Two Russian Assets Berate Zelenskyy at the White House

 

Based on how President Trump and Vice-President Vance treated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, I view them not as American heads of state but as Russian assets. The assertion that Zelenskyy is going to start WWIII might have been uttered by Trump, but it was Vladimir Putin who made his lips move all the way from Moscow.

Zelenskyy reasonably pointed out that Vladimir Putin has repeatedly violated ceasefire agreements, but Vance ignored these facts and demanded that Zelenskyy pay fealty to Trump. It was Trump and Vance who saw the need to shout at Zelenskyy, the only adult present in the room. 

Of course, the right-wing intelligentsia fell all over themselves to praise Trump and denigrate Zelenskyy. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham claimed:

The question for me is, ‘Is he redeemable in the eyes of Americans?’ Most Americans witnessing what they saw today would not want Zelensky to be their business partner, including me, and I’ve been to Ukraine nine times since the war started

What I want him to do, I guess, is just to say, ‘I screwed up big time for my country and for the U.S. relationship and if I had to do it over again, I’d have done it differently and I’m sorry,'

If he can’t say that, then Ukraine you need to either send us somebody new we can deal with or just accept the consequences.

It is Trump and Vance who ought to apologize to Zelenskyy. Put together they are not half the man that Zelensky is. Frankly, it is not up to Graham to decided who represents Ukraine. That is up to the Ukrainian voters. But I'm sure Graham would rather deal with a Russian puppet than someone like Zelenskyy who is his own man.  

National Review Online editor-in-chief Rich Lowry, who you might recall made racial epithets towards Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio last fall, chastised Zelenskyy for not wearing a suit. I seem to recall Elon Musk's rather casual sartorial choices in the Oval Office and at the White House Cabinet meeting but those choices don't seem to offend Lowry. His argument is every bit as disingenuous as that of Graham.

I believe that Trump and Vance were planning to publicly humiliate Zelenskyy at the White House in front of the whole world all along. After all, it was Trump who saw fit to call Zelenskyy a dictator while Vance who made a point of questioning the loyalty of Ukrainian Americans to this country earlier this week. True to form, Trump subsequently denied ever calling Zelenskyy a dictator. After today's spectacle, I'm sure that epithet will return to Trump's repertoire.  

Donald Trump and JD Vance answer to Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk, not the American people. They are men of bad faith. For this reason, Zelenskyy would be wise to stay away from the Trump White House. 

However, given his precarious position, Zelenskyy might not have much of a choice or at the very least he likely won't be able to avoid contact with the United States as he very much needs our assistance. That is unless Canada and Europe step up to the plate. But even if they do it might not be enough to overcome the Russia-U.S. alliance. 

Slava Ukraini!!!

Doug Ford Vows "To Stare Down the Threat of Trump's Tariffs" as Ontario Tories Win 3rd Straight Majority Government

 

To the surprise of few, the Ontario Progressive Conservatives have won a third consecutive majority government under Premier Doug Ford. It marks the first time Ontario voters have given the Tories three consecutive majority governments since Leslie Frost was Premier during the 1950s at the height of the Big Blue Machine.

As of this writing, the Tories are leading or elected in 81 seats with the NDP leading or elected in 26 seats, the Liberals leading and elected in 14 seats along with 2 seats for the Green Party and one independent.

While Ford won a convincing a majority (with 43% of the vote), he had actually hoped to increase the Tories' seat total calling an election a year early. The NDP remains as official opposition under Marit Stiles despite garnering 18.5 % of the vote (down 5% from the 2022 election) and losing 2 seats, but she will take it. While the Liberals earned just under 30% of the vote (29.9%) and regained party status for the first time since 2018, their leader Bonnie Crombie lost her bid to win a seat to Queens Park in her Mississauga area constituency. It remains to be seen if Crombie can remain leader without a seat in the legislature.

As for Ford, he vowed "to stare down the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs" which are due to take effect on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Ford was caught on a hot mic stating he was 100% behind Trump before the tariffs:

On election day, was I happy this guy won? One hundred per cent I was. Then the guy pulled out the knife and f****** yanked it into us.

I suspect that in the short term, Ford will remain a bulwark against Trump should the tariffs go into effect this time around. However, the longer the tariffs remain, and the more Ontarians become unemployed and take it out on him, the more likely I think it is that Ford will try to make nice with Trump. After all, Ford Nation is the Canadian version of MAGA albeit more MAGA-lite.

Nevertheless, given how right-wing populist parties around the world have shown common cause with President Trump, it is refreshing to see a conservative campaign be so vociferously anti-Trump. Then again, Canadians are a different breed when it comes to the United States.

Some Thoughts on Gene Hackman & His Craft

Shortly before I left home to head for work, I received a text message from my mother informing me of Gene Hackman's passing as well as that of his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs. 

Given the circumstances of his death, Mom described it as "unnerving" and suspected the worst (murder/suicide?) as I am sure many others have done. For my part, I considered the possibility of an accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. However, the authorities have ruled that out and are treating their deaths as suspicious as both appear to have died some time ago. 

At this point, I don't wish to dwell on what ended Gene Hackman's life. Rather, I would like to spend the rest of this post discussing his legacy as among the greatest American actors of the second half of the 20th Century. The fact that Hackman retired from film more than 20 years ago and is spoken of with such reverence is a testament to his work and his craft.

