Will Trump End Iran Nuclear Deal Because of Netanyahu's Presentation?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a presentation which was televised to all of Israel documenting how Iran has been cheating on its nuclear program.

Some say this a prelude to war. Left-wing publications are doing their best to liken Netanyahu's presentation to that of former Secretary of State Colin Powell's to the UN prior to the War in Iraq.

But I don't think this is about war. Rather, one must ask if this is this the beginning of the end of the Iran nuclear deal? Clearly this presentation was as much for a U.S. audience as it was for Israelis. In which case, will this be what prompts President Trump to jettison the agreement? If so will Trump announce it during the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem? Or is he going to wait until mid-term elections in this country?

Whatever the case, it is long overdue. Frankly, Trump should have ended the Iran nuclear deal on the day he took office. But he hasn't because much of his cabinet favors the Iran nuclear deal although this is not the case with his new Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

But what if Trump doesn't announce an end to the deal this year? For starters, Bibi is going to have egg on his face. Such a spectacle for nothing in return. Aside from weakening Netanyahu, it will also further anxiety in the Gulf Arab states resulting in an escalation of nuclear arms.

As for Israel, while moving the embassy to Jerusalem is important that will be meaningless if there is no ground on which a new embassy can be built. Ending the Iran nuclear deal should have been Trump's first foreign policy priority and the fact it has taken this long to resolve doesn't inspire my confidence. If Benjamin Netanyahu's presentation doesn't convince Trump to end the Iran nuclear deal then nothing will.

My Experience With Racism in a Canadian Chinese Restaurant

Today, I read about the Chinese restaurant in Toronto that was ordered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission to pay $10,000 (about $7,800 U.S. dollars) for telling black customers to prepay for their meals.

It immediately reminded me of an incident which took place at a Chinese restaurant in Ottawa nearly 25 years ago. This incident involved a friend of mine named Logong Raditlhokwa. A native of Botswana, he had been my housemate during my second year at Carleton University. He was pursuing his MSW and we spent many hours talking. After the academic year, I moved to another part of the city and he would soon return to Botswana. Before he left, I invited him to my favorite Chinese restaurant in Ottawa's little Chinatown on Somerset Street to introduce him to the wonders of hot and sour soup.

I had been at this restaurant many times with various friends. But this was the first time I had been there with a friend who happened to be black. This time things were very different. The waiters would not acknowledge Logong. When I ordered my usual large bowl of hot and sour they insisted I order a smaller bowl, but I said it would be large. It took a long time for our food to come and when it did they practically threw Logong's food at him. I could see all of this was making Logong quite uncomfortable. I asked him if he wanted to leave or for me to say something. He wanted neither. We were staying and eating whether they liked it or not. So we did but neither I nor my friends ever ate at that restaurant again.

Logong would soon return to Botswana and I would never see him again. I wish we had parted on happier circumstances. Sadly, he died in 2015 at the age of 50.

I often wonder what would have happened had I taken my mentor Moffat Makuto and his wife Amy out to that Chinese restaurant. You see Moffat is from Zimbabwe and Amy is from Hong Kong. They would have gone ballistic.

Food is something that ought to bring people together. But hatred is a custom as ancient as our meal time. Segregated lunch counters might be illegal these days, but one cannot legislate away bigotry and ignorance.

With that said, while such attitudes will always be around, I would like to think these incidents are the exception rather than the rule. If it weren't I would have stopped eating Chinese food long ago.

Kelly Denies Calling Trump An Idiot

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has emphatically denied calling President Trump an idiot.

This stands is stark contrast to former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Last October, when reports emerged that Tillerson had referred to Trump as a moron he wouldn't deny he had said it. What was more interesting me is when Tillerson arrived at that conclusion. Regardless of when Tillerson arrived at that conclusion, he was out of a job less than six months later. Kelly wants to avoid this fate.

I'm inclined to think Kelly didn't call Trump an idiot. Trump and Kelly are kindred spirits. He shares Trump's mean streak. Indeed, Kelly told reporters that Tillerson was on the toilet when he gave him his walking papers. Back in October, Kelly vociferously defended Trump's call to Sgt. La David Johnson's widow who had said Trump had been disrespectful to her and the memory of her husband. If Kelly is willing to call a war widow a liar then I doubt he referred to Trump as an idiot. John Kelly has become one himself.

Where Were Trump Supporters When Heidi Cruz & Carly Fiorina Needed Them?

It's hard for me to take the outrage of Trump supporters seriously where it concerns Michelle Wolf's jokes about Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the White House Correspondents' Dinner when they were laughing along with Trump when he went after Heidi Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Heidi Klum, Alicia Machado among others for their appearance.

John Podhoretz called out Laura Ingraham on Twitter specifically referencing Cruz as well as Serge Kovaleski, I replied:

A Trump supporter told me today he hadn't been engaging in this kind of behavior lately & he should be applauded. I told her that was like applauding a racist for not using the N-word for a few months.

I should note this tweet was liked 672 times. But I digress.

Sooner or later, President Trump is going to say or tweet something demeaning and his supporters aren't going to bat an eyelash.

What If Alfie Evans Had Been Born a Prince?

When I awoke this morning I learned of the death of Alfie Evans, the 23-month old child the British government took off life support against the wishes of his parents who wanted to take him to Rome for treatment. Evans suffered from a rare neurodegenerative disorder.

