“Tampon Tim.” Another Republican shot at Tim Walz. As with others, it will backfire. Guaranteed! Genuinely high praise for Walz!

What it’s all about.

Walz took steps in the past to assist menstrual situations. As Governor of Minnesota, he eliminated the tampon tax. He considered tampons a health assistance product for women. Some states do, some do not. He made sure Minnesota did. He also made sure free menstrual products were available in all public school female bathrooms. Tampons included.

Free tampons in school bathrooms the big deal. Groundbreaking. The nickname “Tampon Tim” was imposed by fans of the Trump/Vance ticket to ridicule Walz for standing up for women’s rights.

Me thinks Republicans know no other way than to continue to limit female rights. If Republicans were on the ball, they would be aware based on a study by Plan International USA that 1 in 5 girls in the U.S. missed school because of lack of access to menstrual products. Period poverty is a real issue in the U.S.

Tampons bring me to another live and learn situation.  I was under the impression tampons came into being in the 1960’s. Women loved them! Then came toxic shock syndrome. Women got scared. The government and medical profession straightened the problem out. Tampons became big time again.

I was under the impression that women used menstrual pads for that time of the month prior to tampons. In 1949, I worked after school in a drug store. Modess pads the big seller. Never heard of or saw a tampon package.

Every time I am in this position, I do a little research. Guess what? Tampons have been around for thousands of years. Women have used tampons during menstruation that long. 

The first was a soft papyru Tampon used by Egyptian women in the fifteenth century B.C. Roman women used wool ones. Japanese made theirs out of paper. Hawaiian women used the furry part of a native fern called hapu’u.

Donald is at it again! He is claiming Harris’ ascent to become the Democratic nominee is unconstitutional. Even, nefarious. He likens her ascent as a “coup.” The bottom line her ascent unconstitutional because she was not atop the ballot in the primary process.

Excuse my vulgarity, the man is a piece of shit. Far worse than weird. A spoiler at heart. Ruin the Nation, ruin the American people. As long as it works out to his benefit, it is ok.

One thing Republicans did well in 2022 was select losing candidates. They may be doing it again this year.

Senator Jon Tester is a Democrat representing Montana. Up for reelection this year. Considered to be a loser this year. Montana has been Trump country.

Leave it to Trump and the national Republican Party. This year’s Republican candidate opposing  Tester is Tim Sheehy. It was revealed yesterday his business has suffered deep losses. A publicly traded aerial firefighting business is dying on the vine. Note Sheehy publicly said in June his business was “a success story.”

The SEC says the Company’s cash crunch is so dire there is “substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue. The Company lost $77.4 million last year, $20.1 million the first 3 months of this year. Several directors have left. Sheehy resigned last month.

In spite of this information, Sheehy’s campaign released a statement everything is A-OK and Sheehy is proud of his Company.

Looks like Tester will win again! Victory pulled out of the fire because the “wrong candidate” selected by the Republicans. Year 2022 all over again.

Love the fact that Ukraine has brought the war to Russian soil. A war cannot be won unless a country’s citizens are made to suffer. So far,  the war has been a one way street. Only the Ukraine people are dying, injured, buildings destroyed, hospitals blown up, etc. A no problem war for Russia in these regards. All the while Putin was lying to the Russian people. 

About time the tide has turned.

I assume Ukraine has crossed over into Russia with the knowledge, permission and consent of the U.S. and NATO. I doubt he would have done it otherwise.

A true lawyer story. Ernie Chambers was a lawyer and Nebraska State Senator. Perhaps because of that he had “power” most did not.

His case was titled: Senator Ernie Chambers v. God.

The facts concerned a moral and religious quandary. 

The judge had a hot potato on his hands. Dealt with the case swiftly. He dismissed it. The grounds a legally correct reason. The papers failed to notify God of the lawsuit due to the lack of a listed address.

The judge should be on the U.S. Supreme Court. He sounds like the type who rapidly cuts through bullshit to resolve a matter.

How’s this? Tobacco smoke enemas were once used to resuscitate people who had drowned. Doctors literally blew smoke up drowned peoples’ asses.

Things everyone should do in Key West: Tour the Key West Cemetery, have a drink or two at Captain Tony’s, take a ghostly and ghoulish tour, and take a photo at the Southernmost Buoy.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A bit of this and that.

Politics first.

Most recent polls re the Presidential race have Harris up by 4 points, 3 points and 1 point.

Beware, Donald! It’s only just begun. The Democratic Convention will give Harris a further boost. You have already had yours which is gone. Yesterday’s news. You’re in trouble!

A significant finding also is that Trump had a lead by 4 points in January. Means a 7-8 point swing from Trump to Harris.

Harris and Walz had another rally last night. In Arizona at the Desert Diamond Arena outside Phoenix.

The Arena was filling up all day. Lengthy lines outside. Arena holds 19,200. Fifteen thousand attended. A good number! Equaled Detroit from the night before. 

The heat was horrible. Temperature 105 degrees. Though the Arena is air conditioned, it was still boiling. The Democrat Campaign provided water, chairs and campaign-branded navy cardboard fans to help keep attendees cool.

Good people those Dems!

Military record issue at best “minimal.” Best described as a bullshit one. Never forget, Trump a “draft dodger.” Bone chips in his foot. Never stopped him from playing golf daily most of his life. My recollection is Trump called veterans ” suckers and losers.” He did not consider John McCain a war hero.

Republicans destroyed John Kerry with the “swift boat attack” issue when he ran for Presidnet. The people of the U.S. will not let the Walz situation be utilized to defeat Harris and Walz. We are much too smart today.

