Some Thoughts for Michael P. Desronvil, The Holdout Juror in the Lindsay Clancy Trial

 

Michael P. Desronvil, the lone juror who voted to convict Lindsay Clancy earlier this month, has evidently spoken. Or has he?

Desronvil purportedly issued a written statement to NewsNation which reads, "Based on all the physical evidence, key witnesses, and what the prosecution presents, I thought it was enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned.”

That seems reasonable enough. But this statement is clouded by people who Desronvil has ostensibly hired to speak on his behalf. An attorney Edward Paltzik issued a statement on behalf of Desronvil which reads:

This American Hero and Champion of Justice loves the United States of America as the greatest country in the world; cherishes our sacred Constitution as the pinnacle of human liberty; and supports our amazing leader, President Donald J. Trump, as a fellow defender of common-sense, liberty, and sanity.

Desronvil also purportedly had an off-camera interview with a YouTuber named Ray Marcel who claimed:

We started talking. [Desronvil] thinks he knows why he might be getting targeted. He’s a Republican. He is a black Republican. He has conservative views. 

He believes he might be getting targeted because of that, because the media and the reporters, as you would see, they kind of have left views. He was on a juror panel with people of the Democratic party.

And this is also why some people are shocked that it’s a black guy that stood his ground and not only that the world is going to be shocked now that it’s a black guy who was a Republican.

If these are Desronvil's views, then fine. I would just hate that someone claiming to speak on his behalf ends up misrepresenting those views. This isn't to say that Desronvil might hold conservative views and support President Trump. But if this is the case, then how does Desronvil know he is being targeted for being a Republican? And how does he know the remaining jurors are all Democrats? The only way his fellow jurors could know that he is a Republican is if he told them during jury deliberations and those political differences became part of the jury deliberations.

The best thing Desronvil could have done was to stick to his statement to NewsNation and that he voted to convict because he thought the prosecution had proved the case against Clancy beyond a reasonable doubt. Period. Bringing politics (whatever his ideological inclination) into it only darkens already muddied waters. 

And what if Desronvil wasn't a Republican? Would a pro-Trump attorney still call him an American hero and a champion of justice? Would that YouTuber have given him the time of day? I cannot help but think that these pro-Trump folks are just using Desronvil for their own ends even if he happens to be pro-Trump.

As I previously argued last week, I identify with Desronvil because of my own unpleasant experience as the lone holdout on a jury and have a strong admiration for him for sticking to his guns.

There is no question that Desronvil has been through an ordeal given how criminal allegations which were never substantiated have been used against him. This despite the fact at least one juror who voted to acquit Clancy was also charged with an offense which was not substantiated without being dragged through the mud.

So, I can understand how Desronvil wants to tell his side of the story. But had I remained a holdout juror in my own case and my decision to holdout led to a public outcry, I would tell my own story rather than let others tell it for me. I would write my own account of what had happened with the hope that account could be told in a publication with a reach far wider than this modestly kept blog. 

Of course, that is easy for me to say. After all, I did end up voting convict. 

Right or wrong, Michael P. Desronvil has the courage of his convictions.

JD Vance Does Tucker Carlson's Bidding With US Foreign Policy "Cannot Be Subservient to The State of Israel" Claim

During a speech in Los Angeles yesterday, Vice-President JD Vance did Tucker Carlson's bidding with this remark:

[We have] a lot of important relationships, a lot of important partnerships in NATO, but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna completely make our European foreign policy subservient to NATO, in the same way that we cannot let our Middle Eastern foreign policy be subservient to the State of Israel.

Well, that's an anti-Semitic dog whistle if I ever heard one. 

At the very minimum, it is a straw man argument. Because during the course of his remarks, Vance maintained of President Trump:

I think that more than frankly any president in the last 40 years, he has shown a willingness to actually part ways with Bibi Netanyahu when he feels like the interests of the American people are different from the interests of the government of Israel.

For starters, although Netanyahu is the longest serving Prime Minister in Israel's history, he has not held that office for 40 years. Vance also seems to have a short memory where it concerns President Obama's relationship with Bibi particularly concerning Iran. If U.S. foreign policy was subservient to the State of Israel, then how did the Iran nuclear deal ever come to pass?

But it is also interesting that Vance did not see fit to use the phrase "we cannot let our Middle Eastern foreign policy be subservient to the State of Qatar". 

You know, the country which donated Trump his new Air Force One. 

The country which several current and former members of the Trump Administration worked as lobbyists for Qatar and has twice as many registered foreign lobbyists in this country than Israel. 

The country which has long harbored Hamas. 

The country with which the Trump Administration was happy to discuss Israel's future along with Egypt and Turkey while conveniently ignoring Israel in the process. 

Vance stating the U.S. foreign policy must not be "subservient" to Israel is a small step removed from Carlson's claim that this country (and specifically President Trump) is a "slave" to Israel. 

This is merely Vance's effort to legitimize anti-Semitism as part of our mainstream political discourse including denial there is an anti-Semitism problem in this country. Let us not forget that Vance went along with Joe Rogan's unsubstantiated claim that Jeffrey Epstein was part of Mossad.

Needless to say, we can expect more of this from Vance especially if he makes a White House bid in 2028. While it is certainly disturbing that Democrats are falling all over themselves doing the genocide gig, Republicans cannot claim the high ground against anti-Semitism if they insist on nominating someone whose dog whistle is every bit as loud if not louder.

Trump is No Position to Call The EU's Associate Member Invitation to Canada "A Hostile Act"

When the EU formally offered Canada the newly created status of associate member to its body yesterday, President Trump reacted with his usual lack of dignity and grace declaring the invitation to be "a hostile act".

For his part, Trump says he is considering more tariffs or to stop trading with the EU in some areas altogether.

Yet Trump is hardly in any position to decry the EU's offer to Canada as "a hostile act" when his entire political career, and for that matter, his entire business career has been a long series of hostile acts. 

