I'll be leaving this week to go cook at a hunting camp for Ramshorn Outfitters from Townsend, MT.

This one will be different from the last hunting camp I did as this is a pack in camp as opposed to a drive in camp.  All the gear goes in on horseback. 

I'm limited on how much weight I can take in so I can't take my dutch ovens or my other cast iron gear.  I am insisting on my big cast iron skillet, though.  I have a 15" skillet with a cover.  I can brown five pounds of hamburger in it at once or cook scrambled eggs for several people.  It gives me enough room and cooking surface to make eggs to order or even omelets if I want.  But, it weighs about 15 pounds.

I'll have a camp stove and a Camp Chef oven/stove top and will be cooking for as many as 13 people.

So, Friday I ride into the mountains for 3 weeks of new experiences!

Sourdough starter and pancakes

As we progress through this cooking odyssey together, one thing you will need is a sourdough starter.  Making a good sourdough starter is actually pretty easy.  I use sourdough for breads, doughnuts and pancakes all the time so this is an important step. 

First, get yourself something to store it in.  I like a sealable crock.  One of those with the wire clamp to hold the lid on.  Here's the thing, though.  I remove the rubber seal!  So, there is some air circulation but it's still well covered.  Just a canning jar will do, but it would have to be a pretty big one...quart sized or more.  I like the crock because I got one big enough to hold five or six cups of starter, it stays closed without strangling my starter and the mouth is big enough to get a measuring cup in to scoop out what I need. 

Now, put in 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tsp of yeast and two cups of "no sugar added" fruit juice.  I make my own apple juice and always have some of that on hand so that's what I used the last time I had to make starter; about a year ago. 

Another way is to boil some peeled potatoes; maybe making mashed or something, and use the left over water instead of juice.  I’ve done both.  When your starter is a few years old you won’t be able to tell which liquid you used.  

Mix the flour and the juice well and leave it lightly covered for two or three days, stirring once in a while each day.  Once you have a good bubbling action going on...called a "sponge", and you can smell that sour, yeasty smell, then you have starter.  

Over time, the stored starter will develop a brownish colored liquid on top.  This is called “hootch” and is just part of the sourdough.  I mix it back into the starter once in a while.  Some people pour it off.  Whatever “floats yer stick” here. 

http://breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-management/ is a great page about maintaining sourdough starters.  I keep mine in the crock in the refrigerator.  I try to remember to "feed" it once in a while but usually it is replenished, or "fed", often enough because I am using it. 

 Starter can last for a long time…years even…if you store it correctly, use it once in a while and, even if not using it, feed it occasionally.   The old chuckwagon cooks kept their starter for years, sometimes sleeping with it in their bedroll so it wouldn’t freeze. 

Now that you have your starter working; it’s bubbling a little and smells “yeasty” , it’s time to put it to use.

Sourdough Pancakes

The night before, mix well (to incorporate some air) 1 cup of your starter with 1 ½  cups of all purpose flour and ¾  cup of warm water.  Cover and leave at warm room temperature: 70-85 degrees, overnight.  

The next morning, return one cup of the starter mixture to your crock.

Then, mix the remaining 1 ½ cups of starter with:

 

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon of sugar…more if you want.  I like a little more.

¾ tablespoon of salt

½ teaspoon (generous) of baking soda

2 tablespoons of milk

Try to have your ingredients at room temperature.  This will help to make more tender pancakes.

Your pancakes will be a little heavier and not as fluffy as you are used to.  In my opinion, the sourdough flavor blends with a fruity syrup better than regular maple syrup.  I also like these with butter and my home made raspberry jam. 

Now that you have made sourdough pancakes from scratch, here’s a cheat.

Depending on how many you are making, put ½ to 1 cup of starter in your mixing bowl and then add your favorite boxed pancake mix and just make your regular mix, using your sourdough starter as part of the liquid.  This gives you the sourdough flavor, they’ll be a little fluffier  than scratch and it’s a little easier because you can do this spontaneously without having to plan from the night before.

Let's try some Cookies!

Before we start with cooking anything, I need to emphasize the key to this whole enterprise and that is…preparation.  If you are planning southwestern style diced potatoes for breakfast, dice the potatoes and ingredients and then mix it all together the night before.  Put your meat out to thaw, get your sourdough starter warmed up, make your salad.  Anything that can be prepared to a point and then finished later should be.  

