Former Socialist, Former Republican, Former Contributor to The American Spectator, Former Resident of Canada, Back in Boston Area After Stints in New York City & Atlanta, Current Mustache Wearer & Aficionado of Baseball, Bowling in All Its Forms, Cats, Music & Healthy Living
Well, those who choose to boycott Eurovision can always hold their own song contest.
Of course, Jews would not be allowed to participate and monies raised would go to Hamas.
One might say the above is an extreme statement, but in publicly refusing to share the stage with the world's only country with a Jewish majority, it is abundantly clear that Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and possibly others support Hamas and its efforts to eradicate Israel.
In the report presented to the club that suggested banning Israeli fans, police presented information about a 2023 match between Maccabi and West Ham, which the report said was the Israeli club’s “last appearance on UK soil to date.”
“The most recent match Maccabi played in the UK was against West Ham in the Europa Conference League on Nov 9, 2023,” the report read.
However, no such match was played, and Maccabi has never faced off against the East London club.
And that wasn't all:
In addition to the fake match, police cited “violent clashes and hate crime offenses” during a Europa League match in Amsterdam between Maccabi and local team Ajax last November.
The report claimed that Israeli fans threw “innocent members of the public into the river,” that 500-600 of them “intentionally targeted Muslim communities” and that the violence forced the deployment of 5,000 police officers.
Guildford admitted to MPs that he “conflated” information about the Amsterdam incidents in the report, including an example about a “running street battle” that did not take place on the day of the match.
Not only is this anti-Semitism, but it is also defamation. Israeli fans were not permitted to travel to see their team play Aston Villa F.C. on the basis of matches which never took place and on incidents which never occurred. Local law enforcement in the U.K. made up these incidents out of whole cloth. They lied because they did not want to welcome Israeli Jews in their community.
When the rot of anti-Semitism runs this deep, it is only matter of time before the U.K. abandons democracy and any basic notion of civil society. Unfortunately, this rot is hardly confined to the U.K.
From where I sit this could be an even trade. Williams and Cortes are free agents after 2025. So, it could be one and done for pitchers. On the other hand, it remains to be seen if Williams can handle the New York spotlight. As for Cortes, I think he will be comfortable pitching in Milwaukee and will add depth to that rotation. Another factor which could give the Brewers the edge in this deal is the fate of Caleb Durbin. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2019, Durbin spent most of 2024 in AAA ball. With Willy Adames having departed for the Giants, perhaps Durbin will get his big break.
If Diaz does return to the Mets, then it is very likely that Williams will be Diaz's setup man. If the Mets cannot re-sign Diaz, then do they hand the closer's job to Williams? Or do they pursue another free agent such as Kenley Jansen who saved 29 games for the Los Angeles Angels this past season? Should the Mets pursue the latter course of action could it further affect Williams' confidence by indicating the team doesn't have faith in him as a closer? Or does Williams accept his role as a setup man and be content with his $51 million to pitch in that role? There are worse choices one can face.
President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated narcoterrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war. With respect to the strikes in question on Sept. 2, Secretary Hegseth authorized Adm. Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,
Adm. Bradley worked well within his authority and the law to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated. This administration has designated these narcoterrorists as foreign terrorist organizations. The president has the right to take them out if they are threatening the United States of America, if they are bringing illegal narcotics that are killing our citizens at a record rate, which is what they are doing.
Of course, we have absolutely no idea if this was indeed a drug boat or not. But even if it were, the Trump Administration hasn't told us why they cannot simply intercept a boat and seize the drugs before arresting and charging the crew. Perhaps such things are too dull and tedious. Indeed, back in February, then acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told DoJ officials the U.S. should "just sink the boats". In other words, the Trump Administration was setting the groundwork for arbitrarily killing people.
Which brings me to this point. How long will it be before Hegseth (or for that matter President Trump himself) orders the National Guard to give no quarter and kill American civilians for engaging in activity with which they disagree? Considering the tragic shooting last week in D.C. which claimed the life of a member of the West Virginia National Guard, it is only a matter of time before the National Guard will be given leeway to shoot their fellow Americans.
Today, the Trump Administration will authorize lethal force against survivors of an attack on an alleged drug boat. Tomorrow, the Trump Administration will authorize lethal force against civilians who disagree with their government.
