Who Is Going to Kill the Economy?

This is once again an anomoly to the narrative that the anti-Trump crowd continues to spin. You know, his programs would destroy the economy, tariffs would hike prices, America would lose he wealth of the middle class.

 

Based on today's market closing of the three major markets, the markets were up both for the day and for the month. The Dow closed at 44,095, up 275 for the day and up 1,880 for the month. Equally, the Dow is up 1,870 since the tariffs were announced.

The same effective positives were revealed in the NASDAQ and the S&P for both the month and since the tariffs were announced, as well.

Effectively, NASDAQ closed at 20,370, up 97 for the day and 1,195 for the month. Since the tariffs, it is up 2,770.

The S&P closed at 6,205, up 293 for June and 535 since April 2.

In addition, prices across the board, have stabilized or dropped while unemployment has dropped, as has the inflation rate.

So, now will the FED finally drop the interest rates or will it cause stagflation to KILL the economy?

It isn’t Trump we should be looking at; it should be Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his rubber-stampers.

Say Good-Bye To the June Swoon

June is done. Does this mean we are done with the June Swoon?

 

While the Mets are currently 48 and 37, their record in June was 12 and 16, losing seven of the last ten, and three straight to a last place team. And yet, they are only a game and a half out of first in their division.

After an off day today, they come home tomorrow to start July with three against the Brewers and a Big Weekend Series to wrap up this Season's Subway Series against their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees. Yes, Aaron Judge vs Juan Soto will be the talk of the town.

They need to hit the ground running to put their play in June in the rearview mirror, never to be thought of again.

Everyone was in a slump. Including the pitching. Too many opportunities were blown or, like this weekend they were not playing up to expectations.

They have played four games into the second half, with 77 games left to play. Plenty of baseball left. And being only 1.5 games out of first, not really a lot of ground to recover.

So let’s get our boys back in focus, as we still have an achievable goal in front of us. And let’s get our cheering voices back as we scream:

LETS GO METS!!

Dying Like Dogs For the Lost Cause of Hamas

Does whatever remains of the Hamas leadership think they will avoid the fate of Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa, the mastermind of the October 7 attack on Israel? The IDF has proven for months that no one who was involved in the kidnapping, torture and deaths of the hostages will escape the fiery vengeance of Israeli justice.

 

Or do they all still have a death wish?

Al-Issa was one of the final remaining founding members of the terrorist organization’s military wing and played a crucial role in the October 7 attack that launched the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Issa led Hamas’ force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre. As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial and naval attacks against Israelis,” said an IDF post on X.

“The IDF & Israel Security Agency  continue to locate and eliminate all terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre.”

Apparently, Israel will not stop until the terrorists are removed from Gaza. It is a promise Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu made months and months ago.

And over the last several months the IDF has made sure that this promise has been kept. Also, the recent success against Hamas’ benefactor, Iran, should be an incentive for what remains of the fragmented Hamas leadership to exercise a modicum of better judgement to ensure their survival.

Asaad Abu Sharia, head of the Mujahideen Brigades, was taken out in a joint operation in Gaza City on Saturday by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency.

Also, last month, the IDF killed Hamas chief Mohammad Sinwar during an airstrike on a Gaza hospital.

Sinwar was hiding in tunnels beneath the building, and dramatic footage captured the moment IDF soldiers ripped his body from the rubble.

How many more will die for Hamas’ lost cause due to their hubris?

It Is Time To Take a Second Look

In an effort to kick off his run to November, Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani revealed his desire to hike property taxes for “richer and whiter neighborhoods” in an eyebrow-raising proposal that aims to ease the burden on homeowners in the outer boroughs. Sounds pretty racist, don’t you think?

 

The soak-the-rich proposal is buried in Mamdani’s campaign platform that calls to fix the City’s notoriously skewed property tax system, in which ritzy brownstones are hit at lower rates than homes and rentals in lower-income neighborhoods.

“Shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,” the proposal reads.

Ironic that the “unbiased” media had no urgency to review and complete a deep-dive into his campaign agenda before this time. Apparently, too many had chosen to excuse his socialist fire as they, as well, were somewhat sympathetic to his positions.

Oh, and to his anti-Semitic rhetoric.

You see, Mr Mamdani had been very vocal and supportive of Hamas, the Columbia protests and other anti-Israel and anti-Jewish-hate. And it was glossed over by the Lame Stream Media.

Suddenly, though, there seems to be an epiphany by some journalists who have taken a second look at the Democrat Socialist candidate for Mayor and realized he tried to hide a few fatal personal flaws when compared to the big loser of the recent primary. And we all know Andrew Cuomo has more than a few flaws of his own.

Certainly, many believe the voters will take a sober, second look at Mamdani, and hopefully, will realize neither man is worthy to be elected Mayor of the Greatest City In the World.

Perhaps, enough of the muck and dirt will be revealed on both men and will show the voting public that by electing either man, it will lead to additional decline of the well-being of every resident of the City.

Dandy Andy Plays to HIS Ego

It was revealed today that the narcissist, Andrew Cuomo, has allegedly decided to stay in the race to run as an independent for Mayor for the City of New York. As the “spoiler” candidate of all spoiler candidates.

 

Cuomo's sources confirmed that Cuomo will not decline to run on an independent ballot line, ahead of a Friday deadline to pull his name from the November ballot.

