Month: November 2025

THANKSGIVING

On Thursday, November 27, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. All things considered, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the food, the football, and the four-day weekend. What I don’t like is the traveling. Regardless of which mode of transportation one uses – roads, air or rail, one has to expect delays, cancellations and frustration. And that does not account for inclement weather, which exacerbates the situation.

According to AAA the Thanksgiving holiday period is the busiest period for traveling. The AAA and the TSA have warned that Thanksgiving 2025’s travel will likely set a new record. Around 81.8 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home.  Approximately 73.2 million people are expected to drive. About 6 million people are projected to fly. Some 353,000 people are expected to use trains or other modes of transport. The busiest travel days will be Tuesday, November 25, and Wednesday November 26, with peak times between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, November 30, will see the busiest return traffic. 

Travelers by air will endure overcrowded airports, overbooked, delayed and/or cancelled flights, lost luggage, and surly people. Need a wheelchair? Expect delays there too. I have found that often there is a shortage of wheelchairs and wheelchair attendants. I suspect some people are requesting them who don’t really need them in order to get priority through the long security lines. Recently, I have waited up to one hour for an attendant. Once I missed my flight, and another time I nearly did. So, while a wheelchair may be more comfortable and convenient than walking to the gate unless you really need one you might be better off walking.

Travelers by car will endure long delays probably exacerbated by accidents and the weather. Traveling by rail or bus is not much better. You will likely be plagued by the same complications. The National Weather Service has predicted rain, perhaps heavy, for various areas of the country, which as I said complicates travelling. You have to be cognizant not only of the weather in your area but also elsewhere as problems in one area often cause a rippling effect in other areas. In short, any mode of travel could be problematic. People will be stressed, and tempers will be short. But, for most people the positives of the holiday outweigh these negatives.

Like most of you, down through the years I have endured some memorable “FUBARS.” You just have to hope (or pray) for the best and plan for the worst. (I have found you can mitigate traffic delays by relying on a good GPS, such as Waze.)

If you must travel, it will behoove you to follow common sense guidelines, such as:

  1. Book your reservations early.
  2. Avoid travelling during peak periods .
  3. Arrive at the airport or train station early.
  4. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Traditionally, TG is a time when extended families gather together to celebrate in large groups. People travel to spend the holiday with relatives that they only see a few times a year. They stoically endure the abovementioned negatives. They don’t like them, but they recognize it is part of the deal. Many people have Friday, Monday and part of Wednesday off from work, and they are able to make a mini vacation out of the holiday. In the US some of the traditional activities include parades, football (watching on tv or playing), and, of course, shopping.

Many cities and towns hold parades. The biggest and best is the Macy’s Parade in NYC, which dates back to 1924. It is the second oldest parade (to Philadelphia’s by four years). This year will be the 99th iteration. It will be broadcast to viewers live on NBC and Peacock from 8:30 a.m. to noon EST. It will be hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker. The parade will feature 18 giant helium balloons, 33 mid-sized balloons, 29 floats, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands, nine performance groups, a host of musical stars, and the one-and-only Santa Claus. Kids love the floats, and many parents and grandparents who accompany them reminisce of when they, themselves, attended as kids with their parents. and grandparents

The parade replaced an event called Ragamuffin Day, which had commenced in 1870. Ragamuffin Day had featured children performing an activity similar to Halloween’s trick or treating. By 1924 the practice had fallen out of favor for much of the public, so the parade was considered a better alternative. RD began to be phased out. By the 1930s America was in the depths of the Great Depression, and the site of children begging was considered to be unseemly. The last Ragamuffin parade in NYC occurred in 1956.

To many, the holiday is synonymous with football. Football games are played at every level, including pickup games, high school, college, and, of course, the NFL. The first TG professional football game was in 1920. For you trivia buffs, Akron beat Canton 7-0. The Detroit Lions have been hosting a TG football game since 1934. This year the NFL will feature the Green Bay Packers vs. the Detroit Lions at 1 pm ET on Fox, the Kanasa City Chiefs vs. the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 pm ET on CBS, and the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the Baltimore Ravens at 8:20 pm ET on NBC.

Quiz question: Which is the only NFL team that has never played in a TG football game? See the answer below.

No holiday celebration would be complete without shopping. The day after TG has become known as “Black Friday.” Many merchants open extra early and offer huge discounts. Dedicated (or nutty) bargain hunters line up well before dawn to seek the best deals. Some are beneficial while others are nothing more than “come-ons.” Be prepared for long lines, frustration and rude people.

As we enjoy the holiday, few of us will stop to think of its origins and meaning. What are they? Why is it celebrated at this time of the year? Read on for the answers.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday originally celebrated to give thanks for the year’s harvest. It has strong religious and cultural roots. Most people are aware that Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US (4th Thursday in November) and Canada (2nd Monday in October), but few of us are aware that variations of it are observed in other countries as well. In these other countries the holiday has a different meaning and purpose.

For example, in Grenada it is celebrated on October 25, and it marks the date on which the US invaded the island in 1983 in response to the removal and execution of Grenada’s then Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop. Liberia celebrates the holiday on the first Thursday of November, a tradition that was originated by freed American slaves that were transported there. In the Netherlands a Thanksgiving Day service is held on the morning of the US holiday. Its purpose is to commemorate the traditions of the Pilgrims, who resided in the city of Leiden for several years prior to their emigration to the New World. Japan celebrates a “Labor Thanksgiving Day” on November 23 to commemorate labor and production. It has its roots in the period of American occupation after WWII.

