TRUMP A BULLY

When Trump had a successful TV show for years, I thought his facial images and You’re Fired! outbursts were acting.

Then came the Republican primaries. Trump was not the gentleman. Disrespectful of his opponents. He mocked and embarrassed them.

I realized during the debates Trump was a bully. A typical school yard bully. Mocking, threats, attempts to scare another. As written in Macbeth…..Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Trump is not the only bully out there. North Korea’s Jung Un another. One challenging the United States with his limited supply of nuclear weapons. The other wanting to increase the United States nuclear weapon supply ten fold.

They are not engaging in diplomatic talk. No, they are standing face to face throwing serious barbs at each other. Nuclear war a possibility.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. The purpose is to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Perhaps Trump and Jung Un should look into the Month and what it stands for.  They might temper down. Become gentlemen considerate of others.

The Chart Room first last night. Met up with Jean Thornton. Good to see her again. My savior during Irma when I evacuated to her Birmingham home for 12 days.

We went over to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Ann and Joanne joined us. Two more Irma evacuees who ended up at Jean’s home.

A reunion of sorts.

Ann is a manager at Coach. Joanne a manager at the Audubon House.

It was good to see the ladies again.

The Hot Tin Roof is located in the Ocean Key House. Parts of Ocean Key took a beating. The long dock into the ocean where people ate and drank. Tables last night were crowded around the tiki bar and also around the pool. A no no previously.

It was 9:45 and I was driving by Publix. The refrigerator empty again. Zip. Nothing. Publix closes at 10.

I made a quick trip up and down the aisles. Threw only necessities in the cart. Made it time wise. Spent only $31. Enough to get me into the weekend.

Another test at the hospital today. No big deal.

Post Irma help comes from varied places. Not help one might expect.

The Florida Keys Community College took a bit of an Irma beating. three sides of the College sit on open water. The school was closed for three weeks. Reopened October 2.

Broward College students and employees were concerned for their brethren at FKCC. They sent 50 lap top computers, 35 bicycles, academic supplies, and personal items.

God is good! Broward College is good!

Moving my ass on Irma and Me. Assembling photographs for the book. Everyone has many. Selection the issue. If you have any, send them to me. All of them. I will pick and choose.

Send now. To louispetrone@gmail.com. Provide me with your full name, also.

I thought the Key West Citizen had renewed daily publication from Monday through friday. Published monday, tuesday and wednesday this week. Nothing today. Hope whatever the problem, it can be corrected. As I repeatedly have stated, a community needs a daily newspaper.

Syracuse plays Clemson tomorrow night (friday) at 7. A David/Goliath battle. Except, I doubt Syracuse (David) will win. Clemson is #2 in the country at 6-0. Syracuse unranked at 3-3.

Clemson a 21 point favorite.

Hope springs eternal, however. One never knows.

Sometime in the 1980s or 1990s, Syracuse was playing Nebraska. Nebraska #1 in the country. Syracuse unranked. Syracuse won!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FLIES

All of a sudden yesterday flies! Many. The kitchen primarily. At bedtime, my bedroom. This morning, the bedroom. Went downstairs, none in the kitchen.

They do not fly around. They do not move. They just sit where ever they are.

This fly thing a first time experience.

I called an exterminator last night. Will be here at 8 this morning.

I assume the flies are maggot flies. Origination the dead rat several days ago.

An ugly situation!

Started yesterday with the anti-gravity treadmill. Making a new friend. Dave. He is on the treadmill before me.

Then hurried home to do the KONK Life News Hour on 104.9. Hosted by Guy deBoer.

I got all of 10 minutes. Guy and I discussed my KONK Life column of this week. U.S. War Ready? The emphasis on China.

Tavern ‘n Town for dinner last night. Very crowded. All tourists. I knew no one. Thursday night, Key West was dead. Had to be jumping last night. Weekenders from the Florida mainland.

John Boehner’s retirement may be for the best. I thought he had a hard time with the far right. In turn, he had to give Obama a bad time. I doubt things will improve with a new Speaker.

Boehner walks away financially secure. And probably into a lobbying job which will make him more secure.

Boehner has two campaign funds. One with $4 million in it. The other, $1.1 million. He can only use the $4 million one for PAC campaign contributions. The $1.1 million however is his.

Eric Cantor got a job within three weeks of losing his primary. One in Washington at $3.4 million a year. A Speaker is more important than a Majority Leader. Boehner should do better.

It’s the American way!

