Former Socialist, Former Republican, Former Contributor to The American Spectator, Former Resident of Canada, Back in Boston Area After Stints in New York City & Atlanta, Current Mustache Wearer & Aficionado of Baseball, Bowling in All Its Forms, Cats, Music & Healthy Living
People who were seeking their vaccines were greeted with people carrying signs demanding they turn back and remove their masks.
I cannot help but wonder if this is a sign of things to come. Given the Biden Administration's plans to have FEMA set up large scale vaccination centers across the country by the end of February can we expect Trump supporting anti-vaxxers to prevent people from being vaccinated just as they tried to prevent the election from being certified by Congress?
If the Biden Administration hasn't been making contingency plans they should sure as hell should start now with today's events at Dodger Stadium.
The United States has now recorded more than 26 million COVID-19 cases. According to Johns Hopkins University, this country now stands at 26,032,572 COVID-19 cases with 438,708 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.7%.
In most ways it isn't when you consider that it took 281 days to reach 13 million. The disease is spreading far more rapidly now that it did last spring or summer.
But how many deaths will have occurred during this period? That same day we recorded our 14 millionth COVID-19 case, we also saw the death toll climb above 275,000. Whenever we hit 28 million cases we will likely be somewhere between 450,000 and 475,000 deaths.
Arenado, who has spent his entire MLB career with the Rockies beginning in 2013, made five consecutive NL All-Star Teams between 2015 and 2019. In each of those seasons, Arenado hit between 37 and 42 HRs and drove in at least 100 RBI. In the COVID shortened 2020 season, Arenado's offensive numbers slipped hitting a career low .253 with 8 HR and 26 RBI in 48 games.
I suspect Arenado won't be hitting 35 plus HR or driving in 100 runs year in and year out in St. Louis though he will certainly hit. The best part of Arenado's game is his defense at third base. In his eight big league seasons, Arenado has won eight Gold Gloves including four platinum gloves as the NL's best overall defensive player. The only other player with four platinum gloves is his new teammate Yadier Molina.
Arenado, 29, is half way towards Brooks Robinson's 16 Gold Gloves which he won every season between 1960 and 1974. There is a chance that Arenado could become the greatest third baseman in MLB history. Considering the likes of Brooks Robinson, George Brett, Wade Boggs and Mike Schmidt, this is saying a lot.
Valentine was part of the skiffle scene in Britain during the late 1950's and early 1960's before evolving into rock 'n roll. In 1963, Valentine joined the Alan Price Combo which would later be renamed The Animals. A year later, The Animals scored their biggest hit with their rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" which begins with Valentine's riff soon followed by Price's organ and Eric Burdon's soaring vocals.
Valentine would depart The Animals in 1966 but would reunite with them sporadically over the decades. In recent years, Valentine returned to his skiffle music roots. But he was never far from that House of the Rising Sun which has now sadly set. R.I.P.
The bulk of Murphy's career would be spent with the New York Mets uniform. The team drafted the Jacksonville native in the 13th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. Murphy would make his MLB debut in 2008. He would miss the entire 2010 season when he tore his MCL. He would have a recurrence of the same injury late the following season. Starting in 2012, Murphy began to play second base. He began as a third baseman but the presence of David Wright ruled that out so he had been moved to the outfield in the interim.
Murphy made his breakthrough during the 2015 post-season when he set a MLB record by hitting HRs in six consecutive games. He would earn the NLCS MVP hitting .529 with 4 HR and 6 RBI. He also hit 3 HR and 5 RBI in the NLDS. Although Murphy would only go 3 for 20 as the Mets fell to the Kansas City Royals in five games in the World Series, his post-season performance was sufficient to overshadow his statements objecting to the "lifestyle" of LGBTQ persons earlier that year.
On the strength of his 2015 post-season, Murphy signed a 3-year, $37.5 million contract with the NL East rival Washington Nationals. Murphy would enjoy his finest season in 2016 finishing second in NL MVP balloting behind Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs. He hit .347 finishing a point behind DJ LeMahieu of the Colorado Rockies for the NL batting title and also had career highs in HR (25) and RBI (104). Murphy also led the NL in doubles (47), slugging percentage (.595) and OPS (.985). In 2017, Murphy hit .322 finishing second in the NL batting race to another member of the Rockies - this time Charlie Blackmon. Murphy again led the NL in doubles with 43.
The Nationals would trade Murphy to the Chicago Cubs in the stretch drive in 2018 before signing with the Rockies in 2019. In 40 games during the COVID shortened MLB season in 2020, Murphy struggled at the plate hitting .236 with 3 HR and 16 RBI. Murphy, 35, finishes his big league career with 1572 hits for a lifetime batting average of .296 with 138 HR and 735 RBI in 1452 games.
I leave you with Murphy's post-season highlights in 2015 with the NL champion New York Mets.
As a newly minted resident of Atlanta, I have in recent weeks done some of my grocery shopping at Publix in several of their locations in Midtown and the Old Fourth Ward.
While I think Fancelli's actions are deplorable I believe boycotting Publix would be a mistake for three reasons.
First, Fancelli has no direct role with the company. If the company itself had donated to the rally then I would give it further consideration. But even then there are two other points to consider.
A boycott of Publix wouldn't affect Fancelli but rather Publix employees many of whom are African-American and Latino and working there is a path to the middle class. Indeed, Publix is the largest employee owned company in the world. In that regard, boycotting Publix would be counterproductive.
Third, Publix is concentrated largely in red states. It was founded in Florida more than 90 years ago and has gradually expanded to Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia. In view of this fact any concerted effort to boycott Publix would cause Trump supporters in this part of the country to "buycott" the company if they are not already doing so.
