BALTIMORE, Maryland, Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - On a night when Maryland suffered its first defeat of the college basketball season, incoming President Donald Trump met for a second time with Mitt Romney. The meeting was over dinner at a Manhattan restaurant that is one of the most posh in the world. The dinner party included only one other person, Reince Priebus, whom Trump has appointed as his White House Chief of Staff. Priebus is still the RNC Chairman. He is said to be the only major member of Trump's inner circle to support the appointment of Romney to the position of Secretary of State. Others in the Inner Circle are against Romney, at least for the State position, because of his caustic opposition to Trump's Presidential bid.
Appearing on Fox News last night, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said he opposed Romney for the Secretary of State position but would support whomever Trump picked.
Unless you live under some kind of information shell, you know that this nation is at a critical juncture in its 240+ years of existence. The two major political parties hardly resemble their statures during the years that each shown bright on the American scene.
The Democratic Party has been taken over by the Ultra Far Left. Its leaders demand fidelity, even to policies that jump over the legislative restraints previously enacted as if those restraints do not exist. I don't have a clear view of where these people want to take the nation, at least not as a whole. I know that the Ultra Leftist Party Leadership, led by Lame Duck Barack Obama, is doing all in its collective power to promote racial division in the nation, making personnel decisions based on race on a whim. I know that Democrats want to change the economy from one in which capitalism holds sway, where each person is free to think, free to communicate and free to act as they choose, provided they do not injure others on purpose or with reckless abandon, and where each citizen is at liberty to undertake whatever job or vocation they choose and free, as well, to make as much money as they want or are able to. Instead, the Far Left-led Democrats want a national economy where the government is all powerful, where private enterprise is discouraged, where stale socialistic endeavors tightly controlled by the powerful central government is the new norm. I know that the Democrats do not want the USA to lead the world in anything. I know the Democrats are not in favor of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; instead they wish to make the national motto something akin to collective effort for the collective good, individual liberty and individual thinking be damned. Also important to these Leftists is the idea, when it comes to paying workers, of minimum incomes paid out, nearly usurious national taxes paid in to supremely governments that look a whole lot like the governments that ran nations that were stuck behind the Iron Curtain. In the Democrats' thinking, individuals have virtually no role.
The mainline national GOP is primarily interested in keeping its shrinking slice of power, even to the point of working against the candidate nominated by the party's voters, because that candidate, Donald Trump, would upset the tired apple cart that is in Washington in these days. By contrast, the elected Republicans that are in charge in the various state governments - the GOP currently controls the governments of some 34 states - are a very vital dynamic group, leading their respective states, for the most part, in a manner that is just as the framers of the United States Constitution envisioned. Why there is a disconnect in the Republican Party between these state GOP governments and the RHINO clowns running around in Washington is a great mystery. I really believe that the national GOP is quite nervous about having control of both the legislative and executive branches of the national government. I wouldn't be at all stunned if Mitch McConnell, the Senate President, and Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, end up working with Congressional Democrats against President Trump on quite a few, if not most issues. There is a stunning amount of resentment against Trump in Washington, arising, it seems, out of the fact that Trump is a real outsider coming to Washington without any prior political experience.
Democrats in Congress were unable to work effectively with Jimmy Carter when he was President because he was viewed as an outsider with no political acumen. Trump, unschooled in the ways of Washington - a trait that is positive when it comes to morals and ethics but negative when it comes to getting along in the nation's capital - could face all of the problems faced by Carter, and then some.
And unlike George W. Bush, Trump won't be able to turn to the GOP for support. He could very easily be isolated politically and left to swim against the current for his entire tenure, whether it be four years or eight years. I hope he makes every effort to tap into the one recourse naturally open to him: taking his message directly to the people. He is schooled in public discourse, having starred in a prime-time television show for years. That could be his plan and his salvation.
Food for Thought: The French Revolution is often looked on by intellectuals as the catalyst of great leaps forward in all topics deemed enlightened and advanced. Yet, as the Oxford History of the French Revolution, Second Edition, by William Doyle, Oxford University Press, 2002, has noted, book production in France increased dramatically during the latter half of the eighteenth century until the start of that revolution in 1788/1789.
In his Pulitzer Prize Winning Book, Profiles in Courage, the late United States' President, John F. Kennedy, wrote that "...democracy means much more than popular government and majority rule, much more than a system of political techniques to flatter or deceive powerful blocs of voters. A democracy that has no...monuments of individual conscience in a sea of popular rule is not worthy to bear the name." Ibid, at page 223. The book was originally published in 1953, and the quote was taken from a paperback edition published by Harper Perennial Modern Classics in 2006.
Sports: Terp Rally, At Long Last, Comes Up Short, Maryland Falls to Pittsburgh, 73-59 - This time they fell too far behind against too good of a team. This time even their penchant for breathtaking comebacks was stretched too thin. This time, they lost.
A Pittsburgh team with a lot of upperclassmen and a very big line-up punched Maryland's basketball team smack dab in the gut Tuesday Night in College Park in a renewal of the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Panthers, up by 21 points at halftime, 25 points with 15 minutes left to play, and still ahead by 22 points with 13 minutes to play, managed to hold off a gutty Maryland rally and beat the Terps on the losers' home court, 73-59.
Led by Freshman Daniel Huerter, Junior Melo Trimble and Red Shirt Sophmore Dion Wiley, Maryland went on a dramatic 22-9 run over a 9 and one-half minute stretch of the second half to pull within 8 points, at 63-55, with 3:35 left. Those 22 points included three 3-point shots by Huerter, two by Wiley and one by Trimble. But with the Pitt lead at 8, another three-point try by Wiley rimmed out; it could have cut the Panther lead to 5 and sent the already delirious Maryland crowd through the roof. Maryland again trimmed Pitt's lead to 8 with 1:40 left on two free throws by Anthony Cowan, but Damonte Dodd fouled out on Pitt's next trip down the floor and Michael Young put the Panther lead back into double digits with two free throws.
Trimble led Maryland with 13 points. Cowan had 11 points for the Terps and Michael Cekovsky added 10. Pitt was led by Young with 25 points and Jamel Artis with 22 points. Cekovsky played the most minutes so far for him this season, spending 20 minutes on the floor.
TV Analyst Jay Williams criticized Young for engaging Maryland Fans in a battle of insults, telling the Pitt Star that such nonsense will not benefit him in the long run. It was very good advice.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
An Irrelevant Recount, A Goofy Far Left Strategy, and Dirty Politics That Backfired; Maryland in Top 25
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Tuesday, November 29, 2016 - There is this so-called "recount" getting underway on Thursday in Wisconsin. When word of the supposed recounts leaked out, it was said that Green Party candidate Jill Stein would seek recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Only if all three states flipped to Hillary Clinton would the effort amount to anything substantial. But that possibility has already fallen by the wayside unless Pennsylvania Courts can be convinced to change the law in that state. You see, the deadline for seeking a recount had already passed in Pennsylvania and Stine and her functionaries missed it. She has filed a lawsuit seeking permission to file for a recount after the deadline, but success is doubtful. Pennsylvania always was a long-shot for Stine, anyway, because, unlike Wisconsin, she would have had to produce evidence of legitimate problems with the initial vote. She admitted publicly that she did not have such evidence. If there was any malfeasance with the actual voting, it almost certainly would have gone against Clinton's side since the Democrats all but admit to playing dirtball politics with the voting in that state.
In Wisconsin, Stine wanted officials to count the votes by hand. The Democrats cringed when they heard that, because, like Pennsylvania, it is the Democrats and not the GOP that "tinkers" with the vote, getting more than a few votes from people who long ago departed this life.
George Soros is said to be behind a lot of this post-election nonsense. I suppose at his age he forgot that he funded those who were trying to steal the election for that shining light of the Democrats, Mrs. Hillary Clinton. Stine, meanwhile, needed money for the recount, and lots of it. Observers have noted that the maximum contributions of $160,000.00 per hour have been pouring in every hour, on the hour, 24 hours per day, even though contributions, even to meaningful causes, typically drop off during the hours when most Americans are sleeping. Apparently George has some kind of computer program that makes contributions hourly whether he's signing the checks or not. Go Figure.
Back in the real world, Donald Trump continues with the task of filling out his cabinet and finding recruits for the hundreds of appointed positions he must make. Most of the attention, and rightly so, has been on who Trump will select for Secretary of State. On Monday, Trump had a one hour meeting with former CIA Director George Petraeus. Tonight, Trump is said to be meeting over dinner with Mitt Romney. It will be their second get together, and it is the possibility of Romney becoming Secretary of State that has the internet all in a buzz. Some of Trump's insiders are openly and obviously opposed to Romney, especially for the position he and Trump are meeting over, which is, typically, one of the most visible in any Presidential Administration. Romney, you'll recall, was out in front of a maniacal effort to scuttle the Trump candidacy, and he and Trump exchanged harsh words over the Romney effort. To many, Romney was the last man on Earth that would have been expected to compete for a high profile position in the Trump government. But there he is.
Neither Obama or Vice President Joe Biden are going to Cuba for the Castro funeral. So who will represent the USA? At Monday's White House press briefing, the possibility that no one would go was broached, but don't take it seriously. Most bets say Kerry is just itching to go, even more so than Obama. I see that happening. Would anyone be surprised if he did?
Sports: Maryland one spot out of AP Top 25 Basketball Poll But No. 22 in USA Today/ Coach's Poll
Over the weekend Maryland won the Tournament in Brooklyn, New York that was played at the Barclay Center. Friday Night the Terps had to go to overtime to beat Richmond, 88-82. On Saturday Night, Kansas State had the ball and a three-point lead in the final 30 seconds before Maryland rallied to win, 69-68. Maryland is now 7-0. Both weekend wins were brought about by the heroics of Melo Trimble. On Friday, he poured in 31 against the Spiders. On Saturday, he twice - in the final seconds - drove the lane and scored against the Wildcats, erasing that three point lead and turning it to a one-point Maryland victory. A missed Kansas State free throw also was decisive. Trimble was the Tournament MVP. On Saturday Night, Big Mike Cekovsky scored 16 impressive points, many of them of thunderous second half dunks. Cekovsky, the 7'1" European, looks like he is emerging as the inside force many have thought he could be.
In the goofy AP Poll, Maryland was ranked in the preseason but fell from the poll in an early poll even though they remain undefeated and have wins over Georgetown and, now, Kansas State. Two "ranked" teams in the poll have two losses. West Virginia is ranked No. 25 in the new poll, earning 132 voting points with its 4-1 record. Maryland is the next team - No. 26 if the poll were extended - with 129 points, even though they are undefeated, with several quality wins, and seven total wins.
In the USA Coach's Poll, Maryland is No. 22. This week, Maryland has Pittsburgh in College Park on Tuesday Night as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and Oklahoma State this coming Saturday Night, also in College Park.
In Wisconsin, Stine wanted officials to count the votes by hand. The Democrats cringed when they heard that, because, like Pennsylvania, it is the Democrats and not the GOP that "tinkers" with the vote, getting more than a few votes from people who long ago departed this life.
George Soros is said to be behind a lot of this post-election nonsense. I suppose at his age he forgot that he funded those who were trying to steal the election for that shining light of the Democrats, Mrs. Hillary Clinton. Stine, meanwhile, needed money for the recount, and lots of it. Observers have noted that the maximum contributions of $160,000.00 per hour have been pouring in every hour, on the hour, 24 hours per day, even though contributions, even to meaningful causes, typically drop off during the hours when most Americans are sleeping. Apparently George has some kind of computer program that makes contributions hourly whether he's signing the checks or not. Go Figure.
