"With the Band"

The end of the happy REM story was delayed by sad "family" events, Holly Sue being struck by the car and cousin Leslie's husband Jim passing. So, here goes. The Rem boys told Cantrell's staff Gary and yours truly were "with the band" to open the proverbial taps for us. I have often wondered if Michael Stipe has any recollection of performing in Nashville at Cantrell's. As many people with whom he has met and interacted, I seriously doubt he remembers me. If I ever had occasion to run into him, I would ask if he recalled performing at a club near the Vanderbilt campus in the mid-eighties. 

A Somber Season

The end of summer has become more bleak than the simple coming of Autumn. Fall is considered by some the "dying season", but this year the loss came early with the passing of Holly Sue Engelman. I never had the opportunity to meet her, but from all reports she was a giver of unsurpassed generosity. My former brother-in-law eulogized her beautifully, and I know he will never be the same after such an unexpected severing of what Hashem had so recently joined. May the memories of happier times bring comfort to the many who loved Holly. 

Please Be Careful

A tragedy has befallen my circle of relations. The wife of my former brother-in-law (my daughter's aunt) was walking to synagogue on the Sabbath when she was struck by a car in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Drivers please remember you must maintain control of your several thousand pound vehicle and avoid distractions like looking at your cell phone (which I am in no way alleging happened here). If you are a pedestrian, please remember to look both ways and never chance thinking you will be able to beat a car as you rush to cross a street. 

Long Time Passing

Back in the day, I was a dilettante musician who had training in C-tenor trumpet and picked up cornet and flugelhorn as friends of mine were (much more skilled) jazz performers. I helped carry instruments and amplifiers and helped set up stages for their shows and even occasionally was permitted the honor of being before the audience with them, not for a whole set, but for a couple of well-rehearsed songs, or a very brief freestyle session. Anyway, I could stack and connect speakers and drove a Jeep Wagoneer large enough to haul most of a band. One night in the mid-eighties, I was going out to party with a friend of a friend who also dabbled in music, though Gary and I never jammed together, and I think I saw him perform exactly once, but Nashville was and is a big music town, and a lot of folks put an oar in the water, though few have their ships come in from strumming or singing, So, Gary and I ended up at a place called Cantrell's near the Vanderbilt campus before they opened for the evening, and we were milling around an area where at one time a restaurant that had previously been where the club now was had car hops bringing out orders. I noticed someone had abandoned a three quarters empty VO bottle at one of the delivery stands. I would not have touched the filthy thing much less drank from it, but Gary and I were just biding time before the doors opened when a big 70's van with Georgia plates pulled up to the last car hop station. The boys from the Georgia band were around our age and asked if we were with Cantrell's and in finding out we weren't, wanted to know if we knew anything about setting up a stage. We told them "sure" as we were both also musicians (after a fashion at least). They offered us ten bucks each and all the beer we could drink to help them set up, so we became their one night roadies. In carrying equipment in, one of the Georgians saw the abandoned liquor bottle near me and asked if it was mine. I told him no, and that it probably had been left by "some syphilis sufferer" to wit, the young fellow replied "nah"', opened it and finished the bottle. His band mates who were all also watching were laughing it up, and one said "yeah, Michael will drink anything". So we hung with them that night, had several beers, and got ten bucks each. That group we set up one Nashville night was REM. 

A Relative Improvement

My hometown Tennessee Titans earned the top draft pick a couple of season's back by posting the worst record in professional football. At the conclusion of last season, the boys in Columbia Blue did not reach the nadir of absolute worst record but still managed to earn an early pick by being just awful on the field. This season, they may tally five or even six wins in the seventeen regular season games. Wow- what an improvement- at this rate Nashvillians in the year 2500 may finally witness Titans earning Super Bowl rings, but I wouldn't hold my breath. 

The Aggressor State

Russia has earned the Graham sanctions. The Ukraine did NOT attack Moscow. Putin started an unprovoked war against a peaceful neighbor. The aggressors thought they had easy pickings and would win a quick victory, but they didn't factor in the fighting skills and spirit of the Ukraine. It is a fitting tribute to the late South Carolina Senator to pass a law with the real teeth to punish the worst troublemaker in Europe since Hitler. 

Politician of Conscience

I believe John Fetterman has a heart for humanity and is trying to do good for his constituents and our nation. He recognizes that when a candidate praises Mao, he is endorsing the murder of tens of millions. The Pennsylvania Senator understands that when he hears a member of his own party say "the US deserved 9/11"that is not some abstract statement but support for the worst terrorist outrage ever visited on America. Fetterman stands tall literally but also as the one upright moral beacon of a political party that has descended into Hades of hating their own nation. 

The New Masters

The Democratic Socialists were once a fringe within that larger party. They then grew to a faction of the Party, but now have burgeoned so much as to subsume the Party itself. They now set the agenda, and more mainstream figures like Chuck Schumer dance to their tune as the longtime Senator knows AOC can defeat him from the Left if he seeks to leap off their anti-American, Israel-hating train as it surges to the end of the line. Either the few normal Democrats like John Fetterman become resurgent and save the Party, or it will be a tragic defeat for the Party, or worse, a victory for the hard Left that ends up destroying America as it was founded. 

An Editorialist Only

I am NOT a journalist. I do ask "who, what, where, when, and why". I am rarely on the ground when events occur, unless by absolute happenstance, I am where a news event takes place. I do my best to convey the truth, and report accurately, but I admit from the start, that I am biased. I am proudly a hard Right conservative. I am also Jewish and support the existence and safety of Israel. If you want news, go to a network, but if you seek an informed opinion with Republican and Zionist leanings, you may find https://despotinwaiting.blogspot.com meets your interests. 

No News Organization

Citizen journalists do not have stringers, fact-checkers, or lawyers to assess stories before they are published. What they do have is the ability to be there on the ground when events happen. Sometimes early information and preliminary reports turn out to be way off base. It is important to spread the word fast, but more so to be accurate in what you are telling the public. 

Making It Right

When I convey information that turns out to be wrong, I admit it. My initial post today was based on reportage I read on multiple other web pages. I repeated what I thought was vetted and factual. It was not, and for that, I am sorry. 

More Spontaneous Jihad?

Editor's Note: The following report was based on information that was wrong. The identity of the shooter was misreported on other sites. The motivation for the attack has not been released.    Could the Idaho shooting have been an act of Islamist terrorism? According to some early reports, the attacker is the son of a Muslim refugee from Bosnia, who emigrated to America and became a police officer. These postings go on to indicate that the alleged gunman developed recent interest in his Bosnian heritage and in Communism. The shooter had apparently expressed support for "Palestine" after the October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel and sympathy for Iran since strikes by American forces began against the mullah regime. It is too early to label the shooting a jihadist event, but that cannot be ruled out. 

Kentucky Needs Representation

The Commonwealth deserves two functioning Senators, not a doctor and another who needs a doctor. I do not agree with Rand Paul on much but at least he is capable of returning a constituent's call. Old Mitch seems about ready to answer Saint Peter's call at the pearly gates. The Bluegrass needs a full contingent working to further the interests of the people, not a frail absentee Senator, who might not even be alive for the next vote. 

The Hideous Fauci

Fauci did not order millions murdered as Pal Pot did, but just the same millions are dead because of him. There was copious CYA going on due to a lab leak after experiments that never should have taken place. The United States should not have funded gain-of-function research in China or anywhere else. Fauci is not as guilty as someone who orders a massacre but does bear responsibility for fellow Americans deaths. Will Fauci ever be held to account? 

Not Scandinavian Socialism

The reason socialism used to work in places like Norway and Sweden was that they were small, resource-rich, homogeneous countries. The Norwegians had plenty of petroleum and the Viking ethos of willing sacrifice for each other. The Swedes had high ideals and few foreigners. Now, both countries have awakened to the notion that they let in too many and the wrong refugees and that their state generosity is no longer affordable or even tenable. No, you can't pay cradle to grave benefits to someone who has been in Damascus for ninety-five percent of his life but thinks Stockholm is a meat market for him to prey on blonde women. Socialism really does not work which is why when it is applied, it eventually leads to the populace being forced under the barrels of guns. 

Hitler's Media Man

Tucker Carlson may think he is doing the Lord's work by demonizing the Jewish State, supporters of Israel, and Netanyahu. He would be making Goebbels proud with his blackening of the reputation of America's closest friend in the Middle East and the most reliable ally the United States has. Now, I see why FOX News parted ways with this Jew-baiting liar. 

Almost No Support

Barack Hussein Obama was an insouciant Leftist but few in Congress wanted to stand in the way of an "historic President", so he accomplished much of his agenda. Joe Biden was a brain-damaged place holder but whatever the puppeteers running him wanted, Congress and the Courts seemed to mostly go along. Trump is undeniably a force in American politics as he has a natural constituency of at least a third of the country as his fervent backers but not so much in Washington, where the Senate stymies him more than it ever did his two immediate predecessors, even though what Trump wants would be a boon for liberty, prosperity, and our nation's future. I do not understand what Senators think they win by keeping corruption of the vote up and running in our country, when it ultimately will deliver Marxism to the United States if the vote cheating is permitted to continue. 

Spate of Shootings

There was some carnage in the United States recently. There were numerous firearm crimes in gun-controlled Chicago, which can just be called the "average weekend" in the Midwest's most populous city. The strange event was the Seattle massacre where some brilliant mind decided to open fire among three hundred thousand people attending a culinary festival. I am not for additional restrictions on our Second Amendment rights, because the most restrictive places in America for legal conceal and carry happen to often also have high rates of crime. 

Berlin Pride Ramming

An Islamist drove a van into the crowd at a Gay event in Germany. So far at least one death has occurred with numerous injuries. People representing religions other than Islam tend not to use vehicles to mow down folks with religious or lifestyle differences. It is funny how Jews are demonized and therefore targeted for crimes that they are NOT perpetrating but which have in fact been committed against them. I have not seen a Jew attack a mass gathering of Gentiles yet but have witnessed Muslims doing that for years. 

