Harley Halloween

The 8th Annual Bikers for Babies event kicked off tonight with a Halloween party at Harley-Davidson of Fort Myers. Vendors of food on a stick, deep fried artery cloggers, beverages with a kick, and all types of biker gear lined the parking lot. Rock bands Backlash and Yazgars Farm provided entertainment for the large crowd dressed as pirates, wenches, darth vader, french maids, and more. Please enjoy the following video.

Faded Boyhood Dream

As I young boy, my father occasionally piled my younger brother and me into the old family station wagon for a drive from Hagerstown to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore for an opportunity to see our beloved Orioles play live. I have extremely fond memories of experiencing the joy of baseball through the eyes of a ten year old. How could anything in life be better than watching Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer ply their trade while eating ballpark hot dogs? What could be more thrilling than watching the giant bicepped Boog Powell knock one completely out of the stadium? Before the days of the ostentatious, spoiled prima donna, players were real men. As young boys, after the game we'd line up behind the dugout to meet the players, obtain their autographs, while enjoying their jokes and banter.


But despite living near Baltimore during the Orioles glory days, that ten year old never had the opportunity to attend a World Series game. Now, almost 40 years later, this giant kid, now living in Florida, finally acquired the holy grail; tickets to game 6 of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies.


How I anticipated that glorious event. The Rays travelled to Philadelphia several days ago with the series tied 1-1. Each team needed to win only one more game in Phillie to bring the series back to St. Petersburg for game 6. Sadly I watched the Rays fall behind 3 games to 1. I felt deep in my heart that nothing could stop them from winning game 5 to bring the series home.


Played in a downpour, game 5 stood tied 2-2 when finally postponed as a result of the inclement weather. After an unprecedented 46 hour rain delay, the game resumed in the bottom of the sixth. I watched on pins and needles as both teams traded score keeping the game always within a run.

The Phillie's Geoff Jenkins scored after Akinori Iwamura dropped a Jayson Werth pop up. But the Ray's struck back in the top of the seventh with a powerful Rocco Baldelli homer. The Phils scored again in the eighth and when Brad Lidge fanned Eric Hinske during the top of the ninth, my boyhood dream was once again dashed, if only for a year!

Can I get my money back on these tickets?

Is Barack Obama a U.S. Citizen?

A controversial subject simmers and fails to be covered at all by the liberal media, and that is proof that Barack Obama meets all of the qualifications to be President of the United States.

The only qualifications are:
No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

At 47 years old and as a United States resident since 1971, Obama certainly meets the last two qualifications, but with his complicated circumstances during early life, does he meet the citizenship requirement?


Senator Obama claims to have been born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961. Since Hawaii was admitted to the union in 1959, birth on U.S. soil would certainly qualify one as a natural born citizen, even though his father held Kenyan citizenship. The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Party had much difficulty producing a Hawaiian birth certificate but were able to find a certified copy dated June 2007 as proof of birth. But Obama's paternal grandmother as well as two half-brothers claim to have witnessed his birth in Mombassa, Kenya on August 4, 1961 and there is a verifiable record of such birth. The Hawaiian birth certificate was originally issued on August 8th, four days after the actual birth. This would have allowed his parents enough time to travel from Kenya to The U.S. to also record the birth there.

If Barack Obama was actually born in Kenya, there is still a possibility of proving natural born citizenship since his mother was American but the restrictions and laws in place at the time must be analyzed and a decision rendered. If born in Hawaii, he actually would have carried three citizenships, United States, Kenyan, and British since at that time Kenya was under British rule.


Obama's parents divorced when he was two years old and his mother remarried four years later to Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian national. The entire family moved from Honolulu to Jakarta when Obama was six and he attended school there. Apparently, Soetoro adopted Obama sometime either before or after the move to Indonesia since his school records there indicate that his name was Barry Soetoro and that he was an Indonesian citizen. Additionally, his religion was listed as Islam. During this time, Neither the U.S. or Indonesia recognized dual citizenship between the two countries so Obama's U.S. citizenship would have been void.


Obama's mother returned him to Hawaii at the age of ten to live with his grandparents and attend school there. He graduated high school as Barry Obama but at times he also used Barry Dunham, the surname of his grandparents.

