All good things come to an end. Curtains for the penny. Goodbye penny.

The U.S. has stopped making pennies. The penny had a 230 year life.

The last penny was struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia yesterday. 

It is already being missed. There was a slowdown in making pennies even before yesterday.

It was Trump’s idea to end the penny. He was upset because they cost more than 2 cents to make. Actual figure not certain. Between 3.7 cents and 4 cents plus.

We will now need more nickels. Stores already using nickels in place of pennies. A nickel shortage will result.  More nickels will have to be made. Nichols cost 13.8 cents to make. An example of another Trump faux pas. He thinks he was saving money by killing the penny. Actually will cost more because of the increased cost of the nickel.

Actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg was born this day in 1935.

A major Supreme Court decision was handed down this day in 1956: The Supreme Court ruled Alabama bus segregation was illegal.

Understand why there was a shutdown. Trump used the shutdown as an excuse to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and anything else he could.

Trump said: “There’s nothing about death. There’s death because they’re going to lose Social Security, they’re going to lose Medicare, all of those things are going to be gone because the whole country would be bankrupt and you’re not going to have any kind of medical insurance.”

I thought a President was President of all the people and concerned for their well being. Not Donald. His concern the rich. Screw those of lesser financial status…..the middle class, lower class and poor!

Bottomline again. Screw the poor. Let them die. Take care of and only be concerned for the rich. “Our President!”

Rome gave us much. Not everything well known. Everyone recognizes Rome  gave us a sanitation system and road networks. History fails to let us know that Rome also was responsible for five other significant items.

The bound book! Yes, books not bound as we know them till the Romans came up with the idea.

Precision medical instruments. Many still used today in operating rooms and doctors’ offices.

Roof covered shopping malls. The first!

The Gregorian Calendar. As insufficient as it still is.

Heated floors. Warmed the house.

Enjoy your day!

Trump’s incoherent foreign policy defies explanation. He has made friends foes and worked at making foes friends. He has blown 70 years of hard work by the U.S. in establishing friendships.

An example of how Trump’s tariffs are affecting a favorite American consumer product: Macaroni/pasta. An American super market favorite.

Italy’s biggest pasta exporters claim pasta duties total 107 percent. Such makes doing business with the U.S. too costly. As a result, Italy is prepared to pull its macaroni business out of the U.S. in January. The macaroni tariffs are among the largest faced by any product targeted by the Trump administration.

The tariff conflict affects the entire pasta industry…..from spaghetti Bolognese to mac and cheese. It has resulted in a major diplomatic dispute between Washington and Rome.

Query: Is Trump anti-Italian or is the macaroni/pasta tariff sheer stupidity?

The eight Democratic Senators who voted with Republicans to lift the shutdown did wrong. The medical cost correction Democrats were looking for did not occur. The eight Democrats gave in getting nothing in return. Typical no balls by Democrats in these type fights. Democrats must learn how to fight to the bitter end.

Yes, people have to eat. All forms of assistance were popping up in the U.S. The food problem would have had significant assistance in another week. One way or another, we take care of our own.

War is war! Eight Democrats capitulated. Not the way to fight!

An air traveler who was stuck in Chicago said it correctly re reference to the eight Democrats going over: “What was the point if you were just going to give in anyway?”

On November 11, 1864, under orders of General William Sherman, Union soldiers began with what lead to the Union destruction of Atlanta. A major Union victory. It was the beginning of Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Octopuses have three hearts, blue blood, and can change color to blend with water surroundings.

Lemon juice softens meat because its acid breaks down muscle fibers.

A fact, though a strange one. Eating too many carrots can tan your skin orange.

Garlic was used as a medicine in ancient Egypt.

Bananas are actually berries, strawberries are not.

Honey never ages or expires. It has been found in ancient tombs still safe to eat.

In 1945, 15,000 U.S. Mustangs flew from Iwo Jima to attack Tokyo.

Is it cold in Florida! Especially South Florida. An artic blast hit yesterday. Sixty degrees in Key West. Forty degrees in Cape Coral. A record low cold blast. I am wandering around my apartment in a sweat shirt. All air conditioning turned off. Weather will begin changing back to normal later today. Into the 70s.

