Talarico’s cynical rebranding is here

Talarico’s cynical rebranding is here:

Talarico is now claiming that those are old videos and that he has “changed.”

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/talarico-s-cynical-rebranding-is-here/

September 8, 1965: Campaneris played all 9 positions!

We remember the great Bert Campaneris, one of the greatest Cubans to play in the major leagues.

On this in 1965, Bert played all 9 positions.   Campy, as he was known as, pitched one inning and gave up a run.   Overall, a very rare performance for a major league player.

During his great career, he had 2,249 hits and 646 stolen bases.   His batting average of .259 was quite respectable for a shortstop of that era, or a time when most of them were known for their glove and legs rather than bat.

He played in many post-season series (1971-75) and was always in the middle of everything as any Oakland A’s fan will tell you. 

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 Patsy Cline (1932-1963)

Patsy Cline was born on this day in 1932.  She was only 30 when killed in a plane crash in 1963.  

In the 1980’s, I discovered “Crazy”, a great country song.   It got me to read and inquire about Patsy’s music.    

Today, I’m a big fan of her music.  She also recorded “I fall to pieces” and several other country hits! 

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.

The man with the most wisdom to offer on the Trump indictment

(My new American Thinker post)

What else can I tell you?  D.A. Bragg's indictment smells of pure political vengeance.  Even former A.G. William Barr calls it "a pathetically weak case."  We've heard the words "pathetic" and "weak" about this case quite a bit.

We've crossed a line, and my guess is that former presidents Obama, Clinton and incumbent Biden know that what goes around comes around.  Not a threat — just reality.  In baseball, you hit my star, and I'll nail yours.  In politics, we investigate each other, and the country suffers.

Let's go back to the Nixon pardon, or the last time that a U.S. president was facing criminal charges.  Enter President Ford, or a man who understood how dangerous it was to go after a former president.  It became President Ford's biggest and most courageous decision.

September 8, 1974 was the day that President Ford announced a pardon for President Nixon, his predecessor.  As I remember, it happened on a Sunday morning.  My parents and I saw the TV coverage as we ate lunch.  My father's initial reaction was that it made sense, but it would be politically difficult with the midterms two months away.  He was prophetic, because the Democrats pounded the pardon and scored big.

President Ford won in the end.  Years later, the JFK Library Foundation presented him its "2001 Profile in Courage Award."  The award celebrated the fact that President Ford put country over his political ambitions.  And he did.

President Ford left politics in 1977 and died in 2006.  The pardon looks better and better with age, and so does the 30-month "accidental" Ford presidency.  He put the nation first, and we need something like that today, no matter how you feel about Trump.

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

Labor Day memories

 Labor Day memories 

September 2008: Live from the GOP convention with Adryana Boyne

A post from September 2008:

We spoke with Adriana Boyne and Mona Bailey, Texas delegates to the Republican convention in St. Paul.

Listen to "Let's talk with delegates at the Republican convention" on Spreaker.

The Cubans: The music of Ernesto Lecuona & others with Fernando Hernandez, author

Guest:  Fernando Hernandez, author of "The Cubans".  We will review the career of Ernesto Lecuona, one of the greatest composers of the Spanish speaking world, plus Moises Simons, Rene Touzet among others.....

Click to listen.......

Listen to "The Cubans: The music of Ernesto Lecuona & others" on Spreaker.

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 the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis with Frank Burke

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN:

Guest: Frank Burke, businessman, author and contributor to American Thinker........we remembered The Cuban Missile Crisis on a podcast from 2016........He was in the US and I was in Cuba..........

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 "We remember the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis with Frank Burke" on Spreaker.

2014: We remember 1964 New York World's Fair

2014 has been an interesting year for 50-year anniversaries:

1) The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show;
2) The Ford Mustang; and

3) The New York World's Fair.

It was a showcase for companies and future technology, such as "a touch tone phone"!    It was also an exhibition of US confidence and self esteem!    It was the US telling the world "we are #1" rather than meaningless "hope and change" speeches!

One big development in the last 50 years is that we were a manufacturing nation in 1964 as you can appreciate in this tour of the facilities recently published in The New York Times.

We made cars, telephones, TV's and lots of other things.    Check out the industrial area from the aforementioned article:

"In the part of the fairgrounds closest to the Van Wyck Expressway, more than 45 pavilions devoted to industry (with some religious organizations sprinkled in) surrounded a pool around which was held a nightly fireworks show.
Anchored by the General Electric Pavilion’s Progressland, the Industrial area was a collective advertisement for corporate America, with the Kodak Pavilion’s roof designed like the surface of the moon, and Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen’s egg-shaped IBM Pavilion, where visitors sitting on grandstands were lifted swiftly into a theater.
At the Bell System exhibit, visitors previewed phone technology that is now commonplace.
Perhaps the biggest hit: The Pepsi-Cola Pavilion’s Unicef-Disney production of “It’s a Small World,” with a song, in rounds of several languages, that became forever lodged in people’s minds."