I first became aware of Gene Hackman due to his portrayal of Lex Luthor in Superman which is the very first film I truly remember watching in a movie theatre. His villainy had a sharp comical edge which managed to avoid both campiness and caricature. Dad thought Hackman's portrayal of Luthor was the best part of the film. I still remember when Superman knocked down the door of his lair, Luthor retorted, "Come on in. The door is open."

Hackman remains among the few A list actors who could convincingly play either a hero or a villain. Some of his characters had elements of both. He could be devil-may-care like Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor) or reserved yet paranoid like Harry Caul in The Conversation. It is also worth noting that Hackman learned to play saxophone for the role. 

Hackman's comedic chops were evident in an uncredited role in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein in which he portrayed a lonely, blind shepherd who welcomed Young Frankenstein's company. I saw Young Frankenstein last Memorial Day Weekend noting that Hackman and Terri Garr still remained with us. Now both are gone less than a year later. 

I remember a time when my bus trips featured movies. Most of them were not very good. But I found Crimson Tide riveting as Gene Hackman stood toe-to-toe with Denzel Washington aboard a nuclear submarine and it is among Washington's favorite roles.

Other Hackman roles which stand out for me are the scheming patriarch Royal Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, the diabolical Little Bill in Unforgiven (for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) and especially FBI agent Rupert Anderson in Mississippi Burning. 

Hackman's Anderson is a good old Mississippi boy who doesn't think a great deal of the idealism of his boss Alan Ward as played by Willem Dafoe. But Agent Anderson thinks even less of Klansmen especially those who get in the way of his investigations. Agent Anderson played dirty, but you were sure glad he was ultimately on the side of good. 

I write all of this with the realization that I am scarcely scratching the career of an actor who, along with Dustin Hoffman, was picked the least likely to succeed in their acting class. Gene Hackman defied all expectations, worked with what he had and made it work for him. American cinema is the better for his work. R.I.P.

If Trump Answered More Than 1,000 Questions in His 30 Days Back in Office, Then Why Is the WH Now Handpicking Who Gets Ask?

I came across a Fox News headline on Threads which claimed that President Trump had answered more than 1,000 questions in his first month back in office.

Needless to say, I was skeptical.

Yet George Condon, Jr. of the National Journal claims that President Trump answered 1,009 questions between January 20th and February 19th as compared to President Biden answering 141 questions over the same period in 2021. 

Evidence please. Condon does not provide a link listing the 1009 questions asked, who asked the questions, when they were asked and Trump's response much less the 141 questions posed to Biden. So, unless I see this evidence, I call shenanigans. 

But let us assume for argument's sake that Condon is telling the truth and that Trump answered 1009 questions during his 30 days in office versus 141 for Biden in his 30 days in office. It is still all the more reason to want to know who asked the questions, when they were posed and Trump's response and ditto for Biden. 

I suspect a significant number of these questions posed to Trump were asked by the Fox News, Newsmax and Gateway Pundits of the world and thus of the softball variety. I also suspect that Trump's response to most of these questions was complete and utter bullshit. 

Condon gives the game away when he writes:

On his fourth day in office in 2017, he chided reporters in the Oval Office, telling them, “You’re not supposed to ask questions.” Now, he invites reporters to pelt him with as many as they have.

If President Trump is so prepared to take on all comers, then why is the White House now handpicking who is allowed to ask him questions instead of the White House Correspondents Association?

President Trump could answer 50,000 questions over the next four years. The quantity of questions is no substitute for the quality of questions. The quality of Trump's answers lay in his truthfulness. President Trump answering 50,000 questions means nothing if all we get is 50,000 lies.

If the U.S. is Wrong to Stand with Russia at the UN Then So is Israel

Yesterday, I expressed my dismay at the United States standing with Russia and against Ukraine at the UN Security Council.

It must also be said that Israel also voted against the resolution acknowledging Russian aggression in Ukraine. For this, I must also express my dismay. 

Mind you, I understand why Israel voted as it did. After all, Russia permitted Israel to conduct military operations in Syria during the former Assad regime. Pressure was also brought to bear by the Trump Administration which has been giving Israel a free hand in Gaza.

Yet despite Hamas' heinous acts, Israel's greatest existential threat is Iran's nuclear program. But there would be no nuclear program in Iran without Russia. It is also Russia which declared at the UN that Israel had no right to self-defense following Hamas' attack. Although Russia has proven adept at playing on both sides of the fence, for all intents and purposes, the Trump Administration is demanding Israel support a nation which far more of an adversary than an ally.

Now it has been argued that Ukraine has never supported Israel at the UN. Yet this could be said of much of the international community. As such, I don't think this to be sufficient justification for Israel to vote against the UN resolutions. Contrary to the claims of President Trump, Russia in fact invaded Ukraine three years ago. This is a statement of fact, and the UN resolutions reaffirm the fact that Russia bears responsibility for launching the war. The United States ought to have acknowledged this fact and so should have Israel. 

However wrong I believe Israel is in this instance, it does not change the fact that Israel has been subjected to immense barbarism, cruelty and hatred and is well within its rights to stand up to that barbarism, cruelty and hatred and the UN often turns a blind eye to these facts. I wish the international community would stand for Israel in the way it has stood for Ukraine. With that said, it doesn't look like Israel and Ukraine will stand up for each other anytime soon even though they both face an existential crisis.

