Month: March 2025

APRIL FOOL’S DAY

This is not an April Fools joke. It s a legitimate blog.

As you know, tomorrow is April 1, also known as “April Fool’s Day.”  I like a good joke as much as anyone, but I am not a big fan of pranking people on this date.  Maybe when I was 10 or so, but not now.  But I was curious about the origins of the holiday, and how it is celebrated around the world.

According to Wikipedia AFD is not a official holiday in the US, nor in any other country for that matter, but it is widely recognized and celebrated around the world unofficially.  Different countries have different ways of celebrating it. More on that later.

Some people love to play jokes and perpetrate hoaxes.  So, if you hear that President Trump has resigned to retire and spend his days relaxing quietly at the beach, or that James Dolan has sold the NY Knicks, or that China has “forgiven” the US’s debt, don’t believe it.  Those would most certainly be AFD jokes.

Even the media can be a willing participant.  One of my favorite AFD pranks occurred on April 1, 1985.  The Sports Illustrated cover story that day was about a baseball pitching phenom named Sidd Finch.  At first, the story appeared to have credibility, as it was written by George Plimpton, an author of some renown, and published in SI.  Finch was presented as an unknown rookie pitching prospect in the NY Mets training camp.  (At that time Opening Day was later in April.)  So far, so good.  But, as one read the details of the story, particularly about his 160 MPH fastball, it became apparent that it was an AFD joke.

A few other famous, or infamous, AFD pranks courtesy of CNN, (which many claim is the “fake news” network anyway), and Wikipedia:

1. Swiss spaghetti – On 4/1/57 a British tv show called “Panorama” claimed that the Swiss spaghetti harvest had enjoyed a “bumper year” due to the unusually mild weather and the elimination of the “spaghetti weevil.”  This hoax was ranked the #1 AFD joke of all time by the Museum of Hoaxes.  (Yes, there is such a place.)

2. Toilet paper – On 4/1/73 Johnny Carson joked on the Tonight Show that there was a shortage of toilet paper. Due to the show’s extensive popularity this hoax was credited with creating a real shortage as many listeners believed him and rushed out to “stock up.”

3. In 2015 Cottonelle announced it was developing “left-handed toilet paper.”  “It cleans just like right-handed toilet paper, only it’s made for (lefties),” touted one advertisement.

4. Google Gulp – In 1998 Google announced a drink called the “Google Gulp,” which, it said, would help one to “achieve maximum optimization of your soon-to-be grateful cerebral cortex,” [and it was] “low in carbs” to boot.

5. Walt(Clyde) Frazier, the illustrious NY Knick Hall of Fame basketball player, retired after the 1979 season. On April 1, 1997 the MSG network ran a story that he was coming out of retirement. It fooled some people for a while, but it was not true.

6. In 1992 National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” program announced Richard Nixon, who in 1974 became the only U.S. president to resign from office, was running for president again, claiming, “I never did anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Listeners were horrified—until they realized it was a joke.

All in good fun!

On the flip side there have been actual events that occurred on or around April 1 that were mistakenly taken as AFD jokes, such as:

  1. In 1946 a news report of an earthquake and tsunami in the Aleutian Islands area that ultimately killed 165 persons in Alaska and Hawaii.
  2. In 1984 it was reported that singer Marvin Gaye, Jr. was shot and killed by his father.
  3. In 1995 it was reported that the singer, Selena, was shot and killed by the former president of her fan club.
  4. In 2009 CBS announced that its long-running soap opera, The Guiding Light, was being cancelled.

Initially, each of these was denounced as false AFD pranks even by those who should have been cognizant of the truth.

In 2020 and 2021 during the height of the COVID Pandemic some people were opposed to incorporating the virus into AFD pranks. For example, Google opted not to publish its customary “infamous April Fools jokes. Additionally, in Thailand police warned that posting or sharing any AFD jokes or pranks online could result in a maximum of five years in prison for the perpetrator.

The origin of AFD is murky and controversial. Surprisingly, there are records of continuous AFD celebrations back as far as 536 BC in present day Iran. They celebrate the Persian holiday of Sizdah Bedar, which falls on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, (April 1). In addition, the Romans celebrated festivals called “Hilaria” on March 25 and the “Medieval Feast of Fools” on December 28. In certain Spanish-speaking countries, the latter is still a date on which pranks are played on people. Also, there is a reference to the holiday in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which was first published in 1387.

According to Wikipedia, a 1908 edition of Harpers Weekly published a reference to AFD in connection with Noah’s Ark. I think the article, itself, was likely an AFD joke, particularly since the story of the Ark and the Flood, itself, strains credulity.

In 1508 a French poet, Eloy d’Amerval, referred to a day called poisson d’avril , or “April’s fish” in one of his poems, which some historians attribute to be the earliest known reference to the holiday in France. Even today, AFD is referred to as “April Fish Day” in France, Belgium and Italy.

During the Middle Ages there was no universally recognized calendar, so many regions celebrated New Years Day on April 1 rather than January 1. Some of those who celebrated it on January 1 would denigrate those who celebrated it on April 1 as “fools.” It is easy to see how that label morphed into “April fools.”

Supposedly, in 1561 Eduard de Dene, a Belgian poet of some renown, published a humorous poem about a nobleman who sent one of his servants on “foolish errands” on April 1.

In 1686 John Aubrey, who Wikipedia describes as an antiquary, writer and philosopher, is credited by Wikipedia with making the earliest reference to the celebratory day in Great Britain. He called it “Fooles holy day.” (For those of you who, like me, are not well-versed in Oxford English the term antiquary is defined as one who collects or studies antiques.)

According to Alex Boese, curator of the Museum of Hoaxes, the Dutch popularized the day in the late 16th century.  By the 1700s it had spread over much of Northern Europe, and eventually to the US.

