Thursday, September 17, 2009

MLB: So You Think It's All Decided?


The two closest races as baseball approaches just three more weekends before playoffs are now the American League Central and the National League Wild Card.

The remaining tension in the American league is more intriguing than what appears on the surface. The Tigers lead Minnesota by four games having gone 3-7 in their last ten games while Minnesota went 6-4. Detroit pitching has struggled recently having been the team’s strength all year. Minnesota is finally healthy. What makes this situation especially powerful is Detroit visits Minnesota this weekend and then hosts them four games in the next to last series. Lurking in the background six games back is Chicago who Detroit also visits then hosts. The White Sox also figure in Twins’ plans playing in Chicago early next week. The balance of Detroit’s games are against Cleveland while Minnesota faces Kansas City two teams with significantly losing records.


The San Francisco Giants trail the Colorado Rockies by 3 ½ games, three losses.
Colorado visits Arizona, hosts San Diego, San Diego, and Milwaukee, before finishing in Los Angeles. San Francisco visits Los Angeles and Arizona, hosts the cubs and the Diamond backs, and then finishes at San Diego. The Giants would appear to have the slight edge in the schedule. The Dodgers, meanwhile, sit atop both teams with a five game lead and is once again playing stronger ball having a 7-3 record in their last ten games. The Dodgers would need to completely collapse to open up the race at the top.

The only other race is for home field advantage which the Yankees clearly lead in the American league. The National League situation is more interesting. The Dodgers lead the Phillies by one game in the loss column and St. Louis by three games. While Philadelphia and St. Louis have their divisions close to clinched, the respective records of the first place teams are as follows: Philadelphia, 84-60; St. Louis, 85-62; Los Angeles, 88-59.

For the American league, the playoff hosts are set. Boston will visit Anaheim. Will the Tigers or another team from their division go to New York? No hosts can be determined in the National League yet and this could be up in the air until close to the end.

Obama Decision Fortifies Iran and Russia



Shameful Obama Decision

We condemn the Obama administration’s decision to end development of the anti-nuclear missile program designed to protect the United States and our European allies from possible attacks from Iran and other points in the Middle East.

Poland stuck its neck out to support the program allowing the construction of radar sites on their territory. Their support of this defense initiative was seen as a highly provocative move by Putin’s thugs in Moscow.

Clearly, Obama’s decision to reverse this program is a bold concession to Putin.

The cruel irony is this decision was made on the anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939.

The Obama decision is a double-edged sword as it shows a failure to stand up to Iran demonstrating to them without equivocation the United States and its western allies will pursue all measures to resist any strategic threat from the megalomaniacs in Tehran. At the same time, it shows a lack of resolve subject to further exploitation as the Russian government moves further toward its old Soviet ways against joining constructively with the west.

Making this all the worse is a revelation from the International Atomic Energy Commission whose research shows Iran currently has the capacity and knowledge needed to produce a bomb.

As one last missing piece of the puzzle, of course, as the Iranian nuclear threat materializes, Russia is prepared to sell the radical Islamic regime their state of the air defense missiles.

The unfortunate decision to curtail a defensive not offensive weapons program shows America’s unwillingness to stand its ground and in so doing capitulate to totalitarianism and terrorism.

Just as We Predicted


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Didn't we predict something like this would happen?
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While written from the elitist liberal point-of-view, David Von Drehle's four page essay, "Mad Man: Is Glenn Beck Bad for America," is generally very accurate in depicting Beck while trivializing much of the audience that is attracted to his point-of-view.
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Glenn Beck is the perfect punching bag for the left who wants to find an easy target to show their opponents are angry uncorked paranoid reactionaries.
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Sadly Glenn Beck provides the perfect poster child for the condemnations from the left that start off with, "Well, they're just a bunch of......"
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Nevertheless, we must give Glenn Beck credit for being the point man on helping to raise consciousness about ACORN and Van Jones. This is real progress!
TO FINISH THE WEEK, BECK PROMISES TO WHINE ABOUT THOSE IN THE PRESS WHO ARE "OUT TO GET HIM."
What a wonderful way to finish a week, 5:00 pm. Friday "happy hour" listening to the paranoid ramblings of a fellow who even those who like part of the message might want to clobber the messenger.

NCAA '09 Football: Week 3


Time for cupcakes!!!
Cupcake season has arrived at college football stadia from coast to coast as teams play soft teams to help boost their win/loss records and come to the aid of lesser state schools where such games are big revenue raisers for the states’ university system. We had a tough time picking a competitive and interesting slate. Here’s our picks.

Georgia Tech #14 at Miami #20 (-4).
We pick Georgia Tech. Miami’s not there yet.

Boston College at Clemson (- 7)
Boston College can’t escape the valley. Call it Clemson.

Nebraska #19 at Virginia Tech #13 (-4 ½)
You can’t grow corn in Hokey soil. Virginia Tech wins.

Michigan State at Notre Dame (-10)
Notre Dame won’t let another team named for their northern neighbor get the best of them this week. Give it to the Fighting Irish. This is a must win for Notre Dame. With Clausen at QB and all the other things that are supposed to prove they are a top tier team again, opening at 0-2 will smash those hopes. Forget any big bowls.

Florida State at Brigham Young # 7 (-7 ½)
Sad to say, but it’s hard to pick any ACC team against a top ten team. Brigham young wins.

Arizona at Iowa (-4)
Iowa should take the home field advantage against Arizona and win.

Texas Tech at Texas #2 (-17 ½)
Texas will win but Tech will top the spread in a good old Texas shootout.


Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Jimmy Carter Plays the Race Card


Surprise, surprise, surprise, where else but on NBC Nightly News would the following take place an interview with former President Jimmy “Peanuts” Carter and the subject of opposition to Barack Obama’s policies would come up.

Jimmy Carter, perhaps the most incompetent President since Warren Harding prior to Barack Obama’s arrival, has gone off the deep end in left-wing politics in recent years redefining an image he earned as a lousy President but a noble former President for his work helping launch Habitat for Humanity and supporting other helpful causes. In the late years of the Clinton Presidency and surfacing in full bloom once George W. Bush was elected, Carter decided to become quite outspoken, his views far to the left of even prevailing liberal views in the Democratic party coming darned close to supporting 9/11 conspiracy theories but showing total contempt for Israel making comments that would come darned close to full-blown anti-Semitism.

One could certainly infer that if Carter is not a full-blown anti-Semite, certainly his sympathies lean in that direction, as such, isn’t it ironic that the Georgia peanut farmer would accuse foes of Obama policies as racist?

Surely right minded thinkers know exactly what to make of the following comments from Carter:
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"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter added, “I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that share the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African Americans."
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"And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."
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Let’s be clear, were Jimmy Carter to propose something as radical as Obama’s attempt to have the government seize control of the health care industry, the reaction would likewise be severe. If Jimmy Carter surrounded himself with known radicals who profess their support for communism, he would have paid a severe political price.
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As we’ve discussed earlier, this is a typical tactic of the left to demonize their critics with false accusations to dehumanize and delegitimize them thus making their arguments not worthy of consideration. Since they do not have facts, history and constitutional law on their side, they are left with dirtying their opponents’ reputation through false assertions as their cowardly defense.
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Surely, no one in American politics exhibited more cowardice under pressure than James Earl Carter. What’s left for Jimmy Carter after his failure as President than to be forever known as a sniveling whiner and radical left sympathizer?

The ACORN Sting and Justice in America -- Baltimore States Attorney Considers Changes Against Young Heroes


WARNING: The following posting concerns an enterprise slated to receive 8.5 billion in Federal stimulus funding.

Two highly motivated young people, James O’Keefe, an young filmmaker and Hannah Giles, an aspiring investigative journalist, conducted an undercover sting that brilliantly revealed just how corrupt ACORN (Association of Community Organizers) is. Posing as a prostitute and pimp, they sought ACORN’s advise how they could scam the government to make their enterprise running a brothel with underage girls from Latin America as their hookers appear legit. They took on the Baltimore and Washington ACORN chapters, and in both cases the ACORN person they worked with was very accommodating giving them or helping them figure out just the right language to use including calling the illegal aliens, “dependents” or their business as “entertainment.”