Last Decent DemocRAT

The DemocRAT leadership has become fully anti-Israel. Bernie Sanders is nominally Jewish, yet bashes Israel relentlessly. Chuck Schumer, another Jew, who long ago spoke up for the Jewish State, is now so cowed by the Left in his Party that he fears will unseat him that he sounds like Sanders in addressing the country with which he once adamantly stood. Only the non-Jewish John Fetterman still publicly stands with Israel. Fetterman also has the good sense to recognize the danger of Iran and supports the Trump effort to de-fang the mad mullah regime. One Pennsylvania Senator is not likely to be able to blunt the Leftward direction of a once great party, no matter how large he is. 

Blood Libel Pusher

A Jew was stabbed in New York. This was an entirely predictable event as the Mayor there has essentially called Jews bloodthirsty ghouls who are committing a genocide. Zohran Mamdani is engaged in moral inversion and victim blaming of the worst kind. It has been Israel that was attacked on October 7, 2023, and every injury or death subsequent to that is because the terrorists use their "noncombatants" as human shields, hiding behind (and under) women and children, hospitals and schools to try to keep up their murder of the Jews who are simply trying to defend themselves. Mamdani is a lot of things, but he is not stupid enough to not realize his inflammatory and false attacks against the Jewish State and Netanyahu are bound to stoke violence against the Jews in the city he is misleading. 

Must Be Tough

Jewish children must be taught self-defense from the earliest age, because those that despise us are encouraging their offspring to slaughter Jews from the cradle on to when they actually attempt to do it. Our youth must be able to save themselves from their murderous intentions, because few from the outside will risk to save Jewish people when the attacks start. With the burgeoning Jew-hate directed at us, the assaults are inevitable, and it is up to us to be trained and able to counter them. 

Zionist and Proud!

Before the modern State of Israel, there was no sanctuary for the Jewish People, only mass graves or ovens. There was no place to flee because so many countries turned Jews away. We know one thing now, that Israel will never exclude Jews but always accept and protect them. If Israel had existed ten years earlier, most of the six million would have had a place to go and would likely have been spared. There must always be a Jewish nation. 

A Legit Invite?

I read on X(Twitter) that Jimothy has been invited to visit the Trump White House. Given Seattle's Leftist leanings, I doubt he will accept, but you never know. Trump would not be the first Republican President to host a raccoon, as Silent Cal had a pet raccoon named "Rebecca", who was actually sent to the Coolidge family to be an entree at a holiday meal, but thankfully never was eaten. 

The Mighty Spaniards

Spain was the dominant side in the World Cup. Argentina is a good team in their own right but were completely flustered by Spain's relentless defense. The Spanish controlled the action from the start. The outcome was not as close as a one nil score might indicate. The quality Latin American squad could muster nothing, yet the Argentines are a highly skilled side. They just ran into a buzz saw in the Spanish who looked unbeatable in the final contest. Hats off- we witnessed greatness. 

The Sleep Walkers

The French side more or less decided to skip the first half in yesterday's contest. Though their bodies were on the pitch, they failed to deliver any spirit until after their coach (must have) demanded they demonstrate some pride in the second half, which they did. To go down four nil to a team you are faster and quicker than shows a pronounced lack of effort. I only wonder if their hearts were in it from the start, could France have actually won the game? 

Third Place Game

France and England despised each other. The gritty British staved off conquest by Napoleon. The French shuddered at the notion of ripping Europe apart through BREXIT. Whenever these once mighty nations had a chance to have a go at each other, they were all in, but with the World Cup today being a fight for third place, they seem not to care. It was a fairly close run thing for the English who stayed competitive with Argentina, and if this were the game for the gold, everyone would be excited, but for the bronze, the bloom is off the rose. 

Safe to Assume?

Republican states with nary a whiff of election scandal gladly cooperated in the Trump administration's probe of voting, and even in these apparently "clean" states, several hundred thousand foreigners and dead folks were found on voter rolls. It does not require widespread fraud to steal an election but only targeted vote rigging in areas where the vote might be close. There a few thousand corpses and aliens casting ballots might well determine the winner. If they had nothing to hide in the DemocRAT machine states, they too would have voluntarily participated in cleaning up voter rolls and helping Federal authorities make sure elections are fair. In the event, they are demonstrating they have plenty to hide by doing just the opposite. You know who does not want free and fair voting? Those stealing elected office by cheating, and it is not Republicans doing that. 

The England Collapse

Once again, when push came to shove, British footballers folded. They could have never quit as Argentina clearly kept fighting, but it was easier for the Three Lions to take a cat nap at the precise moment that they had to stand tall to prevail. The English are skilled no doubt, but at this World Cup, they decided to shrink when they needed to rise, just as they have in every World Cup except 1966. 

The Spanish Steamroller

I will concede that France is the more athletic side, They are faster than Spain, yet the Spanish have dominated them of late. The reason for this is simple. It is discipline. While the French with great elan are sometimes haphazard in their play, Spain rarely makes mistakes, not never, because the Spaniards are of course human, but when they do, Spain has the concerted effort team mindset to overcome whatever error an individual competitor has made. Does that mean Spain will trounce England or Argentina? Not necessarily because a different opponent offers unique challenges, but I would not bet against the Spanish side. 

Mullahs Missed Mark

All the theocratic tyrants that enslave Iran needed to do to survive was be patient and bide their time until Trump left office, and then they likely could have continued their project to make the rest of the globe submit to Shiite Islam, but they apparently can't wait to bring their Twelfth Imam from his hiding place in the well and must immediately foment the world chaos and violence to bring him forth now. They had to have realized that continuing attacks on shipping would place the bullseye on them, yet they are so fanatical that is exactly what they want. To them the seventy-two virgins are real and an incentive to have thousands (if not millions) killed, and Trump is reluctantly accommodating them after offering lifeline after lifeline to spare their lives and even let them keep their oppressive power, but these fanatics would not take "yes" for an answer. So I think Trump has little choice but to wipe them out. 

An Outstanding Actor

Long before the movie "Jurassic Park", I discovered Sam Neill in "Riley, Ace of Spies", then a television series being broadcast on our local PBS station. I though he was a fine actor and saw most of his performances after that. I read the sad story this morning. Of course with AI, we might see new work from Sam beyond the grave. 

A Tragic Passing

America lost a fine leader with the sudden passing of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. While we might not have agreed on everything, Senator Graham was always stalwart in supporting the Jewish State. He was as vocal in backing Israel as any American politician ever, and his advocacy for America's one true ally in the Middle East is irreplaceable and will be missed. G-d bless Senator Graham, who always blessed Israel. 

Gritty Little Belgium

You have to hand it to the Belgian side- they gave mighty Spain quite a tussle. If Belgium had been fully healthy with all players available, they would still have been an underdog to the formidable and deep Spanish, but they were far from one hundred percent yet gave a tournament favorite all they could handle. If the Spanish do bot smooth out the rough edges against the French, France will thrash them, which is my prediction- the French side will advance. 

Never Casualty Averse

Those supporting Ukraine frequently mention the large number of Russian deaths in the war against Kyiv. They have to know and remember that in the World Wars Moscow's soldiers fell by the millions, stacked like cordwood across the Motherland. In the First World War, the Czar did not seem to care how many conscripted serfs died, and Stalin never was particularly troubled by widespread carnage in World War II or any other time in his evil reign. So suddenly Putin is going to be dismayed that his troops are being sacrificed? No, while Russian soldiers as individuals do not want to die, just like any sane person would not, their leaders have never cared. 

Finish Iran's Tyrants

America does not need boots on the ground to take out the mad mullahs. It just needs to train and arm the freedom-seeking Iranian People. They are more than happy to do the hard part. 

Trump's Character Flaw

Our President is like the giddy schoolgirl who swoons the instant the football captain asks her to the prom. Qatar gives Trump a jet, so they must be a trusted ally. Erdogan describes his respect for and friendship with Trump, so Turkey must share the interests of the United States. Neither country has values in common with America; nor do our aims coincide. Flatter our current leader or give the US something really nice for his use like a 747, and Trump loses his caginess and New York street smarts. He has become a pussycat with these two Muslim countries who in no way, shape, or form wish to see an American victory over the theocratic fanatics that hold the Iranian People hostage. 

A Huge Disappointment

Americans want the United States to be a soccer power. At the moment, we are not among the world's best at this particular sport. When you are outclassed and over-matched by little Belgium, you have much work still to do. I think Spain with drub the Belgians after a solid performance beating Portugal, but as a patriot, I want to see those representing my nation prevail at everything. If someone is representing the Red, White, and Blue at tiddlywinks, I want that American to be the best on the globe. I want the USA to win at everything from Albania to Zanzibar. If the French hold an escargot eating contest with competitors representing different countries, I want my compatriot to devour more than any individual from any other place, just don't expect me to be the one guzzling the snails, as I could not do my nation proud on that one. 

No Soccer Hooligans

For too long, England was thought of less about excellence in sport and more about violent fans among that nation's supporters, especially when their side played abroad. I did not hear any mention of criminality among English fans as their stars vie for this World Cup. Good on you Three Lions on the pitch and off! 

Really Bush League

Paraguay played dirty against France. They could have injured a French player, maybe hurting one of the all-time greats Mbappe. The Latin Americans lost and were eliminated but should face some additional sanction from FIFA for the tactics they used which brought dishonor to the "beautiful game". 

Blood and Fire

A few tiny colonies decided to take on the greatest empire on earth. They no longer wished to bow to the diktats of a distant and uncaring King. They had no military to speak of and certainly no navy to face the mighty British fleet. Then seafarers from Marblehead and frontiersmen from Pennsylvania and the Carolinas came to the cause, along with patriots from every corner of British America. They could no longer abide taxation without representation and callous mandates from across the Atlantic in which they had no say. They died in Lexington and Concord, froze at Valley Forge, faced the wrath of the world's most powerful warships, but with courage and the help of the Lord, they forged an independent nation. Freedom is not free, but Providence has blessed America with souls willing to pay that heavy toll. Have a happy Fourth, but please remember it is not just a day off from work on your calendar, but our consecrated National Day. 

