Many important things occurring world wide. So much to report. This morning a local problem has significant importance. Hurricane season is scheduled to begin monday. Will last several months.
As with most things, you must have experienced a hurricane or two to appreciate the seriousness. I have several. Life changing for a period of time. Scary. Dangerous. Unbelievable.
Experts predict a dangerous season. They generally do. Sometimes right, sometimes wrong. Hope they are wrong this season.
Summations were completed yesterday in Trump’s trial. The Judge will charge the jury as to the law this morning and the case will be in their hands from that point forward.
Judgment time finally reached!
Closing statements occurred outside and inside the court house yesterday. Citizens spoke. One was actor Robert DeNiro. Not a Trump fan, He described Trump as a “clown…..bullshitter and liar…..one who wants to eliminate the Constitution.” DeNiro wants Trump convicted and out of American politics once and for all.
I am not sure it will work that way even if Trump is convicted.
Inside the court room, the defense summed up first. Trump’s attorney described Trump as a “victim.” He attacked Cohen viciously as expected. He said Cohen was “the greatest liar of all time…..the human embodiment of reasonable doubt…..the MVP of liars…..guilty of perjury…..Stormy Daniels called as a witness only to embarrass Trump.”
The prosecution main points were “Trump sought the subversion of democracy……the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels was part of an illegal effort to inflict the 2016 election.” The prosecutor used texts and phone calls to create a paper trail. He went over the items in detail.
He also said “the hush money payment was paid in October 2016, two weeks before the election to influence the election…..the payment was fueled by political panic that he was going to lose. “
The key he said was a tape of Trump telling Cohen to “pay cash.” He further accused Trump of trying to “hoodwink the American voter.”
An indication Trump’s popularity is diminishing is that his family was heckled outside the court house.
Trump is making sweeping promises to big donors. Anything and everything. His recent meetings with them have Trump telling each group what they wanted to hear. Promised them whatever he thought they needed and wanted.
One to two million dollars usually got a donor a private lunch with Trump. The past week has Trump telling his donors the number now is a $25 million contribution. To one group, he said $25-50 million or he would not be “very happy.”
He’s bold. Tells donors to their faces it is in their interest to cut large checks.
Individual contributions are limited to $3,300. per person. However Trump can appear at his Super Pac where the price of admission is higher. As long as Trump does not ask for their money directly.
Trump may have gone over the line in asking for the millions in some instances. However nothing will come of it and he knows it. The Federal Election Bureau is gridlocked with 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats and is unlikely to investigate any of Trump’s fundraising in an election year.
Another example of how our government is f–ked up.
This day in 1937, Sloppy Joe’s held its grand opening at its new location on the corner of Duval and Greene Streets.
Big news this day in 1953. Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Disgusting! What occurred “in the name of God.” The Washington post published a detailed article this morning describing how for decades, Catholic priests, brothers and sisters raped or molested Native American children who were taken from their homes by the U.S. government and forced to live at remote boarding schools.
The Washington Post investigation revealed pervasive sexual abuse endured by Native American children at Catholic run schools in the Mideast to the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska. Most of the documented abuse occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. Involved were more than 1,000 children.
The sexual abuse was described as “a national crime scene…..They did it in the name of God.”
Lawsuits and settlements followed.
Pope Francis traveled to Alaska in 2022 to apologize for the Church’s role.
Rome is crowded big time during the summer season. Horribly so!
Steve and Cindy recently visited Rome. Their stories and photos of the crowds unbelievable.
I spent a month in Rome 35-40 years ago in May and June. Only one place was crowded. The Sistine Chapel. Shoulder to shoulder. Really crowded. Worth the experience and inconvenience, however. Michelangelo’s beauty above on the ceiling. The fingers reaching out to touch.
Don’t miss the Sistine Chapel if you visit Rome.
Enjoy your day!