The World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. However and surprisingly, the basic concept behind a smallpox vaccine goes back to at least 1549.

How interesting! A small amount of the virus was taken from the sore of an infected person, then either scratched into a person’s skin or inhaled through the nose. 

Sounds gross, but it worked! The disease was less fatal in people who got smallpox after such an inoculation.

It is estimated there are 62 million cats in the U.S. Wow!

Marilyn Monroe was found dead this day in 1962. Some claim from an overdose of sedative drugs. Others believe she was killed. Doubt we will ever know the real cause/reason for her demise.

I doubt the “Little Orphan Anne” comic strip is still published. It was first published this day in 1924. I recall reading the comic strip daily when I was a young boy.

Abraham Lincoln needed money to fund the Civil War. He was forced to impose a federal income tax this day in 1861 in order to finance the War.

Reagan was a “tough President.” He screwed around with no one. He was a my way or the highway type.

Air traffic controllers went on strike through out the country. Reagan ordered them to return to work. They refused. He fired 11,359 this day in 1981.

Walgreens is closing stores as part of a multi year downsizing effort. Two were closed in Missouri recently. Walgreens plans on closing more stores by year end.

Overall, Walgreens is planning on closing 1,200 underperforming stores over a three year period as part of its turnaround strategy. The Key West stores are not on the list of projected closings.

The Secret Service gives each President a “code name.” The code name system began with Harry Truman. Truman was “General.” Other examples: Eisenhower “Providence,” Kennedy “Lancer,” Reagan “Rawhide,” and Clinton “Eagle.”

Miami has changed in appearance over the past 50 years. Back then, a beach town. Today, a metropolis. Tall buildings. Miami has 18 of the 100 tallest buildings in the U.S.

Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel. She was 18 years old. The day was August 6, 1926. Exactly 100 years ago today. She swam the 35 miles in 14 1/2 hours. Her body covered in grease. She ate chicken legs along the way.

The source of the idiom “It’s Greek to me.” Shakespeare popularized the phrase in Act 1, Scene 2, of “Julius Caesar.” Published in 1599. Spoken by Casca: “It was Greek to me.”

Florida’s invasive lizards are now threefold. Burmese pythons, green iguanas and now the tegu-lizard.

Florida is committed to reducing its python population. They are too numerous to totally eradicate. Can only be downsized in number. Florida instituted a Python Challenge several years ago to assist in the reduction. The most recent 10 day Florida Python Challenge resulted in 280 pythons being captured. Considered to have been a good number.

Trump wants to know why Hegseth apparently misled him on the munitions shortage. The American people want to know too. A typical Trump foul up. He picked Hegseth. Everything Trump does one way or another gets screwed up.

Judges who rule against Trump thereafter threatened. Most require federal protection as a result. Not the U.S. we knew.

A new type flu shot is on the way. It will be available in a few weeks. As expected, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is skeptical of the value of the new vaccine.

Lincoln initially was not viewed as Presidential material. Amazing! Our best President ever!

A volcano erupted on Guatemala. Many families had to flee.

Andy Warhol: “You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.”

The first written history of Key West was published this day in 1884 by Walter C. Maloney. He was at different times Key West Mayor and a member of the Florida State Legislature.

I spoke with Guy deBoer by phone yesterday. He was someplace in Europe. He leaves on September 6 for an 8 month sailing trip. What a life!

Should we be concerned about “Progressive Democrats” winning primaries? I’m not sure who may be worse. MAGA Republicans or Progressive Democrats. My problem I suspect is I do not know enough about Progressive Democrats. I must learn more before expressing a firm judgment.

Greece is my favorite country to visit! I can’t say it enough. My best vacations were the month long ones I spent in Greece.

Corfu, Greece is one of the places I have yet to visit. Relatively cheap. The Canal d’Amour is located on Corfu. Legend has it that couples who swim the length of the canal together will be in love forever.

A stinking place to work! Questic Diagnostics laboratory. Thousands of feces sample tested daily. For parasites, including Cyclospora. Truly a brown onslaught. Laboratory technicians work with face masks and other attire to vent the fumes, etc.

A Senate Republican Committee is on Fauci’s ass. A major wrong. He appears before the Committee again today. They may attempt to hold him in contempt because he invoked the Fifth Amendment before them many times during his last visit.

Trump is quietly pressuring Cuba. Don’t we have enough problems on our backs without adding Cuba on?

Key West has experienced a several week record breaking heat wave. Other places in the world also. Most recent is South Korea.

The world is screwed up temperature-wise. Why?

It is reported the “vanity dressing table” is making a return to the bedroom.

