Author: webuiltitblog

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.

Sunday, November 22, will mark the 57th anniversary of his assassination. Almost anyone over the age of 65 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 internet.

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. 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. 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 to 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.”). Those words still resonate today.

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, but, 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 60’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.

Through it all, a cloud of conspiracy still hangs over the assassination 50+ years later. 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. As time passes, it seems they probably never will be.

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.

Do you hear it? Do you see it? Of course, I’m referring to post-election violence, rioting and destruction. No, you don’t, and neither do I.

As one political commentator said on election-eve if they lose the election the Dems will riot, pillage and destroy. It will be live on national tv for all to see, except maybe on the fake-news channels. On the other hand, if the GOP were to lose the people would just “wake up the next day and go to work.” Hyperbole? Perhaps, just a little, but we have been witnessing such actions by the radical left all year.

In the days prior to Election Day we saw the images of businesses locking up and putting up plywood over their windows in anticipation of post-election rioting. What do you suppose that was for? Redecorating? When it appeared as if the Dems had won, all the plywood came down immediately. Coincidence? I think not.

Legally, the Trump campaign was perfectly within its rights to seek recounts in certain states. It does not make President Trump a “sore loser.” It does not signal that he “will not accept the outcome of the election” or “defy the will” of the electorate. It does not mean he will “refuse to leave” office. Those are just more absurdities promulgated by know-nothing, biased media commentators.

How about some facts to set the record straight. My research has disclosed the following with respect to recounts:

1. Recounts are rare. According to NBC in the last 50 years or so there have been few recounts, and they have rarely succeeded.
2. For example, between 2000 and 2015, of the nearly 4,700 statewide elections there have been 27 recounts.
3. Would you care to guess how many of them have actually succeeded in flipping the results of the original election? The answer is three. That’s all – three. The last one was the Senate race in MN in 2008 when Dem Al Franken prevailed over GOPer Norm Coleman.
4. There are two kinds of recounts – automatic and requested. Currently, 27 states have statutory procedures for an automatic recount. They are triggered if an election is close enough to warrant one. How close? It depends on the individual state. 43 states have statutory provisions for requested recounts. Again, they vary according to the state. Only two states – MS and TN – do not have any statutory provisions for a recount.
5. In any event one can always make a recount request or dispute the outcome of an election through the judicial system. Typically, such requests are made through the applicable state court first, then the federal courts. Theoretically, they can proceed all the way to the Supreme Court, although that is very rare.
6. With respect to current disputes, so far the Trump campaign has not met with much success. On the plus side, it has managed to gather hundreds of affidavits from individuals who have alleged to have witnessed irregularities and possible fraud. These have included computer glitches, duplicate ballots, late-arriving ballots, dead people voting, non-residents voting, and incomplete/inaccurate ballots being counted. On the other hand, so far its efforts have been rejected by various courts.
7. In PA the state Supreme Court ruled to accept late arriving ballots due to the “vast disruption” and “unprecedented challenges” presented by the COVID pandemic. The court also noted that the votes in question were not sufficient in number to make up Trump’s deficit.
8. In MI a judge rejected claims that the City of Detroit had committed fraud in its processing of absentee ballots.
9. In AZ the campaign’s own lawyers withdrew their petition for a manual inspection of votes in the Phoenix area as it had become apparent that the number of votes in question were not sufficient to flip the state.

CONCLUSION

As I said, the Trump campaign is acting within its rights. Its critics are so intent on criticizing and demonizing Mr. Trump that they are missing the larger point. The paramount issue is the perceived integrity of the election, itself. Free, fair, and legitimate elections are the cornerstone of our republic. Every legal vote, and only legal votes, should be counted. The country cannot function otherwise.

Right now, nearly one-half of the country has suspicions that the election was “stolen” from Mr. Trump. We either need to satisfy those voters that it was not, or, if the facts dictate, declare Mr. Trump the true winner. I maintain that we all need to sit back, shut up, be patient, and let the legal matters play out. Regardless of the outcome, we should analyze how this election was conducted and use it as a learning tool for future elections.

Massive mail-in voting will likely become the new normal, prospectively. It is vital that we correct the weaknesses of this election so that they are not repeated. Some states, such as FL, handled the process really well. We should study those states’ procedures and adopt them universally. It has nothing to do with Dem or GOP, just fairness.

At the end of the process, whoever ends up the winner should be recognized as such by all. This will actually be to his benefit. The ultimate winner, whomever it may be, cannot lead effectively as long as half the country thinks his presidency is illegitimate.

Most people knew him as the host of the popular game show, Jeopardy, but that barely scratched the surface of what he was. To identify him merely as a game show host was akin to labeling Michael Jordan as just a basketball player. Technically, it was true, but, as you will see, he was so much more.

George Alexander Trebek was born on July 22, 1940 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. His father had emigrated from Ukraine as a child; his mother was a native-born French-Canadian. The family was bi-lingual, French and English. The original family name was Terebeychuk. Like many immigrant families the name was shortened at some point in order to facilitate their assimilation into their new home country. New country, new start, new name.

