Let's talk baseball with Paul Greco!

Today, we spoke with Paul Greco, our favorite baseball analyst.

Paul is quite busy with lots of baseball and sports activities:

Check out the Talking Baseball Live Every Wednesday Night at 8pm ET

www.FantasyPros911.com VP of Business Operations

www.baseballdigest.com Associate Editor

Owner/Managing Editor www.gothambaseballmagazine.com

We spoke with Paul about the post season and other general baseball issues!

Click here for the show!

The new Pelosi bill will raise your taxes!

Let's go with the good news: You can read it in the Internet!

Let's go with the bad news: It is unreadable and incomprehensible!

This is from POLITICO:

"It runs more pages than War and Peace, has nearly five times as many words as the Torah, and its tables of contents alone run far longer than this story.

The House health care bill unveiled Thursday clocks in at 1,990 pages and about 400,000 words.

With an estimated 10-year cost of $894 billion, that comes out to about $2.24 million per word."

By the way, high school English teachers, as well as the attorneys called to interpret this monstrosity, will love this paragraph:

"“(a) Outpatient Hospitals – (1) In General – Section 1833(t)(3)(C)(iv) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395(t)(3)(C)(iv)) is amended – (A) in the first sentence – (i) by inserting “(which is subject to the productivity adjustment described in subclause (II) of such section)” after “1886(b)(3)(B)(iii); and (ii) by inserting “(but not below 0)” after “reduced”; and (B) in the second sentence, by inserting “and which is subject, beginning with 2010 to the productivity adjustment described in section 1886(b)(3)(B)(iii)(II)”."

What in the world does that mean?

And you thought that your private insurance was hard to read?

Wait until you have to read Pelosi's bill and the taxes that come with it! (CBO Puts House Health Bill Total Cost At $1.055 Trillion)

Ed Morrissey has more info on the taxes:

"Employer Mandate Excise Tax (Page 275):

If an employer does not pay 72.5 percent of a single employee’s health premium (65 percent of a family employee), the employer must pay an excise tax equal to 8 percent of average wages.

Small employers (measured by payroll size) have smaller payroll tax rates of 0 percent (<$500,000), 2 percent ($500,000-$585,000), 4 percent ($585,000-$670,000), and 6 percent ($670,000-$750,000).

Individual Mandate Surtax (Page 296):

If an individual fails to obtain qualifying coverage, he must pay an income surtax equal to the lesser of 2.5 percent of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) or the average premium. MAGI adds back in the foreign earned income exclusion and municipal bond interest.

Medicine Cabinet Tax (Page 324)

Cap on FSAs (Page 325)

Increased Additional Tax on Non-Qualified HSA Distributions (Page 326)

Denial of Tax Deduction for Employer Health Plans Coordinating with Medicare Part D (Page 327)

Surtax on Individuals and Small Businesses (Page 336)

Excise Tax on Medical Devices (Page 339)

Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting (Page 344)

Delay in Worldwide Allocation of Interest (Page 345)

Limitation on Tax Treaty Benefits for Certain Payments (Page 346)

Codification of the “Economic Substance Doctrine” (Page 349)

Application of “More Likely Than Not” Rule (Page 357)

Back to the bill: It is confusing and that's the point of this mindless proposal.

As I mentioned in a previous post, we could fix much of what ails our current system by doing two things:

1) Tort reform, i.e. let doctors treat patients rather than perform defensive medicine; and,

2) Letting consumers buy across state lines from the 1,300 insurance companies.

Of course, that's too logical and it does not create dependence, the underlying intention of BO-Care!

Also, we could take care of the 5-8 million people who can't afford insurance by simply having the state governments provide them with a private insurance policy.

Again, that's too simple!

We agree with IBD: A 1,990-Page Medical Monstrosity

"Both the House and the Senate are set to wreck the greatest health care system in the world — unless those now taking it for granted raise a ruckus, and fast."

On Tuesday, voters will speak.