After high school, he attended Occidental College then transferred to Columbia University. The summer in between the transfer, Obama travelled to Indonesia to visit his mother and sister, then also visited Pakistan and India. In 1981, Pakistan was at civil war and was off limits for American travellers and non-Muslims were prohibited from visiting without prior consulate approval. During this holiday, Obama travelled on an Indonesian passport as a Muslim Indonesian citizen. He even renewed the passport while visiting his mother.

Obama registered at Columbia University as a Kenyan citizen although his Kenyan and British citizenships expired a year later since they had not been renewed.

Now, Barack Obama is running for President of the United States, which requires one to be a natural born citizen. If Obama was a natural born citizen, that would have been forfeited when he assumed citizenship in Indonesia. Upon his return, he must have applied and sworn an oath of allegiance to become a naturalized citizen. A naturalized citizen is disqualified from serving as U.S. President or Vice President although allowed service in the Senate. If this was not done, he would be an illegal alien.

This issue proves to be a very difficult and complicated one that deserves ruling by a competent party such as a court. The only challenge offered thus far has been in the case, Berg vs. Obama, filed in Pennsylvania federal court. I'm very surprised by the lack of attention from the media and equally surprised by the Obama camp's attempt at suppressing the information required by the court.

This issue should be settled before the election to avoid a severe constitutional crisis. If Obama is qualifed, allow the election and may the best man win. If disqualifed, then I would presume that the Democrats would be required to nominate another candidate which most likely would be Joe Biden, but possibly Hillary Clinton.

If this isssue is settled after the election but before the inauguration, then who would be President, Joe Biden or John McCain? There would be serious cause for more court rulings because there is no precedent.

If the issue is settled after inauguration, then I would assume that Obama would be impeached and Biden would become President but at what cost to our national security?

1970 Pontiac GTO

America's first muscle car, the Pontiac GTO, debuted in 1964. The name, inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO, and the engineering derived from the infamous John DeLorean, who at that time served as Pontiac's chief engineer. The GTO is essentially a high performance Pontiac Tempest and was originally offered as an options package on the LeMans.


The car proved an instant hit largely due to the top 10 hit song, Little GTO by Ronnie and the Daytonas.

Featured here is a 1970 model, the second generation styling of the popular muscle car. The car features a 400 cubic inch motor with Ram Air III, and an automatic transmission. This particular car offers and impressive "knock you back in your seat" acceleration. The variable-ratio power steering allowed better handling than earlier models.

The 70's unfortunately ushered in the decline of the muscle car phenomena due to higher gas prices and the punitive charges assigned by insurance companies to high performance automobiles. By 1974, the craze had all but faded.

A Week's Worth of Ramblin'

I must admit, it feels quite odd to not have blogged for over a week but what an odd week it has been. I experienced the worst of disasters last Thursday - a hard drive meltdown. My somewhat trusty laptop which follows me everywhere, whether in briefcase, backpack, or Harley saddlebag finally bit the dust. After spending a very frustrating Friday morning attempting to fix the thing myself, I broke down and logged onto Dell customer support and much to my surprise realized my computer was still under warranty for another 435 days. I believe that's the first time in my life that I've benefited from the extended warranty. At 5:30 AM Eastern time, the Dell online chat support was still snoozing so I attempted the 1-800 number and astonishingly found a live human on the other end; and not only live but a pleasant English speaking female. Apparently the tech support line to India had not yet opened. Miss Friendly Tech asked me to run some tests and, after several minutes of sitting on hold, informed me that my hard drive died. Dell offers great support and she advised me that a new "blank" one would ship FedEx that same day.

Dejected I left for work only to find myself severely handicapped without my electronic companion. I managed to fire up an antiquated machine and downloaded emails which enabled me to send out a few quotes but it was not a productive day. I left early and attended the 50th anniversary celebration of Garden Street Iron and Metal. The catered event provided excellent food, free beverages of any type, and an armful of souvenirs including a cap, cooler, t-shirt, and water bottle. Owner Earl stood all night like a beaming proud parent!


After a good night's sleep, I awakened and headed to Daytona Beach on the mother ship of touring bikes, the 2007 Patriot edition Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic.


While travelling through Florida I noticed a disproportionate number of McCain to Obama yard signs. For weeks, the liberal media had informed me that our beloved red state was turning blue. Just that morning, NBC news announced that Florida was up for grabs and Barack Obama had gained serious ground. But I noticed none of that during the ride from Fort Myers through LaBelle and Okeechobee, then up to Fort Pierce and Vero Beach and north on A1A through Satellite Beach, Cocoa and finally Daytona. I observed 30 to 40 McCain yard signs for every one of Obama's. Possible the elitist Obamites are too proud to stain their yard with a simple corrugated step-stake sign.

