The Hall of BAHL

Sports is and always has played a significant role in my life. I have found that most all of life's lessons are learned between the lines. Discipline, individual responsibility, teamwork and sportsmanship are among many opportunities presented within the games that offer guidance to prosper in life.

Over the years, there have been many individuals associated with sports that I have looked up to, been a fan of, owned a jersey of or just pulled for. These are my guys, and although it has not always been a road without bumps for many, these are my guys. In an effort to recognize these folks, I have formed The Hall of BAHL. Individuals making this list may or may not be the greatest ever players, coaches or ambassadors, but they are my favorites.

Each year, I will induct a new class members into The Hall of BAHL. In honor of my good buddy and sportsman Big Ole BudFeiser, who we lost in 2011 and who I grew up playing sports with, each class will annually be announced on his birthday, June 13.

The inductees for the 2020 Hall of BAHL class are listed in no particular order below:

KEVIN SEITZER

With George Brett moving toward the end of his hall of fame playing career,the Kansas City Royals needed to interject some power in the lineup, finding it with rookie Kevin Seitzer in 1996. Seitzer immediately started slapping the ball around, taking a stab at the Royals record books on more than few occasions.

He was a fun player to watch, and I wish his tenure with the Royals lasted longer. Seitzer headed over to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1996.  Later, after his playing career ended, Kevin entered the coaching ranks, later even spending on the Royals staff.

I really enjoyed watching Kevin Seitzer play the game, with his strong hitting abilities and his contagious love for the game. I am pleased to welcome Kevin Seitzer to The Hall of BAHL.

LARRY CSONKA

In my childhood, the newly formed Miami Dolphins were great to have as your favorite team while becoming acquainted with the National Football League.  I was not alone here in Central Florida.  In the early seventies, under the guidance of Don Shula, the Dolphins became a powerful force, going to three consecutive Super Bowls, winning two of them, including the incredible "perfect season" in 1972. There were many heroes on those teams, but one that stands out was Larry Csonka.  A bruiser from Syracuse, the Dolphins had a strong and powerful inside runner from his fullback spot in Csonka, who teamed with Mercury Morris in the backfield.

Csonka represented the toughness the Dolphin teams were built on in those days, and was a player the team could always count on. Csonka is one of only three players to have their Dolphin jersey retired, and is a member of the National Football League Hall of Fame.

An avid hunter and fisher who in post football years has spent the majority of his time in Alaska, Larry Csonka has remained very tight to those tight knit teams of the Dolphin glory years, always attending events and celebrations. He is always among the first to celebrate each season when the last NFL team falls from the ranks of the unbeaten, and has always remained close with Coach Shula.

Miami Dolphin legend and NFL Hall of Famer Larry Csonka is a powerful addition to the Hall of BAHL.

NEIL BONNETT

The Hall of BAHL welcomes NASCAR legend Neil Bonnett to the 2020 class.

Bonnett was a charter member of the famed Alabama Gang of NASCAR racers from the Hueytown area. He was a really good guy, a friend to all within the garage area, and he was one the good ole boys I always pulled for. Late in his career, Bonnett piloted a Pontiac Grand Prix, and I loved the fleet of wide tracks.

After a very serious crash at Darlington in 1990, Bonnett stopped racing and joined the broadcast networks broadcasting the races. This is where many racing fans got to know Bonnett better, enjoying his folksy personality and very strong racing acumen.  Bonnett was a great ambassador of the sport in the booth.

Bonnett was best friends with Dale Earnhardt, and he iched to get back behind the wheel.  With the help of Earnhardt and Richard Childress, Bonnett got an opportunity to run at Talladega in a Childress prepared Chevrolet Lumina in 1993. With NASCAR nation watching, Bonnett was involved in a horrendous crash down the front stretch of the White Knuckle Highway, with Bonnett's Mom and Pop's Chevrolet going airborne landing in the catch fence. Bonnett was fine, and rejoined the booth to call the rest of the race.

James Finch offered a ride for the 1994 season in his Country Time Lemonade Chevrolet, a really good looking ride.  In a most unfortunate practice season event leading up to the 1994 Daytona 500, a mechanical failure got Bonnett loose and he crashed head on in wall up in turn 4, ending his life. This was a very sobering event and it was a difficult Speedweeks to be damn sure.

Neil Bonnett was a fan favorite, and he is greatly missed, and now a member of the Hall of BAHL.

LAVONTE DAVID

Lavonte David transferred into Nebraska after a community college stint after a stellar high school career at powerhouse State Champion Miami Northwestern, and impact on the Cornhuskers was immediate. During his two years with the Big Red, David was a tackling machine, a complete disaster for any offenses attacking the Husker Blackshirts.  No matter the opponent, David was a terror, causing fumbles and picking off passes to go with his team leading tackling numbers. "David started all 27 games he played in at Nebraska (2010–11), recording 285 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered. His 285 career tackles rank fourth in school history, and most by a two-year player" reports Huskers.com

Picking up right where he left off at Nebraska, David is a sideline to sideline player, capable of making big time plays all over the field. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected David in the second round of the NFL Draft in 2012, and given my movement to the Bucs becoming my favorite NFL team in recent years, this suited me just fine. David has been an All Pro player for Tampa Bay, a leader on the team from his linebacker position. Defensively, Lavonte David is one of my favorite all time Huskers and is without question my favorite current Buccaneer.

Lavonte has also been a wonderful addition to the Tampa community, often volunteering on behalf of health and fitness for children issues, which is close to his heart. A great guy and fabulous football player. we welcome former Blackshirt Lavonte David to the Hall of BAHL.

The Hall of BAHL

Sports is and always has played a significant role in my life. I have found that most all of life's lessons are learned between the lines. Discipline, individual responsibility, teamwork and sportsmanship are among many opportunities presented within the games that offer guidance to prosper in life.

Over the years, there have been many individuals associated with sports that I have looked up to, been a fan of, owned a jersey of or just pulled for. These are my guys, and although it has not always been a road without bumps for many, these are my guys. In an effort to recognize these folks, I have formed The Hall of BAHL.

