Joe Manchin’s appearance on FOX yesterday clearly identified who he is: Judas. His FOX appearance solidified the type of person he is.

Judas was not the only thought that came to mind. It was Manchin’s Gethsemane. The poor man suffered so much as he explained his position.

Manchin’s “suffering” should not have been for himself. Rather the American people who he denied of a political package that would have made American lives dramatically better.

The time has come for a change in the COMMENTS portion of this blog. It has been coming for quite a while.

Effective immediately all Comments will require the name and e-mail address of the sender. Anonymous does not work anymore. Too many off handed, disgusting, personal attacks. Not on me so much. But on each other. Not by all Commenters, but the few toilet tongued.

The COVID shots turned out to be not as effective as we thought. The vaccines not yet a cure all. However, better than nothing. Note that the present surge has more people remaining at home to recover and its impact significantly less than before the vaccines.

Christmas will not be as thought. The omicron surge has people running to be tested. Properly so. Many planned large family get togethers. Many will be cancelled because of the new COVID fear.

Caution is the rule for the Christmas holiday.

The fight to survive continues. New York and Massachusetts are two states where the virus has or is on the verge of becoming overwhelming.

New York’s Mayor De Blasio is still Mayor. His term does not end till December 31. Blasio announced yesterday that “New York needs help now.”

Massachusetts is in the midst of the surge. Massachusetts epidemiologists are concerned with the timing of Biden’s address to the nation tuesday concerning the surge. A group announced yesterday that “Tuesday is too late.”

It’s that bad!

My stay at home joy yesterday was the final round of the PNC Championship.

My primary interest were Tiger and his 12 year old son Charlie. The father an established star. His son giving every evidence of being his Dad some day. In many respects, already. The kid can hit, putt and has a good iron game. On occasion, he saved a bad shot by his father.

Tiger is on his way back. Will he totally make it? Don’t know. He was very good. He and Charlie came in second, 2 strokes behind John Daly and his son. However, he rode rather than walk. His right leg difficulty was obvious on occasion. Recall 10 months ago, doctors were considering an amputation.

New York Times sports writer Kurt Streeter described Charlie in his column published last night. Charlie is “Tiger’s mini-me.”

John Daly can still hit the ball. He and his son John won the tournament.

Daly calls his son Little John.

Little John is 18 and a freshman at Arizona University.

He played like a pro. Did it all, including dropping some very long putts.

He wants to be a pro golfer. Finishing college first. A smart kid.

My hand is still killing me. Even sleep difficult. I hope the pill works. Today is only the third day I will have taken it.

Enjoy your day!

The two most powerful persons in Washington are Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Birds of a feather. Obstructionists. Powerful however since the Democrats need their two votes to get anything significant done. Like Bring Back America and killing the filibuster.

Manchin has risen this year from being just another Senator to a man in ways more powerful than the President.

He could vote for raising the debt ceiling. He cannot vote for the child tax credit. Unbelievable!

His new found power is affecting him mentally. I think he is losing it.

A perfect example is his jumping all over a reporter who asked if the child tax credit was a sticking point between him and the White House. His response was “Bullshit!”

He said, “This is bullshit. You’re bullshit. Then in a rising voice as he entered an elevator: “I’m done, I’m done! God almighty!

Manchin is now being referred to by some in the media as “President” Joe Manchin.

“Hippie Queen” Kyrsten Sinema. How lucky we are to have her in the Senate. A breath of fresh air!

I am kidding of course. She is one step behind Manchin in being intolerable.

She is opposed to getting rid of the filibuster. If the filibuster were gone, the Democrats would be able to create so many new laws they could very well control Congress for years to come.

Inconsistency in her thinking many times. She supports election reform. However will not do the necessary to work around the filibuster somehow to get the much needed reform passed.

A swell is growing in Arizona. Many who supported her are unhappy and in all likelihood will not support her the next time around. She ran one way and when elected abandoned the promises she made.

Twenty students from the University of Arizona and Arizona State have gone on a hunger strike in an attempt to change Sinema’s thinking on how to get the election bill passed..

My comments are limited today to the new Capitol stars Manchin and Sinema. I have a late morning doctor visit for a new problem. Nothing serious I suspect. A pain, however.

