This will be a compilation post with various Montana topics.
First off…I think I’ll head to Helena tomorrow.
I was just going to head over on Saturday for the afternoon but my wife has parent teacher conferences all day.
Now, before you get all excited for us let me tell you she’s a daycare teacher, the kind that doesn't get much pay or benefits.
Anyways, I’ll probably go to Helena because of that as…why not? I don’t have a real job and can pretty much do what I want, have been for years.
What I want to do is get some books done and I’ve been working very hard on that.
For you, this includes updating my first Montana history book to show a lot more from the 1790s to 1820s.
It also means doing a bit more research on strange stuff like cattle mutilations and little dwarf people (both are well-documented at the Historical Society).
Anyways, that’s that. What else is going on?
First off…I think I’ll head to Helena tomorrow.
I was just going to head over on Saturday for the afternoon but my wife has parent teacher conferences all day.
Now, before you get all excited for us let me tell you she’s a daycare teacher, the kind that doesn't get much pay or benefits.
Anyways, I’ll probably go to Helena because of that as…why not? I don’t have a real job and can pretty much do what I want, have been for years.
What I want to do is get some books done and I’ve been working very hard on that.
For you, this includes updating my first Montana history book to show a lot more from the 1790s to 1820s.
It also means doing a bit more research on strange stuff like cattle mutilations and little dwarf people (both are well-documented at the Historical Society).
Anyways, that’s that. What else is going on?
Ready for Your Close Up?
I was contacted by a company called All 3 Media on Thursday.
They make “ground-breaking successful programming” that appears on all kinds of TV channels. Some of these shows are:
I don’t have a TV so I haven’t seen those, or the other two dozen or shows they have on their site. What’s more, before that I lived in China and before that I didn’t have cable.
Sometimes I flip through the channels when I’m at my mom’s house. That’s why I know there are some outdoors and survival shows.
That’s what All 3 Media is interested in.
Nina Kane is one of their casting associates in Los Angeles. She told me about a “fun uplifting project about families/communities living off the grid.”
These would be “people who have chosen a new way of life and are not living by the rules of everyday constraints.” They’re also interested in families that have “always lived off the grid.”
So this is an opportunity for a Montana family to be on TV.
“Living off the grid is a very empowering thing and we would love to learn more about what it truly means to be a family or community that is self-sustainable,” Nina tells me.
They’re looking for families, family-owned business, and people who don’t work but are self-sustainable families. These are situations more remote than normal, with folks who are re-defining what off the grid means!
If you or someone you know would be interested in this, contact her at [email protected] or call (424) 732-6706 from 10 AM to 7 PM.
They make “ground-breaking successful programming” that appears on all kinds of TV channels. Some of these shows are:
- Undercover Boss on CBS
- Chrisley Knows Best on USA
I don’t have a TV so I haven’t seen those, or the other two dozen or shows they have on their site. What’s more, before that I lived in China and before that I didn’t have cable.
Sometimes I flip through the channels when I’m at my mom’s house. That’s why I know there are some outdoors and survival shows.
That’s what All 3 Media is interested in.
Nina Kane is one of their casting associates in Los Angeles. She told me about a “fun uplifting project about families/communities living off the grid.”
These would be “people who have chosen a new way of life and are not living by the rules of everyday constraints.” They’re also interested in families that have “always lived off the grid.”
So this is an opportunity for a Montana family to be on TV.
“Living off the grid is a very empowering thing and we would love to learn more about what it truly means to be a family or community that is self-sustainable,” Nina tells me.
They’re looking for families, family-owned business, and people who don’t work but are self-sustainable families. These are situations more remote than normal, with folks who are re-defining what off the grid means!
If you or someone you know would be interested in this, contact her at [email protected] or call (424) 732-6706 from 10 AM to 7 PM.
Montana Voter Turnout for 2016
I was looking at voter turnout numbers on the Montana Secretary of State page.
I expect we’ll see 70% turnout next year, which is about average for an election.
Well…maybe we’ll see closer to 60% turnout, like we did in 2000.
I expect we’ll see 70% turnout next year, which is about average for an election.
Well…maybe we’ll see closer to 60% turnout, like we did in 2000.
Montana voter turnout, 1990-2014
I personally feel that many Democrats were turned off by Gore that year and didn’t vote. Could the same thing happen this year among Democrats dissatisfied with Hillary?
I think so, and actually, I hope so. I hope for whatever the fuck will convince that woman to get out of the race!
Hillary – even the name rolls off my tongue with a heaping portion of disgust, a good shake of the head.
I’m glad to see they're starting into her emails again.
If we can take down a general that turned things around in Iraq because he was banging his biographer, keeping some files in his desk, then damn it, take down Hillary for doing ten times worse!
Oh, but neutered Democrats love her. To them, Hillary represents all that’s good in the world – cronyism, back-rubbing and brown-nosing up the ying-yang.
It makes me sick, it makes me sick just thinking about it.
What can be done? I dunno.
Anyways, back to the turnout numbers.
We could have 60% in 2016 and that’ll be damn bad for Juneau.
That’s really the only toss-up race, as I see it. We could have some tight PSC stuff, maybe an interesting state supreme court race. Really, though, the real race is the U.S. House race.
Can Juneau do it?
I don’t think so. I said a much the other day on one of the black sheep of the Montana blogosphere.
I guess that post got some attention after that. Larry Kralj was nice enough to come by and put some humorous ‘anecdotes’ up.
Also, the post really pissed off Norma Duffy.
I take that as a big win.
Will Juneau take it as a win? I doubt it. I think she’s flustered.
It’s hard when you first start a campaign. At the start everyone’s excited for you then they get back to their real lives.
You, meanwhile, are trying to figure out how to live your real life while also leading the life of a candidate. A candidate’s life revolves around money, specifically the collecting of it.
Right now, Denise Juneau is playing catch up on the collecting money game. The nice thing is that Zinke is burning through money like crazy.
Let’s hope he continues to keep the same inept leadership team in place. These would be people like Heather Swift.
Let’s not forget he’s got a Galt working on his office staff either. Those of you that know your Montana history and your Montana families will know what that means.
Now, the nice thing about many politicians – Democrats and Republicans – is that when you challenge their team they clam up and keep those members, no matter how badly that choice might hurt them.
Is Zinke one of those people? Yes, and for two reasons:
- He’s inexperienced and looking for someone to help him;
- He’s from the military and always looking for an order.
Those two things make him easy to control. Right now I feel he’s being controlled by his campaign staff.
Let’s hope they keep up the good work.
As for Juneau, well, I’m not hopeful.
I’m not going to get excited about another soon-to-be-failed candidate like I did in 2014.
Besides, we need someone to step forth and say, “listen, enough of this bullshit – elect me and I’ll sit in the House for 30 fucking years, not get full of myself, not try to jump to the Senate, and get us the damn seniority we deserve!”
I just don’t see Juneau doing that.
I don’t see her saying what needs to be said to raise the money. One of the reasons for this is that what gets people excited to vote isn’t really the same stuff that brings in that money.
- People want populism, donors want reassurance.
- People want protection for their rights, donors want protection for their money.
- People want winners, donors want winnings.
No, I’m not confident. I could be. But for that to happen we’d have to start hearing some smooth talking, the kind that comes from honesty and conviction.
I don’t see that happening.
What About My Power Bill?
There’s not much else going on right now
Colstrip seems to be in trouble, now that Bullock is accepting the new federal guidelines that will effectively phase-out coal over the coming decade.
Lots of people are discussing this on social media, saying my power bill will increase.
I just paid $200 to Northwestern Energy. Since we turned the heat on this month I expect most of that will be gone by the time I get my next bill.
How the hell can I pay anymore for power?
I’d like to discuss this a bit more.
Hey, I’m all for clean energy, but I like low power bills too. What’s the plan for people like me? Already I have to wait months to hear anything on low-income energy assistance and then it’s usually a rejection letter.
What am I supposed to do when Northwestern Energy jacks up my bill in a year or two?
Who knows, probably best if the Democrats just fall in line on this one (like most issues) and don’t talk about it (like most issues).
Colstrip seems to be in trouble, now that Bullock is accepting the new federal guidelines that will effectively phase-out coal over the coming decade.
Lots of people are discussing this on social media, saying my power bill will increase.
I just paid $200 to Northwestern Energy. Since we turned the heat on this month I expect most of that will be gone by the time I get my next bill.
How the hell can I pay anymore for power?
I’d like to discuss this a bit more.
Hey, I’m all for clean energy, but I like low power bills too. What’s the plan for people like me? Already I have to wait months to hear anything on low-income energy assistance and then it’s usually a rejection letter.
What am I supposed to do when Northwestern Energy jacks up my bill in a year or two?
Who knows, probably best if the Democrats just fall in line on this one (like most issues) and don’t talk about it (like most issues).
How about Foreign Policy?
Let’s get a bit out there.
- What if the Russian airplane that crashed in Egypt was shot down/bombed on purpose?
- What if America had something to do with this, or at least our black ops and CIA and rogue agencies?
- What if we did that so we could join with Egypt and other states we started Arab Spring uprisings in?
- What if we need that support so we have more leverage in the region against Russia?
- What if the increased military activity against the ISIS-controlled oil fields are just a ploy, an order given by Big Oil to the military?
- What if our never-ending war is entering a new phase, one that won’t see any Congressional oversight or voting this time?
- What if the media doesn’t report on it and no one ever talks about it?
- What if you don’t care?
Conclusion
Lots of stuff happening.
I’m very thankful that I’m able to write about it. I’m able to do that because enough people buy my books and purchase my writing services.
Will they always? Probably not.
The world’s changing. For one thing, people are reading less, watching TV more, staring into their phones a lot more.
I’m not sure analysis like mine is really needed, or appreciated.
I’m sure a lot of people in Montana don’t appreciate it. Oh well, what can you do?
The state isn’t in good shape and lots of people are struggling. Even people with expensive houses don’t have money!
I’m glad I don’t have any mortgage or any debt. I can walk away, do a lot of stuff.
Maybe you remember the film Sex, Lies and Videotape and how James Spader was intent upon keeping as few keys in his pocket as possible, as little responsibility as he could.
That’s about as close to freedom as you can get anymore.
Things are fucked up, bad.
What can be done?
Just hang on and wait, that’s what I keep on saying. Keep your head down, save up your money, and be prepared.
Serious changes are coming to this country – our utter incompetence in managing the country these past few decades demands nothing less.
I fully expect we’ll be seeing some serious news stories this winter, lots of death and destruction. Not on the mainstream media, of course – they’ll do their best to cover it up.
No, it’ll be out there, though.
Change, real change this time – it’s in the air.
I’m very thankful that I’m able to write about it. I’m able to do that because enough people buy my books and purchase my writing services.
Will they always? Probably not.
The world’s changing. For one thing, people are reading less, watching TV more, staring into their phones a lot more.
I’m not sure analysis like mine is really needed, or appreciated.
I’m sure a lot of people in Montana don’t appreciate it. Oh well, what can you do?
The state isn’t in good shape and lots of people are struggling. Even people with expensive houses don’t have money!
I’m glad I don’t have any mortgage or any debt. I can walk away, do a lot of stuff.
Maybe you remember the film Sex, Lies and Videotape and how James Spader was intent upon keeping as few keys in his pocket as possible, as little responsibility as he could.
That’s about as close to freedom as you can get anymore.
- This country’s in bad shape and our infrastructure is falling apart.
- Our kids are getting sick and our food supply is bad.
- Catastrophic and Biblical-weather is taking place all over yet we continue to go on as usual.
Things are fucked up, bad.
What can be done?
Just hang on and wait, that’s what I keep on saying. Keep your head down, save up your money, and be prepared.
Serious changes are coming to this country – our utter incompetence in managing the country these past few decades demands nothing less.
I fully expect we’ll be seeing some serious news stories this winter, lots of death and destruction. Not on the mainstream media, of course – they’ll do their best to cover it up.
No, it’ll be out there, though.
Change, real change this time – it’s in the air.
