The Majority Leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer is of the Jewish faith. He spoke of the rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S. It has been rapid and widespread. He said what Jews fear most is its “normalization and intensification.”

Schumer told the story of his great grandmother who resided in a small Ukrainian community. The Nazis came and gathered her and 30 members of her extended family on a porch. They directed her and the group to follow them. She refused. They immediately shot and killed her and the 30.

Schumer fears the same could happen in the U.S.

An interesting piece of information appeared in yesterday’s Washington Post. Ninety percent of the money for military aid to Ukraine is spent in the U.S. The military weapons provided by the U.S. are manufactured in the U.S. and then sent to Ukraine.

The Palestinians control Bethlehem. They have for years. Many Christians reside in Bethlehem with them. 

The Palestinians have always permitted Christians to celebrate Christmas. Religious services, decorations, etc., the whole works. Till this year. Due to Israel’s treatment of Gaza’s Palestinians since the Hamas attack, Bethlehem’s Palestinians have prohibited Christmas celebration this year by the Christians. Christmas cancelled. Nothing. Zip.

Another podcast from 5-6 years ago. Deals with White Nationalism. Note the familiarity of what was occurring then to what is today and my thoughts as to what might happen in the U.S. a few years down the road.

A plane fueled by fat and sugar has crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Virgin Atlantic successfully made the flight with one of its commercial jets. No gasoline was used. The fuel was 100 percent “sustainable aviation fuel.” It was reported the use of non-fossil fuel such as fat and sugar creates 78 percent less carbon emissions.

Such is the wave of the future. The transition not ready for a today occurrence. The cost of engine changeovers would be too expensive. However, it is on the table for implementation.

Judge Cannon confuses me. She is the Florida Federal Judge in charge of the Mar-a-Lago documents case. Most of her rulings have been pro-Trump. Most without basis in law. So much so that rumors have been circulating of late that the Department of Justice might seek her removal from the case.

Cannon came out with a ruling that the legal world has found shocking. One which destroys a primary defense Trump has been asserting. Cannon wrote: “Trump was not authorized to possess those documents.” Adding, he did not have the power to declassify.

Cannon covering her ass?

Tuberville claims “Admirals and Generals” called him over the Thanksgiving  holiday to thank him for his position in holding up 300 plus promotions. He claims they further advised that what he was doing was not causing any problems.

Washington questions the veracity of Tuberville’s claim and has responded with: “Name the Admirals and Generals!”

Trump recently went after Judge Engom’s wife. His conduct blatantly wrong. Let’s cut the bullshit. Any other defendant would long ago have been sitting in jail for the crap Trump has heaped on the Judge, the Judge’s wife and the Judge’s staff. Wrong is wrong and must be dealt with. Especially in the judicial system. Equal justice does not exist when Trump is permitted to get away with the things he is saying.

Went out into the cold 67 degree weather last night. To Brady’s for Carola’s company and chicken parmesan. Met Rodriguez. He was the chef at Tavern ‘n Town for years. He will be the chef at the new Michael’s which is presently under total renovation. The food will be guaranteed spectacular!

Big day ahead. Monkey smoothie at Date and Thyme, haircut with Lori, manicure and pedicure with Tammy.

It’s a tough life.

Enjoy your day!

I was out yesterday at noon. It was a chilly 74. degrees. Back out again at 4 on my way to The Grand for happy hour. It was a cold 70 degrees.  The rapid 4 degree drop could be felt.

The night was in the high 60s. I slept buried under a heavy quilt. At the moment, it is 68 degrees. The high today will only reach 74.

Understand for we who live in Key West, these temperatures are COLD. Our blood has thinned over the years. 

Tomorrow the weather will return to normal. Temperatures will be in the low 80s through monday.

I should not complain. Checked Utica’s temperature again. The night temperature 25 degrees, reportedly felt like 15.

The hurricane season ends tomorrow. We have been lucky. No major storms this year.

Today’s podcast from 5 or 6 years ago. An appropriate label might be The Disintegration of a Nation.

A sad but humorous experience yesterday. I fell for the first time in a long time. As I was leaving The Grand. The steps got me. A waiter helped me up.

