Gronkowski loses the boot off his left foot for good

NY was hoping & praying Gronkowski was sidelined but you can't keep a guy like Gronk down.....not when it means this much to him and the team...NY better look out.

Go Gronkowski....show'em how it's done. Although he has not been stamped " A-OK" for Sunday, the likelihood of him sitting out the big day is nil.


Gronkowski loses the boot
January, 31, 2012
Jan 3110:54AM
By Mike Reiss / Yahoo Sports

INDIANAPOLIS -- New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski showed up at Super Bowl XLVI media day Tuesday without a walking boot on his sprained left ankle, but took a Belichickian approach to questions surrounding his availability for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

Rob Gronkowski said Tuesday the walking boot was off his left foot for good. “I don’t know yet (if I’ll be able to play Sunday),” Gronkowski told a throng of reporters at Lucas Oil Stadium. "We’re going day by day. Making new steps every day, feeling better every day. That’s a positive sign and you just want to keep going in the right direction. I want to be out there with the team obviously. I want to help out the team obviously. Just taking it step by step, getting better every single day.”

Earlier this week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick dubbed Gronkowski “day to day” as well.

Gronkowski said the walking boot was gone for good (“It’s off. No more boot.”) and said he would spend Tuesday’s non-practice day with trainers.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took Gronkowski losing the boot as a positive sign.

"Well he's obviously making progress, he's out of his boot today, which is making me feel better,” Brady said. “I told him to write ‘Hi Mom’ on his sock, because there will be a lot of pictures today. ... No one is as tough as him, he makes our offense go. Hopefully we have him out there."

Can Gronkowski imagine not playing in the Super Bowl?

“Yeah, but I’m not really worried about whether I’m playing or not yet,” Gronkowski said. “That’s on Sunday. The only thing I’m worried about is Tuesday, which is today, to get better today. Keep on improving today. Keep on getting stronger today, keep on progressing today. Just keep on moving forward, going in a positive direction. That’s what counts.”

The 22-year-old tight end hasn’t practiced since suffering a high ankle sprain in the AFC Championship Game and wasn’t sure whether he would practice this week, either. When asked if he thought he could be effective against the Giants without having practice, Gronkowski said he trusted the team to do whatever was best.

“I’m not sure (if I could be effective without having practiced). That’s why I’m with the training staff,” Gronkowski said. “I trust in the organization here. I trust in the coaches. I trust in all the trainers to get me ready for whatever I gotta do. When Sunday comes aloig, they’ll have me at my best, where I need to be.”

Gronkowski called the high ankle sprain “nagging, sore” and added he didn’t “want to look back and say you didn’t try everything to get on the field.”

Gronkowski has dominated headlines at Super Bowl XLVI, in part because of his importance to the Patriots' offense. He totaled 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and a tight-end record 17 touchdowns in the regular season and at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds is a dominant presence in the red zone. He started all 16 games and seldom, if ever, comes off the field.

Considering the Patriots don't have a backup for Gronkowski on the roster and that they run more than 80 percent of their snaps with two or more tight ends on the field, it's no wonder his status is being monitored so closely.

All indications point to Gronkowski suiting up for the Super Bowl, the bigger question is how effective he will be and how much the Patriots will have to alter their game plan.

"There is a difference between hurt, sore and banged up,” Gronkowski said. "In the NFL you definitely have to play hurt."

Gronkowski also joked about his father revealing the nature of his injury to a New York television station, telling reporters to give his father a call if they wanted information.

"He'll give it up," Gronkowski said

New England Patriots focus on the Game

THIS is part of what makes NEW ENGLAND the team to beat...many others would rehash the past...Not Belichick, not Brady. They have only one focus - WINNING on Super Bowl Sunday.

NY best understand that the other games mean little to New England. The Patriots will do their talking on the field.

Patriots not interested in past meetings
January, 30, 2012
James Walker - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS -- The AFC champion New England Patriots made one thing clear in their first two days at Super Bowl XLVI: They have little interest in rehashing past meetings against the New York Giants.

New England suffered recent losses to the Giants in big games -- both this past regular season and in Super Bowl XLII. Giants quarterback Eli Manning provided a pair of dramatic, fourth-quarter drives to seal it for New York.

Naturally, there will be a ton of questions for the Patriots this week whether the Giants have momentum, or have their number. The Patriots just won’t entertain them.

"This team doesn't talk, not about the past," Patriots veteran receiver Deion Branch said.

New England head coach Bill Belichick is leading the charge in not reflecting on previous games against New York.

"This team is this team," Belichick said. "I think our team is different than what it was at midseason, different than what it was in December. I think the Giants are a different team from when we played them in November."

Regardless, New York comes in very confident after being one of three teams to beat the Patriots this year. The Giants also had the tougher road through the playoffs, beating the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

Both teams have improved as the season has gone on, leading to Sunday's big matchup with everything on the line.

"You could take a little bit as far as the personnel, but as far as our game plan is concerned, you really can't take too much," Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "They've had an extra week to prepare, so have we, and I'm sure we’ll have a lot of different looks for them."

Over 279,000 Federal Workers Owe $3.4 Billion in Back Taxes....

Tax time has rolled around again. At least for you & me. There are far too many others who because they work within the US Government, see taxes as something for the "little people" to worry about.

The figures below should make you as upset as I feel. We could use the $3.4 Billion owed right about now, and not for more wasteful spending, but for things that benefit all like improved infrastructure, defense and approving
no-brainers like the Keystone Pipeline which will assist us in being more energy independent.

All I know is if you or I owed taxes like this, the IRS would be more than happy to assess us with a large penalty and other measures designed to get us to pay up soon....so why is it any different for the 279,000 who work for the taxpayers????

Over 279,000 Federal Workers Owe $3.4 Billion in Back Taxes

Over 279,000 federal workers and retirees owed more than $3.4 billion in back income taxes in 2010 (up from $3.3 billion in 2009, $3.0 billion in 2008, and $2.7 billion in 2007).

The cabinet departments with the largest percentages of employee/retiree tax deadbeats are:

Housing & Urban Development: 3.89%
Education: 3.88%
Army: 3.83%
Veterans Affairs: 3.78%
Commerce: 3.54%
Health & Human Services: 3.51%
Defense: 3.19%
Air Force: 3.11%
Navy: 3.05%
State: 2.94%

Other departments and agencies:

U.S. Office of Government Ethics: 6.49%
Federal Reserve Board: 4.86%
U.S. House of Representatives: 4.24%
U.S. Senate: 3.08%
SEC: 2.50%
U.S. Tax Court: 2.25%
Treasury Department: 0.96% (the lowest delinquency rate among cabinet departments)

The Calm Before the Storm

One week from today,things will be different. Parties will be in full swing by early afternoon and many will be looking forward to an evening filled with Football and overpriced commercials that have become part of the festivities.

