Criticizing Trump


A young, Black conservative leader was fired after his op-ed slamming Trump surfaced.


No, this is not a bad episode of ‘The Apprentice.’ A young, Black conservative has been fired from his job at the Department of Housing and Urban Development because he did not agree with Trump.

Shermichael Singleton, a political appointee at the Department of Housing and Urban Development was fired for an op-ed he wrote before the election that criticized then-candidate Donald Trump, according to CNN.

In an October op-ed for The Hill, Singleton, who was at the time a Republican consultant, said Trump was taking the GOP to a “new moral low.”



“We allowed that hostile takeover to happen on our watch,” he wrote. “This individual recognized a moment of great disparity in the Republican base and, like cancer, attacked and spread, consuming everything in his path.”

Singleton’s piece criticized Trump’s rhetoric about African-Americans during the campaign. After the election, the 26-year-old worked with Ben Carson during his confirmation process to become HUD secretary. Singleton then joined the department as a senior adviser.

But reality struck on Wednesday when he was brought into the chief of staff’s office and fired, a source familiar with the situation told CNN. Singleton was informed that he was being dismissed because of the op-ed and was escorted from the building, according to the source, who also said Carson was surprised by the move and only learned of it after the fact.

A HUD spokesperson confirmed Singleton no longer works at the department.

Singleton declined to comment. The White House and the HUD chief of staff didn’t respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Singleton expressed concerns about Trump in his pre-election op-ed regarding Trump’s approach to addressing issues of high concern to many Black voters.

“Hearing the nominee of my party ignore these harsh truths and opt for words like ‘law and order’ sounds like a coded message from an era in our history that should stay in the past,” Singleton wrote.

In his piece, he added:

“Donald Trump portrays our inner cities is as if they are the ailments of American society and should be exterminated and swiftly removed,” Singleton wrote in the op-ed. “He never mentions the many hardworking, good and honest people who are simply trying the best they can to achieve their share of the American dream.”

Jennifer Lopez on her relationship with Drake
by : Erin Jensen

Thanks to detective and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, we have more insight to the whatever is going on between Jennifer Lopez and Drake. Lopez was a guest on Tuesday's episode of the daytime talk show and it didn't take long for the inquisitive DeGeneres to delve into JLo's love life.

She asked if Lopez's Valentine's Day plans included Drake, whom she was seen cuddling with in matching Instagrams that both artists posted in December. There were also reports Drake gifted JLo one diamond necklace.

Lopez was quick to remind DeGeneres that the rapper is "off on tour right now," which didn't fend off follow-up questions. "But you were songwriting with him, right 'songwriting'?" DeGeneres asked making air quotes.

"We did a song together if that's what you're 'asking,'" Lopez responded before addressing the cozy photograph. "We weren't writing a song right at that moment," she reasoned. "We were just hanging out."


While on the show, Lopez also addressed the belief she has a thing for younger men, sharing selecting a partner "has nothing to do with age."

"If there's somebody older, they're older," she told DeGeneres. "If they're younger, they're younger. It doesn't matter. It's whether or not I'm attracted to them or not, attracted to their spirit, their soul..."

Drake reunites with Nicki Minaj ahead of pop-up club opening
As JLo mentioned the One Dance singer is currently on a European tour. On Monday, he performed in Dublin where it seems another Rihanna was on his mind. Which makes sense, since it was her 29th birthday.  "...It's somebody's birthday today," Drake can be seen telling the audience in a NSFW fan video shared on Twitter. "Somebody I have a lot of love for and a lot of respect for. So instead of singing Happy Birthday, we just gonna do this."

Traditional Lamb Stew

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds lamb stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 large onions, quartered
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons minced chives
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme



Directions

In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the onions, carrots and remaining oil to pan. cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and lamb; Bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.
With a slotted spoon, remove meat and vegetables to a large bowl; set aside and keep warm. Pour pan juices into another bowl; set aside.
In the Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley, chives, thyme, and meat and vegetables; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

Smoked Bacon

1 3- to 4-pound pork belly, skinned (rind removed)

For the cure:

1/3 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper or cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons pink curing salt, such as Prague Powder #1
1/3 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple sugar, freeze-dried sugar cane juice (Sucanat), or a mixture of these sweeteners
Step 1: Place the salt, pepper, and pink salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with your fingers. Mix in the sugar, breaking up any lumps in brown sugar with your fingers.

Step 2: Place the pork belly on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle half of the cure on top and rub it into the belly. Invert and sprinkle the remaining cure on the bottom and rub it in. Place the belly (plus any excess cure) in a large sturdy resealable plastic bag in a foil pan or roasting pan on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. (Try not to get any cure in the tracks of the plastic bag as it won’t close properly.)

Step 3: Cure the belly for 5 to 7 days, turning it over each day to redistribute the liquid that will accumulate.

Step 4: Drain the pork belly in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Blot it dry with paper towels. Place the belly on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator or in a cool place in front of a fan (the goal is to create good airflow) and let it dry until the surface feels papery and tacky, at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight. (This last step is optional.)

