Volume 3 Issue 1

What's In this Issue:

•  Words from a man of Faith

•  Links Links Links

•  Rumors of New Hours of Service Regulations

•  Witnesses from the Circle

•  Bad Cow, Mad Cow

•  Pictures from the Deep Freeze

•  Literary News~ What's Ahead for the site

•  More!!!

~ Returns from the Phoenix Rodeo~

Cowboys Hank Jackson, Darcy Smith, and Jeff Nielsen competed at the Phoenix IGRA rodeo in mid January. All three cowboys had a great time competing under sunny skies. Here's a dispatch from Hank, covering the action:

“I did lousy in the calf roping on foot but when I talked to the guys I realized what I might be doing wrong, so I will apply that to the next rodeo. All the paying times, that won money were under a second, which is really fast. Jeff and I did okay in the events and had decent draws, we came in 7th on Sat and Sun for Wild Drag and so we got 40 points total for the weekend in that. We should have done better in the Steer Deco especially the second day, but a short comedy of errors on our part didn't help and we got a no time. I have never had that happen before but that is the joy of rodeo. I pulled a muscle in Goat dressing when we were going for a time of 12:12 , which was good for us but not in the money either. I'm still limping but hope to get it all worked out soon. Jeff went on to get a second in chute dogging and had his best time ever, so he was quite happy. Darcy Smith beat him that day for first place, so it was good to see some money return to Canada .”

The Rodeo was well attended, the weather was perfect and all reports suggest that the best place to be in January, is Phoenix ! To get a list of future rodeo dates go to www.IGRA.com .

~ All Things Literary~

Tim's fourth published work is due to be released in June by Suspects Thoughts Press. This hip publishing company has earned a reputation featuring ground breaking writers with non traditional voices. Everything I Have Is Blue: Short Fiction by Working Class Men About More or Less Gay Life should be available just in time for Pride. Reflecting the diverse occupational pursuits of gay men, hopefully this volume will enlighten readers and provide new impressions of what it means to be working class.

By late Spring Tim's third online work, his Ebook “Tremendously Wonderful” will be also posted. The last installment in the road trilogy, this collection of previously released essays will once again include revised edits as well as two never before posted essays, “Sideways Ricochet” and “the Serenity of Uncertainty”. Stay tuned for more details.

On the film front we'd like to introduce our fans to www.thegraffitiartist.com Reviews for the movie The Graffiti Artist continue to set a new mark in the independent movie scene. Here's a run down on one of the finest pictures to see release in recent months.

For 17-year-old Nick a can of spray paint is a way of life. Adrift in a
lush, nocturnal urban landscape, he is out to destroy the system by making art on the maze of virginal exterior walls of downtown Seattle and Portland .

Leading an isolated and lonely life, Nick must steal to support his art,
shoplifting to eat and keep him in supply of spray cans. His seclusion is
interrupted when he meets another guy, fellow 'tagger' Jessie and a
tentative friendship is born. Their communication, hardly verbal, begins as a shared graffiti tour de force. As they collaborate on giant murals, their friendship takes on a sexual nature, but their assumptions about one another are soon questioned as political and emotional issues arise, threatening to tear them apart.

Visit the website featured above to see the trailer and catch all the buzz on this highly acclaimed achievement.

~Witnesses From the Circle~

Providing additional views from off the beaten track, this issue we feature five new submissions from a very broad spectrum of contributors.

First on deck is respected journalist Jay Blotcher. Blotcher has penned articles for some of the nation's largest publications including The New York Times. Sharing his wonderful tale exploring the ins and outs of big city personal ads, “ Calvin and Hobbes Meet Through the Personals” is a charming view of dating, commonality and romance.

Another first time contributor, author Sy Jones, offers his piece, “ Chance of a Lifetime ”. Reflecting the reality that small town life is far more accepting than urban myths often allow, Jones observes that there are far more “us” than “them”. Courageously recounting his and his partner's decision to live their lives as openly gay men in a small mountain town, he suggests that the movie Big Eden might just not be that far off the mark.

Oklahoma native and truck driver Alexander Avalle writes about family values with his first contribution. Reflecting on his gay brother, and the choices uniting and separating us from our siblings as we journey through life, “ Brothers in Arms ” is a reflective portrayal of two unique lives and their surprising paths.