Like many of our customs and traditions, Thanksgiving is rooted in English traditions. These date from the English Reformation in the 16th century and the reign of King Henry VIII. Apparently, the Protestant clergy had determined that events of misfortune or good fortune were attributable to God. Thus, unexpected disasters, such as droughts, floods or plagues, were followed by “Days of Fasting.” On the other hand, fortuitous events, such as a good harvest or the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which actually was largely attributable to storms off the English coast, were to be celebrated by “giving thanks” to Him.

The origin of the Canadian holiday is uncertain, but it is most commonly attributed to the English explorer Martin Frobisher. He had been exploring Northern Canada seeking the infamous and elusive Northwest Passage to Asia. He wanted to give thanks for his party having survived the numerous storms and icebergs it had encountered on the long journey from England. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a statutory holiday in most jurisdictions of Canada.

Most people trace the American Thanksgiving holiday to 1621 in present-day Massachusetts (although some claim that there were earlier celebrations by the Spaniards in present-day Florida circa 1565 and in the colony of Virginia circa 1610). The Pilgrims and Puritans living in MA had enjoyed a bountiful harvest that year and wanted to give thanks. Their harvest had been partly attributable to assistance from Native Americans, so they invited them to share in their celebration. Records indicate that there were 90 Native Americans and 25 colonists in attendance. The actual date is uncertain, but it is believed to have been between September 21 and November 11.

Prior to 1942, Thanksgiving was not celebrated as an official national holiday. Rather, it was celebrated periodically by proclamation. For example, during the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress established days of “prayer, humiliation and thanksgiving” each year. In 1777 George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to celebrate the colonists’ victory at Saratoga. Following independence, various Presidents continued the practice of issuing proclamations periodically.

In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed a national “Thanksgiving Day” to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. Historians believe that his action was prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, a writer and editor of some renown. (She wrote the popular nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”)

The practice of annual Presidential Proclamations continued until 1939. That year, FDR broke the tradition. November had five Thursdays that year instead of the usual four. FDR figured that if the holiday were celebrated on the 4th Thursday it would provide a much-needed boost to the economy by enabling merchants to sell more goods before Christmas. (Even then Thanksgiving had become the unofficial beginning of the Christmas holiday shopping season.) Predictably, this action precipitated a spat between the GOP and Dems in Congress. GOP congressmen viewed it as an insult to President Lincoln and continued to consider the last Thursday to be the holiday, so there were two Thanksgiving celebrations in 1939, 1940 and 1941, a “Democrat” one on the 4th Thursday and a “Republican” one on the last Thursday. The individual states split the dates (only in America!).

Finally, in 1941 everyone got in sync. On December 26, 1941 FDR signed a bill into law that decreed that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November, a practice that has continued to this day.

Since 1947 it has been customary for the president to “pardon” a turkey or two, which is one of Washington’s quirkiest traditions. Thus, on Tuesday afternoon, Trump and first lady Melania Trump are expected to continue the tradition in the Rose Garden.

In recent years rising food prices have put a damper on TG festivities. In 2025 Americans are finally getting a break at the Thanksgiving table. According to Wells Fargo and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the average cost of a traditional TG feast will decline this year, primarily due declines in the prices of turkey, dinner rolls and stuffing. Wells Fargo estimates that a dinner for 10 costs between $80 and $95, depending on whether shoppers choose store or national brands. The AFBF pegs the average nationwide cost somewhat lower at $55.18, or about $5.52 per person, about 5% less than last year.

Conclusion

The country has become very contentious. When gathered with family some of which you may not have seen since last year try to avoid unpleasantness or confrontation. If necessary, avoid sensitive topics, such as politics. Remember, in America everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.

Enjoy the holiday, and if you’re traveling stay safe!

Quiz answer: Jacksonville Jaguars

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JFK ASSASSINATION

Few people in history are so recognizable that with the mere mention of their initials one instantly knows about whom you are talking. Such is the case with John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. He flashed across our lives like a comet, brilliant but brief. He was only president for 1,000 days before he was assassinated, yet, even today, people remember him and recognize his name.

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 22, will mark the 62nd anniversary of his assassination. Almost anyone over the age of 70 remembers vividly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard of it. For example, I, a freshman in college, was walking to a history class. (Yes, I did attend classes, even on a Friday afternoon.) I heard some other students talking about the President having been shot. I wasn’t sure I had heard correctly, but unfortunately, I had.

What was strange about the whole incident was the lack of reliable information. It wasn’t like today when news is known and disseminated instantaneously. It might be hard for you youngsters to believe, but there was no Facebook, no Twitter, no cell phones, no Tik-Tok, no internet. Even computers were in their relative infancy.

Communication between New York, where, at the time, all media communications were centered, and Dallas was sketchy. Even worse, Dealey Square, the site of the assassination, was not close to the addresses of the network news’ Dallas offices. Reporters on the scene had to communicate by public telephone, when they could find one. Often, competing reporters ended up sharing telephones. At first, information was incomplete and contradictory.

Eventually, however, we found out the horrible news. No one will ever forget the grim look on venerable CBS anchor Walter Cronkite’s face as he removed his glasses, stared into the camera, and told a shocked, confused and scared nation that the President was dead. At the time, Cronkite was generally considered to be “the most trusted man in America.” When we heard it from “Uncle Walter,” we knew it was true.

The purpose of this blog is not to relate the details of the day’s events, nor do I wish to get bogged down in the various conspiracy theories, some of which persist to this day. Many books have been written on the subject, and I can’t possibly cover these topics in a short blog. Suffice to say, it was a surreal experience. Many emotions swirled through my head – disbelief, denial, fear and uncertainty. Who did it? Why? Was it a single gunman or a conspiracy? Was it part of a larger plot? Would we go to war? These and other questions came to mind.

Most everyone was glued to their television sets for days while events played out – Lyndon Johnson sworn in as the 36th President of the US on Airforce 1, Jackie Kennedy standing beside him still in shock and wearing the blood and brain-stained pink suit she had been wearing in the limo (which, she had refused to remove, declaring “I want them to see what they have done”), Lee Harvey Oswald arrested, Oswald shot live on national tv while under police escort (How in the world did Jack Ruby get access to that corridor, anyway?), JKF’s funeral procession, the “riderless” horse, young John Jr’s salute. The assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy followed soon after. It was a time of chaos and uncertainty, the end of innocence.

JFK had won the Presidency by the narrowest of margins over Vice President Richard Nixon. He had received 49.7% of the popular vote to Nixon’s 49.5% and won several states by the slimmest of margins. In that relatively primitive era of communications the end result was not known until the next morning. In the wee hours, the networks “called” CA for JFK which finally made him the winner. (Ironically, Nixon ended up winning CA after all the absentee ballots were counted.) Many people, including a 15-year-old girl in Berwick, Pa., caught up in the drama, stayed up all night to await the results.

JFK was young, handsome, bright, vibrant, dynamic, scion of a famous and wealthy family, and a war hero. He and his beautiful, glamorous wife, Jackie, seemed like American royalty to many Americans. He gave us hope and optimism. In the eyes of his supporters, he was the one who would transform America. During his inaugural address he uttered the famous line that symbolized the great hope that he would lead us to “A New Frontier,” as his campaign had promised (“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”). Unfortunately, today, many people espouse the opposite philosophy.

JFK got off to a rocky start with the Bay of Pigs fiasco. But he seemed to make up for it when he faced down the Russians and Premier Nikita Khrushchev in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Most of us did not realize how close we had come to nuclear war, but in the end, Kennedy won that round and showed he was learning on the job. His administration was dubbed “Camelot” after the description of the mythical King Arthur’s court.

Unfortunately, Kennedy made a lot of powerful enemies. Many Republicans thought he had “stolen” the election (shades of 2020). Indeed, there had been whispers about voting irregularities, notably in Chicago, which had long been notorious for that sort of thing and where for many years it was said, only partly facetiously, that even dead people voted. However, in the end nothing came of that – no media exposes, no court challenges. Yes, times have certainly changed.

Many conservatives thought he was too soft on communism and too aggressive on civil rights issues. He had made powerful enemies among organized crime and at the FBI and CIA, among others. Fidel Castro hated him for the Bay of Pigs attack. On the other hand, many Cuban ex-Pats thought he had betrayed them by failing to intervene militarily to support the invasion when it fell apart. All in all, he had a plethora of powerful enemies with the motive, means, opportunity and funds to plan and execute a Presidential assassination and cover-up. In retrospect, one should not have been surprised.

CONCLUSION

A favorite speculation has been how American and world history would have been different had JFK not been assassinated. Would he have pulled us out of Viet Nam as has been speculated? If so, would there have been an antiwar movement in the 1960’s with the attendant protests, turmoil and violence? Would MLK and RFK still have been assassinated? Would the civil rights movement have progressed differently, more peacefully? We will never know. There have been many books written about this topic, including one by Stephen King called “11/22/63” about a fictional time traveler who journeys back to 1963 to try to prevent the assassination, which makes fascinating “what if” reading.

Virtually the entire country became immersed in the assassination and its aftermath for weeks, if not months. My recollection is that the news networks covered it continuously. A cloud of conspiracy still hangs over the assassination 62 years later. As I said, books have been written and movies produced dealing with the conspiracy theories. Did Oswald act alone? Was he tied to the KGB or the CIA? How did Ruby get close enough to kill Oswald from point-blank range? Was there an accomplice on the grassy knoll? Why was Ruby killed in prison? What of the roles, if any, of mobsters, like Sam Giancana, Head of the Chicago mob, and Carlos Marcello, Head of the New Orleans mob, as well as the CIA, the FBI, the Russians, and/or Castro? Were the Warren Commission’s findings accurate or part of a cover-up?

At this time, as we mark the passage of another anniversary of JFK’s assassination, we are reminded that these issues, and others, have still not been resolved to many Americans’ satisfaction. Conspiracy theorists maintain that there is much information that has remained classified all these years. If so, perhaps, President Donald Trump’s administration will make it available to the public. After all this time, why not?

For you readers of a certain age, what are your memories of the assassination and its aftermath? Where were you when you heard the awful news? I would like to know.

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DEMS FOMENTING INSURRECTION

For ten years Dem politicians and their supporters in the media and elsewhere have employed a myriad of means, some illegal, to hamper Donald Trump’s presidency. For example, they spread false and malicious rumors that he was a puppet of the Russians; they impeached him twice on “trumped up” charges; they indicted him for fake crimes; they tried to imprison him; they tried to bankrupt him; and they tried to incite violence against him by continually call him “Hitler,”, “Nazi,” “evil,” and an “existential threat to democracy.”

As I have explained in previous blogs each of these tactics was ultimately exposed to be mendacious with evil intent. Now the Dems are so desperate they have outdone themselves. Recently, several lawmakers, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin of MI, Sen. Mark Kelly of AZ and Reps. Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Jason Crow of Colorado all of whom have served in the military or the intelligence community and should know better, released a video containing a message that, in my view, advocates insurrection.

It advises national guardsmen and military personnel that they may and, in fact, should disobey any order that they deem to be illegal. Their message stated, in part, “our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders,” they said, taking turns delivering virtually identical lines as if from a prepared script. So, in their opinion, if an enlisted person were to disagree with a lawful order by a superior officer to enforce one of President Trump’s policies for instance to engage an enemy combatant or detain illegal immigrants who are wreaking havoc in a US city he can and should disobey it. To me, that is a clear attempt to incite insurrection.

Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the US Constitution states, in part, that “the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States…” It defines insurrection as a violent uprising against an authority or government. For example, the IA empowers the president to deploy federal troops and/or to federalize the National Guard units of the individual states in specific circumstances, including, among other things, the suppression of “civil disorder.” Persons attacking ICE personnel who are enforcing federal law, such as we have been witnessing on tv is a classic instance of “civil disorder.” In my opinion, inciting insurrection by words or deeds is a clear violation of that law. There is no ambiguity. We cannot have privates debating the merit of lawful orders with lieutenants in the heat of battle. (We are not talking about orders, for example, to torture a non-combatant.)

I maintain that the Justice Department should prosecute those people in accordance with the Insurrection Act of 1807 and/or other applicable laws. Otherwise, we risk anarchy or an attempted coup, (which is probably what these insurrectionists want). Certain Dems have made it clear that they oppose Trump’s military deployment in various cities. The Trump administration sharply criticized their communique.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said those Dem lawmakers are “openly calling for insurrection.” Many people, including me, agree. Attorney General Pam Bondi averred on Fox News that the DOJ would be investigating. I hope it follows through and metes out appropriate punishment to the inciters.

The deployment of federal troops to deal with local criminal matters is not unique. “Well, it’s been invoked before,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He’s correct. It has been many times, for example, in southern states in the 1950s to enforce civil rights and in various cities in the 1960s to suppress anti-war violence. Trump has asserted that troops are needed now to protect federal property and personnel in carrying out their lawful duties, as well as assisting in an overall drive to round up and deport illegal aliens and suppress crime.

In other related news:

  1. Reuters has reported that a federal judge has temporarily barred Guard troops from heading to Portland, Oregon. I expect that this outlier ruling will be overturned on appeal as others have in the past.
  2. In a separate, but similar ruling another judge has allowed for now a deployment to proceed in Chicago, where federal agents have embarked on a sweeping crackdown regarding illegal immigration. Illinois Governor Pritzker has been a constant critic of the deployment of federal troops in Chicago. This is ironic as Chicago has one of the highest crime rates and murder rates in the country. It’s obvious that federal assistance is needed there desperately, and Pritzker cares more about opposing Trump than the safety of his own citizens. Meanwhile, people are dying. President Trump has characterized Chicago as “a great city where there’s a lot of crime, and if the governor can’t do the job, we’ll do the job. It’s all very simple,”

CONCLUSION

Many liberal/progressive/socialist/communist commentators have tried to poo-poo this incident, but you know if a Republican had said the same thing about a Dem Administration multiple law enforcement agencies would have raided his house en masse at 3:00 AM with tv cameras at the ready to record it. This cannot be swept under the rug. An example must be made to forestall similar incitements prospectively.

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SOCIALISM IN AMERICA

In the wake of Comrade Zoh’s election as mayor of NYC socialists around the country are optimistic that an inexorable trend to the left is developing. They cite the 2025 election of socialist Katie Wilson as mayor of Seattle (whose policies and beliefs are closely aligned with those of Mamdani), Mikie Sherrill as governor of NJ, Abigail Spanberger as governor of VA, and the approval of CA’s redistricting plan, which is expected to yield several additional Dem seats in the House of Representatives. They are anticipating that this trend will carry forward to the 2026 off-year elections and beyond.

I say, “slow your roll.” While there is no denying the significance of Zoh’s election I would suggest that Dems should be cognizant of the fact that NJ and VA are traditionally blue states, so in essence they have merely “held serve” in those two elections. Additionally, the CA redistricting was expected, and it merely balances out the Rep gains from the redistricting in TX.

That said, in my view the socialist wing of the Dem Party, though a minority in terms of numbers, has taken control of the Party. With few exceptions, such as PA Senator John Fetterman, moderate Dems have become reluctant to speak out lest they face a primary challenge the next time they are up for re-election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has become a “dead man walking.” As a result, the de facto leaders of the Dem Party are left wingers, such as Bernie Sanders, AOC and Jasmine Crockett. They and their supporters are dragging the Party so far to the left of the mainstream that it will be difficult for it to win the 2028 Presidential Election, but that is the subject of another blog on another day.

Although no one would characterize the US as a “socialist country” in fairness I would be remiss if I failed to denote that the US economy does contain certain elements of socialism, such as social security, Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment insurance. These programs are not perfect, but they are well-established and have served us well. Regardless the US is overwhelmingly a capitalist, free enterprise country.

There has been much speculation of the impact of Zoh’s program prospectively. As I have discussed in recent blogs the conventional wisdom is that, though alluring, most of them are impractical, illegal, and exaggerated, and they won’t work. Already his ill-conceived, ill-advised scheme to have social workers respond to 911 calls has been exposed.

Many people have denoted various examples of socialism’s failure in other countries. Of course, advocates of the program dispute this. However, we have empirical evidence of its failure right here in the US.

Portland, Oregon has a strong socialist history dating back to the early 20th century. Currently, according to articles published in the NY Times and elsewhere the city is run by officials affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, which have majority control of the city council. Their current mantra is that the city has been “run by the rich” for too long, and their aim is to “rectify” that. I assert that their programs mirror those proposed by Mamdani, and their failures present a precursor for NYC under Mamdani.

As we know, the keystones of Mamdani’s campaign is free stuff, such as free buses, frozen rents, defunding the police, and levying higher taxes on businesses and wealthy individuals to pay for it all. The masses drank the Kool-Aide and elected him. So, what will happen next? How will his socialist “utopia” be enacted? What will the results be?

Well, we don’t have to speculate. All we have to do is look at the city of Portland, which as I said has been operating under socialism for many years. According to the NY Post Portland has devolved into the “poster child of urban decay, a smoldering mess of crime, with businesses fleeing and [rampant] homeliness.” It has “defunded and defanged” the police considerably. Large corporations such as Intel have drastically reduced their number of employees. Unemployment is up to 5%. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the US Bancorp Tower, which was formerly one of the most prestigious addresses in the city is now characterized by a 60% rate of vacancies and is infested with vagrants living in the hallways and abandoned offices who “start fires in the stairwells,” take drugs and defecate whenever and wherever they want.

Those people remaining are fed up. In lieu of “equity” and “social justice” they are just interested in providing for their families. According to a recent survey by Public Opinion Strategies 67% of respondents described Portland’s economy as “pretty seriously on the wrong track.” The term “buyers’ remorse” comes to mind.

Conclusion

The horrendous situation in Portland is yet another reminder that socialism does not work. It never has and never will. It may sound good and look good, but eventually the blemishes appear. We don’t have to speculate. Portland is providing empirical evidence. Eventually a socialist government runs out of other people’s money. This is what the people of NYC voted for, and this is what they can expect.

Mamdani has not even been sworn into office, yet policemen, businesses and wealthy taxpayers are leaving. According to Police Pension Fund data 245 police left the force in October, a 35% increase from October 2024. Thanks to the internet one can conduct business remotely. There are a plethora of business-friendly and tax-friendly states to which they can relocate such as Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. Financial firms such as Goldman Sachs have been relocating to South Florida to such an extent that Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties have been dubbed “Wall Street South.” This trend will only accelerate as time goes on.

The socialist Dems and their supporters should take heed, but they won’t. In the short term they may win some local elections, but eventually the “chickens will come home to roost.”

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VETERANS DAY

This year, Veterans Day will be celebrated tomorrow, Tuesday, November 11.  VD is one of 11 federal holidays. Can you name the others? See below.

The holiday is always celebrated on the same date unless it falls on a Sunday, in which case it is celebrated on Monday, November 12.  This is a day on which we celebrate our living veterans as opposed to Memorial Day, which is reserved for those who gave their lives for our country.

The US Postal Service, schools, banks and most government entities, such as the DMV and local libraries will be closed. Financial markets will be open. Most retailers and other businesses will be open. Traditionally, many restaurants and golf courses offer discounts or freebies for veterans.

Many cities will hold parades. Who doesn’t love a parade? The largest parade will be in NYC (where else?), which will be returning for its 106th iteration. This year will mark the 250th anniversary of the US military. Parade organizers estimate that some 20,000 service members will be marching up Fifth Avenue from 25th Street to 47th Street accompanied by approximately 150 vehicles and in excess of 25 floats. Additionally, some 400,000 spectators are expected.

The festivities will commence with a wreath-laying ceremony starting at 10:55 a.m. at the Eternal Light Flagstaff in Madison Square Park. The parade will follow at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at around 3:30 p.m. It will be televised on ABC TV and streamed live on ABC7NY.com.

Many of you have requested a quiz.  So, here it is, and in honor of Veterans Day it has a military theme. Good luck and no peeking at the internet. No consulting “Alexa” or “Siri.”

1. Who was the US president during the first war against the Barbary Pirates? (a) George Washington, (b) John Adams, (c) Thomas Jefferson, (d James Monroe

2. The WWI battle that inspired the poem “In Flanders Field” took place in (a) Ardennes, (b) Charleroi, (c) Gallipoli, (d) Ypres

3. Each of the following presidents had been renowned generals, EXCEPT: a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Andrew Jackson, (c) Zachary Taylor, (d) Franklyn Pierce

4. “Pickett’s Charge” was the turning point of what Civil War battle? (a) Bull Run, (b) Manassas, (c) Gettysburg, (d) Fredericksburg

5. The “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” refers to which Revolutionary War battle? (a) Boston, (b) Lexington, (c) Concord, (d) NY

6. Tripoli, the stronghold of the Barbary Pirates, was located in what present-day country? (a) Libya, (b) Algeria, (c) Tunisia, (d)Egypt

7. The Alamo is located in which city? (a) Houston, (b) San Antonio, (c) Austin, (d) Galveston

8. The US fought the Gulf War against (a) Iran, (b) Syria, (c) Kuwait, (d) Iraq

9. Who said “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead.” (a) David Farragut, (b) John Paul Jones, (c) Ethan Allen, (d) Jonathan Eli

10. Which war resulted in the highest number of US casualties? (a) WWI, (b) WWII, (c) Korean War, (d) Civil War

11. Fort Sumter is located in which state? (a) North Carolina, (b) South Carolina, (c) Georgia, (d) Alabama

12. Custer’s Last Stand took place in which modern-day state? (a) North Dakota, (b) South Dakota, (c) Montana, (d) Idaho

13. Each of the following was a WWII battle in the Pacific theatre, EXCEPT (a) El Alamein, (b) Guadalcanal, (c) Okinawa, (d) Midway

14. Who was the US President during WWI? (a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Woodrow Wilson, (c) William Howard Taft, (d) Warren Harding

15. When General Douglas MacArthur said “I shall return,” to which country was he referring? (a) Australia, (b) New Guinea, (c) Guam, (d) Philippines

16. The Korean War began in (1) 1949, (b) 1950, (c) 1951, (d) 1952

17. Who was president during the Spanish-American War? (a) Grover Cleveland, (b) James Garfield, (c) Rutherford B. Hayes, (d) William McKinley

18. Where is Mt. Suribachi? (a) Iwo Jima, (b) Okinawa, (c) Tarawa, (d) Japan

19. Where is Vicksburg? (a) Alabama, (b) Louisiana, (c) Missouri, (d) Mississippi

20. When was the Veterans Administration founded? (a) 1870, (b) 1930, (c) 1950, (d) 1972

21. Which of the following was NOT a landing site on D-Day? (a) Silver, (b) Omaha, (c) Juno, (d) Sword.

22. Which British general surrendered at Yorktown ending the Revolutionary War? (a) Howe, (b) Clinton, (c) Cornwallis, (d) Burgoyne.

