Wednesday, September 11, 2024

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

 


Wednesday's video: A word about the debate plus more stories

Will Claudia stand by her man AMLO?

 It won't come up in the debate, but it's an issue that matters. In other words, the outgoing President Andres Lopez-Obrador of Mexico has stuck his successor with "judicial reforms" that may hurt the economy. Let's get an update via Pulse News Mexico:

According to new reports from U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Mexico’s National Auto Parts Industry (INA), many global firms who were seeking to invest and expand into Mexico have now put their plans on pause due to the potential economic and regulatory impact of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (AMLO) controversial judicial reform.

The reform, which proposes the popular election of Mexico’s federal judges and magistrates, passed through the Chamber of Deputies last week and is expected to be voted on in the Mexican Senate on Tuesday, Sep. 7.    The WSJ report revealed that U.S. enterprises alone have suspended approximately $35 billion in economic investment in Mexico due to the proposed changes to the judiciary.

Sorry, incoming president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, but you are stuck with AMLO's policies. Also, the new President will have to deal with the consequences of explaining to investors that their concerns are not valid.

So who wins?  That's the "64,000 peso" question like my late mother used to say. The new President will have to decide whether $35 billion should come to Mexico or go somewhere else.

Last but not least, President Trump is probably going to invite those companies to bring those investments to the U.S. where we don't vote for judges in the Supreme Court.

It's a nightmare in waiting. We will see how long the incoming president will stand by her man AMLO.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.



 

Tom Landry (1924-2000) great coach and WW2 hero


Pin on Celebrity & Famous Veterans in Uniform
(My new American Thinker post)

The NFL season starts today, and many of us will be watching Tom Brady and the Bucs play the Cowboys on Sunday night.  I understand that they played a game on Thursday, but I can't get used to that yet.  Maybe I will eventually, but I still think of Sunday as pro football day.

It's also September 11, and talking about heroes is a good thing today.  We remember a big hero named Coach Tom Landry, who was born in Mission, Texas on this day in 1924.

On the field, Tom Landry's numbers were second to none.  Landry led the Cowboys to five Super Bowls and won two.  He coached his last Cowboys game in 1988, but he is still a legend around here.  If you travel from Dallas to Ft. Worth, you will be on Tom Landry Highway, or the portion of I-30 that connects both cities.  I know of one school named after him in the area and a new stadium in his hometown.

However, most people don't know about his military service in World War II.  He flew 30 missions as a B-17 pilot with the U.S. Air Force

Tom was inspired to join the armed forces in honor of his brother, Robert. Robert Landry had enlisted in the Army Air Corps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. While ferrying a B-17 over to England, Robert Landry's plane had gone down over the North Atlantic, close to Iceland. It was several weeks before the Army would be able to officially declare Robert Landry dead. 

Tom Landry began his basic training at Sheppard Field in Witchita Falls, and his pre-flight training would begin at Kelly Field, located near San Antonio, Texas. 

Tom's first experience as a bomber was a tough one. A few minutes after take off, Landry realized that the pilot seemed to be working furiously, and it was then that Landry had realized that the plane's engine had died. Despite this experience, Landry was committed to flying. 

At the tender age of nineteen, Landry was transferred to Sioux City, Iowa, where he training as a co-pilot for flying a B-17 had begun. In 1944, Landry got his orders, and from Sioux City he went to Liverpool, England, where he was assigned to the Eighth Air Force, 493rd Squadron in Ipswich. Landry earned his wings and a commission as a Second Lieutenant at Lubbock Army Air Field, and was assigned to the 493d Bombardment Group at RAF Debach, England, as a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber co-pilot in the 860th Bombardment Squadron. 

From November 1944 to April 1945, he completed a combat tour of 30 missions, and survived a crash landing in Belgium after his bomber ran out of fuel."

Wonder how many people knew that story of service and valor?  I did not.  It was not until he became gravely ill that I read about his life and realized that this man Landry was a war hero as well as a famous coach.  Maybe this is why he handled adversity so well.  I guess that you would if you were flying one of those B-17s and fighting to survive every minute.

Landry died from leukemia in 2000. 





