Dario Franchitti Enjoys Some Downtime Before Indy's GoPro Sonoma

Dario Franchitti Enjoys Some Downtime Before Indy's GoPro Sonoma

Last week, between races, IndyCar stand out driver for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Dario Franchitti visited the motor culture event that coincides the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Vintage Motorsports TV's Thomas Stahler had a chance to chat with Dario at the Automobilia (vintage items, posters, books, and etc. for exchange) tent for a few minutes before Dario had to engage into what he does best ... drive.

This next weekend, Dario will be competing in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma with an incredible field of championship-minded drivers where Dario holds a unique distinction. Dario Franchitti's average finish in competition at Sonoma Raceway is the highest of all of the leading drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES TOP 10 AT SONOMA - Image Credit: indycar.com

To look at this information from a stack ranking perspective ... one can say Dario Franchitti has a distinct performance advantage on the track at Sonoma Raceway.

Top 10 In 2013 Championship Points Chase Sonoma Raceway Finishing Record Plus Two Honorable Mentions - Top average finishing position stack ranking:

Dario Franchitti - 3.4

Ryan Briscoe - 6.7

Scott Dixon - 7.1

Will Power - 7.3

Helio Castroneves - 7.5

Justin Wilson - 8.3

Tony Kanaan - 9.0

Simon Pagenaud - 11.0

Marco Andretti - 15.1

Ryan Hunter-Reay - 15.2

James Hinchcliffe - 16.5

Charlie Kimball - 23.5

Interesting analytical look at the facts ... but let's just run the race, 'cause that's why we race ... OKAY?

... notes from The EDJE

Democrat Political Party Leadership On Invasive Keystroke Surveillance

If you thought the National Security Agency's collection of Verizon phone-call data was bad, wait until you hear about the seven-year-old, previously undisclosed classified government program that works with nine very major U.S. Internet companies to secretly scrape your online life and has become "the most prolific contributor" to President Obama's daily intelligence report and is "increasingly" important to the NSA. Caption Credit & Image Credit: theatlanticwire.com

Democrat Political Party Leadership On Invasive Keystroke Surveillance

At what point in time does having the ability to have a private life cease to be viable in a Bill-Of-Rights, Rule-Of-Law, Constitutionally protected society?

The answer can be found when a Government becomes so big and fearful of its citizens that it violates the trust between the institutions of Government and the citizens these institutions were established to serve on behalf of the citizens.

Yesterday, a United Kingdom news service, The Daily Guardian, issued a second in a series of information articles about the United States Government’s information gathering programs run by the National Security Agency and other government institutions under the mission of curbing terrorism.

The first information based article highlighted that Verizon was turning over, wholesale, all phone call information it had on its hundreds of millions calls per day, to the NSA for the Government to use however it saw fit to use. The information included phone numbers, time of call, location of both phones on the call, duration, an other key digital data that was associated with the call in a practice that has been termed by some as a DRAGNET.

The information in the second article in as many days from the UK’s Guardian (where are the American news services on this exposure and investigation of this information?) highlights that this Democrat Political Party led Government was also collecting EVERY KEYSTROKE a person types on the internet in order to communicate the who, what, when, where, and why they are.

This excerpted and edited from The Guardian -


NSA snooping on massive amounts of personal data from major U.S. Internet companies
By Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian – Thursday, June 6, 2013


The participation of the internet companies in PRISM will add to the debate, ignited by the Verizon revelation, about the scale of surveillance by the intelligence services. Unlike the collection of those call records, this surveillance can include the content of communications and not just the metadata.

Some of the world’s largest internet brands are claimed to be part of the information-sharing program since its introduction in 2007. Microsoft – which is currently running an advertising campaign with the slogan “Your privacy is our priority” – was the first, with collection beginning in December 2007.

It was followed by Yahoo in 2008; Google, Facebook and PalTalk in 2009; YouTube in 2010; Skype and AOL in 2011; and finally Apple, which joined the program in 2012. The program is continuing to expand, with other providers due to come online.

Collectively, the companies cover the vast majority of online email, search, video and communications networks.
(Reference Here)

T R U E   C O L O R S !!

The Bush Administration first found folks to be suspicious of … then asked for phone record information about these individuals … and followed the trail.

The Democrat Political Party led Obama Administration uses this post 9/11 law – the Patriot Act – to cast a net on ALL individuals, assuming that ALL of us are potential terrorists. 

After using information to target Obama Administration questioners through the power of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), does anyone believe that this broad net information would be used for your personal good??? – THIS is why the United States HAS a Constitution and a Bill-Of-Rights backed with a Rule-Of-Law.

Senator Barack Obama ran for President saying that the Bush Administration practice was un-American and that his government would do away with these snooping practices – in practice, however, he lied to each and everyone of us and is collecting information on each and everyone of us – WITHOUT DUE CAUSE OR SUSPICION!

President Barack Obama’s T R U E   C O L O R S !!!


**Article first published as Democrat Political Party Leadership on Invasive Keystroke Surveillance on Technorati**

Chevrolet Indy Dual In Detroit Race 2 Tweet-By-Tweet

Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans Race 1 Results >>> @TheEDJE – Dale Coyne Racing nets a P1 Conway and a P3 Wilson for a double podium finish after waiting 25 years for first win. Top 10 – 1 Conway, 2 RHR, 3 Wilson, 4 Dixon, 5 Castroneves, 6 Franchitti, 7 Newgarden, 8 Power, 9 Rahal, 10 Jakes!!! Penske Racing’s Helio Castroneves by finishing 5th captures the season points through six of nineteen races. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Chevrolet Indy Dual In Detroit Race 2 Tweet-By-Tweet

The IZOD IndyCar Series experimented with a format of holding two street/road course races at the same venue over the same weekend and by most anyone's standards, the weekend was a great success. This was be the first time IndyCar had tried this format for this type of racing (not an oval) and going in, people wondered if the physical demands of driver and track could hold up to the pressure and rigors of two 70 lap races in two days ... after all, the drivers were not just turning the car to the left all the time and last year, parts of the track surface came apart with about 25% of the race still to be run. Another concern was the potential of the typical spring pop-up shower but the weather only became a bit of a factor during the first qualifying session on Friday - the rest of the weekend was fine.

In hosting the inaugural IZOD IndyCar Series doubleheader in the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans, there are several new features to the street circuit for the race weekend **Extended the circuit to create more overtaking opportunities. A half-mile straightaway between Turns 2 and 3 has been added **More than 100,000 square feet of road surface has been refurbished **Curbing at Turns 3 and 4 has been reworked or removed to create tighter turns and, consequently, more overtaking opportunities. Image Credit: IICS

The first race was an exciting affair that featured passing due to the new, longer and wider configuration and very few YELLOW Flag cautions. The race was won by a first time winner from a smaller team that has two British drivers for street/road course races - Mike Conway driving for Dale Coyne Racing's Sonny's Bar-B-Que sponsored Honda-powered Dallara DW12. Justin Wilson, Dale Coyne's full-season driver of the Boy Scouts of America sponsored Honda-powered Dallara DW12 had won the only other races for the team with two wins (one street/road course and one oval) came in at P3 giving the team a first-time double podium.

