Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński is mobilized for operatic stardom, and then some.
Microphones love his richly colored falsetto voice, magazine covers like his looks. And behind a dense schedule of multiple trans-Atlantic flights, lies a supportive private life that has him rooted in his native Warsaw with fiancée, family, and Labrador retriever.
The Kimmel Center performances of Handel’s Messiah, Dec. 12-14, come as a curious break from solo concerts and high-profile opera productions. Here, Orliński is an equal partner with three high-caliber soloists plus the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
But does he really need to do this?
Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński will be making his Philadelphia debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Handel’s “Messiah.”
“‘Tis the season. I love singing Messiah. It’s one of the best things. That’s why I jumped on the opportunity to sing it with Maestro (aka Nézet-Séguin),” said Orliński, (whose friends call him J.J.) in a Zoom interview from the Montreal airport.
“This is the third time [the Philadelphia Orchestra] invited me to do something. Two years ago it was the Bach Mass in B Minor, but I was too busy. Now I have the time.” Sort of.
Within a two-week period, he will bounce between Montreal, Vienna, and Philadelphia. The precedent of a student visa, dating back to his Juilliard School years (2015-2017), makes the immigration process a little easier, saving him from the kind of entry snafus plaguing many Europe-based artists now.
Passport officials, he says, can’t help chatting him up about Juilliard, even though he has gone on to win numerous awards, is regularly seen in European fashion magazines, has two Grammy Award nominations (among his eight recordings, most of which are on the Warner/Erato label), and generates much comment for appearing shirtless at seemingly every opportunity. And that included his 2021 Metropolitan Opera debut in Eurydice, playing Orpheus’ alter ego.
Erin Morley as Eurydice, from left, Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and Jakub Józef Orliński as Orpheus’s Double appear during a performance of Matthew Aucoin’s “Eurydice” at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in November 2021. (Marty Sohl/Met Opera via AP)
Orliński’s physique gets discussed among concertgoers and critics, much in the spirit of pianist Yuja Wang’s concert attire. Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, now Opera Philadelphia chief, has also appeared similarly exposed at the Met in years past.
Is this a possible smoke screen for lack of talent? No, because in all their cases, their artistry wins out.
Lingering criticism stings though, Orliński admits. But his legions of social media followers do generate ticket sales. Shirt or no shirt, he would always have mixed reactions among chronically opinionated operagoers.
“It’s OK. I am feeling good with what I’m doing and how I‘m doing it,” he said.
His life resembles that of a rock star but doesn’t sound like one. Well, maybe a little bit on his 2024 album, #LetsBaRock, which has Monteverdi bathed in modern electronic sound. “In the time of Monteverdi, they would change the instrumentation,” he said, “and that’s exactly what we did.”
Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński who will be making his Philadelphia debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Handel’s “Messiah.”
He’s good to his word: The vocal tracks could be lifted out of the electronic context and transplanted exactly into a traditional Monteverdi recording. His recordings (so far) stick close to his home ground in the 18th century, often with worthy pieces previously buried by history.
Orliński’s Philadelphia stage debut returns him to the scene of an early-career heartbreak when he was fresh out of Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. “I did audition for the Curtis Institute in 2014,” he said. “Curtis has this incredible focus on the individual because it’s such a small school. Amazing faculty.”
He didn’t get in for lack of a slot for countertenors — a specialized male-falsetto voice type that has only entered U.S. mainstream opera in the past 30 years, partly thanks to the outreach efforts of fellow countertenor Roth Costanzo.
Baroque opera, the usual launching point for countertenors, wasn’t often performed in Philadelphia at that time.
In Juilliard, he studied with the noted soprano Edith Wiens. During his New York years, he sang some of his first Messiah performances in Carnegie Hall. Only a year out of Juilliard, he released his first album, Anima Sacra, in 2018 with a cover showing him with bare shoulders.
Only a year out of Juilliard, Jakub Józef Orliński released his first album, “Anima Sacra,” in 2018 with a cover showing him with bare shoulders.
At times, one worries he’ll catch a cold.
But not Orliński, whose health regimen helps him keep up a daunting schedule that, in the first two months of 2026, has 15 performances in two Handel operas. Among them is a cross-Europe tour in the titular role in Giulio Cesare in Egitto.
The Philadelphia concerts boast of star soloists Lucy Crowe, Frédéric Antoun, and Quinn Kelsey. Orliński is fine with being a member of this larger ensemble. Though Handel offers no character portrayals to the individual singers, he sees himself and his colleagues as co-conspirators in telling the central story of the Messiah.
“It’s not just re-creating what was written,” he said. “There are places… where you can write your own cadenzas and ornaments.” Like being a rock star from another century.
Philadelphia Orchestra performs Handel’s “Messiah.” Through Dec. 14, Marian Anderson Hall, 300 S. Broad St., Phila. $43-$240. philorch.ensembleartsphilly.org
One man, buried under $20,000 in online gambling debt, became homeless. A woman lost $13,000 and missed her last five mortgage payments. A mother gambled away her son’s college tuition, piling up over $100,000 in debt.
Such dire stories — shared with gambling helplines in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in recent years — are on the rise. And for the growing number of people, the problem isn’t the casino, but the apps on their phones that let them gamble anywhere, 24-7.
“My family is hosting fundraisers for my son who had a stroke, and here I am, gambling on my phone,” one caller said. “What’s wrong with me?”
The Philadelphia media market — which encompasses the city, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and central and southern New Jersey — has become an epicenter of online gambling in the United States. In 2024, internet gaming and sports wagering revenues alone topped $6 billion in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, up from about $3.6 billion in 2021.
