I ran out of hours in Staunton at the Pilot and managed to get a parking spot without managing to kill anyone and somehow through the night, I managed to keep all the parts on my truck intact with all the lousy parking jobs by the other drivers. Not to put anyone down but the lot is kind of tight and represents a keen challenge to those who have not got the whole parking thing down.
I managed to fire up my computer and check for wireless networks and all that showed up with a signal was Siricomm. I figured that I would try out the wireless and paid $6.99 for one days use of the service. Well, let me tell you that I could have ran a phone line all the way to the building and set up dial up and had that be much faster. It was prone to drop frequently and really, was not worth the cost. Flying J has their wifi for $4.99 per day and a recurring charge acct is $19.95 per month and the added benefit is that you can get the Flying J network in other truck stops as well. A much better deal. I am at the TA in West Lancaster, Ohio and was pleasantly surprised to see Flying J network pop up. Convenience at a good price and it is fast.
Gotta wait until midnight to get some needed hours to get this load delivered to Meijer's warehouse in Middlebury, IN. 240 miles, 4 hrs 40 mins so says the computer. It is now raining and hopefully that stuff will do its best to peter out by the time I set to rolling. It is hot and I am running the truck facing the Idle Aire stalls. I was talking to a gentleman about the prices of the program. It works out with the Gold membership to be $1.85 per hour of use. That is not bad compared to the 3 bucks an hour for idling use. I personally cannot afford that and Jim Palmer has made no decision on the subject. Curtiss at orientation told me that drivers get to the point where they do not want to leave when they hook up to Idle Aire. Idle Aire is like crack to these guys I guess. Really, I think that JPT wants nothing to do with paying for anything for the driver even if it will save some money and wear and tear on the equipment. I suppose when I buy my own trucking company I will be posed with the same decision and come up with some baloney excuse for not setting something up.
Remember, no matter what you do, there is no happy. Sure there is happy at times but a life with all happy would be boring. That is why we marry. Dedication
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Virginia Is For Idiots
I have to say first of all, that I really do not have anything against Virginia. And when I come up with these titles I really want to emphasize that you or anyone else should take what I write in this thing with a sense of humor. I mean, I really don't want to offend anyone. I don't want anyone to end up in some therapy session with a cave man in the waiting room because I said Virginia is for idiots. I really don't want that to happen. But I am right, it is true. Let us visit the facts shall we?
In Virginia, on every on ramp to the freeway there is a sign that really sums up the intelligence level of the Virginia driving public. I am saying that this sign really shows the two-toed sloth, knuckle-dragging, somer teeth , one brain cell in good health holding up 2 million crippled half drunk brain cells sort of thinking that goes on in the head of the average Virginian. The sign I am referring to is a no left turn sign. That is, would you or any other average driver even think about turning straight left as you are merging on the freeway. I sure hope not. All this from the state that will give a trucker a ticket for using his flashers to warn drivers that he is going very slow going up a hill on the freeway. The State Patrol just loves it when stupid Virginia drivers with their heads up their butts smash into the rear ends of trucks because it must mean an abundance of overtime. But really, like most states of the caliber of Virginia, they just don't get it. And neither do the drivers here and that is why there are the stupid signs...
I delivered the happy little load I had in the greater Richmond area early this morning and promptly received a load picking up to the west 100 or so miles going to Indiana. I got there in a rush and was pleasantly surprised that he load was a drop and hook. I love them for the most part. That is unless your drop and hook is taking place near Laredo, TX. Seems like anything left in that area for more than 10 minutes ends up with missing parts. And to think these idiots in our government want to bring that whole element into our country through cheap, Mexican drivers. Most of the people that work in government if they do not live in Washington, D.C., live in Virginia. You see, all stupidity comes right back to Virginia.
My friend was rather miffed today that one of our drivers, who was at a rest area in Wyoming, parked for the night only to find himself blocked in when he wanted go head out. So he knocked on the doors of a couple trucks and asked them if they would oblige him by moving this way or that. He knocked on the door of a New Century Transportation truck and the inbred retard got mad at the fact that his parents are of the same sex and followed that up with being mad at the fact he was being woke up and assaulted the Jim Palmer driver injuring him badly. From what I understand he broke some bones and the driver might lose an eye as a result. You see one of these trucks...give them the finger for me. I mean it. Also, lets say a prayer for the driver as that could have been any one of us that could have happened to. I hope he recovers as good as new and finds himself the biggest asshole, shark, wrongful injury lawyer and sues the daylights out of anyone associated with the driver of that New Century Transportation truck.
