Mike Huckabee's new TV ad

Huck's team just put this out on Fox News Sunday this morning.



What do you think?

IMHO, it does reach out to the 18-35 year old segment, it's funny, and it's entertaining. Kind of like the Richardson ads, applying for a job.

I hope, however, there are more ads to come that show off his natural leadership and integrity, showing the contrast between him and Plasto-Romney and Rudy-911.

Wildlife during harvest

Today I was harvesting corn on 40 acres east of my house. All of the surrounding corn had been harvested, so apparently it has become a magnet for the wildlife.

I figure I scared out 3-4 deer, a coyote, and more rabbits and pheasants than I could count.

Nature's cruel ways were on display, too. As some little fluffy bunny would run out into the open cornstalks, a red tailed hawk would often swoop down to catch a little afternoon snack. Ah, life is good. I don't believe in reincarnation, but if I did, I'd want to come back as a hawk (not a "Herky Hawk", but a real hawk). Nobody messes around with a red tailed hawk.

Another odd sight was the coyote who came out of the corn between me and a rooster pheasant - he didn't see the rooster, elsewise he would have had a meal. El Lobo snuck back into the corn.

I heard on WHO 1040 that a few out-of-state hunters have been caught for poaching deer. The DNR dude also said that there are far more applicants for out-of-state licenses than are available. The solution, IMHO? More freakin' licenses for out-of-state hunters! Come on, PLEASE KILL OUR DEER! They are a nuisance, and we can make money off these New York lawyers! I'll rent out space on my combine's roof! :)

King Chad's farming circus

Today we finished beans on one farm and moved to the last field. When Dad and I were pulling the bean head over, we met another truck pulling a similar, but larger, Case IH head. We wondered who that was, as I'm about the only guy around that has a Case IH combine.

When we left the field to go get the truck, we noticed that a Case IH combine had pulled up to the head and trailer, which was parked across the road from target field (someone else's property, by the way). I thought it was odd, because the bean field across the road was being farmed by the local BTO who we'll refer to King Chad. King Chad has run John Deere equipment exclusively, as I've heard one of his investors also owns a few JD dealerships.

When we came back with the truck, the circus had arrived. A JD 9760 had pulled in and was hooking on to a 635 bean head (35'). The Case IH combine was unloading into a Kinze 1050 cart with floater tires, which was being pulled by a JD 8530, duals all around. A Peterbilt semi and grain trailer was parked on one side of the road, and a Chevy pickup pulling an enclosed trailer (support parts/tools?) was parked on the other side, such that going by them required some manuevering.

So, we went over to the other farm to get our tractor/grain cart and my combine. When I arrived on the scene again, the 8530/Kinze was unloading into the semi. Dust was rolling out like an Iraqi storm. The beans must have been cut down near (or in) the ditches that were conveniently sprayed out by the JD 4920 and 4720 sprayers King Chad has. The field in question was for years a pasture, and probably should still be, but some investors want too much cash rent for it to run cows, and therefore King Chad is about the only one who can afford it (or, really, his investors who he's in debt to so far they can't cut him loose).

So, the grain cart operator got done unloading the dust beans into the semi and attempted to back the cart up to the driveway. He nearly put it in the ditch. I signaled to him that he could pull up to the driveway into the field across the road (once you've tresspassed, why not do it again?), but he finally got the cart backed up and into the field.

So, am I just spouting sour grapes because he can run new equipment and farm 10's of thousands of acres? No. I don't want to be harvesting corn into March, as he's done on occasion. I don't need the headache of millions of dollars of debt. I don't want to be HR for a dozen or so guys. I don't want the trouble. There's more to life than farming, fortunately.

Access to wireless Internet at the new library

Our town is in the process of building a new library building. Through grants, donations, and volunteer labor we hope to move in to the building early 2008. It is 3 times bigger than the current facility, and will be a great asset to the community.

My wife, the librarian, has discussed with her board of trustees about the possibility of offering wireless Internet service. This would allow a person to come in with their laptop with wireless capabilities and log on. In fact, a person could park outside nearby and log on with their laptop, too.

Because the library is currently only open 16-1/2 hours a week, a traveler through town with a laptop and a need to log on will probably not catch my wife at the library when they need access, and therefore having the ability to log on just outside would be a real positive.

One trustee, however, is concerned that someone could drive up, log on, and surf porno sites via the library's service. Therefore, she wants to limit the power of the signal strength to operate just inside the library's walls. Theoretically, patrons can be "monitored" while inside the library to make sure they are not on inappropriate sites, but control cannot be extended to outside the walls.

Is this too reactionary?

Her response reminds me of about 15 years ago when our church was discussing the construction of a new church building. One old member was worried that during the construction phase kids would hang out there and drink beer, and that we needed to hire guards to watch the place.

Maybe the trustee should also take out a robot insurance policy.