The Chronicles of a 21st Century Coal Miner

No Delegate Run.

2012-02-02T16:32:00.000-05:00

I have decided against another run this cycle for the House of Delegates, though it appears Delegate Campbell (D-Greenbrier) will not seek re-election, the crowded field and the distaste in my mouth currently are some of the reasons I have opted to pass-up this pristine opportunity.

I have been busy doing other things which I have been quite dedicated to; such as working with the Voter Freedom Commission on getting Voter Initiatives legal in West Virginia (currently, only the Legislature can put something on the ballot, while 38 other states have have initiatives added by having 5% of registered voters petition.)

Faces of Coal - advocating leveling the current 3-to-1 ratio for strip mining permits over underground permits.

Sierra Club - No surprise here, trying to keep Consol OUT of the Greenbrier Valley and away from the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas reserves. Advocating Algae Refineries instead. Why? A gas well is temporary, will have 3-5 employees, whereas an Algae Refinery is permanent, hiring 50-100 workers. You be the judge on which we should be trying to get.

Lewisburg Annexation of Ronceverte- a long shot, but Ronceverte's Comission and Government is dysfunctional and corrupt, and would benefit from Lewisburg taking over the small town, a state-wide notorious cop trap. This annexation would add 3,500 people to Lewisburg's population, effectively doubling the size of the city and doubling business development. We'll decide what to do with traffic at some point.

Personal Life - this one is hectic, alot going on on the home front has kept me really busy.

Personal Issues- I have a bad distaste for how things went the last cycle. I quickly became a foe of the "Good Ol Boy Network" the AFL-CIO Union didn't take me seriously. Though I done MUCH better than anticipated in the Primary in 2010, the actual numbers are kinda messed up:

--Metro News declared me the winner, then retracted.

--Greenbrier County said I had amassed 876 votes, after a recount found they counted absentee and provisional ballots twice.

--The FEC has me down at 1,209 votes effectively tying the primary.

So who really knows?

Where, oh where, has winter gone?

2012-01-31T16:26:00.002-05:00

The year started off with some alarming signals of a brutal winter yet to come: snow in late September, blanketing snow two weeks before Halloween in October, then - rain, lots of rain, and 50 degree temps.

We're now at the peak of the winter maximum (Jan 20-Feb 10) for West Virginia....

Currently: 70 degrees, sunny skies.

Yes, it's fricken 70 degrees. We've had only 6 inches of snow all winter, our average is about 50, with 1 true month of Winter left, its looking like we won't even break the 10inch mark, much less our "average" of 50inches.

Nature is signaling the end of the winter season; My blueberry bush already had buds sprouting, little flecks of green of lily sprouts in my perennial collection garden, Daffodils are budding and are on track to bloom around Valentines Day; not Easter:

These Daffodils are in week 2 of their 2012 life cycle, by weeks 3-5 they typically crown their fragrant yellow, white, and orange blossoms. This is about 2 months ahead of schedule, considering it's still January.

There have been few cold days (High of 32) most of the cold air comes and goes overnight; with daytime temps in the upper 40s. I have told my neighbors and others in the community this is more like Texoma Weather, not Appalachian.

Further complicating this "Year without a winter" is the Flu Season, err, lack of Flu Season. The peak was Dec. 18, 2011 which was "sporadic" for West Virginia, so far only 8,500 people have been diagnosed with Flu in West Virginia.

Meanwhile, Texas and the Western States have been slammed with Snow and cold. Alaska may have broken the US Coldest Temperature Record of -80. It's been suggested we were in for another 2010-2011 freezing cold winter, but the Jet stream has opted to stay well north this year, keeping those -80 temps in Alaska and Canada.

We'll enjoy the Daffodil's for Valentines Day, I suppose.

Here's to hoping 2012-2013 winter actually brings us some winter cheer (snow).

Coal Mining Resources: version 2

2011-12-30T17:53:00.003-05:00

This is a continuation of my pervious work in helping other miners and will-be miners pass their tests as given by MSHA, WVMHSA, and what-not.

RED HAT/APPRENTICE MINER:

All 'civilians' must complete the 80-hr Apprentice Certification Class, and pass the Assessment Test to become an Apprentice Miner. You can find a local Class in West Virginia to being your underground endeavor, by clicking Here.

You must be an Apprentice Miner (hereafter called a 'Red Hat') for 6months AND 108 shifts Underground. A shift is 4hrs-? working 13hrs in one day doesn't count as 2 shifts. only 1. It's solely up to your employer to provide with a shift verifcation sheet. If they refuse to administer one after you have amassed your shifts, you may go to you local MSHA/State Office and file a complaint against your employer.

A new (and dumb) law states that you must become a Black Hat within 18months of your initial training. If you don't you'll have to take your class all over again. Your Red Hat certification will expire 1year after issue, at this point you'll have to retest (but not retake classes).

If you terminate employment with your Mine before you complete the training (not recommended, but hey, shit happens) you will need to get a partial completion of shifts and give it to your new employer so they can combine your shifts to 108 so you can take your Black Test Test.

A bossman (White Hat) can have 4 red hats under his authority, whereas an Experience Miner (hereafter "Black Hat") can have only 1 Redhat under his direct authority at any given time.

There's no age limit to be a red hat, though I highly recommend you be physically fit and younger (under 30), as red hat's are grunts in the mines, doing most of the labor. Think of them as privates in the Army.

When you enter the mining industry remember to buy your own:

-Metatarsal Boots (these run about 250 dollars for a good pair, like Matterhorns)

-your belt (about 100 bucks) I recommend one with shoulder straps, your gear is heavy, and you'll be carrying all of it around for atleast 50hrs a week.

-Your Hard Hat (another 100 bucks) if you cant find a Red one, spray paint a black one.

-Your tools (standard is a heavy hammer [22oz+], pick hammer, channel locks, and 1inch crescent wrench) tools will vary based on job assigned, though.

-Never forget a good sturdy lunch bucket that can handle some dings and scratches. You'll find a fellow miner to give you a bit bucket probably, these are flimsy buckets that Continuous Miner/Long Wall Bits arrive in, they're cheap and free. I give em away to my redhats all the time. I don't recommend cloth/mesh bags for buckets, rats love to nom on these kind, given your mine has a rat problem.

Your mine should supply you:

-your uniforms (unless its a contractor),

-cap light(most redhats get the dated, and worn caplights. gotta earn your keep for those nice LED ones),

-spotter (air sensor),

-rescuer,

-knee pads,

-eye-protection

-gloves.

For a free study guide, check out this link, its downloadable. WV 80hr Study Guide

BLACK HAT TEST POINTERS:

My test was mostly safety (surprise) questions. Here's some:

Remember all equipment is has to be parked atleast 15ft from a curtain.

You can go under roof that hasn't been bolted ONLY IF you have supplementary/temporary roof supports (timbers; 4ft apart).

Curtain must be WITHIN 10ft of the face. There's two answers on the test, one says within 10ft of the face, and the other says 10feet of the face. Pay attention to that.

Rock dust is 40ft from the face (as in, from the face outby 40ft has to be rockdusted, not vice versa)

Know your light signals.

Don't go test after work. I've seen many fail cause of this, especially Hoot Owl guys. Rest up!

The test is 25 questions, rather simple if you know your stuff (you've been underground for 6mos, so you should) good luck! oh and the test fee is 10dollars, as with the Red Hat Test. Bring Check/Money Order, they don't take cash typically.

Hope this helps you guys out. Any questions, feel free to ask.

WHITE HAT/BOSS PAPERS CERTIFICATION

I'm not here yet, but I have been using this lil PDF file to practice with:
Utah Underground Foreman Study Guide + Practice Test

Search Tags: Coal Miner, Black Hat Test, Red Hat Test, Become a Coal Miner, Coal Mining Laws.

My new iPad...

2011-12-30T00:28:00.002-05:00

heh.

Lord Yeah. Boom Sticks xD

2011-12-28T18:07:00.001-05:00

Desert Eagle 44 mag.

Auld Lang Syne - 2011

2011-12-27T12:19:00.000-05:00

This year is coming to a close. Thanks for the many comments over the years, and hopefully many more to come blogger friends .o.

I often relate memories with music, so I like to make "my top 10 songs for 20--" videos. This year, I will share the video I made with some worthy memos attached to each, enjoy:

Happy New Years, Ya'll!

Christmas Tidings....

2011-12-26T19:54:00.001-05:00

I typically don't ask for much - this year was exceptionally good me, Santa must have thought I done really well behaving myself, my gift load:

Carhartt Attire

Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Blu-Ray)

New Subwoofers for my Truck

Bluetooth Headset (again)

Various Electronic Gadets (some Gag gifts, some needed)

Some Knives for my growing Knife Collection

Gift Cards and Money Galore.

What about you? Did you have a good Christmas? Was Santa nice or were you rewarded some coal??

Either way, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! :D

Twenty Five, Twenty Nine…Uh Oh

2011-12-19T23:03:00.000-05:00

This was very accurate, I thought. Enjoy! xD

How to Fix Washington...

2011-12-11T17:05:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the deep...

2011-11-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

I had the most eventful Thanksgiving in probably a decade or more.

The day got started off with a 1am trip to Greenbrier County to visit the family, the first time I have been a "Holiday Traveler" traversing the clogged I-77 Turnpike.

I get to my moma's, nothing out of the ordinary, until the AM. My brother was on his way to my moma's and had gotten a flat tire, a blowout, if you will. He ended up stranded randomly about 1mi south of Alderson in Monroe County. At a Thai-immigrant's house, of all placs.

This lady was, well. She was strange. I had to meet my brother and sister-in-law there and take them to Walmart, to get a new tire.

This Thai woman was really nice, sporting very bad-english however. She was alone on Thanksgiving, which broke my heart. She had befriended my sister-in-law whome is 2mos pregnant with my next nephew/niece. We're calling it "Thing 1". Anyway.

My sister-in-law was abit taken back by this Thai woman's "generosity". While my brother and I worked on the blown tire, she pulled my sister-in-law into the house. Closing the door behind. After about 15mins, I went in on a rescue mission, to rescue her from the Thai woman...and became a victim myself.

"I no srain-her!" she demanded like 50 times. I think she meant "stranger" which I think she was implying "i'm friendly, and want to be friends". She showed us Thai music videos, then bragged about Thailand being "'numa 1!" then scolded China. Her home didn't smell of turkey and cranberry sauce, but of eggrolls and rice. She demanded I "see down" pointing to a chair. I refused kindly, starting to become uncomfortable, really. Knowing the Turkey at moma's was done and we had not long until the dinner bell rang for us in Lewisburg, I was becoming impatient. I slowly worked my way to the door, while the Thai woman showed us her children and their doctorate degrees on the walls, I finally got to the door, and we swiftly exited, waving good-bye to the woman, we practically left her hanging, no thank-yous, nothing. On Thanksgiving. We're undoubtedly American.

After Thanksgiving Dinner, the guilt set in. Knowing she was alone, my family and I started proposing we fetch her a plate of Thanksgiving nom's. Or maybe a Pumpkin Pie and a thank-you letter. We ended up doing neither, as we drove past her place; her drive was now loaded with 4 vehicles, so we assumed she had company and we didn't want to intrude. She was thanked in our prayers, however.

I enjoyed the company of old friends and the family for the rest of the evening.

Then I had this sudden, controllable itch- I wanted to go to Walmart for my first-ever Black Friday. Yes, I was a Black Friday virgin.

I had my sights set on a basic All-in-one Printer for 19 dollars. I wanted it, my printer was dated from 2007, ink was 24 dollars. So I'd save 5 bucks, and have a new machine. That's a deal.

I had assumed the crowds would be brisk, maybe like the crowds of Thanksgiving eve. About 10 people on an asile. Nothing I couldn't manage.

Ahem.

I was utterly shocked to see the store literally overflowing with customers at 11:30pm. Everyone elbow-to-elbow, rude people too. Arrogance was the order of the night, some karts loaded with 5-6 duplicate Black Friday items (may I propose a 1 per customer policy?). Some crowds were at a standstill. I had entered hell. I had went into the deep. Before long my hands started to tremble. My social-phobia of crowds was kicking in. I was becoming a nervous wreck. I swiftly left the "race-track" of Walmart and dove into the food aisles which were deserted. I collected myself, then headed to the back of the store. Once I weaseled my way into Electronics; I started my search for my 19 dollar printer.

I couldn't find it :/ it was 12:13AM and it seemed like the crowds had already swooped up my printer. Really? It's a ****ing printer, people. Who wants a printer for Christmas? lol.

As I entered the race track again, I became stuck behind a slow moving old couple. Ugh. I wanted to go around but there was no room, I would become caught-between the shelves and their buggy.

As we meandered along the aisle, nearing a stack of blu-ray players and a dwindling printer stack, this bitch literally rammed me with her kart, feeling the sharp pain of my crushed Achilles tendon, I swung around to see a glaring fat woman. I looked her up and down as my anger slowly evaded me I snapped "sorry!" to suggest an apology. She just kept glaring at me. Whatever. I hope whatever you were looking for lady, was never found. Bitch.

The Printers I found in this stack weren't the bargain printer, rather the 39 dollar wireless HP Printers. Five left "of 525". I snatched one up, just incase I never found the 19 dollar printer, my crushed tendon wouldn't be in vain. I had become determined that I was getting a new printer, dammit. The crowds were just ridiculous. I began using my printer as a battering ram. It worked nicely. People were moving out of my way at last, as my printer led the way.

We hit the Promo DVD stands then split for the ring-outs. On our way to the front of the store, we spotted 3 buried 19 dollar printers. I started to ditch my 40 dollar wireless printer, then realized I had bonded with the more expensive upgraded model, my lovely battering ram. I was gonna keep the 40 dollar one. Features were superior to the basic 19 dollar model, anyways.

We rung out, and left. My new 40 dollar wireless printer in hand. Concluding my rather eventful Thanksgiving and my venture into the deep.

@#$%^ Censorship.

2011-11-17T03:28:00.001-05:00

So Congress now wants to restrict the Internet in the same way they restrict Television, Radio, and other forms of non-verbally spoken communication.

The sponsors of the bill? Banks, PHarma, RIAA, and some others. Lobbyists, of course. So lets tell them they work for us - not the lobbyists:

http://americancensorship.org

Quiet October.

2011-10-19T04:35:00.000-04:00

I haven't gone anywhere readers.

Well actually I have logged 3,000miles on my truck this month. I'm moving about an hour away, with lots of truck trips in between. I'm down to a refrigerator, washer, dryer, my TV, bed, computer and couch. It's all over from here, boys.

It hasn't really been an easy move, rather it's been one of those moves you want to end before you even take the pictures off the walls. I guess that's why some people leave those for last. They're first to go when I move.

One thing I have noticed is how "situated" I have become. I have stuff EVERYWHERE. Thanks to living here during two years of Coal Boom, I am leaving with 5x the items I arrived with. (Thank you, consumerism).

I will post again when everything gets unpacked, and I get cozy in my new digs. Happy Halloween everyone!

No "Referendum" on Obama in W.Va. Governor's Race.

2011-10-04T23:26:00.002-04:00

Acting-Governor Earl Ray Tomblin officially became "the" Governor.

My current raw numbers are:

Governor Tomblin: 149,075

Republican Maloney: 140,563

It was a messy campaign. I grew tired of the campaign ads - everywhere. Facebook, Youtube, Television, Phone Calls, Radio Ads, Billboards, like they spent MILLIONS for a partial term (15months). Tomblin is the winner tonight, but....just next year, November 2012, he'll have to win it - again.

Nationally, the Tea Party and the media were anxiously waiting to make this a "referendum" on Obama, and not about West Virginia (its about West Virginia). With Tomblin the winner, it's taken the referendum and turned into a non-issue. Instead it was "expected" from a state with a 2-to-1 margin for registered Democrats.

The Republicans made the campaign a "referendum" on Obama, though. It worked in New York, so it'll surely work in West Virginia, yes? No. No it won't. There's a reason we have Democrats all up in our Legislature two Democratic Senators, until recently, all Congressment were Democrats too. We like Democrats on the statelevel. Just not Obama/Kerry/Gore. 11 of the 15 attack ads against Tomblin mentioned Obama in one way or another. Sad, really. Tomblin didn't attack Bush. He pulled out the big guns: Senator Manchin, Senator Jay Rockefeller, The Unions, Friends of Coal, WV Coal Association, and ads featuring "concerned citizens" from various DNC PACs.There was no meantion of Obama or Bush, or Congress. Just talking about West Virginia.

The campaign's move resulted in a narrow, but sweet victory for the ~~Acting~~-Governor.

Tomblin is the first Governor from the coalfields since the 1960s, corruption runs deep here, and the Motown Northerners know that. Even Tomblin isn't clean - channeling millions of dollars of state money into a fund for 'Greyhound Breeder's'. Guess who breeds Greyhound dogs? His moma.

This "corrupted south" reputation created regionalism within the state. Northern Republican vs. Coalfield Democrat. Here:

Yeah i'm not sure why Monroe County voted for Maloney while the rest of the southern region went to Tomblin, they've been becoming increasingly conservative at a rapid pace over the last decade. Even the young voters! It's crazy.

The two liberal counties in the state; Jefferson, and Monogalia, both voted for the Republican. They voted Obama in 2008, Kerry 2004, Gore in 2000. Just as an example of how the Northerner's hate Southern Coalfield Politicians.

It's Autumn. And Snowing :D

2011-09-30T23:43:00.006-04:00

That's how I've been feeling as of late.

So, I switched mines. Again. From Greenbrier County to Fayette County. Again. The drive time almost accounts for 50% of my actual shift. I need to move. But I'm broke and have actually acquired some debt, amazingly enough for myself. So Times are hard, money is tight.

Afew days ago, I was watching this painfully slow system churn across the Midwest, bringing us many of showers, and dreary days. It almost looked like Hurricane remnants, spiral twist and all. Then - I learned - it is. Kind of. It's actually Typhoon Roke that hit Japan, according to this Accuweather story. Anyway, so Typhoon Roke then came across the Northern Pacific and smacked British Columbia in Canada, now it's bringing West Virginia, um, Snow?

Yes.

It is snowing, on September 30th. I think this is the earliest I can recall the white stuff visiting us here in the Southern parts of the state. I don't typically think of September as a "snow month" more or less an August without the humidity. This year, it's a "snow month" however. Also worth note, the last snow flake I witnessed at work, in the Mountains was - May 4th. So, If it snows in October (very likely, since in an hour it'll be October) and November and December after, 2011 will have had only 3 Calendar months without any recorded snow. Is that a record?

