Pope Leo yesterday: God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”

Who better to listen to? Leo or Trump? Leo or Hegseth?

Trump and those of his adminstration who invoke God do so out of desperation. The war and most other things going badly for Trump. I agree the time to talk with the Lord, if not before, may be when things are going badly. However I cannot believe Trump and his cohorts have found Him. They are merely desperate to cover their asses, make people believe their decisions are correct.

Trump a loser. Many of his appointees the same. Immoral, also. Why has Trump not released the Epstein papers? The answer obvious to most Americans. He has a Cabinet person having an affair with an administration person. Her husband it now comes out may be a crossdresser. A President who claims he is a very rich person who cannot meet $400 millions plus in order to appeal a New York judgment. Obvious he does not have the money. A President who has no respect for the law and the Constitution.

I watched him on TV the other night. Expected “words of wisdom,” though I knew I would not agree with most or all. Hs address a short 20 minutes. He said nothing revealing. Respectfully, he looked like shit. Things appear to be getting to him.

He claims the war could be over in 2 or 3 weeks, then goes out and bombs a significant Iranian site. At the same time the Iranians say no negotiations are ongoing. A claim that has been basically consistent on their part.

Why more boots on the ground? He is sending even more.

U.S. prices out of whack and getting even worse. Gasoline going ever upward. Key West will be over $5 a gallon by next week. Hong Kong paying $15 a gallon. However they were doing so even before Trump’s ill fated war.

Groceries creep up daily. People don’t realize how bad things are in this regard till they reach the checkout counter. The bill higher each week. Way higher than 6 months ago.

Farmers will be bitching big time soon. The Iran oil problem is affecting the fertilizer they need to grow crops.

Trump now advising it is “not possible”  for the federal government to fund Medicare, Medicaid and child health care as they have. His reasoning: “We’re fighting wars.” Forget plural wars. The war doing Trump in is the Iran War. The ill advised and unwarranted one he brought. The one economic factor killing the American people today.

Lest I forget, Hegseth fired the Army Chief of Staff yesterday. Probably looking for someone to blame if the war is as I suspect “lost.” Even though Trump will yell in effect we won having achieved all our goals.

My beloved Fran Dixon in Sicily today. Her ancestral home country. She is visiting relatives, graves of family deceased, etc. Spoke with her by phone yesterday. She is having a wonderful time!

She left Buffalo a few days ago. Flew directly to Rome. Then to Siragusa followed by Catani. Today the ladies are in Ortigia. Tomorrow they will be in Leonforte. At some point Italy proper. A two or 3 week trip.

Fran returns home April 15. Within days, she and husband Tom leave for Key West. He has business to attend to here. Fran should be physically exhausted by all the traveling by that time.

I can’t wait to see her again. She and Tom two of the loveliest people I have met in my many years in Key West.

I have spoken frequently with Jean Thornton the past few days. She and Joe returned from Hawaii last week. Jean fell on the plane and broke her ankle.

Nevertheless, she and Joe leave for a 2 or 3 week trip this week. Some Viking cruises. Then stops in Milan and Switzerland. She has made reservations to see da Vinci’s The Last supper that I wrote about yesterday. She is also going to La Scala.

During Hurricane Irma, Jean and Joe put me up for 12 days in their Birmingham home. There were several of us escapees from Irma staying with them.

What a time we had! I can’t wait for another Irma!

Interestingly, Dr. Blass who has been taking care of my cancerous ankle for 3 months was in Milan and Switzerland less than a month ago with his family for 2 weeks. 

Milan and Switzerland the places to be. Blessed by the sky high Alps all around.

Speaking of Dr. Blass, he did a bit of surgery on my head yesterday. A possible cancer. Somewhat like the one on my ankle. I wanted to get it ahead of time. I waited 3 years before getting attention for the ankle. The head like 3 months.

The surgery done in the office. Bloody. Painful. Head still hurts today. Better safe than sorry, however.

My head is pounding. Time to stop.

