MICHAEL

Posted on by

Hurricane Michael. BADDDDDDD! One of the worst of the worst!

Florida’s Panhandle took the biggest hit. A Category 4. Winds 155 mph.

Michael has been described as the third most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. First is the Labor Day 1935 hurricane. Second, Camille in 1935.

Considering wind speed alone, Michael, the fourth worst. The Labor Day 135 one continues to lead the pack. Then, Camille. Followed by Andrew in 1992.

Fortunately, Michael was fast moving. Over and out rapidly. Had it stayed around a while as most hurricanes do, the already terrible devastation would have been worse.

The best way to describe Michael’s impact is to view comments from 3 communities hit hard. Mexico Beach, Panama City, and Port St. Joe.

Mexico City…..Homes reduced to kindling, roofs lying in the middle of US 98, a whole condo building gone, not there.

Panama City…..Storm trackers devastated at scale of destruction, roar of storm sounded like a jet engine as winds accelerated, chunks of US 98 washed away by the surge.

Port St. Joe…..Parts of buildings torn away, very very scary. One person reported: “Absolutely horrendous. Catastrophe…..There’s flooding. Boats on the high way. A house on the highway. Houses that have been there forever…..shattered.”

I thought Rick Scott was an inept Governor till Irma. His handling of Irma impressed me. He was on the problem a week or two before. Organized everything. Spoke to us daily on TV. Gave the populace confidence. Handled the storm and recovery well.

My impression of Scott completely turned as a result. Though I disagree with him philosophically re many issues, I respect him.

Scott is in the ball game again. He has been preparing north Florida for Michael.

The man is a leader. The people of north Florida were encouraged yesterday when he said, “Hurricane Michael will not break Florida.”

Charlotte Corriher. Lovely, charming. Lived in the lower Keys for several years. That is when I met her. At the Chart Room initially.

Charlotte a runner. Travels all over the U.S. running marathons.

Charlotte presently lives in Charleston, South Carolina.

She wrote me re the Gray Man ghost today. I mentioned the Gray Man 2 days ago. Charlotte wrote, “I never heard of the Gray Man until this year when Florence was headed our way. Saw lots of posts and pictures where people claimed to see him.”

The Sons and Daughters of Italy do not meet over the summer. Last night, the renewal of our monthly meetings.

Love the organization! The people are happy and easy going. Must be their Italian heritage.

New officers were elected last night at the official meeting following social hour where lasagna was enjoyed by all.

Then to the Blue Macaw. Terri was singing. An amazing lady! Worked at Blue Heaven the night before. Blind and still earning a living.

Chatted a while with Joe and John. Then spent some time with Donna. Not a happy camper. She had a colonoscopy earlier in the day and was still complaining about the prep.

We have all been through it.

This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The women continue to be out there beating the drums advising women to have their mammograms, raising money, etc.

The movement is well organized nationally and locally. Participating in various events are the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Womankind, and Zonta.

My readings this morning re breast cancer brought to my attention something I did not know. A woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes.

Ladies, keep up the good work!

The Jamal Khashoggi matter has brought to the forefront again Saudi Arabia’s relatively new leader Mohammad Bin Salman. He wants to be a dictator. The center of power in his country. An authoritarian. Believes in one man rule.

Shades of Trump?

The DOW dropped over 800 points yesterday. Two reasons claimed. The tech sector is under performing and there is a concern that rates will rapidly rise.

To me, the drop will be temporary. However do not expect it to always be so.  I still believe a world wide recession will occur next year.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

LENIN WANTED TO DESTROY THE STATE…..MY GOAL, TOO

Posted on by

Ed Rollins was on one of the TV talk shows last night. Stephen Bannon the object of discussion. Bannon is the 63 year old Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to President Trump.

It has been said in recent days that Bannon has increasing influence over the President and is either now or becoming the power person on the White House staff.

Bannon’s background is checkered. He was Executive Chairman of Breitbart News, a white supremacy website. David Duke and the KKK found his selection by Trump to be an excellent one. He is anti-Semitic. Democrats and Republicans alike oppose him.

As mentioned yesterday, the comment was recently made that Bannon makes Cheney look like Mother Teresa.

Rollins commented that Bannon had said Lenin wanted to destroy the state and that he (Bannon) wanted to destroy today’s establishment.

Strong words. Trump appointed as a close adviser a man who in effect wants to bring down the government.

I sought the source. Turns out to have been the New York Times. An article on 11/14/16 by Daniel Victor and Liam stack.

The Times repeated a statement made in The Legal Beast. The Legal Beast the source. No source for The Legal Beast’s statement attributed to Bannon set forth.

The purported Bannon statement: “Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal, too…..I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.”

Bannon is known to have such thought and drive most of his adult life.

When asked regarding the comment, Bannon did not deny. He said he could not recall the conversation.

My podcast show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick interesting thought provoking half hour. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics will include Bannon, of course. As well as Stephen Miller, a 31 year old White House adviser. The person who wrote the immigration/refugee executive order.

Also, Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, the Trump-Putin telephone call saturday, Russia initiating further war activity in Ukraine sunday and monday, Trump’s dying relationship with Congress, police at Standing Rock equipped with missile launchers, moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, Mark Zuckerberg wanting to be President, and more.

At 8 tonight, Trump will announce his designee for the Supreme Court. I will have something to say about whoever it is. Trump is down to three choices. We know who they are and they have been vetted in the media.

A most enjoyable dinner last night. With friend Andrew who is in for a few days from his Switzerland home. Together with Jim and Donna. An evening of great conversation.

Guy Fawkes died this date in 1606. He had led a Catholic revolution against Parliament and King James. His intent was to blow up Parliament and James I at the same time. He was caught before he had the opportunity.

