Thoughts for the Day, April 21, 2025: My second mom, Mrs. Mihaiu had a hell of a ride.

My second mom: She had a hell of a ride.

As usual after taking the weekend off, I have a long list of things to write about with all that is going on in the world. Today, I am starting out with the thing that is most important to me, and that is the passing of my second mom, Margaret Mihaiu, or Mrs. Mihaiu as she always was to me. She passed away on Good Friday, nine days after her 98^th birthday.

Anyone who knows me well, or has read this blog, knows that George Mihaiu has been my best friend since I was five years old. Even though George and I have lived over 1,200 miles apart for the last 40 years and we rarely see each other, (the last time was in 2019 at our 50^th high school reunion) we talk and text regularly. When George called me on Friday after 10pm I knew it was not good (he only texts at that hour, and only when a sporting event is on that he knows I am watching). When George told me and Leah that his mom had passed, Leah and I both screamed, Oh No!!!.

I spent countless hours with George throughout my years growing up in River Rouge. If we weren’t playing hoops in his backyard, we were playing baseball or football at Great Lakes Field, which George’s house backed up to. I learned to shoot pool on Mihaiu’s basement pool table.

From ages 5 through 21 I was such a regular with the Mihaiu’s I don’t even recall if I ever knocked on the door when I came to get George. I just usually walked in and announced my presence. Mr. and Mrs. Mihaiu always welcomed me. I was so welcome in their house that Mrs. Mihaiu had no problem disciplining me like I was one of her own. I learned early on that it was not fun being on the receiving end of her discipline.

After George moved to Florida, I would stop by the Mihaiu’s to check in whenever I went to River Rouge, which was quite often. If I didn’t stop by, I would call. (I can still remember their phone number).

My favorite conversations with Mrs. Mihaiu, always centered around the rivalry between MSU and U of M. George was the starting QB at MSU during the early 70s and I worked at U of M for 32 years. If Michigan won, it was because the refs were terrible. If State won, it was because MSU was better.

A few years back, MSU beat Michigan three times during the basketball season, when both had good teams. Within minutes after the third win, Mrs. Mihaiu called me to see if I was OK. (I think she was enjoying rubbing it in). What 90-year-old women would do such a thing?

After Mrs. Mihaiu moved to Florida, George would watch many MSU games with his mom. George would usually warn me when he was going to watch the game with his mom, so I should expect a text on how she was behaving. Inevitably, George would text me saying that Margaret was yelling at the coaches or the referees and wouldn’t be quiet. He was afraid she was going to have a heart attack.

Two weeks ago, I called Mrs. Mihaiu on her 98^th birthday, it didn’t take long for her to start talking about MSU basketball. She was talking about how big and fast the Spartans were, and how it made it hard for the referees to get the calls right. She went on for about 10 minutes about how good and athletic the Spartans were. She never acknowledged that U of M won the B1G tournament, but I didn’t expect her to.

It was my last conversation with her, and I will cherish it for the rest of my life. Her last words to me were, “I love you, Tommy.” It doesn’t get any better than that.

Please check out my Video of the Day: One hell of a ride.

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The Easter Message from President Trump

"Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten.”

“Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!"

I am sure that Jesus is looking down from Heaven saying he is so proud of President Trump for sharing the message like Jesus taught us.

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What more does he have to do to show he is not qualified?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is living proof that the only qualification required to be a member of Trump’s administration is loyalty to Trump. How else would he remain in his job?

Per the NY Times today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared detailed information about forthcoming strikes in Yemen on March 15 in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, according to four people with knowledge of the chat.

Unlike the previous leak, the newly revealed one was created by Hegseth. It included his wife and about a dozen other people from his personal and professional inner circle in January, before his confirmation as defense secretary, and was named “Defense | Team Huddle,” the people familiar with the chat said. He used his private phone, rather than his government one, to access Signal chat.

President Trump in a response to a question about the latest leak, dismissed it as being not important. The Russians and China must love having Hegseth in charge of our defense.

I cannot wait to write Congressman Bergman about this second leak. I hope his response is better than the one I got about the first leak, which I will share later this week.

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You cannot make this up.

Let me get this straight, the Trump administration which is going out of their way to reduce support for marginalized people, including single moms, by reducing Medicaid and other federal support is seriously considering proposals to reward couples for having children.

Per the NY Times. The White House has been hearing out a chorus of ideas in recent weeks for persuading Americans to get married and have more children to reverse declining birthrates and push conservative family values.

One proposal shared with aides would reserve 30 percent of scholarships for the Fulbright program, the prestigious, government-backed international fellowship, for applicants who are married or have children.

Another would give a $5,000 cash “baby bonus” to every American mother after delivery.

A third calls on the government to fund programs that educate women on their menstrual cycles — in part so they can better understand when they are ovulating and able to conceive.

Administration officials have not indicated what ideas — if any — they might ultimately embrace. But advocates expressed confidence that fertility issues will become a prominent piece of the agenda, noting that President Trump has called for a “baby boom” and pointing to the symbolic power of seeing Mr. Vance and other top officials attend public events with their children.

Whatever happened to the Republican philosophy that government should stay out of people’s business and smaller government was best?

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Harvard-Speak up and speak out.

Steve Kerr, who has nine NBA championship rings and is the head coach extraordinaire for the Golden State Warriors, proudly wore a Harvard University shirt at the press conference following Golden State’s win on Thursday. The wearing of the shirt was a show of solidarity with the Ivy League school in their fight against the Trump administration over a set of demands that Kerr believes curtails freedom of speech.

“I felt like a great day to wear it,” Kerr told reporters.

According to Kerr, the shirt was a gift from Harvard men’s basketball coach Tommy Amaker.

“I believe in academic freedom,” Kerr said. “I think it’s crucial for all of our institutions to be able to handle their own business the way they want to and they should not be shaken down and told what to teach or what to say by our government. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard but it’s kind of par for the course right now. So, yes this is me supporting Harvard, my way to go to stand up to the bully.”

Please call your members of Congress today. The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell the operator where you’re from and the operator will connect you to your representatives and senators. I tested this out today. It is very simple. They will ask for the congress member you want to contact. They will then switch you to that office

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Quote of the Day

This is one of the better quotes I have ever posted.

Quote of the Day: “Ultimately, asking what would happen in such a circumstance is like consulting the Monopoly rulebook for instructions about what to do if somebody flips over the board. At that point, we are playing a different game.” From the Atlantic’s Quenta Jurecic in response to the question of what the country can do if they are in a constitutional crisis.

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Orchid of the Day: The ACLU and SCOTUS for their swift action Friday night to prevent further deportation of immigrants to El Salvador without the proper due process required under the laws of our country.

Onion of the Day: Former Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CFO William Smith says he is "extremely remorseful" and ashamed after getting caught stealing at least $44.3 million that was supposed to revitalize the city's industrial riverfront, and his lawyers are requesting leniency when he is sentenced next week for orchestrating one of the largest and most lucrative criminal schemes in Detroit history. He is ashamed he got caught.

Lyrics of the Day: Don't come hangin' round my door. I don't wanna see your face no more. I got more important things to do. Than spend my time growin' old with you. Now, woman I said, stay away.

Answer to Lyrics of the Day for April 16, 2025: You talk too much. George Thorogood

Question of the Day: What more does Pete Hegseth have to do to show he is not qualified?

Video of the Day: This goes out to Mrs. Mihaiu. She had a hell of a ride. Thanks to George Mihaiu’s friend Tim for sharing this with George.

Wags!! Billions "Hell of a Ride" Cemetery scene, Mr Bojangles

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