ICE does good! Written with tongue in cheek. ICE actually has to go! Not representative of America. Latest ICE mishap involved pepper spraying a one year old girl and her Dad near Chicago.

South Dakota and Washington rank high for clean electric energy. Rhode Island and Delaware for power grid reliability. 

If one or two can do it, why not all?

Gettysburg engaged 165,620 soldiers. Soldiers from both sides. Sixty four Medals of Honor were awarded Union soldiers.

Gettysburg was not the largest Civil War battle. The Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862 was. One hundred eighty thousand soldiers involved.  Killed 51,112 in the 3 day battle. 

Trump claims it’s “illegal” for Late Night Hosts to mock him. Indicates Trump wants to eliminate all criticism.

Yesterday was November 11. November 11 is Veterans Day. 

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War/World War I was ended.

Early in World War II, Congress recognized the need for more military. Congress lowered the draft age to 18 and raised the upper limit to age 37.

Dr. Mary Edwards was the first and is still the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. She was a Union surgeon during the Civil War, captured and held prisoner by the Confederates. 

Her Medal of Honor was revoked in 1917 during a review that affected many recipients. Edwards refused to return the Medal and wore it every day the rest of her life. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter restored the Medal of Honor in her name.

And so it was.

Enjoy your day!

Thomas Jefferson was one of the largest slaveholders during his time. On the other hand, he penned the words “All men are created equal.” How is the inconsistency explained?

Medicaid cuts bills.

Who is responsible for continuing the Shutdown?  Senate Republicans rejected the Democrat’s latest offer to end the Shutdown.

As Thanksgiving approaches, airline impacts will worsen.

Trump wants his “notoriety” everywhere. Now on a two headed coin. Trump featured on both sides. Should not be done. Trump has undercut our founding principles. He is not deserving of being featured on one or two sides of a coin.

Russia may field its smallest Olympic team in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Only 3 months away. The war in Ukraine does not help re the  number of athletes it has at the moment. 

U.S. needs the EPA. Trump does not believe so. I was an environmental attorney. Big time! I experienced first hand the need for and value of the EPA. Trump is blind to its value and need.

James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, is dead at 97.

When one thinks of Trump, one must think cruelty, bigotry, and rage. The way he is, the way he conducts himself. As a result, screws up the U.S. and world in general.

Trump’s vision of a Margo-a-Lago on the Potomac an American island. He wants his hand print left everywhere.

Smallpox and the Revolutionary War. A major problem. Washington knew how to deal with it. He had suffered the illness for one month in his youth.

A grim outbreak occurred in Boston in 1775. Spread. Washington made the bold decision to order mass inoculations for the Continental Army. The procedure involved making a small incision in the arm and inserting a dose of the virus. It paid off. Reduced death numbers and kept Washington’s Army in fighting shape.

There is only one sovereign nation named for a real woman. St. Lucia, the Caribbean island.

On this day in 1965, the Great Northeast Blackout occurred. A transmission line in Ontario, Canada, blew at 5:16 pm. The blackout extended into New York and several other States also. I was at the YMCA in Utica at the time. Just completed my workout and shower. Was standing bare ass drying off when everything went black. In and out of the building. Already dark outside. Three million people were without power involving the U.S. and Canada.

It took a while for me to find my clothes and dress. In the dark, of course. The drive home was not easy. Street lights and traffic lights not working.

When I got home, wife and 4 kids sitting in the dark. I made a fire in the fireplace. There we stayed, picked at some food and played.

“Steamboat Willie” was the first film to feature Mickey Mouse.

Chess a yesteryear born game. Long ago. Traces its roots to a game called “Chaturanga” in the sixth century.

Syracuse lost again yesterday. A lousy season. Record now 3-7. Lost to Miami yesterday 38-10. Difficult for a die hard fan like me to handle.

Enjoy your Sunday!

What is going on? Technicalities are permitting 42 million people from being fed. Not the way government should be run. The people will permit/suffer such wrong for a short time. Then feeding themselves and their children will move to the forefront. American families will realize Trump is eating as are members of the Supreme Court and their families.

