A touch of humor in these moments of extreme pain.

Bare Assets on Truman is a gentlemen’s club. Its BARE ASSETS sign stood in its parking lot on Truman. The sign did not make it. Ian apparently has LGBTQ problems. Does not like strip clubs.

When it rains it pours. More appropriately stated, when it rains Key West experiences fires.

While Ian was pounding Key West, the town had 4 fires. Two of significance.

The first was reported yesterday. The  retail/residential property on Flagler. The second occurred last night at the Key West Airport. Started in a hanger and spread to several others. Engulfed a helicopter and sea plane. Five private planes were were able to be saved.

The cause is under investigation.

My Mother was a diabetic. It killed her. Her case an extreme one. She had to shoot herself in the stomach twice a day.

Mom never complained about anything. Except, the daily injections. To her it was a cross she was bearing.

An announcement yesterday indicates diabetics are on the threshold for relief. A drug taken orally is on the horizon.

A capsule has been developed at MIT which has the capacity to travel through mucous in the GI tract. Insulin is protein based and until this time protein based pills were unable to travel through mucous in the GI tract.

Ginni Thomas appeared before the January 6 Committee yesterday for close to 4 hours. She answered all questions posed. Though some of her answers were on what might be described as the whacky side. She insisted the election was stolen from Trump by Biden’s people.

She is the wife of Supreme Court Justice Thomas. She insisted she never discussed public/court maters with her husband. Hard to believe. The woman is a liar. She and the game her husband play contributes to the growing lack of confidence the people have in the Supreme Court.

Many bodies are cremated.

I never gave much thought to what the final product consisted of. Assumed it was the entire body that made up the ashes. Recently learned not so. The ashes are the body bones burned down. Other burned body parts go down a drain.

A new form of embalming is slowly gaining notoriety. Embalming with water. The corpse is dissolved in water. Called “aquamation water” aka “alkaline hydrolysis.”

The body is placed in a pressure vessel which is then filled with a combination of water and potassium hydroxide. Heated to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Boiled for 6 hours till all that is left is liquid and bone. The liquid is drained off. The bones crushed. As with cremation, it is bone residue which is given to survivors.

The liquid drains into the sanitary system. Can be used also to water a garden or other green spaces.

Cost cheap. Once the undertaker has purchased the machinery, the procedure an inexpensive $116.40.

The Mayo Clinic has been using the system/process for years.

The Catholic Church opposes its use. As it initially was with cremation. The U.S. Conference of Bishops in 2011 announced it was “unnecessarily disrespectful of the human body.”

Water embalming is legal in 19 states.

Putin on the move again this week. Two new developments.

One involves damage to the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Putin claims sabotage. As does the rest of the free world. The saboteur? Putin, of course. Though he denies it and blames Germany, the U.S., etc.

The other, the formal “annexation” of 4 parts of Ukraine today. Putin making a big deal of the signing which is scheduled for today. The vote of the people earlier this week was around 90 percent in favor. Of course, done in front of a gun barrel and witnesses.

Putin at some point will run out of games to play. He will be left only with the nuclear option. I find it hard to believe he would play the card. Death and destruction for all concerned. Russia, Europe in general and the U.S. The simpler and less deadly solution is for the Russian people to drag Putin out of his office onto a public square and hang him.

Neville Chamberlain screwed up big time this day in 1938. He sought to avoid war, to appease Hitler. The Munich Pact the result.

Chamberlain viewed it as “peace with honor” / “peace in our time.”

What it really amounted to was total capitulation. Within months, World War II began.

Enjoy your day!

Ian represents nothing less than nature at its worst. With a destructive path that will continue into early next week.

Key West was spared. Other Florida areas not. TV viewings of Ian’s force and destruction borders on the unbelievable. Water rolling on shore. Filling many first floors. In some areas, second floors. Ian’s power so great it sucked water right out of a river and major waterway. Unbelievable. Cars floating. Soon bodies.