Nowadays, the holiday is celebrated differently around the world. Some examples are as follows:

1. UK – The April Fool joke is disclosed when the perpetrator shouts “April Fool” at the recipient.  Traditionally, April Fool jokes are to cease at midday.  After that time, anyone trying to prank someone becomes the “April Fool” himself.  These AFD customs are similar in other countries whose traditions were influenced by the UK, such as the US.

2. Scotland – AFD is called “Hunt the Gowk Day.”  “Gowk” is Scotch for a foolish person.

3. Ireland – A common tradition is to give the “prankee” an important letter in an envelope to give to a certain person.  That person would ask the “prankee” to give it to another person, and so on and so on.  Eventually, someone would open the envelope.  The letter inside would say “send the fool further.”

4. Poland – Traditionally, April 1 is a day to play jokes and hoaxes.  The media participates as well.  Serious matters are to be avoided.  For example, supposedly, a treaty signed on April 1, 1683 was later backdated to March 31.

5. France/Italy/Belgium – One common prank is to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being detected. (Along these lines, in high school we used to put a “kick me” sign on a victim’s back, although not just on AFD.  Movie buffs may recall that this joke was played on McFly Senior in the movie Back to the Future.)

6. Sweden/Denmark – They celebrate on May 1 in addition to April 1. Many Danish and Swedish news outlets will intentionally publish one false story on April 1.

CONCLUSION

AFD can be fun, especially for kids. Even in the current PC era, a little harmless fun never hurt anyone.  That is especially true today as, in my view, many Americans are becoming increasingly humorless.

I recall some years ago my son “pranked” my grandson, who was six at the time and a huge Mets fan, telling him that David Wright, his favorite Mets player at the time, had been traded to the hated Yankees. To his credit, my grandson, merely shrugged his shoulders and asked “who for?”

I can remember being both the perpetrator and butt of April fool jokes in grade school and middle school. All in good fun.  I predict that some of you will be victimized this year. Be ready, and take it as the good fun in which it is intended.

A fun fact from Wikipedia, April is named after “Aphrodite,” the Greek goddess of love.

Please tell me some of your favorite AFD pranks.

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DEM PARTY SELF-DESTRUCTION

Based on the political news since the November 2024 election I have come to the conclusion that the Dems are heading slowly, but inexorably, toward self-destruction. Figuratively, I feel as if I am watching an out-of-control speeding vehicle careening toward a cliff, and there is nothing I or anyone else can do to stop it. What’s more, the Dem Party professionals and their allies in the media are driving the car. Hyperbole, perhaps, slightly, but after reading this blog, I believe that, unless you are a “Kool-aide drinker,” you will come to the same conclusion.

Consider:

  1. The election was nearly five months ago, long enough for the shock to have worn off. Long enough for the Dems to have regrouped and formulated a strategy to rebound.
  2. And yet, after all this time many if not most of them have still not ascertained why and how they lost. They cannot fathom that they, themselves and their policies, were to blame. Rather than looking internally, they are continuing to blame others.
  3. Most of us know that the first step to resolving a problem is to admit that you have one. This is a hard lesson to learn, but it is a necessary one. Drug addicts learn it; alcohol abusers learn it; why can’t the Dem politicians learn it?
  4. In my opinion it is because they are in complete denial. They live in a figurative bubble and cannot conceive how the vast majority of people live, how they continually have to deal with real life problems, like finding a good-paying job, putting food on the table, and paying the rent or mortgage.
  5. In essence, they believe their own propaganda. We all know the drill. The border is secure; go “Green;” illegals, even criminals, drug dealers and terrorists, have rights even superseding those of citizens; inflation is transitory; and transgenders should be allowed to enter girls’ private spaces and compete with them in sports.

Last November the GOP won an election as decisively as any in a long time. Trump won the presidency in a landslide; he won the popular vote, which is rare for a Republican; he won all seven swing states; he made significant inroads into traditionally Dem voting blocs such as blacks, Hispanics, Jews and young people; and his coattails flipped the Senate and retained the House.

However, the numbers do not tell the entire story. Five months later the Dem Party finds itself in complete disarray. It is firmly in the control of its radical left wing. Its spokespersons are AOC, Bernie Sanders, Hakeem Jeffries, and Jasmine Crockett, all left wing, not a moderate in the bunch. CNN, MSNBC, the NY Times and the Washington Post are spewing their distorted fake news as aggressively as ever.

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has established itself on the “right side,” the “commonsense side,” of every issue that is important to voters, the so-called “80-20 issues,” such as securing the borders, the rights of citizens over illegal aliens, law and order, energy independence, deporting criminal illegal aliens, eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in government, Israel over Hamas, peace in Ukraine, local control of education, and eliminating transgenders from women’s private spaces and sports. On the other hand, the Dem’s, since they must oppose any Trump policy, have been forced to support the opposing side in all of those issues.

Thus, they have been forced into the ludicrous and untenable position of supporting, or at least tolerating pro-Hamas, anti-Jewish riots and lawlessness on college campuses, blocking the deporting of criminal illegals who have committed the most heinous of crimes, and firebombing Tesla showrooms. The latter is especially inane. It was the Dems who pushed EVs and other “green” policies on the reluctant public for years. Elon Musk was their hero. Now, just because Musk is an ally of Trump’s they are advocating the destruction of his company and returning to gas guzzler cars? Don’t they realize how unhinged that appears? Don’t they care? Furthermore, let’s not overlook the fact that they are endangering innocent people’s lives and damaging thousands of workers’ livelihoods.

Now the radical Dems are attempting to depose Chuck Schumer as Minority Leader in the Senate and replace his with a more left-leaning senator. Regular readers know I am not a Schumer fan. In fact, I despise him politically. I have no respect for him. I consider him to be a political chameleon with no integrity. His support for Israel and Jews, in general, has been tepid at best. He has not spoken out in support of Israel in its war against Hamas nor in opposition of the riots and lawlessness on college campuses against Jewish students. That said, I believe they would be making a mistake if they were to replace him with a more radical senator.