When I was a kid, we didn’t live next door to a grocery store so if there were things we had to buy; we did so in bulk, often once a month (or even longer).  Neither my Grandmother nor my mother went to the store for meals every day as I see people do today.  They had pantries where weeks or months of supplies were stored.  Grandmother had a “root cellar” where many things were kept.  I remember being sent to the root cellar to get canned (canned at home, of course) goods, potatoes, onions or garlic.  By the time of my memories we had a refrigerator so I don’t have any firsthand experience of how she kept things before that. 

If you plan to bake things for yourself, then plan certain days when that will be done.  My Grandmother had to provide lunches for my Grandfather and a couple of my uncles back in the logging days so she had to have food ready.  She baked bread on Wednesday.  She made enough loaves to go through the week.  Cookies were on Thursday.  Pies and cakes were made the day she planned to serve them.  She had her menu for the week planned out in advance and had all the ingredients for those meals prepared sometimes a couple of days before the meal was cooked.  

I remember that she would boil a pot of potatoes and store them in the refrigerator for later use.  Sometimes they were diced for frying, sometimes made into mashed or potato pancakes or whatever.  The point being, she was prepared in advance.

Ok, now that we’ve got our tools and we’re prepared to productively use part of our day, it’s time to cook something. Let’s start with something easy.  How about Chocolate chip cookies? 

My Great-grandmother’s house always smelled of cookies.  She always had chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies in a cookie jar in the kitchen so when any of us kids would take the time to visit her, it was a rewarding experience.  Maybe she did that just so we would visit more often?  

I remember small grocery stores in our area that had their own bakery and the whole store smelled so great because of it.  That bakery smell would hit me as I walked in the door and those freshly baked cookies were fabulous.  It doesn’t seem as if I find those kinds of places any more.  If you want cookies in the store you buy the prepackaged ones. 

When you walk down the cookie aisle, you’ll see many different brands of chocolate chip cookies; crisp, soft, big, little, bags of miniatures, packages of two together…on and on.  Most of these I like ok.  I mean, is there such a thing as a “bad” chocolate chip cookie? 

But the ones my Mom made were always the best.  I like them about 2” in diameter and fairly crispy but not crunchy.  I don’t want to have to dunk a cookie in coffee to be able to chew it. 

The recipe I normally use is the one on the back of the Nestle’s chocolate chip bag.

 

Ingredients:

·                                 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

·                                 1 teaspoon baking soda

·                                 1 teaspoon salt

·                                 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

·                                 3/4 cup granulated sugar

·                                 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

·                                 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·                                 2 large eggs

·                                 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Pan Cookie Variation Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

For High Altitude (over 5200ft) Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Here’s where you can start making this your own.  Semi-sweet, milk chocolate, butterscotch, cinnamon or whatever chips. M&Ms maybe?  Reeses pieces?  Add chopped walnuts if you want.  How about adding some toffee chips?  How about all of the above?  Remember, though, if you are putting in a couple of different kinds of chips, split it up so you put in about 2 cups of chips total.  To that you can still add a cup of walnuts and not dry out your dough. 

Be aware of what they look like when they are done the way you want them so you can make them the same way next time.  I like mine a little golden brown and crispy.  Light tan is a little softer and more chewy.  You can deliberately make them a little thinner and more crispy by adding a half stick more butter to the recipe. For light and cakey cookies use 1 ¾ sticks of butter.  That’s another positive about doing this yourself.  It’s ok to experiment!   

If you are making cookies for a varied group, you might want to either skip putting in nuts or at least ask the group if anyone has nut allergies. 

At a Roundup camp in Nevada one time, the dough in my first batch of cookies turned out really thin.  Just a film of cookie with lumps of chocolate chips in it.  I called it cookie leather.  It still tasted good but the cookies were super thin and crunchy.  As I was watching the first batch in the oven and seeing this happening, I realized my problem and fixed the rest of the dough.   

The cookhouse was at a higher elevation than even my home in Montana so my 4000ft elevation recipe didn’t have enough flour in it for my almost 6000ft location.  I added a half cup of flour and some water so the rest of the cookies came out the way I wanted.  We ate all of them anyway!

This is where a thin metal spatula is nice as it will easily slide under the hot cookies so you can take them off the pan.  If you’re kind of folding the cookies up because the spatula is sticking, just spray the spatula with a little pan oil each time.   