These hostile acts include but are not limited to threats to annex Canada, seize Greenland from Denmark, tear down the Kennedy Center if his name is not on the building, launching missiles on boats in international waters and giving ICE license to murder American citizens in broad daylight. 

In the specific case of Canada why shouldn't its government explore other trade opportunities when Trump persistently declares, "We don't need Canada,"?

Trump's claim the EU invitation to Canada is "a hostile act" is a classic case of projection if I have ever seen one.

Well, with all the hostile acts that Trump has committed the time has come for him to get a taste of his own medicine.

Artists for Anti-Semitism: Thoughts on The Macklemore Incident

 

(Macklemore dressed up as a Jew with a hook nose in 2014)

Yesterday, hip-hop performer Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour following an incident which took place at the Meadowlands on September 4th. During the performance, Macklemore declared, "A big part of the ​reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could ​stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free ‌Palestine,'"

When I hear Free Palestine, I hear Kill Jews. It means more October 7th attacks.

It is worth noting that during this concert, Macklemore performed a song called "Hind's Hall" which he dedicated to Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old girl allegedly killed by the IDF in Gaza in January 2024. For its part, Israel has launched a criminal probe of her death along with relatives and paramedics killed during the incident. The proceeds of which go to the UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), an organization long known for its support of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and which at least 9 staff members were involved in the October 7th attacks.

Let's keep in mind that Macklemore has a long history of engaging in anti-Semitic behavior such as when he dressed up as a Jew with a hook nose during a concert in 2014. Pink commented on this incident in the context of the incident at the Meadowlands noting Macklemore's apology for the former:

Every Jew I know knew exactly what it was. But he apologized, and I let it go, because that’s what we do. We let it go. Then last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them. You don’t get to decide that for us.

It is very clear that Macklemore has a deep-rooted hatred for Jews. One does not wear a hook nose, donate song royalties to organizations whose employees were involved the single deadliest attack against Jews since the end of WWII and chant "Free Palestine" absent such attitudes.

Yet perhaps the most disturbing thing is how the other supporting acts on this tour are backing Macklemore and have withdrawn from it in support of him and his views. 

Perhaps Macklemore, Aaron Rowe, Beoga, and Lukas Graham could start their own tour and call it "Artists for Anti-Semitism". Roger Waters and Kanye West could make a special guest appearance.

Of course, had Macklemore saw fit to target African Americans, Latinos, the LGBTQ community or Muslims, I don't think anyone would have batted an eyelash were he removed from Sheeran's tour. But evidently denigrating Jews in the name of Palestine is what sends you to the top of the charts these days.

And because Macklemore targets Jews, AOC will stick up for him while bashing New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (who is Jewish) in the name of perpetuating the lie of "the genocide in Gaza." Perhaps Abdul El-Sayed and Hasan Piker will go on a reunion tour in support of Macklemore.

Of course, with the increasing social acceptability of anti-Semitism, such a tour might end up selling out arenas all over the country. Arenas full of people who hate Jews and wish us dead does not bode well.

In The Absence of a High IQ President, AI Will Need Guardrails - Now

Over the weekend, Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei called for the development of AI to be slowed down.

This comes only days after Jacob Coxon resigned from Anthropic and expressed dire concerns about how the pace at which both Anthropic and ChatGPT are advancing AI. In an interview Coxon stated, "It's doing God knows what, and producing stuff that could kill everyone."

Today, President Trump saw fit to weigh in on Truth Social stating in part:

The only control or “guardrails” that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!

Needless to say, Trump's flatulent self-flattery does not inspire confidence. 

If we did have a High IQ President, that President would be smart enough to be on board with reining in AI. But this is Trump with whom we are dealing. He doesn't care if AI could kill everyone. He certainly didn't give a damn about stopping COVID from killing over a million Americans. It was Trump who said, "If we stop testing right now, we'd have very few cases, if any." These are not the words of a President with a High IQ.

In the absence of a High IQ President, governments and tech sector will need to collaborate to implement AI guardrails as soon as possible. And by as soon as possible, I mean now. We might only have a matter of weeks to get a handle on it. Time is at hand.

Trump does raise the matter of China and its development of AI. If we restrain ourselves, it doesn't mean China will. But Trump advances this argument as if Amodei hasn't thought it through. Indeed, I doubt Trump actually read what Amodei wrote. Had he done so then he would know that Amodei calls for us to refrain from selling China AI chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment and chip smuggling operations. But since when does Trump operate in good faith?

I must admit that I have written precious little about AI. Perhaps I have been avoiding the inevitable. But it is a part of most workplaces including my own and will soon involve nearly every facet of life. My Dad talks to AI about baseball. The AI genie is out of the bottle and cannot be put back in. So, either we control AI or AI will control us 

In Praise of Jean Chretien's Message From Canadians to Americans on 25th Anniversary of 9/11

 

Canada observed the 25th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, in part by gathering in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Of course, Gander, the former site of a Canadian military base, welcomed 38 planes diverted out of U.S. airspace and made the passengers and crew feel like they were at home.

At the time, Jean Chretien was Prime Minister of Canada. The previous year, his Liberals were elected to a third consecutive majority government. Something both Pierre and Justin Trudeau could only dream to achieve. It was Chretien's government that suggested that NATO invoke Article 5. An attack on one is an attack on all.

Chretien has largely been out of the limelight for the better part of two decades. But when he speaks, people listen. Given how relations between Canada and the United States have deteriorated since last year, the 92-year-old Chretien addressed the elephant in the room:

I have seen a few things in my lifetime, and I know the people from coast to coast to coast. 

I have a message for our American friends. 

Yes, Canada is generous open country, and Canadians are tolerant and kind. 

But never mistake our generosity for weakness!!!

Never mistake our tolerance for lack of determination.

