The Key West News (formerly Key West Citizen) should hang its head in shame.

Today is December 7. “A day that will live in infamy.”  On this day in 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

I had to search for mention of the occurrence in today’s newspaper. Should have been something about it on page 1. Nothing. The only mention was found on page 2. One line under Today in Keys History, two under Today in History. A total of 3 lines.

I was offended. I spoke by phone with the newspaper. I was told Pearl Harbor could be found under Today in History. I explained only amounted to 2 lines. I was told the paper had insufficient staff to write a major article re the event.

Disgraceful! Pearl Harbor is still with us 81 years later. Will be with us 181 years from now, as will be 9/11 for example.

December 7 is a page 1 story every year. Or, should be. Today’s page 1 articles included 43 Seeking City Manager Post, a Discussion of State Priorities, North Roosevelt Boulevard, and CFK Recruiting Students will be forgotten in 81 days. Even less.

The newspaper’s sense of values is lacking.

Key West has many veterans and active military residing here. They are obvious whenever an event is held at Bayview Park. Stick out. Proudly wearing their caps. Key West itself continues to honor its war dead with the monuments that stand and new ones that are always being erected.

I remember Pearl Harbor. I was 6 years old at the time. We lived in a 3 story 6 apartment tenement. My parents had a radio. We were the only family with a radio. Our apartment filled up rapidly as the news of the attack spread. Everyone wanted to hear what was happening. Women cried. The men discussed joining up.

With Warnock’s election, the U.S. Senate is set. Time to get down to business. Now and following the first of the year when the new House is sworn in.

House Republicans will disrupt. Their game plan. The Senate and Democrats in general must retaliate forcefully.

Democrats for some reason always play a subdued gentlemanly approach to things. Republicans the contrary. They go for the jugular. So too must the Democrats. Make them bleed! It is the only way Republicans will learn to legislate rather than screw things up.

The Trump Organization was found guilty yesterday in New York Supreme Court by a jury for all kinds of tax fraud schemes. Individual Trump family members not named as defendants in the criminal prosecution. Now is the time however to go after them. Donald and the kids. If you or I stole a loaf of bread, we’d do time in jail. The family steals millions, buy multimillion dollar residences in Florida  and spend no time in jail.

Does not make sense.

Donald does not like the Constitution. A few days later and he is trying to walk back his statement.

He has broken a multitude of laws over the years. Gets away with it!

Time to stop the bullshit! Indict him! He is under so many investigations, it will be impossible for him to avoid conviction for some if not all.

Trump is killing our country. Destroying it a step at a time. He must be stopped. Now! We have already waited too many tomorrows.

The January 6 Committee is going to make referrals to the Department of Justice. I assumed so all along. If they failed to do so, their findings would have the same impact as the Mueller decision.

The Committee should have discovered enough information to name elected officials and some of the nation’s very rich. They are the ones to be named. Don’t bother with the small “wrongdoers.” Those who failed to answer a subpoena.

I am especially interested in who attended the “command center” at the Willard Hotel on January 5.

There are those who want to take down the U.S. government. Far right terrorists. Our government sits on its ass and moves too slowly in seeking them out and prosecuting them.

What happened in Germany early this morning should be a lesson to us.

The German government suspected a coup plot. Thousands of German police carried out a series of raids all over Germany this morning arresting the participants. German police said those apprehended were far right extremists who were planning to overthrow the government and substitute another in its place.

Syracuse won a decisive victory last night. Beat Oakland 95-66.

Oakland a non-entity. Syracuse was expected to destroy the team. However Syracuse has already played 2 similar games this season against unworthy opponents and lost to them.

I was anxious to watch the game. Not because it supposedly was to be an easy Syracuse victory. Nothing is this season. I simply enjoy Syracuse sports.

The game was at 6. Turned it on. Watched the tip off. Immediately fell asleep. At 6 o’clock! I woke for the beginning of the second half. Watched about 2 minutes and fell asleep again. Woke sometime after 11 to learn of the Syracuse victory.

Fell asleep at 1 and woke 5 this morning. All in all, a good night’s sleep.

I need not tell you my sleep pattern is erratic in my old age.

Enjoy your day!

Small town America celebrates holidays the best. Key West and Chatham, Massachusetts two examples.

Key West does Christmas big time. Not just the store and house decorations. The parades.