More women, especially young ones, are developing heart disease.

There is an article in this morning’s New York Times: “Should I Wear Deodorant or Antiperspirant?” I was not aware there was a difference.

Trump is sometimes described as a “smiling liar.”

Today is haircut day. Will not be, however. Lori called. She’s sick.

Corey took me grocery shopping last night. I am still without my car. And yes, I believe groceries increased a bit in cost since a few days ago when I last shopped. Sickening!

Enjoy your day!

In 1790, the United States was having difficulty with smugglers. Something had to be done. The relatively new little nation was getting no respect. Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury. On this day in 1790, he had Congress authorize ten small vessels to combat the smugglers. Such was the birth of the U.S. Coast Guard. Alexander Hamilton is recognized as the Father thereof.

Someone is suddenly attacking U.S. water systems. In Minnesota and elsewhere. Saturday Michigan reported 9 attacks. Federal investigators believe the problem is cyberterrorism linked to Iran. Trump disagrees. He says it is Minnesota.

We should know definitely in a few days.

Something bothers me. It is a growing concern. We are supposedly the strongest nation in the world. If so, why the news now that we lack sufficient power militarily to continue the Iran War. If our military were required against another nation while combatting Iran, our power would be lacking. If such is the case, be certain other nations are aware and if certain nations so desired, they would be encouraged to push us so we would be strained fighting another encounter at the same time as Iran.

Recall that some of our military advisers recommended against a war with Iran questioning our military power sufficiency.

Smart ass Trump said no, go ahead, bomb Iran. He saw it as another Venezuela and did not want to listen. He also had brilliant military advisers such as Hegseth agreeing so he felt secure.

What a mess has and is developing!

An interesting comment by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: How to become a billionaire. Inherit a billion dollars.

Another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar comment, this one specifically stated: “What happens to a democracy when vengeance, rather than law, begins juggling the keys to the kingdom?”

Black Jesse Owens won the long jump at the Olympics in Berlin this day in 1936. He won a total of four gold medals in the Olympics. By so doing, he won the respect of Germany who prior thereto had reflected negatively upon people of color.

Would you believe? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a food show: The Real Food Show. His first show was last Thursday. He made salmon cakes and an arugula salad with a guest.

Confucius believed in ethics and etiquette. He believed they were the glue holding families, friendships, and nations together.

Right he was!

During the Gilded Age, New York Society was shaped by the notion of the “Four Hundred.”

Why the number 400? In the late 1880s, New York’s social arbiter was Ward McAllister. He said the place to be was Caroline Astor’s ballroom. It only held 400 people. Since McAllister was the gate keeper of New York’s high society, he decreed only that number – 400 – could be members of “High Society.”

A rumor suggests the most powerful men in America eat only steak and sauerkraut. I am not certain whether such is true. If the rumor said “cheeseburgers,” I might agree. After all, their noble leader Trump gouges himself on them.

Airport lines are grueling. Airports are working to change that.

Two U.S. Presidents had no formal education at all. Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.

James Madison wanted to be a clergyman. Instead he became a statesman, diplomat, U.S. founding father, and President of the United States.

Kansas is the geographic center of the U.S., if Hawaii is not included.

Alcohol did not always exist. Surprising! It had to be invented like many other things. 

Alcohol was discovered by Paracels, a chemist, in the 14th century. By accident. When he tried it, he boasted he had found “the essence of life, the power to cure the weak, and the great benefactor of mankind.”

The first white child of English parents born in America was Virginia Dare at a temporary settlement on Roanoke Island in 1587.

Henry Clay: “I would rather be right than be President.” And so he turned out to be.

To whom did the honor of having first established religious freedom in America belong? To the Roman Catholics of Maryland by the “Toleration Act” of 1649.

The first shopping carts were rolled out by grocery owner Sylvan N. Goldman in 1937. Initially, they were unpopular. It took time for them to be accepted.

Surprise! Baby Ruth bars were not named after the baseball player. Even though at the time the candy bar debuted in 1921, Babe Ruth the baseball player was popular. The bar was named after a different Ruth. Baby Ruth Cleveland, the daughter of former President Grover Cleveland.

Toni Morrison: “Correct what you can; learn from what you can’t.”

Ohio State leads the Preseason College Football Coaches Poll.

Seriously. A New York Times article this morning titled: “Change Your Toilet, Change Your Life.” Recommends you get rid of the ghost of your past. All it takes is a new design. Especially where the seat is concerned. A new toilet costs $500. A new seat $35. It’s all in a toilet’s appearance and design. 

A short Trump.