The U.S. Stands with Russia at UN on 3rd Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Given that President Trump saw fit to publicly blame Ukraine for being invaded by Russia last week, we should not be surprised that the United States voted with Russia vetoing UN Security Council Resolutions recognizing that Russia is the aggressor in this war on its 3rd anniversary.

But while we ought not be surprised, this should make us no less angry with our government in seeing fit to become a supplicant to Moscow in standing with authoritarianism and repression and against democracy and freedom. In voting with Russia, the United States now officially bases its foreign policy on lies and misinformation. Ronald Reagan would be rolling over in his grave. 

This is only the beginning and it's going to get much, much worse. There's a good chance the United States and Russia will end the war without Ukraine (with a little help from the Saudis). With it, there's the chance that President Zelenskyy will be jailed or murdered a la Alexei Navalny while a Russian puppet government is installed in Kyiv. 

Should this come to pass how long will it be before the rest of Europe falls assuming French and German voters eventually see fit to choose Marine Le Pen's National Rally and AfD, which are already pro-Moscow? Nothing good can come of these events.

AfD Will Become Germany's Main Opposition Party; How Long Will It Be Before They Come to Power?

Although Germans did not choose AfD to govern them yesterday, they were the biggest winners in the election doubling their vote from 10.4% in 2021 to 20.8% winning 152 seats, the second largest seat total in the Bundestag. For all intents and purposes, AfD is Germany's main opposition party. How long will it be before they come to power?

While German voters ousted Olaf Scholz from the office of Chancellor, his Social Democratic Party will likely be a junior partner in a grand coalition with the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union led by Friederich Merz who will likely succeed Scholz as Chancellor. One can only hope a grand coalition under Merz where the traffic light coalition of Scholz's Social Democrats with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party failed. 

Yet it seems that the question of the AfD's ascension to power is a question of when rather than if. The same could be said for Marine Le Pen and the National Rally in France. If the United States can twice elect Donald Trump than anything is possible, and the possibilities aren't good. With Scholz likely to play a role in the new government, Merz will be seen as part of the old guard. As the main opposition party, the AfD can offer easy answers to complicated solutions much like Trump has done here. The only silver lining is that perhaps Elon Musk's support of AfD will prove to a liability to them as it could be down the road for Trump. 

Unless the AfD comes apart from within, I'm afraid there is little to stop its ascension to power as the heirs of Hitler.

Thoughts on the Yankees Allowing Their Players to Grow Beards

On Thursday, the New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner announced that their players would be permitted to sport "well-groomed beards" ending a near half century edict issued by his father, the late George Steinbrenner prohibiting beards. 

The change in policy has been attributed to the off-season acquisition of closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers. Williams has played his entire professional career with a beard and expressed the desire to continue to sport this look. While beards will now be allowed, long hair remains verboten. 

It is worth noting that Williams was acquired from the Brewers back in December in exchange for starting pitcher Nelson Cortes, who sported a mustache. The Yankees have tolerated upper lip hair from the likes of the late Thurman Munson, Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and Jason Giambi, to name but a few. 

The Yankees facial hair rule, while antiquated, was liberal in comparison to the grooming rules with the Cincinnati Reds which forbade all facial hair except for sideburns until the arrival of Greg Vaughn prior to the 1999 season. While the policy was only in place from 1967 on, Vaughn was the first Red to wear facial hair in nearly a century. 

To give you an idea of how entrenched the Reds facial hair rule was that when Pete Rose wanted to sign Rollie Fingers prior to the 1986 season, he was told he could only pitch if jettisoned his handlebar mustache. Fingers chose retirement over shaving off the mustache. When I asked Fingers about it in 2013, he told me, "Marge Schott could have used a shave."

MLB players should be judged how they can hit, field, run and throw not if they are clean shaven or wear their hair long. At least, the Yankees have taken a step in the right direction. Now let's see if they can put one foot after the other.

Hamas Forces 2 Israeli Hostages to Watch Release of Hostages

Hamas continues its cruelty amid the ongoing release of hostages as the first phase of the ceasefire deal draws to a close. 

The terrorist organization forced two Israeli hostages, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal to watch the release of three of their fellow hostages yesterday - Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert - from a van near the stage.

This act of cruelty as well as Hamas not handing over the body of Shiri Bibas with her slain children has prompted Israel to withhold the release of 600 so-called Palestinian prisoners. 

Then again if Hamas is prepared to slaughter infants and toddlers and withhold their mother's body can we really be surprised that Hamas would make hostages watch the release of other hostages?

It is also worth remembering that three additional hostages were also released yesterday - Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu and Hisham Al-Sayed. Mengistu and Al-Sayed had been held in captivity by Hamas since 2014 and 2015, respectively. 

Yet the international focus on Israel delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners not on Hamas making current hostages watch the release of former hostages, killing infants and toddlers while withholding their mother's body. The international community treats these "Palestinian prisoners" like innocent victims rather than terrorists who murdered innocent civilians.

As usual, we seem determined to focus on the wrong thing.

Eephus is the Antithesis of Field of Dreams

 

Tonight, I went to the Harvard Film Archive to take in a screening of Eephus. Following the screening, there was a discussion with the film's director, Carson Lund.

The title of the film refers to a type of slow curveball which is thrown high in the air at a very slow speed. Rip Sewell popularized the pitch with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Former Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee threw a variation of the eephus pitch which he called the Leephus pitch. More on the Spaceman shortly.