It looks great for Republicans in Virginia, a state that voted Democrat in 2008 for the first time in 45 years. However, there is a lot of buyers' remorse in that state!

It looks very tight in New Jersey, a state driving residents out because of high taxes and regulations!

Let's see how Pelosi's bill looks after voters speak on Tuesday.

I have a funny feeling that voters will send a message to all of those Dems seeking re-election in 2010, specially all of those running in rural and suburban districts that voted for McCain!

Happy Halloween!

We need a little humor these days!

Enjoy your day.

My kids are too old for "trick and treating" but it's still fun to see the little ones at the door!

On second thought, my sons are probably attending some crazy Halloween party at A&M......it gets a little crazy at Texas A&M today!

P.S. "The Monster Mash" is the best Halloween "pop" song ever.

It was released in 1962 by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and gets lots of airplay every year:

"I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash He did the monster mash
The monster mash It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash It caught on in a flash
He did the mash He did the monster mash
From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes
They did the mash They did the monster mash
The monster mash It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash It caught on in a flash
They did the mash They did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man Dracula and his son
The scene was rockin',
all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains,backed by his baying hounds
The Coffin-Bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"
They played the mash They played the monster mash
The monster mash It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash It caught on in a flash
They played the mash They played the monster mash
Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"
It's now the mash It's now the monster mash The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash It's now the monster mash
Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you
Then you can mash Then you can monster mash
The monster mash And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash Then you can monster mash"

Afghanistan: Campaigning and governing are so different!

As times passes, more and more observers are expressing their opinions on Pres BO's deliberations or dithering about Afghanistan.

The Dallas Morning News' lead editorial today is right on target:

"The Obama administration is conveying an image of disarray at a time when it should be sending a clear message that America has a well-defined mission, a clear plan to execute it and the unwavering conviction to see it through." (DMN)

David Brooks goes beyond "disarray".

Brooks has been taking to war experts and finds that many are questioning Pres BO's toughness:

"They do not know if he possesses tenacity, the ability to fixate on a simple conviction and grip it, viscerally and unflinchingly, through complexity and confusion.

They do not know if he possesses the obstinacy that guided Lincoln and Churchill, and which must guide all war presidents to some degree."

I think that the war experts are right.

Of course, Pres BO faces growing Dem skepticism about the Afghanistan war.

I guess that we are now learning that the Dems were just giving campaign speeches about Afghanistan.

They weren't serious! It was a cynical political game designed to demonstrate that the Dems were not weak on national security.

At the same time, Pres BO faces the reality that we can't pull out anytime soon!

We are in the region and pulling out would emboldened terrorists who are watching Pres BO's character.

It's a terrible dilemma for a man who started out as an anti-war candidate!

It's a worse dilemma for a man who thought that he would go down as the "health care" and "climate change" president!

Campaigning and governing are so different, as Pres BO is learning second by second!

P.S. Pres BO is starting to get it from Europe, too:

"There is no doubt that hardly a day passes in Europe without criticism of US policy.

This has become a trans-Atlantic ritual.

But despite this ritual, Europeans are still looking for one thing from the White House: leadership."(Spiegel)

This is from Times of London: Do Something

"The President must show at least as much resolve as his British allies.

It does not seem a lot to ask."

A chat with Cathie Adams of The Texas Republican Party!

On today's show, Adryana Boyne and I spoke with Cathie Adams, the new Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.

We congratulate Mrs. Adams!

According to the Texas GOP website:

"Cathie Adams comes to the party from a long career supporting the conservative cause in Texas, as an election judge, a member of the district, state and national resolutions/platform committees; a Delegate to every senatorial and state convention since 1988; and a Delegate to the 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Republican National Conventions.

At the 2008 State Convention, Cathie was elected as the Republican National Committeewoman for Texas.

Adams has also served as president of the Texas Eagle Forum for 16 years."

We discussed the future of the party in Texas!

Click here for the show! We had a big rainstorm in Dallas and got some static in my phone line. Sorry for that!

We remember Agustin Lara

Like so many of you, I grew up listening to Agustin Lara's songs on our family's turntable.