I like to lay the cookies out on waxed paper or even a clean counter until they cool and get a little more solid, then I can stack them on a plate or in a container and they keep their shape. 

Try it.  Make your own cookies.  It’s really easy, takes very little time out of your day and you not only have better cookies, the way you and your family like them, but the people you are cooking for think you’re a hero.   

Maybe the grandkids will visit more often, too.

Winter musings

Interesting winter this year. 

First, those who don't live here in the Great White North may not be aware that we consider winter as being from November to at least March.  Autumn is usually long gone by a snowy and cold Thanksgiving and spring is just a dream until mid-march; sometimes later. 

This also depends on where you live in Montana.  If you are in West Yellowstone or Wisdom you can pretty much add a month on each end.

Anyway, our winter started out kind of warm.  I was only lighting a fire in the evenings all through November as it was too warm during the day to bother.  Once December got here, though, the Gods looked around and said: Oh!  Winter!  Sorry, we forgot." and took away all the heat from the sun.  Here in Townsend on December 17 we were at 26 below zero.  That's not wind chill, folks. That's the temp before wind chill.  West Yellowstone was the official cold spot in the nation, a distinction they "win" many times each winter, at minus 43.  The unofficial (I don't know who the officials are) cold spot was near Butte, MT at a place called Elk Park...48 below...

Then, we got some decent temps with a little more snow and it was starting to look as if things were going to be ok for a while.  Sorry.  The Gods were watching again.  Single digit and sub-zero temps for almost a week.  The worst I saw here was -16 but, again, West Yellowstone got into the -30s and won at least one more cold spot designation.

This wouldn't be so bad but I live in a rusty old trailer house and my water lines run inside the furnace ducting so when it gets really cold I let the wood stove go out and allow my furnace to run.  So, I lie in bed listening to the nickels blowing around in my house!  The happiest people in Montana this time of year are those at Northwestern Energy!

Growing up in West Yellowstone made me kind of blasé about cold temperatures but now I think back on the ice and frost climbing up the INSIDE of our door and going a month or more with subzero temps.  I remember the bus drivers standing around in the motel parking lots with little fires under the oil pans of the busses so the oil would thaw enough to start the bus.  I think about these things and then wonder what our heating bills must have been back then.  When you're a kid, you don't think about that kind of thing but I sure notice the heat bills now!

Well, the temps are climbing a little today.  We're already up to 10 above and I'm going to get the woodstove fired up, at least for the day.  If we can stay above zero, I'll let the furnace rest for a while.

Heartland on Canadian TV

I've been enjoying a TV show for a year or so now called Heartland.  It's a Canadian show so it's not easy to get in real time here in the U.S. but Joann had seen an episode or two somewhere and it was on Netflix so I decided to watch it with her.

Heartland has become kind of a ritual now.  Whenever Joann and I are together and have time, we turn it on for an episode or two.  We only watch it when we are together and we've tried to not "binge watch" and wear it out.  There are only seven seasons on Netflix and I bought seasons 8 and 9 on DVD.  They just finished season 10 and I can only hope there will be additional seasons ahead.  I don't know when season 10 will be available to buy yet and we're almost done with the season 9 DVDs.

It interests me that U.S. TV programs are sex, gunfights and gays.  Some of the most popular shows in Canadian TV have been Due South, Red Green and Heartland.  An incredibly opposite mix of tastes.  Mine run more Canadian-like.

Heartland is funny, happy and friendly.  The sex is very low key and the violence is virtually non-existent.  On Heartland, a kiss is important, even earthshaking at times.  On U.S. TV shows a kiss is the precursor to showing some skin; often on same sex partners.

I heartily recommend the show to everyone.  Start with Season 1, episode 1 and work your way through ten years of the Bartlett/Fleming family activities; as we did and are doing.

http://www.cbc.ca/heartland/blog/heartland-holiday-greetings

https://www.facebook.com/cbcheartland/

Nighttime Trip to Old Faithful

For those who don't know, I grew up in West Yellowstone, MT and so have enjoyed some wondrous times in Yellowstone National Park.  One of the best Park experiences I have ever enjoyed was this last Wednesday evening.  It's very early in the season for the Park but they have some roads open for vehicles and free admission for National Park Week

On a whim, Joann and I decided to go to West Yellowstone Wednesday, arriving there about 8PM.  I always stay at the Ho Hum Motel on Canyon Street so we checked in there with the evening ahead of us.  Joann suggested that we just go into the Park for a while and that is what we did.