Daytona proved once again to be a wonderfully lively spot for the annual Biketoberfest event. Please view below a sampling filmed by yours truly of the oddities both on foot and wheel cruising Main Street Saturday night.



The following morning, I one again mounted my trusty steel steed and headed east on I-4 toward Tampa for the Sunday night match up between The Seahawks and the Buccaneers and to meet my wife in Ybor City.

I felt honored to have an opportunity to attend that game since most of the night was spent as a tribute to recently retired fullback and future Hall-of-Famer Mike Alstott. Mike attended with his entire family and humbly received from the Glazer family the jerseys worn during both his first and last games. Funny how the jersey from his first game mistakenly spelled his name "Alsott". Jeff Garcia stole the show completing 26 of 37 passes for 310 yards including a 47 yard touchdown throw to Antonio Bryant to propel the Bucs past the Hawks 20 to 10.

A late Sunday night game meant sleeping over at the Hampton in Ybor City and heading to Fort Myers Monday morning. Sun burnt and wind weathered I arrived at work in Fort Myers to pleasantly find my new hard drive sitting on my desk. That night I figured out how to replace the bad one and after several days of installing drivers and software, I'm finally back in business!

Debate 3 - More of the Same Again

Last night's debate proved to be another fairly dull event. We already know that John McCain considers himself a loyal, dedicated, lifelong public servant capable of leading us as President, and that Barack Obama blames the failed policies of George Bush for all that ails the world. Trailing behind in the polls, John McCain needed to come out swinging but you cannot win a bout utilizing only short jabs with no knockout punch.

McCain had a few very brief shining moments especially when he declared, "I'm not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should've run four years ago.", and the Freudian slip when he referred to Senator Obama as "Senator Government".

Senator Obama remained calm and collected throughout the debate and never appeared rattled as he did in the first debate several weeks ago. His smug looks and snickers while McCain spoke may prove to be a slight turnoff to some voters.

Senator McCain appeared a little stiff and uncomfortable throughout the night. His plastered on smile did not cover the emotion behind.


Moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS refereed the bout well and attempted to move the debate along when either of the participants rambled.

I'm no political strategist but I felt that Senator McCain needed to become more the aggressor to turn the tide on voter sentiment. Why did he not further explore Obama's questionable relationships with characters such as Bill Ayers, Raila Odinga, Jeremiah Wright, Louis Farrakhan, and George Soros? Ayers, a domestic terrorist bent on destroying the US government, has been a prime mentor to Barack Obama, for somewhere between 10 and 20 years, and possibly served as a ghost writer of Obama's book, Dreams of My Father. Obama supported fellow Luo tribesman Odinga's campaign for president of Kenya; a man who attemptd to topple the Kenyan government, desired to win by hook or crook, treatied with Muslim terrorists, and incited a riot where hundreds of Christians were killed. Jeremiah Wright, a racist anti-white, anti-Jew pastor, baptized Obama and his children in his church that they attended for 20 years. Louis Farrakhan recently declared Obama "the Messiah" and has stated that Obama's election as President would further Islam around the globe. And what about Soros? Is a man capable of bringing England's most powerful bank to it's knees the ultimate puppet master? Why is no one, including McCain and Palin, addressing these unsavory connections?


Why has the McCain campaign never exploited the questionable citizenship of Barack Obama and the lawsuit filed by Phillip Berg in Pennsylvania? Born in the Panama Canal zone to two American citizens, McCain's citizenship was questioned early in the race. When the Department of Homeland Security refused to release any documents to the courts, McCain himself produced the vault copy of his birth certificate and all medical records to squelch the problem. Now Obama's citizenship has been challenged legally and he has refused to release any of the required documents to settle the case. Instead he chooses to use legal motions to delay discovery.

I respect Senator McCain as the master strategist so there must be a reason he remained the gentleman and did not exploit the poor judgment, shady friends, and the dark secrets of Barack Obama. The election approaches quickly, Mr. McCain. I hope you have a rabbit up your sleeve!

Federal Lawsuit Against Obama

For any who question my last article, please view the following clip. It briefly summarizes everything about Obama's questionable citizenship. Most of what I've had to research over several weeks can be viewed here in a couple of minutes. This piece aired on Fox News Toledo on October 13th.

