Scherzer Now an Artful Dodger While Bryant is a Giant

The two biggest trades during this year's MLB trade deadline involved NL West rivals Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The defending World Series champion Dodgers have much to their chagrin been looking up to the upstart Giants all season in the division standings.

But the Dodgers made a statement with the acquisition of three Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals along with the currently COVID bound shortstop Trea Turner. The Giants responded by acquiring former NL MVP Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs. Both men have a World Series ring to the credit with the 2019 Nats and the 2016 Cubs, respectively. 

Scherzer, 37, was in the final year of a 7-year contract in D.C. and is due to be a free agent at the end of the season. But Scherzer can make an impact in 3 short months. If nothing else, he'll get his 3,000th strikeout in a Dodger uniform. He only needs 69 more Ks to reach that mark. In 19 starts with the Nats this season, Scherzer went 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA as he made his 8th consecutive All-Star Team. 

In going to San Francisco, Kris Bryant gets a new coat of paint after spending his entire six plus year big league career in Wrigley. Like Scherzer, Bryant is a free agent at the end of 2021. But San Francisco might put some wind in his sails. His numbers have been good but he has been nowhere near the player he was when he won the NL MVP five years. At 29, Bryant should be entering the prime of his career. Perhaps being in the presence of Buster Posey who has three World Series rings to his name could give him renewed purpose. 

Not only will this take the Dodgers-Giants rivalry up a notch you can throw the San Diego Padres into the mix who came oh so close to getting Scherzer. Chances are all three teams will make the post-season. The question is whether either the Dodgers or Padres knock the Giants out of the top spot in the NL West. 

Get Well Soon Terry Francona!!!

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is stepping aside for the rest of the 2021 season so he can recover from complications which have arisen from hip replacement surgery. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who worked under Francona when he managed the Boston Red Sox, will be the acting manager and have the distinction of being the last skipper under the Indians' banner.

Francona, 62, has had a myriad of health problems going back to his playing days when he had dozens of knee surgeries. He has had blood clots, a pulmonary embolism and a heart ablation procedure in 2017. The blood clotting problems caused Francona to miss most of last season as well.

I do wonder if Francona can realistically keep up the rigors of managing in the big leagues full time although I'm sure it does help his mental well-being to be active and engaged. 

Naturally, I have a fondness for Francona in managing the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years back in 2004 and repeating the feat in 2007. Tito also very nearly ended the Tribe's World Series curse in 2016.

But my memories of him go back to his early playing days with the Montreal Expos. Indeed, he played in the first big league game I ever attended. The 40th anniversary of that game is one month from tomorrow.

Above all else I hope Terry Francona gets well soon. If managing in the big leagues isn't in the cards, I hope a date in Cooperstown will be soon.

Ben & Jerry's Originally Wanted to Boycott All of Israel

As it turns out, Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors wanted to boycott all of Israel, but parent company Unilever put the kibosh on that.

This does make sense when you consider Ben & Jerry's Chairwoman Anuradha Mittal is committed supporter of BDS and, despite her claims to the contrary, an anti-Semite.

Still, I'm angrier that Unilever indulged in any aspect of the boycott at all. They should have told Mittal and company what they could do with their boycott and let them resign.

For their part, Ben & Jerry's co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are proud of this boycott.

So once again I say to hell with Ben & Jerry's.

Anthony Rizzo is Now a Yankee, But I'll Always Associate Him With Refusing The COVID Vaccine

After nearly 10 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Anthony Rizzo is now a member of the New York Yankees.

But whatever Rizzo does with the Yankees or his legacy as a member of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs, I will always think of Rizzo as someone who wouldn't get a COVID-19 vaccine. Ditto for his now former Cubs teammate Jason Heyward. 

While I hope that Rizzo, Heyward and millions of other Americans will reconsider their decision, I think they are far more selfish than Simone Biles will ever be. 

Thoughts on The Murder of a Woman & Her Dog in Atlanta's Piedmont Park

This story has kicked me in the gut. From CNN:

A woman and her dog were fatally stabbed while on a walk in Atlanta's Piedmont Park, and police are now asking for the public's help gathering more information.

Police say the body of Katherine Janness, 40, was discovered inside the park just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Her dog, Bowie, also was killed.

Police have not identified a suspect or a motive.

Janness and her dog were murdered two blocks from where I was living less than two months ago. She was found near the entrance of Piedmont Park on 10th Street and Charles Allen Drive. For six months, I walked through the gate to go to and from work. The morning walks were especially peaceful and serene. I shall now look at Piedmont Park in a different light as I'm sure many Atlanta residents will as well.

At the top of this post is a video screenshot of Janness and her dog. The rainbow crosswalk is situated on 10th and Piedmont Avenue just down the street from the park. The thought that she and her dog were only minutes away from the last moments of their lives which would end in the most violent manner possible is hard to take.

I made a point of texting my former landlady. She too is shaken up about the whole thing. A vigil scheduled for this Sunday has been organized by the neighborhood. Had I still been living in Atlanta I would have certainly been in attendance.

Back in March, I expressed my concerns about public safety in Atlanta. I concluded my thoughts by stating, "For better or for worse, I will be in Atlanta for the foreseeable future. All I can do is make the best of it. And make sure I keep my eyes and ears open and my wits about me."

Just over two months after writing those words I found myself back in Boston. I would be less than honest if I didn't say I am glad I left Atlanta as much as I enjoyed living in Midtown Atlanta. Of course, I say this with the knowledge that people can be murdered anywhere including in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nevertheless, I feel a degree of comfort and security here that I never felt while I was in Atlanta. Knock on wood.

