One of the few things I have learned and there are many , and that is online there are more scams, and schemes than there are truths. I in both media and in towing have learned if it smells good, you should not always eat it, more over if it looks like a good deal best check under the hood. A few weeks back I saw a small ad on FB from some outfit called My Company Funding, so I blindly followed and said if they could fund my business they could fund any body, so send me the details. So just this past Monday, my complex manager gave me the faxed application. I'm still looking at it, but I smell some rotten sausage here too. There really ought to be a disclaimer that says, NOT EVERYBODY WHO APPLIES WILL BE APPROVED. Especially if your not running credit cards and such. At both Highway Hooker Toewing and SpeedWrench Toewing due to many abuses and credit extensions we don't do credit cards. We only accept cash, or money order from approved trucking and commercial accounts, mostly cash.
Due to a mishandling of funds that started in July and embezzlement, Some bills and expenses were not paid, including shop rent. So I figured, hey maybe I could hit this loan company up for at least $10k, to pull us out of a jamb. So I got to chatting with this cat named Dom, and what I see is we don't qualify, both from our firms number of tow calls, and all. We are lucky if we pull out $2k a month and that's before bills. When you see things that say You can have up to a million in your bank account in one business day, or something to the effect, especially if your dealing with someone out of state or across the states to the east, its a red flag. But at least Dom, tried. Thing is, his company ought to shoot out a check to the company to me for say $1,000.00 for the trouble of waiting a month for a fax or snail mailed application. If I did that , both tow companies would have been out of business years ago. Its something called integrity, and its pretty much a given that , that is a good thing when most of the time all you have is your word.
Now for some big news.
Highway Hooker Toewing is going offline. We are working to bring up both RodeWolf Toewing in both Nevada and western Utah, and SpeedWrench Toewing in Utah, Idaho and yes Wyoming. Highway Hooker Toewing was great in the day of CB radio, and all that but in todays PC world and all it does not work well. The conservative nature and attitude of where we are located does not understand nor care much for that name. So by the advice of my partner at the shop and all some reworking is under way. Even if I do move to Idaho in a few months which is more probable than it may seem, what we were as SpeedWrench Toewing can be us again. Including John Deere Green/yellow/black trucks.
So if you get some offer from an out of state business cash advancement company, run don't walk, run away from it. If your normal bank can't finance you neither can these loan companies.
TTYLY
These I think will be one of the last blog entries I'll make until mid April. I have been busting my hump, trying to get a few of the Toew Bro's Club members and the Knytes to pony up a small loan so I can remain online. Their opinion of western Wyoming is, hey partner you got into that mess figure a way out yourself. I have plead with Shawn, and a few others, yet finding a deaf ear and blind eyes. I started looking and am still very much looking at going back into Idaho. While Twin Falls and surrounding area is too expensive, at least right now , the Pocatello area is reasonable. Not cheap, but reasonable and the playing field is exactly the way for the most part what it was when I left in 2008. For me without Internet and Cable TV or at least Over The Air TV, I'm lost. That small item is what keeps me somewhat sane or keeps me from going insane, likewise without that and the few toew calls I'm getting versus the expense of operation here, there's not much left to keep me here. So I think too its these times that you realize who your real and I mean REAL friends are and just the few that appear to be your friends and all online and on social media, like Facebook. I know Shawn is trying to help but the scavengers and buzzards in Rock Springs circling over him and his Dad make a small loan to me a bit out there. But he's bounded up, and like I said the few club members around this area as well as in Idaho feel, hey you were so damn bright to move up there, you got into that mess, figure out how to get out of it.
Now I realize that this time of the year is tough for most people, getting out of Christmas debt and all, but I also know some facts. If someone has money for smokes, gas, and extra expenses, they most likely have at least a few bucks they could extend to a friend that's busting their butt to help them.