Crowd size has been an issue. Trump especially sensitive to crowd size as noted from the issue he made of those attending his inaugural parade. Harris/Walz are knocking the hell out of  Trump regarding size.

Yesterday, Trump in a talk to supporters compared his “stop the steal” rally on January 6th to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ” I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall in 1963.

Who is Trump kidding? He’s sick. One speech the prelude to the shocking attack on the Capitol, the other a cry for freedom.

Trump is sick mentally. Perhaps he should submit to a psychiatric examination. I agree with Walz. Trump is “weird.” 

Other noteworthy observations.

Two Presidents were waffle afficionados. Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy.

Jefferson popularized waffles in the U.S. In the 1790’s when he returned from France, he brought with him 4 waffle irons in his bags. He liked waffles! He would serve them to White House guests.

Kennedy enjoyed waffles also! He did not do the cooking. However, he had a special waffle recipe that he prepared for White House guests. The recipe became so popular that it is now in the National Archives.

Amazing impacts by two of our greatest Presidents that most are unaware of.

Live and learn. It never stops. Leonardo DaVinci last name was not DaVinci. In fact, he did not have a last name in the traditional sense. People during his time did not have last names as we do.

Leonardo’s full name was “Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci.” Meant “son of ser Piero from Vinci.” Pero being his father’s name and Vinci being the village where he was born. Somewhat like Helen of Troy or Anne of Green Gables.

Many other Renaissance artists are known mononymously even if they did not have last names. Michelangelo’s for example was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni.

A recent shame. Elders are being abandoned by their children. Kareen Abdul-Jabbar published yesterday a pointed article on the issue. He relies on India’s experience with aged parents. The article is titled and states: “As India Ages, A Secret Shame Emerges: Elders abandoned by their children. The shame of immoral India can soon become the shame of their society –  if individuals are not careful.”

I believe children have forgotten and are forgetting their parents significantly in the U.S. There was a time when “old parents” were cared for by children they had cared for in their younger days. No more. Children no longer want the burden of their parents.

For shame!

On this day in 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki More than 70,000 were killed. The Nagasaki bomb was dropped 3 days after the Hiroshima one.

Feelings re the propriety of using the atomic bomb on Japan are twofold. For and against. 

I have always considered it proper. Two reasons motivating my thought. One, Pearl Harbor. Japan deserved violent retaliatory reaction. The other, the number of U.S. military lives  saved by ending the war swiftly. An invasion of Japan would have been very costly by way of American lives. Militarily, estimates from 250,000 to 800,000. Japan created the war. Better a significant number of Japanese died in ending it rather than Americans.

Jerry Garcia was a well respected musician who died this day in 1995. A certain thought is attributed to him: “Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.”

Only a fool would buy the Brooklyn Bridge. Same goes for the Eiffel Tower.

Con man Victor Lustig has the distinction of having sold the Eiffel Tower twice in the early 1900’s.

He was outdone by an American, however. A con man who sold the Brooklyn Bridge many times. Con artist George C. Parker. Parker died in 1937. He sold the Bridge multiple times to unsuspecting immigrants and tourists. Often for as much as $50,000.

He even put up “Bridge for Sale” signs when the police weren’t around

New owners generally tried to set up toll booths on the Bridge. Police eventually intervened and exposed the scheme.

Parker’s crimes led to a life sentence in Sing Sing Prison, where he died.

No one has sold the Brooklyn Bridge since.

We close with Key West.

On this day in 1985, Johnny Carson was in Key West to visit the site of the Spanish galleon Atocha as a guest of Mel Fisher. Carson at the time was the star of NBC TV’s “Tonight Show.”

Judy Blume’s Books and Books at the Studios will be celebrating Romance Day next saturday, August 17. To celebrate books about love.

Free mimosas – as long as they last!

Go and have fun.

Enjoy your day!

I published Flora’s story for the first time August 26, 2013 on one of my stays on the Greek isle of  Amorgos. A true to life tale reflecting on how well most of us have it. If you do not agree, complain not. For if you do, Flora’s story will put you to shame.

Who is Flora?

She was the cleaning lady in the pensione I stayed at on Amorgos. She cleaned my apartment and every other apartment in the
complex once a day. I do not know the exact number of apartments. The building is four stories high and wide, built into a
mountain.

She cleaned toilets, washed the floors, changed the sheets and otherwise kept each apartment neat and tidy. Seven days a week.
Eight to nine hours day. For three straight months. Not for $25 an hour. For 4 Euros an hour. Six dollars American money.

Flora spe excellent English. Also, Albanian and Italian.

Flora resides in Albania. She has lived in Albania all her life. She is 41 years old. Single, never married.

Albania is a small country in southeastern Europe. Greece borders Albania to the south.

Albania has an interesting history.

Until 1991, Albania was socialistic. A Communist nation. Being small, it thought it needed the protection of a great power. First,
it was in a protectorate of China. Then Russia and Yugoslavia. Following the fall of Communist Russia, Albania became a
democracy. A parliamentary democracy.

The language is Albanian. The country is considered a top ten place for visitors.

Religion is a strange combination. Fifty seven per cent are Muslims, seventeen per cent Christians. Only forty per cent pay
attention to their religion, however. Albania is ranked the 13th least religious country in the world.

Russia is primarily responsible for the lack of religious fervor. When Russia took over Albania following World War II, it banned
religion. All religion. As a result, Albania acquired the distinction of being the world’s first atheist state.