Enjoy your day!

Holy Week is upon us. Today is Holy Thursday. The special religious event The Last Supper. Jesus and the Apostles dining.

One of the world’s most spectacular art works is Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It took him several years to paint. From 1494-1498.

The painting is located in the cellar of a convent in Milan, Italy.

Some 12 to 15 years ago, I was a frequent visitor to Milan. My friend Anna lived in Novara, some 30 miles distant from Milan. Milan was easily accessible by car or train. Each taking about 30 minutes to transverse. Anna also owned a log cabin even closer to Milan. Cut the trip to Milan to 15 minutes.

We visited Milan often.

Anna knew I was hooked on Italian art. Pure magnificence. Paintings everywhere. From  the smallest Church to the largest galleries.

On one of our trips to Milan, Anna told me she had a treat for me. A surprise. da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

I was excited, of course. Not as excited as I would become once I saw it. She kept its “secret” to herself.

The painting is located to today in the original place where it was painted. On the wall of the breakfast dining room of the former Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Two stories down in a cellar. Referred to as a refectory.

The Convent adjoins a Church of the same name.

To reach the painting, one takes an outdoor elevator down two floors. The elevator large glass floor to ceiling on three sides. The trip down beautiful as the elevator moves through spectacular greenery. 

What my eyes viewed when we reached the site of The Last Supper literally blew my mind! Anna had left me to experience surprise and shock.

da Vinci’s The last Supper is not a 4 x 6 work of art hanging on a wall. da Vinci had painted it on a convent wall. On the “cement” itself. Its size mind boggling: 15 feet 1 inch tall, 28 feet 10 inches wide.

I was speechless. Overcome with emotion. I had to sit as I began softly crying.

Age, environmental factors and war have required numerous restorations over the years. The last in 1999.

An artist I am not. However, I understand da Vinci did the painting with tempos and oil on a gypsum preparation.

There is a woman to the right of Jesus in the painting. Perhaps holding a baby, hard to tell. Also unknown is who the woman is. Mary or Mary Magdalene? Unknown. Experts have not been able to determine.

Two problems over the years. One was Napoleon using the Convent wall for shooting practice. The other a World War II bombing which left the Convent roof open for several years.

The painting can be found some three blocks from the world famous Piazza del Duomo. Easy to find. Reservations required beforehand, however.

I have not seen Anna for many years. She may have passed on by now. However I am eternally grateful for her having exposed me to da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

If you are ever in Milan or near to Milan, I strongly suggest you see The Last Supper. An experience you will not forget.

Enjoy your day!

A judge has halted construction of the White House ballroom. His decision was that Congress must decide. Something I predicted when Trump decided to expand the ballroom.

Trump does not give up, however. I listened to him on the internet last night. He was jolly. He took the judge’s decision apart saying it spelled out he could proceed. Always the winner, never the loser. He is a definite loser in this case as time will spell out.

Trump has announced he will address the Nation this evening re the Iran War. Will he declare victory and get us out of the mess he created?

The U.S. gets more upset each day with Trump’s Iran antics. It is affecting Americans in every which way. Gasoline the most obvious. Los Angeles is at $6 a gallon. The war poor planning by Trump and his cohorts.

The U.S.’ European allies continue to refuse to get involved in the war…..in any fashion. Italy just refused the U.S. use of one of its air bases.

Trump is finding out Iran is no Venezuela.

Trump signed an order giving the federal government control of mail voting. His primary reason is fraud big time. Something which has been studied with each study showing mail voting fraud does not exist.

Trump fails to read or follow the Constitution. Voting clearly is under the control of States. He will definitely lose any court case re the issue. Arizona and Oregon have already advised they will test Trump’s order in court immediately.

Perverted sex seems to abound in the Trump Administration. The Epstein files big time.

Now comes former Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem’s husband Bryon. It has been claimed he is a crossdresser. The Noem family are South Dakota farm people. Their neighbors do not believe Byron is a crossdresser.