Individuals making this list may or may not be the greatest ever players, coaches or ambassadors, but they are my favorites. Each year, I will induct five members into The Hall of BAHL. In honor of my good buddy and sportsman Big Ole BudFeiser, who we lost in 2011 and who I grew up playing sports with. Each class will annually be announced on his birthday, June 13.

The inductees for the 2018 Hall of BAHL class are listed in no particular order below:


SCOTT FROST

An elite athlete out of Wood River, Nebraska, it was assumed that highly touted signal caller Scott Frost would, like many in the home state that worships it's state University football program, sign to play football at The University of Nebraska.

Frost signed with Stanford to play safety for brilliant coach Bill Walsh. You see, Frost has a plan for reaching success, doing it his way.

Nebraska coach Tom Osborne had kept in touch with Frost (Osborne knew his parents, both former athletes at Nebraska) and after two season, Frost returned home to play, quarterback, for the Cornhuskers.

Frost was not exactly welcomed back the team members, but he won them over with a work ethic and commitment to teamwork. Eventually, Frost won the starting job, but quickly came under extreme criticism after a shutout loss at Arizona State. Frost had a plan.

Under the direction of Frost at signal caller, Nebraska would win the National Championship with an undefeated season culminating with an Orange Bowl Victory over Tennessee. As it turned out, this would be the last game Tom Osborne would coach at Nebraska.  I was thankful to be there to witness it all.

Frost spent some time in the NFL playing safety, even playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After his playing days ended (he looks like he could play today), Frost entered the coaching ranks; a sponge under some of the most brilliant minds in coaching.

Frost was having great success under Chip Kelly at Oregon, eventually moving to offensive coordinator after Kelly moved on. From that spot, athletic director Danny White hired as head coach at UCF, who had just suffered through a winless campaign. The Knights were 6-6 in year one, but incredibly went undefeated in year two, dumping Auburn in the Peach Bowl and laying claim (why not?) to the National Title.

Meanwhile, the beloved Cornhuskers had hit rock bottom, going 4-8 with battering losses along the way.
Frost was loved by all in Orlando with the Knights, and while it had great appeal to continue what he had started there, the Big Red came calling and Frost did exactly what we all hoped; he came home.

In the summer before the 2018 season, Frost invited Tom Osborne down to speak to his football team at UCF, which included a speaking gathering I attended.  I had an opportunity to meet Frost, and in speaking with him immediately got the sense that he possessed the "it" factor.  Nice, measured and intelligent, it was apparent then and was when Husker AD Bill Moos inquired, that without question Frost checks very box.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, in Husker Nation is over the moon Frost is heading the Big Red, hoping he can recapture the success and pride that had always surrounded the Nebraska football program. One man is not the answer, but Frost will, and has, surrounded himself with a team that operates from the same page.

I have always cheered Scott Frost, and appreciated his ascension to achieving the goals he set for himself.
Now directing Nebraska, I have no doubt he will utilize the tools and skill that have helped him throughout his career to restore the order of Nebraska football, which will make all of us in Husker Nation, and his mentor in Coach Osborne, quite proud of our native Son.

The HALL of BAHL welcomes Scott Frost to the 2018 class!  #GBR


DALE EARNHARDT JR

Dale Eanrhardt Jr. could have taken a different path, most certainly in the horrific aftermath of his father Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in turn 4 at Daytona International Speedway in February of 2001.

Junior had always been at his fathers side, and by the time of the death of Dale Sr., Junior was already making a name for himself on, and perhaps much more importantly, off the track.

The NASCAR faithful were going to like and admire Junior anyway, but the love and affection for his dad swamped him. While this was positive, it also came with a tremendous amount of pressure. With the help of many, but more on his own back, Junior handled it all like the champion he is.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has married, and has now retired and become a father himself with his lovely wife Amy. Dale Jr. won a lot of races, many significant ones at Daytona, but he never won a NASCAR championship. But don't get it twisted, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a champion, on the track and in life.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. was never my "favorite" driver, he was always someone I pulled for when the cut the good ole boys loose. Junior, like his father, always piloted a Chevrolet, retiring in the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS, which as the owner of an SS just shifts my gears!

We won't lose track of Junior in retirement, as he has inked a deal with NBC Sports to analyze races for their portion of the race coverage.  We will appreciate hearing Junior's thoughts on what is going on out there on track where our heroes race for the checkered flag.

Dale Earnhardt Jr could have been a jerk, a legacy guy who banked on his fathers success. Dale Jr., certainly in part to his upbringing, chose a different path, one that included competitiveness with kindness, the drive to win with knowing how to employ sportsmanship in losing, and more importantly, helping others.

This is the exact kind of individual who should line the halls of Halls of Fame. And in 2018, we will welcome Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to do exactly that in the Hall of BAHL!


TURNER GILL

The Scoring Explosion! These were exciting times, the early eighties, for Nebraska football.

An offense which unleashed a barrage of points on opponents, ignited by an explosive rushing attack led by option wizard quarterback Turner Gill. During his career at Nebraska, Gill was 28-2.  Under his direction, the 'Huskers played for the National Title in The Orange Bowl twice, losing to Clemson 22-15 in 1981 and 31-30 to Miami in 1983. Gill turned an ankle against Clemson, which, according to coach Tom Osborne, really hurt Nebraska offensive with Gill out. An undefeated Nebraska team fell at Miami, with a two point conversion pass from Gill batted down.

I was in attendance for both of these contests, and while the outcomes were not what we had hoped for, we always stood in good company with Turner Gill.

With his eligibility expired, having suffered from concussions and not the prototype NFL signal caller, Gill, who was also a fantastic baseball player, went on to play minor league ball with the Cleveland Indians.

But Gill returned to Nebraska to become a coach under Coach Osborne, and remained on staff from 1992-2004. Gill then became coach of The University of Buffalo, having great success, which propelled him to getting the job at Kansas. That did not go well, and Gill was let go. Landing on his feet, Gill became head coach at Liberty University, where he continues today.

