A question I hear pretty frequently is, “Why a redesign of the admin panel so soon after 2.5?” Those who have attended WordCamps in the past few months have already heard the answer, but for the people who haven’t had that opportunity, this post is for you.
When the community response to the 2.5 admin [...]

"On the Road with the original florida kid" Week49

Hello again fellow truckstars! It’s week 49 and….

…"you’re on the road with the original florida kid "… 

Grandma, Barbie, Pup the Wonder Dog, JT, Tommy Boy and Neil Ray all give a big cowboy howdy "HEY !" 

KITCHEN TABLE TALKIN’- Alright come on in, you know the drill….grab a cup of grandma’s famous cowboy coffee and a chair….let’s get her rollin’…

     I’m kinda tired and my knees really hurt…Why? Well, I started with UPS last monday and ran 200+ packages a day for 5 days straight, jumping in and out of the truck, up stairs, across parking lots, across streets and intersections. I had no idea these guys work as hard as they do….I like the job, it keeps me close to home where I need to be, for now, and the guy I’m helping, Wayne, is a long time driver of 22 years who really knows what he’s doing,….I’m not going to get into a theological debate with anyone about unions right now either….I can tell you one thing, I know a lot of drivers of all kinds and these UPS guys are among the few that can actually pay their bills, and trust me truckstars…they earn their money…

     I got hired as a temp for the holiday big bang, a few weeks runnin’ packages as a driver helper until Christmas, but they tell me they hire out of this batch of holiday people for the positions in the coming year, the next level up being truck loading, also a part-time gig. I’ll let you know what happens. Everyone I’ve met seems very professional, happy with the company and their job….like I said that’s more than I can say for a lot of drivers I know and until now…me included.

I have to tell you….I really miss my F-450….I still catch myself looking in the backyard for it, The Black Beauty, my heart skipping a beat for a second when it’s not there….then of course, I remember….I never thought, after all these years of hard work that they, these days I mean, would be marked in my memories this way….yeah it’s just stuff, but the blood, sweat and tears, the hopes and dreams behind it all…those things mean something to me and the waste of it all is what breaks my heart…..I look to the left of me, I look to the right of me and I see working people’s goodness, rightousness, kindness, and decency stomped down and plowed under every day!

    Who do we blame, who do we lash out at, where do we go, what do we do?…..I don’t know truckstars, I wish I could answer that for you, I’m just not smart enough to figure this all out, (and Please….spare me that bullcrap session that I’m doin’ something wrong here you, uhhh…business experts)….. but I can tell you this….it’s the same old story, one that I’m sick to death of hearin’….lying, cheatin’ and stealin’…..the sons of bitches we keep electing time after time after time holding hands with the corrupt bosses at these big companies, end up runnin’ amuck with our hopes, our dreams AND our money in their dirty little hands….WHY WHY WHY?….WHY are the stories of our lives forever measured against the hopeless ignornace of people who couldn’t care less about our welfare?……

  The deep dark shadow stretching across this land of ours has been cast by some of the worst things folks can do to each other….and I’m just prayin’ for daylight. You? 

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT-  Salt. Or more specifically – sodium.

The American Medical Association says that 150,000 lives would be, not could be, WOULD BE, saved every year if Americans would cut their salt intake in half….yeah really…

True – lots of companies have lowered the sodium levels in the foods they produce, but others have increased it, fast food french fries, and some of the so-called "low-fat" foods being at the head of the class.

     According to a Consumer Reports evaluation of 37 food brands available nationwide including breakfast foods, sweet snacks and low fat foods – the study surprisingly found that even licorice, spaghetti sauce and bagels were found to have much higher levels of sodium than previously thought. Restaurant meals led the sodium "bad boy" list, salt being used not just to add flavor but as a preservative, it’s in msg, (which is also linked to cancer), monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrates, and even baking soda.

10% of the sodium we eat occurs in foods naturally. The rest is added! 

High blood pressure and related cardio-vascular dieseases are primary results of too much salt in our diets.

What do we do?

Read the labels on the foods you buy! (buy lower sodium foods, just add your own sea salt at home)

Switch to sea salt, (Grandma swears by it.), it’s much lower in sodium and tastes better.

Take some on the road with you.

You shouldn’t be getting more than 2000 or so milligrams a day, most Americans take in over 4,000 miligrams a day….

Just take it day by day truckstars and train yourself to read labels! Remember – lower fat and sodium foods will take you a long, long way towards better health and keeping the extra weight off!  

