NUMBERS TALK, BULLSHIT WALKS

Day 34 of my self-quarantine. I’m beginning to enjoy it. Worries me.

We are all familiar with the poker phrase…..Money talks and bullshit walks. I have altered it a bit to use as my introductory topic: Numbers talk, bullshit walks.

Very simple.

On March 15 there were 67 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. As of yesterday morning, 22,021. In just short of one month!

Donald, you should be ashamed!

I do not blame Trump for the virus. I do blame him for not taking effective action earlier. He was more concerned with the economy than the lives of “his people.” In this regard, Trump does have blood on his hands.

He now is apparently considering taking a bath in it.

Trump is anxious to get the economy going. Get people back to work. Make the corporations happy. See the stock market go up again.

From his perspective, the key to his victory in November.

He has told us he is establishing a Second Task Force. This one to do with when to restart the economy. He has said May 1 and May with no definitive date.

The new Task Force will primarily consist of corporate representatives. Business America.

Great thinking!

I don’t care how many face masks or testing kits corporate America has donated or will be donating. They will not be interested in the health of the American people. CEO’s are concerned about the bottom line of their company’s profit and loss statement. Period!

CEO’s jobs are to generate profit for their corporations and satisfy shareholders.

They will not be thinking coronavirus and the health of the people of the U.S. first. Not their job. It is Trump’s however. And in the end there is no question he will use their recommendation to rerun to work as license to call at least some sections of the U.S. back to work.

It will be the Last Supper for many called and some not called. Trump will have automatically increased the number of bodies available to the corona virus.

Andrea Bocelli brought happiness to an otherwise sad world yesterday. His performance in Milan was outstanding! What people world wide needed.

His performance was streamed world wide. I missed it. However, caught it earlier this morning. Bocelli yesterday is available all over the internet.

He sang inside and out of the Duomo Cathedral.

Some of the inside shots show the gigantic round pillars. It was behind one of these in the back on the inside of the pillar that I fell asleep. Thought no one could find me.

Wrong, I was. Must be a favorite hiding place for homeless and tourists like me who need a place to nap.

My friend Jim Brown lives on Crete. We have never met. However have corresponded for several years. Met via the internet.

He e-mailed yesterday: We live in troubled times, he wrote. So correct. He thought a good understanding of our present concerns can be found in the song That’s Life, sung by Frank Sinatra.

Jim sang it on video and sent me a copy.

He was correct. The words fit.

It was Greek day yesterday again. Heard from 2 other friends.

Theos wrote. He has been a frequent visitor to Key West over the years. I am not the only friend he has made. He is close to Pasta Pantaleo in Islamorada. Pasta’s real name Roberto. However is called Pasta by everyone.

I have never met Pasta. He is an artist. Operates the Signature Gallery. In the “Heart of Downtown Islamorada” as he describes it.

Theos wrote to tell me that Pasta refers to me as Mango Man. Why? How?

On occasion, I have run off to Islamorada to spend a weekend. Occasionally there is a need to get out of Key West. Off the rock as the locals describe it.

Islamorada is just far enough away. A one hour forty five minute drive. A quiet community. Not Key West. Some great restaurants. The next time, I will make it my business to meet Pasta.

One interesting point. I have met many Islamorada residents in the Chart Room. They come down to Key West to vacation a couple of days. Works both ways.

Another person of Greek origin yesterday. “Greek.” Her last name and the name everyone refers to her as.

I have not seen Greek in years. I first met her when she bartended at Square One. At least 20 years ago. The last time I ran into her was on the street about 5 years ago.

Greek liked me. She was protective. She wanted to be sure no evil spirit would hurt me. She gave me a little brass trinket to wear. I forget what it looked like. It was to ward off bad spirits. She told me to wear it every day. I did for 2 years. Why I stopped, I don’t know.

Greek e-mailed me yesterday. I assume because of the blog. It was good to hear from her. She is now a realtor.

Additional Trump time.

Trump lies. We all know it. Something like 16,000 plus times since becoming President.

He lies about China and the timeliness of their warning. He is seeking a scapegoat for his failure to timely move his ass re the virus.

The true facts indicate more than 400,000 persons from China were admitted into the U.S. after Trump became aware. Even worse, after he imposed the ban against China, 40,000 plus additional persons were admitted from China.

Trump may be getting ready to fire Fauci. I am surprised Fauci lasted this long. Fauci is smarter, does not lie, and has been in conflict re covid-19 with Trump. Trump follows his own advice rather than that of the scientist all America trusts.

A tweet by another started flying around the internet last night. With a hashtag: FireFauci.