Back in the real world, Donald Trump continues with the task of filling out his cabinet and finding recruits for the hundreds of appointed positions he must make. Most of the attention, and rightly so, has been on who Trump will select for Secretary of State. On Monday, Trump had a one hour meeting with former CIA Director George Petraeus. Tonight, Trump is said to be meeting over dinner with Mitt Romney. It will be their second get together, and it is the possibility of Romney becoming Secretary of State that has the internet all in a buzz. Some of Trump's insiders are openly and obviously opposed to Romney, especially for the position he and Trump are meeting over, which is, typically, one of the most visible in any Presidential Administration. Romney, you'll recall, was out in front of a maniacal effort to scuttle the Trump candidacy, and he and Trump exchanged harsh words over the Romney effort. To many, Romney was the last man on Earth that would have been expected to compete for a high profile position in the Trump government. But there he is.
Neither Obama or Vice President Joe Biden are going to Cuba for the Castro funeral. So who will represent the USA? At Monday's White House press briefing, the possibility that no one would go was broached, but don't take it seriously. Most bets say Kerry is just itching to go, even more so than Obama. I see that happening. Would anyone be surprised if he did?
Sports: Maryland one spot out of AP Top 25 Basketball Poll But No. 22 in USA Today/ Coach's Poll
Over the weekend Maryland won the Tournament in Brooklyn, New York that was played at the Barclay Center. Friday Night the Terps had to go to overtime to beat Richmond, 88-82. On Saturday Night, Kansas State had the ball and a three-point lead in the final 30 seconds before Maryland rallied to win, 69-68. Maryland is now 7-0. Both weekend wins were brought about by the heroics of Melo Trimble. On Friday, he poured in 31 against the Spiders. On Saturday, he twice - in the final seconds - drove the lane and scored against the Wildcats, erasing that three point lead and turning it to a one-point Maryland victory. A missed Kansas State free throw also was decisive. Trimble was the Tournament MVP. On Saturday Night, Big Mike Cekovsky scored 16 impressive points, many of them of thunderous second half dunks. Cekovsky, the 7'1" European, looks like he is emerging as the inside force many have thought he could be.
In the goofy AP Poll, Maryland was ranked in the preseason but fell from the poll in an early poll even though they remain undefeated and have wins over Georgetown and, now, Kansas State. Two "ranked" teams in the poll have two losses. West Virginia is ranked No. 25 in the new poll, earning 132 voting points with its 4-1 record. Maryland is the next team - No. 26 if the poll were extended - with 129 points, even though they are undefeated, with several quality wins, and seven total wins.
In the USA Coach's Poll, Maryland is No. 22. This week, Maryland has Pittsburgh in College Park on Tuesday Night as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and Oklahoma State this coming Saturday Night, also in College Park.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Thanksgiving and the Death of a Dictator; Some Views on Both; Sports: Manchester City Needs Second Half Goal to Hold Off Burnley
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, November 28, 2016 - In These United States, we have just celebrated the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was a day designated for Americans to say thank you for all of the countless blessings bestowed upon us. Although the day is officially secular, most Christians and Jews give most of their thanks to the Almighty. Most churches hold services. I was at one of these services, at the Church where I am a member, and where the man giving the sermon reminded all of us just how fortunate we all are. I have traveled enough to see severe poverty and profound squalor up close, and it is a depressing sight, a sight that cannot leave you unaffected. I am a Christian, as I have stated many times, and I give thanks to God for all that he has done for me. And I do wonder why I am so blessed in a world where so very many equally deserving souls are not. I do not have an answer about why this is so; I really don't even know the questions to ask. I am sure, for the most part, that the answer is not for the United States to allow its own progress to be decimated. That would be senseless and send the wrong message to the billions of human beings longing to improve their standings in this world. I believe the answer has something to do with making a commitment to raise the standard of living around the world in an ecologically responsible manner. I accept President Reagan's belief that the USA is a shining light up high on mankind's worldly hill. We cannot slip down into evil or squalor. Instead, we must raise the rest of mankind up to where we are. It can be done. I know it is possible. I have no problem in someone - some leader with a sense of humanity - renewing and energizing our commitment to improving the world's lot quickly and, in fact, making it a high priority. The God I worship insists upon it. Someone needs to tell me why the ultra left thinks the first step in such a commitment must be knocking this nation down.
Many on the ultra left, including the USA President, Barack Hussein Obama, and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, have released embarrassing press statements about the death, over the weekend, of the stale and narcissistic dictator, Fidel Castro. There is something about this blood-thirsty dictator, who was 90, that attracts those who do their thinking on that far away leftist plane, where reality is just a mirage. Trudeau said something in his government's press statement about Castro's advances in health care and education. When you mumble nonsense like that, you show you have lost all touch with the real Fidel Castro, who butchered and imprisoned his enemies and enforced a complete ban on free speech, a free press, economic vitality and other marks of a great civilization. He also leaves behind a nation that is both impoverished and depressed. The tens of thousands of Cuban Americans, who experienced Castro up close and personal, were downright joyous at the word of Castro's death, and they took to the streets of Miami and other Florida locations to celebrate the long overdue news.
Some of Castro's stunts - including the Mariel Boatlift - were beyond cruel in both concept and implementation. In the aforementioned "Boatlift," Castro emptied his jails and mental institutions and put the former residents of those facilities on rafts and small boats bound for Florida. He did not inform the USA and its then-President, Jimmy Carter, that he was doing this, which left officials here to deal with these poor souls without any time to prepare. So much for the Cuban model for public health care. The number of Cubans shot by firing squads has never been officially determined, but rest assured that any true humanitarian would be appalled by the real number, not to mention the number of political prisoners who still reside in Castro's squalid jails. Yet the ultra far left doesn't allow for such atrocities by their hero, Castro. As far as they are concerned, the firing squads didn't exist and if, in fact, anyone was killed by such neolithic means, they no doubt deserved it. It is such thinking that keeps the ultra far left on the fringe of political thinking.
When people of the far left do manage to wander into power, they get themselves into deep trouble when they let their feelings about people like Castro get loose in the public forum. Trudeau drew heavy criticism for his laughable statement on Castro's demise, and Obama has also drawn heavy push back, even though his statement was far less candid than was Trudeau's. The blow-back has, however, convinced Trudeau to announce that he will not attend the funeral. As this post is published, there is no word on Obama's intentions, although anyone who follows the man knows he is itching to be there. Then there is the entry on the opinion pages of the New York Times and Washington Post, which confirm again why such publications are losing influence so quickly.
It is the contemplation of my life when it is compared to the lives lived by equally worthy souls in Cuba that helps me to understand how fortunate I am. Christ has done more for me than I could have ever asked, and I realize exactly how fortunate I am. I was in Church Thanksgiving Morning trying to muster the humility I struggle to attain. I know it should not be that difficult to realize. I know I in no way deserve what I have been given.
In the Credible and Incisive post of November 19 and November 21 - it was one consolidated post - I quoted the words of St. Paul, which he had included in his letter to the Christian Church established in Colossus (St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 13-20). Those words can be read on a daily basis without ever tiring of the message the words provide. Unless, of course, you aren't Christian. That's a discussion for another day.
Americans, indeed, all of the citizens of Western Civilization, seem to think that they have a certain right and, at least, an expectation of some of the talismans of the good life. It is said that the poorest Americans have a car, one or more new televisions as well as a selection of other top shelf electrical appliances, central heat, running water and sewage service, as well as other belongings which portray the fact that they live the good life. Middle and upper class citizens have it even better. There is a lot to be thankful for. There are tens of millions of people around this Earth who are willing to work just as hard as we do to achieve the good life. The great question is why we have it and they do not. We need to address the disparity with our actions, words and plans.
Yet many Americans believe that the current President ran an administration that was dedicated to the proposition that we have too much and need to have our national strength severely checked, our influence weakened, and our ability to quell evil curtailed. Now, a new President has been elected whose ideas are the polar opposite of Obama's. Unlike President Bush before him, we doubt that Obama will go quietly. We believe he will do all he can to portray Donald Trump as an enemy of the people. Go quietly?
I suppose that would be too much to ask for.
Sports: Manchester City Back Atop Premier After Edging Burnley, 2-1, at Turf Moor; Veteran Dean Marney Had Given Claret First Half Lead
It is a testament to how well Burnley is playing these days that no one is surprised when the Claret take the best team in the best league to the final whistle before succumbing narrowly.
Dean Marney's long range rocket blast of a goal - on a set piece - had given Burnley the lead in front of nearly 22,000 at the venerable home of the Claret, and it was a lead that Burnley held for over 20 minutes.
City's agile scorer, Sergio Aguero, scored the first of his two scores in the 37th minute to knot the battle. Then, Aguero scored again in the 60th minute to put City ahead. Burnley had lots of opportunities to get even - a shot by George Boyd came quite close - but the leaders held on for the win.
Many on the ultra left, including the USA President, Barack Hussein Obama, and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, have released embarrassing press statements about the death, over the weekend, of the stale and narcissistic dictator, Fidel Castro. There is something about this blood-thirsty dictator, who was 90, that attracts those who do their thinking on that far away leftist plane, where reality is just a mirage. Trudeau said something in his government's press statement about Castro's advances in health care and education. When you mumble nonsense like that, you show you have lost all touch with the real Fidel Castro, who butchered and imprisoned his enemies and enforced a complete ban on free speech, a free press, economic vitality and other marks of a great civilization. He also leaves behind a nation that is both impoverished and depressed. The tens of thousands of Cuban Americans, who experienced Castro up close and personal, were downright joyous at the word of Castro's death, and they took to the streets of Miami and other Florida locations to celebrate the long overdue news.
Some of Castro's stunts - including the Mariel Boatlift - were beyond cruel in both concept and implementation. In the aforementioned "Boatlift," Castro emptied his jails and mental institutions and put the former residents of those facilities on rafts and small boats bound for Florida. He did not inform the USA and its then-President, Jimmy Carter, that he was doing this, which left officials here to deal with these poor souls without any time to prepare. So much for the Cuban model for public health care. The number of Cubans shot by firing squads has never been officially determined, but rest assured that any true humanitarian would be appalled by the real number, not to mention the number of political prisoners who still reside in Castro's squalid jails. Yet the ultra far left doesn't allow for such atrocities by their hero, Castro. As far as they are concerned, the firing squads didn't exist and if, in fact, anyone was killed by such neolithic means, they no doubt deserved it. It is such thinking that keeps the ultra far left on the fringe of political thinking.
When people of the far left do manage to wander into power, they get themselves into deep trouble when they let their feelings about people like Castro get loose in the public forum. Trudeau drew heavy criticism for his laughable statement on Castro's demise, and Obama has also drawn heavy push back, even though his statement was far less candid than was Trudeau's. The blow-back has, however, convinced Trudeau to announce that he will not attend the funeral. As this post is published, there is no word on Obama's intentions, although anyone who follows the man knows he is itching to be there. Then there is the entry on the opinion pages of the New York Times and Washington Post, which confirm again why such publications are losing influence so quickly.
It is the contemplation of my life when it is compared to the lives lived by equally worthy souls in Cuba that helps me to understand how fortunate I am. Christ has done more for me than I could have ever asked, and I realize exactly how fortunate I am. I was in Church Thanksgiving Morning trying to muster the humility I struggle to attain. I know it should not be that difficult to realize. I know I in no way deserve what I have been given.
In the Credible and Incisive post of November 19 and November 21 - it was one consolidated post - I quoted the words of St. Paul, which he had included in his letter to the Christian Church established in Colossus (St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 13-20). Those words can be read on a daily basis without ever tiring of the message the words provide. Unless, of course, you aren't Christian. That's a discussion for another day.
Americans, indeed, all of the citizens of Western Civilization, seem to think that they have a certain right and, at least, an expectation of some of the talismans of the good life. It is said that the poorest Americans have a car, one or more new televisions as well as a selection of other top shelf electrical appliances, central heat, running water and sewage service, as well as other belongings which portray the fact that they live the good life. Middle and upper class citizens have it even better. There is a lot to be thankful for. There are tens of millions of people around this Earth who are willing to work just as hard as we do to achieve the good life. The great question is why we have it and they do not. We need to address the disparity with our actions, words and plans.
