It’s on.  It’s off.  It’s on again.




I find the Dems’ and the mainstream media’s attitude toward this summit most amusing and disingenuous.  Their criticisms have been oxymoronic.  Prior to its being announced they were criticizing Mr. Trump for his open hostility toward Kim, i. e. accusing him of antagonizing a leader who was “clearly unbalanced” and who controlled a nuclear arsenal and referring to him derisively as “little rocket man.”













According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs the purpose of MD is to honor veterans who have died in the service of their country. (Some people confuse it with Veterans’ Day, celebrated in November, which is to honor LIVING veterans for their service.) MD is celebrated on the final Monday in May, which this year is May 28. It has also evolved into the unofficial start of summer and Opening Day for beaches, pools and vacation homes.





There are some MD traditions worth noting:

1. Flying the flag at half-staff.


2. Poppies.


3. Sporting Events.






May 1 –   Since ancient times, a day for festivals celebrating the arrival of the Spring season.  Today, many socialist countries celebrate May Day on May 1 as a holiday to celebrate workers.













May 10, 1869 – The Union Pacific and Central Railroads join at Promontory Point, UT (symbolized by driving a golden spike into the roadbed), creating the Transcontinental Railroad, which linked the entire US.























What has happened to the Democratic Party?  In my opinion, the broad “new deal” coalition of labor, ethnics, minorities, other disadvantaged persons, liberals and even some moderates forged by FDR during the 1930s in the depths of the Great Depression is transforming before our very eyes.  Today, the Party of FDR, JFK and LBJ is virtually unrecognizable.

For example:

  1.  The party has moved so far to the “left” that it is alienating many moderates and independent voters.  This was evidenced in the 2016 election by Mr. Trump’s victories in states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.
  2. Some of the Party’s most visible spokespersons are politicians such as Corey Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, who, although very popular, is not really even a Democrat, but an out and out socialist.  They and others have been pulling the Party’s leaders, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to the left with them.
  3. Some of the policies they have been espousing, such as open borders, universally free healthcare, cradle to grave government assistance, and free college education for everyone may sound appealing to some, but they are ill-advised and irresponsible on many levels, have not worked in other countries, would destroy the middle class and bankrupt the country.
  4. Many of the Dems still refuse to believe that they lost in 2016 legitimately.  Even 18 months later they are still focused on Russian election tampering and collusion with the Trump campaign.  They refuse to admit they lost because the GOP had a better candidate and most Americans were just fed up with the same old, same old in Washington.  Their primary campaign issue for 2018 is negativity: Trump is a bad guy.  He is a racist, a misogynist.  We hate him.  We want to impeach him.  They will need more than that to win back Congress in 2018 and the presidency in 2020.
  5. This month is the anniversary of the commencement of the Mueller investigation.  Whether you love or hate President Trump you have to admit that the Mueller investigation has not turned up even a smidgeon of collusion or obstruction on the part of Mr. Trump or his campaign.  And, this is despite having spent millions of dollars, conducting over 100 interviews, examining millions of documents and diverting the country’s attention away from more important matters.  In addition, the objectivity of the investigators and the investigation, itself, has been, to say the least, highly questionable.  Instead, we have found evidence of improper, if not illegal, acts by Democrats and their supporters, for instance, leaking confidential information and entrapment on the part of FBI agents (Stroh, Comey and others), compiling and pushing an unverified, if not downright false, dossier on Mr. Trump that was compiled by the Clinton campaign, “trumping up” phony evidence to obtain a FISA warrant, engaging in illegal wiretapping, and placing an undercover agent within the Trump campaign.  One could legitimately make the case that Messrs. Trump, Jr., Papadopoulos and Carter were “set up” with respect to their infamous meetings and information provided.  This week, even the NY Times was forced to concur, opining that “a year and a half later, no public evidence has surfaced connecting Mr. Trump’s advisors to the hacking or linking Mr. Trump, himself, to the Russian government ‘s disruptive efforts.”  You know it must have killed them to admit and publish that.
  6. Somehow, the Party has been maneuvered into defending the heinous MS-13 gang as well as other criminal illegal aliens.  In addition, their open border stance and support of sanctuary cities have given many people the distinct impression that they prefer the rights of illegal aliens to those of US citizens.  I and many others believe their preference for the rights of illegal aliens is designed to develop a new constituency of voters, prospectively.
  7. MS-13 is one of, if not the, most vicious gangs in the world.  They don’t just kill people.  They chop them up with machetes.  They dismember them.  They torture.  They gang rape.  And, they do it to the victims’ extended family members as well.  They are the worst of the worst.  And they have been increasingly active in the US.
  8. Surprise!  Surprise!   Some members sneak in hidden among other refugees and asylum seekers.  Kids, no more than ten or eleven are recruited or coerced to join.  Mr. Trump’s border security policy attempts to keep them out.  The Dems’ open border policy makes it easy for them to enter.  The crowning blow came this week when Mr. Trump specifically referred to MS-13 members as “animals.”  Based on their abovementioned acts this is hard to dispute.  I think most Americans would agree with that characterization.  But, not the NY Times and Washington Post, which either carelessly or deliberately misquoted Mr. Trump to make it appear that he characterized all immigrants as “animals.”  Also, various Dem politicians and supporters piled on.  For example, Anna Navarro compared Mr. Trump to Nazis and former slave owners.  Nancy Pelosi defended MS-13 members , lecturing us that “we are all God’s children,” and we should “respect the dignity of every person.”  Incidentally, it was the same Anna Navarro who during the 2016 campaign referred to candidate Trump as “an animal.  Apologies to animals.”  Regardless of one’s opinion of President Trump or his choice of words, the Dems are definitely on the wrong side of this issue.
  9. Congressman Al Green (D-TX) is still aggressively pushing impeachment, like a modern-day Don Quixote.  Mr. Green should review the constitution.   Its definition of “high crimes and misdemeanors” is fairly flexible (Gerald Ford once famously said it is whatever the Congress decides it to be at a particular point in time.), but it definitely does not include personal dislike or disagreement.