The Mighty Swiss

Switzerland pounded Algeria last night. They played with the efficiency of a fine timepiece. There heretofore is no great Swiss soccer tradition, but performing like that, there might soon be. One naturally asks though if Switzerland is that good or the Algerian side that dreadful? 

America Indeed Advances

Our boys did indeed defeat Bosnia, but the toughest test remains ahead, facing a tough Belgian side that throttled the American team the last time they met, and having to do so without our most dynamic and effective player in this tournament who was wrongly, in my opinion, sent off for a red card for a play that was in no way malicious. Belgium is a much deeper and more athletic side than the Bosnians were, but in any given game, anything might happen. 

Europe Storms Back

After the humiliation of the Netherlands and Germany, the European sides have asserted themselves and pummeled their opponents. This worries me somewhat as my country's team (the United States) faces a squad from the Continent, that being Bosnia-Herzegovina, a tough club, even if they represent a smaller nation. As many have pointed out, there is no pressure on Bosnia, but huge stress on the Americans, who are expected to defend home field and prevail. We will see if the US has the gallantry to stand tall under the bright lights and crushing force of fighting for us all on our two-hundred and fiftieth. 

A European Catastrophe

Two supposed powerhouses from Europe were eliminated from the World Cup yesterday (both in the same way, in shootouts). The Germans, a side thought to be able to contend for the whole ball of wax, was stunned by Paraguay. The Dutch were dragged down by plucky Morocco. Both Continental teams had talent enough that they should have advanced, but in the event, neither could muster a win. 

Straighten Out Priorities

The Jew-haters would have you believe that Jews widely harass Christians in and around the Holy Land and desecrate Christian spaces. A handful of awful incidents have in fact happened, perpetrated by an infinitesimal minority of crazy Jews who enjoy no currency within the Jewish community and have about the same constituency as the Naturei Karta who are "Kapo Jews" who show up supporting Hamas at New York rallies. These are the very fringe despised by the vast majority of Jewish people. While Tucker Carlson highlights these low-life nobodies as representative of Israel, he and the other Jew-haters are mostly silent about the massacres of Christians across Africa being carried out by jihadist Muslims. I am sorry some freak representative of virtually no other Jews spat on a pilgrim or another destroyed a statue of Mary, and I condemn their actions, but I am much more concerned with Africa's Christians facing an attempt at genocide by their Muslim countrymen. 

Trust Islamic Republic?

The one thing you can be assured about Iran is that you can't trust them as long as the mullahs are in control. The Shah you could count on to keep agreements, but the Ayatollah is not to be believed. 

Congratulations Cape Verde

When a mouse roars, folks listen. Tiny Cape Verde is standing tall in the soccer world, having advanced to the next round of the World Cup. They will not win it any more than America will, but it is impressive that a country with half a million souls has been so competitive. 

America's Pyrite Soccer

The United States men's soccer squad defeated two mediocre teams, and you would have thought they won the world, for all the unmerited enthusiasm and hype. The Americans reverted to form against the underwhelming and under-performing Turks, who had sleep-walked through their first two games. The US victories were fool's gold, Our boys made it through to face Bosnia, but I am in no way confident we will prevail over them, although they are a small country with no great futbol tradition. 

A Simple Proposition

What is good for the DemocRATic Socialists of America is bad for the United States. Socialists are creatures of envy who steal from the productive, thereby sapping the incentive to produce. In this instance, these DSA members share something with National Socialists (Nazis) in that they think Jews should be made permanently redundant (or at least "Zionists" eliminated). 

Know the Difference?

AOC, Mandami, and Tlaib are all "anti-Zionists". The Ku Klux Klan is also dyed-in-the-wool in their hatred of the Jewish State. Guess what political party the KKK emerged from at its inception? The Jew-haters of America have often been DemocRATS for quite a while. 

The Montreal Murders

If you vilify and demonize a group of people relentlessly, you should not be surprised when someone takes that calumny to heart and tries to massacre the folks you have smeared. It is a sad commentary in out society to read comments on social media supporting the murderer and only wishing he had claimed more Jewish victims. 

Starmer Finally Leaving

The wretched Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has finally seen the writing on the wall. Unfortunately his replacement will most likely be just as awful. 

A Serious Lecture

The late night talk show hosts have typically been comedians, but when these folks stop trying to be funny and castigate more than half the population of the country because we happen to have traditional values, why bother to watch them? Johnny Carson certainly did not lambaste the values of fellow Americans, and he was often actually funny. It is sad that those of a certain age think entertainment is watching a performer who needs several writers tell them how stupid they are if they love their country and hold their President in high esteem. 

A Confused Narcissist

"Missiles, Iran can have their stinking missiles" is the line coming from Trump, perhaps filtered through Sierra Madre. All of a sudden one of the very legitimate casus belli does not mean beans to the dotard in the Oval Office. Trump may not be as addled as Fading Joe is and was, but he is not far behind. 

Vance Not Credible

Vice President Vance ignores the danger that Iran has posed to America since the fall of the Shah. He has incorrectly framed the current conflict as all about Israel. If the so-called "Little Satan" of the Jewish State had never existed, the Islamic Republic would still deplore and attack the United States, just as it has done since it captured our embassy and took hostages in Tehran at the inception of the Ayatollah regime in 1979. Vance also dismisses the yearning for freedom by the vast majority of the Iranian people. Our Vice President and Tucker Carlson share a world view and mindset that is blame the Jews first and always. 

Iran's Unearned Victory

Do you think France would give up the right to national defense because a couple of other countries had fought each other and then demanded the French take it easy on those who attack them? No nation would ask the French for this suicidal concession, but if they did, Paris would certainly never agree to it. Neither should Israel! 

The Worst Outcome

Donald Trump encouraged the Iranian people to rise up against the despotic mullahs then left them to swing in the wind. The President has permitted the Ayatollah tyranny to remain the ruling menace to the freedom-seeking Persian People and the religious minorities of the Islamic Republic. Trump is also tying Israel's hands in their attempts to defend their beleaguered country from Tehran's terrorist proxy armies. An American President finally seemed to be standing up to the world's leading sponsors of terror and the hostage takers and murderers of many US troops, but then for reasons unknown, decided to fold like a cheap suit and capitulate to the bloody-handed jihadists he had kicked all over the battlefield. This loss for liberty and decency in the world should be laid at the feet of Vice President Vance with his buddy Tucker Carlson and did not just bowl over Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, who it has been reported were pushing for regime change in Iran to spare the world the dire future threat that the Twelvers still pose but left the Iranian People who Trump had pushed to revolt under the boots of their oppressors. 

The Fickle Friend

Donald Trump said Syria would do better overseeing Lebanon than Israel. The leader of Syria is a literal head-chopping terrorist who has changed out of jihadi garments into Western suits. A conscienceless murderer is still a threat even if his new outfit was tailored on Savile Row. Iran cannot be trusted, nor Damascus, not Qatar either, and Pakistan who hosted the negotiations between the Islamic Republic and America had to know or certainly should have known they were hosting Osama bin Laden a few blocks from their version of West Point. None of the so-called interlocutors Trump has been dealing with is trustworthy or actually seeking peace. The one truth I must shout from the rooftops is every Muslim nation America was employing to "resolve" the Iran crisis actually wants to see Israel erased as a Jewish state. Nations do not have friends but only interests, and while it is manifestly in Trump's interest to declare victory and go home where the GOP will have more of a chance at preserving Republican majorities in both houses of Congress; Israel must not stop defending the tiny beleaguered democracy from all the bloodthirsty tyrants that surround it. 

In the Neighborhood

The Jewish State can't subcontract the safety of Israelis to a world leader, no matter how powerful or friendly in the past, thousands of miles away. President Trump has undeniably done things that helped Israel, but as President of the United States, he is responsible for American security, while Netanyahu in the roughest area on the globe must protect his people and his country first. The IDF should never give a foreign country veto authority over how and whether Jews defend themselves. Of course, Tehran wants to end the robust America-Israel alliance, but the leaders of these two democracies should be wise enough never to permit this breakup to happen.  

Class Envy Sells

The Communist notion that someone who has a bit more than you needs to be taken down is alive and well in America's DemocRAT Party. Elon Musk becoming a trillionaire took nothing out of your wallet, unless you chose to buy a product or service from him and of your own volition sent some of your money his way. Government confiscating some or all of Mr. Musk's wealth will not put one cent in your pocket. Screw you and your class struggle, which have ended up murdering more people than all the other political ideologies including Nazism out together. 

Three Year Olds

There is a political party many of whose members are woefully and willfully ignorant of how the economy works. They are declaring that because Elon Musk has a mighty big piece of the proverbial pie that he must have taken some of it from your little slice. The United States and world economies are not static but dynamic where the private sector grows wealth, unlike government which produces nothing and only has the capacity to take from the productive or print (increasingly worthless) money. I have no objection to buying from Mr. Musk, but I don't drive a Tesla or have Starlink, and I sure am not signing up to be launched to Mars, but I recognize Elon has created a lot of jobs and much wealth for those who have invested in his companies. Because Musk has earned success does not mean he has taken anything from you. Musk does not merely increase his own prosperity but the fortunes of many. 

Worth the Paper?

Let us say the United States and the Islamic Republic actually end up signing a "peace agreement". How many treaties has Iran signed since 1979, and how many have they actually kept? Whatever memorandum of understanding they "commit themselves to", they will violate when it suits them. The only course of action that will save the world from a catastrophic war later is regime change now. 

One Man Team

I believe Michael Jordan is the greatest team sport athlete of all time, but even he could not secure a championship without great teammates. Jordan did not clinch his first title until he was joined by Pippen. I think the Spurs have the wherewithal to prevail still if Wemby trusts his supporting cast. He is not going to do a Wilt Chamberlain and score a hundred points in a single game, particularly against these defense-minded Knicks. The mighty Frenchman just needs to focus on team ball to produce a San Antonio win, and if they can survive this next possible close out game for New York, who says they can't win multiple contests in a row? 

The Spectacular Failure

Wemby may be the best player on the court, perhaps ultimately the greatest of all-time, but right now he is playing wild, thinking he must carry his team and win games by himself.  His opponent in the post, Karl-Anthony Towns, is a team player with the maturity to play within himself and recognize his role as a cog, doing what is best for victory rather than trying to put the Kicks on his back. An efficient center is going to secure a championship over a fellow who would likely dominate him in a one-on-one competition because basketball is not won necessarily by the flashiest but by the individual that recognizes his role for the benefit of his teammates. 

Send Them Back!

Those who come from foreign countries to enjoy the benefits of our welfare state must be sent away from our nation. Those who come to conquer us frankly should be killed as they are a menace wherever they are in the world. 

The Vote Manufacturers

Anyone who is an accomplice to vote fraud should face serious consequences. One of the worst punishments that could be inflicted on them is to make them live in the district where their corrupt act occurred. There is no prosperity or freedom where stolen elections install crooked politicians. 

Counter Election Theft?

Plenty of people have alleged elections are being stolen. Some have even produced evidence of voting "irregularities", but to this point, nobody has been able to "stop the steal". Until someone reverses the outcome of an election where manipulation has altered the outcome, I guess being under a tyranny of someone honest voting did not elect is just something we must endure. 

Votes Are Sacred

Voting should be sacrosanct in the United States. If a nonexistent or dead person or foreigner votes, it negates the vote of a real breathing American. If a fifteen year old sneaks in a ballot for a DemocRAT, it wipes away the vote of an adult for a Republican. I would not necessarily say that cheating is rampant but do declare many more members of the GOP would triumph if the vote "manufacturing" were eliminated. 

The Election Experts

A funny thing happened on the way to tyranny. Reports are coming in out of California of literal buckets of ballots coming in days after the "election" without dates and helpful folks hand dating them to make them kosher for the count. What would you bet that none of these "cured" votes is going to Hilton for Governor or Pratt for Mayor of Los Angeles? 

The Power Monopoly

Heaven-forbid the DemocRATS secure majorities anywhere. They have become reliably Marxist Jew-haters. The only thing they value is their own authority. Trump is not perfect, but his opposition party today is perfectly abysmal in its enmity to Life and freedom. 

Knicks Really Strong

Have no doubt- New York is a good basketball team this season- and as I have heard often, the team that wins game one seizes momentum in the series. For the rusty New Yorkers, who had much time off between games, to go into a hostile arena and take a road win gives them an enormous edge in taking the championship. Both clubs know it is a game at a time, but to take the home court advantage away in the initial contest is going to be difficult for the Spurs to overcome. Wemby seemed over his head for the first time in the playoffs and shot like Iverson, throwing up a lot of bricks. Could the Knicks sweep? If they manage to prevail in game two, I believe New York will. 

The Peace Farce

The Islamic Republic has not abided by ceasefire terms, nor will they keep any peace treaty that they "agree to", because genuine cessation of their aggression against neighbors and the world more broadly would keep the Twelfth Imam from emerging from his thousand year hiding place in the well. The Ayatollah, his mad mullahs, and their adherents will never go against the fundamental teachings of their religion to placate non-believers (infidels). Ask Kuwait if the Iranian attack that just struck their country felt peaceful!

Britain Requires Revolution

Governments fall and revolutions start because of events like the police handling of the Henry Nowak murder. You can't continue to live under a government that despises your rights and forsakes your lives. Stand up Britain! The English man is NOT a slave and the authorities owe him the protection he deserves as the force that safeguarded Christendom for generations. 

California Needs Change

I have read that the "definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results". Why not give Republicans a chance to turn California around from the dysfunctional socialist hellhole it is turning into back to the unleashed freedom and prosperity of which it was for generations and may yet be with the right political leadership? 

An Intriguing Matchup

San Antonio will face the Knicks in a championship series that could be an instant classic. New York has been playing phenomenal defense. They have relatively balanced scoring and a superstar in Jalen Brunson. The Spurs have the dominant young center in the league, and likely the face of its future in Victor Wembanyama. I think the Spurs will ultimately prevail, but time will tell, and I have known to bet my heart rather than thinking through the contests. 

Absolute and Uncompromising

I really thought Trump might take any deal with Iran to clear the decks for the midterms, but he will not. The master negotiator is insisting on what amounts to unconditional surrender by the Islamic Republic. No "art of the deal" here but victory or death. 

Degree of Peace?

If the Islamic Republic remains essentially a theocracy after the conflict, the war achieved little. If the mullahs still have "nuclear dust" to weaponize, you have gained nothing. If Iran has operational centrifuges to construct atomic weapons, the attack by America was not worth the effort. At the end of the proverbial day, the Ayatollah may hold his grip on the People with weapon-making material and technology in place. 

Why Trust Iran?

The Islamic fanatics that enslaved the Persian People set up an order of succession where anyone who came to power following them shared the same beliefs, at least until the regime in its entirety is completely uprooted. If you could not make a deal with the original Ayatollah, what makes you believe that any agreement with his replacement or the one after him will be kept by the lunatic Shiite regime?  

Must Exercise Care

We should all be reminded that there are volatile substances in every community, if not in each house, and tragedies like the chemical explosion in Washington State could happen anywhere. When dealing with chemicals that might be dangerous or when mixed with another substance or even exposed to air might become so, caution must be taken. There are cleaners in our homes right now that if mixed together can kill us. 

Really the Worst

While Iran is a unique threat, North Korea, Red China, and Putin's Russia are quite bad as well. Myanmar is also a totalitarian nightmare. Only the Islamic Republic though commits evil acts as the will of Allah, while the other tyrannies are just out to preserve their own authority, without the Lord Himself demanding it. 

kill, Kill, KILL

What differentiates the Iran regime from the other tyrannies in the world is the fact that the mad mullahs believe the bloody oppression they inflict is divinely commanded. The murderers who run Red China and North Korea may be as bloodthirsty out of a desire to maintain power but not because their sincerely held belief that if they die in the service of Allah that they will be bestowed bevies of virgins as sexual playthings in service of bringing forth a long-hidden Messiah from a well. What separates the Ayatollah theocracy from other despots is not hypocrisy but fundamental reverence. Treaties with fanatics are never kept because whatever they sign does not erase their fanaticism. 

Modern Day Gladiator

Kyle Busch was more than just a great race driver. He was unbelievably dedicated to training and had often pushed through injuries or illnesses that would sideline ordinary people, if not put them in an emergency room. If I was heaven forbid anywhere near as sick as Busch obviously (in hindsight) was, I would have long since have been in intensive care, but Kyle was so preternaturally determined to push through that he had his strength of mind overcome a failing body to keep working toward victory. Tragically, ironically, it was his devotion to doing everything to be the best that kept him training hard when almost anyone else would have been so debilitated that they would have long since been under treatment in a clinical care setting that would likely have been life-saving for the vast majority of us who will never come close to approaching the super man status of champion that Busch outworked virtually everyone to maintain. 

Blackburn for Governor

I offer my full-throated endorsement of our great Senator to be our next Governor of Tennessee. She is a true conservative with MAGA thinking even before MAGA was articulated by Trump. Marsha will make our state even better! 

The Knicks Year?

It has been over half a century since New York secured a National Basketball Association title, but the way they are competing now, that long dry spell may finally come to an end. They play defense with gusto and have balanced scoring with Brunson as good as any player in the league. They are well-coached and disciplined. This could be the team that manages what the great Patrick Ewing could not. 

A Consumer Bubble?

2026 is not 1929 when your doorman was receiving a hot stock tip from the elevator operator and then mortgaging his house to go buy the shares. The bulk of inflation there is now is from the spike in oil prices caused by the war and the downstream rise in the cost of virtually everything because it is made with petroleum, grown with oil byproducts, and transported with diesel or gasoline. The primary reason interest rates should be raised is to curb "irrational exuberance", but there is little of that now, with the vast majority of Americans just struggling to make ends meet. I pray the Federal Reserve does not punish us further by raising the interest rate, when it was not us work-a-day folks who decided to embark on a war of choice that skyrocketed the burden we are already having to bear. 

For the Ages

The Knicks looked deader than Kelsey's ghost through almost four and a half quarters, trailing by 22 points with around seven minutes left. Then, it was as if the spirit of Willis Reed possessed the New Yorkers, and they came clawing back. They almost could not miss, and Cleveland started to play as if in a stupor. Somehow our Big Apple heroes stormed their way into an overtime session they simply dominated. Part of it must be said to be Cavalier collapse and that was brought about by an inexplicable attempt at reliance on James Harden, who seems to have proven he falls apart in the playoff clutch, a sad thing for an otherwise great player. 

An Amazing Performance

If Wemby stays healthy and maintains his desire to compete, he will be among the all-time greats. His more than forty points and twenty rebounds against the defending champs were the tip of what he can do. He has the softest shooting touch of any center I have seen. 

Training for Tomorrow

Let us hope somewhere Iranians are being trained and armed to overthrow their religious fanatic oppressors. Of course, those opposed to the mullahs would likely be doing this discreetly, but I fear it may not be being done at all. If the theocrats still control Iran at the conclusion of this battle, they will develop nuclear weapons and attack the world, no matter what they agree to in negotiations now. 

No Negotiating Partner

So long as there is an Islamo-Fascist dictatorship oppressing the Iranian People, America will find no arbiter in Tehran who advances peace. The purpose of the mullah regime is to bring forth the Twelfth Imam who has been hiding in a well for more than a thousand years; so the United States is not dealing with negotiators who are chock full of sanity, but rather religious fanatics impervious to reason and unconcerned with the welfare of Iranians or even their personal survival. 