Eephus is set during the 1990s at Soldiers Field in Douglas, Massachusetts which is about 20 miles south of Worcester. The plot centers around two amateur baseball teams playing on Soldiers Field for the last time before a school is to be built over it.

In this sense, Eephus is the antithesis of Field of Dreams. Instead of "If you build it, they will come," we have a film in which baseball decays and dies. There are no lights on the field and the two umpires quit before the sun begins to dim. While the players decide to play to the bitter end, there is no joy on Soldiers Field. I found it to be a profoundly depressing film.

The one moment of genuine joy I felt was the cameo by Bill "Spaceman" Lee who arrives at the dugout wearing white out of nowhere and says, "I can give you three outs." During the Q&A period, I asked Lund how Lee got involved in the project. Lund replied that he had several players in mind but most of those had intermediaries and that got him nowhere. Lee, by contrast answered his own landline from his home in Vermont and eagerly agreed to be a part of the production.

Originally, Lee was to be cast in the lead role, but Lund noted the Spaceman couldn't stick to the script, so character actor Keith William Richards was cast instead. It is probably just as well because Bill Lee was being Bill Lee using the same schtick he's been using for 50 years up to and including his longstanding claim that strikeouts are fascist weapons. 

Unfortunately, Lee was not at this screening although he is scheduled to appear at other screenings throughout New England. I had a faint hope that Lee might show up. The reason for this was due to the release of Lee's biopic Spaceman starring Josh Duhamel. My former roommate Christopher Kain and I attended the opening night screening of the film at the Somerville Theatre. As we entered the theatre, we saw the Spaceman walking out. When I approached the ticket-taker, I said, "I had no idea the Spaceman was going to be here." To which the ticket-taker replied, "Neither did we."

I will also commend Lund's cinematography capturing the essence of fall in New England with its beautiful colors. Alas, fall is a prelude to the dead of winter.

Eephus was screened at last year's Cannes Film Festival and Lund noted it was difficult to translate baseball terms noting there is no French word for shortstop. Prior to asking Lund how Lee got involved with the project, I pointed out that I watched French language broadcasts of Montreal Expos games during my childhood and remembered how former MLB pitcher turned broadcaster Claude Raymond referred to Expos shortstop Chris Speier as arrêt-court. Lund responded by saying, "Great. Now I'll have to redo the subtitles." 

I wish I enjoyed Eephus more than I did. Alas, it served as a reminder how I have fallen out of love with baseball. While I will always be interested in baseball, my interest is almost entirely confined to the past. I have reached a stage in my life where I will never feel about baseball the way I did in childhood and most of my adulthood. The light has gone out on my love for baseball just as the darkness descended upon Soldiers Field.

Belated Thoughts on Canada's Triumph Over the U.S. in Hockey & Bigger Things

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on Canada's triumph over the United States at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off here in Boston two nights ago on account of my dual citizenship. 

While I have never been a huge hockey fan, I know that hockey means more than life itself in Canada. It isn't to say there isn't a passion for hockey in some parts of this country. One of my work colleagues notes that Charlestown is famous for "hockey player and bank robbers." 

Yet when the NHL was locked out during the 2004-2005 season, I remember watching a Blue Jays-White Sox game at Rogers Centre and in between innings highlights of the Men's Ice Hockey Championship Tournament was shown on the big screen. Would such a thing have happened in this country?

Although there has long been a strain of anti-Americanism within Canada, the fact that President Trump has repeatedly demanded Canada join the U.S. as the 51st state while denying its nationhood and history has lit a fire under Canadians from coast to coast to coast. This righteous anger was channeled into Team Canada, and it made Conor McDavid's game winning goal that much more satisfying as exemplified by this Canadian Press headline.

Canada trumps United States!!!

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared, "You can't take away our country - and you can't take away our game." In typical schoolboy reaction, Trump replied by calling Trudeau "a loser". This defeat at the hands of Canada will make him more determined to annex Canada. But the more determined Trump is to annex Canada, the more determined Canadians are to be true north strong and free. 

The Decades of Damage Trump Has Done in a Month

President Trump has been back in the White House for a month. In that month, he has done decades worth of damage.

The damage has been done by appointing manifestly unqualified people to major cabinet posts (i.e. Robert Kennedy, Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel) dismantling our public institutions (with a lot of help of Elon Musk and DOGE), jettisoning our alliances, openly engaging in corruption and involving itself in matters not within their purview. The damage has been facilitated by a Congress that has abdicated its role as a co-equal branch of government as exemplified by Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy who said “call somebody who cares.” The judiciary has been a small bulwark but Trump, Musk and Vance have all signaled the court has no authority over the constitutionality of its decisions.

Some of the most egregious acts include the pardon of January 6th convicts, arbitrarily shuttering federal agencies such as USAID, the National Archives and The Kennedy Center, blaming Ukraine for a war it did not start, threatening to annex Canada as the 51st state and planning to develop Trump properties in Gaza. 

I realize this merely scratches the surface. It is much worse. I can only begin to imagine how much worse it will be in another month from now. 

Hamas is a Terrorist Organization That Murders Children While Hiding The Body of Their Mother

To all of Hamas’ apologists in America and beyond, let us be clear for whom you are making excuses.

Today, Hamas the released the bodies Ariel & Kfir Bibas desecrating their coffins with anti-Semitic graffiti and taunting their short lives until they were handed over to the International Red Cross.

