On sunday morning while asleep, Terri White had a heart attack. At the moment, she is in the Key West hospital undergoing a heart catheterization. If there is a blockage, a stent will be placed.

I spoke with her earlier this morning, she sounded well. As if nothing had happened.

The lady is a trouper. Five years ago, she had her first heart attack. Then some very bad cancer which she survived. Two weeks ago, she was told she was in remission. Two years ago, she began going blind. Today, totally blind.

Terri deals with affliction..

Wife Donna was in the hospital 2 weeks ago. Pneumonia.

The girls are doing well!

Bad things happen in bunches. Even their car is sick. Donna went out to the parking lot to drive home to get something and found her car would not turn over. She had it towed to a garage this morning.

Later this morning, I am going to the hospital and leave my car with Donna.

We are constantly barraged these days with…..Plastics are no good! Not biodegradable. Screwing everything up. Super markets considering going back to paper bags. Plastic straws being replaced by paper ones. Etc.

A cure/use for plastic may have been found.

Washington State University completed a study which revealed jet fuel and diesel can be made from plastic bags and water bottles. The study involved melting plastic waste at a high temperature with activated charcoal. The result: jet fuel.

Robots continue to take over. Even to replacing police dogs.

Boston Dynamics has invented a robotic dog. Does everything, including opening doors. The robotic dog is called Spot.

Spot was introduced this past week to the public at a conference in Las Vegas.

Boston Dynamics is doing some final tweaking and expects to have Spot ready for sale in a few months.

Sexual perversity among the religious first became public about 45 years ago.

It continues.

Two stories.

The first involves an Elizabeth Presbytery priest in New Jersey. Adult men involved, not children.

The priest convinced adult men that something evil was within them. They required an exorcism. Such would allow him to remove the evil spirits from their bodies.

A significant number of men over the years subjected themselves to the exorcism. He had them completely undress. Then he performed oral sex upon them. He ingested the ejaculation which he then spit into a bag. Following the ejaculation into the bag came a tiny metal ball which he said represented the evil within the men.

Additionally, he felt it necessary to place his tongue in their mouths to determine if any evil spirits were hiding therein.

Over the years, many men submitted themselves to the procedures described.

It is claimed none of this became public to his church till April 2018. At the time, the Elizabeth Ministry began an investigation. The investigation is complete. All complaints were found to be credible.

Three complaints going back to 1999 have been reported to the police.

The pastor involved is no longer involved with ministering. All else remains in abeyance at this time.

One observation. The men involved/abused had to be wacky to a degree to submit themselves to such a situation. They were adults, not children.

The other story involves a Catholic priest in St. Louis who pled guilty this past week to  molesting 2 young boys between 1991 and 1994. The actual number of molestations involved 30 children over a period of 25 years.

The priest would dress the children like baby Jesus before molesting them. The parents and children thought nothing of it at the time. He told the parents the children would be participating in a religious pageant.

The priest began the molestations in the 1980’s. He was not caught till recently.

There is a wrong and sadness involved here. Beyond the molestations themselves. Apparently his superiors became aware. Rather than report him to the authorities, his actions were covered up.He was transferred 3 times to 3 different states to continue his work as a priest.

Benjamin Franklin a man of many deeds. One of the first things taught children in their early school years concerns Franklin and electricity. Franklin went out in a rainstorm and collected the charge in a Leydan jar. Such enabled him to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity.

The event occurred on this day in 1752.

On this day in 2007, the last episode of The Sopranos was aired. The show should be brought back. Many want to know what happened to the family in the diner.

A prayer for Terri.

Enjoy your day!

Key West Pride Week is coming to an end. Today and tomorrow remain. Perhaps the best of days. Today, the Key West Pride Street Fair. Tomorrow, the Key West Parade.

Both fun times.

Key West’s first Pride Parade took place in 1982. The parade was cancelled 2 days before. Many people at the time still uncomfortable with gayness. Those who cancelled the Parade said it was not necessary. Key West was accepting of gays.

If so, why did they cancel it?

A small group of gays disagreed. Without the City’s permission or a parade permit, they went ahead.

