Cindy Williams, R.I.P.

Actress Cindy Williams, best known for her portrayal of Shirley Feeney on the ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley from 1976 to 1982, passed away on January 25th following a brief illness. She was 75. 

Prior to Laverne & Shirley, Williams had appeared in critically acclaimed movies such as American Graffiti and The Conversation. But after a well-received guest spot with Penny Marshall on Happy Days, the two received their own series and quite literally became an overnight sensation. The pair would become among the biggest stars in television during the late 1970's and early 1980's. 

While Marshall transitioned to a career as a successful director following Laverne & Shirley, Williams did occasional guest appearances on TV shows and TV movies such as Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Touched by an Angel, 7th Heaven and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as well as musical theater.

Williams' passing comes a little over a year after the death of Laverne & Shirley co-star Eddie Mekka and leaves Michael McKean as the show's last surviving cast member. R.I.P. 

John Adams Was a Baseball Revolutionary

If you say the name John Adams in Boston and most places in America, then chances are it will conjure up images of one of our Founding Fathers and the second President of the United States.

However, if you utter the name John Adams in Cleveland and surrounding area then you are likely to get a very different response. For nearly half a century, John Adams was a fixture at Cleveland Indians games banging his drum slowly. 

Today, the Cleveland Guardians announced Adams' passing at the age of 71. In December 2020, Adams underwent heart surgery and never was able to resume his duties which he began during the 1973 season. 

On personal note, I got to see Adams in action when I saw a game in Cleveland in August 1999. Aside from seeing a grand slam HR from future Hall of Famer Jim Thome, Adams drumming was about the only enjoyable part of my experience in Cleveland. But that is another story for another time.

Last year, Adams was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. He also was bestowed with the Hilda Award by the Baseball Reliquary for his contributions to baseball as a fan. John Adams was truly a baseball revolutionary. R.I.P.

Floyd Sneed, R.I.P.

Floyd Sneed, the drummer for Three Dog Night, passed away on Friday. No cause of death has been released. He was 80.

Sneed was the drummer for Three Dog Night on 10 albums released between 1968 and 1976 as well as an EP during their brief reformation in 1983. He sang the line, "I want to tell you," on the group's biggest hit "Joy to the World".

I did not know that Sneed was born and raised in Canada. He was born in Calgary and would later move to Vancouver where he would play drums in a group called Little Daddy and The Bachelors. This group included his then brother-in-law, Tommy Chong. Yes, that Tommy Chong. Little Daddy and The Bachelors later became Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers, but Sneed would leave for the U.S. to find fame and fortune and succeeded beyond his wildest imagination.

In recent years, Sneed made occasional appearances with Three Dog Night singer Chuck Negron. I leave you with a brief interview Sneed did prior to one of these shows in 2016. R.I.P.

A Note on The Louisville Courier-Journal's Defamatory Op-Ed on The Holocaust

On Friday, in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Louisville Courier-Journal ran an editorial which ought not to have been run:

Jews do not have a monopoly on persecution and atrocities.

For one group, for one person, to claim that the hate and violence towards them is more important than another’s, only encourages more acts of violence against others, including Black people, Asians, Hispanics, Muslims, LGBTQ+, trans-gender and Native Americans. This list is not all-inclusive. 

Good Lord!!!

Jews have never claimed such a monopoly. If anything, Jews have demonstrated a strong solidarity with other groups who have been subject to persecution and atrocities. But if we are to never forget The Holocaust then we must never forget that the aim and objective of The Holocaust was to eliminate Jews from the face of the Earth. Instead, the writers of this op-ed claim, "Hitler was just one of many dictators." Hitler nearly conquered all of Europe and sought global domination. It took nearly the entire world to stop him.

While Hitler's aims and objectives ultimately did not succeed, the global Jewish population has never reached its pre-Holocaust levels, and this will remain a part of the Jewish psyche for centuries to come. To suggest that acknowledging this fact somehow encourages violence against Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Muslims, LGBTQ+, trans-gender and Indigenous people is not only defamatory but represents a profound ignorance of how the horror of The Holocaust came to pass. 

With fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors among us to help set the opinion writers of the Louisville Courier-Journal straight, I am afraid we can look forward to a lot more articles casting aspersions on Jews while minimizing the evil of Hitler and trivializing the memories of the men, women and children who were murdered because they were Jewish.

Barrett Strong, R.I.P.

Singer-songwriter Barrett Strong, best known for giving Motown its very first hit with "Money (That's What I Want)", has passed away at the age of 81. No cause of death has been released.

Ironically, "Money" did not earn Strong a lot of money as Berry Gordy, Jr. removed his name from the songwriting credits with Strong insisting he co-wrote the song. 

However, Strong did earn some money through his songwriting partnership with Norman Whitfield. Strong wrote the lyrics for songs such as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (recorded by both Gladys Knight and The Pips and Marvin Gaye and then later by Creedence Clearwater Revival), "War" by Edwin Starr and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by The Undisputed Truth. 

The team of Whitfield and Strong also collaborated on some of The Temptations biggest hits - "Cloud Nine", "Ball of Confusion", “I Wish it Would Rain,” “I Can’t Get Next to You,” “Psychedelic Shack,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone" - the latter of which earned Strong a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

But songwriting credit or no songwriting credit, it was Barrett Strong who first put Motown on the map. R.I.P.

A Tale of Two Videos - The Attempted Murder of Paul Pelosi & Murder of Tyre Nichols

Yesterday saw the release of two disturbing videos. 

The first video was the attempted murder of Paul Pelosi, the husband of then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, back in October. The second video was of the violent beat down of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers earlier this month. Aside from being repeatedly punched and kicked, Nichols was also repeatedly hit with a baton, pepper sprayed and tased. Nichols died of his injuries three days later.  

There are some differences between the two videos. One victim is an 82-year-old white man and the other is a young black man who would have turned 30 this year had police exercised a modicum of good judgment. In the Pelosi video, the police responded appropriately and subdued Pelosi's attacker after he was hit over the head with a hammer whereas in the Nichols video, they broke every rule and seemed determined to break every bone in Nichols' body. Despite his injuries and the trauma he will endure for the rest of his life, he is still with us. The same cannot be said for Nichols.

The two common denominators of these videos are cruelty and a loss of trust. 

In the Nichols video, the cruelty is obvious with every punch, kick, tase, pepper spray and use of a weapon. In the Pelosi video, the cruelty lies mainly with people not in the video - Republicans and Trump supporters. Let us remember how instead of showing compassion, Republicans and Trump supporters gleefully mocked the attack on Pelosi and engaged in conspiracy theories. Donald Trump, Jr., Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Dinesh D'Souza all derived pleasure in Pelosi's suffering and their fans loved every moment of it. Worse still, if not for their insistence that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, then Paul Pelosi would never have been attacked in the first place as his attacker went to Pelosi's home to make her confess that the 2020 election had been stolen.

Then there is the loss of trust. How can the public trust police officers if a critical mass of them are prepared to beat someone to death or wantonly deploy violence? Even if Nichols had been guilty of reckless driving (and there's no evidence at this point to suggest that he did so), the crime did not fit the punishment and did not warrant the loss of his life much less any bodily harm. 

When it comes to Pelosi, how can the public trust a political party and advocates of its two time (possibly three time) presidential standard bearer for cheering on an act of attempted murder or at the very least make excuses for it?