This past week was the annual Christmas Parade. Like you would not believe. Every year the same. Huge and festive. Family oriented. Special for the kids.

I did one Christmas parade after another with Robert and Ally. From when they were pre schoolers through high school. In their early years, Robert and Ally would sit on the curb on Truman with tons of other kids waiting for the parade to begin. Each with a huge bag. Anxious to pick up the candy canes and other candy thrown from the floats.  Their “take” better than from Halloween trick or treating.

Santa Claus came at the end. One huge difference from a big city parade. Several Santa Claus’s, not one. To this day I wonder why Robert and Ally never questioned the more than one Santa Claus.

I did not do the Christmas parade this year nor in recent years. My body can’t handle it. Parking and then walking to Truman too much for me. Standing watching the parade impossible. The legs can’t handle it.

I have to be content with memories. Good enough, however!

Key West has another biggie. The Lighted Boat Parade. Sponsored annually by the Schooner Wharf Bar.

Dozens of boats. Decorated like Christmas trees and the outside of houses.

This year’s boat parade is saturday at 8.

I had the good fortune to actually do three. “Do” meaning on a boat. Many years ago. Each with Donna and Terri. A huge party boat each time. Booze, food, music for dancing, etc.

One negative to the three I did. It was freezing cold! Everyone on the boats dressed winter style. Still froze!

This year will not be that cold. The evenings have turned cool. However not that bad. A sweatshirt or jacket will handle the situation.

The last few years a bike ride has entered the picture. Such was held this past week also. Riders dressed for the occasion. Hundreds of riders.

Lets move to summer time.

I spent two weeks every summer on Cape Cod for years. Generally over the Fourth of July. Chatham was the town and the Chatham Bar Inn was where I stayed.

The absolute best Fourth of July Parade I have ever seen. Never failed to impress me. Unique. What made it so? It was 1776. Can’t explain it any other way.

For a small town, Key West gave birth to many athletes who went on to professional fame.

One was George Mira. Football star.

Mira born and raised in Key West. Graduated from Key West High School in 1960.

Played at the University of Miami where he achieved All American status. Followed by 13 years of professional football.

Following retirement, Mira opened George Mira’s Pizza Huddle. It was located across the street from the junior league football fields. The Huddle became a haven for post game celebrations.

Mira now 80. Still vital. Lives in the Coral Gables area where he owns the Nature Conch, a food concession at the Fairchild Botanical Gardens.

I have lived believing that if you hit me, I must hit you back and strike you harder so you will not think of hitting me again. Translate that into business. I practiced law with such in mind. It was necessary so a person would not consider screwing with me a second time.

It has bothered me that Ukraine has not hit Russia back. I assumed the U.S. and NATO made it a no no for the Ukraine to retaliate into Russian territory.

Apparently the limitation has been lifted. Ukraine attacked Russia on Russian soil twice last week. Both attacks well into Russian soil.

Both attacks via drones. The first two military bases on the same day. The military bases hundreds of miles inside Russia. The second an airfield. One of the attacks took down an energy grid on one of the coldest days in the year.

Civilians not attacked.

Civilians must be attacked as the Ukrainian people have been.

The Russian people must experience pain. Where they live, work. sleep and eat. The Russian people will not put up with it for long. They will be on Putin’s ass quickly to stop the assault against Ukraine.

Trump dined at Mar-a-Lago the tuesday before Thanksgiving with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes.

You are already aware of the backgrounds of the individuals. My concern at the moment is with Kanye West. An anti-Semite. Also an announced candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 2024.

It became public knowledge yesterday that West owes $50 million in back taxes and that the IRS has frozen four of his bank accounts.

Today’s Daily Beast ran an article about West’s Presidential campaign headquarters. Described it as a complete mess, a “shitshow.”

Trump knows how to pick prospective supporters. Just as good as the candidates he forced on the Republican Party for the 2022 midterms.

Syracuse/Oakland basketball tonight at 6.

I have no comment.

Enjoy your day!

Last tuesday was the scene of a bar room brawl in the U.S. Supreme Court. For an oral argument confrontation, bare knuckles best describes it between two Justices and one attorney.

On one side in a double team effort were Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. On the other standing alone against the two was Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar. The assailants were the two justices.