Alex was an industrious child. He began working at the age of 13. His first job was as a bellhop at a local hotel where his father was employed as a chef. After high school he attended the University of Ottawa from which he graduated in 1961 with a degree in philosophy. At that time his career goal was to work in broadcast news, a difficult field to break into. Actually, Alex began his career even before he earned his degree. In his words, “I went to school in the mornings, and worked at nights. I did everything … every possible job.” His first job in his chosen field was in 1963 on a Canadian music program called Music Hop.

In 1973 Alex emigrated to the US. (He became a naturalized citizen in 1996.) He secured a job with NBC as host of a new game show called The Wizard of Odds. That was soon followed by a bunch of other shows. For example, how many of these old and largely forgotten shows do you remember: High Rollers, Double Dare, the 128,000 Question, and Battlestars? Alex was very prolific. At one point, he was one of only two persons to be hosting shows in both the US and Canada, simultaneously. (The other was Jim Perry.) In 1991 he went one better, becoming the only person to host three game shows simultaneously.

Alex’s big break came in 1984. The game show, Jeopardy, was being revived as a daily syndicated show. The original daytime iteration of Jeopardy aired from 1964 to 1973. Art Fleming, the original host, had declined to emcee the show due to “creative differences.” Alex auditioned for the role and got it, and, as they say, the rest is history.

Alex remained the host until his death – 36 years. Contestants came and went. The show endured. The one constant was Alex. To many viewers, he was the show. Its popularity was astounding for a game show. Renowned author Linda Fairstein wrote it into each of her novels. Regardless of where they were, the main characters would make it a point to seek out a tv to watch the Final Jeopardy question. In the movie Rainman Dustin Hoffman’s character just had to watch it, and he drove Tom Cruise’s character crazy looking for a tv. In 2013 TV Guide published a list of the greatest American tv shows. Jeopardy ranked #45.

Like many other game show hosts Alex made a slew of guest appearances on other tv shows. But, Alex took it to another level. All told, he appeared on over thirty game shows and in over 50 movies and tv shows. There’s more. In 1996 he was honored as an Olympic torch bearer for part of the torch’s journey through FL In 2014 Guinness World Records recognized Alex as the record holder for hosting the most episodes of a game show – 6,829. Obviously, at the time of his death he had added to that record considerably. In 2018 he served as moderator in a debate between two candidates for the governorship of PA. He probably did a better job than some of the debate moderators we have suffered through this year.

Alex married twice. His first marriage ended in divorce. He had two children with his second wife, Jean. He owned a 700-acre ranch in CA on which he bred and trained thoroughbred racehorses.

CONCLUSION

As I said, Alex was much more than just one of the most successful game show hosts ever. He was a huge philanthropist and activist. For example, over his lifetime he donated some $10 million to his alma mater, the University of Ottawa, which honored him by naming its alumni hall in his honor. In addition, he donated $100,000 to Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter in LA. Furthermore, he was very active in other charities such as World Vision Canada and the US Service Organization for World Trade, which focus on the needs of people in developing nations, particularly children.

Alex was the recipient of numerous awards and honoraria. For example, he was honored with a star on both Canada’s and Hollywood’s Walks of Fame; he won seven Emmys for “Outstanding Game Show Host;” and he was the recipient of a Daily Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Alex bravely fought through various health problems. In 2007 he suffered a “minor” heart attack; in 2011 he injured his Achilles tendon while chasing a burglar who had broken into his hotel room; in 2017 he developed a subdural hematoma, which required him to undergo brain surgery to remove some blood lots from his brain; and in January 2019 came the big one, pancreatic cancer. The initial symptom had been fairly innocuous, a persistent stomach ache. Alex fought bravely and hard, undergoing chemotherapy and surgery, but to no avail. Eventually, the cancer won.

Alex passed away on November 8 after a nearly two-year battle with the dreaded disease. Rest in peace, Alex. You lived your life with class and dignity, right to the end. As I said at the outset, many of us knew you as a game show host, but you were much, much more than that, and you will be sorely missed.

Well the election is over and the people have spoken, sort of. I believe the above title is an apt metaphor for the result. More on that later.

 As I write this, in the minds of many voters the election results are still up in the air. President Trump has still not conceded, and President-elect Biden is forging ahead as if it’s a done deal. Moreover, the Trump campaign has filed lawsuits challenging the results in various states. These are still pending but the likelihood of the courts taking significant action is very unlikely. Die-hard Trump supporters will always be convinced the election was “stolen” by Dems’ shenanigans with a big assist from the mainstream media, and they may be right. There were some odd occurrences in some of the battleground states particularly in PA, NE, MI and AZ, but I don’t think the recounts and the legal challenges will result in a changed outcome.

So, who really won? Who benefitted?

1. Not those who work in the oil, gas, auto, and related industries many of whom will lose their livelihoods as the Green New Deal gets phased in.
2. Not the members of the vast unskilled labor pool who will face increased competition from illegals who will be permitted, if not encouraged, to pour across our southern border unfettered by laws, restrictions and physical barriers.
3. Not advocates of security.
4. Not the police who will be handcuffed by overly stringent rules of engagement and defunding at an increasing rate.
5. Not advocates of freedom of speech who will be subjected to accelerating restrictions and censorship.

