Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

I had to clean this up, but here’s the joke one driver told me today – President Obama, the First Lady and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, were flying somewhere on Air Force One. Pelosi says: “if I tossed a $100 bill out the window down to the ground someone would be really happy.” The President responded by saying: “If I threw ten $10 bills out the window, a lot of people would be happy.” The First Lady, Michele, said, “if I threw out one hundred $1 bills, more people would be happy” Up front on the flight deck the captain overhearing the conversation on the open PA system says: “If I threw all three of you out, millions would be thrilled.” And so, the other night, Scott Brown, a Republican, was elected to fill the seat left vacant by the long term Democrat, Edward Kennedy from Massachusetts, who passed away from brain cancer.

If you think truckers are an unhappy bunch, check with everyone else around you. There are so many regulations about to go into effect in so many industries and professions from teaching to medicine to  drugs, it’ll make your head spin. No one knows if  Bush or Obama called out the government against the people. We are being choked by the folks were elected to office to help us. The health care reform “deal” is a disaster. And although I voted for Obama – I did not vote for Pelosi or Reid – the way “they” handled this important legislation was disgraceful. Sending more troops to Afghanistan is wrong. Withdrawal from Iraq is taking too long. The promise of transparency has never become a reality. Unemployment is high. Credit is still tight. Businesses are failing. People are defaulting  on their mortgages. Banks and investment firms are doling out million in bonuses. The other promise – change -  is nonexistent. Someone is running this country, but it isn’t us.

It has been a year of let’s go round and round the maypole. The Congress – both Republicans and Democrats along with Harvard and Yale MBA’s and lawyers in the Executive Branch have shown to us that they are nothing but whining spoiled children. If you are a truck driver, you know what it’s like when your drives get stuck in the mud – how can something so large, so powerful and heavy just not be able to move forward? That is the government of the United States. Bureaucratic, bloated and costing trillions, the time for change is long overdue. President Obama’s promise has not seen the light. I see the President – he’s looks Presidential – BUT – I want to shake him and say: “What the heck are you doing ? Are you listening to the people? Do you have any clue about how we feel? Where did you go? Where’s the guy from the campaign last year?

It is absolutely no surprise about what happened in Massachusetts. Trust me – hold on to your seat belts – because it is only the beginning. I think the entire Senate and House needs to be thrown out. Tagging along with them should be the DOT, FMCSA and every other government agency that should be seeing that citizens get greater compensation, jobs, health care COST reduction, and a military that doesn’t police the world. We must stop them from hiding under the petticoats of everything we don’t need right now because we simply can’t afford it. Taking the trucking industry as one example, drivers can’t afford their truck payments or insurance, but the government wants them to pay more for health, more for safety, more taxes, more fines and greater fees. It’s absurd.

The government right now is in crisis. Why? Because “we” the voters hate them. We’re not going to wait for Obama to change things. The President – well – a nice young smart man – but its time to call a time out, huddle and come out fighting. We need a leader, not an organizer or compromiser. We need a bunch of touchdowns. This dropping back every other week to punt just isn’t working. The last year of this Presidency has been one big Oprah style photo op. One year – 12 months – and where are we? Nowhere. There’s been no change – it been a hodge podge of utter inefficiency, childish fighting and partisan politics. The President says change is never easy and takes time. But just when is some – any change going to begin? American has run out of patience.

I mean healthcare. I don’t know who I have more contempt for – the Republicans or the Democrats. I spent all day listening to C-Span, Fox, CNN and POTUS on both XM and terrestrial driving from, of all places, Washington DC on my way down to Ft. Lauderdale with a load of Canadian lumber. I’ve got to tell ya’ll, crossing the I-95 bridge over the Potomac from Maryland to Virginia was mighty treacherous with all the hot air blowing from “our” Congress. As I write this, the Senate just voted (60 – 39 along party lines) to continue the “debate” on the health care bill. After Thanksgiving “recess” that is. Bless their leetle hearts.

Let me just remind you of my situation as an employed underpaid overworked not-appreciated over-the-road flatbed driver who gets no respect. Right now I hate the company I’ve worked at for over five years. Their stupid stick has become a stupid tree and they’re annoying the heck out of me. I’ve had it with tarping, chaining and the whole flatbed world. I know of a juice tanker outfit that I think would be a nice change of pace for my beat up rapidly decomposing body. If you don’t already know, I can hardly walk because of bum knees and, well, trust me, the rest of me is so bad that it almost gave my doctor a heart attack when she read my blood test results. I need health insurance, badly.

