Where oh where has this blogger been?

The previous post “Minimum Wage” was actually conceived sometime in July when I first read the article. Several other posts were conceived in July yet never posted. So where has this blogger been?

During the months of July and early August this blogger was smoking beef brisket and pork butts in preparation for the annual "back to school" party and a church picnic. Smoking a brisket is a time consuming process. The meat is rubbed with a “not so secret” dry rub and wrapped in plastic then placed in the frig overnight. A charcoal fire is built in the side box of a smoker and piece of hickory is laid on top. The briskets are laid in the smoking chamber and a temperature of 225 degrees is maintained. Every three hours the briskets are turned over using two pig tail food flippers from White Plains, New York, thanks to Ginny. Before flipping they are sprayed with “witches brew” a 3:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and a can of beer with a shot of whiskey or two. After all it is BBQ and whiskey seems to be a requirement. The briskets are slow cooked for about 15 to 17 hours. When they are removed they smell like something your cardiologist would not recommend consuming. They are once again wrapped and plastic and frozen until the event. When the event arrives the briskets are removed and wrapped in foil then placed in the oven and brought back up to temperature slowly. This allows the BBQ chef to mingle with the party guest until it is time to slice the precious meat.

Of course the above process allows plenty of time for a blog post, but it also takes place during the "back to school" preparations. As a building level administrator this is a very busy time. Schedules must be finalized, books ordered and school improvement plans submitted, all at the end of a summer when no vacation trip has been taken. That was the part that sapped the motivation to blog.

The party is over. Although as Robert Earl Keen says, “The road goes on forever and the party never ends.” At least this portion of the party is over and the road indeed goes on forever. I will once again attempt to fall into the habit of posting at least one blog a week, although I think I may play some "catch up" and post a few more than one a week for a while at least. So, “move it on over, cause the big dog’s movin in”(Hank Williams).

-Willi

Minimum Wage Bill

Back in July I read a column from the St. Louis Dispatch concerning legislative action towards raising the minimum wage. It appears that a raise in the minimum wage was “tacked” onto a bill that lowered the inheritance tax.

The Republicans have long sought to decrease the inheritance tax. This is legislative action that truly benefits a very small minority. Why! I have heard that it does not even “kick in” to anyone’s benefit unless they make a million dollars. Like, I or rather my family will certainly save a bundle when this educator takes his last breath.

Apparently the Democrats were gearing up to “bash” the GOP for not supporting the minimum wage. Since an election is coming up in November the GOP formulated a cunning strategy. They would write legislation for an inheritance tax cut and attach an increase in the minimum wage. The Democrats would have to support the bill or end up looking like their mascot. The Republicans would get the long sought after break for their “fat cat” buddies and escape any Democrat assault on GOP intolerance for the working man.

In the St. Louis Dispatch column it was said that one GOP legislator was quoted as saying the Republicans had “out foxed” the Democrats on this issue. I am certain that as he returned to his seat the entire Republican side of the house broke out into a Bob Wills tune,

Take Me back to Tulsa

”Little bee sucks the blossom, big bee gets the honey,
Dark man picks the cotton, White man gets the money.”