We are all familiar with “dog doors.” Many  homes have one on a door. What about cats? Do “cat doors” exist?

Yes. For real. Generally a large round opening. Referred to as a “cat flap.”

One of the first cat doors was on the door of the Exter Cathedral in Devon County, England. The round cat door dates back to 1598. The bishop wanted a cat hole carved in the door in a size comparable to that which would accept a large astronomical clock.

Clock gears were lubricated with animal fat. The fat attracted mice. The outer perimeter of the opening was covered in animal fat. The new cat door permitted the cathedral’s cat to serve as pest control.

The clock/cat opening has special cultural significance in England. Some believe it to have been the inspiration behind the nursery rhyme “Hickory Dickory Dock.” Recall “Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock” from your childhood.

Amazing how DeSantis keeps running after Trump. He wants to out Trump Trump. He may. He’s racing Trump to the bottom of the trash heap.

On this day in 1881, President James A. Garfield died two and a half months after being shot by Charles Guiteau. Tomorrow’s blog will be dedicated to the medical attention President Garfield received during those two and a half months and the murder trial of Guiteau for having shot the President.

New COVID levels are so high they’re hovering near 2020’s initial peak. WHO urges those at high risk to take any booster they can get their hands on.

James Carville says poll numbers indicate Democrats should pay attention to the purported Biden age problem.

Carville confuses me. What is a good Democrat doing fueling a major Republican theory? What Carville did is something he should have done in the privacy of a one on one meeting with Biden. Not in front of the world!

There is a dramatic shrinking in the number of primary care physicians. The tipping point is being reached. May already have been reached.

Internal medicine and primary care practice are no longer appealing to doctors or medical students deciding on a specialty. The reason is economic. Such specialties cannot pay their bills on the Medicare fees allowed. So they retire or move on to some other phase of medicine.

A major problem!

India’s Modi is behaving like Putin or a Saudi leader if Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau is correct that agents of India assassinated a Sikh leader in June.

Modi wants to be a “world leader.” Both democratic and authoritarian  nations have been sucking up to him. The U.S. included.

The U.S. must be cautious. Do we want to go to sleep with a dog who has fleas?

An excellent Opinion piece in today’s New York Times. I suggest reading. Its title: The Idea That Biden Should Just Give Up Political Power Is Preposterous.

Enjoy your day!

Key West and gayness. It ain’t what it used to be!

An article re Key West and gayness appeared in the 9/17 publication of Queerty…..Get Into The Groove: Key West Reigns Supreme. In Carefree Gayness.

First time I came across the publication Queerty. Founded in 2005. The site now has more than 5 million monthly visitors.

The article suggests Key West still the optimum Florida gay community. Something I have disagreed with for years and written there so. Thirty years ago when I began frequenting Key West, it was “pure gayness.” The certainty of change has overcome it. As has the expense of living and playing here. The gays have moved north in droves to Miami and Fort Lauderdale where the living, etc. is significantly cheaper.

Key West is still gay. However, nowhere to the extent it once was.

The Citizens’ Voice: “I went into the women’s rest room in Bayview Park. There was a naked man in there. I left and went into the men’s rest room. There was a homeless guy sleeping next to it. Our parks are unsafe and not taken care of, but our Commissioners think they’re awesome.”

Another Citizens’ Voice: “The Monroe County BOCC should be cutting the TDC budget, and not increasing it. We do not need more tourists. Enough is enough.”

The COVID of 1899…..Yellow fever.

On this day in 1899, there were 15 new cases of yellow fever in Key West, bringing the total  in the outbreak to 340. Deaths 21 from the disease, which many thought an unusually small number.

Because of the perceived low mortality, many in Key West began to doubt the affliction was truly yellow fever. Several fights occurred among Key West resident’s, the result of disputes over the genuineness of the disease.

Nothing changes!

Florida Python challenge update. One thousand participants caught a total of 209 pythons. Big deal! A waste of time and money.

The U.S. News & World Report released the results of its annual college rankings. For the 13th consecutive year, Princeton ranked #1.

Five Americans who have been Iranian prisoners for years were freed this morning. They are at the moment on a plane home.

Good job finally getting them free!

Enjoy your day!

Syracuse’s first real test of the season. Its game against Purdue yesterday. Syracuse came out on top. Decisively beat Purdue 35-20.

