Louisiana Gasoline Tax

Louisiana pays 38.4 cents per gallon in taxes.  Currently, 20 cents stays in the state. 

According to this, Louisiana suppliers sell 6,918,600 gallons of gasoline per day.  If my math is anywhere near correct, that amount of gasoline should generate $1,383,720 per day in road tax money.

Some of our legislators want to add an additional dime per gallon.  For the roads.  I thought that we paid goas tax already for the roads.  What happened to that money?

Coming of the back of an horrific hurricane season and a devastating government imposed Covid crisis, I don't really think that any new taxes are a good idea.

Anonymous, In Comments

 I'm having fun with this.  We have another Anonymous who seems to believe that he or she has all the answers. In pertinent part:

I'm a nurse and I've repeatedly seen the effect covid has on people. You may be one of the lucky asymptomatic ones

Funny you should mention that.  The gal I wake up beside every morning, known to readers as Belle, is a registered nurse.   She has practiced in a med/surg environment for forty years.  Most of my medical opinions are informed by her.  And, I do consider myself to be a lucky man, simply because she lets me hang out with her.  

Belle believes that masking is generally ludicrous, except in a surgical environment.  She goes along with it recently but thinks that it is socially expedient, not necessarily good medicine.  Don't get her started on Big Pharma.

Thanks for commenting.

If standing up for civil liberties is a problem, then I am the problem.

Regional Cooking

 Here in Louisiana, we do a lot of regionnal cooking.  Something that is considered crucial to a recipe is omitted entirely in other parts of the state.  For example, Stuart's comment illustrates this in the perfectly.

Heretic!

One cannot make gumbo without RoTels. Period.

Red Gumbo!  I've seen that in the River parishes and in Natchitoches.  It's a regional variation, and tickle the taste buds.   In some places, okra is added.  In other places a scoop of potato salad is added.  The first time I was served gumbo with potato salad, I was a bit confused.  It' ain't bad, but I'll take my potato salad on the side, thank you.

Jambalaya is another food with regional variations.  You'll find brown jambalaya, red jambalaya, and white jambalaya.  They are all good, ad all different. In central and north Louisiana, we generally make our jambalaya with sausage end fowl.  In South Louisiana, you find a lot of seafood jambalaya.

My maternal grandmother grew up in New Iberia, along the Bayou Teche.  She cooked gumbos, sauce picante, and courtbullions.  My paternal grandmother grew up in north Louisiana and cooked in the German and Scots-Irish tradition.  I learned a lot from both of them, and my cooking reflects that .

The blending of cultures is what makes our cuisine so vibrant.  The cultural and gustatory blending of French, Spanish, Creole, Black and Native is what makes our food so wonderful.  

Leftover Gumbo

 There is an axiom in Cajun cooking that gumbo is best on the second day.  The flavors have time to mingle and blend and offers a depth of flavor and intensity that simply is not found on the first day.

My basic gumbo recipe is here.

One of my holiday traditions is to take the turkey carcass, drop it in a stock pot, and boil it for stock.  Drain it, strain it, and add sausage, onions, peppers, and the leftover bird to make a big gumbo.  Roux, of course, for traditional flavor.  I made this one yesterday and left it in the slow cooker overnight.

The kitchen smells wonderful.  Closer to lunch I'll make a big pot of rice.  Belle has threatened to construct a peach cobbler, but with the pies still hanging on from Thursday, I don't know if she will really make the effort.

Mr. Justice Gorsuch's Opinio

 Much has been made of a recent case here in Louisiana where a pastor challenged our Governor's Covid-related restrictions on church capacity.  On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, and the Governor is touting it as a victory for his restrictions on capacity.

I'm no lawyer, but I suspect that the reason the Court declined to hear the case is that they decided a remarkably similar one on Wednesday.  We talked about it then..  And, they were quite clear that the Free Expression clause in the First Amendment takes precedent over Covid restrictions.

On this rainy, thunder-y Sunday morning, I re-read Mr. Justice Gorsuch's opinion, and it is quite clear.  He concludes thus:

It is time—past time—to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques. 

I note that in the latest order from our petty tyrant, he left the churches alone.  Capacity restrictions at churches are set at 75% but many other venues are set at much more restrictive percentages.  OUr Governor knows that the Free Expression clause supersedes his executive powers and that the New York case binds his hands.  The Court has ruled, and he knows it.

