This Is The End, Beautiful Friend, This Is the End, My Only Friend, The End

This is the end of 2025, but is it the end of ... democracy ... civility ... peaceful coexistence ... the Kansas City Chiefs ... EV's ... the Schloss-Blog?

It's apparently the end of anything relevant out of the Epstein Files, as the Trump administration's Department of Justice defies court orders to release them in their entirety and by a lawfully set deadline. Plus, they redact the same way Trump uses a Sharpie to extend the path of hurricanes.

If only the files were released with the same transparency that Trump used to paste his name on the Kennedy Center, which is a memorial to the late president. Is Trump being an asshole or is he telling us that he is dying, as his appearance and behavior would suggest? Yes, and yes, perhaps? His approval ratings, across the board, say that he is dying. On the economy, the environment, healthcare, AFFORDABILITY, he is failing miserably, despite the success he shouts about.

Does Trump not understand though that the Kennedy Center, established by Congress, is a MEMORIAL, which means, in honor of someone who died and was a hero to and supporter of the arts, all the arts?

***

Democracy too, appears to be dying.

Immigrants snatched off the streets, out of their homes, their beds, out of their workplaces. with no hesitation by ICE, which remains armed, masked, abusive and now has a deputy being charged with sexual assault and robbery. 

Only about one-third or fewer of all those detained and deported had any criminal record whatsoever.  By contrast, two-thirds of those detained by the Biden administration did have criminal records. 

Trump is just detaining anyone who isn't ... white.

***

People are being slaughtered, on Hanukkah, no less. 

Two at prestigious Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The Reiners in Los Angeles. Fifteen at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia.

That's 19 in all at three different locations on the first night of Hanukkah.

I'm Jewish. I'm nervous. I'm hearing nothing about relief from or protection from such attacks coming out of Congress.

Never have. Likely never will. Congress has no interest in protecting those attacked in mass shootings. 

And never will.

***

Hey football fans, the Kansas City Chiefs are dead.

For this year, at least. Mahomes hurt. The team eliminated from playoff consideration for the first time since 2014.

If you watched any of their games, the Chiefs always seemed out of "synch" and unable to come up with the big play when they needed it, which was always their specialty with Mahomes in there. 

Not this year. Is Andy Reid signaling retirement? Is this how he'd want to go out? 

The playoffs, on TV (streaming?), on the Mahomes and the Chiefs Channel?

Get used to it.

2026, the year of Jaxson Dart.

Yeah, right.

***

So, you say you want an EV?

Volkswagen is shuttering a plant in Germany due to decreased EV demand and Trump tariffs.

Ford has announced a pretty strict cutback from EV production.

So, when United States street corners are full of electric recharging stations instead of gas stations, I'll buy an EV too.

But for now, Trump says, drill baby, drill, and to hell with the environment and the interior beauty of the United States.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Olivia Guenther, on your terrific Christmas recital.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Are You An Erika Kirk Fan? CBS Is.

The Schloss-Blog, like you, has detected that CBS (the new Fox News) has become a fan of Erika Kirk, the widow of slain Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk.

The Tiffany Network has decided that doing a softball question-packed town hall with Mrs. Kirk was a great way to express loyalty to President Trump.  

Charlie, of course, comes off looking like the American Idol that Turning Point portrays him to be, despite his racist leanings.

Bari Weiss, the CBS News chief after a merger between her Free Press and CBS, hosted the event.. Now she's calling the shots at the once-proud news organization, where Walter Cronkite announced to America that John F. Kennedy was dead on Nov. 22, 1963.

Mrs. Kirk, for her part, got to talk about her grief over her husband's death (which never should've happened, by the way), her feelings about political violence, her faith and the moment that she issued forgiveness to the man who allegedly shot and killed her husband.

No one here is pardoning or condoning that shooting, but Kirk, Charlie, that is, for his part, is famous for saying things like these, from a Sept. 11 article in The Guardian: 

If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified

Happening all the time in urban America, prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people, that’s a fact. It’s happening more and more

If I’m dealing with somebody in customer service who’s a moronic Black woman, I wonder is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affirmative action?

To Taylor Swift: "Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge."

I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.

And finally:

Islam is the sword the left is using to slit the throat of America

There is no separation of church and state. It’s a fabrication, it’s a fiction, it’s not in the constitution. It’s made up by secular humanists.

Is he a prince, or what? I believe in free speech, his right to say all that, but racist he was.

Thanks, Bari Weiss, CBS, Erika, for reminding us. No, wait...

***

Hey, fitness buff. Yeah. you.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy wants you flying in a suit but working up a sweat first in your local airport gym before boarding.

No, really.

He wants America to get back to flying appropriately, like in the golden age of flying (huh?), when Americans flew in suits. And he wants full gyms installed in most major airports (what about the minor ones?).

Me, I'm going to try to working out at my local gym in a suit and if it works out, I'll use the one at the airport too.

No, wait...

***

The College Football Playoff starts next weekend and Notre Dame is out.

If they'd beaten Miami, they'd have been in.

If they'd been a full-fledged member of the ACC instead of a pseudo member, they'd have likely won the damn conference and automatically qualified. 

Just like Duke.

No, wait...

***

Are you Cloud Dancer?

***

Donald Trump is grabbing oil tankers in the Caribbean.

Next thing you know, the Pillow Man, Trump-lover Mike "Feathers" Lindell, will be running for governor of Minnesota.