The awful truth is that the world is full of a lot of cruel and untrustworthy people. Even worse these cruel and untrustworthy people hold positions of power, authority and influence. But what I fear more than anything else is despite the cruelty and untrustworthiness of these people coming into view (whether on camera or not) that there is a very good chance that they will not be held to account for their cruelty and untrustworthy behavior. In which case, there will be more cruelty and untrustworthy behavior to come.

Far Right Swedish Politician Does Russia's Bidding By Burning Koran in Front of Turkish Embassy

When I learned that Rasmus Paludan, the Danish born far right Swedish politician, had burned a copy of the Koran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm last Saturday, it immediately occurred to me that one country stood to gain from this heinous act - Russia.

After all, Sweden is seeking to join NATO along with Finland in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But Sweden and Finland's ascension into NATO requires unanimous consent including from Muslim majority Turkey. Needless to say, Russia doesn't want any kind of NATO expansion. And what better way to prevent NATO expansion than having a useful idiot do a usefully idiotic thing? Turkish President Erdogan reacts predictably and Russia gets what it wants. 

Yes, Russia condemned the burning of the Koran. But make no mistake. Russia couldn't be happier. 

Now comes word that a Swedish journalist affiliated with Russia Today organized the Koran burning. The Russian government doesn't have its fingerprints on it, but they are pulling the strings. 

Gary Peters, R.I.P.

Gary Peters, who pitched parts of 14 big league seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox, has passed away at the age of 85. No cause of death has been released.

A native of Grove City, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Grove City College, Peters signed with the Chisox in 1956 and had cups of coffee with the club in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962 before winning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1963 when he went 19-8 with a league leading ERA of 2.33. The following season, Peters led the AL with 20 wins. That season Peters would earn the first of two AL All-Star Team selections with one to follow in 1967. Peters also led the AL in ERA in 1966 with a mark of 1.98. 

Peters would remain a mainstay of the White Sox organization until he was traded to Boston prior to 1970 where he spent three seasons before retiring. In 359 big league appearances (including 286 starts), Peters went 124-103 with an ERA of 3.25 striking out 1420 batters in 2081 innings pitched. Peters was also an outstanding hitter clubbing 19 career HRs along with 102 RBI. R.I.P.

Some Simmering Thoughts on Gas and Electric Stoves

Amid news the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had planned to ban gas stoves and President Biden's efforts to cool down the temperature, I thought I would offer some simmering thoughts on the subject.

During my time in Canada, I only used electric stoves while during my time here in the U.S. I have only used gas stoves. Mind you, I don't consider myself a gourmet - galloping or otherwise. My first memories using an electric stove would be to heat up a can of Chef Boyardee or Campbell's Chunky Soup. Once, when my entire immediate family went for a day trip to Minnesota, I stayed behind to study for a high school chemistry exam I remember using the oven to heat up some McCain French Fries. 

Truth be told, I haven't used a stove of any kind since I left New York more than two years ago. When I lived in Atlanta, I had an air fryer which I never bothered to use. There is a gas stove in my home in Cambridge, but I have never used it. Aside from the fact that it has had some problems there is the fact that I have limited access to the kitchen in the first place. As such I generally eat my food raw and if I need to heat anything I use the microwave. Or I eat out as I did this evening. Fortunately, when my landlady has company there are several restaurants within the immediate vicinity of my home.

If I had the choice between a gas and an electric stove, I would opt for the latter. There are a couple of things about gas stoves which I dislike. Many of them have no ventilation and tend to set off smoke alarms. Then there are the pilot lights. When I lived in Jamaica Plain for a decade, my roommate had absolutely no sense of smell and sometimes I would walk into the apartment and know instantly that the pilot light was out. On several occasions, I had to call in the local gas company and on one occasion the stove had to be replaced because the pipes were jammed and could not be safely used. 

It isn't to say that electric stoves are without risk. More than a decade ago while my mother was cooking her clothing caught fire resulting in third degree burns on her arms on back. If not for my younger brother, she might have lost her life right then and there. 

While it is nice to have a home cooked meal like I did on my 50th birthday at the home of June Millington and Ann Hackler, aside from the convenience of a microwave, I am content with simple meals which do not require cooking.

In which I suppose my views concerning both gas and electric stoves are lukewarm. 

Another Mass Casualty Shooting in California in Less Than 48 Hours

Last night, seven people were shot and killed in Half Moon Bay, California, approximately 25 miles south of San Francisco. 

This comes less than 48 hours after 10 people were killed at a Chinese Lunar New Year's party in Monterey Park near Los Angeles. 

These two shootings have some remarkable similarities and differences.

In both shootings, the assailants were older Asian men and most of the victims were also Asian. However, the suspect in Monterey Park took his own life and his motive remains unknown. But the suspect in Half Moon Bay surrendered to authorities and this was evidently a case of workplace violence as he targeted his fellow farm workers. 

The shootings are similar in one other respect. Unlike other developed countries, mass shootings have become a feature of American life. As of this writing, there have been 39 mass shootings in the United States less than 25 days into 2023. Have there been that many mass shootings in the rest of the world combined thus far?  Well, we are in for a long year. 

Rolen Gets Call to Cooperstown While Helton Falls 11 Votes Shy of Induction

The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) have elected Scott Rolen to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Rolen, an 8-time Gold Glove winner at third base, received 76.3% of the vote in his sixth year of eligibility on the BBWAA ballot. In 16 big league seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds, Rolen collected 2,077 hits for a lifetime batting average of .281 with 316 HR and 1287 RBI. Rolen won NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1997 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, was named to 7 All-Star Teams and played in two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals earning a ring in 2006. His best overall season came in 2004 when he had career highs in batting average, HR and RBI (.314, 34, 124) for the Cardinals team which won the NL pennant but would be swept in the World Series by the Boston Red Sox. Above all else, Rolen was best defensive third baseman of his generation and becomes only the 18th player at the hot corner ever to be inducted into Cooperstown. Defense has generally been undervalued and I'm glad to see someone like Rolen get in largely on the strength of his glove work.

The only question is whether Rolen will be inducted as Phillie or a Cardinal. His longest tenure was with the Phillies but most of his Gold Gloves came with the Cardinals. Whichever cap he wears, Rolen will get a plaque in Cooperstown along with Fred McGriff on July 23rd. 

This question will not be raised when Todd Helton is inducted into Cooperstown as he played his entire 17-year MLB career with the Colorado Rockies. Helton attained 72.2% of the vote falling 11 votes shy of induction. It is worth noting that Helton a 20% jump in support from a year ago. Unless Helton pulls a Schilling and demands the BBWAA not vote for him then he will likely be part of the Class of 2024. 

The other day a friend of mine, in response to my 2023 BBWAA ballot choices, wondered why I was so high on Helton. In his 17-year career, Helton hit above .300 12 times. To put this into perspective, Ichiro Suzuki hit .300 10 times in his career. Now I'm not claiming that Helton is better than Ichiro as Ichiro was a better overall player. But as far as players from his era, when it comes hitting .300, Helton has no peer. Although Helton won only one batting title, he finished in the top five in batting in the NL on six other occasions. 