In the same period, the number of calls and texts to 1-800-GAMBLER rose in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, two of only six states in the U.S. where both sports betting and online casino games are legal. But calls about online gambling problems rose significantly more — 180% in Pennsylvania and 160% in New Jersey in that period. In 2019, only about one in 10 Pennsylvania callers said online gambling was the main issue. By 2024, it was every other caller.
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The Inquirer analyzed anonymized helpline call logs, state revenue reports, and advertising data to shed light on how the Philadelphia-area market has become a hub for the online gambling industry. An increasing volume of gamblers face financial devastation as they struggle to get off the apps.
As of this fall, the Philadelphia media market outpaced New York City and Las Vegas as the No. 1 market for internet gambling advertisement, with companies spending more than $37 million on ads between January and September, according to data provided by Nielsen Ad Intel.
As many as 30% of Pennsylvania adults now gamble on online sports with some regularity, according to researchers at Pennsylvania State University who conduct an annual, state-funded survey of online gambling. And as many as 6% of Pennsylvanians, or 785,000 people, are estimated to be problem gamblers, according to the most recent survey, which is not yet published.
While problem gambling has a range of severity, the American Psychiatric Association recognizes it as a mental health condition. A gambling disorder is defined by a persistent pattern of problematic betting with an inability to limit or stop, leading to emotional, financial, and or relational distress.
For many, the losses are crushing. In New Jersey, helpline callers reported a combined $28 million in debt at least among people who disclosed this financial information, averaging about $34,000 for each of these callers. In Pennsylvania, 60% of those people willing to share said they owed money, though the state does not track totals.
Across both states, callers reported they had drained entire retirement accounts, lost homes to bank foreclosure, or blown through entire paychecks. One anonymous caller in New Jersey reported losing $400,000 in a single night — his life savings.
“We [also] have people who call us and say, ‘I think I’m doing this too much. I think I need a little bit of help,’” said Josh Ercole, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, the state-funded nonprofit that runs the hotline for the commonwealth’s residents.
Four calls made in New Jersey between 2023 and 2024 were about children under the age of 12 struggling with gambling problems, according to the state’s fiscal year report. Ten other calls were about children under the age of 18. In Pennsylvania, 10 calls involved children between the ages of 13 and 17.
Experts say the explosion of sports betting and casino apps has fueled what is increasingly seen as a public health crisis, as gambling profits and state tax revenues derived from them have soared since sports betting’s legalization in 2018. And Philadelphia is now viewed as something of a promised land for e-gambling boosters.
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Uttara Madurai Ananthakrishnan, an economics professor at the University of Washington who has studied the psychology of gambling, said lawmakers have struggled to keep pace with the industry’s meteoric growth.
“I don’t think people expected it to explode at this level,” said Madurai Ananthakrishnan, who previously worked in Pennsylvania. “All of this is going to slowly add up and cause a ton of issues downstream.”
Harrisburg also benefited handsomely from the high rollers, drawing $165 million last year in gambling taxes, up from $46 million five years prior. About $10 million was earmarked for gambling addiction helplines and treatment programs, which came directly from industry profits.
Online betting now accounts for nearly half of all gambling revenue in Pennsylvania, according to an Inquirer analysis of state reports. Pennsylvanians wagered a staggering $8.3 billion during the 2024-25 fiscal year in online sports betting alone, making it by far the most popular gambling method. Total revenue for sportsbook and iGaming sites rose past $2.9 billion last year.
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In New Jersey gaming revenue was nearly $6.3 billion in 2024 — $3.3 billion of which came from internet gaming and sports wagering, according to the state’s Casino Control Commission’s annual report.
Yet the amount spent online is almost certainly higher than what states can track — as is the number of people who have developed online problems.
Caron Treatment Center, a Pennsylvania-based substance use treatment facility, said 160 people in their inpatient treatment problem were struggling with gambling this year — a 162% increase from five years ago.
“I’ve been getting call after call about gambling,” said Eric Webber, a behavioral health specialist and gambling counselor at Caron. “It’s a national crisis that doesn’t have a national solution.”
Fewer than two dozen gambling sites are technically legal in Pennsylvania. But thanks to pervasive online advertising, many gamblers now use so-called offshore gambling sites that are not regulated by the state.
As of last year, more than 20% of online gamblers were using these illegal or unregulated sites, according to the 2024 Penn State report. Such sites often lack state-mandated guardrails like easily allowing users to set weekly betting limits or request a “self-exclusion” — avoluntary ban from licensed casinos, internet-based gambling, video gaming terminals, and fantasy sports wagering.
Self-exclusions in Pennsylvania are higher this year than last year — 8,315 people have already opted out compared with the 7,489 people who requested a ban through Dec. 31 of last year.
Major online sportsbooks say they are going above and beyond.
Beyond self-imposed spending limits, FanDuel, one of the largest sports betting advertisers in the Philadelphia market, introduced a dashboard to allow gamblers to track their spending habits. The company also began tracking betting patterns on its platform and alerting customers when they bet more than their normal wager.
“When users attempt to deposit significantly more than their predicted amount, we surface that information to them and prompt them to reduce their deposit or to set a go-forward deposit limit,” a FanDuel spokesperson said.
DraftKings, in a statement, said it works closely with a gambling company alliance to support responsible betting, “leveraging technology to help detect signs of potentially problematic behavior.”
Some lawmakers want to see more regulation.State Rep. Tarik Khan, a Democrat who represents parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia, has called for hearings to examine best practices to rein in an industry that he said heavily targets youth.
“More and more people, especially young people, are getting addicted to it, and blowing large portions of their paychecks on feeding this addiction,” Khan said. “It’s already pervasive, and it’s going to get worse.”
‘I’ve gambled everything away on FanDuel’
In New Jersey, more than half of the callers to gambling hotlines who disclosed their age were under 35. In Pennsylvania, people under 35 accounted for 41% of callers.
“Things have shifted to a younger crowd,” said Ercole, of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania. “Typically our highest call volume used to be in the 35 to 55 ranges.”
People from all professions are affected — nurses, construction workers, software engineers, chefs, attorneys, postal workers, microbiologists, and tattoo artists. Some are students, retirees, or unemployed.
Regardless of one’s income level, online gambling can put serious strain on personal and professional lives. Some people told of losing contact with their parents, getting divorced, or being cut off from friends.
Others lost jobs or had their homes and cars repossessed.
“I have nothing,” a 30-year-old caller told a New Jersey helpline operator in 2023. “I’ve gambled everything away on FanDuel.”
Most people are calling about their own gambling problems. But dozens of family members called to ask for help with their loved ones’ betting. In one case, a woman asked if she could use her father’s Social Security number to ban him from online betting apps.
Many gamblers do not call the hotlines or seek professional help until they face financial ruin or they are confronted by family members.
At the height of his problem, one man from New Jersey started gambling on Russian table tennis matches and Australian basketball games. His wife, who spoke to The Inquirer on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive family matter, said his compulsion had grown so severe that he needed a fix to hold him over between sports seasons.
“He was betting $1,000 on a sport he knows nothing about, played by people he’s never heard of before,” his wife said.
The husband kept his gambling hidden for her years, until she found his secret bank account — along with two dozen maxed-out credit cards and records of tribal loans he had taken out, one of them with a 300% interest rate. She also learned that, in 2021, he had quietly lost $70,000 while the newlyweds were on their honeymoon in France.
“It’s horrifying,” she said.
FanDuel, DraftKings and other online gambling apps are displayed on a phone. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
The casino-to-app pipeline
Across Pennsylvania, as of 2024, people sought help for addiction to internet games more than any other type of gambling, especially in the suburbs.
In Montgomery County, the most common type of gambling problem cited was internet slots — with 47 calls. In Bucks, internet sports had the highest volume with 34 calls.
In Philadelphia, home to both Live! Casino and Rivers Casino, in-person games remain the largest reported problem for struggling gamblers, according to call center logs.
Some brick-and-mortar casinos, however, have seen business drop as bettors migrate to their phones. At Rivers Casino Philadelphia, sports-betting revenue fell from $29 million in fiscal 2019 — the first full year of legal wagering — to $11 million in 2024, according to state records.
But even in Philadelphia, a county with two casinos, the number of calls and texts for online gambling shot up in recent years. And experts say that people who gamble exclusively online show heightened risk.
“You can get cut off at the casino. You could walk away from the machine,” said Gillian Russell, an assistant Penn State professor who works on the annual online gambling survey. “Those things that maybe cause breaks, a lot of those things are removed.”
About 13% of people who gamble both online and in person were classified as problem or pathological gamblers, according to the 2024 Penn State survey. Online-only gamblers, though just 3% of the total gambling population, showed even greater risk: 37% fell into problem categories.
Prop bets, the practice of betting on various occurrences within a game rather than just the outcome, are a pointed concern. Such wagers have come under scrutiny as bet-fixing schemes ensnare athletes from the NBA, MLB, the NCAA, and even niche sports like table tennis.
Among normal gamblers, however, prop bettors are far more likely to develop problems, Russell said. Webber, the gambling counselor, likened in-game prop betting to a constant stream of small dopamine hits, which create a kind of withdrawal.
And with gambling sites offering bonus cash and rewards points, he said, the temptation can feel constant.
“DraftKings says, ‘Hey, I haven’t seen you in a couple weeks, here’s $50.’ The local beer distributor doesn’t say, ‘Hey, you haven’t been here in a while, here’s a cold six-pack,’” he said. “That doesn’t help somebody who’s struggling.”
The first World Cup I remember was in 1970. I was a kid in Guatemala, and my brothers and I were so excited. It was the year the Brazilian seleção included Pelé, Jairzinho, Rivellino, Tostão, Gérson, and Zé Maria — there may be no more beautiful example of the sport of soccer than what they showed us.
The Guatemalan team was not in the World Cup that year (or ever 😢), but El Salvador was, and although they were unlikely to advance very far, we felt a lot of Central American solidarity and rooted for them — the underdoggiest of the underdogs.
Philly’s Haitian community doesn’t care if it’s a little lopsided.
“Most Haitians adore Brazil,” the Rev. Dr. Josephys Dafils told me via email, “and now Haiti will face the mighty Brazil on American soil. This is the thrill and magic of soccer. Haitians and Haitian Americans will travel to be part of this historic moment. Many of us will gather for a tailgate celebration outside the stadium, even without tickets, which are extremely expensive. We will bring food, music, vendors, and a traditional Haitian band called rara.”
Numa St. Louis agreed: “For Haitian Americans, this event is more than just a game; it’s a moment of immense pride and emotion. As a Haitian American and die-hard soccer fan, the feelings that arise from witnessing Haiti step onto the world stage are overwhelming. It represents a long-cherished dream; a chance for a nation often faced with adversity to showcase its talent, passion, and spirit on an international platform.”
“The joy of supporting Haiti, coupled with the opportunity to share the occasion with Brazilian fans,” he told me via email, “underscores the camaraderie found in the beautiful game.”
