Larry's Central American Travels

The View From Charlotte

 

I am back in Charlotte for a few days.  I depart Ft. Lauderdale on Monday (1 Nov) with Royal Caribbean for a leisurely trip of seven days back to Panama.  Scheduled to arrive back in David on Sunday afternoon, November 7th.  I am ready to get back to Panama.  This wearing shoes (for the first time in about three years) is killing me.

 

 

  

A Clover Hotspot

Yesterday morning when I went to breakfast at my favorite diner in Clover (S.C.) I had to pull around back to  park. As I was sitting there listening to the end of a newscast story on the radio I realized I was looking at the back door of a small bar. The more I looked, the more interested I became.

  For starters the place is named 'The Kerosene Bar'. Since I don't associate kerosene with a bar, or find it an attractive name, I find that rather strange. Must be a story behind that.

Then I noticed a handwritten poster-type sign just inside the glass entrance door that said:

NO obscene attire

NO Wife Beaters

NO Gangster

NO Colors

Due to the poor lighting in the closed bar, I almost had a heart attack becuase I misread the last restriction. I didn't realize they were talking about biker gand 'colors'. I thought it said 'NO Coloreds'. Yikes!

But the real kicker was the scrawling across the bottom of the sign.

 Management reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone intoxicated OR to maintain a 50/50 ration of males to females.

 Questions? Welcome to Clover! Ha!

 

When Is 'Spin' No Longer Spin

I am convinced that a major reason for Americans' anger at politicians is because the politicians' practice of 'spinning' the facts to present the situation in the best light for their personal purposes has spun out of control. When one presents the 'facts' in such a manner that they no longer represent the true situation is that spinning?

A recent article by columnist David Broder in The New York Times made a good point in a humorous manner. He said, in part; "Get a bottle of vodka and read Peter Baker's article 'The Education of President Obama'...... Take a shot every time a White House official is quoted blaming Republicans for the Democrats political plight. You'll be unconscious by page three."

Just because the 'spin' is repeated over and over does not make it more effective. If anything I think it becomes less credible. Americans are a people who want to hear what their leaders are going to do to fix a problem. Whining (rightly or wrongly) when you should be solving doesn't wash!

Americans really get incensed when the spin is just plain and blatant B.S. At a recent fund raiser (a $50,000-a-couple fund raiser!), Nancy Pelosi told the crowd, "Everything was going great and all of a sudden secret money from God knows where - because they won't disclose it - is pouring in." Huh??

First of all I don't know what planet things are going great on, do you? Anyone? But, the entire statement is blantly misleading to the point of being untruthful. The political action groups that are authorized by federal law (and the IRS code) not to publicise their donors have been around several years, and the Democrats were happy to benefit from millions of anonymous dollars in 2006, 2008 and today. The spending by the Carl Rove group (that Pelosi singled out in her speech) amounts to less than 1 percent of the total money spent on campaigns this year. And, lost completely in her statements of 'fact' is the real fact that, even with anticipated last-minute campaign spending surges, campaign donations to the Democrats will exceed those for the Republicans.

 It is time, in my opinion, for all politicians of any party affiliation to stop the nonsense. Any time you present your version of the story, your view of the situation, your analysis of a problem and you do it in such a way as to mislead me, you are not 'spinning' - you are lying. Ever heard of this? - the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Try it. Maybe then some respect for your office and you as a person will be forthcoming. Till then?

 

 My Book 

  I know you are all waiting breathlessly. Yes, I have started on book #2. But, it will be a while. So be sure and order a copy of 'Angels in Panama' for all your friends. A great Christmas gift, don't you think?

Order Copies With The Link Below

 

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Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

Back In The U.S.

Welcome To Clover, S.C.

My son and daughter-in-law live in the southwestern suburbs of Charlotte. N.C., specifically near the little town of Clover, S.C. In the mornings after they go to work, I go over to 'downtown' Clover to the local diner and have breakfast. Clover is a quaint little town that is a throw-back to years gone by.

Clover resembles all those little towns in the rural midwest of the '40s and '50s. Basically a one-street town (Main Street), about three blocks long, it could easily be the setting of a Norman Rockwell masterpiece. And how about this, the John Deere tractor dealership on Main Street also sells car tires - and, oh yes, refrigerators.

The waitresses in the diner are a throw-back as well, and I mean that in a nice way - a twinge of  nostalgia maybe. Blue jeans and T-shirts are the uniform, although the two younger waitresses add a baseball cap. And regardless of age (theirs or yours) everyone is addressed as 'Honey'.

The menu definitely has that Southern touch. The breakfast meat selections include all the predictable choices, including steak and pork chops, but also includes corned beef hash and liver mush (Don't know, I didn't ask).

I do know that those people have never seen a silver dollar. One morning the special was eggs, your choice of meat and two silver dollar pancakes. I wasn't real hungry so that sounded about right. When they brought my breakfast platter (all breakfasts are served on platters), the 'silver dollar' pancakes were the size of a dinner plate. I thought they made a mistake. "No honey, that's the size they are supposed to be. OK?"

The other morning I sat there in the booth at breakfast laughing to myself. I was contemplating how fluent I would need to be in Spanish to tackle the job of explaining grits to a Panamanian. "See they start with hominy ... hominy.... No, hominy is ...." Come to think of it, I am not sure I could explain it to a New Yorker.

Wilmington Is Still Here

I have been in Wilmington, N.C. for a little over a week now. Have spent some time with my youngest son, managed to track down a bunch of old friends and had two visits with my doctor (who I have nick-named appropriately, 'big fingers'). I had a great birthday celebration that included the obligatory karaoke session as well as an extended whimpering session the next day.

For those of you who have never been to Wilmington, I have included some photos. You may want to include this area in future vacation destinations.

 

 

 

 

 

From The 'Strange Happenings In Our World' File

A 63 year-old federal judge was recently arrested and charged with buying cocaine, marijuana and other illegal drugs. What really spiced up the headlines was the fact that he bought them from a stripper - the stripper he was having an affair with.

No, this did not happen to be in Latin America or even a third-world country. This was a federal judge in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

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Tell Next Time. Pura Vida.

 The Wilmington sense of humor on display on this sign.