23. Each of the following cities was the site of fighting in the Iraq War battle EXCEPT: (a) Mosul, (b) Fallujah, (c) Baghdad, (d) Kamaleshwar.

24. Approximately, how many veterans are there living in the US? (a) 9.5 million, (b) 12.5 million, (c) 16 million, (d) 19.5 million?

25. Who was president during the War of 1812? (a) Thomas Jefferson, (b) John Adams, (c) James Monroe, (d) James Madison

ANSWERS: 1. c; 2. d; 3. a; 4. c; 5. c; 6. a; 7. b; 8. d; 9. a; 10. d; (more than all the other wars combined. 11. b; 12. c; 13. a; 14. b; 15. d; 16. b; 17. d. 18. a; 19. d; 20. b.; 21. a; 22. c; 23. d; 24. c; 25. d.

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; June Teenth National Independence

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; Juneteenth National Independence Day; Independence

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; Juneteenth National Independence Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans’ Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas.

Well, there you have it. Tell me how you did, well or (as my grandson used to say) “not so good.”

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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY – NOVEMBER

Below please find a list of what I consider to be significant historical events that have occurred during the month of November.

11/1 – All Hallows Day, aka All Saints Day. Many of us observe the day before this holiday as Halloween. 
11/1/1848 – The first women’s medical school opened in Boston, MA. It was founded by a Mr. Samuel Gregory and “boasted” twelve students. In 1874 it became part of the Boston University School of Medicine, becoming one of the first co-ed medical schools.  According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, today, women comprise approximately 55% of total students.

11/1/1950 – President Harry S Truman, whom many historians consider to have been one of our greatest and underrated presidents, survived an assassination attempt by two members of a Puerto Rican nationalist movement.
11/2/1962 – President Kennedy announced that all Soviet missiles in Cuba were being dismantled and their installations destroyed, thus signaling the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis. On 11/20 he announced that the dismantling of all said missile sites had been completed. Unbeknownst to the general public, that crisis was probably the closest we ever came to nuclear war.
11/3/1948 – The Chicago Tribune published its famous, or infamous, headline “Dewey Defeats Truman,” arguably, the most embarrassing headline ever.
11/4/1862 – Richard Gatling patented his first rapid-firing machine gun, which utilized rotating barrels to load, fire and extract the spent cartridges. The gun bares his name.
11/4/1942 – In the battle generally considered to be one of the turning points of WWII (along with Stalingrad and Midway) the British defeated the Germans at El Alamein (North Africa).
11/7/1811 – General (and future president) William Henry Harrison defeated the Shawnee Indians in the Battle of Tippecanoe Creek, which was located in present-day Indiana. The battle gave rise to the chief slogan of Harrison’s presidential campaign – “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.”
11/7/1885 – Canada’s first transcontinental railroad was completed, opening up the western part of the country to settlement.
11/7/1962 – Former Vice President Richard Nixon, having lost the California gubernatorial election decisively to Edmund Brown gave his famous farewell speech to reporters, telling them they “wouldn’t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen this is my last press conference.” As we know, Nixon made a comeback in 1968 narrowly defeating Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.
11/8/1895 – Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the electromagnetic ray, aka, X-rays.
11/8/1942 – The Allies landed successfully in North Africa (Operation Torch).
11/9&10/1938 – All over Germany Nazis terrorized Jews, burning, pillaging and vandalizing synagogues, homes and businesses in what became known infamously as Kristallnacht.
11/10/1775 – The Marine Corps was established as part of the Navy.
11/10/1871 – Explorer Henry Stanley found Dr. Livingston after a two-year search. There is doubt that he actually uttered the attributed phrase “Dr. Livingston, I presume.”
11/11/1973 – Egypt and Israel signed a momentous cease-fire accord sponsored by the US.
11/13/1927 – The Holland Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel built in the US, which is named not for the country, but for Clifford Holland, the engineer who designed and led the construction of the project, opened connecting NYC and NJ.
11/13/1956 – The Supreme Court declared racial segregation on public buses to be unconstitutional.
11/15/1864 – Union soldiers, under the command of General William Sherman, burned much of the City of Atlanta.
11/17/1869 – The Suez Canal opened after taking 10+ years to complete.
11/19/1863 – President Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address.
11/20/1789 – NJ became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights.
11/20/1945 – The Nuremberg War Crimes Trials began. Twenty-four former leaders of Nazi Germany were tried for various war crimes.
11/22/1963 – President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald who, in turn, was later assassinated by Jack Ruby. Hours later, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president while on board Air Force One.
11/28/1520 – Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan rounded the southern tip of South America, passing through what is now known as the Strait of Magellan, crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

In addition, the following notables, who made significant contributions to society, were born during November:

