Author: webuiltitblog

I am a retired financial services executive who worked on Wall Street for 42 years. I established this blog to publish commentary on politics and business as I still follow these areas closely. My hobbies include golf, reading, travel and spending time with my grandchildren.

SUMMER SOLSTICE

What is the summer solstice?  What does it mean?  When does it occur?  Good questions.  Read on for the answers.

As many of you know, the ss is the date with the longest period of daylight, and when the sun’s shadow is its shortest. Furthermore, in most of the US it is the date on which the sun appears to be at its highest point in the sky. In extreme northern locales the sun will be “out” the entire day.  In the NY area, where I live, we typically get about 15 hours of daylight.

The word “solstice” is derived from the Latin sol, meaning “sun” and sistere, meaning “to stand still.” As the seasons progress from winter to summer in the northern hemisphere, the sun appears to move north in the sky. On the date of the ss it has progressed as far north as it will get, and it momentarily “stands still” before it appears to begin to slide southward toward the point of its winter solstice.

Depending on the particular year, in the northern hemisphere the summer solstice can occur anytime between June 20 and June 22.  The 2025 summer solstice arrived at 10:42 EDT yesterday, June 20. At that time the sun was directly over the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude).

In most cultures and countries, the summer and winter solstices are intertwined with the seasons.  For example, in the US and many other countries the ss marks the commencement of summer.  (I find it somewhat incongruous that the days grow shorter during the summer and longer during the winter.) On the other hand, in extreme northern and southern locations the solstices mark the midpoint of summer or winter.

For many ancient cultures the ss was a festive time. Most of them were sun worshippers anyway, and the longest day of the year was a reason to celebrate the renewal of life. The recurrent themes, in various forms, were life, light, femininity, marriage and fertility. (Perhaps, this concept was the derivation of the custom of holding weddings in June.)

For example:

1. The pagan holiday, Litha, which is a celebration of light and life, was celebrated on that date.
2. According to English Heritage, a charity that acts as caretaker for over 400 historic buildings, monuments, and sites, the ancient culture that constructed Stonehenge in about 2,500 BC intended it to be a crude calendar used to mark the summer and winter solstices and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The stones do seem to have been placed to align with the sunrise on the dates of those events.
3. The ancient Chinese marked the date with celebrations of the femininity, the “Yin” forces, and the Earth, itself. This served as a counterpoint to the winter solstice, which was a celebration of the heavens, masculinity, and the “Yang” forces.
4. Typically, Native Americans held festivals featuring body paint and ritualistic dances.
5. In ancient Gaul (modern-day France) the celebration was called the Feast of Epona after a mare goddess that protected horses and personified fertility.
6. Slavic and Germanic cultures celebrated with huge bonfires.

In modern times the ss is a time to celebrate the arrival of summer.  In many extreme northern areas, such as northern Sweden, Finland and Norway, where the people may not see the sun at all for certain parts of the year, people spend the entire day outside to “reconnect with nature.” Many of them decorate their homes, light bonfires, and dance around Maypoles.

CONCLUSION

I have always enjoyed a warm summer day as much as the next guy.  But, truthfully, to me the day of the ss is just another day. Rest assured, I will NOT be lighting any bonfires or dancing around any maypoles. (Wouldn’t that be a scary image.) Depending on the weather I play golf, play outside with the kids (or grandkids), go to a pool, or, if it’s inclement, just stay inside.  Yesterday was brutally hot in the NY area so I spent most of the day lounging at the pool followed by a spirited game of water volleyball with friends.

Whatever you did I hope you enjoyed the day.

One final thought on the date, it has always seemed contradictory to me that the beginning of summer also marked the time when the days started to get shorter, and I view shorter days as a harbinger of winter.

One final thought on the date, it has always seemed contradictory to me that the beginning of summer also marked the time when the days started to get shorter, and I view shorter days as a harbinger of winter.

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IRAN’S COMEUPPANCE

The following is a compendium of various news reports regarding the Israel-Iran War, which, as most of us know is currently raging in the Middle East, supplemented by my own opinion sprinkled in where noted.

In my view, almost anyone who was paying attention to world events knew it was only a matter of time. It was obvious that Iran, despite its continuous denials, was developing nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them. Also, everyone knew that it would not hesitate to use them once it was able to do so. Iran has been very blunt with respect to its goal to destroy Israel and then wreak havoc on other countries it perceived to be enemies, including the US.

I maintain it was equally obvious that Israel would never allow Iran to possess such weaponry. Jews have already suffered through one Holocaust; they do not need another.

Israel has been at war since its founding as a nation. It knows this war is literally a fight to the death. If the US leadership were to continue in its appeasement policy, it was prepared to act alone. Once Donald Trump became president and the US expressed unwavering and unconditional support of Israel’s “no nuclear weapon for Iran” policy the die was cast. I’m surprised it waited so long to “drop the hammer,” but I suppose Trump and Netanyahu wanted to give peace a chance.

As I have written many times Trump is not wishy-washy like Joe Biden and other former US presidents. He says what he means and means what he says. He gave Iran 60 days to agree to a deal, and on the 61st day he gave Israel the go-ahead. In turn, Israel has unleashed holy hell on Iran. In just a few days Israel has destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear capacity, killed much of its leadership and nuclear scientists, virtually destroyed its air force, and has the country at its mercy.