My favorite Lara songs were recorded by Los Panchos, Pedro Vargas and other Latin American vocalists.

I can still recall my grandmother rocking on her favorite chair and humming one of Lara's songs. (She once told me that Lara was from Veracruz and then showed me the location on the map!)

Happy birthday Agustin Lara! (I can't confirm whether he was born in 1897 or 1900.....or October 1st or 30th! I have seen both dates in my research!)

We remember Mr. Lara on his birthday anyway!

Lara was, and continues to be, my favorite Mexican composer. I'm not an expert on Mexican music. Yet, I can't think of any other Mexican who comes close to writing words & music like Lara.

We remember Lara with two of my favorite compositions: "Solamente una vez" and "Farolito":

Who is going to protect the little girls of Afghanistan?

We like Tom Friedman of The NY Times.

In fact, his "The earth is flat" book was a good one!

Go to my Amazon box and buy it! You will enjoy it!

We definitely recommend it to the protectionist wing of the Dem party, i.e. "the we don't want Mexican trucks in the US" crowd!

Today, Mr Friedman wrote this:

"It is crunch time on Afghanistan, so here’s my vote:

We need to be thinking about how to reduce our footprint and our goals there in a responsible way, not dig in deeper.

We simply do not have the Afghan partners, the NATO allies, the domestic support, the financial resources or the national interests to justify an enlarged and prolonged nation-building effort in Afghanistan."

Let's review it:

1) Afghan partners? We don't have enough today. We need to assure them that we are not going to wimp out!

2) NATO allies? Mr Friedman is right We do not!

What happened to all of those excuses about not working with Pres Bush?

They have been replaced by excuses about not working with Pres Obama!

NATO is worthless and Pres BO needs to start telling the Euros something that they don't want to hear, such as "live up to your responsibilities"!

We can't continue to defend Europe if the Euros can't send 25,000 troops to the fight in Afghanistan!

We can't fight this bloody war with US, Canadian and UK troops!

3) Domestic support? The US public supports victory. Unfortunately, the US public has not heard the word "victory" from this politically correct president!

4) Resources? Our US$ 1.4 trillion deficit was not created by Afghanistan or Iraq!

5) National security? We can not afford to see Afghanistan turn into another lawless country run by terrorists.

Also, what's going to happen to the little girls going to school today?

Mr Friedman is having a little clash with reality.

It was fun to say that Afghanistan was the war of necessity when Mr Friedman and the liberals were out of power and just second guessing Pres Bush.

It's not fun anymore because Pres BO and the Dems now own the war! They told us that Afghanistan was the real war but do not have the stomach to turn campaign speeches into governing!

So Bush took his eye off the ball?

Not really!

Our forces devastated Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Where are the terrorists now?

They are in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

More importantly, they are also wondering if BO is tough enough to fight them!

P.S. I agree with Sen McCain:

"We must succeed in Afghanistan for many reasons, but one stands above all: the world walked away from Afghanistan once, and it descended into a cauldron of violence, hatred and human rights atrocities that served as the base for the worst terrorist attack in history against our homeland.

We cannot let that happen again, and we cannot let the Taliban and its al Qaeda allies conquer Afghanistan once more.

Failure of this kind would also destabilize the entire strategically vital region, including nuclear-armed Pakistan.

We know what it takes to succeed in Afghanistan: a resolute commitment to the principles of counterinsurgency, which turned Iraq around during the surge."

Sen McCain knows a thing or two about war and the sacrifices that soldiers make! He also has a history for telling people what they need to hear!

Taxes up in NY equals more Yankee fans move to Texas!

The "Bush cut taxes for the rich" crowd should take a look at New York: Escape From New York

"Between 2000 and 2008, the Empire State had a net domestic outflow of more than 1.5 million, the biggest exodus of any state, with most hailing from New York City.

The departures also have perilous budget consequences, since they tend to include residents who are better off than those arriving.