And never, never mistake our kindness for softness.

We know who we are and we are proud of it.

Building a country like this with this climate and this geography is a sign of toughness, not of weakness. 

Welcoming people from all over the world. Caring for each other including the weakest in society is a sign of strength.

We embrace our friends and we help them in their moment of need. 

But we bow to no one.

And the more we are insulted, threatened and abused, the more we will stand up for ourselves and stand united.

And I say that not in anger but as one friend to another. 

Friends need to be honest with each other.

Just ask the people in Gander and anywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador.

They will give you the shirt off their back like they did 25 years ago.

But they will always show you the respect of telling you the truth.

So, my friends, here is to truth, to respect, to friendship and to good neighbors.

Vive le Etat-Unis and Vive la Canada!!!

Under normal circumstances, remarks such as these would not have been appropriate for such a solemn occasion. But these are not normal circumstances. Chretien's bluntness was in order.

Of course, these remarks are directed not at the Americans who found safety in Gander, but to the Trump Administration.

Yes, Canada will help Americans and anyone else in need when the time comes. But show us the friendship, honesty and respect that we show for you.

When I lived in Canada, I never supported Chretien or the Liberals. But I cannot disagree with anything he said. 

After Chretien finished his remarks, he was hugged by American Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to whom Canadians have taken a strong dislike.

One can only hope that Hoekstra took what Chretien said to heart and give Trump his message. 

Mind you, I'm not holding my breath and even if Hoekstra does convey Chretien's message, I cannot imagine that Trump will listen.

And if Trump does not listen and continues to insult, threaten and abuse then Canadians will continue to follow the lead of both Chretien and Mark Carney and stand up to him. 

My Thoughts on The 25th Anniversary of The Attacks of September 11, 2001

I would be remiss if I did not write something concerning the 25th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

At the time of the attacks, I had been living in this country for just under 18 months having moved to Boston from Ottawa the previous year. 

On the day of the attacks, it was the fourth day of a new job I had started working for a non-profit vocational rehabilitation agency in Lynn, Massachusetts, a few miles north of Boston.

As it happened, the organization was having a company picnic at their headquarters in Beverly about another 10 miles north. It was during the drive from Lynn to Beverly that we learned what had happened listening to Peter Jennings on the radio. Under the circumstances, it was far from a festive mood belying a beautiful sunny afternoon. 

The picnic was cut short. I spent some time walking around the shore trying to make sense of things taking a little comfort at the sight of a beautiful woman tanning on the beach apparently without a care in the world.

That evening, I walked from Boston to Cambridge up Mass Avenue to attend the open mike at Club Passim in Harvard Square and a read a poem. The crowd was sparse. But I wanted to be out and about. I wanted to live my life. I wasn't denying what had happened. Just the opposite. What had happened was all the more reason to exercise my freedom.

But it was at Club Passim where I would get rumblings of conspiracy theories of the act being an inside job accompanied by the pillorying of President Bush. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

At the time, I still identified as a democratic socialist. But I was so turned off by the anti-American and anti-Israel rhetoric that my politics turned rightward. By 2003, I was writing for conservative websites and by the end of the decade, I had begun writing for The American Spectator.

Then just over a decade ago, along came Donald Trump who claimed he saw thousands of Muslims cheering on the attacks. And we elected Trump President. I wanted no part of Trump and The American Spectator didn't want anyone who wasn't all aboard the Trump Train. So, I parted ways with them and have never regretted the decision.

After all, Trump is still lying about 9/11. Scarcely 72 hours ago, Trump claimed he was at Ground Zero and was escorted away by two firemen because they thought the building would collapse. Despite the lie, there are no doubt millions of Americans who will take him at his word. Because we elected him President again. You can indeed fool some of the people all of the time.

While my political perspective has moved leftward over the past decade, it will never return to the democratic socialism I espoused in my teens and twenties. For people like Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar the attacks of September 11, 2001 were nothing more than "some people did something". 9/11 is something to be minimized. Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is happy to speak alongside 9/11 conspiracy theorists. Then there are deleted tweets such as this one:

Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my faith. Tomorrow, I'll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries, perpetuated ignorantly in the name of my country.

El-Sayed is essentially saying that those who served in the U.S. military are morally equivalent to al-Qaeda. This I cannot abide or accept. 

The fact that El-Sayed is prepared to share a stage with 9/11 conspiracy theorists means he is working to absolve al Qaeda for their actions. He and those who support him are no better than someone like Trump who lies writ large about Muslims while engaging in stolen valor.

To borrow a phrase from Stealers' Wheel there are "clowns to the left me, jokers to the right". Simply put, I am surrounded by morons. As I get older, I am more inclined to trust my own counsel than accept the words of charlatans and demagogues. In so doing, I accept the fact that we haven't learned much and will probably never truly understand the consequences of the events of September 11, 2001. Frankly, many of us don't want to learn or understand.

I shudder to think how our knowledge and understanding will further diminish on the 50th anniversary of the darkest day in American history come September 11, 2051. That is assuming I am still inhaling and exhaling five days before my 79th birthday.

Charlie Kirk's Legacy: Conspiracy Theories or Dialogue?

A year ago today, Charlie Kirk lost his life to an assassin's bullet. Here is a portion of what I wrote in response to the news of his death:

Charlie Kirk did not deserve the manner of his final fate while speaking on a university campus in Utah. A young man struck down a month shy of his 32nd birthday leaving behind a widow and two small children.

Even if one believed his views to be repugnant, the First Amendment permits such speech. A free people can choose to accept, reject or ignore it. 

What happened to Charlie Kirk today is every bit as wrong as what happened to Minnesota Democratic State Senator Melissa Hortman last June. No one should lose their life for expressing their point of view, right or wrong.

