Tuesday, June 30, 2020

End of an era (Alternate title: **bleep** you, COVID)

I am crestfallen over the news that Keegan's Irish Pub is closing its doors as of 10 pm Tuesday evening.

It's not an overstatement when I say that Jennifer & I have made lifelong friends due to many soirees we've attended there over the past 15 years. Those gatherings were also tremendous networking opportunities, including playing a role in me landing my side hustle on AM 1280 The Patriot.

So yeah, I'll definitely miss all the social engagements at what quickly became my favorite quaint establishment in Minneapolis. But that sentiment pales in comparison to the devastation I feel on behalf of Keegan's management and staff, many of whom I saw regularly over 10+ years. The fact there was such staying power among many employees tells you it was much more than a corner pub to them.

Original owners Terry & Virginia Keegan (pictured left) with current owner Marty Neumann & his wife Neesha (photo courtesy of Virginia Keegan)

Godspeed, Marty et al. Thanks for your hospitality over the past decade-and-a-half.


Monday, June 29, 2020

Box Score of the Week

New York Mets at Arizona Diamondbacks - May 4, 2007.


At 48 years and 254 days old, the Mets' Julio Franco became the oldest player to hit a home run in a Major League Baseball game. 


Sunday, June 28, 2020

Away on assignment

I will not be broadcasting my radio show this afternoon, but fear not! The indomitable Mitch Berg will be on the air from 1-3 PM Central Time today in my absence.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics Mitch plans on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out Mitch's podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....


Friday, June 26, 2020

So who's left?

According to Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden, 150 million people have been killed since 2007 as a result of gun violence. Biden has also claimed that 120 million have died as a result of COVID

On top of that, how many have perished due the repeal of Net Neutrality and the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act? If it's as many as "progressives" predicted would happen, how many Americans are even still above ground???? I mean, I've noticed traffic has been much lighter lately, but come on......


Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Never quite passed the smell test

You likely heard about an incident last Sunday involving Bubba Wallace, the only black NASCAR driver who recently (and successfully) lobbied the racing organization to disallow confederate symbols. Upon Wallace entering his designated garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, it was reported that a noose was found in the area. Given the racial tensions bubbling up in America these days, there was immediate outrage over such an occurrence.

“We are angry and outraged, and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act,” NASCAR’s statement said. “We have launched an immediate investigation, and will do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport. As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR, and this act only strengthens our resolve to make the sport open and welcoming to all.”

And of course, the narratives just wrote themselves, particularly in light of an infinitesimal number of individuals not happy with confederate symbols no longer being associated with the sport.

A post shared by Get Up! (@getupespn) on

Admittedly though, it led to a powerful scene of unity among the NASCAR family.

I am, by nature, not a cynical person. However, I just couldn't get past the feeling that this was a big nothingburger. Did I believe it was an inside job with Wallace himself involved, contriving a fake "hate crime" in the motif of Jussie Smollett? Actually, no. Wallace had already prevailed in having the Confederate flag banned from the sport, so there seemed to be little incentive for another attention-grabbing headline.

So could this noose have been placed by a dissenting fan who clings to tradition, despite the abhorrence the Confederacy represents? Well, that too seemed a long shot since fans don't have access to the garage area. But there was no way to verify since no NASCAR official could give us a straight answer as to the availability of surveillance footage.

Alas, it was confirmed Tuesday that the whole incident was indeed predicated on bullsh*t.

I have no way of knowing for sure but I have a hunch a good number of NASCAR fans had the same skepticism I had, yet were too afraid to express that sentiment. And can you blame them for such hesitance? Given today's environment of white guilt and self-flagellation, there is literally ZERO tolerance for even healthy skepticism, much less dissent.

Mary Katharine Ham noticed this too:

At the end of the day, the media business is a lot more lucrative when there are people perpetually pissed off. No way any proggie media type was going to upset that apple cart.


Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Don't de-fund, don't abolish

Let's be honest. This idea that we should de-fund or abolish police forces in America is felony stupid.

That said, there definitely needs to be some serious reforms in how police officers are trained in handling potential crisis situations. Navy SEAL Jocko Willink gave some terrific insights on how to not only enhance police officer aptitude but also how to drastically improve the cops' relationships with residents of their community.

This is about a 30-minute long segment but well worth the time.


