DONALD TRUMP: Godfather?

From Time magazine, by Kaniela Ing, seventh-generation Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian), The Climate Crises and Colonialism Destroyed My Maui Home.  Where We Must Go From Here:

Just like the Banyan tree, Lāhainā may have faced devastation, but its roots are deep and resilient. As the Banyan regrows its branches—and recolors itselves with budding leaves—so too, will Lāhainā flourish again.

With more than half of Lahaina now checked with cadaver dogs, there should not be any particular surge of findings expected from the 111 confirmed dead.

264,000 cans of Spam have been donated by Hormel.  The fact that Spam doesn't need refrigeration makes it ideal for survivors.  The company also developed a Spam Maui t-shirt, with 100% of the proceeds to be donated to Aloha United Way's Maui Fire Relief Fund.

I've watched a lot TV about the Lahaina Cataclysm, and I have not seen even one pigeon.  They were as prominent as that historic banyan tree, especially at that site.  I hope they escaped and will return.

I also noted that those cadaver dogs just jumped into the fire remains and strolled about in the ruins.  Why don't they equip these animals with dog boots?  Also saw that all humans were wearing advanced face masks.  Of course, the nature of this task would make this wear impossible for that safety measure.

Why President Joe Biden is hosting a first ever trilateral summit with Japan and South Korea.  Start of a PATO?

In 2020, Jim Carrey penned an op-ed comparing Donald Trump to Michael Corleone.  Phil Joseph last year published, President Trump:  Fall of the Godfather.  All this came before he was indicted, now four times.

• The concept of the Godfather originated from Italy, primarily Sicily, and shows a spread through South America to New Orleans to many, many American cities.  They still exist.

• 
  In a city or region, the boss of all bosses is the capo dei capi, or Godfather (Padrino in Italian).
• There is usually an Underboss, who becomes boss through evolution.
• Then there is the Consigliere, ranked #3, and is the right hand man.
• The most infamous Godfathers are:  
• #1 Al Capone, who was imprisoned for tax evasion, but released and died in 1947, leaving a $3 billion fortune.
• #2 Albert Anastasia, boss of the Mangano crime family.
• #3 Lucky Luciano, legitimized mafia power, and died in Italy in 1962.
• #4 Frank Costello, 
• #5 Carlo Gambino

Mario Puzo wrote The Godfather in 1969, modeling Godfather Vito Corleone after Costello and Gambino.  Johnny Fontane is based on Frank Sinatra and Moe Green on Bugsy Siegel.

Part One of the film was released in 1972 with Marlon Brando as Corleone, Al Pacino as his son, and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.  Won 3 academy awards and was ranked #3 by Variety among the 100 greatest movies of all time (#1 Psycho and #2 The Wizard of Oz).  Rotten Tomatoes:  97/98.

• Part II won six Oscars, including best picture.  RT:  96/97. 
• Coda rated 86/83.
• Part III rated 66/66.

Compared to the above Godfathers, Donald Trump does not qualify as one of them.  Said the Miami Times last week, Trump is acting out a bad remake of The Godfather.

• Praised authoritarian leaders like Xi, Kim and Putin.
• Demands absolute loyalty and that his associates lie and hide the truth to protect him.
• Told his mob to hang VP Mike Pence.
• The Godfather was his favorite film.  Nah.
• Michael Cohen said:  Trump used mafia-type tactics to battle foes and advance his personal agenda.
• Says Chris Christie:  Corleone with no experience.

• 
  Like the mafia, Trump's associates go to jail or soon will:  Steve Bannon, Tom Barrack, Elliot Broidy, Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, Paul Manafort, George Nader, George Papadopoulos, Roger Stone, Allen Weisselberg and Michael Cohen.
• Of the January 6 rioters, more than a thousand have been arrested and 277 are serving time.  Federal prosecuttors are seeking sentences of 27 to 33 years in the cases of four Proud Boys, found guilty of conspiracy.  If such underlings get anything close to that, what about Godfather Trump?

If a person truly feels he is innocent, a quick trial is best.  Jack Smith has proposed a start date of 2 January 2024.  Donald Trump?  April 2026.  True, maybe his lawyers need a couple years to read the 11.5 pages of provided by the prosecution.  However, he certainly sounds guilty already.  Judge Tanya Chutkan will decide on August 28.  

What are the odds?

• Of Trump serving jail time before 2025:  96%.
• Would Joe Biden pardon Trump:  93%...no.
• Will Trump move to Russia:  97%...no.

Watch Francis Ford Coppola, a classmate of Trump, remarking on America's Godfather.  I defer to Coppola.

Day 15 of my African Blood Lily:

Hurricane Hillary was up to 145 MPH yesterday, and is now back down to 130 MPH and headed for Tijuana, over Death Valley and on to Nevada.  First time in a long time that an actual tropical storm will threaten San Diego, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

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