Given Gill's strong commitment to his Christian faith, Liberty is a fantastic place for him to influence young men, both on and off the field.

Turner Gill was a special player, and watching him run the Nebraska offense was a sight to behold. But Gill is a better man, and he has been easy to cheer for throughout his life.

Gill is a 'Husker, and he will always be remembered with great fondness by the Cornhusker faithful. We are honored to induct form Nebraska standout quarterback Turner Gill to the Hall of BAHL.


ODELL HAGGINS 

I recall while I was at Florida State, a young mild mannered new recruit arrived from Bartow. Indeed, the arrival of Odell Haggins on campus would change Florida State University forever! 

Starring on the defensive front, seemingly often at the nose tackle spot, Odell Haggins earned All America honors for the Seminoles. After being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, Haggins returned to join the Seminoles coaching staff after his brief handful of seasons in the NFL.

Haggins worked his way up on the coaching staff, eventually handling the defensive line, a unit that produced many All Americans and NFL draft picks under his tutelage. Players who have been coached by Odell have the utmost respect for him.

After Bobby Bowden retired, new coach Jimbo Fisher retained Haggins, where Haggins defensive unit continued to thrive. As Fisher unceremoniously departed FSU, Haggins got an opportunity to coach Florida State as head coach on an interim basis, which turned out to be the final 2017 postponed home game against Louisiana Monroe and the Seminoles Independence Bowl game versus Southern Mississippi, both wins.

This was very fitting, because few individuals rival the love for our university Odell Haggins has. Haggins is a Seminole, true and true. He bleeds Garnet and Gold. An the Seminole faithful love him!

Seminole fans were thrilled to learn that new coach Willie Taggart, who grew up a Seminoles fan, recognized the coaching prowess of one of our favorite Seminoles and retained Haggins as defensive line coach, helping a link to legendary coach Bobby Bowden remain.

Odell Haggins, rolling in all those years ago from ole Bartow, remains one of the most beloved Seminoles, and a gentleman we are honored to place in the 2018 Hall of BAHL class.


MICHAEL WALTRIP


I first became a fan of Michael Waltrip, younger brother of NASCAR Champion Darrell, when he emerged on the scene driving the Pennzoil Pontiac Grand Prix.  Anyone in a Pontiac had my support.

For many years, Michael had a rough go of it, and held the record for most career starts without a win before winning his first, a Daytona 500 on February 16, 2001, the day his great friend and mentor Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost his life. I was there, and while we were thrilled for Michael, our joy was short lived. Micheal even penned a book describing the days events, called "In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything."

Michael Waltrip is a two time Daytona 500 champion, but all along the way, even having struggles before finding success and then failure again as owner of his own race team, Micheal has been a great friend to everyone in the NASCAR community, extending well beyond the drivers to the fans.

Michael is an inventor as well. At 6'5, Waltrip, not foreign to high speed crashes, designed a roof hatch for easy exit for a driver of his size. It was more comical than practical, at least I think. Waltrip likes to clown around.

Now retired, Waltrip, is a fixture on the FOX Sports NASCAR broadcast team, well know for talking to drivers along pit road before the race, a very popular segment on the FOX race coverage. Waltrip is always quick to help in philanthropic efforts, and remains committed to frequent interactions with the fans through social media.

My family had the opportunity to meet and visit with Michael Waltrip, along with Brian Vickers, at a corporate event prior to a Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.  It was quite a hoot.

Since then, I run into to Michael from time to time, having visited with him at the High Banks and even out on the golf course. Recently, at the Diamond Resorts Celebrity Golf Tournament, Michael told me he liked golf more than driving, as he had "never caught fire playing golf." Waltrip, who plays often plays pickup hoops, does not golf particularly well, down at the level of Larry The Cable Guy, but he has a great time.

"Mikie" is a very cool guy, great fun to be around; a championship driver who we are excited to induct into the Hall of BAHL.

GM Death Star

The very first Holden made Pontiac G8 GXP will be auctioned off next weekend at the Barrett-Jackson event in Palm Beach.

Burt Reynolds, who is perhaps most well known as "The Bandit" running his black Pontiac Trans-Am leading a run to get beer in the outstanding cult movie "Smokey and The Bandit," will be in attendance.

Unfortunately, the final bid for this Pontiac G8 GXP will be outside the parameters of my disposable income.



First Production Pontiac G8 To Be Auctioned Off At Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach

GM appears in effort to destroy itself.

It began with the company listening to idiotic Obama staffers who thought it best to jettison the Pontiac Motor Division in a restructuring in the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse.

GM kept Buick instead, and sales have been much less than hoped.

The Pontiac G8 gained high acclaim from the industry. This Holden based V8 RWD four door performance sedan represented the muscle car Pontiac's of the past.  The GXP model turned out 415 HP.

With Buick not offering a V8 sedan, GM made a good decision and essentially modernized the Pontiac G8, re-badging the Pontiac G8 as the Chevrolet SS in 2013.  Both cars are essentially Holden Commodores, both rear wheel drive V8's turning 415HP.

Chevrolet is the only GM product run on the NASCAR circuit, an the car is the Chevrolet SS.

The Chevy SS, the only direct lineage to Pontiac remaining, produced essentially 3000 cars annually for America from 2013-2017.

In yet another boneheaded decision, GM and Holden ended production of the Chevy SS.  2017 is the final year you can buy one new, and if you hope to do so, you had better hurry up. The non-advertised car is already a collectors item.

Like the Pontiac G8, the Chevy SS is a phenomenal vehicle, with those who care offering countless acclaim.
Motor Trend called the SS the "benchmark sports sedan."

Sadly, an affordable four sedan with V8 power will no longer be available from General Motors. The only V8 options will be the expensive Cadillac, the Camaro and the Corvette.

Meanwhile, an oversupply of unsold Buick vehicles sit in inventory.