Today’s Muslims and Christians get along well. Tranquility exists between them. Many Muslims are Muslims only because
their ancestors became Muslims during the 500 years Turkey controlled Albania. Muslims and Christians intermarry. No
problem. Muslim husbands neither dominate nor mistreat their wives as in most other Muslim countries. The partners to the
marriage are equal and treat each other accordingly.

When Russia initially took over Albania, the illiteracy rate was 85 per cent. Russia initiated immediate steps to correct the
problem. Within 12 years, the rate was corrected dramatically. Today, 98.7 per cent of the people are literate.

Health care is a problem in today’s Albania. A national health program does not exist. Under Russia’s domination, everyone had
health care. Today, few. If a person has not money to pay, doctors and hospitals will not provide treatment.

There is very little HIV-AIDS in Albania. Less than 100 cases.

I thought a little Albanian background would be helpful in understanding Flora’s life.

Now to Flora.

Flora grew up under the Communist system. Her father died when she was seven years old. As indicated, Russia made Albanians
literate. Education was important.

Flora was a good student. Russia would look at a student’s record and decide what that student would be in later life. Doctor,
lawyer or Indian chief, so to speak. It was determined when Flora was 10 years old that her talents were best accommodated if
she became either a teacher or nurse. Teaching became the choice.

High school in Albania is eight years. At age 18, Flora graduated. High school can be described as a professional school. Flora at
18 upon graduation from high school was qualified to be a teacher. She immediately was assigned to a school and started
teaching.

She continued her education at the university level. Her college degree did not affect her earnings significantly. She earned just a
bit more after acquiring her degree. Money was not an issue for her. It was the security of the job. Albanians are put into a mold
and can expect job security throughout their lives. Money, no.

Flora teaches third class. Notice, not grade. Our grades are their classes.

Russia’s drive to eliminate illiteracy obviously helped Flora. Without it, she would not have acquired an education nor have
become a teacher.

Without a father, Flora has been her own decision maker in life.

Flora lived under Communism her first 20 years. She says Communism was no good. She and her family, everyone, did not have
enough food or clothes. Things have been considerably better under a democratic form of government.

Flora presently earns 300 Euros a month as a teacher. Her salary continues through the three summer months when school is
closed. Though she says it is not enough, she considers herself middle class. I suspect because she is a teacher.

Twelve years ago, she bought a house. A small one. One bedroom, a small kitchen, a living room area, and a very small
bathroom. No tub. Just a shower. She borrowed money from friends to purchase the home. The mortgage was recently paid in
full. She now owns her home free and clear.

She related it was not easy to make the mortgage payments. Her first year as a homeowner, she was earning only 190 Euros a
month teaching. The house was important to her and she sacrificed. She claims, and I believe her, that she ate only beans for a
whole year. She could not purchase even a quart of milk.

She has been working summers to help pay off the house. Now that the house is paid, she works summers to renovate it. New
windows, new doors and the like.

Her home is everything to her. She describes it as “…..the most beautiful place in the world.” She says, “I find peace in my
house.”

Simplicity best describes the previous paragraph. It also reflects well on the state of her soul.

She is glad to have summer employment on Amorgos. It is hard work as she describes it, however. She works long days. Earns
four Euros an hour. Her employer pays half her rent. Flora does not live in the pensione complex. She rents a room elsewhere.
She describes it as dingy. But it works for her.

Her share of the rent is 90 Euros a month. She also pays the utility bills. Her employer provides her with lunch each day. That is
all Flora eats. She buys no other food. She does not go out after work. She saves every penny. Her sole source of enjoyment
is viewing the ocean. She claims in the absence from her home, it gives her peace.

Flora is obviously on a mission. Her home. To put together enough monies for its renovation.

Flora’s widowed mother is 76. She lives with Flora. They share the same bed.

Medical is a major concern. Flora puts some money aside to pay doctor and hospital bills in the event her mother becomes ill. As
she put it, “…..if you have no money, you die.” No medical attention is available without money up front.

Interestingly, Albania provides her mother with a pension. Sixty Euros a month. Ten of those Euros are retained by the
government to cover the mother’s prescription drugs. Her mom has a bad heart.

She would like a husband. She stated it in no uncertain terms. “I want a husband!”

I was curious as to what she was looking for in a man. She is 41 and still unmarried. By the way, Flora is an extremely beautiful
woman. Looks 30. Thin. The face of an angel. Magnificent eyes.

Flora says money is not important in her selection of a husband. She prefers “…..a good boy…..a good person…..one who works.”

Do you go out evenings and try to meet a man. “No, no!” she responded. She never goes out evenings. I am not sure if it was
because she did not want to be considered a bad girl or could not afford it. Her sole out of the house activity besides teaching was
coffee in the afternoon with female friends.

Her best friend is a 20 year old niece.

I inquired what she liked to do best for pleasure. Dance was her response. If you do not go out evenings, how do you dance? At
parties. How often do you attend parties? Two times a year. Teacher parties.

Teaching gives her the next best pleasure. Especially students who may be handicapped in some fashion. She presently has a boy
who cannot hear well, but has the ability to speak. She has another boy who is mentally slow. She works extra time with them
both.

Flora claims there is a benefit to her summer jobs. She gets to travel, to see the world. Last year, it was Italy. This year Amorgos.
She considers Amorgos “…..a wonderful place.” She believes that people on Amorgos live better than she does in Albania.

Her health is good. She tries to take care of herself. There is no money for medical attention were she to get sick. I asked about
yearly check ups, she laughed. What check ups?

I asked this simple woman what she would like to have that she does not. Her answer came quick. “A car!” She “…..dreams to
have one.” She walks everywhere, even to work. If the trip is too far, there are buses. Small vans.

