Dear Commons Community,

On September 3, 1944, Anne Frank and her family were deported from the Westerbork concentration camp to Auschwitz. Of the four members of the Frank family, only Otto Frank survived. But through her diary, Anne became the voice of the one million Jewish children who were murdered in the Holocaust.  There is an incredible museum in Amsterdam dedicated to the Frank family that includes the house in which they hid from Nazis from 1942 through 1944.  We toured the museum this morning and it leaves a pit in your stomach looking  at remains (desk, makeshift kitchen, toilet) of their Secret Annex.   The most poignant was the actual bookcase that provided the entrance to the Annex. The Franks hid in the  Annex for over 2 years, with the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer.  They maintained their secrecy with the help of Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman, John and Bep Voskuijl, and Miep and Jan Gies.

Everyone should visit this shrine at least once in their lifetime.

Tony

Otto, Edith, Margot, and Anne Frank

Westerkerk, located footsteps from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, is a 17th-century Protestant church and the largest of its kind in the Netherlands.

Dear Commons Community,

Last night, Elaine and I had dinner at Bleu, a quaint little restaurant about a ten-minute walk from where we are staying in Jordaan.  Afterwards we took a stroll along one of the many canals in this part of Amsterdam.   

Fine evening!

Tony

Bleu Restaurant

Main Entrance to Sebastian’s

Dear Commons Community,

Elaine and I arrived safely in Amsterdam.  We are staying at Sebastian’s which is located in Jordaan, just outside of the old center of Amsterdam. It is noted for the eleven canals that crisscross the area.  It was also the home of Rembrandt who, after he went bankrupt in 1655,  moved into a rented house on the Rozengracht in the Jordaan, where he lived until he died in 1669.

Tony

The view from our hotel room.

Sebastian’s Bar

Dear Commons Community,

My wife, Elaine and I, will be leaving for Amsterdam this evening on vacation.  We will be spending about a week touring parts of The Netherlands and Belgium.  Assuming we have safe travels, we should arrive about 9:00 am tomorrow morning.

Tot morgen!

Tony

Dear Commons Community,

Trump’s abrupt reversal on the aggressive global tariffs he announced a week ago left critics shaking their heads after the turmoil rattled financial markets and increased the likelihood of an economic recession.  As reported by The Huffington Post.

“This is chaos. This is government by chaos,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said at a press conference on Wednesday. “He keeps changing things from day to day. His advisors are fighting among themselves. You cannot run a country with such chaos.”

“This chaos seems just a game for Donald Trump, but it is very real for people’s lives, people’s retirement, their income,” he added. “Trump seems to be playing a game of red light, green light. One day this, one day that. I’ve never seen such a chaotic administration action.”

Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he is reducing tariffs on all countries to 10% for 90 days, rather than keeping the higher rates he announced last week. However, he said, China’s exports to the U.S. would now see a 125% tariff.

“At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump posted Wednesday afternoon.

U.S. financial markets rallied immediately on the news, erasing much of their losses from last week. Republican lawmakers and allies of Trump also welcomed the reversal, including some who had expressed concerns with the president’s strategy and its negative impact on the economy.

“This is the right decision,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) wrote in a social media post. “We should focus on holding Communist China accountable for its IP theft, currency manipulation, and unfair trade practices.”

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, a Trump ally, wrote that the president had “brilliantly executed” his tariff policies. Earlier on Wednesday, Ackman had warned that “many small businesses will go bankrupt” if Trump continued course.

But Schumer, a longtime China hawk, said it would be difficult to undo the damage caused by Trump’s trade policies. He warned that the remaining universal 10% tariffs would raise prices for consumers and questioned how targeting U.S. allies would help in confronting Ch

“When you have a tariff strategy, it needs to be pinpointed and focused,” Schumer said Wednesday.

“Trump has created a situation where the whole world is against us, and everyone is furious at America,” he added. “The only way you can bring China to be fairer is by creating alliances and having the world focused on China, instead of the whole world angry at America.”

Tony

Elon Musk and Peter Navarro

Dear Commons Community,

Elon Musk took another swipe at Trump’s senior trade adviser Peter Navarro yesterday, calling him “truly a moron” on social media as the Tesla CEO further splits from the White House’s tariffs plan.