A Numbers Game

Did the Unite the Kingdom rally draw two million as Tommy Robinson contends or only fifty thousand as others claim? That is no small disparity but a huge difference in the count. Is this a minor demonstration or an earth-shaking movement? I am not certain that Robinson's assessment is absolutely right, but I do not believe the British government, the controlled media, or Robinson's Leftist detractors. He is much more credible than all of them put together. 

A Successful Summit

It seems President Trump's China trip went well. We have trade agreements rather than nuclear missiles flying. I call that success. 

Stand with Tommy

If I were in London, I would soon be marching with Tommy Robinson. If you want to save the West, join with Unite the Kingdom. Too many who do not share our values have been admitted. Send them back to preserve our way of life. 

Our Very Existence

Muslims who believe the most fervently find living Jews intolerable. A shockingly large number of  Islamists, who for some reason are in Great Satan America, can't abide the notion of a synagogue in New York City and feel unencumbered enough to go out and menace that gathering place for prayer and the predominately Jewish neighborhood that hosts it. The Jewish community in New York must feel under siege in the mayoralty of the insouciant Marxist, who is of course himself a member of this "religion of peace". If I were unfortunate enough to be a resident of New York, I would either make aliyah or at least move to a different US state that wants to safeguard its Jews like Florida.  

High Stakes Summit

The two global superpowers are having a sit-down. Red China has supplanted Russia as America's arch-rival, as Moscow cannot even subdue Kyiv. Beijing has a massive population. They have natural resources. What the Chinese lack is freedom, and until the People there have that, they remain the most dangerous force confronting the United States. 

No, They Hate

A woman achieved some notoriety with a book claiming folks love dead Jews. As someone who has witnessed six decades of Jew hate, let me tell you that most people will not love us even after we are murdered. They revile and defame us when we are alive and providing jobs and cures for them, do nothing beyond lip-service to protect us (if even that), and are glad to take what we have created and accumulated after we are eliminated. Antisemitism may be irrational, but it is an insanity that grips BILLIONS of people, and there are only fifteen million of us to try to stave them off. 

In the Making?

Are the Thunder a dynasty in the making? They play hard, smart, and well together. Their coach does not defeat his own players. They have skilled depth. They do not have a high-flying Michael Jordan, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly a top three two (shooting) guard in today's NBA. I am NOT rooting for Oklahoma City but acknowledge they are a very good basketball team. 

Enjoy the Game

Perhaps the referees in the National Basketball Association are doing some moonlighting in the same job in professional wrestling. Now, some officials are challenging coaches in full view of the world. The one thing I can tell you is that almost nobody ever bought a ticket to a game to watch refs work. The NBA ought to tell those they select to officiate games to put their egos aside because the audience is NOT there to cheer a referee on but in spite of them interfering with the free flow of some of the world's greatest athletes. 

Absolutely Catastrophic Obstructionism

You would expect DemocRATS to attempt to block the implementation of the Trump agenda. You might not think the supposedly politically unbiased Courts would do the same. You certainly would be shocked if the Republican-controlled US Senate would work to thwart the President from their own political party but that is precisely what has been happening. 

Iran Might Sign

The Islamic Republic may well sign a peace treaty, but that does NOT mean they will abide by its terms. The mad mullahs want attacks against them to cease but have no intentions of giving up their Islamist notions. In any cessation of hostilities against the theocratic tyrants, there must be no trust but plenty of verification. 

Peace with Iran

A lasting treaty to end hostiles between the United States and Tehran is possible. It is only possible though if the mad mullahs are removed from power. The Islamic Republic is an implacable opponent to America, but it is also an enemy to decent and reasonable Iranians. 

The Corrupt Ones

Putin is one of the wealthiest people to ever live, if not the richest. He has systematically looted Russia. This is bad, but what the leaders of the Ukraine have done is arguably worse. They diverted aid meant to save their country from an invasion by the Russians to become richer than Croesus themselves. Let us never delude ourselves into thinking there are good guys leading either side. 

Ultimately No Compromise

Religious zealots can't be bargained with, because they are not merely fighting for territory, wealth, or power, but because God (the Lord of their perception) commands them to do so. The United States was never going to be able to make a "deal" with the Islamic Republic, because the mullahs that oppress Iran are Islamist fanatics, who would rather see Iran wiped out than give up their ambition of a worldwide Shiite caliphate. 

Really Brutal Season

To play eighty-two regular season games is already taxing on the body. How about shortening the NBA playoff series down to best of five, except for the championship? I hated seeing Jason Tatum unavailable, and now even though Philadelphia advanced, Joel Embiid may be injured. We want to see the games, but yearn to have the star players well enough to participate. 

The Hawks Collapsed

Don't get me wrong, the New York Knicks are a good basketball team, but Atlanta just fell apart in the final game of the series. No pro team is naturally as dominant against other professionals as NY demonstrated. It was simply Atlanta giving up early in the game. Maybe the NBA should have a mercy rule when an embarrassing blowout like this starts to happen. 

Against the Odds

The Timberwolves were without their starting guards, and their third guard who has provided them dynamic athleticism coming off the bench. They were also missing a swingman and playing against the franchise that just a few short years back captured a championship. Minnesota losing Ant alone should have installed Denver as favorites, even though the Nuggets were playing on the road. Well, Minnesota played with teamwork and determination and prevailed over a team that while not fully healthy themselves was much more intact than the home team. All I can say now is "go Wolves!"

Demonize the Jews

I find it ironic that those who have rushed to condemn Israel for a statue broken in Lebanon and an assault on a nun have not said "boo" about Christians being systematically slaughtered by jihadists across Africa and the Middle East. Those who do not speak out more vociferously for Christian lives under threat from expansionist and uncompromising Islamists are not humanitarians, but simply Jew haters.

Real Jew Hatred

Certain Jews have committed crimes. They did not do this because they were Jewish, but because they were criminals. Israel is not always right, but when the leaders make mistakes, it is not because they follow a particular faith, but because they are flawed, just like every other human being of any faith or no faith. I remember being in a brokerage office with my Dad back when Ivan Boesky committed his financial crimes, and hearing the non-Jewish brokers and investors tearing into "that Jew Boesky". My thought then was: do these folks think only Jews commit securities crimes? Now, I realize anyone who makes the salient point the religion of the criminal is not denouncing an offender, but declaring for all the world to hear what a hater they are. 

Thoughts on Fetterman

Senator Fetterman is the only major national figure among the DemocRATS who still places country above party. He still suffers some impairment from his health issues, but he is a thoughtful and decent human being. He is the sole member of the not-so-loyal opposition I would consider voting for unless he was running against an exceptional MAGA Republican. 

Hearing the Thunder

I woke up to loud booms and a shaking house. If I were in the Holy Land, that noise might have been a missile attack. Thank goodness, in the United States when that cacophony erupts, it is not an artillery barrage or aerial bombardment, but simply lightning and thunder. 

Claiming a Hoax

There are some folks asserting that the events at the White House Correspondents' Dinner were somehow staged to benefit Trump. Of course, some these same conspiracy theory spreaders contend the Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt was also phony, even though it killed a father who was a firefighter, wounded two other spectators, and blew off part of the President's ear. These were NOT staged but sadly real attempts to murder one of the best Presidents our nation has ever had! 

Formed by Heart

 The lessons I learned on my mother's knee are what makes me "me".

Another Assassination Attempt

No individual in human history has been subjected to as much calumny as Donald Trump. The only major TV network that usually does not defame our President is FOX News. The newspaper that does not ordinarily smear the nation's leader is the New York Post. Virtually all the rest of the mainstream media lies and distorts constantly to sully a man they never wanted to see in the Presidency in the first place, and unbalanced people listen. How often can you call someone "literally Hitler" and expect that someone will not try to stop a dictator? How about ending the relentless campaign to destroy Forty-seven in most of the press and across most social media platforms? 

Is It Enough?

Has the United States done enough to credibly claim victory over Iran? I would sadly say "NO". The attacks have obviously degraded Tehran's offensive capabilities, but at the end of the day, if the mad mullahs remain in power with nuclear material still in their possession, the Islamic Republic has clearly won. 

Skilled Wide Receiver

The Tennessee Titans used their first round draft pick to select Carnell Tate. He was selected with the fourth selection, which seems too high a price to pay for a player who will likely NOT be a game-breaker, but an ordinary pass catcher at the professional level. He is no Jerry Rice. I am not saying by any means that Tate is not skilled and will not improve the team, just that he will not by himself make the Titans a winning franchise. 

A Titan Prediction

I am not certain who Tennessee will select with the fourth pick of the NFL draft, or if they will trade up or down. I am absolutely sure though that my home town team will NEVER be a Super Bowl contender under current ownership. 

The Real Party

The Republican Party is hidebound to the "niceties", parliamentary procedure, and maintaining (an imagined) collegiality with the DemocRATS who want to disempower, dispossess, and imprison their leaders, while bankrupting and incarcerating those who back Trump and oppose the shift to the radical Left where they are pushing our Nation. This is no longer a country where a Tip O'Neill and Reagan would enjoy some Bourbon together at the White House after a thoughtful exchange on policy. This is now a place where AOC and the insouciant New York Mayor want to seize your brownstone and settle "migrants" in your fourteen year old daughter's bedroom, and they care not an iota if she is still in it to be ravaged when the rapacious Third Worlders arrive to occupy it and her. MAGA, if in the majority in Congress, would prevent this rise of socialism, but the leader of the Senate GOP Thune thwarts all forward movement of the Trump agenda, because he must maintain the sacred "filibuster", which even a blind man sees will be dispenced with the moment (that is sadly coming soon) where DemocRATS take the majority and like all other evil doers, do as they will, ending the filibuster and pushing their revenge agenda against MAGA, the Founding Fathers, and traditional values upon the United States. For decades, we heard about a handful of so-called RINOS who stymied positive change, but it was never actually the few Republicans in name only who thwarted the conservative shift that would supercharge our land toward unprecedented greatness, but a Paul Ryan-type majority of complacent and feckless fools who did not recognize that this fight is for nothing less than the preservation of liberty and human dignity not only here but beyond our borders and across the entire earth itself. 