His trumpeting that the Louisiana case was denied is a hollow reed.  He knows where the Court stands, and it is not with petty tyrant governors. 

It's a Two-Fer

 Shortly after Squirrel knocked down her little buck this morning, son Matt got a nice doe on the same lease.

That's son-in-law Greg in the background.  Can't tell what he is doing.  But, Matt got a nice doe and Squirrel got a nice little buck.  Matt shoots a Ruger 77 in .25-06 using the family handload recipe. (WLR primer, 50 grains RL 22, and a 117 grain bullet, either Hornady or Sierra.)

Brother and sister both got deer this morning.  Plenty of venison in the freezer.

Squirrel Gets Her Buck

My father nicknamed my daughter Squirrel when she was a toddler.   She has carried that nickname since.

She got her buck this morning.  While her husband is looking for trophies, she is looking for meat.  Trying to feed a family.

It's a nice little yearling buck,  She took it at about a hundred yards early this morning. She shoots a Ruger American in .308 Win with a Leupold 3X9 scope.

Dinner Conversation

 

Stolen from SondraK.

Black Friday Leftovers

 Thanksgiving is is the record books, for better or worse.  Belle and I always over-cook for Thanksgiving, it's part of the plan.  It's hard to cook a ham, and a turkey, and not have leftovers, especial this year when the crowds are covid restricted.  

But, that's part of the plan.  Friday morning turned of coo and rainy here.  In a bit, we'll go out to the shop and start making sense of what's left.  Belle's Black Friday tradition includes leftover yeast rolls, leftover ham, and leftover dressing.  She'll make sliders and nuke the dressing for lunch.

My Black Friday tradition is to break up the turkey carcass, then put bones and water into a big stock pot.  I'll boil it down, let it cool, and package the stock.  Either Saturday night late, or early Sunday morning I'll take that stock and start a big turkey gumbo.  If you've never boiled a smoked turkey carcass, you don't know the depth of flavor that the smoked bones add to the broth.  

Today is supposed to be the warmest for the next 10 days.  The weather-weenies tel us that a front will move through this weekend, and the temps will start to drop tomorrow, with our first frost on Monday evening.

WKRP Turkey Drop

It ain't Thanksgiving until we see Less Nesman do the turkey drop.

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

Mr. Justice Gorsuch

 The Supreme Court dropped a ruling last night, slapping the hands of the Governor of New York for violating the Free Expression clause of the 1st Amendment.  The Court split along predicable lines, ruling 5-4 in favor of the churches.  And, yes, Roberts (hack, spit) sided with the liberals.

Mr. Justice Gorsuch penned a concurring opinion, with some notable lines.  In particularly like this one.

Even if the Constitution has taken a holiday during this pandemic, it cannot become a sabbatical.

I knew I liked that guy, and if I ever get the opportunity, I intend to spit on Robert's shoes. 

Thanksgivings Past

 Looking at some photos from last year.  Belle and I traveled to New Mexico to visit with family.  Our greatest concern was an impending blizzard in the high country that might strand us there until the roads cleared.

It was a great trip, but it would not be possible just one year later.  New Mexico is under a strict lockdown and visitors to the state must quarantine for two weeks.

Here's Belle and two grandkids about to enjoy a meal at a small restaurant in Santa Fe.   I'm sure that the restaurant is closed this week.  No masks, no restrictions.  The burritos and tamales were fantastic.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year.  We're healthy and well fed.  There is a light at the end of this pandemic.  It's several months out, but it is visible in the distance.  I have a ham in the smoker and the yeast rolls are rising in the oven.

It is my prayer that we all hang on and do what is necessary to beat this invisible enemy.  2021 looks to be a much better year for freedom-loving Americans, and a worse year for those who like living in fear and isolation. 

Happy Thanksgiving y'all.  Lets stay covid-free and look forward to a much better year next year.

Release The Kracken

I don't know if she is chasing ghosts or really has something, but this is really getting interesting.

Drink Milk

 

Whatever, In Comments

 So, this snowflake in comments, Whatever, decides to put his fingers to the keyboard and reveal to the world that he has no concept of liberty.  I'll insert his comment below so you can all enjoy it.

Whatever said...

Your incessant whining about personal freedoms are irrelevant in the middle of a global pandemic. People like you are why it’s still a problem. Grow up.

Incessant whining?  Really!  I've thoroughly read the Constitution and cannot find anywhere the term "global pandemic".

