Halloween was not kind on the corner of Wall and Broad today, and with good reason.
While traders were receiving treats last week from the news of a Euro fix, it really is nothing short of a trick. We have been down this road before, and we will go down it again, and as we pass each exit for a real fix, the pain forthcoming gets deeper.
FOX Business' Judge Andrew Napolitano speaks with Nigel Farage, who has been on this story from the get go. Take a listen:
As traders woke up to learn of the impending blowup of MF Global, headed by former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, they found the futures in the negative. It should not have come as a surprise that Corzine, who blew an 8 billion dollar hole in New Jersey Chris Christie is now cleaning up, would fail miserably at MF Global. Fail at running the company yes, but apparently not in securing cash for himself, typical for Democrats in these positions. To think as recently as August Corzine was being considered by President Obama as a the new Treasury Secretary should indicate the level of complete incompetence leading this country.
But further concerns over the supposed Euro fix is what really what spooked the markets. Good money is being put after bad, bailing out entitlement expenditures which cannot, and should not, be sustained. As Farage put it years ago, the fixes won't work and we can only hope the markets derail this before things get really bad, as if they have not already.
Restated; they will soon run out of everyone else's money. Invest accordingly.
Who are the Occupy Wherever protesters? It is a widening collection of village idiots with global associations.
When you get past the radical left, the peacenicks, CAIR, ACORN, the Socialists and the Communists, you find a youthful contingency lacking in the skill set, complete with hard work ethic, integrity and competitiveness, to achieve the success they desire. This is the same group where everyone got a trophy in little league.
These folks think that rewards come without paying the necessary price, and when these rewards are not forthcoming, they are victims. Hence, they demand wealth transformation. Somehow, they think they are deserving. God forbid they put in the work and still come up short!
I grew up wanting to win The Heisman Trophy. I got over it.
Decisions made have consequences. If you graduated from say, Cornell, with a degree in Liberal Arts specializing music of the Orient and have $50,000 of tuition debt, it would be logical to assume a high paying job does not await your graduation and you may find difficulty is satisfying that debt. Perhaps a more suitable major should have been selected?
Instead of camping out, get a job; any job. Rather than claiming your a victim, chart your own path. In fact, quit bitching. The big bad world doesn't owe you a thing! Get Over It!
From Don Henely and The Eagles, a Sunday Night Song message for the protesters:
VOTES: Southern Miss, Cincinnati, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Washington, Ohio State, North Carolina, Florida and Missouri.
Several key players have been lost for the season due to injury, most notably South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore. Add Pitt tailback Ray Graham, whose performance has him on his way to All America recognition.....In another installment of The Worlds Largest Cocktail Party, Georgia, in spite of themselves, defeated a woeful Florida likely saving coach Mark Richt's job....Wisconsin, trailing through 58 minutes, rallied to overtake Ohio State only to lose on what could be considered another Hail Mary pass at Columbus.....Texas Tech, who jumped out to a 31-7 lead and hung on to defeat OU last weekend, got pummeled by Iowa State at home.....Speaking of OU, after a close first half at Kansas State, the Sooners flexed the muscle in the second half and hung nearly 60 on K-State....Although Robert Griffith III had a good statistical day, Okie State opened up a can on Baylor, thrashing the Bears in Stillwater....While Penn State escaped at home versus Illinois, Boston College controlled Maryland and West Virigina had to rally to get by Rutgers in three snow games, you could not see the field as Army thrashed Fordham.....Miami, beginning to emerge, got soundly defeated by Virginia at Sun Life Stadium in front of about 25K. I sense a negative slide of about three seasons coming.....Texas A&M lost their third 11+ point lead as Missouri got them in OT at College Station, all but wrecking the high apirations of the season.....Southern Cal played very well but fell to Stanford in 3 OT at the Coliseum. While Andrew Luck is as advertised, Stanford failed to signal they are on the caliber of LSU, Alabama or even Oklahoma State.....Clemson finally stumbled at Georgia Tech, who was coming off two awful losses.....Virginia Tech held of stubborn Duke, who along with Vanderbilt, who was hosting Arkansas, were let down by their kicking game.....Next week, it is LSU at Alabama, the game everyone is waiting for....Congrats to Joe Paterno is now the wins leader at 409, but he really does need to hang it up.
Florida State dominated North Carolina State in every facet of the game in Tallahassee, showing a glimpse of what could have been by tossing a shutout at the Wolfpack. The Seminoles will be favored the rest of the way, but cannot reach the ACC title and will be on the outside looking in. The young running backs and receivers look to be the nucleus for a great future.