TRUCKSTAR TECH- Next week I’ll show you what to look for in a netbook or a notebook, and what the difference is!

Also – the smart phone match-ups and APU comparisons. 

Until then – My buddy – truckingpopeye58 from chickentrucker.com wants anyone with an ACER to have the tech support number -

1-800-816-2237  In case you can’t locate it. He’s got a netbook and I’ll let you know how he likes it. 

TRUCKSTAR RADIO -  here’s the banner links for the players so you can tune into the show and not leave this great site! :

Get a  www.Skype.com  account, it’s free and so are pc to pc calls with Skype! "The Truckstar Live" is our Skype name, so sign up,(it’s free) and then Skype In to the show!

        I’m usually "on-the-air" nightly from 8:00pm to 11:00pm, sometimes later! Tune in and call-in!

954-603-7561

954-376-8452

New shows coming soon with some of our favorite top trucking sites, like Truck.net, our favorite know-it-all and "seer of all things", (okay well, most things)The Trucking Guru, interviews with cool and interesting people, regional specific weather and directions, a little music sometimes and whatever else we can think of!

     And…of course – YOU! 

*Check out Dan Little and the OOU

at www.owneroperatorsunited.org

The OOU is running a Truckers Toys for Kids Program for the kids a t St. Judes in Memphis, TN. See the site for more info.

Don’t forget about abused kids…..they really need heroes….YOU?                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
PLEASE say a prayer for SOMEBODY today!

Pray for our nation, the world and the "lost"….                                                            I was once lost but now am found because someone prayed for me…….

REMEMBER – No load and NO paycheck is worth dyin’ for…..                    

Don’t ever forget - I love ya…and I’m prayin’ for ya !

    Play nice, drive safe and pull it on home………

  Saddle up truckstars…..let’s ride……

..you’re "on the road with the original florida kid"…we gown…  

Listen Santa, we’ve got to talk.
You can’t just ignore me, please.
Santa, I’m really sorry the DOT did what they did to you.
I’m sorry OOIDA doesn’t return your phone calls.
But you’ve just got to look past all that.
Santa, there are millions of kids who are relying on you.
No, you just can’t stay down here [...]

Could be if the DOT has it’s way. The Bush administration doesn’t have much time left in office, but has decided to make an example of Santa, for reasons, according to the FMCSA, having solely to do with public safety.
One agency, the FAA, did make peace with Mr. Claus, but the DOT refuses to make [...]

With the cost of diesel on the rise, it seems like everybody’s talking about the transportation industry.  Private companies discuss whether or not to charge flat fees for shipping items, and the government is imposing a variety of regulations and restrictions meant to ease the burden of the cost of oil. Regardless of its subject, truckers need to know the news that is relevant to their industry. To bring the news to the truckers, many publications have been launched, some with corresponding web sites. While most of these publications are great ways for truckers to find out important information about their profession, some are better than others.  

For instance, Fleet Owner magazine is an excellent publication that contains all of the information that truckers need to know on a daily basis. From new products to public policy concerns, Fleet Owner covers every aspect of the trucking industry. Both online and in print, articles about new products and innovations allow truckers to learn about the industry’s most technologically advanced products and services. With a special section for management, the publication also lists articles for fleet managers, as well as those about new equipment and general trucking news. In the past, some of the subjects explored included biodiesel and private trucking company strategies.  

In addition to Fleet Owner, truck stops, magazine stands, and the Internet feature many other publications who want to know the latest news about their industry.  Overdrive magazine is another publication for truckers who need to know the most recent developments in the transportation world. Since 1961, the publication has been catering to those who live their lives on the road. In addition to news topics, this magazine offers articles for the trucker’s lifestyle. For example, the most recent issue discusses health care costs, an important issue for many truckers who struggle with little or no health insurance.  In addition to print form, this magazine is also available online for those truckers who like to power up their computers during down time or those who would rather not pay for a subscription.  

Truckers’ News is another publication that offers transportation professionals both lifestyle articles and important industry news. This magazine has been around for quite some time as well, since the 70s and also offers a digital version of each issue. The current issue contains a refreshing mix of articles, from trucker’s interest, an article on how to break in an engine, to lifestyle articles about making money as a trucker, to news and industry briefs.  

While many magazines for truckers exist, these are some of the best that offer enough variety to keep truckers interested issue after issue. Whether you prefer to check out a copy from a local newsstand or to link to the news online, truckers can stay informed relatively easily through these magazines.