Author James Jetty returns with his piece “ A Late Christmas Night's Thought ”. Questioning the sacrifices truckers must make to do their jobs, this story is an instructive fingerprint detailing the challenges facing today's gear slamming set.

Finally our own Timothy Anderson shares a piece originally penned for another publication. “ Rough Riders and Roughstock ” chronicles the lives of IGRA cowboys from both sides of the border and the caliber of competition found in front of and behind the chutes.

http://www.highmountainranch.com/witnesses/witnessesfromthecircle.html

~ Words From a Man of Faith~

In the Middle of January, the following email showed up in our “in box”. Speaking volumes about the state of our current leadership, the spin of using Jesus as a way to sneak into the Diamond Lane of fast pitch politics, and all things hypocritical, we thought it was appropriate to include it in this issue as the scandal surrounding the White House Press Corp, Gay Prostitution, and unflattering credentials gains legs. Recently The Bush Tapes were released and show a very calculating and irreproachable candidate vying for public office and toying with public trust. This is not liberal media spin, this is the current President, reflecting in his own words the price of ambition.

Although the writing in the following piece is controversial, it comes straight out of the heartland and it's an appropriate view to share on these pages. We'd be amiss if we didn't acknowledge that morality is always grounded in action and that the way we treat the least among us, is a direct reflection on what is greatest about us. And just to cool those conservative tempers, we've thrown in a bunch of winter pictures from the ranch to keep things balanced. Read on!

Dr. Robin Meyers
Mayflower Congregational Church   (405) 842-8897
3901 Nw 63rd St
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
http://www.mayflowerucc.org/

As some of you know, I am minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, an Open and Affirming, Peace and Justice church in northwest Oklahoma City, and professor of Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University.

But you would most likely have encountered me on the pages of the Oklahoma Gazette, where I have been a columnist for six years, and hold the record for the most number of angry letters to the editor.

Today, I join ranks of those who are angry, because I have watched as the
faith I love has been taken over by fundamentalists who claim to speak for
Jesus, but whose actions are anything but Christian.

We've heard a lot lately about so-called "moral values" as having swung the
election to President Bush. Well, I'm a great believer in moral values, but
we need to have a discussion, all over this country, about exactly what
constitutes a moral value -- I mean what are we talking about?

Because we don't get to make them up as we go along, especially not if we
are people of faith. We have an inherited tradition of what is right and
wrong, and moral is as moral does.

Let me give you just a few of the reasons why I take issue with those in
power who claim moral values are on their side:

-- When you start a war on false pretenses, and then act as if your
deceptions are justified because you are doing God's will, and that your
critics are either unpatriotic or lacking in faith, there are some of us who
have given our lives to teaching and preaching the faith who believe that
this is not only not moral, but immoral.

-- When you live in a country that has established international rules for
waging a just war, build the United Nations on your own soil to enforce
them, and then arrogantly break the very rules you set down for the rest of
the world, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you claim that Jesus is the Lord of your life, and yet fail to
acknowledge that your policies ignore his essential teaching, or turn them
on their head (you know, Sermon on the Mount stuff like that we must never
return violence for violence and that those who live by the sword will die
by the sword), you are doing something immoral.

-- When you act as if the lives of Iraqi civilians are not as important as
the lives of American soldiers, and refuse to even count them, you are doing
something immoral.

-- When you find a way to avoid combat in Vietnam , and then question the
patriotism of someone who volunteered to fight, and came home a hero, you
are doing something immoral.

-- When you ignore the fundamental teachings of the gospel, which says that
the way the strong treat the weak is the ultimate ethical test, by giving
tax breaks to the wealthiest among us so the strong will get stronger and
the weak will get weaker, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you wink at the torture of prisoners, and deprive so-called "enemy
combatants" of the rules of the Geneva Convention, which your own country
helped to establish and insists that other countries follow, you are doing
something immoral.

