Good-bye Noel

​Last night, we watched sadly as our Noel crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. It was sudden, as if she were herself all day, until suddenly, at about 4:00 she began to take a decline until she crashed.

She was not in any noticeable pain, but could not stand up anymore. She just lay there, refusing to drink water or take her favorite cookies.

By nine pm, it was inevitable she would be gone soon. 

Noel was a rescue which my daughter got in December, 2011 for her then-fiancé, now husband the Saturday before Christmas. She was about a year or so, and was rescued from a kill shelter.

She was a tan-colored coon hound and made her mark in our lives almost immediately. When she walked into the house that first time, she spotted a roast resting on the stove top. She must have thought it was a “Welcome” meal, and proceeded to pull it down and began to enjoy it lavishly.

It was then we all realized she was a girl who had very definite ideas who was going to dominate whom. She began to take charge, as any alpha dog would, even letting our white shepherd, Angel, know who was now going to be the boss.

She was a mush, a loving dog, bringing joy to all of us. And when my daughter’s children were born, she showed she was protective. But of course, she let them know they were only guests in her home.

My daughter, and her husband, still have three rescues: Lucy, a lab-shepherd mix (we think), Daisy, a bichon, and Lulu, a border terrier. All loving dogs.

So, as we say good-bye to Noel, we are at least comforted knowing that she was not alone when she passed, and believing Angel, Jameson, Shea, Candy, Skippy and Tara will be there to welcome her when she arrives.

You were a good girl, Noel. Rest in Peace.

The Church Exposes Itself of False Moral Equivalence

"Let he who is without sin among you, may cast the first stone" (John 8:7)

​Pope Leo lamented during an event in Angola on Monday that many people in the world were being "exploited by authoritarians and defrauded by the rich," the latest example of a forceful new speaking style he has adopted on his ‌four-nation Africa tour.

During the Mass, his homily focused on all things that claimed violence and oppression went against the Christian message.

"Every form ⁠of oppression, violence, exploitation and dishonesty negates the resurrection of Christ," he said.

This is, of course, very prescient at first glance. But upon reflection, it seems he was directing his message to President Trump, the United States and Israel.

The Pope told journalists on Sunday that his speeches during the tour were ⁠written weeks ago and not aimed directly ‌at Trump. However, he is increasingly revealing his dislike, if not contempt, for the more conservative elements of American values.

He has been displaying a leaning toward more Socialist ideals, much like his predecessor, Pope Francis. And considering his years spent in third world countries, perhaps his beliefs are even more leftist than we all originally believed.

For years, the Church has moved to become increasingly more liberal, and more involved in politics, perhaps in order to make up for the sins against humanity by Popes Pius XI and Pius XII, when they turned blind eyes to Mussolini and Hitler when they slaughtered so many innocents from at least 1922 to 1945.

Pope John XXIII strived to correct the wrongs of his predecessors,  by modernizing the Church, creating an Ecumenical Council to renew relationships with other religions and by reaching out to Communist-led countries in order to foster peace and religious tolerance in those countries.

Pope Paul VI continued the Ecumenical Council and some of the benefits the Church still enjoys today. He journeyed extensively to bring a positive message to all humanity, but confused Catholics with many mixed messages concerning their loyalties to the Church. In the end , the laity began to leave, slowly at first, but later, much more noticeable.

Pope John Paul strived to halt the bleeding but ultimately, was unsuccessful in this endeavor. He did, however, push to continue some of the attributes of Vatican II by continue to improve relationships with all faiths, becoming a catalyst in anti-Communist fervor in Europe, and apologizing for the Church’s mistakes  including its involvement in the African slave trade, its silence during the Holocaust, and the clergy’s sex-abuse and the subsequent silence which was propagated.l

But Benedict, Francis and now, Leo have become increasingly involved in politics and social issues, and have moved away from its primary obligation, which is to save souls.

Over the last sixty-five years or so, the pendulum has swung further to the left in order to distance itself from the horror it allowed before Vatican II. This “mea culpa” is now falling on deaf ears and has lost all sincerity in order to claim a new “moral clarity” of a righteous plateau.

