Monday, May 20, 2024
Monday's podcast: The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda
Monday's podcast:
The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda....
Rough south of the border
Rough south of the border: Mexicans will be voting in a couple of weeks. It looks like Claudia Sheibaum of President Andres Lopez-Obrador’s party will win. She will make history as Mexico’s first woman president and then try to govern a country overwhelmed by….
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Rough south of the border - American Thinker https://t.co/6Pa2TUsKZC
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 20, 2024
Happy # 84 Jill Jackson (Paul & Paula)
They were Ray Hilderbrand and Jill Jackson who met in college in Brownwood, TX.
Ray was born in Joshua, TX, on December 12, 1940 and died in 2023. Jill was born in McCarney, TX, on May 20, 1940.
Eventually, they recorded the song and it was #1 in the US for the entire month of February 1963......a real pop classic!
They broke up a few years later and went on their separate ways. However, they do get together once in a while to sing "Hey Paula".
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.
May 20, 1902 and Cuba's independence
On this day in 1902, Cuba became an independent country.
I recall my grandmother's stories of celebrations, parties, Cuban flags hanging from windows and a general sense of happiness around the island. I should add that she was 10 and born when Cuba was still a Spanish colony.
Of course, independence did not fix Cuba's problems. The island went through several ups and downs, government changes and the communist takeover of 1959.
Cuba did enjoy a lot of success in the first half of the 20th century. The island nation achieved macro-economic success, from per capita income to literacy. Unfortunately, Cuba's political problems made it difficult for country to enjoy a stable political climate.
Maybe Cuba will eventually celebrate another independence day as a democratic country. We hope so!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) .
I recall my grandmother's stories of celebrations, parties, Cuban flags hanging from windows and a general sense of happiness around the island. I should add that she was 10 and born when Cuba was still a Spanish colony.
Of course, independence did not fix Cuba's problems. The island went through several ups and downs, government changes and the communist takeover of 1959.
Cuba did enjoy a lot of success in the first half of the 20th century. The island nation achieved macro-economic success, from per capita income to literacy. Unfortunately, Cuba's political problems made it difficult for country to enjoy a stable political climate.
Maybe Cuba will eventually celebrate another independence day as a democratic country. We hope so!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) .
1927 and "The Spirit of Louis took off
It was a rainy morning on May 20, 1927 but Charles Lindbergh took off to cross the Atlantic.
By the way, I love the movie with Jimmy Stewart playing the role of Lindbergh.
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 Bobby Murcer (1946-2008)
In 1971, Murcer hit .331 with 25 HR, 94 RBI's and played a great CF. He had other great years but 1971 was probably his best all around season. Murcer finished second to Tony Oliva in the batting race that year!
Bobby Murcer hit 252 career HRs with 1063 RBIs. He was a real fan favorite because of his personality and passion for the game.
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.
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 James Stewart (1908-1997)
Stewart became one of the greatest movie stars of the 20th, from "Winchester '73" to "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" to "The Spirit of St. Louis" and more.
He died in 1997. My favorite is "It's a wonderful life" because it is such an inspirational movie and holiday classic:
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.
1873: Levi Strauss, Jacob Davis and "blue jeans"
Another one of those 19th century American stories.
Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis joined forces in 1873 and created the work pants that we now call "blue jeans".
And so we have women wearing "blue jeans". Thank you Levi & Jacob!
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.
So Cher is 78 today?
She was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California in 1946. We know her as Cher.
In the 1960s, Cher and her husband Sonny, had a string of hits as Sonny & Cher.
The couple moved to TV in the 1970s and then Cher followed that with a very successful solo career.
We hope that she is enjoying another birthday. Frankly, a lot of us can not believe that time has flown by!
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.
Remembering how Robin Gibb & The Bee Gees sang for 50 years!
They started singing when they were kids. They had hit records in Australia when Barry was 17 and Robin & Maurice were 14.
They became international superstars in 1967 and dominated the charts with 6 consecutive # 1 songs, from "How deep is your love" in 1977 to "Love you inside out" in the summer of '79.
They also wrote and produced albums for Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Dionne Warwick & Diana Ross.
To my knowledge, The Bee Gees are the only group with a hit in 4 decades. They charted on the international charts from 1966 to Maurice's death in 2003.
Robin charted recently when he recorded a song remembering UK soldiers. He had some solo efforts in the 1980s such as "Juliet".
His last recording was "The Titanic Requiem", a music score that he wrote about the 100th anniversary of the Titanic. Robin was too ill to attend the premiere.