The NHS took Evans off life support on April 23rd. That same day, Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed their child, Prince Louis into the world.

What if Alfie Evans had been born a prince?

What if William and Kate wanted to seek treatment in Rome for their child?

Would the British government have dared to stop them?

If they had stopped the Royal Couple then what does it say about the value of life? Especially the lives of children at their most helpless and vulnerable.

If they wouldn't stop them then why are some parents permitted to try to save the lives of their children while others are not?

Why are some lives more precious than others?

Alfie Evans might not have had long to live. But the British government had no business ending his life.

Alfie Evans might not have been born a prince, but he surely died one. R.I.P.

Never The (Shania) Twain Shall Meet

With the apologies to Rudyard Kipling, "Left is Left, and Right is Right, and never the twain shall meet."

This is certainly true in the case of Shania Twain.

The backlash which came over the weekend after the legendary country music singer told The Guardian she "would have" voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election was sufficient for her to write a four part tweet on Sunday apologizing "to anybody I have offended" and insisting she is "passionately against discrimination of any kind."

Given that Twain is Canadian and resides in Switzerland one can only imagine what the reaction might have been from The Left had she actually voted for Trump.

In the course of her apology, Twain claimed the question caught her off the guard. On the contrary, her words are very telling and is the most interesting thing about this entire row. Twain, who is planning to tour this summer for the first time in more than 15 years, stated, "I would have voted for him because, even though he was offensive, he seemed honest."

Of course, Trump is anything but honest. Trump lies about things both big and small. He lies about being offered Time Magazine's Person of the Year, about the President of the Boy Scouts telling him he delivered the greatest speech he ever heard, the size of his inauguration crowd, the size of his Electoral College win, about thousands of Muslims cheering the 9/11 attacks and, of course, his wealth. Yet he is a better liar than Hillary Clinton and a good enough liar for someone like Twain to believe he seems honest.

In fact, her comment reminded me of an incident I saw take place on Boston Common following a rally for the Libertarian ticket of Gary Johnson and William Weld. The former Massachusetts Governor was criticizing Trump's immigration proposals when a Hispanic male began heckling him. A reporter approached this man a few minutes later who revealed he was a Trump supporter because he liked his honesty. No doubt there were millions of American voters who thought Trump honest enough to cast a ballot for him.

As the old saying goes, perception is nine tenths reality. If The Left were smart they would have taken Twain's candor as an opportunity to persuade instead of to pillory. But as long as The Left is going to get angry at people who would have voted for Trump if they could then how are they going to persuade the people who actually did vote for Trump in 2016 to change their minds in 2020?

As Shania Twain might say, "That don't impress me much."

Thoughts on Toronto

Regardless of what motivated the man who deliberately killed 10 people while injuring 15 others with a rental van, a stretch of Canada's longest street in Canada's biggest city is closed in a clutter of chaos.

Given the frequency with which vehicles have been used in terrorist attacks over the past several years one cannot and should not entirely rule out that possibility. But we have also learned that one need not have a political motive to commit mass murder as was the case in Las Vegas. Whatever the reason these sorts of attacks have become part and parcel of our post-modern age.

Once again a city which I have either frequently visited or lived in over the years has become the sight of bloodshed and mass carnage. Sooner or later, I wonder if I will see such bloodshed and carnage up close and personal. I hope I will never have to find out.

Verne Troyer, R.I.P.

Actor Verne Troyer, best known for his portrayal of MiniMe in the Austin Powers movies, has died at the age of 49. Troyer had been hospitalized earlier this month for being "suicidal". The 2 foot, 8 inch actor had a long history of alcoholism.

It was just a month ago that I saw Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me on TV with my Dad. It was a great ensemble cast, but Troyer was the breakout player in a career defining role.

Unfortunately, substantial roles were not forthcoming for Troyer who was relegated to the reality show circuit. But he was well regarded for his philanthropic endeavors which were reflected in posthumous tributes led by his Austin Powers co-star Mike Myers who called him "a beacon of positivity." I leave you with an appearance Troyer made with Shaquille O'Neal here in Massachusetts in 2016. R.I.P.

A Thought For Danny Farquhar

Right now I'm watching Oakland A's pitcher Sean Manaea's post-game conference following his no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. Manaea and his team are on top of the world tonight.

The same cannot be said for the Chicago White Sox. Not only has the team lost six games in a row, but one of their own is fighting for his life. Relief pitcher Danny Farquhar collapsed in the dugout after pitching the sixth inning on Friday night's 10-0 loss to the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. Farquhar suffered a brain hemorrhage and is in critical but stable condition. Hopefully the prompt medical attention he received will save his life.

The 31-year old Farquhar has pitched in the big leagues since 2011 with the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays before signing as a free agent with the Chisox in the middle of last season. Should Farquhar survive this episode it will be a bigger boost to the White Sox than winning the World Series.

Sean Manaea No-Hits The Red Sox

Oakland A's pitcher Sean Manaea has just no-hit baseball's hottest team. The A's beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 snapping an 8-game winning streak and handing them only their third loss in 20 games this season. This marks the first time the Red Sox have been on the wrong end of a no-hitter since 1993 when Chris Bosio pulled it off for the Seattle Mariners. It's the first A's no-hitter since Dallas Braden's perfect game on Mother Day's in 2010. Manaea's first post-game interview was with Braden who now does color commentary for the A's telecasts.