While we can and must condemn the act which ended the life of Charlie Kirk, we must not whitewash his legacy. As previously mentioned, I did not write a great deal about him but when I did write about him it was not to lavish him with praise. However appalling the circumstances of Charlie Kirk's death, it doesn't change the fact that he judged African Americans by their color of their skin instead of the content of their character. I will lament his death, but I won't ignore his bigotry and hatred of others. R.I.P.

With this in mind, let me draw your attention to an editorial in the Boston Globe written by Kara Bettis Carvalho which focuses on college students who are involved with Kirk's organization, Turning Point USA:

Yale’s chapter is one of dozens across the country that have launched since Kirk’s death. Turning Point’s website claims to currently sponsor 1,500 college chapters, including at 69 campuses around New England. A CNN report found that the organization had grown by 64 percent over the past year.

Students I spoke to say they want to promote dialogue — especially about economics and foreign policy — expose students on liberal campuses to opposing viewpoints, and at the very least, not be condemned for having a different political opinion that puts them in the small but not insignificant minority.

In many cases, conservative student groups meet to discuss politics, the news, and — what nearly every student told me — to have a “safe space” to talk honestly about their beliefs. Most of them had good relationships with the Democratic clubs on campus but had experienced harassment from far-left groups and individuals, including having their posters covered up.

On the surface, there is nothing wrong with wanting to promote dialogue and I am glad to hear that these students involved with Turning Point USA have cordial relationships with Democrats on campus.

It reminds me of my days as an undergraduate at Carleton University more than 30 years ago. At the time, I was involved in the campus NDP. Every year, there would be a Model Parliament. The first year, I attended it was organized by the campus Tories, and it was not a good event for those involved with other political parties. 

Not wanting a repeat experience, I took it upon myself to work with the other campus political parties to organize an all-party committee to organize the next Model Parliament. With a focus on cooperation, the event was much more successful.

Of course, we disagreed. That is the essence of political parties and democracy at large. We just disagreed in an orderly manner. If Turning Point USA can co-exist with left-wing organizations on campus, then this is a good thing. 

Nevertheless, I cannot help but wonder what these Turning Point USA campus groups discuss. After all, Kirk built his brand on conspiracy theories - COVID and election denialism with overt hostility towards African Americans and the LGBTQ community. If this is the sort of thing Turning Point USA talks about then I can see why it would turn off a great many people who would not be inclined to associate with it. 

Let us also consider that in the year since Kirk's death, there have been several conspiracy theories hatched concerning his demise namely that his assassination was carried out by Israel and that his widow Erika was involved in his murder. In the grand scheme of things, we should not be surprised that someone who promoted conspiracy theories in life would be the subject of them in death.

While I have no doubt that there are those who joined Turning Point USA in good faith wishing to promote dialogue, I suspect that Charlie Kirk's legacy rests on an endless cycle of conspiracy theories and diatribes.

Things Aren't So Smiley in Providence As Mayor Ousted By Anti-Semitic Challenger

(Providence Mayor Brett Smiley (L) & David Morales (R))

In Providence, Rhode Island, incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley was ousted in the Democratic primary by 27-year-old State Representative David Morales,

With 85% of the votes tabulated, Morales earned 54% of the vote while Smiley tallied 46% of the vote. Smiley was seeking his second term in office.

What is disturbing about Morales is that much of his campaign was centered on his hostility towards Israel and to the Jewish community at large. Not only has Morales pledged to use his platform as mayor to oppose "unconditional military aid" for Israel but he objected to Smiley attending a conference sponsored by the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement. It should also be noted that Smiley converted to Judaism during his term in office.

Morales is widely expected to prevail against Republican mayoral candidate David Talan in November. Providence hasn't had a Republican mayor since the late Buddy Cianci who eventually became an Independent.

I suspect Morales will campaign on a local referendum which calls upon the city to not invest in “foreign countries conducting ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal military occupation, or genocide.” No countries are named in the referendum question, but its organizers are clear in singling out Israel.

In retrospect, this turn of events is not entirely surprising. In May 2025, the Palestinian flag flew over Providence City Hall over Smiley's objections. 

It would seem that Morales is more interested than advocating for Palestinians than he is in advocating for Providence. But if the people see fit to elect Morales in November, then they will get the government they deserve.

Thoughts on The Holdout Juror Who Wanted to Convict Lindsay Clancy For Murdering Her 3 Young Children

I generally tend not to follow trials which occupy space in the news cycle. There is too much of a tabloid element for my taste. 

This also applies to trials which occur here in Massachusetts such as the two murder trials of Karen Read nor the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy - that is until it resulted in a mistrial due to a holdout juror.

As you may recall, I served on a federal jury last December concerning a drug case and ended up on the wrong end of an 11-1 vote until I reluctantly voted to convict. 

Given the circumstances, I must say that I have a great admiration for that holdout juror for sticking to his guns. There is a big part of me that wishes I had done the same. 

Now as you can imagine, the other jurors in the Clancy case do not share my admiration. I know full well that the jurors with whom I served could not stand the sight of me because they wanted to go home. 

The juror in question has not come forward since the mistrial as of this writing. Whether he will choose to speak his peace in public remains to be seen and is entirely up to him.

Notwithstanding my admiration, it is quite possible that if I had served on that jury, I might have very well stood with the other 11 jurors who voted to acquit Clancy. While I am inclined to believe that Clancy knew what she was doing and willfully killed her children, I did not sit in that jury box and did not hear all the evidence. There are certain things to which a jury and those in the courtroom are privy. It is possible there were mitigating factors that would warrant a not guilty verdict despite the fact Clancy killed her children.

Given my recent experiences, had I been on that jury and voted to acquit, I would like to think that I would have possessed sufficient empathy to try to reason with this juror without belittling him. Such an intervention might not have changed his mind but if I were in a such a situation I can only hope to convey an understanding for his position and an understanding why his conscience told him he could not vote with everyone else.