Cuomo’s defiant stance comes after his stunning loss to Democrat Socialist contender Zohran Mamdani in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Even after he conceded the nomination to Mamdani.

Instead, he will continue to run on his “Fight and Deliver” ballot line in the general election. He will be running against the Democrat candidate, Mamdani, as well has the current Mayor, Eric Adams, and former AUSA Jim Walden, also Democrats who are running as independents.

A lot of of “spoiling” to go around by four Democrats. And Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Obviously, no one will win a majority of the votes cast in November, making whoever wins a minority winner, with no mandate to be effective. This will cause additional chaos surrounding the governing of the City. Epecially given the incompetence currently governing the State of New York.

“If Cuomo stays in the race, he splits the anti-Mamdani vote and helps Mamdani,” said state Conservative Party chairman Gerard Kassar, a Dyker Heights resident.

Cuomo pulled a similar maneuver during his last stinging electoral defeat in 2002, when he was trounced in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by Carl McCall.

He backed McCall in the general election that year, but stayed on the Liberal Party line. If you recall, this action on Dandy Andy’s part helped re-elect Republican George Pataki as Governor for a third term.

It is not beneath him to play to his own ego and self-aggrandizement to the detriment of others. This is just the latest in Dandy Andy’s playbook.

And the voters are the losers.

The Falsity Reported By the Lame Stream Media Burns Again

Once again, the New York Times  CNN have decided that obfuscating and dissembling the events of Saturday night in Iran was more important to their narratives than the truth. But they assumed that by showing President Trump as an incapable, incompetent monster would somehow help to bring him down.

 

Oops.

Instead, they lost more credibility and confirmed the agenda of the Lame Stream Media as the creator of fake news.

You see, in spite of their “reporting”, the success of Operation Midnight Hammer, the takeout of the Iranian nuclear bomb-making program, has been cheered worldwide.

While they could dismiss Trump ‘s claim that the mission “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, they cannot deny the Iranian and Israeli intelligence the raid destroyed the facilities AND everything underneath.

Iran publicly admitted for the first time Wednesday that its nuclear sites were “badly damaged” by the American bunker-busting bombs.

Tehran’s Foreign Ministry did not elaborate on the full extent of the damage, but President Trump cited fresh intelligence that indicated Iran’s facilities appeared to have been “completely and totally obliterated,” setting Iran’s nuclear arms efforts back “basically decades.”

Separately, it was revealed Wednesday that Israel sent agents to Iran’s bombed nuclear sites to confirm their “total obliteration”, while insisting his surprise attack was too quick for Tehran to have removed its uranium.

"Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure," Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei told Al Jazeera.

Israel’s Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. General Eyal Zamir said its assessment is that Iran’s nuclear program has been "significantly damaged," while Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission described the US strikes as "devastating."

It was also announced that Iran and the US will meet next week to discuss what, if anything, will happen next.

“We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don’t know,” Trump said at a press conference following the annual NATO summit at The Hague.

“I could get a statement that they’re not going to go nuclear. We’re probably going to ask for that, but they’re not going to be doing it anyway.”

But, in the end, this shows that the Lame Stream Media, the New York Times, CNN and other uninformed muckraking entities have proven that they don’t know $#!+ from shinola, and go out of their way to prove it everyday.

Ah, yes, the nostalgia of Watergate and the Pentagon Papers from the era of real journalism dashed again.

What Will Be the Outcome in November?

Sadly, the City with the largest Jewish population outside Israel has removed all the masks where it stands with its vote in yesterday's Democrat primary for Mayor. It is firmly entrenched in the anti-Semitic camp with its nomination of its pro-Hamas candidate, Zohran Mamdani.

 

He defeated political powerhouse, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was hell-bent on using a win in that race as a springboard to a political comeback. And until late last week, it had looked like he was well on his way.

But the last two polls revealed his comeback was not secure. You see, much like AOC in 2018 who outlasted powerhouse Congressman Joe Crowley, Mamdani built a coalition of more left-minded young voters, mixed in with disaffected, underpaid blue collar workers and economically disadvantaged, or unemployed(able) residents, promising all sorts of goodies paid for by the rich in the City. CITY-WIDE.

And don’t forget about the free bus and subway rides for all. Paid for by higher taxes on the workers who come in to the City from the suburbs.

“The unions that backed Cuomo, like the Carpenters, do not have many members that vote in New York City and they did not mount a serious ‘Get Out The Vote’ effort,” said John Mollenkopf, director CUNY’s Center for Urban Research, who teaches political science.

“The independent expenditure efforts on his behalf were scare-mongering and not very convincing. I think they turned off as many voters to Cuomo as they added to his tally,” Mollenkopf said.

“The Working Families Party and related cross-endorsements, especially that of (City Comptroller) Brad Lander, were crucial for Mamdani’s lead,” he said. “It was built on young voters’ disaffection with the Democratic Party establishment.”

But unlike AOC’s historic win over an absent Crowley in a predominately Hispanic district, an outright November win is less certain. Mamdani will have to face-off against an incumbent Mayor, Eric Adams, former AUSA Jim Walden, both running as independents, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and possibly Andrew Cuomo as another independent.

The three independents and Mamdani are all dyed-in-the-wool Democrats, and are expected to divvy up the Democrat vote. That leaves Sliwa as the unlikely, but possible benefactor of the Democrat division of votes.

Or, Cuomo may squeak by in November. And since this is not a ranked vote, a straight up win is the outcome.

