NY Democrats Oust Bowman While Colorado Republicans Reward Boebert

(via Yahoo)

Nearly four years ago, Democrat Jamaal Bowman and Republican Lauren Boebert scored upset victories in their party's respective congressional primaries in New York and Colorado.

At the time, I wrote, "From where I sit both Bowman and Boebert represent two sides of the same coin. They personify the clowns on the left, jokers to the right mentality which has besieged American politics."

The intervening four years has done nothing to change my assessment of either Bowman or Boebert. 

Tonight, both Bowman and Boebert faced their respective voters in their party's primary with very different results.

Democratic voters in New York's 16th Congressional District have ousted Bowman in favor of Westchester County Executive George Latimer. 

Meanwhile, Boebert's gambit of switching congressional districts (from 3rd to 4th) following Ken Buck's sudden retirement has paid off as she handily won her new district GOP primary despite her boorish behavior and accusations of being a carpetbagger. Boebert switched districts after narrowly beating Adam Frisch by scarcely 500 votes in 2022 and a 2024 rematch would not have boded well for her. 

Well, voters batted .500 tonight.

I am delighted that Bowman will soon be gone from the halls of Congress. He is a vicious anti-Semite who claimed Israel was lying when it said Hamas had raped women. His "apology" a few days ago was not act of contrition, but rather an act of desperation as it was becoming evident that he would going to lose his re-election bid. Bowman took a not so thinly veiled shot at Jews when he declared at a rally over the weekend it was "the many vs. the money". Of course, that was among the cleaner things Bowman uttered during an appearance filled with an excess of expletives.

Even if one set aside his prejudice towards Jews, Bowman's conduct in Congress was far from exemplary as was the case when he pulled a fire alarm on Capitol Hill. Republican members have done much worse or have looked a blind eye at worse, but that doesn't excuse Bowman's behavior. In any case, Democratic voters in New York's 16th decided they had enough of Bowman's antics. 

I wish I could say the same of Republican voters in Colorado's 4th. But when you consider that Donald Trump is the Republican standard bearer then one can expect an absence of standards where it concerns public behavior. Of course, it did no harm that Trump endorsed Boebert back in March.

All of which means we can expect more of Boebert's pro-QAnon, January 6th boosterism and confrontations with Orthodox Jews while heckling President Biden as he speaks of his deceased son with a touch of groping and vaping. 

We might have one fewer clown on the left, but we still have to put up with the joker on the right. 

Those Who Attacked Jews Outside L.A. Synagogue Are Hooligans, Not Protesters

Let's call those who attacked Jews with their fists, with sticks and pepper spray and bear spray preventing them from entering Adas Torah Synagogue in Los Angeles on Sunday for who they are.

Those who prevent Jews from entering a house of worship by violent means are not protesters. 

They are hooligans.

Those who assembled outside Adas Torah do not wish to engage in civil discourse or achieve social change. They wish to rid their neighborhood of Jews and in time all of L.A., all of America and all of the world up to and including Israel. This is what they mean when they chant "Free Palestine".

President Biden, Vice-President Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass are correct in characterizing the behavior of these hooligans as anti-Semitic. 

Now those responsible for visiting this violence upon Adas Torah synagogue must be brought to justice. Failure to do so will ensure that these acts of hooliganism masquerading as a protest will happen again. And if it does then I'm afraid Jews are going to be killed and those responsible for killing Jews will celebrate their actions just as Hamas did on October 7th. 

Canada Must Wait Yet Another Year For a Stanley Cup as Edmonton Oilers Fall to Florida Panthers in 7 Games

Canadian hockey fans must wait yet another year for the Stanley Cup to return north of the border as the Edmonton Oilers fell 2-1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 7. 

The Oilers made a valiant effort as they erased an 0-3 deficit to the Panthers. It was the Panthers first ever Stanley Cup trophy. 

Edmonton won its last Stanley Cup in 1990. The last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadiens who did so in 1993. Since Montreal's triumph, Canadian teams have made the Stanley Cup final only seven times and have failed all seven times - Vancouver Canucks (1994, 2011), Calgary Flames (2004), Ottawa Senators (2007), Montreal Canadiens (2021) and the Oilers (2006, 2024).

Let me put it another way. Prior to 1993, the longest a Canadian team went without winning a Stanley Cup was five seasons between 1936 and 1940 and almost entirely at the expense of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Nothing against the Florida Panthers. They earned their championship and I'm sure there are plenty of transplants from Canada and the Northern U.S. living in Miami who enjoy hockey. But in Canada hockey means more than life itself. 

When that drought does end, Canada is going to party until every last drop of Labatt and Molson are gone.

The Boston Red Sox Have Made a Claim on The 3rd AL Wild Card Spot

Amid the triumph and the afterglow of the Boston Celtics' NBA championship, the Boston Red Sox have been playing under the radar. But that might not last for very long.

Following Sunday's 7-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the Red Sox have won 9 of their last 11 games and have supplanted the Kansas City Royals, who have now lost 11 of their last 14 games, for the 3rd AL Wild Card spot behind the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles. 

With nearly half the season over, the Red Sox are now 42-36. Although they are 9 games back of the division leading New York Yankees, they have been making their presence felt having recently taken 2 out of 3 from both the Bronx Bombers and the Philadelphia Phillies who own the best record in the NL. 