As I said, Trump has repeatedly said he wants peace, but he is prepared for war. The US already had substantial assets in the ME region, and recently, as a show of force, it tasked another aircraft carrier group to the area due to what the US military termed “an emergent operational requirement.” As the expression goes, “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

Messrs. Trump and Netanyahu have been working closely together to thwart Iran. In a sense they have been providing a blueprint of how to deal with a genocidal terrorist autocratic regime. Now, it appears that there is a real chance to transform the geopolitics of the ME. In due course, perhaps other Arab nations will join the “Abraham Accords” that Trump has been advocating. You may have noticed the deafening silence from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the other ME nations. They didn’t want Iran to have nuclear capacity either. No one does. No one trusts them not to use it.

Predictably, the biggest opposition has been coming from within the US from the TDS-afflicted far-left wing of the Dem Party and their allies in the media. For example, Hakeem Jeffries wants it both ways. While acknowledging that “Iran should never be allowed to become nuclear capable” he has backtracked by advocating for a “reduction in hostilities.” Doofus Tim Walz is bemoaning the fact that the US, by its unwavering support of Israel, has ceased to be a “neutral arbitrator.” Not to be outdone, Ilhan Omar has chimed in with what the NY Post termed her usual “antisemitic dog whistles.” As expected, the country’s leading Jewish politician, (Up)Chuck Schumer, has failed to express support for Israel. One of the few voices of reason among Dem leaders has been PA Senator John Fetterman who told the Jewish Insider he was “shocked by his ‘party pals’ ‘ views.” I say, he shouldn’t have been.

Iran is the very definition of a rogue nation with an unhinged leadership. It is an integral part of a rogue’s gallery of nations that includes Russia, China and North Korea. It has been the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism. Through its proxies, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Hootie’s and other terrorist organizations it has fomented mayhem and death throughout the ME, Europe and the US. It has attempted to assassinate President Trump at least twice, and it is reputed to have several terrorist cells active in the US. In my view, it deserves what it gets.

CONCLUSION

Clearly, Iran’s leadership, through arrogance or blind hatred, miscalculated the situation. They were used to dealing with appeasers like former presidents Biden and Obama whom they were able to “string along” with deceit and deception and who offered only tepid support for Israel. They didn’t realize that Trump is totally different from them. Their insane hatred of Israel blinded their reason, and now they will pay for it.

Now, Israel is in total control of the situation. If it chooses it could assassinate the Ayatollah, and destroy Iran’s oil fields, which would render the country leaderless and bankrupt. Trump has urged some restraint “for now.” Perhaps, he is patiently waiting for the Iranian people to rise up and displace the country’s current leadership, which is reputed to be widely unpopular. The Ayatollah could always follow in the footsteps of Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad who fled to Russia. However, Trump’s patience won’t last forever. The situation has been evolving rapidly. Stay tuned.

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FATHER’S DAY

Today, June 15, the third Sunday of June, many of us will celebrate Father’s Day.  FD is commonly viewed as an opportunity to gather with family for barbecues, picnics, sporting activities (e.g. baseball, golf or fishing), eat at a favorite restaurant, or attend a Broadway show.  Generally, it is a fun day with family and friends.

The idea of an annual day to recognize fathers was first proposed by Sonora Dodd a resident of Spokane, WA, in 1909.  She wanted to honor her own father who had raised her and five siblings as a single parent.   In her opinion, mothers had their “day,” so why shouldn’t fathers.  At first, she approached her pastor about organizing a special service on her father’s birthday, June 5, but for some reason, perhaps, time constraints, the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.  The initial celebration was held in 1910.

For many years the idea of a “day” for fathers did not catch on with the general public.  The major reason was the fear that it would become overly commercialized like Mother’s Day, Christmas and various other holidays.  In addition, the media was not behind the concept.  Rather than support the idea, they attacked it with sarcastic and cynical articles and cartoons. 

FD did, however, have its supporters.  Congress debated a bill as early as 1913, but it did not pass.  Presidents such as Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge spoke out in favor of it.  Margaret Chase Smith, a longtime influential Senator from Maine, criticized the inequity of Congress’ ignoring fathers while honoring mothers.  Finally, in 1966 LBJ issued a Presidential proclamation designating the third Sunday in June as FD.  It became a permanent holiday in 1972.

FD is celebrated differently in other countries around the world, for example:

United Kingdom – It is also celebrated on the third Sunday of June.  It is recognized as a day to honor not only fathers, but also other father figures, such as grandfathers and fathers-in-law.  As in the US, typically, people pay a visit and give cards and gifts.  Other activities might include male-only outings [golf, football (soccer), or cricket] or trips.  One significant difference is that the day is not considered to be a holiday, just a normal Sunday.

Canada – Very similar to the UK.  Popular activities would include going to the park, the zoo or eating out in a restaurant.

Russia – The holiday, celebrated on February 23, is called Defender of the Fatherland Day.  All men are honored, not just fathers.  It began as a military celebration and is still marked by military parades.

Mexico – Celebrated on the third Sunday of June.  It is marked with parties and gifts for dads and a 21- kilometer Father’s Day race.

Brazil – It is celebrated on August 2 in honor of St. Joachim, patron saint of fathers and grandfathers.

CONCLUSION

Sports fans, which, let’s face it, include most dads, will have a variety of choices.  In addition to the regular choices of the US Open and MLB baseball many dads (and granddads) attend their kids’ (and grandkids’) sporting events.  Some years the NBA Finals are also on tv.  My family will be enjoying all of the above.

FD is one of the few days of the year when the wife will not complain when you watch “too much” sports.  Dads, it is your day. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy it.

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MEMORIAL DAY

On May 26 millions of Americans will celebrate Memorial Day.  Traditionally, most of us have viewed MD as a day off from work, part of a three-day weekend, a day to gather with friends and relatives, watch sports, barbecue, go to the beach or pool club, or maybe go away for a mini vacation.  Regardless of the calendar MD is generally considered to be the unofficial start of summer. Wherever you go and whatever you do expect travel delays and crowds. Of course, we don’t like those inconveniences, but they are acknowledged and tolerated as an integral part of the holiday weekend.

According to AAA a record number of people, some 45.1 million, will travel at least 50 miles away from home over Memorial Day weekend. This would surpass the current record of 44 million established in 2005. The majority of travelers (87%) are expected to travel by car. In order to mitigate the prospect of delays AAA recommends traveling before 11 a.m. on Friday and before 2 p.m. on Monday.  Conversely, the worst time to travel is predicted to be between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday. 

A word of warning for drivers. According to Ken Kolosh, a statistics manager at the National Safety Council, Memorial Day weekend is one of the most dangerous periods for traffic accidents. The NSC estimates there will be some 440 traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend this year. Everybody says, “watch out for the other guy.” Don’t be the “other guy.” Drive with extra caution. Don’t become a statistic!

With respect to gas at the pump the good news is that the average price of $3.195 per gallon for regular is lower than last year’s $3.58. The bad news is that typically, the price increases over the course of the Memorial Day weekend, so gas up before you leave. If possible, try not to travel during peak periods. Again, allow extra time to account for delays due to heavy traffic and/or inclement weather. Moreover, whenever and wherever you drive I recommend using your friendly GPS to help you navigate around delays.

Approximately 3.61 million people are expected to travel by air, which would be a 2% increase over last year.  Allow extra time as one can expect the usual heavy crowds, overbooked flights, delays, cancellations and inclement weather. Also, refrain from packing prohibited items in their luggage, which delays the security check-in process. That is common sense, but as they say, “common sense is not always ‘common.’ ” A wise credo is to hope for the best but plan for the worst.

Back to the holiday, itself. How many of us actually stop to ponder the meaning of MD? What does it signify? What is its etymology? Well, I’m glad you asked. Read on and be edified.

According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs the purpose of MD is to honor veterans who have died in the service of their country.  (Some people confuse it with Veterans’ Day, celebrated in November, which is to honor LIVING veterans for their service.)  MD is celebrated on the final Monday in May, which, as stated above, is May 26 this year.  As I said, it has also evolved into the unofficial start of summer and Opening Day for beaches, pools and vacation homes.

The original name for MD was “Decoration Day.”  The custom of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers is centuries old.  Its origins are murky, but after the Civil War it became customary to “decorate” soldiers’ graves with flowers as a way to honor those who had died in that war.

Several cities claim to be the birthplace of MD.  Warrenton, Va. claims that the first CW soldier’s grave was decorated there in 1861.  Women began decorating soldiers’ graves in Savannah, Ga. as early as 1862.   Boalsburg, Pa. and Charleston, SC, among others, have also made claims.  NY became the first state to recognize MD as an official holiday in 1873.  In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, NY to be the official birthplace of MD.

The basis of Waterloo’s claim is that in 1865 a group of locals, including a pharmacist, Henry Welles, General John Murray, a CW hero, and a group of other veterans, simply marched to the local cemeteries and decorated the soldiers’ graves with flowers.  What gave Waterloo an edge in the birthplace battle was that Murray was an acquaintance of General John Logan, the general who issued “Logan’s Order,” the proclamation that declared “Decoration Day” should be celebrated annually nationwide.

At first, MD was celebrated on May 30 every year.  The date seems somewhat arbitrary as it was not the anniversary of any famous battle or military event.  Perhaps, it was chosen simply because flowers with which the graves are decorated are in bloom and plentiful at that particular time of the year.  The name, “Decoration Day” was gradually replaced by “MD” beginning in 1882, and in 1887 MD became the official name.  In 1968 the Congress moved the holiday to the last Monday in May.  This annoyed many traditionalists, but the lure of a three-day weekend overcame any objections, and the Monday date has prevailed.

There are some MD traditions worth noting:

  1. Flying the flag at half-staff.

Most of the time one will see the flag flown at half-staff all day; however, technically, this is not proper.  The flag should be raised to the top and then lowered to half-staff.  This is intended to honor those who have died for their country.  At noon, the flag is to be raised again to full staff, where it remains for the rest of the day.  This is to recognize that the deceased veterans’ sacrifices were not in vain.

  1. Poppies.

Poppies have become the official flower of remembrance, declared as such by the American Legion in 1920.  This is derived from WWI and the Battle of Ypres (English pronunciation is “Wipers.”).  Apparently, a proliferation of poppies grew on that battlefield around the soldiers’ graves.  These poppies were featured in a famous poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae called “In Flanders Fields.”  This poem caught peoples’ imagination and popularized the custom.

  1. Sporting Events.

No American holiday celebration would be complete without a sports connection. MD weekend features the Indianapolis 500 and the Memorial golf tournament, among others.  Also, until recently there was the traditional Memorial Day MLB baseball doubleheader.  Alas, due to economics, scheduled holiday baseball doubleheaders are all but extinct. 

4. Parades and ceremonies.

There will be parades and ceremonies in virtually every city and town of any size. Washington, DC will feature the National Memorial Day Parade, which will be televised and streamed live nationally and around the world.

CONCLUSION

I hope the foregoing has increased your understanding and appreciation of MD.  As a veteran, myself, I find it most gratifying that, in recent years, most Americans have come to recognize and appreciate the service and sacrifice of our country’s veterans.  I can remember a time (the Vietnam War period) when it wasn’t so.

So, whatever you do this weekend, however you celebrate, try to pause for a moment in honor of the many veterans who have given their lives so that the rest of us can enjoy the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted.

