Striking A Nerve

In the aftermath of the "Shout Heard Round The World", White House press secretary Robert Gibbs chastises CNBC reporter Rick Santelli for, shall we say, not being up to speed on the Obama mortgage re-modification plan. As Glenn Beck would say, may I have an ADD moment: (this coming from the group that pushed the immediate passage of the stimulus package so quickly that none of the congressional members had sufficient time to read the bill).

Given the condescending manner Gibbs operated in, it appears the administration is striking back at Santelli as well as the members of the investor public and tax paying citizens he so adequately represents. Santelli joined former Reagan economic advisor Larry Kudlow on Friday nights Kudlow Report on CNBC. Take a listen:

Without question in my mind, Santelli is correct, and I draw on this not only from my background in economics but from personal experience. I have had a job loss, am struggling to make fixed rate mortgage payments and as a result and have drawn upon my stock holdings to assist in staying current on my obligations while I build up my companies. Those who seem in line to benefit directly from the new mortgage re-modification plan are those who, unlike myself, have failed to meet their mortgage obligations. Perhaps I should have not sold out of equity positions in my stock holdings to make these payments and should have defaulted. It seems those taking that route are those being rewarded.

If I have to sell a property in distressed economic conditions that is a position I got myself in and my family and I will absorb the economic and psychological fallout, although in reality, the folks defaulting from making idiotic mortgage decisions such as interest only and highly escalating adjustable rate mortgage instruments have been complicit in the market downturn and thus, the situation I find myself in. The bloated inventory of these distressed existing homes coming on the market has put heavy negative pressure on rental vacancies, thus negatively impacting rental rates which has added further downward pressure on my monthly income. But hey, it's the politics of real estate investing.

Santelli and Kudlow are two great Americans, and I continue to subscribe to the Kudlow Creed; Free Market Capitalism Is The Best Path To Prosperity! I suspect that behind the creed is Caveat Emptor, or "let the buyer beware", and there needs to be personal responsibility for making incorrect investment decisions, be it grabbing 2000 shares of Pets.com at $113 (now worthless) or buying a $500,000 lakefront home on annual income of $25,000 with an interest only loan. This responsibility is part of the system, one which must be preserved in our free market capitalist system. Be it the dot.com advance in technology in the late 90's or the recent real estate boom, when it was going good, I do not remember anyone offering to give back any of the gains. Do you? I didn't think so.

Foreclose on ACORN

Left wing fraudulent organization ACORN is attempting to become an unwelcomed major player in the foreclosure mess our country and communities are currently facing. Since the election is over and the voter fraud issues are surprisingly behind us, ACORN is now refocusing on the real estate market. Take a listen:



Before we get to far along, please take a moment to refresh your memory on ACORN, and keep in mind this organization is on the list to receive millions from the hastily passed spendulus package.



With their favorite son elected President, ACORN is now flexing muscle, in beautiful downtown Orlando.



A nationwide event, called the "Home Staying" campaign, kicked off today in seven cities. Among the cities ACORN targeted today was Orlando. Unfortunately, ACORN is proud to use civil disobedience in the form of human barricades, according to Meridith Adrion, an Orlando community organizer. "We are calling on people to stand up and say "I'm not leaving my home", said Adrion.

I am very much against this, and I am calling on people to take personal responsibility for their actions. A contract is between the parties involved and for a non profit organization, with a checkered past at best, to interject themselves into the relationship is improper. Folks who do not, for whatever reason, adhere to the terms of the contract are in default, and must suffer the consequences associated with that, which includes being forced out of the property.

I am an owner of several rental properties in Orlando, and despite my best efforts through an applicant screening process, I find that I unfortunately have to evict tenants who fail to meet their rental obligation, and I have every right to do so. In fact, I have an obligation to do so. So do the the banking firms that hold the mortgages in default.

The eviction process is costly for both parties, but I have a fiduciary responsibility to my obligations and to my family that come before whatever bad luck has befallen a tenant. No pay, no stay.