But I wish those who were calling upon President Biden to step aside would stop to think. In calling upon, President Biden to step aside they are blindly assuming that his successor would automatically defeat Trump. This is not a given. Indeed, Trump would have an incredible head start against a new opponent.
What exactly made Clooney or any other Democrat think that Biden dropping out would assure victory? The answer is that they weren't thinking or at the very least weren't thinking beyond the moment. They just wanted to get rid of President Biden. It was a classic case of ready, fire, aim.
As far as I'm concerned, George Clooney played right into Trump's hands when he called upon President Bident to abandon his re-election bid and, in so doing, bears considerable responsibility in facilitating his return to the White House. His mea culpa is utterly meaningless.
For his part, Trump plans to honor Beckstrom and Wolfe at the White House. Obviously, it is up to the Beckstrom and Wolfe families to determine whether they take Trump up on his invitation. But if they do I worry that Trump will diminish the solemnity of the occasion and take yet another opportunity to glorify himself and diminish former President Biden or anyone else who happens to peak his ire or express any other petty grievances.
After announcing Beckstrom's death on Thanksgiving, Trump was asked if he planned to attend her funeral. Trump began by stating he "hadn't given it any thought, but it sounds like something I could do." Then he added this thought:
I love West Virginia. You know, I won West Virginia by one of the biggest margins of any president anywhere. They are great people. I love the people of West Virginia.
In summation, President Trump deploys Sarah Beckstrom to D.C. where she is murdered by a terrorist. Her life is snuffed out at 20 years of age. When asked if he will pay his respects, Trump gives no thought to this young woman. Instead, Trump thinks only of himself and tells the world how popular he is in West Virginia.
So, what if Beckstrom had been from another state? What if she had been from neighboring Virginia, a state that Trump did not carry? Or California? Illinois? Massachusetts? What would he have said under those circumstances?
The Beckstrom family is free to choose to honor their daughter as they see fit and if it means including President Trump then that is their call. But given his callous comments, perhaps the Beckstrom family will choose to keep her funeral a private affair and not share their grief with a boastful man incapable of compassion towards others. R.I.P.
As far as I am concerned, should Lakanwal be convicted for what he has done (especially if the two Guardsmen die of their injuries) then he should be executed. However, I fear the remaining Afghan refugees, most of whom I suspect managed to go through life without killing anyone, will be subject to collective punishment. I shudder to think what might happen should ICE become involved.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I object to the Trump Administration deploying the National Guard for domestic law enforcement in American cities. However misguided the policy, it does not warrant acts of terrorism and violence. Indeed, such acts of terrorism and violence make it more likely this misguided policy will continue.
I understand these might be inconsequential observations. But for me it puts this tragedy into further context. It serves as a reminder that violence can happen anywhere and at any time and in places one has been. Speaking of places I have been, it is also possible I have walked the same sidewalks as these National Guardsmen.
Yet when I think about it further, a verse from Neil Diamond's "Done Too Soon" comes to mind:
And each one there Has one thing shared They have sweated beneath the same sun Looked up in wonder at the same moon And wept when it was all done For bein' done too soon For bein' done too soon
For bein' done
At this point, I can only hope it isn't done for the two National Guardsmen.
Cease, who turns 30 next month, has pitched seven MLB seasons - five with the Chicago White Sox and the past two seasons with the San Diego Padres. Originally a 6th round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2014, he was sent to the crosstown Chisox in the middle of the 2017 season along with outfielder Eloy Jimenez in exchange for pitcher Jose Quintana.
The White Sox sent Cease to San Diego prior to the 2024 season as part of their fire sale which presaged their modern MLB record of 121 losses. In his first season in San Diego, Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA striking out 224 batters against 65 walks in 189.1 innings pitched finishing fourth in NL Cy Young balloting.
Cease did take a step back in 2025 going 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA. However, his strikeout total remained solid with 215 Ks in 168 innings pitched against 71 walks. Like Sonny Gray who was acquired yesterday by the Boston Red Sox, Cease is very durable and should help bolster an already strong starting rotation. At the very minimum, he can be counted on to start 30 plus games as he has done for the past five seasons.
This is a sound investment by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Those were the words of David Ackles before he proceeded with his traditional closing number, "Be My Friend" during an appearance on the program One of a Kind which originally aired in November 1973 on KCET, a PBS affiliate out of Los Angeles.
It was a classic case of good things come to those who wait. Given the relative brevity of the performance and the fact I might never get to see it again (unless some enterprising individual puts it online) I watched this concert thrice.