Why is it just about everything he begins has to be done over because of mistakes? Now it is the helipad he is building on the White House lawn. Tilted and the wording on it not to his liking. The helipad he is building without Congressional or other approvals. His baby! His idea! His fuck-up!

Glad Pirro straightened Trump out re the Reflective Pool. Does not appear he is listening to her, however.

I never made it to The Grand yesterday for Happy Hour. My body faded as the afternoon wore on and I lacked the energy to even get ready.

Nothing on the agenda for me today. Hope I get my car back.

Enjoy your day!

Anne Frank and her family were denied a chance at U.S. immigration prior to World War II. Three reasons. One was American bias against accepting Jewish refugees. They were stalled in effect at the beginning of the application process. The other two reasons involved the war itself and bombings.

Anne Frank: “No one has ever become poor by giving.”

Anne Frank and her family were captured after two years of hiding from the Nazis. Subsequently, they were executed.

Surprising. Monkeys sometimes have pets as humans do. Like dogs and pigs.

The Zac Brown Band gave free cruises to 37,000 Fenway Park concert fans Saturday night. It was the bands 15th sold out concert!

The cruise tickets were a huge surprise. Everyone in the audience received a free cruise for two aboard Margaritaville at Sea. The cost of the gift more than $40 million.

It was Zac Brown’s way of saying “Thank You!” to fans. A good man! 

The Historic Strand Theatre is located at 527 Duval Street in Key West. Not the Strand Theatre any longer. Now a Walgreens. Such is life. Things come and go.

I recall my first trip to Key West some 25-30 years ago. I was alone. The Strand was running some sort of sex show at midnight. The pervert in me went to watch.

The rows of seats had long been removed. The center of the theatre was empty. Fold out seats were added along the walls intermingled with bars.

I got there a bit early. I was seated on one of the pull out benches swinging a bottle of beer between my legs. Two gay guys dressed as nuns came up and asked if they could hold “my nuts.” Scared the shit out of me! I was not yet familiar with Key West or its ways. I said a firm no and got up and left. Fast!

The first “Broadway musical” occurred on September 12, 1866 at a packed theater on Broadway and Prince Streets. The show was the six hour debut of the “Black Crook.” 

New York City presently has 41 “Broadway theaters.”

The Phantom of the Opera set a record for performances at 13,981. I saw three of them. Different casts, of course.

The current life expectancy in the U.S. is 77.5 years.

The 26th Amendment was passed in 1971 lowering the voting age to 18.

Martin Luther King Jr. was prematurely smart. He enrolled at Morehouse College in 1944 at the age of 15.

Being a proponent of things good and black placed a person in position to be arrested. King was arrested 29 times.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech enjoyed a huge attendance. Two hundred fifty thousand people.

John Steinbeck’s dog ate the first draft “Of Mice and Men.” Actually half of the draft. Two months work had to be rewritten from memory. Steinbeck felt bad for the dog whose name was Toby. Toby got sick from eating all that paper. Toby’s punishment was limited to one swat with a flyswatter.

Hong Kong has one of the highest life expectancies: 85.6 years. Global life expectancy is 73.3 years. 

The oldest person to live was Jeanne Calment. She reached 122 years.

The Rocky Mountains are 3,000 miles long. Include U.S. and Canada groupings.

The New York City subway opened in 1904.

The highest global temperature ever recorded is 134.1 degrees F.

Arica, Chile was once without water for 14 years. No rain, no moisture of any kind.

For real. Antarctica is the world’s largest desert. The reason is it only receives 2 inches of precipitation a year.

The French produce 3,000 types of wine a year.

Senator Robert Kennedy of West Virginia served the most years of any senator: 51.

Winston Churchill was not that popular with the ladies when he was a young man. Three women rejected his proposals of marriage. 

Great Britain took a beating during World War II. Germany dropped 450,000 bombs on Britain.

There have been 142 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Trump will never be one. Guaranteed!

The top speed of a 1908 Model T Ford was 42 miles per hour.

As of 2020, 41 million Americans wore dentures.

A locally acquired case of dengue fever has been confirmed in South Florida. Palm Beach County to be exact. Make sure to use mosquito protection.

Trump time.

I was concerned Jeanine Pirro was a Trump wannabe and prepared to sell her soul to the country store. Turns out not. She stood up to him!

Her position re the Reflective Pool is that bad construction was the cause. Not the vandalism Trump has been selling. She discharged the case against one person and will discharge the remaining ones. Trump furious, but has not fired her…..Yet

Trump says the U.S. and Iran are talking. Iran says no. Who is lying? Could be both. Could be the Iranians want to embarrass Trump any way and any time they can.