There were a couple of controversial moments, both of which occurred in the sixth inning. Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon appeared to have a base hit, but the official scorer gave A's shortstop Marcus Semien an error. Moments later it appeared Andrew Benintendi had a single, but the umps ruled Benintendi was out of the baseline and called him out. One wonders if Leon would have been awarded a hit at Fenway Park or if Benintendi would have been awarded a hit if Manaea wasn't in the midst of tossing a no-hitter. But personally, I agreed with both calls.

Whether you agree with the calls or not, Manaea was magnificent. After all, he was up against none other than Chris Sale. Manaea matched Sale with 10 strikeouts apiece. But Sale gave up a double to Jed Lowrie in the first who, believe it or not, is leading the AL in RBI. He also gave up a double in the third to Stephen Piscotty and a home run to Semien in the fifth.

Manaea has been a mainstay of the A's rotation since 2016. Originally a first round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2013, he was traded to Oakland late in the 2015 season for Ben Zobrist. The trade helped the Royals win a World Series that year, but now that they're in last place in the AL Central I can't help but wonder if the Royals would like Manaea back.

My roommate Christopher Kain asked me, "Is this the beginning of Manaea Mania?"

We shall see in Manaea's next start.

Natalie Portman Doesn't Deserve Israel's Genesis Prize

Actress Natalie Portman raised eyebrows yesterday when the Genesis Prize Foundation announced that she would not go to Israel in June to attend the ceremony to accept the Genesis Prize. 

Established in 2012, it is the Israeli equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Past recipients include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, violinist Itzhak Perlman, actor Michael Douglas and sculptor Anish Kapoor.  

The Foundation stated, “[r]ecent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel” and that “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony.”

At the time, there was no elaboration as to what Portman specific objections were. However, many were speculating Portman was endorsing the BDS Movement she had previously opposed. The Israeli born Portman as well as other celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld and Sacha Baron Cohen came out against BDS' efforts to boycott the 2009 Toronto International Festival which was spotlighting several Israeli filmmakers. 

This apparent reversal delighted BDS supporters while saddening members of the Israeli government. Imraan Siddiqui, the President of the Arizona chapter of CAIR tweeted, "What. Whoa. Major major props to Natalie Portman for taking this stand." Meanwhile, Miri Regev, Israel's Minister of Culture, said Portman had “fallen like a ripe fruit into the hands of the BDS movement supporters."

Portman issued a statement clarifying that she has not reversed her position on BDS, but rather objects to current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and unspecified "atrocities":

My decision not to attend the Genesis Prize ceremony has been mischaracterized by others. Let me speak for myself. I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony. By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance. Israel was created exactly 70 years ago as a haven for refugees from the Holocaust. But the mistreatment of those suffering from today’s atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values. Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power.

Again, Portman did not specify the "atrocities" not in line with her Jewish values she is likely referring to Palestinians killed rioting at Israel's security fence along the border with Gaza in recent weeks. Strange how Portman doesn't object to Hamas putting children in the line of fire nor does she seem troubled by the Israelis murdered by wanton ramming and stabbing attacks. Being in the presence of Netanyahu might be too much to bear, but plans to keep the $2 million prize which comes with the award.

In all honesty, I'm not sure why the Genesis Prize Foundation would bestow its prize upon Portman in the first place. In August 2015, Portman gave an interview to the British newspaper The Independent which she chided Jews for overemphasizing Holocaust education at the expense of other atrocities namely the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Portman said, “I think a really big question the Jewish community needs to ask itself, is how much at the forefront we put Holocaust education. Which is, of course, an important question to remember and to respect, but not over other things." At the time of this interview, I wrote:

Now one might ask why we ought to care about what yet another Hollywood actress thinks about the affairs of the world. Why should her opinion about the Holocaust matter? It matters because Portman is Jewish, was born in Israel (though she spent most of her childhood in this country), and her paternal great-grandparents died at Auschwitz. Had the Allies had been unable liberate the concentration camps 70 years ago and had Hitler and the Nazis triumphed, there would be no Natalie Portman, no Israel, and no Jews. If an Israeli-born Jew whose ancestors were killed at Auschwitz doesn’t understand what separates the Holocaust from all other acts of genocide then we have a very big problem.

We also have a big problem when someone like Portman views the Palestinians suffering from "today's moral atrocities" in a manner equivalent to innocent people who were gassed in concentration camps and organizations like The Genesis Prize Foundation seek to glorify people who possess such a fundamental misunderstanding of the tragic and unique circumstances which accelerated Israel's founding. Perhaps next year, The Genesis Prize Foundation will choose someone more worthy of this prestigious prize. 

Read more: https://forward.com/fast-forward/399277/natalie-portman-slammed-for-falling-into-dark-hands-of-israel-haters/

Reds Chop Price; Name Riggleman Interim Manager

It's about time. The Cincinnati Reds have fired manager Bryan Price after the team's 3-15 start to the 2018 season.


The Reds haven't been the same since they fired Dusty Baker following the 2013 season (Washington Nationals fans take note). Leading the team to two NL Central titles and a NL Wild Card berth just wasn't good enough. In four seasons plus with the Reds, Price's teams finished last thrice and were on pace to make the 1962 New York Mets look like the Big Red Machine this year. All this despite having the likes of Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler and Eugenio Suarez who are all capable power hitters.