Monday, June 22, 2020

Box Score of the Week

Kansas City Royals at Seattle Mariners - August 31, 1990.


It was Father's Day this past Sunday, so why not highlight the premiere father-son relationship in MLB history? 

This game featured the first ever father-son duo to play in the same game as Ken Griffey, Sr. was signed by his son's team, the Seattle Mariners, two days earlier. 


Sunday, June 21, 2020

Guess I got what I deserve.....

For the second straight day I will be broadcasting live as part of the Northern Alliance Radio Network. My program The Closer will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

In the first hour, I'll talk about multiple stories where sports and "social justice" have intersected.

Then at 2:00 I will be joined by Miss Minnesota 2019 (and now 2020) Kathryn Kueppers. With the 2020 competition succumbing to COVID-19, Kathryn graciously agreed to return as Miss MN for one more year. As such, we'll look back at her first year and discuss what's to come for the next 12 months.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.



Until then.....


Saturday, June 20, 2020

You got to roll with the punches and get to what's real....

With my friend and Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg away on assignment, I will assume the reins of The Headliner edition of the NARN today. The 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

Multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions were announced this past week, two of which really rankled conservatives. We'll discuss. Also, Sen. Amy Klobuchar withdrew her name as a potential running mate of Joe Biden's once it was apparent she wouldn't be the Veep pick.

At 2:00, Minneapolis resident MJ Berst will join the broadcast to discuss her involvement in rebuilding her community in the aftermath of the George Floyd tragedy. Also, as a bi-racial woman adopted by white parents, MJ has a few opinions on today's racial politics. In fact, she likes to describe herself as "Blexit before anyone knew Candace Owens' name."




Until then.....


Friday, June 19, 2020

No Klo

After it became pretty obvious that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) would not be selected as Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden's running mate, she removed herself from consideration before it became official.

“America must seize on this moment, and I truly believe, as I told the vice president last night, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on the ticket,” Klobuchar said in an interview on MSNBC.

Oof. So how awkward will that be if Biden selects Fauxcahontas Elizabeth Warren as his Veep candidate? Or are some Dems still maintaining the delusion that Warren's a minority?

I digress.

In a follow-up interview with the Star Tribune, Klobuchar clarified that she reached out to Biden to ask him to pull her name from his VP list, not the other way around. She said she was still being vetted for the vice presidential slot, though many Democrats believe Klobuchar’s chances suffered after the unrest that sprang up in the wake of George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.

Let's be honest here. This was little more than a face-saving exercise for Klobee, much like her dropping out of the presidential race the day before Minnesota's Dem presidential primary. After Black Lives Matter took over her St. Louis Park rally on a Sunday evening last March before she even took the stage, Klobuchar had to face facts in that her star power had passed its shelf life. Not wanting to endure further humiliation of possibly losing to an avowed socialist in her home state's primary, she bowed out of the race the next day.

In the end, Klobee will have her U.S. Senate seat for as long as she wants it. However, any aspirations beyond that will be met with severe resistance from groups like BLM, who are still demanding answers regarding the conviction of Myon Burrell. Personally I doubt any substantive retort on that issue will occur since Minnesota's senior U.S. Senator has never been one to engage in any difficult conversations.


Thursday, June 18, 2020


In the immortal words of F. Scott Fitzgerald - "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."

As such, I concur that beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program should remain in the United States but that the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong in rebuffing the Trump administration's desire to overturn said program

The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered a blow to President Trump's immigration agenda, ruling the administration's attempt to dismantle an Obama-era program that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation was unlawful.

With its 5-4 ruling, the high court provided a lifeline to nearly 700,000 immigrants whose future in the United States hung in the balance while a yearslong legal battle over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program moved through the courts.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who joined the four liberals justices on the bench, delivered the opinion for the court, writing that the Trump administration's decision to unwind the program was "arbitrary and capricious" under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Roberts wrote the court does "not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies," but said the Department of Homeland Security should revisit the issue.

"We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action. Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything to do about the hardship to DACA recipients," he wrote for the majority. "That dual failure raises doubts about whether the agency appreciated the scope of its discretion or exercised that discretion in a reasonable manner."

It can never be emphasized enough that I am the furthest thing from a legal scholar, so I may be punching above my weight class here. That said, there is no debate that DACA was created via executive fiat during the Obama administration. It's always been my understanding that an Executive Order is not binding once the POTUS who constructed it leaves office. So what am I missing here?

