Good News

I found this on Sister Told Jah. It seems opinion is changing according to a Pew Poll

• The percentage of people holding a favourable impression of the United States increased in Indonesia (+23 points), Lebanon (+15), Pakistan (+2) and Jordan (+16). It also went up in such non-Muslim nations as France, Germany, Russia and India. Read all

Sista has a great blog and I have added her to my blogroll!

Tim Kaine in Wise

Tim Kaine showed up in Wise at the yearly RAM held at the fairgrounds. RAM is based in Knoxville and has been coming to Wise for several years. Enter Kaine, to a captive audience-

•  "It’s awesome," Kaine said after a clinic tour. "I had heard about it, but no matter what you hear, it really has an impact when you see it.

The Kaine solution

• "Giving a tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance for workers could help meet some of the state’s health care insurance needs, he said. From Tricities.com

Hey Tim! That huge Tax increase really helped! Just how much of that surplus is headed our way in SWVA? I feel stumping at such an event, after raising taxes on the ones there is in very bad taste. Kaine has been absent in past years, but this year he shows up all concerned. I don't think his tax credit was what the needy wanted to hear!

My friend Brian has a different take on it.

LOL 

I am a big music fan. I found this on CMT and wanted to share it. The band is the Greencards. Check out this video called "Time".
Now thats good stuff going down there!.

I am reading "In The Kingdom of Coal" by Dan Rottenberg.
Short review:

• From Publishers Weekly
  "Coal," writes former Wall Street Journal reporter Rottenberg (Revolution on Wall Street), has been "the critical force driving the modern world for the past two centuries." Rottenberg tries, with varying success, to animate that history with a well-written account of two families tied together by the busts and booms of the coal industry as it evolved from an almost agricultural endeavor in the late 18th century into a highly mechanized but physically and financially dangerous modern corporate enterprise. One family, the Leisenrings, owned and operated major American mining companies for five generations. The second family, the Givenses, worked the mines of eastern Virginia for most of the 20th century. Rottenberg's background as a financial writer stands him in good stead as he skillfully traces the relationship between technical advances that made coal a more economically feasible source of energy and the infrastructure changes (canals and later railroads) that facilitated the movement of coal. His treatment of larger events the unionization of manufacturing industries, the Great Depression, WWII and the Vietnam War expands the book's reach to reflect factors that influenced all of American industry. Rottenberg's access to materials about the Leisenrings enlivens his discussion of the corporate side of the coal equation. His account of the Givens family, whose lifestyle and culture are not as well documented, is less engaging. Rottenberg is particularly good on the rise and fall of the United Mine Workers and its charismatic union icon John L. Lewis and his successor, Tony Boyle, who was convicted of the murder of union rival Jack Yablonski.

So far it is a good read. If you live in the Coalfields you should check it out!

Democratic National Convention Schedule

This is old but it cracks me up!

Democratic National Convention Schedule

Boston, Massachusetts

6:00 PM - Opening Flag Burning Ceremony
6:05 PM - Pledge of Allegiance to the U.N.
6:15 PM - Secular Prayers by Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton
6:30 PM - Antiwar Concert by Barbara Streisand
6:40 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
7:00 PM - Tribute to France
7:10 PM - Collect Offerings for al-Zawahri Defense Fund
7:25 PM - Tribute to Germany
7:45 PM - Antiwar Rally (Moderated by Michael Moore)
8:25 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
8:30 PM - Terrorist Appeasement Workshop
9:00 PM - Roundtable Discussion of Taxes: "Calling for Higher Taxes on Others While You Pay None"
9:15 PM - Bill & Hillary Clinton Host a Seminar on "The Successful Selling of White House & Air Force One Mementos on eBay"
9:20 PM - Gay Marriage Ceremony (Both Male and Female Couples)
9:30 PM - * Intermission * Special Guest Soloist Jane Fonda
10:00 PM - Posting the Iraqi Colors by Sean Penn and Tim Robbins
10:10 PM - Reenactment of Kerry's Fake Medal Toss
10:20 PM - Howard Dean Screamfest 'Yeeearrrrrrrg!'
10:30 PM - Seminar: "The Boy Scouts and Other Paramilitary threats to National Security"
10:40 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
10:45 PM - Abortion Demonstration (NARAL)
11:00 PM - Multiple Gay Marriage Ceremony (Threesomes, Mixed and Same-Sex)
11:15 PM - 'Maximizing Welfare' Workshop
11:30 PM - 'Free Saddam' Pep Rally
11:50 PM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
12:00 AM - Kerry-Edwards 2004 Sealed With A Kiss
12:01 AM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast
12:02 AM - Ted Kennedy Proposes a Toast

Good news for the coalfields

From the BHC.