His replacement on an interim basis for now is Jim Riggleman who has previously managed the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals. He last managed the Nats in 2011, when he abruptly quit in June of that year after the team would not extend his contract despite having won 11 of their previous 12 games. I wondered if any big league team would hire him to manage again. He has been paying his dues in the Reds' organization since 2012. Of course, there is no guarantee he is anything more than a stopgap measure. But if the Reds become competitive in the NL Central, Jim Riggelman could be one of MLB's best comeback stories of 2018.

I Didn't Know Bruno Sammartino & His Family Hid From The Nazis in Italy During WWII

Like many pro wrestling fans, I was saddened to learn of Bruno Sammartino's passing at the age of 82.

Sammartino was pro wrestling's premier draw during the much of the 1960's and 1970's during his two reigns as World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) Champion (now known as the WWE), the first of which lasted nearly eight years.

By the time I started watching wrestling in the mid-1980's Sammartino was mostly a commentator and only wrestled sporadically. But even in his 50's, Sammartino was still a strong man who could keep the bad guys at bay. After a falling out with Vince McMahon, Sammartino stayed away from the WWE until his induction into the company's Hall of Fame in 2013.

What I did not know was that he and his family hid from the Nazis when they occupied his village of Pizzoferrato, Italy. Four of Sammartino's siblings died while in hiding. One cannot begin to imagine what impact this had on him. No doubt it motivated him to get into weightlifting after coming to America in the early 1950's and settling in Pittsburgh before turning his attention to pro wrestling. But losing multiple siblings under those circumstances must have left deep wounds. Sammartino evidently never spoke about his experiences during WWII until the release of a 2013 documentary which was produced in conjunction with his WWE Hall of Fame induction.

It certainly helps to explain Sammartino's exemplary character. If an experience like that doesn't build one's character then nothing will. R.I.P.

Barbara Bush, R.I.P.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush has passed away at the age of 92. Her death comes two days after announcing she would no longer be seeking additional medical care after repeated hospitalizations.

I recall Hunter S. Thompson writing in the 20th anniversary edition of Rolling Stone that Barbara Bush would cost her husband 10,000 votes a day in the 1988 presidential election. He could not have been more wrong.

On the contrary, she was George H.W. Bush's greatest asset. She came across as a kindly, down to earth grandmother who had a sense of humor as well as some opinions contrary to those of her husband. The First Lady let the former shine through while largely kept the latter to herself though she made a notable exception where it concerned Donald Trump.

She was married to former President Bush for 72 years. Under the circumstances, one wonders how much longer he will hold on given his own poor health. With this in mind, I leave you with the former First Lady talking about her marriage to the 41st President. R.I.P.

Comey is Right; Trump Is Morally Unfit To Be President

Former FBI Director James Comey might not be popular among the right, left or center. But someone please tell me what is untrue about this statement in his interview last night with George Stephanopoulos on ABC:

A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they’re pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person’s not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And that’s not a policy statement. I don’t care what your views are on guns, or immigration, or taxes. Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being ‘truth.’ This President is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be President.

Of course, no one can dispute Comey's statement. But conservatives have been corrupted by Trump. Evidently a tax cut and a few judicial appointments are sufficient for conservatives to look the other way on Trump's transgressions. Meanwhile, the left and center cannot forgive Comey for re-opening the email investigation against Hillary Clinton.

Trump is morally unfit, but perhaps the same could be said for the electorate who voted for him. We get the White House we deserve.

Trump Undercuts Haley on Sanctions Against Russia After Complaints By The Kremlin

Yesterday, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced that more sanctions would be coming against Russia for their support of Syria in its chemical weapons attacks against civilians.

Today, President Trump reversed them following complaints from The Kremlin. With regard to sanctions, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated, "We’re evaluating, but nothing to announce right now."

I guess this means when Vladimir Putin says jump, President Trump says how high.

This completely undermines Haley's authority. How can we take anything she says seriously again? If she makes an announcement, the press can legitimately ask her if she got Trump's permission first.

If I were Nikki Haley I would be planning my exit strategy yesterday.

Harry Anderson, R.I.P.

Actor, comedian and magician Harry Anderson, best known as the star of NBC's long running sitcom Night Court, was found dead this morning in his home in Asheville, North Carolina. Foul play is not suspected. Anderson was 65.

I first remember Anderson in the early 1980's with his magic act on Saturday Night Live and his cameo appearances on Cheers as the con man Harry The Hat. In 1984, Night Court became a mid-season replacement on NBC and would become a staple of the network's Thursday night lineup before concluding in 1992. Anderson moved over to CBS where he played syndicated columnist Dave Barry in Dave's World from 1993 to 1997.

Over the past 20 years, Anderson receded from the limelight retreating to New Orleans then to Asheville, NC when his home was destroyed after Hurricane Katrina. Anderson made a notable cameo appearance on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock in what was a mini-Night Court reunion with co-stars Markie Post and Charles Robinson.

Anderson didn't do a lot of interviews. But here he is on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in March 1987 in which Anderson and Carson discuss their mutual love of magic. R.I.P.

The Boston Marathon Bombings Five Years Later

Five years have passed since the finish line of the Boston Marathon turned into a war zone when two explosions went off killing three people and injuring hundreds of others. Three nights later, the bombers shot and killed a MIT police officer which resulted in a pursuit which ended in neighboring Watertown the following evening. Authorities killed one of the bombers and injured the other who later stood trial and was sentenced to death.