And the forgotten Jewish voter, and their supporters, will have had plenty of time to listen closely to Mamdani’s biased anti-Semitic rhetoric and hear his hate-speech more clearly and unfiltered.

So, while Mamdani may have pulled out a win yesterday, it is still a long way to November. Lots can happen and lots more will be said.

And no matter who Krazy Kat Hochul ultimately decides to endorse, the November election will serve as a precursor to her own re-election chances.

So hang on, and stand by to see if the City’s Democrat Party self-destructs before our very eyes.

Could We See Another Country Celebrating the Same Day For Independence?

It is now being reported that a group of Iranian politicians, military figures, businesspeople and relatives of high-ranking clerics began planning for the removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei days before Donald Trump joined Israel in striking the country's nuclear facilities.

 

Sounds eerily like a coup d'etat was clearly in the works to promote some type of change.

“Tehran is now full of such plots. They are also talking to Europeans about the future of Iran. Everybody knows Khamenei’s days are numbered," an unnamed source said. "Even if he stays in office, he won’t have actual power.”

Basically, a toothless tyrant.

The idea represents the latest development in an ongoing debate in the Iranian capital of Tehran about the future of the country, and whether the Supreme Leader should remain in power amid its escalating conflict with Israel, according to The Atlantic.

Khamenei, who has served as Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989 and is 86 years old, has led the country as an outspoken opponent of America and Israel, though he has avoided fighting either of the two countries on Iranian soil. 

Now, as Iran is under attack from both, he faces a choice to either escalate the war and risk further instability in the Middle East, or seek a compromise with his enemy that would symbolize him "giving up" on his decades of bluster, The Atlantic reported.

According to sources familiar with the matter, officials, including the plotters, stand divided on which course to take if Khamenei were to be sidelined. Some want to make a peace deal with Trump, while others would prefer to fight back.

On Monday afternoon, as Trump took to social media to announce a forthcoming ceasefire with Iran and Israel, it is unclear what the group of plotters will decide to moving forward, or if they had already intervened to help finalize the deal.

It seems the die was cast and Khamenei is already done. We will wait to see what happens next.

Maybe July 4 might be Iran’s day to celebrate its Independence from Tyranny, too.

Giving Peace a Chance - What It Could Mean

At long last, there may be peace in the Middle East. Now, it seems that both Iran and Israel have agreed to stop shooting missiles at each other. But it has been only less than a day, so we have to wait and watch.

 

President Trump announced in a Monday evening post on Truth Social that Israel and Iran have agreed in principle to a cease-fire that would halt what he branded “the 12 Day War.”

There was no immediate confirmation, however, from Israel or Iran that a halt to the fighting was agreed to. But there is hope that both sides will pull back.

The name “12-Day War” would reflect a military triumph for Israel in its campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities, and is a callback to the Six-Day War of 1967, in which Israel swiftly defeated a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Subsequently, history reveals that peace has existed between these countries.

And so, it could come to pass again. The hope is that this will force Hamas to release the remaining hostages and slink away, now that it’s sponsor state has given up its fight.

Trump announced the apparent breakthrough hours after Iran lobbed rockets at an American military facility in Qatar in symbolic retribution for Saturday’s US bomb-and-missile attack on three Iranian nuclear sites, after announcing a heads-up that it would respond as it did.

The tepid attack could indicate that the Islamic Republic is both running low on missiles and that it is looking for an off-ramp in hostilities with the US.

And who knows what is next for the theocracy? Certainly, the IRGC does not have the support of the people within Iran as it did in 1978. And maybe it never really did.

Perhaps, now is the time we will see an uprising to remove the Ayatollah and his group of thugs by the Iranians, and a return to a modified pre-1978 government with more democratic ideals in place. And a return to the western society and values which Iran enjoyed until the IRGC removed them.

That would be the best of all outcomes of this war. Iran, at peace with its neighbors and at peace with itself.

And we wait and watch.

Time to Look Past the June Swoon

It has been a tough ten games for the Mets. They are two wins and eight losses over that stretch. Also, their main competition, the Philadelphia Phillies are eight and two over the last ten games, and have pulled ahead by one hame in the standings.

 

Hence, the Mets have been living in a June swoon.

This week, they are home and will play the Braves for four games, and then, back on the road for three in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.

They are back home on July 1, with three against the Brewers and three against their cross-town rivals, the Yankees.

They will be home for thirteen of the next sixteen games, including the big July fourth weekend. They have a great record, thus far, at home at seventeen wins and only ten losses.

The pitching has suffered and the hitting is awful, but that is part of the season. It is in their control to get the gears in synch again, and this stretch just might be the ticket. A thirteen and three run would surely help.

They are 46 and 32, with 84 games left to play. The season is just short of the halfway mark, so plenty of games are still out there to be won.

So, get your cheer on as we begin a new round of wins.

As for team leaders, Alonso has 18 home runs, followed by Soto and Lindor with 16, and Nimmo with 15. As for the lifetime chase, Alonso needs eight to tie Strawberry ang could do it by the All Star Break, or right after in mid-July.

So, let’s get ‘em guys. Still a lot to do, and much to accomplish.

Let’s Go Mets!

What Portends Next For the Islamic Republic?