The most moving event I viewed on TV this morning. I do not recall where. However, a family apparently opted to stay. Their home 2 stories. Viewing showed husband/father on second floor. Water waist to chest high. He was talking to some TV personnel safely in a studio somewhere. The man was talking about trying to get on the roof. Unable to do so. There was an open window next to him. TV people were telling him to get everyone out and find something to hold on to that would float till help could arrive.

Help of course hours away. Not part of the conversation.

As the talk was ongoing, there was a rapid swoosh of water and the screen went blank. My feeling is the man was washed out the window. Probably drowned. His family. Don’t know.

Aaron Judge hit his 61st home run yesterday. Tied Roger Maris’ record set in 1961.

I remember the 1961 season. I was a young lawyer at the time. Maris and Mickey Mantle both played for the Yankees. Both were leading the home run race. Maris slightly in the lead most of the season. A couple of home runs ahead.

The country followed the race with attention and excitement. Maris ultimately won with 61.

I hope Judge gets a few more home runs in the final days of the season. Records are made to be broken. Maris’ has held the record for 61 years. Time for a new top gun.

Bad enough Ian imposed itself on Key West this week. So did a major fire.

Just before 6 yesterday morning, a joint retail/residential structure burned. Total loss. Forty residents without homes. All commercial businesses without a home, also.

The building is located at 3201 Flagler. Directly across the street from Bank of America.

Syphilis is on the rise in the U.S. A recent study showed a 26 percent increase in the one year period 2020-2021. The increase of special concern. Twenty-twenty had marked the lowest number of cases ever.

The concern extends to the unborn also. The same study noted a 24 percent increase in congenital syphilis. Fetuses in the wombs. Born dead or soon after birth.

Last week I wrote of an increase in venereal diseases. STDs.

Contributing to the problem is we are becoming an increasingly sex conscious nation. I’m not arguing with the increased desire. Enjoy! Sex is pleasurable. Experts suggest AIDS/HIV not the concern it once was. People feel freer to enjoy.

Experts also believe a lack of public investment a cause. Money not being appropriated to assist in minimizing the affliction.

There is a cure. Penicillin. No vaccination is available.

The experts further indicate that syphilis has become such a non problem over the years, that many of today’s doctors do not even recognize it when they see it.

Syracuse/Wagner saturday at 5 pm at Syracuse. Syracuse 4-0, Wagner 0-3.

Syracuse a 55 point favorite. If I were a betting man, I would bet Wagner. Fifty five points a hell of a spread!

Enjoy your day!

I am tired. Exhausted. The feeling amusing. I never left the house during the night. Nevertheless, Ian beat me up.

A strange storm. Ian never made landfall in the Keys. However, it passed by Key West as a Category 3. Somewhat less than 70 miles to the west. Wind speed reported as 120 mph.

At 5:30 this morning, Ian was reported to be 20 miles south southwest of the Dry Tortugas.

Technically, a tropical storm and surge.

The winds during the night were loud. One blast after another. Then a constant boom. Rain non-stop. Heavy.

I only got 2 hours sleep. That’s why I’m tired. The booming and banging.

Never uncomfortable. Either in bed or downstairs in an easy chair. Never lost power. TV and internet with me throughout the evening.

Lisa lost power at 8 last night. The power authority told her they were not sending out repair crews till this morning. The winds and rain too dangerous to work in the dark.

When the sun came up this morning, I went on the front porch. Damage inconsequential. From my viewpoint, could see neither branches nor trees down. Only tons of miniscule pieces of foliage.

Media warnings advise Key West will continue to suffer today the effects of a tropical storm and surge, even though Ian has moved past Heavier this afternoon. At the moment, merely wind. No rain.

The only significant activity/damage I saw was on Facebook last night. Huge water sprays over the Southernmost Point, a large tree and metal light pole lying across Whitehead Street.

The word this morning is Fort Myers will be the point of impact. Ian presently a Category 4. Two points short of a 5. Expected to be a 5 when it hits later today. Ian is moving very slowly.

I have seen the effects of many hurricanes over 30 years. Andrew the worst. A 5. Nothing was left standing. If Fort Myers suffers the same damage, it will have to be totally rebuilt.

Irma was the second worse result. Boats on the streets and highways. Cars and houses in the ocean. Nothing normal. Including the large refrigerator sitting 20 feet up on a couple of tree branches.

The January 6 House Committee was to hold a hearing today. It has been cancelled. The reason given was Hurricane Ian.

I do not accept the reason. The past few days, various members of the Committee have appeared on TV. Each’s certainty as to what was to be presented and to what extent lacked certainty. I sensed something was amiss. I suspect more has arisen and the Committee was not ready.

Whatever the reason, I hope they do have a public presentation before the November election. There is so much more the public needs to know. From a Committee that has been boldly and frankly honest and revealing.

As the world turns. Trump’s world.

Trump has had difficulty finding attorneys to represent him. One reason is he does not pay his legal bills.

He needed a top notch attorney for the Mar-a-Lago matter. Finally found one. Chris Kise.

Kise drove a hard, but proper bargain based on Trump’s track record of not paying his attorneys. He demanded and received up front $3 million. In return for which he resigned from his law firm. No question he would be devoting full time to Trump.

The retention and financial payment was made less than one month ago. Kise is no longer Trump’s Mar-a-Lago attorney. He has been relegated to benchwarmer status.

Seems Kise was instrumental in recommending Judge Dearie as Special Master. Says it all.

The word is Kise is now one of Trump’s legal team for whatever Trump may have need of him.

Say a prayer for those remaining in the Fort Myers area. Many will die.

Ian is a strange duck. The cone a good 70-100 miles to the left of Key West. Yet, we are experiencing rain and wind inconsistent with a normal hurricane.

Five o’clock yesterday afternoon, Ian was heading west of Cuba. Not there yet. Suddenly Key West had a big time rain burst. Heavy. I looked outside. The rain was so heavy, the houses across the street were cloaked in gray. Then the rain took on what is typical in a tropical storm. Began blowing sideways. Horizontally.

The scenario took all of 6-7 minutes. Then over.

I was wondering. Ian is miles away and slated never to come near Key West. Why all this excitement with Ian still reaching out for Cuba?

The same thing this morning. Periodic rain. Sometime extreme as it was at 5 yesterday. Some rain blowing sidewards. The blasts 5-10 minutes.

This evening, Ian is scheduled to pass Key West on the left. Roughly 100 miles west. Yet all day and while it is passing, Key West will be subjected to heavy tropical winds and rain.

Tampa area going to take the beating. Could be a 4 when it hits. I wish them well.

I am being selfish. However, I hope Key West retains power. I would miss TV and the internet.

Detroit is going to have a Vincent van Gogh exhibition next month. October 2-January 22. At the Detroit Institute of Arts. It will be the largest U.S. showcase of van Gogh’s works in more than 20 years.

Seventy of the artist’s paintings and prints will be exhibited. Additionally works of Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse and Stella will be shown.

Exciting! Very exciting!

The last time I saw a van Gogh exhibit was 30 years ago at the Metropolitan in New York City.

The world knows the sad and mentally demented life van Gogh led. Nevertheless, he was a genius. Poor all his life. He only sold one painting the entire time.

Book banners having a field day. Shamefully so.

Over 1,600 books were banned last year. In schools. The movement to ban certain books in schools continues. The literary field’s Salem witch hunt. One hundred thirty eight school districts in 32 states participated in the bannings.

The bannings: LGBTQ themes 41 percent, sex involvement 22 percent, race and racism 21 percent, and 40 percent featuring major characters of color.

Behind the bannings and promoting them big time are advocacy groups. The attacks calculated.

It has become evident that Ukraines are warriors. Interestingly, women make up more than a fifth of Ukraine’s military.

Assume Russia loses the war with Ukraine. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman in a recent article asked: “How will the U.S. right handle the revelation that sometimes tough guys finish last?”

Putin placed himself in the position he is in. Success is slipping through his fingers. I suspect he believes oil will save his ass. Assuming he can hold on through the winter. His hope is European and other nations dependent on Russian oil will have to abandon Ukraine and support Russia in order to save their populations from freezing.

Hope springs eternal. I do not see the type capitulation Putin requires. The world knows he is a “decided loser.” He made his bed and will have to sleep in it.

The U.S. and other nations who have the capacity are already planning how to provide necessary energy to Russia’s present customers.

The entire time I have been writing this morning, Ian has been spitting on the Keys. The sound and its variations have turned into a symphony.

Enjoy your day!

Yareni Rios-Gonzalez is a 20 year old young lady.  She was in Platteville, Colorado. It was September 19. She had been pulled over by police who were responding to a report of a woman “menacing with a handgun” while driving.

Yareni was arrested, handcuffed, and locked in a police car which was parked on railroad tracks.

Suddenly, Yareni saw a train barreling towards the police car in which she was locked inside. She “tried frantically to get the officers’ attention.”

A video clip shows a police officer standing outside the car moving away as the train plowed into the vehicle. Yareni had been in the police car approximately 2 minutes before the train struck. The train plowed into the police car with her in it.

Yareni is lucky she was not killed. Though she did suffer serious injuries: a head injury, broken arm, fractured sternum, 9 broken ribs, broken teeth, and injuries to her back and legs.

A second video showed one police officer asking another mere seconds later, “Was she in there.” Another officer responded, “Oh my god, yes she was.” The other officer responded, “Oh, fuck.”

No charges have been filed as yet against Yareni.

In a time when police slayings are commonplace, this one is different. Race was not involved. Yareni’s case is one involving simple negligence. Stupidity on the part of the police officers leaving her in a locked police car on railroad tracks. The negligence is the vehicle being left on railroad tracks.

Ian still in the news. Has not reached Florida yet.

Nothing has changed since yesterday’s blog. Landfall between Tampa and the Panhandle. A Category 3 or 4. Will miss Key West and the Keys by 100 miles or more.

The media is still pumping danger to the Keys. This morning’s 6 am report: “Tropical storm warning remains in effect…..Locations affected – Key West – Sugarloaf Key -Big Pine Key.”

I thought yesterday and did till a couple of hours ago that the media has been overplaying/dramatizing Ian and Key West. Till I stepped on the porch. It was the calm before the storm.

Before a hurricane or tropical storm hits, nothing moves. Not a branch or leaf. No breeze. Nothing. It has always been that way. Such is how it is now. Which means significant winds, surges and rain may be visiting the Keys this evening. Not enough to have warranted leaving. Enough however to cause a bit of concern when it does happen.

One thing I forgot to mention when purchasing groceries for a storm. Failed to mention plastic spoons, fork and knives. Otherwise would be eating the chocolate putting, jam, etc. Arab style with my fingers.

Governor DeSantis is almost as good as Trump in getting his name flouted on the media. His notoriety reached a national scale with his flying immigrants from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard.

David R. Lurie wrote a right on opinion piece 9/21 in The Daily Beast titled: The Performative Sadism of Ron DeSantis.

Some interesting comments, observations in the article.

“The GOP – under Donald Trump and perhaps soon under his would be successor, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis – is rapidly becoming a party centered upon tormenting and humiliating the vulnerable.”

“Cruelty and humiliation have been central to his grievance and political activities.”

DeSantis “expected that the Vineyard’s residents would recoil from the desperate asylum seekers, allowing FOX News’ viewers to savor both the suffering of the migrants and seeing the ‘libs’ exposed as hypocrites.”

Surprise! DeSantis discovered there are good/nice people in the U.S., even those living on a monied island.

DeSantis hit the publicity bell big time. His Vineyard gambit was his “national coming out party as a political sadist, and gained him unexpected attention.” MAGA and far right Republicans loved it. DeSantis loved it. Gained him support for his much desired 2024 Presidential run.

Berlusconi, Putin and Portofino.

Three days ago, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was severely criticized for defending Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Berlusconi claimed Putin was “pushed…..only wanted to replace Zelensky with a government of decent people.”

In my 2/26/2022 blog: Putin Is A Small Man Of Five-Six Saying He Is Five-Seven, I described Putin as being affected with Napoleonic megalomania.

I briefly described the relationship between Putin and Berlusconi. It was not the first time. I had discussed it in a blog or two years earlier.

I had the pleasure of visiting Portofino several times. Berlusconi had a magnificent home in Portofino. I would sit on the water admiring his home, landscaping and huge yacht. He lived well!

Berlusconi and Putin were close friends. So close that Putin’s daughter spent a whole summer at the Berlusconi home in Portofino. It also was reported that Putin built a home next to Portofino’s, though smaller in scale.

Berlusconi was an astute politician in his day. He has to be in his 90’s now. His reputation with young ladies and tax avoidance did him in politically. Putin has had a ladies man reputation also. It was rumored the two may have partied together.

Which brings me to Giorgia Meloni, the newly elected Prime Minister of Italy.

Italy is governed by coalition. I can’t recall any political group ever having sufficient votes for a majority. Meloni’s party is the Brothers of Italy. The party is rooted in a post-war movement that rose out of Mussolini’s fascists.

Meloni’s party previously never received more than 9 seats in the vote. This week it garnered somewhere in the 20’s. Italy opting to take a ride with fascism again

Berlusconi’s party similarly rose out of Mussolini’s fascism, though a different party. To put a winning coalition together, Meloni has joined with two other parties. One being Berlusconi’s. She has put together 44 percent of the seats needed. Enough to win.

It is expected Meloni will be close friends with Putin through the Berlusconi relationship.

Italy is the third largest economy in Europe. Besides being rightist, Meloni is anti-Euro. Should Italy pull out of the Euro, she will screw up the European economy even more than it is at the present time.

It is also thought she will not be as supportive to Zelensky’s Ukraine as her predecessor was.

Meloni a decided addition to Europe’s turmoil.

Enjoy your day!

Good bye Ian. Glad to see you are going to pass us by.

First off, I have to concede I was panicking. The weather releases concerned me. Key West was as close to the center of the cone as possible. Even when the cone began drifting westward, Key West remained near center.

Now Key West is totally out of the cone. God bless! Hooray!

Many Key Westers shared my concern. My grocery person Jaqueline told me yesterday morning Publix was crazy. People grabbing everything they could off the shelves. A few Key West friends called. They said the talk in town was crazy…..looked like we were in for it.

Then everything changed.

I should have known better. So should everyone else. The reason for the panic was again the cone. Too large, too soon. I hope some discussion follows and the cone problem does not occur again. It was the media over reporting, over dramatizing an event.

Two things came out of this scenario for me. One good, one bad.

My car got some minimal updating. The good.

The bad is I have groceries, most of which I do not normally eat.

I purchased groceries based on what I would need if I remained. In 30 years, I have only left twice. Georges in 1998 and Irma 5 years ago. So I am aware that when one stays, the person remains without electric power. Means no electricity. No water a problem also. The first two items to go.

Food planning involves what need not be kept refrigerated or cooked. My choice potato chips, pretzels, crackers, peanut butter, jam chocolate pudding cups that need not be refrigerated, Hershey chocolate bars, American bread and bananas. My normal diet only includes the bananas and the American bread. I also purchased 6 cases of water. Twenty four 16 ounce bottles to each. Plus 36 16 ounce bottles of Diet Pepsi.

I already have flashlights and candles.

All left for me to do was fill the bathtub with water. To flush the toilets.

American bread because it lasts a couple of weeks without turning green. Store made bread molds fast.

I am not disappointed that Ian will not be visiting. I do feel a sympathy for those he will, however.

Steve Thompson tells the story of a bar called Monster. Way before my Key West time. An interesting place however in the late 1970’s and into the early 1980’s till AIDS hit.

In the late 70’s Seth and Sven opened the Monster Bar. It was the foremost Key West hangout by far.

Some of the hottest girls were there every day. They didn’t get harassed cause it was mostly gay. The local studs said they were friends of Schwinns. To get past the doorman cause they couldn’t pronounce Sven.

All the best bands and entertainers were there. Everyone partied without a care. Famous people from all over the Keys. The Village People and every celebrity.

It seemed like there was no end in sight. Then someone shot Seth in the head one night. Thank God he survived and was able to come back. But no one was ready for the next whack.

It was now the eighties and everything was opening up. When locals were getting sick going, “what the____?” Nobody knew what was going on. But everyone knew something was wrong. AIDS scared everyone to death as it should. And that was the end of Monster for good.

Ian obviously a concern to many in Florida. Over on the east cast at Cape Canaveral for the third proposed launch of Artemis I scheduled for this coming Tuesday. Canceled again. This time due to a hurricane scare rather than the previous two hydrogen problems.

This is the final day of the Presidents Cup.

The U.S. leads 11-7. Twelve single matches scheduled. Needed to win 15.5 points.

The International team closed the gap yesterday by winning 3 of the last 4 matches. It seems like an impossible task for the International team to win 8.5 points today. Means win 8 matches and tie 1. Compared to the U.S. only needing 4.5 points. However one never knows. Hope springs eternal. Never say never. Though I doubt the Internationals will even come close.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Great football and golf yesterday! Could not have been better!

Syracuse football last night. The Orange won their fourth consecutive game. Beat Virginia 22-20.

The game did not turn out as I expected. The Vegas line was 10.5 points. Syracuse was winning 16-0 at half time. That is when I fell asleep. I was not aware that Virginia came back big time in the second half and only lost by 2 points. I found out this morning when I woke up Syracuse won with a field goal with a minute to play.

Nevertheless, a victory is a victory. Congratulations, Syracuse!

Then there was golf. Two tournaments.

First, the Presidents Cup.

The USA is up 8-2 after 2 days. Was expected. However the Internationals went down fighting yesterday. Most of the matches close. Tight.

The Pure Insurance Tournament later in the day at Pebble Beach. Caught a part of the tournament early this morning.

Pebble Beach is golf heaven. I was fortunate to have played there several times. Beautiful! Tough does not describe it. Fun, however. I felt honored each time I played the course.

I was the worse golfer in the world. Shot around 135. Shot on average 165 at Pebble Beach. Don’t laugh. I took up the game late in life. Took one lesson. Enjoyed the beauty of a course, the comradeship and the 19th hole.

This hurricane thing is bothering me. First it was called Hermine. Now a different one called Ian.

Making me nervous. Cone wide so not sure if it will hit or how close. Advised it will hit as a 3 if it does. No fun. It is get out of Dodge time.

Started getting ready yesterday. Not doing well.

Wrote Jean Thornton. Room at the inn for me in Birmingham? Lots of room. No one there. Jean and Joe on a Mississippi trip till October 4.

Jean terrific! Offered to have a key left at the house. I don’t want to do that. Ergo still searching for somewhere to escape if I must.

Got the car ready. Changed the oil. New windshield wipers. Checked air in tires.

I noticed Key West gas stations were crowded. No lines in the streets yet. Next, however.

Ordered hurricane food to be delivered this morning. Edibles that can be kept and eaten without cooking or refrigeration. Lots of water. In case I opt to stay home and get stuck.

Steve Thompson and buddies enjoyed life in the 1970’s. Those were the days. Steve wrote about what he described as a trip on Air Margaritaville.

Jimmy had a concert in Tampa one night. So a bunch of the Chart Room gang chartered a flight.

In the 70’s you could smoke on the plane. Something about this smoke did not smell the same. Suddenly the stewardess said, “Ok, you guys knock it off. The pilots are laughing and smelling the pot!”

Spirit is off the rocks and on a flatbed. All to Guy’s relief, I’m sure.

Families are not what they used to be. More and more are dysfunctional. Especially from the children’s end. Adult children are cutting their parents off with more frequency.

The technical description is “emotional cutoff.”

No contact.

The problem works in reverse also. Some parents initiate the cutoff.

A 2020 study revealed 1 in 4 Americans are “estranged” from their families. Amounts to about 70 million in the U.S.

Margaret Thatcher was a tough British Prime Minister. Effective. Considered one of the best British Prime Ministers in modern times.

