Red Tape Snares House of Love

A complaint has led to the potential closing of The Russell Home, a non-profit opened in the 50's in Orlando to give a home to atypical children & adults.

See the recent news report from WFTV9, Orlando's ABC affiliate.


"The Russell Home provides a multitude of services from residential care, 24-hour emergency care, daycare, dance classes, a classroom program, monthly field trips and social events for the special needs community. More importantly we are the 'HOME' for 25 special needs child-like adults, we are their family."

The issue at this time is the "AHCA, or any other State agency, does not have a license category to cover all of the services the Russell Home provides. There are licenses available for each of the individual services, but the State does not allow more than one license under one address."

The expansion of government continues to harm our citizenry.

Hopefully, in the case of this wonderful and loved charitable venture, we pray the issue can be solved and the hearts of many can continue to warmed by the outstanding work they lovingly perform.

Celebrate Success

Occupy Wall Street. Supported by our President.

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!

BAHL's Babes: Kylie Minogue

On The O'Reilly Factor Pinhead and Patriots segment, Bill O'Reilly labeled Australian singer Kylie Minogue a patriot for her charitable work with The Wiggles, a kids group, in an effort to help raise money for children.

I had the occasion to meet Kylie as she was a scheduled performer on Good Morning America when I was there one morning. She was friendly, humorous and quite tiny, not to mention stunning. The performance of her top single "Come Into My World" was also outstanding. See the photo and youtube of performance below:



Kylie is an award winning singer and actress, and a breast Cancer survivor. She has written a book for kids and has her own perfume line. I did not have her on the original list of BAHL's Babes, but if you find time to help out kids, are a Cancer survivor and are hot, that works for me.

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

The American Century Golf Championship

Actor Jack Wagner, formerly of ABC's General Hospital and FOX's Melrose Place, signs autographs on Saturday at The American Century Investments Celebrity Golf Tournament benefitting The Lance Armstrong Foundation at Lake Tahoe.

The tournament includes celebrities like Al Michaels, politicians such as Dan Quayle, current athletes like Tony Romo (with Jessica Simpson in tow), and former athletes including Rick Rhoden, Michael Jordan, John Elway, Wayne Gretzky and Dale Jarrett.

I have always pulled for Jack Wagner, who is the only "non-athlete" to win the event, winning in 2006. I have been a fan of his since the early 80's, and I had occasion to meet the General Hospital star during his musical tour, showcasing his #1 hit "All I Need". Pictured below is Wagner backstage at the Bob Carr Auditorium in Orlando in May 1985.

The American Century Golf Championship, broadcast annually by NBC Sports, is scheduled to donate over a half a million dollars to The Lance Armstrong Foundation. It is also fun to watch!