I'm not just talking about some flurries, sure here in the valley, yes. Flurries. On the mountains in the backcountry though, 2-4inches of snow. On the ground. In September. 95% of trees still have their foliage. It's crazy. Some say it's a sign of a terrible winter ahead. Last year our first snow came on November 28. Was quite late, and in return, was a quiet winter compared to Snowmaggedon the previous winter. I do not recall the date of first flakes of 2009, however.

Therefore, predictions are purely based on non-conclusive history. I would like a busy snow season, though. I love the cold and the frozen wet stuff ^_^

Course, it's probably snowing all across western Greenbrier, Pocahontas and Webster. I've learned Doppler radar doesn't like picking up that snow, from working in the mines in the area. I'd always glance at NOAA's website then decide where to stop on the journey to work to put my chains on the truck. Typically, it's snowin pretty hard up there when Doppler shows nothing.

Public Service Commission should know me by name.

2011-09-28T09:08:00.000-04:00

Just two months after my first complaint with the PSC, I'm at war again. Not with Alderson, this time: The power company.

So they use this pathetic-scam-looking 3rd party website that charges arm+leg for their online bill pay. I've used it afew times, just fine. Anyway, allegedly, in August 2011, this scam-site sent my payment, twice, within seconds of each other.

My bank noticed, and rejected the duplicate payment. No overdrafts, no returned check fees. Life goes on.

Now it's end of September. My power is set to be turned off. Why? Past due balance. Monpower credited my account for both payments. (>_<) Of course, thanks to my banks crafty oversight and passion for not wanting to overdraft me, they only got one of my duplicate payments.

I get all these fees and surcharges for "Returned Check" plus the other payment amount due on my new bill, yesterday. It must be paid, no extensions because it's so past due. Won't "put it back" into the amount owed. No sir. Pay it by October 3rd or else. The new charges are due October 13th.

Dilemma is - I don't get paid until a week after the 3rd. Not exactly Scrooge Mcduck right now. So I reckoned I'd just call to speak with the fine lady at Monpower. Make their mistake corrected.

Bitch.

She pretty much just says I'm up shit creek. Hate it for me. Pay or die. Not her problem.

Instead of doing what most would do, and just borrow or loan and moan about it - I called the Public Service Commission :D They made Alderson start reading my newly installed water meter, instead of guesstimating (%$%#$%SIN FOR A BILL%#$%). So maybe they'll make Monpower play nice and admit their error, and credit my account. ^_^

Stay tuned.

RE: The Special Election

2011-09-23T19:33:00.000-04:00

Dear Gov'nuh Tomblin: you can take a hike back to Logan County.

Seriously.

If there's one thing I hate, it's a lying politician. Like Tomblin. "oh I won't run for the Governor's mansion if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the special election.....I'm running for Governor!!" There's also something else I don't like: when Politicians take credit for work of their Predecessor. In this case, Governor Manchin's handling of the budget, among many of things Manchin triumphed during his great tenure as Governor, that Tomblin likes to think he done over the course of the year.

I'm with Baber. My protest vote.

I could vote for Maloney, to ensure Tomblin goes packin; but I don't like Tea Partier's and our state-level Republican tend be exceptionally nutty. Maloney is no different. Furthermore, I won't give the media the satisfaction of saying my vote was a "referendum on Obama" which it's not. It's a referendum on Tomblin. So Mountain Party it is.

That is all I have to say.

Rock you like a Hurricane.

2011-09-20T13:04:00.000-04:00

So Accuweather thinks this Hurricane Season is gonna be "competitive" with the Historic 2005 Atlantic Season, when 28 storms were named, and 15 of those became Hurricanes.

After a week-long quiet spell, Tropical Storm Ophelia is expected to form late today or tomorrow. That leaves 6 names left until, like in 2005, we run out of names and start using the Roman/Greek Alphabet. In 2005, we used up to character Zeta, as you probably recall.

There's a big difference between this year and 2005 though. Most notably, is the fact there have only been 3 Hurricanes, everything else has been Tropical Storms, some barely lasting a day like TS Nate and TS Jose. Storms that probably wouldn't have ever garnered a name ten years ago. Hurricane Irene and TS Lee have been the only storms to hit the United States, the rest have been more interested in Canada and, oddly, Europe. It's not everyday Iceland get's a Tropical Storm Warning, ya know. Contrast that with 2005 when landfalls here were almost weekly.

By storm names, yes, competitive. By strength or landfalls? Not so much. The Media gets carried away sometimes I think, looking for a good story here and there; or at times, all the time.

Want some Corn Sugar with your Coffee, Sir?

2011-09-15T18:42:00.000-04:00

The Corn Refiners Association has come under fire by the FDA for using the term "corn sugar" in place of High Fructose Corn Syrup. A chemical by-product of corn.

It's not sugar. Ever tasted field corn? Bout the most bitter bite you'll ever take. Promise ya that. Nobody knows what Original Maze tastes like. We have genetically altered Corn so much to the point its pure hybrid anymore over the last century. Classes of Corn:

Field Maize <-----very bitter, not sweet. Main source of "Corn Sugar"

Standard (su) <------practically not grown in America anymore. Has more starch than Field Maize.

Sugary Extender (se) <----what you may grow. My personal favorite.

Supersweet (sh2) <-----what you're probably growing in your Garden.

These are listed in grade of hardiness. FM has practically no pests, and is unbelievably resistant to herbicides. sh2, on the other hand, is very susceptible to corn worms and can't handle any kind of herbicide.

Anyway, the Corn Refiners Association wants to rename HFCS to "Corn Sugar". I'd say it's a ploy to make us eat more of it. Though study after study has shown the body has an incredibly hard time processing and breaking it down and may be related to our Diabetes crisis.

The solution? End Farm Subsidies. One thing Republicans like from the New Deal is farm subsidies. They propped up farmers during the dust bowl, who lost everything. They still exist today and billions of our tax dollars go into farm subsidies. Which is fine, if it went to small farmers. They go to Massive 10,000acre "Corporate" farms. In theory, this Government paycheck keeps things cheap for the consumer.

Opponents, like myself, say the subsidies keep High Fructose Corn Syrup's prices dirt cheap, so much so, using actual sugar from Sugar Caine is a fine commodity.

So it becomes a damned if you, damned if you don't situation. If you do nothing, more and more people will keep getting diabetes (perhaps), saturating our already-stressed medical infastructure. If you rid of the subsidies, you can bet these farms will jack the prices up to break even, or gouge the prices in protest. Now the entire food supply gets expensive, save only Rice. Would producers swiftly move to sugar in drinks and foods, ditching HFCS? Would American's be okay paying up to 50 cents more on a pound of beef?

Mouse Trap.

2011-09-13T02:29:00.001-04:00

I have a serious mouse/rat problem. Apparently a mouse is under my house knawling away at my home's foundation. It's quite loud and annoying. So loud in fact, I think its bigger than a field mouse. I mean this thing sounds like its taking chunks of wood with every nibble.

It's not in my house. This I know, as it travels underneath the floors and starts nibbling normally near A-frames trying to find a way into my abode. My bedroom, Kitchen, and Living Room are the hot-spots where it loves to nom on wood. Quite distracting from sleep, television and video game play.

My question is - how do I kill it? I thought about some peanut butter on a mouse trap. Decon Rat Poision, perhaps. But there's so many kids that play in my alotted yard that i'd be scared they'd get hurt, or pets even. It's also quite difficult to get underneath my home where the mouse/rat is currently making himself at home. Any suggestions, readers?

Can Obama win in 2012?

2011-09-08T21:05:00.000-04:00

So it's getting close - the 2012 election cycle, now just 3months away from the year-long battle. While I continue toying with the idea of seeking the House of Delegates- again. (maybe even as a Mountain Party Candidate), I've been hearing a lot of optimistic comments from Republicans about their prospects at unseating President Obama.

In 2008 I projected the results of the Democratic Primaries with a 96.3% accuracy (I projected Connecticut and Massachusetts wrongly). I use mostly ethnic brackgrounds and income/education, as most tend to vote along these lines. In 2004 the 10 poorest states voted for Bush, 10 richest voted Kerry, as an example.

Using this method, I’m having a hard time finding a map that will give the election to a Republican. I just don’t see New Mexico, Virginia, or Nevada really going Republican, Nevada kept Senator Reid at the absolute height of the Tea Party. New Mexico is 54% Latino, and no Republican Candidate is friendly to the Latino’s. Virginia is becoming more and more liberal around D.C. and Norfolk’s heavy African American base will likely be kind to Obama again. Obama keeps Iowa as he has been exceptionally friendly to Iowans by the means of job creation, they also lean liberal having gay marriage and voting for Gore in 2000. So, in theory, Obama can lose: Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina and still win. This theory assumes that all states that voted for Clinton, and against Bush both terms, will continue to vote Democrat. Minnesotta and Michigan are the only two i'd really watch for a flip, also reliant on who gets the GOP nomination.

Obama wins with 276 electors. It takes 270 electors to win the Presidency, the national popular vote does not matter, as we saw in 2000 when Gore had the popular vote, but Bush had 271 electors, making him the President.

He could even stand to lose Iowa or Nevada (but not both) and walk away at 270, with a highly upset electorate like the one in 2000. Also Ohio, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, and Colorado will be definitely close, these will likely be the hotly contested "battleground states". Arizona may also be competitive, in spite of Obama losing the state in 2008, as no Senator from Arizona is running for the Office this cycle.

Also, the Media and the Republicans are both forgetting the power of the Obama campaign. The $1 billion in campaign money, and the grassroots operations are massive and will be of a huge undertaking by any candidate. Admittingly, when I worked with the Clinton campaign I also forgot the power of Axlerod's masterful campaign structure. Right now, in spite of the current climate – Obama is still favored. For now.

Are you a Cat or a Dog Person?

2011-09-05T00:03:00.002-04:00

Resurrecting My Grass.

2011-09-03T19:18:00.000-04:00

While Texans were hoping for Tropical Storm Lee to give them rain, I was hoping it'd give us rain, because my yard is dead as if I am back in Texas. Not cool.

Luckily, as things continue to pan out, Lee will be bringing rain. All kinds of it.

That will certainly bring the Greenbrier "Creek" back into 'River' Status.

Congress wants a payraise.

2011-08-30T05:49:00.000-04:00

So Congress wants a pay raise. They currently make $174,000 dollars a year. That's x2.1 times the amount of money I make in a typical year, working 57.8888hrs a week in the mines, on average.

I say no. Actually, take a pay cut like the rest of America.

They complain about the hours. Did you catch that 57.8888 hours a week average I stated above? Don't come to a coal miner talking about shitty hours. One shift will consume your entire day, like 7am-5pm with a hour drive to work. Or 3pm-1am. Or 10pm-8am. You get the idea.

I live quite comfortably, so comfortably in fact, on February 4, 2011 I became debt free. All bills, credits and debits paid in full and current. If I can do it on 80K, they can do it on 80K too. Course, there's a major difference in our lifestyle. The most i'll pay to be apart of a sport is 5 bucks for a Sunday Ticket on the Cable Box. They pay upwards of 600 dollars for ONE GAME of Golf.

They also eat at luxury restaurants, where a lobster may run you 200 dollars, excluding sides. I eat at Wendy's. TGI Friday's is my "luxury" restaurant with a 35 dollar steak. They buy $900 suites, I buy all my formal attire at Sears.

If your expenditures are greater than your intake, you'll default. He's a lil story I was told long ago about congressmen, hope you enjoy it:

A cowboy named Bud was
overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in California when
suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust.

The driver, a young man in a Brioni® suit, Gucci® shoes, RayBan®
sunglasses and YSL® tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy,
"If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd,
will you give me a calf?"

Bud looks at the man, who obviously is a yuppie, then looks at
his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Apple® notebook computer,
connects it to his AT&T Apple iPhone® cell phone, and surfs to a NASA
page on
the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on
his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans
the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop®
and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg,
Germany.

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot® that the
image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an
MS-SQL® database through an ODBC connected Excel® spreadsheet with
email on his Blackberry® and, after a few minutes, receives a
response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his
hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet® printer, turns to the cowboy and
says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves,"
says Bud.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on
with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his
car.

Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly
what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay,
why not?"

"You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government", says
Bud.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess
that?"

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up
here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer
I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of
dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter
than me you are; and you don't know a thing about how working people
make a living - or about cows, for that matter.....This is a flock of
sheep.

Now give me my dog back!

Irene Brings Hiking Weather to the Mountains.

2011-08-27T15:24:00.001-04:00

2:49pm ET. Irene is currently the exact same Latitude as myself, just 170miles East of me sulking around Virginia Beach.

Anyway. I watched the forecast closely with this storm, remembering how devastating Hurricanes can be to West Virginia, like Fran, Isabel, Hugo, and Ivan were. I was particularly watching early last week, when the jet stream was expected to move back into Canada, allowing Irene to come marching Northwestward right into Appalachia.

Luckily, our jet stream wasn't a gentlemen and chose not to give up his seat for Irene. I'm grateful Irene had to stay on the Seashore and not visit us here in the Mountain State. The last visitor we had was Actually (then Tropical Depression) Rita and (then Extratropical Depression) Katrina in 2005. It's been a long while. The last actual Hurricane we had to deal with was Isabel in 2003.

Now with Irene just 3hrs away, we're enjoying 70-degree weather with 20-30mph winds with gusts to 50mph. The winds are nice, perfect hiking weather. Partly cloudy, 30% chance of Thunderstorms. Ideal day for backpacking the Greenbrier Back Country. :)

Posted by "The Stationary Traveler"

East Coast Earthquake Disaster Fund

2011-08-24T03:05:00.000-04:00

Following the destructive 5.8magnitude earthquake centered in the Commonwealth of Virginia, approximately 104miles from my house; an outpouring of hope, community strength, and vigilance has been displayed by those affected from Massachusetts to Georgia, to Toronto, Canada, to Indianna, to Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, District of Colombia, Martha's Vinyard, Pennsylvania and New York. Oh Vermont and New Hampshire too.

We must help those affected, donations and food drives are underway.

Below are some "iReport" images of the extensive destruction along the East Coast of the United States:

erm.

Okay.

The other image are just too brutal to show you on my blog, the extensive damage has just rocked the East Coast to its core. So I will spare you the other images. Anderson Cooper will have the rest in the following days.....

lol.

In reality, what happened here in West 'by God' Virginia, a state the media loves to not mention (notice I skipped it when listing states affected) was. Well. I was takin a leak at approximately 1:51pm, and noticed the water in my toilet bowl was splashing around, lasted about 20seconds. I just assumed wind or something was shakin the house abit.

I had gravely mistaken, it was something much more sinister - an EARTHQUAKE! :O

Immediately my friends and facebookers became mad with posting reports of their own personal experience. CNN dropped their evening coverage for the quake, Local news had "live reaction" from area residents, front page of the newspaper, twitter servers crash as trending #Earthquake skyrocket.

California residents baulked at the frenzy and started pokin fun at the madness. 5.9megnitude tremor is like a rumble of a midnight train in their homes.

Here though, its end of the world. I assure you, my preacher will make this event a part of his "end of days" sermon come Sunday. Though it happened in 1944 too, but that was then, this is now.

Lame Really.

Totallyy mistyped that .yas

2011-08-20T01:22:00.000-04:00

Lately, i've noticed the females on my Facebook are talking strangely. Using "yyu" for you, is an example. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe Greenbrier County is experiencing some keyboard malfunctions? Is it cool and i'm missing out on a super rad fad? Anyway, when this posted on my facebook I couldnt help but misunderstand these posts. Vulgarity included....

everyone wants to bareback w. you once your inna relationship ; some how you seem more appealingg & as you are now considered a challenege .for the dumbasses who fall into the trap & expect something outta it , it shows your stupidity .you shown yur unfaitful , & they have reached their goal .now your a hoe , a cheatinn hoe .moral of storyy : if yu cnt respect the rules of a relationship dnt bareback in one ♥ .

0.o What??? lol. Actual post is this:

everyone wants to bb w. you once your inna relationship ; some how you seem more appealingg .& as you are now considered a challenege .for the dumbasses who fall into the trap & expect something outta it , it shows your stupidity .you shown yur unfaitful , & they have reached their goal .now your a hoe , a cheatinn hoe .moral of storyy : if yu cnt respect the rules of a relationship dnt bb in one ♥ .

ahem. When I asked her what bb meant she said: Reallyy ? bb = be

Totallyyy missingg ut on this rad i thnk .dont u

The Battle For Blair Mountain.

2011-08-06T05:44:00.000-04:00

I typically don't stick my nose into strip mining, that's them - i'm underground all the way, that's me. Cept Blair Mountain. I don't care how much coal is underneath it - I don't think it should be stripped. Our fathers died on that mountain kicking off a world-wide labor movement. This stuff should be recognized. Not blown up to make 3Q profits.

Anyway, August 14th, at 8PM CNN Reports is going behind the scenes in their documentary: The Battle For Blair Mountain: Working In America. You should take time to watch it, learn sumtin.

Friends in dark places

2011-08-02T03:33:00.000-04:00

       Typically, this time of year Orb Weaver Spiders come out to perch on every corner of my house, but this guy decided to come inside my storm door to nom on one of my Orb Weavers 0.o

      Yes, he ate (er, was eating) another spider. He's a monster - measuring about 4inches in diameter. Seemed happy to be apart of the family. ^_^

     Sadly, everyone I know is terrified of spiders, so I opened the door and shewed him off the deck....no, I didn't kill it. Spider > Misquotes. I was gonna prop my hand on the glass beside him to give you guys a good idea of the size of this monster, but not everyone would know I have big hands; and I was a lil scared he'd panic - jump off the door and take off into my house, much to the dismay of the family. I do believe it's a Wolf Spider, but i'm not sure. Any guesses?

Long Gone.

2011-07-23T16:30:00.000-04:00

Everyime I visit Coalcampusa I always see pictures of relic's long gone. Reminds me of the old penchant "Life is old here in West Virginia".

Salem Witch Trials of 2011.

2011-07-08T13:20:00.001-04:00

Casey Anthony got off the hook because the Florida State Prosecution couldn't argue a case beyond reasonable doubt. I was chiming in for acquittal since this publicity stunt got started 7 weeks ago. Something just didn't sound right with the whole story. She killed her baby, though no cause of death was given. Why did she do it? Because she was a slut that loved drugs. I know several sluts that love drugs (ah-hem) and they don't kill their kids. She then drove around in her car with Caylee in the back trunk. Then randomly decided to chuck her in the woods. Though no finger prints were recovered from the scene, no compounding evidence in the car trunk, actually no mounting evidence anywhere for any story could be found.

See, I think the parents were involved. She lived with her parents. The child was apparently missing for a month. The parents should have been like "where's Caylee?" then called the law. Instead, they just hung out like nothing happened, just like their daughter. hmmmmmm. This is why I endorsed the acquittal. Apparently, I'm only 5% of the nation that still embraces our Constitutional right to be innocent until proven guilty. In America, it seems, we're guilty until proven innocent.