I asked about vacations. She responded, “For poor people winter is all year, there is no summer.”

The cleaning job is the most difficult she has had. She has to move swiftly to get all the rooms cleaned. The hours are long. She is
tired all the time.

I was curious how she got to Amorgos from Albania. First a 16 hour bus ride and then a big ship. The trip took three days. Not
bad, she said.

Besides a car, what else would make her happy? To only work one job with more pay. She went on to point out that the money
here in Amorgos was better than her previous summer employment in Albania. In her home country, she worked every day in the
summers for three months from six in the morning to midnight. For 150 Euros a month!

Teaching hours are not bad. She teaches four hours in the morning. Then is expected to spend three hours at home in the
afternoon preparing for the next day. However, she has been teaching third grade for over 20 years and so preparation does not
consume that much time.

She told me prices in Albania were no different than on Amorgos.

She neither drinks nor smokes, except for an occasional wine at those two teacher parties a year.

Her English is self taught. She wanted to learn. Started with children’s books and worked her way up. She speaks and writes the
language well.

Her home town is called Rubik. She tells me it is large. Four thousand people.

Such is Flora’s story. She has less and wants more. A universal desire. She is working toward her goals. She will attain most of
them, if not all. I wish her a car, a husband, and good health at the very least.

Americans as a whole have more than most of their brethren worldwide. Flora is an example. We complain. Some of us do have
less than others. Some very little.

In the overall picture of things, Flora makes up for less with hard work. There are no social agencies, welfare, governmental help
or Stephanie Kaples for her. She continues without complaint.

We could learn from her.

Utah has decreed that certain books must be removed from every public school, class and library. A dark day for the freedom to read in Utah.

Judy Blume’s book Forever is one of those banned. A 1975 novel by Blume. Took Utah 49 years to decide it was “bad.” The book deals with teenage sexuality. It has been frequently censored over the years by others.

Nothing bad about the book. Merely helps teenage girls understand and accustom to their maturing process.

Key West loves Judy Blume. She and her husband have been here for years. They own and operate Books and Books. 

My three daughters also learned from and enjoyed Blume’s works while they were growing up.. The girls are all in their late 50’s or early 60’s today. Blume was part of their educational process. Her words helped rather than hindered them.

Our country continues on the crazy/whacky road. I hope the election of Harris/Walz will eliminate book banning thought. Hitler burned books.  The world has had enough of that kind of stuff.

Yesterday a rally day for Harris/Walz. Two places. Eau, Wisconsin and Detroit, Michigan. A major success in both places. Each rally packed. Twelve thousand in Eau and fifteen thousand in Detroit.

Vance is appearing wherever Harris/Walz do this week. Assumedly to give his own speech and rally. No rally. In Eau, it was chatting with people. In the Detroit area, it was speaking from the steps of the Shelby Township Police Department. Minimal numbers of people at both places. He claimed in Shelby Harris “was a fake.”

In Detroit, one UAW member described the Harris/Walz turnout as “a statement.” Another, “biggest since Obama.”

Someone described Vance’s turnout in Shelby: “JD Vance’s Michigan rally could have been an email.”

Beware Donald! The Harris/Walz team is gaining momentum.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a dictator. The whole world knows it, except for Donald Trump and JD Vance. Orban is one of Trump’s “heroes.”

An example of how different Walz is to the Trump/Vance team, Walz says Orban is not a democratic leader. He further says U.S. policy should not be one copying that of dictators like Putin and Orban. He calls them as he sees them!

Vance on the other hand speaks well of Orban on issues such as education and being friendly with China.

Vance thinks like Trump. The reason why Trump selected him. Do you want two Trumps running around the White House?

Vanity Fair’s Bess Levin published an interesting article  about Trump’s assertion that Kamala Harris doesn’t like Jewish people. Its title: Donald Trump, Who Has Been Likened to Hitler By His Own Running Mate, Claims Harris Selecting Walz As VP Pick “Insulting to Jewish People.”

Levin wrote that the humor of it all is Trump has a long list of engaging in all sorts of antisemitic representations and literally – literally!- was once called “Hitler by his number two.

Levin spelled out Harris’ appropriate response to her being against Shapiro because he was Jewish with…..Harris’ husband Douglas Emhoff is Jewish!

Levin repeats Trump’s further off the wall statement which he made on FOX & Friends in an interview: “I think that any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat should have their head examined.”

Levin comments in the article re Trump’s personal anti-Jewish stance over the years. A long list. Opens with Trump ran for President three times and neither asked for a Jewish VP nor sought one. Levin closes with Trump kept “a book of Hitler’s speeches next to his bed.”

I believe and have so for many years, that climate change is a major problem. Not everyone believes so, however. Especially politicians who are supported by the industries in the area they represent and those deeply involved with coal and oil. Their jobs are more important than truth.

A report yesterday makes my last statement blatantly clear. Twenty three U.S. Senators and one hundred House members do not believe climate change is dramatically affecting us in many ways. Interestingly, ALL are Republicans.

Whores!

A most wanted fugitive arrested working as a cop. He has been on America’s Most Wanted List for 20 years, as well as Ohio’s, for a murder shooting death which occurred in 2004.

Antonio Riano is now 72. He was arrested legally by U.S. authorities on August 2 while working as a police officer in Oxaca, Mexico. He is already sitting in an Ohio jail awaiting trial.

The Mona Lisa once hung for a period of four years in Napoleon’s private bedroom. Purpose: For his own private viewing. He was enchanted by the woman in the painting. He referred to her as “Madam Lisa.”