No, wait.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, RFP.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Oh, and Happy Hanukkah.

Kiffin, Sleeping, Bradley and Kalshi

We at the Schloss-Blog think we've found a common thread between Lane Kiffin, LSU's new football coach, Donald Trump dozing off at Cabinet meetings, Admiral Mitchell Bradley saying there was no "kill 'em all" order and the Kalshi politically predictive - OK, gaming - website latching onto an agreement with - CNBC(?).

As usual, we have our panel of experts to discuss, as they say on MSNBC - uh, we mean, MSNOW as it's known NOW - and you've never heard of any of these people.

***

Lane Kiffin is now the head football coach at LSU, leaving the University of Mississippi to assume those duties. Mississippi is 11-1 as this is being written. Eleven wins, one loss.

What pro coaches leave after going, oh, 16-1? 

None.

He is getting an insane amount of money to jump ship from Mississippi (you won't see me call it "Ole Miss" because of its racist origins, stemming from the term slaves would use to describe a plantation owner's wife and the school's deep roots in its segregated past).

Kiffin says he tried to work it out to coach the team through the College Football Playoff, in which they'll be a middling seed among the 12 participants, but do you want to play for a coach you know is abandoning you?

Yeah, me neither.

Kiffin will be expected to win a national championship at LSU, as three of its previous four coaches have done, except the one, Brian Kelly, who Kiffin is replacing. 

Good luck, Lane, because 11-1 isn't gonna' cut it at LSU without a national championship within the next four years, which was how long it took those other three guys.

***

Kiffin's "cousin," Donald Trump, who jumps anything for money, likes to dream about it.

At Cabinet meetings. Seems our president has a habit of falling asleep at these meetings as well as on other public occasions.

Trump is one of the most unpopular presidents in our history, with approval ratings for everything from foreign affairs to immigration and especially to the economy and the affordability of life in general.

Overall, he's at a 36% approval rating for EVERYTHING. 

That pretty much sucks.

So does he. So is Lane Kiffin still popular at Mississippi now that he abandoned them for LSU?

Probably about 36%

By the way, Republicans who condemned Joe Biden for apparently dozing off on similar occasions are quick to rush to defend Trump for doing the same thing.

Hmm...

***

Admiral "Mitch" Bradley, who oversees operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific, is saying there was no "Kill Them All" order regarding the Venezuelan boat blown out of the water, and survivors attacked and killed on a second run.

Clearly, he's lying, because they're all dead. They were defenseless. Signaling for help. No clear evidence they were armed nor carrying drugs. 

The same way that Trump is killing Americans by denying them food (SNAP funding) and healthcare (ACA subsidies), he's now killing folks in the Caribbean.

On purpose.

It's up to about 87 dead and 20 boats sunk, again, no evidence they were carrying drugs, nor weapons.

The only ones armed were the Americans who killed them. Clearly, they were ordered to do so, although the Admiral and the Secretary say there was no such order given and the president says he wouldn't have given such an order until he woke up.

Yeah, right.

Reached for comment, the White House said the president was dozing off in a meeting. The Pentagon said it wouldn't answer questions from unauthorized media outlets that didn't get permission to ask questions, let alone use the information solicited from them.

Bradley, by the way, has had a distinguished military career. Now, we'll bet, he's looking at "early retirement."

***

Kalshi is the prediction market best known for directing political direction and establishing odds therefor.

However, it looks like you can get odds on business futures now that Kalshi and CNBC (no, not CNOW), have inked a three-year deal. 

Not only does that expand Kalshi's footprint into the digital media world, it makes CNBC your predictive markets home.

For the World Series and Super Bowl too.

Prop bet on the market? Kalshi and CNBC.

Will the publicly held Green Bay Packers go on the NYSE? Kalshi and CNBC.

How long will Trump's nap last? Will he sleep through the Fed's next interest rate-drop announcement? Kalshi and CNBC? Quite the prop bet, huh?

Who will give the next "Kill them all" order and will it impact the markets? Kalshi and CNBC.

Will Jimmy Kimmel last? Kalshi and ABC, un - CNBC.

***

Stephen A Smith has gone off the farm, saying that Mark Kelly is disrespecting the military by saying that illegal, unlawful orders do not have to be followed.

Kelly's right and I no longer view any programming on ESPN that features Stephen A. Smith.

And never will, from now on.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you one more time, Emily Capdevielle.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

 

Hamas, Canada, Israel and Venezuela.

The Schloss-Blog has noticed that Hamas, Canada, Israel and Venezuela have a lot in common. Mostly that they have problems dealing with the United States or agreeing to the United States' terms in trade, war and/or tourism.

And it's hurting Americans. And America.

***

Israel keeps bombing Gaza. And other areas in the Middle East. The fragile ceasefire in the area, principally between Israel and Hamas, is not exactly what you would call, "holding." Israel appears to have no interest in ending the war (which might subsequently be seeing Netanyahu being prosecuted), ceasefire notwithstanding.

Trump's Nobel Prize campaign will die in a bomb crater in Gaza.

And maybe in Ukraine. His peace proposal for Russia and Ukraine looks more like a Russian wish list than a peace plan. Russia would get to keep the ground gains it has won these last three-plus years, much to the disdain of the Ukrainians.

Nobel Peace Prize? More like Nobel-Ruski. 

