Saturday’s video: Post Thanksgiving thoughts - https://t.co/8SF6HPcjZr
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) November 30, 2024
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Saturday’s video: Post Thanksgiving thoughts
1980: John Lennon's "Double Fantasy" released in the US
John Lennon released "Double Fantasy" on this day in 1980. It turned out to be his last LP because John was killed a few weeks later. I guess that I must be getting old because I remember the new LP and the night he was killed like it was yesterday.
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We remember Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Samuel Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri, on this day in 1835. We know him as Mark Twain.
In 1875, he published "Tom Sawyer". He followed with "Life on the Mississippi" in 1883 and "Huckleberry Finn" in 1885.
A great American writer. A true American original. He died in 1910.
In 1875, he published "Tom Sawyer". He followed with "Life on the Mississippi" in 1883 and "Huckleberry Finn" in 1885.
A great American writer. A true American original. He died in 1910.
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1963: The UK version of "I want to hold your hand" was released by The Beatles
By mid-January, the song was # 1 on Billboard and "Beatlemania" was off and running. The group appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9th and you know the rest of the story.
In the UK, the B-side was "This boy". In the US, it was "I saw her standing there".
A few weeks later, "Meet the Beatles", the first Capitol LP was also released.
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We remember Dick Clark (1929-2012)
We remember Richard Wagstaff Clark who was born in Mt. Vernon, NY, on this day in 1929. On April 18, 2012, Dick Clark died of a heart attack. He was 82.
Dick Clark's American Bandstand was on the air until the late 1980s. He went from one generation to the other, from Elvis to U2. I guess that he connected so well because he never "aged". He looked as young in 1987 as he did in 1967 when we used to watch those Saturday shows.
Dick Clark was great and we thank him for all of the memories. I used to love that "rate the record" segment and the interviews.
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2012 podcast: Let's talk a little tango with Leslie Eastman plus Georgina & Oscar from Argentina
Let's talk a little tango with Georgina & Oscar from Argentina.....click to listen............
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Darkest Hour: A good movie
On Wednesday, we went to see Darkest Hour, a movie about Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the U.K. in 1940. I assume that the movie will soon be available online, but we went the old-fashioned way: a big box of popcorn and a large screen.
A few weeks ago, I learned of the movie from reading a review by Professor Victor Davis Hanson:
Within days of Churchill taking office, all of what is now the European Union either would be in Hitler’s hands or could be considered pro-Nazi “neutral.”“Darkest Hour” gets its title from the understandable depression that had spread throughout the British government. Members of Churchill’s new War Cabinet wanted to sue for peace. Chamberlain and senior conservative politician Edward Wood both considered Churchill unhinged for believing [that] Britain could survive.Both appeasers dreamed that thuggish Italian dictator Benito Mussolini might be persuaded to beg Hitler to call off his planned invasion of Great Britain. They dreamed [that] Mussolini could save a shred of English dignity through an arranged British surrender.Not Churchill.
The movie does have a bit of fantasy: the subway ride, when P.M. Churchill meets constituents who are in no mood to surrender or cut deals with Hitler. While it did not happen that way, the British willingness to fight and defend their homeland was no fantasy. It became clear when P.M. Churchill spoke to the Parliament.
Let me leave you with a few other impressions.
First, you will love Mrs. Churchill.
Second, I was reminded of recent examples of presidential leadership, from President Bush going against conventional wisdom and doing the surge in Iraq in 2007 to President Reagan overruling his diplomats and calling on “Mr. Gorbachev” to “tear down this wall.”
Third, do you think the modern U.K. would recognize the fighting spirit of its great grandparents in 1940? I don’t think so. That may be the most depressing part of the story.
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Nov 30, 1874: Winston Churchill was born!
We remember today one of the great men of the 20th century:
"Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, the British leader who guided Great Britain and the Allies through the crisis of World War II, is born at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England." (History)
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Churchill and socialism
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."
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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.
Shades of Churchill's 'Iron Curtain Speech'
It was a remarkable speech. PM Netanyahu spoke clearly, forcefully, and eloquently about the nuclear deal. This is one of those "must-watch speeches" that comes along once a generation.
It reminded us of another statesman who came to the U.S. many years ago. It was on March 5, 1946 that the then former PM Winston Churchill of the UK spoke to the American people about the Soviet threat. Mr. Churchill did not speak to a joint session but the impact was awesome:
"Churchill, who had been defeated for re-election as prime minister in 1945, was invited to Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri where he gave this speech.Like Mr. Churchill, the prime minister of Israel praised the alliance between the two countries, thanked the U.S. for its sacrifices in World War II, and explained the threat in exquisite detail.
President Harry S. Truman joined Churchill on the platform and listened intently to his speech.
Churchill began by praising the United States, which he declared stood “at the pinnacle of world power.”
It soon became clear that a primary purpose of his talk was to argue for an even closer “special relationship” between the United States and Great Britain -- the great powers of the “English-speaking world” -- in organizing and policing the postwar world. In particular, he warned against the expansionistic policies of the Soviet Union.
In addition to the “iron curtain” that had descended across Eastern Europe, Churchill spoke of “communist fifth columns” that were operating throughout western and southern Europe.
Drawing parallels with the disastrous appeasement of Hitler prior to World War II, Churchill advised that in dealing with the Soviets there was “nothing which they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for military weakness.”
Of course, President Obama was not there and VP Biden was down in Uruguay at a presidential inauguration. There were several Democrats missing, a rather silly display of political pique.
It once again makes you wonder about President Obama's instincts or the people that he listens to.
What if President Obama had taken advantage of this opportunity to make his case for the nuclear deal?What if President Obama had embraced the visit? What if he did a joint press conference with the prime minister and assured this deal was good for all, especially Israel?
Instead, President Obama looks small and petty. He looks like a man who was avoiding the debate or hiding the truth of the deal with Iran.
My guess is that the nuclear deal is dead. You can delete another "legacy item" from President Obama's accomplishments.
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Churchill 1874-1965: The Battle of Britain 1940 with Barry Jacobsen
We remember PM Winston Churchill, 1874-1965.
We discussed The Battle of Britain 1940 with Barry Jacobsen.........
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1874: Winston Churchill was born
We love “leadership” and great leaders to run our countries. Today, we remember Winston Churchill, one of the giants of the 20th century who was born on this day in 1874:
“Churchill came from a prestigious family with a long history of military service and joined the British Fourth Hussars upon his father’s death in 1895. During the next five years, he enjoyed an illustrious military career, serving in India, the Sudan, and South Africa, and distinguishing himself several times in battle. In 1899, he resigned his commission to concentrate on his literary and political career and in 1900 was elected to Parliament as a Conservative MP from Oldham. In 1904, he joined the Liberals, serving in a number of important posts before being appointed Britain’s First Lord of the Admiralty in 1911, where he worked to bring the British navy to a readiness for the war he foresaw.In 1915, in the second year of World War I, Churchill was held responsible for the disastrous Dardanelles and Gallipoli campaigns, and he was excluded from the war coalition government. He resigned and volunteered to command an infantry battalion in France. However, in 1917, he returned to politics as a cabinet member in the Liberal government of Lloyd George. From 1919 to 1921, he was secretary of state for war and in 1924 returned to the Conservative Party, where two years later he played a leading role in the defeat of the General Strike of 1926.Out of office from 1929 to 1939, Churchill issued unheeded warnings of the threat of German and Japanese aggression.After the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Churchill was called back to his post as First Lord of the Admiralty and eight months later replaced the ineffectual Neville Chamberlain as prime minister of a new coalition government. In the first year of his administration, Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany, but Churchill promised his country and the world that the British people would “never surrender.” He rallied the British people to a resolute resistance and expertly orchestrated Franklin D. Rooseveltand Joseph Stalin into an alliance that eventually crushed the Axis.In July 1945, 10 weeks after Germany’s defeat, his Conservative government suffered an electoral loss against Clement Attlee’s Labour Party, and Churchill resigned as prime minister. He became leader of the opposition and in 1951 was again elected prime minister.Two years later, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his six-volume historical study of World War II and for his political speeches.In 1955, he retired as prime minister but remained in Parliament until 1964, the year before his death.”
There are several lessons from Churchill’s life:
1) Failure is a part of life. Mr Churchill failed but never gave up;
2) “Call out evil”, as he did over and over again when he spoke about Hitler in the 1930’s; and,
3) Take time for your hobbies, from writing to painting.
Winston Churchill was a giant of a man. I hope that the young people are reading about his life and how he used words.
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The great Churchill fell in love with Cuban cigars in 1895
We remember Winston Churchill was born on this day in 1874. He passed away in 1965 at age 90.
Churchill loved Cuban cigars. We know now that he met his first Cuban cigar during a visit to the island circa 1895. My late father once told me that the Cuban embassy in London would often deliver Mr. Churchill a complimentary box of cigars. Furthermore, those long cigars came to be known as “Churchill”.
According to H.P. Klepak, author of “Churchill Comes of Age, Cuba 1895“, the young Churchill spent 18 days in Cuba.
