The state of war is back in Cuba

The leadership today is a bunch of fat old men dressed up in military attire.  They look well fed and manicured, but the population is still in a line to get their rations of milk and bread.

It’s hard to believe that this is still going on.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/the_state_of_war_is_back_in_cuba.html

We remember Sam Cooke (1931-64)

We remember the great Sam Cooke.   He was born in Mississippi on this day in 1931.

Cooke turned into one of the best male singers of the early 1960's. 

Sam Cooke's life ended abruptly in 1964 and his death was a bit of mystery.    

Sam Cooke was a great singer.    His music is now available on a digital format, such as this great summary of his career.

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1973: President Johnson ( # 36) died on this day

If you live in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, or the Metroplex, as we call it, you are constantly talking about LBJ.  It's LBJ to the airport or to Garland or now to I-30 thanks to all of the expansion.  Of course, this LBJ, or I-635, is a highway that connects the area from east to west.  For the record, we also have a Bush highway farther north.  That one was named after our 41st president.

Today, I'm going to remember the other LBJ, or President Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the U.S., who died on this day in 1973.  He was living in South Texas and watching as his successor announced the end of the Vietnam War:

On the day of Nixon's second inaugural celebration, Johnson watched sullenly as Nixon announced the dismantling of many of Johnson's Great Society social programs and, the next day, that he had achieved the ceasefire in Vietnam that had eluded Johnson. 

The following day, while Lady Bird and their daughters were in Austin, Johnson suffered a fatal heart attack at his ranch in Johnson City.

I would argue that few modern Democrats even know who LBJ is.  If they do, they rarely talk about him.  They are more likely to talk about Beto O'Rourke taking your AR-15 or Senator Bernie Sanders promoting whatever he is promoting.

LBJ's presidency was volatile.  It began on the day that President Kennedy was killed in Dallas in 1963.  A year later, he won a landslide victory against Senator Goldwater by avoiding the topic of Vietnam and promising not to send troops.  By mid-1966, the U.S. involvement in Vietnam had grown to 500,000 troops, and resentment of LBJ's policies divided the Democrats and the nation.  By the spring of 1968, President Johnson's fortunes hit bottom, and he did not seek re-election.  A week later, Reverend Martin Luther King was killed.  Two months later, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was killed, too.  That's a lot of history in such a short period.

It is true that LBJ is remembered for the Great Society and significant civil rights reforms.  His knowledge of the U.S. Senate and Congress, and persistence, brought many reluctant Southern Democrat legislators along.  However, the jury is still out on the billions of dollars spent on the War on Poverty.  In other words, did we just throw money at the problem rather than deal with other causes of poverty?  I would argue that we threw money at the problems and may have made the breakdown of the family inevitable.

Overall, it was a tragic presidency, and the first one that I remember, having arrived here with my parents in 1964.  A few years ago, there was a great book, Master of the Senate, written about LBJ, by Robert A. Caro.  It reminded us that he was a strong U.S. Senate majority leader, a better legislator than an executive.

I'll be on LBJ later this week and remember that it was named after the president born in Texas, who died 50 years ago, and the same Democrat whom no one remembers around here.

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1973: Another anniversary of Roe v Wade

We recall today another anniversary of Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the U.S.  Before the Roe v Wade opinion, abortion was a state matter or an issue settled by voters, not un-elected judges.

My opposition to abortion, or Roe v Wade, is based on two factors;

1) Abortion is the taking of a human life.  What else is it?  Why does any woman have an abortion anyway?  (Of course, I'm not talking about those isolated and rare cases where the mother's life is in jeopardy)

2) Abortion is a state issue.  I think that voters, and legislatures, should decide whether or not abortion is legal in their jurisdictions.

Last, but not least, Roe v Wade has "poisoned" our judicial appointments.  We've turned every Supreme Court nomination into a battle over Roe v Wade. 

We pray that Roe v Wade is overturned.  We will be a better country without legal abortions.

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

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.   Trump in Davos plus Greenland.  One year of Trump # 2.   Minnesota, ICE and fraud.....plus other stories..

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

 

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.   Trump in Davos plus Greenland.  One year of Trump # 2.   Minnesota, ICE and fraud.....plus other stories......

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

We gotta get out of this place

 

What do you get when you mix bad policies and a beautiful climate?  You get California!

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/we_gotta_get_out_of_this_place.html

Most painful Super Bowl loss: Pittsburgh beats Dallas in # 13!

This week, the NFL channel brought back Super Bowl 13, Dallas vs Pittsburgh.

Roger Staubach vs. Terry Bradshaw

Coach Landry vs Coach Knoll.

It was the last post-season game played in the 1970s.

It was also a game between the two best teams of the 1970's.

Coach Landry's Cowboys played in the 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978 and 1979 SB's. They won two of them.

