Friday, July 26, 2024
Move over Michael, Joe is singing your song
Move over Michael, Joe is singing your song: On one hand, it was sad to see a defeated man forced to read a speech he never planned to read. What happened this weekend? Did Nancy and the gang threaten to pull the curtain on the family scandals? On the other hand, this is what ...
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Move over Michael, Joe is singing your song - American Thinker https://t.co/W9sDc4bByr
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 26, 2024
Happy # 81 Mick Jagger
We say happy to Mick Jagger, one of the greats of rock. He was born on this day in 1943.
Mick, along with Keith Richards, turned The Rolling Stones into one of the greatest rock bands ever.
Rolling Stone magazine, no connection to the rock group, has Jagger at # 16 of the top vocalists ever.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
1965: The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" was # 1 this week
Mick Jagger got a big gift for his 22nd birthday in 1965, or the # 1 song on Billboard USA. It was also the song that turned The Rolling Stones into huge rock superstars.
"Satisfaction" was released on the "Out of our heads" LP. It was also included in various compilations LP's, specially "The singles".
It is not my favorite song by The Rolling Stones. Frankly, I'd rather hear "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Nevertheless, "Satisfaction" was huge.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
1775: Happy birthday to the US Post Office
Wonder what it cost to post a letter in 1775?
The Post Office changed the country in many ways, from commerce to personal correspondence to the distribution of political ideas.
Say hello to your postman today!
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 26, 1953 turned out to be an ugly day for Cuba
Growing up in a Cuban-American home acquainted me with a lot of the island of Cuba's history.
I guess that's normal in immigrant homes, but my parents were the type committed to teaching us how communism destroyed what they lovingly called "la patria" or homeland.
Conversations at our family dinners were always about Cuba. My parents would often warn us about leftists by saying "cuidado" or "be careful" because they always tell you what you want to hear.
Every time a Third World politician came on TV preaching "injustice," my parents would say one of their favorite lines about the movie that they saw already and didn't end well.
Once a year, the topic would be about what they would refer to as Moncada. On this day, July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro and his followers attacked the Moncada Barracks in eastern Cuba.
The attack was a disaster since more than 60 of the 185 "rebels" involved were killed. Castro and the survivors escaped and were eventually discovered and captured. Castro was tried a few months later and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. He defended himself and turned it into a book.
While imprisoned on Isla de Pinos, he wrote letters and continued to plot the Batista regime’s overthrow.
After having served less than two years, he was released in May 1955 due to a general amnesty. After that, he carried on with his "revolution."
My guess is that Batista regretted that amnesty to the end of his life.
Castro left Cuba and went to Mexico, met Che Guevara from Argentina, and the rest is the history that we are all too familiar with.
Our family conversations about Moncada would often try to answer one question: Why did Batista release him?
My parents felt that it was a PR move and a bit naive. At the same time, my father said that no one thought that Castro would harm anyone.
I guess that most people thought that the talk of revolution was finished and the Cuban economy was booming with prosperity.
A few years later, my father said that it would have been better if Batista had left, too, and the country could have been put back on a democratic track.
Today, Cuba is a dictatorship: Thousands of executions, millions have taken flight and no one knows for sure how many died leaving the country in leaky rafts, while many are still sitting in political prisons.
The Castro regime never allowed fair trials, free elections or had a general amnesty to empty the prisons.
In short, Castro devastated a beautiful country and a prosperous island.
What are Cuba’s political prisons like? Read Armando Valladares “Against all Hope”. You will learn all you need to know about the legacy of July 26.
By the way, you will read that Armando spent years in Villa Maristas, or the name of the political prison that used to be the Catholic school that my brother and I went to.
Turning a Catholic school into a political prison to torture political prisoners? What else do you need to know about that regime?
In retrospect, July 26 turned out to be a very bad day for Cuba.
A word about The Rolling Stones!
McCartney had a great solo career. Lennon did OK and was killed just as he was coming back to the charts. Harrison and Starr had limited solo careers.
The Rolling Stones are a different story. They are still going.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts are still in the band. Bill Wyman retired a couple of years ago. Brian Jones died in 1969. He was replaced by Ron Wood and Mick Taylor.
Bottom line: The Rolling Stones are the longest running band of the rock era.
