Federal Spending Is Growing Faster Than Federal Revenue
Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute.
Since 1965, spending has risen constantly. Federal revenues have dropped recently due to the economic recession, but spending has reached a record high.
INFLATION-ADJUSTED TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS (2010)
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Source: White House Office of Management and Budget.
The charts in this book are based primarily on data available as of March 2011 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The charts using OMB data display the historical growth of the federal government to 2010 while the charts using CBO data display both historical and projected growth from as early as 1940 to 2084. Projections based on OMB data are taken from the White House Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The charts provide data on an annual basis except… Read More
Authors
Emily GoffResearch Assistant
Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy StudiesKathryn NixPolicy Analyst
Center for Health Policy StudiesJohn FlemingSenior Data Graphics Editor
Can’t wait two more weeks until the final installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy hits theaters?
You’re in luck. Warner Bros. has released a 13-minute extended sneak-peek for The Dark Knight Rises, featuring interviews with the cast, a behind the scenes look at the movie-making process and scenes from the flick set to hit theaters July 20.
“Chris [Nolan] was able to amp up the stakes for this last movie,” says Dark Knight star Anne Hathaway, “and really take it to places that I don’t think anyone’s expecting.”
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) HD Exclusive Featurette – Making of the film
Plot: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham’s finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan (screenplay), Christopher Nolan (screenplay)
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman
When it comes to college football stadiums, for some teams, it is simply not fair. Home-field advantage is a big thing in college football, and some teams have it way more than others.
There are 124 FBS college football teams, and when it comes to the stadiums they play in, they are obviously not all created equal.
There is a monumental difference from the top teams on the list to the bottom teams on the list. Either way, here it is: a complete ranking of the college football stadiums 1-124.
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Below you will see that Tennessee’s stadium is ranked #15. I can’t get out of my mine the 1998 game between #10 Arkansas and #1 Tennessee. Both teams wee undefeated at the time.
Tennessee fell behind 21-3 in the first half, but capped off a season-saving comeback with a Travis Henry touchdown run in the final seconds.
Henry had 197 yards rushing and the deciding touchdown. The key play of the game and possibly the season occurred in the 4th quarter. Arkansas was nursing a 24-22 lead late in the game and was attempting to run out the clock. DT Billy Ratliff pushed Arkansas G Brandon Burlsworth into QB Clint Stoerner, causing him to stumble and fumble. Ratliff recovered the ball and allowed Tennessee the chance to drive the field and score the game winning touchdown.
There are only three stadiums in the country that seat more people than Neyland Stadium, and outside of the Big Ten, this is the largest stadium in the country.
With a capacity of 102,037, this stadium was built in 1921. The atmosphere here is great; just not as loud as might be expected out of 100,000-plus fans.
Be prepared to sing along to “Rocky Top,” the fight song of the Volunteers. There is beauty around the stadium on the banks of the Tennessee River as well.
Memorable moments of The Tennessee Volunteers from 1940-2000s with commentary by the legendary John Ward. Wikipedia notes:
The Pregame Showcase
Initiated in 1989, the Pregame Showcase is a public lecture series featuring entertaining and informative 45-minute presentations by faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences. Held two hours before kickoff in the University Center Ballroom (Room 213) at every home football game, the Pregame Showcase is free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments and door prizes are provided. The carefully timed presentations allow football fans to enjoy the lecture and still get to the stadium before kickoff.
Head Coach Johnny Majors came up with the idea for the Vol Walk after a 1988 game at Auburn when he saw the historic Tiger Walk take place. Prior to each home game, the Vols will file out of the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex, down past the Tennessee Volunteers Wall of Fame, and make their way down Peyton Manning Pass and onto Phillip Fulmer Way. Thousands of fans line the street to shake the players’ hands as they walk into Neyland Stadium. Through rain, snow, sleet, or shine, the Vol faithful are always out in full force to root on the Vols as they prepare for battle. The fans are pumped up with Rocky Top played by The Pride of the Southland Band.
The “T” appears in two places in Vol tradition. Coach Doug Dickey added the block letter T onto the side of the helmets in his first season in 1964. A rounded T came in 1968. Johnny Majors modified the stripe to a thicker stripe in 1977.