Conclusion

The Dems need to regroup and fast. They need to recognize why and how they lost in 2024 and change their policies. They need to get over their TDS and join the Republicans on the right side of the aforementioned 80-20 issues. They need to control their radical left wing and coalesce behind moderate leaders. Otherwise, there will be more of the same in 2026 and beyond.

On the humorous side, Joe Biden has resurfaced. He has offered to help the Dems with their current predicament. That should be a “hard pass.”

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OPENING DAY

The traditional MLB Opening Day will be on Thursday, March 27. Every team is scheduled to be in action, weather permitting of course. Neither MLB nor I view the annual pre-openers as OD. Although they count in the standings, they are generally considered to be a prelude to the “real” baseball season. Due to travel and time change, following those pre-openers both teams will return to play additional preseason games. Weird.

Fans always look forward to OD as a respite after a long winter of cold, rain, political, economic and social turmoil, and war. We all know that sports are a healthy diversion, especially in difficult times such as now.

This year the Dodgers and the Cubs will play the two-game preopening series in Tokyo. The rosters of the Dodgers and Cubs include five Japanese-born players who are former superstars of the Nippon Professional Baseball league – Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki of the Dodgers and Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga of the Cubs. According to MLB currently there are 11 Japanese-born MLB players out of an all-time total of 81. [Quiz question. Can you name the first player and the year he debuted?]

This is not the first time MLB has scheduled such games in foreign venues. Beginning in 1996 games, both pre-openers and in-season games, have been played in foreign locales such as Sydney, Australia, Mexico City, Mexico, Seoul, South Korea and London, England, among others. Opening in these foreign locales may be inconvenient for the players, but MLB does it to broaden the exposure and appeal of the game. Indeed, MLB rosters are chock full of players from countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Asia. According to MLB in 2024 264 players, 28% of the total, were foreign born in 25 countries. Can you name them? (Just kidding.)

Typically, many early season (and late season) games are played in weather more suitable for football. Why? We know why – M O N E Y. If MLB persists in playing games in March, April and November why doesn’t it mandate domed stadiums in cold weather locales? Probably, too logical for the Lords of Baseball.

For many years, MLB had scheduled the very first game of the season in Cincinnati, usually on the first Monday in April, with a full slate of games the next day. This was in recognition of the fact that the Reds were the first professional baseball team. In fact, the Reds are the only team that has always been scheduled to play its first game at home. There have only been three years when they opened on the road – 1966, when the home opener was rained out and 1990 and 2022 when those seasons were delayed due to lockouts. The team was formed in 1869 as the Red Stockings. It has undergone various name changes and is now known as the “Reds.” Incidentally, for you trivia buffs, they went 65-0 that first year, the only perfect season in baseball history.

The National League was organized in 1876, and the American League in 1901. For many years there were 16 teams – eight teams in each league, all in the northeast, with no team being located west or south of St. Louis. With the advent of air travel in the late 1950s it became feasible to add franchises in other sectors of the country. Presently, there are 30 teams – 15 in each league.

Despite the often-inclement weather, OD holds a special meaning. Mention those words to any sports fan, and, immediately, he or she knows what it means, and to which sport it pertains. Not football, not basketball, not hockey. OD means that another season of Major League Baseball is beginning. Baseball fans look forward to OD every year. Local newspapers step up their coverage of the local team in anticipation. They send the beat writers to Spring Training to report on the local team. Many of them even print a daily countdown of the number of days remaining until OD. In addition, OD occurs in the Spring, a season that symbolizes a new beginning and one which most people anticipate every year.

Most fans will acknowledge that baseball is no longer the most popular sport. In fact, according to TV ratings, betting interest and most fan polls, football has superseded baseball. Perhaps, basketball has as well, particularly among younger fans. However, baseball, which has been played in the US in some form since the 1840s, is part of the social fabric of America.

Most men (and women) remember their first game of “catch” with their father and their first baseball game. For most it is a “rite of passage” as uniquely American as the flag. In fact, I have a more detailed recall of a World Series game I attended with my father in 1956 than I do of ballgames I saw last year.

Every fan is optimistic on OD. Every team starts with the same 0-0 record. None has lost a game yet. Every team still has a chance to make the playoffs (at least in theory), and as we have seen in recent years, once you make the playoffs anything can happen. For example, in 2016 the Chicago Cubs won it all for the first time since 1908. Think about that for a minute. That meant that, at the time, no Cubs fan, and virtually none of their fathers, had even been born the previous time the Cubs had won. In 2017 the Houston Astros won their first WS after having languished near the bottom of the league for many years.

Unlike other sports, very often the team with the best regular season record does not win the World Series or even get there. Even the best baseball teams generally lose about 40% of their games. If those losses come at the wrong time, it’s sayonara.

Eight wild card teams have actually won the World Series, most recently, the Texas Rangers in 2023. Furthermore, in 2002 and 2014 both WS participants were wild cards (the Angels beat the Giants in 2002, and the Giants beat the Royals in 2014). Five teams – the Padres, Mariners, Brewers, Rays, and Rockies – have never won a WS, and the Mariners have never even appeared in one. The WS format has always been the best of seven games, EXCEPT for 1903, which was the first one, and 1919-1921 which were all the best of nine.

Many fans, and even some reporters, place undue emphasis on the opener, forgetting or ignoring the fact that the season consists of 162 games. To many fans, a win OD means the season will be outstanding; a loss means the team “stinks.”

Down through the years, OD has produced some memorable events, such as:

1. In 1907, the NY Giants, forerunner of the San Francisco Giants, forfeited the opener after rowdy fans began throwing snowballs at the players and umpires. There were not enough police on hand to restore order, so the umpires forfeited the game to the visiting Phillies.
2. In 1910 President Howard Taft became the first President to throw out the “first ball.” In 1950 President Truman threw out the “first pitch” twice, as a righty and a lefty. Over the years nearly every president has done so, and the practice has evolved from a perfunctory toss from the stands to a more elaborate ceremonial toss from the mound. I expect that President Trump will follow suit this year. In addition, I predict he will participate in the “wave.”
3. In 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians, known as “Rapid Robert” because of his high velocity fast ball, threw the only OD day no-hitter in baseball history. As an aside, there were no radar guns in Feller’s Day, so one day some officials attempted to “time” his fastball by having him throw a pitch against a speeding motorcycle. Not very scientific.
4. In 1947 Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on OD becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 19th Century.
5. In 1975 Frank Robinson became the first African American to manage in the Major Leagues. Later, he became the first AA manager to be “fired.”
6. In 1996, John McSherry, an umpire, suffered a fatal heart attack near home plate.
7. Early in the 20th Century teams would, on occasion, open with a doubleheader. Doubleheaders used to be quite common, particularly on Sundays and holidays. Now, they are rare, and when they do occur it is usually the result of adding an extra game to make up for a rain-out. The reason? Money, of course.
8. In 1946 Boston Braves fans attending the game got an unpleasant surprise. It seems that the Braves’ management had had the stands freshly painted, and the paint had not completely dried. Many fans got red paint all over their clothes. The embarrassed management issued a public apology and paid the fans’ cleaning bills.
9. Tom Seaver started the most openers – 16. Walter Johnson pitched the most OD shutouts – seven, including a 1-0 victory in which he pitched 15 innings. No chance of that happening this year. Incidentally, Johnson had 110 career shutouts. Talk about unbreakable records!
10. In 1974 Henry Aaron clouted his 714th homerun tying Babe Ruth’s all-time record for career homers.
11. In 1968 Angels minor leaguer Greg Washburn became the only pitcher to appear in two OD games in the same year. Huh? How did he do that? First, he pitched the opener for the San Jose Bees of the California League and then for the Quad City Angels of the Midwest League. (He won both games 2-0).

12. Some of the individual OD records we may see broken this year are most home runs (3), most hits (5) most RBIs (7) and most strikeouts (15). Maybe, we will see another no-hitter, although the way the game is played today any no-hitter would be a group effort.

CONCLUSION

As I said, weather is often an issue on OD, especially in the northern cities where it is not unusual to have cold, damp, rainy weather in late March/early April that is more suitable for football than baseball. It reminds me of one of the major criticisms of baseball, that the season is too long. As I said, we all know the reason – tv money. The owners like it, because it makes them rich and less dependent on attendance for revenues. The players tolerate it, because it helps fuel their astronomic salaries. As for the fans, well, they will just have to grin and bear it.

Hall of Fame pitcher, Early Wynn sagaciously summed up the essence of OD thusly: “An opener is not like any other game. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one you can’t lose them all.” Joe DiMaggio, always looked forward to OD. He felt “you think something wonderful is going to happen.” Finally, I am reminded of that renowned philosopher Yogi Berra, who could turn a phrase with the best of them, who is reputed to have said: “A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road.”

So, which teams will reach the World Series? Which team will win? According to ESPN BET, the defending WS Champion Los Angheles Dodgers are the strong favorites with the Yankees (despite Cole’s injury), the Braves and the Astros in the mix. The Dodgers look absolutely stacked, but we all know that the games are played on the field, not on paper. It’s a long season, and anything can happen. Injuries, bad luck and the short playoff series will be factors.

Of course, I will root for the Dodgers.

I think the TV networks would like to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series again. I think that would generate the most interest and the highest TV ratings. They used to meet on what seemed like a regular basis back in the 1950s. The Dodgers beat them last year in six games, and I’m sure the Yankees are out for revenge.

What is your favorite OD memory? Please share.

Quiz answer- Masanori Murakami (1964). He only played for two years with pedestrian results.

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ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Antisemitism on college campuses is still prevalent. I have discussed this situation in previous blogs but is still problematic. In fact, in my opinion it has metastasized into a full-blown existential crisis. It’s not just the students; it’s the faculty; and most disturbingly, it’s the administrators as well. As we know, many “protesters” are not even students but paid agitators. Even worse many are in the US illegally. They have no love for America, and will eagerly participate in any action to bring it down

In my opinion, the vile and violent demonstrations we see on tv and read about in the news are just the tip of the iceberg. The core of antisemitism has festered unchecked like a cancer in academia for decades, maybe forever.

In previous blogs I have denoted that antisemitism has been omnipresent in society throughout history. Often it has been covert, but in times of crisis like now it has bubbled to the surface like an erupting volcano. This is not just my opinion; it is a historical fact that can be verified easily if one cares to research it.

It has been overt on many college campuses the last few years due to the Israel-Hamas War in the ME, the timidity of the federal government leadership, and its reluctance to take decisive corrective action to penalize those responsible. Much of the mainstream media has been portraying Israel and the Jews as the aggressors and Hamas and the Palestinians as the victims. Of course, the opposite is true.

Most of the protestors have been gaslighted. The news they have been getting has been distorted. Probably, many of them are completely ignorant of the issues and the history of the region and could care less. I dare say, many of them could probably not even find Gaza on a map

The indifferent, if not hostile, attitude of the Biden Administration toward Jews, in general, and Israel, in particular, and its weak response to the violent demonstrations have given “cover” to and emboldened the crazies. They have sensed that they had free rein and would not be punished by either the college administrators or the federal government for their actions, and until now they have been correct.

This has been and will continue to be an ongoing crisis, but some of the recent developments include:

  1. As reported in the NY Post US government officials have stated that some 60 colleges are presently being investigated for alleged religious discrimination. That is a significant number, and it is indicative of a long-running, persistent and widespread problem.
  2. These colleges are failing in their primary mission, which is provide an atmosphere in which ALL students can receive a quality education. That includes, among other things, a free and unfettered exchange of ideas and beliefs.
  3. In my view, many Dems have been and are continuing to avoid criticizing these violent protestors for political reasons. They feel they need the support of the far left in order to win elections. I have long maintained that the worst offender is Senate Majority Leader Chuck (the “Chameleon”) Schumer. He is Jewish and represents NYS, the electorate of which is heavily Jewish. He should be at the forefront of supporting Israel and the Jews, and yet as I have written in previous blogs, in my view he has remained silent and, at times, even hostile to them. To me, that is inexplicable and unconscionable.
  4. Many Dems have been defending Mahmoud Khalil, an unabashed terrorist, who was recently picked up by ICE and slated to be deported. Supposedly, Khalil is a graduate student at Columbia University, but in reality, he is also a known terrorist and is one of the leaders of the current violent protests. Many Dems have made him into a symbol of free speech being denied. His actions are indefensible, yet, for some unfathomable reason many Dems have been rushing to his defense. They have been touting him as a victim. Have they lost their minds!? Perhaps, or maybe it is yet another example of TDS by which Dems feel they must oppose any Trump action regardless of what it is.
  5. Today, the NY Post reported that a second anti-Israel demonstrator at Columbia has been picked up. Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian, is allegedly guilty of overstaying his student visa and other immigration -related violations.
  6. The Dems’ defense of Khalil’s civil rights is especially perplexing since they have failed to support the civil rights of Laken Reilly, Jocelyn Nungaray, and the many other women and children who were raped and murdered by illegal aliens thus depriving them of their civil rights. Their message is that your civil rights depend on which side of the political spectrum you are on.
  7. Similarly, at Trump’s recent speech before a joint session of Congress they refused to acknowledge and honor individuals such as the 13-year-old who had beaten brain cancer, the orphan of a slain law enforcement officer who was accepted into West Point, and various widows of slain police officers. This mixed messaging is reminiscent of a quote by John Feinstein, a sportswriter of some renown. Bobby Knight, a well-known college basketball coach who did not mince words, once called Feinstein a “whore and a pimp.” Feinstein quipped, “I wish he’d make up his mind, so I would know how to dress.” Similarly, the Dems have to decide if they are for or against civil rights.

Conclusion

President Trump has inherited a very dangerous situation. As described above, many, if not most, college campuses are in a racial crisis. Jewish students’ civil rights are being violated on a regular basis, physically, mentally and emotionally. Many Jews have taken to hiding their “Jewishness,” i.e. jewelry such as mezuzahs and Stars of David, for their own safety. Moreover, it is likely that many Jews and non-Jews are eschewing these universities in favor of ones with a more tolerant religious climate.

Non-Jews should not make the mistake of assuming they will be safe. History has shown repeatedly that like the Nazis of 1930s Germany, the communists of Soviet Russia, and other extremist groups Muslim radicals will not be satisfied with just discriminating against the Jews. If left unchecked, they will move on to all other people whom they consider not to be “true believers,” such as Catholics, Protestants and even moderate Muslims.

On many campuses the situation has deteriorated to such an extent on that students who want to go to classes or the library are being precluded from doing so. They or their parents are paying tens of thousands of dollars per year for a quality education, and they are not getting it. I’m surprised more parents have not protested.

To no one’s surprise the Trump Administration has demonstrated the guts to take college administrators to task. Many of them have been dragged before Congressional committees to defend their discriminatory policies; DOJ and ICE personnel have begun to investigate, detain, prosecute and deport the perpetrators; the Administration has commenced to withhold federal funding where appropriate. The cancelation of $400,000 of Columbia’s federal grants and contracts is likely just the beginning. Trump’s actions will affect these colleges not only financially but reputationally as well.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s well deserved and long overdue.

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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY – MARCH

Below please find some of the significant events that have occurred in March.

3/1/1932 – In one of the most notorious kidnappings ever, the 20 month-old son of renowned aviator, Charles Lindbergh, was taken from his home. Tragically, the child was later found dead only a few miles away.

3/1/1961 – President JFK established the Peace Corps, which sent volunteers to developing countries to provide healthcare, education, and other basic human needs.

3/1/1974 – Several senior officials of the Nixon administration were indicted for obstruction related to the infamous Watergate break-in.

3/4/1681 – England’s King Charles, II deeded a huge tract of land in the New World to William Penn in settlement of a debt. Appropriately, the area became known as Pennsylvania.

3/4/1789 – The first meeting of the US Congress occurred in NYC.

3/4/1830 – Former President John Quincy Adams returned to Congress as a member of the House of Representatives, the first, and only, ex-President to do so. [Who was the only ex-President to serve in the US Senate? See answer below?]

3/5/1770 – British soldiers opened fire on a group of demonstrating colonials, killing five, including Crispus Attucks, an African-American, who later became celebrated as being the first American to die in the Revolutionary War.

3/5/1946 – The term, “Iron Curtain,” was first used (in a speech by Winston Churchill) to describe the separation between the free countries of Europe and those that were under the domination of the Soviet Union.
3/6/1836 – The Alamo was overrun by Mexican troops, who slaughtered every last defender, including James Bowie and Davy Crockett. “Remember the Alamo” became the inspirational rallying cry for Texans’ fight for independence from Mexico.

3/10/1862 – The US began distributing paper money in denominations of $5, $10 and $20.

3/10/1880 – The Salvation Army was founded in the US.

3/11/1918 – The “Spanish Flu” first appeared in the US. By the end of 1920 it had been responsible for some 22 million deaths worldwide.

3/12/1609 – The British colonized Bermuda (by accident, as a ship headed for Virginia had been blown off-course).

3/12/1888 – The infamous “Great Blizzard of 1888” wreaked havoc on the northeastern US. In NYC it dropped 40 inches of snow over 36 hours and was responsible for some 400 deaths.