Statewide, departing families have income levels 13% higher than those moving in, while in New York County (home of Manhattan) the differential was even more severe.

Those moving elsewhere had an average income of $93,264, some 28% higher than the $72,726 earned by those coming in."

Guess what?

Raise taxes on the rich (i.e. the producers and taxpayers) and they will move out.

They will move to Texas and cheer the Yankees down here! They will move down here where we believe that people should keep their own money rather than give it to the government!

The "blame Bush" president is looking disoriented!

We have never seen anything like this before.

Pres BO can not speak two sentence without taking a cheap shot at Pres Bush.

We understand politics but this is unprecedented.

WILLIAM MCGURN nailed it:

"Whenever he must make a difficult decision, Mr. Obama complains it's Bush's fault."

Let's start with health care.

We have a Dem president with majorities in both houses. Yet, he continues to blame Republicans because his party can't write a bill.

Who has stalled health care legislation? The answer is Democrats who are afraid to run for reelection in 2010!

Over in Iraq, he implemented the Bush policy but refuses to say something gracious about his predecessor.

What about Bush's anti-terror policies?

Professor VD Hanson reminds us that Obama has not changed much. In fact, he has continued doing what Bush was doing:

"blame Bush the Impaler for our unpopularity and shredding the Constitution to pacify the Middle East and Europe;

while stealthily keeping in play most of his protocols like Predators (more attacks in last 9 months than Bush did in 3 years); tribunals, renditions, intercepts, wiretaps, and Guantanamo, etc.);

In Afghanistan, the "blame Bush" disease has now gone crazy.

It was candidate BO who attacked Pres Bush for not sending troops.

It was Pres BO who announced a new policy in March.

It is now Pres BO who refuses to take responsibility for Afghanistan.

We like partisan politics and we enjoy the punching that comes with it.

However, Pres BO has taken it to a new level.

Why?

Because he can't tell the liberal base that he is keeping the Bush policies in place! BO needs to keep the base distracted with attacks on Bush, Limbaugh, Cheney, FOX News, the insurance companies, the Chamber of Commerce, etc!

Charles Krauthammer spoke for many of us:

The Dems should listen to Sen Lieberman!

Today, Sen Lieberman said this about Sen Reid's latest proposal:

"“We’re trying to do too much at once,” said Lieberman.

“To put this government-created, government-run insurance company on top of everything else is just asking for trouble for the taxpayer, for the premium payer and for the national debt.

I don’t think we need it now.”

Lieberman said he was not placated by allowing states to opt out of the public option “because it still creates a whole new federal government entitlement program, for which taxpayers will eventually be on the line.”" (TheHill)

Sen Lieberman is right! Somebody understands economics and job creation and his name is Joe Lieberman!

We like the WSJ: Lieberman Steps Up

"Bravo, Joe.

It's a relief to see at least someone standing up to the Washington rush to rearrange 18% of the U.S. economy without carefully inspecting the cost and the consequences."

Beyond debating the bill, and its costs, we can't afford this at this point!

We can't dump another entitlement on the back of taxpayers and employers at this time.

Also, what in the world do we mean by opting out of the public option? How do the states do that? Can taxpayers opt out of the taxes?

As we indicated before, it's time to stop all of this health care stuff and concentrate on growing the economy!

P.S. Sen Lieberman is technically not a Dem anymore. He lost the 2006 primary but won as an independent.

Today, we saw this: Moveon.org Issues Warning to Democrats Opposed to 'Public Option'

The Dems should listen to Sen Lieberman rather than moveon.org!

A chat with Dan Riehl and Laura R Crain!

On Tuesday, we spoke with a couple of very interesting people.

First, we met Dan Riehl of Riehl World View, a fascinating blog! Check it out!

Second, we met Laura Ramirez Drain! She is a strong conservative and friend of the cause!

Click here for the show!

We like Mr Hoffman in NY-23!

We want a big Republican party. We want to be the majority party again!

And we don't like to tell New York Republicans how to nominate a candidate!

However, we also believe that the Republican Party has to stand for something, i.e. conservative principles.