Yes, I do have coverage through my present employer and as such, the treatment I receive and the drugs I can take are at the whim of the company. The president of my company and – or the benefits manager dictate what level of health care I receive and no job, no healthcare. If I leave this company, as I want to, I not only lose the coverage, but will be uninsured for 3-6 months until my new employer’s coverage kicks in. And right now I have no idea what that is. I could be dead by then. And all this makes me and my wife, very unhappy. And COBRA is still not affordable when I’m sit’n at home and not driving the miles.

So today, in the Senate, the biggest bunch of gas bags in our country, argued back and forth across the “aisle” whether or not 2000 pages of health care “reform” is worth debating further. The Republicans, whining like truck drivers claiming the bill is arrogant and would lead to rationing and the end of our society as we know it. The Democrats, claiming it is going to solve EVERYTHING. All BS. McCain, who I lost any confidence in when he chose Sara Palin as his VP candidate, did seem to make some sense. But then, he talks a good game, but NEVER delivers. McConnell, who reminds me of every corporate dimwit I ever encountered, is worthless and wouldn’t know change if it hit him on the side of the head.

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Reporting from Clovis, NM – Cooks Cafe next to the Love’s T/S on US 84 – in the 60’s style dining room are gathered cattle haulers, milk transporters, flat-bedders, a Wal-Mart driver and a few Swift folks sitting by themselves over the in corner. Tonight – the Sunday special – is “real” turkey and stuffing. Not the fake Petro kind. Too much for me to think about along with the cold weather and cloudy skies. It really feels just like Thanksgiving. And I’m NOT ready for turkey day. Holy SAD – seasonal affective disorder – aka depression. Got to watch myself. I could slip into a blue “funk” real easy right now. I order a steak medium rare. I know that will definitely make me feel better. From my chair I can watch the very busy BNSF rail line across the street. On and on go the rail cars loaded high with foreign ship containers.

Well, the group discussion tonight is our esteemed President. Like the ref that throws down the puck for the hockey action to start, I mention the recent letter I received from the IRS questioning my “trucking expenses” deductions and just this weekend the letter I got from some government agency asking me to pay off my student loans NOW. When the carrier I drove for a few years ago went out of business and left the Mrs. and I very high and dry, I had filed and was granted a “hardship” payment plan. Yes, I’m a college graduate, but the degree was and is useless to me attempting to get a job during this and the last big recession. My CDL was my ticket out of a desperate $8/hr warehouse job. After years of trying to pay off the loan and the government taking every refund and stimulus check, seems they’re, along with the IRS, out for blood. And like many other truckers, I have no more to give. I wish they’d go after AIG instead of me. I’m still waiting for the bailout of the common middle class guy. I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath. Read the rest of this entry »

The one thing I always admired about our country were our elections. I see what goes on in South America, Africa and the Middle-East – just recently the highly questionable “Presidential” elections in Afghanistan and Iran – and I think how blessed we are to be able to participate in a Democratic, fair and legal process to select our representatives. I always had the confidence that our elections were untainted, unbiased or uneffected by factors other than our individual votes. For me, that confidence ended back in December 12th 2000. I was on the fence as to whether to vote for Bush or Gore. There were many aspects of Bush that I liked, but nothing about the “whole package” would push me over the edge to vote Republican that year. But in the end, it was not “us” that decided the election, it was the Supreme Court in Bush vs. Gore  – 531 US98.

I have told you many times, that the posts I write are completely a reflection of what I hear truck drivers talk about while they eat at a Flying J or T/A. This is certainly no exception. Well, when Glen Beck comes on FOX or Sean Hannity or some other Republican Conservative speaks, almost always the name ACORN comes up. Bill O’Reilly talks more about the “evils” of NBC/MSNBC than ACORN, but he too has spent air time discussing this groups activities. On the other side of the spectrum, Rachel Maddow, on the more liberal leaning MSNBC, presents the “other side” of the ACORN story. I personally never gave ACORN much thought, even during the last election, and I only discuss it now because I see the “angst” is causes among our community of truckers when it is mentioned on television or the radio. And, if any of what “they” say about this organization is true – specifically as it pertains to voter fraud, then it only reinforces my lack of confidence in our election and voting process.