We don't do make products like this anymore and that is something to think about.  

Let me ask you a couple of questions:

1) How many of those companies are still making anything in the US?   Who is hiring American workers in US plants?

2) How can you maintain a middle class if everything is made by cheap labor elsewhere?

I am not peddling "doom and gloom" this morning.  I understand that 2014 is different than 1964.  

However, a great nation has to make things and we are making less of everything these days.

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 "We remember 1964 New York World's Fair with Frank Burke, author" on Spreaker.

2017: Valentine's Day Leslie Eastman and Barry Jacobsen.

2017: Valentine's Day Leslie Eastman and Barry Jacobsen..

 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 "Valentine's Day 2017 with Leslie Eastman and Barry Jacobsen" on Spreaker.

December 2012: Let's talk a little tango with Georgina & Oscar

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN:

Guests: Leslie Eastman joined me for a chat with Georgina Vargas and Oscar Mandagaran. They are a lovely tango couple from Argentina:

 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.

Labor Day 1998 plus Sammy & Mark

Labor Day 1998 plus Sammy & Mark:

It was a great baseball summer.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/labor-day-1998-plus-sammy-mark/

Munich 1972 and the Israeli Olympic team members

Let’s take a break from current events and remember how the unexpected will always make its way on the front pages.

On Labor Day 1972, President Nixon looked like a man headed for re-election.  At the same time, I am not sure that people were predicting a 49-state sweep or winning the popular vote by 22 points.

Then something happened at the Olympics, and the world watched those horrific scenes from the Olympics in Munich: 9 Israeli hostages, 5 terrorists, and one German policeman were killed.

How much did this incident impact the 1972 election?  It’s hard to say, but it put experience and foreign policy in the minds of voters.  It was similar to that Beslan school shooting in 2004 in another presidential election.

Munich reminded us that terrorists knew no limits — not even young athletes in the Olympics.  It was the beginning of massive terror attacks, such as 9-11 here in the U.S.

Most of all, it reminded us that you never know what can happen in the last 60 days before an election.

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 Labor Day

Happy Labor Day and enjoy your 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.

Remembering Buddy Holly! (1936-1959)

The late Buddy Holly was born September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. He is also buried there.

Buddy, along with Richie Valens ("La Bamba") and The Big Bopper, died in a plane crash in 1959.

Most of us learned of Buddy Holly's life because of Don McClean's "American Pie", a song that told the story of the day that Buddy Holly was killed.

He was only 22, a big recording star with huge hits: "That'll be the day", "Oh Boy", "True love ways", "Maybe baby" and "Heartbeat".

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.

Manufacturing and jobs report.

 

Manufacturing and jobs report.  Toronto and the US National Anthem.  Memories of Labor Day 1998.

CANTO TALK podcasts from last week

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

Click to listen:

A nice Labor Day jobs report

A nice Labor Day jobs report :

We have something to cheer about with this complex economy.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/a-nice-labor-day-jobs-report/

Happy # 79 Jane "very funny woman" Curtin

Jane Curtin was born in Massachusetts on this day in 1947.

We met Jane Curtin on Saturday Night Live in 1975.    We saw her every Saturday night in a long list of comedy roles, from housewife to anchor lady on the weekly roundup.  Later, she and Dan Aykroyd made the movie “The Coneheads”.    A very funny lady with a little politically incorrect humor.

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.

Labor Day weekend 1998: Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and home runs!

Sammy Sosa's big smile and Mark McGwire's powerful swing were a wonderful distraction from the real world in the summer of '98.   

It was so much fun keeping track of home runs and the countdown to pass Roger Maris's 61 from 1961 and Babe Ruth's legendary 60 from 1927.

We grew up in a baseball world where 50 was a super season.  

The great Harmon Killebrew hit 49 in one season.  

The amazing Hank Aaron hit 47.  

Triple crown winner Mickey Mantle did hit 56 and 54 in the 1950's. 

The Phillies' Mike Schmitdt topped at 48.  

The great Willie Mays hit 52 twice in his career.

The A's Reggie Jackson hit 47 in '69 and led the AL with 32 in '73 and 36 in '75. 

In the 1970s, there were only a few guys who hit 40!

In other words, 50 home runs was a huge number.    

It was so rare that only Willie Mays (52 in '65), George Foster (52 in '77) and Cecil Fielder (50 in '90) did it over a 25 year span!    

In other words, only 3 players hit 50 home runs from 1965 to 1990!

Beyond that, two guys hitting 60 home runs in the same season was beyond my imagination.

This is what made the summer of 1998 so exciting.     

In 1998, McGuire hit # 62 and hugged the Maris family in a national telecast following Labor Day. 