At the end of four years, the Mona Lisa was transferred to the Grand Gallery of the Louvre Museum in 1804.

Dustin Hoffman is 87 today. I have loved his acting throughout his career. One of the greats. His second movie in 1967 was The Graduate. The film shot him to stardom.

Enjoy your day!

Harris did it! Came up with winner for Vice President. Not a Vance. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. 

I initially was for Cheney. Then Shapiro. Now realize Walz may be the better choice. Walz has many of Cheney and Schapiro attributes plus a few of his own to add on. All of which make him appear the better choice.

Harris introduced Walz to America last night at a rally at Temple University before 12,000 attendees. A much larger crowd than Trump drew a few days earlier in Atlanta where a ton of empty seats were evident.

Walz is middle class America. Although a 12 year Congressman and 2 term Governor, his middle class leanings are reflected.

Harris and Walz combined last night “brought back joy to politics.” Both a winning combination! Trump and Vance are in trouble! Harris is going to wipe the floor with Trump in a debate. Vance no competition for Walz. Walz says he’s going “to kick ass!”

Going to be a hell of a Presidential race! Harris and Walz are going to put Trump/Vance to shame.

Trump lost it saturday at and following an Atlanta rally. Many empty seats. A few days earlier, Harris spoke at the same Atlanta facility and packed it.

Trump claimed interested persons were kept from getting in to hear him. Will the man ever stop lying?

People are tired of Trump’s behavior. They want candidates this year to talk about the future. Trump does not know how. He only knows how to brutalize and demonize.

George Conway says Trump is a “wuss…..He’s scared of her. She will run circles around him and he knows it.”

I find many things confusing these days. Like why is there a right wing campaign to purge women from women’s sports?

There was a time in Key West when businesses closed their doors as a funeral procession passed by. This practice appears to have ended. I researched and could not find when.

There seems to have been a special spirit and sadness when the Maine blew up in Havana Harbor in 1898. The reason was the Maine and other U.S. vessels had been stationed in Key West because of the animosity between Spain and the U.S. Spain the troublemaker.

The Maine was stationed in Key West for 6 months on 1896 and again in 1897. During those times, the officers added significantly to Key West’s social life. Many warm ties were formed.

When so many of the U.S. Navy were killed as a result of the explosion, it was as if Key Westers lost family members.

I trust this is only the beginning. Andy Newman runs his own Public Relations firm. Newman PR. He has performed work for a number of years for the Tourist Development Council.

He now faces 28 criminal charges as the result of an audit. The audit suggesting he “double billed” $30,000. In this case, it is claimed he billed a second time for work he had already been paid to perform.

Got to only be the tip of the iceberg. The TDC dealt in millions of dollars over the years with no one watching how the money was handled. No oversight. Time will tell. I am not referring to Newman. Others.

Enjoy your day!

Live and Learn. Michelangelo painted everyone with their dicks exhibited in the Sistine Chapel. For real! I researched it to be sure.

The Sistine Chapel ceiling contains 343 figures. Penis’s exposed.

The Last Judgment was painted behind the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel years later by Michelangelo. No less than 400 nude saints, sinners and saved souls are spread across the masterpiece.

Three possible reasons why Michelangelo painted with the male penis’s exposed. One, he was a homosexual and perhaps admired the male genital. Another, he neither liked nor got along with Pope Julius II who hired him. The Pope’s disposition left much to be desired. He was known back then as “Il Papa Terrible.” Finally, Michelangelo believed the human body had been designed by God and should be exhibited in all its naked glory.

The altar wall’s some 400 pieces agitated one of Julius II’s closest supporters Biagio da Cesena. He pleaded with Julian II to compel Michelangelo to paint the genitals out of the frescoes. Michelangelo refused. Instead he painted Biagio into the fresco, complete with donkey ears (symbolizing him as a fool or jackass) and with a serpent eating his penis.

I have visited the Sistine Chapel on two occasions. Thrilled each time to view the artistic masterpiece. Never noted the bare dicks. Why? How many others were as I and missed this aspect of the Sistine Chapel?

Today in 1945 a significant day in American history and World War II. The B-29 Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, resulting in an estimated 140,000 Japanese deaths. 

I recall the day and the news flashes. I was only 10 years old. Yet that day remains clear in my mind. Adults and children alike discussing it. Me and my friends sensed it was a big deal. I recall vividly sitting on Basil McHarris’ porch and talking about it.

The Paris Olympics are experiencing many shortcomings. Insufficient foods, improper foods for athletes, the Seine River sick – a hot bed of disease.

Re the Seine, multiple athletes have been hospitalized following the Triathlon because of water quality. Prior to the Olympics, swimming in the river has been banned since 1923 due to poor water quality and health hazards.

Before the Olympics, the French government invested $1.5 billion in an attempt to clean it up. To no avail. Even super-advanced bio-tech didn’t eliminate the simple e-coli bacterium.

Eric Garcia wrote in Inside Washington yesterday: “No, JD Vance is not as bad of a running mate as Sarah Palin was.”

You picked him, Donald! He may not be as bad, but he certainly is awful!

Tombstones keep popping up.  Dean Martin’s: “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.”

Frank Sinatra was buried his way: With a bottle of Jack Daniels, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a Zippo lighter, and a dollar’s worth of dimes. The dimes were in case he needed to use a pay phone.

Key West time.

We were fortunate this past weekend in Key West and the Florida Keys. Debby brought rain and wind, but no significant impacts.

Debby finally did hit northern Florida as a Tropical Storm. Huge flooding. Threat of record rain when it moves into Georgia.