•  House and Senate negotiators approved a compromise energy bill Tuesday that could boost Southwest Virginia’s economy by encouraging coal usage through tax incentives promoting clean coal technology.It has taken four years for Congress to work out a comprehensive bill. It is expected to be approved in both houses later this week and also meet the approval of President Bush.U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-9th, was on the conference committee that hammered out the differences between the bills. The final product would be good for the region and nation, he said.New jobs could be created locally by a higher demand for coal, he said. The region has substantial coal reserves and the nation has a 250-year supply of coal, he added."The goal I set to encourage the use of coal in a large number of new electricity generating plants that will be built in the next two decades has been reached," Boucher said.The legislation includes $3 billion in various tax incentives to encourage the use of coal and promote a new generation of clean coal technology, he said. It encourages the construction of integrated gasification combined cycle generation plants similar to the one American Electric Power wants to have on line in the next 10 years. The plants are fueled by coal that is converted to gas. Read all.

This is good news for my area! Coal demand is at a high and the jobs created are the best around. The once closed Glaymorgan Coal Co. in Wise is up and running again. In fact I will work a train there tomorrow. They have the old prep plant and are improving it. they also are saying a new state of the art train load out is in the plans! The plant is being fed by mines in Pound and other areas and a new mines is getting started within 1/4 mile of the plant. Good news indeed.

 

Catching Up

I was out working a train till late last night, so today I am free till 4pm. I am using this time to catch up around the blogosphere.

Bearing Drift has a good post on The Virginia Pilot article  "SOL history scores may be waived for second year." Wait till you read the reason!

John Behan post's that there will be televised debates between Kilgore and Kaine.

Norman tears apart Raising Kaine with this fact filled post. You will always get a kick out of Raising Kaine, but you will not get the truth!

Brain is "Live in Roanoke" for the BAR exam. Good luck Brian!

That Salt Lick post's some sobering numbers.

The CatHouse has taken it on the road! I would go to the bloggers conference if Romeocat was going too! I love her blog! Family is important to her and her blog reflects it. She writes from the heart!

Speaking of Cats...Ferdy and his pet Bruce are posting away at The Conservative Cat. Hey guy's...I thought you would have linked this for me??

 

 

Understanding Computers

Click on pic to enlarge.

More on the Mason Dixon Poll

Well Mr. Behan has posted, and a good one indeed. John feels as I do that it is not good news for Kilgore. He also feels there is something strange about it too.

• " For what it’s worth, I’m very skeptical of the results of this poll, since they fly in the face of every other poll taken in the race." (J.B.)

John lists 8 other polls. I feel that way too. The support of Pott's shows me something is wrong. That is a common sense thing. Republicans might vote for Kaine as some did for Warner, but Pott's? I don't think so. A poll on a local message board has Kilgore up by 7. That is consistent with the 8 polls previous that John posted.

Polling is a strange thing. In the past election I looked at all the polls and went with the total average. Election day proved it right. Bush won by the average lead he carried in all the polls. I am not an expert, but as I posted before, I hang up as soon as I hear the word survey. Norman called this refusal rate. This has to affect the results of any poll. Who really wants to do this after a day's work? Not me. So I question who answers the phones? Non workers? House wife's? Kids out of school? That is why the average theory works for me. If the next one comes out with the same data that is trouble for Kilgore. Right now we need to Spark Up the base and work harder.

Just to add a note- Google flaws with Mason Dixon polls.

• Results 1 - 10 of about 5,420 for flaws with mason Dixon polls.

• 9/15/04

  Mason-Dixon

  Link

  624 LV

  4%

  Bush

  49%

  Kerry

  40%

  Bush +9

The actual results were Bush 48% Gore 47%. Mason Dixon was way off compared to the other polls listed here. Some other problems with Mason Dixon are noted here. The article explains it very well. The real pundits may argue about the results, but I will wait for the next one to come out.

New Blog Added

This blog is full of great pics and it is worth a look. Check out MJL Photos.

Poll update

As I predicted, the Pundits are alive this morning as the new results are in.

Norman has a good take on the results here, and he reviews Jeff Shapiros article here. One Mans Trash should be required reading in high schools and colleges.

Barnie over at Bacon's Rebellion has 10 takes on the poll.

On the left, Waldo Jaquith has this post to rub us Kilgore fans the wrong way. Raising Kaine has a rant by Lowell...I guess we must take the good with the bad.

I question the results of this poll because it shows the opposite of all the previous polls. I know for myself that most mainstream working people hang up faster than a cat on a electric fence when they hear the word "survey" on the phone. If Kaine is leading in SWVA they are silent supporters who display no public affiliation him. I will concede this is good news for Kaine and crew. We Kilgore supporters need to step it up...errrr...Spark It Up!!!

Kaine ahead in new poll???

The Mason Dixon poll is out. The RTD has this report.

• With the election less than four months away, the poll found Kaine with 38 percent of likely voters and Kilgore with 37 percent. Last September Kaine, the lieutenant governor, trailed Kilgore, a Scott County native and former attorney general, by 5 percentage points.