Cash is King

Recently, trial balloons regarding the move to a cashless society have been appearing in various media outlets.  Among those who champion this effort are Bill Gates, an elite progressive who along with his colleagues conclude that the ruling class can make your decisions better than you can, given their elite intellect.

While a cashless society seems pretty cool and reasonable on many fronts, including efficiency, the effort to push the idea is not by accident, and should be considered yet another clandestine effort to seize additional control over the citizenry.

In the aftermath of the housing bubble crash of 2008-09, which decimated wealth and left the economy staggering, President Obama and his team, in concert with the FED, made incorrect decisions that are cascading negatively behind the scenes.

The stock market has almost tripled since '09, which is good news; unless you note the money supply is up over 5 fold during that time making your investment worth less. Legalized theft. So, all the big banks got bailed out, but who bailed you out?  Nobody.

The slate is indeed about to be wiped clean, and arenas to hide in are very limited, and the collective damage could knockout the US economy,  which would likely have a nasty ripple effect globally.  Would the IMF step up to bail the FED out, and what price would US sovereignty pay for such action?

Or will you bail the US out?

In 2013, the Cyprus government took, or stole, approximately 10 percent of cash deposits from its citizenry without consent as a described "bail-in" to help the crumbling economy gain solvency.  Should the United States suffer an unprecedented crash, don't think for a moment it could not happen here.  It would be much easier for the government to seize cash in a digital economy than to confiscate cash from the citizenry.

But that is not all.

Have you ever had a credit card cancelled, or had your available charge amount decreased?  In a cashless society, just so to limit risk on potential defaults, your purchases may be declined by the ruling class who deem you incapable of making correct low risk purchases.

With the government in charge of health care, items in your grocery cart may be declined for purchase because they do not fit the dietary regime you have been placed on by the food police.  No chocolate cookies for you!

2015 V8 Chevy Camaro

That new 6.2L 426-horsepower V8 Chevrolet Camaro you have been saving for simply does not meet the common guidelines for fuel mileage and is deemed a threat to the governmental efforts in combating global climate change; therefore, that purchase will not be granted through your bank. And cash is not legally accepted.

The list could go on, and on, and on.

While progressives make the push for a cashless society to become a reality, many are aware of the ominous threat to our freedom it really is.  Martin Armstrong, over at his Armstrong Economics blog, has an in-depth and outstanding piece where he discusses The New Age of Economic Totalitarianism.

Signature Bank Chairman Scott Shay was recently on CNBC discussing this topic, and wrote an essay noting the wide ranging threat to our freedom a cashless society is. As noted in the excellent piece attached, it would be most wise to keep your hand invisible to an oppressive and untrustworthy government.

"This would be the ultimate form of control. Because – without access to money – people couldn’t resist, couldn’t hide and couldn’t escape".

Forget going off the grid with any measurable success.

While a cashless society may ring logical to many, for those who embrace freedom, cash should always remain the base of financial operation in free markets eliminating potential manipulation.

After all, cash is king!

Penalty Served

Throughout my driving career, I was thrilled to have been fixed firmly in the seat in the camp of General Motors. 

Outside of a Jeep Cherokee I purchased in 1992, my garage has been filled with Pontiac Grand Prix GXP's and Chevrolet Trucks.  Notwithstanding current recall issues, the GM products I have owned have been outstanding.

However, GM, with deep financial issues as the 2008 financial crisis hit Uncle Sam, the company made decisions which I strongly opposed.  There were three main issues that were prominent in my disgust, and they are as follows:

*  GM embraced the decision to take government funding, fully understanding the conditions that were associated with the acceptance, which centered around green energy initiatives based on global climate change, which is the greatest hoax of all time.

*  GM made the decision to jettison the proud and iconic Pontiac Motor Division. ending production in 2010.  The decision was heavily influenced by a young team assembled by President Obama ill-equipped for such consult.  These folks, who would not know a Grand Am from a Dodge Dart, had little appreciation for the American muscle car history and were economic imbeciles.

2009 Pontiac G8 GXP

*  Having put themselves in a poor position, the company had little choice than to play a role as a campaign supporter for President Obama, who was actively plotting against the long term success of the company by forcing the company to meet energy standards that limit the long term profitability of the company.  Remember Osama Bin Laden is dead but General Motors is alive?

Well, this longtime GM customer is not going to take that lying down.

What little hair I have left remains on fire over the demise of Pontiac.  In addition, any company supporting the most destructive President in the history of America must be penalized, and the revenues for that penalty must be financial.

A numerical figure for the penalty I have assessed General Motors is approximately $35,000.  It is levied in the form of a 2014 Ford Explorer XLT.

2014 Ford Explorer XLT

Dry Run Fly By

Manipulation of the news has escalated to near boiling levels.

A classic conflict between futurist authors Aldous Huxley and George Orwell centers in that Orwell thought information would be withheld from the public while Huxley opined that the public would be drowned in a sea of irrelevant data, unable or unwilling to decipher pertinent information they require.

Score one for Huxley.

A new story came across the transom last week that I found most concerning, and it disappeared with a false explanation about as fast as it appeared.  NBC News was discredited, which is nothing new.

Los Angeles International Airport, LAX, was shut down for several hours, causing delays and cancellations backing up airline travel across the globe.  Among the busiest airports in the world, I would think such an issue would be major new.

Additionally, given the world we now live in, the cause for such an interruption in air traffic would seemingly be of paramount concern.

NBC News reported a "computer glitch" caused by a high flying US U2 Spy plane adjusting altitudes was the source of the problem, wreaking havoc on on flight command control and radar systems.  As is common with the once proud peacock network, the story was quickly discredited.

As reported by NBC News,  the U-2 was flying at 60,000 feet, but air traffic control computers were attempting to keep it from colliding with planes that were actually miles beneath it. The computers at the L.A. Center are programmed to keep commercial airliners and other aircraft from colliding with each other. The spy plane’s altitude and route apparently overloaded a computer system called ERAM, which generates display data for air-traffic controllers. Back-up computer systems also failed. The U-2 spy plane is the same type of aircraft that flew high-altitude spy missions over Russia 50 years ago and more recently Afghanistan.

