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I’M GOING ON A BLOG HUNGER-STRIKE. NO MORE POSTS ON THE BLOG UNTIL THIS POST SEES 10 OR MORE COMMENTS.

Listen People. I give you GOLD. Endless fodder for conversations, “hey look at this!”, and “that’s the cutest baby ever!” material. And what do I get back? Silence. No comments, texts, or emails regarding the blog posting. I’m not looking for a pat on the back or an “attaboy.” What I am looking for is feedback, comments on the posts. LIkes and dislikes, words of wisdom and knowledge from my peers.

Those of you who do actively post comments, Amber Hobbie, Jodi Cole, Beth Lahni, Timmons, Swarty and a few others, consider this a thank you. Those of you who I know read this, Dan Ward, Tony Schiavone, Brandon Bruce, Timmons, Mom, and others who are NOT commenting, shame on you, I thought you were better than this. Consider this post your literary reprimand!

Now let’s be honest, we all know that I’m not the only one who feels this way. Many more are listless in their pursuit of blogging affirmation and see little in return. Let’s be good-commentiing-samaratins. I have a weapon of silence, please don’t make me use it. You and I both know the quiet version of me is very depressing.

LET THE COMMENTING BEGIN…

Disclaimer: Though very full of truth, this post is dripping with sarcasm. My feelings are in no way hurt, offended, or depressed. Please understand, that I operate heavily on the science of wordsmithing and tact. It is my desire to connect the world through communicating, not make it more confusing. Thus this postscript.

Hey everyone, your favorite loveable redneck is back! Check out Cletus’ announcements for this sunday morning. ALSO THE SOUND SHOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE!

NEVER FORGET…. The YOUNG Chuck Norris!

Well I apologize for the video not working the past several days, apparently, after I uploaded it to YouTube, NBC Universal registered a complaint against me for copyright infringement! So, the video was deleted along with a threat that a repeat offense would result in ALL of my videos being deleted and my account being terminated.

Not to worry though, I’ve got pictures of Ruthi coming from this past Saturday, so don’t dwell, not today, not on Rex Manning day! (Name that movie?!)

Quote of the day:
“Legend has it he walks among us even now, a dreamer, alone in a world in between dreams and reality. What do we make of the young; Chuck Norris?”

Recently, Pastor Ryan and I have been working hard to find new ways to liven up church. We figured the first area to revamp could easily be announcements. Since they’re most often boring and centered on a talking head. With video, we’ve found a new avenue of delivery. Check out this week’s men’s and women’s group announcement!

Good stuff, right? Feel free to leave a COMMENT!!!

Statement by the President in His Address to the Nation

8:30 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America — with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C. to help with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight, and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business, as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I’ve directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.

END 8:35 P.M. EDT

In my last post, I told of my recent hunting escapades of the midwestern coyote (ky-yoat, as pronounced by most midwestern hillbillies). He posed some valuable questions in his comments of my post as you will see quoted below. So valid in fact, I’ve chosen to answer him.

Dude,
Isn’t that Coyote pretty small? I don’t know much about hunting but shouldn’t it be bigger? Do you eat Coyote meat? Do you wear it’s skin as a hat? Stuff it and keep in on your mantel?
Don’t get me wrong, it would be cool to hunt stuff but I’m not sure I completely understand it. Help!

Hunters are a necessary part of conservation management. Due to the introduction of so many humans in North America, many wildlife species have suffered and dwindled due to the massive population and land habitation of man. With man, in turn came the introduction of domesticated animals for the purpose of food. We as Americans eat primarily beef, chicken and fish for our meats, leaving the wildlife population to grow and overpopulate at an alarming rate. Not only is this unhealthy for the diets and lifespans of the animals, it spreads diseases, thus increasing the amount of pestilence and plague for the humans around. As humans, we have a strong responsibility to love and respect the wildlife around us. This involves living in harmony with and caring for those animals. Without any conservation regulations and care, our wildlife populations would decrease like the American Bison or the Whitetail of the nineteen thirties where the north american population dropped from the millions to 300,000 nationally. Now however, due to hunting and strong conservation and land management, the whitetail is once again one of the most prevalent North American non-predatorial animals, now numbering nationally over 30 million!!!!!!!!