What scares me the most is that the person or persons responsible for killing Katherine Janness and her dog is still at large. Given the manner in which she and her dog were killed I strongly suspect that the killer or killers were strangers. In which case who can say such an attack won't happen near Piedmont Park again?

Joey Gallo Has More Than Twice as Many Strikeouts Than Base Hits

The New York Yankees have acquired Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers for six minor league players.

Gallo, 27, made his second AL All-Star Team this season. He has belted 25 HRs this season and leads the AL in walks with 74. Gallo was the Rangers number one draft pick in 2012 and made the big club in 2015. 

Although Gallo has power, gets on base and is an above average defender (he won a Gold Glove in 2020 for his outfield play) the Yankees have depleted their farm system for a player who has more than twice as many career strikeouts (797) than base hits (385). 

It will be a few years but I think this deal will do wonder for the Rangers. Gallo will hit some home runs but he'll leave a lot of runners on base. Although the Bronx Bombers will likely have more moves to make in the next 48 hours, I don't think it will be enough to get the Yankees into the post-season.

Memo to Sarah Sanders: Trump Could Have Been Vaccinated At One of His Rallies

Former White House Press Secretary and now Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ recent editorial urging red state Americans and her fellow conservatives to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is self-serving and scarcely has a passing acquaintance with the truth. 

Sanders dubiously claimed Dr. Fauci and other public health officials “misjudged the Trump vaccine plan, which rolled out just as safely, quickly, and effectively as the Trump administration promised.” She further claimed “no one did more to undercut public confidence in the vaccine than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”

No serious person would believe such balderdash any more than the rubbish made from whole cloth by Trump and his acolytes that he won last November’s elections despite 60 plus court cases ruling otherwise.

It wasn’t that Biden and Harris didn’t trust vaccines, it’s that they didn’t trust Trump and they made the distinction explicitly. On September 16, 2020, Biden said, “I trust vaccines, I trust scientists, but I don’t trust Donald Trump and at this moment, the American people can’t, either.” During the lone VP debate on October 7, 2020, Harris echoed Biden’s sentiments. “If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I’ll be the first in line to take it. Absolutely, said Harris, “But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it. I’m not taking it.” 

Biden and Harris’ distrust of Trump is understandable when we remember that it was Trump who was recommending that Americans take hydroxychloroquine and inject ourselves with bleach. Let us also remember that Trump also claimed at a rally in Ohio on September 22, 2020 that COVID-19 “affects virtually nobody.” This was the same day the U.S. surpassed 200,000 deaths. When the U.S. surpassed 350,000 deaths on January 3, 2021, Trump claimed the numbers were “exaggerated.” Sixteen days later, the death toll hit 400,000. It was the day before Trump left office but it would be left to Biden and Harris to mourn the dead. 

With all of this mind, here was the passage in Sanders’ op-ed which struck me the most:

If President Biden, Vice President Harris, and others on the left truly care about increasing the vaccination rate and saving lives, they should admit they were wrong to cast doubt on Operation Warp Speed and give President Trump and his team the credit they are due for the development of a safe and effective vaccine in record time.

 

Based on the advice of my doctor, I determined that the benefits of getting vaccinated outweighed any potential risks.

 

I was also reassured after President Trump and his family were vaccinated. If getting vaccinated was safe enough for them, I felt it was safe enough for me.

 

For all of Sanders’ maligning of President Biden, Vice-President Harris and Dr. Fauci, all three of them saw fit to get their COVID vaccines on live television. Even former Vice-President Mike Pence got his on live TV. You know the guy Trump supporters wanted to hang on January 6^th.

 

As for former President Trump received his COVID vaccine along with former First Lady in January shortly before leaving office. But this would be witnessed by the public. Indeed, the very fact that Trump received the vaccine was not revealed until March 1st^st. 

Mind you, Sanders tells us that she was reassured once she learned that Trump had received the vaccine. Wouldn’t have it been more reassuring for Trump supporters had he saw fit to be vaccinated live and in person? In which case, it might very well have been unnecessary for Sanders to write her editorial in the first place.

 

For Trump to get vaccinated privately and secretly is a rather curious move for a fellow who likes to put his name to everything from golf courses, hotels, steaks and universities. If it truly was the “Trump vaccine”, the former President would have made a show of it. Trump could have been vaccinated at one of his rallies.

 

Although Trump has urged people to get vaccinated since leaving office he does not do so with the same kind of fervor and passion when he falsely claims he won the election. Engaging in such demagoguery blunts whatever good might have been done in telling his supporters to get vaccinated. Whatever encouragement Trump might offer with regard to vaccination, he has done nothing to discourage the disinformation they have been told about vaccines and everything else about COVID-19. While Trump took credit for producing vaccines at CPAC, audience members wildly cheered an anti-vaxxer who spoke about falling short of the Biden Administration's vaccination goals. Then again how could Trump discourage disinformation? After all, it was Trump who was the Commander-in-Chief of disinformation in the first place.

 

One could make the case that Sarah Huckabee Sanders ought to be praised for urging red state Americans and her fellow conservatives to get vaccinated against COVID-19 especially if her intervention should result in an increase in vaccinations among that population.

 

But Sanders’ op-ed isn’t about getting more Americans vaccinated, it’s about heaping praise on Donald Trump that he doesn’t deserve.

