Tonight is Nashville’s biggest night, and usually the night you see the best western wear out there: the 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards. The CMA has built an interactive website where you can make and share your award picks, participate in polls, check out photos from rehearsals, check out award winners of the past, and see where else the CMA is participating on the web.

The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will unite to host "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards." This is the first time that either artist will have hosted "Country Music’s Biggest NightTM." "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.  

"We are excited to have our reigning Male and Female Vocalist host the CMA Awards this year," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "In addition to their musical talent, Brad’s quick wit and Carrie’s gracefulness will serve them well in this role. CMA is happy to offer both of them their first opportunity to host a nationally televised network awards show. "

In addition to their hosting duties, Paisley and Underwood will also perform on "The CMA Awards." Previously announced performers include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban, with more performers to be announced soon.

If you are a country music fan, be sure and tune in tonight. It promises to be very cowboy friendly.

While browsing the internet and looking for cool cowboy images I stumbled upon SASS. The Single Action Shooting Society is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Cowboy Action Shooting and competive shooting. They also seek to preserve the history of the Old West and Cowboy Culture. We here at Cacties respect and salute that cause.

SASS has some pretty strict rules to participate in their events.

One of the unique aspects of SASS approved Cowboy Action Shooting™ is the requirement placed on costuming. Each participant is required to adopt a shooting alias appropriate to a character or profession of the late 19th century, a Hollywood western star, or an appropriate character from fiction. Their costume is then developed accordingly. Many event participants gain more enjoyment from the costuming aspect of our sport than from the shooting competition, itself. Regardless of a SASS member’s individual area of interest, SASS events provide regular opportunities for fellowship and fun with like-minded folks and families.

Contestants are also required to use firearms typical of the old west and each individual event is based on legendary western incidents or scenes in western movies.

If you are interested in Old West shooting or cowboy culture they just might have a shooting club near you. Shooting events are held monthly, annually, statewide, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

3G Buckles, which stands for “Glamour, Glitz and Gals,” may not sound manly, but it’s sure to make a cowgirl momma happy if she were to receive a custom belt buckle from her cowboy. 3G stocks vintage buckles, buckles with freshwater pearls and even an animal friendly line of buckles. The Red Bird buckle is one of their best buckles, sure to please any cowgirl.

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, Cacties is pleased to award 3G as a Cowboy Friendly website. We dare say, getting your momma or little lady custom belt buckle certainly puts you in line for some fine threads from the Cacties western clothing store. After all, Father’s Day is just around the corner.

Do you love the Western lifestyle? Do you sleep with your spurs tied around your ankles and make more room for your hat at the table than your little lady? Do you prefer the early morning smell of cow dung over the smell of urban dust? Well, if you do, and you run a blog or western-themed website, you may be eligible to get the exclusive Cowboy Friendly badge from Cacties.

Only the finest website with true cowboy grit and knowhow gets the privilege of brandishing one of our Cowboy Friendly badges. If you see any of the badges below on your journey through the wild Web, you can be assured that you’ll have safe passage through their site. If you would like to have your website considered for the Cowboy Friendly badge, shoot us an email at mycacties@gmail.com, telling us why you think your site should be bestowed with this great honor.

Cowboy Friendly Badges and Code

<a href="http://mycacties.com/"><img src="http://mycacties.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/boot.png" alt="Cowboy Friendly Badge" /></a>

<a href="http://mycacties.com/"><img src="http://mycacties.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/wood.png" alt="Cowboy Friendly Badge" /></a>

<a href="http://mycacties.com/"><img src="http://mycacties.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/tinybadge.gif" alt="Cowboy Friendly Badge" /></a>

<a href="http://mycacties.com/"><img src="http://mycacties.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/sticker2.png" alt="Cowboy Friendly Badge" /></a>

<a href="http://mycacties.com/"><img src="http://mycacties.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/sticker.png" alt="Cowboy Friendly Badge" /></a>