A very interesting game. Syracuse will be good this season! A top team.

The game started with Purdue making Syracuse look lousy. Did not last long. Following which it was basically Syracuse all the way.

Syracuse must hope (actually, pray) Garrett Schrader does not get hurt. He was absolutely outstanding! Running and passing. A quarterback, he ran 195 yards. Passed for close to that number also.

There are three negatives to be dealt with.

The first is the ability of receivers on long throws to catch or retain control of the ball. Syracuse would have rolled up even larger numbers if such catches were made. My recollection is only one long pass was caught and that came late in the game. The throws were there. Butter fingers failed to hold on to the ball.

Another problem is the punter. He had a very bad day. Two punts were only 18 and 20 yards. He needs work.

Coach Dino Babers evidenced a problem he has had all during his time at Syracuse. He tends to go conservative when he has a lead. With about one minute left in the first half, Syracuse was up by 14 points and in a position to score. He did not go for the touchdown with any degree of aggressiveness. He feared Syracuse would lose the ball and Purdue score.

The first time Syracuse had the ball in the second half, he had them play slowly (run the clock) before executing a play. Lasted only the first set of downs. It would have been a different game if he had continue to have Syracuse play that way in the second half.

The end of the game a slow down also. Syracuse up by 15 points. He could easily have had Syracuse score another touchdown in the last 30 seconds. He had his team not go for it. Why? Good sportsmanship perhaps? Whatever, scoring is important in rankings. Syracuse wants to be up there. Pile the points on. The opposition does. I doubt Babers will change. If he does not, he should not complain at season’s end if Syracuse fails to get a “good bowl” bid.

Syracuse plays Army next week. Probably another Syracuse victory. After that, the ACC.

Publix announced it is coming out with something new. For its professional football fans who shop with Publix. Four new submarine sandwiches. Each different, each named after one of four teams: Tampa, Jacksonville, Atlanta and Miami.

Not all Publix stores will carry them. I reviewed the contents of each. Tasty! Can’t wait to try them.

Trump is not the All American man. He cannot be described as All American.

Trump believes a person needs an ID to buy a loaf of bread. He said it at a summit meeting of Concerned Women of America in Washington, D.C.: “You show voter ID to buy a loaf of bread. You have ID to buy a loaf of bread.” 

In 2018 at a rally, he said: “You need a picture on a card, you need ID” to buy groceries. Months later, he said there’s an ID requirement for cereal purchases.

My admonition: Never trust a person who has not grocery shopped.

A recently discovered letter in Vatican archives suggests Pope Pius XII knew about Nazi death camps in Auschwitz and Belzec where people “die everyday, especially Poles and Jews.”

No reason for such a big deal to be made about this letter. The world has long known Pius XII and the Catholic Church knew and did either nothing or little about it. Pius XII played politician rather than prelate. He failed those killed and suffering in the Nazi concentration camps.

An exercise in futility. Too little, too late. Way too late. I refer to the now annual Florida Python Challenge.

Florida was aware of a python problem in its infancy as far back as 1998. Did nothing about it. Now well over a million pythons in Florida.

Several years ago, Florida began a contest permitting people to hunt pythons. Catch, not kill. Cash rewards to winners. This year, a person who caught 20 over a 10 day period received $10,000.

Twenty caught! Nothing! Like a drop of water in the ocean. Total catch by all concerned probably 100-200. Again, nothing. Pythons are prolific. That many were probably born over the 10 day period.

Florida has conceded it cannot eradicate pythons. Hopefully, only “manage” the problem. The “catch python” contest a very poor way to even “manage.”

Republicans always point the finger at Democrats as the ones who do bad things. Republicans, never. Not so. People are people regardless of party affiliation.

Re. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) was kicked out of a Beetlejuice show in Denver for vaping and groping with her date. Videos show her and her date “eagerly groping each other in their seats.” Their actions disturbed other guests who asked them to stop prior to their being ejected. The groping included Boebert’s date “fondling her breasts. She is seen “petting her guest’s crotch.”

Boebert has since apologized claiming she “fell short of her values.”