6. Not advocates of the second amendment which will be chipped away at the edges until it will be severely weakened.
7. Not the advocates of right to life who will see abortions performed on viable fetuses right up to and perhaps past the moment of birth.

8. Not those who support Israel who will see an administration indifferent, if not hostile, to the plight of our only reliable ally in the volatile Middle East and Jews in general. I expect that one of Biden’s first acts will be to reinstitute the Iran Deal in some form.
9. And not the average citizen rich and poor, black and white, liberal moderate and conservative who will pay the higher taxes that will be needed to raise the money to pay for all these grandiose misguided policies of the radical left. 

So who won?  Not you and not me.

1. Those who drank the CNN and MSNBC Kool-aid and hated President Trump with such an irrational passion that they were willing, no eager, to cut off their nose to spite their face. Many of them were unaware of or ignored the issues.

2. The coastal elites who look down on the rest of us from their ivory towers and their gated communities with 24 X 7 security.
3.. The deep state, or swamp as some call it.

4. China, Iran, North Korea and other foreign actors who hate us and our way of life who now will be able to deal with Biden instead of Trump.   

CONCLUSION

I predict that the American way of life, the unique and beautiful system promulgated by our Forefathers some 250 years ago, that millions of Americans have fought and died for, has changed irrevocably, and not for the better. Change will likely be gradual. It might be delayed if the GOP can manage to win one or both of the run-off elections in Georgia and retain control of the Senate.

Most of us will probably not even realize it, but it will be inexorable and irreversible. In 10, 20 or 50 years people will look around and wonder how we got there. They will wonder, “what happened in 2020?” ” What were our grandparents thinking?”

Yes, you got what you wanted. The “demonic, orange Hitler,” the “crude, lewd meanie” is gone. But as they say, “be careful what you wish for.” You have gotten the government you deserve

Yes, Bye Bye Miss American pie. Bye Bye America as we know it. Hello Venezuela.

Postscript: By now, most of you have heard that today Pfizer announced that its COVID vaccine has been 90% successful in its latest trial. We are likely only months away from a viable, effective mass-produced vaccine. Hooray for us!

It appears that President Trump’s optimism with respect to a vaccine was right all along. It’s a shame he won’t get the credit.

“It ain’t over till its over.” So said the late Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame baseball player, famous philosopher, and king of the malaprops. Of course, he was speaking in a different context, a pennant race in 1973. But, it was true then, and it is true now. Trump supporters, take heart. The official voting may be over, but the postelection drama is just beginning.

When I went to bed on Election Night in the US, or more precisely, in the wee hours of ED+1, Trump was in a good position. He was narrowly ahead in various undecided states with a couple of clear paths to 270. When I woke up later that morning in Soviet Russia circa 1930 things had changed dramatically. Biden had surged ahead in MI and WI, had closed the gap dramatically in other states, such as G, NC and PA, and appeared to be on the clear path to victory. Trump seemed to be all but done.

How had this happened? What had caused such a dramatic shift in just a few hours? If you’re shocked, frustrated and confused over this dramatic turn of events you’re not alone. You have plenty of company, including yours truly. Voting anomalies, to be sure.

As I write this Biden is leading in electoral votes 264 – 214 with six states undecided – AZ, N, PA, G, AK, and NC. Biden is leading in the first two, Trump in the others. We can eliminate AK from this discussion as it only has three electoral votes and Trump is way ahead and clearly will win it. The others are too close to call (including AZ, which some news outlets called last night, perhaps, prematurely).

The situation is very fluid, but the salient points are as follows:

1. The Trump campaign is protesting the results in those states, alleging “rampant corruption.” That may be a bit strong, but, in my mind, there have certainly been voting irregularities.
2. There are reports the Trump campaign has or shortly will file lawsuits in PA, AZ and GA.
3. These irregularities seem to be centered around mail-in ballots. In many states they were being used for the first time due to many voters’ fears of voting in person due to COVID. Many states were simply overwhelmed by the sheer volume as was the USPS.
4. There have been allegations of irregularities in other states as well. For instance, Trump was leading in WI all evening. Somehow in the middle of the night a batch of more than 100,000 ballots was “discovered.” They just happened to be virtually all for Biden. They flipped the state.
5. There have been alleged irregularities regarding mail-in ballots in PA and N. These ballots are supposed to be scrutinized to ascertain that the voter is eligible and registered, the signature is valid, the timestamp is timely and the form is filled out properly and completely.
6. The Trump campaign has raised doubts about these verifications, particularly in cases in which their observers were locked out. One GOP poll watcher reported he was not allowed within “100 feet” of the ballots. Obviously, there was no way to “watch” from that distance. Since I was a child I have heard jokes about dead people voting and others voting more than once, but this year with this system it is no joke.
7. The PA Supreme Court arbitrarily changed the rules on the eve of ED. It decided to legalize all ballots as long as they were postmarked by midnight on ED. It is not clear that they had the authority to extend the filing deadline in this manner. Normally, that is the purview of the state legislature.
8. There have been various instances of the USPS “losing” ballots. For example, hundreds of thousands of ballots have been found on the floor and in garbage pails. How many have not been found?

CONCLUSION

Trump supporters should not get their hopes up, even if the transgressions may seem to be obvious and egregious. The lawsuits and recounts are a longshot, a “Hail Mary.” It will be very difficult to prove corruption, fraud or even irregularities. The courts may even decline to hear the lawsuits. Moreover, historically, recounts, though fairly commonplace have rarely changed the outcome of an election. Trump supporters will fight on, but the reality is it is a sad day for America and the American way of life.

Both candidates still have a path to 270. However, Biden only needs to win one of the remaining states to win the election. Trump has to run the table. You do the math. It appears that, for better or worse, Biden will end up as the 46th president of the US.

Already, the protesters/rioters and the “spin doctors” are out in full force.

1. Regarding PA, lawyer Rudy Giuliani has asserted that “not a single Republican has been able to look at any of these mail-in ballots.” He said, somewhat facetiously, “we don’t know if these ballots are valid or not. [For all we know,] they could be from Mars or the DNC.” The clear implication is that there has been cheating.
2. PA Governor Tom Wolfe (D) took umbrage at this charge. He replied that attempts to “subvert the democratic process are simply disgraceful.”
3. Dem supporters are chanting “count every ballot.” The implication of this is clear.
4. GOPers have a slightly different chant, “count every legal ballot.”

Some final thoughts and observations:

1. As a group, the pollsters and pundits “blew it” badly. They were so far off it was downright embarrassing. As a group, their credibility is at a low ebb. Most of them had predicted a Biden landslide. Few, if any, thought Trump would win, and he almost did (maybe not almost). On election eve they had Trump losing by several points in many states he actually won, such as FL, Ohio, and NC. One poll had Biden winning Wisconsin by 17 points. They had Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell and Joni Ernst losing or in tough battles. They all won handily. You may recall that most polls were way off in 2016 as well. On November 4 the headline of the NY Post proclaimed “Polls, Pundits, Press – Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.” The much ballyhooed “Blue Wave” never materialized. Predictions from some, such as the Des Moines Register, were on point, but as a group, they need to reassess their methodology if they want to re-establish their credibility.
2. Dems and the mainstream media will criticize Trump for not conceding graciously, but the fact of the matter is the Biden campaign would have done exactly the same thing had they lost. Heck, they still have not conceded the 2016 election. Furthermore, last week the bitter has-been, Hillary Clinton, advised Biden “never to concede.”
3. In my view, many Biden voters, due to apathy and/or ignorance, do not have the foggiest conception of what they voted for, such as higher taxes, healthcare for all, the elimination of fossil fuels and fracking, the Green New Deal, the elimination of the border wall, hostile relations with Israel, and various “free” stuff.
4. They will soon develop “buyer’s remorse.” “Free” stuff is not free. Someone, somehow, somewhere has to pay for it. Dems’ claims that it will fall exclusively on the wealthy is simply not true. There are not enough of them and the cost will be too high. Everyone will pay to some degree. When the time comes don’t complain. As the expression goes, “you get the government you deserve.”

Those famous words became the hallmark of one of the most famous characters in cinema history. James Bond was a likeable, charismatic, suave, elegant, brave, at times foolhardy, superspy with the moniker 007 and a “license to kill.” He was famous for carousing, chasing beautiful women, and, oh yes, saving England from vicious villains. Fans knew he always drank vodka martinis “shaken, not stirred.” The American Film Institute recognized the Bond character as the third greatest hero in cinema history. Can you guess numbers 1 and 2? See below.

The Bond franchise is one of the most famous, successful and enduring in cinema history. The first film was Dr. No in 1962 and the franchise is still active today. Seven actors have played James Bond in over 30 movies. Connery was the first and, to me, the best. How many of them can you name? (If you get all seven you are a true Bond savant, and I tip my cap to you.) See answer below.

Thomas Sean Connery was born on August 25, 1930 in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. He came from very humble beginnings. His father was a factory worker and a lorry (truck) driver. His mother was a cleaning lady. Connery said he was known by his middle name as a child. When he became an actor he kept his middle name and dropped his first name. Thomas Sean Connery was thought to be too long to fit on a theatre marquee.

Prior to becoming an actor Connery worked at a succession of jobs. He took any work he could get, among them milkman, cement mixer, steel-bender, lorry driver, lifeguard, laborer, artist’s model and coffin polisher. As a youth he was undersized, but by the age of 18 he had grown to his full height of 6′ 2″. Along the way he acquired a new nickname, “Big Tam” and took up body building. In addition, he served in the Royal Navy.

In the 1950s he began helping out backstage in the theatre in order to supplement his income. In 1953 he entered a bodybuilding competition in London. One of his competitors advised him of an audition for a production of South Pacific. Connery was hired as one of the Seabees chorus boys. He remained with the troupe and eventually worked his way up to a featured speaking role.

As often happens in the entertainment business Connery’s big break, his selection as James Bond, was a combination of talent and fortune. Ian Fleming, the author of the series of Bond books, was not in favor of casting Connery in the role. According to Fleming, Connery was “not what I envisioned [as Bond].” He considered Connery to be “unrefined” and “an overgrown stuntman.” Without Fleming’s blessing Connery’s chances of landing the role were remote. However, both Dana Broccoli, producer Albert Broccoli’s wife, and Blanche Blackwell, Ian Fleming’s girlfriend, convinced the two men that Connery was the right man. Blackwell opined that Connery has the “requisite sexual charisma.” We all know how persuasive wives and girlfriends can be. So, Connery got the role, and the rest was history.