Lots of buffalo to see as we head up the Madison and then the Firehole, going to Old Faithful as the sun sets behind us, shining it's golden light ahead.

That golden sunset light highlights the geyser steam as we approach the Lower and Midway basins, making those steam columns starkly stand out against the sky and the backgrounds.  A fabulous view of "my" world and one that I have only seldom enjoyed.  The air is fresh and clean except maybe for that ghostly scent of Geyser sulphur.

We arrive in the Old Faithful area just before 9PM and I park in an empty parking lot.  During the summer season it's sometimes hard to find a parking slot around Old Faithful Inn but tonight, we are the only ones here.  I've never seen this before as even when I come in this early in the season, I'm always here during the day when the tourists are active.  A new and very nice experience for me.

No way to tell when Old Faithful Geyser is supposed to make an appearance so we just hang around the Inn and the visitors center as it gets darker around us.  But, there is that big Rocky Mountain Full Moon to the East that will take over for the fading sun.  The temperature fades a little with the sun and I'm glad I wore a jacket.

The silence isn't quite complete.  To the north, the murmur and growl of the geysers here in the upper basin, including the splashing and growling noises from the closest, Old Faithful Geyser itself.  To our south, the faint hum of furnaces and other machinery in the buildings around the Old Faithful complex.  Still, the overall feeling is complete isolation and aloneness.  The solitude, peace and quiet is pronounced and I breath in the slightly chilly air with pleasure.

The noise from Old Faithful Geyser becomes a little more pronounced and there are slight thumps heard from underground.  Obviously, the time for action is growing nearer.  That big bright moon shows the area in detail and the steam from the geysers, not only Old Faithful but the others in the nearby area, shimmers in the bright moonlight, enhancing the view and really setting off the steam columns. 

A nighthawk flies overhead, keening as it goes and Joann says: "I wonder if he's trying to tell us

something."  The nighthawk flies over us once again and then flies away.  Moments later, hot water starts splashing out of Old Faithful and the "scheduled" eruption begins.  Boiling water shoots skyward with a roar and the whole event is lighted by the clear moonlight.  The water and steam shooting skyward are shimmering and dancing in the moonlight as this powerful display of nature unfolds before us!  How many times has this scene repeated over the past thousands of years?  I'm privileged to have been able to witness this one time and to be in the company of my best friend in my most revered area.

This marked some firsts for me.  I've never before:  Seen empty parking lots at the Old Faithful Inn area;  seen the boardwalk/viewing area at Old Faithful Geyser empty of people; watched Old Faithful Geyser erupt in the moonlight.

This was a trip I'll always remember.  Thanks for the great idea Joann!

Hillary's legacy

I know there are Hillary fans reading my posts. I would really like to have some reasonable discourse with any of you about why you would even consider this evil, corrupt and spiritually ugly liar in any position of power. What about this "person" attracts you?

 

At least Bernie is upfront about what he believes in and stands for. Although I disagree with almost everything he says and does and I have no real respect for him, at least he isn't an abhorrent, evil, lying scumball!

 

Kent Larsen with Kali Hickman Jordan.
January 20 ·

If you're under 50 you really need to read this. If you’re over 50, you lived through it, so share it with those under 50. Amazing to me how much I had forgotten!

 

When Bill Clinton was president, he allowed Hillary to assume authority over a health care reform. Even after threats and intimidation, she couldn’t even get a vote in a democratic controlled congress. This fiasco cost the American taxpayers about $13 million in cost for studies, promotion, and other efforts.

 

Then President Clinton gave Hillary authority over selecting a female attorney general. Her first two selections were Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood – both were forced to withdraw their names from consideration. Next she chose Janet Reno – husband Bill described her selection as “my worst mistake.” Some may not remember that Reno made the decision to gas David Koresh and the Branch Davidian religious sect in Waco, Texas resulting in dozens of deaths of women and children.

 

Husband Bill allowed Hillary to make recommendations for the head of the Civil Rights Commission. Lani Guanier was her selection. When a little probing led to the discovery of Ms. Guanier’s radical views, her name had to be withdrawn from consideration.

 

Apparently a slow learner, husband Bill allowed Hillary to make some more recommendations. She chose former law partners Web Hubbel for the Justice Department, Vince Foster for the White House staff, and William Kennedy for the Treasury Department. Her selections went well: Hubbel went to prison, Foster (presumably) committed suicide, and Kennedy was forced to resign.

