Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Wednesday’s video: A chat with George Rodriguez about Runoffs and vouchers

Wednesday's podcast: The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda

 Wednesday's podcast:    

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

No robots, please

No robots, please: Like any baseball fan, I've had my share of bad calls over the years. The current replay system is working well confirming or reversing a bad call. The next step is to use robots to call balls and strikes. Count me out on that. I want that man..
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1848: Wisconsin joined the Union


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Wisconsin joined the Union on this day in 1848.    It was state # 30 on the way to 50!
Our family lived in Wisconsin when we came to the US.   It was a wonderful place and I still have great memories of friends and places in Wisconsin.    

In fact, I wrote a book about it.
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1989: Mike Schmidt retired


  

(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.)

Mike Schmidt closed the books on a great career with the Phillies on this day in 1989.   He was one of the very best third basemen in baseball history. 

His 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.   
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:



We remember Gary Brooker (1945-2022)


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We remember Gary Brooker, vocalist and keyboardist for Procol Harum.   He was born in the UK on this day in 1945 and died in 2022.

Back in 1967, the band scored a worldwide hit:  "A whiter shade of pale".  

It is still one of the most popular songs on oldies radio.      

 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 1813: Jefferson and Adams started their historic correspondence





Who were these two men?   John Adams (the second president) and Thomas Jefferson (the third president).  They were partners in The Declaration of Independence and the formation of the new nation.  

Adams was the first VP serving two terms under President Washington.  He was elected to his own term after Washington retired to Mt. Vernon.  On the other hand, Jefferson served in President Washington's first Cabinet and VP under President Adams.

In 1800, Jefferson defeated the incumbent Adams in a very bitter presidential election.  As a result, the two men did not speak to each other again.  As I understand it, outgoing President Adams left town and did not go to his successor's inauguration.

President Jefferson served two terms and retired to Monticello in 1809.

Jefferson broke the ice and wrote to his old colleague.  Over the next 10 years, the two men wrote each other many letters and restored their friendship.  The letters were great insight into their lives and the new republic.

Incredibly, the two men died on July 4, 1826 or the 50th anniversary of The Declaration of Independence.

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 Bob Hope (1903-2003)

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Did you know that Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in England?   I didn’t until researching this post.   

He was born on this day in 1903 and lived 100 years plus 2 months!

Hope’s family moved to the US when he was 4 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.   The Hopes passed through Ellis Island in 1908.

Hope started on the radio in the 1920's and gradually made it to movies.   Later in life, he’d visit US troops every year at Christmas.    

Very funny guy.

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A word about Beverly Eckert (1951-2009)



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On 9-11, Beverly Eckert was one of the many ladies at home talking to their husbands at the collapsing World Trade Center or aboard one of those jets.

We came to love Beverly Eckert and all of the other 9-11 widows. They became part of our family!

We loved their courage and commitment to their heroic husbands.

We loved their grace and how they handled the terrible tragedy of 9-11.

Beverly Eckert was born on this day in 1951.  

She was killed in a Buffalo plane crash in 2009.     Beverly was on her way to Buffalo to attend a ceremony related to her husband at Canisius High School, a Jesuit school.   

What an amazing and sad story.

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 President John F. Kennedy (1917-63)




We remember President John F. Kennedy who was born in Massachusetts on this day in 1917.   

He won the 1960 election but was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.    

JFK's 34-month presidency saw the crisis in Cuba, the early days of Southeast Asia and the commitment to put a man in the moon by the end of decade.

The Kennedy presidency continues to be very popular as Professor Sabato wrote recently.

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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