As shocking as these revelations were, only Fox News, WBAL-AM radio in Baltimore, and numerous bloggers ran with the story. The major TV networks and major newspapers ignored it.

It ignited an immediate firestorm on Capitol Hill where all but the most strident liberals voted to sever ties with ACORN on numerous measures. The Census eliminated their need for ACORN’s services.

Some radical commentators condemned the enterprising freelance investigators screaming entrapment and suggesting their actions, of course, were racially motivated. They are viewed as out of control vigilantes. This is standard fare for the radical left. Now if this were “60 Minutes” or ABC’s “20/20” used the same technique investigating possible corporate or organized religious activity suspected of treachery, naturally their efforts would be applauded.

Surely the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore should be proud such citizens are interested in helping weed out corruption in their jurisdictions. Wouldn’t these fine young people be honored for their service to the public?

Hardly, this is Maryland. Already, the Baltimore City States Attorney, Pat Jessamy is considering prosecution on grounds of entrapment and recording the ACORN reps without their consent. Apparently, the Maryland State Attorney General’s office is considering similar issues. Clearly, the Baltimore and Maryland authorities are predisposed to defend ACORN and its treachery which they chose to ignore than support citizens interested in revealing vile corruption. O’Keefe and Giles could face up to five years in jail for their actions.

We hope that despite the left-wing leanings of the current office holders in Washington, Maryland, and Baltimore, the behavior of ACORN is just too corrupt and criminal to ignore and that all appropriate legal action will be initiated to deal with it.

We put this to the left-wing sympathizers of ACORN, revealing the truth about corrupt organizations is not a SMEAR. Revealing the truth is just that and should be considered honorable.

The Washington Redskins: What's in a Name?



In the age of political correctness and the pursuit of a sterile non-offensive universe, the case of the Washington Redskins (and occasionally the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians) comes up as a hurtful image to the population currently called native-Americans or even indigenous-Americans, the descendents of the North American population who inhabited these lands before the first Europeans colonized this land.

The argument is that the use of these native-American images perpetuate negative stereotypes of that population and that in the case of the Washington Redskins, the term, Redskins, is particularly negative as it was used as a slur, a racist verbal assault. If that is so, then they truly do have a case for outrage. However, in the case of the Atlanta Braves or Cleveland Indians, is that any different than perhaps the Minnesota Vikings, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, or maybe even Dallas Cowboys. Given the way American history has become so politicized and downplayed, could it not be argued that these sports teams might be a huge vehicle to keep their legacy alive?

Could perhaps, Chief Wahoo, the insignia of the Cleveland Indians, be seen as an insulting caricature? Perhaps that’s in the eye of the beholder. However, in the big scheme of things, is there any intent on the part of sports to demean native-Americans by using their images to identify their teams.

Logic tells us, no team would select an insulting image. Don’t teams want to create an image that creates strong fan identity?

Is our culture getting to the point where all we need is one identity group or even a very persistent angry individual to get a possibly offensive image sanitized out of existence?

When looking at today’s advertising and television programming, we see many choices made specifically not to hurt anybody’s feelings. Of course the other extreme such as “shock jocks” and certain other figures pander to the other extreme.

Now a group of Native Americans are appealing to the Supreme Court to intervene on their behalf to get rid of the name Redskins for the Washington NFL team. Does this seem like the ultimate political “hail Mary” (not said to offend passionate Catholics)?

To petition the Supreme Court, would there not have to be some specific law raising constitutional issues that has been run through the lower levels of justice finally reaching the Supreme Court?

We see this as a bold move to publicize the issue but not a genuine attempt to accomplish the stated goal of getting Supreme Court consideration.

Their grounds are to attempt to get the Redskins trademarks ruled invalid. In 1999, a US Patent and Trademark Office panel ruled in the Native Americans’ favor. All legal appeals have gone against them thus the move to attempt to get the high court involved.

In the interest of the first amendment, free speech and likewise free enterprise, shouldn’t a sports franchise be able to name itself whatever it pleases?

The Redskins name is a matter for the teams’ ownership, the NFL and football fans to deal with. If the term, Redskin, is truly a racial slur then the Native Americans who want to pursue their grievance, perhaps their best bet is to attempt to educate the population and create sensitivity for their cause?

Regardless, we think this is a matter for those concerned to resolve not the government. Imagine if the NFL team that plays in Landover, Maryland attempted to come up with a name that reflected the notable people in Washington, DC such as the folks on Capitol Hill. Now that would be offensive!!!

Honest Injun!!!

Beatles Remasters -- First Thoughts


The ambitious re-release of the entire Beatles catalog a week ago has the Fab Four's recordings flying off the shelves about as fast as retailers can stock them proving the passion music fans worldwide still have for the Beatles' music. Since their demise in 1970, each decade has featured some major event to reintroduce them to new generations and keep long standing fans fondness alive. In the late 70's, a few thematic compilations were released. In 1987, the entire Beatles catalog was issued on CD giving most Americans the first chance to enjoy the Beatles' music as originally intended on the British albums. The Beatles Anthology project brought John, Paul, George, and Ringo to television on a series of documentaries which was the introduction to three double CD sets of unreleased material, outtakes, and alternate versions of their material. They also obtained two demos from John Lennon's stash of outtakes which John, Paul, and George along with producer Jeff Lynne added tracks to produce what were marketed as new Beatles songs, "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." For the more dedicated fans, a multi-volume VHS and DVD set included not only the material from the television programs but much more. A huge Anthology table top book added to the hoopla. In late 2000, just in time for Christmas shoppers EMI released a nice, tidy one CD dose of the Beatles, simply titled, 1, all of the Beatles number one hits, 27 Beatles classics on one CD. On the dawn of music downloads and iPOD's, here was the ultimate Beatles quick fix consisting of most of their most familiar songs.
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Much chatter arose over why it took so long for the Beatles catalog to be re-released to take advantage of advances in digital recording and the capability to restore older recordings to something really special. In contrast to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones catalog has been remastered at least three times; however, to the Beatles' record label's credit, the original CD's were not that bad where the first generation of Stones' CD's were at times just plain awful. The original Beatles CD's have held up pretty well. Many fans were disappointed that their first four albums were released in mono. Some of the packaging was woefully compromised paying no respect to the original album covers.
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The burning question, are the new Beatles' CD's worth it?
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The answer is a strong, "it depends."
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There's nothing here that will convert folks who never were captured by the Beatles' magic in the first place. That the Beatles could be getting the attention that could bring younger people who never really sampled their music, however, this could be a wonderful occasion for them to discover some of the best pop music ever recorded.
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For Beatles fans, folks who have no particular sense of high fidelity or sound quality who already have CD's and LP's that satisfy their Beatles' diet, there's really no reason to shell out $12-19.00 for new CD's.
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For listeners who appreciate beautiful sound, the new CD's are a revelation. The songs sound faithfully familiar, no engineering liberties are taken, but the clarity and definition are absolutest breath taking. Acoustic guitars truly resonate, Paul's bass playing is clear and expressive not just the bottom thumping to the music, Ringo's drumming is sharp and crisp perhaps showing more skill than he was ever given credit for, and the vocals are absolutely fabulous without compression, RIAA curves, and all the distortion inherent in previous recordings.
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Much of the Beatles early material up to Rubber Soul was released recently as part of the Capitol records boxed sets of their American albums. On first comparison, some listeners might think these recordings have more kick to them than the new remasters; however, the American recordings were given enhanced bass, more high-end EQ and reverb to give them that pumped up sound that would sound stronger on a 6x9 car speaker or the cheesy hi-fi systems of the mid 60's. The Capitol albums will never reveal the subtleties and nuances the new remasters give the listener. Pod listeners will have to choose which converts better to that environment.
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The video clips added to each album for computer play, are decent little promos for each album, but they are just that. They're quick little spots for the album. The packaging is attractive but there is a serious drawback, the CDs are enclosed in slip packaging requiring the listener to pull the CD's out with his or her fingers adding finger grease and possibly scratching the disc surface. While it's nice to be ridded of the limitations of the jewel case, CD's should have a hub to hold them in place requiring as little touch and eliminating as much friction as possible.
The booklets are nice restoring all that the original CD's robbed from the package. The new commentary in the booklets though is truly for the technology freaks as they concern more the recording process on how the albums were originally recorded offering no new insight into the music or what the lads had in mind composing and performing the material.
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Our bottom line is that only the most dedicated fans should probably purchase the entire inventory, but surely adding a few favorite albums will offer some real listening joys. The new Beatles releases remind us once again that the Beatles were the greatest band of their time.