Another friend was irritated today when he went in to a North Carolina truck stop. He has a brand new Peterbuilt with a brand new engine that consumes only the most ultra of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. To sum it up: he had to run to the auto pumps with a Jerry can to get some needed fuel to his truck to give him hope of running to the next available stop. If the EPA is going to mandate these things in the trucking industry for the greater good of the environment, the least they can do is follow through and treat this new standard in a forthright manner and make that fuel available on a larger scale.
My final subject today is the continuing saga involving heartless American Corporations and the stupidity of doing business with a scumbag run country like China. China has over and over again fell way short on attention to detail when it comes to the public trust and the health of the American consumer.
-First there was the harmful chemicals in the dog and cat food that killed our pets.
-Then there was harmful chemicals in toothpaste...chemicals that are common to antifreeze.
-Then there was an essential adhesive band left out of the construction on truck tires. I just loved that one. The wholesaler responsible with eroding American jobs had the nerve to say that they could not afford to financially handle the recall.
-Then there was more harmful chemicals in toothpaste that was distributed through expensive hotel chains. Let me get this straight, you charge $250 plus a night for your hoity toity rooms and you can't afford an American supplier for small tubes of toothpaste? I think I will read the labels on my own tube of toothpaste and hit a Motel 6.
-Then there were reports that the seafood from China is mostly tainted and chemicals and growth hormones are being exposed to the seafood that is bad for the health of any who consume it. I get my fish from the end of my fishing pole and I proudly consume those nitrates knowing that the pollution is American.
-Then there is Fisher-Price and their Chinese made lead poisoning of children.
-Now there is Mattel and the fact that the same Chinese idiots managed to forget that children don't do well being poisoned by lead either.
I know I am probably missing a few of the recent news releases about the hazards of trusting a country that does not have our best interests at heart producing our products. There are reasons that the United States has regulations and laws that protect the consumer. The simple fact is that these companies have been allowed to place their reputations in the hands of a bunch of people that lose nothing when someone gets hurt by their lack of attention. It takes a very long time to start a business and gain a reputation as being good at it. It takes a lot of work to become a household name. It takes a very short time to lose all that you have worked for because of apathy, poor management, and taking the public trust for granted. What a shame.
I make my vote count when I make the cash register ring. Make sure that what you buy is made here in America. At least that way, if something goes wrong, you have someone to sue.
In Virginia, on every on ramp to the freeway there is a sign that really sums up the intelligence level of the Virginia driving public. I am saying that this sign really shows the two-toed sloth, knuckle-dragging, somer teeth , one brain cell in good health holding up 2 million crippled half drunk brain cells sort of thinking that goes on in the head of the average Virginian. The sign I am referring to is a no left turn sign. That is, would you or any other average driver even think about turning straight left as you are merging on the freeway. I sure hope not. All this from the state that will give a trucker a ticket for using his flashers to warn drivers that he is going very slow going up a hill on the freeway. The State Patrol just loves it when stupid Virginia drivers with their heads up their butts smash into the rear ends of trucks because it must mean an abundance of overtime. But really, like most states of the caliber of Virginia, they just don't get it. And neither do the drivers here and that is why there are the stupid signs...
I delivered the happy little load I had in the greater Richmond area early this morning and promptly received a load picking up to the west 100 or so miles going to Indiana. I got there in a rush and was pleasantly surprised that he load was a drop and hook. I love them for the most part. That is unless your drop and hook is taking place near Laredo, TX. Seems like anything left in that area for more than 10 minutes ends up with missing parts. And to think these idiots in our government want to bring that whole element into our country through cheap, Mexican drivers. Most of the people that work in government if they do not live in Washington, D.C., live in Virginia. You see, all stupidity comes right back to Virginia.
My friend was rather miffed today that one of our drivers, who was at a rest area in Wyoming, parked for the night only to find himself blocked in when he wanted go head out. So he knocked on the doors of a couple trucks and asked them if they would oblige him by moving this way or that. He knocked on the door of a New Century Transportation truck and the inbred retard got mad at the fact that his parents are of the same sex and followed that up with being mad at the fact he was being woke up and assaulted the Jim Palmer driver injuring him badly. From what I understand he broke some bones and the driver might lose an eye as a result. You see one of these trucks...give them the finger for me. I mean it. Also, lets say a prayer for the driver as that could have been any one of us that could have happened to. I hope he recovers as good as new and finds himself the biggest asshole, shark, wrongful injury lawyer and sues the daylights out of anyone associated with the driver of that New Century Transportation truck.