***

Meanwhile, our Canadian friends aren't flying south in their usual numbers this season, so far.

Airlines are reporting fewer and fewer bookings between Canadian hubs and U.S. vacation centers across the Sun Belt.

During the first six months along of 2025, Canadian travel to the United States is off by 20% from a year ago.

Even Canadians coming to the U.S. by car is way off, witness "...The number of Canadians returning from travel to the U.S. via automobile declined sharply from January to August 2025, down almost 33% from the same period in 2024, according to Statistics Canada."

Fun times, huh?

On a personal note, Canadians I ran into regularly at a golf course in Phoenix, every Sunday when I played there with my friends, told us repeatedly that they were not thinking of coming back to Arizona because of Trump's ever-increasing tariffs on Canada and his ongoing poor attitude toward our neighbor to the north, terming Canada the "51st state."

Canadians are trending toward staying away because of "...The trade war, Trump's rhetoric and the weak Canadian dollar [that has] made Canadians feel "unwelcome" in the U.S.," according to a statement from Canada to USA, which offers "cross-border services" to Canadians traveling to the U.S.

Delightful ... eh?

***

Hey, get this. Venezuela, and its leaders, are members of a foreign terrorist organization.

Kid you not.

Those drug-trafficking South Americans, they should know better than to sneak fentanyl onto fishing boats, tourist boats and/or pleasure cruisers. The U.S. will blow them out of the water.

And when that is not enough, we'll just flat out invade your puny little country ... so little that it produces a lot of oil while most of the fentanyl comes from ... oh yeah, Mexico.

But we're not bombing Mexican boats out of the Caribbean, are we? Nor are we invading Mexico, our No. 1 trading partner. Period! So far, 22 Venezuelan-port boats have been hit in 11 different attacks, with no proof of drugs or smugglers aboard, and 80 people killed.

Eighty! No proof. Sort of what ICE does when it detains and deports anyone who it profiles as not looking American. No proof.

Trump, however,, plain and simple, wants authoritarian Nicolas Maduro out so he can get a more American-friendly leader in.  And Trump continues to say it's all in the name of cutting off the drug trade, or else we'll do something land-based in Venezuela.

Just what we need - a South American version of Vietnam, with American boots on the ground in Venezuela. I'm sure Brazil, Argentina, Chile, et. al., are celebrating the possibility of American troops in nearby Venezuela. 

What's next - a raid on the Central American, drug-running leaders in Panama? No, wait...

***

Have a nice Thanksgiving? We spent ours at 33,000 feet. Illinois, cold weather, snow, slick roads, we are back.

Jordan, Erin, you're worth it.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, hostess of hostesses, Emily Capdevielle. 

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.   

 

Lies, Lies, Lies ... and More Lies

Like you, the Schloss-Blog has noticed that the next time Donald Trump tells the truth will be the first time.

Suddenly, he likes Zohran Mamdani, New York City's Mayor-elect. He used to refer to him as a "100% Communist lunatic" and a "nut job."

Meanwhile, prices are going up, up, up. But Trump says they're going down, down, down. It's not even close, and if you've been to a gas station, a grocery store, you know.

You've likely traded down from dining out to quick-service take out; you've likely traded down to getting the car serviced at 5-Minute Oil Change instead of back at the dealership where you bought it.

Abigail Spansberger's gubernatorial win in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill's in New Jersey were driven by constantly reminding voters that prices are going up, up, up and they would fight for affordability.

Trump says he's got inflation under control. Say he's got prices under control.

The only thing he's got under control is the death of Venezuelan fisherman in the Caribbean who are supposedly carrying drugs, although there's never been any proof of that.

What Trump is really trying to do there is start a war with Venezuela, to oust its leader, instead of fighting a war with prices and inflation in the United States.

And he's losing.

Badly.

Hey Donald, "Quiet, piggy."

***

Buying an AI-powered toy for the kids, or the grandkids, this Christmas? Might want to rethink that.

"...a new report by a consumer advocacy group is raising concerns after they found that some toys shared instructions on how to light a match or find a knife, or offered sexually explicit content."

In other words, you could possibly be showing your kids how to burn the house down or how to seriously harm someone.

Or how and where to find porn, perhaps.

Comforting, huh?

Where's the Consumer Products Safety Commission when you need it? 

Well, it's having its budget cut by about 10% to $135 million and having its staff cut by 100, let alone being reassigned into the Department of Health and Human Services, which means under the jurisdiction of one Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Which means disaster.

***

Trump lost another battle last week, when, with the House and Senate passing the bills, he signed off on releasing the Epstein Files.

Yeah, he signed off on it. Even though he's all over it.

But when will they be released? Will they be released?

Pam Bondi has opened another investigation, which could delay the release, or forestall it altogether.

And, who knows, there could be as many Democrats' names in the files as Republicans'.

And Trump's. And Trump's. And Trump's. And Trump's.

***

Musical note: saw Bryan Adams in concert last week, at Phoenix's Mortgage Matchup Arena (see my Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages for videos from the show). 

He does a show of shows. Non-stop energy. Tons of hit songs. A graphics bonanza displayed on the big screen behind him and the band. Audience knows the words to every song.

And he encourages singalong.

His "Roll With The Punches" Tour is a smash hit.

Opening act Pat Benatar, with husband Neil Giraldo on lead guitar, was sensational - does she ever still have her voice, at age 72.