Racial Demagoguery: How the Left Wing Alliance in Politics and Media Smear Their Critics


Maureen Dowd, New York Times character
assassin takes aim at Obama critics.


It’s unavoidable. For anyone to step up and disagree with Obama administration actions, policies, and proposals can only be motivated by one thing: RACISM. The left contends that those opposed to the rapid acceleration toward socialism; the attempts to seize control of the American health care system by the government; seemingly unconditional support of organized labor; the appointment of administration Czars, many of them with extreme radical credentials, outside the confirmation process to create policy; association with criminal organizations like ACORN; and support for unprecedented Federal spending racking up trillions of dollars in debt are doing so for but one motive, they cannot accept a black person as President.

Got that? So everyday Americans would accept the concerns mentioned above if Hilary Clinton, Chris Dodd, or John Edwards had won the Democratic nomination? If there’s anything peculiar that subjects Barack Obama to more intense criticism it could be the pure hypocrisy embodied in his approach, that he worked hard to present himself as above petty politics projecting a high-mindedness to rise above Washington pettiness when in practice, his approach has been the ultimate illustration of, “my way or the highway.” That he would indicate while not knowing all the facts, the Cambridge police acted stupidly shows how quick Obama is to pass summary judgment on those who confront his sacred cows, in this case, the arrest of one of his Harvard faculty supporters. To see the obvious contradictions and shoot from the hip opinions and characterizations is viewing the Obama administration through racist eyes, his supporters maintain.

After the initial tea party demonstrations, Janeane Garafulo blasted participants as exhibiting racism “plain and simple” that they could not deal with a black President. Such characterizations would not surprise anyone coming from the notorious Hollywood bomb thrower. However, the same sentiments have been echoed time and time again from Atlanta, Georgia, comments made by Atlanta Journal Constitution editorial writer, Cynthia Tucker to radicals associated with Obama himself.

No one could show this attitude better than Pulitzer Prize winner, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, a vicious critic of anyone daring to stray from left wing orthodoxy who blasted the previous administration’s every turn. Using the recent Joe Wilson episode as her launching pad, she used the matter to stomp on anyone with the audacity to suggest the Obama administration might be leading the nation off course.

She wrote:
“Joe Wilson yelled “You lie!” at a president who didn’t.

But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy!”

She continued:
“Wilson clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber.

I’ve been loath to admit that the shrieking lunacy of the summer — the frantic efforts to paint our first black president as the Other, a foreigner, socialist, fascist, Marxist, racist, Commie, Nazi; a cad who would snuff old people; a snake who would indoctrinate kids — had much to do with race.”

Complete text of Dowd column:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13dowd.html?_r=1

Through out her column, she ties together a mixture of assertions largely reinforcing stereotypes the ivory tower elitists have toward the south as if nothing’s changed since the days of slavery and segregation. Her pseudo-intellectual brow-beating Obama critics using grandiose posturing reveals unvarnished contempt for the rest of us who’ve reached our conclusions outside the constant drumbeat of the left-wing elite.

By labeling critics as racist, Dowd casts them as inferior people beneath the level of worthiness to engage in serious debate. Under this scenario, they’ll continue to prescribe what’s good for the rest of us and we’re just too stupid or bigoted to know what they’re doing is for our own good.

The huge turnout in Washington, DC this weekend to protest the “brave new world” Obama-nation is thrusting upon us shows thousands of Americans have had enough and will not be intimidated.

Once the fear of being branded “racist” could be a dangerous and effective tool of intimidation, but in recent months, the left has so blatantly resorted to this kind of vile manipulation those intent to support limited government, Constitutional rule of law, and traditional values will no longer be silenced.

Monday, September 14, 2009

NFL Week 1: Ravens Win -- Don't Worry About the Defense; Other Week One Notes


Don't panic. Who wasn't scared when the Kansas City Chiefs had the lead in the second half. That wasn't supposed to happen. Get over it. The Ravens won. Yes, the Ravens won.


We can almost hear what's going to be the buzz on Baltimore sports talk today. Rather than celebrating the Ravens first win, fans will be agonizing about the Ravens giving up 24 points as if their once mighty defense collapsed. Consider this, one Chiefs touchdown was scored on a blocked punt in the endzone another came off a very short field from an inteception. As such, the defense is truly accountable for ten points which is a lot for this unit against a team like Kansas City, but must be considered at least acceptable.
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The big story is the offensive explosion. The Ravens flaunted a passing game while not abandoning a multifaceted running attack where the scoring began and ended with Willis Magahee touchdowns.
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Before fans start boasting about a dramatic Seattle comeback, remember they beat up on the St. Louis Rams perhaps the worst team in the business next to Detroit.
Next week won't be so easy. The Ravens travel across country to San Diego, almost certainly the pick of the west.
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Other Notes:
The Chicago Bears must be the most miserable guys in the game this morning. Not only did their first real quarterback, Jay Cutler, look miserable in his Chicago debut, but defensive hit man, Brian Urlacher suffered a separated wrist. The NFC North is looking more like a Green Bay and Vikings shootout which is exactly what fans want. Meanwhile, Detroit now has lost 26 games in a row. 26 games in a row, picture that as wins. That's a dynastic performance.
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Rex Ryan had the Jets looking red hot against the Houston Texans. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez looked brilliant while the Jets played the kind of defense Rex Ryan was famous for as defensive mastermind with the Ravens.
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The six point margin doesn't tell the story. The Redskins looked awful against the Giants with Jason Campbell having that "deer in the headlights" look about him when looking for receivers.
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, one of the game's real good guys, can't buy a break. He hustles in for a touchdown against Carolina only to have a couple of Panther defenders pile on top of him: the result -- a cracked rib. The dog killer will still be on suspension next week if McNabb can't play. This is a loss in the division that is especially tough in a division as packed as the NFC East. Washington might be the lone team entitled to a little bit of panic based on week one where no one got injured.
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Denver was supposed to be just plain awful. They ditched QB Jay Cutler and fired coach Mike Shannahan replacing him with a fellow who doesn't look old enough to buy a beer. Meanwhile, receiver Brandon Marshall was creating a distraction that would make Terrell Owens and Chad Ocho-Stinko proud. Nevertheless, they came into Cincinnati winning 12-7. Not bad!
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San Francisco had more than enough punch to beat the Arizona Cardinals who couldn't get it together on either side of the ball. Is this the Super Bowl loser's jinx? This is a loss in the Division, a fate the Cardinals don't need if they seek post season play in 2009.
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Brett Favre discovered life is good when all the QB has to do is hand off the ball to a world class running back. Adrian Peterson did the job and how! If the Vikings can tighten up their defense, this could be one killer team.
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Might Colts Fans be a little nervous holding on to win by just two points at home over Jacksonville?
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Tonight's action puts New England against Buffalo. How will Tom Brady do after missing all but part of game one last year? How will T.O. try to grab the spotlight? Across the continent there's a late night game on ESPN with San Diego visiting Oakland. For both games, it's not hard to pick the winners, but both could make for very interesting scripts. Their will be lots of folks with bleary eyes at work tomorrow morning as it will be around 2:0o am when the second game concludes.
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It's only the first week. Barring serious injuries, nothing happened that can't be undone. Two weeks from now, will be time for the first reality check.
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MLB: How Much Is Left To Be Decided?