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MOTHER’S DAY

Sunday, May 11, most Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day. Notice the singular possessive form of spelling. This is the standard and generally accepted usage. It was the format favored by Anna Jarvis, the acknowledged driving force behind the creation of the holiday, as you will see below, rather than the plural possessive. Her point was that each family should honor “the best mother, yours” rather than all mothers.

MD is celebrated all over the world in some form.  Different countries have their own way of celebrating the day and even celebrate it on different dates.  Some countries have replicated the US traditions – hallmark [or email (tacky)] card, flowers, chocolates, and family outings or gatherings; others have incorporated it into other holidays honoring women or mothers; and in still others, a combination of the two has evolved.

According to The National Restaurant Association based on decades of research MD is the busiest day of the year for restaurants.  Nearly one-half of customers eat out for dinner, but many opt for breakfast, brunch or lunch. The traditional custom is to give mom a break from kitchen duties and take her out to a nice restaurant to celebrate. And why not? Doesn’t she deserve it?

According to a recent poll of some 1,000 Protestant pastors conducted by Lifeway Research MD is the third busiest day for attendance at church behind Christmas and Easter (no surprise there).

In 2024, Americans spent roughly $33.5 billion on Mother’s Day. This spending was considered a near-record. It fell just short of the record $35.7 billion spent in 2023. According to the National Retail Federation the average MD gift cost about $254, a slight decrease from last year’s figure of $274. Why? As political analyst James Carville might say: “It’s the economy, stupid.” According to the website “RetailMeNot” the most popular gifts are greeting cards, flowers (roses and carnations being the most popular), chocolate and gift cards.

As always, traffic on the roads will likely be heavy during the holiday weekend. So, plan to leave early, and use your trusty GPS. Additionally, one can expect the usual delays at the airports and train and bus stations due to weather complications, security concerns and heavy usage.

In the US MD was first celebrated continuously in 1908 when the aforementioned Anna Jarvis held a special memorial for her mother, although some sources credit Julia Howe or Juliet Blakely for celebrating MD in the 1870s.  Ms. Jarvis had been campaigning for the country to recognize a day to honor mothers since 1905 when her mother had passed away.  In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed an official proclamation establishing the second Sunday in May as MD.  It was to be a day to honor mothers and the concept of motherhood and their contributions to society.

Eventually, Ms. Jarvis became disillusioned with the commercialization of the holiday.  By the 1920’s the greeting card, retail, candy and flower industries were all marketing their products aggressively to take advantage of the holiday.  Jarvis strongly advocated that people should demonstrate their love and respect for their mothers through personalized, handwritten letters instead.  Being a person of action she organized protests and threatened boycotts of these industries.  At one point, she was arrested for disturbing the peace at a candy manufacturers’ convention.

Despite her efforts, commercialization of the day has continued to grow.  Americans, in particular, tend to demonstrate their love in tangible, material ways through the giving of gifts.  According to a recent National Retail Federation (NRF) survey, 84% of U.S. adults plan to celebrate MD this year.

As I stated, MD is celebrated in many countries in different ways and at different dates. For example:

1. The most common date is the second Sunday in May, which is May 11 this year. Beside the US, some of the countries that celebrate it on this date are Canada, Italy, the Peoples Republic of China and Turkey.

2. Some countries, such as the UK, Ireland and Nigeria, celebrate it on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The UK incorporated it into a previously existing holiday called “Mothering Sunday,” which dates from the 16th Century.

3. Many Arab countries, such as Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia celebrate it on the vernal equinox (March 20 in 2025). (For those of you who do not remember your astronomy, an equinox happens when the sun’s rays are directly over the equator, resulting in approximately equal hours of daylight and darkness.)

4. Russia used to celebrate MD on March 8 in conjunction with International Women’s Day, but in 1998 the date was changed, by law, to the last Sunday in November.

5. Bolivia celebrates it on May 27, which is the date of an historically significant battle in which women played a key role.

6. Since 1950 France has celebrated MD on the fourth Sunday in May, except when the date conflicts with Pentecost in which case it is delayed to the next Sunday.

7. Hindus celebrate MD on the new moon day in the month of Baisakh (April/May).

CONCLUSION

As I said, MD is one of the few truly internationally-recognized holidays.  One of the charming features of the day is the variety of ways and dates on which it is celebrated.  This is derived from the differences in customs and cultures around the world.

One thing is certain now and will remain so prospectively: on this day the mother/wife is truly in charge.  Men, remember the adage “happy wife, happy life.”

Finally, men, all together now, let’s repeat the two-word mantra for a successful marriage:

“YES, DEAR!”

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HARVARD’S SHAMEFUL ANTISEMITIC CULTURE EXPOSED

In the last year or so I have published various blogs regarding Harvard University’s longstanding and well-entrenched antisemitic culture, both overt and covert, which dates back at least to the early 20th century. This was minimized or ignored by most of the media and the federal government until the current administration. To be fair, Harvard is not by any means the sole perpetrator; many other universities are guilty as well. However, for purposes of brevity I will focus this blog on Harvard.

Recently, this long-festering problem has come to a head. I attribute this primarily to two events: (1) the plethora of vitriolic and malevolent protests on campus incited by the far left and foreign radical groups and (2) the election of Donald Trump. The aforementioned protests have been excessive on many levels. The civil rights of Jewish students are being routinely violated. They have been subjected to intimidation, ridicule and violence in the classroom, in the dorms, and on campus and have generally been obstructed from pursuing the college education to which they are entitled and for which they have paid.

In Trump we finally have a president who has the mandate and the will to address and resolve this problem. This is one of the problems he campaigned to address and was elected to address. He has various powers at his disposal to compel these universities to cease and desist, and they know he will use them. More on this later. As we all know Trump says what he means and means what he says.