ACORN thrusting their participation in this process is interference in the marketplace, creating a higher level of uncertainty, punishing those meeting their obligations, reducing the power gained from the falling home prices in the form of affordability of those wishing to enter the marketplace and delaying the reset the market so desperately needs.

For those of us who champion personal responsibility and are wishing for a return to normal market activity with respect to the housing market, the actions of ACORN interference are sure to make the wait substantially longer.

Cut The Crap

I have been a subscriber of Investors Business Daily since 1994. IBD, with their proprietary stock ranking system, is a must for active investors. However, IBD also has an editorial page second to none and by far, the best political and editorial cartoonist in Michael Ramirez, who once again knocks it right out of the park. The stimulus; what a bunch of crap!

CNBC's Santelli Has Had Enough

While much of America drinks their morning coffee while keeping an eye on ABC's Good Morning America or The Today Show on NBC, as an investor I am listening to Squawk Box on CNBC while keeping an eye on the lovely Alexis Glick on FOX Business Money For Breakfast.

This morning, CNBC anchors Becky Quick, Carl Quintinilla and Joe Kernen were joined by billionaire investor Wilbur Ross of WL Ross & Co. and Jason Roney of Sharmac Capital. Joining the discussion from his daily perch at the Chicago Board of Trade was CNBC's Rick Santelli. The group was discussing the governments plan to save the economy and things quickly got out of hand, as Santelli blasted the Obama Administration's mortgage plan.

Kernen, a big fan of The Gipper, gives Santelli the rope to firebomb Obama. This is just great!



America is at a crossroads, and it is imperative that you take a page from Santelli's book and make sure your voice is heard. The ship is sinking, but most are just drinking up listening to the sounds of the band. Here is an avenue where you can join me and make your voice heard!

God Bless America, and thanks to Rick Santelli for speaking out!

Fearing Rhetoric Damages Economy

The Chameleon otherwise known as President Barack Obama has recently been compared to the likes of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. I think he is an empty suit, but many Americans think he already is the best President we have ever had.

I do find Obama excels at presenting a soaring rhetoric that many of our intellectually challenged electorate find quite compelling. The constant negative drumbeat of the current economic state of our country is one such example. Most Americans appreciate some honesty in this regard, but Obama is either engaging in a form of fear mongering or has a incorrect command of the facts. Please take a listen to an interview by FOX News Business Chief Neil Cavuto with Brad Schiller, professor at the University of Nevada-Reno:



The current economic climate in America is full of many very serious economic challenges, and the point here is not to downplay them. As a real estate professional, I am likely being impacted more than most Americans.

But as Professor Mark Perry of the University of Michigan-Flint points out of his top notch blog CARPE DIEM, the real story of the comparisons of today and The Great Depression are quite exaggerated. In fact, comparisons to the 1980's fall quite short. Take a view of one of Professor Perry's charts.

America elected an inexperienced individual strong in rhetoric and short in economic theory and the role those in official positions play in influencing the markets. For example, who will be making large investments (you are hopeful the housing crisis will correct are you not?) with the forecast being presented by our President is bleak, so bleak that it erroneously extends the facts to promote fear.

I think it is time for Obama to speak frankly with America or keep his mouth shut. Should he choose to speak frankly, a command of the facts rather than fear mongering to help gather support for the passage of politically infected "emergency" stimulus package would be welcomed.

Then again, by the cheering crowds at Obama's speech signing the package, I wonder if the majority of Americans care? Furthermore, I wonder if they have the intellectual fortitude to realize what they are cheering about? I am not cheering and you should not be either.

I am now thirsty, so I think I will go mix up some cherry Kool-Aid.

Domestic Oil Drilling Not Aboard Shell Game Porkulus Package

The Obama administration is in its infancy but we are already learning many negative policy positions. One such position has to do with our energy policies.

The Obama administration indicates they are anti domestic fossil fuel and appear much to cozy to alternative energy options, regardless of costs. What this means to you is that the extreme oil prices we suffered through last summer will return again, in spades. The time is now to drill, baby, drill, but it looks like we won't be doing that.