U2 Spy planes have routinely operated at these altitudes for decades without issue, so what may have happened at LAX.

A theory I am given from consultation with insiders within the business informs me that data entry on the ERAM system was possibly a culprit. There are reported issues with ERAM, and there literally is no adequate backup system as there appears to be interface issues with the previous backup system which is quickly being phased out.  This leaves no adequate backup system, and therefore, for the first time in history, the FAA is flying without double redundancy.

The Air Force officially denied the U2, also known as the Dragon Lady, caused the issue, which seems obvious. It is assumed the Air Force knows what caused this troubling issue, but they have not made their findings public.The U2 has more problems landing than it does wreaking havoc on flight systems. 



US U2 Dragon Lady Spy Place and Chevrolet Camaro SS

Lack of knowledge leads to speculation, and some of the theories emerging are quite disturbing.

Actions in the Ukraine have seriously strained US relations with Russia, and Vladimir Putin has stepped up military action and mobilization across the globe.  Russian long range aircraft have been acknowledged along the California coast, as reported by SHTFPlan.com.

Gen. Herbert Carlisle, Commander of United States Air Forces in the Pacific, acknowledged a significant increase in the activities by Russian long-range strategic aircraft flying along the California coast. There was no comment about whether the aircraft were nuclear capable, but it has not been since the Cold War ended in the early 1990s that Russian patrols have skirted the West Coast and California.

Did the Russian aircraft test advanced technology, which may range from system jamming equipment, stealth technologies or perhaps a non-nuclear EMP weapon, in muscle flexing fashion?
Given the current US weakness, it would be the perfect time for Putin to seize the opportunity to test new military technology. 

Beyond revoking his NetFlix card, what might Obama do?  Putin is not afraid of hashtag rhetoric, and he is not happy with financial sanctions the Obama administration has imposed.

Perhaps the US accidentally caused the issue while testing technology?  If so, this is also troubling as this type of accidental error could have had devastating consequences.  Given our military remains the envy of the world, I really doubt we inadvertently made this error.

We are in real trouble, and are under attack.  The hacking of computers, from major retail to the military, has been an issue, there have documented attacks on our financial markets and there have been lightly reported attacks by unknown foes of power grids across the nation.  A airport flight control system seems a logical next step.

With the US at its weakest position in five decades thanks the policies of President Obama, those who wish America harm see the remaining years our his presidency as an optimal time to attack us.  Given our remaining military prowess, these attacks will not be with conventional weapon systems.

The weapons of choice will be strategic, through use of technology in hijacking, disabling or dismantling our computerized systems.  Even primitive actions like starting fires can become very costly weapons, through finance and manpower, to our infrastructure.

The facts of what happened at LAX remain elusive with very limted media coverage.  Was this a dry run of some sort?  Who knows?

While the news media routinely dismisses stories like these, bombarding you with useless stories of irrelevance and news item propaganda, you should keep promptly dismissed stories like this one ON YOUR RADAR!

Super Sport G8

General Motors is really in a world of hurt these days.

Troubles for the company became highly visible during the financial crisis of 2008, where obligations the company had, most notably poor union contracts not remotely associated with reality, were "discovered" as unsustainable.

Both George W. Bush and then candidate Barack Obama thought it prudent to offer the company bailout money, which GM gladly took.  Once Obama took office, after evaluation, his team orchestrated the making of a new GM and made "recommendations" for the company, which most notably included the elimination of the proud Pontiac Motor Division. 

In addition, bailout monies failed to make their way to the appropriated parties as outlined in 200 year contract law, with union partners and political partners reaping cash benefits.

GM, under the "direction" of the administration and viewed by most as "Government Motors" embarked on effort to produce high mileage low powered cars which were beneficial to environmental concerns.

In recent months sales are reported to have been slightly increasing.  However, as reported by ZeroHedge, reported actual sales "were largely irrelevant" due to channel stuffing of inventories with 805,769 units in inventory at months end in February of 2014.

Issues surrounding a faulty ignition switch has resulted in massive recalls and has company executives testifying before Congress. While the issue not restrictive to just one model, the Chevrolet Cruze appears to have, by far, the most noted cases, with tens of deaths having been reported.

In anticipation of a barrage of lawsuits as a result of the ignition defects, because the sales of most of the affected models took place before GM's 2009 bankruptcy, the company has filed a motion in US Court to bar lawsuits on pre-bankruptcy sales.

Shares of General Motors, GM:NYSE, closed at $34.48 per share, down almost 20% from its 52 week high achieved in mid December.

I have owned GM products all my life, and have been very pleased with the products, which were generally Pontiac cars and Chevrolet trucks.  However, due primarily to the government takeover of GM, using bailout money and terminating the Pontiac Motor Division, I have opened up my candidates for a new vehicle outside of GM.

From an SUV perspective, I am looking at the Ford Explorer Limited.  With respect to a four door sedan, without Pontiac, the door has been kicked wide open.  Previously, the Pontiac G8 GXP would have been the choice. 

However, it looks like Pontiac G8 lives on in the form of the Chevrolet SS.  The SS debuted in 2014 to much fanfare, filling a need for a four door performance sedan Chevrolet has been missing for decades.  Lets check a review to see how they did:



It is not a Pontiac, but the reviews for the Super Sport Chevrolet cousin to the Pontiac G8 have been outstanding.  Not as flashy as its Pontiac predecessor, the performance and handling, a longtime Pontiac wide track feature, exceed expectations.  In addition, the interior in really impressive.

The SS does seem pricey, but vehicle inflation is in full swing, and when a comparable analysis is performed, it actually is a heck of a vehicle for the price, which is about $45K.

The price includes a gas guzzler tax, implemented by the Obama administration.  Eat my exhaust!

A few reviewers wondered why Chevrolet left the acclaimed Magnetic Ride Control system off the 2014 SS, but indications are it will on the 2015 models.

