We remember H. Wayne Huizenga (1937-2016)

We learned in 2016 that H. Wayne Huizenga passed away.   

He was 80 and a very accomplished businessman.   At one time, he owned every professional team in the Miami area:  Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers and Florida Marlins!     

Huizenga was born in the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park on this day in 1937.   His businesses included "Blockbuster" and "Auto Nation".

He was a very successful businessman:

The Making of a Blockbuster: How Wayne Huizenga Built a Sports and Entertainment......... https://t.co/hJKYQAVvlF via @amazon

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) March 23, 2018

We remember Dick McAuliffe (1939-2016)

We remember Dick McAuliffe who was born on this day in 1939.   He died in 2016.

McAuliffe was the second baseman in those great Tigers teams of the 1960s, including the 1968 World Series champs & the 1961 team that won 101 games but finished second to New York.

McAuliffe played most of his career with Detroit.   He broke with the Tigers in 1960 and put some great numbers at a time when second basemen did not hit with power:   197 HR & 696 RBI.   His best power year was 1964 with 24 HR.

McAuliffe was recently selected as # 53 in the top 100 Detroit Tigers.

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

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The girl is a job killer

We remember how Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, or the Bronx Evita as my friend Bill Katz calls her, led the campaign to kill an Amazon project in the New York City area.

She killed a few thousand jobs, maybe even more.  It was a disaster for workers, but Miss Sandy O got another invitation to MSNBC,

Well, she is back and she is killing jobs again.

Check this out:    

Last week, Bright Power decided to fire its staff and farm all the work out to subcontractors instead of maintaining their own workforce. The firing occurred just as the workers were following Ocasio-Cortez’s advice to form a union.  

“We have come to the conclusion that our resources have been spread too thin with so many different kinds of work all being done in-house,” Bright Power CEO Jeffrey Perlman said according to VICE.com. 

“It makes business sense to return to a fully subcontracted solar installation model.”

Nice.  Very nice.  Workers lose jobs and Sandy gets to give a speech.     

Over the years, I have supported private industry unions.  It’s great for workers to unite and get the best deal available.  At the same time, sometimes management has to turn to other options to stay in business.

Sandy O is a job killer and that’s all you can say that about the young lady.

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

Happy # 41 Jimmy Rollins

We remember Jimmy Rollins who was born in Oakland, CA, on this day in 1978. 

We remember that Rollins had a 36 game hitting streak to finish 2005.   He carried it into the 2006 season.   It stopped at 38.

Rollins broke with the Phillies in 2000 and became of the best players in the NL:  2007 NL MVP, a .264 average and 2,455 hits in 2,275 games.  He also won 4 Gold Gloves.

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

Don't talk politics over Thanksgiving and a few other thoughts

Don't talk politics over Thanksgiving and a few other thoughts 11/26 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

The country needs a 'break' from politics.....Enjoy your holiday and avoid arguments about impeachment.......AOC is a job killer.....Charles M Schultz 1922-2000.......'Casablanca' premiered 1942..............Huber Matos 1918-2015.........and other stories......click to listen:

Tuesday’s video: Beware of Mexico’s problems....

Tuesday’s video:    

Beware of Mexico’s problems.....

click to watch:

Mr. Schiff look south of the border for a real problem

Prior to writing this post, I contacted a journalist friend in Mexico.   

We exchanged some details about the Patriots vs Cowboys game.  My friend is a Cowboys fanatic and wants Coach Garrett fired.

After that, we spoke about violence in Mexico.  He said:  “Asi es” or “that’s the way it is.”

People are really worried south of the border and it’s not about President Trump calling people names for crossing the border.

John Daniel Davidson summarized the situation perfectly:   

Two important and interrelated news stories largely passed under the radar Wednesday as the House impeachment hearings continued to dominate the headlines. 

Both stories concern the deteriorating state of affairs in Mexico and have huge implications for immigration, the southwest border, and U.S. national security.

It’s a shame more Americans aren’t paying attention.

And specially the one about cartels trying to take over Mexican industries.  

OK why does it matter that cartels are throwing farmers off the land and planting avocados?  Or that homicides are happening at record levels.

First, we have a long border with Mexico.  Imagine that criminal elements are shooting everyday next door.  Wouldn’t you worry?