Here are some other notable vote getters. Closer Billy Wagner earned 68.1 % of the vote. Wagner has two more years of eligibility and I suspect he will make it through in 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, Carlos Beltran in his first year of eligibility and Jeff Kent in his final year of eligibility each earned exactly 46.5% of the vote. Given his role in the Astros sign stealing scandal, Beltran did better than I expected. The question is whether his vote total will go up in the coming years. As for Kent, he does have a chance at Cooperstown when the Contemporary Era Committee convenes in December 2025 to vote on the Class of 2026. 

For now though the hour belongs to Scott Rolen.

Classified Docs Found at Pence's Home Will Take Heat Off Both President Biden & Trump

Today, it was revealed that about a dozen classified documents were found in the home of former Vice-President Mike Pence last week. 

As with President Biden, the disclosure was made by people representing Pence and he has been fully cooperative with the DOJ. 

Notwithstanding Pence's cooperation this news will benefit both Biden and defeated, former President Trump. 

It helps Biden because Pence both categorically denied ever taking classified documents into his possession after he left office and because of his criticisms of Biden in this matter. Pence told Fox News earlier this month:

The handling of classified materials...is a very serious matter, and as a former vice president of the United States, I can speak from personal experience about the attention that ought to be paid to those materials when you're in office and after you leave office. Clearly that did not take place in this case.

Oops!!!

Keep in mind that Pence has presidential aspirations of his own and now cannot credibly use Biden's transgressions concerning classified documents against him. 

Yet I think this also helps Trump. Yes, Trump has been both uncooperative in returning classified documents and was dishonest in claiming all classified materials had been returned. But Trump is utterly devoid of shame and he knows many voters will not see the distinction between what he did and what Biden and Pence did. They might acknowledge that Trump took documents and shouldn't have done so but they'll argue that Biden and Pence are no better than Trump in this respect. 

Netanyahu Abides By Higher Court Ruling; Reluctantly Fires Deri

A couple of days back, I predicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would ignore the ruling of Israel's Supreme Court which said Shas leader Aryeh Deri could not serve in his cabinet because of his criminal convictions. 

Well, I was wrong. Netanyahu formally dismissed Deri today albeit reluctantly. “This unfortunate decision ignores the people’s will,” Netanyahu told Deri. “I intend to find any legal way for you to continue to contribute to the state of Israel.”

I don't think it has anything to do with the will of the people, but rather the will of Netanyahu. With that said, I think Bibi said this to mollify Shas MKs who are considering withdrawing their support for Netanyahu as a result of abiding by the court's decision. 

Of course, there is the question of why Netanyahu abided by the court ruling. While there have been protests against the new government's proposal to rein in Israel's judiciary, I think Netanyahu is trying to stay on the good side with the Biden Administration. Unlike former President Obama, Netanyahu has long enjoyed a good relationship with Biden and wants to keep it that way. 

Netanyahu was visited by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and he has reportedly given Sullivan assurances that changes to Israel's judiciary will not be as drastic as proposed. Of course, if this is the case, one wonders how long Shas and the other religious parties will see fit to remain in Netanyahu's coalition and force Israel's sixth election since 2019. 

My 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot (If I Were a BBWAA Member)

On Tuesday night, we will find out the results of the balloting of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) and see if anyone will join Fred McGriff in being part of the Class of 2023 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer in Cooperstown, New York. 

In order for a player to be inducted into Cooperstown, he must receive 75% of support from the BBWAA. Eligible voters may include up to 10 players on their ballot.

If I were a BBWAA member this would be my ballot for 2023:

1. Scott Rolen

2. Todd Helton 

3. Billy Wagner

4. Francisco Rodriguez

5. Andruw Jones

6. Jeff Kent

7. Jimmy Rollins

8. Torii Hunter

Six of the eight names were on my "ballot" a year ago. The new names on my ballot this year belong to Rodriguez and Rollins.

Rodriguez is in his first year of eligibility and his numbers are comparable to those of Wagner, the only other closer on this list. K-Rod and Wagner both pitched 16 seasons in the big leagues with K-Rod saving 437 games while Wagner saved 422. Wagner edges K-Rod in All-Star Game selections (7 to 6) but K-Rod thrice led the AL in saves and set the MLB single season record for saves with 62 in 2008 and earned a World Series ring with the Angels in 2002. 

This is Wagner's 8th year on the ballot having received 51% of the vote. I think Wagner will get in but probably won't get in until his final year of eligibility in 2025. In which case, K-Rod might have a long wait but can look forward to getting a plaque in Cooperstown.

Rollins is in his 2nd year on the ballot. I did not have a spot for him a year ago because of David Ortiz as well as it being the last year of eligibility for Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Curt Schilling. With Big Papi inducted his first year on the ballot and Clemens, Bonds and Schilling dropping off the ballot now gives Rollins room.

"J-Roll" spent 15 of his 17 big league seasons in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform and is among the greatest players to ever wear that uniform. Rollins is the Phillies all-time leader in hits (2,306) and doubles (479) and second in stolen bases (453) and third in runs scored (1,325) and in triples (111). Rollins is the only shortstop in MLB history with more than 200 career HR and 400 career stolen bases. Throw in four Gold Gloves, three NL All-Star Team appearances, a World Series ring and NL MVP honors and you've a very good case for Cooperstown. Granted, it might take Rollins until his final year of eligibility to get enshrined, but I think he'll get there.

The player most likely to be inducted this year is Scott Rolen who received 63.2% of the vote last year in his fifth year of eligibility. Rolen won 7 Gold Gloves at third base during his 17-year big league career. The only NL third basemen with more are Mike Schmidt and Nolan Arenado who are tied with 10 apiece. Brooks Robinson, of course, is the all-time MLB leader with 16. 

If Rolen doesn't get in this year, then I think next year will be his year when fellow third baseman Adrian Beltre becomes Hall of Fame eligible. Of the 17 third baseman in Cooperstown, only once did two go in the same time when Brooks Robinson and George Kell were both enshrined in 1983. 

The one player I feel sorry for is Jeff Kent who is in his final year of eligibility and will be lucky if he breaks 50% of the vote. His 351 HR (out of 377 for his career) are the most by a second baseman in MLB history and was a RBI machine driving in 100 or more runs in eight of nine seasons between 1997 and 2005. Perhaps the Contemporary Era Committee will look upon him more favorably as they did with Fred McGriff.

Gunman Kills 10 People at Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration Near Los Angeles UPDATE

Last night, a gunman killed 10 people and wounded 10 others in a mass shooting at a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at a dance studio in Monterey Park, California near Los Angeles. 

When I first read the story my initial thought was that this could have been an anti-Asian hate crime along the lines of the Atlanta massage parlor shootings which occurred when I lived there in March 2021. 

However, authorities have indicated the suspect is Asian. In which case one wonders if there is tension between different Asian communities (i.e. Japanese vs. Korean). Of course, it is entirely possible this person just wanted to kill people for the sake of killing people.

At this point, the suspect is still at large. Until the suspect is apprehended (preferably alive) we won't know the motivations much less know if the weapon or weapons in questions were obtain legally or not.

All we do know for now is that 10 innocent people are dead. 

UPDATE: The gunman evidently set his sights on another dance hall in neighboring Alhambra, but two people thwarted him. Authorities subsequently arrived on the scene and the gunman barricaded himself before taking his own life. The gunman has been identified as a 72-year old Asian man named Huu Can Tran. 