 

Many younger votes will have no knowledge of “Travelgate.” Hillary wanted to award unfettered travel contracts to Clinton friend Harry Thompson – and the White House Travel Office refused to comply. She managed to have them reported to the FBI and fired. This ruined their reputations, cost them their jobs, and caused a thirty-six month investigation. Only one employee, Billy Dale was charged with a crime, and that of the enormous crime of mixing personal and White House funds. A jury acquitted him of any crime in less than two hours.

 

Still not convinced of her ineptness, Hillary was allowed to recommend a close Clinton friend, Craig Livingstone, for the position of Director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of about 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies (Filegate) and the widespread use of drugs by White House staff, suddenly Hillary and the president denied even knowing Livingstone, and of course, denied knowledge of drug use in the White House.

Following this debacle, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office after more than thirty years of service to seven presidents.

 

Next, when women started coming forward with allegations of sexual harassment and rape by Bill Clinton, Hillary was put in charge of the #$%$ eruption” and scandal defense. Some of her more notable decisions in the debacle were:

 

She urged her husband not to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit. After the Starr investigation they settled with Ms. Jones.

 

She refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor.

 

After $80 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about and later admitting his affairs.

 

Hillary’s devious game plan resulted in Bill losing his license to practice law for 'lying under oath' to a grand jury and then his subsequent impeachment by the House of Representatives.

 

Hillary avoided indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice during the Starr investigation by repeating, “I do not recall,” “I have no recollection,” and “I don’t know” a total of 56 times while under oath.

 

After leaving the White House, Hillary was forced to return an estimated $200,000 in White House furniture, china, and artwork that she had stolen.

 

What a swell party – ready for another four or eight year of this type of low-life mess?

Now we are exposed to the destruction of possibly incriminating emails while Hillary was Secretary of State and the “pay to play” schemes of the Clinton Foundation – we have no idea what shoe will fall next.

 

But to her loyal fans (supporters) - I guess in her own words “what difference does it make?”

Our Nation is Divinely Founded

 

In an effort to understand more of what I have been feeling and thinking about our country and our government in todays world, I ran across this article; Adapted from an address delivered by Elder L. Tom Perry on February 24, 1976, at BYU.  I strongly urge all to read and ponder what Elder Perry had to say to us 40 years ago as it seems obvious to me that his words are even more appropo in our current society.

 

God’s Hand in the Founding of America 

 

 

For those of you who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), please don't disregard this wisdom about our country on that basis.  This message would be powerful from any source.

 

 

Here is a quote from this article which caught my eye.

 

 

"The source of America’s greatness is not a new doctrine to us. The Book of Mormon has declared over and over again that the blessings of heaven are contingent upon the righteousness of its people. In fact, this teaching has been proven in almost every age. Remember in 1831 when the famous French historian Alexis de Tocqueville said:

 

'I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world of commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.' (Jerreld L. Newquist, comp., Prophets, Principles and National Survival, Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1967, p. 60.)"

 

 

And these words about the Constitution of the United States

 

 

"No constitution on earth has endured longer than ours. We seek and usually find the answers to today’s hardest legal questions within this document of yesterday. The Constitution was and is a miracle. Both Washington and Madison referred to it as such. It was an inspired document, written under the divine guidance of the Lord. James Madison, commonly called the Father of the Constitution, recognized this inspiration and gave the credit to 'the guardianship and guidance of the Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations whose blessings have been so conspicuously displayed to the rising of this republic.' (Prologue, p. 95.)

 

 We believe that the Constitution was brought about by God to insure a nation where liberty could abound, where his gospel could flourish. Joseph Smith said, 'The Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 147.)"

 

 

I know that the United States of America was founded through the Grace and Power of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Our founding fthers were guided by His Hand and the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are Divine documents, designed to provide for all mankind a place of freedom and bounty for all time.

Let us not lose these blessings through a falling away from the principles on which out nation was founded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Media isn't telling us what's happening

 

 

On September 11, 2013, the American Muslim Political Action committee planned a big march on the mall in Washington, DC to, basically, protest Islamophobia.

 

As a response, the group: 2 Million Bikers to DC planned a nationwide ride.

 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Million_Bikers_to_DC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Muslim_March)

 

An estimated 75,000 bikers showed up from all over the United States.  they presented a peaceful protest ride throughout Washington, DC but of course caused a bit of a traffic issue. 

