July 2005: A bad day and an apology later from Kenny Rogers of the Rangers

Back in July 2005, Kenny Rogers had a very bad day over the confrontation with the camera man of a local TV channel.
It was very sad because Rogers pitched great here and elsewhere.   It's a shame that this incident stained his career.

P.S. To his credit, Kenny Rogers apologized later and that was great to see!    

2005: Bush went to Europe

President Nixon's '72 trip to China was historic and exceptional. It was remarkable watching the President and First Lady on The Great Wall or sitting down with Mao.

President Reagan's visit to the Berlin Wall in '87 was dramatic. He said "tear down this wall".   Two years later, the wall came down and so did the evil empire!

Overall, presidential trips are courtesy calls. They have very little impact here and there. 

So I didn't expect a lot to change from Bush's 2005 visit to Europe. 

The most important part of the trip was the meeting with Putin but it did not get much attention from the Euro-press. Putin and Bush had a lot to talk about. Yet, everyone was obsessed with the dinner that Bush and Chirac having dinner!

Nevertheless, Europe and the US did some fence mending. There are several reasons.

The first one is pragmatic. Bush won with a majority (51.4%) of the US popular vote. In fact, most of Bush's European critics would love to have his mid-50's approval ratings in the latest Gallup. They wouldn't mind having his 5.2% unemployment rate either!


Bush arrived in Europe in a stronger political position than any of his hosts. Take a poll in France or Germany or Spain. Do you think that the majority of their citizens think that their leader is doing a good job? I don't think so!

The second reason is economic.  As the US moved from recession to 4% annual growth, much of Europe is still stuck in their malaise and 2% growth.  Europe can't create jobs and this is turning into a serious domestic concern for the continent's leaders.


The third reason is the Iraq election:  8.5 million Iraqis put the exclamation point on the removal of Saddam Hussein.

In the end, not much happened but nothing much was supposed to happen. 

Old Europe is in decline as it falls behind China and India in economic terms. Things will never be the same between the US and Europe. 

We are not going in the same direction, as Mark Steyn wrote in his book.

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Let's meet Nilda Cepero, Cuban American author

Let's meet Nilda Cepero, Cuban American author ........ https://t.co/mrnmgDjcWv

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) October 8, 2016

2005: A bad for Kenny Rogers

The 2005 Rangers were a disappointment, specially after the 89 wins in 2004.   They came to spring training with high hopes but everything just fell apart.

We remember a bad series for the Rangers in July.  Off the field, it was a bad day for Kenny Rogers.

Unfortunately, it was left hander Kenny Rogers who stole the show with his confrontation with a Channel 4 camera man.

Rogers' behavior was out of character. He has pitched here since '91 and had never been a problem in or outside the clubhouse.

God only knows what made Rogers act like this.   It was a bad moment in an otherwise good career:   239 wins, 4.27 ERA & 133 of those came here!

July 2005: Rafael Palmeiro joined the 3,000 hit & 500 HR club

Back in July 2005, Palmeiro joined the ultra selective 500-3000 club. 

He joined Aaron, Mays and Murray as the only 4 players who have 3000 hits and 500 homers.

It was a great achievement.

Where did he come from?

Palmeiro was the Cubs' first-round pick in 1985.  He got his first hit on Sept. 8, 1986, against Philadelphia's Tom Hume. His first home run came the next day against Kevin Gross.

He was traded to the Texas Rangers after the '88 season so that the Cubs could make room for Mark Grace.

Palmeiro became a complete hitter in Texas. He had 203 hits in '91. He showed power in '93 when he hits 37 HRs. He became a model of consistency collecting at least 38 home runs and 110 RBIs for nine consecutive years. His best year was '99 when he hit 47 HRs and helped the Rangers to 95 wins and the AL West!

He got his 500th on Mothers Day 2003!

Congratulations Rafael Palmeiro.

P.S. Palmeiro was caught in the “substance abuse” scandals.  He killed any chance of going to the HOF.  It’s a shame because he’d reached 3,000 hits without substances.

2014 podcast: "Cafe Cubano" & recipes with Sonia Martinez & Marta Verdes Darby, authors

"Cafe Cubano" & recipes with Sonia Martinez & Marta Verdes Darby, authors... 