While there is another three weeks before the All-Star Break with the dog days of summer to follow, the Bosox have thus far exceeded expectations for 2024 following back-to-back last place finishes in the AL East in 2022 and 2023. If the Red Sox continue to play as they have recently, they may also emerge as one of the best stories in the 2024 MLB season with a relatively unknown cast of characters which includes Enmanuel Valdez, Ceddanne Rafaela and David Hamilton. 

The Red Sox end the month of June with a six game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays who are currently in the cellar of the AL East having lost six a row before facing the San Diego Padres who have the 3rd NL Wild Card spot with a .500 record. 

With that said, the Red Sox have played better away from Fenway Park with a 24-16 mark while going only 18-20 thus far when within the friendly confines. But perhaps the best is still yet to come in the shadow of the Green Monster.

Ben Bailey Carries on After "Cash Cab"

 

As some of you might know, I work in Boston's Seaport District as do a great many people in the Metro Boston area. Some days it seems like half of New England disembarks at the Courthouse Station stop on the Silver Line. 

While the Seaport District is known for a vibrant office culture by day, it is also considered a popular nightspot. However, I have largely designated the Seaport District as a work zone. Aside from the occasional overtime work-from-home project, playtime is reserved for Cambridge, Somerville and other parts of Boston.

However, tonight I made an exception, as I made my way to the Seaport District to see Ben Bailey perform his standup comedy routine at Laugh Boston in the Westin Hotel. 

Bailey is best known for his 15-year tenure as the host of Cash Cab on the Discovery Channel and later on Bravo. I did not become familiar with the show until I began living with Dad in New York City in 2018 as we would watch reruns. Sometimes we would visit destinations where passengers were dropped off. 

Not only was this the first time I've ventured out to the Seaport District for a social occasion, but it has also probably been at least 20 years since I've actually been to a comedy club. I remember seeing Wendy Liebman on a couple of occasions when the Comedy Connection had a location at Faneuil Hall. 

While I like to laugh, I don't find most standup comedians to be funny. One of the reasons I like Liebman is that she relies on wordplay. Too many comedians rely on foul language. Now foul language can certainly be funny when deployed strategically but when you hear it all the time it is a classic case of the law of diminishing returns and ceases to be amusing.

The venue itself left a great deal to be desired. While they do not restrict bags like the Wilbur Theatre, they do search them and also conduct airport style body searches and make you take everything out of your pockets. I understand we live in a dangerous world, but having to do this is not conducive to a relaxing evening out on the town especially when you're trying not to drop anything as you hold up the line. 

Once inside the venue, it is very dark and hard to navigate the seats and the tables. It also wasn't until well into the opening acts that I received any kind of food service. When I did get service, I made a simple order of fries rather than attempt to get a pizza without cheese given my most recent visit to City Winery. 

I was also not impressed with the acoustics of Laugh Boston. Granted, I was sitting in the back, but I had difficulty hearing what the comedians were saying. However, it was probably just as well because what I did hear from the opening acts wasn't funny.

Things would improve when Bailey hit the stage. Bailey spent his set about what woodchucks think when they are hoisted into the air for Groundhog Day, doing riffs on various laughs and the old comedic standby of riding in airplanes. Bailey said he couldn't understand why flying was so exhausting when it all it is "sitting in a series of chairs in a climate-controlled environment where they bring you snacks." Amid all this, strange things were happening with the lighting and with his microphone, but Bailey made lemons out of lemonade and got the audience to laugh with him. 

Bailey also reminisced about his days on Cash Cab. While he has fond memories, he was ready to hang up his hack license because, "It's difficult to maintain a game show level of enthusiasm while navigating New York City traffic with annoying passengers in tow." Bailey added that he was at a point where he was ready to speed down Houston Street and plow straight into the Hudson River. 

Following the show, Bailey met with audience members to take pictures and sign autographs. I should not that Bailey stands 6,6 and is a foot taller than I am. But even if he were my height, he would still be a giant of a man. He readily agreed to sign my ticket to Dad, "Hi Steve, You're in the Cash Cab." I told Bailey that Dad would often tell cabbies, "You're in the Cash Cab," much to their annoyance. Bailey replied, "Yeah, they don't like that too much." No doubt, Dad will be happy to get this autograph when I visit him during Fourth of July weekend.

Ben Bailey has been doing standup comedy for more than 30 years and hopefully he will continue to perform for many more years to come. Maybe one day Dad and I can see him together even if it is not in the Cash Cab. 

I Remember Donald Sutherland as a Fan of The Montreal Expos

 

(via the Montreal Gazette)

As you probably know by now, actor Donald Sutherland passed away today in Florida at the age of 88. 

While the Canadian born thespian was best known to the world as an actor who captivated audiences for decades with his distinctive appearance and deep resonant voice, my first memories of him in the early 1980's are as a passionate fan of the now long defunct Montreal Expos. Of course, the early 1980's was when I got into baseball and the Expos were the first team for which I rooted. Indeed, I attended my very first MLB game in Montreal watching the Expos lose to the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in 12 innings with my Dad, and maternal grandfather. As I recall, Sutherland was at the game. 