 

In October, 2013 many of the nations truck drivers protested against government corruption and some of the actions being taken by the Obama Regime in response to the "Government Shutdown".  Although only a few dozen trucks showed up, the idea was impressive and the fact that so many of them took time from their business, used their own fuel and skipped loads, essentially giving up and/or spending thousands of dollars seems impressive to me.

 

Also, during the truckers protest, hundreds of Americans converged on Washington in protest of the Regime closing and barricading off many monuments and parks in the DC area as a way of making the Government Shutdown more visible.  These people tore down the barricades at some of these monuments and carried them to the Whitehouse lawn.  Most of these protesters were veterans.  Noteworthy participants were Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin.

My point here is that while these things were going on there was little or no Media coverage.  Very few people in America even knew these things were happening and most still don't know they happened.

 

In my opinion, because these events were counter to the wishes, desires and agenda of the current White House Regime, the compliant media ignored it all, thus keeping America uninformed and happy.

 

Many have talked of some sort of revolution against the continuing growth of unjustified and overreaching Government control in this country.  For all we know, it has already started and the Mainstream Media has just ignored it.  Hundreds of people could have been wiped out yesterday and we wouldn't know.

 

What has saved us a little is the alternative media such as Infowars, World News Daily, Newsmax, the Drudge Report and others.  Also, discussions of Facebook and Twitter keep small groups informed but, really, only those of us who already are feeling this way are watching these places.  Preaching to the Choir so to speak.

 

How do we get together and communicate without the sudden onslaught of Federal Agents at our doors?  We know Facebook is monitored as is Twitter.  What is our recourse for getting together and finding a way to fix this mess?

 

http://www.whiteoutpress.com/timeless/what-america-s-coming-revolution-might-look-like/

http://www.commdiginews.com/politics-2/standing-on-the-brink-of-americas-second-civil-war-53295/#ivIBp5QWofKVRA1L.01

 

Sanders Socialism DOESN'T WORK!!!!

The overwhelming majority of Bernie supporters are what are called "Millennials"; people who became adults around the year 2000 or later.

 

The Berlin wall came down in 1989 and the old Soviet Union formally ceased to exist in 1991. The events leading to the fall of the greatest socialist/communistic experiment in modern history are distant pre-history for most Bernie supporters.

 

Socialism sounds like such a great idea to anyone who hasn't seen it tried before. The concept of everyone being equal; workers treated fairly and paid well while those evil CEOs and corporate owners fund it all just seems like such a great idea.

 

None of this is new, folks. It's been tried and is being tried. I've had Sweden used as an example of successful Socialism but in fact that doesn't seem to be true. I won't go into the facts myself as this article does it better.

Federalist Papers

 

In order to distribute everything equally, someone must be in charge of everything. In Bernie's case, the Government. They decide who gets how much and what must be done to get it. A common joke in the old Soviet Union was: "the government pretends to pay us so we pretend to work."

 

The Socialist system has one primary sworn enemy..."The Rich". The Rich must pay "their fair share" of taxes so that more can be doled out to "The Poor". Already, in this country, the top 20 percent of earners pay 87% of the income tax collected by our Federal Government while the bottom 40% actually GET money from the government at tax time. Those pesky facts.

New York Post

 

I have a friend who is one of the richest people I know personally. He started life as a poor farm kid in Idaho. He invested his own money, time, effort and labor into a business which grew because of his efforts. Now, he's in his 70's and could relax a little but the work ethic dies hard and he's pretty much busy with some aspect of his business holdings every day.

 

Here's my advice to all you Bernie supporters out there. If you don't like your economic station in life...CHANGE IT. Start your own business. Put your money, your time and energy into building your own income instead of trying to get rich on wages. Suffer through those few years of poor business, of doing all the work yourself because you can't afford employees, learning to maintain your own appliances and infrastructure. WORK. After a few years, if you work hard, you can afford to hire good people to take your place here and there. After a few more years, maybe all you need to do is keep an eye on things and you'll be making money without your own overwhelming labor. At that point, you will be an evil Rich Person. You won't be paying enough in wages, not covering health care well enough, not providing enough paid time off and other benefits and you'll be hated and envied by all the socialist types because you are a Rich Capitalist.