The siege of the U.S. Capitol is one of the darkest days in our country's history and Julia Jenkins Fancelli played a role in dimming the light. But boycotting Publix isn't going to brighten that light.
Marc E. Elias: "Whoever borrowed my secret Jewish space laser, please return it. I need it for something tomorrow."
Frank Luntz: "Does anyone have a spare set of keys I can borrow for the Jewish space laser? I left mine back in D.C."
Ruth Marcus: "This Jewish space laser thing makes no sense to me. Because, as every Jewish mother knows, you could put an eye out with that."
Now I realize that Greene's statement is so absurd that one can make the case that it warrants an equally absurd response. Yet in so doing I believe that making a joke of "Jewish Space Laser" has the effect of minimizing Greene's anti-Semitism. If you put aside Greene's turn of phrase, we are left with someone who just over two years ago was promoting a Jewish conspiracy and is now a member of Congress and her status is on the rise in the Republican Party.
Let me put it another way. No one was laughing at Greene yesterday when video was unveiled of her confronting and following Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg on the streets of Washington, D.C. in the same year in which she promoted an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.
Anti-Semitism is no laughing matter. But treating it as such leaves people with the impression that it is something not to be taken seriously and gives people permission to express anti-Semitic views without fear of social reprisal. This will ultimately have the effect of normalizing anti-Semitism in America.
Actress Cicely Tyson has passed away. No cause of death has been announced. She was 96.
In some ways, Tyson's career paralleled that of Cloris Leachman who passed away yesterday. Both of them reached stardom after they turned 40 and both remained busy into their 90's.
Tyson had more extensive experience on stage as she was part of the original cast of the off-Broadway play The Blacks alongside James Earl Jones, Maya Angelou, Godfrey Cambridge and Louis Gossett, Jr. She appeared in TV series such as The Naked City, I Spy, The F.B.I., The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Here Comes The Brides, Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke and Emergency!. Tyson also had a recurring role on the critically acclaimed but short-lived TV series East Side/West Side starring George C. Scott.
She also appeared in films such as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter starring Alan Arkin and A Man Called Adam starring Sammy Davis, Jr. about a self-destructive jazz musician. No doubt this role hit home for her given her on again, off again liaison with Miles Davis. But her career would take off in 1972 when she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in Sounder alongside Paul Winfield, Taj Mahal and Kevin Hooks portraying black sharecroppers during the Great Depression.
Perhaps her crowning achievement was the 1974 TV movie The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman which depicts her from the age of 23 to 110. Tyson's performance would earn her two Emmy Awards. Tyson also appeared in the TV mini-series Roots and King in which she played Coretta Scott King. She would earn a third Emmy for her performance in the mini-series Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. In 2013, Tyson earned the distinction of becoming the eldest woman to win a Tony Award earning a Best Actress Award for The Trip to Bountiful.
Tyson also appeared in movies such as Because of Winn-Dixie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion and The Help. Her final movie role was in A Fall From Grace which was released last year. Until last year, Tyson had a recurring role on the ABC TV series How to Get Away With Murder starring Viola Davis.
Two days ago, Tyson released her autobiography Just As I Am. Here is her final interview discussing the book with Gayle King on the CBS Morning News. R.I.P.
The objection to Lincoln is his Administration's treatment of Native Americans. His record is complicated. But ending slavery does not make you "a known racist."
By removing Lincoln from the public square we are telling our children there is no difference between those who ended slavery those who sought to preserve it.
Indeed, I made this same argument last summer when protesters in San Francisco saw fit to take down a statue of Ulysses S. Grant. He too had a complicated legacy when it came to Jews. While I believe it should be acknowledged it doesn't change the fact that if not for Grant's military strategy the United States would have ceased to exist more than 150 years ago.
As the old Stealers' Wheel song says there are clowns to the left and jokers to the right. I will call out both groups when they act dangerously and foolishly.
Georgia might have cast its electoral votes for Joe Biden and given Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. But Georgia voters (at least those in the 14th Congressional District) saw fit to elect Marjorie Taylor Greene to Congress.
Less than three years ago, Greene chased Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg down the street in Washington, D.C. declaring Red Flag laws to be an infringement upon the Second Amendment. When Hogg ignores her, Greene calls him a coward.
Hogg was probably wise in ignoring her. She came for an ambush, not a conversation. But if Hogg had chosen to engage her he could have said something along the line of, "Red flag laws only apply if a family member thinks you're a threat to yourself or others. Unless there's a relative who thinks you're a menace to society then you have nothing to worry about."
Greene might dislike Red Flag laws, but she has been raising red flags with this video and liking comments from people who want to put a bullet in Nancy Pelosi's head. Who can say that Greene wouldn't bring a gun onto the House floor during the State of the Union Address and aim it at Pelosi or for that matter Vice-President Harris or President Biden?
Actress Cloris Leachman, remembered for her portrayal of Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later her spinoff series Phyllis and winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in The Last Picture Show, passed away last night of natural causes. She was 94.
A contestant in the 1946 Miss America Pageant, Leachman went to New York to study acting under Elia Kazan at the Actor's Studio. Leachman would find steady work on TV during the 1950's as a regular on Charlie Wild, Private Detective and Lassie. During the 1960's, she appeared on TV shows such as Johnny Staccato, Rawhide, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Outlaws, Gunsmoke, The Donna Reed Show, The Untouchables, Route 66, Laramie, Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 77 Sunset Strip, Dr. Kildare, Perry Mason, The Big Valley, Adam-12, The Name of the Game, Mannix, The Virginian and Ironside. Perhaps her most notable TV appearance came in 1961 on The Twilight Zone where she took a backseat to a very young and very dangerous Billy Mumy in "It's a Good Life". Leachman and Mumy would reprise these roles in 2003.