I have lost close to 50 pounds the past year and a half. Doctor says it is good. My pants which were tight at the waist are now too large. I pull them tight with my belt. As I was being helped up, my pants fell. In front of The Grand on Duval! Rapidly pulled them up and hurried to my car. As I sat there, I could not help but laugh and mentally refer to myself as a dumb ass. Buy new pants!

Syracuse beat LSU decisively last night 80-57. Syracuse was ahead by 5 at half time. Outscored LSU by 18 points in the second half. Mintz scored 33 points.

Next game saturday at noon against Virginia. May Syracuse win another.

The Christmas tree in front of the White House like me fell yesterday. Ended up on its side on the ground with all its lights still on. High wind gusts the cause. The tree fell at 5 pm. It was back up by 6.

Puerto Rico has serious health problems. Everything. More people than normal are dying. Its health system is crumbling.

On this day in 1981, the exceptional and beautiful actress Natalie Wood died. She was 43. She drowned while boating. A sad major loss.

Enos was a chimp. He was the first chimp-astronaut. He launched this day in 1961 from Cape Canaveral aboard a spacecraft, orbited the Earth twice and safely returned.

Jimmy Carter attended services for his wife Rosalyn yesterday. Ninety nine years old. He made a sad appearance. Looked his age. Mouth hanging open. You could not look at the pictures of him without feeling sorry for him in every respect. May God take him soon.

Tonight my game plan is Brady’s. I have a desire for their wednesday special chicken parmesan. 

Enjoy your day!

Travel Newsletter listed the 10 Must-Try Foods in New York from Albany to Syracuse. Listed was “Utica Greens.” A class dish which originated in my home town. A combination of escarole, hot peppers, bread crumbs and Pecorino Romano cheese, sauteed to perfection. A part of every meal in Utica’s Italian restaurants.

Chicken Riggie’s also listed. However credit for the same was given to Rome, 14 miles west of Utica. I disagree. Chicken riggies a Utica dish also. Forever, as with the greens. Rigatoni pasta, pieces of chicken, hot cherry peppers, and a creamy tomato sauce.

Go Utica and its great Italian foods!

A retired jurist for whom I have great respect Federal Judge J. Michael Luttig believes the United States will “never recover” from the damage caused by former President Donald Trump and his allies. He stated the efforts to deny the 2020 Presidential election results have severely “impacted” the confidence of Americans in their democracy, elections, Constitution, and rule of law.

Trump and his allies have “hinted” they will deploy the military in American cities in a second term to quell domestic unrest. Such would mark the end of American democracy.

A use of American troops within U.S. borders is a no no. The Insurrection Act however gives a President broad powers to deploy the military to put down violent domestic uprisings. No President has ever invoked it. Trump appears intent on being the first.

Beware my fellow Americans! Trump is not good for us and our Nation. Do not be hoodwinked into believing he is.

Former Senator Claire McCaskill: “Trump doesn’t care about America nearly as much as he cares about himself.”

The anticipated 20-30 inches of snow for upstate New York and Utica overnight never occurred. Spoke with someone in Utica this morning. Yesterday’s snow has melted. This morning finds the sun shining and no snow. A fortunate weatherman screwup.

Monica Lewinsky has written several articles for Vanity Fair this past year. No more the young lady who was engaged in a liaison with then President Bill Clinton. Today’s woman is an intellectual thinker.

Her most recent article: “We the People…..Demand More Amendments!” She recommends six new codicils to the U.S. Constitution. Ones which will add safeguards to bulwark democracy.

Read the article. Lewinsky is perceptive and right on! Covers matters like getting rid of the Electoral College and forging in the long anguishing Equal Rights Amendment with a reassertion of a woman’s right to reproductive freedoms.

House Representatives continue to be off the wall. Now they want to investigate the “traitorsome” Anthony Blinken. They refer to him as a “despicable con artist” who is organizing Arab and European countries around the back of Congress and Israel.

Amazing the mental acumen they possess to be able to come up with these things.

Evangelical groups are in bed with Trump. Flagrantly and without shame. Using religion to support one of the most evil and corrupt political leaders our Nation has ever known.