-- When you claim that the world can be divided up into the good guys and
the evil doers, slice up your own nation into those who are with you, or
with the terrorists -- and then launch a war which enriches your own friends
and seizes control of the oil to which we are addicted, instead of helping
us to kick the habit, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you fail to veto a single spending bill, but ask us to pay for a war
with no exit strategy and no end in sight, creating an enormous deficit that
hangs like a great millstone around the necks of our children, you are doing
something immoral.

-- When you cause most of the rest of the world to hate a country that was
once the most loved country in the world, and act like it doesn't matter
what others think of us, only what God thinks of you, you have done
something immoral.

-- When you use hatred of homosexuals as a wedge issue to turn out record
numbers of evangelical voters, and use the Constitution as a tool of
discrimination, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you favor the death penalty, and yet claim to be a follower of
Jesus, who said an eye for an eye was the old way, not the way of the
kingdom, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you dismantle countless environmental laws designed to protect the
earth which is God's gift to us all, so that the corporations that bought
you and paid for your favors will make higher profits while our children
breathe dirty air and live in a toxic world, you have done something
immoral. The earth belongs to the Lord, not Halliburton.

-- When you claim that our God is bigger than their God, and that our
killing is righteous, while theirs is evil, we have begun to resemble the
enemy we claim to be fighting, and that is immoral. We have met the enemy,
and the enemy is us.

-- When you tell people that you intend to run and govern as a
"compassionate conservative," using the word which is the essence of all
religious faith-compassion, and then show no compassion for anyone who
disagrees with you, and no patience with those who cry to you for help, you
are doing something immoral.

-- When you talk about Jesus constantly, who was a healer of the sick, but
do nothing to make sure that anyone who is sick can go to see a doctor, even
if she doesn't have a penny in her pocket, you are doing something immoral.

-- When you put judges on the bench who are racist, and will set women back a hundred years, and when you surround yourself with preachers who say gays ought to be killed, you are doing something immoral.

I'm tired of people thinking that because I'm a Christian, I must be a
supporter of President Bush, or that because I favor civil rights and gay
rights I must not be a person of faith.

I'm tired of people saying that I can't support the troops if I oppose the
war -- I heard that when I was your age, when the Vietnam War was raging. We knew that the war was wrong, and you know that this war is wrong--the only question is how many people are going to die before these make-believe Christians are removed from power?

This country is bankrupt. The war is morally bankrupt. The claim of this
administration to be Christian is bankrupt. And the only people who can turn
things around are people like you--young people who are just beginning to
wake up to what is happening to them. It's your country to take back. It's
your faith to take back. It's your future to take back.

Don't be afraid to speak out. Don't back down when your friends begin to
tell you that the cause is righteous and that the flag should be wrapped
around the cross, while the rest of us keep our mouths shut.

Real Christians take chances for peace. So do real Jews, and real Muslims,
and real Hindus, and real Buddhists--so do all the faith traditions of the
world at their heart believe one thing: life is precious. Every human being
is precious. Arrogance is the opposite of faith. Greed is the opposite of
charity. And believing that one has never made a mistake is the mark of a
deluded man, not a man of faith.

And war -- war is the greatest failure of the human race -- and thus the
greatest failure of faith.

There's an old rock and roll song, whose lyrics say it all: War, what is it
good for? Absolutely nothing.

And what is the dream of the prophets? That we should study war no more,
that we should beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning
hooks. Who would Jesus bomb, indeed? How many wars does it take to know that too many people have died? What if they gave a war and nobody came?

Maybe one day we will find out.

Time to march again my friends. Time to commit acts of civil disobedience.
Time to sing, and to pray, and refuse to participate in the madness. My
generation finally stopped a tragic war. You can too!

Editor's Note: Saddle Mountain Picture, featuring inspirational inscription was written by Ruralgay Blogger Randy Wallace~One of the dang nicest guys you will ever correspond with…

~ Saddle Mountain Guest RV Park Battle ~

The local battle against the Saddle Mountain Diesel Coach RV Park continues. Just when residents thought their battleship was sunk, the Kalispel Tribe of Indian's put their foot down. The tribe stepped in and forced the developers to do an archeological assessment and hopefully this will stall the project until the necessary environmental issues are acknowledged, addressed, and hopefully resolved.

Thank God we all live in Indian Country.

Here's the history of the project.

