Noa Tishby Speech | FIDF on Oct 17 in NYC

It's tough to find a more move speaker and a more tireless advocate for the State Of Israel than Noa.

How Sweep it is! Mariners Take All Three Games from Reds

After a tough start to this 2024 season, Mariner fans got good news as they swept a three game series with the Cincinatti Reds.  

The team had a well deserved day off yesterday, but get back into action today (April 19th, 2024) against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. 

Weekend Update: Caitlin Clark on the WNBA Draft - SNL

Caitlin Clark, an outstanding college basketball player, maybe the best, shows that she is also media savvy, in this appearance on SNL.  

Ken Holtzman--Pitching Ace

 Former MLB pitcher Ken Holtzman has died.  He was 78. 

Holtzman played from 1965 to 1979. He retired as a Baltimore Oriole.  

Holtzman is a three time world series winner, and pitched 2 no-hitters.  Because of his Jewish faith, became known as "the next Sandy Koufax".  In a rather odd category, he was listed as the winningest Jewish Major League pitcher of all time.   

I had Holtzman's baseball card as a child in the late 1960s and he became a favorite of mine, just as all the Cubs had.  Finding out that he  was left-handed and Jewish became "icing on the cake". 

Holtzman was, in 1971, traded to the Oakland A's who proceeded to win the World Series in three consecutive seasons, from 1972-1974.

Holtzman was a native of St. Louis.

Amazing Race Season 36 - Team Walla Walla Pre-Interview

Hopefully, this can stay up!  Walla Walla (my hometown) people have turned up more often on reality programs, as well as Jeopardy. While a Tri-Cities radio personality was on the Golden Bachelor.  

Spring In Our Yard

This tree in our backyard had bloomed beautifully.

Brakeman Bill--Pacific Northwest TV Icon

 Brakeman Bill McLain, whose children's program on channel 11  in Tacoma was broadcasted across the Pacific Northwest via cable, passed away at 96.

McLain, whose show did the usual kid's program thing, cartoons and birthday shout-outs, would dress as a railroad brakeman while playing straight man to a wise cracking sock puppet known as Crazy Donkey.  Brakeman Bill had a very friendly demeanor, while seemingly exasperated by Crazy's antics.  

Although the Brakeman Show had been off the air for decades, he still has a Facebook fan club with well over 2 thousand members.  Quite a testimony to the power of his personality. 

Breakfast At Black Diamond Bakery

The Black Diamond Bakery is one of the most iconic establishments in the area.  

It's a bakery, coffee shop, and restaurant.

It features a picture window with a spectacular vista of Mount Rainier.

It's about a 15-20 minute drive from Maple Valley.

OJ Simpson Dead At 76

 OJ Simpson, at onetime a national hero for his accomplishments as a running back for USC and Buffalo Bills, but whose legacy was changed by murder charges, has died at 76.

Simpson later went into acting and was a favorite in the comedic series Naked Gun series where he played bumbling cop Nordberg.  He was also a pitchman for Hertz.

Almost 30 years ago, he was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown, as well as, her companion, Ron Goldman.  It became a polarizing moment in our history as Simpson's race became an issue.  

Simpson was acquitted , which brought up two issues, a separate justice system for the wealthy and famous and racial injustices for African-Americans. 

Plane Buzzes Our Yard

I didn't take this picture, but a huge military flew past our backyard yesterday at an amazingly low altitude.  Probably a C-17 cargo plane.

I had gardening gloves on and it disappeared before I could get a good shot 

This had happened before.  Last July,  I was at work when Deb told me about a huge plane flying low and shaking up the house.