The CDC is Damned If It Does & Damned If It Doesn't

With COVID-19 cases surging, the CDC revised its mask policy and recommended that people start wearing masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. 

The decision comes two and a half months after the CDC recommended that fully vaccinated people could stop wearing masks indoors. I remember that day well as the announcement came right before my second dose of the Moderna vaccine:

All of this to say there will be some confusion where it concerns the wearing of masks indoors and at large outdoor gatherings. Invariably I think this will lead to increase in the daily COVID-19 caseload which has been falling steadily. But it is possible that the number of vaccinations might be sufficient to offset any possible increase in cases if it results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths. However, the daily vaccination rates have been declining and states have been implementing incentive programs most notably Ohio's $1 million lottery drawing for residents who have been vaccinated. 

Unfortunately, the national vaccination rate has further plummeted and the lotteries haven't helped. At the same time, the Delta variant has spread primarily in jurisdictions that voted for Trump. Of course, political ideology isn't the only factor at play. Younger people are far less likely to be vaccinated than their older counterparts. But those who are enthusiastic Trump supporters take pride in not getting vaccinated and wear it as a badge of honor. Some Republican politicians and aspiring politicians have seen fit to urge their supporters to get vaccinated but the genie left that bottle long ago.

Given this level of resistance to the vaccine, one could argue that CDC ought to have waited for revising its mask guidelines. But the same problem would have occurred had the CDC loosened its guidelines in May, July, September or December with stagnating vaccination rates and a critical mass of the population unwilling to take them. 

And so long as there is a critical mass of the population that is unwilling to get vaccinated much less wear a mask, the CDC is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't whatever its recommendations on masks, vaccines or anything else where it concerns COVID-19. It isn't to say the CDC can't do better but the CDC can only do better if all Americans want to do better when it comes to COVID-19.

On Meeting Jackie Mason Twice on The Streets of NYC

A short while ago, I learned of the passing of legendary comedian Jackie Mason at the age of 93. 

I certainly remember his career renaissance in the mid-1980's after being blackballed by Ed Sullivan two decades earlier and seeing him on Broadway in Jackie Mason: The Ultimate Jew in 2008.

But what I remember most was seeing him on the streets of New York City. On several occasions, I saw him hold court at Fiorello's on Broadway across from Lincoln Center. 

On two occasions, I had the opportunity to meet Jackie Mason. The first time was on Halloween 2018. This was a little over a month after moving to NYC. There was a Halloween block party on West 69th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. I went there with my Dad and we got separated. Eventually, I made my way to the corner of West 69th and Columbus and there was Jackie Mason and his wife who asked what was going on and I told them about the block party. His voice was much softer and quieter than I remembered when seeing him on TV or when I saw him on Broadway. I'm sure this was a product of age and health. I didn't let on that I knew who he was. What I noticed was that his hair was a wig.

I would see him again in July 2019 in front of Zabar's on Broadway and West 80th. This time Dad and I were not separated. Mason was also doing schtick and seemed more jovial. He was being Jackie Mason. It was what he did best. R.I.P.

Renaming The Cleveland Indians The Guardians Won't Give Native Americans Clean Drinking Water

So in 2022, the Cleveland Indians will be known as the Cleveland Guardians. I don't care for the move anymore now than I did a year ago.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who is a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, tweeted her praise:

I am glad to see that the Cleveland baseball team is finally changing its name. The long practice of using Native American mascots and imagery in sports team has been harmful to Indigenous communities. This is a welcome and necessary change.

With all due respect to Secretary Haaland, I disagree. 

While there have been many great harms committed towards Indigenous communities in this country (as well as in Canada) I fail to see how the Cleveland Indians was ever a part of this harm. I seriously doubt the team was named the Indians as a symbol of mockery or disdain. Why would they want their community to root against the team? The people who named their baseball team the Indians viewed them as a brave people worthy of admiration.

Let me put it another way. How is renaming the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Redskins or any other sports team with a Native American moniker going to get clean drinking water to the Native American tribes? An estimated 1 out of 10 Native Americans do not have access to safe drinking water. Does anyone honestly think those 1 out of 10 Native Americans who can't drink clean water really care if the Cleveland Indians decided to call themselves the Guardians?

So what do I think of former President Donald Trump who called the change "a disgrace" and a move to "destroy our culture and heritage"? Not a great deal. Trump also called the Tribe "a storied and cherished baseball franchise." Cleveland has not seen a World Series since 1948 - two years after Trump was born. If the Guardians won the World Series in 2022 or 2023 I think the new name would be accepted by the teams' fans. Needless to say, my reasons for disliking the change are very different from former President Trump's reasons. 

While Trump and Republicans engage in culture wars and SJWs pat themselves on the back and virtue signal, 10% of Native Americans still can't get a clean glass of water.

Milwaukee Bucks Win Their First NBA Title Since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Was Known as Lew Alcindor

The Milwaukee Bucks have just defeated the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6 of the NBA Final to win their first NBA Title in 50 years. The Suns were vying for their first NBA Title.

When the Bucks last won the NBA Title their star center was Lew Alcindor who later that year formally changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

It has been a long time between championships for the Bucks and for the city of Milwaukee. With 50 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a worthy successor to Lew Alcindor. A hearty congratulations!!!

Three Reasons Why I Don't Listen to Rand Paul

I'm glad to see Dr. Fauci not taking any shit from that snot nosed punk Rand Paul and calling him a liar for promoting conspiracy theories which suggest that he is responsible for the deaths of 4 million people due to COVID-19 including more than 600,000 in this country.