Pittsburgh blossomed in the 1970's with great draft picks. They played in the 1975, 1976, 1979 and a year later in 1980. They won all 4 SB's.

Super Bowl 13 went down to the last minute. It was really worth watching the NFL channel rerun!

Pittsburgh was up 35-17 but Dallas scored twice and made it 35-31 with seconds left:

"Although the game seemed decided, the Cowboys refused to give up.

On their next drive, Dallas drove 89 yards in 8 plays to score on Staubach's 7-yard touchdown pass to Dupree.

Then after Dallas' Dennis Thurman recovered an onside kick at 2:19, Drew Pearson caught 2 passes for gains of 22 and 25 yards as the Cowboys drove 52 yards in 9 plays to score on Staubach's 4-yard touchdown pass to Butch Johnson.

With the ensuing extra point, the score was cut to 35–31 with just 0:22 left in the game.
But the Cowboys' second onside kick attempt was unsuccessful.

Bleier recovered the ball and the Steelers were able to run out the clock to win the game."

SB 13 will always be remembered for Jackie Smith dropping a "certain" Cowboys' TD in the end zone:

It was a great game. I still feel bad for Jackie Smith.

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A church in Minneapolis plus we remember Reagan 1981

A church in Minneapolis.  Cuba and comparisons to 1898.  California and taxing billionaires.  We remember Reagan and other presidential inaugurations.

Get me to the church on time?

 

This is all about intimidating people for their support of ICE, an agency legally and properly enforcing immigration laws.  Invading a church is the just latest example of the suicidal mission that these protestors are on, from “defunding ICE” to now interrupting a church service to remind the audience that their pastor supports or wants laws respected.  It’s insane, but these people are insane.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/get_me_to_the_church_on_time.html

Happy # 92 Camilo Pascual

The great Camilo Pascual was born in La Habana, or Havana Cuba, on this day in 1934. 

As a young kid, my favorite Cuban baseball player was Camilo Pascual.  He pitched most his career for the original Washington Senators who became the Minnesota Twins in 1961.

As a Senator, Pascual pitched for very bad teams.   It got better when the team moved to Minnesota and the Twins became a perennial contender with a young Harmon Killebrew, power hitter Bob Allison,  the very good lefty Jim Kaat and fellow Cubans Tony Oliva & Zoilo Versalles.

His numbers were great with the Twins:   20-11 in 1962 and 20-9 in 1963.     He led the league in strikeouts 3 years in a row.  In other words, he was one of the best right handed pitchers in baseball.

Overall, he won 176 games with a very good 3.63 career ERA.    He would have easily won 230 games with a better team!

We say happy birthday to one of my heroes.    I don't know what Camilo is doing these days.   I read a few years ago that he was scouting for the Twins in Latin America.

Happy birthday to the great Camilo.   I hope that you really enjoy your birthday!

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 Johnny Oates (1946-2004)

We remember Johnny Oates who was born in North Carolina on this day in 1946.      

He broke with the Orioles in 1970 and then played with the Braves, Dodgers & Yankees before retiring in 1981.   On the field, Johnny hit .250 in 593 games.
As a manager, Oates spent 3 seasons with the Orioles and then led the Rangers to 3 AL West titles in 1996, 1998 & 1999.   

Johnny Oates died in 2004.

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.

1981: President Reagan took over

On January 20th 1981, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th president of the United States. A few minutes later, the 52 hostages held at the U.S. embassy in Iran were released......ending the Iranian Hostage Crisis......it was the first day of a very impressive two term presidency.....

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1981: What were you doing when Governor Reagan became Pres Reagan?

It was 1981, or the day that Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the US.   He succeeded President Carter who served one term.

Do you remember what you were doing that sunny January day in 1981?

I was driving some colleagues between Saltillo and Monterrey in the north of Mexico.  It was an isolated road but ideal for picking up the ceremony and speech over WOAI-AM of San Antonio, Texas.   It came in clearly in our car radio!

Later, we got to the hotel in Saltillo and heard that the Iran hostages had been released.

Quite a morning, from the new president to the release of the hostages.

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 future of Cuba with Dr. Carlos Eire, author

Guest:  Dr. Carlos Eire, author.  We will discuss the options for a new Cuba.  What transition can we see?  

The great divide south of the border

 

Watching political developments in Mexico takes you to two points. On one hand, the political class is playing the sovereignty card, i.e. no foreign intervention. On the other hand, my unscientific survey of Mexican acquaintances, suggests that Mexicans want something done about they call "organized crime." The "politicos" are talking ideology and the people are screaming that they shot their mayor again.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/the_great_divide_south_of_the_border.html

Watching political developments in Mexico takes you to two points. On one hand, the political class is playing the sovereignty card, i.e. no foreign intervention. On the other hand, my unscientific survey of Mexican acquaintances, suggests that Mexicans want something done about they call "organized crime." The "politicos" are talking ideology and the people are screaming that they shot their mayor again.