Really Just Bluster

The roster of unrepentant murderers runs deep within the Islamic Republic. Unfortunately, Trump apparently thinks some deal may be reached with the surviving leadership, such as it is in Iran. He rattles his saber about blowing this or that up, or "unleashing hell", but in the end, has no appetite to follow through. The oppressed people pf Iran know what to do to free themselves but lack the weapons and training to do it, and Trump shows nothing beyond words that he will help them. 

More Fake News

I saw a story on the BING news feed that the President was so agitated and out of control that he was locked out of the Situation Room at the White House. This is just as credible as the report that Trump wrestled with his own Secret Service detail trying to take control of the Presidential limousine back at the end of his first term. The President is the leader who subordinates are duty-bound to follow, and Trump's team would not exclude him from the management of the war against the Islamic Republic that holds Iran hostage. 

Too Much Winning

Trump may have killed so many layers of Iranian leadership that there is no one left with which to seal a peace deal. The two ways around this would be Reza Pahlavi coming into power due to revolt against the remaining oppressors, which would be the preferred course, or a bloody occupation by American forces which could be a disaster. An MEK takeover would be nearly as bad as the mad mullahs clinging to power. 

Someone Likely Lying

The conflicting stories between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America remind me of the two boys who tell the principal mutually exclusive stories after a schoolyard scrape. Trump contends Tehran has agreed to give away everything while whoever is the surviving leader of the day in Ayatollah Land claims his mighty nation has not agreed to any concessions. In a way, both sides could be speaking truth if the "negotiating team" of the mad mullahs has no authority to bind that country to a truce because they were not sent by anyone with real power, and are either free agents or so low level that nobody in the higher ranks of the theocracy cares what they have committed to because they actually do not represent whoever is left to oppress the Persian People and other freedom-seeking non-Shiite fanatics. Otherwise, if Trump is just making up the supposed peace agreement that nobody on the other side has agreed to, America is in real trouble because our leader would then be a raging lunatic, which I pray is not the case. 

Disservice to Humanity

If the mad mullahs are left in power in Iran and if Hezbollah remains an armed force dominating Lebanon, there will be no question that the United States and Israel were defeated in this war. Trump is NOT a strategic thinker as he supposes himself to be, but an ego-driven megalomaniac who wants the Peace Prize more than he ever wanted actual peace. Netanyahu is the one Israeli leader since Shamir willing to go against the diktats of Washington when they threaten Israel's existence, but this is not really about leaders but about the tragic consequence to the Persian people who were oh-so-close to freedom. Nations have their own interests but liberty is a universal desire that tragically all too often remains elusive and unfulfilled. Trump should not end action against the Ayatollah, whoever that happens to be, and the Jewish State must not placate America if what Trump is demanding compromises Israel's safety. 

Madison Cawthorn's Claims

The more denials from other Representatives that sound off about knowing nothing about Eric Swalwell's alleged conduct, the more it makes me believe what former Congressman Cawthorn claimed about being invited to an orgy with other politicians. What colleagues of Swalwell are saying now sounds like Germans in 1946 who swore they were completely unaware of Nazi atrocities. We seem to have a House and Senate full of Sergeant Schultz and Colonel Klink who "see nothing", particularly when Swalwell's supposed best friend, Representative Ruben Gallego, feigns outrage and claims ignorance about the Representative to whom he was thought to be like a brother. 

Representatives Should Resign

I am absolutely in favor of Congressmen and Senators accused of sexual impropriety resigning. Now let's do financial impropriety, but we can't do that because with all the self-dealing and insider trading we wouldn't have anyone left to "represent" us. 

The Fallen Edifice

Multilateral bodies meant to ensure peace and security and international law have collapsed and become an affront to humanity. The United Nations is beyond worthless. It is harmful and should be dismantled. NATO has demonstrated it is now totally one-sided with America expected to defend allies who will not return the favor if the United States is under threat. International courts guard rogue nations and terrorist entities while trying to strip decent nations of the ability to defend themselves from evil actors. See the lawfare against the beleaguered Jewish State as the first example. The very entities established at the conclusion of World War II to prevent crimes against humanity, now cover them up or by siding with the perpetrators, actually facilitate them. 

Freedom of Navigation?

America imposing a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz might set a bad precedent. Red China may decide to impose their own crackdown against shipping into Taiwan or just send huge portions of their navy toward Iran to break America's line and go collect the oil they are buying. Either way it escalates the conflict and brings us closer to World War III. 

Losing to Iran?

Of course, America wants and the world would benefit from regime change in Tehran, but that laudable goal was not stated as a war aim and can't be done without bloody armed revolution by the Iranian People or troops on the ground from America and allies that no doubt would lead to hundreds of thousands deaths (at least). It sucks to think the ayatollah regime will survive this conflict and crow that they have "won", but that dreaded outcome is a real possibility. 

Not So "Swalwell"

Kompromat flatulent blowhard Eric Swalwell is not only subject to the entrapment of Red Chinese female spies but seems to have not taken "no" for an answer when forcing himself on at least one female subordinate, with additional women coming forward to allege similar improprieties. It looks like Swalwell's gubernatorial run is over in California, and his presence in the US House should be ending as well though a stay as Harvey Weinstein's cellmate may soon be in order. 

The Aggressor Wins

The party that strikes the first blow usually wins. That side might be in the wrong, but that has nothing to do with who ultimately prevails. The Maginot Line taught us static defense may be no defense at all. Oil fields and refineries are exceedingly difficult to protect and relatively easy to damage. Supertankers make great targets, and pipelines are vulnerable as well, yet the world must not be hostage to petroleum. 

Note About Loyalty

When loyalty is transactional, it is not loyalty. Of course, NATO nations have their own agendas and unique national interests, as do the United States and Israel. I do not forecast a glowing future for traditional American alliances anywhere. 

Just Declared Victory

The only paths for America and Israel to truly prevail over the Islamic Republic would have been regime change wherein the theocracy would no longer be running the country, or every bit of enriched components that could be used in a nuclear-tipped missile or bomb were destroyed or seized. Nothing akin to that has been accomplished. Trump clearly stated he wanted the mullahs overthrown, though he did not explicitly declare that as a war aim. American forces and the IDF wrought extensive destruction across Iran, but at the end of the day, an Ayatollah will still be the leader, and something of an offensive atomic capability remains in the hands of End Time madmen. 

Too Much Michigan

Hats off to the Wolverines, who were a tough team all season, They did not go undefeated but were the dominant school in men's college basketball this year. Connecticut put up a good fight, but ultimately, the boys from Ann Arbor prevailed. 

Imposing Front Line

In basketball, size is not everything (ask Muggsy Bogues), but it is something that

can't be coached or taught. Either you are tall, or you aren't, and Michigan has the tallest front line I recall in basketball at any level. A seven foot, three inch center is not unheard of, though not all that common, but when he is side by side with a 6-9, two hundred and fifty pound power forward and a "small" forward of the same height and two hundred forty pounds, you have really rare, if not unprecedented size. Yes, Larry Bird was a six-nine "small" forward, but he played at two hundred twenty pounds. I am not saying the Wolverines will necessarily win tonight, but Connecticut only has one strong and physically imposing center to counter three dominant Michigan starters. Tarris Reed might be the dominant post player on the court, but there is but one of him for the Huskies trying to counter three imposing Wolverine big men. I will not predict a winner because Danny Hurley is the best X's and O's coach in basketball and better at in-game adjustments than any coach I have seen, but he had best shape the game plan of his life tonight to vie against the Maize and Blue. 

The Unstoppable Force

Do Venezuela and Iran believe the United States is a "paper tiger"? It was thus under Joe Biden, but not so under Donald Trump who has made America the "muscular nation" again, for the first time since the Second World War. Our forces just saved a pilot in hostile territory surrounded by End Time fanatics, all while NASA astronauts are travelling further than mankind ever has.

No Video Game

The war against the Islamic Republic is no joke. It is real and deadly. The victory against the mad mullahs was never assured, nor if it happens, will it be easy or without cost in blood and treasure. Evil-doers Iran and Red China share a land border, and aggressor state Russia and the Ayatollah enterprise are just a short distance across the Caspian Sea, and these malign entities supply each other and share intelligence against the United States and Israel. Iran has a source of replacement manpower with the Shiite militias and terrorist groups they have backed primarily in Iraq but also potentially from Lebanon. Those opposing the End Time religious fanatics face a multi-headed hydra of dark forces from different places that are difficult to counter much less destroy. It is quite possible that the American planes that were shot down were facing weapons systems that were not even in Iran at the start of the conflict and that hands in Beijing and Moscow are helping direct the defense of the Islamic Republic. 

Out of Virgins

So many jihadists have been killed since October 7. 2023 that there are not enough virgins for seventy-two per martyr. Women will just hae to start being chaste again before they die, or perhaps some of the fallen fighters will be content to do what they did when they were alive and some goats and sheep provided for their sepulchral pleasures. 

Bye Bye Bondi

Donald Trump (justifiably) wanted some scalps from those who tried to bag him, his associates, and family members. His Attorney General failed to deliver. The DemocRATS, when in power, do as they wish, not constrained by decency or bound by morality or even law really (novel legal concepts) and unhinged from reality (woman with penis). That is why that anti-American party must never hold the reins of power again or at least until more DemocRATS are like John Fetterman with a bit of normal values and at least a modicum of common sense. 

One Way Alliance

When Europe cried our, "save us from Hitler", sixteen million Americans swelled the ranks to come to their aid. When our Western European friends implored the United States to protect them from Stalin, we obliged. When the Soviet Union menaced free Europe for decades, America spent billions in their defense, but when we are ridding the world of the greatest sponsor of international terrorism and ensuring that End-Time fanatics do not gain nuclear weapons, our formerly needy friends tell Washington, America is on its own. Well, they miscalculated, because Trump has made us a net exporter of oil, and we do not require petroleum from the Middle East to thrive, but Western Europe does. Leave it to those weaklings, most of whom are only now bearing the cost burden of their own defense because they shirked it during the Cold War and really only started to pay up during Trump's first term when he forced them to honor their contribution commitments, except for worthless Spain that still has not done that. Let the other NATO countries clear the Strait of Hormuz because they are the ones who need the Persian Gulf fuel to power their continent. 