The university’s current president, Alan Garber seems to be trying to address this problem. As reported in the NY Post and various other media outlets recently the university commissioned two task forces comprised of both students and faculty, to conduct a thorough and objective analysis of antisemitic, anti-Isreal and anti-Muslim/Palestinian bias. They interviewed over 500 members of the “Harvard community.”

Their recently published reports are particularly damning. According to the Post they opined that “decades of woke activism have destroyed Harvard University and turned it into a cesspool of antisemitism.” They cited as examples “cruel and hateful posts” with respect to Jews, Israel and the Holocaust. Furthermore, some protesters unveiled a poster of Garber, who is Jewish, featuring “devil horns and a tail.”

Moreover, the studies contended that Harvard has “failed to live up to its mission including stifling diversity of thought and denying historical facts to prop up activist political agendas.” One faculty member told a Wall Street Journal reporter anonymously that if the current culture remained unresolved satisfactorily it could “pose an existential threat” [to the university].

The reports denoted that some members of the faculty are as biased as the protesters. These biases are routinely manifested in their lectures. For example, it was reported that one professor asserted that the Jewish people have “no historical connection” to Israel,” which is not only historically inaccurate but also grossly inflammatory. Other faculty members were linked to pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian advocacy groups.

Conclusion

As stated above President Trump has a variety of remedies at his disposal. For instance, he has frozen some $2.2 billion in federal grants due to HU. (According to published reports the federal government provides Harvard with some $9 billion of federal contracts, and grants annually.) Additionally, the university enjoys a tax-exempt status.

Today’s NY Post reported that Trump intends to make good on his threats. He announced that he intends to strip HU of its tax-exempt status on the grounds that it is not in compliance with the requirements of it pursuant to the tax code, namely it is failing to operate in the “public interest,” and it is failing to “operate exclusively for public educational purposes.”

These actions will likely be challenged in the courts, but nevertheless the message to HU and other universities is clear. The established order is unacceptable, has no place in our educational system, and will no longer be tolerated. Trump was elected to root out bias in our educational system, and he intends to do just that. Academia would be wise to take him seriously.

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TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FIRST 100 DAYS

The term “First 100 Days” was conceived by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 as a benchmark to evaluate his administration’s progress in implementing the much-ballyhooed “New Deal.” As some of you will recall from history the ND was his key campaign slogan, his plan to lift the country out of the Great Depression. It focused on three key areas: relief for the unemployed and impoverished, economic recovery, and reforms to the financial system to prevent another depression.  Over time we have come to recognize the first 100 days as an arbitrary benchmark to evaluate a president’s tenure. I believe it is useful, to some degree, but it is important to realize that some of an incoming president’s policies will take months or even years to bear fruit. Nevertheless, in my view Trump has accomplished more during this period than any other president.

Wednesday, April 29 marked the 100th day of President Trump’s second term. How has he done? Has he implemented the policies for which he was elected? Please read on for my observations and opinions.