Finally, the Blackshirts showed up as Nebraska smothered Michigan State at Lincoln. Sparty cold not get anything going on offense, and melted defensively. Husker QB Taylor Martinez, called out by the ESPN media at the half, came out throwing successfully in the third quarter, connecting with warrior Rex Burkhead to get enough points to let the Blackshirts seal the victory. Huge win for the 'Huskers, who control their destiny in the Legends division.
It depends on what side of the fence you sit on but Uncle Sam's gears are being grinded.
If you are a Progressive, big government is the answer in the form of top down government control over the citizenry, you have to be impressed what President Obama has accomplished. The transformation is taking place.
Free market capitalists, who subscribe to Reagan's philosophy that government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem, are sick to the stomach at the destruction of the system of government and economic system our forefathers envisioned under the command of President Obama. Hence, the Tea Party.
Lest there be no doubt, if we are to be a free market based country of hard work ethic, integrity and a desire to compete and succeed, the efforts of President Obama will go down ranking among the worst administrations in our short history. Who could have ever imagined we would be longing for the days of Jimmy Carter?
It would be great if we could just vote Obama out and get our life back. Unfortunately, it is not that simple, as few of our citizens can really grasp their arms around the depth of the issues surrounding our nation.
The problems are so deeply embedded, it will take decades to return this country to a position where economic and social prosperity can expand exponentially and potential can be maximized.
Outside of the the Reagan administration, which is really only a blip on the radar screen, we have been traveling this path for over 100 years. But Reagan's tenure is most significant, offering a glimpse of the enormous potential of not only America, but each and every individual who help make up our citizenry.
As the folks down at Occupy Wall Street think, wealth should be transferred from those who have accomplished to those who, for whatever reason, have not enjoyed such success with the government being the administrator. Under this thought process, those who risked everything for the hope of achieving a return on investment and continuous income stream offering security provided the integrity the gain was based upon continues, are viewed as greedy and obstacles to the socialistic beliefs of the Progressives.
Today, the President Obama offered up a new plan to forgive student loans. The student loan forgiveness plan has been floating around for months, with the basis for action passed into law in of all places, Obamacare. This blog tackled the student loan forgiveness topic a few weeks back, noting the moral decay from the government interfering in private contracts. While many argue the plan does not impact private loans, it indeed does as those participating in those loans do not get the benefit, and are thereby penalized for adhering to an agreed upon contract.
Whether the government interference is in student loans or mortgages, when contract law is dismissed you have no rule of law, no basis for a sound economic system, and thus the collapse of a free market system is imminent.
Although few are aware, the collapse of the system has been the plan all along. From Cloward and Piven to the radical elements of the 1960's rebellion, the objective has been clear and is being demonstrated right before your eyes in the orchestrated protests going on now under the Occupy Wherever banner. Among those orchestrating the events; ACORN.
The radicals of the sixties are now in charge, and us common folk are not the counter culture. As former Obama Green Jobs Czar Van Jones once quipped, we must drop the radical pose for the radical ends. The radicals of the sixties are not against civil unrest or violence. Glenn Beck has been right on target pointing out the objectives of these folks, as you can hear by listening to this clip from his television show.
To understand how to defeat these folks, and they must be defeated, it is vital to understand some history. The following video is an eye opening tale of some of that history, and offers those now seeking answers to why Uncle Sam finds herself in such upheaval some clues. Please watch in entirety:
It is with regret to report that the fight for our country is fully engaged by our opponents within, but a great deal of our citizenry has yet to wrap their arms around what is taking place. It is now, given the economic numbers, economic policy and mind boggling foreign policy being engaged in that many are seeking some answers to bewildering questions. When you learn about the objectives of this movement, although they are shocking to the unsuspecting mind, the visual becomes clear.
We can no longer sit on the sideline. Before we elect a new signal caller for 2012, the team needs each of us to get in the game and stand up now engaging in leadership by example in demonstration of the first principles through legally permissible action inclusive of faith, education, service and discipline.
At some level, our fight is not with the useful idiots at Occupy Wherever, although there is a high level of hatred being displayed. The fight is really with the orchestrator's working in and out the shadows who are long in the tooth of this battle. Open your eyes as many of these folks are presently exposing themselves as they sadly become more embolden by our President, who is one of them.
FOX Business Network's John Stossel recently spent an hour on his weekly program to investigate the claims being made by those at Occupy Wall Street. As part of the discussion, Stossel spent a segment speaking with Charles Payne, FOX News contributor and President of W Street Investors, about the many benefits of Wall Street. Take a listen:
There is little doubt that unscrupulous behavior has taken place by many who participate in the system of trading securities on Wall Street. Unfortunately, most if not all have not been held accountable. I don't know about you, but Franklin Raines, former Fannie Mae Chairman, is atop my list of those who should be at Sing Sing.