A male deviate cornered a woman saturday night in a Margaritaville bathroom and exposed himself. Demanded a blow job. The woman was able to get out. Police notified. The man was found at the Bull and arrested. He is 43 year old Robert Jake Farnsworth of Arlington, Virginia.

Lobsterfest arrives in two days on August 8. Runs through August 11. Walk Duval and buy a buttered lobster from a street stand to enjoy. Tasty!

The new Key West City Hall on Greene Street was dedicated this day in 1876. Former Mayor Walter C. Maloney was giving a history of Key West. The first ever such compilation. As he was talking, a fire alarm sounded and the crowd deserted Maloney to follow the fire alarm. Typical conduct then and today.

Maloney’ speech was later expanded and published as “A Sketch of the History of Key West, Florida.” It was the first written history of Key West. It is still available for purchase in book form.

Enjoy your day!

One of the most difficult, if not the most difficult examinations, is the bar examination a law graduate has to take in order to be licensed to practice law. In many states, less than half pass the examination each time given.

I question whether Donald would pass the first time. I question whether Donald would even make it though law school. Seriously.

Law school is a first class pain in the ass. Hard! I know. I went through it. Let me say at the outset, I passed the first time! Could have failed though. You study roughly 20 areas of law in law school. The exam to be licensed covers ALL areas. I do not know how many. A hell of a lot more than 20.

In order to prepare for the bar exam, the graduate goes from graduation to a big city to take a prep course for the bar exam. I went to Brooklyn. My mind fails to recall the person’s name who taught the course. Sparachio, I think. The course was 6 weeks long. Two days off during the whole time. The course was given in the Brooklyn Opera House. I stayed in a dilapidated hotel across the street. The two buildings in a Brooklyn slum area.

You sat in the audience. Sparachio on a stool on the stage. He spoke from 3 pm to 10 pm. An hour off for dinner in the middle of that time frame. I was broke. My dinner was a hot dog in the subway. Ten or fifteen cents. It was 1960. I had an alternative. I would buy a chunk of liverwurst, loaf of bread and butter. Kept it in  small refrigerator. Ate it off and on. Cheap.

I doubt Trump would have eaten in a similar fashion. He could afford to eat healthy meals.

We would study from 10 to around 2 in the morning and from whenever we got up to just before 3 in the afternoon. No fun.

At the time, less than 50 percent passed the New York bar exam the first time. 

So Harris failed the California bar the first time. Big deal! Trump has knocked her for failing it. Let me tell you who else flunked their bar exam the first time. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton, Michele Obama, Jerry Brown and Ed Koch. Two prominent individuals who flunked twice were John F. Kennedy Jr. and Richard M. Bailey. Kim Kardashian flunked 3 times.

I knew several New York judges who were excellent judges and had failed once or twice. One who failed twice was an Appellate Judge.

No shame in failing the exam. A stupid ridiculous test of one’s legal knowledge.

Kamala Harris has had a distinguished career so far in spite of having failed the exam the first time. She may be President, is Vice President, has been a U.S. Senator, California Attorney General and San Francisco District Attorney. Her qualifications to be President exceed Trump’s. His first term as President nothing to brag about.

I was in Publix shopping yesterday morning. I was stopped in one of the aisles trying to figure out what to buy. Two Publix employees were nearby. Fiftyish. One White, one Black. The Black man apparently had decided to vote for Trump. No way could he be dissuaded. The White man was telling him he was crazy, Trump disliked Blacks and what had Trump ever done for the Blacks. His was a voice in the wilderness. It was obvious the Black employee was not going to budge off Trump.

I was tempted to join in. Stupid, I know. Also would have been wrong. I knew neither of the men.

At a rally saturday, Trump congratulated Putin, yes Putin and not Biden, for the great job Putin did in getting the result he did in the prisoner of war swap. He intimated that Putin got the best of Biden: Putin made another great deal…..Did you see the deal we made?

It galls me the way Trump sucks up to Putin. Makes me wonder some time if there is any merit to the story of Trump and a prostitute in a Moscow hotel room and a peeing incident alleged to have occurred.

Later today or tomorrow, Harris will select her running mate. I wanted Cheney. Never considered apparently. I think her choice will be Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, a popular governor in a swing state. It would just about guarantee her carrying Pennsylvania against Trump. Means 19 Electoral College votes for her. Experts say the winner of the Presidential race needs to carry Pennsylvania.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a whack job. Something I have said many times before. Even before he decided to run for President.

He advises he left a dead bear cub in Central Park 10 years ago and made it look like a bike had hit the animal. The incident occurred in 2014. He considered it “amusing.”

Kennedy says he was driving through the Hudson Valley and saw a woman hit and kill a young bear. He pulled over, put the bear in the back of his van. His intent to skin the bear and put the meat in his refrigerator.

Time was against him. He had to attend a dinner at the Peter Luger Steak House and then catch a plane. He had to get rid of the bear. He decided on Central Park and the bicycle story. Which he did.

Kennedy said he did it because it was “a little bit of redneck in him.”

Presidential timber? No way!

Enjoy your day!

The Bible teaches me the way. Old and New Testaments alike. Basically, do good and avoid evil.

There are a few things in the Bible that have given me concern over the years. One is Lot’s two youngest daughters getting him drunk and having sex with him. Their purpose to bear children. They feared men were no longer available and it was their responsibility to assure children would be born to carry life on.

Incest clearly. Adultery, too. Yet the Old Testament makes no mention of negativity or punishment.

The whole story is found in Genesis 19: 1-38.