Kristi has recently been exposed for having had a affair with Corey Lewandrowski.

Kristi claims her husband’s crossdressing “broadsided” her and her family.

Scott McConnell, a co-founder of The American Constitution, said “he felt ashamed and embarrassed ” for voting for President Donald Trump three times.

If the U.S. leaves the war without securing the Strait of Hormuz, it will result in a “big boon” for Iran.

Moving on to other things.

Only one country is named after a woman. St. Lucia aka St. Lucy of Syracuse.

A study reveals advanced graduate degrees have zero or negative return these days. Medicine, law and pharmacy exceptions. They still show a high return on investment.

John Adams: “Facts are stubborn things.”

One of the toughest battles the U.S. fought against Japan in World War II was the battle fought on Okinawa. The U.S. landed on Okinawa this day in 1945.

The first Major League Baseball strike began this day in 1972.

Final Four time in 1985. A major upset. Villanova defeated Georgetown and Patrick Ewing on April 1. Georgetown was ranked #1 in every respect. Season record 35-2. Villanova 19-10. Villanova played the perfect game. Made 22 of its 28 shots from the floor. The game score was 66-64.

On this day in 1970, President Nixon signed legislation officially banning cigarette ads on TV and radio.

Enough.

Enjoy your day!

No Kings’ Day Protest a success! A massive exhibit of political force against Trump. The war in Iran a galvanizing force. There was a second motivating force surprisingly. Immigration.

It is estimated 8 million persons participated in the protest in the U.S.

Youth were active and alive! Galvanized by the war, also. Young Americans who grew up with Middle East wars and wanted no more. Especially another endless one. 

Immigration an issue also. Trump’s crackdown on immigrants a rallying cry. Federal agents and ICE the basis of the protests against Trump’s immigration tactics.

The “invasion” of cities not the American way.

Protests were held near Mar-a-Lago. Within 15 minutes of Trump’s home club. Pro-Trumpers came out to face the anti-Trumpers.

Weather was not a factor. Protesters did their thing regardless of the weather. The freezing northeast did not keep them away.

It was not Trump’s day! Ordinary Americans spoke out!

Another Trump screw-up. The White House ballroom. A vanity project Trump is being forced to defend in many respects. How about a staircase leading to nowhere? Also Trump’s top secret military base underneath it. A court forced its disclosure.

Republicans are discovering God everywhere. A prominent pastor in Texas called for James Talarico to be crucified with Christ.

Trump continues to state he is exceptionally smart. He stated at a Cabinet meeting, he took the ten minute cognitive test three times and “aced” it each time.

Retail grocery great Albertson’s is 87 years old and having difficulties. It is laying off hundreds in Texas. Albertson’s has 2,200 stores.

Energy and fuel companies are feeling the pressure. Chevron is warning it may close down its California refineries. Chevron claims heavy regulations and taxes are driving up costs at the same time global supply stocks are diminishing because of the Middle East disruption of oil flows. It is feared California may feel real fuel shortages from gasoline to jet fuel.

Trump is setting the world on fire so to speak with the war. It is only going to get worse before it gets better.

Some things make no sense to me. Like Trump using Elon Musk to help him profligate, increase recklessness, and corrupt federal spending via the new Department of Government Efficiency. Trump and Musk are birds of a feather. Their relationship makes me uncomfortable.

Iran is making Trump look poorly with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has wanted to break with Europe. A stupid move. Unfortunately, he is accomplishing it.

Israel is guilty of brutality. It is waging the “Iran War” everywhere and needlessly.

Hegseth is becoming known as “Pentagon Pete.” His war talk is freaking out the troops.

If Trump uses “boots on the ground” to expand the war, it means the U.S. may lose the war. The boots will increase significantly and U.S. boats will be decimated simultaneously.

Trump claims he knows how to make money. One country may have outfoxed him. Iran. The war is turning into a financial bonanza for Iran. Iran is now earning double the amount in daily oil sales than it did before the war. 

