July Thread

[Phillip Gross]

Happy Independence Day!!

Hope everyone enjoys the day with friends and family. We've got our annual party happening today. We started doing it a few years ago because we were tired of the ridiculous crowds at the local festival that is held every year in the 4th.

We've been so busy this year with everything we have going on, so the yard has... suffered. We went into overdrive this past weekend to get everything back into order and it looks good. I had a thought as I was sweating in the yard that if we would just do parties MORE often, then I would be forced to maintain things better and wouldn't have had to do such an extreme overhaul these past couple days.

Somewhat of a spiritual parallel there. When we keep ourselves involved in situations that we NEED the Lord, we're more apt to run to Him to stay filled.

[joecool]

Somewhat of a spiritual parallel there. When we keep ourselves involved in situations that we NEED the Lord, we're more apt to run to Him to stay filled.

Kind of like flossing your teeth for the first time in a year, because your dental appointment is tomorrow. Or trying to lose 10 pounds in a week so you can fit into that old tux. Or covering 17 chapters a day to finish reading the Bible in a year on time. A steady strain avoids the pain.

[Phillip Gross]

A steady strain avoids the pain.

I like that. I'll have to remember that.

[Phillip Gross]

Well everyone has gone home and it's time to hit the hay. I'll count this one as another successful Independence Day party. We had a serious Corn hole tournament going. My partner and I were the winners of the winner's bracket, but ended up getting beat by the winners of the loser's bracket in the championship game. Oh well... A good time was had by all. Hope you guys had a good day too.

[joecool]

Our church has brought on an associate pastor. His calling is children's ministries, as well as helping the whole family. He has led district-level events, and we're his third church. A mountain of a man with a big beard and bigger laugh.

At last night's leadership meeting, a lot of time was spent talking about CM. One of the deacons finally turned to me and said I wasn't saying anything. "That's for the new guy and you to work out. I don't want to step on any toes."

His response was "Royal Rangers and Missionettes were the only thing working around here. We never should of let them cancel it." Everyone nodded in agreement.

[ccm2361]

His response was "Royal Rangers and Missionettes were the only thing working around here. We never should of let them cancel it." Everyone nodded in agreement.

They are a little slow, but they caught on eventually

[Phillip Gross]

Great news!! But here's the $64,000 question. Would you reactivate if they resurrect the program?

[joecool]

Great news!! But here's the $64,000 question. Would you reactivate if they resurrect the program?

A question that I don't have an answer for at the moment. As our church shrunk down to a hundred, Ranger leadership was pretty much me, myself and I. Don't think it would be any different if the new children's pastor wanted to restart it. I just don't see anybody with the work/ministry ethic out there. As a side note, it's been my experience over the years that the majority of deacons talk, but don't walk.

Somehow, they get the attitude that they don't have to get into the trenches anymore. Kind of like the French generals in Paris never seeing the front lines.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Same here 1 dedicated leader besides myself had the passion for Royal Rangers but our schedules weren't working out well with him doing swing shifts. That ended it April of last year. He still continues on doing some Rangeresqe events but no meetings.

Philip, if you guys had won would you be celebrating two independence days...?

[RRCmdrBennett]

Worked the Billy Joel concert for Uber a bit dissapointing in the after surge never hit 2.0 or higher. Hopefully, tonight will be better with Luke Bryan performing.

[joecool]

Worked the Bilky Joel concert for Uber a bit dissapointing in the after surge never hit 2.0 or higher. Hopefully, tonight will be better with Luke Bryan performing.

Claymore, would a detective see that as a Freudian slip? Concerts seem to be so overpriced these days, with promoters hitting the fans' pocketbooks any way they can. (I'm leaving Uber out of it.) I wouldn't recognize a single Kid Rock song, but I did note an interview this week where he said he's trying to get prices down.

[joecool]

Today's outreach event went well. Another guy and I set up Guns, Guys, Grub and God and 17 people showed up at the range. After a devotion, we spread out and made noise, followed by lunch. Bonus: I got to shoot someone's 1882 Winchester rifle. A real treat.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Worked the Bilky Joel concert for Uber a bit dissapointing in the after surge never hit 2.0 or higher. Hopefully, tonight will be better with Luke Bryan performing.