Spectacular, and well worth the price of admission to the sold-out show.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Catherine Lucey.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Oh, and Donald, "Quiet, piggy."

Trump Was Willing To Let You Die

The Schloss-Blog notes that during the shutdown, or even without the shutdown, Trump was willing to:

**...leave Americans vulnerable to death by starvation;

**,,,leave Americans vulnerable to death by illness;

**...leave Americans unable to afford healthcare or insurance therefor. In other words, he was willing to kill your fellow Americans. KILL them.

And Democrats who CAVED (oh yes they did) accomplished nothing with the SHUTDOWN. Nothing!

America would've revolted against Republicans when - not if - ultra-food shortages and plague-like illnesses set in (measles are already back). Or people went bankrupt or nearly so to afford healthcare and insurance for it.

Now, after CAVING, Democrats accomplished nothing and we, Americans, are right back where we were when the SHUTDOWN started.

If Democrats don't campaign on Trump's willingness to let Americans starve and not afford insurance, in addition to affordability of life in general, and do it day after day after day, they are idiots.

But CAVING already proved that.

***

The Schloss-Blog is seeing where news sources are reporting that when Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman visits the White House this week, Trump will press him to finally sign the Abraham Accords, which call for unity and peace between Israel and the Muslim nations around it, particularly Saudi Arabia using its enormous influence in the region to ensure this.

We all know what happened the last time the Saudis were close to signing the document ... in case you forgot, Hamas did not want to see it happen.

And it didn't.

***

Anyone catch all the ridiculous endings in college football this weekend? A&M's amazing comeback, first time in HISTORY anyone from the SEC came back from a 27-point halftime deficit (it took 287 tries).

Mississippi (I refuse to call 'em Ole Miss), Michigan and USC were among the big-time teams scoring major comeback wins. 

Texas didn't. Ohio State, as usual, didn't need to.

The 12-team playoff is going to have a whole different look this year, with many teams not getting in the field again.

***

How much is your house worth, especially to a company that writes you home insurance policy? And how is that determined?

Well, in good part, by balloon-carried cameras that supply images to assessors. They're AI-powered, go as high as 40,000 feet and send forth the images these companies need.

Paging Florida.

***

If you wanna' see some good ole rock 'n' roll, catch Bryan Adams on whatever is left on his current "Roll With The Punches" Tour.

Creative. Legendary. Hit after hit. Even covered "Twist & Shout." Incredible band behind him. 

Special effects resound, including singing along with a music video recorded so early in his career that a lot of people in the Phoenix audience definitely didn't recall it. Or barely recognize him the video.

Adams brought us all back to the "Summer of '69." Well worth it. Check it out. (https://www.facebook.com/reel/1814755872500092)

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Jocelyn. Three great weekends in a row.

Oh yeah, the shutdown is over, so maybe - just maybe - our upcoming flights will not be impacted.

Sh_t, of course they will be.

Democrats, Get Loud, And Nasty, Please

The Schloss-Blog has been working on its laundry list: in other words, sh_t that Democrats should be shouting about from the rooftops, especially in the wake of last week's so successful off-year election results. For instance:

 **Life is too expensive (well, it worked for Spanberger and Sherrill, so make it work for all of you - now, everyday, until next November);

**Everything costs more, even utilities. According to a J.D. Power report, monthly utility bills now eat up 6.3% of household budgets, up from 4.5 in 2020. And according to Texas-based Payless Power, two-fifths of low-income households have had overdue electric bills in the past year. One in three have faced utility turn-off notices. They say some people now fall so far behind on rent or utilities that they skip medications rather than have their power turned off.

**Specifically, since 2020, electricity has risen on average to $184 a month, gas is $99 a month and water is up around $99 a month.

**And it's going to get worse: Southern California Edison has requested a 19% rate increase for 2025 to 2028 and New York's Consolidated Edison has asked for a 13% increase over that same period.

**Comforting, huh? Meds; or electricity and water.

***

Good financial news though for people with good finances: The National Council on Aging says that people who earn $120,000 a year will likely live nine years longer than people who earn less than $20,000 a year.

I guess that gives me about six years more, on average,.

***

AI is coming, a little more at a time: Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OpenAI have signed a seven-year, $38bn cloud computing agreement that allows OpenAI to run core generative AI workloads on AWS infrastructure, according to Yahoo Finance.

Should fit perfectly with amazon's plans to cut ... how many thousands of jobs and replace them with AI?

Thirty-thousand, that is.

I'd like to see AI operate a forklift, deliver a package.

No, wait...

***

My dear friend Judy Shoen, a colleague from my days at Restaurants & Institutions magazine, used to love to tell the story of how, sitting in a Starbucks in Phoenix one day, she noticed a gentleman sitting across the patio from her, sipping his beverage, reading his newspaper.

He looked familiar.

So she approached him and asked, "Didn't we once go on a match.com date?"

"No," he replied, "but I used to be your vice-president."

Yes, it was Dick Cheney.

***

Meanwhile, back on Earth 1, Donald Trump is killing America. He is killing Americans, denying them food and medical care, at least affordable medical care and insurance therefor.

He even went back to court to ensure that more than 40 million people don't get their SNAP (food stamps, that is) benefits. And the Affordable Care Act is under attack, coverage costs skyrocketing.

And transportation? Select airports (all of them, actually), will see the number of flights available decrease by as much as 20%, for starters. 

Have fun traveling for the holidays.