So where are we? It appears that the Trump administration is sending signals that more needs to be done. This is the story:

The United States is intensifying pressure on Mexico to allow U.S. military forces to conduct joint operations to dismantle fentanyl labs inside the country, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing U.S. officials.

U.S. officials want American forces, either Special Operations troops or CIA officers, to accompany Mexican soldiers on raids on suspected fentanyl labs, the report said, citing multiple unnamed officials.

"On the campaign trail, President Trump pledged to take on the cartels," a White House official told Reuters, adding that Trump has "left all options on the table" to stop drugs from entering the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News last week that cartels were running Mexico and suggested the U.S. could strike land targets to combat them, in one of a series of threats to deploy U.S. military force against drug cartels.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said this week that she ruled out a U.S. military intervention to combat drug cartels following a "good conversation" with Trump on security and drug trafficking.

My guess is that most Mexicans are beyond the word games, i.e. foreign intervention and sovereignty. They want action and they don't see it. Why not? Well, that's where the debate gets angry and very partisan. The opposition claims that Presidenta Sheinbaum is in the pocket of cartels and her administration responds by saying that U.S. troops would be counterproductive.

I agree that send the Marines would create more problems. It would be difficult to bomb fentanyl plants without killing civilians, for example. However, joint operations with Mexican troops taking the lead is a better idea. The U.S. could simply direct and supply them, but it's the Mexicans who break down doors and pull bad guys out of the place.

So the debate goes on and the phone calls do too. In the end, I believe that Mexicans know what this violence is doing to them, their communities, and even business opportunities. They want action, not more ideology about sovereignty.

Who will prevail? Stay tuned. The great divide is widening.

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

 

 

We remember Janis Joplin (1943-1970)

We remember Janis Joplin who was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on this day in 1943.      
She started singing with the band "Big Brother and the Holding Company" in 1966.    In 1968, they released a very popular  album "Cheap Thrills". 

Janis eventually went solo but but died in  1970 at age 27.   After her death, the album "Pearl" became a huge bestseller.    It included her biggest hit, "Me and Bobby McGee".    Later, a "greatest hits" was released.

A very tragic story.

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Happy # 79 Dolly Parton

We salute Dolly Parton who was born in Tennessee on this day in 1946.    

Her success is incredible:  25 #1's on Billboard country, 41 top 10 albums and over a hundred singles that charted over the years. 

Quite a story.

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Happy # 82 Shelley Fabares

The very popular  Shelley Fabares was born in Santa Monica, California, on this day in 1944.

I was so stunned with the news that I had to check it out....it turned out to be true!

For some of us, Shelley Fabares was "Mary", the teen daughter" in the very popular "The Donna Reed Show" of the 1960s. (You can still see the reruns and it was an entertaining series)

More recently, she was Christine in "The coach", the funny TV comedy of a few years ago.

Between "Donna Reed" and "The coach", Shelley played different roles on TV and even made 3 movies with Elvis.

She also recorded "Johnny Angel", one of the biggest hits of the pre-Beatles era.

It became one of the best selling "teen girl loves high school boy" songs of pop music history.

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 Robert E Lee (1807-70)

We remember Robert E. Lee who was born on this day in 1807.   He died in 1870, or a few years after The Civil War.

Lee was a distinguished military man and West Point graduate. He was a man of great character and accomplishment.   

In 1865, General Lee surrendered because he understood that his side had lost and wanted to avoid more bloodshed. 

Check our Gettysburg show with Barry Jacobsen 

  

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2010 podcast: "No Che Day" with Carlos Eire & Humberto Fontova

"No Che Day" with Dr. Carlos Eire, Humberto Fontova & students at Towson University..... 

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 "Let's talk about "No Che Day" at Towson" on Spreaker.

NFL weekend plus what's next in Mexico

NFL weekend plus what's next in Mexico

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.

We remember David Ruffin (1941-91)

We remember David Ruffin who was born in Mississippi on this day in 1941.  

In the 1960's, David was one of The Temptations, the great Motown group.  He sang lead on "My girl".

David died 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.

Happy # 85 Bobby Goldsboro

We remember Bobby Goldsboro who was born in Florida on this day in 1941.  

Bobby Goldsboro had many hits in the 1960's and the 1970's.    In fact, he put 16 on the Billboard Top 40, from "Little things" to "See the funny little clown".    

His biggest hit was "Honey", a huge bestseller from 1968. 

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.

January 1971: The Bee Gees put "Lonely days" in the Top 10

At the end of 1970, Bee Gees returned to the US charts with "Lonely days".    It was their first song after a bit of a brotherly feud that nearly killed the group.

They single was one of their best 3 part harmonies ever!     

