A story lost to history. Italian immigrant workers were responsible for the first Rockefeller Christmas tree. It was Christmas time 1931. Early stages in the construction of Rockefeller Center. The workers primarily Italian immigrants. They thought a touch of the holiday season was required. They pooled their money and came up with a 20 foot tree. Their wives prepared garland at home which was wrapped around the tree. The decorated tree was completed on December 24th.
Big trees from little acorns do grow. The Rockefeller Christmas tree a perfect example. That 20 footer wrapped in simple garland turned into the mammoth tree electrically decorated today. An American tradition.
The rain is endless. Poured all night. Still coming down this morning. If it keeps up, the island will be washed away. I can imagine how flooded some Key West streets are at the moment. If this rain ever stops, people will kayak and swim in certain water flooded streets. It never fails!
Huge storm warnings out for Florida this weekend. A gale storm coming in off the Gulf. Big time rain and wind. Technically has not yet begun. Supposed to hit at 4 this afternoon and continue till 6 am sunday. Key West supposedly not involved. This peripheral rain and wind makes me wonder. Central Florida to be the worst to suffer. The storm to run as far south as Broward County. Wind gusts in central Florida projected to be 50-55 mph.
Syracuse/Oregon tomorrow at 1. The two schools are 2,802 miles apart. They will meet half way in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The game will be available on CBS.
Syracuse is 7-3, Oregon 7-2. Should be a good game.
My plan is to watch from Jack Flats.
DeSantis speaks from his derriere rather than brain. He had a comment re the Satan figure beheaded in Iowa. Condemned Satanism, then followed his comment up with he would help pay the responsible culprit’s legal bills once caught. DeSantis trying to cover all bases and appeal to everyone once again. He’s worse than Trump in this regard.
Florida has become a fruitcake populace when it comes to voting. A strong MAGA population supporting Trump. A stupid governor. A Republican legislature that is off the wall with its thinking.
Linda Chaney is a Republican legislator. She came up with a bill that has already gained movement in Florida’s Republican legislature. Her bill is to define 16 year olds as “not children.” Rather as “youth workers.” She believes there is a labor shortage and children must be returned to the labor work force.
What she fails to realize is that there are tons of immigrants looking for work. Give them the jobs. That was how the U.S. handled things for years before Trump demonized immigrants.
Chaney’s bill has already passed its first of three committee votes before being submitted to the full House. It passed by a 10-5 party line vote.
Excuse me, but I must make an observation. The sound of rain pounding on my roof at the moment is the loudest I have ever heard. Absolutely amazing. And Key West is not even a part of the pending gale storm.
Florida is not the only state off kilter. Texas is even worse. They recently had a “Holy Sexuality Week” in Texas. The scene the Abilene Christian University near Dallas. The University is openly anti-LGBTQ. The evil of homosexuality a basic belief.
Some students became upset. Two thousand signed a petition decrying the University position. The University President argued: “Opposition of homosexuality is holiness.”
The battle is on. The line drawn in the sand. A debate re the issue is scheduled for January.
An old piece of news that I only recently became aware of. Hitler planned extermination of North American Jews. Hitler’s blueprint is in book form. It clearly describes how to accomplish a North American holocaust. The 137 page report is titled “Statistics, Media and Organizations of Jewry in the United States and Canada.” It was compiled in 1944 by the German linguist Heinz Klaus at Hitler’s request and funded with Nazi monies.
Today’s podcast is 5 years old. Concerns the Pittsburg synagogue shooting which resulted in 11 deaths. The anti-Semite doing the shooting used an AR-15 rifle and 3 handguns.
The jury returned yesterday in the case against Rudy Giuliani brought by two black Georgia election workers he defamed. His statements as believed by the jury were baseless. They were the ones he made in the wake of the 2020 Presidential election.
The jury awarded the two women a total of $148 million. It was $100 million more than the women had sued for. Which is ok under most state laws. A jury may return more than the amount demanded in a Complaint.
The Washington, D.C. jury deliberated 10 hours. They believed Giuliani had concocted a fake ballot processing scheme that caused the two women all kinds of real pain and suffering. Each woman was awarded $16 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in punitive damages.
Key West has a magnificent historical structure known as the Custom House. The government awarded the contract for construction on December 15, 1891. The amount $107,955.96. You can’t build anything today in Key West for that amount! Occupancy took place 3 years later in 1891.
I continue to live and learn. I always though bamboo was a part of the wood family. It is not. It is a member of the grass family. Yes, grass.
Last night was an enjoyable one. Brady’s Irish Pub. Pierogi special night.
When I arrived, the parking lot was full. Unusual. Had to park 2 blocks away and walk in the cutting wind to the restaurant. When I arrived, the place was mobbed. Every seat at the bar and tables in the bar occupied. Many standing. Most dressed in Christmas attire. Even Carola. She had tree lights in her hair and hanging from her neck.
Turned out it was trolley car night to see the homes decorated for Christmas. Planned by Ed Swift’s organization. The buses would leave from Brady’s.
Shit, I thought. Can’t sit, can’t stand. What to do! Russell saved my ass. He was seated at the bar and was soon going to leave. He gave his seat to me and finished his beer standing. Russell and I have been friends for 30 years. Became acquainted at Don’s Place. He is chef at the Half Shell Raw Bar in Key West. Lives near Brady’s. Obviously, a good guy.
He introduced me to his two friends who were seated next to him. Richard and Tracie. Richard is manager for one of Ed Swift’s companies. Tracie a manager at the A & B Lobster House. I enjoyed their company. We chatted quite a while. Richard originally from England. Tracie the Poconos. Interesting people. A new terrific acquaintance made.
The rain still pummeling down. Wind not too bad at the moment.
Enjoy your day!