  1. The Trump Administration hit the ground running. He had a mandate and a plan, and he wasted no time to begin implementing it. The same has been true for his cabinet appointees, all of whom have been most effective. According to CBS News in the first 100 days he has signed 142 executive orders, the most of any president.
  2. The Trump Administration has been the most transparent of any in history. He has given dozens of interviews many of which last for an hour or more during which he has answered every question often extemporaneously. Many of his cabinet meetings have been televised. Contrast this with the opaqueness of the Biden presidency where Joe would remain sequestered for days on end and then answer prearranged fluff questions, such as his favorite flavor of ice cream, from prechosen reporters, often incoherently.
  3. Any objective analysis of Trump’s accomplishments must recognize the impact of the intense negative and mendacious media coverage, which, reality, has plagued him since he began his first presidential campaign.
  4. For example, the latest polls published by the Media Research Center have reported that 92% of the media coverage by three of the major tv networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – has been negative. Even though the media’s credibility has been in sharp decline it is inevitable that this one-sided coverage would affect the public’s viewpoint to some degree. For example, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll twice as many people opined that President Trump deserves a grade of “F” rather than an “A” for how he’s handled his first 100 days in office. This would be among the worst first 100 days rating for any president. However, I have seen many other pols and opinions that strongly endorse his many accomplishments and assert the country is on the “right track.” So far, Trump’s legion of fans has been sticking with him.
  5. Trump’s greatest achievement has been reasserting control of our southern border, which has resulted in a 55% approval rate. By any objective measure the border is the most secure it has ever been.
  6. Trump has made us feel safe and secure again. We are now respected by our allies and feared by our enemies.
  7. Homeland Security and ICE have been rounding up and deporting illegals at a massive rate. We don’t really know how many entered the country under the Biden-Harris open border policy of the last four years, nor their intentions nor where they are. Estimates run as high as 20 million. In addition, tragically we have “lost” some 500,000 children many of whom are likely being “trafficked.”
  8. The initial deportee groups include criminals, traffickers of illegal drugs such as fentanyl, and other undesirables. They have been the priority and deservedly so, but the plan is eventually to also address other groups. According to ICE, to date, it has deported nearly 66,000 illegals and arrested some 66,000 more, 75% of which have pending criminal charges or convictions.
  9. It should be noted that this effort has been hindered to some degree by some far-left district judges whose overly zealous rulings have exceeded their legal authority, and Dem congresspersons and most notably Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen who have advocated for an MS13 gang member who is a convicted murderer (of a Maryland citizen, no less, that Van Hollen conveniently ignores) and wife beater who had been ordered deported on two separate occasions by two different judges.
  10. Border encounters have been down 93%, crossings 99% and “gotaways” 95%.
  11. Perhaps, his biggest criticism has been with respect to his tariff policy. He has aggressively sought to reverse what he has characterized as a well-entrenched, longstanding, inequitable trade system whereby other countries have been charging us high tariffs, which have impeded our ability to export products. There are many egregious examples of this. His oft-stated goal is to create an equitable playing field by equalizing tariffs. A corollary goal is to encourage foreign-based businesses to relocate to the US to create jobs.
  12. These tariff policies have hollowed out many of our key our industries to the point where we now manufacture virtually nothing. This presents a potentially existential threat to the US should there be a war or another COVID-like disaster that interrupts our supply chain of necessary imports. We could be at the mercy of our enemies, particularly China. (To quote acerbic Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, “The Lord made the earth in seven days. Everything else is made in China.”) Over 100 countries have been lobbying Trump to make tariff deals, but negotiations are complicated. This is one of the policies that will take some time to bear fruit. Eventually, they should work to our benefit, but there has been some short-term pain.
  13. He has facilitated the return of 26 Americans who were being held hostage in foreign countries.
  14. He has been getting inflation under control. Due to the Biden Administration’s wild, irresponsible spending the Consumer Price Index for all items rose 2.9 percent from December 2023 to December 2024. The CPI reported a 2.4% increase for March, a six-month low, and for the next few years most predictions forecast a gradual return to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. 
  15. He has commenced drilling for oil with the intent of creating jobs and making us energy independent again.
  16. The financial markets have been fluctuating wildly, which has caused angst among investors, but I believe one should trust that the long-term prognosis is positive.
  17. He created the DOGE to identify and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.
  18. Perhaps, the most critical task, however, will be to extend the 2017 “Trump Tax cuts” which are set to expire this year. Congress hopes to include this in its “one big, beautiful bill.” An extension would likely result in a massive tax cut, which, like all tax cuts, would probably provide a substantial boost to the economy. If not, the country will likely suffer a huge tax hike which could lead to a recession and a decisive defeat in the 2026 mid-term elections. In my opinion this bill holds the key to Trump’s economic policy and perhaps his presidency.
  19. He has begun to crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions that have insisted on harboring illegals in defiance of federal law.
  20. He is cracking down on colleges who have failed to rectify the rampant and blatant antisemitism on their campuses.
  21. He is curtailing DEI and wokeism and eliminating transgender men invading women’s safe spaces and competing against them in sports.
  22. All that said, Trump’s most significant and long-lasting achievement may be that he has maneuvered the Dems into advocating for the wrong side of every significant issue that the voters care about. This is because the Dems simply are unable to support ANY policy or issue that Trump has advocated, even if it is obvious and makes common sense.
  23. Thus, the public perceives that they favor criminals over victims, illegal aliens over citizens, open borders over closed borders, radical Muslim terrorists over Israel and Jews, government fraud, waste and abuse over government efficiency, foreign workers over American workers, and America last over America first to name a few examples.

Conclusion

As I have said in previous blogs the Dems are in disarray. Six months after the election they still have not figured out how and why they lost so decisively. In my view until they do so they will not be able to win a national election again. They are allowing themselves to be dominated by the party’s far-left wing. They are woefully out of touch with the voters. The party’s favorability rating in most polls is in the 20th percentile. Senate Majority Leader Chuck (the “Chameleon”) Schumer’s approval rating is a well-deserved 15%, and he is in danger of being ousted by the radical AOC in his next election.

They make speeches and tv singalong commercials that are inane and nothing short of buffoonery. They are unable or unwilling to offer cogent alternatives to Trump’s policies. All they do is criticize and spew hatred and divisiveness. They have become the Party of “no.” This is not a sustainable strategy in the long-term.

Has Trump’s tenure been perfect? No. Have some of his policies caused some concern? Of course. However, we elected him decisively to do a job, which is to fix what ails the country. I say give him a chance. Love him or hate him, there is one undeniable truth; he means what he says and says what he means.

Remember, 100 days is just an arbitrary benchmark. He deserves more than 100 days to accomplish what needs to be done, to undo the damage of the last four years, a lot more.

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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY- APRIL

Below please find some of the significant historical events that have occurred in the month of April:

April 2, 1513 – Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon landed at present-day St. Augustine, and claimed FL on behalf of Spain. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the continental US.

April 2, 1982 – Argentinian troops seized the Falkland Islands, a British territory just off the Argentinian coast, thus beginning the Falkland Islands War. Britain recaptured the islands on June 15.

April 3, 1860 – The Pony Express mail service commenced in St. Joseph, MO.

April 3, 1865 – Richmond. the capital of the Confederacy, surrendered.

April 3, 1948 – President Truman signed the Marshall Plan, an economic aid package that is largely credited with halting the spread of communism in post-WWII Europe.

April 3, 1995 – Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female Justice of the Supreme Court.

April 4, 1949 – NATO was created.

April 4, 1968 – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated.

April 6, 1896 – The first “modern” Olympics was held in Athens.

April 6, 1917 – The US entered WWI.

April 8, 563 BC – Celebrated as Bhudda’s birthday.

April 8, 1913 – The US ratified the 17th Amendment to the Constitution mandating the election of US senators by direct popular vote instead of appointment by State legislatures as had been the procedure.

April 9, 1865 – General Robert E. Lee formally surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant ending the Civil War.

April 9, 1866 – The US passed the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, which granted AAs the rights and privileges of US citizenship.

April 10, 1942 – The Bataan Death March began.

April 10, 1945 – The Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by US troops.

April 11, 1968 – The US adopted the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

April 12, 1861 – The Civil War commenced as Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter.

April 12, 1945 – FDR died in Warm Springs, GA of a cerebral hemorrhage.

April 12, 1961 – Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human in space.