BAHL's Blog welcomes our first guest commentary on this subject. The Wizard speaks:

Currently, renewable fuels like ethanol, wind, solar and water account for about 6% of the country's energy usage. Sounds promising right? Obama says he wants to double our output in renewable fuels. OK, sounds good.

Here's the problem...Although 6% of U.S. energy usage comes from renewable sources, nearly half of that comes from large-scale hydroelectric projects that have little growth potential. Most of the rest comes from ethanol, (which is now as predicted, turning out to be a disaster for the environment and takes more energy to produce than it can ever yield) and other so-called biomass fuels which are equally less yielding. If all of our current farm land in the U.S. were immediately converted to growing switch grasses, corn based ethanol, wood chips, and whatever other phony bio-fuel you can come up with, you can only just keep up with increasing demand. Not to mention we would have to import ALL of our food. And of course much less water for you and me.

Wind and solar right now account for less than 1% of our energy usage. Doubling that output is a given seeing that the government is going to pay for it, regardless of effectiveness. This is in line with creating or saving 3.5 million jobs at a cost of $275,000 per job. 20% of the nations electricity needs are currently accounted for with nuclear energy. We have 104 operating plants in the U.S. If we were to bring that number up to where France is, 75%, you could make a dent in our oil consumption. Unfortunately, despite our incredible record of zero nuclear related deaths in the U.S., the Obama admin. says it is as of yet not clean or safe enough.

The Energy department says we have enough coal and natural gas deposits available today to meet our electricity needs for more than 100 years! We also have some of the largest untapped oil reserves anywhere on planet earth both in Alaska and the Gulf and off the California coast. Forget about shale. We don't need to drill on land. THE WIZARD TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR LAST MONTH

You might think that somewhere in this Porculus calamity there would be something for taking advantage of our incredible fossil fuel resources or for nuclear production. Not so much as $1. Obama is drawing a line in the sand and deliberately shunning our natural resources or he believes that we can replace 20,000,000 barrels of crude per day with renewables and alternatives.

Combine this administrations wanton dislike for all things fossil fuel, and add to that the fact that no new refining facilities are being built and you may see a potential problem. It is possible that we will use so much less oil, think Iran, Venezuela, Russia, due to neglect and socialist policies that thwart any real productivity, that we won't need those 20,000,000 barrels. Maybe this is there plan?

We now have succeeded in giving China a huge ace to play where our finances are concerned and we will continue to give untold leverage to the world of Islam and Hugo Chavez and Vlad Putin where our energy needs are concerned. The final strike will no doubt be our continued policy of letting Iran inch ever closer to obtaining the ability to produce and export their military nuclear ambitions.

This all seems risky to me. We are heeping on pile after pile of negative variables that need not be. It almost appears calculated that a country could make so many bad decisions. It's as if we opened our huge southern border and invited anyone who could walk across to come on in and enjoy the party!

If BHO can succeed ( $2 billion for ACORN in the Porculus)( along with our massive new welfare spending) in getting these folks to somehow vote, he will get his eight years regardless of how our economy or our energy or our foreign policy works out.This is nothing new. It has been tried many times before. It's zenith and heyday during the 20th century. Quick, name 1 success story? No? It's a trick question.

Many thanks to The Wizard for his commentary. With this kind of nonsense going on the future economic and geopolitical climate seems quite risky, which hinders investment. Investment is the mothers milk of economic growth, so you get the point.

Clinton Rewriting History Again

While his lovely and gifted wife Hillary is over in Tokyo apologizing on behalf of The United States to the Muslim community ( I am quite puzzled why she would be apologizing to them for anything), former President Bill Clinton hit the dazed and confused staff over at CNN with some kind of revisionist history. In an interview with John Roberts and an appearance on The Larry King program, Clinton made commentary that must not go unchallenged.

You may think that few if anyone would be watching Larry King, and you are right. But, back in the early days of cable and late night radio, King was a force. Subsequently, many of our elder citizens still tune in, and these are the folks who may no longer has the intellectual knowledge of the political climate to question his erroneous comments. So, I will.