Today, we are still bombarded with lots of hype, talking heads and speculation.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the way the ball bounces and who makes a mistake at the wrong time. The New England Patriots and the NY Giants are equally matched, both possess good players and have the ability to get inside the red zone to score.

In the end, all the talk in the world won't matter more than what happens when one team gets the ball and the other team screws up. It is as simple as that and the game comes down to those key plays when the momentum shifts.

I'm with New England on this one as they have the right stuff and NY has been running on a streak of luck that is about to come to an end.

A closer game than most but I see it at New England 27 - NY 13.

Until next week, when we will see it play out, we will just have to wait.

Tim Thomas - MVP and Patriot

There's a reason why Tim Thomas was the League MVP last year....There's a reason why he has the phrase " Don't tread on me" on his helmet.

I'm sorry so many of the media got unglued because Tim Thomas has integrity and won't be used for a political photo-op with the feckless pol in the White House.

It takes COURAGE to stand up for yourself and that is something Tim Thomas has in spades....too bad this simple concept is something that most of the media can't grasp. I salute Tim Thomas as he has my respect. The Fool in the White House, not so much.

Thanks Tim. True Patriots stand with you for making a gutsy and strong stand against all that is wrong in Washington, DC. " Protest is Patriotic" was what we heard from the DEMS over the previous administration's term.....now, they are 100% against it because it involves protesting the person they prefer.

Tim Thomas is a MVP and I can easily see why....we need more Patriots like him. If more people stood up for what is right, we would have less of the embarrassments we see in government. There is very little leadership among our politicians. We need more people like Tim Thomas who are willing to call it like it is and are not afraid to take a stand.

Put Americans back to work and the economy will be fixed - It's a no brainer

Over the last week, beyond the stories about the Super Bowl, Obama's failed SOTU address, etc., the election campaigns have been putting out non-stop information about what they will do if they are elected.

The President has sat on his hands for three years, so his sudden interest in jobs is disengenious and his only effort on jobs is if he can provide lots of government $$$ for the unions. This will not get more Americans working, only fatten the cofferes of his political allies. The GOP'ers are also talking jobs but in a different fashion working with the private sector. That is where jobs need to be created.

From USA Today on 01/26/12 - " Applications for unemployment benefits have been trending downward the past few months. Just two week ago, applications had plummeted to their lowest level since April 2008. And the average has fallen about 9% since Oct. 1.

But the week ending Jan. 21, initial claims increased 21,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell to 377,500, the government added."

To fix the economy, get America on track again and resolve issues at home, we need to put people back to work. It is that simple. Not busy work jobs like the President offered with his road repair & signs debacle but real jobs. Career positions that pay a good wage and offer benefits that people can afford. The kind of jobs where you can build a future.

No amount of hot-air out of Washington, DC will fill the need until we can get people back to work. Those with degrees should be able to do more than apply to Starbucks. Those with techincal educations should be able to do more than run a register at Target. By creating good paying jobs for them, we will open positions at these other places for younger workers who need the experience of a starter job.

It is that simple. If you can understand, and I understand this simple concept, why can't we get the ones who make the key decisions at companies to understand also ?

Until this changes, and jobs are available, the economy will plod along as no one has extra $$$ to spend. That is why the average age of a car on the road in America is 10.8 years old, the higest average ever. No one can afford to replace the cars they are driving.

10 months until the election and American workers need a new President who understands this simple need to get America back on track. If we hire Americans and provide them with good jobs, the economy will improve. It is that simple

SOTU

Lies, Lies and more Damn Lies...If he told the truth, it would have sounded more like this cartoon....

Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas shows courage and takes a hit from the media

I was able to listen to the media outlets pile on Boston Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas yesterday for not attending the White House visit with the Bruins yesterday. The media were in full dump mode as I heard radio, print and TV reporters all say that what he did was wrong.

To the pundits and the media, I say you are wrong.

Tim Thomas was exercising his right to protest the issues that are wrong with Washington, DC and especially the light weight in the White House. " Protest is Patriotic " was the mantra we heard from the lefty looney libs for 8 years when President Bush was in the White House. The level of venom they directed against anyone and every one in power they didn't like was unbelievable.

Now, because the Bruins Goalie has issue with the way our Government is mis-managed, suddenly protesting is wrong? He should give up his moral and ethical indignation and make nice-nice with those who are driving our country into a ditch ?

I support Tim Thomas. If you feel that attending a White House Photo-op is something you don't want to do, then you are well within your rights not to attend.

If this was done when there was another President in place, I would feel the same as the day we condemn civil protest, we are on a slippery slope. Tim Thomas made a polite and mature protest. He didn't camp out on the White House lawn, or demand payment from the government. He declined an invititation. It is up each individual person to decide on whether to go, not the media.

Courage is taking a difficult stand when all around you are pressuring you to give in. Thanks Tim for making and taking the tough stand.

We stand with you.

PATRIOTS WIN UGLY......And get a return trip to the SUPER BOWL

Talk about winning Ugly.....Damn.

Even our star QB summed it up (and touched on how bad we were)
Brady: 'I sucked pretty bad, but our defense saved us'

All that matters is the PATS win, RAVENS lose and we are going to the SUPER BOWL. Awesome......

Patriots headed back to Super Bowl
Trip sealed when Ravens kicker misses game-tying field goal attempt
By Shalise Manza Young
Boston Globe Staff / January 22, 2012

FOXBOROUGH – The New England Patriots are headed to the seventh Super Bowl in franchise history after a hard-fought, edge-of-your-seat, 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game that was only sealed when Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff pulled a potentially game-tying 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds to play wide left.

The miss was jaw-dropping for Baltimore players, who stood on the sideline in disbelief and set off a wild celebration at Gillette Stadium. Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, who had a huge role in the game, took off his helmet, his arms outstretched, steam coming off his bald head and bare arms.

After being battered all season, the New England defense forced the Ravens’ field goal on the game's final possession. Rookie Sterling Moore, who earlier missed a tackle on Torrey Smith that led to a touchdown, bounced back mightily, breaking up two end zone pass attempts from Joe Flacco on the Ravens' final possession.

The snap and hold looked good for Cundiff’s kick, but he simply misfired from a manageable distance.

As the Patriots waited to receive the Lamar Hunt Trophy given to the AFC Champions, signs honoring team owner Robert Kraft’s wife Myra, who died on July 20, were everywhere, from the patches on players’ jerseys, to the signs in the stands from fans who waved giant “MHK” and “Win it for Myra” posters.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady plunged one yard over the goal line on fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter to put New England on top, 23-20. Brady completed only 22 of 36 passes for 239 yards and no touchdowns, and harshly criticized his performance in a television interview afterward.

"I sucked pretty bad today, but our defense saved us," Brady said.