The Volunteers also run through another “T.” This T is formed by the Pride of the Southlandmarching band with its base at the entrance to the Tennessee locker room in the North endzone. The team used to make a left turn inside the T and run toward their former bench on the east sideline. When Coach Dickey brought this tradition to Tennessee in 1965, the Vols locker room was underneath the East stands. The Vols would run through that T and turn back to return to their sideline. The locker room change was made in 1983. It was announced on January 24, 2010 that the Vols would switch their sideline from the east sideline to the west sideline for all home games. This resulted in the Vols making a right out of the T instead of a left. This change took effect with Tennessee’s first home game of the 2010 season against UT-Martin.
Checkboard orange and white end zones are unique to Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee first sported the famous checkerboard design in the mid sixties. They brought the design back in 1989. This tradition was also started by Dickey in 1964, and remained until artificial turf was installed at Neyland Stadium.
The checkerboard was bordered in orange from 1989 until natural grass replaced the artificial turf in 1994. The return of natural grass brought with it the return of the green (or grass colored) border that exists today
14. Memorial Stadium: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Be prepared to enter a sea of red in this 81,067-seat facility. Like many other stadiums, it is nearly 100 years old and was built in 1923.
The stadium has continued to grow due to upgrades, and be sure to arrive early, because what goes on outside the stadium before the game is spectacular.
There are people all over tailgating in the parking lots.
Once inside, the stadium is so big that the press box is six stories up from the field.
This place is loud from start to finish.
13. Rose Bowl: UCLA Bruins
Located in Pasadena, California, the Rose Bowl Stadium is not only home to perhaps the most storied bowl of all-time, but it is also home to the UCLA Bruins.
It opened its doors in 1922 and seats 91,136 people.
Depending on the day, this place can get loud for the right game. There are plenty of chants going around the stadium, including the “U-C-L-A” chant that can be heard at times during the game.
The band and student section are also entertaining throughout.
James Gattuso, Senior Research Fellow in Regulatory Policy at The Heritage Foundation, explains why Congress should not bail out automakers.
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Why does our government feel the need to bail out industries. If we had not bailed out GM then Ford would have benefitted and we would not suffered at all in the number of jobs in the USA making cars.
President Obama told the United Auto Workers (UAW) in February not to listen to critics of the auto bailout who said union members “made out like bandits—that saving the auto industry was just about paying back the unions.” “Really?” Obama said. “I mean, even by the standards of this town [Washington], that’s a load of you-know-what.”
New research from Heritage labor economist James Sherk proves that it was, in fact, a load of truth.
The Treasury Department estimates that taxpayers will lose $23 billion on the auto bailout. Sherk and co-author Todd Zywicki find that none of these losses came from saving jobs, but instead went to prop up the compensation of some of the most highly paid workers in America. They write:
We estimate that the Administration redistributed $26.5 billion more to the UAW than it would have received had it been treated as it usually would in bankruptcy proceedings. Taxpayers lost between $20 billion and $23 billion on the auto programs. Thus, the entire loss to the taxpayers from the auto bailout comes from the funds diverted to the UAW.
The Obama campaign is touting the bailout in Michigan this week, crowing about saved-or-created jobs. What the bailout actually saved was the UAW’s heavily padded compensation packages; what it created was a massive taxpayer loss.
The UAW was a significant factor in the automakers’ decline: It had raised Detroit’s labor costs 50 percent to 80 percent above other automakers, such as Toyota and Nissan. In 2006, General Motors paid its unionized workers $70.51 an hour in wages and benefits. Chrysler paid $75.86 an hour. Added to mistakes by management, these labor costs were a major reason the automakers went bankrupt.
However, through the bailout, the Obama Administration insulated the UAW from most of the sacrifices unions usually make in a bankruptcy—at taxpayer expense.
GM and Chrysler owed billions to a trust fund they had created to provide UAW members with gold-plated retiree health benefits. In bankruptcy, these funds should have been paid proportional to other unsecured creditors. Instead, while the Administration paid other creditors only a fraction of what they were owed, it gave the UAW trust fund assets worth tens of billions—including partial ownership of both companies. The U.S. Treasury should have received these assets.
Bankruptcy law also enables reorganizing companies to improve their post-bankruptcy situation by renegotiating union contracts to competitive rates.
If the UAW had been treated normally under bankruptcy law, the automakers’ average labor costs would have fallen to the same levels as the foreign-based carmakers, approximately $47 an hour. While this is still 40 percent higher compensation than the average manufacturing worker, it would have reduced UAW members’ standard of living. And the Administration wouldn’t allow that. So while the UAW accepted huge pay cuts for new hires, the Administration kept the pay structure of existing UAW members at GM intact.