Musk’s remarks were in response to a CNBC interview with Navarro that aired Monday, during which the White House trade adviser discussed how Tesla’s position as a “car assembler” rather than a car manufacturer could be at odds with Trump’s tariff policies. The comments come as Trump announced widespread tariffs on a swath of countries, causing market volatility and likely increasing the cost of cars by thousands of dollars.  As reported by CNN.

“In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets, which in the EV case are the batteries, come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan,” Navarro said.

“The difference is, in our thinking and Elon’s on this, is that we want the tires made in Akron,” he continued. “We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here.”

Musk said Navarro “is truly a moron” in an X post replying to a video of the comments being shared on the social media platform. “What he says here is demonstrably false,” he wrote, before calling Navarro “Peter Retarrdo” in another derogatory comment.

Musk claimed “Tesla has the most American-made cars,” in another series of X posts, adding that “Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.”

“By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content. Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara,” he added.

Tesla has dominated Cars.com’s American-Made Index since 2021, based on criteria including assembly location, where the parts are made, engine origin, transmission origin and US manufacturing workforce. Still, Tesla isn’t immune to tariffs, a reality that Musk has acknowledged.

“The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant,” he wrote on X last month.

Musk’s Tuesday remarks come after he posted, and then deleted, a comment saying Navarro’s PhD from Harvard is a “bad thing,” and that he hasn’t “built sh*t.”

Navarro dismissed concerns over a clash with Musk on Monday, saying “everything is good with Elon, no problem.” when speaking to CNBC.

Musk has also diverged with Trump on tariffs, posting videos about free trade and saying at an Italian event he believes there should be zero tariffs between the US and Europe. The Washington Post reported Monday that Musk also made a “direct appeal” to Trump.

It’s not the first time Musk has disagreed with Trump on a policy or personnel pick. But the split over tariffs is one of the more significant differences in perspective between the president and his biggest booster and top adviser.

The White House for its part, is shrugging off Musk’s comments.

“These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs. Boys will be boys and we will let their public sparring continue,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on yesterday. 

Dear Karoline, tell Trump, in case neither of you know it, Elon and Peter are playing with the entire American economy at stake.  It is not simply “boys being boys.”

Tony

Dear Commons Community,

A conservative advocacy organization financed by billionaire Republican mega-donor Charles Koch is representing a Florida company that is suing President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs on all imports from China, describing Trump’s move as an unlawful power grab.  As reported by USA Today and MSNBC.

“A tariff is a tax on Americans’ commerce with other countries,” the New Civil Liberties Alliance wrote in its legal complaint, filed on behalf of Simplified, a Florida-based business that sells organizational tools such as paper-made planners. “The Constitution assigns Congress exclusive power to impose tariffs and regulate foreign commerce.”

The New Civil Liberties Alliance, which is also affiliated with prominent right-wing legal activist Leonard Leo’s network, describes its mission as combatting “unlawful administrative power.”

Trump has issued a series of tariffs against China as part of an escalating trade war since taking office Jan. 20. The latest – 104% tariffs against the economic superpower – will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT today, the White House has said.

Although the Constitution states that Congress “shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,” Trump has claimed authority to impose the tax on Chinese companies exporting goods to the U.S. under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. That law lets the president regulate economic transactions after declaring a national emergency.

In a Feb. 1 executive order, Trump said he was declaring a national emergency under the act based on an “extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl.” He set 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Since then, China and the U.S. have engaged in a spiraling war of retaliatory tariffs.

But Trump’s executive orders targeting China for tariffs have no connection to the opioid problem that he pointed to as the basis for his authority, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in a Florida federal court.

“In fact, President Trump’s own statements reveal the real reason for the China tariff, which is to reduce American trade deficits while raising federal revenue,” according to the lawsuit.

If courts allow Trump “to bypass the statutory scheme for tariffs, the President will have nearly unlimited authority to commandeer Congress’s power over tariffs,” the New Civil Liberties Alliance wrote on behalf of Simplified.

“President Trump has broad authority to impose tariffs to address issues of national emergency, such as the opioid pandemic,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told USA TODAY in response to the lawsuit. “The Trump Administration looks forward to victory in court.”

Trump’s escalating tariffs threaten to create a wedge between him and some fellow Republicans.

