The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
"Cow dung along the road brings to mind "Septic Tanks and "Springfield Politicians" need'n a good clean'n from time to time"
The Wisdom Of Barnyard Bruke
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. Whilst traveling about the area this past week I noticed signs of an old fashioned cattle drive. The move'n on foot of stock cows from summer pasture to winter quarters for calve'n in January and February. The sure sign was innumerous stock cow dung piles along the road.
Curiously the trail of cow dropp'ns was follered to a set of buildings suitable for winter livestock care. It was learned that instead of horses, mules were used in the drive. Not the four legged kind but the four wheeled rubber tired kind made by Kawasaki. I'm told four or five were involved along with a couple off breeds of some type.
Drive'n stock cattle down the road to different quarters is not as common as it once was in years past. In those days, long ago gone by, most land was fenced in which helped keep the cows on the road and the job much easier. Horses and ponies were used with, in later years, a back up vehicle push'n them along. Special care was used to keep them out of any neighbors yard, which as time went by, were found to be frequently not fenced in. It became more of a problem when two farm steads were across from one another. One or the other of the farmsteads was bound to get a few strays into the front lawn. Cars in a hurry on the road complicated the drive as well and made things enterest'n. Patient vehicle traffic presented few problems.
The drive became more agitated when neighborhood dogs became involved. Of course, they were only protect'n their turf but the stock cows were weary of all the bark'n and occasional heel bitten especially if'n they had an unweaned calf at their side. The result was a wild stampede with the cows tails high in the air.
If'n you had scouted ahead earlier and shut all gates, the stampede didn't amount to much. Otherwise the drive became longer, with neighbors fields receive'n some free fertilizer!
If'n the neighbors farmstead you passed by with your cows, had perhaps a bull or two on his property, the results was challenge'n. One bull tried to fight against the other and it was hard to keep your bull move'n on down the road.
I remember one incident years ago when we were a move'n cattle betwixt pastures in warm weather. A large heifer got spooked over someth'n or another and took to run'n. She didn't stop until she got heated up and ran wildly into the cover of a huge overhang'n old cedar tree.
I went in to run her out and she violently charged, hit'n me in the chest, knock'n me flat on my back. Plum knocked the wind outa me. Ya cain't do much run'n for escape when ya gots the breath rammed outa ya. It's not the best of fun whilst you're gasp'n for air as a crazy bovine is out to get ya.
I got up off the ground several times, barely with what little steam was left in my carcass and each time she would ram me hard back to the ground and whaller me around as best she could with her head try'n to "worm the stuff'ns outa me".
About that time a feller help'n us with the drive came along and quickly sez, "Ya needs some help boss?" I couldn't say yes or no-alls I could do was gasp for air and whaller around with that wild eyed beast.
Now this feller who was offer'n his services was a mighty strong lug of a man with the strength and likes of which I've never seen before or since.
I literally seen him once squint his eyes and pick up one side of a 4010 John Deere tractor at the rear end. I knowed if'n he put his mind to it, he could save me from the intentions of that crazy 4-legged brute who was plan'n on put-n an end to my cattle drive-n skills for good.
I gives my friend a pale but weak affirmation of my need for his help with my winded voiceless head, just as the mean bugger hit me one more time.
Right then, my friend dove in and grabbed her by the nose and ears as she pressed my chest against the hard dried out ground. He clutched that heifer's head as quick as "Johny be smart' and lifted it away from me. Then with a quick snap he gave her bellerin' noggin a twist and silently she fell to the ground, deader'n-a-door nail.
It took me a spell to get my air back--quite a spell in fact. Eventually, I recovered enough to thank him with mixed emotions. I was glad he saved my hide, but I hated to lose the heifer,.
We gave the animal to charity lock-stock-and tail. He did offer to butcher her for me, but I had lost enough steam that I had no desire for any kind of work the rest of the day.
When I see them rodeos go'n on I often realize how lucky for rodeo folk my friend isn't bulldogg'n any of them animals in those contests!