The jury ruled unanimously 12-0 that she was not guilty of murder. America was appalled at the ruling, they wanted this girl to be killed, without any sound evidence she done it. It's the Salem Witch Trials of 2011, and the vast majority of Americans are hungry for blood...

Fast-forward a week.

Texas executes a Mexican for a 1994 murder. The White House issued a statement fearing American's abroad would also be executed in foreign countries, they want him to spend life in prison for the murder. America is hungry though, and the Mexican migrant is put to death in the great State (Republic) of Texas.

Then the bearer of bad news, The United Nations, says we broke International Law.

That's okay in America, too. the same people angry over Casey Anthony say the UN can go f*ck itself. I laughed. One day, the United Nations will grow tired of our bullish tactics and open a sanction against America. You think Obama and Bush can't handle an economy? Try losing our oil imports or foreign-made goods. Now we're totally sunk. The United Nation's was doubted in 2003, we side-stepped them and their Security Council to invade Iraq. Turns out, the UN was correct - nothing but barren desert and angry Iraqis. Now we have killed a foreigner, but still expect Iran to be nice to it's American Captives? What about the American gal in Italy? Do unto others as have others do unto you? Would America execute an Iranian? Probably, the Salem Witch Trialists are very hungry for justice by death it seems.

Gently down the stream....

2011-07-08T01:59:00.000-04:00

The Greenbrier River. I always think it's beauty is greater than that of West Virginia's tourist-magnet, the New River.

I took these with my camera phone, because im really good at finding myself in beautiful scenes and a dead battery in my Kodak DX

A negative shot of the hillside, makes the trees somewhat more interesting to look at

U MAD, conartist?

2011-07-03T03:06:00.010-04:00

I have been trolling a conartist for the last week or so. This scammer messaged me in regards to my old truck I was selling on Craiglist [sigh]

Anyway, So I get this short, first message:

"Is truck damagod? any marks?>"

The apparent misspelling of "damaged" sets me on alert. I repond back "no. no it's not damagod at all"

Then they respond back "great. do you still have item then?"

I go ahead and respond back once more using my virtual inbox (im a geek, i know, but it protects me from phishers) "yeah. I still have item/truck. would you like to come look at it, Craig Brawn?"

Then the official phishing email:

"Thanks for responding, and i have take a close look with the advert
on CL and I'm ok with the price. and the condition stated so I
would like to send payment asap. Please let me know if a certified
check is ok. After my check clears my shipper will come and pick it
up at your location. I would have loved to come and take a look but I
can't. My shipper will though. If you can get back to me with your
details I'll get the check out asap. Need your full name and address,
and your telephone number. Social Security Number also, for certified check."

I'm not sure where this scammer is, but he's somewhere. I agree to this phony scheme, giving him a fake address with this email:

"Okay, sounds great :) I'll tell my husband the truck's sold! Send Check to: Sharon Peters, 469 Gropecunt Lane, Mystical River, WV 25813. Thanks!"

hehehe. Too easy. The scammer, wildly, sends me something through Fedex, giving me this email, as confusingly as it is to understand, in remittance:

"Hello Sharon,

I just want you to know that payment has been delivered to you by now
and sorry for not get back to you quickly with the tracking number
because i lost my granddad,and i am the oldest person among others,so
therefore im responsible for all the burial arrangement, so i want you
to act according to my mail. I sent the payment to you through FedEx
courier service which has been delivered to you today ,Here is the
FedEx tracking (493999606345), and thanks for the prompt response and
honesty towards this transaction so far.

I told you initially that the movers fee will be included in the
payment, the overpayment is meant to cover the cost of shipment for
the item alongside my other properties including tax and insurance.

Please upon the cash of the check, deduct your money for the item and
make the rest fund available to the movers via Western Union Money
transfer at any of their outlets near you and get back to me with the
money transfer details gotten after sending the funds (as it appears
on the receipt) so that i can forward to the movers for confirmation
of payment and they can schedule for the pick-up at your location ....
Deduct the transfer charges from my money also $50 for yourself (meant
for any hassle or run around).

Here is Available shipper information ...............

Receiver Name...Gwinevera Patterson
City.......INDIANAPOLIS
State...........IN
Zip-Code...... 46217

Kindly get back to me with the money transfer details such as....
Sender's name and address (as it appears on the money transfer
receipt) (2) Mtcn # (10 digit numbers) (3) Actual amount sent after
deduction of transfer charges

What's your schedule regarding pickup as i have some other properties
to be moved alongside the item. Hope i can trust you with the
overpayment ?. Your Honesty and transparency will be appreciated .

Regards."

I didn't even know where to begin at understanding this. Apparently (ahem) he sent me this 'check' with extra money to pay the movers in Indiana to come pick my truck up, which I was supposed to wire to them, keeping the rest for myself? I dunno. Either way, the Fedex tracking number says the package is stuck in transit in Beaver, WV. At this point, I called Fedex alerting them to the fradulent package

They contacted authorities after I described the situation and verified the 'vulgar' (Fedex worker figured out what a Gropecunt is) address. Indeed, he sent a fake Cashier's Check. Indeed, whomever is behind craig.brawn200@gmail.com is a much-wanted internet con-artist with the FBI. Interesting shit, yeah?
.

Does Socialism Work?

2011-06-27T16:20:00.000-04:00

I am all about Social programs, I believe a Government should help all it's people attain the same standard of living, not make us all millionaires for say; but to create a Grand Society where we all can live within our means and have a working wage, a home, a vehicle, and a good job with benefits. It's a simple task, but as the folks on Wallstreet have said - our Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness. That's true, it doesn't. But it DOES say our Government exists to..."establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..." What's a domestic Tranquility? and the General Welfare? I guess it's what you make of it.

Can social programs actually work?

I'm no good with sociology. So I just look at the results of one of the most comprehensive social programs to date - the Appalachian Regional Commission. Commissioned by President Johnson in 1965 to liberate the impoverished of Appalachia in his quest for the Great Society.

$530 million dollars over 10 years, from 2001 to 2011 suggests something is at work, and I doubt it's Massey Energy (i.e., Kentucky):

This is in 2002, the red denotes the county is in impoverished, below the national poverty rate, income, growth, and business development are also below the national rate.

This is the projected 2012 map. Attainment means the County met or exceeded the national rate for Poverty, income, business development, and population growth as reported on the 2010 census.

The number of distressed is clearly dropping, even in the great recession. But I'm not sure how accurate the data REALLY is. I see some counties that I consider wastelands in the "transitional" column. What do you think? Do you think all the social programs in Appalachia are working or just putting a band-aid on the problem?

New York Passes Homo Marriage.

2011-06-25T06:26:00.000-04:00

Fun stuff, yeah? Naturally those yahoo news readers I love to hate came pokin along.....

Informed Yahoo User says:

This is not social justice. I don't wish homosexuals any harm, but this is sanctioning something wicked that God condemns. Homosexuality was already tolerated, and that should be enough. Should we let parents marry their grown-up children too under the banner of "equal rights?" Here is a truth that you gay marriage supporters need to listen to: God hates this law and will condemn all who support it as rebels to His good laws and government. He WILL have His say, and He does not care about public opinion on that. Let everyone call it legitimate marriage, He doesn't recognize it! Oh, repent of this evil and the support of it or face judgment in this life and eternity in the lake of fire!

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (Isaiah 5:20-21)

"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:32)..........

Then I say....

Hi. It's not Sunday today, so nobody is listening to you, yeah? It looks like you like scriptures. I too was brought up in a very Christian family, and I wanna share with you some of my favorite scriptures with you: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37 Sin is sin, no sin is greater than another sin in the eyes of the lord. To Lie is to kill, as adultery is to greed, as idolizing is to deceit. To make this a lil more blunt: Lose your god complex. You're not god. Lets leave the judging to God himself, ok? See, We sin everyday, that's why Jesus died on the cross for us. To forgive us of our short-comings. Thanks! Good Bless!!

On a serious note, I support the gay crusade to equality. I'm aware alot of you readers are conservative. Just hear me out though, okay?

I hear it all the time - gay marriage destroys the sanctity of marriage, and holy matrimony and yada yada....if marriage IS a religious term, then by law (separation of church and state) no marriage should be recognized. I mean, it's apparent the Government only recognizes Christian Holy Matrimony. I mean, isn't that the reason the mormon's can't have their religiously-given 20-wives? See, that's not fair, freedom of religion, remember?

If we don't recognize any marriage - gay, holy, or mormon - the problem is fixed. What these gays want are the legal rights. Removing them solves the problem entirely. But that means: No more tax breaks, no joint tax returns, no power of attorney, no social security/social program perks, bereavement leave for spousal family loss, hospital visitation, the list is quite long. I believe in a Government like this, It'd change some attitudes in a hurry. I mean, Don't yall get it? that's what they want - they don't wanna be accepted before your god, they wanna be accepted before your state as a legal partnership. Why deny them that?

Have you told someone you love them today?

2011-06-25T02:08:00.000-04:00

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV

Mother Nature is Grouchy

2011-06-24T16:39:00.001-04:00

Yahoo News: Alaska Isles get slammed with 7.2 quake, Tsunami warnings posted. I think i'm the next Nostradamus. I had told my coworkers on the night Japan went under water from their monster quake, that North America was the next continent to be subjected to the series of monster quakes and tsunami's that have plagued every landmass encompassing "The Ring Of Fire".

Some scoffed, while others worried.

Now with the Alaskan quake (which by the way, no injuries were reported and the tsunami warning expired without incident) I stand to be correct, makin me Nostradamus of the coal industry....

...Which On that note- I think we pissed off Mother Nature here as of late. I mean, hell: Tsunami's, monster quakes, Winter 09/10 here broke every standing record we had on snowfall totals, Red River of North Dakota is peaking well beyond it's flood record set in 1881, Mississippi River done something similar earlier this year, golf ball sized hail rained onto my house/truck/yard. In West Virginia. Where we're told such things can't happen....kind like the April 2010 twisters that spawned an F3 half a mile away from my coal mine! That's at 4,000ft in the mountains deep into the back-country. That twister was one of 17 to strike in the state that night. Though the NWS hasn't formally listed them in the actual twister counts from the super storm front that leveled Northern Alabama and up along the Eastern Coast killing hundreds.

Do I believe the F3 was there? Something was. It was just before shift and my ears popped as I drove into a black blanket of coal dust being whipped up by some violent winds, I saw tin flying in the air; just ripping off our prep plant like someone shucking corn. The next morning I got some serious overtime, cutting tree's blocking the roadway, as AEP tried to restore power very quickly.

So what the heck is goin on, man?

Fundamentalist Chrisstians have adopted December21, 2012 as the doomsday (save for that one guy in California) and all the bad weather events are just a part of the end of days foretold in Revelations. Is it true? I don't know, I was taught nobody will know the time or day. So it's hard saying. What do you think it is? Global Warming? Cooling, perhaps? Doomsday? Social Media?

Pre-meditated Lawsuit. Part II

2011-06-17T17:26:00.002-04:00

So today, I took the photos of the 'crime scene' (the water ponds) my landlady hastened my otherwise slackin' self. She was bemoaning the pond, and refusing to pay for the leak, since she has had to deal with this very leak in the past; though I pay the water bill here. I think she done it to look good for my neighbors, and her other tenants. she was scared I was gonna send the fees her way, perhaps - I wouldn't by any means. I mean, Her sole income is rental money from the many housing units her passing grandfather vested to her in this small. so I make more money than her from an income standpoint and i'm such a socialist like that!

Anyway, Monday I plan on giving the grim news to the town of Alderson, who will have my driveway and yard destroyed with back-hoes as they dissect the earth and once again fix this leak. Then foot me with the bill? probably. Then my lawsuit is born.

Country Roads...takin' me home.

2011-06-16T20:47:00.000-04:00

Home sweet home. I miss the farm of my childhood. I dont miss breaking ice in -12 degree weather for the cattle though lol. Photo Courtesy of my close friend, The Stationary Traveler.

Atop Grassy Knob, the sun sets into a deep blue haze. I try to visit places like this often. The road we're standing on here goes to an Auger, where they're boring coal samples. This will likely be strip mined one day, given the politics on Strip Mining holds out long enough.

Coal Caver

2011-06-14T05:48:00.000-04:00

Growing up I always heard about this massive river underneath the Greenbrier Valley, some hocus pocus crap, really. Anyway, last Winter I discovered, it was indeed real. I set out with my coworkers to find it. (I mean, who better to go caving than underground coal miners?).

I had located this river, justly named "Mystic River". It's the master flow of the cave system "Scott Hollow Cave". I done the obvious and went to Scott Hollow to only find it was closed to the public and only National Speleological Society Member's were allowed to lay eye on this seemingly beautiful underground river.


Mystic River, the river underneath the Greenbrier Valley.

I had no idea how to join this Society of cavers. So being very familiar with the local terrain, I set out looking for feeders into the river away from the "main" entrance. I remembered a local abandoned limestone quarry, where I partied my high school days away. There was a legend there; that one side of the underground workings had collapsed into a cave, and there was a bulldozer left behind, unrecovered. Being just 2 miles from the entrance into the Mystic River, I just knew this cave was indeed Scott Hollow Cave.

Now before I go further - I gotta preach that NOBODY SHOULD EVER ENTER OLD ABANDONED MINES! there's a deadly air mixture called 'black damp' a low oxygen condition caused by organic material oxidizing in a relatively closed space. It will kill you dead in the matter of seconds....now to make myself a hypocrite.....

My coworkers and I enter the old mine and find the Cave entrance in a matter of minutes. No bulldozer. Just a hole in a mine pillar. What about black damp? We had our mine rescuers for emergency oxygen and our spotters - a device used to detect gases and 'black damp'. We tumbled over rocks and dropped into galleys and Abyss' knowing well i'd never be able to climb back out, but I did it anyways out of excitement that I might get to see the Mystic River, something so few have ever got to witness.

After about an hour of climbing and vaulting over rocks and abyss' my coworkers started to doubt this was an actual cave, rather a clay vein that had been washed out - then I discovered the first stalagmite of our adventure and lots of bats. We were in the cave system.

The rock seemed to have eroded away in layers, each abyss about 20feet deep containing all new cave tunnels, the air got more stuffy and moist with each layer, water was running steady. We were getting close.

Then one of our team members slips and busts their knee on some stalagmite, rendering the trip incomplete. We all sober up from the adrenaline rush and realize if any of us get hurt we'd be in serious trouble. We decide to turn back. We were trespassing anyways and considering the abyss' we had dropped into, it's hard saying who could come to our rescue.

Over the following weeks I research the cave system, pulling straws to find any information (everything's on Organ Cave. Who cares about that place?) I finally get my hands on the Cave System Map. Sure enough, the CSM has where we were clearly marked on it. I was so close! About a mile short of the river.

Following our close call accident, I opted to go the legit way - join the National Speleological Society, take some dumb learning classes about cave safety and what-not (felt like taking the apprentice miner test all over again) join the local Grotto, or caving group; and wait my 1year to garner my experience badge so I can explore the Cave with my own team. Tedious.

I don't see why a coal miner with years of experience underground has to wait like everyone else. They should have a coal miner clause. I'm just sayin.

I will see this river though, I'm determined.

Pre-Meditated Lawsuit. Part I

2011-06-08T19:59:00.000-04:00

Deskins vs. Municipality of Alderson

That's right. See, I think the community is as corrupt as Washington, and this time I won't be subjected to their unlawful crimes, again.

See in July 2010, I came home from work one day to find my driveway was ripped apart by the city. Fixing a leak on the mains. Okay, whatever, it's cool. I just went on about my business.

Til the bill came.

My water bill was 480 dollars! I had used 28,500 gallons of water in 27 days, more than 1,000 gallons a-day. I protested, bitched, complained, called the Public Service Commission, nothing seemed to work. I had an inquiry done, looking into the water leak and saw the leak was indeed on the Alderson side of the water works. Anyway, the PSC couldn't help, since I didn't have any evidence and the meter said my water bill was this high, anyways. Though my water meter is flooded in water, has been for months. I have NEVER seen someone come and take a reading. Alderson suggested in writing the problem was a leaky faucet or toilet, perhaps.

I reluctantly paid all 480 dollars. The following month, after my noisy protest with the PSC, my bill dropped to a reasonable 32 dollars. The lowest bill ever, and magically, without altering any of my routines or doing repairs - I cut my bill by an untold percentage (too lazy to do the math at the moment.)

Now, onto June 2011....

I have noticed the last few days there has been some puddling of water by my truck, even in the scorching 100 degree weather, my yard is becoming a pond. It's coming from the SAME spot as last year, this spot is about 3ft away from my flooded water meter, almost under the street. My neighbors are vetting on telling the city. I don't want them too, not yet - I wanna take pictures before, of, and during the repairs. These will be used for my lawsuit against Alderson with the Public Service Commission. I'm gonna video tape my toilet's flushing without leaks, go under the house to show there is no plumbing leaks. I will be prepared for the 28,500 gallons of water usage again, this time. Ya I know, you're sitting there thinking "okay, big number. big deal." do you know what 28,500 gallons of water looks like?

to get 28,500 gallons of water sent to my house, I will need 3 Gasoline Tankers (they hold 8,800 gallons of gas, in this example it'll be water)

I need 3 of these delivered to my house, plz!

Or to physically use that much water, i'll have to do laundry 1,055.5 times in 27 days in my top-loading classic whirlpool washer. I'll have to take 570 baths in 27 days, that's 21 baths every day. Or maybe do dishes in my dish washer 2,562.3 times in 27 days, that's 94 loads of dishes every day!

See? something's wrong. But ya know, it was my leaky toilet, or my dripping faucet. >_<

As I taxpayer I refuse to pay for the upkeep of the city waterlines with my own post-tax money, isn't that what taxes are for, after all? Perhaps the city officals should stop extorting our tax funds and start using them for their actual purpose.

This means war.

Coal Mining 101.

2011-05-28T04:48:00.000-04:00

So over the last few years i've had alot of emails regarding the technicalities of coal mining, from how to become a miner, to some tricky test questions. so i'd like to take this time to explain some of it, here in the wide open, in the blog. I hope this helps you guys out:

RED HAT/APPRENTICE MINER:

All coal miners must complete the 80-hr Apprentice Certification Class, and pass the test to become an Apprentice Miner. You can find a local Class in West Virginia, Here.

You must be an Apprentice Miner (hereafter called a 'Red Hat') for 6months AND 108 shifts Underground. A shift is 4hrs-? working 13hrs in one day doesn't count as 2 shifts. only 1.