Ariel and Kfir, who were 4-years-old and 9-months-old when they were kidnapped by Hamas, were supposed to be released along with the body of their mother, Shiri. But Israel has determined the body they received were not the remains of Shiri Bibas. 

Where is Shiri Bibas?

Who is the unidentified woman? Was she another hostage?

Not to have outdone themselves but Hamas claimed responsibility for bombing five buses in Tel Aviv today.

So you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t accept Hamas’ claims the Bibas were killed in an Israeli airstrike. 

Hamas raison d’etre is to kill Jews. To fulfill this objective they kidnapped a mother and her two children and killed them and are now withholding their mother’s body. 

This is all you really need to know about Hamas. Yet if it is not enough to convince you that Hamas is evil, I can only conclude that you hate Jews and believe Hamas is justified in killing women and children.

Will We See a Devers-Arenado Trade?

The addition of Alex Bregman should have been a boost to the Boston Red Sox.

It has instead turned into a debacle.

When Bregman was signed, the plan was to move him to second base. However, the Red Sox have other plans. They appear to want top prospect Kristian Campbell to play second with Bregman at third with longtime third baseman Rafael Devers becoming a full-time DH.

The Red Sox evidently neglected to let Devers in on their plans having been previously told he was staying put at third.

While it is true that Bregman is better with the glove at the hot corner, Devers is the superior player on offense. Devers is also 28 & hasn't reached the peak of his powers.

Then there is also the fact that Devers is under contract with the Sox until 2033 having signed a 10-year contract extension worth $313.5 million prior to last season.

If the Red Sox are smart, then they will be wise to keep Devers at third and play Bregman at second. Should Bregman opt out of his contract then they can promote Campbell in 2026 or 2027 at the latest.

But I don't think the Red Sox are that smart. They'll insist Devers be their DH thereby alienating Big Papi & ruining any possibility that Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. plays at Fenway in 2026 & beyond.

Should they back themselves into a corner and insist that Bregman play third then there's one thing they can do - trade Devers to the St. Louis Cardinals in a multi-player deal with Nolan Arenado at the centerpiece.

This could be a lifesaver for both clubs. The Cardinals have been trying to unload Arenado and his huge contract all off-season. With a suddenly unhappy Devers, the Cardinals can acquire a third baseman who is five years younger while the Red Sox add a player willing to move to first base. While Arenado is expensive, he is only under contract through the 2027 season although some of his money has been deferred through 2041. I'm sure the Red Sox & Cardinals can exchange obligations.

In acquiring Arenado, the Red Sox could also unload Tristan Casas who has been a staunch ally of Devers. In return, the Cardinals could send Gold Glove utility player Brendan Donovan to Boston. 

We shall see what happens between now and Opening Day.

Trump Made Today's Hostage Release All About Him

Three Israeli hostages were released today by Hamas after all. Earlier this week, Hamas announced the hostages would not be released because of alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire deal.

President Trump responded by demanding Hamas release all hostages by noon today although he added that he would go along with Israel was prepared to accept.

Naturally, Trump took credit for today's release and took a dig at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who he said should have a taken a harder line. Yet it was Trump who agreed to the framework of the deal. So he cannot have his cake and eat it too.

I doubt Trump's words had much impact on Hamas, an organization which specializes in murder, mayhem, and martyrdom. Hamas likes to play games and I have no doubt they will do so again.

Indeed there was some gamesmanship afoot when Sagui Dekel-Chen, Iair Horn and Sasha Troufanov were released. Hamas gave Horn an hourglass bearing the name of hostage Matan Zangauker and his mother Einav with the message, "Time is running out." Hamas also had a message for Trump regarding his Gaza scheme - "No migration except to Jerusalem."

Nevertheless, the 3 men are free. Dekel-Chen came home to the news his third daughter was born 2 months into his captivity. Unfortunately, Troufanov was greeted with the news his father had been murdered by Hamas on October 7th. Meanwhile, Horn's brother Eitan is still being held by Hamas with his fate unknown.

As for Trump, one should not be surprised that he made today about himself. After all, when he stood on stage with former hostage Noa Argamani and hostage families on the day he was inaugurated, when he spoke of hostages he spoke of January 6th, not October 7th.

Trump's New York Shenanigans with Eric Adams

I am in New York City and feel compelled to comment on the Trump Administration's DoJ's decision to drop federal bribery and fraud charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams.

The corruption of this decision is simply breathtaking. The DoJ isn't denying the prima facie case against Adams. It is arguing that the charges impede his ability to combat crime and illegal immigration. In other words, the charges are inconvenient for the Trump Administration. But what is inconvenient for the Trump Administration isn't relevant to the administration of justice. If a public official breaches the law then they must be held to account. Executing the Trump Administration's policies isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card. Or at least it shouldn't be.

In other words, if a public official is serving the Trump Administration's agenda that official's conduct is beyond the reach of the law - at least until that official is no longer of any use to the Trump Administration. Indeed, the DoJ has given prosecutors leave to reinstate charges instead of dismissing them outright. 

When you take the DoJ dropping its investigation against Adams while launching a lawsuit against New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James for what amounts to a policy disagreement rather than a breach of the law it demonstrates the Trump Administration's abuse of its authority less than a month in office. Unfortunately, it is only getting started.