The Supreme Court has temporarily allowed Trump to curtail food stamp funding. Forty two million will not receive funding today to buy food. To put food on their tables. To feed themselves and their families. Trump will eat. His administration will eat. Supreme Court Justice Jackson will eat. The entire Supreme Court and their families will eat. The needy 42 million will not. The message clear: Screw the people!

Understand clearly that Supreme Court Associate Justice Jackson has permitted a technicality to prevent food funding for the 42 million.

Trump has consistently used technicalities to curtail and delay Supreme Court action. Should not be permitted where food on the table is the issue. Definitely wrong. Feeding people is more important than technicalities.

The present Supreme Court sucks.  It has consistently bent over to empower Trump.  Does the Court fear Donald?  It would not surprise me.

If feeding 42 million is constantly thwarted, people will revolt. Yes, there will be a civil war. Again, feeding the citizens is more important than technicalities.

Those of you who will eat three meals today enjoy. Those who will not be able to purchase sufficient food, suffer. It appears that is the way our government wants it. What will be will be. What will happen will.

Being sick can be a pain in the ass. Literally. For real. Last week I felt good. This week horrible. Can’t win.

I developed butt sores. Considered serious. I had to purchase a special ointment Calmoseptine. Must be rubbed on every two hours. Cannot lie on my back. Ass must not be flat on bed. Must lay on my side or sit up.

Sitting up yesterday resulted in gout. My ankles and lower legs blew up big time. An example of not being able to win.

Normally I would have watched TV all day. Not yesterday. I inadvertently spilled a half bottle of water on my TV unit that operates everything. So much for TV yesterday. I sat around all day. Nothing to read. My books are all in storage. I use the TV for reading purposes these days.

A boring day! Ankles and lower legs getting more and more painful.

Fortunately Corey was helpful. I called him when the spilling occurred. He said turn the unit upside down and leave it off.

Corey came by last night. He played with the unit for a minute or two and Voila! it was working! Thank God! Corey is the best!

Nevertheless sleeping was difficult. It was another night of little sleep.

A Rhode Island federal judge ordered Trump to fully fund SNAP benefits by Friday. There is all kinds of idle monies in Washington to do so. The Trump administration threatens to appeal.

Interesting while fat Donald and other similar Washington types care not that 42 million U.S. citizens will lose more weight. Trump and his friends should go on an anti-SNAP diet. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Last week I watched the entire of a Winston Churchill movie involving Churchill’s decision making process and Dunkirk. Churchill’s words to the House of Commons about fighting rather than surrendering will live forever in history. Worthy of being shared with you today:

     “We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France and on the seas and oceans; we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the act may be; we shall fight on beaches, landing grounds, in fields, in streets and on the hills.”

     We will get 300,000 British off the beaches and return them home.

     A great result. In effect, a victory!

The shutdown seemingly affecting flights. The FAA is cutting 10 percent of today’s flights. If necessary, it will cut more. Forty airports involved. The largest shutdown in years, perhaps ever. Involved are roughly 4,400 flights today.

Trump says pardons signed by Biden using autopen are invalid and should be nullified. Trump claims the pardons are “worthless.”

Trump full of “shit.” He should check the law. Any type pardons signed by a President or authorized by him are valid. A President merely has to authorize the action.

A further consideration is the legal consensus by legal scholars and Justice Department memos, dating back t0 1929 and 2025, indicating the Constitution does not require a President’s physical handwritten signature for a pardon for the executive action to be valid. The big factor is the President’s intent and authorization for the action.

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest U.S. President at 6 feet 4 inches.

Napoleon did not speak French till he was 9 years old. He was not born in France. He was born on the island of Corsica where most people spoke Italian. His Italian accent continued even when he was the great Napoleon and had conquered most of Europe. The Italian accent was obvious even when he spoke French.

Laundry shuts in homes were a dying breed between the 1930s and 1960s.My Utica home had one. It was a 4,000 square foot plus home built in 1922 by a doctor.  He brought workers over from Italy. Took them 2 years to build the house. They lived on tents on the property which was 5 acres plus. I purchased the home years later. The laundry shut ran from the master bedroom to the first floor living room to the cellar. It was constantly used.