But Payne is spot on in his assessment. Government involvement rewarding bad behavior goes against the incentive based process of climbing the ladder, leading to market inefficiency and creating debilitating moral hazards and discarding personal responsibility. Entrepreneurship leads to growth companies, which are often fueled by venture capital on Wall Street. When these companies emerge and become a success, jobs are created providing unlimited opportunities for our citizenry and risk takers are rewarded.
No bailouts should have taken place, for failure is part of the process, often making people and corporations better from the lessons learned in the failed effort. Yes, unlike the media proclamation to the contrary, corporations are people.
For the little guy, Wall Street should be embraced and utilized as part of wealth building. Engaging in the dollar cost averaging process through discount brokerage firms, or through the companies themselves utilizing their dividend re-investment programs (DRIP), of many well known corporations can lead to future prosperity. Over 1000 companies, including Coca Cola, Walt Disney, Proctor & Gamble and Harley Davidson, participate.
Corporations are not evil and are not thwarting the success of those complaining at Occupy Wherever. Due to government interaction in the marketplace, many have been dealt a hard blow in recent years. Every government action to help has actually hindered. Until the taxation and regulation are reduced and free market capitalism can run wild, the job market will remain stagnant and the degree of difficulty in achieving success will be much steeper.
For those protesters, the quickest path to prosperity, if wanted, would be to embrace Wall Street and seek a prompt change at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As Ronald Reagan said, government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem.
Although elected twice, President Bush was treated horribly by many Americans. I voted for him twice and was a strong supporter through the majority of his presidency, including the Iraq War, but we parted ways when he said "I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system". Can't go there.
Anyhow, given the destruction of America taking place under President Barack Obama, the American people are gaining a new found appreciation of former President George W Bush.
The crowd cheers the 43rd Presdient as he throws out the first pitch in game four of the World Series to Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. Check it out:
At the end of the day, I join an ever growing list of Americans who have great respect and admiration for George W. Bush.
As we battle internally an embolden socialistic movement and the terrorists around the world, a quote from President Bush is the forefront of my mind.
"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail".
This past weekend, with the ESPN Gameday crew at East Lansing for the Wisconsin at Michigan State game to be played later in the evening, Lee Corso made his 200th heaadgear pick of the day. This has become tradition for us college football faithful, and part of the color and pageantry that makes this game so special. ESPN's Tom Renaldi takes a look back:
Corso, a former star at Florida State and head coach at Indiana and Louisville and our local Orlando Renegades of the World Football League among others, is a fixture on ESPN Gameday and gameday. Corso, who has battled back from a very serious stroke a few years back, is well loved from conference to ever changing conference.
Congratulations to Lee Corso for his 200th pick, his great success and for being such a well respected and beloved ambassador for the color and pageantry of college football and gameday in stadiums, sports bars and households across the fruited plain.
OUT: West Virginia (15), Washington (25), Notre Dame (24), Auburn (14)
VOTES: West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Auburn, Washington, Baylor, Wake Forest, Southern Miss, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Ohio State and TCU.
Notre Dame welcomed in, as my friend Pete says, The University of Spoiled Children (USC) to South Bend for the annual intersectional rivalry, which I think of as a fight song game as both teams have top notch fight songs. Unfortunately, with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's Crazy Train playing between plays, it seemed like we were at concert. The Irish played like they were. This playing of rock songs, more often than not drowning out the marching bands, spreading like Kudzu across the country, is out of hand and needs to stop. Several teams have adopted the same songs as their in-game cheer. For example, Wake Forest and UCF both use Zombie Nation, among many others. Apparently, most fans like it but I do not and really would like to see it die a quick death. Meanwhile, Notre Dame got whipped on both lines of scrimmage and got pounded by Southern Cal.....Weather delays for lighting in neighboring counties is another example of political correctness running amok in college football, and it is unnecessary. I have been following the game for 40 years and the only lightning strike I recall hit Lee Corso's rental car in the parking lot at Blacksburg, Va in the 90's.....After an approximately 2 hour rain delay last evening, while OU was snoozing, Texas Tech was posting touchdowns in Norman. While the Sooners, down 31-7 at one point, mounted a comeback, it was much to little to late. OU seems to annually lose focus causing them to stumble along the way, and they are now likely out of national title conversations as anyone down at home 31-7 should be...Congratulations to one of the good guys, Case Keenum, of Houston, who is now the total yardage leader all time for NCAA college football.... Michigan State used a Hail Mary to steal a game from Wisconsin, who got out to a great start and had to rally to tie it before Sparty got it done.....Clemson is firing on all pistons offensively and is primed to run the table...Stanford blasted Washington in dominant fashion. The Huskies are stout on offense but have issues and youth on defense....UCLA got blasted at Arizona on Thursday, and just before the half a streaker wearing an officials uniform seemed to spark a bench clearing brawl. Not impressive behavior all around....Alabama was tied at home at the half on The Third Saturday in October with Tennessee while LSU was pounding Auburn, handing the Tigers the worst loss for a defending National Champion since Nebraska spanked Penn State in 1983, which is why LSU is now #1.....Syracuse looked great in dumping West Virginia....UCF, expected to get Big East invite, looked hapless losing at winless UAB....Ga Tech is disappointing again....Illinois is unmasked at Purdue.