The show began with Ackles coming onstage to applause from a small audience of perhaps 100 people and sitting down at a piano. He began with "Everyone Has a Story" which is the lead track to Five & Dime his fourth and final album. If anyone should ever decide to mount a Broadway or off-Broadway musical of David Ackles' life "Everyone Has a Story" would be a good opening number.
Everybody has a story Everybody has a tale to tell Lies spoken, hearts broken Lost in Hell All you have to do is listen
Six of the ten songs Ackles performed on this evening were from Five & Dime which was released only a month before the program aired. Unfortunately for Ackles, this was extent of the album's promotion as Clive Davis was abruptly dismissed from Columbia Records the same month as its release.
If Ackles was troubled by any of the developments at Columbia, he did not show it during this performance. Following "Everyone Has a Story", Ackles played two more cuts from Five & Dime - "I've Been Loved" and "Berry Tree".
"I've Been Loved" is a song about aging and the sadness which comes with it. Yet this sadness is accompanied by acceptance on the strength of past memories of being loved.
And it all seems so lonely You just wanna cry It's so lonely You wanna ask 'Why Does she go on? How can she survive?' And she'll tell you: 'I've been loved, so I know I'm alive I've been loved alive.'
Because Ackles was only given a 30-minute time slot, he omitted the final verse of "I've Been Loved". Fortunately, there were no such omissions for "Berry Tree". If there is an Ackles fitting for Thanksgiving "Berry Tree" is surely it.
There's a wooden cross, standing on a hillside Where it will stand for us all to see It can show us love, it can feed us through a lifetime And the fruit it gives, it has given free And I thank the Lord for the world I see For loving you and living free and thee And the berry tree
Ackles then took a moment to banter with the audience lamenting there wasn't a space on the piano to properly tack his setlist. Once everything was in order, Ackles then sang "Subway to the Country", the title track of his sophomore album released on Elektra Records in 1971. Later covered by Harry Belafonte, Ackles makes it clear he is not fond of New York City.
New York City is a town too big for children Where there's so much dirt they think that snow is grey And you have to watch their childhood waste away Hey, we got to find a subway to the country, or anywhere
Ackles would return to Five & Dime with "Jenna Saves", an energetic song about a woman who seeks only material wealth while holding all else in contempt as she lives in a world where everyone is seeking her riches.
When Jenna Pearl was old, her favorite friends were Buckets of gold, barrels of gold, all of her gold Her doctor told her, 'You won't last And everyone goes, and everyone knows you're going fast
Why don't you give it all to charity Except a little bag for me You'll never live to spend it anyway So don't forget the AMA
When Ackles sang those lyrics, I could see at least one woman in the audience laugh in amusement and share her amusement with another woman sitting to her right. Ackles followed "Jenna Saves" with "Laissez Faire", a brief ditty which appeared on his eponymous 1968 debut album about a cynical poor drunk who didn't trust politicians who promised a new deal or to share the wealth.
Sure I've heard what they're saying Share the wealth Ah that's what they're saying But I don't believe it The government takes all the cash And eats it or something So the rich get richer And the poor get nothing
So leave me my Money for cigarettes Pennies for wine Don't let them take that away bud It's all I have to call mine Listen buddy that s all I have to call mine But buddy it's just enough to call mine
Following these two songs, Ackles told the audience, "Enough with the levity." He then spoke about an experience he had performing in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; a town which he described as being afflicted with "terminal seriousness." Ackles noted that when he played some lighter fare in Bryn Mawr, an audience member shouted, "We came here to be depressed!!!"
After Ackles told this audience, "Let me depress you with a thought," he launched into the most somber song on Five & Dime - "Aberfan". If you live on the other side of the Atlantic there's a good chance you are familiar with the Aberfan coal mining disaster which took place in the Welsh village on October 21, 1966, when a spoil tip collapsed due to heavy rain and descended upon the village killing 144 people, most of them children attending a local school. It is the worst mining disaster in the history of the U.K.
The call for silence hushed the crowd Who searched the clouds for answers While they listened for life and held their breath The sound of death held the dancers As the rain fell in the morning on Aberfan But no one told the children, but no one told the children And it's always the children
Ackles would return to lighter fare with "Oh, California!" from his 1972 album American Gothic. In introducing "Oh, California!", Ackles remarked, "Here's an easy way to learn piano by correspondence in only six weeks!!!"