The brothers sold over 200 million records and the Gibb songbook is recognized all over the world. They leave a pop musical legacy second only to Lennon-McCartney.
Sunday, May 19, 2024
A chat with Richard Baehr, chief political correspondent, American Thinker
A chat with Richard Baehr, chief political correspondent, American Thinker
CANTO TALK: Our shows from last week
Click to hear our shows from last week.....
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.
Biden throws a ‘Hail Mary’
Biden throws a ‘Hail Mary’: Back in 1975, Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson to beat Minnesota, and the legend of the “Hail Mary” pass was born. (Honorable mention to Doug Flutie.)
A few days ago, President Biden called for debates, a move that has…..
Click to read:
Biden throws a ‘Hail Mary’ - American Thinker https://t.co/Pr4uj1W4zi
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 19, 2024
We remember Estela Raval (1935-2012)
As a young boy in Cuba, and later in the US, I remember hearing “Quiereme Siempre” on the radio.
Estela Raval was born May 19, 1935 in Argentina. She died on June 6, 2012. She was the lead vocalist of Los Cinco Latinos, a wonderful group from the 1950’s and 1960’s. They recorded many Spanish versions of The Platters’ hits, such as “Mi oracion” and other of their own hits like “Quiereme siempre“.
The Cinco Latinos had great harmonies plus Estela’s very elegant look.
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.
May 19, 1895: We remember Jose Marti
Jose Marti was killed on May 19, 1895. His death on the battlefield came after years of speeches, articles and contributions to the cause of Cuban independence from Spain.
His life was short but very consequential, from writing poetry to articles about Cuban independence to earning the title of "The Apostle of the Republic".
There will be remembrances of Marti’s death in Castro’s enslaved Cuba and among Cuban Americans living in the US.
My conviction is that Marti’s spirit of freedom for Cuba will be with those of us who want to end this totalitarian regime run by the Castro family.
His life was short but very consequential, from writing poetry to articles about Cuban independence to earning the title of "The Apostle of the Republic".
There will be remembrances of Marti’s death in Castro’s enslaved Cuba and among Cuban Americans living in the US.
My conviction is that Marti’s spirit of freedom for Cuba will be with those of us who want to end this totalitarian regime run by the Castro family.
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 # 79 Pete Townshend
We say happy birthday to Pete Townshend, who was born in London on this day in 1945.
According to his biography, Pete got into rock when "Rock around the clock" hit the radio in 1956. Eventually, he joined The Who, one of the super bands of rock history.
My favorites are "Happy Jack" and "Pinball wizard".
The Who: 50 Years.......... https://t.co/q4RY9gntnq via @amazon— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) May 19, 2018
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Saturday’s podcast: DOJ vs House over audio, Banana republic justice in NY & Harrison Kutcker
DOJ vs House over audio....Banana republic justice in NY City, Harrison Kutcker speech plus more stories..
Friday's podcast: A chat with Mailyn Salabarria
Guest: Mailyn Salabarria, born in Cuba, has been a relentless advocate of individual natural rights, the proper role of government and why it is important that we do not take our freedom for granted. As the proverbial child of the state, and a product of communist controlled schools in Cuba, she is passionate about educational freedom, transparency and parental rights.....
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Thursday's podcast: CNN and the debate, The Hur report, Mayor Adams and swimmers plus more stories
Thursday's podcast:
CNN and the debate, The Hur report, Mayor Adams and swimmers plus more stories...
Wednesday's podcast: The big debate, Mayor Adams and swimmers, Hunger-strikers & more
Wednesday's podcast:
The big debate, Mayor Adams and swimmers, Hunger-strikers & more....
Tuesday's podcast: Biden's bad polls, 1980 & 2024, Frank Sinatra 1998 plus more stories
Tuesday's podcast:
Biden's bad polls, 1980 & 2024, Frank Sinatra 1998 plus more stories.....
Monday's podcast: The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda
Monday's podcast:
The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda...
We wanna hear you, Joe
We wanna hear you, Joe: We learned weeks ago from Special Counsel Robert Hur that President Biden, to be charitable, is an old man with a bad memory. Therefore, Mr. Hur decided not to indict the President because the jury might learn that the man with the last word on using...
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— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 18, 2024
We remember Brooks Robinson. (1937-2023)
We remember Brooks Robinson, who was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on this day in 1937. He died in 2023.