So, just who the heck is ACORN? It is the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Quite a mouthful. It is headquarters in New Orleans, LA. They define themselves as a community based organization – an advocate for low and moderate income families. Founded back in 1970, ACORN is involved in neighborhood safety, voter registration and health care. According to their website: “their 400,000 members through 1200 neighborhood chapters are: “committed to social and economic justice, and won victories on thousands of issues of concern to our members, through direct action, negotiation, legislative advocacy and voter participation. ACORN helps those who have historically been locked out become powerful players in our democratic system.” The group also has activities in Canada, Mexico and Peru. Read the rest of this entry »

The talk of Iraq being another Vietnam has certainly died down as we finally draw down our forces. An estimated 125,000 soldiers are still operating there. But what about Afghanistan? According to the more senior drivers at the T/A in Limon CO last night, this Afghan “conflict” does have the makings of another Vietnam.

While the President and his “war council” of not quite sure what to do over there – military officers – including the whiny “I must talk with Obama” – Afghan theatre commander – Gen. McChrystal – all “debate” what to do – this weekend eight of our soldiers were killed. And for what? According to The New York Times: “The attack, a four-hour firefight in which 48 American soldiers and 24 Afghan soldiers were outnumbered nearly three to one, has been described as the “Black Hawk Down” of Afghanistan, a debacle whose lessons the military says it has already incorporated in its new doctrine for the war.”

“McChrystal is pressing for a change in strategy that would shift troops to heavily populated centers to protect civilians and focus less on battling the insurgents in the hinterlands.”  But what about the eight men killed and the loss of the families while the Administration argues among themselves. The consensus of the drivers at the T/A was either get out now and forget the place or use air power to flatten the country. Does it sound a lot like Vietnam to you?  I won’t even bring up the Bin Laden issue right now.

Ok, let’s move away from that mess to another mess that was discussed by drivers in Limon. No not David Letterman, or Brett Favre playing against the Packers tonight or the sad fact that my Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-4. It’s health care – again. Now, if you’ve read my past stuff you know I have bad arthritis in both knees. I went to the doctor. He took x-rays, prescribed Naproxen – a non-additive painkiller and anti-inflammatory. He also gave me a cortisone shot. He also told me to give up trucking, buy a brace or two, lose weight and live happily ever after.

Well, the shot didn’t do a bit of good, the Naproxen is not as good as plain old Advil, some knee brace salesman in MN keeps hounding my wife about when are we going to order the $1750 glorified Ace bandage and I can’t find another job right now. I wake up in the middle of the night in agony. As far as the weight loss thing, well, lap band surgery – the best option right now – is not covered by my Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan. The cost would be $15,000 here in the US – $7500 over the border in Mexico, but I’m not taking a second mortgage on my house to get it, and I can’t afford air fare to Mexico City. The saleswomen – sorry – nurse – for the surgeon tells me “well, a bank might give you a loan.” My company can’t get a loan for business equipment and some bank is going to give me a check to rubber band my stomach? She’s loony and just like all doctors and their staff – are completely out of touch with reality. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve said many times that Bin Laden must be sitting on a rock in some cave somewhere laughing his posterior off at the utter stupidity of the people involved in rebuilding the WTC -World Trade Center. He can read the New York papers on line, just like we all can. I’m sure he enjoys the New York Post. Achmed, Achmed! Did you hear what those American infidel fools are doing now? Get off your camel and come over here and read this!

Here’s the latest as reported yesterday in the New York Post: “A turf war between the Police Department and the Port Authority that has led to a crackdown on cement mixers headed to the World Trade Center has only put more trucks on crowded city streets as they take longer routes to avoid the NYPD. The Police Department has set up the nitpicking inspection stations near the site, which only delays the delivery of cement — often long enough that it’s no longer usable for construction.

The Post continues: “According to an engineer at the site -the concrete suppliers are working at night to stay away from the cops. But you cannot see as well without natural light. When you pour in the evening, the quality of the work isn’t as good. Another construction source said some of the cement firms have put on additional trucks, ready to haul concrete to replace time-sensitive cargo that’s been rendered undeliverable because of the delays caused by street-side inspections.”

