JOHN WAYNE HE AIN’T

 

John Kelly is no John Wayne. I refer to the former Marine general who presently serves as Trump’s Chief of Staff.

Kelly looks good. Especially in uniform. Tough, honest appearing. Pure virtue.

He is not. He personifies the adage…..You can’t tell a book by its cover.

Kelly has difficulty telling the truth. He does not understand American history. Sound familiar? Two Trump failures.

Most recently, Kelly said the Civil War could have been averted by compromise and Lee was a great general.

Yes, the Civil War could have been averted. All Lincoln and the Union had to do was enshrine slavery forever in the United States. As to Lee being a great general, Kelly is creating history. He is forwarding a view of Lee with which most historians do not agree.

Time for a cholesterol lunch yesterday. A cheeseburger at Five Guys.

Then to Publix. Out of food again.

Grocery shopping continues to be tiring. Pushing the cart around the store, loading the car, bringing the groceries in, keeping the groceries. Knocks me on my ass! Not kidding!

Did my podcast show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Part of the program involved three separate stories involving children. Anger you and touch your heart at the same time.

It seems it is getting easier to prepare and do the show. I have been thinking about it. Why easier? The answer simple. Trump.

Seven topics last night. Trump directly or peripherally involved in five.

I continue to live and learn. Homeless children a major problem at the moment. I mentioned yesterday there are an additional 320 homeless children in Monroe County because of Irma.

Discovered today there is a Florida Keys Children’s Shelter in Tavernier. Free housing and delicious meals for kids 10-17.

Only 19 beds. Each filled since Irma. Parents whose homes are gone drop the children off at night and pick them up in the morning. Foster children cared for, also.

Obviously not enough beds. However, better than nothing. Every little bit helps.

The Irma homeless problem manifests itself in another fashion.Hotels provides free rooms to families. FEMA pays the tab. $201 per night in Key West. $93 a night outside Key West.

Some hotels did not close their doors to the Irma homeless because of Fantasy Fest. Those that did are trying to reopen them.

FEMA has extended its program to pay for hotel living through December 2. Many hotels though willing to take people in cite the Power Boat races and other events where hotel accommodations are in demand. Business is business.

The hotels are trying to be cooperative, work things out.

The numbers interesting. Immediately following Irma there were 2,700 households in need of rooms. The number has fallen. It is now 600. Still a healthy number.

On this date in 1512, the Sistine Chapel was opened to the public. Michelangelo had completed God and Adam’s arms stretching towards each other. The Creation of Adam.

A masterpiece for the ages.

Thirty five years ago, I did a one month Italy vacation with the wife, children and my parents. My Dad never was easily impressed. As we were standing with  heads tilted up to view Michelangelo’s work, my father asked…..What’s the big deal?

The Manhattan terrorist attack yesterday proves we are never going to be really safe. Could take another 50-100 years to resolve the terrorist problem.

Eight died and 11 were injured.

New York City vigilant. The last New York terrorist attack was 9/11/2001.  Sixteen years ago.

Some numbers recently released re police shootings of civilians. Thus far this year, 782 in the United States. Contrast that with similar shootings in England and Wales combined. In the 27 years from 1990-2016, 62.

My publisher has assured me Irma and Me will be available for purchase by the end of the week. I hope!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BARE ASS IN THE POOL

Nudity once again in the news. A 47 year old man went swimming in Dante’s Pool bare ass yesterday afternoon. Initially, funny. Not really, however. Half the people in the pool many times are children.

The individual was arrested. Properly so.

Nudity has its place in Key West. Private homes and private guest houses where permitted and out of sight of children. Not in one of the largest public pools in Key West!

Tourists are leaving Key West faster than I thought they would. I noticed half of those here last week gone. Makes walking and driving safer and easier.

My day was simple yesterday. Started with a haircut with Lori. Always pleasurable. Lori is good company. She has been doing my hair some 15 years. We have become friends.

Did some shopping at Publix afterwards.

Then home for what I assumed was to be rest before bocce. For whatever reason, my body became wracked with pain. Bones. The discomfort disappeared around 10. No way could I have played bocce. Did not even go.

Keith reports we lost all three games. We #2 ranked lost to #1 ranked.

I knew it would be close. If we won one game, we would have been happy. The scores were 16-12, 16-13 and 16-15. Not bad. Competitive. Not enough, however.

The #1 team is exceptionally good. Perfection. There is a big difference in this instance between #1 and #2. We were playing a team a step above.

Donna and Terri are in town! We are having dinner together tomorrow night.

The Citizens’ Voice had an interesting comment yesterday….. Old men send young men to war…..let those who vote for war be sure their children and grandchildren get to fight in that war. The best was it is “…..easy to fight a war with other people’s kids.”

I have been talking about ticket quotas and the evil of the system for three years. The Florida Senate last week passed what is known as the Waldo Bill. It would be illegal to have quotas.

The evil of quotas is not the giving of an improper ticket alone. The revenue from the fines generally goes to support the judges’ salaries and costs of operating the court system. Speaks for itself!

Harry Truman again! On this day in 1950, Truman left Key West after having spent a month vacationing here. Presidential vacations are working ones. Still better to work in the informal and relaxing atmosphere of Key West rather than Washington. Truman obviously thought so.

Today would have been my father’s 101st birthday. Happy birthday, Dad!

He did not do bad, however. Made it to 98. We should all be so blessed!

This week’s KONK Life column Money Corrupts is available also on my Key West Lou blog page. keywestlou.com.

Only one way to say what I am going to say. It takes balls! I saw advertised on television yesterday Monsanto’s pesticide Roundup. I could not believe it. Several countries have outlawed the pesticide as carcinogenic. Last week the World Health Organization said beware, possibly carcinogenic. The problem is the U.S. government loves Monsanto and supports Monsanto’s endeavors. A disgrace.

Enjoy your day!