Most years I would watch the Marathon in person usually after attending the Patriot's Day game at Fenway Park. However that year I opted to take a train to Concord to go to Walden Pond and to Minute Man National Historical Park where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. It was there that I took a call from my mother who asked me if I was alright. She told me what happened. It still astounds me that my mother living in Thunder Bay, Ontario found out about the bombing before I did.

Then came the stupidity. The punk follower of Alex Jones who showed up at a press conference asking then Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick if this was "a false flag operation." Then there was former Obama White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod who speculated the attacks might have motivated by "tax day", a not to subtle reference to the Tea Party.

Of course, the terrorists were Muslim inspired by the lectures of the late American born al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki. It has long bothered me that President Obama would say that more Americans are killed in their bathtubs than by terrorists. Alas no bathtub death ever resulted in the shutdown of a major American street for more than a week.

When the anniversary is commemorated there is no mention of what motivated the attack. Today is remembered as One Boston Day which is devoted to performing acts of kindness. There's nothing wrong with that in of itself but it is impossible to properly remember the tragedy of the Boston Marathon Bombing without acknowledging its ideological basis.

Let me put it another way. I don't think Charlottesville is going to have a One Charlottesville Day this August. We will be hearing about the evil of white supremacy and rightly so. In that spirit we should also be equally candid where it concerns Islamic supremacy. With that said, President Trump has made such candor impossible with his wholesale condemnation of Muslims.

There must be a middle ground of some kind. There must be a way to acknowledge Islamic supremacy without condemning all a billion and a half plus Muslims. Of course, in our age of polarization such understanding is impossible at present. Will such an understanding be closer on the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings? Only with more conversation, not less.

Milos Forman, R.I.P.

Director Milos Forman has passed away following a brief illness. He was 86.

Born in Czechoslovakia, Forman witnessed firsthand the evils of both Nazism and Communism. His parents were killed at Auschwitz rendering him an orphan. He was no more impressed with Communism as demonstrated by his first significant film The Firemen's Ball which was banned in Russia, Czechoslovakia and the Eastern Bloc. Active in the Prague Spring of 1968 and friends with the likes of future Czech President Vaclav Havel, Forman fled Czechoslovakia after Soviet tanks rolled in.

Forman only directed 20 movies, but are unsurpassed in quality - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Hair, Ragtime, Amadeus, The People Vs. Larry Flynt and Man on The Moon. Two of those films - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus won the Oscar for Best Picture when that meant something. Forman would win Best Director for both those films. Here is Forman accepting his Oscar for Amadeus at the 57th Academy Awards in 1985. R.I.P.

Mission Accomplished?

Following last night's military strike with the U.K. and France against Syria, President Trump declared:

A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!

Well, I suppose we can be grateful that Trump didn't wear an air force jumpsuit.

I guess this means it is over for now. Over until Assad decides to use chemical weapons against his own people again. At which point, Trump will order a strike either through unilateral or multilateral force.

My guess is that as long as Assad believes he will not be ousted from office that he will continue to launch chemical weapons attacks with the full expectation of U.S. retaliation. If Assad is prepared to kill his own people then he isn't going to care if other countries do the same. Assad is 52 years old and President for Life. Donald Trump cannot say the same. Assad will bide his time until Trump leaves office whether that is in 2021 or in 2025. Unless Trump is prepared to oust him, Assad can wait for a new U.S. President who might very well be more squeamish about the use of military power. And the President after that and the President after that. 

Trump Launches Attack on Syria: No Easy Answers, Only Hard Questions

Less than a week ago, I asked if President Trump's "big price to pay" would be the new version of President Obama's "red line in Syria".

Even after tonight's U.S., U.K. & French military attack I am still unsure of the answer. Not that there are easy answers to be had in Syria.

For his part, Trump stated, "We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents."

Are the British and French on board with that? And what about our Congress? While it's true President Obama didn't enforce his red line, Congress didn't want him to do so. 

But let's assume that this triumvirate is prepared to sustain this response. What makes anyone think that Assad will stop using chemical weapons against his own people? In which case the only way to prevent another chemical attack against civilians is by way of regime change. 

But regime change would surely give an opening to ISIS. Trump bragged that the areas in Syria and Iraq once controlled by ISIS had "been liberated and eliminated." 

So this leaves Trump with the choice of trying to contain Assad and risk more chemical attacks or remove him and risk an ISIS resurgence. Neither is a good option.

Of course, it was easy for Trump to repeatedly tell Obama not to go into Syria when the decision wasn't his to make. It's also easy for Trump not to follow his own advice.

As much as I disdain President Trump, it brings me no comfort that a significant segment of the population (primarily on The Left) are angrier at Trump right now than they were at Assad for gassing his own people. What little good there is to be said of Trump can also be said of a majority of his critics. All of which means things in Syria are bound to get worse with no guarantee they'll ever get better.

Will The Constitutionality of FOSTA/SESTA Be Challenged in Court?

One of the wisest things ever said by Groucho Marx concerned politics. The mustachioed Marx Brother said, "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."

This could be easily said of the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act/Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (FOSTA/SESTA) which was passed by a large bipartisan majority in Congress last month and officially signed into law today by President Trump.

There is nothing currently preventing law enforcement from stopping online sex trafficking of minors and this law will not stop the trafficking of a single person. Instead, the law amends Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and targets websites such as Backpage.com (which was shut down by the federal government earlier this week without the help of FOSTA/SESTA) which can be criminally prosecuted and sued in civil court for carrying advertisements of an adult nature even if they are unaware of trafficking of minors. It effectively criminalizes speech.