Once you complete your 6months and 108 shifts, you take a test and become an Experienced Miner. (hereafter, 'Black Hat')

A bossman (White Hat) can have 4 red hats under his authority, whereas a Black hat can have only 1 Redhat under his direct authority.

There's no age limit to be a red hat, though I highly recommend you be physically fit and younger, as red hat's are grunts in the mines, doing most of the labor. Think of them as privates in the Army.

When you enter the mining industry remember to buy your own metatarsal boots (these run about 250 dollars for a good pair, like Matterhorns) your belt (about 100 bucks) i recommend one with shoulder straps, your gear is heavy. Also remember your hard hat (another 100 bucks) and your tools (standard is a heavy hammer [22oz+], pick hammer, channel locks, and 1inch crescent wrench) tools will vary based on job assigned. And a good sturdy lunch bucket that can handle some dings and scratches. You'll find a miner to give you a bit bucket probably, these are flimsy buckets that Miner Bits arrive in, they're cheap and free. I give em away to my redhats all the time. I don't recommend cloth/mesh bags for buckets, rats love to nom on these kind, given your mine has a rat problem.

Your mine should supply you your uniforms, cap light, spotter (air sensor), rescuer, knee pads, eye-wear and gloves. So don't worry about those.

For a free study guide, check out this link, its downloadable. http://www.wvminesafety.org/pub.htm

BLACK HAT TEST POINTERS:

My test was mostly safety (surprise) questions. Here's some:

Remember all equipment is has to be parked atleast 15ft from a curtain.

You can go under roof that hasn't been bolted ONLY IF you have supplementary/temporary roof supports (timbers 4ft apart).

Curtain must be WITHIN 10ft of the face. There's two answers on the test, one says within 10ft of the face, and the other says 10feet of the face. Pay attention to that.

Rock dust is 40ft from the face (as in, from the face outby 40ft has to be rockdusted, not vice versa)

Know your light signals.

Don't go test after work. I've seen many fail cause of this, especially Hoot Owl guys.

The test is 25 questions, rather simple if you know your stuff (you've been underground for 6mos, so you should) good luck! oh and the test fee is 10dollars, as with the Red Hat Test. Bring Check/Money Order, they don't take cash.

Hope this helps you guys out.

My West Virginia...revisited.

2011-05-20T00:26:00.000-04:00

I type "Affinity Road" into my GPS to find the road cannot be found, I begin searching Coal City, Pemberton and Midway for the road. Before long I have located it. As my truck stumbles down the washed out road, I glance out my windows to see the ominous "Beware of Dog" signs accompanied by the "No Trespassing" signs in people's yards. Coal Camp life must be hard. Each home is ran down more so than the last, junked cars scattered in some yards, others overgrown in weeds, the homes absent their windows. After a few miles, I come to a gate that says "STOP. Use Independence Road Entry". I haltingly stop, turn around, and head for downtown Sophia.

On Independence Road, I am met with a guard shack. After flashing my miner certification and doing a HAZMAT training, i'm permitted to enter the mine site and head straight for the mine office. As I drove my truck up the haul road to the coal mine, I saw numerous miners, each waving with big smiles. Their crisp uniforms lack any coal soot or dust of any kind. They compliment the new materials I see neatly stacked along the haul road, a new Joy Miner, a new Scoop, new belt structure each and every one beaming in the sun. Shiny Aluminum tin covers the stacker belts that soon will haul 1 million tons of coal from beneath Sophia, West Virginia every year. It's a new day for Sophia, the hometown of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. That's the man that made this mine happen, jumping through the red-tape of the EPA. This mine is Effectively breathing new life into Sophia; A legendary Coal Camp that has survived many booms and many busts; enduring each until the last bust of 1985. Now 300 men will call this place their home, their work.

As the gravel pops under my worn tires, I see silo's repainted from a distant memory, a bathhouse once looted to the bare steel frame for it's copper wires and pipes; now rebuilt with fresh crisp paint. On one the coal silo's I see the faint and flaky paint of the old exotic mural each of the silo's wore from 1984. Standing beside the silo are some miners with paint in hand, painting over the old mural. On up the road, The old mine portal looms over the new, standing to attest it's age - a date stamp that say's '1937'. As I drive past the new ventilation fan, I realize that After 25 years of sitting in utter abandonment, Affinity Coal is reborn and alive.

I meet with Affinity's staff, they are each friendly and kind, excited as much as determined to see Affinity come roaring back to life. It's a rebuttal of the experts, whom said ICG Beckley-Pocahontas would be the last coal mine to open in the Beckley area; that was August 2007. They sternly say Affinity will go on for 25years - that's 25years of fresh breath into this old coal mining town.

The town is more alive than usual. At the local diner the locals confess their excitement for Affinity, the old timer's recalling their work in the mine back in the late 70's. Some notice my uniform and inquire whether I'm in town for a job interview, quickly following their inquiry they ask me where I'm working now. The small talk is refreshing. I think back to home, back to Anjean, West Virginia. I quietly wonder how many more towns will disappear like Anjean has. Sophia has averted this fate, for another 25years, anyway. I finish my cup of coffee and head for my truck, for the long trip back into the Greenbrier Valley, knowing I'll be seeing these people and Affinity again, real soon.

Affinity Scrip from "back in the day" Click Here to see pictures of Affinity in ruins over the last few years, courtesy of CoalCampUSA.com

ungreased, backdoor, Hammertime Love Session....

2011-05-19T19:40:00.001-04:00

Miles from home...miles from nowhere

2011-05-17T01:29:00.000-04:00

I love travelin them backroads of West Virginia....

Dear Al-Qaeda : I come in peace!!

2011-05-14T19:41:00.000-04:00

Al-Qaeda wants some of this. I was being nosy on my dashboard looking at statistics and what-not, and saw the world map of viewership. I was dumb founded. I have a sizable audience in - the middle-east?! Al-Qaeda wants me X_X

I just wanna tell them, as i'm sure they'll be reading this - I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN! er, I mean, kill him or whatever.

The map of the world Green denotes higher viewership vs pale green/tan color:

naaaaa! Thats not it.

2011-05-14T19:22:00.000-04:00

Ok. So I busted the radiator on my new truck, like hours after I got the darn thing. Ok, so I got a new radiator put on, settin me back 300 bucks. Ran great, fine. No big deal....

Cept I began to notice this lil puddle under the truck in my driveway. Was I still leaking Anti-freeze? Before too long this convenient lil red light came on, saying "trans temp" my transmission was overheating. I panic, because it's a Dodge and lord knows Dodge can't make a transmission to shift gears on a Mountain Bike. Flip the hood, see that the problem is coming from the ATF coolant line as it enters the Radiator. I try to tighten it to no avail. I go to Walmart and put some Liquid Steel on it hoping to just make the leak stop, until I can return it to the mechanic.

At the mechanic, this new lil buck wants to debate me about their labor warranty. I exclaim they didn't tighten the ATF connection properly when they put the new Radiator in. He smirks off this lil sarcastic "naaaa! thats not it!" as if my eyes were fooling me. I hate that lil line. It's auto reflex to pop a man in his mouth. That's obviously the problem here at hand, since that's where the leak is coming from?

Anyway he goes on and on about it being the actual hose. new labor and parts = like two hundred bucks. He then half-way admits im right by saying since I "tampered" with the leak (the liquid steel) that their labor warranty is now void and new labor charges apply. I leave fustrated to go vote. Screw it ya know?

I return home and try my darnest to get the liquid steel off. It's sealed on something :( So now im stuck with a glob of sealant on a still-leaking metal hose. Anyone know of any good sealants?

"COAL". RealityTV or Reality?

2011-03-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

I'm curious just how much of this is reality, and how much is reality television. I know the falling over scene in the preview over a lil flat sheet rock is abit much. I'm just sayin' comin from the states worst coal mine for roof falls, and all.

Down at the mine....

2011-02-20T08:39:00.000-05:00

So i've had numerous emails from readers and the alike asking for me to post some photos of the coal mines, equipment, roof conditions, etc. etc. Well here ya go! :) I figured instead of posting several photos many of pages long, i'd just make a lil movie put it up on youtube, and let you enjoy the show. Sorry about the long titles in advance. I'm no expert youtube video maker! (this is my first, so) Anyhow, hope you enjoy it. I'll make a better one in the coming weeks, i promise!

I just LOVE those Satan Sheets!

2011-01-27T18:54:00.000-05:00

New 2011 design.

2011-01-18T20:53:00.000-05:00

Yeah im sure you noticed when you came here - the blog got a facelift. It's not perfect, im still tinkerin with the CSS codes and whatnot, but I like it :) whatcha think? Good? No?

The Dream Shall Never Die

2011-01-17T20:57:00.000-05:00

Today is MLK day, to many ethnic groups, it's a day of remembrance, of their kin that were slandered and discriminated against because of their skin color. For me, It's a day to remember everyone who was denied the first unalienable right given to us by our fore fathers - the belief that all men are created equal.

I remember the women, who were herded like cattle by their husbands, denied the right to choose whom their husband would even be, their tireless campaign for their right to suffrage. The immigrants, forced into slums and refugee camps as fear arose that they were here to do us harm, though they were Americans in pursuit of the American Dream. The working men and women, treated like dirt by Corporate Thugs looking to save a dollar, even at the cost of a life. The racial minorities of this country, struggling to have the same rights as the white man, whom walked as a superior race of this land.

This story isn't complete though. Almost 250 years later; after this nation was founded on that principle that all men were created equal; people are still discriminated against. Today we face religious bigotry, as our Government steadfastly endorses one religion to write laws and deny others their rights based on their own superiority complex that they know what god wants. The Latino Immigrants, the homosexuals, the Muslims. Let it be known your crusade for equality in this country is on the right side of history, don't waiver your campaign for equality, don't fear the oppression of bigotry. stay strong.

"i am a part of all that i have met. too much is taken, much abides, that which we are, we are, one equal temper of heroic hearts, strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.... the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die!"
-Sen. Ted Kennedy at the 1980 DNC Convention paraphrasing Lord Tennyson

Quiet January

2011-01-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well, we're almost halfway through January and i've yet to update this here blog, so I figured i'd jot something into the text field for ya'll to read on. I've been keeping myself busy lately between family issues, work, as well as future work endeavors, and romances and the such.

What is Government if words have no meaning?its a sentence that's gone viral over the last week following the assassination attempt of Congresswoman Giffords of Arizona. For those unaware of the sentence's background; in 2007 during a Meet The Candidate rally, the would-be assassin asked the question to Giffords, who replied with a "uhhh" remark. The assassin became irate at the response and actually obsessed over the comment for years until this week. It's rather exceptional someone could cling to something so minuscule for so long. Had I received such a question in my political attempt last Spring, I would have had something to say down the lines of "words have meaning when those words are backed by actions." I doubt it would have went over well with the questioner, particularly if he had obsessive tenancies like the assassin in question.

Jackin up a truck

I have no idea how to do it, but i'm gonna learn. Why do I jack up a 2wd truck? For starters one of my buddies blew up the engine in his jacked-up ranger, and i cut a deal for 200 bigguns for his lift kit. So naturally I need something to put this investment on, and that pickup truck of mine fits the bill perfectly :) If I break something during this project, i'll be sure to tell you about it.

Build-a-House Workshop

I built this sucker over Christmas. When I was lil tot I always wanted to build a Gingerbread House, so when I saw them at Walmart, I just had to pick one up. It's okay I guess. Whatya think? I found out later Tractor Supply here in town had a farm themed kit, kinda ruined the Merry Gingerbread spirit I had, buyers remorse, I guess you could say.

Not Craving a Hangover, atm.

2010-12-30T18:46:00.000-05:00

Good-bye, 2010....it's been a very blessed year. At 6 inches from hell atop the mountain; the countless hours spent working with some of the finest coworkers I could ever have, all the blood and sweat, I couldn't have asked for it any other way. All the toys I rewarded myself with, that I didn't need. I enjoy 'em anyways.

Seeing my brother home from Iraq. Glad to see my moma doing well for herself. Ditto for my sisters. I was a bit nervous making a roommate gamble with my (at-times) anal little brother. But it's been perfect. Had some women problems, throughout the year, but I go on with it.

The House of Delegates Campaign. I never thought I'd win, let alone come just 4.73% shy of clinching the Democratic Nomination. I might have lost, but I walked away with higher spirits. I learned it's hard to talk when you have countless local elites glaring at you covered in coal dust, listening to why you should be the one to legislate their futures in West Virginia.

I fought hard, and the good lord rewarded me this year, for that im grateful. To 2010, and onto 2011. Needless to say, I don't need a hangover to ring in the New Year, maybe a glass of red wine to practice my non-existant Elite etiquette. I pray 2011 will be just as blessed.

Losing my battle against Consumerism: Christmas

2010-12-17T20:21:00.000-05:00

Ya know, I never buy into consumerism. Every holiday is a day to blow money in America. Ya know what i'm talking about, the "everything must go!" 4th of July Celebrations, the Veterans Day Sale, the Memorial Day Blowout's, Hell even Black Friday. I don't think i've ever gotten anything on those sales I wouldn't get on July 5th or May 30th. Black Friday is hang Christmas lights and put up the tree day for me, not shop til I drop day.

But I do buy for Christmas. I am proud to annouce 2100 dollars later - I am done with Christmas, save, afew trips to the post office anyway :)

Christmas has always been my consumer time. I fret in August "how am I going to buy this or that for Christmas?" but Christmas consumerism is also Religious to me. As the story goes, the wise men brought gifts to Infant Jesus. As a Christian, I continue the gift giving in Christmas. Christmas is nothing but Religious to me. I don't do Santa. Or Elves. Or any of the other Consumerism-endorsed Christmas crap.

I do donate to the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, and buy gifts for the Angel Tree Network, though. So poor kids can have the Christmas they dream of, too. Of course, my family is set for a good Christmas too, when I can afford it.

Now, to clean my house from the literally 200 sale papers....

Happy Holidays Everyone :) or as it goes in my Family - Merry Christmas :D

It's November.

2010-11-07T01:42:00.000-04:00

In case you missed me talking about it....

Manchin holds Byrd's seat. When I was voting, I wasn't sure if I should be excited voting for the Governor again, or excited there was a chance to defeat the Floridian Raese yet again. Who wanted to kill the minimum wage, and campaigned on ridding of the estate tax, which is where you inherit all kinds of money from dad and moma - but it's taxed like income. Which nobody in poor WV really needs to worry about. Except Raese, who got rich the old fashioned way, as he put it. The media's "War For Congress" said it was gonna be close, however I don't believe 54%-43% is close. I mean, that's like saying my race was close in the May Primary. I was worried my fellow Mountaineer's had lost their minds and were actually gonna vote for this man. I'm relieved it was all drama drummed up by the Media. Hell, Obama fared better in 2008 :]

Rahall becomes West Virginia's lone Democratic Representative. It's the first time the Republicans have held a plurality of WVia's seats since like 1912 or some shit. That's a big f*cking deal. I doubt McKinnley will hang on in 2012, once the DNC courts a better candidate than Oliverio in WV-1.

Miller wins the State Senate Race here in the valley, his opponent was a total jackass I remember during our chit-chat before that debate I crashed back in April. It was closer than I thought it would be, the hardest part for me was making sure my little soldiers went out to vote for him. They didn't seem interested in voting at all since I wasn't on the ballot. I got most of em out to the polls, though. The House of Delegates remained unchanged, both incumbents locking in another term easily.

It snowed, big time at work, clear skies at home in the valley.

(1) the whitest coal pile you'll ever see. (2) all that snow just spells trouble for a 2wd truck.

All that white stuff means I need to lock in my auto loan (preferrably a little lower than 22% interest) so I can drive this home before some other jackass buys it...

This truck is the best one i've been able to lock in an approved loan on so far.

More Tricks than Treats. the City Council expected about 200 trick or treators to invade my street, so I bought accordingly. My neighbor had her house all decked out in decorations, so I felt at a loss to compete, I carved some Jack O'Laterns and crap, before finding my neighbors weakness: cheap generic candy. So I went out and got the real deal - Reese Cups, Hershey Bars and fillers, like Laffy Taffy. about 30 dollars worth of sweets. Then 6pm came, I saw all the spawns of satan outside, scurrying down the streets. They hoarded around my neighbors house, but? skipped me and the other 2 houses on the block. Dont ask me why. My brother says my Bronco was the culprit, makin people nervous to send their kids up the long steps to the Redneck Mansion. I just think they're used to a habitual routine that ended at my neighbors house. I managed to get 20 trick or treators in all, including a late 8:15pm crew consisting of my friendly (obnoxious) neighbor with his two boys, which were rewarded with handfuls of candy as I tried to unload the stash of goods. His kids took the fillers, he got the Reese's. It's an adult thing, ya know? I'll never be able to eat all of that candy to myself, anyways. I still managed to retain about 50 pieces, though.

My phone broke. Hence why the snowy coal mine scenes suck so badly, this loaner phone lacks alot of things, like a good camera.

D'oh!

2010-11-01T20:29:00.001-04:00

Carbon Capture Project.

2010-10-31T18:30:00.001-04:00

Yeah, those crazy liberals feature this blog right here, as a "Face of Coal" yesterday. I've never really had a high-profile endorsement of any kind really, i was never a "featured member" of any kind on any website before or anything.

Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks for the endorsement - and I apologize for the otherwise lackluster blog. It's never been one of those fancy cool ones, just me rambling on and on to the same 20 readers lol.

Bad Morning.

2010-10-26T10:09:00.000-04:00

So I get off work hurry to my truck to find - a fucking flat tire. Flat tire no. 7 to be exact, since I started working at this mine circa June 2010.

Anyhow - it's no biggie, I go to retrieve my air pump, and possibly all the tools to mount the spare and realize someone has yet again dumped their car-trash in the bed of my truck.

Now, let me say - I dont mind it, my truck has always been a warm and welcoming trash can. I don't mind the occasional carry-out box, mcdonalds bag, pop bottle, dip cans, etc. etc. one bit. I've honestly had more varieties of dip cans in my truck bed than a gas station before. But this trash had a unique item inside.

A piss bottle.

I went to go remove the trash from its laying possition to retrieve my air pump/tools from the box underneath my truck-bed tool box and the contents spill out - including a yellow-fluid-filled 24fl oz pepsi bottle.

Nasty shit. I glare at it for a moment, then begin reckoning with myself over wether it truely is a piss bottle or maybe mellow yellow in a pepsi bottle. or Lemonaide, perhaps? I examine the suds in the bottle and declare - it's piss. You gotta be fucking kidding me. I just sigh, and bundle everything back up, pump up my tire, and head on down the road.

I'm roarin down Rt. 60 and opt to take "the long way" home over the interstate and continue on down Rt. 60.