All of this because he and his fellow lemming Republicans in Congress won't negotiate a conclusion to the shutdown, which would reinstate insurance and healthcare benefits and, very importantly, pay government employees and people like air traffic controllers, who guarantee our safety in the skies.

National parks are operating with volunteers with little to no services available.

Fun, huh?

Happy Thanksgiving.

***

Happy anniversary to my darling Jocelyn. She restarted her life to come to Chicago so we could be together.

Exactly 35 years later, we still are. Love you, sweetheart.

***

I'm off tonight on Radio Free Phoenix, with the Bohemian NightCat, John Kirk DeRitis, sitting in, as Joe Catanzaro did last week. Thanks, you guys.

I'm back on Radio Free Phoenix next Sunday, with my usual sigma and riz.

Instead of Venezuela, Invade Mexico; That's Where The Fentanyl Comes From

As the Schloss-Blog watches the U.S. try to start a war with Venezuela, we keep asking, why not Mexico? That's where most of the fentanyl comes from into the United States.

Any AI search will tell you that most fentanyl is manufactured in Mexico by transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), although using source materials primarily from China.

So, of course, Trump is inciting a war with Venezuela, while negotiating away national security technology to the Chinese (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/us/politics/china-trump-trade-security-chips-minerals.html).

***

I worked at a foodservice magazine, tops in the country, Restaurants & Institutions. It was the No. 1 magazine in its category and the second-largest trade in the country at the time to Computer World. 

I learned to appreciate the restaurant and institutional foodservice industries, working with tireless colleagues, reporting on all aspects of it.

So now, as Trump prepares to starve 42 million people to death, my restaurant, foodservice and gosh darn humanitarian backgrounds stir one question: where are the f_ckin' Democrats? These 42 million people need their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.

Where are you, Democrats? This was all I could find. (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQfPWA0E-PH/)

Otherwise, crickets.

***

Who does Mother-F_cker, Rep. Clay Higgins of Georgia think he is?

He says SNAP recipients should chill and stop smoking crack. (https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gop-rep-slams-snap-recipients-195950715.html)

Guess he's just the next Republican in support of death to the people who rely on what used to be called food stamps.

Well, what do you expect? He's from Georgia.

***

Interesting how Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has been attacked by members of her own party for calling for the continuance of SNAP benefits, let alone Affordable Care Act (ACA) continuation.

Republicans have repeatedly called ACA an abomination, yet have offered no alternative to it whatsoever. 

Now its rates are going to skyrocket, to the point of unaffordability, as Republicans discontinue funding for it and won't consider negotiating an extension of it.

Millions depend on it, including Republicans. Greene has lambasted her Republican colleagues for what is essentially a virtual sunsetting of the act. They have no alternative, nothing (https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/marjorie-taylor-greene-rips-mike-191732869.html)

***

This sportswriter is sick of the lack of defense in basketball (when did you last see an NBA player take a charge?) and the lack of tackling ability in football. Everyone tries to strip the ball instead of trying to tackle the ball-carrier.

Good luck with all of that. Nobody in the NBA plays defense until the playoffs. Nobody in the NFL tackles with their heads up, so they can actually see, actually hit what they're trying to tackle. Subsequently, they miss the ball-carrier.

Happens all the time.

Good athletes. Poor coaching, poor technique, basketball and football alike.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Nashville, Tennessee.

I'm off the next two Sunday nights on Radio Free Phoenix. The Bohemian NightCat, John Kirk DeRitis, and then Golfin' Joe Catanzaro will be sitting in for me, respectively. Thanks, gentlemen.

The Coach Is Lying: So Is Trump

BREAKING NEWS: This just in to the Schloss-Blog: National Guard troops deployed in Portland around NBA Trailblazers facility after head coach is indicted, arrested in gambling scandal. Trump calls this proof of severe unrest and the city being on fire, even though the team has been ICE cold. More on this as it becomes available, but Portland-area minorities are being advised by their ethnic monitoring groups to be incognito at Blazers games, blend in with their white friends, or not go at all.

***

The Schloss-Blog says coaches who say "they play to win the game" are lying. They play not to lose at the end of close games - when they're ahead and time is running out.

Play-calling gets conservative (run the ball, run the clock). Except that never works. The other team calls its timeouts and preserves enough time to come back and win (see, Bears-Commanders, MNF).

I'm tired of ESPN showing the video of Herm Edwards emphasizing to a reporter, "You play to win the game!"

No, Herm, you play not to lose. Every coach knows it, fearing fan and media backlash otherwise, instead of ... gadzooks ... playing to win the game.

***

Meanwhile, Trump is so hotly in pursuit already of next year's Nobel Peace Prize that he's killing as many people as he can in the Caribbean.

In fact, after blowing up a boat from Colombia, the fifth he has had destroyed for allegedly carrying drugs, he's now talking about land strikes in - Venezuela.

He's up to 10 ships destroyed, 43 killed, along what the Secretary of War(?) calls a known drug-trafficking route.

This can't sit well with our South American economic partners. In fact, it already hasn't - Trump's tariffs have China buying all of its soybeans from South American growers rather than U.S. exporters.

U.S soybean farmers are about to snap thanks to Trump's tariffs keeping them out of China, which has turned to South America for soybeans. U.S. farmers are losing a lot of money, a lot of business. And Trump just gave Argentina $40 billion to help bail out their economy as they steal soybean business away from American farmers.