Yet many Americans believe that the current President ran an administration that was dedicated to the proposition that we have too much and need to have our national strength severely checked, our influence weakened, and our ability to quell evil curtailed. Now, a new President has been elected whose ideas are the polar opposite of Obama's. Unlike President Bush before him, we doubt that Obama will go quietly. We believe he will do all he can to portray Donald Trump as an enemy of the people. Go quietly?
I suppose that would be too much to ask for.
Sports: Manchester City Back Atop Premier After Edging Burnley, 2-1, at Turf Moor; Veteran Dean Marney Had Given Claret First Half Lead
It is a testament to how well Burnley is playing these days that no one is surprised when the Claret take the best team in the best league to the final whistle before succumbing narrowly.
Dean Marney's long range rocket blast of a goal - on a set piece - had given Burnley the lead in front of nearly 22,000 at the venerable home of the Claret, and it was a lead that Burnley held for over 20 minutes.
City's agile scorer, Sergio Aguero, scored the first of his two scores in the 37th minute to knot the battle. Then, Aguero scored again in the 60th minute to put City ahead. Burnley had lots of opportunities to get even - a shot by George Boyd came quite close - but the leaders held on for the win.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Monday Update: Saul of Tarsus was Turned From Evil to Good, But No One Turned the Clinton Campaign From the Squalid Path the Candidate Put It On; Sports: Mind-Numbing Gale Leads to Mind-Numbing Rally, and the Result Is Maryland Exiting NCAA Soccer Tournament
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, November 19, 2016 and Monday, November 21, 2016 - One of the most enigmatic men in all of history, and a man who is studied today by more scholars, both Christian and secular, than almost any other person in history, other than Jesus Christ, is Saul of Tarsus, or, as he is universally better known today, St. Paul. St. Paul was born a Jew and a Roman Citizen, and before his conversion to Christianity, he was a huge thorn in the side of the early Christian Church. He searched out the early disciples and turned them over to the authorities, both Jewish and Roman. He was a man almost dedicated to eradicating the Christian movement.
Then came a night during a trip from Jerusalem to Damascus. By the time Saul took this journey, Christ had been crucified, had risen from the tomb, and had ascended back to heaven. The resurrected Christ appeared to Saul during this journey to Damascus, surrounded by a blinding bright light. In fact, Saul was left blind by the experience. The encounter is recreated in the Bible in the book of Acts, and for those who take a moment to read it, it is enthralling. Suffice to say that Saul - whom the Lord renamed Paul - was converted to Christianity by the miraculous experience, and three days later, a Christian man in Damascus by the name of Ananias was able to restore his vision. The Book of Acts also teaches that Ananias gave instruction to St. Paul in the teachings of Christianity, and later Baptized Paul. Some believe that Ananias subsequently became a Martyr.
After being converted, St. Paul worked unceasingly and with great power, to convert both Romans, Jews and other men to Christianity. He traveled throughout the known world, teaching and baptizing men and women into the Christian Faith. He wrote a large portion of the New Testament. Wikipedia, under its entry for Paul the Apostle, reviews the latest scholarship on the topic of which books in the Bible were actually written by St. Paul. According to Wikipedia, scholars agree that Paul wrote six of the books and quite possibly up to twelve. Today, St. Paul's authorship of the Book of Hebrews is the most hotly debated by those claiming expertise in such things. Many Christians are interested in that debate, because the words of the Book of Hebrews are often found to be both inspiring and revealing by people who take the time to read it.
The early church, under the leadership of St. Paul, St. Peter, St. John and the other apostles, as well as those who came to the faith because of the efforts of the original apostles and the Holy Spirit, now spread the words of Christ and the joys of Christianity throughout the civilized world in a breathtakingly short period of time. I've always believed that the amazingly brief period of time in which Christianity spread throughout the civilized world is a great, if unrecognized miracle. Paul's eternal position in the Christian Church is confirmed for all of time by his internment, along with St. Peter, in the catacombs directly below the Vatican.
Another Book in the Bible that many believe was authored by St. Paul is the Book of Colossians. In fact, that Book is known as "Paul's letter to the Colossians." In Chapter 1, verses 13 through and including 20 of Colossians, it is written: Verse 13: He (Christ) has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the dominion of his beloved Son, Verse 14: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Verse 15: He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, Verse 16: for in him all things were created, in heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. Verse 17: He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Verse 18: He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Verse 19: For in him all of the fulness of God was pleased to dwell; Verse 20: and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on Earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.
Many see these precise words - which I have drawn from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, (my copy, which I used to retrieve the words, was given to me by my parents in 1962) - as a summary of that which all Christians believe. I believe these words, if that matters to you as you read this. Christ, who came to Earth as a human after being born a spirit in the heavens, was created in the image of God the Father. And man was created in the image of God, the Book of Genesis tells us. All words worth considering now, even as a few Americans engage in a putrid and vicious, if figurative, blood-letting over the results of the just concluded national election, an election that made Mr. Trump the man who will be President come January 20, 2017, when, by law, Barack Hussein Obama, gives up the mantle of power. Those who voted for Donald Trump watch in amazement as they are vilified by those who may have voted for, or at least favored, Hillary Clinton. Yet many who voted for Trump saw him as the only viable choice in view of the Democratic Candidate's many collisions with the criminal law of These United States, not to mention her ongoing conflicts with civil society. I am a life-long Democrat who, throughout my life, has always favored liberal and progressive views. I make no apology for that. But I tell you that I never even considered voting for Hillary Clinton. She had brazenly taken tens of thousands of dollars from the national treasury, and did so without apology. She allowed a huge percentage of all known uranium ore to come under the control and ownership of a man, Vladimir Putin, and his nation, Russia, that is often seen as the sworn enemy of These United States. She even heightened tensions ten fold with Russia, by alleging during the just concluded campaign that Trump was acting in league with Putin in a plot against the United States. She knew when she said these words that none of them were even close to being true, but she lied about it anyway; in fact, she lied whenever she thought it helped her cause or her own pocketbook. In the end, her willingness to lie 'on a dime' is what did her in on November 8, and that ugly and despicable habit may yet land Hillary Clinton behind bars. The Democratic Party, itself, has become so corrupt, so desperate for power, that it allowed someone like Mrs. Clinton, who was the subject of a top level criminal inquiry by the FBI throughout the Presidential Campaign, to represent the party in these national elections even as the criminal probe went forth. A tainted FBI Director, in the end, bowed to pressure from President Obama and did not move to indict Hillary, but most Americans believed that she should have been indicted, and James Comey, the FBI Director, sullied his own record and reputation, to avoid recommending that indictment. The corruption that soaks through the Democratic Leadership, and, if truth be known, much of the party hierarchy, also extends to the national news media, which worked hand-in-hand with the corrupt Democratic Party in an all out attempt to get Hillary Clinton elected. It made no sense to many Democrats, who had begun to question what it was about Hillary that appealed to Democrats, anyway. Wikileaks, the entity that exists to embarass the mighty, released many thousands of hacked emails that had been exchanged between the powers that call the shots within the Democratic Party. Many of them cast a bright and sharpened light on the corrupt ties between the Democratic Party and the mainstream media. These emails revealed that the media provided Hillary Clinton with verbatim copies of questions they would pose to Hillary Clinton during debates with Bernie Sanders during the primary campaign, and with Donald Trump during the General Election campaign. They also showed that the Clinton Campaign was able to "place" newspaper stories in the New York Times, and favorable televised reports on CNN. The mainstream media, especially the newspaper industry, is already held is very low regard by the American People, and these revelations may be the final death knell for some of these newspapers and media outlets. Immediately after Trump's victory was assured, Univision, the outlet followed by many Hispanic Folk, and a leading critic of Trump's candidacy, announced thousands of layoffs. A relationship that Hillary took for granted - the one between her and her close friends in the media, may have played a large part in her undoing.
Saint Paul was working directly against against God when God appeared to the Saint during his fateful journey to Damascus. The Lord insisted that Saul turn his life around.
Make no mistake; Donald Trump is not God. Fortunately for These United States, Trump does not pretend to be God, either. This cannot be said these days about many of the Ultra Leftists who run today's Democratic Party. Even today, when it is clear that Americans did not elect Hillary Clinton to the position she craved, she has yet to apologize for the wholesale lies and corrupt acts which directly led to the killing of four Americans at Benghazi. She has not apologized for the lies she told about her illegal emails and her highly illegal email servers, even though these lies and these acts led directly to the ability of hostile nations gaining the content of national secrets. American Espionage Agents placed overseas may have been killed because of Hillary's illegal practices. And, the Wikileaks revelations showed inarguably that Hillary's campaign paid people to commit violent acts at Trump rallies during the Primary and General Elections. There is no one that denies the truth of this, but no one, not Hillary, not John Podesta, her campaign manager, or any other Clinton campaign spokesperson, has apologized to the people who were beaten and injured at the rallies where the paid provocateurs struck. The corrupt Obama Justice Department has yet to move to indict those at the heart of the violence.
When Donald Trump took on Hillary Clinton during the fall campaign, it was not good vs. evil. But there were bad actors and wholesale corruption that soaked my Democratic Party. We should all realize that when the Ultra Left gains control of a political movement, illegal acts, corruption, fascist policies and other un-American practices are absolutely certain to follow.
That, in fact, is exactly what happened to the campaign of Hillary Clinton. America in the long-run, will benefit by her defeat.
Sports:
COLLEGE PARK, Maryland, Sunday, November 20, 2016: I was here to witness this match, but sitting and describing the heartbreaking conclusion of this magical Maryland soccer season is extremely difficult. The weather was awful, and played a huge role in the way things happened. In the end, though, the result is still completely unbelievable even to someone who has been watching this team play for many many years. For the record, the Terps bowed out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday Night when they lost a 4-1 lead in the final 22 minutes and lost the match to determined Providence, 5-4.
The weather, in particular, the wind, made conditions just awful. Both teams had to deal with the same conditions, however, and in the end, it was Providence that was able to navigate the misery spread over the pitch by the gale-force winds. I thought Maryland had given up a huge advantage by playing with the wind at its back in the first half. The howling wind, out of the northwest and gusting up near 50 miles per hour, ushered in a winter-like cold front and led directly to both of Maryland's first half goals. Each of the two Terp scores in the opening half came on long distance free kicks. Gordon Wild hit a free kick from about 30 yards just 5:29 from the start. Five minutes later, Amar Sejdic hit a similar kick from 40 yards. Maryland led at the half, 2-1. The Terps moved ahead, 4-1, despite playing against the wind in the second half. Sejdic struck again just over five minutes into the second half when he blasted home a rebound from inside of the penalty area. Eryk Williamson then scored 8:29 into the final half when he also blasted home a close in shot from ten feet away. The Terps continued to play well over the next 15 minutes, and still led, 4-1, up until the Friars began their fateful comeback at the 69:22 mark of the second half. In other words, Maryland was up three goals with 20:45 left to play. The four goals scored by the Friars were stuffed into just barely over 19 minutes.
After the game, Terp coach Sasho Cirovski was literally at a loss for words, telling a student reporter over and over again that he couldn't "process" what he had just witnessed. Cirovski is one of the college game's truly great coaches, and watching his teams, I am often at a loss when trying to see what exactly he is doing to be so utterly successful. Those four goals scored by Providence were accomplished even with the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and Goal Keeper of the Year on the field and playing hard. Only one of the four goals was obviously wind-assisted: I believe it was the score that tied the game where the shot got up in the wind and fooled Maryland Keeper Cody Niedermeier. He had come off the line - a huge mistake for a keeper, but one that the Friars' Keeper had also made on both of Maryland's first half set-piece scores - and when the wind allowed the high shot to just barely dip inside the cross-bar, he wasn't in a position to tip it back up over the bar.