Twenty participated. Small. However, big trees from little acorns grow. It was the beginning of Key West Pride!

Still taking it slow. Only went to dinner last night. Drove up the road to Geiger Key. Enjoyed a piece of fish. Absorbed by the view and other customers.

A relaxing place to dine.

Neither booze nor cigarettes for me. A good boy was I!

The moon is a part of Mars. Donald Trump told the world it was so yesterday.

My education obviously neglected. I never knew.

We have been told an agreement has been reached with Mexico. We should be ashamed. Trump should be ashamed. It was shoved down their throats!

What choice did Mexico have? Go to war? Militarily, not a choice. A comment this morning to one of the articles compared Mexico to the U.S. militarily as an ant attacking a human.

Typical Trump approach. The bully approach. A big guy picking on a little one.

The agreement is not finalized. The tariff suspended for 90 days. Trump can do whatever he wants during the 90 days or at its end. He is holding a hammer over Mexico’s head.

You don’t treat a neighbor like that.

Mexico has agreed to send 6,000 National Guard troops to Mexico’s southern border to stop immigrants at that point. Humorous!

I am not certain Mexico is in a position to deliver the 6,000 National Guard troops.

On December 1, 2019, the newly elected President of Mexico in his inaugural address to his Congress asked that the Congress reactivate the National Guard. They did so in February. In name only. Still had to staff it, provide regulations, fund, etc.

Mexico has taken some troops from its Army and Navy to begin the process. Congress authorized 60,000 troops. Those taken from the other services obviously not sufficient. The Guard is nowhere near formalized at this point.

My impression is Mexico was pushed into agreeing to many Trump inspired items in order to avoid the tariff that was to take effect monday.

What happens in 90 days?

No blog tomorrow. I have a 9 am ultrasound scheduled of my abdomen. Precautionary, my doctor says.

Tomorrow is Sunday. I went to schedule the ultrasound tuesday. Sunday the first time they could take me. A shortage of ultra sound machinery or a shortage of technicians? Whatever, a long time to wait.

Enjoy your day!

I’m in the mood for a Morning Stew. Here is #12. Topics as they appear in my notes without any specific order.

Tariff war with Mexico? We still do not know. I suspect Trump’s I want to show the world how tough I am will prevail. He will force at least the first 5 percent tariff to be imposed monday.

What consistently bothers me re the southern border problem is Trump created it. True, the U.S. has had border problems for years. But we dealt with them. Trump permitted the problem to get out of hand so he could get his wall.

The migrant problem has reached previously unimaginable proportions since Trump got involved. An added expense. He has to save somewhere. He has come up with another plan that will hurt big time the migrant children.

Undocumented migrant children are living in shelters across the U.S. The government number of children is 13,000. I do not believe it. Significantly more.

I recently read somewhere that the May numbers alone are 57,000. The numbers represent those traveling alone, without parents.

Trump has advised that education services, legal services, and recreation will no longer be provided. Too expensive. The program is running dangerously low on money.

Joe Phillips stopped by yesterday. He is repair man #1. I had a hose problem. He purchased the parts and remedied the problem quickly.

I was tired in the afternoon. Took a 2 hour nap.

Last night, the Blue Macaw. Needed to get out. Still not in a hurry to do so.

Enjoyed a drink (diet Pepsi) and chatted with tourists.

The Blue Macaw has been sold. The new owners are doing a bit of remodeling. I noticed a new bar top.

Pope Francis has to be a man of strength. God has to be holding him up. He is in the middle of 2 warring factions in the Vatican. Homosexual cardinals who hide their homosexuality and homosexual cardinals who openly admit to it.

Francis was the compromise choice when elected. He was straight.

Francis’ goal is to reform the interior life of the Church. He is having a difficult time!

The first major sea battle of World War II was Midway. It may have been the biggest of the War. It was the most important.

The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor 6 months earlier. The U.S. was not prepared for War. The U.S. was taking a hell of a beating in the Pacific.