Now then ; Went to the City Council meeting in Evanston here. The guy on P&Z that the city fired, and all that I don't know much about. What I do know is this, what response I have got, was more people commenting on the Dixie flag on my background on my pic online not the issue at hand. One even said something about the war between the states being of racism, and slavery. See that's the trouble with northerners they just don't understand the cause of that conflict, nor do they want to take blame. It's the same thing if you were to be a Native American, (Indian) White mostly northerners wont take the blame or admit to the disaster they did to the Native Americans, kicking people off their land, raping children, and killing for no good reason, stealing food by killing off buffalo and game. Same thing the people are doing to that rancher in Oregon. The feds come in kick someone off their land, take away their way to earn a living and think its okay. Then badger someone because they are not PC, and have a Dixie flag in their home, or in their online pic. My view there? If your picking on me just for that, the question I have for you, is, now who is being racist? If people trash talk, burn and all people who believe in that flag of Dixie and its history, and what it stands for, its OUR heritage, our ancestors, if your hurting us, who then is truly guilty of hate crimes?
Any mile headed to the shower then back to the shop. But there are those that say they are your friends and the ones who just say they are online and on Facebook. Question is are they really?
TTYLY
While I have engaged this before and am praying as hard as I can to regain some of my electronic abilities to communicate, I also think of all these crowd funding things I see posted on social media pages, and I think I can try to do this or that. Yet I either am not making the request properly, or the cause I work for is not , the gifted pursuit, that I think it is.
Now I'm not saying that all causes are wrong or that there are causes worth it, but dang it all to heck, when the Knytes put up a call to action, we get fully ignored. Of course we all as a club muddle through and get there ourselves, but I'd like to see once that cause of ours was at least honored and at least 10 people would kick in say $100.00 a piece, to help us as a group, fix a wrong. Or to raise awareness of a battle.
HazzardAyre Radio and all its parts is something to fight for. Its core is of preservation of southern states heritage and history, but it goes much further than that. Any kind of misalignment of Federal , powers that engulf a nation from the gig in Oregon, or the invasion of the tow snatchers from Utah into Wyoming, HazzardAyre Radio is the ONLY true fight the system, anti establishment anti conformist radio station in the Union. Period. When there is a misalignment of of people who think they are above or should be excluded from the law or laws that we all must abide by, or when a big deep pocket enterprise, takes or is taking advantage of a small or unable to fight on their own the causes of that misalignment the Knytes are there, and HazzardAyre Radio is there as one of the tools, we use in that fight. Look it goes to a core of a old Star Trek Next Generation, episode of beings called the Borg, who wanted to make everybody just like everybody , take away their individuality , their reason of free minds and spirits, to assimilate or be assimilated, the Borg said resistance is futile. I don't buy that. Until some power makes it not so, this is still America, we are albeit with a anvil and a chain around our ankles, but we still are free, to be able to say for the most part , what we want to say, and the right to pursue happiness and make at least a living, living. Right now HazzardAyre Radio is fighting to save itself, we need to raise $1000.00 dollars before the end of the month. To keep operational, we need every American and especially that of those who wish to preserve Southern heritage and liberty to dig into their wallets, and donate at least $100.00 so we can stay on the air.
So dig deep, don't go to the movies one weekend or take the kids to McDonalds for a Weekend, and take that $100.00 and send it to Knytes-of-Dixie 96 East Hayden #C202 Evanston Wyoming 82930, help us to help ya'll.
Okay now lets settle some things that some that just don't dig far enough into history and a monument that is even outside the County courthouse here in Evanston Wyoming. That has a marker honoring The Confederate States of America. The war of northern aggression was not over slavery , although history books written by northerners would say otherwise. The war was over taxation, and the taking of property and tariffs . Not slavery. Slaves were brought over to this nation by the North, and resold to farmers in the south. The south never did get involved with transportation of slaves, yet the north say otherwise. Now I grant you, there has been many hate groups that have used our Flag of Dixie as a background, and a symbol, and I'm tired of it and them, with their pointed heads and swasticker tattoos. They have tarnished our Flag of Dixie. But you can't outlaw peoples feelings, you can't outlaw or legislate history and more importantly you cannot legislate LOVE, we who have our ancestors and family roots planted solid in and of the south, love our southern roots, and need to preserve those roots. Some have said that HazzardAyre is a method of taking away from or being in competition with Ray McBerry enterprises founder of Dixie Broadcasting.com which is not right to say. What HazzardAyre is, is taking that torch and baton and running further and taking the cause nationwide., Ray opened the door and I for one commend him for his efforts, I love the intros of things from Heidi one of his on air people, I love everything Ray has done, but he was unable due to too much work to continue to devote time and money to Dixie Broadcasting. What we are doing is elevating Ray's efforts and putting some Hazzard County style spice into it. Again help us, to continue the effort, please donate to the cause of HazzardAyre Radio, even $100.00 or half that to us now will be greatly appreciated. Again our mailing address is 96 East Hayden Avenue #C202 Evanston Wyoming 82930.
