“WOMEN, YOU HAVE TO TREAT THEM LIKE SHIT”

“Women, you have to treat them like shit.”

Not my words. Donald Trump’s. In a 1992 New York Magazine interview, Trump was asked how he felt about women. His response as set forth.

Whether Republican, Democrat or Independent, male or female, keep in mind that we all have grandmothers, mothers, wives, daughters, and granddaughters. Do we want a President who says they should be treated as “shit?”

This column is similar to one I did several months ago. Sharing things generally not known.

Credit card debt recently received short rift in the news. The U.S. is approaching $1 trillion in credit card debt. The highest ever.

It appears that the American people have not learned a lesson from the 2008 recession. Running up debt a mistake.

Credit card debt has increased with stunning speed. The last quarter of 2015 added more to credit card debt than the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 combined. The average balance per family $15,700.

One reason for the dramatic increase is wages have been static for too many years. People are more and more forced to live off credit cards.

China is going to end up owning the U.S. The government keeps borrowing. The U.S. presently owes China $1.3 trillion.

China is quietly buying up America. China’s Anbang Insurance Group significantly involved.

Earlier this year, the Chinese Insurance Group paid $6.5 billion for the well known Hotel del Coronado near San Diego, the Fairmont Scottsdale in Arizona, and several other hotels, including a Westin, Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons.

Two weeks ago, the Chinese Insurance Group bought Starwood Hotels (Sheraton and Westins) for $13 billion. The sale being represented as the largest hotel deal ever.

Last year, the Chinese Insurance Group bought New York’s Waldorf Astoria for $1.95 billion.

One reason the Group is buying up lucrative U.S. hotels is China’s aging population. The insurance company has policy liabilities to many of the aged.

Putin is a man of many faces. He and Trump would probably get along well together. They are birds of a feather.

Putin is always full of surprises. The latest is his announcement ten days ago that

Russia was beginning to pull its military forces out of Syria. He claims the pull out was part of his exit strategy when he went into Syria.

Russia he claims has achieved its purpose.  Flew 9,000 sorties in five months. His objective was to free 400 populated areas. Such was accomplished. Time to get out.

The U.S. never seems to have an exit strategy. Recall how long we got stuck or are still stuck in Korea, Vietnam, Bush 2’s Iraqi War, Afghanistan and Syria. Why don’t we ever have an exit strategy?

The Lower Keys Mosquito Control wants to test the use of GMO mosquitoes in the lower keys. Resident of the area will serve as guinea pigs for a hopefully new way to eradicate mosquitoes causing Zika.

It is claimed the GMO approach has been tested in several other areas world wide. I know of only one. A certain area of Brazil. Since last October, 4,000 babies have been born with deformed heads and malformed brains in that area. For real. It has not yet been established that the GMO mosquitoes caused the problem.

My concern is that we have been told the hold up re testing in the keys was FDA approval. The FDA had been studying the safeness of the GMO chemicals.

Roughly three weeks ago, the FDA reported its decision. The FDA gave approval stating the genetic materials were safe and effective.

Beware! Things sometimes are not as they appear. The FDA was not testing to determine human safety. Its result was directed at the genetic material introduced into the mosquitoes. Such was safe and effective for mosquitoes. Humans had nothing to do with FDA’s four year study.

One of FDA’s responsibilities is to protect animals. Mosquitoes are animals within FDA definitions.

I am unaware of any study/testing determining GMO mosquitoes are safe for humans.

Some ISIS activities suggest its leaders are smarter than those of most other war mongering groups. I refer specifically to banking and sex/birth control.

ISIS has evidenced a knowledge as how to make money. It has banks within its structure. Money making important to ISIS. ISIS pays its fighters. Something not common among other groups.

It is common knowledge ISIS captures women and young girls by the hundreds. The ladies are used to keep ISIS fighters happy. Specifically, to provide them with sexual pleasure and relief.

The young girls are as young as 9. A permissible age for sexual relations in the Muslim world.

ISIS does not want the ladies to get pregnant. If pregnant, they cannot provide the sex pleasures required. Additionally, babies cost money to support and take up the mother’s time.