Leachman would also appear in movies such as Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and Lovers & Other Strangers. But her career would take off in 1970's when in her mid-40's she was cast as Ruth Popper, a lonely middle aged wife who has an affair with a high school senior played by Timothy Bottoms until he is swayed by the charms of a young Cybil Shepherd. Hell hath no fury.
TV success would soon follow as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Although not a cast regular, she made enough of an impression to be given her own TV series which lasted two seasons on CBS.
Leachman also appeared in three Mel Brooks' movies - Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety and History of the World, Part 1. Of these, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein is most memorable with the horse's neigh and her offer of Ovaltine.
During the 1980's, Leachman appeared in numerous TV movies before being cast to replace Charlotte Rae during the last two seasons of The Facts of Life.
Leachman was arguably busier during the last 20 years of her life than she was during her first 20 with appearances on The Ellen Show, Touched by an Angel, Joan of Arcadia, Two and a Half Men, Malcolm in the Middle, Raising Hope, Royal Pains and the revival of Mad About You. She also made appearances on the silver screen with Adam Sandler in Spanglish and The Longest Yard. In 2008, Leachman had the distinction of being the oldest contestant on Dancing with the Stars at the age of 82.
While all things must pass, Cloris Leachman lived a long, rich life and shared the joy and laughter with us for many decades and will continue to do so for many decades to come. R.I.P.
Johnson became a minor league coach in the Royals system beginning in 1986 before receiving his first managerial assignment in 1992. After spending the rest of the 1990's in the Royals organization, Johnson joined the Boston Red Sox organization and managed in their minor league system until serving as Terry Francona's first base coach in 2010 and 2011.
Johnson's son Chris spent 8 seasons in MLB with stops with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians and Miami Marlins hitting .321 with the Braves in 2013 when he finished third in the NL batting race. Johnson would play for his father when he joined the Orioles' organization in 2017.
Given Johnson's lengthy minor league managerial experience it is a shame he never got a chance to manage in the big leagues like Brian Snitker did with the Braves after nearly four decades of service to them.
Nevertheless, Johnson said he felt "blessed" to manage baseball at any level. R.I.P.
I don't want to diminish the damage COVID-19 has done in the U.K. But the United States in a class by itself and in a class we ought not to be registered.
Curt Schilling came close garnering 71.1% of the vote falling 16 votes short. Following the announcement, Schilling released a letter he sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Facebook in which he requested to be removed from the 2022 BBWAA ballot, his final year of eligibility. Schilling indicated he would prefer to be enshrined through the Veterans' Committee.
I think Schilling should be careful for what he wishes. He might find the Veterans Committee to be much tougher crowd that the baseball writers. On Twitter, Schilling characterized them as "a group of morally bankrupt frauds." Well, greater than two thirds of those "morally bankrupt frauds" thought Schilling worthy of inclusion into Cooperstown.
Schilling's praise of those who took siege of the U.S. Capitol was a hard pill to swallow. On January 6th, only after hours five people died including a Capitol Police Officer by Trump supporters seeking to prevent the peaceful transition of power, Schilling tweeted:
You cowards sat on your hands, did nothing while liberal trash looted rioted and burned for air Jordan’s and big screens, sit back, stfu, and watch folks start a confrontation for shit that matters like rights, democracy and the end of govt corruption. #itshappening
These would be the folks, spurred on by President Trump, who wanted to hang Mike Pence with a gallows and a noose at the ready because he wouldn't overturn an election he had no authority to overturn. This had nothing to do with rights, democracy and the end of corruption and had everything to do with wrongs, authoritarianism and overturning the will of the people.
If I still lived in Massachusetts and Curt Schilling were a candidate for public office, I would not vote for him. But as a candidate for Cooperstown, with 3 World Series rings, 3,000 plus strikeouts while walking just over 700 batters he would get my vote.
Kirby appeared in an array of films and TV shows dating back to the 1950's. He first came to public notice when he played the recurring role of Officer Kissel on Car 54, Where Are You? Other TV credits include The Phil Silvers Show, The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie, Adam-12, Mission: Impossible, Hogan's Heroes, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ironside, Bonanza, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Room 222, Banacek, McCloud, The Mod Squad, The Bob Newhart Show, M*A*S*H, Harry O, Kolchak, The Rockford Files, Barney Miller, Night Court, L.A. Law, Hunter, Punky Brewster, The Golden Girls, Murphy Brown, Murder, She Wrote, The West Wing, The Sopranos, Numb3rs and Scrubs. That is a lot of TV shows.
Among Kirby's movie appearances include Catch-22, The Muppet Movie, Stand By Me, Throw Momma From The Train and the Oscar winning Crash.
Oh, just one more thing. Kirby also appeared in 9 episodes of Columbo. Six of those were as Sgt. George Kramer beginning with the episode "By Dawn's Early Light" featuring Patrick McGoohan. It is worth noting that Kirby's son Bruno also appeared in this episode. Indeed, on a personal note, I saw this very episode last night.
The younger Kirby would enjoy a nice career on the silver screen in movies such as The Godfather, Part II, Good Morning, Vietnam, When Harry Met Sally and City Slickers. Sadly, he would predecease his father in 2006 succumbing to leukemia at the age of 57.
As Lt. Columbo would say losing your parents is part of the natural order of things. Losing a child is like getting cheated. One can scarcely begin to imagine Bruce Kirby's state of mind concerning the loss of his son.