Friar Keeper Colin Miller, who was heckled by Maryland's "Crew" throughout what was, for Miller, not the best of his efforts, had the final word on this forsaken night. When the game ended with his team ahead despite his less than stellar play, he spun gleefully toward his tormentors and flipped them a double bird, if you take my meaning. I suppose it is he who laughs last who laughs loudest.
Then came a night during a trip from Jerusalem to Damascus. By the time Saul took this journey, Christ had been crucified, had risen from the tomb, and had ascended back to heaven. The resurrected Christ appeared to Saul during this journey to Damascus, surrounded by a blinding bright light. In fact, Saul was left blind by the experience. The encounter is recreated in the Bible in the book of Acts, and for those who take a moment to read it, it is enthralling. Suffice to say that Saul - whom the Lord renamed Paul - was converted to Christianity by the miraculous experience, and three days later, a Christian man in Damascus by the name of Ananias was able to restore his vision. The Book of Acts also teaches that Ananias gave instruction to St. Paul in the teachings of Christianity, and later Baptized Paul. Some believe that Ananias subsequently became a Martyr.
After being converted, St. Paul worked unceasingly and with great power, to convert both Romans, Jews and other men to Christianity. He traveled throughout the known world, teaching and baptizing men and women into the Christian Faith. He wrote a large portion of the New Testament. Wikipedia, under its entry for Paul the Apostle, reviews the latest scholarship on the topic of which books in the Bible were actually written by St. Paul. According to Wikipedia, scholars agree that Paul wrote six of the books and quite possibly up to twelve. Today, St. Paul's authorship of the Book of Hebrews is the most hotly debated by those claiming expertise in such things. Many Christians are interested in that debate, because the words of the Book of Hebrews are often found to be both inspiring and revealing by people who take the time to read it.
The early church, under the leadership of St. Paul, St. Peter, St. John and the other apostles, as well as those who came to the faith because of the efforts of the original apostles and the Holy Spirit, now spread the words of Christ and the joys of Christianity throughout the civilized world in a breathtakingly short period of time. I've always believed that the amazingly brief period of time in which Christianity spread throughout the civilized world is a great, if unrecognized miracle. Paul's eternal position in the Christian Church is confirmed for all of time by his internment, along with St. Peter, in the catacombs directly below the Vatican.
Another Book in the Bible that many believe was authored by St. Paul is the Book of Colossians. In fact, that Book is known as "Paul's letter to the Colossians." In Chapter 1, verses 13 through and including 20 of Colossians, it is written: Verse 13: He (Christ) has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the dominion of his beloved Son, Verse 14: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Verse 15: He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, Verse 16: for in him all things were created, in heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. Verse 17: He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Verse 18: He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Verse 19: For in him all of the fulness of God was pleased to dwell; Verse 20: and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on Earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.
Many see these precise words - which I have drawn from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, (my copy, which I used to retrieve the words, was given to me by my parents in 1962) - as a summary of that which all Christians believe. I believe these words, if that matters to you as you read this. Christ, who came to Earth as a human after being born a spirit in the heavens, was created in the image of God the Father. And man was created in the image of God, the Book of Genesis tells us. All words worth considering now, even as a few Americans engage in a putrid and vicious, if figurative, blood-letting over the results of the just concluded national election, an election that made Mr. Trump the man who will be President come January 20, 2017, when, by law, Barack Hussein Obama, gives up the mantle of power. Those who voted for Donald Trump watch in amazement as they are vilified by those who may have voted for, or at least favored, Hillary Clinton. Yet many who voted for Trump saw him as the only viable choice in view of the Democratic Candidate's many collisions with the criminal law of These United States, not to mention her ongoing conflicts with civil society. I am a life-long Democrat who, throughout my life, has always favored liberal and progressive views. I make no apology for that. But I tell you that I never even considered voting for Hillary Clinton. She had brazenly taken tens of thousands of dollars from the national treasury, and did so without apology. She allowed a huge percentage of all known uranium ore to come under the control and ownership of a man, Vladimir Putin, and his nation, Russia, that is often seen as the sworn enemy of These United States. She even heightened tensions ten fold with Russia, by alleging during the just concluded campaign that Trump was acting in league with Putin in a plot against the United States. She knew when she said these words that none of them were even close to being true, but she lied about it anyway; in fact, she lied whenever she thought it helped her cause or her own pocketbook. In the end, her willingness to lie 'on a dime' is what did her in on November 8, and that ugly and despicable habit may yet land Hillary Clinton behind bars. The Democratic Party, itself, has become so corrupt, so desperate for power, that it allowed someone like Mrs. Clinton, who was the subject of a top level criminal inquiry by the FBI throughout the Presidential Campaign, to represent the party in these national elections even as the criminal probe went forth. A tainted FBI Director, in the end, bowed to pressure from President Obama and did not move to indict Hillary, but most Americans believed that she should have been indicted, and James Comey, the FBI Director, sullied his own record and reputation, to avoid recommending that indictment. The corruption that soaks through the Democratic Leadership, and, if truth be known, much of the party hierarchy, also extends to the national news media, which worked hand-in-hand with the corrupt Democratic Party in an all out attempt to get Hillary Clinton elected. It made no sense to many Democrats, who had begun to question what it was about Hillary that appealed to Democrats, anyway. Wikileaks, the entity that exists to embarass the mighty, released many thousands of hacked emails that had been exchanged between the powers that call the shots within the Democratic Party. Many of them cast a bright and sharpened light on the corrupt ties between the Democratic Party and the mainstream media. These emails revealed that the media provided Hillary Clinton with verbatim copies of questions they would pose to Hillary Clinton during debates with Bernie Sanders during the primary campaign, and with Donald Trump during the General Election campaign. They also showed that the Clinton Campaign was able to "place" newspaper stories in the New York Times, and favorable televised reports on CNN. The mainstream media, especially the newspaper industry, is already held is very low regard by the American People, and these revelations may be the final death knell for some of these newspapers and media outlets. Immediately after Trump's victory was assured, Univision, the outlet followed by many Hispanic Folk, and a leading critic of Trump's candidacy, announced thousands of layoffs. A relationship that Hillary took for granted - the one between her and her close friends in the media, may have played a large part in her undoing.
Saint Paul was working directly against against God when God appeared to the Saint during his fateful journey to Damascus. The Lord insisted that Saul turn his life around.
Make no mistake; Donald Trump is not God. Fortunately for These United States, Trump does not pretend to be God, either. This cannot be said these days about many of the Ultra Leftists who run today's Democratic Party. Even today, when it is clear that Americans did not elect Hillary Clinton to the position she craved, she has yet to apologize for the wholesale lies and corrupt acts which directly led to the killing of four Americans at Benghazi. She has not apologized for the lies she told about her illegal emails and her highly illegal email servers, even though these lies and these acts led directly to the ability of hostile nations gaining the content of national secrets. American Espionage Agents placed overseas may have been killed because of Hillary's illegal practices. And, the Wikileaks revelations showed inarguably that Hillary's campaign paid people to commit violent acts at Trump rallies during the Primary and General Elections. There is no one that denies the truth of this, but no one, not Hillary, not John Podesta, her campaign manager, or any other Clinton campaign spokesperson, has apologized to the people who were beaten and injured at the rallies where the paid provocateurs struck. The corrupt Obama Justice Department has yet to move to indict those at the heart of the violence.
When Donald Trump took on Hillary Clinton during the fall campaign, it was not good vs. evil. But there were bad actors and wholesale corruption that soaked my Democratic Party. We should all realize that when the Ultra Left gains control of a political movement, illegal acts, corruption, fascist policies and other un-American practices are absolutely certain to follow.
That, in fact, is exactly what happened to the campaign of Hillary Clinton. America in the long-run, will benefit by her defeat.
Sports:
COLLEGE PARK, Maryland, Sunday, November 20, 2016: I was here to witness this match, but sitting and describing the heartbreaking conclusion of this magical Maryland soccer season is extremely difficult. The weather was awful, and played a huge role in the way things happened. In the end, though, the result is still completely unbelievable even to someone who has been watching this team play for many many years. For the record, the Terps bowed out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday Night when they lost a 4-1 lead in the final 22 minutes and lost the match to determined Providence, 5-4.
The weather, in particular, the wind, made conditions just awful. Both teams had to deal with the same conditions, however, and in the end, it was Providence that was able to navigate the misery spread over the pitch by the gale-force winds. I thought Maryland had given up a huge advantage by playing with the wind at its back in the first half. The howling wind, out of the northwest and gusting up near 50 miles per hour, ushered in a winter-like cold front and led directly to both of Maryland's first half goals. Each of the two Terp scores in the opening half came on long distance free kicks. Gordon Wild hit a free kick from about 30 yards just 5:29 from the start. Five minutes later, Amar Sejdic hit a similar kick from 40 yards. Maryland led at the half, 2-1. The Terps moved ahead, 4-1, despite playing against the wind in the second half. Sejdic struck again just over five minutes into the second half when he blasted home a rebound from inside of the penalty area. Eryk Williamson then scored 8:29 into the final half when he also blasted home a close in shot from ten feet away. The Terps continued to play well over the next 15 minutes, and still led, 4-1, up until the Friars began their fateful comeback at the 69:22 mark of the second half. In other words, Maryland was up three goals with 20:45 left to play. The four goals scored by the Friars were stuffed into just barely over 19 minutes.
After the game, Terp coach Sasho Cirovski was literally at a loss for words, telling a student reporter over and over again that he couldn't "process" what he had just witnessed. Cirovski is one of the college game's truly great coaches, and watching his teams, I am often at a loss when trying to see what exactly he is doing to be so utterly successful. Those four goals scored by Providence were accomplished even with the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and Goal Keeper of the Year on the field and playing hard. Only one of the four goals was obviously wind-assisted: I believe it was the score that tied the game where the shot got up in the wind and fooled Maryland Keeper Cody Niedermeier. He had come off the line - a huge mistake for a keeper, but one that the Friars' Keeper had also made on both of Maryland's first half set-piece scores - and when the wind allowed the high shot to just barely dip inside the cross-bar, he wasn't in a position to tip it back up over the bar.
Friar Keeper Colin Miller, who was heckled by Maryland's "Crew" throughout what was, for Miller, not the best of his efforts, had the final word on this forsaken night. When the game ended with his team ahead despite his less than stellar play, he spun gleefully toward his tormentors and flipped them a double bird, if you take my meaning. I suppose it is he who laughs last who laughs loudest.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Soros Pays Demonstrators, Or At Least Some of Them, and Other Trump Troubles; Maryland Rallies Past Georgetown
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Thursday, November 17, 2016 - Well, there the poor lads were, right smack dab in the very middle of the bright lights and schmoozing (and boozing) crowds of good ole Washington, D.C., and, to make matters much much worse, all manner of trouble was afoot. Anyone could see it all coming, anyone at all, and at the same time everyone knew, or thought they knew, that there was nothing that could be done to stop it. What a situation!
Demonstrators everywhere, playing to the cameras and counting their remunerations from the friends of George, et al. They are real stalwarts, these demonstrators. Have bucks, will riot. Have bucks, will pillage. Have bucks, will plunder. And they are so upset that somebody won an election, fair and square, and playing strictly by the announced rules, which they only played an equal share in formulating. Were the situation reversed, what would the leftists, I mean Democrats, do in this quandary?
Up north, President (to be) Trump had simply disappeared and the media was in a meltdown. To a bystander, the media mob looked like creeping molten lava, heading for a gigantic liquid mess about to crash into the sea. When liquid stone hits cooling water, what happens? There is hissing and screeching and all manner of awful sounds. How dare he! (He being Trump.)