For a time, Sutherland was as much of a fixture at Expos game in Olympic Stadium as Jack Nicholson was on courtside during L.A. Lakers games. He even cheered for them on the road whether at Shea Stadium to play against the New York Mets or at Veterans Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

As you can see, he is pictured above sitting in the Expos dugout listening intently to future Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams. The picture was taken in 1981, the only season the Expos made the post-season before departing for D.C. in 2005. Williams would not last through that strike-shortened season being replaced by Jim Fanning early that September. 

Sutherland would lend his voice to a two-part documentary series titled Les Expos Nos Amours covering their first 20 years of existence in both Jarry Park and Olympic Stadium telling the story of Les Expos as only he could.

Last October, when Canada Post honored Sutherland with a stamp, while lamenting about the early exit of the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2023 MLB post-season, Sutherland made a point of stating, “Of course, my team is the Expos. They’re gone.”

Sadly, Donald Sutherland is gone too. R.I.P.

No Celtics Parade For Me (Or What Am I Going to do on Juneteenth?)

When the Boston Celtics won the NBA Final against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, it was my hope that a parade would be held today as most people are off work because of Juneteenth.

However, the parade will be held on Friday morning instead. Since I will be at work, I shall not be in attendance. 

It is probably just as well that is not held today. As I write this, it is 91 degrees outside, and it expected to feel anywhere between 95 and 105 degrees. 

While rain is expected on Friday, the precipitation probably won't arrive until the late afternoon and early evening after festivities have concluded and temperatures aren't forecast to reach 90 degrees though it'll get close. Then again, having the parade on Friday will be helpful to Boston and surrounding area school children who will have finished classes by then.

In lieu of a Celtics parade, I had given thought to going to Walden Pond but there will be no swimming due to high bacteria levels. 

Methinks I will head to Crystal Lake in Newton which shall be open today due to the heat. As hot as it might be today, I don't want to spend a summer holiday couped up indoors all day. Don't worry. I'll stay hydrated.

Willie Mays Was My Dad's Favorite Baseball Player

As you may know by now, baseball legend Willie Mays passed away today at the age of 93.

Mays death comes only after he informed the San Francisco Chronicle he would not be in attendance at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama tomorrow night for the game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals honoring the Negro Leagues as well as his own legacy. Mays began his professional career as a teenager with the Birmingham Black Barons before signing with the New York Giants. The game will now be for all intents and purposes a public memorial to Mays. 

There are those who considered Mays the greatest to ever play baseball - even higher than Babe Ruth as was the case with Maury Allen's 1980 book Baseball's 100: A Personal Ranking of the Best Players in Baseball History. Wherever he ultimately ranks, Mays is usually in the Top 3 along with Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron.

In 23 seasons, with the New York/San Francisco Giants and New York Mets, Mays was named to 24 NL All-Star Teams, won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves for his play in centerfield, earned 2 NL MVPs in 1954 and 1965, drove in 100 or more runs 10 times, led the NL in HR four times, led the NL in stolen bases four consecutive seasons and even managed to steal 23 bases as a 40-year old. While Mays only collected more than 200 hits once in his career, he finished with nearly 3,300 hits (3,293). A lifetime .301 hitter, Mays belted 660 HR and drove in 1909 RBIs. If Mays hadn't missed part of the 1952 season and all of the 1953 season due to military service, he surely would have topped 700 HRs. 

Willie Mays was also my Dad's favorite baseball player. That was certainly true of lot of Dads especially those who grew up in and around New York. During my Dad's formative years, New York was home to three MLB teams - New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants with the latter team being his favored squad. Dad had the opportunity to spend many an afternoon at the Polo Grounds in the hope of meeting the Say Hey Kid. While this did not come to pass, he would meet Stan "The Man" Musial after a Giants-Cardinals game was rained out. But that's another story for another day. 

For now, courtesy of the I leave you with "The Catch" from Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. R.I.P.

Boston Celtics Win NBA Record 18th Title; First Since 2008

For the first time in over 5 years, Boston is Title Town again.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Final to win their first NBA Title since 2008. In fact, their last title came 16 years ago tonight. The Celtics have now supplanted the Los Angeles Lakers in winning the most NBA titles with 18. Jaylen Brown earned NBA Finals MVP honors. 

Although this is 12th championship the city of Boston has won since 2002, it marks the first championship since the New England Patriots won Super Bowl LIII in 2019. 

As of this writing, there has been no formal announcement for a victory parade. But with Juneteenth taking this Wednesday and most people having the day off, it would make a world of sense for the parade to take place the day after tomorrow, but we'll see what Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has to say about it.

On a personal note, it will be my first Celtics parade. I was at work during the 2008 parade. I've been to three Red Sox World Series parades (2004, 2007 and 2013), one Bruins Stanley Cup parade (2011) and one Patriots Super Bowl parade (2017 - when the Pats came back from being down 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons). 

I'll have to find a way to navigate crowds and manage the heat as it is expected to hit 97 degrees on Wednesday.

I Finally Got My $75 Back From The Wilbur Theatre

 

I have some good news to report. Late this afternoon, I received a check in the mail from the Wilbur Theatre in the amount of $75.

As you might recall, I was going to attend a concert by Emmylou Harris last March but was denied entry because of the bag I was carrying with me. To add insult to injury, the Wilbur Theatre not only refused me entry into their establishment but informed me they were going to keep my $75 despite not having rendered any service. 

