This Morning Stew thing I discovered 2 weeks ago. When the material to be shared is voluminous, it is easier for me to sit back and enter each item in the order it appears in my notes. Organization takes time.

Many items to share this morning. The reason being yesterday’s blog: A Thing of Beauty Is a Joy Forever. When I began writing yesterday’s blog, the intent was to merely mention I had been in Rome and visited John Keats’ last home.

My thoughts and fingers got carried away. The Rome/Keats/Nuns story developed instantly and with ease. Ergo, nothing else was reported.

Today is a stew day. Two days of comments/observations to share. Set forth in no particular order.

Tennessee Williams was not an instantaneous success. Few notables are. Recognition takes time.

Prior to becoming the Tennessee Williams we know, he worked at a variety of jobs. He was an all night elevator operator, waited tables in New York and New Orleans, was a teletype operator for the U.S. Engineers in Jacksonville, and ushered at the Strand Theater on Broadway.

Syracuse beat Pitt 65-56 saturday night. A significant victory. Pitt was the third and last game of 3 consecutive road games for Syracuse. Syracuse won 2 of the 3.

I watched the game at the Chart Room with John and Mary. Afterwards, Mary and I had dinner at the Hot Tin Roof bar.

Ollie stopped into the Chart Room. He is an environmentalist by education and work. I asked about the sunscreen situation. He felt the 2 adverse reports were merely laboratory results and should not have been relied on.

Interestingly, a today morning internet story indicated there was a significant opposition to the sunscreen ban and indicated a compromise ordinance would be offered at tomorrow night’s meeting.

I had intended to watch Super Bowl with the ladies at Hot Dog Church. They had a gala planned to watch at the Side Bar. An inside bar at Aqua with a screen almost as large as a movie theater’s.

My back began acting up at 4. I never left the house. It ached till around 11.

As everyone knows by now, the Patriots beat the rams 13-3. A boring game. Punts the big thing. The moment of excitement came when Tom Brady was successfully throwing and did so to a Patriots’ touchdown. The sole touchdown of the game.

Disc problem periodically causing pain. When it does, atrocious! Getting out of bed the worse!

Big day for General Motors today. Bad day for 4,250 of its employees. General Motors will begin laying off 4,250 North America salary workers. The beginning of a planned reduction to be further accomplished by the closing of 5 plants and the total elimination of 15,000 jobs.

General Motors is not in financial trouble. Last year resulted in record profits. Management does not believe it needs the number of workers on hand as it changes the way it produces cars.

Also involved in the decision making were union problems. Non-union employees believe the Union is in cahoots with management regarding the cut in jobs. The reduction will benefit corporate greed and those employees who are union members.

Prostitution haunted Key West city fathers in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. Prostitution business was thriving. Bar keeps were making money.Key West officials would have turned their eyes and saw not. However the U.S. Navy was a constant thorn.

There was a huge contingency of Navy personnel in the area. The Navy thought ladies of the night were unhealthy for sailors so they constantly exerted pressure on the City to do something.

One of the somethings was the passing of an ordinance on February 3, 1953, outlawing soliciting of alcohol in Key West bars and night clubs.

Scores of B-girls were thrown out of work. Most B-girls were prostitutes. They solicited their “dates” at the bars by asking for and receiving a drink(s). Then taking the sailors in a back room or upstairs for the dirty deed.

There was a photo in yesterday’s KONK life E-Blast showing the B- girls standing on the bar of an establishment. Lovely! All clad in what could be described attire similar to today’s bikini.

Everyone in town talking about Pence’s visit. No one really certain he was here. The rumor however has taken hold.

The City Commission banned sunscreens because 2 ingredients were deemed to be harmful to the coral reef. I said when the ban was passed that the Commission had leaped before looking. The Commission had acted on insufficient evidence. Additionally, I thought human life more important than the reef.

Two days ago, a major article appeared on the internet. The article stated there was a bad coral disease killing the coral reef all the way down Keys waters to Key West. The article indicated the reef(s) would continue to suffer as the trend of the coral disease was to the south.

The article specifically said the reason for the slow death of the reef was unknown. No mention that sun screens might be a cause.

Please note Key West City Commission.

Dueling Bartenders tonight. Hope my back does not prevent me from attending.

Happy New Year! Tonight is the Chinese New Year’s eve. The year of the pig begins.

A great book and a great movie released this day, though in different years.

In 1826, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. Recall Hawkeye, Chingachgook and his son Unca, and the bad guy Magua.

In 1938, Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Recall the Wicked Queen looking in the mirror and asking “Who is the fairest of them all?” The seven dwarfs Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Sneezey, Grumpy, Bashful, and Happy?

A formalized God came early to Key West. In the 1830’s, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was established. It was the first religious organization on the island. Received a charter from the Territorial Council to operate as a church.

St. Paul’s is still with us. Today it stands nobly on a corner of Duval. Used by many regardless of religious denomination.

Porky Pig was a popular cartoon character in the 1930’s and 1940’s. His cartoon always ended with Porky Pig appearing, waving his hand, and saying: That’s all folks!

For me today, that’s all folks!

Enjoy your day!