3/12/1912 – Girl Scouts of America founded.

3/12/1938 – In the first of many blatant acts of aggression, Germany invaded, and later annexed, Austria.

3/15/44 B.C. – Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Senate by a group that included his friend, Brutus (“Et tu, Brute?”).

3/16/1968 – American soldiers killed 504 Vietnamese men, women and children in what became known as the “My Lai Massacre.”

3/17 – Celebrated in many countries as St. Patrick’s Day to honor the Patron Saint of Ireland, who is credited with converting the Irish to Catholicism in the 5th century.

3/22/1972 – Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender.

3/23/1775 – In a speech before the Virginia House of Burgesses, Patrick Henry intoned his famous words, “give me liberty, or give me death.”

3/24/1934 – President FDR granted independence to the Philippine Islands, which the US had controlled since the Spanish-American War.

3/24/1989 – The oil tanker, Exxon Valdez, ran aground off the coast of Alaska, spewing forth some 11 million gallons of oil over some 45 miles of natural habitat, creating the one of the largest and most devastating ecological disasters in US history.

3/25/1807 – The British Parliament abolished slavery throughout the Commonwealth.

3/25/1911 – A raging fire in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC killed 123 in just minutes. The tragedy shined a spotlight on the working conditions of immigrant women who were laboring in the garment industry for long hours and low pay.

3/26/1979 – Egypt and Israel signed the Camp David Accord peace treaty, brokered by President Jimmy Carter.

3/28/1930 – Constantinople was renamed Istanbul.

3/28/1979 – An accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant created a controversy over the use of nuclear power that still has not been fully resolved.

3/30/1981- President Ronald Reagan is gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. He recovered shortly to resume his duties and later quipped that he “forgot to duck.”

3/30/1909 – The Queensboro Bridge (aka The 59th Street Bridge) opened.

3/31/1968 – President LBJ, who, for many, had come to symbolize the futility and frustration of the Vietnam War, announced he would not run for re-election.

Birthdays – 3/1/1904 – Glenn Miller, bandleader (“Moonlight Serenade”), in Carilinda, IA; 3/2/1793 – Sam Houston, led the fight for Texas independence, Rockbridge County, VA; 3/3/1831 – George Pullman, invented “Pullman Car,” which improved sleeping accommodations on trains, in Brocton, NY; 3/3/1847 – Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, among others, in Edinburgh, Scotland; 3/4/1747 – Casimir Pulaski, Revolutionary War hero, in Poland; 3/4/1888 – Knute Rockne, football coach, in Voss, Norway; 3/6/1875 – Michelangelo, Renaissance painter, in Caprese, Italy; 3/9/1451 – Amerigo Vespucci, explorer and cartographer for whom America is named; 3/9/1454 – Yuri Gagarin, first cosmonaut in space, in Gzhatsk, Russia; 3/14/1879 – Albert Einstein, physicist who developed the theory of relativity; 3/14/1833 – Lucy Hobbs, first female dentist, in NY; 3/15/1767 – Andrew Jackson, 7th President, war hero in War of 1812, in Waxhaw, SC; 3/16/1751 – James Madison, a Founding Father and 4th US President; 3/18/1837 – Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President (first president to serve two terms non-consecutively), in Caldwell, NJ; 3/19/1813 – David Livingstone, explorer and missionary who famously went missing in Africa. When he was finally found by newsman Henry Stanley, the latter supposedly uttered the famous line, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume,” although that might have been an example of Hollywood hyperbole, in Scotland; 3/19/1848 – Wyatt Earp, Wild West lawman and gunfighter, in Monmouth, IL; 3/19/1860 – William Jennings Bryan, known for “Cross of Gold ” speech and for the dubious honor of being only person to lose three presidential races, in Salem, IL; 3/21/1685 – Johann Sebastian Bach, composer, in Germany; 3/24/1685 – Erik Weisz, aka, Harry Houdini, escape artist, in Hungary; 3/26/1911 – Thomas Lanier “Tennessee” Williams, III, playwright (“A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”), in Columbus, MS; 3/29/1911 – John Tyler, became 10th President upon the death of Willi3/31/1878am Henry Harrison, Charles City County, VA; 3/30/1853 – Vincent Van Gogh, Postimpressionist painter, in Groot Zundert, Holland; 3/31/1731 – Franz Joseph Haydn, composer, considered to be father of the symphony and string quartet, in Austria, 1732; – Jack Johnson, first AA boxing champion, in Galveston, TX, 1878.

Answer to quiz – Andrew Johnson (TN)

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ONE-LINERS

Below please a compendium of funny one-liners to brighten your day courtesy of loyal and longtime reader, Dan. Hope you enjoy them.

Cocaine is legal in Oregon, but straws aren’t.  That must be frustrating. 

Still trying to get my head around the fact that ‘Take Out’ can mean food, dating, or murder. 

Threw out my back sleeping and tweaked my neck sneezing so I’m probably just one strong fart away from complete paralysis.

 Dear paranoid people who check behind their shower curtains for murderers:  If you do find one, what’s your plan?

 The older I get, the more I understand why roosters scream to start their day.

 Being popular on Facebook is like sitting at the “cool table” in the cafeteria of a mental hospital.

 You know you’re over 50 when you have “upstairs ibuprofen” and “downstairs ibuprofen.” 

 How did doctors come to the conclusion that exercise prolongs life, when the rabbit is always jumping but only lives for around two years, and the turtle that doesn’t exercise at all lives over  200 years.  So, rest, chill, eat, drink, and enjoy life! 

 I too was once a male trapped in a female body…but then my mother gave birth.

 If only vegetables smelled as good as bacon. 

 When I lost the fingers on my right hand in a freak accident, I asked the doctor if I would still be able to write with it.  He said, “Possibly, but I wouldn’t count on it.”

 I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise. But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope. 