Following the post, I reached out yet again to their box office by phone and then subsequently contacted them by email in an effort to get a refund. I was refused over the phone while my email was ignored.

In early April, after returning from my trip to Thunder Bay, I contacted the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation who recommended I file a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General and I took their advice.

In early May, I was contacted by email by an intern working with the Cambridge Consumers' Council (CCC_, an entity of the City of Cambridge and works in cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General to resolve consumer complaints. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I opted to be open minded and let the process run its course.

The CCC asked me to furnish them with a copy of my ticket so they could reach out to the Wilbur Theatre. At the end of May, the CCC notified me the Wilbur Theater had offered me and a guest a chance to attend an upcoming event of my choice at their venue. However, I declined this overture.

My reason for declining this offer was that it was made only as a result of the CCC's intervention on behalf of the Massachusetts Attorney General. This was not something the Wilbur Theatre was prepared to do of its own volition when I reached out to them over the phone and by email. Had they done so, I might have given that offer greater consideration.

However, under the circumstances, I do not wish to spend another penny at the Wilbur Theatre and want nothing more to do with them. After all, what assurances did I have that they wouldn't try to pull another stunt? Why should I trust them to make good on such an offer? Besides, at this point, I simply wanted my $75. I considered it a matter of principle and told the CCC that is I what I wished.

The CCC subsequently informed me earlier this month the Wilbur agreed to refund my money. Of course, the Wilbur did drag their feet by asking for my Ticketmaster account. However, I had to remind the CCC that I did not utilize Ticketmaster as I had purchased the ticket in person at their box office. With that, the Wilbur could no longer stall and finally did what they should have done nearly three months ago - give me my $75 back.

Of course, I wish this incident had never transpired. I wish they would have allowed me into their venue. I would have rather seen and heard Emmylou Harris perform than have to gone through this process. But since I was denied entry into the concert, I am pleased that I stood my ground and that it paid off. 

In life, one must choose one's battles wisely even if there is no guarantee of a satisfactory outcome. In this particular instance, I had to fight this battle. When I pay money for a product or service, I expect to receive that product or service. If I pay money only to be denied a product or service, then it is incumbent upon the merchant to return my money. 

The Wilbur Theatre tried to have it both ways by denying me their services while keeping my money. This I could not tolerate. Now that this has been resolved I can only hope the Wilbur will do right by people when situations such as my own arise in the future.

I would like to take a moment to thank the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Cambridge Consumers' Council for their work in resolving this matter. It just goes to show that government can be useful and work in the interests of everyday people. 

I would also encourage people, wherever they might live, to utilize these tools to get their money back should they become victim of unfair and unsavory business practices. We do not have to accept conduct which is unacceptable. 

Thoughts on Today's Shooting of a High School Graduate in Boston's Seaport District

Early this afternoon, I was alerted by the gentleman with whom I share an office that a young woman had been shot following a high school graduation ceremony a short distance from the building where I work in Boston's Seaport District. 

My colleague had been outside and saw a woman crying on a bench. This was how he learned about what had happened. There was also a large police presence and one of our building's parking garages in had been sealed off. 

The good news is that the young woman's injuries are not life threatening.

The bad news is that the suspect is still at large. 

The Seaport District is a very busy area especially as the weather gets warmer with tourists mixing in with office workers on their lunch breaks. The area is considered safe, and crime is uncommon But, of course, anything can happen anywhere at any time. However, I went outside about 90 minutes later, and you would never have known there was a commotion. 

Today's incident reminded me of the shooting which took at the Arts Center MARTA Station in Atlanta just down the road from One Atlantic Center where I was working at the time. One Atlantic Center went on lockdown. This did not happen in the building where I currently work. I gather Boston Police had determined the shooter had fled the area and there was no further danger to the public. 

I have been in the vicinity of a lot of shootings and other violence but have not been a witness to it nor have I been in any danger. This is said with the knowledge that I live in a country with a great deal of gun violence and that one day my luck might run out. But for the Grace of G-d, I knock on wood and other solid substances.

AOC Says Anti-Semitism is "Dangerous" & She Should Stop Engaging In It

Yesterday, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a forum on anti-Semitism. 

AOC described anti-Semitism as "dangerous" adding:

Antisemitism is an assault on our values as Americans, and especially as progressives. Antisemitism is also a threat to a community that is a vital partner in our struggles against injustice. So when the Jewish community is threatened, the progressive movement is undermined.

Yes, anti-Semitism is dangerous, and I wish AOC would stop engaging in it.

I am unable to take AOC's claims as champion against anti-Semitism with any degree of credibility or seriousness as long as she insists on accusing Israel of genocide - a defamatory claim. 

If one blames U.S. aid to Israel as the reason for the absence of universal health care in this country, then your claims against anti-Semitism are suspect.

I am also disinclined to take her seriously when she also claims, “It is also true that accusations and false accusations of antisemitism are wielded against people of color and women of color by bad-faith political actors, and weaponizing antisemitism is used to divide us.”

AOC is basically telling us that women of color and racial minorities are immune from being challenged for anti-Semitic behavior. I have very little respect for non-Jews who tell Jews what is and isn't anti-Semitism. 

At best, AOC wants to have it both ways. Decry anti-Semitism from certain quarters while excusing in others and having license to engage in it herself.