Dr. No (1962) was a huge success, and the studio eagerly produced a succession of sequels, which were also wildly successful. Fleming soon forgot about any reservations he had had about Connery and became a strong advocate. With each sequel the plots became more outrageous, the locales more exotic, the stunts more elaborate, and the women more sexy and beautiful Every aspiring actress wanted to be cast as a “Bond girl.” It was almost a rite of passage. The public couldn’t get enough of Bond and Connery. Soon the movies bore little resemblance to Fleming’s books, but nobody really cared.

In 1971, after having starred in six Bond films Connery was ready for a change. Despite critically-acclaimed performances in Marnie and The Hill he lamented that he wasn’t being taken seriously as an actor. He complained that the image of him the press had fostered did not do justice to his acting ability. So, at the age of 41 he walked away from the role of a lifetime.

The conventional wisdom of the Hollywood experts was that he had made a grave error. They thought no one would want to hire a “balding, middle-aged actor with a funny accent.” However, Connery got the last laugh. He was not a one-hit wonder as an actor. He went on to appear in many “hit” films, such Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Untouchables, and The Hunt for Red October.

CONCLUSION

Connery’s personal life did not measure up to his acting career. It left a lot to be desired. His first marriage was marred by accusations of physical abuse, and it didn’t last long. Connery did not deny the charges. In fact, he defended his boorish behavior. In a 1965 interview he told Playboy that he did not see “anything particularly wrong” in striking a woman. To him, “an open-handed slap is justified.”

Connery was the recipient of numerous awards. For example, as an actor he won one Academy Award for his role in the Untouchables and three Golden Globes, among others. In 1989 People Magazine voted him the “Sexiest Man Alive; in 1999 People proclaimed him to be “The Greatest Man of the Century; in 2004 the Sunday Herald proclaimed him to be the “Greatest Living Scot;” and in 2000 Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed him to be a British knight.

Connery passed away on October 31 at the age of 90. According to his son he died “peacefully” in his sleep after having been “unwell for some time.” Among the mourners was Barbara Broccoli, Albert’s and Dana’s daughter, who was said to be “devastated” by the news. She told reporters that Connery’s “gritty, and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent” was primarily responsible for the success of the Bond franchise.

Quiz answers: (1) Atticus Finch and Indiana Jones. (2) Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig

As I write this, Election Day is a mere three days away. Most observers agree that this election will be a pivotal one for America.

According to a recent Gallup Poll voters are feeling more enthusiastic and, at the same time, more fearful than in previous elections. As I write this, already some 87 million voters have already cast their ballots in early voting. 87 million! The lines have been long, but people have been determined to vote. At this pace, the 2020 election may turn out to have one of the highest turnouts ever.

A recent Gallup poll reported that 77% of voters agree that the stakes are higher in this election; 69% are more enthusiastic about their candidate; and 64% are afraid of what will transpire if the other candidate wins. A Fox News poll reported that 86% of Americans are anticipating “unrest” following the election regardless of who wins. Based upon the rioting, lawlessness and violence we have already witnessed this year I would say those concerns are justified, particularly with the potential for controversial results in many states.

In my view, as I have discussed in previous blogs, there are substantial differences between the philosophies of the GOP and the Dems as well as between the two candidates, themselves. Therefore, depending on which Party wins, it is very likely that the country will move in radically different directions politically, economically and socially for many years to come. The voters realize that the stakes could not be higher, hence the high turnout and levels of enthusiasm.

I have questioned the validity of the polls in previous blogs. I have outlined their many flaws. The focus of this blog will be on the differences between what the pollsters are telling us and what we see with our own eyes at the campaign rallies.

According to the recently-released polls President Trump is gaining on Biden, but Biden is maintaining a small lead in the national polls as well as in most of the battleground states. These polls have been fairly consistent. Depending on the particular poll Biden’s lead in these states is between 3% and 7%. So, in essence, the polls are telling us that Biden will win, perhaps by a comfortable margin.

But, not so fast. The eyes are telling a different story. President Trump has been drawing huge, enthusiastic crowds to his rallies. This is obvious whenever the cameras pan into a wide view. In addition, he has been holding as many as three in a given day. He has 14 scheduled in seven states in the next three days.

On the other hand, Biden has held far fewer rallies. Some days he does not even leave his basement bunker. When he does appear his crowds appear smaller, less enthusiastic, and more desultory. Until the last few days, his strategy seems to have been to avoid a mistake and “run out the clock.”

This discrepancy between the polls and the eye test is not new. It appears to be a characteristic of Mr. Trump’s campaigns. It is reminiscent of the 2016 election. Back then, the polls showed that Clinton had a comfortable lead, and she appeared to be a “shoo-in.” Yet, Mr. Trump won. This year the pattern seems to be repeating itself. Many observers are concerned that the same thing may happen again this year. For example, Dem supporters, such as filmmaker, Michael Moore and political analyst, James Carville have been urging the Biden campaign not to be complacent. They have been expressing concern that the poll numbers may be wrong. They were fooled in 2016, and they don’t want to be fooled again.

I believe that one of the major keys to this election will be the “shy” Trump voters. These are voters who plan on voting for Mr. Trump but won’t admit it, even to their friends, due to concerns of retribution, retaliation and/or ridicule. Some even fear it would impact their businesses or their jobs.

As I see it, the questions regarding the “shy” Trump voters are:

1. Do they even exist, or are they a figment of imagination?
2. How many are there?
3. In which states are they located?
4. What is the demographic makeup?
5. Will they turn out to vote?

CONCLUSION

No one really knows the answers to these questions, although opinions abound. In my view, they hold the key to the whole election, and hence the country’s future.

My opinion is that:

1. They do exist. I know this for a fact because I know many of them personally.
2. I don’t know the number, but I suspect there are enough of them to “move the needle,” especially in the battleground states.
3. They are located in every state, but, as one might expect, their influence will be most profound in the battleground states.
4. The demographic makeup is difficult to assess, but based on news reports I feel strongly that it includes a significant number of Blacks and Latinos.
5. I feel they are strongly motivated and a significant amount of them will vote.

As I have said many times, the likelihood is that we will not know the winner on Election Night, because many states will have close races, and disputed results. In addition, the loser, whomever it may be, may not concede until he has exhausted all available legal remedies. Don’t be surprised if the issue is ultimately decided by the House or the Supreme Court months after the election.

There is a possibility that we may not have identified the winner by Inauguration Day. In that case, what does the Constitution say we do? Who knows? I, for one, do not want to find out. If nothing else, this election could be a boon for the lawyers.

Tuesday night the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3 – 1 to win the 2020 World Series four games to two. This is the franchise’s seventh world championship. and the first since 1988. Can you name the years of the other five? See the answer below.

This was the baseball season that almost wasn’t. Due to the COVID-19 virus the season was delayed to the point where many thought it would never get off the ground. Then, it was feared that so many players would test positive for the virus that, at some point, the season would have to be cancelled. As it was, several games had to be postponed and made up as doubleheaders.

Finally, Major League Baseball managed to complete a 60-game season. For those of you who do not follow baseball 60 games is a really short season. The normal season is 162 games. A 60-game season is not long enough for the best teams to establish themselves. It takes at least twice as many games for that.

Many fans and observers considered 2020 to be a flawed season. Some even maintained that the eventual championship would be tarnished. They advocated that it should/would be designated with an asterisk. The fear was that an inferior team would have a “hot” start and qualify for the expanded playoffs, which included 16 teams instead of the usual 12 and an extra (wild card) round. Those same people feared that the wild card round of best two of three games, would enable an inferior team to defeat a better team, and perhaps reach the WS and win it. (Simply put, conventional wisdom holds that any team can beat any other team in a three-game series. In my view, the nature of baseball is such that a “fair” test would be seven games.)

As it turned out those fears were groundless. The best team in each league made it to the WS. The Dodgers blew away the competition and went 43 – 17. The Rays were close behind at 40 -20. For the most part, the Series was entertaining and the games were tense. Ultimately, the best, deepest and most versatile team on paper and according to the regular season records (the Dodgers), won.

CONCLUSION

Baseball, indeed any sport, loves controversy. Controversial plays and game decisions mean that fans will long remember and discuss what happened. This WS had it in spades in Game 6. Briefly, the Rays were winning the game 1-0 and their pitcher was virtually unhittable. Nevertheless, the Rays manager replaced him in the sixth inning after one batter hit a single. The move was consistent with his normal strategy and the analytics on which many teams operate nowadays, but most observers howled that it ignored the “eye test.” A pitcher that unhittable should have stayed in the game.

Sure enough, the Dodgers scored three runs off the relievers and won the game and the WS. In my opinion, the ill-advised move should take nothing away from the Dodgers who still had to score off the relievers.

In a seven game series the breaks often do not even out. In their long history the Dodgers have lost many WS in disappointing fashion, especially when they were in Brooklyn. After each defeat, the fans’ plaintive refrain was “wait until next year.” Well this year “next year” finally came. The Dodgers got some breaks and, like all good teams, took full advantage. Good for them, and good for their fans.

Full disclosure: I am a longtime Dodgers fan. Those who know me know that I “bleed Dodger Blue.”

Quiz answer: 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981.

I think we could all use a break from the intense and divisive politics of the 2020 Presidential Election. Many of you are probably tired of reading about it, and, for now, I am tired of writing about it.

So, below please find an uplifting story about a Holocaust survivor. In my opinion, she achieved the ultimate revenge on the Nazis. She lived a long and productive life, enjoyed many children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, and along the way chronicled her experiences for posterity.

Much of the below information was provided by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, which does a superb job of keeping alive the heroism of ordinary Jews amid the horror of the Holocaust. Many of you are aware that I have blogged about other heroes before. Below please find the latest example.

Esther was born in Cheim, Poland in 1933. The US HMM characterized her family as “middle class,” in contrast to most Jewish families of that time in Poland, so perhaps, her father was a professional or a successful merchant.

