December 5, 2023
Did you see where a former US ambassador to Bolivia was arrested on charges that he was a Cuban spy? A spy for Cuba? Talk about an utterly pointless advocation. What sensitive information would be important to Cuba and detrimental to US interests? I guess they could pass it on to the Russians or the Chinese. But it seems analogous to giving the Alabama playbook to West High school.
Speaking of Cuba, should we continue the boycott? It is the longest lasting one in our history being imposed in 1958. One wonders why? We don’t boycott other nations that have one party rule, or are socialist, or are communist, or don’t have a free press, or don’t have free elections, or are repressive. So why do we continue the Cuban embargo?
Every year the UN votes to have the US lift the embargo and every year the US votes against it. – even the Biden administration. This year only Israel joined the US in the nay vote. If the US exercised any power, then every country receiving US aid should have voted with the US.
I think the Cuban people would benefit if the embargo were lifted. Any trade impact would be minimal for the US but significant for the Cubans. I would not give them any aid and would insist that they end all military adventures outside of the island.
The college transfer portal just opened and the first day there were 1,000 players opting to transfer. Some, like Georgia’s second string quarterback, want a chance to play elsewhere. Others want to cash in on the NIL (name, image and likeness) money. The coach at Nebraska said that the NIL market for transfer quarterbacks was a million dollars. The transfer portal over the past few seasons has cost Georgia its two most dynamic wide receivers and its best young run stopper. I had wondered if somehow the Bulldogs had gotten out bid. The missing run stopper was the reason why the defense gave up 40 more yards rushing per game and probably cost them the SEC title against Alabama. This year six power five school were hit with double digit transfers. My Ohio State Buckeyes led the way with 12 including the starting quarterback. This was in addition to the 7 that had indicated previously that they were transferring. Also 15 are draft eligible and will likely not play in the bowl game. Only a diehard fan would go to the bowl game with the skeleton crew that the Buckeyes have left on the squad. As a result, I am beginning to hate college football. Players transfer each year and end up playing for your opponent. There is no loyalty.
Both Georgia and Ohio State had 11-1 records. Yet some Buckeye fans want the coach fired for losing to Michigan three years in a row. Be careful what you wish for. I guess they will go ballistic next year when the Buckeyes will lose every skilled position starter and see 34 players leave the program. They will likely look back on this season fondly.
Spring 2024 baseball starts February 24 and opening day is March 28. I love baseball and only wish they would tweak their playoffs with no teams having a bye. Let the top rated team play the lowest rated one. Giving a baseball team a bye is no reward as evidenced by the top 5 teams not making it to the World Series. Did you watch it? Me neither.
We just had a climate summit sponsored by an oil producing country with a bunch of pompous “elites” moaning about global warming while emitting copious amounts of carbon into the atmosphere from their private jets. They were warning about methane and urging less meat eating. I doubt if the menu was vegan. The west is still trying to bribe the officials of developing economies to further impoverish their citizens by going green. But even with the millions sent to line their pockets, the Indonesians and South Africans have started to resist the efforts of the west to keep their citizens in poverty.
It’ll be interesting to see who comes out of the Republican primaries. The media has done all it can to sabotage Ron DeSantis. They have demonized him from the beginning with only negative coverage. You know who the left fears by the amount of bad press one receives. It is clear that Ron DeSantis is the one candidate the left fears the most.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. I wonder how long it will be until the left wants to change the name Christmas. But then as now, just ignore those fools.
haroldblackphd.com 