He was there on loan from the British army to observe colonial Spain’s defense against independence fighters, as Klepak said in an interview:
History previously recorded that Churchill saw combat in Cuba and discovered the siesta, which would later help him keep long hours as British prime minister during World War Two.But Klepak, a former Canadian military officer, argues previous works overlooked how influential the Cuban venture was, including the months of maneuvering Churchill needed to land his assignment.With his Cuba experience he became a war correspondent, political analyst, strategist and liaison with a foreign army, all for the first time. His writings start to show legendary humor. He discovers rum and Cuban cigars’ breadth and quality.Inspired by observations from local historian Lourdes Mendez, Klepak believes he became the first to scrutinize and cross-check the Cuban, British and Spanish archives, discovering for example that Churchill was fired upon by no less than Antonio Maceo and Maximo Gomez, two of Cuba’s greatest independence leaders.“Very quickly when I looked at it from a historical perspective it was pretty obvious that this was an amazing story which for some reason had never been told,” Klepak said.
Neat story. This is also a book that you may want to pick up when you need a break from Speaker Pelosi. It is another chapter in the amazing life of one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
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We remember Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Today, we say Happy Birthday to Sir Winston Churchill:
"He was born on November 30th, 1874. We remember him as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Churchill was one of the most important leaders in modern British and world history."
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World War II: A look at the political leaders with Barry Jacobsen
CLICK TO LISTEN:
World War II: A look at the political leaders with Barry Jacobsen 07/01 by Silvio Canto Jr | News Podcasts:
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military blogger and historian......we will look at some of the political and military figures of World War II..........President Roosevelt, President Truman, Prime Minister Churchill, USSR leader Stalin, Chancellor Hitler........................plus many more.....click to listen:
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World War II: Hitler's Germany invaded Stalin's USSR
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger, will tell us about Hitler's Germany decision to invade Stalin's USSR.......It was the largest military operation in human history: 3.8 million men, 3,350 tanks, 7,000 artillery pieces, and 2,800 aircraft.......more men, tanks, guns and aircraft were committed than had ever been deployed before in a single offensive.................and more stories..........
Click to listen:
1942-43: The story of Guadacanal with Barry Jacobsen
This is from our World War II series with, Barry Jacobsen, military blogger and historian.....and John Basilone wins the Medal of Honor............
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Click to listen:
World War II: The winter of 1942-43, Manstein's Miracle in Russia, and Patton
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger.............we will continue our series of World War II episodes... Today we will look back at the winter of 1942-43, Manstein's Miracle in Russia, and the Rise of Patton .......................
Click to listen:
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'Cafe cubano' with Sonia & Marta
'Cafe cubano' and some Thanksgiving recipes with Sonia:
Guest: Sonia Martinez, author of 'Tropical Taste'
"The Cubans" by Fernando Hernandez
Cubans are such great story tellers. I guess that's because we have so many good stories to tell!
Why is that? What makes Cubans such good storytellers?
Maybe it's our Spanish heritage or something about the island that just brings out the "storyteller" in all of us.
It is a wonderful collection of stories about Cubans, like you & me, who settled in the US and made something out of ourselves:
"In this new book the reader will discover how in 1930 a Havana bandleader traveled to New York City, recorded a million-copy hit that kicked-started a Cuban music craze throughout the United States.
Science fiction lovers will learn that a Cuban-American was the writer, producer, and story editor of many Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes. An author born in 1865 in Brooklyn, New York of Cuban origin began his career at age 12, becoming a prolific boys’ fiction writer earning the nickname the American Jules Verne.
History buffs will enjoy reading about three sisters who became Confederate spies during the Civil War, and thanks to their bravery, a Union warship was captured.
New Yorkers and those who visit the Big Apple will read of the work of a structural engineer, born in Havana of immigrant Lithuanian Jews, who was known as “Mr. New York” for his engineering of the city’s skyscrapers, including the 70-story Trump World Tower.
Read about a surgeon who in 2012 led a team of 150 doctors, nurses, and others in Maryland in the most extensive face transplant surgery ever performed in the world.
The book also profiles those who serve the less fortunate, including the co-founder of Florida’s largest free clinic serving migrant workers, the working poor, the sick, and families who fall between the cracks of America’s social system.
This is a book that transcends ethnic, national, racial, gender and religious barriers and bears witness to what Cubans, both political refugees and immigrants, have accomplished in a country where liberty and freedom abound.
This is the story of the Cuban-Americans, and the footprints they have left on their path across the United States."
What's the best part of the book? They are all real CUBANS! Everyone of these stories is about a CUBANO who beat the odds in the US.
