SECRET SERVICE ON STREET OVER RENT DISPUTE WITH TRUMP ORGANIZATION

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Trump Tower is listed as the President’s personal residence. His home.

The President is required to have Secret Service protection at all times and at all venues. Even when he might be sleeping elsewhere on a particular night.

The Secret Service utilized the apartment immediately below Trump’s in Trump Tower.

Trump Organization operates the building. Trump Organization and the Secret Service could not agree on rent. In early July, the Secret Service was asked to move. Booted out in the vernacular of the street.

The Secret Service has moved into a trailer which sits on the sidewalk in front of Trump Tower while searching for another place.

The rent demanded had to be astronomical. The Pentagon required space near the President in Trump Towers. The White House Military Office recently agreed to $130,000 a month.

It was revealed last night that Mueller had seated a Grand Jury in Washington several weeks ago. The formal beginning of the end for Trump and his associates from my perspective. It will take time. As much as 1-2 years.

A flavor of Key West was lost on August 3, 1995 never to return. The Copa Nightclub burned down. Totally destroyed. It was rebuilt. However never achieved the prominence it held prior to the fire.

The Copa was a premier gay entertainment palace.

I visited once. My deviate side took over. A Black Mass was scheduled for midnight. Thought it would be interesting.

I was standing enjoying a drink waiting for the show to start. Two guys dressed as nuns walked over and asked if they could hold my balls.

I was out the door as fast as my legs could carry me. Never got to see the show.

Twenty two years ago. Today, I would stand my ground and laugh. I have become acclimated. No one would touch anything. Probably not even ask.

Up early yesterday morning. Took Terri to chemotherapy at 9.

Key West High School has a unique program. I do not recall a similar program when my children were in high school in Utica. Prepares students to produce television and film programs.

One of the most respected such programs in the United States.

I have had experience with some of the students via Jenna Stauffer. She has been involved in utilizing the students for years. I participated in three shows. I was impressed beyond description.

Two of the students have produced the film Paradise. It is being shown locally sunday at 11 at the Tropic cinema. From there it goes to New York City. Producers and film. Paradise has been selected for screening in Times Square by the prestigious American High School Film Festival.

Congratulations to the young people who put Paradise together.

The Palm Avenue bridge is finally going to be repaired. All of it! The roadway, pilings and everything else. Has needed the do over for years.

The bridge is the  short cut to the Gulf side of town. Like where the Chart Room is located.

The only negative is it will take six months to complete the work.

The weekend is here. I am to have dinner with Jenna tonight or tomorrow night. I cannot remember which. The beginnings of Alzheimers. Serious when I cannot recall what evening I am to be with Jenna.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FATHER, I CANNOT TELL A LIE…..I CUT DOWN THE CHERRY TREE

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Our President lies.

Yesterday, I set forth Proverb 17:7 to show from a religious perspective it was wrong for a leader to lie. Today, reference is made to American history.

All of us learned about George Washington and cutting down the cherry tree. Children still learn from it.

It never happened. The story is a myth. However one that has taught most of us that people should speak the truth, not lie.

The verbiage has variations. “Father, I cannot tell a lie…..I cut down the cherry tree.” “Father, I cannot tell a lie…..I barked the cherry tree.” “Father, I cannot tell a lie…..I damaged the cherry tree.”

Mason Locke Weems was a writer. Not very successful. In 1800, he wrote a book which was followed by multiple editions. He made things up. To make his works interesting and sell.

The 1806 edition contained the cherry tree story. Weems had Washington 6 years old at the time.

Though Weems’ tale is a fabrication, it continues to teach that everyone should speak the truth. Even Trump.

Stephen Miller is an aide to Trump. His office near the President’s in the White House.

I have spoken poorly of Miller in the past. Deservedly so. He is a propagandist. I have likened him to Joseph Goebbels.

Miller took questions today at the White House before the press corps. He was pitching Trump’s new proposed immigration law. It would cut immigration in half from its present level. It would also require immigrants to speak English before they could be admitted.

CNN’s Jim Acosta asked several piercing questions about the English requirement. His father immigrated from Cuba in the 1960’s unable to speak English.Things got heated. At Miller’s end. He apparently did not like Acosta’s questions. Raised his voice. Implied Acosta was ignorant.

My grandfather came from Italy at the age of 12 in the very early 1900’s. He could not speak English. My grandmother came over later as a teenager. Sixteen. She did not speak English.

