A Day Filled with Good Anniversaries

Happy Che Guevera Execution Day to all those who celebrate. 

The autumn weather is in full effect here in northern New Jersey. But we're still able to get away with shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt. Not for much longer, though. Soon it will be time to man-up and put on some long pants. Note: grown men absolutely do not, repeat, do not wear shorts out during the winter months. 

The US, Gulf States and Iran are conducting secret, high level talks for a ceasefire on all fronts, they say, without the Israelis. Though the US is keeping Jerusalem updated, which obviously leaked the info to the press. This is typical Biden backstabbing. But it's also a sign that Iran is afraid and Hezbollah is in deep trouble. It sounds like the Israelis are linking any ceasefire to the release of hostages, which they can do now that they have more leverage after expanding the war. Israel, escalation is your friend. 

Bibi just got off the phone with Joe. Presumably they were talking about Israeli's pending strike on Iran. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is promising great things and says Iran won't even understand how it was hit. We don't presume to know what's coming, but we look forward to it. This blog speculates that Bibi has agreed not to attack Iranian nuclear sites in exchange for unwavering American support against Hezbollah. One thing, Bibi. If you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.*

But it's hard to argue that Netanyahu doesn't know what he's doing. In an article about Bibi's political resurgence, The Jerusalem Post notes: 'Maariv’s poll last Wednesday showed Netanyahu’s Likud winning 26 seats if the elections were held today, seven seats more than Benny Gantz’s National Unity Party. Perhaps more telling, Netanyahu even outpolls a new right-wing party expected to be established by former prime minister Naftali Bennett, 23 to 20 in that survey.' 

JFC. Nothing succeeds like success. Bibi may be lucky, but as the late Brach Rickey, storied baseball GM said, luck is the residue of design. Of course, Bennett is the centrist dream candidate of the Tel Aviv smart set. We won't hold that against him. A Bennett premiership almost certainly means Avigdor Lieberman as defense minister. Lieberman thinks Israel should reestablish the security zone in Lebanon. All kinds of good things happen with Bennett in office-some day. 

Powerline describes and links to Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre's defense of the Jewish state. We've liked that man ever since he racked Justin over the coals during Covid. One day Pierre will be PM of Canada. Sadly that day is not today.  

2004 and more. We are informed that today is an old college buddies' wedding anniversary. Ah, we were there. 20 Years ago that night in Indianapolis. True story: that's the last time we were drunk. Seven or eight Bloody Marys at the wedding - the bar tender saw us coming and would start making one. Then beers out on the town. Finally a night cap in the hotel bar and the end of which, we realized, we didn't know what room we were staying in. We straightened out our tux, summoned what dignity we could, staggered to the front desk, handed them our keycard and asked, 'Can you tell me what room I'm staying in?...Thank you.'

*Reference