KCTR: We’re Montana’s Own » Rants

I Won $50 Gambling!

Andy West — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:16:01 +0000

I would not call myself a gamble-a-holic but I am very fond of Doodleburger! For just 20 cents a spin I could realize my dreams... of winning $800 (the Montana maximum). Okay, when I think of fulfilling my dreams financially it usually involves more than $800 but I've never even won that much so it would be pretty exciting

Scary Elevators

Andy West — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:31:40 +0000

It is no secret that Cat Country 102.9 is located in the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Billings. The maintenance staff here is always very quick to respond to any issues we have in the building. Over the last few days they have been working hard to fix some issues with the elevators. As you can [...]

Here Is What Happens When You Leave Your Fridge Open All Day

Andy West — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:11:56 +0000

I moved to Billings back in November to work for Cat Country and my wife and daughter are staying in Calfornia until my daughter finishes 6th grade this June. So in the meantime my father-in-law has been taking my daughter to school each morning. This morning either he or my kid (no one is copping [...]

Theme Of Proposed Billings Magazine Is… Butts!

Andy West — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:35:20 +0000

Walking to lunch today in Downtown Billings I found this flyer. They're looking for people who want to photograph butts (or have pictures taken of their butt), blog about butts or paint a fine butt. The contacts, Zach and Yaz, certainly have come up with a unique idea for a periodical but will it be profitable and have mass appeal?

Here is the text from the flyer pictured above: "We are a group of mature individuals and we are absolutely fascinated by butts (God knows why)

There Was A Hornet In My Apartment

Andy West — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:02:53 +0000

I went home to grab my iPhone charging cord and saw this thing on my blinds. I looked it up and it is a hornet. I hear it can sting multiple times. I’m not sure how a hornet would get into my basement apartment on Montana Avenue. I can only imagine it came through the [...]

I Spilled A Drink In My Lap Flying Home To Billings

Andy West — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:05:02 +0000

This happened yesterday while flying back to Billings from Fresno, California. I think the last time I had any kind of mishap while flying was in 1983 when I was trying to cut into a cherry tomato with a dull plastic knife and a seed spit out and shot straight into my eye. In 41 [...]

Where Are The Pictographs At Pictograph Caves State Park?

Andy West — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:23:31 +0000

If you're a regular reader of my blog (assuming there are regular readers of my blog... anyone? Crickets.) you know I visited Pictograph Caves State Park this Sunday and had a great time. It is a good, vigorous hike up to the caves from the parking lot, lots of greenery and spectacular views, picnic spots and the excitement of not knowing if a rattlesnake is just around the corner

I Had The Best Pizza Today

Andy West — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:00:24 +0000

A pizza place which shall remain unnamed (it’s in downtown Billings) is the Italian version of “The Soup Nazi” from the old Seinfeld sitcom. I called today and ordered a pizza with sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts and onions. After I was done with my order the guy on the phone said it would be [...]

Have You Noticed That Allergy Season Is Fierce This Year In Billings?

Tara Nicole — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:29:48 +0000

I’ve suffered from allergies my entire life. I’m happy to say that over the past 10 years they have been getting better, but they were severe to start with. This winter and spring are killing me though! Help! I’ve tried all kinds of over the counter medication from zyrtec, to allegra to benedryl(which knocks me [...]

The Secret To Not Having To Iron For The Single Man (Or Divorced Or Absentee Husband)

Andy West — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:21:19 +0000

I’ve mentioned this before but I have been back in Montana for about 5 months now (I spent time in Great Falls and Havre as a kid) and my wife and daughter are moving here in July after my daughter graduates sixth grade. Living apart from them has been hard and I have reverted to [...]

Kimberly Perry Is Dating A Pro Ball Player… Allegedly!

Andy West — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:11:53 +0000

According to our sister website “www.tasteofcountrynights.com” there are rumors that Kimberly Perry from The Band Perry is dating Toronto Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia. Arencibia played college ball at the University of Tennessee and calls Nashville home in the off-season. Through their tweets it seems like the only thing they’re not doing to tell the [...]

Andy West — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:37:47 +0000

Bottled water is one of the biggest environmental disasters of our time. Independent studies have shown chemicals from plastic bottles leach into the water you drink and, with enough exposure, cause cancer. People who live near the plants that manufacture those chemicals are much more likely to contract cancer. In the United States only 34% [...]

Top 5 Gifts You Better Not Get Mom For Mother's Day

Tara Nicole — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:40:45 +0000

Mother's Day is May 12, are you ready? Did you get your mom (or mother of your child) a gift that show's her how much you love her? Or did you just grab what you could in order to have anything for her at all? You might want to steer clear of these 5 gifts if you want to maintain the peace.

Daily Poker Tournaments In Montana Are Coming Soon!

Andy West — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:29:37 +0000

If you’re a fan of live poker tournaments like I am then you owe a debt of gratitude to Rep. Pat Noonan, D-Ramsay, who introduced House Bill 141 on behalf of the Gaming Advisory Council on January 15th. That bill was recently passed. Part of the bill, aimed at increasing pot-limits in cash poker games, allows [...]

Why Did Senator Baucus Vote Against S.B. 649?

Andy West — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:10:23 +0000

As you may be aware Senator Max Baucus is retiring. He could be described as a conservative Democrat or if he was a Republican he might be thought of as a liberal Republican. Some thought his decision to vote against S. 649: The Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 was a political one since [...]

Damn This Weather!

Andy West — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:50:36 +0000

So I had this grand plan to get out of Dodge this weekend. I’m a tournament poker player and the closest place that has regular poker tournaments (not like the once a month per casino that they’re allowed to hold them here in Montana) is South Dakota. I was planning an overnight trip to Deadwood. [...]

Teachers Don't Do It For The Money

Andy West — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:27:39 +0000

My wife works in the education field and I personally know at least a half a dozen teachers. I often hear people complain about teachers unions and the National Education Association for political reasons and unfortunately those attitudes spill over toward individual teachers. The truth is though, that most teachers aren’t doing it for the [...]

Why Waiting Until The Last Minute To Do Your Taxes Is A Bad Idea

Andy West — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:51:52 +0000

I avoided preparing my taxes until yesterday. First, I thought I would owe the government this year. Second, I hate paying for tax software. There is something about paying for the right to find out that I have to pay the government more tax money that rubs me the wrong way. Plus, since I lived [...]

Just One Page Of Instructions…Seriously!

The Breakfast Flakes — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:19:53 +0000

The Internal Revenue Service received a package recently addressed to its headquarters on Constitution Avenue in the nation’s capital. It was not a tax return. No, Mr. Haynes’ history students at JFK Middle School in Florence, Massachusetts, all sent birthday cards to the federal income tax – because Form 1040, the document most taxpayers fill [...]

Yay! Billings Is Going To Get Another Parking Lot!

Andy West — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:23:54 +0000

If you have driven down Montana Avenue lately you have probably noticed that the Windsor Court building was demolished at the corner of 27th Street and Montana Avenue in the name of progress. Unlike the new, high tech, City of Billings public library they're building on 6th Avenue the 27th Street and Montana Avenue site is not destined to be aesthetically pleasing or for the enrichment of our fine city's denizens