Let’s Make a Deal

For you sports fans: bringing drugs into Russia is not OK – but having drugs in sports in America is OK. That’s what happened to Brittany Griner, the basketball entertainer that brought drugs into Russia. Then it became a political show case and a tradeoff for an international weapon dealer for Russia – and Mr. Putin is laughing. What’s next in sports?

Orlando “Wildman” Perez

Thank you from the Friends of South Amboy

On behalf of the Friends of South Amboy we would like to thank everyone who came out and supported our charity games on December 17. With your support we are able to assist city residents in need. A special thank you goes out to all the sponsors, participating teams and the South Amboy Board of Education.

Sincerely
The Friends of South Amboy

Putin’s Chess Game: A Pawn for a King

President Biden announced the agreement to exchange former Soviet military translator turned Merchant of Death arms dealer Victor Bout, one of the world’s deadliest arms dealers. He has served over 12 of 25 years in prison for crimes, including the targeting of American citizens, for WNBA star Brittney Griner reminded me of a Chess Game. Bout was the second most wanted man in the world after Osama bin Laden.

Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged a pawn (Griner) and got a king (Bout). If Biden knew how to play chess, he would have exchanged a king for a king and made it a higher priority to obtain the release of former Marine Paul Whelan instead. Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow in 2018 on espionage charges. He was subsequently found guilty in a closed trial and has served three years of a 16-year prison sentence.

Contrast that with Women’s Basketball star Griner, who has been detained for nine months and just began serving her 9 year prison sentence. In 2020, she was quoted as saying “I didn’t think the national anthem should be played before WNBA games and would not be on the floor if it was.”

Former chief of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration told 60 minutes in 2010 “Victor Bout, in my eyes, is one of the most dangerous men on the face of the Earth.”

The exchange of Bout for Whelan would have been a better. Once again, Putin has played Biden for a fool.

Sincerely,
Larry Penner