TIME FOR A RECHARGE

After a lengthy NFL season and the political storms that never seem to stop (and never will) due to the divisive nature our country is in, heftyinfo is recharging and will be back (hopefully better than ever) sometime in the near future.
There is just too much going on right now personally in my field of work and the craziness that is the United States of America borders on a fictional novel these days.
Having come to this point is not real easy to say the least but, upon watching the Super Bowl with a few close friends this weekend, it is obvious that America is STILL ASLEEP (see picture at upper right) when it comes to real issues facing real people.
Why else would "working class" people, which comprise over 95 percent of this nation, side with the nonsense they hear on the Fox Network and elsewhere?
These people DO NOT realize they are cutting their own throats (figuratively speaking) by aimlessly following their "masters" to their own slaughter, just like the sheep they are.
What a pity.
As the issues continue to mount (and they are many)... many blog sites and cable TV news shows will continue to monitor the events and heftyinfo will take note.
As a "working class" person (we also used to be called middle class, remember that?) it is sad to see the corporate take over of this country we (still) call the United States of America.
Kudos to Thom Hartmann, a syndicated radio talk show host (WCPT radio in Chicago) out of the Portland, Oregon area for telling it like it is.
Like political talker Ed Schultz (MSNBC), this man challenges ALL political figures, including President Obama for not doing their jobs.
What would happen to all the sheep if Fox "News" decided to suddenly get out of the lock step they are in with the right and actually grow a pair of balls and challenge these people for all the screw ups they made over the years that have helped create the current mess this country is facing?
In the meantime, observation will be the norm and the people and their blogs and websites will continue to be followed on a regular basis.
Work is still busy (for now) and a person has to make their living.

So long for now...

It's finally over

The NFL season came to a close with the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl, 31-17 over the Indianapolis Colts in Miami on Sunday evening.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, named the game's Most Valuable Player, threw for two touchdowns and the Saints defense did what they needed to do in the second half in shutting down the Colts offense. Tracy Porter returned an interception 74 yards to seal the win at 31-17 with just over three minutes remaining in the game.
The Colts jumped out to a 10-0 lead after one quarter and the Saints could muster only two field goals by kicker Garrett Hartley (both from beyond 40 yards) in the first half.
A surprise onside kickoff that the Saints recovered to start the second half seemed to light a spark for New Orleans and they never looked back after that, out scoring Indy, 25-7 in the second half.
Peyton Manning finished with 333 yards passing with a touchdown and the costly interception in the final quarter.
Trailing 17-16 in the final quarter, Brees threw a two-yard scoring pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey and the two-point conversion was successful on a pass to Lance Moore, who made a great diving catch to give the Saints a 24-17 lead with 5:42 remaining.
In a bizarre season which saw both of these teams go to 13-0 before New Orleans suffered its' first defeat, it was indeed a strange game that saw both of these teams feeling each other out like prize fighters as they played it unusually close to the vest on offense.
But in the end, the New Orleans Saints prevailed and now the Big Easy can rest easy as they are returning home with the trophy.
See ya' next season!

A sneak peek at the "teabagger" convention in Tennessee

SUPER BOWL PREVIEW

Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints

The Colts and Saints are set to kickoff Super Bowl 44 in Miami on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 and it should be an entertaining football game.
Both of these teams are the number-one seeds from their respective conferences and posted the top records in 2009.
Both teams have high powered offensive attacks that rely mostly on the passing game with the running game sprinkled in to keep opposing defenses honest.
The Saints are led by Drew Brees, the top rated quarterback in the NFC who leads the team through the air with his rifle arm. The Colts' leader is four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, who is a pin-point passer who can dissect a defense in no time. Just ask loudmouth Jets' Coach Rex Ryan about that.
When it comes to the defense, the Saints rely on turnovers while the Colts are a little more consistent against both the run and the pass than their opponent from the Big Easy.
New Orleans' opportunistic defense led the league in scoring on defense this season as defensive back Darren Sharper led the way with multiple scores off interceptions.
The Saints have Reggie Bush, punt returner extraordinaire as well who could be a wild card factor in the outcome of this game on special teams.
Look for the Saints to try and out pass the Colts (if that's possible) to win the game. If they succeed, they will win. Brees has multiple targets to throw to in Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Bush, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Pierre Thomas and Robert Meacham.
Meanwhile, Manning can throw to a number of different receivers as well. His favorite targets are Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. If they are covered, he can go to Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie as well as running back Joseph Addai.
These two quarterbacks should light it up as the game goes along and the call here is for a high scoring game with the outcome possibly being decided simply by which team has the ball last.
That being said, the defenses will probably ratchet it up a notch or two and take over in much the same way New England and the New York Giants did two years ago in the Super Bowl.
One intriguing factor for the Colts may be the possible loss of defensive end Dwight Freeney (severe ankle sprain) for this game. He will be a game-time decision and if he cannot go, then Brees will have even more time to pick apart the Colts secondary, which can be suspect at times.
No matter, these two teams should provide for a great Super Bowl and the call here is for the Colts to come away with the Vince Lombardi trophy in a close one.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: COLTS 34, SAINTS 28

heftyinfo playoff picks record: 7-3

Message to U.S. Supreme Court- We the People, not corporations

http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/people-not-corporations-how-bout-these-apples/

Is the worst yet to come?

The economic times we are living in these days are down right frightening to millions of Americans who are going through hard times.
If people are fortunate enough to continue to be employed in these times, that's a huge plus.
The fact is the economic collapse brought on by inept trade policies (NAFTA, free trade, CAFTA, etc.) are in large part responsible for what is happening today in this country.
A recent article in the American Free Press (who are champions of the tea party movement) condemned these trade policies and demanded that tariffs be instituted to protect American jobs from continuing to being shipped over seas with no real consequences to the companies that do this sort of thing.
The fact is American people have put faith in the political leaders who have continued to turn their backs on them and simply cater to the corporations who flash the green in front of them.
America for sale, courtesy of big business and politics... our founding fathers would punch these bastards right square in the face if they had lived to see this day we are currently in.
Those who support the demise of the United States of America are the same people who condone these insane trade policies and basically say "hooray for me and screw everyone else."
That isn't patriotic, it's idiotic!
Unless this madness ceases to exist and the people WE THE PEOPLE (at least for now) elect at the polling places get their heads out of their corporate masters' asses, this country indeed is in for still worst times.
The United States Supreme Court (led by G.W. Bush appointee John Roberts) came up with the ridiculous ruling recently that corporations are persons (WTF?!) and therefore can contribute unlimited amounts to the candidates of their choice in the election process.
Once again, the (corrupt) system sticking it to the people of the United States.
Things have got to change and the squabbling going on between the right and left, Democratic party and Republican party, etc. has to stop or else...
It is a shame that things have slooooowwwwlly gotten to this point. Americans slept while their political leaders have been whoring themselves to the corporate big bosses and the banksters that caused this current economic mess.
Will it pick back up or will America continue to be sold down the river at the expense of the American people?
Is the worst yet to come?
We shall see.

VOTE!

In Illinois, today is Tuesday, February 2, 2010 and it is Primary Election Day in the Land of Lincoln.
Take the time to vote if you have not already done so in the primaries. Even though the Supreme Court made that ridiculous decision (led by George Bush, Jr. appointees John Roberts and Samuel Alito) that will allow CORPORATIONS to donate as much as they want to political campaigns of their choosing, we the people, still have to vote.
The choice is yours America, NOT the corporations.
Vote!