Fawkes was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. He was to be hung, drawn, and quartered.

Fawkes threw himself off the ladder leading to the gallows. Broke his neck and immediately died. Spoiling Parliament’s cruel death plan for him.

The English celebrate November 5 as Guy Fawkes Day. There are bonfires and fire works. Fawkes burned in effigy, also. The event celebrating Fawkes’ failure to blow up Parliament and James I.

Enjoy your day!

DOING NOTHING

Posted on by

Doing nothing. A specialty in itself. Great when it happens. Yesterday was a do nothing day for me. Not intended. It just worked out that way.

Spent my sunday reading the papers, watching TV and napping. Did a little work on the streaming show I am trying to get going. Problem is separating the new show from other things I have done. Louis Petrone and Key West Lou bunches everything together on You Tube. Even the TV show that I stopped doing five years ago.

I did go out last night. My MTV house neighbor Andrew is in for a few days. He was here last a month ago. Returns wednesday to his Switzerland home. Two days later, he and the family leave for three days in Bangkok and a month in Australia. Vacation time.

An  interesting life!

We ate at the Cafe. Andrew likes veggie food.

Dee was there. With visiting cousins. We were supposed to have dinner together saturday night. She cancelled out because of her cousins’ surprise visit.

Dee returned friday from Boston. Spent a week consulting with her cancer doctors. She went through two bad years of operations and treatments.

She received good news. Nothing adverse to report. She is on top of the world. Understandably so. Her cancer was a 4. Success rare.

We are down to one problem with kicking off the new show. You Tube is commingling everything with Louis Petrone and Key West Lou. Even the TV show I stopped doing five years ago. I want to have the new show appear alone.

Sloan and I have been at it since 7 this morning.

The Arctic storm came and went. Fast. One cold night. Key West style. Then back to warmth. Yesterday, the high was 84.

Airline prices continue to be too high! Expensive to fly. The airlines fail to notice that gas prices have been down quite a while.

United announced yesterday that beginning with 2017, it will offer what ts calls “basic economy.” Prices lower than regular. In order to compete head to head with discount airlines.

Enjoy your day!

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT

Posted on by

Insanity sometimes prevails in the halls of government. Change for the sake of change. Decisions without basis in fact made.

I am talking about the most recent suggestion by the State Department of Transportation to turn South Roosevelt Boulevard into 2 or 3 lanes rather than the present 4.

Justification is it will make room for cars, bikers, vendors and walkers.

No basis for the justification.

Traffic moves easily along South Roosevelt Boulevard. Parking sufficient. Probably the only place in Key West. Vendors few and those still here have plentiful space.

As to walkers and bicycles, who in Key West has more room than on the very wide walk running along the ocean. Whenever crowded, not crowded.

A new play has developed in the United States. Redoing roadways . Called “lane repurposing.”

We do not need lane repurposing along the ocean. Especially at Smathers Beach. There are many areas within Key West that do, however. The State should do its lane repurposing in tosoe places.

Again, the State wants to make driving, parking, bicycle riding and walking easier and less crowded. There are no problems on South Roosevelt Boulevard!

The City Commission is involved. Properly so. Except certain of its members are idiots re the issue. Mayor Cates and Commissioner Kaufman like the idea. They are of the opinion congestion exists for bicycles and walkers. I ask both of these gentleman…..When was the last time you walked South Roosevelt Boulevard? Rode a bike there?

Try it! Neither bicycle nor pedestrian will inhibit your walk or bike ride.

Kaufman is beginning to bother me. I do not know him. He is an attorney who successfully ran for his Commission seat. He is also an agent of change. Perhaps even an unintentional trouble maker. It seems to be his nature.

Change for the sake of change is of no value. A new idea is not necessarily a good idea.

Let this be Kaufman’s first and last term as Commissioner. He should return to the law and screw up the judicial system.

I fell last night! Again! Did a number on my body. My head took a beating in the process. A bump the size of a quarter on the back. Oozing blood. My head continues to hurt this morning.

As usual, I was not looking where I was walking. I was stepping up the one step to my front porch. Neither looked nor lifted my foot enough.

Dinner last night was with neighbor Andrew. Andrew owns the MTV house across the water from me. He is in for a few days from his present home in Zürich. He called and said lets go to dinner. I tried to back off because of my diet. To no avail

Andrew took me to his favorite restaurant. The Cafe on Southard across from Bank of America. The vegetarian restaurant. I am not a vegetarian. I did enjoy however a piece of mahi mahi.

No alcohol. I am still on my diet.

This morning makes one week on the diet. I cheated not. Lost 8 pounds. All water, I am sure. But 8 pounds is 8 pounds. I continue on the diet this week.

Rotary reminds me of the tune Christian Soldiers. Onward Christian soldiers…..

The Rotary took hold world wide as well as in Key West. Its purpose to serve, to do good. The local has been so performing for more than 100 years.

The Key West Rotary considers all issues. They walk away from nothing. Seek knowledge from every source.

This is installment 13. It concerns the subject matter of the September 8, 1932 luncheon meeting.

The United States was deep in depression in 1932. The market crashed. Three years earlier.

William W. Demeritt. Chairman of the Monroe County Unemployment Relief Committee. He gave a report concerning the state of the relief program. Unemployment benefits for those out of work.

By the end of August 1932, the numbers of unemployed were as follows. White men, 473 married, 267 single. Colored men, 180 married, 83 single. Women, white 89 and colored 114.

Mouths to feed. Mouths fed.

Amazing that the statistics had to be divided between white and colored. The Civil War had ended 57 years earlier.

Enjoy your day!