebron, Indiana FJ off I65. I sat for over an hour down in KY due to some type of interstate "obstruction" that I never saw. Usual morons on the CB with nothing else to do but make up stories about why the traffic was not moving. I basically had the same meal as last night, but it was mysteriously $2 less expensive. If I purchased a NASCAR hat at the FJ we were at last night, it was on sale for $10. Same hat here is on "sale" for $20. $2 cheaper for the meal, but $10 more expensive for the hat. Cute blond Stacey was my young server and she did a fair job for someone with little or no life experience. It's 37 degrees here, but I refuse to change out of my shorts. This FJ used to be a Petro that I never liked. Across the street is a horrible Pilot. I'll stop by there in the morning since they have a McDonald's. I have a 9am delivery appointment in Harvey, IL. By the way, some fat lady in front of me on the buffet line grabbed all the steak. I went back when I thought they had brought some more, but it was ham. The "new" FJ ham with pineapple in some kind of brown sugar sauce is delicious. Until FJ learns how to make fried chicken, I recommend you eat something else - like their meatballs. No salad tonight - it looked dry, therefore, probably tasteless. FJ has no clue how to prep lettuce.

Pay close attention...

to how both Senators respond to situations and questions. Obama tends to hesitate and think, while Hillary (appears and) sounds much more confident. She rarely hesitates. She is quick. He is more calculating - almost like he knows that he must be careful about everything that comes out of his mouth. I feel there is so much more he wants to say, but holds back. Not the case with Sen. Clinton. On Hannity & Colmes/Fox the other night, Sen. McCain was good, but when he spend more than 5 seconds on such nonsense as a marriage amendment, I get turned off. I want him to be his own man, but the conservatives are biting at his behind. Right now, I would feel very comfortable with Hillary as President and Obama as the VP. Bush was speaking on the economy Friday, and well, it was a horrible speech. The sooner the change of power the better off we will all be. I want to respect our President while he is in office, but I feel so sad that Bush is such a disappointment.

Out of work in Ohio?

Trust me, it has nothing to do with NAFTA. It has nothing to do with Mexicans, China, India or anyone or anywhere else. It has everything to do with you. And your former cheap bosses. And the vile unions that represented you. Yes, you got greedy. You thought it was acceptable to drive a forklift and get paid $17.50/hour. You thought it was ok not to be productive and work hard. You thought it was fine to stand around doing nothing. If a supervisor said something you would whine to your union rep. And while you b.s.'d with your arrogant co-workers, your job moved elsewhere. They might make $.35 a day overseas, but they do a better job than you ever did. And they care. And you have nobody to blame but you. If I managed a business in Ohio and you screwed me with over-the-top wages and a lousy work ethic combined with laziness and arrogance, I would be on the first available flight to Beijing or Mexico City. And sorry, Barack or Hillary cannot save you. It's too late. But there are solutions. Can you say Starbucks, Burger King, Wal-Mart, Target, and Home Depot? And to those other arrogant over-paid union workers in Indiana, Illinois, New York and elsewhere - time is running out on you as well. Beware, look at where your "friends" are in Ohio.

Hi, I'm Betsy...

and I'll be your waitress...well, ok, this is not exactly what she (he) looked like, but she was the best FJ server I've had in a long time. Go down a few posts and see what I said about the FJ just outside tornado alley (ATL) in Dalton, GA. Tonight was completely the reverse. 100% improvement. Service excellent, food outstanding. FJ now has these potato triangle things with some kind of seasoning on top - who cares how many calories - they're delicious! The buffet steak was top notch and there were three kinds of gravy to put on top. And, wow, there was ketchup on the table! I didn't need it, everything was too good. $11.65 for the meal - water with lemon - and $2 tip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellifox/ for more photos.

Time to legalize...

No I do not smoke it. And no, I have never used one. But like alcohol, it is time to make both legal. License and tax it, just like cigarettes and alcohol. We have already run out of jail space. If you smoke it, don't drive. If you buy it, for God sakes use a condom. These are not crimes. They never should have been. Let's get real. The left photo from muyuy74 off http://Flickr.com and the right is U10068666 sassy stock/royalty free photograph from the http://Fotosearch.com web site.

Are you CPR certified?

Why not? Maybe one day you can save another driver's life. Before I started driving, a guy, in the office next to mine, collapsed and died. He had a massive heart attack. I had no idea how to do CPR. Maybe I could have helped him. My boss tried, but it was too late. There is a new method to do CPR. The conventional method had a success rate of 5-10%. Instead of doing chest compressions, you now push on the abdomen - 200 times before the initial defibrillator shock. In AZ, first responders have tripled the survival rate using this new method. If you want to learn, call your Safety Director at your carrier or local chapter of the American Red Cross. You can also go to: http://www.alerttrainingsystems.com/

Yo, yo, yo...torna-do...

I was just outside ATL last night at the Dalton GA "J". It was windy and rainy, but I had no clue there were tornadoes. Driving north (through GA, TN and KY) the weather is miserable. Listening to FN/CNN (3:30pm) they are reporting, once again, tornadoes in ATL. Too bad a tornado can't swing through this overpopulated highly congested city and create a new road for trucks. I, of course, wouldn't want anyone harmed. The two photos on the left are by Erik S. Lesser for The New York Times and the photo on the right is by John Amis of the Associated Press.