Florida State looked pretty good in controlling Maryland, and while the Seminoles got plenty of work to do, they appear to be making progress and should be favored the rest of the way.
Nebraska dismantled Minnesota, but had some issues in doing so. Michigan State comes Lincoln next week, so we will find out if the 'Huksers are worthy of conference title conversations.
A collection of useful idiots attacking those that have had the good fortune, most through principles found in athletics combined with a little luck, of achieving high levels of success.
I stand in opposition of those folks, for I celebrate the success of those who play the game of life with integrity and a competitive desire to succeed.
Chrysler Corporation recently celebrated the success of someone whose rise to the top I have appreciated, following him closely along the way: Ndamuknong Suh
Indeed, show where your going without forgetting where your from.
Suh, whose first name means "House of Spears", came to The University of Nebraska from Portland, Oregon Grant High School in 2004. By maximizing his God given talent through hard work, discipline and perseverance, Suh left Nebraska, a football program rich in tradition and player honors, as perhaps the most decorated player to ever call himself a 'Husker.
After graduating from Nebraska, Suh was drafted as the second overall pick by the Detroit Lions and is now regarded as among the best players in the National Football League. Beyond football, Suh continues to lead by example, and has charted a path of charitable activity. First among his efforts was a most significant gift to The University of Nebraska, which helped him become a nominee for Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. Only 24 years old, Suh has already achieved monetary success most could only dream of, but his level of maturity in life far exceeds his age.
Unlike those who protest down on Wall Street, who want something for nothing, I celebrate the success of those who work hard, play within the rules and achieve greatness. Ndamukong Suh is such an individual, and I hope he can show many where they can go while not forgetting where they have been. It is the lessons of life. While we are facing stiff headwinds, mostly created by our own government, it is up to us to persevere and carpe diem.
Lead, follow or get out of the way. And Go Big Red!
A culmination of unfortunate events, some decades old, have led to many of those in their 20's being very torqued. Propelled and partially financed by radical extremists and embolden by the thuggery of the Obama Administration, many of the disgruntled young people have joined leftist groups coming together to protest everything American across the nation in what has become known as Occupy Wall Street.
Regrettably, what we actually have is leftist organizations, many backed by billionaire George Soros, supporting a group of young people who are sadly nothing more than useful idiots as many have no idea about what they are protesting, or basic economic theory for that matter.
Try to grasp you brain around the comments of these protesters in Occupy Oakland:
With the focus of the protests in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan, the King of all Media, New York's Howard Stern, sent staff members down to get an assessment of what is happening. While FOX News host Geraldo Rivera was deeply moved, Stern and sidekick Robin Quivers were far from impressed.
FOX Business reporter and Wall Street veteran Charles Gasparino found nothing but Marxists.
It should be noted that the owners of Zuccotti Park, Brookfield Office Properties (BPO:NYSE), have ulterior motives for allowing the lawlessness taking place in the park as they have green energy interests that have received stimulus money from the Obama administration, as reported by the Business Insider.
Beyond the incredible lack of knowledge regarding common economic theory and business practices abound, another serious problem is very visible among the protesters. Not only rapidly growing globally, again fueled by Obama, anti-Israel sentiment is rampant. Get a load of this piece of garbage, whose parents must be beaming:
President Obama has stopped just short of vocalizing full support of these anti-American free loaders, but many of his friends and cohorts, Van Jones among them, are in full support. Chaos is an ally of this group, as they never let a crisis go to waste. In what is an excellent but unfortunate true dig at the always present straw man argument of President Obama, some aim to "re-create 68", complete with violence. God help us all!
If the young people, with sound education, massive debt, no jobs and a true fear for the future were not political lemmings, they would easily recognize that any protests belong not at Wall Street, but at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue due the horrendous economic policies engaged by the Obama administration.
Certainly, many big corporations have acted with malice leading up to and during this recession, as has government. Fannie Mae (FNMA:OTC), Freddie Mac (FMCC:OTC) and Bank of America (BAC:NYSE) come to mind. For me, I am working hard to distance myself from JP Morgan Chase (JPM:NYSE), Bank of America and General Electric (GE:NYSE). In addition, as a proud lifetime user of General Motors (GM:NYSE) vehicles, purchasing another new GM product is now on hold due their interaction with Obama.