The sad irony is that if the Dems were so inclined there are legitimate issues they could exploit and campaign on.  For example, many Americans are concerned about healthcare and gun violence.

Historically, the party in power normally loses seats in the off-year midterm elections.  The question is how many seats will the GOP lose and will they still retain a majority.  The GOP has several accomplishments it could campaign on, such as the improving economy, low unemployment (historically low in the case of AAs), tax cut, defeating ISIS, NOKO talks, but they have to articulate them effectively.

The mainstream media would have us believe that a “blue wave” will sweep the country in November.  I have my doubts.  Let’s not forget that some of the Dems running for re-election are in “red” states that Mr. Trump won handily in 2016.  Personally, I think the results will be closer than most people think, and if the Dems don’t change their strategy they could be in for a big disappointment.


As the whole world knows, the royal wedding between Price Harry, aka Prince Henry of Wales, the second son of Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales, and Meghan Markle will take place tomorrow, Saturday, at 12:00 pm London time at St. George Chapel at Windsor Castle.  Probably, much, if not most, of the civilized world will be glued to their tv sets so as not to miss even the most insignificant part of the nuptials.

For the most part, I have not been a big fan of the Royal family’s comings and goings.  I have nothing against most of them, personally.  My main interest in the Royals has been the manner in which they have impacted history, particularly the more notable rulers, such as King Henry VIII and Queens Elizabeth and Victoria, to name a few.   As for the rest of it, for example, their exalted and privileged status and station in life due to an accident of birth, the overly lavish lifestyle, the celebrity status, all the pomp and circumstance and suffocating protocols and etiquette, I just don’t see the relevance in the 21st century.  In short, to me they are an anachronism.

All that said, I am interested in the Royal Wedding because of Meghan Markel.  I enjoyed watching her performances on the TV hit series, Suits (2011-2018), and I am intrigued by the fact that she is a “commoner” (Incidentally, I really hate that term.  It conjures up class distinctions and tells you all you need to know about monarchies and why they’re passe.), an American, and a person of “mixed race heritage” as Wikipedia so delicately puts it,  As most of you know by now, she will be the second American and the first person of “mixed race heritage” to marry into the British royal family.