It took 410 days to build the Empire State Building back in the 1930’s. It took two years to erect the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Three years for the Sears Tower in Chicago. The Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, has taken 5 years to build. It’s almost open for business. That’s a picture of it above. It has 160 floors! 9/11 was 8 years ago and the concrete is being held up in a pissing contest between the NYPD and the Post Authority. What an absolute disgrace.

Back to the story in The Post: “The PA (Port Authority) owns the World Trade Center and patrols the site with its own police force. The NYPD wants to take over jurisdiction at the site now, but won’t be allowed until construction is completed. “I don’t hear about enforcement anywhere else in town, said Carmine Valente, president of the Association of NYC Concrete Producers, It seems to be just focused on trucks going into the World Trade Center site.”

I remember not long after 9/11, “we” flatbed drivers were told – ooo, expect “tons” of freight going from every steel mill in the US to the WTC site. They’ll be plenty of business for everyone and we’ll all do our patriotic duty and get the site rebuilt fast. We would set an example for the world. Yeah right! Never happened. Who knows where the steel will come from. Probably China. And when? Who knows. President Obama is flying back over to Europe, again, this time to try and get the Olympics for Chicago. Might I suggest he climb aboard Chopper One -  Marine One – or whatever his helicopter is called, go to NYC and kick Mayor Bloomberg in the rear and tell him to get that place built already. As just about everyone wanted to do in the beginning – get Trump to take over the project with the sole authority to make it happen. It’s still not too late.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/slieschke/2639039936/

I’ll let you in on a little secret in trucking. I don’t want to shock you or make you upset. I know how “sensitive” some of our readers are. The established trucking media which specializes in reporting dreck, never writes about this. And, unfortunately, America as a whole, cannot fairly deal with this reality of our great diverse society.

Here’s the scoop: many truck drivers are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered. OMG! You didn’t know that? Or did you? If you did, great. If not, wake up and get your head out of the sand. The driver right next to you on the road, at the buffet, in the fuel line or in Wal-Mart just might be a member of the LGBT community. I’d like to say they’re loud and proud, but because of the stigma involved surrounding being homosexual and the absurd misconceptions about just about everything “gay” this is all, well, very much, taboo.

Now, let me say a couple of things here. First, I am a member of the LGBT community. I came out of the closet when I was about 21. No, I’m not gay – I’m straight ( although I hate that term just as gay men hate being called fags) – and a proud supporter of gay rights. The closet I came out of was the one with all the prejudice hurtful unfair other people who don’t want to help gays achieve the rights guaranteed them in Constitution. But, I don’t want to get off track. This post is not about the evil religious right, politics or the almost “underground” LGBT trucking community. It is about entertainment and quite possibly one the best “talk” shows on terrestrial and satellite radio – the Derek and Romaine show – heard nightly from 6-10 PM on Sirius/XM. And many truckers, both straight and gay listen to and love this broadcast.

When I bought my first Sirius radio, there was no Howard Stern or for that matter a heck of a lot of anything to listen to other than music. For days I flipped around trying to find something unique. Although curious, I was a bit leery leaving the radio display on Out Q aka the “gay” channel. What would other drivers think? But I got over that stupidity fast after finding Derek and Romaine – a no holes barred hilarious sex-fest completely open and honest discussion about everything – and I mean everything!

Derek and Romaine (DNR) might remember me as the infamous “MJ”, who spent an inordinate amount of his time e-mailing, texting and calling the show. I grew out of it and moved on to torture other satellite radio hosts like Jay Thomas and Martha Stewart’s daughter. But in DNR parlance, I was one of the “bitches”, and I was hooked. I passed on many dinners, preferring to remain in the truck to listen to the entire show. You may have seen the white circle DNR bumper sticker on some trucks and wondered what it was for. Now you know.

After cancelling my Sirius service and listening to terresterial radio for a few weeks, I just recently turned on the XM radio in my new (used) truck. I was pleased that DNR after 5 years, is still on the air and as wild and funny as ever. I strongly suggest you listen in. The DNR website is here: http://www.derekandromaine.com/. If you still don’t have Sirius/XM, now is the perfect time to subscribe. Most of their equipment is on sale and you can get an affordable deal on the service.

I’m the last person to criticize anyone who displays passion – no matter misguided it might be. Joe Wilson – R- SC – yelled out to President Obama, during his address last night on health care reform, “You Lie”, specifically when the issue of illegal immigrants and coverage came up. The President later accepted Wilson’s apology.