The replacement cost would be all too expensive for the show to keep their economic head above water, lose'n critters to the likes of him.
See'n that cow dung along the road reminded me of something else as well. It reminded me of my septic tank back home. Ever so often we have to clean it out or it won't function properly.
Well, those folks down in Springfield need a good clean'n out fer they ain't function'n properly and, have not for a good long spell.
18 hours before the newly elected legislature was to be sworn in the Democrats rammed through Governor Quinn's 67% hike in state income tax and nearly 50% jump in state corporate tax to maintain the General Assembly's "runaway spending."
One upstate lame duck Democrat legislature was rewarded the next day with an $80 thousand plus government job for her official vote. It smells to high heaven!
The increase will add $1600 to the average family's tax bill. It is questionable if'n it will help job create-n in a state that has lost 374,000 jobs since 2008.
And, whatever happened to Quinn's earlier promises of real estate tax relief to go along with any new income tax increases?
Instead of fix-n the state's 150 billion unfunded pension problem, the bill authorizes nearly $4 billion in new debt to fund the state's pension payment for this year.
Democrats are blame'n the budget woes on the lousy economy. That's an worn out record. The real reason for the budget short-fall is skyrocket'n public-employee pension costs.
Officially, these amount to $80 billion unfunded costs with economists project'n the real cost to be over $150 billion.
Five hundred thirty six retirees receive an annual pension of $100,000 or more with some collect'n more than $200,000. The tab for that alone is $68.2 million annually.
Include'n health care the expense is over 20% of the state's budget go-n to retired clerks, public transportation, Chicago bus drivers and unionized teachers in the big city. Think of where that money could be used in our counties for infrastructure needs.
These unfunded pension plans for public employees have destroyed our state's integrity and honesty. It is as crazy as that "mad heifer" to raise taxes to plug state budget deficits without restructure'n public-employee pensions.
These pensions allow workers in particular instances to retire in their fifties with 80% of their pre-retirement incomes. State funded incomes that were higher in the first place than the average taxpayer non-government worker receives for the similar job.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker now invites Illinois businesses to move to his state. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels stated, "We already had an edge on Illinois in terms of the cost of doing business, and this is going to make it significantly wider".
While Mr. Quinn campaigned on the necessity of a tax increase, the result was twice as large as he promised once he and Madigan got their heads together. Politicians always double up on taxes when they spot an opportunity. As Chicago mayoral candidate "Raul Emanuel" once advised-"Why waste a good crisis".
Illinois is the only Midwestern state this last election that rewarded Democrats for their budget and pension mis-management by re-elect'n them. I suppose one could say in affect the voters are get-n the average family's tax bill increase of $1600 per year they deserve. Additionally, those seek'n jobs may have to move to Indiana or Wisconsin look'n for business's or corporations that may move to those states with the new jobs.
It is enterest'n to note the Democrat tax and spend politicians have passed the obligation of solve'n their irresponsible and unwise fiscal problem onto the hard work'n Illinois taxpayers and made it the taxpayers problem. Solve'n that problem of overspend'n for eight years is proclaimed to be handled later on, rather than at the on-set.
Don't hold your breath a wait'n on that one. Fer if'n you do, you'll likely run outa steam like I did when that heifer hit me, and jobs will be killed just like that mad heifer was.
The politicians are a bet'n voters will have short memories on these tax increases by the time the next election rolls around.
Downstate voters for the most part did not re-elect Quinn. The Chicago machine put him in office this time and it's union welfare voters aim to keep him there with you a foot'n the bill!
Politicians use your taxpayer dollars to buy votes from them two groups to keep themselves in office and on the "gravy train".
Taxpayers send the state more than enough money to run an orderly and responsible government. Politicians have "over spent" like a "drunk'n sailor" on leave for the first time in six months. Now those same government officials ask us to trust them as they force us to give more money.
Well, it is interest'n what some "cow dung" along the road will bring to mind.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke