Trump Launches Overnight Airstrikes in Venezuela, Claims Maduro is Captured

Watched this news story as it was breaking last night. 

The United States launched air strikes in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. Details were sketchy at first, with the Venezuelan government claiming this was a product of American aggression.

Initially, however, the Pentagon did not deny it, but referred any inquiries to the White House.

As the night progressed, however, it was clear that Trump had indeed launched this attack. Later, he claimed that President Nicolás Maduro had been captured and was en route outside of the country.

Strange, how the man who was crying and whining about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and then gladly accepted the made-up participation trophy known as the FIFA Peace Prize, is so adamant about launching a war in Venezuela. He claims that this is because of known drug ties and trafficking.

Still, it is no secret that Trump and company want the oil that is in Venezuela. Didn't he predict big things in Venezuela to come? 

It seems a bit risky to me, what Trump is doing. After all, a large part of why his base is so attached to him is that he was not going to get us involved in foreign wars like this.

Now, here we are, taking military action in a foreign land. 

Once again, the United States seems to think that it can and should do whatever the hell it wants wherever the hell it wants whenever the hell it wants. So we invade countries, often with a hell of a lot of people expressing their unwavering approval back home, even if the invasion comes as a relative surprise. Grenada 1983. Panama 1989. Iraq 2003. Venezuela 2026.

You might have think we learned better by now. 

Apparently not.

Trump says US has 'captured' Venezuelan President Maduro amid large scale strikes by BBC News (Breaking), January 3, 2026:

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c5yqygxe41pt

RIP, Rob Reiner

Wow!

This news is just coming in: director Rob Reiner and his wife were found dead in their home in Brentwood, California, which appears to be near Los Angeles. They were the victims of an apparent homicide.

Right now, we do not know who the perpetrator was or what the motive may have been. 

Reiner was a pretty amazing director. Some of his movies include favorites of mine, including The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, Misery, and This is Spinal Tap. He also directed some very famous movies beyond that which was considered classics, including When Harry Met Sally (which I watched literally a few days ago), A Few Good Men, and Bucket List. He was also one of the main actors in the seventies sitcom All in the Family. 

Crazy to think that he is now gone.

I enjoyed watching him and Archie Bunker feud all of the time on reruns of All in the Family when I was growing up. And again, he was one of my favorite movie directors.

Clearly, he will be missed.

Rest in peace, Rob Reiner.

Armed Clash on the Border of Thailand & Cambodia

There was a bit of an outbreak of armed conflict just within the last couple of hours or so, as I write this, between Thai and Cambodian troops.

The exchange of fire occurred near the Khmer temple Ta Muen Thom near the Surin/Si Sa Ket Province border, which has been the source of tension in recent days.

Both sides are accusing the other of firing the first shots. It is unclear what, specifically, provoked this. Or, for that matter, what will happen from here.

Let's see what happens in the coming hours and days.

Thai and Cambodian troops clash at disputed border by Kelly Ng, BBC News, July 24, 2025:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80p8z0y0eko

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Flees Country As Protests Turn Violent

These appear to be violent times in Bangladesh.

Thousands of protestors stormed the official residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned and then fled to New Delhi, in neighboring India. She stated that she left in fear of her own safety. 

The head of the Bangladeshi Army has announced the formation of an interum government for now. 

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees, army says interim government to be formed By Ruma Paul and Sudipto Ganguly August 5, 2024:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bangladesh-protesters-call-march-dhaka-defiance-curfew-2024-08-05/

Violent Protests Reported From Kenya

  

There are live reports right now as I write this from Al Jazeera of violent protests in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. The protests were originally over taxes, but the situation quickly escalated.

There were reports that the police had responded with live ammo against protestors, and that some of the protestors had been killed.

However, the protestors overwhelmed the police, ultimately.

A section of Kenya's Parliament Building caught fire.

Live Events Across Europe For the 80th anniversary of D-Day

This is likely the very last major D-Day anniversary where there will be a fair amount of surviving veterans in attendance. After all, it has already been 80 years since the event. Most of them have already passed by now. Hard to imagine that many of them will survive to reach the 90th anniversary, much less the 100th anniversary.

D-Day was the biggest military invasion of the world. They had attempted it before. Indeed, over 6,000 infantry of mostly (but not exclusively) Canadians with the protection of the Royal Air Force (RAF) had attacked Dieppe, a city in northern France, in what came to be known as Operation Jubilee, or the Dieppe Raid. This was attempted on 19 August 1942, nearly two years earlier than D-Day, but obviously had very different results, as it proved to be a disaster. If anything, the fact that this military operation had been attempted, and ultimately proved to be a failure, should make us appreciate all the more the major military effort of D-Day, which finally succeeded in giving the Allies a Western Front in the European part of World War II, helping to strangle the life out of the Nazi German empire that was dominating Europe at the time.

Now, I am not one of those Americans who gloss over the sacrifices of the troops who fought to liberate Europe, on either front. For a long time, I have maintained that Americans who claim that they broke the back of Hitler and the Nazis are wrong. That is a conceit not in fact supported by history, as any examination of a military atlas documenting the war would illustrate. Indeed, the Germans had invaded the Soviet Union/Russia, and it was the Red Army that finally stopped the German military advance cold, eventually turning the Germans around from invasion to retreat. By the time of the D-Day invasion, the Germans were already in full retreat in the Eastern Front, and ultimately not just forced to back up to the borders of the Reich itself, but eventually all the way to Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany. That was the final theater of the World War II in Europe. The Soviets beat them back, but it cost them 20 million people Nothing to overlook or minimize. I can understand the bitterness from the Russian perspective, when they hear what seems to be the de facto western point of view, that "we" defeated Hitler and Nazi Germany.

That said, we helped, and likely accelerated the process considerably. It was a noble fight against a truly evil empire that had threatened the entire world. Nazism was barbaric. Hitler had a dark mass appeal in Germany, which helped him take over. The Nazis were incredibly militaristic, bringing war and aggression across the European continent. More than that, they brought brutality on an unprecedented scale across the European continent. The Holocaust was horrific. In the East, they simply took Jews captured in villages that the Nazis took over and shot them. Even more horrible than that was the brutally bureaucratic method of systematic extermination in the death camps that the Nazis built to kill off Jews and others they labeled as undesirable.

The Allied troops sacrificed so much - too many of them sacrificed everything - to fight the Germans and help end Nazi brutality in Europe. Whenever you learn about the D-Day invasions, the degree of bravery and sacrifice is astonishing. They helped to liberate the world from Nazi brutality, and deserve to be remembered and honored, which of course is the point of this particular blog entry on my end. 

So I figured that it would be worth sharing this link, with live commemorative events in Europe being broadcast.

Enjoy.

80th anniversary of D-day live updates: Commemorative events underway across Europe

Earthquake in Northern New Jersey

Well, this was unexpected!

I was lying in bed, trying to get back into my routine schedule (I work the overnights, and am returning to a regular work schedule tonight) when it happened. It felt a bit like when a huge truck passes you at highway speeds. Everything shook, and it sounded loud. At first, I assumed that someone in a nearby home had turned some very heavy machinery on. Maybe even the neighbors themselves.

So I got up out of bed. But the cats were lying on the couch, looking at me as I came out of the bedroom. Then I heard neighbors talking, asking, "What was that?"

A few minutes later, I got a text from my girlfriend at work (she works right here in town), confirming that it had indeed actually been an earthquake. 

I went back to bed initially, or tried. But I got up, because sleep was done. Sometimes, you can just tell. Checked social media, and saw that people were talking about it. Then I turned New Jersey News, and they had some in-depth analysis (of course). I had never known that New Jersey has a fault like, called the Ramapo Fault Line. Learn something new every day, right?

Obviously, fault line or not, New Jersey is not particularly known as an earthquake zone. In fact, the few times that we had confirmed earthquakes before, I somehow missed it. There was one decades ago that I apparently slept through, and another one in 2011, I believe, which I just don't remember feeling at all. 

This one, however, I definitely felt and heard. I have never before felt or experienced an earthquake. Clearly, this is not typical for our region here, or anywhere along the eastern seaboard, to my knowledge. So it seemed worth acknowledging and posting a blog entry on here. 

Magnitude 4.8 earthquake strikes northeastern United States Story by Dan Mangan • 55m:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/magnitude-47-earthquake-strikes-new-york-new-jersey-region/ar-BB1l8mS8?fbclid=IwAR2JVbVwj2E-ZnawbYEye0wQlHwAUnZCT10TSXB0WsFvp3n2Qc6ujV4zXUY_aem_ATkCVl3r-r0oC9pcScbrXVbWap5odhEHLpjw_gvVHhNzp57CVbIW6id-T7DGAMOlHohhSrjPyXKz3q4TbUbq1pZK

Massive Gas Explosion in Nairobi Kills 3 and Injures Hundreds

 

Earlier today, there was a massive explosion in Kenya. It occurred because a gas truck apparently blew up. The blast was enormous, killing 3 people and injuring 300, according to the latest reports.

The area has been cordoned off. The cause of the explosion is not yet known, although an investigation is underway.

Details are still forthcoming with this still unfolding event. 

Below is the link to the BBC article on this story:

Nairobi fire: Gas blast in Kenyan capital kills three and injures nearly 300 By Anne Soy, Dorcas Wangira & Ian Wafula in Nairobi BBC News, 2nd February 2024:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68176857

United States and Great Britain Launch Air Strikes Against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen

If you live in either Great Britain or the United States, you most likely woke up this morning to learn that your country just launched air strike attacks on Yemen, targeting Iran-backed Houthis in that country.

The war in Yemen has been going on for many years, and has been extremely devastating. I know that neighboring Saudi Arabia is heavily involved in the war there, and that Iran was also involved. Saudi Arabia, as I understand it, was nervous about Iran gaining too much influence in Yemen, and so they fought against the Houthis.

Up to this point, the United States was not directly involved. These air strikes were officially justified as retaliations for recent attacks in the Red Seas. 

Still, I think that given our recent history, and just how wrong we have too often been regarding military action in the Middle East - and remember that Joe Biden voted in favor of invading Iraq two decades ago - we need to examine these actions carefully.

Is this attack really justified? The time seems a little suspicious, this being an election year, and with President Joe Biden struggling in the polls. It feels suspiciously like it might just be a "Wag the Dog" kind of a situation, although I am not sure.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts that they would like to share on this matter? It would be welcome, so please feel free to share your opinion here, by all means.

Yemen: Why is the war there getting more violent? by BBC News, Published 14 April 2023  Share Related Topics Yemen crisis

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29319423

Bizarre International Fiasco As Taiwan Apologizes After Issuing Air Raid Alert Amid Fears of Seemingly Imminent Attack By China

 

Earlier today, Taiwan issues an air raid warning after a satellite over it's territory was described in English as a "missle." Taiwan's defense ministry then issued an urgent air raid warning. 

Later, once it was determined that this was an error, Taiwanese officials issued an apology. 

All of this comes as an upcoming election in Taiwan is heating up and just days away.

“It was a satellite, not a missile,” President Tsai Ing-wen said during a campaign stop in the southern city of Kaohsiung. “Don’t worry.”

Still, not everyone was convinced that this was not some sort of political gimmick specifically issued because of the upcoming election:

The leading opposition party — the National Party, Kuomintang, or K.M.T. — issued its own rapid-fire response.

“I think the Ministry of National Defense is trying to mislead the public by issuing such an alert,” said Eric Chu, the K.M.T.’s chairman. 

And then there was this:

Alexander Chieh-cheng Huang, an adviser to the opposition Nationalist Party who teaches at Tamkang University in Taiwan, swore when he saw the alert on his phone during an interview at a party-affiliated think tank.  

“It’s all part of the campaign,” he said.

Is it all just propaganda, designed to help one party win in the upcoming elections? In fact, there is a long history of China intervening indirectly in Taiwanese affairs, particularly during the election seasons. Is the threat of a Chinese invasion being used as some kind of a political football?

Well, China's position on politics within Taiwan does have an effect, and may have an impact on what actually occurs in the future between the two countries. According to an article by Huileng Tan of Business Insider:

Tensions between China and Taiwan could rise if presidential frontrunner William Lai Ching-te from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, win the presidential race. Beijing views Lai as a separatist.

Certainly, the prospects of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan has been regarded as a serious threat both inside and outside of Taiwan. Some people felt that Russia's invasion of Ukraine a couple of years ago might effectively give China the green light to go ahead with it's own invasion of Taiwan. So far, at least, that has not happened.

Yet it should be noted that such an invasion would seem to wreak havoc on the world economic situation. It might produce an economic crisis that would be even more severe than the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdown. 

Here, according to an article by Huileng Tan of Business Insider, are some of the major things that everyone should keep in mind, in terms of what kind of an impact an actual invasion of Taiwan by China might create:

 - A war over Taiwan could wipe out 6.7% from the US economy in its first year, according to a Bloomberg Economics analysis. 

- The US economy could take a 3.3% hit to its GDP growth if China blockades Taiwan. 

- Taiwan is a major semiconductor chip supplier to the world. The island heads to the polls on Saturday.

Still, the impact of such an invasion on the American economy would be relatively minor to that of other affected countries, particularly those in the Far East:

Overall, a war over Taiwan could hit the world's economy to the tune of $10 trillion — or about 10% of global GDP — Bloomberg forecasts.  

Taiwan could see 40% shaved off its GDP in the first year of a war while China's GDP could tank 16.7%, Bloomberg predicts.  

Other countries most affected by war over Taiwan include South Korea and Japan, which could see their growth contract by 23.3% and 13.5% respectively in the first year of the conflict, Bloomberg predicts. Southeast Asia's GDP as a region could tank by 20.1%.

An invasion like that could have enormous economic and political implications. Some people even might suggest that it could be the beginning of World War III, literally. 

Nor is it something that is simply overblown. China has never recognized Taiwan as it's own, independent entity. And as far as an invasion goes, while concerns about the immediacy of an impending invasion may sometimes be overblown - as the urgent air raid warning earlier today, and the accusations of this being a manipulative political ploy suggests - the reality that there likely will be an invasion at some point really are not overblown. Again, here is some perspective offered in that same article by Huileng Tan of Business Insider:

While it doesn't appear as if China is set to invade Taiwan any time soon, Beijing has been ramping up military drills over the last few years. On New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping said "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable.

Below are the links to the articles which I used in writing this particular blog entry, and from which I obtained all of the quotes and specific information in this blog entry:

A war over Taiwan would be even more damaging to the US economy than COVID was, Bloomberg forecasts Huileng Tan Jan 9, 2024, 4:

https://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-war-impact-us-economic-growth-first-year-china-chips-2024-1

A Missile, a Rocket or a Satellite? Chinese Flyover Sows Confusion in Taiwan. by Damien Cave Reporting from Taipei, Taiwan  Jan. 9, 2024,: 

A warning from Taiwan about a satellite, erroneously called a missile in English, raised concerns about Chinese harassment days before an election.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/world/asia/taiwan-alert-chinese-flyover.html

Another Mass Shooting - This Time in Maine

There was another mass shooting in the United States yesterday. This one occured last evening in Lewiston, Maine.

The shooter is evidently an instructor in firearms, with a military background, as well as a history of mental illness.

He went into a bowling alley, and opened fire. As of the latest reports, at least 20 people have been killed, with dozens more seriously injured. 

That means that this is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this years.

As of right now, the suspect - who's identity is known - is still at large. His car was found abandoned nearby. But he has yet to be found. Schools are closed in the area for today, and authorities are urging people to stay indoors and shelter in place. Businesses are urged to remain closed today. 

A Military Coup D'État Has Occurred in Niger

There was a military coup in Niger yesterday. 

Niger's democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by the presidential guards, who's duty it supposedly was to protect him and keep him safely in office. President Bazoum had been the first elected leader to succeed another elected leader in the country since it first gained it's independence back in 1960. It was the beginning of an actual democratic tradition.

But that is gone now. 

For now, the military forced behind the coup have installed General Abdourahmane Tchiani into power. He suspended the country's constitution.

Niger military coup: What you need to know by Robert Plummer BBC News, July 28, 2023:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66339528

Donald Trump Apparently Indicted By Federal Authorities in Classified Documents Case

Already having "earned" the distinction as the only former American president to have been indicted, King Con Don, aka Donald Trump, has apparently been indicted once again. 

This time, it feels a lot more serious. If he indeed has been indicted, this time it is by federal authorities. This means that Trump now has become the first former president to face federal charges, which is much more serious than what he faced legally in Manhattan earlier this year.

Trump has already indicated that he will surrender himself to authorities in Miami on Tuesday. 

There is still some measure of uncertainty about all of this. It is still breaking news, and the details are still forthcoming. Nevertheless, it is being reported on by major news outlets, including the New York Times, so there does appear to be something to this. Below are the links to the sources of this still developing story:

Trump Indicted Trump Is Charged in Classified Documents Inquiry by Alan Feuer, Maggie Haberman, William K. Rashbaum and Ben Protess, June 8, 2023:

Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to face federal charges.

The seven counts against the former president include conspiracy to obstruct, willful retention of documents and false statements, according to people familiar with the indictment. He said he would surrender to the authorities on Tuesday.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/08/us/trump-indictment-documents

Donald Trump indicted in classified documents probe, sources say by Paula Reid Kristen Holmes Jeremy Herb Evan Perez By Paula Reid, Kristen Holmes, Jeremy Herb and Evan Perez, CNN Updated 9:15 PM EDT, Thu June 8, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/08/politics/trump-indictment-truth-social-classified-documents/index.html

Man Arrested as Suspect in Case of American Intelligence Leaks

FBI arrests man for US intelligence leaks

Just saw this, and heard about it minutes ago.

It is a breaking story about some leak of classified documents from the United States military, although it does not go into what material specifically was leaked. Also, it is suggested by British officials that this information is unreliable.

My guess is that we will hear more about this still breaking story. 

Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake in Turkey & Syria

There was a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Turkey and Syria earlier today. Not surprisingly, an earthquake of such magnitude can and did do a lot of damage. 

This happened not long ago, and it is a breaking story as I write this, and am about to publish it. The number of casualties remains unknown, although I have seen estimates of between 300 to 600 people who were killed.

Let us reflect at such a moment, and send our best thoughts and sentiments to the victims of such a horrible tragedy as this.

Magnitude 7.8 quake kills over 600 people in Turkey and Syria  Rebecca Falconer Rebecca Falconer  Axios, February 6, 2023:

https://www.axios.com/2023/02/06/magnitude-78-quake-hits-turkey-near-syria-border

Tom Brady Announces His Retirement From NFL....Yes, Again

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Beall's Flick page - Tom Brady: https://www.flickr.com/photos/denverjeffrey/6566852021/in/photolist-b1hQjz-6TGQLf-6TCNjt-6TCQrP-ihYLBr-6TGXaY-91St2X-6TDcjM-6TD38p-quibTs-6THKxb-hGKoPh-gQnQcg-96MbC5-8B3HqL-rgz3YD-qz5ZLN-hGKoHf-qvEoAs-7owYgn-fMLkYm-6TCSWz-nV7bPa-hGJxK6-7oARWy-5xv7E5-qLF6bB-biYQPX-6TCSbe-gNTTwc-gNTYva-gNSie6-6TCHwa-6TCyUV-bh4Lxt-6TDfuD-6THpgu-6TCDMV-6TGXxA-6TD1CM-6TCUtk-gnh4wB-6TD6SD-aEwQeH-6TCK44-6TGXnQ-6THdRE-6THzA5-ihZDW8-6THiE5

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Well, it has happened....Again.

Yes, Tom Brady, who almost all pundits and experts believe has earned the right to be considered the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) has called it a career by announcing his retirement from the NFL. It happens to be almost exactly one year to the day since the last time that Brady made headlines by announcing his retirement. Obviously, he came out of retirement for one more shot (at least). I still hesitate to imagine that this is, indeed, his final curtain call. A part of me still half expects him to turn around and sign on to play yet another year next season. 

This time, at least, it feels like it might indeed be real. The way that Brady worded it in this particular announcement feels more final than it has in the past:

"I'll get to the point: I'm retiring for good," Brady said in a post. "Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn't change a thing." 

