Haiti has brought earthquakes to mind again.

I have experienced three in my lifetime. I would assume most have experienced one or more. None that I experienced were comparable to what has occurred in Haiti.

My first earthquake was in the early 1940s. World War II time. I was about 7 years old.

My Aunt Anna and Uncle Al from New York city were visiting us in Utica. I was asleep. All of a sudden I was wakened by screaming and the house shaking. I specifically remember the walls and windows vibrating.

My Aunt Anna was screaming. She wanted to be back in New York with her children. She was shouting something to the effect that she wanted to die with them.

Even at the young age of 7, I thought she was being a bit dramatic.

As for me, I guess I was too young to be afraid. The shaking house had no effect on me. My screaming Aunt did.

My next earthquake happened about 35 years ago. I was in San Diego. At La Costa. I used to go yearly in those days to the spa to lose weight.

It was 4 in the morning. Everything was shaking. Woke me. I knew it was an earthquake. I went back to sleep as soon as it stopped.

The best, or perhaps worst, earthquake experience I had was in Acapulco about 30 years ago.

My wife and I were staying at the Acapulco Princess. The Princess has a series of pools running down hill. The whole thing is set in a mountain/jungle scenerio. So you can visualize it properly, the early black and white Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies were filmed in the area.

My wife and I were sitting on a rock which was below water level. Our butts were on the rock. The water was high chest level.

There was a rope bridge nearby swinging in the breeze over the water. People used it to cross from one side to the other.

Behind us was the high pyramid shaped hotel building.

All of a sudden the rock moved! Sideways! Felt like a couple of feet. Probably was only inches. I looked at the rope bridge. It had stopped swaying. It was still.

I said to my wife the rock moved. Calmly. She said yes. We starred at each other. Everything was still. I looked up. I was concerned the building was going to fall on us.

Then everything returned to normal.

People kept scurrying around. No one seemed concerned.

It was only later that evening that we found out that a 6.4 earthquake had occurred. In fact, a street opened in downtown Acapulco and 2 cars drove into the huge pit.

So much for personal earthquake experiences. May we never experience that which has devistated Haiti. Give to the cause. A few dollars to help. We are all our brothers’ keepers.

I wanted to walk yesterday. My goal is to walk every day now. The weight is moving well. I have lost 24 pounds. Only 6 to go.

Just as I put up the garage door to drive into Key West to walk, it started to rain. Actually pour! Big time! Straight down. No wind. Just a torrential storm.

It never rains long in Key West. So I hopped in the car and started the 5 mile drive into town.

It did not stop raining. It came down harder!

I still wanted to walk. So I pulled into Home Depot. I have a green/blue tartan Brooks Brothers umbrella. I used it to get into Home Depot basically dry. And then I walked. For a half hour. Fast, up and down the aisles. With the Brooks Brothers umbrella in hand. What a sight!

It continued raining for about 3-4 hours.

After the walk, I went over to the Coffee House to read the Sunday papers. Spent 3 hours there sipping coffee and leafing through the Key West Citizen, New York Daily News and the New York Times.

Nothing better!

I stayed in last night to watch the Golden Globes. Jeff Bridges win for best actor in a dramatic movie role for Crazy Heart was surprising. He received a standing ovation. An old timer finally receiving deserved recognition.

I could remember his father. Lloyd Bridges. He starred in an early black and white TV series as a frogman. Then turned comedian in his later years in movies. The father had to be proud looking down on his son last night. The son also remembered to mention his father.

This Massachusetts election to fill Ted Kennedy’s seat is both interesting and troublesome. The political pundits this morning are predicting the Republican will win. If so, the Democratic majority of 60 will be gone. And probably also the new healthcare bill.

What does this all reflect?

There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction in this country. Properly so. The economy is down. Unemployment is rampant. Foreclosures continue. The banks and insurance companies say screw you to the government and people.

The situation is much like that which causes earthquakes. Things have to move and move properly. If not, there is a glitch big time. An earthquake in one instance. A political upheaval in the other.

Something has to be done. And soon. We cannot much longer tolerate the abuse which is being heaped upon us as a people.

Obama, wake up! You can do it!

Enjoy your day! I am mine. The grandkids are off from school today because of the holiday. I plan on taking them up to Boondocks to play miniature golf and then have lunch.

7 comments on “

  1. LOU: Let's hope the Dems. lose big in Mass. Government spending is out of control. Who said "The problem with socialism is that eventually the citizens run out of the money that government took from them"?

  2. Hopefully, this health insurance plan (scam) will go down in flames and THEN maybe the Dems will want to work with the Republicans for a plan that all can get on board with.

    The backroom deals going on now is a disgrace and exactly the opposite of what Obama said he would do.

  3. To the above three, It was Bush who handed Obama this mess we are in now. If some type of health care does not pass now there will never be any help for industry in the U.S.A. We are one of the only wealthy nations that does not have a comprehensive health plan. We need the Dems to win in MA. Thanks everyone for encouraging Obama to succeed.

  4. BHO43 has forgotten the (Bill) Clinton doctrine. "It's the economy stupid!" His "heath care" fiasco — which is not about health, health care, or health care insurance — it IS about putting the gooferment in control of people's lives. To make a permanent dependence upon politicians for "medical care". Along the way, in the tradition of good old Chicago politics, BHO43 and his co-conspirators can reward their firends, punish their enemies, and feather their own nests. Argh!

  5. First of all, Bush didn't hand Obama anything to do with the health care system that hasn't existed for years and many Presidents.

    The other thing, at some point Obama needs to step up and LEAD and stop using the excuse, "the dog ate my homework" (i.e., "Bush did it").

    This is not a committee that he is serving on (or community organizer), he is the President. Start taking responsibility for decisions and be accountable!!

  6. 9:07 PM-you da man(or woman!). This unenrolled MA voter will vote for the best candidate tomorrow. Martha Coakley has come down with BBS (blame Bush syndrome) and will rubber stamp the IOU that future generations will never get out from under. This blind madness victimization of our present political leadership must end! Lead us out of this mess; stop wallowing in it.

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