We support Doug Hoffman in he upcoming special election in New York's 23rd district.

We agree with The NY Post:

"No, Republicans needn't toe the conservative line without any deviation.

Moderate GOPers like Rudy Giuliani have managed to stray on some issues without wholly betraying their party.

But a Republican should adhere to certain minimum GOP principles.

Scozzafava is just too far to the left too often."

Why vote for such a Republican?

We understand that northern Republicans are not as conservative as we are in the South.

I'm OK with that!

Again, let's take Rudy Giuliani.

He was to my left on abortion. Again, I can live with pro-choice Republicans! Most pro-choice Republican believe that voters, not judges, should decide abortion!

However, Rudy-G is tough on national security, free markets and a strong opponent of judicial activism.

Mr. Hoffman's campaign got a big boost from today's Gallup poll: Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group

"Conservatives continue to outnumber moderates and liberals in the American populace in 2009, confirming a finding that Gallup first noted in June.

Forty percent of Americans describe their political views as conservative, 36% as moderate, and 20% as liberal.

This marks a shift from 2005 through 2008, when moderates were tied with conservatives as the most prevalent group."

We are a right-center country.

We need more Republicans who understand that and will stand up to Pres BO and the coastal liberals who are pushing this country in the wrong direction!

We are leading in Virginia's gubernatorial race. We are too close to call in New Jersey, primarily because a 3rd party candidate is taking votes from Republican Mr Christie.

We need to make a stand in NY-23!

We are Republicans and we believe in conservative principles.

Go Mr. Hoffman! You can do it!

Say "No" to BO-Care!

Since August, the Obama White House has been on a war footing against health care critics!

And the Dems don't have the votes: Where Are the Senate Votes?

Let's look at this marvelous op-ed piece by Arthur Brooks: Why Government Health Care Keeps Falling in the Polls

"Many are searching for explanations.

One popular notion is that demagogues in the media are stirring up falsehoods against what they say is a long-overdue solution to the country's health-care crisis.

Americans deserve more credit.

They haven't been brainwashed, and they aren't upset merely over the budget-busting details.

Rather, public resistance stems from the sense that the proposed reforms do violence to three core values of America's free enterprise culture:

individual choice, personal accountability, and rewards for ambition."

BO-Care runs against a basic difference between Americans and most people around the world.

It is the primary reason that the US is the most prosperous country in the history of the world.

Americans believe in free markets and personal responsibility.

We will turn into a "Euro-welfare state" the day that we stop believing that!

P.S. Speaking of polls, Rasmussen confirms what Mr. Brooks is saying:

"If the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats passes, 57% of voters nationwide believe it will raise the cost of health care, and 53% believe the quality of care will get worse.

That’s part of the reason that just 45% support the plan.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% are opposed to it."

Weren't these the people who told us that Bush spent too much money?

Remember the Dems two favorite lines during the Bush years?

1) "We took our eye off the ball" in Afghanistan!

2) Bush is mortgaging your grandchildren's future!

Forgive me but the Dems have a little explaining to do!

The WSJ has a devastating editorial about Pres BO's spending:

"he White House disclosed the other day that the fiscal 2009 budget deficit clocked in at $1.4 trillion, amid the usual promises to do something about it.

Yet even as budget director Peter Orszag was speaking, House Democrats were moving on a dozen spending bills for fiscal 2010 that total 12.1% in more domestic discretionary increases.

Yes, 12.1%."

Sorry but you can't do this without running into a wall of reality down the road!

Pres BO hates questions but someone in the media needs to raise his hand and ask a simple question:

How can we continue to run deficits (10% of GDP), dream up entitlements (US$ 1 trillion) and increase spending by 12%?

When will we get a huge tax increase to pay for BO's dreams?

When will the invoice (i.e. taxes for the middle classes) arrive in your mailbox?

We spent 8 years hearing that Pres Bush ran unprecedented deficits!

Really?

3% of GDP vs 10% under Obama?