Enjoy your day!

Japan has stopped COVID dead in its tracks. Japan’s death rate is 5 percent that of the U.S.

COVID deaths in Japan are 18,000. Fourteen out of every 100,000 persons. Whereas, the number of deaths in the U.S. has just passed 800,000. Works out to 242 of every 100,000 persons.

Last week, Japan averaged 113 new infections a day. The U.S., 120,000 per day.

Three reasons. A vaccine rollout was a success, masks wearing considered a good idea by the people, and social restrictions at large gatherings were followed.

Nothing new. Vaccines, masks and be careful at large gatherings. Same game plan as in U.S. Except the Japanese people listened to their leaders.

Smart ass types as in the U.S. non existent.

There is presently a surge world wide. Predicted to get even greater. Most taken sick are infected with the Omicron and Delta variants.

Japan’s population is 126 million. Eighty percent of of its people are vaccinated. Includes even children 5 years old and up. The U.S. has just reached 60 percent. Sixty percent out of well over 3 million persons.

Vaccination the #1 weapon and preventive weapon. Wake up America. Those fighting vaccines and mask wearing are dangerous to themselves and others. The U.S. will never be even close to controlling COVID unless dissenting Americans get off their high horses and pay attention to the experts.

More COVID news.

Cornell University has closed its doors. Only offices and some labs remain open.

The recent surge hit Cornell big time. More than 900 students afflicted in a very short period of time.

Note Cornell is located in upstate New York. The New York area presently impacted by the surge. My hometown Utica an hour or so driving time away. Utica has been hit. Hospitals short of beds and medical staff.

A contributing factor is the cold. Upstate New York is a freezer this time of the year. Snow and very very low temperatures. COVID thrives in cold weather.

Cornell opted to close down just before final exams. Final will be taken from home online.

There is an oddity to the Cornell situation. The student population was overwhelmingly vaccinated, including booster shots.

The attacking virus are of the Omicron and Delta variants.

Cornel reports those afflicted with the Omicron variant are not significantly ill. Something we have been reading about in locations where Omicron has previously struck.

Key West’s cigar business booming in 1899.

In the week ending 12/6/1899, 14 cigar companies shipped a total of 1,042,500 cigars.

My blog has a significant Filipino following. I wish to report on a religious holiday. A Catholic one. Simbang Gabi.

Simbang Gabi is a joyous yearly celebration. A nine day Advent novena. This year it begins tomorrow 12/16 and runs through 12/24.

Catholic Churches are lit with parol, a star shaped lantern. Parol originated in the Philippines and resembles the Star of Bethlehem.

Novena services are filled with tempo vibrant music.

Simbang Gabi began in 1668. Spanish missionaries from Mexico introduced Filipinos to the religious service as part of the evangelization of the Philippines.

Services were held pre-dawn so fishermen could finish their work day and farmers who were beginning could attend.

Today Simbang Gabi services continue to be held in the early morning. Today’s Filipinos walking through the pre-dawn darkness to attend Simbang Gabi.

I wrote in yesterday’s blog re the horrendous tornados that hit 6 States. I zeroed in especially on Mayfield, Kentucky. Little left of the community.

I acknowledged my lack of tornado knowledge indicating I might err in some instances.

I did err. Not badly. One or two mistakes.

Let me correct myself.

Hurricanes are classified in categories. Tornados  by the Fujita Scale. The Scale runs from F1 to F5. F5 being the fastest moving.

Some weather experts suggest there should be an F6 because of the increased velocity of tornados. So far, the move has not been accepted.

An F5 represents wind speeds from 261-318 mph. A hell of a lot faster than a category 5 hurricane which is 150 mph.

Hurricane wind speed is measured as it passes over an area. Not tornados.

Tornados are not measured till some time after a tornado passes. Why I could not figure out. A lot of tornado info out there.

I wrote about Mayfield, Andrea Mitchell and a Professor Michael Mann.

Andrea had Professor Mann on her show monday. Mann is a Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State. He is recognized as one of the world’s premier tornado experts.

Mayfield’s speed has been “projected” by Mann at 300 mph. A guess at this time.  Others have measured it from 165 mph to some number in excess of 300.