Query: If it was a female Democrat Representative, what if anything would Boebert say? Probably bring down the House! I hope the Democrats show her more charity. Maybe she will learn to treat others better than she normally does.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Headline in this morning’s Keys Citizen: “County To Oppose Court Merger.” I hope it is not too little too late. Tallahassee has a habit of treating the Keys like a forgotten relative. Even worse, a second class citizen. The Keys cannot permit it to happen again. A “court system” is integral and necessary to the effective running of an area’s business. Courts are not just for criminal matters. A ton of business goes through the system affecting local businesses.

Fight to keep what you have! Lose it and it will be gone forever!

Hurricanes cannot be more fickle than Lee. When first reported, it looked like it was going to hit eastern U.S. Then it changed course and shot north up the Atlantic. Far from shore. It was thought at the time that Lee would avoid the U.S. altogether. Now, maybe it will affect Maine. Even make landfall.

Maine’s Governor Janet Mills has already declared a State of Emergency. Before Lee even causes a problem. And, Presidnet Biden approved a preemptive Emergency Declaration also. They are preparing to deal with the problem before it even strikes. Excellent judgment on both their parts.

The UAW auto strike is underway. Good or bad move? Time will tell. If prolonged, it will definitely affect the U.S. economy.

Additional Hunter Biden charges appear valid. Though repetitive. A Republican lets get him action more than anything else. Also, lets embarrass his Dad. Nevertheless, Hunter is technically guilty of all.

What is good for the goose, is good for the gander. What about Jared Kushner walking away with $2 billion from Saudi Arabia 6 months after leaving the White House? A Saudi Arabia investment in a fledging Kushner private equity firm. A questionable investment by the Saudis. Objections were even raised by the fund’s advisers about the merits of the deal.

Where did the $2 billion ultimately go? Did Donald receive any portion of it? Trump’s history indicates he would want a piece of the pie. Something Jack Smith hopefully has been quietly investigating.

Who will right Senator Tommy Tuberville? Who will set him on a proper course? The man is playing games with our military security. Time for Republican leaders to act. Forget the bullshit that nothing can be done. There is always a way.

I loved Meryl Streep and cast in the two previous Mamma Mia! films. Streep and the singing! Even more, Greece where the movies were filmed. A move is underway to do a third Mamma Mia! film. It is reported Streep and the cast are agreeable.

After centuries of female discrimination, present Synod meetings in Rome could lead to a change in the issues of women being ordained as deacons or priests. The matter is reported to be under serious consideration.

I may have made a mistake in praising Mitt Romney the other day. The day after he announced he was not going to run for reelection, he issued a  statement that neither  Biden nor Trump should run for President. Reason: Age. Romney’s argument that younger blood is needed.

The age argument is a valid one. However, not necessarily to total exclusion. Experience is to be taken into account. Biden unquestionably experienced by his years in public office and the outstanding job he has done so far as President. He deserves reelection.

Trump was an example of “learning on the job.” I for one do not want a repetition of his 4 years.

Enjoy your day!

Mitt Romney announced yesterday he will not be a candidate for reelection next year. A loss to the Senate and American people. An honest statesman not soon to be replaced.

I always admired the man. Never voted for him, however. We are philosophically too far apart. He first attracted my attention when he saved the 2002 Winter Olympics from disaster. An impossible task accomplished.

Romney has been Governor of Massachusetts, U.S. Senator representing Utah and failed Republican Presidential candidate against then incumbent Obama.

Romney is the one Republican candidate who speaks freely of his opposition to Trump. The only Republican Senator who voted to impeach Trump in his first impeachment trial. He also voted to impeach Trump in his second impeachment trial.

Although opposed to Trump, Romney has disappointed me in recent years by his failure to openly take stands in the Senate clearly opposed to his fellow Republicans who were pushing a pro-Trump agenda. He has been continuously short of a “Profile in Courage.”

It is not the Senate that will miss him. It is the American people. Although he came up short in many instances in my opinion, he still was the Senate’s most independent voice. A voice heard in opposition to the diehards. His problem, he did not speak out enough.

Romney is 76. His voice will still be heard. Hopefully more often.

Dinner last night at Brady’s Irish Pub. Fish and chips. Two Beefeaters. Baklava for desert. An Irish meal! Ho ho!

Carola bartending. An exceptional person. Brady’s is like most Key West bars.. Does not have Beefeaters. The reason simple. Their liquor distributor does not carry it. Carola went out and bought a bottle of Beefeaters…..For me! Could I ask for more? Could I ask for a better bartender?

Ric said hello as I came in. I have known Ric for more than 20 years. Irish. We were members of the Sons of Italy together. He also was “my” Santa Claus.

He was Robert and Ally’s Santa Claus for years. Did Santa well. Ric looks likes Santa. Pudgy. A white beard all year long.

Ric still plays the role. Last night when I walked into Brady’s, he started telling me all about all the things “Santa” was doing to get ready for Christmas. While stone sober!

Ric is a spectacular cook. Last night he brought with him to Brady’s baklava. I love baklava! A hangover from my Greece visiting days. A rich pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey. Sweet definitely! Rich sweet!

Carola gave me a piece. Gave me a second to take home. It sits in the refrigerator. Desert at lunchtime.

I complimented Ric on the baklava. He learned how to make it when he lived in Corfu.

The Keys worry about COVID. In the 1860’s and 1890’s, it was yellow fever. It’s always something!

Sylvester Stallone wanted a new dog. His wife wouldn’t let him get a new dog. He bought a new dog. His wife filed for divorce.

Stallone had a large tattoo portrait of his wife on his right shoulder. He covered it with a tattoo of his new dog. Before and after photos appeared with the article.

The Social Security COLA prediction has risen based on inflation predictions. From 3.0 to 3.2 percent.

Today the day. Actually at midnight. The United Auto Workers may be on strike against 3 auto companies: Stellantis, Ford and General Motors. Let’s hope not.

The Unions want, among other things, a 40 percent increase. The automakers have offered 20 percent. Plus, the workers want a 32 hour work week.

The Ryder Cup Marco Simone course 10 miles outside Rome is hilly. Zach Johnson views it as challenging. Together with anticipated heat, it will tire players out.

Play begins in two weeks.

Enjoy your day!

McCarthy’s Biden “Impeachment Inquiry.” What a joke. Actually, a shame. He does not have the votes to call for one. He is permitting a handful of MAGA’s to call the shots. He placed himself in this position when in desperation to get the Speaker’s job, he agreed one vote could call for a House vote to remove him.

McCarthy looks bad. So does Putin. For another reason, of course. He put his head in the noose when he decided to invade Ukraine. Now he sits with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un “begging” for arms he sorely needs to continue his battle in Ukraine.

Libya another nation taking a horrible climate beating. Thousands dead and missing following catastrophic floods from Storm Daniel. The scene of the disaster has been described as “epic,” unlike anything Libya has experienced in modern history.

Convicted two time murderer Danelo Cavalcante has successfully avoided apprehension for almost 2 weeks. He is making Pennsylvania police authorities look incompetent.

Cavalcante is confined to a heavily wooded 3-5 mile area. He is one man eluding 400-500 police officers. In due course, he is going to achieve “Rambo” status. The public will begin admiring his ability to avoid capture.

I was getting ready to publish this blog when it came over TV news that Cavalcante has been captured. No further news was available. Congratulations to police authorities for finally capturing him. Residents for several counties surrounding the wooded area have been living in fear while Cavalcante was free and on the run. He has been free since August 30 when he escaped.

This past monday was 9/11. A dark day in New York City. Weather wise and recollection wise. Came monday evening, a double rainbow formed between One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building.

Incredible. Provided light on a dark day.

A message from Above?

Jimmy Buffett’s last album completed before his death will be released in November. It will contain 3 new songs: Bubble Up, My Gummie Just Kicked In, and Like My Dog.

Fourteen songs total. The album is titled Equal Strain On All Parts. Sure to be a big seller!

I am not a fan of Florida’s Republican Senator Rick Scott. 

He is opposed to shutting down the government: “We should never shut the government.” He finally expressed an opinion I can agree with.

I finally got to visit Donna in the hospital yesterday. She has been hospitalized since August 26.

I wore a mask for fear of bringing a germ to my friend. The mask proved to be a double edged sword. Donna still has pneumonia and constantly coughing. She is still suffering from the surgery. Pain a constant. She described it as a 7 out of 10. She received a shot of morphine while I was there. She started drifting off to sleep so I left. Later in the day, she was being discharged to a rehab facility somewhere between Homestead and Miami. Her transfer by ambulance.