Thank you, Mr. America First Trump.

So, just to be clear, while losing all of U.S. farmers' soybean business to South America, Trump is shooting South American countries' boats out of the water in the Caribbean, and the Pacific, alleging that they're carrying drugs without offering any proof thereof. Yes, he's sinking their ships and killing people aboard as well.

Peace Prize, huh? He's going to end up with a piece of a prize shoved up his ass by U.S. farmers instead.

***

Seen the picture of Trump in Time Magazine? In their cover story on him, they used a mug shot taken from an angle looking up at him, revealing his loose neck flesh, receding hairline and true skin color.

It ain't pretty and he don't like it.

That's alright. Fewer and fewer people like him too.

His approval ratings for everything from the economy to tariffs to immigration enforcement have him in quite a hole. And let's not the East Wing, what's left of it, as Trump erects a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, dedicated to himself, a sure sign he intendeds to serve a third term when he declares a national emergency (Portland Trailblazers' coach go fired). 

And his attempts to have the most Red States redistrict to eliminate Black and other minority Democratic seats likely won't go into effect until after next year's midterms elections, costing Republicans enough seats to lose the House and be threatened in the Senate.

***

So much of what Democratic states and cities are suing Trump for may be moot - SCOTUS may hand Trump defeats in a lot of cases, likely will, in fact, but, Justice Amy Coney Barrett says that SCOTUS has no way to enforce those rulings.

America may be moot, unless Democrats take back the House, at the very least.

At least James Comey, John Bolton and Leticia James will kick Trump's ass in court, right?

Right?

***

Fabulous turn out for the "No Kings" rally in Scottsdale last week. It was a serious clown show of costumes and messaging that left no doubt that Arizonans do not view Trump and his policies favorably. They are sick of his weaponizing the government, sick of his tariffs, sick of his inflation and sick of his use of ICE and/or the military in U.S. cities, especially ICE and the National Guard in cities with Black Mayors in Blue States. Trump is a piece of sh_t.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Emily Capdevielle.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix (radiofreephoenix.com) rock 'n' roll show.

 

Schloss-Blog Part II: Everything Else Not Trump This Week - Sorta'

The Schloss-Blog, for part II, is looking at:

**...champagne being spritzed all over baseball locker rooms after a team wins a wild-card or divisional playoff series.

WHO CARES? I'll buy the champagne when you win something significant - like the league pennant and even better, the World Series.

The wild-card series? You won nothing! Yet.

Champagne? Go out for a beer. I'll buy.

***

If you work in downtown Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, Portland, how do you feel or how are you going to feel with National Guard troops walking around, step by step, with you.

They so have nothing to do that in Washington, D.C., where Trump first deployed them, they have been seen raking leaves, doing lawn care.

Whew, because I thought things were getting really bad there.

***

Hey, New York Times: every front page should have a lead, banner headline, everyday, notifying America that we are becoming an autocracy.

Because we are.

Yet, you don't do it. Shots fired - where are you?

***

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was fined $100,000 for the scolding he administered on the sideline to Emari Demercado after the running back dropped the ball as he crossed the goal line, uncontested.

It would've been a 70-yard TD run and would've put the likely finishing touches on a Cardinals win over the Tennessee Titans.

But upon replay review, the refs ruled correctly that he had fumbled the ball as he crossed the goal line (watch the video, he did). It resulted in a touchback. The Titans proceeded to pull a miracle comeback for the win.

The fine was fitting. If the Cardinals miss the playoffs, Gannon will be fired and Lincoln Riley will be brought in from USC, where he will promptly trade away Kyler Murray and the net worth of the Cardinals to get his Heisman-winning college quarterback, Caleb Williams, from the Bears.

Am I crazy? Yes. Have crazier things happened in football? Definitely.

***

The most-interesting thing about the Chicago Marathon this weekend, beyond the impressive winning runs, was who got detained by ICE, as sporting events have become ICE agents' new favorite hangouts.

***

It's going to be a La Nina winter.

In other words, warmer, drier than usual for Arizona.

Just what we need out here - less water.

***

Congratulations to Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Venezuelan courageously stood up for freedom in the face of the autocracy being run in her country.

As opposed to Donald Trump, who is complaining already that he should have gotten it. 

Yes, it should go to someone who accommodates killings overseas while authorizing U.S. troops to use force against American citizens, domestically, citizens who protest peacefully against what is becoming an autocracy.

Not.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Adelita Grijalva.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

And one more time, here's to Andy Olson who slogged through the remnants of the flooding in Globe to produce this week's playlists for all of us jocks at the station. Kudos to you, Andy, kudos.

Hey Democrats, What Are You Doing? (Schloss-Blog, Part I for today):

Schloss-Blog, Part I:

The Schloss-Blog wants to know - hey Democrats, what are you doing with all these fumbles the 

Republicans keep handing you?

Wait, I know ... you're doing nothing!

***

Tariffs driving up prices.

Troops being deployed into cities in Blue States.

Military-looking ICE officers picking off people on "racial profiling, " breaking into their homes and apartments.

Getting Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel thrown off the air (permanently and temporarily, respectively).

Inflation hovering.

Shooting at passenger boats off the coast of Venezuela, with no evidence of drugs on board.

Trying to get Fed Board members fired.

Dictatorship in motion.

***

That's the short list.

And peace in Gaza - lasting peace - is not guaranteed by a long shot just yet.