Trump is demeaning our Nation. He has had a ten foot gold toilet erected near the Lincoln Memorial. The man is a sicko!

The cost of gasoline is averaging $4 a gallon throughout the U.S. In Pasadena, California it is over $5 a gallon. Key West has moved up to $4.60 at one of its stations.

Trump’s plans for his Presidential Library include two gold statues of himself.

The airport near West Palm Beach will be renamed “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” on July 1.

Moving on.

Nations differ in certain activities. What is commonplace in one country, doe not exist in another.

Certain portions of India an example.

Kerosene was the fuel of the poor. Used however by all for certain functions. It was the fuel of choice in “bride burnings.” Women were immolated by their husbands or in-laws for failing to bring a large enough diary, produce male heirs or simply talking back. 

The custom was generally followed till 2014 with kerosene used as the fuel. It still exists. However discouraged by the government. The result is fewer dead brides. 

On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel.

Some political/governmental leaders are blind. U.S. Secretary of State Seward pushed the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7 million. The sale was ridiculed in Congress as “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Iceberg.” Even President Johnson took a beating. The acquisition was noted as “Johnson’s polar bear garden.”

Some people just lack vision.

On this day in 1971, Starbucks opened its first store in Settle. Staffed by only one employee. 

Reminds me of the old time proverb: “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”

Thieves broke into the Magnani-Rocco Foundation outside Pomeroy, Italy and made off with Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse paintings in three minutes worth millions.

Enough.

Enjoy your day!

HOSANA! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OFTHE LORD! THE KING OF ISRAEL!

Palm Sunday is a major Catholic and Christian Church Day which commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It marks the beginning of Holy Week and the beginning of the final week of Lent.

Palm Sunday is celebrated the Sunday before Easter. It symbolizes both the welcome of Jesus as King and His journey toward the crucifixion.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, while the crowds laid down palm branches and cloaks. At the same time shouting “Hosanna.”

The donkey highlighted Jesus’ humility and told the crowds in effect He was a peaceful Messiah. The palm branches the crowd’s respect for Jesus. Jesus waved palm branches in return to signify His respect for the people.

The entry of Jesus was triumphant. The Bible in Matthew 21:8 speaks of the crowd laying palm branches and cloaks before Jesu as a mark honoring Jesus.

Amazing! In less than a week Jesus would be arrested, beaten and crucified.

As the years passed, Palm Sunday turned different in two respects.

For some reason, palms became expensive for a Church to purchase. Many branches given became one. A few years later, my Church required a donation for the one.

As I grew from 3 to my 40s, I noticed the house visits to exchange palms became significantly less. Only family and very close friends continued to exchange. Tiny well made palm crosses were no more. We apparently knew no one with the talent.

The next significant day in Holy Week is Holy Thursday. This coming Thursday. I guarantee a most interesting blog based on a personal experience involving that day. Definitely read this coming Thursday’s blog.

Enjoy your day!

Is Iran a Holy War? Trump is trying to make it one. Hopefully to help win.

That is why all of a sudden the praying in the White House, Hegseth a God follower who bows his head in prayer, and some U.S. generals in Iran preaching God to U.S. soldiers.

What follows hard to believe? Yes or no. Crazy. An ultimate in vanity. Trump is considering renaming the Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Trump.”

Hormuz is a great waterway. Much used, much needed. Could be dangerous if named after Trump. It might go dry.

Trump is a “delusional President.” So says Lawrence O’Donnell. Trump is trying to initiate negotiations with Iran. Where Iranians are daily and big time “publicly mocking Trump.”

Trump a man who is screwing up the war, a war that never should have ben initiated, and has made most Americans and the rest of the world dislike him on a large scale. He has made himself, our people and nation look bad everywhere. Trump is proving himself an ass.

The man is a disgrace!

Some political forecasters and U.S. citizens claim Trump is polling “in the toilet.”

Trump says he is “the opposite of desperate” claiming options exist for the U.S.to exit Iran soon. As a winner, of course.