April 14, 1828 – Noah Webster published the first American-style dictionary.

April 14, 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln was mortally wounded by assassin John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theatre. He died the next day.

April 15, 2013 – Two bombs made from pressure cookers exploded at the Boston Marathon finish line, killing two women and an 8-year-old boy and injuring more than 260. 

April 15, 1912 – The “unsinkable” Titanic, which had struck an iceberg the previous night, sunk. Some 1,500 of the 2,224 persons on board perished.

April 17, 1961 – The so-called Bay of Pigs invasion, which was intended to precipitate the overthrow of Fidel Castro, failed disastrously.

April 18, 1775 – Paul Revere embarked on his famous “Midnight Ride” to warn the Patriots that “the British [were] coming.”

April 18, 1906 – The infamous San Francisco Earthquake and fire began.

April 18, 1942 – A squadron of airplanes led by General James Doolittle successfully bombed Tokyo, providing a much-needed morale boost to Americans by demonstrating that Japan was not invulnerable.

April 19, 1775 – Patriots fire the “shot heard ’round the world” at Lexington, MA, which marked the commencement of the Revolutionary War.

April 19, 1943 – The Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto began an armed insurrection against their Nazi captors.

April 20, 1999 – The “Columbine Massacre” occurred in Littleton, CO, leaving 13 dead and 20 more wounded.

April 21, 1836 – Texans, under the command of Sam Houston, decisively defeated a Mexican force at San Jacinto (near present-day Houston), which led to Texas’ independence from Mexico.

April 21, 1918 – Baron Manfred von Richtofen, the infamous “Red Baron” who was credited with some 80 kills, was shot down over France.

April 21, 753 BCE – According to tradition, the date on which the City of Rome was founded.

April 22, 1509 – King Henry VIII of England began his reign.

April 22, 1889 – The “Oklahoma land rush” began.

April 24, 1800 – The Library of Congress, the world’s largest library, housing some 145 million items, was established.

April 26, 1986 – The nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine, exploded, spreading a radioactive cloud extending over much of Europe.

April 26, 1994 – Apartheid in South Africa officially ended as the country held its first multiracial elections with some 18 million blacks participating. Nelson Mandela was elected President.

April 28, 1789 – Led by Fletcher Christian, the crew of the HMS Bounty mutinied against Captain William Bligh.

April 30, 1789 – George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the US.

April 30, 1948 – Palestinian Jews declared their independence from the British and established the State of Israel.

Birthdays – 4/2/1805 – Hans Christian Anderson (Danish fairytale author); 4/5/1856 – Booker T. Washington (AA educator); 4/10/1847 – Joseph Pulitzer (publisher); 4/13/1743 – Thomas Jefferson (3rd President); 4/16/1867 – Wilbur Wright (aviator pioneer); 4/16/1889 – Charlie Chaplin (silent film comedian); 4/17/1837 – John Pierpont Morgan (financier); 4/18/1857 – Clarence Darrow (renowned attorney); 4/20/1889 – Adolph Hitler; 4/22/1870 – William Shakespeare (writer); 4/23/1791 – James Buchanan (15th US President; 4/25/1874 – Guglielmo Marconi (invented the radio); 4/27/1791 – Samuel F. B. Morse (telegraph inventor); 4/27/1822 – Ulysses S. Grant (civil war commanding general and 18th US President); 4/28/1758 – James Monroe (Founding Father and 5th US President); 4/29/1863 – William Randolph Hearst (publisher).

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HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS

“Father time” is undefeated. That is a well-known expression often applied to sports careers, but it is also applicable to other aspects of life, such as Holocaust survivors.

It has been 80 years since the end of WWII and the resultant worldwide revelation of the Holocaust that the Nazis visited upon Jews, Gypsies, and others they deemed to be “enemies of the state, inferior” and even “subhuman,” from the early 1930s through 1945. It is estimated that the Nazis and their often-eager collaborators murdered some six million Jews during this period. (Yes, there are credible records of many who risked their lives to save Jews, but in my opinion, they were in the minority.) The overall total, including, non-Jews, is unknown due to the many mass executions whose victims were buried in hidden and unrecorded mass graves, but according to Wikipedia, research by historians places the number of Holocaust victims murdered at “not less than twelve million and probably more.”

The contrast between the estimated Jewish populations of some European countries prewar versus postwar is shocking but not surprising: Germany – 560,000 vs. 15,000, Poland – 3.3 million vs. 300,000, and Austria – 191,000 vs fewer than 4,000. Jews had been living in those countries for hundreds of years. They had become ingrained into the economic, political, social and cultural life of those countries. They were always welcome, until they were not.

It has often been said that the surviving victims’ best revenge on Hitler and the Nazis was to live a long, productive life. As the Tom Hanks character counseled the Matt Damon character in the iconic WWII movie Saving Private Ryan: “earn it.”

Inevitably, with the passage of time the number of Holocaust survivors has dwindled down to a precious few. According to a recent article published in the Associated Press only some 200,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors are still alive, roughly one-half of whom live in Israel. (By comparison, Israel is home to merely .12% of the world’s total population.)

The Claims Conference, which monitors Holocaust survivors, estimates their median age to be 87 with about 1,500 of them in excess of 100 years old. As one might expect a goodly number of them are in poor general health, not only the result of age but also the physical, mental and emotional abuse and stress of the Holocaust, itself. According to research provided by Vanishing Witnesses sadly, but inevitably, due to normal mortality rates approximately 50% of them will likely pass away in the next six years, and virtually all of them within the next 15.