Then I can warn ya Were all gonna live in California! Wherever we live it's California! Where the road to tomorrow is a dead end doubt If we won't change the route. Let's all be happy Until the sun goes out
OK, perhaps it isn't such light fare. But with the ragtime style of piano, "Oh, California!" can easily be interpreted as escapism even if this is exactly what Ackles wanted to avoid. It is worth noting that in this performance, Ackles replaced a lyric about McDonald's with a reference to then LA Mayor Sam Yorty.
As mentioned at the outset of this dispatch, Ackles then concluded the proceedings with "Be My Friend" which also concludes his eponymous debut album lamenting the short half hour and how life is absurd. Perhaps Ackles saw fit to invoke absurdity as he was only able to sing the first two verses of the song and then had to omit the last verse in favor of a long piano outro as the credits rolled over before concluding with the early 1970s PBS call signal. While it is always neat to relive those pleasant childhood sounds, let me close with the verse from "Be My Friend" which Ackles did not sing that night.
This life may not bring much of comfort to you This world may lose its touch of kindness too And who's to blame Why can't you see Only you and me So if I may I'd like to say Be my friend
In describing this concert footage in Down River: In Search of David Ackles, Mark Brend noted that he had not viewed the concert, but that music critic Richie Unterberger had done so on his behalf. It occurs to me that it is quite possible that Richie Unterberger and I are the only two people in the world who have seen this concert footage in the past 50 years. This is a shame. The music of David Ackles ought to be better known to the world.
But in order for that to be possible somebody has let people know the world there was once a David Ackles who made his own unique brand of music. Perhaps I have to be one of those somebodies. If I can play any role in gaining broader appreciation of David Ackles' music, then I can say that I have succeeded in bringing the world a small measure of comfort and kindness.
Morehead would be a mainstay in the Red Sox starting rotation from 1963 through 1965. Unfortunately, these were lean years in Boston and Morehead would have his fair share of struggles on the mound. The worst of these years was in 1965 when the Red Sox lost 100 games with Morehead leading the AL in losses with 18.
In view of these circumstances, it is understandable why only 1,247 fans showed up to Fenway Park on the afternoon of Thursday, September 16, 1965, to see the Red Sox face the Cleveland Indians. It was a day which began with Tom Yawkey firing GM Mike "Pinky" Higgins.
But the news of Higgins' firing would soon be overshadowed by Morehead no-hitting the Tribe. Aside from a second inning walk to Rocky Colavito, Morehead was perfect. All Morehead needed was a triple by Dalton Jones in the fifth and a home run by Lee Thomas in the seventh to come away with a 2-0 win. On a curious note, future Red Sox legend Luis Tiant was on the mound for Cleveland striking out 11 batters in an 8-inning complete game loss.
The no-hitter proved to be epoch of Morehead's career. Morehead sustained a shoulder injury which severely reduced his effectiveness although he would be part of the 1967 Impossible Dream Team making two appearances in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Following the 1968 season, the Kansas City Royals selected Morehead in the expansion draft, and he would pitch the final two years of his career with KC. In 177 career appearances (134 of them starts), Morehead went 40-64 with a 4.15 ERA striking out 627 batters against 463 walks.
Dave Morehead leaves this world with a piece of baseball immortality. R.I.P.
Gray, who turned 36 earlier this month, spent the past two seasons with the Redbirds. In 32 starts with St. Louis in 2025, Gray went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA striking 201 batters against only 38 walks. Those 14 wins match a career high that Gray set with the Oakland A's in both 2014 and 2015.
Gray enters the 2026 season with a 125-102 record with a 3.38 ERA with 1925 strikeouts against 621 walks in 339 career appearances (including 330 starts). He is signed through 2026 with a mutual option for 2027. As far as 2026 is concerned, barring serious injury, Gray will be a solid number two starter behind Garrett Crochet who finished runner up in AL Cy Young balloting to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
With the Cardinals embarking upon a rebuild under former Red Sox CEO Chaim Bloom, this is a very good short-term deal for the Red Sox.
Schaeffer took over the club on an interim basis last May after the team dismissed Bud Black after losing 33 of their first 40 games. The team went 36-86 under Schaeffer to finish the season at 43-119 narrowly avoiding eclipsing both the 1962 New York Mets with 120 losses and the 2024 Chicago White Sox with 121 losses, respectively.