TTYLY
I don't know how to put this, but for a condition that I wish I could reverse, I'm in Wyoming and about to loose much that I have worked for, most of my life. It all started in mid 2013, through a future employee met this gal, who as it turned out was willing to sell to me a used broadcast control console. It was inexpensive enough, and then got a blip from an old school friend in Utah move the radio side of the club's radio network to Utah. So I put my tow truck in storage and moved to Utah. All I did was media. Got all too many promises from all too many people who never Did what they promised. Through other associates found an office that was inexpensive enough in Woods Cross Utah. So moved the radio gig there, tried to reside in Ogden. trouble is my personal company was in suspension. So I was living on simple Social Security and a mild stipend from the club. Then in 2014 in November to be exact, got a clip from a news guy that said that the AM radio station in Evanston had gone dead. So Hey a Over the Air station available the winds under the wings from the club through HazzardAyre Radio here I came. After looking at the area, and really needing a place to hang my head with a shower at the low end and needing to boost my income through the radio gear, moved to Evanston. Resided in an old trailer that should be condemned and through many blessings from on high gained an apartment here and started to climb out of a very bad situation. Then through an associate and all got together with a guy who said he'd go into partnership with me in a shop here. Well thought was go tow. Once I listed the company on Yelp amongst others we started getting calls, trouble was no truck, LexiBelle was in Twin Falls. Couldn't find one person to go over and haul LexiBelle here to Evanston, just for the cost of fuel. Remember LexiBelle had been in storage for near two and a half years, hoses decay, tires get flat spots, belts weaken, but by early December LexiBelle was here in Evanston. Then I started hearing about a major company in Utah invading Wyoming, infringing on the incomes of not only myself but that of others in Green River, Rock Springs, and Afton. So I joined into the fight after all the business I was protecting was in part my own. With all of that and a few media contacts I have a way to run up some ads, promos and yes the upcoming movie. Trouble is in two and a half months, cable/internet bill got behind, rent on the shop rent got behind and that's the short list. I have been poking at both Shawn and Sheridon of Green River for a bit of money to help me right the boat here, but like me they are tapped too. I heard about a cat from California that did business loans so I poked Dom, and he said he could maybe get me $10k in a business loan. Thing is just got the paper work, and with my credit rating at the bottom of a buckey of a fico score of 530, I don't see that as anything although I made out the paper work. But here's the thing. In towing I have see the good, the bad and the fugdugly since I started, in 1974. I did well until my Mom passed away in 1983. However at the time the trustee's of mom estate urged me to move to Boise. Where I found the rules for going towing were a bit more strict. Even then the California influence had started in Idaho. All for the big companies with multiple trucks and us with one or two, trucks were going to have trouble. The condition came where a roll over happened right on west State Street between Boise and then the tiny town of Eagle, Idaho. Road blockage and all yet here I was in my drive way, but the city needed to wait for a tow truck from mid city an hour away, to clear the wreckage. So I went to the city council, after I read in the list of requirements to get on rotation, that you had to have at least 3 trucks to get on rotation. But I fought. Then Mayor eventually Governor Dirk Kempthorne Vaghn Kileen Sheriff, I set up a Vicinity list where if there was an urgent need , the truck closest to a accident scene could be called. By doing that I was taking in $1,000.00 a day and that was before lunch. I mention that because I can fight and I can win, but I couldn't have then except I had the financial support of a heavy hand of Tommy N Thompson of TNT Towing of Boise. I can't fight without financial help, and I can't fight without being online and on the air on radio, and that's why again, I'm pleading on bended knees to Shawn and all for a short loan of $500.00 or so, and I need it by Friday. I'll get into this further this evening, but I'm begging and while I'm usually not begging, I need the help out of pocket money to keep my radio operation of the club, as well as staying on line that $500.00 is needed in 3 days.
Hope ya'll will help.