In his scathing dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas addressed that very issue.

"Today's decision must be recognized for what it is: an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision," Thomas wrote. "The court could have made clear that the solution respondents seek must come from the legislative branch. Instead, the majority has decided to prolong DHS' initial overreach by providing a stopgap measure of its own. In doing so, it has given the green light for future political battles to be fought in this court rather than where they rightfully belong — the political branches."

Thomas wrote the decision in rebuffing the Trump administration's efforts to unwind DACA "creates perverse incentives, particularly for outgoing administrations."

Hmmmm. So if Trump loses reelection in November but enacts, say, a bunch of pro gun Executive Orders in the lame duck portion of his term, it's possible they could be upheld by SCOTUS? Eh. Probably not. But given that the highest court in the land continually punts on hearing any Second Amendment cases, what would Trump have to lose at that point?


Wednesday, June 17, 2020

The real resistance

It's been downright creepy how New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has singled out the Jewish community when demanding residents adhere to stay-at-home orders amid COVID-19.

Here is a tweet from late April in response to hundreds gathering to mourn a popular Hasidic rabbi.

Then just this past week, de Blasio ordered officials to weld shut the gates to Middleton Playground, which is a popular spot for Jewish children. This was especially egregious when you consider that just the day before NYC was the site of a large "Black Trans Lives Matter" rally, a protest where there wasn't a heckuva lot of social distancing happening. Hell, de Blasio himself has been photographed at BLM rallies while, at times, not wearing a mask.

Not surprisingly, members of the Jewish community finally had enough.

After months of targeted harassment of the Jewish population by the anti-Semitic mayor of the city, he’s finally receiving some push back. (On Monday), Orthodox Jews took bolt cutters to the locks put on the parks, allowing their kids to go play as they should have been allowed to all along.

I’ve yet to hear any left-winger articulate a viable excuse for de Blasio’s actions. That leaves the only answer being that he’s just anti-Semitic. Why else allow these black lives matter protests, including one centering on transgenders yesterday, while at the same time pretending that Jewish kids playing is dangerous?

But many of us warned the precedents being set by the original lock downs were dangerous. You had liberals one inch of power and they will take a mile. None of them care about equality under the law. They only care about their political wants. Yes, the courts could eventually strike what de Blasio is doing down, but it’s an uphill slog. You need to gain standing, then it’s months of litigation to wade through. The right answer was never anointing politicians to make these decisions in the first place. Far too many were short-sighted in their initial support.

To read this makes it all the more amusing when hearing fervent anti Trump people calling themselves a "resistance." Sorry, but "owning" people on Twitter while ensconced in a coffee shop is bean bag compared to a centuries-long oppressed religion defying a large city tyrannical mayor.


Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Quick Hits: Volume CCXXI

- In what has become the ultimate evergreen sentiment, we live in very stupid times.

The latest affirmation is the outrage being ginned up over Oklahoma St. football coach Mike Gundy wearing a t-shirt with One America News Network's logo on it. The flap began when OSU running back Chuba Hubbard took exception to his coach showing support for a network which he feels diminished the plight of black people. One allegation is OANN host Liz Wheeler claimed Black Lives Matter was a "farce."

Ms. Wheeler provided clarification.

Pro Football Talk writer Mike Florio wrote in a Monday piece that Gundy "was wrong to wear a T-shirt supporting a news outlet that pegs the needle to the right of FOX News, that traffics in ridiculous and dangerous conspiracy theories, and that employs a host who has called Black Lives Matter a criminal organization."

Apparently Florio is selective in his outrage over controversial apparel. For 3+ years, Florio has advocated almost weekly that Colin Kaepernick be given a job in the NFL in spite of the fact Kap once donned a t-shirt which praised murderous tyrant Fidel Castro. If Kaepernick's t-shirt incident was ever cited by NFL teams as a reason they didn't sign him, I'm betting progs like Florio would go so far as to attempt to write nuanced think pieces on Castro's "complicated legacy."

- This simple little video mocking CNN host Chris Cuomo has gone viral.

Sure, it's utterly hilarious. However, Cuomo has often had a less than perfect track record on his views regarding the First Amendment. Remember when he erroneously thought it didn't cover "hate speech?" Good times.