When the Senate passed a resolution April 2 to lift Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, four Republicans joined with Democrats to vote for the measure. Seven Republican Senators also cosponsored a bill with Democrats that would limit Trump’s ability to impose tariffs without getting congressional buy-in.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sorry Charles but Trump is your guy!

Tony

Dear Commons Community,

New York state officials have told the Trump administration that they will not comply with its demands to end diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in public schools, despite the administration’s threats to terminate federal education funding.

Daniel Morton-Bentley, counsel and deputy commissioner of the state Department of Education, said in a letter dated Friday to the federal Education Department that state officials do not believe the federal agency has the authority to make such demands.  As reported by The Associated Press.

“We understand that the current administration seeks to censor anything it deems ‘diversity, equity & inclusion,’” he wrote. “But there are no federal or State laws prohibiting the principles of DEI.”

Morton-Bentley also wrote state officials were “unaware” of any authority the federal Department of Education has to demand that states agree with its interpretation of court decisions or to terminate funding without a formal administrative process.

The U.S. Department of Education did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

The Trump administration on Thursday ordered K-12 schools nationwide to certify within 10 days that they are following federal civil rights laws and ending any discriminatory DEI practices, as a condition for receiving federal money. Federal funding comprises about 6 percent of the total funding for New York K-12 schools.

“Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement when the demand was made. He said many schools have flouted their legal obligations, “including by using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another.”

The certification demand asked state and school leaders to sign a “reminder of legal obligations” acknowledging their federal money is conditioned on compliance with federal civil rights laws. It also demands compliance with several pages of legal analysis written by the administration.

The demand specifically threatens Title I funding, which sends billions of dollars a year to America’s schools and targets low-income areas.

Congratulations to the NYS Education Department for standing on its principles rather than cave into Trump’s bullying.

Tony

Florida players celebrate after defeating Houston in the 2025 NCAA men’s tournament national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Dear Commons Community,

Walter Clayton Jr. scored all 11 of his points in the second half and Florida pulled out a 65-63 win against Houston’s ferocious defense with a second-half rally to claim the third national championship in program history.  It was a game for the ages as Houston was in the lead practically throughout the game.  Florida took the final lead with less than a minute to play.  As reported by USA Today.

The Gators were led by guard Alijah Martin’s 18 points. Freshman forward Alex Condon had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Clayton added 7 assists, 5 rebounds, a block and a steal but shot 3-10 from the field and 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Houston guard L.J. Cryer had a game-high 19 points. Senior forward J’wan Roberts had 8 points and 8 rebounds but went 1 of 6 in the second half. Guard Emanuel Sharp had 8 points and shot 3 of 11 with a pair of costly turnovers.

This is Florida’s first title since going back-to-back in 2006 and 2007 under Hall of Fame coach Bill Donovan. The Gators won a combined 39 games in coach Todd Golden’s first two years but finished 36-4 this season, tying the 2014 team for the most wins in program history.

Golden is the youngest coach to win a national title since Jim Valvano of North Carolina State in 1983.

“We did what we did all year,” Golden said. “We stayed the course. … Like we’ve done all year, we made plays when we needed them the most. We guarded our butts off down the stretch.”

Florida’s victory gives the SEC its first national championship since 2012 and cements this year’s conference as the most dominant in recent NCAA history. The SEC sent a record 14 teams into this year’s tournament and had four teams in the Elite Eight.

The Gators won it all despite nearly facing the toughest possible tournament road. Previously, Florida beat No. 16 Norfolk State (95-69) in the opening round, No. 8 Connecticut (77-75) in the second round, No. 4 Maryland (87-71) in the Sweet 16, No. 3 Texas Tech (84-79) and No. 1 Auburn (79-73) in the Final Four.

“It’s a feeling I can’t even explain,” Clayton said.

In a matchup expected to be decided by which team was able to control the tempo, it was the Cougars’ physicality that defined the style of play and forced the run-and-gun Gators to alter their approach.

Houston’s ability to control the paint and dominate the glass helped put it in front 16-10 midway through the first half, with the two teams combining to miss their first 12 attempts from deep. The Cougars’ harassing halfcourt defense yielded six Florida turnovers and made every early possession a battle for breathing room.

A trio of 3-pointers by Richard helped snap a five-minute Florida scoring drought and evened the score at 21-21 with 5:44 to go before halftime. The Cougars would then go on an 8-0 run over the next 40 seconds to go up 29-21. But Florida would close the first 20 minutes on a 7-2 run of its own to make the score 31-28 at the half.