Mann suggested a 300 mph tornado would wipe a town out. Mayfield was wiped out. He further advised that a 300 mph tornado would throw debris in the air to 35,000 feet. Note 35,000 feet is where commercial airplanes travel.

I have covered/corrected my yesterday errors and repeated some information from yesterday’s blog. Mea culpa.

Enjoy your day!

The weekend set of tornados over Kentucky and several other states have been an education for me.

Andrea Mitchell on her noon time show yesterday had an interesting guest. A professor from Penn State. An expert weatherman. An expert on tornados.

His interview an education.

He said the tornados that ripped through Mayfield, Kentucky had speeds up to 300 mph. Wild! A category 5 hurricane is 150 miles an hour. Both do serious damage.

The professor also said a 300 mph hour tornado shoots debris skyward to 35,000 feet. That’s where commercial airlines fly!

Hurricane speeds are labeled by “categories. Tornados, different. Appear to be labeled with “EF-B.” I think. Still trying to get my hands around tornados.

The National Weather Service categorized Mayfield as an EF-B, 136-165 mph.

As far as I can determine, no one sure yet as to the actual speed of the tornados at whatever point.

I saw a category 5 hurricane in 1992 three weeks after Andrew hit Homestead. The town leveled. Flat. An infrequent occasional wall left standing. I have seen the damage wrought by Irma, a category 4. Some buildings/walls left standing. Not much, however.

Mayfield is not totally flattened. Not a pancake, though close. Walls and roofs partially remaining on some buildings.

I am not sure whether Mayfield 300 or 150 mph. Merely sharing with you the little information and knowledge I have acquired.

It seems to me that once 150 mph is reached, whether 150 or 300 mph makes no difference. The damage is the same.

Winter time up north. Means turtles there being cold stunned.

Cape Cod an example.

Cold stunned turtles cannot survive.

Twenty cold stunned turtles were flown from Boston to Marathon’s Turtle Hospital. With a stopover at the New England Aquarium in Boston to prepare them for the trip.

The turtles are Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. The most critically endangered species of turtles in the world.

They were flown from Boston to Marathon courtesy of Turtles Fly Too.

Treatment over the next several months will consist of broad spectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and a healthy diet. The turtles will reside in 75 degree F. tanks of water.

Custom House in the news.

The contract for the construction of the Custom House was awarded this day in 1888. The structure was completed at a cost of $107,955.96. The building was first occupied in the later part of 1891.

Mark Meadows does not appear very bright. Either he’s stupid, or his attorney, or both.

The more Meadows talks, the more he buries himself.

Paul Krugman in a today’s New York Times article re the failure to yet raise the debt ceiling wrote in How Saboteurs Took Over The GOP: “One of America’s two major political parties (Republican) isn’t just refusing to help the nation deal with its problems; it’s actually working to make the country ungovernable.”

Today one of the saddest in American history. The Sandy Hook massacre occurred this day in 2012. Twenty first graders and six teachers were shot to death.

Tuesday comes around swiftly each week. Tuesday evening my blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Join me at 9 my time. An interesting week to talk about. The show itself a quick moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

In most instances, FOX taints those who broadcast for them. An honest FOX broadcaster a rarity. One is Chris Wallace.

Wallace has been with FOX a number of years. He was able to maintain an honest high profile news personality without relying on falsehoods.

CNN terminated Chris Cuomo rapidly. He was CNN’s top anchor person. In only a few days, the CNN/Wallace deal was made. Wallace will host a weekday show.

Both Wallace and CNN come out on top in this deal!

From his time as New Jersey governor to today, Chris Christie has learned truth is the way to go. His recent positions are more honest than in the past. Not hard to do if you are increasingly anti-Trump as Christie is.

Christie appeared on yesterday’s ABC morning show with George Stephanopoulos. His words re January 6 right on: “In the end the facts are going to come out, but let’s not kid ourselves. This was a driven-from-the-top-process executed by C-team players. And that’s why it looks like a Keystone Cops operation, because it was.”

Only 12 days to Christmas. How time flies!

The question arises this time every year as to the best place in Key West to welcome the New Year. Three from my perspective. All “street events.”