My own feelings on the matter are a bit paradoxical. It is strange, in some ways, because a lot of people cannot stand him, finding him arrogant, or a prima donna, or whatever. I always found those kinds of things and the loathing that people feel for him to be a bit exaggerated. Yet, he did strike me at times as being a bit pompous and full of himself, although ironically, there are other times when he seemed actually quite humble, all things considered. 

For a little while, when it seemed that one of Tom Brady's teams was preparing for a Super Bowl almost ever single year - remember that he has been the starting quarterback for five of the last seven Super Bowls, and won four of those - I kept posting blog entries exploring the age old question as to whether he or Joe Montana should rightly be considered the GOAT. It became obvious to me after a while - probably around the time that Brady orchestrated that amazing comeback against the Falcons in the Super Bowl to win it - that there really was not much of an actual debate anymore. It actually kind of hurt a little to admit it, because even though I am not a Tom Brady hater by any stretch, I will readily admit to liking Montana a lot more than Brady. This might seem a bit strange, since I cannot stand the 49ers. Yet, I always liked Montana, as well as Jerry Rice, who I still think is easily, hands down, the GOAT in terms of wide receivers. Also, Bill Walsh, who seemed almost sagely, at least by football standards. On the other hand, I never disliked any of Brady's team. I had pulled for the New England Patriots when younger, and when their results were almost pathetic at times. Ditto with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And also, admittedly, a part of why I was almost happy for Brady is that he is the last major athlete to enjoy this success while being more or less my age (he is less than three years younger than me). 

Yet, the numbers do not lie. I may prefer Montana, and he was undeniably great, but the numbers simply spoke for themselves. Montana won four Super Bowls, and he was simply perfect in them. Dazzling. No interceptions. Never lost one. He was named Super Bowl MVP three times, and he won some memorable games in very dramatic fashion. Indeed, I think that he was the GOAT.

But that was then, and this is now. Tom Brady is the GOAT. Montana was the starting quarterback for seven conference championship games during his career with two teams, winning four of them. Brady was the starting quarterback for a staggering 13 conference championship games, winning 10 of them, doubling his next closest competitor, John Elway (who reached the Super Bowl five times, and won twice). Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP three times in his four wins. Brady was named the Super Bowl MVP five times in his seven wins. Brady enjoyed unparalleled success in his stint with two teams, and holds just about every major quarterback record in the books. He started 316 of 318 games, although it should be noted here that he missed some games, including four because he was banned, and almost the entire 2008 season because of a serious leg injury. Brady holds the record for the most regular season and postseason wins by any quarterback, and it is not even close. He won three NFL MVP awards, which is tied for second with Brett Favre (Peyton Manning holds the record with five). Brady holds the record for most Pro Bowl selections, most pass attempts, most completions, most passing yards, and most touchdowns. Given all of what this paragraph alone just mentions, the debate about who is the GOAT has been over for some time now. In truth, it was over a long time ago. Again, for me, I stopped engaging in the debate once Brady led his team from 28-3 down in the second half of Super Bowl LI and orchestrated one of the greatest comebacks ever seen in any game, Super Bowl or not. 

So today, I honor Tom Brady. Whether or not people find him likeable, he was a constant presence in the NFL for over two decades now. I remember his first season as a starter, back in 2001. I actually attended two of his games for the Patriots, one of which turned out to be a Super Bowl preview in New England against the Rams. The other was the Jets game at the Meadowlands. He secured his starting position as the year went on, even though the Patriots had their star quarterback already in Drew Bledsoe. Brady proved to be so good, that he essentially just took it from Bledsoe. 

All of that was quite a while ago. He made it big then, and was known to the football world. Once he earned another Super Bowl ring with Belichick and the Pats, he became quite well known in the sports world, one of the biggest stars. A year later, when he won his third, he began to warrant consideration as one of the all-time greats. That was only in his fourth year as an NFL starting quarterback, and he was still pretty young. Since then, he became so huge, that you do not even have to be a sports fan to know who he is. His reputation precedes him, and he is a household name.

That both comes with the territory and is a result of being the GOAT, which Tom Brady undeniably is. It is hard to imagine anyone ever matching what he did, or even coming close, let alone surpassing him. Then again, the same could have been said before, and along came Tom Brady. So time will tell.