Dafils, who at one time served as a youth soccer coach in Haiti, said that for the national team to make it to the World Cup at all, they had to overcome almost insurmountable obstacles.
“Armed groups have taken control of nearly 85% of [Haiti’s] capital, as well as major cities across the country. More than one million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes,” he said. “Many people no longer have access to electricity, clean running water, or food. Families are constantly moving from one neighborhood to another in search of safety. [And] amid this dire situation, the Haitian national soccer team has accomplished the extraordinary.”
An example of that? They had to play all the qualifying matches outside of Haiti.
Haiti’s Leverton Pierre controls the ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match in June against the United States in Arlington, Texas.
“I have cried tears of joy since Nov. 18, 2025 — the day Haiti qualified for the 2026 World Cup,” Dafils told me. “Nov. 18 also marks the anniversary of the Battle of Vertières in 1803, when Haiti secured its independence from France. The symbolism is profound.”
St. Louis makes another historic connection: Next year’s tournament will also coincide with America’s 250th anniversary, adding another layer of significance.
The Haitian community has a long history in Philadelphia. Hundreds of white slaveholders and those they enslaved fled the Haitian Revolution, first arriving in Philadelphia in 1793; many of those enslaved people gained their freedom here in the years between 1793 and 1796. The community grew and saw waves of immigration throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, prompted by political turmoil and natural disasters.
The shadow of Trump’s immigration policies “loom large” — even over an event like the World Cup match, according to St. Louis.
“The cancellation of the Temporary Protected Status program threatens to strip many Haitians of their legal ability to remain in the United States, leaving them vulnerable to deportation,” he said. “Furthermore, Haiti is among the 19 countries whose citizens are banned from entering the U.S., which will hinder potential visitors from attending the matches.”
But he and Dafils always return to the thrill and magic of the World Cup match.
“It has taken 52 years for Haiti to return to the World Cup. None of us know when we will see this again. I was not yet born in 1974, and I never thought I would witness such a moment,” Dafils said.
“This match symbolizes hope,” St. Louis said, “a celebration of cultural connections that transcend borders. Even amid political challenges and the looming impact of immigration policies, this gathering promises to foster unity among diverse communities, showcasing the power of sports to uplift and inspire.”
“As the day approaches, the anticipation grows for what promises to be an exhilarating clash, filled with heartwarming moments, passionate displays, and the acknowledgment of Haiti’s journey,” he added.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t recommend perusing the annual National Security Strategy of the United States of America. It generally summarizes the foreign policy direction in which the current administration is headed, and makes for lengthy, dry reading.
But the new 33-page document is so shocking — even given what we already know about this administration’s behavior — that Americans need to pay attention.
The NSS 2025 ignores the real security threats the U.S. faces in favor of praising white nationalist policies at home and demanding our democratic allies adopt the same. It promotes the myth that President Donald Trump can create a stable world by doing “deals” with authoritarian Moscow and Beijing.
As for Russia’s invasion and brutalization of Ukraine, no word, except for chastising Europe for obstructing Trump’s efforts to force a pro-Russian “peace” plan on Kyiv. No wonder Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov quickly announced that the report was “largely consistent with our vision.”
The document envisions a world in which Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping dominate the globe in concert, each controlling his own sphere of influence; it labels Trump’s intended control over the Western Hemisphere the “Monroe Doctrine Trump Corollary.”
In reality, if Trump pursues this megalomaniacal mirage, he will facilitate the efforts of China and Russia to undermine U.S. security, destroy U.S. alliances, and dominate the world.
What’s so revealing about the NSS is how much it has changed from the 2017 version released after Trump’s first year in office. Back then, the strategy referenced “the revisionist powers of China and Russia [who] want to shape a world antithetical to U.S. values and interests.” Russia, the document added, “aims to weaken U.S. influence in the world and divide us from our allies and partners.”
The security threat from both countries has only worsened since then. What has changed is the personnel around the president.
Gone are the professionals and knowledgeable advisers (except for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has largely been pushed to the sidelines). Present are the sycophants who flatter Trump’s brilliance and advance the white nationalist MAGA line.
It’s no wonder there’s no reference to rising Chinese military threats to Taiwan. Or to massive Chinese cyberattacks on our country. One, called Salt Typhoon by U.S. intelligence agencies, has compromised U.S. telecommunications networks; another has penetrated U.S. infrastructure, including water supply plants, electricity grids, and transportation.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Yet, in typical contradictory behavior, the Trump administration just halted plans to impose sanctions on China’s Ministry of State Security in response to Salt Typhoon.
The security plan devotes pages to Trump’s penchant for trade deals and tariffs with Beijing, which it claims will ensure U.S. superiority in advanced technology.
In another capitulation, however, Trump just agreed that Nvidia can sell advanced H200 chips to China, threatening that very U.S. superiority in advanced technology. Trump apparently wants to avoid displeasing Xi before traveling to Beijing for a summit in April. The president doesn’t want to interfere with his hopes of closing a brilliant trade deal.
In other words, national security can be ignored when it contradicts the prospect of illusory economic gains — whether it be deals with China or Russia. And the president counts on his brilliance to secure both with his pals Putin and Xi (although he has repeatedly been bested by each of them).
But the uglier and more gut-wrenching flaw is the document’s attack on Europe, its democratic values, and its support for Ukraine.
The 2017 NSS read: “A strong and free Europe is of vital importance to the United States. We are bound together by our shared commitment to the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.”