Willingly I go 2miles down Rt. 60 I should say.

As im nearing one of the many great turns of Rt. 60 sets, I realize when I let off the gas pedal the engine's RPMs are still going up and im still accelerating. I naturally hit the breaks harder to be met with a scretching rejection - my truck is going forwards even if I dont want to. My truck has become a Toyota.

But - unlike the retarded Toyota drivers in California - I opt not to let it accelerate to the point of a crash, rather, I turn the son of a bitch off, and man-handle the steering wheel (power steering doesnt work when the engine isnt engaged) until I come to a complete stop. Get out. Look under the hood.

My motor mount broke, sending my engine forwards, allowing my gas pedal relay to jerk on the throttle switch. I shove the engine back with my pick hammer I find in my work sack and carefully wheel it on home.

It was just one shitty thing after another, man. Luckily - I didn't scorch my bacon or burn the biscuits. :) My breakfast was perfect.

Dangerous Driving.

2010-10-24T19:33:00.000-04:00

So i've been having trouble with my truck - it started out as a squeaky hollow knocking sound coming from under my truck bed, i assumed some crap off the mine road had met my rear rotor. Then.

It went from ugly to nasty. When I went to accelerate this god aweful vibration took over the truck so bad I'd almost lose control. So I done a lil' research and discovered my drive shaft was either screwed up/bent or obstructed or it could be a velocity-something-or-rather on the front tire causing the mess.

It was the former - my drive shaft had - somehow - got caught up in the metal guard of my gas tank, rubbing the drive shaft almost in half and almost rubbing a hole in the tank. With 41 miles amassed since the vibration began. Could you imagine the mess that would have caused? It coulda exploded with 15 gallons of gas and a spark from all that steel rubbin. Talk about dangerous driving.

I don't know if my drive shaft is crooked or if the gas tank has ventured over to the drive shaft's area, though. This is the 6th issue to have come from the mine road though. It doesn't help the road is 9 frickin miles long, and has more pot holes than all of Rt. 60. And it's all gravel. Cars with 2-ply tires are discouraged from travel on the road, almost guaranteeing a flat tire every time. I travel the road at atleast 35mph to make it to work on time, because 15mph up that mountain is impossible in a rear-wheel drive truck. It takes about 45mins at that speed, and I drove 15mph the first week I worked up there and went through 6 - six - 4-ply tires from kicking gravel, sliced 'em like butter.

And now I wanna buy a new F250 super duty to climb up there. I dunno, I dunno...

Sad State

2010-10-22T18:06:00.001-04:00

"Picture hills so dense, so tightly packed in an overwhelming wildness of green that they are cut only by these cramped, intimate hollers tucked into the steep hillsides like the hollow of a cheek and these winding, dizzying roads that seem somehow tentative, as if always threatening to break off on the edges or collapse and fall to ruins among the weeds and the boulders as so many others before them have done. Picture hills so tucked away that the sun shines down on them for only a few hours a day before passing over the next ridge. Picture hills slashed round and round with the deep gashes of strip mining like a roughly peeled apple and hilltops literally lopped off by machines the size of ten-story buildings...Picture mountainous slag heaps of mining refuse that catch fire from internal combustion under all the thousands of tons of their own weight and burn for months or years at a time, letting off a black stench of oily smoke. Picture how the hills burst into red and orange flames at all hours of the night and how the flames are likened to the pits of hell. Picture sagging creek banks shored up with tires, rusted trucks, and refrigerators and trecherous slag "dams" holding back lackes of black oily water from the mines. Picture how, when it rains, the men go on watch through the night, climbing the steep hills to peer into the blackness and wonder if the dam will hold through the night. "

"Picture the tattered remnants of the old coal-mining camps crowded into the hollers, how people's places perch precariously on the sides of the hills or line the roads with the hills pressed hard against their backs. Some stand freshly painted in yards filled with kitsch figurines and plastic swimming pools. Others bear the faded pastel blues, greens and yellows they have worn for many years, the paint worn through in places to weathered boards, their porches starkly swept and lined with chairs. Others still are deeply decayed, with broken porches, partially caved-in roofs, broken water pipes gushing out the underside, and relatives' trailers packed tight into their yards for lack of land to rent or buy."

"Picture the places way up the hollers in a wilder, more dangerous zone away from the hardtop and neighbors. Here whole compounds may be pieced together with the remains of the old places now long fallen into ruin. A main house may be surrounded by tiny shacks made out of scrap metal and no bigger than a bed, where grown sons or crazy relations stay....There will be chairs stuck out in the middle of it all-the place where Fred or Jake or Sissy sits-and, further out, encircling the compound, a ring of rusted, disemboweled trucks and cars, a pen filled with baying hounds, and, beyond that, only the hills themselves where you will come across the graveyards, the orchards, the ruins, the named places, the strip mines, the trucks belly-up, the damp, decayed mattresses, some scattered items of clothing, some campfire sites, some piles of beer cans, some bags of trash... "

"Imagine a life in a place that was encompassed by the weigh of an industry and subject to a century of boom and bust, repeated mass migrations and returns, cultural destabilizations and displacements, and then the final collapse of mining [only in the New River Coalfield] and the slow, inexorable emigration of the young. Imagine a history remembered not as the straight line of progress but as a flash of unforgettable images. Remember the old timey cabins in the hills, the fires, the women dead in childbirth, the slick company representatives who dropped by unsuspecting farmers' cabins, stayed for dinner, and casually produced a bag of coins in exchange for parcels of "unused ridgeland", the company camps that sprang up around mines like someone else's mirage complete with company scrip, company stores, company doctors, company thugs, company railroads, company schools, company churches, and company baseball teams. Company thugs carried sawed-off shotguns, policing who came and went on the trains. They say the thugs stood sentry in the hills over a camp in the night. You could see their lanterns and that's how you knew they were there. Then the lights would go out and you didn't know. Imagine all the arresting images of strikes, lockouts, house evictions, people put out in the alleys with their stuff all round them and the snow coming down..."

"There were the dizzying swings of boom and bust, the mechanization of the mines, the mass migrations of the fifties and sixties, the final boom during the oil crisis, the final mine closings in the eighties, the collapse of the place, the painful hanging on, the unthinkable leavings. Imagine how the place became a migrational space that caught people in the repetition of drifting back and forth from the hills to the cities looking for work. How country songs of heartache and displacement became their theme songs. How ecstatic fundamentalism boomed in a performative excess of signs of the spirit and dreams of another world beyond. How the place itself drew them back to dig themselves in - 'so far in I ain't never comin' out.' How the place grew palpable to the remembered senses: the smell of snakes in the air, the sound of slow voices chatting in the yard. the breeze striking the tin pie plates in a garden, the taste of ramps and poke greens."

This is an excerpt from the intro to the book "A Space by the Side of the Road" by Katleen Stewart, an author who came here to good old West by god, Raleigh County to be exact; to study our culture. I never really payed much attention to the sad state of the coalfields. Course, I could add to her presentation - I noticed she didn't meantion the pillbillies. Or the Boxer/Pit Bull dog rings. Inspite of the sad state of the coalfields, it's amazing how nobody wishes to change it.

I LOL'd

2010-10-10T02:26:00.000-04:00

Man, I wish I was this good at lip sync'n, as this guy is.

Dear Abby...

2010-09-28T21:25:00.000-04:00

So, one of my coworkers has this HOT - I mean smokin hot wife. It's universally accepted that he's also a little slow, having severe dyslexia. We go fishing/hunting and such, typical miner buddies, if ya will. he's a pretty cool dude. We'll call him Braxton*.

Anyway, while bullshitting over a small break the other night, one of my other coworkers, we'll call him James*, started bragging about banging Braxton's wife with our crew leader, who we'll call Matt*. The conversation was rather blunt.

James: dude, I hate Braxton man. he's a fucking idiot.

Matt: hot wife though.

Aaron (Me): haha.

James: dude, she's got a tight ***** on her too dude. I f***ed her last month - in Braxton's truck! Didn't I, Matt?

Aaron (Me): oh did ya?

Matt: fuck yeah he did.

James: shit yeh, man. she came off that thang down on VFW Memorial Road.

Aaron (Me): i hear ya man

Matt: [points at James] he's a lucky asshole.

James: she's hot aint she, Matt?

Matt: too hot for that retard [Braxton]

James: fuck yeah. I fuckin hate him, man.

Aaron (Me) walks away, acting distracted by a loose buckle on his mine belt. James and Matt continue to trash Braxton over his hot wife.

-------------------------------------

Should I even tell my friend Braxton? I mean, daggone if someone slept with my wife i'd wanna know, but it's also Greenbrier County. Drama spreads like a cold in a Kindergarten class. Because Braxton's also 'friends' with James, it'd be a test of "he said/he said". Braxton would likely reject my notion that James done it, go to James about it - and even if he kept my name secret, James would know it was me that ratted him out. As im the only person not 'friends' with James that knows at this point.

But I also feel bad keeping something from my buddy like that. I dunno!

*names changed for integrity of the situation

Avoiding Fatherhood

2010-09-20T19:11:00.000-04:00

I've been Avoiding Fatherhood. The thought of "child support" makes my stomach knot up, and only being allowed to see my kid on certain times in certain places and what-not. (it's West Virginia, the moma always wins custody) plus my work schedule of 60hrs a week, wouldn't work well in court, anyways. I'm not against child support, if it were spent towards the kid, and not the girls new boyfriend, her parties, and her new wardrobe. It's child support. Not ex-girlfriend support! I've seen and witnessed this many of times, even from my own mother.

Why am I so pre-empt to custody and child support? Because, it's West Virginia where the plurality of new child births are to women 16-24yrs of age, of which, most are unwed mothers. That means knocked up girlfriends, which means she can leave at anytime, and based on my past, i'm really good at pissin off women to the point where they leave me for another guy.

Plus diaper changes are grose. Especially if I had a daughter? I cannot, and willnot, clean her do-dat. That's just pervy. I've watched my ex girlfriends, sisters and their respective husbands* and my own mom clean a do-dat, and? I'm not doing that. Period.

I'm not big on trends. It's very trendy right now to be luggin around a 8mo old with 2 middle names. I'd rather buy nice stuff. Like new Super Duty F250s, Tempurpedic mattresses, Crystal Plasma TV's designed for awesome all-nighters involving some serious gaming. 4wheelers. Oh yeah man, the list goes on and on.

I'm probably gonna be in my 30s before I even think about having kids, after i'm married probably. Probably fathering some other dudes kid, as the plurality of women I meet already have a trendy lil tot they're lugging around. Unless, of course, some unplanned kiddo comes along, which i'd be a good father to, don't get me wrong - but I can't play a scenario where i'd be upset at prospect. (upset, does not mean being one of those unimpressionable jackasses pleading with the woman to abort the kid).
Meanwhile, I'm just watching everyone else have all kinds of kids, and child support garnishment, while I decide what color I want my new truck to be. Yeap.

*the respective husbands agree: cleaning a do-dat is pervy.

Ink on/in my Body.

2010-09-19T21:05:00.000-04:00

The Greatest Tattoo Ever - in the History of Ever.

A War of (on) Terror

2010-09-12T19:15:00.000-04:00

I remember being in my Algebra Class, and watching all the events unfold on CNN with the headline "Attack on America" I realized, we were going to war. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, I had grown up in peacetime America, having been too young for the Gulf War to really inflict a memory. By that evening while eating supper they had said the attack came from Afghanistan, and something called the Taliban and some dude named Osama bin Laden. I didn't even know such a country existed. I mean, what the hell did we do to them!? We're the United States, the greatest and friendliest country in the world! Or - so I thought at the time.

In the following days, several thousand Afghanni's would try to flee the country fearing a response from the United States. On September 17, Pakistan closed its border with Afghanistan. Pakistan was once a strong ally of the Taliban and often critical of the United States. Now? They were our best friends, as the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom alongside NATO forces invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and catch Osama bin Laden.

Well, that'd never happen.

By March 2003, our nation had destroyed the Taliban and our Government had a keen interest in Iraq, which had these warheads that could destroy America. I was in law studies by this time, and my teacher was overly critical of President Bush and the bombing of the Palaces in Iraq, that CNN let us watch live on TV. I didn't think it was proper, I mean if the UN says they aint there, why not just say "oh, okay" and leave well enough alone? Osama bin Laden aint there, lets go invade Pakistan! I thought.

Nine years later, and several billion dollars later - Osama bin Laden is still a free man, abeit uncomfortable free man. Billions of dollars wasted installing corrupted Democracy in two countries. A year ago, 9/11 was just another wreath-laying memorial and memorializing the slain Soldiers and American Civilians.

This year, though - Instead of wreaths, and the usual America promising to destroy al-Qaida and bring justice to a weak people in Afghanistan on this 9-11-01 Anniversary -- we're protesting accross the country because suddenly Islam is to blame and its everywhere: in the white house, in congress, in your backyard. and they must be stopped. We have Preachers not reading their bibles and investing in Qurans to burn. Stoking the masses in these countries with anger and resentment of the United States.

I don't blame the upset Muslims. If an Imam was burning the Bible telling a crowd how nasty and sick my religion was, I'd be upset too. I just can't believe all this hate that's spewing from America this year. I've heard the words "faggot" and "nigger" come off my television more times this year than I care to count. Legalizing racial profiling of Hispanic's because they want to come here and try to make a life away from the brazen poverty of Central America. All this sexism on Youtube with "Iron my shirt" protests splattered everywhere. Now we're attacking muslims. My White Male Christian counterparts have become out of control. I'm not sure why - not until I check out the channel between MSNBC and CNN and there's this guy standing there on TV with all these posters of "Honor" and "Trust" as a backdrop.

Anti-leaders.

I listen for a minute or two, and I hear how our President is from Kenya, he's a marxist, and he's out to destroy America with Socialism with his gays, hispanics, muslims and other minorities. Ya know, Obama is a muslim. A sell-out to the Muslim's that want to kill everything American. Or so i'm told by this guy. This is how Anti-leaders work- they feed (and... win) on peoples fears... Spreading their propaganda of hatred towards minorities and those "not like us" to the masses as allowed under the 1st Amendment.

It may seem harmless, until bricks come flying through office windows, and the Muslim nations see our hatred in Newspapers and start joining terrorist organizations determined to avenge their beliefs from the narrowminded Americans.

God help us.

Put it on my card, plz.

2010-09-04T03:36:00.000-04:00

So all the Big Leagues at the mine are getting new trucks - 8 of 12 did, actually. What does that mean exactly? It Means a bright future for the company :D (or they're total idiots buying credited F350s, 2500HD Chevy's when the company's coal is about to go bust) So, what this means for me - I'm gettin a new truck :D

Plus, this rumor of a 7/hr payraise is just makin me tickled. Massey done a payraise, last month, and we lost some good men... 24% of our workforce left, actually. So we're following suite to stop the bleeding of workers. I didn't leave. No sir. They couldn't pay me enough to work there.

Anyway, the prospects got me looking at prime Monroe County real estate again. I'd move back, or i'd just stay in Greenbrier, but Greenbrier is so much more expensive :/ plus, all the rolling hill properties that make me all warm n fuzzy inside are being bought up by estate investors building subdivisions. Not that Monroe is immune to this phenomenon - 3 cabins that are listed and I loved are on "1.1 acres" in? a Subdivision, with the realtor's exclaimation "close to Lewisburg!!"

yeah. I don't care bout that? I want me a place where I can piss off my porch and walk around butt nekkid and the police not show up cause of my hateful 70yr old weird cat lady of a neighbor saw some ass cheeks, ya know?

I'd really like to go around the banks and do rent-to-own. But everyone wants to do that. So those properties are non-existant. I haven't even looked at Real Estate since that crap went down with the ex woman afew years ago. I mean - what if I do get married? then divorced? Bitch gets my house! :o and my F350 Cabela's Edition truck :< . I think im gonna need a prenup here. (aspiring) Delegate Deskins needs his protection, yo!

Anyway, as of September 3, 2010 I was busy recovering from more foot surgery, comin off an oxycotin high and having no money cause I cant work with 1 foot working. And I need to keep this UMWA credit card thing going - it's building my credit score :> I just love union programs.

Commercials in my mailbox....

2010-08-07T14:32:00.000-04:00

so, sometimes I like to NOT use my DVR (all the time) cause for the last 20 or so years, i've always had to grind thru em anyways, so why stop now? I mean, ill actually watch a recorded program - along with the recorded commercials. Epic loser. Anyway, so here's my fav commercials for 2010 so far -

Well, lol. Its just funny and actually usin that first line in parody is a thing my crew does now. "oh no! your sex life is all dry and junk!" I just lol everytime. I love it.

its just funny hah. maybe cause i come from a blind family, and I could actually see this happening? lol worthy.

This commercial is more annoying than fun. It reminds me of several female friends I have, as well as some ex's from years past too. the whole "I just cant stop talking about myself!!!! I mean, look at your outfit!!!" line? oh ya, def. some ex memories on those lines lol.

Cinnamon Roll Center-Eater

2010-07-23T23:52:00.000-04:00

An unknown being (squirrel) nom'ed the centers out of the cinnamon rolls, leaving me with nothing to eat. I sure hope those soft warm gewwy centers of MY cinnamon rolls were hella good :/

Once in a Lifetime Leader.

2010-07-03T03:52:00.000-04:00

I think ive been called a Racist more times in the last week than I ever was in 2008's Hillary vs. Obama Primary Elections. I was all about my Hillary, man. She has bigger balls than I do - bigger balls than any man I know, period. That was the sole reason for my support of her over Obama - that, and 2years of Senate experience isn't enough to be given the White House. I actually ended up voting McCain, unable to vote for someone as ill-experienced. However, I didn't want Palin bein a 150-year old's heartbeat from the White House, though. I knew they'd lose, I just wanted to say I didn't vote for him so I could bitch about anything he done wrong. I like ethnic minorities, I really do. And muslims*.

Anyway, so this past week.... Im now a racist again because I keep bickerin' with people in forums in defense of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. AND as everyone freakin' knows, Byrd once filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and was a big-shot in the KKK - In like 1940. Im sorry, but I find it hard to believe any white male christian in West Virginia could NOT be associated with the KKK in the 1940s.

Byrd himself has apologized and has said he regretted the KKK part of his life - thousands of times. He even endorsed Senator (President) Obama for the Democratic nomination when West Virginia was a blowout for Hillary Clinton. If he were a true racist, he'd endorsed Hillary stating his people's will, but his racist-tendancy as the real cause.