While those who have broken the law on the corner of Wall and Broad must be punished, the young people protesting should embrace Wall Street and utilize it to build wealth for their future. Wall Street capital is the lifeblood for many growth companies, and investment opportunities are plentiful. Sure, you can get burned (have I told you the story of my investment in Level 3 Communications? (LVLT:NASDAQ), but you can also build quite a nest egg and you may even hit one like Google (GOOG:NASDAQ).
Of course, understanding basic economics is a must. Those protesting must recognize that for everything they get for free, someone somewhere paid for it. There is no free lunch. In a society with no incentives, innovations will be rare, which will lead ultimately to a dying society. Is America already committing suicide? Patrick J. Buchanan dives into the issue in his new book "Suicide of a Superpower".
Incentive and innovation produce many of the products these dopes are running around using, from cell phones to I-Pads. Many are seeking use of the restroom at a nearby McDonalds, one of the greatest growth stories of all time.
I encourage the protesters to join the party by buying in on Wall and Broad! Snare 100 shares of McDonalds (MCD:NYSE) and see what happens over the next decade or so. Become a shareholder, with skin in the game. Then, provided we adequately squelch the socialist uprising and re-establish once and for all the The Kudlow Creed that free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity, America will return to all her glory.
Dan Whledon, a two time winner of the Indianapolis 500, including in 2011, has lost his life in a horrific 15 car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this afternoon. ABC had the race coverage:
Ironically, Wheldon was a part time racer this year, and was essentially unemployed after winning the 2011 Indy 500. Wheldon spoke with CNBC's Darren Rovell days after the 500.
Wheldon was set to take over for Danica Patrick, who is heading over to NASCAR full time next season. This racing is very dangerous, and even though the safety measures advanced in the recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the death of the legendary Dale Earnhardt at Daytona International Speedway in 2001, it remains so. Five time NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson took a very hard hit last night at Charlotte, a hit made easier to absorb by the safer barriers and HANS device innovations.
Thoughts and prayers will be with Wheldons family; may he rest in peace.
VOTES: Illinois, Georgia Tech, Southern Methodist, Florida State, Miami, Baylor, Texas, Florida, Ohio State and Wake Forest.
It seems the top three teams are on a higher level than the rest of the crowd, but there is quite a bit of pigskin tossing left to witness, so hold tight.....Clemson is winning the games they usually stumble on, but tough to be considered for the National Title when you give up 45 to Maryland....OU seems sleepy against KU, but you cannot get up for everyone....South Carolina is sloppy, but got a necessary win at Miss. State, but lost All America tailback Marcus Lattimore for the season with a knee injury....Washington is playing well and may yet be heard from in the PAC 12....The wheels have fallen off in Boulder, and Colorado is looking like a starting from scratch project for a team contending for national titles just 20 years ago....Boise State is spanking folks, but will remain on the outside looking in....GT is another team that cannot seem to handle the pressure of being highly ranked....and you can add Illinois to that.....Florida is woeful on offense, but they can stop the run and that gives them a punchers chance in any game....Could the Pony Express be about to enter the Top 25???....Obviously, Bill Snyder can coach, as he has K-State undefeated and sniffing around the top 10.
Florida State got a critical win at Duke, who believe me, is well coached. However, even in dominating Duke, the Seminoles still have much work to do. Not helping the situation is the loss of another defensive starter, Jacobbi McDaniel, for the year with a broken ankle. Maryland, fresh of putting 45 on Clemson in a losing effort, comes to town Saturday.
The media in general is so out of control it would be comical if so much was not at stake. So in the tank for Obama and his destructive policies, for those intellectually on the sidelines the blur into real life is hard to distinguish, even over at ESPN. For sure, ESPN joins most if not all of the major media outlets in complete hypocrisy.
Hank Williams, Jr, a frequent guest on FOX News Fox & Friends, was on again last week and had some fiery commentary. Take a listen:
Bocephus, always one to speak his mind, due to an ill conceived analogy, has been booted from ESPN's Monday Night Football introduction (filmed here locally), where he has excelled for 20 seasons. Recently, ESPN golf analyst and former champion Paul Azinger was recently scolded by ESPN brass for accurately commenting on Obama's work ethic. ESPN does not tolerate harsh commentary toward political figures; unless they are named Palin.
So much for freedom of speech. Certainly, corporations have every right to employ whomever they want, but it is appropriate to point out the astounding hypocrisy where applicable.
I watch FOX & Friends most days. Gretchen Carlson is great, and Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy are adequate when they are serious. Both are closet comedians, and neither is remotely good.