In keeping in the Pontiac family, it looks like an SS will be in my very near future.

Girl Power

With good reason, Richard Petty is affectionately known as The King, both for his second to none performance on the track during his career, inclusive of seven Daytona 500 wins, but due to his decades of ambassadorship for the sport of NASCAR off the track. 


Richard Petty

Off the track, Petty made sure he never missed signing an autograph for an adoring fan, and has been a help to anyone who asked for it around the garage area.

As a kid, I considered Petty, racing in his famed Petty Blue 43 STP Pontiac, a hero, and with that in mind, placed him in the inaugural Hall of BAHL class.  I have had a handful of personal experiences with King Richard, and he has always been as advertised; friendly and approachable.

As we prepare for Speedweeks 2014 at Daytona, Petty sort of stepped in this past week in negative comments he made about Danica Patrick, the only female driver on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Danica Patrick

While Danica Patrick took the high road in response to Petty's comments, many media outlets have called Petty out, even hitting him with the term sexist. 

Petty commented when asked if Patrick could win on the circuit said "only if everyone else stayed home" and that her popularity was a "female deal". Certainly, while we know Petty to be a good natured good ole boy who would not seek out an opportunity to launch personal attacks, he is off target with these comments and should be called to task on them.

In two separate stories, writers at The Orlando Sentinel sure did, with lead sports columnist Mike Bianchi calling Petty a hypocrite.

Bianchi, for once, has a point.  While Patrick is taking all the advantages that come from being the only female driver, coupled with outstanding looks, this is nothing other drivers would not do if given the chance.  As Bianchi points our, the Petty name carried a lot of weight for Kyle as his career emerged.  Others have benefited from having the "name", from Dale Earnhardt Jr to Chase Elliott.

Some drivers have their own sponsors, which get them rides they may have secured on their own driving abilities.  Paul Menard comes to mind.

None of the above mentioned drivers are poor racers.  To the contrary, but they take advantage of the cards they are dealt.  I call that capitalism, something my fellow republican Petty should well recognize.

Is Danica Patrick the second coming of Buddy Baker? Heavens no.

But is she a skilled driver who continues to practice her craft seeking to incrementally improve as she adds seat time.  While she has had issues, she did win the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500, finishing eighth in her #10 Go Daddy Chevrolet.  She gets collected in wrecks more than the average racer, but few seem to be her fault.  There are some tracks she could potentially win on, but there are 10-15 drivers in the field every race that, save restrictor plate racing, have virtually no shot to win.

2014
The Great American Race
Daytona 500

The King would have been much better off to keep these thoughts, which he is welcome to, to himself.  Petty rarely makes the wrong call around the race track, but this time, I think he did.

Maybe Petty was being a sport for NASCAR to stir up some controversy, as ticket sales continue to slump.  It would be grand if Danica pulled the Go Daddy Chevrolet for Stewart Hass Racing into victory lane on after The Great American Race on Sunday.

I will be there watching.

No War On Women At Daytona

During the last election campaign, we were led to believe by the Obama campaign and the mainstream media that Republicans were waging a war on women.  Obviously, as usual with this group who seek to demonize, ridicule and discredit their opponents, nothing could be further from the truth.

That does not mean they were not successful in creating the false narrative.  In threatening a potential domestic policy described as limiting to women with respect to health care issues, women became terrified of a retracement of women's rights eclipsing reality.  The left, with a complicit media assisting, were relentless in their attack on the issue, which was personalized for many women.

Although the right is certainly against abortion, the base of these attacks were outside of that argument, utilizing an orchestrated attack on contraception, starting from a seemingly out of left field question to GOP primary contender Mitt Romney.  It is recognized that there is a divide with respect to abortion between many women who hold their right to chose dear and those who think the rights of choice end when a human life is conceived. A Mitt Romney victory could not immediately impact the abortion debate, although it was presented it could.

Knowing the falsity of the attacks, the right was somewhat bewildered on why the left would keep running with this seemingly non existent issue.  We had the misfortune of being introduced to Sandra Fluke, and got a very strange campaign ad from a television star few had heard of.

As we examined the aftermath of the re-election of Barack Obama, we found that this false issue actually resonated with women voters.  Polling shows that women were much more concerned about getting contraception, with several options reasonably priced at retail outlets such as Wal-Mart (WMT:NYSE), than losing gainful employment, watching their housing values plummet, rising gas prices and a declining standard of living.

Welcome to the low information voter, or ones who cannot decipher the truth amongst the waves of propaganda.

There is no war on women from the right, and we champion women with great respect.  They are our grandmothers, our mothers, wives, daughters, girlfriends, friends, bosses and co-workers, neighbors, customers and teammates.  They are leaders, champions, and competitors who provide a necessary guidance in all of our lives.  In one of my employment capacities, the director of the department is a woman. We could not and would not want to live without women.

Women play vital roles in the fabric of society. It was women who led the way in the formation of the Tea Party, as noted in a recent column. Women also excel in inventions and innovation, noted in recent years by Sara Blakely, a fellow graduate of The Florida State University, who invented a "body shaping" innovative product in undergarments called Spanx, now a billion dollar operation.

All Americans should champion the success of women, as their success is our success. 

Today, another opportunity exists to celebrate women as Danica Patrick won the pole position for the 55th running of The Great American Race; the Daytona 500.  Patrick recorded the fastest time in her Stewart Haas #10 Go Daddy Chevrolet and became the first female to win a pole for a NASCAR race.

Congratulations Danica!  Good luck running the high banks when they put the field under green on Sunday. No war on women. We will be at Daytona International Speedway, a place with scarce liberal infiltration, Thursday and Sunday, cheering you on!



Danica Patrick wins Daytona 500 pole positon.

Obama's Road to Serfdom

Having recently released his docu-ganda promoting his accomplishment title The Road We Have Traveled, Glenn Beck thought it compelling to re-visit this road. Take a listen:



Running on seven cylinders with an overheating transmission and a pair of flat Goodyear Racing Eagles, Uncle Sam's stimulus sponsored Chevrolet is not long for the track.