Bregman Comes to Boston

Last night, free agent Alex Bregman signed a 3-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Bregman, 30, has played his entire 9-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, where he won 2 World Series rings in 2017 & 2022. Although Bregman has been a third baseman his entire career, he will most likely play second base with Rafael Devers ensconsed at the hot corner.

There are opt out provisions following both the 2025 & 2026 seasons. I wonder if Bregman will be a good fit in Boston. They do need a right-handed batter who can hit it over the Green Monster. But his involvement in the Astros cheating scandal doesn't quite sit right with me. Then again Red Sox manager Alex Cora was at the center of it, too. So my concerns only go so far. A reunion with Cora could boost Bregman. Not that he was bad in 2024 hitting ,260 with 26 HR and 75 RBI. He enters 2025 with 1132 hits for a lifetime batting average of .272 with 191 HR and 663 RBI.

Future Hall of Fame Closer Jansen Signs with Angels for 1-Yr, $10 Million

Future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen has reportedly signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels worth $10 million.

Jansen, 37, spent the past two seasons with the Boston Red Sox. The Curaçao native spent the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before joining the Atlanta Braves in 2022.

Given that the Angels haven’t had a winning record in a decade, I would not be shocked if Jansen were to finish the 2025 season in a different uniform. 

Jansen enters the 2025 season with 447 career saves, the 4th most in MLB history. He needs 32 saves to surpass Lee Smith for 3rd place on the all-time saves list. Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman own the top two spots with 652 and 601 saves, respectively. I don’t know if Jansen will reach 600 saves, but he’s got a good chance for 500 saves whatever uniform he wears.

Hamas Reneges on Hostage Release as Trump Demands All Hostages Be Released by Noon on Sat

Hamas has thrown a monkey wrench in last month’s ceasefire by announcing no more hostages will be released claiming Israel has violated the terms of the ceasefire.

President Trump has demanded that Hamas release all hostages by noon on Saturday or that there would be hell to pay. 

Will Hamas acquiesce? Or will Hamas call Trump’s bluff? What will Trump do if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages? Will he allow Israel to go scorched Earth on Gaza? Will U.S. troops be sent to Gaza? Or will he do nothing and be left with high priced egg on his face? Will it be a threat as empty as his tariffs?

Trump has given himself an out in saying he would defer to Israel and that might be his line if Saturday comes and goes without the release of hostages. Nevertheless, Trump has given an ultimatum he probably won’t be able to execute. 

Regardless of Trump’s response, Hamas is without honor. It is they who have kidnapped, raped and killed innocent Israelis.

Eagles Soar Denying Chiefs 3rd Straight Super Bowl Title

The Philadelphia Eagles put a stop to the Kansas City Chiefs’ dreams of becoming the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles with a decisive 40-22 victory.

The Eagles set the tone taking a 24-0 lead in the first half and were leading 34-0 late in the 3rd quarter before the Chiefs finally got on the board. While the Chiefs had a strong 4th quarter managing the cut the lead in half, it wasn’t nearly enough. Philadelphia won its second Super Bowl title having bested the New England Patriots seven years ago. It also erased the taste of falling short to the Chiefs two years ago.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts won Super Bowl MVP honors completing 17 of 22 passes with 2 TDs Andy an interception while rushing for 72 yards with an additional TD.

Frankly, while a third consecutive title for K.C. would have been historic, most people are sick of the Chiefs who have been in 5 of the last 6 Super Bowls. The Eagles aren’t strangers to the Super Bowl they’re still relatively fresh and haven’t offended anyone. There were several questionable calls in the Chiefs’ AFC title victory over the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago which didn’t do K.C. any favors regarding the integrity of the sport. 

Next year will mark the 60th edition of the Super Bowl. Will we see the Eagles or Chiefs again or get a fresh matchup like the Bills vs Lions? We’ll see in a year’s time.

Wanted: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band Devoted to Their Early Catalogue

Last night, I ventured to the Cabot Theater in Beverly, Massachusetts where my friend Breanna Edwards and I saw Tusk, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, perform.

Tusk is well-suited to their task. Lead singer Kathy Phillips embodies Stevie Nicks while guitarist Scott McDonald and keyboard player Kim Williams sound like Lindsey Buckingham and the late Christine McVie, respectively. 

As one might expect Tusk exclusively covers Fleetwood Mac’s peak years of commercial success. More than half the songs they played were off Fleetwood Mac (1975) and Rumours (1977), respectively. Additional material came from Tusk (1979), Mirage (1982) and Tango in the Night (1987) as well as Nicks’ 1981 solo album Bella Donna.

There is no question that songs like “The Chain”, “Dreams”, “Don’t Stop”, “Rhiannon”, “Say You Love Me” and “Go Your Own Way” are part of the 1970s rock lexicon, Fleetwood Mac had a significant catalogue before Buckingham and Nicks joined the group in 1974. 

Fleetwood Mac was founded in 1967 by Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Bob Brunning, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. They would soon be joined by the likes of Christine Perfect (the future Christine McVie), Danny Kirwan and Bob Welch. They began as a blues outfit who gradually evolved to melodic folk-rock with the departures of Green and Spencer. 

Instead of playing “Rapper’s Delight” why not spotlight Green’s instrumental “Albatross”? Or rather than go on a prolonged drum solo why couldn’t we have been treated to an early Christine McVie tune like “Show Me a Smile” from their 1971 album Future Games? 