Flacco had pulled the Ravens ahead, 20-16, when he hit Smith on a 29-yard pass play that Smith ended by diving for the pylon. Flacco was 22-for-36 for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

In the first half, the game was as tight as it was expected it would be, though New England may have squandered some early chances. The Patriots went into the locker room up 13-10 – they had the ball with just under a minute to play and with two timeouts in hand, but opted to take two knees rather than try to get more points.

The early opportunities came on the Pats’ first three possessions: New England started at their own 40, own 39 and own 40, but was only able to score three points despite the short fields.

In the opening minutes, the Patriots’ defense was the story, as it came out strong. Baltimore lost the coin toss but the Patriots, as is their custom, elected to defer, and forced a three-and-out, with Mark Anderson bringing Flacco down from behind when he tucked the ball on third down and tried to run for it.

On Baltimore’s second possession, it faced a third-and-3, but Vince Wilfork pressured Flacco and Anderson took him down for a seven-yard sack.

Wilfork came up huge the next time the Ravens had the ball, bringing Ricky Williams down by his jersey – while Wilfork himself was on the ground – for a five-yard loss, and then abused center Matt Birk on third-and-long, getting a five-yard sack of Flacco and forcing another punt.

After a quick three-and-out, the first time they got the ball, the Patriots offense was more effective the second time out, getting some luck along the way. On second-and-9 from the Baltimore 27, Brady looked for Wes Welker. The ball was high, and Welker batted it up; Bernard Pollard grabbed the ball out of the air, but the interception came off the board because cornerback Lardarius Webb was flagged for illegal contact. New England kept the ball and got a first down.

Six plays later – after Brady overthrew tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was wide-open, in the seam for what would have been a touchdown -- Stephen Gostkowski put a 29-yard field goal through the uprights for the first points of the game.

While the first potential interception was wiped out by a penalty, the Patriots weren’t so lucky the second time. After Wilfork’s sack led to a Ravens punt, Brady’s pass for Julian Edelman ended up in the hands of Webb, who made a great catch falling backward, similar to an interception think Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty made in San Diego last season.

Baltimore tied the score off the turnover, with a 42-yard pass from Flacco to rookie Smith on the first play putting the offense into New England territory quickly. When a third-down dumpoff to Anquan Boldin was just short of a first down, the Ravens took a short field goal.

The Patriots responded with something and someone we haven’t seen much of recently: the ground game and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The running back picked up 24 yards on the first two plays from scrimmage, then later in the drive saw his helmet yanked off while he was running by linebacker Dennell Ellerbe.

The penalty gave the Pats first-and-goal from the 7; on the next play, Brady went right back to Green-Ellis, who got some nice blocks from Logan Mankins and Welker on his way to the touchdown.

The Ravens once again tied the game, getting two big plays: on first down, old foe Lee Evans, who is in his first season with Baltimore after beginning his career with the Bills, had a 20-yard gain; two plays later, Boldin broke through the tackle of Kyle Arrington and ended up gaining 37 yards.

Flacco hit tight end Dennis Pitta in the front of the end zone for the score.

The Patriots added a 35-yard field goal before halftime, then upped their lead to six points just off the half on another short field goal.

Two key plays on the drive came when Brady picked up four yards on second-and-1, getting up and barking at linebacker Ray Lewis, and on third-and-6, when Aaron Hernandez caught a screen behind the line of scrimmage and put a nice move on Pollard for a 12-yard gain.

But the Ravens answered right back, going 78 yards in 11 plays for their first lead of the game, then getting the ball right back when Danny Woodhead was stripped on the ensuing kickoff return. The New England defense made a big stop, with McCourty breaking up a pass in the end zone and James Ihedigbo sacking Flacco on third down to force a field goal

The New England Patriots are on the hunt for Ravens

The New England Patriots are going to wring the necks of these dirty Baltimore Birds when they come to Foxboro on Sunday....and then on to the Super Bowl !!

Politics vs. Jobs - Obama rejects Keystone XL pipeline from Canada

It just doesn't make sense....Jobs, energy & better relations with our neighbor Canada. But then again, nothing the President does has made much sense.

OMG...Obama Must Go.

Re-Election Obsessed Obama Goes Political On Keystone
By ROBERT J. SAMUELSON
Posted 01/19/2012 Investors.com

President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico is an act of national insanity. It isn't often that a president makes a decision that has no redeeming virtues and — beyond the symbolism — won't even advance the goals of the groups that demanded it.

All it tells us is that Obama is so obsessed with his re-election that, through some sort of political calculus, he believes placating his environmental supporters will improve his chances.

Aside from the political and public relations victory, environmentalists won't get much. Stopping the pipeline won't halt the development of tar sands, to which the Canadian government is committed; therefore, there will be little effect on global warming emissions.

Indeed, Obama's decision might add to them. If Canada builds a pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific for export to Asia, moving all that oil across the ocean by tanker will create extra emissions. Then there's the risk of added spills.

Now consider how Obama's decision hurts the United States. For starters, it insults and antagonizes a strong ally; getting future Canadian cooperation on other issues will be harder.

Next, it threatens a large source of relatively secure oil that, combined with new discoveries in the U.S., could reduce (though not eliminate) our dependence on insecure foreign oil.

Finally, Obama's decision forgoes all the project's jobs. There's some dispute over the magnitude. Project sponsor TransCanada claims 20,000, split between construction (13,000) and manufacturing (7,000) of everything from pumps to control equipment.

Apparently, this refers to "job years," meaning one job for one year. If so, the actual number of jobs would be about half that spread over two years. Whatever the figure, it's in the thousands and important in a country hungering for work. And Keystone XL is precisely the sort of infrastructure project that Obama claims to favor.

The big winners are the Chinese. They must be celebrating their good fortune and wondering how the crazy Americans could repudiate such a huge supply of nearby energy. There's no guarantee that tar-sands oil will go to China; pipelines to the Pacific would have to be built. But it creates the possibility when the oil's natural market is the U.S.

There are three things to remember about Keystone and U.S. energy policy.

First, we're going to use lots of oil for a long time. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that American oil consumption will increase 4% between 2009 and 2035

The increase occurs despite highly optimistic assumptions about vehicle fuel efficiency and bio-fuels. But a larger population (390 million in 2035 versus 308 million in 2009) and more driving per vehicle offset savings.

The more oil we produce domestically and import from neighbors, the more we're insulated from dramatic interruptions of global supplies. After the U.S., Canada is the most dependable source of oil — or was until Obama's decision.

Second, barring major technological breakthroughs, emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, will rise for similar reasons. The EIA projects that America's CO2 emissions will increase by 16% from 2009 to 2035. Stopping Canadian tar-sands development, were that possible, wouldn't affect these emissions.

Finally, even if — as Keystone critics argue — some Canadian oil were refined in the United States and then exported, this would be a good thing. The exports would probably go mostly to Latin America. They would keep well-paid industrial jobs (yes, refining) in the U.S. and reduce our trade deficit in oil, which exceeded $300 billion in 2011.

By law, Obama's decision was supposed to reflect "the national interest." His standard was his political interest. The State Department had spent three years evaluating Keystone and appeared ready to approve the project by year-end 2011. Then the administration, citing opposition to the pipeline's route in Nebraska, reversed course and postponed a decision to 2013 — after the election.

Now, reacting to a congressional deadline to decide, Obama rejected the proposal. But he also suggested that a new application with a modified Nebraska route — already being negotiated — might be approved, after the election. So the sop tossed to environmentalists could be temporary. The cynicism is breathtaking

Captain Obama ran it up on the rocks, that's for sure

Where are the Carriers??

To allow a red pen of congressional staffers to accomplish what the USSR couldn't do back in the day would be a travesty. The fools of Capital Hill have spent us into a corner and to think that part of the penance for their sins is to lower our naval defenses at this point in history is fool hardy.

Cut Congress' perks and staff long beforewe are forced into a crisis and allow the answer to the question of " Where are the Carriers??" to be " In mothballs, sir."

New Navy budgets may sink plans for aircraft carriers
Fight is on to save flattop fleet
By Rowan Scarborough
-
The Washington Times

On the surface, the Navy's cherished fleet of 11 active aircraft carriers seems safe from President Obama's budget slashers.

Conventional wisdom says the requirement to cut $488 billion from the Pentagon within 10 years will not necessitate banishing a single carrier because the president's military strategy focuses on two carrier-dependent regions: Asia, where China is building a robust navy, and the Persian Gulf, where Iran threatens to block international oil shipping.

As Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta prepares to introduce the strategy's first budget next month, the Navy has been in a furious fight behind the scenes to protect only 10 carriers, sources familiar with the issue told The Washington Times.

The sources say that, while the fiscal 2013 budget may well continue 11 carriers, the Navy will be down to 10 or even nine carriers within in the next five years.

A carrier typically transports about 80 aircraft and leads a battle group comprising 7,500 sailors, a guided-missile cruiser, two guided-missile destroyers, an attack submarine and a supply ship. Eliminating one carrier battle group would save billions of dollars.

In addition, the Navy complements its carriers with amphibious-ready groups of warships, helicopters, fighter jets and Marines for sea-land operations. Some of those groups also might be scrapped.

A scenario discussed inside the Navy: Reduce the carrier fleet by retiring the flattops short of their 50-year life spans, and continue to build more advanced carriers at the Newport News, Va., shipyard at seven-year intervals instead of launching one every five years.

Reducing one carrier would set off a fight in Congress, which under law has required the Navy to maintain 11 active flattops. A source familiar with the discussions said the Obama administration would not want to take up that fight until after November's presidential election, given the importance of Virginia and its 13 electoral votes.

In general, the Navy has three carriers at sea, three returning from six-month deployments, three preparing to be deployed and two in some type of overhaul. For example, the USS Ronald Reagan, commissioned less than 10 years ago, is going into dry dock this month for a year of extensive repairs.

Under Mr. Panetta, the Pentagon has clamped down on the release of any details about the budget — following the model of predecessor Robert M. Gates, who forced senior officials to sign nondisclosure forms.

But sources say a $488 billion in mandated savings will come from two principal sources: cutting the Army and Marine Corps ground forces by more than 100,000 troops combined and reducing the purchase and delaying the procurement of big weapons systems, such as the F-35 fighter.

Cutting back to 10 carriers would save the Pentagon additional billions of dollars. A carrier's payroll for a crew of officers and sailors, not counting its air wing, is about $225 million annually.

"I think the United States will continue to operate at least 10 carriers over the next five years," said Loren Thompson, who heads the Lexington Institute defense think tank. "But over the long run, it's likely the cost and operating concept will gradually shift the Navy away from carriers."

In fact, the Navy will soon undergo a 10-carrier trial. When the USS Enterprise is retired in November, 10 carriers will be active until the USS Gerald R. Ford becomes operational in 2015. Congress granted the Navy a waiver for the 33-month breach of the law.

"They're going down to 10 for programming reasons," Mr. Thompson said. "It is supposed to be temporary, but I think during the period the Enterprise is gone and the Ford class has not arrived, the Navy may grow accustomed to operating with only 10 carriers."

Mr. Thompson said carriers face three basic challenges.

"First of all, they have become extremely expensive to build and operate," he said. "Secondly, some countries, such as China, are developing the capacity to target and disable them from long distances.

"And, thirdly, the advent of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and unmanned aircraft will make it easier to accomplish air missions from other sea-based platforms."

Mr. Obama's strategy echoes that of his first defense chief, Mr. Gates. At the U.S. Military Academy in February, Mr. Gates said: "Any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should 'have his head examined,' as Gen. [Douglas] MacArthur so delicately put it."

Indeed, the strategy announced this month downplays the chances of a big land war, saying that active forces will be shaped to fight a limited ground conflict of a short duration.

The Gates imprint may well show itself when it comes to carriers.

"Do we really need 11 carrier strike groups for another 30 years when no other country has more than one?" Mr. Gates asked during a 2010 speech to the Navy League, a naval support association.

"In my view, Gates was right the first time," said Winslow Wheeler, an analyst at the Center for Defense Information, a military reform group. "We have too many for show-the-flag exercises and strikes against incompetents like Iraq.

"If ever we encounter a competent military with an air force, a navy with ultrasilent diesel electric submarines — and both with superfast, superlow anti-ship missiles — I suspect carriers will quickly be extinct if they go into unsafe waters. At $13 billion-plus each, more are an unwise investment for the future."

Advocates of aircraft carriers note that the White House often asks in crisis, "Where are the carriers?"

"China is going great guns to develop a maritime superiority," said Jon Ault, a retired Navy pilot who served on eight carrier deployments. "Imagine 20, 30, 40 years from now, when the U.S. is down to its last two or three battle groups. A fatigued 40-, 50-year-old carrier gasping for breath and a nuke shipbuilding industry that no longer exists. Works for China, perhaps not so well for us.

Rough Week....On to the AFC Championship Game in Foxboro

What a week - Last week was one of those week's that I wouldn't wish on someone I don't like. It was a tough week and one that sidelined me from my normal activities. Luckily, it was something that was easily resolved but required extra effort. This week should go better.

In the meantime, the world moves on and issues still occur elsewhere.

4 US Marines were photographed urinating on dead Taliban. Yep, not how "professional" warriors behave but not something that upsets me very much. After the crap the Taliban has done to people, this rates very low on the upset level for me.

If I know there were 10 Taliban in a house across the rise on the battlefield, I would call in an air strike, obliterating what is left of them. 4 Marines should know better than to act this way and to document themselves doing so. Again, not something that will work me up but something that should not occur. Move along.

The New England Patriots took Tebow & the Broncos to task, as expected. Now, we face the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens are not to be feared. They are ugly mutts, and not as good as the hype they espouse. They can be beaten and the Patriots will not let these guys get in their way.

Look at their team colors. Purple - Really ? Like Oprah purple. Like squashed grape purple. It is a losing color. Red, White & Blue are the Patriot's colors. Nuff said.

New England will ring the necks of these foul birds in Foxboro. Take it to the bank.

TOM BRADY is going to school Tim Tebow and the BRONCOS on playoff games in the NFL - AFC Playoff game will be a PATRIOTS Win

Sorry Tim, this is isn't your year. Maybe next year.

This year belongs to Tom Brady & the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.

The HYPE Meter is off the scale in this match-up made from heaven (no pun intended)

While Timmy is a nice guy and all around good kid, he & the Broncos don't have the "legs" as they say....basically, they don't have the skills to hang in there for 60 minutes of playoff football against the World Champion Patriots, QB'ed by Tom, Coached by Bill.

We all see what " hope & hype" gets you ( it causes the election of incompetent Presidents)

Tom Brady and the Patriots don't need " hype " as they are the REAL DEAL.

For ratings, this will be a big game - for actual play, The Patriots demonstrated the outcome of this kind of one sided contest about a month ago when the PATRIOTS spanked Tebow in the regular season.

It's good Tebow prays because it is a sign that he has faith. He will need it against the Patriots.

My prediction - PATRIOTS 35 - Broncos 21

It will be a good game but Brady and Belichik will prevail.

Tom Brady vs. Tim Tebow: Clash of biblical proportions
By John Zaremba Thursday, January 12, 2012
Boston Herald

When God-fearing Tim Tebow and Golden Boy Tom Brady [stats] square off in what experts predict will be a ratings-busting rematch of December’s Patriots [team stats] beatdown of the Broncos, we’ll see more than Tebow’s scrambling leather helmet-era quarterback vs. Brady’s disciplined, omniscient power passing.

We’re talking a matchup between two sports deities that could dwarf the whopping 42 million who watched the Broncos’ heart-stopping overtime win over bad-boy Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers Sunday night.

“It’s Jesus vs. the Prophet,” said Henry Schafer of the celebrity-pollster firm Marketing Evaluations, referring to Brady’s Dec. 18 postgame prophecy that the two would meet again. “Given Brady’s success and Tebow’s attraction right now, coming from a lot of different angles, I would not be surprised if this becomes the highest-ever rated playoff game.”

Tom and Tim rank among the most popular, polarizing and appealing players in the game. Marketing Evaluations’ Q rating, which measures the public’s awareness and opinion of celebrities, lists Tebow as the NFL’s sixth-most-appealing player, and Brady as the 13th.

“Two out of three Americans age 6 years and older knew who Tom Brady was, and two out of five knew who Tim Tebow was,” Schafer said. “That’s crazy. That’s telling me (Tebow) is more of a national personality than

13.1M Americans remain unemployed / White House threw secret "Alice in Wonderland" bash in October 2009

The two stories enclosed tell the tale regardless of what the White House may want to spin politically....Unemployment is the issue that most challenges our nation as we need to have people working to improve our economy. Unemployment checks are a patch but to ensure that workers become consumers, they need a job and a regular income.

The fact that the average American understands this simple concept but politicians fail to grasp this is the issue in the 2012 election. Based on what we have seen over the last three years, the President hasn't got a leg to stand on.

Meanwhile, the level of insensitivity shown by the Obama Administration to those out of work is demonstrated by the article at this link -

White House threw secret 'Alice in Wonderland' bash during recession - NY POST

A White House “Alice in Wonderland” costume ball — put on by Johnny Depp and Hollywood director Tim Burton — proved to be a Mad-as-a-Hatter idea that was never made public for fear of a political backlash during hard economic times, according to a new tell-all.

“The Obamas,” by New York Times correspondent Jodi Kantor, tells of the first Halloween party the first couple feted at the White House in October 2009. It was so over the top that “Star Wars” creator George Lucas sent the original Chewbacca to mingle with invited guests.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/in_blunderland_hKpNQkHfvpEWe4F51kI4dP#ixzz1it445MEw

Clueless. Totally clueless. The recession was at it's worse so they hid the lavish affair from the press and the public for fear of a backlash. And people wonder why those who want Obama out of the White House are so opposed to this Politician.

Obama and his lecturing wife really don't care about the average citizen or the problems of our country. They are too busy running up a luxury tab on the taxpayer's dime. Obama is unworthy of being in the White House and has shown a complete lack of understanding for what is required as Leader of our nation. Leaders take care of the needs of others first, as that is what is required. With millions losing their homes, the Obama's treated themselves first.


13.1M Americans remain unemployed
Jan. 7, 2012
Written by Derek Kravitz
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — For many people whose job prospects faded most during the recession, 2011 brought a small dose of relief.

When unemployment was surging, the youngest U.S. workers, the oldest, those without college degrees and men as a whole all suffered disproportionately. Last year, those groups — whose unemployment rates still exceed the national average — had better success than others in finding jobs, according to Labor Department data released Friday.

Many found low-paying jobs in technology firms and as health care technicians, machinists, autoworkers, hotel and store clerks and waiters.

All told, about 13.1 million Americans remain unemployed. About 2.5 million have quit looking for work altogether.

Education

Unemployment among workers with less than a high school diploma fell from 15.1 percent to 13.8 percent. By comparison, unemployment for those with a bachelor's degree declined by a smaller margin, from 4.8 percent to 4.1 percent.

"The less-educated tend to suffer more in downturns and recover more rapidly when employment picks up," said Lawrence Katz, a Harvard labor and economics professor.

Gender

The unemployment rate for men fell more than twice as fast as for women in 2011. Hiring was strong among male-dominated industries like manufacturing. And more men entered some fields long dominated by women, including health care and retail.

The unemployment rate for men sank from 10 percent to 8.7 percent. But women remain better off. Their rate fell from 8.6 percent to 8.3 percent.

Age

In 2011, employment prospects were best for workers ages 20 to 24 and those 65 and up. Some young men are being hired for entry-level positions at lower pay than in years past. And some retirees returned to the workforce last year after their retirement portfolios took a beating over the past four years.

Unemployment is dropping faster for those ages 35 to 64. But part of the reason is that a disproportionate share of people in this age group have given up looking for jobs. Once people stop looking for work, they're no longer counted as unemployed.

Race

Unemployment fell most among Hispanics. Their rate declined from 12.9 percent to 11 percent. In part, that's because a larger-than-average share of Hispanics have stopped looking for work.

Immigration has also slowed. That means there are fewer foreign-born job-seekers in the United States.

Since the recession ended more than two years ago, the employment gap between blacks and whites has widened. The rate for African-Americans was unchanged last year at 15.8 percent. By comparison, white unemployment fell from 8.5 percent to 7.5 percent.

News and the story-behind-the-story / Healthcare Laws are only for those not politically connected

Here is a list of the Editors' Picks from the NY TIMES as given to me by Google News this morning...See If you can guess the "story behind the story" message that these have in common.

I have highlighted the actual headline and put in blue the real message

NY Times

Political Memo: Front-Runner Role Could Thwart Romney in New Hampshire By JEFF ZELENY (Taking Down the GOP Front Runner in any way we can)

Rick Santorum, Known for His Fighting Nature, Strikes a Calmer Tone By MARK LEIBOVICH (Split the GOP Voters to cause dissent)

Evangelicals Hurry to Find Alternative to Romney By ERIK ECKHOLM (Ditto)

Democrats See Signs of Hope in Election Battle for Congress By JENNIFER STEINHAUER ( Really ?? Democrats hopeful in taking Congressional elections ?? Putting Pelosi in charge again ?Really ?? What are you smoking?)

The press have been in full force putting out positive political stories for Obama since his return to Washington from his vacation. This will continue in full force through to election day as the majority of the press wants him in. The GOP candidate will not be perfect but we have to get Obama out of office before he further injures our nation.

Then there's this...The kind of news that let's you know what is going on when new laws are put in place for the commoners, not those who are favored politically by our President.

Obama has to go. This cannot be the way our country is governed.


Labor unions primary recipients of Obamacare waivers
By Paul Conner
01/06/2012 dailycaller.com

Labor unions continued to receive the overwhelming majority of waivers from the president’s health care reform law since the Obama administration tightened application rules last summer.

Documents released in a classic Friday afternoon news dump show that labor unions representing 543,812 workers received waivers from President Barack Obama‘s signature legislation since June 17, 2011.

By contrast, private employers with a total of 69,813 employees, many of whom work for small businesses, were granted waivers.

The Department of Health and Human Services revised the rules governing applications for health reform waivers June 17, 2011, amid a steady stream of controversial news reports, including The Daily Caller’s story that nearly 20 percent of last May’s waivers went to businesses in House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s district in California.

The labor unions receiving waivers include those that are monitored under the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, and those that are not. The waivers granted since June 17 are valid until 2013, but recipients must make sure their employees understand the “limits of their coverage,” according to HHS documents.

HHS granted waivers on a year-by-year basis under its initial application process, but waivers granted after June 17 are valid for a maximum of two-and-a-half years.

By and large, unions backed the health care overhaul, a law from which nearly a half million of their workers are now exempt.

The Taliban are our enemy, regardless what Vice President Biden may think or say

“The Taliban per se is not our enemy,” Vice President Joe Biden

Really Mr. Vice President ?? Really ?? Then let's send you over to Pakistan without a security contingent and let you have a face-to-face discussion with our "non-enemy" Tailban. Let me know how that works out for you.

I would say that anyone who encounters the Taliban in person would have a different point-of-view. Let's ask the British Doctor they kidnapped this week who was working for the International Red Cross or the 59 year old British Nurse they grabbed in December. Bet they hold a different point-of-view.

The Taliban are NARCO TERRORISTS, plain & simple. They like to wrap themselves in a jihadist cover and claim they are fighting for Islam, but in reality, it is all about the drug trade that comes from the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.

The Taliban and their allies the Haquanni, are all about terrorizing the populace, money, weapons and drugs. Their goal is to control all the aforementioned items in the AF/PAK region. The political posturing is folly as they don't care about Western issues like " Afghanistan " or " Pakistan ". Our Western concepts of countries and such are not relevant as they are tribal and don't really care about where the border line is drawn.

One certainty is that our present administration acts foolish when they play politics with the lives of our soldiers and emboldens our enemies when they speak foolishly about who we are fighting.

The Taliban are our enemy. They will wait us out, and when we leave Afghanistan, the bloodshed that they will inflict upon the people there will be horrific.

Mr. Vice President, with all due respect, you haven't got a clue. The enclosed news story is a prima facie example of the Taliban's true message to us and those who would be our allies over there.

A few thousand US Soldiers wounded or killed by the Taliban were unavailable for comment.

15 Kidnapped Pakistani Soldiers Executed by the Taliban in a Retaliatory Gesture
By SALMAN MASOOD and ISMAIL KHAN
NY TIMES: January 5, 2012

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Taliban insurgents executed 15 security soldiers who had been recently kidnapped and dumped their bodies on a hilltop in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, in retaliation for the killing of a militant commander by government forces, government and military officials said.

The soldiers were kidnapped Dec. 23 after dozens of Taliban insurgents overran a fort in one of the restive tribal regions straddling the border with Afghanistan. Officials said they had tried but failed to secure the captives’ release.

The executions followed the death of a high-ranking Taliban commander on Sunday and came just days after local news media reported that several factions of the Taliban had vowed not to attack the Pakistani military.

The bullet-ridden bodies of the soldiers, members of the Frontier Constabulary, were spotted by local tribesmen on Thursday morning after they were dumped in Mir Ali, a subdistrict in the North Waziristan tribal region. The Frontier Constabulary, run by the Pakistani police authorities, has about 70,000 paramilitary soldiers who operate checkpoints in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province and provide security at foreign embassies and consulates in major cities across Pakistan.

“From the look of it, it seems they had been shot dead early Thursday morning,” said a senior security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We have been trying to get them freed,” the official said, “and we have had contact with their captors. And until last night the indications that we had were very, very positive. God knows what happened afterwards.”

Farther south, armed men in the city of Quetta kidnapped a British doctor who worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday, said Sitara Jabeen, a spokeswoman for the aid group. She said she knew of no motive for the abduction, which took place near his home.

The executions in northwestern Pakistan were claimed by a Taliban spokesman, Ihsanullah Ihsan, who described them as an “act of revenge” for the killing of militants in the Khyber tribal region on Sunday. He said the group would release a video of the killings “soon” and threatened more attacks.

A dozen militants, including Qari Kamran, a local Taliban commander, were killed in the Khyber tribal region on Sunday after security forces attacked a militant hide-out. Mr. Kamran was considered a high-ranking Taliban commander who oversaw terrorist attacks and activities in Khyber and his native Nowshera district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Security officials said they had expected retaliatory attacks because Mr. Kamran’s killing was considered a major success.

Last week, reports emerged that Afghan Taliban and leaders of Al Qaeda had urged Pakistani Taliban militants to put aside their internal differences and focus on attacking the American-led forces inside Afghanistan.

There have also been reports of negotiations on ending violence between Pakistan’s government and some Taliban factions, although military officials deny the existence of such talks.