As a result, even after the reorganization, GM still has higher labor costs ($56 an hour) than any of its foreign-based competitors.
The average American worker—whose taxes paid for the bailout—earns $30.15 an hour in wages and benefits. Few Americans have the ability, as UAW workers do, to retire in their mid-50s before they can collect Social Security. Fewer still receive retirement health benefits in addition to Medicare, as UAW workers do. Yet their tax dollars went to subsidize UAW pay and benefits.
Had the government treated the UAW in the manner required by bankruptcy law, taxpayers would have broken even. The program would have amounted to bankruptcy financing instead of an outright bailout. The Administration could have kept the automakers running without losing a dime.
Instead, more than $26 billion went out the door and into the UAW’s pockets. Let’s put that in perspective: The amount of the subsidy given directly to the UAW was bigger than the budget of the entire State Department. It was bigger than all U.S. foreign aid spending. It was 50 percent more than NASA’s budget.
None of that money kept factories running. Instead, it sustained the above-average compensation of members of an influential union, sparing them from most of the sacrifices typically made in bankruptcy—a bankruptcy they contributed to. President Obama engaged in special interest spending at its worst.
The Administration did not bail out GM and Chrysler. It bailed out the United Auto Workers.
Although the All Starr Band members come from varying corners of the music world, Rundgren says he expects them to be playing as a cohesive unit when they hit the stage.
“The rehearsals are copious — 10 days of rehearsal, I think, for what ultimately is a five-week tour,” he reveals. “That’s a lot of time for people to kind of relax when you learn stuff, but also to get to know each other.”
While Rundgren is excited about this year’s trek, he admits that he experienced a bit of unpleasantness with an unnamed All Starr Band member during his other times playing on the tour.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 9:03 PM
“Every once in a while, there’ll be a very unhappy person and for some reason I am the magnet for their unhappiness,” he explains. “I’m having too much fun, I guess, and so they get especially indignant at me. But this time I think it’s [a] pretty even-keeled bunch of guys.”
Rolie, meanwhile, will be making his debut appearance on an All Starr Band outing. In preparing for the trek, he discovered some interesting details about Ringo’s career.
“I never realized how many hit songs he sang on until I started really looking at them,” he tells ABC News Radio.
With regard to participating in the tour, he says, “It’s just interesting as heck. You know, totally different from what I do, but I’m really looking forward to it. It’s gonna be a lot of fun and the group is great. The musicians are terrific.”
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 9:03 PM
The All Starr Band Tour is scheduled to run through a July 21 show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The trek’s entire schedule can be viewed at RingoStarr.com.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band – “Photograph” – Live (HD) 2012 – Bethel, NY
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band – Live – “Photograph” June 16, 2012 Bethel Woods Center For The Arts in Bethel, NY Ringo Starr, Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie, Todd Rundgren, Richard Page, Mark Rivera, Gregg Bissonette Section 8 Canon SX230 HS – HD video
It was a promising sophomore season for Franklin, who added 981 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground to his considerable passing stats. What a dual threat he will be under center for Missouri, which will have to face off against SEC defenses for the first time in 2012.
Franklin appears ready for the challenge. It doesn’t hurt that the junior quarterback will have top overall recruit WR Dorial Green-Beckham as a top target. The Tigers’ offense certainly will have some playmakers.
Photo: Spruce Derden/US Presswire
Year: Junior
2011 Stats: 147-247 (59.5%) 17 TD, 6 INT
We’re looking for big things out of Bray this fall. The 6-foot-6 QB showed flashes of brilliance in 2011, collecting 14 TDs and just 2 INTs in the first five games of the season before going down with a thumb injury.
He returned with tepid results in the season’s final two games, perhaps rusty from the layoff and not completely healed. Bray should be primed for 2012 with WRs Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, when the furthering of his skill could result in a high selection in 2013 NFL draft. Derek Dooley wouldn’t mind the help, either.
One could argue that Murray was the best quarterback in the SEC last year, when he helped save coach Mark Richt’s job as the Bulldogs reeled off 10 straight wins after an 0-2 start. He put up some eye-popping numbers through most of the season as the offense ran through him.
However, it’s clear that Murray – known for his light-hearted antics off the field – needs to get serious in big games. The QB hit on just 16-of-40 passes in the SEC title game against LSU, then threw two picks in a three-overtime loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. Something tells us that Murray will take the leap in 2012.
