WILKES-BARRE UNMENTIONABLES

Posted on by

Trump did another rally last night. In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Before rigid loyal supporters.

The media last night and this morning covered his rantings. The usual. In addition to media reports, I watched his entire talk during the late night when rerun on the internet.

Three important things omitted from the media coverage. The three items stuck out like a sore thumb when I watched Trump’s delivery in its entirety. Each cause for concern.

One had to do with children. Trump has been getting heaped upon for his separation policy re immigrants and their children. Last night, I saw a first. I suspect to portray to the nation Trump’s concern for children and their support of him.

In the group sitting immediately behind Trump as he talked were kids. Many. Interspersed throughout. Obviously there. Some sitting quietly, others waving signs. The cameras zeroing in on them.

A phony demonstration. However, one which puts the fear of God in me. Trump is authoritarian. Would like to be President forever. A dictator. Recall the Hitler Youth. Hitler started the organization in 1926. It grew more rapidly beginning in the mid 1930’s. Existed till 1945.

Is this a beginning? Is this part of an overall plan to get ’em while they’re young?

Sounds crazy. However with Trump, you never know.

The second item that struck me was his reference to NATO and his belief it only exists to protect Europe. A like…..who needs it thing. The suggestion being we are going to get out of NATO, European wars not our concern.

Reminded me of America First and the tenor of some in the late 1930’s in the U.S. The desire by many to have the U.S. stay out of European alliances and wars. The further desire the U.S. should remain an isolationist nation.

My sense of Trump was that he was telling us the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans would protect us. The same crazy talk pre World War II.

The oceans are meaningless protectors today. Kim and North Korea the most recent example. Our military experts advise North Korea has or soon will have missiles with nuclear warheads that can reach the U.S.

Russian submarines carrying missiles with nuclear warheads a similar problem. China has developed the capacity to fire missiles capable of reaching U.S. shores from the new islands it has created in Asian waters.

The third item involved Trump’s threat to shutdown the government if he does not get his wall funding. The question he raised was whether to shutdown before or after the midterms.

He bragged he was not afraid of politics. He might shutdown before.

He mentioned Russ Limbaugh and Sean Hannity supporting him in this regard.

God help us!

Last night, a Blue Macaw evening for me. Diane Millikan my guest. Diane helps me occasionally with research. She is a terrific researcher.

We were joined by Donna and Terri. They brought Elle, short for Eleanor. I never met Elle before. A lovely 37 year old from Argentina. Has been in Key West 10 years. Worked several of those years at Burrito with my friend Grant. Now works at the new sandwich shop in the small shopping center at the corner of Duval and Truman.

Different strokes for different folks. Each country has its own ways. Elle had long armpit hair. Uncovered and obvious. We discussed it. Her custom. The fashion in Argentina.

A little history. On this day in 1492, Christopher Columbus departed from Palos, Spain with the Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina. Nine weeks later on October 12, he and the ships would land in the Bahamas. Columbus thought China. Though unaware and more importantly, he had discovered the New World.

A new study supportive of those who drink alcohol. In moderation, of course. The study claims people who do not drink any alcohol are more likely to develop dementia by early old age. Teetotaling not recommended for the middle aged.

Moderation. What is moderation? One and a half bottles of wine per week.

That’s all? Fortunately, I do not drink wine.

Enjoy your day!

 

BIG CROCODILES HAVE ARRIVED

Posted on by

I was surprised to see on the front page of this morning’s Key West Citizen a large photo of a very large crocodile. Surprised because only yesterday I made mention of crocodiles in the Keys. Thought they were more north than in the southern Keys.

I was wrong. They are in the southern Keys. Stock Island to be exact. Next door to Key West. A 300 foot bridge separating the two communities.

The photo was of a 9.5 foot American crocodile weighing 250 pounds which had been caught friday in a lagoon next to a residential area.

A big ugly beast!

The article further reported that a crocodile of similar size had been captured thursday at Boyd’s Campground after killing a small dog.

Be careful.

A sad day for many Key Westers. The Citizen has been running for several years portions of a diary left by William Hackley. Hackley was a Key West attorney from the 1830’s into the 1850’s when he and his family left.

Today’s was the last entry from Hackley’s diary that will be reported. Hackley moved.

The person responsible for the daily reporting of the contents of the diary is Tom Hambright. A Key Wester of many years who serves as Historian at the Monroe County Library. He perceived the diary contents as interesting and convinced the Citizen hierarchy to run it on a daily basis.

One of the best received, happiest and funniest events of the year is the Great Sea Battle. The Battle won by the Conch Republic in 1982 after having seceded from the United States.

The battle was friday evening. Too late for the Citizen to print. Additionally the Citizen only prints one edition on the weekend.

I expected to see numerous photos of the battle in today’s edition.

I was disappointed. Only two.

I appreciate things are presently difficult at the Citizen. However, there should have been more photos of the gala event.

Perhaps a reason the Citizen is presently hurting. It has been writing for the Citizen the past few years and not the citizenry.

Two notable quotes I came up with over the weekend. Both worthy of sharing.

John Kasich is Governor of Ohio. Considered Presidential timber for 2020. Perhaps as an independent. “I didn’t leave the Republican Party. The Republican Party left me.”

A statement having to do with values.

Then there is Bill Lepp. He is a professional story teller and writer. A well said quote by him in the Charleston Gazette-Mail recently. “We should fight to save kids, not the weapons killing them.”

Several months ago, I wrote about school children having trouble holding a pencil. The reason given was they did not play with the usual toys which helped develop their finger muscles.

Instead, they were early turned on to cell phones, I phones, etc.

Schools were now introducing programs to get their fingers moving, to develop them.

Now comes another modern day problem adversely affecting children. They cannot read clocks. Technically called analogue clocks. The ones with numbers.

The problem became obvious during examinations which were timed. Student were raising their hands to ask how much time left because they could not read the clock on the wall properly.

Schools are slowly replacing the numbered clocks with digital clocks. Clocks the students will understand.

Consider also that cursive writing is a thing of the past. School children do not have to know how to write. They have their computers.

Most cannot even write their names.

Seems to me the more we teach our kids, the less we help them.

Trump promised to drain the swamp. Whether he is remains questionable.

Sean Hannity is considered by some as Trump’s informal Chief of Staff. He is known to be a close daily adviser to the President.

It has recently been reported that Hannity is linked with the purchase of many homes with loans guaranteed under the National Housing Act program.

The scenario involves home lost by homeowners because they could not make mortgage payments. At a discounted price, Hannity shell companies purchase the homes. In most instances, Hannity’s shell companies financed the purchases by using loans guaranteed under the HUD program.

An example. Two apartment complexes in Georgia were purchased in 2014. The cost, $22.7 million. HUD helped Hannity in packaging $17.9 million to fund the purchases.

In the past ten years, 20 Hannity shell companies have purchased 870 homes in 7 states worth $90 million. Most of them using HUD guaranteed loans.

Note carefully there is nothing illegal about Hannity’s actions. Everything he has done has been above board. He made purchases similarly financed under the Obama administration.

What is lacking is transparency. HUD Secretary Ben Carson has appeared on Hannity’s show. Hannity always compliments him. Never has there been mention of the loans guaranteed by HUD.

Trump and Hannity are obviously close. Talk frequently. Well known that Hannity advises Trump on some matters. No disclosure again of the Hannity/HUD business relationship.

Some things the people have a right to know. Even though the actions involved are legal. This is one of those instances.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

WORLD NEEDS MORE BARBARA BUSHES

Posted on by

Three breaking news items last night. The most important and most sad was the death of Barbara Bush.

Wife of one President, mother of another. A class act. An independent women. Wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother. A political influence in her own way.

The world needs more Barbara Bushes.

Another breaking news item involved a Supreme Court case and Justice Neil Gorsuch. A Trump appointee. Trump’s only appointee so far. A conservative. Tipped the balance of power on the Court to 5-4 in favor of the conservative block.