Prelogar asserted a legal oral argument challenging the power of federal courts in a certain regard. Roberts and Kavanaugh did not agree and came down on her hard. I would expect Kavanaugh to beat up on a woman. Roberts surprised me.

The case being argued was United States v. Texas. The altercation involved a minor side issue in the case. Roberts and Kavanaugh went bonkers, however.

The issue had major implications for the executive branch and its ability to function. Imagine a federal district court case in Idaho: Can a plaintiff walk into court, challenge a federal regulation, and win a victory that halts the entire government’s ability to enforce that regulation against anyone, anywhere in the U.S.? In matters and persons not involved in the lawsuit where the decision was being rendered.

The problem a 30 year one. Occasionally used over the years even by the Democrats. However conservative federal judges in recent years are using it everywhere possible which means all the time. It has become an obstacle to governance affecting the Biden administration. The conservative judiciary is using it as a “nationwide injunction.”

Prelogar suggested to the Supreme Court (in my words): Hey guys, not fair, not right, beyond the court’s power.

The roof caved in! The wrath of Roberts and Kavanaugh came down upon her. They sounded shocked and offended.  Furious that Prelogar would accuse them of misreading a statute.

The legal issue is of little concern to me. It is in the way Roberts and Kavanaugh handled it and Prelogar. They went too far – way too far- in how they treated Prrelogar. Respect is a two way street.

One of the arguments by Roberts and Kavanaugh was that issue at hand had been used by the courts for 30 years. The number of years apparently had meaning to them. My initial reaction was what about the right to abortion. The law for 50 years. Yet these very same Justices had no problem overturning it. Such HYPOCRACY!

Supreme Court Justices have it made. They are treated with the ultimate respect. Enjoy lifetime jobs. Everyone kisses their asses both on and off the Bench. Attorneys arguing before them generally receive similar respect, though the Justices on occasion have lost their tempers. However not to the extreme Roberts and Kavanaugh did with Prelogar,

Justices in the past 20 years have begun receiving perks. Perks because of who they are and what they can do for a party in a decision. Examples are the free trips to conferences, benefits derived via the Heritage Foundation, influence, etc. The attitudes of some of the Justices has changed. Alito’s being a prime example. The man has become a detriment to the Court’s reputation. Thomas and his wife Ginni no better.

The American people have always held the Supreme Court to a high level of respect. It is rapidly diminishing. To get respect, you must give respect. The Justices may be omnipotent. However, they should not show that omnipotence in how they handle things on and off the Court. Diminishing respect erodes respect for the Court. In due course, its decisions will not be regarded as they have been.

The Court is becoming Trump like. Think about it.

The position of Supreme Court Justice is a cushy one. If the Court’s attitude and actions continue as they are, the job will lose its prestige. Rules will be passed governing their conduct. Playing God will lose its luster. Many of the Justices will face disciplinary proceedings and some perhaps lose their jobs.

Enjoy your day!

Steve Thompson wrote about Cow Key Marina. I never heard of Cow Key Marina.  I’ve only been in Key West 30 years. Impossible to know everything.

So I did a little homework this week preparatory to writing today’s blog. Not easy. I found only one person other than Steve and Cindy who ever heard of the place.

We begin with Steve’s writing. Note it speaks of the 1970’s.

The Cow Key Marina was like nothing I had seen. It had chickens and a pump leaking gasoline. We always stopped there for fuel when on Phil’s boat.

If you saw the bar, you’d think it was a joke. The plywood floors looked like waves at sea. And low ceilings with no windows concerned me. It was so unusual, it’s where a movie was made.

It brought celebrities to town called, “92 In The Shade.” Peter Fonda, Warren Oats, Burgess Meredith, Guy di la Valdene, and Jim Harrison were on a roll. Partied with Margot Kidder and Elizabeth Ashley like there was no tomorrow.

It was Tom McGuane’s first movie and actually a flop. If they had filmed themselves at night while partying, it would have gone to the top.

So the Cow Key Marina remained the same for years.  Old Roy at the bar sold us one dollar beers.

It’s all fixed up now like every tourist store. We all miss Roy and we don’t go there anymore.

I began my quest this past week on the internet. Sure enough, a Cow Key Marina was to be found. Limited information, information nevertheless. Spoke with Steve how to find the place. Actually located on Stock Island.