Second, President Lopez-Obrador is turning out to be a very weak leader.  He seems more interested in being the darling of the left than worrying about crime in Mexico.

Third, the Mexican economy slowed in 2019.  This is strange because the US and Mexican economy usually fly in the same direction.  Are investors concerned?  It’s the only logical explanation.

And last but not least, the violence could drive more people north seeking asylum.

Why didn’t MSNBC ask a single question about Mexico last week?   I won’t speculate but the crisis south of the border will be around for a while. 

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

Mexico problems plus Bloomberg 2020 and what's next for impeachment plus more

Mexico problems plus Bloomberg 2020 and what's next for impeachment plus more 11/25 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

Mexico needs our attention.....Impeachment what's next? Bloomberg is in.....No foreign policy questions for Democrats.......and other stories.......click to listen:

Monday’s video: No foreign policy for Democrats....

Monday’s video:   

No foreign policy for Democrats....

click to watch:

But can Colin play?

Everybody is asking the same question:   What NFL team will sign Colin Kaepernick?  

Frankly, the right question is whether or not Colin Kaepernick can still play at an NFL level?

As Ashe Show wrote, Colin Kaepernick started fast but his career declined rapidly:   

Kaepernick has been unemployed for three years. 

He led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012 and did quite well as quarterback in 2013, but then his career started to wane. 

In 2016 he started kneeling during the national anthem as a protest of police brutality. 

His move angered fans but delighted political pundits who loved his anti-America message. Kaepernick was on his way out of the NFL due to his mediocrity, but the protest made him one of the most famous NFL players in the country. Despite not having a playing job, he was hired as a Nike spokesman.

In other words, he got benched because he couldn’t play.  After that, he became a political philosopher and the darling of the left.

A lot of people still want Colin to play in the NFL.  Unfortunately for him, the list does not include coaches or general managers.

Last, but not least, Colin can’t play any more.  It has nothing to do with his political ideas.  It’s all about lousy production on the field.

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

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda 11/24 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

Guest: Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.........Impeachment inquiry did not move the needle......Democrats 2020........why aren't Democrats getting foreign policy questions?.........and other stories.......click to listen:

I am betting no on a formal impeachment

In many ways, the Democrats have accomplished their goals.  

First, they got to use the word “impeachment” even though it was really only an inquiry.  Second, they didn’t force the moderates into voting yes or no.

So Mission Accomplished?  I think so.

Also, Pelosi knows that it will be more complicated from this point forward.  In other words, they will have to persuade the public that there is an impeachable offense.

The Democrats’ problem is that impeachment support has not changed much.  They have not added any new voters to their side.  And they are losing independents, according to Alexander Bolton:

The biggest swing was seen among independents, 49 percent of whom now oppose impeachment compared to 34 percent who support it. Last month, 48 percent of independents supported impeachment, according to Emerson.

A mid-November Marquette University poll conducted in the battleground state of Wisconsin found that only 40 percent of registered voters think Trump should be impeached and removed from office while 53 percent do not think so.

So how can the Democrats get out of the hole?

They can call a press conference and say the inquiry showed that President Trump has engaged in potentially illegal activities.  At the same, the election is less than a year away, so let the voters decide.

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

What's next for impeachment plus IG Report and JFK 1963

What's next for impeachment plus IG Report and JFK 1963 11/22 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

What's next for impeachment...Independent voters moving away from impeachment........the IG Report is coming and what will say? and JFK 1963...........and other stories......click to listen:

Friday’s video: What’s next on impeachment?

Friday’s video:     

What’s next on impeachment?

Click to watch:

The war against Jose

Down in Cuba, life goes on.  The Cuban economy is a mess and the state media is attacking José Daniel Ferrer, the famous activist and political prisoner.

This is from the Miami Herald:

Amid an international campaign for the release of a dissident, Granma, Cuba´s Communist Party newspaper, dedicated an unusual editorial on Wednesday to attacking the country’s best-known political prisoner, José Daniel Ferrer, and the U.S. Embassy in Havana.

Under the governments of Fidel and Raúl Castro and their current successor, Miguel Díaz-Canel, the names of very few dissidents and members of the opposition have ever appeared on state media, an attempt to deprive them of public visibility.