Hunter Biden's Conviction: Why Most Voters Won't Visit The Sins of The Son Upon The Father

Republicans are falling all over themselves trying to put Hunter Biden's conviction on three federal gun charges on the same or higher plane than the 34 convictions against defeated, former President Donald Trump in a New York courtroom last month. 

Trump and his minions can scream "Biden crime family" from now until November, but I do not believe that most voters outside of the MAGA fever swamps will visit the sins of the son upon the father. Whatever his legal transgressions and consequences which may follow, the younger Biden never served in his father's administration nor held a government appointed position. As much as Republicans want to use Hunter Biden to impeach President Biden for lawful activities he engaged in while a private citizen, it simply won't resonate with voters including a small segment of GOP voters.

This isn't to say that President Biden won't lose to Trump come November. But if he does, Hunter Biden's criminal convictions and any sentence he might face won't be the reason.

VP Harris Sent The Wrong Message To Her Anti-Israel Heckler - Again

During a Democratic Party fundraiser in Detroit this past Saturday, Vice-President Kamala Harris was confronted by a female heckler who claimed Israel was engaging in genocide. Harris responded to the heckler in this way:

For the past eight months, President Biden and I have been working every day to bring this conflict — I’m speaking right now. I value and respect your voice, but I’m speaking right now.

Although order was restored, I think the Vice-President sent the wrong message to the heckler, audience and the public.

Let's keep in mind that Harris is publicly stating she values and respects the voice of a woman who claims Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Suppose this woman had instead heckled Harris on the question of abortion - something the VP has been vocal about in recent weeks. I simply cannot imagine Harris telling an anti-abortion activist that she values and respects her voice.

It is also worth noting that President Biden has rejected claims Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. If this is the stated position of the Biden Administration, then the Vice-President ought to have amplified the White House position and told the heckler she was wrong. 

I realize that in so doing Harris might have risked a backlash among some within her own party. To which I say a leader is never wrong for saying the right thing even if it isn't the popular thing. It could have been something along the lines of when the late John McCain got booed for rebuking an audience member at a rally for calling Barack Obama "an Arab" during the 2008 presidential campaign. But I think Harris lacks McCain's firm and steely resolve. 

Indeed, let us go back to September 2021 when during a speech at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, a student claimed Israel was committing "ethnic genocide". To which Harris told the student she was "glad" she spoke up adding, "Your voice, your perspective, your experience, your truth cannot be suppressed, and it must be heard." Harris ended up doing a lot of damage control with her then Press Secretary Symone Sanders stating, “The vice president strongly disagrees with the student’s characterization of Israel.” 

Well, it might have been helpful had Harris made that position clear to the student instead of telling the student "her truth cannot be suppressed."

Have I mentioned that I cannot stand it when someone utters the phrase your "your truth"?

Needless to say, Harris failed yet again last Saturday night to rebuke defamatory claims of Israeli genocide. Even though I will cast a ballot for her this November, shame on her. 

Israel Rescues 4 Hostages From Hamas.....And The World Sneers

Over the weekend, Israel rescued four hostages from the clutches of Hamas.

Noa Argamani, Almog Meir, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv have been freed and reunited with their families. All four had been taken in captivity by Hamas at the Noa Music Festival on October 7th. 

But instead of rejoicing much of the world sneers. 

The EU High Representative Joseph Borrell called the rescue "appalling."

Not to be outdone, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese characterized the rescue as "genocidal intent turned into action."

The reason for their objections?

Hamas claims 274 civilians were killed during the rescue. 

While I have no doubt some civilians were killed during the course of the rescue, Hamas does not distinguish between actual civilian deaths and those of its fighters and its reporting methods are at best dubious. 

But as with MAGA when things don't go Donald Trump's way, much of the world is not interested in the facts. They simply wish to pillory Israel for the purposes of making it a global pariah. 

Much of the world would rather the four rescued hostages had simply been killed by Hamas.

Of course, the Palestinian civilians who are non-Hamas combatants who have lost their lives would still be with us if Hamas a) had not taken hostages, raped and murdered Israelis in their own homes and b) made a point of using the civilian population as human shields.

Alas the world won't let those facts get in the way of rendering Israel persona non grata up to and including the rescue of its innocent hostages.

I Saw An Anti-Semitic Sign at Boston Pride

This afternoon, I briefly checked out the Boston Pride festivities in Boston Common when I saw a most contemptible sign:

No Cops and Zionists at Pride

I tried to get a picture of the sign, but the transgendered individual in question saw me and took off. While I do not know this individual's preferred pronouns, I do have some choice adjectives I'd like to use.

First, let's address the objection to the police. While there are police officers who conduct themselves in a brutish and unprofessional manner and police departments which tolerate this behavior, the fact remains that all civilized societies must have some sort of body to enforce the law. Among these police officers are members of the LGBTQ community. It isn't to say the LGBTQ community doesn't face challenges in its relationship with law enforcement excluding it from Pride altogether is counterproductive. 

Now, let me turn my attention to Zionists. Needless to say, this is what caught my attention. When people use the term Zionist in a pejorative manner they mean Jews. Sadly, there have been instances when LGBTQ Jews have been forbidden from participating in Pride events in Chicago and in D.C. in recent years over objections to the Jewish Pride flag while the Palestinian flag is allowed to fly. Then there are Queers for Palestine. Mind you, there is a a thriving LGBTQ community in Israel whereas identifying as LGBTQ in Gaza and in the West Bank is punishable by death. 