Here's why I think Schaeffer is still the Rockies manager.
No one else wanted the job.
After all, the Rockies finished 50 games back of the World Series champion Dodgers in the NL West and things are unlikely to get better anytime soon. How many big-league managerial candidates want to join a club highly likely to lose 100 games a season for the foreseeable future? It appears that Schaeffer earned a multi-year deal.
Mind you, in this particular case, loyalty does count for something. Schaeffer has been with the Rockies organization since 2007 as a minor league player and coach before joining the big-league coaching staff in 2023. He has paid his dues and is getting his chance even if the Rockies don't stand much of one.
Aside from the impropriety of the appointment, Halligan conducted her prosecution (particularly against Comey) with incompetence and malevolence by, among other things, misrepresenting the law to the grand jury, violating attorney-client privilege of the defendant and that the full indictment was not shown to the grand jury at large. As I wrote back in September:
Given Lindsey Halligan's inexperience in trying a case one can only hope that the government's case is so egregious and incompetent that either a judge will accept a defense motion to dismiss the charges, or a jury will acquit.
Unsurprisingly, the Trump Administration isn't taking pause of the situation to reflect on their misguided ways. Instead, the Trump Administration has a new target - Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.
If the Trump Administration insists on pursuing this frivolity and mischief against Senator Kelly, I do not believe they will find any more success with a military court than they have with a civilian court against Comey and James to impose their agenda of retribution against any public official or former public official who sees fit to publicly disagree with them.
With that, I cannot wait to see what further ineptitude will follow.
However, since 2022, Nimmo has played 150 plus games for four straight seasons. In 2025, Nimmo blasted a career high 25 HR and 92 RBI. In 1066 career games with the Mets, Nimmo collected 974 hits for a lifetime batting average of .262 with 135 HR and 463 RBI.
Semien has three years left on his contract worth $72 million which the Mets will pay in full. It will be interesting to see if Semien hits behind Juan Soto in the Mets lineup. If he does, Semien will see better pitches and could return to form at the plate.
While I am inclined to think the Rangers will get the better end of the deal in the long run, Semien could have a couple of productive seasons in Queens. If Semien's presence helps earn the Mets their first World Series title in four decades, then that would balance out the equation considerably. This trade will likely help both ballclubs.
This past week, I watched Ken Burns' six-part documentary The American Revolution on PBS.
Well, I should qualify that statement somewhat. Although I tuned into all six episodes, I actually dozed off during three of the six installments and missed some significant chunks of the documentary. I may very well rewatch these episodes but will need to do so during the daytime hours.
It is not for lack of interest in the subject. Although I think it might be a combination of Peter Coyote's narration, the music and the languid pace which made me conk out. Perhaps I have also reached an age where I cannot go past a certain hour before I need to go to bed or bed will come for me.
As to The American Revolution, I come at this with the perspective of someone who spent his formative years in Canada. Yet in about three years from now, barring any dramatic life changes, I will have lived in this country longer than I have lived in Canada.
As a resident of Massachusetts, I live in the cradle of the American Revolution as the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord. I have visited Minuteman National Historic Park in Concord on a couple of occasions during my time here. The first two episodes focused on Massachusetts, and it is always a delight to get further insight into local history while knowing the proximate areas where these events took place. The Boston Tea Party occurred less than a mile from where I work.
I mention all this because the American Revolution was fought between Patriots and Loyalists, the latter of whom would eventually become United Empire Loyalists. Many of these Loyalists or United Empire Loyalists would later call Canada home preferring peace, order and good government over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Although the Patriots ostensibly stood for the high ideals of self-government of the people, by the people and for the people, they were not particularly tolerant of Loyalists and often committed violence against Loyalists including tarring and feathering. It isn't to say that the Loyalists didn't commit their share of violence against the Patriots, but most attacks were carried about by the Patriots against the Loyalists.
At the time of the American Revolution, many people residing in the Americas tried to stay out of it and those who did choose sides generally did so out of self-interest or as an act of vengeance. Idealism decidedly took a back seat. For Black and Indigenous peoples, choosing between the Patriots and the Loyalists was a question of choosing the lesser of two evils.
Of course, the Patriots would prevail, and a Republic was born. It is a Republic which has contributed much to the world for nearly 250 years. But all things must come to an end. While America might continue to exist, it will likely do so in name only as President Trump turns this country from a Republic to an authoritarian state no different than Russia or China.