Whatever his pain, Kirby provided considerable joy in whatever role in which he was cast and will always be an ornament in the Columbo canon.
The Boston Red Sox have been busy the past few days adding several veteran players to their big league roster.
Over the weekend, utility man Enrique "Kike" Hernandez signed a 2-year, $14 million deal with the Bosox. Hernandez, 29, has spent the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he played in three World Series earning a ring last season. The Puerto Rican native's best overall season came in 2018 when he hit .256 with 21 HR and 52 RBI in 145 games played. He enters 2021 with 430 hits for a lifetime batting average of .240 with 71 HR and 227 RBI. Hernandez will likely be the Red Sox's everyday second baseman.
Richards, 32, has been plagued with injuries in recent years. In 2014, Richards seemed to be having a Cy Young caliber season when he injured his left patellar tendon in his knee while pitching at Fenway Park. Richards rebounded in 2015 with a career high 15 wins. However, Richards has not pitched a full season since twice injuring his UCL and has won only 8 big league games since. He sought alternative treatment instead of Tommy John surgery in 2016 but would require the procedure in 2018. Richards signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres prior to 2019. After only three appearances that season, Richards made 14 appearances with the Friars in 2020 including 10 starts going 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA. In 10 big league seasons, Richards is 47-41 with a 3.62 ERA along with 702 career strikeouts against 291 walks.
Should Richards pitch effectively and the Red Sox fall out of contention then expect him to finish the 2021 season in a different uniform.
The same could probably be said of Adam Ottavino who was acquired in a rare trade with the New York Yankees along with pitching prospect Frank German for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Ottavino, 35, spent the bulk of his big league career with the Colorado Rockies before signing as a free agent with the Yankees prior to the 2019 season. A Brooklyn native, Ottavino recorded a spectacular ERA of 1.90 in 73 appearances in 2019. However, his ERA shot up nearly four runs in 2020 (5.89). So which Ottavino will Boston get? Ottavino is no stranger to the Fenway have pitched collegiate ball at Northeastern University.
It will be interesting to see if the Red Sox see fit to add more veterans to their roster this off-season.
Unfortunately, I don't think these will be the last Democrats to repeat Tlaib's lie. And as we all know when someone repeats big lies often enough be it about the outcome of presidential elections or singling out the world's only Jewish state yet again that only bad things can come of it.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-26 to win the NFC Championship and will play in Super Bowl LV on February 7th.
This means quarterback Tom Brady will be playing in his 10th Super Bowl. Of course, this will be his first Super Bowl not wearing a New England Patriots uniform. At 43, Brady will also be the oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl game. For good measure, the game will take place in Tampa Bay. It marks the first time a Super Bowl city has featured its home team.
The Buccaneers will face either the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills who are hoping to reach their first Super Bowl in 27 years. The Bills are best remembered for playing in four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990's coming out on the losing end each time.
As someone who saw Brady's career unfold from the very beginning when he filled in for an injured Drew Bledsoe almost 20 years ago en route to becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history, I will have always have a soft spot for him now matter how many Super Bowl titles he wins.
Taillon, 29, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2019 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. He previously underwent the procedure in 2014 when he was still a minor leaguer. Taillon would miss the entire 2015 season with a sports hernia before making his big league debut in 2016. In 2017, his season was curtailed due to testicular cancer. Needless to say, Taillon has been through a great deal.
But Taillon has a great deal of talent. He was the Pirates first round draft pick in 2010 and second overall in the nation after Bryce Harper and was also picked just ahead of Manny Machado. Taillon's best season came in 2018 when he went 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA. In 82 big league starts for the Bucs, Taillon is 29-24 with a 3.67 ERA.
Taillon will be reunited with former Bucs teammate Gerrit Cole which might go a long way in his success in the Bronx. The Yankees are taking a chance on Taillon, but they will pay him $2.25 million this season. Taillon is eligible for arbitration in 2022 and eligible for free agency after 2023. So the Yankees aren't on the hook for that much at least in the short term.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have been acquiring a contingent of prospects. Including the Taillon trade, the Bucs have acquired 11 prospects in recent weeks after sending first baseman Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals and pitcher Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres in a three way deal with the New York Mets. Of course, Pirates GM Ben Cherington also traded Starling Marte to the Arizona Diamondbacks last off season (who has since been dealt to the Miami Marlins). It might take awhile, but by 2025 the Pirates could be world beaters.
While I believe President Biden is right to ask Americans to wear a mask for the next 100 days I wonder how many people who aren't already wearing masks now will suddenly decided to do an about face.
I know that mask mandates aren't the only means outlined in attempting to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. There is also expanding testing, developing therapeutics and expanding the public health sector. But any measure Biden advocates is going to require compliance by a portion of the country which not only doesn't believe he was legitimately elected but questions the very existence of COVID-19. This is a very tall order.
A Yang administration will push back against the BDS movement, which singles out Israel for unfair economic punishment. Not only is BDS rooted in antisemitic thought and history, hearkening back to fascist boycotts of Jewish businesses, it’s also a direct shot at New York City’s economy. Strong ties with Israel are essential for a global city such as ours, which boasts the highest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel. Our economy is struggling, and we should be looking for ways to bring back small businesses, not stop commerce.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has engaged in a new kind of McCarthyism. After initially taking former President Trump to task by stating on the House floor that bore responsibility for the attack, McCarthy now says "everybody across the country" bears responsibility for the events of January 6th.
McCarthy told Greta Van Sustren in an interview which will air tomorrow, "I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility, Think about four years ago after President Trump was sworn in. What happened the very next day? The title was resist with people walking in the streets."
I doubt McCarthy actually believes any of this rubbish, but it doesn't stop him from saying it. If the I'm sure McCarthy got heat from Trump supporters. So now by blaming everyone in the country he effectively absolves Trump of any responsibility for what happened 17 days ago. Whether he believes what he says or not, if the House Minority leader wishes to engage in McCarthyism then we are obliged to ask him if he has no shame. McCarthy putting the Women's March on par with the siege of the Capitol is completely specious. Indeed, I attended the Women's March in Boston. Consider what I wrote a little over four years ago:
Say what you will about the people who attended the Boston Women's March and their views. They came to protest peaceably. There were no roads blocked, no property damaged and no police officers injured. Their reasons for coming might have different than mine. But that's alright. We don't have to agree on everything and maybe even most things. What we share is a mutual distaste for a man whose character and temperament is unfit for the office to which he has been elected. The best we can hope for is that the people who supported Donald Trump in November will eventually come around to that view.
There is a world of difference between expressing displeasure with a new President of the United States and preventing him from taking office.
The only people who bear responsibility for what happened on January 6th are President Trump for instigating an insurrection, those who heeded President Trump's call to march down to the Capitol with murder in their hearts and any Republican legislators or staff members who may have aided and abetted this mayhem as well as any law enforcement or military agency who were unwilling to stop the violence. That's it.
Those of who respected the results of the election, Democrat, Republican or otherwise, bear no responsibility for what happened on January 6, 2021.
Actor Gregory Sierra, best known for his portrayal of Detective Sergeant Chano during the first two seasons of Barney Miller and a recurring role as Julio Fuentes on Sanford & Son, passed away on January 4th of cancer. His death was not announced until today. Sierra was 83.
Sierra appeared in films like Beneath The Planet of the Apes, Papillon and The Towering Inferno while appearing in TV shows like Mission:Impossible, Murder, She Wrote and a memorable episode of All in The Family where he played a Jewish mean defending Archie Bunker's neighborhood from neo-Nazis only to be killed himself. Sierra also had the lead role in the short-lived medical sitcom A.E.S. Hudson which was cancelled after only five episodes.
I will always remember Sierra from the Barney Miller episode "Hero" in which Chano shoots and kills two bank robbers. Instead of feeling like a hero, Chano is distraught at his actions much to the concern of everyone at the 12th Precinct. Barney Miller rarely ventured into serious drama, but did in this episode to great effect with Sierra giving perhaps the most compelling performance of his career. The full episode can be viewed below. R.I.P.
King's career as a broadcaster spanned more than 60 years. A quarter century of that was spent hosting Larry King Live on CNN. Although he would "retire" from that post more than a decade ago he never stopped working until COVID got him.
I must admit that I seldom watched him, but he was hard to miss with his voice, the glasses and the suspenders.
When I think of Larry King I think of him sitting behind home plate at Los Angeles Dodgers' games. Certainly the Dodgers winning the World Series for the first time since 1988 pleased him to no end.
The passion for baseball runs deep in the King family. Two of King's sons Chance and Cannon were drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
I leave you with a short video in which he discusses his love for the game including watching Jackie Robinson's big league debut in 1947. R.I.P.
Most Americans would be forgiven for not knowing who James Cross is.
But if you're a Canadian of a certain age you will know the name well.
Cross was a British diplomat who was posted in Canada as a Trade Commissioner in Montreal. In October 1970, Cross was kidnapped by members of the Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ), a terrorist organization which sought an independent Quebec. It was Cross' kidnapping and the subsequent murder of Pierre Laporte, Quebec's Minister of Labour, which precipitated the October Crisis and the FLQ Crisis. Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (Justin's father) responded by invoking the War Measures Act. Cross would be released in December 1970 in exchange for FLQ terrorists being allowed to flee to Cuba. All of the kidnappers would eventually return to Canada where they faced charges and imprisonment albeit for short terms.
I have lived in the U.S. for nearly 21 years and have not set foot on Canadian soil since 2014. Over time I have given Canadian history less and less thought. But when I was walking home from doing some grocery shopping on Inauguration Day I thought about the siege of the U.S. Capitol before thoughts turned to my home and native land when there was something resembling an insurrection in Quebec more than half a century ago.
While thinking about the FLQ Crisis it occurred to me that Cross might be still alive although quite elderly. Anyhow, today I learned that Cross passed away on January 6th at the age of 99. His death was not announced until January 20th - the day I thought about him. It is also interesting that he passed on the day of our insurrection.
By all accounts, Cross kept a stiff upper lip during his captivity and maintained his stoicism for the balance of his long life. Cross bore his cross well. R.I.P.
Aaron becomes the 10th member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame to pass away since April 2020 and the third member in the first three weeks of 2021. He is also the third Hall of Famer with a connection to the Atlanta Braves to die. Phil Niekro passed away last month while Don Sutton (who was a broadcaster for the Braves for many years) died only 72 hours ago.
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Aaron would join the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues in 1951. The following year he would sign a contract with the Boston Braves when they offered $50 more than the New York Giants. Aaron would make his big league debut with the Braves in 1954. By this time, the team had moved to Milwaukee.
Although an outfielder, Aaron would occasionally play second base. A friend of mine had the chance to see Aaron play second base for the Braves during a doubleheader at Crosley Field in Cincinnati on Memorial Day 1955. That year, Aaron would make the first of 25 appearances in the All-Star Game. This is more than any other player in MLB history.
In 1956, Aaron would win his first of two NL batting titles. The following year Aaron would win his lone NL MVP and lone World Series ring as the Milwaukee Braves bested the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. Between 1958 and 1960, Aaron won three consecutive Gold Gloves for his defense in right field. In 1971, Aaron hit a career best 47 HRs. His teammates Davey Johnson and Darrell Evans also hit 43 and 41 HRs, respectively making the only time three teammates hit 40 or more HRs in a season.