CLINTON ON OBAMA'S FIRST DAYS

When asked about Obama's performance in the early going, Clinton said Obama "was off to a good start". Oh my!

To begin with, Obama's cabinet selections have been saddled with tax issues (Geithner, Solis, Daschle), potentially criminal conflicts of interests (Richardson) and a much maligned Attorney General (Holder)who pardoned a tax evader on the FBI's most wanted list in Marc Rich at the end of Clinton's second term and today called most Americans "essentially cowards". He is still looking for a Commerce Secretary after his second choice, Judd Gregg (R:NH), withdrew after Obama, lacking the transparency he promised, stripped the Census Bureau from Commerce to The White House. Bush holdover Robert Gates is good to go.

Obama also promised on the campaign to allow five days for a Bill to be reviewed before he would sign it. Rut Row? The emergency spendulous bill, sent to lobbyists before congress, was voted on before the congress could even read it in it's entirety. Not good!

I will not even mention the DOW is down 2000 points since his election, but even the Kool-Aid drinkers have got to admit Obama's start has been shaky at best.

CLINTON ON THE ROOT OF THE HOUSING CRISIS



Famed economist Arthur Laffer was a two time supporter of President Clinton and a fan of his economic policies, and I think economically speaking, Clinton did a fair job, mostly following the policies of GB41. But, for him to dodge any responsibility for this housing crisis is mind boggling.

He did not do anything to curb the derivatives market, and neither did George W. Bush, although Bush asked Congress to investigate it and was shut down by Democratic opposition. Clinton did sponsor The Community Reinvestment Act, and without proper oversight and tainted with fraudulent organizations like ACORN, this program no doubt contributed heavily to the problem. And under Obama, not surprisingly, ACORN will be recipients of part of the stimulus package. Good Grief!

THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF CLINTON AND HIS TEAM WERE STILL IN CHARGE

From CNN: Asked his perspective on how the country fell into such economic hard times, Clinton responded in an NBC "Today" show interview by asking rhetorically: "Did any of them seriously believe that if I had been president and my economic team had been in place the last eight years, that this would be taking place." Take a listen:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Yeah, I seriously believe it! Forgetting the economic cycles and bubbles bursting going back to the tulip scandal in Holland in the 1600's, Mr. Clinton is out of his mind. One of the major elements of the crisis is the demise of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with Fannie Mae being led by former Clinton Budget Director Franklin Raines. I suspect this incompetent CEO, who walked out of Fannie with 90 million in compensation amidst accounting fraud at the company, would have been front and center in Clinton's team. Today, jail seems appropriate, but he is an advisor on the Obama team. Hope and Change! And then there is Robert Rubin, Clinton Treasury Secretary, who while calling the shots at Citigroup (C:NYSE) oversaw the subprime lending practices that have led Citi, and our capital markets, to life support.

Mr Clinton, although not his fault, left GW Bush with a recession caused by an exhausted business cycle, which you may know of as the dot.com boom. Mr. Bush was then blindsided, as we all were, by the terrorists attacks of 9-11. The attacks were a crippling blow to our economy, and through the FED's efforts of attempting to quickly lead the economy back from this period, monetary policy was loosened. This added fuel to the fire of the housing crisis, with homes and real estate being a welcomed tangible asset in an environment of future uncertainty.

Mistakes have been made, but it is sad to hear Mr. Clinton dodge any responsibility and like Obama, simply say it was because of the past eight years. Translation, it was the fault of Bush. Although no doubt hampering his presidential aspirations, I never heard Obama raise any commentary anywhere about the derivatives market, a potential housing bubble, the antics of book cooking by those running Fannie and Freddie, or anything for that matter during his responsibilities as a US Senator. Meanwhile, Bush does not dodge responsibility, again, employing the demeanor and class one should expect form a former Commander in Chief.

Labonte Talks NASCAR Business

In this economic climate few organizations have tentacles getting bitten more than International Speedway Corporations (ISCA:NASDAQ) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. From sponsorships of the series, tracks and race cars to the crisis the automakers find themselves enthralled in to the dent in consumer spending slashing ticket purchases and the advertising dollars for television and radio coverage running dry, the times are bleak indeed. Or are they?

