Before We Tap into The Future, We Must Tap into The Past

 

One of the most anticipated films of 2025 is Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues, the 41st anniversary sequel to This is Spinal Tap.

To whet our appetites, This is Spinal Tap is being shown in AMC Theatres thru tomorrow. I took in a showing yesterday afternoon at AMC Boston Common. Normally, I do my best to avoid AMC theatres because of their excessive and exhaustive number of commercials. However, much to my surprise, there were no commercials or coming attractions. The film began on schedule. It was almost like being at the Brattle or the Somerville Theatre.

This is Spinal Tap is one of those movies best experienced with an audience. By my count, this is the fourth time I've seen in a theatre. The first time took place in the fall of 1991 not long after I arrived in Ottawa for my freshman year at Carleton University. I saw This is Spinal Tap at the Mayfair Theatre with a fellow named Mike "Ozzy" Drukarsh. "Ozzy" gave me the nickname "Cucumber" because I once brought a cucumber to a sexed presentation. 

I must admit a great many of my memories of my time in Ottawa and at Carleton University have faded considerably. But not this one. The main reason for this was because "Ozzy" had seen the film over 400 times and began reciting the film's lines much to the annoyance of the audience around us.

More than a decade would pass before I would see it on the big screen again. By this time, I had moved to Boston. I cannot quite remember the year though I would estimate it was in 2002. I do remember that I saw it at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline. However long I had been in Boston, by this point the line from Ian Faith (played by Tony Hendra), "Boston isn't a big college town." Not surprisingly, this was one of the big laugh lines in the entire film and was again yesterday.

Prior to yesterday, I last saw This is Spinal Tap in April 2019 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City with Dad. The screening marked the film's 35th anniversary and director Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer were on hand to talk and perform following a showing of the film. However, much to my consternation Elvis Costello made an unannounced appearance. Costello infamously cancelled concerts in Israel back in 2010 and is a supporter of the BDS Movement. Had I known he was going to be there, I would not have attended.

Fortunately, there were no unpleasant surprises yesterday. Following the screening, we were treated to a trailer featuring Rob Reiner as Marty DiBurgi promoting Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues featuring a scene with McKean, Guest and Shearer having aged considerably discussing a memorial concert in which one of the members is required to die onstage. Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues is due in theatres on September 12th. Now that I have tapped back into the past, I look forward to tapping into the future.

Bobby Jenks Was the Final Piece of the Puzzle for the 2005 Chicago White Sox

Former MLB closer Bobby Jenks passed away of stomach cancer yesterday in Portugal at the age of 44. 

Jenks will always be fondly remembered on the South Side of Chicago for being the final piece of the puzzle for the 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox. It is worth remembering that Dustin Hermanson had been the team's closer for the most of that season when a back injury put him on the shelf. Jenks, a 24-year-old rookie, stepped into the breach earning six saves in the final month of the season. Jenks would earn two saves in the ALDS sweep of the Boston Red Sox and two saves in the World Series sweep of the Houston Astros (then a National League team). It was the first World Series title for the Chisox since 1917. 

In 2006 and 2007, Jenks saved 41 and 40 games, respectively, earning back-to-back AL All-Star Team selections. During the 2007 season, Jenks retired 41 consecutive batters tying a MLB record held by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jim Barr during the 1972 season. His White Sox teammate Mark Buehrle would break the record in 2009 by retiring 45 consecutive batters. 

Jenks remained in the closer role with the Chisox through the 2010 season. He would sign as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2011 season but injuries rendered him ineffective. A botched surgery on his back following the 2011 season prematurely ended his MLB career at the age of 30 and would subsequently result in litigation against the doctor who performed the surgery and Massachusetts General Hospital which was settled out of court in 2019. Over 7 MLB seasons, Jenks recorded 173 career saves (all with the White Sox). 

Life after baseball proved difficult for Jenks who developed an addiction to alcohol and pain medication following the botched surgery. Then came this year. First, he lost his home during the Pacific Palisades fires in California and then his terminal cancer diagnosis.

It is heartbreaking that Jenks suffered so greatly for such a long period of time. One can only hope he is at peace. For all of his pain, no one can take away the role he played in the Chicago White Sox World Series triumph 20 years ago. R.I.P.