Took a while. The Marina is located at the far end of Fifth Avenue. Address 5001.

Steve described a shitbox. What I found was beautiful.

A small clean active marina. Tiki hut sales shack. Showers and dressing rooms. And a restaurant.

Two guys working the quiet marina. The restaurant/bar closed.

It was obvious the restaurant/bar was not of yesteryear. Not the one described by Steve. This one was newly remodeled/rebuilt. Lovely deck. View magnificent.

Reminded me of a dressed up Hogfish or Geiger Key. Smaller, however. The thought occurred Hogfish and Geiger Key were smaller 30 years ago. Bobby Mongelli expanded each over the years. Especially by adding tables in every nook and cranny.

Parking sufficient. More than either Hogfish or Geiger Key. Then there is the road available to be utilized as with those two restaurants.

One of the tiki hut workers was 30ish. Chatted with me. Told me the restaurant would be open in a month. Other persons I talked to as part of my inquiry said they were told the same thing 6 months ago.

The fellow was not too bright. Never heard of Peter Fonda. Or his father Henry for that matter. Just kept repeating the place would be open in a month.

Steve told me his 1970 days found chickens and rabbits galore running around. None visible on my visit. He described the place as a dump. No more.

His experience began with the Chart Room. Everything begins with the Chart Room.

Shooting was over at 4 in the afternoon. Stars and crew ran to the Chart Room. Tom Cochran bartending. Steve and his friends quickly became friends with the likes of Perter Fonda, etc. Partied at the Chart Room and Cow Key Marina with them.

Steve telephoned yesterday morning to advise he had found the movie. 92 In The Shade had been released in 1975. I watched it.

Steve said the crummiest movie he has ever seen. I agree. Without a doubt, the absolute worst. Mentioned it to Jean Thornton last night. Turns out she watched it years ago. Totally agreed.

Watch it, however. An experience.

The bar in the film doesn’t look bad. I refer specifically to the bar and stools themselves. Nothing else.

The movie was a box office failure.

Someone described the movie as a “weird deadpan portrait of outsiders and oddballs living in Key West.” An apt description.

Roy the for real bartender at the Marina is actually in the movie. He plays himself.

A restauranteur I am not. However it appears to my inexperienced eye that the Cow Key Marina restaurant/bar is a gold mine waiting to be discovered. It needs Bobby Mongelli or someone like him to reopen the place.

Enjoyed a lovely meal and company Friday night.

The evening began as planned with Jean and Joe Thornton at the Chart Room. We were joined by Laura. A friend of Jean’s. Laura lived in Key West years ago. Rented a house for the month of December and is revisiting. A most interesting woman. A Virginian. A Washington lobbyist.

We dined at the outside deck at the Pier House. The cold wind beating on us. Stone crabs the main course. Outstanding!

I rarely get out these days. Enjoyed the evening and company tremendously.

Syracuse played Notre Dame in basketball at Notre Dame at noon yesterday. What a game! Syracuse was back! Its record a poor 3-4 going into the game. Notre Dame 6-1.

Syracuse won by a point 62-61.

It was that kind of a game. Close throughout. Could have gone either way. Glad it went Orange!

Joe Girard returned to form. He played very very poorly the past 3 games. Jesse Edwards was a center to be envied.

It’s Christmas time in the City! Key West brightly lite for the holiday. I am a Christmas softie at heart. Love it!

Enjoy your Sunday!

It was a pleasure watching Biden and Macron interact yesterday. Comforting. The friendship a true one. Not the phony put ons generally seen. The two actually like each other, trust each other.

They have differences. Both so acknowledged. However as friends they were confident they would work through them.

What a  difference an administration makes! Trump would have publicly embarrassed France and other nations by saying you are not meeting your NATO financial obligations. Pay up! The U.S. is considering pulling out if you do not.

A friend does not embarrass a supposed another by opening with a disparaging salvo. And a public one at that!

Trump loses again! Doesn’t seem to bother him. The 11th Circuit threw out the Special Master in the Mar-a-Lago case. Described Judge Cannon’s handling of it a “spectacle.”

If Trump opts to appeal, he will lose in the Supreme Court. The appeal will be a swift one. Removing the Special Master makes the road ahead for the Justice Department shorter and easier. Trump will be indicted.