Aaron would become an iconic figure in sport when he hit his 715th HR off Los Angeles Dodgers' southpaw Al Downing on April 8, 1974. In the weeks and months leading up to passing the record, Aaron was deluged with death threats and racist epithets. I saw some of those letters when I visited Cooperstown in September 2012. Receiving one letter would be chilling. Receiving thousands would be unthinkable. But he overcame.
In 1975, Aaron would return to Milwaukee to play for the Brewers before retiring at the end of the following season. He finished his MLB career with a lifetime batting average of .305 with 755 HR (a record eclipsed by Barry Bonds in 2007) and the all-time leader in RBIs with 2297. Aaron is also all-time MLB total bases leader with 6856. His 3771 hits are third on MLB's all-time list while finished fourth all-time with 2174 runs scored. Suffice to say, Aaron would be inducted in Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility in 1982 with 97.8% of the vote.
Following his playing career, Aaron joined the Braves front office while also having a successful business career with a chain of car dealerships and restaurants and was involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors.
Naturally, I had an affinity for him by virtue of sharing the same name. Every once in a while someone would call me Hank Aaron. Not that I deserved that but I welcomed the honor when it was bestowed upon me.
While Aaron did so much more than hit home runs, it is worth watching his 715th trip around the bases on last time. R.I.P.
Today, I was working from home as my employer kept us away from the office in the event of violence by Trump supporters. Fortunately, this did not come to pass and I got to watch President Biden's Inaugural Address. Here is the passage which resonated with me the most:
To all those who supported our campaign I am humbled by the faith you have placed in us. To all those who did not support us, let me say this: Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart. And if you still disagree, so be it. That's democracy. That's America. The right to dissent peaceably, within the guardrails of our Republic, is perhaps our nation's greatest strength.
Yet hear me clearly: Disagreement must not lead to disunion. And I pledge this to you: I will be a President for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.
And if you still disagree, so be it?
Could you imagine Donald Trump uttering such a sentence?
President Biden doesn't expect people to agree with him. He's welcoming our disagreement and I intend to take advantage of it when the situation warrants it.
But even when I passionately believe Biden to be wrong and misguided I'm not prepared to burn it all down. Because burning it down won't make it right.
Two weeks ago the United States came precariously clear to disunion for the first time in more than 150 years. We must not get to this point ever again.
Even if Biden implements policies or makes appointments I might disagree with I believe he will implement them in good faith and with compromise whenever possible.
Although there will be more disease and death to come in the first months of his administration, today I feel a small but firm measure of optimism. The year 2021 will end better than it began. In four years time, Americans will be better off than we are today because we will have found the way to build back better.
Israel is a racist state, and that they would deny Palestinians like my grandmother access to a vaccine, that they don’t believe that she is an equal human being who deserves to live, deserves to be able to be protected by this global pandemic.
It’s really hard to watch as this apartheid state continues to deny their own neighbors, the people that breathe the same air they breathe, that live in the same communities — you can put a settlement wherever you want, but on the other side of that wall is a farm community, a village where my grandmother lives. And many of our various family members and others that I know are trying to live a good life, a free life, free from these racist policies that deny them access to public health.
This is, of course, a lie. In point of fact, Israel offered to share its vaccines with the Palestinian Authority who have jurisdiction over health care under the terms of the Oslo Accords and they have refused Israel's help.
Unfortunately, I do not believe the Democratic Party is prepared to do so among their own ranks. If you're only pointing out anti-Semitism when your political rivals are engaged in it then you are not really concerned about anti-Semitism.
Just over eight hours have passed since Donald Trump became a former President of the United States.
Should anyone attempt to defend him here are five numbers by which you can remind said person why he is a former President. Indeed these are the numbers by which all Americans should remember him.
24.265.424 - The number of Americans who became infected with COVID-19 under his watch.
402,269 - The number of Americans who died of COVID-19 under his watch.
30,573 - The number lies he told during his single term in office.
1/6/2021 - The day which he called upon his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol Building in an effort to overturn the will of the people.
5 - The number of Americans comprising of four of his supporters and one Capitol Police officer who died as a result of his incitement to violence.
We can now be grateful that Donald Trump's presidency has been consigned to the ash heap of history. We can only hope that Trumpism will soon follow.
Springer, a native of Connecticut, has spent his entire professional career with the Houston Astros signing with the team as a first round draft pick in 2011 reaching the big club in 2014. The pinnacle career came in 2017 when he was named World Series MVP with 5 HR. Of course, this MVP has been tainted in the wake of the Astros' sign stealing scandal. The 31-year old centerfielder was named to the NL All-Star Team between 2017-2019. In 51 games during the COVID shortened 2020 season, Springer hit .265 with 14 HR and 32 RBI.
Although the New York Mets were interested in Springer's services, the Jays were the frontrunner from the get go. Springer is expected to hit leadoff and play centerfield for the Jays. He enters the 2021 season with 832 hits for a lifetime batting average of .270 with 174 HR and 458 RBI. It will be interesting to see if Springer can be successful without the benefit of an Astros uniform and having to play on the up and up.
Born in Alabama to sharecroppers, Sutton's family would eventually move to Florida where he would excel in athletics. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1964 and after only one season in the minors would make the big league roster in 1966 winning 12 games in his rookie campaign as the Dodgers would win the NL pennant although he would not appear in the Fall Classic.