- So this is utterly depressing.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred told ESPN on Monday he is "not confident" that there will be a 2020 baseball season and that "as long as there's no dialogue" with the MLB Players Association, "that real risk is going to continue."

In a conversation with Mike Greenberg for ESPN's The Return of Sports special, Manfred walked back comments made to ESPN last week, when he said "unequivocally, we are going to play Major League Baseball this year" and pegged the likelihood at "100 percent."

"I'm not confident. I think there's real risk, and as long as there's no dialogue, that real risk is going to continue," Manfred said when asked if he is certain there will be a season.

The chance that there will be no season increased substantially on Monday, when the commissioner's office told the players' association that it will not proceed with a schedule unless the union waives its right to claim that management violated a March agreement between the feuding sides, a source told ESPN, confirming a report by the Los Angeles Times.

Look, I get it. Given the fact we're enduring a global pandemic with COVID-19 in addition to racial tensions in America boiling over, not having a baseball season is not a literal tragedy in the grand scheme of things. But if we lose even an abbreviated season of MLB, this could spell serious trouble for its future. Remember in 1994 when a players strike resulted in the postseason being cancelled? It took a solid four years for fans to start coming back to the ballpark, and that was due in large part to an impossible-to-predict historic 1998 season featuring the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run binge.

Another large concern MLB has is the current Collective Bargaining Agreement with players will expire after 2021. With the sport already losing fans and failing miserably at gaining new ones, it's not an understatement to say that Major League Baseball is dangerously close to becoming irrelevant.


It happened five years ago today

Literally five years ago to the very minute of the timestamp on this blog post, Donald John Trump declared his candidacy for President of the United States.

I thought his candidacy would accomplish little more than what big names like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson achieved as past Dem presidential contenders. I haven't been that dead wrong on a political prediction since 1984 when I was convinced Walter Mondale would carry a second state in that year's POTUS matchup.

As I write this, the prospects of reelection for now President Trump are looking rather grim. But if I've learned anything the past five years, nothing is conventional in any facet involving Trump, including his prevailing against all odds.


Monday, June 15, 2020

Box Score of the Week

Chicago Cubs at Houston Astros -- September 25, 1998.


Baseball fans undoubtedly remember the epic 1998 home run battle between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. And you probably also remember McGwire emerged the overall leader that year. But for a brief moment during the final weekend of the '98 season, Sosa led the majors in home runs. In that September 25 game where his Cubs took on the Houston Astros, Sosa hit his 66th of year while McGwire was sitting at 65. But less than an hour later, McGwire hit his 66th in St. Louis.

While this game featured Sosa's final home run of the '98 campaign, McGwire hit five that final weekend to finish with an eye-popping 70* homers.


Sunday, June 14, 2020

So the story goes......

Another Sunday, another edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

The Minneapolis City Council votes overwhelmingly to de-fund the city's police force, but is it mere symbolism or can they truly enforce that action? Regardless, it seems a forgone conclusion that many residents and businesses are looking to leave Minneapolis en masse. 

This past week served as yet another reminder that apologies to the "WOKE!" mob are insufficient. 

At 1:30, Minneapolis resident Jill Sims will join the broadcast to discuss her involvement in helping residents after the stores where they shop were destroyed in the riots. 




Until then.....


Friday, June 12, 2020

Tear down inconsistencies, not statues

The rationale for tearing down the Christopher Columbus statue near the MN State Capitol building is similar to arguments I've heard put forth for "punching a Nazi." What I mean by that is both vandalism and assault are crimes yet if one points out that fact, it results in Social Justice Warriors accusing one of being anti-Indigenous or pro Nazi.

What the incident at the Capitol this past week taught me this week is how selective SJWs can be with which objectionable figures they target. For instance, it would stand to reason they would deface and tear down any monument of someone who so abhorred black people that she advocated for eugenics. Ah, but a statue of Margaret Sanger remains intact in Boston's Old South Meeting House. I guess because she founded Planned Parenthood, an organization which provides leftists with their sacred cow of abortion, Sanger's virulent racism and speeches at Ku Klux Klan rallies will be conveniently swept under the proverbial rug.

My friend and Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg said it best.

But actual law-breaking and vandalism, and a very clear implication of potential violence (and in many cases, it goes well beyond implication), is OK - as long as it's the *correct* cause?