Obama Denied Security Clearance?

As this election season approaches the finale, we must carefully consider the ramifications of placing an unqualified individual in the highest office of the land. For all practical purposes, Congress actually controls the country except for two very important components; the nomination of Supreme Court judges and the deployment of troops into battle.

One may argue the pros and cons of seating liberal, conservative, and moderate judges and never find consensus. Conservatives favor conservative judges and liberals favor liberal. The ability to adjudicate unbiasedly has unfortunately taken a back seat in the selection process.

But one may not argue that the individual operating out of the oval office is indeed the commander-in-chief of the United States military. Does Barack Obama possess the qualifications, upright character, and level of patriotism necessary to perform in that capacity? Several times during my life, both in the military and in civil positions, I have been required to undergo a background check, and once, rather extensively to obtain a top secret clearance to handle sensitive information. During the FBI's investigation of me, they spoke to family, friends, and past acquaintances, even from childhood, and also determined any contact I may have had with suspicious characters or members of communist or terrorist organizations. Could Barack Obama pass a military style background investigation deeming him worthy to handle sensitive information pertaining to American national security?

I recently downloaded U.S Form SF86 Questionnaire for National Security Positions which is the form anyone seeking a security clearance must complete before the background investigation commences.

Question #1 Full Name
Being named by your parents, Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., would certainly not disqualify one from obtaining a clearance, but in light of the events of 9-11, the investigation would certainly take longer than the standard 2-3 months.

Question #5 Other Names Used
Apparently while attending school in Indonesia, Obama enrolled under the name, Barry Soetoro, which is his stepfather's surname. Again, this fact would not necessarily disqualify one from receiving clearance but would further delay the investigation.

Question #9 Citizenship
Mr. Obama, by omission, could easily fill out this part of the form proving citizenship and indicating Honolulu, Hawaii as his place of birth but the next section will prove more difficult.

Question #10 Citizenship Information
Have you ever held multiple citizenships?
A very tangled web begins here. Obama was born in Hawaii to an American mother and Kenyan father, automatically making him a dual citizen of both countries. At the time, Kenya was also under British rule making him also a British citizen. Because they were not renewed, his Kenyan and British citizenships expired in 1982, due to the laws of those countries. Additionally, when Obama was registered for school in Indonesia, his parents listed his citizenship as Indonesian. At that time, neither the United States or Indonesia recognized dual citizenship between the two countries so Mr. Obama would have only retained Indonesian citizenship. This did not expire automatically and has never been repudiated.

This complex citizenship issue would probably still allow for a confidential security clearance but would most likely disqualify one from both secret and top secret access. Additionally, constitutional challenges await because this problem may also disqualify one from serving as President of the United States.

Part D of this question also asks, Have you renounced or attempted to renounce your foreign citizenships? This should have been done to reassume American citizenship after returning from Indonesia but was never done.

Question #18 Relatives
This portion of the form would again be quite complex for Obama with relatives living in Kenya, Indonesia and China. For relatives born outside of the U.S., there is a fair amount of extra documentation required. None of this would prove to be disqualifying but would certainly extend the investigation.


Question #19 Foreign Contacts
Mr. Obama's contact with his grandmother in Kenya would be acceptable but his relationship with Kenyan prime minister, Raila Odinga would be a sure disqualifier.

Question #21 Mental and Emotional Health
This alone can not be a disqualifier so the Narcissistic Personality Disorder is o.k.

Question #23 Illegal Use of Drugs or Drug Activity
The drug abuse must have occurred within the last seven years so here again, he would be o.k.

Question #29 Association Record
Three parts of this portion must be danced around to avoid suspicion.

a. Have you EVER been an officer of, or made a contribution to, an organization dedicated to terrorism, and which engaged in illegal activities to that end, either with an awareness of the organization's dedication to that end or with the specific intent to further such activities

e. Have you ever knowingly engaged in any activities designed to overthrow the U.S government by force?

f. Have you ever knowingly engaged in any acts of terrorism?

Mr. Obama would certainly answer no to these questions but once the actual investigation commenced, would his relationships with both Bill Ayers and Raila Odinga cause him to fail to pass muster? Senator Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers is a definite disqualifier for any high level security clearance.