The executions show that, despite a recent decrease in militant-related violence and suicide attacks, some Taliban militants are unwilling to end their attacks, analysts here said. A report released recently by an Islamabad-based research organization, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, stated that militant-related violence had decreased by 24 percent in the last two years.

“The Taliban are not to be believed because past deals have shown that they end up violating their own peace deals with the government and use them to regroup and regain strength,” said Omar R. Quraishi, an editor of The Express Tribune, a Karachi-based English-language newspaper. He said the executions also highlighted differences among Taliban factions, because some groups seemed to support ending the fighting against Pakistani security forces, while others continued with attacks.

Salman Masood reported from Islamabad, and Ismail Khan from Peshawar, Pakistan

Hard to Believe...He taught Constitutional Law in College ? Really ?

Something President Obama needs to review:

The Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Based on the way he is acting, he is in violation of the oath he took and has decided to treat the US Constitution the way he has treated the will of the people; with disdain and a condescending attitude. The DEMS used to howl about how they felt that President Bush mistreating the law as President, but Barry from Chicago gets a free pass from his own party.

It is hard to believe this man taught Constitutional Law in college. This poser has got to go. 11 months until election day and not soon enough until the American voters can deliver a strong message to the "Lecturer in Chief" and his attitudinal spouse.

Time to Go Mr. President. You have embarrassed our country enough.


Acting Like A King Isn't Among The President's Duties
Investros Business Daily
01/04/2012

Leadership: A spokesman says the president "can't wait for Congress to act" and promised that he's "going to take action." This is the president who was "ready to rule" in 2008. Is he an elected chief executive or an emperor?

In November 2008, shortly after Barack Obama was elected president, Valerie Jarrett, co-chair of his transition team, appeared on "Meet the Press." She told host Tom Brokaw that "Obama is prepared to really take power and begin to rule day one."

Shouldn't someone who had reached the political heights that Jarrett had reached know that kings rule but presidents are elected to serve and are accountable to Congress, the courts and the voters?

One would think that she and the rest of the administration are aware of a president's legal limitations, but simply aren't interested in respecting them.

A little more than three years after Jarrett declared Obama's majesty, his spokesman Jay Carney warned on the day of the Iowa caucuses that "if Republicans choose the path of obstruction rather than cooperation, then the president is not going to sit here . .. he's going to take the actions that he can take using his executive authority."

Within a day, Obama made good on the threat. On Wednesday, he bypassed the congressional approval process and named Richard Cordray as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The appointment, made while the Senate is in a pro forma session and not in recess, came after that chamber blocked Cordray's confirmation last month.

Not only is Obama trampling precedent that says recess appointments are to be done only after the Senate has been out of session for 10 days or more, he's also trying to circumvent legislation.

As noted by Mark Calabria of the Cato Institute, the Dodd-Frank bill that created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requires the CFPB's authority to remain with the Treasury secretary until the CFPB director is "confirmed by the Senate." Cordray still lacks that confirmation.

Subscribe to the IBD Editorials Podcast Apparently feeling like a gambler on a roll, Obama followed up the Cordray appointment by placing Sharon Block, Terence Flynn and Richard Griffin on the National Labor Relations Board. Of little concern to Obama are the wishes of the Senate Republicans, who had blocked these appointments, which they have the right to do within our system.

Clearly our American arrangement of checks and balances written into the Constitution is an impediment to this president. Before Carney made his statement Tuesday, Obama himself said in October that "we can no longer wait for Congress to do its job. ... So where Congress won't act, I will."

He, of course, is talking more about the House, which voters turned over to the Republicans in 2010, than the Senate, which is still in Democrats' hands.

The president might not like it that he no longer has a Democratic majority in the House to help him ram through legislation. But he should stay within the constitutional obstructions that the opposition party is expected to place in front of him.

In Wednesday's Cleveland speech when he announced the CFPB and NLRB appointments, Obama said anyone who "plays by the rules can get ahead." Yet the president is playing outside the rules and pretending he's doing it as a favor for the country. His motives, though, are clear. He wants to wield power that exceeds what the Constitution delegated to the president.

Maybe First Lady Michelle Obama wasn't acting when she said on a kids television sitcom that she enjoyed being called "your excellency." Maybe she was speaking for her husband, too.

RUN FOR YOUR LUNCH 5.5K Road Race - Jan. 15th, 2012

I am posting the enclosed info along regarding an upcoming Road Race & Fund Raiser for Middleboro, MA based ALL ARE WELCOME in Middleboro, MA on Sunday January 15th, 2012. The race will start & finish at North Middleboro Green, 38 Plymouth Street, North Middleboro, MA 02346 at 1:00 p.m.

You can sign up at their website - www.allarewelcome.us

ALL ARE WELCOME is working to fight hunger and food insecurity in our community by establishing a Donation Cafe & Bakery in Middleboro that allows all to have access to good nutritious food regardless of their ability to pay for a prepared meal. The target is to raise $5000 to start serving nutricious meals in February 2012 to those in need in our community. Even if you are not from our local area, your support is needed as many hands can lift a heavy load.

The RUN FOR YOUR LUNCH 5.5K road race will allow ALL ARE WELCOME to get the operation up on it's feet and start serving the community. Run, Walk and/or join them for lunch to support a great cause.

You can contact Karen who is the Executive Manager at her email address manager@allarewelcome.us or her phone 508-443-0243. ALL ARE WELCOME also has a mailing address of ALL ARE WELCOME, P.O. Box 1244, Middleboro, MA 02346

Any support you can lend would be deeply appreciated. Even if you don't run, you can join them for lunch on Jan. 15th as your purchase of lunch the day of the race will also support ending food insecurity in our community. All contributions (large & small) are important to helping meet the goal. Please send this info along to others you know who might be able to assist.

Thanks again for all your help.

Iran needs to get a grip

Really Iran ? Really ? As if the US Navy would stop traveling through the Straits of Hormuz just because you said not to....Iran needs to get a Grip.

These fools need a reality check. Iran is not in the position to dictate where the US Navy travels. Old Beady Eyes and the Mullahs must be smoking some pretty powerful stuff if they think this type of "warning" will amount to a change in tactics from the US Navy.

UPDATE - The Pentagon on Tuesday pushed back on Iranian warnings against returning a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf.

"The deployment of U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement sent to Yahoo News Tuesday. "These are regularly scheduled movements in accordance with our longstanding commitments to the security and stability of the region and in support of ongoing operations."

"The U.S. Navy operates under international maritime conventions to maintain a constant state of high vigilance in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime traffic in waterways critical to global commerce," Little's statement continued. "We are committed to protecting maritime freedoms that are the basis for global prosperity; this is one of the main reasons our military forces operate in the region."