But the intense international campaign, with calls from Amnesty International, regional organizations and politicians from several countries to release Ferrer, seems to have forced the government to respond with accusations of its own directed against a frequent target: the United States.

Granma accused the U.S. of leading “a new slander and discredit campaign against Cuba,” using “the arrest of the counterrevolutionary José Daniel Ferrer” as a pretext.

The unsigned editorial said Ferrer was “a salaried agent serving the United States, with a long history of provocative actions against public order and legality.”

So Jose is a U.S. agent?

Welcome to the club, Jose!

Everybody who dissents in Cuba is called a U.S. agent.  It must be one of the biggest spy rings in the history of the world.

As my late father used to joke at family gatherings, they called me a CIA agent down there and then we came to the U.S.  I called the CIA for a badge and no one knew my name or what I was talking about.

The regime’s problem is that Jose is gaining international attention.  There are people all over the world calling for his release.

The editorial also attacked the U.S. Embassy in Havana.  We should close it and keep it closed until the regime stops attacking Jose Daniel Ferrer.

Change in Cuba?  Tell Jose!

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

The Democrat debate plus more impeachment & IG report coming soon

The Democrat debate plus more impeachment & IG report coming soon 11/21 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

The Democrat debate........Impeachment inquiry goes on............The IG report coming in December.............and other stories......

Thursday’s video: About last night’s boring Democrat debate

Thursday’s video: 

About last night’s boring Democrat debate

Click to listen:

Guacamole: green gold?

As I told a Mexican friend, nothing surprises me about Mexico anymore.  Nevertheless, I was even caught off guard by this story in the LA Times about cartels and avocados:    

Mexico’s multibillion-dollar avocado industry, headquartered in Michoacan state, has become a prime target for cartels, which have been seizing farms and clearing protected woodlands to plant their own groves of what locals call “green gold.”

Green gold!  

It’s a $ 2.4 billion business in Michoacan, the chief exporter of avocado to the U.S.  As you probably know, Michoacan is also home to a lot of the cartel battles south of the border.  

How does this happen?

First, these cartels understand business.  They know that they can diversify into avocados and potentially use that as a front for their illegal drug operations.

Second, the cartels can intimidate farmers and there is little that the government can do to stop them.  

Third, the political class is helpless and are targets themselves.

Finally, what’s the next export that the cartels will go after?  Can you say oil?  Why not?

Sad to say, and I know that Mexicans hate to hear this, but a failed state is failing south of the border.

Here is something to think about when you put a chip in your holiday guacamole.  Are you now funding cartels in Mexico by enjoying your delicious guacamole?

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

Impeachment inquirry hearings today and more with George Rodriguez 11/20 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics

Impeachment inquirry hearings today and more with George Rodriguez 11/20 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

Guest: George Rodriguez, South Texas conservative activist......We will chat about the impeachment inquiry proceedings.....and DACA before The Supreme Court............ ...and other stories........click to listen:

Wednesday’s video: Ken Starr didn’t say that GOP Senators were ready to pay President Trump a visit

 

Wednesday’s video:

Ken Starr didn’t say that GOP Senators were ready to pay President Trump a visit....

Click to watch:

Another feminist movie bombs at the box office

In the interest of full disclosure, I loved the 1970’s Charlie’s Angels.  The show was about three women who were women first rather than political activists sending messages about this or that.

Over the weekend, a new version came out, and it did not do very well, according to early accounts:

“Charlie’s Angels” … wasn’t able to entice its core audience of younger females and arrived well behind domestic box office projections (the studio was anticipating a start closer to $13 million). Though co-financing partners will help offset any potential losses for Sony, “Charlie’s Angels” will now rely on overseas audiences to help recoup its $48 million production budget. At the international box office, the film bowed with $19 million.

Despite mostly positive reviews and a B+ CinemaScore, analysts note that “Charlie’s Angels,” joining the likes of recent underperforming blockbuster-hopefuls like “Doctor Sleep” and “Terminator: Dark Fate,” is yet another indication that familiar IP doesn’t always translate into commercial appeal.