The three are Sushi the Drag Queen and her red stiletto heel drop at the Bourbon Street Pub, the Conch Shell Drop on the roof of Sloppy Joe’s, and the Pirate Wench Drop from a mast at Schooner Wharf.

Each Key West’s Time Square rendition.

Time’s Person of the Year Award announced yesterday. Sixteen year old Greta Thunberg. The Swedish climate activist. She is the youngest ever to receive the Award.

Proof again that climate change/global warming is a real problem deserving of everyone’s attention.

“The whole town is gone.” Words uttered by a female employee who was buried under the rubbish of the candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky.

Sex is a powerful force. Compels many to set duty aside for a few hours of decadent pleasure.

General Charles Lee was a British General who who joined Colonial forces.

Washington was in dire need of Lee and his men. Lee had his marching orders where to join Washington.

Lee was delayed on the way. For an evening of sex. He stopped to enjoy an overnight dalliance with a lady at Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

Washington was pissed!

Things were already strained between the two. Lee was upset Washington had been given command of the Continental Army instead of him. It was easy to set aside the “rush” to aid Washington for a bit of sex.

Lee and Washington continued to have a strained relationship. Finally in 1778, Washington suspended Lee. In 1780, he outright fired him.

Enjoy your day!

What a night! The Christmas Boat Parade was absolutely spectacular!

First one I have seen in several years. Every boat new, except for the Morah one.

Jean Thornton and I enjoyed the evening together.

First, the Chart Room. Steve and Cindy there. Recall I wrote a bit of Steve’s history a couple of months ago. He first came to Key West in the 1970’s. Made his fortune in tacos…..all over Florida. Cindy was Jimmy Buffett’s secretary/right arm for years when his headquarters was located above Fast Buck Freddie’s in the Kress Building.

We chatted at the round table for about an hour. The room filled during that time. To the point where the noise was so deafening we could not hear each other talk. Cindy and I left to go to dinner. Steve and Cindy remained.

We were fortunate to have a reservation on the Pier 1 deck. Right on the rail as requested.

It was already dark. The temperature just right.

The boats began appearing. Like race horses working out, one at a time. Each, oh so beautiful. All sizes, different type decorations.

We were enjoying dinner when the table next to us got up to leave. Two women and a man. One of the women approached me. Are you Louis? Do you Write?

Her name, Deb. She reads the blog every day.

Deb and husband Louis originally from Wisconsin. Now live in Cape Coral. Hop down to Key West on occasion to party.

My kind of people!

Louis is a retired attorney also. In addition, my age 86.

Louis retired only two years ago. He felt the urge to do something in retirement as I did. He captains a charter boat.

I apologize to Deb who is the one who follows my blog. I mention Jean Thornton often. I am sure Deb was aware of the Golden Girl and would have enjoyed meeting her. Being ill mannered on occasion, I forgot to introduce Jean.

My apologies to Deb and to Jean.

Andre waited on us. He has been affiliated with the Pier House since 2007. Told me he was able to work through the pandemic, but things were tough. Everyone earned less.

One of the Irma refugees at Jean’s Birmingham home Hayward stopped by.

In leaving, Jean and I had to walk past the Chart Room. We had  agreed we would not be stopping in. Late and tired. As we passed the Chart Room door, there were Steve and Cindy at the bar. They had never left. Jean went in to say hello. I knew she would stay a while. If I went in, I would have done likewise.

Not for me, however. Kissed Jean and said good night. It was home to bed for me.

Key West has a birthday coming up. Its 200th. March 2020. The City is scheduling events for March 19-30.

Wild hurricanes! The damage as shown on TV similar to that done by a Category 5 hurricane. Blocks and blocks down. Irma did it in certain places along the Keys.

The worst damage I have ever seen was Andrew in 1992 in Homestead. The entire community flat. Like a pancake.

The tornado in effect was a series of ones. One series ran more than 200 miles.

Kentucky hurt pretty bad. A long time recovery ahead. Already 100 plus dead. There will be more.

Tennessee took a big hit also. Estimated 15-18 tornadoes ran through the state.

The best description of the tornadoes was you could see them “shredding nursing homes.”