Trump is upset because Fauci said, Earlier measures “could have saved lives.” Also, it “would have been nice if we had a better head start.”

Fauci wanted to do social and physical measures as early as February and Trump refused. Fauci also does not believe in hydroxyehl as Trump does.

The worse to come in a few days. Trump dislikes people getting more publicity than he. Fauci will appear on on the cover of The New Yorker. The article is titled: “The Most Troubled Man in America.”

Russia and the Saudis have been fighting over oil. Both are getting killed. The price of crude has dropped dramatically.

In the meantime, the U.S. continues to be in good shape oil wise.

Putin is our enemy. I consider the Saudis our enemy also. Neither has done anything but screw the U.S. for years. Now Trump helps the 2 to make a deal to save their economic asses. Not the U.S.’s.

In order to accomplish the result, Trump agreed to do his “friends” a favor. Drop the U.S. price of oil to make the deal work.

Again Trump gave something away with no benefit coming to the U.S.

“Our friends” will screw us the first opportunity they get and every time thereafter. Trump once again bullshitted!

Enjoy your day!

 

39 comments on “NUMBERS TALK, BULLSHIT WALKS

  1. There is quite a bit of evidence that the numbers we do have are vastly under reported, particularly in the United States. Trump himself seems very interested in suppressing any numbers or other data and seems to have minimized or under reported the numbers all along, just like he did with the hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico. It is always politics first, people last, with this guy

  2. Trump has the pooch firmly by the hindquarters. It didn’t start this past January or February. He has been “at it” for the last three years. So even though some hoped he might rise to the occasion, it shouldn’t surprise any of us if he is still humping the doggie now.

    Enough

  3. On the other hand, there is a saying in the Keys. Line up any three people, the one in the middle will be a contractor and the ones on the ends will be realtors.

  4. There are many, including Lou, who blame Trump for not acting sooner. Yes, of course. From a purely medical standpoint Trump should have closed our borders and instituted social distancing on January 20th. That was the day that the first US case was confirmed in Washington state. Many deaths would have been avoided. But can you imagine what the reaction would have been at that time from our nation’s Governors, corporations, small businesses and school districts? It would have been a resounding “NO WAY. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?”. So if Trump was late in reacting, how late was he? On what date, exactly, should he have closed the borders and shut down most commerce?

    • Well, you make a good point, but it only works if you ignore reality, both past and present. Trump never cares what the reaction will be especially “from our nation’s Governors, corporations, small businesses and school districts?” In fact he has a long and visible history of thriving off of controversies he himself creates. What he DOES care about is his optics and his political control. You, and almost everybody else seem to want to say he didn’t react quick enough. That is just ignorant and NOT true, he acted immediately and forcibly. He took total control, just not to the benefit of the world, or the American people. He immediately called it a Hoax and blamed his opponents, the press and the Democrats, as trying to use this against HIM. He also attacked China and he helped himself, or rather did what HE thought was helping himself, including offering North Korea and Russia and actually shipping (China) relief supplies. Although ignoring states within our country any real help or aid. Trump was all over this, denying, denying and denying, to anyone who would listen. Do we forget he made several campaign rallies around the country denying this. spent some time golfing and Mar a Largoing too.

      No, Trump was very much on top of this, just in wrong, yet predictable ways. To suggest that Trump did not act soon enough is gaslighting and providing him cover for doing the wrong thing, yet again and getting away with it. He did come around, but only when the situation demanded it, not one second sooner. And each time he does something, good or bad, he then claims savior status.

      Don’t be fooled by the well rehearsed cover story spins. This is no savior and no hero. He is your angry neighbor who always is a day late and dollar short and want”s to say “see I told you so.” Lou is right, this is the worst President ever, and we’re paying too much for him.

      • So instead of writing a novel, like you, I will just ask you to post the actual comment where Trump said the virus was a hoax.
        Try to be pithy.

        • Please don’t try and change the subject by picking out and challenging something specific I did NOT say.

          And as far as being “pithy” please don’t pithily refer to my response as a “novel” and then condescending tell ME not to be pithy.

          • Comprehension much?
            I didn’t tell you NOT to be pithy…I said, Try to be pithy.
            I also didn’t change the subject…you said, “He immediately called it a Hoax and blamed his opponents”

            I repeat, I will just ask you to post the actual comment where Trump said, the virus was a hoax.

        • What rock have you been under? It was and still is all over every news outlet except Fox. Here is the quote:

          “The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. One of my people came up to me and said, ‘Mr. President, they tried to beat you on Russia, Russia, Russia.’ That did not work out too well. They could not do it. They tried the impeachment hoax. … They tried anything. … And this is their new hoax.”

          Haven’t you had enough of The Donald?