Across the rest of the nation, demonstrators and rioters let on that they were getting paid by George Soros and others working in concert with him. It is very difficult to take these demonstrations seriously when the people making the point aren't there because they really care, but because somebody dropped some greenbacks in their lap. This is the ultra left and their means and methods. Every end justifies all manner of means.
At CNN, a person who insisted he was a reporter got into a heated argument with a young woman who dialed the campaign on her cell phone. The caller asked, innocently, "to whom am I speaking?" When the person answering said he was a reporter, the woman laughed. "Sure you are," she said. "I've seen Wikileaks like everyone else. You're a Democratic Shill. CNN did away with reporters years ago."
The shill was taken aback and at the same time shocked by the caller's forthright manner. He finally pulled himself together enough to say, "so what do you want?"
"I want to know whether George Soros talks directly to you guys, or does he have his own shill go from site to site giving you the latest talking points."
Said the CNN Shill, "Some guy named Raoul comes in the office everyday with a sheet containing the talking points and suggestions for questions if we happen to run into Trump or Pence or one of those other people."
"Can I get a copy of that sheet, you know, the one from today or yesterday?" the called asked.
"Raoul said we can't give those out. Maybe I could make a copy of it. Would a copy do it?
"Yes! Yes it would," said the caller. "I'll give you my fax number. Can you send it there?"
"I'll get right on it," said the CNN guy. "Gotta hang up, though, the "Arkansas Kid" just walked in and he gets testy when he finds out we admitted, again, that there were no reporters here anymore."
As for Trump, he had taken the unheard of step of taking his family out to dinner in Manhattan. Trump didn't care for the media's presence in the best of times, so he he took the audacious step of not telling them what he was doing or where he was doing it. He actually had a fairly peaceful dinner at the '21 Club.' The media hoard didn't find out about it until hours later. As for me, after the way Trump was treated by the mainstream media throughout the primary and general campaigns, I'd never tell them anything. But that's just me.
Word is that Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who ran for President but dropped out when his share of the vote never got above one percent, says he will oppose and work to defeat any nomination for Secretary of State that includes either John Bolton or Rudolph Giuliani. Recall that Paul is an isolationist and an opponent of USA funding for Israel. Both are insane policies that would serve the USA disastrously should they ever be implemented.
The Washington Post has a list of people whose names are in the rumor mill for appointment to Trump's Cabinet. See this web page for the most updated list: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/
There are many interesting and well-known names on that list, but one name that isn't on the Washington Post list, amazingly, is that of Ted Crews. Crews and Trump are thought to be bitter rivals who had a knock-down drag-out battle for the GOP nomination. Crews is the only challenger to get real traction with the American People, besides Trump. Once Trump won, it was Crews who cast the cold shoulder, and actually sparked a scene at the Republican Convention, when he spoke at length in a prime time slot, personally okayed by Trump, but did not endorse Trump. Well, both men are apparently prepared to bury the hatchet. Trump met for over five hours with Crews, Pence and other Trump Insiders. He is said to be the almost certain pick for Attorney General, something that cannot be good news for either Hillary or other Obama Administration law breakers. (Recall the debacle with the constant and illegal harassment of the family which founded "True the Vote." The family formed the group, which was dedicated to fighting fraud in elections and the voting process. When they applied for non-profit status, they were met with a grueling IRS Audit, FBI probes, and other intrusive snooping by Federal Agencies.) The reason Trump has placed Crews at this choice spot is because he is blocked, so-to-speak, from nominating Crews to the Supreme Court, because he wasn't on the 20-name list that Trump released during the primary campaign. Trump is dedicated to making at least his initial choice from jurists and legal scholars on that list, all of which have been endorsed by GOP and even media outlets. Because Crews and Trump were locking horns in that Primary Free-For-All at the time the Supreme Court LIst was put together, Crews isn't on that list. But look for Crews to be given serious consideration when Trump selects his second or third nominations.
Among the most interesting names on the Washington Post rumor list are, for secretary of state, besides Giuliani and Bolton, Newt Gingrich, Nikki Haley (the South Carolina Governor) and Senator Bob Corker. The Corker inclusion has sparked a lot of heat from those - including me - who blame him for approval of the Iran Nuclear Agreement. The Post says his actual nomination as Secretary of State is "unlikely." For Commerce Secretary, the list includes Mike Huckabee, a Trump Supporter since he dropped out of the Presidential race early on, Huckabee is the former Arkansas Governor and Fox News TV Star. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, Just Defeated Senator Kelly Ayotte and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton are on the list as potential Defense Secretaries. Cotton's name is getting lots of praise from conservatives, including the Essential Mark Levin (Why can't Levin's name be on the Supreme Court List? Just Asking). Ayotte is one of the few women on the rumor list. Also mentioned as Defense Secretary is newly retired General Mike Flynn, the respected former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. A potential stumbling block for Flynn would be the need for him to receive a waiver from Congress to the law that says former military personnel must be mustered out of the military service for seven years before they can accept a post such as Secretary of Defense.
Two names on the Post's rumor list for Secretary of Health and Human Services are Retired Surgeon Ben Carson and former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Both ran for President against Trump and both left the campaign without getting in Trump's face. Both are highly respected. Carson said he thinks he can be more help from outside of the adminstration, but I think Trump could prevail on him to accept this nomination.
Finally, the Post's rumor list for Director of Homeland Security includes Conservative Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and Conservative Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona. Arpaio is in hot water in Arizona for continuing his incisive patrols for illegal immigrants against the order of an Arizona Judge. Clark is laconic and taciturn, but much-loved by conservatives. He is interviewed by Fox and other conservative news outlets for his views on any number of issues.
In Sports, Maryland's basketball team was in the nation's capital, also, on Tuesday night, and they trailed Georgetown by nine points in the waning moments. Maryland then turned up the heat in a big way, but the intimidating and talented Hoyas still had a lead of three points with a bit over 17 seconds left. Then, Melo Trimble drove the lane and scored, cutting the lead to one. On the in-bounds play, Georgetown's Tre Campbell "stepped" out of bounds, the officials said, turning the ball over and giving Maryland possession with ten seconds left. If you read this and say, "Campbell stepped out of bounds?". That's what every player dribbling the ball would do in that situation. The truth is, Campbell had help as he made his way out of bounds. The help came from two trapping Terrapins. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. On the subsequent throw-in, Trimble was fouled, and Georgetown was in the bonus. That meant that the clutch shooting Trimble had two free throws with 7.6 seconds left and his team down only one point. Trimball, predictably, made both free throws to put Maryland ahead for the first time since forever.
But Georgetown had over seven seconds to get a good shot off, and Jagan Mosley drove the lane thinking he'd give the Hoyas the win. Freshman Kevin Huerter had other ideas. He blocked the Mosley shot as cleanly as one could. Then, Jared Nickens yanked down the rebound and came out of the pack sprinting gleefully. Maryland - which fell from the AP Top 25 before the game - is 2-0. The Terps are No. 24 in the Coaches Poll. Assuming they beat Division III St. Mary's College (of Maryland), on Thursday night (11-17-2016), they will be back in the AP Poll as well.
Demonstrators everywhere, playing to the cameras and counting their remunerations from the friends of George, et al. They are real stalwarts, these demonstrators. Have bucks, will riot. Have bucks, will pillage. Have bucks, will plunder. And they are so upset that somebody won an election, fair and square, and playing strictly by the announced rules, which they only played an equal share in formulating. Were the situation reversed, what would the leftists, I mean Democrats, do in this quandary?
Up north, President (to be) Trump had simply disappeared and the media was in a meltdown. To a bystander, the media mob looked like creeping molten lava, heading for a gigantic liquid mess about to crash into the sea. When liquid stone hits cooling water, what happens? There is hissing and screeching and all manner of awful sounds. How dare he! (He being Trump.)
Across the rest of the nation, demonstrators and rioters let on that they were getting paid by George Soros and others working in concert with him. It is very difficult to take these demonstrations seriously when the people making the point aren't there because they really care, but because somebody dropped some greenbacks in their lap. This is the ultra left and their means and methods. Every end justifies all manner of means.
At CNN, a person who insisted he was a reporter got into a heated argument with a young woman who dialed the campaign on her cell phone. The caller asked, innocently, "to whom am I speaking?" When the person answering said he was a reporter, the woman laughed. "Sure you are," she said. "I've seen Wikileaks like everyone else. You're a Democratic Shill. CNN did away with reporters years ago."
The shill was taken aback and at the same time shocked by the caller's forthright manner. He finally pulled himself together enough to say, "so what do you want?"
"I want to know whether George Soros talks directly to you guys, or does he have his own shill go from site to site giving you the latest talking points."
Said the CNN Shill, "Some guy named Raoul comes in the office everyday with a sheet containing the talking points and suggestions for questions if we happen to run into Trump or Pence or one of those other people."
"Can I get a copy of that sheet, you know, the one from today or yesterday?" the called asked.
"Raoul said we can't give those out. Maybe I could make a copy of it. Would a copy do it?
"Yes! Yes it would," said the caller. "I'll give you my fax number. Can you send it there?"
"I'll get right on it," said the CNN guy. "Gotta hang up, though, the "Arkansas Kid" just walked in and he gets testy when he finds out we admitted, again, that there were no reporters here anymore."
As for Trump, he had taken the unheard of step of taking his family out to dinner in Manhattan. Trump didn't care for the media's presence in the best of times, so he he took the audacious step of not telling them what he was doing or where he was doing it. He actually had a fairly peaceful dinner at the '21 Club.' The media hoard didn't find out about it until hours later. As for me, after the way Trump was treated by the mainstream media throughout the primary and general campaigns, I'd never tell them anything. But that's just me.
Word is that Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who ran for President but dropped out when his share of the vote never got above one percent, says he will oppose and work to defeat any nomination for Secretary of State that includes either John Bolton or Rudolph Giuliani. Recall that Paul is an isolationist and an opponent of USA funding for Israel. Both are insane policies that would serve the USA disastrously should they ever be implemented.
The Washington Post has a list of people whose names are in the rumor mill for appointment to Trump's Cabinet. See this web page for the most updated list: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/
There are many interesting and well-known names on that list, but one name that isn't on the Washington Post list, amazingly, is that of Ted Crews. Crews and Trump are thought to be bitter rivals who had a knock-down drag-out battle for the GOP nomination. Crews is the only challenger to get real traction with the American People, besides Trump. Once Trump won, it was Crews who cast the cold shoulder, and actually sparked a scene at the Republican Convention, when he spoke at length in a prime time slot, personally okayed by Trump, but did not endorse Trump. Well, both men are apparently prepared to bury the hatchet. Trump met for over five hours with Crews, Pence and other Trump Insiders. He is said to be the almost certain pick for Attorney General, something that cannot be good news for either Hillary or other Obama Administration law breakers. (Recall the debacle with the constant and illegal harassment of the family which founded "True the Vote." The family formed the group, which was dedicated to fighting fraud in elections and the voting process. When they applied for non-profit status, they were met with a grueling IRS Audit, FBI probes, and other intrusive snooping by Federal Agencies.) The reason Trump has placed Crews at this choice spot is because he is blocked, so-to-speak, from nominating Crews to the Supreme Court, because he wasn't on the 20-name list that Trump released during the primary campaign. Trump is dedicated to making at least his initial choice from jurists and legal scholars on that list, all of which have been endorsed by GOP and even media outlets. Because Crews and Trump were locking horns in that Primary Free-For-All at the time the Supreme Court LIst was put together, Crews isn't on that list. But look for Crews to be given serious consideration when Trump selects his second or third nominations.