Over on ESPN, without question, I have recently appreciated some fine work on some of the 30 for 30 documentaries and love the college football coverage, even taking in ESPN College Gameday, sponsored by The Home Depot, live just a few weeks ago. However, I gave up on most of ESPN moons ago, as I was turned off by many things inclusive of former anchor Robin Roberts "get on with your bad self", although a mutual friend says she is a very nice person. Michelle Obama is even getting favorable publicity Laura Bush never dreamed of, both on Disney Channel and ESPN.
Hank is royal pissed at them all, with good reason I think. Sugar coating the thugocracy otherwise known as the Obama administration is no longer possible, for Uncle Sam is on the brink, as we note frequently here on the blog. It is time to pick sides, and stand in the line of fire with those who stand with freedom and the free market principles this country was founded on. Freedom is not free, as Bocephus is finding out.
Bocephus has released a new tune in response to the ordeal, and he and his rowdy friends blast all involved.
VOTES: Penn State, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Florida, Texas, Florida State, North Carolina, Rutgers, Southern Methodist, Southern Miss, Miami and Texas Tech.
Oklahoma destroyed Texas in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl at the Texas State Fair in Dallas....Florida is hurting at quarterback and has Auburn and improving Georgia Bulldogs upcoming.....Okie State had 56 at the half against Kansas, and they are a title contender for sure....Arkansas got throttled by BAMA but is whipping everyone else....Pitt got hammered by Rutgers, which is not good....K State dumped Mizzou, and is undefeated....Baylor and RGIII rebounded by thrashing Iowa State...Stanford hammered Colorado, where the wheels have come off...Georgia controlled Tennessee...Michigan outlasted Northwestern in Evanston....UCF flooded Marshall, as we had 6 inches of rain in greater Orlando yesterday....Virginia Tech outlasted Miami in Blacksburg in a great game, with my Cane friends Danny and Pat in attendance....Penn State beat Iowa, usually a problem game for the Lions...Illinois is the surprise of the Big Ten, out to a 6-0 record, the best for them in 60 years...Texas A&M, off to the SEC, won at Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday in a hard fought 45-40 game, but when they got back to the team buses, things took a turn for the worse as Red Raider sportsmanship, or lack thereof, lost containment.
While excuses could be made for the first two losses of the season for Florida State, the loss yesterday at Wake forest was quite simply inexcusable. This one is on the coaching staff. Yes, the offensive line, pedestrian at best without injury, is injury ravaged and a major liability. It is upon the coaches to game plan around it. Certainly, Clint Trickett performed well at Clemson, but with a week off he should have been better prepared for Wake if he was gong to start. Early on, he made several mistakes and looked lost, expected for a young player. If Manual could play, he should have been playing. Either way, this is a coaching issue. The defense, expected to be a strength, is unable to get off the field, either by mental lapses or penalties. Again, coaching. As my friend RP5 correctly noted, Florida State is woefully lackadaisical in getting plays off, even when you should have a sense of urgency. This is regrettably typical for FSU, and again lies on the coaches. I fear we could see the individuals on this team emerge, and the season could be lost. The coaches may not recognize the sense of urgency on the field, but they had better see it in the locker room. Fisher and his staff had better get a grip on this situation fast, for a season of promise, and one to set the stepping stone to what could be a great year in 2012, could be lost.
With Ohio State mauling Nebraska much of the night, ABC analyst Matt Millen was strong. When you think of what analyst you would want calling the game for your team, Matt Millen may not be the first name you think of, but he does have decent points most days. Millen, no doubt with a heavy heart after learning of the passing of the passing of the king of the Raider family, Al Davis, Millen was spot on in calling Ohio State at Nebraska. Millen correctly pointed out the OSU was whipping the Big Red at the line of scrimmage, using a cut back rushing plan to counter the Blackshirt speed and the confidence freshman Buckeye QB Braxton Miller was playing with. For Nebraska, who broke a school record coming from down 21 points to win, Millen nailed several key points. Jared Crick is not himself, and his play shows it. Don't know what the deal is. Lavonte David is phenomenal, and should win the Butkus Award. Taylor Martinez played very well, even while the 'Huskers were getting killed. The Husker offensive line, who played well late, were terrible for three quarters and this is a major issue. Rex Burkhead is a wonderful player, one who can be counted on to produce. Big win for Pelini and the Cornhuskers, for the season was in danger of collapse. In honor of Al Davis, just win, baby!
President Obama spoke with the local NBC affiliate, NBC-WESH-2, and proceeded to call America soft. Sadly, in many ways, he is correct. But not for the reasons you, or he, might think.