The Battle of Midway was a 4 day sea and air battle. The Battle ended on this day in 1942. The U.S. the unquestionable victor. Sunk 4 Japanese carriers as opposed to their sinking only 1 of the U.S. The U.S. won the air battles also. Significantly more Japanese than U.S. planes shot down.

The U.S. win proved the Japanese navy was not invincible.

Interesting. AXIOS is advertising a show it is sponsoring on HBO at 6 sunday evening. It will provide an exclusive tour of Steve Bannon’s new populism school located in an Italian monastery.

I saw the advertisement this morning on the internet.

Bannon’s Italian school is not going to open. At least not at the monastery.

It was reported last week that the monastery owners had called off the contract. The rent had to be guaranteed. Bannon provided a letter from a Norwegian bank guaranteeing the rental payments. Like $110,000 per month. Turns out the letter of guaranty was a fraud. It was signed by someone who had not worked at the bank for years.

Recall Bannon is growing in influence at the Vatican. He sides with the conservative Cardinals. He wants them to overthrow Francis and replace him with a conservative leader. Failing, he threatens to build another Vatican outside the walls of the present one and staff it with conservatives.

All is well that ends well.

The Key West Express is a boat that travels between Fort Myers and Key West. The crew and passengers had an exciting time recently.

A mayday call had gone out. The power boat Ohana was burning 24 miles off Marco Island. The Key West Express was only 10-15 minutes away. It effected the rescue.

When it arrived, the boat was engulfed in flames. The 2 owners were in a dingy holding their 2 dogs.

As they climbed onto the Express, the passengers cheered them.

Today is National Donut Day. A free donut at the following stores: DuckDonuts, Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme. There are more though I am not sure who they are.

Krispy Kreme’s goal is to give away free 1 million donuts today. If successful, they promise to do it again later in the month.

Rachel Palms is a 47 year old woman whose story is both bad and good.

She had been having terrible headaches, hallucinations, all kinds of mental problems.

She was diagnosed as having brain cancer.

She underwent brain surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami. No brain cancer, no tumor. Instead the doctors found a tapeworm. It was small and encapsulated in an egg shell.

Rachel is thrilled that it was not brain cancer. She will not be required to go through chemo, radiation, and whatever she would have had to do had it been cancer. On the other hand, a tapeworm?

A measles update. The number of U.S. cases exceeds 1,000 and growing. An epidemic. The Philippines has 33,000. All because some parents did not want their children vaccinated or a vaccine was not available in the country where the child lived.

I close with a problem I am well familiar. Oder Americans falling down. Brain injuries and hip fractures common.

I was required to do 6 months physiotherapy some 8 years ago because of the frequency of my falls. I had to learn how to walk and do steps again. I still occasionally fall. However, much less.

Doctors believe the problem exists because older people live longer, live longer independently, and many live longer with chronic conditions.

Enjoy your day!

The President deserves credit. He was Presidential this morning at Normandy. His speech proper for the event. No personal interjections by him regarding any problems or dislikes he has. He blasphemed no one.

Trump showed empathy. The first time as President.

He was President Trump. I was proud of him.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching D-Day. Tons of notes. I came across little personal stories. I intended to write not only about D-Day itself, but also subsequent visits by Presidents. Trump’s presentation this morning made me change my mind.

One oldie comment. Reagan speech at another D-Day anniversary zeroed in on Pointe du Hoc. Located on France’s northern shore. A series of cliffs running along the beach. The cliffs 100 feet high. On top significant German gun placements.

The job of our boys was to climb the cliff and take out the guns. They had trained to make the climb.

Ropes were thrown up, attached to the ground at the top of the cliff, the men trained to climb up hand over hand.

The Germans on top soon discovered them. The Germans were shooting own on the climbing soldiers, throwing grenades at them, and cutting the ropes.

Some finally made it to the top and took out the German guns.

Some were killed, others wounded.

Their exploit reminded me of The Charge of the Light Brigade. An impossible task. As they raced up the hill, guns on both sides and to the front of them. Nevertheless, onward they rode.

Our soldiers had a similar difficult task. Climb up the ropes, no free hand to shoot back, etc. Nevertheless, they climbed onward also.

