 Trump’s Puerto Rico fallout is ‘spreading like wildfire’ in Pennsylvania
Wow! Who knew? Politico, an American digital newspaper that covers politics and policy in the United States and internationally, states, “Donald Trump has a serious Puerto Rico problem - in Pennsylvania.” The newspaper says that the dumb “joke” uttered during Trump’s rally compared Puerto Rico to an "island of garbage". It’s given Donald Trump “roughly a half-million problems in the swing state of Pennsylvania: that’s the number of Puerto Ricans who live in the state, where the election is expected to be decided by a razor-thin margin.” Politico goes on: “Many Puerto Rican voters in the state are furious about racist and demeaning comments delivered at a Trump rally. Some say their dismay is giving Kamala Harris a new opening to win over the state’s Latino voters…” As well, a nonpartisan Puerto Rican group has drafted a letter urging their members to oppose Trump, and many of them protested at Trump's rally in Allentown (the third most populous city in Pennsylvania). "It's spreading like wildfire through the community," says a Democratic precinct captain. And here's what the venerable BBC has to say: “North Philadelphia is the beating heart of Philadelphia's more than 90,000-strong Puerto Rican population and forms a key part of Pennsylvania's Latino community, which both the Democrats and Republicans have sought to woo ahead of the 5 November election. But on Monday morning, many locals were left seething at a joke made at Donald Trump's rally…” “It's crazy to me," said Ivonne Torres Miranda, a local resident. “You don't joke like that. We're Puerto Ricans. We have dignity, and we have pride." In the aftermath, Trump’s campaign was quick to try to distance itself from the “joke”, with a spokesman saying the remark "does not reflect the views" of Trump or his campaign”. But, of course, Trump himself hasn’t said anything, other than he doesn’t know the guy “who made the racist ‘jokes’”. I see: so, you hire the guy without knowing who he is?? A simple scan of the internet reveals he’s known primarily for insult comedy which has led to several controversies. “Comedians should never apologize for a joke,” the guy adds. Huh? As for Trump, all he can say is, “There was love in the room. The love in that room was breathtaking." Whoa Donny: which room were you in!?! Of course, the Democratic campaign pounced on the joke, with Kamala Harris pointing to the comment as a sign that Trump is "fanning the fuel of trying to divide" Americans. Puerto Rican celebrities Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez both endorsed Harris on Sunday. In fact, it’s estimated that five Puerto Rican celebrities have collectively reached up to 340 million followers showing support for Kamala Harris. A campaign official told CBS, the BBC's US partner, that the controversy was a political gift to the Democrats. "[The joke] just put it in the bag for us,” said Jessie Ramos, a Harris supporter. “He literally just gave us the win. He has no idea how hard the Latino community is going to come out and support Kamala Harris." Across Pennsylvania, about 600,000 eligible voters are Latino. More than 470,000 of them are Puerto Ricans - one of the largest concentrations in the country and a potential deciding. The BBC adds that while Trump’s campaign is maligning Puerto Rico, Kamala Harris is “unveiling a new policy platform for Puerto Rico, promising economic development and improved disaster relief, and accusing Trump of having ‘abandoned and insulted’ the island during Hurricane Maria in 2017”. Meanwhile, the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, following outrage from Trump’s New York rally. “Trump has for years maintained a discourse of contempt and misinformation against the island that reveals an obsession and disdain for a people who do not have the power of the vote to defend themselves, since the three million American citizens who live in Puerto Rico cannot vote in the presidential elections. However, the other five million who live in the United States, whom they also labeled as trash, can vote,” editor María Luisa Ferré Rangel wrote in the editorial. The newspaper’s editorial heavily criticized the former president. “Trump suffers from psychopathic elements that he evidences by lying repeatedly. He has no moral compass and believes that the rules do not apply to him. These are traits typical of those people who qualify as malignant narcissists. Trump is one of the worst,” Rangel wrote.
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 Well, for once, the Democrats and the Republicans are on the same page.