Perhaps this juror did gain an understanding of post-partem depression during the trial. Yet this juror probably thought this was not sufficient to justify the murder of three children - Cora Clancy, 5; Dawson Clancy, 3; and 8-month-old Callan Clancy. Perhaps he believed the victims had been forgotten and deserved justice. For this juror, it meant Lindsay Clancy was guilty of murder.

Thoughts on Canadian Counter-Tariffs on U.S. Goods Taking Effect

 

Today, Canada's dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs went into effect on more than $20 billion of U.S. imports following the breakdown in trade talks between the Canadian government and the Trump Administration last month.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the matter in both English and in French. True to form, Carney spoke intelligently and in complete sentences. He also spoke of the opportunities and the costs. While Canada is pursuing greater trade relationships within Canada and with partners in Europe and Asia, the United States remain a large market and there will be pain. Carney didn't tell Canadians there would be so much winning. 

Canadians have braced for impact and this evening the Trump Administration has announced bans on the import of Canadian alcohol and motorcycles along with 50% tariffs on molasses and motorboats to take effect at the end of the month. Canadian access to the U.S. government procurement programs will also be restricted.

But, for the moment, Carney has goodwill on his side as reflected by an approval rating of 70%. This isn't to say that approval won't fall if Canadians lose their jobs in earnest. But as long as Trump insists on saying "I don't want Canadian anything", demanding Canadian companies do business in the U.S. that already do business in the U.S. and renaming the Great Lakes and being the jerk he is then Canadians will stand with Carney.

Let me put it this way, Canadians are more likely to put up with the pain than Americans and this intolerance could soon be reflected in mid-term election results which will weaken Trump considerably. Should this come to pass, it will strengthen both Canada's stand and its resolve. 

Pat Putnam Was a Small Part of My Baseball Childhood

Former MLB first baseman Pat Putnam passed away on August 25th of natural causes, but his death was not made public until yesterday. He was 72.

Born and raised in Vermont, Putnam's family moved to Florida when he was 8 years old. Putnam would attend Miami Dade College on a baseball scholarship and would be selected by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1974 MLB Draft. However, Putnam opted to transfer to the University of South Alabama where he played under former MLB player and manager Eddie Stanky.

In 1975, Putnam was drafted once more this time by the Texas Rangers and in the first round and the 22nd overall pick in the nation. Putnam quickly became a man on the move. In 1976, while playing for the Single-A Asheville Tourists in the Western Carolina League, Putnam batted .361 with 24 HR and 142 RBI winning the league's Triple Crown and MVP honors. On the strength of this performance, he was promoted to the Triple-AAA Tucson Toros of the Pacific Coast League batting .301 with 15 HR and 102 RBI.

This would earn Putnam a September call up to the Rangers. When he made his big league debut, Putnam was batting cleanup collecting his first big league hit off future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins who was pitching with the Boston Red Sox at the time. A year later, Jenkins would rejoin the Rangers and become Putnam's teammate.

In 1979, Putnam would become the Rangers' everyday first baseman. That season, Putnam hit .277 with 18 HR and 64 RBI. Those numbers were good enough for him to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in AL Rookie of the Year balloting with Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Ross Baumgarten and New York Yankees reliever Ron Davis. That year, AL Rookie of the Year honors were shared by infielders Alfredo Griffin and John Castino of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Minnesota Twins, respectively.

Unfortunately, Putnam's offense would decline in both the 1980 and 1981 seasons. By 1982, Putnam had lost the starting first base job to up-and-comer Dave Hostetler who had been acquired from the Montreal Expos along with third baseman Larry Parrish in exchange for Al Oliver. Putnam spent much of the 1982 season in Triple-AAA which by this time was in Denver. 

Following the 1982 season, the Rangers would trade Putnam to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitcher Ron Musselman. Putnam responded positively to the trade by hitting a career best 19 HR and 67 RBI along with 126 hits and 23 doubles in 1983 and was voted the team's MVP by his teammates.

However, the Mariners brass was not fully confident in Putnam. In 1984, Putnam would lose the first base job to Ken Phelps in spring training. However, when Phelps went down with an injury, the Mariners chose to go with Alvin Davis who ended up winning AL Rookie of the Year honors. 

Putnam hit .200 in limited action with the Mariners but did catch a break when he was traded to the Minnesota Twins late in the season. Alas, Putnam did not acquit himself well as he went 3 for 38 (.079) in 14 games with the Twins. 

Prior to the 1985 season, Putnam would sign with the Kansas City Royals who would win that year's World Series. But with Steve Balboni ensconced at first base, Putnam would spend the entire season in Triple-AAA with the Omaha Royals of the American Association. 

In 1986 and 1987, Putnam would play in Japan with the Nippon Ham Fighters. He would return to baseball once more in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989 and 1990 where he played in his adopted Fort Myers with the Sun Sox. In parts of 8 MLB seasons, Putnam played in 677 games collecting 508 hits for a lifetime batting average of .255 with 63 HR and 255 RBI.  

For me, Pat Putnam is one of those guys who I remember from baseball cards, NBC's Game of the Week and Zander Hollander's 1980 Complete Handbook of Baseball. It sounds cliche, but Putnam was a small part of my childhood which is getting smaller each and every day. R.I.P.

Aroldis Chapman Records 400th Career Save

Yesterday, Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman recorded his 400th career save in a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Chapman, 38, becomes the 9th pitcher to record 400 or more saves. Among active pitchers, Chapman ranks 3rd in saves behind only Craig Kimbrel of the Kansas City Royals (441) and Kenley Jansen of the Detroit Tigers (493). 

It might be quite a while before another reliever records 400th save. Among active relievers after Chapman, Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias has 284 saves followed by Edwin Diaz of the Los Angeles Dodgers with 260 and Josh Hader of the Houston Astros with 250. No other active reliever has more than 200 saves.