Thousands of U.S. military and government personnel as well as civilian contractors must pass this investigation before assuming their duties. Most of these people only have a "need to know" that equates to a very small piece of the pie. Our top officials handling the most sensitive national security information should be above reproach and be able to pass this background investigation with ease. How can we have a President of the United States, who applying for any other government job, would most certainly be denied a high level security clearance? Think about that one fellow citizens!

Bucs Rout Panthers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers assumed first place in the NFC South earlier today by soundly defeating the Carolina Panthers 27 to 3. Geno Hayes blocked a punt early in the first quarter and ran it back for a touchdown creating momentum that never wavered. The tenacious Bucs defense intercepted Jake Delhomme three times and prevented the Panther's offense from ever taking flight. Jeff Garcia performed flawlessly completing 15 of 20 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown to Alex Smith, and allowed no turnovers. Warrick Dunn rushed for 115 yards leaving only 11 for Earnest Graham, one of which scored six points. Matt Bryant added two field goals and three extra points but missed a 51 yarder ending his perfect season. Today marked the first time the Buccaneers have defeated the Panthers at home in Raymond James Stadium since the NFC South was created during the NFL's 2002 re-alignment.

Next week the Seahawks fly cross country to visit the 4-2 Bucs for John Madden's Sunday night game.

1979 Shovelhead Bobber

Believe it or not, this unique piece of machinery began life early in 1979 as a Harley-Davidson FLH although the majority of those tell-tale signs are gone. Surprisingly enough, the VIN numbers on both the block, engine cases and frame neck all match and the unstretched and unraked frame is just as original.

Other than the motor and frame, no signs of an FLH are left. The fenderless front end features a 12" over stock Paughco springer front end with 19" Avon rubber. A Thunder Cycle velocity stack feeds air into a S&S Super E carburetor.
The stock 5 gallon gas tank has been replaced with a 1.75 gallon peanut tank with "old school" custom flame paint job.
The custom fabricated exhaust tucks nicely behind the forward controls. The steel tractor style seat is wrapped in naked leather and blends nicely into the natural looking flames.

The custom bobbed fender and discreet tail light with laydown license plate really set this bike off. The beach style handlebars allow for a comfortable wide arm ride.

The original kick starter is still intact and perfectly operational but the bike has an under the seat "cheater" electric start. A custom chrome oil tank fits nicely under the seat.
This bike with the straight pipes will shoot an unbelievable stream of flames! This rip your arms off bobber is not for the faint hearted or yuppie biker. I'll see you down the road!

I Don't Understand

I don't understand ......

Why it's o.k. to kill unborn babies but not murderers and rapists?

Why the taxes on my profitable small business are used to bail out greedy corporations?

How you can become commander-in-chief with no military experience?

Why mortagage companies would rather foreclose and file bankruptcy than renegotiate rates?

Why we let the Chinese or any foreign government buy American assets?

Why my monthly health insurance premium is higher than my mortgage payment?

Why tax rates increase with income?

Why good looks and oratorical skill carry more weight than hard work, determination, and experience?

Why it's a crime to harm animals but not unborn humans?

Why illegal immigrants have access to our social programs?

How someone can disrepect and take for granted the freedoms my forefathers gave their lives for?

Treasure Found on Ebay

One rainy Sunday afternoon I found myself browsing Ebay for anything of interest. Much to my surprise, I discovered a listing for a cruise book from the maiden voyage of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson from 1983, of which this author happened to be part of the crew attached to Electronic Warfare Squadron VAQ-134.

I had no recollection of any such book while stationed aboard the carrier and curiously wondered whether it included any photos of me. I placed a bid and waited several days for the auction to end. The following Friday, I received an email indicating that I'd successfully won the auction. I eagerly arranged payment and waited for the book to arrive. When I arrived home from work one day the following week, a package sat on my doorstep. I removed the packaging and skimmed through the book reminiscing about places we visited like Monte Carlo, Casa Blanca, Abidjan, Nairobi, Perth, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila.

After searching the majority of the book, I saw no mention of any aircraft squadrons and assumed that the book had only been intended for crew members permanently assigned to the ship itself. Then I noticed in the very back of the book, listings for each of the aviation squadrons participating in the cruise, and lo and behold on page 426, I spotted a photo of a younger, scrawnier version of yours truly!