All kidding aside, the road we are traveling is a road familiar to students of history. The road is Hayek's Road to Serfdom.

Our freedoms are being taken at alarming speed while we are hardly watching. That was some document dump last Friday afternoon was it not?

Free market capitalism remains the best path to prosperity. The road we are traveling leads to the loss of sovereignty by our citizens, and with that comes a broken spirit and loss of entrepreneurship.

If our citizenry does not wake up soon, only Faith will save our soul.

Information Misrepresentation: Obama

Information presented to the Public by various outlets is being crafted to misrepresent reality in an effort to skew political thinking, gain economic advantage and nudge social justice further down the American psyche. This is the second in a series of blog posts detailing instances in this regard, as it is imperative the Public recognize the significant level of misrepresentation and how vast the manipulation is.

President Obama, who one would suspect is extremely busy in efforts to solve the myriad of significant issues our country is presented with, most notably the highest sustained level of unemployment since the Great Depression, continues to find time to display mind boggling levels of arrogance on a variety of media outlets. Last week, in an interview with 60 Minutes, Obama not only mangled the truth in description of the performance of his administration, but stretched his high altitude narcissism to incredulous levels. See the piece below:



In response to 60 Minutes Correspondent Steve Kroft asking about Obama's accomplishments, the President offered the following:

Well, we're not done yet. I've got five more years of stuff to do. But not only saving this country from a great depression. Not only saving the auto industry. But putting in place a system in which we're gonna start lowering health care costs and you're never gonna go bankrupt because you get sick or somebody in your family gets sick. Making sure that we have reformed the financial system, so we never again have taxpayer-funded bailouts, and the system is more stable and secure. Making sure that we've got millions of kids out here who are able to go to college because we've expanded student loans and made college more affordable. Ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Decimating al Qaeda, including Bin Laden being taken off the field. Restoring America's respect around the world.

This paragraph presents by itself contains a gold mine of delusional comments. If he has all these things to do, which he apparently was unable to accomplish with both house of Congress in Democratic control, one has to wonder with the country in economic peril why he is not working with a sense of urgency.

Obama did not save the country from a Great Depression. Obama has operated from the playbook of FDR, who sought massive government stimulus and implemented the forceful expansion of federal regulations and confiscatory taxation, his intimidation of "the rich," encouragement of labor strikes, and half-baked policy experiments discouraged employers from hiring workers and provided strong disincentives to new business investment, as Amity Shlaes outlined in her book "The Forgotten Man".

The auto industry is not saved. For Uncle Sam to made whole, GM needs about another $20 per share in stock price, and with the debacle otherwise know as the Chevy Volt, the loss of the iconic and sporty Pontiac brand and lagging new auto sales due to economic fear, prospects for a robust, profitable GM look bleak.

Health Care costs are not declining, and endless other slow creep taxation nuggets found within the Health Care bill increase taxes on the consumer, thus handicapping economic growth. With much of the behemoth legislation to come in 2013, fear of increased costs and taxation are significantly hindering business development and expansion, and of course, we could certainly use those jobs.

The massive financial regulations put forth under Obama, most notably the Dodd-Frank Bill, has been a job killer, and is also a continued failure as evidenced by the goings on of Democrat Jon Corzine, the former Governor and Senator from New Jersey, who as director of now bankrupt MF Global is under federal investigation due to 1.2 million dollars of customer accounts that are missing, or stolen, whichever your prefer.

Higher education is not a right, but a privilege, for those who choose to take that path. It is not for everybody, and is affordable if you find the investment to be a worthy endeavor.

While the Obama administration deserves recognition for continuing the assault on al Qaeda and for killing Osama Bin Laden, our foreign policy is abysmal. To the contrary from Obama's opinion, we are less respected around the world. Pretty please asking Iran for our lost drone back tells the tale, but beyond that we have radical Muslim influence expanding, have alienated our great friend in Israel and have left Iraq open for the Iranians for political expediency.

Obama really enjoys lying by omission to the citizens, and the following comment is a great example:

"And we ended up asking the wealthiest Americans to do a little bit more in terms of taxes. Going back to rates that would still be lower than they were under Ronald Reagan, our deficit problems would be solved. And I could not get Republicans to go ahead and say, "You're right. We're gonna put country ahead of party."

The legislative branch could possibly be welcome to consider tax rates back to where they were under Ronald Reagan if our country were not 15 trillion deeper in debt (5 trillion and counting under Obama's watch) and bordering a depression with our economic engine stagflating at best. In oppostion to Obama's America, Uncle Sam after three years of Reagan was beaming with optimism as we embarked on a 25 year bull market which Reagan let fire on.

Obama is masterful at making straw man arguments, the following is another great example:

"A balanced approach means exactly what it says. It means it's balanced." I would love to see tax reform. And if we can get a commitment from the Republicans that they want to work on a serious tax reform package that makes sure that the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share, that is simplifying the tax code, that is lowering rates, but by broadening the base, that's something I'm all for. It's part of my plan. But what we haven't seen is any serious movement on the other side."

Not only did the Simpson-Bowles Commission, a bipartisan committed formed by Obama to offer productive recommendations, have their findings ignored by Obama, several Republican offerings, most notably the plan put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan, R:WI, have been put forth for consideration. Obama does not find them "serious", which means he does not favor them, and therefore he acts as if nothing has been offered. Translation: Liar.

"I mean, the interesting thing is the majority of Republicans actually think we should have a balanced approach to deficit reduction, including tax increases for the wealthy."

am sure that may sound good to much of the 60 Minutes viewership, but if is false. Outside of a handful of RHINO's in the Senate, Republicans are strongly against a balanced approach (raising of taxes) to deficit reduction.

Although I could write 10,000 words tearing this interview apart, in closing comes a staggering comment of arrogance and elitism.

"I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president -- with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln -- just in terms of what we've gotten done in modern history."