2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte discusses the business of NASCAR on FOX Business program America's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman. Take a listen:


Times when everyone is tightening the belts provides opportunities others never thought possible. At any rate, it does provide interest.

Surround Them!

The political arena is quite out of hand and unfortunately, the time has come to force our voices to be heard. We are not socialists and do not wish to be. FOX's Glenn Beck has formed a coalition of like minded folks to work toward subscribing to and putting forth a series of principles which guide us. Take a listen:



If you agree with the majority of these principles, consider making your voice heard by emailing your picture to wesurroundthem@foxnews.com or drop by Glennbeck.com for further information.

Who Could Care?

Senator Chuck Schumer (D:NY) is quite full of himself, and much like our current President, thinks his goings on are much too significant for the likes of us to be concerned with. Schumer and his arrogance could be the poster child for the thought process that government should be making far reaching decisions for the common folk, you know, us with the pitchforks.

In thinking about it, Schumer maybe smarter than we give him credit for. A ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, Schumer ran off his mouth about the solvency of IndyMac Bank, which in turn led to a run on the bank. IndyMac Bank was the first bank to collapse in the now infamous housing crisis. Schumer denies any wrongdoing. And I'm Buford T. Justice.

The failing of IndyMac was a serious blow to a teetering financial system, which looking back in retrospect is just the sort of chaos which could catapolt a politician with soaring rhetoric, scant experience and a command of economic policy that is embarrassing to the Presidency at a time when this country could least afford unproven leadership.

One thing we do know. Americans are hurting, and Chuck Schumer could not care!

NOTE: INDYMAC IS THE HOLDER OF ONE OF MY MORTGAGES

Stuff the Scam of the Stimulus

The United States currently finds itself at a very serious fork in the road, as legislation of an economic stimulus package is being rammed down our throat.

"A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession, a less robust recovery, and a more uncertain future," President Obama said.

A member of the Obama economic team is famed Harvard economist Martin Feldstein, who was a guest on FOX Business show "Happy Hour", with Eric Bolling, Cody "Wyoming" Willard and Rebecca Diamond. Grab your notepad and take a listen:


There is a video clip in there where Obama thinks cutting taxes on "working folks", will provide more of a stimulus than cutting taxes on the more wealthier citizens, who actually pay taxes, start companies that create jobs, thus trickling cash down the economic ladder to those who need a lift, not a handout. Even Feldstein says Obama's commentary is "a mistake".

Obama campaigned that he will not run Washington with politics as usual, but this package, written by the democratic leadership, is actually a spending package, one that will unnecessarily saddle our children with strangling debt. If we are in fact in a historic economic crisis, then pass legislation to simulate the economy. Instead, here is where some of the money is projected to go:

$246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
$75 million for "smoking cessation activities" (Obama is a chain smoker).
$100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
$850 million for Amtrak.
$160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
$400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.
$600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
$650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

Are you trying to kid me? This stimulus package is a fraud, and so is Obama and his arrogance.

This package should be defeated, and the congress should do nothing. That is right, NOTHING. Please take a look at the following 9 month chart of the S&P 500:

I have no idea what I am having for dinner tomorrow night, but it sure looks like the S&P 500 has put in a bottom and is well into a basing formation. So, I am of the opinion that if the government stays out of the way, the worst may be behind us. As you may know, the jobs numbers that are now getting posted, as horrendous as they are, are lagging indicators.

If the government must get further involved, I would recommend that we go to the root of the problem, and that is packaged mortgages leveraged at levels of reaching 50 to 1, which will bankrupt the best of all investors. First, lets refresh ourselves on how this got going in the first place:

If it is necessary for government intervention, the formation of a bad bank, or an organization similar in formation to the old Resolution Trust, should be formed. We might even be able to talk CNBC's Bill Seidman out of retirement to run the show. I had thought this was the original plan of TARP 1.