Lot was living in Sodom. Sodom and Gomorrah were nearby communities.. Both sinful. Homosexuality, adultery, pridefulness, lack of charity. The male deviance the most significant. Sodomite today is a pejorative term for male homosexuals.

God decided to destroy both places as punishment. He told Abraham. Abraham told God he had a relative Lot who lived in Sodom and was a good person who sinned not. Abraham asked the Lord to please save him. The Lord agreed. Turned out to be a package deal. God would save Lot, his wife and two unmarried daughters. He would not save Lot’s two married daughters nor their husbands.

Two angels were sent to Lot to warn him of the destruction and he and his were to leave Sodom. They were to ascend a mountain. Warned not to look back.

God rained fire, sulfur and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot’s wife failed to heed God’s warning. She looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.

Lot and his two daughters ended up in a cave on a mountain called Zoar. They took up life in the cave.

Lot’s two daughters were virgins. They had a concern. It is assumed they were under the impression everyone other than the two of them and their father were dead. How was the human race to go on?

Knowing their father would refuse to have sex with them, they got him drunk on wine. One daughter each night. Each had sex with Lot while he was in a drunken stupor.

The girls got pregnant. Each bore a son. Their sons went on to become the first in a long line of descendants. Of course, the the young ladies were wrong about everyone else being dead. If they had waited, in due course they most likely would have learned the whole world was not destroyed. Only Sodom and Gomorrah were. So a human race existed without their assistance.

My question is why neither the Old nor New testament mentions any punishment for Lot’s two daughters. They committed incest and adultery at the very least. How does Christianity and Catholicism specifically accept their wrongdoing?

Leaves me in a quandary.

From the Old Testament to man on the moon. The man in question being Buzz Aldrin. 

Buzz Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon. 

His mother Marion’s maiden name was Moon. She married Edwin Eugene Aldrin, a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Together they created an American hero.

Buzz faced a major problem concerning his mother. She killed herself just before his lunar flight. Her reason being she did not think she could handle her son’s imminent fame. Strange, but that is what occurred and why.

After Buzz returned from the moon, he fell into deep depression and became an alcoholic. His mother’s demise of course bothered him. His life problems as an American hero were significant causes from his perspective. He was an engineer, fighter pilot and astronaut. Following his moon experience, he was required to do much public speaking which he was uncomfortable with and did not enjoy. He did not like being the person he was expected to be. Being a fighter pilot, astronaut, flying to the moon, walking on the moon, and flying back were basically no sweat for him. His new function as a hero was.

He was finally able to conquer his depression and drinking problem. However, it took till 1978. He has been sober since and interestingly easily talks about why he became so depressed and a drinker.

His teammates on that first moon flight were Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.  Both now dead. Buzz is 94 and still going strong. Physically in good shape. Looks terrific. And can talk without a problem re those dark days following his moon walk.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Early American cleanliness. Best described as non-existent.

Early American colonists did not believe in bathing. Forget daily or weekly bathing. At best 3-4 times a year. Generally, only once. Sometimes never.

People smelled terrible!

Some believed that stripping the skin of its natural oils left a person venerable to disease. Consider also the lack of indoor plumbing. A laborious task to carry many buckets of water inside the home to bathe.

They did believe in cleanliness, however. A perverted sort according to our standards. Underwear kept the body clean. Especially linen. Or, so they thought. They believed the underwear absorbed the “filth” or “problems related to filth.”

Bed sheets were also considered to be cleansing. Ergo, bed sheets were changed often to keep them and the body lying within them clean.

Sex had to be disgusting back then!

Guess who were a clean group? Surprising. Native Americans. Indians. They bathe, brushed their teeth, etc. The colonists on the other hand were disgusting for not keeping themselves clean.

The best some colonists did was to wash their face and hands daily or weekly.

Typical Trump. He said he thinks Biden made a bad deal in the prisoner swap. He continues insinuating Biden paid money. Biden said no way. Trump keeps repeating the allegation knowing if you repeat a lie enough times some people will believe it.

Trump was interviewed recently and came up with another one: “I’m worried about World War III before I get there.”

The lie game again. Trump may have been referring to Iran moving on Israel at the moment and Biden sending U.S. military forces to the area as a warning to Iran to back off. Since Trump was once President, he must be aware although Iran has the largest army land force in the Middle East, it is otherwise ill equipped compared to the military prowess of the U.S. and even Israel. I assume it is a bluff game Iran and the U.S. are playing. Let’s hope so. 

Iran is very missile capable. I assume Iran will drop a few well placed missiles on Israel and move back. Such would balance out Israel’s killing of two major anti-Israeli figures. Iran is playing “big shot” with regard to the killings. The two dead were Hamas and not Iranians.

Trump’s “disciplined” campaign is unraveling. At the end of the Republican Convention, it looked like Trump was on his way to a victory in the election. Then his world fell apart. The world as he thought it would be. Biden withdrew from the race and people immediately loved Harris. His Vance V-P choice turned out badly.

All of which has caused Trump to do what he was confident and comfortable with. He reverted to being himself. He is listening only to himself.

The undisciplined and out of control Trump is back! On full display! Good for Harris and the Democrats. Bad for Trump and the Republicans.

Let’s see if the trend lasts or Trump bounces back. Do not underestimate him. He has done it several times in the business world when everyone thought he was buried. If he does, the only person it will prove good for is Donald Trump Not the United States. It would mean our Nation’s ultimate destruction. We were not meant to be ruled by a Putin, Stalin or Hitler.

Proof that the tide is turning is evidenced by the dollars raised by Harris and Trump in July. Harris raised $310 million, more than double that of Trump.

Fireflies. How many remember fireflies. You have to be a bit on the elderly side to recall them.