The road to the World Series goes through New Yankee Stadium and St. Louis.
Three weeks from today, the season will be over and the playoff field set. For the casual observer, it looks like the American League is set and the National League rests on the National League West where the Dodgers are three games up on the Colorado Rockies whose push got slightly slowed up losing their last two games.

The Wild Card races show Boston having a four game lead over Texas. In the National League, Colorado leads San Francisco by 4 ½, Florida by 5 ½ and the Braves by 6 ½ games. At first blush, these don’t look like nail biters.

Boston still has to play the California Angels, their likely playoff match at home this week then play the Yankees the next to last weekend of the season. The Rangers play the Angels both at home and away. Realistically, this makes the task tough on Texas unless they get incredibly red hot where if they were to sweep the Angels, something better than the Wild Card could be in store for them.

The National League contest between the Dodgers and the Rockies could come down to the last weekend of the season when the Rockies come to Dodger town to decide it all. In the meantime, the Dodgers entertain the Giants next weekend, but face Pittsburgh this week. They have an east coast road trip. That’s the bad news. The good news is they face the Nationals and the Pirates then come west to face the Padres, a run of three series against three last place teams. Joe Torre has to like that! Meanwhile, Colorado visits the San Francisco Giants, a team they must put away, starting tonight. They’ll go out to the desert to face Arizona before coming home to play San Diego, St. Louis, a possible playoff match up, and Milwaukee. The remainder of the schedule coupled with a three game lead would favor the Dodgers.

Are there other possibilities?

Consider this, the Detroit Tigers are the only team in their division with a winning record 5 ½ games up on the Minnesota Twins with the White Sox lurking just another game behind. Before we close the book on the AL Central, the Tigers play both Minnesota and Chicago at home and away with the Twins coming to Motor City as the next to last series and Chicago finishing the year in Motown. While that would look to open things up, Minnesota and Chicago could eliminate each other when they play a three game series in Chicago next week.

Are the Philadelphia Phillies safe? They play the Florida Marlins 6 ½ games back first in Miami before finishing with a three game set in Philadelphia the last weekend. Given the way the Phillies bullpen has collapsed and Florida’s ability to go on hot streaks, they can’t print their postseason tickets yet, but Florida’s next opponent is St. Louis in St. Louis.

The view in the crystal ball says the Yankees will host the Tigers and the Angels will host the Red Sox in the American League. The Cardinals will host the Rockies while it’s too close to call who will be the host but the Phillies and Dodgers, a game apart in the los column advantage Dodgers, will play in the other bracket.

While the Yankees look strong in the American League, the one team that has their number is the Angels who have a 4-2 edge over the Bronx bombers who host the Angels in a make up game tonight and will travel to Anaheim on September 21st for a three game series. In what looks like another playoff matchup, the Angels begin three games against Boston in Fenway Park tomorrow night.

A Yankees/St. Louis World Series is looking more likely with each passing week.

RANT: Maybe RMF Watched Too Much Sports This Weekend


Advertisers think this asshole can sell us pickup trucks
and DirectTV. God help us!
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Two Orioles games, four NFL games, two college football games (HOORAY FOR MICHIGAN!), and two NASCAR races while wanting to be able to watch some of the PGA action, more baseball, and USC versus Ohio State, it was just another typical weekend for the All-American guy in Chesapeake Country, but damned those damned advertisements are getting more annoying every season.
Sports Fans: Who Do They Think We Are?

Advertising is supposed to influence our opinion of products and motivate us to but them. However, when we consider what’s going into the marketing behind the ads, what better way to judge what a sponsor thinks of its customers?

Corporate America spends billions on market research to figure out who buys their products and what their interests and push buttons are that could be manipulated to get customers to buy everything from beer to health insurance.

Look at the advertisements you watch on your favorite television programs, and you’ll get a good snapshot of how they assess us, what their opinion is of their viewers.

I conclude particularly for sports fans, they think we’re boorish and stupid. How else can you explain Dennis Leary selling Direct TV with its special NFL programming and Ford F-150 pickup trucks? Excuse me, I don’t want to have anything to do with Dennis Leary. I hate his public persona. Why would anyone find such an insensitive, rude, lout so appealing?

Beer commercials used to be a riot. Remember the Budweiser frogs and lizards or the cat fight in the fountain for Miller Lite? Of course, they were blasted for using cartoon like figures for they might entice children to want to drink beer and surely the feminists went bonkers over the cat fight.

These days, beer ads are more inclined to show the kinds of fellows they think drink their beer and these aren’t exactly the sharpest fellows. They come across as Animal House rejects who’d never make it into the frat because they’d never get accepted to college in the first place. Think of the Heineken Light ad where two goofballs spill their beer, are pitied by the usher, led to the fancy seats, served a couple Heinekens, and then a sharp brown-eyed girl asks, “Hey guys, pass me one. PLEASE!” You get the impression they’re so into admiring their victory and guzzling their brews they’re going to completely blow off this lovely lady. Of course, we could talk about the Coors Light ads where the yahoos question pro-football coaches. Again, they’re not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Locally in the mid-Atlantic, MASN has been airing their “defining moment” series to promote Orioles and Nationals games on TV. In this series, MASN presents typical fans standing in front of a video display that looks a little like Camden Yards’ scoreboard raving about something that makes them worship their hometown team. The selection of characters provides a broad cross section ethnically, by age, and gender supposed to show the wide appeal of baseball. Fair enough, but obviously most of them were white males from teen to golden years.

How could they find such obnoxious specimens to represent Chesapeake area baseball fans? We’ll even go as far to say that the Washington Nationals fans are definitely more appealing than the Orioles fans. While watching these ads, it wasn’t hard to think of those folks out at the ball yard who think they are the world’s greatest and smartest fans ever to show up with their sacred Elysian Fields before them sitting way too close for comfort who are all too eager to engage every paying customer sitting near them as subjects to their lectures about all they know (or truly don’t know) about baseball as if the very fate of mankind rested on their words. One could also think of the boorish blabber mouth at the local watering hole or sports bar who won’t stop blabbering in a loud obnoxious voice acting like everyone in the facility is his best buddy as long as those persons just quietly nod and bob like a bobble head as long as the self-appointed sports expert feels some kind of enabler’s support for his blathering. These are the kinds of folks, as so well depicted in these ads who make the unwilling subject of their rants just think, “Where can I run and hide?”

If fans made the association these are the kind of people who pack the stands at the ballparks in Baltimore and DC, is it any wonder attendance is so low?

Advertising has always run spots that completely miss their marks, but there are certain trends today that give rise to particularly offensive advertisements. First, the media is so detached and elitist; it feels far superior to its patrons whether it’s how the media covers the news, its programming or advertising. Second, the culture of political correctness and identity politics has invaded Madison Avenue where it’s just as damaging as it is to Wall Street. The only certain result is bland mediocrity and intellectual vapidity.

The irony is the audience for sports consists largely of male viewers in the prime demographics where customers for everything from beer to pickup trucks to financial services are riveted to football, baseball, basketball, and hockey games, NASCAR races, and the PGA tour. Few audiences are more steady viewers. However, in this new multicultural society where all hell breaks loose every time someone of a particular identity is offended, the only people who are allowed to be portrayed as idiots are white men or very attractive blonde females. Yes, men are the dum-dums who depend on their daughters to know when they need to touch up their gray hair and learn how to tie their neckties. Of course look at the burglars portrayed in ads for home security systems. They’re all white guys from 20-40 generally needing a shave. Imagine if an African American were portrayed as a home intruder?