My grandparents had eight children. One died. They raised them to be good honest citizens. My grandfather worked his way up in a knitting mill to a supervisory position. His English in due course beautiful. Smooth. Articulate.

My grandmother never learned to speak English. She did not care. Her responsibility was to take care of her husband, children and home. Later, to help care for her grandchildren.

My grandmother raised me in my early years. I spoke Italian before English.

She was a loving woman. Exuded warmth. To be hugged by her was everything.

Lived every day the same way. Her husband, the young ones and her home.

She was up at 5 each morning. Made her husband’s breakfast and got him off to work. Still early. The kids not yet up.

She cleaned her whole house every morning. The kitchen always amused me. She would wrap a clothe around a broom and do the ceilings first. When she was done washing the floor and it had dried, she covered the floor with newspapers.

Neither of my grandparents would be allowed into the United States under the proposed law. I might have ended up a lawyer in Italy instead of here.

My point. They were good people, good citizens. Made their contribution. Their children and grandchildren, also.

I spent a quiet day reading. Waiting for my ankles to go down. Nothing yet.

I will be out of here early this morning. I have to take Terri to chemotherapy.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

EMPOWERED

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Last night was Donna and Terri evening. My guests at dinner to celebrate their anniversary and Terri’s birthday.

We were going to meet at Lucy’s. A new restaurant at the far Gulf end of Grinnell. Arrived first. Spent $12 to park my car in the garage next door. Ridiculous!

Lucy’s packed. A dozen people waiting for tables. Air conditioning appeared to be out.

Telephoned Donna and said Lucy’s a no go. We decided to meet at the bar of Half Shell Raw Bar. We would decide where to eat from there.

Key West is into season. Every restaurant would be packed. I saw what had been anticipated as a great evening turning into a pain in the ass getting a table somewhere.

As I was walking past the old PT’s on Caroline, I noticed it was now called the Bite. Basically a sandwich place. Sports bar of sorts. Had heard good things about the place.

Stepped inside. Not packed. Air conditioning working. Called my lesbian wives and told them to meet me there.

We had a great time! The food good. Many locals we knew filtered in during the course of the evening.

Terri bald. The chemotherapy. Thin. Lost a lot of weight. She was bundled. Cold. Her hands freezing.

She continues with chemo into April. Then the two of them are off to Tampa. A procedure available in Tampa. They will have to remain in Tampa.

The plan is to take Terri’s stem cells and grow bone marrow from them outside her body. Following which the new bone marrow would be introduced into Terri’s body.

Amazing! Terri a trooper!

The Women’s March entered into the conversation.

Donna’s daughter Stacie is the manager of Blue Heaven. One of her daughters is Hannah. Hannah a 17 year old high school senior.

Stacie, Hannah and some of the other Blue Heaven ladies made the trip to Washington and participated in the Women’s March.

Donna said she got a call from her granddaughter Hannah during the March…..Grandma, I feel empowered!

Donna’s son Scott and his wife Kathy marched in Boston. Scott described the Boston march to his mother…..There are no words!

I have another birthday to celebrate tonight. Dee’s. She wants to go to La Trattoria Oceanside.

Tomorrow night the bocce fundraiser at the bocce courts.

I will have had three busy nights by the time I am done.

Rick Dery one of the Dueling Bartenders. His picture appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. He looks terrific!

On this day in 1943, the U.S. Army Air Force bombed Germany itself for the first time. The 8th Air Force did it. Took off from England. Fifty three bombers made Germany. Only three lost.

The bombing described as retribution. Germany deserved it. More would follow.

Former Mexican President Fox described Trump yesterday as Hitler. Many others have during the campaign and even to today.

Enjoy your day!

 

WEATHER DICTATES

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The Arctic cold hit Key West last night. Not bad. High 60s.

I live on open water. My bedroom faces the northeast. I sometime think the cold air comes into the bedroom. Right through the poured concrete walls.

Felt like it again last night. I turned the heat on.

This morning, the northeast wind strong. White caps. Palm trees bending.

The Lighted Boat Parade scheduled for tonight has been cancelled. Reason, high winds. Rescheduled for wednesday evening.

I dined with Donna and Terri last night. Always fun. Terri in great spirits in spite of having had chemo in the afternoon. Terri thinning down. From a 12 to an 8. Had to buy new clothes.