I paid as little heed to Senator Paul as I can. I do so for three reasons. First, he isn't a real doctor. Who creates their own medical certification board? Second, Paul refused to quarantine when he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Third, Paul won't get vaccinated because he's already had COVID.

As such the junior Senator from Kentucky is no position to offer medical advice much less criticize anyone when it comes to the spread of COVID-19 when he was all too happy to spread it himself and not to take measures to protect himself and others. It is attitudes like that displayed by Senator Paul which go a long way in explaining why more than a third of unvaccinated Americans (37%) believe vaccines are more dangerous than COVID. 

While I might not listen to Senator Paul there are millions of Americans who take his word about COVID-19 and his slander against Dr. Fauci at face value. It is the words and deeds of Senator Paul which keep COVID-19 a public health danger.

To Hell With Ben & Jerry's

To hell with Ben & Jerry's for announcing with much fanfare that they will no longer do business in East Jerusalem and the West Bank because it is "inconsistent with our values."

Those values would appear to be to single the world's only Jewish country because Ben & Jerry's is perfectly happy to do business in Poland despite its "LGBT Free Zones" and tickled pink to be in Thailand despite its authoritarian regime, I would also add neither the Palestinian Authority nor Hamas run Gaza are paragons of virtue. 

I would boycott Ben & Jerry's, but I don't buy their products in the first place as I seldom eat ice cream and on the rare occasions I do it is non-dairy. Although a boycott of Ben & Jerry's parent company Unilever might put pressure on those foolish fellows in Vermont.

Now Ben & Jerry's has indicated they will continue to do business in Israel, but perhaps Israel could send a message to Ben & Jerry's that it is not welcome to operate for legitimizing anti-Semitism.

While shaming Ben & Jerry's is good, the only way for Ben & Jerry's to see the error of their ways is to hurt their bottom line. 

Thoughts on The Shooting Outside Nationals Park in D.C. - UPDATE

Tonight's game between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres was abruptly suspended during the middle of the sixth inning when gunfire rang out outside Nationals Park resulting in injuries to four people and causing widespread panic inside the stadium as fans were told to remain inside. Some fans took cover in both the Nationals and Padres dugouts. (UPDATE: Padres' players Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Jr. and Will Myers have been praised for opening the gates so fans could get to safety.) There's no word if suspects have been apprehended. The game is scheduled to resume tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 p.m. which will be followed by the third game of the series as if nothing happened.

There is a certain feeling of resignation that nothing will happen as a result of this incident. After all, scarcely six months ago there was an attack on the U.S. Capitol just over a mile away and the Republican Party would have us believe those who stormed the Capitol was "a normal tourist visit." If Republicans are unwilling to keep their own staff safe why would they give a damn about anyone else?

Now while I'm generally skeptical about the effectiveness of most gun laws given that most firearms deaths come by way of suicide than homicide and gun deaths were at a higher per capita rate in the 1970's than they are now. Nevertheless given the settings where gun violence has occurred (this time during a game outside a sports stadium) I do think the time has come for something ought to be done to prevent this from happening. We can reasonably what that something is but if people aren't confident they can go to the ballpark, the movies or to their house of worship safely without either fear of being shot or getting COVID-19 then action is required. But if the House can't get its house in order nothing else will find order either. We will be asked to play ball, move on and be told there's nothing to see.

Biz Markie, R.I.P.

Rap legend Biz Markie, best known for his 1989 hit "Just a Friend", passed away on Friday at the age of 57. No cause of death has been given but he had been battling diabetes for several years.

Even if one didn't normally listen to hip-hop, you invariably knew "Just a Friend" by the slightly off-key chorus alone, the video in which he dons a Mozart wig or just the phrase "Oh, Snap!!!" The song was good humored and something to which nearly everyone could relate at one time in their life or other. If you dig someone who wants to be just a friend? It is damned near impossible to listen to "Just a Friend" and not come away with a smile.

To give one an idea of how broad Biz Markie's appeal was tributes have poured in from the likes of The Iron Sheik, Tom Arnold, Viola Davis, Magic Johnson and They Might Be Giants. R.I.P.

Oy Vey!!! 1 in 4 American Jews Think Israel is an Apartheid State

In a survey of 800 American Jewish voters conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute, 25% of American Jews think Israel is an Apartheid state with 22% believing Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinians. If that wasn't bad enough these numbers rise to more than a third of Jewish voters under the age of 40.

Oy vey!!!

So at least 1 out of 4 American Jews have no concept of either Apartheid and nearly 1 out of 4 American Jews have no concept of genocide. Last I checked, the balance of power in Israel's new government is held by a Palestinian Muslim Arab. I don't recall a black person having the right to vote much less holding the balance of power in Apartheid era South Africa. And if there is anyone who has genocidal intentions it is the Palestinians. Last I checked, Hamas' aim and objective is the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews. 

I am particularly concerned about younger American Jews. How do they come to these opinions? Their parents? Their teachers? The media? Or is it simply accepting things at face value? Whatever the case, young Jews were not in abundance at last week's #NoHate rally in response to the recent surge in physical attacks against Jews. 

My mother tells me that Jews have survived worse up to and including the Holocaust. But if this becomes the prevailing view among American Jews by 2030 I don't think it is going to bode well because those who hate us will smell blood in the water, proceed to shed it with impunity and then blast Jews for having the temerity to bleed. 