Does this sign represent majority sentiment in the LGBTQ community? I suspect not. However, as in the American body politic at large, I equally suspect there is a critical mass which does and in the coming years their influence will grow. What I fear most is that in time Zionists (read: Jews) will not only be unwelcome in the LGBTQ community, but in American society at large.

Caitlin Clark: Why Are They Trying To Kill The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg?

On Friday afternoon, I had lunch with a friend of mine and much of the conversation centered around Caitlin Clark.

Until now, I have not previously written about her. But unless you've been living under a quarry it is impossible not to be aware of her and the impact she has had on both women's basketball and basketball at large. 

During her distinguished collegiate career with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, she became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history - man or woman. Clark drove attendance records whether Iowa played at home or on the road. It didn't stop there as she also drove record TV ratings during the NCAA Women's Final Four.

Of course, Clark was subsequently the number one pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever and she continues to draw money in both game attendance and TV ratings. With regard to attendance, the Fever have sold more tickets in their first five games this season than they did all of last season. My friend and his wife are planning to travel to Connecticut next week to see Clark play.

Alas, when we build someone up, we are quick to want to tear them down. There are those who seek to make race an issue claiming Clark is only popular because she's white not because she's the NCAA's all-time leading scorer. 

Those who are making Clark's race an issue does so out of malice and mendacity. To suggest that fans only like Clark because she's white is like saying NBA fans only liked "Pistol" Pete Maravich, Larry Bird or the recently departed Bill Walton because they were white. Clark is every bit as an extraordinary basketball player as Maravich, Bird and Walton.

Caitlin Clark is getting a broad stratum of the American public to pay attention to the WNBA. She is going to make other WNBA players a lot richer. Clark is the goose that laid the golden egg. So why are they trying to kill the goose? 

Should they succeed in killing the golden goose they are going lose people like my friend and his wife and many others who crossed state lines just to see Caitlin Clark play. But some people like to cut off their nose to spite their face. If this comes to pass then the WNBA will be cosigned to the ash heap of history.

D-Day at 80: The Fight for Freedom Against Tyranny Never Ends

It was on this day 80 years ago, American, British and Canadian troops stormed the beaches of Normandy commencing a two-month long battle which proved to be the turning point of WWII in the European theater.  France would soon be liberated with the rest of Europe soon to follow.

While it is heartening to know there remain those who survived that battle who can still their story firsthand, the reality is their days are numbered. So how do we honor their memories of those few among us in the years to follow be it on the 85th, 90th, 95th and 100th anniversaries of D-Day?

In the here and now, we have Russia invading Ukraine as a gateway to conquer Europe bolstered by a fifth column in the United States led by a defeated, former President who wishes to relegate NATO to the dustbin of history. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who say, "Hitler was right!!!" Such words would be abhorrent to those U.S. and Allied soldiers who would liberate concentration camps the year after D-Day. 

The truth of the matter is that the fight for freedom against tyranny never ends. It is an eternal struggle with ebbs and flows. At the moment, the flow is heading towards fascism. There are many among us who have never lived in an authoritarian or totalitarian country who wonder what democracy has ever done for them who find fascism alluring and appealing. 

The best tribute we can pay to those who lived and died during the D-Day battle is to recognize and reject authoritarianism, bigotry, demagoguery, fascism regardless of its ideological inspiration. If we do that, then one can only hope it won't be necessary to take up arms and storm a beach. Unfortunately, there are times when we are left with no other choice. 

Time Magazine's Loaded Questions to President Biden About Israel

President Biden is facing some criticism for answers he gave concerning Israel in an interview he gave Time Magazine on May 28th which was published today. 

The criticism is not without justification. The main headline from the article is that people have every reason to conclude that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war for political gain. Yet when President Biden was asked at a press conference today if Bibi was playing politics with the war he replied, "I don't think so. He's trying to work out a serious problem he has."

When I look at the transcript of the interview which was conducted by Time's Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs and Washington Bureau Chief Massimo Calabresi, I see a lot of loaded questions where it concerns Israel.

What steps are you prepared to take against Israel now that Netanyahu appears to have crossed your red line in Rafah, Mr. President?

What do they mean by "appears"? What evidence do they cite that President Biden's red line had been crossed. Fortunately, President Biden didn't take the bait nor did he do so when pressed if Bibi had crossed the red line. 

More broadly, from the intelligence in the evidence you've seen, either currently or in the last months, have Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza?

Unfortunately, President Biden began by tossing a word salad replying, "The answer is it's uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves." However, the President did pivot to Hamas' crimes stating, "Hamas is intimidating the population...Tying mothers and daughters together with rope and pouring kersoene on it and burning them to death." 

And whose fault is it that the—that deal, the ceasefire for hostages—has not been consummated? Is it Hamas or Israel or both?

Here Time Magazine is engaging in moral equivalence. President Biden firmly states, "Hamas could end this tomorrow." 

You mentioned the hunger in Gaza. Some have alleged that Israel is intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. Do you think that's the case?

Again, what evidence does Time have to support this premise? While Biden denied Israel was doing this, he did make a point of saying Israel is "engaged in activity that is inappropriate."  President Biden ought to have dismissed the question out of hand.