Birth control solves the problem. Birth control pills and injectable contraception are used. Urine tests to confirm pregnancy has not occurred.

ISIS goes a step further. There are certain ISIS members that daily watch the women and young girls take their birth control pills. The shots also when rendered. The urine tests are under watch. The women pee into the cup or on a devise in the presence of a male.

The system works.

The women and girls if lucky are forced to marry or live with one fighter. The great majority are not so lucky. They live and work in what might be described as a brothel atmosphere.

They function as sex objects/slaves during the evening hours. A bed in a small room. A bathroom at the end of a hall. Twenty plus men an evening accommodated. The fighters are not gentle. Remember, women are not respected in the Muslim world. The women and girls are literally raped each time they have sex.

Proof that the birth control system works is evident from a recent report by a UN backed clinic in the area. Seven hundred girls escaped. The clinic found that only 5 percent had gotten pregnant. Five percent equates to 35 out of the 700.

Flint has brought lead poisoning to everyone’s attention. The problem is greater than Flint, however. Few talk about it.

Excessive and harmful leaks of lead exist all over the U.S. Not just a Flint crisis. It is a national crisis.

Lead contaminated water is presently supplied/used by 6 million Americans. Three hundred fifty lead contaminated water systems provide drinking water to schools and day cares. One hundred eighty water systems failed to notify consumers that their water contained high levels of lead. Federal law requires such notice.

Further examples include a Maine elementary school where the lead content in the water is 42 times higher than the EPA limit. A Pennsylvania pre school has levels 14 times higher. An elementary school in Ithaca, New York had levels so high that the number reached the thresh hold for hazardous waste.

The Ithaca school has been supplied with bottled water since last year.

Again, not solely a Flint problem. A national one.

Congress conducted hearings last week re the Flint problem. Congress beat up witnesses who testified. Blamed most. Heaped abuse on them.

The joke is Congress is responsible first and foremost. Water pipes are part of infrastructure,. Congress for years, whether Democrat or Republican, have failed to provide money to correct the problem. Many other infrastructure problems such as roads, bridges and schools, also. Congress is responsible for providing money.. It has failed to correct lead problems for at least 50 years.

Oreo cookies! America loves Oreos! It appears Oreos does not love America as much.

Oreos has four plants in the U.S. The main plant is in Chicago. Been there for 100 years turning out Oreos.

Nabisco owns Oreos. The corporate conglomerate owning Nabisco is called Mondelez.

Nabisco recently announced that Oreo was moving 600 jobs from the Chicago plant to a new one in Mexico. Some jobs would remain in Chicago.

Reasons given include it would be cheaper to build a new plant in Mexico than remodel the Chicago plant at a cost of $130 million. The other reason is taxes. Corporate taxes are too high in the U.S.

The tax argument fails.

Although the corporate tax rate is 35 percent, Mondolez paid only 13.5 percent in 2014. 2013 was even better. They only paid 2.5 percent.

Six hundred men and women will be out of jobs. The corporation bullshits the public with the tax issue. No one challenges the corporation. The 1 percent wins again.

Venezuela. Why the people have not revolted against the Maduro government is beyond me. First, it was Venezuela was out of toilet paper four years ago. Still out of toilet paper. Followed by fewer and fewer groceries. Hundreds lining up in front of stores for entry. Only to find nothing on the shelves when they gain entry. Farmers no longer grow food products because the costs exceed any monies to be payed. A vicious cycle.

Last week, it was announced that the country was shutting down for a week. No electricity. Ergo, no work. A drought has cut the power generated at hydroelectric dams, Other reasons include poor maintenance and planning.

The preceding nothing. Last week, it was announced Venezuela was taking its last bars of gold and sending them to Switzerland and France. Banks have come up with a novel method for countries to meet their debt obligations. Called a gold swap.

Venezuela is going through a gold swap with its last bars of gold to pay interest on its debts. Debts primarily owed to banks.

Economists predict that Venezuela will not be able to meet its debt obligations in the fall and will default. A financial crisis getting worse. Inflation is predicted to be 720 percent by year end.

