TWISTED FAMILY VALUES

Before he died, Thomas Trump let loose about his nephew, “The Donald.”

I looked into the family Trump on-line and learned that Donald’s brother, Fred, chose not to be in the very rich family business and became a pilot instead. He also became an alcoholic and died of his alcoholism.  Donald Trump’s father, Fred Trump Sr., cut his son, Fred Trump Jr., out of the will on the grounds that the man was an alcoholic. This was done at the instigation of his other son, Donald. Fred junior’s children took the issue to court to contest the will. At which point, the Tyrant Trump, the adulterer, racist, misogynist, isolationist, preacher of hate, showed his true family values.  One of Fred Jr.’s children, a young boy with cerebral palsy, suffered from seizures. Trump had been paying for the child’s treatment. Once the will was contested, Donald decided that he wouldn’t pay for the boy’s medical care anymore. Such a nice guy.

If Trump has absolutely no scruples about screwing his own family over for money, including a  sick little boy, he also shows that he will have no remorse about destroying the lives, families and children of others if he becomes president. Especially if they’re unworthy like Hispanics, Muslims, low women or ordinary blue-collar American workers. For all his bucks, I didn’t see any philanthropy in Donald’s business.  Too bad he didn’t equate himself with his Uncle Thomas, the Carnegies, the Standfords, Bill Gates and other men of wealth who were thankful for the opportunities offered by a great nation.  I guess he doesn’t believe in true American values.

 

VISIT TO ALAMEDA COUNTY

 

The Alameda County Prison at Santa Rita houses the Sheriffs Office Archive and Museum and is run by volunteers. It has been a pet project of mine for many years, but with my new traveling lifestyle, I make very few meetings. New at the jail since my last visit was this array of solar water heaters. I quickly counted 22 of them. WOW, was I impressed. What a savings for the taxpayers.

Three new solar array installations also new. This powers the training center and related buildings

Another array sits on the hillside behind the jail complex.

This one only looks like it is sitting in the weeds. Instead it was the position of my camera. Interesting to me, one of the volunteers told me, one of these arrays is connected to a robotic track that turns them to follow the sun to get the most benefit from the sun. Solar is getting cheaper and cheaper as more people wake up to the savings. The jail has huge generators on-line as back up for any type of power failure.

Newly rebuilt, the “old” style guard tower is now manned by a mannikin. The guys are looking for someone talented enough to paint a realistic face and hair on this “officer.”

My cousin Toni Moore lives in Pleasanton not far from the jail and she invited me for lunch. She fixed a marvelous chicken salad for lunch.

Her oldest son had a nearby dental appointment and joined us. Kurt introduced me to his girlfriend, Yolanda, as cousin Mary and I kept thinking, no he is cousin to my kids.  They are all about the same age since Toni and I went to High School together.  But, he is right. We are second cousins and it has been way too long since we’ve visited. Cousin and auntie or uncle are used pretty casually to include anyone you are closely or distantly related too. It works for me.