Debate 2 - More of the Same

I've heard the "More of the Same" mantra from the Obama camp this entire election season but it must now be reassigned to describe tonight's debate. Tom Brokaw stunted the town hall format, for unknown reason, and turned the second debate into a repeat of the first. Each candidate was given ample time to reiterate their campaign position on issues such as the economy, energy and foreign policy. Normally, a format like tonight's allows ordinary citizens the opportunity to ask unusual questions but we heard none of it tonight except for the very last question.

That question was, "What don't you know and how will you learn it?" Obama stated that he asks his wife anything that he does not know and she tells him, but he never did admit to not knowing anything. Senator McCain stayed slightly less vague by admitting he does not know the unknown in regard to challenges both here and abroad but again did not get very specific.

John McCain did seemed to display a better understanding of the fundamentals causing the financial crisis and discreetly unveiled a plan to help stabilize the housing situation. He understands that besides bailing out Wall Street and the banking sector that we also need to provide help to individuals by reassigning mortgages based on current home valuations. Senator Obama just rhetorically continued to blame President Bush and his failed economic policies.

Both candidates endorsed Warren Buffet as a potential Treasury Secretary. I wonder if Mr. Buffet would be willing to take the pay cut? Both candidates agreed or held similar positions on most issues with the exception of taxes. Senator Obama stressed the importance of government investment in programs to stimulate energy research and the economy, but Senator McCain supported the ideals of the government fostering an environment which allows free enterprise to thrive and stimulate creativity by individual entrepreneurship.

Senator Obama remained calm and collected throughout the night and showed none of the agitation he displayed during the first debate. Senator McCain, understanding his underdog position, became more the aggressor and at times seemed slightly uncomfortable. McCain needed to score big tonight to turn voter sentiment and failed to do so making tonight's debate a default win for Obama.

Sarah Palin Visits Fort Myers

My wife and I had a wonderful opportunity today to attend a Republican campaign rally featuring Sarah Palin. Approximately 9,000 people jammed into Germain Arena in Fort Myers, Florida to see the vice presidential hopeful. Palin attended two private fundraisers in Naples earlier in the day before motoring north to the packed stadium. Escorted by Florida heavyweights, Charlie Christ and Mel Martinez, Palin arrived to thunderous applause and a very warm welcome.

I heard nothing overly profound today from Palin's lips. She shows a deep, genuine respect for men and women in uniform and understands the difficulties they face. She addressed the energy crisis and affirmed McCain's stance on developing more renewable resources. Palin also focused on the phony Obama tax cut claim and how impossible it seems with his $1 trillion increase in spending. She also stressed the relationship between Barack Obama and domestic terrorist and 60's radical, Bill Ayers. I've often wondered why the McCain camp has not played that up a bit more. It's a very disturbing fact. Unless I missed it, I did not hear much about the current financial crisis. Maybe that's too depressing to mention during a high energy positive rally.

Apparently, Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott garnered all the controversy by mentioning McCain's opponent's full name, Barack Hussein Obama, during his speech at the rally. By the time I made it home, Scott's address had already received national notoriety. I'm not really sure why Obama's middle name is off limits. I guess because the Hussein name is a clear indication of Muslim heritage. I would think the McCain camp would want to exploit that.

Overall, I'd say it was worth the 1/2 mile hike from the neighboring Miromar Outlet parking lot and the two hour wait in the blistering Florida sun to get inside. Way to go Sarah! Have a safe trip to your next destination.

Please enjoy my amateur video clip of a portion of this event.

Smear the Queer

I remember, as a third-grader during the late 60's, playing "Smear the Queer", a game in which participants attempted to tackle or "smear" the ball handler or "queer". While in possession of the ball, you either succumbed to the tackling or threw the ball to another who would catch it and then become the new "queer". I don't know whether the game is still played by youths but I'm certain, if it is, that the politically incorrect name has been changed.

The political arena now serves as the new venue for the smear game. Apparently, whoever possesses that ball and runs strong becomes the victim of attack by all other participants. For most of this election season, it appears that Barack Obama has possessed the ball the longest. Hillary started the Obama smear by having us question his patriotism, his citizenship, his credentials and his religion.

At times, John McCain's taken the ball from Obama and become the victim. We've heard of his illegitimate black child and that he's milking the story of five years captivity in a Hanoi prison. Jimmy Carter, I thought you had more class than that!

But Mr. Obama retrieved the ball back from McCain for another round of Muslim bashing before handing it to the newcomer, Sarah Palin. We've heard her Down syndrome son is actually her daughter's. We've heard she's involved with the Alaska Independence Party. We've heard democrats calling her "white trash". Sarah, you've taken enough abuse. Please throw the ball to Joe!