A woman thought she had kidney stones. No kidney stones. She was pregnant. Gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

Women’s Day. Women’s recognition time. Marie Curie was born this day in 1867. Jeanette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress this day in 1916. Former first lady Anna Eleanor Roosevelt died this day in 1962.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson a star athlete: “Talent is never enough. With few exceptions, the best players are the hardest workers.”

Some of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s words of wisdom today.

     -I guess they all voted No Kings.

     -Trump says he could send “Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines” into U.S. cities “if it was necessary.” This isn’t just about suppression of protests, it’s about ending democracy.

The eagle once depicted on U.S. coins was a real eagle named Peter. Peter’s time was the 1830s. Unfortunately Peter caught his wing in a coin press and died a few days later.

Nevertheless, Peter’s friends and colleagues did not want to say goodbye. They hired a taxidermist and placed his stuffed remains in the Philadelphia Mint. His remains today are in the current Philadelphia Mint building in its entrance way.

Nancy Pelosi is retiring after almost four decades in Washington. Sad. One of the best elected U.S. officials ever.

Enjoy your day!

I am still suffering from my recent fall. All kinds of problems.

My sleep screwed up. Fell asleep at 7 last night and woke 3 this morning. Have not been to sleep since.

Three p.m. was computer time. Came across a YouTube musical entry on the internet. Purportedly six great songs being sung. They were!

The six: Oliva Newton-John singing Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, the Village People doing Y.M.C.A., Orson Welles the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Frank Sinatra My Way, Kate Smith her introduction of God Bless America, and Luciano Pavarotti singing Nesum Dorma.

All a WOW!

Trump continues to misrepresent the price of goods. His claim is everything is down. Costs and inflation. He lies in both or just does not know what he is talking about. Expect prices to go further up  when he imposes new tariffs.

The current situation.

The Federal Reserve target for inflation is 2 percent. As of September 2025, inflation was 3 percent. It had been 2.3 percent in April. Rose that far on its path to September. Trump’s inflation numbers up, not down.

Tariffs continue to contribute to higher domestic costs for imported goods like apparel, furniture, and auto parts. Experts say the average household increase for these items will be $1,800 per year for the average household.

Gasoline. Recently dropped to a four year low. Under $3 a gallon in most places. Not Key West and the lower Keys. I cannot recall the last time I paid under $3 a gallon. 

Grocery Prices. Trump says “down.” No way. He probably does not understand because he does not do the grocery shopping. Grocery prices slowly but gradually increase every week.

Prescription drug prices. Trump claims price cuts because of deals with pharmaceutical companies to bring prices down and in line with those in other nations. Not so. Fact checking proves such mathematically impossible.

Public perception. Majority of Americans blame Trump for rising prices overall. Obvious to actual cost of goods and perception of the same result in a top concern for consumers.

Bottom line. Cost of most things going up on a continuing basis. Trump and his tariffs to blame.

A huge number of golf courses in the U.S. at the end of 2023. The number 15,963.

Harry Truman’s breakfast included a shot of bourbon. For real!

His total breakfast as follows: One piece of toast, no butter, no sugar, no sweets. One fried egg, a strip of bacon, grapefruit and a shot of bourbon. Old Grandad or Wild Turkey.. Truman said the booze made him a “bit tipsy” right off the bat, but soon faded.

There are commercial plane shortages. Trump’s fault, of course. He keeps screwing around with tariffs and increasing costs.

Who was the President who fathered the most children? Can’t blame Trump for this one. It was John Tyler. Fifteen.

Tyler was initially Vice-President. He succeeded to the Presidency when William Henry Harrison died following the 1840 election.

The significance of their race was the Harris-Tyler ticket featured the first official campaign slogan: “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.”

Tippecanoe was used to note Harrison. He had earned the nick name “Old Tippecanoe” for his victory during the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.

The slogan was a catchy one.

On this day in 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected Confederate President.

Major Russian day! This day in 1917. The Bolsheviks revolted in Russia.