Photo: Kim Klement/US Presswire
Year: Senior
2011 Stats: 277-438 (63.2%), 24 TD, 6 INT
Wilson made Arkansas fans forget about Ryan Mallett in a hurry by leading the Hogs to an 11-2 season and putting up performances like a 510-yard, three-touchdown outing vs. Texas A&M that has Wilson as a frontrunner for the 2012 Heisman and 2013 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick.
There are obstacles, though. Gone is offensive guru Bobby Petrino as the team’s head coach, offensive coordinator Garrick McGee to head UAB and Wilson’s talented receiver trio of Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright. Wilson has all the tools to be a franchise NFL quarterback and don’t expect a step back even with the challenges Wilson will face this fall.
Obama’s Budget Would Reduce National Defense Spending
Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute.
Adequate funding for the core defense program is crucial for the military to fulfill its constitutional duty to provide for the common defense. Yet defense spending has fallen below its 45-year historical average despite ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
DEFENSE SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP
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Source: White House Office of Management and Budget.
The charts in this book are based primarily on data available as of March 2011 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The charts using OMB data display the historical growth of the federal government to 2010 while the charts using CBO data display both historical and projected growth from as early as 1940 to 2084. Projections based on OMB data are taken from the White House Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The charts provide data on an annual basis except… Read More
Authors
Emily GoffResearch Assistant
Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy StudiesKathryn NixPolicy Analyst
Center for Health Policy StudiesJohn FlemingSenior Data Graphics Editor
I was enjoying my lunch at an extended family lunch that included about two dozen relatives from several states. Several of mine relatives have been dating Tennessee fans!!! Can you believe it? I must confess that my relatives themselves are fans of several different teams. Two of my sisters graduated from Ole Miss and one of them married a big Tennessee fan twenty years ago.
We usually have a lot of light-hearted give and take at these lunches especially if my Razorbacks are taking on the Vols in football. At the last lunch I made the comment, “Everyone knows that Tyler Wilson is the best quarterback in the SEC and may be the best in the nation.” Two at the table objected and actually said that Tennessee and Georgia had better quarterbacks than Wilson. (The Maxwell Watchlist includes our Razorback quarterback as well as both Tennessee and Georgia’s quarterbacks as reported on a link from Arkansas Sports 360)
However, I did notice on your link that all three are on the Maxwell watch list. To me it is obvious that Wilson is the best, but we just have to wait and see. May the best Razorback win.
Here are some thoughts of other publications throughout the nation(Football Nation ,247 sports) and here are some links to other rankings here :
This is where the rankings start to get interesting. The ACC and Pac-12 are head and shoulders above the rest of the nation when it comes to passing talent. For now, the Big 12 gets the nod over the SEC due to a few factors. First, if all the talent falls back into place in the Big 12 — Robert Griffin III, Landry Jones and Geno Smith — it would easily top the SEC. Second, can Mizzou’s James Franklin accomplish in the SEC what he produced in the Big 12? And lastly, half of this conference will have major question marks or unproven commodities under center in 2012.
At the top, Georgia’s Aaron Murray and Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson give the SEC a fantastic 1-2 punch. Wilson led the SEC in yards in his first season as the starter, and Murray led the conference in touchdown passes as he led the Dawgs back to the SEC title game. Georgia will once again be picked to win the East, and the Hogs have a schedule that sets up nicely to challenge LSU and Alabama.
Most important will be the influx of “new” talent. The SEC missed out on most of Tyler Bray’s 2011 season at Tennessee due to injury, and Big Orange faithful will welcome him back to campus for a full season in 2012. Bray might be the best pure passer in the entire conference and will certainly benefit from the return of injured star wideout Justin Hunter. Missouri will bring second-year dual-threat star Franklin to the East as well. The sophomore was dynamic all season long and claimed MVP honors by posting 132 yards passing and 142 yards rushing (and three touchdowns) against North Carolina’s SEC-type front seven in the Independence Bowl. How good he can be in his first season facing actual SEC defenses remains to be seen.
It also appears that LSU will go with the burly, highly touted UGA transfer Zach Mettenberger. The 6-foot-5, 225 pounder saw limited action in five games this fall with LSU and will be a junior next fall. The Tigers also reeled in the nation’s No. 2 incoming freshman quarterback in Gunner Kiel.
