Computer problems...

I've been having some computer and connectivity problems the last few days. As soo as I get them resoleved I'll be posting again, visiting your blogs and returning your emails. Until then I'll be beating my head against the keyboard.

Sad news

I've been is sort of a funk yesterday and today because I just got word that a dear friend of mine, Robin's husband passed away suddenly yesterday of a massive heart attack... He was a great guy and I'll miss him.

Rest In Peace, Jimmy.

The Journey

Found this little nugget on YouTube yesterday when I was searching for a video for today.

A very good David Gilmour-ish blues instrumental by Mike Garvey...

Enjoy!

Happy Music Monday!

Can people really be this stupid?

Yes they can.

Look who we have in the White House.

Happy Funny Foto Friday!

See you all Monday unless something Earth~Shattering happens and I just have to blog.

It never fails...

Every time I need to get up early I don't sleep worth a damn the night before. I'm getting new living room furniture delivered this morning and I tossed and turned all damn night.

First I can't breathe... I'm laying on my right side and my nose is instantly clogged. I roll over to my left and it immediately goes away, but then I get a cramp in my arm... Roll back over and here come the flood again. This goes on for I don't know how long...

Then the damn acid-reflux kicks in.

And I'm out of antacid.

These guys better get here early is all I've got to say.

Whiny rant Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

Moor trane pix!

In about 5 weeks I'll be back to work... I'm chomping at the bit. Working the way I do I get the whole summer off, but the idle time is starting to get to me. I'm ready to get back. I thought I'd post some pictures of last year's sugar crop...

Locked into a siding waiting for the industrial job to clear up. They were coming from Weatherald lead bringing in a cut of covered sugar hoppers to be filled at the refinery.

And there they go!


Looks good on the roll-by!

They're past so now I can throw the switch and line us out of the siding...

Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

Is the grass really greener?

I've been speaking with some friends recently about immigration. Not the immigration debates that have been going on here in the States for a while, but immigration in general. For a while now I've been seriously considering retiring to Micronesia.

Fifteen years ago I'd have never though about leaving the US except for a vacation or long trip, now, with the way this country is heading, I'm very seriously considering immigrating to that tiny archipelago in the South Pacific to while away my Golden Years, if not for anything else, to get away from an ever increasingly oppressive Government.

And it got me thinking. What is it that drives the human soul to leave everything they've ever known behind and start a new life?

From history I know what drove my ancestors to leave Ireland on my father's side of the family and Germany on my mother's side. There was a time when everyone in the world wanted to come to the US, and for good reason.

Several of my friends here now talk of Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil... And me Micronesia.

I also have several friends in Australia... They're quite content in Oz... As well they should be. Australia is a fantastic place. But on the other side of the same coin I have new friends in South Africa. The talk there is getting out for good... To the UK, Canada and Australia. I'm just now learning of the true political turmoil there and I really see their point.

But what really drives people to do this? I moved from Philadelphia over 12 years ago. That was hard enough as it was. Move almost 2,500 miles away from everything I've ever known, family, friends... But you make new friends, settle in and start a new life.

But I was still in the same country of my birth.

To pick up and leave a country, and I don't care who you are, your birth country is in your blood and always will be.

Even as I think about it and plan for my retirement, it's a little scary. To pick up and move over 12,000 miles away to the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

Yet I still think about it almost daily.

Is the grass really greener on the other side?

I really can't tell you... But life is one big adventure, or so I've been told.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

40 years ago today...

We first set foot on the moon. It was the first thing as a child I can remember watching on TV, and even though I was only 3 1/2 years old, I can still remember that day vividly, sitting on the floor in my living room with my brother watching it on the old Philco B&W TV.

And searching for an apt song video for today's Music Monday to celebrate this achievement, the FIRST video that's listed on YouTube is this one...

Yet, me, as a reasonably successful white man, I'm a racist. Just because I'm white, have a job and pay my bills, I'm a racist.

So be it then.

Video pinched from YouTube, colorful commentary Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

As true today as it was 50 years ago!

I wasn't going to past anything this weekend but I found this 50 year old cartoon and it really hit home.

Check it out!

I think we've found him...

Happy Funny Foto Friday.

Catch you all on monday.

Bill, the anwser is still no...

My buddy Bill from West Virginia has been after me for the longest time... He wants my baby in the worst way. He'll be moving here with his beautiful wife in a few weeks to take a job on the railroad here with me, one of the reasons he came down last week. And still he's relentless in the pursuit of my baby.
My baby just happens to be a six-digit serial number, Springfield Armory, Glass-bedded National Match-Grade M-1 Garand I've had for a lot of years, won a shitload of service rifle competitions with, and quite frankly has been with me for a lot longer than my ex-wife and a lot more reliable.


Bill, I'm sorry. I love you like a brother, but you're still not getting my M-1. Ain't gonna happen. I'll be poor, destitute, living in a refrigerator box under a highway overpass, but I'll still have my M-1.

Like Charlton Heston once said, "From my cold, dead hands!"


Anyway. That's my baby Bill. You ain't getting her!

Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks after you and the missus get down and settled!

