The Schloss-Blog wants to know, seeing as it's prom season ... who needs an escort?
Out of the Strait of Hormuz, that is.
***
With a cease-fire still in effect (since April 13), despite the war continuing anyway, as of this writing, who needs an escort to get out of the Strait of Hormuz?
And who doesn't? And how many ships, exactly have gotten through? Depends on who you ask. Varying estimates say somewhere between 15 to 26, total, as of May 9. Very interesting, since, usually, 130-150 ships a day usually go through.
Despite the cease-fire in or cessation of operations in "Operation Epic Fury," (it's over, right?), and since the declaration of a cease-fire (it's still in effect, right?), and because "Project Freedom" began (and since ended), President Trump has his hands tied by the Iranians, who are still not allowing ship traffic in the Strait, and the Saudi Arabians, who objected to the U.S. using American bases in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabian airspace to support the escort service.
Got all that?
Bottom line: only a trickle of the one-fifth of the world's oil that generally transits the Strait is getting through now and President Trump, with his blockade on the other side of the Strait, is determined to keep it that way.
So, hereby, in support of the United States and in tribute to our efforts, I'm only doing one-fifth of my usual activities during the "mini-war." I mean, "excursion." No, wait, little "journey," that the United States is on in the Gulf.
I mean, after all, me, amd many others, are paying $90 to fill up the gas tank now, where we were probably spending about half of that when the "skirmish," "detour," 'excursion," "love tap," "situation," and, officially, "Operation Epic Fury" began in February..
The problem here seems to be that Tramp needs a way out of this war without saying it's a war anymore, so he doesn't have to ask Congress for approval to continue it, and so he doesn't have to admit that ... wait for it ... we lost the war.
OK, the mini-war. But we're f_ckin' losing it, and Tramp knows it. All he has to do is look at the average price of a gallon of gas right now in the United States, which is $4.55 and climbing.
And then look at his approval rating among Americans because of the war and its impact on that price and the economy in general, which is a net 57% disapproval, more than 62% on just the economy alone.
He's lost 21 points on that since the war began. And is sinking more everyday.
Well, he's got his "skirmishes" in Iran and in the Strait. You've got yours at the gas station and at the grocery store.
Having fun?
***
I'd be remiss here if I didn't pay tribute to many people in my life who have been lost, just since the beginning of this year.
Most recently, Len Strazewski passed away. He was a teaching colleague at Columbia College Chicago for the entirety of my 23 years there. He was not just a fellow journalism instructor. He was a giant in the comic-strip industry, He was also a champion of my tenure application.
John Hesterman was the host of "Looking Back at Arizona's Top 40," a weekly show on Radio Free Phoenix, where I've been a DJ now since 2018. He came on board with that show in 2019. His vast knowledge of and familiarity with the rock scene in The Valley made him a perfect and invaluable host. He was a close friend of station creator Andy Olson and was loved by all of us at RFP and by all of his listeners.
Dan Josephs, 94, passed away in April. He was the father of one of my closest friends and was the longtime president of the famed Dominick's grocery-store chain. He and his late, wonderful, loving wife, Judy, had a home in Arizona and we had dinner with them several times. He picked up the check every time. He was a devout Cubs fan and could write their history from rote.
Those three are just the last few weeks. Previously, this year...
David Kuffner was a beloved colleague of Jocelyn and everyone else at Cannon Design, where he mentored and guided so many. It was a pleasure to see so many of them, who I know so well, at his celebration-of-life event.
Beth Anderson was one of the head athletic trainers at her alma mater, Wheeling High School, where I spent hours sitting alongside her at the countless basketball games I covered there, sharing laughs and statistics. She was a star athlete there, I only regret that I didn't get to play a round of golf with her, especially since she had retired to Arizona, not too far from my second home. She was very supportive, as I understand it, of what turned out to be my surprising acceptance into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Friend of Athletics." I'm only sorry that I wasn't an even closer friend of hers.
Terry Cole was a fraternity brother at UAlbany (nee, Albany State University), where I earned my Bachelor's Degree. He was a dependable buddy at a bar, at a party, during a conversation or just lounging around, playing Hearts or banging away on the fraternity pinball machine.
And more recently, I was informed that a dear friend's father has received a diagnosis of terminal cancer. He has a year, maybe 18 months.
I wish I had 18 months, and a lot more, with everyone I just mentioned. Thank you for indulging me in the opportunity I just took to express my grief. This is just too much all at once.
***
Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Donna Merrill Feary (Happy Birthday).
More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.
