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Last night tuesday. Tuesday Happy Hour at The Grand. A great Happy Hour yesterday!
Matt bartending. Great personality. Steve and Cindy, Eddie, Chris and strangers.
Happy Hour for locals half price for appetizers and booze. I’m not drinking so it’s only the food for me. Decided on small clams buried in a butter sauce with a basket of cut up chunks of soft bread. For dunking. The best part of the meal.
Inexpensive. I was embarrassed when I got the bill: $8. The clams $16 normally. Happy Hourr price $8. I dropped a $20 bill on the bar as I left.
Great conversation with Steve. He is always a joy to be with. He arrived in Key West in the 1960’s. Became friends with Jimmy Buffett when Buffett arrived in the early 1970’s. I learned Steve was a guest at Buffett’s wedding in Aspen many years ago. These guys knew how to live it up back then.
Steve made an observation about the blog that was correct. When Trump was sworn in as President some 50 days ago, I wrote that within 1-2 months he would screw everything up and bring our country to the brink of disaster. Steve reminded me I was correct. Everything I said was going to happen has begun. The next 1-2 months are going to be even worse.
Yesterday was not a happy camper one for me. My arm still bleeding. Even this morning. This is day 9. Less, but still bleeding.
My blood work came back ok, except for one item. I am redoing the blood work this afternoon to see if the bad part is correct.
On this day in 1998, The Sound of Music opened at the Martin Beck Theater in New York City. A rerun. Ran for more than one year through June 20, 1999.
I was fortunate to have seen the first run on Broadway in July 1960.
I came across an interesting use for a proper name. It ran on the internet as a comment re the first record of Guttenberg’s Bible. The Bible was referred to in a letter dated March 12, 1455 by one Enea Silvio Piciolomini which mentioned it having been printed one year earlier.
The name that struck me was Piccolomini’s middle name Silvio. My middle name also. My Mother’s father’s name. I rarely see Silvio referenced or mentioned.
Musk has achieved a degree of greatness sufficient to warrant a special section or grouping on this blog today.
First permit my observation that I do not know how he became the richest man in the world. Everything he touches with Trump or on Trump’s behalf turns sour. Even his business Tesla is going down the tubes at the moment.
Yesterday on the White House South Lawn, 5 new Tesla’s were displayed. Like on sale/available for sale. Trump was out there praising Musk’s product. Trump even bought one of the cars. I believe a fire engine red one claiming he was helping out a friend.
These guys refuse to follow the law. They do not even bother to find out what the law is. Federal employees are prohibited from endorsing or promoting a product on federal property. I assume Musk is a federal employee. Trump does not apply since a President is specifically excluded from falling under the law.
Musk called Senator Mark Kelly a “traitor” yesterday. The Senator visited Ukraine and expressed his support for Ukraine in Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Kelly is an American hero. A decorated Navy pilot and former astronaut. Seriously considered for the Vice-President position on the Kamala Harris ticket. His wife former Congresswoman Gabby Gifford. You will recall she was shot in the head while campaigning in 2011. Part of her scalp had to be removed.
Kelly flew on four NASA missions into space. He served 25 years in the Navy. Served a number of years as a combat pilot in the Middle East.
Kelly responded to Musk’s “traitor” charge: “Traitor?”…..Elon, you don’t understand what makes America great and keeps it free, etc.
Musk continues to knock Social Security. Calls it a “Ponzi scheme.” Even worse, calls people who receive federal benefits the “Parasite Class.”
Those who receive retirement checks are receiving in return a small portion of their own monies they paid into Social Security over the years. No free handouts here!
What about Agent Orange veterans? Have their benefits been cut off?
A bit of Trump next.
I mentioned yesterday the international law firm Perkins Coie. One of the law firms Trump has banned from receiving U.S. business, etc. I forgot to mention Sam. Sam a female. Also, Steve Thompson’s sister. Worked for years with the Perkins’ law firm in their Seattle offices. I have met Sam. A charming intelligent woman. Proof of the pudding is she reads my blog every day! Hello, Sam! How are you?
The stock market had another Trump reaction day. At one point was over 700. Ended the day around 440.
Keep it up, Donald! You are leading us into a deep recession.
Another biggie for Trump/Musk. the Department of Education already has had its staff cut in half.
Trump’s 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum goes into effect today world wide. Everywhere. Our close Allies are pissed.
Trump said a few days ago he was going to add an additional 25 percent on Canada bringing Canada’s tariff to 50 percent.
Pure insanity!
The reason was a punishing tariff. Ontario’s leader had imposed a retaliatory tariff on energy it provides three U.S. states. Trump came back with the 50 percent. The two talked and the increases were withdrawn by both.
The Republican House passed its budget bill. The bill now in the Senate’s hands. An even more difficult passage. Sixty votes required. The Senate must pass the bill by 12:01 am saturday or the nation will go into shutdown.
The bill provides only temporary relief. Ths game/scenario will have to be replayed in September again.
Coca Cola has been sold in glass bottles for decades. The first bottled Coke sold this day in 1894.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt the President of Presidents. In peace and war, recession and economic success.
On this day in 1933, while Roosevelt had been in office only 8 days and the recession was drowning the U.S., he went on radio to speak to the nation. A Presidential first. His talk became known as a “fireside chat.” He did several over the years.
He did what he had to do. Intelligently and not stupidly as is being done today. He explained to the people he had closed the banks for one day. They would reopen and in due course things would turn around.
Enjoy your day!