          • You couldn’t do it could you. “THIS is their new hoax”. And what does THIS mean? Quit trying to be cute and post the exact and complete quote.
            I will help you, THIS is not the virus. He was referring to something else. Come on, you can do it.

            Either you are a liar or a fool. Trump never said the virus was a hoax.

            • Comprehension, comprehension, comprehension. It doesn’t matter if he specifically said the virus ITSELF was the Hoax. The context was that this whole thing was a Hoax and there are far too many instances of that as his meaning and response. Furthermore that was how he continued to act, of better put how he continued NOT to act. He was very clear on what he was trying to convey – that this CaronaVirus “thing” was just a Hoax.

              YOU shouldn’t be calling other people fools, fool!

              • He immediately called it a hoax. Your exact quote.
                Now you are saying it doesn’t matter if he specifically said the virus itself was the hoax.

                Back to my original post. Post the comment where Trump said the VIRUS was a hoax.

                I also noticed you took offense at Fool but not liar. I said you are either one of the other. You are a liar.

                • Rather than answer your nearly incomprehensible responses individually, let me just say here once for all your above comments.

                  Trump clearly said the virus issue was a hoax, that much is widely verifiable in print and on video. You are of course free to interpret that anyway you want, including calling everybody you disagree with a liar are anything else that you feel appropriate, including anything to do with how you hate the Chinese or Dion’s Chicken or even your thoughts on Jews. In fact I think you should go on with your garbage, it shows the rest of the world just how unhinged, foolish and unremarkable you really are.

                  • Sorry, you got the wrong guy. I have nothing to do with any post you mentioned.
                    This guy was clearly lying about the virus hoax being attributed to Trump. You also cannot show proof of Trump saying the virus was a hoax. “Trump clearly said the virus was a hoax” is a lie.

                    I have no issue with the Chinese, the Jewish people (who I deeply admire), or Dion’s Chicken (whatever that is all about).

                    I’m sticking to one detail is the original liar’s post. Trump did not say the virus was a hoax and if you claim he did, you need to post it word for word. Not say, “everyone says he did it, it’s everywhere”. It is not. It’s a lie.

                    • No No, you are the right guy, the way these replies are posted is sometimes confusing, especially to some people who are challenged wit reality (is that you too?). So let me reiterate directly to you so there can be no question in anyones mind about who this is directed at.

                      TRUMP clearly said the virus issue was a hoax, that much is widely verifiable in print and on video. You are of course free to interpret that anyway you want, including calling everybody you disagree with a liar or anything else that you feel appropriate or just like using dirty words. That includes me. In fact I think you should go on with your garbage, as you have just done again, it shows the rest of the world just how unhinged, foolish and unremarkable you really are. It is also probably smart if you don’t say I said that Trump said the virus was an issue. I didn’t and you yourself are lying about that. ReRead my post, go slow. Or have one of your kids read it to you slowly.

                      Please stop with your childish “gotcha” attempts, which everyone can see through, except apparently you! Trump dismissed this all as a hoax and acted accordingly. All your huffing and puffing won’t make that any different, but it does make you look even more stupid.

                    • I can read too and that woman clearly referred to that whole thing as exactly that the issue never saying the Trump said the virus was a hoax, but that virus issue in general, which is what he said was a hoax. I don’t think you can pull out any one word you want to and accuse somebody of saying something that clearly wasn’t the meaning of the sentence. Deb had it right and you are just trying to prove a point YOU want to make that isn’t true. You really are a troublemaker.

      • Yours is a reasonable response considering Trump’s long term personal and political history. But to be clear, I wasn’t suggesting that he didn’t act quickly enough. It now appears that he could have invoked his Presidential powers sooner than he did. Maybe. As you say he cares about optics and political control, but let’s not grant him some sort of dictatorial powers that he doesn’t actually have. He still faces strong political opposition in an election year. Those Governors, corporations, etc,, etc, are also politically powerful. So Trump’s banning of travel from China, and later from Europe, and calling for widespread social distancing and quarantine – those are all hugely risky moves politically. At some point those risks must have been overcome by the reality of a health crisis. He had to react. My original musing was whether he got the timing right, or will it cost him?
        .

        • You may feel it is perfectly OK to still give Donald Trump some cover and benefit of the doubt. But equally I think you are wrong to do so at this point and I for one must question YOUR motives. At what point do you say ENOUGH, this is insane? Here we have a real crisis and his response typically bad (use your own adjective) AGAIN! There comes a point when you give up on a bad horse, rather than getting trampled, or pay the price. A general get’s rid of the bad apples in his command and will not tolerate those that try and protect those bad apples, they’re gone too.

          Enough is enough, if you want to throw cover on Trump and his circus, I for one will sh*t down your throat – your poor ‘feelings’ will just have to get over that.

          • Well, okay. I’m disappointed that you choose to make this discussion personal. I wouldn’t care if Herbert Hoover was in the White House today. My original thought here was since Lou, and others, believe The President acted too late, thereby causing unnecessary deaths, when SHOULD he have acted?. I suggested that January 20th was the logical date to act, but that would have been politically indefensible. So when WAS the appropriate time to shut down the nation? Did the President get it mostly right? Or not? I have an opinion, but opinions are like as$holes. Everybody has one. I like to hear other opinions. What’s yours?

            • When should he have acted? How about at least a month before he did. How many lives would have been saved? Or maybe two weeks before he did? But noooooo. He was paralyzed because of incompetence and because he wouldn’t listen to the smart people who were telling him to act.

              In fact, The Donald still hasn’t done much but jabber and gets himself on TV. He has repeatedly said that it’s up to the governors… that it isn’t his job. He has tried to deflect any responsibility to anybody but him. Yet it’s clear, The Donald has failed at every opportunity to fail.

              So indeed, The Donald has the deaths directly “on him.”

              Haven’t you had Enough?

            • Please accept my apologies, but I think you are full of crap. Lou, and others (including me) believe Trump acted too late. That is a rhetorical statement and part of an enormous sea of bad decisions, not just a shutdown issue. When exactly Trump should have shut down the country is now a trite question in that sea and would now also just be, at best, revisionist second guessing and more space for you to provide Trump cover on somebody elses blog. That’s why my response became personal. Unimportant questions deserving no attention at all and would solve NOTHING, apart from satisfying YOUR small thinking and apparently huge ego.

              • Thank you for your lengthy responses to my unimportant question deserving no attention at all. I’ll put you down as a “No Opinion” in my little survey.

                Have a good evening.

                • Please put me down as “deliberately unresponsive” or “refuses to cooperate in silly little survey” I may have an opinion, I just don’t care to add it to your ‘survey’ because I firmly believe it is nothing more than a useless little “gotcha” scam/troll.

                  What sort of person would start this kind of crap on someone elses blog? (hint: who cares! and don’t bother answering, I am not taking a survey).

    • The “common cold” can be caused by many different types of viruses, whereas this CaronaVirus (Covid-19) is a specific virus. As such it SHOULD be able to be properly defined (not a moving target) and specifically counter punched. At least that’s the theory, if not we’re screwed. But remember, Small Pox, tuberculosis, Polio and others were considered incurable too, at one time.

    • These are defeatists and denialists or fools. They are the ones who will always spoil a party for everyone else, then cry that no one takes them seriously.

  5. Gerald Glenn, the Virginia Bishop who defied his state’s social distancing recommendations and boasted about his church’s (New Deliverance Evangelistic Church) packed pews amid the coronavirus pandemic, died over the weekend of complications from the virus. His wife has tested positive too

  6. I sure do hope that Trump has the Army training to fill in and help run the Nation’s food processing and delivery systems.

    • I am not sure the Army (prb the National Guard) is really an option. Those soldiers are humans and getting sick too and less likely to have practice any kind of social distancing anytime recently.

      Even our Aircraft carriers (NAVY) is pretty much a mess, that one carrier (Roosevelt) has now even had Covid deaths and because of all the hollering about that boat, you can be as*ured we won’t be hearing ANYTHING about the pandemic in the military.

    • The plant in South Dakota, which is now closed by the vireos,is the largest of the Smithfield foods plants and is owned by “The Peoples Republic of China”.
      In the Milan area of Italy there are a lot of manufacturing companies which are owned by Chines companies and the owners brought in a large number Chines labors and managers. This is the major area of infection due to the vireos in Italy. Let us watch South Dakota!
      I am sure Lou has seen the Andrea Boceilli “Music for Hope” on the web site of Duono di Milano.

      • Typical BS from an ill-informed, China hating troll, who is wrong on just about everything he does, including things as simple as the success of Popeye’s chicken in Key West.

      • Nobody forced Virginia based Smithfield Foods to sell to the Chinese company back in 2013, but it was approved by the Bush Administration and presumably the American board of directors of Smithfield who did this all on their own. Back then and for quite some time since, Republicans were all about free trade and a global economy. That was an idea they lived to for, almost as important to them as tax cuts for the rich and suppressing voters here in America.

        BTW, any Chinese workers here in America working for Smithfield Foods are fully approved by the US government, as safe and acceptable, none being held in any concentration camps as undesirable by American authorities or Lou Dobbs.

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