Dinner with Mary at Roostica last night. Enjoyed half a broiled chicken. The best tasting chicken ever. The menu said the chickens were either organically raised or fed only organic food. Whatever, so good!

Amazon and Washington Post owner Jeff Bozos in Key West last week on vacation. Stayed at the Marquesa Hotel.

Writer and poet Aldo Haskell a Key West native. His most recent success The Jews of Key West. Extremely popular in Key West and elsewhere.

Haskell a poet in addition. He recently was designated Key West’s official Poet Laureate.

Congratulations in order.

Pride Week. This week. Key West obviously celebrating it big. Five days of play readings, talent shows, pool parties, street fairs, and best of all a fantastic parade!

Key West is conscious of the turtles that frequent our waters. Especially during hatching season. I learned something new. Turtles return to the same beach from whence they were hatched to mate and lay eggs. Even years later. Some system in their heads creates magnetic waves that direct them.

If the Mexican tariff problem is not settled today, Trump says he will impose a 5 percent tariff on all goods coming from Mexico to the U.S. What bugs me is the border problem is of Trump’s making. He screws up and then makes someone else pay for his wrongdoing.

Trump a typical Republican! He knows how to spend money. Many times wastefully.

He flew to Ireland between the England and France trips. Appears merely for the hell of it. Probably wanted to see his golf course which reportedly is not doing well.

Trump and his group required 4 limousines. They were rented from a local undertaker. Four Mercedes E Class limos. Cost for 4 days just under $1 million. Actually $233,748 per car.

Rip off time!

Still feeling good. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Enjoy your day!

Bad things happen.

One is female genital mutilation. A religious or geographical custom for hundreds of years. Generally in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Considered a rite of passage.

A young girl/lady has her clitoris cut and removed. Or, her vaginal opening narrowed. The reasons for this brutal experience then and now are sexual control and manageability of the victim.

Two hundred million girls and women have suffered from the procedure worldwide. The number excludes the U.S.

Female genital mutilation is cloaked in secrecy in the U.S. The suspicion is it is on the rise. Especially with immigrants arriving from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Many bring their customs with them.

Besides not wanting anyone to know, there is also the problem that the procedure is considered taboo. Those who have had their clitoris or vaginas mutilated are reluctant to come forward. The shame of it all.

In 2017, 2 Detroit doctors were charged with performing the procedure on 9 underage girls. Six mothers were also charged.

They were charged under a federal law passed in 1996 banning female genital mutilation. A Michigan federal judge dismissed the charges on the ground that the federal law overstepped its bounds. Such matters were solely within the purview of the states.

The U.S. Department of Justice refused to appeal. Note this case was decided after Trump took office. It was his Department of Justice that refused to appeal.

My research indicates no state has passed an anti-mutilation law.

Something may happen in the next few years. Groups are popping up all over the country. They generally are composed of women who have suffered such mutilations and know of the problem first hand.

One thing I have mentioned and written about in the past concerns immigrants and Sharia Law. Generally of the Muslim faith. They come to the U.S. for the better life. However, they want to bring their laws and customs with them. A no no. My position has always been if you want to live here, you live under U.S. laws, Not Sharia. If you don’t like it, return from whence you came!

I feel better. A thousand times better.

I have received many e-mails expressing happiness for my recovery. Interestingly, pancreatitis is a somewhat prevalent problem. Many of those who wrote had a friend who was similarly afflicted. Most required hospitalization. Intravenous feeding. Dehydration big time. One was hospitalized for a whole month.

Most of the e-mails agreed with what I had been told re cause. Alcohol and smoking.

I thank all who wrote for their concern and good wishes.

My podcast show last night. Tuesday a with Key West Lou. Dwelled on Trump’s London visit, Mueller’s report not finished properly, and the various countries the U.S. has tariff wars with at the present time or will be in the immediate future.

During the month I was under the weather, I had to skip the podcast one tuesday. The energy was not there. I also stopped guesting on Laurie Thibaud’s show. Too tired.

