Mid-Atlantic Storm

[Barbaro06]

I get so sick and tired of the anti-gambling crowd, it's not even funny. If you choose to bet your last dollar on a horse or buy a lotto ticket, that's on you.

My dad didn't like gambling, but he didn't tell me I could never buy a lotto ticket (he got into the lotto in Arizona) or bet on the ponies. I also have a rule, what I win goes in my right pocket and there it stays. I also know when to quit. I know people get addicted to gambling, but there's help for that nowadays.

Funny thing is there is a rich racing history in Virginia...those who preach against gambling probably had ancestors who raced their best stock, hell, even their "everyday" horse on the dirt roads. I'm sure they wagered back then too!

Yeah, I want to see how McDonnell deals with our transportation woes without raising taxes or cutting more services to the bare bones. Hopefully he'll reopen the rest stops so people don't have to stop at Mickey D's or Taco Bell to go to the bathroom as they travel I-95.

[Joltman]

I think its possible to be a religious conservative and not necessarily a prude at the same time. There is much evil that can come into someone's life through horse racing. Out of control gambling can ruin one's life and family. So can overwork, or any of a host of other evils. Same can be said of any major league sport. There is probably a lot more bet on Notre Dame football than on all the races put together any given Saturday. They won't be shutting down ND football for a while.

So, its how you approach it - faithful marriage or sleeping around, a well enjoyed alcoholic beverage or getting blasted on a mindless binge, a few dollars invested in a sport of special interest or dumping the rent money and hoping against hope.

Anybody that's been aboard a full striding horse knows the special joys of this game, and there's something that special in life about it. I think Robertson knows that experience and would be hard pressed to condemn racing outright. I remember seeing him mention the Derby on a 700 Club broadcast years ago

jm

[Barbaro06]

As the old saying goes, everything in moderation!

[Shammy Davis]

JM posted:

. . . Anybody that's been aboard a full striding horse knows the special joys of this game, . . .

I knew it. You are very short and underweight and you use to be a jockey.

[Joltman]

Nope, but it might have been a blast to take a spin down that road less traveled

jm

[griff]

Shammy Davis

i voted for McDonnell as the less of the two evils but the published goals of the Regents University Law School scares the hell out of me.

griff

[Joltman]

hey Griff

Well he wasn't adverse to showing up at Cnl to pick up a few votes. Kinda doubt that he wandered over to the windows or the backstretch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37GgGXRofow

jm

[griff]

Yes, but he did have the guts to show up at a race track.. I'm impressed.

griff

[Shammy Davis]

Griff, you will be alright w/McDonnell. Just think $ and cents and let the moral issues work themselves out.

Tim Kaine didn't help the state any. Remember the traffic finess for only Virginians. How about the $5 surcharge if you went to DMV office rather than use the internet or telephone.

They seem like little things, but they are taxes and penalties that TK was going to single out for his own state.

If Deeds and the Democrats couldn't run a winning campaign, then they don't need to be running our government.

[Barbaro06]

People don't like taxes, so the money has to come from somewhere be it stupid fees or speeding tickets.

The Spotsy County Board of Supervisors got smart and voted to join VRE. I would suck up a gas tax to build a new railroad station so I can get my arse to work rather than sit in my car or be tailgated by some idiot who thinks I-95 is Richmond Motor Speedway. You ain't draftin' my friend, you're looking for an accident.

We'll see how the next four years go in VA.

[Shammy Davis]

Oh, Barbaro06, I had such high hopes for you after you moved to VA. I guess we'll have to keep the subject focused on the TB and move the rest of our lively discussions to one of the following boards: Politics; Off the Wall; or Everyday Life. I guess we can blame this on Griff because he thinks every conservative is a Pat Robertson/Jerry Falwell think alike. We don't want to turn the world into millions of Chicken Littles.

As far as TB horseracing, VA was not a step up for you. This is a state that can barely squeeze 40 days out of Colonial Downs for TB racing, but can up the fine for VA traffic violators while allowing the out of state drivers free range to avoid fines. Fortunately, this law was repealed, but you still can't walk into a VA DMV office w/out paying a $5 user surcharge. This is a regressive tax. The only way around it is to be computer literate, wait on the mail, or not own a motor vehicle.

Our farm is on state road which is not paved. The current administration for the past year under Tim Kaine has curtailed state road maintenance on all unpaved rural roads under the auspices of budget restraints and shortfalls. That means my pot holed muddy road is no longer your problem, it is solely my problem. There are some pot holes that I can drive around, other I can't. I often amaze myself that I can pull our horse trailer through the mess. If I get stuck, it is not your problem, it is mine even thought taxes should be going to maintain it.

Simply, my taxes benefit you, but your taxes don't benefit me. Isn't that what the Democrats in our U. S. Congress are doing w/medicaid in NE. Let's give NE a free ride so we can pass this bill and tax the other 49 states.

You just moved here. Give yourself some time to experience the more costly realities of VA government and we can discuss this someday down the "unpaved" road. Oh, I forgot you live in the suburbs w/street lighting. Well, I'll have to wait on your learning curve. Have you thought about moving to a rural farm in country w/no traffic lights. Your drive will be longer to work, but you won't have to stop. Otherwise, Happy New Year.

[griff]

Hold on there Shammy Davis

I voted for Goldwater [twice] and I sure and hell did not vote for our present fearless leader.

I did vote for Warner to replace Warner and am totally under whelmed with the politics of the Virginia Republican party. I don't think I'll ever get over Melanie Rapp being appointed to replacie Marlyan Davis as State Senator "because she worked so hard at keeping the headquarter clean". Rapp's credentials were a job as substitute teacher and a book keeper for a 5 person business, plus a hit and run conviction.

Never ran anything, never had to meet a payroll or supervise another human being but our VA Republican Party appointed her to the State Senate. I think it was because she used three syllables to pronounce god.

griff

[Shammy Davis]

Griff, you are a hard person to read. I've been following your comments on the Christianity thread. It sounds to me like you don't know where you stand politically, but my gut tells me you have got connections in VA government. Can you get my road fixed? I'll bet you voted for Tim Kaine. He's got a few days left in office. It's about time he did something constructive. Fixing my road would be constructive.

On a more serious side for you, Joltman, and myself the temperatures are going to drop throughout the week and guess what? More snow by Thursday. Why are we wasting time talking to Barbaro06? He can catch the train to work. I've still got to get the ignition working on by tractor. Have you ever tried to get a competent mechanic to drive an hour to fix your tractor? I could afford paying for the two round trip drive, its the competent mechanic I have hard time finding in these parts. Well, even if the tractor doesn't start, we all need to get the hay out and water heaters going. Drink plenty of fluids. A man at your age doesn't want to get too dehydrated.

Another post on the General Board refers to Robert Mugabe. I've got to tell you that we need to stuff this political talk to that board. If I were a Thoroughbred, I'd be embarassed that my owners were writing this cr*p.

You voted for Goldwater? Nobody voted for Goldwater, not even the Republicans. I was way too young back then to think about voting. You've dated yourself.

[griff]

Yep, I voted for Goldwater.

I remember that the Demos told us that if we voted for Goldwater the USAF would start bombing Nort Vet. I did and we did.

I also know who John Gault is.

griff

[griff]

Let's take to"{off The Wall" as it does not belong here

griff