Sutton would pitch in four World Series - three for the Dodgers (1974, 1977 and 1978) and once with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1982 although would not earn a World Series ring until 1988 when he returned to the Dodgers though he did not pitch in that Series. He had a steady, unspectacular career. Between 1972 and 1976, Sutton finished in the top five in NL Cy Young balloting and would win at least 10 games every season between 1966 and 1982. He also had stints with the Houston Astros, Oakland A's and California Angels. In 23 MLB seasons, Sutton went 324-256 with a 3.26 ERA striking out 3,574 batters. In 1998, Sutton would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his fifth year on the BBWAA ballot.
However, Sutton might be best known for his years in the broadcast booth most notably with the Atlanta Braves when they were telecast nationally on TBS. Sutton also broadcast with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals.
Sutton's passing comes only 11 days after that of Tommy Lasorda who was his manager for five seasons in Los Angeles. We have lost 9 Hall of Famers since April 2020 including a starting rotation of Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford, Phil Niekro and now Don Sutton. R.I.P.
On what marks the last full day of Donald Trump's term as President of the United States, this country recorded its 400,000th death due to COVID-19. According to Johns Hopkins University, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 401,174 Americans out of more than 24.2 million who have been infected (24,216,856). This represents a mortality rate of 1.7%.
Naturally it was left to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris to mourn for the dead in a service at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. less than 24 hours before they are to be inaugurated. Both Biden and Harris grieved more in 10 minutes than Trump has in 10 months. The only thing Trump has ever mourned is the loss of his presidency. During the ceremony, 400 electric lamps were lit each representing 1,000 dead Americans. Biden said, "To heal, we must remember."
With that said Biden has been up front and clear in stating, "Things will get worse before they get better." None of this rounding the turn nonsense and nor any proclamations that COVID-19 will just disappear like a miracle.
Biden will bear responsibility for the bad news. Which is more than Trump ever did. Only 16 hours and 15 minutes before America has a responsible President again.
Kluber, 34, was one of the best pitchers in the AL between 2014 and 2018 winning two AL Cy Youngs in 2014 and 2017 with the Cleveland Indians, was plagued with injuries during the 2019 season. After picking up his option for 2020, the Tribe traded Kluber to the Texas Rangers for whom he threw one inning. I understand the Yankees wanting to seek out a veteran like Kluber with the imminent departure of Masahiro Tanaka. Aside from Gerrit Cole, the Yankees are relying on the unproven Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia and Jonathan Loaisiga and the unpredictable Domingo German. It remains to be seen if Kluber can be healthy much less return to his Cy Young form.
While Musgrove earned a World Series ring with the Houston Astros in 2017, he has never had a winning season in five major league campaigns. In 8 starts with the Bucs in 2020, Musgrove went 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA. However, Musgrove, who turned 28 last month, will be pitching in his hometown and will be the in the middle of a rotation with the likes of newly acquired Blake Snell and Yu Darvish. Perhaps this will be a breakthrough season for Musgrove. Joey Lucchesi was part of the Padres rotation in 2018 and 2019but was the odd man out in 2020 recording a 7.94 ERA in three appearances last season. It is not clear if Lucchesi, 27, will be in the Mets starting rotation or start the season in the bullpen.
After six seasons with the Cubs during which he earned his third World Series ring, Jon Lester joins the Nats' starting rotation as well as former Cubs teammate Kyle Schwarber who signed with D.C. last week. Lester, who turned 37 earlier this month, recorded a career high ERA of 5.16. As recently as 2018, Lester led the NL in wins with 18. However, it would appear Lester is at the tail end of an illustrious career which is closing in on 200 career wins. Lester could be still a good piece in the middle of rotation which includes Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. But I would say the jury is out.
Tyler Chatwood returns to the AL for the first time since his rookie season of 2011 when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. After five seasons with the Colorado Rockies and the past three with the Cubs, the 31-year old Chatwood will join the Blue Jays rotation. In five appearances with the Cubs in 2020, Chatwood went 2-2 with a 5.30 ERA.
It will be interesting to see which, if any of these five pitchers rebounds in 2021.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have enough to worry about where it concerns the mess Trump left with his handling of COVID-19. They also must contend with Trump supporters who would like to see them dead before they can take the oath of office. God help us.
While there is no doubt there will be heavy security in place during the Inauguration I nevertheless fear for President-elect Biden, Vice-President-elect Harris and even Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts who will administer the oath of office. A not insignificant number of law enforcement and military personnel have been radicalized by Trump's hatred with some evidently participating in the siege of Capitol Hill.
All it would take is one rogue Secret Service agent, soldier or police officer to turn his gun on Biden, Harris, Roberts and possibly others. From there I could see Trump dramatically emerging from the crowd, from a helicopter or on video proclaiming the Constitution has been suspended and that he is President for Life.
U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.
The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.
It is sad that it has come to this, but better safe than sorry. Of course, the FBI can do all the vetting in the world but it does not a guarantee an attack won't happen from the inside. Like I said, all it takes is one rogue soldier. Should an assassination or assassination attempt occur during the Inauguration then confidence in the Bureau will erode significantly and swiftly. With American democracy at its most fragile state since The Civil War there is no margin for error.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a meaningful occasion in America. Yet there are some parts of the country where it is more meaningful than others. It has greater meaning in Washington, D.C. where he gave the "I Have a Dream" speech. It has greater meaning in Birmingham, Alabama where he wrote the letter making the case for civil disobedience. It has greater meaning in Memphis, Tennessee where his life was cut short.
It might have the greatest meaning of all here in Atlanta where he was born, raised and spread the Gospel. Now that I reside in Atlanta the least I could do was to walk a couple of miles to Auburn Street NE to get a small sense of the world from which he came.