Daniel Boone (frontiersman) – 11/2/1734; President James K. Polk (11th President) – 11/2/1795; Will Rogers (humorist) – 11/4/1879; Walter Cronkite (tv anchor/journalist) – 11/4/1916; John Philip Sousa (musical conductor) – 11/6/1854; James Naismith (inventor of basketball) – 11/6/1861; Marie Curie (chemist who discovered radium) – 11/7/1867; Billy Graham (evangelist) – 11/7/1918; Edmund Halley (astronomer/mathematician who discovered Halley’s Comet) – 11/8/1656; Christiaan Barnard (pioneer of heart transplant operations) – 11/8/1922; Richard Burton (actor) – 11/10/1925; George Patton (WWII General) – 11/11/1885; Auguste Rodin (sculptor of “The Thinker,” among others) – 11/12/1840; Elizabeth Cady Stanton (suffragist) – 11/12/1815; Grace Kelly (actress/princess) – 11/12/1929; Louis Brandeis (Supreme Court justice) – 11/13/1856; Robert Louis Stevenson (author) – 11/13/1850; Robert Fulton (inventor of the steamboat) – 11/14/1765; Claude Monet (pioneered impressionist painting) – 11/14/1840; Jawaharlal Nehru (India’s first Prime Minister) – 11/14/1889; Louis Daguerre (invented daguerreotype process of developing photographs) – 11/18/1789; James A. Garfield (20th President) – 11/19/1831; Indira Gandhi (Indian Prime Minister) – 11/19/1917; Edwin Hubble (astronomer for whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named) – 11/20/1889; Robert Kennedy (JFK’s brother, Attorney General and US Senator from NY) – 11/20/1925; Charles De Gaulle (French WWII hero and president of France) – 11/22/1890; Franklyn Pierce (14th President) – 11/23/1804; William (“Billy the Kid”) Bonney (notorious outlaw – 11/23/1859; William Henry Platt (aka Boris Karloff) (famed horror movie star) – 11/23/1887; Zachary Taylor (12th President) – 11/24/1784; Andrew Carnegie (financier and philanthropist) – 11/25/1835; John Harvard (founder of Harvard University in 1636) – 11/26/1607; Anders Celsius (invented Celsius, aka centigrade, temperature scale) – 11/27/1701; Chaim Weizmann (Israeli statesman) – 11/27/1874; Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, (author) – 11/30/1835; Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during WWII) – 11/30/1874.

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LIFE UNDER COMRADE ZOH

So, all you Mamdani voters got your wish. He won, but my message is to be careful what you wish for. You drank the Kool-Aide, but in my opinion, you got suckered. You fell for the mirage of free stuff. You fell for the promise of free buses and subways, rent controlled apartments, government-operated grocery stores and the like.

Consequently, you have elected an inexperienced, antisemitic communist who has continually associated with known terrorists and has exhibited a deep disdain for America, its way of life and its system of government. All of this has been well-documented by Zoh’s own words and actions.

Many of his supporters view him as a panacea for their economic and social problems. Many of them are frustrated by their failure to get a good job, afford a home, and support a family. They choose to blame the system not themselves. Maybe they didn’t go to college or learn a trade. Or maybe they went to college but earned a worthless degree in Asian studies, liberal arts or humanities, etc., rather than one such as accounting, finance, engineering or the medical field that would translate into gainful employment and a career. They not only want what other people have without working for it, they feel entitled to it. They are not cognizant of or choose to ignore the historical failures of socialism/communism. They don’t realize that America does not owe them success; it owes them the opportunity to succeed. Success comes from the individual’s ingenuity, ambition and work ethic.

Zoh is charismatic and articulate, but he is a phony. He tells people what they want to hear, but I assert that he is not the solution to their problems. The solution has to come from within. Such is the basis of America’s free enterprise system.

Astute people know there is no such thing as free stuff. Somehow, somewhere, someone has to pay for it. Don’t expect Zoh to deliver on most of his promises, which I discussed in a previous blog. Some of them are illegal; some are just not practical; others will require the approval of NYS or the Feds. Governor Hochul will probably cooperate to an extent, because she is afraid of the radical left, but she cannot afford to be “all in” as she is facing a tough election campaign next year. President Trump, whom Zoh arrogantly and foolishly has antagonized in an effort to act tough for his base, will likely provide only the bare minimum of money and other assistance.

Where will Zoh get the billions of dollars necessary to implement his policies? He has told us he will raise taxes on businesses and rich individuals to the tune of $8 billion according to the NY Post. This may sound good to the masses, but it is deeply flawed. For one thing, it will cause an exodus from NYC and possibly NYS. This has already begun, and now that he has actually been elected it will increase, perhaps considerably.

In the internet age it is no longer necessary to be located physically in NYC to do business there. Many financial institutions have already relocated much of their business activities to other more tax-friendly states, such as Texas and Florida. Additionally, wealthy people can easily relocate, and those who choose to stay have the wherewithal to transfer their wealth elsewhere. To quote the late Margaret Thatcher, “the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Zoh does not have the foggiest notion of how to administer a city of eight million people. He lacks the requisite experience and knowledge. You, I, and millions of others would be better qualified. His ill-advised policies will adversely affect every aspect of life politically, economically and socially.

His antipathy toward the police and leniency toward criminals have been extensively documented. He has characterized the police as “racist,” and “wicked” and has advocated cutting their funding and curtailing their authority. The exodus of cops has already begun. We have already seen the results of lax law enforcement in other cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis. As I have written in other blogs his administration has the potential to ruin a once-great city that to many is the very symbol of the USA.

As I have written in previous blogs Comrade Zoh is NOT a socialist as he and the media like to portray him. He is an antisemitic communist who hates America and all that it stands for. What is the difference?

Socialism and communism are both economic systems focused on shared ownership of the means of production, but they differ as to the role of the government and the extent of private ownership. Briefly, socialism is characterized by a mixed economy with private property existing alongside public ownership. On the other hand, communism features a stateless, classless society where all property is communally owned, and resources are distributed based on need (“from each according to his ability, to each according to his need”). Historically, communist states have been ruled by autocratic governments that have subjugated the citizenry, eliminated private property and individual liberties and controlled all aspects of life politically, economically and socially. 

Historically, socialist states have developed through the democratic process, whereas communist states have developed as a result of violence. For example, much of Western Europe is socialist; China and Soviet Russia of the Cold War Era are and were communist. These systems have failed everywhere they have been tried. The most recent examples are Cuba and Venezuela.