That Florida was within a possession of the Cougars despite a scoreless first half by Clayton, who missed all four of his attempts but had five assists, was telling. With 14 points on 4 of 6 makes from 3, Richard stepped up to keep the Gators close. The two teams ended the half a combined 6 of 28 from behind the arc.

After only four fouls were called in the first half, Florida was whistled three times in the first 2:09 of the second, with the last, a blocking call against Richard, resulting in a technical foul assessed to the apoplectic Gators’ bench. UH would make one of two ensuing free throws and then add a 3 by Cryer and a short jumper by Roberts to lead 42-30 at the 15:30 mark.

At this point, the Cougars’ tenacity had the frustrated Gators on the verge of losing the plot. Yet Florida would find a response as it had done in all four of its last victories when a comeback was required.

After an Emanuel Sharp free throw put Houston up 45-34 six minutes into the half, the Gators would get a layup from Denzel Aberdeen, a Martin connection from deep and then an and-one by forward Thomas Haugh to make it 45-42 with 12:06 left.

Clayton then finally started to make an impact. He then fouled while putting in a twisting layup on the left side, his first bucket of the game, and then made the free throw to tie the score at 48-48 with 7:54 left.

The first tie since it was 21-21 in the first half set up a high-pressure home stretch.

Houston went up 51-48 with the help of two free throws following another technical foul on the Gators, this one on center Rueben Chinyelu. Clayton had another and-one to make it 51-51 with seven minutes to go. Dueling layups by Mylik Wilson and Aberdeen evened the score at 53-53 with six minutes left. Richard made a pair from the line to draw Florida within a point at 58-57 with 4:46 to go.

Thirty seconds later, Ja’Vier Francis would slam back an offensive rebound to put UH ahead 60-57 before a Clayton 3 with 3:14 left tied the score again. Both offenses would then bog down again, leaving UH in front 63-62 with under a minute left.

With 46.5 seconds to play, Martin would make a pair from the line to put the Gators up 64-63 and give them their first lead since 8-6 with 15:37 to play in the first half. At that point, Florida had led the game for all of 17 seconds.

The edge would hold. The Cougars’ next possession ended with Sharp dribbling the ball away and out of bounds, returning the ball to the Gators. Aberdeen would make one of two from the line to make the score 65-63 with 19.7 left.

That set up Houston’s final chance. But with Sharp was forced into an awkward dribble with just seconds left when Clayton challenged his potential 3-point shot, resulting in a scramble for the ball that was recovered by Condon, bringing the national title back to Gainesville.

Congratulations, Gators!

Tony

Dear Commons Community,

The veteran broadcast journalist shared one simple sentence on Facebook that got nearly a million likes and more than 60,000 comments.

Dan Rather has some choice words, or rather, a little proverb for President Donald Trump.

The veteran broadcast journalist and former “CBS Evening News” anchor seemed to hit a nerve yesterday, sharing on Facebook a post aimed squarely at Trump’s tumultuous administration — to nearly one million likes and more than 60,000 comments.

“When a clown moves into a palace he doesn’t become a king, the palace instead becomes a circus. — Turkish proverb,” the post reads.

Rather also shared a recent article of his in the comments of yesterday’s post about Trump’s steep international tariffs and the U.S. economy, seemingly confirming the proverb was about him.

The premise of a clown entering a palace seemed to strike a chord.

“Perfect description of what is going on right now. I never understood people’s fear of clowns, until now…,” wrote one Facebook user, with another commenting: “My daughter used to be afraid of clowns. Here is one we can all be afraid of.”

Trump has certainly created the current White House in his image.

The former reality television star forewent the Oval Office’s traditional decor to include more gold, hawked Tesla vehicles on the grounds for his billionaire tech mogul buddy Elon Musk — and is practically selling U.S. citizenship for $5 million a pop.

The proverb itself likely originated with the Circassians, Sunni Muslims from the Northwestern Caucasus, and is not specifically Turkish. 

“Turkish proverb / American reality,” one user nonetheless argued on Rather’s post.

In his career, Rather covered some of the biggest events in modern history, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War and 9/11. 

Popcorn anyone!

Tony