montana: ......You Might Live In Montana! - 01/12/09 02:02 AM
Many of you know that I am from Montana...Born and raised.  I love it here...but, I have noticed that there are a few unalienable truths about living on Montana that just don't quite parallel to other areas of the country.  And, with that in mind, I decided to post this list of things that you will encounter living here...Enjoy!
 If "vacation" to you means going shopping for the weekend in Great Falls, Billings, Missoula or Bozeman (while the kids swim at the Comfort Inn).....You might live in Montana.
If parking your car for the night involves an extension cord......You might live … (14 comments)

montana: Small Towns Suck? I Beg To Differ... - 08/25/08 01:03 AM
Many of you may know that I grew up in a small town...and I know small is a relative term to most.  I am talking less than 1,000 people when I graduated high school.  My graduating class had 29 kids in it.  Im talking small town. 
I can remember:
-- having to go to the doctor...walking into the office and being seen right away and leaving without paying for anything because they knew they could send a bill to my parents house.
-- going to the drug store and getting perscriptions for pain medications for my dad and they actually gave them … (15 comments)

montana: Stupid Laws In Montana.....(Yes, These Are Real!) - 08/16/08 05:52 AM
My lovely wife is a paralegal...and being such, has access to the Montana Anotated Code.  (That means she knows the laws here for us non-legal peeps...)  Anyways...she brought home a few of the best and dumbest the other day...and I just had to share.
 
In Montana....
It is illegal to have a sheep in the cab of your truck without a chaperone. It is a felony for a wife to open her husband's mail. Seven or more indians are considered a raiding or war party and it is legal to shoot them. (Repealed) It is a misdemeanor to show movies … (18 comments)

montana: Thank God...Im Not Losing My Starbucks! Are You On 'The List'? - 07/18/08 02:55 AM
I just caught this on CNN...
Starbucks has released the entire list of the 600 stores that will be closing by the end of this year due to slacking performance. 
Once I had heard this, I jumped on the website and found the list of stores.  Actually, none of the stores that are closing are in Montana...a surprising twist considering the deminished economic state that we are in up here. 
Thank the stars that my triple-shot, half-caf, grande, low-fat, carmel, not-macho mocha is still going to be available for only $5 a cup because Lord knows that I surely cant live … (19 comments)

montana: Scooter Sales Skyrocket...Sent Soaring By Gas Prices! - 07/08/08 05:04 AM
What was once considered a novelty by motorists and cyclists alike is now a HUGE deal!
I was in the market for a scooter a few months ago and checked out this machine.  Nice ride...cost around $5k. 
As gas prices have risen, my curiosity about this bike again surfaced.  So, I headed down to ScooterVille here in Missoula to see about getting my hands on a new ride.
NO DICE!!!
They are sold out.  SOLD OUT!  As in, I cant buy one even if they have one!  In fact, they are sold out until OCTOBER!!  (I dont know how much you … (16 comments)

montana: You Know You Are From A Small Town When... - 06/17/08 03:31 AM
A lot of you guys know that I grew up in a really small town...  
Now, "small" is a bit of a relative term...Im talking SMALL.  Like, less than 1,000 people.  There were 29 kids in my graduating class...That type of small.  
If you want to know, its Plains, MT.  ...Tiny little town on Hwy 200 about 75 miles west of Missoula.   
Anyway...I tripped over the following list the other day and nearly hospitalized myself laughing over how true it really is...and I just had to share.You know you are from a small town when...  
You were in … (19 comments)

montana: Funniest Road Sign Ever!! (And Where To Find It...) ****UPDATED**** - 05/18/08 01:15 PM
So...Many of you know already that I am a huge fan of hunting sapphires.  I have written about it in the past....and spend a good portion of my summer at the mine doing nothing but washing gravel and finding treasure like these....

It is about a 75 mile drive from my house to Phillipsburg, home of The Sapphire Gallery.  That is where I go to have all of my gems judged for quality, schedule all of the heat treating that I need and arrange to have all of the treated stones cut and mounted in jewlery. 
But, that is all … (26 comments)

montana: Random Drug Testing For High School Level Sports? - 04/24/08 12:59 AM

Yes, you read correctly.  The school board for Whitefish, MT, would like to start random drug testing for all students that participate in ANY after school activity ranging from band and cheerleading to football and the AV club. 
Check out this link for the complete story -- http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/20/news/local/news02.tx
Of course, this has sparked a huge amount of outrage in the heavily drug-laiden community.  But, my question is....Why??
I have 2 grown daughters and another one that is 17.  And, I have two sons up and coming.  I, like any father, have asperations of watching them throw the game winning pass or be good … (21 comments)