Missouri Storm Chaser Steven Coy-Podcast 634

First Road Trip of the summer in effect! I’ve been very interested in Storm Chasing as a sub culture for a while. Lots of storm chasers these days. Steven Coy is just 21 years old, but already an experienced storm chaser. We join Steven in his hometown of Stover Missouri, and on his family’s farm which turns out to be a great place to chase a storm. In Missouri Storm Chaser Steven Coy-Podcast 634.

Storm Chasing Ground Zero

As Wall Street is to finance, Hollywood is to the film industry, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma are to storm chasing. OU student and avid chaser Steven Coy is deceptively young. I say deceptively because his experience and knowledge become obvious in this podcast.

An Interview and a Storm to Chase

Steven Coy talks about his interest in storm chasing. His heroes. Missouri Storm Chasers FaceBook page is over eighty thousand strong these days. No hype on the FB page. Just good content to let people know about potential threats. Stover is in a ‘blind spot’ for radars at regional centers. Storm chasers like Coy perform a service for locals.

They Call Him The Weatherman

It is Saturday. Mobile Podcast Command is parked at the local storage facility on the west side of Stover, Missouri. Steven and his mom show up for the interview. After, the Coys invite me out to the family homestead a few miles outside of town. Not wanting to impose, I decline. A few minutes later they are back. In Missouri Storm Chaser Steven Coy-Podcast 634.

Chasing On Foot

Ok, off 6 miles down the road. Then a gravel road. Then a rutted driveway. A few hundred feet more. Twenty minutes later we are out by the shed. Here on the back 40, or the front 40 if you take Steven’s mom’s word for it. A vista from which to chase “on foot” as Steven says. This is where he takes a lot of photographs.

Coy Delivers

With a practiced eye and a little help from an extensive radar application on his phone, Coy precisely predicts the path of the storm. It will come right to us he says. When the storm hits, right on schedule, we head for the horse barn to take cover and take pictures. Steven measures wind velocity at 78.5 miles per hour. I thought the building was about to come down. He calls it in to the weather service. They sound skeptical. Later we hear about damage in a nearby town consistent with that windspeed.

I get an education about the nature of these thunderstorms, what causes tornados and how they form. When the storm clears, it’s time to wrap it up. From here it’s onto Oklahoma, and more hail. Thanks to Steven and the Coy family for making sure I was safe during the storm. There’s a lot of unwarranted criticism these days of young people. Steven Coy is one young person doing what he loves and learning everyday. By the way, Steven’s mom days if you leave their house hungry, it’s your own damn fault!

Sponsored by X Government Cars and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Missouri Storm Chaser Steven Coy-Podcast 634

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Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630

Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630

Neighbors and friends for years. In today’s world that means family. Round The Way Girl joins the Bob Davis Podcasts to talk about life challenges. I get a street slang lesson. We talk about the new HBO Bernie Madoff movie and more. In Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630.

Bde Maka Say What?

Let’s put the madness in Washington on hold, drink some coffee and talk. Round The Way Girl and I wonder at the new bizarre name for the main urban lake in Minneapolis. Both of us conclude people will never say, “Meet me at Bde Maka Ska”, they’ll just say, “Meet you at Calhoun”, no matter what the official name may be.

Prince Stole My Motorcycle

Whether it is Round The Way Girl’s recent adventure, when we get together a single podcast barely scratches the surface. We talk about my Prince dream, our television viewing habits and the kids playing soccer in the park next door. She tells stories about me I have long forgotten. That’s the whole point of having a neighbor and friend who knows you. In Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630.

It’s called Having A Conversation

Before social media, twenty four hour cable news, people shouting at each other and constant provocations there was a thing called the art of conversation. Talking about nothing and yet everything. This is how people used to share the challenges of their life. To learn from others. To have fun in the evening, or anytime. Maybe even tell each other secret fears or triumphs.

Red Flag!

When I was a kid, my mom’s best friend did not have a phone. When she wanted to come over for coffee, or have my mom over, she would run a red flag up their flag pole. That’s how two friends knew it was coffee time.  At least these days we have text messaging. “Getting back from Yoga about 8:30. Come on over we’ll do a podcast!”. That’s what started Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630.

Round The Way Girl Never Disappoints

We’re having an incredible May in the upper midwest. 2 weeks ago it was snowing. Now it’s in the 80’s and the trees full. Birds are singing. Suddenly the latest machinations on cable news and talk radio have started to fade. Of course they’ll be back. For the time being, though, it’s nice to just sit down, drink some coffee and have some fun.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

Round The Way Girl Joins Bob Davis-Podcast 630

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Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625

Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625

We hear a lot of words used to describe various political factions in the US. Most will say the US economic system is capitalist but is this just an illusion? Are we socialist? Have we been socialist for a long time? It seems to me, we have. In Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Socialism Is Everywhere

Just because a country’s economic system is socialist, does not mean it’s a tyranny. Denmark and Canada aren’t dictatorships. Singapore is a Socialist Market Economy. Places where ‘the people’ own or control the means of production. Most socialist countries these days enjoy democratic political systems.

Government and Non Profits Dominate State Economies

Americans think of themselves as capitalists. The thing is, the top three employers in my state are public institutions. Americans depend on social security, medicare, or medicaid ‘entitlements’. Home buyers get tax subsidies. We enjoy many tax deferred investment options. Farmers get subsidies. Public workers get pensions. All kinds of grants for education exist. Then there are the business subsidies and government contracts. Some popular business personalities receive billions in subsidies from the government. We’ll talk about it in Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Both Parties Support Socialism

Democrats complain about light rail projects running through their backyards, but support government programs because ‘It’s the right thing to do’. Republicans complain about big government unless it’s the military, support for their businesses, home mortgage tax credit, social security and 401K programs.

The Right Thing To Do

It’s true that many of these programs date back to the depression in the 1930’s. Also true that creation of these programs came with the best intentions. Whether we like it or not, government is deeply involved in our lives. Of course, what the government giveth, the government takeaway. We’ll talk about it in Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625.

Classic Liberalism Is Forgotten

Republicans and Democrats argue the same side of the coin. Both are collectivists. Neither adhere to Classic Liberalism, a philosophy of limited government with the sole purpose of securing a maximum amount of individual liberty, property rights and free markets. While no political scientist would argue the US is Socialist maybe we should consider the possibility we are and have been for some time.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and X Government Cars

Has United States Been Socialist For A Long Time? Podcast 625

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