popgun

You are indeed very lucky to have seen, not one, but two cougars. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission still maintains the premise that there are NO COUGARS in our state. They say there no breeding pairs, and that the only way there could be any singles is for someone to have let one escape from captivity. They say there are no cougars, mountain lions or Florida panthers, and that all the sightings that have been reported have been proven to be house cats. If you could have only gotten that on film, maybe you could have helped some of us persuade the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission that unlike the Sasquatch and the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, the cougar does exists in this state. You have had a once in a lifetime experience, and speaking for all Arkansans we hope you will come back. Most of the cougar sightings have been in bars around the Little Rock and Hot Springs area. (women over fifty cruising for young guys.) ....popgun

I guess it's a good thing you didn't raise too much of a stink at WalMart. She could have called the cops and had them wait for you. You could have gotten a ticket for driving with an expired license. That would have really made your day. Did you already renew it, or you still driving on an expired license? Just kidding. ....popgun

I like what you have done with the window but I think you may need to replace the standard door handles. Since you are running a business, I see a liability Insurance issue with the antlers used as door handles. Talk to your insurance agent first before you throw out the old door hardware. ....popgun

Since I am the only member of this board that is from Beebe, Arkansas (also known now as Dead Bird Town), I'll fill you in on what I know that has not yet hit the news media. The weather was cloudy and cold on New Years Eve, and there was no lightning, or hail picked up on any weather radar or by witnesses. The birds in question, roost in about 50 acres of wooded area very near the railroad tracks. Our winds normally come from the south west, but that night they were south east. I have a little different theory on the bird situation that hasn't yet been discussed on the news. If the birds were panicked out of their roost because of fireworks around 11:30 pm on New Years eve, why wouldn't we get the same affect on the fourth of July? (and why 30 minutes before the fireworks started?) If the birds flew into one another, or hit houses, buildings, mailboxes and cars, why would there be so many in an open field area that is about ten acres with no trees? To be found on the roofs of the homes the birds would have had to nose dive straight down. Sometimes the trains that come through here slow to a crawl and sometimes stop and park for awhile, I guess to stay within a certain schedule. If a leaky tank car loaded with chlorine gas (or some other toxic gas), happened to sit long enough it could cause this havoc with the birds. Four days later, along the same rail line in Labarre, Louisiana, the rail car slows down again or stops and kills some more birds in that vicinity. Now that the dead birds have been picked up the count has gone to over 5000, but that is probably less than 10% of the total roosting population in that little patch of woods. I don't know if the ones found in Kentucky are near a railroad or not, but it would be interesting to know. I'll try to keep you all updated as the different official versions come to light, but for now, That's the News From Beebe (Dead Bird Town), Arkansas. The birds in question were found to be a mix of Starlings, Red-Winged Blackbirds, regular blackbirds, a few sparrows, a Chickadee or two, and one Duck. All of which roost in that small patch of trees I mentioned earlier. Although this incident caused no panic with our residents, you must admit that when a bunch of men show up in haz-mat suits to pick up the mess, it makes one wonder if the residents should not be also picking up the dead birds right next to the EPA guys with their bare hands. Incidentally, I live about 3/4 mile north west of the dead birds and did not have even one dead one in our whole neighborhood. ....popgun

Nothing...Nada...Zilch.. My son and I already learned our lesson on an Illinois hunt that never happened. I'll buy my license local and hunt local from now on. Note to self: (Never again bid on a hunt in a forums charity auction.) Never ever. ....popgun

Seems no one ever reads the inserts the pharmacists put in the bag with the new medications, or if there is no insert showing the side effects the patient is too preoccupied to Google the name of the medication to find out more information. I guess it is easier to just take it as prescribed and complain about the side effects. Most pharmacists will tell you that the biggest problem they have is patient compliance. Any time a patient must start a new medication the patient should find out what to expect, and give the body time to adjust to it. ....popgun

It's about time.... To simplify the story: Back in July, a female inmate sued the State. Seems she gave birth to a healthy baby while incarcerated back in 2003, and during labor she was shackled with one wrist to the guard rail on the hospital bed. She claimed her rights were violated and that she could have had complications, and that her labor pains may have been made more uncomfortable because of being "tied" to the bed rail. The jury agreed and awarded her the sum of $1.00. Her four lawyers said that since she actually won her case that they should be awarded their customary fees, which totaled over $140,000. The Judge heard their case today and awarded them their fees in the amount of $1.50. He said he had no choice in awarding them their fees, because back in 1996 a law went into effect that automatically award the lawyers 150% of the original award. It's about darn time.... ....popgun

buckee is right, it's a macho break. Believe it or not, I had a friend who broke his index finger removing a sock from his foot. I didn't believe it because I had never seen anyone remove their socks by slipping their index finger in the top and giving it a downward pull. Now he had his finger in a cast and demonstrated how he removed his socks, and darned if he didn't break his second finger the same way. Ended up with both fingers splinted together for two months or more. Of course he was almost ninety years old, but his was not considered a macho break by anyone's standards. Hope you heal quickly. ....popgun

Obviously you don't know what constructive criticism is. I'm glad that KAT does. ....popgun

Motives don't matter. You should still never start a poll like this. You want to have a popularity contest, go to facebook. ....popgun

Absolutely not, and you should rethink your motives for suggesting such a thing. I think you just broke a cardinal rule for bringing something like this up in a poll on the open forum. You have a problem with him, take it up in pm's with him and other administrators. ....popgun