The cradle to grave government progressive socialist policies are what has lead many Americans to shriek personal responsibility, work ethic and discipline leading them to operate in bewilderment void of leadership.
President Obama reeks of this, lacking in leadership and ducking responsibility claiming it is everyone else fault, which leads many of our young people seeking answers down the wrong path. Have you seen the useful idiots protesting down on Wall Street?
But while America is focusing on Obama's soft comment, I saw something else in the video that confirms my previous thought process on Obama and his fondness for America. Please see the video:
America is a great country, and that should be firm in the hearts of our citizens. But, oh my goodness, did Obama have difficulty getting that out. Why? This should roll right off the lips from our President, coming straight from the heart. It doesn't.
Imagine a father speaking of his son in this fashion? What if you were commenting on your spouse with this level of love and sparkle in your eye? Good Grief.
It is indeed most concerning, but it is clear from his actions, which extend far, far beyond the stuttering video, that Obama does not love America the way you and I do. Recall Michelle Obama announced she had just become proud of her country during the '08 campaign while Obama set forth 5 days before being elected to transform this nation. I conclude the Obama's are not representative of those who love this country deep in the heart.
Look around. It is time to call a spade a spade, and find with whom you stand. I am strongly against the transformation of our great land and stand strong in the fire behind our founding principles and those who will help restore this nation based on first principles.
Sarah Palin announced on Wednesday the she will not be seeking the GOP nomination in 2012.
After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.
I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs.
Although I am disappointed with this decision, I think it is the right call. Unfortunately, the media has tainted her image so deeply many fail to recognize her talent and commitment to the free market, faith based principles that our country was based upon. Very bad things are taking place in our country right now, and Palin is one of few who get that. Although I respect her decision, I think Palin would make a great President, and she would have had my full support.
With that in mind, Palin is and will continue to be a powerful conservative voice helping to promote the principles and help find those that share the beliefs of the founding fathers in an effort to restore America to her greatness.
Keep up the good work Sarah. We will stand in the fire with you!
Apple's Steve Jobs, one of the top entrepreneurs of the last century who has touched countless lives through his innovations, has passed away from a lengthy battle with cancer. Without question, Jobs will be greatly missed.
Through Apple (AAPL:NASDAQ), which he started with a partner in his garage, Jobs entrepreneurial spirit and brilliance showed the way in technological product innovation and development, which has brought such joy to the droves of I-users all across the globe.
For non Apple users, Jobs forced the competitors to be at the top of their game, or they would be left in the ash heap of history, which ultimately was of enormous benefit to all consumers of the technology.
Jobs is someone folks with a burning entrepreneurial spirit should learn from and emulate. Jobs story, complete with failures learned from leading to rousing success, is the American story of free market capitalism.
Upon hearing the news of his death, which we all unfortunately knew was coming, I thought of Jobs commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005. His words on this day are words that all Americans should hear, particularly during these trying times.
Please take a listen:
Godspeed and God Bless to Steve Jobs, a true pioneer and Great American!
Fairness. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, then candidate Barack Obama talked about fairness, and how he would work tirelessly to make things more fair. I assume, in all his scholarly aptitude, he would be the decision maker as to what is fair.
The Dictator in Chief would determine how much money you could make, what you will be allowed to eat, what type of cars you can drive, when, where and with whom you can seek health care and God forbid, how many touchdowns your team can score.
Now them are some fighting words here in the deep south! Think I am kidding? Meet Demias Jimerson.
Jefferson, obviously quite a young man on and off the field, is being tackled by government intervention. After scoring three touchdowns in a game and if his team leads by two touchdowns, Jimerson is sidelined by "The Madre Hill Rule". Hill, a superstar player from the area who back in the day before turning heads at the University of Arkansas, torched defenses around the area, prompting the thinkers in governance, in the name of fairness, to limit his effectiveness.
Certainly, we cannot have him dominate and leave his opponents having to deal with failure.
In the piece, Principal Bryant says other players are just left out, with it being all Demias. Ms. Bryant is quite ill informed, and would be typical of those who will be happy to make decisions for you, as they know better.
First of all, many of the lessons we should learn in life are found on the gridiron. These lesson include but are not limited to discipline, responsibility, desire, leadership, work ethic, aggressiveness, execution, defeat, preparation, compassion, commitment, performance, class and teamwork. After all, there is no "I" in team, and unbeknownst to Principal Bryant, football is a team sport. Not forgotten is sportsmanship, and as former Florida State football Coach Bobby Bowden said, “Sportsmanship to me is going out and playing as hard as you can within the rules.”. That's exactly right.
What Ms. Bryant, and countless other champions of socialism fail to understand, that lessons learned in defeat and failure are invaluable to developing the mentality and intestinal fortitude to succeed. Success comes with a price, and that price is commonly paid through lessons learned.