As most of you know, soon after the Germans conquered Poland they commenced an aggressive campaign to round up and isolate Jews and other “undesirables” and ship them off to concentration camps. There were many such camps throughout Central Europe, and Sobibor was one of the worst.

Sobibor was located near the village of Sobibor in German-occupied Poland. It was part of a sinister program called Operation Reinhard. Briefly, OR was a codename for a top secret Nazi plan to exterminate Polish Jews in Nazi-controlled Poland. It represented a new and more sinister stage of lethality. It called for the establishment of extermination camps. Its primary purpose was not just to work Jews to death over months or years in concentration camps but to exterminate them within hours of arrival.

Sobibor was such a camp. The few prisoners who escaped such a fate were only those few whom the Nazis determined could help them administer the camp. Even those few fortunate ones normally only lasted a few months before they, too, were gassed. According to Wikipedia it is estimated that approximately 2 million Jews were exterminated under OR, some 250,000 of those at Sobibor.

This was the camp to which nine year old Esther was sent in December, 1942. Fortuitously, she was assigned to work in the “sorting shed” where she was tasked with the gruesome job of sorting the possessions of the murdered Jews. In addition, she worked as a seamstress. Probably, this useful skill saved her life.

The camp is primarily known for a daring prisoner escape, which occurred on October 14, 1943. Esther was one of the planners of this escape. The leaders were Leon Feldhendler and Aleksandr Pechersky.

According to Wikipedia the audacious (or perhaps, foolhardy) escape plan entailed two phases. Phase One called for the prisoners to “discretely” assassinate all of the SS officers in the camp. In Phase Two all 600 prisoners were to assemble in the courtyard for rollcall as usual and simply walk out the front gate. Admittedly, it is hard for me to see how this would have been successful, but nevertheless it appears that was the plan.

Later, Esther recalled some details of what transpired.

1. They picked a day when the camp commandant was absent.
2. She dressed as warmly as she could. She put on “two sweaters, a coat, a kerchief and boots”
3. She took “no luggage. You didn’t know where you were going or if you’ll make it.”
4. Things fell apart when 12 of the SS officers escaped assassination. At that point the prisoners had to improvise, make a break for it. Many of them tried to escape by climbing over fences topped off with barbed wire and running through mine fields.
5. She used a stepladder to climb over the barbed wire fence.
6. She was shot in the leg, though not seriously.
7. She survived the minefield by hopscotching on the dead bodies of those who had already set off a mine.
8. After making it to the woods she managed to hide for nine months in a barn owned by a friend of her father’s. She scraped out a living space underneath some hard-packed straw. Remember, she was nine!
9. She hooked up with Irving Raab whom she had known from Chelm. Raab had originally fled to Russia but had come back to avoid the advancing Soviet Army, which, as we know, Jews were wise to avoid.
10. The two married in 1946 and eventually moved to the US.
11. Roughly 300 of the 600 prisoners made it, although most of them were quickly killed or recaptured. According to Wikipedia only 38 of them actually survived the war.

Following the escape the camp ceased operations. The Nazis demolished it and planted it over with trees. For many decades after the war the camp was neglected and virtually forgotten. Accounts of the Holocaust largely ignored it, which, given its sordid history, was very surprising and unfortunate. Things changed after it was portrayed in a US TV miniseries entitled Holocaust in 1978 and then in a British TV movie Escape from Sobibor in 1987.

CONCLUSION

The Raabs settled in the US where they established a poultry company and raised a family. Esther often retold her experiences in an effort to keep the story of the Holocaust alive. This was essential because, as we know, as time passes survivors die and memories fade. Jews don’t want the world to forget lest there be a recurrence someday.

Esther died on April 13, 2015 at her home in New Jersey. At her funeral she was eulogized by her rabbi and longtime friend, Yisroel Rapoport as “a woman of valor… courage… modesty and wisdom.” He added “she fulfilled her vows to tell the world about the atrocities … of the Holocaust.”

Esther was survived by one son, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. As I said, the best revenge against the Nazis is to survive, live a long productive life, and leave the legacy of a big family. Esther did that.

Rest in peace, Esther. Your life story of bravery and determination to survive is a huge credit both to you and the Jewish people, and you will be sorely missed.

Who won the debate? More importantly, will either candidate gain in the polls as a result of it? Normally, these debates are inconclusive. Most everyone concludes their favored candidate won. More importantly, the result rarely moves the needle in the polls significantly. This is especially true this year for two reasons. (1) Most analysts are of the opinion that there are very few undecideds left; and (2) roughly one-third of the voters have already cast their ballots through either early or mail-in voting.

To buttress my point, consider the following significantly different post-debate analyses, which should not surprise anyone who has been following politics. A post-debate CNN poll disclosed that Biden won the debate 53% – 39%. The NY Times published a story by Matthew Dowd that neither candidate hurt nor helped himself decisively, which helped Biden as the frontrunner. On the other hand, on Fox News almost all the commentators opined that Trump won.

In my opinion, Kristen Welker did a credible job as moderator. She made sure both candidates adhered to the debate guidelines; she allowed reasonably brief follow-up comments while sticking to a tight schedule; and she did not exhibit any overt bias. I gave Biden points for avoiding any major gaffes, non-sequiturs or faux pas. I gave Trump points for his calm, reasonable tone, for letting Biden talk, and for avoiding the excessive interruptions that turn off a lot of people.