Photos, pissing and moaning Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

Fishing on the Big "O"

I've made plenty of friends since moving to Clewiston in 2006. One of them is Capt. Ron, a fishing guide out of Roland Martin's fishing resort. When he doesn't have a charter, he sometimes come out on the lake and does some fishing of his own and do a little scouting as to where the really sweet spots are for Large mouth Bass fishing. Today just happened to be on of those days and he invited me me to come along and do a little bass fishing on The Big "O", or Lake Okeechobee, Bass Fishing Capitol of the World... Which also happens to be in my back yard! Above is a great shot of the sunrise at around 6:45 this morning.

Capt. Ron with his first Bass of the day...

Me and my "Lunker" (hah!) The only one I could hook today. Had plenty of bites, but couldn't set the hook until this little bastard came along.

Coming back into Clewiston Lock from Lake Okeechobee. Even though the fish weren't biting all that great today, we only caught 5 Bass in the 1 to 2 lb range, it was still a good day of fishing.

Interested in a guided bass fishing trip on lake Okeechobee? Check out Ron's web page:

http://www.sunrisefishing.com/

Tell him Tommy from the Railroad sent you! ( He doesn't know me as RT!)

Photos and commentary Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

The Ranger Tom Doctrine

This is the Ranger Tom Doctrine, or "Why I'll never be President..."

Ok. First off, you don't like our troops? I'll bring them ALL home. Every last one of them. And in doing that I'll close down every single foreign base the US Military has. We'll cease being the World's police. Got a problem? Tough shit. Figure it out on your own. Earthquake? Tsunami? Famine? See how you fuckers like it when all those Yankee greenbacks disappear. The only allies the US will have from now on will be the UK and Australia. We're better allies with the Brits than with anyone and even them we had to kick out of our country twice.

Europe, Africa, the Middle East, you don't like it? That's just tough shit. Get a helmet and deal with it yourselves. We need our military here in our own damn country, not fighting your wars.

After the military is all back here, safe and sound, I'll seal off both borders. Hey, the Canadians are alright, but it's those damn Cannucks who refuse to speak English that annoy me. If you want to speak French, go back to France!

As for the French, if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German. Twice.

This is the land of the free. But come here legally. You're here illegally? You get your ass sent back to whatever third~world shithole you came from. No welfare, no nothing. A 30-year moratorium on immigration, except for Brits and Aussies. No ifs, ands or buts.

Government financial help for other countries? End of the cash cow. You bastards will never get another penny from us. Ever again. Rebuild your own countries. No more Marshall Plans here. We go to war with you, expect your country to be bombed back into the Stone Age (if it isn't already there) and then after we roll all of your corpses into the pyres, don't expect us to rebuild. You fucked with us, deal with the consequences. (Remember, Uranium-235 has a Half-Life of 700 Million Years and we've got shitloads of Minuteman III missiles)

As for the lazy fuckers here. No more welfare. Period. Get a Goddamn job. No job? Tough shit. I, nor any of the other hard working Americans are never, ever going to give you a free ride ever again. This country owes you nothing. YOU owe it plenty. Lazy fuckers like you are the reason I can't buy a TV made here, or when I call for on my Chinese-made computer for tech support I get some pindick in New Delhi.

Mandatory military draft for all those slackers and emo's who are between 18 and 21. Grow a pair of fucking balls, be a man and do something for this country instead of lamenting how hard your life is.

You're life isn't hard. You've had everything handed to you since you were in diapers by parents who gave you everything you asked for and were to big of pussies to tell you no and teach you how to earn something. Quit your fucking whining. You're 18 years old, don't know shit about shit and pull up your fucking pants! There's a reason it's called "underwear". It goes under the fucking pants.

Ok. Next on the agenda. Have a huge cooperation that's about to go tits-up? Tough. Deal with it. You are not getting one red cent of the tax-payers money. End of story. You should have thought about that before you took all those trips to Bermuda and Las Vegas on private jets. And spent millions of your shareholder's money for executive perques. Suffer like the rest of us, you moronic troglodytes. Your MBA doesn't mean shit if you can't figure out a simple cost analysis.

On to religion. You want to pray to whoever? Go right ahead. Whether it be Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Hairy Thunderer or a Cosmic Muffin. Just don't be an ass and try to shove your morality down mine or anyone else's throats. That's what made this country truly great. The ability to worship any way we pleased. But I don't want to be awaken at 7 AM on a Sunday morning by you banging on my front door trying to enlighten me on your way of thinking, because, quite frankly, I'll probably have one hell of a hangover and be in a really shitty mood if you do and not really dig what I'll have to tell you.

Speaking of enforced morality, The Government will never again reach as far as the bedrooms of the general US population under my administration. Go ahead and marry that horse if you want, but don't expect another word on how you're being oppressed or disenfranchised. No special treatment at all. Everyone is equal, period. It's your body, do with it what you want. I personally may not like what you're doing, but it's really none of my business to tell you what you should do. That's between you and your God.

Slave reparations? Stop beating that dead horse. I'm white, but my family had nothing to do with saves. We were to busy digging up potatoes in County Cork when all that shit went down. We owe you nothing, so quit your fucking whining, throwing race in our faces every time we turn around, because frankly, I'm sick to fucking death of hearing it. Get a fucking job, stop whining and do something with your life besides being an asshole.