This is a fun book. It is inspirational. Some stories will make you laugh, like "las cubanitas" in the US Civil War, and others will touch your heart.
Here is an idea: Give this book to your kids or grandchildren if you have any. Tell them that this is what Cuban heritage is all about. Last, but not least, Fernando has quite a story too. He was one of the 14,000 Pedro Pan children who came to the US in the early 1960's.
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Get the book!
Check my interview with Fernando!
The Cubans in the US: Show business celebrities with Fernando Hernandez
2012 show: The Cubans in the US: Show business celebrities with Fernando Hernandez...click to listen....
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World War II: The road to Stalingrad & US Marines land on Guadalcanal with Barry Jacobsen
World War II: The road to Stalingrad & US Marines land in Guadalcanal.....
On August 7, 1942, the U.S. 1st Marine Division begins Operation Watchtower, the first U.S. offensive of the war, by landing in Guadalcanal, one of the Solomon Islands.
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1941: Germany launches the invasion of USSR....with Barry Jacobsen
World War II: Germany invades the USSR....with Barry Jacobsen....
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World War II: The great military leaders with Barry Jacobsen
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger.......we will remember the Allied and Axis commanders: Ike, MacArthur, Nimitz, Monty, Zukov; and on the Axis side, Von Manstein, Guderian, Rommel, Kesselring, Adm. Yamamoto, General Yamashita.......and other stories of the war......
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Click to listen:
World War II: German invasion of USSR 1941-42, part 2 with Barry Jacobsen
World War II: German invasion of USSR 1941-42, part 2 with Barry Jacobsen.....Listen in now at https://t.co/GnvBZ9ccaT. #BlogTalkRadio— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) March 3, 2017
We remember Rob Grill (1943-2011)
If you recall Top 40 AM radio then you probably purchased a few 45's by The Grass Roots.
We remember Rob Grill who was born in Los Angeles on this day in 1943. He died in 2011. He was the founder, composer and lead vocalist.
The Grass Roots had a great sound and a dozen Top 40 hits, from "Let's live for today" to "Midnight confessions".
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World War II: The winter of 1942-43, Manstein's Miracle in Russia, and Patton
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger.............we will continue our series of World War II episodes... Today we will look back at the winter of 1942-43, Manstein's Miracle in Russia, and the Rise of Patton ....plus other stories from the front pages such as North Korea and Afghanistan.........and 'Light my fire' was the # 1 song in the country this week in 1967..................
Click to listen:
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1936 and the start of The Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War broke out on this day in 1936 with a revolt by right-wing Spanish military officers in Spanish Morocco that spread to mainland Spain. It lasted until 1939. General Franco stayed in power until his death in 1975.
It was a conflict that would have ramifications in Europe and specially in Latin America. Thousands of children were sent to Latin America and many never saw their parents again. We saw horrific brutality from both sides in that conflict.
Barry Jacobsen discussed the Spanish Civil War during our recent episode about World War II. Click here to listen to the show!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).
World War II: The winter of 1942-43, Russia and General Patton.
World War II: The winter of 1942-43, Russia and General Patton....click to listen.....
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.
World War II, episode 2: Appeasement and the outbreak of war
World War II, episode 2: Appeasement and the outbreak of war... ..click to listen.....https://t.co/q2iC3xDqNK— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) May 30, 2016
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The story of the Spanish Civil War & World War II with Barry Jacobsen
Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger..........we will continue our series about World War II..............the outbreak of war after the invasion of Poland.........the German blitzkrieg warfare.........the use of weapons and tactics in The Spanish Civil War...........and more stories......
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.
Click to listen:
World War II : Rommel, the Desert Fox with Barry Jacobsen
World War II :
Rommel, the Desert Fox with Barry Jacobsen
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1967: The Beatles, "Hello Goodbye" and many Thanksgivings ago!
It was the soundtrack of a British TV show. However, the BBC special was not shown in the US. (You can buy a video copy!)
Side A was the soundtrack music.
Side B was a compilation of 1967 singles.
"Hello Goodbye", their new single and one of their most popular songs ever recorded by the group, was presented to the country on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Sunday night after Thanksgiving. It was released as a 45 prior to the LP. Eventually, it hit # 1 the last week of 1967.
"Hello Goodbye", their new single and one of their most popular songs ever recorded by the group, was presented to the country on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Sunday night after Thanksgiving. It was released as a 45 prior to the LP. Eventually, it hit # 1 the last week of 1967.
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.
World War II: The Battle of Britain 1940 with Barry Jacobsen
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World War II: The Battle of Britain 1940 with Barry Jacobsen...
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