Unless Democrats are prepared to cast out the likes of Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, AOC, Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman for their anti-Semitism this is the fate to which we can look forward. Sadly they are on the rise and a critical mass of progressive Jews are helping them rise while being unable to see their own fall.

Harry Chapin Was a Happy Warrior

Forty years ago today, Harry Chapin's life on this Earth came to a sudden end on the Long Island Expressway at the age of 38. In those 38 years, Chapin was the father of five children, had managed to be nominated for an Academy Award, released 11 albums, had a number one song in "Cats in the Cradle", was a beloved performer and in the midst of it all tried to end world hunger managing President Carter to start a Commission on World Hunger. 

Now if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
Well I wonder what would happen to this world

Chapin's children penned a joint op-ed piece in the New York Daily News extolling their father's legacy:

It’s been four decades without him — four decades of change in culture, politics, music and technology — but after all that change, and even a global pandemic, his legacy organizations WhyHunger and Long Island Cares remain centered on fulfilling our dad’s mission of deeply understanding the root causes of hunger and seeking solutions grounded in community power and self-reliance.

If Chapin were still with us I wonder what he would make of our unhealthy politics. Chapin was a liberal Democrat but when he was up on Capitol Hill in the late 1970's he lobbied anyone who would listen - Democrat or Republican. As I wrote in my tribute to him on the 30th anniversary of his death:

Chapin didn’t hate the people who didn’t share his politics. On the contrary, he wanted to persuade conservatives just as much as he wanted to persuade liberals.

Unfortunately, not only do liberals and conservatives hate each other many are now prepared to kill each other. It's hard to fathom what Chapin would have thought of the insurrection on Capitol Hill or someone who shot Congressmen on a baseball field. 

I shook his hand in the scene that made America famous

And a smile from the heart that made America great

We spent the rest of that night in the home of this man

That we'd never known before

It's funny when you get that close, it's kind of hard to hate

When it came to engaging others who might have not otherwise agreed with him, Harry Chapin was a happy warrior - a virtue in very short supply. 

To imbue Harry's Happy Warrior ethos requires a fidelity truth, commitment regardless of the outcome and a generosity of spirit towards others. These are qualities built over a very long time and few among us have the patience to build these qualities especially if there are riches to be found in the short term and in the easy way. Yet I would like to think there are those among us who would choose Harry's righteous path. Those of us who would choose such a path aren't filling his shoes but are rather better filling our own. R.I.P.

It Took 58 Days To Go From 33 to 34 Million U.S. COVID-19 Cases But Too Many Are Unvaccinated

The United States today surpassed 34 million COVID-19 cases. According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been 34,048,317 COVID-19 cases in this country resulting in 608,787 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.8%.

The good news is that took almost two months - 58 days - to add another million COVID-19 cases. By comparison it took 25 days to get from 32 to 33 million cases. To put that number into further perspective, this country added 12 million cases of COVID-19 over a 58 day span from November 21, 2020 to January 18, 2021 effectively doubling the national case load at the time. This country was adding 1 million new COVID cases every 4-6 days. In many respects, things are so much better than they were.

Although things have gotten better it looks things are beginning to get worse again. Unfortunately, there is a very good chance that we will reach 35 million cases in less than 58 days. Over the past several weeks including a 70% increase last week alone along with hospitalizations and deaths due to the Delta variant and a third of the U.S. population which has not been vaccinated and many who refuse to do so. 

Today CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky characterized the recent surge as "a pandemic of the unvaccinated." Unfortunately, what the Biden Administration hasn't been able to reach this population. There is also the challenge of how the administration can reach a population which doesn't accept the fact he is President of the United States. Further complicating matters are the likes of Republican Congresswomen characterizing Biden's efforts to go door to door to do community outreach as "Needle Nazis" while her colleague Marjorie Taylor-Greene tells Americans to "just say no" to vaccines as if they were crack cocaine. A Newsmax host named Rob Schmitt said vaccines "go against nature." So much for being pro-life. Yet millions take their word as gospel.Sadly some will only learn the hard way if they learn at all. 

Nevertheless, the Biden Administration must find a way to get people in Alabama vaccinated. Unlike President Trump, President Biden is the President of all Americans whether they supported him or not.

Yankees' 2nd COVID Outbreak Postpones 2nd Half Start vs. Red Sox

At least six New York Yankees players have tested positive for COVID-19 forcing the postponement of tonight's start to the second half of the season in which the Bronx Bombers would have hosted the Boston Red Sox. 

Pitchers Jonathan Loaisgiga, Nestor Cortes, Jr. and Wandy Peralta have all tested positive while Aaron Judge, Kyle Higashoika and Gio Urshela are all expected to have positive tests and are currently in quarantine. All six players are fully vaccinated. 

The Yankees were in a similar predicament two months ago although the majority of those affected were non-player personnel with the notable exception of Gleyber Torres. Most Yankees were vaccinated with J&J and I wondered if this outbreak would have happened had they been vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna. One must also wonder if the Yankees have the highly contagious Delta variant which has seen daily cases double in the U.S. over the past several weeks. Still, we are nowhere near the 100,000 a day case and one's chances of being hospitalized are greatly reduced if one has been vaccinated. Unfortunately, not everyone is vaccinated and because of it we can't see the Red Sox play the Yankees.

Dick Tidrow, R.I.P.

Former big league pitcher turned executive Dick Tidrow died suddenly on July 10th. No cause of death has been released. Tidrow was 74. 