For the record, I know that Covid is real, and I know it kills people.  And, I have done things and modified my behavior to protect those around me.  I wear a mask when it is appropriate.  

I also believe that personal liberty is more important than government restrictions.  For that small business owner, his or her business is essential.  Personal, face-to-face educationist essential.

Fourteen days to slow the spread has turned into nine months of crippling restrictions.  And, from what little I have seen, it hasn't gotten any better.

But, Whatever, if you read the post, I was talking about the time after the pandemic.  My prayer is now, and has been for many months, that when this is over, governors dedicate as much time, effort and energy as they dedicated to restricting freedom, they should expend that much energy expanding freedom.

I think that the next five or six months is crucial to putting this disastrous disease behind us, and we should all do what we can to limit the effects.  When it's over, I want the governors to expand freedom at a dramatic rate.  But, I fear that many governors have become accustomed to their power, and that many Americans have become accustomed to a nanny government that tells us what government thinks is best for us.

Thanksgiving Reflections

 

Louisiana Goes Back to Phase 2

Our governor is taking us back to what he calls a modified Phase 2 in the fight against the Wu-Flu.

He tried to be upbeat about it, saying that eventually, and for what he might be in several months, that we could put the virus "in our rearview mirror".  We can only hope.

It is my continued prayer that once this virus is behind us, that the Governor spends as much time, energy, and political capital on opening Louisiana as he has spent on the virus.  He could start by telling the various health departments to leave businesses alone for 10 months, tell the State Fire Marshal to go home for 10 months, unless something is actually smoldering after a fire,   Tell the alcohol inspectors to take an extended vacation.

Louisiana has seen a terrible contraction of personal and business freedom for the past 10 months, and the least the Governor can do, when this is over, to let us roar without being hounded by functionary, officious bureacrats.  

Closest House Race

 According to Hot Air, there is a House race in Iowa that is down to single digits in the vote counting.

The closest House election in the country is even closer now. I wrote about this race earlier this month. Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks led Democrat Rita Hart on election night by fewer than 300 votes. Then an election auditor discovered that Jasper County had counted a block of 406 votes for Miller-Meeks twice. Subtracting those double-counted votes put Hart in the lead. But then another county discovered it had failed to report 271 votes for Miller-Meeks, putting her back in the lead but only by 47 votes. Now a recount has tightened the race to single digits.

Currently, six votes by the last count.

I remember a judgeship in a small rural parish in Louisiana, back in the late '80s or early '90s.  The sitting judge had died and they held an election to find a replacement.   The vote came out a dead-tie.  Both candidates became plaintiffs and started suing everyone in sight.  Because they had no sitting judge, the state Supreme Court appointed an ad-hoc judge (retired) from another parish to sort it out.

I  happened to know the parole officer who worked that parish, his office was down the hall from mine.  I stopped in to ask about the dilemma, and asked if he was going to take his caseload book to the Registrar of Voters and see how many of his caseload had illegally voted in that race.

"Have you lost your damned mind?" he retorted.  "I don't even want to walk down the hall of the Courthouse."  He lived in that parish, and certainly did not want to be the star witness in the case.

They eventually decided that disaster, and I don't recall how it turned out.

Business owners in Buffalo, NY demand confront health inspector: "Go get...

Some officious bureaucrat enters a building on a complaint and gets thrown our because she is on private property without a warrant.

That's the way it is supposed to work.  Come back with a warrant.

What's Going On?

 The family was talking yesterday at lunch, and of course, politics came into the conversation, and I made the statement that either Sidney Powell was about to unload the biggest crime ever perpetrated on electoral politics, or she was barking batshit crazy.  I didn't see any other options to what I was seeing in the news.

At some point shortly thereafter, the conversation turned to firearms oddities, like the Chiappa Rhino and the Charter Arms Explorer pistol.  

We're watching a political drama play out, probably unlike anything I've seen in my lifetime.  The 2000 election was close, but I believe that this drama exceeds the "hanging-chad" drama because that one focused on bureaucratic incompetence, while this one seems to hinge on allegations of criminality.

This morning over coffee, I'd reading that the Trump campaign is distancing themselves from Powell.  She seems to have crossed some line that is causing consternation and they're cutting her loose.  That same article linked above also says that Georgia Republicans are threatening to boycott the Senate runoff because of Republican shenanigans.

There are things at play here that I don't understand.  But, I don't have time to understand them.  There are lots of things to do today, and I'd best get busy.