Since joining the Red Sox last year, the Cuban born southpaw has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance. In 67 appearances in 2025, Chapman recorded 32 saves with a 1.17 ERA striking out 85 batters in 61.1 innings pitched. Those numbers were enough to earn him some votes for the AL Cy Young. In 2026, Chapman has recorded 33 saves with a 2.03 ERA with 65 strikeouts over 48.2 innings pitched in 50 appearances. 

With 17 games left on the schedule, Chapman has an outside chance of recording a career high in saves. In 2012 and 2013, while with the Cincinnati Reds, Chapman earned 38 saves. It would be remarkable if Chapman could eclipse that total and perhaps even have a 40 save season for the first time in his 17-year MLB career.

Of course, I'm sure Chapman would prefer a third World Series ring having earned one with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and one with the Texas Rangers in 2023 as trade deadline addition in both cases. I'm sure earning a World Series ring with a club he has been with the entire season would take on a whole different meaning. 

There is a mutual option between Chapman and the Red Sox for the 2027 season. That is assuming there is a 2027 season.

Whatever the future holds, Chapman has a very good case for Cooperstown.

AfD's Triumph in Saxony-Anhalt Should Surprise No One & Appall Everyone

I am appalled though not surprised about AfD's electoral victory in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt last night.

After all, last year they became Germany's official opposition. At the time, I asked, "How long will it be before they come to power?"

While it is true they do not have a majority, there is a very good chance they will play a significant, if not a leading role in governing the state. No doubt this is something that will please the Trump Administration particularly JD Vance even if it means the AfD must partner with the far left BSW. It would only prove there is truly no difference between the Far Right and the Far Left.

Although Saxony-Anhalt will most likely become an anti-immigrant breeding ground and a beachhead for Moscow, I mainly worry about its anti-Semitism in view of its opposition to circumcision and preparation of kosher meat and its longstanding tolerance of Holocaust deniers. 

Like Trumpism, AfD looks for easy answers to complicated problems. Easy answers are the wrong answers. 

Unfortunately, the people of Saxony-Anhalt will find this out the hard way.

I Was Visiting Israel When I Learned Joe Morgan Was Managing The Red Sox

Former Boston Red Sox manager Joe Morgan passed away yesterday at the age of 95.

Not to be confused with the Hall of Fame second baseman who himself passed away in 2020, Morgan made a name for himself when he was named interim manager for the Red Sox during the 1988 All-Star Break after John McNamara, who had taken Boston to the AL pennant two years earlier was abruptly dismissed. 

At the time, Morgan was the team's third base coach. The plan was to have Morgan manage a few games before a permanent replacement could be found. Perhaps Joe Torre. 

But then the Red Sox started winning starting with a 12-game winning streak and then 19 out of 20 games. Morgan was a familiar face to most Red Sox players like Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, Mike Greenwell, Ellis Burks, Rogers Clemens and Bruce Hurst as he had managed the Triple-AAA Pawtucket Red Sox for nine seasons. 

Needless to say, it wasn't long before Morgan was named the team's full-time manager as he would lead the Red Sox to the AL East crown before being swept in the ALCS by the Oakland A's. 

Morgan certainly paid his dues. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Morgan was a baseball and hockey standout at both Walpole High School and Boston College. In 1952, Morgan signed as a free agent with the Boston Braves as an infielder.

Morgan would miss two seasons due to military service. When he rejoined the Braves organization in 1955, the big-league club had moved from Boston to Milwaukee. It was not until 1959 when Morgan made his MLB debut with the Braves although he would be sold to the Kansas City A's before the end of the season.

In 1960, the A's sold Morgan back to the Braves. By mid-season, the Braves would trade Morgan once more this time to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for future MLB manager Alvin Dark. Less than two months later, the Phillies would sell Morgan to the Cleveland Indians. While with the Tribe, Morgan hit his only 2 big-league homeruns.

Early in the 1961 season, the Indians traded Morgan to the St. Louis Cardinals for veteran outfielder Bob Nieman. Morgan would play three games with the 1964 Cardinals team that would win that year's World Series. This would be his last time playing at the big-league level. In 88 games over parts of four seasons with five teams, Morgan collected 36 hits for a lifetime batting average of .193 with 2 HR and 10 RBI.

In 1966, Morgan would transition into managing while with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was the player-manager for the Single-A Raleigh Pirates. After this season, Morgan concentrated on managing full time. Morgan played 13 seasons of minor league baseball collecting 1353 hits in 1440 games for a lifetime batting average of .278 with 117 HR and 632 RBI.

After one more season in Raleigh, Morgan would manage the Double-AA York White Roses in 1968 and 1969. In 1970, the Pirates promoted Morgan to their Triple-AAA affiliate with the Columbus Jets. The following year the Jets moved to Charleston, West Virginia where they became known as the Charleston Charlies.

In 1972, Morgan would join the Pirates big league coaching staff under manager Bill Virdon who succeeded Danny Murtaugh who guided the team to a World Series title the previous season. The Bucs would win the NL East for a third straight season but would fall to the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. In 1973, the Bucs trimmed the coaching staff and sent Morgan back to manage Charleston for one more season before he joined the Red Sox organization in 1974. 

After 9 seasons as the PawSox manager, Morgan became a scout for Red Sox for two seasons before he was assigned to John McNamara's coaching staff in 1985 as the team's bullpen coach, a position he held when the Red Sox won the AL pennant in 1986.

Being a baseball lifer did not pay well. In the off-season, Morgan worked a variety of jobs up to and including plowing snow on the Massachusetts Turnpike earning him the nickname "Turnpike Joe". Morgan was also affectionately known as "Walpole Joe".