A good Justice/Judge is one that cannot be depended on to vote the party line, so to speak. Gorsuch has generally been voting with his conservative brethren. Not in the Sessions v. Dimaya decision rendered yesterday.

Gorsuch voted with the liberal block. As a result, the Court struck down a part of one of Trump’s immigration laws having to do with the deportation of illegal immigrants who had criminal records. Thousands of immigrants affected.

Gorsuch wrote a decision saying the law was vague. What is a cime under the statue? Everyone? Traffic offenses?

Gorsuch wrote, “Vague laws invite arbitrary power.” I view Trump as an authoritarian figure. Arbitrariness part of authoritarianism.

Trump had to be upset. I can hear him now. I gave the guy the best job a lawyer can have. Made his career. And he does this to me!

May Trump experience more surprises!

The third breaking news item involved Sean Hannity. Turns out he has more than one Trump attorney. Victoria Toensing and Jay Sekulow have joined the club.

More interesting the nature of the representation.

On May 25, 2017, Toensing and Sekulow jointly wrote a letter to a Tulsa, Oklahoma radio station. They signed the letter as Counsel For Sean Hannity.

A conservative activist had said on a show that Hannity had been “creepy” towards her and invited her to his room.

The Toensing and Sekulow letter was a warning to the radio station to cease and desist from any further comment re the woman’s claims.

The woman’s name was reported.

I care not how many Trump lawyers Hannity uses. Though I do wish he would come clean on an issue that has nothing to do with anything.

By being silent, he may have opened the door to real aggravation. The woman’s statement. Time will tell.

Key West is to be honored tomorrow. Trump is visiting. Only for two hours. He is meeting with a military anti-smuggling group. An in and out trip.

This morning’s Key West Citizen says to expect protests. Meeting places include the White Street Pier and City Hall. Those protesting are asked to dress in black and carry signs.

Key West will not be behaving as One Human Family tomorrow.

KONK Life is a weekly publication. Covers the Keys.

I wrote a column for several years for KONK Life. The Key West Lou COMMENTARY. I considered the column the best writing I did.

I had too much on my plate and stopped doing the column two years ago. I have missed it. I believe I am better organized today.

My first column will be published in the KONK Life edition which hits the stands tomorrow. Concerns the Post Office. I believe the Post Office has been stomped upon in recent years. They are not at fault for today’s Post Office debt and insufficient help. Congress is the culprit.

The article is titled Congress To Blame For Post Office Debt. Eye opening.

Jenna Stauffer is a love of my life. My producer when I did my TV show for 3 years. Taught me everything.

Jenna continues to have a finger here and there in Key West life. One involves videoing for realtors houses they intend to sell. Her work professional. I know. She has videoed me several times over the years and each time I came out looking better than I did.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote of our Revolutionary War in The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere. He wrote the work in the 1860’s. The ride of Paul Revere took place in the 1775. It involved Concord and Lexington and the beginning of our war for freedom.

Longfellow made Revere hero of the day. He was a hero, though not the only one. There were other riders through the night shouting…..To arms, to arms, the British are coming.

Besides Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott and a Dr. Peterson.

The British captured Revere early in his ride. Questioned him roughly for two hours and then let him go. Dr. Peterson is reported to have completed Revere’s ride.

Dawes was captured also. He escaped by jumping his horse over a stone wall.  Subsequently, he lost his horse and had to walk to Lexington.

Prescott originally was not part of the ride. He was returning from a lady friend’s house at the awkward hour of 1 am. He was recruited for the ride. The British captured him, also. He escaped and rode on to Concord warning Patriots along the way.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

WOE THE WEB WE WEAVE…..

Posted on by

My legal career was spent in the court room. When ever I would catch a witness in a lie or a party’s case full of lies, I would start my summation to the jury by looking them in the eye and with all seriousness say…..Woe the web we weave when first we seek to deceive.