Trump’s followers are becoming a smaller group. Shortly, if not already, it will consist solely of anti-Semites, white supremacists and haters in general. He has nowhere else to go for support.

A tale involving the Wall Street Journal.

On this day in 1970, a new federal agency opened its doors. The Environmental Protection Agency. What had been a small area of the law, expanded rapidly. Few lawyers knowledgeable. It became on the job training.

I was not involved. Not in 1970 and for 10 years. I was comfortable in the work I was doing and had no interest in learning something new. The closest I came to environmental work were asbestos cases. Asbestos did not fall under the purview of the EPA.

In 1980, I was convinced to get into a large environmental case in a significant way. I did so reluctantly. Again, I was comfortable with my practice, making a decent living and did not want to learn anything new.

As it turned out, I did not know what I was getting into. My life would change.

I was into the case about 6 months when I received a telephone call from a Wall Street Journal reporter in Atlanta. He wanted to fly up later in the day and meet me the next morning.

He spent the day interviewing me about the environmental case I had become involved in. The case concerned a major landfill that had contaminated everything around it years before. Millions of dollars involved. I was representing the two primary polluters. I had sued 603 other persons/businesses/companies that were potentially responsible also, though to a lesser degree.

A big deal.

Turned out to be a case of significance. My handling of it was novel at the time: I had sued 603 persons/businesses/companies who I thought were potentially responsible persons under the law. The only other large noteworthy case at the time was Love Canal in Buffalo.

I was in Key West 2 weeks later when the article broke in the Wall Street Journal. Front page right hand column.

My life changed that day. Everything. My practice, my bank account, my life. For the next 20 years.

The phone started ringing that day in Key West. Everyone wanted to talk with me. Actually, wanted me. Scary, initially. I was not as smart a they thought. Environmental law was still breaking new ground. I happened to have discovered a new mouse trap in my approach.

At one point in time, I had 3 top ten Harvard law graduates and a top NYU law graduate on my payroll. To provide the brain power. I was flying all over handling the cases. Represented only major corporations and large municipalities. When a prospective client called to talk with me, the first question was I available to speak with them later in the day or tomorrow., A corporate jet would fly to get me.

Meetings were only at the highest level. CEO, Vice-Presidents. Small group. The cases involved millions or billions of dollars. Secrecy imperative.

Hard work. However, exciting every step of the way.

My sole purpose in sharing this story with you is to show the value of being reported in the Wall Street Journal front page right hand column. Life changing. My words cannot even describe how much.

To Key West for a moment.

I mentioned Christmas decorations a few days ago. More and more every day. Trees and houses bright! Love it!

Busy doing the mundane yesterday.

A manicure with Tammy. Then a haircut with Lori.

Some exploring followed. I was looking for the Cow Key Marina. Took me time to find. I plan on writing about it tomorrow.

I finished my time on the road with lunch at Hogfish. Ate at the bar. Julia waited on me. Enjoyed hogfish and chips. The hogfish delicious. Julia charming.

Enjoy your day!

I came across an interesting video on YouTube titled: If You Want to Have Sex Again – Get Married. A humorous 10 minutes. Discusses no sex marriages. Describes most of today’s marriages as involving masturbation, loneliness, cheating and shame.

As can be readily noted from the title and description, the presentation is full of inconsistencies. Happily presented.

The host is sex therapist Maureen McGarth.

I am going to hit some of the highlights. You must watch the video to get the full flavor.

After the first year, McGarth says most marriages are boring. No wonder she shares, most people have lived together 10 years before without the benefit of marriage.  They marry and in due course may have sex less than 10 times a year. Her theory applies to heterosexual and same sex marriages.

Where one learns about sex affects its quality in marriage. Boys and men learn from internet porn. A place lacking in intimacy. Females from their mothers and girl friends who place the fear of God in them. Pregnancy and STDs.

McGarth said the most popular position for marrieds having sex is one of them on their hands and knees during the act. Generally, the man!

A commonly asked question is when does sex/sexual desire end. Some believe int the 40s. Others, various decades. McGarth advises well into the 80s and 90s. However, most are unaware.

Exercise a necessary activity in order to have a good sex life. Gets the blood flowing.

The largest sex organ is neither the clitoris/vagina nor the penis. It is the brain.

McGarth’s final piece of advice: Settle all marital arguments in bed naked.

