vic fortezza

The results of the Wisconsin recall election have to be encouraging for those of us who wish to see the tide toward socialism reversed. By a margin of 53 to 46%, voters decided to retain Governor Scott Walker, whose reforms seem to be working. It's great to see that a majority of citizens refuse to let unions bankrupt them. The most satisfying aspect of the event is the thought of how the left must be eating their collective hearts out. Donations and volunteers from around the country poured into the Badger state. Unions burned through millions, but will no doubt steal and shake down the weak to refill the coffers for future battles. Since Wisconsinites no longer have dues automatically deducted from their checks, many have abandoned their brothers and sisters. Membership is down drastically. It's always about the money. How refreshing to see that adults are in charge, at least temporarily. One discouraging note: exit polls show voters prefer Obama to Romney by a margin of 53 to 42%. Socialism has a strong foothold in this country that will not easily be reversed. Today is the anniversary of D-Day. In a cemetery near what was dubbed Omaha Beach, there are 9387 Americans buried, a lot of them kids thousands of miles from home who gave their lives to preserve the freedom vital to mankind's happiness and prosperity. Thank you. I continue to find it so ironic that President Obama's only real success is in the prosecution of the War on...

I was rooting around with the remote last night and stumbled into yet another great music documentary on a PBS station. I didn't think there were any significant artists from the early rock era I didn't at least know by name. Charlie Gracie (Graci) was born in Philadelphia in 1936. His dad encouraged him to play guitar, and he began winning talent contests in his early teens. In 1956 he was the first artist to sign with the fledgling home town Cameo label. He played the Brooklyn Paramount as part of an Alan Freed show, and appeared on Ed Sullivan and in the 1957 film Jamboree, which also featured Chuck Berry. His song Butterfly hit #5 on the Billboard charts, selling three million copies, ensuring the label's financial health. His follow up, Fabulous, hit #16. Two others cracked the Top 100. Cameo went on to issue hit records by Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, the Dovells, the Orlons and Dee Dee Sharp. Gracie sued the company for unpaid royalties, which hurt his career, as powerful forces prevented his subsequent work from getting radio play. He was undaunted, playing small venues, which he does to this day. He is loved in England and is a member of the British Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. He was the second Yank to bring rock n roll to the UK. He toured with, among others, Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues, Come on, Everybody), who became a great friend and who, tragically, was killed in an accident...

Here's another money-making idea that will have most people wondering: Why didn't I think of that? Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, a cheeky store affiliated with the Ministry of Stories in the UK, has launched its newest product: salt made from human tears. According to the Monster Supplies website, the product "combines centuries-old craft with the freshest human tears, which are gently boiled, released into shallow crystallization tanks, then harvested by hand and finally rinsed in brine." The flavors/emotions include: Salt Made From Tears of Anger, Salt Made From Tears Shed While Chopping Onions, Salt Made From Tears Shed While Sneezing, Salt Made From Tears of Laughter, Salt Made From Tears of Sorrow. Expert tear harvester Halen Mon produced the salt with the help of Studio Weave. Is the product really made from actual tears? Know this - Halen Mon specializes in sea salt. The novelty salts are available for purchase online, but human tears don't come cheap. They range from $11 to $47. A portion of the sales supports the Ministry of Stories children's writing center. The satirical monster supply store, which makes fake products and sells them for charity, has many other options available beyond salt. I wonder if they can do anything with snot or phlegm. After an off-season chock full of bad news, the Mets had an unbelievable weekend: Johan Santana's no-hitter, Johnny Franco's induction into the team's Hall of Fame, and three straight wins vs. the world champion Cardinals, vaulting them into a first place tie in...

This is a great day for alumni of Lafayette High School. Tonight in pre-game ceremonies at Citi Field, one of our own, John Franco, will be inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame. Johnny Boy spent 21 years in the big leagues, 14 with the Amazin's. He recorded 424 saves, the most ever by a lefty, 276 as a Met, the most by any pitcher wearing the orange and blue. He also had 90 wins. I do not know John well, although I coached several of his contemporaries at our alma mater, but I knew his reputation. Johnny could very well have excelled on the gridiron, but he wisely chose to focus on baseball. There was a neat symmetry between the Redmen football and baseball teams in 1977. Dave, our QB, was the centerfielder, Roger, our FB, was the catcher, and Danny, a DE/TE was the first baseman. It was a great group. We all hope that John will one day join our most famous alum, Sandy Koufax, in the MLB Hall of Fame. Way to go, Johnny Boy. You make us proud. Last night I watched Cause for Alarm (1951), courtesy of Netflix. There were two notable aspects. Loretta Young was outstanding as the panic-stricken spouse of a mentally ill husband. Young is under-rated, rarely mentioned among her great contemporaries, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, and Katherine Hepburn. The film was directed by Tay Garnett, who did a lot of good work, particularly The Postman Always Rings...

After 51 years, a span of 8019 games, the New York Mets finally have a no-hitter to their credit. Johan Santana, who had shoulder surgery more than a year ago, accomplished what no other pitcher wearing the orange, which honors the departed NY Giants, and blue, which honors the Brooklyn Dodgers, has been able to do, but many ex-Mets have. Nolan Ryan threw an astounding seven. Tom Seaver, who took three into the ninth as a Met, got his as a member of the Reds. David Cone and Dwight Gooden, the dirty dogs, did it with the Skanks. I’ll never forgive them. And just five weeks ago Phillip Humber pitched a perfect game for the White Sox. Of course, the Mets being the Mets, management and fans now wait with baited breath to see if Santana has been overtaxed and re-injured. He threw 134 pitches. I’d bet many fans, at least those who don’t fork over the cash for high-priced tickets, would be happy with the trade-off. After all, they don’t pay his enormous salary, and the lack of a no-hitter was a source of great frustration to many. Muy bien, Johan. Here’s proof that A Hitch in Twilight is popular with a diverse audience: My thanks to Marie and her sagacious feline Simba. Thanks also to the woman who purchased the huge Wolves of Calla, part of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. I am thrilled not to have to carry it any more. She also overpaid for James Patterson’s Seventh...