I would follow it up with the story of throwing a pebble into a still pool of water. The pebble would cause a small circle to surround it. The circle in the water would get bigger and bigger. As a lie got bigger and bigger and took in more people.

Yesterday it was Michael Cohen and Sean Hannity.

Trump’s lies ultimately bring everyone around him down. Including his children.

Will Trump throw them under the bus as he has others? Will he take the rap to save them? Interesting.

Saw Dr. Jones yesterday morning. He scheduled me for an endoscopy and colonoscopy for a week from tomorrow.

I am anxious for the endoscopy. For the past six months, food gets stuck in my throat. Cannot wash it down. Fluid shoots back out my mouth. Takes a bit of gulping to get the food to pass.

Till last night.

I was enjoying lamb chops at the La Trattoria bar. Carrie bartending. Fortunately.

A piece of meat got stuck in my throat. Carrie saw I was in trouble. She came running over and started with back blows moving to the Heimlich. Did not work. Gulping did not work.

I could breath.

I walked out. Gulped for two blocks. Finally the meat moved down.

A relief. The longest it has taken. Thank God I am doing the endoscopy next wednesday. Dr. Jones is aware of my problem and will stretch my throat and esophagus while I am under.

Lunch yesterday after the Dr. Jones visit at Sandy’s Cafe. My favorite snack. Cuban cheese toast with tomato and a large cup of Cuban coffee.

The waitresses at Sandy’s are a happy bunch. They spread that joy to the customers as they wait on them.

Last night Dueling Bartenders. Bobby Nesbitt guest performing. Tom Luna and Rick Dery doing their usual. The three singing a song together outstanding!

Many Bobby Nesbitt friends in attendance. Lynda and Bob Frechette, David, Lisa, etc.

We sang along with Tom, Rick and Bobby.

Loved it!

It was after Dueling Bartenders that I went to La Trattoria for dinner.

Marty Leshaw and I were Key West friends for years. We would meet at the Chart Room and then have dinner together somewhere. Marty left Key West. Returned to his primary residence in Fort Lauderdale.

Marty and I communicate infrequently. I heard from him yesterday. Did I hit 40 yet? Meaning pounds lost. Whatever the inquiry or statement, I always enjoy hearing from Marty. Though we disagreed on almost everything. Especially politics.

I have fond memories of our relationship.

Trump is visiting Key West thursday. For two hours. He flies into Boca Chica. Then he will be part of a caravan of cars taking him to the Truman Waterfront. He is visiting the Joint Interagency Task Force South. A military anti-smuggling center.

Some are thrilled by his visit. Others could care less.

Diana Millikan returns to Key West tomorrow. She e-mailed me she plans to stand on the corner of Truman and White and wave at Trump as he passes. She has been a die hard Trump fan since day one. Part of that 35-40 percent.

Global climate change a concern to us who live on the ocean. We have been warned for several years that the waters will rise and take away some homes built on the water.

Michael Mann is a climatologist.  He says the change is coming and sooner than thought.

All has to do with currents. Southern waters, including the Gulf Stream, will flow northward. The colder deep waters of the north will flow southward.

I do not understand this changes things. The bottom line however is that the scenario will not be good. Our water levels will increase 1.6 feet. Surface temperatures will be warmer for most of the US east coast. Europe will be colder because of changes in the Gulf Stream.

Mann says “…..we’re close to a tipping point…..the changing currents are without precedent…..the event about a century ahead of schedule.”

He also says all this may not happen. That we are dealing with systems we don’t fully understand.

Love the Citizens’ Voice in the Key West Citizen. Readers say it the way it is.

This morning’s column had a note from a local. The iguana problem the subject.

The writer had the solution. Bring in about a hundred Jaguars and mountain lions. The natural enemies of iguanas.

My  thought is the suggestion will help resolve another problem. The too many people on the island problem. Jaguars and mountain lions are the natural enemies of humans, also.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk  with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. I express my thoughts as to the conduct and sins of many. Guaranteed you will like the show. A quick moving half hour.

Enjoy your day!