I watched Tom Homan on TV yesterday. He is Trump’s border czar to be. He explained how he was going to handle migrant families, including those with children born in the U.S. His entire presentation gave me the chills. My thoughts immediately went to pictures, presentations and movies where Nazis spoke of the Jewish “problem” and how they were going to resolve it. No sense of humanity in either dissertation.

Family detentions will be cruel, ugly, and wrenching.

The American way?

Medical insurance prices are high. Primarily because insurance companies view doctors and hospitals as the customers and not patients who pay the bills. Such has been the approach for years.

I recall some 50 years ago when I was helpful to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica. Sister Rose Vincent was the hospital’s Director. I worked closely with her. She always reminded me the doctors were the hospital’s customers, not the patients. The doctors decided what hospital they would associate with and direct their patients to.

Added costs are involved under the U.S. system. For example, five times per capita on health care paper work administration is involved. More than in any other developed country.

Trump’s Christmas message was not one expected from a national leader. No love and kisses. Rather a deranged shoutout lambasting this and that.

He shouted out compliments to Chinese soldiers who he claimed operated the Panama Canal, he spoke of the U.S. taking over the Canal, knocked Canada’s Trudeau and said re Canada it should be the U.S.’ 51st State and that he would cut the country’s taxes if it were. Added a “Go to Hell” to the 37 death row inmates who Biden had reduced their sentences t0 life imprisonment.

Trump may be built like Santa Claus. He is not a jolly old man!

Trump wants all federal employees to go back in house. Work from federal offices, not their homes. COVID had begun the system of home work. Union contracts and other agreements have continued the practice. It will not be easy for Trump to accomplish that which he seeks.

Congress stripped the IRS of another $20 billion in the recent government shutdown fight. To satisfy Republicans.

The money was specifically directed at going after “wealthy tax cheats.” A Republican tax cut.

It is estimated that the cut and others before it and the more expected when Trump takes office will add $140 billion to the national debt in the next 10 years based on the inability of the government to audit wealthy millionaires and large corporations.

Radio City Music Hall opened this day in 1932. In my younger day, I was a frequent visitor. M mother’s family lived in New York City. We were frequent visitors. Which meant taking the subway downtown and seeing shows at Radio City Music Hall.

We did a lot. I recall my father when I was 7 years old taking me to the Paramount Theater where we saw Frank Sinatra perform.

Cruelty at an extreme! A mother canceled Christmas for her 5 year old daughter after getting an email from the child’s teacher. It came five days before Christmas, complained of her daughter’s “atrocious behavior.” Fifty pages long! Would you believe!

The mother stripped her daughter of any Christmas joy. For her, Christmas was not to be. Took her elf down, removed her stocking from the fireplace, no gifts from Santa Claus, etc. She had an 11 year old brother. He still got to enjoy Christmas…..in front of his younger sister’s eyes.

The teacher had to be a whack to send the mom a 50 page email and do so just before Christmas. The mother even more whacky to punish her daughter in the fashion she did.

It is that time of the year for Nostradamus predictions.

A strange one. He predicts England will suffer a devastating war and suffer the resurgence of a plague. Also, great new powers will emerge. A clash of powers will occur. Medical breakthroughs will take place. A protracted war will end. Russia/Ukraine? An asteroid will come close to the Earth.

The movie “The Exorcist” opened in theaters on 12/26/1973. Scared me!

On July 16, 2024 a tornado swept through Rome, New York. Caused some destruction. The Zion Episcopal Church was heavily damaged. Still under repair.

A religious cohort, the First Presbyterian Church, opened its doors and heart. Zion Episcopal has been a welcomed guest in the use of First Presbyterian to this day and will continue till Zion Episcopal’s repairs are completed.

We are all one in God’s eyes!

A surprise for me! Something I was unaware of. Famous movie actor Richard Gere resided in Syracuse for a number of years. North Syracuse to be specific. He graduated from North Syracuse High School in 1967.

Gere’s father Homer lived most of his life in North Syracuse. He died last year at the age of 100. Son Richard is now 75.

Gere recalls his neighborhood, school and friends. Loved Italians, though not one himself. He said, “I love Italy, if I could I would be Italian. I grew up in Upstate New York. The cool kids were Italian, very elegant, wonderful shoes, they had this way of moving…..We all wanted to be Italians.”

Seems like everyone is in Key West this Christmas. I had to go to Publix yesterday. I had to wait for the traffic light to change four times at two  different intersections before I could pass through. A first! The weather was a comfortable 78. The breeze off the ocean kept things cool.

Publix was deserted. Next to empty. Never saw so few people. Understandable, however.

I close with my back.

Began bothering me yesterday. A rough night. Difficult to sleep. Got up and began this blog at 3:30 as a result. Sitting while researching and writing tough. Glad I am at an end.

Tonight, I was to be at Brady’s watching the Syracuse/Washington State game with Steve. Called him last night and said we might not make it. I will call him in a bit to say I can’t do it. It will be impossible for me to sit 4 hours by tonight.

I must also call Carola this morning to tell her I will not be there. She was going to bring me Irish scones. She bakes them fresh the morning of the evening I will be at the bar.

Enjoy your day!

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