There is one prominent exception, however. Iowa’s GOP Evangelical Leader Bob Vander Plaats. He is President and CEO of the influential Christian group The Family Leader. He “unloaded” on Trump saying in effect: Trump is conning Evangelicals. He refers to Trump as an “authoritarian tyrant and megalomaniac” who “makes matters worse.” He further accused Trump of “creating lifetime enemies” among people with “his venom and hate.”

Can’t argue with truth!

Grandson Robert Malcom has written an introspective piece involving FSU in Nole Gameday: “Florida State Fans and Former Players React to Rivalry Win Over the Gators.” NoleGameday,com.

Key West’s Holiday Parade saturday night! An event! Miss it not!

Always exciting. Especially for the young ones. Watch them scramble for the candy thrown from the floats. Santa Claus’s galore. So many!

The Parade begins at Bayview Park at 7.

Senator Tommy Tuberville can only be described as anti-American. He continues to down our military. Last night he said: “We’ve got the weakest military that we’ve had in your or my lifetime…..Infiltrating our military is all this weakness.”

If, and I only say “if” our military is presently weakened, it is because of Tuberville’s blocking of 300 plus promotions which are leaving necessary military positions unfilled.

The backlash at his statement was immediate and significant.

Ernie Davis was one of Syracuse’s greatest football players. In 1961, he became the first Black college football player to be named winner of the Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately, he never got to exhibit his greatness professionally. He died in 1963 of blood cancer after a 13 month battle against the disease.

There are many important issues confronting the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump has been making a mockery of the courts. Soon some of his cases will reach the Supreme Court and continue his mockful use of the court system.

A case is now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court will meet in private conference December 1 to decide if it will take the case. The issue is whether honking a car horn is a Constitutionally protected form of free speech.

What a waste of valuable time for for the federal judicial system and Supreme Court with which to deal.

A pic of Thanksgiving dinner at La Te Da with Don and Chris. I’m getting old and shrinking in the process. I was sitting up straight. I have lost 4 inches in the last few years.

War is an ongoing topic. One or more somewhere every year. Ernest Hemingway’s insight on war is interesting: “I know war as few other men now living know it, and nothing to me is more revolting. I have long advocated its complete abolition, as its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a method of settling international disputes.”

The “draft” in 1864: All men in Key West between the ages of 18 and 45 were ordered to report for the “militia.” A special commission was established to rule on exemptions.

The weather in most parts of the country is taking a nose-dive. Getting cold! Snow in the north. More coming. Dropping temperatures in the south, including Key West.

My home town Utica already has snow. Low temperatures. Yesterday, it was 39 degrees. Today the high will be 40 and the low 23. Tomorrow, the winner! High 30 and low 23. Plus tomorrow will also bring 6-10 more inches of snow.

I have not seen snow in 17 years. Hope to never experience it again.

Key West was a comfortable 78 degrees yesterday. The cold up north will affect us however as it normally does. Today’s temperature will be a high of 79. The cold will hit tonight. Temperature will drop to 70. Tomorrow, a real impact. High only 74 degrees, low a cold 67.

People who do not live in Key West find it hard to understand that we feel cold at 74 degrees. Sixty seven will be horrible! Especially for me. My new living quarters are without heat.

No podcast today. Problems again. Sloan working on them. Getting exasperated in the process. Word Press working on it also. No podcasts for a few days.

Enjoy your day!

Thanksgiving behind us. Christmas next. 

Key West does it up big. The Christmas boat parade and the regular Christmas parade. My concern today with the boat parades. The Key West area now has two. The Schooner Wharf one and most recently Stock Island’s.

I have done the Schooner Wharf one several times. Both on water and on land. On water, better. More exciting. Good drink, food, music, dancing, greeting old friends, making new friends. 

I write early about the boat parades because the boats fill  up early. Make reservations now. Don’t wait. Spend the few bucks involved. Well worth it.

Schooner Wharf’s is December 9, Stock Island’s the day before December 8. 