I had the chance to gaze upon the house in which he was born and lived, the original Ebenezer Baptist Church just down the street where both he and his father preached. It has recently been restored to its former glory while the present Ebenezer Baptist Church where Senator-elect Raphael Warnock preaches is just across the street.
In between Dr. King's birth home and the original Ebenezer Baptist Church is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. While its presently closed due to COVID-19, the public can still view his crypt and that of his wife Coretta Scott King in a wading pool, an eternal flame and wall highlighting the Six Principles of Non-Violence. Across the street is a Civil Rights Walk of Fame which features a statue of Gandhi. It is astonishing to consider how a couple of short blocks just a couple of miles from where I now live changed the course of American history.
Naturally this course still has to change. Inequality still persists and nowhere more acutely where it concerns the administration of justice by law enforcement. It has been said that if a predominantly African-American crowd had seen fit to storm the U.S. Capitol then there would have far more bloodshed and far less hesitation to engage in violence.
Nevertheless change for the better is possible. It takes work, overcoming resistance, sacrifice and, in certain circumstances, risk to one's own life. Some like Dr. King paid with their lives. Yet change is possible on any street in America.
One can only begin to imagine what life in America might be like had he lived and were still here to among us on Auburn Street NE at the age of 92. We could use his words today in the here and now. The best we can do is to heed his words, put his deeds into practice when necessary.
In light of recent events at the U.S. Capitol we would be wise to remember, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Light and love might not be in abundance, but it is around us and within us. We will never every bit of light and love in the next 48 hours.
Indeed, the COVID-19 death toll has nearly doubled in the U.S. On the last Monday in September, COVID-19 had claimed more than 205,000 lives (205,069). Since then it has claimed another 186,000 lives for the current total of 391,624. In late September, the U.S. deaths from COVID-19 accounted 20.5% of the global total. Right now it is 19.5%. It has dropped by 1%. But it is hardly cause for celebration because the U.S. still has more COVID-19 deaths than Brazil and India combined. Within the next 48-72 hours, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 will exceed 400,000 and all the vaccines in the world cannot change that fact.
What all of this means is that if you didn't get your $600 then more likely than not you will have to claim it as a tax credit on your 2020 individual income tax return. The same is true for those Americans (and there are some) who did not get the $1200 check.
Naturally all of this depends on how quickly the newly elected Democratic controlled Congress particularly the Senate which will also be busy confirming Biden's cabinet appointments and pursuing impeachment against outgoing President Donald Trump. Even with that on the agenda I have a feeling Americans might see that $1,400 faster than they see the $600.
This is all well and good. But let's be honest here. Had President Trump or any Republican President appointed someone to head up the DOJ's Civil Rights Division had invited a white supremacist to speak at Harvard or any other university would Democrats be inclined to turn the other cheek? Would they have accepted an apology from such a Republican appointee as they have accepted Clarke's apology? If the Republican appointee
The answer is no on both counts. So long as this is the case then the incoming Democratic controlled Senate should not confirm Clarke. But unless a conservative Democrat like Joe Manchin or Jon Tester breaks ranks then I suspect Clarke will be confirmed. In which case, it will mean some forms of anti-Semitism are more acceptable than others.
Bassist Tim Bogert, best known for his time in the 1960's psychedelic rock group Vanilla Fudge, passed away yesterday of cancer. He was 76.
Bogert, keyboardist Mark Stein, lead guitarist Vince Martell and drummer Carmine Appice formed The Pigeons in Long Island in 1966. When they were signed by Atlantic Records the following year they changed their name to Vanilla Fudge. Their first hit was their biggest. It was a cover of The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging' On". Only Vanilla Fudge's version was harder, heavier and slower.
Bogert and Appice would leave Vanilla Fudge in 1970 to form Cactus. They would subsequently meet Jeff Beck and form the power trio of Beck, Bogert and Appice. Bogert would later become a member of The Jeff Beck Group.
Bogert spent many years as an instructor at the Musicians' Institute in Hollywood. He periodically reunited with Vanilla Fudge would quit touring due to health reasons in 2009. However, at the time of his death, Bogert had been collaborating with Beck and Appice on a live album project. Alas Bogert would not make it to the stage one last time. R.I.P.
While law enforcement and the military are on greater alert with threats facing state legislatures and the Capitol on Inauguration Day from Trump supporters there are a couple of things which worry me greatly.
Monday, two days before the Inauguration, marks Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Given the white supremacist element amongst Trump supporters I cannot help but wonder if there might be efforts to target the occasion with possible attacks on the MLK, Jr Monument in Washington, D.C., the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis or the MLK, Jr. Center here in Atlanta along with the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached (and where Senator-elect Raphael Warnock preaches).
Then comes my fear on Inauguration Day. While there is no doubt there will be heavy security in place during the Inauguration I nevertheless fear for President-elect Biden, Vice-President-elect Harris and even Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts who will administer the oath of office. A not insignificant number of law enforcement and military personnel have been radicalized by Trump's hatred with some evidently participating in the siege of Capitol Hill.
All it would take is one rogue Secret Service agent, soldier or police officer to turn his gun on Biden, Harris, Roberts and possibly others. From there I could see Trump dramatically emerging from the crowd, from a helicopter or on video proclaiming the Constitution has been suspended and that he is President for Life.
I can only hope I am completely wrong and both MLK, Jr. Day and Inauguration Day proceed as it is intended. What I describe might be a far-fetched scenario, but it isn't as far-fetched as it was a week ago. The most frightening part is a majority of the Republican Party would be in favor of this coming to pass.