Listen in now at http://t.co/OdS4eaZOLR. #BlogTalkRadio
— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) November 25, 2014

We remember Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

(You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, click send, and drop a dime here.)
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Julius Henry Marx was born in New York City on October 2, 1890.    Later, he and the Marx Brothers made us laugh and laugh.    

Like many of you, I discovered The Marx Brothers in college.   I fell in love with their humor and watched several of their movies over and over again.    

My favorite is “A night at the opera” but the others are great, too!

Political humor with Antonio F Branco & Leslie Eastman

August 2016:     Political humor with Antonio F Branco & Leslie Eastman......click to listen..

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July 2005: Remember the London bombs

The UK has seen its share of terror lately.   

Back in July 2005, London woke up to subway bombs. 

On that day, London learned that the suicide bombers were not foreign terrorists but local residents.

This is what we learned about the killers from Daniel Johnson:

"One of the suicide bombers, Hasib Hussain, aged 18, had recently returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca, having become a devout Muslim two years ago and grown a beard. According to friends," he never came across as any sort of fanatic."

Shahzad Tanweer, 22, was a cricketer, who apparently told friends that he disapproved of the attacks on America of September 11, 2001.

A third bomber, Mohammed Sidique Khan, was married and had become a father eight months ago.

A fourth man, whose remains are still being identified in the grisly forensic operation in the subway deep below King's Cross station, probably came from a similar background." 

My guess is that most European leaders are scared that they may be next. 

Every European capital has large numbers of these young men. 

Every European country has mosques blasting violent messages to vulnerable young men like the ones who killed the innocent in London.

I guess not much has changed, or gotten better, since that July 2005.

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July 2005: John Roberts was a good choice

Back in the summer of 2005, President Bush made an outstanding choice for The Supreme Court.    Judge John Roberts had an excellent background and was well respected.

Unfortunately, the Democrats could not let go of abortion or other liberal issues.   They kept asking hypothetical questions about how he would opine on this or that.  

It wasn't that long ago that Judge Ginsberg was nominated by President Clinton and refused to answer specific questions.  Then Senator Biden did not have any problems with that.  

Our judicial nomination process is way too politicized.   It's not good for the country.

Speaking of The Roberts Court, there is Justice Scalia.

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July 1, 1863: The Battle of Gettysburg began on this day

The Battle of Gettysburg began today in 1863.    It was a brutal battle to say the least.   

"Gettysburg" was the largest military conflict in North American history.  The epic battle lasted three days and resulted in a retreat of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

Years later, a good movie was made based on the book “The killer angels“.

 

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What President Obama should learn from President Truman

(My new American Thinker post)

On this day in 1948, President Truman was confronted with a serious challenge in Berlin:

"One of the most dramatic standoffs in the history of the Cold War begins as the Soviet Union blocks all road and rail traffic to and from West Berlin.
The blockade turned out to be a terrible diplomatic move by the Soviets, while the United States emerged from the confrontation with renewed purpose and confidence."

It was a shining moment for President Truman, who met the challenge by flying supplies to the people of West Berlin:

"The United States response came just two days after the Soviets began their blockade. A massive airlift of supplies into West Berlin was undertaken in what was to become one of the greatest logistical efforts in history. For the Soviets, the escapade quickly became a diplomatic embarrassment. Russia looked like an international bully that was trying to starve men, women, and children into submission. And the successful American airlift merely served to accentuate the technological superiority of the United States over the Soviet Union.
On May 12, 1949, the Soviets officially ended the blockade."

What can President Obama learn from this incident?

First, the bad guys will push you around until you hit them back.

Second, we were "a war weary nation" back then too.  After all, we had just concluded a brutal war and lost close to 500,000 men in the Pacific and Europe.  I doubt that there was a lot of appetite for war in 1948, especially with a bad US economy.

Third, President Truman nevertheless met the challenge, flew the supplies in and stood up the USSR.  It was a huge test and President Truman won.

In Iraq, President Obama does not have easy options but he cannot allow Iraq to collapse, especially the oil fields.  We are a "Middle East weary" country and do not want to go back to Iraq.   President Obama also has a party base that will fight military intervention all the way.