Proctor & Gamble, the world’s largest maker of household goods, announced it would raise prices on about one quarter of the items it sells in the U.S. in August. The reason: Tariffs Trump placed on imports. The tariffs are now beginning to be felt. Forcing companies like Proctor & Gamble to pass the these expenses on to everyday shoppers.

More than 3,000 “No King” protests have been planned for today across the U.S. and overseas. America is standing up in a more organized fashion to Trump.

Senator Ted Cruz is way off base. Surprising how he has developed into a Trumpie. He in effect has lost the wise judgment he showed consistently many years ago. He urges “funding ICE for the next decade.”

We must beware of Trump in all respects. Watch out! He will try to subvert the mid-term elections.

Moving on from Trump.

Roman Catholic Churches are surprised by the surge of new converts. The Church does not know why.

Tiger Woods yesterday afternoon was involved in a roll over crash on a highway near his Jupiter, California home. No injuries reported. Drinking not involved. Trump passed alcohol tests. He then was asked to take a urine test. He refused and was arrested for refusing to take the test.

Pope Leo declared this week that health care is a “moral imperative.” He said every person should have access to health care – not as a political option, but as a moral imperative!

Hannah Arendt: “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be either good or bad.”

On this day in 1822, Lt. Matthew Perry of the U.S. Navy sailed from Key West leaving two U.S. seamen on the island. They were the first live Naval presence on Key West. 

An “asshole” shot a chicken in Key West. Note chickens have become an intrinsical part of Key West. Gregory Wayne Tolen, age 66, the culprit. Used a rifle in Bayview Park where he shot the chicken.  He surrendered later in the day when he became aware there was a warrant for his arrest. A witness observed the shooting.

The 250th Anniversary flag wreath is beautiful, done in good taste. Circular, colored in red, white and blue.

I am surprised Trump did not want his face on the wreath.

I finally got my car back. I’m thrilled. Took longer than normal for repairs. A part from Germany was the screw-up.

I learned something during the long wait. Uber is not cheaper than a cab. Both basically the same price. Also, expensive.

Enjoy your day!

Trump had yesterday’s Cabinet meeting opened with a prayer. Trump and the entire Cabinet prayed. The most religious appearing was Hegseth. His hands together as if in prayer, his head bowed table top.

Makes me sick! Not the first time a prayer has opened a White House proceeding in Trump’s five plus years as President. Less than 10 times. Perhaps 5.

Nothing wrong with seeking the Lord’s assistance in a time of need, at any time. Trump is in such a time. The U.S. also because of Trump.

Donald needs God’s help to extricate himself out of the jam he has gotten himself and the U.S. into. I doubt however that this appeal to the Lord will influence the American public in anyway. It is merely a desperate sign Trump and the U.S. are in trouble.

A U.K. lawmaker called Trump a “gangster” and “bully.”

I do not like how Trump does business. I do not believe the U.S. should own hotels. There may be a deal pending whereas the U.S. will own a portion with Pakistan of the boarded up former Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.

Note that Pakistan is now the intermediary between the U.S. and Iran in trying to achieve peace.

The Roosevelt deal stinks.

Trump has targeted the the White House Treaty Room for his latest renovation project.

Amazing! Too much! He begins many White House and Washington renovation projects which he never sees to complete.

Now Trump is investigating medical schools. Three of them. Stanford, Ohio State, and the University of California at San Diego. 

Represents another flex of federal power by Trump. The Iran War is apparently not sufficient work for Trump to handle. He needs more?

Latino support for Trump is fading in California farm country. There are increasing signs that Hispanic voters who voted Republican in 2024 were a blip rather than a durable trend.

Crypto currency is a Trump baby. It has been discovered that Crypto accounts moved $1.7 billion to Iranian entities. Clues have been in plain sight for over a year.

The U.S. bombs poorly. The worst example the girl’s elementary school in Iran where 175 young girls were killed. 

The U.S. is also involved in Ecuador. The U.S. and Ecuador said said they destroyed a drug camp. It was a dairy farm.