Bucs Fly to Mile High

The 3-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers flew to Denver this week to face the 3-1 Broncos with a need for a win to tie the 4-1 Carolina Panthers for first place in the NFC South. But Denver's Michael Pittman, who Tampa Bay released earlier this year, provided just enough offense to push the Broncos past the Bucs for a 16-13 win.

Some people carry an inner strength of immense calibre and beyond the capabilities of most others and Matt Bryant is one of those people. After burying his infant son Tryson only one week ago, he found solace on the football field and support from fellow team members to stay perfect for the year with two field goals and an extra point.

Brian Griese went down with a shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter allowing a recovered Jeff Garcia an opportunity to step up. Garcia looked a little rusty during the first possession but led the Bucs to a brilliant touchdown drive late in the quarter in an attempt to mount a Tampa comeback.

Next week the 3-2 Buccaneers will fight for a first place tie in the NFC South when they face the 4-1 Carolina Panthers at home. I'll see you there!

Bikers for Babies

November 2nd will mark the March of Dimes 8th Annual Bikers for Babies motorcycle ride from Naples to Fort Myers, Florida. Thousands of bikes will roar down the road during the police escorted event that will raise millions of dollars nationally to fight birth defects and the problems associated with premature birth. I'm planning on again being a part of this incredible event and trying my best to raise money for the cause. Please donate by visiting http://www.bikersforbabies.org/ImagesGS . God Bless!

O'Reilly Fries Frank

I would naturally assume that most readers of this blog are also Fox News viewers but I can't be certain, so thought it appropriate to share this portion of The O'Reilly Factor that aired right before last night's Vice Presidential debate. No narrative is necessary but it shows a very heated exchange between Bill O'Reilly and Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which provided oversight to both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.



A big O'Reilly fan myself, I do feel that this is a little over the top. United States Congressmen, including even Barney Frank, do deserve a certain amount of respect. Regardless, this is great video!

VP Smackdown

Stammering Sarah stayed home tonight and Pitbull Palin showed up, proving to be a formidable opponent in tonight's debate. Palin performed extremely well considering that when Joe Biden debated his first political opponent in 1972, she was a seven year old in Wasilla. The small town charm shined through even during the introductions as Palin said, "It's nice to meet you. Can I call you Joe?", which also showed a much greater respect for Senator Biden than Barack Obama dislayed for Senator McCain during last week's debate.

Gwen Ifill at least appeared nonpartisan as she moderated the debate. Although Palin's knowledge and experience on legislative policy and foreign experience pales in comparison to Biden's, she held her own and delivered direct answers without any of the circular reasoning we've seen in recent interviews. Unknowingly, Katie Couric served as the stone that sharpened Sarah's axe.

During the first round of questioning, Palin sounded like any middle class mom you'd see on the streets or at youth sporting events in middle America. She blamed the current financial crisis on greed and corruption on Wall Street while Joe Biden blamed it on George Bush. She stressed the fact that Obama has always voted along party lines and never truly reached across the aisle to either persuade or agree with Republicans. She also noted that Obama, who always voted for higher taxes, seems to have recently converted to a different philosophy of tax cuts. Biden continued to blame Bush and McCain for all of the current trouble.

Ifill turned the questioning toward why would the Democrats raise taxes on people making over $250,00 a year and why would Republicans tax health benefits? Both candidates handled this topic well although Biden held the upper hand stating that the higher taxes were not a redistribution of wealth but that the middle class is the economic engine of America.

The next question dealt with what campaign promises cannot be kept with the financial demands of the Wall Street bailout? Biden admittted that spending would need to be reduced, especially in the area of foreign aid and said that McCain's tax cuts could not be implemented. I'm not sure what he meant by that because if Obama becomes president, it would be his tax plan that would be proposed. Sarah Palin insisted that McCain would be able to keep all of the promises that were conveyed in his plan.

During this point in the debate, Palin's confidence level grew and her replies became her agenda rather than the moderator's. She turned a line of questioning about bankruptcy law into a talk about energy and during another time asked Ifill, "Could we talk more about Afghanistan?"

Both candidates agreed on the definition of marriage being a union between one man and one woman but still believed in allowing civil rights to homosexual couples. They also agreed on protecting the state of Israel and military intervention in Darfur. They differed considerably on the cause of global warming, the exit strategy for Iraq, and diplomacy with enemies.

