Happy # 85 Dionne Warwick!

Just saw that Dionne Warwick turned a year older.   She was born in New Jersey in 1940.

Dionne is one of the greatest female singers ever!   Her songs are a huge part of my soundtrack. 

I've been hearing Dionne Warwick on the radio as far back as I can remember.

Happy birthday to one of the real pretty ladies of pop music!

Check out two of her greatest songs:

"I say a little prayer", a big hit from her early days and one of so many songs written by Burt Bachrach and Hal David; and,

"Heartbreaker", recorded with Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees in 1982.

 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.

George Strait and Merry Christmas from Texas!

George Strait has sold over 50 million records since he hit the national charts in the early 1980's.

He also recorded "When it's Christmas time in Texas", one of the best Christmas pop-country tunes.

Merry Christmas from Texas......

"When it's Christmas time in Texas

It's a very special time for me

In Texas we'll be swingin'

Around the Christmas tree

Dancin' to a Christmas melody

When it's Christmas time in Texas

It might look just like a summer day

There may not be snow in San Antonio

But it's a Texas Christmas to me

When Santa Claus crosses over the border

It'll sound a little different when he sings

Cause he'll hear those twin fiddle's playin'

A Christmas song with a touch of western swing

There may not be snow in San Antonio

But it's a Texas Christmas to me

When it's Christmas time in Texas

I love to hear those Christmas carolers sing

People on the go

Children's faces all aglow

Wonderin' what Santa's gonna bring

Grandpa's been chasin' grandma around

Tryin' to catch her neath the misteltoe

Everything is right

The lone star shinin' bright

But it's a Texas Christmas to me

When Santa Claus crosses over the border

It'll sound a little different when he sings

Cause he'll hear those twin fiddle's playin'

A Christmas song with a touch of western swing

There may not be snow in San Antonio

But it's a Texas Christmas to me

And here's wishin' you all a merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Texas and me"

 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.

DFW radio legend David Gold died, Honduras election plus Rep. Crockett

DFW radio legend David Gold passed away RIP, Honduras election and the left is playing fames, Rep. Crockett in the race and Happy # 81 Brenda Lee

Trump Derangement Syndrome in Honduras

Trump Derangement Syndrome in Honduras: The left lost bigly in Honduras.  In fact, it was so big that the leftist incumbent President Castro is claiming that the election was stolen.  Who stole it?  Well, she is not saying, except claiming that President Trump (who else?) me...

Click to read:

 https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/12/trump_derangement_syndrome_in_honduras.html

The left lost bigly in Honduras. In fact, it was so big that the leftist incumbent President Castro is claiming that the election was stolen. Who stole it? Well, she is not saying, except claiming that President Trump (who else?) meddled in the election. Who knew that Trump…

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 11, 2025

1964: Sam Cooke died in Los Angeles

Sam Cooke was one of the best male singers of the early 1960's.  His life ended abruptly on this day in 1964.   

Sam Cooke was a great singer.

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 # 85 David Gates

We remember David Gates, one of the most popular performers and songwriters of the 1970's.   He was born in Tulsa, OK, on this day in 1940.     

David had many hits with Bread and then on his own.    Great songwriter.

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 # 81 Brenda Lee

Happy birthday to the one and only Brenda Lee.........she was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in Atlanta, GA, on this day in 1944.................

 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.

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Remembering Carlos Gardel (1890-1934)

We remember that Carlos Gardel was born on this day in 1890.   His place of birth is very controversial:  France, Argentina or Uruguay.    It is now accepted that he was born in Tacuarembo, Uruguay but the controversy continues.  He died in 1934.    

Here is his music!

 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.

December 11, 1959: Roger Maris from the A's to the Yankees

Paul Mirengoff is a very successful attorney. He is also one of the three attorneys who publish Power Line, one of the very best political blogs in the US!   Paul is also a big baseball fan.