Brooks Robinson broke with the Orioles in 1957 and played his entire career in Baltimore. I attended Brooks Robinson Day at Memorial Stadium in September 1977. Along the way, he played in 4 World Series, 6 ALCS, earned the 1964 AL MVP and won an astonishing 16 consecutive gold gloves for his work as a third baseman. His play in the 1970 World Series earned him the series MVP.
In 1957-58, Robinson played second base with Cienfuegos hitting .207 with 9 homeruns. As my late father used to say, many young players went to Cuba as a stepping stone to making the major league roster.
Overall, he hit .267 with 2,848 hits, 268 HR & 1,367 RBI. Brooks had a reputation for being a great clutch hitter. In his prime, he could hit a HR, a double or make a great play at third.
Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 and continues to be one of the most popular players of all time.
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 # 78 Reggie Jackson
We say happy birthday to Reggie Jackson, who was born in Pennsylvania on this day in 1946.
Jackson came up with the A's in 1967 and put together quite a career: 561 HR, 1,701 RBI, AL MVP 1973, 18 HR in 77 post-season games and 3 HR in game 6 of the 1977 World Series.
Jackson was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1993.
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 # 72 George Strait
We say happy birthday to George Strait, the modern king of country.
He's sold over 100 million records and hit the # 1 spot 60 times.
His farewell concert in Dallas drew over 100,000 fans!
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.
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on this day in 1920
John Paul II was born on this day in 1920 and died in 2005. He was born Karol Józef Wojtyła in Wadowice, Poland.
John Paul II was a unique man. He was in the forefront of fighting the three great evils of the last 100 years.
First, young Karol fought Hitler’s Germany and saw some of his Jewish friends captured and subsequently tortured by the Naxis. Dr. Andrew Swafford recalls the challenges of growing up in a land occupied by Hitler’s Army:
In 1935, a Polish tailor named Jan Tyranowski heard a homily where the priest said, “It’s not difficult to be a saint.” For whatever reason, this line moved Tyranowski — and in God’s providence, prepared him to contribute in a momentous way to the dramatic and tragic history of the twentieth century. George Weigel notes that by the outset of World War II, Tyranowski was “living a daily schedule of prayer and meditation more strict than that observed by many religious orders.” Little did he know what (or who) was right around the corner — little did he know what God was preparing him for.With priests being rounded up in Poland by the Nazis, the formation of the youth had to pass into different hands. Tyranowski created the “Living Rosary,” groups of fifteen young men, each led by a more mature young man.Each of the group leaders would be personally mentored by Tyranowski; one such leader was the young Karol Wojtyla, who met Tryanowski in 1940.It was Tyranowski who introduced Wojtyla to the writings of St. John of the Cross — which eventually became the subject of Wojtyla’s first doctoral dissertation.By 1943, the Living Rosary involved some sixty young men — ten of whom eventually became priests! As Weigel recounts, “For the young Karol Wojtyla and his friends in the first Living Rosary groups, Tyranowski represented a unique lay combination of personal holiness and apostolic zeal, a kind of life ‘that was completely unknown to us before.’”Indeed, one man can make a difference — even in the midst of the Nazi occupation!
Second, as a priest he fought communism. Often, he challenged the Polish communists and put his life in danger. He understood that communism was a secular philosophy that violated human dignity.
As a Pope, he fought against the culture of death. He was a strong critic of abortion and moral relativism.
John Paul II was one of the great men of of the last 100 years. This is why we still remember him many years after his death in 2005. This is a great biography.
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 Perry Como (1912-2001)
We remember Pierino Como who was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, on this day in 1912. We knew him as Perry Como, one of the most successful male 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.
2004: Randy Johnson's perfect game
On this day in 2004, Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game. According to Robby Hammock, who caught the game, the whole team sensed it right away.
Great night for the Hall of Famer.
Johnson's 4,875 K's rank behind Ryan’s 5,714 K's. He finished his career with 10.61 K's per 9 innings, # 1 all time. Overall, 303 wins & 3.29 career ERA.
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.
May 18, 1860: Lincoln nominated by the GOP
The GOP nominated Abraham Lincoln on this day in 1860, He was selected in the 3rd ballot of what we would call today a very contested convention.
Of course, Lincoln went on to win the general election in a four-way race. Seven southern states seceded when he was inaugurated in March 1861.
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 Nicholas II (1868-1918)
He was the last Russian emperor (1894–1917). In 1918, he and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks.