Here's the killer - get Adelita Grijalva seated in Congress so her vote can force the House to force the administration to release the Epstein files (or Epstein list, whatever it is).

That ought to set off Trump on Truth Social.

America is becoming a third-world autocracy. What, Democrats, are you doing about it?

Being too polite and talking too much politics.

People vote with their wallets - remind them how much the Trump presidency is costing them, will cost them when healthcare goes away. 

Then, maybe, you'll arouse America. Scare me, shock me into voting. Right now, you're too passive, too polite.

Watch the late-night comedians and take your cues there. They have a knack for cutting up Trump and his cronies. You should adopt it.

***

Welcome to Schloss-Blog, Part I, for today... Part II to follow...

...and more to come Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

I love Arizona.

Hey Venezuela, What Are You Going To Do About It?

The Schloss-Blog sees America (Trump, that is), declaring war on ... passenger boats? Venezuela? Venezuelan passenger boats? 

Passenger boats in the Caribbean? 

Somebody tell the administration that most or close to all of the fentanyl coming into the United States is not from Venezuela - it is produced and shipped from Mexico.

Yes, Mexico.

The country that was going to pay for the wall. But it seems the wall has not adequately kept fentanyl out to the point that Trump has to attack passenger ships coming from Venezuela, which are not carrying fentanyl.

WTF?

So, as long as Trump is attacking Venezuelan shipping interests, is he going to attack Mexico? Is Trump going to send troops into Mexico? Is Trump going to attack SUV's coming out of Mexico. Even the ones with American tourists coming back from vacation?

***

Why aren't we attacking Mexico?

Mexico is the source of most if not all the fentanyl coming into the United States. Why aren't they under attack by our military? 

You know, the same military patrolling the streets in LA, Portland (soon), Chicago (sooner), and Memphis (a Red State deployment, shocking). While we're at it, why not Miami (talk about smugglers ports of call), Houston and, where the mayor and the governor are screaming for help, New Orleans, y'know, in that blue state, Louisiana.

Except that same call for help from the governor of Louisiana is being met with statistical backlash from AH Datalyst Jeff Asher, a statistical analyst who reports that in New Orleans: “Carjackings are down 80% relative to 2022, vehicle burglaries are down 70%, [and] shootings are down 63%,” Asher also wrote, adding in part: “This is a wholly unnecessary stunt.”

Stunts are what Trump is famous for. And he uses the military to try to pull them off. Like his gathering of generals from all over the world to be bored to death listening to dreck from Trump and Sec'y of War Pete Hegseth encouraging them to be ready for war with ...

...wait for it ...

...peaceful protesters in American urban centers (especially the ones in Blue States with Black mayors).

And they better lose weight and all of their morals to be ready to do it.

***

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny, who hosted Saturday Night Live last night, is no longer touring the U.S., fearing for the safety of his crew and his fans from ICE detainment.

However, he will perform at halftime of the Super Bowl in February, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. even though ICE has announced it will have a presence at the game, although it's not clear what that will look like, only that it will target Bad Bunny's crew and fans at the game.

He's from Puerto Rico; that's the United States.

ICE at the Super Bowl. Should provide a chill. Although Bad Bunny may have a surprise in store for them.  

***

Meanwhile, my favorite Starbucks in Phoenix has closed. Just gone, just like that. The place was always jumping, full of patrons talking and working on their laptops, or reading the paper on a Sunday morning. 

It's part of a massive closing spree and layoff pattern for Starbucks, which is closing 1% (400) of its stores and laying off 900 employees at headquarters in Seattle.

***

Between Venezuela and Iran, it is incomprehensible that neither or both have not struck back at the United States with terrorist-like action after the brutal attacks they have suffered at U.S. hands and continue to suffer in the Caribbean. Four passenger/tourist boats have been attacked by the U.S. in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, allegedly carrying drugs. Were they? No evidence has been offered that they were. None, Zero. Zip.

***

This week's Charlie Kirk quote of the week: "...gun deaths are “unfortunately worth it” to preserve the Second Amendment.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Napheesa Collier.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

And Andy Olson, here's to you for keeping Radio Free Phoenix afloat, literally, this past week.

Ryder-ing off into the sunset; kiss U.S. Golf good-bye for now.

The Schoss-Blog, for all you golf fans out there, is still waiting for Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, to show up at the Ryder Cup. Oh, wait, it's over? (Don't worry, Tom Veeck, getting to Comey shortly.)

Scheffler and his teammates can't make putts, hit greens or fairways. Otherwise, they're playing great. Europe's team is well managed and has had solid pairings for four-ball and/or alternate-shot. Luke Donald, the Northwestern grad and one-time, long-time Illinois resident, has done a fabulous job with his lineup.

Keegan Bradley, who should be playing, instead is playing checkers and/or Scrabble with his lineups, and they keep getting beat. Bradley is a great golfer who should be out there playing, helping the team with his outstanding sticks while a more-experienced golfer, perhaps a Champions Tour member, is managing the squad (perhaps the suddenly unwelcome Phil Mickelson? WTF.). 

As the President would say: PROSECUTE THESE GUYS. THEY'RE GUILTY (of playing uninspired golf).

Must be the tariffs.

***

Sam Burns, the American who was the best putter on the PGA Tour all season, can't make a putt. And wasn't paired with his best friend, Scottie Scheffler. Why? Why not?