Does this most recent natural disaster have anything to do with climate change?

Rand Paul represents Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. He has been a hard ass in previous natural disasters in other parts of the U.S. Always refusing to vote for relief funds. His conduct has been ongoing for 10 years. Disasters which included New Jersey’s Sandy Hook, Puerto Rico, and Texas’ Hurricane Harvey.

His time to ask/beg for assistance. Paul wrote to Biden yesterday saying, I “ask that you move expeditiously to approve appropriate resources for our state.”

Paul’s excuse in the past in voting against immediate assistance was that it should not be from new money which the government did not have on hand. There are never enough funds available for a new huge natural disaster. Paul has always wanted the money to be taken from from a place where it was already voted to go. Who should the U.S. screw? A foreign nation with monies already appropriated to its use?

Congress would take forever to decide who to take the money from. At a time when time is of the essence. Immediately following a hurricane or tornado is when money is most needed. Like yesterday! Not weeks or months ahead after Congress fights to the bitter end from whence the mones must come.

I watched the 1967 movie Camelot yesterday afternoon. One of the better musicals of all time.

Richard Harris played Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave Guinevere, and Franco Nero Lancelot .

I had the good fortune to watch Camelot on Broadway in its first year. Only Nero remained of the original cast. Outstanding then and again yesterday.

Grocery and restaurant prices continue to spike. Food is more expensive than it has been in decades. Consumers cannot win. It’s getting more expensive to dine out and it’s getting more expensive to eat home.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Trump suggested we drink Clorox. Now comes Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc) who recommends mouth washing with Listerine to kill coronavirus. In fairness, he doesn’t suggest drinking it.

I am curious. What next?

It seems insanity prevails in the highest ranks of the Republican Party. How can anyone believe that Listerine or some other mouthwash will solve the virus problem? Those that do claim that “standard gargle mouthwash, has been proven to kill the coronavirus. If you get it, you may reduce viral replication.”

Two leading mouthwash manufacturers have “extensive web pages on their company sites deterring customers from thinking that they are effective measures against the virus.”

Listerine has had detailed information on its website saying “available data insufficient and no evidence – based clinical observations can be drawn with regards to the anti-viral efficacy of LISTERINE.”

The information has been available on the Listerine website since March 2020.

Coronavirus is a virus, not a bacteria. Mouthwashes are antimicrobial, meaning they are designed to fight bacteria, not viruses.

The U.S. Supreme Court has always been considered the “court of last resort.” If no where else, justice would be done at the highest judicial level in the U.S.

No more.

Another consideration is justice is supposed to be blind. Such signified by the Statue of Justice being blindfolded. The blindfold has been swept away. Today a majority of Justices are one minded and know well before a case even comes before them that its subject matter will or will not be supported by them.

Justices have become “special effects” actors on behalf of radicalism, the rich, and certain favored classes. As workers of old owed their souls to the company store, Justices owe their positions to special interests.

High court decisions are becoming more and more convoluted. The Texas abortion case the most recent example. It does not make legal or common sense how the Court ruled yesterday that the lower ruling in the Texas case remains the law till the Supreme Court finally decides it. However, abortion clinics may continue to bring lawsuits in lower courts in attempt to override the specifics as to how specific curtailing actions might be lifted.

The issue in the Texas case is not really abortions. It has moved on to being whether a lower inferior court can override a Supreme Court decision.

The seats the Justices now sit on are unsteady. They can fall. People will only take abuse so long.

A solution is to pack the Court. Biden must add additional Justices to the Court to swing the Court’s balance.

I wish to address the insurrection issue from a different perspective.

January 6 was not the only day when there has been an insurrection. For days and months before and since, insurrection is taking place on a daily place. Attempts in certain states to change voting systems, control who does what, etc. represent a form of insurrection. Another way to overthrow the type of government American people have been accustomed to for a couple of hundred years.

An interesting comment in this morning’s Citizens” Voice re DeSantis’ civilian military: “Presumably the new private army in Florida will be used to enforce the coming totalitarianism?”

On this day in 1898, the Battleship Maine plot in the Key West Cemetery was dedicated. Ten thousand attended.