This is the day before. The day before D-Day.

Things were happening preparatory to actual invasion the next morning. One thousand British bombers dropped 5,000 tons of bombs on German guns at Normandy. Three thousand Allied ships loaded with troops and equipment were on their way across the English Channel.

Operation Overlord was on its way!

This day in 1919 a big one in the history of empowerment of women and recognition that they are co-equals with men. The U.S. Congress passed the 19th Amendment. The new Amendment had to be ratified by the States. Did not take long. The men knew they had been defeated.

Enjoy your day!

My wayward life has caught up with me. I am 83. It was a good run.

Alcohol and smoking will not be a part of my life from this point forward.

The medical problem that has been affecting me for a month has been diagnosed and treated. Pancreatitis. Alcohol a major cause. Smoking right behind.

Interestingly, last year I lost 62 pounds. On a high protein/low carb diet. High protein  a fatty diet from my perspective. The diet did not help. I have reverted. Must be high carb/low fat from this point forward.

A month ago, I started feeling terrible. Every day. It seemed that every problem I have been afflicted with the past 5 years returned. All at one time!

I was exhausted daily. When tired, it was total. Came in 5-6 hour spurts. Then went away as quickly as it had hit me. Up and down stairs became an ordeal. Huffing and puffing. Down as difficult as up.

I became wobbly again. Started losing my balance, falling again.

My eyes started going. My most recent prescription for new glasses only a year ago. Suddenly, everything had a tinge of blurriness to it. Because of all the research I do, I have an extra screen attached to my computer. Two and a half feet by one and a half. It became difficult to read.

One drink and I was drunk. Two or more the same reaction. Booze was hitting me hard.

Oily stools. Enough said.

Nausea immediately following eating. Not severe, but there. I started eating less.

Weight loss terrific. If I wanted to lose more weight. Hit 15 pounds last week.

Appetite was gone. I could not finish a meal. A full feeling constantly.

Overall, I felt liked shit!

I thought it was my heart again. Exhaustion previously a big part of the heart problem. Saw my heart doctor and primary care physician within days of each other.

Dr. McIvor my heart doctor. I have been his patient for about 15 years. Trust him implicitly. He ran a ton of tests. Heart good! No problem there.

Now I was in the hands of my primary care physician Dr. Norris. He has been my doctor for only 1.5 years. This was his test!

Parasites in my stool? No parasites.

What, then?

More tests, more blood work.

Norris caught it. Pancreatitis.

My initial concern was pancreatic cancer. Everyone who gets it dies. He assured me cancer not involved.

I never knew what the pancreas does. I learned.

The pancreas is a long flat gland tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. It is sort of a last stop for food ingested before it goes into the small intestine.

Enzymes are involved as food passes through. Somehow the pancreas activates these enzymes. They leave the pancreas with the food. I either was not making enough enzymes or the ones being made remained in the pancreas instead of leaving.

Excuse if I misdescribe. I am not a doctor.

Whatever enzymes remain,  attack the pancreas. Causing the problems I was experiencing.

A change of diet, no alcohol or smoking, and a terrific pill Creon 12,000 taken 3 times a day. Took 10 days for everything to kick in. I am supposedly fine today. Stopped taking the Creon last night. Hope I do not need it again.

Norris passed the test. My test. I now have faith in him as I do McIvor.

I went out last night! Walked into the Chart Room. Cannot describe the exhilaration I felt by being there. Almost giddy. I did not expect such a reaction.

It was good to see friends again. Jean and Joe Thornton, Sheila, and Mary.

Drank one short diet soda. With lime.

Followed by dinner at La Trattoria.

Pasta good for me. With marinara sauce. I am to avoid meat sauce. La Trattoria has a close marinara sauce. No meat. Too spicy, however. Not discouraged. Will find something else on the menu.

If you are concerned about no more drinking or smoking, fear not. I do what I am told when it comes to professional advice.

Twelve years ago, it was my heart. It was enlarged. Alcohol induced. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy. I was told stop drinking and the heart will return to normal size. I never had a drink for 1.5 years. Nor did I smoke. Stopped the moment the doctor told me about the enlarged heart and what to do.