If properly implemented and executed, and that if is larger than the Goodyear (GT:NYSE) blimp, the federal government could grab these mortgages and remove them from the tainted banks books. By the way, have you noticed your little local bank on the corner is not a player in TARP. Yeah, me too. Therefore, some sort of repayment plan would need to be structured going forward with a time period component built in. This would allow these banks to resume "normal" operations, complete with market derived sensible lending practices, not those orchestrated by fraudulent organizations like ACORN. The government can then provide a backstop, sell mortgages to investors, hold them until inventories are exhausted and economic conditions are more favorable or disperse them on to the market at specified installments, perhaps absorbing losses along the way which would be a drop in the bucket to the current bailout philosophy. Tops among those lacking the intellectual strength to run this would be Barney Frank, D:MA.

Unfortunately, the spending package will pass. Down the road, many of you who voted for Obama can grab yourself the new rage in bumper stickers (spotted on Gateway Pundit). That would not be me!
Do you see it differently? Please feel welcome to share your thoughts.

Bobby Labonte Visits FOX & Friends

2000 Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Labonte stops by FOX & Friends to promote the 51st running of the Great American Race, the Daytona 500, and his new sponsor, Ask.com.

Shifting Seats For Speedweeks

Speedweeks has returned to the High Banks of Daytona International Speedway after a tumultuous off season. The economic downturn has hit the garage area hard and is also being strongly felt by track owners as ticket sales have plunged. Daytona International Speedway, owned and operated by International Speedway Corporations (ISCA:NASDAQ), has slashed ticket prices up to 50% to bolster sales.

Most notable for me in the garage area was the collapse of Petty Enterprises. Without a sponsor for the famed #43, Bobby Labonte was forced to divorce himself from the team in order to try to secure a quality ride for 2009. Petty Enterprises went on to merge with Gillet Evernham, and the #43 is now part of that group now called Richard Petty Motorsports. It is not the same thing as it once was, and everyone knows it. Kyle Petty, one of my favorite people, is out of a ride. He had Wells Fargo set to sponsor him, but the banking debacle has cancelled that potential deal.

Labonte found a ride with the famed Yates Racing Ford operation and will drive the #96 Ask.com Ford Fusion. At this point, I am glad Bobby found a ride. I am not a Ford guy, but prefer it by far to Toyota, and Yates has always had fast rides. After a season with Toyota, Tony Stewart formed his own team and is now back with General Motors fielding the Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolets for 2009. This is a bold move for Stewart, forming his own team. If you are a follower of my blog, you know I appreciate the type of entrepreneurial spirit. Good luck to my boys Bobby and Tony this year. Hope to see you boys in victory lane!

A Time For Choosing

It seems, due to an intellectually impaired majority of the electorate and a congress lacking of common sense and holding dear an overwhelming belief of entitlement, we appear to welcoming a shift to socialism. It seems those in power think the government should make decisions for us because they know better than us.

Today, we face a time of choosing. To put our faith in the capitalist system and entrepreneurial spirit of the American worker or to put government in charge of our goals and dreams?

On the birthday of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan, please review comments from Reagan in 1964 as he gives you the answer.



Former Reagan economic advisor Larry Kudlow coined The Kudlow Creed, of which I subscribe; Free Market Capitalism Is The Best Path To Prosperity!

Who Let The Dogs Out

Last summer, as the price of a barrel of crude oil topped out at $147 a barrel, there was public clamoring for the oil companies profits to be taken and redistributed to the public. How dare a company like Exxon Mobil make records profits while the country is in economic peril. The above picture, part of a campaign piece produced by left wing congressional contender Alan Grayson, who unfortunately defeated Ric Keller in my Orlando district, credits the hometown Orlando Slantinel as a cheerleader for this kind of rhetoric. Idoits at large in my view!

Forget that the rise in oil was an economic phenomenon, perhaps a byproduct of the historical expansion of India and the pre-Olympic China. Arm chair economists like myself predicted oil would retrace to $75 per barrel. For the record, I did not see it falling into the $30 area. However, it was declared immoral for these oil companies, roughly generating a profit margin of about 10%, to continue to rape the public in this fashion. Educating the idiots, two well known companies, Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and Coca Cola (KO:NYSE), have profit margins in the 20% range.