While we might come to learn how he obtained his weapons we will probably never know what made him take the lives of 10 innocent people before taking his own.

More Classified Docs Found in President Biden's Wilmington Home; Some Dating Back From His Days in The Senate

On Friday, President Biden voluntarily consented to a FBI search of his home and, lo and behold, they found more classified documents - some dating back to his days in the Senate.

Mind you, Biden was first elected to the Senate back in 1972. Just how old are these classified documents? 

At this point, the FBI has not indicated if any of the documents are top secret. But the drip-drip nature of this story continues to give it legs and with it increase the potential for doubt among Democrats. Then there is always the question of whether there will be more classified documents found on Biden's property.

Just yesterday, I noted that South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn's declaration that he was all in for Biden meant Biden was all in - unless more classified documents were found. 

Now that more classified docs have been found it will be interesting to see if Clyburn pulls back his endorsement of Biden. If he does, then Biden is in trouble and Democrats will start sharpening their knives.

The only saving grace in Biden's favor is Republican hypocrisy. The public is going to have a hard time taking Republican sanctimony over classified documents at Biden's home seriously when they have no qualms about documents being wallpapered at defeated, former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. 

Still, this is a mess of Biden's own making. He is trying to clean things up only for another mess to be found.

Sal Bando, R.I.P.

Sal Bando, best known as the captain of the Oakland A's when they won three consecutive World Series between 1972 and 1974, passed away yesterday of cancer. He was 78. 

Born in Cleveland, Bando became part of the baseball powerhouse at Arizona State University under Bobby Winkles along with future A's teammates Rick Monday and Reggie Jackson winning the College World Series in 1965. 

For all of A's owner Charlie Finley's many shortcomings, he saw the talent at Arizona State and would make Monday the first ever pick in the augural MLB Draft in 1965 while Bando went in the 6th round. The following year, the A's made Jackson the single overall pick in the country.

Bando, a third baseman, would make his MLB debut with the A's during the 1966 season. Between 1968 and 1978, Bando was one of the game's most durable players playing in 150 or more games in 10 out of 11 seasons and playing all 162 games thrice leading the AL in games played four times.

His breakout season came in 1969 when he hit a career high 31 HR along with a career high 113 RBI earning the first of four AL All-Star Team selections. In 1971, Bando was runner up in AL MVP balloting behind A's teammate Vida Blue. Then came three consecutive World Series trophies. Although he barely hit over .200 during those World Series, he did hit 5 HR over five ALCS appearances.

Following the 1976 season, Bando signed a 5-year, $1.5 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he stayed the full five seasons his numbers diminished significantly after 1978. Bando retired at the end of the 1981 season joining the Brewers' front office. Had he remained, Bando could have been part of another World Series along with former A's teammate Rollie Fingers. In 16 big league seasons, Bando collected 1790 hits for a lifetime batting average of .254 with 242 HR and 1039 RBI.

In 1991, Bando was named Brewers' general manager. He would hire former A's teammate Phil Garner as manager the following year. Although successful in 1992, the Brewers would not enjoy a winning season afterward and Bando resigned during the 1999 season after Garner was relieved of his duties. 

I leave you with Bando discussing his playing days with the A's in a 2014 interview. R.I.P.

Michigan School Official Resigns After Being Targeted With Anonymous Anti-Semitic Death Threats

I was deeply disturbed by this story I came across in the Times of Israel about a school official in Michigan resigning after receiving anti-Semitic death threats after only 9 days on the job:

Michael Woodberg was hired by Richmond Community Schools, a rural district north of Detroit, in December. But in early January the district received a series of disturbing and violent threats directed at staff. The first one, on January 3, took the form of a physical note discovered in one of the district’s buildings, targeting Woodberg specifically with antisemitic language and including details about his family and personal information.

The article continues:

“The Dean of Students position was, as Mr. Woodberg stated, ‘a dream job,’” Walmsley wrote in an email to parents on January 8. “He was excited for his first administrative experience and [to] work with outstanding administrators, teachers, and support staff – all dedicated to the success of students.

“As you can imagine, the threat affected Mr. Woodberg and his family and permanently changed the way they operate and view the environment around them,” the letter continued. “While Mr. Woodberg is going to be missed, I support the decision he made for his family and himself and wish him nothing but health, happiness, and success in his future endeavors.” 

What profoundly disturbs me about all of this is Woodberg's resignation. I understand why he resigned. After all, not only was his life on the line but so were those of his family including his children. 

But Woodberg's resignation rewards the behavior of this anti-Semitic thug who has also threatened another employee of the school district. What happens if that employee resigns? Chancces are this anti-Semite will only be further emboldened. 

This is an act of terrorism. These threats are designed with the intent to rid Richmond Middle School of Jews by any means necessary and, so far, these tactics are working. 

I understand that it is a lot to ask Woodberg not to resign. After all, I'm not in his shoes and he is not to blame for what has transpired. Nevertheless, resigning breathes life into anti-Semitism and will inspire other anti-Semites to engage in this kind of behavior.

With that said, resignation or no resignation, this anti-Semite must be stopped and brought to justice.

Some Thoughts on The Halfway Point of The Presidency of Joe Biden

Friday marked the halfway point of Joe Biden's presidency where it concerns this term in office.

While I have expressed misgivings about the presence of classified documents at his personal residence, it does not appear that Democrats are going to abandon him. 

Longtime South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, who single-handedly resuscitated Biden's campaign in 2020, proclaimed a couple of days ago that he was "all in" for Biden in 2024 and warned other Democrats not to challenge him, If Clyburn is all in that means Biden is all in. That is unless more classified documents are discovered at his home.

Then again even if that comes to pass, defeated, former President Trump and his cohorts are so slimy and duplicitous. As I have argued, Republicans wouldn't bat an eyelash if Trump wallpapered Mar-a-Lago with top secret documents. Whatever Biden's shortcomings in this matter, the likes of Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz will not cover themselves in glory to anyone beyond their most dedicated supporters. And if House Republicans are serious about implementing a 30% national sales tax that would hit lower income families the hardest, then Biden is looking good. 

President Biden has consistently demonstrated he is governing in the interest of everyday people whether it be through vaccine distribution, infrastructure spending, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and trying to relieve student loan debt (despite judicial challenges from conservatives). Defeated, former President Trump is only interested in talking about his own grievances most of which are imagined. 

For a period of about a year (from August 2021 to August 2022), Biden had a long rough patch. This coincided with the emergence of the Delta variant, the haphazard withdrawal from Afghanistan and rising inflation. However, COVID has receded and so has inflation and not many voters think about Afghanistan. Until the classified documents story broke, Biden was on a five-month winning streak. Even if it does adversely affect Biden's poll numbers there is a good chance it might just be a hiccup for the reasons explained above.

The voters might not love Joe Biden, but he is better than the alternative and hat might be just good enough for a plurality of voters to re-elect him for another term next year. 

David Crosby, R.I.P.

David Crosby, co-founder of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash (Crosby, Still, Nash and Young) passed away today at the age of 81.

No cause of death was released although Crosby had a long history of heart troubles plus a liver transplant. Nevertheless, he remained busy up until the very end having released five solo albums between 2014 and 2021. Just last month, Crosby mused about returning to the road. Crosby was active on Twitter up until yesterday.

I would be remiss to mention that my only interaction with Crosby was on Twitter. In September 2016, Crosby performed in my hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. I asked him what he remembered about Thunder Bay. To my delight, he replied, "The long drive."

I also had the opportunity to see him in concert thrice. On two occasions I saw him with Crosby, Stills and Nash in Boston - once at an outdoor concert at The Fleet Pavilion in July 2001 and again at the Wang Theatre in May 2015 (which I reviewed for The American Spectator). Not long after that Crosby had a falling out with the rest of the group and they would never tour again. In August 2019, I saw Crosby play in New York City with my Dad at an outdoor concert in Lincoln Square. When he hit the stage, Crosby said, "Boy, it does not suck to be here."

I have been listening to Crosby's music for as long as I can remember. While with The Byrds, Crosby co-wrote "Eight Miles High" (though it was mostly Gene Clark's song), "Why" and "Renaissance Fair" with Roger McGuinn while writing "Everybody's Been Burned", "Lady Friend" and "Triad" on his own. During his CSN (CSNY) days, Crosby wrote "Guinnevere" "Wooden Ships" (with Stephen Stills and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane), "Long Time Gone", "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Deja Vu".

But perhaps my favorite work of Crosby was his first solo album If I Could Only Remember My Name was released in 1971. I liked it so much that I wrote a retrospective review of it on the 50th anniversary of its release. It was not well received at the time of its release and Crosby would not release another solo album for nearly 20 years. From what I hear, If I Could Only Remember My Name gets better with every passing year because music is love. R.I.P.

Prediction: Netanyahu Will Ignore Supreme Court Ruling Against Deri Serving in His Cabinet

Israel's Supreme Court has ruled by a vote of 10-1 that Aryeh Deri cannot serve in Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet because of his criminal convictions. 

Deri's Shas Party called the ruling "arbitrary and unprecedented." They are half-right. It is unprecedented simply because no other Prime Minister has appointed a convicted criminal to cabinet. But there is nothing arbitrary about the Court's decision. Criminals cannot serve in Israel's cabinet. Period.

A such, there are those who believe Deri will resign or that Netanyahu will fire him. I cannot see this because this would threaten Netanyahu's hold on power. Besides, from where I sit, Netanyahu wants a confrontation with the Supreme Court as a pretext for stripping them of their powers. As such, I predict he will ignore the ruling, Deri will stay in government and Netanyahu's coalition will put an end to Israel's independent judiciary. As I have argued previously, Netanyahu will do this because he has a vested interest in doing so given his own ongoing criminal case. 

Ardern Abruptly Resigns as New Zealand PM

 

Jacinda Ardern, whose leadership in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic was an inspiration for many around the world, abruptly resigned this evening. 

For her part, Ardern told her fellow Labour Party caucus members that she "no longer had enough in the tank" to carry on. She will leave office no later than February 7th and not seek re-election later this year. 

Ardern was first elected to New Zealand's Parliament in 2008 at the age of 28. In 2017, she became Labour Party leader and later that year scored an upset victory during general election when both the Green Party and the right-wing New Zealand Party decided to support her as Prime Minister despite Labour winning fewer seats than the conservative National Party. At 37, Ardern became the youngest ever female head of government. This feat has since been supplanted by Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. 

In her first term in office, Ardern won wide praise for enacting strict gun laws after the Christchurch Mosque shootings. She won even wider praise for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and in October 2020 astonishingly won a majority government in a proportional representation system. 

Ardern's popularity was waned in recent months as her zero COVID strategy was no match for Delta and Omicron. Consequently, Labour has fallen behind the National Party in polling. Nevertheless, Ardern stepping down as Prime Minister and retiring from parliament was not on anyone's radar. 

Her resignation does give the National Party a gift as Labour now has the tall task of replacing Ardern with no obvious successor. 

Whatever Ardern's recent setbacks, New Zealand has recorded fewer than 2,500 COVID deaths with a mortality rate of 0.1% with a vaccination rate of nearly 90%. 

I think in time that New Zealanders will once again look upon Ardern's leadership with respect and admiration. As it stands, I'm sorry to see her go. 

Night Court Shouldn't Have Been Called Back Into Session

 

This evening marked the long-awaited reboot of Night Court on NBC. 

The original aired on NBC from 1984 to 1992. Although Night Court was intended as a vehicle for Harry Anderson, it was John Larroquette whose portrayal of Assistant District Attorney Dan Fielding made him a breakout star earning him four consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy. Larroquette likely would have won several more Emmys but requested not to be nominated again. Although Anderson had his share of moments, if not for Larroquette, Night Court would not have lasted a decade.

Sadly, most of the main cast has now passed away including Anderson as well as Markie Post and Charles Robinson who passed away within a month of one another in 2021. Richard Moll (who turned 80 earlier this month) and Marsha Warfield are still among us but there's no indication if they will join the festivities even if only as guests.

It would be a shame if it doesn't come to pass because I'm not sure how long the 75-year old Larroquette can carry the show on his shoulders. Melissa Rauch of Big Bang Theory fame stars as Judge Abby Stone, daughter of the late Harry Stone. Unfortunately, Rauch possesses none of Anderson's charm and is just plain annoying. It might have been wiser had Rauch remained in an executive producer capacity. Meanwhile, Lacretta is a pale imitation of Warfield while India de Beaufort and Kapil Talwalkar are both nondescript. 

While Larroquette is the only reason worth watching this reboot, he is hamstrung by two things. First, Rauch turns Dan Fielding into a defense attorney. This just doesn't work. Second, Fielding was driven by lust and in the #MeToo era this aspect of his character will likely be muted.

I hate to say it but as Columbo should have been confined to the late 1960's and 1970's. Night Court should have been confined to the 1980's and early 1990s. Night Court shouldn't have been called back into session. 

Two Reasons Why Republicans Are Interested in Biden's Home Visitor Logs, But Not in Who Visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago

In the wake of classified documents having been discovered at President Biden's home in Delaware, Republicans are demanding visitor logs. 

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer made this demand in writing to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain stating, "Without a list of individuals who have visited his residence, the American people will never know who had access to these highly sensitive documents." 

However, Comer has no such concerns when it comes to visitor logs to Mar-a-Lago. In an interview with CNN, Comer stated, "I don't feel like we need to spend a whole lot of time because the Democrats have done that for the past six years." 

In other words, Republicans don't think it's their job to scrutinize Trump's transgressions. There are two reasons why Republicans are taking this position both of which are self-serving.

First, there are partisan reasons. Republicans could care less if Trump wallpapers Mar-a-Lago with classified documents. This is about "owning the libs" and standards are for sissies. Republicans will have demonstrated they only care about the proper storage of classified documents when it comes to Democrats while Trump is above the law.

Second, calling for Mar-a-Lago visitor logs would give Republicans unwanted attention. How many Republican Congressmen have visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago to curry favor? A dozen? More than 100? Maybe even 200? Perhaps even Comer? In which case, how many of these Republican Congressmen had access to classified documents in Trump's possession?

This has been a bad six days for President Biden. But if Republicans insist on investigating and impeaching Biden over this while turning a blind eye to Trump's transgressions concerning classified documents then more harm could come to Republicans than to Biden come 2024. 

It is one of many reasons why the Republican Party has long been known as the Stupid Party.

A Cat Steals The Show in A Man Called Otto

 

(Picture from IMDB)

This afternoon, I went to the AMC Theatre in Boston Common to see A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks as a curmudgeonly widower who finds peace of mind. 

After sitting through more than 30 minutes of commercials and coming attractions, the movie was worth the wait. I must confess that I had read some of the reviews and had a general idea about the plot.

One thing, however, of which I was not aware was there would be a cat in this movie. You don't generally see cats in movies unless as a bad omen. As soon as I saw the feline, I knew that cat was going to adopt Otto. 

Yes, you read that right. The cat adopted Otto. As many cat owners know, you don't choose cats. They choose you.

The cat is called Smeagol and he attended the premiere of A Man Called Otto in New York City this past Monday night. I do wish Smeagol had not been made to wear a tie as cats are generally uncomfortable in costume.

Still, I'm glad he was at the premiere because he had a big role in this movie. Smeagol might not have said a word yet he said so much.

How Many More Classified Documents Are Going To Be Found in President Biden's Home?

This morning it was revealed that five more classified documents were found in President Biden's Wilmington home on Thursday. 

Will this be the end of it? Or are there more to come?

If there are more then it will be death by a thousand cuts with Biden effectively handing Republicans ammunition with defeated, former President Trump smugly smiling.

Even if this is it there's been plenty of damage done. It doesn't mean Trump is any less criminally liable for the document cache found at Mar-a-Lago. But some voters will look at Biden and few his actions as no different from those of Trump notwithstanding Trump's lack of cooperation and his lies to authorities about having turned over all classified documents. To quote Pete Townshend, "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss." And voters will feel like they've been fooled yet again.

Andrew McCutchen Returns To The Pirates

Andrew McCutchen, who wore a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform between 2009 and 2017, will return to the Bucs on a one-year deal worth $5 million. 

A first round draft pick by the Bucs in 2005, McCutchen patrolled centerfield at PNC Park for nearly a decade. He was named to five consecutive NL All-Star Teams between 2011 and 2015 earning 2013 NL MVP honors. He also finished in the top five in NL MVP voting in 2012, 2014 and 2015. 

Prior to the 2018 season, the Pirates traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants for the man who would eventually replace him in centerfield - Bryan Reynolds. Cutch would only spend a half-season by the way being dealt to the New York Yankees before signing a 3-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Last season, McCutchen played with the Milwaukee Brewers hitting .237 with 17 HR and 69 RBI in 134 games played. 

Now 36, McCutchen might have a little spring in step returning to his place of glory in Pittsburgh. McCutchen probably won't play every day but will get to DH and be a fourth outfielder. But who knows? If the Pirates accede to Reynolds' demands that he be traded then perhaps McCutchen will get more playing time and could exceed all expectations. 

McCutchen enters 2023 needing only 52 more hits for 2,000 for his career and 13 more HR to reach the 300 mark. Last season, he passed 1,000 career RBI. 

Above all else, it would be great to see the Pirates play winning baseball with McCutchen's return and, against all odds, win their first World Series title since 1979. That would make baseball worth watching again.

Robbie Bachman, R.I.P.

Robbie Bachman, the younger brother of Randy Bachman and drummer of Bachman-Turner Overdrive (a.k.a. BTO), passed away yesterday at the age of 69. No cause of death has been released. 

After Randy Bachman abruptly left The Guess Who in 1970, he returned to his native Winnipeg and began jamming with his teenaged brother Robbied who was as natural a talent on drums as Randy was on guitar. Soon they were joined by original Guess Who lead singer Chad Allan and formed the band Brave Belt. The trio expanded into a quintet with the addition of bassist and singer C. Fred Turner and middle brother Tim Bachman on guitar (who would later be replaced by Blair Thornton). 

Brave Belt would record two unheralded albums before morphing into Bachman-Turner Overdrive after the departure of Allan. In addition to playing drums, the youngest Bachman was also credited with designing the band's logo and would co-write the song "Rollin' Down The Highway" with Turner. 

The Bachmans would have recurring disagreements over the Bachman-Turner Overdrive and BTO names resulting in various legal actions against one another. But the elder Bachman would say of his sibling upon his passing, "Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer," in reference to the recent passing of the guitar legend earlier this week. 

I leave you with Robbie Bachman letting it ride. R.I.P.

Claiming Classified Documents Were Planted is a Lazy Argument From Both Democrats & Republicans

Georgia Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson is claiming classified documents could have been planted at President Biden's home. In an interview with Fox News, Johnson stated:

I’m also aware of the fact that things can be planted on people… things can be planted in places and then discovered conveniently. That may be what has occurred here. I’m not ruling that out. But I’m open in terms of the investigation needs to be investigated

Um, no.

Barring evidence in support of such an assertion (which Johnson does not have) then it is nothing more than a lazy argument.

It's every bit as lazy as Texas Republican Congressman Ronny Jackson's claim last August that the FBI had planted classified documents during the the raid on Mar-a-Lago. 

No one trusts the FBI or the DOJ anymore. I don’t trust them any further than I can throw that entire building. So this is just their attempt to try to stave off the special master. Who knows what they got out of there. I don’t trust these people at all.

They came in, they spent nine hours in there. They walked in with backpacks, they kicked out the president’s lawyers, the Secret Service agents. Who knows, in my opinion, I’m just going to say, if they told me they found something I wouldn’t know that they actually found it there or said they found it there or if they just said they found it there. I don’t trust this organization anymore. The American people don’t trust this organization anymore.

Again, no. Just no.

Erosion of trust in our public institutions is accelerated when elected officials are content to recite conspiracy theories instead of providing sobriety and introspection.

Lisa Marie Presley, R.I.P.

Singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley died today of a cardiac arrest. She was 54.

Her passing comes only 48 hours after she made her final public appearance with her mother Priscilla Presley at the Golden Globes Awards ceremony in support of the film Elvis.

Although Presley released three critically acclaimed albums between 2003 and 2012, fair or not, she will first and foremost be remembered as the only child of Elvis Presley. She will also be remembered for her multiple marriages including to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage.

In 2020, Presley's eldest son took his own life. This cannot have helped either or physical or mental well-being. The same must be said for Priscilla Presley who had to bury her husband, her grandson and now her only child. 

I leave you with Lisa Marie Presley's cover of Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry". R.I.P.

Garland Appoints Special Prosecutor After Revelation of Classified Documents Discovered at Biden's Delaware Home

I had a bad feeling that there would be classified documents discovered at President Biden's home in Delaware.

Today, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a Special Prosecutor to look into classified documents found in an office used by President Biden between leaving the White House as Vice-President as well as classified documents found in the garage of his home in Delaware.

Garland appointed Robert Hur, a former U.S. Attorney out of Maryland who served during the Trump Administration, to oversee the matter. Still, Republicans smell blood in the water and as long as more documents turn up or it is found there were unnecessary delays in turning over all classified documents then this is going to be an albatross over Biden's head which will grow bigger with each passing day. Indeed, DOJ learned of a third discovery of a classified document at Biden's residence only this morning.

Of course, Republicans are bound to overreach while ignoring Trump's transgressions when it comes to classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. But as I keep saying if this story continues to have legs, then eventually Democrats will call upon Biden not to run again or even step down and allow Kamala Harris to assume the presidency. 