Trump has deployed ICE agents to US. airports. What is their role?

White floated a “national emergency” to pay TSA workers as the Senate continued to be stalled. It is not certain a “national emergency” is legal to initiate such a payment.

As Trump tries to end the war, allies fear what Iran may do next. Retaliate?

Key West is in Monroe County. Monroe County runs from Key West almost to Miami. It was announced yesterday that Florida has the highest gasoline prices in the country and guess what? Monroe the county with the highest gasoline prices within Florida.

Thank you, Donald Trump!

Trump is giving Iran another 10 days before striking their energy sites. Trump a gratuitous Trump. Bullshit! He has a war he cannot seem to end. Iran knows. They are not done with the war. Retaliation/revenge yet to come.

Trump’s vanity the worst I have seen in my lifetime. He wants his name and/or picture on everything.

Now it’s paper currency. Dollar bills of all denominations. His handwritten name will appear later this year. The Treasury department said it was in honor of America’s 250th Anniversary.

Disgusting! 

Enough for today. Enough of Donald.

Enjoy your day!

Key West gasoline prices skyrocketing. Yesterday $4.40-$4.50 a gallon. Guaranteed will go higher today. I have an uncomfortable feeling that the price could hit $5 soon.

Trump keeps telling us how happy the Cuban people will be to have us take them over. As well as how happy he will be to help them. Of course. The scenario is correct. The reason simple. Cuba has been without energy for a long period of time. Zippo! Nothing!

Total bad. One of the worst problems involve hospitals. Patients on machinery running on electric power are dying because of the total lack of energy. If Trump wants to help Cuba, he should have done so before things got this bad.

His bravado re Cuba meaningless.

Iran dismissed Trump’s 15 point offer of settlement. However word is Iran is open to talking. The intermediary is a Pakistan army general who purportedly is using his relationship with Trump to foster talks with Iran.

I don’t buy it. I find it hard to accept anything Trump says about the war. He speaks with a warped tongue.

Trump claims he is prepared to “unleash hell” if Iran does not make a deal. Trump does not understand. He is not the only one involved in making a deal. Iran has lost significantly more lives than the U.S. Trump has already killed the Ayatollah, his wife and daughter. Iran has also lost many of it leaders.

Forget not that Iran is a retaliatory nation. They have not gotten anywhere close to getting even yet.

Trump has increased the number of Marines he is sending to Iran. The 2,200 has been increased to 5,000.

God is in His Heaven, BUT all is not well with the world. I am concerned re Trump’s sudden nearer my God to Thee.

Hogseth, too. He is the last person I would perceive to be God motivated. At a Pentagon Christian Service yesterday, Hegseth led his first monthly Christian worship service where he prayed that “every round find its mark.”

A retired U.S. general yesterday said the Marines and paratroopers being sent to Iran are trained to hit and hold. Their training does not permit them to attack, take an area and then move on.

Pray tell, who are the brainpowers running the war for us?

Some claim Trump is receiving a childish briefing on what is happening in the Iran War. The Daily Beast in an article said Trump’s “top war goons” are briefing the President with two minute long highlight reels showing U.S. victories.  The footage depicts “stuff bloodied up” and the clips do not necessarily fully capture the overall situation on the ground.

What a way to win a war!

Nancy Mace walked out of an Iran briefing saying: “They want boots on the ground. Washington’s war machine is hard at work. They are trying to draw us into Iran to make it another Iraq. We can’t let them.”

U.S. veterans are revealing their honest thoughts about the Iran War: “Stop sending people to their death for the personal whim of politicians.”

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Kasner said yesterday he might prosecute ICE agents deployed at the Philadelphia airport.

As the Iran War stretches to a month, why are Rubio and Vance curiously quiet?

A question for Trump: How can the war be “wrapping up” if more troops are being deployed?

Trump may want to get out of the Iran War before the market crashes too much. Is this his motivation in sending more ground troops in? I don’t understand.