Get the picture. Soon we’ll have the technology to push a button on our TV’s to program in quickie little videos that we can punch up every time there’s an ad break during our favorite telecasts. What device is more personally empowering than the remote control?

Column in Forbes Sets Record Straight on Obama Health Takeover Speech


RMF hasn't weighed in on Obama's demogoguery from Wednesday night because RMF is just too angry to write something cogent wanting to say things that would make Rep. Jim Wilson (R-SC) look mild. The lies, the distortions, the finger-pointing and self-congratulation was beyond belief trying to make one of the most dangerous proposals ever to be considered in Washington look palpable.

We came across this column from Forbes magazine which adds some great perspective on Obama's totalitarian megalomania. Isn't it interesting how casually the radical extremist rattles off false assertions as if they are verifiable facts and figures? Can we not see his total contempt for private business and any profit making enterprise? Is it not powefully clear that a person surrounded by radicals, political machine operatives, union thugs, and ground level hacks has no perspective on how the major institutions like health care, the financial sector, and corporate America operate?

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/10/health-care-speech-obama-economics-opinions-columnists-shikha-dalmia.html
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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Diane Auer Jones Weighs in on Health Care Debate


Once again, one of our most respected Washington "insiders" though she would probably reject this characterization, former White House Science advisor and Asst. Ed. Secretary, Diane Auer Jones, a life long Catonsville resident, weighs in on the health insurance issue.

Read this article for some sound philosophical reasoning on how the current approach is off base.

http://www.chroniclecareers.com/blogPost/Mandatory-Health-Insurance-Is/7996/
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Sprint Cup: The Chase is On!!

Here they come!

Here's the field for the 2009 Sprint Cup "Chase for the Championship."

1. Mark Martin, Chevy, 5040 pts.
2. Tony Stewart, Chevy, 5030 pts.
3. Jimmie Johnson, Chevy, 5030 pts.
4. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 5020 pts.
5. Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 5020 pts.
6. Jeff Gordon, Chevy, 5010 pts.
7. Kurt Busch, Dodge, 5010 pts.
8. Brian Vickers, Toyota, 5010 pts.
9. Carl Edwards, Ford, 5000 pts.
10. Ryan Newman, Chevy, 5000 pts.
11. Juan Montoya, Chevy, 5000, pts.
12. Greg Biffle, Ford, 5000 pts.

Matt Kenseth, winner of the Daytona 500 and the first race in California in February missed the Chase for the first time since the Chase format was adopted. Kyle Busch who tied Mark Martin for the most wins also did not make the field. The field included no drivers from Richard Childress racing who ran three teams in the Chase in 2008 driven by Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in last year's field but his struggles in '09 have been well documented. With Kyle Busch not making the lineup and Tony Stewart now racing for his own team, only one team, Denny Hamlin, represents Joe Gibbs Racing.

This year's "Chase" marks the first entries by Brian Vickers for Red Bull Racing and Juan Pablo Montoya who represents the merged operation Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. With the merger of Gillette/Evernham and Petty Enterprises, this is the first Chase to have the Petty name in competition as Kasey Kahne races for Richard Petty Racing.

Surely the success of Stewart-Haas racing has to be one of the major story lines for this year's chase. Though Stewart has not raced well for the past few races, no driver has dominated the season the way his new #14 team with crew chief, Darian Grubb. While Ryan Newman won no races, his consistency brought him into the field as the second entry for the first year operation.

For those who did not make the field, winning races still has its rewards. Many drivers and crew chiefs are racing for jobs next year as sponsorship dollars are tight. Will there be more stories like the merger of Yates into Richard Petty racing on the horizon? Might we find out that next year's NASCAR season could gain a woman's touch as the rumors about Danica Patrick's possible move to NASCAR grow louder, but would she start at the Sprint Cup level or get her apprenticeship racing in the Nationwide or Camping World Trucks series?

Mark Martin leading the field surely must most popular with NASCAR fans. Surely, if any driver is capable of running off a series of wins, the cagey old veteran is as good as they come. Naturally, Jimmie Johnson would be a hard one not to pick given his team's ability to find a little something extra as the series transitions into fall. There's no telling how powerful Tony Stewart's team could be if they get a second win, and oh by the way, there's a fellow in the Chase who has four championships, Jeff Gordon.

More thoughts as the drivers head to New Hampshire next weekend.

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Kick Off in Baltimore


Today, 1:00 am, M&T Bank Stadium, the Baltimore Ravens kick off the 2009 season versus the Kansas City Chiefs after a highly successful 2008 campaign. Many of the key players return: Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, and Ed Reed will lead one of the NFL's most proven defenses with a swift attack of organized chaos to rattle even the stoutest offense. Joe Flacco and Ray Rice will build on their successful rookie start with veterans Derek Mason and Todd Heap, but there will be one fixture in Baltimore football missing, the original Raven, the lone hold over from Cleveland, Matt Stover will not be the team's field goal specialist.


Baltimore fans need not whine about this team not getting respect by national media. They are well known and feared. They will compete with the best this year besides Pittsburgh facing Indianapolis here in Baltimore and New England.


Here's to the success and good health of our beloved Ravens. The dogs are in the house and they're growling!!!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Congratulations to Derek Jeter



On a damp dreary night when the decision to play baseball seemed to be pushing it, Yankee shortstop and captain, Derek Jeter broke Lou Gehrig's mark for the most hits by a career New York Yankee en route to surely hitting well over 3,000 in his career and then enshrinement with his number retired in monument park and a trip to Cooperstown joining figures like Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe Dimagio, Mickey Mantle, and all the other Yankees legends.

Perhaps there is some small irony he would accomplish this feat against the Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken's former team, a player Jeter emulates with such professionalism. Like Ripken, Jeter is a model citizen in the sport who leads by example who shows up to work every day, approaches the game with respect, demonstrates the right work habits, and knows at heart baseball is a kid's game where playing every day should be fun.

Is it any wonder Derek Jeter is perhaps the most respected player in the game today?

The Democrats Are at It Again: Punishing Joe Wilson


The House Democrats Need to Chill

Get a load of this, Rep. Joe Wilson yelled out, “you lie!” during President Barack Obama’s health care sales pitch to Congress. While he was correct in pointing out the President was lying and yelling “BULLSHIT” would have been every bit as accurate, in civil society our elected officials should not behave in such an uncivil manner and behave like grown ups.

Mr. Wilson issued an apology. He said what needed to be said. Apparently, the White House accepted the apology though don’t be surprised if they don’t try to score political points for this episode later. The Democrats demand more. Wilson must make a formal apology on the House floor. Meanwhile the party leaders have activated the democratic Congressional Campaign to go wild raising money for his challenger, Rob Miller. Wilson maintains he’s apologized sufficiently and will not give into partisan demands that he apologize more publicly. CASE CLOSED!!!!

If we are to criticize inappropriate behavior making accusations of lying, let’s look at the accusations Nancy Pelosi hurled at the CIA on the record. Now there’s a charge that demands some major action and if she weren’t the mother hen of the House, surely she’d deserve a strong rebuke, possibly censure for her idiocy. WHEN IS NANCY PELOSI GOING TO APOLOGIZE TO THE FINE PROFESSIONALS IN THE CIA SHE TRASHED?

The difference between Wilson and Pelosi is that Wilson attacked a political target while Pelosi attacked a group of highly dedicated non-partisan professionals some of whom lay their lives on the line for our nation’s security which is more than anyone could ever suggest of the House Speaker with her sense of royal entitlement.

It’s always fascinating to see the Democrats play the “my shit doesn’t stink” game. There isn’t a sane person in the world who wouldn’t want to avoid a partisan farting contest, the elephant versus the jackass.

Here’s the article:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/11/democrats-wilson-ultimatum-apology-punishment/?test=latestnews

Meanwhile, back home in South Carolina where Joe Wilson’s behavior really matters, some folks are just fine with his situation. Within 48 hours of his outburst during Obama’s speech, he raised close to $750,000 for his reelection campaign.