Biden's Legal Team Discloses a Second Set of Classified Documents at an Undisclosed Location

Oh, boy!!! Scarcely 48 hours after President Biden's legal team disclosed the discovery of classified documents at an office used between leaving office as Vice-President and launching his own presidential campaign, another set of classified documents has been discovered at a second location.

At this point, we don't know how many documents there were, what level of classification and where this second location is. The latter might be the most critical point of all should it come to light that classified documents were discovered at his personal residence in Delaware. 

Then there is also the question of whether there is more to come. If there is then not only will Republicans be salivating for impeachment, but as I suggested yesterday Democrats are bound to call upon Biden to not run for a second term or perhaps even resign and let Kamala Harris be sworn in as President. 

If there had been no other discovery of classified documents in Biden's possession, then perhaps the spotlight would have turned to Republicans hammering Biden tooth and nail while looking the other way at defeated, former President Trump's malfeasance where it concerns the possession of classified documents and his lack of co-operation in returning them to the NARA. 

But now, as the old saying goes, where there is smoke there is fire. And if there are classified documents, especially of a top-secret nature in Biden's personal residence then I suspect a lot of independent voters won't view Biden much differently than they do Trump.

Then there is the question of whether Attorney General Merrick Garland will bring charges against Trump. Whatever Biden's transgressions are concerning the handling of classified material they ought not to have any bearing on whether Trump is charged. However, the cold reality is that it is impossible to separate politics from the law. Charging Trump will open Garland to questions as to whether he is charging Trump to deflect from scrutiny into Biden. It is also possible that the ever cautious Garland might decide not to prosecute Trump in order not to be seen as impartial although this certainly won't matter with Republicans. 

While there are facts which remain unknown, at the risk of being melodramatic, this is very likely the beginning of the end of the Biden presidency.

Jeff Beck, R.I.P.

Jeff Beck, one of rock 'n roll's greatest guitarists, passed away suddenly yesterday after contracting bacterial meningitis. He was 78. 

Among those at Beck's bedside was Johnny Depp with whom he released his final album last year.

Although Beck is best known for his association with The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group as well as Beck, Bogert & Appice there probably isn't a musician living or dead over the past six decades with whom Beck hasn't performed or recorded. Eric Clapton (whom he succeeded in The Yardbirds), Jimmy Page (who succeeded him in The Yardbirds), Rod Stewart, Keith Moon, Jon Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins, Ron Wood, David Bowie, Stanley Clarke, Felix Pappalardi, The Funk Brothers, Steve Cropper, Donovan, Sting, Phil Collins, Bob Geldof, Nicolette Larson, Jon Bon Jovi, Kate Bush, Paul Rodgers, David Gilmour, Kelly Clarkson, Tal Wilkenfeld and Johnny Depp.

And I have probably only scratched the surface.

There is not much more which I can say about Jeff Beck because he let his guitar do the talking. Although he is now gone, his guitar will still have plenty to tell us. R.I.P.

Correa Set to Return to Twins After Free Agent Deals with Giants & Mets Flounder

It appears that Carlos Correa will continue to wear a Minnesota Twins uniform after all. Correa reportedly signed a 6-year, $200 million deal with the Twins. Vesting options could make the deal worth $270 million over 10 seasons. 

The deal, of course, is subject to a physical.

This is the rub. Prior to last season, Correa signed a 3-year, $105 million contract with the Twins. In early November, following the season, Correa opted out. Last month, he signed a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. But the Giants balked at the last minute after he failed a physical. 

The Giants were heavily criticized for their decision to walk away from Correa as he was promptly scooped up by the New York Mets to the tune of $315 million over 12 years. But the Mets would raise concerns of their own regarding Correa's physical condition within 72 hours of the new deal. Well, at least Correa didn't turn out to be the Mets' next Bobby Bonilla. 

Given the Twins' familiarity with Correa I suspect they won't have the same concerns. But if they do then that tells me something has fundamentally changed about Correa's condition.

Let us assume for argument's sake that the Twins have no issues with Correa's medical reports. If I am a Twins fan, then I'm not sure how I would feel about a guy who wanted to leave and only came back after two other suitors balked on him. However, if Correa leads the Twins to their first World Series title since 1991 then any such bad feelings would be forgiven. 

But first Correa must pass a physical.

Republicans Will Probably Try to Impeach Biden Over Classified Docs Found at His UPenn Office in D.C.

On Monday, news broke that a personal attorney for President Biden found classified documents while closing out the office in Washington, D.C. he used while affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania after leaving the Vice-Presidency and before he launched his presidential campaign.

There were 10 classified documents found dated between 2013 and 2016 concerning the U.K., Ukraine and Iran. It is unclear how many are top secret. 

The attorney in question promptly contacted the National Archives and Records Administration which collected the document and notified the Office of Attorney General Merrick Garland who referred the matter to U.S. Attorney John Lausch, Jr., who is a holdover from the Trump Administration. Lausch has submitted preliminary findings to Garland who must determine if there is any further investigation. 

The fact that Biden's attorney promptly disclosed the discovery of classified documents (unlike Trump) won't matter one iota to Republicans whether or not Garland pursues the matter further (but especially if he doesn't), I believe Republicans will probably try to impeach Biden over this matter. As long as House Speaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, er, Kevin McCarthy is in charge impeachment proceedings are guaranteed. Greene has long clamored for Biden's impeachment and did so again only hours before the news broke. 

There are certainly reasonable questions as to how these classified documents ended up in Biden's private office. But we're not dealing with reasonable people here. We're dealing with Republicans who believe in every conspiracy theory under the sun. Given that some of the documents concern Ukraine there will certainly be an effort to tie this to Hunter Biden's business activities in that country. Then there is also the fact the discovery took place on November 2nd - six days before the midterm elections. Republicans will demand to know why the story wasn't made public immediately especially in view of the fact they didn't get their red wave. 

Should Republicans pursue impeachment against Biden, then they risk doing harm to themselves. After all, defeated, former President Trump practically had top secret documents wall papered at Mar-a-Lago. When Trump was under the microscope Republicans like Congressman Ronny Jackson claimed the FBI or DOJ planted the evidence. Another Republican Congressman Mike Turner said Trump was only keeping classified documents at Mar-a-Lago so he could write a memoir. Trump himself made the claim the classified documents were his personal property and that he could declassify documents by way of telepathy. Needless to say, Republicans won't give Biden any of that dispensation. As such, a lot of voters will view any impeachment proceedings against Biden by Republicans with great skepticism and suspicion. 

On the other hand, Biden has not publicly announced if he will seek re-election next year. Should this matter persist throughout 2023 then Democrats are bound to become vocal about him not running. 

Yet let's keep in mind that if the Republican Congress doesn't try to impeach Biden over classified documents, then they try to impeach him on something else. They have nothing else to offer the country.

White Sox Closer Liam Hendriks Discloses Cancer Diagnosis

Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks has announced he has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins's lymphoma and will begin treatment tomorrow. 

The Australian born righty has pitched in MLB since 2011 with the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and two stints with the Toronto Blue Jays before emerging as one of baseball's premier closers in 2019 while with the Oakland A's. Prior to the 2021 season, Hendriks signed a three-year contract with the Chisox. Hendriks has been named to three consecutive AL All-Star Teams. Since 2019, Hendriks has saved 114 games.