Leaves no doubt why government does not work.

Big game for Syracuse today. Play #8 nationally LSU. LSU a 24 point favorite. LSU will win. Syracuse quarterbacks #s 1 and 2 injured and cannot play. We are going with #s 3 and 4. Other reasons include a star LSU running back being touted as a Heisman Trophy winner and the fact that LSU is a much better team.

Hope springs eternal. I hope for a Nebraska type victory from many years ago.

Tonight, Lattitudes. I am looking forward to it.

Enjoy your day!

KEY WEST WASTEFUL WITH MONEY

We live in Paradise! No question about it. However even this heavenly place has its drawbacks. One is not natural. It is man caused. I refer to many Key West City Commission decisions.

Roof leaking water requires a new roof. Cost $194,000. My problem with the repair is that the Police Building is relatively new. Constructed in 2002. In 2013, the windows were leaking. They had to be replaced. $238,00. Such repairs a disgrace for a building  only 13 years old.

It is not just the Police Building. Many things the City Commission votes and approves, later need repair of some kind. Some bad decisions involve overruns. The City Commission is not properly watching out for taxpayer dollars.

Some things I do not understand. Obama is looking to Congress to authorize a declaration of war. At the same time that Congress is threatening to shut down the Department of Homeland Security. Politics many times does not make sense.

Both basically needed to deal with ISIS.

ISIS is on the move again. Beheaded 21 Italians on a beach in Libya. All 21 were Coptic Christians.

ISIS is a spreading cancer. The Atlantic Ocean is not protection from ISIS terrorist attacks in the United States. We should have learned that from 9/11 and al-Qaeda

Today is Presidents’ Day. Most people think it is to celebrate the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln. It is not. When in 1968 Congress authorized the day as a holiday, it was intended to celebrate only Washington’s birthday. The people assumed it was for both.

No day is set aside to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday. Prior to Congress screwing everything up, the birthdays were celebrated on the actual date of the birth of each. Lincoln on February 2 and Washington on February 22.

The legal holiday popularly known as Presidents’ Day is to be celebrated on the third monday in February.

We also lost a paid holiday on the way. Both holidays on each’s date of birth meant for two separate days off. As opposed to Washington’s birthday alone which permits one day.

We lost a day and did not even know it at the time. Even today. Lincoln has no specific date to celebrate his life.

Thank you Congress! Another example of not getting things right.

Enjoy your day!

POPE FRANCIS DOES IT AGAIN

Pope Francis is unique. He is different. He fights in the trenches.

Over the weekend, the Pope named 19 new Cardinals. Cardinals are one step below him in authority. Followed by Bishops.

A synod was held a few months ago. A Bishops thing. Some Cardinals in attendance. They gave the new Pope a hard time on homosexuals and Catholics who divorce and remarry.

It will not happen again if and when a new synod is held. Or any meeting of Cardinals and/or Bishops. The Pope is packing the Cardinal group. Appointing those who would be supportive of him in the future. Even a Pope has to play politics.

No U.S. Catholics were nominated. Unusual. The U.S. has long been a strong arm in Vatican politics. It was the U.S. contingency that obstructed the Pope at the Synod. Not the next time. The Pope has no time for clerical politicians. He is going to ride roughshod over them. The first step was stacking the Cardinal deck.

Yesterday’s Key West Citizen ran a major front page story on alligators and crocodiles. They are moving down the keys. Small ones have been observed south of the Seven Mile Bridge. Additionally, authorities have received 9 calls in the past 3 years re sightings between Big Pine and Key West.

Canal swimmers beware!

I learned something interesting from the article. Alligators and crocodiles cannot exist together. It is one or the other. Not in watery areas south of Miami and through the keys, however.

How lucky can we be!

Got out again yesterday. I had thoughts of Boondocks. Put the top down and away I went.

I have always liked Boondocks. Thirty miles up the road on US 1 just south of Big Pine. The food and prices a step up from Hogfish and Geiger Key. The ambiance also. I sat quietly and comfortably at the bar reading the Sunday newspapers.

Party time coming! Don and Chris arrive Saturday. Don already sent me an e-mail advising the Sunday night Syracuse game. Where will we watching, he asked. Don says Skaneateles Dan has already arrived.

I have been watching the games from home and bed recently. For whatever reason, I can get the games on one of three ESPN channels. If I am to go out, and I would enjoy doing it with friends, I suggest Don’s Place. Inside or outside bar.

Enjoy your day!