Dale Coyne Racing team-mate Justin bends over to congratulate Mike Conway on his first ever IZOD IndyCar Series win in Race 1. Image Credit: IICS

Before the Dual in Detroit Race 1 was run, in the morning's warm-up and Race 2 qualifications session, Mike Conway had already secured the Pole position for Race 2 so there was a lot of anticipation for Conway to become a double race winner for this first Dual in Detroit and take home a $50,000 prize in doing so.

Winning sportcar and Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports driver, Frenchman Simon Pagenaud became the second first-time IZOD IndyCar Series race winner in as many days. Pagenaud started from row 3 in P6 ... six positions better than he finished Race 1 on Saturday at P12. He's the sixth different winner -- from six different countries -- in seven races and the fourth first-time winner this season (Hinchcliffe, Sato, Conway, and Pagenaud). Image Credit: Simon Pagenaud via FB

The following New Media entries are a combination of Tweets from Twitter and comments from the author in observance to the events that transpired during the Dual in Detroit Race 2 … welcome to the 7th race of this 19 race IZOD IndyCar Series 2013 season -

@stephanie_b_89
"@INDYCARPR: FULL COURSE YELLOW: Car No. 2 makes contact with the wall. #DetroitGP #IndyCar" @AJDinger : (

@Joshua_Rogers
Dinger wads up another car. Perhaps he needs to stick with vehicles with fenders. #IndyCar #DetriotGP

@DawnsKiss
@12WillPower Leader #IndyCar #Dual2 #Detroit under caution

@estradawriting
Power apparently got past Conway before the yellow light. Willy P your new leader. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@DannieAsphall
"@INDYCARPR: Back to green on Lap 4. @Mikeconway26 took the lead entering Turn 1 on Lap 5. #DetroitGP #IndyCar"

@HalfShaftBlues
#IndyCar powerhouses Mike Conway & Dale Coyne Racing continue their dominance, while plucky upstarts like Penske & Ganassi keep hope alive.

@ComingToTheFlag
Simona in the wall. Full course caution. #indycar

@MattEmbury
oh and Simona de Silvestro's dead in the water turn 9. Crash. #indycar #detroitgp

LAP 10 of 70 - 1-Conway 2-Power 3-Pagenaud 4-RHR 5-Jakes 6-Dixon 7-Viso 8-Wilson 9-Hinchcliffe & 10-Castroneves

GREEN Flag Restart - LAP 13

@ScottManifold
Reds should last longer today with more rubber down. #indycar

@MattEmbury
@IAIndyFan Several as I predicted before the race, interesting though that Power and Pagenaud stayed out on reds. #indycar #detroitgp

@WoodsiesGarage
Josef Newgarden slows on the backstretch as the track goes yellow again. Most of this race has been run under caution. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@AutoweekRacing
Cation out again for crash involving @tagliani. Sheesh. #DetroitGP #IndyCar

@jopijedd
I think it is time for the traditional "Ed Carpenter struggling with the fact that this circuit has corners in BOTH directions"... #indycar

GREEN Flag Restart - LAP 15

@BaronVonClutch
.@EJVISO has damage after contact with @h3lio's car. #IndyCar

@TomcatNASCAR
16 laps of #IndyCar is already more exciting than 375 laps of #NASCAR.

@Pablomg228
Difference between Indy and F1: Indy drivers have the guts to try to pass in places like this #detroitgp #indycar

@BoBarkfield
Detroit...crash city! #indycar #DetroitGP

@MattEmbury
Oh and Hunter Reay has a busted suspension, wall contact likely #indycar #detroitgp

LAP 20 of 70 Top 10 - 1-Conway 2-Power 3-Pagenaud 4-Dixon 5-Jakes 6-Kimball 7-Castroneves 8-Wilson 9-Hinchcliffe & 10-Franchitti

@tonydizinno
Yellow again, wiping out an 8.8 second lead for @Mikeconway26, aka the Stig, aka Conweezy. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

No one is riding on REDS after a round of pitstops on 4th caution - for debris

Top 10 - 1-Conway 2-Dixon 3-Kimball 4-Wilson 5-Franchitti 6-Kanaan 7-Vautier 8-Sato 9-Bourdais & 10-Saavedra Top 4 have not pitted

GREEN Flag Restart - LAP 23

@CarlsonsRaiders
Meanwhile, they're back to green once again in Detroit! #Indycar #DetroitGP

Vautier touches Sato and sends TAKU in the wall

@FormulaThoughts
Takuma no! :( #SuperSato #Indycar

With all of the YELLOW Flags - 5 now - three fuel strategies seem to playing out

Top 10 - 1-Conway 2-Dixon 3-Franchitti 4-Kanaan 5-Vautier 6-Power 7-Pagenaud 8-Bourdais 9-Hinchcliffe & 10-Andretti - Top 2 yet to pit

@RLenziBlade
It's official: At the 26th lap, half of the #DetroitGP has been run under caution. #IndyCar

GREEN Flag Restart - LAP 27

YELLOW Flag - Power gets punted from behind, Wilson, Carpenter, Viso, Tagliani, and Briscoe all involved - Sebastien Bourdais is the culprit on the punt that collected

everyone - Hinchcliffe busts a wing on the way through

@CarlsonsRaiders
Will Power clearly pissed at Bourdais, decides to just throw his gloves rather than the double birds this time. #Indycar #DetroitGP

@npssandy
@indycaradvocate At least it wasn't the track falling apart this year... #IndyCar #DetroitGP

Riiiight ... it's just the drivers that are falling apart

LAP 30 of 70 - Top 10 - 1-Kanaan 2-Dixon 3-Vautier 4-Franchitti 5-Bourdais 6-Conway 7-Pagenaud 8-Andretti 9-Jakes & 10-Kimball

@jimlefko
Crazy amount of crashes/cautions at #indycar race at Belle Isle. Infinitely more entertaining though than seeing MConway drive solo in front

@elmondohummus
You know, this race really DOES represent Detroit: No matter what efforts you bring, it all goes downhill. #indycar

@FilipCleeren
Restart order: 11 55 10 7 25 83 9 18 77 67 4 6 1 16 3 20 #detroitgp #indycar

Top 10 - 1-Kanaan 2-Vautier 3-Franchitti 4-Bourdais 5-Andretti 6-Kimball 7-Dixon 8-Conway 9-Pagenaud & 10-Rahal

GREEN Flag Restart - LAP 37

Conway is just carving up the field and he making it look easy - passes three cars left-right-left

@neilhudson
Conway already up to fourth, will be third when Bourdais serves his penalty if he even waits that long #IndyCar

@4TheLoveOfIndy
Vautier to the lead. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

LAP 40 of 70 - Top 10 - 1-Vautier 2-Conway 3-Kanaan 4-Kimball 5-Dixon 6-Franchitti 7-Pagenaud 8-Saavedra 9-Jakes & 10-Andretti

@WoodsiesGarage
Vautier pits, giving Conway the lead again. >1s lead over Kanaan. Kimball P3, 2.6s behind Conway. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

LAP 42 - Conway already is 2.7 seconds in the lead over Kanaan - WOW!