A few years ago, he wrote this post: This day in baseball history

"December 11, 1959 is a day of infamy for Kansas City sports fans of a certain age.On that day, Kansas City traded Roger Maris to the New York Yankees.
In addition to Maris, the Yankees received Joe DeMaestri and Kent Hadley.
Kansas City got Norm Siebern, Don Larsen, Hank Bauer, and Marv (soon to become "Marvelous") Throneberry.After winning four pennants in a row, the Yankees had finished a distant third in 1959.
Maris would help revive their fortunes, as they won five pennants in row starting in 1960.
Indeed, he would be selected as the American League's MVP not just in 1961, when he broke Babe Ruth's home run record, but also in 1960.During the 1959 off-season, the Chicago White Sox traded five quality players or prospects -- Norm Cash, John Romano, Johnny Callision, Earl Battey, and Don Mincher -- in the hope of bolstering their power hitting, acquiring Minnie Minoso, Gene Freese, and Roy Sievers.
You might wonder why the White Sox didn't package a few of the players they dealt in a trade for Maris.
After all, it was no secret that Maris, then 25 years old, was probably going to be a big star."

We will never know why Maris did not go to the White Sox.....he did go to the Yankees and had back to back MVP seasons and broke Babe Ruth's record in his second year in New York.

Roger Maris is one of my all time players because he was a quiet performer, a fellow who played hard and did not seek unnecessary attention.

Maris was traded to St.Louis and played for the Cardinals in the 1967 and 1968 series. (By the way, the 1968 WS was the last played before the leagues were split into divisions in 1969)

Today, we remember Roger Maris, a great hitter, a real gentleman and one of the best left handed power hitters in MLB history.

For more info on Maris, check out his museum in North Dakota!

Check out his very productive career stats: 275 hrs & 2 MVPs.

 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.

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

Guest:  Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda...President Trump on the road to sell his economic plan; NYC Mayor Elect is making some interesting appointments; Democrats and narco boats; plus other stories......

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

 Guest:  Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda...President Trump on the road to sell his economic plan; NYC Mayor Elect is making some interesting appointments; Democrats and narco boats; plus other stories......

Listen to "The week in review with Bill Katz the editor of Urgent Agenda" on Spreaker.

Don't book the dance hall just yet

Don't book the dance hall just yet: There is a lot of talk about the elections next November. A lot of pundits are correct in saying that the incumbent usually loses seats or the whole House, i.e. Obama in 2010 or Clinton 1994. In Obama's case, it came less than two years...

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/12/don_t_book_the_dance_hall_just_yet.html

So maybe the Democrats will be twisting a future November night away. Maybe there will be sad faces over at the Trump White House next November. My point is that no one knows today and waiting until summer may be wise for those planning a big party down the road.

Don't book the…

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 10, 2025

1971: The Mets traded a young Nolan Ryan to the Angels

Maybe the Mets needed some hitting?    On this day in 1971, the Mets traded a very young Nolan Ryan to the Angels for Jim Fregosi, a former AL All Star.  

To be fair, Ryan had been a bit wild as a young pitcher plus the Mets were very deep with Seaver, Koosman and Gentry.    They felt that Fregosi could add some punch to their lineup.

The trade paid off because the Mets won the NL pennant in 1973.  On the other hand,  the Angels had to wait until 1979 for a championship.   

Ryan was a strikeout king for much of the 1970's before signing with the Astros and ending his career with the Rangers.

 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.

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1969-71: Mike Cuellar was a great pitcher

As we wait for the annual Cy Young Awards, we remember Mike Cuellar as one of the top left handed pitchers in the American League.  

Cuellar was traded to Baltimore after pitching with Houston and making the NL All Star Team. Nobody expected the crafty Cuban to win 143 games over the next 8 seasons, 1969-75.

In 1969, Cuellar won 23 for the AL Champion Orioles who won 109 games. Mike finished in a tie with Denny McClain (24 wins) for the AL Cy Young.    He also won game 1 of the World Series, or the only game that the Orioles won, and pitched very well in game 4 but lost 2-1.