Just how good has Brady been? Well, here is a snippet from this same article:

From a big-picture view, Brady's accolades are not comparable. His seven Super Bowls are the most all-time, as are his five Super Bowl MVP awards. Brady has thrown more completions, passing yards, and touchdowns than any other quarterback that has come before, and he is also the winningest player in NFL history. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

Yeah, it really is. Brady led the Patriots when they enjoyed a streak of 19 straight winning seasons, just one shy of the all-time record of 20 straight winning seasons by the Dallas Cowboys. There was also a record of 17 straight seasons when the Patriots won at least 10 games, which eclipsed the previous record of 16 straight seasons by the San Francisco 49ers. Then, Brady added two more such seasons with the Buccaneers, during which time he won yet another Super Bowl. At the time when he won his first ever title, he was the youngest quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl and, when he won that last one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he became the oldest quarterback to win one. He was the starting quarterback for a record 10 Super Bowls, double the next closest competitor. He also was the starting quarterback for an astonishing 14 Championship Games (13 of them with the New England Patriots), including a record eight straight AFC Championship Game appearances by the Patriots from 2011 - 2018. He played in more playoff games (48) than any other quarterback in history, and won more than any other quarterback as well, with 35 wins, which is more than more franchises have earned in their entire history. 

Astonishing numbers, truly. Again, it seems doubtful that anyone will replicate them, or even come near them. Brady feels like a once in a lifetime, perhaps once in a century, kind of a player. Not impossible. Just...unlikely. Highly unlikely.

Tom Brady announces retirement: Patriots, Buccaneers legend walks away after 23 seasons in the NFL by Tyler Sullivan, February 1, 2023:

Brady exits the NFL as the most decorated player in league history         

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tom-brady-announces-retirement-patriots-buccaneers-legend-walks-away-after-23-seasons-in-the-nfl/

Trump Org. Found Guilty on All 17 Counts For Tax Fraud & Falsifying Business Records

The Trump organization has been found guilty on all 17 charges of fraud.

Finally, there are some legal ramifications for this absolute scam artist. He may very well be the most successful con artist I know of, and possibly the most successful one ever. However, there needs to be a point when the ludicrous extent of what he gets away with comes to an end.

Sometimes, it feels like he could just keep on getting away with it, forever and ever. 

Other times, it looks like the world around him is finally crumbling, and that all of the protections that he always counted on before are falling away, one by one.

Right now, there appears to be serious resistance - Finally! - within the Republican party to Trumpism generally, and to Trump specifically. Maybe, just maybe, Republicans will not shoot themselves in the foot by making him their nominee for the presidency in 2024.

This bodes well, because this is clearly a refutation of Trump's scams. Everything that this man touches and becomes involved with becomes a scam, including the presidency itself during his years occupying the White House. 

Let us hope that this is, indeed, the beginning of the end. This is the first of many official exposures of the extent to which this man is nothing more - and quite possibly a lot less - than the little man behind the curtains, trying to portray a great and powerful wizard. In fact, there is no more pathetic a man in the public eye than this terrible human being.

Here is how Sarah K. Burris worded it in her article on Rawstory.com (see link below): 

The prosecutors described it as a "culture of tax fraud and business record manipulation that stretched some 15 years," and on Tuesday, a New York jury found the Trump Organization guilty on 17 counts of fraud.

Trump Org. guilty on all 17 counts of tax fraud and falsifying business records Sarah K. Burris December 06, 2022  

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-organization-guilty-tax-fraud/?fbclid=IwAR1kTuNL9ThsJQuZhbJwustpa5SNpmLyisUMa1MYDzH3Gwb3Y_ojOhfGh3E

Tragic Stabbing Attacks in Saskatchewan

Very sad news tonight coming out of Saskatchewan.

There has been a mass stabbing in the province, in various locations scattered in the province. The suspects are at large, although there are leads, and hopes of finding the suspects before they can do any more damage. 

It is reported that 10 people have been killed, and 15 injured and hospitalized from this incident, which is still an ongoing news story as I am writing this. 