The Overrated Conference

I was raised in Southeastern Conference country but must admit that in the men's money sports the SEC has fallen. In no way is it the dominant league in football or men's basketball. The Big Ten is the football powerhouse and may be about to prove that it is number one in B-ball as well. The world has turned and landed on our Southern gladiators. 

For the Ages

The University of Connecticut men's basketball team staged a comeback that culminated in a miracle victory over the Duke Blue Devils. I believe the first and only time UConn led was with four tenths of a second remaining in the contest on a thirty-five foot three pointer by a freshman. I do not know if there is such a thing as a team of destiny, but if there is, it seems to be the Connecticut squad this season. 

The Useful Idiots

There were orchestrated "No Kings" protests across America and a few abroad yesterday. These were obviously a coordinated effort aimed against not only Trump but against our capitalist way of life. The demonstrators may have thought they had their own reasons for being there but whatever those were, they were actually serving the interests of the enemies of the United States. Some characterize the demonstrators as "useful idiots", but I would question just how useful they are. They are instigators and agitators and disaffected losers. They really abhor our President but more than that our free enterprise system and much of our Constitution itself. 

The Last Hope

On the minor plane of sport, not the life and death contention of war, only one team remains from my home state and from the athletic conference I have rooted for all my life, the Southeastern Conference. That would be the Tennessee Volunteers, who are a pronounced underdog entering the contest against the mighty Michigan Wolverines. The cagers from the north have a large and imposing front line, but the Vols are not exactly small, and I believe are more athletic. I think our Big Orange have a decent chance, so long as they are not awed by the moment and continue to be the aggressors. If they perform as the hunter rather than the hunted, an SEC team may just find its way into the Final Four. 

An Inescapable Quagmire

It is not America or Israel that has leapt into quicksand with an unnecessary adventure. The Islamic Republic has. The Mad Mullahs have killed themselves but do not know it yet. 

Social Media Trial

Major social media companies just sustained a huge loss in court. In this instance, I find little fault with the giant corporations, who have plenty of problems in other areas, because the plaintiff apparently said her "addiction" started at six years old. This was not a Meta or Google issue, but negligent parenting. Kindergarten students and first graders do not have agency of their own, and it is parents who must supervise their screen time, if they grant them any time on computers, tablets, or cell phones at all. Whatever alleged malady this young woman suffers, it has NOT been brought forth by Facebook or YouTube. 

Win Other Tournament

The victor in the National Invitational Tournament can likely proclaim with little question that they are the sixty-ninth best team in college basketball. Realistically, they are actually probably a top thirty-five team, but in this day, who really cares about the now secondary post-season tourney?

The Black Boxes

You really do not need a black box or extensive forensic examination to understand the collision at LaGuardia. A fire truck, which is somewhat maneuverable, pulled onto a runway in front of a jet airplane that is not capable of quick turns on the ground. Whoever in the control tower cleared the truck to drive on that particular runway at that time caused the impact. 

An Iranian Victory

No matter how much the United States and Israel have degraded Iran's offensive capabilities, the war must be considered a victory for the Islamic Republic if the Mullah regime remains in place. At the end of the conflict, if an Ayatollah is still leading an Islamic Republic, America, the Jewish State, and most of all,  the Iranian People will have lost.  Not that it was up to Trump to affect regime change, but if religious fanatics remain in power to rebuild and continue to be the world's leading sponsor of terrorism, it does not matter what particular zealot is in charge or if the Islamic Bomb (nuclear weapons that is) does not immediately obliterate Tel Aviv, it is still a win for the forces of evil because the mentality will be in control of Tehran that eventually will destroy the West. 

A Generational Talent

Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr. is the best collegiate point guard in decades. I would rate him better than his coach John Calipari's last great point guard Derrick Rose who managed to become an NBA MVP for a season. If he remains healthy, Acuff may duplicate that feat or even exceed it with multiple MVP awards. Acuff has been unstoppable with any single defender he has faced, despite a nagging injury throughout much of the season. He will be a very early pick in the NBA draft, if he goes pro after the NCAA Tournament as is expected. Any general manager who does not select Acuff will regret their choice. 

Dreaded Shaker Phobia

Let us say the Shaker faith suddenly enjoyed a revival, but a heretofore unknown brand of Shakers decided that they must use any means including violence to bring folks to their flock. Pretend for the sake of argument that this portion of believers even made human bombs of themselves in populated spaces to enforce conversion by every means. Would it then be a "phobia" to want to avoid Shakers? Thank goodness no religious practice on earth today does anything involving force to increase its number of adherents. 

Georgia Let Down

Bulldog basketball showed the SEC is not quite perfect, playing so badly against St. Louis that they would have had a hard time beating a rec league team. They could not defend plays that teams were running in the fifties, and their offense was virtually no hits but plenty of misses. The sad thing is that most of the Georgia team seemed to give up, and when that happens, the head coach is squarely to blame. Either the "leader" did not have his "troops" prepared, or he has lost their confidence, and they are not listening to him. Either way, he should be on a mighty short leash with the sports administration at UGA next season, as a head coach can't be allowed to bring shame on a great university that should have championship caliber sports programs. There is no reason the basketball Bulldogs should not be just as competitive as the football one, except that the coach falls well short of the abilities of Kirby Smart. 

Miami for Real

Miami of Ohio is a competitive basketball team. They shoot the three pointer well and run hard backdoor cuts. Their defense is underrated. They will not be an easy team for Tennessee or anyone else to knock out. The Vols know how to defend such opponents, and unlike Alabama, Miami does not have a Labaron Philon, who breaks down defenses off the dribble, generating his own offense, and must do more with spacing, quick passes, screens, and sharp cuts to create scoring. Oddly enough, the coach who put Tennessee men's basketball on the map, Ray Mears, attended Miami of Ohio, so there is some unusual connection between the programs. 

South Eastern Dominance

Does anyone remember that the defending men's national champion in basketball is Florida from the SEC? This former "football conference" has started with two victories in the postseason tournaments. The league may well clinch another title this year. 

Saint Patrick's Lament

Hugh went down to the river, a bit downrange from town, saw the typically blue water a vibrant shade of green, and wondering if it was food dye or a green beer dump on this famous day, could not resist scooping up a swig. Only after he placed his parched lips in his palm did he detect the slimy texture. That night the local news noted that it was a very inopportune day for the sewage treatment plant to break down and be forced offline. 

Need Regime Change

It is not up to the United States to determine the destiny of the Iranian People, but if the Ayatollah regime survives this war in place, then the conflict must ultimately be viewed as a defeat for America. The mad mullahs will continue their oppression of the freedom seeking people, and the country will continue to menace its neighbors and threaten Israel. Only if the theocratic fanatics are overthrown and replaced with a more representative form of government will victory be achieved, even though shaping the internal operation of Iran is beyond the reach of air power, and nobody in the Trump administration wants to introduce US boots on the ground.  

Single Bid Conference

Why would the Mid-American Conference deserve more than one bid to the Men's NCAA Tournament this season? They had one victory against Quad 1 versus thirty losses. Against the second quadrant, they lost more than two to one (31-75). Major conferences with hard competition have earned the invitation that Miami of Ohio with three NAIA teams on its pitiful schedule certainly did not. 

No More Excuses

A not insignificant portion of Muslims want to kill Jews. They are not distorting their scripture either. A reversed Islamic text instructs believers,"The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say:'O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him'."So, when someone becomes a "martyr" in Michigan, there is no need to rationalize that he was avenging his Hezbollah terrorist brothers (two of whom were reputed to have been killed recently in an IDF strike in Lebanon). He drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a synagogue where dozens of innocent American schoolchildren, who happen to be Jewish, were studying. The assailant did NOT attack the Israeli military or even Israelis, but the first Jews he could aim for, who happened to be defenseless US kids. May he and his "shahid" brothers not find paradise with seventy-two virgins but burn for eternity.  

No Miami O

My former wife attended Miami of Ohio for her undergraduate classes, but that is not why I think their men's basketball team is a paper tiger. The MAC just happens to suck this season, with no marquee wins against any substantial non-conference opponent. Auburn would have gone undefeated against this weak league. It reminds me of the year in football that Brigham Young won a national title. They went undefeated but without playing a team with a winning record outside of the WAC the entire season, including their bowl game. Don't sully your own brand NCAA by rewarding a team for wallowing in mediocrity just so they can be assured a lot of wins against the softest of competition. 

The Mayor's Wife

The recently elected mayor of New York has a "Jew Problem", or more precisely thinks Zionists are the root of evil. His bride "liked" the October 7 massacre on social media, and there seems to be peace and bliss in their household. What is it like New York after you sustained the worst sneak attack in American history on September 11, 2001 to have a terrorist sympathizer as the leader of your city? 

No Disrespect Intended

What does an exceptional scoring night mean in the National Basketball Association? I have watched Bam Adebayo since he was playing at the University of Kentucky and will attest he is a good four-five swing player who is a capable post defender with enough athleticism to guard many perimeter players as well, just like another former Wildcat star Julius Randle. Neither of these players, unless they enjoy mid-career surges will be a Hall of Famer. To my mind, Kobe Bryant is the second best scoring guard ever and a top ten in basketball history standout. Bam Adebayo, despite one massive scoring outburst, has not reached anywhere near that level of consistency that demonstrates greatness. 

War Ending Soon?