After declining to sign with the Washington Senators, his hometown San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds after being drafted by these respective teams, Tidrow would eventually sign with the Cleveland Indians in the 4th round of the secondary phase of the 1967 MLB Draft. He would make the Tribe's opening day roster in 1972 having earned a spot in the team's starting rotation.

During the 1974 season, Tidrow was sent to the New York Yankees in a seven player deal along with Chris Chambliss. While with the Yankees, Tidrow was primarily utilized as a reliever appearing in three consecutive World Series between 1976-1978 while earning two rings in '77 and '78. The mustachioed right-hander earned the nickname "Dirt" as he liked to dirty his uniform even before being called into a game.

After a poor start in 1979, the mercurial George Steinbrenner sent Tidrow packing to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Ray Burris. Less than three months later, Steinbrenner put Burris own waivers and was claimed by the crosstown New York Mets. Meanwhile, Tidrow would be part of the Cubs bullpen for the next three plus seasons. In 1980, Tidrow led the NL in appearances with 84. Tidrow would be handed the closer's job in 1981 following the departure of Bruce Sutter to St. Louis but Tidrow proved ineffective. By 1983, Tidrow would stroll over to the Southside and would part of the AL West champion Chicago White Sox under Tony La Russa (what's old is new again). Tidrow would return to New York and finish his playing career with the Mets in 1984. In 620 appearances over 13 seasons, Tidrow went 100-94 with a 3.68 ERA along with 55 saves.

Tidrow would never leave baseball. From 1985 to 1993, Tidrow worked as a special assignment scout before returning to San Francisco where he would be in the employ of the Giants until his death. Mos recently, Tidrow was the senior advisor to the President of Baseball Operations. He is credited with helping to build the team that won three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. There could be a fourth World Series title to follow. As of this writing, the Giants have the best record in MLB. Winning another World Series would be the finest possible tribute to Tidrow. R.I.P.

AL Continues Its All-Star Game Dominance in Denver

Surprise!!! Surprise!!! The American League won another All-Star Game besting the National League 5-2 at Coors Field in Denver. It is their 8th straight win. The NL last won the Midsummer Classic in 2012 in Kansas City. Of course, the NL went 14 years between All-Star Game wins so this is nothing new to them.

While much of the focus was on Los Angeles Angels' budding superstar Shohei Ohtani both pitching and hitting in the All-Star Game, the star of the game was Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. who hit a towering home run in the 3rd and drove in another run in the 5th. It was enough to earn him All-Star Game MVP becoming the youngest player to ever win the honor. The Guerreros are the third father-son combo to hit HRs in the All-Star Game along with Bobby and Barry Bonds as well as Ken Griffey, Sr. and Ken Griffey, Jr. 

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino also homered for the AL. Vlady's teammate Marcus Semien had a RBI single as did Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The NL got their two runs on a solo HR by Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto in the 5th while San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado scored on a passed ball in the sixth.

I did not watch the game on TV (as I do not have one). I don't think I missed much. I didn't like the silly league uniforms the teams wore rather than their own. Nor did I enjoy seeing Fernando Tatis, Jr. talk to the FOX broadcasters as Vlad, Jr. went deep. 

Next year, the proceedings will take place at Dodger Stadium where they were to take place in 2020 but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will mark the first time Dodger Stadium has hosted the Midseason Classic since 1980. 

Charlie Robinson, R.I.P.

Actor Charlie Robinson (a.k.a. Charles Robinson), best known for playing Mac on Night Court in 8 of its 9 seasons on NBC, passed away of cardiac arrest with multisystem organ failures due to septic shock and metastatic adenocarcinoma. He was 75.

While Robinson spent most of his career onstage, he also had numerous TV credits in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Love & War, The John Larroquette Show, Ink, Malcolm & Eddie, Touched by an Angel, Home Improvement, House, How I Met Your Mother as well as 30 Rock which featured a partial Night Court reunion. 

Of course, Night Court is being rebooted. I don't generally care for reboots but will give that one a chance. Although it will be a shame that Mac won't make an appearance in Judge Stone's chambers one last time. 

Here is Robinson giving a brief interview in 2009 about his times on Night Court. R.I.P.

Would Edwin Edwards Have Beaten David Duke in 2021?

When I learned that former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards had passed away this morning at the age of 93 the first thing I thought of was his triumph over former Klansmen and forever white supremacist David Duke in the 1991 gubernatorial race. Despite Edwards' checkered past and even more checkered future, he was infinitely preferable to a hate monger. Vote for the Crook...It's Important!!!

The second thing I thought about is that we are nearing the 30th anniversary of that race and what would happen had Edwards and Duke faced off in 2021? Let's keep in mind that while Bill Clinton won Louisiana in both 1992 and 1996, it has gone GOP ever since with Donald Trump winning the state by nearly 20 points over both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Mind you, this is the same Trump who could not bring himself to condemn Duke much less white supremacy during the 2016 election. A far cry from President George H.W. Bush who was unequivocal and unambivalent in his condemnation of Duke and white supremacy denouncing him as both a racist and a charlatan. Indeed, Trump failed to condemn white supremacy in Charlottesville in 2017 and said the Proud Boys should "stand back and stand by" during his debate with Joe Biden last year. So we can hardly be surprised when a Republican Congressman like Paul Gosar has no qualms about speaking at a white supremacist gathering and is in far better standing with his party than Liz Cheney. 

In 1991, Edwards said Duke would give us "20 years of hate and hurt." He might have not done so as Governor of Louisiana, but Duke's influence is far greater now than it ever was 30 years ago. So the hate and hurt are still to come.