My lesbian wives are the best! Our conversations cover everything. Never a dull moment when I am with them.

Syracuse plays Boston University at noon. When your team is having a bad time, television ignores your school. Third game in a row Syracuse will not be available for Key West viewing.

Ever hear of Amsterdam, New York? Forty miles from Utica. I used to travel through the town on my way to court appearances and the Saratoga races. There is a main thoroughfare named Kirk Douglas Boulevard or some other road designation.

Why? The movie great Kirk Douglas was born in Amsterdam.

Yesterday was Douglas’ 100th birthday. God bless him!

Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch. Born of immigrant parents.

He tells the story that in his early years, he was always escaping his Judaism. Then in mid life he was involved in a helicopter crash. Two dead, others injured. He began looking at his religion again. Today, a devout Jew. He performed his Bar Mitzvah again several years ago.

For whatever reason, I am having a mellow morning. That accounts for the Kirk Douglas story. There are two more I wish to share. Helen Reddy and I Am Woman, The Charge of the Light Brigade.

I Am Woman. A song of female identity. Part of Helen Reddy’s 1971 album I Don’t Know How To Love Him. Reintroduced as a single in 1972. A #1 hit in short time.

Reddy wrote the lyrics. Reddy, both performer and songwriter.

Moving lyrics from I Am Woman…..

I am woman, hear me roar

No one’s ever gonna keep me down again

I am strong

I am invincible

I am woman.

The Charge of the Light Brigade was published in 1854 by Alfred Lord Tennyson. England’s Poet Laureate at the time. The poem recounts the Crimean War’s  Battle of Balaclava. The poem written to honor Britain’s Light Brigade.

Poetic lines of significance follow…..

Into the valley of Death rode the six hundred

Theirs’ not to reason why, theirs’ but to do and die

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Into the mouth of Hell rode the six hundred

When can their glory fade?

O the charge they made!

Great poetry! Exciting words! Tennyson wrote the poem a few minutes after reading an account of the battle in the British daily The Times. It took him only a few minutes more to write the poem.

Enjoy your day!

NO MONEY NO CHEMO

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Life or death depending on money. On ability to pay.

That is where we are at with many in our country.

Donna and Terri have had some hard times the past two years. Some things had to give. One was health insurance.

Terri is sick. She has been diagnosed with a rare blood disease Little Chain Deposition. In addition, multiple myeloma.

Neither good.

The lower Keys Medical Center was terrific. Terri was there a week. Underwent all kinds of tests. Diagnosed. The hospital and doctors were advised up front that Terri had neither insurance nor sufficient monies to pay.

It made to difference to the hospital. They provided Terri with excellent care. The same hospital that has been severely criticized recently.

Terri now needs chemotherapy. The hospital does not provide chemo. She has to go to a physician’s office. One that specializes in illness such as Terri has.

The cost of the chemotherapy is $750 per visit. She needs chemo twice a week. Totals $1,500 a week. Additionally, $1,000 a month for drugs.

The chemotherapy physician’s office told her no money, no chemo. It was a for profit operation.

Terri is without choice. She will die. Obviously sooner than later.

I can understand the doctor’s office turning Terri away. He has a ton of overhead, an expensive staff of professionals, etc. If not paid, he would not be in business long. Not able to provide to any one the life saving treatment he does.

That philosophy does not help Terri, however.

Terri is too young for Medicare.

The system cries out for true universal health care. One with one payor. Like Medicare.

A fund has been established to help Terri with her initial expenses. One to get her started. The goal is $9,000. Over $5,000 has already been raised.

Please do what you can.

A Go Fund Me fund has been established: go fund me.com/terri-white-medical-fund/donate.

Help Terri today.

The City Commission voted last night to return the Tiger to the corner of White and United. The Tiger’s original site.

The original site won out by one vote. The issue has been before the Commission for months. Absolutely amazing how Key West politicos can spend so much time on a simple issue. Whereas, they have been known to authorize millions in little time and with insufficient information. Priorities misplaced.

My blog is short this morning. Between Terri and an early appointment, I am unable to get into Installment 15 of my Key West Rotary history banter. I am disappointed. It is interesting. Covers the Rotary and the Edward Strunk Jr. story. Strunk’s history in and of itself inspiring.

Strunk tomorrow!

Enjoy your day!