P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Thursday, July 25, 2024
But Josh is pro-Israel
But Josh is pro-Israel: The VP short list includes a few interesting names like Governor Josh Shapiro. I don't live in Pennsylvania but they tell me that the governor is popular. I hear that he could deliver that important state to the Democrats.
But why would the…
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But Josh is pro-Israel - American Thinker https://t.co/XW3cpjEHdj
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 25, 2024
July 25, 1956: Roberto Clemente inside the park walk off grand slam!
Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest players in major league history.
Clemente broke with the Pirates in 1955 and was killed in a plane crash at the end of 1972. He was travelling to Nicaragua to deliver supplies for the victims of a terrible earthquake.
Clemente won 3 batting titles and left the game with 3,000 hits and a .317 career average,
On this day in 1956, Clemente hit the only walk off inside-the-park grand slam in the history of Major League Baseball.
According to news reports, the fans at Forbes Field went crazy. No one had ever seen this before or since.
Amazing Clemente!
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Clemente broke with the Pirates in 1955 and was killed in a plane crash at the end of 1972. He was travelling to Nicaragua to deliver supplies for the victims of a terrible earthquake.
Clemente won 3 batting titles and left the game with 3,000 hits and a .317 career average,
On this day in 1956, Clemente hit the only walk off inside-the-park grand slam in the history of Major League Baseball.
According to news reports, the fans at Forbes Field went crazy. No one had ever seen this before or since.
Amazing Clemente!
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
"Brief encounter" is intense but very nice
It is the story of a married woman who meets a doctor at a train station. It's a chance meeting and they begin to see each other. She is Celia Johnson and he is Trevor Howard.
I had no idea that the movie is considered a romantic classic.
Also, the movie's soundtrack is fabulous, or Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto exquisitely dropped in at different moments of the story.
Very nice movie. What happened to the married woman and the doctor? Watch the movie and find out!
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
1978: Rose reached # 38 on the way to 44!
Pete Rose’s streak made it 38 games on this day in 1978. He got 3 hits off Craig Swan of the Mets.
The streak started on June 14 and turned into the second longest in major league history. The streak was a huge national story with hundreds of reporters following Pete & the Reds from game to game.
1978 also turned out to be his last year with the Reds: .302 average, 198 hits and 51 doubles. He signed a huge free agent contract with the Phillies and led them to a World Series victory in 1980. He also won two titles with the Reds in 1975 & 1976.
Last, but not least, Pete got his 3000th hit that year, too. The pitcher was Steve Rogers of the Expos.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
The streak started on June 14 and turned into the second longest in major league history. The streak was a huge national story with hundreds of reporters following Pete & the Reds from game to game.
1978 also turned out to be his last year with the Reds: .302 average, 198 hits and 51 doubles. He signed a huge free agent contract with the Phillies and led them to a World Series victory in 1980. He also won two titles with the Reds in 1975 & 1976.
Last, but not least, Pete got his 3000th hit that year, too. The pitcher was Steve Rogers of the Expos.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 1965: Dylan from acoustic to electric guitar
On this day in 1965, Dylan put down the acoustic and played an electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival.
Maybe we can say that Dylan moved rock and folk music closer together by going electric.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.Maybe we can say that Dylan moved rock and folk music closer together by going electric.
“Like a rolling stone” and “Queen Jane approximately“, from the LP “Highway 61 Revisited“, were early examples of Dylan going electric.
At about the same time, The Byrds released their electric version of “Mr. Tambourine Man“. The group's LP also included “All I really want to do“, another Dylan song.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Kamala you have some ‘splainin’ to do
Kamala you have some ‘splainin’ to do: Maybe a reporter will ask VP Harris about the 25th Amendment and President Biden. After all, all we’ve heard about the ailing president is a phone call and a memo retiring from the election. Is it too much to ask about the president...
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Kamala you have some ‘splainin’ to do - American Thinker https://t.co/g2mBBGxocF
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 24, 2024
We remember Willie Davis (1934-2020)
We remember Willie Davis who was born in Louisiana on this day in 1934.
As a teenager growing up in Wisconsin, I had to learn about pro football.
We did not play it in Cuba. Nevertheless, I fell in love with the Green Bay Packers, the dream team of the pre-Super Bowl days.
Before the Steelers, 49ers and Patriots won Super Bowls, the Packers won a bunch of NFL titles.