Our # 2 son remembers 9-11 and 7th grade

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  We mark another anniversary of 9/11, the most significant day of our generation.
My biggest “9/11 morning memory” was thinking about my wife, three sons in school and everybody else in the family.
I remember watching the second plane hit the tower around 8 A.M. central time.  It was absolutely stunning to watch two passenger planes hit the World Trade Center.  By the way, I had been in those building for business calls several times.  I recall the stunning views from an office in one of the upper floors.
A few minutes later, my wife walked in from taking the boys to school.
I told my wife that something bad was happening and that we should be prepared for picking up the kids in school at a moment’s  notice.
Like most fathers, I was concerned that there were other attacks pending and specially in a major city like Dallas.  We have lots of tall buildings and a nuclear plant in the area.
It was a very scary day and one that brought a lot of families together.  It certainly made us appreciate each other and the value of human life.
My worst memory of that day was watching people jump to their deaths.  It was heartbreaking to watch human beings choose between jumping from the 90th floor or burning to death.  
9/11…. it seems like it was just yesterday!
Last but not least, we were very lucky that day that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were at the helm.  I believe that their reaction and commitment to defending the homeland were superb.
Our # 2 son, Gabriel, remembers 9-11 and being in 7th grade.  





We remember Jackie Hernández (1940-2019)


Image result for jackie hernandez pirates images

We remember Jackie Hernández (Jacinto Hernández Zulueta) who was born in Central Tinguaro, Matanzas Cuba, on this day in 1940.

Jackie broke with the Angels in 1965. He played 9 seasons and hit .208 over 618 games. His best season was 1969 when he played 145 games with the expansion Royals. Jackie played for the Pirates in all 7 games of the 1971 World Series.

On September 1, 1971, Jackie made history as one of the 8 black position players who took the field for the Pirates.

After the majors, Jackie played in Mexico and died in Miami in 2019.

George from Matanzas died on 9-11



Powerful photos from the 9/11 attacks that Americans will never forget -  Business Insider
George Merino from Matanzas came to the US from Cuba when he was 7. He married Olga, a Cubanita, and they lived in New York with their two daughters.  
Merino worked for Fiduciary Trust as a securities analyst. His job took him daily to the 90th floor of Tower Two of The World Trade Center.


9‐11 plus 15, and North Korea said ‘yes we can’

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During the Bush-Cheney years, we were constantly reminded that the bad guys were on a mission to destroy us.  President Bush would often speak of the threat and remind us that it was long-term and very dangerous.    
President Obama changed the tone.  He lowered the volume and did not constantly speak of the threats.  I’m not saying he does not care, but the intensity is missing.
It’s 9-11 plus 15, and I feel very unsafe.  Put a map of the world on the wall, and there are red lights everywhere.    
The latest is North Korea.  It’s nice for President Obama to call the test dangerous, but that’s not going to do much to stop the next test.
The Washington Post has a good message for President Obama:  
Western analysts used to dismiss North Korea’s tests as political stunts, meant to impress the domestic audience, capture international attention and leverage aid. Though the latest detonation came on a national holiday, that explanation is looking implausible. As it has frequently said publicly, the regime now aims to be recognized as a nuclear power and to acquire the ability to deter not just South Korea and Japan, but also the United States.
President Obama reiterated Friday that “the United States does not, and never will, accept North Korea as a nuclear state.” 
But Mr. Obama has failed to take the North Korean buildup seriously enough. For years, his administration pursued a policy of “strategic patience,” which mostly consisted of ignoring North Korea while mildly cajoling China to put more pressure on the regime. 
In February, Mr. Obama signed into law a bill pushed by congressional Republicans that gave him broad new powers to sanction North Korea and cut off its economic lifelines. The next month, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on the regime, including limits on its trade.
However, China has not aggressively implemented the U.N. sanctions — and Mr. Obama has not used the powers Congress gave him. As The Post’s Anna Fifield recently reported, customs data shows that China’s trade with North Korea in June was almost 10 percent higher than the previous year, in spite of the sanctions. Though the White House has issued executive orders sanctioning Mr. Kim and other senior leaders, congressional leaders point out that it has yet to penalize any Chinese companies or banks for continuing to do business with the regime.
Quick translation: Get serious, Mr. President.  It may be that young Kim is crazy, but a head case with nuclear weapons is beyond dangerous.    
My guess is that President Obama will punt on this one and leave another problem for his successor.   
On this one, Mr. Trump has a point about bringing China into the mix.  The Chinese can stop Kim in a heartbeat.  They could take him out or just squeeze him to death.  We need more from China than a statement like this:
China, Pyongyang’s only major ally, has said it will lodge a diplomatic protest with North Korea’s embassy over the nuclear test. 
State news agency Xinhua released a commentary on the explosion on Friday, saying North Korea had “dealt yet another heavy blow to the foundation of regional security, its own security included”.
China had earlier said it was “strongly opposed” to the test. 
Am I the only one who finds the Chinese statement silly?   
Imagine that your neighbor’s dog comes over and bites your kid.  Your neighbor calls you on the phone and says he is very disappointed and will take it up at the next neighborhood association meeting.
China can do better than that, and I hope a President Trump makes that very clear!
It is hard to believe that a small nation in the Korean peninsula can be this dangerous or take up so much of our time.   
There are two lessons here for future presidents: 
1) Take them out when you can, as we had the opportunity in 1994 when the country was desperately looking for food.  In other words, don’t throw a lifesaver to anti-American thugs.  They will only use it to regain strength and make your life more miserable later.
2) Attach North Korea to our China relationship.  Make it clear to China that an attack by North Korea on any of our allies – Japan or South Korea, for example – would be an attack on the U.S., requiring a full military retaliation against China.
Again, it is incredible to me that a country with starving people could pose such a threat to world peace.  Let’s learn our lesson and not allow the next Kim to get his hands on a weapon.
Thank you, President Bush, for understanding that much about Saddam Hussein.