Some in Israel have suggested that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation. Do you believe that?

Unfortunately, another world salad from President Biden who said, "I'm not going to comment on that. There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion." His first sentence was fine. He should have stopped there. Instead, Biden commented on that after saying had no comment. Now everyone is commenting.

Trump has said that Netanyahu is rightfully criticized for Oct. 7. Do you believe that he bears some responsibility for the fact that Oct. 7th happened? 

That Time Magazine suddenly cites defeated, former President Trump as an authority strains credulity and credibility. Although there is no doubt Israel will hold a military inquiry once the conflict is over and Bibi's role will have to be examined, there would be no October 7th without Hamas.  

Do you have agreement from all the other parties to this multi-part package of deals that would deliver that in Israel, in the region, other than Bibi?  Is Bibi the only thing standing in the way of that?

This question is predicated on the premise that the Gulf Arab states, Fatah and Hamas have been eagerly awaiting Israel to sign a peace agreement while ignoring the fact that Israel was intended as a two-state solution, but the Arab countries said no in 1947 and went to war with Israel. In President Biden's case, he was careful not to answer but again by not denying the premise of the question it reinforces the mixed messages he gives where it concerns Israel. 

The questions posed by Jacobs and Calabresi regarding Israel were done in bad faith, but President Biden supplied his political opponents with ammunition, caused more anxiety uncertainty with Israel while Hamas went mostly unscathed.

President Biden Underestimates Hamas

When President Biden spoke at the White House last Friday about his version of Israel's proposed ceasefire, I was most struck by what he said about Hamas:

The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas form- — forces over the past eight months.  At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another October 7th, (italics mine) which — one of the Israelis’ main objective in this war and, quite frankly, a righteous one.

This is a rather bold statement from President Biden and an enormously risky one to make. Let's keep in mind, it was President Biden who said it was not inevitable the Taliban would take over Afghanistan. Not only did the Taliban take over Afghanistan, but it did so two weeks before U.S. forces were due to withdraw. 

Now, where it concerns Hamas, it is certainly possible that Biden might be correct to say that Hamas couldn't carry out another October 7th attack today. But what about the next six months? Or to be more precise the next five months and two days?

Suppose Israel and Hamas negotiate a ceasefire and sometime between now and November 5th, Hamas launches yet another attack on Israel - this one more deadly. Or what if Hamas decides to attack the U.S. be it on U.S. soil (as it has threatened to do) or U.S. interests such as an embassy or a consulate killing Americans in the process?

Should that come to pass then Biden can just hand over the White House keys to Donald Trump.

Hamas is going to do what it has always done - regroup and rearm. 

Hamas has proclaimed it will repeat the acts of October 7th as many times as necessary until Israel is no more. 

While President Biden's proposal is based on Israel's proposal the one major difference is that Biden, who at the outset of the war compared Hamas to ISIS, would effectively allow Hamas to live to commit another massacre another day. This means more hostages, more rapes and more death with Hamas taking comfort in the knowledge the U.S. will prevent Israel from retaliating as it sees fit.

Mind you, I say all this as someone who does not want a second Trump presidency under any circumstances. Frankly, I have no more confidence that Trump could handle Hamas than Biden. If Trump was willing to recognize the Taliban, then why wouldn't he recognize Hamas? Yet it is abundantly clear that President Biden is underestimating Hamas just as he underestimated the Taliban. 

Should Israel enter into a ceasefire with Hamas and Hamas launches a major attack against Israel prior to the 2024 election then it will demonstrate not only that President Biden hasn't learned anything from Afghanistan, but that he insists on learning the hard way if at all.

Marjorie Taylor Greene & GOP Don't Care What Caused COVID; They Want To Tar & Feather Dr. Fauci

(From The Independent)

During Dr. Anthony Fauci's testimony today in front of the House Oversight Committee, Marjorie Taylor Greene demonstrated to the surprise of no one that she is not interested in what caused COVID. Rather she is interested in tarring and feathering Dr. Fauci and putting his head on a stick.

When Greene "questioned" Dr. Fauci she had this to say:

Mr. Fauci – because you're not 'doctor,' you're Mr. Fauci in my few minutes ... That man does not deserve to have a license. As a matter of fact, it should be revoked, and he belongs in prison.

In case Greene thought she was being too subtle she added, "You should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. You belong in prison, Dr. Fauci."

Well, at least Ms. Greene called Fauci a doctor on that occasion. 

As Dr. Fauci futilely tried to answer her questions, Ms. Greene made a point of cutting him off stating, "Nah, I don't need your answer."

So why pose a question at all?

Because it isn't about just asking questions. It's about trying to make Dr. Fauci public enemy number one. This was a Spanish Inquisition, Eric Clapton, not Congress' hearings into campus anti-Semitism.

Indeed, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer made it clear what this was all about when he told Fox News this evening that there is "a strong possibility" that Congress will recommend that the DOJ arrest Dr. Fauci. 

Mind you, Comer has spent the better part of the past 18 months trying to do something, anything to impeach President Biden and has nothing to show for it. So, I'm not expecting anything of substance from Republicans. I expect only the style of the Fox News/Newsmax/OANN soundbites and hit pieces for clicks and tricks. 