They had a great coach in Vince Lombardi, a great QB in Bart Starr and a great running back in Jim Taylor. The Pack even had great rookies, like Donny Anderson and Jim Grabowski. I remember Leroy Williams, who used to run back kickoffs. He ran one back for almost 100 yards against the Rams!
What a great team. It was easy to fall in love with a team like the Packers.
Willie Davis was also on those teams and a great fan favorite. After football, Davis became a successful businessman, author and speaker.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 1983 and the pine tar incident at Yankee Stadium
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Who remembers that July 1983 afternoon in the old Yankee Stadium when George Brett’s game-winning run ran into a pine tar argument?
We didn’t have the internet, and most people still read the sports pages to get the latest news.
Back in July 1983, I was working in Mexico and on the phone with a colleague from New York City. As we finished our business call, he teased me by saying to catch the sports highlights about the Yankees-Royals game that afternoon. He had watched the game in the office on local TV.
So I made it a point to catch the sports news and couldn’t believe what I was watching. This is how the legendary Murray Chass reported it in The New York Times:
Baseball games often end with home runs, but until today the team that hit the home run always won. At Yankee Stadium today, the team that hit the home run lost. If that unusual development produced a sticky situation, blame it on pine tar. With two out in the ninth inning, George Brett of the Kansas City Royals hit a two-run home run against Rich Gossage that for several minutes gave the Royals a 5‚4 lead over the Yankees. But Brett was called out by the umpires for using an illegal bat — one with an excessive amount of pine tar. The ruling, after a protest by Billy Martin, the Yankees’ manager, enabled the Yankees to wind up with a 4‚3 victory.
What followed was one of the greatest arguments in baseball history. Brett ran from the dugout and nearly (but thankfully didn’t) killed the umpire. Benches emptied, and there were arguments all around home plate. Last, but not least, the umpires ruled by placing the bat across home plate and determining that there was too much pine tar.
The league reversed the umpires, and the two teams returned to New York to literally play the rest of the game. K.C. won.
The “pine tar” game was the last chapter in the Yankees-Royals rivalry. It started with very intense postseason series that saw New York beat Kansas City in 1976, 1977, and 1978. K.C. finally beat N.Y. in 1980, and most of the players were still around when the “pine tar game” happened in 1983. And as they say, these two teams did not like each other.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather hear about pine tar than all of these political messages in sports.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 24, 1959: The Nixon Khrushchev kitchen debates
They both got their chance on this day in 1959, or the famous kitchen debates.
Who won? They probably both did. This is a portion of the conversation, because it was not really a debate:
Nixon: "I want to show you this kitchen. It is like those of our houses in California."
Khrushchev: "We have such things."
Nixon: "This is our newest model. This is the kind which is built in thousands of units for direct installations in the houses. In America, we like to make life easier for women..."
Khrushchev: "Your capitalistic attitude toward women does not occur under communism."
Nixon: "I think that this attitude towards women is universal. What we want to do, is make life more easy for our housewives. ... This house can be bought for $14,000 and most American [veterans from World War II] can buy a home in the bracket of $10,000 to $15,000. Let me give you an example that you can appreciate. Our steel workers, as you know, are now on strike. But any steelworker could buy this house. They earn $3 an hour. This house costs about $100 a month to buy on a contract running 25 to 30 years."
Khrushchev: "We have steel workers and peasants who can afford to spend $14,000 for a house. Your American houses are built to last only 20 years so builders could sell new houses at the end. We build firmly. We build for our children and grandchildren."
Nixon: "American houses last for more than 20 years, but, even so, after 20 years many Americans want a new house or a new kitchen. Their kitchen is obsolete by that time. ... The American system is designed to take advantage of new inventions and new techniques."
Khrushchev: "This theory does not hold water. Some things never get out of date — houses, for instance, and furniture. Furnishings, perhaps — but not houses. I have read much about America and American houses, and I do not think that this exhibit and what you say is strictly accurate."
Nixon: "Well, umm..."
Khrushchev: "I hope I have not insulted you."
Nixon: "I have been insulted by experts. Everything we say [on the other hand] is in good humor. Always speak frankly."
It went on a bit longer, and on TV, to say the least. The comments about women are interesting so many years later. Both men got their shots, but the Soviet leader never got to see Disneyland. Mr. Khrushchev was barred from pre-woke Disneyland, and he was furious.
What's amazing is that Cuba and Vietnam were not brought up, or at least I could not find any evidence that they were. In other words, the issue that almost started a nuclear war and the war that divided the U.S. were not on the agenda. Maybe neither man thought they were important.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
She’s always Kamala to me
She’s always Kamala to me: It’s official now and VP Kamala Harris is heading to Chicago to pick up the nomination. We will follow her trip and see if the vice president can persuade Democrats that she is the one to beat President Trump. Some have doubts.
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She’s always Kamala to me - American Thinker https://t.co/ASEPbFg5nG
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 23, 2024
July 23, 1960: The all-Cuban triple play in baseball
A little baseball history to distract us from the horrific stories coming out of Cuba.
On July 23, 1960, 3 Cubans playing for the Washington Senators made baseball history. They were involved in the only Cuban to Cuban to Cuban triple play. I’m sure that it is the only “all latino” triple play too. I couldn’t find any other example of 3 latinos turning a triple play.
The 3 players were pitcher Pedro Ramos, shortstop Jose Valdivielso and first baseman Julio Becquer. Whitey Herzog, future manager with the Kansas City Royals and St Louis Cardinals, hit the ball back to Ramos, who went to first and then second.
A little more about the game. The Senators became the Minnesota Twins in 1961. The Kansas City A’s moved to Oakland in 1968.
Ramos won 117 games but pitched for very bad teams. I wrote a post about him earlier when he turned 80. Becquer had a fine glove but hit only .244 with the Senators and later the Twins. Valdivielso hit .219 and was primarily a part-time player.
Another Cuban, Camilo Pascual, watched the proceedings from the dugout.
My thanks to Fernando Hernandez, author of “The Cubans” for bringing this to my attention. By the way, his book is full of stories of Cubans in the US, from Celia Cruz to Desi Arnaz to lots of other less known Cubans who left their footprints.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 23, 1964: Campy's super debut in the big leagues
On this day in 1964, A's rookie Bert Campaneris hit 2 home runs in his Major League debut.
This is how SABR remembered the day:
After an overnight plane trip, he arrived in Minneapolis the next day two hours before the start of the A’s game against the Twins, and had an unforgettable major-league debut. Playing shortstop and batting second, he sent a pitch by the Twins’ Jim Kaat over the left-field fence in his first at-bat. In the seventh inning he hit another home run. He turned in a brilliant defensive play, singled, and stole a base in the A’s 11 inning victory. Campaneris became the second major leaguer to hit two home runs in a debut game, after the St. Louis Browns’ Bob Nieman, who did it in 1951.Campy became one of the best players in the AL and a key component of the A's who won the World Series in 1972, 1973 & 1974.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
July 23, 2009: Mark Buehrle and the perfect game
Mark Buehrle was an outstanding pitcher: 214 wins & 3.81 ERA.
He threw a no-hitter against a very tough Texas lineup in 2007.
Back in July 2009, he threw a perfect game against the very good TB Rays.
Every perfect game has its moments. (In 1994, I remember watching Rusty Greer saving Kenny Rogers' perfect game with a diving catch!)
Around the 7th inning, one of the Rays hit a shot down the left field line. It was foul by an inch!
In the 9th inning, Dewayne Wise made one of the greatest catches in major league history.
How in the world did this guy catch-up with the line drive, jump over the fence and hold on to the ball?
Congratulations to Mark Burhle for pitching the 18th perfect game in MLB history on this day in 2009.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
We remember Pee Wee Reese (1918-1999)
Pee Wee Reese hit .269 with 2,170 career hits & 1,338 runs scored. He missed 3 full seasons to military service.
Reese's greatest contribution was his leadership in bringing Jackie Robinson along as the first black player in major league baseball. In 1947, Pee Wee embraced Jackie in front of Cincinnati fans who were yelling obscenities at him. It showed everyone that Pee Wee was also a great player and a man of character.
Reese was inducted to The Hall of Fame in 1984 and died in 1999.
By the way, one of the greatest books about those legendary Brooklyn Dodgers is "Wait till next year" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Monday, July 22, 2024
Claudia is a feminist
Claudia is a feminist: Up here we may have VP Kamala Harris but down in Mexico they've gone full feminist girl, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. As she said, she is a feminist on a mission. Check this out:
México’s president-elect, Claudia...