9-11: What was it like to be parents that morning?


Sadly, we did not hear from President George W. Bush at the GOP convention.  I understand that the Bush family and Pres. Trump had their problems but he should have spoken.  
We mark another anniversary of 9/11, the most significant day of our generation.
My biggest “9/11 morning memory” was thinking about my wife, three sons in school and everybody else in the family.
I remember watching the second plane hit the tower around 8 A.M. central time.  It was absolutely stunning to watch two passenger planes hit the World Trade Center.  By the way, I had been in those building for business calls several times.  I recall the stunning views from an office in one of the upper floors.
A few minutes later, my wife walked in from taking the boys to school.
I told my wife that something bad was happening and that we should be prepared for picking up the kids in school at a moment’s  notice.
Like most fathers, I was concerned that there were other attacks pending and specially in a major city like Dallas.  We have lots of tall buildings and a nuclear plant in the area.
It was a very scary day and one that brought a lot of families together.  It certainly made us appreciate each other and the value of human life.
My worst memory of that day was watching people jump to their deaths.  It was heartbreaking to watch human beings choose between jumping from the 90th floor or burning to death.  
9/11…. it seems like it was just yesterday!
Last but not least, we were very lucky that day that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were at the helm.  I believe that their reaction and commitment to defending the homeland were superb.

9-11: Remember the second plane?



Image result for september 11 images
Back on September 11, 2001, I went jogging early and did my early morning routine. 

At 7:45 am, I turned on The Bloomberg TV channel to catch the overnight business reports before driving to work.   To my surprise, they had a picture of one of the Twin Towers in smoke. 


About 15 minutes later, I watched an aircraft hit the second tower.   


At that moment, it became clear that this was not an accident but rather an attack on the US.

Today, let's remember the families and that awful day in 2001.










The most famous name from the planes on 9/11



(My new American Thinker post)

It was 20 years ago this weekend, but we are reminded of something new with every recollection of that terrible day.

Many years ago, Barbara Olson was a guest commentator on FOX and CNN, married to former U.S. solicitor-general Theodore "Ted" Olson.  I don't know if they were a "power couple," but they certainly were very successful on their own.

Barbara wrote a couple of books about the Clintons.  Ted worked on behalf of then Governor Bush in the famous Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 election.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, Barbara said "happy birthday" to Ted and took a flight to California.  Here is the story:

Barbara Olson, a conservative commentator and lawyer, wasn't panicked when hijackers took over her flight on Sept. 11, 2001, from Washington Dulles airport to Los Angeles, where she was heading for an appearance on Bill Maher's TV show.

She managed to call her solicitor general husband, Ted Olson, twice from the back of the plane where the terrorists, armed with knives and box cutters, herded the passengers. She reported the hijacking aboard American Airlines Flight 77 and asked what she could convey to the captain. 

According to the 9/11 Commission report, only Olson and flight attendant Renee May were able to make phone calls to loved ones from the plane before it was crashed into the Pentagon. Twenty years later, Barbara's husband still marvels at her bravery and calm in the final moments of her life. 

The two phone calls were very brief and both ended abruptly. Two hijacked planes had already crashed into the World Trade Center and Olson's in-flight call prompted Ted Olson to warn others at the FBI and Justice Department that a third plane was under attack. 

"Barbara was an extraordinarily resourceful person," Olson told Fox News. "She was also a fighter. She would not have taken this quietly."

I recall hearing about Mrs. Olson in some of the early reports.  At the time, she was the most famous person in those planes.  Later, we learned the names of the other heroes, but Barbara was a face many of us recognized.

It's another memory from that terrible day and why so many of us were happy to see that President Biden did not speak to the crowds remembering 9-11.  It's a sad day when the president has to record a message rather than address the families and heroes present.

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September 11, 2008: We have not been attacked since 9-11


Image result for 9-11 images

A post from September 11, 2008:

Everyone has their 9-11 story. I can still recall looking at the TV and watching a second plane hit the tower.

I will never forget it.

Today, we remember the families and all of those children who became orphans that day.

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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