It isn't to say that COVID could have been caused by a lab leak rather by transmission from bat to human. But as I argued nearly a year and a half ago when the U.S. Department of Energy indicated it had "low confidence" in the lab leak we'll know what caused COVID because of both the Chinese Communist government and the Republican/Fox News echo chamber neither of whom have a shred of fidelity to the truth.

Eric Clapton Goes Full Anti-Semite

In an interview last month, Eric Clapton claimed, "Israel is running the world, Israel is running the show."

The former guitarist for Cream, Derek and the Dominos and Blind Faith also compared U.S. Senate hearings on anti-Semitism to the Nuremberg Trials and the Spanish Inquisition while praising campus occupations at Columbia University and elsewhere.

In recent months, Clapton has released a song called "Voice of a Child" about the destruction in Gaza without any mention of Hamas attack on Israel and has also been appearing in concert with a guitar bearing the colors of the Palestinian flag.

I wish I could say I am surprised by Clapton's views. But lest we forget that during a concert in Birmingham in August 1976 he praised the ultra-right-wing British MP Enoch Powell proclaiming, “Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out. Get the wogs out. Get the coons out. Keep Britain white." The only reason it didn't end his career then and there was because he was drunk at the time. Well, in vino veritas. 

More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Clapton was virulently outspoken against vaccines. 

Given his inclination towards conspiracy theories, I suppose it was only a matter of time before Clapton would embrace the world's oldest conspiracy theory.

I guess this means that he and Roger Waters will be touring together. 

George Takei Has One of The Most Resonant Voices I've Ever Heard

 

Last night, I ventured to the Museum of Science in Boston to take in a viewing of the 2014 documentary To Be Takei starring George Takei and his spouse Brad Altman.

To Be Takei explores Takei's early years in a Japanese internment camp, the struggles of breaking through in Hollywood as an Asian American actor, his life as Sulu on Star Trek and feud with William Shatner, his involvement in local politics in Los Angeles and coming to terms with being a gay man and having a loving marriage.

I was struck by what a remarkable constitution Takei had onscreen. Mind you, this was more than a decade ago. I can only hope Takei has the same level of energy at the age of 87. 

To Be Takei does not gloss over his shortcomings. He can be insensitive particularly when it comes to people's weight. Star Trek: Next Generation star Wil Wheaton looked crestfallen when Takei told him he was gaining weight with more than a hint of disapproval. But at least he has a husband who keeps him in line.

Of course, much has changed in the decade since To Be Takei was released. Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols (who were interviewed for the documentary) have left this world while Donald Trump's only authority was as the host of The Apprentice. 

Takei appeared on The Apprentice in 2012 and given his liberal politics, Takei has been one of Trump's most consistent critics. Following Trump's conviction in New York last week, Takei quipped, "We should start referring to him as 34 instead of 45."

What resonates the most with me about George Takei above all else is his voice. I say this because I occasionally impersonate him. Yes, I do impersonations. Jimmy Stewart is my favorite, but Takei has this smooth lower register which I can mimic.

Yet in all the years I've been impersonating Takei I didn't realize how commanding a voice he truly has especially as he has become a LGBTQ icon over the past 20 years. There is a confidence in his voice which one doesn't hear when watching Star Trek reruns. 

Then and now, George Takei owns one of the most resonant voices I've ever heard.

Memo to AOC: Hamas Attack on Israel Had Nothing To Do With The Abraham Accords

Earlier this week, New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on a Twitch livestream with Hasan Piker.

Their conversation was centered around defeated, former President Donald Trump's recent rally in the Bronx. It is worth noting that while part of the AOC's district in the Bronx, the area where Trump was speaking is in the staunchly pro-Israel Democrat Ritchie Torres' district. 

During their conversation, Piker justified Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 while AOC expressed complete agreement with Piker's views. 

Piker stated the Hamas attack was “a direct consequence of the Abraham Accords and many of Jared Kushner’s and Donald Trump’s administration’s actions, like moving the embassy to Jerusalem.” 

To which AOC replied, "10,000%!!!"

Piker went on to claim:

He is just as responsible for Oct. 7 as anyone else… it directly happened as a direct consequence of him moving the embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the annexed territory of Golan Heights as Israeli territory, going against international law and also conducting the Abraham Accords, completely sidestepping the Palestinians in the conversation. That is a major reason.

Meanwhile, AOC just nodded along and for good measure yet again accused Israel of genocide. 

I hate to break it to AOC (and for that matter Piker) but Hamas didn't attack kidnap, rape and kill Israelis because they wanted the U.S. embassy to remain in Tel Aviv or because they were sidestepped in the conversation. Negotiating with Israel is considered an act of "high treason" in the Hamas Covenant.

Not convinced? Consider this passage below:

This Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), clarifies its picture, reveals its identity, outlines its stand, explains its aims, speaks about its hopes, and calls for its support, adoption and joining its ranks. Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and Allah's victory is realised.

Hamas' raison d'etre is to kill Jews. Period. 

The October 7th attacks would have happened Abraham Accords or no Abraham Accords.

The October 7th attacks would have happened whether the U.S. Embassy was located in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Talpiot or Be'er Sheva. 

The October 7th attacks would have happened whether the U.S. recognized Israel's claim to the Golan Heights or not. 

The October 7th attacks happened because there is an Israel.

As for AOC, the fact that she concurs with Piker's justifications means that she condones Hamas attack and wants a world without Israel.