The Democrats must be confident the press will cover their back when it comes to vicious accusations of lying. Run the tapes and see what folks like Barney Frank, Harry Reid and others have had to say about George W. Bush when they were in the minority party. At least there is substantial truth in Joe Wilson’s charge based on the track record of the efforts in congress to seize control of the nation’s health care.

If it’s fair to ask for Wilson’s apology, we demand the same of the Democrats for Nancy Pelosi accusing the CIA of lying and the many instances where similar accusations were hurled by several prominent Democrats at George W. Bush and Dick Chaney. In this farting contest, they’ll find out whose shit stinks the most.

Sprint Cup 2009, Race 26: Bubble Busters at Richmond


Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth along with their owner, Jack Roush, must be sweating bullets as tonight's race in Richmond approaches. Here's some simple math. If they were to finish in their qualifying positions opposite Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch, Biffle would hang on by a thread, Brian Vickers would get in, Matt Kenseth would be running for pride for the rest of the year, and Kyle Busch would still be pouting and screaming blaming somebody for not getting in the show. Brian Vickers starts 6th while "Shrub" starts 8th. The Blue Oval boys start with Biffle in 24th position and Kenseth in 28th.


Meanwhile, Mark "the Kid" Martin would appear to be able to breathe a little easier having won the poll. How many fans would have seen him well positioned to top the Chase field with the driver having the most wins. It could happen!

Sprint Cup: Petty Racing to Merge with Yates


Things were looking bad for Ford racing. The Roush/Fenway team must shed one car for next year. The 26 car will race no more. Yates in its alliance with Hall-of-Fame Racing appeared in chaos as Bobby Labonte was removed from several remaining races in a sponsorship deal. With the Yates organization and Roush cut but one team, where did that leave the "Blue Oval Boys" for 2010?


Meanwhile, the alliance created by Gillette/Evernham essentially buying out Richard Petty Enterprises but bringing on "the King" for his leadership, expertise, and public relations capacity, has had limited success outside the #9 team, Budweiser sponsorship, with Kasey Kahne as its driver who is well-positioned to make "The Chase."


Given the cars are essentially the same regardless of nameplate, the only real difference is the engine. Where Petty has struggled has been bringing on the new Dodge engine which has been part of the Penske Dodge operation's success with Kurt Busch. If nothing else, NASCAR knows Yates builds horsepower. This merger could result in a potentially strong team. Kasey Kahne is a first class talent who could benefit tremendously from first rate horsepower. Paul Menard, Elliot Sadler, and A.J. Allmendinger will round out the team. Reed Sorenson and Bobby Labonte's future is unclear.


Some other intriguing questions need to be answered. For instance, who will run the #43 car? Will this team bring back the legendary #28 for one of its rides, a number associated with Yates success in the past and Ford history going back to Fred Lorenzen's run in the winning Holman-Moody Ford in the mid 60's.


While it might seem strange to see Richard Petty's name associated with Fords, we think of him racing Dodges and Chryslers, then GM cars predominantly Pontiacs before his retirement in 1992. Richard Petty was a Ford driver in a fastback Torino in 1969. Back then, that light Petty blue paint job and the #43 on the side of the car spelled doom for other competitors regardless of whose sheetmetal or engine NASCAR's greatest driver raced.


Ford will have eight full time cars racing next year that should have adequate funding and sponsorship. Richard Petty's legend is kept alive and remains on an American nameplate. We can imagine some would find something unsettling about "The King's" legend turned over to Toyota while we remind our readers the Toyota Camry is the only car in Sprint Cup competition that is assembled in the United States.


The odd-man out is Bobby Labonte. His brother went through a long dry spell between his championships, so for the sake of younger brother, Bobby, we hope opportunities lie ahead for him. His presence was supposed to envigorate the Petty garage, but that organization simply did not have the resources to race to win during his tenure. Then much hope surfaced as Labonte joined Hall-of-Fame racing teaming up with Yates and champion crew chief, Todd Parrott, but the results have been dreadful this year. Unless there's something about Bobby Labonte we don't know, he'd be a welcome addition to any team looking for a driver upgrade.


How this will play out for the remainder of the season is unknown. Surely, the Richard Petty Racing operation must do all it can to ensure Kasey Kahne's success in "The Chase." Meanwhile, Paul Menard can race assured he has a ride, perhaps in part to the Menard's sponsorship, next year. One has to believe he has not had the chance to show his potential in a floundering DEI operation or what he's struggled with this year racing for Yates.


Elliot Sadler must also be a winner in this deal. It was this past off-season he looked like a man pushed out of a ride from the Petty/Gillette-Evernham merger.
Finally, what does this move say for Dodge in Sprint Cup? Only Penske's three car operation remains Dodge for now. Will Penske's rides still be Dodges or some other nameplate next year?


Friday, September 11, 2009

September 11, 2009

Right Minded Fellow strives to give our readers an alternative view of the day's events from what's going on in Washington to more joyful pursuits in sports and the arts; however, on this 8th anniversary of our great national nightmare, we will ask our readers to please read the three postings we have written on this most dreadful event and encourage everyone to use this day to deepen our resolve to defend our culture for all its blessings we receive and to stand firm against those who would destroy us. In respect and observance of the day that changed our lives, we will have nothing else to say today. We want all our collective thoughts and energy to ponder the lessons learned from that dark day eight years ago and contemplate the path that lies before us.

Allow yourself a moment of silence. Listen for the voice within and the great voice from beyond. Heed those words and be free.

Celebrate life.

Reflections on Our Darkest Day Eight Years Ago


How has your life changed because of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?

People living in the New York City area, around the nation’s Capitol, and those connected with the four airline flights involved whose family, friends, and associates were killed or injured, their lives will never be the same hurt beyond repair in some ways. Those who’ve been called to arms to fight the war on terror continue to pay a tremendous price. Between those killed from the attacks and in our military, the death toll stands at over 7,000. Considering tens of thousands of people worked in the twin towers of the World Trade Center, how much bravery and little miracles kept the count from escalating higher.

One cannot travel by air and not be aware of greater restrictions to assure passenger safety from potential terrorists. We can also look at many public facilities see the barriers put in place to create a safety zone that could hopefully thwart truck bombers and other threats. We’ve also had to go through more security entering everything from office buildings, sports events, and rock concerts for fear that large assemblies make desirable targets.

However, perhaps what’s most alarming is how little we have been affected, how quickly life returned to normal, how little we have been interrupted in any way, and how easy the lessons of that horrible event are ignored.

How horrible it is that much of the energy generated against what happened to us is not being directed at the Islamic extremists behind this most wicked event but has been turned inward whether its those hateful sick bastards who perpetuate 9/11 conspiracy theories, the attempts to gloss over the events behind a wall of political correctness, or just simple complacency as if no one wants to be bothered distracted from their day-to-day affairs.

Perhaps it would be better if those horrible events resulted in us having to do something at least a little differently in some ways. Don’t we need some little reminders to reinforce our resolve to continue the fight?

Thankfully, despite massive intelligence gathering operations, we have not lost our freedom. The instant that would start to happen would be the first stages of surrender to our hated enemy.

As we have stated along with many others, we did not choose this war; this war chose us. We can withdraw from Iraq or Afghanistan. We can call the war on terror by nicer names. We can talk around that we have a bitter enemy in radical Islam. Those who attacked us will continue to press on. They think in terms we do not. We are “now” people looking at the present and instant results. They see this as a struggle for the ages and will continue to spread their religion and politics of death. Until every last person on this earth is under their murderous control, anyone and anything in their way could be destroyed. We treasure life. They see no greater glory than dying for their wicked beliefs and nothing is more heroic than killing nonbelievers and dying a martyr.

We must have faith that because we choose life and they choose death, we will ultimately win. However, we cannot let somebody else do it. We cannot depend of the rest of the world. We cannot even depend on our government. Our government is a sickly reflection of ourselves. Unless they are constantly reminded and supported that we as a people stand strong, the ship of state will stray off course.

In the meantime, our life goes on, and nothing more than witnessing the deaths of so many Americans can remind us more just how precious our lives are and beautiful the love we share for those in our hearts. We are also reminded when we see the sick application of Islam as the blueprint for destruction, that God is alive, in our hearts, in our nature, and providing us a pathway to deal with this most horrible reality. If there has ever been a clearer battle of good against evil, we have found it just as the great generation fought Nazi Germany and the death culture of the Axis powers so few decades ago.

We look to our grandparents and great grandparents whose time on this earth is rapidly passing for they knew what it took to unite, sacrifice and conquer a great evil. Their values and lessons of personal responsibility and shared sacrifice seem so alien to the “me” culture of baby boomers and Generation X. It’s time for baby boomers on the twilight of their golden years to grow up and for Generation X to step up. Future generations depend on our resolve.

Do not let this day pass without saying a prayer connecting with the goodness of God and let your heart guide its content. Express your love and appreciation to someone special in your life. No matter your hardships, count your blessings.

We must also be realistic. Those who hate us will strike again. Can we be prepared?

9/11, the War on Terror, and the Enemy Within




White House “Green Jobs Czar” Van Jones, the self confessed communist who resigned this weekend signed a petition supporting the contention that the Bush administration either had prior knowledge of or was responsible for the 9-11 attacks. Actor Charlie Sheen, reported to be the highest paid actor on American television issued a plea to President Barack Obama urging an investigation into what Sheen believes was a Bush administration conspiracy claiming the official 9-11 report a fraud.

Earlier in the year, new Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano created Orwellian new speak to masquerade the horrors. Terrorist attacks were now “man made disasters.” The War on Terror would repeatedly be removed from the discussion and called among other things, an overseas contingency operation.

Bin Ladin still remains at large and the threat is real. Where’s the outrage and commitment eight years later?

For the almost 3000 Americans who died on that fateful day and thousands more servicemen fighting Islamic extremism, every one of us needs to come to grips with the hard reality no matter what our politicians decide to do, we did not chose this war. This war chose us.

We must condemn the cowards and traitors like Van Jones and Charlie Sheen for what they are. We cannot in anyway blame ourselves or our government’s policies for what happened on that dreadful morning. We can second guess all that could have been done to avoid the tragedy, but we face an evil enemy who studied our way of life and how we do things while we went on about our normal business. Their diabolical creativity found a weakness and exploited it to unimaginable consequences.

Until the wretched mindset that grows terrorism is destroyed, the war will continue. It could be years, decades, or even generations, but we must be resolved knowing that as horrible as America can be, at heart we are a just and good society while the Islamic terrorists who seek to destroy us are even more evil.

We can argue the tactics, but to deny the reality is sick, evil, and wrong.

Remembering September 11 Terrorists Attacks Eight Years Later


On a clear, beautiful morning like this...
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Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, 8:46 am EDT, couldn’t have been a more beautiful morning in the north eastern United States. The sky was clear; the weather warm. A week after Labor Day and the end of summer, folks were settling into school and their jobs. It was business as usual as daybreak gave way approaching 9:00 am when the whole working world is buckling down. The NFL season had just started. The New York Yankees were atop their division heading for another World Series. What could be more normal and seemingly perfect?

In Baltimore, Maryland, an employee for the finance department of a rising corporation pulled into the parking lot at his office listening to the local news-talk station, just prior to 9:00 the morning host interrupted his discussion, a plane had hit the New York World Trade Center. That seemed so odd. How could that happen? Surely it was as clear and lovely a couple hours up the highway from Baltimore. These kind of weather systems usually covered most of the northeast. By the time he walked into his office, his immediate area was bedlam. Fellow staff members were frantically talking on the phone. Others were tuning in radio stations and scrambling on the Internet. Everyone wanted to know what happened in New York. Did some pilot go hopelessly astray?

A moment later just after 9:00 am an office mate slammed down her phone and screamed, “Holy shit, a plane just hit the other tower.” Almost on impulse, the fellow who had just come in from the parking lot impulsively screamed, “Fucking Arabs.”

Nobody wanted to believe what happened, but intuitively not only did we know we were under attack, but at least had a pretty good idea by whom. Nobody else could be so dastardly and suicidal. Televisions were turned on the next floor up. The wretched images of the twin towers were bellowing dark demonic looking smoke as the reports came across of people hand in hand leaping to their deaths. There were tens of thousands of people working in that complex. How many would make it out alive?

As the horrible reality sank in more gravely came another shocker, and huge explosion in Washington, DC. Just across the river, there had been a blast at the Pentagon and quickly all knew a plane had crashed into the headquarters of American defense. Our country was under attack while that sinking feeling set in, “What next?”

That same fellow in Baltimore shed a tear thinking the White House or Capitol could be under attack. He once taught school. A former student he dearly loved was working on the professional staff for the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, everyone at his office was starting to come to grips with the situation wondering what in Baltimore might be a likely target. A huge high rise hotel had just opened two blocks away. It stood out like a sore thumb on the Baltimore skyline, but Baltimore had its own World Trade Center, much smaller than the one in New York. Quickly, Baltimore was going into emergency status. The expressways leading in and out of the city were closed down in case they’d be needed to move emergency vehicles. Schools were preparing to shut down as most businesses in the area closed down. Every station on television it seems turned into a news channel, even ESPN and ESPN2 were broadcasting the feed from ABC news. All events were cancelled and planes grounded until further notice. Then came the word of another episode in western Pennsylvania. Early reports indicated passengers were able to wrestle control of Flight 93 away from its hijackers and were able to force the plane to the ground. A new class of citizen warriors had become the first killed combatants in the war on terrorism.

Baltimore was absolute gridlock as the working life blood of the city’s downtown business district attempted to ride home with major arteries clogged with traffic. Similar stories were repeated from the east coast to the west, but those stuck in traffic for hours were the lucky ones. The horrors in lower Manhattan and Arlington, Virginia were beyond comprehension. Then came even another terrible report. One of the WTC towers collapsed and soon after that, the second tower collapsed. The whole nation had images of thousands of Americans crushed or burned to death. In the rubble of the twin towers in New York was buried America’s innocence. We were at war but no one had a clew how this would play out.

The President was in Florida promoting education reading a story to school children. His chief of staff whispered in his ear. For a moment he appeared as dumbstruck as the rest of us as he has scurried off to an undisclosed location. Security advisors did not want him returning to Washington DC, there could be more attacks. The Vice President was scurried off to a secret location which turned out to be a bunker in the Vice President’s residence. As afternoon set in, there was a mournful silence from coast to coast. No more attacks, but everyone was thinking, what next?

As the afternoon progressed, families assembled together many glued to the television. Military officials, intelligence experts, and prominent leaders weighed in on the retched tragedy. There was even the image of congressmen on Capitol hill who had been locked into vicious partisan fighting a day earlier joined together singing “God Bless America.” Baseball games and virtually all other events were called off. Americans travelling across country were stranded unable to get air service elsewhere.

We were quickly putting the horrors of the day into perspective. Many said this was this generation’s Pearl Harbor, but when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was a distant American territory and they attacked a military target, a naval base. On this horrible day, ordinary people simply going to work to earn a living in the Nation’s largest city and its Capitol were murdered in the most savage of circumstances.

The President turned up at the White House and prepared to address the nation that evening. He spoke calmly but forcefully urging calm and resolve among the American people determined to avenge the horrors of that day. As night settled in, chaos continued in New York and Arlington while the rest of the nation attempted to get an uneasy rest.

When they’d awaken on the morning of September 12, they would arise in a new, darker world. The horrors of death and war chilled the otherwise beautiful air. The United States would never be the same.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Sprint Cup 2009, Race 26: Anybody for an Old Fashioned Shootout


Sprint Cup gunslingers come to Richmond, Virginia.
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Richmond: It All Comes Down to This

When the checker flag drops on Saturday night at the conclusion of the Chevy Rock n Roll 400, twelve drivers will compete for the Sprint Cup trophy. The remainder will be pondering the what-if’s having ten races to still win races and work on things to improve next year. Many will be fighting for jobs, a tougher challenge this year than perhaps any time before.

Thinking back to February and how many fans would have foreseen the 2009 season, surely no one would be surprised that Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are near the top of the standings. Likewise, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth in the top 12 would seem like safe bets. In fact, many would see Matt Kenseth in superb fighting shape after winning the first two races. Many probably figured Tony Stewart would be in there too. Somehow, he’d overcome the challenges of running his own team and scrap to get in there, but would anyone see him having a dominant lead in the points?

How about the surprises? Wasn’t Dale Earnhardt Jr. a sure bet to improve on last year getting settled in with the Hendricks operation? Surely Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and probably Clint Bowyer would represent Richard Childress racing, but not a single RCR car remains in the hunt. Could a NASCAR fan envision Carl Edwards winless? Maybe some would scratch their heads and wonder how Kyle Busch could win four races and be fighting to make it into the top 12.

There are pleasant surprises too. Kasey Kahne looks like a chaser representing the Richard Petty – Gillette Evernham union. Juan Montoya is there when the future of DEI and Ganassi looked desperate as they merged to try to hang on. Mark Martin sure proved his fans hopes worthy tied for the lead in wins and in the top 12.

There’s much to be settled as drivers try to preserve their spot if they find themselves in position 12 or better. Three drivers below them have a shot to get in. The drivers in with their lead are: #5 Carl Edwards, 85 pts.; #6 Kasey Kahne, 76 pts.; #7 Kurt Busch, 75 pts.; #8 Juan Montoya, 68 pts.; #9 Ryan Newman, 61 pts.; #10 Mark Martin, 49 pts.; #11 Greg Biffle, 48 pts.; #12 Matt Kenseth, 0 pts. dividing line. The drivers attempting to make the field who can do so are: #13 Brian Vickers -20 pts.; #14 Kyle Busch, -37 pts.; and as a long shot, #15, David Reutimann.

What’s it all mean? Almost certainly, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth are sweating bullets, a mediocre finish where Brian Vickers or Kyle Busch hit the top ten convincingly, they’re toast. For example, if Brian Vickers finished 5th and Matt Kenseth Finished 14th, it would be wait until next year for Kenseth. If Kyle Busch finished 10th and Greg Biffle finished 37th, Biffle would be out of action. Do the math. Oh, Mark Martin’s just a point ahead of Biffle, no time for whistling past the graveyard.

Given this has been a tough year for the Roush boys with only Matt Kenseth’s two wins to start the season in the trophy case, their guys must run for the top ten to feel secure of being successful. Mark Martin has his four wins, but when things have gone wrong, they’ve gone very wrong. Brian Vickers has been one of the hottest drivers in the sport over the past several weeks. No matter how bad things go for Kyle Busch, he can sneak up out of the bushes and score a dramatic win any time he starts his car. Richmond’s race will be an old fashioned shoot-out while these contenders have all to lose with bad race Saturday night. Meanwhile, the drivers in 6th through 9th might do well to race conservatively go for a respectable finish well within the top 20 but not do anything stupid that could cause a DNF. How bad things work out for drivers should they fail could be moderated a little by possible “start and park” drivers who would conceivably occupy the bottom. Right now 45 cars are entered so two will go home, but in the starting field. Here’s the clutter, #36 Patrick Carpentier, #37 Tony Raines, #66 Dave Blaney, #71 Mike Bliss, #78 Regan Smith, and #87 Joe Nemechek. Chase contenders can look at their presence as a protective cushion as long as they don’t meet their doom within the first few laps of the race. Is this fair? Well the Detroit Lions will play on Sunday and the Pittsburgh Pirates have games scheduled this weekend, don’t they?

Richmond is one of the circuit’s most exciting and unique racetracks with its ¾ mile length, long back straight away and bump and grind short track racing for the rest of the track, any thing can happen and sparks fly. This will be one to watch for sure, but there will be some seriously broken hearts before the bewitching hour Saturday night.

Start ‘em up!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Obama and the Big Lie: Those Greedy Doctors


The hidden agenda behind the outrageous and dishonest quotes tells us loud and clear that we cannot support any effort the Obama regime pushes to alter our health care delivery in any way. The President does not know how the medical system operates on fairly frequent procedures. Then he uses his false assumptions to create wicked stereotypes of our as being motivated by making lots of money by railroading patients into unnecessary surgery.

Consider this:

In Obama’s view, doctors would yank a kid’s tonsils for the sake of some extra income…

“Right now, doctors a lot of times are forced to make decisions based on the fee payment schedule that's out there. ... The doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, 'You know what? I make a lot more money if I take this kid's tonsils out,'” as the President addressed a prime time news conference, adding, "Now, that may be the right thing to do, but I'd rather have that doctor making those decisions just based on whether you really need your kid's tonsils out or whether it might make more sense just to change; maybe they have allergies. Maybe they have something else that would make a difference."

They’d also chop the foot off a diabetic who didn’t need the amputation for a nice big pay day.

“Let's take the example of something like diabetes, one of --- a disease that's skyrocketing, partly because of obesity, partly because it's not treated as effectively as it could be. Right now if we paid a family -- if a family care physician works with his or her patient to help them lose weight, modify diet, monitors whether they're taking their medications in a timely fashion, they might get reimbursed a pittance. But if that same diabetic ends up getting their foot amputated, that's $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 -- immediately the surgeon is reimbursed.”

What else can one conclude other than Obama is a dirty rotten lying bastard quick to stir up images of class warfare stereotyping doctors as greedy wealth driven ogres who need the big stick of the government to pound them into shape.

In the first instance, our closet Marxist ignores that a primary care doctor makes nothing on tonsil surgery. He would refer the child to a throat specialist if there were adequate rational to do so who would then conduct the proper evaluation to determine whether such surgery is necessary. The doctor makes no money off of referrals but in Obama-Nation where conspiracies run wild, perhaps he’d want us to believe he’d get kick backs from the throat surgeon.

Regardless, this is irresponsible garbage. How dare the President suggest to parents they’d better be careful taking their kids to see doctors for a sore throat, most likely strep which would simply be treated with antibiotics, for fear of unnecessary surgery.

The second example is equally disturbing suggesting doctors make huge payments for such surgeries. His alleged costs are way over the $740 to $1140 surgeons would typically receive for such a procedure. This goes right to the heart of what a detestable hateful leader Barack Obama is throwing out numbers to alarm to population to support his attempts for the government to seize control of private medicine. Implicit in his remarks are the doctors would steer away from proactive treatment knowing the big pay day comes when things don’t go right.

Consider the two quotations above. If anyone can call the President’s remarks as anything other than self-serving bold-faced lies, then what is this jibber-jabber?

Just as the President revealed his true colors in his accusations against the Cambridge Police Department and thus smearing an entire profession, law enforcement, these comments are inexcusable wicked portrayals of our health care providers.

His stereotyping of the professionals we entrust to protect our lives, police officers and doctors clearly reveals there is no real difference once the beautiful teleprompter speeches are pushed aside and we hear the unfiltered deliberate thoughts between Barack Obama’s attitude and his radical associates like Jeremiah Wright and Van Jones.

Meanwhile, try to find any reportage on Obama’s outrageous lies and wicked insinuations in the mainstream media: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, or the New York Times.

Obama’s health care plans must fail. They are built on false assumptions serving his fundamental radical impulses not what’s good for those needing quality health care.

How can any Obama sicophants suggest reporting these remarks, his own public comments, are a smear campaign? His own words do the damage.
We must do all we can to keep the adminstration tied up and unable to push its radical agenda forward. Our future as a free society demands it.