MUMMY, CAN I SHOW YOU SOMETHING…..

Happy Sunday!

Victoria Komada was born 3 years ago in Norwich, Poland. She was born with backward legs.

The medical term bilateral tibial hemimelia. A congenital deformity which results in deformed legs and missing bones.

She would never walk.

The doctors advised the only solution was a double amputation.

Her parents were reluctant to so proceed. They rapidly searched world wide. They discovered a surgeon in Florida who thought he would be able to reconstruct one of her legs.

The medical costs would total $235,000. The parents did not have the money. They sought donations via various sources world wide. The money was raised.

Victoria and her parents flew to Paley Institute in West Palm Beach. Dr. Dror Paley was the physician who thought he could help. His examination confirmed the left leg could be fixed and the right leg could simply be fitted with a prosthetic.

The surgery was successfully performed. Victoria could walk. One problem. She was reluctant to do so in front of her parents.

On her discharge day while on the way to a car, Victoria said, “Mummy can I show you something…..” She walked!

Victoria can walk, run and play sports. Her results described as “superb.” All possible because of parents who would not give up, a doctor who thought he could do the job, and thousands of people who contributed to make the surgery possible.

The murder trial of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger ended this week. She had returned home, went into the wrong apartment, saw a black man, became frightened and shot him.

She was found guilty. Sentenced to 10 years in jail. Could have received 99.

Immediately following sentencing, a strange happening occurred. An unusual one. The victim’s brother went up to Amber, put his arms around her and said, “I forgive you.”

Even stranger, the Judge (a black female) came off the bench, hugged Amber and gave her a Bible.

Friday night, the scenario became even stranger.

The key witness in the case was a black man. Joshua Brown. He had provided significant testimony during the trial. He was shot several times while standing in the parking lot of his apartment building. He died upon arrival at the hospital.

Key West is home to many ghastly stories. Some truth, some fiction. The most strange probably is the story of Count Carl von Tanzler and his love Elaine Hoyo Mesa. A true story.

On this day in 1940, the Count was arrested. The charges involved his stealing his dead girl friend’s body and sleeping with it for 7 years at his home.

The Count was employed at the Marine Hospital as an expert x-ray technician. Elaine was admitted for tuberculosis. She died sometime after being discharged.

The Count had developed an excessive obsession for Elaine even in death. She was first buried in a crypt in the cemetery. Two years later, the Count removed her body to his home. He kept her in his bed 7 years. Maintained her physical features with wax, plaster, and other items.

Her family and police became suspicious. The Count was arrested. Never tried. The statute of limitations saved him.

What I am about to describe probably requires a person to have lived during its time to appreciate the fear involved.

On this day in 1961, President Kennedy announced to the people of the United States that they should build backyard bomb shelters. Underground ones. The purpose of the bomb shelters was to protect against an atomic fallout in the event of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union.

That is how sensitive U.S. and Soviet relations were at the time. War was considered a probability.

I was 27. Married. Four children. Living in a home we had recently purchased.

Rome, N.Y. was a mere 14 miles from Utica where we lived. There was a SAC base in Rome. Griffiss Air Force Base. My recollection is there were only 6 SAC bases in the U.S. The planes carrying U.S. atomic bombs were located at the 6 bases.

There was no way Utica was going to avoid atomic fallout in the event the base was bombed. As it would have been.

For whatever reason I cannot recall at the moment, I never built the shelter. Nor did anyone I know.

One year later, President Kennedy’s concern could have become reality. The Cuban missile crisis occurred.

The ex-Marine who lied last week when he claimed he had sexual relations with Elizabeth Warren was found out at the time. The story was a lie.

The Marine claimed he had fought in Afghanistan. Marine Headquarters announced yesterday another lie. The Marine never had been deployed to Afghanistan.

Mitt Romney came out against Trump re the Biden/Ukraine story. One of the first Republican senators to so do.

As per his custom, Trump retaliated. Called Romney a “pompous ass.” Also began a hashtag: #impeachmittromney.

What follows concerns Mexico and the U.S.

Trump has been President close to 3 years. Recall his campaign promise that he was going to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. His track record thus far leaves much to be desired.

Since becoming President, he broke a trade treaty with Mexico and began a tariff war. He has also squeezed Mexico re immigrant responsibility.

A recent report indicates the auto industry has shifted its production base from the U.S. to Mexico. Today, Mexico is the #1 exporter of autos to the U.S. and not the other way around.

General Motors, Ford, BMW, Volkswagen and Honda leading the pack. The reason labor costs. Labor costs in Mexico pale to those in the U.S.

The Mexico bound trend continues despite growing opposition from U.S. auto workers and their unions.

The most recent data covers January-September this year.

During that time frame, 2.03 million new vehicles were dispatched from Mexican assembly plants to U.S. markets. The number  158,000 more than during the same time period last year.

The projections suggest the U.S. is on track this year to import 2.7 million new vehicles from Mexico.

The percentage of increase for certain companies January-September 2019 dramatic. General Motors 21 percent, Ford 18.3 percent, Volkswagen 56 percent, Honda 53 percent.

Not all auto companies have increased numbers. Mazda is down 71 percent, Chrysler 12 percent, Audi 22 percent, Nissan 4.3 percent.

Where am I going? What am I suggesting? Trump has not done well returning or keeping auto business in the U.S.

Enjoy your Sunday!

2 comments on “MUMMY, CAN I SHOW YOU SOMETHING…..

  1. Damn you Lou, mentioning Trump in your blog today is going to bring out the Trump supporter freaks with all kinds of perverse Hillary Clinton complaints, all over again.

  2. I am sure that the American car companies would be more than happy to bring those jobs back here from Mexico. All that’s needed is for the US workers to agree to work for less than $2 per hour.

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