Saturday, December 30, 2017

Saturday's show: We look back at the top stories 2017 and ahead to 2018


They are freezing up north....chilly here too.....we will look back at the big stories of 2017......and chat about a couple of trends for 2018........Happy # 82 to Sandy Koufax...........and other stories......

Click to listen:






Rahm and Trump Derangement Syndrome

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A friend from Chicago lamented recently that his city is going to the Devil, and the local leadership just wants to talk about Trump’s tweets!
My friend is right, according to news reports:
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel had a good year at the expense of city residents – and for that he might want to thank President Donald Trump.
Despite presiding over a city with rampant money and crime problems, Democrat Emanuel has bolstered his approval ratings and become the rising star of the left by placing himself front and center in the anti-Trump “resistance movement.”
Emanuel declared the Windy City a “Trump-free zone,” prevailed in a legal battle against the White House over threats to cut funding from sanctuary cities, and came out in strong support of combatting climate change – an apparent dig at Trump for pulling out of the Paris Agreement. 
Most importantly for Emanuel, his profile has risen – with political pundits floating his name as a possible Democratic 2020 presidential candidate, even as he openly says he is not interested.
It’s a lot of nonsense, but it keeps the mayor alive politically.
From coast to coast, we see more and more Democrats avoiding the tough issues by simply activating their TDS.  It is not helping their constituents, who are voting with their feet by leaving and taking their taxable income with them.  Nearly 450,000 people fled these three deep blue states in 2017!
Emanuel in 2020?  I don’t see it, but stranger things have happened.  At the same time, my guess is that a large chunk of the aforementioned 450,000 are not going to vote for the policies they are rejecting!

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

MLB back to back amazing World Series.....Cubs vs Indians in 2016.....Astros vs Dodgers was even better: Baseball was the big winner.




2017 was the 230th anniversary of the US Constitution

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We remembered this year the 230th anniversary of the gathering that produced the US Constitution.    It was indeed a "Miracle at Philadelphia".

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

2005: Baseball and a new policy about steroids


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Back in the 2005 off season, MLB finally decided to get serious about steroids. The owners and union leaders agreed on a tough program.   

The new agreement called for a 50 game suspension for first-time offenders and 100 games for second-time offenders.  It's "3-strikes and you are out" or banished from baseball for life if you are a third time offender.

The owners and players took a big step in the right direction. 

ARod: The 2005 AL MVP


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New York fans in 2005 were furious that their team lost to the Angels in the AL postseason playoffs.   They naturally directed all of their anger at ARod, or the face of the team.

Nevertheless, ARod was selected as the AL MVP.

ARod was the right choice.  It was his second MVP in 3 years. His main opposition came from David Ortiz, the Bosox's DH. 

In my book, an everyday player is a bigger MVP than a DH. I feel the same way about giving the MVP to a pitcher. The Cy Young is for pitchers. The MVP is for position player.

P.S. I should add that my opinion of ARod changed when he was involved in drug controversies.     We did not know that in 2005.


2006: Remember when Tim Kaine ran as "a pro-life Democrat"?


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Back in 2005, an anti-abortion or pro-ife Democrat won the governor's election.  It was Tim Kaine, a pro-life Catholic who openly spoke of his faith.

This is the same Tim Kaine who threw away all of his principles and convictions to run on the Clinton-Kaine ticket in 2016.

The Dems did not win Alabama...the GOP gave it away




"John Adams", a great book about one of The Founding Fathers



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John Adams was one of the great men who put this nation together.   This is a great book:





The Cong Sheila Jackson Lee "seat controversy"......




2005: Chicago White Sox surprised a lot of people by winning the AL pennant


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What more can you say? I was wrong. I picked the Angels but the Chisox proved me wrong big time. 

I am not really angry about it.

4 complete games.

Vlad Guerrero was limited to 1 for 20!

Congratulations to the 2005 AL champs!

This is the first World Series for Chicago since the Sox lost to the Dodgers in '59.

They were a great team!

2005 NLCS: Pujols sent the Series back to St. Louis


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This is why baseball is the best game. No clock. No running out the clock.

The Cards were down to their last out.  Eckstein singled to left. Edmonds walked after taking a very close two-strike pitch.  Albert Pujols then hit a 3 run homer and sent the series to St Louis. 

Houston eventually won their first NL pennant in St. Louis but a lot of Astros' fans were heartbroken after that swing!


Another day and another batch of emails...




Obama and Trump at 46% after year one?

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This is an interesting poll by Rasmussen, a very reliable pollster.   President Trump and President Obama finished their first year at 46% approval!    It may be more significant that Economic Confidence Continues to Soar.

Let's see where all of these numbers stand on Labor Day 2018.   It will tell us a lot about what the midterms will look like.

DACA: wouldn't it be something if Dems throw Dreamers under the bus again?



We remember Frank Torre (1931-2014)


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We remember Frank Torre, who was born on this day in Brooklyn.  Frank broke with the Braves and played about six seasons in the majors:   .273 batting average over 714 games!    He died in 2014.

Frank left the game in the 1960's but did watch his younger brother, Joe, become a great player and win won 4 pennants as the manager of the Yankees.

Joe played with the Braves in the 1957-58 World Series:





Some Saddam revisionism



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Back in December 2006, the "Blame the US" crowd had additional material, the execution of Saddam.

It is true that some Iraqis were sad that Saddam was executed. This is not a surprise.

However, the "Blame the US for everything" international media did not remind its readers and viewers that today's Iraqis have a chance to express their grievances or discontent with a governmental decision.

This is what happens when you have 3 elections and a government.

No one enjoyed that right during Saddam's reign.  In fact, the mass graves are proof of that reality.


Saddam and the future of Iraq


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Why is anyone in the world still making excuses for this evil man?

In '91, I met a Lebanese businessman who lived in Kuwait with his US wife and children. They were able to get out early because of the wife's US citizenship. Some of their neighbors and friends were not so fortunate. They came face to face with the horrors. Some were killed. 

Their home in Kuwait City was sacked by Iraqi troops.  Some of their neighbors' daughters were raped. (I am specifically talking about a 15 year old girl who lived down the street!)

In the end, justice happened and Iraqis moved on.


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