@racer_27
First Hinch and Will Power is back too! All hail #IndyCar mechanics. #DetriotGP

@spunk72
Man, @Mikeconway26 is driving this race LIKE A BOSS.  #Indycar  #detroitgp

@Deke15
 That replay of Conway passing the Ganassis looked like he DROPPED THE HAMMER and the others were standing still. #IndyCar

Kanaan pits and comes back out in 12th

@4TheLoveOfIndy
This is Ganassi's best shot at a win so far in 2013. Currently occupies 2-3-4. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@drewallennews
Charlie Kimball gaining on Conway #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@racewithinsulin
No. 83 current lap time: 80.2126 for P2. Conway P1 at 82.4594. #DetroitGP #IndyCar -PLR

First time in two races and Conway gets passed ... Kimball in the lead

@mfriedman_63
Really, almost anyone can win these Indycar street races. Except the expected favorites! #DetroitGP #Indycar

@drewallennews
Pagenaud gets around Conway. Those tires are done. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

Conway in the pits - back on Blacks! - Conway out at P6

LAP 50 of 70 - Top 10 - 1-Pagenaud 2-Jakes 3-Andretti 4-Franchitti 5-Conway 6-Rahal 7-Kimball 8-Dixon 9-Kanaan & 10-Saavedra

@kenspi
This--> “@curtcavin: Great tweet from @BourdaisOnTrack "Seb avoids all the mess." Uh, he helped cause the mess. #IndyCar”

@MADMAUtwotwo
3-wide racing on the streets of Detroit!!!!! @IndyCar #indycar

@miller_j18
once they've figured out how to not hit each other, this is getting good! #IndyCar #DetroitGP

Conway up to P4 - Pagenaud and Jakes will need to pit for sure

The race is between Franchitti and Conway - first four cars are Honda-powered

@carbonconcepts
Why no Conway in-car?  #indycar #detroitgp

Pagenaud in and out and ahead of the Franchitti Conway battle

@IndyCar
Great battle between Conway and Franchitti for 3rd. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@INDYCARPR
Of note: these are the first laps led on road/street course for @JamesJakes. #DetroitGP #IndyCar

@michaelw2000
Anyone notice that Power is getting closer to Bourdais?!?! LOL!!! I sense a "Duel" coming! About 4 sec difference! #DetroitGP #IndyCar

Conway passes Franchitti on LAP 57 - 28 seconds behind Pagenaud - Jakes in and comes out in P2 ahead of Conway

LAP 60 of 70 - Top 10 - 1-Pagenaud 2-Jakes 3-Conway 4-Franchitti 5-Dixon 6-Andretti 7-Kimball 8-Rahal 9-Kanaan & 10-Castroneves

There is racing all through the top 10

@drewallennews
Pagenaud is one of those drivers who has constantly been knocking on the door. Does he get his first win today? #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@4TheLoveOfIndy
Kanaan pits from ninth. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@OfficialGinaN
Top two have never won #IndyCar race... Makes it more exciting! #DetroitGP

@99forever
In the top 3, Pagenaud and Jakes both just set fastest laps of the race. Jakes's was faster. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

The top 3 cars are all in sight of each other - what a grand street course race ... real ChampCar racing is back bigtime!

@WoodsiesGarage
Vautier spears the wall during another ad break, now stalled. Bourdais also went off but is still going. Local yellow. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@julesia18
ABC is picking the WORST times to go to commercial!!!! #indycar

LAP 65 of 70 - Top 5 are 1-Pagenaud 2-Jakes 3-Conway 4-Dixon 5-Franchitti and the field is stable unless something happens

@CarlsonsRaiders
Pagenaud is the fastest guy on track right now, doesn't look like Jakes or Conway have anything for him. #Indycar #DetroitGP

@indycaradvocate
Jakes trying to hold on to P2. Big day for Pags and Jakes both. #IndyCar #DetroitGP

@Jose_Galvan
The lethargic ABC @IndyCar announcers are describing an exciting race as though it were a medical procedure. Come on! #indycar

@IndyCar
. @simonpagenaud out up front with just a couple laps to go! #IndyCar #DetroitGP

Conway closes on Jakes at 2 LAPS to go

@TheoTradeMark
Two laps to go. Conway trying to battle Jakes for the 2nd #DetroitGP #Indycar

WHITE Flag

@therossbynum
At this point the circus clowns just tumble out of the clown car. Exhausted. Clown union preparing strike as we speak.  #IndyCar #DetroitGP

Race 2 Podium drivers congratulate each other during the cool down lap at the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans. Image Credit: Nicolas Dura via Twitter

@mfriedman_63
A podium of Schmidt/Peterson, RLL, and Coyne??!! Are you kidding??!! :) #Indycar #DetroitGP

@scottaltimaman
Oui Oui! Pagenaud wins! #IndyCar

@CrashGladys
BEST DRIVERS IN THE WORLD! 6 winners in 7 races, from 6 different countries. It doesn't get any better than THAT, race fans! Epic

@AutoweekRacing
Pagenaud wins #DetroitGP ahead of Jakes and Conway, but Conway was the undisputed star of this race and the weekend. #IndyCar

@BaronVonClutch
.@simonpagenaud Wins Race Two at the @detroitgp! Pagenaud also banked the fastest lap of the race. #IndyCar

First win for proven ALMS sportscar series winner Simon Pagenaud.

@ScottManifold
What a wacky year! Someone predicted that right? Nice job podium! Pagenaud, Jakes, Conway #indycar #detroitgp

Honda-power captures the top 5 positions with more horsepower than Chevy-power ... in DETROIT!!!

Overnight television ratings for ABC's live telecast of the second race of the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit on June 2 grew 14 percent over last year's Sunday telecast, which also aired on ABC.

The network earned a 0.8 overnight rating, up from a 0.7 overnight for last year's race at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The June 1 race, which was new this year, earned a 0.7 overnight rating on ABC.

... notes from The EDJE


**Article first published as Chevrolet Indy Dual In Detroit Race 2 Tweet-By-Tweet on Technorati**

Will The 97th INDY 500 Become An Andretti Autosport Shootout?

A joyous Michael Andretti as he basks in the glow of being the team owner of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay while fielding questions from the press just after the last race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

Will The 97th INDY 500 Become An Andretti Autosport Shootout?

The month of May, 2013, at the famed two and a half mile rectangle/oval located at Speedway, Indiana has been dominated by cars prepared and driven by Andretti Autosport. During the week leading up to Pole Day, which took place last weekend, saw all five cars comfortably posting speed times in the top 10 with the consistency usually reserved by Penske Racing or Target Chip Ganassi (who, under their direct banner, have fielded five cars combined).

On Pole Day, Andretti Autosport cars made it to the “Fast Nine” shootout for the pole … the only other multiple car team to place all of its cars in the final cut was Penske Racing (P5. (2) AJ Allmendinger, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.8264 (228.099) | P6. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.8342 (228.087) | P8. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.0596 (227.762)) leaving Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TGR) locked out – TGR’s Dixon and Franchitti are P16 and P17 respectively (row six).

The Andretti Autosport DW12′s qualified at P2. (26) Carlos Munoz, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.6581 (228.342) | P3. (25) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.7139 (228.261) | P4. (5) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.7907 (228.150) | P7. (1) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.9614 (227.904) | P9. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.5411 (227.070).

Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay just moments after he pits his #1 DHL sponsored Dallara-Chevy at the end of the race that rewarded him with enough points to secure the 2012 IICS driver championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

If qualifying position and overall team performance were the solid gold predictors in the outcome of a race run, then one would have to give the inside track to ANY Andretti Autosport team car and driver.

When one adds the calculation of team performance to the winning of races, Andretti Autosport is also given the edge starting the last half of 2012 – when Ryan Hunter-Reay won Race #8 of a 15 race season at the Milwaukee Mile, Race #9 Iowa, and Race #14 through the streets of Baltimore and eventually seizing the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series (IICS) Driver Championship  – then continuing the performance during the first four races of the 2013 season with James Hinchcliffe winning Race #1 at St. Petersburg and #4 at Sao Paulo, not to forget the win by last year’s IICS champion Ryan Hunter-Reay in Race #2 at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama – the team is on a roll.

James Hinchcliffe prays in the cockpit of his Andretti Autosport Go Daddy sponsored Dallara-Chevy before taking to the track. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

Lastly, through four races of the 2013 season, the consistency of performance can not be ignored. The driver championship standings with over 20% of the season being run has Andretti Autosport season regular drivers Marco Andretti standing at  P2, James Hinchcliffe at P4, Ryan Hunter-Reay at P6, and EJ Viso at P11. And, again, the pinch-hitter for the INDY 500, Carlos Munoz sits as the top qualifying driver for the team at P2 – WOW!

A shootout in the INDY 500 by Andretti Autosport drivers is a very real possibility because the team, and the way the second season DW12 cars have been prepared, would allow this to happen.

Andretti Autosport drivers Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe take to the ‘Brickyard’ for set-ups. Marco sets a speed of 225 on the first day of practice laps leading all cars that ran on the first day of May practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series

This excerpted and edited from SB Nation -

2013 Indianapolis 500: Power ranking the field of 33
By MattWeaver on May 21 2013, 10:00p 

Instead of compiling a traditional power rankings list like we normally do on Tuesday afternoons at SB Nation IndyCar, this week’s post will rank the top-10 drivers most likely to win the Indianapolis 500-mile Race.

Drivers can typically be lumped into three groups entering the month of May:

1.) The top-10 drivers that have the easiest path towards winning the Borg-Warner Trophy.

2.) The group of 10 that will need some help or a little bit of luck.

3.) The final 13 that are best described as a long shot.

Conceivably any of the 33 drivers have a shot after 500-miles, as fuel strategy has generated some surprise winners over the last century. That’s one of the many reasons the Greatest Spectacle in Racing is still the greatest race in the world – it’s still the 500-mile sweepstakes.

And yet, there is still a clear hierarchy led by traditional powers Andretti Autosport, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing. Our top-10 picks to win the 2013 Indianapolis 500 can be found below, with an explanation for each of the top contenders. For reference’s sake, we’ve also included a complete ranking to the last driver.

1. Marco Andretti
The entire month of May seemingly has been dedicated to Andretti Autosport, the Andretti Curse and Marco Andretti’s career resurgence. While just a little off the pole speed on Saturday, the number 25 team appears fastest in traffic, picking up a toe [TOW] and several other deciding factors in traffic.
—-
He’s also number 1 on the power rankings list because he’s shown the most consistent speed at Indianapolis since teams unloaded the DW12 oval model last May, leading the most laps of the 2012 race and dominating the practice sessions leading up to the 2013 race.

2. Ed Carpenter
One of the biggest misconceptions about the buildup to this year’s Indianapolis 500 is that Ed Carpenter is some sort of heartwarming underdog victory after capturing the pole on Saturday afternoon. Sure, Ed Carpenter Racing doesn’t have the same budget as Penske or Ganassi, but he is the most prolific oval racer of the post-split era.

3. Carlos Muñoz
With reservation, a 21-year-old rookie makes the podium in the most-likely to win the Indianapolis 500 power rankings post.
—-
Only Marco Andretti has shown quicker pace in practice, and Muñoz has looked confident running in a pack with his Andretti Autosport teammates. He’s looking to do what JR Hildebrand couldn’t do in 2011, and that is winning this race in just his very first attempt — so don’t be surprised if it actually happens.

4. Hélio Castroneves
If youthful disregard could win on Sunday for Muñoz, experience and patience will do it for Hélio Castroneves. There is more than one way to win this race, and it will be interesting to see how Castroneves approaches another attempt to win his fourth Borg-Warner.

5. Dario Franchitti
Repeat everything that was said about Hélio Castroneves in regards to Dario Franchitti. The only thing placing Castroneves over Franchitti is his Chevy turbocharger which appears much-stronger at Indianapolis. Dario is also looking for his fourth win at the Speedway.

6. Will Power
Based on his championship finishes over the past three seasons, Will Power has inherited the title of Team Penske’s number 1 driver. With that title comes a lot of responsibility at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but not a lot of success thus far.
—-
Will Power can absolutely win this race. And in a season where he has somehow gone winless through four-consecutive road and street course events, wouldn’t a victory in the Indianapolis 500 just make sense?

7. James Hinchcliffe
The Go Daddy Andretti driver has been sneaky competitive at Indianapolis, qualifying 13th for Newman/Haas in 2011 and finishing sixth in last year’s race. Brimming with the confidence off two wins to start the 2013 season and the powerful Andretti Autosport backing his entry in 2013, Hinchcliffe could finally and completely break out of her shadow with a win in the Indianapolis 500.