I would say the battle against the mad mullahs has just been joined. While much of their offensive capabilities have been diminished, it is the poisonous mindset of religious fanaticism that has enslaved the vast majority of the people that must still be fought. Neither American nor Israeli boots on the ground must be deployed but some armed force must be present to institute the denazification of the country. Be they Kurdish troops or some sort of Persian militia combined with the willing and trained Kurds, an armed force ultimately has to do it. It should not be drawn from the ranks of those conducting the bombing campaign right now, whose job it is to lessen the grip of the Shia zealots on the people until they can successfully eradicate the Ayatollah tyranny. 

A Cornyn Snake

The corn snake reputedly benefits mankind by eating rodents who would lay waste to crops. John Cornyn does nothing to benefit MAGA, taking the side of the "Rats" all too often, the DemocRATS that is. Cornyn is the Mitch McConnell of Texas, except unlike the Kentucky turncoat dotard, almost as old and enfeebled John has never been particularly instrumental in advancing the nominations of conservative Justices to the Supreme Court. Some might say Cornyn is a mere empty suit, but I would say the tailor fit the snake perfectly.  

Power to Destroy

The government of my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee is determined to destroy business through taxation. An ongoing concern will not remain so if its property tax is raised higher than its net profit. You can't remain in operation with a formula like that. 

More Branches Falling

Just as the recovery from the Ice Storm of 2026 seemed to be kicking in across my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, severe thunderstorms started to strike. The bad news is the good news for me in this case, as a dangling tree limb that was supposed to cost over a thousand dollars to remove fell on its own with the force of the newly kindled high winds. I just thank the Lord I and nobody I care about was under it when the five hundred plus pounds of wood crashed to the ground. I cut it in three more manageable pieces with my handsaw. A chainsaw would have helped, but I do not happen to own one. Stay safe out there neighbors. A lot of weakened branches, limbs, and even whole trees are falling with the strong gusts. 

Second Biggest Star

The talent with whom I have enjoyed regular interaction is obviously Dennis Quaid, who moved in next to us several years back when he purchased a Nashville home. The celebrity with the second most exposure, who has literally sprinted across to greet me, is Quaid's wonderful and well-trained English bulldog "Peaches". Dennis brings that glorious old girl on many national media appearances, but I am fortunate enough to have known her before she enjoyed so much fame. 

An Ongoing Campaign

The majority of Iranians want to live a free, Westernized lifestyle. They are NOT religious fanatics. What the government that ultimately replaces the mullahs and Ayatollah regime will have to overcome is millions of religious zealots who believe exactly as the Twelvers do and think they have a religious duty to kill you if you do not follow the same tenets they do. These are folks who gladly sent their ten year old sons across Iraqi minefields on bicycles to clear them by blowing themselves up, so experienced adult soldiers could attack Saddam Hussein's forces without the concern of setting off a mine. They are contemptuous of the value of life including their own and their children's. They will require a denazification program on steroids as they do not simply follow an evil man (Hitler) but hold as an article of religious faith their obligation to convert by the sword. 

The Wrong Leadership

Incompetent leaders take the path they should not. In the case of my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee's municipally-owned electric utility, the service had only one hundred sixty linemen for two hundred thirty thousand customers; however, they devoted copious resources to diversity, equity, and inclusion. You might say these DEI programs are well-intentioned, but they cause real and substantial harm because with finite resources, you can't hire more workers to restore power or ideally, keep the electricity on when you are spending the limited money you are allocated on diversity trainers and officers, who do not know a positive wire from a negative one or a ground wire. 

Bringers of Peace

If we have to burn the village to save it, by all means, set it ablaze. The world could not live with atavistic madmen with Seventh Century mindsets controlling the most destructive weapons. Iran left unchecked as the "Islamic Republic" would have erased Israel with nuclear bombs and extorted the Sunni states and Europe. Everyone should praise and thank President Trump for thwarting these terror-sponsoring tyrants from starting World War III while in possession of an atomic arsenal and the means to deliver it. 

War of Choice?

The war against the Islamic Republic was started by them when they captured our embassy and its staff in 1979. It was waged and perpetuated by the mad mullahs who have enslaved the Persian people since then. Only now is President Trump answering their aggression against America in the way it should have been dealt with all along. If it had been addressed properly as our nation is doing now, Iran would never have risen to menace the globe. 

Evil Embracing Wickedness

The dictator of Russia expressed sincere condolences for the liquidated tyrant of Tehran. Yardbirds flock together all the way to Hades. 

Happening Right Now

Military forces of the United States and Israel are freeing Iran from the grip of the mad mullahs. The people of Persia will soon have the chance to select their own form of government and decide their futures for themselves. May the Lord protect the forces of liberation and innocent folks across the region. 

Gauging the Stakes

If you weigh the consequences of the upcoming midterm elections, you will either have the light of liberty preserved with MAGA Republicans as the defenders of human freedom, not just in America but worldwide, or the darkness of chaos and lawlessness marked by (attempted) impeachment of Trump and the betrayal of Middle East allies and the brave Persian people by the DemocRATS who side with criminals at home and tyrants abroad. Ponder your vote carefully, as you have the entire globe in contention. 

If War Comes

If the United States goes to war with Iran, it will be because the Islamic Republic has been at war with America since the Shah was overthrown and our embassy and hostages seized. Tehran has been the greatest destabilizing force on the globe since then and is more of a threat to the weak and woeful Sunni countries than it ever has been to militarily powerful Israel. If war erupts, do not blame Israel, the Jews, or Zionists, but the mad mullahs who are the largest sponsor of terror in the world and the tyrants who enslave the Persian people and everyone who is not a Shiite end-timer fanatic within their own country. 

The Truth Teller

President Trump reached across the aisle last night but only to slap some sense into the opposition. He articulated what normal American feel when he declared about the DemocRATS that "these people are crazy". The State of the Union address was not conciliatory, or unifying but it echoed the sentiments of many millions of Americans. 

What Americans Want

I am not a fan of hockey. We have an NHL team in my hometown (the Nashville Predators) and have had it for almost three decades, and I have never attended a game. I almost never watch a hockey game on television and do not think I have ever taken one in puck drop to finish. That being said, I am a patriotic American and am glad my country won the gold medal in the Italy Olympics. I want my countrymen to triumph in every competition regardless of the sport. I agree with the Patton movie that America loves a winner and our Olympic hockey teams (both men's and women's) brought home the gold. 

Miracle on Ice?

I do not know if the men's hockey victory of the United States over Canada in the just concluded Winter Olympics was exactly a miracle, but it was a long time in coming since America stunned the Soviet team in 1980. Canada is no evil empire the way the USSR was, but it is always good to defeat a rival. 

Suicide by Cop

The moron that was liquidated after entering the President's Florida estate was likely NOT attempting to murder Trump. It would have taken only a simple online search to reveal that the President remained in Washington for the weekend. If this gunman was an attempted assassin, one would think he would at least have found out if Trump was at the location before entering it. I would say this was an attention-seeker gaining notoriety through his public "suicide". 

Best American Pressure

A tariff imposed by America might spare gunboat diplomacy or even a war. It is a means of exerting influence without firing a shot or threatening bloodshed. It is likely the most benign way that a superpower can assert superior status without threat of violence or actual use of "hard power". Tying Trump's hands by revoking his authority to impose tariffs makes real conflict much more likely. As happens with alarming frequency, the United States Supreme Court just made another mistake. 

One Fell Swoop

Let us start with the proposition that since the end of the Second World War, America's allies, trading partners, and competitors have all taken advantage of the United States through unbalanced trade and through having the US bear the cost burden of collective defense (meaning America's taxpayers footing the bill to protect countries that should have had to pay the full load for defending themselves), and even building up former enemies like Japan and Germany and current foes like Red China because our trade negotiators were idiots until Trump was initially elected and international bodies that regulate trade were and are intensely anti-American. The best and perhaps only tool the President had to redress this was his use of or threat of tariffs to affect change. Six blacked-robed dolts on the nation's highest court just stripped Trump of that, to the detriment of our nation and the liberty around the world that a robust America upholds. 

Prince of Wails

It has been a long time since any significant member of the Royal Family of the United Kingdom has faced serious legal jeopardy before recent events involving besieged Andrew. In a way, the King's brother is lucky as he is not facing the headsman or being drowned in a barrel of wine, as back in those dark days, the administration of punishment was downright awful. Anyway, Andrew is more fortunate than Epstein victims as he has lived the majority of his life without nightmares of what was done to him. 

Mouse Really Roaring

Norway has a tiny population (less folks than in my home state of Tennessee), but when it comes to winter sports, these Norwegians really dominate. They are cleaning up in the Olympic Games despite there being less than six million of them. Praise on them for being athletic marvels- these sons and daughters of Vikings are a force that heats the cold in Scandinavian splendor. 

Europe Really Shocked

Bill Clinton listened to Europe. Barack Obama apologized to the world for America. It is Trump and by extension Rubio who are laying down the law to ingrates who have abdicated their security needs and the many billions in expense that entailed to the United States since World War II. It is about time we finally put our so-called "allies" in their place. 

On the Ascendancy

America is back baby! We are on the rise, but that upsurge can't be tied to one man. A single leader eventually leaves, but a movement must continue! Long live Trump, but more importantly, viva MAGA! 

Israel Declare Sovereignty

There should not be any "disputed territories" within the Holy Land. Do you want the perpetrators of 9/11 and October 7 to hold a knife to the heart of the Jewish State?

Arizona Law Enforcement

The sleuths out West have some interesting ideas about solving crime. I think the way they are trying to resolve the disappearance of the journalist's mother is to detain everyone who is alive in or has visited Arizona. Ultimately, they may catch the culprit this way, if they have a couple of decades or more. 

Suggested By Daughter

My eleven year old told me I should write about our animal rescue efforts. We save Keeshonden. The Keeshond is an admixture of smart dog (usually) and stubborn mule. I have placed many and kept eight as our own so far, although after more than thirty years, we only have a solitary female at the moment. Some Kees are friendly to everyone, but a couple of ours have been purely family dogs, eager to bite anybody outside the pack. When they are young, these pups have Border Collie energy. If you want a Velcro dog, that sticks to you like glue, find a Keeshond.