We know live in a world where information can travel the globe in minutes. Whereas during the time of the American Revolution it would take months for news to travel across the Atlantic Ocean. Not only was there no social media, but there was also scarcely any media at all save for newspapers and pamphlets along with word of mouth. Physical travel was only possible by land or by water. I suspect that most people born in this century have little to any appreciation for these facts. Mind you, it doesn't help matters that our education system places very little emphasis on history except from an ideological perspective which fails to convey the big picture.
Ken Burns has made an effort to rectify the matter, but it involves the commitment of time and the people who need to learn about this history the most are the least likely to be receptive to it.
Alas, when I went to see Uncle Buck there couldn't have been more than half a dozen people in the theatre. The low turnout really surprised and disappointed me in view of the big crowd at the Shubert last month. Perhaps that owed more to Ryan Reynolds than to John Candy. In which case, that is a real shame. A comedy like Uncle Buck needs an audience.
I remember seeing Uncle Buck in theatres when it was released in August 1989. At the time, my family was visiting Ottawa on the occasion of my maternal grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. While in Ottawa, my cousin Carmen took my siblings and I to see Uncle Buck.
At the time I watched it, I thought there were some parts of the movie which were contrived and cringey such as the mother/daughter hug near its conclusion. Overall, however, it was a very funny film, and Candy was in fine form both comedically and dramatically. Macaulay Culkin, all of 8-years-old, possessed an enormous charisma powerful enough to carry Home Alone the following year. After seeing Gaby Hoffmann play Bruce Springsteen's mother last month, it was nice to see her paired with Culkin as brother and sister. Both had a great dynamic with Candy.
There is also a scene where Buck visits his niece's elementary school to talk with the vice-principal (the one with the mole). Before talking with the vice-principal, Candy is outside the office and sitting beside a young child and providing him with reassurance without a hint of condescension. Under the circumstances, it is easy to see why Candy had such a strong rapport with children.
In the film, the titular character is much maligned and misunderstood. In the hands of another actor such a character might prove to be insufferably annoying. But with Candy there is a sweetness, caring and a willingness to protect his nieces and nephew at all costs up to including placing a predator bound and gagged into the back of his trunk.
John Candy died less than five years after the release of Uncle Buck. Had he lived, Candy would have very likely made more movies and conceivably would have evolved into more dramatic roles which may have earned him Academy Award consideration. Absent a fuller body of work, a case can be made that Uncle Buck was John Candy's most definitive work and greatest legacy.
My guess is that Greene came to the conclusion she could prevail in a primary challenge from a Trump friendly candidate and decided to cut her losses now. Earlier this year, Greene declined opportunities to seek a Senate seat and the Governor's mansion in Georgia in the hope of remaining in Congress. This was not to be. Unconstrained by public office, this will also be a time for Greene to make a lot of money at least in the short term.
There is also the possibility that Greene could make a White House bid in 2028. But methinks this is a longshot. There's a difference between a Congresswoman running for President and a former Congresswoman running for President. Without holding public office by the time 2028, Greene might very well see her influence decline and fade into the background as was the case with former GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin after she resigned as Governor of Alaska only halfway through her first term in office.
There will always be crackpots and cranks amongst us. They belong on the fringe. I can only hope this is where Greene is headed and where she will remain.
This mob objected to the Park East Synagogue hosting Nefesh B'nefesh, an organization which assists Jews in moving to Israel. They expressed their objections with some of the following slogans:
From New York to Gaza, globalize the intifada!!!
Resistance you make us proud, take another settler out!!!
Kill the Jews!!!
Any decent human being would have condemned such actions with hesitation or equivocation.
But New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is not a decent human being.
The Mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so. He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.
Where shall I begin?
First, while Mamdani may "discourage" what occurred at Park East synagogue, he did not condemn the acts of the mob.
Second, not only did Mamdani not condemn threats of violence, but he also then took it upon himself to cast blame upon the synagogue for hosting the event in the first place claiming it violated international law.
Third, this is utter nonsense. Whether Mamdani likes it or not, Israel is the ancestral homeland of the Jews. The Park East synagogue is fully within its rights to host an organization which assists Jews in moving to Israel.
Fourth, while Mamdani condemned Park East synagogue for violating international law, he did not condemn the mob for violating any local laws much less threaten any sanctions if they repeated their behavior.