Because there's a statue of Floyd Olson on the Capitol grounds. He was a socialist demagogue who governed Minnesota long ago, and there's no rational way to deny that his policies have caused far more damage than good, *especially* to disadvantaged communities in this state. Olson represents the worst traits of this state - jamming down equality of outcomes as one-size-fits-all decree, with dire effects on the poor. Did he do as much harm as Columbus? No, but we're talking principle, here, so let's not quibble about degrees of evil.

It's high time someone - me and my friends who feel strongly about the damage Olson and his cronies did to this state - did something about that goddess-forsaken statue. And if the process doesn't work fast enough (and in a state dominated by the Urban Progressive Privilege that Olson's policies cemented in place as the dominant class, it won't), then we'll have to "expedite" things ourselves.

Because if you're not part of (our) solution, you're part of the problem (as we define it).

So - are you SURE you want to set this as a precedent?

This once again re-affirms that not all protests are created equal. Many Americans were out of work over the past few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When they decried their livelihoods being in peril, they were essentially told they're selfish due to the possibility they could spread this deadly virus if they leave home. But if there's racial strife and thus people wanna gather together with no social distancing while several also wear no masks? Suddenly there are no concerns over whether grandma and grandpa die.


Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Just the beginning

Whether it's hostility towards business or a loony obsession to de-fund the police department, elected officials in Minneapolis are not endearing themselves to a sizable portion of the country. Heck, even America's favorite septuagenarian commie isn't down with de-funding the cops.

In the aftermath of nearly a week long period of unrest in Minneapolis, I'm guessing a fair number of the city's residents will be putting their homes on the market posthaste. And one business in particular has confirmed they're relocating after 30+ years there.

A Minneapolis manufacturing company has decided to leave the city, with the company’s owner saying he can’t trust public officials who allowed his plant to burn during the recent riots. The move will cost the city about 50 jobs.

“They don’t care about my business,” said Kris Wyrobek, president and owner of 7-Sigma Inc., which has operated since 1987 at 2843 26th Av. in south Minneapolis. “They didn’t protect our people. We were all on our own.”

Wyrobek said the plant, which usually operates until 11 p.m., shut down about four hours early on the first night of the riots because he wanted to keep his workers out of harm’s way. He said a production supervisor and a maintenance worker who live in the neighborhood became alarmed when fire broke out at the $30 million Midtown Corner affordable housing apartment complex that was under construction next door.

“The fire engine was just sitting there,” Wyrobek said, “but they wouldn’t do anything.”

Many of you have seen photos of a hollowed out Detroit. When it's all said and done, some parts of Minneapolis may look similar if there isn't a major shift in priorities among the elected officials at the municipal level.

(Minneapolis Mayor Jacob) Frey said Monday that he was unaware of 7-Sigma’s decision to move, and he declined to say whether the company’s decision reflects the challenges facing city leaders as they try to convince business owners to rebuild in Minneapolis. Many business owners have criticized the city, saying their pleas for help went unanswered.

This is more evidence of why there's needs to be a bigger emphasis on your local governments. Sure electoral politics at the Federal and State levels draw the sexier headlines, but the most direct impact on our lives is derived from policies enacted in your counties, municipalities and local school boards. I'm hopeful Minneapolis residents are finally waking up to that fact.


Tuesday, June 09, 2020


On Monday, an official from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 were rare. It was later clarified that asymptomatic cases themselves were not rare but that those individuals who were asymptomatic rarely infected others.

Then on Tuesday, even more clarifications were levied.

This from a former Obama administration official:

Sooooo......we've gone from "extremely rare" transmissions to 16% to 40%? Is that how I'm reading this?

(WHO epidemiologist Dr. Maria Van) Kerkhove said Tuesday that as much as 40% of viral transmission could be from asymptomatic patients, but too little is understood about the virus to make that conclusion.

“It's a constant revision and a constant evolution and debate,” Kerkhove said. “And I mean that in a constructive way of saying what do we know, what are the key questions, what don't we know, and what are we doing to address those unknown? It's not enough to say we don't know.”

Kerkhove added that the question of whether people without symptoms are primary transmitters underscores the need for widespread contact tracing and testing. She said guidelines from the WHO to practice social distancing and good hygiene are part of a “comprehensive strategy” to eradicate the virus.

Glad we could clear that up.