Step 5: Set up your smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat it to a temperature of not less than 160 degrees and not more than 175. Add wood according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the pork belly skin (fat) side up on the grate. Smoke the belly until bronzed with wood smoke and firm. The internal temperature should be between 150 and 160 degrees. (Insert an instant-read thermometer probe through the side of the bacon at one end.) This will take 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Step 6: Transfer the bacon to a wire rack over a baking sheet and let it cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap it in butchers’ paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Step 7: Slice and cook (grill, panfry, or bake in the oven) and serve. You’ll rock the hood with this one.

Any one know a trivia question about the NY Mets

Who was the last Met to lead the league in homeruns? Most people guess Straw. The answer is Howard Johnson.

What team nickname finished second when the team owners chose the name "Metropolitans"?
The Burros.

Who had the most wins on the 1986 championship team?
Bobby Ojeda.

Who won the first game that the Mets won against Boston in the 1986 WS?
Bobby Ojeda.

What happened on the day of the Mets first scheduled game in 1962?
It got rained out.

Which pitcher had the only winning record on the dismal 40-120 1962 Mets and what was his record?
Ken Mackenzie, 5-4.

Which US President was a member of the original ownership group of the Mets.
George HW Bush.

Who did the Mets draft over Reggie Jackson in 1966 amateur draft?
Steve Chilcott

Which is the better games to go to NY mets or Yankees (Tourist)

Either is a good visit. Maybe get around to both! They're both great places to see a game. Unfortunately, neither historic stadium exists anymore. The old Yankee Stadium closed after the 2008 season (well, I'm old-school and say it REALLY got torn down after the 1973 season, but I digress), and Shea Stadium became acquainted with the wrecking ball after the team met its own wrecking ball of terrible play to end 2008. Too bad, I really loved both old parks, though I would have loved to see Yankee Stadium in its pre-renovation days, and call me crazy, but I did love Shea.

Both current parks opened in 2009. Both have enough bells and whistles to make people forget about baseball. But if you concentrate hard enough, you'll remember there's a game happening. Just saying.

I will say, the area around Yankee Stadium isn't a place I'd want to find myself in on a NON-game day, except maybe if I was going directly there for a tour. However, on a game day, it's a festival atmosphere, it's fine. I've even been there, as a Mets fan, at a Yankees-Mets game, in which Mets second baseman Luis Castillo literally dropped the game with two out in the ninth inning. I still escaped alive. I feel fine going to a game at either park - don't let perceived neighborhood safety stop you. Literally millions go to each park each year without incident.

You'd also get to see both types of games - the American League offense-heavy variety in the Bronx, or the real baseball of the National League in Queens where every player plays both offense and defense. Hey, I'm old-fashioned.

Tickets are difficult for either, maybe a little easier for the Mets, but much of that depends on the opponent. Seeing the Yankees play Boston is much more difficult than, say, seeing them play Kansas City. Same for the Mets and Philadelphia rather than, oh, Pittsburgh.

Subway to Citi Field (Mets) - from midtown, take a Flushing-bound (7) local or <7> express train to the 2nd-to-last stop (Mets/Willets Point Boulevard). Or, take the Long Island Rail Road's Port Washington Branch from Penn Station to the Mets-Willets Point Boulevard station.

Subway to Yankee Stadium (Yankees) - from midtown, take a Bronx-bound (4), (B), or (D) train to 161st St/Yankee Stadium (B/D schedules vary during rush hours and weekends, just follow the Yankees fans and you'll be fine). Another option is Metro North Railroad from Grand Central or Harlem to the Stadium, but that makes little sense as it's more expensive and the (4) stops at both of those anyway. And the (4) station is closer to the park than the MNRR station is.

I would not consider taking a taxi to either. Mass transit is fast (probably even faster, looking at those packed postgame parking lots), and trust me, your wallet will be hurting enough already after the game. You're talking upwards of $30 cab fare each way to/from either park.

What pitcher has the most wins against the NY Mets and how many

Pitcher wins v. Mets

1. HOF Maddux -- 35
2. HOF Carlton -- 30
3. HOF Gibson -- 28
4. HOF Marichal -- 26
5. HOF Niekro -- 25
6. HOF Drysdale -- 24
7. Krukow -- 22 (finally someone who didn't get the plaque by clobbering the Mets!)
8t. Larry Jackson -- 21
8t. Hooton -- 21
10. Maloney -- 19

Tied for 11th place are HOF Sutton, HOF Bunning, and FHOF Smoltz at 18 each.

Reeling off some more notables...

HOF Koufax 17
HOF Jenkins 17
Hudson 17
HOF Glavine 17
HOF G.Perry 15
B.Forsch 15
J.Niekro 14
Dierker 14
Valenzuela 13
Schilling 13
HOF Ryan 7
HOF Seaver 5

What the--? Seaver with only five? Lookit how all those other HOFers did, mauling the Mets. Whatta bum.