46 YEARS SUCKING ON PUBLIC TIT

Me thinks Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has been a public official too long. His employment/job for 46 years has been as a publicly elected official. He has sucked on the public tit too long.

He should get a real job and work for a living as most Americans do.

He has been a U. S. Senator 36 of the 46 years. He draws salary, medical coverage, etc. from tax dollars. Our tax dollars.

The Senate tax bill has a provision re the estate death tax. It removes the tax. Grassley had a comment regarding the deletion of the estate tax. He said it recognized those who invest and not those “…..spending every darn penny on booze or women or movies.”

What century does this man come from? How can he insult 95 percent of Americans? The people who have been paying his salary for almost a half century.

He is from another time.

Another government official I have problems with is President Trump. His Twitters the  cause of a multitude of problems. The man insults and demeans.

Yesterday, the FBI. “In tatters,” he says. The “worst in history.”

Former Attorney General Eric Holder in a responsive Tweet stated integrity and honesty exist at FBI headquarters and not 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

One of Christmas’ most popular and enjoyable musical presentations is Handel’s Messiah. At 82, I am ashamed to say last night was the first time I had seen it performed.

The Key West United Methodist Church has been featuring Handel’s Messiah for 35 years. I was there last night. After hearing it, disappointed I had not many years earlier and every Christmas season thereafter.

The Messiah is an oratorio. I did not know what an oratorio was. Had to look it up this morning. An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir and soloists. A concert piece. Little or no interaction between characters. No props or elaborate costumes.

The choir last night consisted of approximately 75 persons.

Handel composed the Messiah in London in 1741. In only three weeks. Three weeks becoming a Christmas event for the ages.

Enjoyed the Messiah with Lynda and Bob Frechette. Friend Liz sitting on the other side of the Church. I did not get to speak with her.

I missed the Christmas Parade saturday night. From everyone I have spoken to, the Parade its usual success. Perhaps the best ever.

Stock Island has been the poor relative of Key West for years. No more. Stock Island is on the move! No one would ever think of building a hotel on Stock Island. Now, two new ones. Each magnificent. Art galleries. Tons of eateries. Old Key West types. The food reasonably priced and good.

The merchants have gotten together. They are letting the world know what they have created.

This weekend the first I Love Stock Island Festival. Including Stock Island’s own Lighted Boat Parade.  A family fun weekend.

For those familiar with Stock Island, don’t think the whole island has been transformed. It is still shrimp boats, boats in general, bad roads, run down trailers, etc. The new world found here and there.

Key West Police have a motorcycle and scooter safety week planned. Too many cycle and scooter accidents. Break the law and you will be stopped. Perhaps even ticketed. Time from my perspective for cycle and scooter operators to follow the rules of the road the same as motor vehicles operators.

Next the Police should have a bicycle week. I cannot remember the last time I have seen a bicycle operator stop for a light or stop sign.

This is the 25th year for texting. Amazing! Texting has been around that long and I only learned how to use it this year. Generational. My thumb and fingers not nimble enough. I could not figure where to text on my cell phone.

I’ve got it now, however!

On my Irma escape, I learned I needed new glasses. Could not see signs till I was upon them. Night driving a disaster. I get my new glasses this morning. Excited! Confident I will see better!

Consider giving Irma and Me as a Christmas gift. Available of Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BOCA CHICA LOUNGE

There once was a place…..

A bar, a dive, drug infested, criminal clientele, a den of inequity, infamous. Customers shrimpers, smugglers, thieves, and drug dealers.

Referred to by many as a Knife and Gun Club. Most carried one or the other. Legality had nothing to do with it. Legality had nothing to do with anything that went on in the Lounge..

Former Sheriff Bob Peryam said, “We were always the least armed people when we went there.”

I write of the Boca Chica Lounge.

The Lounge opened in the 1950s. Closed in 1989. A 24 hour around the clock club. Never closed. Went out of business in 1989 when Monroe County passed a 4 am closing time.

Located on what is now US 1 on Stock Island. Today, a nondescript auto parts store. I have tried to visualize the building as I write. I cannot. I will look for it as I drive into Key West later this morning.

Although located on Stock Island, definitely a part of Key West’s roaring drug driven 1980s.

Last night my podcast show.

Last week’s show not broadcast due to technical difficulties at Blog Talk Radio’s end. My opening topic was to have  been An American Christmas. Did not want to waste the story. America’s Christmas history not what most people would have thought.

So, I opened with last week’s Christmas tale last night. Ate up the first half of the show.

I followed with a topic that has caused me serious concern this past year. Robots and artificial intelligence. Not discussed in the recent Presidential campaign. Jobs will be eliminated in huge numbers.

The road has opened and we are already traveling it. Within 3-5 years, robots and artificial intelligence will impact how we live.

Already, over the highway driverless trucks have been tested. Uber testing driverless cars in Los Angles and Pittsburgh. McDonald’s testing kiosks to place orders. Push a button type thing. Some automotive assembly lines already operated solely by robots.

A perfect and simple example of what is to come is McDonald’s drive through window. In 18 months, it is expected you will receive your cheeseburger, fries and change from a robot.

Wonder of wonders!

Food for thought. New jobs must be created to replace those lost because of robots and artificial intelligence. They are there. Requires ingenuity and innovation to become aware of what they are and train the work force.

Have to hustle. Full hands on doctor physical this morning.

Enjoy your day!