That said, enough of the opinions. Let’s look at some facts. Opinions are unverifiable. I have mine; you have yours. Whose is correct? It depends. Facts, however, are verifiable. They are pesky little things that don’t go away and cannot be legitimately discredited.

1. Biden outright lied and/or contradicted several previous statements he had made. These are not opinions. They are facts that have been verified by emails, videotapes, and other witnesses. See below.
2. For example, emails have surfaced that clearly establish the “pay to play” schemes of the Biden Family with respect to the Chinese government and oligarchs from Ukraine, Russia and other countries. Joe said he “didn’t take one penny” from them, but the FBI and various news outlets are in possession of various emails that refer to Hunter and his cohorts setting aside “10 for the Big Man.’ ” It is clear that “10” means $10 million, and “The Big Man” is Joe.
3. In addition to the emails Joe’s role in these schemes has been corroborated by Wall Street Journal reporter Kimberly Strassel and by Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of Hunter’s who provided firsthand accounts of these nefarious dealings. This is potentially very damaging to Joe’s credibility as most of America was unaware of the scope of this corruption before the debate. How deeply is Joe in the pocket of the Chinese and these oligarchs? What kind of quid pro quo has he agreed to? Has he put their interests ahead of America’s? We don’t know yet. Hopefully, we will find out before the election.
4. Furthermore, most of us have seen the tape of Joe, as VP, bragging about threatening to withhold foreign aid to Ukraine unless its President fired the prosecutor who was investigating Hunter, which he did.
5. Joe stated that the matter has been investigated fully by various US investigative entities, which have concluded that “nothing was wrong.” This is another lie. Moreover, he stated “five former heads of the CIA” had come to the same conclusion. Another lie. Naturally, he didn’t provide their names. In actuality, the Department of Justice, Congress, the FBI, and perhaps some enterprising investigating reporters are actively investigating it, and the matter is far from settled. Sooner or later Joe and his supporters will have to answer questions about this entire affair. Perhaps, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.
6. With respect to COVID Biden continued to repeat the same lies. He repeated his criticism that Mr. Trump delayed taking decisive action to protect Americans. In point of fact, Mr. Trump acted quickly and decisively in January to ban travel from China and Europe to the US. Furthermore, he established a task force headed up by Mike Pence to deal with the pandemic. As some may have forgotten, in January the Dems were focused on trying to impeach the President, and they were not paying attention to the far bigger threat of COVID. In addition, there was much disinformation regarding COVID that emanated from China and the WHO. Nobody, not even our medical personnel, had reliable information regarding the disease, its origins and how to treat it. There are various tweets and videotape accounts of Biden and other Dems criticizing Mr. Trump’s early actions as “xenophobic, racist, and fear mongering.” They are a matter of record for all to see. Now, Biden is second-guessing with the benefit of hindsight.
7. Joe lied about the effects of his much-ballyhooed tax plan. He has stated he would “repeal the Trump tax cuts,” and that it would only impact those families with income in excess of $400,000. Another lie. The fact of the matter is that the Trump tax cuts include many tax credits and deductions that benefit middle class and working class families. Again Biden’s comments and tax plan are a matter of record and easily verifiable.
8. Biden accused Mr. Trump of building cages to imprison undocumented children. Another lie. Photo evidence shows the cages were built in 2014 under, you guessed it, the Obama-Biden Administration.
9. There were strong philosophical differences with respect to healthcare. Biden advocated a “public option,” whereas Mr. Trump favored private enterprise. It should be noted that “public option” is code for socialized medicine, which has had problems in countries in which it has been tried. Biden said under Obamacare no one lost their health coverage. Another lie. In point of fact, some 4.7 million people did. Another pesky little fact. Remember Obama asserting that “if you like your doctor you can keep him; if you like your healthcare plan you can keep it?” That also proved to be false.
10. All of the above is damaging to Biden, but, in my opinion, the most damaging moment came when under pressure from Mr. Trump Biden admitted he wants to ban fossil fuels (oil and gas) and end fracking. Prior to that moment, Biden had given inconsistent statements on the matter depending on his audience. But, his admission of the obvious before a national television audience severely damaged his prospects in several states, including PA, OH, TX and MI. He virtually told residents of those states that he would take away their livelihood and destroy their states’ economies. I don’t see how he can win any of those states now.
11. As all candidates do, Biden kept making promises of what he would do as president. For the most part, they sounded good, but like all liberal dogma they were too expensive and wouldn’t work. Mr. Trump repeatedly and effectively asked, rhetorically, why didn’t he do all these things in the previous 47 years when he was VP and Senator?

CONCLUSION

I think the foregoing illustrates how Mr. Trump won the debate. Certainly, residents of the states in which oil, gas and fracking is important must sit up, take notice, and, perhaps, reassess their voting preference.

There were many other issues I could have mentioned, but I think I have bored you enough already. I tried to limit my comments to issues that are supported by facts, not opinion, because we all have opinions,, and we all are adamantly convinced that ours are correct and other guy’s are not.

Everyone agrees that this is a very important election, and the consequences will be far-reaching. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to vote.