This IRS immunity thing has Trump coming out a winner. The media is not telling the whole story. Rather not explaining it well.

Trump, his family and their companies will continue to have immunity. Limited. Only to returns already filed. Not to future ones.

Experts project such will provide the Donald with an estimated $100 million boon.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! Everyone pays taxes! Even Presidents!

The play out nothing more than a Republican Senate sell out!

Yesterday’s blog receiving a huge reaction! Everyday Americans being screwed big time financially. The 3-4 year old sex prostitution items shocking. I was surprised many were not already aware.

Hopefully I will make The Grand tonight for Happy Hour.

Enjoy your day!

Nicholas Kristoff has and is one of America’s finest news writers. I have referred to him several times in the past.

An Opinion Piece written by him appeared in the Sunday edition of the New York Times on August 2, 2026. Quite lengthy. I paraphrase and otherwise share it with you. Adding my own comments occasionally.

MEET THE AMERICANS WHO CAN’T AFFORD HAIRCUTS OR TOILET PAPER

The column is the result of a one week one thousand mile road trip that took Kristoff through the States of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Kristoff first wrote of Trinity Goodman, a 44 year old Oklahoma woman. She wore a bandage on one arm. She sells blood plasma two times a week. She had $3.78 in her checking account, one cent in her saving account, and six pennies in her piggy bank. “Her assets.”

She had recently lived with a man for 5 years who only kept her for sexual reasons.

Presently a local non profit was recently paying her $150 per month for housing. Resolved the sex problem she had for five years.

She is also getting $298 a month in food stamps. A problem exists nevertheless. The $298 cannot be used for toilet paper or personal hygiene items. She also has no funding for a haircut. She has never had her hair professionally cut.

Though many Americans are thriving, many have been left behind. We are blind as to the number left behind.

The problem has been magnified by Trump initiated cuts in food stamps, Medicaid, health funding for children, pregnancy preventive initiatives, and other social programs. On top of which Americans are experiencing very high gas and food prices.

Republicans are imposing tougher work requirements for benefits. Creates problems, however. They are costly to administer and drive people deeper into poverty.

Many require food stamps. They are desperate. Desperately hungry. Two thirds of Americans consider groceries unaffordable.

Normally Kristoff takes this trip in the Summer in Africa. Things have become so bad in the U.S. now that he opted for the U.S. trip this year. America has to be made aware! Pressure has to be imposed politically!

Getting back to Trinity Goodman, she reported she was raped and sexually abused beginning at the age of 6 or 7.

Sounds shocking! It is.

A change from 10 years and longer ago when our concern was with teenagers being forced into prostitution. The pendulum has swung. I find in my readings an increasing number of minors beginning at age 2 and 3. Being sold into prostitution by their parents. Hard to believe. Nevertheless for real. 

Returning to food. A major problem. As a result of Trump’s cuts, 1.5 million children have lost food availability. Also 3 million Americans have lost Obamacare health insurance since the beginning of this year because of Republican cuts to the subsidies used to pay for the coverage.

People overall finding it harder to pay for food and rent. One woman said, “The more I work, the harder stuff gets.”

The cut in benefits for struggling Americans is a desire to trim all federal spending. Hard to square it with the expense of the Iran War and subsidies for private planes and tax cuts for the rich. Poor Americans get the spending blame when a huge part of the spending is for and on behalf of the extremely wealthy.

Kristoff suggests it is the rich who are guilty of the manipulations.

Tax audits are inflicted mostly on the poor than the rich. An example is Humphrey County, Mississippi, with a majority black population and a median household income of $26,000. Humphrey County has the highest percentage of audits in the U.S.

The age group nationally most likely to live in poverty are children. Especially those 2 years old and under. The U.S. is failing them.

Trump tried to eliminate Head Start, the federal program with bipartisan support. He backed off the idea when it became obvious he could not get the votes. However the sneak Trump is, he withheld $12 billion from the program for several months causing great hardship.

Democrats are failing also. They talk a good game, but talk is not enough. Correct action is. The three States with the largest rate of  unsheltered homelessness are blue ones: California, Oregon and Hawaii.

Democrats must look in the mirror to see their own failures when it comes to helping those left behind.

Many working Americans feel left behind, betrayed. Our politicians are looking at the wrong things. For example, they have been complacent about 1.3 million Americans who have died of overdoses since 2000. That is roughly the number of American service members who have died from all wars in American history.