Trump Doesn't Get the Benefit of the Doubt on His Use of The Anti-Semitic Term "Shylock"

President Trump claims he had no idea "shylock" is an anti-Semitic term. 

During a rally in Iowa to celebrate the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, Trump discussed its effect on the estate tax:

Think of that. No death tax, no estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from in some cases a fine banker, and in some cases shylocks and bad people.

When confronted with his use of the term by reporters, Trump said, "I've never heard it that way. The meaning of shylock is somebody that's a moneylender at high rates. You view it differently. I've never heard that." 

I do not believe him.

Given Trump's propensity towards lying, he does not get the benefit of the doubt. When we also consider that Trump's long business career and Ivy League education, it is implausible that he is not aware of the term "shylock".

Naturally, there are those who will point out that his daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism and that his grandchildren are Jewish. Well, then that makes it even more implausible that he is unaware of the term.

Let us also keep in mind that Trump has repeatedly questioned the loyalty of American Jews. The term shylock certainly questions Jews for having loyalty to no one other than themselves.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Joe Biden used the term when he was Vice-President back in 2014 and made a heartfelt apology. Unlike Biden, Trump will never admit to wrongdoing much less make amends for it. 

America Has Gone from The Statue of Liberty to Alligator Alcatraz

As we observe America's 249th birthday, it cannot be lost upon us that our national identity is changing right before our very eyes.

There was a time when this country embodied the spirit of Emma Lazarus' homage to the Statue of Liberty in her poem "The New Colossus":

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

With our semiquincentennial a year from now, the Trump Administration ethos has moved us from the Statue of Liberty to Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades where people detained by ICE have been shipped. In the words of Florida Attorney General James Utheimer, “Next stop: back to where they came from.”

Aside from the poor grammar, most of the people who will be housed in Alligator Alcatraz have only known as America as home. These are people who have gone to school, attained gainful employment and served in our military. But none of that matters to Vice-President Vance who made it very clear who he blames for all the ills in our country in praise of Trump's inaptly named One Big Beautiful Bill which was signed into law today by President Trump:

The thing that will bankrupt this country more than any other policy is flooding the country with illegal immigration and then giving those migrants generous benefits. The OBB fixes this problem. And therefore it must pass.

Everything else — the CBO score, the proper baseline, the minutiae of the Medicaid policy — is immaterial compared to the ICE money and immigration enforcement provisions. 

This is the heart of the MAGA mindset - easy answers to complicated problems. Of course, easy answers are invariably the wrong answers. Perhaps this country will come to that realization in 2028 - assuming there is still a functioning democracy by that time.

Mind you, the United States is no stranger to nativism as demonstrated by the rise of the Know Nothings nearly two centuries ago. But the Know Nothings could only dream of the power attained by Trump and MAGA. 

Yet we must remember that we chose to give Trump and MAGA this power. The question remains if we will choose to take that power away from them. Even if the answer is yes, Trump and MAGA will not accept that choice and will be prepared to use force. Are we prepared to use force in kind to sustain our choices? 

On the other hand, it is quite possible America prefers Alligator Alcatraz over the Statue Liberty.

Happy Birthday, America. Hope you got what you wanted.

Billy Hunter Was the Last Living Member of the St. Louis Browns

Former MLB player, coach and manager Billy Hunter passed away yesterday at the age of 97. 

At the time of his death, Hunter was both the last surviving member of the St. Louis Browns as well as the last living member of the inaugural Baltimore Orioles team of 1954. He played six seasons in MLB with the Browns/Orioles, New York Yankees (where he earned a World Series ring in 1956), the Kansas City A's and the Cleveland Indians. In 630 career games, Hunter collected 410 hits for a lifetime batting average of .219 with 16 HR and 144 RBI. Despite his light hitting reputation, Hunter was solid on defense and did earn an AL All-Star Team selection during his tenure with the Browns during their final year of existence in 1953. Hunter's death comes less than a week after the passing of Ed Mickelson, who drove in the final run in Brown's history.

Hunter would later become part of the coaching staff of the Balitmore Orioles earning two World Series rings in 1966 and 1970 under managers Hank Bauer and Earl Weaver, respectively. For his long tenure with the Orioles organization, Hunter would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 1996.

