It had all the earmarks of something historic. Never did I think anyone in the public eye could reach to the level of our anointed President in terms of arrogance. After all, few can match the intellectual reach of the teleprompter in chief. That he takes timeout his day to engage us is something we should behold. Ugh!
Then comes Charlie Sheen. I remember him in the movie Wall Street. Although I have never watched one minute of his top rated CBS sitcom, I recognize that he is a top television star. He is obviously a wild partier, and appears to love mixing it up with porn stars. However, in a recent ABC interview, Sheen thinks he is galaxies above us real world folk and that we should marvel at the opportunity to watch from afar his level of brilliance.
I got a news flash for Sheen. Few, if anyone, could care. For Sheen to think we aspire to be married to marginal chicks while dating porn stars and chain smoking our way to lung cancer is laughable. He is rich in coin, but in little if anything else.
Obama will no doubt remain arrogant, but it appears Sheen is in need of some help, and I hope he finds the answers he is yet to start looking for.
While here are some very talented artist in the country music arena these days, much of the country music today does not incorporate the roots laid down by the great artist of years past.
One such artist is 6 time Grammy Award winner Ronnie Milsap, who owns 40 #1 country hits. Mislap, who is blind, has worked with some of the very best, including Elvis Presley and Ray Charles.
Milsap has some outstanding tunes of his own, and I enjoy listening to them very much.
Milsap recently spoke about his career with SIRIUS Radio and performed tonights Sunday Night Song, which was influenced by Elvis Presely: Smokey Mountain Rain;
Fighting for the "working families" in Wisconsin are local union members, and a collection of the violent professional agitators. Along side the local school teachers, city and county employees and fireman stand the likes of Code Pink, SEIU, Organizing for America, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, The Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, the Socialists and the Communists. Idiots to be sure.
While I have the utmost respect for our fireman, police officers and teachers, although I am a former county worker myself, I stand strongly against the union protesters. In addition, I do not stand with Communists and Socialists, and certainly not with the likes of Andy Stern and Richard Trumpka.
A great example of the hypocrisy at play is the teachers and their union. Everyone loves our teachers, most of whom are truly outstanding, so surely we can did deeper in our pockets for them, right?
Lets listen in on a presentation by the retiring NEA General Counsel on his thoughts on how your money is used to help better education in our public school system:
There you have it. It is not about creating a better public education for our children, it is about their power.
Not with my money.
Never in my capacities in the public or private sector have I needed collective bargaining to enhance my position negotiating my employment compensation and benefit package. I have handled that myself, and quite enjoyed it.
The financial crisis, orchestrated in many ways by union organizations and the like, most notably ACORN, has forced us all to tighten the belt. Along with much of our citizenry, states are teetering on defaulting.
For those without skin in the game to protest slim reductions in their union negotiated compensation contracts in an effort to keep the states from defaulting is appalling to those of us in right to work states that are the "real" working families of this country.
At the end of the day, the union members are torqued that they are being forced by those who pay their salaries to join the rest of us and face reduced compensation, whether in the form of wages and/or benefits, to weather the current, and lingering, financial crisis.
I recommend they learn a lesson from this evil turn of events and take a course of action that would guard them from ever having to experience this again. Start your own business, where your compensation depends on your efforts. How about that!
No longer will you depend on the whims evil corporate executives or bloated bureaucrats. Don't want to pay six figures salaries for union bosses, then don't. You are in control. The only working family you need to pay for is yours, unless you wish to engage in some form of charity.
Sure, there is no free lunch. It is hard work, but it is rewarding. After a few years of building your success, the only thing torquing you will be your taxes rising to pay bloated benefits for the progressive union member idiots who think you owe them something.
On this Monday, we celebrate Presidents Day. The day is a federal holiday in honor of George Washington. Abraham Lincoln was also born in mid February, so many link the birthdays of these two men together when thinking of Presidents Day.
Gallup took a pool released over the weekend indicated that Americans think Ronald Reagan was the greatest President in the history of the United States of America. Hey now!
Have you ever been contacted by a pollster? Yeah, neither have I.
Therefore, had I been asked, I would have presented the following three in order as my top US Presidents.
George Washington
Without question, Washington exemplifies everything you could ask for in a President. Few men have ever displayed such a level of leadership as Washington, no doubt our first field general. It is safe to say we may not have country if it were not for Washington, and his legacy is worthy as the founder of our country. As part of FOX News Glenn Beck's Founders Fridays, Glenn spoke with Andrew Allison, author of The Real George Washington and Earl Taylor regarding this great man.