Bravo Zulu to our US Navy - To Iran, pound sand.


At end of drill, Iran army chief warns US aircraft carrier not to return to Persian Gulf

By Associated Press,Tuesday, January 3

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s army chief on Tuesday warned an American aircraft carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf in Tehran’s latest tough rhetoric over the strategic waterway.

Gen. Ataollah Salehi spoke as a 10-day Iranian naval exercise ended near the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf. The drill was a show of strength at a time when Iranian officials have warned they could try to shut down the vital oil passage if the United States enacts tough new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program.

“We recommend to the American warship that passed through the Strait of Hormuz and went to Gulf of Oman not to return to the Persian Gulf,” Salehi was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

Motives behind Salehi’s statement were not immediately clear.

He said Iran’s enemies have understood the message of the naval exercises, saying, “We have no plan to begin any irrational act but we are ready against any threat.”

The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet has said that USS John C. Stennis and another vessel headed out from the Gulf and through the Strait of Hormuz last Tuesday, after a visit to Dubai’s Jebel Ali port. The Fleet did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Salehi’s comments.

On Thursday Iran said its surveillance planes and vessels recorded video and photographed a U.S. aircraft carrier during Iran’s ongoing navy drill near a strategic waterway in the Persian Gulf.

Gen. Shahrokh Shahram, an air defense commander, said Iranian forces had warned off several foreign aircraft that he claimed entered Iranian airspace during the drill. He said the craft left the airspace after warnings from Iranian air defense units. He did not say which country the aircraft belonged to.

Iran had said the sea maneuvers would cover a 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) stretch of water beyond the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, as well as parts of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.

A leading Iranian lawmaker said Sunday the maneuvers served as practice for closing the strait if the West enacts sanctions blocking Iranian oil sales. Top Iranian officials made the same threat last week.

Obama requests another $1.2 trillion of the taxpayer's $$$ while in Hawaii on vacation

You're sitting out in Hawaii on a $4 Million dollar vacation, paid for by the taxpayers and bored...so what is there to do after golfing and dining out in Honolulu ?

You hit the taxpayers up for $1.2 Trillion dollars...after all, it's only money. Yes, the article states that he is required to make the request because we are getting close to reaching the ceiling for our nation's debt but this putz ran for the office on reducing the debt but instead has driven it to unseen heights. Meanwhile he wants to rate himself as the 4th best President ever....what gall.

How CLUELESS can this President be to ask for a hike in the debt ceiling at Christmas when there are still so many out of work, unable to meet the basics, let alone afford a vacation ? His administration pulled back on the increase request on a technicality until Congress is back in session. Likely the real reason is so he can blame the increase on them. The President will try to shift blame for all his mistakes on to Congress as he campaigns for re-election. I say throw him and Congress both out. They have all performed like bunch of idiots, with a few exceptions like Senator Scott Brown and Senator John McCain.

It is 11 months until we can vote this lackluster incompetent out of office...November 6th can't come soon enough. Please, I'm begging you to vote Obama out of office and send him and his wife back to Chicago. As the bumper sticker states, OMG, which stands for " Obama Must Go ".


Obama delays petition for $1.2T debt limit increase at request of congressional leaders
By Associated Press

HONOLULU — President Barack Obama is delaying his request for another $1.2 trillion increase in the nation’s debt limit at the request of congressional leaders.

It’s basically because of a technicality.

The White House had been ready to ask for the increase Friday because the government is within $100 billion of exhausting its current borrowing authority. Congress would then have 15 days to reject the request, though Obama would veto any objections in order to ensure that the government does not default on its obligations.

But with Congress not due to return to Washington until mid-January, a bipartisan group of lawmakers asked Obama to delay his request so they would be in session during the 15-day period allowed for objections.

“The administration is in discussions with leaders in both houses to determine the best timing for submission of certification and any subsequent votes in the two houses,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday.

Kevin Smith, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner, said the House leadership preferred not having to call members back to Washington early to vote on the increase request, but would have done so if necessary.

A senior White House official said Obama will make his request within days. The Treasury Department will use accounting measures to ensure that the nation does not reach its debt limit before the $1.2 trillion increase is finalized, said the official, who requested anonymity because the person lacked authority to speak publically.

The debt limit is the amount the government can borrow to finance its operations. It has soared because the government has run record deficits over the past decade. The borrowed money has helped pay for two wars, stimulate the nation’s economy after the worst recession since the Great Depression and keep intact broad tax cuts initiated during the Bush administration.

Obama’s request to increase the nation’s borrowing authority would boost the debt limit to a record $16.4 trillion. The president and Congress agreed to raise it to that level in three steps as part of the August deal that was struck hours before a threatened government default.

Officials say the $1.2 trillion increase should be enough to allow the government to keep borrowing until the end of 2012, or just after the presidential election.

Congress agreed to raise the debt limit by $400 billion in August and by another $500 billion in September. House Republicans voted against the second increase, but failed to block it because the Senate approved it. The increases are scheduled to take effect unless both chambers vote against them.

The White House announced the delay in the debt limit request from Hawaii, where the president is on vacation.

Pats crush Bills 49-21, earn top AFC seed and home field advantage

Pats crush Bills, earn top AFC seed
By SPORTS NETWORK
FOXBORO, MASS. - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots scored 49 unanswered points to beat the Buffalo Bills, 49-21, and claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Brady completed 23-of-35 passes for 338 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for the Patriots (13-3), who will have home-field advantage throughout the postseason for the second year in a row. New England finished the regular season with a 7-1 mark at Gillette Stadium.

Brady became the third player in NFL history with 5,000 passing yards in a season. He also set a franchise record for completions in a season with 401, topping Drew Bledsoe's 400 in 1994. A first-round bye will allow the two-time league MVP to rest his sore left shoulder.

Aaron Hernandez caught seven passes for 138 yards and a touchdown for New England, which heads into the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak. Rob Gronkowski capped his record-setting season with eight catches for 108 yards and two scores.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis carried the ball seven times for 22 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots, who avenged a Week 3 loss to the Bills.


And The NY JETS ?? Not so much....REX RYAN's team ended the season 8-8 and have been proven to be losers....JETS ( JUST END THE SEASON) - See ya New York.

Happy 2012.....we all hope for a better year

2012 arrived with the expected fanfare and hopes for the new year. Today is also my daughter's 16th Birthday, and another reason to celebrate.

Enclosed is a picture taken of the early dawn outside my home and the words from " Morning Has Broken ", a song perfromed by Cat Stevens that my Dad has always loved.

Hope all enjoy a good year and that we all are better off as the year progresses. Patriots Football is on today also and our hopes for another run at the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots !!

Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens

Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird

Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the world

Sweet, the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall
On the first grass

Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden say play

Praise with elation
Praise ev'ry morning
God's recreation of the new day

Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird

Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the world