Last I checked, this country has a separation of church and state. That goes for synagogue and city. Mamdani has no business telling the Park East synagogue or any house of worship how to use their sacred space. For Mamdani to do so is profane.
Earlier this month, ICE raided a car wash in Allston, Massachusetts detaining 9 of its workers. Zac Segal, President of the Boston University College Republicans, took credit for the raid claiming he had been "calling ICE for months on end".
Segal further claimed, “As someone who lives in the neighborhood, I’ve seen how American jobs are being given away to those with no right to be here. Pump up the numbers!”
Needless to say, Segal has been taken to task for his actions. Undeterred, Segal further justified his actions by stating, “I reported suspicious activity to law enforcement because that is what any American should do. My intention was simple: to protect my community and uphold the rule of law.”
The Trump Administration sullies the meaning of what it is to be a patriot.
I believe several questions are in order for Zac Segal.
What evidence does he have that the people employed at Allston Car Wash had no right to be here?
What evidence does he have that the people employed at Allston Car Wash took away American jobs?
How does he define American jobs?
How did he conclude there was a suspicious activity occurring at Allston Car Wash?
Did he have any direct interactions with the people employed at Allston Car Wash prior to the raid?
Did he have any direct interactions with any former employees of Allston Car Wash prior to the raid?
Did he believe any other neighborhood employers were giving away "American jobs" to people "with no right to be here"?
Or does he have a particular vendetta with Allston Car Wash?
I cannot help but wonder if Segal had an encounter with someone at Allston Car Wash which may have inspired his ire. Yet it is entirely possible that Segal saw people with brown skin working at Allston Car Wash and assumed they were here illegally on those grounds alone. Thus, his suspicion.
Considering that Segal is the president of the College Republicans at a prominent American university, it is reasonable to conclude that he has political ambitions of his own. What better way to curry the favor of the Trump Administration by initiating an ICE raid "to pump up the numbers"? Well, if this is indeed the motivation, it has succeeded. It might not be long before Segal has a job with the Trump Administration.
It is worth noting that Segal's accusations have not been substantiated and several of those detained have been ordered to be released. Not that it matters to Segal, the College Republicans, DHS or the Trump Administration. Again, it's all about the numbers and getting noticed.
Zac Segal is an opportunist, but he is no patriot.
Following a distinguished collegiate career at Chapman University, Jones was selected by the San Diego Padres in the fifth round of the 1972 MLB Draft. Jones would make his big-league debut with the Padres the next season.
But in 1975 and 1976, Jones was arguably the best pitcher in the NL, if not all of MLB. In 1975, Jones went 20-12 leading the NL with a 2.24 ERA finishing runner up in NL Cy Young balloting to future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver who won his 3rd and final NL Cy Young. Jones would claim Cy Young honors in 1976 with a 22-14 record with a 2.74 ERA. He led the Senior Circuit in wins along with innings pitched (315.1), starts (40) and complete games (25).
Perhaps most remarkably, Jones only struck out 93 batters in those 315.1 innings while walking 50. The short southpaw got hitters out with a sinker-slider combination. At one point, Jones went 68 innings without issuing a single walk tying a NL record set by Christy Matthewson in 1913. The record was eclipsed by Greg Maddux in 2001 with 72.1 consecutive innings without issuing a bases on balls.
Unfortunately for Jones, his time at the top was only two seasons. In his final start of that 1976 season, Jones injured a nerve in his pitching arm which required surgery and he would never be the same pitcher. Over the next four seasons in San Diego, Jones went 38-51.
Prior to the 1981 season, the Padres traded Jones to the New York Mets for utility man Jose Moreno and journeyman pitcher John Pacella. Jones went 8-18 for the moribund Mets over the next two seasons. He would retire after being released by the Pittsburgh Pirates late in spring training in 1983. In 10 MLB seasons, Jones went 100-123 with a 3.42 ERA in 305 appearances (285 of them starts). In addition to his NL Cy Young, Jones was named to the NL All-Star Team in 1975 and 1976 earning a save in the former contest and the win in the latter.
Jones' greatest legacy in baseball was becoming the very first star player on the San Diego Padres. Other greats notably Dave Winfield, Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman would follow. But Jones was the first star San Diego fans would get behind during their lean years. And they remained behind him. R.I.P.
