Gerry, it has been a while since I could just "hang". Think I'll take you up on that corner booth!
Jim, those ribeye's last night rocked! Tonight I figured that I'd rub the fish with some spices, then sear it and cook it. Dinner will probably be around 6:30pm since I can't leave here til 5. It's OK though since the sun doesn't go down til like 9:30 or so.
JimRCGMO wrote:Jeff - sorry you were up early, but as long as you were up, did you catch that 4 a.m. Train show that Rob mentioned? Thanks for the info on your shed, too. Good to hear that you've replaced your book. Hmmm, wonder where Jeff might be tonight - sitting in a comfy chair with that book?
Jeff - sorry you were up early, but as long as you were up, did you catch that 4 a.m. Train show that Rob mentioned? Thanks for the info on your shed, too. Good to hear that you've replaced your book. Hmmm, wonder where Jeff might be tonight - sitting in a comfy chair with that book?
Jim: did you take a good look at the F unit in this mornings photo? Tyco body on an Athearn chassis. I wonder where that came from. I have Mantua Tyco F unit coming from a friend up north.
I'm heading out to Alexandria so I'll be off for a while.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Morning folks!
I know I've been awhile since paying a visit, but I gotta get something off my chest, but first... and foremost:
Thoughts and prayers to all in need, recovery and care!
Now for my rant....
Yesterday it was announced that Anheuser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser beer agreed to sell it's interests to the Belgium based brewing company InBev for $52 billion, ending a 150 year history of the Saint Louis, MO based American owned legacy. NPR devoted almost 3 minutes of air play to the story by Adam Allington and printed an excerpt on their site (linked above). Once approved by both organizations shareholders the merger would create the largest brewing company in the world, with an expected production of 12 billion gallons of beer annually. That's a lot of beer! I don't even like Bud, but the company brewed 75% of the domestic beer sold in 2007 with $16.9 billion in revenues the same year with an 8.74% profit margin.
Many of the proud Anheuser-Busch workers may have their heads hanging low now because the American based company with many generations of steeped history will soon be owned by foreign interests. The trend towards global ownership appears with increasing regularity and is gaining more ground as it seems American owned interests are being bought up by Japanese, Chinese and European organizations. Is this a good thing for the American economy? Will this trend allow the continual sell off of all that is American? Will "American Made" be a thing of the past? Does the global economy dictate that this trend continue for American economic success in the future? What is "Made in America" anymore and does it really matter? Are we willing to sell off our American heritage for a short term $70.00 per share profit? Anheuser-Busch will!
"There is a price for everything!"
What is your price for happiness and success?
over...
Thanks, I feel better now!
PC, what's on the grill for lunch today? My stomach is growling already!!!
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
Good morning....the air is as clean as can be today, the front didn't stall on the coast and it dry, clear air today and 76F....just go to my website below and see the conditions anytime.
The garden is going full blast now that it is mid-July, so everyday there is some work to do, this really puts MRR to the back burner until nightfall.
I was reading today that Heat Pumps are really starting to make a move up here in the north where the temps get below 32F routinely in winter. In the past, they have not been efficient enough at lower temps, but, some improvements have been made and now a company in Maine has seen his business spike up 500%!!!!!! We need to eliminate our dependency on oil here in this country, especially the NE for heating, so this is good news.
Heat pumps have always been good diwn south, now with technical improvements, they are making nice sale up north.
And for you Pellet stove users, get ready for a rise in prices of pellets. Now they are selling FURNACES the burn pellets, and in northern climates that means about 8 tons of pellets a heating season. Guess what that NEW demand is going to do for Pellet supples and hence...$$$$$ of pellets per ton??