FOSTA/SESTA also targets adult sex workers even though they aren't engaged in trafficking of any sort and are likely to face the same kind of civil and criminal liability now being imposed on Backpage and other websites which feature adult ads. This measure will render sex workers unable to screen their clients, force more street level prostitution and lead to increase of violence against sex workers.

Of course, sex workers are not a powerful constituency much less a group  (primarily women) which seek the limelight. Given their inclination towards discretion they are an easy group to target and heap scorn upon. Most politicians, be they Democrat or Republican, have little to gain in standing up for them.

At this point, the only way FOSTA/SESTA can possibly be stopped is through the courts. Aside from the obvious First Amendment implications, there are also concerns about the Ex Post Facto Clause (Article 1, Section 9, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution) which were raised by the DOJ itself in a letter written to the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee back in February.

The question remains is who will challenge the constitutionality of FOSTA/SESTA. Who will be prepared to go public with such a challenge? With Backpage already under indictment will another website step up to the plate? Or will it be a sex worker or a group of sex workers? And what role, if any, will be played by the ACLU?

Of course, even if such a judicial challenge is successful, it will come at a cost. Such a battle could take years placing an undue burden on websites and sex workers with online sex traffickers of minors continuing to flourish. But as long as politicians insist on learning the hard way such battles will need to be fought.

Chuck McCann, R.I.P.

Actor, comedian, children's entertainer and voice over artist Chuck McCann died on April 8th of congestive heart failure at the age of 83.

McCann was a popular children's TV host in New York City during the 1960's before moving on to Hollywood. He is probably best known for co-starring with Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island fame in the CBS Saturday morning live action show Far Out Space Nuts where they portrayed maintenance workers who accidentally launch themselves into space.

I did not know McCann was cuckoo for Coco Puffs.

McCann appeared on TV shows like Starsky & Hutch, The Rockford Files, The Love Boat, One Day at a Time, St. Elsewhere, Diff'rent Strokes, Knight Rider, Boston Legal and, of course, Columbo. The tall, rubber faced actor appeared as the ill-fated film projectionist in the Columbo episode "Double Exposure" featuring Robert Culp in this third and final turn as a murderer.

McCann's passion for comedy began with Laurel and Hardy and eventually led to a real life friendship with Stan Laurel.

Here are McCann and a young Dick Van Dyke playing both Laurel & Hardy as well as Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton in "The Vacuum Cleaner Salesman" skit on The Garry Moore Show.
R.I.P.

Laura Ingraham Knows Nothing About Stalinism

Last night, Laura Ingraham returned to the airwaves and pilloried The Left for trying to silence her and other conservatives citing the recent examples of Facebook censoring African-American Trump supporters Diamond & Silk as well as the cowardly firing of Kevin Williamson by The Atlantic not to mention the recent efforts to boycott her program after her criticism of Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg:

We are indeed reaching a crisis point where cultural walls are being erected to constrict and still free speech in America. But we cannot let this continue. At the end of tonight's show I'm going to be announcing my response to this dangerous epidemic and what this show will do in the coming weeks to expose the perpetrators, their tactics, their major players and their funders. Their efforts are Stalinist pure and simple.

Laura Ingraham knows nothing of Stalinism. If we were in a state of Stalinism not having a TV program would be the least of Ingraham's problems. She would be in jail or she would be dead. Even if you disagree with the boycott of her show it doesn't rise to the level of Stalinism. From where I sit, this trivializes Stalinism as much as when The Left trivialized Nazism when they would compare George W. Bush to Hitler.

It's hard for me to take Ingraham seriously when she has enthusiastically supported boycotts of Dick's Sporting Goods for their decision to restrict gun sales and Keurig after they withdrew their advertising from fellow Fox cohort Sean Hannity. Let us also not forget she recently told LeBron James to "shut up and dribble".

Laura Ingraham is in favor of free speech as long as that speech doesn't express views contrary to her own. In this regard, she is no better than The Left, the so-called Stalinists she claims to deplore.

Will Trump's "Big Price To Pay" Be The New Version of Obama's "Red Line" in Syria?

This morning, President Trump issued a series of tweets following a chemical attack by the Syrian government in Douma which is, as of this writing, estimated to have cost 70 lives.

In his first two tweets, Trump stated:

Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price.......to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!

In his third tweet on the subject, Trump took aim at former President Obama:

If President Obama had crossed his stated Red Line In The Sand, the Syrian disaster would have ended long ago! Animal Assad would have been history!

To give Trump his due this is his strongest language against Vladimir Putin to date. It is also probably true if Obama had enforced his red line then Assad would not have done what he did today much less be able to count on the protection of Russia and Iran.

But even so, Trump's tweets are meaningless because whether he likes it or not, Syria is his bailiwick. Less than a week ago, Trump wanted to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria despite objections from the military. One wonders if Assad launched this chemical attack to test Trump.

We know that Trump is prepared to launch a military strike as he did against Syria when they launched a chemical attack a year ago but it was mostly done for show. Who can say he won't do so again? In which case, when it comes to Syria, Trump's "big price to pay" could become the new version of Obama's "red line"

Thoughts on The Death of Stalin

Yesterday, my roommate Christopher Kain invited me to see The Death of Stalin at the West Newton Cinema.