Fireflies are a dying breed!

Depending on your age again, there was a time when children chased them at night, caught them and placed them in a capped jar. Created light for you on such an evening.

It was common practice 100 years ago. Even when I was a kid some 80 years ago. Not so now. Few young children play the catch game today because fireflies have dramatically diminished in number. Two reasons therefore. Climate change and rising housing developments.

Things have gotten so bad there is serious consideration to placing fireflies on endangered species lists.

How did Key West come to be called Key West?

The name Key West is actually a misnomer. Spanish settlers originally called Key West Cayo Hueso. Cayo Hueso translates to bone island, referring to the bones of the Calusa Indians  who had once lived in the Florida Keys. English speakers mistook Cayo Hueso, thinking it sounded like Key West and the name stuck.

On this day in 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail on his first voyage seeking the “Indies.” Three ships under his command: The Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina.

World War I began this day in 1914 when Germany invaded Belgium and declared war on France. The action caused British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey to say: “The lamps are going out all over Europe.” Famous words etched in history.

The massive storm which has been tracked for days with the “I’m not sure it will become Tropical Storm Debby,” is within our area. Close but not touching. At 5 am as I am writing not yet officially Debby. It is 75 miles south of Cuba and 260 miles south-southeast of Key West.

Cone diagram shows it missing Key West and the Keys. It appears at the moment the storm will run into the Gulf and west of Key West.

Looks like a heavy rain and wind situation for us at worst.

One tough President Ronald Reagan. On this day in 1981, 13,000 Air Traffic Controllers began their strike. Reagan offered them an alternative. Actually an ultimatum: “If they do not return for work in 48 hours, they have forfeited their jobs and will be terminated.”

Most did not return to work. Reagan fired all that did not. The Nation survived.

Enjoy your day!

The prisoner swap announced yesterday a landmark and historic one. So many released at one time.

Biden is going out in a blaze of glory. The multi prisoner exchange an example. I have seen nothing like it in my long life.

Biden continues to be Presidential during his last months in office. I read with pride the news story of the prisoner exchange.

The Washington Post reported Putin’s narrative on the prisoner exchange: “Don’t believe a word of it.”

Putin is as much a liar and deceptive person as is his friend Donald Trump.

Basketball star Brittney Griner knows well the emotions involved in a prisoner swap. She was thrilled Americans were returning as part of the swap. Her words: “Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day…..Head over heels happy for the families right now. Any day that Americans come home, that’s a win. That’s a win. I’m just happy. Like this is a big win. A huge win.”

In addition to basketball, redundancy appears to be one of her talents also.

Democratic vibes have lifted in the Presidential race. Kamala Harris is being well received. She’s for real, not a bullshit artist.

Two reasons for the changing political mood. Harris represents a prosecutor against a felon.  Can’t argue with the facts. The other, she is a woman of color against a man who wants to be Hitler. Trump has made her color an issue. He made himself a Hitler type by his pursuit of authoritarian ideals.

It’s an election year and charges appear. Big ones! Some real, some bogus.

This morning’s news raises the question whether Trump received $10 million in cash from Egypt in 2017. An FBI and Justice Department investigation was quashed by Attorney General Barr at a point based on ‘insufficient evidence.”

I do not recall hearing about it back then.

The issue has revealed itself now. Again, I am not sure whether for the first time or second time. Whatever, it is deserving of a proper investigation. Quickly. Especially in view of Senator Menendez being convicted of taking bribes from Egypt.

Bootleggers were not the only ones to make money during Prohibition. Doctors did also. Legally.

During the years 1920 to 1933, the manufacture and sale of alcohol was strictly forbidden in the U.S. Except in the world of medicine!

The U.S. Treasury authorized doctors to write prescriptions for alcohol which in turn led to liquor being prescribed as a “care” for ailments ranging from indigestion to cancer. These booze prescriptions cost around $7 (roughly over $100 today), half of which was paid to the doctor to write the prescription and the rest going toward actually acquiring the medicinal pint.

Even Winston Churchill took advantage of the loophole. He was visiting the U.S. in 1932 and acquired a doctor’s note for alcohol during the visit: “Churchill necessitates the use of alcohol spirits especially at meal times.” Such allowed Churchill to shoot past U.S. prohibition laws and imbibe as he pleased.

The prescription proved to be a massive moneymaker for the medical industry during Prohibition. Not surprising. One thing I have noticed in my professional lifetime was the outstanding lobby arm the medical profession possessed. Even to today. The medical lobbyists well take care of their client.

There is a trend that pops up with some blogs I have written. A blog will cause further information to be forwarded me from readers or I will trip on some more information a few days later. The Key West Cemetery blog is a perfect example. Tombstone inscriptions. Perhaps the most popular: “I told you I was sick.”

Several more have come to my attention or have been provided me. Here are a few: “Make Love Not War…..Next Time / Merv Griffin…..I Will Not Be Back After This Message / Jack Lemon In (He left the rest of his stone blank) / Damn It’s Dark Down Here / Expired / A Dentist…..I’m Filling My Last Cavity.”

I determined mine years ago. You will have to wait till the appropriate time to learn it. Fits me to a T!

On this day in 1923, Key West was deluged by 1.05 inches of rain that fell in 22 minutes. Streets and sidewalks were flooded.

This weekend may prove to be the same. The yet to officially become Tropical Storm Debby is projected to dump flooding rain on Southern Florida.

A sad day of Western historical significance. On this day in 1876, “Wild Bill” Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. The shooter, Jack McCall. He was later hung.

Enjoy your day!