I guess all the other polls are wrong showing Kilgore ahead by 7 to 10 points. What did the Kilgore camp say?

• Kilgore press secretary Tim Murtaugh said, "This poll flies in the face of everything we have seen - eight other public polls and our own internal polling - that shows Jerry Kilgore with a clear lead in this race. ... There is no evidence to support what this poll says. We will continue to run as if we are 10 points behind."

Guess we wait till Nov to find out. The bottom line is this is bad news for Kilgore, no matter how you look at it. I will see what the pundits have to say Sunday. It should be a BIG BLOG DAY IN VIRGINIA.

You saw it here first, it hit the wire at @12 and Posted it fast. Will any of the ODBA link it? Doubtful.....Sad but true...A few of us Virginia bloggers are out of the circle.

Surplus...eh...profit..??

Jerry from The Blog On High hits the nail on the head today with this post. The surplus...eh.. profit in Virginia after the Warner tax increase. Money sitting in Richmond that could be our pockets.

Small business org backs Jerry Kilgore

From the RTD

• Democratic gubernatorial candidate Timothy M. Kaine touted his pro-business credentials yesterday while Republican Jerry W. Kilgore picked up the support of a major small-business organization.

Kaine's talk fell on deaf ears because of this wonderful news!

• Meanwhile the Virginia director of the National Federation of Independent Business, the state's largest small-business advocacy group, said it thinks so much of Kilgore that it is endorsing a Virginia candidate for governor for the first time.

  "His leading opponent causes much doubt and concern among our membership," the director, Gordon Dixon, said. He announced the group's support for Kilgore at EMC Co., a Richmond sheet-metal fabrication and pipe-fitting business.

  Dixon said a poll of the organization's 9,000 members in Virginia showed that 90 percent support Kilgore.

Remember the hoopla the Democrats raised when the UMWA backed Kaine? LOL

I work with union and non union people every day. They know Kaine is good for the union....but not the worker. Kaine can have the unions support, but Kilgore will get the workers support. Indeed.

I spent most of the day at the Clinch River Power Plant sampling coal. This plant was built in 1958. Notice nothing is coming from the stacks! 

Loading a train.....One million dollars in three and a half hours. The loadout picture is of the Enterprise Coal Co. in KY. 

A Damn Good Man

I would think most of you have never heard of Bob Murray. He is a giant in the coal industry. Please take five minutes and read his story....Then wish you worked for someone like him. What guides him? This little principle we should all use.

•  "In my life's work experience I have developed what I call a Decision Tree.  When I have a difficult decision, I go down that Decision Tree in a strict order of priority and ask the questions:  First, is it right by God;  Then, is it right by my family;  Third, is it right by my lenders;  Fourth, is it right by our customers;  Then, is it right by my landlords, and the regulatory authorities;  and, Last, the public in general."  "Every decision I make is in that order of priority," he concluded.

Read Bob's story here...it is well worth your time.

Strip Job.....No sample taken,,,high wall was unsafe...so said Kilo! Loading a train today,,will post some pics later. 

Long Day

Another 18 hour shift....loaded a train and put on 350 miles. Tomorrow I will channel sample some coal ( that means pick and shovel). I have the cam ready and will post some pics of the coal seam and me hard at it. LoL

The apples are picked and the garden is doing good. Busy day but the work is done! 

More on the debate

Check this out..... desperation is an understatement! They wanted debates and got slammed.

Norman has this on "good Copy"...a must read.

Kilgore debates Kaine

Jerry Kilgore's debate performance is being reviewed over at CC. Sounds like most pundits agree that Kilgore had Kaine reeling! Read what Mr. Behan has here and here.
After all the crying about debates from the left--I think this is wonderful!

JONATHAN KIRBY WILLIS

Jonathan Kirby Willis, 38, of Norton, died Thursday (July 7, 2005).

His grandparents, Owen Franklin and William Willis, and an aunt Nancy Willis preceded him in death.

Kirby was a much-loved son, brother and friend. He was charming, witty and had many skills and talents. Although the road he walked was rough at times he leaves behind many fond memories of good times.

Surviving are his mother and stepfather, Diane and Richard Rorrer, Duffield; father and stepmother, Steve and Linda Willis, Duffield; a sister and brother-in-law, April and Richard Sims, Dungannon; brother, Joshua Dru Willis, Duffield; daughters, Britany Shortridge, Coeburn, Taylor Spurrier, Rose Hill; grandmothers, Audrey Franklin, Weber City, Doris Willis, Norton; several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles; special friend, Tonya Barker.

Funeral service were conducted at 8 p.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Scott Addison officiating. Graveside committal services were conducted Sunday in Powell Valley Memorial Gardens.

Back On Track

It has been a long time since I posted, not that I was missed. I took a vacation, came back home and got into a little trouble. Started a new job a month ago and I enjoy the heck out of it. I have a new lady in my life and she is great! I plan to resume blogging every day that I have time. I have missed it!