Strange that you should mention that. I think the people on here now are just as caring and and concerned about your welfare as they were back in the old days. This thread made me think back to July 2004 when I tried to give a little friendly advice about underage drinking, and my comments were not very well received by, none other than Young_Buck15. Then in September of 2004 the same young buck was worried that his life was over because he had made some explosive devices and left them in a neighbors yard as a prank. As I recall, there may have been a little drinking involved. Sometimes I'm not so sure that you have truly grown up in the realtree forums. You still balk at any friendly advice, even though it is free. Someone said that if you want to brag about getting a new bike you should post it in a motorcycle forum and you wouldn't get any flack. I happen to agree. I have ridden motorcycles most of my life, and I will say only one thing about them. Sometime, one of them will drag your dingy in the dirt, and you had better be prepared for a major hurt. You are young, and you can learn to do a lot of things from a wheel chair, but do you have the right to ask your wife to give up the life you could have had together because of your own selfishness? Think....That's all we ask, and we ask you to think because we care. Ultimately, it is your decision to make, and we will still be here to say,"There, there, everythings going to be alright, maybe we'll hold a raffle to raise money for your wife and kid." ....popgun

Although this certainly is no joking matter, it brings a whole new perspective to the age old question, "Who is buried in Grant's tomb?" After reading the article it is hard to really comprehend whether some of the bodies of our soldiers are miss-marked with the grave stones, or whether it is just the location map that got screwed up. ....popgun

Are you sure it isn't strawberries in Arkansas? I've lived here most of my life and have never heard of anyone able to grow cranberries in Arkansas. Good luck with the bees anyway. ....popgun

I am also one who did not see this show, but I try not to judge too harshly when I also don't know the position of the camera. Sometimes the camera position is much different than the position of the shooter. Of course if it was a scope mounted camera, it would be a hard point to argue. ....popgun

Rather than post my photos again you can just go to this old link. http://www.realtree.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33175 ....popgun

You are right, there are some things we don't understand. Why in the world do I try to give advice when I don't have the facts? You are also not telling us that you have either decided to go for 20 years instead of 15, or you have increased the down payment, or you have a balloon payment that will be due, or the seller has lowered his price. Your numbers do not compute for 8% loan at 15 years for $55000. Without taxes or other cost, the monthly payment still comes out to $525.+ Good luck, and next time you ask for advice, please give us all the facts. ....popgun

I'm having a little trouble following your math, unless you are using a value you have not mentioned. If you are paying $65000 I am assuming the value of the property is $65000. $65000.-10000 down payment = $55000 $55000 divided by the appraised value of $65000 comes to 0.8461%. Maybe you are using a different value for the appraised value or maybe my math skills are whacked, but at least it does not make the loan underwater either way. Still not a really great deal unless the property in question is worth a lot more than the asking price. The reason he is willing to carry the note is because he will realize a total return of over $108000 on the $65000. or $53000 in interest over 15 years. And of course, if you should default he gets the land and house back, you get nothing except the opportunity to have paid over $600 per month in rent. ....popgun

The LTV is the loan-to-value ratio of a mortgage or other type of high loan. What does it mean? Well if you buy a house worth $200,000 and put a down payment of 10% ($20,000), your LTV is 90%. That is 100% - 10$ down = 90% leveraged. Another way to calculate it is $200,000 - $20,000 = $180,000 loan value. Take the $180,000 loan value (i.e. the "L") and divide it by the appraised Value of the home (i.e. the "V"). Thus you get the "L" to "V" ratio of 90%. The problem with the current subprime housing market crash was that many people were getting approved for high LTV loans including those over 100%. That is to say, they owed $220,000 when the house only was worth $200,00 (= 110% LTV). ....popgun

Usually if you allow a mortgage to take more than 30-33% of your take home pay you will be asking for trouble. You can't correct bad financial decisions of the past by making bad decisions again. ....popgun

Your Mother-in-law's estimate is pretty close. She is not figuring the interest at 9% per month as you suspect, but you are just wrong in the way you are figuring it. This chart also does not show Insurance, Property Taxes, and all the etc.'s that are usually combined into the monthly payment. Right now you should not even think of a loan that large at 9% interest. A couple of points above the prime is as far as you should go. Hope this helps. ....popgun

Just got it back today and couldn't be happier with the results. I really like the de-militarized/civilianized version. There is enough of the old personality left to recognize an old friend. Again, another beautiful job by hammerforged. Thanks again Ross ....popgun

REASON FOR LIFE I don’t know how to say it but somehow it seems to me, That maybe we are stationed where God wanted us to be. That the little place you’re filling is the reason for your birth, And just to do the work you do He put you on this earth. If God had wanted otherwise I guess he would have made You just a little different of a worse or better grade. And since God knows and understands all things of land and sea, I fancy that He placed you here just where He wanted you to be. And sometimes you may get to thinking, as your labors you review That you should like a higher place with greater tasks to do. But come to the conclusion when the envying is stilled, That the post to which God sent you is the post He wanted filled. So you plod along and struggle in the hope when day is through, That you are really necessary to the things God wants to do. And there isn’t any service You can give which you should scorn, For it may be just the reason God allowed you to be born. (Author Unknown) I hope this helps. ....popgun

No joke, the Poogle will sell for $150.- $350. You can't sell Beagles around here for that kind of money. ....popgun

Actually, I had a good friend who seemed to be followed by the tornadoes. His house was destroyed one year and he rebuilt in the same location. The following year his new house was completely destroyed by another tornado. This time he rebuilt his home approximately 7 miles east of the first location. The following year a tornado destroyed his new home. He rebuilt on that location and never got hit again until his death about five years later. He always had a fraidy hole to hide in. Although we thought a tornado would eventually get him,it was finally a heart attack, (during beautiful weather) that took him. ....popgun