8. EJ Viso
Andretti Autosport has seemingly concentrated the raw potential of EJ Viso, and that could again show itself with a surprise victory in the Indianapolis 500.

9. AJ Allmendinger
Casual observers were quick to point out that AJ Allmendinger’s lack of results in his first two races back in Indy car was a sign of his inability to drive these cars after six seasons or the result of his mixed commitments to both IndyCar and NASCAR.
—-
Like any Penske car, the No. 2 has speed the driver has shown the ability to wield it for brief practice or qualifying spurts, but can he do it for 500 miles? That’s the only question separating AJ Allmendinger from the Borg-Warner trophy.

10. Scott Dixon
In a repeat of last season, Honda and Target Chip Ganassi Racing look to be just off the pace set by their Chevrolet rivals. But like last season, Honda and Ganassi will rise to the occasion and will be a constant threat for the lead in the late stages of the race.

The Borg-Warner Trophy – this image never gets old. Image Credit: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Lost in the shuffle between the legendary Dario Franchitti/Takuma Sato duel last year was that Scott Dixon was leading the Indianapolis 500 up until three laps to go. That isn’t likely to change on Sunday.

11. Ryan Hunter-Reay
12. Tony Kanaan
13. Takuma Sato
14. JR Hildebrand
15. Ryan Briscoe

16. Alex Tagliani
17. Charlie Kimball
18. Graham Rahal
19. Justin Wilson
20. Oriol Servia

21. Townsend Bell
22. Simon Pagenaud
23. Simona de Silvestro
24. Josef Newgarden
25. Sebastien Bourdais

26. James Jakes
27. Sebastian Saavedra
28. Conor Daly
29. Tristan Vautier
30. Pippa Mann

31. Buddy Lazier
32. Ana Beatriz
33. Katherine Legge
(Reference Here)

Predictions are a funny thing because when the race is run, the story always takes on an edge that can never be calculated for. This is why we race, and watch American open wheel races – F1 has nothing like this.

Broadcast Information:

The Memorial Day weekend tradition returns with the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, beginning at 12pm ET from famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

ABC airs the race for the 49th straight year, beginning with a one-hour preview show Sunday at 11am ET. The production will use 84 cameras, including three on-board cameras each on 12 of the 33 cars. Viewers can also choose a live streaming video feed from the on-board cameras on ESPN3. Marty Reid calls the race with analysts Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever. Lindsay Czarniak hosts, with Rick DeBruhl, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch and Vince Welch reporting from pit row.

… notes from The EDJE


** Article originally posted as "Will The 97th INDY 500 Become An Andretti Autosport Shootout?" at Motorsports Unplugged**

The IRS Scandal Is Improper And Illegal Political Competition

Image Credit: WPSD-TV

 The IRS Scandal Is Improper And Illegal Political Competition

Democrats, who are famous for making a bunch of noise about Fairness, Equal Access, Voter Suppression, and Racial Discrimination ... "REDLINED" all requests by tax-exempt organizations that appeared to be aligned against a progressive political agenda.

Many organizations were headed up by conservative Black, Hispanic, Female and Religious organizers, who wanted to educate potential voters and inform them of the consequences of tyranny (the kind they were being confronted with in their application process), and be able to bring fairness in the process of public discourse.

This is by any measure, far worse than what had actually happened in the activities that created "Watergate" and what the activities were suppose to achieve - political competition and the garnering of information overcome by mission creep.

In the case of Watergate, a small group of people who were supporting the re-election efforts of Richard M. Nixon, in order to get direct information from the Democrat Political Party, broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972, and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement in this effort.

What is now just coming to light is a culture of political competition and the garnering of personal information overcome by mission creep headed up by the management forces of the Executive Branch and key Democrat Senate and House of Representative leaders. The level of involvement in this culture marshals the immense power and legal consequence strength of most all of the human activity management forces of Government embodied in the processes of Bureaucracy (Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, and etc.). We now have a Government that is not designed as "for the people and by the people" as the Constitution creates and instructs, but a Government aligned to protect Progressive political agendas and policies against those who believe in the Constitution of the United States, the Bill-Of-Rights, and the Rule-Of-Law.

What we have today is a whole Government, with all of its information gathering and legal power, aligned to support re-election efforts of any Democrat Political Party candidate as opposed to a simple effort by a few people involved in political competition and the garnering of information overcome by mission creep.

The IRS scandal is improper and illegal political competition and is far worse than what the the Republican Political Party subjected citizens to through the efforts put forth in Watergate (one political party's management office versus a cross-over into citizenry political thought and activity management) in the pursuit of power and political competition.

Those funny Democrats!!

Department Of Transportation Adds To Fear Mongering Campaign

A trio of Republicans accused the Obama Administration of “creating alarm” in a quest to ramp up political pressure to deal with the sequester and suggested late Friday there were other areas of “fat” that could be cut by the FAA. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Reps. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) said the dire warnings were not backed up by financial data and suggested the FAA could instead cut the $500 million it spends each year on consultants or the $200 million it spends on supplies and travel. Image Credit: The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Hong Kong

Department Of Transportation Adds To Fear Mongering Campaign

The Obama Administration's bureaucratic fear mongering campaign starts (after President Barack Obama's presentation) with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood:

The Obama administration is heightening its warnings about looming budget cuts by emphasizing an area the traveling public already dreads - gridlock in the skies.

The White House trotted out former Republican, Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood on Friday to warn that sequestration would bring “calamity” to air travel by forcing the FAA to close dozens of control towers and eliminate overnight shifts at others, in turn prompting airlines to cancel or delay flights. Delays would be as much as 90 minutes, he said.

The FAA soon backed up his words with the release of further details about where towers could close ... from Opa-Locka, Fla., to Snohomish County, Wash.

It was further reported the cuts would also slow airport maintenance because of the thousands of furlough days that would hit the Transportation Department’s workforce of 55,000, thousands of whom are responsible for keeping the skies safe, the former Illinois congressman told reporters.

The fact of the matter is that there are NO CUTS to the amount of funding that this, and other functions of the federal government had in 2012 at $3,700 Billion dollars - the budgets will actually increase $15 Billion dollars (as opposed to about $100 Billion dollars that the "baseline budgeting" would be calling for).

What? Ray LaHood can not find any desk jockeys or paper-pushers in Washington D.C. to layoff?

Riiiiight!

We understand the fear mongering game - we just do not know which appointed Bureaucratic Secretary is next to launch its fear mongering litany of horror.