No matter how you feel about Nicholas, there was no excuse for the brutal execution of his wife and children.
In the 1970's, there was a wonderful movie "Nicholas and Alexandra". It was great.
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.
Friday, May 17, 2024
Come Mister Alvin, tally me banana
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Come Mister Alvin, tally me banana - American Thinker https://t.co/Ra6uchvDdh
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 17, 2024
We remember Cool Papa Bell (1903-1991)
(You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.)James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell was born on May 17. 1903 and played his entire career in the Negro Leagues.
He was one of the fastest men ever to play baseball. Satchel Paige once said this about him:
Like many Negro League stars, he played in Mexico and Cuba.
Bell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 when many of the Negro League greats were added.
He was one of the fastest men ever to play baseball. Satchel Paige once said this about him:
He was part of the greatest Negro League teams. Bell won many championships with the St Louis Stars, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, and the Homestead Grays. The 1935 Crawfords featured five future Hall-of-Famers: Bell, Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson and Satchel Paige.“One Time he hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit him sliding into second.”
Like many Negro League stars, he played in Mexico and Cuba.
Bell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 when many of the Negro League greats were added.
We remember Maureen O’Sullivan (1911-1998)
In 1932, Maureen played "Jane" in a "Tarzan" movie along Olympic medal winner Johnny Weissmuller. It was a smash and several more movies followed.
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.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Great shortstops and now swimmers?
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Great shortstops and now swimmers? - American Thinker https://t.co/qo7Q3OOAHa
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 16, 2024
1966: “Pet sounds” released by The Beach Boys
(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.)Once in a while, you need to get away from current events and check out some good music.
How about listening to The Beach Boys' “Pet Sounds”, released on this day in 1966?
How about listening to The Beach Boys' “Pet Sounds”, released on this day in 1966?
It ranks as one of the best albums in rock history. (In fact, it is ranked #2 in Rolling Stone’s Top 500 rock albums!)
“Pet Sounds” was way ahead of its time. It included songs and arrangements that defined Brian Wilson’s awesome talents and skills. My favorite is a tie between "God only knows" and "Wouldn't it be nice".
The Beach Boys were Brian Wilson (bass and vocals) and his brothers Carl (guitar & vocals) & Dennis (drums). The other members were Mike Love (vocals) and Al Jardine (guitar). Bruce Johnston also sang vocals in this album.
Most pop albums do not get better with age. In fact, they usually end up in a basement box or closet!
“Pet Sounds” gets better and better with age. It is not your usual 1960's LP, or a couple of hit singles and less memorable tracks thrown together to release an album.
Get a copy, put it in your CD player and you will see what I mean. Or better than that, check it out in a digital format.
Happy # 69 Jack Morris
(You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.)
Morris came up with Detroit in 1977. He won 17 in 1979 and his career really took off after that.
Overall, he was a workhorse: 254 wins, 3.90 ERA and 179 Complete Games.
He pitched 2 complete games in the 1984 World Series when Detroit beat San Diego.
We remember him for pitching a classic 1-0 10-inning shutout for Minnesota in game 7 of the 1991 World Series.
He came back and helped Toronto win it all in 1992.
A great pitcher, specially in the post-season: 7-4 and 5 complete games.
A workhorse of a pitcher! One of my favorites!
Morris was inducted into The Hall of Fame in 2018.
May 1965: "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" by Herman's Hermits was # 1 this week and the story of my sister's canary
They had a long list of hits in US radio, from "Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter" to "There's kind of hush".
My sister was one of their biggest fans with pictures and photos of Peter Noone on her bedroom wall. In 1968, our parents gave her a canary and she named him "Herman".
She was very fond of Herman The Canary and all of the band's tunes. Unfortunately, Herman collapsed one day and that was it!
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
2024 like 1980?
Click to read:
2024 like 1980? - American Thinker https://t.co/ZV9n6QdWvt
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) May 15, 2024
We remember Trini Lopez (1937-2020)
Trini Lopez was born in Dallas in 1937 and died apparently of COVID in 2020. We should add that Trini had been sick for some time. He became a very popular singer in the 1960’s. One of his best songs was “If I had a hammer”, a # 3 song from 1963.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.
May 15, 1973: The first of Nolan Ryan's 7 no-hitters!
Ryan threw another in July 1973 against the Twins, the Tigers in 1974 and then Orioles in 1975. He threw #5 against the Dodgers in 1981, #6 against the A's in 1990 and #7 against the Blue Jays in 1991.
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.