The “Promoting European Greatness” section of the new NSS echoes Vice President JD Vance’s tirade against European democracies, which I heard firsthand at the Munich Security Conference in February. Rather than speaking about the Russian war on Ukraine that threatens all of Europe, Vance denounced Germany for not inviting the extreme right, neo fascist Alternative für Deutschland party into a governing coalition.
The 2025 NSS contends that Europe is on the verge of “civilizational erasure” because of immigration policies; instead, it promotes (white) nationalist, anti-immigration political parties. It slurs the European Union for its multilateralism (which the United States promoted after World War II, and which brought political and economic stability to the continent).
And instead of supporting NATO allies as Russia attacks them with drones, cuts their underwater cables, and conducts sabotage and assassinations on European soil, the White House blames the Europeans for “regarding Russia as an existential threat.”
“Our goal,” the document reads, “should be to help Europe correct its current trajectory.”
There is something truly sick here.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, in October.
Trump thinks China and Russia are his potential partners, while Europe is in the way — on Ukraine, on human rights, on warnings about Russia, on its own regulation of technology. Forget about common values or shared commitment to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
Unabashed to intervene in domestic European politics, the document calls on Europeans to restore “strategic stability” with Russia, meaning pressure Kyiv into signing a deal that consigns Ukraine to permanent domination by Moscow.
And the U.S. wants Europe to take over most of NATO’s conventional defense capabilities, from intelligence to missiles by 2027, an impossible feat.
Moreover, the White House is actively promoting as part of its “security strategy” the success of radical white nationalist parties in Britain, France, Germany, and elsewhere that are pro-Moscow and eager to do any and all business with Beijing. In other words, a Europe led by parties that are hostile to American security interests.
The NSS 2025 envisions an alliance of authoritarian governments and their imitators, including Russia, China, the United States – and far-right European parties that dislike NATO, want to end theEuropean Union, and prefer deals with dictators to defending democracy.
This is what Trump advocates, although he doesn’t grasp that it would destroy him as well as his country.
Fortunately, Europe won’t capitulate, nor will our allies in Asia. Nor would most Americans, I believe, if they only knew what the Trump national security policy is all about.
On March 23, 1933, the Nazis passed the Enabling Act, which allowed Adolf Hitler and his cabinet to pass any laws — without approval from the Reichstag — even if they were unconstitutional. The Trump administration is effectively doing the same thing by ignoring court orders, disappearing people based on how they look without regard to their citizenship or legal status to reside here, and blowing them out of the water with impunity. Now the U.S. Supreme Court “shadow docket” is allowing racial gerrymandering to try to steal the 2026 midterms. If this is not fascism, it is certainly not democracy.
James Hohmann,Langhorne
. . .
What has happened to the United States of America? Have we become so inured to the craziness of President Donald Trump that we barely seem to bat an eye while the situations and pronouncements become more and more bizarre and evil? Yes, evil. What else can you call what is happening all around us? The bombing of reputed drug smugglers at sea was terrifying. Planes swooping down and obliterating the boats and crew. Now we find out we murdered the survivors. What we did was a war crime. America does not do that, do we? If that news did not shake you to your emotional core, President Trump called the people of Somalia “garbage“ and wants them all out of the country. Where is the moral outrage? Where are we Americans standing up to protect other Americans? Have we become so used to Trump that we accept evil behavior as normal? His behavior, his deputies’ behavior, is not normal; it is not OK. None of it — the drug boat bombings, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, the racism — none of it is normal, and “We the People “ must stand against it.
Sheryl Kalick,Philadelphia
Congressional maps
The use of the term minorities regarding the gerrymandering of congressional maps in Texas seems inaccurate. A slightly larger number of Texans identify as Hispanic than those who say they are not. And while voters in Texas do not register by party, more Texans choose to participate in primaries as Democrats than as Republicans. In Texas, gerrymandering may be more accurately described as an increasingly extreme attempt to impose the will of a minority on the majority. And that is true regardless of whether the U.S. Supreme Court sees the motivation as racial or political.
Kris J. Kolo,Philadelphia
Retirement stability
Philadelphia’s workers deserve the chance to build real financial security, and I appreciate The Inquirer’s recent coverage of the city’s retirement savings proposal. Too many Philadelphians go their entire careers without access to a basic plan. That gap leaves families vulnerable, and it places additional strain on our social safety net.
The goal of PhillySaves is simple. It makes it easier for employees who want to save and avoids adding new burdens for small businesses that already manage enough responsibilities. There are no employer fees and no complicated reporting. Just an easy, portable option that follows workers from job to job.
Before joining City Council, I worked in Harrisburg as a state representative on retirement security issues and legislation. I saw how many Pennsylvanians age into poverty without access to a plan. PhillySaves reflects that experience and the importance of helping workers save steadily.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson has been clear that improving economic stability for working people is a priority for this Council. PhillySaves is one part of that broader effort. It will not solve every challenge, but it gives thousands of residents a fair chance to start building long-term savings.
Mike Driscoll, 6th District, Philadelphia City Council
Dems need direction
The Democratic Party is a rudderless ship. Its irrational opposition to President Donald Trump has caused it to lose its moral compass and common sense. It no longer works in the best interest of the American people. Its misguided effort at “leverage” betrayed the trust of its constituents and caused unnecessary pain for many. It focused on extending subsidies to the ironically named Affordable Care Act while ignoring the hundreds of billions of dollars in additional spending that it attached to its proposal. Using that time to explore viable alternatives for affordable healthcare would have served everyone better. Extending subsidies implemented during the pandemic is throwing good money after bad.