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Claudia is a feminist - American Thinker https://t.co/shuxTDDbJ4
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 22, 2024
Happy # 81 Bobby Sherman
Between 1969 and 1972, Bobby Sherman sold millions and millions of records. As I recall, he was on the radio, TV and maybe a movie as well.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Looking like a five-run lead
Looking like a five-run lead: The late Earl Weaver, Hall of Fame manager of the Orioles, once told a journalist that he loved five-run leads.
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Looking like a five-run lead - American Thinker https://t.co/b0eRILEOHI
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 21, 2024
Happy # 76 Cat Stevens
We remember Cat Stevens who was born in London on this day in 1948.
I lost track of his career in the 1980's but do recall some of his 1970's hits: "Morning Has Broken", "Peace Train" and "Moonshadow".
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
We remember Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)
We remember a great American novelist. He wrote many poems, short stories and books.
Ernest Hemingway was born in Illinois. Along the way, he lived in Spain and Cuba. In 1961, Hemingway committed suicide.
His time in Cuba in the late 1950's and experiences during the Spanish Civil War inspired two of his greatest novels.
Ernest Hemingway was born in Illinois. Along the way, he lived in Spain and Cuba. In 1961, Hemingway committed suicide.
His time in Cuba in the late 1950's and experiences during the Spanish Civil War inspired two of his greatest novels.
We remember Mike Hegan (1942-2013)
James Michael Hegan was born in Cleveland on this day in 1942. His father, Jim Hegan, was an All Star major league catcher with the Indians.
Jim was a high school baseball star at St. Ignatius and accepted a baseball scholarship to play at Worcester. In 1961, he was offered contracts by 15 teams and signed with the New York Yankees. (I should add that this is before the draft or the rules in place today.)
Mike broke with the Yankees in September 1964 and was added to the World Series roster. Mike is the only player to score a post-season run before getting his major league hit.
Hegan spent the new few seasons between the majors and the minors. In 1968, Jim was added to the Seattle Pilots expansion roster.
He blasted the Pilots’ first HR in game one of the 1969 season, hit .292 and was elected to the AL All Star team.
In 1970, the Pilots became the Milwaukee Brewers and Jim became the regular first baseman. He was a very popular player but was traded to the A’s in 1971 and played in the post season again.
After baseball, Jim moved into the TV booth and worked for Milwaukee and later Cleveland. My guess is that most fans in those cities remember Jim the broadcaster more than the player.
Hegan died in 2013. P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
2009: Let's talk with Bill Katz about Apollo 11
July 22, 2009:
Guest: Bill Katz of Urgent Agenda. In our roundtable, we will talk with Alberto de la Cruz (Babalu blog) about his article on the Honduras situation. Adryana Boyne will tell us about her recent speech to a local Republican group.
P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Saturday, July 20, 2024
A look back at the GOP convention with George Rodriguez
A look back at the GOP convention with George Rodriguez
Let the delegates decide
Let the delegates decide: The GOP convention is over and it's on to Chicago. What will Democrats do if President Biden steps aside? I don't know, but I would like to see the delegates decide. This is from the Chicago Tribune:
At the very least, the DNC owes ...
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Let the delegates decide - American Thinker https://t.co/8XaYpcLD4d
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) July 20, 2024
Happy # 86 Tony Oliva
We say happy birthday to Hall of Famer Tony Oliva who was born in Pinar del Rio on this day in 1938.
Tony was quite a player:
a) He won 3 American League batting titles and led the American League in hits five times and in doubles four times;
b) He earned one Gold Glove, in 1966, and was named The Sporting News AL Player of the year twice (1965, '71); and,
c) Oliva hit over .300 six times in over 11 full seasons and .285 or better 10 times, never finishing below .270.
Unfortunately, injuries cut short his career in the 1970's.
Nevertheless, Oliva finished with a .304 average, 1917 hits, 220 Hrs & 947 RBI.
What if he had played 2,500 games rather than 1,676? The answer is 3,000 hits and probably one or two more batting titles.
One of the greatest Cuban players in major league history!
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Happy # 77 Carlos Santana
Happy birthday to Carlos Santana, who was born in Mexico on this day in 1947 and a man who has survived several musical seasons........from the late 1960's to the present, Santana has been a major force on the radio......my favorite album is still "Abraxas" from 1970 and the amazing "Black magic woman".
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
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