Gender could have had something to do with it. She is recalled having said: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

My “hurricane groceries” just delivered. Jaqueline is my delivery person. She said Publix was packed, people were stripping the shelves quickly.

I hope Ian misses the Keys. Hurricanes are no fun. I’m not in the mood for another Irma.

Enjoy your day!

The trip itself was a heavy load for Guy DeBoer to bear. Recovery of his boat Spirit may be even more.

Recovery begins today. Ongoing as I write. The first task is to remove it from the rocks. How long, how difficult, I do not know.

The next step will be where Guy does the repairs. In Spain or France? Apparently France has better facilities.

All I know for the moment.

The big news item for the next few days is the hurricane. What hurricane? Does not have a name yet, nor is it even a tropical storm. However the experts have warned us. It will cover southern Florida. The cone shows it sweeping widely over the lower Keys as a Category 2.

More will be known over the weekend.

The problem is if it hits, it will do so Tuesday or Wednesday. Not much time to get ready and get out of Dodge.

Syracuse football tonight. The Orange play Virginia at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse is 3-0, Virginia 2-1. Syracuse a 10.5 point favorite.

Game time 7 pm.

I went to Walgreens yesterday morning for my booster and flu shots. Booster frozen and would not be thawed till afternoon. I decided to return this morning and get both shots at one time.

Spent most of the afternoon watching the President’s Cup. U.S.A. 4-1 at the end of the afternoon. A big deal, yet not. The European team is less experienced and talented because of LIV.

My feet are better. Jungle voodoo works. Have a heavy session scheduled for this afternoon.

A full plate today.

Enjoy your day!

I wrote yesterday Putin was heading for trouble at home. He could be deposed. My sense it was a question of time. Turns out time had run out. As I was writing my blog, Russians had already gone to the streets in protest of Putin’s call for partial mobilization.

The Russian people do not want war. They are making it clear.

Many are seeking ways to escape Moscow and St. Petersburg. Even remote areas of Siberia. Anxious people. Especially those who might be subject to the immediate draft.

Planes are sold out. Black market tickets are available. Over $16,000 one way.

Some sought to drive out. Made it to land borders with Finland and Mongolia. Long traffic jams developed at the borders and check points.

Putin’s mobilization call is the first Russian draft since World War II. The people are not buying it. Street demonstrations prevalent in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as smaller cities. Overall, 1,300 arrested. Five hundred plus in Moscow and St. Petersburg alone.

The chants in the streets self-explanatory: “Let our children live!…..Send Putin to the trenches!…..No to war!”

In St. Petersburg, police were beating protesters with batons. In one small community, the chant was: “I don’t want to die for Putin and you!”

A petition was started in Moscow denouncing the mobilization and conflict. By day’s end, it had already garnered 292,000 signatures.

Those drafted will receive 15 days training. Then it’s off to the battlefront. The draftees are similar to U.S. reservists. Except, Americans receive constant training. Russian draftees are those who already served at some time in the military. Period. No further training. Most did their service years ago.

A group called Mabil said the mobilization “means that thousands of Russian men – our fathers and husbands – will be thrown into the meat grinder of war. What will they die for? For Putin’s palace?…..The authorities at first said that only ‘professionals’ were fighting and that they would win. It turned out they were not winning. So the war is no longer somewhere out there; it has come to our homes.”

One mother’s words: “I don’t want my son to go to war, this is unacceptable…..Why do our children have to sacrifice their lives? We never wanted this war.”

She sent her children to Armenia last week.

Business elites and intelligentsia view the war as “a stupid mistake.”

It is reported Putin is concerned and the concern is growing. One person: Putin “is said to have been obsessed with the footage of Gaddafi being pulled out of a culvert, sodomized with a bayonet, and then shot in the streets by his own people.” The comment was followed by may “his worst fears come true.”

May Putin pay for his sins. Sooner than later.

Russians have been living well in recent years. When Putin decided to invade Ukraine, his people bought the lies he told as the reasons for the invasion. The Russian people were led to believe the “operation” was a piece of cake. a walk in the park.

Now the truth is leaking out. Russian life slowly taking on the existence of a war economy. Many Russians asking questions.