Among the most interesting names on the Washington Post rumor list are, for secretary of state, besides Giuliani and Bolton, Newt Gingrich, Nikki Haley (the South Carolina Governor) and Senator Bob Corker. The Corker inclusion has sparked a lot of heat from those - including me - who blame him for approval of the Iran Nuclear Agreement. The Post says his actual nomination as Secretary of State is "unlikely." For Commerce Secretary, the list includes Mike Huckabee, a Trump Supporter since he dropped out of the Presidential race early on, Huckabee is the former Arkansas Governor and Fox News TV Star. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, Just Defeated Senator Kelly Ayotte and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton are on the list as potential Defense Secretaries. Cotton's name is getting lots of praise from conservatives, including the Essential Mark Levin (Why can't Levin's name be on the Supreme Court List? Just Asking). Ayotte is one of the few women on the rumor list. Also mentioned as Defense Secretary is newly retired General Mike Flynn, the respected former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. A potential stumbling block for Flynn would be the need for him to receive a waiver from Congress to the law that says former military personnel must be mustered out of the military service for seven years before they can accept a post such as Secretary of Defense.
Two names on the Post's rumor list for Secretary of Health and Human Services are Retired Surgeon Ben Carson and former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Both ran for President against Trump and both left the campaign without getting in Trump's face. Both are highly respected. Carson said he thinks he can be more help from outside of the adminstration, but I think Trump could prevail on him to accept this nomination.
Finally, the Post's rumor list for Director of Homeland Security includes Conservative Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and Conservative Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona. Arpaio is in hot water in Arizona for continuing his incisive patrols for illegal immigrants against the order of an Arizona Judge. Clark is laconic and taciturn, but much-loved by conservatives. He is interviewed by Fox and other conservative news outlets for his views on any number of issues.
In Sports, Maryland's basketball team was in the nation's capital, also, on Tuesday night, and they trailed Georgetown by nine points in the waning moments. Maryland then turned up the heat in a big way, but the intimidating and talented Hoyas still had a lead of three points with a bit over 17 seconds left. Then, Melo Trimble drove the lane and scored, cutting the lead to one. On the in-bounds play, Georgetown's Tre Campbell "stepped" out of bounds, the officials said, turning the ball over and giving Maryland possession with ten seconds left. If you read this and say, "Campbell stepped out of bounds?". That's what every player dribbling the ball would do in that situation. The truth is, Campbell had help as he made his way out of bounds. The help came from two trapping Terrapins. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. On the subsequent throw-in, Trimble was fouled, and Georgetown was in the bonus. That meant that the clutch shooting Trimble had two free throws with 7.6 seconds left and his team down only one point. Trimball, predictably, made both free throws to put Maryland ahead for the first time since forever.
But Georgetown had over seven seconds to get a good shot off, and Jagan Mosley drove the lane thinking he'd give the Hoyas the win. Freshman Kevin Huerter had other ideas. He blocked the Mosley shot as cleanly as one could. Then, Jared Nickens yanked down the rebound and came out of the pack sprinting gleefully. Maryland - which fell from the AP Top 25 before the game - is 2-0. The Terps are No. 24 in the Coaches Poll. Assuming they beat Division III St. Mary's College (of Maryland), on Thursday night (11-17-2016), they will be back in the AP Poll as well.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Trump Begins to Define Administration; Maryland wins Big Ten Soccer Tournament and Earns Number One Seed in NCAA Tournament; Burnley Surging in Premier League; Terps Defeat American in Basketball Opener; Ravens Have AFC North Lead; Plus: A Weekend in Idyllic Lancaster, Pennsylvania
LANCASTER, Pennsylvania, Monday, November 14, 2016 - Even as the administration of Donald Trump begins taking form and substance, even as unanimous No. 1 Maryland savors, but only briefly, its Big Ten Tournament Championship, played in the heart of the Big Ten at Grand Park, Indiana, and its receiving of the overall Number One Seed in the NCAA Soccer Tournament, which begins play on Thursday, November 17, 2016 with 16 first round games; and even as intrepid Burnley surges into the Premier League Top Ten, the world - save for some heartfelt protestors off of the George "I Hate America" Soros payroll - moves forward with the hint of a smile in what is now, thankfully, a Post-Clinton World.
Fox News reported tonight that Rudolph Giuliai has emerged as the number one favorite for the Cabinet Position of Secretary of State in the in-coming Administration of Donald Trump, instead of Republican Favorite John Bolton, the Ambassador to the UN in the Administration of President George W. Bush. Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York and a former Justice Department Prosecutor, was a stalwart in the Trump campaign.
As the overall number one seed, the Maryland received a first round bye and will play Sunday, November 20 against the winner of Thursday's game between Providence and Delaware. The game will be played at the Terps' home field in College Park. Also in this post, this writer will report briefly from this idyllic town in south central Pennsylvania, where a weekend of perfect mid-autumn weather was taken full advantage of.
It was revealed over the weekend that the inimitable Raince Priebus and the conservative stalwart, Stephen Bannon, will play key roles, as equal partners in leadership, of the new Trump administration. Priebus, currently head of the Republican National Committee and a known close ally of House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, will be Trump's White House Chief of Staff, while Bannon, on leave from his position as CEO of the center-right Breitbart News, will be Trump's Senior Counsel. Although a few ultra leftists had trouble with the Bannon appointment, most praised both men as capable leaders and, like Trump, hardcore workaholics. Expect both to hit the ground running.
Other Trump appointments are expected soon. Among those almost certain to receive key positions are Newt Gingrich, the statesman and author who is also a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City who teamed with President George W. Bush in leading the USA and especially the ground-zero victims in New York City through the horrors of 9-11-2001, and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, the go-to expert on immigration issues among those right of center.
Trump continued to move with tremendous self-assurance. He and his entire family submitted to a lengthy interview on 60 minutes last night with leftist reporter Lesley Stahl (Ms. Stahl is one of the least-objectionable mainstream media reporters and her years of fairness and objectivity still shine through on many occasions). The interview touched on many subjects and Trump handled each with ease and forthrightness. In areas where he wasn't prepared yet to reveal his thinking he said so and stuck with it. One absolute key to dealing with mainstream leftist reporters is refusing to be browbeat - even with sugar - and, once a decision is stated, even if the decision is not to decide, never back away from it during that particular interaction. Trump was brilliant in handling the questions from Ms. Stahl pertaining to pending Supreme Court appointments. The prospect of an ultra leftist like Hillary Clinton getting to stack the high court with young ultra left jurists was a key factor in Trump's election win. He candidly told Stahl that all of his selections to the court will reflect his thinking on the abortion issue; that is, they will be pro-life jurists. When Stahl shifted the questions to the LGBT community, Trump said, frankly, his thinking on issues important to the LGBT community are irrelevant since law in the area is settled. And he resisted Stahl's efforts to wiggle around that answer.
Meanwhile, the Democrats continue with their confounding decision to make Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison the next chairman of the DNC. Currently the five-term representative is the only openly Islamic member of Congress. He is not, however, the only ultra leftist Democrat in Congress. You can count those on your fingers, if you happen to have hundreds of fingers.
A Few Words on Sports: At Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, D. J. Reeves and Sebastian Elney each scored first half goals, and a stout and determined Maryland Defense shut down a Wisconsin offense that led a late season Badger surge as Maryland won its third consecutive Big Ten Soccer Tournament by defeating No. 18 Wisconsin, 2-1. The Badgers had advanced to the final by getting by No. 5 Indiana on penalty kicks after the two teams drew, 1-1, after 100 minutes of Soccer on Friday. Maryland defeated Michigan State, 2-1, in its semi-final match.
Reeves, starting for the first time this season, took a long but beautifully placed pass from Defender Suli Dainkeh, then, somehow, ran past a defender, Matej Radonic, who appeared able to pinch him at the end-line. After beating Radonic, he flicked the ball ever so slightly off the end-line, then magically pulled it back as Badger Keeper Philip Schilling dove to the ground to grab it. Once past Schilling, Reeves had every player's dream, a completely abandoned goal with no defender in sight, and full possession of the soccer ball just three yards off the line. Reeves merely side-footed the ball to the back of the net.
Elney's goal was equally spectacular. Jorge Calix, who was only on the pitch for three minutes on Sunday, sent a Terp corner kick toward the Wisconsin goal, but the stiff wind knocked the ball down and it headed for the Earth at the corner of the 18 line to Schilling's left. With several defenders surrounding him and only just over a minute left in the first half, Elney leaped high and headed the ball on a downward trajectory toward the goal. An instant after he headed the ball, it ricocheted off the shoulder of a Wisconsin defender. The impact with the defender did not change the direction of the shot, only its altitude. Instead of a ball that was envisioned heading into the net at the same time it hit the ground, the ball flew into the upper corner of the net. It was Elney who sat out the start of the game in favor of Reeves and it was a very good feeling for the young man to prove he still was very important to the Terps as they head for national competition.
Three Maryland players were named to the All-Tournament Team: Goal Keeper Cody Niedermeier, Alex Crognale and Gordon Wild. Maryland will await the naming of its NCAA Tournament opponent, which will be announced along with the rest of the 48-team field, today at 1 pm. These proceedings can be monitored at NCAA.com.
Don't look now, but Burnley is on the move in the legendary Premier League. Thanks chiefly to a wonderful home mark of 4 wins, one draw and just two defeats, the Claret are upwardly trending and in 9th place in the 20-side league. How scary is legendary Turf Moor to the rest of the Premier? Liverpool is in first place, but they lost to Burnley, 2-0. On November 5, the last match before the 16-day national break, Ashley Barnes scored a late goal to propel Burnley past vexatious Crystal Palace, 3-2. The Claret have also beat back always powerful Everton, as well as Watford, on their home pitch. Like every other team in the league, Burnley isn't quite that dangerous on the road. Overall, the Lancashire side stands at 4 wins, 6 defeats and 2 draws. They have 14 points, just one point behind 8th place Watford. Burnley's record over its last three matches is 2 wins and one draw. The draw was at Manchester United.
Anything can happen, of course, but there are many reasons to think the Claret are in the Premier to stay. The major reason for this assertion is the fact that Burnley is moving up the standings. Moving up. Now that is a wonderful phrase. Their Keeper, Tom Heaton, is on the English national team, and Sam Vokes, who stunned the soccer world with his breathtaking score in Wales' 3-1 triumph over Belgium in the Euro 2016 Quarter-Finals last summer, is pushing life into the Burnley offense.. The Vokes goal and the Welsh win that summer day across the Channel in France, pushed long-suffering Wales into the Euro semi-finals.
Maryland's Basketball team won its opener over the weekend, beating back tenacious American University, 62-56. Melo Trimble led the Terps with 22 points, but outmanned American hung close throughout the game and had several second half leads.
The Ravens will travel to Dallas next weekend to play the Cowboys with at least a half-game lead in the AFC North Division. After the Ravens battered Cleveland on Thursday Night, they watched yesterday as the Cowboys did them a big favor by defeating the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Bengals will have a chance to move past Pittsburgh into second place if they can defeat the Giants on Monday Night Football. Right now, the Ravens are 5-4, the Steelers are 4-5 and the Bengals are 3-4-1. A win for the Bengals tonight would put them at 4-4-1 and leave them one-half game behind the Ravens and one-half game ahead of the Steelers. The Browns are virtually eliminated with a record of 0-10.
Alas, it is now a post-Hillary world. The mean and angry one let it be known, officially, that she blames FBI Chief James Comey for her defeat. Naturally, she doesn't blame herself and her illegal money-grabbing activities. You earn a reputation that might live forever, but you cannot leave life with your money, purloined or not. Hillary has the opportunity to contemplate those facts for the duration.
A Weekend in Idyllic Lancaster, Pennsylvania: The Eastern Seaboard had some of the most wonderful autumn weather that could be imagined this past weekend. The nights were cold and the days were just shy of warm. A sweater was wonderful for both extremes, if you want to call them that. Lancaster is a beautiful small town in the land of the Amish. It's revitalizing downtown is clean and attractive. There are shops and places to eat and sleep. We stayed at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, a stunning structure that has stood for over a century at the intersection of King and Queen Streets at the center of downtown. A historic statute of William Penn, atop a stunning marble column, stands in the middle of that intersection. Kind folk abound and it is hard not to be very happy here. Another special treat is taking Pennsylvania Route 896 on the way home. The winding road runs along ridge lines through beautiful Amish and Mennonite Farms. The stunning light at sunset made the landscape seem close to Paradise. That town is very nearby, really it is. And I've just noticed how many times I used "stunning." It is, however, stunning.
Fox News reported tonight that Rudolph Giuliai has emerged as the number one favorite for the Cabinet Position of Secretary of State in the in-coming Administration of Donald Trump, instead of Republican Favorite John Bolton, the Ambassador to the UN in the Administration of President George W. Bush. Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York and a former Justice Department Prosecutor, was a stalwart in the Trump campaign.
As the overall number one seed, the Maryland received a first round bye and will play Sunday, November 20 against the winner of Thursday's game between Providence and Delaware. The game will be played at the Terps' home field in College Park. Also in this post, this writer will report briefly from this idyllic town in south central Pennsylvania, where a weekend of perfect mid-autumn weather was taken full advantage of.
It was revealed over the weekend that the inimitable Raince Priebus and the conservative stalwart, Stephen Bannon, will play key roles, as equal partners in leadership, of the new Trump administration. Priebus, currently head of the Republican National Committee and a known close ally of House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, will be Trump's White House Chief of Staff, while Bannon, on leave from his position as CEO of the center-right Breitbart News, will be Trump's Senior Counsel. Although a few ultra leftists had trouble with the Bannon appointment, most praised both men as capable leaders and, like Trump, hardcore workaholics. Expect both to hit the ground running.
Other Trump appointments are expected soon. Among those almost certain to receive key positions are Newt Gingrich, the statesman and author who is also a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City who teamed with President George W. Bush in leading the USA and especially the ground-zero victims in New York City through the horrors of 9-11-2001, and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, the go-to expert on immigration issues among those right of center.
Trump continued to move with tremendous self-assurance. He and his entire family submitted to a lengthy interview on 60 minutes last night with leftist reporter Lesley Stahl (Ms. Stahl is one of the least-objectionable mainstream media reporters and her years of fairness and objectivity still shine through on many occasions). The interview touched on many subjects and Trump handled each with ease and forthrightness. In areas where he wasn't prepared yet to reveal his thinking he said so and stuck with it. One absolute key to dealing with mainstream leftist reporters is refusing to be browbeat - even with sugar - and, once a decision is stated, even if the decision is not to decide, never back away from it during that particular interaction. Trump was brilliant in handling the questions from Ms. Stahl pertaining to pending Supreme Court appointments. The prospect of an ultra leftist like Hillary Clinton getting to stack the high court with young ultra left jurists was a key factor in Trump's election win. He candidly told Stahl that all of his selections to the court will reflect his thinking on the abortion issue; that is, they will be pro-life jurists. When Stahl shifted the questions to the LGBT community, Trump said, frankly, his thinking on issues important to the LGBT community are irrelevant since law in the area is settled. And he resisted Stahl's efforts to wiggle around that answer.
Meanwhile, the Democrats continue with their confounding decision to make Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison the next chairman of the DNC. Currently the five-term representative is the only openly Islamic member of Congress. He is not, however, the only ultra leftist Democrat in Congress. You can count those on your fingers, if you happen to have hundreds of fingers.
A Few Words on Sports: At Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, D. J. Reeves and Sebastian Elney each scored first half goals, and a stout and determined Maryland Defense shut down a Wisconsin offense that led a late season Badger surge as Maryland won its third consecutive Big Ten Soccer Tournament by defeating No. 18 Wisconsin, 2-1. The Badgers had advanced to the final by getting by No. 5 Indiana on penalty kicks after the two teams drew, 1-1, after 100 minutes of Soccer on Friday. Maryland defeated Michigan State, 2-1, in its semi-final match.
Reeves, starting for the first time this season, took a long but beautifully placed pass from Defender Suli Dainkeh, then, somehow, ran past a defender, Matej Radonic, who appeared able to pinch him at the end-line. After beating Radonic, he flicked the ball ever so slightly off the end-line, then magically pulled it back as Badger Keeper Philip Schilling dove to the ground to grab it. Once past Schilling, Reeves had every player's dream, a completely abandoned goal with no defender in sight, and full possession of the soccer ball just three yards off the line. Reeves merely side-footed the ball to the back of the net.
Elney's goal was equally spectacular. Jorge Calix, who was only on the pitch for three minutes on Sunday, sent a Terp corner kick toward the Wisconsin goal, but the stiff wind knocked the ball down and it headed for the Earth at the corner of the 18 line to Schilling's left. With several defenders surrounding him and only just over a minute left in the first half, Elney leaped high and headed the ball on a downward trajectory toward the goal. An instant after he headed the ball, it ricocheted off the shoulder of a Wisconsin defender. The impact with the defender did not change the direction of the shot, only its altitude. Instead of a ball that was envisioned heading into the net at the same time it hit the ground, the ball flew into the upper corner of the net. It was Elney who sat out the start of the game in favor of Reeves and it was a very good feeling for the young man to prove he still was very important to the Terps as they head for national competition.
Three Maryland players were named to the All-Tournament Team: Goal Keeper Cody Niedermeier, Alex Crognale and Gordon Wild. Maryland will await the naming of its NCAA Tournament opponent, which will be announced along with the rest of the 48-team field, today at 1 pm. These proceedings can be monitored at NCAA.com.
Don't look now, but Burnley is on the move in the legendary Premier League. Thanks chiefly to a wonderful home mark of 4 wins, one draw and just two defeats, the Claret are upwardly trending and in 9th place in the 20-side league. How scary is legendary Turf Moor to the rest of the Premier? Liverpool is in first place, but they lost to Burnley, 2-0. On November 5, the last match before the 16-day national break, Ashley Barnes scored a late goal to propel Burnley past vexatious Crystal Palace, 3-2. The Claret have also beat back always powerful Everton, as well as Watford, on their home pitch. Like every other team in the league, Burnley isn't quite that dangerous on the road. Overall, the Lancashire side stands at 4 wins, 6 defeats and 2 draws. They have 14 points, just one point behind 8th place Watford. Burnley's record over its last three matches is 2 wins and one draw. The draw was at Manchester United.
Anything can happen, of course, but there are many reasons to think the Claret are in the Premier to stay. The major reason for this assertion is the fact that Burnley is moving up the standings. Moving up. Now that is a wonderful phrase. Their Keeper, Tom Heaton, is on the English national team, and Sam Vokes, who stunned the soccer world with his breathtaking score in Wales' 3-1 triumph over Belgium in the Euro 2016 Quarter-Finals last summer, is pushing life into the Burnley offense.. The Vokes goal and the Welsh win that summer day across the Channel in France, pushed long-suffering Wales into the Euro semi-finals.
Maryland's Basketball team won its opener over the weekend, beating back tenacious American University, 62-56. Melo Trimble led the Terps with 22 points, but outmanned American hung close throughout the game and had several second half leads.
The Ravens will travel to Dallas next weekend to play the Cowboys with at least a half-game lead in the AFC North Division. After the Ravens battered Cleveland on Thursday Night, they watched yesterday as the Cowboys did them a big favor by defeating the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Bengals will have a chance to move past Pittsburgh into second place if they can defeat the Giants on Monday Night Football. Right now, the Ravens are 5-4, the Steelers are 4-5 and the Bengals are 3-4-1. A win for the Bengals tonight would put them at 4-4-1 and leave them one-half game behind the Ravens and one-half game ahead of the Steelers. The Browns are virtually eliminated with a record of 0-10.
Alas, it is now a post-Hillary world. The mean and angry one let it be known, officially, that she blames FBI Chief James Comey for her defeat. Naturally, she doesn't blame herself and her illegal money-grabbing activities. You earn a reputation that might live forever, but you cannot leave life with your money, purloined or not. Hillary has the opportunity to contemplate those facts for the duration.
A Weekend in Idyllic Lancaster, Pennsylvania: The Eastern Seaboard had some of the most wonderful autumn weather that could be imagined this past weekend. The nights were cold and the days were just shy of warm. A sweater was wonderful for both extremes, if you want to call them that. Lancaster is a beautiful small town in the land of the Amish. It's revitalizing downtown is clean and attractive. There are shops and places to eat and sleep. We stayed at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, a stunning structure that has stood for over a century at the intersection of King and Queen Streets at the center of downtown. A historic statute of William Penn, atop a stunning marble column, stands in the middle of that intersection. Kind folk abound and it is hard not to be very happy here. Another special treat is taking Pennsylvania Route 896 on the way home. The winding road runs along ridge lines through beautiful Amish and Mennonite Farms. The stunning light at sunset made the landscape seem close to Paradise. That town is very nearby, really it is. And I've just noticed how many times I used "stunning." It is, however, stunning.
Friday, November 11, 2016
As the Impossible Begins to Sink In, the Ultra Left Still Bangs Its Heads Into a Door Now Slammed Shut
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Friday, November 11, 2016 - There we were - and by "we" we mean those of us who were inexorably opposed to Hillary Clinton becoming the President of These United States - still glued hard and fast to the Television Set or Radio, as the clock ticked up to and then past 2 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. And still there was no hard and fast result of the national vote to decide who would be the next President. The three 'baseline' battleground states, the ones the Donald Trump had to sweep to have even an outside chance to win that national vote, had all been called in Trump's favor. All three were unbelievably close, but all three went the outsider's way. The polls then closed on the west coast and all of those states were called for Hillary. Now, the count in the electoral college stood 228 to 208 in Trump's favor. Then Idaho and, at last, Wisconsin, went Trump's way, but he still needed another dozen or so electoral votes to wrap up the vote. At last, at around 2:30 a.m. the ever elusive state of Pennsylvania was called for Trump, and just like that, it was over. Trump went past the magic 270 votes needed for election. Donald Trump was the 45th President-Elect of These United States.
Even as we write this it still seems impossible. The road to victory was very narrow and crammed with traps of all sorts. Somehow, he managed to make it through to victory. Against all of the odds, he prevailed. Now comes the equally difficult task of actually governing.
Immediately, the Ultra Left acts as if Trump, as the winner, has an actual obligation to cooperate with the Ultra Left in governing. If Trump falls for that hogwash - that is the only word I could come up with that is printable - he will immediately be off on a downbound train.
Did the Ultra Left, the Obamas, Clintons, Hillary, Bill, Barry, etc., invite the rest of America into their governing pow wow? They couldn't even invite liberal Democrats into the governing pow wow. Instead, normal libs were forced to vote for this ultra left Marxist junk like Obamacare, Stimulus etc. Obama alienated normal libs. Now they cannot so much as force themselves to imagine what will happen to their "legacy," if Trump does what he says he will do. He says he will completely eliminate Obamacare. He says he will completely eliminate the deal that will give Iran nuclear weapons.
As I post this, Obama has cancelled the photo op of his family and Trump's family. The meeting of the two men has lasted far longer than was what expected.
From this vantage point there will be no buyer's remorse. Any other result on this night spelled certain disaster for these United States. The very idea of putting someone with so flawed a character, so certain to further line her pockets with taxpayer's cash, was not a thought we were willing to contemplate. Up until Trump was declared the victor it seemed the end of These United States lurked right around the corner. We understood that some Hollywood knuckleheads were threatening to leave the country if Trump were elected. How crazy was that thought. They would rather elect someone who played as if elected and appointed office were merely for the purpose of further enriching herself with other folks' money. She was open and obvious about it because she didn't believe she would ever be called on the carpet.
It is the hope and prayer of this life-long Democrat that the party will forever pledge to avoid the low brow thuggery that so defined its behavior in this election. There is absolutely no excuse for it anymore. Up until this juncture in America's history, the thought was that many of our policy initiatives were so outside the mainstream that the low brow behavior of the Hillary and Bill Clintons of the world were necessary to prevail in the court of public opinion. Now that is no longer true. I don't think - let me go further - I know it was never ever necessary or ethically justified. If our ideas couldn't cut it with the people we serve, we had stinking ideas that did not deserve a second thought, now or later.
We are better than that. We have to be. If our ideas are worthy, we need to get behind them and work like all get out to sell their worthiness.
In the meantime, we need to get behind this President, Donald Trump. He is a unique and worthy soul cloaked in a street-wise, crass, often shrill exterior. He used to be a Democrat. He has always been an American. He won the national election fair and square. We have prevailed in the same manner that he has prevailed. If we have any ethical or moral fiber left, we need to jettison George Soros and his ilk, quit with the mayhem in the streets (I bet the dark souls who came up with that idea - I mean you, Mr. S - please pack your bags and make your way off the stage, forthwith). Like so much of the so-called genius of the ultra-left, those coming up with it and implementing it continued to forget the time-honored premise that 'what goes around will surely come around. Right now, the George Soros of the world are about to be kicked in the ass by their own flying boot.
Even as we write this it still seems impossible. The road to victory was very narrow and crammed with traps of all sorts. Somehow, he managed to make it through to victory. Against all of the odds, he prevailed. Now comes the equally difficult task of actually governing.
Immediately, the Ultra Left acts as if Trump, as the winner, has an actual obligation to cooperate with the Ultra Left in governing. If Trump falls for that hogwash - that is the only word I could come up with that is printable - he will immediately be off on a downbound train.
Did the Ultra Left, the Obamas, Clintons, Hillary, Bill, Barry, etc., invite the rest of America into their governing pow wow? They couldn't even invite liberal Democrats into the governing pow wow. Instead, normal libs were forced to vote for this ultra left Marxist junk like Obamacare, Stimulus etc. Obama alienated normal libs. Now they cannot so much as force themselves to imagine what will happen to their "legacy," if Trump does what he says he will do. He says he will completely eliminate Obamacare. He says he will completely eliminate the deal that will give Iran nuclear weapons.
As I post this, Obama has cancelled the photo op of his family and Trump's family. The meeting of the two men has lasted far longer than was what expected.
From this vantage point there will be no buyer's remorse. Any other result on this night spelled certain disaster for these United States. The very idea of putting someone with so flawed a character, so certain to further line her pockets with taxpayer's cash, was not a thought we were willing to contemplate. Up until Trump was declared the victor it seemed the end of These United States lurked right around the corner. We understood that some Hollywood knuckleheads were threatening to leave the country if Trump were elected. How crazy was that thought. They would rather elect someone who played as if elected and appointed office were merely for the purpose of further enriching herself with other folks' money. She was open and obvious about it because she didn't believe she would ever be called on the carpet.
It is the hope and prayer of this life-long Democrat that the party will forever pledge to avoid the low brow thuggery that so defined its behavior in this election. There is absolutely no excuse for it anymore. Up until this juncture in America's history, the thought was that many of our policy initiatives were so outside the mainstream that the low brow behavior of the Hillary and Bill Clintons of the world were necessary to prevail in the court of public opinion. Now that is no longer true. I don't think - let me go further - I know it was never ever necessary or ethically justified. If our ideas couldn't cut it with the people we serve, we had stinking ideas that did not deserve a second thought, now or later.
We are better than that. We have to be. If our ideas are worthy, we need to get behind them and work like all get out to sell their worthiness.
In the meantime, we need to get behind this President, Donald Trump. He is a unique and worthy soul cloaked in a street-wise, crass, often shrill exterior. He used to be a Democrat. He has always been an American. He won the national election fair and square. We have prevailed in the same manner that he has prevailed. If we have any ethical or moral fiber left, we need to jettison George Soros and his ilk, quit with the mayhem in the streets (I bet the dark souls who came up with that idea - I mean you, Mr. S - please pack your bags and make your way off the stage, forthwith). Like so much of the so-called genius of the ultra-left, those coming up with it and implementing it continued to forget the time-honored premise that 'what goes around will surely come around. Right now, the George Soros of the world are about to be kicked in the ass by their own flying boot.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Comey Letter All the Internet Rage; But What is Real Impact on Presidential Scrum? And Why Doesn't Loretta Lynch Want FBI Investigators to See Clinton Charitable Foundation Emails?
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Thursday, November 3, 2016 - You cannot avoid reading about FBI Director James Comey's brief letter to Congress, informing legislators that his Bureau is going to re-open its criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton's extremely illegal practice of sending highly classified and top secret information over a private email system that was so easy to hack into that virtually anybody could have accomplished it. It is extremely likely that a number of sinister forces did exactly that, according to the FBI. In fact, the FBI is now saying that Hillary's email servers have been hacked at least five times by interests that are opposed to These United States (and by that I do not mean Barack Obama, at least I don't think I mean him). According to published reports, some 650,000 emails were discovered on a computer notebook said to have been shared by Hilary's right hand woman, Huma Mahmood Abedin, and her notorious and now estranged husband, Anthony Weiner, the former New York Congressman now linked to a number of so-called "sexting" scandals that are way too perverted for this writer to go into details. Now, published reports say that United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch is forcing FBI agents reviewing that extraordinary number of previously undiscovered emails - including some that were among the 33,000 that Hillary said she deleted because they were personal in nature and only delved into her yoga classes and Chelsea's wedding - to review the emails at break-neck speed so that she can march ih front of DNC/ABC. DNC/CBS, DNC/NBC, DNC/CNN, DNC/MSNBC and DNC/PBS cameras to announce that there was nothing criminal in those 650,000 previously hidden emails. You see, Ms. Lynch wants to make that announcement before next Tuesday, which is election day. Nevermind that Hillary's state department took months and months to comply with Congressional subpoenas. She wants to be cleared before election day.
If you believe that Hillary can be legally and actually cleared, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I might be able to sell to you. Ms. Lynch was said to be furious with FBI Chief Comey for sending the letter to Congress last week. For my part, I was not furious with Mr. Comey. Really, I wasn't.
You'll recall that Comey decided last summer not to recommend Hillary be indicted, not because she hadn't violated Federal Espionage Laws - it was crystal clear that she had, Comey announced - but because he said he could not find substantive proof that she intended to do so. As for that, one would note it is very difficult to find something you are absolutely determined not to find. Democrats everywhere gushed on and on about the courage and forthrightness of the FBI leader, all words they regretted come last Friday, when Comey found something that was dumped in his lap. Turns out the FBI has been probing the Clinton Crime Family and, in particular, their so-called charity, for over one year. They asked to be able to see emails generated by the "charity," but have been blocked, not by lawyers for the Charity, but by Ms. Lynch. Can you say CORRUPTION?
Comey told Congress in his letter last week that the Bureau's investigation of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's sexting activities had unexpectedly led to the discovery of some 650,000 emails having a possible bearing on the issues involved in the criminal probe of Hillary. According to the Washington Post, Huma Mahmood Abedin, who is also the woman said to be closer to Hillary Clinton than even Clinton's Husband, Bill Clinton, told her friends late last week that she had no idea how so many of her emails (and by "her emails" she meant her and Hillary's) wound up on Anthony Weiner's computer. Political Analysts such as Rush Limbaugh pounced on that statement. Limbaugh said he expected to hear that Abedin told friends that she had no missing emails. Instead, her alleged quotes confirm the existence of the missing 33,000 Hillary emails and their key role in the current scandal surrounding the Clinton campaign. Why the United States AG wouldn't let FBI analysts investigating high level corruption see vital evidence is downright disgusting. But I bet you haven't seen even one report on this on the mainstream DNC media.
Political polls - so devastating to Donald Trump just ten days ago - have now turned on Hillary. Two weeks ago Trump trailed Hillary by a whopping 12 points in the Washington Post Poll. In the poll out last weekend, that 12 point bulge is down to only one point. It goes without saying that Trump has pounced on the Comey letter, saying that it gives hope that the FBI now wants to right the terrible wrong it did when it failed to recommend Hillary be indicted.
The Powerline Blog considered just how many emails the FBI has to analyze. If the notebook computer that the FBI has seized in the Wiener investigation can actually hold that many emails (650,000), it would suggest that somebody sent or received 200 emails per day, 365 days per year, for over nine years. Think that over for a bit. Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Leader, and a noted Ultra Leftist and Narcissist, charged that Comey has violated the Hatch Act in sending the letter to Congress so close in time to the Presidential Election eight days away. At least Harry says that is what a friend told him. Limbaugh wondered whether it was the same "friend" that told "Dingy Harry" that former GOP Candidate Mitt Romney hadn't paid his income taxes for ten years.
If you believe that Hillary can be legally and actually cleared, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I might be able to sell to you. Ms. Lynch was said to be furious with FBI Chief Comey for sending the letter to Congress last week. For my part, I was not furious with Mr. Comey. Really, I wasn't.
You'll recall that Comey decided last summer not to recommend Hillary be indicted, not because she hadn't violated Federal Espionage Laws - it was crystal clear that she had, Comey announced - but because he said he could not find substantive proof that she intended to do so. As for that, one would note it is very difficult to find something you are absolutely determined not to find. Democrats everywhere gushed on and on about the courage and forthrightness of the FBI leader, all words they regretted come last Friday, when Comey found something that was dumped in his lap. Turns out the FBI has been probing the Clinton Crime Family and, in particular, their so-called charity, for over one year. They asked to be able to see emails generated by the "charity," but have been blocked, not by lawyers for the Charity, but by Ms. Lynch. Can you say CORRUPTION?
Comey told Congress in his letter last week that the Bureau's investigation of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's sexting activities had unexpectedly led to the discovery of some 650,000 emails having a possible bearing on the issues involved in the criminal probe of Hillary. According to the Washington Post, Huma Mahmood Abedin, who is also the woman said to be closer to Hillary Clinton than even Clinton's Husband, Bill Clinton, told her friends late last week that she had no idea how so many of her emails (and by "her emails" she meant her and Hillary's) wound up on Anthony Weiner's computer. Political Analysts such as Rush Limbaugh pounced on that statement. Limbaugh said he expected to hear that Abedin told friends that she had no missing emails. Instead, her alleged quotes confirm the existence of the missing 33,000 Hillary emails and their key role in the current scandal surrounding the Clinton campaign. Why the United States AG wouldn't let FBI analysts investigating high level corruption see vital evidence is downright disgusting. But I bet you haven't seen even one report on this on the mainstream DNC media.
Political polls - so devastating to Donald Trump just ten days ago - have now turned on Hillary. Two weeks ago Trump trailed Hillary by a whopping 12 points in the Washington Post Poll. In the poll out last weekend, that 12 point bulge is down to only one point. It goes without saying that Trump has pounced on the Comey letter, saying that it gives hope that the FBI now wants to right the terrible wrong it did when it failed to recommend Hillary be indicted.
The Powerline Blog considered just how many emails the FBI has to analyze. If the notebook computer that the FBI has seized in the Wiener investigation can actually hold that many emails (650,000), it would suggest that somebody sent or received 200 emails per day, 365 days per year, for over nine years. Think that over for a bit. Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Leader, and a noted Ultra Leftist and Narcissist, charged that Comey has violated the Hatch Act in sending the letter to Congress so close in time to the Presidential Election eight days away. At least Harry says that is what a friend told him. Limbaugh wondered whether it was the same "friend" that told "Dingy Harry" that former GOP Candidate Mitt Romney hadn't paid his income taxes for ten years.
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