Morgan would guide the Red Sox to a second AL East pennant in 1990 but were once again swept in the ALCS by the Oakland A's. The Red Sox would contend in 1991 finishing tied for second in the AL East with the Detroit Tigers, seven games back of the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Although Morgan had a year remaining on his contract, the Red Sox cut him loose in favor of former Red Sox third baseman Butch Hobson who had been managing the PawSox. The Red Sox would finish in last place in the AL East under Hobson in 1992 and would never enjoy a winning season during his three-year tenure as manager.

As for Morgan, he would never get another chance to manage in MLB. In part of four seasons as Red Sox manager, Morgan had a record of 301-262 with two AL East pennants under his belt.

On a personal note, I will forever associate Joe Morgan with Israel. During the summer of 1988, I made my lone visit to Israel. I was there for six weeks. During the first half of the trip, we were traveling around the country in remote areas. Needless to say, this was pre-internet. Media was scarce. We were lucky if we could get Jordanian TV much less a newspaper.

During the second half of the trip in August, we were spending most of our time in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. One afternoon, someone found a copy of the Jerusalem Post. We were shocked to learn that the Red Sox had won 19 out of 20 games and were doing it with Joe Morgan as their manager. Of course, I thought of Joe Morgan of the Big Red Machine. But the paper made a point of stating, "No, not that Joe Morgan." This is how I remember Morgan Magic.

I consider this a precious memory both because of the moment and because how such a moment is unlikely to replicate itself in the current state of our connected world. R.I.P.

The Real Third Man in The Third Man Was The Music

 

On Saturday evening, I went to the Harvard Film Archive to attend a screening of The Third Man starring Joseph Cotten, Valli, Trevor Howard and, of course, Orson Welles.

The screening is part of a retrospective of Graham Greene's novels and novellas adapted for the big screen.

Prior to the screening there was a lengthy introduction to the film by one of the staff members whose name I cannot recall. For the most part, I find these introductions to be largely unnecessary. You may recall that I was rather perturbed with Foster Hirsch's soliloquys during the film noir series which took place at the Brattle Theatre back in June. 

However, I will give Hirsch his due in this respect. His remarks were off the cuff. Tonight's introduction was read which made the proceedings that much more tedious. 

Although the one notable part of those remarks was that a point was made of stating that Orson Welles had no role in directing The Third Man which was entirely Carol Reed's baby. It was explained that Welles had other projects going on at the time and was not on the set long enough to have done anything beyond improvising a line or two of dialogue. Yet it has remained an urban legend for decades.

A synopsis of the film is in order. Author Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) comes to post-WWII Vienna to visit his friend Harry Lime only to discover that his friend was killed in a traffic accident. At Line's funeral, Martins encounters Anna Schmidt (Valli) who was Lime's lover as well as Major Calloway (Trevor Howard) and it becomes clear to Martins that Lime's death was not an accident. 

Martins learns of a third man who helped carry his friend's body across the street. Yet more than two-thirds through the film we learn in spectacular fashion that the third man is none other than Harry Lime himself (Orson Welles). Nothing is ever as it seems.

The one constant in The Third Man and perhaps the true third man is the music composed by Austrian zither player Anton Karas and now I can't get the "Harry Lime Theme" out of my head. What is most astonishing is that Reed discovered Karas by chance while visiting a wine bar and asked him to compose the music for the film on the spot. One can only imagine how different the film would have been had Reed not ventured into that wine bar.

Indeed, the first image you see on the screen in the background behind the words are the strings to a zither. I would be remiss if I did not mention that we had a zither much the like pictured below.

Perhaps it is fitting that a zither was prominently used in The Third Man because the audience is certainly being strung along.

Even after the film, we were treated to an original trailer of the film zither and all.

The Rise and Fall of British Columbia's Conservative Party

When it comes to Canada, there is an understandable focus on tensions with the United States on trade amid the desires of the Trump Administration to annex its neighbor to the north.

There is also considerable attention to the forthcoming provincial election in Quebec as well as the Alberta referendum to determine if there will be a referendum on separation.

While these events loom large, I am fascinated by what is happening to the Conservative Party of British Columbia.

Less than two years ago, the B.C. Conservatives went from being a non-entity to coming within striking distance of forming a provincial government and ousting the NDP from power.

Yet success came too fast too soon. Just over a year after nearly becoming Premier, John Rustad was ousted as Conservative Party leader following a series of expulsions and defections from the party caucus.

Just over three months ago, B.C. Conservatives chose former Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay as their new leader.

But in less than 100 days as party leader, Findlay has seen 9 Conservative MLAs defect from her caucus. 

Much of this stems from Findlay's autocratic and dogmatic behavior. Among other things, Findlay assailed the Aboriginal ancestry of the wife of leadership rival Peter Milobar who was the first MLA to defect during her leadership. 

Then there were Findlay's attempt to offer financial inducements to MLAs to resign so she could run for the legislature in a by-election. Reann Gasper did resign her seat so Findlay could run and now Findlay has rewarded her by appointing her chief of staff. The problem here is that this is illegal and the RCMP is now looking into the matter. 

To make matter worse, Findlay has also surrounded herself with a staff full of Alberta separatists. 

Five of the nine ex-Tory MLAs have formed a new, yet to be named party under the joint leadership of Milobar and Ian Paton.

In exactly three weeks, Findlay faces voters in a by-election. Whether she wins or loses, I suspect there will be more defections to this new opposition party. 

With a divided opposition, speculation has grown as to whether B.C. Premier David Eby will call a snap election only two years into his mandate. While this strategy might favor the NDP with a weakened opposition, calling an election for the sake of calling an election could also backfire and voters could give this unknown party a chance to govern even if it doesn't have a clear platform. An early election could be the final straw for voters with the NDP after nearly a decade in power.

At this point, it might be best for Eby not to interrupt the Conservatives while they make mistakes left, center and right.