TTYLY
Today was a Monday all the way. Going around collecting for road service jobs and all, I stopped by the shop, chatted with the crew, and all intended to do some work on LexiBelle, when I got Dizzy as hell. So decided to roll home and check my sugar level, hitting near 400 took my Metformin , some Goody's headache powders and fell asleep. So woke up tried to prep for the radio show this evening, but , and its getting worse on that front, but body said no even though the mind was yelling yes. I don't like taking medication for anything, and I mean anything. Primary even basic healthcare in Wyoming is more miss than hit. There aren't many Doctors here, and the few that are , are reluctant to take on VA or Medicaid patients. So you muddle through. The results are always some that wonder why don't I just unplug, fly summer, quit towing and winter do nothing but radio. Thing is to take my butt out of a tow truck and stop being active in the industry, would flat kill me. Its not for being in the air, or on the air that I wake up for every morning its the idea of having my butt in a tow truck that I live for. Found out that the fuel tank repairs I paid Magic Valley Transmissions of Twin Falls Idaho that I shelled out near $500.00 for is sub standard. While few want to do low cost repairs, still if you take it on for damn sake do it, for the price you quoted and do it with pride and precision. Or don't take on the job at all. Honesty goes a helluva long way. Fortunately I found a pair of tanks over in Green River at Toew Bro Prospect member Shawn's so will be out of service for the week, but hey gotta fix what needs fixed. Then there's the feud going on with a large company out of Utah invading areas of Wyoming. There's too few regulations on one side of going towing in Wyoming and yet too many elsewhere. One of the things that the Toew Bro's Club is working on legislatively is to get uniform regulations in all three Mountain West states of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming,. The least of which is overhead light coloring. Having to cover your overhead lights to go into one state from another is a real pain. While Wyoming pretty much mandates red and blue lenses, amber is the main color in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. This is just the top of the tow snow pile. To spotlight these issues and promote a better image in towing in our region, the Toew Bro's Club, is working with two screenwriters and a production company to create a movie of us going towing, which is why Highway Hooker was changed to SpeedWrench Toewing, as Highway Hooker Toewing will be the in movie tow company.
See you on the radio in the morning, my eyes are heavy and need to go back to bed.
Oh and ya'll say a prayer to my associate Rick at the shop, Rick hurt his back cutting fire wood, and is in deep pain, so put him in your prayers.
TTYLY
Of course it's not uncommon and practiced heavy in the club, to have new prospect members pay a weekly or monthly dues to demonstrate loyalty, as well as dedication to the club. However in the realm of business, can a business charge a new employee, or associate a training, probation fee? More over is it legal? We all know that employment services , like SOS , and others makes their new recruits pay a fee for them finding someone a job, usually 10% of what ever they make, each pay period. But can a independent business charge a fee for having to put up with the bullstuff of training and all that? I'd like to know. This month I'll be away from the keyboard and internet, as well as be off air on the radio, as budget just does not cover paying shop rent, apartment rent and still get internet and cable TV, and since the main focus for a few months has to be the shop, and going towing, the fancy crap of Internet/Cable TV had to go. So That's how that goes.
TTYLY
It was 14:30 hours, woke up to see the world and decided breakfast out. So went to Jodies Diner here in Evanston, the only place to eat a fair tasting meal. So after I filtered into a table where it wasn't so cold that the food didn't freeze before you ate it, and where the gas fumes coming from my hoodie from a service call night before dang it I do need a washer and dryer, so there twuzz, and I think there is a drastic decline of the population of the nation of Mexico was sat at a coupling of tables. There was this one mid twenties aged taco male there that couldn't be ignored. Now as to that . I'm not saying that I'm being bigoted or racist, and there are tasks and vocations that could not function, if it were not for Mexican workers, ever try to get a White teen or person to go pick rock, move sprinkler pipe, or any of those kinds of jobs? But when the entire food supply at Jodies is being consumed, and I'm nearly being ignored , it begs the question , couldn't Jodies, hire more back up employees? There is Becky, who lives down in Echo, Utah that treks up here on the weekends to slave at Jodies, but the weather was such that she had to thaw a bit, so here was the afternoon rush, and no Becky, and the weekend service crew there at Jodies needs to be improved a bit.
We will be on the air later in the morning starting at 06:00 on www.livestream.com/speedwrenchradio
See you all then,