Monday, June 08, 2020

Quick Hits: CCXX

- Conservative commentator Steve Deace, via his Facebook page:

I grew up hearing racist remarks against blacks all the time in my home, as well as the "N bomb," and I detested it. I remember one time my dad calling me into the room because he was excited to see Vanilla Ice get some rap single of the year award, for that was something else white people were better at. I've always detested racism, and despise it even more now that I'm a Christian.

Which is exactly why I'm not going to accept blame just for being white, when I had nothing to do with who my parents were, or go along with assumed collective white guilt now. Judging someone by the color of their skin, instead of the content of their character, is precisely what racism is.

This is another spirit of the age cult I won't join.

Thankfully my mother (who raised me and my bro by herself) was not one who partook in spewing racist remarks, so it wasn't at all a part of my formative years. But everything else Steve said I echo 100%. I'm not at all interested in self-flagellation because I grew up with some sort of perceived privilege.

The only I approval I seek is from my lord and savoir Jesus Christ, which is why I adhere to the teachings of the Holy Bible. And if I live my life as such, I will love others equally as He has done with us.

I guess what I'm saying is the self-loathing lily white wokescolds can spare me the "Dear white people..." lectures.

- Check out these two headlines:

Speedway declares race a 'protest' to skirt coronavirus rules, draws 2,000.

Government Jealous Of Rioters' Speed, Efficiency In Destroying Local Businesses.

Both are from satirical web sites, right? Actually no, one is a legit headline (click the links to determine which is which).

- As you've likely heard by now, the Minneapolis City Council is looking to defund (and possibly abolish) the city's police force. My understanding is it's not as easy as the the council voting to do so, as it may require a referendum of voters approving the change to the city's charter.

But let's say that, hypothetically, the MPD is successfully scuttled. One of the first questions many folks would ask is what happens if they're a victim of a crime?

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, basically: "Check your privilege."

I would say the citizens of Minneapolis deserve better from their representation, but they and they alone are responsible for electing these people.


Box Score of the Week

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres - April 14, 1986.


Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn is definitely in the top five of best pure hitters in MLB history. The 3,141 career hits and .338 lifetime batting average are impressive enough, but it was his ability to make consistent contact which really stands out. In fact, Gwynn over his career averaged a paltry 29 strikeouts every 162 games. That's less than one K every five games. Remarkable. 

With that said, he only struck out three times in a game once in his illustrious career -- that April 1986 contest against the Dodgers. And it was the same pitcher (L.A. starter Bob Welch) who pulled off that nearly impossible feat. 


Sunday, June 07, 2020

She turned away, what was she looking at?

Another Sunday, another broadcast of my radio show from my home office. Today's 2-hour edition of The Closer gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

This past week, all four Minneapolis police officers on the scene of the George Floyd arrest have been charged. Derek Chauvin, the officer who kept his knee on the back of Floyd's neck for nearly ten minutes, has his charge increased from Third Degree Murder to Second Degree. Is that an overreach?

Also, concern over the spread of COVID-19 seems to have been thrown out the window with mass protests taking place all over the country without the proper social distancing.

And finally, the debate over NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem has been re-ignited.




Until then.....


Friday, June 05, 2020

Listen and learn yourselves

Golden State Warriors head coach (and avowed leftist) Steve Kerr posted the following to Twitter earlier this week.

I'll give ya the "more diverse" part. Christian youth leader Jeff Grenell points out that Generation Z in comprised of 51% non-white people. That's absolutely a good thing.

More informed? Well, these young folks are "digital natives" in that they were born into a time where the world wide web was part of people's everyday lives. As such, information is at their finger tips, though the challenge remains how that info is disseminated.

But where I take issue with Kerr's overall assessment is the "more tolerant" aspect. I'll grant that today's youth may be more tolerant of other races, cultures and sexual orientation than previous generations. But where they're falling woefully short is tolerating dissenting (i.e. politically and socially conservative) opinions. All you have to do is witness what ensues on a "progressive" college campus when a conservative personality is invited to speak (Do yourself a favor and watch the documentary No Safe Spaces). And the March for Our Lives gatherings are comprised largely of young people looking to eradicate one's right to keep and bear arms.

Kerr ended his statement by saying Gen Z "is providing the hope that we all need." If "hope" includes a steady erosion of basic civil liberties then no, I will not "listen to them."


