Squeeze The Songbirds

We are approaching the Memorial Day weekend, where most Americans, at least those who remain gainfully employed, will enjoy a three day weekend with family and friends. 

A sadly decreasing amount will take time to remember our fallen heroes, who have paved the way for the freedoms our nation currently enjoys.  Although our thoughts and prayers are unable to pay adequate respect to these brave souls, they are offered with heartfelt gratitude.

 

While we have have tens of thousands in service, perhaps in harms way and away from their families and loved ones on this holiday weekend, one US Marine on this day finds himself in a unexpectedly dangerous plight.  He is currently being held captive in a Mexican prison, essentially for trespassing and in possession of legal firearms.

Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who was in San Diego for PTSD treatment, made a wrong turn at the border after dining out with friends and found himself in Mexico, where he sought assistance from the Mexican authorities.  Greta Van Susteren has more, including how easy it would have been for a wrong turn to be made at night at the border.

Sgt. Tahmooressi, who served two combat tours in Afghanistan, has now been imprisoned for over 50 days and now fears for his life.  In a point of clarification, jails in Mexico make our jails look like an afternoon dining at Taco Bell.

Given the high level of disdain of our military by the Obama administration, I know you would be shocked to learn that there has been no attempt by the administration to reach out to Mexican authorities to rectify the situation.

We will save the disgusting issues surrounding the Veterans Administration for a later post (boy howdy am I torqued), but Obama could use some goodwill in this arena, and obtaining freedom for  Sgt. Tahmooressi would seemingly be an easy way to accomplish that.  Imagine the photo op!

Secretary of State John Kerry, who served in Vietnam, visited with Mexican authorities today, perhaps championing some global climate change nonsense, but there was no hint of the subject of Sgt. Tahmooressi having been engaged.



Sgt Tahmooressi

Some are working to secure the release of Sgt. Tahmooressi, most notably Rep Duncan Hunter of California.  As reported by Investors Business Daily, Hunter, R-Calif., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has asked Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to suspend military aid to Mexico, including training, intelligence cooperation and equipment transfers until Tahmooressi is released, a plea that has fallen on deaf ears.

"You have the authority to suspend cooperation with the Mexican military in a number of areas," said Hunter, who served two tours as a member of the Marine Corps in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. "In light of the Mexican government's incarceration of Andrew, I urge you to immediately consider suspending training and equipment assistance to Mexico until Andrew's case is resolved."

What legitimate reason could our President have for not sternly asking for the cooperation of the Mexican authorities in this matter?  After all, Mexicans are illegally entering our country, by the hundreds, on a daily basis, usually in possession of illegal narcotics.  Should they fail to cooperate, the United States has a myriad of punitive and persuasive actions that could be taken, as their actons have grown quite tiresome.

I think Obama, due to Fast & Furious, is not pressing the issue with Mexican authorities, who might start singing like a songbird if the squeeze is placed on them.  You see, in one of the scandals the Democrats think is a political attack, it appears the Obama administration illegal gun-running operation which sold major weaponry to powerful Mexican drug cartels in a backdoor effort to attack the second amendment.

With the help of the communications arm of the administration, otherwise known as the mainstream media, the administration has done a decent job of covering up that impeachable action, and it would certainly be a shame for Mexican authorities to mess that all up now.

The actions of this President with respect to our military is disgusting, and it can no longer be tolerated.  Any and all legally permissible action must be taken, and while I doubt it will do any good, I will be placing a call to the offices of each of my Senate representation, Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, in an effort to get our American hero, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, home.

I hope you will join me.  It is something we all could, and should do, as we enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.  If we move fast, maybe Sgt. Tahmooressi can home in time to give the command to start engines Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's running of the Coca-Cola 600.

We would honored.

#MARINEHELDINMEXICO

Living Lies

Without question, the average household in America, at least those that are employed, are working harder and longer to provide the same standard of living of their household from just a decade ago. 

As such, even with expanding outlets, finding time to access the news of the day is tough. For the average individual who is not well schooled on political maneuvering, the degree of difficulty of deciphering the real story is almost impossible. 

Therefore, with the mainstream media continuously misrepresenting the facts, the regular working folks have absolutely no idea the level of corruption and deceit of the Obama administration.

In short, the lie to the American public on a daily basis.

Isn't funny that Obama sometimes knows about local events and stories that support his progressive agenda but finds out about the devastating effects of his presidency on the evening news?  Scandals involving Fast and Furious, The IRS and now the Veterans Administration; found out by the same news reports you and I did.

You think I kid you:



With the country 18 trillion dollars in debt, it is obvious Obama  does not require an advisory staff of thousands to give him information of the goings on if he is gaining this knowledge from The CBS Evening News, which, sadly, is nothing more than an extension of his communications department.

While the low information crowd may think President Obama is simply disengaged, the reality is quite the contrary.  Obama knows exactly what is going on, no doubt orchestrating much of it, and does not "find things out" from the news, like the folks.

From the Cloward and Piven Strategy of crashing our economic system through overload to implementation of the theories of Saul Alinsky, among those, pushing falsities with such repetition they break to the counterside, then are considered true or no longer relevant.

Obama is operating a masterful campaign of deception on the citizenry, transforming this once great nation into a big government collective, but time may be running out for him.  While I continue to be puzzled that Obama was able to win a second term, it certainly seems the lengthy scandal train has picked up enough of the citizenry that the trust the people have placed in him has been severely damaged.

The Obama lies, plentiful and historic, in which many politicians from both sides have enabled, have placed our nation in great peril.  The appearances of an awakening citizenry would be welcomed with great enthusiasm, as time is short in effort to protect Uncle Sam from enemies, foreign and domestic, who seek our demise. 

The enemies referenced above would include those who are against our Constitution and seek the transformation of The United States of America.

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!

The Long Goodbye

Kim & Glen Campbell

With great sadness, we knew this was coming, particularly when news came out a couple of weeks ago.

Kim Woolen Campbell, longtime wife of music legend Glen Campbell, reports that the public musical career of The Rhinestone Cowboy, Glen Campbell, is likely over.

Campbell's battle with Alzheimer’s has progressed to the point where, as FOX News reports, Kim told People Magazine he is now living in a full-time care facility near the family’s home in Nashville.

Kim also said that Glen is no longer able to tune his guitar, but can still play some "licks' finding joy in that.  Kim was quoted in the article as saying "his disease has been “absolutely heartbreaking” for her and the couple’s three children, they try to stay positive".

This seems to be progressing far too quickly for Campbell.  In 2012, Campbell was on his farewell tour across the country with Kim and his kids, who played in his band.  His dueling banjo act with his daughter Ashley drew rave reviews from fans at every performance.

As previously posted, my family and I were honored to attend on of these shows at Silver Springs in Ocala, Florida.  It was certainly a day we will always cherish and will never forget.  It really touched our hearts.

We wish Glen and his family all the best during these times, hoping they will always cherish the joy Glen and his music has given his legions of fans over the years.



God Bless You Glen!

Range of Emotions in The Good Life

 

As Gary Sharp of Sharp & Benning in the Morning on 1620 The Zone in Omaha accurately summarized, on a day when sports, politics and life came together on a Tuesday in Nebraska, a "full range of emotions" littered the landscape from the Harper-Schramm residence halls on 14th Street in Lincoln up to Leavenworth Street in Omaha.

With voters heading to the polls from Sydney to Bellevue, a puzzling story surfaced involving a pair of University of Nebraska athletes. NU long-distance runner Lucas Keifer and starting linebacker Josh Banderas were arrested and charged with felony theft as evidence appears to indicate they stole approximately seven locked bikes from the UNL campus.

Keifer and Banderas both attended Lincoln Southeast HS.  Banderas is the son of Tom Banderas, an outstanding tight end in the mid eighties for the Big Red.

By all accounts, testified to by Zone co-host Damon Benning, Banderas would be among the last of the football roster to be suspected of such activity.  However, as one of the culprits stated, it was a bonehead move.

No kidding.  If only they had stopped for some crab legs.

Meanwhile, the proclamation of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R:KY, that every Tea Party candidate would be "crushed everywhere" went down in flames.

Ben Sasse, a candidate backed by Tea Party stalwarts such as Sarah Palin, Sen, Ted Cruz, R:TX, Club for Growth, Sen. Mike Lee, R:UT, and Glenn Beck, won going away.  Shane Osborn, no relation to famed Nebraska football coach and politician Dr. Tom Osborne, seemed like a decent candidate, but had some issues with regard to his Navy past and informed the audience of The Glenn Beck Program on radio of his involvement with Grover Norquist of Americans For Tax Reform, whose cozy relationship with Muslim interests give many cause for concern.

While we are at it, Pete Ricketts,  President and Director of Platte Institute for Economic Research, won the GOP primary in a close one over Jon Bruning, who had just lost a Senate race to now Senator Deb Fischer.  Ricketts, son of J. Joseph Ricketts, Founder of Ameritrade and owner of The Chicago Cubs, a fiscal and social conservative, won the endorsement of Sarah Palin.  Ricketts is almost assured of victory in the general, with a substantial lead in recent polling.

So, it was a big win for The Tea Party, much to the dismay of Senator McConnell, who should know better than to mess with Sarah Palin.  The Tea Party victories are just beginning. 

Some good folks, who stuck their neck out, lost races but can hold their heads high as we certainly appreciate their participation in the debate.  We listen to voices rather than attempt to quiet them.

Maybe those living The Good Life could have closed this day with some baseball at TD Ameritrade Park, where I am told hamburgers were two for one.  But, this is not a food show.

Sadly, those hopes ended with the wheel of a bus going round and round. The college baseball game with Nebraska facing Creighton scheduled for Tuesday night at TD Ameritrade Park was canceled due to travel issues.  After having their flight canceled after defeating Michigan State in East Lansing, the Big Red baseball team traveled back by bus.  However, they were unable to arrive in Omaha in time for the first pitch.

A fitting closing for a day which encompassed a wide range of emotions; mixing life, politics and sports.  Don't Tread On Me and GBR!

Information Overload

Last Sunday was Mother's Day.

 

It sometimes seems as though Mother's Day was a creation of a clandestine meeting between executives at Hallmark and FTD Florist, with children running around seeking cards and flowers in anticipation of a celebration during the day.

 

In spite of the commercialization, which as a free market capitalist I have no issue with, it is a wonderful day of reflection and an opportunity to express our love and gratitude for our Mothers.

 

Sadly, many have lost their Mothers, some have strained relationships and some have never met their Mother.  It is noteworthy to pray for these folks on days like this, hoping they have found love and support from loving friends and family along the way.

 

If Facebook is any kind of example, most have.

 

The greater majority of my personal Facebook friends posted on this day sharing their love and thanks to their Mothers.  In many ways, this was touching and warmed the heart.

 

On the other hand, I wonder how many of those posting, if possible, expressed this person to person.  Additionally, I cringed at the excessive amount of private information many voluntarily surrendered and freely informed the world of. 

We assume that all this information will be consumed by those who do not wish us harm or seek to place limits on our liberty and freedom.  However, Edward Snowden gave us glimpse this may not be the case.

 

Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards--Aldous Huxley

 

 

I find it astounding the amount of information people place on Facebook, many practically offering live daily look-ins on their private lives.  Edward Bernays would be gushing in amazement!

Although it is a personal choice with seemingly no right or wrong answer, I have decided not to use Facebook for a slew of personal posts concerning birthdays, anniversaries and holiday proclamations.

Needless to say, it appears I am in the minority.  No worries.

What I am not in the minority of is having love and admiration for my Mom, feeling heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all the things she has done and thankfully continues to do for me and our family.

Happy Mothers Day to all those very special ladies out there, who are of vital importance to be sure.

Taking Names

It is amazing that a group of patriots, whose rose up in recent years in the spirit of the those among the founders of this great country, can be so continuously vilified in this day and age as The Tea Party.

Although there is not a person at the head of this movement, at the core of the objectives of those associated represent the founding principles of our nation, which are closely associated with the Constitution, and in particular The Bill of Rights with acknowledgement this is a nation founded on Christian values.

Hard to imagine folks at quarrel with this, but the opposition is significant, and without question, on both sides of the aisle.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, when asked about the races which pit a Tea Party representative versus an establishment GOP candidate, McConnell said "We are going to crush them everywhere".

In an early round of primary action in North Carolina last evening, a Tea Party backed candidate, Greg Brannon, lost in the GOP primary to an establishment Republican named Thom Tillis, who was a favorite of the GOP establishment and supported by Karl Rove's American Crossroads group.  Brannon, a Constitutional Conservative Republican, who was backed by Senators Mike Lee, R:UT, and Rand Paul, R:KY, is an MD and has extensive command of the Constitution.

Again, while Tillis is likely preferable over Sen. Kay Hagan, the Democrat candidate, his positions indicate he favors progressivism, where increasing government control of the citizenry is welcomed.
Certainly, this position does not coincide with the free market individualism mindset of The Tea Party or those from both parties who may be considered libertarian. 

In absorption of Sen. McConnell's comment, we gather that the GOP establishment would rather edge closer to the progressive democrats than embrace the Tea Party.  Now, perhaps, one can understand why there has been little success in opposition to the progressive leadership which has presided over the decline of prosperity and liberty of America over the last decade or so.

Sen. McConnell is also facing a challenge from a representative of the Tea Party in candidate Matt Bevin.  Gloating in the victory last night, RNC spokesman Jahan Wilcox tweeted the following:
"Next up is that fraud @MattBevin! #GOP.

Sarah Palin, appropriately, found such action juvenile and not becoming "the establishment".

While the GOP establishment fails to consider Bevin a legitimate candidate, ( a tactic utilized recently by the Obama administration in effort to de-legitimize those Benghazi inquiries ) Bevin is certainly worthy of consideration and a candidate who in fact has my full support in his effort to defeat Sen. McConnell.

Things get ugly in campaigns, there is no doubt.

However, I will scorecard each of the GOP establishment on their actions and not verbalized rhetoric and campaign website commentary on how conservative they are.  On that scorecard, Sen.McConnell fails miserably, and his intent to crush his internal opposition while hardly standing in opposition to the orchestrated wreckage of the Obama administration.

The scorecard I have of establishment GOP players who insult me by attacking candidates sharing my views rather than opposing progressive Democrates with equal vigor is increasing in names.

Among those on the list are Speaker John Boehner, Rep. Eric Cantor, Rep. Peter King, Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sen. Lindsey Graham and, although I certainly respect the heroism and extensive service to our country, Sen. John McCain.

I will campaign for and donate accordingly. Check out MattBevin.com!

Tick Tock

JACK IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!

Twisted Tales

I did not know whether to laugh or cry.

That was my reaction to the following headline of a post by Tyler Durden over at ZeroHedge.com:

"With 1 In 3 Homes Unaffordable, Freddie Mac Prepares To Enter The Trailer Home Loan Market"

After fighting through the propaganda presented daily by the Obama administration and their media partners, it is quite obvious that the issues surrounding this headline are illustrative of an anemic and fragile economy, with our country teetering on economic peril few can currently visualize.

With all the failed stimulus, which I was against, we literally have nothing to show for it.  The economy "grew" an a paltry 0.01 percent last quarter, and it culprit is not the much discussed weather.  The culprit remains increasing taxation and regulation, and Obamacare, the biggest job killer we have witnessed in many a moon.

With over 90 million potentially fully employed workers out of work and the lowest labor participation rate since the economically dismal Carter administration, job growth is practically extinct and the annual after tax income for the average worker has decreased approximately 10% since the financial crisis of 2009.

Therefore, although housing prices have significantly retreated, due to a bludgeoned job market, as reported by Zillow, a third of the homes for sale are unaffordable to the average household. In addition, due to Dodd Frank and increased lending requirements, there is increasing difficulty in obtaining financing. 

Housing purchases have been happening over the past year, which have potentially inflated values.
However, it has not been the young family moving up from apartments or starter homes accounting for the sales; it has been Wall Street Hedge Funds and public and private real estate asset management firms, who have been making purchases to rent back to the increasing number of potential buyers unable to make purchases.

It is noted that in recent months these firms have significantly backed off their number of purchases.

Mark Hanson is a top notch real estate analyst, and he recently presented the following chart indicating cash purchases, which were a stunning 63% of residential properties sold in Florida in December:

Mark Hanson/MHanson.com

As the FED seemingly prepares to end qualitative easing, interest rates, which have been been held down and are not a true reflection of the market where economic equilibrium would be measured, without continued FED intervention, are sure to increase.  With the employment landscape stagnant as best, the purchasing of home will become increasingly unaffordable.

Seemingly in anticipation of the negative environment for housing created by the government and their partners, GSE Freddie Mac is now set to begin financing manufactured-housing communities.

Make no mistake, increased financing opportunities are always welcome, although the government should not be involved, as the private sector should be the marketplace for mortgage lending.

But, with this action, is there a story behind the story?

Manufactured housing is typically utilized by lower income families and acreage owners in rural communities.  Are stick built homes to become increasing unaffordable, forcing middle class owners to back step and unitize manufactured housing?

Keep in mind as well, that potentially increasing regulatory actions by the EPA, under the Agenda 21 guidelines, may make transactions on older existing homes much more costly for all involved through having the subject improvement meet EPA guidelines with respect to energy efficiency of appliances, windows, roof cover,etc. before qualifying for financing from GSE's or money center banks the government has interests in.

As a real estate investor, I have not included manufactured housing in my portfolio, primarily due to limited economic life of the improvement in comparison to stick built improvements.  Be advised I am not the only investor aware of this. 

Thanks to the Obama administration and their anti-capitalist policies, the economic conditions in the country are horrendous.  Reminiscent of the climate in the Great Depression, if you are fortunate to have good, stable employment, it has been your neighbor who has been laid off who cannot find adequate employment who is really feeling the brunt of the poor economy.

With employment stagnant at best, and the true future effects of Obamacare unable to be adequately forecasted, the job market remains facing unnecessary head winds with are keeping our economy from reaching high efficiency.

Perhaps Freddie Mac knows something most of you don't, and is looking for another investment opportunity?   The weather is unpredictable; don't get the tales twisted.

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.

We All Want To See The Plan

When conservatives are in power, government strives to cultivate free markets and empower the individual with limited taxation and regulation.  In the spirit of Adam Smith, a moral compass is a requirement for optimal market efficiency, with those who violate common decency guidelines quickly defeated in the open market.

With progressives in positions of power, due to perceived lack of confidence in the individual, government seeks, in the name of seemingly good ideas and worthwhile initiatives, to diminish individual power and freedom by increasing the role of government in the marketplace.

An illustrative example may be identified on this day while many celebrated Earth Day.  Seemingly worthwhile and innocent regulatory actions for the perceived good of the environment actually place increasing limitations individual property rights and escalate numerous forms of costs for property owners.

Another example is an extremely nefarious piece of legislation, seemingly vague and harmless in its cloaking presentation, which if passed, will challenge our Constitutional rights by an endless erosion of the rights of free speech.

The piece of legislation, “The Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014″ (S.2219), is sponsored, in their arrogance, by Democrats Ed Markey of Massachusetts in the Senate and Hakeem Jeffries of New York in the House of Representatives.  The bill seeks:

"To require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to update a report on the role of telecommunications, including the Internet, in the commission of hate crimes".

Let us look at the opening sentence of the bill we outlined above. Who is the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and what would be considered their mission statement?  Why not, let us check Wikipedia.

In review of the stated goals of the agency, while much of it seems unnecessary, it follows a logical process for our government during these times with respect to utilization and growth of global communications. Investigatory actions with respect to any form of criminology was not identified within the agency tasks and they appear to have no such legal authority.

So, exactly why are we attempting to travel down this road? Are these two legislators seeking additional power for their personal resumes or are they sponsoring legislation as a front tentacle for a web of enacting widespread governmental control over what is exactly able to be communicated over the Internet?  The distinctions are critically important.

Tying their bill to this week's alleged white supremacist shootings in Kansas, Markey says it is "critical to ensure the internet, television and radio are not encouraging hate crimes or hate speech." He brushes aside expected First Amendment arguments, saying "criminal and hateful activity" aren't covered by the Constitution. HT/Inside Radio.

At quick glance, the bill seems to have merit. After all, who does not want individuals who engage in the commission of hate crimes to be punished to the fullest extent of the law?

However, if law, it would allow a non-elected bureaucrat to cast a wide net in search of such violators, trampling over the first amendment rights of the citizenry in a typical progressive power grab. However, with progressives, as we have learned all too well, the issue is never the issue, and this legislation is no different.

Those who recognize what is actually at play here are appalled by the legislation, including political pundits from opposing sides, ranging from Alan Colmes to Glenn Beck.

The legislation is a back door attack on freedom of speech and an attempt to eliminate the power of the first amendment so that political opponents can be silenced.  The administration is working this angle from many fronts, most notably through the IRS, one of many current scandals engulfing the administration.

Think I am kidding?


Mark Lloyd

We need to take a moment to learn more about an early appointee by President Obama, Diversity Czar, Mark Lloyd.  Investors Business Daily, in an editorial in August of 2009, accurately depicted Lloyd as a disciple of Saul Alinsky and a great admirer of Hugo Chavez, who silenced freedom of speech as a dictator in Venezuela.  SOS Venezuela!

IBD references Glenn Beck, who points out Lloyd, in his 2006 book, "Prologue to a Farce: Communication and Democracy in America," wrote: "It should be clear by now that my focus here is not freedom of speech or the press. ... This freedom is all too often an exaggeration. ... At the very least, blind references to freedom of speech or the press serve as a distraction from the critical examination of other communications policies."

Alarmed yet? With Lloyd unleashed to implement his ideas, we would have the Fairness Doctrine on steroids.

David Horowitz, over at his Discover the Networks website, noted the following regarding Lloyd:

*Seeks to use "diversity" and "localism" as pretexts for shifting the political balance of talk-radio programming leftward.
*Suggests that private broadcasters should pay an annual licensing fee in an amount equivalent to their total yearly operating costs; that money, in turn, should be redistributed to public broadcasting stations.
*Opposes virtually any private ownership of media.
*Disciple of Saul Alinsky's tactics for revolutionary social change.
* Greatly admires Venezuela's Marxist President, Hugo Chavez.

So, we can conclude that, with respect to media operations, Lloyd much prefers governmental control of media outlets, vehemently opposing media outlets operating in the private sector. And much like his mentor Hugo Chavez, Lloyd thinks the government should determine what can be voiced or written on the said media outlets.

Would Lloyd, and those charged with implementation of the Markey-Jeffries bill, apply equal governance over The Huffinton Post as they would The Drudge Report?  As John Lennon of The Beatles wrote in Revolution, "well, you know, we'd all love to see the plan".  TRUST NO ONE!

The shooting Senator Markey referred to in Kansas City was undertaken by a deranged individual, who was white supremacist.  His antics had nothing to do with what radio station he listened to, or which political figure he admired.  He was not a man of principle and character, but an individaul who violated the law and must be judged by a jury of his peers.  God will be the ultimate judge.

Senator Markey utilizing this crime as a motive for him crafting the bill is a smokescreen.  While the bill itself seeks to contain the first amendment, tying the Kansas City shooting to it places cards on the table in the effort to increase gun control, an attack on the second amendment.

These progressive elites think their thought processes, enacted in governance, are superior to those of our founding fathers.  Imagine, for a moment, the arrogance.

Those seeking to curtail freedom of speech, as has been the case throughout history, are opponents of liberty.  In most cases, these efforts were masked under some presentation of the action having been implemented for some greater good.  Historically, it has worked oh so well.

HT/Tea Party Command Center

Senator Markey and Representative Jeffries, likely under direction of others, moved forward with the bill as one of many avenues to attack the first amendment.  I will let you decide if you think they fail to see the "real plan" or are among the players who are actively seeking limitations of your freedoms outlined in the Constitution.

I have seen the plan. I'll go with the latter.

The Way To Kill A Killer

For now, it looks like the heat surrounding a very tense standoff in southern Nevada over farm land grazing rights has cooled down. 

The standoff, between rancher Cliven Bundy and The Bureau of Land Management, quickly escalated to the point where violence was knocking on the front door.  There were a host full of players, many of whom did not have a legitimate dog in the hunt, and most were looking for trouble.

Thankfully, a violent eruption of lost tempers did not rule the day, or we potentially could have had another Waco or Ruby Ridge situation on our hands.

Legally, the case is somewhat complex, involving conflicts between state and federal laws. It would have been a good case for Jarrod Barkley, Esquire, of Stockton, CA were he still in practice.

Certainly, I do not have the scorecard filled out on this battle, but I have drawn some conclusions, and they are as follows:

Cliven Bundy

*I have heard interviews with Cliven Bundy and he seems like a good natured fellow.  He does sort of give off the vibe of a "sovereign citizen", but I think he just wants to ranch his land and has had it up to his eyeballs with the federal government increasing regulations and encroaching their influence of his business dealings.  Join the club.

*Some people claiming to be Bundy supporters agree with his position, but are looking to create a disturbance, hoping for violence to erupt so they can gage battle with the government.  The retired Sheriff, a complete moron, who wanted to put women and children at the front of the line should shooting occur, comes to mind. 

*Bundy appears to be in arrears regarding grazing fees. I pay my taxes and regualtory fees, and I would expect him to do the same.

The people hoping for violence should recall that the government is hoping for civil unrest, as it offers opportunities to increase power.  The correct way to win these issues is to follow the path of Dr. Martin Luther King, an exemplary example of leadership in grievances against an oppressive government.

*Sen. Harry Reid, D:NV, a despicable individual, has labeled all those who side with Bundy as "domestic terrorists".  Well, that may include me.  Sen. Reid says it is not over, and people just can't go around breaking the law going unpunished.  Unless maybe you work for the IRS.

*It is worth noting the government, in contesting the Bundy family at the ranch, may as well of retained the US Army, given the man power, weaponry and vehicles that ascended upon the ranch.  We cannot secure our southern border but we can unleash untold armory to get the Bundy family.

*Evidence has turned up that the BLM has killed some of the cows owned by Bundy.  I did not hear of an anthrax breakout, so the killing of his cattle is nothing more than an act of intimidation.  This is not the behavior I would be in support of my elected governmental officials being engaged in.

*It also seems the government attempted to reduce the amount of acreage Bundy could utilize, which due to the large amount needed for cattle grazing, would have essentially put Bundy out of business as he was currently engaged.

Certainly we know, particularly under President Obama, is strongly overreaching when it comes to property rights.  The EPA is out of control, but their actions appear to be the tip of the iceberg.

We have previously written about Agenda 21, an evil platform of ideas which attack the sovereignty of the United States and viciously encroach upon the property rights of our citizens. An outreach of wealth transformation, the tentacles of Agenda 21 reach Orwellian levels.

But are these ideas new.  Stuart Chase, in his 1942 book "The Road We Are Traveling", noted the transfer from the free enterprise system to a system deemed "X".  Nineteen characteristics were noted, but number 17 described control of industry without ownership. 

This includes property, where, although they do not own your property, through items like permitting, energy control "smart meters" and water usage they control what you can do with it.  For example, for the new buyer of your home to get financing through the government controlled banks, your home must be energy efficient, with items like roof covering, HVAC and windows meeting newly established guidelines.  Seems like encroachment of property rights to me.

With the progressives, we know that the issue, in this case Bundy and his ranch, is never the issue. What is the issue?  Is it the government is aiming to seize private property of citizens under Agenda 21 protocol?  Or, God forbid, are we so broke we are positioning ourselves for negotiation with China as we recently saw Ecuador involved in?

We must put government back in its place, but engaging in violence with them on a ranch in southern Nevada is not the time or place.  Sen. Rand Paul has legislation he claims would go a long way in solving this dispute; however, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will not allow it to be heard or brought up for vote.

Does Sen. Reid want the problem solved in a way the people approve of, or is he hoping for violence to erupt so he can seize more control of the people? Was his heightened rhetoric calling those who disagree with him "domestic terrorists" an effort to put gas on the fire?

The answer to this problem has one word: freedom.  While this country has laws which must be followed and legal taxation we must pay for our society to adequately function, government over reaching their authority and intimidating the citizenry. Those seeking to limit freedom, and at the end of the day that seems to be what is going on at the Bundy ranch, should be defeated.

Non violent avenues, such as the legislation put forth by Sen. Paul and others, is the way to achieve these goals.  Sprinting to the voting booth at your earliest opportunity helps as well.  That is how we kill the political careers of those who seek to kill freedom for the citizenry.

Hold The Racism

Fresh off threatening Rep. Louie Gohmert during testimony in front of the House Oversight Committee, Attorney General Eric Holder lashed out deeming the degree of questioning he received as racist, sinking to new lows by playing the race card.

Speaking before Al Shaprton's National Action Network, which actually is a racist organization whose mission is to shakedown opponents; threatening them with accusations of racism, Holder claimed both he and President Obama have had to deal with unprecedented criticism due in part to their race.



As usual with this crowd, nothing could be further from the truth. There is a long history of previous Attorneys General being raked over the coals. Most, no all, were Caucasian, so Holder's theory is officially squashed.

Once again, the brilliance of IBD Editorial Cartoonist Michael Ramirez:

Michael Ramirez/Investors Business Daily

Holder was grilled because he has repeatedly held himself above the law, refusing to adequately respond to request by the committee for documents he is legally required to produce.  At least for the moment, we are a nation of laws; not men.

Sadly, these men are well aware of this fact, but aim to create chaos by raising false flags and creating animosity between the citizenry.  This is hardly behavior fitting men of character, something you would have thought these men learned from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Unfortunately, Dr. King was not a man Obama and Holder patterned their lives after; Frank Marshal Davis and Saul Alinsky were.

Louis Gohmert accurately assessed that Holder's recent actions have a demeaning affect on his office, but contrary to Holder's comments in from of NAN that it is not about him, he clearly thinks otherwise.

Neither Obama nor Eric Holder are fit to represent this nation in the offices they currently hold.  It is not because of the color of their skin, which nobody of merit cares about.  It is because they operate their own agenda of social justice, governing against the will of the people implementing socialist tentacles in wealth transformation believing wholeheartedly America is an unjust country.

The Founders would be appalled, as these men have a literal distaste for the Constitution.  It must be noted these men find the Constitution inadequate in that is a flawed document.  Obama sated his view of the Constitution as "a charter of negative liberties, which says what the states can’t do to you, what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf.”

If you respect and hold dear our Constitution, then, sadly, you must recognize President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder are political opponents of yours.  As we have stated previously, every legally permissible avenue must be approached to remove these individuals from their respective offices.

Is there not a tee time waiting or pick up game of hoops they can participate in?

The upcoming mid term elections, with some excellent candidates available for your consideration, comes next on the clock.  In the spirit of Dr. King, leadership by example, with emphasis on his non violent approach, is the best avenue to win the hearts and minds of the people, where justice will prevail.

Go There

A tense exchange occured up on Capitol Hill last week which I took particular notice of, as it seemingly included a direct threat to a member of the US House of Representatives.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R:TX, a member of the House Oversight Committee, was involved in an exchange with Attorney General Eric Holder.  Lets go to the tape:


(h/t: Charlie Spiering)

Attorney General Holder, as I see it, is in contempt of court for failing to provide requested documentation from The Department of Justice.  Rep. Gohmert, a former judge, has extended Holder a courtesy by even discussing the matter with him, as most in contempt of court are in jail.

Rep. Louie Gohmert

The exchange prompted me to send Rep. Gohmert a note, which read as follows:

Rep. Gohmert; your efforts in this matter are greatly appreciated. With seemingly unwavering arrogance, Attorney General Holder continues to operate outside of the law. If our elected officials, and their appointed representatives, are lawless, our nation will cease to exist as founded. I hope you and your colleagues will accept the invitation of Attorney General Holder and "go there"; and the sooner the better.

Holder is an ideologue, using his position, not to enforce the laws of our country, but to impose his brand of social justice on the nation.  For this alone, he should be impeached, as he does not have the authority under the law to personalize his position. 

Evidence of Holder operating outside the law came early in his tenure when he failed to go forward with a voter intimidation case in Philadelphia involving his buddies in The New Black Panther Party threatening potential voters at a local precinct.  Certainly, you recall the event.

As a representative of the administration of President Barack Obama, who proclaimed his office would be the most transparent in history, Holder should eagerly turn over documents requested by House committees.

However, Holder has repeatedly failed to produce such documentaion.  Not only that, in his arrogance, he threatened Gohmert "not to go there".  In addition, he personally attacked Gohmert, thinking he scored big making fun of a tongue tied moment Gohmert supposedly had in a previous exchange a year ago.

Imagine Holder sitting with venom for over a year waiting for an opportunity to hammer Gohmert only to learn Gohmert was actually extending Holder yet another courtesy.

Holder has repeatedly demonstrated he is not fit for the office of Attorney General of the United States, disregarding laws, enforcing those of his choosing and utilizing his unelected position to inflict his ideas on social justice on our citizenry.

Enough of the courtesy.

Go There.  Immediately.

See The Sign

Here's your sign.

Comedian Bill Engvall tells the story of approaching the airline luggage counter to inform the staff that his luggage is lost.  The airline staff member asked Engvall if his plane had landed. "No, I am having an out of body experience" relied Engvall.  "Here's your sign".

One would think Americans, no matter the side of the political aisle they tend to gather, would demand answers when four patriots, including a US Ambassador, were murdered in a terrorist attack.

They do.

However, a percentage of Americans exist that only want answers to these type of questions if the representative for the other party is in charge.  Here's your sign.  That is very sad commentary, and is an example of folks who are limited in principles and character. 

While most would be appalled to learn of this behavior, it is particularly distressing to learn that media members are actively engaged in a coverup of the aforementioned events in Benghazi.  Not only is news regarding Benghazi being selectively presented on the mainstream networks, but editorial columnists are cheerleading the lack of transparency and suppression of the facts by the Obama administration and the complicit news media.

Enter Dana Milbank, and a recent editorial from the left in Investors Business Daily. Here's you sign.

I must have missed all the legitimate inquiries over Benghazi having been adequately answered, because according to Milbank, all efforts by House Republicans to get answers are a complete waste of time. 

I obviously missed a change in what I considered to be the elusive transparency President Obama claimed his administration would have.  I guess all those documents have been turned over to the investigating committee, and everyone performed admirably.

Well, I did not miss a damn thing.

Milbank hopes his ridiculing editorials, combined with media outlets biased coverage of what little information the investigating committee has gathered versus the stonewalling, misleading evidence  and lack of transparency, will steer the public away from demanding answers.

Odds may favor Milbank and his teammates, but here is your sign.

What kind of people do not want answers when four Americans are killed?  What type of individuals would seek to suppress information in an effort to protect officials just because they are members of their team?

Here is a sign

When it comes to dereliction of duty, or the covering up of gun running, I could care less what political party the officials in charge are from.  In America, we have laws and principles we live by, and those who violate the public trust in this regard must be held accountable.

Not in the minds of the progressives currently in charge.  They are running the Alinksy model on all cylinders.  Ridicule your opponents, fire out misinformation, lie so often the truth becomes murky and win the day by any means necessary.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.  Here is another sign.  No out of body experience needed.

Tradition Tackled?

There it is.  The Seminole Head logo from Florida State University, proudly representing Florida State University since 1971 with heartfelt significance to all Seminoles.

Florida State Seminole Head Logo

A traditional logo rivaled by few, if any.  In fact, the iconic Seminole Head transcends sports; showcasing our university and the Seminole Tribe of Florida we are so honored to represent, with class and dignity.

On April 2, much of Seminole nation became aghast and angered at an effort by Florida State, in conjunction with NIKE, to change the logo for a more modern representation.  A bungled release of the new logo, a picture snapped by a fan from a Florida Wal-Mart, has set off a firestorm FSU of negativity at FSU, and rightfully so.  Take a look:

New Florida State Seminole Head Logo

Given the outstanding logo all Seminoles cherish, one has to wonder the motivation behind the nonsensical idea to change the best looking logo in all of sport?

Amidst the backlash, FSU athletics issued a statement in which they mentioned a two year study revealed the iconic logo did not reproduce well in a number of mediums and was difficult to embroider.

To learn it is being changed due in part due to "embroidering" issues is insulting. 

The outrage by the Seminole faithful is out of control and has FSU in significant damage control. 

Gene Williams, the purveyor of WarChant.com, a fantastic web platform chronicling FSU athletics, was in Orlando on Thursday night, April 3rd, to discuss spring football practice and the prospects for the football team as it regards the 2015 season.  In talking with Gene, it was apparent to me the full extent of the outrage had not yet been adequately assessed.  That is no way a knock on Gene, who is on his game 24/7, a leading source in FSU athletics and a real nice guy, but more a sense that FSU Athletics and its tentacles were oblvious to the brewing storm.

Williams, affectionately known as Dot.com, penned a great piece on this most unfortunate situation on WarChant.com

But FSU, no doubt in a bout of arrogance, failed miserably in appraising the pulse of the fan base and measuring the emotional level Seminole fans have regarding the traditions we hold so dear.  In fact, a fan, Jodi Slade, with some level of skill in marketing and design presented a logo alternative that is appealing to many faithful, if, and that is a big if, the design needing changing the first place.  Take a look:

Current Logo and new Jodi Slade designed logo

 

FSU and Nike took two years and Jodi Slade needed an evening.  Oh my!

Then word leaked there would be changes to the uniform, including the helmet, which is simply fighting words.  Changing our helmet, appropriately voted the best looking helmet in the game by ESPN, is unnecessary and without merit. 

FSU 2013 Helmet

I am spitting tomahawks!

Jeff Cameron, of ESPN 97.9 in Tallahassee, a well connected and respected media voice in the Florida State community, although not a big fan of the new Seminole Head logo, has seen the uniforms, including the helmet, and thinks they are really nicely done.  Cameron mentioned the embrace a historical element of the Seminole Tribe and are classy in the approach. 

In addition, he says the helmet changes are very minimal. Among the changes was the spear supposedly wraps around the back, which seems slight.  The facemask may be gold like the helmet, which I would be a loud opponent of. 

In fact, leave the helmet alone. Period. 

Perhaps it is the turning of the clock.  Perhaps it has been assisted by the baseless rhetoric of our president, Barack Obama. Michelle Obama said Barack knows the citizenry will have to change our history and our traditions.  But, there seems to be an overriding notion to affect change on just about anything; not change due to necessity or the will of the people or for the better in most cases, but seemingly just to do it.

As the clock ticks, change in inevitable.  But, as evolutions in cell phones is one thing, manipulating things our society has gotten right, as an effort of appeasement or political correctness, is a display of weakness and lack of principle.

That is just as true for Uncle Same as it is Chief Osceola.

History and tradition should be embraced, and unless significant issues exist, and none do at Florida State, major changes in the top notch uniforms and logos of our beloved university should not be entertained. Our highly valued traditions are not in need of change, and I strongly disagree with those in FSU Athletics who found the idea of this change welcoming.

At the unveiling this Friday night, I have no doubt a cascade of booing will fill the air of the evening with the "official' presentation of the "new" logo. With any luck, FSU will have to backtrack and keep the traditional Seminole Head logo, which should have never been changed to begin with.

Go Seminoles!