Another forced morality issue. If people want to smoke, eat red meat of any other thing you deem harmful, I've got one word. It's none of your fucking business. Keep your nose out of other people's lives. Everyone who smokes at this point knows it's bad for them. They don't need you ramming it down their throats. Red meat and smokes. I love both, so shut up, I'm sick of hearing it! I'm going to light up another cigarette, dig into a nice T-bone with a baked tater smothered in butter.

Second enforced morality: Booze. Under my administration, you will be able to buy beer, wine and liqueur on Sunday anywhere in the Country. Maybe you religion doesn't like drinking, but I like my beer. So who gave you the right to ram your morality down my throat? No one. If I get done a 12-hour shift on the railroad at 7AM on a Sunday morning I do not want to be told I can't but a six-pack of my favorite adult beverage. You can go to church, I'll have a beer. Everyone will be happy.

Next, guns.

You are not going to get any one's legally owned firearms. Remember the Bill of Rights? Well, if you're not a felon, you get to keep your guns. Period. A Government who fears it's people is a Government who's to be feared. The founding Father's had this one right. You come knocking on my door for my guns, you'll get the ammo I've stockpiled, one round at a time.

Nuff said on that matter, Sara?

Lastly, Taxes.

We're taxed to death as it is. Apposed to what the Democrats think, it's your money. You worked for it, you should keep it. I support a 15% across the board income tax. That's it. No property tax, no luxury tax, no other taxes at all. Period.

Again... Why I'm not, nor will I ever be president.

Video pinched from YouTube

Rambling diatribe Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

Somehow...

I think they lost money on this billboard.

Happy Funny Foto Friday!

I'm a genius!

"Well you see, Norm, it's like this . . . A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

I knew it all along!

Happy Thursday. I can't copywrite any of this garbage because it's not mine. Sent to me today in an email and I had to share it...

Busy weekend

It's been a busy few days for me... The pictures didn't upload in the order I wanted them to, so the story will be a little disjointed. Sunday my good friend, the Rambling Hillbilly from West (By GOD) Virginia and his beautiful wife Cindy came down to sunny Clewiston for a visit to do a little fishing and hang out...
Ever since I moved here Bill has been drooling over my close proximity to Lake Okeechobee and the bountiful bass fishing here... So here he is, fishing in the feeder canal to the lake... Plenty-O-bass here too, but he didn't have any luck. We spent a lot of time at the Tiki Bar though...

Me and the every so cute Amber...

Me and Amber again clowning for the camera. I love this bar!

The gang's all here!

Saturday was Skip's 4th of July soiree on the Man-Porch adjacent to the Man-Cave. A good time was had by all. I left this party and headed over to Randy and Michelle's house to watch Flint, their weimaraner... A very cool dog. I sat and drank Randy's beer and the dog and I watched a Documentary marathon about the American Revolution on the History Channel. Truly Flint is man's best friend!

Bill and Cindy hamming it up...

Always lots-O-fun at the Tiki!

Surprised Bill with a birthday cake Yesterday...

And you know, there's some people you can dress up, but you just can't take them anywhere... Someone always winds up wearing cake icing!

Anyway, I'm back to business as usual. I should be getting back to work again here in about six or seven weeks and I'm looking forward to that. In the meantime, I'll just while away the Happy Hours at the Tiki!

On another note... Still no photos of the raft race. As soon as I get them, I'll be posting them!

Photos & stupid commentary Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

Music Monday...

I think this time it really is...

Not getting any tonight!

Even Beckam can had a dry night... Next time, wear sunglasses! Happy Funny Foto Friday! (Click on foto to get the full effect!)

I always wait until the last minute...

I've got a busy weekend coming up. The Rambling Hillbilly and his lovely wife will be at the RT Command Center on Sunday, I've got to house/dog sit Saturday night~Sunday morning for a buddy of mine, and there's a 4th Of July soiree at Skip & Terry's house Saturday afternoon... And my cleaning lady just called to cancel cleaning my house today... My place isn't a mess, but she gets clean places us guys tend to overlook and since I'm having company I'd like the place looking halfway decent...

Oh well. Looks like I'm going to be busy the next few days!

Pissing and moaning Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden

All Hail ObamaGod!

Sometimes I feel like I'm tied to a stake...

For saying anything against our God King, who is going to save us all from ourselves, because, you know, I'm to stupid to actually have an opinion or think for myself, so the Government has to do it for me.

I love my Country. I'm a true Patriot in every sense of the word. No one can take that away from me.

But I'm truly frightened by what's happening here and no one, save for a few, really understands or actually grasps the ramifications and the dire consequences of of what ObamaGod is doing.

This country is coming to an end as we know it. It will no longer be the country we grew up in, fought for and loved these 233 years.

And the really sad part is, nobody seems to care. As long as the Government takes care of them, they don't care that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution is being shredded and tossed into the dustbin.

And frankly, that's sad.

Prickly City cartoons pinched from the Interweb

Morose Rambling Copyright 2009 Thomas J Wolfenden