In 1977, Hunter became manager of the Texas Rangers. He was actually their fourth manager that season which began with Frank Lucchesi before he was dismissed in the middle of the season in favor of Eddie Stanky who abruptly quit after one game. Connie Ryan took over the team for a week on an interim basis before Hunter was brought aboard. Remarkably, the Rangers went 60-33 under Hunter finishing second in the AL West, 8 games back of the Kansas City Royals. However, there was no wild card system in place at the time. 

The Rangers would finish tied for second in the AL West in 1978 with the California Angels only five games back of the Royals. However, Hunter was dismissed on the last day of the season in favor of Pat Corrales. Because of his abrupt dismissal, Hunter vowed never to coach or manage in MLB ever again.

True to his word, Hunter would return to Maryland and join the collegiate ranks as the head baseball coach at Towson University in 1979. He would later become the university's athletic director. 

Although Hunter's legacy is most closely tied to Maryland by virtue of his association with both the Balitmore Orioles and Towson University, his significance in MLB will be as the final link to the St. Louis Browns, a nearly forgotten entity in baseball with (save for a single AL pennant in 1944) a long legacy of losing, incompetence and bad luck even if he rose above such circumstances. R.I.P.

Clayton Kershaw Becomes 20th Pitcher in MLB History to Reach 3,000 Career Strikeouts

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has attained baseball immortality by reaching 3,000 career strikeouts.

Kershaw caught Chicago White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra looking to end the top of the 6th inning (pictured above). It was a borderline curveball, but with Kershaw in his 18th season in a Dodgers uniform he is going to get the benefit of the doubt. 

In so doing, the 37-year-old southpaw becomes the 20th pitcher in MLB history to record 3,000 career strikeouts. 

The only black mark against this achievement is that Kershaw stands to lose the game as he left it trailing the lowly Chisox 4-2. The score remains this way as we go to the top of the 8th inning. It would be his first loss of the 2025 season.

Nevertheless, let's enjoy the moment because unless someone takes a flier on Zack Greinke (who is at 2979 career strikeouts) it might be quite a while before someone else joins Kershaw in the 3000 club. 

Among active pitchers after Kershaw, Chris Sale has the most career strikeouts with 2528. Of course, Sale enjoyed a renaissance season with the Atlanta Braves last year earning his first career Cy Young Award. Unfortunately, Sale sustained a broken rib last month in a near shutout against the New York Mets which has put him on the 60-day IL until at least the end of August. New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, who has 2251 career strikeouts, will not pitch this season due to Tommy John surgery.

An intriguing possibility is Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola, who turned 32 last month, with his 1831 career strikeouts. However, Nola is having the worst year of his career with a 1-7 record and a ghastly 6.16 ERA in 9 starts in 2025. Nola won't get to 3,000 strikeouts if he continues to pitch like that.

It makes what Clayton Kershaw did tonight and what he has done throughout his career all the more special.

It Would Seem Freedom of the Press Isn't Paramount When It Comes to Trump

(Getty Images)

Well, so much for freedom of the press.

Paramount, the parent company of CBS, has settled President Trump's frivolous $20 billion lawsuit for $16 million.

Not that this comes as any surprise. This was expected before Trump returned to the White House in January. Here were my thoughts at the time:

Whatever does come, it will be a very long four years and it may be longer than that should Trump see fit to remain in office beyond 2028. The 22nd Amendment might very well become a dead letter just like 14th amendment where it concerns presidential immunity. 

The same might also hold true for the First Amendment. It appears CBS (which is due to merge with Paramount) is going to settle with Trump regarding his frivolous suit about 60 Minutes editing its interview with Kamala Harris. All news entities have editors, and it is none of Trump's goddamn business nor that of the government as to how CBS edits its stories. 

Nevertheless, CBS will likely follow ABC's lead which amounted to an in-kind donation to the Trump Presidential Library (an oxymoron if there ever was one). 

And this is precisely what happened.

But why?

There was no factual nor legal basis for Trump's lawsuit. None. 

If freedom of the press was of any importance to Paramount, then they would have had the back of CBS and 60 Minutes. 

Alas, when it comes to Trump, freedom of the press isn't, shall we say, paramount.

What is paramount to Paramount is approval of its merger with Skydance. So, Paramount is willing to throw CBS and 60 Minutes under the bus to curry Trump's favor.

Of course, don't be surprised if it isn't enough and Trump wants more from Paramount.

And all it will cost is the First Amendment.