The development of A.J. McCarron at Alabama, Jordan Rodgers at Vanderbilt and Connor Shaw at South Carolina will likely determine just how good the quarterback play in the SEC will be in 2012. McCarron led all SEC passers with a 66.8% completion rate and appears poised for stardom next fall as he becomes the focal point of the offense. Other than Bray, he might be the best pure passer and top NFL prospect in the conference. Rodgers won’t have the veteran, opportunistic defense helping him next fall and will need to continue to prove himself. Shaw went 6-1 after Stephen Garcia was excommunicated, but doubts still remain about his ability to lead the Gamecocks to a championship.
While the top is very strong in this league, the bottom is full of more questions than any other conference. Mississippi State has options but none has been able to take the next step. Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Auburn each have major issues at the position. The Gators, Aggies and Tigers have highly touted yet largely unproven players to choose from, while Kentucky and Ole Miss could be in for another long year.
The only three-time captain in the history of USC football has an idea of how he gets better.
“You do things you’ve never done before,” Matt Barkley says.
Tyler Bray’s promising 2011 was derailed by a thumb injury. (AP Photo)
Considering what Barkley has accomplished, that’s a scary thought. At least on an individual level.
For the second straight season, college football has a celebrity quarterback—and lock No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL draft—returning to take one more shot at winning a championship.
And like last season when Stanford’s Andrew Luck returned, Barkley has dwarfed the rest of a talented group of quarterbacks. There will be at least three quarterbacks taken in the first round of the April NFL draft—maybe three in the top five picks—and there could be more than that in 2013.
A look at the next five quarterbacks after Barkley for the 2012 season:
1. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, Sr.: He would have been a first-round pick had he left after this season, but decided to return to—what else?—try and win an SEC championship for the first time at Arkansas.
Why he’s here: All the measurables NFL teams crave: physical frame (6-3, 220 pounds), big arm, athleticism. Wilson plays in a pro-style system and knows (and thrives on) the NFL route tree.
How he can improve: Decision-making, accuracy. Both come with more game repetitions. Wilson has only played one full season, and one half of one game in 2010 of meaningful snaps.
An NFL scout says: “I love his moxie. I’ve seen him—over and over—stand tall in the pocket and just get drilled after delivering a strike. He has a big arm, and he has the right guy (Bobby Petrino) coaching him. There were a lot of people disappointed when he didn’t come out (early). I want to see him perform when they’re the hunted.”
2. Tyler Bray, Tennessee, Jr.: We haven’t seen nearly enough of the Vols’ rising star (12 career starts) because he didn’t play soon enough as a freshman in 2010, and sustained a thumb injury in 2011.
Why he’s here: Potential—and loads of it. The biggest jump in production and grasp of the game for quarterbacks comes from the freshman to sophomore seasons. Bray was on his way to a big season last year (14 TDs, 2 INTs before thumb injury), and struggled to grip the ball the last two games of the season (3 TDs, 4 INTs) when he returned and played with pain.
How he can improve: Accuracy and maturity. Bray tries too often to use his strong arm to force throws. Much of that isn’t necessarily knowledge; it’s maturity. Knowing when to back off. He must become more of a vocal leader on the team.
An NFL scout says: “A lot to like about him. He’s a little thin, but I don’t anticipate weight being an issue. You watch him, and some of the time it looks like he’s just chucking it around in his backyard. I want to see him get serious—about the game and his position.”
3. Mike Glennon, N.C. State, Sr.: Here’s all you need to know about Glennon, who was unfairly put in position as the fall guy for coach Tom O’Brien’s decision to cut ties with Russell Wilson: O’Brien thinks Glennon can be as good as Matt Ryan—who has turned into an elite NFL quarterback.
Why he’s here: While we all focused on Wilson and his Big Ten championship season at Wisconsin, we lost sight of Glennon’s breakthrough season (31 TDs, 12 INTs, 3,054 yards). Late in the year, with N.C. State at 5-5 and desperate for wins to reach the postseason, Glennon threw for 823 yards, 11 TDs and 2 INTs in victories over Clemson, Maryland and Louisville in the Belk Bowl.
How he can improve: Accuracy and wins. Every scout says the same thing: your game tape is your resume. Glennon must prove he can carry his team (like he did the last three games of 2011) through an entire season.
An NFL scout says: “He has a very high football IQ; a guy that can step right in and run a system. Get him in the weight room, and he’ll develop into that slight frame (6-6, 225 pounds). His accuracy changes with each route. Needs to be more consistent there.”