----

Sequester And The Shameful Fear Mongering Campaign

If the heads of 20 federal agencies are to be believed, disastrous consequences await if President Obama and Congress fail to reach a budget deal, triggering the automatic, across-the-board cuts known as “sequestration.” Image Credit: David McNew/Getty Images


Sequester And The Shameful Fear Mongering Campaign

For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed that I am a citizen of a country that is led by the political and media forces that exist today. The political leadership and the media that supports them think that WE ARE STUPID and lack the capability to resist FEAR MONGERING.

EXAMPLE: The country, if the Sequester is allowed to go forward, ... the Federal Government will only be allowed to spend fifteen billion dollars MORE that it did last year ($15, 000,000,000). This means that they could do exactly everything they did last year!

So one has to ask - WHY? … do all of these Obama and Media predicted catastrophic happenings have to happen at all?

The following article produced and published by ABC News is absolutely SHAMEFUL and I really am embarrassed to say I am a citizen of a nation that has this level of BS produced without any perspective or push-back.

Just ugly …

This excerpted and edited from ABC News (just the first 10) – 

57 Terrible Consequences of the Sequester
By CHRIS GOOD ABC News (@c_good) – Feb. 21, 2013

In separate letters to Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., they warned of terrible things: Greater risk of wildfires, fewer OSHA inspections and a risk of more workplace deaths, 125,000 people risking homelessness with cuts to shelters and housing vouchers, neglect for mentally ill and homeless Americans who would lose services, Native Americans getting turned away from hospitals, cuts to schools on reservations and prison lockdowns. There’s also a higher risk of terrorism with surveillance limited and the FBI potentially unable to disrupt plots, closed housing projects, and 600,000 women and children thrown off WIC.

In short: Unless a budget deal is cut, the country will be in deep trouble, according to the Obama administration’s highest-ranking agency officials.
—-
With the House in recess and with Obama playing golf over the weekend, a deal does not appear imminent. More likely, sequestration will kick in for a few weeks, a deal will get done later, and the cuts will be undone, rearranged, or replaced by revenue from higher taxes. But if no deal happens, here’s what the agency heads warned will occur under a full year of budget sequestration: 

1. Air Travel Disruption

After a $600 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding cut, furloughs would mean fewer air-traffic controllers and fewer flights.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: “[A] vast majority of the FAA’s nearly 47,000 employees will be furloughed for approximately one day per pay period until the end of the fiscal year in September, with a maximum of two days per pay period. …

“The furlough of a large number of air traffic controllers and technicians will require a reduction in air traffic to a level that can be safely managed by the remaining staff. The result will be felt across the country, as the volume of travel must be decreased. Sequestration could slow air traffic levels in major cities, which will result in delays and disruptions across the country during the critical summer travel season. Aviation safety employees also would experience significant furloughs that will affect airlines, aviation manufacturers, and individual pilots, all of which need FAA safety approvals and certifications.”

2. Longer Security Lines at Airports

Even the Travel Security Administration (TSA) is not exempt from sequestration, and fewer workers would mean longer lines. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano: “Funding and staffing reductions will increase wait times at airports, affect security between land ports of entry, affect CBP’s [Customs and Border Patrol] ability to collect revenue owed to the Federal Government, and slow screening and entry programs for those traveling into the United States. … The Transportation Security Administration would reduce its frontline workforce, which would substantially increase passenger wait times at airport security checkpoints.”

3. Slower Extreme-Weather Forecasts

Government weathermen would feel the sequester, too. Cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which runs the National Hurricane Center and handles large-scale weather forecasting for the federal government, would mean 2,6000 furloughed employees, 2,700 unfilled positions, and 1,400 fewer contractors.

That could mean less reliable predictions of major storms, warned Deputy Commerce Secretary Rebecca M. Blank: “The government runs the risk of significantly increasing forecast error and, the government’s ability to warn Americans across the country about high impact weather events, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, will be compromised. … Significant and costly impacts to NOAA’s satellites and other observational programs are also certain. For example, sequestration will result in a 2-3 year launch delay for the first two next-generation geostationary weather satellites (currently planned to launch in 2015 and 2017), which track severe weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes.

“This delay would increase the risk of a gap in satellite coverage and diminish the quality of weather forecasts and warnings. Sequestration will also reduce the number of flight hours for NOAA aircraft, which serve important missions such as hurricane reconnaissance and coastal surveying. NOAA will also need to curtail maintenance and operations of weather systems such as NEXRAD (the national radar network) and the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (used by local weather forecast offices to process and monitor weather data), which could lead to longer service outages or reduced data availability for forecasters.”

4. Greater Risk of Wildfires

Cuts to the Department of Agriculture would mean less wildfire prevention and greater risk, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack warned: “Increased risk to communities from wildfires with as much as 200,000 fewer acres treated for hazardous fuels” were among the consequences he listed in his letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

5. Pest-Infested Crops

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote that the sequester would mean “a reduction in assistance to States for pest and disease prevention, surveillance, and response, potentially leading to more extensive outbreaks and economic losses to farmers and ranchers.”

6. Nationwide Meat and Poultry Shortage

After furloughs to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat and poultry plants will have to shut down, as no one will be around to inspect their products. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack warned of “a nationwide shutdown of meat and poultry plants during a furlough of inspection personnel.

The furlough could result in as much as 15 days of lost production, costing roughly over $10 billion in production losses, and industry workers would experience over $400 million in lost wages. Consumers would experience limited meat and poultry supplies, and potentially higher prices, and food safety could be compromise.”

7. Prison Lockdowns

A furlough of nearly 36,700 Bureau of Prisons staff for an average of 12 days could “endanger the safety of staff and over 218,00 inmates,” Attorney General Eric Holder wrote to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Feb. 1.

“As a consequence, BOP would need to implement full or partial lockdowns and significantly reduce inmate reentry and training programs. … This would leave inmates idle, increasing the likelihood of inmate misconduct, violence, and other risks to correctional workers and inmates. Further, eliminating inmate programs such as drug treatment and vocational education would, in fact, lead to higher cost to taxpayers in the long run.” Holder said he is “acutely concerned about staff and inmate safety should cuts of the sequestration’s magnitude hit BOP” and called it a “dangerous situation.”

8. Slower Gun Background Checks

FBI Director Robert Mueller warned in a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee: “Timely processing and searching of National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) requests for purchases of firearms would be affected by sequestration. On average, approximately 43,500 NICS searches are performed daily. The Brady Act requires the NICS checks to be completed in three business days or the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) can legally transfer the firearm to a purchaser—without a final NICS determination.

“The FBI is also mandated to provide an immediate determination no less than 90 percent of the time. Delays in processing and adjudicating NICS requests increases the risk of firearms being transferred to a convicted felon or other prohibited person which, in turn, would have a significant detrimental effect on public and law enforcement safety at a time when the NICS workload is expanding.”
9. Fewer FBI Agents

FBI would furlough personnel for up to 14 days, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote: “This would have the equivalent effect of cutting approximately 2,285 onboard employees, including 775 special agents.”