Homelessness begins with foster care. Which Kristoff views is a government system of child abuse. One 31 year old Oklahoma woman he interviewed shared her earliest memory with him. Men sexually abusing her when she was 3 or 4. There it is again! A for real problem! Her first pregnancy was at the age of 12.

Some Southern blacks think back 100 years or more. And believe things were better then for blacks than today. Would you believe? Some believe civil rights were even better back then. They are still seeking to find “opportunity” in 2026.

The U.S. military was long considered a place of opportunity by blacks for blacks. No more under Hegseth.

A longer than normal blog today. Kristoff’s Opinion Piece extremely long. Worth the length. Interesting and precise issues raised.

I hope your attention has been specifically aroused by some of the the issues touched upon.

Enjoy your day!

My last name is Petrone. How I got it interesting. It goes back to my grandfather on my father’s side.

Lets begin this way. My parents named me after my two grandfathers. My father’s dad was named Louis. My mom’s dad Silvio. I was named Louis Silvio Petrone.

Grandfather Louis’ middle name was Ulysses. I assume he picked it up in Italy when he was born.

Grandfather Louis was a sheep herder in Italy. Somewhere near Naples. He came to the United States around the turn of the century. The 1900s. At the that time, he was a boss of sorts with the younger persons helping to care for the sheep. My grandfather was referred to as a “patron” which is Italian for boss. 

He was 12 years old when he arrived in the U.S. Ellis Island, of course. Spoke no English. The police officer and immigration official doing the paperwork for his admission spoke little Italian.

They asked his last name. He did not understand. Thought they were asking what he did for a living so his response was “patron.” The immigration official wrote down “Petrone” and that is the way Petrone became our family name.

I never asked what granddad’s real last name was. Not even from my father. Never seemed important. By the time my curiosity had gotten the better of me, my grandfather had died.

Why this historical litany? I came across a statement on the internet this morning…..”It’s a likely myth that inspectors at Ellis Island changed immigrants’ names.” Based on my story, the Petrone story, not exactly true. The screwup with our last name occurred with the official at Ellis Island.

The Declaration of Independence was passed/adopted on July 4, 1776. However, it was not signed on that date. It was not signed till this day, August 2, 1776.

Mosquitos are the world’s deadliest animals. They kill about 760,000 persons annually.

James Baldwin: “The longer I live, the more I deeply learn that love – whether we call it friendship or family or romance – is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light.”

The International Space Station produces oxygen from recycled water.

An 1844 chess match “via telegraph” anticipated the board game’s online popularity.

A concerned biologist spearheaded a project to build rope bridges for wildlife in the Amazon. Lead to 15,000 safe wildlife crossings and zero roadkill.

It is easier to spot a liar by listening rather than looking. Generally always better to listen first.

Interest in a 4 day school week is growing in many States. Already 2,100 schools nationwide are following the abridged 4 day school week. 

Lab studies show dandelion extract triggered death in a variety of cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Human trials are being conducted to verify if such is correct.

My family’s experience with dandelion consumption.

When I was young and into my high school years, the eating of dandelions was big time. We were always off to the park or a large field to pull dandelions, bring them home, wash them good, and then consume in various fashions. Note they were free. We were relatively poor in the earlier years. So it was natural to eat dandelions.

Having read about dandelions and cancer this morning, I gave the issue some thought as regards my family. Taking into account the wide arena of relatives, all who were economically similarly situated and ate dandelions big time, I could only think of two who died of cancer.

Must be some truth to the lab studies report.

On this day in 1943, PT-109 sunk. Its “Captain” Lt. John F. Kennedy was instrumental in saving his crew.

On this day in 1934, Hitler became dictator of Germany. German President von Hindenburg died and Chancellor Adolf Hitler became “absolute dictator” of Germany under the title of “Fuhrer” or “Leader.” The Third Reich was born.

Trying to move my ass a bit. Began walking yesterday. Goal is to walk everyday.

Yesterday did all of 40 steps. I was exhausted! Had to be the hot sun. I walked mid day. This morning I went out to walk at sun-up at 7 a,m.. Actually no sun. Walked 160 steps.

I am proud of myself.

Enjoy your day!

How stupid is Trump? How stupid are we? There is legislation pending that would integrate portions of U.S. and Israel defense systems. Section 219 of the fiscal year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act. The House has already passed the bill. The bill faces ongoing debate in the Senate.

How can this even be considered after Netanyahu conned Trump into joining forces to attack Iran? Look at the mess such began!

The bill represents stupidity at its highest level!

Is Trump planning a ground war for U.S. troops in Iran? Something the American people do not want. What’s the matter with Trump?