Anyone who says their wedding was the best day of their life has clearly never had two candy bars fall down at once from a vending machine. 

 We live in a time where intelligent people are silenced so that stupid people won’t be offended. 

 The biggest joke on mankind is that computers have begun asking humans to prove they aren’t a robot. 

 When a kid says “Daddy, I want mommy” that’s the kid version of “I’d like to speak to your supervisor.”  

 It’s weird being the same age as old people. 

 Just once, I want a username and password prompt to respond “CLOSE ENOUGH.” 

 Last night the internet stopped working so I spent a few hours with my family.  They seem like good people. 

 If Adam and Eve were Cajuns they would have eaten the snake instead of the apple and saved us all a lot of trouble. 

 We celebrated last night with a couple of adult beverages …… Metamucil and Ensure. 

 You know you are getting old when friends with benefits means knowing someone who can drive at night. 

 Weight loss goal: To be able to clip my toenails and breathe at the same time.

 After watching how some people wore their masks, I understand why contraception fails. 

 Some of my friends exercise every day.  Meanwhile I am watching a show I don’t like because the remote fell on the floor. 

 For those of you that don’t want Alexa or Siri listening in on your conversations, they are making a male version; it doesn’t listen to anything. 

 I just got a present labeled, ‘From Mom and Dad,’ and I know darn well that Dad has no idea what’s inside. 

 Someone said, “Nothing rhymes with orange.” I said, “No, it doesn’t.” 

 The pessimist complains about the wind.   The optimist expects it to change.  The realist adjusts his sails. 

 There’s a fine line between a numerator and a denominator. Only a fraction of people will find this funny. 

 Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. 

 I have many hidden talents. I just wish I could remember where I hid them. 

 My idea of a Super Bowl is a toilet that cleans itself. 

 Exercise helps you with decision-making. It’s true.  I went for a run this morning and decided I’m never going again.

Conclusion

Hope you enjoyed them.

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PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS

By most accounts, President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on March 4 was a rousing success. That’s not just my opinion; it’s an opinion shared even by normally anti-Trump sources.

For example, a CBS poll reported that 76% of respondents approved of the speech. The same poll disclosed that 77% are in favor of his program to eliminate government waste, fraud and abuse; 77% support his border/immigration policies; 73% support his efforts to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine; and 65% agree with him on tariffs. A CNN poll disclosed that 69% of respondents had a positive reaction to his speech.

Only 20% thought that Congressman Al Greene’s antics were “appropriate.” Political disagreements are fine, even to be expected, but they should be decorous. In general, the Dems’ antics were unprofessional, undignified, and unbefitting members of Congress. Although not unprecedented they were highly unusual and overly extreme. Most viewers were appalled. Even other Dems were loath to defend them. Trump’s reaction was restrained. He denoted that “these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand and certainly will not cheer [for any of my achievements no matter what].”

Most devastating, according to a Quinnipiac poll only 21% of respondents view the Dem Party favorably at this time. More on this later.

In my opinion, in just a little over six weeks in office President Trump has accomplished more than any other president in that short time period, with the possible exception of FDR in his first term. I would argue that he has already accomplished more than President Joe Biden and his various unofficial and unelected surrogates did in four years. Those of us who have been paying attention know what they are, and there is no need to repeat all of them in detail in this blog. There are too many of them anyway. Trump has been a veritable whirling dervish. He has set such a fast pace that before his critics can react to one decision, he will have enacted three more. They literally have been unable to keep up. But I would like to highlight a few of what I consider to be the more significant ones.

So, as David Letterman might say, below please find my “Top Ten:”

  1. He was ready to go full bore on Day 1.
  2. Eighteen of his cabinet nominees have already been approved, and they, too, have hit the ground running.
  3. He has signed in excess of 100 Executive Orders and has promulgated over 400 Executive Actions.
  4. He has virtually closed the southern border. The Dems had insisted it couldn’t be done without new legislation. It turned out all that was needed was a new president and a new border Czar.
  5. He has commenced the rounding up and deporting of illegal alien gang members, criminals, cartel members, spies and psychos.
  6. He has made significant progress toward peace in the Russia-Ukraine War, which has claimed thousands of lives and cost us billions of dollars. The spat between Zelensky and Trump will be resolved. Apparently, Zelensky’s belligerent attitude in their meeting in the White House was the result of bad advice by certain Dems with whom he had met beforehand. Ukraine needs the US’s support in order to survive, and we need access to their copious supply of raw earth minerals.
  7. He has made significant progress in “convincing” Hamas to release many of the hostages from the October 7 attack with more to come.
  8. He has ordered the commencement oil and gas drilling and the reopening of the Keystone Pipeline.
  9. Through DOGE he has commenced an aggressive program to eliminate government fraud, abuse and waste. The program has already saved billions of dollars, and the goal to save one trillion dollars seems to be within reach.
  10. He has encouraged many companies to relocate to the US or else face tariffs on their products, and he has instituted reciprocal tariffs against countries that have been imposing tariffs on us. These tariffs are scheduled to commence on April 2 if deals have not been finalized by then. If they come to pass certain prices will likely increase. Hopefully, they will not be needed

All that said, his most enduring accomplishment has been to maneuver the Dem Party and its allies in the media into supporting the wrong side of all the so-called 80-20 issues that are most important to voters. These people are poster boys for “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” aka TDS. Over the past several years it has become increasingly apparent that this is a real condition. The primary symptom is that they cannot agree with any Trump policy or action no matter what, even if it is obviously beneficial and makes common sense. For instance they could not bring themselves to stand and applaud the capture of the “top terrorist” who had masterminded the bombing of the Kabul Airport during the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan, or in acknowledgment of the various Gold Star moms, widows and orphans whose loved ones had been slain by illegal aliens and/or criminals, or the young female volleyball player whose head was smashed in by a transgender during a match, or the 13-year-old boy who had survived brain cancer who was made an honorary member of the Secret Service, or the orphaned high school graduate who it was announced had been admitted to West Point, or the captive who was recently released from a Russian prison to whom Trump paid special tribute.