Beck also interviewed Peter Lillback,author of Sacred Fire and David Barton regarding the faith of George Washington:
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln stands tall, figuratively and literally in our history as a man of great principle and unwavering leadership. Lincoln presided over immense internal turmoil and stood tall. From Lincoln's second inaugural:
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
Ronald Reagan
With the country drifting without leadership, Ronald Reagan took the Presidency with a firm plan of sweeping action to bring America back. Not only did he succeed militarily, he put pride back in the middle class and gave them a the keys to a vehicle for optimism, free market capitalism. At the wheel, Reagan's economic policies unleashed a 25 year bull market, raising in large measure the standard of living of all. Reagan is as relevant today as he was then. After all, government is not the answer to our problem, government is the problem.
I got to thinking. Foghorn Leghorn would be better than Obama, but with each of my top three Presidents having February birthdays, I wondered if any of the Republican 2012 hopefuls had birthdays during the month of February.
As we look back this weekend on the 10th anniversary of the crash that took the life of Dale Earnhardt during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, we think of the many memories we all share.
In that regard, tonights Sunday Night Song is Garth Brooks and The Dance, performed live as a tribute to The Intimidator at the 2001 NASCAR awards ceremony.
Although Walt Disney is based in Anaheim, California, the Walt Disney World theme park here in Orlando is a worldwide tourist attraction central to the local economy. Central Floridians take great pride in Disney, and the NBA's Orlando Magic are named as such. On Tuesday, the Walt Disney Corporation (DIS:NYSE) released earnings which surprised to the upside, beating expectations across the board.
This is great news. It has been a rough decade for shareholders, beginning with 9-11, which drastically reduced theme park traffic, followed by the Michael Eisner episode culminating with the recent financial crisis. For the first time in over a decade, Disney has recently traded above $40 per share. With revenues up, out come the useful idiot employees under the direction of the unions protesting for Disney to "share the wealth".
Union president Eric Clinton is president of one of the six unions trying to strike a new deal for the thousands of Disney World employees.
Clinton said "We've known for a long time Disney's image is something that's very near and dear. One way to get them to move is to attack that." For Disney employees, this a real bad move to attempt to sabotage their employer, but for union thugs attempting to engage in a shakedown, it is all good.
WFTV ABC Orlando spoke with Disney World Representative Andrea Finger, who said "We have proposed a very fair and competitive offer that's a very good deal for our cast members."
Union leaders claimed rising health care costs would wipe out salary increases for Disney workers. With apologies to Dopey, what a bunch of dopes! Unions were central in the compilation of the health care package, as well as the failed stimulus. In fact, labor unions are "going after" those who did not support Obamacare.
But it is Disney's fault.
They have the money to do it; it's just that they're cheap. They didn't get rich by giving their money away, we understand that, but our members are struggling," Clinton said. Welcome to the world under Obama! Most everyone is struggling, and you should be thankful there are enough folks who still have money who can come to Disney and enjoy themselves. For the company to excel in this environment is a testament to management and the fantastic job the cast members do.
Because I am a big supporter of Disney, I am going to waive my consulting fee for the employees and issue the following three recommendations:
A. If you are unhappy as a cast member, seek employment elsewhere. I recognize, due to current idiotic policies of the Obama administration, that jobs do not currently exist, so you must use the ballot box at your earliest opportunity to expedite your departure.
B. Invest in the 401K package the Mouse House makes available to you. And by all means, invest in your own company, so a rising stock price benefits you along with the company.
C. Form your own theme park, and run it as you see fit.
As it turns out, I do not recall as revenues and the stock price were in decline anyone over at The Magic Kingdom contacting the local media to offer to work for decreased wages. Where was Mr. Clinton, a fine American I am sure, at the shareholders meeting? Voting present?
It is far time for these dopes to distance themselves from the cancer that is the unions and get some skin in the game. Then, as it should be, everyone associated with Mickey and Minnie would be celebrating a job well done.
NOTE: I AM A LONGTIME SHAREHOLDER OF WALT DISNEY CORPORATION. WFTV USED A SOURCE.
A big win for the Orlando Magic today, handily beating a tired Los Angeles Laker team behind another monster game by Dwight Howard. The new Amway Center is top notch and I am a believer in Magic!
Thinking of tunes I like about Magic, this gem from the past by The Bay City Rollers came to mind. For Sunday Night Song, from The Bay City Rollers, You Made Me Believe In Magic!
Certainly, it was yet another stellar performance at Hard Rock Live Orlando of Classic Albums Live presentation Led Zeppelin 1. A good time was had by all.