Carney Dismisses Lutnick's Knowledge of Canadian Politics in Thunder Bay

(Leith Dunick, Thunder Bay Newswatch) 

On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a visit to my hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario to announce $4.7 billion (roughly $3.4 billion in U.S. dollars) in funding for Alstom to build and maintain 300 plus rail cars for VIA Rail, Canada's national passenger rail system.

Following the press conference, Carney was asked about Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick's comments that Canada walked away from the deal for domestic political reasons. 

Indeed, Lutnick has made this claim on more than one occasion. Last month, Lutnick asserted that Carney's claim concerning the use of French language on labeling was intended to affect the ability of the Parti Quebecois to win provincial election in Quebec next month.

Then on Wednesday, Lutnick claimed that Canada started "adding crazy ideas to the mix" at the last minute and that he asked "one of the ministers" if he was trying to blow up the deal. Lutnick alleged that minister told him he wasn't permitted to say so. The only minister present at the negotiations at the time was Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc who has not commented on the matter.

For his part, Carney replied in part, "I don't think, with all respect, appointed, unelected cabinet members in the United States are experts on Canadian politics."

Indeed, I doubt that Lutnick could find Thunder Bay on a map much less name all 10 Canadian provinces and our three territories.

I also doubt that LeBlanc or anyone in the Canadian delegation made a non-denial denial to Lutnick about trying to blow up trade negotiations. Given Lutnick's dishonesty about his association with Jeffrey Epstein (not to mention his association with a pathological liar like Trump), I am not inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

While Trump, Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent decry Canada, Carney is moving forward in helping to bring more manufacturing to my home and native land. 

My work colleagues are staggered to hear a world leader speak with an even tone in complete sentences (in two different languages) who actually tries to work for the betterment of the people he was elected to lead.

There's No Difference Between JD Vance & Abdul El-Sayed

Vice-President JD Vance and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed believe the other is evil.

So far as I am concerned there is no difference between Vance and El-Sayed. They both aid and abet evil in equal measure.

Chief among those evils is anti-Semitism. 

Vance will no more disavow Tucker Carlson than El-Sayed will disavow Hasan Piker.

During a White House press briefing today, Vance said this about Carlson:

Tucker is a friend of mine. Tucker is a friend, despite the fact that we disagree on a number of things. And I’m not going to play the game where I throw friends under the bus because I have political disagreements with them.

I think that is a terrible place for the United States to go.

In just over a week, we will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Carlson is on public record claiming Israelis had advanced knowledge of the attacks. 

That isn't disagreement, it's defamation. 

In scapegoating Israel, Carlson absolves al Qaeda of its responsibility and Vance's friendship aids and abets his defamation.

For his part, El-Sayed is taking a more Trumpian approach with regard to Piker pretending as if he doesn't know him but won't disavow him just the same:

We’re in the state of Michigan. If you want to make this race about a streamer in California, I just think you’re missing the boat. This is about affordability in Michigan. This is about being able to see a doctor in Michigan. This is about Donald Trump’s disastrous policies in Michigan. That’s what I’m focused on right now. I am not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California.

Well, El-Sayed chose to make his campaign about that streamer in California. And without him and his followers, El-Sayed isn't facing Mike Rogers in November.  

While El-Sayed isn't calling Piker his friend, he notably told Charlamagne tha God on Monday, “There’s this massive effort to cancel Hasan—my point is that I don’t do cancel culture."

El-Sayed's "I don't do cancel culture" is no different than Vance's "I'm not going to play the game where I throw friends under the bus because I have political disagreements with them."

Sadly, there is also one other area where this is no difference between Vance and El-Sayed. Jews in the Republican Party are prepared to make excuses for Vance while Jews in the Democratic Party are prepared to make excuses for El-Sayed which makes it more difficult to confront the cancer of anti-Semitism.

In truth, neither JD Vance nor Abdul El-Sayed deserve a moment's consideration from the Jewish community nor anyone else in this country. They are both equally unworthy men.

Will Angels Take Flight After Arte Moreno Sells Team to Stan Kroenke?

In a surprise move, Arte Moreno announced plans to sell the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke, the current owner of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams pending approval of MLB.

Moreno purchased the team from Disney in 2003, a year after the Angels won their only World Series title in franchise history. 

At first, this wasn't such a bad thing. The Angels would win the AL West five times between 2004 and 2009 reaching the ALCS twice. 

However, since 2009, the Angels have made one post-season appearance in 2014 when they were swept in the ALDS by the Kansas City Royals who went on to win the AL pennant. 

The Halos haven't had a winning season since 2015 and entered tonight with a record of 53-86, the worst in all of MLB. Should the Angels go 9-14 or worse the rest of the way then they will have lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history. The team lost 99 games in 2024 under former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington who went to the World Series in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011. It is remarkable when you consider that the Angels have had Mike Trout paired with both Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani in the middle of their lineup at various points. Long term contracts handed out to Pujols as well as Josh Hamilton and Anthony Rendon left the Angels in the dust.

Since Mike Scioscia departed the team after the 2018 season, the Angels have had six managers - Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin, Ron Washington, Ray Montgomery and now Kurt Suzuki. And don't expect Suzuki to last beyond this season given that he signed a one-year contract to manage the club. 

There have also been dark shadows such as the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends at the hands of a drunk driver early in the 2009 season and then the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs due to a drug overdose a decade later. In the Skaggs case, an Angels employee gave the pitcher the drug that would take his life. Skaggs' family brought suit against the club, and the case was finally settled out of court last year.

Then earlier this year, Moreno raised eyebrows when he declared that a winning ballclub was not a top five priority for Angels fans.

All things considered, the Angels really have nowhere to go but up. The question remains how quickly. Let's consider that in the space of two years, the Chicago White Sox went from having the most losses in a single season to being on the verge of winning the AL Central. 

I think it is more likely than not that the Angels will eventually take flight after Stan Kroenke takes over the team. Angels' fans should be happy. That is unless Kroenke decides that the Angels should take flight somewhere else.