I am human. When the heart reduced, I went back to drinking and smoking. With the doctor’s understanding. Just drink less, he said. Substantially less. Less become more over time. I have been overdoing it recently. One to four drinks a night.

Whatever, time to pay for my sins.

Tonight, Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for what I guarantee will be a fast moving interesting half hour. I promise not to talk about my pancreatitis. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

Modern medicine is amazing! Especially when you reach my age and what could not be done yesterday can today.

The most recent a 20 week old fetus diagnosed with spinal bifida, a brave mother, and a Pittsburgh hospital.

Spinal bifida in this instance showed the fetus at 20 weeks with a spinal problem. The spinal cord and backbone would not close before birth nor would it after birth. Assuming the fetus survived, the child would not be able to walk. Movement below the knees impossible.

The significance of this operation is that the fetus was operated on while in the mother’s womb. A first. The operation a success. The baby when delivered was kicking. She could also lift her feet and flex her toes.

With one exception. The toes on her left foot won’t bend. No big deal under the circumstances.

I went out last night. For 2 hours. Family time.

We were still celebrating Ally’s graduation and birthday. Dinner at El Sibonay. Then home to sing Happy Birthday! for the 88th time and enjoy cake.

An important day for me today. See Dr. Norris. Final test results are in. I suspect/hope they will be favorable. At my age, concern always there.

Trump in Great Britain. A State visit. His mouth is already getting him into trouble. It appears he does not mind who he insults.

The tariff war with China goes on. Perhaps for a long time.

The Chinese are really pissed. Can’t blame them. Their unhappiness and now hard line position is reflected by the recent comments of 2 Chinese officials.

One said, “If they (U.S.) want a fight, we will fight to the end.”

The other, “The trade war has not made America great again.”

Not content, the word is Trump now wants to sanction Australia. No reason given. The word is his staff had to sit on him to hold off, to consider further the move.

The U.S. is running out of friends. One by one Trump is alienating them. He seems to prefer the company of despots rather than the tried and true.

An interesting fact. Australia was the only country from the start to avoid the steel and aluminum tariffs. Our friends. Won’t be if Trump hits Australia with tariffs.

Trump is like a little kid who discovered some new toys. In this case, tariffs and sanctions. He uses them whenever so moved. A childhood ditty comes to mind. Little Jack Horner. He sat in the corner eating his pumpkin pie. Put in his thumb and pulled out a plum. Said, “Oh what a good boy am I!”

Venezuela’s economy continues to be down. The Financial Times reported inflation nearing 130,000 percent.

Hard to imagine.

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday another day of rest. Laid around all day reading and watching TV.

Tonight, I will definitely be out. We are celebrating Ally’s birthday with dinner at 6 at El Sibonay.

Tomorrow afternoon a doctor visit. Important one. I will get the results of further tests.

I have been at this medical problem for a month. Lost 15 pounds in the process. A benefit? I’m not sure.

In many sections of Mexico, prostitution/sex work is not illegal. It has been however in Mexico City. No more. Mexico City has decriminalized sex work. The City believes it will help to reduce sex trafficking. Sex trafficking in Mexico City itself has resulted in thousands of Mexican women and children being drawn into the sex trade.

The new law simply says people have a right to engage in sex work. Supportive laws now required. A legal framework to protect sex workers. The framework can be done.

About 12 yeas ago, Germany legalized prostitution throughout all of Germany. The cry in support of the legislation was prostitutes had a right to be protected, have hospitalization and pension plans.

Never happened! The real reason behind Germany’s move was to be able to tax prostitution. Payment for sex was legal. therefore the income from it taxable.

Taxation was permitted at every governmental level.

Still legal in Germany. However the scheme has not worked as many thought it would. Being legal, young ladies from all over Europe moved to Germany to work their trade. Soon supply exceeded demand. The price for legal favors dramatically fell. The ladies did not benefit. Nor did governmental entities. Tax revenues were much lower than anticipated.