I have spent the past 3 weeks with a new place to start my day. The organic food store on Fleming Street. Date & Thyme. Same thing every morning for me. A Monkey smoothie. Don’t know what is in it. All I know is that I feel a hell of a lot better since starting it. Staff nice, also. Always a smile. Remember your name.

Frank Romano and Joseph Liszka opened Key West Fragrance and Cosmetics in 1971. Their business became a Key West mainstay for years. Popularly known as “Key West Aloe.” Walking into their retail outlet could only be compared to what it must be like to walk into Heaven. The beauty and fragrance unparalleled.

Frank and I became friends in his later years. I enjoyed knowing him. His personality was special.

I have a portrait that Jack Baron painted of Frank. Jack’s partner Bob Burton gave it to me when Jack died.

Maya Angelou. Read slowly savoring the words: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson’s wife Kelly has her own religious beliefs/ideas which are as far out as some of her husband’s.

She founded a counseling company that equated gay with bestiality. Not very surprising as the Speaker himself once claimed legalizing gay marriage would lead to people marrying their pets.

The new House Speaker’s wife may have abhorrent out of touch views. Her friends however are quick to report “but she’s a nice lady.”

More Shakespearian lines which are part of our everyday jargon today: “Too much of a good thing” – As You Like It, “It’s Greek to me”- Julius Caesar, “Such stuff as dreams are made on” – The Tempest, “Made of sterner stuff” – Julius Caesar, “Foregone conclusion” – Othello, “The world’s mine oyster” – The Merry Wives of Windsor.

More to come.

A Julian Assange podcast from yesteryear.

A magnificent meal last night at Antonia’s. Sat at the bar enjoying TK’s company and the seafood fettucine entre.

Met a delightful couple also. Diane and Michael. Enjoy a home on Elizabeth Street. Hail from the Key West of the north Lake Placid. Diane is a Lake Placid realtor, Michael heads a private high school. Parents of five. 

Lake Placid is a tough 4 hour drive north of Utica. Many the summer I visited for a few days each time. As unique as Key West is, Lake Placid is also. Except different. The trees are huge and green. Forests thick. The air crisp. I played golf there several times, swam in its cool waters, enjoyed a different breed of people. Nice, of course.

Yankee Jack has been gone for several years. He used to work the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake region every summer. Had steady gigs there.

An opinion piece in this morning’s Washington Post motivated this observation: At 38, I knew everything. At 88, I realize how little “everything” is and realize also that most younger think as I did at 38.

Rape has always been a weapon of war. It has become increasingly so in recent years. An example is the sexual violence Hamas perpetrated upon Israeli women and children on October 7. 

Cochav Elkayam Levy, head of a non-governmental commission investigating crimes against women and children on October 7, said, “The torture of women was weaponized to destroy communities, to destroy a people, to destroy a nation.”

Pot calling the kettle black. Trump’ comment labeling the U.S. as a “third world country of perverts.”

Syracuse won its final football game of the season. Beat Wake Forest in a close one 35-31. Syracuse finished the season 6-6. Six wins qualifies the team for a bowl bid in late December. Not much to be proud of. However a win and small bowl better than nothing.

The game involved a wild finish. Syracuse staved off a Wake Forest push in the last 2 minutes of the game. Wake Forest got to Syracuse’s 2 yard line. Garrett Schrader got to play quite a while after several weeks on the bench due to injuries. He was Syracuse’s hero passing and running. Responsible for 4 touchdowns.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Today is November 25. A day of some historical significance. I share some of the events which occurred on that day.

History speaks often about Custer’s Last Stand at Little Big Horn. Little is reported on the U.S. Army’s retaliation.

Such did occur on this day in 1876. U.S. troops under General Ranald Mackenzie destroyed a village of Cheyenne while the Indians were sleeping. Killed were 200 Cheyenne, most of whom had participated in the Battle of Little Big Horn where Custer and his men died. The Cheyenne Chief was Dull Knife. He had participated in the Custer massacre together with Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. He was not in the Cheyenne village that night when Mackenzie’s troops wreaked their revenge.

Jews have historically been put upon. One example is what occurred this day in 1744 in Prague. Austrian forces pillaged and killed many of the Jewish population.