 

That's how it works, folks. Not by taking away from those entrepreneurs who have risked everything they have to be successful. What works is that YOU risk everything you have, work hard and make yourself a success.  Only in our Capitalist system is this possible.  In a Socialist society this entire scenario is an unattainable dream.  Let your touchy feely feelings go for a minute and do something completely new...THINK.

Socialism story

I have a story here for all you Bernie Sanders supporters who think the world is unfair and Socialism is the answer to all your worries.

　

Over 15 years ago, I was a computer technician in a small shop in Helena, Montana. I was working for wages and doing ok and I'd have probably stayed that way for a long time. But, one day, the owner decided he wasn't going to deal with the hassles of employees and overhead and was shutting down the business and downsizing to a one-man shop.

　

He suggested that I go out on my own also instead of going back to school or finding another job and that is what I did.

　

January 1, 2000, I started Broadwater Computer Service, by myself with no backup job or even part time employment any where else.

　

The first couple of years were pretty tough and I was taking any repair/service/install...computer related job I could find. I did warranty work for the major companies; bending ears and ocaisional adams apples in order to get paid. I fixed home computers, I fixed business computers, I designed and installed small networks, I wrote simple websites and I sold parts. Anything to make a buck.

　

After about five years, I was too busy to keep up. I had many business clients as well as home customers and I was travelling all around this region with a trunkfull of computer and networking parts and tools. I no longer accepted warranty work unless they paid now. No more "net thirty". No more accepting their rates. If a warranty company wanted me, they had to pay my rates...now.

　

I got to a point where I either had to hire help or back off and reduce the amount of business I was handling. I had all the status indicators; a nice car, nice clothes, expensive toys and so on. At about that time I got a really good musician/entertainer job for the summer which took me away from my primary business area for several days at a time and I had to start making choices...play music or go home and handle computer calls. For a while, I did both and then the music/entertainment side of me won out.

　

I cut back on my standard of living, getting rid of the cars for which I was making payments, dumping cable TV (never home anyway) and basically reducing my financial burden so that I could live on less.

　

I still fix computers and networks, especially in the winter, but it no longer drives me. I work in a local cafe when they need me but not full time and I still do my sumer entertainer thing but I've basically "retired"...on nothing.

　

I have only the few college credits I earned in The U.S. Air Force, none of which are electrically or computer oriented. I learned the IT business the way Lincoln learned to be a lawyer. I read and studied at home and worked on them.

　

If I'd continued to work as hard at the IT business as I had been, I'd be much higher on the financial ladder today than I am. My current "class" is my choice. I chose to walk away from the higher paying business as I wanted less stress. Society or "the rich" didn't grind me down or keep me from making it. I'll say it again: It Was My Choice.

　

At this time in our country, it is still your choice whether you get ahead or not. All the self-help books are right! If you have a dream then go get it. Set goals. Make a plan and follow it. If you fail, get up and try again.

If you choose to stay in your wage-slave job; 9-5, same old schedule, same old cubicle and same old commute; well, that's your choice and I shouldn't have to pay more in taxes so that you can be more comfortable in your choice.

　

Socialism effectively takes away that choice. If the Government is supporting you, then you do what the Government tells you. Government run health care will be substandard. I use the VA so I know what I'm talking about here! If your education is paid for by the Government, then your professors will make much less, be less motivated and less effective. Your education will be substandard. What's worse, those of us NOT getting your education will be the ones paying for it.

　

If you want to know what a Bernie Sanders America will look like, take a field trip to an

Indian reservation.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Comparing Cruz and Trump

Here is some information I found to give a little comparison between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.

　

I firmly believe that the Primary Election this year comes down to these two. In my opinion, Rubio is simply the next in line for the GOP Establishment to push on us in an effort to take away from the only two real candidates on the Republican side and no other GOP candidate is even viable and should just get out now and save a few $.

　

As I have repeatedly stated, I am much more inclined towards Cruz as President. I think he has demonstrated his true Conservative values over the years and might actually be able to repair some of the awful damage which has been inflicted on our country by the Obama Regime. I plan to vote for Cruz in the Primary election, hoping to see him get the nomination.

　

However; if Trump wins the nomination, which seems likely at this point, I will be fine with voting for him in the General election.

　

I agree with almost everything Trump has said/is saying in this campaign. Often, it's as if he has read my mind and is speaking directly to me. But, my gut instinct and the research I have done makes me question his sincerity. He's saying what I want to hear but will he actually do the things he says he'll do?