I wish the sex workers in Mexico City well. I question whether the pot at the end of the rainbow will be theirs.

Tariffs and sanctions are part of the military might of a country today. Trump is using them big time. The U.S. is purportedly the strongest nation in the world. Trump is exercising that might by pushing everyone around.

Some Brit said yesterday re Trump: “Trump is a 20th century Fascist.” He is. Think Hitler and Mussolini.

Eventually all despots meet a justifiable end.

Trump has announced he is increasing tariffs on Mexican goods coming into the U.S. by 5 percent as of June 10. He did this because he was upset that Mexico was not doing more to keep migrants out of the U.S. He further threatened to raise the tariff to 25 percent in the next few months if Mexico failed to do what he expected.

Representatives of Mexico will meet with U.S. official on Wednesday in Washington hopefully work the matter out. Mexico  thinks the problem will be resolved. If so, it will mean that Mexico has capitulated to Trump’s improper demands. They fear his power.

Mexico’s anticipated position is understandable. The U.S. is Mexico’s largest trading partner. Interestingly, the U.S.’s largest trading partner is Mexico.

The market took a dive Friday because of the new tariff to be imposed. Understandably. Trump fails to understand the effect the tariff will have on the U.S. economy.

He and his henchmen still think a tariff punishes the country imposed upon. Not so. It hurts the country imposing it.

Trump claims he studied at Wharton. If so, he did not learn much.

The Wall St. Journal commented on the possibility of a recession. Clues that such might be were looked at.

The auto industry has laid off 38,000 workers in the last 6 months. One reason is that auto sales are projected to go down. It is projected that auto sales of new vehicles will be down 3 percent in 2019.

Further decline is expected in subsequent years also. Studies suggest humans will need fewer personal cars in future years.

History repeats itself in one form or another.

On this day in 1954, Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that communists were in the CIA. Similar to what Trump says today when he indicates corruption exists in the FBI. Perhaps even to a treasonable level.

Trump leaves today for Great Britain. A State visit. He should not go. The Brits have made it clear they do not want him. Diplomatic headaches await.

In the 2016 election, Meghan Merkle said Trump was “misogynistic” and his “politics divisive.” Trump recently referred to her as “nasty”, but thought they could get along.

Prince Charles believes climate change is a problem. Trump does not. In anticipation of meeting with Prince Charles to discuss the matter Trump said, “I can say we have among the cleanest climate in the world right now. Our air and water are doing very well.”

Obama was the last U.S. President to make a State visit to Great Britain. His favorability with the Brits at the time was 72 percent. Trump’s at the present time 21 percent.

A measles update.

The problem is increasing not only in the U.S., but also world wide. The CDC tells us the war against measles is being lost. The U.S. has 901 reported cases since January.

The Philippines really  out of control. Thirty three thousand to date. Over 400 have died.

So much for this Sunday.

Enjoy your day!

Before all else, be advised I felt good yesterday. All day! First time in weeks.

Ally’s eighth grade graduation yesterday. My granddaughter! Grown. Matured. On the threshold of womanhood.

Montessori’s kindergarten class graduated also. It was 8 years ago, I watched Ally graduate from kindergarten. Those who graduated yesterday were small. Really small! As Ally was back then. I am lucky I was able to see her both then and now.

I did not stay for lunch. A 1 1/2 hour wait. Did not move me. We were standing outside in the sun.

My doctor appointment turned out to be this coming monday, not yesterday. Fortunately, the Doctor’s office called to advise me of the monday appointment before I went over.

A manicure at 3 with Tammy. Always a pleasant experience.

She told me how busy she was this past week. School graduations! The young ladies learn early.

Then to Publix.

Publix was the test. I had been out and about more than normal earlier in the day. Pushing a cart and walking through Publix knocked me out the past few weeks. Yesterday, no way! I was impressed. Not tired at all.

Did not want to push things. Stayed in again last night.

Humid! That is what the weather is. Yesterday 91 and heavy. Leave a building and the humidity hits you in the face. Thick. You can taste it.

Key West is experiencing August and September weather. Early this year.