In 1970, Cuellar won 24 and came in 4th behind Jim Perry, Dave McNally & Sam McDowell in the Cy Young Award race.   Mike pitched a complete game in game 5 to beat Cincinnati and clinch the title for Baltimore.

In 1971, Cuellar was one of the 4 Orioles who won 20 games.   Mike pitched twice in the World Series but lost game 7 when the late Roberto Clemente hit a game winning home run.

He also won 18 in 1973 and 22 in 1974, including several starts in the pennant race with 2-days rest. Once again, he pitched in the post season but the A’s beat the Orioles in the ALCS both times.

Cuellar retired with 185 wins and a 3.14 ERA.

Without question, he was the most consistent lefty in the American League during that time.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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Tags: Mike Cuellar 1969-70 To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

December 10, 1967: We remember the day that Otis Redding was killed in Madison, Wisconsin

Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin on this day in 1967.

I remember this event quite well.  We had heard on the radio that Otis Redding would play in Madison.  His sudden death was quite a shock for many of us.

Otis Redding recorded "Dock of the Bay" a few days before his death.  It became a #1 song the following spring. 

What a talented performer!   You can get his music HERE.   

 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.

 

We remember Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

We used to read her poetry in school.      Emily Dickinson was born on this day years ago in Amherst, Massachusetts.  She wrote 1775 poems but only 7 were published in her lifetime.

One of my English teachers loved her work and would give us a full share of her poetry to read.    Glad that she did!

  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.

HELLO FROM TEXAS: George Strait - Jingle bell rock

 

GEORGE STRAIT

JINGLE BELL ROCK

"Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle bell swing and jingle bells ring

Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun

Now the jingle hop has begun

Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time

Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square In the frosty air

What a bright time, it's the right time To rock the night away 

Jingle bell time is a swell time To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh

Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet 

Jingle around the clock

Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet

That's the jingle bell, That's the jingle bell,

That's the jingle bell rock....."

 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.

Crockett in, Biden & border plus other stories

Congresswoman Crockett is in and it will be exciting; The NY Times and Biden border policies;  Scandal in Minnesota; November 2026 is a long time down the road; Birthright citizenship and we remember John Lennon 1980.

This is not immigration

This is not immigration: Once upon a time, there were two ways of coming to the U.S.  One way was to apply for entry, wait your turn, fill out documents, such as not being a public charge, undergoing a criminal background check, and so on.  It’s the way most ...

Click to read https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/12/this_is_not_immigration.html

Under President Biden, the system was broken. Some say on purpose, others say that it was incompetence. The net result is the same though, and reasonable Americans, even naturalized U.S. citizens, are wondering what in the world is going on.

This is not immigration - American…

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 9, 2025

1965: The day that Frank Robinson became an Oriole!

Before free agency and big contracts, major league teams used to make trades, big trades.  One of the biggest happened today in 1965 or when Robinson was traded to the Orioles for Milt Pappas and other players.  

Frank joined Brooks Robinson and the Orioles became the best team in the AL.  They played in 4 World Series, winning in 1966 and 1970.  They lost to the Mets in '69 and Pirates in '71.

The Reds thought that Frank Robinson was "old" but he proved them wrong in Baltimore.  He won the Triple Crown in 1966 and MVP that year.

 

 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.

 

We remember Kirk Douglas (1916-2020)

We remember Issur Danielovitch who was born in New York City on this day in 1916.  We know him as Kirk Douglas or one of the most popular actors ever.  He died in 2020.

Some of his acting roles were in “Ace in the Hole” (1951), “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952), “Act of Love” (1953), “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954), "Lust for life" (1956) and “Spartacus” (1960).

Let's put his life in some perspective.   He was born during World War I and made his first movie when President Truman was in The White House.    

He was a great actor. 

 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.

Happy # 76 Nando Parrado who survived a plane crash in The Andes (1972)

Nando Parrado was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1949.  

In 1972, Nando was one of the passengers on a flight that crashed in The Andes.   He was travelling with a rugby team on the way to a tournament.

Nando survived and the story became a book as well as a movie.     You can get the movie HERE.

It's an amazing story!

 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.

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John Lennon and the number 9

 We remember another anniversary of John Lennon's tragic death in 1980.   

 As I heard, most of the country learned the news watching the Monday Night Football game.   

 

In my case, I heard it in a Mexico City hotel when the clock radio woke me up at 6 a.m.

After The Beatles broke up, John went solo and recorded a lot of songs.   

 

Some were good ("Instant Karma") and others were not, like the woke "Imagine" or "How do you sleep," a nuclear attack on Paul.   

 

George, Ringo and John had spent the 1970s watching Paul record one hit after another.  

 

As I remember, it was really rare to hear anything by John, George or Ringo on the radio at that time.  

 

I'll never forget shopping for music for my parents in early 1980 and seeing George's and Ringo's LPs on the sale rack. I asked the store manager and he said "nobody is buying that stuff anymore."   

 

Blame it on "Disco Duck" or some bad solo from a couple of guys who used to play with a band called the Beatles.

Back to John, "# 9 dream" was one of my favorites.   

 

It turns out that John Lennon had a fascination with the number nine.   

According to The Beatles Bible, there were many references to the number nine in John's life:  

 

Lennon travelled on the number 72 bus to Liverpool Art College, where he was friends with Stuart Sutcliffe.

His first meeting in 1957 with Paul McCartney proved a pivotal role in Lennon’s life. McCartney’s surname has nine letters, as does Sutcliffe’s.

The group became The Beatles in 1960, and Lennon left in 1969, nine years later.

The Beatles’ first appearance at the Cavern Club was on 9 February 1961.

Brian Epstein, The Beatles’ manager, first saw them perform on 9 November 1961.

The group’s contract with EMI was confirmed on 9 May 1962.

The Beatles’ debut single, ‘Love Me Do’, was on Parlophone R4949.

Their record-breaking debut appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was on 9 February 1964.

Keep reading because it gets better:

In April 1969 he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. There are nine ‘o’s in the combined names of John Ono Lennon and Yoko Ono Lennon.

Lennon and Ono lived for a time in an apartment on West 72nd Street, New York City.

Their first apartment in the Dakota Building was number 72.

Their son, Sean Lennon, was born on 9 October 1975, John’s 35th birthday.

#9 Dream was a song on Lennon’s 1974 album Walls And Bridges. The album was his ninth non-Beatles album, and was issued in the ninth month of the year.

The album’s cover featured a painting done when Lennon was 11 years old. It depicts a footballer with a number nine on his back.

When released as a single, #9 Dream peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The refrain in the chorus – ‘Ah! Böwakawa poussé, poussé’ – featured nine syllables.

Mind Games and Rock ‘N’ Roll, the albums released before and after Walls And Bridges, each contained nine letters in their titles.

After he was shot, Lennon was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital on 9th Avenue, Manhattan. Roosevelt and Manhattan both have nine letters.

 

He was killed late night December 8 but when it happened, it was December 9 in his native U.K. 

 

Remember that when you hear that famous lyric "Number 9, number 9" from the White Album.

 

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

 

World War II right after the attack on Pearl Harbor with Barry Jacobsen

Guest: Barry Jacobsen, blogger and military historian.........we will look at World War II right after the attack on Pearl Harbor.........the US declared war and now must organize a military response...........and other stories.......

 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.

Listen to "World War II right after the attack on Pearl Harbor with Barry Jacobsen" on Spreaker.

Biden and the border, Rep Crockett is in and former Rep Alred is out, an...

Biden and the border now they tell us, the narco boats, Rep Crockett is in and former Rep Alred is out, and other stories.