I know that I personally have wanted to shout out all kinds of things from you lie to go to hell to this is nonsense on many occasions during my career. I’ve also wanted to rush over to many corporate execs and middle managers and strangle them until their blue in the face. But despite my own level of commitment to my cause at the time and my high level of personal passion, I could not afford to lose my job. I held my tongue. I might have regretted it later, but I did what I thought was right at the time.

I’m a lot more boisterous nowadays, in my “golden” years, but I’m also a lot smarter and wiser and choose my moments. The problem with Wilson was the this was just not the right time to say to the President anything. It was rude, mean, disrespectful and stupid. What he did was to hand the Democrats a gift. America now has the image of a bunch of rich mostly white middle men aged sitting there in $1000 suits waving their proposals while one of their “club”, acting like a bored brat in school, who didn’t take his Ritalin, stood up and yells out “You Lie.” Of course, Rush Limbaugh today called Wilson a hero. What else did you expect?

Did you ever watch a session of Parliament? We have Congress and the UK has Parliament. Well, their form of government is, shall we say, a lot more “confrontational.” It’s a lot of fun actually. During one of their sessions, both sides are shouting and calling each other names. But that’s England and obviously this is America. And the Congress is serious place. It’s not like the Israeli Kinnesit where members don’t wear suits or ties and sandals are common. Now, I wasn’t there but I’m sure during many sessions of the first Continental Congress back when George Washington was President, someone might have said “You Lie:, but there’s no evidence that ever happened.

Because right or wrong we’re Americans and we’re supposed to have more class – I think they call it decorum. And I would have like Wilson to have done more. If he had to stand up, he should have said: Mr. President, with all due respect Sir, you lie, and we Republicans want to make health care reform work.” But just like a whining trucker who does nothing but complain and offers no workable solutions, Wilson let out a short blast of bureaucratic Republican National Committee hot air, that did noting but hurt his party. And he did on national television, in prime time. The only other puff of smoke that was equally as meaningless was the Republican response to the Presidents speech by Charles Boustany who was as boring as the response given by his fellow Louisianans (crazy Cajun) Bobby Jindal to an earlier Obama speech.

Perhaps Wilson was really expressing his surprise and disgust over Ellen DeGeneres replacing Paula Abdul on American Idol – who knows. For someone to say what he said, he obviously has no respect for the man or the office. He now needs to put up – since he didn’t shut up – and work with his party to come up with health care reform that makes sense, although he seems to have spent the summer doing nothing to advance the cause. Shall we call him the Biden of the Republican party? Whatever. His party will determine his future. And Ellen DeGeneres? Ug.

Photo credit: news.yahoo.com

I didn’t know where the holiday originated, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It says that the first Labor Day here in the US was celebrated back on September 5th 1882 in NYC. After workers were killed by US Army soldiers and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike – the President at the time – Grover Cleveland – put reconciliation with labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation declaring Labor Day a national holiday was spearheaded through Congress – it passed unanimously – and was signed into law six days after the end of the strike. FYI – the Pullman strike involved violent disputes between the unions and the railroads.

So now you know where Labor Day began. Fast forward to 2009. I just drove the 600 miles from wherever I was to just West of Jacksonville. I’m tired. Including myself, there was a lot of trucks on the road. Obviously “we” didn’t have the day off like the stock market, Federal government employees and of course, the sales, safety and operations people who work for the carriers. They’re home, “we’re” not.

For the record, as of today, there are 15 million people unemployed in the US. The percentage is almost at 10%, the highest level in years. Last month, the economy bled 250,000 jobs. Foreclosures – not from the ranks of adjustable mortgages or where people got homes for no money down – but from conventional mortgage holders. Somehow, we – I should say – greedy businessmen are going to have to start hiring 125,000 folks a month in order to stop that percentage from rising higher. Listening to the Labor Secretary on the radio today, telling people to go back to school – take advantage of the “many” government programs available and get “other” jobs only caused my stomach to turn. After she added that Pell Grants are easily obtainable as I try – and I’m employed – to come up with $900 to pay my son’s college tuition because we can’t get a loan – well, I thought here’s another rich Obama “official” living in liberal fantasy land.

Also, one year ago today – Labor Day – the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Combined they hold over 5 1/2 trillion dollars in mortgages. They were given a $100 billion dollar bailout. One year later, credit is extremely tight whether you run a trucking company, an airline or small manufacturing concern. While the Obama Administration continues to oversee these two entities, they have offered no strategy as to how to successfully manage them. We’ll have to wait until February, when they say they will have some sort of plan. Meanwhile companies continue to go bankrupt and eliminate jobs because they cannot obtain credit.

Today, by the way, is the biggest home improvement day of the year. Yes, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Wal-Mart, Target and the rest were open. Their employees celebrate the holiday by working. Today more people “dig-out” their Christmas lights than at any other time of the year. No I’m not kidding. And please permit me a senior moment – when I was a kid – nothing was open. Back then there was also talk of a 4 day work week someday. Computers were going to make our lives so much easier. The way things are going, I don’t think our kids will be celebrating this holiday – not so much a holiday – in future years. There is no talk of working less – just more – and for less money than you probably earned five years ago. If you lucky enough to have the day off, enjoy it.

Photo credit: http://www.oldcitypics.com/images/empire-state-workers-1930.jpg

What a moron of a politician. That would be former Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich. Not long after he was thrown out of office, Pat Quinn, his replacement, this August 14, signed away the ridiculous split 65/55 split speed limit. Blago never wanted it changed. FYI – Ohio did away it as well back on July 1. You can catch Mr. and Mrs.Blago on the View (ABC) whining about how unfair it is that he is no longer Governor. Let’s hope Whoopi Goldberg and the rest of the panel doesn’t coddle them. He needs to be held to the fire.

Now there are 6 more states that need to change their laws. Tennessee comes to mind first, next California, then New York and 3 others. Thank goodness my home state of Florida has remained steadfast on 70 mph for ALL vehicles. Dual un-uniform speeds are unsafe and unnecessary. They have complicated the truck driver’s life for decades. And despite just doing their job, I have no respect for the “public safety” officers that enforce these laws no matter the state they’re in.

Just recently, driving somewhere through some city in Tennessee, there was a tractor trailer that was moving along at about 62 ish. There were a lot of 4-wheelers around him, some trucks behind – I was about 1/4 mile back watching the rear door. The whole pack of us passed a Tennessee state trooper sitting at an angle in the middle of the interstate. All of a sudden, this fool – the trooper – pulls out in his own blaze of glory, grass flying from out and underneath his tires as he accelerated along the median then pulling in front of and between other vehicles – to finally pull the 62 ish going tractor trailer over. This trooper almost caused a 25 vehicle pile up to stop this truck. I wish I had a dash mounted video cam to put the whole thing on YouTube. The speed limit by the way was 55 for trucks and 65 mph for cars. Completely insane. In this case, ticketing the trucker and earning a nice fine for the state trumped safety. And no, there was no other reason for the stop – it was a new Prime O/O – the driver had his family on board with a dog.

I remember hating to drive through Ohio and Illinois because of the lower 55 mph limit. I would see trucks pulled over by the State Police and think how stupid it all was and how someday the bureaucrats will come to their senses. It’s too bad OOIDA let it all happen in the first place. But the repeal of the law was far too long in coming, with the fines just being too profitable for the states to see the light. Along with the no trucks in the left hand lane, 45 mph through inactive interstate construction zones, trucks being limited to the far right 2 lanes around Atlanta and up the NJ Turnpike, and so many more examples, these laws must be overturned. Thank goodness Illinois finally came to their senses. There’s a lot of signs for the IL DOT to remove – hopefully they can make some money by selling all them for scrap.

By the way, if you weren’t following the case – “Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges this past December. The charges involved conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. The Justice Department complaint alleged that the governor conspired to commit several “pay to play” schemes, including attempting “to obtain personal gain … through the corrupt use” of his authority to fill Barack Obama’s vacated United States Senate seat. In a press briefing on the investigation, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald characterized the scheme as auctioning the seat off to “the highest bidder”. Blagojevich was subsequently convicted and removed from office on January 29, 2009 by a unanimous 59-0 vote in the Illinois State Senate. In a separate vote, the Senate voted unanimously to bar Blagojevich permanently from having public office again in the state of Illinois. Lieutenant Governor Patrick “Pat” Quinn was sworn in subsequently as the new governor.” (Wikipedia)

Photo credit is: Charley Gallay, Getty Images North America