Sosa followed him daily. It went on for the whole month of September. It was wonderful. 

On the last day of the season, McGuire hit the unthinkable # 69 and # 70. 

It was incredible to watch McGuire and Sosa connect with the fans and bring baseball back from the unpleasant strike of '94.

We needed all of those home runs because the 1998 was a horrible except for baseball.

On the local scene, we had one of the warmest summers ever.  We had daily 100 plus temperatures for 29 days.  At one point, we reached 108.  Even the old timers could not remember such a hot summer.

On the national scene, it was the summer of Monica Lewinski and Bill Clinton.  By Labor Day, most of us were hearing about about "oral sex" and White House interns.  I did not appreciate that.   President Clinton's incredibly reckless behavior led to his impeachment in December!

On the global scene, two US embassies were blown up in Africa.  Osama Bin Laden said that it was another battle in the war against the US.

So much for the theory that the terrorists got violent because the US invaded Iraq!

Over at the UN, Saddam Hussein kicked out the inspectors.  Pres. Clinton went to the UN Security Council and demanded a reaction.  VP Gore called Iraq a "virulent threat".  

Nothing happened and Saddam got away with giving the world the finger again.

By the end of '98, Saddam was hitting 12 for 12 (perfect 1.000 batting average) in his defiance and rejection of UN resolutions!

So much for the theory that the UN was ever serious about the matter!

Over in Iraq, Saddam was shooting at US planes enforcing UN resolutions. 

So much for the theory that Saddam never attacked the US.

Most of us were very happy that Sosa and McGwire were hitting titanic homeruns. It was a pleasant distraction form the rest of the news.

Sadly, we learned later that Sosa and McGwire were allegedly involved in the steroids controversy and ended up answering questions from a congressional committee.    What a shame.  It was a great baseball summer.

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.

September 6, 1981: Fernando Valenzuela pitched 7th shutout in rookie season

On this day in 1981, Fernando Valenzuela pitched his 7th shutout of the season.   

It was an amazing rookie season for young Valenzuela:   13-7, 2.48 ERA, 11 complete games and 8 shutouts.    It earned him NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young.

We remind you that 1981 was the “strike year" and teams lost about 50 games to the labor stoppage.   He would probably won 20 in a regular season, as he did a couple of times in his career.

Then he beat Houston in the first round, clinched the NL pennant against Montreal and won game 3 against New York in the 1981 post season.

Valenzuela won 173 games and threw a ton of innings for the Dodgers in the 1980's.

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.

September 6, 1995: Cal Ripken reached 2,131!

Yes, it’s hard to believe that it was so many years ago.   I remember watching the nationally televised game and feeling good for Cal and the game of baseball.    Ripken was a great player and his streak healed some of the wounds from the 1994 strike.    

My first memory of Cal Ripken goes back to ’81.   The rest is history.  He was MVP in ’83 and the O’s won the World Series. He also started the “game streak” that went on until ’98.   He repeated as MVP in ’91.

Unfortunately, Ripken played in bad Oriole teams for most of the streak. Yet, he was out there every day playing and putting some good numbers:   431 HR, 1,695 RBI and 3,184 hits.

Congratulations to a great guy and thanks for the memories.

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.

September 6, 1996: Eddie Murray hit # 500

On this day in 1996, Eddie Murray became the third player in major league history to have 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.  He did it in the bottom of the 7th at Camden Yards.

Murray was very quiet and did his talking on the field:  .287 average, 504 HR & 1,917 RBI.     He also did it as a switch hitter and played excellent defense at first base.

He was clearly one of the key parts of those Orioles teams who won 2 AL pennants and the 1983 World Series.    In fact, Murray hit 2 HR in game 5 to back Scott McGregor's pitching and win the Series.

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: the War that Made Our World" with Barry Jacobsen

CLICK TO LISTEN:

'World War Two, the War that Made Our World' Episode One 05/20 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics Podcasts:

Guest: Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger......this is our World War II series...........'World War Two, the War that Made Our World Episode One: 'From Out of the Ashes, The Rise of Communism and Fascism'................the end of World War I left many unsettled issues in Europe.......also, the German economy collapsed and that opened the door for Hitler........the collapse of the Czars in Russia created the communist state or the USSR............ and other stories of the week.... .

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, click send, and drop a dime here.

Listen to ""World War Two, the War that Made Our World" Episode One" on Spreaker.

A good jobs report for Labor Day.

 

A good jobs report to greet Labor Day as well as more good news for manufacturing.  Democrats need to hear what many Hispanics are saying about socialism.  President Ford and 2 assassination attempts in 1975.

Communism: We saw that movie

Communism: We saw that movie:

Socialism is toxic and evil

Click to read: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/communism-we-saw-that-movie/

We remember Raquel Welch (1940-2023)

Raquel Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago, Illinois on this day in 1940.  Her father was from Bolivia and her mother was American of English parents.    Her beauty and figure were legendary.  