Hendriks, who turns 34 next month, has also emerged as one of baseball's most civic minded and outspoken individuals with his vocal support for the LGBTQ community, stronger gun control laws and blasted the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

Although Hendriks in the last year of his contract with the White Sox, the team can exercise to renew his contract for the 2024 season. But this is a small matter given that Hendriks is now in the fight of his life. However, given his outspoken nature I think Hendriks might very well have the last word when it comes to cancer.

Michael Fanone is The New Frank Serpico

 

Although I do a lot of reading, I rarely buy books especially new ones. Moving three times in the space of three years makes one hesitant to accumulate too much stuff. But one person who has fascinated me over the past couple of years is former police officer Michael Fanone whose life was forever changed by the events of January 6, 2021, which he details in his book Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop's Battle for America's Soul co-authored with Reuters journalist John Shiffman.

Fanone was among hundreds of officers who defended the U.S. Capitol from Trump supporting insurrectionists who were trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Fanone was dragged outside of the Capitol beaten with weapons including a flagpole with a "Blue Lives Matter" banner and tased resulting in a heart attack and traumatic brain injury. 

With his tattoos which augment his blunt plainspokenness and the fact he had once voted for Trump, Fanone became an unlikely spokesman against authoritarianism. All of this made me want to buy his book. I read all 200 plus pages last night.

Before I bought the book, my impression of Fanone is that he is a modern day Frank Serpico. Those of a certain age will remember Frank Serpico as the New York City police officer who exposed police corruption and nearly lost his life for it as dramatized in the 1973 film Serpico starring Al Pacino. 

While Serpico faced the ire of his fellow police officers for exposing the graft they received, Fanone faced resistance from both police management and the police union for speaking out against the insurrection because many police officers support Trump and his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Look what I found when I came to page 202:

I spoke to another officer with executive-level connections who warned me that the MPD (Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia) brass and mayor's office believed that I'd become a divisive figure within the department. Trump supporters inside the force - and there were hundreds of them - were growing louder and bolder in their objections to my public statements. Incredibly, some pro-Trump cops were opposed to prosecuting anyone arrested during the January 6th insurrection for assaulting police officers.

The personal animosity toward me had grown so strong, my friend told me, that some MPD leaders worried that if I returned to street patrol, I might end up like Frank Serpico. The NYPD whistleblower was shot under mysterious circumstances in 1971, and nearly died awaiting a suspiciously delayed response. 

In other words, my friend warned me, I'd become inconvenient

Fanone would retire from the MPD on December 31, 2021 and joined CNN as an on-air contributor and has remained in the public eye earning a Presidential Citizens Medal on the 2nd anniversary of the January 6th attacks for his role in defending the U.S. Capitol while warning us that American democracy remains in danger:

The events of that day felt like a wake-up call for me – and many others – that political violence is real. The worst part is that our elected leaders allow this to happen. And yet, this week people who encouraged and even attended the insurrection are now taking their places as leaders in the new House majority.

There is one other key difference between Serpico and Fanone. After what Serpico endured, he went into exile spending a decade in Switzerland before returning to this country and becoming an activist. Fanone, on the other hand isn't going anywhere because he still needs to the hold the line. The question remains is how many among us will join him. 

Adam Rich is Really Dead This Time

Actor Adam Rich, best known for his portrayal of the precocious Nicholas Bradford on ABC's Eight is Enough from 1977 to 1981 passed away yesterday. No cause of death was given. He was 54. 

I have to confess that when I saw the headline, I had some skepticism.

After all, back in 1996 Rich participated in a death hoax along with an obscure magazine out of San Francisco called Might which had published a story that Rich had been murdered. Intended as a satire on celebrity culture, it had the effect of cruelly rendering Rich's TV father Dick Van Patten inconsolable. 

However, it appears that it is not a hoax this time around. All of us must go at some time and Rich's time has now come. He might not have been part of the 27 club, but 54 is still an awfully young age to leave this world. R.I.P.

Biden Administration Condemns Coup Attempt in Brazil by Bolsonaro Supporters; Will The GOP Congress?

Today, supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attacked that country's presidential palace, congress and supreme court in a manner reminiscent of the January 6th attacks on Capitol Hill two years ago. 

Last October, Bolsonaro was defeated at the polls by Lula da Silva, returning to power after a 12-year absence. Much like defeated, former President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro and his supporters questioned the legitimacy of the results. 

The one key difference is that the January 6th attacks were launched in an effort to prevent the peaceful transition of power by blocking the certification of the 2020 election. Despite their efforts, Joe Biden would be inaugurated as this country's 46th President exactly two weeks later. 

Lula, on the other hand, was inaugurated a week ago. Nevertheless, this was a coup attempt and it has been condemned by the Biden Administration and numerous other governments. 

My question is whether the House of Representatives will be able to pass a resolution condemning the attack. After all, a great many members in the Republican majority are election deniers and Bolsonaro is viewed as an ally of Trump. 

A further wrinkle in all of this is that Bolsonaro has been in Florida since losing the election. One cannot help but wonder if he will soon receive an audience with Trump to heap praise upon him and his supporters for their unlawful actions. 

There might be some Republicans who will condemn today's action but I suspect that the Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert will not do so notwithstanding their recent disagreements over Kevin McCarthy. I also cannot see McCarthy condemning Bolsonaro supporters especially if Trump goes out on a limb for him. 

While I am not a big fan of Lula and he could use this attack as a pretext for committing abuses of his own, he was nevertheless legitimately elected as President of Brazil and thus the actions of Bolsonaro and his supporters are no more acceptable than the actions of Trump and the MAGA crowd here in the United States.

Bill Campbell, R.I.P.

Former MLB relief pitcher Bill Campbell passed away on Friday of cancer. He was 74. 

A native of Michigan who began playing baseball after moving to California, Campbell had the unusual distinction of being among the few MLB players who saw combat duty serving in Vietnam.

After his tour of duty in Vietnam, Campbell played semi-pro baseball and was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Twins late in the 1970 season at the relatively advanced age of 22. Campbell would make his big-league debut with the Twins in 1973 finding his niche out of the bullpen.

Campbell's breakout season was in 1976 when he went 17-5 with a 3.01 ERA with 20 saves in a league leading 78 appearances. Back then relievers pitched multiple innings. In all, Campbell tossed 167.2 for the Twins in 1976 earning him the inaugural AL Rolaids Relief Award. 

On the strength of this performance, Campbell would sign a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox for $1 million over 5 years. At the time, Campbell was only the third free agent in MLB history after Catfish Hunter and Andy Messersmith. 

In 1977, Campbell would earn his second consecutive AL Rolaids Relief Award when he saved a league leading 31 saves along with record of 13-9 with a 2.96 ERA. Unfortunately for Campbell, the heavy workload took a toll on his arm and he was never a dominant pitcher again.

However, Campbell would remain in the majors for another decade reinventing himself as a dependable middle reliever with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers before finishing his career with the Montreal Expos. In 1982, while with the Cubs, Campbell would lead in the NL in appearances with 82 and would pitch in the World Series for the 1985 NL champion Cardinals. 

In exactly 700 MLB appearances, Campbell went 83-68 with a 3.54 ERA with 126 saves. R.I.P.