40 Years

October 1, 1971, was a revolutionary day in the theme park and tourism industry not only in the United States, but in the world! On this day, the Walt Disney World resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL, opened to the public! Only a few years after opening Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, Walt Disney wanted a park on the east coast, but not just a park, a vacation destination. He saw the hotels that popped up on the borders of Disneyland, the lack of growth potential of the Disneyland Resort in the area and he wanted another shot at this. Walt wanted to immerse his guests, making them feel they are in another world. He would build hotels, along with the Disneyland style theme park. In search of a new Disney home, Walt decided on swampland about 25 miles south of Orlando, Florida, an area prime for growth and far enough away from the coastlines which are prone to hurricanes. Under the guise of dummy companies, Walt Disney began buying up this land and got to work on building the "Most Magical Place on Earth." He would never live to see his dream, but this project has brought happiness and smiles to people from all over the world who have converged on the Orlando Metro area for some time in Disney.

I have expressed my love of Disney many times and every trip I take there makes me love Disney World more, and once I return home, I already begin to plan the next trip back. The Annual Pass makes it that much easier!

Forty years later and with the addition of 3 more theme parks (one with its own built-in drinking game), 2 water parks, 2 nightlife areas, a multitude of resort hotels, countless recreation areas and a shopping area, Walt Disney World continues to dominate and has made the Orlando Metro Area one of Florida's fastest growing regions.

Walt Disney, you were a great American who has left a positive mark on our culture, and I know you're looking down on this wonderful world that has and will continue to be a great escape from the everyday patterns of life, where memories are made to last a lifetime!

Biden Gives the Republicans Some Campaign Material

Earlier this week, Joe Biden had a John Kerry moment, in that he gave the opposing campaigns a gift when he went off the reservation, stating that Obama owns this economy.

Maybe that's Joe being Joe, but let's face it: he's right. Since he assumed office Barack Obama has gone out of his way to blame Bush for the economic situation. Americans are tired of the excuses and have only seen the economy get worse, as the solutions to the problem have not worked. The Vice President's 30 second clip should be incentive enough for Americans to seek new leadership come 2012.

Well, It's Election Season

Call me skeptical, but it now looks like that First Lady Michelle Obama is a Target shopper.

In the past we have seen the First Lady shut down DC streets for a Tuscan kale run, go on an extravagant Spain vacation, fly with a separate entourage than the President to and from Martha's Vineyard, as well as have extravagant tastes in footwear.

I'm not buying this Target conversion, nor should the American people, considering what has been observed the past three years. This reeks of election cycle pandering.

Will BHO be the next LBJ?

On a recent interview on Hannity, Dick Morris stated there is a chance Barack Obama could step aside and decline to run for re-election, pulling an LBJ.

I've met Dick Morris, I've discussed politics with Dick Morris and I think Dick Morris has a great track record, but on this, he's dead wrong. Yes, Barack Obama is in danger of losing big, yes he's unpopular, but he also has a ridiculously large ego, is an ideologue, shows contempt for the supporters who aren't necessarily supporting him, and will not acquiesce to the Clintons or anyone in the Democrat Party. He has $1 billion dollars to work with, and guaranteed, this campaign will go into the final round, maybe even will, to cite David Axelrod's comments, resemble the Titanic.

So the Dems Want to Cancel the Elections: Should we be surprised?

Washington has been all abuzz this week with the Freudian slip of North Carolina's Democrat Governor, Bev Perdue, stating that we should consider cancelling the 2012 Elections. You heard right! Allow me to ask, why should we be surprised.

We have seen, since 2009, how Democrats operate. They have tried to shut out opposition, either by sending their union goons out to beat up TEA Partiers, by violently reacting to citizens expressing their First Amendment right, by ramming through unwanted bills, by questionable treatment of citizens at town hall meetings, by idolizing murdering despots, and by pontificating whether there is "too much democracy" in America.

Considering that record, there is no reason to believe they wouldn't try to suspend the 2012 elections, which is why I don't dismiss Perdue's comments as "crazy talk." The level of "Chicago 101" we may see will make this election cycle like none that we've seen before. From now through the elections, Republicans must be vigilant about their tactics. To fully prevent any shenanigans that would come from a closer election, Republicans must vote in full force against this president, his party and his agenda. It seems that every day, this president is more and more landslide-able.

Next Stop: Surpreme Court

According to news reports, ObamaCare is likely heading the Supreme Court, as a result of the Federal Government not asking the 11th Circuit to re-hear the case.

This is a big surprise to many, as it was expected the government would use every stalling tactic available to keep the debate about ObamaCare out of the headlines in an election year. They are apparently putting a lot of faith in the Supreme Court finding the law Constitutional. This will be highly politically charged and rival the coverage of Bush v. Gore (2000). We are already starting to see the media set their targets on Clarence Thomas, yet they should be careful about over-confidence and the fact that Elena Kagan holds much baggage surrounding ObamaCare.

This is a battle where Conservatives should not shy away and a Supreme Court decision declaring this law Unconstitutional (which I believe will happen) will be a great step for job creation to take place on a greater scale in the United States and if handed down before November 2012, will be detrimental to this president's re-election, as his "accomplishment" will be voided out by law.

Avatar Coming to Disney

Those of you regular readers know that I am a really, really big fan of Disney and an entry, from time to time, will appear on "The 'Right' Solutions," as it's the perfect escape from everything I write about, as well as everything we see going on in this country and this world.

That being said, there was some big news today coming out of Lake Buena Vista. It turns out that Disney has brought James Cameron on board and together they will be creating an Avatar/Pandora themed land at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

As Disney's Number One fan, I have mixed feelings about this. I sat through the first Avatar film and I couldn't stand it! Yeah, the special effects were cool, but the plot wasn't as deep for a movie of its caliber...more of James Cameron's political message, along with his distaste of the military, and nearly three hours of that is about as torturous as watching one evening of the Democrat National Convention! This will likely fill the void that "Beastly Kingdomme" was supposed to create, which also saddens me, as BK would have been an incredible land and followed along closely with the early theme of Animal Kingdom. Furthermore, the theme of Pandora is kind of a stretch in Animal Kingdom (may work better in Disney's Hollywood Studios, which could also use some work), but the "natural settings" of Pandora sort of make it work.

On the plus side, this has the potential to be a big money-maker for Disney, it will look cool, the kids could pose for pics with the Na'vi, and it will give Animal Kingdom a reason to stay open late. It's a very well designed park with good attractions, but it's really only a half day park. Pandora could change this.

So here is some advice from the Number One Disney fan, and Annual Passholder, for the Imagineers:

- Keep the politics out of it! I go to Disney to be entertained and not preached to. As a result, I usually refrain from watching news or checking news updates on my BlackBerry while I'm there. Including the disgusting politics of this movie will turn off many Disney loyalists, who just so happen to come from red states.

- Pandora looked pretty cool on screen...this needs to really come out at night, considering Animal Kingdom now has a reason to be open at night.

- Assuming this is going to be located where Beastly Kingdomme was to be (to the left of the Tree of Life, when facing it from the Oasis bridge), there is no reason why there shouldn't be a nighttime spectacular included...can we say World of Color-Florida? Including that show alone would put me down there on opening day!

- Look at your competition 10 miles up I-4 and what they did with Harry Potter related attractions, food, scenery and shopping. Animal Kingdom guests need to live Pandora, like they do Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure.

This has the potential to be very big for Disney, if they follow these guidelines and the next Avatar movies aren't as bad as the first.

The New Rick Perry Ad

Take a look at this new ad by Rick Perry.



First reaction is WOW! The ad is fast-moving with cuts like an action film and does a good job at showing the opposites between this president and Rick Perry. Furthermore, the ad successfully uses the president's own words against him, forcing him to run on a record.

Perry needs a little improvement in his debate performance and as he came into this kind of late, the onus is on him to be up on all angles. Doing so will make him a more complete candidate. This ad is a home run and his campaign will benefit from it.

Bring It!

The left is very angry about the leadership of President Obama. Many feel that he is a sellout, that he is weak and isn't keeping his election promises. As a result, there are some on the left flank of the Democrat Party who are promising a primary challenge. My throughts: BRING IT!

Primaries are healthy in the American political system, they keep "front-running candidates" honest, while lighting a little fire in the belly (notice the effect Perry's entrance had on Romney) and they bring additional ideas to the table. If there is an eventual primary challenge to President Obama, that challenger must hold nothing back, as Hillary did not do in 2008, and make the president defend what he has done in the past two and a half years.

Republicans will enjoy watching this play out, as the president is not going to quietly accept this. I personally am still hoping that eventhough the window is likely closed, one specific candidate decides to challenge the president, as that would make it a very interesting 2012!

All I have to say to my Republican friends is to have your popcorn ready!

Message to the American Left: Get Over It!

They can't help themselves! Bill Keller at the New York Times, penned a column where he argued that blaming Bush is not only correct, but warranted.

From time to time, the president has pushed this narrative, but almost three years into his term, Americans are seeing the government grow by leaps and bounds while the problems of a lagging economy and unemployment still exist. By passing the blame on to his predecessor and not actively doing anything about fixing the problems, and instead, playing the victim, Obama is not leading. The 2009 stimulus wasted billions of dollars and did not create new jobs, ObamaCare's slow implementation has further hampered job growth, and with the "jobs bill" and his plan for debt reduction calls for further tax increases that will continue to eliminate jobs, while still hampering job growth.

These actions further exacerbate the problems of many Americans (14 million currently out of work) and voters would be wise, in 2012, to remember this and end this sad period in American history of empty and absent leadership in the White House.

Obama to Americans: Pay Up!

While America was relaxing for the weekend and watching football, it was released, in the dark of night, that President Obama, in governing from the hard left, is planning a deficit reduction plan that will include $1.5 trillion in new taxes.

I'm sure we'll continue to hear the rhetoric of those being taxed to pay their "fair share," along with his line of attacks on the Republicans of wanting to let old people die and keep Americans out of work. What he and the media won't say is that it's all a big lie and a continued pile-on of hypocrisy, as this bill will further cut Medicare spending (on top of what ObamaCare did) and it will further hamper job creation in the private sector, as a result of these new taxes.

Congressional Republicans would be wise to stand as a united front against these new taxes and further efforts to hamper this economy, while the 2012 field should not shy away from using this issue, to prove to the American voters why this president is not leading and should not be given another four years to continue to destroy this economy.

Miss Me Yet?

Ten years ago today, visiting Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center, George W. Bush stood on a destroyed fire truck, with his arm around firefighter Bob Beckwith, and gave this speech:



This was George W. Bush at his best: no teleprompter, off the cuff and genuine around fellow Americans. We saw leadership at its best, as this was a seminal moment in his presidency. It was because of this leadership that the homeland was not attacked again during his presidency and for that, every American should thank George W. Bush for his leadership during those very challenging days.

1984 in 2011

One word: SCARY

Didn't they try this before?

I guarantee that 2012 will be like no other election cycle!

In New York...Concrete Jungle Where Dreams are Made Of

A Republican has won a Congressional Seat in New York City...repeat: A REPUBLICAN HAS WON A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IN NEW YORK CITY!!!!

You aren't misreading that! September 13 was the Special Election for the 9th Congressional District, the seat vacated by Anthony Weiner after a very embarrassing scandal. This seat has not been held by a Republican since 1923. Tonight, Bob Turner won this election, defeating Democrat David Welprin, a candidate who didn't even live in the district.

This victory is the Scott Brown moment of 2011. A deeply Democrat district, a heavily Jewish district (a group that has a bad habit of skewing Democrat) and a district in New York City, one of the "liberal bastions" of the United States, Republican victories are few and far between. Turner's victory comes down to voter dissatisfaction with Obama, specifically his position on Israel and his inability to let government get out of the way so jobs can be created.

A few months ago, this would have seemed impossible, yet this Republican victory sends shockwaves not only across the country, but to the Obama 2012 Re-election campaign.

Repugnant

In surfing Drudge yesterday, I came across a link for a Paul Krugman post to a New York Times blog entry, where he called the reaction to 9-11 "shameless" and referred to George W. Bush, Rudy Giuliani and others as "fake heroes." If they are such "fake heroes," how come this homeland was not attacked again during the Bush Administration after 9-11? If they are fake heroes, how come they get a much larger applause at events where they appear with the current president? If they are fake heroes, then why are they so honored by all 9-11 families and families of our brave service men and women?

You know what I think about Mr. Krugman? I think he is a shameless, gutless coward! Krugman, from his ivy towers at Princeton does these quick shots across the bow, where he doesn't articulate or provide the reader with reasoning to his position. Then, he starts to sing the same old song about Iraq that all the leftists wine about. In his closing, Krugman cowardly write "I'm not going to allow comments on this post, for obvious reasons." Afraid of what your readers may think?

Donald Rumsfeld has it right and hopefully, more Americans follow his lead. In addition to cancelling subscriptions, Americans, can call the New York Times at (212) 556-1600 to state their complaints.

I doubt we will see a retraction, but we will see Mr. Krugman and his ilk become even more increasingly irrelevant.

George W. Bush in Shanksville, PA

Even after his two terms in the presidency, George W. Bush continues to impress and inspire. On Saturday at the dedication ceremony for the United Flight 93 Memorial, he gave one heck of a speech, maybe one of his best.



Now THAT is a leader!

"One of the lessons of 9-11 is that evil is real, and so is courage."

10 Years Since

In 2001, I was graduating from college, ready to take the next step in my life, transitioning from student to professional. On that final week as a college student, I, along with my peers, went on our Senior Week “Midnight Cruise” around Manhattan. There was a slight breeze and it was the perfect spring evening to take in the New York City Skyline and its numerous landmarks. The adult beverages were flowing on this open bar cruise, but even with all the drinking and partying among us Drewids, I vividly remember what I saw while on board. As the boat sailed along the Hudson and approached Lower Manhattan, the captain slowed down as he approached North Cove Marina, long enough for everyone on board to look at the World Trade Center. New York City’s tallest and best known skyscrapers, they stood stoically over Lower Manhattan, as they have since their completion, and on that evening, the shimmering lights of the offices and conference rooms seemed to reflect the buildings’ images in the Hudson River and further remind everyone on board the commanding stature of the Twin Towers. For those brief moments, it seemed as everyone took a break from the party and stood in awe of this engineering feat.

In just three and a half months, little did we know, on that May evening, the world would forever change, going down a path unknown and quite dangerous to anyone born after the Greatest Generation. Terrorists attacked those towers with commercial airliners (along with the Pentagon and had planned on taking out the Capitol or White House as well, but the United Flight 93 passengers sacrificed themselves to prevent that.), bringing the towers down, killing nearly 3000 Americans and changing nearly everything about the way we, as Americans, lived. It was a shock to all, as America realized she was not as isolated as once thought and America’s enemies are out there waiting for that one chance to attack.

This Act of War has been a Clarion Call for Gen-Xers, many of whom were at the beginning of their professional lives. Life paths were changed, as these Gen-Xers saw a commitment to serve their county; be it in the military, law enforcement or education, to see that the events of September 11, 2001 are never forgotten or repeated, and that the memory of those lost will live on.

Ten years after that fateful day, the US Military has been successful in its mission in rooting out terrorists who would do America harm, Usama Bin Laden has been captured/killed, the World Trade Center is being rebuilt (with the Freedom Tower now visible on the skyline) and long awaited monuments to those lost will be dedicated in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Ten years later, the example has been set and subsequent generations have joined the Gen-Xers, but the responsibility of American Gen-Xers is not over, and they are on their way to becoming known as the “9-11 Generation.” It is a great responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly, but proudly. Gen-Xers, in years to come, must remember to stand as stoically to protect and defend American freedom, American values, American history and the American way of life, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood stoically over New York City from 1973 to 2001.

Them's Fightin' Words

At a Labor Day socialist sympathizers' rally today, Jimmy Hoffa, Head of the Teamsters and son of Jimmy Hoffa Sr., who "disappeared," spoke to the gathered crowd in Detroit.



As one can see, Hoffa's act inciting of violence against TEA Party members and Republicans may go along with what the SEIU "purple shirts" have done in the past, yet it conflicts with Obama's wishes at the Gabby Giffords/Arizona shooting victims' service political rally. The question is, will President Obama condemn Hoffa's words?

After hearing Biden's words at this rally, and Obama's words today, as well as previous comments, I think the answer is a likely no. Just goes to show more phoniness from this administration and how any calls for civility are an absolute joke!

Just a look ahead of things to come in 2012!

UPDATE: Obama is "proud" of Hoffa and leaders like him. Guess there won't be any apology or 'under the bus tosses' on this one.

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The United States' Unemployment Numbers continue to be at pathetic levels! During the month of August, there was zero job growth, thus no change in the U-3 rate.

With the volatility of the stock market, the credit downgrade, drops in consumer confidence, no promise of a lesser tax rate and the likelihood of continued government spending, possibly accompanied by tax hikes, these job numbers are sadly becoming a new norm.

It's clear this president doesn't get it (and likely won't in his speech), so in order to finally see the bottom (we haven't reached it yet), it is imperative that Americans must make a change on Election Day 2012 in just 15 short months!

Screwing Up Speech Logistics

As usual, the President over-reached yesterday in attempting to upstage while scheduling his speech. The time has now been set and that's 7PM, EDT, next Thursday night.

This timing poses a few problems. First, a time zone problem. On the west coast, it will air in the late afternoon; not during the coveted prime time spot. Californians and anyone in the Pacific Time Zone will either be nearing the tail end of their workday or arriving at the bar for Happy Hour. Second, his speech takes place before the NFL Season Opener, which, in the past few years, is quite the spectacle with concerts, pre-game activities, and the fans watching, either at Lambeau Field, from their homes or their favorite sports bar won't be paying attention.

The best thing he can do in this speech is re-live that MNF promo (the whole thing is comical enough where it would fit in), yet in the end, Americans realize this speech will be more of the same and as a result, this will not end well for the President.

Going Down This Road Again

Audio surfaced yesterday of Congressman Andre Carson attacking the Tea Party by playing the race card. I believe the Democrats tried this once already and thanks to Andrew Breitbart, the charges didn't stick, yet with the comments of Sheila Jackson Lee, Frederica Wilson, Maxine Waters, Janeane Garafalo, they continue to go down this road.

There are some sad facts. Americans will eventually sour to the race card with the constant "crying of wolf," which in the long run, can harm race relations out of reasons of eventual contempt or apathy.

Doesn't sound to civil, does it? (Apparently, the President doesn't really practice what he preaches) We are in for a rocky ride, come 2012.