This team is playing like it has never seen Bethpage Black before. They should've been playing practice rounds there once a week all year long and everyday since the end of the Fed Ex Cup, in hopes they'd be on the team.

Clearly, they didn't.

I used to go sledding there every winter when I was a kid. Then, even I could find the greens.

***

Meanwhile, back in D.C., anyone notice that Jim Comey has been indicted? No sooner did the prosecutor assigned to indict (not investigate, but indict) the former FBI director get pushed out, than a celebrity model-turned-Trump personal lawyer got an indictment.

Not only did Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump personal lawyer with no prosecutorial experience get an indictment, it had less than unilateral support from the grand jury, which threw out one of the three charges. A judge could very well toss the other two, they're so weak.

The indictment is so weak, in fact, that Comey, the former FBI director, can't wait to go to trial, he says. "Let's have a trial," he was quoted as saying almost as soon as the indictment was issued.

Trump is losing public confidence as he ignores the economy, poisons foreign relations with foes (Russia) and allies (NATO) alike and deports anyone who ICE agents think doesn't speak English and works a low-paying job. And the Supreme Court has blessed this tactic after lower courts called racial profiling what it is: unconstitutional.

***

All of this has distracted Trump from ... America. From inflation, from rising prices, from pain-causing tariffs and, of course, the Epstein Files. Sorry, Donald, that was your artwork and signature on the birthday greeting.

Don't worry, he hasn't forgotten those. But knowing his approval ratings are in the dumpster and midterm elections are around the corner, where he could lose control of Congress, he is trying to get his Department of Justice to act quickly.

Decisively? Meh...with what's left over there in quality of personnel, not likely.

The Supreme Court seems to want to let Trump act beyond the limits of the Constitution. We'll see if they continue to.

***

Trump has not been quiet about his intentions to get Adam Schiff, James Comey and Letitia James indicted, but his words may come back to undercut the indictments.

Instead of letting DOJ operate on its own independently, he is ordering them aloud to seek these charges and prosecutions. The kind of things defense lawyers salivate over.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, "107."

And in memory of Lenny Marks.

Anyway, more Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

***

This week's (and for the next few weeks), the Charlie Kirk quote of the week:

Transgender identity is a mental disease, needing "brain treatment."

The Schloss-Blog looked up the definition of "Hate Speech," and Charlie Kirk's name kept coming up. 

The Schloss-Blog looked up the First Amendment. It protects "hate speech," so killing someone over it is not justifiable.

Per the NY Times:

Hate Speech includes racial, ethnic and religious epithets, calls for racial or religious intolerance and false statements about racial  or religious groups. Holocaust denial is the most common example." 

For now though, according to right-wing extremists, it's Jimmy Kimmel.

But what about inciting violence? The First Amendment does not protect incitement, but the Supreme Court has defined that term narrowly, requiring a likelihood of imminent violence. Mere advocacy — of violence, terrorism or the overthrow of the government [i.e. Jan. 6] — is legal. The words must be likely to produce violence or lawlessness right away.

***

As John Olive wold say though, 'And now, this:" ABC's turn to suck up: two merger/acquisitions pending: ESPN and NFL Networks and Nexstar buying Tegna in a $6.2 billion deal.

So, Kimmel's gone.

***

So, getting back to that crossroads where Hate Speech meets Free Speech, here's Charlie Kirk on race:

If I’m dealing with somebody in customer service who’s a moronic Black woman, I wonder is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affirmative action?

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 3 January 2024

If I’m dealing with somebody in customer service who’s a moronic Black woman, I wonder, is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affirmative action?

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 3 January 2024

If you’re a WNBA, pot-smoking, Black lesbian, do you get treated better than a United States marine?

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 8 December 2022

***

And here's Charlie Kirk on racial intolerance:

Happening all the time in urban America, prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people, that’s a fact. It’s happening more and more.

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 19 May 2023

And, upon boarding a flight: If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified.

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 23 January 2024

***

OH, there's more...

Kirk openly embraced Christian nationalist language, claiming that liberty was only possible with a Christian population—a narrative tying freedom to demographic dominance, a cornerstone of supremacist logic 

And finally, on the 2nd Amendment:

In 2023, he declared that “it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights,” subsequently framing gun deaths as a tragic but acceptable price for liberty.

***

This is who was being celebrated by the Trump Administration at his funeral today in Arizona.

I truly grieve for his wife and young children. They don't deserve to grow up without a father. 

Hey Charlie, rest in peace. but hold your piece.

America deserves better than the racist, religious discrimination you dispersed.

***

In conclusion, the Schloss-Blog also looked up percentages of political violence committed by the "left" versus those committed by the "right."

Guess what?

According to PBS: Based on our own research and a review of related work, we can confidently say that most domestic terrorists in the U.S. are politically on the right, and right-wing attacks account for the vast majority of fatalities from domestic terrorism. It's not even close.

What happened to Charlie Kirk never should've happened, NEVER! But it exacerbates the unfortunate trend in political violence.

Nine of 14 right-wing men accused of attempting to pull off a violent kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, were convicted.

Minnesota State Speaker Melissa Hortman and husband Mark were shot and killed in their home, allegedly by right-winger Vance Luthor Boelter, 

The Schloss-Blog wonders, what's next - a Democratic socialist as mayor of New York City?

Nah, no chance.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Emily.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

About the mayor of Neew York thing ... no, wait...