I don’t want to come off like I’m knocking Tusk because they are great interpreters of Fleetwood Mac’s best known music. Perhaps what is needed is a Fleetwood Mac tribute group devoted to its early years between 1967 and 1974. Such a group could be called “Albatross: The Early Years of Fleetwood Mac”. I think there is a lot of fertile ground to cover.

Following the show, I played Breanna several early Fleetwood Mac songs - the aforementioned “Albatross” and “Show Me a Smile” as well as their 1969 single “Man of the World” penned by Green and my favorite Fleetwood Mac song of all “Woman of 1000 Years” written by Danny Kirwan. Breanna was taken with the melodic mellow tone of these songs. I am grateful that Breanna asked me to join her not only to spend some time together but to show her there’s more to Fleetwood Mac than “Rumours”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Saar Says 3 Released Hostages “Look Like Holocaust Survivors”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar took the words right out of my mouth when he said, “The Israeli hostages look like Holocaust survivors.”

Saar was referring to the three men released by Hamas today - Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy. Sharabi and Ben Ami had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Beeri while Levy was captured at the Nova Music Festival. All three men looked emaciated and pale. 

To add insult to injury, Hamas forced the men to thank them at gunpoint for holding them hostage. While they are now free, it was a sickening spectacle to behold.

I wonder what would have happened had one of the hostages refused to speak. Would Hamas have killed them right then and there? Or would they have been taken back into captivity or turned over to the Palestinian mob?

Had they done so, Israel would unleash its wrath with the blessings of President Trump. Indeed such an act could give Trump the pretext to implement his Gaza scheme. 

Mind you, I wouldn’t ask any hostage to defy Hamas after what they’ve endured. Yet such an act would harken back to when the Soviets released Natan Scharansky from captivity demanding he walk in a straight line. Scharansky instead zigged-zagged daring Soviet troops to shoot him in front of the whole world.

While I am glad Sharabi, Ben Ami and Levy are now free, Hamas has taken far too many liberties in using the hostages as propaganda pieces. For this, a price must be paid. 

I Remember Tony Roberts For His Roles in “Play It Again, Sam” & “Serpico”

Actor Tony Roberts passed away on Friday of lung cancer. He was 85.

Roberts, a tall man with thick cropped curly hair, had leading man looks but often played supporting roles. He collaborated with Woody Allen on half a dozen films including Annie Hall. 

I remember Roberts best for two films - Play It Again, Sam and Serpico co-starring alongside Woody Allen and Al Pacino, respectively. 

In the former, Roberts plays a busy yet ultimately understanding husband whose wife (Diane Keaton) ends up falling in love with Allen. Adapted from Allen’s Broadway play of the same name, Allen and Roberts have as much comedic onscreen chemistry as Allen and Keaton.

In the latter, Roberts plays Bob Blair, an ally of Frank Serpico loosely based on David Durk, the man who persuaded Serpico to come forward as a whistleblower against the NYPD. As with Allen, Roberts had an effective onscreen chemistry with Pacino. It is a shame the two didn’t collaborate further. 

Of course, Roberts enjoyed a 50 year career onstage and in TV and movies. But I shall always remember him for those two film classics from the early 1970s. R.I.P.

Voters Have a Trump-Musk Disconnect

It appears voters don’t care for Elon Musk having access to our personal information, the U.S. Treasury payment system and being able to unilaterally dismantle government agencies like USAID.

In a recent Quinnipiac poll saw Musk with a disapproval rating of 53% versus an approval rating of 37%. Yet President Trump enjoys an approval rating of 46% versus a 43% disapproval rating.

Yet the only reason Musk has so much access is because we elected Trump and Trump gave him DOGE. This simply would not have happened had we elected Kamala Harris.

So why are there a significant percentage of voters who disapprove of Musk but don’t disapprove of Trump even though Musk would not be doing what he has done without Trump’s blessing?

We have a disconnect and a way must be found to hang Musk around Trump’s neck like an albatross and pierce his Teflon. Otherwise, Trump’s Teflon will only get stronger to the point that it is unbreakable.

Trump’s Harebrained Gaza Scheme

President Trump has had his share of harebrained schemes since returning to the White House - annexing Canada, taking possession of Greenland and reclaiming the Panama Canal.

But his proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East might be his most harebrained scheme of all. Or at least for this month.

Yes, I wish Israel didn’t have to worry about Hamas kidnapping, raping and murdering its citizenry. In fact, I wish there was a world without Hamas. But given that Trump urged Israel to accept a ceasefire with Hamas, it isn’t going anywhere. Thus Trump’s proposal is a non-starter.

For starters, there’s the obvious corruption and grift. The aim and objective is to line Trump’s pockets. Son-in-law Jared Kushner has long held similar designs on Gaza.

For his part, Trump has indicated he is prepared to put U.S. troops into Gaza to make his scheme come true. This from the guy who is supposedly America first and wants us to stay out of foreign wars. That is unless he can make some money.

The main reason it won’t work is because the Arab world is committed to a Palestinian state. This means these same Arab states don’t want Palestinians living on their soil. Now I can understand Egypt and Jordan not wanting receive Palestinians. If Hamas attacks Israel from either country then you can say goodbye to those peace treaties. In which case, Trump can forget about a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis can make life hard for Trump if they see fit to reduce oil production. Tariffs are unlikely to be effective against the House of Saud.