Elizabeth Banks wrote and directed “Charlie’s Angels” — starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska — the third big-screen adaptation of the classic action series. The newest chapter sees the Angels going global to halt the spread of a dangerous new technology that could threaten the world. Banks portrays one of the many Bosleys, while Sam Claflin, Patrick Stewart and Noah Centineo joined the cast.

So they are going overseas to look for success?

I have not seen and don’t plan to see this movie.  I saw one trailer about the “superwoman” theme and decided that watching a Stars hockey game was better for me.

Why are young women staying away?  My guess is that a lot of young women are sick and tired of the message.

So I have a message for the people of who financed this movie:

First, stop making films with predictable dialogue.  We know that Hollywood hates Trump and believes in climate change.  How many times do you have to tell us directly or indirectly?

Second, I would change the title overseas to something like “Charlie’s Angels Defends the World from Trump.”  It may play better in some places!

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

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda 11/19 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

Guest: Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.......We will look at week 1 of the impeachment hearings....The media and impeachment hearings......Mayor Bloomberg and crime in New York.....Reverend Sharpton and money.....Obama warns the left about going too far.......Hong Kong exploding............and other stories......click to listen:

Tuesday’s video: President Obama gets an earful from Democrats....

Tuesday’s video:

President Obama gets an earful from Democrats....

Click to listen:

Bloomberg going Beto

A week ago, I thought that Michael Bloomberg might be a formidable foe to President Trump, especially as an independent outflanking the hysterical left running the Democrat Party.  

As an independent, Bloomberg would have been able to talk about his successes fighting crime and his ideas for the economy.  

Well, drop that!  Bloomberg is going “Beto” and pandering to the left big time.  This is the latest example, from the New York Post:   

Former mayor Michael Bloomberg offered a stunning apology on Sunday for his administration’s reliance on stop-and-frisk policing, admitting to a Brooklyn church, “I was wrong, and I am sorry.”

The bombshell reversal ends Bloomberg’s zealous, years-long defense of one of the most contentious parts of his three-term legacy — and comes as the billionaire political moderate positions himself for an expected 2020 Democratic presidential run.

“I was totally focused on saving lives. But as we know, good intentions aren’t good enough,” Bloomberg told congregants at East New York’s Christian Cultural Center, one of the city’s largest black churches.

Too “focused on saving lives”?  What a travesty. Wonder what the police officer walking the streets of New York have to say to that?

We are watching a lot more than politicians pandering to the left.  You can expect that. This is pandering to the wing of the party that sees the police as an enemy.  Furthermore, it is avoiding the reality of inner-city crime.  

So goodbye, Michael Bloomberg.  You are done as a national candidate.

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

We remember Dan Haggerty (1941-2016)

We remember Dan Haggerty who was born in Wisconsin on this day in 1941.  He died in 2016 at age 74.   In the late 1970s, Haggerty played a mountain man in the TV series "The lfe and times of Grizzly Adams".

It started out as a movie and ended up on TV.   It was a real contrast to the other stuff on TV at the time:

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1986: Mike Schmidt won his 3rd MVP.

In 1986, Mike Schmidt earned his 3rd MVP:  .290, 37 HR & 119 RBI.  

It was his 3rd MVP award of the decade!

His career numbers were awesome:  548 HR & 1, 595 RBI.   Schmidt was the last guy in the world that you wanted to face with the game on the line!

He played for several Phillies championship teams, including the 1980 World Series champs and the 1983 NL champs.   He was also a part of the 1976, 1977 & 1978 NL East champs!

Along the way, he hit four home runs in one game on April 17, 1976, won six Silver Slugger Awards, including five consecutive (1980 through 1984, then one more in 1986) & won ten Gold Glove Awards.

Last, but not least, he ranked 28th by The Sporting News when they released their 100 Greatest Baseball Players in the history of baseball.

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Impeachment a bust plus Bloomberg moving & Havana at 500

Impeachment a bust plus Bloomberg moving & Havana at 500 11/18 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics:

Impeachment hearings a bust......Bloomberg pandering to the left.......Havana at 500.......Al Sharpton making lots of money........Michael Ebanks and the 1999 Texas A&M bonfire tragedy........Lincoln took the train to Gettysburg 1863......................and other stories.........click to listen: