July 24, 2023

Turmoil has been roiling Paris and the rest of France for months, and I don’t mean the Tourmoil de France. Citizens protested a stiffening of the rules regarding retirement age, and, more recently, a 17 year old boy of Algerian and Moroccan descent was shot dead by police. Riots ensued. Clearly, the French subsidiary of Black Lives Matter was responsible. In Israel, hundreds of thousands of protestors have been marching against Netanyahu’s heavy-handed, autocratic proposals to overhaul of the judiciary. Members of AntiFa have been identified in the crowds. Thousands of people packed into central Madrid on Saturday to protest against the Socialist government, and accuse it of undermining the constitution. Rumor has it that FBI agents were embedded in the crowds.

Political protests are a fact of life. My frame of reference goes back to the Viet Nam protests in the 60’s, but protests have existed as long as we have had governments. Protests are different from insurrections, however. People protest all over the world about a variety of things. There doesn’t have to be a conspiracy du jour to explain it away. People protest wars, infringement of liberties, police brutality and so on. People get mad, and they want solutions. You don’t have to agree with them, or even like them. You should, however, make an attempt to understand them.

July 22, 2023

Donald Trump said it would be “very dangerous” if Jack Smith sent him to jail. Finally, Donald Trump and I agree on something. Jail can be a very dangerous place for any inmate, including Donald Trump. He might have to share a cell with Bubba. Some inmate doing life might think that if I shived the former President of the United States, he would at least die famous. Prison has fast food, but not the kind Trump is used to. Trump would have to exercise in the exercise yard. Many of the inmates would like to grab him by his “pussy,” which, I am told, you can do in prison even if you are not famous. It is very possible Trump would run into someone he stiffed on the outside, and that would not go well. The world would finally get to see what Trump actually looks like without his golden pompadour and orange skin. Melania would reject conjugal visits. Lastly, the prison guards may not look too kindly on the man, who allowed an unruly mob to attack fellow law enforcement officers. Yes, it could be “very dangerous” if Jack Smith sent him to jail.

July 19, 2023

Poor Joe Biden. Despite his landmark achievements, the polls show that he is no one’s favorite candidate for 2024. What gives?

Biden is a non-traditional candidate for President. He graduated from law school, served on a local city council, and then spent the next 36 years in the Senate. During that time, he served as Chairman of both the Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees. He was Barack Obama’s Vice President for eight years.

He was preceded by a string of more traditional Presidents. Donald Trump was a game show host with no political experience. Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator for three years, and a community organizer. George W. Bush was the ultimate legacy candidate, which got him into Yale, Harvard Business School, the Texas Governor’s office, and the Presidency. Bill Clinton was the Governor of rural Arkansas with no Washington experience. George H.W. Bush is the exception to the trend, but he couldn’t win re-election. Ronald Reagan was an actor and Governor of California with no D.C. experience. Jimmy Carter was the Governor of Georgia with no Washington experience.

Joe is once again up against two more traditional Presidential candidates, a twice impeached game show host with numerous felony indictments and a Florida Governor with no national experience. At least he doesn’t have the baggage of being a former Senator from New York and a Secretary of State.

July 17, 2023

Senator Tom Cotton recently referred to military personnel who would have to travel out-of-state to get healthcare based on current proposed legislation as abortion tourists. The following is a tongue-in-cheek repost that is almost prescient.

June 1, 2019

Abortion Buses

Now that the state of Missouri is trying to abort the last abortion clinic in its state (unsuccessful so far,) the women of Missouri are going to need an out-of-state alternative. Actually, let me more specific. Poor women are going to need another alternative. Women who can afford it will not have a problem finding a qualified physician to perform an abortion. But, back alleys are so yesterday. My entrepreneurial concept is to combine abortion buses with a destination abortion. Women who need an abortion could meet at designated bus stops throughout the state as we do now for Bolt Bus. For a modest price, the abortion bus would pick them up, and whisk them off to the nearest state and clinic that offers 21st century healthcare, planned parenting counseling, and an abortion if requested.

The abortion bus would be stocked with refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, good music, pertinent literature, and other women in a similar situation. There would be a physician’s assistant on board to discuss what is going to happen once they get there, and to answer any questions they might have. Once the procedure had been completed, the women would be brought back home same day. These services would be paid for through charitable donations. I suspect that the pro-lifers, who can afford to use Uber to get to their doctors, will similarly support the poor women who decide to go full term with continuous supplies of food, clothing, shelter, and educational opportunities.

July 14, 2023

Congratulations to Judge Michael Ponsor, Harvard ‘69, for his letter to the New York Times titled, “Does the Supreme Court Realize How Bad It Smells?” Judge Ponsor is a senior judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Judge Ponsor doesn’t need me to opine on his commentary. Judge Ponsor is well-known to the Pioneer Valley legal community so I forwarded the piece to several friends, who know and/or have worked with him to make sure they didn’t miss it. Their comments are elucidating.

“Ponsor does a nice job of explaining how, for most judges, a buzzer goes off when they get close to the line. I don’t really understand why the Supreme Court should be different.”

“Well-written by a learned man, who clearly understands the difference between right and wrong. Thomas and Alito have gone beyond appearance of impropriety and crashed into what is clearly impropriety.”