RYAN: I couldn't agree with you more!!! Anything for the almighty dollar. That is what happens when the stock holders only see $$. This country had better wake up soon. The Big THREE auto makers are next, they are deep in red ink and less than 3 years from bankruptcy. The problem as I see it is...the CEO's and company officers in many American companies are numb nuts, they can't see what is happening, they are like Ostriches with their heads in the sand. If you see oil prices going UP, and demand going UP for oil, if you see China and India moving rapidly from farming to industrialization, does it take a IQ of 150 to see what that means? Nope, just keep building large trucks V12's, huge SUV's, Hummers....what is wrong with these people????? On the positive side Ryan, Sam Adam's is now the largest AMERICAN brewery, right where the first brewery was founded in America, Boston, Ma. The owner said it will STAY in America also. Side note, I like Sam Adams better than AB anyways, but I feel badly for the workers and the Clydes.
Time to get outside, see you guys at lunch,
in a SOUTHERN PACIFIC mug, please & thanks!
***Alex, cool photos. Looks like it was a good time for all.
***Philip, grilled fish...I'll be over for dinner for sure.
***Jeffrey, some folks are so low. A book I ordered on using auto paints was lost in the mail. Filed a police report so the company could replaced it. Then about a year later I was talking about this same book with my postal carrier when he said, "Oh, I have that book". I've always wondered what the odds were!?!?!?
***Ryan & Dick: DITTO those sentiments from me. And why we are not allowed to use our own reserves is beyond dumb.
Second time this year I left H.Depot only to discover I had also left one bag of items behind. This time 2 cans of spray paint and a metal grinding wheel. For the $13.- I spent on those items, it wasn't worth the long return trip back to pick them up (providing they would still be there at all). Think I must be over-tired again. Would have been nice if one of the employees had noticed and come after me with them.
Have a good day all.
Rob
Good morning, again.
Wow, lots of talk in the corner booth today.
As for the beer biz, I have a few thoughts. It's good to have foreign capital invested in the USA. Corporate take overs by foreign companies are nothing new. The ICRR is now in the CN for instance. In general, it makes economic sense to shareholders to invest in companies located in countries that have lower corporate taxes.
As for oil. All of a sudden there are lots of "experts". Over the decades, Uncle Sam has expanded highways and airports. It takes little thought to realize they incresed the demand for fuel in the process. In the meantime, the government has restricted the production of domestic fuel to accomodate the demand that was created.
The government policies have historically been hostile to exapanding railroad capacities vis-a-vis highway capacities. Railroads are the most fuel efficient mode of travel.
Oils well that ends well.
I'm doing my best to kepp this non-political.
Happy Model Railroading
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Huh?? The USA has the highest corporate tax rate of the G-8 countries.
Mark
Ryan, who do you think has been buying those pickups and suvs for so long? The corps. were making a lot of money from them filling the demand of consumers. Now who was it that didn't have the foresight to predict the future?
SilverSpike wrote: PC, what's on the grill for lunch today? My stomach is growling already!!!
You're the cook around here, not me!
markpierce wrote: Huh?? The USA has the highest corporate tax rate of the G-8 countries.Mark
The big US companies pay 39% income taxe to Federal government. In some states the state income tax is another 12%. Typically it's lower elsewhere, but some locations have VAT's and GST's.
Here's the comparison in Wikipedia, but read the explanation on how it's difficult to make comparisons.
markpierce wrote: Ryan, who do you think has been buying those pickups and suvs for so long? The corps. were making a lot of money from them filling the demand of consumers. Now who was it that didn't have the foresight to predict the future?Mark
Mark, thanks for the comment. Not sure what your point is on pickups, SUV's, and foresight! But my whole point here was to bring light of the fact that yet another American company is loosing its identity and American roots to the global world marketplace. Is that a good thing or bad thing? I dun no....But I do know that the times are a changing and much faster with each passing day. What we have come to define and know as our American heritage is becoming more blurred with each passing day. Only time will tell...
Oh, Chloe! How about a Root Beer Float and some Chili Cheese Fries for lunch!
Ding, ding, ding, ding......
Chloe you know the drill!