Is Trump in danger of a personal significant Epstein exposure? Word is that in excess of 1,000 photos and other materials exist in the not yet revealed Epstein papers that Republicans and their noble leader are preventing from disclosure.

Are Trump and Hegseth not speaking to truth re the number of Americans killed and wounded in the Iran War? The American people are entitled to an accurate report re each. What is is and should not be hidden!

Enough of Donald.

Sleeping is a problem these hot Summer months. Even with air conditioners going full blast. The heat hangs in many homes even after the sun goes down. Makes sleep difficult. A solution has been revealed. If such is a solution. “Cool bedding.” A “bamboo sheet set.” Good idea? I don’t know. Check it out. “Quince” the manufacturer.

There is a French phrase “to comb the giraffe.” Means “to do something useless.”

Scrabble enthusiasts be aware. I came across the highest scoring word. A single word producing 1,778 letters. The word is “oxyphenbutazone.” It is an anti-inflammatory drug.

When will the truth re Senator Mitch McConnell be revealed? Is he alive?

A desert no more. Tomato soup cake. Dates back to 1922. It was popular among Irish immigrants. It became so popular that in 1960 the Campbell Soup Company printed a version of it on its Tomato Soup label. The soup did not have a tomato taste because of the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg ingredients which nullified the tomato taste.

Herman Melville, from Moby Dick: “I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.”

Calamity Jane died this day in 1903.

“Bed rotting.” A phrase for spending long times in bed. From hours to days. Can be good, can be bad. For sure, it is the body’s way of resetting. Known to be helpful with mental health, or can be a sign of depression.

I spend a lot of time in bed. I consider it healthy. Dr. Norris has not made up his mind yet what it is for me. Don’t forget my age. I am 91. I am tired all the time in spite of the huge amounts of bed time I spend in bed.

About 25 years ago, there was a TV show called the Gilmore Girls. Both mother and daughter were named “Lorelai.” Today many have named and are naming their daughters Lorelai. In the year 2025, 333 out of every 1,000 baby girls were named Lorelai. 

America loves avocados. Those purchased at supermarkets are of one type: The Hass avocado. It makes up 80 percent of American avocado production.

What George Washington’s meals consisted of on a daily basis. Note first, Washington was a multi-millionaire. He had slave labor that cooked for him till he entered the White House. He did not continue with a slave labor cook while President.

Washington’s meals were consistent. For breakfast sliced cow’s tongue, hoecakes, and buttered toast.

He skipped lunch. Ate his second and last meal at 3 in the afternoon: Fried tripe, creamed cabbage, broiled bass and glazed onions. Some days he ate ham or corned beef or broiled lamb and mutton. He ate the meal with five glasses of ale or wine. Both of which he had made himself.

He ate nuts following the 3 p.m. meal and at bedtime.

The tripe meal I found interesting. My mother loved tripe. She consumed large amounts of it. Must have been some sort of Italian delicacy. I hated it! My father, too! She had to cook us separate meals when she enjoyed her tripe.

Tripe is nothing more than a pig’s stomach cooked. Tasted as bad as it sounds.

The weather is crazy. The U.S. and Europe experiencing one of the most hot and humid Summers ever. At the same time , the Antarctica has reached the Earth’s coldest temperature since 2012. Minus 119 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Nurse Paige visited me yesterday. She is the best! I am confident she will get me standing straight and walking properly when she is finished with me. Leaves me tired when she is finished with me, however. I went straight to bed!

Still without a car.

Enjoy your day!

Americans were big car sellers in Canada. No more. Canadians are overall unhappy with the U.S. In every respect. All because of Trump.

As a result, Chinese cars will soon be flooding Canadian dealerships. At the moment, Chinese cars are sitting on ships in Canada waiting to be unloaded. Chinese dealerships will be opening soon in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. 

Such poses a threat to the U.S. economy. Thank you, Donald! Another job well done!

There are certain foods that food safety experts recommend not be eaten: Cantaloupe, oysters, shell fish, and sushi rolls. I eat them all! I made it to 91. Not going to start worrying now.

There’s a new ring out there for women. The “divorce ring.” Worn on the middle finger. A new trend. Gaining in popularity.

Euripides: “Each day that dawns brings some new lesson with it.”

Spain is making me uncomfortable. It is doing all sorts of strange things.

Basketball legend Bill Russell died this day in 2022. I met Russell many years ago at a professional golf tournament in Rochester. We happened to sit at one of the holes on the first day on the grass next to each other. Became friends. Spent that day and the next three together. Hole by hole. Dinner one evening. Nice guy.