Such number would not be attained or even come close to today.

The Christmas Boat Parade tonight at 8. I am meeting Jean Thornton first in the Chart Room. Following which we have a table reserved at Pier One at the rail for dinner and then boat watching.

The State and wealthy Key West business persons v. the people of Key West in the continuing cruise ship battle.

Big boats are beginning to arrive at Pier B. Pier B is privately owned.

A Norwegian vessel with a capacity for 3,200 persons arrived. It was met by a contingency of those opposed to vessels coming and going. Hundreds on the docks and small boats in the water protesting the boat’s arrival.

As I mentioned yesterday, New York’s surge is in the northern part of the state. The heavy cold and snow belt area. I spent more than 50 years living in the area.

The State is concerned. A new rule has been placed in effect. Masks must be worn in indoor public places, unless the business or venue implements a vaccine requirement.

The mask mandate begins this monday and will continue to January 15 at which time it will be reevaluated.

New York joins Washington, Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico and Hawaii in requiring similar indoor mask mandates.

Enjoy your day!

Eight days before the January 6 rally, Julie Fancelli wired a total of $650,000 to three organizations that helped stage and promote the event.

Julie Fancelli is a wealthy Publix heiress. Her Dad founded Publix. She has no formal position with Publix. She is merely a stockholder.

Julie is 72. She and her husband have two homes. One in Italy, the other Florida. They spend most of their time in Italy. She and her husband live a low key life. Julie is regarded as a “good woman” who gives to “worthy causes.”.

The purpose of her giving the $650,000 was to help people attend the January 6 rally.

The contributions were in three separate huge chunks of money.

One $200,000 to the State Tea Party Express to pay for ads encouraging Republicans to protest at the Capitol on January 6.

Another $300,000 to the Women for America First. The organization was one of the organizers of the January 6 rally at The Ellipse.

One hundred fifty thousand dollars to a non-profit offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association.

A statement has been issued on Julie’s behalf that she would never support “violence” as “unfolded January 6.”

Julie’s family and friends say she has become “obsessed” with right wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Jones and his show Infowars have been subpoenaed to testify before the January Six Committee.

It is claimed investigation has revealed Julie and Jones had one communication between 12/27 and 1/1 after Jones’ team explained to her how she could support his efforts to overturn Trump’s election loss.

Julie’s brother in law Barry Barnett said, “Julie is one of the finest people I know, and I am sorry she got tied up with this guy.”

Julie’s relationship with Jones has been described as her having an “affinity for Alex Jones and his conspiracy theories and that sort of thing.”

It has been reported Julie was set to travel to Washington, stay at the Willard, and attend the rally she helped fund, but cancelled the trip over COVID-19 pandemic concerns.

The most recent COVID surge continues.

An example is Michigan.

Michigan now “has more patients hospitalized for COVID-19 than ever before.” Michigan numbers shot up 88 percent in recent days. “We have more patients than we’ve ever had at any point, and we’ve seen more people die at a rate we’ve never seen die before.”

Jim Dover is President & CEO of Sparrow Health Systems. He reported that 75 percent of deaths are persons unvaccinated. He believes the number has not yet peaked.

Israel has been on top of the virus from day one. Israeli health officials have told their people to be ready for endless boosters: “We will need to take the 4th shot, the 5th shot, the 6th shot and the 7th.”

A Texas state judge has ruled enforcement of the Texas abortion law unconstitutional. The ruling comes before the U.S. Supreme Court has rendered its decision.

The judge ruled the law “violated the Texas Constitution because it allows private citizens to sue abortion providers.”

Brian  Williams is one of the most distinguished news broadcasters of our time. He signed off his MSNBC show last night advising it was his last.

His plan is to rest. However, he advised he will return in some capacity down the road.

He told his audience his “biggest worry is for my country.”

Enjoy your day!

Felt like old times last night! I was out and about with my friend Jean Thornton.

My evening began at 5. Without Jean. We were to meet later. First a visit with Tammy for a manicure.

Tammy and husband Rick run a large operation. Tammy the boss.

Tammy is short, without question beautiful, and tough. She runs the shop.Born in Vietnam. Rick in U.S.