Another friend was irritated today when he went in to a North Carolina truck stop. He has a brand new Peterbuilt with a brand new engine that consumes only the most ultra of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. To sum it up: he had to run to the auto pumps with a Jerry can to get some needed fuel to his truck to give him hope of running to the next available stop. If the EPA is going to mandate these things in the trucking industry for the greater good of the environment, the least they can do is follow through and treat this new standard in a forthright manner and make that fuel available on a larger scale.
My final subject today is the continuing saga involving heartless American Corporations and the stupidity of doing business with a scumbag run country like China. China has over and over again fell way short on attention to detail when it comes to the public trust and the health of the American consumer.
-First there was the harmful chemicals in the dog and cat food that killed our pets.
-Then there was harmful chemicals in toothpaste...chemicals that are common to antifreeze.
-Then there was an essential adhesive band left out of the construction on truck tires. I just loved that one. The wholesaler responsible with eroding American jobs had the nerve to say that they could not afford to financially handle the recall.
-Then there was more harmful chemicals in toothpaste that was distributed through expensive hotel chains. Let me get this straight, you charge $250 plus a night for your hoity toity rooms and you can't afford an American supplier for small tubes of toothpaste? I think I will read the labels on my own tube of toothpaste and hit a Motel 6.
-Then there were reports that the seafood from China is mostly tainted and chemicals and growth hormones are being exposed to the seafood that is bad for the health of any who consume it. I get my fish from the end of my fishing pole and I proudly consume those nitrates knowing that the pollution is American.
-Then there is Fisher-Price and their Chinese made lead poisoning of children.
-Now there is Mattel and the fact that the same Chinese idiots managed to forget that children don't do well being poisoned by lead either.
I know I am probably missing a few of the recent news releases about the hazards of trusting a country that does not have our best interests at heart producing our products. There are reasons that the United States has regulations and laws that protect the consumer. The simple fact is that these companies have been allowed to place their reputations in the hands of a bunch of people that lose nothing when someone gets hurt by their lack of attention. It takes a very long time to start a business and gain a reputation as being good at it. It takes a lot of work to become a household name. It takes a very short time to lose all that you have worked for because of apathy, poor management, and taking the public trust for granted. What a shame.
I make my vote count when I make the cash register ring. Make sure that what you buy is made here in America. At least that way, if something goes wrong, you have someone to sue.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Black River And Silly People
It was actually in Osseo where the silly person was. I was taking a break in the TV room with some rather pleasant guys when this woman walked in with a bag and sat down. Then with no warning she started cussing about the fact she needed a ride south and cussing about how she needed a shower and couldn't get her card to work and was cussing about all the stupid people that were causing her all this trouble. I felt uncomfortable as I always do when someone acts like this. I probably would have offered to help her but she seemed drunk and was trying to insult everyone in the room. We were obviously responsible for her troubles. Just as her insults toward us became unbearable and I was considering backhanding her, another trucker in the room turned to her and told her calmly to shut up or leave that he didn't need to sit here and be insulted by a no account like her...good for him. She cussed us out and then left. Good riddance.
Later, the fuel desk attendant came in wanting to know who dialed 911 from the pay phone. No mystery there.
Well, I must get off my butt, having fueled, I need to fill out some trip envelopes and update my log and get an accurate idea of what I have for hours for the next few days. I put in my drivers status the other day and miskeyed the mileage. The computer accepted it then but when I entered my driver status yesterday and the day before the computer replied that my mileage was over 5000 miles off and couldn't possibly give me my reply. No one on the computer at the company is smart enough to figure this out evidently. I will try this again today and see what happens. Gotta Go.
Later, the fuel desk attendant came in wanting to know who dialed 911 from the pay phone. No mystery there.
Well, I must get off my butt, having fueled, I need to fill out some trip envelopes and update my log and get an accurate idea of what I have for hours for the next few days. I put in my drivers status the other day and miskeyed the mileage. The computer accepted it then but when I entered my driver status yesterday and the day before the computer replied that my mileage was over 5000 miles off and couldn't possibly give me my reply. No one on the computer at the company is smart enough to figure this out evidently. I will try this again today and see what happens. Gotta Go.
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