Saskatchewan RCMP say 10 dead, 15 hospitalized after stabbings, suspects still at large published byCBC News · Posted: Sep 04, 2022:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan-rcmp-dangerous-persons-alert-stabbings-1.6572464

🏆 World Number #1's Win at Wimbledon: Djokovic Wins Again & Ties Men's Grand Slam Record, While Ash Barty Wins Wimbledon For First Time 🏆

 

Photo courtesy of Marianne Bevis's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannebevis/5972100998/in/photolist-a6JzyA-csctLm-cscsEm-csctrw-csct17-f4CWUn-nWz24z-a6Jzhy-a6JzGq-a6JyPu-a6FHJc-9ZEUDd-ohz8qG-ox2Nmj-bPFs5a-5uzT4n-a6FHgX-f52W2j-2KSf8f-f4MHoM-cJrFYL-cJrGqo-f4MDDe-a3t6Ga-cscu3h-f4MESB-f4MJya-bALMj9-a3vX3q-bALMws-a3t6Sv-bPFshK-cJrFKY-nnjmG7-a3t6yv-cJrGd9-vUQeNJ-f4MCVT-cJrFxj-a3vXjs-np5my3-nnjiL7-npmV3n-npmS96-nr8qnZ-bPFr3t-bPFqaF-bPFsDg-f52X2j-bALPWo

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

Here were a couple of pictures from the sports section of the newspapers that I got on Monday, the day after France won the World Cup in 2018.

Ashleigh Barty is on top of the world. When younger she had always dreamed of playing for it all at the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world: Wimbledon.  

On Saturday, her dreams came true. She not only qualified for the Wimbledon Final, but she won the match, to boot. She had won the French Open in 2019, and had ascended to reach the world number one ranking entering Wimbledon. Now, she won her second career Grand Slam title, and fulfilled a lifelong dream in the process.   

In the final, the Australian defeated Czech Karolína Plíšková in a tough, grueling match, ultimately outlasting her 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3. 

Barty already held the number one ranking as she entered this tournament. Clearly, she gained some leverage over everyone else in the women's field with this achievement, and added to her already impressive list of accomplishments in the sport. 

On the men's side, Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has now officially done it. He won his sixth ever Wimbledon title, beating Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In so doing, Djokovic has now matched the record 20 Grand Slam titles on the men's side held currently by both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. 

The year end world's number one ranking is still up for grabs, although Djokovic's Wimbledon triumph seems to give him a clear edge to keeping the number one ranking that he has held now since March 8th of this year. But Djokovic expanded his lead on current world number 2, Daniil Medvedev. It should be noted that Djokovic has the record for the most weeks overall held as the men's number one ranked player, with currently 328 weeks overall in his career ranked at the very top of the sport. Djokovic also has held the year end number one six times, and he is attempting to tie the record of seven times with the number one ranking at the end of the year currently held by Ivan Lendl. Also, Djokovic has won all three Men's Grand Slams so far this year, and it feels like he has a real chance at achieving the calendar Grand Slam, as well as tying Lendl's record. 

Frankly, at the level of tennis that Djokovic is playing at currently, I would not bet against him to achieve both of those feats. 

⚽️ Les Bleus Disappoint in a Draw Against Hungary ⚽️

  

Earlier today, l'équipe de France played their second match of the Euro 2021. They had defeated traditional European powerhouse Germany in the first match, and were looking to effectively clinch a second round berth with a win against Hungary, the team that most feel are the weakest in the so called "Group of Death" that France belongs to, along with Germany and the defending Euro champions, Portugal, who defeated France in the Euro 2016 Final to take that title. 

Les Bleus fell behind against Hungary after Attila Fiola scored two minutes into extra time in the first half, giving the underdogs the lead. 

However,  France did eventually answer with a Antoine Griezmann in the 68th minute, tying the game up. 

After that, France was pressing, and had some decent scoring chances. However, they were unable to convert.

Other than that one slip in the first half, France's defense was very solid throughout the match, and prevented Hungary from adding to France's the early deficit. 

Still, this is largely going to be regarded as a setback for Les Bleus. Next,  they will play finish first round action against Portugal on June 23rd. They will clinch an appearance in the second round with a win or a tie, and can win the group outright should they win. However, a loss could still eliminate them from advancing.

We shall see what happens. 

Allez les Bleus!