For the last several decades Pend Oreille County has remained "undiscovered". Residents have watched a few professional athletes buy up small ranches and numerous movies star types have invaded Sandpoint , Idaho to the east-but for the most part the local area seemed off the radar screen. The area remained affordable, and a welcome, refreshing departure from the rat race that some places in Montana , Utah , Idaho and Colorado have turned into.

Of course it couldn't last forever. A couple years ago, a deep pocketed developer moved into the area and began buying up some of the last remaining large parcels of land. (Most of the county is owned by Federal, State, Local, and tribal concerns). These developers originally started out under the auspices of a "Christian Dude Ranch".

In the winter of 2004, the long time, folks residing in the area were confronted with a proposal by the Saddle Mountain Guest Ranch to develop several hundred diesel pusher motorcoach/RV spaces onto what had been hay fields and timber. (These are the large RV coaches that look like tour buses for rock stars and that often pull a trailer loaded with recreational vehicles, snow mobiles, and boating equipment. These combination units are as large as a semi truck).

The normally, non-confrontational, independent, keep to themselves community on the mountain was incredulous anyone would support this type of development. Especially next to endangered Bull Trout tributaries. Even more unsettling, the plans came complete with future golf and tennis courses, convenience stores, cabins, lodges, and a brand new, bulldozed 2.3 acre lagoon thrown in the middle for good measure. Somehow ma nature's scenery just wasn't good enough. In short the original "guest ranch" was actually going to resemble a “truck stop” for big motor coaches. Even more disconcerting, construction of the project was slated right on the edge of an unstable, former Glacial Moraine that rises nearly 500 feet above the Pend Oreille River . Never mind the Bald Eagle and Osprey nests, or the big game- Elk, Moose, Mule and Whitetail deer that depend on this area for their habitat.

As the neighbors looked over the proposal, they read through a long list of incomplete answers, outright distortions, and unaccountable environmental practices. The locals had no idea what they could do to stop the project. They held meetings in barns and shops, setting up phone trees and talking to people who they'd formerly only waved at on the road into town. For the record these are hard working folks, many of whom are employed in local natural resource extraction industries. These are not normally the type to get upset about sane, renewable uses for the environment. Most people in the area have at one time or another logged their land, come from local logging and ranching families and they understand rural economies.

After writing letters to the county fathers, concerned neighbors celebrated after they'd gotten the first round of the proposal sent back to the drawing board. In December of 2004, the same developers returned with an even larger proposal, full of even greater contradictions. The threat of greater permanent destruction of fragile ecosystems seemed serious. In late December, after these developers filed this second proposal, additional public comments were submitted.

In a January 6 th , 2005 meeting, one by one the neighbors stood up to rally against the project. The RV park plan was once again deemed unacceptable by the county planning commission. This time the RV Park proposal was sent back with a strongly worded request for additional answers and hints that further dishonesty on the part of the developers would not be well received.

Of course it wasn't over, there was too much money riding on this project, and another hearing was held in early February. Had the Kalispel Tribe of Indians not stepped in, the project would have been rubber stamped, in spite of numerous objections. At the February meeting, it became obvious that the local planning commission was under extensively lobbying pressure by the developers as the real and very genuine concerns voiced by area residents were ignored. Most in attendance at that planning commission meeting felt overwhelmed and out gunned.

The Kalispel Tribe of Indian's put their foot down, stepping in and forcing the developers to do an archeological assessment. Hopefully these issues will stall the project-until the necessary environmental concerns are honestly acknowledged, addressed, and hopefully resolved.

Thank God we live in Indian Country.

~Updates on Issues We've Covered in the Past

•  Mad Cow Quarantine. As of this writing, despite two additional cows found contaminated with Mad Cow Disease, the U. S. Border is slated to open on March 7 th to Canadian Beef under 30 months of age. Numerous lawsuits have been filed to prevent the border from opening, so anything can happen. Up in Alberta , numerous lawsuits have also been filed under Chapter 11 of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) seeking compensatory damages on behalf of the Canadian Cattlemen who were harmed by the border closing.

Should the border open, we hope both countries will consider implementing a testing program under which any cow slaughtered will be tested for the disease. This would certainly make North American Beef attractive to overseas markets and restore faith in the quality and health of our herds.