What I do not understand is why Venezuela is giving up its last bars of gold (estimated in the billions) to pay creditors. Screw them! Use the gold to feed and help the people. Buy some toilet paper along the way, also

The Republican Party is in a mess these days. One of the reasons is it has taken into its arms every social issue out there. And those that support such causes. Many of whom quite frankly are nuts.

Now comes a new social issue. One that is becoming increasingly popular among religious lawmakers.

The cry is pornography is a public health crisis. Porn is being likened to infectious diseases such as flu, cholera, diphtheria and polio. So say Utah legislators who recently passed a bill in both houses stating pornography is a public health crisis. The governor is expected to sign it.

The Utah legislators claim they do not want to ban porn. Their goal is to control it like tobacco. Put out evidence showing its harm.

This issue reminds me of when I was a fourth grader in a Catholic grammar school. A priest came into talk to the boys. About the evils of masturbation. Most of us did not even know what masturbation was. The priest told us if we did it, we would get hair on our hands and our brains would become defective.

The Supreme Court ruled years ago that pornography is entitled to First Amendment protection. Freedom of expression.

When does this type stuff stop. There are more important things for the national and state governments to concern themselves with. Like lead in the water, bad roads. poor bridges, jobs, the economy, etc.

I am sure I have offended some by the thoughts herein. My purpose was not to offend. It was to provide an awareness of what is going on in the world. Matters we do not hear much about.

BANK STORIES

Banks are pigs. They have an insatiable desire to make more and more money for themselves to the detriment of those they service. Whose money they hold, work with, and profit from.

Recent occurrences bear out the propensity of banks to overindulge for personal benefit while forgetting the people they were organized to service.

Chase Bank. One of America's oldest banking institutions. Due to numerous mergers the past decade, the bank today is JP Morgan Chase Bank doing business as Chase.

Although U.S. taxpayers bailed Chase and other banks out for their own wrongdoing in 2008 and saved their asses, the banks have not been thankful. To this day, the American people await Chase and other banks return to loaning monies to Main Street rather than Wall Street. 

The banks have survived and are making more money than ever. Major bank CEO's are being paid $20-40 million a year bonuses. Part of the one percent.

Chase announced recently that effective August 1, Chase is going to charge depositors a fee for holding their money. You got it. Savings and checking accounts will be charged a fee payable to the bank. Chase feels it is entitled to something for holding people's monies. The same monies banks invest overnight to a 20 percent profit for themselves and pay depositors 1.5 per cent a year on their deposits.

The fee will be $.25 per $100 deposited. It will add up to millions if not billions of dollars a year.

Pigs might be too gentle a description. They are whores! They will provide any service for a fee.

The next situation is even better. More difficult to believe than the $.25 charge scenario.

There has been a successful move in recent years in certain European and Asian nations by banks. If money in a savings or checking account lies dormant for a specified number of years, the account is deemed inactive and the bank removes the money. The money no longer belongs to the depositor.

Australia did it last year for the first time. The banks grabbed $360 million from dormant accounts.

There is an additional twist. States are permitted to create and apply the dormant account theory based on state law. Each State must pass its own law as California and Georgia have done.  California and Georgia were delighted to pass such legislation. Why not? The money does not stay with the bank. It goes directly to the State. The State thereafter can use the monies to help pay its own debts, finance under funded state pension funds, etc.

The dormant account rule applies to safety deposit boxes, also. No activity and the box is emptied. Cash, jewelry, bonds, etc.

The pigs prevail again. However, this time for the benefit of State governments.

It is one hand washes the other. The banks need federal and state laws to permit them to steal legally from depositors. Along the way, why not do the States a favor and grab some money for them.

Note that what one bank does today, others will do tomorrow. The same with State banking laws.

Which brings us to offshore banking accounts. There are trillions of dollars held in offshore banking accounts by American corporations or corporations doing business in the United States. They sit there because the corporations do not wish to pay U.S. taxes on the money. Taxes which we sorely need to pay down debt and provide for our people.

Recognize that many Congress persons want to cut, alter or eliminate Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The same Congress persons who voted to permit corporate America to enjoy the benefit of tax free off shore accounts.

It does not make sense to me. 

Now to the point of this tirade re offshore accounts. 