Claymore, would a detective see that as a Freudian slip? Concerts seem to be so overpriced these days, with promoters hitting the fans' pocketbooks any way they can. (I'm leaving Uber out of it.) I wouldn't recognize a single Kid Rock song, but I did note an interview this week where he said he's trying to get prices down.

Its likely that on my touch keyboard iPhone the letters L and K are side by side!

With Uber its all based on driver availability vs rider demand. Surge "incentivizes" us to go online and accept rides or head to high demand. Uber corp hates high surge. They want more rides lower fares keeps pax happy. As independent contractors our bottom lines have two different strategies. Some Uber pax have been trying Lyft due to Uber's corporate culture and scandals. Sometimes Uber subsidizes rides via "boost" which is guaranteed surge for drivers in certain areas even when riders pay normal fare prices. Even at 2.5x's normal fare pax are paying taxi prices for a better ride in under 20 mins. For me I don't move if its beyond 10 mins unless I'm going that way already or its surge. I look it at it like this how much is avoiding a dui worth to you? Wait and hope a taxi comes lol.

[joecool]

Some archeologists are claiming to have found the site where the demons entered the pigs. Lower water levels led to the discovery of an ancient Hebrew settlement, where an inscribed stone was found.

Hmmm. The place were deviled ham was invented.

[joecool]

Hey, guys. Don't miss the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse on Aug 21st. It will cut a path across the middle of the country. I'm taking the grandkids on a 4-hour drive to get into the 100% zone. But don't forget to order the right kind of protective eyewear.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Hey, guys. Don't miss the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse on Aug 21st. It will cut a path across the middle of the country. I'm taking the grandkids on a 4-hour drive to get into the 100% zone. But don't forget to order the right kind of protective eyewear.

Not quite once in a lifetime but the next one is April 8, 2024. Odd both occur on the first year and last year of Trump's presidencies...

[RRCmdrBennett]

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/future/

[joecool]

A shout-out to the Boy Scouts at their national jamboree. President Trump spoke in person and the boys overwhelmingly cheered him, and jeered when he referred to Democrats. The MSM did find one parent who was mightily offended, though.

[ccm2361]

sorry haven't been around lately. Working a lot, little time for anything else

Do have to say, this last Sunday both my kids joined me at the altar during worship & prayed & worshipped with me without being asked! First time both of them have done that at the same time.

[Phillip Gross]

sorry haven't been around lately.  Working a lot, little time for anything else

Do have to say, this last Sunday both my kids joined me at the altar  during worship & prayed & worshipped with me without being asked!   First time both of them have done that at the same time.

Nothing better than seeing your kids go after the Lord on their own! Keep up the good work being an example of a man after God's heart!

[Phillip Gross]

I've been crazy busy too. Looking forward to these summer jobs winding down, but it's somewhat bitter sweet. The end of summer means Jr goes back to school and I lose my work partner...

[joecool]

Shaking my head at the latest failure of the GOP Senate to do anything about ObamaCare. We'll see if the voters remember how so many of their senators lied about their election promises to repeal and replace.

And now a thought comes to me. I remember that when the ACA was passed, it contained thousands of references to "The HHS Director shall (make decisions on the missing details.)" In other words, the ACA was a huge blank check when Obama signed it, allowing his cabinet secretary to fill in all the blanks afterwards.

Why can't Trump's Secretary of HHS just change all those badly filled-in blanks to make the ACA work the way it should? Just by-pass the do-nothing Congress.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Shaking my head at the latest failure of the GOP Senate to do anything about ObamaCare. We'll see if the voters remember how so many of their senators lied about their election promises to repeal and replace.

And now a thought comes to me. I remember that when the ACA was passed, it contained thousands of references to "The HHS Director shall (make decisions on the missing details.)" In other words, the ACA was a huge blank check when Obama signed it, allowing his cabinet secretary to fill in all the blanks afterwards.

Why can't Trump's Secretary of HHS just change all those badly filled-in blanks to make the ACA work the way it should? Just by-pass the do-nothing Congress.

You expect them to earn their check for the week...?

By now we should know we have a one party system with different flavors. No different than pepsi vs coke their all soft drinks.

[Sponsored content]