Co-written and directed by Armando Iannucci, the film is a black comedy about the struggle for succession following the death of Josef Stalin in 1953 with Steve Buscemi portraying Nikita Khrushchev, Jeffrey Tambor cast as Georgy Malenkov, Monty Python alum Michael Palin playing Vyacheslav Molotov with Simon Russell Beale turning in a demonic performance as Laverntiy Beria.

There is something to be said for the film if the subject matter was sufficient for it to be banned in Russia and several other former Soviet Republics. Any film that angers Vladimir Putin has to be a good thing. Nevertheless something bothered me about the film. Specifically, it was the comic manner in which Soviet citizens were murdered to which I could not bring myself to laugh. Somehow I cannot imagine people murdered by the Nazis being depicted in this manner.

Of course, the Nazis have been depicted in a comic manner going back to Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator, a decision he would later come to regret. But I cannot recall a film that portrayed the murder of Jews in concentration camps so flippantly as The Death of Stalin did with those murdered in the gulags. When it comes down to it, Stalin is perceived as being not as evil as Hitler even though his regime was responsible for the deaths of millions of civilians. It's true that the Allies aligned themselves with Stalin during WWII and Hitler might very well have triumphed if they had not done so. Needless to say this alliance did not survive the end of the war and for good reason.

A case could be made that the depiction of killing of Soviet citizens represented how arbitrary and capricious life was in the USSR (and indeed how life is in Russia now). Yet when it came to the execution of Beria at the conclusion of the film it was treated as no laughing matter. I believe those who died under Stalin's reign deserved the same consideration.

The Case of Kevin Williamson: Being Never Trump Isn't Enough For The Left

Trump is the Little Lord Flauntleroy of Fifth Avenue, a coddled product of the bottom end of the Ivy League, a draft dodger, and a man whose idea of kinetic adventure is golf.

- Kevin D. Williamson

The Case Against Trump

If The Left were smart they would not have targeted Kevin Williamson and pressured The Atlantic to fire him only days after luring him away from National Review. I am curious to know what percentage of The Left knows of Williamson's role as a Never Trumper during Trump's bid for both the GOP nomination and the White House in 2015 and 2016. If a majority is unaware of this fact then it tells me they are willfully ignorant and misinformed about the range of conservative thought on Trump. But if a majority did know of Williamson's stand on Trump then it means that identifying yourself as a conservative on any issue trumps (for lack of a better word) to whatever opposition that conservative has to Trump. In which case, simply put being Never Trump isn't enough for The Left.

Either way this tells me the Left is more interested in expunging conservatives from the public sphere than defeating Trump in 2020. In which case there's a very good chance that Trump will prevail in two and half years time. If The Left truly wants Trump defeated then they need require a broad coalition which would include people with whom they would normally not agree much less associate. It seems to me that it is unnecessary to agree with Williamson that women who have abortions should be subject to the death penalty to make common cause to oust Trump.

Needless to say, I think the idea of executing women who have had abortions is daft. There is no tradition of prosecuting women for abortions in American jurisprudence and this isn't going to change whatever Williamson's views on the subject. In fact, Williamson's views on abortion don't matter. But they matter a great deal to The Left. Instead of debating ideas, The Left would prefer any views contrary to their own not be heard at all. Attitudes such as these contributed to Trump's rise and so long as they are unwilling to put aside their differences with conservatives like Williamson it will contribute to Trump's re-election.

What if Martin Luther King, Jr. Was Still With Us?

Today, of course, marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have spent the day thinking what life in America would be like if he were still alive. If MLK, Jr. were still with us he would be 89 years old.

Had MLK, Jr. been with us all these years would he have fallen out of favor? Would have he become a Republican like his right hand man Ralph Abernathy did?

Would America have elected a black President before 2008? And would we speak of President King? Would there have been a President Obama, much less a President Trump?

Would there have been a need for a Black Lives Matter movement? And if there was what would MLK, Jr's role been in it, if anything at all?

Above all else, would we judge people by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin?

I will avoid the temptation of saying life in America would be far better if Martin Luther King, Jr. were still among us. We will always live in the midst of misery, poverty and sickness. Nevertheless, I can't help but wonder.

Thoughts on Trump's Amazon Attack

One would think that President Trump would love a company like Amazon. For a man who wants to make America great again by bringing jobs back to America one would be hard pressed to do better than Amazon which created more jobs than 46 states put together last year.

But Trump is far more interested in cutting Amazon down to size than putting Americans back to work as evidenced by a series of tweets accusing it of operating a "Post Office scam" to cut down on its shipping costs.

There are two reasons for Trump's behavior and they center around Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

First, for all of Trump's boasts about his wealth it pales in comparison to that of Bezos. In fact, Bezos is currently listed by Forbes as the richest man in the world. Do you think Trump would rather be President of the United States or the richest man in the world? He would probably like both at the same time, but Bezos stands in his way. The best he can do for now is knock Bezos down a peg. Since Trump started tweeting about Amazon, Bezos has lost $16 billion. Of course, Trump could only dream of such money being scarcely worth $3 billion.

Second, Trump might tolerate Bezos' wealth if he could count him as one of his fans. But Bezos owns The Washington Post which is arguably the media outlet most critical of Trump and his presidency. It's no accident that many of the tweets targeting Amazon also target the WaPo. Being faced with a man who is wealthier than him and is critical of his views is an unpardonable sin.