Like Pres. Truman, Pres. Obama has to see the big picture and stop ISIS from marching across the region.  It may mean air strikes or some troops on the ground.  

Iraq requires presidential leadership, or the kind that we saw in saving West Berlin 66 years ago this week.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

Mercedes, the young girl who inspired a car name

We remember the story of the “Mercedes” automobile today:

“On this day in 1902, German automaker Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) first registers “Mercedes” as a brand name; the name will gain full legal protection the next September.”

Later, he named the car after his daughter:

“In June 1903, Emil Jellinek obtained permission to take the name Jellinek-Mercedes, observing that it was “probably the first time that a father has borne the name of his daughter.”

So we remember the young girl today.

  P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, click send, and drop a dime here.

April 2005: Pope Benedict XVI

What a shock. The Vatican conclave elected a Catholic as Pope.

What a shock.  There were several media outlets who did not like the new Pope.

What a shock. Some are now calling the new Pope an extremist because he does not believe in abortion or homosexual marriage.

It is crazy to watch the left in full crack up mode. 

Like all major religions, the Catholic Church is correct in standing up for the baby in the womb. It is right in defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

This is what the Catholic Church stands for.

Frankly, some people need to find another church. The Pope is not going to change the church to fit some modern standard of moral relativism.

After all, it is a religion not a social club.

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April 2, 2005: Pope John Paul II passed away

John Paul II passed away on this day in 2015. 

He now belongs to the ages, as someone said when Lincoln died in 1865. 

We were very lucky to share the planet with Mother Theresa and John Paul II.

Historians will review John Paul II's legacy.  Some will like him. Others won't.  Either way, John Paul II was a consequential historical figure and we can not say that about most politicians or religious leaders.

It will be very difficult for anyone to fill John Paul II's shoes.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

February 2005: Alberto Gonzalez confirmed as Attorney General

President Bush got off to a historic start with his second term Cabinet appointments. 

President Bush appointed a black woman as Secretary of State and a Mexican-American man as Attorney General. 

Alberto Gonzalez is a great American story, or as they say “Only in America”. 

He is the son of poor Mexican immigrants.  He worked hard and made his way to Harvard Law School. In the 1990’s, he met Governor Bush in Texas and became the Attorney General of the US. 

Well done, Alberto!

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February 2005: President Bush's historic appointments

Back in February 2005, President Bush got off to a historic start with his second term Cabinet appointments. 

President Bush appointed a black woman as Secretary of State and a Mexican-American man as Attorney General.

Imagine that.  A conservative Republican appointed the first black woman as Secretary of State. She replaced the first black man as Secretary of State Collin Powell.

I guess that Republicans are indeed the party of Lincoln!

Imagine more.   A conservative Republican appointed the first Mexican-American as Attorney General.

Alberto Gonzalez is a great American story, or as they say "Only in America". 

He is the son of poor Mexican immigrants, worked hard and made his way to Harvard Law School.   In the 1990's, he met Governor Bush in Texas and will soon be the next Attorney General of the US.

We are very proud that a fellow Texan became the first Hispanic Attorney General of the US.

Well done, President Bush!

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1964: The Beatles in France and getting ready for The Ed Sullivan Show

The Beatles performed a couple of concerts in France on this day in 1964.   They also recorded German versions of "She loves you" and "I want to hold your hand".   

Two weeks later, the guys were introduced on The Ed Sullivan Show and Beatlemania was off and running.

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2005: Secretary of State Condi Rice

On this day in 2005, President Trump appointed Condi Rice as Secretary of State.     She played a foreign policy role with President Reagan, President Bush and the second President Bush.

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2005: No filibuster on Alito

Good sense prevailed in the US Senate today. By 72-25, the filibuster failed. Kennedy and other Democrats could not get the 41 votes to have their way.

Future Democrat presidents will remember this day. In other words, future Democrat presidents won't have to put up with a filibuster when they nominate a liberal to the Supreme Court.

Now, let's move on to the up and down vote.   Alito is a great judge and he deserves something more than a party vote.

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