10. Immigration Backlog

Unable to hire immigration judges, the federal government would see immigration applications pile up.

Holder wrote: “The sequestration would cut over $15 million from [the Executive Office for Immigration Review] EOIR’s current budget. EOIR would be forced to cease all hiring of key critical positions for EOIR’s immigration courts, including Immigration Judges, likely increasing pending caseloads to well over 350,000 (an increase of 6 percent over September 2012 levels.” EOIR would also cut contracts for interpreters, legal support, and I.T. staff.”
[Read More Here]

Again, this government will have to do with the same level of spending as last year PLUS $15, 000,000,000 added to an approximate $3,700,000,000,000 extended budget.

----

Environmental Wacko NFL Super Bowl XLVII Pick

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, shown here during the AFC Championship game on Jan. 20, will lead his team on a game-winning drive in the final two minutes of Super Bowl XLVII. Well, according to the Madden 13 simulation of the game, which has the Ravens winning by three. Image Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

Environmental Wacko NFL Super Bowl XLVII Pick

In the time honored tradition of Rush Limbaugh and his Friday show segment that features the picking of winners in the weekend's NFL games, here is a treatment of the Super Bowl environmental wacko pick for this weekend between the NFC San Francisco 49ers versus the AFC Baltimore Ravens.

The environmental wacko picking system first looks at the team mascot or name, not the athletic prowess of each team. The next item for judgement or parsing would be location and type of same category of mascot given a progressive or liberal perception of the nature of the mascot.

This excerpted and edited from a Rush Limbaugh show transcript for Super Bowl 2009 -

The Environmentalist Wacko Pick Method Returns for the Super Bowl 
Rush Limbaugh - January 30, 2009

"Okay, how can I combine the issues with my game picks, and ingeniously I came up with the environmentalist wacko method which would look at the games and the teams that were competing against one another that weekend from the standpoint of the wacko animal rights movement, the environmental wackos, the entire left-fringe politically correct movement. How would they choose winners? So I'm going to use the environmentalist wacko method to pick the upcoming Super Bowl on Sunday afternoon.

What do we have here? We have the Steelers versus the Cardinals. What are the Steelers? The Steelers are a huge, big, polluting business that destroyed things with filth. Their tactics have led to lung disease, global warming, and general filth, the pollution of rivers; slave labor jobs, 24/7 working in insufferable conditions at the steel mills; polluting the skies so that people had to take three shirts to work every day if the shirt was white because by noon the shirt would be gray with soot! The byproduct of the work of the Steelers, the industrialists who cared not about the environment, cared not for their city, cared not a whit for the animal life surrounding the mills.

On the other hand, who are the Cardinals? The Cardinals, they're birds! Innocent beasts of nature struggling to survive as man encroaches upon their habitat. So, if you just stop there, you would say, as the environmentalist wackos look at things in the interests of fairness, that the Cardinals -- the innocent beasts of the air -- will finally exact revenge against these polluting industrialists who destroyed lives and things! However, ladies and gentlemen, it's not exactly that way anymore, because the Steelers were also union workers! The Steelers were Big Labor, ladies and gentlemen.

Just this morning at the White House, Big Labor was rewarded by President Obama and Vice President Biden. Also, these birds are no longer just innocent beasts of the sky. These birds can fly into the engines of jet aircraft, as to so happened recently with a US Air flight. They were geese, admittedly, but a bird is a bird. An innocent beast of the sky is an innocent beast of the sky. Who flies these magnificent jetliners and staffs them? Why, Big Labor! Unionized pilots, unionized flight attendants -- and we now know that the federal government, along with the states and the cities where there are airports, have begun implementing programs to kill the birds.

Why? Because the birds threaten Big Labor: the pilot, the copilot, and the flight attendants who are flying the jets. We're going to kill the birds to protect Big Labor, since they were just rewarded in the White House this morning. Therefore, the game is not to be viewed as the polluting industrialist pigs versus the innocent beasts of the air. This game is viewed as these innocent beasts of the air being killers, flying themselves into the jets being flown by union people: the pilot, the copilot, and the flight attendants. (No, the passengers don't matter.) 

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, the Steelers will kill the birds to further the Obama policy of protecting the union pilots and flight attendants. 

It's 27-10. Steelers cover."
[Reference Here]

Right off the top, wild animals have to given a nod over any human being based mascot. So, in the case of this Sunday's Super Bowl, the Ravens (also an object of poetry) have to be given the go ahead as the pick for the 2012 champion over the 49ers (those evil, land disrupting, polluting, money grubbing, never to be unionized, gold miners) ... even though the team is based in one of the most progressive cities (represented by Nancy Pelosi - by God) in the United States.

Personally, I'm all for hard work and self improvement, so I pick the San Francisco 49ers (the line right now is, 'Frisco' is favored by 3.5 points over the 'Marylanders' & the over/under on total points is 47.5) to take home the hardware, leaving the over-sized, scavenging, black birds flapping wounded on the field, quoting Edgar Allen Poe ... "Nevermore"!!

Teams: 49ers (home) vs. Ravens (away)

TV Schedule: CBS national broadcast

Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color)

Date: Feb. 3, 2013

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT

Location: The Superdome, New Orleans

Weather: 72 degrees, controlled

Public OpinionPoll Results

----

Hats off to the victors - Baltimore Ravens squander a 22 point lead early in the 3rd Quarter to win in the final minutes with taking a Safety penalty in the endzone that chewed up precious seconds on the clock to eventually win by three points.

----

Suit Up, And Show Up For Gun Appreciation Day

The Washington Post reports that gun supporters behind the event are modeling the program after the tactics of marriage equality opponents, such as Mike Huckabee’s national Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in response to the backlash the fast-food chain experienced from same-sex marriage advocates. Nearly a dozen organizations, including the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, are encouraging supporters to shop at gun stores and visit shooting ranges in protest over potential crackdowns. Caption: TIME Magazine / Image Credit: gunappreciationday.com

Suit Up, And Show Up For Gun Appreciation Day

Those of us who appreciate our God granted (not "strong man" or government granted) freedoms protected through the Constitution of the United States and the Bill Of Rights, now have another day on which we can express our gratefulness. 

Gun Appreciation Day - January 19, 2013 

Gun Appreciation Day is happening for the very first time this year, and it’s a direct response to recent national conversations about gun control following a year of high-profile mass murders. 

It happens at a time when many feel that this is not a government for and by the people but a government that has de-evolved into a "ruling class" versus those who are bought off by the ruling class in the face of a Constitution and Bill of Rights that are there to protect against these type of manipulations. It happens at a time where this government has not operated the country on a budget (an unconstitutional act without legal consequence) for 3 years and 8 months. It happens at a time where the president of the last four years has spent more taxpayer money and accumulated more national indebtedness than the total of nearly all of the previous 43 presidents that have led this country over the last 235 years. 