Democrats pontificated that nobody was above the law while stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law. For years, they ignored immigration laws and allowed millions to cross our borders. They now demonize law enforcement and encourage active resistance when enforcing those same laws. Anyone who crosses the border illegally has broken federal law and is subject to deportation. Democrats are more concerned with the plight of illegal immigrants than the safety of the American citizens they are sworn to protect. They show little sympathy for victims of crime committed by many of those same people whom they failed to vet.
Now, Democratic lawmakers are “reminding” armed service members that they do not need to obey illegal orders. Without examples, their goal is to foment division and instability in our government. If national security is at risk or any lives are lost, those lawmakers have opened themselves up to prosecution. These stunts do nothing to move our country forward. Imagine the reaction if GOP lawmakers made a similar statement during the Biden years.
It is very difficult to understand what Democrats actually stand for. It is painfully obvious what they are against.
Mark Fenstemaker,Warminster, markfense@gmail.com
Trade wars
America is losing the trade wars because the president does not understand trade. While Donald Trump believes trade involves only manufacturing, which contributes about 10% of our economic output, he overlooks the service economy, which includes education and tourism. Trump’s tariffs-based trade war might have made sense in the 1960s, but it is out of step with the current world economy and is helping to fuel our affordability problems.
The current CEOs of Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), and Nvidia, three of America’s biggest and most innovative companies, were educated here but born overseas. Education is one of America’s leading exports and helps contribute to our prosperity, but the administration devalues it and attacks and extorts our most prestigious universities. When Trump attacks Canada and other countries that contribute to American tourism, many of our destination areas, like the Jersey Shore, are diminished.
Trump’s worldview is that all confrontations can be won and all collaboration is defeat. History has proven he’s wrong.
Elliott Miller,Bala Cynwyd
Another bended knee
As he was sworn in just two days after his slim victory in the race for the U.S. House of Representatives, Tennessee Republican Matt Van Epps said, “I come to this body as a Christian.” He has also pledged himself to be firmly devoted to Donald Trump and his agenda. How does Rep. Van Epps square the two?
Trump has expectorated upon the tenets of every religion. He is a thug, a bigot, and the most corrupt president ever to serve, enriching himself and his family of grifters to the tune of billions of dollars. He seeks to divide and conquer, and has clearly expressed his hatred and contempt for those who oppose him, embarking upon a campaign of revenge against them. He has contempt for people of color and immigrants, as he seeks to welcome only white people who seek to live here.
Can Christian Rep. Epps cite any facet of his faith that is modeled by the president to whom he is so devoted? The question is rhetorical.
Oren Spiegler,Peters Township
Imperfect harmony
I retired in 1999 after 31 years of teaching in Philadelphia. In 2003, I applied for a mortgage with several local banks. None of them would give me a mortgage based on my retirement income, despite my good credit rating. In the last two years, my prescription plan cost has gone up 60%. My wife’s prescription premium for 2026 has increased by 400%. Other costs have increased dramatically, as well. My retirement income is still the same as it was in 2003.
I read in The Inquirer that Pennsylvania state legislators received a 3.25% cost-of-living raise, and that cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, each year are mandated for them. I know that eventually the state will give Pennsylvania teachers a COLA. I would prefer to get mine before I die.
Mitchell Bernstein, Philadelphia
Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.
DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married to a narcissist for 28 years. He has gaslighted me for our entire 30 years together. He has had a “work wife” and a flirtation with the next-door neighbor hottie, and he paid for two sexy girls’ dinners (and pies to go) because they happened to be in line in front of us.
After an argument, he even called the police on me. (An entire shift of sheriff officers surrounded our house.) I have developed severely negative emotions toward him, especially when he lies to me. We haven’t had sex in a year. We get along fairly well in day-to-day activities, although it bothers me that I have to be chauffeured everywhere I go, including him waiting while I have my hair and nails done.
I’m 67 and feel it is too late to start over. My psychologist can’t understand why I don’t leave. We aren’t destitute, but we’re not wealthy either. I don’t know which way to turn.
— HATING HIM IN MICHIGAN
DEAR HATING HIM: I find it interesting that as threatened as you feel about your husband’s work relationship with his assistant, his flirtation with the hottie next door and two strangers he tried to impress by paying for their takeout dinners (pies included!), HE is so insecure that he must drive you everywhere you go outside the house.
While you think it may be too late for you to start over, you need to clearly define what starting over means to you. I can think of worse fates than freedom from an insecure, possessive, lying narcissist. You are under the care of a licensed psychotherapist. The logical “way to turn” would be in the direction your therapist is trying to guide you.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: I am concerned about a dear friend who has a diagnosis of mild dementia. She has no family here. Her closest relatives are four hours away, and she has minimal contact with them. She was widowed 40 years ago and hasn’t dated. She always said she had no interest in that. She is deeply involved in our community and has a wide, varied circle of friends.
My concern is that while she has always been active in different events — the arts, music, adult ed classes — she is now VERY interested in men. She has spoken to me about her desire for a sexual relationship. She’s 82. I am at a loss about what to tell her and worried about the consequences if she does find a man willing and able. I feel strongly that her desire is a personality change as a result of dementia. Any advice would be appreciated.
— DIFFERENT NOW IN IOWA
DEAR DIFFERENT: Your friend is well enough that she is active in your community. Talk further with your friend about this. She doesn’t have to worry about a pregnancy, but STDs among seniors have more than doubled in the United States in the last decade. Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are all on the rise. Lack of knowledge and low condom use are driving these statistics.