Iran has refused to negotiate with Trump’s top envoys Steve Witkoll and Jared Kushner, accusing them of “backstabbing.”

Trump’s problem is he believes “he’s smarter than everybody” and so tends to ignore evidence and advice from others.

This has turned out to be a Trump/Iran War blog. So much to share!

Enjoy your day!

From day one, Trump has been clear there would be no U.S. boots on the ground in Iran. We would win the war with planes and missiles.

Four weeks into the war and the scenario has changed. Trump ordered 2,200 Marines sent. They are in transit and will arrive Friday. He also has ordered 2,000 paratroopers. They are in transit.

Speaks well for the planning that went into the war. Also questions Trump’s very recent statements that the U.S. and Iran are into negotiations and the war would be over soon.

Yesterday Trump was telling the world he had received a “present” from Iran and was happy with it. However he would not publicly disclose what the present was.

Could it have been a large Chinese oil tanker that Iran permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz? Bloomberg says no tanker has been permitted through. A Trump lie?

Trump says negotiations to end the war ongoing and appearing favorable. He claims they are proceeding “perfectly.” Iran says no negotiations ongoing. Trump playing with the truth again?

An item which concerns me. Iran still governed by the same group who were in power prior to the war. Yes, the Ayatollah and other leaders are dead. Nevertheless, the basic group running Iran has not changed. So who is the U.S. beating as Trump claims? Trump claiming “victory” a meaningless statement. The U.S. will leave with the same people in charge in Iran that the U.S. went to war to throw out.

Money definitely does not grow on trees! Especially the money Trump is spending everyday in his failing effort to defeat Iran. $1 billion.

Trump appears to be losing it mentally. His Presidency may be in danger.

A Florida Democrat won an upset victory in Trump’s backyard in Florida. Trump had endorsed the Republican.

I can’t believe it. Trump appears to have become a religious fanatic! Trump told Republicans to pass a voting law “for Jesus.”

On Monday, Trump urged Republicans in Congress to pass the voter ID bill that Democrats strongly oppose. Re the vote bill he said, “Make this one for Jesus.” It appeared he was being influenced by Easter Sunday which is soon to be.

Trump claims Hegseth was the first person to think an Iran attack would be a good idea. True? Hard to know with Trump. Was he passing the buck?

So much for Donald today.

I remember when my blog was mostly Key West. Impossible at the moment. Trump too much. He must be discussed and exposed to be what he is.

The mundane.

George Orwell: “Telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

Venice, Italy was founded this day in 421 AD. It is a well known city in northeastern Italy. Built on a group of 126 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and canals. Portions of the city are connected by 472 bridges.

Beside not being proper, drugging and raping a woman can be expensive. As Bill Cosby found out Monday when a California jury returned a verdict of $59.25 million to a woman he drugged and raped in 1972. The compensatory amount of the verdict was $19.25 million, the punitive $40 million. Respectfully stated, an expensive fuck! I’m sure Cosby does not believe it was worth it.

Coca Cola announced it was discontinuing Minute Maid frozen juices in the U.S. and Canada. Coca Cola will henceforth focus on fresh juices which Coke says is preferred by modern customers. Frozen juices have been sold since 1946. Change apparently has occurred and Coke saw it and reacted.

Female executions are a rarity in Tennessee. Christa Pike is scheduled to be executed September 30th. She will be the first female executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.

Christa is now 50 years old. She committed the murder when she was 18. She was 20 when convicted. Appeals have kept her alive till 50.

Key West weather will continue to be mild today. The high will be 75 degrees.

The professional baseball season begins tonight. The New York Yankees/San Francisco Giants will meet each other. The season will begin big time tomorrow night with 11 games scheduled.

A flying snake! Yes. A “pit viper” discovered flying in Cambodia.

A study was made of the best places to work. Career type places. Top five: Sun Technologies, Fidelity Investments, Boeing, Mayo Clinic, and Proctor & Gamble.

What people will do! A driver was caught with a fake passenger in California in a carpool lane.