I think a demeanor like Senator Byrd's is what all Senator's should strive to obtain. I know if I were a Senator, i'd try very hard to be just like Byrd. I'd want to recite the Constitution, bring home the pork and tirelessly fight the poverty that plague's West Virginia and rural America. Byrd done so much for West Virginia, its unreal to see anyone within the state to dismiss him. Yeh, he was a big spender of tax dollars - but they benefitted us, the people. The pork list goes on and on, but some immediately come to mind, like Robert C. Byrd drive in Beckley. Greenbank Observatory. The Federal Fingerprint Database in Clarksburg. All these low-income clinics. All these updated roads, bridges, and Technology Consortiums. I think spending is good - when it directly benefits the people.

Someone, name unknown, sent me a text message the following day after my Primary loss this past May, it just said: Real leaders only happen once in a lifetime. See you again in 2012.

Byrd was one of those once-in-a-lifetime leaders. He ranks somewhere near President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President's Lincoln and Jefferson in my book. KKK involvement irrelevant. So when I see people from say, Texas, attacking my Senator and leader, by god, i'm gonna attack their twice-in-a-lifetime fuck ups named Bush Sr and Bush Jr. They just jealous cause we had a Senator that wasn't corrupted with prostitute sex rings, lobbyists, and Big Pharma....

When I meet - the Repo Lady.

2010-06-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

So - several months ago, I had a crisis - my fridge died, er. was DOA (dead on arrival) I had thawin food in my kitchen floor - so I panic'd it bein after 5pm and such, and everything is closed. My dear friend had a Rent-A-Center (hereafter, RAC) account in good standing and could lock me in on a No payment for 30 days deal on the fridge. I agreed.

Fastforward - its now June. and nothing in regards to the account has went according to plan. First, RAC has shitty hours, often closed before I can even get near Lewisburg - my payments were due on weeks I didnt get paid. The account has become 20 days past-due. Not 30 days. 20 days.

Monday, I finally managed to catch one of their 45429 phone calls. They told me I owed 118 on my fridge, and another 100 on some Rogue Television. No biggie, I offered to pay 'em Friday - if not before. I also explained that I had given payment to a friend to make the payments on my behalf as I was never home in time to go to RAC and pay myself, and was unaware the account had defaulted by 20 days. I also explained this 'Rogue TV' on the account was not mine and I had never even seen it. We jump thru loops on the phone to get the TV off my account, get me my own account for the Fridge and make everyone and everything happy.

Then I come to my house to find the repo lady and her companion parked in my driveway. I get out of my truck to "MR. DESKINS!!" yeh yeh. I explain to them I cleared up the account, and that its all been taken care of.

Rather than pack up and go home, she says "um, no. I dont THINK so!" calls the office, tells ol boy that shes gonna "override the decision" and then demmands entry into my house for the repossession. I try to barter some with em, I offer to pay right then and there. She explains to me - payment or not - they're takin the fridge because I 'violated the contract'. She wants in, and now.

Law 101: you have to have a warrant to enter my place of residence. So I dont have to let them in, if they force themselves thats Unlawful Entrance. The accounts not even 30 days past due, I had offered to make payment and they refused it! I never even signed a contract. I did however sign an application, but nowhere did I see "if your accounts 20 days past-due, regardless of reason; and you show us six 20 dollar bills in an attempt to bring your account up to current - we'll deny your payment in favor of spoiling your food, and misc. hardships it will bring."

So, realizing the hardships to come will not only cause issues at home, but at work - I bullshit and tell them my brother has the key and I need to go get it off him to get inside, I instruct them to wait there. They do.

But eventually leave.

I make hasty arrangements for a new fridge, because honestly? if it was say - a TV stand, a TV, computer, anything of the sort - I wouldn't have resisted the repo. I'd be like whatever, ya know? Payday is friday, I got afew 100s on me too, I could replace any of those things at walmart, easily.

Walmart doesnt have anything in the means of a fridge, other than college dorm Beer fridges - which dont cool what I need cooled effectively - food to take to work. I mean - hell, its a fucking fridge! They are VERY important, a must-have. Most rentals come with one they're so vital. yet, this unimpressionable bitch is determined to take it.

That was Monday. On Tuesday they never came back. Then today - I come home from work, fucking exhausted. No sooner start walkin up my steps - I see a RAC vehicle turn the corner. My brother informs me they were here about 20mins prior and left. So they're sitting on a back alley waiting on me to come home? Oh hell no! I ignore the pounding on my door - no law says I HAVE to answer my door - in favor of some nice food and drink, and relaxing from a long day at work.

Tomorrow though, I hope to have a new fridge - nice fridge - from Schewels or the sort. And ill park their fridge on the porch. They will need to remove it at their earliest covienence. As for RAC takin it before 30 days, before I get a new one? Um, No. I dont THINK so.

Sorry to override your decision, sweetheart.

F.ound O.n R.oad [driveway] D.ead

2010-06-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

So, I went truck shopping. Nuttin' fancy, just something to haul me up the mine road and back daily. We selected a Dodge Dakota for the task.

I hate Dodge, man. But my truck is a good deal so far.

Now before yall start callin me a traitor for abandoning Ford - I DID try for Fords. First an F350 Powerstroke - but it was a no go, the dealership was closed or something or rather. Then a Red F150 - which I fell in love with - until we went test driving. The guy said it just needed a new throttle cable, cheap fix. So we decided to give it a try.

The clutch was moody, and when I put 'er in gear and hit the gas - it jerked and lunged forwards as if to struggle to get any gas. I got less than 100yards, before I decided to turn back and get out of the piece of shit ASAP. It died. In the middle of the drive. Tried to restart it to no avail. We had to PUSH the junk back to its previous resting place. We left right after that.

We then looked at another F150 - a blue one. I test drove it to find it was the long lost cousin of my Bronco, with same annoying issues noticed just driving 1 mile. Rejected.

Hopeless, we started to get an S10 - thats right, I was gonna buy a Government Motor's special piece of shit. Then - before I conceded to a Chevy - I found this promising Dodge Dakota. We test drove it immediately. The moment that sucker turned over and those pipes growled, I melted into the seats. I tested its torque and horsepower - actually accelerating uphills to peak speed of 65 (I didnt try to go faster than that in a 35 lol) I was sold. The body was in Okay condition, the steering was sound, the engine sounded strong, the fact its former owner was also a coal miner was the icing on the cake.

or that exhaust. or the fact its CD player actually works lol. or the bedliner. the icing was something or rather heh. I like it. Though, itll probably be the only Dodge I ever own, just FYI.

....on second thought

2010-06-03T17:19:00.000-04:00

ya know, im a huge union guy, and a massive critic of Massey Energy- afterall, it is the workers who extract your coal so you CAN be a filthy rich Board Member in Richmond, no?

Anyway, afew weeks ago I announced to everyone that I had signed up for a new job with the UMWA in Mcdowell County. Sure, the drive was gonna be brutal, but the pay was marginally better, and compared with my previous employer much safer, and sane on my body. UMWA mines are slim pickins in West Virginia anymore - Massey and other Mining outfits have increased pay to well over union pay rates, matched bonuses and vacation time, all in a bid to stave-off miner's organizing with the UMWA.

I'm now one of those miners, the pay-paid off non-union miner. I just recently got sold into the mines in Greenbrier County- with attractive perks like, a gas card, workin day shift, sign-on bonuses, higher pay (by 4 dollars per hr over the UMWA pay rate), immediate healthcare insurance, and a promise for 8hr shifts - sometimes 10, if they hot-seat (miner lingo for keeping coal running 24/7).

So, I won't be with the UMWA afterall, just an Associate Member. (meaning I pay Union Dues once a year for protection in the event im injured by neglegence steming from my employer) and get some of the Union discounts and benefits, like the incredibly-low APR UMWA Credit Card, Ford and GM vehicle discounts, Credit and Debt Coaches, and such.

Tunage Crisis

2010-05-29T04:21:00.000-04:00

I've been having embarrassing encounters with rather unmanly music selections. Let me explain:

Early spring; I was waitin' on Little Ceasers to gimme my darn pizza that was hot but not-so-ready - trying to pass the time, my kid brother expressed his concern over why I never use the pickup's CD player - and opt for the XM radio all the time. I explained though I bought the stereo new - I hacked on it all to hell to just install the thing - and it didn't work. Voiding the warranty. I hit the "eject button" to give him a hands-on explanation to it's brokeness...

Ashanti Chapter II with all it's hot pink and summer-orange coloring, comes out of the CD tray. -_-

Well, that was embarrassing.

I don't actually listen to Ashanti, it was a random CD I found in a CD folder that wasn't mine, to test the broken CD player. Honest. "Ashanti" is now a 1-word joke between us.

I went on a hot date this past week, i'm talkin the whole gone muddin, girl ridin on the middle console, gettin' hot under the stars kinda date - the usual for me. We used the Bronco for this task - I havent driven the rig since last Summer. She noticed that an MP3 CD was in and hit start - "Toy Soldier" by Britney Spears came on.

There just went all my manlihood out the door, and into the wind. She laughed, but I was humiliated, the rest of the night she wanted to pester me about my ex gf, whome left the CD there to begin with. Not cool.

It's time I re-establish my manlihood, by gawd! Enclosed is some of my more preferred tunage :D

oh? yes - California Gurls was purposely put there for some added irony :P. I's j/k'n heh.

LOL!

2010-05-28T15:33:00.000-04:00

this - this made my day, lmao. I love it.

Black Hat, me!?

2010-05-21T18:35:00.000-04:00

I've been a nervous wreck all week, meeting deadlines, dealing with bills mounting up everywhere, hosting family at my house, physicals, and then Miner Retraining courses.

Today further proved the latter has been gettin under my skin. I left for MSHA in Oak Hill, around 9am. got there. and my mind went blank, the lady at the window was like 'can I help you, sir?' I went on one of my stutterin fits, asking about my test. She asked me if I had the 10 dollar fee, in check or M/O (no cash). I had only cash, totally forgot they dont take cash.

So I had to leave, go to Walmart, get the M/O then come back. I almost got side-swiped by some jackass running a redlight (why are Beckley drivers such dangerous people to be around?) they literally missed me by a foot. Got my nerves all worked up.

Anyway - back at MSHA I was pestered by MSHA Officer Plumely about bein a "Greenbrier Boy" we shared some small talk, and watched Senator Byrd grill Don Blankenship on TV. After some paperwork, I Sat down to take my test and what not.

I was all nervous - fearing i'd fail - I didn't have a week to wait for a retest, nor did I want to sit through another Refresher Course. He told me to type my name into the box, so he knew the test was mine. I failed that all shakin n shit. he was like "dont freak out on me boy, it's just a computer!!" he laughed - I didn't.

During the test, I had realized just how easy the questions are. Example:

You approach a Trolley Wire, what should you do?

A. grab it to see if it's hot.

B. Stop, wait on your Foreman's permission to approach the trolley wire.

C. Assume wire is hot. Walk along the rib opposite of the wire, keeping all tools away from contact with wire.

D. Walk underneath wire looking for the operator so you can hitch a ride.

The obvious answer is C. if you failed that, my friend - You're not a miner, and if you are, I hope you're not workin in my section lol.

The CPR and EMT stuff, I failed. As usual. Im not good with memberin what them medical terms stand for. This question's answer I gave, got Officer Plumely a'goin:

"One of your fellow miner's is injured outby the section, what must you ALWAYS do first?"

I answered "D". Do ABC procedure.

I didn't remember what an ABC procedure was, and it sounded better than puttin him [the injured miner] on the mednet helicopter. My answer was wrong however.

Plumely said "boy, you might wanna look into some EMT classes one day, so you aint swappin spit with every guy that cuts his finger." ABC = the basic's to CPR. d'oh!

I passed with a 88, missing 3 questions out of 25 - all Medical and Rescue related.

To a new year of diggin coal!!

Votes for thought....

2010-05-18T10:50:00.000-04:00

I created a war on a yahoo comment forum, haha.

TeaParty4Ever:
Vote Democratic and vote Socialism! America isn't going down without a fight! We defeated socialism in West Virginia! Utah! We'll do it again today!! the USSA is doomed.

So I said...

WVcoalminer21:
Yawn... TP4Ever, how do u know what happened in WV when your in CA? In West Virginia (i live here) Mollohan was defeated because he was tied to the big banks, rated "most corrupt" by a Washington watch-dog group and had become very elusive to his district; while his challenger, and Primary winner, State Senator Oliverio is still living in the district and well-known. So we kicked the former out.

Politically, West Virginia is VERY Democratic (or socialist as you call it) currently the entire Executive branch is Democratic and the Democrats have maintained a super-giga-majority in both Chambers of the Legislature. 66% of our House seats are held by Democrats, and both Senators are Democrats; one, Senator Jay Rockefeller IV, is one of the most Liberal Senators in Washington.

Did you know, our DMV gives you a free carseat if you cant afford one for your infant? SOCIALISM!! D:

Did you know we send our students that maintained a "C" average in High School to college for free in any in-state college? SOCIALISM! D:

Of course, if your Tea Party won majorities in this state, and yall repealed our socialist programs - you, and your Tea Party would be swept out of office.

Socialism doesn't mean you're the USSR. hell, my age group (18-24) enjoy socialist programs, we think they're great. Beckster's Tea Party Group (45+) were sadly subjected to anti-USSR propaganda and fear the term 'socialism'. In theory, who do you think will be around in 10 years? 20 years? Your fighting a losing war with your fear mongering.

Socialism works for Europe. The Swedish are the happiest people in the world, doesn't our Declaration of Independence state the pursuit of happiness as an unalienable right? So many are miserable in this country, they're victim of Banks frauding them of their money, houses, and vehicles. Frauded by their employers forcing them to work harder for less pay. Is this the America the Tea Party likes?

I'd rather be Europe than become a 3rd-world country ran by Corporate thugs, like Mexico, Afghanistan or China. Sorry buddy. When someone tells me they wanna give me free college, I say SIGN ME UP! :D or healthcare for everyone regardless of medical history or income, I vote yes. Add a public option where I can invest my money into something outside of a Corporate Insurance Gig, and I'm beside myself! :D

Times are changing, either move with the times, or get left behind.

34 comments in RE: and counting. Im so scandalous hehe.

Only one comment was sane enuf for a reply, in which i said:

Fair enuff. I hope your Tea Party wins. In such an event, I expect them to hold true to defeating Socialism. I want to see the Public School System removed, a flat tax installed, illegalizing the Libraries, dismantling of the Welfare system- no more Social Security, TANF, Welfare, Food stamps, Medicare, Medicaid. Killing off of the United States Postal Service. Bartering for Police and Fire protection better be in order, too. You cant say your defeating Socialism without revoking the socialist programs already installed, no? Thats politics as usual. We can't have that.

[Personal] Victory!

2010-05-12T02:30:00.000-04:00

Primary Election 2010, Results:

Campbell(I): 2,463

Knisely(Nom): 1,221

Me [Deskins]: 872

Republican Canterbury(I): 1,217

(I) = incumbent. (Nom) = Nominated.

Im very impressed with that. almost 900 votes. Damn! The amazing thing is the fact I didn't spend a penny on the election (aside from filing fees) I didn't campaign any beyond facebook due to workin all the time, let us forget that horrid Debate I had.

I had no yard signs, no campaign team. Nothing but lil ol me. Don't have a fancy suit to wear, didn't go to any elite dinners or banquets. Yet I came 349 votes shy of the nomination? Now thats sumtin. Nobody expected me to win, not even me - most were saying maybe 100 votes. Not 900 lol.

So even in defeat, my spirits are high and im rocking on. I dunno who those 872 people are - but thank ya, thank ya alot :)

Looking ahead? well im going to take my coalition of angry young voters to the polls, again. Not for me, but for select people I think would change things up abit. My Causes and all that jazz on Facebook will become grassroot causes to further drive home my message: we need to end the status quo.

And for now, i'll continue digging coal under this ground. Havin a good ol time with my friends and family, and who knows? might go to the bar and see what the women are into. I didn't wanna do so in the Campaign fearing some girl runnin her mouth, etc. etc. Drama Drama and bullshit like that.

And I can cuss again!! Civility!!! :D

Looking Ahead....

2010-05-08T04:58:00.000-04:00

My family thinks im nutts. Trading a job in Fayette County - for one in Mcdowell County, a nice 3hrs away. On a map it looks like maybe 80 miles of drive time, similar distance to Montgomery - but the roads to get to Mcdowell are anything but a straight-shot.

In my defense, my Fayette job tenture has been marred by my own actions; like the termination of my boss (i 'narked' on his on-the-job drug use last November, when his habit almost took me out of this world; but thats another story) and then competing with my activist Tea Party Section Boss. (he wouldn't let me take my personal days if he knew it was related to a certain House of Delegates race, because im a "Stalincrat") and of course the strenuous, and illegal 14-16hr shifts. (MSHA does not permit miners to work longer than 12hrs a shift. Studies suggest physical labor past 12hrs can cause adverse health effects and yada yada.) to get away this illegal activity my labor sheet shows i worked 12hrs...then random hours are added to my days off or a solid increase in coal bonus pay. Nifty.

To contrast, in Mcdowell ill only have 8-10hr shifts. A 5-week retraining course, immediate healthcare coverage, and a sign-on bonus into the K's. The Mine Superintendent loves me already, callin me that aweful much-hated miner nickname, "Desky Bear". Stupid name, really. Rather be called sweetpea or carebear or sumtin lame like that haha.

All in all- it's a fair trade, if ya ask me.

I've never worked in another coalfield other than the New River Field, the Winding Gulf Field is mostly "steam met" coal - meaning it doesn't keep the lights on - rather, it cooks iron ore into Steel. Alot of the New River Field coal is also used for this coking process. My mine was shipping coal to power plants in Va, however.

I do have to say, though...Mcdowell has some HOT women. I've often joked im gonna move to Pike County, Kentucky cause the women are just frickin' beautiful man. Mingo County i've noted also is blessed with this trait. Apparently Mcdowell is too haha.

Maybe there's a waterin' hole near the mine I can spend my evenings after shift, on the days the work is easy, and I can meet some of these lil hick southern bells :>

yeh buddy!

On another note, I got a busy week!

May 11 - Primary Election. I getta see how bad my "opponents" mop the floor with me at the polls.

May 12 - I donate my hair to the doctor

May 13 - Dr. Appointment

May 14 - Payday. Usual Friday night out on the town.

I'll yall posted if anything important happens, but I say that loosely...

Epic Fail.

2010-04-30T14:44:00.000-04:00

Sometimes on Yahoo Messenger ill have like 11 IM's going on - so i merge them into a party chat, since most of my friends are friends with each other and etc.

Last night, I had an epic fail in discussing Hawaii's move to civil unions yesterday..

Coalminer88: dude.

eric_wm_sp: she prolly did

Coalminer88: i read on CNN that 70% of New yorker men have had sex with me

Coaldigger23: mmmhmmm you go desky bear!! LOL

Heatherxxx: om

eric_wm_sp: Lmao. been busy huh desky?

