Floatin, Politiks, Hippos, And Rattlers.

[jdmidwest]

Went floating with my dad today, his first time in a yak. He has always been into horses, I have been into boats, so most of our summers are spent doing different things. Today things fell into sync and he decided to float with me. After loading up a tractor to take to a repair shop and waiting for a neighbor to come pick up a bale of hay, we were finally on the river at the early hour of 12. It was hot and a front was threatening to push thru, but I still whaled the water with a F13 Rapala. I managed to land several, mostly kentuckies, smallies, and a few redbellies. We took our time, relaxed, and enjoyed the time we spent together. At 74, he took to paddling the yak well. We floated from Sam A Baker to 34 Bridge, a float we have taken several times in the past. I was wanting to go to Bounds Creek, but the tractor screwed us on that one.

Now for the humor.

I have attached 3 pics.

The first is a cry for better public education. We parked a truck under the 34 bridge and I saw the first photo op. I edited the nasty, but the retard spelled Obama, O B I M A... Come on, how could you really get that wrong?

The second came at the end of the float in the same place. When we parked there was a man camping in the field at the bridge by his self. When we come back, obviously several beers later, we found him. As we beached the boats, there was something in the water in the shade of a lone tree rootwad in the stream. Knowing the county I was in, I assumed it was a bloated skinned carcass floating in the water. Dad asked what it was and I responded it looked like a baby hippo. Then it moaned and moved and I saw the beer can and started laughing and out came the camera. There was even a guy crossing the bridge that spotted him and came down to see if he was alright.

The third was near the farm on the way home. Fresh kill, still moving around, except for the fact that his head was smushed into the pavement. For those of you that wonder, if the Yota had got him, there would not have been much hide left. I did circle around to make sure he was DOA, I would have hated to see him suffer. Freshly shed, beautiful scales, 6 rattles and a button.

[Stoneroller]

eff obima too! lol that is awesome.

[jdmidwest]

Well, that just goes to show you, you can post a fishing report on here with some humorous pictures and nobody takes notice. I even added the things that usually stir some up on here with no responses, I guess it turned out to be something other than what they expected. I really would have thought the bloated drunk would have got a laugh out of some of you.

[eric1978]

I got a laugh out of the hippo. The Obima thing didn't bother me because the irony is so sweet. Cool snake. Too bad he got mushed.

[jdmidwest]

I got a laugh out of the hippo. The Obima thing didn't bother me because the irony is so sweet. Cool snake. Too bad he got mushed.

I did not post Obima to rile anyone up. It is one of my pet peeves when someone posts a sign that is misspelled. I really hate the restaurant letter signs that are changed daily by the fine products of public education and have spelling errors or letters reversed like dyslexia. There is a billboard outside of Marble Hill that is advertising a $21 Oile Change.

They really need to concentrate more on the basics in school like learning how to read and write, then math, then science, then history. Instead, they spend time taking performance tests, teach life skills, and sports.

[eric1978]

the fine products of public education

I hear ya, but quite a few of my friends went to private schools, and a few of them are some of the dumbest people I know. It has more to do with the parents and general aptitude if you ask me. I went to public schools my whole life, paid very little attention, and I can spell just fine. As they say, you can't fix stupid, publicly or privately.

[Geoff]

Shoulda brought the rattler back and tanned the skin. Its really easy to do and would look pretty cool.

[jdmidwest]

Shoulda brought the rattler back and tanned the skin. Its really easy to do and would look pretty cool.

Notice the grin on his face, I think he was playing possum.

[Gavin]

That second one is priceless...Thanks for the report.

[Mark]

Sorry jdmidwest, but one of my pet peeves is to hear people making blanket criticism of our public schools . As a recently retired public school teacher having worked at four different school districts and retiring from a highly performing public high school, I am confident in saying that the majority of our public schools in Missouri do a great job of educating student WHO WANT TO LEARN. Teachers can't educate students who are chronically absent, run the streets at night and sleep most of the time they are in school,  or on drugs, and parent(s) at home that don't make them go to school every day or have any personal investment in their child's education or their lives. It all starts at home.  It's a "societal problem", not an "educational problem". The kids that want to learn and have parents who take an interest in their children's education are receiving a quality education.

Probably my biggest complaint with our current public school system is the emphasis on trying to prepare every student for college instead of teaching more trade skills. Most kids don't see being a welder or electrician as a good job.  

Having said all that, I have seen some really smart kids who can't spell or do simple math in their heads - blame that on technology, i.e. spellcheck, calculators, etc. I also think there has to be a limit on using technology to learn. Today, every kid has a computer in front of them for most classes, and all answers are a "google" away instead of developing problem solving skills, higher order critical thinking skills, and abstract reasoning skills.

AND KIDS (AND MORE AND MORE ADULTS) ARE ADDICTED TO THEIR PHONES!!

Rant over and out....