Unfortunately, the slow creep of socialism is gaining speed in all facets of our lives. Free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity, and as former Georgia Bulldog and Minnesota Viking and NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton points out in a tremendous article in The Wall Street Journal, as a comparison between the Teachers Union and the NFL drastically points out.
When Demias Jimerson signs a scholarship to attend a major college program, I hope he joins the long list of other phenom backs, from Eric Dickerson to Marcus Dupree, from Herschel Walker to Bo Jackson and from Barry Sanders to Earl Campbell in tremendous success. I would love to have him on one of my teams, but if he plays for an opponent of one of my teams, I hope my guys can rise to the challenge of stopping him. Most would be lucky to stop him, but luck is where preparation meets opportunity in the color and pageantry of college football, and life.
According to the Labor Department, zero jobs were created this past August. This is the first time since World War II that the US economy has created zero jobs. Please see the below chart from HoweStreet.com measuring the recent recession in job creation.
Few things solidify a complete failure on the economic front than going around boasting of saving us from the brink and placing Uncle Sam on the road to recovery than the economy producing zero jobs.
As Obama's job approval ratings continue to tank, and rightfully so, I got to thinking we may have been saved from a second Obama term by zero, as in zero jobs. Zero is a hard number to forget, particularly when attached to such a devastating and personal tragedy the state of the economy is in.
Saved by Zero indeed! As it turns out, this is a very cool tune by one of my favorite bands, The FIXX. For tonight' Sunday Night Song, enjoy Saved By Zero by Cy Curnin and The Fixx recorded live in Orlando as I watched live!
VOTES: USC, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Baylor, Washington and Missouri.
Brigham Young defeated Utah State in a thriller Friday night with their backup quarterback, a UTST Aggie transfer, leading a 96 yards drive in under two minutes to win the ball game. Utah State has lost some heartbreakers already in '11, but they should not hang their heads as they are a decent football team....South Florida got pummeled by Pitt on national television Thursday night, and Pitt running back Ray Graham looked fantastic...Auburn found a way to turn the tables on South Carolina, who amazingly have quarterback issues under the direction of the old ball coach....The Gators came out firing against Alabama, but once the Tide settled in a shut down the run, it got ugly, including Gator QB Brantley suffering a potentially serious knee injury....NCST could not stop Ga. Tech, although Orlando Boone tailback James Washington had a big day for the Pack....Ohio State is really struggling offensively, and Michigan State, who won at the Horseshoe Saturday, is not much better.....Clemson smothered Virginia Tech, and will now be favored the rest of the way. History says the Tigers stumble, but if not, they could be in the national title game....Robert Griffith Jr. played a brilliant game once again, but threw his first interception of the season at a critical time, giving K-State the ball in the rend zone. The Cats scored and with one last shot, RGII could not generate a first down allowing the Cats to steal the victory at home from Baylor.....Texas A&M, a very good football team, followed up blowing a 17 point lead last week to blowing an 18 point lead this week, as Arkansas came back to dump the Aggies 45-42. A&M is very good, but these losses are tough to overcome...Illinois remains undefeated, but barely got by Northwestern at home....Washington pounded Utah at Utah, and the Huskies are steadily improving....With South Carolina losing and Florida uncertain, Georgia is now, as surprising as it is, in the SEC East drivers seat....Mark Mississippi State down as the best three loss team so far in 2011....SMU got a very big victory, defeating TCU at Fort Worth......Texas avenged last years loss to Iowa State, and gets OU Saturday in The Red River War.
Nebraska was welcomed into the Big Ten by getting hammered by Wisconsin. Certainly, having followed Russell Wilson in his days in the ACC, his skills as a signal caller, particularly extending plays, are well advertised. While Nebraska was their own worst enemy much of the game, Wisconsin beat the 'Huskers in each facet of the game. Surprisingly, the 'Husker Blackshirt defense, a staple under the Pelini brothers, got pushed around and had no answer for Wilson. As Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini correctly noted in the post game, it was an embarrassing performance. Nebraska has some fine young running backs and receivers, but the offensive line has been pedestrian for some time and it seems as though quarterback Taylor Martinez is regressing, which is most concerning. The Blackshirt defensive line is stout, however, outside of the tackling machine known as Lavonte David, the linebackers played very average. The secondary, supposedly a strength behind Alfonso Dennard, a cornerback NFL scouts are drooling over, looked lost most of the night. I conclude this game performance lies squarely on the back of the coaches, from Bo Pelini on down. Next week, Ohio State comes to Lincoln and presents another opportunity for the Big Red. Should the 'Huskers play poorly once again, Bo Pelini and the coaching staff will have some answering to do.
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.