Belly up!
pcarrell wrote: SilverSpike wrote: PC, what's on the grill for lunch today? My stomach is growling already!!! You're the cook around here, not me!
Oh! I thought you were going to fire up the new grill, but that's okay! I got your back!
MARK, the issue isn't who was buying the SUV and large vehicles. The issue is, when you see a fire start and it moves in your direction, you need to take action, not wait until it burns your butt. If the big 3 auto makers had half a brain, they would have had their pulse on the market and seeing oil start to rise, they should have looked back to the 70's and said," gee, we need to make smaller cars, because gas prices are BOUND to rise". Did they do that? Of course not, they waited until the price of gas was over $4 a gallon and they have lots filled with large vehicles that they will never move. They might as well convert them to H2.
The buying public even gave them an early warning when they stopped buying SUV's and trucks by the thousands over 2 years ago. The reaction time of the big 3 is far too slow. What did Toyota just do. They moved SUV assembly offshore and brought hybrid assembly to the U.S....smart, it keeps their cost down.
Did they learn ANYTHING from the 70's? Those who do not learn from history will surely be doomed by it.
Morning all--
Nice and balmy here in SunnyCal today--highs expected in the low 90's, which for this time of year is about right. Milder temperatures and higher humidity has helped the firefighters a LOT this past week--most of the large fires are at least 'contained', and a lot of people who have been evacuated from the fire sites are being allowed back in.
Ryan: I understand your concern, buddy. However, on the bright side of things, the Belgians REALLY know how to brew beer. Maybe they'll introduce some of their techniques and improve the taste of Bud. I've got a favorite restaurant around here that serves Stella Artois, a Belgian brew, and it's like dying and going to Heaven!!
Funny thing: California's out-lawed hand-held cellphones while driving, which is a GOOD thing IMO, and what did I count, yesterday driving to the supermarket? About 6 drivers wailing along in their SUV's, phones glued to their ears. And guess what--they were all women! I guess the rules don't apply to them, huh?
Well, no work on the Buttes today, one of the guys down the block noticed my Creeper and has begged me to let him borrow it to work on his truck. He's a very neat kind of fellow and a good neighbor, so I said yes. He just wheeled it down the block with a grin on his face. It's one of those pickups where you need an elevator to get into the cab--hope he remembers to lock the wheels like I told him, or he'll be taking a header into the engine, LOL! So today I'll work on that ore trestle on the Champion Mine.
Well, my 'retirement' looks like Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday over at the high school starting mid-August. And one of the Parishes here in the north area needs an Assistant Music Minister, but I don't know about that--it would REALLY tie up my weekends.
Some 'retirement,' huh?
Well, it's feeding time at the zoo, Spooky just hopped up on the computer desk and is giving me that "I don't get my tuna, my big fat paw is poised over your DELETE key." So I'd better get outta here and make Her Nibs happy. We cat-owners Live To Serve, you know.
Hope everyone has a great day. Best to all and prayers to those in need.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
I forgot to post my link. Sorry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_rates_around_the_world
I beleive all levles of government in the USA need to find ways to reduce taxes to keep our jobs and our employers competitive.
SilverSpike wrote: pcarrell wrote: SilverSpike wrote: PC, what's on the grill for lunch today? My stomach is growling already!!! You're the cook around here, not me!Oh! I thought you were going to fire up the new grill, but that's okay! I got your back!
I could never measure up.
Awe.....thanks PC! But I bet you can throw down a good BBQ.... sooooooo......
In honor of PC's new grill I am going to serve some BBQ Beer Chicken in the Diner today!
Note: This is made with Coor's Brew.... LOL
Hey Garry! Well....one chicken has 8 pieces, and so I guess 10 chickens would give you 80 pieces...LOL
Dig in!
Jeff, it does have that standing up like a proud bird look don't it!