So, who is Meghan Markel, and how did she get to where she is?  Glad you asked.  Read on.

Meghan Markel was born on August 4, 1981 in Los Angeles.  Her father is Caucasian and, interestingly, according to Wikipedia, is a distant relative of England’s King Edward, III.  Her father was in the entertainment business peripherally.  He was a lighting director in daytime TV and actually won a Daytime Emmy.  Her mom, an African American, was a social worker and yoga instructor.  They divorced when Meghan was six.

She graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with a degree in international studies and theatre. She married Trevor Engelson in 2011.  They divorced in 2013.

Meghan is more than merely an actress, although that is how she is best known.  To put it bluntly, before Suits, however, her acting career was mostly nondescript.  It consisted of small, forgettable roles in forgotten movies and single-episode appearances on tv series.  For example, in 2005’s movie A Lot Like Love she played a “passenger on a plane.”

In her other endeavors, Meghan was a counsellor for “One Young World,” an international charity that advocates gender equality and derides “modern-day slavery.”  In addition, she was founder and editor-in-chief of The Tig, a lifestyle website.  Furthermore, in partnership with Reitmans, a Canadian clothing company, she distributed a line of women’s fashion work wear.

Some fun facts regarding the royal couple nuptials, most of which those of you who are ardent “royal watchers” probably already know:

  1. Harry and Meghan met on a blind date.
  2. The Saturday wedding is a break with tradition in that such events have usually been held on a weekday.  Traditionally, the weekday wedding days have been designated as “Bank holidays,” but this Saturday has not.
  3. In a nice gesture, the royal couple has requested that, in lieu of traditional gifts, guests should make donations to one of various designated charities.
  4. Due to Meghan’s father’s illness Price Charles will walk her down the aisle.
  5. Prince William will be the best man.  The couple has selected the children of various friends and relatives to act as pages and bridesmaids.
  6. Due to the small venue, the guest list will be limited to 600, roughly 1/3 of the number, for instance, that attended the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1947.  These are people who have a “close” and “direct” relationship with the couple.  In addition, since Harry is “merely” 6th in the line of succession to the throne, protocol dictated that it was not required to invite political leaders and Heads of State, and so most of them were omitted.
  7. Since Harry is one of the six persons in the line of succession both Queen Elizabeth and the Church had to give their approvals, which they did.  In case you’re interested, the Church no longer denies permission to a divorced person with a living spouse.  Meghan was baptized into the Church in March and is in the process of becoming a British citizen.  It has not been determined if she will retain her US citizenship.
  8. It is estimated that the wedding will cost 500,000 pounds (approximately $673,000), which, thankfully, will be covered by the Royal Family.
  9. In addition to the reception for those attending the ceremony there will be a larger one for family and other close friends and a carriage procession, which will be viewed by selected people.


This will be a real rarity for all you “royal watchers,” many of whom will rise in the wee hours tomorrow so as not to miss anything.  Others may watch bits and pieces, here and there.  Still others will take a “bah humbug” approach and watch reruns or old movies.

Finally, for those of you that are interested, some etiquette tips for the guests courtesy of Town and Country and its panel of etiquette experts:

  1. One expert advises ladies to cover their heads; another one said “hats are encouraged, but not required.”  Good luck with that.
  2. Ladies, no bare legs.
  3. Heels should be moderate, but not too high.
  4. Don’t wear white.
  5. Many men will wear a “morning suit” whatever that is, but if not, a conservative suit, grey or navy, would be appropriate.  Avoid garish waistcoats or accessories.
  6. Bow and curtsy properly.

So, now you can eagerly watch for etiquette faux pas.  Enjoy the show.


Today, May 14, is a “red-letter day” for the State of Israel and its supporters.  First of all, it marks the 70th anniversary of Israeli Independence Day, formally known as the “Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel.”  (The equivalent date on the Hebrew calendar, 5 Iyar, was celebrated throughout Israel as Independence Day last month.)  Secondly, today the US embassy officially relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The US embassy relocation was a long time coming.  To paraphrase President Trump, a very staunch supporter who, make no mistake about it, was the driving force behind the move, every country has the right to designate its capital city, and foreign embassies should be located in the capital city.  In reality, Jerusalem is and has been the real capital of Israel, so the US is merely recognizing reality.  Every other President promised to relocate the embassy, but it was President Trump who delivered.

Critics will wring their hands and complain that it hurts the peace process, but, in truth, the peace process between the Jews and the Arabs in the region has been languishing for years.  Some would characterize it as DOA.  Animosities go back thousands of years.  Hardliners like Iran have denied Israel’s very right to exist and have vowed to crush it.  For all intents and purposes, a constant state of war has existed between Israel and most of its neighbors for the entirety of its existence.  President Trump has reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the peace process, and I believe him.  Today’s Hamas-inspired violence was unfortunate, but it fell far short of the chaos and mayhem that some had predicted.

The birth of the State of Israel can be traced to the Zionist movement of the late 19th Century.   Two of the early leaders of this movement were Theodore Hertzl and Chaim Weizmann.  The Zionists’ goal was to re-establish a Jewish state in the land area that is now the State of Israel.

It picked up steam following WW1.  The Middle East had been part of the Ottoman Empire.  After their defeat, the British took control of the area.  The Brits issued the controversial Balfour Declaration, named for Foreign Secretary Alfred Balfour, which among other things, called for the establishment of a home for the Jews in Palestine.  That gave Zionists hope.  A land of their own free from the scourge of anti-Semitism.

The problem was, the Declaration was vague on details, and it may have contradicted certain promises the Brits had made to Arab chieftains in exchange for their support against the Turks in WW1.  Also, there was a large majority of Arabs living in the area who wanted no part of a Jewish state.  The powers that be essentially “kicked the can down the road.”

The situation simmered until after WWII when, in response to increasing violence the Brits dumped the matter into the hands of the UN.  The UN passed a resolution to partition Palestine, as it was called, into three areas – an Arab state, a Jewish state and a “Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem.”  The Jewish state was to receive some 56% of the area’s landmass.

Unlike the Arabs, the Jews were willing to accept the terms of the resolution, except for the borders.  The Arabs wanted all of the area and were willing and eager to take it by force.  Consequently, the Jewish leader, David Ben-Gurion, famously stated that if the Arabs would not agree to the borders neither would the Jews. “Why should we obligate ourselves to accept boundaries that, in any case, the Arabs don’t accept?”  If Israel won a war, he said, it would keep whatever additional land it captured.  When the dust had settled, Israel was in control of an additional 60% of the land that the UN resolution had originally awarded to the Arabs.

Meanwhile, on May 14, 1948 Israel issued a declaration establishing itself as a Jewish state.  There was some discussion regarding the name of the state.  Some of the other names considered besides “Israel” were “Ziona,” “Ivriya,” and “Herzliya.”  “Israel” was Ben-Gurion’s choice, and I believe it was a good one.


In my opinion, the State of Israel has much to be proud of.  As stated above, it had to fight for its very existence against very long odds.  Furthermore, it has had to maintain a constant state of vigilance and fight several wars and skirmishes just to survive.  According to an editorial in the National Catholic Reporter it is “an event to celebrate in a part of the world where democracy remains rare,” (I would say, “unique.”)

Israel’s only reliable ally over the past 70 years has been the US, although I believe that some Administrations have been less supportive than others.  The US was the first country to recognize Israel as a state.  (It took President Truman about 11 hours to do so.)  In return, Israel has been the US’s only consistent and reliable ally in the region.

I maintain that Jews should be very proud of this country.  Even non-Jews should admire its ability and determination to continue to survive in a hostile world.

70 years!  Congratulations, Israel!  Well done!










































My darling and devoted wife claims I have very limited knowledge of pop culture. Perhaps, but let’s test your knowledge. You know the drill: no peeking at the internet. Don’t ask “Alexa.”  Good luck.

  1. Each of the following movies won the Oscar for “Best Picture, EXCEPT:

(a) Crash; (b) Argo; (c) Hacksaw Ridge; (d) Moonlight

2.  President Trump has been mentioned as a possible winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.  How many previous US presidents have been so honored?

(a) 1; (b) 2; (c) 3; (d 4)

3.  Which famous entertainer was born in Steubenville, Ohio?

(a) Dean Martin; (b) Bing Crosby; (c) Jack Benny; (d) Liberace

4.  Which of the below actors played “Danno” on the original “Hawaii 50” tv series?

(a) Al Harrington; (b) Buddy Ebsen; (c) Larry Manetti; (d) James MacArthur

5.  Alfred Hitchcock directed each of the below movies, EXCEPT:

(a) “Psycho;” (b) “Marnie;” (c) “The Birds;” (d) “The House of Wax”

6.  Each of the below was a 2017 Emmy Award winner, EXCEPT:

(a) John Lithgow; (b) Viola Davis; (c) Nicole Kidman; (d) Sterling Brown

7.  Which of the below actors won the 2018 Oscar for “Best Actor?”

(a) Gary Oldman; (b) Daniel Kaluuya; (c) Denzel Washington; (d) Woody Harrelson

8.  In the famous Abbott and Costello comedy routine “Who’s on First,” the name of the second baseman is:  (a) What; (b) When; (c) Tomorrow; (d) I don’t know.

9.  Which child actor debuted in the tv show “Little House on the Prairie?”
(a) Ed Furlong; (b) Richard Thomas; (c) Jerry Mathers; (d) Jason Bateman

10.  Each of the following is a show created by Dick Wolf, EXCEPT:

(a) South Beach; (b) Law and Order; (c) Boston Legal; (d) Chicago Justice

11.  Which movie featured music by Simon and Garfunkle, including megahit “Sounds of Silence?”

(a) The Apartment; (b) The Graduate; (c) Eyes without a Trace; (d) A Patch of Blue

12.  Which of the below actresses won the 2018 Oscar for “Best Supporting Actress?”

(a) Octavia Spencer; (b) Mary Blige; (c) Allison Janney; (d) Sally Hawkins

13.  The rock ‘n roll song, “Rock Around the Clock” was featured in which of these movies?

(a) Blackboard Jungle; (b) The Rockers; (c) The Survivors; (d) Teen Angel

14.  Each of the following was a member of the “Rat Pack,” EXCEPT:

a.  Peter Lawford; (b) Dean Martin; (c) Vic Damone; (d) Frank Sinatra

15.  Who was the host of the “Newly Wed Game?”

(a)  Pat Sajak; (b) Alex Trebek; Marc Summers; (d) Chuck Barris

16.  Which famous actor appeared on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?”

(a) Will Smith; (b) Denzel Washington; (c) Brian Forster; (d) Fred Savage

17.  The hit song, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” was featured in which movie?

(a)  Bonnie and Clyde; (b) Cool Hand Luke; (c) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; (d) Eyes without a Trace

18.  Whose birth name was Joseph Barrow?  (a) Cary Grant; (b)  Joe Louis; (c) Robert Mitchum; (d) Peter O’Toole

19.  Which rapper was born Curtis James Jackson, III

(a) Lil Wayne; (b) Eminem; (c) LL Cool J; (d) “Fitty” Cent

20.  Name the original host of the tv game show, “The Match Game.”
(a) Don Pardo; (b) Art Fleming; (c) Pat Sajak; (d) Gene Rayburn


  1. (c);  2. (d) (Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama);  3. (a);  4. (d);  5. (d);  6. (b);  7. (a);  8.  (a);  9. (b);  10. (c); 11. (b); 12.(c); 13. (a); 14. (c); 15. (d);  16. (a);  17. (c); 18. (b) (Joseph Louis Barrow); 19. (d);  20. (d)

Let me know how you did.  Also, I am happy to accept suggested questions for my next quiz.