So how would Edwards have faired against Duke in 2021? I suspect that the African-American vote would have been mobilized, some Republicans would have stayed home and Edwards would probably prevailed. But it would not be by a 61-38 margin. More like a 51-48 margin. And instead of accepting defeat graciously, Republicans would cry voter fraud with African-American voters in mind. 

It is sad to think that we have lost ground in this country over the past 30 years when it comes to fighting racism, anti-Semitism and hatred at large. It also means we are in grave danger and the worst is yet to come. Sigh. R.I.P.

Paul Orndorff, R.I.P.

Former professional wrestler Paul Orndorff passed away today at the age of 71. A few weeks back, Orndorff was reportedly diagnosed with dementia and one of his sons posted a video of him in his weakened state. My older brother Ezra told me about the video. I did not watch that video as I didn't want to see him in that state. It is my preference to remember him as Mr. Wonderful.

After a professional football career didn't pan out, Orndorff became a professional wrestler in the mid-1970's working in several Southern territories. In 1983, he would come North and join the WWF as it was then known. Orndorff's decision was a fortuitous one. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper would nickname him "Mr. Wonderful". Orndorff would main event the first Wrestlemania tagging with Piper against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. Not long after, Orndorff went from heel to babyface becoming Hogan's best friend before turning on him and becoming a bigger heel than before culminating in a steel cage match with Hogan on NBC's Saturday Night Main Event.

During the course of his program with Hogan, Orndorff sustained nerve damage to his neck that would eventually severely damage his right arm causing it to atrophy and would fall out of main event status. Orndorff would eventually return South where he had a decent run in WCW as both a TV champion and a World Tag Champion with Paul Roma in the combo Pretty Wonderful. Injuries would catch up with Orndorff and he would eventually become a road agent and a trainer at WCW's Power Plant facility.

Orndorff is probably remembered for his physique and his piledriver, but he could also cut a good promo too. He was the total package before there was a total package. R.I.P.

Thoughts on The Mass Protests in Cuba

The fact there are mass protests in Cuba is a remarkable thing unto itself. Such a thing would never have happened during the Castro regime and there is the rub.

Although Miguel Diaz-Canel has been Cuba's President since October 2019, the top job in the country is General Secretary of the Communist Party. Diaz-Canel succeeded Raul Castro in that role only this past April. So Cuban dissidents undoubtedly saw an opening. They are not afraid of Diaz-Canel. At least not for now.

For his part, Diaz-Canel blames the U.S. embargo. Well, what else would you expect? But the embargo has been a fact of life in Cuba for six decades (despite former President Obama's easing of it). Cubans have never protested like this before and if Diaz-Canel doesn't get a handle on the protest there will soon be a power struggle within the Communist Party. In which case Diaz-Canel could seek outside help perhaps from Venezuela. 

The embargo hasn't helped Cuba but it also hasn't stopped Canada, the U.K. and the EU from being its trading partners. Combine a poor economy, a lack of political freedom and limited access to its homemade COVID-19 vaccines has surged into a storm of mass protest. 

It very much remains to be seen if the protests will amount to any meaningful change. But if these protests are the beginning of the end of communism and the start of multi-party democracy in Cuba then it could prove a huge feather in the cap of the Biden Administration winning over Cuban voters in Florida while neutralizing Republican opposition. Although there is a segment of the Democratic Party (and AOC is a part of it) which greatly admires Communist Cuba and probably won't be thrilled with President Biden praising the demonstrators.

Let me put it another way. America has skin where it comes to Cuba in a way it doesn't when it comes to places like Burma, Hong Kong or Ukraine when it comes to democracy protests. Those countries are a world away. Cuba is 90 miles from Florida. Whatever happens in Havana will be heard in Miami and spread from there.

MLB All-Star Break Notes: Reds on Brewers' Tail in NL Central

The 2021 MLB season has reached its official midway point despite the fact all MLB teams have played more than 81 games with many teams having reached the 90 mark. Be that as it may the All-Star Game will take place in Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday (with apologies to Atlanta Braves' fans). 

The team which has me most intrigued right now is the Cincinnati Reds who are a MLB best 9-2 thus far in July and just took three out of four from the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. The Brewers had ended June with 8 straight wins and had led the Chicago Cubs by six games. The Reds have overtaken both the Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals and now find themselves only four games back of the Brew Crew. When the second half of the season begins on Friday, the Reds will host the Brewers for a three game series. By this time a week from now, the Reds could be a game back of the Brewers. Or they could be seven games back and have fallen back with the Cubs and Cardinals who are both likely to sell off pieces at the trade deadline. Such is baseball. As for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the only thing Bucs fans have to cheer about is picking catcher Henry Davis number one in the MLB Draft tonight. 

Ten days ago, I wrote that the Washington Nationals were partying like its 2019. Since writing those words, the Nats have gone 2-9 and have gone from second to fourth place in the NL East and are now 6 games back of the Mets after being only two back at the beginning of the month. The Mets have a 3.5 game lead on the Philadelphia Phillies despite a lackluster first half from Francisco Lindor. If he gets hot in the second half then watch out. The Phillies finish the half at .500 having won 7 of their last 10 games. The Atlanta Braves, who won the NL East in both 2019 and 2020, are only a game under .500 and only four games back of the Mets. They might as well be 40 games back with the loss of their superstar Ronald Acuna, Jr. for the season after he tore his ACL while making a catch against the Miami Marlins over the weekend. As for the Marlins, they are in the NL East cellar nine games back of the Mets. That notwithstanding, Don Mattingly will be back to manage the Marlins in 2022. 