A problem! The three top cities for residential and commercial bed bug problems are Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit. Chicago has been number one for six consecutive years.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “Dr. Fauci is a hero. Dr. Paul is a quack.” I agree. Senator Paul was an ass yesterday. Fauci protected all Americans through several serious crisis over the years. What did Paul save us from?

More passports with Trump’s picture are coming out soon. Ugh!

The Republican Party is beginning to fall apart. About time! They need new leaders.

Europe is suffering from the Iran War also. It is caught between low gas resources and rising prices. None of this would have happened to either Europe or the U.S. were it not for Trump!

Half a million jobs have been added to the economy since Trump took office last January. Eighty five percent have been women.

Seaweed has been a major Key West problem the past few weeks. Mexico experiencing a similar problem. Mexico’s problem has been a ten year one, however.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled a $115 million plan yesterday to correct it.

How to pick a sweet watermelon. I am into watermelons at the moment. Sound the key. Smell not involved. Slap the melon. The shell should “bounce” back sound wise. The higher the pitch, the better.

Color is also involved. The more pale on the outside, the sweeter it will be on the inside.

Corey took me grocery shopping last night. My car still in repair.

Nurse Paige due at 11:30 this morning. She is doing good for me.

Enjoy your day!

The recent heat wave affects even fish. That is why this Summer more sharks are being seen in northern waters. Sharks and other fish are looking for cooler waters to hang out. Heat intensifies water. Makes it significantly  hotter. Fish living in increasingly hot water are moving north where conditions are a bit cooler.

Shell’s profits for the year doubled year on year, as national companies enjoy  a windfall as a result of soaring gas prices since the Iran War.

More than 80 percent of New York City’s newsstands have closed in the past two decades. In the 1900s, New York City had more than 1,500 newsstands. Today, just over 300 left. One reason is the rise of the internet in the early and recent 2,000s. Many Americans stopped buying newspapers and magazines.

I read on the internet that groceries are more expensive than they have been in 50 years. Fifty years a huge number. However I feel my grocery bill is higher each week and has become totally out of hand. I am sure most of you agree with me. So that 50 year figure might be right on!

Vincent van Gogh: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

The top driver of inflation is housing.

A 53 year old message in a bottle was found in a bottle in a New Jersey wetland. The message in the bottle had been written by a 9 year old girl.

The search for Amelia Earhart is back on 90 years later. A group has been formed to explore remote corners of the Pacific.

Spanish archeologists have determined Neanderthals wore makeup and jewelry. Interesting.

The global cosmetic market in 2025 totaled $354 billion.

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law.

President Dwight Eisenhower signed “In God We Trust” into law this day in 1952.

On this day in 1777, Brigadier General George Clinton took office as the first elected Governor of New York State. In later years, he was elected Vice President of the United States under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

A small community near my home town Utica is Clinton. Less than 20 miles. A comfortable pleasant community. 

Located in Clinton is Hamilton College. A small well respected College. I was accepted by Hamilton College but chose to go to Manhattan College in New York City. I wanted to explore the big city flavor.

Years later when practicing law, I was privileged to represent Hamilton College for a number of years.

Vivienne Westwood: “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.”

Comparing U.S. taxes to those of other countries. The highest U.S. marginal tax rate is 37 percent. At nearly 56 percent, Denmark has the highest income tax rate. Some countries do not use marginal taxes at all. Many countries in the Middle East rely on oil and gas to finance their governments.

Money bespeaks money. “Money persons” know how to make more money than most and how to help their employees keep more. Elon Musk is one of those money people. 

He is creating a company town called “Snailbrooke” for Space X and some of his other companies. The town will be a small community 45 miles outside Austin.

“Company Towns” are an old tradition. Large companies did it in the past. A place where employees can live and work, in order to increase productivity, attract the best, and more.

Americans between the ages of 45 and 55 pay nearly 30 percent of all income taxes, paying an average rate of 17 percent. This group bears the largest share of the tax burden.  Those under age 35 account for only 11 percent of total taxes paid despite representing 35 percent of all tax filings.

A bit of Trump next.

Trump met this week with Zelensky and Netanyahu. Both were in Washington to pay respects to Senator Graham.

Iran continues to stand tough re ending the war. They’ve got Trump by the “proverbial balls.” Therefore the U.S. also.

Other Middle East countries are getting involved in the Iran War. It was inevitable.

Iran will not end this war easily. Trump/the U.S. started it. If it is tough for Trump to handle, too bad. That has to be Iran’s attitude.

Forget not also how the war began with the U.S. killing in excess of 100 young girls and Iranian leaders. Revenge is part of the Iranian mental make up.

