Key West Lou / RANDOM THOUGHTS

Things in the forefront of my mind in recent days.

Revolt? Is our country heading for one? I’m talking guns on the streets, violence, etc. Things already occurring could become far worse.

The Republican Party has changed. Trump responsible. Now his Party. He has successfully rabble roused almost 50 percent of Americans.

Trump success will not endure. Those from the states, counties and towns he has made his following will change. Whereas Trump has been successful in capturing many Americans, he will soon learn they will turn. His followers, the insurrectionists, will leave him behind as they take over.

And they my friends could be the new Republican Party.

I fear for the Liz Cheneys and Mitt Romneys. Republicans are a dying breed. They will be trampled as the new radical groups charge over them to take control of the party.

We have experienced more than one pandemic in recent years. The ever increasing number of shootings and gun related deaths.

A problem that will not be resolved for many years to come. Especially in this time of insurrection. Who would want to give up their guns?

Biden is going to suspend patent protections. A WOW!

The world needs the vaccine. To slow down and hopefully prevent a variant virus to leave from where ever it is and travel to the U.S.

I am a believer in doing what you have to do at a particular moment. I understand where Biden is coming from. Encourage generics that will be cheaply available.

My concern is what about Pfizer and Moderna. Both companies busted their asses and came up with usable vaccines in a much shorter period of time than anticipated. Yes, they made and are making big dollars.

Now is the time to screw them for their efforts? They were “friends” who were their in our time of need.

I am no fan of pharmaceutical companies. They constantly ream the public. Yet I sense an unfairness in suspending patents.

The Maricopa County Arizona recount is becoming a joke.

Cyber Ninjas is the company doing the recount. There are 2.1 million ballots to be audited. The company has been at it for weeks. Only 250,000 audited thus far.

Why? Because they are inexperienced and do not know what they are doing.

The company appears to misrepresent also. There was a claim floating around this week that 250,000 audited, 250,000 found to be fraudulent. USA Fact Checked the 250,000 number re fraudulent ballots and said no way. The claim is false. There is no evidence of widespread fraud found yet.

Biden won Maricopa County by 45,000 votes. Cyber Ninjas is a private company headed by a Doug Logan. Repeating myself, the company is inexperienced in the work it is doing.

Logan has been a promoter of electoral fraud theories. A conspiracy theorist. Prior to this Arizona activity, he made claims of voter fraud overall on social media. He also was involved in attacking the Michigan vote.

The recount is being done in the Vets Memorial Coliseum. Cyber’s lease for the space ends May 14. Logan wants to stay after that date. The Coliseum says Cyber cannot. The space is already leased.

Obviously Cyber will need a large facility to continue. It is working at a snail’s pace as the 250,000 number indicates.

The U.S. Department of Justice has gotten into the picture. Justice has advised Cyber in writing that it has “concerns” regarding the audit thus far. Justice claims the audit itself may violate federal law, that the records are not under control of election officials, that they are not being adequately safeguarded by contractors, and that they are at risk of danger or loss.

There is humor involved. The “bamboo search.” The audit is examining each ballot for traces of “bamboo.” The purpose to prove the conspiracy theory they came from Asia.

Two American students have been found guilty of murdering an Italian police officer. Les Elder 21 and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth 20.

They have been sentenced to life in jail.

Appeal time.

Whether civil or criminal, appeals take forever in Italy. Seven to ten years not uncommon.

Italy has the most convoluted court system. The criminal portion is overloaded. Proceedings are long and nit picking. The average time for an appeal is just under 5 years. Note “average.” I mentioned earlier it could be 7-10 yeas. The length of time depends on the Province where the case was tried. The larger the Provence, the longer time it will take for an appeal to be perfected.

Italian appeals are totally different from those in the U.S. and probably the rest of the world. The final appeal is before Italy’s Court of Appeals. Not merely an argument on some legal point as here in the U.S. Rather the whole case is retried before a court of several judges.

A major contributor to delay.

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has had a checkered career. A terrific politician. However always getting into trouble. Some time back, he was convicted on tax evasion charges. He was not concerned as the appeal would take 7-10 years. I do not believe it has been reached yet.

On the other hand, he was charged with having sex with a female under 18 years of age. Convicted. The appeal heard in only one year. My recollection the appeal resulted in a half assed victory which was sufficient to keep him out of jail.

Then there is Amanda Knox. An American. Convicted of murder. Sentenced to 20 years. Released in 4 years. However if she lost her appeal, she would have to return and do the entire 20 years. It took six years for her case to reach the appeal stage. She was found not guilty.

Whether the two young Americans convicted of murder will be released pending completion of the appeal, I do not know. Knox’s appeal took six years. Their’s will take at least as long.

A right on Comment in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice: “Why don’t all the people who don’t believe in vaccinations and masks go over to India? Then they could really test their theories and see how that goes.”

A happy recollection. It was May 6, 1954. Roger Bannister was racing the 4 minute mile in England. It was thought he could break the 4 minute mile. He did. His time 3:59.4.

The happiness came into play because of who I was watching the race with on TV. Note the whole world was watching and interested.

I was 19. My father and I watched it together. We were yelling as if at a horse race. Thrilled that Bannister succeeded.

It was the father/son thing that made the event so special.

Around 5 last night, I went to the Pier House Beach Bar. Except for Janine the bartender, I knew no one. I enjoyed a drink and some fried calamari. Then home.

I was out not even 2 hours. I have yet to acclimate to my new life.

Enjoy your day!

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