Thus, they are presently being portrayed as:

  1. being against commonsense,
  2. advocating the rights of illegal aliens over those of American citizens,
  3. defending the rights of criminals rather than law abiding citizens,
  4. being antisemitic and misogynistic
  5. opposing eliminating taxes on tips, overtime and social security payments for seniors,
  6. favoring war over peace,
  7. advocating transgender males competing against biological females in sports and entering female spaces, and
  8. perpetuating fraud, waste and abuse in government.

They have become the Party of “no.” They have not articulated any viable alternative policies to Trump’s. They just reject his and call him hateful names. They stand for nothing. They have been forced out of the mainstream onto the far-left fringe on many issues. Undoubtedly that accounts for their low approval rating. Even though voters’ political opinions can and normally have changed radically in a short time, the current climate does not augur well for those Congressmen and women who will be running for office in 2026, many of whom represent districts that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024.

Conclusion

For the time being Trump has flipped the Dem coalition of working people, middle class, blacks, Hispanics and Jews that was established by FDR in 1932. The Dems are now perceived as the party of elites and out of touch with everyday Americans. Hopefully, that will endure. We’ll see.

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ACADEMY AWARDS

The 97th Academy Awards will take place tomorrow night, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in LA honoring movies released in 2024.

The nominees in the major categories are as follows:

Best Picture –Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked

Actor in a Leading Role – Adrien Brody, The Brutalist; Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown; Colman Domingo, Sing Sing; Ralph Fiennes, Conclave; Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

Actress in a Leading Role – Cynthia Erivo, Wicked; Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez; Mikey Madison, Anora; Demi Moore, The Substance; Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here

Actor in a Supporting Role – Yura Borisov, Anora; Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain; Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown; Guy Pearce, The Brutalist; Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

Actress in a Supporting Role – Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown; Ariana Grande, Wicked; Felicity Jones, The Brutalist; Isabella Rossellini, Conclave; Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

AA Trivia

  1. The initial AA presentations were held on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel before an audience of about 270 people.
  2. Fifteen statuettes were awarded; the program ran a mere 15 minutes.
  3. The origin of the nickname “Oscar” has been disputed, as multiple people have taken credit. In my opinion, the most credible source is Margaret Herrick, a librarian and former president of the Academy. Supposedly, in 1921 she remarked that the statuette “looked like my uncle Oscar.” This story was bolstered by a 1938 clipping from the Los Angeles Examiner in which Herrick related a story of her and her husband joking with each other using the phrase, “How’s your uncle Oscar?”
  4. Before 1950 Oscars were considered to be the property of the recipient and several of them auctioned theirs off for various reasons for sums as high as $1.2 million in current dollars. In 1950 the Academy determined that the statuettes may be retained by the recipient, however, if he/she wants to sell it he/she is required to offer it to the Academy for $1 first.
  5. Currently, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“AMPAS”) is composed of 9,905 voting members. For what it’s worth, despite its liberal reputation the AMPAS membership is not very diverse. According to a recent study conducted by the Los Angeles Times the active voting membership is 94% Caucasian, 77% male, and 54% over the age of 60.
  6. The Academy Awards is the world’s longest-running awards show. It is televised and streamed live to billions of viewers worldwide.
  7. The initial telecast was in 1953. NBC carried it until 1960 when ABC took over. ABC’s contract with AMPAS runs through 2028.
  8. The viewership has varied widely from year to year due to various factors such as the presence or absence of blockbuster hits, but there has been a sharp decline in recent years. For many years the production routinely drew 30-40 million viewers, but the two most recent shows drew a mere 18.7 million and 19.5 million viewers, respectively. There are various reasons for this. Personally, I have found the shows to be humorless, dull and too long, and I no longer watch them.
  9. The most awards by any movie are 11 by Ben-Hur, Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  10. The individual who won the most Oscars is the late Walt Disney who won 22 competitive Academy Awards and received four honorary awards for a total 26.
  11. Katharine Hepburn won the most acting Academy Awards, four, (all for Best Actress).
  12. Eleven actors and actresses have been nominated twice in the same year for different films.
  13. The oldest actor to win an Oscar was Anthony Hopkins who won for The Father in 2020 at the age of 83.
  14. The youngest was Tatum O’Neill who was 10 when she won for her performance in Paper Moon in 1974.
  15. The Oscars have been hosted by many popular celebrities. The most was Bob Hope who did so 19 times. Other memorable hosts were Billy Crystal (nine times) and Johnny Carson (five times).  They added humor and entertainment value that has been missing in recent years.
  16. AMPAS has made some curious choices for winners due to industry politics or weird, out of the mainstream, “taste.” In particular, there have been several Best Picture winners that defeated nominees, which over time have come to be considered superior and/or more popular with the public. These “winners” are now basically unknown to current movie fans, are rarely, if ever, shown on tv, and have been consigned to the dustbin of film history, whereas the “losers” are frequently seen on tv. For example, how many of you are familiar with Rebecca, which beat Grapes of Wrath in 1940, or How Green Was My Valley, which beat Citizen Kane in 1941, or Mrs. Miniver, which beat Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942, or Annie Hall, which beat Star Wars in 1977, or Ordinary People, which beat Raging Bull in 1980, or Dances with Wolves, which beat Goodfellas in 1990, or Shakespeare in Love, which beat Saving Private Ryan in 1998, or Coda, which beat West Side Story in 2021? I would venture to say, not many. On the other hand, I would guess most of you are very familiar with the aforementioned “losers.”

Conclusion

Even though the popularity of the AA production has waned in recent years many people still watch it for the Red Carpet, which features the many celebrities who attend in person. If the show gets too boring and dull there is always the DVR.

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