AM Radio Across Western Nebraska

As we drove I-80 across western Nebraska we listened to AM radio.  Part of our curiosity is “How do you receive news and information?”  Radio seems like one way to find out.

Music

“We got both kinds of music here, Country and Western.”  Dave remembers this line from the Blues Brothers and it applies to the music we hear.  John Anderson’s “Black Sheep” is a wonderful tribute to the “I’m poor and proud” theme of some Country music. Our protagonist is one of four children of a brakeman on a highball express train.  His parents wish the best for the children.  Three are material successful, a doctor, Mercedes and Japanese cars, a sister who marries a banker.  But John, the black sheep is clearly disdainful of their success and revels in his black sheep status, driving a long haul truck and making payments on his two room shack.

The Dave Ramsey Show

Dave Ramsey is a national institution with radio shows, books, training and speaking tours and a following of millions.  Everyday his talk show airs.  On this morning a Christian, stay at home mother of four in New Hampshire has called in. She has purchased Dave’s book and is working hard with her husband to follow Dave’s advice to lower their debt; and in the past six months they have dropped from $216,000 to $200,000.  But they have just learned that her husband will lose his job before the end of the year.  Dave congratulates her on their progress, asks the details of the types of debt, and instructs her to hoard cash now to help them ride out the hard times until her husband lands a new job.  “Beans and rice, rice and beans,” is his catch phrase to cut expenses.  And he seamlessly intersperses biblical phrases.  But at bottom this is the gospel of living within your means and resisting the temptation of debt.

Not your father’s combine

An advertisement comes on for the latest John Deere Integrated Series S Combine.  It is fully automated with computer controls monitoring thousands of sensors checking the moisture level in the corn, a video display showing the operator the grain and debris as they pass up the conveyor belt.  It will increase yield, save time, and make your work easier.

Huskers Hosting the Badgers

The big football game this Saturday is between the Nebraska Corn-huskers and the Wisconsin Badgers.  Both are undefeated in the Big 10 West (not including the Michigans and Ohio State).  The Badgers are ranked #9.  So the Huskers would LOVE to take them down.  That said, the coach says that the game will go to the team that “finishes it.”  He is referring to the last two years when Nebraska let up at the end of the game giving up leads and losing.

Signing Bonus Job...in the Pen

The local pen is hiring full time correctional officers.  $2500 signing bonus, 2.5% raise after the first year and 10% over ten years.  These positions will allow a reduction in the overtime that is paid to the current officers.

Rush on Las Vegas Shooting:

Rush Limbaugh comes on after Dave Ramsey.  He is hot on the topic of how the “Left, Democrats” are harping on the fact that the gunman used an automatic machine gun. He reminds us that it is stupid to blame the gun, its the gunman.  Rush talks us through a chart he is viewing which shows the trend in gun ownership since ‘94 - a 54% increase - against the number of gun murders over the same period - a 48% decrease.  He concludes that this shows us guns are not the problem.  He warns us that the Left will call him a bigot, an idiot...etc., “they’ll attack me” but they will ignore the facts.

We turn off the radio and admire the beautiful bluffs and a freight train with four engines pulling a ½ mile of cars west toward the Rockies.

--Peter