I think that Bush looks a lot like a miser in the company of Obama and the liberals!

Another liberal can't understand the BO-FOX feud!

(A very good one from Lucianne.com!)

Lanny Davis is one of many (many) liberals who offers opinions on FOX News!

Why do so many Dems watch FOX News? Perhaps they enjoy watching all of those Liberal vs Conservative debates that FOX News has patented!

Who said that FOX News does not have a liberal host? Is anybody watching Geraldo Rivera on the weekends? Does it get any more pro-BO than Rivera these days? Did anybody watch Rivera defending BO on Afghanistan last night?

Anyway, back to the BO-FOX feud!

Lanny Davis just posted the obvious: White House Campaign Against Fox Wasteful Distraction

Yes, BO's White House should listen to Lanny Davis, a real friend. Davis is advising BO's White House to fight for something else, such as terrorists and a record budget deficit!

Congratulations: 40 AL flags for the Yankees

Move over everybody because no one does it like The NY Yankees.

What else can you say about an organization with 40 AL pennants?

Earlier this season, I wrote that I want Derek Jeter to get his 5th ring.....Jeter has 4 and needs another one to join Berra, DiMaggio, Mantle, Ruth and Gehrig!

Last night, Jeter and his Yankees showed why they will be tough to beat in the upcoming series.

First, starting pitching: Sabathia! Petite! Burnett!

Closer: Rivera!

Middle of the order: ARod, Texeira and Matsui!

Intangible: Derek Jeter, one of the greatest Yankee winners ever!

Congratulations to the NY Yankees!

What happens when the Yankees play one of my favorite NL teams, like the Phillies?

I want a 7-game series with no errors!

Lots of happy Cowboys!

How do you shut up all of the sports radio talking-heads? I mean all of those "sunshine patriots" who love the Cowboys when they win and "talk trash" when the lose!

You play a great game and beat a good team like Atlanta: Dallas Cowboys dominate Falcons, 37-21!

The Cowboys played very well after the first quarter. In fact, they dominated Atlanta beyond any one's expectations.

Let's start with Tony Romo, who was outstanding in the 2nd half: 21 of 29 for 311 yards and 3 TDs!

Where was Austin Miles in the first 4 games? Miles had another outstanding day:

"Austin caught six passes for 171 yards and the two TDs in his second career start.

He had a club-record 250 yards and two touchdowns, including the winner, in his first start, against the Chiefs, and is quickly moving into the NFL leaderboard in both categories.

He can also now be legitimately considered the big-play threat Dallas lost when it cut Terrell Owens."

Again, where was Miles? Who kept this guy off the field?

Overall, it was a very important victory because the local talk shows were too negative!

I'm sure that they will be a lot more positive next week!

What did the team cook feed the team on Sunday?

I don't know but do it again next week!

Pres Calderon is right about police reforms!

A few years ago, a Mexican told me the story of the two young women attending and living near SMU.

One evening, the two young women came home and found that someone broke into their apartment.

The American girl said: Call the police!

The Mexican girl said: Why do you want to do that?

It's a simple story but it speaks volumes about police attitudes north and south of the border.

Up here, we think that the police is on our side.

Down in Mexico, you can't be sure!

On a more serious note, Pres Calderon is now pushing for police reforms.

His good work is being recognized, specially by The Wall Street Journal: Mexico's Cops Seek Upgrade

"The challenge is enormous.

The average Mexican cop never made it past the eighth grade.

Some can't read or write.

Many Mexicans' only contact with a beat cop comes when they pay $5 bribes to get out of traffic stops.

In some cities like Tijuana, well ovk

In 2007, local cops in the Pacific resort town of Rosarito ambushed a new police chief drafted to help clean things up. He lived, but his bodyguard didn't."

It's a huge task but it can be done over time.

Back in the late 1920's, i.e. the days of Prohibition and gangs in Chicago, the US government tacked police corruption.

Eventually, the FBI trained a professional group of agents who cleaned up corrupt police ranks and took back the streets from the criminals.