The past 2 thursdays Farmers Market at Bayview Park no longer was. Just like that. Gone!

Finally found out why.

Farmers Market had been open 6 years. Operated by someone who has several other Farmers Markets. Without notice, he announced to his vendors on May 14 that the Market was closed.

His reason a dwindling customer base. Business fell 80 percent from its opening season. Fewer customers meant fewer vendors. The operator’s rent and insurance became too much. He claimed the site went from a great market to a non-performing one.

The operator is a Jasin Hershin. Not a Key West resident. He is reported to have said “if there is any blame, it’s on the Key West citizens who did not support it.”

Sounds frustrated.

I have been doing the Market on a semi frequent basis. I only purchase tomatoes and bread. The tomatoes taste fresh and that’s why I would buy them. The bread I would buy in large quantity and freeze. Enough for a month.

I never saw more or less of people. It appeared to always be the same size crowd. Always a steady business.

The Market was a social place also. Always ran into friends and enjoyed the small chat we engaged in. The whole thing felt very homey.

Nothing is forever, I guess.

Today is the beginning of hurricane season. Seems like we just went through one.

This morning’s Key West Citizen ran front page an aerial photo of Big Pine following Irma. Irma hit September 10, 2017. Big Pine ravished. Irma hit with a category 4. The photo showed several streets of Big Pine devastated. Similar to the pictures being run on TV this past week of tornado damage.

Not all the damage has been corrected. The problem is money. Whether from the government, an insurance company, a bank or the homeowners themselves. Too many left with no assistance.

Someone complained in this morning’s Citizens Voice about the seaweed on Key West beaches. Thought the City should have cleaned up the seaweed rather than resanding the beaches.

The story. First, I don’t blame the individual who complained. The seaweed stinks. Reeks. Also, there is significantly more seaweed this year. It is arriving earlier. Since March, it has been a problem.

Normally, the seaweed is bulldozed off or cut up and mixed with the sand. Mixing it with the sand has always been the best way to go. Helps in preventing beach erosion.

The seaweed problem is all over Florida and into the Caribbean. The Caribbean islands hit especially hard. Key West seaweed works its way up t our beaches from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Climate change, nutrients washing off the land, and changing ocean currents considered responsible.

In some places,. the seaweed washed up on the beach is 4-5 feet high. The seaweed is popularly referred to as Stinky Seaweed. The reason obvious. Its technical name Sargassum Seaweed.

The cost of removal is higher than normal. Communities along the Florida Coast and Caribbean Island resorts are concerned their summer tourist trade will suffer as people become aware of the problem.

Big sharks occasionally frequent our waters. Unusual because sharks prefer cooler water.

On this day in 1912, a Captain Charles Thomson was operating a fishing schooner near the Seven Mile Bridge. He harpooned a “whale shark.” Following an 8 hour struggle, he was able to beach the shark on a sand bar. The shark died 5 days later. Thomson then towed it to Miami to have it prepared for hanging on a wall.

The shark was huge! Thirty eight feet long, weighed 26,594 pounds.

I wrote about a month ago concerning former Trump aide Steve Bannon and his attempts to remove Pope Francis and replace him with a conservative right Cardinal. Failing, he said he would build a whole new Vatican next to the present one and install a new Pope. Two Vaticans operating at the same time!

Recall Bannon’s goal in life is to take down existing governments. No question about it.

In the meantime, Bannon wanted to open a school to train persons so as they would be educated with a right thinking agenda. He rented a 13th century medieval monastery. It was rented through the Italian Cultural Heritage Ministry.

Rent $110,000 a year.

The Ministry has announced it is revoking the lease granted to Bannon due to fraud in the bidding process. A letter was required to guarantee the lease. Bannon’s group provided a letter bearing the signature of an employee of the Danish Jyske bank.

The bank said the employee had not worked for the bank in years and that the letter was fraudulent.

Bannon was one of Trump’s early supporters and a White House aide at the beginning of Trump’s tenure. He and Stephen Miller were extremely close. Miller is a bad guy I have denounced on occasion.

He and Miller birds of a feather.

Enjoy your day!