That was a nice run the oil companies supposedly had, but what about now, with oil at $40 a barrel. Times ain't pretty, as we find out from Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA:LN) who produced their first quarterly loss in 10 years. You ain't going far without these oil companies, so I would caution about celebrating their demise.

I know where you can shift your anger, as I know of a company kickin the crap out it while we are in these horrendous economic times, and with a profit margin far exceeding that of the oil companies. When you go there to protest, grab yourself a Big Mac! That right, McDonalds (MCD:NYSE) reported record earnings.

Where is the public outcry about the obscene profits the Golden Arches are posting? I have not heard the dogs barking? Cat got your tongue? Oh, shut the pie hole, or rather, stuff it at Mc'Ds. If Preston Parker is blocking the drive thru, join the festivities in the dining room, where CNN is on flat screens and the capitalism will make you sick. I hear they even have a hotel for dogs for you to sleep it off!

Furthermore, the charitable foundation McDonalds operates is a blueprint for philanthropy, again stating the case that those who have money after taxes do profitable and charitable things with their profits, like creating jobs and opportunities and helping others. What a concept!

For us hard working Americans, we will grab a happy meal cause we deserve a break today; at McDonalds. Be sure to chase it with a refreshing Coca Cola! I'm Lovin It!

I AM A SHAREHOLDER OF MCDONALDS AND COCA COLA AND FORMERLY OF MICRSOFT

Isn't It Time

Amongst gathering clouds of accurate skepticism, self proclaimed meteorologist and rock star idiot at large Al Gore testified before Congress last week about the extreme imminent perils of global warming/climate change. Watts up with that?

Meanwhile, areas of Arkansas and Kentucky are suffering from an ice storm of the ages, requiring the federal government to respond as the areas have been proclaimed disaster areas. 55 American citizens have been declared dead from the storm. Power remains out in many counties and it could be weeks before everyone gets the juice back on.

President Obama, who with his incredible abilities was able to suddenly turn around FEMA, is pushing economy crippling economic policies based on this farce. Oh, I know, not one leading scientist disagrees with Al and the debate is over. So, we should probably disregard the commentary from John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel. Coleman accurately says global warming is a highjacking of public policy and the greatest scam in history.

General Electric (GE:NYSE), owner of the off the chart liberal and Obama ass kissing network NBC, has been pushing global warming and the green movement for years. GE stock is at a 52 week low and dive bombing.

This love affair of saving polar bears and going green is completely out of control. On the fence? With apologies to John Waite, in trying to decide, has anyone found the answers to the questions that keep running through your mind? God has given you clues in the form of freezing temperatures across the lower 48, including two record lows in the past two weeks in beautiful downtown Orlando,

Enough of this idiocy already! Isn't it time!

Stalled in the Drive Thru

Florida State junior wide receiver Preston Parker was arrested for DUI after falling asleep in the drive thru line at the McDonalds (MCD:NYSE) on Tennessee Street in Tallahassee. Parker, although not legally drunk, admitted to having smoked pot. This is the third strike for Parker at Florida State, and it is time to wish him the best of luck, elsewhere.

Last summer, Parker was arrested and found with a gun and marijuana down in South Florida. On the heels of a previous arrest for shoplifitng at a Best Buy (BBY:NYSE), Parker was allowed to remain on the team after he expressed significant remorse and by all accounts up until this weekend, had been exibiting model behavior. I was pulling for him.

I do not want to throw rocks from my couch in a glass house, and thank goodness no one followed me around while I was a student at FSU after hours on end at The Phyrst. But then again, I was not a star on the football team representing the school. Parker is, and was well aware of the issues surrounding that, certainly after his arrest last year. We are currently awaiting word from the NCAA on various minor issues and this type of behavior is obviously not helpful, as if he might care.

Parker is a gifted athlete and potentially has a great future ahead of him. I wish him the best and hope he gets it together, but I have had enough of him embarrasing Florida State University with his selfish, destructive behavior. We have a three strike rule at FSU, and the batter has been called out at the plate.