It was released in the LP "Two years on", a decent LP that was probably rushed to capitalize on the success of the single.   Most of the songs in the LP were solo efforts in contrast to previous efforts.    Nevertheless, it was great to hear the brothers again in the US.

By the way: You can hear "Lonely days" HERE or in the "Number ones" CD.

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.

 

1976: Steelers beat Cowboys in Super Bowl X

On this day in 1976, Pittsburgh defeated Dallas 21-17 in Super Bowl X.   

Coach Tom Landry took Dallas to the Super Bowl 5 times in the 1970’s.    It was the second of 4 Super Bowl wins by the Steelers under Coach Chuck Noll.    

Dallas and Pittsburgh met again in Super Bowl XIII, one of the greatest games ever.

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 Curt Flood (1938-97)

We remember Curt Flood who was born on this day in 1938.  

Curt was a pretty good baseball player.  He was a career .293 hitter and an important piece of the St Louis power team that won 3 National League pennants in 1964, 1967 and 1968.   

Flood played on a team that included Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Orlando Cepeda, Tim Mc Carver and quite a few others.

Back in 1970, Curt Flood filed a lawsuit against major league baseball.

However, he lost the case in 1972 when the Supreme Court favored baseball:

“On June 19, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court rules against Curt Flood in Flood v. Kuhn, denying Flood free agency as a baseball player. Flood was trying to break the reserve clause that had tied baseball players to one franchise since the establishment of professional baseball.”

Eventually, the players’ union won the “free agency” fight in 1976 after 2 strikes and several court appeals.  The net result is that “Free agency” changed the game and blew up the owners’ monopoly.  

Flood never got to make the big bucks but he had a lot to do with the benefits that the players enjoy today.  He was the one who challenged the system and took a bullet for the union.

Flood died in 1997.

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Let's chat with Alina Garcia-Lapuerta, author of "La Belle Creole"

Guest:   Fausta Rodriguez-Wertz, editor of Fausta's Blog, joins me for a chat with Alina Garcia-Lapuerta, author of "La Belle Creole".

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.

Listen to "Let's chat with Alina Garcia-Lapuerta, author of "La Belle Creole"" on Spreaker.

DOJ vs Minnesota and the Eisenhower farewell speech.

DOJ vs Minnesota, Dodgers gone crazy and the Eisenhower farewell speech.

Are you ready to hear ‘Damn Dodgers’?

 

What we need this time is for the players' union to save the game from a few owners who want to win the World Series at any cost. 

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/are_you_ready_to_hear_damm_dodgers.html

1966: The bomb lost in Spain

It wasn't James Bond's "Thunderball" or the story of the famous secret agent looking for lost A-bombs off Bahamas.  

It’s a lot more complicated in the real world than novels or movies.  Yes, humans get killed when bombs go off by mistake or accidentally.

It started on this day in 1966 when a B-52 bomber collided with a KC-135 jet tanker over Spain’s Mediterranean coast.  The collision dropped three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs near the town of Palomares and one in the sea.   

Thankfully, nothing exploded but it caused an international crisis for the Johnson Administration.  It must have been a very scary time for the people of Spain! 

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column.

1961: President Eisenhower's farewell address

President Eisenhower said goodbye on this day in 1961.    His speech came after 8 years as president nd an impressive military career.    

Many remember this speech for one line about the "military industrial complex".   

Some say that his speech was misunderstood or that the line was taken out of context.   Others say that he was warning us about a corrupt relationship between government and the military industry., it was not the anti-military speech that so many in the left make it out to be, as David Greenberg pointed out.  

Overall, a good speech that should be read for what it said, i.e. spend wisely and watch for corruption.   

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column.

The 3 times that I was very happy that George H.W. Bush was around….

As we remember President Bush, let me share three times when I literally thanked God that this man was in office.

The first one was March 30 1981, the day of the assassination attempt against President Reagan.  I was in Mexico City having lunch with a business associate.  Back in the office, I got a call from my mother in Texas breaking the news.  I tuned in my shortwave to Armed Forces Radio and got the news reports.  We had an office TV with a cable connection to an NBC affiliate in South Texas.

We didn’t know if President Reagan would make it, but at least, I was confident that George Bush was ready to take over.

The second time was during the Gulf War.  As you may remember, Iraq started to fire scud missiles against Israel.  It was a scary moment because an Israeli retaliation would have probably messed up the coalition, i.e. Arab countries.  President Bush picked up the phone and convinced Israel not to do it. 

The third moment was the coup in the USSR against Gorbachev.  I learned about it early the next morning and saw a photo on TV of President Bush on the phone.  He then made a statement to the media and seemed totally in control of a very serious situation.

Yes, I know that President Bush was not perfect, specially when he broke that tax pledge.  However, I was always felt safe when that man was in charge.

Thank you Bush-41!

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).