Putin announced last week that many Russian businesses are burying their money in offshore accounts to avoid Russian taxes. He said it was time to do something about it.

I believe Putin will. If he moves with the same speed he has re Crimea and gas outlets in North Korea, South Korea and China, he will have the problem resolved in my opinion by year's end. Of course, Putin has an advantage. He rules/governs a totalitarian state. He's the boss, he calls the shots. Russia's legislative body is controlled by Putin. 

I am eager to see how Putin handles his off shore problem. We might learn something from it.

I wonder if we will ever reach the point where the people run the government again. It seems to me Congress is beholden to the corporations and the corporations own Congress. Government of the people, by the people and for the people is yesterday's news. What will it take to return us to those days?

REFLECTIONS

The world is in turmoil. Much is happening. I want to comment on some of the events occurring. Reflect on them country by country, area by area. Starting with Egypt. Followed by Venezuela, Thailand, Washington, DC, Africa, and Greece. Ending with our beloved Florida.

Egypt is in revolt again. Demonstrations and protests ongoing. Morsi out. Monsour in. The Egyptian Army controlling events, as it has for several decades.

Mubarak was ousted last year. He had been a staunch friend of the United States for years. Even supported Israel. Did the United States support Mubarak when his government was threatened? Absolutely not.

Instead the United States turned its back on their loyal friend of many years. Hillary Clinton cried out that democracy had to be supported and Mubarak should resign. Many  Washington governmental leaders agreed. All thought it wonderful that democracy was finally coming to Egypt. After all, Mubarak was nothing but a tyrant.

At the time, I spoke out on my television/internet show the Key West Lou Legal Hour that the United States should stand with Mubarak. He was and had been our friend. His track record proved the same. 

I further stated that in Mubarak the United States knew what it had. Whoever the new leader would be, there was no certainty he would continue the Egypt-United States relationship that had existed for years.

Finally, I said why push a genuine democratic form of government on a people that might not want one. People live in different ways. Such must be respected.

Mubarak got overthrown. He is in jail awaiting the outcome of his appeal regarding his conviction on less than valid charges. Morsi was his replacement. He was a tool of the far religious right. The Muslim clergy were in actual control. Not what the people expected. The demonstrators returned. Morsi was ousted last week.

Now comes Monsour. At the time of my preparation of this column, the United States has publicly acted in quiet fashion. I assume our leaders have learned how easy it is to burn one's fingers in such a situation.

The Egyptian Army stepped into the fray last week. The Army deposed Morsi and replaced him withMonsour.

Many are unaware that for several decades, it was and is the generals who run Egypt. Egypt's leaders serve at their behest. The Army is the power behind the throne.

Now to Venezuela.

We take for granted the simple things in life. Those things we have every day and never think of being without. Venezuela has been experiencing an eye opening revelation regarding being without that which is simple. And unquestionably necessary.

Toilet paper.

Venezuela needs 125 million rolls of toilet paper a month. For some reason, in the past few months there is a shortage of toilet paper. Simply put, there ain't any! One woman complained it took her two weeks to find a roll.

Necessity generally controls events. Kimberly-Clark Corp. manufactures toilet paper. Prior to the shortage, they were manufacturing toilet paper at a facility in Venezuela. Because of the shortage, Kimberly-Clark has agreed to make a $37.1 million additional investment in Venezuela. They have agreed to build another plant.

The problem/scarcity continues. People are having to make do until the new plant rolls out the toilet paper needed.

Why didn't Kimberly-Clark build the new plant earlier? They had to foresee the shortage. They were in the business.

Something amiss here?

The Catholic Church has had and continues to have its problems in the United States and world wide. Especially regarding their priests who molested young boys. The question arises as to whether other religions have similar problems. Not necessarily pedophilia. Yet activities that do not reflect well upon a religious group.

Thailand is the place! Buddhist monks the culprits! Those generally bald headed, long robed, sandal footed, and non communicative men of their god, Buddha.

Buddhist monks are involved in what has been deemed inappropriate behavior. Such as wearing stylish aviator eyeglasses, traveling with luxury brand name bags, wearing wireless headphones to listen to music. Those are the mild things. Also included in the accusations were consuming alcohol, extorting money, driving sport cars, and having sex with women.