I have known Donna for years. A tough lady. She’ll make it. I hope sooner than later.

Terri called me later in the day. Said she was doing ok. Still tough for her also. I admire her perseverance. She is singing two nights a week.

Enjoy your day!

Would you vote for this woman to represent you?

Susanna Gibson is the Democratic candidate for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Apparently she and her husband posted a photo of themselves having sex on a pornographic web site and asked viewers to pay them money for carrying out specific sex acts.

Her opposition leaked the porn video.

Gibson claims such was a violation of law and her privacy. She claims the video exposure constitutes “the worst of gutter politics.”

She is continuing her candidacy. Claims she will not be intimidated nor silenced.

A prude I am not. The porn video and offer to sell requested sex acts however is a step too far. Feels uncomfortable. I would not want her representing me if I lived in her Virginia district.

Syracuse/Purdue saturday. Syracuse a 2.5 point favorite. Syracuse’s first real test in the new season. I hope Syracuse wins and wins by more than 2.5 points.

Morocco death total now exceeds 2,800. Injuries 2,500.

Morocco refuses help from any nation except four which Morocco describes as “friendly countries” and only to the extent of search and rescue teams: Britain, Qatar, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S., France, Germany, and Italy have offered help. So has the United Nations. So far such help has not been accepted.

Morocco is in deep trouble. Desperate. No time to go it alone. People have no place to sleep. Water and food scarce. Is the Moroccan government crazy? A helping hand should never be refused under the circumstances. The people’s suffering justifies nothing less than accepting all the help Morocco can get.

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted for the third time this year. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is located in a national park on Hawaii’s big island.

Hawaii is undergoing too much tragedy this year.

Sugar Ray Robinson was considered the best pound for pound fighter in boxing in 1951. On October 12, 1951, he won back the middleweight title from Britain’s Randy Turpin. The bout took place in New York City’s Polo Grounds before 61,370 fans.

Trump filed motion papers yesterday in the 2020 election subversion case to disqualify U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Two grounds alleged. A statement she made while sentencing two January 6 defendants and previous comments made in other cases purportedly “suggesting President Trump should be prosecuted and imprisoned.” Trump claims her statements “taint proceedings” intimating she cannot give Trump a fair trial.

Trump deserves a fair trial. There is no question he will get one. I am sick and tired of Trump’s abuse of the court system. He is making a mockery out of it. He makes too many motions in cases he is involved in. He is slowly but surely destroying confidence in the judicial system. I have written before and do so now. This “game” of his has to stop.

New York City advised in recent days the 100,000 plus immigrants foisted on it could destroy the City. School children are an example. Not enough room for regular students and the sudden migrant surge. Twenty one thousand New York City children were turned away at their schools: “No more room.” Immigrant children had taken the seats previously allocated for the 21,000.

I would support the renaming of the Key West airport to the Key West Jimmy Buffett International Airport. Any language acceptable that clearly indicates it is named after Jimmy Buffett.

Busy afternoon ahead. Hospital visit with Donna, a manicure and then The Grand for Happy Hour.

Enjoy your day!

9/11/2001 feels like yesterday. Not 22 years ago.

Time does fly. Especially as one gets older. As I have. Each year moves faster, is shorter. December 31 comes more swiftly following January 1.

I do recall 9/11. The disaster of it all! The shock! Some persons deigned to attack the World Trade Center. Killing some 3,000 people in the process. How dare they!

I recall also what I was doing when I learned of the event. Sitting in my office in Utica in a meeting with John and Lori and our bankers. We used to meet once a year to recap the year’s events, what we were doing, what new legal fields we were engaging in, etc. 

The year was the best the firm ever experienced. Everything had and was coming up roses. Quality clients, excellent cash flow.

The telephone rang. Turn on your TV. I did. The disaster was revealed.

The “quality” year ended. The legal work kept coming in. Payment for services rendered died. Our practice primarily represented national corporate clients. The fear of God was in them. They stopped paying their bills. The legal ones for sure. Uncertainty made them do so. However, they still expected their work to be done. Don’t worry was the message. We’ll start paying our bills soon.