Delmonico’s was one of New York City’s finest restaurants forever it seemed. As far back as 1834 when it provided a meal of soup, steak, coffee and half a pie for 12 cents.

Woody Woodpecker made his debut with the release of Walter Lantz’s “Knock Knock” this day in 1940.

Cowboy singing star Gene Autry’s single “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” appeared on music charts this day in 1949.

My good friend Theo Markis in Greece…..When will you be visiting Key West again? I miss you!

A Florida school removed the Bible from its library shelves under provisions of DeSantis’ relatively new education laws. The Bible had been challenged for “sexually explicit content.”

The Volusia County Schools were involved. The removal turned out to be temporary. After removal, it was returned. The finding upon review was that State law protected the Bible.

One for the Lord!

A sick incident! A 30 year old female middle school teacher in Arkansas exchanged nude photos with a 14 year old boy to “gratify her sexual desires.”

An issue being debated on State and local level: Some folks want 7,954 additional permits to be made available for building on vacant lots in the Keys. Pure madness!

The Keys are already overbuilt. Especially the Key West area. The State already mandates 24 hour evacuation for permanent residents in advance of a Category 3 hurricane.

Two problems. One US 1 to Miami not large enough (lane wise) to handle even the present number of persons if all mandated to evacuate did so. The other is there is not enough gasoline for all the cars that would tank up to make the drive north.

Bob Smith was a dear Key West friend. He died many years ago. A somewhat famous Key West figure. His ashes are embedded in the Chart Room bar. He wrote a book whose title I cannot recall. He said that back then there was not enough gas in all the stations for Key Westers to fill their cars. So the evacuation rule was impossible to comply with.

His observation was correct then. Still correct in spite of all the additional gas stations that have popped up since he made the observation.

Florida legislatively and government wise makes a lot of bone headed decisions. This could be another one in the making.

The TDC turned into a golden goose with little oversight. Cut it back 90 percent. Key West no longer needs the organization’s “success.” We have way too many tourists and investors. All to the detriment of long time residents and the community as a whole.

Brady’s Irish Pub for dinner last night. Went specifically for one of the friday specials, Polish Perogies. Brady’s is an international food emporium!

Carola bartending. Love the lady! Great conversationalist. A concerned person.

Met Whalen. Hails from Wisconsin. He has been in Key West working off and on for 2 years. Presently renovating a house. Look forward to running into him again.

Syracuse plays its final football game of the season. Against Wake Forest. Today at 2. If Syracuse wins, it goes to a bowl game. It would be a disgrace. Better my team loses and fades into the sunset for this season.

If today’s podcast had a title, it would be Gun Madness. A podcast from several years ago. Its message even more applicable today.

Enjoy your day!

He was A MAN…..JOHN MC CAIN.

Oh, the humor of it all! On this day 160 years ago, a visitor to Key West wrote: “It will cost a fortune to live here, at least $100 per month for a family of 4 or 5. Eggs $1 per dozen, cabbage 6-8 cents per head, tomatoes 20-22. Beef and potatoes you cannot get.”

Modern science is wonderful! Man’s achievements amazing!

On November 22, 1910, the Key West Naval Station sent wireless messages to the Mare Island Naval Yard near San Francisco. Distance 3,880 miles. Every word between the operators distinctly read. Today, we press a button on our cell phones and are speaking voice to voice in seconds.

Discrimination 1942. On this day, the Florida State Board of Health’s mobile x-ray unit was at the Monroe County Courthouse grounds in Key West to screen for tuberculosis. White residents this date, Black residents the following.

Live and learn. Common phrases in Shakespeare’s plays which are part of American dialogue today: “A wild goose chase” – Romeo and Juliet, “For goodness sake” – Henry VIII, “One fell swoop” – Macbeth, “Mum’s the word” – Henry VI, Part II, “All that glitters is not gold” – The Merchant of Venice, “Eaten out of house and home” – Henry IV, Part II, “Knock, knock! Who’s there?” – Macbeth, “It’s Greek to me” – Julius Caesar.

Interesting and amazing!

There are more which are saved to another day and another blog.

Pro-Palestinian protestors forced Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to stop. A group of 30 ran into the street and glued themselves to the parade pavement.