The first college football game occurred this day in 1869. Rutgers beat Princeton.

On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected President.

Oreo is releasing a Thanksgiving Dinner Cookie with turkey, stuffing and creamed corn flavors. Also a separate cookie tasting like pumpkin pie. All in all, Oreo will have six different flavored special Thanksgiving cookies.

Amazon is offering a Thanksgiving Meal which will feed a family of five for $25. Includes an entire turkey and classic sides. Available to order November 12.

I am unaware as to the weight of the turkey. Twenty five dollars is awfully cheap…..depending on the size of the turkey.

I close with a Hollywood friend. Gene Tierney. She died this day in 1991.

For a number of years she was close to the owner of the largest home in Cooperstown proper. He was a party thrower. Cooperstown 40 miles from Utica. We were friends. I was invited to many of the parties. Met and got to know Gene. Beautiful does not adequately describe her. She was magnificent! Also charming and cordial. Intelligent. Good company.

I will have to suffer further today. Getting old has all kinds of built in problems.

Enjoy your day!

A Democratic sweep. Democrats won all significant races. Republicans none. Dems won New York City Mayor, Proposition 50 in California, and governor races in Virginia and New Jersey. Plus 2 or 3 less significant races elsewhere.

Trump beaten everywhere. Decidedly so. An international fool two weeks ago in South Korea, a national one yesterday in the U.S.

What more need be said. The handwriting is on the wall for two years from now.

A bit of local news. Onondaga County New York is the home of Syracuse University. The school for my legal education. Later a law office. The place where I tried many lawsuits. The place where I was both a major financial supporter of the Law School and an avid sports fan.

The County basically Republican. Not yesterday, however. The Democrats flipped the County Legislature for the first time in nearly 50 years. The impossible occurred!

The City of Syracuse had a first also. Elected Sharon Owens as Mayor. Syracuse’s first Black mayor.

Vance’s popularity waning in Cincinnati. His half brother Cory Bowman lost his bid for Mayor.

Names of famous Hollywood stars adopted. Not theirs for real. Examples: Martin Sheen was Ramon Antonio Gerardo Estevez, Judy Garland was Francis Ethel Gumm, Marilyn Monroe was Norma Jeane Mortanson, John Wayne was Marion Morrison, Doris Day was Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff, and Cary Grant was Archibald Alec Leach.

Denny’s is a popular large restaurant in Key West. Part of a chain. It is going to go private in a $620 million deal.

Treasury Secretary Bessent suggests the U.S. already in a housing recession. Does Trump agree?

Beware! Monroe County Sheriff advises fake $100 bills circulating in the Key West area.

Short blog today. I have been sick the past couple of days. Wobbling and falling. Yesterday a cat scan of my head which I had banged, Wobbled going into the scan and leaving. Everyone panicked.

Still waiting for results of cat scan. Expect them this morning. Hopefully negative. I suspect they will be so. 

Enjoy your day!

In earliest U.S. elections free booze for voters was important. More so than today.

For example, George Washington provided no alcohol to voters in his first campaign. As a result, he lost. Second time he ran he was smarter. He loaded his campaign coffers with free alcohol for voters. He won.

The election was not for the Presidency. It was for the Virginia House of Burgesses.

During his second campaign, Washington provided voters with 28 gallons of rum, 50 gallons of rum punch, 34 gallons of wine, 46 gallons of beer, and 2 gallons of cider royal. His entire campaign budget went to pay for booze. He had learned.

Free booze at election time was illegal. However everyone did it. 

One of our better Vice-Presidents is dead. Dick Cheney yesterday at age 84. A powerful and polarizing figure.

I don’t know if Trump knows what he is doing. Except perhaps, if you will excuse the vernacular, breaking balls.

Two Courts have directed him to make SNAP payments. He says he needs instructions how to pay. Pure bullshit. He just does not want to make the payments. He wants a reason to blame Democrats.

Now he has decided to make payments. Only half. He should go on 50 percent meals himself for a while. Would help him to reduce a bit.

Trump is making a big deal out of where to get the money. Tons of places. Again, he does not care about the 42 million. He only seeks a reason to blame Democrats for something.