Heres the train table I made up before it left the house
And heres it is in the hospital on the guys tray table with the train set on it. Its a start and he was very happy to get it.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Afternoon All....Sunny and hot here....I'll have some of Ryan's Beer Bar B Q chicken.Tater salad,Vine ripe Matters and a diet Coke please...Thank you Ryan I'm here any time your cooking!!...Got the mirror glued to the back drop and mostly blended in..Started work on detailing a Walthers Merchant Row building I built awhile back...making a veiw block so you can't see thru it,alittle detail for windows and signs...also a alley behind it..I need yo get another small DPM building to build to fill out rest of block...
You all been talking about the take over of Bud by the Belgium company..If enough folks leave Bud in the cooler at the store it could get to be a costly 52 Billion dollar buy...but I don't see that happening...I am in a little different situation than most of you but 4.00 plus gas and a SSD budget don't mix well We have only used our mini Van 3 times since Sallie got out of the Nursing home back in Mid November..I am sure we havn't hurt "big Oil" any but if enough folks start pass'in up the pumps watch prices come down..Don't get me wrong I am not crying or complaining I am proud to be living in the greatest Country in the World...I can stand on my front porch and holler till I'm hoarse about gas prices and Belgium Beer and not worry about being drug away kicking and screaming...Its time for me to get off my soap box before I fall off...Just my 2 cents....
You all have a good one...Jerry
Now see........I can't throw down like that!
For lunch I had a toasted cheese-ham-tomato sandwich with a kosher pickle and a Coke Zero. Two regrets: forgot to put sliced red onion in the sandwich and I'm out of beer. To correct the beer situation, I'll have to make a commissary run this afternoon for the tavern car. Sorry guys, but it will most likely be Bud Light (tastes light, less filling). I'm just an ordinary Joe, and I even think twice when buying wine costing more than $1.99 a bottle. Besides, there is little relationship between wine price and drinkability, and it is important to keep the cost/benefit ratio in mind.
Afternoon Gang: I missed yesterday. We were just busy with the ranch and stuff. I saw that program on RFD about the NYC. After awhile I got tired of seeing trains go by and bounced over to Furture Weapons.
The eye is coming along fine. I can already see a difference and it will get better.
Terry good to hear that you are enjoying your new found extra time.
Alex you look good in that cab window. Fun, isn't it?
I stopped by the Tractor Supply in town today and they had a pallet of baller twine on sale for 1/2 price. There were 17 packages of twine with two roles per package left so I'll go back tomorrow and grab them. We really don't need them now but at half price?
I'll head out now.
Hello Paul...
I'm glad your eye is coming along OK for you. I bet you'll be more than gald when it's completely healed.
Sometimes I wish I could just shoot something. And this censor is neccecary but stupid. "Paint Spill" has nothing to do with it.
This time last week, we were expecting to see him out with drugs. Now we're making battle plans on tearing into his house. godammit. And among the varous family things in jeoperdy, is any a\nd all space for a Model Railroad, or even just a place to display. There's no room at mom's, and I;m not sure a switching layout would keep me for very long. Not to mention budget. I may very well have to hunt down a job for storage for his things. He's still with us for now, but that cancer curse is still there. And w're getting mixed messeges fron the cancer doc. (Not even gonna try to spell it) Positive thoughts, I know. But reality sucks. And because we never assigned Power of Attorney or Executor of Property, We have to salvage now before anything tries to forclose. He can't pay bills since he's sedated.
-Morgan
Hello Flash....Saddened to hear about your continuing story. Of course, we'll be praying for your Dad's full recovery. In the meantime, you mentioned family finances and stuff like that. In particular, you mentioned outstanding bills. It's important to contact all of the creditors ASAP to advise of the situation. Ask for them to waive extra fees, interest, and penalties. Show them any evidence that the bills will be paid as soon as is practical. Perhaps, a friend can help with contacting the creditors. It's a hard time for you and familiy members, and such calls might be difficult. My .