The balance of the year was a disaster. We were busy as hell. No money coming in however for services rendered. Savings and bank loans kept us afloat. Things began turning around after the first of the year. The old payments did not come in a deluge. However, they did begin coming in. At the same time, current billings were being met. It took us a good 8-9 months to get caught up financially.

Such was life.

The G20 Summit in New Delhi. Seemed like a gang up on the U.S. re Ukraine. The meeting turned into a success party for India’s Prime Minister Modi. A powerful man in an emerging more powerful India.

G20’s position re the Ukraine was less strong than in its previous meeting and not reflective of the feelings of most of its attendees. They were pro-Ukraine, but at the same time recognized a need to be supportive of a position Modi required politically. So they gave Modi “his day.” Russa was not “named” as a culprit.

Even Biden and France’s Macron went along with the ploy.

Simply stated, the problem at the G20 Summit was Modi’s need to be a Donald Trump in power. The powerful head of his political party. Modi had effectively replaced even his political party as Trump had the Republican Party.

The G20 meeting was an event “staged” to portray Modi as a “man of power.” Even New Delhi was controlled to portray a false image. G20 delegates were not permitted to freely move about. The poor were “purged” from the city. The slums screened off. Roads barricaded and traffic shut down. The City “quiet as death.” A kumbaya atmosphere created. All is well the false feeling presented.

The Republican House will use “Modi’s success” in their attempts to cut U.S. funding for Ukraine when that vote comes up in the next few weeks. House Republicans will portray the meeting as a “disaster” for Biden, the nations no longer solidly behind him and the Ukraine.

As to Vietnam, Biden is to be credited for his efforts to build an Asian group to stand strong against China. Similar to NATO in Europe and its established strength against possible Russian aggression.

Novak Djokovic won the U.S. Open yesterday in 3 sets. His 24th Grand Slam victory.

An interesting Citizens’ Voice comment. Right on: “New York City imposed strict short-term rental laws on its Airbnb/VRBO thereby saving its local housing market. Key West can do the same. Too bad, hosts. Writing is on the wall.”

Key West’s problem is whether our local Commissioners have the courage to do the same thing. It take’s political courage. The type of courage that will bring the wrath of God down on them by the vested Airbnb people. Even though it is the right thing to do. Our community has a severe affordable housing problem that has to be resolved.

A Republican has finally strongly stepped forward to condemn Senator Tommy Tuberville. He is House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas). On CNN’s State of the Union sunday, he said: Tommy Tuberville is “paralyzing the Department of Defense.”

Nothing to be proud of. Florida is ranked #3 nationally for children living in poverty. Close to one million. The county with the most is Miami-Dade with 95,520 children ages 0-17. The number represents 18.1 percent of its children.

Number 1? The State with the “biggest mouth.” Texas.

Enjoy your day!

Sad Key West news. The Restaurant Store and Cole’s Peace Bakery on Eaton Street are closing after a long run. The Restaurant Store opened in 1989. Cole’s Peace Bakery next door was purchased by the Restaurant Store owners in 2003.

“Mainstays” come and go. Economics the destructive factor when the end comes. The two establishments were an integral part of Key West for many years. Sorry to see them go.

Sonny McCoy was Key West Mayor in 1978. On this day, he water skied from Key West to Havana. Took him 6 hours 10 minutes to cover the 110 miles.

Syracuse walloped Western Michigan 48-7 yesterday.

The game looked like a Syracuse disaster in the making in the early minutes of the game. Western Michigan scored a touchdown on the second play of the game. Turned out to be just a burp. That was all the glory Western Michigan was to receive. 

Syracuse’s first real test of the season comes next week when the team plays Purdue.

Morocco hurt bad! More than 2,000 deaths recorded so far. The earthquake the largest to strike Morocco in decades. Help desperately needed.

Hurricane Lee not expected to make landfall anywhere on eastern U.S. shores. However, Lee will batter U.S. beaches along the way with waves up to 10 feet and severe rip tides. The waves reportedly will cause flash flooding and structural damage.

Never left the house again yesterday. Continued feeling down and out. Hopefully will get out today. I’m late at visiting Donna in the hospital..

Rory McIlroy is striking the ball impressively in the Irish Open. He’s averaging 325 yards plus drives. A WOW! Going into the final round today, he is only one stroke out of first place.

A joy to watch him play!