Many years ago, she was a big sex symbol in the movies.   And in "1,000,000 years BC", she became every boy's favorite cave woman dream.

She died in 2023.

   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 Bill Mazeroski

We say happy birthday to Bill Mazeroski who was born in West Virginia on this day in 1936.  He died in 2026.

Maz, as he was known, was the Pirate who hit a "bottom of the 9th home run" to beat the Yankees in game 7 of the 1960 World Series. 

He broke with Pittsburgh in 1956 and played until 1972:  .260 with 2,016 hits in 2,163 games plus 8 Gold Gloves at second base.

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.

September 1975: Two assassinations attempts on President Ford

President Ford's tenure was short but very consequential.  He became VP when Vice President Agnew resigned in October 1973 and president when President Nixon resigned in August 1974.  Shortly after assuming the presidency, he pardoned President Nixon, saw the country through a recession and lost a close election to Governor Carter in 1976.

Back in September 1975, President Ford faced two assassination attempts.  The first one on this day and another on the 22nd.  Thankfully, both failed but it was a scary time for the country.

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.

Criminals on the streets. DSA and Hispanics. US-Canada trade deal. Mark Spitz 1972.

 

Let's hear it for the Second

Let's hear it for the Second:

Cheers for the Second Amendment, and shame on the system that lets criminals and lunatics walk the streets.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/let-s-hear-it-for-the-second/#google_vignette

1951: President Truman and the first national televised speech

We are so accustomed to seeing a president on TV these days.   However, it was not until President Truman that we got a nationally televised speech:

On this day in 1951, President Harry S. Truman’s opening speech before a conference in San Francisco is broadcast across the nation, marking the first time a television program was broadcast from coast to coast. 
The speech focused on Truman’s acceptance of a treaty that officially ended America’s post-World War II occupation of Japan.

At the time, Truman was facing challenges in the Korea War as well as domestic issues.

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 Paul Harvey (1918-2009)

We remember Paul Harvey who was born in Tulsa, OK, on this day in 1918.  He died in 2009.

For years, I listened to Paul Harvey every weekday at 7:30 here in Dallas.    Then there was "The rest of the story" in the afternoons or weekends.   It was some of the best radio ever recorded.   I loved it!

The amazing Mr. Harvey started many years ago.

At the peak of his career, he reached 24 million listeners on 1,200 radio stations plus many over his newspaper column.  Once in Mexico, I picked up his commentary on Armed Forces Radio on short wave radio.

Harvey was great and I miss our daily "radio dates" in the car.

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.

1964: Leaving Cuba...............with Orestes Matacena

 

Leaving Cuba in 1964 or years ago with Orestes Matacena.......click to listen...

Listen to "Orestes Matacena and his story of leaving Cuba in 1964" on Spreaker.

Venezuelan oil deal. Crime and criminals walking our streets. Trump ready to tackle midterms.

 

Venezuelan oil deal. Crime and criminals walking our streets. Trump ready to tackle midterms.......

A good deal for Venezuela and the US

A good deal for Venezuela and the US:

The US is the best country to do business with.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/a-good-deal-for-venezuela-and-the-us/

Happy # 84 Al Jardine (The Beach Boys)

We say happy birthday to Al Jardine who was born on this day in 1942.  Al played guitar and was a part of the band's unique vocals.   He did sing lead in "Help me Rhonda".

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.

Septembers past, back to school and a great new song by The Rolling Stones!

A few days ago, I was driving around and heard "Dandelion" by The Rolling Stones. 

It was one of my favorite songs from those "school days" when we collected 45s and kept an eye on the cute girl having lunch in the cafeteria.  (There were lots of cute girls around!)

It seems like only yesterday but it was a lot of years ago.  

Click here for the song.  I always loved the ending of the song, specially Charlie Watts' drums.

"Prince or pauper, beggar man or thing

Play the game with ev'ry flow'r you bring

Dandelion don't tell no lies Dandelion will make you wise

Tell me if she laughs or cries Blow away dandelion

One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock chimes

Dandelions don't care about the time

Dandelion don't tell no lies Dandelion will make you wise

Tell me if she laughs or cries Blow away dandelion, blow away dandelion

Tho' you're older now its just the same

You can play this dandelion game

When you're finished with your childlike prayers

Well, you know you should wear it

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailors lives

Rich man, poor man, beautiful, daughters wives

Dandelion don't tell no lies Dandelion will make you wise

Tell me if she laughs or cries Blow away dandelion, blow away dandelion

Little girls, and boys come out to play

Bring your dandelions to blow away

Dandelion don't tell no lies Dandelion will make you wise

Tell me if she laughs or cries

Blow away dandelion, blow away dandelion....."

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.