Putin continues to add to their hardships. At some point, the Russian people will say no more and the unthinkable will occur. The people will dump him. How severely depends on how quietly Putin departs. If he makes a fuss, his end could be similar to Mussolini’s.

In the middle of the night, this past night, while much of the world slept, Putin announced a further mobilization. Necessary for an escalation of the “war” with Ukraine.

Putin has thrown down the gauntlet once again.

He called up 300,000 more troops. Where is he going to get them? Mothers and children taken from their homes? He already extended the “draft” from 18-60. Last week announced criminals were being solicited from jails. If they agreed to serve, their sentences would be voided after 6 months.

His middle of the night announcement also stated in unequivocal terms that Putin was prepared to use nuclear weapons. He was emphatic that he was serious in this regard.

His words, his challenge, obviously born of desperation.

World leaders are speaking today at the United Nations. Biden is scheduled to speak to the Assembly at 10:30. His response will be interesting.

New York Attorney General Letita Jones announced she will make a “major announcement” at 11:30 this morning. It is assumed it will involve Donald Trump and his businesses that she has been investigating.

As a lawyer, it is a pleasure to finally observe a “real judge” involved in the Mar-a-Lago documents matter.

Special Master Judge Dearie held his first hearing yesterday. It was obvious he was not going to put up with bullshit and delay. He was not buying Trump’s present position re classification. Judge Dearie’s approach direct and to the point: If classified, say so…..”You can’t have your cake and eat it.”

Amusing is the fact that Judge Dearie was one of Trump’s suggestions to serve as Special Master.

It was clear the Judge is going to move his responsibility with dispatch. He was suggesting a wrap up date of October 7. Much earlier than even the DOJ attorneys were suggesting.

It was announced that Governor DeSantis was sending another immigrant filled plane north yesterday. To Delaware. Obviously to insult/embarrass Biden. Delaware is Biden’s home state.

The plane arrived as threatened. One difference from what had been anticipated. It was empty. No immigrants on board.

DeSantis wants to be President. We had enough of his type game playing with Trump.

Poor Joe Manchin. He’s upset. He decries the “revenge politics” he is being subjected to. Concerns the speed up approval he wants for  permits to energize certain projects.

Manchin is learning that what goes around, comes around. Respectfully, he was a ball breaker first class for more than a year. The Democrats were upset with him. The Republicans cheered him as one of theirs. It was thought he might become a Republican.

Now the Republicans are openly bucking him. Most of the Democrats silently smiling and happy Manchin is getting his just due.

Again what goes around, comes around. In Manchin’s case, deservedly so.

During the pandemic, food supplies diminished. The federal government pumped money into various state programs. Several involved child nutrition programs: Food for children.

A major federal indictment was announced yesterday in the State of Minnesota.

Feeding Our Future is a non profit organization. One of its “good works” was to help feed hungry kids during the pandemic. The group received $250 million federal dollars. Very very few dollars went to the children. Most went into the pockets of those managing the program.

Forty seven people have been charged with personal use of the funds. The money went to buy luxury cars, property and jewelry. The properties purchased included seashore homes in Turkey and luxury homes in Africa.

One more federally financed benefit awaits the 47. Long term vacations in federal prisons.

Sexual activity must be on the rise. Sexually transmitted diseases are. Across the U.S. A trend.

Health officials and sexual health advocates are concerned. They are pressing the federal government to do more to stop the spread of STD’s.

Hurricane Fiona is now a Category 4. Moving northward, Fiona is expected to reach Bermuda by week’s end.

Fiona has left behind extreme devastation in Puerto Rico, the Turks, Caicos and the Dominican Republic.

Steve Thompson reports Key West was a cheap place to live in the 1970’s.

There were no cell phones or computers then. For seven bucks a month you could put a landline in. The business needed a phone, but that was all. Most of my friends didn’t have a phone so there was no one to call.

Although cable TV was all we had, $15 a month didn’t seem too bad. Many houses were appraised less than $20,000 so there was no property tax to pay.

Enjoy your day!