...by time I realized my gaffe (type-o from my keystrokes being faster than my computer processor caused the gaffe) the damage had been done lol.

o well. it was a nice laugh.

President Eulogy at Miner's Memorial.

2010-04-26T03:27:00.000-04:00

you know, i never thought I'd see West Virginia give the Socialist Muslim Kenyan Terrist President Barack HUSSIEN Obama* a standin ovation - ever. I was moved by the speeches and the President, I must say myself. Now, may the healing process begin...

*not my views, I think our Ethnically-Diverse American Christian President Obama is a good guy.

Devotee To [Tax] Salvation.

2010-04-23T15:19:00.000-04:00

I've tipped my hat to the Miner's Relief Fund at work twice over the last two weeks, giving 25 dollars passing though the HR, and then a personal donation to one of the families I knew of about 150 dollars.

The other day while waiting to wire money to my brother serving in Iraq I saw the Salvation Army's Miner's Relief Fund Box. I gave em 10 dollars. Everything else I had was on plastic. Im not sure why I added a middleman like the Salvation Army into the mix, but I couldn't help but think had I been one of the late miner's, i'd want someone to help my family, too.

Ahead of me - was a woman. She was all about this donation thing, she was gonna make donation by Check and asked a question that makes my blood boil.

"is this tax deductable?"

tax deductable? I tried to pay no mind, but I never saw the check exchanged, as she was long gone by time I ever approached the kiosk and the man had a worried look on his face. So maybe the man said no?

It irritated me. I mean, Why are we so self-righteous!? 'oh if this doesn't benefit my fucking taxes then im not helping' ? Whatever happened to "love thy neighbor as thy self?" Im so ashamed of how greedy this country has become. We never wanna help anyone but ourselves.

I hate it. I ended up going back in after the inital 10 dollar Donation and making another 20 dollar donation after pullin the bill out of the ATM.

And for the recored-

my $205.00 wont be on my tax forms for a deduction.

By time its all said and done my total donation will be well into the hundreds and no meantion of it will be on my tax-forms. I don't care. I don't want the Government to give me the money back. I gave it away for a reason.

My largest donation though, will be my undying remorse and endless campaign to ensure those men's deaths aren't in vain. Long after my primary battle, long after the politics are gone - i'll still be fighting.
And i'll still be mining coal using the knowledge Mr. Chapman gave me before god called him home.

Topix: Chipmonk.

2010-04-20T05:16:00.000-04:00

I know my blog is now supposed to be all "professional" because all the political eyes are on it. but? it's my blog and I need to bitch.

you know when my boss said, "i hope you know im not gonna let you off work so you can go play on your soapbox" i felt he was jokin.

Hes really not.

All 3 times i've asked off (Church meet the voter with Mr. Benedict, Chamber of Commerce Debate, F.B. Debate tomorrow) he has shot me down with this brilliant 'passive agressive rejection' line:

"Desky, you know better buddy. I need ya to help PeeWee and Rodge, ya know Chipmonk is a worthless son of a bitch - I need them arms of yours to make sure they get shit done" he then walks over to the mine map and discusses where we'll be workin, and which cross-cut needs sealed, and what-nots discussed in mine industry lingo.

bah! ..Chipmonk...I got afew choice words for that boy beyond SOB lol.

Hell, maybe if I didn't do all the brute work this wouldn't be a problem. They send 'Chipmonk' home all the time, as of yesterday as a matter of fact. He gets days off all the time, too. I hada work 19 days straight!!

He stands around and looks at the rib, off in la la land...while I heave and puff dragging a belt cooker. Then to get his help, I use some mild language like 'git over here you stupid $$#@# %$$#@# !@#$%!!'

You know when I was hired, my boss looked me over and was like "you look pretty stout, i'll give ya a shift of work, see what your made of. you'll have to earn the 2nd shift" I shook my head eagerly, my then ex-gf stephanie had sent me a text sayin "i'm so proud of you!!!" she was my cheerleader. I was gonna make her love her coal miner.

I over-exerted myself in 30mins.

I was not capable of anything they told me to do. I didn't complain when my Section Boss told me to do it, I'd beam my light into his eyes as I read back the instructions he gave me. (this pisses off a miner quicker than anything - beamin em) I'd then proceed with confirmed instruction and i'd do my best on said task. Finish. Come back for my instruction. I repeated this process for the entire 12 hour shift.

At 8am. 12 miserable hours later, I crawled into my truck - defeated. My legs were swollen, I hurt all over from head to toe, I wanted to die. I remember I was so exhausted my lunch box was too heavy to carry in from my truck so i kicked it to the porch. I was so black my hair looked white, too tired to shower I went to bed, coal dust and all (ruining my sheets n shit, just FYI)

But? I earned my 2nd shift :D

Before headin home that ill-fated day - Rodge, my section boss, warned me that I needed rest, because we had to build an overcast in like - 4hrs - the next night (it takes a full shift typically with 2-4 sections workin on it) so it was gonna be balls-to-the-walls. I wanted to cry, because I knew I had all but destroyed my body. I lucked out, my chief boss gave me the night off.

After my first week, my chief boss asked Rodge how I done. He yelled at me alot. He dogged me alot. So I was assuming this was it. He said "he works. he aint got much to say when hes workin - gotta look over there and make sure hes alive, still a little green-behind-the-ears but hes a damn good worker. Gets shoved up my ass talkin politics if I dont keep him busy, though." Victory!! :D I went onto the payroll as an asset, even though I objected to the nickname "Desky Bear" (lolwut?) I found it plastered on my basket (kinda like a locker)in the bath-house....and the rest is all but history, a year later.

As for Mr. Chipmonk.

Chipmonk - was hired cause his uncle is the mine super. Bullshit. Some people just aren't capable of doing certain things. Hes one of these people.

Stands around, turns his light off and on, and is amused by it? (hes weird, man) sits down alot, resting his head on his knees, gets in the way. Zones out starrin at the rib, dicks off talkin to miners on different sections, disappears. Eats all the time. He's worthless. The other day I asked him to help me load up a worker cart with crib. I swear he's scared of dirt or sumtin - just glarred at me when I demmanded he pick up blocks. He then - for whatever reason - bear-hugs the blocks and carries them over to the worker cart. One at a time. This is inefficient when im carryin up to 8. So I asked why he was carryin em that way, he said "[they] hurt my hands."

Moron. He's soft as butter, apparently.

Someone get this boy an office job!

How to kill a wasp....without Raid.

2010-04-18T04:58:00.000-04:00

Greenbrier Valley, god love the place - has a Wasp problem.

I dont know why, but Alderson and surrounding areas tend to have hundreds of wasps. No, thousands. Several thousands. As most of you know, I cant stand the suckers. I hate em I hate em I hate em. Ya know how people are deathly scared of spiders? Yeh, im deathly scared of wasps - other bees or bugs(including spiders) dont bother me, just wasps.

So some wasps have decided to move into my house. We've killed around 10 trapped in our house in the windows over the past few weeks, as they begin to find their hew nesting areas. One such wasp...found its new home directly above the door on our porch, now may I add - our porch roof is very low, my buddies Chuck and Squirrel stand at a towering 6'6" and 6'7" respectively. They have to duck to walk around my porch to avoid the rafters. I miss 'em by afew inches.

The Wasp liked the rafter above our front door. I came home from work, and noticed a pissed off wasp crawling on the screen door as it slammed shut behind me, I paid it no mind til later that night when I was inspecting our porch light fixture for some odd reason or another, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a wasp almost eye level with me perched on the rafter. It had made a nest there.

This wasn't gonna work. It had to go, and it had to go NOW.

But I didnt have any Raid. In the past I used Mousse and Hair spray, I dont know why but both products tend to kill em bout as fast as Raid does - within seconds.

We didnt have none of either. my brother and I, at 2am in the morning decided the wasp must go, one way or another. I tried to barter with him to use a shoe and smash the nasty thing. He declined. I offered many smashing-objects each to his disapproval.

This must be the week of facing my fears or sumtin (the other fear bein stage frieght, pay attention) I was gonna have to do it myself. But I didnt want near it. The only "smashing from afar" object I had was my swiffer broom.

I grabbed it, pre-meditated the death of the wasp, and decided the wasp wouldn't die right away with a smashing blow. I had to TRAP it immobilize it. I looked around for something sticky.

Voila! Clover Honey! Honey is sticky. If the wasps wings are stuck together it cant fly, or crawl if its legs are stuck, I reckoned. So I doused my swiffer broom in honey. got some good stealth. hid behind the screen door in the event of an epic fail. readied. aimed....

and dealt a smashing full-thrust blow onto the rafter. I paused, made sure I had impacted the wasp and nest. then slid the broom off the under-side of the porch roof and let it fall onto the porch itself. No wasp on rafter. no wasp on swiffer. honey. Everywhere. Where's the wasp? I questioned. I looked down at my foot and saw it squirmin its way accross the porch, immobilized by honey.

I then humanely killed the wasp with my ultimate weapon - my Size 13 boot.

Victory.

...

...Oh, and I made my little brother clean up my honey mess so I could bask in my victory.

Pardon my paraphrasing...

2010-04-16T21:58:00.002-04:00

....but the newspaper made me sound awhole lot better than the actual Greenbrier County Delegate Debate.

...and, that's all on that.

Today I decided since this is my first weekend off since...I think, January? Sum'tin like that, and my first day off in about 16 days of straight labor - I was gonna bask in some cookin out! ...In temperatures of 33 degrees. Ahem. I learned that news AFTER buyin me a new grill.

Oh well. I left wallie world after buyin me some prime strawberry plants for the porch (and my grill, pay attention now) and went home to settle in for "assembly required" on said grill. I was constructing my grill rather well, over tightening the bolts so it never gets whobbly or anything like that - hell, even was adding parts for structural integrity and I got all the way to the assembly of the legs and, oh? the back legs, not included.

I'm gonna have to take the sucker back, or, prop it up on some cinder blocks. I aint sure yet.

--

Last night I went out on the river for abit before work with Stephanie, fendin off the skeeters and pretending I wasn't interested in anything but the stars..t'was a good date, if thats what you wanna call it - I pretended I was going to Prince ANYWAY (to check out the river scoutin out fishin spots for the weekend) so she might as well walk outside and keep me company. She agreed. So it may or may not be a date, but I enjoyed myself, even if it was with an ex. Yessir.

like Sara Palin in a Katie Couric Interview

2010-04-14T12:02:00.001-04:00

that pretty much sums up my epic fail of a debate. I had rehearsed, and rehearsed; I gave my speeches to my coworkers, while we nom'ed on food over our makeshift lunch break, I was on a ball - I was gonna blitz that debate, man.

And then came...the microphone. The moment I said "Im Aaron Deskins..." it all vanished. I couldn't even talk about the issues facing the coal industry. All the while, Some woman was glaring at me, so I opted to look at her the entire time and try to tunnel out the crowd (its something I learned in Theater Class) and somehow I ended up looking at the Camera haha. On coal, I had to mention Strip Mining for my Tree Hugger Allies, which didn't set well with the crowd - so I hopped on the "bad safety" wagon, which won't set well with my boss. Where did my intricate speech go?

Daggone stage fright!

Had they asked me what magazine's I read for my information I would have said "uh...sportsman guide? er, Outdoor and stream...um...stream and field, I mean..." so not AS bad as Palin.

There was also something about healthcare insurance? I don't know, Canterbury was blabbing on about it and I was like "er, what he said, heh" I could tell the crowd wasn't impressed with me.

On education I made all about me "Well, I fell through the cracks...I had good teachers and bad...I almost failed school so no promise scholarship for me!!" I do believe the question was about teachers pay, lol.

The only part I assailed in was the closing statement, which I mentioned Lewisburg's terrible traffic problem to laughter and claps, and told Miller about his sore muscle problem from visiting Greenbrier Smokeless - heavy laughter.

I would consider it an Epic Fail, an Epic Fail big time.

2010-04-12T16:33:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been one week since god called home 29 fine men, this here is dedicated to my fallen brothers in stripes, and the 3 men I knew and had the complete honor to work alongside in the mines.

A long healing process

2010-04-09T21:59:00.000-04:00

Today my fellow coworkers and I shared the stories of the belated miner's we each knew personally. I later stopped by the old subway en route to check up on another close friend, Veronica.

She's had a very difficult time with things, losing her husband, a family friend, and possibly her father within the span of a week. She's absolutely crushed. I tried to comfort but im no good at things like that. I sleezily said "well god won't ever give you more than you can handle" she rebuted that claim meantioning suicides and what-not. She's right, to a degree. See, I'm not sure how to comfort people, it's something I was never blessed to learn, and I feel bad for that, truely. I know i'm hurt, but I didn't rely on others to help me along with my loses, I buried the emotions up and let them out as I needed to. Everyone's different I suppose, all my comfort comes in the means of god and religion, I cling to guns and religion in times of crisis, afterall.

This evening after work I stopped by a small shop around Hico, and bought some snacks, the old lady behind the counter asked me if I were a miner, I said yes ma'am and with that she put her hand on my shoulder and said "i'll be praying for you". It made me warm, but cautious.

Since the accident I've seen mining differently. You know, Sago was a freak accident. MSHA said so, afterall. You have to go back to 1992 for the disaster in Webster County to really find a mine accident that sweeped many miners out of this world here in West Virginia. I somehow had this false sense of security. West Virginia mines dont "blow up" anymore. Our roofs dont collapse trapping an entire section. Sure, people die every year - mostly the fault of their own were taught.

As the dust settles on the disaster it's becoming more clear just how bad off Performance Coal really was, and how most of the miner's felt the mine was becoming a ticking time bomb. Personal letter's, small-talk over Easter dinner; its all beginning to reveal the miner's were beginning to stress over the faults apparent there. I examined the roof of our mine closely, looking for anything not up-to-standard.

Nothing.

Maybe it was just Massey wanting to keep Performance Coal as the #1 coal producer? Maybe, it wasn't Massey's fault - maybe it was the Massey "Big League's" at the mine more concerned on coal bonuses than safety? Only time will tell, or the federal investigation into the accident will.

Looking ahead I have 4 wakes/funerals to attend; I'm dreading it. As I picked up my check this afternoon, the "personal message" read: 'we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to provide for their families. God Bless the families and friends of the victims at Upper Big Branch, and may their deaths not go down in vain'

tender.

Im alright, but not okay.

2010-04-07T07:37:00.000-04:00

I'll assume everyone knows about the mine explosion; in the last few days my phone has been in a steady chorus with phone calls and text messages, with people checking up on me. I'm fine- to a degree.

This accident has been very sobering for me. Sago Mine accident wasnt in my backyard - or was I even a miner back then - so I was just shocked. I haven't set foot in the mines since Monday evenin'. I'm not scared, just a mixed bag emotionally.

I work for a contractor, and get to do all the brute work none of the other companies wanna waste labor on; i.e. splicing belts, buildin crib, stops, overcasts, and etc. 2 days a week I work at ICG Beckley, another 2 days at Elk Run; the sister mine of Performance Coal (the mine that exploded) and another 2 days a week at Maple Fork. When the explosion happened I knew about 10minutes into the situation as I was in the prep plant and saw the rescue team gearin' up and headin out the road. I was told 10 dead, 20 missing at Performance Coal.

It didnt take long to learn that atleast one of my buddies was a victim, one of the first 7 reported. He was the black hat miner that took me under his wing and taught me everything I know about mining coal when I was in the onset of my apprenticeship (red hat, unexperienced miner) at ICG Beckley. Yesterday morning I was also notified that another good friend and former co-worker of mine was also killed. I won't disclose names, out of respect for their respective families, the names will be leaked to the media soon enough.

I'm devastated. This has made me hate Old Don even more so (Old Don is better known as the CEO of Massey Energy; Don Blankenship) in the 21st century we shouldnt still have mass graves of miner's killed by methane explosions or coal dust. There's several method's of methane removal from the old 1920's-era burning it off to exhaust and intake fans, to name afew, as for coal dust we can spray water on the face, and rock dust. I remember a memo ol Don released afew years ago that said something down the lines of, if your boss tells you to build roof supports or other tasks, ignore him - run coal.

With that mentality, i'm sure they were more focused on running that coal. I feel like I evaded the same fate; last January I had interview with Performance, I wasn't given the job, however, as I wasnt yet certified to run the roofer/shields, but trained to do so. I would have worked 1st shift, the same shift that has accounted for most of the fatalities. It bother's me more than anything, down the lines of "why them, and not me?".

Miner's Prayer

When the whistle blows each morning

And I walk down in that cold, dark mine

I say a prayer to my dear Savior

Please let me see the sunshine one more time

When oh when will it be over

When will I lay these burdens down

And when I die, dear Lord in heaven

Please take my soul from 'neath that cold dark ground

I still grieve for my poor brother

And I still hear my dear old mother cry

When late that night they came and told her

He'd lost his life down in the Big Shoal Mine

When oh when will it be over

When will I lay these burdens down

And when I die, dear Lord in heaven

Please take my soul from 'neath that cold dark ground

I have no shame, I feel no sorrow

If on this earth not much I own

I have the love of my sweet children

An old plow mule, a shovel and a hoe

When oh when will it be over

When will I lay these burdens down

And when I die, dear Lord in heaven

Please take my soul from 'neath that cold dark ground

Yeah, when I die, dear Lord in heaven

Please take my soul from 'neath that cold dark ground

Campaign meets stage freight.

2010-03-31T03:27:00.000-04:00

I have a bad case of stage freight. I start out with a heavy swallow and open my mouth waiting for words to flow, they do but I stutter them out, then Im like "whoa, stutterin' dude!! control it!!" then I lock up and just start spatting off words making no sense, blushings and sweatin and knowingly Im being judged.

It's a chain reaction, really.

Im now 2 weeks away from my first ever political debate - that will be before a mininal crowd - a radio station, and local news outlet. 3 banger. I'm planning on rehersing and using questions from the Commissioner debate (i'm assuming the questions will be similar but on a more state-wide basis) I need to practice the debate so the words flow more smoothly and I wont miss a word and begin the stutter-and-crash process.

I had 2 nightmares about it, the past two nights. they were vivid, like I told myself in my dream "just be honest, people like your real opinions. who cares if they dont like it? dont please the special interests!" and....in my dream stutter-and-crash came along.

The last at-stage event I was invovled in was an essay in 1th grade. 10th grade. Like, 7 years ago lol.

Im doomed!

Anyone have idea's on how to rebuke the stage freight?? I have a gut feelin it's like shyness. If indeed it is, after afew speeches it'll melt away like my shyness does, every time.

In the corner

2010-03-26T03:43:00.000-04:00

This has been weighing on my mind for some time, in regards to the "socialist takeover" of healthcare.

See, at work i've been taking alot of smack for my support of the recent healthcare reform :/

not cool.

But hey, it is what it is. To be honest I dont think "Obamacare" goes FAR ENOUGH. I'm saddened there wasn't a public option in the bill - and that the Democrat's who preach "for the little man" are forcing everyone to buy into Capitalism and purchase a Corporate Product. (Health Insurance. pay attention.)

I would like to see West Virginia follow the lead of Hawaii and Mass. and go Universal coverage outside the current Washington Reform. There's this program called, "WVRx" it's for the massive sector of impoverished West Virginians, to afford medication and discounted Doctor's and what-not. I say we expand this program, make it a buy-in option all employer's must offer their employee's (at no cost to the employer) for 50 bucks a month, flat rate regardless of medical condition.

The math is simple: if 1,000,000 West Virginians by this insurance - thats 50,000,000 in Revenue a month, 12 months in a year - 600,000,000 a year. How much is West Virginia's medical burden? In any case, should the cost's out-weigh that we can tap the medicaid funds - considering few Doctor's (and fewer Dentists) even take the program. -WVRx must be accepted by all Doctor's and practicing physicans.

That's Government take-over right there, Sara Palin. The old system leaving 50million uninsured with another 250million victims to Corporate Greed was just unacceptable.

But then again, I was the victim once. So technically, according to Republicans, im a "special interest group" and a "socialist sympathizer" Let me explain:

In 2006 during a routine check-up my former Doctor noticed in my blood tests my Liver Enzymes were elevated. He determined (before testing) I had - Hepatitis. I flipped out. I was young, and terrified of havin this kind of STD, or worse - where it came from. Surprise Surprise, two weeks later - I was negative, more blood work showed my Enzymes were still elevated, though - so he ordered another Hepatitis test.

This continued for 11 (ELEVEN) Negative Hepatitis tests. Finally, my mother and I decided I needed a new Doctor. Shortly after switching Doctor's - a year later - it was discovered my liver was inflammed and scarring at the micro-level, a biopsy and some whicked blood testing later - my new Doctor believed I had an Autoimmune Liver Disorder, he belived my immune system was wrecking havoc on my liver for some reason or another, he wanted me to see a liver expert (liver transplant guy, and what not) at UVA in Charlottesville, Va. The appointment was scheduled for January 2007 - I pleaded for an earlier date, because by then I would be then too old to be on my Dad's Cadillac Healthcare Policy. But they were booked. I was terminated from the policy ON THE DAY I turned 18 because I wasn't enrolled in college.

I paniced. I tried to get insurance through a local policy runner at Morgan & Morgan Insurance, they practically told me I was garanteed to be on the policy by time the UVA Dr. Appointment rolled around. So I flopped down my first month policy premium ($155.00) and went on about my mary way.

A month later - 3 days before my UVA appointment in Charlottesville - I got a letter. I had been denied coverage because of:

CONDITION, PRE-EXISTING.

the letter included a check for my full-first month policy premium refunded, and instructed me to go to the health department for the reason(s) of my policy cancellation(s). I went to the Greenbrier County Health Dept. to find they had found 7 (SEVEN) "pre-existing" conditions, including - an Allergy to Penicillin, and an "unknown rash" in 1999, and of course the Liver problem. I cancelled my UVA appointment.

I was, uninsured. My home life was chaotic - Working minimum wage, maxium hours, living on my own, but I refused to quit the fight - I went to DHHR. Filled out the application for medicaid, and waited. and waited. and then I got the call - I was declined, saying, Though I was living in poverty, I had to get PREGNANT before they could give me Medicaid. Or become disabled.

I stayed uninsured. For 2 years. Until I went into the mines. With that Blue-cross Blue-shield card in hand, I quickly went to the Doctor to find my blood pressure and Cholesterol were out of whack - so off to a Cardiologist, then to the Liver Specialist to find my liver had taken on a brutal beating and was damaged, and by time I am 30, I will need a transplant. The disease in its onset could have been treated with a cocktail of drugs, and evaded this fate all together, but I was swept into the cracks of a dysfunctional system that only wants to insure the healthy. I was upset, but it is what it is - I went to afew follow-up visits. Maybe 6 total.

Then work got wind of my "frequent" doctor visits.

I was called into the HR office to 'discuss a matter'. The HR lady that deals with Blue-cross told me I needed to stop going to the Doctor so much and having so many "medically unneccessary" test's done. I was shocked. It's cool for 45 year olds to get these stress tests, cholesterol screenings done, but when a young male goes to have them done, its "medically unnecessary"?

Why does my employer have the right to see what im doing with the insurance, anyway? Is that really any of the coal mines business? No matter, I would be laid off shortly after, only to work for a contractor in the mines - my current job - and once again, im uninsured - as I type this.

I feel cheated. I cant afford these elaborate tests, and the ER (my doctor now) doesn't have the know-how to perform them. So, by a Corporate Death Panel - Im to 'expire' at or around 30 years of age. Because im not rich, Because I came from an impoverished family that couldn't send me to college so I could obtain a good paying job with benefits, because I wasnt a "Greenbrier Scholar" in High School to get grants to obtain such.

Should "Free Enterprise" business practices also apply to the lives and well-being of the citizens in this country, too?

I say no.

Had Obamacare been implemented in 2006, I would have had only one negative Hepatitis test, saving me a year of run-around. I would have gotten treatment at UVA because I could have remained on my Dad's policy, and even if there was a loophole for his insurer to jump through - I could have entered the high risk pool to buy insurance on my behalf so I could've gotten the help I needed - or got that medicaid because I was 18 and living on my own on a minimum waged job. But it wasn't. It might be too little, too late; but I hope when I do approach my "expiration date" I'll have insurance of some type to see me through so I can raise a family, just like the rich people. They're not the only one's paying for my healthcare, I will be too. And you know what? I'll help pay for their's too. Love thy Neighbor, as they self, right? Everyone deserves a right to live a healthy life.

Whew! No Flood.

2010-03-14T12:16:00.000-04:00

ALDERSON- The Greenbrier River moves swiftly as snow melt and heavy rain swell area streams and rivers

Yeah, that says it all. We were spared, I mean I was kinda worried man! I just moved, and have no flood insurance whats so ever, and we've been livin here like, a week no joke. Funny thing though is, where I used to live? Yeah, it flooded there. This is Pax, near my old house; anyone who has been to Plum Orchard Lake or taken the backroad to Mossy have seen this place unflooded:

I wanna say..."see what strip mining does?" considering the Greenbrier River didn't flood (no coal mines exist on the Greenbrier's banks) in par with the fact Pocahontas County had like 50 inches of snow pack that melted. No flood. Paint Creek, however; had no snow pack. just rain, and it flooded. big time.

-_-

Moving and it's toll...

2010-03-12T23:44:00.000-05:00

Been busy lately - moving. as I sit here in my new humble abode, overlookin the Greenbrier River sippin on some redneck-styled latte (dont ask about the ingredients, cause they probably aint anything that's in an actual latte) I begin to realize its been about 2 weeks since I was able to do just that - plain ol nothing.

And that river I spoke of? Is trying to turn the tables on the status quo of who is overlooking who. Meanin - Flood Warning.

I’m not exactly stoked about the river checkin out my new crib, or soakin my new furniture with muddy water (and old furniture for that matter) but it is, what it is. The Greenbrier River needs to crawl the river bank another good ten feet or so before its on my porch steps - I glanced at the radar to see all kinds of colors from Green to Red with a dead-on keen interest of dumping tons of rain on my house. Not good. No idea how much snow is left in Pocahontas County from the original 43inches last week...I hope none.

If the river doesnt pay my house a visit as an unwelcomed guest this weekend; I hope to catch-up on Candidate Questionnaires (i've missed like 20 endorsements by moving and not focusing on the campaign) and then do more of nothing, maybe play the Wii, or go retro with some serious one-on-one bonding time with my Sega Saturn. Hard tellin'

"we don't wanna look like Beckley"

2010-03-01T03:15:00.000-05:00

So says one of the plaintiffs before the county commission gave way to a few folk's stubborn ways. I dont want Lewisburg to look it does now ate alive with traffic; it's time we fix our traffic troubles and continue our responsible and to-date successful business expansion. This ruling blocking more potential business is just another sign of the times: we need new leadership.

Yet...Another...Blizzard

2010-02-25T23:29:00.000-05:00

Course, this is the "official" Blizzard. Since there's apparently all these certain qualifications to a "blizzard". December's snow storm isn't technically a blizzard cause it lacked high winds.

This time, however, that's on the menu, and so far the only entree' this storm is serving.

No matter.

I'm sick of snow - I think they've had 11 or 12 instructional school days since the winter began unofficially with the "December blizzard" on December 18, 2009. I've missed more job interviews, days of labor with Atlas than I care to count since then, too. Many of errands were never run, because of the white stuff.

I'm sick of it. Hopefully by August it'll be gone, and once more I can savor the smell of a summer night, hearin them katydids, drinkin some Budweiser castin my line into the dark by night New River hopin for a Mudcat, pitchin my tent and tellin lame stories by the camp fire, yeh buddy, that's the stuff right there.

Man, I got some Cabin Fever and just talkin bout Summer makes me retract anything I've said about how I love snow, and the cold winter. I did in the moderation's we had in years past - but not like this, by god.

Soon though, soon i'll be able to enjoy the nicer aspects of nature.

Death of my Valentines.

2010-02-22T15:55:00.000-05:00

While many were nom'n at luxurious restaurants, and eatin chocolates and crap - I was celebratin' National Single Awareness Day.

my first since like 2004, man.

I did manage to buy moma and afew single ladies in my inner-circle some Valentines. Because ya know, they need to know not all men are arrogant pr*cks.

I was nifty bout it, too. Instead of cut flowers that die in a week - I was going beyond, well into the good stuff - live and well, potted plants. Indoor plants add color n shit to a house, as well as remove up to 85% of household air pollution*

and die within a week.

Both the roses and tulips purchased for their longevity - are dying.

I musta done something wrong? maybe while puttin new tires on the truck the plants met the cold outside and it killed em off? or maybe the cooler 2hr drive from Fayette County to Greenbrier County killed em off?

No matter, the death of my Valentines is eminent. Should just got cut flowers?

Stayin Busy, yeh buddy.

2010-02-20T23:06:00.000-05:00

This week has been hectic.

I talked to a guy from Progressive Coal hoping to pick-up a darn-good job, with flexibility for my "soapboxin" since Atlas calls me for work when...well...whenever they want. Plus its closer to home (only 74 miles 1-way now! woohoo!) but im not gettin my heart set on it, otherwise it'll just fall through.

Had afew "face plants" at the AFL-CIO interview Friday night. Made afew good pointers, but met alot of roadblocks too. Im new to the scene of politics, an outsider, an underdog with little or no credibility to win anything other than the cliche comment - "its so nice to see young people involved in the election process..." but beware - this youngin learns quick ;)

Which brings me to the weekend wrap - drove all over the southeastern half of this state today, then offically gave my campaign the teeth it needed tonight with a meeting of grassroot folks at Rudy's. Now, the game is on, son!

Church tomar, then more of the same Monday - gettin people registered to vote 'n stuff. Talkin to the guy at Progress Coal again, etc. etc.

Change is coming to....Greenbrier.

2010-02-07T19:39:00.001-05:00

Alot of voters have asked me where I stand on the issues of this or that. Here's a list.

Personal Issues: Traffic in Downtown Lewisburg. I will try my hardest with the political capital given to me by the voters, to "bring the pork home" in hopes of restuctoring the traffic flow in Lewisburg and Fairlea to alleviate traffic jams at Rt 60 junction in downtown Lewisburg and southbound Route 219 at the State Fair grounds.

I will proudly protect and stop any attempted changes to The Greenbrier Casino. This Casino is vital to our local Economy.

Coal and Strip Mining: as an underground coal miner myself; I realize coal and its industry are a key economic structure vital as well as critical to West Virginia. I'm not a fan of strip mining; however, i will leave "well enough" alone, as any changes to the mining industry in this sensitive economic downturn we currently experience would be lethal to the employment and taxation the industry provides to the state.

Unions: I will co-sponsor and/or sponsor any state-level equivalent to the greater Federal Legislation (being stopped and hindered by House Republicans) the Employee Free Choice Act.

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients: I will co-sponsor and lobby for this piece of legislation.

The Windmills: There's nothing we can do to stop this tourism-killer, now.

Tourism: Will support a healthy budget to promote Tourism in the Area.

Budget: I will work my hardest to ensure the budget is fiscally responsible, I will NOT support anymore "ATV Special Sessions" I believe people will ride their ATV's any way they deem fit.

Ronceverte Annexation: Ronceverte doesn't need to annex Organ Cave. Ronceverte needs to focus on rebuilding it's downtown district to promote a sustainable Main Street Economy.

...and as always I'll happily respond with my solution and/or stance on any issue you may hold personal to you :)

Im tired already

2010-02-07T19:26:00.000-05:00

Ive been a candidate for like two weeks man. And im poofed! No joke, buddy. First all this paperwork! Frieting over my ethics paperwork. Then the endorsement papers come, naming and electing a treasurer.

Now - the endorsers want - my weakest ability - an ESSAY. Essay about why i deserve their endorsement and what i would do for the betterment of their special interest. Lord. Lord. Lord.

Do endorsements really matter? Iono.

But here's to my stress relief. I need a good essay writer asap. I write sumtin and you make it pretty :)

Bible Thump'n Tea-Bags.

2010-02-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

I hate Radical-Anythings. I hate Radical Liberals (ya know, the ones that think the term Affirmative Action was built into the constitution) I hate radical Republicans (the ones that believe HIV is a cure for Fags, Holocaust was the jews buying off hollywood to attack christians) and im particularly beefed with Tea Partier's.

I call em the tea baggers, sexual pun is encouraged and intended.

I dunn get 'em. I dont understand, and I dont wanna understand. I dont want you to understand, neither.

All I know is - they hate big Government, hate taxes, but also hate the deficit, hate social programs, but also hate to see people suffer. Contradiction Convention.

Sounds like Fundamentalist Christians.

You know what I dont like? Fundamentalist Christians. Sorry sweetpea, god didnt bless you with so much money. Bible says money is the root to all evil, money is even one of the 7 deadly sins, I doubt god gives away money. Especially if you intend to steal people's kids in Haiti. And? while your out hatin on your neighbors because their not exactly like you, remember the bible said 'love thy neighbor as thy self' :)

Back to my tea-bags.

So Thats what they remind me of - the Fundamentalist Christian. I saw the connection when their leader spoke this mornin' (Fundamentalist President) Pat Robertson. He said he was grateful to see the people of the tea party movement gather for the lord.

Whoa! Whoa!

Someone please tell me the tea-baggers aint fundamentalist christians??!! Why cant fundamentalist christians be more like me- the so-called Brighter-Day Southern Baptist? Ya know, the Christian that rebuilds someone's house after a catastrophe and open soup kitchens without preachin' and forcing your patients to get saved.

The ones that are all about Wearin Blue jeans and a Roper oxford to church with cowboy boots, my hat removed and perched on my knee. (jesus wore rags, after all. No suit needed) The preacher speaks after the bluegrass gospel performance, he speaks of some scripture and that's about it. Then the Fundamentalist Old Timer Preacher has some words to say - Of course, at this point, i'm sleepin in the back pew waitin on sunday dinner at maw maws. Aint gonna lie. I only stay awake when this preacher has something to say away from Obama is Antichrist, The End of Days is here, and homosexuals are the devil's demons in disguise. Snore. Other's in our congregation dislike this guy, too. He paid for our church fund, however.

Away from church Ima say a prayer at night, 'n a prayer when im bout to lose somethin important to me. Thats it. Maybe thats why the Fundamentalist Christian says im not right with the lord (thank you for knowing, err judging; my exact relationship with him, however.)

Back to Tea-baggers. They do the exact same thing. I preach fiscal responsibility in the state budget by balancing taxes and pork between north and south in WV, cutting out special sessions and I get mocked by some tea-bagger "but your a Democrat".

And? your a jackass Republican (maybe Fundie Christian) changin your name so people notice you.

All about - scrip

2010-01-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

Afew passer-bys have recently asked me about Scrip and everything I could possibly know about Greenbrier Smokeless and New River Coal Company, each having a scrip token from both of these said Roosevelt-era Coal Camp Baron's.

As their names imply, NRCC (New River Coal Company) was a major Coal Baron in the New River Coal Field, and Greenbrier Smokeless was a player in the little-known about Greenbrier Field, though I think Lecky & Lecky (locally known as Leckie Smokless) was the biggest player there in Clearco (a ghost town in the woods near cold knob). Here's the coal field map:

Anyhow, Scrip.

Company scrip was a credit against the accrued wages of employees. In the United States, where everything in a mining camp was run, created and owned by the company, scrip provided the worker with credit. Workers had very little choice but to purchase meals and goods at a company store. In this way, the company could place enormous markups on goods in a company store, making workers completely dependent on the company, thus enforcing their "loyalty" to the company, a very effective measure to prevent nonsense like unions.

Each company had their own scrip, and as noted, could only be spent at their company store. Example; taking Greenbrier Smokless scrip to say the Oakwood New River Store [still standing today] you probably wouldn't get anything. This forced the miners to sign onto a company and pretty much work themselves to the bone at the mine. Also of note, in Raleigh (the then-large town in Raleigh County before Beckley) there was actually a scrip-for-cash place, but the markup was pretty bad, im thinking like 5.00 in scrip to 50 cents. The building where this took place is still standing today, it was a small booth in the building across from the NRCC Store, the one with the Swastika's on it. (Of no relation to the Hitler Swastika, the building was built in the 1800s) Miners only made about .35c - $1.18 of scrip an hour, depending on where they worked and what era they worked. Either way, it was pretty bad. My maw maw says my Great Paw Paw made about .55c an hour in Stotesbury, part of the Winding Gulf Field. Most of their clothes were handmade, as the Company Store only had clothes fit for a Mine Boss. If they sold clothes, at all.

The New Deal, and several Union takeovers practically ended the use of scrip by the 50s, and company stores and housing were gone by the late 60s, in comparison, the average miner makes $26.25 an hour with around 1yr experience (not a red hat) as of 2009.

On a side note; a reader suggested that the Greenbrier Valley is much different than the rest of the state in the means of hospitality and cleanliness. if you notice on the map above, no coal was ever mined in the Valley (Monroe, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, portions of Summers) the Valley has made its own way economically without coal. This is kind of a good thing, considering today the coal fields have become ate alive with drugs and drug-related violence, and the boom and bust of coal that has left the area impoverished.