Palin addressed the fact that Biden has stated that Obama is not ready to be commander-in-chief, an opinion also carried by both Palin and McCain, as well as most Americans. Palin refused to stumble over Achminijad's name like McCain did last week. She was so proud of the proper pronounciation that she said the name at least five times but she mistakenly claimed our general in Afghanistan is McClellen when his name is McKiernan.

All in all, both candidates handled the debate extremely well. Palin asserted herself as confident and informed and Biden toned down the rhetoric and acted the complete gentleman. No real gaffes slipped from either's mouth. The match stayed close all night but with Sarah Palin as the underdog going in, we have to give her the win, 10 to 7. Looks like the race is back on!

Brownfield Advisory Board

Fort Myers city councilman Tom Leonardo recently nominated and the remainder of the council and mayor subsequently appointed me to serve a three year term on the Brownfields Advisory Board. The purpose of the Board is to promote and receive public comment on the identification, rehabilitation and redevelopment of Brownfield sites. The Board provides guidance in areas such as future land use, local employment opportunities, development proposals, community safety, and environmental justice as they relate to Brownfields. The Board reviews and recommends ways to encourage public interest and participation in the Brownfields initiative. The Board also assists in guiding and setting policy for the City's Brownfield Redevelopment Program.

I feel honored to serve in this position which allows me to utilize my credentials as a LEED Accredited Professional. Additionally, as a member of the United States Green Buiding Council (USGBC), I have a passion for the redevelopment of Brownfield sites and the good stewardship of our natural resources. I look forward to my first board meeting later this month.

VP Debate Anticipation

Although the second card of the fight and not the main event, the vice presidential debate may prove a bigger draw. Predictability surrounded the McCain-Obama debate. The skilled rhetorical orator versus the seasoned combat veteran left little to speculation. But a lot of uncertainty surrounds the matchup between Pitbull Palin and Bigmouth Biden. Will Sarah Palin hold her ground and not stammer as she did in an interview with a less intimidating Katie Couric? Palin may offer a surprise punch since few outside of Alaska realize her debating skill. Will the more experienced Biden, whose first political debate occured while Palin was in second grade, tone himself down enough to not come across as condescending and rude? All bets are off for this one folks. Tomorrow night's matchup should prove to be very entertaining.

Clinging to My Guns and Religion

“And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

These words have resonated eerily through my psyche since first uttered by Barack Obama back in April of this year. Our country's founding fathers ensured us certain inalienable rights when the first ten amendments to the constitution, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The First Amendment states in part: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; guaranteeing us opportunity for free expression without consequence. The Second Amendment ensures that the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Mr. Obama, I along with many others do cling dearly to these rights afforded to us by our forefathers; not to explain our frustrations, but out of love for our country. We have no desire to live in a world that touts a "one world religion" like proponents of the "new age" or abolition of religion like the former Soviet Union. We greatly respect our right to own firearms for self protection in a hostile world.

Additionally, we have no antipathy toward others who aren't like us but only a strong desire to see all people treated equally and no one receiving preferential treatment because of race. With the exception of the native American population, we are all essentially immigrants so we are not "anti-immigrant" as long as the immigration was acheived legally. And we're certainly not anti-trade; we just don't enjoy seeing our beloved country sold out to foreign interests.

Mr Obama, we may need change as you declare but as long as change is for the better. If change means restrictions on our expression of free speech or our ability to worship, we must say "no thanks". If change makes hand guns illegal, we must say "no thanks". If change means whining about a war to fight terror that costs $10 billion a month but allowing illegal immigrants access to our social programs at a cost of $300 billion per year, then we must again say "no thanks". If change means selling our assets to foreign interests and allowing a huge trade deficit, we must say "no thanks".

We do need change, Mr. Obama. We need a legislature that eliminates "pork barrel" spending and promises true tax reform rather than false boasts about tax cuts. We need affordable health care for all people. We need a strong military that deters the threat of terrorism anywhere on earth. We need repair of our economy and a system that allows people affordable home ownership. What we really need, Mr. Obama, is less rhetoric and more action. John McCain may not be the answer either but he's fought evil and has the scars to prove it!

As for me, I'll cling to my guns and religion; not as a way to express my frustration, but out of deep respect and reverence for a country that shines above all others. God bless the USA!