These Palestinian protests are getting crazier with each episode. Most have to be planned. Gluing one’s self to the street…..

Trump’s various threats made re his several litigations are too much. I wrote so a few months ago. I repeat it again. He’s literally getting away with everything short of murder. In some cases, might be encouraging the same. 

Enough is enough! 

A legal challenge has been filed against Macy’s alleging Macy maintains policies that perpetuate “illegal racial discrimination.” Such that denies career advancement to white straight men.

America First Legal is the party bringing the charge. It is a legal group led by Stephen Miller. You will recall he was a close adviser/intimate to Trump when he was Presidnet. He wrote most of Trump’s speeches. I compared him in those years to Hitler’s Joseph Goebbels.

Whether he is on the correct side of this issue, I do not know. His mere “association” with the claim makes it questionable in my eyes.

New House Speaker Mike Johnson’s views are becoming more apparent. He said letting people get abortions was causing “an American holocaust.”

Johnson has been Speaker approximately one month. In that time, his true inner nature has become evident. One observation he made is that humans are “inherently evil” and need to be “restrained” by the government.

I warned you this guy was bad news!

Robert and Ally telephoned me from Corey’s parents’ home in Cape Coral yesterday to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving Poppa! 

Love them!

Celebrated Thanksgiving with Don and Chris last night at La Te Da. We enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Outstanding!

A good time with good people. Syracuse snowbirds I have come to know well over the last 20 years.

Syracuse finally won a basketball game in the Maui Invitational. Destroyed Chaminade yesterday 105-56. Don’t get excited. The score does not mean Syracuse is that good. Merely means Chaminade is that bad.

Two great evenings. Tom and Fran Dixon wednesday night, Don and Chris Teich last night. Tonight open. Any takers?

Enjoy your day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy family, friends, food, and beverage.

Normally, a happy joyous occasion. However in recent years because of political aggravations has become a bit less harmonious at many tables.

Whatever, do your best not to argue. Instead merely enjoy. Nothing better than family, friends and a hearty meal!

Dinner last night at Brady’s with Tom and Fran Dixon. A good time as usual.

Short blog, long podcast today instead. Today’s is some 5 years old and was done during Trump’s Presidency. If it were to have a title, I might have labeled it God Is A Republican.

Enjoy the holiday!

Me thinks Donald Trump protestith too much. He reminded a crowd of Iowa voters over the weekend that he is “not into golden showers.” Purportedly in an attempt to rally Republicans to vote for him in the caucuses. Wonderful! Just what Iowa voters wanted to hear!

Why does Trump bring it up periodically? The “topic” goes back to June 2016 and what may have occurred in a Russian hotel suite in Moscow. The claim is he had prostitutes urinate on the bed. A bed that the Obamas had slept in. It is believed the Russians have a tape of the event. Now referred to as the “pee tape.”

Trump has mentioned the event several times over the years. Again, why? His repetitions would appear to give weight to the story.

Lord Action said: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Though his observation is old in years, it applies to Trump today. He has power. Seeks more. Wants the absolute power a next Presidency will give him.

Lord Action’s words are well known. Referred to constantly. Little is known of Lord Action, however. He is described as “the magistrate of history.” One of the great personalities of the 19th century and is universally considered to have been the most learned Englishman of his time.

Big news!

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a brief cease fire and a hostage release.

The deal cannot be enacted till thursday at the earliest to allow time for judicial approval at the Israeli end.

The release is limited to 50 hostages. Women and children. A certain number of Palestinians will be released also.

The pause will be for four days. The deal as set forth is reportedly a “first phase.”

Christian nationalists recently partied at Mar-a-Lago and warned of God’s wrath if Trump lost again. The group believes their religious faith should have dominion over American government. They openly fantasized of returning to power and crushing their foes. God on the march!

Their plea simply to create a theocracy in the United States. Trump on their side.

The MAGA pastor Jim Garlow is one of the group’s leaders. He recently prayed with now House Speaker Mike Johnson to save a “depraved” America from the “judgment that we clearly deserve.”

Podcast time.

Today a sad day in American history. On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Camelot came to an end.