Seems a “comedian” made some racist jokes at Donald Trump’s recent New York City rally. The jokes – which I won’t bother to repeat here – were in poor taste and not funny (which makes you wonder why the Trump folks booked the guy in the first place, because that’s his reputation). Anyway, representatives of both Republicans and Democrats have spoken up about this guy’s humor as being completely classless and in poor taste. Confronted with the push-back, the “comedian”, Tony Hinchcliffe, could only come up with that oh-so-typical defence all “comedians’ who use poor taste as a means to try to get a laugh use… you know, the one that goes: "These people have no sense of humor.” Oh, and then he added that he makes jokes about lots of people: Puerto Ricans, Latinos, Jews, Blacks… as if this makes everything OK. I was a fan of the late Don Rickles. He too was an insult comedian”, using his quick wit, biting humor, and uncanny ability to roast anyone and everyone – from Hollywood celebrities to politicians to everyday people (he had President Ronald Regan doubling over with laughter). But you know what: with Don, you always knew he wasn’t serious. With a lowlife like Mr. Hinchcliffe, there is no niceness: it’s just vituperation. And he wouldn’t know humor if he fell on it. Nice try pal. Now, be a good boy and go back to your cave.  I try to stay away from politics here (but I do have pretty strong opinions!). However, a friend just sent me this and suggested I share it. It’s from a senior NBC exec who’s feeling badly about creating the Donald Trump image that has no depth. (Guess you’ll be able to identify that I’m no fan of Trump.)
So, here goes… We Created a Monster: Trump was a TV Fantasy Invented for "The Apprentice.” I want to apologize to America. I helped create a monster. For nearly 25 years, I led marketing at NBC and NBCUniversal. I led the team that marketed “The Apprentice,” the reality show that made Donald Trump a household name outside of New York City, where he was better known for overextending his empire and appearing in celebrity gossip columns. To sell the show, we created the narrative that Trump was a super-successful businessman who lived like royalty. That was the conceit of the show. At the very least, it was a substantial exaggeration; at worst, it created a false narrative by making him seem more successful than he was. In fact, Trump declared business bankruptcy four times before the show went into production, and at least twice more during his 14 seasons hosting. The imposing board room where he famously fired contestants was a set, because his real boardroom was too old and shabby for TV. Trump may have been the perfect choice to be the boss of this show, because more successful CEOs were too busy to get involved in reality TV and didn’t want to hire random game show winners onto their executive teams. Trump had no such concerns. He had plenty of time for filming, he loved the attention, and it painted a positive picture of him that wasn’t true. At NBC, we promoted the show relentlessly. Thousands of 30-second promo spots that spread the fantasy of Trump’s supposed business acumen were beamed over the airwaves to nearly every household in the country. The image of Trump that we promoted was highly exaggerated. In its own way, it was “fake news” that we spread over America like a heavy snowstorm. I never imagined that the picture we painted of Trump as a successful businessman would help catapult him to the White House. I discovered in my interactions with him over the years that he is manipulative, yet extraordinarily easy to manipulate. He has an unfillable compliment hole. No amount is too much. Flatter him and he is compliant. World leaders, including apparently Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, have discovered that too. I also found Trump remarkably thin-skinned. He aggressively goes after those who critique him and seeks retribution. That’s not very businesslike – and it’s certainly not presidential. This week, he threatened to use the National Guard against citizens who oppose him, calling them the “enemy from within.” I learned early on in my dealings with Trump that he thought he could simply say something over and over, and eventually people would believe it. He would say to me, “‘The Apprentice’ – America’s No. 1 TV show.” But it wasn’t. Not that week. Not that season. I had the ratings in front of me. He had seen and heard the ratings, but that didn’t matter. He just kept saying it was the “No. 1 show on television,” even after we corrected him. He repeated it on press tours too, knowing full well it was wrong. He didn’t like being fact-checked back then either. Exaggerating ratings is one thing, but spreading falsehoods about relief work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, about immigrants eating cats and dogs, about the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, about him winning the 2020 election or countless other lies is far more dangerous. I also learned from working with him that he has questionable judgment. At the wrap party for “The Apprentice” season three, he pitched an idea for the upcoming season. He told me we should make a team of Black players compete against white players. My first thought was: WTF?! I tried to get through to him by speaking the language he understands money. I explained that sponsors wouldn’t want to be associated with a show that pitted races against each other. But he could not understand why this was such a bad idea. (And, no, we did not use his idea.) While we were successful in marketing “The Apprentice,” we also did irreparable harm by creating the false image of Trump as a successful leader. I deeply regret that. And I regret that it has taken me so long to go public. Now America is facing a critical choice. Should this elderly, would-be emperor with no clothes, who is well known for stretching and abandoning the truth, be president again? I spent 50 years successfully promoting television magic, making mountains out of molehills every day. But I say now to my fellow Americans, without any promotional exaggeration: If you believe that Trump will be better for you or better for the country, that is an illusion, much like “The Apprentice” was. Even if you are a born-and-bred Republican, as I was, I strongly urge you to vote for Kamala Harris. The country will be better off and so will you. - John D. Miller was the chief marketing officer for NBC and NBCUniversal, and retired as chair of the NBCUniversal Marketing Council. Meegwetch & Giminobimaadiz (Thank you and Be well) And Go Kamala, go!!  I don’t claim to be a political expert at all, but I am intrigued by politics, both here and elsewhere.