•  The Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association continues to grow. The Coeur D'Alene , Idaho meeting will be on March 19th from 1-5 PM .  Refreshments will be served and activities are planned.
People interested in attending can contact Jeff Taylor via e-mail at treasurer@PacificNWGRA.org (Jeff and his partner John will be hosting at their house).

Link: http://www.pacificnwgra.org/news/2005-0319-coeurdalene.html

The Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association is also planning a Spring Play day (probably occurring in May) to be held around Seattle . The association rotates theses location.  Last fall the event was held in Albany , OR and the one previous was held in Boise .  The Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association hopes to host a rodeo at some point, though they've been set back recently by the
departure of one of the board members who was very good in getting PR work done and connecting the organization with more of the sponsors and businesses needed to pull a rodeo off.

•  Hours of Service Regulations. Truckers are once again eyeing the Fed's as a new slew of log book hours are considered. Last summer a federal court of appeals threw out new regulations that went into affect in January of 2004. The courts ruled that safety groups raised valid concerns that driver health was not considered in the implementation of the new regulations. The FMCSA is currently seeking public comment on these regulations and hopes to issue new guidelines that would take effect in the fall. There is a strong possibility the new regulations would require truckers to equip their rigs with so called “Black Box” recording devices. These “black boxes” would monitor a driver's compliance with Hours of Service, Safety and other regulations. Truckers fear these devices would just violate their privacy and contribute nothing to highway safety.

The Owner Operators and Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has to lobbied the Federal Government detailing enforcement of shipping and receiving companies, as well as unethical carriers remains severely lacking. Additionally they argue uncompensated time truckers waste loading and unloading, known as “give away” labor practices, are the real threat to highway safety. Some surveys suggest that truckers waste an average of 40 hours a week in uncompensated loading and unloading practices.

As if that's not complicated enough, there's a potential derailing of the whole process. The Bush Administration is hoping that congress will seize oversight of this issue and prevent the courts from overseeing the new regulations development. Should the administration prove successful in this attempt, the courts would no longer have jurisdiction over the issue and our understanding is that the current laws would remain in force, unchanged.

~ HMR Store is Back Online~

Several of our readers pointed out that our store was offline for much of the holidays. As embarrassing as it is to admit this, we had no idea there was a problem, and it took us weeks to figure out what was wrong. In early February we finally resolved the problem. You can once again place your orders. Thanks so much to everyone who has ordered merchandise in the past, and please continue to support us. If you have a great picture of your fine self wearing our merchandise, send it our way and we will be sure to post it.

http://www.incentivesbydesign.com/cgi-bin/hmrStore/

~Links, links, links…

As we mentioned in the previous issue, we haven't given much coverage to AIDS in our Ezine. We hope to rectify this and in some way cover the issue more consistently in future editions. Recent news reports continue to reinforce the seriousness of this issue, especially as a possible HIV “SuperVirus” has been reported. Although little is known about this new form of HIV, if early fears prove correct it appears that once infected a patient rapidly progresses to full blown AIDS and that very few medications, if any, seem effective in battling the disease. Sadly Crystal Meth use seems to be fueling many new cases of AIDS and other STI's/STD's.

One of the original organizations to fight AIDS on many global fronts was ACT-UP! (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power). Jay Blotcher who is also featured in the current group of Witnesses From the Circle offerings is one of many activists included in an oral history project chronically this groups effect on the national consciousness. www.actuporalhistory.org is a historical resource reminding us where we've been.

www.soulforce.org is a website for people of faith who are looking for an alternative message to the current evangelical call to arms. Founded by Mel White, a former sermon writer for 700 Club televangelist Pat Robertson and Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell, White's ministry has served thousands of Christians promoting a deeper faith based understanding and exhibiting an abundant spirit of grace.

www.sojo.net is another alternative to the traditional evangelical scene. Supported by a wide variety of believers hailing from many different denominations, some of the most thought provoking religious commentary is found on this site. Many folks report that they check in daily for inspiration.