There is only one way the war will end. Not by bombings . It requires “skillful negotiators.” I’m not sure we have any for this particular war.

Enjoy your day!

Cristeta Comerford was a White House Chef. She said it was an “eye-opener” to see Presidents and their families are “regular people.”

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: “One man can make a difference and every man should try.”

The 14th Amendment granting U.S. citizenship to formerly enslaved persons was officially adopted this day in 1868.

It’s Shark Week. A TV event. Returns this week for its 38th Anniversary.

More and more people are flying. July 23 set a record day for commercial aviation with 153,359 commercial flights in one day.

The penny has been abolished. Are paper checks next?

Would you believe? A Parisian art enthusiast won a Pablo Picasso painting with a $117 raffle ticket at a Christie’s auction in Paris. The Picasso was worth $1 million.

Why do sneaks squeak on basketball courts? The cause is the soft material on the soles of sneaks as they ripple across the floor.

A soda fountain pharmacy is back in time. Remember how drug stores had soda/ice cream counters? I do. A memory of age.

China is outspending and out gaining the U.S. worldwide. Trump’s screw ups the reason. Nations are turning to China rather than the U.S.  Canada and China a perfect example.

The average person eats 270 eggs a year. Chicken, of course.

Trump meets with Netanyahu at the White House today or tomorrow. The first meeting between the two since the start of the Iran War in February. Netanyahu should no longer be welcome in the White House after the way he conned Trump into the Iran War.

I have been pro Israel my entire life. No more.

Zelensky is meeting with Trump in the White House today or tomorrow also. The three will not be meeting together.

I love it when Zelensky gets together now with Trump and/or Vance. Recall how they broke his balls and embarrassed him at the beginning of the Ukraine/Putin war.

The first supermarkets in the U.S. began appearing in the 1930s. The first was New York City’s King Kullen in 1930.

Two days of service for Senator Lindsey Graham begins today at the Capital Rotunda at noon.

Lyndon John was a great President from my perspective. He did have one flaw, however. A major one. He wanted to be a “War President” as Roosevelt had during World War II. That is why Johnson continued dumping U.S. troops into Vietnam.

Florida conducts a rare double execution today. Florida and its Governor DeSantis are without compassion when it comes to executions. The highest number in the United States. Is it because of some particular quirk of DeSantis? Or is it because Florida is trying to accommodate its elderly population and what it believes their elderly think?

Japan was hit yesterday by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. A big one!

A 1970s New York City police hero was Frank Serpico. He appeared yesterday at the swearing in of New York City’s new Sheriff. Serpico received a rousing welcome. Today an aging wispy figure out of New York’s past.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “If technology makes lies cheap and plentiful, how hard will we work to protect the truth?”

An example of high echelon wastefulness. Accidental that it failed. Vice President Vance requested a Marine Two military helicopter to fly his young son across town to a golf course. The flight would have cost taxpayers $16,000 to $25,000 per hour. Fortunately, the flight was cancelled due to severe weather.

A bit of Trump. Only a bit.

Canadians have been insulted by Trump constantly. They consider him to have bad manners. Mildly said.

As a result, the U.S. is losing many Canadian dollars. Fewer visit the U.S. The number huge. All kinds of business no longer shared. Canadians hate it when Trump says he wants to make them the 51st State. Would piss me off also was I Canadian.

Now the bridge thing and a pending 50 percent tariff. 

Trump is crazy!

Trump suggesting Iran talks to renew. To what end? Issues between the U.S. and Iran appeared locked in. Trump wants the delay in fighting because he has been told we do not have sufficient military weapons of a particular sort to continue. Iran welcomes the break from bombing.

In a speech in Michigan yesterday, Trump blamed “high prices” on Biden. All that comes to my mind re Trump and the statement: “What an asshole Trump is!”

Such is my “Trump bit” for today.

I hope to get my car back from the garage today. Was supposed to have gotten it yesterday. I am out of groceries again. Need the car to shop.

Tonight Happy Hour at The Grand. Hope I make it!

My life for today is built on two hopes.

Enjoy your day!

Yesterday was a special one. Pure enjoyment.

Spent the day propped in bed watching TV and snoozing. 

My movie watching included three excellent features. The West Wing, The Wings of War, and Twelve O’Clock High. Great TV! Took me through the morning, into the afternoon and then the early evening. Slept occasionally during each.

Enjoyed some excellent food to pick on. Shaved my too long beard.

Capped the day off with a good night’s sleep. Unusual for me.

Kiss me ladies! I feel great!

Enjoy your day!