A bad President. Turning into a worse one.

I was at Date & Thyme yesterday enjoying a smoothie. A gentleman came by and asked if I was Key West Lou. I had not met him before. He was Richard from Michigan. Has a place is Islamorada. Spends a week also in Key West. Reads my blog. Loves it! I loved him!

We chatted for a while. Enjoyed his company. Hope I run into him again.

Later in the day was a bit sad and hurtful. I fell again. At the steps to my apartment. Did not think the fall was bad. However I hit my wheel chair and bicycle. Head hard. Pain minimal. Four hours later, I hurt all over. This morning, even worse. 

Dr. Norris is sending me for a cat scan. Most of my head aches.

It took me an hour to get up. I yelled for assistance. Either no one heard me or no one cared.  I suspect no one heard me.

Today’s blog is short because I hurt. Interestingly, this was the easiest of all the falls I have taken. Yet I hurt the most.

Enjoy your day!

Trump a bully. Talks big, but when the time for action comes walks away.

He has been threatening a war with Venezuela. On phony grounds. He simply does not like Maduro. That’s all. Well, Maduro and many other national leaders do not like Trump. Do you see them talking and preparing for war as Trump has.

Poor Nigeria. A tiny African nation. Trump upset because its government is persecuting Christians. Nigeria’s business. There are a number of things the U.S. has done over the years that other nations found offensive. No one threatened war because of it.

If Trump were to continue selecting nations to invade, it would be one smaller than Nigeria. Perhaps one of the smaller Caribbean ones.

China and Canada have made the U.S. look like an ass. They both colluded at the South Korea Conference to do so.

Actually Trump has made himself look like an ass. His every action and utterance.

China and Canada have not been friends for 8 years. They walked away from South Korea bosom buddies. Also making Trump look badly in the process. Whereas the U.S. must renegotiate its trade agreements with China on a yearly basis, Canada does not. Its deals are good ad infinitum.

Little things mean a lot also. While Xi failed to or little did he smile when he and Trump met on the stage at the Conference, Carey and Xi appeared to be close buddies. Recall that Trump worked hard to get a smile and acknowledgement of anything from Xi.

Another development from the South Korea Conference are media reports that nation leaders in general were laughing at Trump behind his back. Indicating little respect for the man.

Los Angeles won the World Series. Took all of seven games and a terrific final game. Los Angeles hit two significant home runs to win. One in the 9th inning to tie. Another in the 11th to win.

Jasmine Crockett discovers and releases Trump’s “true” Wharton Entrance Score. Not 160 plus as Trump has constantly claimed. A mere 110. A normal score. Average. The score of most persons. Trump’s lie in this regard finally disclosed.

What I am about to do I should not. However I cannot hold back. My score was 165. Purportedly made me a genius. I was. The basic intelligence helped me in law school and the practice. Made me the attorney I was.

Interesting. The New York Times is the largest news outlet in California. As a result, news read in California is more national than local. (to

The California problem is a national one also. Local newspapers printing more national news approaches than local because of it.

Tomorrow is national voting day. There is heavy voting in many places however because of early voting. One is New York City where the early voting has been heavy. The New York City Mayor’s race drawing the voters out.

An explosion at Harvard University. The Goldanson Building. Part of Harvard Medical School. The explosion occurred Saturday. No structural damage, no persons injured.

Pomuch, Mexico. A town of 10,000 on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Exhumation is the act of cleaning the bones of the dead. In Pomuch done on a yearly basis. Considered an act of love. The day is known as the Day of the Dead. The act shows respect for the dead.

A recent problem. Outsiders are arriving in increasing numbers to celebrate the day. Locals consider it an intrusion.

Trump playing games with the Courts again. Two Decisions told him to finance SNAP. Trump came back with “tell me how.” What to know, what funds to use, etc.

The bullshitter is toying with the Courts  to continue at risk 42 million Americans.

Rising electric costs have emerged as key issues in New Jersey and Virginia elections.