Seniors have a right to a sex life if they wish, but they should be well-informed before starting one. Urge your friend to speak with her gynecologist before starting any intimate relationship.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). When you count your blessings, you feel fortunate. Most of your problems would be considered minimal on a global scale. Knowing someone, somewhere, would relish your worst-case scenario really puts things in perspective.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The right teacher will be the difference between picking up a skill or not. There are many who know the thing you want to learn, and a bit of shopping around will be well worth the time, effort and money.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’re feeling impulsive and adventurous, and that’s not a bad thing. When you act with joyful abandon instead of fear or hesitation, even your “mistakes” become stories worth telling. Passion purifies folly.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). People relax around decisive energy. It feels like safety and direction. And when action begins, clarity follows. So take a breath, step back, and give your nervous system a moment to settle. Then, on your marks, get set … go!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Saying, “Tell me what you think I know” is a helpful directive because sometimes people think you are privy to information you just don’t have, and you’ll never know where the confusion lies until you ask more questions. You will learn something that sorts out the confusion.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The gears you’ve been grinding are finally turning smooth. Don’t slow down now; stay in rhythm with the magic you’ve built. Momentum is a living thing; feed it gratitude and watch it spin gold from your effort.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Rumors will fly. Don’t be bothered by any unverified information. While you could pursue further investigation, you could also benefit from staying out of it completely for now. What’s important will resurface more fully later, sparing you the work.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Cancel the noise and keep what’s really helping you execute your plans and stick with your purpose. Every time you prune a bill, habit or regret, your energy comes back doubled. Simplification is freedom.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Emotional accounting brings surprising profits. Start the day by unloading the stories that weigh you down. When you clear your inner ledger, space opens for decisive action, strategic creation and measurable wins.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You may be put on the spot, but it doesn’t mean you should scramble to come up with anything or pretend to be something you’re not. Just your truth, plus good manners, is enough. If they need you to put on a big show, they are the ones mistaking performance for connection.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Breaking family patterns is sacred rebellion. It rewrites the DNA of love itself. Celebrate your small daily wins as generational miracles. Also, you may feel like you’re overanalyzing sometimes, but the fact that you care to analyze at all? That’s remarkable.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re thinking about change, and much of it’s physical. Other plans go better when you feel strong. Training that builds stamina and steadiness builds power, too — the kind that supports every creative, emotional and practical goal you’ve set.
TODAY’SBIRTHDAY (Dec. 10). Welcome to your Year of the Bright Bridge. With kind observations, a sharp mind and ever-improving communication skills, you’ll connect worlds — art and commerce, old and new, local and global — and find yourself in the sweet spot where magic meets momentum. More highlights: family peace, creative recognition and prosperity that reflects your growth. Aries and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 19, 27, 38 and 21.
If the idea of a trip to Trinidad in mid-February sounds appealing, you’ll want to know how the Union will kick off their 2026 campaign.
The first official game of next year will be against Defence Force FC of Trinidad & Tobago in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Defence Force won the Trinidadian league title in the 2024-25 season, then finished third in this year’s regional Caribbean Cup tournament.
The tournament starts in February, and though Concacaf hasn’t set the exact schedule yet, traditionally MLS teams play their first-round games in the middle of the month. If that is true again this time, the Union would play at Defence Force some time from Feb. 17-19, then fly north for their Feb. 21 MLS opener at D.C. United.
Soccer history buffs will appreciate that Defence Force’s home is Trinidad’s most famous sports venue, Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain. It was the site of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s legendary “Shot Heard ‘Round The World” win over the Soca Warriors in 1989 that clinched qualification for the 1990 World Cup, ending a 40-year tournament drought.
Defence Force’s name is literal: its squads have historically been built with members of Trinidad’s armed forces. But the soccer is serious too, as the club’s 24 domestic league titles are a record by far. It’s also the only Trinidadian club to have won the Concacaf title, in 1978 and 1985.
The Union will presumably host their home leg of the series some time from Feb. 24-26, leading up to the March 1 league opener against New York City FC.
Should the Union advance as expected, the tone of things will change fast. Either Mexican juggernaut Club América or Honduras’ Olimpia would await in the round of 16. The Union haven’t faced América since the 2021 Concacaf semifinals, Philadelphia’s first time in the tournament, when América won both games by 2-0 scores.
That round is scheduled for March 10-12 and 17-19, and it’s not clear which team would host first. Around those dates, the Union host the San Jose Earthquakes on March 7, visit Atlanta United on March 14, and host the Chicago Fire on March 21.
After that, MLS stops for the March FIFA window, the last national team games before the World Cup.
Kai Wagner (top) is one of the only Union players currently with the club who played against Club América in the 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup.
2026 Concacaf Champions Cup first round
Games are listed in order of the bracket. Some series will be played Feb. 3-5 and 10-12, and others will be played Feb. 17-19 and 24-26. Concacaf will confirm the schedule at a later date.
— Pumas UNAM (Mexico) vs. San Diego FC (United States); the winner plays Toluca (Mexico)
—Los Angeles Galaxy (United States) vs. Sporting San Miguelito (Panama); the winner plays Mount Pleasant (Jamaica)
— Cruz Azul (Mexico) vs. Vancouver FC (Canada)
—Monterrey (Mexico) vs. Xelajú (Guatemala); the winner plays Cruz Azul or Vancouver FC
—Los Angeles FC (United States) vs. Real España (Honduras); the winner plays Alajuelense (Costa Rica)
—Nashville SC (United States) vs. Atlético Ottawa (Canada); the winner plays Inter Miami (United States)
— Club América (Mexico) vs. Olimpia (Honduras)
— Union (United States) vs Defence Force FC (Trinidad & Tobago); the winner plays América or Olimpia
— Tigres UANL (Mexico) vs. Forge FC (Canada)
— FC Cincinnati (United States) vs. O&M FC (Dominican Republic); the winner plays Tigres or Forge
—Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada) vs. Cartaginés (Costa Rica); the winner plays the Seattle Sounders (United States)
There’s something to be said for a team that stops the bleeding.