President Trump last night fulfilled a promise he made on the campaign trail, and since 2011, that as President, he would not permit the Islamic Republic achieve capability to develop a nuclear weapon. In a surprising, but brilliant series of global chess moves, he was successful in convincing fashion to accomplish that promise.

The thugs in Iran, once again, were playing checkers, or maybe Go Fish, and thought he was bluffing. But Donald Trump doesn’t bluff. He is direct and will tell you his plan. But the world still thinks he is PT Barnum.

He is not. Instead, he is as serious as a heart attack. Or a stroke. A stroke of masterful genius, thinking three or four moves ahead of everyone else.

And still, after all he promised he would do, and did, the terrorists in the current, but dying Iran government still are blustering on what damage they plan to respond with to retaliate against the obliteration of their nuclear bomb enrichment sites.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi threatened to retaliate against the US after President Trump bombed three of the country’s nuclear sites Saturday, warning the strikes will have "everlasting consequences.”

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior,” he wrote on X.

“In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”

Big talk from someone whose whole government practiced “extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior” for almost forty-seven years.

And, in his delusional mindset and rage, perhaps he didn’t hear President Trump say, “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”

Trump continued. “There are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal,” he said. “But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”

And perhaps, old Abbas was blustering so loudly also didn’t hear about Iran’s opposition leader who declared Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “must go,” saying he is to blame for the Islamic regime’s nuclear program that is now “up in smoke.”

Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, made the hardline comments about her political foe hours after the US attack on the country’s nuclear sites.

“Khamenei is responsible for an unpatriotic project that, in addition to costing countless lives, has cost the Iranian people at least two trillion dollar, and now, it has all gone up in smoke,” Rajavi said in a statement released by the council.

Rajavi, who lives in exile in Paris, France, advocated for no appeasement and no war by calling for a regime change.

“Changing the religious dictatorship by the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance. Forward toward a free Iran and a democratic, non-nuclear republic with separation of religion and state and gender equality,” she wrote on X.

Ironic that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who returned after the Shah was overthrown, lived in exile in Paris. History is repeating itself.

And in the end, the “regime change” will not be done by the US, or even Israel. It will be done by the Iranians themselves who are tired of the brutality of this godless theocratic dictatorship.

And the Iranian people will serve their former masters with the JUSTICE they deserve. Much like the Iraqis did with Saddam Hussein.

So perhaps the foreign minister should stay in Switzerland, and STFU, lest he find himself hanging along with so many others at the end of a rope in the center of Tehran.

Was It an Earthquake or a Nuclear Test?

Was there an earthquake yesterday in Iran, as reported by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)? Or could it have been something more sinister, more problematic? You know, like an underground nuclear test?

 

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Iran, near the city of Semnan. This earthquake, reported by sources like the US Geological Survey and Iran's Tasnim news agency, occurred amidst increasing tensions between Iran and Israel.

Its proximity to sensitive military facilities, such as the Semnan Space and Missile Complex, raised concerns, but seismological data confirms it was a natural seismic event. Iran is a seismically active country that experiences frequent earthquakes.

But it is ironic that it is close to even known nuclear facilities. And it was felt at a depth of only ten kilometers or six miles. Very suspicious indeed.

Generally, there are aftershocks which occur after an earthquake. The question is, will there be aftershocks to this one? Or was it a nuclear test, proving Israeli intelligence was correct last week when it claimed that Iran was weeks, or even days away from producing a bomb.

And what of President Trump’s deadline of two weeks? Will he accelerate whatever decision he has been considering?

And finally, was this a dare on the part of the IRGC to involve the US in the Israeli-Iranian War?

The clock is ticking.

Thirty Seconds to Midnight In Tehran

Do the thugs presently running Iran have a death wish? And so,  President Trump, even at this late date, has offered to extend by two weeks, for the Ayatollah and his “braintrust” to come to the table to negotiate a nuclear deal.

 

The geniuses have decided to once again refuse to listen to any chance to survive. Instead, they are demanding that no talks will occur as long as Israel continues its onslaught.

“Americans want to negotiate and have sent messages several times, but we clearly said that as long as this aggression doesn’t stop, there’s no place for talk of dialogue,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an address on state television.

He accused the US, too, of being a “partner to Israeli crime against Iran.”

This is what the Ayatollah is listening to. This dribble, of how tough the IRGC is going to stay and defend the almost-destroyed government. Just like Hitler did in April, 1945.

And how did that work out for Der Fuhrer?

Meanwhile, Israeli forces on Friday were ordered to intensify strikes on Iran in an effort to completely “destabilize” the regime, a week after first launching a barrage of missiles at Tehran.

The latest attacks come after President Trump said Thursday he’d make a final decision on whether to strike Iran in the “next two weeks” as he held out hope that negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program could continue.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said in a statement.

And the unspoken, but very well-known, card up President Trump’s sleeve, is whether the US will give the Israelis the bunker-buster bombs needed to finish the job at the nuclear site deep inside the mountain at Fordow. Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, located about 95km (60 miles) southwest of Tehran, is built into the side of a mountain, reportedly up to 80-90 metres (260-300 feet) underground, to survive air strikes and bunker buster attacks.

But maybe not. That is what the Israelis are counting on, to level the mountain and destroy that last vestige of nuclear bomb making.

So, is the world on alert for a suicide watch? And do the thugs in Iran think the 72 virgins are waiting for them? Won’t they all be surprised when they, instead, are banished for all eternity for blaspheming the name of God, as they sponsored and performed the killing of innocents.

