DAY OF REST

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As far back as I can remember, Sunday has always been my lazy day. I plan to do much. End up doing nothing or next to nothing.

Yesterday, no different. My plan was to go to the Gardens later in the afternoon and then home to watch the Academy Awards. Missed the Gardens. Caught the Academy Awards.

My comments re the Academy Awards brief.

A good show. Jimmy Kimmel said at the beginning a tight schedule time wise. Hoped winners would keep their thank yous short. Even offered a prize for the most short. A $17,500 Jet Ski. Thought the Jet Ski thing tarnished the show a bit.

If time was a problem, why were the commercial advertisements so long. Perhaps the longest for this show. Also, some of the musical numbers ran longer than normal.

Inconsistencies.

Another item I found troublesome. Support for the feminist movement profound. Nothing wrong with it. However, I do not recall any mention of the gun issue which is at the least of equal importance.

Whatever, I enjoyed the show.

I did spend some time reading in the afternoon. Finished Collusion by Luke Harding. The book cover says: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia helped Donald Trump Win. Not quite. I fear a race to the printer caused the book to fail in showing with particularity how Russia helped Trump to win.

The book ends with parts of the time frame during transition. Two more months and the author would have had significantly more to talk about.

Don’t waste your time reading the book.

Love Kate Miano! A good friend, a good person. Candidate for Mayor. Hope she wins!

Her campaign slogan: Expect Great! Elect Kate!

I like it.

Don’t forget Kate’s campaign kickoff party Friday night. Six at the Gardens. Free food and drink. Bring a friend or two. Kate deserves everyone’s help.

Been cool the past two nights. High 60’s. Turned on the heat. Today 76 by day and 66 by night. Heater back on tonight. Not all night. I use it to take the chill out of the air when I go to bed.

I don’t think Wilbur Ross is good for the country. Ross is presently Secretary of Commerce. The guy on TV the past few days explaining how a trade war would not really impact on the American consumer. Used a can of Campbell Soup and a can of soda to explain his position.

Recall Herbert Hoover began a trade war. Look where it got us!

Ross and Trump met during Trump’s Atlantic City casino days in the 1980’s. Ross was a Rothschild banker. His specialty then and throughout his career has involved the purchase of bankrupt businesses, get them going again, and then sell them for a profit. Much involved with steel mills in this regard.

Ross was and is known as the King of Bankruptcy.

Re Atlantic City, Ross was not representing Trump. He was representing one of the banks. Whatever, Trump ended up putting his corporations into bankruptcy while at the same time retaining control of the casinos. Brilliant! Ross thought to be responsible,

Ross has Russia connections all over the place. Some of which he failed to sufficiently disclose during his confirmation hearing. Shortly thereafter, the Paradise Papers bloomed. Leaked documents which showed Ross had failed to clearly disclose his financial ties to Russian interests. He provided further information and agreed to divest himself from some 80 companies he had an interest in which were doing business with Russia. Not disclosed by him the first time around.

It is suspected some of the companies remain undisclosed even at this time.

The Ross items not clearly or sufficiently disclosed include the following.

He was Vice-Chairman of the Bank of Cyprus. A bank that did significant business with Russian persons.

His Navigator Holdings. Ross’s interest in a shipping company that transports petrochemicals for Russian gas and petroleum. The Russian company is Silbur.

Silbur has been sanctioned for its close ties to Russian oligarchs and Putin’s son in law Kirill Shamalov.

A question remains as to whether there has been sufficient divestment.

Ross checkered and questionable. Yet he sits at the right hand of Trump.

Senator Lindsey Graham shocked me with a comment he made yesterday. He thought a war with North Korea was “worth it.”

Graham acknowledged deaths in the millions. Tens of thousands of American soldiers. Significant non-military deaths up and down the Korean peninsula.

An American general said that such a war would involve brutality beyond the experience of any living soldier.

Graham’s words were based on his belief that such a war would bring “long term stability” to a region requiring it.

Trump is crazy. Is Graham also? Who under any circumstances would want a war of such devastation?

Tonight, Dueling Bartenders at Aqua.

Enjoy your day!

 

STEPHEN MILLER / JOSEPH GOEBBELS

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Stephen Miller appeared on the Sunday talk shows yesterday. His appearances shocking.

Miller is a Senior Advisor to the President. Part of the close to Trump West Wing team. He recently distinguished himself as the preparer of the Executive Order re immigration/banning entry. The order that resulted in a court challenge which Trump has thus far lost.

Miller’s performance on the talk shows shocking. One person commented that Miller was a “talking bag of puss.” Strong language based on strong feelings.

Miller appears to me as one who has perfected lying with a straight face. He reflects a twisted psyche. A propagandist.

I found it interesting when he challenged George Stephanopoulus. Miller told Stephanopoulus that he (Miller) would decide what questions could be asked of him and what not.

A public servant?

Miller is 32. I have recently criticized his youth in holding such a high level post. One which requires experience.

Miller reminds me of Joseph Goebbels. Even looks like him. Google Goebbels and make your own determination. Goebbels was 36 when he became Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda in 1933. He had been a Nazi supporter and influence since 26.

My friends, start getting concerned. We are only at the beginning. Specifically what, I am not sure. Whatever, it definitely will be no good.

Permit a brief thought re immigrants.

The immigrants of today are the Jews of yesterday. A needed scapegoat.

I mentioned this several times five years ago when I visited Greece. Blackshirts instead of Brownshirts. Windows of retail stores owned by immigrants marked with huge Xs. Immigrants openly beaten on the streets while police turned their backs.

We are not there yet. May never be. You never know, however. Our nation is split. People angry. Lead by a person feeding off that anger.

Yesterday was a quiet day at home. Never left. A lazy day. Read, worked on tuesday night’s podcast, sat on the deck and snoozed, watched the Grammys.

Grammys enjoyable! Actually, terrific!

No Aqua Dueling Bartenders tonight.

Syracuse/Louisville. Available locally on ESPN. I may go out to watch the game.

Louisville a 4 point favorite. Louisville ranked #4 nationally.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and Louisville coach Rick Pitino best buddies. Close. Pitino was an assistant coach under Boeheim years ago. Both best man for each other. Both godfathers to certain of each’s children.

Kissing is good! No question about it. Tomorrow a big kissing night in Key West. To celebrate Valentine Day. A mass couples’ kissing at 5:30 tomorrow in front of the Custom House.

I will not be there. Unfortunately.

The History Section in this morning’s Key West Citizen has a picture of a trolley car taken in 1904. I remember street cars. We had them in Utica. My time to recall would have been 1937-40. Three to five years old. The trolley ran on Bleecker Street. Took us downtown. One to two miles.

Enjoy your day!