Things happen which cause major companies to lay off employees as the federal government has. Examples include Amazon has announced  it would eliminate about 30,000 corporate positions. Roughly 10 percent of its work force. UPS has already cut 34,ooo operational jobs the first 9 months of this year. UPS referred to it as “efficiency reimagined.” Nestle announced it will cut its jobs worldwide over the next 2 years in an effort to achieve “operational efficiency.”

U.S. bridges are in poor condition. Each day 163 million travelers journey  across 41,677 bridges that are in poor condition.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are on furlough. They too need to eat.

One is Isaac Stein. An IRS lawyer. He opened a hot dog stand on a Washington, D.C. corner.

He’s enjoying it big time! Always wanted to run a hot dog stand from his youngest days. 

Got to give him credit. Trump screwed him. However he’s happy in his new work.

Election Day is always on a Tuesday. How did it come to so be?

Initially Election Day covered a 34 day period. Cumbersome. Ergo the Federal Election Day Act of 1845 became law. Federal elections now occur every two years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

The day so determined by life as it was in 1845 when the law was passed. Agriculture was a primary source of revenue. Farming was over by November. So election day was set in November.

It took a full day of traveling in 1845 to travel anywhere. Church made weekends impractical. Wednesday was market day for farmers. Tuesday became the most practical day.

The Presidency is won by Electoral Votes. When Franklin Roosevelt ran in 1936,  531 Electoral votes were available. Roosevelt received the most in history, 523.

Enjoy your day!

Trump is screwed up. A delicate way of saying he is fucked up!

Big time!

He moves from one major issue/going to another. With no break in between. There is some thing called rest. A few days at Camp David to rejuvenate body and soul. Too many trips, too many meetings with major leaders in a short period of time. Knocking down the East Wing at the same time. Now we learn he is going to rejuvenate the Lincoln bathroom with marble ad gold. Who needs it? We are not a marble and gold people. Nor was Lincoln.

He is mentally and physically shot. Too old to move so fast and be involved in all he is at his age.

I suspect his top Cabinet members do not sleep well. Rubio and Bessent must toss and turn nights trying to figure how to get themselves and Trump out of trouble. Hegseth does not similarly concern me. He does not have the brains to realize the trouble Defense/War is in.

I have multiple concerns this morning.

First, war with Venezuela. War with Russia and China could closely follow.

Venezuela realizes it is not equipped to a fight with the mighty U.S. Word is Venezuela has called on Putin and Xi for assistance. Venezuela needs missiles, radar and upgraded aircraft to oppose the U.S. forces that are massing in the Caribbean.

I have been predicting a Trump inspired war for months. One of the places Venezuela. Trump appears to want a big guy fight against a little one. He has selected Venezuela, goosing them into conflict. Russia and China will love helping Venezuela. Both are oil crazy in different ways and may be easy to induce into assistance. Venezuela has tons of oil. Also they would e making an ass out of Trump and the U.S. at the same time.

Trump who wants to be a great President, a respected one, is turning into a two bit President.

Then there is Trump’s meeting with Xi. A terrific success from Trump’s perspective. I suspect a quiet failure from Xi’s.

Note their first meeting at the recent conference. Trump was doing everything to suggest a friendship with Xi. Embarrassingly so. Xi basically ignored him. Turned away a few times. Don’t think he even smiled while Trump was fawning all over him.

It has been reported Xi corrected a mistake in their talks. This I did not see, but report what I have read.

I have a feeling Trump’s “12” is a “0” with Xi.

A Judge recently gave Trump a major boot in the ass re SNAP funds. Trump must pay the 42 million persons out of emergency funds.

Finally comes Trump’s VP Vance. Rumors of divorce from his Hindu wife. He wants her to change her Hindu religion to a Christian one Anything to posture himself for President!

Now for normal news.

The World Series is tied. wLos Angeles won game 6 last night. Today the seventh and last game. The winner to take all the marbles. Definitely will be interesting.

Sotheby’s has a new headliner. An all gold toilet. Appears functional. Named “America.” It will go on sale in November. Opening sale price expected to be $10 million.

Trump should purchase it now for the remodeled Lincoln bathroom. Like the bathroom would really need it!

That’s it for today. The Venezuela thing really bothers me. Otherwise enjoy your day!