SESSIONS’ NAMESAKE GENERAL BEAUREGARD FIRED ON FORT SUMTER

On this day in 1861, the Civil War began. The Confederates bombarded Fort Sumter. By the next morning, Union forces were beaten and surrendered the Fort.

The Confederate forces were led by General P.G.T. Beauregard.

Beauregard a lovely name of the old South.

Attorney General Sessions’ full name is Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. Sessions is named after his father whose parents gave him Beauregard as a middle name.

Not all Confederates supported the plan to bombard Fort Sumter. One in opposition was Confederate Secretary of State Robert Toombs. Toombs wrote Confederate President Jefferson Davis: “You will only strike a hornet’s nest. Legions now quiet will swarm out and sting us to death. It is unnecessary. It puts us in the wrong. It is fatal.”

Toombs thought negotiation could resolve any problems and that the Union would accept secession of the Southern states. He also believed the manufacturing power of the North would ultimately bury the agrarian South.

I mention Toombs’ words because they are similar to the purported words of the Japanese Admiral who lead the assault on Pearl Harbor. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is claimed to have said, “I fear all we have done is to awake a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

Many believe Kumamoto so spoke. Historians disagree. His words actually film dialogue. The Admiral and his quote part of the movies Tora, Tora, Tora and Pearl Harbor.

Last night began with the Sons and Daughters of Italy dinner meeting.

One of the members Mac cooked. Chicken marsala and pasta. Delicious!

Mac has played a special part in the lives of Robert and Lisa. For seven years, I engaged Robert to play Santa Claus for them.

A great Santa Claus!

Robert and Ally are now too old to believe in Santa Claus. I intend to have Mac join Robert, Ally and me at some point for lunch.

A notable experience in the making! How many kids have the opportunity to meet Santa Claus years later when they no longer believe?

Headed over to the Chart Room afterwards. John bartending. David and another at the bar. The other Robert Coburn. Robert one of the other authors at the books signing two days ago.

We had never met before two days ago. We greeted each other last night like long lost friends.

Robert started writing five years ago as I did. He also is 82. I am one month older. He will be 83 in August and I in July.

We had a good time.

Robert a snowbird. His home in California’s Carmel. A lovely place. He is on a plane this morning to Carmel. He returns to Key West in June.

The Key West Citizen runs a daily column titled Citizens Voice. A place where people can complain/compliment. Mostly complaints.

A local apparently wanted to reflect on Key West sins. He wrote that as he ran a stop sign on his bicycle, he saw a man using a leaf blower to remove iguanas and chickens from a native tree he was about to cut down. The tree was located near the amphitheater where he had earlier heard the Navy loudspeaker booming. All this made him think about the snowbirds in illegal short term rentals.

Judge Robert Cical. An example of a life destroyed.

Judge Cical a jurist on New York’s Suffolk County District Court.

He became addicted to his 23 year old female neighbor’s dirty panties. He was breaking into her next door house to steal them. He was caught. Some of the panties in his pocket.

He has been arrested. His defense…..an urge made him do it.

Sexual predilections common today with many elected officials. Beginning with the President and working down.

I have revived my video Key West Lou Live on Facebook. Did my second show this morning. Discussed the new toy of the rich. Private railroad cars.

Join me at your convenience. Available any time of the day. Two-three minutes of interesting chat.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A SLEEPING GIANT AWAKENED

The students at Parkland High School may be a sleeping giant awakened.

Several sources attribute a sleeping giant comment to Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto following Japan’s successful bombing of Pearl Harbor. Yamamoto led the Japanese forces in the attack.

Yamamoto is alleged to have said: “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

Parkland students are disturbed. Properly so. Disturbed at an age where fear is not a part of their composition. They are able to speak out and are speaking out…..Stop the useless slaughters! Protect students! Washington, do something! President Trump, do something! How much money did the President get from the NRA? And on and on.

Good for them! Their cries/words may finally be the impetus to get something done.

The students cannot be considered crass for asking how much Trump received from the NRA for his campaign. Money does influence. Money does talk.

The number is $21 million. The largest amount the NRA has ever contributed to a Presidential candidate.

Such may account for what appears to be Trump’s calculated silence re gun violence. Note he spoke of first responders on his Parkland visit and merely glossed over the shooting and gun control itself.

The last time a President addressed the NRA was 1983. Till Trump became President Trump. Trump spoke before the NRA and said, “You have a true friend and champion in the White House.”

We believe you Mr. President. You did not lie when you made that statement.

Violence begets violence. One crazy act another. Near home this time. Marathon.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department received a phone call yesterday morning that pictures of guns were being shown on Instagram together with a message threatening Marathon High School. Specifically, a band concert to be held that afternoon.

The Sheriff’s Department immediately went to work. Brought all federal ad state agencies together. The perpetrator was identified. Nineteen year old Marathon resident Duviel Gonzalez was arrested.

The arrest was made prior to the band concert. The concert went on a s scheduled at 3 pm, though under heavy security.

Every day a good day when living in Key West. Some even better. Yesterday was one of those days.

I watched the Syracuse/Miami game on TV. Syracuse having a difficult season. Needed an on the road win. Got it! Beat Miami 62-55.

Picked Catherine up before 4. A different Saturday late afternoon into evening began.

First Mary Ellen’s on Applerouth. A relatively new bar. Heard good things about its Happy Hour. Toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup the house specialty. Everyone had told me both to die for. They were right!

What no one told me however was that the tomato soup came with garlic bread. Wow! Delicious!

The sun still shining when we left Mary Ellen’s. What next? We walked two blocks to the Green Parrot.

I had not been to the Green Parrot in several years.

The place packed. Standing room only. A New Orleans group playing. People dancing. Stayed a while. Enjoyed a couple of drinks. Enjoyed each other’s company.

Where next as we left the Green parrot? I said, home. I’m tired.

It was dark.

We went to Catherine’s, sat on her terrace by candlelight and talked of many things.

After leaving Catherine’s and on the way home, I stopped at Donna and Terri’s to visit Bear. Donna and Terri live around the block from Catherine.

Bear fine. Biting. Learning to let Donna and Terri know when he has to pee. Goes to the door and whines. The other taking time.

Bear a friendly bundle of joy. A good addition to Donna and Terri’s life. Forgotten are Donna’s still fractured shoulder and Terri’s close encounter with cancer. Bear is everything!

A post Irma update. More than 5 months since the hurricane hit and renovations and rebuilding not close to completion. Not because people are slow. Because Irma beat the hell out of many parts of the Keys.

This past week the County started cleaning up the canals. Those of you who do not live in the Keys nor have never visited must understand that canals are like roads. Behind many homes. People swim and boat in them.

Not since Irma, however.

Pictures in yesterday’s edition of the Key West Citizen painted the picture vividly. Debris like you would not believe. Everything from homes to boats to appliances to shrubbery. So thick, it appears man could walk across them and the water.

A busy Sunday ahead. I have a luncheon scheduled. Then Kate Miano’s Gardens later in the afternoon.

Enjoy your Sunday!