Angela Merkel became Chancellor of Germany this day in 2005. She became one of the strongest forces in European politics over the next decade.

I recall an experience involving her on one of my Greece visits. I was in Athens staying at the Gran Britannia Hotel. Directly across the street was the Greek Parliament. A large building in the center surrounded by an even larger piece of land covered in concrete.

I woke to screams and yells. Went out on the balcony and saw thousands of people carrying signs and protesting in Greek about something. Whatever it was, I did not want to miss it first hand. Threw on some clothes and ran out to join the mob.

I understood nothing of the Greek language. As the saying goes, it was all Greek to me! One thing was clear however. These people hated Merkel. Every time a speaker mentioned her name, they spit.

Greece was suffering deep woes economically at the time and they were blaming it on Merkel. They were upset with the way she had handled and was handling Greece’s economic involvement in the European Union.

Syracuse lost again yesterday in the Maui Invitational in Hawaii. Gonzaga embarrassed Syracuse 76-57. Syracuse’s shooting, foul shooting included, sucked. Forget making 3 pointers. Syracuse could not find the basket.

A tough season ahead.

Enjoyed happy hour at The Grand yesterday with Steve and Cindy.

Tonight dinner at Brady’s Irish Pub with Tom and Fran. They have never been and want to see what excites me so much about the place.

Enjoy your day!

SMART Ride. An annual bicycle ride held once a year for 20 years has ended. Its last event this past weekend.

Not for a lack of success. The ride this past weekend raised $1,280,381. Over the 20 years, $15,000,000.

The ride from Miami to Key West. Covered two days. This past weekend, more than 500 cyclists participated. Its purpose when it began in 2003 and through this year was to raise money for HIV/AIDS victims. A significant observation is that 100 percent of the proceeds were distributed among HIV/AIDS service organizations throughout Florida.

SMART became the second largest AIDS bike ride in the country and the only one of its size to give back 100 percent.

If so successful, why is SMART ending? One reason is the number of participants involved is diminishing. Most participants are now older. With AIDS numbers dropping, younger persons are not joining the event. Another reason is the Director of SMART. He has been so involved for all of the 20 years. He would be difficult to replace. Ergo, the time had arrived for the event to conclude and conclude it did on a successful note.

A Charity Turkey Shoot was held this day in 1932 at Fort Zachary Taylor. One of those shooting well enough to be awarded a turkey was Ernest Hemingway.

The Rose Tattoo was filmed in 1954 in Key West. The movie was an adaptation of a Tennessee William’s play and starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. The house where most of the filming occurred is located on Duncan Street. One and a half blocks from Corey and Lisa’s home. 

Today in 1954 was the last day of the filming. Final scenes were shot at the then Mardi Gras Club on Duval Street.

Multiple sclerosis plagued Key West during this time in 1984. Twenty three cases. Medical researchers were puzzled why Key West had so many cases. On average, a town of Key West’s size should have had less than one.

Podcast time.

On this day in 1980, 87 people died in a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. I had been a guest there for 2 nights one week before.

Last night, the Chart Room with Tom and Fran Dixon. They are in Key West for a week. My dear snowbird friends for 15 years from Buffalo.

It was the first time I have been in the Chart Room in a year. I went last night because it was across the street from Ocean Key where the Dixons are staying and convenient for them.

One of the reasons I stopped going to the Chart Room was the exorbitant cost of drinks. Roughly $16 each. The three of us had 2 drinks each. The bill with tax exceeded $100. Ridiculous! It will be a long time before I return again.

There are two possible hurricanes developing. One in the Caribbean, the other in the Atlantic. Neither expected to affect Florida.

It was Syracuse/Tennessee in the Maui Invitational yesterday. Syracuse lost 73-56.

I could nor get the game on my TV. Watched the rolling score on my computer. Two hours sitting and waiting for the numbers to change.

Sport writers following the game reported Syracuse made only 35 percent of its shots and were out rebounded by 15.

I’ve gotten too old. I can only remember Syracuse’s golden days in basketball and football. Long gone in recent years.

Tonight happy hour with Steve Thompson at The Garden.

Enjoy your day!