Way We Were

On “What’s Your Point” yesterday, the Donald Trump war on Iran was discussed and two panelists described the war effort as bad planning. The Texas Breitbart fella responded by calling out the two for dissing the generals who I am guessing the fella is implying handle the war plans. Hmm. The Texas Breitbart fella should read up on the generals and past U.S. military campaigns, specifically the chapters on Vietnam and Iraq, just saying.

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Now this is what you call lousy planning. See this story from MSN:

Japan and Australia said on Monday they were not planning to send navy vessels to the Middle East to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies to create a coalition to reopen the vital waterway.

With the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran creating turmoil across the Middle East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trump on Sunday insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility to protect the strait through which 20% of the world’s energy transits.

Markets in Asia reacted cautiously, with Brent crude LCOc1rising more than 1% above $104.50 and regional share markets mostly weaker amid concerns about the risk to Middle East oil facilities and after Trump’s request for allies to get more involved.

“I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on the way from Florida to Washington. “It’s the place from which they get their energy.”

Trump said his administration has already contacted seven countries, but did not identify the countries. In a weekend social media post he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would participate.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday her country, constrained by its war-renouncing constitution, has no plan to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East.

I mean, come on! We go and start a war and don’t let other countries know. Now we want them to help bail us out. That isn’t good planning. I am sure the Texas Breitbart fella will be quick to blame anyone but Trump.

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A couple of weeks or so ago before the primary election, I saw a news story on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn campaigning. I noticed Cornyn kind of shuffles along and his posture is a bit off. Last week, I met a prominent Texas Republican who supports Cornyn and we discussed the MAGA U.S. Senate runoff in Texas. He told me he thinks Cornyn probably should not have run for reelection because of the age thing. He didn’t think Cornyn had the fitness needed for another campaign. Oh, well.

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I watched the Oscars last night. Here are the best two lines from host Conan O’Brien:

“There are no British actors nominated for best actor or best actress. A British spokesperson said, ‘Yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles.”

And this:

“We’re coming to you live from the Has a Small Penis Theatre. Let’s see him put his name in front of that.”

Jimmy Kimmel also had this good line here:

“As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”

Too funny. Sad CBS.

Barbra Streisand singing “The Way We Were” during the In Memoriam with the featured photo was emotional, as well as the personal tributes to Rob and Michele Reiner by Billy Crystal. Rachel McAdams also paid moving tributes to Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton. Well, done, Academy.

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Team USA beat Canada Friday at Daikin Park, 5-3, and beat the Dominican Republic, 2-1, last night in Miami. We will play the winner of tonight’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) semifinal between Italy and Venezuela, tomorrow night for the WBC Championship.

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One week from this evening, the Astros come home to Daikin Park to close out Spring Training with two exhibition games against the Space Cowboys.