Although the San Francisco Giants own MLB's best record they are only two games ahead of the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The San Diego Padres have slipped from 2.5 to 6 games back of the Giants, but if the season were to end today they too would earn a NL Wild Card berth. Colorado Rockies fans can only look forward to hosting the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks are 4-6 so far in July. This might not appear impressive but it is when you consider the D'Backs were 3-24 in all of June. 

The Chicago White Sox own the best record in the AL and also have a MLB best 8 game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. Chisox manager Tony La Russa being condemned for publicly admonishing rookie slugger Yermin Mercedes seems like ancient history when you consider Mercedes was demoted to Triple-AAA Charlotte earlier this month. Although one could make an argument that Mercedes hasn't been the same since La Russa's lambasting of him. Whatever the case, the Chisox might be the only game in town in the AL Central if the Tribe sees fit to be sellers at the trading deadline. The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins are both 15 games back while the Kansas City Royals, who ended in April in first place, are 18 games back of the White Sox having gone 21-44 since the start of May with losses in 27 of their last 37 games. 

Conversely, MLB's tightest race is in the AL East with the Boston Red Sox owning a 1.5 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. Both the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are eight games out. You can get away with that in Toronto, but not in the Bronx. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has Hal Steinbrenner's confidence, but for how long? Then again the Yankees could have a miracle in the second half. The same cannot be said for the Baltimore Orioles who are on their way to yet to their third 100 plus loss season in four years despite All-Star caliber seasons from Cedric Mullins and Trey Mancini.

In the AL West, four of the five teams have records over .500. The hated Houston Astros own a 3.5 game lead over the Oakland A's but both the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels have a chance to climb into the race in the second half with the Texas Rangers as the division's punching bag. The Angels finished the first half with wins in 7 of their last 10 games and could be moving beyond their underachieving ways.

So where will be at the end of July? Will the Reds overtake the Brewers in the NL Central? Can the Dodgers knock the Giants out of first place in the NL West? Will the Mets pull away from the pack in the NL East? Will Aaron Boone still be managing the Yankees at the end of the month? Will the Chisox have a double digit lead in the AL Central? Can the Mariners or Angels supplant the A's as Houston's top challenger in the AL West? We shall see in three weeks time. 

William Smith, R.I.P.

Character actor William Smith, who had nearly 300 acting credits to his name, passed away on July 5th. No cause of death was disclosed. Smith was 88. 

A Korean War veteran with a muscular physique, Smith generally played villains although he occasionally played good guys such as when he was in the cast of Laredo and the final season of the original Hawaii Five-O as well as in the opening scene of Conan The Barbarian (video above) or in Clint Eastwood's Any Which Way You Can.

Perhaps Smith's best known role as a villain was in the 1970's mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man opposite Nick Nolte. Though some would make an argument for the Russian general he played in Red Dawn. I remember him from shows like Columbo, The Rockford Files, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Some of his other TV credits include Batman, I Dream of Jeannie, Gunsmoke, Alias Smith & Jones, Barnaby Jones, The Streets of San Francisco, The Six Million Dollar Man, Mod Squad, Mission: Impossible, Kung Fu. Smith was the very definition of a working actor. R.I.P.

 

The Walden Pond Open Water Swimming Ban Has Not Been Reversed

My landlady informed me this evening that the open water swimming ban at Walden Pond had been reversed. 

Well, not quite. The ban is still in effect from 10 a.m. thru 6 p.m. while lifeguards are on duty. Open water swimming hours are from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekends with evening swims from 6 p.m. until closing (probably no later than 8 p.m.)

So if I wanted to swim at Walden Pond I would have to catch a train to Concord on a weekend at 7:30 a.m., arrive in Concord at 8 a.m., walk to Walden Pond, arrive around 8:40-8:45 and have maybe an hour and change to swim. 

Well, that might be nice to have a swim in the morning but it wouldn't be easy to pull off and the pond might be crowded with swimmers. Walden Pond might be worth getting up at 5:30 a.m. for once but it isn't something I could do with any kind of consistency. But if we do have another heatwave where it's 80 degrees by 8 a.m. then it might be worth it. Either that or I would go later in the afternoon, hang out in Concord and then make my to Walden for 6 p.m. Under both scenarios, going to Crystal Lake in Newton would probably be less of a hassle. 

In other words, Massachusetts DCR is going to have make us a better offer. Of course, Massachusetts DCR is hoping we will chew on the bone they've thrown at us. Let's hope the bone gets thrown back.

Is Wells Fargo Shuttering Its Credit Line a Harbinger of Things to Come?

I feel sorry for anyone who has an account with Wells Fargo because of its decision to shutter all personal lines of credit thereby damaging a lot of credit scores through no fault of the borrower. 

Yet what scares me is if other financial institutions follow suit. If that happens then it could make the 2008 financial crash look like a Sunday school picnic. We'd be making our way out of the pandemic only for another crisis to hit us between the eyes. 

I can only hope this is a result of Wells Fargo being a really shady financial institution. After all, this was the same entity which less than five years ago paid billions in fines for creating fake bank accounts without the knowledge of its account holders. Still, that is cold comfort to Wells Fargo customers especially those who were convinced to stick with the company and now they've been burned yet again.

Yet I cannot help but wonder if customers of other financial institutions will find ourselves in the same sinking boat. And if we do then what will the Biden Administration and Congress do about it? I hope it's a question they don't have to answer.