Wednesday, June 03, 2020

Not all protests are created equal

Remember when people peacefully protested their respective state government's shelter-in-place orders as well as lockdown of businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? They were essentially labeled as a danger to society.

Funny how that rhetoric disappeared during the nationwide protests of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. In fact, some medical "experts" flat out justified the latter demonstrations.

But the risks of congregating during a global pandemic shouldn't keep people from protesting racism, according to dozens of public health and disease experts who signed an open letter in support of the protests.

"White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19," the letter said.

Initially written by infectious disease experts at the University of Washington, the letter cited a number of systemic problems, from the disproportionately high rate at which black people have been killed by police in the U.S. to disparities in life expectancy and other vital categories — including black Americans' higher death rate from the coronavirus.

"Data is showing that blacks and Latinos have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in many states," said Nsoesie, who was not among the letter's signatories when NPR contacted her. "Racism is one of the reasons this disparity exists."

She continued, "Racism is a social determinant of health. It affects the physical and mental health of blacks in the U.S. So I wouldn't weigh these crises separately."

Local governments should not break up crowded demonstrations "under the guise of maintaining public health," the experts said in their open letter. They urged law enforcement agencies not to use tear gas, smoke and other irritants, saying they could make people more susceptible to infection and worsen existing health conditions.

The medical professionals also acknowledged the potential for COVID-19 cases to rise in the days to come, and they called for public health agencies to boost access to care and testing in affected communities.

For the record, I do NOT oppose the peaceful assembly of those protesting the Floyd tragedy. I think a lot of important issues are being highlighted (when they're not being drowned out by riots and looting that is) in an effort to unify the nation. However, these "experts" are essentially saying that if these demonstrators are willing to risk their personal health in an effort to bring attention to racial disparities, that should be supported wholeheartedly.

Again, that all sounds very noble. But there are some aspects of this pandemic which many Americans can't get past. Like those who wanted to risk their own health to go to work in order to earn money to support their families? Or others who wanted to visit their loved ones in a long-term care facility? People who wanted to congregate in a church for a worship service, wedding or funeral? And folks who wanted to seek medical care for a non-life threatening ailment that could evolve into life threatening? They were basically told to suck it up and that it wasn't about them. The issue was they risked infecting those with underlying health conditions with the coronavirus if everyone didn't stay in lockdown indefinitely. But if it's a protest for social justice, then all that concern is out the window.

I'm getting a real sense that regardless of what government officials are saying, this shelter-in-place nonsense has effectively ended.


Tuesday, June 02, 2020

Just wanna throw this out there.....(UPDATE: Quit telling black people to vote Dem says.......Shaun King?!?!)

In the aftermath of the George Floyd tragedy, you're probably seeing a lot of pleas to be sure to vote in the 2020 election. Don't get me wrong, this isn't an outlandish suggestion by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I echo the sentiment. But when it's the obligatory elitist virtue-signaling crowd, you know what the demands to vote really mean. It means vote "progressive," and definitely vote President Trump out of office.

Here's the thing though. The areas where police brutality, undermining of minority rights, etc. is most pervasive are major urban areas. An urban area like the Twin Cities, which was the location of Mr. Floyd's death and has been represented by Democrats for literally multiple generations now. Also, a Dem has not lost a statewide election in Minnesota since 2006. And if the DFL has a net gain of just two seats in the MN Senate, they will literally control all the levers of power in state government (assuming the Dem majority maintains their already significant edge in the House).

My point?

Those who are making the loudest calls for change in policy in order to stop systemic oppression are advocating for electing the very same ilk responsible for bad policy in the first place. This is no more crystal clear than virtually every single DFL candidate putting "gun control" in their top three most important issues, specifically the "red flag" laws which have died in the past two Minnesota legislative sessions. But if the DFL, like in 2013 & 2014, has complete control in St. Paul, red flag laws are a fait accompli. And these laws will most certainly disproportionately affect black gun owners.

Why are "progressives" so hellbent on denying black people their civil liberties?

UPDATE: Far left black activist Shaun King, via Twitter:


Monday, June 01, 2020

Box Score of the Week

Chicago White Sox at Baltimore Orioles - April 29, 2015.


After having the first two games of this series postponed due to rioting in Baltimore, this game was played in front of zero fans at Camden Yards. 

If we ever have an MLB season in 2020, we may see a few games played in empty stadiums, whether it too is due to rioting or the COVID-19 pandemic.