I’ll begin by saying that I never hunt simply to kill. There is always a purpose or reason behind my different hunting adventures. For whitetail deer, it’s an enormous challenge ending with the reward of a large portion of meat (delicious!) for my family, and the ever-present possibility that I might kill an enormous trophy. However, will always take a doe if given the opportunity. Not only are female whitetails the best meat, it’s also healthiest for the growth of the herd. With so many trophy hunters out there only taking bucks, someone must be willing to “take a doe, and watch the herd grow.”

SO WHY A PREDATOR HUNT? Hunting coyotes is different in the sense that you don’t eat them, and they’re not great trophies. They’re wiley and smart, while feeding off animals in distress or even carion (roadkill, animals already dead, etc). AND they’re becoming more and more overpopulated. With popularity of deer and turkey hunting growing immensely across the US, most hunters will never actively pursue the regulation of predator numbers in their area. For instance, when I was growing up, we would occasionally hear coyotes chiming in and howling together in the evening and night. NOW? It’s not a question of when or where you’ll hear them, but how many and how often. Coyotes have also traditionally been a lone hunter will travel solo when not looking for a mate or raising pups. Unlike wolves, they have not traditionally been pack hunters. Until now. Many recent acounts speak of coyotes attacking in pairs and trios, even fours or fives in some cases. In my story below, you’ll note that when I called, THREE coyotes came in.

And YES, to answer Timmons’ question, the coyote I shot was smaller than most larger ones, though the coyote in general isn’t that big anyway, maybe 40 lbs maximum. Mine was probably a year old, weighing roughly 20-25 lbs, and was from one of last year’s litters. The two that were with it were substantially bigger though they disappeared after I shot the first one and never had an opportunity to take another.

I could write for days about this subject, but I know you wouldn’t want to read that much and I wouldn’t have the time to write it! FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS, IT HELPS TO KNOW WHO’S BEEN VISITING MY SITE!

Got the “E” part right at least. Many of you know that I love the outdoors and especially love to hunt. Last night I went coyote (yote) hunting for the second time since moving back to Missouri. How do you hunt coyotes, you ask? Well, it’s actually really simple. Find a good spot to sit overlooking lots of land, and start spittin’ hard into a cottontail squeal. A cottontail squeal makes a blood-curdling scream that alerts predators to a rabbit-in-distress. This sets them off running to find that rabbit.

Last night, my brother-in-law James and I were the rabbits. Anyway, after leaving James at his stand, I began walking back to my spot, all the while hitting the rabbit call hard. before I even got to my spot, I looked out in the field, and there were 3 coyotes at a steady canter looking for the said rabbit. I hit the call a few more times and one of them broke off and headed straight for me! I fired my first shot while the yote was still at a run, and missed. Then she stopped, hopped back a little, and I steadied and dropped her with my second shot. I couldn’t believe, it, I got my first coyote just like that!

What was my weapon of choice? I’m glad you asked! I was using my new Marlin 30-30 lever gun with a 4X Weaver scope and 110-grain hollow points. I had just sighted it in the day before. This isn’t my usual varmint gun, but the one I had with me yesterday. I usually carry a Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle chambered for a .223 (which is basically a civillian round of the military 5.56 used in M16’s. ) but didn’t have it with me last night.

Anyway, enough is enough. below are some pictures of James and I with our harvest of the night.

The exciting thing about this? DEER archery season starts a week from Friday!!! Though killiing this yote was an amazing adrenaline rush (I was re-thinking my second bratwurst from dinner), I’m sure I won’t have a hard time equalliing it with whitetails bearing down on me!!!