So, my curiosity has reminded me how Americans will choose their president next month: namely, via the Electoral College. That’s the system where 333 million American voters don’t actually pick the president. Who does? Why, it’s the 538 Electoral College votes, of course! Doing a bit of research on this, it’s soon revealed that the current system is nothing like what the founding founders (who created the Electoral College in the first place back in 1879) had in mind. Their intention was that electors would actually debate and consider multiple options. As the Sightline Institute (an independent, nonprofit research and communications center) says, “The Electoral College is enshrined in the US Constitution, right? Yes, and the US Constitution is notoriously hard to amend. Fortunately for voters, there’s no need. The Constitution leaves the decision of how to select electors and how to distribute their votes completely up to states. Most state legislatures have chosen to give all their Electoral College votes to the candidate who wins in their state, but they could instead choose to cast their Electoral College votes for the candidate who wins the national popular vote. And if enough states chose to cast their electoral votes for the popular winner, US voters would no longer see a mismatch between who wins the national popular vote and who wins the presidency. The Electoral College would always agree with the people: a national-winner-wins system rather than a state-by-state winner-take-all one.” I gather some states are already making changes. Sightline tell us: “Sixteen jurisdictions have signed on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, pledging to assign their Electoral College votes to the popular winner once enough other states have also signed on, so that together those states have enough electoral votes to guarantee the popular winner— states controlling at least 270 electoral votes.” And listen to Carolyn Dupont, a history professor at Eastern Kentucky University: “The electors now actually just serve no purpose. What they actually do is to provide openings for fraud, because they’re human beings. So I think (the founders) would be disturbed about that.” Consider too that in 2016, Donald Trump had a substantial Electoral College victory of 302-227, except that nearly 3 million more Americans preferred his opponent, and roughly 7 million voted for a third-party candidate. It seems the current system gets results that conflict with the expressed wishes of a majority of voters. For sure, changes to this system are not going to impact the upcoming U.S. election, since it’s only 22 days ahead. But it’s something the new government ought to take a serious look at.  I was unaware that October 8 was National Heroes’ Day. This got me thinking about heroes, and I thought I’d better check on just what constitutes a hero. The dictionary tells me a hero is a person who is admired and acknowledged for their courage, outstanding achievements, and noble qualities, including being stronger, smarter, kinder, and more considerate of other people in desperate situations.
Seems reasonable So, do you have any heroes in your life? I do: my two sons, Charlie and my late son Jamie. Some time ago I listed them as heroes of mine because I‘ve always been incredibly proud of their depth and resourcefulness as it pertains to life. The internet suggests we have heroes in our homes, such as “a friend who is always there to lend support, a grandmother who always has a kind word to offer, a teacher who is considerate of her student’s needs… we should consider ourselves lucky to be surrounded by people who never hesitate to go above and beyond their call of duty.’ I think our ability to celebrate heroes should go beyond Oct. 8. You can honour your heroes by… 1.Celebrate all the wonderful qualities of your heroes; thank them for inspiring you and honor them with gifts, cards, and kind words; heroes like to feel loved too 2.Do something nice: offer to volunteer, donate blood, or organize non-profit drives; find ways to contribute in some manner to your community 3.Be someone’s hero: help a person in need, be there for a friend who needs you, or simply be your own good self OK, I’m inspired. And I’m going off to celebrate my heroes. Hope you are too…  Today being October 1st, I decided to check what holiday – if any – fell on this date. Well, wouldn’t you know it but today, October 1, 2024, is “Less Than Perfect Day”. What? That’s right: Less Than Perfect Day. OK, this definitley warranted some investigation.
Firstly, I discovered that Less Than Perfect Day shares the date with International Raccoon Appreciation Day. Who knew? Meanwhile… I figured if I was going to try to understand what a less than perfect day might mean, I better start with understanding what a perfect day itself signifies. My research led me to a website where it’s explained as follows: “A perfect day can mean different things to different people. Some may consider a perfect day as one where everything goes smoothly, they spend it doing something they love, or they have meaningful interactions with loved ones. It is important to try to make the most of each day, and appreciate the good moments, even if the day as a whole isn't ‘perfect’.” OK, fine. Now that we know that, what would a less than perfect day look like? The web had an answer for that one too: Less Than Perfect Day is a period of time to accept that it's okay to not be perfect. “Some people are perfectionists that are very hard on themselves if they make a mistake, and some people are okay with their faults. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, today is a day to remember that we all make mistakes and that we should try hard at everything we do, but not so hard as to stress ourselves out.” Lovely. So, that left one question for me to think about: given that today is Less Than Perfect Day, how should we go about celebrating it? The answer to that came with these suggestions: “Spend the day trying to keep yourself from stressing out about things you aren't perfect at. It might be a day to challenge yourself to try new and difficult things, because at the same time you will be focusing on not caring if you can't do them with perfection.” Makes sense. Essentially, we are being reminded to promote self-acceptance, reminding us to see the beauty in imperfection by commemorating the benefits of not being perfect. We’re encouraged to embrace our flaws, learn from our mistakes, and accept our unique qualities. And there you have it. Happy Less Than Perfect Day! (And a big appreciative Hi to your raccoon, should you have one as a pet on its special day!)  AHA! Time for suicide commentary. Again.
With the news that several people have been taken into custody in Switzerland following the first use of an assisted suicide device, once again we find the do-gooders lining up against the practical folks. I have long believed that should any one of us decide we simply don’t want to be here any longer, we ought to be able to do something about that. Surely that’s a foundation of human rights. I mean, isn’t that our entitlement as human beings with at least some control over our lives? I’ve written before, asking why it is that Kurt Cobain, of the grunge music band Nirvana, was forced to spray his guts and blood all over the walls and floor of his home for his wife and child to discover after his shotgun did it’s awful duty. And why did poor jazz singer Susannah McCorkle, staggered by personal and professional setbacks, jump out of her 16th-floor Upper West Side apartment, splattering her remains on the sidewalk below for passers-by to glory in. And then there’s Robin Williams, hanging himself from a rafter in the basement of his home with a belt around his neck, for his poor wife to discover. Aren’t we humane enough to provide people like them – and the many others who seek redress away from this world – with an out that is quiet, dignified, not painful. Apparently not. We insist that they leave with terrible discomfort. And isn’t that just what the people in Switzerland were trying to do with the Sarco capsule? It features a sealed chamber in which a person sits in a reclined seat and pushes a button to release nitrogen gas that takes the place of oxygen in less than a minute; the individual loses consciousness and falls to sleep after a few breaths; they die in less than five minutes. Result: a peaceful, fast and dignified death. Now, that sure sounds to me like a reasonable out. But no, we have the usual band of do-gooders who purport to know more about you than you know about yourself. They have all the answers for questions that don’t need asking. And they want you to know that they are there to ensure your final wishes are ignored. That’s wonderful, because with their actions, you can now spray your guts across the room with a shotgun… or you can leap out of your window and fall to your splattered death while the hoi polloi looks on… or you can wrap a belt around your neck, fasten it to a beam in your home and hang yourself for your spouse to find later. Yup, you do-gooders – we owe you such a big vote of thanks for designing such a swell way to exit. And don’t worry, because this same group will arrange the laws to ensure anyone suggesting the Sarco capsule is accessory to suicide and “suspected incitement”. Yeah, right…  I’ve just learned that Sérgio Mendes has died. He was 83 (way too early to go!) and passed away after suffering from the effects of long Covid. I was a big fan!
Mendes was a marvelous musical talent. One of the most successful Brazilian artists of all time, he was a pianist, songwriter, arranger and bandleader whose career started with the 1960s bossa nova boom. “His success was based on his skill in matching Brazilian songs and rhythms against different western styles, from jazz and rock to funk and hip hop,” stated an online obituary. It’s true: from recording in the 1960s with jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley… right up to collaborating in 2006 with will.i.am and other members of the rap group Black Eyed Peas, Sergio managed to escape the “rules” that hold too many artists in place. One of my favorite recordings of all times, “So Many Stars”, features a wonderful tune written by Sergio with lyrics by my favorite writers Marilyn and Alan Bergman (I was thrilled to interview Alan for my book about Ruth Lowe). The song’s on Sergio’s early album for A&M Records, “Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66: Look Around”. Listen to Lani Hall’s brilliant vocal, along with Sergio’s backing, on this YouTube selection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3x6R6iNxXU RIP Sergio!  September is World Alzheimer's Month. If you follow this blog at all, you’ll know I’ve chosen finding a cure for ALS as my principal charity. Buy the reality is, you’re more likely to get Alzheimer's than you are to come down with ALS.
Alzheimer's Disease is such a lousy condition to watch loved ones deal with. But there is growing evidence that people can prevent or reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making key lifestyle changes, including participation in regular physical activity, staying socially engaged, and maintaining good heart health. This combination, with a focus in clinical care on brain health and early detection, can have significant results. The US Against Alzheimer’s website says this: “Just as we have found ways to reduce heart disease risk, researchers increasingly are finding evidence that there may be steps we can take to reduce our risk of Alzheimer’s—or at least delay its onset. Until recently, it was not clear that there was much providers could do without pharmacological treatment. But rapidly advancing science now points to the ability to reduce dementia risk and enhance cognitive function and health as we age.” Want to know more? You can learn specifics here: https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/alzheimers-prevention?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw3P-2BhAEEiwA3yPhwNPPp5tkVkHtvhrLwOjK4MWkgvLnR4GJCDBOihvYGhR7Tx_dhMoB1hoC16QQAvD_BwE  Many scientists are optimistic that we're on the cusp of age breakthroughs. Not only to help us live longer, but - more importantly - to extend the number of years we live with good health.
With that in mind, I was a financial backer for Ed Marshall’s recent celebration wherein he raised money for Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital by jumping out of a airplane and parachuting to the ground. He did this to commemorate his 100th birthday! At the completion of his jump, the 100 year old Mr. Marshall said, referring to the parachute itself, “Thank God it opened!” Apparently he showed no nerves, but did state he doesn't plan to do it again. Meanwhile, donors have already raised more than Ed’s original goal of $100,000: “$1,000 for each year of my life!” Now, I thought that was pretty impressive (and it certainly gave me ideas of what to do to celebrate my 100th birthday one day). But, not to take anything away from Ed, I’ve just learned about a woman, Manette Baillie, who’s become the oldest skydiver in Britain after she jumped out of a plane at age 102. When asked about this momentous occasion, the 102-year-old said, “I just want other people who are getting towards 80 and 90 not to give up anything. Just keep going.” Like Ed Marshall, Manette is using this feat to raise money for a series of UK-based charities. BTW, it’s not the first time she’s attempted extreme events at an advanced age. Two years ago, just ahead of her 100th birthday, she drove around the U.K.’s famed Silverstone racetrack, reaching speeds as high as 130 mph. When asked what’s next, Manette said this would likely be her final fundraising challenge, adding about her new goal: "I shall be taking up knitting!" |