“It’s incredible to me that all judges and lawyers across the country are bound by rules and oversight, but the Supreme Court Justices never have been supposedly overseeing themselves.”

Track and field athletes are known for their unwavering dedication, relentless training, and remarkable physical prowess. Yet, amidst the intense competition and rigorous preparation, many athletes find solace and strength in their faith. For numerous track and field athletes, expressing gratitude and acknowledging a higher power is an integral part of their journey. This was evident in the recent US Track and Field Championships.

For track and field athletes, thanking God serves various purposes. Firstly, it allows them to recognize the blessings they have received, such as natural talents, opportunities, and supportive networks. Gratitude becomes a powerful mindset that keeps athletes grounded, humble, and appreciative of their abilities.

Secondly, faith provides athletes with a sense of comfort and guidance. The demanding nature of track and field can lead to moments of doubt, setbacks, and challenges. Believing in a higher power offers solace during these times, reminding athletes that they are not alone and that there is a greater purpose to their efforts.

Moreover, thanking God instills a sense of purpose and meaning in their athletic endeavors. Athletes often view their talents as gifts from a higher power, and by showcasing their abilities on the track or field, they believe they are using those gifts to the best of their ability.

In the world of track and field, thanking God is an expression of gratitude, faith, and a belief in something greater than oneself. It serves as a reminder of the blessings received, provides comfort during challenges, and imbues a sense of purpose into athletic pursuits. Ultimately, the decision to thank God is deeply personal and varies from athlete to athlete, but it remains an essential aspect of the track and field journey for many.

Thank you, ChatGPT.

July 3, 2023

Fatal dog attacks in the U.S. cause about 30-50 deaths per year with pit bulls being the number one culprits. In the majority of cases, the victim is known to the dog so the probability of being killed by a strange dog is remote at best. In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Currently, 45 states allow open carry of guns in one form of another. Dogs are still not allowed anywhere indoors where food is prepared. Twelve states allow dogs to enjoy outdoor dining. Here is a thought experiment. Would you rather be sitting next to a fellow customer carrying a lethal weapon in a restaurant, or a dog? The dog will most likely sit quietly, which would allow you to keep a wary eye on the paranoid diner next to you.

July 2, 2023

During the 1600’s, white slave traders from Europe affirmatively went to Africa, affirmatively captured natives, and affirmatively sold them into slavery in the new world. Plantation owners and others affirmatively bought these slaves at auction and affirmatively put them to work at the business end of a whip.

Article one, section two of the Constitution of the United States affirmatively declared that any person who was not free would be considered three fifths of a person for the purposes of determining Congressional representation.

In 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson affirmatively ruled that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for each race were equal in quality, a doctrine that came to be known as “separate but equal”.

The Jim Crow Laws affirmatively introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries enforced racial segregation. Such laws remained in force until the 1960s.

After the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, many states affirmatively passed laws that discriminated against African Americans and limited their ability to vote. Similar affirmative practices persist to this day.

Today, we have a group of young people whose only crime is that they want to affirmatively get a decent education despite an affirmative history of discrimination and disenfranchisement, and a present that affirmatively involves poor schools, housing, healthcare, and nutrition.

October 4, 2022

The Supreme Court continues its race to the right. It currently is considering a case filed against Harvard and the University of North Carolina, claiming that using race as a criterium for college admissions is discriminatory. The schools claim that race is only one of many factors that they consider (grades, class rank, recommendations, alumni interviews, extracurricular activities, contributions to communities, etc.) in making their decisions. They also claim that having a diverse student body enhances the education that students receive by exposing them to others from radically different walks of life.

Conservatives are not buying the arguments, and the Court will most likely decide in favor of the plaintiffs. Race will no longer be allowed to be considered by admissions committees. However, I don’t think all is lost. Race was likely a shorthand anyway for students who were economically disadvantaged. For example, how do you compare an applicant coming from a broken home, living in a ghetto, attending a substandard school and having barely enough to eat with a student from a private prep school with all of the advantages? I think that it is clearly not discriminatory to say that, in some cases, the poor student may have done more with what he had at his disposal than the prep school student, and that he would be more likely to make a positive contribution to society. The poor student could be from any race or ethnicity..black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc.

I think that if colleges clearly use economics rather than race as a rationale for their admissions decisions, even Conservatives would be on board.

June 28, 2023

I have a more cynical take on the turmoil that has engulfed the Supreme Court and two of its Justices, who have accepted financial favors from conservative billionaires with business before the court. The Supreme Court clearly has lax oversight and ethics rules. Alito’s and Thomas’ defense is that no reasonable person could assume that they were influenced by these gifts, all appearances to the contrary. They may have a point.

Alito and Thomas are unabashedly conservative Justices. They have been doing the dirty work of the Conservative establishment for decades. I don’t think there is any evidence that their views changed or could have been changed after accepting vacation trips. You might have to question the judgement of the billionaires, who wasted money on two Supreme Court Justices already in their back pocket. If they had been flying around Kagan, Sotomajor or Jackson, that would have been suspicious. We’ll leave that to George Soros.

The moral of the story is that, as long as you can’t be bought, it’s okay to be bought.