And suddenly, the American left, which is as anti-Catholic and as anti-Semitic  as they come, is cheering Pope Leo because he is criticizing the Iran War, Donald Trump and Israel for attacking the Islamic Republic. But he and the leftists were silent when the IRGC and the regime were slaughtering innocents.

Reminds one of Pope Pius XI AND XII, doesn’t it? Until Leo and the American left begin to offer that same criticism against Iran, it would behoove you to quietly take a seat and shut up.

The world sees through your hypocritical moral outrage. It is repelling and disgusting.

Is This the End of the Experiment of a Failed Mets Season?

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The Mets have already played 13% of the 2026 season and in twenty-one games, their record is already seven wins with fourteen losses, including the last ten in a row. They are mired in last place in their division and in the entire National League.

They are tied with the Kansas City Royals with the worst record in all of baseball with a .333 winning percentage. And worst of all, they have a negative run score of twenty-four runs. Which means they are scored twenty-four less runs than they have allowed opponents to score against them.

They also have already been shutout four times this season, with three of those shutouts coming in the last ten games.

As Met Fans will recall, at the end of last season, President of Baseball Operations, David Stearns made a statement that this season would be focused on run prevention. Little did we know it was going to be METS  run prevention, not their opponents.

In the same twenty-one games, they have also DFA’d, released or sent down five players who were on the Opening Day roster. That roster was finalized by said David Stearns, as well. He also was the decision-maker who decided to rid the team of several players last off-season, either via trade or not offer a contract to those who went through free agency.

And it is highlighting his small-market  capabilities big time now.

The last time the Mets started off this bad was back in 2004. The last time they lost ten in a row was also in 2004, when they lost eleven. The all-time losing streak was way back in 1962 with seventeen, their Inaugural year.

Since Stearns and Carlos Mendoza took over the team beginning in 2024, the record has been 179 and 166, through Saturday’s game, with one playoff appearance in 2024 and a huge miss last year. And doesn’t look promising for this season.

Mendoza’s contract is up at the end of this year, and Stearns’ contract is up after 2028. But owner Steve Cohen, who promised a World Series within five seasons when he acquired the team in November, 2020, is not a man who likes to be embarrassed. 

Having his $360MM team plus a $120MM luxury tax being booed off the field after the last homestand did not sit well with him this week. You can be sure some serious conversations were held at the Citifield offices while the team was on the road.

This early season performance will not be tolerated much longer, especially if the fans stop showing up. While season tickets are already bought and paid for, the lack of cheeks in the seats by the unsold beers, the unsold food and the non-purchase of souvenirs will affect the bottom line. Which, after expenses, is all profit to the team.

For a man who made his $23BB of net worth, this is totally unacceptable. You can be sure that both Mendoza and Stearns will not see the end of the season if this continues.

Certainly, he has ignored the fans and some of the sportswriters calling for the team to do something dramatic. But continued sub-par play is not going to give pause to his impatience. Soon enough, an eruption will occur 

And when it finally does, the ghost of George Steinbrenner will make its overdue appearance in Flushing. And the fans will be stunned by what could possibly happen next.

Will joy in Metsville finally return? The ball is racing to Uncle Steve at breakneck speed.

Batter up!

What Needs to be Part of the Iran Negotiations

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Amid the ongoing negotiations with Iran during this ceasefire window, we have seen much emphasis placed on all things nuclear, including missles and enrichment. This includes the recovery of existing nuclear material and potential dust.

This is a major redline goal which must be met, but not the only goal in the process.

Certainly, we also must be assured that the Strait of Hormuz will be forever guaranteed safe and free passage for all ships which pass through. Also, the military will never possess offensive weapons of any kind again.

All of these are important issues which must be agreed to, before any finalization of a deal occurs.

However, not much has been discussed, or even briefly mentioned about all the human rights violations and pleas from Iranian citizens, to help stop the torture from the Islamic Regime, which was one of the early reasons for why America entered into this “excursion”. This MUST be a major focus before any deal is completed.

The regime has repeatedly executed its people for trumped up charges of “sins against God” or other perceived crimes against the wishes of the state, as people have demanded for years to enjoy greater rights and freedoms. Instead, the Regime and its political arm, the IRGC, have violated their basic human rights by hanging them from cranes in the public square.

And Iran, quite hypocritically, is a member of the UN Human Rights Commission. While the Regime continues to execute without trial even to this day. Over FORTY THOUSAND people have been executed since the protests began just after Christmas. And just this week, four more people have been sentenced to be hanged.

Before the United States enters into any deal with Iran, as the champion of human rights throughout the world, we must INSIST that the release of political prisoners, a cessation of executions and an agreed on random, unknown inspection by a neutral country or commission must be contingent on any deal we sign with Iran. Otherwise, we no longer can lay claim to morality and ethical, virtuous behavior for the world.

Short of the occupying force of Iran agreeing to this, we should continue all military actions, and the blockade, against the Islamic Republic and its proxies. Perhaps, finally, justice will be served for the Iranian people.

Then, the citizens will be able to decide the  government for which suits their own historical future destiny. Freely, without force from any outside or occupying authority. 

Understanding and Defining Totalitarianism

The term "totalitarianism" (or totalitario) was coined in the early 1920s by Italian anti-fascist journalist and politician Giovanni Amendola, who used it to critique Benito Mussolini's fascist regime. It was subsequently adopted and popularized by fascist philosopher Giovanni Gentile and Mussolini himself to describe their ideology of a state with total control.

Totalitarianism is an extreme form of authoritarianism where a single-party state, led by a dictator, seeks total control over all aspects of public and private life. Key characteristics include an official, utopian ideology, the use of terror-driven secret police, and strict control over media, economy, and social life.

The state is led by one dictator and a single party, often confusing the party’s interests with the state's. All social, religious, and community gatherings are heavily restricted or abolished, forcing individuals to rely entirely on the state. And it is enforced by removing guns from all citizens, EXCEPT the loyal police and military.

Some of the most totalitarian regimes to be found during the Twentieth Century are Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin,  Italy under Benito Mussolini, Cambodia under Pol Pot and Communist China under Mao Zedung.

Modern day examples include North Korea under the Kim dynasty, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, Cuba under the Castro family, and Iran controlled by the Islamic Republic and its Ayatollahs and Mullahs.

As you can see for yourself, the United States is NOT a totalitarian  state, in spite of what the leftists, some Democrats and the sympathetic media would try to have us believe. They are so blinded by their hatred for President Trump, and all the benefits and freedoms we still enjoy, as opposed to the historical examples oulined above, their rage continues to poison their attitudes. 

There is no help for them. And nothing one can say to convince them otherwise. We can only pity them as they wallow in their false delusions.

For the rest of us, we can pass along to our children, grandchildren and our posterity all the knowledge and experience we have to distinguish between the American viewpoint of government, as faulty as it is, and a dystopian view where the State has all the rights, privileges and control while its citizen have little or none.

It is important for our continued human survival to understand the difference.

A Disaster in the House

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It is about time that the House of Representatives began cleaning house (no pun intended) from those who have besmirched the reputation many of us have held for the integrity expected from the Members of Congress. The most recent resignations are from Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzalez (R-TX) for their sexual and other indiscretions.

But there are more Members who are presently under investigation.

 Key Details on Investigations (As of April 2026):

• Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL): A House Ethics Committee panel found her guilty of 25 of 27 ethics counts, including misuse of campaign funds and potential fraudulent activity.
• Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN): Implicated in allegations involving a fraudulent scheme regarding a $1 million earmark for a non-existent clinic.
• George Santos (Former R-NY): Previously charged in 2023 by the Department of Justice for fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds and was expelled.

There have been others in the recent past who were under the same scrutiny, but ultimately left the Congress either by retirement, death  or election loss before any investigation was completed. The process itself seems to be broken since it moves at a snail’s pace because a quick expulsion would result in a loss of votes for months, leaving one party with less potential influence and power.

So, who is left under-served by this inaction? Only the people Congress is supposed represents. Us, the American people.

And then, once a Member leaves prior to the end of his or her term, the process to replace takes months, leaving a Congressional district unrepresented while important matters are discussed and decided. This is not what the Founders had intended.

However, the Seventeenth Amendment provides that State Governors have the authority to appoint an immediate replacement should a vacancy occur in the Senate should a Senator leave prior to his term. Then, at the next bi-annual Federal election, the PEOPLE will vote who will complete the remaining term until the next regular election.

Rather than leaving a district without a Representative when a vacancy occurs, a Constitutional Amendment should be written and passed to allow the same process for vacancies in the House. Since all Members are subject to the bi-annual election, the people will decide in a timely manner their Representatives.

Certainly, sweeping changes are necessary in the House of Representatives in order to regain and reaffirm the trust the People have in the integrity of their Representatives. Otherwise, continued  high levels of dissatisfaction and distrust, often holding it in low esteem, will be held by Americans  of all political persuasions.

It is time to clean it up and fix it before all trust is lost.

The Pope Has to Stick to Saving Souls

​It is understandable that Pope Leo is presenting himself as the Vicar of Christ and wishes for peace to be blessed throughout the world. But his primary responsibility is to save souls and not be so naive to think that some people will not also be evil.

This Pope, as so many others recently, have made steps to reach out to leaders of many other faiths. And, on the surface that is quite noble.

But recent events in the Middle East have brought a certain twisted silence from Pope Leo, as it also did from Pope Francis. 

Francis was silent when Hamas kidnapped and killed many innocent Jews and Christians over his reign, especially after October 7. But when Israel retaliated, he was extremely critical of Israel’s response.

Ironically, Leo was equally silent as the occupied forces of the IRGC and the evil Islamic Republic MURDERED innocent protesters for perceived “sins against God”, and instead, made arrangements to visit several African Muslim countries. Yet, he found his voice to criticize the US and Israel for responding to the Iranian citizens’ pleas to save them from these evil  monsters.

Pope Leo described the US war efforts as being fueled by a "delusion of omnipotence" and "madness". When the US walked away from the recent peace talks, the Vatican continued to distance itself from the US military action, leading to a public feud where President Trump described the Pope as "WEAK on crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy".

We can all agree that Pope Leo has taken great strides to push his belief that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God", a famous quote from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew5:9, are words to live by because it emphasizes that those who reconcile broken relationships, foster harmony, and activel make peace in a divided world are recognized as acting in the likeness of God. 

But he must consider other key biblical principles on defending the vulnerable which include some of the following which he has seemed to have forgotten:

• Active Defense of the Weak: Psalm 82:3-4 (NIV) instructs, "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed." This requires taking action rather than just giving advice.
• Speaking for the Voiceless: Proverbs 31:8-9 urges believers to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" and defend the rights of the poor and needy.
• Protecting Against Oppression: Proverbs 14:31 Protecting others from harm, such as intervening against abusers, is seen as honoring God, while neglecting to help the poor is seen as insulting Him 
• Contextual Justification for Force: While the Bible emphasizes peace, it allows for the use of force to protect others when there is no other choice to stop imminent evil.
• Biblical Examples: God is frequently described as a defender of the defenseless, and believers are called to imitate this character.

He, and others who look for any reason to criticize Trump, the US, Netanyahu and Israel  for engaging in the war against Iran, must equally consider ALL aspects of of the Bible and blame Iran for its sins against humanity. Otherwise, you are selectively ignoring the lessons which God gave us to follow and instead, are following your own agenda.

But, ultimately, both the President and the Pope  need to stand down and reconsider the words each of them are saying. Both men are right, but then, both men are also wrong. Each has legitimate reasons for acting as they do to try and fix the world as they seek justice for all mankind.

And consider the goal which they both want to achieve.