　

I also agree with Ted Cruz on most of what he says and I can point to instances where he has done what he says he'll do. Cruz seems to not only speak Conservatively but he acts Conservatively and that is what I'm looking for.

　

Trump is villified by all the people and organizations for which I have nothing but contempt. The media misquotes him or outright lies about what he has said or done and that inclines me more towards him. Obviously, the Dems are afraid of him and that inclines me towards him. Many ridiculous Liberals have threatened to leave the country if Trump becomes President and that makes me want to get him elected in hopes that they really will!

　

A meme I saw recently was right on: "The people telling me Trump would be a bad President are the same ones who said Obama would be a good one."

　

Cruz, though, is universally hated by all Liberals and has endured his share of lies and misinformation from the main stream media. Anyone who attracts the ire of Harry Reid is someone I can respect.

　

Anyway, I found this website with very good information about each candidate and here are links to the Cruz and then the Trump pages.

Conservative Review-Cruz

Conservative Review-Trump

 

This blog page also had an interesting chart:

directorblue.blogspot.com

 

If we fail to elect one of these two as President this time I think it likely that our country will not recover. Please do some research and choose one or the other. If the one you don't like is nominated, please still go out and vote for the GOP nominee. A Felonious Grandma or a Socialist Grandpa are not the answer!

Feelings overpower logic today

I attended the American Security Rally of Montana on the Montana state Capital steps yesterday and got another dose of reality fed to me.

 

Those who are truly espousing liberal issues will NOT change their views because of anything you or I can say.  This is a truth that we just have to accept and find another way.  These people won't change their positions on gun control, refugee resettlement, minimum wage, taxing the rich, global warming, illegal immigration, government run health care, abortion or any other issue you can come up with based on a logical and fact based debate.  Not happening.

 

I've tried using facts, statistics, logic and common sense in debating some of these issues with rabidly liberal people and it's a frustrating exercise in futility. Feelings are all that matter.

 

 "These Syrian refugees are in trouble in their own country so we need to offer them sanctuary and sustenance here, as good compassionate people."  "Guns are an instrument of violence and are very bad so we need to take them all away and then everything will be peaceful and violence and murder will be banished from our society."  If we tax the rich and distribute their money more equally then everyone will be comfortable, fed and housed without strife and the middle class will grow."

 

Statements like these are absurd on the face but it doesn't matter.  It feels good to say these things. If you argue against resettling Syrian refugees in Montana you are just a cruel, heartless prick who cares nothing about human suffering and no fact or truth will change that.  You are just quoting cruel, hard facts and not taking into account the human side.

 

The Mainstream Media is just another arm of the Liberal Party in America and pushes this "touchy feely" thoughtless sheep attitude in an effort to shape our country to make us all toe the mark and they refuse to make any but token mention of anything which does not meet the Utopia test.

So, I have some ideas.

 

First, we need to build and strengthen the non-mainstream media.  Blogsites can be a strong voice for reason in our country and get the "opposing" view out there for all to see.  If you find a blog that you like, find interesting, agree with or whatever, share it on your social media page, such as Facebook or Twitter.  If you find other online media, such as alternative news pages or commentators with whom you are in agreement, don't keep them to yourselves!  Share the info!

 

Next, we need more Constitutional political candidates at all levels of government, including your small town councils, county commissions and, especially, Sheriffs.  Be active in getting these people elected. 

 

Two of our biggest enemies are Cable TV and Beer.  We must, somehow, shake the cobwebs off of people and get them out and informed.  Those guys sitting in the local cafe, complaining to their coffee cup about how 'Murica is going down the toilet must be made to take their complaints not only to the ballot box but to the streets.  There are a lot of us out there but only the coffee cups know who they are!

 

It was cold yesterday at the Capital with a brisk Montana wind making even my ears hurt but there still should have been a much better crowd.  Ravalli County had so many people at their commissioners meeting that they had to move it to the school gym but there were only about 100 people at the capital yesterday.  I realize that part of the problem is that most of those who feel the way we do are working people and can't just run down to any rally they hear about but we MUST somehow get those kind of people who have made this country what it used to be get out and be active.

 

 "Montana Standard" Ravalli county meeting

 

"Helena Independent Record" American Security Rally of Montana

 

We aren't going to change the opinions of those who think a Bernie Sanders Socialist Utopia is desirable and possible.  Feelings are more powerful than facts.  Our only hope is to outnumber them and get political leaders into office who remember and long for the Glory Days of America.