One survivor who has fulfilled the aforementioned advice to “live long and well” is Albrecht W. As profiled in the aforementioned AP article AW is 100. He survived Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Mittel Brau-Dora and three “death” marches. Virtually his entire extended family was murdered in the Holocaust. To this day, he is still haunted by “horrendous memories” of what he endured. “I sleep with it; I sweat; I have nightmares; that is my [remembrance].” He dedicated his working career to teaching high school students and others about what he and others endured. Nevertheless, he is one of those who worries who will keep the memories alive after he is gone.

Conclusion

The primary takeaway from the foregoing is that very soon there will no longer be any firsthand witnesses to the horrific events that took place. Yes, there are photos, films and secondhand accounts, but they do not have the same impact. “Holocaust deniers” are already asserting that the events of the Holocaust are either exaggerated or never occurred. Ironically, they are simply too horrific and inhuman to be believed. Normal people cannot conceive that a human being could do those things to another human.

As time moves on, these “deniers” will become more numerous and vociferous. They will claim that photos and film records have been photoshopped and “doctored” and any remaining witnesses are unreliable. Eventually, the memories survivors have vowed to ensure people will “never forget” will, in fact, be forgotten, and the world will be inching closer to the next Holocaust. I hope I am wrong about this but based on history I doubt it.

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HARVARD UNIVERSITY’S CHUTZPAH. DEMS’ CONTINUING SELF-DESTRUCTION

For many years Harvard University has enjoyed a most impressive reputation. Many people have always viewed HU as among the finest and most prestigious educational institutions in the world. Many people still do. According to Wikipedia HU students, alumni, faculty, and researchers include eight US presidents, 24 heads of state, 31 heads of government, 188 living billionaires, ten Academy Award winners, and 110 Olympic medalists, including 46 gold. Additionally, they comprise a plethora of Nobel laureates, Fields Medalists, Rhodes Scholars, Pulitzer Prize winners and prominent members of government.

Furthermore, the Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked Harvard first in each of its annual rankings of the world’s colleges and universities; the Times Higher Education–QS World University Rankings, which was published from 2004 to 2009, ranked Harvard first in the world in each of its annual rankings; it has been ranked first in the world each year since 2011 by its successor, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings; and according to annual polls conducted by The Princeton Review, Harvard is consistently among the top two most commonly named “dream” colleges in the United States for both students and their parents.

However, recent events tell me that HU has been reading its own press clippings, so to speak. In my opinion HU thinks it is above not only the law but also above common decency. Read on, and I will explain.

HU is a private university located in Cambridge, MA. It was founded on October 28, 1636, and it is the oldest university in the US. It was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard. By the latter part of the 19th century, it had become a favorite among the Boston elite. In the opinion of many both it and its students had developed a snobby or bumptious attitude, which exists unfettered to this day.

By the early 1920s the percentage of Jewish students at HU had grown to 20%. The university’s president at the time thought that was excessive. Accordingly, he sought (unsuccessfully) to limit the admission of Jewish students to 15% of the undergraduate population. He also refused to require desegregation of the university’s freshman dorms. He stated that, “we owe to the colored man the same opportunities for education that we do to the white man, but we do not owe to him to force him and the white man into social relations that are not, or may not be, mutually congenial.” A certain antisemitic and anti-Black culture was being established, which has only intensified since then.

For many years this sentiment was mostly covert, but in the last few years it has exploded into the open. In January 2024, Harvard’s president, Claudine Gay, was forced to resign in the wake of allegations of antisemitism after having served only six months.  Gay was succeeded by Alan Garber, who has done nothing to rectify the campus culture. In fact, it can be argued that it has deteriorated further during his short tenure.

Now the HU Administration has developed a brazenness that is astounding. It has resisted reining in antisemitic/anti-Israel “protesters.” It has hardened its stance even in the face of losing substantial amounts of federal money and being subjected to other penalties and ridicule.

For instance, HU normally receives some $8 billion per year from the federal government most of which is earmarked for research and affiliated hospitals. The Trump Administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in grants, canceled a $60 million contract for further aid, and threatened to revoke the school’s tax-exempt status, which would be a huge blow. Regardless of these financial penalties, HU is stubbornly adhering to its policies. According to the NY Post it views these protests as a “civil right for the school [and the protesters] instead of a violation of Jewish students’ civil rights. Moreover, the school’s attorneys have reiterated HU “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”

Conclusion

This high-profile obstinance only reinforces the public’s perception of elitism and antisemitism as exhibited by HU, Columbia and various other colleges in the Ivy League and elsewhere in recent years. As I said antisemitism has been festering covertly at the nation’s colleges for many years. The Biden Administration’s laissez-faire attitude and the October 7, 2023 terror attacks against Israel have brought it out in the open by giving “cover” to these radicals.

Unlike most schools HU has the financial resources to reject any federal assistance, at least for a time. It possesses an endowment estimated at $53 billion, by far the largest of any university. So, for now it can afford to stand on principle.

In the meantime, this is just another example of the far left being on the wrong side of every issue. Its TDS has forced it to oppose any policy espoused by Trump. This group has taken control of the Dem Party thereby making it the Party that favors open borders, criminals over law-abiding citizens, the rights of illegals over US citizens, government waste fraud and abuse, antisemitism, anti-working man, trans rights, and many other highly unpopular issues.

The latest iteration of this involves Maryland Dem Senator Chris Van Hollen. He ignored the horrific murder of Rachel Morin, a Maryland constituent. He didn’t even bother to make a condolence call to the family. Now, he feels compelled to free the murderer from the El Salvador prison in which he is being incarcerated. He has taken the highly unusual step of traveling to El Salvador to make a personal appeal for his release. This publicity stunt makes him look like a publicity-seeking buffoon and only serves to buttress his and his Party’s negative image. Good luck with that. Keep it up Dems.

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