Check out this FBI story: Lawless Years: 1921 - 1933

Or just rent a copy of "The Untouchables" or "The Godfather"!

It can be done but it will take time in Mexico. Unfortunately, Mexico is starting out in a much deeper hole than the US back then. Sadly, Mexico's political class did not pay sufficient attention, or direct enough resources, to create and train a professional police force.

Nevertheless, we congratulate Pres Calderon's vision of a modern Mexico and a police system that citizens can be proud of!

Iran and deadlines: Haven't we seen this movie before?

The Economist has the details:

"IRAN has again failed to do deadlines. It has been evading them in the seven years since an opposition group first outed its extensive covert nuclear programme, despite five UN Security Council resolutions that have told it to halt its suspect nuclear work."

Bill Katz adds his thoughts:

"The Iranians are playing for time.

They will have the bomb.

And they may use it - not necessarily by putting it on the tip of a missile, but by smuggling it into a target country, and setting it off, leaving no fingerprints."

The WSJ has a great editorial:

"The mullahs know that President Obama is eager to show diplomatic gains from his engagement strategy, and they are going to exploit that eagerness to get every possible concession.

The one thing Iran has shown no desire to bargain over is its intention to become a nuclear power."

So much for hope and change!

So much for "not meddling" and upset the Iranian leaders who were shooting their people weeks ago!

We say happy # 83 to Chuck Berry, one of the Founding Fathers of rock music!

Chuck Berry celebrated another big birthday this week!

Here is a quote from John Lennon of The Beatles:

"If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."

Here is a quote from Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones:

"To me, Chuck Berry always was the epitome of rhythm and blues playing, rock and roll playing."

Chuck Berry was a huge influence on The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. He was the father of those rock guitar rifts that we grew up listening to!

In fact, it's hard to think of rock and roll without Chuck Berry!

According to his official website:

"Born in St. Louis on October 18, 1926 Berry had many influences on his life that shaped his musical style......

Berry, also known as "The Father of Rock & Roll", gained success by watching the audience's reaction and playing accordingly, putting his listeners' amusement above all else.

For this reason, tunes like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene" and "Memphis" have become anthems to an integrated American youth and popular culture.

Berry is a musical icon who established rock and roll as a musical form and brought the worlds of black and white together in song."

His songs were all over the charts!

His songs were covered by just about every rock group, including the afformentioned Beatles and Rolling Stones!

We are so happy to say "happy birthday" to a real American legend, the one and only Chuck Berry!

Our first video is "Roll over Beethoven", a song also recorded by The Beatles:

"I'm gonna write a little letter, gonna mail it to my local DJ

It's a rockin' rhythm record I want my jockey to play

Roll Over Beethoven, I gotta hear it again today

You know, my temperature's risin' and the jukebox blows a fuse

My heart's beatin' rhythm and my soul keeps on singin' the blues

Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news

I got the rockin' pneumonia, I need a shot of rhythm and blues

I think I'm rollin' arthritis sittin' down by the rhythm review

Roll Over Beethoven rockin' in two by two

Well, if you feel you like it go get your lover, then reel and rock it

Roll it over and move on up just a trifle further

and reel and rock it, roll it over,

Roll Over Beethoven rockin' in two by two

Well, early in the mornin' I'm a givin' you a warnin'

don't you step on my blue suede shoes

Hey diddle diddle, I am playin' my fiddle,

ain't got nothin' to lose

Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news

You know she wiggles like a glow worm,

dance like a spinnin' top

She got a crazy partner, oughta see 'em reel and rock

Long as she got a dime the music will never stop

Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven,

Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven,

Roll Over Beethoven and dig these rhythm and blues"

The second video is "You never can tell", about the newlyweds who couldn't stop dancing. This is a great homemade video! Congratulations to the young couple who put Chuck Berry's song to their video:

"It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well

You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle

And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell,

"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale

The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,

But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well

"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast

Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz

But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell

"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53,

They drove it down New Orleans to celebrate their anniversary

It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle

"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell"