The Bucs - At the beginning of the football season, I was one of those people who did not think the Bucs would make the playoffs. Let's just say I was not a Gruden fan.
However, people like me must give John Gruden his due. He did an exceptionally good job coaching this year, and that includes some of his recruiting choices - such as Cadillac Williams.
The Bucs will play the Washington Redskins at Raymond James Stadium this weekend and are the favorites to win. Kudos to Gruden, his staff, the players and loyal fans (not like me), who stayed the course with one of the top-ranked defenses in the NFL. Plus, how about that young left-handed quarterback? (Always thought lefties made great quarterbacks - even in the day when they were not allowed to play the position due to their being left-handed). Go Bucs.
The Amazing Doug Flutie - Can you imagine drop-kicking an extra point for an NFL team at age 43, and having the coach's confidence you would make the kick?
Welcome to the world of Doug Flutie. Yes, the same Doug Flutie who passed a "Hail Mary" in a college football game against Miami … for the Boston College win!
When you think of all the big names of quarterbacks who played college and professional football at the highest level, you must include the name Doug Flutie. Furthermore, and because of his relatively small size, perhaps the only comparable person at the position might be Fran Tarkington, of Minnesota Viking fame. Both are athletes in a "big man" sport.
Last time such a kick was attempted in the NFL?
1941. Amazing.
What A Difference A Day Makes - Last week I noticed plenty of room space at our local hotels and motels. This week the same hotels and motels are full, or nearly fully occupied.
Outback Bowl and the weather has a lot to do with the room occupancy rate. However, local merchants and hoteliers should be pleased with the increase in visitors.
The weather?
Awesome weather. When you notice the number of winter storms hitting the Great Lakes and west coast we are truly the bright spot for vacationers.
Welcome to Florida in January - warm days and cool nights. Just the way it should be this time of the year.
Parking?
Hmmm. I'm not going to go there.
Growth In China - There are many interesting developments in China; for example, not only are Chinese workers demanding more money for certain jobs, they are forcing large international corporations to rethink long-term financial costs for manufacturing jobs in China.
Chinese workers have developed a taste for owning and driving a car. This trend has resulted in Chinese officials rethinking future needs for fuel and better roads. Yes, westernization has hit China during this economic growth spurt in, what many experts believe, a more modernized China.
More.
Citigroup has made an offer to purchase a mid-sized Chinese bank for $3 billion. Citigroup is one of three bidders (one a French financial corporation). If perfected, the acquisition would be the largest foreign acquisition in China.
Growth in China?
More than many of us would like to think.
Superpower?
Yes.
Wisconsin - My friends from Wisconsin still send copies of their local newspaper to remind me what it is like to live in a liberal-run city (like Madison, Wisconsin).
The local newspapers generally run negative articles about the president and most every conservative in Congress. Madison's own Tammy Baldwin, first admitted lesbian to run for Congress, still votes with the folks from San Francisco and receives accolades for a job well done (according to her liberal constituency in Madison).
Yes, some of the Badgers still send me articles from Madison. As I read these outrageous articles, I wonder how the good folks in Madison tolerate the daily dose of liberalism.
It is too bad what has happened in Madison. I support a strong two party system where people should be able to learn platforms of both political parties before voting. When one political party is weak, such as in Madison, then there is a huge swing in legislation that most Americans find unacceptable. Democrats believe this is true in Florida at this time, even though such was not true for many decades in Florida's history. Politics needs a strong two-party system, regardless of the location.
Standard & Poor's Best & Worst Stocks For 2005 - S&P recently released information about some of the best and worst stocks for 2005. Here is the performance of some of these stocks:
Best -
Worst -
2006?
Forbes asked a panel of investment experts to pick stocks they think will perform well in 2006. Some of those picks are:
How do folks feel about investing in 2006?
One published poll reflected 41% of investors as "somewhat active," 27% as "very active," 20% "not much" and 11% "not at all."
Activist Judges - There was a time when certain decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court were … simply overlooked by other branches of the U.S. government. One example would be President Jackson's dismissal of the Cherokee Indian Dispute where Jackson refused to enforce the decision.
Those days are long gone in America and have been replaced by activist judges (many of which are politically appointed with less than stellar legal backgrounds). Strangely enough, many of the activist judges simply retort that their decision has a "constitutional" basis. Of course, their narrow opinion of the constitution trumps all-other well-founded legal minds, including the majority of the people.
I refer you to the term limit issue for Pinellas County commissioners. The people of Pinellas County, by 80 percent, voted for term limits. (Voters tend to distrust elected officials when they remain in one elected office more than two terms).
Nevertheless, and in direct opposition to the people's voice, the appointed and liberal Florida Supreme Court ruled against the people due to "constitutional officers being included in the term limit language."
Home rule was tossed on a technicality that could, and should, have been reviewed in favor of the people.
The result?
Pinellas County elected folks run again and again for the same seat.
Why is your vote important in 2006?
To eliminate radical politicians from winning local and statewide elections where they (the elected) would replace retiring activist judges .
Important?
You bet it is. Think about this when you vote in 2006.
Elvis Would Be 71 - Thirty years ago Elvis Presley died. Elvis Presley fans from all over the world will celebrate his birthday on Sunday with the playing of Presley music and perhaps a few days of special televised Elvis Presley movies. (And there are some fans who believe he is still alive!)
Vision - If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow never at hand. - Confucius