Saturn’s largest moon was found this day in 1655.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett: “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

A Dr. Blass visit this afternoon. He has been on vacation with his family for two weeks in Milan and Switzerland. His first day back today.

Before he left, he showed me how to treat my recovering cancer wound. Wash, treat with medicine and rebandage each day. It wasn’t hard, though I was scared the first time. The wound is healing well. I suspect I may even leave his office without a bandage today. Good job, Dr. Louis!

Enjoy your day!

What does Trump do on a day with war in Iran and airport terminals mobbed? He visits Elvis Presley’s Graceland home in Memphis. Occurred yesterday. I watched parts of his visit on the internet. The man was jovial.

The Graceland visit was part of an overall visit to Memphis to tout his crime remediation efforts in the City.

Forget crime, forget Presley. The Iran War should have been his business of the day…..all day! In Washington!

There was a time when the U.S. was the strongest nation in the world economically and politically. No longer, no more. The U.S. is diminishing in power in both respects. All because of Donald Trump. His two worst moves in the bit more than one year have been tariffs and the Iran War.

He has alienated the world. Good friends no longer so. They are seeking other friends. Russia and China seeking on various scales to maintain a U.S. friendship. Russia needs Trump. It is a failing entity. Russia seeks assistance from China also.

“Middle” sized nations are seeking to group together. Canada’s Carney doing an excellent job of moving the smaller countries to join together. No question he will succeed. He looks and acts like a leader. Thinks like a leader. He makes sense when he speaks. Trump again responsible for screwing things up for the U.S. He seems to have forgotten his responsibilities to the U.S., as well as the rest of the world.

Trump cannot expect nations he pissed off just a year ago with tariffs, etc., to stand with the U.S. this year when Trump asks for their help in Iranian waters.

Trump lies all the time. Most recently re peace talks with Iran. Iran immediately said no talks were underway. It came out there were minor discussions among underlings of both sides. Nothing substantive, however. Trump claimed “the talks very strong.” Like “15 points” agreed. Truth or falsity? I would assume false. Time will tell. Never forget Iran’s nature is to get even. They have not done so yet. 

One of Trump’s problems is that he was of the opinion that when he was elected, other world leaders would capitulate to whatever he wanted. So wrong was he! 

His first error was with Putin and settling the Ukrainian War in 24 hours. Trump still has not learned he did not and does not have the power he assumed. Nor the power with other nations. The world is fooling Trump, not Trump the world.

Trump calls mail in voting “cheating.” Yet he used mail in voting in a Florida special election recently. The actual election takes place today. Trump voted by mail in Palm Beach County, from his Mar-a-Lago Club.

Enough of Trump for today.

Moving on.

Bad news! Syracuse women’s basketball team took a “beating” from Connecticut in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse lost 98-45. A 53 point loss. Syracuse was down 65-12 at half time.

There’s always next year!

A study of boxing greats determined Muhammad Ali was number one.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Eugene Robinson is returning to Key West as the honored guest of Take Stock in Kids. He will be discussing his new memoir. I have had the privilege of hearing him talk on two occasions in the past in Key West.

Airlines are expanding economy class to make bigger bucks. Visualize 8 seats across. A solid row of 6 on one side of the aisle. Two seats on the other. Horrible!

Five Guys has done away with its plastic type french fry cups.  It has gone to paper bags. Most customers unhappy. A smaller portion for same price, grease expanding through the paper.

World famous magician Harry Houdini was born this day in 1874.

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, oil spills of all times, occurred this day in 1989 when an Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground spilling 11 million gallons of oil. I was involved in my environmental law days. The spillage ran into waterways everywhere. Even to Upstate New York. I handled the problem in the Upstate waterways.

Dorothy Height: “If time is not ripen, we have to ripen the time.”

Jake has a heart condition. Vet bills expensive. Out of pocket. No insurance. Jake doing well because of the vet care and medicines.

Fortunately!

Enjoy your day!