Or as TIME Magazine writes: [It happens at a time] two days before President Obama’s second inauguration, nine days after a teenager opened fire at a California high school, the same week as the one-month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. school shooting and the same month as the second anniversary of the Gabrielle Giffords shooting in Tuscon, Ariz.

This excerpted and edited from Gun Appreciation Day website -

Petition to Defend Gun Rights

Petition To The United States Congress
The President of the United States
The United States Supreme Court

Whereas, the Bill of Rights added further declaratory and restrictive clauses to the U.S. Constitution in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers; and

Whereas, those further declaratory and restrictive clauses relate directly to the fundamental rights of individuals, including the sweeping declaratory Ninth and Tenth Amendments, which guarantee that powers not delegated by the people to the United States in the Constitution and those powers not granted to the separate states were reserved to the people; and

Whereas, history demonstrates convincingly that the first act of tyrannical governments in expanding their powers beyond those granted to them is to disarm or short arm individuals so as to render them defenseless against the state’s heavily armed police and soldiery; and

Whereas, the authors of the first ten amendments included the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights because they understood this lesson of history and consequently believed as a matter of fact that a well-armed citizenry is both a necessary condition of liberty and the only effective deterrent against tyranny; and
[MORE Here]

The website provides assets for social media communicators to help spread the word about threats focused on our second amendment rights.

Share Gun Day Memes on Facebook

It is time to show up and push against an "Autocratic" and budget-less government leadership! 

We'll add this one day of appreciation with Tea Party gatherings around tax day (April 15th) and the Fourth of July ... Independence Day. 


** Article first published as Suit Up, And Show Up For Gun Appreciation Day on Technorati ** 

French “Supreme” Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation

The French government’s tax plans have sparked threats to leave from actor Gerard Depardieu. France’s socialist president Francois Hollande suffered a setback as the country’s highest court ruled his plans for a 75pc tax on its highest earners were unconstitutional. Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images

French "Supreme" Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation

Even the French “Supreme” Court has enough legal sense that punitive taxation in the pursuit of socialism is wrong … are you listening U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts?

This excerpted and edited from Yahoo! Finance – 

French panel overturns 75 percent tax on ultrarich
Associated Press – 12-29-2012

Embattled French President Francois Hollande suffered a fresh setback Saturday when France’s highest court threw out a plan to tax the ultrawealthy at a 75 percent rate, saying it was unfair.
In a stinging rebuke to one of Socialist Hollande’s flagship campaign promises, the constitutional council ruled Saturday that the way the highly contentious tax was designed was unconstitutional. It was intended to hit incomes over €1 million ($1.32 million).
—-
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was quick to respond, saying in a statement following the decision the government would resubmit the measure to take the court’s concerns into account. The court’s ruling took issue not with the size of the tax, but with the way it discriminated between households depending on how incomes were distributed among its members. A household with two earners each making under €1 million would be exempt from the tax, while one with one earner making €1.2 million would have to pay.

The French government approved the tax in its most recent budget, amid criticism by some that it would do little to stem the country’s mounting fiscal problems and would drive away the wealthiest citizens. 

Hollande’s popularity, meanwhile, has been tanking as the country’s unemployment continued its rise for the 19th straight month.
[Reference Here]

Favorite factual “Pull Quote” from the AP article – “… it would do little to stem the country’s mounting fiscal problems and would drive away the wealthiest citizens” – sounds familiar … don’t ya’ think?


** Article originally published as French "Supreme" Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation at Politisite **

Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn

Wreck-It Ralph and cast pose in their fantasy life travel congregation area that mimics New York's Grand Central Train Station - Game Central Station. Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn

The recently released animated feature length movie from Disney Studios, Wreck-It Ralph,  is a really fun and high concept movie that can be seen with, or without kids (not good fare for kiddos under the age of 9).

The antagonist character King Candy, who is voiced by Alan Tudyk, does a pretty good job at channeling/capturing some of the voice expressions and sounds of a very famous character and comedic actor ... Ed Wynn.

Ed Wynn (L) and King Candy (R) side-by-side. Notice the bow tie, the stripes in the cloth adornments, the zest of hair, the fun of finger positioning, smile, and smallish "hat" each character image holds. One can not separate the influence of the voice-over actor from the animated character, and we are all the richer for it. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - combination between IMDb (Ed Wynn in "The Perfect Fool," 1959 - Sid Avery) and Walt Disney Studios (2012)

Modern Hollywood does not have many memorable iconic actors that embody the likes held by Ed Wynn ... check out Jerry Lewis' Cinderfella someday.

 It is reported in a Disney wiki that they had the animators use Mad Hatter from the 1951 animated film, Alice in Wonderland but had very little mention that it was the voice of Ed Wynn that actually brought the character of Mad Hatter to life.

On the voice-over and the visage of the animated character, the producers have done a good job at capturing some of what Ed Wynn brought to the big screen (even though Ed Wynn really never had a dark side).

King Candy, formerly known as Turbo, is the main antagonist of the film Wreck-It Ralph. He was the ruler of the kingdom in which the game Sugar Rush takes place. He is voiced by Alan Tudyk. King Candy is incredibly eccentric and flamboyant. Throughout most of the film, he portrays himself as a bubbly, yet somewhat strict, ruler. As Turbo, he was said to have loved the spotlight, but the moment that was all taken away, the racer became demented, and he was determined to remain beloved, even if it meant ruining another game. Caption & Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

This excerpted and edited from Wreck-It Ralph IMDb Storyline -

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Rated PG - 101 min - Animation | Comedy | Family - 2 November 2012 (USA)

Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer).

Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness.

He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade.

Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game - Sugar Rush - who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy.

But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?
[Reference Here]

As far as the central character, Ralph, some of us have all had times that we were cast in a place as Ralph and wish we could be something different.

Key line delivered by Wreck-It Ralph while visiting a 12 step style meeting: I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be then me.

Vanellope von Schweetz seated in her favorite place to be ... in a vehicle racing in Sugar Rush. Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Also, the movie, while pretty ingenious and original, has moments where one thinks it borrows some of the programming used in another successful Walt Disney animated feature, Cars. A secondary character, Vanellope von Schweetz - voiced by Sara Silverman, found in another video game, Sugar Rush, loves to race cars in one of the central activities of the game world she occupies - Candy Land. One sequence in the picture features Vanellope racing around a track built by Ralph with Rihanna's "Shut Up And Drive" playing in the background, music video style.

It would be easy to envision Disney Orlando creating a section of fantasy world called Candy Land and install the same kind of vehicle racing ride Disneyland's California Adventure Park has with Radiator Springs and Cars.

RATING: 8.5 out of 10



** Article first published as Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn on Technorati **