Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

The big news in Montana over the weekend was the visit of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to the state. There were numerous newspaper stories, TV stories and blog reports about the events they were in all over the place this weekend. I couldn't get any news without running into them. The people that were going all seemed very enthused and excited to be going even though most of it meant long lines and large crowds.

This brought a question into my mind. "Is there anybody I would stand in line to see or be enthused at seeing speak?" The short answer is NO. I can't think of anybody alive or dead that I would be enthused as these people were about seeing speak.

I guess I am too jaded. Hillary and Obama are just people like I am. They might specialize in gaining political power where I specialize in ranching, but they are nothing special about them over me. That's the way I feel about everybody else too. There is nobody I can imagine that I think is special enough to go out of my way, let alone stand in long, crowded lines, too see.

I'm sure the people who went were very happy they did but it's not happening for me. UI just can't get that excited about such things.

You can't trust politicians. It doesn't matter who makes a political speech. It's all lies - and it applies to any rock star who wants to make a political speech as well. Bob Geldof

There was an interesting story in the Gazette about a week ago about how if the candidates for Governor of the state don't have a primary challenger, they will have to give some of the campaign contributions they have received so far back. As of last reporting Gov. Brian Schweitzer had over $200,000 at risk if he didn't have a primary challenger.

It's looking like Schweitzer is going to luck out though. Two complete political unknowns are set to enter the race and challenge Gov. Brian Schweitzer in the primary.

Did Schweitzer and the Democrat party put these guys up to this to save the big load of campaign cash Brian Schweitzer is carrying? No, I really don't think so, but it is a very effective way for two people to contribute a very large amount of money to the Schweitzer campaign. Over $100,000 a piece contribution to Schweitzer's campaign just for simply filing as a candidate. That's well above the $1,000 normally an individual can contribute so it is quite the campaign contribution.

Pogreba and Neiffer say they can bring a significant debate about education issues and how the Governor is weak in this area to the front burner. Maybe they can, and maybe they can't, I don't know. What I do know is that these two individuals have to know that people are going to look at their run with a very cynical eye and a lot of criticism with the campaign cash issue in play. If they didn't realize this, I think they are in for a rude awakening.

The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards. Anatole France

The moon setting in an early morning Montana sky. I sure wish I would have had My Darling Wife's good camera for this. It was really beautiful. Taken 1/24/2008.

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The sun breaking through the clouds. We still have a little layer of snow on the ground. Not like the areas around us that have no snow at all. Up by Billings they even had a range fire it is so dry. Not a problem here. Taken 1/12/2008.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer got it right here at least. I know earlier he was considering accepting the deal but the pressure must have been too great. Believe me, I don't think a court case is the best thing but what else is there to do?

Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing. John D. Rockefeller

Let's look at Montana culture.

Montana leads nation in per-capita bar spending

It's a sobering statistic for New Year's Eve.

OK, "sober" might not have anything to do with it.

But Montana, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's economic census, leads the nation in per-capita spending at drinking establishments.

....

By dividing the revenue for alcohol sales at drinking establishments by the state's population, it works out to a figure of $258. That's what every man, woman and child in the state would have spent in drinking establishments in 2002 if every man, woman and child in the state drank.

Of course, not every man or woman, and hopefully none of the children, spent that amount in bars, which means some of us spent a lot more than $258.

The national average for per-capita spending at drinking establishments, by the way, was just $52. Forty-three states didn't even reach triple digits.

Only Montana, Nevada, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Wisconsin were over $100 in per-capita spending.

Yes, there we have a big part of Montana culture, the drinking culture. Ain't it grand.

Oh, to me not drinking is like being dead, almost. I sit here taking endless journeys down memory lane. It gets boring. Jeffrey Bernard

Sunrise on a cloudy morning. The colors of the sky, not the brown ground, this time of year are wonderful. Taken 12/11/2007.

The cows had a good scatter grazing until they saw the pickup. They thought they were going to get fed so were following the pickup around. Spoiled Cows, a little snow on the ground and they think they need a bale of hay. Taken 11/30/2007.

It was one of those bright, clear, cold mornings yesterday. The temperature was 10 below and the sun was shining. It makes for a crystal clear look to the air. The cows were sure enjoying the sunshine. Taken 12/2/2007.

I see there is a new proposal out there to use some of the Otter Creek coal that the state of Montana is sitting on. Sounds interesting to say the least.

Why is it necessary to transport the coal almost 500 miles from Ashland to Butte to do this? Why can't they build the plant at Ashland and save all the expense of moving the coal? I wonder if the carbon cost of moving this coal is figured into the calculations of this plant?

In no way am I sold on this coal to gas to algae to ethanol idea this dude, William Bruce, is proposing. It sounds awful far fetched to me. It might work, I don't know. I would just like to know why Butte instead of closer to the coal like Ashland.

I would also like to know when the Governor is going to actually lease out the coal in the Otter Creek tracts. I keep hearing proposals on how the coal is to be used but there still is not an operational coal mine there.

A little hint Gov. Brian Schweitzer, to utilize the coal in the Otter Creek tracts, you have to have an operational coal mine. An operational coal mine requires you to lease these tracts out for development. Since you are on the Land Board, maybe you should do something about this Governor. Then maybe we can consider what to do with the coal. Trying to have a use for the coal before there is a mine in operation is like putting the cart before the horse, it just doesn't work.

I'm not convinced this new proposal is a good one or not. I don't know enough about it. I would just like to see the state lease the tracts out so there would be some kind of movement on the ground. Then we can worry about maybe using the coal in state instead of shipping it to the East Coast. One step at a time though. The tracts need leased first.

If you're climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don't look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don't think you're progressing until you step back and see how high you've really gone. Donny Osmond

Boy, it's that time of year where there are some really beautiful sunrises. Thought I would share another one. Taken 11/13/2007.

The other day we trailed the cows out of the hills a little closer to home. Here you see them following the trail home. It was a beautiful day for doing it. Overall it's been beautiful for quite a while. Warm and dry, damn the bad luck. Taken 11/2/2007.

Click on the picture to open up a bigger version. Well worth it.

My Darling Wife got this picture the other day. It really struck me. It really tells you how different people see things. I looked at the same thing and never considered taking a picture. She sees it and snaps a wonderful shot. Taken 11/4/2007.

I swear Montana Republicans are their own worst enemies. There is now a Republican Legislator suing the Governor to stop, yes I said stop, a tax rebate. The Republican party in general and Sen. John Cobb of Augusta both claim that the Governor used faulty accounting in figuring the rebate and the law needs fixed and the Governor shouldn't be authorizing the rebate.

Talk about a stupid maneuver. Republicans opposed to a tax rebate. It doesn't matter if the Republicans are right or not about the Governor figuring it out wrong, the public is just going to see that they are opposing the rebate. If the public doesn't remember the Republicans opposing the tax rebate, I am sure the Democrats will remind them come election time via advertisements. I really think Montana Republicans need to rethink this strategy of opposing this. They ought to applaud the rebates and push for more, maybe pointing out the problems with it, but not opposing it.

Instead of loving your enemies - treat your friends a little better. Edward W. Howe

Just a Montana sunrise. Taken 10/23/2007.