4. James Franklin, Missouri, Jr.: The wild card of the group. Franklin last season looked magnificent and mind-bogglingly lost at various times. His arm strength and athletic ability remind scouts of Robert Griffin III, but he’s much too inconsistent.
Why he’s here: Physically, the total package. A legitimate Cam Newton-type player: a strong arm and pass-first mentality and the ability (and want) to punish defenses in the run game. Find some video of last year’s Texas A&M game, and see why the Newton comparisons are easy to make.
How he can improve: Cut down on turnovers and poor decisions, and accuracy. Franklin already is under the gun before the season begins: Missouri offensive coordinator David Yost told Sporting News earlier this spring that he’d be shocked of Franklin weren’t the best quarterback in the SEC in 2012 (there are three other SEC quarterbacks on this list).
An NFL scout says: “It’s going to be very interesting to see him play against SEC defenses. That’s a man’s league on defense; the defensive lines, the coverages, the confusion they create. It’s not only a good physical test, but a tremendous mental and emotional challenge.”
5. Aaron Murray, Georgia, Jr.: Without Zach Mettenberger’s legal problems in the 2010 offseason, Murray may not even be in this position. Or at Georgia. Instead, he’s primed to leave early for the NFL with a big season in 2012.
Why he’s here: A strong arm and a high quarterback IQ. He has terrific leadership skills and a rare toughness. He doesn’t have the same skill set as former Georgia star (and No. 1 overall pick) Matthew Stafford, but who does in the last two decades? Of the group of five, the best pure football player.
How he can improve: Accuracy. Simply put, you can’t complete less than 60 percent of your passes in college—where the passing lanes and windows are much greater than the NFL—and expect to succeed at a high level in the NFL.
An NFL scout says: “I want to see improvement on the intermediate throws; the throws you have to make in our league. He has nice touch on the deep throws, and he understands the position. He just has to refine mechanics and throw with confidence; it’s all workable stuff.”
Photo: Rob ShannahanThe 13th installment of Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band Tour kicks off Thursday night in Toronto. Joining the Beatles drummer on the 2012 edition of the trek are Todd Rundgren, ex-Santana/Journey singer/keyboardist Gregg Rolie, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather and Mr. Mister‘s Richard Page, as well as longtime Billy Joel saxophonist Mark Rivera and veteran session drummer Gregg Bissonnette. As usual, the jaunt will feature the various artists performing some of their own hits, as well as backing Ringo on his solo and Fab Four classics.
This will be Rundgren’s third go-round on an All-Starr Band trek, having previously been part of the 1992 and 1999 lineups. The prolific singer/songwriter recently told ABC News Radio that he’s really looking forward to hitting the road with Starr.
“It’s always a pleasure to play with and hang out with Ringo, because he’s just a ray of sunshine,” notes Rundgren. “He’s always looking on the bright side and he’s always giving the peace sign and he’s bringing the entertainments to the peoples, and that’s where I want to be when I’m 70. I want to do it until I can’t do it anymore.”
Federal Spending per Household Is Skyrocketing
Federal Spending Grew More Than Ten Times Faster Than Median Income
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Defense Spending Has Declined While Entitlement Spending Has Increased
More Than Half of the President’s Budget Would Be Spent on Entitlement Programs
This is where the rankings start to get interesting. The ACC and Pac-12 are head and shoulders above the rest of the nation when it comes to passing talent. For now, the Big 12 gets the nod over the SEC due to a few factors. First, if all the talent falls back into place in the Big 12 — Robert Griffin III, Landry Jones and Geno Smith — it would easily top the SEC. Second, can Mizzou’s James Franklin accomplish in the SEC what he produced in the Big 12? And lastly, half of this conference will have major question marks or unproven commodities under center in 2012.
2. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas (SR)
Tyler Bray’s promising 2011 was derailed by a thumb injury. (AP Photo)
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Photo: Rob ShannahanThe 13th installment of Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band Tour kicks off Thursday night in Toronto. Joining the Beatles drummer on the 2012 edition of the trek are Todd Rundgren, ex-Santana/Journey singer/keyboardist Gregg Rolie, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather and Mr. Mister‘s Richard Page, as well as longtime Billy Joel saxophonist Mark Rivera and veteran session drummer Gregg Bissonnette. As usual, the jaunt will feature the various artists performing some of their own hits, as well as backing Ringo on his solo and Fab Four classics.