Perhaps Trump will put his Gaza scheme on the back burner just as he has with tariffs with Canada and Mexico and move onto yet another harebrained scheme. When it comes to stupid ideas, Trump has an inexhaustible supply.

Trump Will Soon Bully Canada & Mexico Again

Yesterday, President Trump backed off on imposing tariffs against Canada and Mexico for 30 days after agreeing to pledges for increased border protection from both countries - something both had offered and Trump had previously refused.

But Trump will be back to bully Canada and Mexico again soon. Indeed, Trump hinted his next area of focus when he falsely stated Canada prohibited U.S. banks from doing business in Canada. Nonsense!!! There is plenty of U.S. financial institutions which engage in commercial banking north of the border.

U.S. banks do not engage in retail banking in Canada and the only Canadian bank which does retail banking in the U.S. is the TD Bank which began doing business in the Northeast about 20 years ago. When I moved to the U.S., there was no CIBC retail bank so I opened a Bank of America account.

The point here is that while Trump might not impose tariffs against Canada and Mexico now or ever, he will continue to belittle and bully Canada and Mexico. In Canada’s case, it will be the 51st state and why America doesn’t need Canada for anything. In which case, Canada and Mexico will respond in kind - again. 

The question is how much the American voter likes it. Well, perhaps not so much if Elon Musk withholds Social Security and Medicare payments. But if one is not directly affected one might think, “Better that Trump punish Canada and Mexico as long as he doesn’t come after me,” even if it results in higher prices and fewer jobs.

Rich Dauer Was a Tough Player to Strikeout

Former MLB player and coach Rich Dauer passed away today at the age of 72.

Dauer spent his entire professional playing career with the Baltimore Orioles. A first round draft pick by the O’s in 1974 after winning back-to-back College World Series with the USC Trojans, Dauer made his MLB debut at the tail end of the 1976 season.

He would spend most of the next decade as the O’s everyday second baseman. Dauer would hit a HR in Game 7 of the 1979 World Series as the O’s fell short to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1983, Dauer would earn a World Series ring with Baltimore. 

In 984 career games, Dauer hit .257 with 43 HR and 372 RBI. In 4238 career plate appearances, Dauer only struck out 219 times. In 1980, while posting a career high .284 with 63 RBI, Dauer only struck out 19 times in 618 plate appearances.

Dauer would enjoy a long career as a coach with various organizations though not with Baltimore. He had stints at the big league level with the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies before getting the chance to manage in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres. In 2017, Dauer earned a second World Series ring as a member of the Houston Astros coaching staff. 

Unfortunately. amid the World Series Parade, Dauer underwent emergency brain surgery after sustaining a subdural hematoma. He would recover sufficiently to throw out the first pitch at an Astros-Orioles game the following year. However, further health troubles would follow. 

Rich Dauer had a solid, if unspectacular career with the Orioles expect for the fact he was nearly impossible to strikeout. R.I.P.  

Trump’s Tariffs Will Cause a Global Recession

President Trump has seen fit to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.

The main reason for this is that Trump thinks trade deficits are bad things and something about fentanyl and illegal immigrants.

The United States is merely a net importer of goods. This is not a bad thing. What is a bad thing is unilaterally deciding to revert to 19th century mercantilism in an attempt to tax his way to prosperity. 

No one win with tariffs. Canada, Mexico and China will suffer. So too will the United States. With importers facing heavier costs those costs will be passed onto consumers in the form of higher prices and workers in the form of fewer jobs. The result will be a global recession. 

Trump has acknowledged that Americans will feel the pain of tariffs. It would be a self-inflicted wound but Trump will feel nothing so the policy will continue until he gets bored or leaves office.

It is fascinating to see conservatives defend protectionism. After all it was President Reagan and Prime Minister Mulroney who embarked upon free trade between the United States and Canada. Free trade was a mantra for conservatives. It still is for Canadian conservatives. But free trade is yet another principle which Trump has railroaded and conservatives have fallen in line.

Trump’s tariffs will unite Canada’s political parties at least temporarily. It is clear Trump does not respect Canadian sovereignty with his repeated talk of Canada becoming the 51st state. Never mind that Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories. Trump doesn’t appreciate how deep rooted anti-Americanism is in Canadian society. Some of that sentiment is counterproductive but Trump is doing everything he can to show himself as the ugly American. Trump may find he has underestimated an ally he can ill-afford to anger.

In so doing, Trump might also anger his fellow Americans when they arrive at the conclusion that tariffs aren’t great.

3 More Hostages Released Including Yarden Bibas But What Has Hamas Done With His Family?

On Saturday, three more hostages were freed from captivity - Keith Siegel, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas.

Yet Bibas’ freedom is bittersweet as the rest of his family remains in the hands of Hamas. Bibas’ wife Shiri, daughter Ariel and son Kfir were also kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir-Oz on October 7, 2023. Ariel is only 5 while Kfir is only 2. Shiri’s parents Yossi and Margit Silberman were murdered by Hamas.

Given that female hostages were to be released first under the terms of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and neither Shiri Bibas nor her children were released leads me to believe they are dead. Hamas has claimed the remaining members of the Bibas family were killed in an Israeli air strike. It is far more likely that Hamas killed them as they killed more than 1,200 Israelis.

We can hope for a miracle but we cannot count on it.