Every year their nail salon erects a large decorated Christmas tree. I asked Tammy if she had a tree in her home. I was shocked to hear no.  Reminded her she had children and the tree should be for them.

She disagreed and told me why. They are Buddhists.

Made sense why no tree.

Then to the Chart Room to meet Jean.

I arrived a bit early. No Jean. John the bartender not working. Some new guy Marty.

One elderly couple at the other end of the bar. Apparently first time Key Westers. Enjoying themselves.

Jean arrived. Always good to see her. Husband Joe left in the morning to return home to Birmingham.

We talked of many things. One was Irma and my escape to their Birmingham home. Me and 6 others. Stayed about 12 days.

Jean and Joe’s home lovely. I had my own room and semi private bath. I told Jean to save it for me. Never know when another Irma will arrive.

Jean laughed. She said she and Joe call the bedroom Louis’ Room. Fear not she said, it is always there for you.

The Chart Room soon filled. Many people. All tourists. All noisy and rowdy. All yelling, no simple conversation. Jean and I sitting at the bar and sometimes could not even hear each other.

Jean finally said lets go. When we got outside, she said she could not take the noise any longer.

We had agreed on dinner at Berlin’s. The bar portion to the A & B Lobster House.

Due to COVID, I have not been to Berlin’s in three years. I was a once a weeker for years prior to the pandemic.

Sean one of the bartenders. Good to  see him again. A new bartender Steve working also. Nice guy. A personality.

The food the best I have had since I began going out a bit. No comparison. Enjoyed lobster bisque. So creamy. A meal in itself. My entre grouper.

Jean and I had a terrific time. Then the 2 block walk back to my car. A bit difficult. Walking will never be the same.

Jean left me with a hug and kiss at the car and was on her way to retrieve her bicycle. Jean always bikes around town.

We made a date for saturday night. We are going to watch the Boat Christmas Parade together.

We are all familiar with the Grammys. Key West for the first time will present its version the same night as the Grammys. The Izzy’s. I don’t know where the name came from. However, it is Key West and seems appropriate for the event.

The first Izzy’s will be a big deal. Scheduled for the Key West Theater the evening of 1/30.

Even a red carpet!

Guests are asked to dress appropriately for the event. I can see the tuxedos and gowns already.

I have the sense a bit of the “old” Key West may be returning.

A Waterfront show together with the Izzy event cause me to suggest such. The Waterfront Playhouse is presenting the musical “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of April 19, 1914.”

Thirty songs and carols popular during World War I.

Those working on the show want to put “a human face ” on the war.

Probably will succeed. Irving Berlin’s songs alone worth the price of admission.

The show will run from 12/9-12/25.

A look at COVID’s status.

COVID is surging in certain parts of the U.S. Hospitals being overwhelmed. National Guards being looked to for assistance.

Three northeast states are involved with the National Guard. Maine, New York and New Hampshire. Maine and New York have already asked for National Guard assistance and are receiving it. New Hampshire has applied and has also asked for assistance from FEMA.

Two problems. Insufficient medical staff and bed usage reaching capacity.

The New York problems are in the northern part of New York. Even my home town Utica is having problems and receiving National Guard assistance. Bed capacity in New York’s northern part is down to less than 10 percent available capacity.

Why the spike in cases?

In Pennsylvania’s situation, hospitals are running out of beds because of the surge. Waiting time for admission is 10-20 hours in emergency rooms.

Geisinger is one of Pennsylvania’s largest health systems. It reports 90 percent of COVID patients are unvaccinated. The answer why the spike in cases!

The Republican Senate voted yesterday to rescind Biden’;s vaccination and testing mandates in companies of 100 or more employees. The vote was 52-48.

Democrats Manchin and Tester voted with the Republicans. Their failure to support Biden’s program has been described as a “symbolic act of defiance.”

I can understand with Manchin. As to Tester, I cannot understand why.

There is no concern the Senate’s bill will become law. Pelosi will probably not even introduce it in the House. If she did and it passed, it is written in stone Biden would veto it.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial could end tomorrow. It was supposed to take weeks. No more. Word is the prosecution has presented such a poor case, it is ready to throw in the towel.

We shall see.

Enjoy your day!