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!

 

 

CONFIRMATION…..NEW WORLD HAS ARRIVED

I am despondent this morning. Yesterday’s Senate vote the reason. The vote that passed the Senate Republican version of the tax bill.

What was a question in my mind now a reality. Government as we have known it gone. No longer of the people, by the people, for the people. Now government by and for large corporations and wealthy Americans. The people no longer count.

Patricians rule. Like 5 percent of the population. The rest of the people peons.

Money controls Congress. Its members bought. Thirty pieces of silver.

Michael Flynn. A nail in the coffin.

Finally got hot water yesterday afternoon. Without since tuesday. Cold showers and no shaving during that time.

Simple things do mean a lot. A warm shower!

Frankie the Plumber showed up to correct the problem. He and his wife Sandy friends. If I had known he was the fixer, I would have called him and had hot water the first day.

The problem took less than a minute to correct. The reset button was turned off.

Irma and Me selling. I am running into people carrying it and/or telling me they ordered it. Great!

Irma and Me available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Giorgio’s evening last night! Drinks at the Chart Room. Dinner at the Pier House’s One. I had intended to entertain Giorgio at Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Not able. Hot Tin Roof was having a private party.

Tom and Fran joined us at the Chart Room. One hour of great conversation. Tom and Fran recently joined the Sons and Daughters of Italy. Fran Italian.

Giorgio has decided to leave Key West tomorrow instead of monday. He is moving to the Villages. Already purchased a home there. His Key West home for sale.

I will miss Giorgio. We became good friends in the short year we have known each other.

Kevin and Che at the bar. I have not seen Che in months. He has become a recluse in his old age. He is one year older than me.

I thought it was Irma time again last night. Returned home at 9:30. No TV, wi-fi or land line. Comcast said it would take till noon today to repair. Fortunately, everything was up and running when I rose this morning at 6.

A big day today! I am seeing two friends I have only seen twice in 30 years. Bob and Helen Marks. I was their Best Man. They are in on a Viking cruise for the day. We will be having lunch at Louie’s Backyard.

Syracuse/Kansas tonight. Kansas ranked #2 nationally. An 11 point favorite. Early in the season. Let’s see what happens.

Conflict time tonight. The Christmas Parade. Immediately following the game. Hope to make the parade. Don’t know.

Tiger Woods doing well. In 5th place after two days. Seven strokes off. In the game!

History is a wonderful thing. We learn.

This morning’s Key West Citizen made mention of the cigar business in Key West in 1900. The Key West cigar industry turned out 1.5 million cigars this day alone in 1900.

Enjoy your day!

 

NORML

Title spelled correctly. Did not intend to type Normal.

NORML is an organization whose mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana. Its further mission is to serve as a consumer advocate for access to high quality marijuana that is safe, convenient and affordable.

The organization is not a Johnny come lately. It is 45 years old. Its membership consists primarily of marijuana defense lawyers.

NORMAL has a one week seminar each year. Attorneys attend from all over the U.S. It traditionally has been meeting in Key West for many years. Most often at the Pier House. The actual title of the meeting is the NORML Key West Legal Seminar.

This is their week. The Chart Room was packed last night with seminar attendees. Drinking, not smoking.

My yesterdays generally begin the same way. With the anti-gravity treadmill at Body Owners. Yesterday morning was quiet. Unusual. I went at it again with 30 seconds of high speed and two minutes slow. Supposed to strengthen my heart.

Had to rush home afterwards. Every friday at 12:30, I am interviewed on the KONK News Radio Show. The topic is the subject matter of that week’s KONK Life column. Yesterday, The Eiffel Tower.

The Chart Room first last night. Searching for Jean Thornton. She had telephoned earlier and we agreed to meet at the Chart Room for a drink. We ended up a foursome. Sheila and Stephanie were part of the group. Us in the middle of the pot lawyers.

Cheryl and Roger were at the Chart Room also. Sitting at the round table with some friends.

Decided to go straight home afterwards. About half way there, my stomach started to growl. I was hungry. Stopped at Outback for lamb chops. Outback a locals place. Good value for the money. Always packed.

We have had two consecutive days of heavy rain. More predicted for later this morning. Whoever is responsible for the rain apparently is not aware this is not Key West’s rainy season.

The Christmas Parade is tonight. Hope it is not rained out. A terrific event! Especially for kids.

I mentioned some strange nature happenings yesterday. Forgot one.

Each morning on rising, I look out my bedroom window. About a hundred yards distant at the entrance to Cypress Lake sits a buoy of sorts. A warning post. It marks low water. Boats are warned to avoid the area.

I have lived in my Key West home 16 years. Look out the window each morning when I rise. Always see the thing bouncing in the water. A couple of days ago, it was different. I could actually see the ground holding it. The tide must have been out. However, the water level lower than normal for low tide. There was a circle of land exposed around the warning buoy. Ten feet in diameter.

Which raises the question. Sea levels have been rising for years. Why was this the first time I saw land exposed?

I mentioned several weeks ago La Trattoria was closed and would be reopening after Fantasy Fest. It finally opened last night at 5. Remodeling the reason for the closing and delay. There was a sinking problem in part of the first floor not anticipated which required more time for the project to be completed.

Syracuse/Georgetown at 1. On FOX. Georgetown a 5 1/2 point favorite.

This will be the first of 9 games Boeheim will be sitting out. Hopkins will be coaching. Hopkins perfect to assume the responsibility. He has been waiting years. When the time comes that Boeheim retires, the head coaching job is his. It has already been agreed in writing that Hopkins will succeed Boeheim.

OPEC crying about oil prices being dramatically low. Too bad. Let them cry. They got fat off the rest of the world for decades. Never forget, they gave us $4 a gallon gasoline.

The couple who did the shooting in San Bernardino. Something I do not understand. Traditionally, children always come first. One’s own children especially. The couple had a six month daughter who they left with the grandmother when they went out to terrorize.

The couple had to know they would die. Or be jailed for years. Where was their concern for the child? How could their Islamic beliefs outweigh that responsibility?

Enjoy your day!