Or, they could wake up and agree to the terms Trump has offered. But chances are, they won’t.

And that doomsday clock is set at thirty seconds to midnight, as we await the fall of the IRGC and its evil regime.

It Is Time to Clean House at the House of Mouse

Once again, Disney and ABC have a problem on their hands. It actually has been a problem since 2007 and fortunately, it is due to expire this summer.

 

That’s right, Friends. That dilemma is Whoopie Goldberg and she has caused yet another self-serving miscues to cause ajita for the producers and management.

Goldberg sparked backlash during a heated argument with her “The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin on Wednesday. Griffin elaborated on the many human rights violations perpetrated by the Ayatollah’s regime in Iran, including executions of gay people and imprisonment of women who go outside with their hair uncovered.

“Let’s not do that, because if we start with that, we have been known in this country to tie gay folks to the car. Listen, I’m sorry, they used to just keep hanging black people,” Goldberg insisted as Griffin pushed back and said the situations weren’t comparable.

“In the year 2025 in the United States, is nothing like if I step foot wearing this outfit into Iran right now,” Griffin said.

Goldberg proceeded to indicate that Black women were treated as second-class citizens, more so tha Iranian women were treated in Iran.

Iranian dissidents are speaking out over Whoopi Goldberg’s “offensive” claim that life for Black Americans is equivalent to living under Iran’s brutal autocracy.

“Whoopi Goldberg’s comparison between being black in America and living under Iran’s authoritarian regime is deeply misguided and dismisses the brutal realities faced by millions of Iranians,” Dr Sheila Nazarian told Fox News Digital.

“While racism is a serious and ongoing challenge in the US, comparing this to life under a totalitarian theocracy like Iran is not only inaccurate, it’s offensive to those who suffer daily under that regime. In Iran, the government controls nearly every aspect of life. People can be imprisoned, tortured, raped or even executed for peaceful protests, for criticizing the regime, or simply expressing their opinions online,” Nazarian said.

“It’s astonishing that Whoopi Goldberg would even suggest that life for black Americans is somehow equivalent to living under the rule of the ayatollah in Iran. The very fact that she, as a woman, and a woman of color, has a platform where she can speak freely, express dissenting views, and appear uncovered on national television is proof of the immense freedoms she enjoys,” Iranian-American journalist Lisa Daftari told Fox News Digital.

This is not the first time Goldberg has caused consternation for "The View" by playing the race card and aligning herself as a victim. She is not a victim, but rather, a racist who loves to swim in controvery.

Disney needs to take advantage of the opportunity that the contract gods have given it by not renewing her contract. They would rid themselves of a huge public relations headache.

And, coincidently, Joy Behar's contract is up this summer, as well. It is a gift from above.  It may be the golden opportunity for Disney and ABC to clean house, set new guidelines and actually return the format to the vision Barbara Walters had for the show.

This may have been the straw that broke The House of Mouse’s back.

Get Ready to Dig In to Healthier Choices

Earlier this week, I reported that KraftHeinz was changing the face of breakfast by changing the label of its ketchup bottle by calling it Heinz Breakfast Ketchup (Hold the Ketchup, But Only At Breakfast). Pretty clever on Heinz part, yes?

 

Now, General Mills is joining KraftHeinz at the breakfast table.

KraftHeinz said Tuesday that it will remove artificial dyes from US products beginning in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes.

Not to be outdone, hours later, General Mills announced that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its US cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools by the summer 2026. It is also looking to eliminate the dyes from its full US retail portfolio by the end of 2027.

Two of the largest food producers in the country are going to battle it out. Can Kellogg’s of Battle Creek be far behind?

Aldi Store (Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud) has required that all foods be created for healthy human ingestion for years, and since it burst on those the American consciousness in 1976, that has been its mission.

And while their initial expansion focused on the Midwest and East Coast, they have since grown to over 2,400 stores across 38 states. This demonstrates a significant level of national presence and continued expansion in the US market, highlighting the need for American producers to match Aldi’s overall healthier food production.

This did not go unnoticed or unmentioned during the last Presidential cycle. Robert F Kennedy Jr, who had championed for food advocacy for years, decided to campaign for President on this and other health issues. While he ultimately withdrew from the race, his voice did not go unheard.

In August, 2024, he endorsed then-Candidate Donald Trump, who agreed with many of Kennedy’s ideals and together, they created Make America Healthy Again, as a part of Trump’s overall campaign for President. When President Trump won, he made Kennedy Secretary of HHS, which oversees FDA, NIH, CDC and other agencies responsible for keeping Americans healthy.

And voila! Yesterday  both companies announced voluntary compliance with Secretary Kennedy's rule changes. Better PR to make the changes on their own, than to be told they MUST. And a win for everyone.

“The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio,” Pedro Navio, North America President at KraftHeinz, said in  statement.

“Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colors is yet another example,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Harmening said in a statement.

Health advocates, moms and other interested parties have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children.

The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that “the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.”

And according to Sentient Colors, many US food companies are already reformulating their foods. In place of synthetic dyes, food makers can use natural hues made from beets, algae and crushed insects, and pigments from purple sweet potatoes, radishes and red cabbage.

But General Foods and KraftHeinz are truly the first large producers to actively begin the process to manufacture healthier foods for American consumers. So, get ready for healthier Cheerios and Kraft Mac’n Cheese. Coming soon to a grocer near you.

So, have your spoons and forks up and ready to dig in to some healthier choices to whet and satisfy your appetites!

Pray, Hope and Don't Worry - And ALWAYS Be Kind

I had another biopsy today for my bladder cancer. While I have been undergoing BCG treatment for over a year, my last recheck two weeks ago revealed something, when nothing should have been there.

 

So, as a matter of caution and due diligence, the doctor decided to schedule a biopsy. Just to make sure it was not cancer.

We should get the results back in about a week. Meanwhile, the hope is that the biopsy comes back negative and it is only scar tissue from one of the many procedures I have had.

This has been ongoing since August or September 2021, and as I have said all along, having a good support system around, great doctors and a positive attitude all go a long way to achieve a positive outcome. Besides, you can't worry about things you can’t control.

And prayer helps, too. For me, I pray to St Padre Pio, who is considered the patron saint of healing. Many miracles, including healings, are attributed to Padre Pio's intercession, both during his life and after his death.

His famous saying, “Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry”,

encapsulates his approach to life, emphasizing trust in God and perseverance in prayer.

As you know, from other commentaries I have written, I am not the most devout Catholic. But I AM spiritual. And I do believe in prayer, and St Padre Pio has been my healer since my first bout with cancer in 2011.  I wear a bracelet with his blessed saying on it.

I tell you this not looking for sympathy. It isn’t necessary. Instead, remember someone in your life and understand we and they have struggles which are sometimes hard to deal with.

Be their anchor, their support, as I am lucky enough to have mine. Maybe you can lend them a helping hand. Trust me, the simplest gestures go a long way to help them on their road to recovery.

Be kind to all. You know not what issues each of them have. And be strong for those you do know have issues.

Trust me; they will appreciate it more than you can imagine.

It Could Be All Over Soon

It is now Day 5 of the Israeli-Iranian War. Lots has happened; many of the leaders of Iranian war machine have made their way to their ultimate judgement. Through no one's fault but their own.

 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has shown himself to be a coward, much like Saddam Hussein was during the Second Gulf War, hiding in a hole like a rat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “modern Hitler” on Tuesday and vowed to create the conditions for regime change, as Iran’s exiled Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi, urged his countrymen to stage a national uprising.

“Cyrus freed the Jews, and today the Jewish state might free the Persians,” Netanyahu said during an interview on Israeli television, according to the Times of Israel.

“In the end, they have to rise up themselves, but we are creating the conditions,” the Prime Minister continued. “And that’s why it could be consequential.”

And while regime change was not initially a main purpose for Israel’s attack on Islamic Republic, certain developments and the condition Iran is presently in makes it a distinct possibility. People are fleeing Tehran and the army is on the brink of collapse.

“We’re going to see a different Middle East, a reality we haven’t seen until now,” he said, envisioning the Arab world further opening up to Israel through the expansion of the Abraham Accords after the military campaign is over.

And Crown Prince Pahlavi is encouraging the Iranian citizenry to rise up and depose the Ayatollah and his band of thugs.

He argued that Israel’s actions mean the ruling regime’s collapse is now “inevitable.”

“The Islamic Republic has reached its end and is in the process of collapsing,” the 64-year-old would-be leader of Iran said in a call to action posted on X Tuesday.

“Khamenei, like a frightened rat, has gone into hiding underground and has lost control of the situation,” Pahlavi continued. “What has begun is irreversible.”

He is encouraging the Iran security forces and state employees to stand with the people should an uprising occur.

“Do not sacrifice yourselves for a decaying regime,” Pahlavi said. “By standing with the people, you can save your lives.”

In addition, he said, “A free and flourishing Iran lies ahead of us,” he promised. “May we be together soon.”

For both Iran’s sake and for Israel’s security, many are hoping that the war will end and both countries will be able to live in peace, as allies in a secure and peaceful Middle East. Sooner rather than later.

Let us hope this War ends soon, much like the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Let’s give a real and lasting peace a chance.

For all Mankind.

Have Yours Loaded with Mustard, Onions and Kraut

He's ba-a-a-a-a-ck! Hang on to your hot dogs and buns, My Friends. Joey Chestnut is gearing up to regain his Nathan's Hot Dog championship title this July 4.

 

He lost it last year because he had endorsed another hot dog brand. He was banished and was barred from last year's competition. But now, all is forgiven and he is back in the fold.

Major League Eating and Chestnut made the announcement on Monday morning, a little less than a week after it was confirmed the two sides had been in negotiations to have the biggest name in the sport return to one of its most prestigious events.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life,” Chestnut said in a statement on social media.

Chestnut had been barred from the competition last year over a deal he had struck with Impossible Foods, which had, at the time, recently launched a plant-based, meatless hot dog product.

“While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with,” Chestnut said in his statement.

“The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest stands as an enduring beacon of freedom for our nation and the world,” Major League Eating Chair George Shea said in a statement. “We look forward to watching the greatest eaters as they compete on a celebrated platform for international sports.”

Chestnut will return to the contest in an attempt to dethrone last year’s winner, Patrick Bertoletti, who scarfed down 58  dogs and buns, and became the first person since 2015 not named Chestnut to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition.

And while many of us enjoy a good hot dog or two at our Fourth of July barbecue or picnic, none of us would dare indulge our gluttonous fantasies to risk a terrible stomach ache. Or worse. Not for a hot dog.

Of course, unlike the rest of us who will load up our hot dogs with all sorts of delectable toppings, like chili, cheese, kraut, and whatever else we fancy, Joey and the gang will eat theirs plain on a bun, dunked in a glass of water. Not even with the delicious spicy brown mustard.

So, have at it, Joey. That honor is all yours for the taking. And after you are done, relax and watch the Macy’s Fireworks Show as you try to digest all that beef and watch your blood pressure go through the roof.

By the way, Joey Chestnut has won the competition a record 16 times. No one else has ever come close.

The Falsity Being Spread in a Tragic Story by the Liars In the Media

It turns out that the assassin who killed Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home also killed their family’s beloved rescue dog. He has proven he is a cruel and heartless son of a bitch.

The former Democratic House Speaker, and her husband Mark, were allegedly gunned down early Saturday morning by suspected political assassin Vance Luther Boelter, who also wounded state Senator John Hoffman and his wife before he was finally captured Sunday following an intense 43-hour manhunt Sunday.

Jenny Boelter, wife of the suspect, was stopped by officers in Onamia, Minnesota, around 10 a.m. on Saturday, local news KTSP reported, though it was not clear whether the check was a routine stop or a planned raid by law enforcement as part of efforts to track down murder suspect, Vance Luther Boelter.

The police found weapons, ammunition, cash and passports in her car. It appears she was allegedly helping him to escape.

The Daily Beast and other outlets reported Boelter was a member of MAGA, trying to blame Trump supporters for this horrific deed.

But, instead, he was appointed by Governor Tim Walz and his predecessor, Governor Mark Dayton, to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board (GWDB).

He intimately knew his primary victims and their spouses. He apparently was angry over Hortman’s recent vote in joining Republicans, and was the only member of her party to side with Republicans to vote to repeal taxpayer-funded health care coverage for adult illegal immigrants as part of this year’s budget bill.

The accused murderer allegedly listed roughly 70 names of Minnesota lawmakers and abortion advocates in a “manifesto” discovered by investigators inside a faux cop cruiser. The politicians, activists and reproductive health care clinics are believed to have been his other targets had he not been intercepted by police at Hortman’s home.

This was a senseless tragedy, and not MAGA-inspired, considering the attempted assassinations against President Trump last summer.

At the writing of this commentary, there has been no retraction of the false statement being  a MAGA-inspired conspiracy by any of the liars in the distrusted Lame Stream Media. It just shows the length of their false narratives.

All at the expense of Melissa Hortman, her husband and the Hoffmans.

Once again, they have shown why they are fake news.

The Hopeful End Result of The Israeli-Iranian War

If you recall, negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding Iran's nuclear program began on April 12, 2025, in Oman. These talks were initiated following a letter from President Donald Trump to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

 

This was preceded by the US launching strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen starting on March 15, 2025. This offensive, dubbed "Operation Rough Rider," included strikes on radar systems, air defenses, and missile launch sites. The strikes were in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.

It served as a warning to show Iran that the US was no longer in the business of appeasement of terrorists as it was during the Biden Regime.

Then, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) significantly ramped up their operations in Gaza on March 18, 2025, following the end of a ceasefire with Hamas. It followed up in mid-May by boosting its level of troops to over 60,000.

And President Trump kept indicating on Truth Social that the sixty-day window was rapidly closing, even as he continued to authorize negotiations on a nuclear treaty. But when the Ayatollah dismissed the latest offer out of hand last Monday, it seemed the die was cast.

On the sixty-first day since the first letter was sent, Israel began its bombing of key military and known nuclear sites in Iran. Apparently, the Ayatollah and his “advisors” thought it was still Biden with whom they were dealing. Oops…

Since Friday, many locations were destroyed and many more key people were killed in Iran. And yes, Iran did get through the Iron Dome, but did far less damage to Tel Aviv than was done in Tehran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was adamant that the intelligence was “absolutely clear” that Iran was on the verge of obtaining a nuclear weapon, and described himself as President Trump’s “junior partner” while defending the preemptive strikes.

The Israeli leader also pledged that he would not allow the Jewish people to suffer a “second Holocaust” from a nuclear-armed Iran.

And while President Trump shot down Netantahu from killing the Ayatollah, he did not place any other restrictions on Israel. But, he warned Sunday that the US could get directly involved in the Israel-Iran conflict if things continue to escalate, especially if Iran attacks the US or its assets in the Middle East.

While Trump predicted that Iran and Israel will “make a deal” to end the deadly violence that has seen the Jewish state and Islamic republic exchange countless missiles since Friday, the President said the US may find itself involved if a truce doesn’t happen.

“We’re not involved in it. It’s possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,” Trump told ABC News.

Israel overnight wiped out the command center of Iran’s Quds Force; the elite military unit that served as the “main conduit” for proxy terror attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said Monday.

“The Quds Force has been the main conduit for many of the terrorist attacks and assaults against Isreal in recent decades,” he said. “Now, the command centers where these attacks were planned have been completely destroyed.”

In total, Israel targeted more than 20 Iranian military and Quds command centers, killing the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s head of intelligence, his deputy and the deputy head of the Quds Force’s intelligence organization.

“The Quds Force is the central terror arm of the Iranian regime. It is responsible for operating Iran’s proxies around Israel’s borders and for distributing weapons and missiles intended for attack the state of Israel,” Defrin said.

While it is not immediately probable, there is a distinct, hopeful possibility that we may witness the fall of the forty-seven year theocracy of the cruel and barbaric Islamic Republic in the not-too-distant future. And a rebirth of peace for all the nations in the region. And with it, the collapse of Hamas, Houthis and Hezbollah.

It would be a welcomed change for Muslims, Jews, Christians and others who have not known this for the better part of a century. Or ever.

We can all hope it will become a reality.

Hold the Ketchup, But Only At Breakfast

Today is Father’s Day and I wish you all a great day to rest, relax and celebrate. And just in time for your breakfast or brunch, KraftHeinz is announcing a product with which you are already familiar.

 

Ketchup.

But this not your regular, stand-by, the old run-of-the-mill ketchup. Oh no. This is something new.

At least on the label.

Introducing Heinz Breakfast Ketchup. Yes, my friends. It was reported in Food and Wine that the new product is the same product. Only with a new face.

It is an age-old breakfast debacle: to add ketchup or not to add ketchup to eggs?

You never know when you reach for that ketchup bottle at brunch, whether it’s going to gross out people at the table or if you’ll find fellow ketchup lovers to relate to. I’m not one to judge. But I have NEVER used ketchup at breakfast. Or even Hot Sauce. And I use both on fries, burgers and other meals.

But not breakfast.

Breakfast is the first meal of the day, and condiments are a matter of personal choice. While some diners may tolerate the addition of ketchup on home fries, hash browns, or even eggs, most are particularly against ketchup at breakfast. But enjoy if YOU must.

As stated on the brand’s website, the Breakfast Ketchup is the same exact formula as the Heinz Ketchup “that you know and love, reframed as an official breakfast condiment.”

“For over 150 years, many pair the unmistakable taste of Heinz Ketchup with lunch and dinner, but one in four people also use it as their go-to condiment for breakfast,” the brand said in a statement.

“Go to any diner or breakfast spot in America, and you’ll almost certainly find a bottle of ketchup on the table. Yet, the question of whether ketchup belongs on breakfast foods is highly debated. Now, we’re taking a stand to show the world that Heinz ketchup is the perfect breakfast accoutrement."

So, snap that cap and pour it on your home fries, bacon and eggs if you must. But I will only pass it to you, as I add my salt and pepper to my order.

But I will be there with you as I sit and join you for a tasty cheeseburger or other appropriate sandwich, and ask you to pass the ketchup, whether it is labeled as the old stand-by or renamed as Breakfast Ketchup.

Just not on my bacon and eggs.

The Whigs of Yesterday Have More Favorability Than the Dems Today

The latest Economist/YouGov poll has shown that Democrats have continued to trail Republicans in favorability ratings among Americans. The Republican Party holds a net favorability rating of negative 11 percent. Democrats have a net rating of negative 21 percent, with 41 percent of respondents viewing Republicans favorably compared to 36 percent for Democrats.

 

Perhaps the lesson here is that they should stop making spectacles of themselves, like Mad Maxine Waters, or Magilla Padilla. The Public is no longer buying their fake outrage.

NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella stated, “The Democrat Party is collapsing under the weight of its own failures.”

Marinella added, “They’re hemorrhaging support, losing trust, and watching key parts of its coalition walk away at record speed. This is a crisis, and they’re doing themselves no favors.”

In congressional favorability ratings, Republicans have secured a net score of negative 10 percent. Democrats, however, stand at negative 24 percent.

The results follow an earlier poll from late April, when Republicans held an 8-point lead with net ratings of negative 11 percent. Democrats had a net rating of negative 19 percent.

House Republicans have passed a budget bill that supports many of President Trump’s legislative priorities. The measure is awaiting Senate consideration and is expected to significantly impact party favorability moving forward.

It is time for the Democrats to come up with a new game plan, or they will go the way of the Whigs.

A Special Day In American History

Today is a special day in American history for two major events.

The first is the 250th Anniversary of the US Army.

Since its official establishment, June 14, 1775, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence, the US Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of the American nation.

The Second Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army, which would later become the US Army. This action was taken following the fighting at Lexington and Concord and was a critical step in the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Army was formed to unify the colonial militias and provide a formal structure for the fight against British troops.

It was tested several times during its first 125 years of its history, rising to the next pinnacle of success after each challenge.

Then, the US Army grew to become the premier force, called upon in the 20th century to liberate the nations of the world from oppression by those who attempted to strip those nations of their freedoms and liberties.

Since the year 2000, the US Army has been actively involved in several key operations and transitions, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the establishment of the Space Force.

The Army also experienced a period of relatively stable troop levels following the end of the Cold War, with some adjustments due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Additionally, the Army has seen technological advancements and changes in equipment, like the shift to the M4 rifle and the modernization of machine guns and other weaponry.

The second event is the 248th Anniversary of the Stars and Stripes, our Glorious American flag. It was originally revealed on June 14, 1777, with thirteen stripes and thirteen stars, representing the original thirteen colonies, which united as states after the Declaration of Independence was signed.

It, too, grew over time, until Alaska was added on July 4, 1959 and Hawaii was added on July 4, 1960. No additional states have entered into our Union since then.

Presently, the fifty stars on the flag represent the fifty states and the thirteen stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British crown and became the first states in the Union. Nicknames for the flag include "the Stars and Stripes", "Old Glory", and "the Star-Spangled Banner".

Happy Glorious Anniversary to these American institutions!