September 2008: The McCain speech

A post from September 2008

Unlike Senator Obama or Governor Palin, Senator McCain did not need a big speech to introduce himself.

We know McCain. He has been around for 25 years. McCain has been in the middle of every domestic and national security issue since the Reagan administration.

Last night, McCain called for a change in Washington.

McCain wants Washington to work and get things done. Like most of us, he is tired of Democrats and Republicans yelling at each other.

On national security, I think that we can easily deduct that our enemies know who McCain is.

I think that Iran knows that McCain will negotiate but won't be afraid to take out the nuclear plants if necessary. My guess is that France and Germany understand that McCain will call on them to put up or shut up in NATO. How much longer can the Afghanistan War be fought by US, UK and Canadian guys?

Overall, the speech was a typical McCain speech.

Great orator? No!

Potentially a great president? Absolutely yes!

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2008: The lady hit a home run!

The 2008 election has been one surprise after another. Who would have believed a week ago that Gov. Sarah Pallin would be the new star in town?

Someone wrote some great lines and she delivered them beautifully:

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening.
We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco."

She nailed Obama! Try this one:

"But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.

This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign."

Great job! This lady is one heck of a candidate!

P.S. What was Obama's response? His staff said that Palin was talking like Bush! I get the feeling that the Obama people are still running against Bush. They should get ready to run against McCain-Palin!

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

July 2008: Today, we added Huckabee 2008 to our favorite places

A post from July 2008:

As of today, Mike Huckabee is still considered a 2nd tier candidate. In other words, he is not hailed as a front runner.

Nevertheless, Mr. Huckabee is rising. In fact, I would argue that he is one of the best communicators on the Republican stage.

I do not believe that Mr. Huckabee will be nominated president. However, he has to be among the top 2-3 names for VP.

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

June 2008: Ken Griffey, Jr. hit # 600!

Back in June 2008, Ken Griffey joined Bonds, Aaron, Ruth, Mays and Sosa in the 600 HR club.    (A-Rod got there later)

Griffey stayed away from controversy but not injuries.   Wonder how many more home runs he would have hit?  He hit 408 home runs in first 11 seasons with Seattle but only 222 over the next 10 years with Cincinnati, Chicago and then back to the Mariners for a season.

I remember how popular he was in the late 1990's when every kid wanted to wear #24 or Griffey's number.

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Was Marichal the greatest Latino pitcher?

Who are the greatest Latino pitchers?   You can choose from Marichal, Cuellar, Tiant, Valenzuela, Martinez, etc.  It is a very impressive list.

My top five are:

1) Juan Marichal----243 wins and a 2.89 ERA. He started 451 games and completed 244 of them, pitching 52 shutouts. Marichal has one more complete game than wins. That's amazing! Marichal's career was played in the shadows of Sandy Koufax and Warren Spahn.

2) Mike Cuellar----In 15 seasons, Cuellar went 185-130 with a 3.14 ERA, 1,632 strikeouts, 172 complete games and 36 shutouts over 453 games......won 139 games in a 7 year span with Baltimore (1969-75) plus game 5 of the 1970 World Series pitching another complete game. Cuellar won't make the Hall of Fame but he is the most successful lefty from Latin America.

3) Camilo Pascual---the most underrated pitcher of his era. He was a 5 time All-Star starting in 1959 to 1962 and in 1964.......won 174 games yet pitching for bad teams for much of his career......a 3.75 ERA and 36 shutouts in 18 Major League seasons....led the league in strikeouts from 1961 to 1963 and was among the leaders in shutouts in 1959, 1961 and 1962.....struck out 2,167 batters in 2,930 innings.

4) Luis Tiant---He led the league with a 1.60 ERA in 1968 and a 1.91 ERA in 1972.....won 229 games with a 3.30 ERA over 19 seasons......won 20 games four times and led the American League in shutouts three times.

5) Pedro Martinez----A three-time Cy Young Award winner---1997, while with the Expos, and in 1999 and 2000 with the Red Sox.  Hall of Fame 2013.

Honorable mention goes to Fernando Valenzuela and Dennis Martinez.

Imagine a fantasy baseball team with a rotation of Marichal, Cuellar, Pascual, Tiant and Martinez.   I think that I'll do OK!

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World War II: The long and difficult year of 1942

Guest:   Barry Jacobsen, military historian and blogger..........we go from the German invasion of the USSR to the very difficult year of 1942.........the US is now in the picture......

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

We remember Hugh Masekela (1939-2018)

We remember Hugh Masekela who was born in South Africa on this day in 1939.

Years ago, I bought a 45 by Hugh Masakela called "Grazing in the grass".   It was a great arrangement.  

We learned in January 2018 that Hugh Maeakela passed away. 

Great sound and super talent.

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

2008: We lost Cachao

Israel “Cachao” López died on this day in 2008. 

This is a little bit about Cachao: 

“Born in Havana in 1918, he came from a family of musicians and studied classical music. He began his public career at 8 years old, playing bongos in a children’s group.

A year later, he had stood on a crate to play bass for the Cuban pianist and singer, Bola de Nieve, accompanying silent films.

At 13, he became the bassist of the Havana Philharmonic, and he performed with the orchestra from 1930 to 1960.

But he also played Havana clubs with his brother Orestes, working with a noted Cuban dance orchestra, Arcaño y Sus Maravillas, and with their own groups.”

In recent years, Cachao recorded several albums and collected many awards. He was a master arranger of Cuban music.  

Rest in peace Cachao! 

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

"Descarga:........Cachao....1918-2008........ https://t.co/6YqRBD9Ctv via @amazon

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) March 22, 2019

Dick Clark's American Bandstand (1957-89)

On this day in 1989, Dick Clark announced his retirement from "American Bandstand".   It started in 1957 and went on for 33 seasons on ABC-TV.

Like some of you, I spent a few Saturdays in my life watching Dick Clark introduce one of the week's top songs and watching young couples dance.

He died in 2012 and "American Bandstand" is available for new generations to see what life was like back then.

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

1973: Roberto Clemente and Hall of Fame

On this day in baseball history, Roberto Clemente was elected to The Hall of Fame.   

It was a big move by MLB.  They waived the "5 year rule" following Clemente's death a few months before.  A few weeks later, # 21 was retired by Pittsburgh.

Clemente got # 3,000 on his last at-bat of the 1972 season.  He was one of the best hitters in baseball history:   .317 average, 3,000 hits in 2,433 games, 240 HR, 1,305 RBI, 4 NL batting titles, 1966 NL MVP and 12 straight NL Gold Glove Awards.

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

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