Key West Lou / LEAVE IT TO BEAVER AND THE CENSORS

For most, you have to be my age to recall the early TV show Leave It To Beaver. A family sitcom, parents and two young sons.

Network TV censors were pretty tough back in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Rarely gave a show much slack.

Ward and June Cleaver were a “squeaky clean” family. Had nothing to do with naming their son “Beaver.” The censors had a problem involving Beaver, however.

In the very first episode of the show, Beaver wanted to order an alligator from the back page of a comic book. He failed. So he found a dirt bag to sell him a baby one.

By the third episode of the new show, 7 year old Beaver and his brother Wally swiped from their father’s liquor chest a bottle of booze which they fed the alligator. Beaver decided to try it also. The alligator and Beaver got drunk.

The episode involved a bathroom scene in which Beaver stored the alligator in the toilet.

Censors said no way! It was not the use of the toilet being by anyone. Even a sick Beaver. It was the “showing of the toilet” itself. Toilets were not permitted to be shown on TV in those days.

A compromise was arrived at. The scenes were allowed to show the back of the toilet tank. Only the back. Nothing more. The toilet bowl was the offensive item. It could not be shown at all. The alligator in the bowl or Beaver being sick had nothing to do with it.

How stupid! All Americans use a toilet or toilets every day, even back then. Nothing secret about a toilet bowl. However that is how it was in those days.

The world has been a crazy place at different times. England in the 18th century for example.

Most decks of cards reflected the Ace of Spades larger in size than the Aces of Hearts, Clubs or Diamonds.  The picture size.

There is a reason for it. An historical one.

In England the Ace of Spades picture was not only larger, it was elaborate.

The reason being the government printed the Ace of Spades. No other card. The specific reason was taxing. The British government taxed playing cards for 400 years, If you sold cards, you were required to buy the Ace of Spades from the government. That is how the government collected the tax. Faking/counterfeiting the Ace of Spades was against the law.

In 1805, the government pursued Richard Harding. He sold a lot of cards and made his own Ace of Spades to avoid paying the tax.

The government chased his ass. Could not find any phony Ace of Spades anywhere under is control, even remotely.

The government finally got him. They found thousands of forged Aces of Spades at a daughter’s house in a basket under her dirty underwear.

The English never found Jack the Ripper. He only killed people. They executed Harding however because playing cards was a serious business. Collecting taxes more serious than catching a murderer.

Trump plays loosely with right and wrong.

Have you heard this one?

There is a fund raiser scheduled for January 6 defendants. It will be held at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on September 5. Just 2 months before Election Day.

The rally poster is beautiful. Magnificent! Portrays Trump’s picture on top in a prominent position. Just below him and to the left is a photo of Rudy Giuliani.

The rally is sponsored by the non-profit group Stand in the Gap Foundation. The rally is billed as a J6 Awards Gala.

Tickets cost up to $50,000 for a table of 12. The money is being raised to pay legal fees for those being prosecuted for their roles on January 6 when a mob stormed the Capitol to protest Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.

Trump is listed as an “invited guest.” Word is he will not be attending. Giuliani is also listed as an “invited guest.” No word whether he will appear.

Trump is facing multiple conspiracy charges involving January 6.

Trump has not shied away from embracing the event or its participants. He describes the “terrorists” as “hostages” and “political prisoners.” He has also opened some rally events with a recording of some of the January 6 defendants singing the National Anthem from their jail cells. On top of which, Trump has promised to pardon people charged in connection with January 6.

The Stand in the Gap Foundation is run by Sarah McAbee. She is the wife of Ronald Colton McAbee, a former Tennessee deputy sheriff, who is serving 5 years in prison for “a prolonged multi-assailant attack on police officials” at the Capitol.

Ms. McAbee found the Stand in the Gap Foundation with January 6 defendant, Shane Jenkins.

Jenkins is a Texan now serving 7 years in prison for shattering a window in the Capitol with a tomahawk and then pelting officers defending the building with a wooden desk drawer, a flagpole, a metal walking stick and a broken wooden pole.

In the days following January 6, prosecutors say Jenkins sent a message to an associate saying he was “not over this election.” He added, “I have murder in my heart and head.”

The first three topics today are unusually long. As a result I am skipping Jimmy Buffett today. I will pick his story up tomorrow.

Let me say I am very impressed with what I am learning as I research Buffett. He was an unusual person. Entitled to all the respect the world is giving him. He accomplished so much. All good, healthy and happy.

I have to hustle. Some tests this morning of the two blood clots in my left arm as a result of the heart surgeries several months ago. The trauma never ends. Can’t complain, however. I am absolutely convinced the three heart surgeries and 5 1/2 weeks in Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami saved my life.

Enjoy your day!

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