Trump's threats against Bezos are those of a petty tyrant. Bezos will whether Trump's tweets as he has in the past and Trump will eventually turn his ire against a beauty queen or one of our allies. But in targeting Amazon, Trump drives up costs, makes consumer goods less affordable and puts Americans out of work. In other words, he harms the very people he claims he wants to help.

With all this being said, Bernie Sanders and The New Republic are also singing Trump's tune on Amazon. Trump might not possess Bezos' wealth, but he owns a large portfolio of political instincts. Of course, this portfolio is built on bad information. But the truth seldom counts for anything in politics. If it did Trump wouldn't have been elected President.

These Are The Questions Conservatives Should Ask of Parkland, Florida High School Students

Conservatives are well within their rights to criticize the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida who have become forceful advocates for gun control. Unfortunately, many conservatives have seen fit to exercise this right poorly.

Leslie Gibson, a Republican candidate for the Maine State House saw fit to refer to Emma Gonzalez as a "skinhead lesbian". He subsequently withdrew from the race. Following the March For Our Lives demonstrations last month, former Senator and two time GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum suggested the students learn CPR instead of marching for "phony gun laws". A few days later, Santorum grudgingly admitted to having misspoken.

Conservative talk radio icon Laura Ingraham took aim at David Hogg mocking him on Twitter for being rejected by four colleges. After several sponsors pulled their ads from The Ingraham Angle and others threatened to follow suit, Ingraham did an about face and apologized although not directly to Hogg. She subsequently announced she would be going on a week long Easter vacation. It remains to be seen if this vacation won't be an indefinite one.

In which case, Ted Nugent might very well join Ingraham. The rock guitarist turned NRA Board Member said of the survivors in a radio interview that "they have no soul."

This has not been conservatives' finest hour.

Let me offer a different approach. Here are six firm but fair questions for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who support more gun control.

1. The March For Our Lives' Mission Statement calls for an assault weapons ban. A federal assault weapons ban was in place between 1994 and 2004. During this period, the massacre at Columbine High School took place. If a federal assault weapons ban couldn't prevent what happened at Columbine why do you think a federal assault weapons ban will prevent future mass shootings now? 

2. The mission statement also calls for "universal, comprehensive background checks". How can universal, comprehensive background checks address the issue of straw buyers?

3. A universal, comprehensive background check is only as good as the information is fed into it. Critical information concerning the shooter at Mother Emmanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina and the shooter at the church in Sutherland Springs,Texas were never entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. How would  universal, comprehensive background check system avoid such errors?

4. During your recent appearance on 60 Minutes, Cameron Kasky said he's part of the "Mass Shooting Generation". The Second Amendment was adopted in 1791. If mass shootings are a recent phenomenon how can they be blamed on a 225-year old constitutional amendment?

5. Nearly two thirds of gun deaths in the United States are as a result of suicides. Why hasn't the March For Our Lives movement addressed this critical aspect of gun violence?

6. Not all students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School want more gun control. One such student is Kyle Kashuv who recently challenged Cameron Kasky to a debate. For his part, Kasky indicated he was amenable to a debate "in the near future." When will this debate come to pass?

I hope the pro-gun control students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will accept these questions in the spirit they are intended.

I also hope conservatives will be wise enough to dispense with the name calling and ask some intelligent questions for a change.

Steven Bochco, R.I.P.

TV producer and writer Steven Bochco has passed away at the age of 74 following a battle with leukemia.

Bochco was one of the most powerful TV producers during the 1980's and 1990's with hits such as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and N.Y.P.D. Blue. These three shows would garner him 10 Emmy Awards.

Before these successes, Bochco cut his teeth as a writer for shows like The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Ironside, Delvecchio, McMillan & Wife and Columbo. Bochco was also responsible for shows like Richie Brockelman, Private Eye, Doogie Howser, M.D., Cop Rock, Murder One and most recently Murder in The First. 

It was only last night that I watched the Columbo episode "Murder By The Book" which was written by Bochco and directed by Steven Spielberg. In all, Bochco wrote seven episodes of Columbo. Here is Bochco discussing his contribution to the greatest detective in TV history. R.I.P.

Gabe Kapler Ends March As An April Fool

I've seen a lot of things in baseball. But Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler did something today I've never seen before.

Kapler took out Phillies' starter Vince Velasquez in the third inning after he surrendered seven runs to the Atlanta Braves. However, no reliever was warming up in the bullpen. As a result, Phillies reliever Hoby Milner got docked warm up pitches when he reached the mound nearly two minutes later. When Braves manager Brian Snitker objected he was tossed from the game. Honestly, the umps should have ejected Kapler for wasting everyone's time. The Phillies got creamed 15-2. This didn't deter him from telling reporters the Phillies would make the post-season in 2018.

In the Phillies' previous two games, Kapler had mismanaged the bullpen. Kapler lifted Opening Day starter Aaron Nola in the sixth inning while he was pitching a shutout having only tossed 68 pitches. The Phillies went from having a 5-0 lead to losing 8-5. While the Phillies did win their second game, Kapler had to use eight relief pitchers to do it.

I was against the Phillies hiring Kapler due to his poor performance as manager of the Greenville Drive, the single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox in 2007 as well as his cruel treatment of Nick Francona in his previous job as Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phillies do have a great deal of talent in young players like Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams and Scott Kingery not to mention Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera. But I don't think Kapler is the right guy to mold them into winners be it this year or in any year.