For shame. 

What has happened to God's/Buddha's representatives on earth?

On to Washington, DC and Africa.

The President recently made an official African trip. I think it was wonderful! Engaging with emerging African leaders has long been overdue.

The cost of the trip is not finalized. It was projected to be between $60 million and $100 million. It costs a lot of money to transport a President. Staff in the hundreds, several airplanes, secure automobiles, etc. I understand.

What I do not understand is why I and and everyone else cannot visit the White House. Specifically, take a White House tour. Sequestration has cut off the funding.

It cannot cost anywhere near what it cost for the President to visit Africa. And is just as important! Mothers, fathers, children, visitors and Louis should be able to see the house the President lives in.

What really galls my butt is Congress. The first week into sequestration, they got all excited. They were going home Friday. Sequestration had cut airline controllers. Passenger delays were projected at three hours. Congressmen did not want to wait three hours. Our a__hole leaders who cannot get anything done in a timely fashion, in a matter of hours passed a law rescinding the controller portion of sequestration. Even more galling, Obama signed it.

And I and thousands of others could not visit our taxpayer supported President's house. 

Greece. Poor Greece. I am in Greece for five weeks at the present time. I have already spent a few days in Greece's capital, Athens. I was in Athens and Greece about the same time last year.

Things have not changed. Merely gotten worse. More stores closed. More begging on the streets. More unemployment. More fathers who cannot feed their families. More young college graduates with out work.

I wandered through two major demonstrations in front of Parliament last year. 

The people were aroused. Hated Germans. Hated their political leaders.

Greeks are a simple people. Truly. Americans are miles more sophisticated. The Greeks leave government to those they elect. The people would rather work not too hard, enjoy their families, and sing and dance in their free time. They have not been involved. Till now. And still only in a protesting fashion.

Last year I pointed out that Germany had the distinction of having started World Wars I and II. I thought they might be the cause of a third World War. The war would begin in Europe. All over the euro situation. Forget the Middle East.

My present trip causes me to adjust my thinking a bit. War will not come first. Revolution will. The fathers and college students and everyone else have had it.

The pot brews. Soon perhaps to boil over.

Greece could be in the calm before the storm. Last year they were yelling and screaming and complaining. This year their dispositions are different. They are calm. They say we listened to the government. They were wrong. We have been downtrodden before. We survived. We will survive again. We will do what is necessary.

That necessary could include civil unrest. The overthrow of the government.

Germany will come second. Greeks hate Germans vehemently. They believe Germany could ease their pain. Germany refuses. That then brings to their minds.....Germans are no good. Look what they did to us in World War II.  Germany occupied Greece during World War II. Atrocities galore.

Last but not least is beloved Florida.

Pot pipes. There is a new law.

The first conviction for possession a pot pipe is a misdemeanor. The second, a felony. Jail time can be involved. 

My problem with the law is that with the second conviction, a person loses his or her right to vote. A basic right.

Governor Scott supported the bill big time. It has become popularly known as the Bong Bill.

Lets bring Walgreen into the picture.

Walgreen recently had a problem with Oxycontin pills. A big item in the illegal drug market. Supposed to be used as a pain killer. Can only be obtained with a prescription. Drug users have taken to it. It is claimed Oxycontin gives a high similar to heroin. The pills are addictive.

The pills are in high demand. Improper and/or illegal steps have been taken to make the supply available to drug users.

Somewhere along the line, Walgreen got involved. Specifically how I do not know. I am not saying Walgreen's actions were illegal. However, Walgreen recently agreed to pay a $80 million fine for its involvement.

$80 million is a drop in the bucket to Walgreen. A recent news article stated Walgreen's quarterly sales were $16.5 billion.

My problem is that the little guy gets screwed again and the big guy gets a slap on the wrist. Take the two time pipe carrying offender and take away from him the right to vote. Take a major corporation such as Walgreen and fine them. Remove none of their rights or abilities.

I consider this another too big to prosecute situation.

Both scenarios grossly unfair.

Reflect is the word. Think about these things.