I have merely scratched the surface. Watch the video for pure enjoyment or to learn something. Whatever, a valuable 10 minutes.

From sex to college basketball. Syracuse basketball. Applying McGarth’s observations, Syracuse basketball today is about as good as marital sex.

Illinois blew out Syracuse last night 73-44. My heart can’t take it! Illinois destroyed Syracuse in the second half outscoring Syracuse 43-21.

Syracuse’s record now stands at 3-4.

Why, Lord?

Syracuse’s defense horrible. Actually horrible is giving it too much credit. Non-existent a better description.

The defense was outstanding in the first half. Disappeared in the second.

Boeheim’s post game interview lasted less than 2 minutes. Embarrassing. Boeheim said what he had to. The reporters asked few questions. Out of respect for Boeheim.

Syracuse plays Notre Dame saturday.

Syracuse has a new Dome. The Carrier Dome opened in 1980. The new Dome this year. I have not seen it. However from photos’ and description, absolutely magnificent. Its 50,000 seats are not going to be full nor is the Dome going to be a money maker unless the football and basketball teams do better. Fans, even Syracuse fans, are not going to attend unless the teams win. Fact of life. I have seen it the past 40 years at the Carrier Dome and other sport facilities throughout the U.S.

Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes was convicted by a jury yesterday of sedition and other crimes arising out of January 6. The most serious “seditious conspiracy.”  A technical way to describe Rhodes a traitor. Good for 20 plus years in jail.

Time for indictments to move forward. Time for political and private leaders involved to be charged and tried. Including Trump.

Bess Levin wrote another interesting article re Trump’s anti-Semitic dinner guests. The article published 11/28 titled “Surprise: A Number Of Republicans Don’t Want To Condemn Trump’s Dinner With A Couple of Anti-Semites.”

Levin’s opening sentence: “They know where their bread is buttered.”

Followed in the next paragraph by: “In the year 2022, the number one thing that unites the Republican Party is bigotry and hate. Hate for the Black people. Hate for (non-white) immigrants. Hate for anyone who isn’t Christian. Hate for the LGBTQ+ community. Which is why it surprises no one who has been paying literally any attention whatsoever that a number of GOP lawmakers apparently don’t want to probably condemn Donald Trump’s recent dinner with men who have made names for themselves as virulent anti-Semites.”

Maya Angelou: “Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to the loneliness.”

Enjoy your day!

Interesting. Ian Fleming based James Bond on Cary Grant.

He later wanted Grant to play Bond in the first 007 movie Dr. No. Grant turned him down because it required a 5 movie commitment.

Dr. No’s producer was Cuby Broccoli. He and Grant good friends. Grant was his best man when he married. Broccoli tried to convince Grant also. The 5 movie commitment continued to be a problem.

Grant would have made a terrific 007!

Get the masks back out!

The flu continues to spread across the U.S. infecting millions. A total of 6.2 million new cases this season. Nearly 3,000 deaths since October.

It is expected flu numbers will increase dramatically with the holiday season upon us and large family gatherings.

The increase this season attributed to two factors. One, the flu season began earlier. The other, a larger number of people have gone unvaccinated. Thus making it easier for the virus to spread.

Bess Levin wrote an article 11/28 re Trump’s pre Thanksgiving dinner with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes: Trump Doesn’t Want To Condemn His Holocaust Denying Dinner Date Because It Might Alienate His Jew Hating Supporters. Levin wrote: “The President who reportedly insisted that Hitler did a lot of good things wants to keep his antisemitic followers happy.”

Kanye West spelled out his antisemitic credentials when he said he “loved Hitler and the Nazis.”

Twenty four year old Nick Fuentes at an early age is an outspoken bigot. His positions/comments: He denies the Holocaust happened, likens Jews burning in gas chambers to baking cookies, claims “whites are under attack,” is against mixed marriages (Louis comment – Beware Clarence and Ginni Thomas), called for the military to be sent into Black neighborhoods, and demanded “that Jews leave the country.”

Jews are not the only group he is down on. Women, also. He has said we need to go back to “burning them alive.”

A great dinner companion!

A major Key West annual event tomorrow at 5. The burning of the hurricane flag. To commemorate the end of hurricane season which is tomorrow November 30.

The Conch Republic will do the honors. The event will take place at Truman Waterfront Park in front of the historic U.S. Coast Guard Ingham.

Syracuse/Illinois basketball tonight at 7. Game will be carried on ESPN. Illinois ranked #16. Syracuse already struggling.

I paid for my sins yesterday. Big time. Suffered horrendous pain.

My ankles have been pretty good the past 3 weeks. Down 75 percent. No foot pain.

It began yesterday morning. Right ankle began swelling. Not bad, but enough. Pain in sole of foot. Especially when standing or walking. The pain extreme.

Left ankle nothing.

Spent the afternoon in bed with legs elevated.

Jean Thornton telephoned around 5. Join Joe and me for dinner. Stone crabs!

Of course!

Had forgotten about my foot. Jumped out of bed to get ready. No way was I going to join Jean and Joe. Indescribable pain. Never would have been able to walk from the car to a restaurant. I called Jean and begged off.

A couple of hours later, my stomach was growling. I had missed lunch. Dinner time was upon me.

Meant I had to go downstairs. A mistake. Big time. I made it down and later up. Lucky I did not fall. The pain unbearable. I had visions of ending up in the hospital.

This morning a different world. Swelling next to nothing. No pain.

Enjoy your day!

Guess who came to dinner last tuesday at Mar-a-Lago? Fleas. The host Donald Trump, guests anti-Semite Kanye West and white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.

The hopeful 2024 Republican Presidential candidate does not care whose company he keeps. A gathering of fleas does not concern him.

The Wall Street Journal described West and Fuentes as “Donald Trump’s bad dinner guests.” The Journal stated his guests reflected Trump’s “trademark of bad company and bad judgment.”

What concerns me is that Trump “could” win should he run. Look at the garbage he will bring with him into the White House.

Obviously, there have been Presidents of good character and bad. Trump obviously one of the bad. Harry Truman the opposite end of the spectrum. One of the good.

Truman and Key West bonded. Truman made 11 trips to Key West covering 175 days.

On this day in 1949 for example, the President arrived with wife Bess and daughter Margaret for a 3 week vacation.

My readers cover the earth. At the moment, an Orlando pediatric nurse is on a mission to war ravished countries in western Africa. Mending the sick and disabled. Placing herself and others in danger in order to help others.

Al Cotoia responded to my capon blog of yesterday. We are contemporaries age wise. He never heard of a turkey when he was young. The holiday bird was a “capon.”

Key West weather has been outstanding. In the 80’s. No humidity, no heat. Comfortable. Yesterday turned a bit. It was hot! You could feel the heat.

So much for today. I am back to working on Growing Up Italian. Someday I may publish it.

Be well.

Russia has graduated. Now using rape as a weapon in Ukraine. Disgusting, degenerate sexual abuse.

An article in today’s Daily Beast by Tara Chandra laid it out: “The increasingly desperate Russia military is using coordinated, brutal sexual assault to demoralize the Ukrainian people.” The article suggested: “The U.S. and its allies need to act.”

Systematic campaigns of rape and torture were spelled out. An 11 year old boy raped in front of his mother, the boy no longer speaks. An 83 year old woman raped in her home who is still recovering. An 11 month old baby who died while being raped. Nine year old triplets raped and 11 month old baby sodomized with a candlestick in front of the mother. Adult males being sodomized.

The author blames the lack of action to under reporting. Chandra believes the U.S. and others would react if the wrongs were to be revealed.

I can recall a time when elderly parents moved in with their children. Increasingly not the case any longer. Nearly 26 million Americans age 50 or older live by themselves. More than any time in our nation’s history.

Turkeys still with us. Left overs time.

Yesterday, Sloan brought me some left overs from her Thanksgiving table. Enough for 3 meals. Delicious! She then remained and we worked for a couple of hours.

Jean and Joe Thornton return in the next few days. Jean emailed me yesterday from her Birmingham home where she cooked for the family Thursday that she was bringing with her left over turkey, stuffing, etc. for me.

Love the ladies!

A Thanksgiving turkey story I would like to share. I never had turkey till I was 10-12 years old. I suspect, though I am not sure, turkeys were expensive at the time. The late 1930’s forward.

We were poor. Chickens rather than turkeys on the table.

Thanksgiving was at my grandmother’s. Two large chickens. I recall they were referred to as capons. Capons were castrated. Neutered to improve the quality of the flesh for eating purposes. I recall the capons were moist, tender and flavorful.