After losing two straight back in mid-November, the Flyers ended another losing streak at one game with a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. Since those consecutive losses to the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers, the Flyers have gone 8-4-0.
The Flyers came out like it was a feeding frenzy at Xfinity Mobile Arena, putting 11 shots on San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic before the Sharks got their first one more than 11 minutes into the game. The only problem? Their first shot was also a goal.
San Jose broke out of its own end on a stretch pass by Dmitry Orlov to Macklin Celebrini at center ice. The No. 1 pick in 2024 sent a backhander into the Flyers’ end, and Will Smith, who was drafted three spots before Matvei Michkov in 2023, blew past the Flyers’ defense.
He tracked down the puck along the end boards, carried it around, and sent a cross-ice pass from the top of the left faceoff circle to defenseman John Klingberg. That pass pulled Flyers goalie Dan Vladař out of position, and the defenseman sent it to Collin Graf atop the crease for the goal.
It was the 19th time in 28 games the Flyers have trailed 1-0. But it was also the 11th time they’ve come back and won to lead the NHL. They also have a league-leading 12 comeback wins.
Flyers’ Matvei Michkov (right) shoots on goal against San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic during the first period on Tuesday.
Christian Dvorak evened the score with 81 seconds left in the first period with a nifty backhand-forehand move around Nedeljkovic. Travis Konecny sent a backhand pass up in the air from the Flyers’ end.
The puck hit Trevor Zegras in the shoulder in the neutral zone, and Dvorak got behind Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson to score his seventh goal of the season.
The secondary assist was the 500th point (205 goals, 295 assists) in 674 games for Konecny, who became the 17th player in Flyers history to hit the mark. He added his eighth goal of the season with an empty-netter late in the third period.
Then the fourth line finally got a goal. Skating against the team that traded him to the Flyers, Carl Grundstöm got some revenge in the second period.
Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler sent the puck on goal from the left point, and Grundstöm, in just his second game as a Flyer, deflected the puck as he trailed his stick behind him.
With 12 seconds left in the middle frame, Noah Cates added some insurance. Bobby Brink carried the puck down the right wing and sent it over to Cates at the top of the left circle for the catch-and-shoot goal. It gave him seven goals on the season.
Vladař didn’t face a ton of shots — he stopped 17 — but made the big saves when needed.
Not long after Dvorak tied things up, the Czech netminder stopped Smith on a breakaway. Then, up by a goal, he snared a wicked Celebrini wrist shot as he skated down during a Sharks power play. He stopped Ty Dellandrea all alone in front late in the second and robbed him again in the third period from point-blank range in front of the net.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet watches his team on Tuesday night.
Breakaways
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov was sick and did not suit up. Justin Kowalkoski, a 39-year-old emergency backup goalie for the Sharks, signed an amateur tryout agreement with the team. He participated in warmups and sat on the bench in case Nedeljkovic had to leave the game. Kowalkoski played college hockey for Colgate University and previously served as a backup in 2018-19 for the Detroit Red Wings. Daniel Spencer, who rotates with Kowalkoski as the EBUG, was in goal for the Sharks’ morning skate. … Defenseman Ty Murchison made his NHL debut and did not look out of place skating on the third pair with Noah Juulsen. He saw ample time on the penalty kill and played almost 15 minutes with family and friends in attendance. … Michkov, who turned 21 on Tuesday, missed the first few minutes of the second period. According to coach Rick Tocchet postgame, “he had to get some stuff taken care of.”
Up next
The Flyers host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN).
Temple left tackle Giakoby Hills agreed to a multiyear deal to stay with the Owls, according to a report from 247Sports. Hills reportedly will become one of the highest-paid players among the Group of Six conferences.
Hills committed to Temple from Morristown (N.J.) High School in 2024. He redshirted in his freshman season and was expected to remain a backup during the 2025 season.
Starter Kevin Terry suffered a sprained knee during a scrimmage on Aug. 9, thrusting Hills into his spot. Hills, 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, spent the rest of training camp as the starting left tackle while Terry was on the mend, and made his first collegiate start in Temple’s 42-10 win against Massachusetts on Aug. 30.
Even when Terry returned in September, Hills remained the starter. The redshirt freshman was a key part of a Temple team that averaged 147.4 rushing yards per game. He was also the blindside blocker for quarterback Evan Simon, who broke the team’s single-season record by passing for 25 touchdowns.
Hills was one of six Temple players with a top-50 Pro Football Focus grade with a 73.5 through 12 games.
With Hills returning, Temple has locked down a potential cornerstone for the team under coach K.C. Keeler.
Temple’s Giakoby Hills (left) started all 12 games this season at left tackle.
Last week, Keeler and general manager Clayton Barnes spoke about the importance of multiyear contracts. They make it easier for the Owls to retain core players and help compete with Power Four conferences who may be offering those players more money.
“Without multiyear contracts, we wouldn’t have a chance to keep our best players,” Keeler said. “So some of those guys who are going to be sophomores, going to be juniors, say, ‘Here’s the plan to grow you,’ and that gives them a lot more security. Whereas a lot of Power [Four conferences] aren’t going to give a guy a multiyear contract.”