The new boat people of 2025

The new boat people of 2025: Who remembers the boat people of 1975? They were Vietnamese escaping the communist takeover of South Vietnam. I remember meeting some of them and it was easy to be sympathetic, especially given that our family left a communist country. 

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/12/the_new_boat_people_of_2025.html

Nevertheless, many Democrats obsessed with opposing everything Trump have found their new version of the "Maryland dad."

The new boat people of 2025 - American Thinker https://t.co/oIwhC1PfEg

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 8, 2025

December 8, 1941: The last time a president went to Congress for a declaration of war

(My new American Thinker post)

We've been in 5 major wars since World War II:  Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan & Iraq. The casualties are over 110,000 and many more wounded.

What do they have in common?  No formal declaration of war! 

To be fair, President Bush-41 & President Bush-43 did go to Congress for a resolution authorizing military force. (I'm sure all of you remember all of those Democrats reminding us that Saddam had WMDs and had to be removed)

I guess that a resolution is better than nothing, although The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was really a stretch.  I don't think that a single member of Congress thought that President Johnson would use that resolution to escalate the war and send 500,000 troops to Vietnam.

President Truman sent troops to Korea under a UN Security Council resolution.

Not surprisingly, Korea and Vietnam became very unpopular wars because Congress was never really engaged. 

Incredibly, most Americans were not around the last time that a president went to Congress and got a war declaration:

"On this day in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Japan in perhaps the most memorable speech of his career. The speech, in which he called Japan's act a "deliberate deception," received thunderous applause from Congress and, soon after, the United States officially entered the Second World War.   
The day before, Japanese pilots had bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, decimating the majority of U.S. warships in the Pacific Fleet along with most of the Air Corps and Navy aircraft stationed on the island of Oahu. The bombing raids killed 2,403 people, including 68 civilians, and wounded almost 1,200."

The Founding Fathers understood that an executive with unlimited war powers would likely involve the country in wars. Beyond that, the executive is always stronger when he has the Congress behind him, especially when things go wrong as they always do when the shooting starts.

Let's get back to the Constitution and demand that presidents go to Congress.

 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.

We remember John Lennon (1940-80)

It's hard to believe but John Lennon was killed on this day in 1980.   Where did the time go?  

Yes, it was a shocking act, as Howard Cosell said on TV, when he broke the story during the football game.

Most of the country heard the story during the aforementioned game.  I fell asleep during the game and heard the news the morning after.

 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.

The Texas report with George Rodriguez, South Texas conservative.......

Cuellar pardon, Tennessee special election & more

Cuellar pardon, Tennessee special election & more

A political chat with Richard Baehr

Guest:  Richard Baehr, co-founder of American Thinker.  We will discuss the Texas maps, the Rep. Cuellar pardon, the future of Obama Care & health care and other current events.

CANTO TALK podcasts from last week

Catch our shows from last week:

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.

I’m Henry the pardoned, I am

I’m Henry the pardoned, I am: A year or so ago, we saw Mayor Adams of New York City and Representative Cuellar of South Texas make critical statements about President Biden’s border policies.  Rep. Cuellar was direct and outlined the damage that an open border…

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/12/i_m_henry_the_pardoned_i_am.html

Last but not least, let’s remember that President Trump is keenly aware of weaponizing justice against a citizen. Maybe President Trump was just interested in sending Mr. Cuellar a message: I feel your pain, Henry, and here’s a pardon to show you how much.

I’m Henry the…

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 7, 2025

Happy # 78 Johnny Bench

We remember Johnny Bench who was born on this day in 1947 in Oklahoma.

Bench broke with the Reds in 1967.  He Rookie of the Year in 1968 plus NL MVP in 1970 & 1972.  

Bench played in 4 World Series winning in 1975 & 1976.   The Reds were the most successful NL team of the 1970's.    It was a wonderful squad led by Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan & Tony Perez.    

Overall, Bench hit 389 HR with 1376 RBI.    He was also a great catcher winning 10 gold gloves.     

Bench was selected to The Hall of Fame in 1989.

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.