Running Bear's December 2021 Coffee Shop


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troyphoto said:
Willie:

Nothing wrong being being a red state. (Doing my best to skirt politics in this post). But I need to set the stage, so I will relate my time in politics, and try not to push hot buttons.

Sherrel's post about "Brandon" stopping the virus hit a trigger point for me.

Back in 2010 I was out on the rally circuit first in the Tea Party movement, then on staff for a Tea Party guy for US Senate, hoping to challenge Evan Bayh back then. We ended up in a 5 way primary, with the establishment guy (Dan Coats) winning.

That was when I started to see a dark underbelly for the red state folks I had been out waving signs with. I've got a 500gig hard drive full of good time photos from those days.

There was a time with our US Senate Candidate we were at a little town's library, a county south of where I live now, in a town hall with our candidate. After the obligatory "Are you X religion?" and "Where do you stand on Right to Life for babies?" questions, it was hit or miss, but illegal immigration always came up.

Our candidate had his soul searching answer of eliminate the jobs by enforcing laws on those who hire undocumented workers, and they'll self-deport.

The woman who asked the question said (and I've got it on video, if I ever want to dig out that hard drive) "Why can't we load them in boxcars and send them to to border now?"

Our candidate stood silent for a moment. This was a question that has haunted me for a long time, and I believe it's one that tore-apart his idea of what we had been trying to build in the Tea movement.

When he spoke, he looked her in the eye and asked "Are we, we Americans, that kind of country?"

The woman, still standing, responded:
"You remember the trail of tears, don't you?"

About half of the folks in the room applauded.

This wasn't an isolated incident. But it was among the worst out-in-the-open displays of it we witnessed. I heard more of it behind closed door with Tea group leaders.

Then, in 2012, I switched over to the Libertarians, and embedded in a campaign for Governor, to write about the campaign for my Masters degree project. We were up against Mike Pence that year. (the dem actually came in close enough that they blamed the 3.7% that the L got for the loss by the dem).

I still remember bumping into Candidate Pence (for gov) in the hall outside a closed door interview by the state's managing editors. Four months earlier, I had met Pence at a closed door Tea event where he was obviously lining up the Tea leadership before he announced.

When I'm standing next to the L candidate, he looks at me, jaw drops, then he recovers like a politician. But the reaction was definitely why is a Tea leadership figure with my oponent.

Now, let's take a look at "Brandon"

We all know where that came from. Google "Let's go Brandon" and NASCAR if you don't know. Basically, it stands for "F*** Biden"

Back when I started in with the Tea movement, I had a lot of respect for those in Red States that were politically active grassroots. There was a lot of praying, a lot of scripture reading, a lot of "character counts"

Stuff like Clinton's peccadilloes, or O's feet on the desk, or any flub by Hillary was a terrible thing to behold. Character counts.

Now, when I leave this city, and drive 1.5 hours I'll pass by at least a dozen homes still flying flags for the guy who lost the election. Most of them have added another flag right under that one.

It's black with white letters... Maybe some red on it

Only it doesn't say "Let's Go Brandon"
It says the real words. Words I never thought a majority of honest, hard working, church every sunday, Hoosiers would embrace.

I'm not sure what happened to the people in my state.

Something changed. Something's not right any more.

"You remember the trail of tears, don't you..."

My apologies for dragging all this out. Scroll on by. Send me private messages if you want to discuss further. I'll drop the topic.
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Way too complex to follow, but I seem to agree with some of it!
 
troyphoto said:
Got up for the 3:30 pee run.

Anyone else up?
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Troy I'm up everyday by 3:30am, usually much earlier. Today I was up at 2am, I slept late. I was too busy to open my tablet this morning, sorry. I had one cup of coffee and hit the road with my 24 ounce stainless steel travel cup.

On the topic of waking up to go to the bathroom, last night was the first night since I was sick that I did not wake up to go to the bathroom. That is probably why I slept late!

I have a Mr. Coffee automatic drip coffee maker, I love it! My wife sets it up every night before we go to bed. All I have to do is sit on my couch and wait for her to bring me a cup, minutes after waking up. We use Costco's Kirkland brand 100% Columbian coffee. I often drink a second pot and I can't tell the difference between the first pot and that second. We have been brewing our coffee in a Mr. Coffee in this his way for many years. We love the convenience and I think my home coffee is the best my money can buy.

I'd bet your home coffee is your favorite, as it should be, enjoy!
 
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Ok in my book it is not yet Xmas,but we have hit December so I’ll set up shop….
xmas tree
 

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Jaz avalley said:
But are they trying to make you jump and avoid redundancy …hmmm, you need to check your contract, can you get free legal advice
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The contracts are renewed daily, and the US is what is called a "right to work" country. Basically, I can quit any time, or they can fire me any time, as long as their reason for termination is not considered discriminatory.

Something else came up about an hour before we all left for the day. One could be considered a religious issue, so I won't post it here. The other was ordering the parts manager to remove or destroy several plants that had been purchased, their pots custom decorated, and donated by his son's classmates when his son died at age 7.
I adopted one of the plants, another employee adopted another, and the warranty administrator adopted the rest.
 
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bnsf971 said:
The contracts are renewed daily, and the US is what is called a "right to work" country. Basically, I can quit any time, or they can fire me any time, as long as their reason for termination is not considered discriminatory.

Something else came up about an hour before we all left for the day. One could be considered a religious issue, so I won't post it here. The other was ordering the parts manager to remove or destroy several plants that had been purchased, their pots custom decorated, and donated by his son's classmates when his son died at age 7.
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I just read this post before going to bed.

I don't think you belong with that "outfit". How about that computer store? You are very knowledgeable, great at helping people at the place is climate controlled!
 
Bruette said:
I just read this post before going to bed.

I don't think you belong with that "outfit". How about that computer store? You are very knowledgeable, great at helping people at the place is climate controlled!
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If the computer store wasn't 90 miles away, I'd go there so fast this place's head would swim. Complicating matters is my wife's and dog's health issues, and I really can't be that far from home for extended times daily. There's an oil change place on the corner that's hiring, I think I'll stop by on the way to work tomorrow, and pick up an application.
 
bnsf971 said:
The contracts are renewed daily, and the US is what is called a "right to work" country. Basically, I can quit any time, or they can fire me any time, as long as their reason for termination is not considered discriminatory.

Something else came up about an hour before we all left for the day. One could be considered a religious issue, so I won't post it here. The other was ordering the parts manager to remove or destroy several plants that had been purchased, their pots custom decorated, and donated by his son's classmates when his son died at age 7.
I adopted one of the plants, another employee adopted another, and the warranty administrator adopted the rest.
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They really are trying to run you guys out. This now sounds petty.

TomO
 
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Good evening.

Mulling things over in the layout room. I have removed 2 weeks worth of framework, ground cover and roadbed by myself in less then 3 hours with plenty of break time. Sad time.

I always wanted a large engine service facility. I am thinking for the son’s house in Austin doing it there.

Has anybody done or do you know of any model engine facility with its own staging yard for paired consists, single engines and dpu’s?

TomO
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bnsf971 said:
The contracts are renewed daily, and the US is what is called a "right to work" country.
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Not all of us. We had unions in NYS and what is called the Taylor law. What that is if the two sides can't come to an agreement when the contract expires the old contract stays in place until a new one is settled. Right to work state is a right to screw the work. Heck we have Starbucks in our area that's tired of being bullied and harassed and is looking to go union for fair wages and treatment.
 
Last month's 10 inch rain cause my basement to flood. I think mainly because of a plugged rain gutter and my wife's flower gardens that trend to hold water near the house. I unplugged the gutter and decided to do away with the flower gardens and plant some new shrubs in their place. Here's how it turned out.

GJ_House_01.JPG
 
bnsf971 said:
I have a job until January 3, when they will make more changes.
The CEO of the new company put in an appearance, and basically said it’s their way or the highway. Phrased slightly more tactfully than that, but not much.
He said the current “vision” includes a 6 day work week, 8-7, and he wants everybody on straight commission.
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So, 66 hours / week, and strictly commission...are they going to give you an account at the Company Store? F**k them!
If that offer you mentioned last week is still on the table, I would take it.
 
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