I have no older Italians to ask whether I am correct capons were cheaper than turkeys and eaten for that reason. I am an older Italian now and the issue never came up in my mind till I decided to write about capons today. Perhaps Al Cotoia or Bob Marks would know. Let me hear from you guys if you do.

Truer words not spoken. Those by Marilyn Monroe re keeping warm on a cold night: “A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night.”

I missed all the Syracuse fun/action yesterday. The basketball game against Bryant was at 4. Not televised and I don’t enjoy streaming on the computer. The football game against Boston College at 7. I ended up forgetting and took a nap instead.

The basketball game first.

Syracuse lost 73-72. I’m getting nervous. Last year all over again?

The action was during the basketball game. Ended up in a rout with both teams on the floor. Players from both teams ejected as well as two assistant Syracuse coaches.

The scenario got better. Boeheim and the Bryant coach had words after the game. Seems some of the Bryant players left the floor at the end of the game without shaking hands. Boeheim did not like the Bryant coach’s words in general to him as well as re the Bryant players who walked off without shaking hands.

I watched the video of the encounter as well as Boeheim’s explanation in the post game.

I have known Boeheim since the late 1970’s. Friends. The man is by the book. The perfect gentleman in every regard. I accept Boeheim’s rendition that the Bryant coach was out of hand and insulting to him.

Glad we won the football game. Beat Boston College 32-23. Syracuse’s season record 7-5. Disgraceful since we won the first 6 games and then lost 5 in a row.

My game plan tonight is to go out. Key West’s First Methodist Church is presenting its annual rendition of The Messiah at 7.

Enjoy your Sunday!

We forget. Think COVID behind us. Not that bad anymore.

Not so.

A recent editorial in the Palm Beach Post revealing: COVID especially dangerous to Florida residents aged 65 and older…..COVID has killed more 65 plus residents in Florida than any other State in the nation.

Public health exerts blame DeSantis’ counter productive COVID-19 policies. His leave resolutions to the individual rather than State mandates is not working. Freedom for all ages to do what they want endangers Florida’s huge elderly population. They’re left exposed and vulnerable. Many die as a result. Thirty two percent the number.

The 32 percent death rate higher than any other State. Even worse for those 85 and older.

The Florida Department of Health refer to the data in the editorial as “illiterate.”

Now for a Thanksgiving miracle. One hard to believe.

A 28 year old man fell overboard from a Carnival Valor ship 20 miles south of Southwest Pass, Florida. He was in the water more than 15 hours before found. Alive. No life jacket, water just above 70 degrees. When rescued suffering from the cold, dehydration and shock. He remains hospitalized. Recovering. Will survive.

Coast Guard officials are in a quandary how the man survived so long in the water. Kept himself afloat. Note he had no life jacket. Continued swimming around for 15 plus hours. They attribute his survival to his will to live.

Amazing!

I celebrated Thanksgiving with Don and Chris thursday night at La Te Da. Company and meal both excellent.

Arrived early. Chatted a bit with Chris. I have not seen him in a few years. Met a charming bartender. Tonto retired. Her replacement Samantha. On the drive home, noticed Christmas already in vogue with some. Three decorated on the outside. Several with decorated trees up and lite inside.

A 007 policy is working its way through the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Authorization to kill.

A vote to approve is scheduled for next week. The approval sought: To permit police to kill suspects using robots. Yes, in effect provide robots with authorization to kill.

Mechanized robot 007’s! They’ve come a long way!

Basketball and football on the Syracuse agenda today.

Syracuse plays Bryant in basketball at 4 at the Dome. Not being televised.

Syracuse/Boston College in football at Alumni Stadium in Boston at 7:30.

Syracuse and Boston College old rivals. For years, several couples made the trip every other year when the game was scheduled in Boston. So many times! A fun trip! A caravan drive. Stayed at a magnificent hotel whose name escapes me on the waterfront.

The game always scheduled this time of year. Cold in Boston! In the 40’s today. Open air stadium. Froze one’s ass off watching the game.

Afterwards Maine lobsters at the same restaurant on the water. Blue something.

Big time fun!

Been at least 25 years since my last game in Boston. At my age, doubt I will ever do another.

Enjoy your day!