As numerous readers are aware, the winter of 2005 has seen some of the worst drought conditions on record, covering a huge geographical area stretching from the Pacific Ocean all the way to the eastern front range of the Rocky Mountains . For awhile this winter, 49 Degrees North was the only ski resort remaining open in the region. As of this writing, nearly all the resorts remain closed and in the Spokane area, precipitation is less than 20% of normal. Fire danger is already upon us. For great tips on wildfires, go to www.or.blm.gov/nwfire .

On a not so serious note, for those of you into great log furniture, try out www.NorthwestHandmade.com Featuring over 90 regional Artists and Woodworkers, they also offer interior design services. Their collection of log furniture is one of a kind, and crafted toward heirloom quality.

Readers near are far will be glad to know that our “little newspaper that could”~ The river journal, a paper “you can wade through”, is now available online. Breeze on over to www.riverjournal.com to get the latest information about all things Clark Fork and Pend Oreille Country. Presenting a wide selection of great local down-home commentary as well as diverse opinion, the River Journal is like comfort food. You can never quite get enough of it!

Sadly one of our favorite local attractions is going through a spell of reorganization. Montana Rockies Rail Tours, operators of the Montana Daylight tour train through Montana 's Big Sky country is suspending service for 2005. The company hopes to be back riding the rails in 2006. For complete details go to www.MontanaRockiesRailTours.com

For those of you who still want to relive western rail history, “Riding the Hiawatha” is a great second choice. “The Route of the Hiawatha Rail Trail” is an unforgettable hiking/biking adventure covering two states, and the Old Milwaukee Road rail line. “The Trail Follows the Trains” and was built from 1906 to 1911 over the Bitterroot Range . Tim's Great Grandfather Darroch worked on this huge construction project, punching through this impressive extension of the Chicago , Milwaukee , and St. Paul Railroad. The trail, in its present form includes 9 tunnels, 7 high trestles and the infamous “Taft” tunnel buried under the 1.8 mile ST. Paul Pass.

http://wallace-id.com/skilookout/taft.html

Speaking of trail wear, we'd like to introduce our highly fashionable readers to all things Mudflap Boy. No lie. www.mudflapboy.com is a fun, reasonably tasteful tribute to the equal opportunity, chromed up, naked pin ups gracing large car mud flaps all across the nation. Devoted to the “hunky version of the male bimbo” the site sells T Shirts, Hats, and stickers.

And just in case you're looking for your own “MudFlap Boy” maybe its time to check out www.gaycowboycentral.com . Featuring personal ads, rodeo dates, and other fun stuff, this partly free, partly paid membership site is a new addition to the whole rough and tumble world of all things drugstore and real time cyber cowboy.

~The Rodeo Princess~

Well folks, she's returned in living color. Our favorite girl from the Rodeo Arena is back once again to put the “G” back into G spo®t. Which she swears is a reference to all things barrel racing, pole bending and flag racing-Indeed the rodeo princess proudly defines the great world of gaming. Offering more advice not worth the paper its written on, this month she starts her very own “Putting the Fun Back into Legal Defense Fun(d)” in honor of our very own little crime of passion, Mrs. J B of Pend Oreille County . Poor Mrs. J. B. recently became the proud recipient of a $130 speeding ticket. For all the details the rodeo princesses plans to save Mrs. J B from “pissing away $130 dollars into the wind”, make sure you read this month's column. We need your help on this one folks. So please send in your character references to Rodeoprincess@povn.com ASAP! Oh and do try the Rodeo Princess's suggestions for utilizing a jeep roll bar. Just make sure you have full medical coverage.

http://www.highmountainranch.com/rprincess/advice.htm

~ Bloging Like You Mean It…~

We only update the site six times a year, and folks get a bit impatient with that, so here is an up to date look at what's going on up around the ranch. Completely unedited, completely random, and completely irrelevant, this is for those of you with just too much dang time on your hands. So let your mouse wander unsupervised.

Covering the political, the whimsical, and the nonsensical, as well as the day to day trials of being human, http://highmountainranch.blogspot.com is far more personal than anything Tim's done in the past.

~Future Issues…

•  More Selkirk Loop

•  Calgary Rodeo

•  Tremendously Wonderful Posts

•  Kalispel Fireworks Display

•  More!

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