Passing health care legislation was monumental, however on the destructive side in my view rather the constructive side as Obama sees it. Given the accomplishment, Obama sat the legislation out, turning over the construction of the framework to Nancy Pelosi and the Tides Foundation. Backhanded deal making and payoffs helped push it over the edge late, even though polls, now up to almost 65%, oppose it.

George W. Bush, when asked, said he would let history 30 years down the road grade his contribution as President. Obama, presiding over unquestionable decline, finds himself perhaps equal FDR, whose New Deal along with LBJ's Great Society are bankrupting the country, is arrogant to be sure, but he may have a point. We may not recover from Obama's destructive socialistic policies.

But for Obama to think he resides in the same thought as Abraham Lincoln, there is no doubt we have a delusional, narcissistic individual who feels welcome to state incorrect opinion as fact leading our country into deep and lasting decline.

Smoke Stands On It!

Lead, follow or get out of the way!

In what has to be one of the best races ever, Tony Stewart held off Carl Edwards to win the 2011 Sprint Cup Chase.

Congratulations to Tony Stewart, who drove the absolute wheels off his Office Depot Chevrolet Impala. Carl Edwards, classy in defeat in his AFLAC Ford, did everything he could but Smoke was not to be denied keeping the floorboard mashed all day. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

It was a great race put on by Edwards and Stewart; one for the ages!

Lead, follow or get out the way! Can't wait for the Daytona 500 on February 26, 2012!

First On Race Day

I have been a happy GM customer all my automobile driving life. Chevy Trucks and Pontiac cars, with the Wide Track Grand Prix my favorite. Currently, each of one of those sits in the garage.

Then Obama and his biblical wisdom came along, forming a team to bailout the car companies, violate the rule of law screwing the auto bondholders, funnel money to union supporters and end the long running historical Pontiac brand. On top of that, now that the Government controls GM, out comes production of "green initiative" vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt. The Volt, which was on the way to be a sporty success before Obama's team stepped in, is now a cost prohibitive joke.

Ford Motor Company rejected government assistance. Although I am sure they needed help, it seems CEO Allan Mulally knew the costs of teaming up with the government. Taking risk seeking reward without using the taxpayer as a crutch is what America commerce is all about. America knows it, and so does Ford.



Have you driven a Ford lately? I see it in my future.

Now that the government owns GM, also known as Government Motors, they don't take kindly to Ford slamming them and the government in a recent advertisement.

With his poll numbers on a ski slope, the Obama administration, thugs that they are, take action to silence critics, as evidenced by reports the administration has strong armed Ford to pull the ad. The Blaze has the full report, which originally came from The Detroit News.

Although Ford denies they removed the ad due to White House pressure, just like your transmission going south, when there is smoke there is fire. Make no mistake, Ford does not want to be in the cross hairs of the White House, for they punish opponents.

With the government involved in free enterprise, free markets become negatively impacted due to the artificial influence and fail to function at full efficiency.

Needless to say, I am sprinting to the voting booth in November 2012, but in the meantime, I will refrain from supporting companies associated with Obama, which includes GM. And while we are on the subject, my rental properties will be GE appliance free going forward.

Have you driven a Ford lately? First on Race Day!

Ethanol Eating Away Propserity

Does Obama want $8 gasoline?

It certainly seems that is the case. During the 2008 campaign, video surfaced of Obama commenting that under his plan, energy prices would "necessarily skyrocket". Immediately upon taking office, Obama suspended oil and gas leases previously granted by the Bush administration. The handling of the Gulf Oil spill was juvenile, and just last week the first permit was granted to begin drilling again in the area.

The administration took initiative under the financial crisis to take over car companies and dictate to them to build cars that move away from high consumption of oil and gasoline. It has not been successful, as the love affair with the automobile is another piece of American exceptionalism Obama does not recognize.

No worries though. Corn based Ethanol is here and is a significant player in reducing our energy independence of foreign countries, which will culminate in lower gas prices.

Even the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, NASCAR, is on board.



Even though NASCAR is all thrilled with themselves for being a corporate leader in going green, there are issues, and they go far beyond the high banks.

At the Daytona 500, Glenn Beck had a chance to speak with NASCAR President Mike Helton and spent time with the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 88 Chevrolet Mountain Dew team, pole sitter for The Great American Race.

While visiting with Steve Latarte and the crew of the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his 88 Chevrolet team, Beck found out that the team is experiencing a 12% decrease in gas mileage in testing thus far in 2011. This does not sound good.

The government has admitted that cars built before 2007 may have issues with the gas. Maybe the only way Obama thinks he can pry us from our muscle cars is to destroy the engines with ethanol?

Furthermore, there is compelling evidence that the ethanol based gas is creating a real problem for small engines, like lawn mower and weed eaters. Although I can attest to this personally, The Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV-Channel 9, recently had a very troubling report on the impact of ethanol on these small engines.

Rather than using our own supply of oil as we turn the private sector loose on the challenge of discovering cost effective fossil fuel substitutes, we have taken to using our own food supply to fuel our thirst for oil by using corn based ethanol. Do you suspect food prices might rise in response to this development?

Indeed. While this is a welcomed development for all my Cornhusker farmer friends in Nebraska, unfortunately, rising food prices across the globe is having a rather nasty residual. One of the reasons we have seen an uprising in the middle east is due to a sharp rise in food prices in nations who already had significant economic difficulty.

Even though government is involved, could it be possible the use of ethanol has lowered oil and gas prices? Click on the chart below for a closer look to the answer you already know.

Even Van Jones, a smart left wing Communist who I rarely if ever agree with, has issues with corn based ethanol.



Certainly, taking a hard look at possible counterparts to oil is applauded, but forcing corn based ethanol down the throats of American citizens is not sound economic or moral thinking. With our economy barely standing, we cannot be so stupid as to burn up our own food supply, destroying carburetor engines and raising the costs of the food along the way, in order to quench our thirst for oil when all we have to do is Drill Baby Drill.

Or can we?