Conclusion

Lefties everywhere are hailing Zoh’s election as a clear mandate and a portent of the rising tide of socialism. Some of them such as Bernie Sanders and AOC are predicting that this trend will continue through the 2026 and 2028 elections. On the other hand, most moderates and conservatives maintain Zoh’s mayoralty will be an abject failure for all the reasons I have cited and will demonstrate once again that socialism/communism will not work. Who is correct? We’ll see, but for the sake of our way of life and the future of our children and grandchildren I strongly hope it is the latter.

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DODGERS DYNASTY

In the wake of the Dodgers’ winning a second consecutive WS title and third in the past five years many sports commentators and fans have been characterizing them as a “dynasty.” In the context of the current structure of baseball what criteria constitute a “dynasty?” Do the Dodgers qualify? Read on for my opinion.

Prior to 1969 it was easier for a team to win a WS. There were no playoffs. Each league’s pennant winners automatically advanced to the WS. All a team had to do was win one post season series, and it was the champion. Thus, there were many instances of teams’ winning consecutive WS. For example, the NY Yankees won five straight from 1949 – 1953.

In 1969 due to expansion the Lords of Baseball decided to add one playoff round. Then, in 1995 they added a Wild Card round. Over time the playoffs have expanded further. Now a team is required to navigate through as many as three rounds of playoffs – the Wildcard, the Divisional and the League Championship rounds- just to qualify for the WS. The current system is not designed for the best team to win the WS, just the one that gets “hot” at the right time. Why? One word – “money.”

As I have written many times given the nature of baseball where the best teams often lost three, four or more games in a row winning a WS is a difficult task. A short losing streak during the regular season is no big deal. A short losing streak during the playoffs means Sayonara. For instance, in 2023 the Arizona Diamondbacks barely squeaked into the playoffs as the number six seed. Yet, they swept the number one seeded Dodgers in the NLDS as, inexplicably, the whole team went into a batting slump. It has been common for the team with the best regular season record to stumble somewhere along the line. During the Wild Card Era (1995 – the present), teams with the best regular season record have only won the World Series 24% of the time.  Many times, the best regular season team has not even made it to the WS. On the other hand, eight Wild Card teams have won the WS. (Quiz question – can you name them? See the answer below.)

In sports, as in any other business, success begins at the top. The Dodgers current run of sustained excellence commenced in 2012 the year Mark Walter bought the team. Walter hired Andrew Friedman, as President of Baseball Operations beginning with the 2015 season. The Dodgers had already won NL West Division titles in 2013 and 2014, but in the past 13 years he has led the team to a higher level. The team hasn’t missed the playoffs since. It has won 12 division titles, five NL pennants, and three World Series championships. Moreover, for most of those years the team also had the best regular season record only to be upset in one of the playoff rounds. Under the pre-Wild Card rules the team would likely have won several more WS. I believe their record of sustained excellence during the past 13 years easily meets the current criteria for a dynasty.

In the current era of 12 playoff spots, as many as four playoff rounds, the draft, free agency, revenue sharing, and sabermetric analysis the Dodgers have managed to win three of the last six World Series and made five of the last nine. Over that nine-season span, the team has compiled a .627 winning percentage across the regular season and postseason, a pace of 101.5 wins per 162 games.

Some naysayers have attributed the team’s success to its high payroll. It’s true that the Dodgers’ payroll has been in the top five every year since 2013, and many years, including 2025 it was the highest. In 2025 its payroll was an astounding $509.5 million including $168 million in projected luxury tax. However, a high payroll is no guarantee of winning a championship. For example, the NY Mets, NY Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and other teams have had very high payrolls and have not won any championships recently. In 2025 the depth of the Dodgers’ roster enabled them to survive the plethora of injuries to key players during the season, especially to their pitching staff. Once they got healthy, the team hit its stride.

What has separated the Dodgers from all the other teams:

  1. Scouting and player development. Every year the consensus is that the Dodgers’ farm system is among the deepest. They always seem to have highly ranked prospects ready to jump in when the Big Club needs them.
  2. The team has emphasized analytics, research, and the application of medical science.
  3. Signing free agents, some long-term such as Justin Turner, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshi Yamamoto, Kenji Sasaki and Mookie Betts, and short-term, such as Trea Turner and Manny Machado.
  4. They have developed perhaps the strongest relationship with Nippon Baseball, which has enabled them to tap into that rich market.
  5. The culture of the organization and the team, itself, has generated a strong sense of mutual loyalty between the players and the team. Simply put, if given a choice many players will opt to play for the team, particularly a veteran player who has had success and made his money but has not won a WS or wants to win more. For example, prior to his retirement Clayton Kershaw elected to sign a series of one-year contracts with them rather than play for his hometown Texas Rangers or seek a more lucrative contract elsewhere. Utility player Miguel Rojas, one of the 2025 WS unexpected heroes opted to sign with them. Why? “The Dodgers gave me an opportunity to go to minor league camp in 2013. Then I got a chance to play in the big leagues in 2014 when I really wasn’t an impact player in the minors. They gave me an opportunity, and I will never forget that.” Enrique (Kike) Hernandez, who often shines in the post-season also chose to play for them. He asserted that the communication between the team and the players is what separates the Dodgers from other teams.

Conclusion

You all know that I am a huge Dodgers fan. To quote the late Tommy Lasorda “I bleed Dodger Blue.” Nevertheless, I maintain that due to the foregoing the Dodgers have earned the right to be considered a modern baseball dynasty.

Quiz answer: Florida Marlins – 1997 and 2003; Anaheim Angels – 2002; Boston Red Sox – 2004; St. Louis Cardinals – 2011; San Francisco Giants – 2014; Washington Nationals – 2019; Texas Rangers – 2023.

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