One of my favorite Zeppelin songs is from that album, and is tonights Sunday Night Song. From Zepelin 1, here is "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
I don't have a dog in this hunt as I am not for or against either the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers. I will be watching. My prediction is Packer running back Brandon Jackson has the game of his life, and not withstanding the 9 tackle 2 sack performance by Steeler standout Lawrence Timmons, Green Bay wins 27-23.
As we honor you today, we give thanks for your keen wisdom and service to America. Hopefully, our citizenry will recognize you gave us the playbook on how to defeat the issues that are placing our country at risk today.
America today finds herself at a time for choosing. It would well serve each American to listen to "The Speech", as relevant today as it was 46 years ago.
The Young American Foundation is presenting an inspiring weekend of events as America honors the 100th birthday of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
Sarah Palin was the keynote speaker on Friday evening, articulating an accurate appraisal of the current standing of Uncle Sam. Palin puts forth that the solutions to our staggering problems are found in the words and principles of Ronald Reagan.
America is indeed facing a time for choosing. Free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity and the principles and values Ronald Reagan stood for is the road we must take to make it morning in America again.
Please join BAHL's Blog in celebrating the 100th birthday of The Gipper, Ronald Reagan. We can only hope America wakes and up recognizes the shining city on the hill is slipping form our grasp. It is indeed a Time For Choosing!
Obviously, the chaos in Egypt is most troubling. Certainly, no society should ruled by the likes of strongman Hosni Mubarak. But is this a grass roots uprising for peace and prosperity?
It is not, and unfortunately, I am having difficulty finding the white hat in all this. Mohamed ElBaradei, the former UN weapons inspector who failed to see any wrong doing by Iran and drove into Cairo in his Volvo late last week, is an odds on favorite to take a leadership role. The media just loves him, but as Investors Business Daily accurately points out, ElBaraei would be a disaster.
ElBaraei is a fan of the Muslim Brotherhood and by extension HAMAS, as is seemingly anyone who steps in front of a microphone to discuss the issue save Glenn Beck. Everyone involved, including reporters at CNN, think the days of the Muslim Brotherhood acting up are in the past. They are not.
In the coming days I will be expanding thoughts on this crisis, however everything you need to know about the Muslim Brotherhood and those tentacle organizations associated with it, including but not limited to the Muslim Student Association, can be seen in the following exchange between an MSA member and David Horowitz.
Israel and freedom world wide is at extreme risk. Don't look for the media to expose any of the players, as they are complicit in it. Therefore, it will soon be time to reveal the masks, and I wonder who we will find around the shores of the Potomac.
Bubbles are bouncing everywhere in the bathtub of our world, and they are seemingly increasing in size. Unfortunately, or depending on how you look at it, fortunately, this is more man made than a natural phenomenon.
I remember Warren Buffett's letter to Long Term Capital offering to by them out as they imploded. You did not have your retirement in Pets.com did you? Many Americans, noting that home prices have never had significant depreciation, became accidental landlords if they were fortunate enough to hang on. Most were not so lucky.
What's it like inside the bubble? Oh, my head is giving me trouble.
Is the bubble in the worlds reserve currency? And what if that bursts?
Damon Vickers of Nine Points Capital Management has an idea:
Powell makes a great point in his editorial that "risk has shifted from the private sector to the public sector, with the US government debt market being the new bubble". God help us!
We have inmates running the asylum, and without a significant shift in planning, life as we know it is finished. It is imperative we urgently go back to the Reagan principle of sound money, which will take placing those with economic insight in charge. As Powell accurately states, Congressman Paul Ryan and his Roadmap for America is a fine place to start.
Time is not on our side. Inaccurate cost estimates for risk are expensive, and there is no free lunch. Make your voice heard now, before it is too late.
BAHL is a REALTOR, Real Estate Investor and Residential Real Estate Appraiser in Orlando. He holds a BS degree in Economics from Florida State University.
It had all the earmarks of something historic. Never did I think anyone in the public eye could reach to the level of our anointed President in terms of arrogance. After all, few can match the intellectual reach of the teleprompter in chief. That he takes timeout his day to engage us is something we should behold. Ugh!
Then comes Charlie Sheen. I remember him in the movie Wall Street. Although I have never watched one minute of his top rated CBS sitcom, I recognize that he is a top television star. He is obviously a wild partier, and appears to love mixing it up with porn stars. However, in a recent ABC interview, Sheen thinks he is galaxies above us real world folk and that we should marvel at the opportunity to watch from afar his level of brilliance.