Highly respected retired conservative Federal Judge Michael Luttig says Trump “corroded and corrupted American democracy.” Added, Trump “catastrophic for America and for American democracy.”

Coco Gauff is the new U.S. tennis star. She won the U.S. Open yesterday. Nineteen years old. A glorious future ahead.

She makes us proud!

Senator Tommy Tuberville is being destructive to our military. Makes him look like he’s on the side of the Russians. Can’t help but wonder.

I find it difficult to believe his efforts are sincere. He is nothing but a smug self seeking 15 second notoriety seeker . Unfortunately, his 15 seconds has turned into months.

It is time for him to realize government is not a college football game.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Donna is on the mend. Slowly, but surely.

Terri texted me last night. Good news! Donna is out of ICU. Not certain when she will be discharged from the hospital. Will not return home immediately. First to rehab for two weeks.

Lynda Frechette telephoned. She and Bob still at their hideaway somewhere up north. We had an interesting conversation about Jimmy Buffett. She and Bob still can’t get over his death. I agreed it was difficult. I am having my problems with it and I did not know him personally. The whole country appears to be in a similar condition. The man had an impact on everyone!

Keys coral was aided by Hurricane Idalia by lowering the water temperature at a crucial time. The assistance temporary, but helpful.

Although Hurricane Lee is a Category 5, it is not expected to reach landfall. Spaghetti stripes show Lee making a hard right north while still way out in the Atlantic.

Lee will still affect waters off the U.S. east coast beginning sunday with dangerous surf and rip currents.

A Patrick Foley of Islamorada wrote a Letter to the Editor which appeared in this morning’s Keys Citizen. Re the new Monroe County budget. Read Foley’s letter! Says it like it is!

Some interesting comments in the letter follow.

“Commissioners increased spending by an astounding 44% in the last two years…..In 2022, spent $465 million, in 2025, $519 million. And starting this October, they will spend $667 million.”

“Commissioners will increase the Tourist Development Council’s budget this year by $50 million (totally $125 million). No one reasonably thinks the Keys or U.S. 1 needs more tourists.”

“Tell Commissioners to roll back the budget to $500 million annually. If they cannot run a tiny county, with just 82,000 residents, on a half-billion dollars a year, they’re not up to the job.”

Another must read. A Letter to the Editor by former Key West Police Chief Donnie Lee that a proposed new Deputy Police Chief position at a starting salary of $130,000 is not needed.

On this day in 1956, Elvis Presley appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time. Sixty million viewers tuned in. It was 82.6 percent of the TV viewers at the time and was the most watched TV broadcast of the 1950’s.

I was a senior in college. Watched the show. Presley sang Don’t Be Cruel, Ready Teddy, Hard Dog, and Love Me Tender.

The place Turin, Italy. The time saturday August 26. Involved 36 year old banker Mattia Aguzzi and a little girl.

Aguzzi was walking to a bakery with his girl friend. Saw a little girl 5 stories up an apartment building hanging by her fingers to a ledge. Yelled at her to stay back, saw her fall, instantly ran forward to catch her, and did. He said he closed his eyes and hoped for the best.

It was! He caught her. Both fell to the ground. Both sustained some minor injuries. Both fine now.

God was with them both!

You can’t keep “really good people” out of the crazy mix at school board meetings.

At a Virginia public school board meeting last month, a woman addressed the board during the public comment portion of the meeting. Told the board she would use her time to “pray for Suffolk Public schools with all of you.”

The board chair said, “Excuse me, we can’t do that.” A short dialogue ensued. She insisted. The woman walked away after asking those in attendance to join with her outside after the meeting in prayer. A number of people in attendance stood and began the Lord’s Prayer. A spontaneous occurrence. Not planned by any persons.

The chair banged a recess and told the police officers to clear the room, followed by anther board member asking officers to remove those who were praying.

Can’t stop good people from doing the right thing. Like asking for the Almighty’s guidance. We need it at these school board meetings!

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco. Devastating. Eight hundred plus killed. It was the most severe hurricane to occur in Morocco in 120 years.

Don’t tell me there is no global warming/climate change. All these crazy once in a lifetime things happening around the globe!

Syracuse/Western Michigan 3:30 this afternoon. Syracuse a heavy favorite.

There was no blog yesterday. My apologies. I was under the weather.

Enjoy your day!